So I had been totally falling behind in the gameplay department when it came to big titles. Indie titles I was becoming the guru, much like Judgeman is our fighting guru and the GamingShogun himself is the sim stud, we could review anything asked of us but there were specialties developing. We have a well defined sports department with infighting over which was more of a sport: Nascar or Soccer (playful rivalries with neither camp touching the other’s games). So when things got quiet for many of the other styles, my plate filled up and stayed full for a while. When a game that appeals to everyone like Skyrim comes along I keep saying I’ll get to it. Well I finally realized I was alone in the “I’ll get to it” camp on Skyrim so I asked the team “which system should I get it for? PC or console?” Turned out no one on the team had touched it on PC, were we all just playing console jockey favorites or was there a reason? I decided to find out.
Skyrim, which I grabbed on an insane deal on Steam, and Dawnguard, which the reps provided to me for this test (thanks again guys!), downloaded over a couple days while I played other games and read our own review of Skyrim. The review had me salivating as did the near daily calls from our MMORPG guy had who updated me through his playtime on Skyrim and let me know I would LOVE Dawnguard. The question was would I find the same love of the game everyone else had if I played it on a different platform?
Control Differences:
Ok this would seem to be one of the most obvious of differences considering one would use a keyboard and mouse and the other would use a controller. That is half right, the PC version had gamepad support which made it so that you could use the keyboard and mouse and play it just like a first person or third person shooter depending on preferred viewpoint but you could also pick up your controller and go to work with that which actually give the PC player more options.. Some people question the gamepad, feeling that if you want to play it with a controller then why not play it on a console? That brings up the next point…
Style of Immersion:
When playing on a console players generally, I know this varies, sit about 6 feet at least from a large television set. The argument for this is that they have this huge window into the world right across the room from them which can be extremely immersive with their controls virtually or completely out of their view. It pulls them in much like watching a movie but with interactive suspension of disbelief. The argument from console players is they wouldn’t want to play on a little screen with their controls in front of them. The counter to that is most computer gamers lean forward in their chairs and can’t see their keyboard unless they want to lean back and see it. They are really close to the monitors with their faces and argue at least nobody can walk through the room and interrupt their game. So far these arguments seem to be the standard between the two with everything coming down to personal preference and most of the arguments are and always have been between the two. Instead of continuing the same old arguments I will show where they are particularly solid points…
Family Experience:
Unless you plug your computer into your large screen television (which does cause a loss in clarity generally) console gaming can actually be a family experience, especially story driven ones like Skyrim. I have read plenty of articles of whole families sitting together with one person on the controller watching the game like a movie and taking turns making the decisions that make up the storyline. It is technically being played single player but everyone is involved which for the most part isn’t the case with the computer player who usually has to call someone over or have them hover over their shoulder to participate.
Building:
Steam is a HUGE supporter of community built content and Skyrim: Dawnguard is no exception. On boards where people were discussing the pros and cons between PC vs. console this point almost always came up and there was no strong answer back about it. When it comes to building you want a PC, Steam especially to get the most out of the game, if you just want to play the game they are pretty even ground but builders and potential developers want the tools and community of Steam. Modding seems to be one of the few places where there really is no competition.
Graphics/Lag
Because Dawnguard had to work within a set software system the consoles have very similar resolution which particularly during battle shows less detail and generally more lag (Bethesda was flat out unhappy about how it played on the PS3). I double checked this with multiple sources and it is the consensus, if the PC owner has a decent rig. If the PC owner is running with minimum requirements the graphics don’t improve that much. In my case I have a pretty good graphics card, plenty of RAM and a monitor that was state-of-the-art- when I got it (instead of standard 30,000-1 contrast mine has 5,000,000-1) so when I set my graphics on ultra the detail difference not just on objects but on the background, literally a couple tree becomes a forest, is astounding. My system cost more than the two consoles combined though so we are talking more money for better graphics and if I was across the room I would notice a difference because of actual additions to the environment. Graphically and lag issues considered the PC wins out again.
Last Call:
It really depends on what you want to do with the game and if you care how it looks that much. It looks really nice on the console, can be a family experience, and it is more affordable than a gaming rig. If it isn’t just a game to you, if it is a chance to work on building mods, items, weapons, or you HAVE to have the most detailed environment and most content possible, the PC is your way. So did we really decide anything? Or does this still go down like the debate between Mac vs. PC, Bud vs. Coors, religion, politics… I guess it still always comes down to taste and your faith in yours.
