Archive - 2012

Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 Gaming Keyboard Review

2012/11/13
Jerry Paxton
News, Peripheral Review, Reviews

When we looked at the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 Gaming Keyboard, the thing that stuck with me was its high price point. It seems that Mad Catz was thinking about this too as they released the little brother to that keyboard, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 model. Now that I have tried that unit out, I am in a position to compare the two of them so you don’t have to! Your wallets are welcome.

In looks alone, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 and 7 keyboards are very similar: each features a modular design with gunmetal colored, heavy plastic components. The lower-budget model can be configured in a similar fashion to its higher-end sibling, mixing and matching how you put the modules together. The biggest difference is the lack of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7’s “Control Module with V.E.N.O.M. TFT-LCD Touchscreen”. Instead, Mad Catz has replaced it with the “Control Module with E.Y.E. OLED Display”. This unit is not as “whiz-bang” as the touchscreen but still VERY useful for your gaming endeavors. You will not, however, find the extra swap-able keys in your box like you do with the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7. I loved the rubberized feel of those and miss them on this keyboard.

The back-lighting is unchanged from the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7, featuring 16 million RGB eye-pleasing color combinations. In fact, this keyboard has a lot of macro capability as well as some nifty options for timers and whatnot that the E.Y.E. OLED can display. For most of the configuration of the keyboard, however, you will be relying on Mad Catz Sentinel control software instead of the touchscreen found on the more expensive model. An interesting change in the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 is that its wrist rest is a lot more comfortable than the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7’s. It is nice and squishy – very comfy for long play periods. Unfortunately, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 does not feature the built in USB ports of the higher-priced S.T.R.I.K.E. 7.

In play-testing, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 performed very well, and I couldn’t tell a difference between the key presses of either model (they are, in fact, the same keyboard keys, etc). The S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 took all the sessions of Skyrim, Dead Island, and even Call of Duty: Black Ops II (our preview build) that I could throw at it. In terms of sheer function, either model does a great job.

Overall, the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 Gaming Keyboard is an excellent choice for gamers looking to get a lot of features and performance from a keyboard. My biggest concern with the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 is its price point – if you are already into a keyboard for $199 dollars, why not go “all-in” and get the upgraded model for an extra $100 dollars? That being said, if the touchscreen isn’t something you care about or you simply can’t wait to save up the extra dough, you will be very happy with the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5.

[wpcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]

Pros

  • $100 dollars cheaper than the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7
  • Comfortable wrist rest
  • Great performance

[/wpcol_1half] [wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]

Cons

  • At $199 dollars, it is still very pricey
  • No USB pass-through ports

[/wpcol_1half_end]

Images

Scania Truck Driving Simulator Review (PC)

2012/11/12
Ripper71
News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I have played a lot of car driving games over the years which made me think I was pretty well prepared to drive a big rig.  Heck when I was a teenager I learned how to drive a water truck and a dump truck so I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the steering involved with big trucks.  It doesn’t take long before you realize that driving a semi with a trailer is different from any other driving game you have ever tried.

Storyline:

Sims usually don’t have much of a storyline but this one actually has one to a degree.  You are a young trucker who is working on your skills so you can compete in Young European Truck Drivers contest held in Sweden then go on to deliver cargo down dangerous roads to individuals in need.  In this sense the story is basically three chapters: learning to drive, competing, then putting all you learned to practical use.

Gameplay:

Semi trucks with trailers do not perform at all like you would expect them to.  Learning to drive in this game is a very difficult lesson in physics and any person who has every thought a trucker has the easy life needs to play this sim and learn differently.  Backing up in particular is a hard learned trick because a semi trailer doesn’t behave at all like you would think when you put that sucker in reverse.  They are also squirrely as hell which might cause a less patient player to run away quick.  This game is hard but anyone who ever thinks they can drive anything or have ever thought that life on the open road was for them should really give this game a run.  I sincerely believe that the learning to drive section of this game not only prepares you for the next section of the game but also teaches you the fundamentals you need to drive a truck with a trailer in real life.

