The UrbanWire

It’s been a long and windy journey filled with many trials and tribulations, but after 40 years, the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has managed to brave them all, emerging stronger every time. With the recent inking of the ASEAN Charter in Nov set to bring the region even closer as one big family, it’s certainly the ideal time to release Young Southeast Asia: 40 Inspiring Youths, a book that provides a glimpse into the bright future that awaits us all.

The Young Men and Women of ASEAN

Produced by youths from the 10 ASEAN nations, the book was created to commemorate the organisation’s 40th anniversary.

Young Southeast Asia: 40 Inspiring Youths, like its title suggests, is an inspirational book containing the profiles of 40 (4 from each of the 10 ASEAN countries) of the region’s most extraordinary young individuals under the age of 35. (Read more)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Secretary-General, Mr Ong Keng Yong, 53, was stuck in a unique predicament the night before the launch of the book Young Southeast Asia- 40 Inspiring Youths at the Jurong Regional Library on Nov 27. (Read more)

Christmas is a time for sharing, a time for people to come together and celebrate everyone’s achievements. And this year on the sports front, there’s certainly a cause for celebration, with Singapore’s athletes capping off a fairly successful year on many fronts.

In the season of sharing, UrbanWire has managed to get a hold of 2 such athletes who’ve put our tiny island on the world sporting map, shuttler Kendrick Lee, 23, and bowler Jazreel Tan, 18.

(Read more)

It’s the festive season yet again and you’re just itching for a suitable movie to satisfy that visual craving, after all with the crowds thronging the malls in search of last minute Christmas gifts, and everything at Christmas time costing a bomb, you’d rather stay home. But the trouble is you just can’t decide what movie to rent from the mammoth collection that the rental store has.
Adapting a line from the phenomenally underwhelming movie Underdog, “Netizens, there’s no need to fear! UrbanWire is here!”

We’ve decided to list our all-time favourite top 10 Christmas movies. And it’s not yet another generic cringe-worthy list filled with the usual Santa in some form or other.

UrbanWire sifted through genres seemingly un-Christmassy, spending hours rooted on the couch with popcorn, potato chips and other calorie-inducing snacks to give you a list that’s sure to keep you glued to your TV screen this Christmas season.

The Tim Burton Series

Tim Burton’s gothic and extremely quirky stories and treatment might seem totally unsuitable for Christmas, but it’s certainly refreshing in the face of all that sugar-coated Christmas cheer!

UrbanWire recommends 2 Burton films if you’re feeling indifferent this Christmas season. Be warned. With the strong moralistic undertones in these fantasy stories tugging at your heartstrings, you might need a few boxes of tissue to dab away the tears.

1. Edward Scissorhands

Arguably one of Johnny Depp’s most definitive roles, Edward Scissorhands is a tale of a human (created by an ageing inventor) with scissors for hands, who’s taken from his lonely existence in a rundown hilltop mansion and placed in a modern American suburb. Cursed to be misunderstood and manipulated by others outside his adopted family, the naïve Edward struggles to be accepted.

After all, isn’t Christmas all about acceptance?

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Produced by Burton, the 1993 stop-motion animation movie follows Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town who’s grown bored of his monotonous lifestyle. Enamoured by the cheery and happy lifestyle led by those in Christmas Town, the skeleton-like character plots to merge Halloween and Christmas into one enticing mega holiday spectacle, but with calamitous and highly interesting consequences, with Jack acting posing as Santa Claus, Christmas just got a whole lot scarier.

The Let’s-Blow–Something-Up List

Some might argue that Christmas movies tend to be an action fan’s worst nightmare, since they run with generic happy themes. Rare as they might be, there have been Christmas-related movies which revolve around 2 words that’ll keep any adrenaline junkie satisfied- mayhem and carnage.

UrbanWire recommends 2 movies with enough destruction that’ll leave you thinking all hell just broke loose.

1. Die Hard

This 1988 action film transformed Bruce Willis from credible TV actor to international action star. Willis plays brash New York City detective John McClane who arrives in Los Angeles during the Christmas period in an attempt to reconcile with his estranged wife Holly.

