Author - Ripper71

Arma Tactics Review (iOS)

2013/11/09

Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Reviews

Way back in the day when I first started coming across action point focused, turn-based strategy games I wasn’t sure how I would feel about them. It seemed to lack the action and drama of real-time strategy though I soon realized it actually required more strategy akin to chess and no member of your team is expendable. Arma Tactics is particularly solid example of this genre and now it is available on the go!

Description:
Arma Tactics is a turn-based close-combat strategy game, where the player takes control of a four-member Special Forces team. There are no given strategies, rails to move on, or paths to follow; it‘s up to the player to decide how he will play through both the story-driven missions and generated missions with randomized objectives. Whether using stealth or a more direct approach, players will need to use their strategic thinking and use both basic and advanced weaponry while facing many different opponents – ranging from unorganized local militia to smart and skilled mercenaries. With highly re-playable missions, weapons to unlock and whole campaigns to be regularly added, Arma Tactics offers many hours of intense ever-changing action.

Features:

Explore highly detailed battlefield environments that come to life with sophisticated particle systems and post-process effects
See your men come to life with realistic animations captured by a powerful motion-capture solution
Lead them through a thrilling single player campaign or improve your skills in generated missions
Gather experience points to level up your characters, upgrade weapons and unlock special equipment
Choose your difficulty – we make sure the game is fun to play for both casual players and hardcore gamers
Take part in challenging special game modes
Play as you like – by touching your screen or by using gamepad controls

Hands On:
Moving Arma Tactics to mobile was an extremely smart move and one that I found immediately rewarding. The game is completely suited to play on the go, especially with turn-based action that can be stopped and gone back to and it’s auto save at the end of each turn. Missions that would take a long time to play through due to such careful strategic considerations could be played a bit at a time while standing in lines, waiting for rides, well anytime you find yourself waiting or maybe riding in the backseat on a long trip. When I was younger they had travel sized chess games that spilled at the slightest turn, I am so grateful for good travel electronic games that still require as much thought.

Just in case you aren’t familiar with action point turn-based battle games, Arma Tactics gives each of your team a certain number of action points that allows them to move and fight. So if you need to move one of your two point characters across the yard it might take one action point leaving you only one to attack with. Most of the time attacks can use multiple points as well, so an aimed shot with a 87% chance of hitting may take two points while you can take a one point shot that only has a 42% chance. Weapons can be upgraded to change this as well making it so that characters wind up being more specialized, some may be range specialized so that they have low percentages during close attacks, some may be made to be up close and gritty.

One thing to definitely keep in mind is AI is very solid in this game, Arma Tactics is designed to be a thinking play and if you run and gun you are likely to be dead and failed quick. If the game suggests using some stealth in it’s mission description you will definitely want to keep that in mind as well because the enemy hears the gunshots and comes running, it is easy to find your three man team overrun by seven or eight pissed off enemies. I didn’t give them credit plenty of times and found myself in too deep of doo doo 45 minutes into a mission.

Last Call:
Arma Tactics is a solid game and is perfect for the iOS platform. Being able to play it anywhere, jumping in and out of a mission depending on time available is perfect for an action point turn-based strategy game. The AI is strong, every move counts and Arma Tactics is definitely worth the time of a strategic mind.

[easyreview title=”Arma Tactics Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

Deadfall Adventures Review (PC/Steam)

2013/11/09

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

The only thing I love more than a good first person shooter is a good first person shooter game with Nazi! The only way to make that combination a bit better is making it feel like Indiana Jones, with adventuring and puzzling. Well, anyone who loves all that like I do needs to head right out and pick up Nordic Games new title, Deadfall Adventures.

Storyline:
The year is 1938. James Lee Quatermain is a man of many talents, yet holding on to money isn’t one of them. James is an adventurer by trade, just like his legendary great-grandfather Allan Quatermain. And he knows how to squeeze money out of this famous name of his, while at the same time despising it. Despising those who believe his great-grandfather’s tales of the supernatural and those who make fun of them alike.

Accordingly, Quatermain isn’t all too keen on escorting Jennifer Goodwin, an US agent and former colleague of his, to an Egyptian temple structure in order to retrieve an ancient artifact – The Heart of Atlantis. Neither does he believe in the reputed invigorating qualities of this artifact, nor does he care the least that a division of the Ahnenerbe, the Nazi department specialized in the occult, is after The Heart as well.

But life has its ways of changing one’s perspective. Quatermain soon finds himself part of a hunt across the globe – from the stormy deserts of Egypt to the icy depths of the Arctic, and all the way to the steaming jungles of Guatemala. In long forgotten temple structures the thrill of the chase awakens the true adventurer in Quatermain, as he and agent Goodwin strive to be one step ahead of the Nazis and the Russians, one step closer to obtaining the Heart of Atlantis. And deep in these temples, where age-old guardians awake from their eternal slumber, James soon learns that his great-grandfather’s stories are not as crazy as he had always believed. For all things live forever, though at times they sleep and are forgotten…

Description:
Deadfall Adventures is an action-driven first-person shooter, spiced up with elements from action-adventure games. Become an adventurer, hunt for treasures, explore unknown regions of the world and rescue the damsel in distress from the clutches of enemies, both earthly and not-so-earthly. Join James Lee Quatermain on his journey across the globe!

