Better late than never, right? Whilst I had intended to write this up around New Years, certain things occupied my time so my inevitable list of games that made 2012 all super and that, is finally here. Now I'll be the first to admit, I've gone off the idea of calling one specific game my game of the year, so instead of a numbered order you'll find a selection of games that made 2012 a year to remember for those of us who do love our video games Yes most of the games on my list are boringly predictable (Damn them, for being so darn good) but I hope there's one or two that you might agree with or might even be worth your future consideration. I'm not sure what it is about creating a list at the end of each year, it's like something we have a deep driven urge to do. Anyway, shall we begin?

List in no particular order (also lists are boring!).

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Of all the games I played in 2012, none quite scratched that meaningless itch of constant loot and shooting dudes in the face than Gearbox Software's outstanding Borderlands 2. Having had a distant appreciated for the original Borderlands, while at the same time a deep rooted hatred for how downright boring shooting guys in the face was, I watched Borderlands 2 with a tinge of caution and anticipated thrill, fuelled by a need for loot, loot and even more loot! Thankfully in pretty much every way, the fine guys and gals at Gearbox Software didn't just iron out all the rough edges found in the original, they went and made a hell of a fun shooter, one of the best in years even. Having already invested 70+ hours into one character already (no where near as much as some folks I know), having only just started to mess around with the downloadable content and having yet got around to playing the new game plus, guarantees I'll be playing Borderlands 2 for many months to come. I love it!

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Oh SSX, it's most probably ironic that the whole selling point of having 'realistically mapped out' mountains in your game ended up hurting the final product. Don't get me wrong, the amount of 'drops' is stupendous and delightful, but when a great many of those drops are sort of... well boring and infuriating it's a damn shame. As is the games split personality, neither gritty realistic extreme snowboarding game nor SSX Tricky reborn, it didn't really know what it wanted to be. Though the Mount Eddie DLC was proof enough which I prefer, more SSX Tricky, less Deadly Descent please. So okay, SSX had it's problems, but that's not to take anything away from the fact that SSX was bloody good fun and the return of a franchise that should never stop being part of the release calender. Let's hope we see more SSX on the horizon... *cough*Tricky*cough*

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Yes, the so called Japanese Gears of War. In the year in which I played both Sega's bizarre futuristic robot murdering third-person shooter and Epic Game's manly, shouty lambent murdering third-person shooter, I know which I'd prefer to chatter on about. Binary Domain was created by Toshihiro Nagoshi, the man behind the equally awesome Yakuza series. But unlike the Yakuza games which have a tendency to drag on until your eyes explode, Binary Domain was able to hook me until the very end with a story that surprised me with intrigue and characters that were both equally irritating and awesome... at the same time. Seriously, have you not seen Cain, the French speaking robot who kicks-ass. Then there's Big Bo, who deserves a honourable mention in his own right. In many ways it was the games Japanese-ness (is that a word? It is now) that I adored the most. Does Gears of War 3 stop you in the middle of a mission to protect a party member who needs to use the bathroom facilities whilst being attacked by robots programmed for murder? I think not, and that's why I love Binary Domain, cause it's SWEET!

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Why do I play video games? I've asked this question many times over the years and I've never been quite sure of the answer. Some play to rack up high scores, others to achieve rare feats or prove they're the best. Me? Well for me it's all about the experience. Now putting the whole games are art debate to one side, I'm not quite sure what to say about Thatgamecompany's stunning, beautiful and spectacular PSN exclusive game Journey that hasn't already been said. Breathtaking visuals, twinned with one of the greatest soundtracks I've ever had the honour of listening to (a bazillion times). Journey is a game that speaks for itself, a game I fell in love with and still adore even after experiencing it for the seventh or eighth time. It's still as magical as you randomly meet up with a strange fellow player and communicate through simple chirps and skiing down sand dunes. It is without a single doubt, one of the greatest experiences I've had in video games and if this list were in order of awesomeness, I think it's fair to say that Journey would be in my top two. Journey is proof enough just how magical games can be, touching you on an emotional level few games can hope to achieve.

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I hate zombies! So if you'd have said to me a year ago that Telltale's The Walking Dead would be in my list of games of 2012, I'd have most probably grumbled some inaudible speech in disapproval. Yet here it is, The Walking Dead. Despite having had no interest in the television show after season one and my aforementioned hatred of all things zombie, The Walking Dead was a wondrous achievement. Coming off the back of the simply awful Jurassic Park game, there wasn't a great deal of faith in Telltale's ability to turn The Walking Dead into anything other than another familiar point and click adventure game. Yet somehow, some way they were able to create one of the most memorable gaming experiences of the year... no of this generation. It's not a technical wonder, it certainly had it's flaws on all systems, but that's not really the point. The Walking Dead proves the power of good storytelling, something so many games choose to ignore these days. From the emotionally charged relationship between Lee and Clementine to the gut-wrenching decisions you have the make along the way, The Walking Dead pulls at your very heartstrings constantly until it makes you weep like a baby. Telltale did a superb job of creating a constant stream of tension, the never knowing what might happen next, always leaves you on the edge of your seat. Then there's that ending... oh that ending! Simply spectacular. While I have a dislike for lists, I'd be happy to call The Walking Dead my game of 2012.

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So there it is. Five games might not be a whole lot and I certainly played a great many more, some of which might have deserved to be on this list. But I dunno, I feel there's something more natural about picking the five games that meant the most to me and while 2012 wasn't quite a spectacular year for video games, it certainly had it's fair share of memorable releases. So I hope you enjoyed it to. Roll on 2013... wait we're already here... dammit!

Thanks for reading.

Black Ops 2 is an infuriating game, one that isn't the fresh exciting advancement to the franchise the advertisements would have you believe. It's certainly not a bad game, but for every smart and sensible change the folks at Treyarch made, they go and spoil it all by having dialogue which is at times laughable and over the top set pieces which fail to thrill, no matter how many explosions are on screen at once.

The Call of Duty games have split people into two camps, those who hate it and those who pretty much love everything about it, well the multiplayer at least. I like to think I sit in the middle in the hope that one day they can turn the franchise around, in fact that's exactly why I went and played Black Ops 2. Unfortunately the new mechanics they've added are half-hearted and the changes they've made to multiplayer modes while welcomed, do little to make this a new multiplayer experience.

But maybe I'm being to harsh on Black Ops 2, after all it's a perfectly fine Call of Duty game, certainly better than Modern Warfare 3. But it's the potential promise that might infuriate the most, because deep down there's real promise in both the Black Ops storyline and the new Strike force missions which is one of the two important additions to the campaign. But it's as if someone at Activision went "remember folks, twelve year old kids enjoy this" and so decided to add dialogue and dramatic moments that might has well been thought up by a twelve year old kid.

Following on from the enjoyable and intriguing storyline of the original Black Ops, the campaign takes place in two eras, the 1980's and the 2020's. The story as the potential to thrill and some smartly hidden objectives and decisions along the way can affect how the story evolves. It feels like a wasted opportunity however, good things could have come of these changes but at the end of the day this is still about shooting guys in the face with either weapons from the 1980's or the crazy fun weapons of the future. For some, that'll be enough and I don't blame them, we don't all have time to play a forty hour epic RPG. In that regard, you'll be more than satisfied.

The campaign as some real highlights to, none being any of the over the top set pieces the franchise is so famous for. I don't know about you, but I don't find a bazillion explosions on the screen at once that thrilling any more and the fact that pretty much everything explodes as if it were a nuclear bomb just adds to my weariness. It's not all bad, like I said the campaign as it's moments, one being a rather intense scene in a futuristic nightclub as dubstep music adds to the tension as you seek to rescue someone of importance from bad guys, if anything it proves that Call of Duty can still pull off those tense moments when it needs to.

But does Black Ops 2 continue the tense tale of the first game, nope sadly not. It's a shame because there's great potential in the weird back story that was formed in the original Black Ops. Instead the game mainly focuses away from 'the numbers' with a typical beat the bad guy before the world explodes storyline. That bad guy is Raul Menendez, arguably one of the most interesting villains in a Call of Duty game to date, though the potential is wasted on a forgettable and at times baffling story of drones, special materials and so forth. Oh and I won't even mention the awful video at the end of the credits... Treyarch and Activision, shame on you!

Multiplayer of course can't be passed by and thankfully it's still fun and challenging in the fair and balanced way you'd expect. While most of the modes return, some changes have been made to how you can customize your load out. A new points system allows the player to remove, swap and change the entirety of the class, allowing players to vary greatly to load out they use in battle. Want to have a class entirely based on having a knife? Black Ops 2 allows you to do that. While it doesn't dramatically change the competitive multiplayer, it's certainly welcomed though if you've never cared much for the multiplayer in Call of Duty games, Black Ops 2 won't change your mind any time soon. Just know that the Call of Duty multilayer is more varied than ever when it comes to giving players a larger variety of options in what to take to battle.

Treyarch's now signature Zombie mode returns and again it's where I found most of my multiplayer thrills. It's still your typical zombie mode seen in past Call of Duty games, but a few things have changed. The new Tranzit mode sees players shifting from one location to another through a strange but humorous bus, fighting off the hungry zombie horde as you seek to survive and meet specific requirements at each location and survival mode is there for those looking for a more traditional zombie experience. It's fun, but there's certainly potential in expanding zombie mode even further and what's on offer within Black Ops 2 feels a little bit of a let down.

So when it comes down to it Black Ops 2 is an infuriating game. The first attempts to 'revolutionise' Call of Duty feels half-hearted and thanks to awful dialogue, stupid moments of men being as macho as they possibly can and a waste of actual potential, makes it a difficult game to recommend if you haven't already jumped on board the CoD train. It's certainly not the worst we've seen from the franchise, but most certainly the worst at squandering it's potential.

A constant that's surrounded Halo 4 since it's announcement as been the ever lingering question on if we actually need a new Halo trilogy. The much loved Xbox exclusive shooter as been well served by it's creators at Bungie, but with a new team in charge and the doubts that have surrounded the game, one must question if Halo 4 is simply a result of a console generation dragging on to long.

Say Halo to 343 Industries, the new daddies of the Halo franchise. We've known for a while that they were to replaced Bungie, a developer greatly acclaimed over the years, but do they really satisfy the demanding Halo fanbase with Halo 4? I'm happy to say they do indeed, but by only keeping to a very familiar format that's been seen in every Halo game since the original blew open the doors for first person shooters on consoles.

This is both a good and bad thing depending on your perspective, while a new Halo like Halo game is welcomed by fans of the series, it won't do a great deal to change the minds of those already bored by what's been offered before by Bungie. In fact it's almost as if 343 went out of there way to meet the demands of an already established base of fans, with messages thanking fans for their trust and in simply creating an Halo game that cannot at all be mistaken for anything but an Halo game. Not that this is such a bad thing.

Oh no, Halo 4 is in many ways the best Halo game yet. How you ask? Simple because 343 Industries have refined Halo is an almost perfect level. Combat feels outstanding and familiar in a comforting sort of way and graphical Halo as taken a much needed step forward. Halo 4 look and sounds outstanding, every shot fired from every weapon carries quite a punch and the spectacular set pieces stand out, forcing you to stop and take in the view. This isn't just the best looking Halo game to date, it's one of the best looking 360 games to date, clearly showing a mastery of a console coming to the end of it's life. Oh and have I mentioned the soundtrack, as someone who grew bored of the constant recycling of Martin O'Donnell's familiar Halo tunes, a refreshing take on how Halo should sound is welcoming, it is a new trilogy after all.

Campaign takes place after the events of Halo 3, thankfully if you somehow missed those events it matters little. While some characters and back story adds value to the story, this is in many ways a typical Halo campaign, except for one thing, emotion. It's somewhat of a let down than that the rather touching tale told between the Master Chief and Cortana is let down by some spotty dialogue that might as well have come from a Michael Bay flick. That said, it doesn't damage some of the touching moments in the story, with Steve Downes and Jen Taylor providing some of the performances of the year when it comes to voice work.

When compared to past Halo campaigns, it's certainly not the best, but thanks to the refined combat and overall presentation, it's one of the more enjoyable. Of course Halo wouldn't be Halo without some multiplayer and in the new 'Infinity' mode you'll find all the usual multiplayer options and more. Traditional multiplayer is to be found, with some interesting changes having been made, the inclusion of load outs similar to the likes of pretty much every modern multiplayer shooter out these days and than there's Spec Ops.

Spec Ops is a new multiplayer mode which you play co-op with fellow Spartans in ten short story campaigns spread throughout a ten week period. As of this writing only two have been released and if you're expecting some revolutionary multiplayer mode you might be disappointed. Spec Ops however does add some added value to the back story of Halo 4 (Infinity being the name of the ship frequently figuring in the campaign). Unfortunately it's not quite a suitable replacement for the much more enjoyable fire fight mode seen in past Halo games and the CG cutscenes that introduce each episode might only be of real interest to those who love the Halo universe, but with ten weeks to go, maybe it worth waiting to see how it all works out.

So your interest in Halo 4 will entirely depend on your need to play yet another Halo game. It doesn't do anything radically new to the franchise and doesn't really need to, as the fan base already well in place will feel right at home and no doubt pleased with the care and attention given by 343 Industries. While one hopes that 343 try and inject their own personality and ideas into the future games in this new Halo trilogy, with Halo 4 if your looking for more Halo you really can't go wrong.

Thanks for reading,

Joseph.

In celebration of the recent release of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, I thought it'd be interesting to revisit these much loved stealth action games and see if they still hold up to my fond memories. While I'll certainly be playing the HD versions of Snake Eater, Peace Walker and Sons of Liberty, not to mention Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, I'm also hoping to play either the original Metal Gear Solid game, or the Twin Snakes version released on GameCube, though no guarantees. Why am I doing this? Out of pure interest of course plus it'll be entertaining, so let's kick things off with part one: Snake Eater.

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Snake Eater was released for the Playstation 2 in the March of 2005 (December 2004 in the United States), it was Mr Hideo Kojima's second Metal Gear game on Sony's second piece of gaming hardware after the release of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty in 2001. Snake Eater is technically a prequel to the entire MGS series, so it's was only right to start at the very beginning of the timeline. Now I won't be going deep into storyline details or anything like that, all I want to do is provide my impressions upon playing through these games again. As I mentioned previously, I'll be playing the HD versions of a few of these games so please keep that in mind.

Now Snake Eater isn't one of my favourite games in the Metal Gear series, that's not to say I've never appreciated it on some level, I might even say I respect Snake Eater more than any of the other games in the franchise. Playing through this HD version reminded me of the niggling parts of gameplay that don't quite hold up to the standards of today, now I'm speaking of a game made about ten years ago so of course the experience of playing isn't up to snuff compared to modern standards and its certainly not an awful game to play, it simply feels more aged than ever from a modern point of view. That said I'm sure some of you might argue that the controls of the Metal Gear games were poor all the way back to the original Metal Gear Solid game on Playstation 1, it's only been since Metal Gear Solid 4 that we've seen any real change in how controls are handled.

Gameplay aside, I was taken aback by what a great job Mr Hideo Kojima and his team at Kojima Productions did with the Playstation 2's hardware restrictions, the HD version highlights some beautiful art design and while you'll certainly notice a few blurry dull textures here and there, for the most part Snake Eater looks as splendid as it did in my memories; another nice addition is the framerate, which runs buttery smooth. Kojima's games have always had a strong art design and that's especially true for Snake Eater. I'd forgotten how much I loved his take on the 1960's Cold War era, while they do take a few liberties when it comes to the technology on display, it's forgiveable when you get to face some amazing looking bosses like The Fury with his cosmonaut suit.

Food and medicine were key gameplay mechanics in Snake Eater, requiring the player to fix up cuts, bullet wounds or burns, while hunting for food to keep up stamina. It's understandable that some out there disliked these mechanics, I wasn't entirely keen on them myself when I first popped in my MGS3 disc back in 2005, however my views on the mechanics have since changed and there one of the real highlights to the Snake Eater experience. It's sort of a shame we haven't seen many other games have a crack at similar features, all we have nowadays is magical potions and regenerating health. Oh don't get me wrong, drudging through the menu's to gain access to 'cure' and 'food' is a chore, but it as a charm.

Snake Eater (being the first game I've revisited) reminded me how mechanically stiff and awkward the stealth mechanics were in past Metal Gear games, it's unfortunate that not a great deal has changed in the years since. While I wouldn't go as far as to say it's not fun and there's certainly a degree of challenge, it simply feels as if the stealth sections are just another hurdle to the next awesome cut-scene. I'm sure this wouldn't be the case if the stealth sections were more varied, take for example the section where Snake is required to knock out and steal the uniform of a major in order to gain access to a locked area of the base, that's a blast and a fun challenge solely because it feels different, however I'd forgotten how much I disliked the mountainous regions of the game as you're crawling through trenches and knocking out soldier after soldier, it just isn't a whole lot of fun. I guess the real frustration comes from the lack of available options within these stealth sections, possibly a sign of the times rather than actual design.

Memorable characters linger throughout the Metal Gear franchise, but I might argue that Snake Eater contains some of the most memorable, with the likes of a young Ocelot, The Sorrow, The Boss and of course Volgin, whom might just be one of the most dislikeable bosses I can recall in any Metal Gear game... dislikeable in a good way I might add, the dude is just evil, in a way you just kind of got to love. Being a prequel, I had forgotten just how much setup is contained within Snake Eater, though there may be one to many in-jokes and whilst I appreciate a film related chat with Para-Medic everytime I go and save my game, it gets sort of boring. I've never been one of those gamers who moans about lengthy cut-scenes or to much dialogue (in fact it's one of the reasons I love the MGS franchise) but putting those Para-Medic chats in with the process of saving a game seems like a mistake, no it was a mistake.

Playing through Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater reminded me of all the reasons why it's never been my favourite in the franchise, it might be more personal preference then a case of one game being better than another, but there's still something about Snake Eater that left me as frustrated as it did entertained. That ending is still splendid, and the story weaved throughout is captivating and dare I say, mature in a way videogames often aren't. A memorable Playstation 2 title for certain, maybe one of the best that can now be enjoyed on both Playstation 3, Playstation Vita and Xbox 360 (not to mention a Nintendo 3DS version) with the HD collection or bought separately. If you've yet to experience any Metal Gear game, than there's no better place to start then Snake Eater, the natural beginnings of the franchise that still holds up today... Kuwabara, kuwabara.

Next up... Peace Walker (once I've cleansed my palate of course.)

Thanks for reading,

Joseph.

Rock of Ages isn't your typical tower defence game, in fact it's art style might for a second have you thinking that Monty Python's Terry Giliam had gone and made a video game, he hasn't (though I'd love to see him have a crack at one.) Rock of Ages is the most recent release from Chile based developers ACE Team, yes the folks behind the bizarre first person fighting game Zeno Clash. Their familiar cosmetic oddities are present in Rock of Ages, though to a less freaky and confusing degree.

At its most basic, Rock of Ages is a tower defense game where the objective is to destroy the enemy's gate and flatten one of the many famous historical figures that cower inside; if you do so you win, pretty simple. Rock of Ages takes a page from the artistic styles of historical artwork and the Monty Pythonesque cut out figures give the game a real charming look. As do the between battle cutscenes which splice in a few modern cultural references with takes on famous movies scenes such as 300's "This is Sparta" and Lord of the Rings "you shall not pass" making for amusing moments.

The player takes control of a large boulder and controlling it is both slow and sluggish (as you might expect), unfortunately to many battles end up simply being a case of who can get their boulder down the hill the fastest. The 'tower defense' part of Rock of Ages consists of building of weapons and towers on the play field, with the intention of slowing down and damaging the enemies boulder. It's basic and won't be revolutionising the tower defense genre anytime soon.The relatively slower pace might also frustrate some and while rolling a big boulder and smashing into buildings as its simple thrills, there's little to keep you hooked.

The PS3 version suffers with some framerate drops here and there, especially when the game displays the enemy's boulder on the top right separate screen, but it's more then playable and doesn't quite spoil Rock of Age's charming style. Audio is worth a quick mention to, with silly voices that act as speech for the cutout figures and a pleasant cheery medieval score accompanying it.

Rock of Ages is an odd one, but I'd expect no less from from the folks who brought us Zeno Clash. It's charming, especially if rolling large boulders down a hill and squashing famous figures from history is your sort of thing and while some will find it a little on the irritating side, I can always appreciate a game that travels the less trodden track and in this regard Rock of Ages is recommendable. Flawed but worth a look if your into your tower defense games, double if you like them to be on the strange side.

Thanks for reading,

Joseph.

Let's get one thing straight, Spec Ops: The Line is a generic third person shooter, the sort you've played to death in this generation of consoles. That's not to say it's without substance or the occasional moment of, dare I say brilliance. Don't get me wrong, it's attempts to tell an emotional story don't always work, but some credit must be given for the method of storytelling Spec Ops: The Line goes with.

There's an interesting contrast that exists between the way Spec Ops plays, to the way it tells a meaningful story, whereas gameplay is typical and in places frustrating and forgetful (though I wouldn't go as far as to say it's awful nor unplayable) it's just terribly generic and as the danger of getting in the way of the real highlight, the story. After all, that's what'll keep you shooting bad guys in the face time and time again, it certainly won't be the gameplay.

So how about that story? You play as Captain Martin Walker, part of a three man Delta Force team sent into Dubai after a devastating catastrophe tasked to rescue any possible survivors and hunt down Colonel Konrad, a decorated Officer of the US Army. This is where the story of Spec Ops: The Line is most captivating, rarely feeling predictable and covering many of the darker subjects of warfare, including the costs to both civilians and soldiers alike. Things get pretty crazy in some fascinating ways and spoiling to much would be a great shame. The trouble is this unique take on storytelling isn't present in a particularly outstanding game, leaving some gamers to switch off long before the story gets going (which takes a few hours.)

While gameplay hinders storytelling, voice work is solid throughout doing a fine job of selling the story. Nolan North might be the jack of all trades in the video game voice over world but he puts in one of his best performances as Captain Walker. As do most of the cast and the importance of this good voice work can't be overstated considering the subjects covered in the story of Spec Ops: The Line. Unfortunately there's a few niggling issues with sound in other areas of the game, but none large enough to disrupt.

Devastated Dubai makes for an intriguing setting, the spectacular city we know today as been retaken by the sands of the desert and there's some truly impressive looking vistas to behold. That said, some textures loading was present especially in cut scenes and a generally grimy look doesn't exactly sparkle the eyes, Spec Ops looks decent enough however and the Xbox 360 version ran reasonably well with few issues. Atmosphere is well captured and good use of lighting helps add to the key moments in the story.

Without a doubt, the one real reason to play Spec Ops: The Line is the story, it's certainly worth checking out if simply for it's take on warfare and yes, while gameplay is a generic blueprint of a third person shooter, it's story wouldn't go amiss in some big summer Hollywood blockbuster. Telling a good story in a video game is without a doubt, one of the mediums greatest challenges and in this Spec Ops: The Line sets down a foundation for hopefully future developers to build upon. One can only hope however, that such a method of storytelling is told in a game considerably more fun to play.

Thanks for reading,

Joseph.

Audiosurf as inspired a great many developers to follow boot and release their own rhythm inspired indie games. The latest to hit the PC is Symphony: Liberate Your Music, from developers Empty Clip Studios. Symphony is not just inspired by Audiosurf, but also the likes of dual stick shooters such as Geometry Wars with its strikingly bright and frequently chaotic on-screen action. One glance at Steam or GoG will show just how many rhythm indie titles have been released over the years, so does Symphony have enough going for it to be worth your attention?

Music collections are in need of liberation, that's pretty much all the back story you'll get or even need. While its commendable that a story was even included in a rhythm shooter, it serves little purpose except to give an ounce of meaning to boss battles. As is usually the case, levels are generated from your music collection and turned into gameplay that's inspired by the likes of Galaga, with your ship being able to shoot in just the one direction. Enemy ships enter on beats and obviously the faster paced the song, the more difficult the level. The boss battles appear in the middle of tracks, requiring you to free a classical composer from the evil hands of some daemon or some such, like I said, the story serves little purpose.

So far, so typical. However there's a surprising degree of depth in how you fit out your ship with the many unlockable weapon types you're given access to purchase after the completion of each song. To take on the more challenging levels of difficulty, thought must be given to what weapons you want to equipped and there direction of fire, which can be adjusted to different degrees allowing for a more spread out shot, if that's your preference. This mechanic is far from new in arcade shooters, but without it Symphony would feel a lot more empty and lifeless. The ability to experiment with how you set up your ship as its charms, and is required if you wish to aim for the high scores.

Symphony finds any music files of various formats without much trouble and a clean user interface makes filtering songs and artists a breeze, so finding your favourite tracks is easy. Gameplay is a familiar bright neon affair and on faster paced songs can be overwhelming. Spotting enemy bullets or simply dodging enemy ships can be a challenge in the tight space of the play field. There were certainly times when I suffered a few cheap deaths because I couldn't see what was going on, making the fact that so much space goes unused frustrating. Symphony doesn't quite match the likes of Audiosurf in communicating the impact a track as on gameplay, but it does just enough that you'll take notice.

Around twenty songs are included with Symphony, and for the most part they offer a good variation of styles that change up gameplay. Electro to a little classical jazz is included, and while your own musical collection is the real star of the show here, its still welcomed. The lack of controller support at launch is worth mentioning, though gameplay can get so hectic that I can't see myself switching from the swiftness of a mouse. There's also been issues with the game not importing much larger musical collections for some users. Hopefully this issue will be fixed as quickly as possible, after all your music is the reason to keep playing so this bug is a great shame.

Having played a fair share of rhythm games over the years, many of which have been forgettable and lacklustre, I'm happy to report that Symphony is worth your attention. While its charms are not obvious at first, there's more to it once you dig a little deeper. Experimenting with the many weapons and how you fit out your ship had more depth then I was expecting, and the fact that its all just rather well put together makes Symphony: Liberate Your Music one of the more recommendable rhythm games to hit PC in the past few years.

Thanks for reading,

Joseph.

A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE! 

E3 2012, NINTENDO'S TO LOSE?

AND A FEW OTHER THINGS!