Gamer's Corner

Here at EMC, we get sent all kinds of stuff for review. Every day at the office, we're met by a mountain of digital cameras, skin creams, marital aids and extreme sports equipment. These days though, what with the EMC Foundation to run, and the endless appearances at all those goddamn blog ceremonies, we don't get much time to check out what the kids are into. But, given that christmas is only 395 days away, we thought we'd take time out. After all, christmas is a time of giving. So, we give you this, a review of Laden vs USA, the game.

Our friends at Phnom Penh's Orrussey Market sent us our Laden vs USA handheld arcade game in a neat, polyethylene shrink pack. It's pretty much the standard toy-containing device we're all used to. However, the cardboard insert did contain eye-catching, lifelike photographs of heroic firemen cradling burned babies, and what appeared to be a collapsed building. There was even a picture of a guy wearing a suit, but he was covered in a fine dust! Anyway, at first glance, it was all very realistic. Oh, and still attached was the 10000 riel price tag (that's US$2.5).

Open it up, and it instantly feels good in your hand. Not too heavy, if you know what I mean. A modern, grey and dark grey LCD (thats liquid crystal display) is the heart of the experience, and if you look at the picture, you'll see that the LCD features the lifelike rendering of a plane hitting a tall building. To play, you aim a little space invader-style rocket launcher at aeroplanes which continue to launch themselves into the tall buildings. You keep knocking ' em down, and rackin' up the points. NOW YOU"RE PLAYING WITH POWER! When enough planes hit the tall building, you're out. It ain't easy, I'll say that much. I scored about 15 on my first round. One word: really fucking fun. It's a simple enough idea, unlike that game where you have to control Mickey Mouse as he collects eggs from FOUR different chicken cages in one basket. I never did understand why my aunty once brought us that rather than Donkey Kong II.

Anyway, while the controls were a little flimsy, they seemed to stand up to my rigorous 30 second test. The sound may be conveniently switched off, should you wish to go a round whilst sitting at the UN general assembly, or other such important event. However, I'd suggest you leave it on, because the sound of the plane hitting the tower is total digital magic! It sounds a bit like a distorted version of KKKKKRRRRRRSSSSHSHHHHHKKKK! Other features include a reset button, which presumably allows you to restore world order momentarily.

My only complaints are these. Firstly, I fucking hate yellow, and the game's main buttons are yellow. Secondly, while the controls and presentation are quite realistic, the concept itself just seems a little dumb... a little underdeveloped, or thin, if you will. I mean, why would you need to aim a space-invader style rocket launcher in the sky to stop passenger liners from hitting a building? It just seems implausible to me that anyone would believe in anything so strongly as to go to the effort of learning how to fly a plane, and then hijacking a plane loaded with innocents, and then crashing said plane into a tall building. For what? I mean, even if there was something to be gained from such a stupid stunt, you'd be too dead to enjoy it anyway, right? As I said, only small complaints. Overall, good, clean fun and bound to be a sleeper stocking stuffer hit this religious holiday. 8.5/10.