When terrorists take over the building where her company is having their Christmas bash, it’s up to the wise-cracking McClane who’s also present at the party to unleash his warped version of Christmas cheer filled with gunfire, explosions and punches on the diabolical evil-doers.

2. Lethal Weapon

The 20-year-old thriller starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover spawned a successful series spanning just over 10 years and 4 movies in total.

When the destructive widowed Detective Sergeant Martin Riggs (Gibson) is assigned as a partner to old-timer Detective Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Glover), the chalk and cheese duo are tasked with investigating the alleged suicide of Murtagh’s former partner’s daughter.

Soon enough, the pair uncovers a drug-smuggling ring which serves as the catalyst for this gun-slinging adventure.

Comedy Soothes An Empty Wallet

You’re probably stuck at home because you’ve spent all your money on presents. While Christmas might be all about spreading the cheer, you’re sad because you’re simply too broke to be happy.

UrbanWire recommends 3 movies filled with enough laughter to turn that scowl into a beaming smile.

1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

A complex investigative movie laced with plenty of hilarious moments, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stars Robert Downey Jr as Harry Lockhart, a small-time crook turned actor and Val Kilmer as a gay private investigator ironically named Gay Perry who are both embroiled in a series of interesting murder investigations, which includes Harry having a dead body mysteriously dumped in his toilet and him discovering it when he was peeing.

Highly praised but overlooked by mainstream audiences due to its limited screenings. According to The Internet Movie Database (IMdb), the 2005 Phoenix Film Critics Society gave the movie the award for “Most Overlooked Movie”.

2. Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

It’s probably Jim Carrey’s ugliest role to date. Playing the Grinch in the re-make of the book and cartoon of the same name, Carrey’s eponymous character is one grouchy, misunderstood and hairy creature who isn’t as malevolent or malicious as he appears to be. When the Grinch feels betrayed and humiliated by the local townsfolk, he plots to wreck Christmas for the entire town of Whoville.

3. The Muppet Christmas Carol

An adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, the film offers not only the highly accomplished Michael Caine aka Alfred the Butler in Batman Begins as the greedy Ebenezer Scrooge, but also plenty of your favourite, funny and lovable Muppets like Kermit the Frog and his squealing love Miss Piggy.

The “Awww… Shucks” List

At the end of the day, Christmas is about spending time with your loved ones. And there’s arguably no better time in the year to watch a family-themed movie than Christmas!

And while Santa might be a huge draw with his white beard and merry cheer, UrbanWire recommends these 3 family-themed movies that best show a person’s need for family and companionship.

1. Home Alone 1

2. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Macaulay Culkin’s career might have peaked a little too soon, but UrbanWire’s not complaining. After all Home Alone 1 and 2 are always good bets for the Christmas season.

When Kevin McAllister (Culkin) is accidentally left alone at home, or in the sequel’s case misplaced in New York following a wrong flight, the highly intelligent and cunning youngster has to survive on his own and at the same time, outwit a pair of dim-witted bumbling burglars played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.

3. Love Actually

It was the film that showed us that Hugh Grant can dance even before his portrayal as a has-been pop star in Music and Lyrics.

Intricately woven with 8 separate plots somehow interlinking with each other, Love Actually is packed with a star-studded British cast that also includes Colin Firth, Liam Neeson and Rowan Atkinson. Employing traditional Brit humour and wit, it might sound corny, but the film which spans love of almost every persuasion- gay, puppy, best friend’s wife, waning, sex-centric and across social classes and language differences, has something for everyone.

UrbanWire was wrong, we admit it. And it’s a mistake that we’d gladly make again after the Lions successfully qualified for the SEA Games semi-finals for the first time since 1999 after they drew 0-0 with Malaysia on Dec 8.

After lambasting the Lions for their dismal draw against minnows Laos , the Lions dug deep and beat favourites Vietnam 3-2 on Dec 3, putting qualification from Group B firmly in their own hands, with just a point needed against arch-rivals Malaysia.