The second part, the Young European Truck Drivers contest that has you running obstacle courses and performing tricky maneuvers struggling for the best times not just set by the developers but set by fellow players all over the world.  You have to have your game down pretty tight if you want to be ranked decently at all.  This part I was generally just happy to complete, getting competitive times would require dedication bordering on obsession.  No scratch that, you would have to be obsessed.  It is crazy hard to complete yet alone compete so those who do deserve mad respect.  They also deserve a giveme hat and a loan for their first rig or at least a try at being a tram driver at Disneyland.

The last part is actually a bit easier and possibly the most fun is the dangerous roads and deliveries section of the game that follows the competition.  Instead of having required moves you have to make to complete a task you are on timed runs driving the best you can through flood swollen streets and along cliffs with sheer drops.  You really put your reflexes and knowledge of the physics of the rigs to test in this one but instead of trying to avoid cones you are trying to keep from sending your rig plummeting to certain doom.  This seems the most appealing just like seeing a tight rope walker walking 50 feet off the ground is more exciting than seeing one walk 5 feet off the ground.  To succeed at these tasks it takes the same skills you learned in practice and competition but there is much more satisfaction in real world conditions.

Graphics And Sound:

The graphics in the game are excellent and really help immerse the player into the game.  The tiny details can be important on some of the driving challenges so good graphics can be key.  The sounds are also very authentic with the rumble of engines and when making a mistake sometimes the screech of metal.  Between the graphics and physics this game might not play quite as well on a lower end computer but if your computer can handle it you will enough the atmosphere.

Last Call:

This game definitely isn’t for everyone, it takes patience and more patience as well as some skill.  Driving a semi truck using real world physics is a lot harder than it looks when you see someone doing it at your local loading dock.  If you like a challenge this game is an excellent one and if you have ever thought of a career in truck driving master this game first.

Trailer:

Gallery:

Zombie Cat: The Tale Of A Decomposing Kitty (Book Review)

2012/11/12
Ripper71
Book Review, News, Reviews

When I first heard the title of this book I thought it might be much like some of the books of my youth titled “101 Uses For A Dead Cat” and expected a tasteless collection of mistreated kitty corpses.  What I found instead was a heartwarming book about a boy and his recently deceased feline and their journey through the zombie apocalypse.

Without giving away too much of the book this is written in children’s book style with the gore you would expect from a zombie tale but told in a way that reaches out to all ages.  The artwork is very well done with colorful illustrations that one would expect in a children’s book and the story is both heartwarming and hilarious.

For fans of the zombie genre, children’s books aimed at all ages or just folks who want an unusual table top book I highly recommend this fun and original read.

Trailer:

Coolmaster Skorpion Mouse Bungee Review (PC)

2012/11/10
Ripper71
News, Reviews

Ok at first when I heard about this product my initial thought was “What?  Why would my mouse ever need a bungee?”  It wasn’t until I got ahold of one and put it to the test that I realized I had actually been needing one for a long time.

Product Overiew:

Ever missed the perfect shot cause your mouse cord got stuck?  Are you tired of mousecord drag and pull?  Do you constantly bend and move your mouse cord around, but don’t want to compromise and go wireless?  Get the Cooler Master CM Storm Skorpion and make your mouse feel like its wireless!  Don’t restrict your options to a few tiny wireless mice, use any mouse you want.  No added delay, interference issues, higher weight due to batteries, and constant recharging and swapping batteries like actual wireless mice.

Testing:

When I read the product overview the first time I had two thoughts: first, that it sounds like a TV infomercial.  Second, that every single point mentioned was either a problem I had had at some point or a consideration I had made the same decision on.  I had been about to get the perfect snipe shot or had a rotation blown by my mouse cord getting stuck.  My desk is pretty small so most of my cable hangs over the edge causing extra weight and pull on the cable and occasionally things get knocked onto the cord on the desk or knocked off the desk and happen to hit the cord.  My cord goes around a post on the desk before dropping toward the back and sometimes just the post can cause an annoying drag.  I have on occasion considered going with my wireless mouse to free it up but don’t want to have my mouse die at a crucial moment in a boss fight.  All these issues are solved easily by the Skorpion and it just plain looks badass on my desk.

