How to Install Papago X5 [TUTORIAL]



**UPDATED!!** All the files have been upload back via MediaFire. Sorry for inconvenience.
A good news for who search the working Papago X5 on Android. Here, I’ve upload the worked version for you. I have tested it with SE Xperia Neo and Samsung Galaxy Tab and it worked very well. For who are using Tab, you’ll able to view the full screen. Follow my instruction below:
  1. Download all this files:
  2. Extract the fa1de67a$TH_ANDROID_X5_20100806.part1.rar archive and make sure you get a folder named NaviTH
  3. Copy and extract libpapago.rar into NaviTH folder.
  4. Copy NaviTH folder into your SD card root
  5. Then, copy PAPAGO_X5R5_TH.apk into your SD and continue installation via your phone.
  6. After finish installation, open Papago X5 and select English as default language. Also set your default map.
Now, I’ll tell you how to install map on Papago. This could be useful if you want to update the map in the future.
  1. For example, I’ll use Malaysia map.
  2. First, download the map [Download]
  3. Connect your phone to the PC
  4. Then, double click and continue installation. Select Papago X5 and select directory as {Your SD card name}/NaviTH/Maps
  5. Disconnect your phone and launch the application.
  6. Done!

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Learn how to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is an important update that includes previously released security, performance, and stability updates for Windows 7. Installing SP1 helps keep Windows 7 up to date. 

How to get SP1

The recommended (and easiest) way to get SP1 is to turn on automatic updating inWindows Update in Control Panel, and wait for Windows 7 to notify you that SP1 is ready to install. It takes about 30 minutes to install, and you'll need to restart your computer about halfway through the installation.

To learn if Windows 7 SP1 is already installed

  • Click the Start button The Start button, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
    If Service Pack 1 is listed under Windows edition, SP1 is already installed on your computer.

Disk space requirements

Make sure you have enough free disk space to install SP1 (even though much of that space will be reclaimed after the installation). If you need to create free disk space, go toStrategies for freeing disk space on the Windows website.
Installation methodEstimated amount of free disk space required
Windows Update
  • x86-based (32-bit): 750 MB
  • x64-based (64-bit): 1050 MB
Downloading SP1 from the Microsoftwebsite
  • x86-based (32-bit): 4100 MB
  • x64-based (64-bit): 7400 MB
Installing SP1 using an installation DVD
  • x86-based (32-bit): 4100 MB
  • x64-based (64-bit): 7400 MB

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List of Windows Versions



Windows 8, is the next version of Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs, servers, and media center PCs.
Windows To Go, windows mode/version to run from a USB flash drive and USB external Hard Drive.
Windows 7, for home and business desktops and portable computers
Windows 7 Starter A variant for developing countries and netbooks, in which the Aero theme is not included, nor 64-bit compatibility. This edition is to be available pre-installed on computers through system integrators or computer manufacturers.
Windows 7 Home Basic Windows 7 Home Basic is available in emerging markets such as Brazil, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand. It will not be available in countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Some Aero options are excluded along with several new features.
Windows 7 Home Premium This edition contains features aimed at the home market segment, such as Windows Media Center, Windows Aero and touch-screen controls.
Windows 7 Professional This edition is targeted toward enthusiasts and small business users. It includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium, and adds the ability to participate in a Windows Server domain. Additional features include operating as a Remote Desktop server, location aware printing, Encrypting File System, Presentation Mode and Windows XP Mode.
Windows 7 Enterprise (Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7600) This edition targets the enterprise segment of the market and is sold through volume licensing to companies which have Software Assurance contract with Microsoft. Additional features include support for Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packages, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application-support. Not available through retail or OEM channels, this edition is distributed through Microsoft Software Assurance (SA). As a result it includes several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing the running of multiple virtual machines, and activation via VLK.
Windows 7 Ultimate Windows 7 Ultimate contains the same features as Windows 7 Enterprise, but unlike that edition it will be available to home users on an individual license basis. Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional users are able to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate for a fee using Windows Anytime Upgrade if they wish to do so. Unlike Windows Vista Ultimate, the Windows 7 Ultimate edition will not include the Windows Ultimate Extras feature or any exclusive features. (6.1.7600) Observe the existence of versions that is locked out from activation in some countries.
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601.17514)


