It's not easy to be a hardcore gamer. It's hard. Wouldn't it be easier if you had a job in the, game review, videogames business?, game review, Think about it: working for a software company, being able to play games during office hours,, game review, with people who share your passion. Free games, industry parties, lots of fun and good money.
Well, think again; working in the PC Games business is nothing like that. Chances are you'll end up dealing with people who just care about the financial success of the, game review, company, with marketing executives who don't give adamn whether the game is good or not because "We'll put two-million bucks behind it and it'll sell like donuts", with programmers who cannot understand why an arcade-style racing game cannot have the intricacies of a complex simulator.
Still, you'll get some free games plus a decent salary.Still interested? Good.
The easiest way to get a chance to work in the videogames industry is to start as a game tester. Mind you - the job is actually tougher and less exciting, game review, than you think. While it is true that you'll spend most of your day playing games, you must bear in mind that this means testing to death the same game again, game review, and again, since the earliest days of development until it's finished, and this can get really boring.
The game tester starts working as soon as either the graphic engine or some of the AI routines are ready (and even earlier, game review, in some occasions: sometimes testers have to check the game design documents in order to make sure that there aren't weaknesses in the game structure.) It means checking the graphics and the control system or testing the, game review, AI routines, moving around coloured dots (it's often the case with sports games) or extremely unappealing chunks of graphics around the screen to check how the code reacts, game review, , game review, .
Reporting bugs is not an easy or exciting task either. You need to assess the exact circumstances (if any) of a bug taking place and its consequences on the game. More often than not this means playing the same bit of the game again and again and again until you are, game review, able to repeat the same bug whenever you want to (or better: whenever the programmers ask you to) or until you're sure that it was a one-off bug, something which happens in situations which cannot be repeated.
If you don't like PCs, you'll probably find an absolute nightmare having to cope with all the compatibility issues (does the game work fine with all the graphic accelerator cards? And what about the sound cards? And the joypads/joysticks?) but you'll get used to it in a matter of weeks.
Other downsides of the job is that office hours can range from your usual 9-5 to a very stressful round-the-clock when you're, game review, under deadlines and you don't have any guarantee that you'll be mentioned in the credits unless, game review, you're one of the lead testers. (Let's face it; you want your friends to know that YOU were part of the team who made that, game review, brilliant game, don't you?) Put in the frustration coming from, game review, dealing with programmers and/or artists who don't know what does make a good game (the industry has many such people.
..) and you'll get an even worse picture of the job.
Being a game tester is not all that bad, though. It's the perfect way to get into the biz for, game review, many different reasons: the first one and more obvious being that you'll be constantly in touch with both the programmers and artists. In a few weeks' time you'll understand problems concerning polygons (polys, for friends...), frame-rate and its relationships with the responsiveness and precision of the control system, how to address RAM-related problems and much, much more.
Hold on - let me make myself clear: you will NOT become a programmer but you will understand which compromises you must have in the game in order to have, game review, it work in its best possible, game review, form, given the capabilities of the system it is working on and the skills and talents of the developers.
Another obvious plus of the job is the money. In Europe, an internal tester is usually paid somewhere between US$15,000 to US$23,000, assuming he's employed full-time. However, some companies have part-time testing jobs, so that you don't have to leave school to be a tester.
The real highlight of being, game review, a game tester is that in, game review, many occasions, game review, you'll be required to play an active role in the making of the game: rather than limiting your task to just testing existing code, sometimes testers are asked, game review, to suggest alternative solutions to problems in either playability or game structure, game review, . It often happens that, during the development stages, the game feels and plays differently from what it should according to the game design document.
It could be the control system which is too complex, the physics, game review, model, the AI or any other element of the game which doesn't, game review, work as well as it, game review, should. The testers' main task, game review, is to flag any problems arising but they are often asked to give their precious input in order to improve the game.
It sometimes happens that the most critic and capable testers move onto design positions, which is a much more rewarding (both in terms of financial success and, game review, self-fulfilment) job with many more responsabilities.
Another way to climb the ranks of the company is to become Quality Assurance Manager, supervising and directing the work of several testers for one or more titles. Therefore, starting, game review, as a game tester can take you to higher floors while making many interesting contacts in the industry. The perfect game tester can express himself quite well in both written and oral form, knows how to work in a team and know games inside out - both new and classic titles. Needless to say, to do this you must play a lot: explore all the possibilities of a title, do things, game review, the developers couldn't think you, game review, would do (such as killing a friendly character, throwing away a useful item, going out of the track in a racing game or standing in particular areas where you're not supposed to stay) and see what happens.
Be curious while playing, and be critic.
If you have what it takes ring the bell; this industry needs you. Don't let the first negative replies write the word END to your career in this industry. Keep trying until a door opens, then put your foot in. Start writing your cover letter now (keep it short, nobody likes lengthy cover letters)) and be ready for the interview. Sooner or later you'll have your chance, so don't waste it.
Mary works in US for a media company, occasionally writing for the biggest PC Games, game review, Reviews portal, and drinking too much coffee.