Features:
– Action -Adventure gameplay from a first-person perspective
– Set in the Quatermain-universe, created by H. R. Haggard
– Fast-paced action and intense, accurate FPS gun battles
– Adventurer equipment: compass, treasure maps, notebook and flashlight – necessary to solve ancient puzzles, find treasures and even to defeat certain types of enemies
– Puzzles that encourage you to explore the game environment and interact with it
– Environmental traps that can be used to eliminate enemies in many spectacular ways
– Exotic, picturesque locations from around the world – Egypt, Arctic and forgotten
– Mayan ruins in the jungles of Guatemala
– Compelling story faithful to the spirit of classic action-adventure movies
– 1930’s setting, including detailed weapon designs
– Unique adventurer-style multiplayer features and modes

Hands On:

As I mentioned above, I love the combination of theme, storyline, and game style that come together for this game. I like the fact that instead of going with Indiana Jones, which has been explored heavily with varying success, the game goes with the Quatermain universe, one of the greatest ever created and the godfather of tomb adventure genre that is far less familiar to current generations. This can be a bit risky (John Carter comes to mind) but in this case works beautifully. Your character is the great grandson of Allan Quatermain – so, though James is expected to have treasure hunting in his blood, his character doesn’t have to match that of his great grandfather. The storyline is fun and fits terrifically with a nice mix of humor and gravity where needed and the acting is pretty good. So it isn’t just a pretty game, it tells a story worth playing.

Of course, a game can look great (which it does) and have a great story (very nice) but, if the gameplay wanes, then it is all for nothing – nobody will stick it out. Thankfully, Deadfall Adventures plays great both as a first person shooter and as a puzzler. One of the fairly unusual options of this game is that you can set what level of difficulty you want the puzzles to be independent of what difficulty level you set the enemies to be at. So, if you really aren’t into puzzles but you love a shooter (and especially shooting Nazis) then then you can set the puzzles to easy and make your enemies harder and gun away. If you love a good puzzle you can make them really hard, maybe make the enemies easier and make adventuring your priority. This is a great option I hope more FPS adventure games pick up on so that it really can cater to any audience.

Gameplay is pretty straight forward control wise following a FPS standard. Hitting the middle wheel on the mouse lets you quick select weapons or put something like a journal or a flashlight in your off hand. Personally I like when a map or clue can be taken full screen but it definitely lends itself to the authenticity of the first person perspective to have it in a hand instead.

Last Call:

Deadfall Adventures is a great FPS adventure game that lets you kill Nazis, shoot Thompson sub-machine guns, search for treasure, and maybe save the girl along the way. The acting and dialogue can get a bit hammy at times but that really fits the characters and time period as well. With the ability to set difficulty levels separately for puzzle and enemy makes this game a great play for an even wider variety of audience. All I can say is I hope there are sequels and that they are as good!

[easyreview title=”Deadfall Adventures Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

Batman: Arkham Origins Review (PC/Steam)

2013/11/09

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

The Batman: Arkham games have all been really solid games, each one getting better than the last. So, when we got the opportunity to review Batman: Arkham Origins on the PC platform, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, going so far as to sleep depriving myself on vacation to get started on it. I finally completed my task and have presented the review for your enjoyment. Is the latest installment in the franchise worthy of the Arkham namesake? Read on!

Description:
Batman: Arkham Origins is the latest installment in the blockbuster Batman: Arkham videogame franchise. Developed by WB Games Montréal, the game features an expanded Gotham City and introduces an original prequel storyline set several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, the first two critically-acclaimed games of the franchise. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, the game showcases a young and unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crime fighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight.

Features:

The Arkham Story Begins: Batman: Arkham Origins features a pivotal tale set on Christmas Eve where Batman is hunted by eight of the deadliest assassins from the DC Comics Universe. Players become an early-career Batman as he encounters for the first time many of the characters that shape his future.
Enhanced Detective Mode: Think like Batman with an all-new Case File system that allows players to analyze seemingly impossible-to-solve crime reconstructions in real time. Combining Batman’s cowl sensors with the Batcomputer, players can digitally recreate crimes and study detailed simulation of the act as it happened.
Gotham City will learn to fear Batman: Take back the sprawling streets of Gotham years before its transformation into Arkham City. Glide above or battle your way through new and ever more dangerous districts in the quest for justice. Prevent crimes in progress, take down gangs of violent new criminals and explore deadly new locations, from the impoverished streets to the penthouses of Gotham’s wealthy.
Gotham’s Most Wanted: The city streets are filled with more than just Black Mask’s assassins. Locate and take down Gotham’s most violent and dangerous criminals to earn unique upgrades.
Lethal New Enemies: Fight new foes such as the Armored Enforcer, the Martial Artist and more – each of which challenge players to approach Batman’s FreeFlow Combat scenarios in different ways. Classic FreeFlow combat is expanded with every new opponent – and with Batman’s abilities to engage them.
New Gadgets: Utilize Batman’s signature gadgets or take advantage of powerful new additions such as the Remote Claw, the Concussion Detonator and more. Use the Remote Claw to create new routes by deploying strategic tightropes or directly attack enemies by stringing them up from vantage points. Ready the Concussion Detonator to stun and disorient groups of opponents in close combat.
New and Familiar Characters: Experience a fresh take on iconic Batman characters including Black Mask, Penguin, Deathstroke, Bane, Deadshot, Anarky, Captain Gordon, The Joker, Copperhead, Firefly and others yet to be revealed.
New Online Mode: Play online with friends and foes in 3v3v2 gameplay that blends traditional Arkham gameplay with third-person shooter mechanics. Hunt as Batman or Robin against the most challenging opponents yet – friends and other gamers online – or take a walk on the dark side as a Super-Villain Elite and be part of The Joker or Bane’s gang. Gamers playing as a Super-Villain Elite will also have a chance to seize control of either The Joker or Bane for a limited amount of time.