Windows Server 2008 R2 for servers.
Windows Web Server 2008 R2
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Edition
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems
Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 for high Performance supercomputers
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation
Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601.17514)
Windows Mobile 6.5 for smartphones
Windows Phone 7 for smartphones
Windows Home Server Announced at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Windows Home Server is intended to be a solution for homes with multiple connected PCs to offer file sharing, automated backups, and remote access.
Windows XP Embedded, for embedded systems requiring parts of the Windows XP infrastructure
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, a low-end version of Windows XP that is intended to be a thin-client that works with older hardware.
Windows Embedded CE 6.0, for embedded systems (not based on the Windows NT kernel)
Windows Mobile 6.1 for smartphones and PDAs
Windows Server 2008 for servers.
Windows Web Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition (Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6002 Service Pack 2)
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition (Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1)
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition
Windows Storage Server 2008
Windows Small Business Server 2008 (Codenamed "Cougar") for small businesses
Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (Codenamed "Centro") for medium-sized businesses[1]
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems
Windows HPC Server 2008 for high Performance supercomputers
Windows Server Foundation 2008

Windows Vista, for home and business desktops and portable computers
Windows Vista Starter Similar to Windows XP Starter Edition, this edition was limited to emerging markets such as Colombia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia, mainly to offer a legal alternative to using unauthorized copies. It was not be available in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Australia.
Windows Vista Home Basic Similar to Windows XP Home Edition, Home Basic was intended for budget users not requiring advanced media support for home use. The Windows Aero theme with translucent effects was not be included with this edition.
Windows Vista Home Premium Like Windows XP Media Center Edition, this edition did support more advanced multimedia and entertainment authoring, premium games, mobile and tablet PC support, Network Projector, Windows Aero, Touch Screen, and auxiliary display (via Windows Side Show) support.
Windows Vista Business This edition was aimed at the business market. It includes advanced network and security features, whilst excluding entertainment features.
Windows Vista Enterprise (Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6000.0) This edition was aimed at the enterprise segment of the market, and is a superset of the Business edition. Additional features include multilingual user interface support, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. This edition was not be available through retail or OEM channels
Windows Vista Ultimate This edition combines all the features of the Home Premium and Enterprise editions, a game performance tweaker (WinSAT), and "Ultimate Extras".

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Windows 8 special

10 Key Features in Windows 8: Tablets, Touch and More

1. Support for both x86 PCs and ARM tablets
2. Touch-centric, Tiles-based User Interface (UI)
3. Charms
4. Snap Multi-tasking
5. Windows 8 Control Panel
6. Web Navigation by Touch
7. Two Touch Keyboards
8. ‘Enhanced Copy Experience
9. Native USB 3.0 Support
10. Better Support for Multiple Monitors



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Need Microsoft Office Docs on your Android device? Try these.

December 22, 2011 - If you take a quick glance at Android Market and check out the top downloaded apps you'll quickly realize that productivity apps are not first..or anywhere near first.

It seems that games are the most popular time-consumer in the world of Android.  However, if you're a person who likes little productivity along with your gaming or if you're someone who has been considering an Android-based device but concerned you couldn't use Microsoft Office documents, worry no more.  Here's a few options to keep you on top of all your Office docs:

QUICK OFFICE PRO  - $4.99 via Android Market 

OFFICE SUITE PRO 5 - $9.99 via Android Market 

THINKFREE OFFICE MOBILE - $9.99 via Android Market 




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Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta available for free download


You’re probably inpatient to get your hands on the latest version Adobe Photoshop, and luckily for you, Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta is available for download. Starting today, Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta is available for free download and you’ll be able to try out some new features that this photo editing tool has to offer. New features include Content-Aware Patch, enhanced UI called Mercury Graphics Engine, new and re-engineered design tools and faster performance. As for compatibility, Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta is available for both Mac and Windows computers.


Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta has a lot to offer to its users, and since it’s free, make sure that you get it from Adobe’s website for a test ride. As for the Beta, we don’t know how long the beta period will last, so be quick if you want to try it out.




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Samsung Galaxy S3


Samsung Galaxy S3 processor
Back in November, details of a next-gen Samsung Exynos 4412 chipset were uncovered, describing it as a quad-core unit said to be clocked at 1.5GHz.

