VideoGamer.com Plays

What we've been playing this week.

Tom Orry, Editor - Resident Evil 5, Xbox 360
It seems the internet is up in arms over Resident Evil 5 because it plays like Resident Evil 4. Having played and loved Resi 4, and still of the opinion that it's one of the best games ever made, Resi 5 plays like I expected and hasn't disappointed in the slightest. The new control scheme that allows you to strafe is there if you want it (although you still can't move and shoot), and it looks brilliant. I've seen people comparing Resi 5 to Dead Space, holding up Dead Space as the superior game because it lets you move and shoot, but they're different games. For me, being forced to stop adds tension to the game. It is a restriction that is forced on you for no other reason, but games have relied on restrictions for years. Resi 5 is still one of my most anticipated games of the year, even if you can't move and shoot.

Wesley Yin-Poole, Deputy Editor - Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War II, PC
The internet has spoken. Like a Space Marine's chainfist cutting clean through a terrifying Tyranid, DoW2 has sliced Relic's loyal fan base straight down the middle, with little room for compromise. The critics say Relic has oversimplified the RTS genre, providing a sort of mish-mash multiplayer experience that falls somewhere between the original DoW and the studio's other superb RTS, Company of Heroes. Fans say it's truly innovative, a brave move on Relic's part, that strips away the unnecessary and boils the RTS experience down to its core tenets - action, micro-management and tactics. So, who's right? The answer is, in a rather boring way, that both camps have a point. The most important thing, though, is that it's brilliant fun, as I've discovered while playing the multiplayer beta this week. But it's different fun. Is Dawn of War II an RTS? Let the debate rage...

Neon Kelly, Previews Editor - Silent Hill: Homecoming, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
There's only so much that I'm allowed to say about the fifth game in Konami's survival horror series; the game has been out in the States for quite a while, but due to European Review embargos I'm not allowed to discuss Homecoming in detail. What I can say is that this game makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. At the age of 16 I was forced to play the original in 30 minute bursts; now, almost a decade later, I may have to resort to the same tactics. It's dark, it's weird and the monsters are out to get me.... Playing through this may take me a while.

James Orry, News Editor - Football Manager Live, PC
This week I set a new record on FM Live. My youth team - all 17 or younger - won a match 11-0. I'm not an overly excitable person, but this master class of a performance had me punching the air in celebration - over and over and over... and over again. The victory came against the ingeniously named CFC FC and also earned the Juicy Danglers another record - that of the most goals scored in a game by a single player. 17-year-old Kenyan front-man Mark Sirengo bagged six of the eleven goals. The week has taken a bad turn though, with my squads - senior and youth - taking a serious hit through injuries, only acting to worsen my troubles from last week. I'm also on the look out for a new centre back after my veteran Robert Kovac announced this will be his last season as a pro - the only problem is that my club's finances aren't exactly in a healthy state right now.

Sebastian Ford, Video Producer - Killzone 2, PS3
There was no way this game was going to slip under my radar here at the office. The internet hype alone made my head turn when the review build arrived on our doorstep. As you could imagine, the task of capturing gameplay footage for our various Killzone 2 features fell on me, and I managed to play through the first six levels, from start to finish, in the process. You simply cannot deny that the game is beautiful. Something I particularly noticed, while actively hunting for a kill and reload sequence on each weapon, is that the grenade launcher is quite possibly my favourite. In fact it's strange seeing my own gameplay clips up here on the site, taking in the background scenery that originally had completely passed me by.

For more on what we've been up to this week check out the brand-new VideoGamer.com Podcast.