Author - Ripper71

Sherlock Holmes: Awakened (iOS)

2013/03/21

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:

Party Animals – Russell The Rabbit Review (Tech)

2013/02/25

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

At CES, I saw all kinds of new tech and gadgets. Among all the tech I saw, some of my favorites were the robotics and toys, two things very close and dear to my heart. There is probably something Freud would say about that, but he is dead and CES is once a year. So, when I got some chance, free time, I wandered around taking in the sights. One booth that stuck out in my mind featured a line of cute animals dancing on their hind legs to music emanating from within them. Down the table from them was this bunny…

What are you lookin at?!?

He seemed to glare at everyone passing by as if saying they weren’t worthy to see him dance. There were all kinds of the “Party Animals” dancing robots around, some even Halloween themed (anyone who knows me knows I am an absolute sucker for Halloween stuff). But Russell The Rabbit, as I would discover his name was, looked like a bad ass. Sure, he may dance to cute little tunes for your kid if they wanted but he would also rock out hard at a beer pong party. He would blast music that party goers may forget but through their next, hangover-ridden day, they would remember those eyes glaring at them. I had to possess it….

Features:

These adorable plush animal speakers dance slow to slow music, fast to fast music, and stop when your music stops. All you need is a laptop, MP3 player, or other music device with an audio input to make them play your music and dance to the beat!

Soft plush material
Built-in speaker
Dance ON/OFF button
Audio cord included
Takes 3 AA batteries
Robotic movement sensor
Velcro backing
Power ON/OFF switch

Hands-On:

When Russell the Rabbit arrived, he looked no less angry, much to my delight. This product line is great for kids of all ages, and most are extremely cute and cuddly. Russell is for those who don’t do cute and cuddly so much and his expression practically demanded that I release him from his packaging.

Let me out. Now.

I released him at once and, like a kid carrying a well-earned trophy (I did bug my EiC to request him), I proudly took him to my laptop and plugged him in. The speaker reproduced the music, loud and clear, with no dampening or distortion If I didn’t know the music was coming from the rabbit I would have thought it was just my laptop speakers. The Party Animals are designed to be completely portable and self-sufficient, so they run on AA batteries and have a standard audio plug for your computer, smartphone, MP3 player, etc. In fact, let Russell the Rabbit loose on all those devices with great success. I chose the laptop first though because I could go on different websites trying out all different forms of music to see what his dancing seem to match up best with.

Country worked fine, though that was probably one of the weaker genres. Classical, on the other hand, just looked plain silly. Give him anything with a rockin’ beat such as alternative, classic rock, hip-hop or dance and he seemed right at home. I found myself on YouTube and, yes he does the Harlem Shake pretty darn well. There is a sensor in Russell and the other Party Animals that senses the tempo of the music and adjusts accordingly. So, if you put on easy listening he will sway to the music while rave stylings will make him shake his bunny tail furiously – which nicely fits, since he doesn’t look happy about it. He danced fine to children’s tunes too, which I could see encouraging rhythm in younger developing children as well, though probably the other cutesy Party Animals might be more to the kiddies’ tastes.

When the volume is low, the motors can be heard whirring so I tried the off dance button at those times so as to still get the music without the distraction of the mechanics. For some, this might not be a distraction since this is a mechanical rabbit dancing on its hind legs – sci-fi machinery noise is kind of a plus. Once you crank up the music or stand a few feet away, the whirring noise is generally drowned out.

Great Sound And A Good Cause:

Russell the Rabbit and rest of the Party Animals also support good causes. With each purchase, donations are made to PAWS Chicago, The Anti-Cruelty Society and PETA and small flyers with information on the organizations in a family friendly manner are in the box. They aren’t like those Sarah McLaughlin tracked commercials that make you cry like you just shot “Old Yeller”.

Last Call:

I now possess Russell The Rabbit and he sits next to my computer glaring at me for typing instead of playing music right now. I can feel him staring when I look away and, for me, that is a great thing. The other Party Animals are great, cute and there is one for just about every personality, even seasonal ones which would work great at a Halloween or Christmas party, for example. For the older crowd who like a fun toy, but are not so into the cutesy kind, get one of Russell’s brothers, I think they are named Russell too.

