Archive - 2015

The Lost Vikings Invade Heroes of the Storm

2015/02/10
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

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Blizzard Entertainment has announced that characters from their classic The Lost Vikings have made their way into MOBA title, Heroes of the Storm. Check out the introduction trailer and hero tips below!

THE LOST VIKINGS

LOST VIKINGS HERO DETAILS

  • Basic Abilities

o   The Lost Vikings’ Basic Abilities must be unlocked through Talent Selection.

o   Spin to Win! (Q)

  • Deals damage around each Viking.
  • Can be unlocked at Level 4 by learning the Spin to Win! Talent

o   Jump! (W)

  • All Vikings become temporarily Invulnerable.
  • Can be unlocked at Level 7 by learning the Jump! Talent

o   Norse Force! (E)

  • All Vikings temporarily gain a Shield.
  • Can be unlocked at Level 16 by learning the Norse Force! Talent
  • Mount

o   Go Go Go! (Z)

  • The Vikings gain increased Movement Speed for a few seconds.
  • Trait

o   Fast Restart

  • Death time is reduced for The Lost Vikings.
  • Heroic Abilities

o   Play Again! (R)

  • All Vikings are revived and teleported to the summoning Viking.

o   Longboat Raid! (R)

  • Summon a Longboat and go on a Viking Raid!

LOST VIKINGS BATTLEGROUND TIPS

  • The Lost Vikings start without any basic abilities and function differently. You can choose to unlock extra abilities by selecting various Talents throughout the duration of the match.
  • Olaf – Has lots of Health, regenerates Health quickly, and charges to Slow enemies.
  • Baleog – Deals splash damage to enemies behind his attack target.
  • Erik – Moves faster than the other Vikings and has a longer attack range.
  • Each Viking can move, attack, and be killed separately. They will also receive individual respawn timers upon their deaths.
  • Use the activated Talent hotkeys “1”, “2”, and “3” to select and control the Vikings individually, or press the “4” key to guide them as a group.
  • When using the heroic “Longboat Raid!” [R], all of the Vikings need to be near each other to perform the action.
  • When grouped, the Vikings can break the chests on Blackheart’s Bay very quickly.

Elite: Dangerous Update 1.1 Release Trailer

2015/02/10
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

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Cambridge, UK. 10 February 2015 — Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today launched Elite: Dangerous 1.1 free for all players.

The first major Elite: Dangerous update expands the core game with new Community Goals, graphical enhancements and localization for French, German and Russian.

Community Goals unite players with a shared objective, allowing the entire Elite: Dangerous community to participate in major new story events, supplying the construction of new capital ships and working together to reshape the boundaries of human-controlled space. Players will collaborate to help build new starports in undeveloped systems, giving all players a new launch pad for exploration of the galaxy.

Community Goals can be played in Multiplayer, Solo or Private Group modes, with all players contributing to the outcome of the objective and impacting Elite: Dangerous’ shared, connected galaxy.

1.1 places players firmly at the centre of Elite: Dangerous’ galactic expansion. Player-supported starports will acknowledge their chief benefactors, and the player who contributes the most material to the construction of an Imperial Majestic class Interdictor or Federation Farrgagut class Battlecruiser will be given the honor of naming the new capital ship. The in-game galaxy map will now credit the discovery of systems, planets and other bodies with the name of the first player to scan them, and the change applies retroactively to the 895,135 systems players have explored since launch – just 0.000223 percent of our Milky Way galaxy.

Elite: Dangerous 1.1 extends route planning to 1,000 light years and enhances the appearance of planets throughout Elite: Dangerous’ full-scale recreation of the Milky Way. The dark sides of populated worlds can now be seen illuminated by city lights and the cloudy atmospheres of gas giants have been given greater depth and richness.

Update 1.1 is the first in a series of ongoing major updates adding features and content to Elite: Dangerous. 1.2, planned for early March, will focus on multiplayer and introduce new ways for players to group together, communicate and locate friends in Elite: Dangerous’ galaxy.

Update 1.1 Trailer

Dying Light Season Pass Content Release Dates

2015/02/10
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

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February 10th, 2015 – Warsaw, Poland/ Techland revealed the release dates for all three content drops of the Season Pass for Dying Light. The first drop, titled ‘Cuisine & Cargo’, launches on February 10th for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4* — supplying players with two extremely challenging new missions. Techland has promised to continue supportingDying Light with new content for many months to come, including the release of ‘Ultimate Survivor Bundle’ in March and the May launch of ‘The Bozak Horde’ DLC.

