Author - Ripper71

KingsRoad Review (PC/Browser)

2013/04/23

Just as they are celebrating 100,000 likes, we thought it a good time to talk about the Facebook browser launching game KingsRoad. A dungeon crawler with surprisingly good graphics, it is definitely a game to consider.

Description:

KingsRoad sets a new standard for gaming on Facebook! Embark on a journey across the kingdom of Alderstone to reclaim your land from the monstrous creatures that threaten it.

• Engage in brutal real-time combat, explore a robust loot and skill system, and battle towering bosses – all rendered in stunning 3D graphics!
• Discover powerful new skills as a knight, archer, or wizard. Switch between classes at any time!
• Team up with friends for 3-player co-op and defeat the forces of darkness together!
• The first action-RPG that fits your schedule – giving you a truly epic experience every time you open your browser!

Hands On:

There are certain expectations someone goes into a browser game with. I try to forget those because we should just judge a game not by it’s platform but on the game itself. That being said, when a game looks and acts much stronger than the platform it is on is known for producing, it should be recognized. That is definitely the case with KingsRoad, which has all the sophistication and visual quality of a standalone PC video game – albeit in a Facebook browser game format.

It is a solid dungeon crawler with nods to all the famous ones from over the years, complete with crafting systems and armor modification. It doesn’t really stand out from any of them in any particular way but it is a free browser based dungeon crawler and being able to play a Diablo like game on the go from any computer makes it stand out in its own way. The animations of the creatures are done very well, the voice acting is excellent, and the gameplay is smooth and completely lacking in glitches. KingsRoad is solidly built all around.

Now for the downside… In these modern days, players have gotten used to, and accepted, free to play/pay to win as a gaming model that is here to stay. Players decide how much a richer experience is worth to them and that is how much they invest in upping the quality of the game. In some cases this means purchasing simply vanity items such as a special mount or pet or silly hat. Then in other cases it means using real world money to get the best loots. KingsRoad is definitely in this last category. Opening chests in a dungeon crawler is a little like Christmas presents, you have waited to get to them and they often hold the best surprises and that is definitely true in KingsRoad. Unfortunately those chests all cost gems, which can be earned VERY slowly through the game or purchased with real life money. The chests can be as cheap as about 60 cents worth of real money or as expensive as over $10 each. When you consider the best loots come from these and each section of dungeon has at least one of these this adds up incredibly quick.

Then there are the “buy now” pop ups that happen constantly throughout the game. You get to a certain point and a pop up shows up that says “Buy this great deal now for this many gems! This is a one time offer, if you don’t buy it now you can’t later!” These are great deals if you want to spend money but, if you don’t, you will wish you had what if offered soon enough. Don’t worry though there will be another pop up soon to offer you something else for real world money. Don’t have much time to play? You can spend all your in-game gold to upgrade your smithing abilities only to find out it is going to take two and a half real world days before you can do that, unless you want to pay some real world money. There’s a theme going here and honestly I am not against developers making money and I understand supporting a game through microtransaction funding. There is a line where all the pop ups and real life money requests begin to detract from the game and it feels less like a game and more like an ad for a game and KingsRoad has done it more than any game I have seen.

Last Call:

If you are willing to pay plenty of money KingsRoad will be a great game to play, a standalone among browser based ones. If you are broke this game can still be fun but you have to look past lots of ads and ignore the chests you see along the road, especially the really shiny ones because those are not for you.

[easyreview title=”KingsRoad Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”2″ ] Our Rating Scores Explained

Vendetta Online Review (iOS)

2013/04/23

Ripper71

Mobile News, Mobile Review, News

For PC gamers this game probably rings a bell even if you haven’t played it. It has been around for about a decade and has been on my to play list for most of that time. I like a game with space battles, especially with ship customization, and Vendetta Online has built a reputation for this. Instead I got myself distracted by the games like Star Trek Online and the possibility of customizing my own Federation ship only to find their on-planet battles felt less exciting than the space battles. Fast forward a bit and the opportunity to try out Vendetta Online comes up, this time while I traveled on vacation with my iPad, and it is an opportunity I can’t pass up on.

Storyline:

The storyline is huge and rich, I don’t think it can be easily summed up into a couple of paragraphs but if you need at least a vague idea of what is in store there are different factions you can join, guilds you can join and create, all that developed over a long history. For the full chronicled storyline which details the fate of humanity from 2140 to 4432 follow this link and settle in for some nice reading.

Features:

Vendetta Online is a space MMORPG, including major gameplay elements of combat, trading, piracy, scavenging, and a variety of missions. As a pilot for one of the three major nations, you will control various space craft depending on the task at hand. An Atlas-class ship will allow you to carry large shipments of cargo to the best-paying customer, though you’d make easy prey for a pirate in a much lighter Vulture.

Gameplay:

The game first gives you two choices of controls, the thumb control setups that a lot of games use or motion control which can probably be as entertaining to watch someone play as it is to play itself. Long term the thumb control system is likely to give more end game PvP control but motion is much more fun to learn, a bit more challenging and feels more like a ships control. You quickly find yourself leaning and turning with the iPad and you need to be in a good sitting position with mobility otherwise this mode of gameplay will prove frustrating rather than entertaining. If you are resting go with the thumbs otherwise your rest will end quickly.