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

Videos:

Computrace Lojack For Laptops Review (Software)

2013/02/25

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

When I first came across Absolute Software’s booth at CES and saw the Computrace Lojack For Laptops information, I was immediately interested. Being an editor for GamingShogun.com, I always travel with at least one laptop and that laptop has everything I need to help run the website, often including NDA-locked titles and information like sensitive contact lists. This makes me a bit hyper-paranoid about what could happen to it in the car or sitting in a hotel room. Honestly, it even makes me a bit nervous having it in our locked house when I go somewhere. During October, I lost my cellphone on a hayride and was frantic about the contact information stored on it. We had one of the “find my phone” apps that GPS tracked it and, though we were able to find it quickly, that scenario has made me more conscious of losing control of information. Of course, this doesn’t even begin to cover the cost of replacing a gaming laptop or smartphone. When Absolute Software offered us the opportunity to try out Lojack For Laptops, I jumped at it.

Official Features:

Lock: You may not have your computer with you, but you can still feel safe from prying eyes. Use Device Lock to block your computer remotely, denying potential identity thieves access to your computer and personal data. You can also choose to display a customized lock-out message onscreen. You could, for instance, display contact information that would help a good Samaritan return your computer to you.

Delete: The contents of your hard drive might be worth more to you — and a thief — than the laptop itself. But our Data Delete feature helps you prevent costly and traumatic identity theft. With it, you can remotely and selectively erase sensitive files and applications, personal photos, financial data, and stored passwords. So you stay safe and in control.

Locate: Is your laptop really stolen? Or did you leave it on a business trip? Using GPS or Wi-Fi geolocation, LoJack for Laptops can map and display your laptop’s current and past whereabouts. So you’ll know whether it’s simply left behind, or something more serious. Even when your laptop is safe and sound, you can see that LoJack for Laptops is on the job. Note: Standard edition does not include location history.

Recover: For most people, the odds of recovering a stolen laptop aren’t encouraging. But every year, thousands of people get their stolen laptops back, thanks to our patented technology and experienced Theft Recovery Team. If your protected computer is stolen, the team can use our technology to track it, and work with local law enforcement to get it back in your hands. Get LoJack for Laptops and flip the odds in your favour.

Guaranteed: With our leading technology and experienced Theft Recovery Team, LoJack for Laptops gives you unsurpassed theft recovery service, plus device and data protection. Choose our Premium edition and get our Service Guarantee. If we don’t recover your stolen computer or enable the Data Delete service, you could be eligible for a Service Guarantee payment of up to $1000.

Hands-On:

This was the tricky part, how do I go about testing the software? The first parts are easy, you just log into your account and you can check a map to see where your laptop is and check to see if it is moving (if it is moving and you aren’t with it, that is generally a bad sign). You can lock it, post display information, and delete non-essential pictures or documents to test that. All these are easy, effective tools which is VITAL in the event that your laptop is stolen and you may have only minutes to keep a contract or contact from being compromised.

But, how do you go about testing recovery? I toyed with the idea of contacting them and having a fake loss setup so we could see the process of tracking it down, but that isn’t the same as the real thing. I was tempted to go over their protocol, step by step, to see how they do it but reporting that or a fake recovery could actually compromise the process, giving would-be thieves ideas on how to thwart the process. Then it struck me, none of that was necessary, because none of that was what truly mattered about this. What really mattered is how knowing they have an actual recovery team that prides itself on its recovery ability to the point of providing a payment guarantee and how that makes me feel now when I travel. I still travel safe and smart with my laptop but I don’t feel nervous like a did before when it is out of my sight. If it is in the car while I am perusing the snack aisle at the gas station or in a hotel room while I am out on a convention floor, I feel secure knowing that if a problem should arise not only are their remote steps I can take to insure the safety of my information. Additionally, there is a good chance I will get my computer back thanks to an actual, human recovery team.

Last Call:

This software is subscription-based but is very affordable and kind of a no-brainer for the business man who travels with his life’s work in a little electronic box. Computrace Lojack For Laptops should be considered by anyone who takes their computer on the road for business or pleasure and should be a requirement for businesses as part of their insurance policies. Computrace Lojack is an insurance policy on information as well as electronics and that feeling of security is hard to put a price tag on.

[easyreview title=”Lojack For Laptops Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Video:

NuGuard KX Phone Case Review (iPhone 4S)

2013/02/25

Ripper71

Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Reviews

I think I would make most phone owners cringe with my phone-handling clumsiness. I know for a fact that I make my wife cringe when I start testing out cases. I have made her friends scream, my friends dive on the ground in an attempt to break my phone’s fall, I have sent phones skittering across asphalt, gravel, concrete and any other hard surface imaginable. So, it wasn’t such a surprise when I got sent a series of videos where a case gets dropped from hundreds of feet from a wind turbine and survives. The surprise came from the fact that it looked, for all intents and purposes, like a regular plastic phone case – not a gigantic, suit of phone armor. Surprise gave way to intrigue as I waited for it to arrive so I could test it out.

