APB is a PVP-oriented online experience where gamers can align themselves with one of two factions – Criminals or Enforcers. These two forces must then go at it, for the good of a rather boring setting of San Paro, split into three different areas, there’s the two action zones, Waterfront and Financial, where missions are carried out and battles are fought, and the peaceful social area where players can design new outfits, car liveries, tattoos, music, and give their avatar some expensive plastic surgery. It reminded us of an edgier version of the Sims – if EALA let off the shackles and let players design anything they wanted to.

The heart of the game is in the action zones, where players for either team carry out missions for a handful of contacts scattered around the city. As objectives are met, opposing squads made up of real players will be dispatched against you, transforming the tepid ‘travel here, interact with this dynamic there’, to tyre-squealing, gun-blazing, all-out action. Teams can accommodate six players to take out opposing members and civilians but not other random players, which means that griefing potential is definitely dialed down considerably on the 80-player servers.

Most of the game time revolves around driving or shooting, the former of which is great fun, but the latter just feels too loose. Damage caused to other players isn’t communicated properly, so usually you’ll just pepper away until somebody rag dolls.

Puzzling element

Perhaps the most puzzling element of APB is the payment structure, which offers players 50 hours of action zone play out of the box and more time can be purchased via a top-up fee. It’s bizarre because other than the PvP aspect, it’s really hard to excuse the additional cost of playing.

Realtime Worlds has created a game unlike any other, and it’s worth experiencing initially. There are some unforgettable moments to be had when teams work together – such as jumping off ramps to escape pursuers, or rolling into an ambush all-guns blazing. Viewed as a standard 50-hour experience, most players will get enjoy their time with APB until their time expires. As a standard third-person game, this online experience represents great throwaway fun, but when compared to the play-to-play heavyweights all vying for your cash, it lacks real depth.

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APB – Beta

Singularity could best be described as a first-person horror shooter mixed with an uninspiring yet wonderfully chilling time-shifting sci-fi plot. Those pesky Russian scientists have once again found themselves playing with things they don’t quite understand, this time an energy source known as E99 which Stalin believes can be used to manipulate time, pushing their experiments to the point of creating a catastrophic time rift dubbed ‘Singularity’, and sending the island of Katorga-12 spiralling into chaos – and quarantined off from the rest of the world. 55 years later, following intelligence reports of activity on the island, a US recon team is sent in to find out what’s happening on the mysterious island, before discovering that they’re not the only one determined to get to the bottom of it.

So far, so early-noughties TV show, but Singularity’s influences don’t end there. It rips off almost every major game of the last decade, and some of the not so big ones, too. Its BioShock-alike tendencies are obvious from the get go, from Singularity’s crash-landing into an unknown civilization to the frequent radio chatter, while Wolfenstein appears to have been Raven’s proving ground for some of the features of the game’s Time Manipulation Device, which can be used to slow down time, rip open time rifts, and punish the island’s ghouls with a Force Unleashed-alike push. The game also frequently flirts with ideas from Half-Life, System Shock and TimeShift, with the player seamlessly switching between 1955 and 2010 on the fly, while the new abilities regularly paced throughout the entire game are similar to the gameplay-changing elements seen in Metroid Prime.

More impressively, Raven have presented a previously untapped Valve-alike quality in Singularity, with some perfect pacing, a harrowing atmosphere and an initial sense of player vulnerability that gradually transcends into an unstoppable, telekinesis-abled one-man killing machine. Whether being stalked by time-manipulating predators, plucking rockets out of the sky or walking through abandoned schoolyards complete with visions and haunted screams of slaughtered children, it’ll have you gripped all the way up to the final mindblowingly awesome end sequence.

The odd kinks do occasionally show – a brief section where the player is tasked with outrunning an army of explosive spiders proves to be utterly frustrating and ultimately unnecessary, while the reliance on using the same puzzle mechanic to prop open gates and security shooters goes someway to prove that Raven lacks an ability to think outside of the box.

But to focus on these elements would be to discredit Raven’s forte – its ability to set up jaw-dropping set-pieces and boss battles. Imagine a fantastic armament of weaponry, and scenarios that will remain with you long after the credits roll around. It deserves to live in the memory alongside the games it so desperately seeks to imitate, and indeed, it seems almost criminal that so few will likely get round to experiencing one of the better shooters we’ve seen this generation. But if you’re one of those gamers prepared to give it a try, rest safe in the knowledge that Singularity will likely prove to be one of the games of the summer.