And what a dramatic encounter it turned out to be.

(Read more)

Earlier, we looked at the 7 teams that clinched the second spots in their respective groups to earn qualification for Euro 2008.

Now in the second part of a 2-part UrbanWire special, we take a look at the group winners and give our take on how these teams performed throughout the course of their grueling campaign.

(Read more)

0, that’s the number of times that Singapore has won gold in the SEA Games football competition. And judging by the hapless display the Singapore Under-23s put out against Laos in their 0-0 Group B opener on Dec 1, UrbanWire’s sad to report that even a place in the semi-finals seems to be another distant dream.

Forget all the talk about Singapore qualifying for the 3rd round of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers for the 1st time, squash all the euphoria that surrounded the senior team’s successful defence of their ASEAN crown earlier in the year.

When it comes to the Under-23s, the question is, are we expecting a little too much?

Against a Laotian squad that many expected the Lions to beat by a comfortable margin, it was in fact the minnows that showed their opponents a thing or 2 about football. Showing grit, fearlessness and desire against their more well-off counterparts, the Laotians nearly even came out victors in the rather physical contest.

A Seemingly Lacklustre Affair

The first half was certainly a cagey affair for the Lions. Failing to impose themselves on the Laotians and take the game by the scruff of the neck, the Lions soon found out the hard way that their opponents weren’t their lunch.

As early as the 4th min, Laos showed their attacking intent. A fast break following a foiled Singapore foray upfront saw striker Vongphet Sylisay flash a shot just wide of Hassan Sunny’s goal from the edge of the penalty box.

A notable incident happened in the 17th min when Singapore’s Khairul Amri was nearly clean through on goal in the penalty box. A bodycheck by a Laotian defender was enough to prevent the striker from scoring. While the challenge might have seemed innocuous, a different referee might have given Singapore a penalty for the seemingly dubious block.

From the 30th min, Laos began to up the ante further. The raw pace they possessed especially on their left flank was enough to trouble right back Hafiz Osman immensely and served as a launch pad for many of their attacks.

In the 32nd min, during a spell of dominance by Laos, the Laotians nearly took the lead when a snapshot by Sounthalay Saysongkham forced Sunny to make a decent save.

Failure To Launch

If it’s any consolation, the Lions began to show more urgency in attack during the 2nd half of the game. Although in this case, Laos managed to keep their more illustrious opponents at bay while being especially dangerous on the counter.

Singapore Midfielder Tengku Mushadad managed to test Laotian keeper Toulakhame Siththidaphone from range in the 52nd min. Although to be honest, it was a fairly straightforward save for the latter to make.

With the game becoming more physical as frustration mounted, tempers frayed when winger Ridhuan Muhammad was brought down by a rough Laotian tackle. A confrontation between the 2 sides ensued, but thankfully no punches were thrown and the referee opted to resume the game without any cards shown.

Singapore’s best chance of the game came in the 71st min when Amri was fouled on the edge of the penalty box. Opting to take the free-kick himself, the striker sent a peach of a shot over the wall but Toulakame was more than equal to the task, producing a stunning save in the process.

With the game drawing to a close, the Lions certainly tried to up the tempo, but against a resolute and compact Laotian team, it certainly wasn’t easy. Winger Fazrul Nawaz was left to rue what might have been when Toulakame proved to be a major roadblock yet again, producing another great save, this time from close range.

Final score: Singapore 0, Laos 0.

A Glimmer of Hope

Even if it was a team game, it wouldn’t be fair to criticise the entire team for their seemingly lacklustre performance. UrbanWire was impressed by the performance shown by central defender Shariff Abdul Samat.

The S-League’s Young Player of the Year was an absolute rock in the heart of defence. His well-timed tackles and good reading of the game were pivotal in preventing the Lions from falling to a shock defeat against Laos.