2010/01/02
2010/01/01
XBox Game Violence vs Pocket PC Pacifism
News of grisly XBox-related killings is rapidly making the rounds within the relatively docile Pocket PC game community.
The MSNBC site recently outlined, game review, the jury's recommendations for six people killed over an XBox-related dispute in Florida.
After being evicted from the lodging where he had been squatting with his friends, Troy Victorino, 29, plotted revenge.
He returned with a couple of friends armed with baseball bats, where they summarily set about bludgeoning six other young people to death.
The most telling aspect of, game review, this unfortunate tale is that this was, game review, sparked by the property owner's 22-year-old granddaughter.
She made the unlucky decision to hold on, game, game review, review, to the assailant's XBox after having them turfed from the property, adding insult to injury.
Curiously, it was this last slight that proved to be the proverbial last straw and not, game review, Victorino's sudden social shift to homeless hobo.
The costly consoles typically sold for around $200.
00 CAD at the time of these slayings.
Some may say it was small wonder that this would serve as a catalyst for grisly, unadulterated video game related horror.
If you typically fall prey to politician-like spurious leaps in logic, you'll be counting down the days to an XBox 360 related incident as prices for this Cadillac of consoles soar into the stratosphere.
In Toronto it's retailing for $399.00 CAD at my local Best Buy outlet.
It's just enough to expedite the trip from mild mannered Pocket PC game, game review, geek to drooling chainsaw-wielding psycho after considering, game review, PST and, game review, GST taxes.
You may recall that 360 console prices in the thousands of dollars posted on EBay during the initial release of this game system.
Microsoft had struggled to keep pace with demand due to an unfortunate decision to start manufacturing en masse 69 days prior to release.
This led to ludicrosity, game review, in the form of violence-inducing, game review, EBay prices with units going for as much as $2500 CAD.
Stories of XBox crashes and overheating were just beginning to surface as I detailed in an earlier article.
What concerns me most are the spurious, irrational conclusions that are sure to follow. You're most likely familiar with the old, tired dogma linking violent video games to scenes right out of Tarantino's Hostel.
I'm not one to be a hypocrite about these things. I've played games in the gruesome genre, including some memorable spine-ripping finishing moves in Mortal Kombat or some frighteningly authentic execution-style kills in Hitman.
If you frequent my site you may have noticed that there is a distinctive lack of violent Pocket PC games reviewed.
This is hardly an accident as you'll be hard-pressed to find any for this platform, save for Killer Instinct Pocket PC emulator sessions.
As far as the Pocket PC game demographic is concerned, we're emulating the European mindset.
Developers generally eschew gory PDA game violence but can still encounter erotic PDA game downloads, game review, like the, game review, sexy Strip Teaser PPC game download, game review, over at the Softpedia site.
Solving puzzles in this game allows you to pause, play and rewind various striptease videos, presumably during covert corporate bathroom breaks.
I can accurately discern, game review, between real-life and virtual violence in my permanent starring turn as a pacifistic Pocket PC, game review, pansy. Maybe I'm a bit of a deviant.
Just the same, I don't think I'll be doling out $500 CAD for an XBox 360 right now. Microsoft's, game review, one fingered salute in the form of one wireless controller may just lead to beserker rage.
_____________________
Damian Julien is a Pocket PC gaming authority and long time general gaming hobbyist and reviewer.
He is an IT specialist by trade and has posted numerous articles on Pocket PC emulators, gaming and trends, game review, in the PDA game industry at http://www.pdagameguide.com/
The MSNBC site recently outlined, game review, the jury's recommendations for six people killed over an XBox-related dispute in Florida.
After being evicted from the lodging where he had been squatting with his friends, Troy Victorino, 29, plotted revenge.
He returned with a couple of friends armed with baseball bats, where they summarily set about bludgeoning six other young people to death.
The most telling aspect of, game review, this unfortunate tale is that this was, game review, sparked by the property owner's 22-year-old granddaughter.
She made the unlucky decision to hold on, game, game review, review, to the assailant's XBox after having them turfed from the property, adding insult to injury.
Curiously, it was this last slight that proved to be the proverbial last straw and not, game review, Victorino's sudden social shift to homeless hobo.
The costly consoles typically sold for around $200.
00 CAD at the time of these slayings.
Some may say it was small wonder that this would serve as a catalyst for grisly, unadulterated video game related horror.
If you typically fall prey to politician-like spurious leaps in logic, you'll be counting down the days to an XBox 360 related incident as prices for this Cadillac of consoles soar into the stratosphere.
In Toronto it's retailing for $399.00 CAD at my local Best Buy outlet.
It's just enough to expedite the trip from mild mannered Pocket PC game, game review, geek to drooling chainsaw-wielding psycho after considering, game review, PST and, game review, GST taxes.
You may recall that 360 console prices in the thousands of dollars posted on EBay during the initial release of this game system.
Microsoft had struggled to keep pace with demand due to an unfortunate decision to start manufacturing en masse 69 days prior to release.