Description:

Unlike common military-impact test grade iPhone case materials, the NuGuard KX uses state-of-the-art X-Orbing gel technology to absorb and evenly distribute kinetic energy, protecting your iPhone from accidental drops or scratching. This Hyper-Advanced gel is then engineered into a hard outer shell with a soft interior, bonded together into a stylish one-piece design. The NuGuard KX has been Mil-Spec drop test certified by Quanta Laboratories to MIL-STD-810G U.S. Military Standard for elite protection. Yet, the KX only measures slightly over 1/2″ thick so it can still easily fit in your pocket. Its Edge Guard over-molding provides enhanced iPhone screen edge protection without interfering edge-to-edge touch finger accessibility to ensure hassle-free touch keyboarding and ability to drag and organize app icons from screen to screen. With its precision cutouts, the NuGuard KX allows for full access to all of the iPhone’s ports and buttons. The KX features a unique cross hatch texture design on backside for added grip that won’t make it hard to remove from pockets like other texturized cases. And installation and removal of your iPhone from the KX is easy, taking only seconds.

What is MIL-STD-810G U.S. Military Standard?

Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests is a United States Military Standard that emphasizes tailoring an equipment’s environmental design and test limits to the conditions that it will experience throughout its service life, and establishing chamber test methods that replicate the effects of environments on the equipment rather than imitating the environments themselves. The MIL-STD-810 test series are approved for use by all departments and agencies of the United States Department Of Defense (DoD). Although prepared specifically for military applications, the standard is often used for commercial products as well.

MIL-STD-810 addresses a broad range of environmental conditions that include: low pressure for altitude testing; exposure to high and low temperatures plus temperature shock (both operating and in storage); rain (including wind blown and freezing rain); humidity, fungus, salt fog for rust testing; sand and dust exposure; explosive atmosphere; leakage; acceleration; shock and transport shock; gunfire vibration; and random vibration . The standard describes environmental management and engineering processes that can be of enormous value to generate confidence in the environmental worthiness and overall durability of a system design.

Hands On:

The case looks unassuming to say the least. It features a nice, understated style with spirals and patterns on it which help to grip the phone. It isn’t made of squishy rubber or composed of interlocking pieces. It has a felt interior that seems to have a slight softness beneath but the shell, feeling solid and unyielding, not what you would expect from a phone case advertised to be so protective. On the front was a sticker with the above “Military Drop Tested” and certified statement which I admit sounded impressive but I had to look up so I provided the definition. It still made me think it was a bit of gobbledygook, so I went and watched the videos that had my friend so excited. That was when I got excited and started putting a lot more trust into this case. I quickly learned that bulk and difficult to connect pieces aren’t necessary for a solid phone case, and started testing it the way I do best: making myself and everyone else cringe.

What surprised me probably the most was how resistant it was to scratching. Most of the time, these cases are design to take a hit and prevent the phone from scratches by being damaged itself. There are some exceptions but usually those have built in things to prevent it such as rubber bumpers. This case resisted scratching and has a raised lip to help resist scratches on the phone’s face. The case slides in and out of the pocket easier than most protection cases thanks to the lack of squishy rubber and it’s hard outer shell, a lot of protective cases come with hip clips because of their difficulty going in and out of the pocket.

Last Call:

This case survived the DoD’s tests, my tests, lots of video tests and probably most tests you put it through. NuGuard KX Kinetic will take care of you and your phone , whether you are a phone-handling klutz or just have to deal with everyday things that life has a habit of throwing at you.

[easyreview title=”NuGuard KX Phone Case Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Video Tests:

Griffin Designer Series Cell Phone Case Review – Derrick Castle (iPhone 4S)

2013/02/25

Ripper71

Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Reviews

I have found myself trying out a lot of cell phone cases lately – most of them designed for maximum protection while in some cases at the cost of style and, in other cases, at the cost of weight. So it was a great pleasure to check out Griffin’s limited edition Designer Series case that is made of quality but really designed to be a showpiece. In this case series, they picked some of their favorite artists and let them come up with their own masterpieces. The standout art piece I fell for immediately was Derrick Castle’s “Bandito” design.

About The Artist:

Derrick Castle is an illustrator based in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to illustrations, Castle also works in the medium of traditional block printing, a primitive form of relief printing where images are created using a hand carved block, usually wood or linoleum. Inspired by the ghosts of Americana, Castle’s work is filled with skulls, animals and lost relics from a tribal America.

“Bandito”:

A limited-edition hard shell for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 created by artist Derrick Castle.

Case Print: Printing process uses ink-dye sublimation and a heat-cured gallery gloss finish. Choose from a shell for iPhone 5 or iPhone 4, or a silicone-lined, layered shell for iPhone 4.

Part of the Griffin Designer Series. Original art recreated on cases for iPhone, printed locally in small batches. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

Hands On:

Rarely does a product appear better in person than it did in pictures. I debated a long time between which of the Castle works to choose from, “Lincoln” with it’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter design came a really close second but I decided “Bandito” with it’s beautiful detail and deep imagery kept bringing my eye back to it. The interior of the case is felt lined to allow it to be easily slipped on and the design which wraps around the side of the case is vividly printed and stands out extremely well. This case will serve its function nicely – keeping your phone from getting scratched up. More importantly, this case is a limited edition work of art that you can proudly show off.

Last Call:

This case is a collectible piece of art that also serves its core function well. It is a great piece to show off with a design process that makes for great conversation. It is so nice that my wife has already chosen it as her new case, so my phone is slipping back into one of the others I have. I wonder if “Lincoln” is still available, though with such great works of art these Griffin Designer series pieces won’t be around for long.

[easyreview title=”Griffin Designer Cell Phone Case Bandito Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Derrick Castle Case Gallery:

Infected – Click Your Poison Review (eBook)

2013/02/25

Ripper71

Book News, Book Review, News, Reviews

On occasion, we do a review of a digital book here on GamingShogun.com. Usually, they involve some geekdom our readers and team have a particular fondness for. In this case, the book I recently read was “Infected” by James Schannep and it combined two great ideas: choose your own adventure in a digital format and zombies.

Description:

3 Unique Storylines. Over 50 Possible Endings. Just one question… Will YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

Here’s how it works: You, Dear Reader, are the main character of this story. Live, die, and rise again based solely on the merit of your own choices. Each link represents a choice, and there’s no going back, so choose wisely.

Everyone has their plan; what they’d do to survive if and when the zombie apocalypse happens. Now you can see how you’d hold up against the legions of undead—without needing to call the CDC because crazed bath salts users are trying to eat your face off.

Giving It A Read:

Back when I was growing up the “Choose Your Own Adventure” book series were at their height of popularity and covered just about every genre you could think of – targeted at all ages and genders. There were literally hundreds of them and I tore through tons of them and kind of missed them when they went by the way. They now seem to be making a comeback thanks to the technology of Kindle books enabling you to follow the links to the next chapter and as long as you remember the name of the previous chapter it lets you go back in case you don’t fair so well in your choices. It also stops you from cheating and peeking at the pages in between or reading the first line and picking the other choice instead. I used to have a solid photographic memory so I would spoil the books for myself sometimes by glancing the pages in between. So thanks to technology, an old idea is getting new life breathed into it.

What better choice for a subject than zombies? Who doesn’t think of their own survival plans if an apocalypse were to break out? I have already picked out a Super Walmart on a hill above the snowline less than ten minutes from my house to make my stand. James Schannep chose this great topic to make one of his Click Your Poison Kindle books and he rides the nice line between comedic and realistic scenarios really well. He does a great job with dialogue, which is one of the most surprisingly difficult things to work out for most writers. Schannep also makes sure to not go too stereotypical in his character descriptions and actions and what sounds like a great plan without too much thought will show you that even the simplest move can turn fatal in a zombie apocalypse.

Infected is definitely a multiple read book not just because of the different possible choices but because of how well each one is written. If you wind up picking it up make sure to read the chapter titles too, not only are they usually funny and punny but they give you a hint of what to expect in the pages to come. If you happen to become zombie food remembering your previous chapter also helps prevent you from having to start from scratch, which I did a couple times just for the fun of it.

Last Call:

James Schannep embraces the old tradition of the choose your adventure and the newer technology of the Kindle and makes a zombie book for all ages. The humor is fun and sometimes sick definitely fitting the subject matter and the audience. Do yourself a favor and pick up Infected to see how well you will REALLY do in the zombie apocalypse.

Trailer: