Author - Jerry Paxton

Call of Duty: Ghosts Single Player Review (PC)

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Having just gotten off this crazy roller coaster ride called Call of Duty: Ghosts, I am happy to say that the franchise is back and better than ever. Call of Duty: Ghosts takes place in a world where the United States, once a superpower, now stands a mere shell of its former self thanks to a cyber attack on an orbital strike rod facility which caused it to destroy most of the Southwestern United States. A new power known as the “Federation” has risen to the spot of the world’s number one superpower. Being made up of the countries of South America, the Federation has advanced equipment and is preparing to invade what is left of the United States. The ones at the forefront of stopping the Federation is a hyper-elite squad of Tier 1 operators known simple as “Ghosts”.

Your character is Logan Walker, one of two brothers who, along with their Father, find themselves smack dab in the middle of all the chaos at the start of the game. The nice thing about Call of Duty: Ghosts is that you feel like you are an integral part of the story. Even though your character is part of a larger team, your actions matter. Other shooters strive to put you in the middle of a much larger war, which has its place as well. Ghosts, much like past Call of Duty games, puts YOU as the star in your very own Tom Clancy or Michael Bay film.

Visually, Call of Duty: Ghosts is very attractive, with crisp details abound. Strangely, the visuals don’t look as good as I would have hoped – looking very similar to Black Ops 2. Not that this is a bad thing – the game is really pretty, but I expected a bit more from the game which is set to run on “next-gen” consoles (especially as I have a PC more than capable of handling it). Like previous Call of Duty titles, the levels always feel a bit small or closed in – even when they are meant to be outdoors. Often times the maps set in what is supposed to be open areas use smoke and mirrors with animated backdrops that you can’t ever reach that are meant to give the illusion of open space. Call of Duty games have always been known for doing this and, while it may seem like some sort of cop-out, it allows them to really turn up the detail on the stuff you can reach.

The voice talent of the game deserves special mention, with the likes of Brandon Routh, Stephen Lang, and Kevin Gage bringing the more prominent characters to life. One of the most wasted characters in the game was that of “Riley”, the brothers’ war dog. I loved the idea of Riley being a part of the squad and, when he is on your team, he is a blast to see in action. That being said, I disliked being Riley immensely. Controlling the character felt very sluggish and more of a gimmick than anything else. Unfortunately, the character doesn’t get more time to simply be a part of the squad. In the expansion, I hope to see Riley as the first canine member of the “Ghosts”.

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Unfortunately, the game does have some issues which need mentioning. First is that the controls, in general, can be a bit sluggish – the worst examples being seen in the underwater and in-orbit sequences. Other annoying things are the slow and roadblocking qualities of your teammates and the too narrow field of view (which cannot be altered in the visual options menu).  Additionally, the vehicle levels tend to drone on a bit. Going further with the vehicles, tanks feel really strange to pilot, with them gliding around like they are hover-tanks or something. The helicopter is no better, with very arcade-like controls and no ability to raise or lower the aircraft’s collective. Another point of contention I had with the game was the motivation of the Federation for engaging the United States so aggressively. Without that, there would not be a game, but the story never goes into exactly why this hatred has built up to the point where they would launch what are essentially weapons of mass destruction down on America.

Other single player modes include Extinction, in which the player takes on hordes of alien creatures, and Squads in which you take your customized, AI squad up against another AI squad. While neither of these modes are perfect, I found them to be a lot of fun and a welcome addition to the single player package. It is nice to see Activision and Infinity Ward mixing it up a bit for the single player gamer like myself when so much of the attention given to Call of Duty has to do with its multiplayer.

Overall, Call of Duty: Ghosts takes the player on an adrenaline-fueled adventure that is well worth the price of admission. Despite the issues I had with the game’s controls, field of view, and some plot-holes, I am giving it a 4 out of 5 based on the sheer amount of fun I had taking the campaign on. There are a decent variety of missions, decreased reliance on quick-time events, and tons of bad guys to dispatch. Also Call of Duty: Ghosts succeeds greatly in making the player feel like an integral part of their own action movie. I would love to see a Ghosts sequel at some point.

[easyreview title=”Call of Duty: Ghosts Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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War Thunder Passes 5M Players

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November 8, 2013 — Gaijin Entertainment announced that their next-gen MMO combat game War Thunder, which recently won Gamescom’s Best Simulation Game award, is celebrating two important milestones. War Thunder’s Open Beta received clearance for lift off exactly one year ago in Russia, and in that time, more than 5,000,000 players have mixed it up in aerial dogfights piloting the most deadly WWII planes in history.

Over the course of one year, Gaijin Entertainment added almost a hundred new planes to War Thunder alongside with new exciting modes and improvements. During that time, War Thunder released on Steam and became the first Russian game for PlayStation 4 and the next generation of consoles.

