METAL CHEER SOLID, by Owen Anslow

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots

FORMAT: PS3

GENRE: Action

RATING: Mature

OUT: Now

THEY say you can’t teach and old dog new tricks – but that’s not the case for Metal Gear Solid hero Snake. He’s back and better than ever before in his latest outing as the sneaky fighter waiting in the shadows with a quiet cap for the bad guys. Put simply, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots is superb. It has everything a gamer could ask for, and more, with one of the great video game characters, who is up there with Sonic, Mario and good old Lara. Firstly, the storyline is fantastic – twists and turns from the start right up till the end. The heavy soundtrack also adds to the excitement, not too dissimilar to the feeling you got with Amon Tobin’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory music. Another nice touch is being able to battle your way out of a tough spot guns-a-blazing if you are discovered by the enemy sneaking around. The AI on MGS4 is awesome – they work together in trying to take you down with accurate grenades to make you scamper from your hiding spot, and flanking systems to leave you pinned in a corner. Along with some of the best graphics ever seen in a game, all this makes for one of the most intense plays of 2008.

VERDICT: Venomous Snake bite

SCORE: 9.5

Let us know if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

iPhone 3G sells out

Demand for the revolutionary iPhone 3G, which goes on sale this Friday July 11, is at unprecedented levels, far in excess of the original iPhone, say 02.

“We’ve never seen any mobile device create the excitement and demand of the iPhone 3G,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2 in the

UK

.

“We want to ensure that everyone who wants an iPhone 3G can get one so we’ll be working with Apple to continually replenish our supplies throughout the summer.”

This morning (Monday July 7) customers who had pre-registered their interest in iPhone 3G were given the opportunity to purchase via O2’s online shop (http://shop.o2.co.uk) a limited stock of devices which had been set aside. The response was so great that the online store completely sold out of iPhone 3Gs within just a few hours.

Though O2 had invested several million pounds to increase the order capacity of the site (with order processing capacity increased by over 250 times its normal rate), at times the site still couldn’t process the sheer weight of demand.

Details of when new supplies of iPhone 3Gs will be available via the O2 online shop will be updated regularly via the website.

TWISTED FIRESTARTER, by Owen Anslow

Alone In The Dark

FORMAT: Xbox 360/PS3/Wii/PC

GENRE: Action Adventure

RATING: 18

OUT: Now

FLAMIN ‘eck – this one burns hot and cold. Let’s start with the hot. Alone In The Dark is an engrossing game. It looks great and makes you feel great (especially after lobbing a Molotov at some messed-up creature and watching him burn).

The game can be played in both first-person and third-person as you make your way through New York – a dark, nasty place the Devil is looking to call home. In the world of darkness, fire is your best friends and Atari have done a great job with your arsenal. An example: Combine a bottle of grog, a rag cloth and some sticky tape, then add a box of ammo (explosive Molotov, Blue Peter-style). Once assembled, launch into the air above hoard of half-dead possessed bad guys, and shoot target. Watch as hail of bullets rain down and take out enemy. Or, if you’re low on flamin’ juice, sink a screwdriver into the gas tank of a car and fill up (or you can blow the motor up with a well-aimed gas tank shot with your Magnum).

It’s touches like this (plus self-healing and hot-wiring cars) that keep a smile on your face as your trawl through AitD. Add a brilliantly dark storyline, some head-scratching puzzles and DVD-style system where you can skip chapters of the game, and you have a brilliant title (the music also works well).

But sadly, something gets lost in the dark and it’s hard to out your finger on it. So, time for the cold. The controls seem a bit slow at times, somewhat clunky. For example, battering a monster with an axe, although fun, is never coordinated, you don’t feel in control of swings and movement. Also, climbing into a car can be vexing – this gamer spent most of his time in the back seat, trying desperately to get behind the wheel before being eaten alive.

Despite all this, it’s hard to put the controller down. The scope of this game is so vast that you feel you must carry on just to the end of the next chapter. It’s an enjoyable adventure, as long as you don’t let the sticky controls fan the flames of fun.

VERDICT: It sparks but doesn’t ignite

SCORE: 7.3

Let us know if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

A BLOODY SUCK-CESS, by Owen Anslow

Dracula: Origin

FORMAT: PC

GENRE: Point ‘n’ click

RATING: 12 +

OUT: Now

TIME for your PC to be hit with a different kind of mega bite. Dracula: Origin is the new point ‘n’ click that sees you take on the role of  Prof Van Helsing, that famous vamp hunter out to wave some garlic in front of Dracula’s face. Frogwares have actually come up with a pretty tasty game. Firstly, it looks superb – the graphics add to the chilling plot. Secondly, the puzzles are how they should be, erm, puzzling. Unlike most point ‘n’ clicks, Dracula has paid attention to detail, which means there’s a lot of scratching your head as you desperately try different combos to get to the next bit. Some tests are so challenging, you’ll be tempted to find a Walkthrough on the net, but don’t – you’ll get there in the end. Speaking of endings, this one is a little disappointing and the game does feel somewhat short. But with a good plot and some eager acting, you really get involved - it’s a hard one to put down.

SCORE: 8.4

VERDICT: This game raises the stakes!

Let us knows if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, by Owen Anslow

My Health Coach: Manage Your Weight

FORMAT: Nintendo DS

GENRE: Fitness

OUT: Now

IF the idea of prancing about on the Wii Fit Board really doesn’t grab you, then reach for My Health Coach: Manage Your Weight, on the Nintendo DS. Ubisoft have come up with a superb way of handling your weight and shedding the pounds – without having to fight clunky gym machines or sweat buckets in Spinning classes. Developed along with nutritionist experts, Health Coach lets you control your weight in way that’s fun, but also efficient. The fantastic pedometer that comes with the game measures your physical activity as you take a stroll (or if you’re feeling brave, a jog). The game monitors your intake of grub and your activity levels, and calculates the ideal balance of the two. Coaching sessions include mini-games, quizzes and challenges and after playing it daily, even if it’s just for a few minutes, you notice the difference. This handy number would give Fat Club’s Harvey Walden a run for his money.

SCORE: 8.3

VERDICT: The weight is over!

Let us know if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

LORD OF THE RINGS, by Owen Anslow

TIME for some body-slamming, drop-kicking, bone-crushing action with TNA Impact, the wrestling game that grabs you from the start and won’t let go. The new title from Midway allows you to become a star of wrestling, creating your own fighter with custom moves and individual wardrobe. The game’s story mode allows you to build your own career, where you can muscle your way to fame and fortune with your own unique style of fighting. As well as becoming a legend, you can also take control of up to 25 of your favourite Total Nonstop Action wrestlers, such as Kurt Angle, Sting, Jeff Jarrett and many more. The online option will have you flexing those muscles against TNA fans from across the globe. Tag Team, Ultimate X and Four-Way are just some of the match options you can fight with as well as customising match rules for a gruelling head-to-head. The game hits PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii consoles in September – enjoy these screenshots and watch this space for a review.

JOLLY (OR FOLLY) GREEN GIANT? By Owen Anslow

The Incredible Hulk

FORMAT: Xbox 360/PS3/PC/DS/Wii

GENRE: Action

RATING: 16+

OUT: Now

IF you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be that bull in the china shop, buy this smash ’em up. It’s a weapon of mass destruction – and a handy stress-busting device – that sees Marvel hero the Hulk run riot through New York.

It’s the amount of destruction the big green dude leaves in his wake that is the real thrill of this SEGA number. With an open-plan sandbox city at your disposal, it’s a lot fun to scale sky scrapers or hurl Hulk from one building to the next. You also have the ability to use anything you like to cause some serious damage – cabs, lampposts, pieces of the building you’ve just smashed up. All of this results in one massive – but mindless – pulverising exercise.