You are taken through a series of tutorials to give you basic understanding of running your ship as well as space battle and cargo collecting. To keep players learning the basics and getting a feel for the game there is very little customization to start with which is completely understandable though to a player somewhat familiar with the system model it is a bit frustrating. Having three different starship classes with very different builds on STO and then only being allowed to change out two sections of a single ship with only a couple of very small variations felt almost claustrophobic in gameplay. They just really want to make sure you master your gameplay before moving on and make sure that you feel you earned your new ships and upgrades but the process requires a decent amount of patience.

Those who have played full dimensional flying or underwater games will get a feel for the movement quick whether thumb or motion, but players should still take their time to master it because many of the NPC ships are pretty tough and when it comes to PvP there are players that have been around a long time and have mastered the nuances of space battle and are more than willing to take your cargo rather than earn their own. Pirates, privateers and just plain killers are out there in the galaxy and they probably have ships a lot better than your starting junker. In the beginning you are better off running when you see another player ship coming, and probably most NPCs when you start.

One of the great things about this game is the variety of choices you have in what roles you take. You can be in a guild or you can be a lone wolf, you can be a transporter, a space trucker of sorts and just haul things around. You can be a miner collecting the most valuable minerals or you can be a miner’s bodyguard, keeping them alive while they get the goods. Or you can get handy with the guns on your ship and make a name as a fighter throughout the universe. Play style is limited to your imagination and fancy. All players regardless of their platform are in the same continuous universe too so you can take your same ships for a run regardless of whether or not you are on your computer, your iPad or even your Ouya when it comes out.

Last Call:

Vendetta Online is a great, long haul play. It takes a little warming up and a bit of time investment to really get your ships up and running but it is worth it. Subscriptions are “lite” with level caps, guild limitations and ship building limits and only run $1 a month. Full subscriptions range from $9.99 or lower depending on the length purchased and give you uncapped, unlimited play. Whichever choice you go with it is a good deal and allows you to play the account on any of the system choices which makes it an amazing versatile subscription that someone could easily get their monies worth out of in the great wide open of space.

[easyreview title=”Vendetta Online Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ] Our Rating Scores Explained

StarForge Preview (PC)

2013/04/23

Ripper71

News, Previews, Windows PC Preview

First thing I always have to say is when previewing a game still in its alpha form is that this game is nowhere near what it will finally look like and could drastically change – for better or worse. Luckily, StarForge is definitely making a good start of things, which really is the key to a good game. If you start off wrong, you will wind up spending most of your time fixing core issues rather than adding solid features and content. The solid foundation has enabled them to make one of the strangest building games that, at a glance, seems bizarre but after some thought makes you wonder why you haven’t seen games like it before.

Features:

StarForge was inspired by Halo, Warcraft 3, Borderlands, Terraria, and Minecraft. It borrows elements from the RTS, FPS, RPG, Voxel Builder, Tower Defense, and Physics Sandbox genres. We are building a dark and serious universe and want the player to live out their own unique story on the procedural planet.

Storyline:

StarForge is a game about gathering resources, building bases, crafting anything you want, and surviving on an alien planet. Earth’s star is dying and humanity transferred as much technology and resources as possible and left on a one way mission to populate another planet.

Gameplay:

The gameplay is single or multiplayer though in the end it really plays the same, just more fun and maybe a little less stress with friends to share the work with. You are a soldier with a sweet gun. You start next to a vaguely creepy hatchery that looks like it is full of Venture Bros. clones just waiting to be thawed out and released upon this new world. I’m sure there will be some story to explain colonization and the whole universal pioneering spirit but at this point I’m fine with just dropping me off with a gun and a place to protect.

Now that you have this basic scenario you have a couple choices on how to play it. You can play by yourself building a nice little building, collecting supplies, making fortifications, building defenses in case someone or something decides it is going to come along and eat your vat of clones. Then when you are all done building you can call in an attack and see how good you did! This is nice because it feels vaguely like Minecraft with the whole SimCity destruction feature. Build it up then see how it fairs.

Another choice is you get dumped on a map with your vat and supplies and weapons rain down from the sky. As it rains goodness, nasty critters will come a calling looking for a vat snack pack and it is up to you to build defenses on the fly to keep the vats safe while collecting weapons and supplies. It gets a bit hairy but can be vastly entertaining. The role of vat eating critters can be filled by other teams of players as well who want your stuff while protecting their own. Kinda like the Hatfield and McCoys with less trees and more weapons.

First Round:

This is all still in alpha so things may get changed or added as it goes. The graphics are nice, the gameplay is very interesting and unique and you can tell it is a game for gamers by gamers just by all the sources they drew from for their inspiration. This is a game to watch, it could be one of those sleeper games like Minecraft that just captures a huge collection of gamers’ imaginations.

Trailer:

Power2U AC/USB Outlet Review

2013/04/05

Ripper71

News, Reviews, seal of excellence, Tech News, Tech Review

Tired of wall warts? Does company come over and raise a nose at your power pimples? Well Newer Technology claims to have the answer for you! No more do you have to decide whether or not to plug in your lamp and gaming console or charge your phone. For the ladies, is a curling iron or hair dryer filling your bathroom outlets giving you no charging port for your block-rockin’ beats? You need to look no further than the team at Newer Tech for a new lease on electronic life with their Power2U AC/USB outlet.