“The goal is to let players enjoy the game well after release with such drops and other free initiatives which are already in the works and will be announced very soon.”  – Adrian Ciszewski, Game Director

The Dying Light Season Pass contains:

  • Cuisine & Cargo (February 10th)  – Available exclusively as a part of the Season Pass offer, these two hardcore missions let players investigate buildings sealed off in the very first days of the outbreak. Explore the ominous corridors of once the most famous restaurant in Harran, and employ both stealth and combat to ransack a zombie-filled loading bay at the abandoned railroad yard.
  • Ultimate Survivor Bundle (March) – Players will receive seven unique in-game items that will bring fighting zombies to a whole new level. Grab three special outfits and four blueprints for over-the-top weapons to make your adventure in the quarantine zone even more fun.
  • The Bozak Horde (May) – The final Season Pass drop will deliver a new map and gameplay, playable in single-player and co-op. Go inside the Harran Stadium and test your combat know-how against relentless hordes of the Infected. Fight increasingly stronger enemy waves as you oppose a mysterious psychopath called Bozak.

The season pass costs $19.99 / €19.99.

*Note: ‘Cuisine & Cargo’ will go live on the PlayStation Store in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia on February 11th.

Bethesda Announces First Ever E3 Press Conference

2015/02/10
boothby
E3, Geek News, Industry News, News

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Okay…. This COULD be it… Expect BIG things as the company has never done a press conference quite like this be4ore…. (See what I did there?)

So, keep your seat belts on and tray tables in their upright positions as E3 is only 4 months away! (I did it again!)

**Note: I have no insider info on what they will actually be showing, I am running on pure hopes & dreams here.

D23 Announces 2015 Event Lineup

2015/02/10
boothby
Geek News, News

MICKEY MOUSE

BURBANK, Calif. – February 9, 2015 – In 2015, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will bring back many of its beloved events while adding a selection of new experiences for members.

CINDERELLA LIGHTS UP THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS: On March 12 members will be treated to a screening of Walt Disney Studios’ upcoming release Cinderella, followed by a reception exclusively for D23 Gold Members. The event will take place following The Walt Disney Company 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. (Members do not need to be shareholders to attend the screening.)

SPECIAL SCREENING EVENTS ON THE DISNEY STUDIO LOT: Starting this month, D23 kicked off another year of memorable screenings designed with fans in mind. On February 8, D23 screened 101 Dalmatians, which included the premieres of two new short films; a panel featuring Disney Legend and animator Floyd Norman, Lisa Davis (voice of Anita), and Mimi Gibson (Lucky); a special gift and more. Other experiences on the Studio lot in 2015 will include The Parent Trap and a special 75th anniversary celebration of Pinocchio, as well as a screening of the “Peoples and Places” featurette Disneyland, U.S.A., with special guests in honor of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary.

D23’S LUNCH WITH A LEGEND: Back by popular demand, in 2015, D23 will continue these intimate gatherings with Disney Legends this spring and fall. In 2014, D23 Members joined such Legends as Marty Sklar, Floyd Norman, and Bill Farmer for private luncheons on The Walt Disney Studios lot.

D23 DAY AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS AND ARCHIVES: D23’s members-only tours of the historic Studio lot and Walt Disney Archives in Burbank return, highlighting historic moments from Disney film, television, and theme parks. Tours will take place this spring (date TBD), June 20, and November 7.

D23 MEMBER VIP STUDIO TOURS: A new event for 2015, D23 will offer this unique experience only to D23 Gold Members. It will include a tour of the Studio during a working day on the lot, along with a special lunch with a Disney Legend and a unique VIP gift. Each limited-capacity experience will include new tour stops and unique moments sure to bring smiles to Disney fans. Events will be held on May 29 with Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith and November 6 with a Legend to be announced soon.

LIGHT UP THE SEASON: An annual tradition exclusively for cast members and employees of The Walt Disney Company, Light Up the Season marks the official start of the holidays on the Studio lot. This year, D23 Members will enjoy their own specialLight Up the Season event, complete with carols, cocoa, and a tree lighting.

D23 is also bringing more events to members across the country in 2015:

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME VIP EXPERIENCE: On March 15, D23 Members are invited to see the new theatrical production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. D23 Members save 20 percent on their tickets, receive a limited-edition pin, and will enjoy a post-show talk-back with the musical’s Academy Award®-winning lyricist Stephen Schwartz.

