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Games news with Johnny Minkley

• Jo Whiley
• 26 Feb 08, 09:32 AM

Today's expert was Johnny Minkley with his latest Gaming news...here's his lowdown!

**NEWS**

The big news this week is that the format war is over: Toshiba, the people behind HD-DVD, have pulled the plug on the format. That means Blu-ray, the rival next-gen disc format from Sony, has won and is officially the true successor to DVD.

Why is this important for gamers? PlayStation 3 is the only home console with a next-gen DVD player built-in which, because it's Sony, is Blu-ray. So anyone who already owns a PS3, or is thinking about buying one, now knows with absolute confidence that they also get a next-gen movie player that's going to play all the new releases over the coming years.

It's a blow for Xbox 360 owners who bought one of the HD-DVD add-ons, as they're stuck with the existing library of movies. There are rumours that Microsoft might release a Blu-ray player to replace it - but Microsoft reckon downloads will be bigger than discs in a few years, so want people to start downloading HD movies onto Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live service - you can already rent movies this way.

*NEW GAMES*

Lost (360, PS3, PC) - Out Feb 29th

The official game of my personal favourite TV show of recent years. The game covers the timespan of seasons 1 and 2. You're a photojournalist called Elliot, a previously unknown survivor of the doomed flight 815. Rather than regurgutating the same storyline as the show, you have to find your own way through life on the island - although all the main characters are there, plus all the classic elements like the hatch, flashbacks and the weird smoke monster. The shows producers have written it up into seven 'episodes' - it's an adventure game, involving exploration, puzzle-solving, mini-games etc.

FIFA Street 3 (PS3, 360, DS) - Out Now

If you've never come across FIFA Street before, don't expect a serious footy sim. This is an over-the-top, cartoony, show-off, backyard kickabout featuring the world's biggest stars. It's all about pulling off the craziest tricks, scoring the most improbably spectacular goals and generally humiliating the opposition.

If the 'Street' concept doesn't have you cringing in agony, it's actually quite a fun game in short bursts. There isn't much depth to it, but it can be a great laugh playing online or with mates. And as an added bonus for Liverpool fans, Peter Crouch is the bizarre star of the game - an unlockable 'hero' no less.

Army of Two (PS3, 360) - Out March 7th

Here's a game that does what it says on the tin: two ultra-macho, heavily-tooled soldiers versus the world. It's co-op warfare: if you're playing on your own, the computer operates your buddy and fighting your way through the game is all about effective teamwork.

It's very clearly been designed to appeal to Gears of War fans: it's practically dripping in testosterone, and filled with muscle-bound oafs and massive explosions. It's certainly polished and a laugh, but one you'll appreciate a hell of a lot more with mate.

*Handheld Round-Up*

Professor Kaeyama's Maths Training (DS) - Out now

Is this the new Brain Training? Sadly not. This game is, fairly obviously, all about numbers - adding, substracting, multiplying and dividing. It sounds crushingly dull on paper, but then so did Brain Training. But Nintendo, using the unique features of the DS, made Brain Training incredibly moreish and compelling.

The problem with Maths Training is a lot of it is a bit too easy unless you're really stupid, but even the tougher bits aren't that much fun because you don't have anything cool like a "Brain Age" to keep you going, just dull tables. Plus, the DS screen does struggle to recognise the numbers you write sometimes, which is really annoying.

Patapon (PSP) - Out now

Poor old PSP owners really have struggled for great titles made especially for them, rather than hand-me-down conversions. The unique and utterly charming LocoRoco stands up as one of the greatest: and Patapon is from the same Japanese team.

It's got the same irresistible visual style and endearing chants from the weird blob creatures. But this is a very different beast: it's a strategy game that uses rhythms tapped out via the buttons to order your army to vanquish its foes. It's surprisingly complex for such a cute game. And there really is nothing else like it, so if you're looking for fresh, if occassionally frustrating, fun on PSP, there aren't many better options.