All info-jargon joking aside (boo!) what I am talking about is actually what should for all intents and purposes become as commonplace as the three prong outlet in every office and cubicle in the world in a few years. This may been like an exaggeration but sometimes a small thing that seems like a simple idea winds up being the next game changer. This invention should start the ball rolling.

Official Features:

The Newer Technology Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet is the convenient and energy-efficient in-wall solution for powering and charging USB devices. Now you can charge and/or power up to four devices at once when using the USB 3.0/2.0 ports and standard three-prong outlets, while eliminating unsightly clutter created by multiple cables and bulky power adapters.

Hands-On:

First off, you need to install the outlet, there is easy to follow documentation or an even easier to follow how-to video. Follow these instructions or have a person you trust follow the instructions to get the job done. As the instruction sheet says, permanent injury or death can occur and, as one who is a clutz, clumsy, and otherwise a danger to myself and others, I highly recommend you make sure to choose this person wisely. Once installed, anyone can use it and welcome the future.

When I mentioned “wall warts” or “power pimples” at the beginning of this review, I was referring the various types of USB charging adapters which vary in shapes and sizes. Almost all are ugly and they take up a lot of space – for that matter, some going as far as to block off two outlets worth of space! In offices, cubicles or just home computer rooms this outlet can revolutionize usage. Even in the case that you still need to charge more than two items, the outlets are now available to be used as you see fit. If employers don’t want devices plugged into the computer systems, this is a great solution. It also helps if the office or cubicle has limited outlet space that is already in-use. In the home environment, it may eliminate the need for outlet-splitters or light bars or, in our case, allow phones to be charged while playing on computers and tablets.

Last Call:

The Power2U AC/USB Outlet should, in the future, become a commonplace sight in offices and homes much like the three-prong grounded outlet replaced the two-prong variety. There may be some outlets located in places where it’s not entirely needed but deciding that when the plates become common would be like deciding whether to use three-prongs as opposed to-two: A non-issue. I look forward to extension cords or outlet covers that plug into both the outlets on the plate and add the USB slots and reviewing them when they arrive. This isn’t just “Newer Technology”, this is also the future of technology in the present day. Using this outlet was so effortless and it became a mainstay in my USB power needs – so, we are awarding it our Seal of Excellence. Congrats, Newer Technology!

[easyreview title=”Power2U AC/USB Outlet Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ] Our Rating Scores Explained

Anomaly 2 Preview (PC/Beta)

2013/03/21

Ripper71

News, Previews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Preview

While the game is currently in beta and still needs to get lots of work done to polish the mechs and oil the scales, 11 bit Studios has given us a taste of what’s to come with their Anomaly 2. I pride myself on playing real time strategy games – every one I can get my hands on and, for the most part, the differences between them tend not to be the game mechanics but, simply, the story that unfolds or, in some cases, the player create throughout the game. The games basically follow a formula as straight forward as a tower defense to a micromanaged economy with variations in between. Surprises are few and far between, so it is nice to preview a game that had me wondering what would happen next right up until the end.

Storyline:

In the years following the invasion of Earth in 2018, the planet is overrun by alien machines. Humankind is on the verge of extinction. Banded together in huge convoys, they search the frozen tundra for food and supplies. Since the war, the roles have been reversed: now our species seems to be the Anomaly on a machine-controlled planet. Your convoy, Commander, is called Yukon.

Features:

Anomaly 2 is a real-time strategy game that takes the tower offense concept from Anomaly Warzone Earth to a new level. Maintaining the core concepts of the original – tactical planning and the on-field Commander to support troops in combat – Anomaly 2 introduces a number of important new features:

Morph your troops into war mechs to discover the new face of strategy: each unit has a different mech form with various abilities to help you overcome specific combat situations.
Engage in a multiplayer experience unique to Anomaly 2: tower defense vs. tower offense. Play as the towers and destroy the humans or lead the humans to annihilate the alien towers.
Fight across a post-apocalyptic world in a new single-player campaign that offers a more intense strategy experience than the acclaimed original.
Carve your own path to victory and create your ultimate battle squad. With over million tactical combinations to build your squad, your options in combat are nearly endless.
Dive into a beautifully rendered world, thanks to the team’s new and improved visual engine.
Experience alternative endings dependent upon your approach to enemy machines in the campaign.

Hands On:

In the game’s official description, it mentions the on-field Commander that was introduced in the first game. If you didn’t play the first game, this will be a unique experience in and of itself. Normally, when it comes to command roles in an RTS, it boils down to clicking units on the screen and directing them where to go. In the tradition of tower defense games, the route through most of the levels is determined by carefully laid-out terrain and trails. Again in the tower defense tradition, these trailer are lined with proximity tower locations. One nice thing is that any location that can have a variation on path, any intersection or fork in the road you can determine which route your convoy will take right up until the moment they hit it, to the point of even creating a closed loop if you want to allow range weapons to work on an enemy such as circling a block with your artillery while hitting one of the enemies a couple blocks up. Strategy plays heavily into the routing aspect as well as the unit choice and unit form choice, everything from range to rate of fire affect the outcome. This strategy allows players to replay a map several times by selecting different units, different forms, and different routes to maximize speed, damage, and achievements.