A TASTE OF DISNEY AT SILVERADO VINEYARDS: D23 Gold Members are invited to a day at Silverado Vineyards in Napa, Calif., the winery founded by Diane Disney Miller and her husband Ron. On March 13, guests will enjoy a lunch, tour, and wine tasting experience along with a special gift.

BREAKFAST ON BROADWAY: A select number of D23 Gold Members will enjoy private shopping at Disney Store Times Square on March 14 with a special discount; a continental breakfast at the New Amsterdam Theatre, home to the Broadway hitAladdin; and a gift at this exclusive, complimentary event.

D23 MEMBER NIGHTS AT NEWSIES—ON TOUR: Disney fans are cheering for the Tony®-Award winning Newsies, now on tour. This year, D23 Members in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Toronto are invited to see the show, with premium seats on special nights and a talk-back with the cast following the show. (Some shows already sold out.)

DISNEY STORE MEMBER MIXERS: Since 2013, D23 has given members a peek at reimagined Disney Stores across the country—from Kansas and Nevada to Michigan and Texas. This year Disney Store will once again invite D23 Members for exclusive mornings of shopping, discounts, games, and goodies at new locations in Riverside, Calif., Lexington, Ky., Raleigh, N.C., Burlington, Mass., and many more.

ADVANCE SCREENINGS: In 2014, D23 Members were able to attend previews ofMaleficent, Big Hero 6, and Into the Woods in cities such as New York, Orlando, Chicago, and Atlanta. This year, in partnership with Walt Disney Studios, D23 will screen a selection of upcoming releases.

FANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION—HOME EDITION: With D23 members spanning the country—and the globe—look for an exciting new twist this year on D23’s annualFanniversary Celebration that all members will be able to participate in, no matter where they live.

D23 EXPO 2015: The biggest Disney event of all takes place August 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center when all the wonderful worlds of Disney come together for three magical days. From sneak peeks, concerts, and exhibitions to celebrities, Disney luminaries and more, there’s something for every Disney fan at the D23 Expo. Tickets are available now at D23Expo.com.

Dates, ticketing information, and more D23 events will be announced throughout the year, including new, member special events in Orlando. Full details on D23’s lineup of 2015 special events can be found at www.D23.com/events. All events and dates are subject to change.

Current event calendar:

  • February 25: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, San Francisco (sold out)
  • March 12: Cinderella Lights Up the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
  • March 13: A Taste of Disney at Silverado Vineyards, Napa, Calif.
  • March 14: Breakfast on Broadway, New York City
  • March 15: The Hunchback of Notre Dame VIP Experience, Millburn, N.J.
  • Spring 2015: Lunch with a Legend, Burbank, Calif.
  • Spring 2015: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
  • April 14: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Los Angeles (sold out)
  • April 30: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Dallas (sold out)
  • May 9: The Parent Trap, Burbank, Calif.
  • May 29: VIP Studio Tour with Disney Legend Dave Smith, Burbank, Calif.
  • June 10: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Washington, D.C. (sold out)
  • June 20: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
  • June 25: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Boston
  • July 15: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Toronto
  • July 18: Disneyland U.S.A., Burbank, Calif.
  • August 14–16: D23 Expo 2015, Anaheim, Calif.
  • Fall 2015: Lunch with a Legend, Burbank, Calif.
  • September 26, Pinocchio, Burbank, Calif.
  • November 6, VIP Studio Tour, Burbank, Calif.
  • November 7: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
  • December 4: Light Up the Season, Burbank, Calif.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($74.99) and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

Dying Light Review (PC)

2015/02/09
Jennifer Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

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My heart was pounding as the sun slipped below the horizon, my palms damp with sweat as I tried to outrun the darkness. The sound of my own ragged panting filled my ears. I was so close to the tower. So close. But so were they. I frantically searched for open pathways and sprang from rooftop to rooftop. Jump. Climb. Run. Pray. I could hear them right behind me. Suddenly sanctuary loomed large ahead. One last leap to freedom and I ran through the welcoming doorway, pulling myself onto the ledge and safety. This, my friends, is what it’s like to play Dying Light, the first person zombie apocalypse survival game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

I’ve been a gamer for years, but have played MMOs pretty exclusively, but this was my first experience with a game of this type. With that in consideration, I’m writing this review from a very subjective “fun” standpoint. I’m also doing my best to avoid direct spoilers. A lot of the fun of this game for me was the surprise of discovery.

After I completed the Steam download (I’m playing the Windows PC platform), I fired the game up to see what it could throw at me. Dying Light starts with a lengthy title sequence that does a fantastic job establishing the why and where of what’s happening. It then launches into a series of early quests designed to take the player on a brief tour of “the tower” – our current home base – and introduce us to various important denizens. Several of the tasks also serve to teach the basics of movement and actions. I struggled a bit with some of the parkour elements, mostly from being unfamiliar with the play style. I poked around in the various key bindings and found the answers I needed, and an hour later was smoothly making my way around the slums of Harran. I would guess that this is a non-issue for anyone with experience playing first-person shooters and other similar games. If I got lost during a part of the training sequence I just had to pay attention to my surroundings. There are plenty of arrows and other indicators to help point you in the right direction, something that also appears out in the world. You will do a LOT of climbing, and I would not recommend this game for anyone who has a serious fear of heights. It’s only a video game, but I could see the realism causing some anxiety for the agoraphobia.

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I felt pretty good about my training in the tower, but the first quest that sent me out into the world gave me pause. I was nervous my first time out. Hell, who wouldn’t be??? There were zombies out there. They wanted to eat me. I had no issues finishing this quest, but it made me realize what an excellent job Dying Light has done of creating a very immersive world. The graphics are gorgeous (despite a few slowdown and hitches), the sound is super creepy, and the quests are fun. One drawback is that the game can be a bit on the grindy side, especially when it comes to the crafting component. I found myself spending a LOT of time exploring and searching for things to loot. It seems like a lot of useless crap at first, but as you gain more blueprints everything comes in handy. I’ve always been way into crafting in games, so I was happy to have the opportunity to build fun toys like flaming baseball bats and Molotov cocktails.

I spent about a week playing Dying Light on and off. My exploration of the world initially kept me from getting super far into the actual narrative of the game, but after a few days of clearing random safe zones and opening tons of chests (lock picking gets old really fast) I switched over to focusing more on the quest lines. There is some stuff that happens in this game that is f*cked up. It’s a compelling story, and I found myself torn over some of the things I had to do. It really makes me wonder about the bigger picture, and I can’t wait to get into the next major area to see how things progress. The game offers a main quest line that furthers the story and optional side quests that reward large chunks of experience. Experience boosts levels across 3 different talent trees, and a level up provides the players with a choice of new power-increasing talents. It’s a solid system, and as with the story progression I can’t wait to get further into it. The biggest plus is that it seems to reward you for your preferred playstyle. I did a lot of climbing and avoidance instead of head-on zombie assault, so I received points in agility and was able to become stronger in that tree first.

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There are also random events and vendors that pop up across the map, adding a sense of newness to play that can be slightly monotonous at times. I did find a few of the quests somewhat difficult and had to google solutions…but that may come as much from my impatience as my newness to the genre. Once I found what I needed to do I was able to apply that knowledge to later missions and everything slowly fell into place.

I can’t express enough how important it is to be aware of your surroundings while playing. More than once I thought I was fine only to have a herd of zombies break down a door and attempt to make me into a sandwich. I also learned early on not to underestimate the big zombies (I was destroyed by some jerk carrying a mace made of rebar and concrete). There are also various puzzles to solve (hint: if the ground is electrified there must be something electric that’s somehow touching it). Last, but most important, is the clock. The game is named Dying Light for a reason, and I learned two very important things:

SUNSET MEANS ANGRY SPEEDY ZOMBIES.
DARKNESS MEANS SUPER SPIDER-MAN FACESUCKER ZOMBIES!!!

You aren’t actually battling the clock until it appears on the right side of your in-game menu. Before that point the early quests are still showing what the game has to offer…and you’ll know when it’s time to experience the setting sun. Being outside at night grants a bonus to your stats, a bonus to your experience, and is absolutely terrifying (but in a good way)! The difference between day and night play is a great game component and something that really sets Dying Light apart from other games that I’ve tried. Overall, the game itself is solid. It does a fantastic job of immersing the player in a very realistic environment. The quests and plot line are interesting. I have a great deal more of the game to play through and feel that I’ve only scratched the surface, but based on my experience so far I would solidly recommend it.

[easyreview title=”Dying Light Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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Construction Simulator 2015 (PC/Steam)

2015/02/09
Ripper71
News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

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When I was just finishing high school, I got a job as a park ranger for a municipal water district. That was one of the best jobs I ever had, I got to work outdoors but I was also trusted with some very heavy machinery. I drove flatbeds, dump trucks, water trucks, and even construction style equipment such as a forklift and an excavator. So
I was more than happy to don a virtual hardhat and travel down memory lane in Construction Simulator 2015.