Given that Android manufacturers are all clamouring to boast about who's got the most cores in their devices, it'd make perfect sense for the S3 to be announced as a headline-grabbing quad-core phone.

If not, Samsung has officially revealed its work on the dual-core Exynos 4212, a dual-core ARM9 chipset that's claimed to be 30% more efficient and substantially faster than the unit inside the Galaxy S2. Even that lesser option would still make the S3 a great phone.

Or there's the newer Exynos 5250, an up-to-2GHz dual-core model that supports an incredible maximum resolution of 2560x1600. This seems primarily designed for tablets, but with phone specs increasing at such massive speed, who knows?

Update: Leaked information on the Galaxy S3 apparently confirms that it will pack a 1.5GHz Samsung Exynos quad-core processor.


Samsung Galaxy S3 operating system
Nothing is confirmed yet, of course, but given the Q2 2012 launch date and the fact that Samsung is already releasing test versions of an Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy S 2, the S 3 is all but guaranteed to arrive with a version of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich release.

Google has recently published the 4.0.3 code which it says should be considered the baseline of the Ice Cream Sandwich code, so expect that version to launch on the S 3 at the very least.

We would also expect the Galaxy S 3 to feature a version of Samsung's TouchWiz user interface skin layered over the top of Android as well, which will help differentiate the phone from the "vanilla" Android 4.0 as found in the Samsung-made Galaxy Nexus.

Update: Leaked information suggests the Galaxy S3 will run Ice Cream Sandwich - no surprise here, but if the report is legit it contains other specs about Samsung's hotly anticipated handset.

Samsung Galaxy S3 memory
Not much to go on here at the moment, but 1GB of RAM seems to be emerging as the new benchmark for comfortably running Android while maintaining solid performance, so that's our best guess for the S 3.

In terms of onboard storage, the Samsung-made Galaxy Nexus did away with the SD card storage slot, only letting users have the 16GB the phone came with. If that's the way Samsung and Google see the future going, perhaps the S3 will bin SD card support as well.

Samsung Galaxy S3 display
The Galaxy S2 seemed enormous with its 4.3" screen, but since then we've had the even bigger 4.7" HTC Sensation XL, the 4.65-inch Galaxy Nexus (below) and the insanely huge 5.3" Galaxy Note. The most recent mention of Galaxy S 3 screen size came in a rather dodgy-looking Samsung presentation slide, which claimed the S3 would feature a 4.6" screen.


Update: During its CES press conference Samsung popped out a promotional video with a very large-looking device appearing for a fleeting second, with an edge-to-edge display and much larger chassis. Although it could be a revamped Galaxy Note, we're still hoping it was a great S3 leak.

A very dodgy-looking picture has also appeared that supposedly shows the new Galaxy S3 with a flexible screen, although we're taking that with so many pinches of salt our cholesterol levels are dangerously high.

We wouldn't be surprised to see the S3 feature a bigger display than that of the Galaxy Nexus, though, offering something nearer the 5-inch end of the scale – as Samsung will surely want to have something considered both biggest and best as its new 2012 Android flagship.

Update: BGR has reported an information leak which confirms the Samsung Galaxy S3 will pack a 4.8-inch screen with a Full HD 1080p resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio.


Samsung Galaxy S3 camera
All we have to go on here is more news from Samsung's imaging development teams, which announced the 16 megapixel mobile sensor back in October.

The tech spec of the S5K2P1 state it can capture 60fps HD video, while the still system can take 30 8.3 megapixel shots a second, eliminating shutter lag. If that sensor makes it into the Galaxy S3, every smartphone user in the country will be blagging an upgrade on launch day.

A picture was taken apparently using the camera on Boxing Day, with the EXIF data confirming not much more than it has a flash and it was used at Samsung HQ - is this picture of a plant really the future of Samsung photography?

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Windows 8 official - runs on specs that Windows 7 could not




Earlier today, at the Build 2011 Microsoft keynote, President of Windows and Windows Live Steven Sinofsky just let us see a fully functional working demo of the newly anticipated Windows 8, and I must say I'm impressed!