The real difference in this game is in the on-field Commander and how he changes up the possibilities with his ever-growing variety of skills. For example, your units are cruising along through the rubble of New York City, fighting off mechanized insects as they pop up and attack on the side of the road. All the while, you have a unit known as the Commander running, yes running, through the debris and alleyways as fast as he can healing your units while messing with the enemy ones all controlled by you. To a degree, most tower defense games you set up your units and send them into the grinder but, in this one, you are constantly manually controlling the Commander around the field. Do you use your energy to throw a heal bubble on the road in front of your artillery that took damage in the last attack or do you sprint ahead and lay down decoys that will temporarily distract the enemies so they will delay hitting your forces? Do you spend your energy setting off an EMP to temporarily shut down an enemy unit or do you change to wide map, adjust your convoy’s directions to buy yourself time to repair them and transform their forms? Unlike most tower defense games where you have built what you have built and it is time to see how it faces the enemy, your Commander abilities keep you constantly making adjustments and changes. If you want a breather you need to either pause the game or route your forces through some undefended area because otherwise you are dealing with an unusual hybrid: A micromanaging tower defense game.

First Round:

I like this game already even with having only played the early build they provided. I was constantly looking forward to the next commander upgrade and to find out what I could do with it, thinking outside standard strategy to get things done in a unique way. My on-field Commander must have been on some serious energy drinks because I had him running all over the map and I was constantly popping from close map to wide routing map. I have always loved a good tower defense and RTS management game but this hybrid definitely had me coming back for more. Anomaly 2, this commander waits for your release impatiently.

Sherlock Holmes: Awakened (iOS)

2013/03/21

Ripper71

Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Reviews

If you thought this game would be a great family friendly adventure like some other puzzle/adventure titles, you would be WRONG. Unless you want your kid to have nightmares, don’t get this for your family. Some of you still will, the same parents I see at R rated horror movies with their brood creating the next generation of adults who blame their parents for all their neurosis, in this case somewhat justified. Now, that being said, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a great, dark tale where the famous sleuth probably wished he was in the “Hound of the Baskervilles”, which seem like Scooby Doo in comparison.

Graphics And Sound:

The game’s visual style and graphics are decent, but not great. The biggest visual disappointment being the low poly counts. However, the recent HD detail upgrade to the environments is spot-on and definitely increases the game’s visual quality. The sound is very solid with good voice acting and I highly recommend playing this in a dark room with a headset on because the audio is really immersive. If you let go of the graphic issues and go with the story and let yourself get taken up in it, you’ll find the game afoot quick enough!

Controls And POV:

The controls were a bit clunky at first and I found that playing in first person point of view was much more immersive than the third person. However, third person controls seemed easier to get the hang of. Cut scenes will often “pop” the camera to 3rd person regardless on your choice but, once I got used to the controls, I was hooked on the first person view all the way. The clunky controls are really not much worse than most first person games suffer from when getting ported onto the platform, so stick with it.

Storyline:

The famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his trusted assistant, Dr. Watson, are investigating a mysterious kidnapping case. Almost immediately, they are confronted by a formidable organization that worships a primal god: Cthulhu. This bloodthirsty sect seems to be ready to do anything in order to carry out its mysterious work against which only the great detective has the strength to fight. It is up to you to uncover the threat that is menacing humankind; It is up to you to stop the activities of this organization! The game’s story melds Holmes’ rationalism with H.P. Lovecraft’s supernaturalism quite masterfully, and “The Awakened” leads you from the undergrounds of London to the isolated summits of Switzerland. From the sweltering bayou of New Orleans to the dense Scottish fog… Guaranteed thrills.

Hands On:

This game is so wonderfully creepy. It is definitely the cross between an Arthur Conan Doyle classic Holmes with a supernatural world right out of Lovecraft, and it is unflinchingly-dark. You get used to doing the puzzles and receiving a cool and informative cut scene as a reward when, suddenly, a cutscene will happen that makes you stop a second and go “whoa” then “ew” in the same breath. At one point or another, I have read all of Doyle’s cases he created for Holmes so I am extremely sensitive to tone in story telling when it comes to the famous sleuth.

This is one of the ways this game is different from many of the puzzle games of a similar feel and look. Most of them rely on hidden objects and pictures and while you do have to examine a room it is to find the clues not a random group of items with the clue among them. The other thing they rely a lot on is moving puzzle piece games to solve an issue where this game only uses this technique to pick locks, otherwise it is all about sleuthing. So you look at a room, see a book on a table and the book might have a bunch of symbols. Quite a while later in the game you may come across those symbols and more at a doorway and it is up to you to remember you saw it and check your journal to figure out which symbols and order to push. You see a corpse, you can zoom into the area around the hand but then you have to take the magnifying glass and move it around the hand until it lets you know it discovered a clue, often the one you were looking for yourself.