Back To The Drawing Board

For coach Raddy Avramovi?, it’s back to the drawing board to plot a way past favourites Vietnam and Malaysia. Undoubtedly he’ll be annoyed that his charges failed to get past minnows Laos but in some ways, the draw might just serve as the catalyst for the Lions to make the drive for the semi-finals.

Victory against both Vietnam and Malaysia might seem a tad impossible, but the Lions have the quality to emerge victors. It’s now up to the players to dig deep, emerge stronger from the draw and play their hearts on their sleeves over the next 180 minutes to ensure that Singapore finally progresses out of the group stages.

Singapore takes on Vietnam and Malaysia on Mon and Sat at 4.25pm respectively. Both matches will be shown on MediaCorp Channel 5.

The long and arduous qualifying campaign for Euro 2008 is finally over. Starting from Aug 2006 , teams all across Europe were split into 7 qualifying groups in a bid to win 1 of 2 coveted slots in each group to go to Austria-Switzerland next year.

In a 2-part special, UrbanWire gives our take on the teams that qualified for Euro 2008, starting first with the teams that finished second in their respective groups.

Group A: Portugal

With all that talent, it seemed impossible for Portugal not to qualify for Euro 2008. But nobody would have expected them to practically sleepwalk towards the tail-end of the qualifiers, drawing with the likes of Bosnia and Armenia and just scrapping past Kazakhstan with a 2-1 victory.

Perhaps Big Phil Scolari has gone soft on his charges. It certainly didn’t help that he was tipped to take over the England post after the 2006 World Cup. Maybe it has got to do more with the retirement of the talismanic Luis Figo that unsettled the balance in the team.

Nonetheless, the current golden boy of the world of football, Cristiano Ronaldo may have led the goal-scoring charts for Portugal with 8 during the qualifiers. But for Portugal to succeed at Euro 2008, he must wholly take on Figo’s mantle as the heartbeat of the team.

Group B: France

Beaten twice by Scotland, the French have to thank Georgia and Italy for their participation in Euro 2008 after the 2 dealt successive deathblows to destroy Scotland’s European dreams.

Essentially a team in transition with plenty of new players coming in, France have to improve dramatically before they will be considered challengers in Euro 2008

Still while they might have struggled during qualification, especially against Lithuania and Georgia, on paper, they have enough depth to be a world-beater. One player in particular that UrbanWire suggests football fans take a closer look at is Marseille’s 20-year-old midfielder, Samir Nasri who’s set to become the next Zinedine Zidane.

Group C: Turkey

Mediterranean football is on the rise again following the successful qualification of both Greece and Turkey from Group C.

With Fatih Terim as manager and evergreen captain Hakan Sukur, Turkey has a formula for success, given that the duo led Galatasaray SK to the 2000 Uefa Cup.

A highlight of their qualification campaign will most definitely be their 4-1 annihilation of arch-rival, Greece, in Athens.

With their qualification, the Turks have put an end to a barren spell that had seen them away from a major international Championship since the 2002 World Cup where they finished 3rd.

Group D: Germany

Sammy Lee and Chris Hutchings might have flopped badly but Joachim Low has shown that assistant managers can make the step up, leading the German juggernaut hurtling towards Euro 2008.

With 35 goals scored (although 19 were against minnows San Marino), the days of German football being dull and effective are probably a thing of the past.

Although Germany were the first side to qualify for Euro 2008, Low will probably be disappointed with the draw against Cyprus and the heavy 3-0 mauling dished out by Czech Republic.

Interestingly enough, he’s managed to do something that his predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann wasn’t unable to rectify; he improved the defence which conceded just 7 goals over 12 games. However with first-choice keeper Jens Lehmann now playing second fiddle at Arsenal, Low might have a goalkeeping problem come Euro 2008.

Group E: Russia

Yet another Guus Hiddink team has managed to Guus-step their way into a major tournament. They might not have been favourites to qualify from Group E but under the Messiah of Managers, they always had a good chance.

Lady Luck was certainly smiling on Hiddink’s men following their startling 2-1 capitulation against Israel, with Croatia beating England at Wembley for Russia to qualify with a 1-0 victory over Andorra.

They may not be as technically gifted as the English, but at least they’ve been consistent and that’s what matters most in a race for qualification.

Group F: Sweden

If any team benefited from the opposition’s change of manager, it had to be Sweden. Imagine if Lawrie Sanchez hadn’t left for Fulham, the Northern Irish might not have lost the crucial momentum.

But credit to the Swedes for their successful campaign where they’ve maintained their cohesion and grit. Marcus Allback, the FC Copenhagen striker, in particular, showed that unlike his poor showing at Aston Villa, he does have the ability to score, with 6 goals to his name.

A 2-0 victory over Spain will probably be the highlight of their campaign. But if Northern Ireland hadn’t lost 1-0 to Latvia, it would have been them heading to Euro 2008 based on their better head-to-head against Sweden.

Group G: Holland

15 goals scored in 12 games. That’s a statistic as un-Dutch-like as they come. Somehow, the Masters of Total Football struggled to hit the net despite manager Marco van Basten’s best intentions.

A major disappointment for the demanding Dutch fans were the 2 lacklustre 1-0 victories over traditional whipping boys Luxemburg.

Granted, van Basten didn’t exactly have his first team throughout the entire campaign, but then again the Dutch team is filled with so much attacking talent in reserves like Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt that it’s still rather incomprehensible that they would struggle for goals as badly as they did.

Click here for the second part of our 2 part special!

American General George S Patton once said, “An army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of bullshit.” And when it comes to ArmA: Queen’s Gambit, no other statement describes the game quite as well.

Its creators claim that the series is arguably “the most realistic warfare experience among PC games ever”. Trust UrbanWire when we say, they weren’t lying about the realism. (Read more)

Chances are, you’ve probably gone onto YouTube and watched at least one slideshow that fans have created for their favourite band or singer. And then the question hits you, “Why are most of these videos essentially just photos plonked together monotonously with a song in the background?”

UrbanWire’s guess? It’s probably got to do with the software. We figure those slideshows were probably made using software like Windows Movie Maker, which works fine but is nonetheless limited in terms of capabilities.

But all’s not lost for aspiring YouTube video makers! Because here at UrbanWire, we’ve discovered MAGIX’s Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6, which can effectively make those dull videos a thing of the past. (Read more)

Care to imagine your grandchildren having green skin, scales and furry feet?

No, this isn’t Sesame Street or a sci-fi book, but freaky descendants are a possible outcome if we believe the handbook’s point no.77, about future generations having to evolve to adapt to hostile future environments because we didn’t prevent global warming.

Remember when the 24-hour-long Live Earth concerts invaded our TV screens on Jul 7? (Read more)

Fans of Sports Interactive’s (SI) highly acclaimed Football Manager Series beware! The latest season of the franchise, Football Manager 2008 (FM 2008) is back with a vengeance and we at UrbanWire guarantee that it’ll leave you glued to the computer screens for hours on end.

Proclaimed by its developers as “the most realistic football management simulation ever”, the game basically follows this sequence.

Step 1: You control the football club of your choice.

Step 2: You manage it just like a real-life manager would, with the same financial implications.

Step 3: Hopefully you can bring glory to the club or avoid getting the sack.

Nonetheless, FM 2008 isn’t just a spruced-up update, although it does continue where the 2006/07 season left off, with an updated list of the who’s who in the world of football.

Yes, they’ve even managed to install Avram Grant as Chelsea’s new manager, although we’ll leave you to judge whether the former Portsmouth technical director is really as good as his stats imply.

Managerial Overhaul

The most notable change about FM 2008 is definitely its look and feel, stemming from the developers’ decision to depart from the game’s traditional green skin to a stylish white and its improved navigational functionality.

In short, the game looks more appealing and is much easier to play.

Best Five of the New Features

Besides the skins, the game has over 100 new features this time. And while it’d be great to list every one of them; FM 2009 will probably be released by the time we’re through.

