Mad Mack: The Trouble With Free-To-Play Games

The idea of getting something for nothing may seem appealing, but disgruntled gamer Dave ‘Mack’ McConkey argues that the ever-expanding onslaught of Free-To-Play is actually milking gamers dry – and replacing immersive single-player experiences with superficial MMOs. A long time ago, back in an age when men were men, games were games, and manuals were encyclopaedia-sized,... Read More

Opinion: How Sony Won E3 – And EA Somehow Managed To Claw Themselves Back Into The Good Books

Following yesterday’s eventful console unveilings and game announcements at E3, Jacques Voller argues that Sony triumphed while Microsoft failed – and that EA, against all the odds, managed to win over a great deal of gamers. So. There we have it. Sony has just won E3 – and has more than likely claimed the next generation to boot. After all the controversies... Read More

Opinion: Modern Games Need More Than Tight Mechanics And Pretty Graphics To Succeed

With a number of major releases failing to light up the charts this year, Dan Jenko suggests it’s no longer enough for developers to tick the usual boxes – and that creativity and innovation are needed to make an impact. Let’s get one thing straight before we begin – core gameplay mechanics (and, to a lesser extent, visuals) are the crux of any good video game. But while... Read More

Mad Mack: How Not To Screw Up A Video Game – 4 Simple Steps

Fed-up with uninspired experiences, exploitative DLC and restrictive DRM, disgruntled gamer and professional business consultant Dave ‘Mack’ McConkey offers developers and publishers four crucial rules for avoiding disaster – and launching a genuinely great game. In my last article a few weeks ago, I discussed (in an uncharacteristic effort to at least pretend to... Read More

Game Review: Resident Evil Revelations (Wii U)

Jonathan Szafran delivers his verdict on the Wii U version of Capcom’s compelling survival-horror – which is also released this week on PC, Xbox360 and PS3. Resident Evil Revelations is Capcom’s attempt to return its famed series back to its suspenseful roots; an effort to recapture the same rich atmosphere of terror that slowly slipped away as the franchise... Read More

Ellen Page: “Why Would You Not Want To Explore Video Games?”

Hollywood actress Ellen Page says she was “blown away” by the modern achievements of video games while making forthcoming PS3 title Beyond: Two Souls – and claims that the potential of the medium needs to be explored more fully. The Oscar-nominated star provides the voice and motion-capture for Beyond: Two Soul’s troubled heroine, Jodie Holmes, in a story... Read More

5 New Horror Games That Look Absolutely Terrifying

Only a few years ago it seemed survival-horror was on its deathbed, but now the genre is being resurrected in new and exciting ways. With numerous new chillers set to land in the coming months, FMV takes a look at five horror games that seem set to give us all sleepless nights. It’s a great time to be a horror game fan. Last year we took a look at a number of phenomenal-looking... Read More

Opinion: Are We Entering A New Golden Age For Survival-Horror?

With countless indie chillers heading our way this year and growing signs that mainstream gaming may be following suit, Mark Butler asks whether we’re about to enter a new golden age for the criminally-neglected survival-horror genre. It’s been a torrid few years for survival-horror fans. We’ve looked on in disappointment as classic series such as Silent Hill... Read More

Mad Mack: Why Bad Business Means Bad Games

With a number of major game launches proving hugely disappointing of late, disgruntled gamer and business consultant Dave ‘Mack’ McConkey draws on his own industry expertise to explain why Triple A firms are badly screwing-up their current output. There have been a number of rather disastrous game launches in the past few months. The eagerly-anticipated Aliens: Colonial... Read More

Opinion: 5 TV Shows That Would Make Great Games

With new drama Defiance providing a high-profile link between the worlds of television and gaming, Jacques Voller suggests five TV shows that could be adapted into fantastic video games. With the recent premiere of Syfy’s MMO/TV series cross-over Defiance, I’ve been thinking about other TV shows that could be adapted into video games. After all, there is a much greater wealth... Read More