In this sense of the game is really the key to how it plays out a bit different than most games of it’s type. Usually you are the character solving the puzzles which solve the mysteries and the case. At a couple points you do seem to take on the persona but you don’t make the deductions, it is always Holmes or Watson, your sole job is discovering clues that can be addressed in cutscenes. It strangely makes you feel like a third party at times which I almost wish were the case, as though due to some issue a constable was supposed to tag along on the case due to some legality and it was himself rather than Watson bearing witness to the whole case and the craft of Holmes. True that would be a departure from Doyle, but I think a welcome one.

Final Call:

This is not for families! This is an adult, dark, and clever Sherlock Holmes adventure and should be enjoyed in the comfort of a quiet, empty house, in a dark room, with the volume up high.

[easyreview title=”Sherlock Holmes: Awakened Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″] Our Rating Scores Explained

StarCraft II: Heart Of The Swarm Review (PC)

2013/03/15

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

Heart of the Swarm, the second in the StarCraft II trilogy of games, had me amped from the moment I heard its title announced. StarCraft is a franchise that prides itself on cutting-edge gameplay, great graphics, and terrific storylines. Sure, there are plenty out there who are only into the StarCraft series for the strong and often extremely challenging multiplayer aspect. Afterall, the first game in the series coined and added the phrase “zerging” to the gamer’s lexicon. These multiplayer-only gamers might not care about campaigns or storylines. Thankfully, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is robust enough to satiate the appetites of both kinds of RTS gamers. Me, I wanted to hear more about the Queen Of Blades, Kerrigan!

Storyline:

The Opening Cinematic:

I mean, holy crap, right? When they released the opening cinematic, I wanted the game right then and there – no more waiting. Kerrigan, no longer the Queen Of Blades, laid out on some medical table in a Terran facility! Anyone who finished StarCraft II: Wings of Lberty saw Jim Raynor carrying a human-looking, naked Kerrigan off into the sunset, so the Queen Of Blades getting her humanity back isn’t a spoiler at all, but her becoming a lab rat? And what did the dream mean? And how about that squished marine or the battlecruiser crashing? Without giving anything away, the storyline is great fun. It is a tad predictable in some spots, but terrific otherwise and the cinematics are so visually-stunning that goosebumps often stop by to watch.

Features:

New weapons of war also debut in Heart of the Swarm’s multiplayer, including new units such as Terran Hellbats, Zerg Swarm Hosts, and Protoss Tempests, while certain existing units from Wings of Liberty will be updated with new capabilities. New features will enhance the game experience, including group and clan systems; unranked matchmaking; Global Play, enabling players to battle others in different regions around the world; additional stat tracking; user interface improvements; an enhanced physics system, for more visceral looking battles; multiplayer replays, to watch replays with friends; a leveling system that gives Heart of the Swarm players a new way to earn customization options for their online profiles; and much more.

An all-new, Zerg-based campaign, that focuses on Kerrigan, the erstwhile ‘Queen of Blades’
Access to approximately 20 new missions
The release of new StarCraft II units and new maps
Improvements to Battle.net, including StarCraft Marketplace, timed to coincide with the release of Heart of the Swarm
New multiplayer options, including group and clan systems, unranked matchmaking, global play enabling players to battle others in different regions around the world, multiplayer replays, additional stat tracking, and others
A leveling system that gives Heart of the Swarm players a new way to earn customization options for their online profiles
PC and Mac system compatibility ensures that everyone can play

Hands On:

I dove into the game like an eager puppy with a new chew toy. I watched opening cinematic, started my new campaign, and didn’t stop for about 10 hours with the exception of a small chunk of time where I wolfed some food down and stretch my legs to keep from getting blood clots. This was my life for three days, just add in two visits to the gym. My eyes are still a bit tender from staring at the screen for so many hours at a time. The “just one more mission” excuse went by the wayside quickly as I knew only double vision and mental exhaustion would send me to bed to just wake with a start the next morning and settle in at the computer. My back is sore and I will no doubt spend the weekend convalescing, but it was worth it. First though, I must tell you why…

StarCraft and StarCraft II have, pretty much, set the bar for all other real-time strategy games to follow in terms of mechanics and gameplay. There are some RTS games where story is paramount, and these games often boil down to micromanaging an economy. Others barely have a story – in some cases, there is no real tale except “blue versus red” with battle over management in play. Still, others have almost no management and play is barely present in order just to tell a story. In all honesty, these will all appeal to a certain type of gamer and make them plenty happy. The trick with StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is that it gives you the option to do any or all of these as much as you want in one game. It has a balance of them all as its natural state but you can by play the style and settings make the game fit you, instead of adapting to the game’s. Heart of the Swarm maintains the series legacy while at the same time upping the ante.

For example, besides having the usual weapons, vehicles, and building upgrades through research, there are additional customizations that are permanent. You might be given the choice to make zerglings explode into mini zerglings upon death or make it so that zerglings can jump up plateaus – you can only pick one and, once you pick, that is it from then on. At the same time, your zerglings have a choice of three upgrades that will increase attack, defense, or health and can be changed before each mission for whatever conditions you expect them to be in. All your battle units have both the permanent as well as changeable traits that can really impact your gameplay and mission success. Kerrigan doesn’t get the permanent traits but, instead, gets ever-increasing choices of upgrades as she levels, which can be changed at the beginning of any mission. By the times she is fully leveled the number of choices are staggering.