With that in mind, UrbanWire has decided to list just five of FM 2008’s most prominent new and improved features.

1. Financial Meltdown Averted

In FM 2008, the financial aspect of the game has been improved to meet the ever-changing needs of the football world.

According to Miles Jacobson on the game’s official website, Studio Director at SI, “More information is available to the manager too, including, but not limited to, corporate match-day income, season ticket news, investment funds, improved sponsorships, collective win bonuses and the ability to move around funds from the wage budget and transfer budget (and vice versa) at any point to help you in your quest for the ideal squad.”

Now there’s no longer a valid excuse to blame the accountant if you’ve caused a mini financial crisis with your dealings.

2. Transfer Centre

Basically it’s the one-stop centre for all your transfer needs. Now you’ll be kept updated about the ongoings of all your transfer dealings, allowing you to make decisions about transfers easily.

So don’t worry if you can’t figure out where you’ve sent all your budding stars on loan to! The Transfer Centre keeps track of everything!

3. You Really love me…

You can now measure exactly how confident your board of directors or fans are of your performance as manager of their beloved football club, and their views aren’t just confined to the pitch.

Their opinions extend to areas such as transfers and financial handling of the club as well. If only David O’Leary had such a tool he’d probably have thought twice before spending ?8 million ($24 million) on a dud like Seth Johnson back when he was manager of then Premier League giants Leeds United.

4. The Media has landed

The Football Manager Series has always factored in the media. But in FM 2008, they’ve up the ante.

Expect the media to constantly pepper you with questions regarding key incidents that happen during the course of the match, such as controversial penalties. It’s up to you to answer them in the manner you see fit, but be careful. Too much criticism of the referees can lead to a touchline ban from the Football Association and a reprimand from the board of directors.

5. Your team grows on you

In FM 2008, you can create the faces of your young players who’ve made it through the youth team and watch them grow over time. Okay, it’s not really a useful tool but you’ve got to admit, it’s relatively fun to see how the younglings turn out.

Kick Off

Sure there are still the usual pre-match team talks that players can use to inspire their team. However this time, the game’s pre-match sequence also involves a pre-match (and later post-match) media analysis to look through as well as a chance to make any last minute tactical changes.

The gameplay during a match still retains the game’s signature 2D match engine which shows how the game is progressing.

However, with FM 2008, you won’t be able pause the game to make the necessary changes to your team like before. Instead, every decision will be made in real-time, with the clock continuing to race as sweat beads down your forehead while you contemplate your next move.

If you’re thinking you can’t see how your team’s doing while you’re busy making match-winning decisions, don’t worry! There’s a mini-match engine that’ll keep you updated.

Meeting the Transfer Requirements

While its rudimentary sound and lack of jaw-dropping graphics counts against it, it’s ultimately the sense of realism and attention to detail that matter most in FM 2008. And in this case, it delivers superbly, coupled with the stylistic enhancements as well. It’s fair to say that many football fans will most definitely be spending hours addicted to the game, trying to become the next virtual Jose Mourinho AKA The Special One.

Platform: PC
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sports Interactive
Genre: Sports Simulation

Score:

Graphics: 5/10
Sound: 5/10
Plot: 10/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Addictive Rating: 10/10
Overall Rating: 9/10

Fans of Anthony Bourdain’s hit travel show, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, will probably recognise 44-year-old food writer, Michael Ruhlman. After all, he did appear on not just 1, but 2 episodes (Las Vegas and Cleveland) of the popular series that chronicles the culture and cuisine of various locations around the world. (Read more)

The car and the girls were good reasons as any to catch a James Bond movie. Bond creator Ian Fleming has created no less a spell with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a hit film he produced in 1968 based on the eponymous book.

5 years since, the magic is re-created anew under the direction of Adrian Noble, who served as the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Artistic Director and Chief Executive from 1990 to 2003, and the car is landing here.

(Read more)

According to game publisher Wizards of the Coast, the legacy began in 1974, when Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson first unleashed Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) as a fantasy table top role-playing game. Since then, the game has amassed a huge following that numbers in the millions. This resulted in spin offs from its original incarnation, into computer games, magazines and even movies!