Hands On:

First off I could see a temptation to try to play these games in timeline order and jump to Batman: Arkham Origins as the first game. That would be a huge mistake. Each of the games is good but each one has also topped the previous one, so playing this game then going back and playing the previous ones would be a disappointment. Play them in order of release and you will have just as good of a story experience with a better gaming experience.

With that being said, just about every aspect with the exception of the storytelling has improved with the latest game. The storytelling is just as good but was hard to beat to begin with, so that’s not saying much. Not giving anything away, this is a solid origin story that takes you back to Batman warming up to his new suit and the police and villains alike realizing “the bat” might be more than just an urban legend. One of the ways Batman gets this point across is in the sandbox style environment of the city, which allows you to stop random crimes or take on extra henchman simply to get word about the gliding crusader being anywhere and everywhere. During these battles, you will find yourself often being attacked from multiple sides. You learn different techniques on how to handle this throughout gameplay and these can be added seamlessly into the fighting style with very little practice. Even if you are a little awkward on the keys Batman moves smoothly and polished throughout the fights. Smooth and polished really is the best way to describe to the entire gameplay experience – everything looks purposeful and actions have grace.

Another reason to play these games in order is the gadgets in this game are the best. In theory they should be worse, just as his detective skills should be. The detective skills look like something out of a sci-fi movie and are absolutely awesome and when it comes to his new gadgets I have just two words: Remote Claw. It is insanely useful and versatile, solves all kinds of puzzles and just looks really cool when used. I fell in love with it immediately and spent a considerable amount of time just trying to figure out something new to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, the Concussion Detonator is a lot of fun and useful but the Remote Claw steals the show.

The villains… You really can’t talk about a Batman game without mentioning the villains. Batman: Arkham Origins gives a great diversity of the villains so that it isn’t just about Batman and one character, you really couldn’t hope to get much more in the way of villains in a single game. In multiplayer, you even have a chance to get control of the Joker or Bane for a while. Storyline-wise, fitting in so many villains was probably quite a challenge but Origins pulls it off well.

Last Call:
Batman: Arkham Origins is a terrific game – better than the one before it just as Arkham City was better than the one before that. I hope that more of these games come along, I can’t get enough of the Arkham series because even if it isn’t better than this one, it is so well done that I just want more.

[easyreview title=”Batman: Arkham Origins Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]
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Slender: The Arrival Review (PC/Steam)

2013/11/09

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

Slender Man, created as part of a website contest for a creative new urban legend, grabbed our imaginations in a terrifyingly primal way with a simple concept: a well dressed, strangely elongated boogeyman who takes our children from parks, never to be seen again. Since his inception, he has inspired art and video games and in some cases both in one. Who didn’t get freaked out on the console playing Slender Man: The Eight Pages? Well time to put on your headset, kill the lights and fire up Steam as once again you get a chance to try to make it in his world with Slender Man: The Arrival.

Description:
You’re on your own. No one to come for you. No one to help you. No one to hear you scream. Slender: The Arrival is the official videogame adaption of Slender Man, developed in collaboration with Eric “Victor Surge” Knudson, creator of the paranormal phenomenon that has been terrifying the curious-minded around the world since its inception, with Mark Hadley and Blue Isle Studios.

Back in 2012, Mark Hadley (AgentParsec) created a game that captivated gamers around the world. Slender: The Eight Pages was a short, experimental first-person game that helped breathe new life into the horror genre through its use of unadulterated tension and fear.

Experience the horror all over again.

Slender: The Arrival is the official re-imagining and expansion of the original game created by Mark Hadley, teamed up with the writers behind the Marble Hornets series and the development team at Blue Isle Studios. The Arrival features a brand new storyline, improved visuals, great replay value, and most importantly, survival horror at its best.

The Arrival officially supports the Oculus Rift – a next generation virtual headset designed for super immersive gaming! The Rift intensifies the fear-factor, and gives players a brand new, immersive horror experience.

Hands On:
I have probably mentioned before how I wish I could afford the Rift, it is never been more true than with this game. This game is simple and creepy at first, little noises here and there, glimpses, all the immersive creepers that make you paranoid and expectant, of what you just aren’t really sure. This game builds on the subtle initial tension and sense of isolation until you are practically jumping out of your skin, then it amps it up even higher. This is not a relaxing game to play before bed, this is not a meditative walk in the woods. This is the story of the newest breed of boogeyman and his minions.

The game’s graphics are artfully done, like an expressionist painting trying to convey a sense of dread. Plenty of darkness and shadows, woods and isolation, just you and your video camera which offers no comfort. My first impression was that looking through a video camera might create a sense of detachment from the action but thanks to all the found footage movies it now seems to have become the opposite, the camera becomes the sole witness and so by extension so do you.

Last Call:
There isn’t much to say about this game that people who played Slender: The Eight Pages won’t already know. These games are creepy – they mess with your senses in a very dark way and for those of you who are a bit like me, e.g. hard to give the creeps or a good scare, this might just give you the skin crawling you’ve been craving. Play it in the dark with headphones for best effect!

[easyreview title=”Slender: The Arrival Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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Montague’s Mount Beta Preview (PC/Steam Greenlight)

2013/11/01

Ripper71

News, Previews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Preview

I enjoy survival horror year-round, but I particularly enjoy it during October so that is sets that haunting Halloween mood which is sometimes hard to develop in the high desert. So when a Steam Greenlight project called Montague’s Mount came along I was more than happy to take a dreary trip through a puzzling island in this beta preview.

Description:

Based on a true story, Montague’s Mount is a first-person psychological rollercoaster ride through isolation, desolation and one man’s tortured mind.

The mixture of cold Atlantic water and coarse sand in your mouth brings you back from unconsciousness. Surrounded by the wreckage of a boat’s hull, you can only draw one conclusion: your vessel has been torn apart by the submerged rocks. The secrets of the island must be uncovered if you are ever going to find a way to escape. Where is everyone; is the island really uninhabited; what is lurking within the isolated caves; and what is that building on top of Montague’s Mount? Can you handle the truth? A disturbing psychological thriller set in the bleakness of an abandoned island, combining exploration, puzzle-solving and a poignant storyline.

You have been warned.

Features:

Oculus Rift support.
Desolate yet beautiful environments to explore.
Challenging puzzles to solve.
Secrets and collectibles hidden across the island.
Voice narration by Derek Riddell (Ugly Betty, Frankie, No Angels and more).
First game to promote the Irish language (Gaeilge).
Full language support for English, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish and Russian.
To be released on PC, Mac and Linux.

Hands On:

So if you noticed the screenshots in this preview seem a bit dark there is no need to adjust your screen. The entire preview was this dark and dreary, the main sounds being the crashing of waves, cries of gulls and the monotonous sound of a fog horn. Most things you come up have been savaged by the elements… or something else. Sure the weather made the luggage soggy and moldy looking but that doesn’t explain the corpses littering the island paths or the uneasy watched feeling you occasionally get. The constant rain certainly didn’t kill the couple who died holding hands in the shack or the fella hung high from a tree. But dead men don’t let you know what’s up so you are left with puzzling together machinery, gears and levers to make your way from one dark almost colorless part of the island to another.

The puzzles are well done, one stumped me for a while and I’m sure I wasn’t alone on that. Others were more like a big scavenger hunt wondering if whatever was watching you might make itself known. The controls are fairly standard first person stuff as is the perspective, the challenge is not in moving but in how to get to the next place. Without giving too much away or saying anything that may be changed after beta (any content is subject to change before release) I can say I lost track of time in the land and was surprised how late it was when the preview ended, for a beta preview it was pretty long and immersive even if my head welcomes the end of the fog horn, it gets a little crazy in 5.1 surround.

First Taste:

This was only the first taste of Montague’s Mount and I am really excited about the eminent release of the game. It is finished and will be releasing to non-Steam stores this month though I REALLY hope Steam picks it up, it is a terrific game in the spirit of Amnesia or Dear Esther with it’s great take on the dark and empty island filled with wreckage, corpses and more than a few puzzles. I can’t wait to get my hands on the full version pf Montague’s Mount and find out what happens next. My biggest wish is that I had an Oculus Rift to get even further immersed.

The Wolf Among Us – Episode One (PC/Steam)

2013/11/01

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

Telltale Games has solidly proven itself as a company to be reckoned with by delivering the huge hit game series The Walking Dead and the fan favorite Back To The Future as well as other solid titles such as Sam And Max and Poker Night. They found their niche in episodic gaming, most of which have several seasons and dramatic cliffhangers at the end of episodes that keep you coming back for more. The real strength in their games though comes in their “choose your own adventure” style that shows that every choice you make in the game, even if the choice is not to make a choice, has a dramatic effect on the plot and can mean life or death for the characters within. The Wolf Among Us is a beautiful example of this with comic book style graphics and storyline choices that have you replaying almost as soon as you finish the first time.

Description:
The Wolf Among Us is a five episode series from the creators of the 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead. Based on Fables (DC Comics/Vertigo), an award-winning comic book series, it is an often violent, mature and hard-boiled thriller where the characters and creatures of myth, lore and legend are real and exist in our world.

As Bigby Wolf – THE big bad wolf in human form – you will discover that the brutal, bloody murder of a Fable is just a taste of things to come, in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.

Features:
– Your choices matter: it’s not only WHAT you choose to do that will affect how your story plays out, but WHEN you choose to do it
– A mature and gritty take on characters from fairytales, legends and folklore who have escaped into our world. These are not the characters you’d see on a little child’s lunchbox.
– Play as Bigby Wolf: formerly the most feared monster among the Fables, now Sheriff of Fabletown and protector of those he used to hunt. He must restrain the beast within if he is to earn the trust of those around him.
– Choose Bigby’s actions carefully. Will you approach a situation calmly or unleash your inner rage? The way you act will determine how others respond to you.
– Set before the events seen in the first issue of the comics – you don’t have to know the characters or the world to play!

Hands On:
As the description above says, you don’t have to know the characters or the world to play the game but it doesn’t take long to realize you already do. Fabletown is tucked away in a corner of New York where the hard-boiled pulp fiction feel of the old detective dime books still hasn’t died and every face is one that has adapted to a world outside of fairy tale “happily ever after” times to big city street life. It comes through in the deep shadows and dark storyline of one of Vertigo’s most popular series beautifully rendered in a video game form. If you liked The Walking Dead for any reason other than zombies you will like The Wolf Among Us just as much if not more.

The controls are the same as a FPS with most actions being point and click with multiple choice actions such as discussions or fighting being WASD. This is good to know ahead of time because the time you take to make choices can effect the storyline just as much as the choices you make. In some cases just letting the time run out on making a choice is a choice because a silent glare from The Big Bad Wolf can make some folks talk or act just as well as anything he could say. If you ever played a lesser known Telltale game, Law And Order: Legacies, you have seen how effective and important timing can be in interrogations (if you like the Law And Order shows that game is a must play).

It’s hard to say much more without giving away the storyline and this is a spoiler-free zone but it can be said you get a lot of great story in the first episode, definitely enough to get you hooked and waiting for the next.

First Round:
Usually this would be the “Last Call” section but since this is just the first episode there will be more to come and more to review so it is just the beginning. Fans of The Walking Dead game and Vertigo’s Fables will eat this game up if they give it a try, it is just as good as The Walking Dead with a wider variety of characters limited only to the realm of fairy tales which is a pretty broad realm indeed. Ever wonder what would happen if Snow White had to give up her castle for a brownstone? This might just be the place to find out.

[easyreview title=”The Wolf Among Us – Episode One Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 3 Gaming Keyboard Review (PC/Tech)

2013/11/01

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

Anyone who has ever looked into competitive gaming equipment has heard of Mad Catz, their tournament arcade sticks, surround sound gaming headsets and particularly their Guinness World Record holding R.A.T. mouse series are all sought after by the serious player and their S.T.R.I.K.E. keyboard line is no different. The S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is the flagship of this line, featuring just about every bell and whistle that could be attached to a keyboard and is the dream of many gamers. If the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is beyond your means or you just prefer a straight forward reliable gaming keyboard then the S.T.R.I.K.E. 3 is the keyboard for you affordability without giving up the gaming edge.

Description:
The Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E.3 Gaming Keyboard is an ideal entry into the world of competitive gaming. Whether your game of choice is an FPS, RPG, MMO, RTS, MOBA or any other genre, precise key response, customizable backlighting, and programmable macro keys all help give you an advantage over the competition. When used in conjunction with a member of Mad Catz’ lineup of award-winning R.A.T. gaming mice, you’ll have all the inputs you need to play at your very best.

Features:
– Engineered membrane with up to 7 key anti-ghosting
– Windows key lock
– 12 macros with three modes (36 total programmable)
– individual lighting for each mode
– 16 million color options
– Entry level friendly
– Available in three colors

Game On:
The S.T.R.I.K.E. 3 doesn’t require a learning curve to get started and doesn’t take long to master. This is the S.T.R.I.K.E. keyboard stripped down to it’s core with a dozen macro buttons and a conveniently located set of quick keys this keyboard looks on the surface fairly standard which makes the new gamer feel at home quicker.

The real strength and difference of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 3 is in the inside where you hopefully will never have to look. Besides having 16 million option RGB backlighting this series uses a custom engineered P.U.L.S.E. feedback system which is a membrane precise tactile feedback and five times the durability. If that doesn’t mean anything to you simply put it is really a tough keyboard without losing any touch sensitivity when hitting keys. The keyboard actually has a system built in to make it even more sensitive to key touches to help reduce muscle fatigue.

One of my personal favorite aspects is the ability to turn off the Windows key easily. I can’t count how many times I have gone to crouch using ctrl only to bump the Windows key and leave the game. I usually come back to the game to find a “you are dead” screen and unleash a torrent of curses at the simple little button. Apparently I was not alone since Mad Catz fixed that issue for me. Thanks!

Last Call:
There are keyboards in the S.T.R.I.K.E. series that can do some amazing things and control multiple programs at once and if you can afford them and have experience at multitasking I highly recommend them. If you just want a very solid and dependable keyboard that will have a long life of quality service at an entry level price the S.T.R.I.K.E. 3 is the keyboard for you, it won’t let you down.

[easyreview title=”Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 3 Gaming Keyboard Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

Air Conflicts: Vietnam (PC/Steam)

2013/10/13

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

There are generally two different categories that air combat/sim games fall into: simulator or arcade/survey. They mix a bit, shifting toward one side or the other but mostly there are the realistic simulation games where you are constantly watching air speed, checking for stalls, watching wash, etc. and then there is the arcade style which generally has safe flight decks, easy landings, and concentrates mainly on blowing stuff up. Air Conflicts: Vietnam is a classic arcade-style air combat game, giving you lots of weapons, lots of targets, and plenty of explosions – just what the casual gamer wants.

Description:
Vietnam War. It is the year 1965. A conflict, that began 20 years ago, escalates. Vietnam is a divided country. The communistic North fights against the anti-communistic South in a fierce civil war. The USA are at Cold War with the Soviet Union and, in order to demonstrate their interests, they decide to support South Vietnam in the fight against the communistic Vietcong troops.

Witness the story of Joe Thompson, a brave pilot of the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. He reaches Vietnam as one of the first soldiers of the USA. He is young, talented and dutiful. The will to serve his country and to help people by doing that dominates his life. Take a seat in the pilot’s seat of jet fighters and helicopters, those war machines that were used during the Vietnam War for the first time in history, and experience explosive aerial combat in a class of its own and accompany Joe on his way to become a real ace. But during this war he will face an acid test. What Joe experiences in Vietnam will change him forever and even the relationship to his family on another continent, watching his mission from afar. They can reach him only by writing letters …

Features:

Experience the Vietnam War, one of the most explosive wars of all time, that was fought extremely heavily armed! Witness the experiences of the brave pilots of the US Air Force.
After a battle there can never be only winners! Get yourself carried away by a thrilling and emotional story and, besides heroic moments, experience the dark sides of war.
Brand new missions, tailor-made for helicopter pilots! Besides jet fighter missions you must complete special helicopter missions, where the whole equipment of the choppers needs to be used.
Take control of whole squadrons! Instead of controlling just one airplane, you can control every aircraft in your squadron in the respective missions.
Equip your airplanes and helicopters with real weapons! All possible plane-weapons-combinations (chopper-weapons-combinations) are based on real models.
A real setting combined with arcade gameplay! Every airplane can only be equipped with a limited amount of ammunition. You can avoid this restriction as you switch between the different planes of a squadron.
A game that never gets boring! Play multiple single player and innovative multiplayer modes.
A huge war machinery for you to choose from! The game contains a total of more than 20 airplanes and helicopters.

Hands On:
With only a few, quick minutes of flight lessons, this game is a definite pick up and play arcade titles. You can start and, for the most part, finish the game’s various missions in a short time then come back and play again later. If you like the game though you will probably find yourself in the “just one more mission” kind of play session. The missions vary greatly, both in difficulty and what is required of you, and give you the opportunity to use a very wide variety of weapons and aircraft to get the job done. Often they suggest one way of completing a mission, but creative minds who maybe favor a certain type of craft or weapon can find a different way.

When in dog fighting missions you have to practically suicide to hit the deck, so it is all about the enemy crafts. The map size is very limited, with red out-of-bound borders around its perimeter that you can cross and as long as you swing back into bounds quickly won’t get you killed. This is good because enemy aircraft routinely head out there without penalty. So, if you truly want to pursue them, you have to join them in their breaking of engagement rules. Other than that, the real key to the game’s air to air combat is sticking to an enemy like crazy, watch for missile warnings, and hit them as fast as possible. The longer the battle goes on, the more planes you will lose from your squadron no matter how good your shooting is. You can also change from plane to plane in your squadron which is handy if you run low on ammo and ordinance, but it is smart to try to get a visual on the plane you are switching to first otherwise on occasion when the computer is at the stick it will fly through the jungle at full speed 5 feet off the ground which will become instant death for you.

Another thing to watch out for is that when you are landing your helicopter, regardless of whether it has wheels or skids, you have to make sure you nose is perfectly neutral so that your speed drops to zero otherwise as soon as you near the ground your helicopter will explode and mission will fail. It took me some trial and error to learn this one so I figured I would save our readers the pain. With these few things in mind, you can get a good 15-20 hours of playtime out of the campaign as long as you watch all the cutscenes and mission briefs. This also includes single player custom missions, multiplayer, and mission replayability. You will probably get a little burned out of the music after a while as there are only a handful of songs and only a couple really fit the era.

Storyline:
This isn’t something I normally get too much into other than to say it is “thin” or “rich” and I let the description from the game’s website speak for itself. This time though, it needs to be addressed. There are basically two story lines that progress in the game: One a historical description of the war’s events told from a militaristic, analytical point of view. Having studied the Vietnam War very extensively, I can vouch for its accuracy. The other storyline is told through letters from home to Joe and some cutscenes which mass together the experiences of many Vietnam veterans into one single account. This results in a very depressing anti-war storyline that makes you think twice about playing the next mission from time to time if you get into it too far. Since arcade shooters are mainly designed to be fairly simple with “pick up and play” ideologies – putting an emphasis on having fun rather than being bummed out by real life war facts, I would recommend for those who just want to enjoy themselves to skip the “Dear Joe” letters. If you really want to read an “heavy” portrayal of what our servicemen had to deal with during this conflict then pay close attention to them.

