The act of putting into your mouth what the earth has grown is perhaps the most direct interaction with the earth. -Frances Moore Lappë

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Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

I am not even going to bother trying to come with a clever opening paragraph for this one; I am just getting straight to the point. At World's End is a terrible, terrible game to play. It is filled to the brim with bad ideas, broken ideas and ideas that should have never manifested at all! It is the definition of a game that is not fun to play and for anyone that buys it, it is a waste of whatever amount of cash you took out of your wallet and handed over for it. Weirdly, it is also a beautiful game to look at and if you were to watch someone play it you’d be forgiven for falling in love with its charms. However, the second you get the controller in your hands any illusions of playability quickly falls apart.

Although the game is called 'At World's End', the story it tells actually covers the events seen in the final two films of the PotC series where you, with your sword in tow, relive the adventures seen in both films. It all sounds very interesting but unfortunately the game has simplified the sword fighting aspect of the game to such an extent that they have made each and every enemy encounter in the game both boring and a chore to play. The first mistake that the game makes is that basic enemies are far too easy to kill, all you have to do is run up to them, attack them with the A button of death two or three times and they fall down. You then do this again, and again, and again, and again multiple times throughout the game, possibly numbering in the thousands, until everything in your way is dead. There is literally very little else you can you can do with these enemies and you are forced to fight wave after wave of identical spawning enemies until the game graciously allows you to move on to the next section.
In this next section you may find a few new ledges and levers you have not met up with before and you may also meet up with one of the game's ‘special’ bosses for a one-on-one dual. These duals could be labelled the game's second mistake, that is if you have not already counted up all the other AI flaws and numerous bugs you met along the way. For these duals all you can do is defend or attack as you follow a set of on screen prompts to let you know if your foe is aiming, and then you move the stick into the correct position to block. Once you block (which is very easy as the game intentionally slows down to give you the best chance to do so) it is then up to you to fight back using the same process you used for blocking. Unfortunately this is also not much fun as the slow pace ruins any epic feel the combat could have had. If you're interested you could also throw a spin attack into proceedings but you will most likely have lost any small bit of interest you had in the game by this point.

Even though you spend most of your time in the game playing as the heady Jack Sparrow, you do get a chance to take control of the other big names from the movie from time to time. There are even times when you get to fight as Sparrow, Elizabeth and Will at the same time (picking which one you want to control with the d-pad) but sadly even this spectacle is ruined as the characters you are not in control of seem to have no AI and die very easily, and if you don’t keep jumping back and forth between them to try and keep them alive they will die within seconds.

Apart from the swashbuckling sections, 'At World's End' also offers a few more gaming options to give players a chance to get away from the inane sword fighting for a while. Firstly there are some puzzles, but none of them are really that taxing. Probably the most interesting of the bunch is trying to work your way through a maze built by the kraken's tentacles when he attacks The Black Pearl, but in all honesty none of them really stick out as highly memorable. Another section sees you collecting items as you venture through a level which is a task you have most probably accomplished in every multiple game ever, since the dawn of time. Unfortunately, the collect-a-thon in At World's End is also not much fun to take part in as it is yet another reason in the long line of reasons for not spending £50, £40, £30 or even £20 on this title.

Ok, enough hating. I will now move on to the graphics which, as you can see by the screenshots, look rather good. In fact the whole game is visually stunning with well modelled characters, beautiful environments, nice lighting and top quality animation. In fact the game looks so good I sometimes wondered if Eurocom spent so long on the graphics that they forgot to add some interesting gameplay to the mix! The game also puts up quite a respectable performance in the audio department but the main reason for that is that it rips off most of the tracks from the movies and just uses them 'as-is' in the game. It would have been nice to have seen a few remixes of the tunes but instead we just get a collection of themes faded in or out depending on what is happening in the game. I personally think the seminal PotC main theme is one of the greatest movie compositions ever, but in all honesty you can only hear it some many times before it gets a little bit boring! Voice work is not as hot as it could be because not one of the main cast - Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley or Orlando Bloom – bothered to lend their voices to the game. However, the sound-a-likes do an ok job of mimicking the stars but any big time fan of the series will instantly notice something is amiss with the characters' voices.When all is said and done, 'At World's End' is nothing more than yet another flawed attempt at translating a successful movie series into a successful game. The only plus point the game has going for it are some nice looking graphics and a few nice theme tunes, beyond that things go steeply downhill to being a half finished, ill conceived mess. If you forced me, possibly at sword point, to say something nice about the gameplay I may admit that it could be slightly enjoyable in the shortest of short bursts when played in co-op, but in the same breath I‘d be very quick to admit that even one level felt far too long to spend with it.

Written by Thomas McDermott

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NBA 2K7

I love this game.Sports games, especially the kind that get released each and every year, are the most difficult games to review. Even worse are the kind of sports games that are of high quality as the developer wants to change very little of their product as they don’t want to break the winning formula they have hit upon. Now, in case you have not been keeping up to date, NBA 2K7 is one of the games I speak of. Throughout the past few years, and across numerous consoles, it has offered gamers some of the best basketball action possible so what more can it to try and keep itself at the top of the pile?

Well, for a quick answer to the question that ended the last paragraph it would be easy to say that not a whole lot. In fact, once again NBA 2K7, just like its predecessor, is more a case of a few small tweaks here, and a new mode there. The game however is still as great as it always as been and is a joy to play, especially if you have in-depth knowledge of the sport involved.

As any series regular will tell you, the NBA 2K series boasts a staggering number of different modes and options and things have not changed for this edition! From the menu screen you are able to access Quick Play (which speaks for itself), 24/7, (which is basically a mini version of NBA street with 2 on 2 matches!) Season (also speaks for itself), The Association (puts you in charge of an NBA franchise), tournaments (you should know by now!), and an online mode (go on guess!).For a game that prides itself on realism I found the 24/7 mode to be a whole load of fun as you can create your own player and start of at the very bottom to work your way up and gain rep as you play on concrete courts in front of a little crowd. Personally I found Association mode a little too much for me to handle as it gave me nearly too much to do with general manager duties, asking me to basically manage a whole team, and checking endless stats along a whole load of other options. The mode is very in-depth, and I can see how it would appeal to someone but it was just too much for me! Online also has loads of options that could keep you playing well until the next version of the game arrives. Tournaments, 30 player leagues, and basic one-on-one battles are all available to play so there is something there for everyone. Even better is the fact you can give detailed feedback after every match to warn other players if you found a sore loser or, in the best case scenario, if you found someone who is fun to play and a welcome addition to the NBA 2K7 community.The only notable change between the PS3 version of NBA 2K7 and the other console versions is the inclusion of some Sixaxis motion-sensing capabilities for free throws. The idea behind its inclusion is that you mimic a free throw by tilting the controller back and then tilt it forward again as the ball is being released. Unfortunately in practice the idea does not seem to work very well, and I personally had very little success when using it as my timing always seem to be off. Also different players seem to have different throw animations which does not help when you are trying to learn something that is already very difficult to grasp!

Undoubtedly, the game is at its best played online or with a friend sitting smack-dab beside you but for those looking to work their way through the multitude of single player modes described above there is the good news that the AI has received a bit of a reworking. The changes the upgraded AI bring sees the CPU-controlled player acting slightly more realistically. The most notable of the changes is that they now seem to notice when the end of a quarter is approaching, and if they are behind at the time they push forward and try to get the crucial points needed. Of course, some bugs still rear their heads and if you are in for the long haul you will most likely notice a vast selection of them though the course of a season. None of them however, ruin the game and they are usually just one off annoyances that appear usually never to be seen again.In terms of visuals there is no doubt the game looks great, with most of the players, particularly the well known ones, being a joy to behold on a capable display... the game even supports 1080p if your TV is up to it! Other little effects such as the reflection on the court, the animation and flow of the player jerseys, and even the sweat all add to the realistic feeling the game tries to set. Another graphical aspect of the game that Visual Concepts and 2K seem happy to boast about is the game's new signature-style animations. These supposedly give most of the big name NBA players a unique look and drastically alter how to move when playing the game. If some players throw a free throw differently, has their own way of jumping, or have a unique style of shooting or dunking, it is all supposed to be captured in game to give 2K7 an air of authenticity. Personally, even though I love to watch a bit of basketball I did not notice many of signature styles in the game and I’d be willing to bet the majority of people that pick up the game on Euro shores will not be that impressed either. However, if you are a big time basketball fan there is no doubt this is a very nice touch to help immerse you in the game.

In terms of audio things are not as hot, but in all honesty the audio has never been particularly impressive in any of the series' iterations. The two main commentators - Kevin Harlan and Kenny Smith – put up a respectable job of calling the action but if you compare it to what is on show in recent Madden and FIFA titles it sounds very repetitive. Even worse, some of the phrases come off rather lifeless and have the feeling the two guys were getting a bit bored coming to the end of their recording session. On court things are much, much better as the players talk amongst themselves and call out when they are open and want the ball. Finally, there is the game's soundtrack which is 100% hip-hop. It's the kind of soundtrack you will either love or hate so if you find yourself in the latter then thankfully there is an option to turn the music off.When all is said a done, NBA 2K7 is another fantastic edition to the now long running series that started life on the Dreamcast seven years ago. It terms of gameplay it does very little different than its predecessor, and as such is not a necessity to pick up once again. Nevertheless, fans will most likely want to get their hands on it for the small changes and extra modes it brings to the table. In closing I would say that if you were still playing NBA 2K6 for months after you bought it then there is a great chance you will be doing exactly the same with this year's version should you choose to buy it… in fact I’d be willing to guess you’ll be doing the exactly same thing with 2K8, but I don’t blame you!
Written by Thomas McDermott

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Fujitsu Unveils World's Slimmest Waterproof Phone

Sometimes, you just want to talk on the phone in the pool without getting horribly electrocuted. Don't worry, bro; Fujitsu knows all about it. That's why they just unveiled the F704i, the world's slimmest waterproof phone. It's an updated version of the F703, which you may remember as yet another excuse for a cute Japanese girl to wear a bathing suit and hold a phone. At a mere 1.8mm thick, it's a pretty impressive feat to cram what they have inside such a wee phone. In addition to be able to survive under a few feet of water for up to a half hour, it also has a music player, MicroSD card slot, 3G, 1.3-megapixel camera with image stabilization, and even a, well, bath massage program. I'll let your imagination do the walking with that last one

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DIYer concocts homegrown GSM-GPS tracking device

As we've seen time and time again, the desire to really know what's going on behind the scenes seems to be a growing trend, and while there's a number of pre-fabricated methods to keep track of your vehicle, mischievous offspring, or straying SO, why not take a little initiative and build an alternative yourself? Thankfully, a crafty DIYer has done just that, and has spelled out the details in order for you to replicate his work. The homegrown device is built around the Telit GM862 GSM-GPS module, and all told, he spent around $286 to scratch the mobile GPS itch. The device is small enough to be crammed into nearly any nook or cranny, and can transmit its position via text message to the owner. So go on, give the read link a visit and bust out your credit card -- just be sure to not let the soon-to-be-tracked individual know what you're up to, capiche?
by Darren Murph

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Chance to Drive the New BMW M3 Coupe

by Shawn Pisio

In September 2007, BMW will invite a selected group of international participants for an exclusive test-drive of the new BMW M3 Coupé at the Nürburgring race track in Germany. The two day event is called “Countdown to BMW M3″ and will be the very first opportunity to experience the new BMW M3 Coupé, at the same time as the world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show is taking place.

Find more information on the driving event and an application form at www.countdown-to-bmw-m3.com or check out the event trailer on YouTube.

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Fuel Efficient Hybrid and Electric smart Cars

by Justin Couture - Canadian Auto Press

The second generation smart fortwo is just about ready to go on sale as a 2008 model year product in Canada, as well as for the first time in the United States. After attempting to expand the brand with the whimsical Roadster and the subcompact-sized forfour, smart cleared its product portfolio and has returned to being a single-vehicle brand. To show how serious smart is about making its mark with the second generation car, the brand’s engineers have already put together three energy efficient models that show the potential of the fortwo of the future.To most people unfamiliar with the smart brand, the fortwo’s curious styling and diminutive size might be mistaken for some sort of futuristic electric car. Smart has taken this to heart, and has built its first new-generation zero-emissions electric vehicle concept called electric drive (ed for short). Instead of the regular internal combustion engine, a 30 kW electric motor fills the rear-mounted engine bay, which is brought to life by a sodium nickel-chloride battery developed by Zebra that is housed in the car’s underside. For a teensy city car like the fortwo, a range of 115 km (71.5 miles) per charge is more than acceptable, and smart says that the car takes about 5.7 seconds to hit 60 km/h from a standstill. Given that the price of electricity is much less than the equivalent for gasoline, the fortwo electric vehicle would be as cheap as dirt to run with an estimated price of about $0.028 CAD per kilometer.
Since a full electric vehicle isn’t practical for all smart buyers, the brand also showed off a hybrid version of the car dubbed hybrid drive (hd for short). The fortwo hybrid drive concept features a drivetrain powered by either a gasoline or a diesel engine that is assisted by a 20 kW electric motor which can operate in tandem with the engine or by itself. Unlike the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class Hybrid, this smart is a true, full hybrid. If the hybrid system is paired to the European-market 0.8-litre CDI diesel engine, the average fuel consumption is an astonishing 2.9 L/100 km, and it emits just 77 g/km of CO2!

However, out of the three cars smart displayed, one is actually going to make it to production: the fortwo micro hybrid drive (mhd). Don’t let the name confuse you; it’s not a real hybrid, but just a regular gasoline-powered fortwo with an idle-stop system, like the ones featured on the new BMW 1-Series, Mini and various Citroens. The 1.0-litre inline-three gasoline engine that the concept is powered by has been modified with a high-powered belt-driven starter generator that, like a hybrid, can instantaneously start and stop the car’s engine on demand to prevent wasting fuel. Smart has already tested the car out, and has recorded an average fuel consumption figure of 4.3 L/100 km.

Production of the fortwo mhd is slated to start in the fall, but it is unknown whether this model will be available in North America.

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