More Skyrim shots - PC

I've spend the last few days falling back in love with Skyrim, thanks to a bunch of fresh mods. I have more than 70 running now and I'm incredibly impressed with the results. I've only done two of the main quests and I'm spending most of my time exploring and going about things at my own pace.

I've downloaded a camping mod which lets you set up a bedroll and tent anywhere in Skyrim and since I've banned myself from using fast travel, it's a godsend. I've also installed a Zelda music mod which replaces the soundtrack with a variety of classic Zelda themes, along with sound effects which are used in menus and when you level up. It gives the whole game a lighter feel, although when exploring dungeons, the music swiftly changes to Zelda's dungeon themes. You might even spot a Zelda reference in one of the screens below.

I have a bunch of graphic and texture mods installed, too, which not only add detail to the countryside, but also dramatically improve the main cities and towns. I've added some new armour and weapon mods, which makes crafting much more fun. I even have a Monster Hunter weapon pack installed and my character is sporting a huge two-handed Rathalos Great Sword.

Click on the images for the full size versions.

Skyrim: The Journey Continues

Despite ploughing around 50 hours into Skyrim on 360 in the weeks after launch, its bugs and graphical glitches began to frustrate. So I put it aside over the festive period and promptly forgot about it - largely due to games such as Binary Domain, Asura's Wrath, Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Mass Effect 3 taking up large chunks of my gaming time.

However, with the arrival of a new PC came the chance to experience Skyrim in more detail - along with a wealth of wonderful mods to enhance the experience and - more importantly - the chance to take screen grabs of the stunning scenery.

The appeal of The Elder Scrolls games for me has always been the freedom to explore, discover new things and "live" in the world - largely outside of the main quest line. My PC Skyrim experience so far has seen me complete one minor side quest, while the rest of the time has been spent between Riverwood and Whiterun, hunting game, exploring and taking in the sights.

I've installed a wide range of mods but I am still experimenting with a few and discovering new add-ons every day. So I've decided to post a few of my screenshots of the first few hours of my adventure. Click on them to see them in all their glory.

Expect a raft of pictures finding their way on here in the weeks and months to come.

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD launches in Japan - but what happened to the menus?

While the Western world fawns over Deus Ex: Human Revolution, today, Japanese gamers couldn't give a monkey's about biomechanical augmentations or sneaking about futuristic environments.

That's because Monster Hunter Fever has gripped the nation once again thanks to today's release of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD on PlayStation 3.

But while the in-game screens look amazing, I received screenshots from Red Sun Gamer, below, which show that the menu system hasn't been lavished with the same care and attention as the rest of the game. Blocky and pixelated, it's disappointing to see, but I'm sure I could live with it because the rest of the game looks so good. Click on the images to see them in greater detail.

But while fellow hunters in the Far East are currently smacking Gold Rathians and Urukususu about with huge weapons and cooking 10 well-done steaks at a time - we are still waiting for Portable 3rd on PSP to arrive, never mind this HD version.

But with Operation Cherry Blossom in full swing, I'm still hopeful at least one of these games will be released in Europe and the US. In the meantime, I'll continue to slave away on my Japanese import of Portable 3rd - getting herbs, bones, bugs and potions horribly mixed up.

Come on, Capcom. Let's get this done!

Special thanks to Red Sun Gamer for supplying me with exclusive screens from the game.

WipEout HD: High-speed snaps

I've been delving into the bowels of my PlayStation 3, deleting ancient saves and trashing old game files in a bid to reclaim some precious hard drive space.

Flicking through the photo folder, I found some snaps I took while playing WipEout HD. Thought I would share them as I'm quite pleased with the results.

I might even fire the game up for a lap or two in light of my find - although I spent more time pausing to take pictures than I did actually playing.

Click on the screens to see them in their full glory.

Project Trico - PS3: Screens

After last night's excitment about Project Trico, it has emerged the trailer could be more than a year old, and the music is a placeholder soundtrack taken from the Coen brother's 1991 film Miller's Crossing.

I must stress there is still no concrete evidence this is the real deal, but I, like many others, hope what we are seeing is genuine footage.

Anyway, thanks to the team at PlayStation Lifestyle, here are some stills. Some are taken from the trailer, while others are new. Enjoy.



Thanks again to PlayStation Lifestyle for the images