What Are You Playing? 26/02

This is quite honestly the first week of 2010 in which I have way too much to play. The last time I felt  overwhelmed like this was during the infamous rush of titles in late 2008, though the quality of games is still constant.

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Some of you will have already seen my review for the first instalment of the Heavy Rain chronicles, and rest assured, a review for the full game is in the works as we speak. I picked up my collector’s edition only yesterday, sinking enough hours into the game to get acquainted with each of the four protagonists.

The only part of Heavy Rain I am going to comment on is the beginning. You will notice a certain sluggish pacing for the first hour or so, and though this can be off-putting, it’s essential in building player-character relations.

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I have been playing so much Heavy Rain that I almost completely forgot about the launch of brand new Uncharted 2 DLC. I am a huge fan of UC2’s online component, so without thinking twice I snapped up the new content for a stellar £3.99. This new pack contains two maps and six skins, all inspired by locations and character in the original game, Drake’s Fortune.

Even though I felt bound to Heavy Rain last night, I simply had to put in a few rounds on these new maps I had been waiting for. UC2 vets will recognise straight away some of the changes this new pack ushers into the game. For starters, there is a matchmaking preference, depending on whether you have the DLC or not. Secondly, apart from the actual add-on content itself, there is a list of trophies, which are superbly tracked via one of the in-game menus. Without giving anything away before my review, all I can say is these maps are definitely worth getting, and have a completely different vibe from the ones already available.

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The last game on my list was a somewhat out-of-character purchase for me. After playing the demo over and over, I knew that I had to get my hands on a copy of Sonic & SEGA All Stars Racing. I have longed for some sweet-ass kart racing for too long on the PlayStation 3, even with the wake of ModNation Racers.

Fans of Mario Kart, Crash Team Racing and the previously mentioned MNR will all feel at home with All Stars Racing. The controls are smooth and the races themselves are intense. Though I have only zipped through a few of the splitscreen and completed some of the Gran Prix cups, I know this one is definitely a keeper, and hopefully there will be prospects of DLC from SEGA in the near future.

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Well, that’s it for this week, and next week’s report will likely be the same, though I will try to squeeze in some Dante time. Please, let us know what games you have been playing this week and how they have been.

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