Author - Ripper71

Dead Island: Riptide Review (PC)

2013/04/30

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

It’s seldom that a game review causes me trouble. I play ALL kinds of games so I can be called on at a moment’s notice give a review from the standpoint of an everyman. I’m not bragging, I am simply admitting that I am a video game addict and have used my addiction to the benefit of others. So, as Dead Island: Riptide was coming in I tried not to pay too much attention to opinions one way or the other, just looking forward to giving it a go. Then, like a real riptide, I couldn’t help but get dragged into reading scores of negative opinions on the game. This isn’t the first time I have seen such an outcry from gamers (you poor “Colonial Marines”), but its vigor and quick deterioration into name-calling and slurs of all sorts towards the game seems quite massive. I even read one article calling it a “colostomy bag” (well the more graphic “bag of s…”). So, after multiple play sessions, trying to be objective, I hope to quiet some angry voices out there. Or, at the very least lead them to thought-filled cries rather than simple, mindless yelling.

Storyline:

Dead Island: Riptide picks up where the original storyline ends: A helicopter ride to safety. This of course fails dramatically and the survivors wind up back on a zombie zoo of an island, fighting to stay alive. None of this is a secret surprise, it has been in the trailers and should for everyone involved be a pretty good sign of what to expect story and gameplay wise. If someone’s complaint is they didn’t want some of the same old gameplay as the original game they should have kept an eye on the media, it let you know you were going through this mess all over again.

Graphics And Sound:

I haven’t heard any complaints about this and don’t really expect to. Particularly on the PC with the setting cranked to high this game is visually-gorgeous. You could play the menu screen on as a relaxation/meditation scene if you wanted to while listening to the calming sounds of the water and wildlife. From there, the graphics are all gore and splatter and the music and sounds are intense and nerve-racking – but, that is what you want in a game like this!

Gameplay:

The game begins with some training missions in case you forgot how the game played or hadn’t played the first. It gives you some good weapons to start with – just don’t get too attached to them. Once you get back to the island you start out with some crappy weapons. This may have pissed off plenty of the players or the fact that this was definitely more like a continuation on the first game, back at the grinding away and looting to level, weapons upgrades coming at a slow pace.

“Grinding” is a process that some players feel like is earning their way in a game. Still, others see it just as a way to lengthen and dull a game in lieu of quality content. This can bring out fervent opinions in gamers and be the deciding factor if they love or hate a video game. For Dead Island: Riptide, I “shout” this: IF YOU DO NOT LIKE GRINDING, DON’T PLAY THIS GAME. I hate using all caps, especially for more than one word, but it really is an important and summarizing point. This game is designed to make you work your ass off so you can have a shovel with a burning rag wrapped around it. Don’t expect to come out of the gate loaded down with bombs and harpoons and who knows what else. This game is one of the biggest grinding games I have ever seen, and it can make the game painfully repetitive if that is not your thing, literally to the point that zombie killing might not be fun anymore! I know it i hard to believe that someone in a pre-zombie apocalypse society feels this way. However, grinding can indeed make some people get bored of using a baseball bat to crush an zombie’s skull in, hoping it will drop a nail or battery or roll of duct tape. Some have gone so far as to say they would rather bash in their own heads (Ed. Note: The GamingShogun.com legal team recommends you do NOT do this).

On the subject of repetition there did seem to be a bit too great of a distance for NPCs to register the player’s presence and start saying their lines. When you walk into Survivor HQ and almost every single NPC, regardless of distance, starts chiming in at you, it gets a little crazy. I found myself yelling at the screen for them to stop, which is a little embarrassing when you are wearing headsets and have no idea someone has walked in behind you and started laughing at you. If I hadn’t been using a headset, I am pretty sure I would have been kicked out of the house and been gaming on the porch – especially when meeting Pierre, oh Pierre… You did not help international relations and I heard you the first couple dozen times you yelled for help.

Multiplayer on the PC platform was very hit or miss when it came to enjoyment. The “join” system brought a stranger into the game I was playing and they started a quest and completed it before I could stop looking in trash cans and get to the boss fight. This was amazingly frustrating. It got so that I felt I had to dodge every other player until along came a random, high level individual who took me under his wing and showed me around, including some secret spots. We laughed and had a blast and, at the end, he friended me so we could run together again. If there had been level screening I would never have met him and had so much fun. On the other hand, I also wouldn’t have had a quest ruined for me earlier, so it is kind of a hard call. Having friends to play with is the best option with an open slot, you can vote to kick someone if they are trouble so you might want more than one vote.

Last thing really to mention is that you find yourself on missions running back and forth between a base of operations over the same ground. I would kinda expect that to be the case when on an island, only so many places to go, so many places to do quests. I could see some people finding this as repetitive as the grinding, going over the same ground but much like the grinding it was no real surprise.

Last Call:

I tried to point out where people would have reasons not to like the game and these are a lot of the same reasons people would like the game. If you like grinding and don’t mind running over the same ground this would be a game for you, one you would probably defend fiercely. If you hate grinding you would probably hate it with a passion and all that stand by it. Me? Ask me over a pint if I like it or not. Good drink makes for good arguments, not message boards.

[easyreview title=”Dead Island: Riptide Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”3″ ] Our Rating Scores Explained

Edifier Predator 2.1 Speaker System Review (Tech)

2013/04/28

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

Most people, particularly us gamers and technophiles, labor under the illusion that we need a large, megawatt speaker system to enjoy our computer entertainment experience. We hook up lots of speakers with a gigantic subwoofer and some trademarked, proprietary sound experience then settle in our chair and get ready for the ride. What does that ride consist of in most cases? That sound system set to no more than halfway up and most of that experience lost. We live in an ever-shrinking world where we have to be considerate of the neighbors because so many of us live in apartments, condos, duplexes or houses with no side borders! We often work different shifts in the same household to make ends meet or cover childcare so consideration of disturbing others really plays into effect in the same house, especially if someone is watching television in the next room. So, more often than not, we probably can do just as well with a smaller speaker system that has excellent reproduction at lower audio levels and maybe a stylish flair. These are some of the best ways to describe the Edifier speaker line and the Predator 2.1 is a solid example of it.

Features:

Downward firing 5 inch subwoofer and one 2 inch front firing full-range driver in each satellite
One 2 inch passive radiator in each satellite for enhanced audio output
Angled satellites for enhanced sound projection
Auxiliary input port for versatile connectivity to external devices
Master volume and on/off dial located on the top of the subwoofer with blue halo indicator light
Separate bass adjustment control for bass output
All speaker drivers are magnetically shielded
Universal 100V-240V power supply

Hands On:

I was tempted to have a section called “Eyes On” because the first thing you notice about the Edifier Predator is its sci-fi looks. This look is something Edifier is really known for, if you do a search for “Edifier speakers” in the image section of the search engine of your choice, you will find some of the most unusual and diverse looking speakers on the market. If you are a nerd of the sci-fi variety, the moment you see the word “predator” you immediately think of the humanoid hunter who took some shots at our one-time “Governator”. The system does resemble the top head plate on the Predator armor quite a bit but it reminded me more of their nemesis species: the Xenomorphs, with their frontal dome (actually, most of H.R. Giger’s work which involved humanoids have this dome frontal feature). Either way, before you even get close enough to give it a listen, the Predator makes an impression of futuristic style – especially since it is designed to be on the desktop instead of under it like a lot of speakers on the market.

Of course, a speaker system can look amazing but without quality sound you might as well have bought an H.R. Giger art piece. Luckily, the system has excellent sound quality to back its looks. The reproduction of everything from music to video games to movies all come through clearly with the bass being very noticeable and clear at lower and above average levels without distortion. The speakers make up for not being a 5.1 channel system by being very directional. If the sound isn’t designed to be coming from the left or the right, it sounds like it is coming from right where you are at instead of all around the room. Cheaper sound systems send the sound everywhere – not only making the stereo separation less effective due to overlap, but it also creates noise pollution requiring you to turn the sound down even more. The Predator’s directional precision enables you to turn the sound up louder with less of a chance of disturbing others.

Last Call:

The Edifier Predator 2.1 speaker system is the perfect solution for someone who doesn’t live alone in a house in the middle of nowhere. It gives you the sound quality you would want or need in today’s ever shrinking world while maintaining a smaller space to fit in that world. It wouldn’t hurt to have a H.R. Giger print or two on the wall nearby to show off it’s style either…

Specs

Model Number: e1100MKII
Total power output: R/L: RMS 4W x 2 SW: RMS 12W
THD + N (testing level): 10%
Signal to noise ratio: ≥85dBA
Frequency range: 48Hz – 20kHz±12dB
Frequency response: R/L: 200Hz – 20KHz SW: 20Hz – 100Hz
Distortion: ≤0.5%
Channel Separation: R/L: ≥40
Input sensitivity: R/L: 1000mV±50mVSW: 850mV±50mV
Audio input type: 3.5mm Auxiliary
Adjustment: Master volume adjustment and on/off dial, bass adjustment dial
Speaker unit: Bass unit: 5 inch (131mm), magnetically shielded, 4ΩTreble unit: 2 inch (52mm), magnetically shielded, 5Ω
Dimension: Subwoofer: 186mm x 196mm x 278mm (W x H x D) Satellite: 85mm x 172mm x 94mm (W x H x D)
Weight: 2.8Kg (net) | 3.86Kg (gross)

[easyreview title=”Edifier Predator 2.1 Speaker System Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ] Our Rating Scores Explained

KingsRoad Review (PC/Browser)

2013/04/23

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC Review

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: