A Review on FIFA 10 and Halo 3: ODST

The last quarter has brought some much-awaited gaming releases including FIFA 10 and Halo 3: ODST.

FIFA 10

FIFA 10 has no major changes from FIFA 9, but its creators Electronic Arts (EA) have given it a glorious reincarnation through subtle tweaks like these:

• A 360-degree movement for players in lieu of 45-degree movements.
• Ball control improvements make the action look fluid, less programmed.
• Martin Tyler and Andy Gray’s commentary is engaging.
• In ‘Be a Pro’ you can create a player and ‘play’ him across seasons. As his stats improve, so do your rewards. You will find the power addictive.
• A fully-featured training arena to get a grip on your skills like set-piece and free kick practice.

Cons:

• Player models still look quite cartoon-like.
• Bugs like occasional commentary slip-ups.
• An outdated menu system.

All said and done, if you were to buy FIFA 10, you would be making a sophisticated addition to your gaming arsenal, where the excitement is as palpable as a live game. It is the closest to reality any game can imitate.

Halo 3: ODST

The latest in the Halo games saga by Bungie gives you the excitement of being an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper as you explore New Mombassa searching for your teammates who went missing during the covenant attack on Earth. The game, planned as a small project between Halo’s main releases, became a full-blown game with its own story line. Here’s the low down.

What’s Nice:

• A new single player mode, the best in the Halo series. Instead of Master Chief, you are Rookie - a slower, less powerful ODST, quite challenging!
• Multiplayer action in a new Firefight mode is quite addictive.
• You get the complete Halo 3 Multiplayer Maps with this pack.
• A cool jazz soundtrack.
• Heads-up display to give your character better visual cues.

Cons:

• There is a lack of original new elements; the game is short, without much of a storyline.
• Not good value for money to those who already own the Halo 3 maps.
• The heads-up display is sometimes too telling.

Halo 3: ODST is appreciated for its new weave on elements such as music, story intertwining and of course the full pack of Halo 3 Maps, which every Halo fan would love to own!