Nameless but for its number, 3.3.5 the penultimate patch and we’re no longer in Wrath territory, rather these patches are adding cool new gaming mechanics and paving the way for Cataclysm, which has just entered its closed Beta. Compared to other patches, this one might feel lightweight but there are some pretty hefty changes, most notably the introduction of Real ID, Blizzard’s take on in-game social networking.

On the offensive

Deathwing is coming, and the new raid which sees players assaulting on Ruby Sanctum offers the first tantalizing hints of the expansion to come. Kirin Tor Mage Rhonin sends you to Krasus, his old friend from the Red Dragonflight, and he gives you the bad news. The Red Dragonflight’s sanctuary has been overrun by agents of Deathwing – Halion and his three minions, Saviana Ragefire, Baltharus the Warborn and General Zarithian. Corpses of red dragons litter the leafy glade and black dragonkin stalk, practically begging you to pick a fight. In some ways, this raid is reminiscent of the Obsidian Sanctum, only turned up to the Nth degree. There are even more trash mobs to clear – and they pack a punch to boot – as well as the dragon lieutenants, before you finally get to face the Twilight Dragon, Halion, the self-proclaimed Herald of Deathwing. The raid set-up might be simple but don’t be fooled, the loot is on the same level as that dropped by the Lich King, so this is not going to be a walk in the park. Yes, the multi-night wipefest raid is back with a vengeance, but the inclusion of the Ruby Sanctum will keep players entertained in those slow months to Cataclysm. At the same time, it should also prompt you to get out of Dalaran and revisit the old world and finish all those epic quests. Time is short and Deathwing is coming…

BlizzBook

Real ID has been sometime coming, but has been rolled out with this patch to tie-in with the release of StarCraft II, Blizzard’s other big franchise which will finally be released at the end of July. Battle.net is not new; it’s been the foundation stone for all of Blizzard’s other titles from Diablo and Warcraft III to the original StarCraft. It’s also become an important backbone for World of Warcraft since the introduction of Battle.net accounts and authenticators. Real ID takes this to the next level by allowing gamers to befriend other players and keep in contact with them whether they are leveling in Outland, fighting Diablo or zerging in StarCraft.

Like the systems created by the Big Three console makers, Blizzard has decided mutual agreement is the way to go. To get someone’s Real ID, you need either their email address (yes, the one they use to access WoW) or you can add them by trolling through other people’s lists (which is a lot harder than it sounds). You then add them and if they want to, they can add you and will then appear under their real name in your friends’ list.

You’ll be able to see each time they log on – regardless of game, realm or character – and will even be updated whenever they decided to change whether they are available, busy or away, or broadcast a Facebook-like status message.

Yes, this new system is fun and frivolous, and it’s also ripe for misuse – there’s a profanity filter in place – but also a nice way to communicate in this world of social networking. Want to broadcast your innermost thoughts or just suggest a trip out for an impromptu raid? Go for it.

The only downside to this is that it can be very disconcerting when someone whispers you using their real name and you have to check your friends’ list to find out who they are. If you’re after a private chit-chat you can whisper as normal or invite a couple of players for a chat. It’s worth reiterating that Real ID is voluntary and you can completely ignore it if you want; the old friend’s system remains (you’ll find characters underneath Real ID friends).

As Cataclysm comes ever closer, it’s clear Blizzard are trying to do their best to implement new features that will enhance the gameplay experience as well as keep folk occupied in the pre-expansion lull. Real ID is fun but based on the social networks we know and love – it’s a new fun way to make the game a little bit more down with the current trends of Real ID is promising and geekdom.

The Ruby Sanctum is short and tough. Looks are deceiving but it’s sure to keep people occupied while they wait for those oh-so-precious Beta invites.

Next out of the blocks is the first of the big-name brands to strap on the capes of justice, DC Universe Online. There is, still, a Marvel MMO in the works, but it’s a simplistic browser-based affair, one far removed from the original version Cryptic touted many years ago and ultimately turned into Champions.