The new Microsoft Windows Operating System will boast a drastic performance improvement over it's predecessor, Windows 7. Not only will it run on Atom Processors and have ARM Cortex chipsets, but it will also include USB 3.0 as a standard for new machines with Windows 8 pre-installed, which will boost the read/write from 480Mbps up to 5Gbps. Windows 7 machines will also have an upgrade path to Windows 8, meaning you may not have the standard USB 3.0 ports built in, but you can easily buy a USB 3.0 card to place in your desktop or laptop to take advantage of Windows 8 USB 3.0 support within the OS itself.

Looking at the picture above, you can see how Windows 8 has a performance advantage over Windows 7 machines, as the running processes for Windows 8 start at 281MB with 29 running background processes at idle, while Windows 7 SP1 starts at 404MB of RAM needed with 32 running processes. This is huge, and what many had issues with going from XP to Vista, then to Windows 7, the running processes and RAM needed almost forced you into buying a newer PC.

There's many more reasons to love the new Windows 8 Operating System, which we'll get into in future articles. Let us know what you think about Windows 8, and whether you'll be upgrading or buying a Windows 8 device when it's available in the comments below!




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iConvert Scanner for iPad or iPad 2

Forget the large, bulky scanners of the past. Our iConvert Scanner for iPad and iPad 2 Tablets scans hard copies to JPEG files directly to your tablet, giving you instant e-copies of your most important documents. The JPEG files are automatically stored in the picture folder. Great for use at home (old photos, genealogy records, special greeting cards, recipes and children's artwork), at the office (meeting notes, resumes, renderings, signed contracts) and on the go (receipts, expense reports, business cards and more). The entire scanner is sized to take with you in your messenger bag or backpack.
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Pocket League Story
Kairosoft--the purveyor of extremely addictive management-sim games on both the Android and the iOS--is back again, and this time, it is tackling the big-money world of professional football (that's soccer to everyone in North America). Pocket League Story sees you taking charge of a budding football club, and you'll be put in charge of player recruitment, training, sponsors, team formations, and much more. You won't, however, actually be able to take control of players during games, but your management decisions in the lead-up and during the games (such as changing formations) have a direct effect on whether you win or lose matches. Even though you're not playing, there's still a good deal of excitement to be had from watching your little league of players hit the field, and it can even be tense when the scores are close. Kairosoft fans be warned, though: Pocket League Story lies on the more difficult side of the Kairosoft scale and is probably as complex to initially learn as something like Pocket Academy. But once you get past those early hurdles, Pocket League is an engrossing title that will surely suck up a lot of your free time.


Zoombie Digger
Not all games have to be as complex to come to terms with as Pocket League Story, however, and Zoombie Digger is an excellent example. In this fun, tight little arcade game, your job is to protect famous international landmarks from being overrun by cute (but still deadly) zombie animals. You can either tap or flick them directly to do damage, use your handy shovel to dig graves and bury them again, or use a variety of other weapons to stop the undead animal hordes. It's all rather silly, quite enjoyable, and not intellectually taxing, but it still provides plenty of fun as you frantically try to swipe and dig your way out of trouble. There are also plenty of weapons and upgrades you can buy, some of which cost in-game currency and some that you'll need real-world cash to purchase.


Muffin Knight
Muffin Knight is another arcade style action platformer, but this one will require a little more skill than Zoombies to successfully complete. Your goal in Muffin Knight is to collect muffins placed around levels, with each level featuring different enemies that spawn and run along the platforms to kill your character. You're not completely helpless, though, as there are several different types of characters that you can morph into, each with its own special attack. There's the eponymous Muffin Knight with his crossbow, an archer who can shoot to the left and right simultaneously, a unicorn that excretes explosive poop, and much more that you'll need to unlock. Muffin Knight presents a good level of challenge, as the requirements to open up new levels (the number of muffins you collect in a row without dying) continually increase, and it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid the high number of enemies onscreen. Also, did we mention this game has a unicorn that poops explosives?



Third Blade
Sticking with arcade gameplay, Third Blade is a hack-and-slash game that sees you trying to clear screen after screen filled with various enemies, using one of three blades to cut your way through your foes. The different blades all have unique properties and skills: a dual-wield sword, which is speedy but does low damage; a one-handed blade that attacks a little slower but has better defense; and a large two-handed sword that sacrifices speed for power. The game's action is frantic if a little simplistic, but it's still good fun to bash your way through dozens of enemies on each screen, especially as the game features some good-looking anime-style graphics.
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Best PC games for 2011

PC gaming is in something of an odd period at the moment. The stagnation of consoles' graphical abilities and their investment in motion controlled tech (Kinect, Move) means that the PC has almost become a third wheel in the games market. Almost.

On the other hand, great things often grow from muddy waters. Take a look at the The Ball which uses the standard Unreal Engine 3 but does something genuinely interesting with it. Bethesda's Brink is based on the six-year-old Doom 3 engine, but still manages to look fresh and vibrant, because of extensive customisation and its distinctive art style.

New PC technology isn't going untapped, too, and there are plenty of games that take advantage of the latest hardware. DirectX 11 may not seem like the grand shift that was DirectX 9, but its incremental tessellated goodness makes games look a gazillion times better than they ever would on a console. And that's scientific fact.

There's also a big push to take advantage of those multiple cores in your PC, too, so you can finally justify spending £654 on a Core i7 Extreme Edition. We've focussed on new games and sequels in our list of titles to look out for in 2011, but there's also a whole host of expansion packs and DLCs coming our way.

Fallout: New Vegas' first DLC, Dead Money, is coming to the Xbox 360 first, but we're certain it'll find its way onto the PC soon. There's also the excellent-looking and supposedly final Dawn of War II expansion, Retribution.




The Old Republic
Release date: Who knows?

Admittedly, we've had our doubts about The Old Republic. The seemingly interminable development cycle combined with unconfirmed reports that the budget's spiralling out of control had an air of the APB about it. As it stands at the moment, it's probably not going to be the disaster that Realtime World's folly was, and it could actually compete with – dare we say it – WoW.

Of course, BioWare isn't Realtime Worlds, and all its (space worm) eggs aren't in this (space) basket: it has Mass Effect and Dragon Age to fall back on.

The new PvE quest we played introduced the new Jedi classes, and we were given the choice between the pugnacious Ewan McGregor Obi-Wan, or the dignified Alec Guinness Obi-Wan. From here, we had to slaughter herds of Flesh Eaters, which are flabby terrestrial hammerheaded lunk types. It seems they're under the control of a rogue, unlicensed Jedi (apply to your local council).

It starts out MMO-ey enough, and the cartoony Clone Wars-style graphics are simplistic enough to make you believe this is less than an ageing engine. But it has a charm of its own, and we soon warmed to it, which is pretty critical.

We – understandably – couldn't get into the long game, but initial impressions are favourable. The only concern we have is combat, which feels just a tad disconnected with its number button mashing. Otherwise, though, the force is strong in this one.

Dragon Age 2
Release date: Quarter 1 2011

Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, those lovable chaps from Bioware, seem to spend most of their lives somewhere above the Atlantic. They've just made yet another trip across the pond to promote Dragon Age II, the sequel to last year's RPG blockbuster, but they don't seem to be suffering from any form of jetlag. They must have invested in some pretty decent power-ups.

One of Dragon Age's biggest boons for PC gamers was that, despite console co-development, it looked and felt like a proper, fullblown PC game.

Dragon Age II looks set to continue Bioware's dedication to the platform: "We had to make some changes in the way the camera works and the interface," says Muzyka. "But in every one of our games we always strive to make a sort of handcrafted approach to the interface design, so each one is designed from the ground up to work ideally on that platform. That's what we're striving for. So, we're co-developing on the different platforms, trying to optimise it for the mouse and keyboard so people can enjoy it more on PC."

Dragon Age II starts in parallel with Origins, beginning about a third before the end of the original. It sees you take the role of Hawke, a human character who finds himself caught up in the DarkSpawn's continuing crusade. From what we played so far, it's shaping up to be every bit as involving and mature as its progenitor, and might even better it.

Bullet Storm
Release date: Quarter 1 2011

Last year's Just Cause 2 with it's huge Southeast Asia open world proved that games can still have a lot of fun and not get bogged down in violent pontification.