The latest addition to the D&D series is none other than D&D Tactics, a rather graphically well designed but not exactly mind blowing turn-based Role Playing Game for the Playstation Portable (PSP). The game not only boasts of its own original storyline, but also, a whole new world designed from scratch to boot! But in terms of characters it doesn’t deviate from what fans are used to as Wikipedia states that the game retains “core classes from the D&D rulebook: the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard, as well as two non-core classes, the Psion and Psychic Warrior”.

Besides character classes, D&D Tactics, also follows the D&D 3.5 rule-set (things like the latest rules for D&D) which provides an even greater sense of familiarity for fans of the series.

In the game, players take on the role of a “player character” who’s caught between the battle of two dragons vying for the right to attain godhood. In short, it’s up to you to determine who’ll emerge the victor in this mystical battle of mythological proportions.

Besides the usual aspects like armour, weaponry and magic, players are also provided with the ability to have up to 6 members in the party depending on their quest (which we’ll elaborate further). Although players can have up to 11 characters as companions, switching members on a rotational basis is based on the tasks at hand.

Players are tasked with the campaign of completing the game’s many quests and side-quests. The game’s developers claim that there are over 30 quests and side-quests in the game. However, it’s extremely unlikely that players will get to experience all of them as decisions pertaining to the player’s alignment towards good or evil will determine which quests or side-quests he or she will undertake.

Gameplay

Before the campaign begins, users are granted the chance to either use one of the pre-generated characters from the “character library” or create their very own character as the “player” character of the game before selecting five other members to form your party for the beginning of the adventure, which is split into acts.

As mentioned earlier, players can have as many as 11 companions who you can recruit from the various places that will be revealed bit by bit on the world map depending on how you advance in the game. Note that each area has its own specialities, so if you’re in search of a cleric or paladin, then you’d probably want to look for them at Temples rather than say, the Thieves Guild which is where you’ll find rogues instead.

Moving onto the action, the turn-based system used is fairly straightforward and relatively easy to understand, though it’s somewhat troublesome to navigate thanks to the rather haphazard menu selections, whoever thought of a menu leading to another menu?

Nonetheless, players should take the time to think up strategies so as to maximise and minimise each character’s strengths and weaknesses respectively as this help to prevent unnecessary character deaths or speed up the adventure. For example, deciding to put your ranger upfront in battle might be considered a mistake, considering he or she is able to deal damage from range with his or her bow. However gamers should note that if your “player character” dies, then the game is automatically over.
Lastly, after every successful adventure, a 2D scene involving your “player character” will be played which can skipped or replayed at a later time as long as you’re at that specific location. Nevertheless it’s crucial that you watch and listen to it carefully as it’ll help you to make decisions later in the game (such as selecting which paths or side-quests to undertake), which can ultimately determine whether you’re good or evil.

Main Gripes

Well as they say, patience is indeed a virtue, especially since D&D Tactics’ turn-based system isn’t exactly a cause for frantic action. Besides the game’s relatively languid pace, the fact that characters seem to have problem hitting the enemy certainly doesn’t help with its cause.

Additionally the PSP’s thumbstick and item menu combine to provide a source of constant irritation especially when it comes to trading items between party members. Having to use the oversensitive thumbstick to help switch items between characters isn’t as easy as it should be and to be frank, can get pretty annoying.

Conclusion

Overall, D&D Tactics’ well designed graphics, retention of most of the things-such as character classes-that one would expect of a D&D series, along with its rather decent storylines will most definitely bode well with fans of the long running series and keep them entertained for hours on end.

However, for casual gamers who are searching for a game filled with high octane action rather than the slow moving turn-based system found in D&D Tactics, then it’ll probably be wiser choice for them to give the game a miss.

Platform: PSP
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Kuju Entertainment
Genre: Tactical RPG

Score:

Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Addictive Rating: 7/10
Overall Rating: 7.5/10