Description:
In Construction Simulator 2015, you take the controls of 15 realistic construction machines made by LIEBHERR, STILL and MAN with high-quality 3D graphics. Excavate the foundation of a house with realistic machines, pour concrete into the wall panels of a factory with an enormous concrete pump, or test the steadiness of your hands by placing gigantic roof trusses with a mobile crane. Thanks to the realistic controls, you can steer an excavator with two joysticks using SAE controls and feel as if you are working on a real construction site.

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Features:
– Over 200 missions ensure hours of enjoyment
– 15 realistic construction machines made by LIEBHERR, MAN and STILL
– Realistic vehicle controls – e.g. SAE controls for excavators supported
– Realistic sound effects recorded from the original machines
– Multiplayer mode
– For beginners and pros: freely switch between arcade and pro controls
– Expansive, freely navigable world with diverse areas and districts
– Numerous dealers and suppliers that you can visit
– Detailed tutorial ensures a smooth start in the game
– Non-linear dynamic mission system provides endless gaming enjoyment
– For DIY fans: the modding of construction sites and vehicles is fully supported
– Experience system with numerous levels that allow you to unlock special missions
= Diverse gamepads, steering wheels, and joysticks are supported (Unfortunately, “Thrustmaster” joysticks and steering wheels are not supported by now)

Hands On:
One of the first things I want to point out is that this game has a multiplayer mode. For many games this would not be a particularly interesting notion but when it comes to sims, particularly building sims, this is very unusual. My first thoughts on this were “sure they have an online mode but it is useless without a community to support it.” This is where I was very pleasantly surprised, every time I have checked the servers there are several games going on at any given time. It is Euro-centric so it’s highest player numbers are in their active timezones but there are plenty of games to join and start building in. I recommend you don’t just try to jump in and start building online, play the offline for quite a while before you even try or you will literally be left in the dust.

When you start you start small, with a flatbed truck and an escalator, any other equipment you need at the beginning you rent. The tasks are pretty straight forward during the beginning which is set up as a tutorial before jumping into contracts and making your own money. This is good because as part of your dialogue you say “Yippee!” about the chance to get to drive a flatbed truck a few blocks (the dialogue doesn’t take itself too seriously) which would make any boss or even player a bit nervous about your character’s abilities and mental state.

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Luckily the game can be very forgiving. If you happen to not do a very good job hitting the brakes turning into the construction site and accidentally hit your boss with the flatbed truck the truck stops like it hit a wall instead of mixing some blood into the dirt. If your truck gets into a head-on collision with a car the car is not damaged, you either just stop or I got the flatbed to do flips in the air a couple times. Standard view is third person with graphics and very reminiscent of the Grand Theft Auto series. This works well so that you get the hand of standard movements and vehicle controls quick.

The real challenge comes if you use the keyboard to work the heavy equipment. The escavator for example has controls that make sense for the machine and keyboard layout but have you wishing you had a third hand at times. I kept forgetting to move my hand to a certain section to properly aim the bucket to break the dirt and then scoop and move the arm into a good position for dumping. Luckily the game is forgiving because during the tutorial I dug one ugly trench. The game was more concerned with how much dirt I moved out of the trench location than if my corners would meet work site or military standards which was good because the learning process is slow and a bit painful how it is.

I really try not to make the following recommendation when playing PC games, to me it generally defeats the purpose of not playing on a console but this game really lends itself to a controller. On a controller you can do all the required adjustments on the heavy complicated equipment without moving your hands all around which is pretty necessary with the keyboard. The game is also compatible with other sticks and controllers besides a standard game pad and that would probably also add to authentic feel.

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Though the default view is third person you can change it to first person when operating the equipment which I highly recommend, makes it much more immersive. You are going to have lots of hours of playtime with 200 missions, online play and future player/community mods so it’s a good idea to try out the different possible setups as you settle in.

Last Call:
If you are big into sim games Construction Simulator 2015 should definitely be on your playlist. If you find your average day has you locked in a cubicle dreaming about working outdoors behind the wheel of several tons of rolling machinery you need to look no further than this game to get an idea of what you are missing. It is also cool if you just like digging virtual holes and laying virtual pipe.

[easyreview title=”Construction Simulator 2015 Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]