The Skorpion is designed with gripping legs that keep them from moving and a “tail” that goes up over it’s body and can accommodate thin plastic wrapped cables or thick fabric wrapped cords.  Designed for a mouse it gives extra movement with it’s flexible tail in case you find yourself need to move the mouse beyond it’s usual space around the mousepad.  That way you don’t feel constricted by it’s use at all.

I didn’t limit my testing of it to my mouse, one of my computer speakers is designed with cable leading to the entire set and the computer causing it to weigh down and sometimes slide right off the side of my desk and behind it.  This means I have to climb under the desk, untangle it from any wires it might have fallen into and set it back up.  Placing the Skorpion behind it and running it’s heaviest cable through it guarantees it won’t fall off the back and have me scrambling around to set it back up.

Last Call:

This is one of those products you don’t think you need until you consider your computer situation then you realize it is a product you are long overdue for.  It is reasonably priced, can be used in multiple ways and did I mention it looks bad ass?  It even breaks down easy for travel.  Do yourself a favor and pick up one of these.

Atari Arcade Review (iPad)

2012/11/10
Ripper71
Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

I had already been playing Atari Greatest Hits on the iPad and iPhone for a while when the opportunity to try out this peripheral came along so I was more than happy to give it a run to see if it improved the gaming experience.  I had grown up in video arcades and had the Atari Computer Gaming System (later to be dubbed the Atari 2600) since it had come out so I had old school memories of gameplay to draw from and a desire to relive them.

Setup on the system is as easy as charging the iPad.  No extra power source is required for the Atari Arcade which means it remains nicely mobile and you simply connect the plug on the Arcade to the charging input on the bottom of the iPad, slide the locking pins forward and you are ready to start up the game.  When you start Atari Greatest Hits it automatically detects the Atari Arcade and configures gameplay to work with the controller.  The program comes with one free game but a few extra games come with the controller purchase as well (or you can do what I did and fork out $10 to get 99 games) so you can start playing almost immediately.

Thanks to the locking system and design of the controller the game system is playable not only on a table or steady surface but on your lap as well making it nicely mobile and great for trips or waiting rooms.  A lot of thought was obviously put into the design of this controller and it shows as you quickly forget about what you are playing the games on and get caught up in the games themselves.  The controller has four buttons so it can simulate the controls from the arcade for games like Asteroids which required multiple buttons or the Atari 2600’s Combat that required just one button so the rest of the buttons are assigned to Atari 2600 functions such as Game Reset and a/b select.  Another nice feature is the controller doesn’t negate touch screen commands so that if you want to touch the screen to change games or hit the button on the bottom of the iPad to close the program it all works smoothly.

Last Call:

Peripherals for the iPad can be REALLY hit or miss, quite often missing completely.  I am pleased to say not only does the Atari Arcade live up to hopes it exceeds them.  It could be considered a bit pricey but when you consider for an additional $10 you wind up having 99 games playable in their original arcade or console style but in a completely portable system and it becomes much more reasonable.  Besides, it is hard to put a price on keeping a kid occupied during a long trip in the back seat of the car or in a doctor’s office and if you did put a price on it this system might be within it.

Guns Of Icarus Online Review (PC/Steam)

2012/11/10
Ripper71
News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

This is one of those games that when the beta was announced I signed up for it quick and when the closed beta began I happened to be in a busy season and didn’t get to touch it.  So when it was announced that it was now available on Steam and we had a review copy I was quick to volunteer.  Steampunk Zeppelin FPS?  Yes please!  The concept behind it alone was enough to pull me in, but was it enough to keep me playing?

Storyline:

In the spirit of Guns Of Icarus, Guns Of Icarus Online takes place after the daring flight of the Icarus in a time of chaos and war with man against daring man in their flying machines.  The website goes into a history of the land but the reasons for the fighting are a little ambiguous which is fine since as a good soldier you are just told to shoot them over there.

