Evolution has always been the name of the game when it came to the Pro Evolution Soccer series, with every installment bringing seemingly insignificant tweaks and subtle changes to the already tried and tested formula, it’s these small tweaks however that take the series forward and put it leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, and always bettering it’s main competitor; itself.

Although happy in their own ignorance it seems, Konami have settled for merely matching it’s predecessor whereas EA have taken a tired, used and abused series in Fifa and have given it a new lease of life really taking advantage of the power at their disposal. Konami have been a little too narrow-minded which to many, has cost them their once unrivalled title of ‘best in genre’.

All doom and gloom it certainly isn’t, regardless of Konami’s blatant laziness they still have produced a title that recreates it’s chosen sport better than any other game on the market. Passing has been quickened while the overall action has slowed down, it doesn’t make sense but as you play you will understand. It is no longer a case of taking it past defenders, passing is absolutely crucial and a Ronaldo-like rush of blood to the head in your own half can, and will at the hands of a skilled player, cost you the match.

The most noticeable difference this year is the shooting, to be blunt; it’s difficult. Every player doesn’t have the killer finish of Van Nistelrooy anymore; individual stats really do make the difference. Body position and momentum will decide how powerful and accurate a shot is, if the ball is underneath your feet be prepared to see the ball loft over the goal into row Z. It all takes a lot of practice that makes it all the more rewarding when you slot in from a tight angle. If you master shooting you can turn game on its head in an instant.

Everyone loves a bit of eye candy and for a game on a next generation console Pro Evolution Soccer 6 severely disappoints. Again, while EA have really grabbed the power at their disposal by the balls to deliver a feast for the eyes, Konami seem to have given the game a go over with the next gen spit ‘n shine brush. It all looks very crisp and having slated the visuals the player models are very good for the most part. If anything, the visuals pretty much sum up this entire game, lazy. And disappointing.

The real meat of the game will be online, after the catastrophe that was the online mode in Pro Evo 5 anything would have been an improvement. Games are easy enough to come by but it’s just a shame sporting players aren’t. Lag can be crippling but with a decent connection and a few friendly players it is a load of fun, but it will never capture the genius of playing with a few friends in the same room.

Konami this time round have done the bare minimum to keep players such as myself paying 40 pounds to play their games, but it does beg the question, what on earth have they been doing all year? The ‘next gen’ Pro Evo has even been stripped down, losing a full edit mode and depending on what kind of person you are, not having the option to save replays really grates. Konami have taken two steps forward and one step back, it’s still progress nonetheless but I expected more. It has kept its crown for another year and I hope that a full year with the next gen consoles will produce something more worthy of the name.

When there's no more room in hell, the dead will be beaten over the head with a letterbox.

Zombies. The living, shambling dead. Brought to life via the seminal Living Dead series of films, tarnished by various cheap knock offs, payed homage to in a modern comedic masterpiece and a series of genre-defining video games. Zombies have been through a lot, bless them. No rest for the wicked though, as Capcom's latest zombie-slaughtering effort strays away from the survival-horror Resident Evil series, instead opting for a more tongue-in-cheek, action packed zombie gore fest. Dead Rising, while almost completely abolishing the horror aspect of the whole 'Zombie Infestation" scenario, still manages to be more faithful to the films which influenced it. In fact, influenced is too weak a word; George A. Romero's classic 1978 Dawn of the Dead is more 'source material' than 'inspiration' (despite what the disclaimer at the start of the game says.)

The premise of the game is pretty simple: Something's amiss with the town of Willamette. Intrepid photojournalist Frank West wants to find out what's going down. Cue an on-rails helicopter tour of the zombie-infested town (playing something like a demented Pokémon snap) which ends with Frank deciding to personally investigate, with the pilot dropping him off on the roof of the local Mall and telling the player that he'll be back to pick them up in 3 days time.

From there, the fun begins. The 3 day time limit isn't an awfully long one, and for £50 it can seem like a rip off. However, you can be assured that there's plenty to do in the mall; With 6 different endings and a mulititude of acheivments and items to unlock, it's clear Capcom intended the game be played multiple times. However, if you're reading this review, you probably know this already. What everyone really wants to know is how it plays. And I'm glad to say, it plays like a charm. The controls are simple and intuitive, with unlocked skills being performed by a simple button combo. There's nothing too strategic about battling the undead, either fight to the bloody end, opt to run around the shambling hoards or try to do both. As promised, the 200+ weapons are varied, with a lethal mix of deadly firearms and everyday items. 100 zombies can be on the screen at one time, and I've only ever experienced minor slow-down. The graphics are crisp and detailed, and while they're certainly not the best on the Xbox 360, they do a good job.

But the game isn't without it's flaws. Some may not agree with the save system. There's only one save slot, and the game can only be saved from designated areas (toilets and beds.) While I feel this stresses the urgency of the game, there are times when it can cause alot of annoyance and heartbreak. The only other real fault with the game is some of the tiny ingame text. While it's fine on HDTVs, SDTV owners (like me) will have to choose between adjusting the Xbox's settings to Widescreen and squinting, or keeping the aspect ratio and really, really squinting. However, there's still some hope that Capcom will fix this in a patch.

Dead Rising isn't going to be a contender for The Best Game Ever. But it's a whole lot of fun anyway. It's like an undead GTA, with Zombies replacing peds and weapons replacing cars. Good, not so wholesome fun for everyone.

9/10