Some might be concerned about the fact that there are only 2 new missions if they only play the campaign mode. The campaign missions are long and the possibility of playing through using different trait and upgrade choices makes them highly re-playable If a person is more of a multiplayer gamer, then they have nothing to worry about as the game comes with a multiplayer trainer to make sure a player has their game up to par before even getting into actual PvP. Additionally, there are ranked, unranked, and ability matching systems to try to make the most of your online experience. There will probably still be some trolls who fudge their abilities tests on purpose so they can stomp on newbies but, hopefully, with the system in place this will be less common. The only player who might feel a little shorted is the storyline player because, once played through, the storyline doesn’t really change. Also, there isn’t an option to make moral choices for the characters, which is probably the only thing lacking in the game. Most deep storylines in games these days have the player make choices which send the player down different paths like the classic “Choose Your Own Adventure” books. In this case, Blizzard decided they have a story they want to tell with this franchise and it will be one story over several games. It is a great story, so personally I have no problem with that. Missions allow for some degree of choice, you can let a ton of enemies live in a rush to the objective or you can take your time and wipe them from the map if you want. Personally, I like to take my time and build an armada, but for the sake of reviewing a few times I did make a race through enemy lines to my objective.

Blizzard Special Editions:

I think I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the things you get from the Heart of the Swarm special editions because they don’t just enhance your StarCraft experience. I picked up the digital deluxe edition so that I could get a baneling battle pet for World of Warcraft, character wings, special banner symbols for Diablo 3, and special portraits and decals for StarCraft online play. The physical collector’s editions included such things as a mouse pad, art book and soundtrack as well as the aforementioned digital benefits. The thing to consider is a special edition of any of these three Blizzard titles comes with items for the other two making the investment effect more of your Blizzard gaming universe.

Last Call:

My eyes are even more bleary and my back more sore, but I have a smile on my face as I get ready to spend a couple days in bed recovering watching television. I will occasionally play some low concentration games on the PC and finish up some iOS review titles I need to wrap up. I am by no means done with Heart of The Swarm – I WILL play it again and maybe again and I will suffer zergings online while I build my armadas and, maybe, on occasion make a move that catches my opponent off-guard. I may not be the fastest-clicking player in StarCraft, but I am crafty and wily – a play style that should never be underestimated and that I will continue to hone as I play this well crafted game.
[easyreview title=”StarCraft II: Heart Of The Swarm Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

MechWarrior: Tactical Command (iOS)

2013/03/15

Ripper71

Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Reviews, Screenshots / Photos

When I think of MechWarrior and the BattleTech universe in general I think of manning the inside of a cockpit, blasting missiles, strafing while watching my armor change colors and sometimes getting toasted instead of doing the toasting. This is all great but there is much more to the BattleTech verse than cockpit view battles, it also produces some great RTS games like MechWarrior: Tactical Command that just found itself a place on iOS. Pick it up today for $.99 (normally $3.99)

Storyline:

Set during the chaotic events of the 3050 Clan Invasion; command the mechwarriors of Winfield’s Regiment as they struggle to defend the Federated Commonwealth from the onslaught of Clan Jade Falcon.

The storyline has a lot of depth and solid cutscenes and voice acting, especially for an iOS game which tends to skip a bit on cutscenes, story and graphics to allow for the platform. This skips on nothing.

Description:

MechWarrior: Tactical Command uses a simple multi-touchscreen and top-down game play model. This allows players an overhead view of the battle field so they can strategically control and lead a lance of MechWarriors to victory.

Features:

– Stunning cut-scenes and graphics optimized for iOS 6 with retina display

– Now a universal app with iCloud integration across iOS devices

– Full camera rotation within the 3D environment

– Real time tactics and unique game controls

– Authenticity to the original BattleTech universe and beloved board game

– 21 unique missions across three planets

– Three difficulty modes and complete customization for resources, technology, weaponry and BattleMech upgrades

Hands On:

I was hooked right off the bat with the solid quality of the graphics both on the iPhone and iPad. Since the game was primarily designed for the iPad I thought that playing it on my phone while waiting for my iPad to charge would be a bit painful. I was so pleasantly surprised that I found myself playing for hours on my phone before remembering I was supposed to be reviewing it mainly on the iPad. Actually part of me prefers it on the iPhone because of the portability that it allows that you just don’t quite get on the iPad. I have my phone with me EVERYWHERE and that means this game was constantly at my finger tips.

The graphics looked like a PC game which let’s face it is nice but useless if the game has other problems. The controls certainly weren’t a problem, the touch responsiveness was spot on and most controls were intuitive so the only thing I had to look up was how to repair, you can only do this one unit at a time and only that unit should be selected. Selecting is a breeze because the HUD has all your units in the upper right hand corner, tapping on them selects and deselects them. It also has a full map in the lower right corner which includes a moving field for your view location and damage indicators both on your unit symbols in the corner and on all the units both friendly and enemy in the field. In some ways I actually liked the controls better on this platform than the PC since there are no hot keys to memorize just action wheels that appear at the different possible action locations and menus.

Don’t think though that because the controls are simplified the game is easy. Even on lower difficulties this game is a challenge and requires a lot of management and strategy. Particularly when you hit around the 5th mission or so and you find that you can win a mission without completing all the objectives but if you are objective obsessive like myself you might be playing the same mission several times trying to get the every success. Though I wore a headset to take in the dynamic sound I’m sure some pretty decent cussing was heard rooms away.