Bulletstorm looks set to continue the trend; like Just Cause 2, it provides combat fun in the form of a short length of rope which can tether people and fling them through the air. Who would have thought that the simple addition of a length of technological whip-like material could make games so much fun.

Unlike Just Cause 2, Bulletstorm is a far more linear experience, powered by ye olde Unreal Engine 3, and overseen by Epic's Design Director, Cliff Bleszinski. As a result, it's a step – okay, more of a slight ledge – above your standard Unreal fare. But it's a stupid amount of amusement, too.

Enemies just seem to be waiting to be skewered, or decapitated, or gibbed, in a variety of amusing ways. You can pull them out of helicopters and kick them onto rather vicious cacti. You can wrap a pair of grenades around their necks and explode their noggins.

There's no jumping, and no crouching in this game, although the player character can perform momentum-defying power-slides. Thankfully, there's also no stupid sticky cover system too.

The Xbox 360 build we played was graphically competent and easy to get to grips with, but it's a game that we believe is likely to prove just as at home on the PC as on the consoles. It's also being developed by Painkiller's People Can Fly, so it already has a high pedigree of mentalism and FPS nouse.

Crysis 2
Release date: Quarter 1 2011

As it stands, Crysis 2 is in something of a weird position. Its prequel shook up PC gaming, and probably made enough money to line developer Crytek's pockets for the next few millennia. But Crytek needed more Euros to make more astonishing games engines, and decided to release Crysis 2 on the PC and consoles.

Despite our initial jaw-dropping reaction to Crysis 2 on consoles, the multiplayer Xbox 360 build didn't actually look all that good. In fact Crysis – which has just celebrated its third birthday – looks better.

It's not necessarily Crytek's fault: the limited hardware of the 360 resulted in a apparent lack of anti-aliasing, and the intensely detailed levels simply became busy, jagged messes. The multiplayer gameplay was also generic as hell, a team-based affair differentiated only by the fact that you could jump quite high, and go invisible from time to time.

No one bought Crysis to actually play the game, though. PC gamers bought it to push their rigs as far and hard as they could, to justify the £400 they just spent on a new graphics card. We've yet to see the PC build, but a number of co-developed console games (Just Cause 2, AvP, Lost Planet 2) have actually proved to be rather punishing to our desktops. Here's hoping Crysis 2 pushes it just that little further.

Shift 2
Release date: Quarter 2011 sometime

"According to professional drivers, night driving is scary as F**K," says Marcus Nillson, senior producer at DICE.

Need for Speed: Shift 2 is also scary as f**k, going for much-needed realism in a series that so far is defined by slightly cartoony and chavtastic motoring. The (ignition) key to playing Shift 2 is to get out of the floaty third-person perspective and seat yourself firmly in the cockpit.

Here, it's a different game, every bit as stomach churning as being behind the wheel in a real race. Your vision is permanently letterboxed by the claustrophobic confines of your helmet, and the dashboard shines when the headlights of a pursuer hit it.

It's a game where you can't afford to make mistakes. Accidentally ram a barrier on the first corner and your bonnet juts up, obscuring your vision of your opponents and the track. It's frantic, terrifying stuff, and a nice move for the franchise.

The presence of Nillson, who has established himself on DICE's Battlefield series make sense, too, and hopefully his understanding of tense online battles will shine through in Shift 2's multiplayer. Our only slight concern is a lack of support for the Track IR head movement gizmo, which is surely designed for games like this.

Dead Space 2
Release date: Quarter 2 2011

One thing sorely missed in Dead Space's vacuous setting was multiplayer. This time around a team-based multiplayer element has been added and in true Left 4 Dead style, you get to play as humans or hideous necromorphs. The humans have weapons, the monsters have unique attacks.

Play as The Pack, for example, and you're a hideous baby thing able to pounce on humans and chomp away. The necromorphs also have a unique X-ray sight system, whereby they can see the human's nerves and eyeballs as they panic. The biggest problem is Dead Space's slightly clunky, slow controls remain; particularly when playing as a human.

The controls were fine in the claustrophobic confines of the USG Ishimura, where a slow-turning speed meant you couldn't quickly respond to an enemy attack. But in multiplayer, it feels awkward and clumsy. Admittedly, we played the PS3 build; hopefully mouse and keyboard will make the multiplayer a must-play.
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