VideoGamer.com Plays

What we've been playing this week.

Tom Orry, Editor - FIFA 09, Xbox 360 and PS3
It seems that EA has done what seemed impossible a few years ago. PES fans are buying and enjoying FIFA 09. The improvements made to FIFA over the last few years have been clear to see, but this year things just seem to have clicked into place. I'm an avid PES fan and have been ever since the release of its predecessor International Superstar Soccer Pro on the PlayStation back in 1997. The problem with PES is that it hasn't changed a great deal, and changes that have been made have often been for the worst. FIFA 09 feels like real football, more than any football sim I've ever played, and I can feel an addiction starting to form - something I haven't felt with PES in a long time.

Wesley Yin-Poole, Deputy Editor - FIFA 09, Xbox 360 and PS3
What a game. As regular readers will know from my review, FIFA 09 is the best FIFA game ever made. It plays a style of virtual football so realistic, there have been points during our lunch hour sessions where I've mistakenly thought I was watching an actual game of football on Sky Sports and somehow was in control of the players. I always beat Tom. And James. And anyone else of course. Usually 1-0. And it's usually a rubbish goal, too. The last one was an Essien screamer from about two yards after Tom made the goalkeeper drop the ball at my feet. Cheers for that Tom.

James Orry, News Editor - FIFA 09, Xbox 360 and PS3
It's that time of year when football fans need to make a decision. PES or FIFA? Despite early allegiance to the FIFA brand, I've been a PES fanboy for the best part of a decade and with good reason, but a change is coming. Playing FIFA 09 this week has made me rethink where I should be spending my money. If EA hadn't provided us with a copy then I'd almost certainly have splashed out on FIFA 09. I've had a blast playing EA's latest and it's not just because it looks amazing - it's also a fantastic representation of the beautiful game*. It's easy to say all this now though, with my PES 2009 play limited to a short demo. Check back in a few weeks to see if Konami's latest effort has done enough to win me over.

*The beautiful game excludes the football of Tottenham Hotspur.

Neon Kelly, Previews Editor - Far Cry 2 (multiplayer), PC, PS3, Xbox 360

The shanty town is burning, but you don't care - you have bigger concerns right now: you're a hard-bitten mercenary on a mission to steal diamonds from an African warlord. The problem is that there's another team of mercs trying to steal your jewels too - and they just shot your buddy. He's still alive - but if you don't get to him soon, he'll bleed to death. You leave the safe cover of a burnt-out car, machine gun blazing. One guy takes a bullet in the neck, but you know there are more nearby... Screw it! You run to your friend, haul him to his feet. "You're fine, mate!" You spoke too soon: An AK-47 rips through the pair of you. As you die, the enemy merc runs up and shoots you in the face. Meanwhile, your warlord boss is screaming in your ear - he just wants his diamonds. This game. Totally. Rocks.

Seb Ford, Video Producer - Unreal Tournament 3, Xbox 360
I only managed to get about an hour of personal gaming in this week, blasting through a couple of co-op CTF matches in Unreal Tournament 3. I remember excitedly purchasing Unreal Tournament 2004 only to find that it wouldn't run on my prehistoric PC, deeply scarring my original love and passion for the game. Needless to say, UT3 played perfectly on the 360, reigniting that spark that I had deemed lost. Yet I was to suffer massive disappointment - not only had my skill with the Flak Cannon completely gone, but I was having my ass served to me by my own little brother. In terms of gameplay, however, I thoroughly enjoyed blitzing around on my hoverboard, spraying rockets wildly at my foes, and completely failing to return the flag to base. An embarrassing hour of short falling on my part, but an hour well spent.