This led to ludicrosity, game review, in the form of violence-inducing, game review, EBay prices with units going for as much as $2500 CAD.
Stories of XBox crashes and overheating were just beginning to surface as I detailed in an earlier article.
What concerns me most are the spurious, irrational conclusions that are sure to follow. You're most likely familiar with the old, tired dogma linking violent video games to scenes right out of Tarantino's Hostel.
I'm not one to be a hypocrite about these things. I've played games in the gruesome genre, including some memorable spine-ripping finishing moves in Mortal Kombat or some frighteningly authentic execution-style kills in Hitman.
If you frequent my site you may have noticed that there is a distinctive lack of violent Pocket PC games reviewed.
This is hardly an accident as you'll be hard-pressed to find any for this platform, save for Killer Instinct Pocket PC emulator sessions.
As far as the Pocket PC game demographic is concerned, we're emulating the European mindset.
Developers generally eschew gory PDA game violence but can still encounter erotic PDA game downloads, game review, like the, game review, sexy Strip Teaser PPC game download, game review, over at the Softpedia site.
Solving puzzles in this game allows you to pause, play and rewind various striptease videos, presumably during covert corporate bathroom breaks.
I can accurately discern, game review, between real-life and virtual violence in my permanent starring turn as a pacifistic Pocket PC, game review, pansy. Maybe I'm a bit of a deviant.
Just the same, I don't think I'll be doling out $500 CAD for an XBox 360 right now. Microsoft's, game review, one fingered salute in the form of one wireless controller may just lead to beserker rage.
_____________________
Damian Julien is a Pocket PC gaming authority and long time general gaming hobbyist and reviewer.
He is an IT specialist by trade and has posted numerous articles on Pocket PC emulators, gaming and trends, game review, in the PDA game industry at http://www.pdagameguide.com/
A Guide to Popular Wii Games - Great Titles to Enjoy on Your New Wii Console!
The Nintendo Wii console has caused a revolution in gaming and indoor recreation with its excellent interface and teh sheer fun you can, game review, have waving, game review, a white stick in the air. In addition to finding your Wii games at your favorite video games store, you can also buy and download new games online. It's a good idea to guarantee you purchase the best Wii games by checking out Wii game reviews before buying in order to be sure you're getting the best for your money.
Popular Wii Games : Wii Fit
The Wii Fit is the Wii gaming extension that, game review, everybody wants to own.
It has dramatically changed the,, game review, game review, gaming and fitness world by melding them together. It's fun and inventive and has lots of features and benefits for you and your family:
* Improves Strength
* Improves Endurance
*, game review, Improves Cardiovascular fitness
*, game review, Improves Flexibility
* Improves Balance
As well as that you are given your own digital private trainer who:
* Monitors your progress
* Monitors your health
* Provides fitness targets for you to aim for
All of this includes a clever and easy to use interface, game review, .
All you need to get yourself going is your Wii console, Wii game and Wii balance board. So if you are thinking about investing in an entertaining way to keep fit and keep yourself toned, then ensure this Wii game is a part of your fitness regime.
Popular Wii Games :, game review, Wii Music
Another celebrated Wii game is the Wii Music and when you learn what it does it's clear why. By making use of more realistic actions and movements you can play up to sixty instruments and not simply on your own.
This game can be played with, game review, friends so you can form your own ensemble. The selection of instruments includes:
* Drums in a marching band
* Sitar in a raga group
* Congas in a salsa ensemble
* Saxophone in a cool jazz combo
When you make use of, game review, the controllers you and your friends can use the intuitive interface and basically strum along rather than working with the old-fashioned button pressing. So invite your mates round and rock out!
Other Well-liked Wii Games
Make sure you check, game review, out these well-liked Wii games:
* Super Smash Brothers
* Guitar Hero
* Mario Kart
* Zelda
The intuitive controllers and advanced graphics will have you hooked very quickly indeed, and you'll soon see why the Nintendo Wii games console has had such an impact on the gaming world and how people look at video games in general.
To discover more about these great games, make sure you check the newest Wii games reviews before laying down your hard earned cash so you get the best gaming experience ever!
Popular Wii Games : Wii Fit
The Wii Fit is the Wii gaming extension that, game review, everybody wants to own.
It has dramatically changed the,, game review, game review, gaming and fitness world by melding them together. It's fun and inventive and has lots of features and benefits for you and your family:
* Improves Strength
* Improves Endurance
*, game review, Improves Cardiovascular fitness
*, game review, Improves Flexibility
* Improves Balance
As well as that you are given your own digital private trainer who:
* Monitors your progress
* Monitors your health
* Provides fitness targets for you to aim for
All of this includes a clever and easy to use interface, game review, .
All you need to get yourself going is your Wii console, Wii game and Wii balance board. So if you are thinking about investing in an entertaining way to keep fit and keep yourself toned, then ensure this Wii game is a part of your fitness regime.
Popular Wii Games :, game review, Wii Music
Another celebrated Wii game is the Wii Music and when you learn what it does it's clear why. By making use of more realistic actions and movements you can play up to sixty instruments and not simply on your own.