Ok it took a while for me to get my hands on the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Elite Edition keyboard due to mailing issues and it has been a while since then. I am sure that the folks at Razer thought I forgot all about it, but it is really the opposite, I want to try everything I can on the keyboard andI don’t want to decide a moment to soon on any verdict, I want to test it on every game I can think of. So the time has finally come to start the review but it will by no means be the end of my use of this sleek black and green beauty, and every night I will cover her with a keyboard case to make her last.
Specifications:
For some folks this is gobbilty goop, for others this is the meat and potatoes of the keyboard and all they need to know when deciding whether or not to purchase it.
Full mechanical keys with 50g actuation force
1000Hz Ultrapolling
Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
10 key rollover anti-ghosting
Razer Synapse 2.0 enabled
Individually backlit keys
Gaming mode option
5 additional dedicated macro keys
Audio-out/mic-in jacks
USB passthrough
Braided fiber cable
Approximate Size : 475 mm / 18.72” (Length) x 171 mm / 6.74” (Width) x 20 mm / 0.79” (Height)
Approximate Weight : 1500 g / 3.31 lbs
Hardware Requirements
PC with USB port
Windows 7 / Windows Vista / Windows XP
Internet connection (for driver installation)
At least 75MB of hard disk space
Removing The Mystery Of The Specs:
There are plenty of techno geeks who just read the above information and said “Yep, I’m buying that!” and probably never will see what I have to say about it. That’s fine, sometimes you just know when something is right for you, and those above specs are exceptional when you know what to look for. So first I will give you the official definitions then I will try to give a layman’s explanation. All gamers are not necessarily geeks and those who want the best, such as Razer provides, don’t necessarily study as much as compare.
When they say:
Full mechanical keys for superior tactility and faster response
The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate’s mechanical key technology provides blazing fast game responsiveness as each key only requires an optimized actuation force of 50g, and a reduced actuation distance of 2mm, faster than what is possible on any other ordinary gaming keyboard. You are also getting distinctive tactile feedback in form of a light pronounced tap to your fingers with each key press, for gaming you can actually feel.
They mean:
These buttons are like the hair trigger on a gun, light push to register and lightning fast to register. The distance you have to push down on a key is reduced as well and you feel a slight physical click instead of just the noise. All this means that your keys register faster and easier than other keyboards and you can feel it registering by the click so you know it worked and can move on. So in gaming you have an edge by faster key response, feeling it register and in typing you know that your button has registered without even looking at the screen and typing speed can increase with less mistakes. This beauty isn’t just for gaming, though gaming on it is great!
When they say:
10 key roll-over in gaming mode
Actuate as many keys as there are fingers on both your hands and have them all register accurately and quickly during gaming. With the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate’s gaming mode 10 key roll-over, you can deliver overwhelming destruction on your opponents, or just ensure that every command is registered and executed perfectly for victorious gaming.
They mean:
On most keyboards if you hit two keys at one you can wind up with one of the keys not registering at all. On this you can hit 10 keys, I actually got it to successfully do more, and it will accurately and quickly register all the keys. So let’s say you have a whole bunch of macros set up that you want to go as quick as possible, or you don’t have macros set up and you have a bunch of attacks you want to all happen as close to simultaneously as possible. Hit all the keys. It won’t just register a couple, it will register them all. If you have a bunch of commands you want to send out all really close together you can hit them all and they all go out. I found this a challenge and kept hitting a dozen keys at a time or more then double checking. It always worked.
When they say:
Individually backlit keys with improved lighting
Never miss a key in the dark with the new green backlighting on the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate. With improved lighting configurable to your preference, you can launch assaults and flank foes even under low light conditions.
They mean:
Ok I guess that one is pretty obvious. If you are like me and tend to do a lot of gaming and writing in a fairly dark room this feature is exceptional. I have had light up keyboards in the past and it was still dim on it’s highest setting. This keyboard is brighter on it’s lowest setting than most keyboards on their highest, and has an awesome green glow shining out of it on it’s top setting. Also most just have glowing letters on the keyboard, this keyboard lights up around every key for a clear definition.