Gameplay:

Movement consists of standard WASD and mouse with R and F being used additionally by the pilot to throttle the ships.  There are three player classes to choose from: gunner, engineer, and pilot, all of which have overlapping capabilities making it so they can do all the jobs just not as well as the person specializing in it.  Gameplay at a basic level consists of manning guns, flying the ship and repairing the ship.  There are finer details such as special loadouts both for the ships and players to improve these acts but for the most part the gameplay is flying, shooting and repairing.  Since it is all straight forward in that sense it mostly comes down to player’s skills rather than weapons or ships as to who will win a fight.

There are five types of ships: The Junker (much like a Chinese Junk, only flying), The Squid (you can guess what this looks like), The Galleon (armor and gun array similar to a traditional galleon), The Goldfish (yep you guessed what it looks like) and the Pyramidion (makes me kinda think of Silent Hill’s Pyramid Head as a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day float).  Each ship has an inherent strength that fits the style of the pilot and is selected by them.  Ships like the Squid are fast, the Goldfish is agile and the Pyramidion is a juggernaut.  The end result is mech or tank style battles with four man crews including the pilot where it is vital that the crew work as a team or all is lost.  If the crews work together as a fleet then the team is almost unstoppable.  There is voice and text chat in the game and the crews that seem to do the best tend to be the one’s with a vocal captain piloting well and calling the shots.  The teams that do the worst are usually the ones who have a silent captain or one that just insults the crew.

Atmosphere:

Usually atmosphere is discussed earlier in the review but since it is the real standout of the game I saved the best for last.  This is a Steampunk/Dieselpunk environment and the ships and clothing style represent this genre beautifully giving stunning graphics with great detail and lots of customization of character wardrobe (for a small fee) to allow players to have an extremely individual look that suits their style.  This is really the aspect that sets this game apart from other vehicle PVP games that would, for flying purposes, have you in planes, mechs or spaceships.  The music is excellent and fits the mood created by the visuals as well making this game addictive to play not so much because of original gameplay but more from original atmosphere.

Promises Of More To Come:

As it stand now the game is fairly bare bones, you have player and AI crews in PVP combat.  Vehicles and gameplay options are expected to be added as the game develops over time including the addition of merchant play.

Last Call:

Guns Of Icarus Online is a pretty straight forward team vehicle PVP game set in a stunning and visually interesting world.  It is about $10 depending on where you purchase it from so you get an affordable game that is still in the fairly bare bones stage.  It relies heavily on a player base, the more it can get the better it will be so hopefully it will take off nicely.  The environment is enough to keep bringing me back to playing it though I do hope the promises of more content come along sooner rather than later for the game’s sake and that of the Kickstarters that funded it.

Trailer:

Gallery:

Guardians of Middle-earth Release Date

2012/11/09
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, Xbox 360 News

November 9, 2012 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions today revealed that Guardians of Middle-earth will be available Dec. 5, 2012worldwide via download on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The key art for Xbox LIVE® has also been revealed. Guardians of Middle-earth was previously confirmed for release on PlayStation®Network on Dec. 4, 2012.

With more than 20 Guardian characters and two maps available for unparalleled competitive play at launch, Guardians of Middle-earth is a valuable buy at $14.99 on PlayStation Network, and for 1200 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360.  A separate Season Pass can be purchased for just $14.99 more, or 1200 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360, and provides discounted access to a significant amount of additional game content to be released in the future, including Guardian characters, map skins and a new gameplay mode. The game and the Season Pass are available for bundled purchase* in select retail stores across North America for a price of $29.99 beginning December 4.

New Key Art

 

Kenny Loggins and Green Day Coming to Rock Band

2012/11/09
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, Xbox 360 News
Cambridge, Mass. – November 9th, 2012 – Harmonix today announced that two tracks from Kenny Loggins, along with a handful of Green Day songs – including the full albums21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot, and Dookie  – are headed to the Rock Band™Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™.Rock Band provides the deepest and best selection of artists, songs and albums through the Rock Band music platform, which features more than 1,400 artists and more than 3,500* tracks via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks atwww.rockband.com/songs). Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of any other rhythm video game on the market. More than 100 million songs have been sold through the Rock Band Music Store since its launch on Nov. 20, 2007.