It takes a while into the missions before you can customize your loadouts or have different mechs to work with but they are worth the wait, this makes it so that you concentrate on the early levels on the mechanics and strategy rather than builds too. The missions really mix it up to so even though you can’t make the mechs to your specs you still keep enthralled.

Last Call:

This game is a no brainer for fans on the BattleTech universe and RTS players alike. MechWarrior: Tactical Command has great graphics, great gameplay and an interesting storyline, all done on iOS with solid controls. Pick this one up quick because at midnight PST it goes from $.99 t0 $3.99, which if you miss the deadline is still a great deal for hours of gameplay.

[easyreview title=”MechWarrior: Tactical Command Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Gameplay Trailer:

Rochard Hard Times DLC Pack Review (PC)

2013/03/05

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

When Rochard came out back in November of 2011, I was the one lucky enough to get it to review. Even though it has been over a year, I still remembered the game fondly and was more than happy to give the game another play with the release of the new “Hard Times” DLC pack. In researching the DLC, I found out that it was made in response to some fans complaints which put forth that Rochard, though a fun and engaging game, was just a little “too easy.” The title of this DLC pack, “Hard Times”, refers to the insane difficulty and strategy that these new levels represent – so, instead of just another visit with the old cast in some new adventures, I knew I was going to find myself struggling to complete five levels. Thanks a lot fellow fans… 😉

Description:

Rochard features a modest hero, nefarious villains, big explosions, even bigger stunts and hilarious one-liners. The game allows players to change gravity at will to solve environmental puzzles and advance through each level. By using the main tool of the game, the upgradable G-Lifter, players can lift and maneuver boxes and heavy objects around the environment and can eventually swing, jump and propel themselves huge distances throughout each level.

Storyline:

John Rochard, leader of the lowest producing team of astro-miners the Skyrig Corporation ever employed, accidentally discovers an ancient alien structure hidden deep in an asteroid, thus proving mankind isn’t alone in the universe. Soon afterwards, John’s team goes missing without a trace and he finds himself stranded on the asteroid and under attack by space bandits. John quickly realizes that dangerous forces are at work, determined to use the discovery for their own sinister means…

Features:

5 long Chapters crammed with fast-paced platforming action and mind-bending puzzles based on gravity
A beautifully crafted cartoonish visual style, rich with humor and personality
Incredible items able to influence gravity and grab, swing and throw objects to solve puzzles or get rid of enemies
A groovy soundtrack composed by Markus “Captain” Kaarlonen from Poets of the Fall, mixing southern rock/blues and 80′s inspired electronic music
The legendary performance of Jon St. John as the voice of protagonist John Rochard
The most advanced use of the Unity engine in a videogame

Hard Times:

The new content includes four new, incredibly challenging puzzle levels: ‘Container Chaos’, ‘Shaft Shuffle’, ‘Brainyard’ and ‘Assembly Line’ – all of which are designed to use the existing game mechanics, with an emphasis on puzzle-solving as opposed to combat, and offers a difficult test for even the most experienced players.

Hands On:

They decided to really, really make this game hard as hell just because of you super fans! I would get through one room, get all excited (maybe a little smug, thinking “this can’t stop me”) then the next room stops me for almost an hour. Now, complain as I might, this isn’t a bad thing, this is what super fans of a game like this want! They thrive on sitting in a game at one side of the room trying to figure out how the heck to make it to the other side. It’s addictive, and the “one more try at it” attitude it created took what was supposed to be half hour gaming session and turned it into an “uh oh, the sun is coming up” one. When I saw it had only four levels, I was figuring a quick evening play. Thankfully, there are lots of checkpoints in the new rooms, but they are usually located after more than one of the brain teasers. If one of the brain teasers is lethal or unsolvable after making a mistake, going back is the only way.

Another boon of this DLC is the fact that you have to use just about every game mechanic from the base game, often one right after the other or even more than one at once. So, if one of your favorite parts was, say, the trapeze (it always makes me feel like a super version of Pitfall Harry) you can spend extra time playing around on them in the challenge that involves them before solving the puzzle. I had to do a refresher look at the controls at one point because I had forgotten a couple and I knew there was something else needed to solve that room, this DLC uses every control at one point or another.

Last Call:

Hard Times is for hardcore players of Rochard who felt the game was a little too easy or just want to revisit the game in a very hard way. When you think you are doing great and being clever, that is when you realize that the developers just wanted you to feel that good feeling for a brief moment before they beat you over the head with a puzzle so hard it almost causes cerebral hemorrhaging (actually, I think my brain may be bleeding now). If you are one of the people who like the puzzles harder the better or just love Rochard enough to let it give you a hard time, this is definitely the game for you.