This game can be played with, game review, friends so you can form your own ensemble. The selection of instruments includes:
* Drums in a marching band
* Sitar in a raga group
* Congas in a salsa ensemble
* Saxophone in a cool jazz combo
When you make use of, game review, the controllers you and your friends can use the intuitive interface and basically strum along rather than working with the old-fashioned button pressing. So invite your mates round and rock out!
Other Well-liked Wii Games
Make sure you check, game review, out these well-liked Wii games:
* Super Smash Brothers
* Guitar Hero
* Mario Kart
* Zelda
The intuitive controllers and advanced graphics will have you hooked very quickly indeed, and you'll soon see why the Nintendo Wii games console has had such an impact on the gaming world and how people look at video games in general.
To discover more about these great games, make sure you check the newest Wii games reviews before laying down your hard earned cash so you get the best gaming experience ever!
2009/12/31
Fun Fishing Games for Playstation 2
The weather, lack of resources, and proper venue should not be seen as immovable obstacles to your, game review, fishing goals. If you truly desire to bait, hook and catch fishes today, then so you should! But this time, you'll be doing it on TV.
Wear your favorite fishing outfit if it makes you comfortable then take, game review, the best seat in the house. Choose one from the fishing games reviewed below, hook up your Playstation 2 to the TV, and, game review, you're all set to have one of the most exciting fishing challenges in your life!
Reel Fishing III
Nowadays, individuals with busy careers and hectic lives are forced to spend only a few minutes fishing and do so in artificial settings.
With Reel Fishing III, however, you can fish anytime, and feel like it's the real thing. Reel Fishing III provides its users with an incomparable experience of nature fishing; a few minutes into the game, and you might forget you're not really out enjoying the beauty and peace that only Mother Nature can provides us.
There are several great, game review, features to look forward to with Reel Fishing III:
User-Friendly - Even if you're not an expert fisherman, you still won't have problems playing Reel Fishing III.
But fishing veterans need not fear that playing Reel Fishing III would be a piece of cake; it won't be!
Choice of Settings - The game provides players with a variety of nature settings to choose from, so you won't get bored fishing in the same scene over and over.
Amazing, game review, Sounds - Dolby Surround Sound Pro Logic II was used in this game to give players the most realistic fishing experience.
Freshwater Fish Variety - Look forward to catching all 25 freshwater fish used in the game.
Rapala Pro Fishing
If nature fishing is too tame, then, game review, you'll probably love to join the fishing tournament brought by Rapala Pro Fishing. This is, however, a one-player game so any team, game review, efforts will, game review, be restricted to the background.
Features to Look Forward to:
Choice of Settings - If you want a virtual taste of, game review, how it is to go salmon fishing in Alaska and win the tournament, this game will provide you the means to experience it.
Fish and Lure Variety - Lots of fish to catch in this game; some are easy to bait while some will challenge every fishing trick you have
Boat Driving - Unlike some, game review, fishing games, Rapala Pro Fishing will allow you to steer the boat
Ease of Play - Even your five-year-old grandson will have no great difficulties playing Rapala Pro Fishing, which makes it a great way to bond with your family.
Kids may opt for an auto-cast function if they find, game review, manual baiting too hard.
Viewpoint, game review, Options - You can choose to see how you bait those beautiful fishes with the underwater or, game review, top water lure camera mode.
Fisherman's Bass Club
If none of the previous games have whetted your appetite, then maybe you'll enjoy the tough lake challenges provided by Fisherman's Bass Club. The 3D realistic fishing experience brought by this game will make catching the toughest freshwater sport fish even more rewarding.
Features to Look Forward to:
, game review, Quiz - Are you ready to put your fishing knowledge to test? You have 10 seconds to read and answer the questions.
Tutorial,, game review, game review, Mode - Beginners can hone their skills in the tutorial mode until they're sufficiently able to join a tournament and become a winner.
Customize, game review, Settings - You can choose what type of weather and time of the day you wish to compete
Try these games out, and you may realize indoor virtual fishing is not as bad as you, game review, thought it would be!
Fishing-games.
blogspot.com provide fishing games reviews. If you want to play or download free fishing games, please visit http://fishing-games.blogspot.com/
Wear your favorite fishing outfit if it makes you comfortable then take, game review, the best seat in the house. Choose one from the fishing games reviewed below, hook up your Playstation 2 to the TV, and, game review, you're all set to have one of the most exciting fishing challenges in your life!
Reel Fishing III
Nowadays, individuals with busy careers and hectic lives are forced to spend only a few minutes fishing and do so in artificial settings.
With Reel Fishing III, however, you can fish anytime, and feel like it's the real thing. Reel Fishing III provides its users with an incomparable experience of nature fishing; a few minutes into the game, and you might forget you're not really out enjoying the beauty and peace that only Mother Nature can provides us.
There are several great, game review, features to look forward to with Reel Fishing III:
User-Friendly - Even if you're not an expert fisherman, you still won't have problems playing Reel Fishing III.
