F1 2011 Races Onto 3DS

Posted on January 13, 2012 by geelw

Nintendo 3DS owners looking for a quality racer that’s NOT packed with cartoon colors and flying go-karts now have Codemasters to thank for this super looking portable game. I like the overall look of what’s here and sure, while it’s not running on a more powerful platform, it’s hard to deny the dev team’s skills at getting some great detail AND solid 3D effects from the system. As solid as this looks, I can’t wait to see the Vita version in action as well as how the home console versions are coming along…

DiRT Showdown: Codemasters Takes Demolition Derby To Smashing New Heights…

Posted on December 13, 2011 by geelw

Lovely – there hasn’t been a REALLY good demolition derby game in years on a console, so I’m glad to see Codemasters take on the sport while adding the DiRT license and EGO engine-powered visuals to the mix. This one’s on my radar for sure and I’m hoping it also includes some regular rally stuff just for us fans of the Colin Mac Rae games. We shall see, but even if it doesn’t, it should be a hit amongst racing fans who want a bit more crashing in their driving games without feeling guilty about crunching up a ride or three…

Operation Flashpoint: Red River Cover Art/Screens Update

Posted on January 20, 2011 by geelw

Cover art and four more screens from Codemasters’ upcoming military-themed tactical FPS. Don’t call it COD, MOH or anything similar until you’ve gven it a try. The series is known more for its realism than the usual online mayhem and non-stop single player shoot-festing. Granted, Dragon Rising wasn’t as deep as the original Op Flash (the edit feature was sorely missed!), but it was still a more complete game in terms of pure immersion and actual challenge than many shooters this generation.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River Game Site Goes Live

Posted on December 16, 2010 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/wynpaq4sl-I?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

Codemasters’ upcoming PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 military shooter looks to bring a more realistic take back to the FPS genre with this upcoming sequel. Last year’s Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, warts and all, was definitely an excellent challenge. Red River looks to top that with even better Ego Engine-powered visuals

My one worry here – content. Dated visuals aside, the original OpFlash on PC and Xbox still trump Dragon Rising in terms of allowing for user-created content and I’m hoping PC and console gamers get that chance with Red River at some point either as part of the main package or some sort of expansion pack/DLC. We’ll see what happens as more news about Red River hits the inbox…

Review: F1 2010

Posted on December 4, 2010 by geelw

Platform: PS3 (also on Xbox 360)

Developer: Codemasters

Publisher: Codemasters

# of Players 1 (online 2 – 12)

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: B-

With Codemasters at the helm and its aptly named EGO Engine powering the game, F1 2010 is a solid racer for fans of the sport or anyone interested in the F1 experience. While it's not quite the perfect blend of simulation and everyman entry-level introduction, it's a decent enough start that bodes well for the future, provided the dev team takes input from the hard core F1 fan in terms of what they want to see and play. Although the game has a novice setting, this definitely isn't one for the more impatient casual crowd nor anyone looking for a step-by-step driving simulator. Screaming sense of speed and mostly fine handling model aside, you're not going to be winning races left and right until you master the tracks, AI craftiness and nearly everything in between.

DiRT 3 Developer Diary #1

Posted on November 16, 2010 by geelw

Looking spectacular, Codemasters’ upcoming rally game set for a Q2 2011 release gets this awesome Q & A video. Check it out and get ready for yet another driving experience that’s going to rattle a few bones loose. I’m hoping the portable versions get as much love…

DiRt 3 Teaser Trailer: WOW…

Posted on August 4, 2010 by geelw

All kinds of awesome, here’s a teaser for DiRT 3 that’s sure to get a few engines revving hot. Nice…

F1 2009 Wii Trailer

Posted on September 30, 2009 by geelw

Nice bit of a tease for Condemasters’ upcoming F1 2009 showing of the new Singapore Course. Color me impressed at that frame rate and number of cars on the track. Fingers crossed that it’s got true simulation as well as arcade aspects so everyone can dive in and play.

More on this one as new info arrives – stay tuned…

Review: DIRT 2 (PSP)

Posted on September 26, 2009 by geelw

Platform: PSP

Developer: Sumo Digital

Publisher: Codemasters

# of Players: 1 (Wi-Fi: 2 – 4)

Rating: E 10+

Official Site

Score: B–

You’d think the portable versions of the stellar console and PC rally racer DIRT 2 would cater more to novice players and in regards to a good chunk of the Nintendo DS version, you’d be right on the money. PSP owners, however, get quite a challenging bit of off-road action in their version of the game thanks to Codemasters and developer Sumo Digital. If you go into this one expecting a total cakewalk, you’ll be wanting to turn your PSP into a Frisbee-SP after about ten or so minutes of smashing into walls and cars at breakneck speed. However, take time to master the controls and the game becomes quite a bit of fun. The overall presentation could have used an extra coat of polish, but we’ll get to that later.

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Review: DIRT 2 (DS)

Posted on September 26, 2009 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo DS/DSi

Developer: Firebrand Games

Publisher: Codemasters

# of Players: 1 (Wi-Fi: 2 – 4)

Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: B+

While the portable versions of DIRT 2 couldn’t be more different from each other in terms of content and overall level of difficulty, the Nintendo DS version of the game actually outstrips the more powerful PSP by miles in terms of bang for the buck. Both games are solid, thrilling arcade racing experiences with the PSP definitely beating the DS code in terms of challenge and overall learning curve. On the other hand, the ability to create your own tracks, customize and upgrade cars gives DS owners endless variety long after they’ve completed the main game. Firebrand Studios has put together one of the best DS racers to date that comes highly recommended whether or not you’re a rally fan.

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