The Great & The Awful of Gaming

10 Gaming Hells:

•· Ladders in FPS's: Most of us have stopped trying to get down ladders properly in FPS's we accept the loss of health from the fall because it's often too much farting around or impossible trying to get down them. Some games like Killzone require a context sensitive button press to get on the ladder but the problem there is that you have to be stood in an exact place to get the icon to pop up.

•· Controls for vehicles in FPS: What's wrong with X to go, square to brake and the left stick to steer? According to titles like UTIII, everything. As you're forced to roll around with the analogue sticks while some American eight year old Iraq's you with a rocket launcher. It's more of a problem when you have to aim weapons while steering too.

•· No offline multiplayer player even though it's online: Motorstorm was the game to show off to your 360 owning mates when you unwrapped your PS3, but you had to endure their **** as you realised Sony had forgot to include offline multiplayer. At least they shared the pain when it happened again on Burnout Paradise. There's not much point inviting your mates round to take turns at a racing game now is there? Unreal Tournament III deserves a slap too for the same problem.

•· Unlockable artwork: Seeing ?????????? on the unlockables menu rarely reveals itself to be anything worthy. You know it going to be character/ vehicle/weapon/vehicle or environment concept art. How hard can it be for developers to wonder around for half a day with a camera and collect a few thoughts on the game, sure it's potentially dull but it's better than concept art. Best advice: check an online guide to see what the ?????????? is, just so you know what you're working for.

•· Cheaters online: While online PS2 action was plagued with cheaters using devices such as Game Shark or Action Replay. The PS3 is ok for now. However, it's only a matter of time before PS3 versions are developed. Using cheats to progress through a game offline is fine but cheating online is just cowardly and full of hollow glory. Take you're ass-kickin' like a man, it's the only way you'll improve.

•· Sudden difficulty spikes: Ideally a game will get tougher gradually but some games will let you waltz through the majority of the game with ease, leaving you utterly unprepared for the bastard hard final boss. We're looking at you Heavenly Sword. We still love you though.

•· Underwater sections: Since the days of Sonic the Hedgehog underwater sections (we can still here the drowning countdown) have sucked more than Derby in the Premiership. The fussy controls, the camera that indicates the cameraman is running out of oxygen thus having a frenzied fit. We don't mind swimming on the surface to avoid drowning like we used to in the older GTA games. But as soon as things go underwater tempers rise.

•· Most movie tie-ins: The best option is prepare for utter disappointment then anything else is a bonus! Remember Spider-Man 2? It was great so could be forgiven for hoping Spider-Man 3 to be above average. Wrong! Learnt your lesson? Expect nothing.

•· Delays: Obviously nobody wants an unfinished game full of bugs and glitches, but developers must know early on how much work needs to be done. There were very little quality games available for Xmas compared to what we were told would be out during this period back in the summer. The main culprits being Unreal Tournament III, Burnout Paradise and of course Haze. Seriously, did you ever expect GTA4 to make that date last October?

•· Lag online: PS3's online performance is already superior to that on the PS2 with the best improvements coming in the racing department. But you're no doubt already aware that PES 2008 is still awful online with its teleporting players and complete crashes. Let's hope Konami doesn't stuff up MGS4 online.

10 Great Gaming Bits:

•· Drifting around the final bend and overtaking to get the win: This is one of gamings greatest highlights creating a genuine Hollywood feel to a race resulting in large amounts of smugness.

•· First win in any game online: More often than not you'll have to wait a while before you get your first victory in a new game while you get accustomed to it. The more players in the race / deathmatch the greater it feels. Especially in COD4 when everyone else has a much higher ranking than you too.

•· Rocket launchers in UT3: Easily the greatest rockets in a FPS ever. Forget the vehicles. Nailing someone in the face as they leap through the air is awesome. For added madness try the levels with moon jumps and faster rates of fire. Absolute pandemonium.

•· A game living up to the hype: Remember the hype behind the original Killzone? It was being touted as a Halo beater before anyone had even seen it running. So inevitably some found it a little disappointing. Regardless of review scores sometimes you ride the hype and turn out personally finding a game outstanding and that's what matters really.

•· Picking up a bargain by waiting ages for it: New games are expensive especially PS3 ones, so sometimes you wait a while and sometimes even forget about it. Then one day you see it for a tenner or even better in a 4 for £20. Result! The one potential problem is leaving it too long and someone spoiling the story for you. Don't deny yourself GT4 though, treat yourself.

•· Finally nailing a boss / level that been bugging you for ages: Sometimes you just get stuck. You'll wonder around for ages in a game like Tomb Raider or Prince of Persia, desperately looking for a ledge to climb or a hidden entrance. If you want to simply progress then check a guide but you'll feel way better working it out for yourself.

•· Sniper rifles: There's nothing worse than being online and constantly getting your head blown off by a hidden sniper, but when it's you doing the shooting in a decent spot you feel invincible. They'll find you eventually though so watch your back!

•· User created content: This is going to be big news in the near future. It's already proved popular with created levels in Timesplitters and Tony Hawk's games on the PS2. UT3 is going to allow PS3 users to upload levels online and the upcoming Little Big Planet is shaping up to be very special indeed.

•· Scoring a goal anywhere outside the box: Whether it be from a free kick or from open play it's an awesome feeling. And you can replay it as much as you want and save it. Let's hope the next PES and FIFA allow you to upload these replays and we can have some great Goal of the Month competitions without the dodgy phone-ins.

•· Beating your mates: Even with the PlayStation Eye and headsets allowing communication with people online it's still more satisfying beating your mates in the same room. If you are a Pro Evo god compared to them, go easy sometimes or eventually they'll stop playing you altogether and you'll have to go back to getting thrashed online!