Adventures in Metropolis, Gotham City, the Batcave, the Fortress of Solitude, S.T.A.R. Labs, Arkham Asylum and other famous DC locales – either as a hero or villain – are the order of the day. The big question, of course, is whether DCUO is shaping up to do something radically different with the MMO trappings (as seems to happen so often with online games at the moment), or whether it will be content to just tick the boxes of the traditional tropes and just hope to dazzle us with fancy graphics and recognizable characters instead – as Champions was all set to do, of course, back when Cryptic had the Marvel license and before it had to switch its assets to the less well-known tabletop role-player instead.

Without being able to go hands-on as yet, it’s impossible to say for sure, but the indications given by press demonstrations at E3 this year, along with the released gameplay videos, would suggest that DCUO will share a lot in similarity with existing MMO standbys, throwing its audience hooks instead into the abundant use of physics in the combat, the inclusion of ‘combos’ as you battle and, of course, the presence of the famous and infamous residents of DC’s universe as you fight your way towards notoriety.

Naturally, much is being made of the use of Superman, Batman, Bizarro et al, with SoE having released ‘character reveals’ at regular intervals over the past few months – teasing the various fanbases of DC’s mighty roster. Luminaries such as Poison Ivy, Nightwing, Power Girl, Zatanna, The Flash, Green Lantern, Black Adam, Solomon Grundy, Mr Freeze and the ultimate in villains, Doomsday, have all had their 15 minutes, and the idea being presented is that these characters play an active part in your own hero’s narrative arc, whether directly through missions or as part of the ‘Based on’ creation system.

Before you take your first supersteps in the world, you naturally have to create your fledgling hero or villain. Whether you’ll be offered Champions Online levels of customization has yet to be announced, but what we do know is that you have a choice of creating everything from scratch, or opting to base your avatar on an existing hero/villain (in-game it’s said your character was ‘inspired’ to take up the cape by said superstar) and then tweak where appropriate. Want a Batman but based on magic? A Joker that prefers haikus and throwing hammers? A Green Arrow but red? You get the idea.

Stars in the skies

Once in-game, the ‘known’ stars of DC form the basis of many of your missions. You’ll be jumping into action with the Justice League as they battle the latest menace to Metropolis. You’ll accompany The Flash or Superman as they find the odds against them stacking a little too high. Players of Champions Online will probably recognize a little of this in the way that universe’s notable heroes would act as mission givers or occasionally turn up in the game’s instanced set-pieces. SoE has repeatedly boasted of the fact you’ll be ‘fighting alongside’ the big names and most of the released gameplay teasers show the big guns going toe-to-toe on the mean streets, so the hopes that Superman is more than just a static presence asking you to kill 10 super-rats are high.

Until we can get properly hands-on with DCUO, we can’t help but feel that this is going to be a similar package to the current online hero simulators, for all of SoE’s talk of this being an ‘action MMO’. Obviously, having the big names on-board helps to raise the bar (as does getting DC creative staffers Jim Lee, Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman on board to help with the story crafting and art style), and the cross-platform PC/PS3 compatibility will make for some interesting team-ups, but it would be nice to think that SoE is keeping some real big game mechanic guns up its sleeve to make it anything more than Champions Online with added Batman.

It’s not, though. It might be filled with Strikeforce’s commentators, cages and fighters, but EA MMA is an international affair. The Career mode will see your photoface-created fighter travelling the globe in search of mixed martial arts supremacy. In order to do so, you’ll have to get a grasp of every aspect of this multifaceted sport. Striking owes a debt of gratitude to EA Chicago’s most famous son, Fight Night, with analogue sweeps and stabs letting off jabs, hooks and crosses. Instead of Total Punch Control, EA is calling it Total Strike Control, in reference to MMA’s eight points of contact: fists, elbows, feet and knees. The stand-up game, as it is known, has a looseness to it that is absent from UFC Undisputed, but only extended hands-on time will reveal its true depth. There’s punch slipping, counter strikes and heavy-handed knockout blows, but some repeated animations and a lack of impact are slightly concerning at this stage.