“To those who have served, and to those who continue to step up to answer the call of duty in War Thunder – we salute you. It is in your honor that we at Gaijin Entertainment are offering every player Golden Battles on November 3rd and 10th as well as a limited edition decal for decorating your planes – do not miss your chance to get it and improve your balance as well”, said Anton Yudintsev, CEO of Gaijin Entertainment.

Over five million players already know the enjoyment of raining down aerial destruction via the PC-version of War Thunder and this fan base continues exponential growth. War Thunder is currently in Open Beta on PC, in development for Mac OS and Oculus Rift and will be a PlayStation4 launch title. Download War Thunder for free from the official website and join in a heated battle to dominate the skies at: http://warthunder.com

New Screenshots from Contrast

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Here are some new screenshots from Focus Home Interactive and Compulsion Games’s upcoming Contrast, which is set to launch on November 15, 2013 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows PC platforms.

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Mad Catz Shipping Tritton Kunai Mobile Headset

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San Diego – November 7, 2013 – Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz”) NYSE MKT/TSX: MCZ) announced today the shipping of the TRITTON Kunai Mobile Stereo Headset.

The TRITTON Kunai Mobile Stereo Headset is compatible with most popular handheld consoles, Windows® PC, and Mac, as well as smart phones and smart devices.  When used with compatible Apple products, the Kunai provides the ability to adjust volume, answer calls, and control music on-the-fly via the convenient in-line audio controller.

Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, said, “The TRITTON Kunai range was designed to deliver an ideal balance of performance, value and aesthetics, a combination which has resonated with the passionate gamer.  Today’s announcement will allow us to introduce Kunai to a broader mobile segment who we believe will be extremely receptive to our headset.”

The TRITTON Kunai Mobile Stereo Headset is available in matte black, matte orange, matte blue, and matte red colors.

Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior Release Date and Trailer

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The folks at Torn Banner Studio have announced that Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior will be released on November 14th, 2013. This title is an expansion to their first-person slasher, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.

Expansion Description:

Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior will bring the most iconic warriors from the ancient world, epic new environments and all new game modes to the already expansive First-Person Slasher, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.

Every environment is an iconic homeland of one of the warrior factions. Fight in ancient Nordic villages, kick people into pits as a spartan or run along moonlit roofs as a ninja in a bamboo forest.

Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior adds all-new game modes including multi-team (up to 6 teams at one time!), capture the flag variants and an all-new duel mode.

Faster, more diverse gameplay makes Chivalry’s 1st-person melee combat even more intense in this massive expansion.

Each warrior has a unique arsenal and abilities, which promotes more variety in play styles and forces players to adapt their strategy to the situation.

  • 30 new weapons
  • 5 all-new classes with new character models and new voice overs
  • 30 new helmets and accessories
  • 36 new emblem packs with over 135 emblems
  • 6 all-new maps with variants
  • 6 total game modes with 2 new modes
  • 6 teams with limitless class combinations per team
  • 37 stats tracked per weapon, per class for a total of over 3500 tracked stats
  • All new user interface

Trailer

Titanfall Collector’s Edition Will Include Large Titan Poster

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Electronic Arts has announced that the collector’s edition of their upcoming Titanfall will include a large, 24 inch by 36 inch, poster of the Atlas class titan seen in the game. You can read the full blog post here and look for the game when it launches on the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC platforms come March 11, 2014 in North America, and beginning March 13, 2014 in Europe.

Poster Image (Click it to make BIG):

Digital Storm Unveils GTX 780 Ti Option for PCs

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FREMONT, Calif. – (November 07, 2013) – Digital Storm, a boutique system builder known for custom-built high performance gaming machines, is excited to offer NVIDIA’s new flagship graphics card, GTX 780 Ti.  The new card is now available with all Digital Storm desktop systems including the award winning Aventum II and Hailstorm II, and is the ideal card for 4K gaming.

“We (Digital Storm) are excited to be part of the 4K gaming movement and partner with NVIDIA for this ground breaking launch,” said Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm’s Director of Product Development.  “PC Gaming is leaving consoles in the dust with the aid of exceptional components like the new GTX 780 Ti.”

Crafted exclusively from steel and copper, Digital Storm does not use any plastic in the construction of Aventum II. The system’s exotic nickel-plated copper piping solution was inspired by high-end automotive cooling systems and is handcrafted, ensuring no two Aventum II’s are identical.  Combined with three huge 420mm radiators, the liquid cooling system is as efficient as it is beautiful and fully capable of unlocking the maximum performance potential of bleeding edge components like the GTX 780 Ti.

Enthusiasts looking to quench their thirst for a benchmark crushing components and bone chilling liquid cooling need look no further than the Digital Storm Hailstorm II. With space for up to four radiators (ranging from 140mm to 480mm sizes) and a quadruple GPU and dual CPU configuration, enthusiasts can achieve the ultimate level of performance and customization by pairing Hailstorm II with NVIDIA’s flagship graphics card.