Synapse 2.0
Razer came up with a great program designed to work with their different products and customize them all at one time with one interface. You can set the lighting, you can make special button settings, you can even build macros there if you are more comfortable doing it there rather than on the fly. It also enable you to set timing breaks in macros, double check your programming, just about anything you would like to adjust on your product can be done through the one program. I have the BlackWidow and the Razer Naga gaming mouse both going through it and before I start a big gaming session I go through and make sure all my settings are optimized and ready to go so I don’t run into surprises. You can also set gaming mode on the BlackWidow from that interface, which is a very handy function that kills hot keys and computer keys that aren’t essential to your gaming experience. A good example of this is one of the games I play a lot uses the Ctrl button to crouch, if you accidentally hit the windows button right next to it you find yourself out of the game, needing to open it back up and let it catch up with the action. This has gotten me killed more times on the game than I can count, I come back in and there I am standing right behind cover, wide open and dying. It is handy to have the Windows button turned off so if I do bump it no worries. Thanks Razer for making a clumsy bugger like me be a better gamer.
Mic/Headphone Jack, USB Passthrough
If your rig design was custom like mine or you have an older computer it might be a huge pain in the butt when you want to switch out your speakers for headphones, especially if it has communication errors if you try to have a USB headset plugged in at the same time as your speakers. The keyboard nicely takes care of this issue by plugging into the mic and headphone plugs in the back of your computer as well as an extra USB jack so that you can plug your speakers or headset into the keyboard and your mic or your headset mic in. If you want to unplug them so you can use a USB headset you can unplug them easily from your keyboard and plug the headset in through the USB passthrough. Or if all your sound issues work fine you can just plug what you want in easily at the keyboard and use the USB jack for your flash drives. The key is the keyboard gives you lots of options and more importantly multiple solutions to issues.
5 Dedicated Macro Keys
This may sound simple and not that impressive of an edition but it really is a key to the gaming aspect of the keyboard. Building macros on the fly can be a tricky thing, you can wind up covering up hotkeys or other macros by accident then having to go back and fix them. With the 5 macro keys you can hit one and quickly program it on the fly and know that you aren’t recording over anything you want. Using the Synapse 2.0 you can then save the macros you build as a profile and have it all available and setup the next time you play that game. If you are like me and might play at least a half dozen games in a day this is a huge benefit because all I have to do once I get the board set up for each the games I want is go into the Synapse 2.0, quickly pick my profile of choice and I am ready to play, no fresh programming required. In some cases I may even just use macros to say things I have to type out often in a game to save that kind of time or if I am working with a business setup I may want to keep a work profile where I can hit a macro and have it type out a kind of form letter without an obvious form letter file sitting around. I prefer the personal touch but hey, I am reviewing the keyboard so I am exploring it’s options.
Braided Fiber Cable
I have been asked before why this is even a feature, though people who use a lot of appliances with long cables tend to have a pretty good idea, they are often seen on higher end irons and toasters as well as headsets and keyboards. Braided fiber cables are less likely to knot tight or tangle and have a better defense against damage, say from rolling over the headset cable with your computer chair or accidentally putting a heavy case on the cable. This feature adds lots of protection and peace of mind as well as just keeping your cables less messy. Without the fiber covering there would be four cables running from the keyboard instead of one tidy protected one.
Putting It All To The Test
In the explanations above I went through a bit of how I tested the keyboard but just because it has features that are supposed to do certain things doesn’t mean it exercises them well and in multiple situations. Luckily this keyboard not only seems to have a habit of succeeding at what I tried to do, in some cases it did better than claimed.
Gaming:
There are a lot of types of gaming, and with pretty much every type of gaming you can think of there is a different style of play that is required of a keyboard. A keyboard that performs like a dream with a first person shooter may be a disaster with an MMORPG. So I ran the keyboard through the ringer in a way few outside of game reviewers can, because there really isn’t a game format type that I don’t have access to.
So let’s start with one of the obvious one: MMORPG. I’ve played a game that I have over five years experience with and I jumped into a raid. I had recently programmed my Razer Naga to maximize my gameplay by minimizing my keyboard movement but for this experiment I went all keyboard keys in every way I could. I found that the speed of moving my hand was my only limitation since I getting the keys to register with half the pressure, feeling each key register, and able to hit multiple keys at once without key failure and have my rotation fire off as fast as possible. I built a couple of macros on the fly so that I could then hit the macros without built in pauses and it would seem like I hit my different rotations all simultaneously making the only limits be the response of the game and the limitations due to cooldowns. I could use the Synapse interface and make it so that one of my attacks that has a ten second cooldown will trigger every ten seconds several times in a row by building in the pauses in the macro. So I hit the macro once and it will register the time delays and for whatever number of times I have it built for I don’t have to touch it again. So let’s say I need to do my skill every ten seconds to keep it on and built up and I build in 6 strikes, I hit and forget that for a minute while working some other part of my rotation. I could in theory build my entire rotation in with the proper times and only hit one key. This sounds like it could make the game a bit boring but if in raiding or some other situation where the timing of your rotation has to be perfect and you have to keep an eye on multiple possible threats for some it might only make the game manageable rather than easy. A good example is you have to fight a boss in a certain spot using your rotation, then you need to stop attacking and run over in a certain direction to keep from getting killed. It is still up to you to get to the right place and fight the right things, which may each even have their own rotations. So for a boss battle you might have multiple rotations, built for multiple points in the battle all made manageable by the tight reactive time of the keyboard and the diverse abilities presented in the macros. When it comes to MMORPGs this keyboard, when tested on a few different ones, outperformed another popular gaming keyboard because of the speed of key registration, the clear registration of the key and it’s abilities to adapt by going into gaming mode, the Synapse 2.0 and the macro diversity.
So next would probably be a first person or a third person shooter. Skyrim worked well for both of these test sections as well as did the most popular and recent shooters and some that have been around a while. I have a fondness for just about every first person shooter I have come across all the way back to Doom and Castle Wolfenstein and today’s games certainly don’t disappoint. Examples of games I played for testing purposes: Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Boarderlands on OnLive, Battlefield Heroes, Heroes And Generals (beta testing), Offensive Combat (beta), Zeno Clash (recently free from OnLive), Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, Offensive Combat and well the list could go on and on since between first person and third person shooters you take up most of the shooting franchises. The responsiveness for weapon changes in particular was extremely handy and on a couple games where you hit the number key for the weapon to shoot it there was the satisfaction of feeling the click of the button like the click of a trigger and the speed of the shooting which to me reminds me of in the Old West when they would file down their front gun sight. It meant a small improvement on the speed of getting a shot off but that sometimes can make all the different. If I was using a single attack weapon and found myself surrounded I was able to change weapons or lob a grenade with what felt like almost twice the speed. Also when I use a direction key to dodge it seemed to give me that edge of speed that really helped keep me going. When somebody has the element of surprise on you, the true saving grace can be the element of speed in reacting and this keyboard definitely give you an edge.
Real time strategies also showed a dramatic advantage with this keyboard. They are surprisingly similar to MMORPGs in their advantages though they also have a lot of the same advantages as the shooters too. Depending on the RTS the advantages varied but there was always some to be found. In a game where you need to do the same commands over and over that can be done by hotkey macros can be built, the speed at which you build things or move units around the field can make a huge difference and with the keyboard the time it takes to do anything that can be done by or macroed by the keyboard is sped up simply by it’s response speed. If you need to type something out, a command or a message they can all be done lightning fast or macroed to be instantaneous. The speed and quality in all these games can only be sped up to a certain degree without the proper mouse, so I really have to suggest a good gaming mouse like the Razer Naga to gain true strength in the games and by using the Naga all your programming is done on the same interface and macros you build on the keyboard can be activated by the mouse!
Not Just For Gaming
Let’s face it, when you buy a sexy glowing keyboard gaming is usually the first thing on your mind. If, like in my case, your gaming rig doubles as your work station the more diversity in the keyboard the better. What is kind of surprising is all the things that benefit in gaming can be used to benefit in writing, researching, pretty much anything you want to do with the computer. Let’s say you are typing up a review like this. The speed of the key registration as well as the rollover allows you to type much fast, in fact if a professional typist were given a standard keyboard to type on and then given this one I guarantee it would have a remarkably surprising improvement. Not subtle, not slight, large! The simple speed of responsiveness and rollover makes it so that the usual speed limitations no longer apply. I would think in most work places where lots of data entry or general typing is involved the keyboard would pay for itself in no time. Also let’s say it is a phone center where there are forms or questions that need answering. If you skip whole sections if the answer is no for example you might have a macro that tabs down to the next appropriate line. Or if there are preset responses you can hit a macro that types in the answer to the question. The fact that such keyboards are not already in most work places seems like an oversight. The employs will like the sexiness of such a keyboard and the ease of work and the employer will see a marked increase in productivity. I have worked with call centers and none of them have quality keyboards and that is simply limiting your business.
Last Call:
This keyboard is as close to perfection I have seen in a keyboard. The only way I could see a possible improvement may be a video interface built into it but I don’t think that is really even necessary (I used the feature on my old keyboard to keep track of the time mostly). This keyboard makes a person a better gamer no matter what their game is and it makes them a better typist no matter what they are writing. In most keyboards you just hope for not making you worse, this keyboard makes you better.
Ok it’s Friday, I have a song stuck in my head and since there is a video game out about the subject of the viral video and it is just catchy as can be… Enjoy!
Are you in need of some serious self-defense but don’t know which brand is right for you? Put your mind at ease because three all-new Borderlands 2 weapons trailers are now available to help you find that perfect weapon to scratch your trigger finger itch. 2K Games and Gearbox Software present the Borderlands 2 ‘Maliwan’, ‘Tediore’ and ‘Vladof’ weapons trailers, which feature themed narration showcasing each brands specialty. Whether it’s elemental destruction, insta-digistruct reloading, avalanches of lead, or even a combination of two (looking at you, Salvador), Gearbox has got you covered.
I wish I could just publish her emails to us, because the rep for this game is hilarious AND a kick ass gamer. I know that when the game comes out and I see her profile name pop up that I will be in a world of hurt. I will be driving my mech in circles while she smoothly slides up and punishes me. Just wanted to give you ample warning, that party animal next to you at the bar that you have been hitting on for an hour might be the person who is wiping you off the map when this comes out. But enough of that, on to the video of a crazy laser and cannon combo available to Founders only!
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.– Konami Digital Entertainment Inc., announced it has extended its exclusive agreement with UEFA for the use of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions in its Pro Evolution Soccer series.
The publisher has also bolstered various licences for use within its forthcoming PES 2013 title, with the Spanish league licensed in its entirety, while all the clubs from Italy’s highest league are also included. KONAMI has also sourced individual agreements with Manchester United, Bayern Munich, FC Porto, AEK Athens, Galatasaray Istanbul, Shahktar Donetsk, FC Kopenhagen, Zenit St Petersburg, CSKA Moscow, RSC Anderlecht, Dinamo Kyiv and Dinamo Zagreb among many others. Overall, 150 licensed teams are now available, with 17 more licensed national squads added, including the likes of England, Italy, Germany and France. Details on additional licences will follow.
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with UEFA to bring The UEFA Champions League back to PES 2013 exclusively,” said George Richard, Vice President Sales & Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment. “As PES 2013 continues to innovate with new gameplay features, such as PES FullControl (FC), it’s important to align ourselves with the most respected club competition in the world and allow players to showcase their individuality on the biggest stage.”
PES 2013 will be available in retail stores nationwide this September on PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360®. PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Wii™ and Nintendo 3DS™ will be released later in the fall.
The all-new Harry Potter for Kinect video game exclusively on KINECT for Xbox 360 allows players to experience Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the wizarding world like never before! Through the innovative KINECT capability, each player can scan their face to create a wizard avatar in their likeness – and then play as their avatar in the game. Utilizing controller-free and voice recognition technology available only on KINECT, players will attend Hogwarts, interact with professors, students and friends, call out spells to cast against opponents, brew potions, and even fly as they race on broomsticks to be the first to catch the Golden Snitch in a Quidditch match.
Harry Potter for Kinect is scheduled to be released this fall 2012.
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced that it will release a Windows PC version of its stunning Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, alongside versions for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
The Windows PC version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is being simultaneously developed by Madrid-based Mercury Steam, and builds on its critically acclaimed predecessor. The title will feature an all-new storyline, a larger cast of characters, huge open world environments and breath-taking visuals delivered via a much more powerful, brand-new in-house game engine called Mercury Engine 2.
Whereas the first game detailed the origin of Dracula and his legendary connection with the Belmonts, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 acts as a shocking finale to the Lords of Shadow saga. Dracula returns once again, weakened and yearning for release from his immortal bonds. Facing a new and powerful threat, the vampire lord must amass his old powers – and his castle is central to regaining his abilities.
“Castlevania: Lords of Shadow successfully rebooted the franchise but now we want to go further and exceed people’s expectations on what to expect from the sequel,” said Dave Cox, Producer of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and Head of Product Planning and Development for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “This new game tells a much broader tale and one that spans centuries. It is a game that pushes whatever format it is on to the absolute limit, and we are delighted that its rich blend of first-class fighting, deep exploration and rich storytelling are set to delight and enthrall PC users, too. There’s a darkness coming and with our new game engine, we hope to deliver something truly special across multiple formats that will set new standards for action adventure games.”
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be available for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC in 2013.
SINGAPORE – Creative Technology Ltd today announced the Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage Wireless gaming headset for PC and Mac, featuring state-of-the-art wireless audio technology and hassle-free connectivity. Creative also announced the new Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage USB wired gaming headset. Both headsets feature customizable SBX Pro Studio sound and voice audio technologies to arm gamers with the competitive advantage of the most immersive and accurate 3D acoustic environment.
The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage Wireless gaming headset connects quickly and easily via a USB dongle, for uncompressed 2.4 GHz, latency-free wireless audio playback. In both the wireless and wired models of the headset, best-in-class sound quality pumps through 50mm Full Spectrum™ drivers, with frequency response of 20Hz ~ 20KHz. The TacticProfile audio interface on the PC or Mac enables customization of EQ and audio preferences, which gamers can export and share with others.
The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage gaming headsets introduce the SB Prism RGB LED illumination system, enabling gamers to choose from 16 million colors to light up the side of each ear cup to match their rig or gaming style. Adjustable pulsation and intensity control for the SB Prism system also allows the headset to dynamically pulsate with the audio stream in real time when activated.
“We worked closely with professional gamers around the world to embrace their vision of the ultimate gaming headset, and we met their challenge to design a wireless headset that sounds as good and performs as well as its wired counterpart, providing ultimate freedom of movement without compromising audio quality,” said Ryan Schlieper, Product Marketing Manager for Gaming at Creative. “We want everyone to feel like the Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage is designed especially for them, so we’re excited to introduce the most customizable headsets on the market. The competitive advantage of creating your own personalized audio settings combined with customized ear cup illumination gives you the ultimate addition to your gaming arsenal.”
The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage gaming headsets feature SpringSteel steel core head band construction with sponge ear cups encased in leather for comfort during long periods of gaming. The built-in rechargeable battery powers up to 16 hours of use on a single charge. Rotary volume and mute controls are conveniently located on the ear cup. The detachable boom mic enhances portability and enhances the headset’s use for music playback.
The Tactic3D software control panel for PC and Mac provides all of the SBX Pro Studio and SB Prism customization capabilities.
SBX Pro Studio Sound and Voice Technologies
• SBX Surround™ – Goes beyond 7.1 surround sound creating unprecedented levels of audio realism including stunning surround effects that produce virtual speakers around, above and below you
• SBX Crystalizer™ – Hearing the clang of armor or the hum of a BFG, makes for a great game experience. SBX Crystalizer ensures that every audio detail is heard by restoring the “highs” and “lows” that are compromised with audio compression
• SBX Bass™ – SBX Bass technology dramatically improves the sound experience by expanding the low frequency tones
• SBX Dialog Plus™ – SBX Dialog Plus intelligently enhances voices in games and moves for dramatically clearer dialog
• SBX Smart Volume™ – Address the problem of abrupt volume level changes in games by intelligently applying gain and attenuation to deliver consistent volume levels
• VoiceFX™ – Enables alteration of voice with a variety of effects, which can be used to enhance the tone of a voice, create interesting accents, or enable someone to sound like a completely different person
Pricing and Availability
The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage Wireless gaming headset, priced at US$129.99, and the Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage wired gaming headset, priced at US$79.99, are slated for availability at end September 2012.
August 16th, 2012 – Muse Games’ newest title, Guns of Icarus Online (www.GunsofIcarus.com), is entering the home stretch and is now available for official pre-order on Steam with a 25% off discount. The cherry on top is immediate access to the closed beta, which is scheduled to run until launch on September 30th, 2012. Muse is offering several different game packages including a 4-pack bundle that prices that game as low as $8.75 per copy (after discount). The 4-pack comes with the Collector’s Edition (also available on its own) of the game that includes official soundtrack and an extra-costume to look your best on the opening day! So man your guns, repair the balloon, and dump that moonshine into the engines, because Guns of Icarus Online is taking off.
Guns of Icarus Online is the first co-operative airship combat game mixing together first-person shooter action with team-based strategy. Up to four people will crew a ship, taking on one of the key roles of Captain, Gunner, or Engineer joining a team and fighting against other ships above the post-apocalyptic waste. In Guns of Icarus Online, it will take teamwork and tactics to dominate the skies. The latest closed beta updates saw the addition of flamethrowers, a new ship with a severely powerful frontal assault, massively improved network and client side performance, and the addition of a multitude of equipment items, including moonshine, fire tarps, high velocity shells, smoke screens, and many more. Join the fun by signing up to our newsletter at www.GunsofIcarus.com or our facebook page at www.facebook.com/gunsoficarusonline and get a chance to win free access to our closed beta or make your pre-order from Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/209080 and be playing in minutes!