But fishing veterans need not fear that playing Reel Fishing III would be a piece of cake; it won't be!
Choice of Settings - The game provides players with a variety of nature settings to choose from, so you won't get bored fishing in the same scene over and over.
Amazing, game review, Sounds - Dolby Surround Sound Pro Logic II was used in this game to give players the most realistic fishing experience.
Freshwater Fish Variety - Look forward to catching all 25 freshwater fish used in the game.
Rapala Pro Fishing
If nature fishing is too tame, then, game review, you'll probably love to join the fishing tournament brought by Rapala Pro Fishing. This is, however, a one-player game so any team, game review, efforts will, game review, be restricted to the background.
Features to Look Forward to:
Choice of Settings - If you want a virtual taste of, game review, how it is to go salmon fishing in Alaska and win the tournament, this game will provide you the means to experience it.
Fish and Lure Variety - Lots of fish to catch in this game; some are easy to bait while some will challenge every fishing trick you have
Boat Driving - Unlike some, game review, fishing games, Rapala Pro Fishing will allow you to steer the boat
Ease of Play - Even your five-year-old grandson will have no great difficulties playing Rapala Pro Fishing, which makes it a great way to bond with your family.
Kids may opt for an auto-cast function if they find, game review, manual baiting too hard.
Viewpoint, game review, Options - You can choose to see how you bait those beautiful fishes with the underwater or, game review, top water lure camera mode.
Fisherman's Bass Club
If none of the previous games have whetted your appetite, then maybe you'll enjoy the tough lake challenges provided by Fisherman's Bass Club. The 3D realistic fishing experience brought by this game will make catching the toughest freshwater sport fish even more rewarding.
Features to Look Forward to:
, game review, Quiz - Are you ready to put your fishing knowledge to test? You have 10 seconds to read and answer the questions.
Tutorial,, game review, game review, Mode - Beginners can hone their skills in the tutorial mode until they're sufficiently able to join a tournament and become a winner.
Customize, game review, Settings - You can choose what type of weather and time of the day you wish to compete
Try these games out, and you may realize indoor virtual fishing is not as bad as you, game review, thought it would be!
Fishing-games.
blogspot.com provide fishing games reviews. If you want to play or download free fishing games, please visit http://fishing-games.blogspot.com/
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Review
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories was hailed as the "killer PSP game". The popular GTA series had to make its way onto the PSP sooner or later, and it's PSP debut is great.
The game takes place, as the title suggests, in Liberty City, which is the city that Grand Theft Auto III (the series' first 3D game) is also situated, game review, in. Rockstar Leeds simply converted the city onto the UMD, and changed a few things to make it look more modern, as LCS is set after III. Having said that, the only real changes are shops, which have different names and styles, which is quite disappointing.
A new city to, game review, explore would have been much better.
You play as Toni Cipriani, a no nonsense guy who's willing to do anything and remove anybody in his way. Unlike GTA III, he can talk, which makes the cutscenes better. The basic story mode consists of missions that do tend to get repetitive. You'll go to a guy on your map, he'll give you a mission that usually involves killing someone,, game review, and you get paid once you're done. Once you've completed enough missions, you'll move on to the second island of Liberty City.
There are three islands in total, and you unlock them over time. It's a good incentive to complete the missions, but for people who have played GTA III, there's nothing really new.
Though the game focuses on missions, the free roam ability is truly magnificent. You may find yourself playing it over and over again, and rarely getting tired of it. There is no free roam mode, in fact there are no modes, the game simply loads when you turn it on. Whether or not you choose to engage in a mission is up to you.
If you choose not to, you can roam freely around the city, causing havoc, or just exploring. You can also collect a number of weapons, ranging, game review, from pistols and UZI's, game review, to rocket launchers, flamethrowers and sniper rifles. You'll also, game review, have melee weapons such as knives and baseball bats. Or, if you want to do some damage from a distance, use a grenade or Molotov cocktail.The amount of weapons in the game is similar to the PS2 versions, which means, game review, there's loads.
The cops are still present, so if you blow off too many heads, you'll get some heat on you. The cops are divided into levels with the usual system. You have 1 star at the beginning, and if you keep blowing things up, eventually it will increase to 6 stars, and you'll have the army after you.
The vehicles in the game, game review, are again similar to previous versions. Veterans will remember the Patriot, Cheetah, Infernus, Banshee and so on, although some have redesigns which look more modern.
You can also have motorbikes, which have never been seen around, game, game review, review, Liberty City before Motorbikes are generally faster and have better handling than the cars, and make it easier to perform unique jumps, and such. There are no bicycles in the game, which was a nice addition to San Andreas. As you progress through the, game review, game you will also have the chance to ride boats. It's not as fun as it sounds, and it never really has been in any of the GTA games. Boat handling is sluggish and it's not fun to drive, game review, them.
You can no longer fly. Anything. Not a thing. The Dodo was a plane on GTA III that was located in the airport, which, game review, you could fly,, game review, or at least try to. This time there is no Dodo, no helicopters, no planes whatsoever., game review, It really feels like a missing factor, although in one of the missions it is possible to steal a helicopter, so the physics and controls are still technically in the game. Why there are no planes to fly is confusing. The police still have, game review,, game review, choppers following you, so watch out.
A new mode of transportation is the ferry. It's basically a slow boat ride and you don't get to drive the boat. You even have to pay for the service. It is a quick way of getting from island to island though, and you do get to keep your car.
The general controls of vehicles is good. Sports cars have great speeds and handling, and slow cars have reduced turning capacity. The controls on foot have been changed dramatically. You use the small analog style stick to control Toni, and vehicles. The directional buttons are used for changing weapons and starting various side missions.
Of course the PSP has less buttons than the PS2 controller, so condensing everything was not an easy task. Sometimes the controls do feel very fiddly and it can be frustrating when you need to target things quickly.
Adding on to the "Toni Can't" list, is the, game review, ability to swim. Implemented in San Andreas, this feature is absent. It's only really missed when you fall off a cliff into, game review, the water, as you could swim to the side, game, game review, review, and get out. Instead, Toni simply drowns.
All of the abilities to increase stats are no longer present, but it's not particularly, game review, missed, game review, .
Toni can change clothes, and there are some nice options. He is unable to change specific body parts, instead you choose from full, game review, suits. Though changing clothes is a small part of the game, you probably would never notice this option if it wasn't required for some missions.
If you don't, game review, want to do any main missions, you can engage in some of the side missions.
Famous in all PS2 GTA games, these, game review, usually involve Taxi missions, in which you act as a taxi driver and deliver passengers before time elapses. Ambulance missions, where you take sick people to hospital. Firetruck missions, which involves putting out fires like burning cars. A new side mission is the dump truck mission. You simply need to collect all the green trash cans within the time limit. All these missions are basically the same repetitive actions. The rewards are, game review, worth the effort though.
There are also hidden packages throughout the game in various locations. Nothing new to the series, but collecting all 100 adds weapons, game review, to your hide out. Unique jumps are large jumps where the camera changes and it goes in slow motion. When you, game review, successfully complete, game review, a unique jump, you'll, game review, get money for your effort. While these things are by no means new additions, they are nice to have, and it expands the game.
We all know that the PSP has wireless capabilities, and Liberty City Stories takes advantage of that.
The wireless multiplayer action is staggeringly, game review, good. You must, game review, have friends with PSP's and copies of the game, but if, game review, you do, you're in luck. The game allows for total free play with your friends. There are many different game modes which adhere to the capture the flag premise. Most of the games work in this way. Liberty City Survivor allows players to play against each other. This is the mode you'll be playing none stop. Even after you have finished the game, it is unlikely that you will get bored of the multiplayer action.
Liberty City Stories has the same radio themed soundtrack. When you enter a vehicle you can choose from a number of radio stations, all of which have different styles of music., game review, The soundtrack has some known tracks from the era, but nothing too impressive. In comparison with the Vice City and San Andreas soundtracks, this is sub-standard.
The graphics throughout the, game review, game are fairly cartoony. The series was never meant to, game review, be a simulator, but some smoother graphics would have been nice.
Sometimes it can seem that Toni has several legs when you are running. Also, at times the frame rate has trouble keeping up, but only when there is lots on the screen at once. For the most part, the frame rate holds up well. The loading times are acceptable. There is a loading period at the, game review, start and then as you cross, game review, between islands, a loading screen will appear, but only for a few seconds.
Overall, it's a great addition to the Grand Theft Auto series, and the PSP line up.
You can't help but feel it's just a watered down version of a PS2 GTA, or simply an expansion pack, that doesn't expand on much. Nevertheless, the action, game review, in single player, and in particular, multiplayer, is well worth the purchase.
http://www.articlecore.com was created to provide articles on a number of different subjects ranging from PSP game reviews to Science.
The site is owned and run by Carl S. Richardson and Joe Denison, who are also known for a number of other websites including http://www.
rawpulse.com a Playstation gaming website.
The game takes place, as the title suggests, in Liberty City, which is the city that Grand Theft Auto III (the series' first 3D game) is also situated, game review, in. Rockstar Leeds simply converted the city onto the UMD, and changed a few things to make it look more modern, as LCS is set after III. Having said that, the only real changes are shops, which have different names and styles, which is quite disappointing.
A new city to, game review, explore would have been much better.
You play as Toni Cipriani, a no nonsense guy who's willing to do anything and remove anybody in his way. Unlike GTA III, he can talk, which makes the cutscenes better. The basic story mode consists of missions that do tend to get repetitive. You'll go to a guy on your map, he'll give you a mission that usually involves killing someone,, game review, and you get paid once you're done. Once you've completed enough missions, you'll move on to the second island of Liberty City.
There are three islands in total, and you unlock them over time. It's a good incentive to complete the missions, but for people who have played GTA III, there's nothing really new.
Though the game focuses on missions, the free roam ability is truly magnificent. You may find yourself playing it over and over again, and rarely getting tired of it. There is no free roam mode, in fact there are no modes, the game simply loads when you turn it on. Whether or not you choose to engage in a mission is up to you.
If you choose not to, you can roam freely around the city, causing havoc, or just exploring. You can also collect a number of weapons, ranging, game review, from pistols and UZI's, game review, to rocket launchers, flamethrowers and sniper rifles. You'll also, game review, have melee weapons such as knives and baseball bats. Or, if you want to do some damage from a distance, use a grenade or Molotov cocktail.The amount of weapons in the game is similar to the PS2 versions, which means, game review, there's loads.
The cops are still present, so if you blow off too many heads, you'll get some heat on you. The cops are divided into levels with the usual system. You have 1 star at the beginning, and if you keep blowing things up, eventually it will increase to 6 stars, and you'll have the army after you.
The vehicles in the game, game review, are again similar to previous versions. Veterans will remember the Patriot, Cheetah, Infernus, Banshee and so on, although some have redesigns which look more modern.
You can also have motorbikes, which have never been seen around, game, game review, review, Liberty City before Motorbikes are generally faster and have better handling than the cars, and make it easier to perform unique jumps, and such. There are no bicycles in the game, which was a nice addition to San Andreas. As you progress through the, game review, game you will also have the chance to ride boats. It's not as fun as it sounds, and it never really has been in any of the GTA games. Boat handling is sluggish and it's not fun to drive, game review, them.
You can no longer fly. Anything. Not a thing. The Dodo was a plane on GTA III that was located in the airport, which, game review, you could fly,, game review, or at least try to. This time there is no Dodo, no helicopters, no planes whatsoever., game review, It really feels like a missing factor, although in one of the missions it is possible to steal a helicopter, so the physics and controls are still technically in the game. Why there are no planes to fly is confusing. The police still have, game review,, game review, choppers following you, so watch out.
A new mode of transportation is the ferry. It's basically a slow boat ride and you don't get to drive the boat. You even have to pay for the service. It is a quick way of getting from island to island though, and you do get to keep your car.
The general controls of vehicles is good. Sports cars have great speeds and handling, and slow cars have reduced turning capacity. The controls on foot have been changed dramatically. You use the small analog style stick to control Toni, and vehicles. The directional buttons are used for changing weapons and starting various side missions.
Of course the PSP has less buttons than the PS2 controller, so condensing everything was not an easy task. Sometimes the controls do feel very fiddly and it can be frustrating when you need to target things quickly.
Adding on to the "Toni Can't" list, is the, game review, ability to swim. Implemented in San Andreas, this feature is absent. It's only really missed when you fall off a cliff into, game review, the water, as you could swim to the side, game, game review, review, and get out. Instead, Toni simply drowns.
All of the abilities to increase stats are no longer present, but it's not particularly, game review, missed, game review, .
Toni can change clothes, and there are some nice options. He is unable to change specific body parts, instead you choose from full, game review, suits. Though changing clothes is a small part of the game, you probably would never notice this option if it wasn't required for some missions.
If you don't, game review, want to do any main missions, you can engage in some of the side missions.
Famous in all PS2 GTA games, these, game review, usually involve Taxi missions, in which you act as a taxi driver and deliver passengers before time elapses. Ambulance missions, where you take sick people to hospital. Firetruck missions, which involves putting out fires like burning cars. A new side mission is the dump truck mission. You simply need to collect all the green trash cans within the time limit. All these missions are basically the same repetitive actions. The rewards are, game review, worth the effort though.
There are also hidden packages throughout the game in various locations. Nothing new to the series, but collecting all 100 adds weapons, game review, to your hide out. Unique jumps are large jumps where the camera changes and it goes in slow motion. When you, game review, successfully complete, game review, a unique jump, you'll, game review, get money for your effort. While these things are by no means new additions, they are nice to have, and it expands the game.
We all know that the PSP has wireless capabilities, and Liberty City Stories takes advantage of that.
The wireless multiplayer action is staggeringly, game review, good. You must, game review, have friends with PSP's and copies of the game, but if, game review, you do, you're in luck. The game allows for total free play with your friends. There are many different game modes which adhere to the capture the flag premise. Most of the games work in this way. Liberty City Survivor allows players to play against each other. This is the mode you'll be playing none stop. Even after you have finished the game, it is unlikely that you will get bored of the multiplayer action.
Liberty City Stories has the same radio themed soundtrack. When you enter a vehicle you can choose from a number of radio stations, all of which have different styles of music., game review, The soundtrack has some known tracks from the era, but nothing too impressive. In comparison with the Vice City and San Andreas soundtracks, this is sub-standard.
The graphics throughout the, game review, game are fairly cartoony. The series was never meant to, game review, be a simulator, but some smoother graphics would have been nice.