Tracks downloaded from the Rock Band Music Store are compatible with the award-winning full-band Rock Band 3 experience, as well as the controller-based rhythm-action title, Rock Band Blitz, available now on PlayStation®Network and Xbox LIVE® Arcade!

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii™

On November 13th, two soundtrack classics from singer songwriter Kenny Loggins will come to the Rock Band Music Store! “I’m Alright,” the theme to the 1980 filmCaddyshack, and “Footloose,” from the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name, will be available!
                                                                                          
Additionally, tracks previously only available as part of the Green Day: Rock Band disc will be available for download from the Music Store! Over 40 Green Day tracks will be available as part of packs or singles, detailed below. And for the first time, Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades will be available for two of those tracks – “American Idiot” and “When I Come Around”!

These tracks come on the day of release of the band’s latest record, Green Day ¡Dos!, the second of the three album trilogy entitled Green Day ¡Uno!, Green Day ¡Dos!, Green Day ¡Tré!.

Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (November 13th, 2012):

  • Kenny Loggins – “I’m Alright”
  • Kenny Loggins – “Footloose” O X
Price:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points ™, 200 Wii Points™) per song
$0.99 USD (80 Microsoft Points™, 100 Wii Points™), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade
“Green Day Pack 04”

  • Green Day – “Geek Stink Breath”
  • Green Day – “Nice Guys Finish Last”
  • Green Day – “Hitchin’ a Ride”

Price:                    
$5.49 USD, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points™, 550 Wii Points™) for the “Green Day Pack 04”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points ™, 200 Wii Points™) per song
 
Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown (Note: Songs available only as singles on Wii)

  •  “Song of the Century”
  •  “21st Century Breakdown”
  •  “Know Your Enemy”
  •  “¡Viva La Gloria!”
  •  “Before the Lobotomy”
  •  “Christian’s Inferno”
  •  “Last Night on Earth”
  •  “East Jesus Nowhere”
  •  “Peacemaker”
  •  “Last of the American Girls”
  •  “Murder City”
  •  “¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)”
  •  “Restless Heart Syndrome”
  •  “Horseshoes and Handgrenades”
  •  “The Static Age”
  • “21 Guns”
  • “American Eulogy”
  • “See The Light”

Price:                    
$19.99 USD, £9.99 UK, €14.99 EU (1600 Microsoft Points™) for the “21st Century Breakdown (Album)”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points ™, 200 Wii Points™) per song

Green Day – American Idiot

  • “American Idiot” X
  • “Jesus of Suburbia”
  • “Holiday”
  • “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
  • “Are We The Waiting/St. Jimmy”
  • “Give Me Novacaine/She’s A Rebel”
  • “Extraordinary Girl”
  • “Letterbomb”
  • “Wake Me Up When September Ends”
  • “Homecoming”
  • “Whatsername”

Price:                    
$17.99 USD, £8.99 UK, €13.49 EU (1440 Microsoft Points™, 1800 Wii Points™) for the “American Idiot (Album)”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points ™, 200 Wii Points™) per song
$0.99 USD (80 Microsoft Points™, 100 Wii Points™), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade

Green Day – Dookie

  • “Burnout”
  • “Having A Blast”
  • “Chump”
  • “Longview”
  • “Welcome To Paradise”
  • “Pulling Teeth”
  • “Basketcase”
  • “She”
  • “Sassafras Roots”
  • “When I Come Around” X
  • “Coming Clean”
  • “Emenius Sleepus”
  • “In The End”
  • “F.O.D.”

Price:                    
$19.99 USD, £9.99 UK, €14.99 EU (1600 Microsoft Points™, 2000 Wii Points™) for the “Dookie (Album)”
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points ™, 200 Wii Points™) per song
$0.99 USD (80 Microsoft Points™, 100 Wii Points™), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade

(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system November 14th)

Tracks marked with “X” will offer Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **
 
*Available on-disc, via download and disc export. Internet connection and export key purchase required. Wii™ Shop Channel has more than 1,500 song tracks available for purchase on the Rock Band platform on-disc, via song import, and download. Not applicable to Nintendo DS™.

Website Links:
For more information, please visit:

Rock Band Website