Last Call:
Air Conflicts: Vietnam is a decent air combat arcade game with tons of short missions that you can play a little or a lot with a great variety of weapons and missions. If you don’t want to get bogged down in the details of flaps and stall speeds, you just want to fly mission and shoot bad guys this is the game for you. If you want to learn a bit of history while you are at it this is also a great opportunity. Just know that if you read the Dear Joe letters you are going to know the darkest parts of a Vietnam veteran’s ordeal.
[easyreview title=”Air Conflicts: Vietnam Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”3″ ]

Knock-Knock Review (PC/Steam)

2013/10/10

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I love a stylized game, maybe the only thing I love more than a stylized game is a creepy stylized game. I tore through Limbo, loving the puzzle solving, the stylized silhouettes and the crazy creative ways in which the poor character was torn apart. Knock-Knock reminds me a lot of Limbo in the sense that is a puzzle game and in the fact that it is beautifully stylized, but then it departs onto it’s own stranger journey that tests your wits and creativity.

Description:
There is an unusual house standing in the depth of the forest. It served as a laboratory and a home to three generations of Caretakers. The last Caretaker has recently started noticing frightening changes in the familiar background as certain things fall down, and noises and grating sounds come from somewhere. Something strange is coming from the forest. During the night it even seems that someone makes himself at home in the shadows of the rooms, attics and basements…

The main character is sick of headache and is tempted to sleep, but he must not: there are unwanted Guests in the house. He has to stay awake until dawn, sitting up and trying not to let the fear drive him out of mind. The light is going out now: once the lamp goes dark it is time to hide. Meeting the Unknown itself face to face may drive him insane right away, especially with his unstable state of mind.

The only thing left to the main character is to try to bring the pieces of his world back into one: he mixes substances, notions, thoughts and reminiscences. The combinations may come out simple and evident, yet unexpected and frightening at times.

Walking around the house, avoiding to meet the Unknown, trying to concentrate, pulling himself together and holding on to his sanity, the main character counts the minutes until sunrise. Each subsequent night may turn out even more dangerous than the one before, but it is only during the night that the main puzzle can be solved: what is going on? Are the Guests real or are they consequences of insomnia? What happened to the forest? What is actually happening in the house? Where does the reality stop and the imagination begin?

Features:
– Hiding. An imitation of playing hide-and-seek with nightmare creatures. A hybrid of Lode Runner, Home Alone and Nightmare Ned.
– Counting down until the sunrise. The goal of the gaming night is to maintain sanity until dawn. A gaming night (“level”) lasts for 7-10 minutes.
– Turning on the light. You can only walk in peace in the rooms where the light is on, yet the light is not eternal as it needs to be kept alive.
– Exploring the dreams. From time to time there are portals opening in the walls that let the unknown into the house, yet the main character can step forward and enter the portal himself to go inside a dream.
– Running experiments. The biostation has long since been used by researchers for various tests from simple and routine ones to absolutely absurd experiments trenching upon metaphysics. What the next synthesis will bring? Morphine? A ray of light? Nostalgia? Or just a cup of hot tea?
– Everything that happens in the house is a clue. Try harder and you would be able to expose the underlying mystery.

Hands On:
This is a journey around dark places where things go bump in the night and insomnia has taken a solid, terrifying hold. Knock-Knock describes itself as a meditation, a found program built by anonymous instructions for some unknown goal. If that doesn’t define mystery I’m not how else to do it, it’s like Blair Witch but with a found program instead of film. Why was it created, why was it made, what does it all mean? The game has solid creepy aspects to it such as hanging nooses, straight jackets hoping around on one leg, wraiths flying through the air and giant eyeballs looking through the wall and yet it is all existential, every thing you see is a clue and every clue brings up questions as well as answers and the answers add up to greater truths.

This all sounds very cerebral, which it is meant to be. You can play the game just as a puzzle game trying to find your way through levels without caring why or what any of it means and it would be a stylized good play. If however you consider everything said, everything that happens it is an amazingly deep game hidden behind simple play. You use the arrow keys and the space bar to play and that is about it control wise. You walk around trying to figure out how to beat the level which is easier if you try to understand the deeper meanings but isn’t necessary. Also not necessary is turning off all the lights, turning up the sound and playing it in a room or better yet a house all alone, but wow does it add a lot to the game and it’s creepy atmosphere made with dark rooms, strange sounds, haunting voices and strange things moving around.

Despite the creepy atmosphere you don’t die when things go wrong for you, you just start over at your same starting position, waking up in bed. No gore to be had, no fighting beasties, just simple wandering to learn what the house has to tell you if you are willing to listen.

Last Call:
I’m so glad I got to go hands on with this meditation, this found program written by anonymous hands. Knock-Knock is a stylized game on the surface that dives deep for any willing to take the journey. Wander the rooms and woods, discover things about the house and yourself and in the end face your demons by lighting one room at a time.