[easyreview title=”Rochard ‘Hard Times’ DLC Pack Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”3″] Our Rating Scores Explained

Crysis 3 Hunter Edition Review (PC)

2013/02/25

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

When it came time to review Crysis 3, the whole Gaming Shogun crew got excited. That is, until they took a minute to look at the required specs to run it! At that point, it was just down to the Chief and I. His rig wins out, but his schedule keeps him just busy enough that I got the honor. Heck, I had to double check to make sure I could play it, a mistake I learned from the first Crysis arriving on PC and my old rig not quite being up to the task. I could play a little on the lowest setting with the knowledge that I would no doubt crash regularly. When it comes to this franchise, more than just about any other, they believe in taking full advantage of the graphic possibilities the PC platform can provide. As a result, not everyone can play this game, but those that can are in for an amazing visual treat.

Storyline:

Return to the fight as Prophet, the Nanosuit soldier on a quest to rediscover his humanity. Adapt on the fly with the stealth and armor abilities of your unique Nanosuit as you battle through the seven wonders of New York’s Liberty Dome. This is one of the few times I feel I have to chime in and say that this really simplifies a much deeper story than their description Sometimes in shooters such as this the story really is paper thin and simply a premise for battle, but I watched the cutscenes wishing I had some popcorn, the voice acting was good and the story, even if you can predict the twists, is really enjoyable.

Features:

Suit Up! Use the enhanced Nanosuit to Assess, Adapt, and Attack every situation and experience tactical freedom in the premiere , sandbox First Person Shooter game.

Assume the role of Prophet in a campaign to save mankind against human and alien forces in the challenging environments of the NYC Liberty Dome. Hunt with your Nanosuit Online in 8 Multiplayer Modes including the new, thrilling Hunter and fan favorite, Crash Site modes.

A dangerous new world demands fearsome weapons like the new, Predator Bow or the deadly Typhoon Projectile Minigun. If human technology doesn’t suit you, go for high-tech alien weaponry including the devastating Ceph Plasma Destroyer or the merciless Reaper Cannon.

Powered by CryENGINE 3, Crysis 3 delivers visually stunning graphics and a varied sandbox gameplay experience unmatched by any other First Person Shooter.

1 City. 7 Wonders. Explore a futuristic, urban rainforest set in New York City with 7 unique, sandbox environments.

Hunter Edition Includes:

Predator Bow
Recon Arrow
Hunter Nanosuit Module
Level 5 XP Headstart in MP
3 Unique Dog Tags

Requirements:

Minimum:

Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8
DirectX 11 graphics card with 1Gb Video RAM
Dual core CPU
2GB Memory (3GB on Vista)
Example 1 (Nvidia/Intel):
Nvidia GTS 450
Intel Core2 Duo 2.4 Ghz (E6600)
Example 2 (AMD):
AMD Radeon HD5770
AMD Athlon64 X2 2.7 Ghz (5200+)

Recommended:

Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8
DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB Video RAM
Quad core GPU
4GB Memory
Example 1 (Nvidia/Intel):
Nvidia GTX 560
Intel Core i5-750
Example 2 (AMD):
AMD Radeon HD5870
AMD Phenom II X4 805

High Performance:

Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8

Latest DirectX 11 graphics card
Latest quad core CPU
SLI / Crossfire configurations will run even better
8GB Memory
Example 1 (Nvidia/Intel):
NVidia GTX 680
Intel Core i7-2600k
Example 2 (AMD):
AMD Radeon HD7970
AMD Bulldozer FX4150

Hands-On:

I resigned myself early-on to the idea of game crashes, even though I was running above minimum specs. The CryEngine 3 is a demanding mistress that always wants more. Thankfully, the game is built with lots of checkpoints, quite often before and after action in case the absolutely next level amazing graphics and combat just give your system a knockout punch. This meant it was seldom that you found yourself really far back in a level from a game crash or nano suit operator error (aka death). It also meant that the loading of the last checkpoint is usually much shorter than the average game as well, so that you don’t lose your rhythm when you lose your pulse.

A couple of the things I have always felt to be important in a computer system are its monitor and graphics card. My Samsung monitor has a 5,000,000 to 1 contrast ratio (compared to the average 30,000 to 1) and so the detail was better than most screenshots I have seen or the most detailed conceptional art. You see the pores on the character’s skins, you see more colors in a few minutes of play than you see all day. It was completely immersive and I had a hard time watching television on regular screens after it.

Of course, a game can look beautiful and still be boring to play. Luckily, Crysis 3 is a pleasure to play and even better with the “Hunter Edition” additions. The story-line is excellent and engaging in Campaign mode and the multiplayer maps are very solid. All the great additions to the game from the Hunter Pack, which includes starting with a level 5 character in multiplayer, all work great and the game is as sexy looking as you can hope a game to be. I could keep going, breaking down the pros and cons of each weapon. Weapons like the Typhoon, a new hell on wheels weapon that destroys everything in its path yet burns through ammo in seconds. However, testing out the game’s various weapons and making the decision to use a particular one is worth playing the game for. The trial and error is a lot of destructive fun.

Last Call:

If your PC can run this game, play this game! It is an excellent example of a first person shooter: The weapons are fun, multiplayer maps are well-designed, and the additions from the Hunter Edition are all great. Have I also mentioned this game is gorgeous? Crysis 3 is a game worth playing just to see how nice a PC game can look. What’s more, this will surely become the new benchmark for video game graphics soon, so you may want to pick up whatever PC upgrades you need and reward yourself with some Crysis 3.

[easyreview title=”Crysis 3 Hunter Edition – PC Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Trailer: