DKRap? No, it's pretty good, actually!

Donkey Kong Country Returns
Nintendo Wii

It always surprises me how difficult these games which feature such incredibly cute, cartoon characters are but here I am once again at the end of another difficult game basking in the satisfaction of completing it. Donkey Kong Country Returns is an all new 2D platform game making nit a true sequel to the Super Nintendo titles in every fashion.

The game begins with Donkey Kong’s banana hoard going missing and it’s up to you and another player if you desire to get the bananas back from the Tiki Taki Tribe. Enabling co-operative play with a friend allows them to play as Diddy Kong who is able to run free about the level if they chose to do so but if you find things are getting a bit too hairy, get Donkey Kong to put Diddy on his back for one of the best piggy back rides of your life.

This brand new adventure is set on an Donkey Kong Island which spans both old and new terrain for the tried and tested 2D platform genre, the themes ranging from Jungle to Factory offers so much fun and diverse game play you wouldn’t have seen in any 2D platform game before. Each level within the themed zones has some optional criteria which can be met if you have the skills. As seen in previous games, collecting the letters ‘K O N G’ in a single run through of the level will reward you with new image and music item to collect but hunting down the well hidden jigsaw pieces will earn you something very special indeed.

Using the Wii Remote turns sideways; the game is accessible to all players and doesn’t require any additional attachments for the two players to enjoy. Controlling in this method is fine for the majority of my experience but when it comes to the latter part of the game and the motion controlled actions I seldom found myself being worse off because of the slightly confusing methods required to perform certain actions. Don’t let the difficulty of this game put you off, though, the game supports Super Guide which will take control of Donkey Kong for you and happily finish off any level you’re finding too tough to complete.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a fantastic game which, if you enjoyed New Super Mario Bros Wii, shouldn’t be missed. It s presentation is what you would expect from Nintendo and the overall package doesn’t disappoint.

Merry Christmas!

9/10

GOTY 2010!

It doesn’t matter which console or platform you prefer, what type of game you like or how much you play games it’s hard to deny this year has been absolutely fantastic and even evolutionary for the gaming market with Sony and Microsoft’s debut into motion control gaming.

Starting off almost a year ago, Mass Effect 2 hit in January of 2010 from Bioware on the Xbox 360 which set the bar extremely high, if you remember my perfect score review then you’ll know why I loved this sci-fi RPG more than any RPG I have played. Weeks later the sequel to the much loved Bioshock was released from a brand new developer with much scepticism. The original Bioshock was such a great stand-alone product that hardly anything thought this would work, but it did extremely well.

Heavy Rain gave PS3 owners something to shout about with this unique and exciting story-based action game with God of War 3 bringing the greek mythology with its traditional over the top epic action. The Bad Company squad were unleashed onto the scene with an above average singeplayer but a multiplayer component more thrilling than any Call of Duty could offer.

The next two games were sent to development hell being work in progress for almost five years each. Splinter Cell conviction impressed with its traditional espionage action and Alan Wake showed us that not all shooting games need to feature only destroy enemies with a weapon but with a torch, too.

Saddling up to be a strong contender is Red Dead Redemption, another game which faired extremely well across the board with Super Mario Galaxy 2 impressing me just as equally for the Nintendo Wii.

Pacific City gets over run with zombies in Crackdown 2, which was a better game than people didn’t give it credit for and then Starcraft 2 is launched which totally blows other RTS games out of the water.

In the run up to Christmas we see the triple-A titles coming out with FIFA 11, Halo Reach and then the revolutionary Microsoft Kinect was launched. Call of Duty Black Ops, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood, Need for Speed, Donkey Kong Country Returns and WoW: Cataclysm make their last minute appearance but overall StarCraft 2 has won my heart for game of the year. A real-time strategy game which has been in development for almost twelve years and every year waiting was worth it.

It’s a game like no other which goes from strength to strength with it’s professional esports tournaments gaining my interest and a game which even after all these months I still find myself going back almost every single week.
Congratulations Blizzard, you sure know how to gain the attention of almost every PC/Mac gamer in the world.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom review!

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom
Xbox 360 / PS3
Rated 12+

Another month, another third-person action adventure game, it really feels like Devil May Cry and god of War have a lot to answer for. NamcoBandai are at it again with a brand new IP but just like their other game, enslaved, it certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s not just the publishers name which this game and Enslaved: Journey to the West have in common, they’re both fantastically produced third-person action adventure games with an AI controlled partner which helps you out in both combat and puzzling situations.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is set in a fantasy universe in which the very generic enemy “The Darkness” have taken over and is seizing the land of its beautifully lush environments and people. You play as Tepeu, a young thief who has befriended this large, magical yet simple creature known as the Majin whose back story is revealed to you over the course of the game.

The story in Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is kept relatively simple throughout the games lifespan of about twelves hours which is definitely the impression the game gives off within the first hour of play. The opening tutorial level holds your hand more than you would like which is often interrupted with cut-scenes which don’t really have a lot to do with the games story overall.

Don’t let that last paragraph put you off from experiencing this wonderful gem of a game. Once you leave the tutorial level the game world expands into something much bigger than most other third-person action adventure titles leaving you free roaming round the world map solving puzzles and earning new abilities as you progress leaving an impression similar to a Zelda dungeon.

Combat is kept relatively simple yet satisfying with an interesting twist. Upon knocking an enemy down, the spirit from the corpse is then absorbed by your Majin which heals him. If you ever find yourself with low-health and covered in The Darkness, your buddy with happily remove it from you and replenish your health.
Co-operative moves are also available in combat alongside a basic yet functional upgrade system to Tepeus health, strength and friendship with the Majin which allows you to access bigger and better moves further on in the game.

If you’re interested in an original and exciting game for your Xbox 360 and PS3 then look no further than Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. While it might not satisfy your narrative needs it provides excellent core game mechanics in spades and that’s fine by me!

8/10