All Digital Storm systems undergo a rigorous 72 hour stress. After passing the stress testing, desktops then go through a multi-point QA inspection where every aspect of the system is scrutinized, from part fitment to software setup, to make sure each unit is perfect.

Fully customizable, high performance gaming systems from Digital Storm are available exclusively at http://www.digitalstormonline.com/gaming-desktops.asp.

Follow Digital Storm at facebook.com/digitalstormpcstwitter.com/DigitalStormPCplus.google.com/+digitalstorm/posts, and youtube.com/digitalstormpc.

Tank Operations: European Campaign Release Date

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November 7th, 2013, Ridgewood, NJ – Kalypso Media Digital and Linked Dimensions GbR have today announced that the classically inspired turn-based strategy game Tank Operations: European Campaign will be available to purchase on November 22nd for Windows PC via digital download priced at $14.99/£11.99/€14.99.

In Tank Operations: European Campaign, players take on the role of a Field Marshal commanding troops through some of the most famous battles of WWII. Using a classic hexagonal gameplay map, the player must plan their tactical strategy to overcome a formidable enemy AI using more than 50 units at their disposal. Kalypso has released a new gameplay trailer which illustrates some of the tactical savvy required to overcome an ever advancing enemy.

Tank Operations: European Campaign is a classically styled WWII strategy game. Featuring challenging turn-based play on a hexagonal map, Tank Operations challenges players to make the most of 50 unique unit types as they fight through twelve major missions. Take your land, sea and air units into historical battles, from the landing of troops in northwestern Africa, to the final battle for Berlin.

Features of Tank Operations: European Campaign

  • Take command of more than 50 authentic land, air and sea units in challenging turn-based gameplay.
  • Battle through 12 major historic WWII missions including the liberation of Paris, the invasion of Italy and the battle to take Berlin.
  • Use tactical sabotage, manage your supply chain and command your troops against a formidable AI which reacts to the player’s decisions in each new battle.
  • Classically styled turn-based gameplay on a hexagonal map with tactically demanding scenarios on an ever changing battlefield.

For more information about Tank Operations: European Campaign please visit www.kalypsomedia.com.

IK Multimedia Unveils iLoud Portable Stereo Speaker

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November 7, 2013 – IK Multimedia, the leader in mobile music creation apps and accessories, is proud to announce that iLoud®, the first portable stereo speaker designed for studio monitor quality on the go, is now available from music instrument and consumer electronics retailers worldwide. The iLoud battery-operated speakers combine superior power, pristine frequency response and amazing low end in an ultra-portable design that makes it the perfect alternative to studio speakers for music creation, composition and playback on the go.

Loud and Clear
The iLoud speaker is indeed very loud. In fact, it’s 2 to 3 times louder than comparable size speakers – a blasting 40W RMS of power. But iLoud is extremely clear at all volume levels thanks to an onboard DSP processor and a bi-amped 4-driver array of high efficient neodymium loudspeakers, that provide accurate, even response across the entire frequency spectrum for unbelievable realism of sound. For deep bass response iLoud’s bass-reflex allows frequencies to go down to 50hz, an amazing low end for this small enclosure.

iLoud is the ideal speaker for musicians and audiophiles who demand an accurate reproduction of a wide range of musical styles from rock, hip-hop and electronic dance music, to more nuanced and sonically demanding genres like jazz, classical and acoustic.

Ultra-Portability
About the size of an iPad and only 6cm (2.3″) thick, iLoud fits easily into a laptop bag or backpack. iLoud is powered by a high-performance Li-ion rechargeable battery with smart power-management features that reduce its power consumption so that it can be used for up to 10 hours without recharging. This makes iLoud the perfect portable speaker solution for mobile musicians.

Wired and Wireless
iLoud supports Bluetooth operation for wireless audio streaming anywhere and everywhere from a mobile device such as an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android smartphone or tablet for casual listening. For sound sources like MP3 players that do not have Bluetooth capabilities, the iLoud also has a stereo 1/8″ mini-jack input for connecting line-level devices such as home stereos, DJ gear, mixers, MP3 players, and more.

Plug and Play Convenience
iLoud also offers the ability to connect a guitar, bass or dynamic microphone directly to the speaker and process the sound with a multitude of real-time effects apps on iOS devices. It features the same circuitry as IK’s iRig – the most popular mobile interface of all time – and allows users to plug in guitars or other instruments and access AmpliTube or other audio apps on their mobile device for practicing, performing and recording. The input also accommodates dynamic microphones, making it possible to run an app like IK’s VocaLive for real-time vocal effects and recording.

Pricing and Availability
iLoud is priced at $299.99/€239.99 (excl. tax) and is available now from the IK network of music and electronic retailers around the world.

For more information, go to:
www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloud

For a comprehensive collection of videos that showcases iLoud’s feature set, go to:
www.ikmultimedia.com/iloud/video