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

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The King Of Fighters XIII Steam Edition (PC)

2013/10/10

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I have been playing fighting games like The King Of Fighters since they were invented – I’m kinda old and I have been a video game junkie since I was six. I have always been above average at them, but never great. I still have fun at them but I have died many a time trying to perform a finishing move I spent hours practicing. I’m great with combos and that has always been my saving grace but special moves I tend to jack up. If our resident expert on these games John Dugan were to challenge me the massacre would be epic and ugly for he is one of those players who master the game in every nuance, where I do the moves I do well until I realize I am toast and become a button masher. Anyone who plays the genre though knows King Of Fighters so I’m going to approach this review from the point of view you know the game, have been playing KOF XIII for a couple years but why you need to get the Steam Edition if you like the game even slightly.

Description:
The King Of Fighters XIII, SNK Playmore’s flagship 2D versus fighting title returns in an ultimate version on Steam!!
The many features exclusive to the console version of the game, such as the Online Mode that allows you to enjoy smooth online versus matches with rivals from around the world, the Tutorial Mode which can be enjoyed by KOF novice players, and the Story Mode which features several exclusive episodes in a Visual Novel format, have been improved are still available in The King Of Fighters XIII Steam Edition!
In addition, “Iori with the Power of Flames”, “NESTS Style Kyo”, and “Mr. Karate” DLC characters are now playable from the start, for a total roster of 36 characters!
The time has come to face rivals worldwide!

Features:
・3-ON-3 TEAM BATTLE:
Choose a default team of 3 characters or make your own team by picking up 3 characters of your choice, and fight against teams until victory! Develop your own team strategy by choosing the best characters for you!

・STORY：
In this mode, you will experience a variety of background stories not touched upon in the game’s original Arcade Version. Discover the truth about KOF’s “Ash Saga” and its secrets through the eyes of the main character, Ash Crimson, and other characters who were not directly participating in the tournament. Your decisions and battle results may lead you to discovering new story elements; try out all the different options and every scene!

・NETWORK:
“The King Of Fighters XIII Steam Edition” now features vastly improved netcode that will provide you with the most comfortable online experience yet! The new netcode features improved communication speeds between you and your opponent, and also tailors your online experience according to your PC environment!

“The King Of Fighters XIII Steam Edition” features three different types of ONLINE VERSUS Matches, allowing players to challenge other rivals worldwide in endless and intense battles:
‐ “Ranked Match”: fight under specified regulations, and your results will be reflected in the rankings.
– “Player Match”: playing in this mode will not affect your results. You can fight against others casually.
– “Friend Match”: invite online players and challenge them through this mode for heated competition!

・MISSION:
Tackle three different kinds of missions in this mode, and improve your skills!
– “TIME ATTACK”: Defeat all CPU opponents in the shortest time you can.
– “SURVIVAL”: Select a character and fight your way through as many CPU opponents as you can.
– “TRIAL”: In this mode, each character has 10 tasks, which mainly focus on combos. By the time you complete all 10 tasks, you will have mastered some combos for that character.

・TUTORIAL:
Rose Bernstein, hostess of the tournament, will teach you the basic techniques as well as explain the gauges and their uses. First time KOF players should start here to get used to the game.

・CUSTOMIZE:
This mode allows you to edit your online profile and change character color palette. You can create a team to use online, add icons collected while playing, or enter a preset message that you want to use in your profile. For each character, you can make up to five custom color patterns. Show off your personality on the worldwide stage!

・OPTION:
A “GRAPHICS OPTION” feature, allowing the players to switch between different frame rates and simplify backgrounds, has been newly added.

Hands On:
This game has a lot of features, most of which were already in play on the consoles. The key one to note for fans of the series is the Steam Edition and only the Steam Edition has been given new netcode. The results are making the painful, often match killing lag that is faced regularly on the console a thing of the past on the PC. No more crashes whether you are playing someone next door or someone on the other side of the world, netcoding into Steam’s system makes the game feel like it is being played on one console. This is huge, a giant leap in the game’s improvement that takes it from a game played with friends on the couch to a true world challenge pool.

The gameplay is designed to work with a gamepad controller so it still feels like a console game even though it is on the PC. I have it set up on my laptop which means in the many airports I will be visiting during the Halloween season I can play this game anywhere, anytime. Add to this the ability to adjust graphics that the PC offers and this game just makes better sense on Steam than a console.

With the addition of the three DLC characters being available at launch the game’s roster is a staggering 36 characters, that is liable to keep you busy for quite a while. The tutorial is excellent for teaching new or returning players the ropes again so they feel at least a bit more comfortable jumping into play with global opponents and the game even has an interesting story.

Last Call:
KOF XIII has been around a while and has a fan following on the console but the smart player will make the shift to the Steam Edition if they can. The netcode and graphic’s adjustment are game changers and takes it’s online play from routinely frustrating to beautifully smooth. If you are a fan of fighting games this is a must play, if you are a fan of the series I should have had you at “new netcode.”
[easyreview title=”The King Of Fighters XIII Steam Edition Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]
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