Much more confident is EA Sports MMA’s grappling, which is the closest we’ve come to digitally, recreating the subtleties and strength of ground and clinch fighting. Closing distance and grabbing hold of your opponent is a more viable and visually pleasing tactic than in UFC 2010, and takedowns look organic and suitably painful.

EA has chosen to utilize the buttons for ground transitions, opting for a cat-and-mouse style mind game, coupled with brutal ground and pound of course. As for submissions, they operate through their own little minigames, involving button matching or tweaking the right stick. It’s preferable to UFC’s ‘shine’ system which leaves holes in hands and controllers in tatters. How it performs in the most crucial arena, online, will be the ultimate test.

Talking of which, surely the most interesting thing happening in EA MMA’s development is ‘Live Broadcast’, an unprecedented online mode that sees fights between top players broadcast over Xbox Live, with commentary from real, live play-by-play guys. It’s an amazing development.

Fighters who are chosen for a ‘Live Broadcast’ fight will first make ‘hype videos’ to talk up their chances – the equivalent of a pro-wrestling ‘promo’ – before taking on their opponent over Live, with thousands watching. Quite how the selection process is decided is still unknown, as are the logistics of such a complicated and potentially problematic system, but in terms of ambition, it’s huge.

EA has already said that Live Broadcast could appear in future sports titles across their portfolio, and given the company’s tendency to roll ideas out across everything, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Live Broadcasts of Madden and FIFA in the near future. This year, though, it’s all about the cage. Or indeed ring, as EA Sports MMA truly is an international Mixed Martial Arts Endeavour. Will it be enough to usurp the mighty UFC Undisputed? Only one way to find out… FIGHT!

Still, for Fable III, that creative mind is still beavering away, and the big ideas here are Touch, Sanctuary and one that doesn’t have its own name, leadership. You’re the son or daughter of a Monarch, and you will inherit the throne. Not that Fable III is turning into a God sim straight away, as there’s still plenty of adventuring to be done.

Quests and battles and triumphs and dismays are all played out in a strikingly similar way to Fable II, with its simple button configuration, ‘can’t really die’ deaths and, of course, the dog. Here though, the HUD has been completely stripped back, leaving only your brave adventurer, with nothing else cluttering up the screen.

This brings us on to The Sanctuary, which is Fable III’s pause menu. It’s not often we’ll talk up a pause screen, but Mr. Molyneux is excited about it, and when he gets excited, the rest of the world does too. Hitting the Start button on the controller brings up The Sanctuary, a room that you can move around in three dimensions, complete with a wardrobe, armory, lovely 3D map and your very own butler.

Not just any old butler, either. No, it’s John Cleese, with – according to Molyneux – hundreds of thousands of lines of dialogue (although you’d be wise to take that with a fairly hefty pinch of salt). Needless to say, he’s a fantastically funny addition to the Fable III story, though, always reacting to your latest endeavors and adding levity when it’s needed.

The other major innovation that has Molyneux’s knickers in a twist is Touch, which is as simple as it sounds. You can grab, press, hold hands and generally interact with other people in the world, which in itself is a minor feature, but Molyneux and the Lionhead team are designing specific emotional responses around players’ abilities to physically involve themselves with the inhabitants of Albion. For example, holding hands while you walk across the bridge in Bowerstone, or actually hurling a ne’er-do-well into a jail cell. It’s all very interesting stuff indeed.

There are other customization options that go beyond what we had in Fable II, too. Weapons now change depending on how you use them, so they will evolve and mutate to suit your personality. You can even trade weapons online, as the effects are not only cosmetic but actually change the statistical values of the weapons. In fact, the online modes have been ramped up considerably. The co-operative play that was so vaunted in the last game will actually work this time, allowing players to properly inhabit the worlds of other players, and cause irreparable damage therein – if you do so wish to. Again, Fable acts like a role-playing game, but hides it behind its curtain of customization and lightweight British humor.

That really is the appeal of Fable, too, beyond the solidity of its mechanics and the relative simplicity of its controls. The Harry Potter-cum-Monty Python humor and warmth that glows from every inch of Fable III’s gloriously Anglican universe is what sucks people in. With the cream-of-the-crop of British development and acting talent working in tandem once again, Fable III is shaping up to deliver another slice of loveable madcap role-playing. In a game full of big ideas, it’s only one that really matters: fun.