However, this sadly means that the rest of the game has been somewhat left behind. The graphics seem a little lazy and hazy, the enemies are slow and the missions don’t vary that much.

Having said that, it’s still incredibly satisfying to smash the place up and then take down some end-of-level baddies (old school-style).

At the end of the day it comes down to what kind of gamer you are: If you’re Greenpeace, forget it - but if your Greenpieces, then bash away brothers.

SCORE: 7.2

VERDICT: You’ll kinda like him when he’s angry

Let us know if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

UBISOFT SPOT, by Owen Anslow

PHEW la la! It was all fun and games at Ubidays ’08  Paris where we were given a sneak peak of some exciting new games. Set beneath the Louvre, it was underground gaming at its best as Ubisoft showed off some thrilling games due out later this year. Check out the screenshots for some of these titles.

One in particular would have even had old Mona Lisa grinning from ear to ear if she could play it. ENDWAR was utterly amazing – literally. The Tom Clancy war game looked and played superbly well. You control an army with vocal commands – say “unit 1 camera” and you’ll see through the eyes of your troops. Utter the words “unit 2 attack hostile 3” and watch with joy as your choppers go in for the kill.

Another lovely surprise was (another) Tom Clancy title, H.A.W.X. Most people cringe at the idea of a flight ’n’ fight game but this dog-fighting masterpiece is the erm, dog’s. The game looks superb but handling your jet is easier than it looks. There is also a cool little ERS system to help you find the right flight path so you can line-up the next bogey that stumbles across your radar.

It’s the battle the world has waited for but finally it can take place – little Yoda vs Darth Vader. Yes, people it’s SOUL CALIBUR IV, with some cool new characters, as well as some of your old favourites. The game will blow you away. It looks great, sounds brilliant and will leave your thumbs blistered and sore.

It was also good to have a play with BROTHERS IN ARMS: HELL’S HIGHWAY. Again, stunning graphics make for engrossing gameplay and this one has a detailed story to keep you involved. The bazooka team is a good (and much-needed) addition the strategy-cum-FPS romp.

There was a rumble in the jungle too with FAR CRY 2. Loads of fantastic improvements and also a lot to make your hungry for this blast. One map, no loading screen and an environment that changes all the time. You can approach each battle differently: Gun-ho or quietly. For those of you who like to plan your kills, you can even see which way the wind is going, start a fire and watch it spread and surround the enemy. Another class touch is the map. You can check your position without breaking the gameplay to go to a different screen - walking and map-reading at the same.

Other tricks Ubisoft had up their sleeve included SHAUN WHITE’S SNOWBOARDING, a new way to conquer the slopes. PRINCE OF PERSIA sees a new character follow you round now that there’s no more Sands Of Time. And Wii fans are gonna love the return of RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS – as well as four-player dance-offs you can enjoy BUM-BOARDING down the slopes on the Wii Fit board.

Let us know what you think . . .

O2 have the new curve in red

THE BlackBerry Curve 8310 smartphone is now available in a stylish red finish from O2. It's the smallest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone, and comes with built-in GPS. In addition to email, phone, organiser and all the functionalities that BlackBerry is known for, it also includes an enhanced media player with support for a variety of music and video file types, and camera with flash and zoom.

Pricing and Availability The BlackBerry Curve 8310 is available on O2's Unlimited BlackBerry® Enterprise Server and BlackBerry® Internet Service tariffs, which offer unlimited use of O2's BlackBerry service, subject to terms and conditions. For further information on price and availability speak to your local O2 store or visit http://www.my-blackberryfromo2.com/

Summer festival special

Welcome to the Gadgits Summer festival special, featuring all the gear and gadgets you need for 2008's top outdoor music events. Scroll down and you can even win some tickets and a brilliant T-Mobile Juke Box Sony Ericsson phone.