Sometimes it can seem that Toni has several legs when you are running. Also, at times the frame rate has trouble keeping up, but only when there is lots on the screen at once. For the most part, the frame rate holds up well. The loading times are acceptable. There is a loading period at the, game review, start and then as you cross, game review, between islands, a loading screen will appear, but only for a few seconds.
Overall, it's a great addition to the Grand Theft Auto series, and the PSP line up.
You can't help but feel it's just a watered down version of a PS2 GTA, or simply an expansion pack, that doesn't expand on much. Nevertheless, the action, game review, in single player, and in particular, multiplayer, is well worth the purchase.
http://www.articlecore.com was created to provide articles on a number of different subjects ranging from PSP game reviews to Science.
The site is owned and run by Carl S. Richardson and Joe Denison, who are also known for a number of other websites including http://www.
rawpulse.com a Playstation gaming website.
2009/12/30
Multiplayer Xbox 360 Games - Your Ultimate Guide
The entire gaming community went nuts when Microsoft, game review, released its first ever video gaming console, the Xbox 360, and since then Xbox 360 games have filled the shelves of video game stores all over the world from the United States of America to the UK and different countries of Asia.
There are a lot of features that are built into the Xbox 360 that have made the average gaming experience of the 90s incredibly, game review, modernized, impressive, and interactive, and one of these is the multiplayer function in certain games wherein you can play in a split screen with a maximum of three other players.
The Multiplayer feature in the Xbox 360 totally, game review, innovates what people were used to when they were stuck with the earlier generations of the video game console. The only disadvantage with the multiplayer feature of the Xbox 360 is that not all games have this function, and if you don't have a keen eye for these types of games, you might end up buying an expensive game and risking the possibility of having to play it without the help of your, game review, friends. So, to be able to address this problem, Xbox 360 fans who know a thing or two about website development would provide other fellow Xbox players a chance to check first if a particular game has the feature or not.
The gate to all of these games is the World Wide Web, so if you are planning on adding another Xbox 360 game, game review, to your collection and would like to play Multiplayer with your friends, checking these websites,, game review, game review, is the first step. Believe it or not, there are over a hundred websites with lists, game review, of all the latest multiplayer games for this year, so you won't have to worry about mistakenly buying, game review, a game that isn't designed for Multiplayer game play after all.
You can take a look at some of these through search engines like Google, MSN, and Yahoo. In one particular website, you'll be able to search through multiplayer games based on their genre such as strategy, role-playing,, game review, racing, action, and even family-based games.
Viewing lists of games first before buying them off the video stores (offline or online) has its advantages and disadvantages though. As we can check first if a particular game is worth buying, game review, with the Multiplayer, game review, experience on our minds, we can't help but wonder if this game really is, game review, interesting, has high ratings from gaming experts, and positive comments from other Xbox 360 players.
This calls for the need of Xbox game reviews and this is the next thing you have to look out for. Reviews written either by Xbox gaming professionals or regular yet addicted Xbox players can already be the key to making your Xbox 360 multiplayer experience a memorable one with your family and friends. What's more, you'll be saving yourself, game review, from unnecessary expenses on a game that isn't even worth your time and button mashing.
There are a lot of features that are built into the Xbox 360 that have made the average gaming experience of the 90s incredibly, game review, modernized, impressive, and interactive, and one of these is the multiplayer function in certain games wherein you can play in a split screen with a maximum of three other players.
The Multiplayer feature in the Xbox 360 totally, game review, innovates what people were used to when they were stuck with the earlier generations of the video game console. The only disadvantage with the multiplayer feature of the Xbox 360 is that not all games have this function, and if you don't have a keen eye for these types of games, you might end up buying an expensive game and risking the possibility of having to play it without the help of your, game review, friends. So, to be able to address this problem, Xbox 360 fans who know a thing or two about website development would provide other fellow Xbox players a chance to check first if a particular game has the feature or not.
The gate to all of these games is the World Wide Web, so if you are planning on adding another Xbox 360 game, game review, to your collection and would like to play Multiplayer with your friends, checking these websites,, game review, game review, is the first step. Believe it or not, there are over a hundred websites with lists, game review, of all the latest multiplayer games for this year, so you won't have to worry about mistakenly buying, game review, a game that isn't designed for Multiplayer game play after all.
You can take a look at some of these through search engines like Google, MSN, and Yahoo. In one particular website, you'll be able to search through multiplayer games based on their genre such as strategy, role-playing,, game review, racing, action, and even family-based games.
Viewing lists of games first before buying them off the video stores (offline or online) has its advantages and disadvantages though. As we can check first if a particular game is worth buying, game review, with the Multiplayer, game review, experience on our minds, we can't help but wonder if this game really is, game review, interesting, has high ratings from gaming experts, and positive comments from other Xbox 360 players.
This calls for the need of Xbox game reviews and this is the next thing you have to look out for. Reviews written either by Xbox gaming professionals or regular yet addicted Xbox players can already be the key to making your Xbox 360 multiplayer experience a memorable one with your family and friends. What's more, you'll be saving yourself, game review, from unnecessary expenses on a game that isn't even worth your time and button mashing.
Online Video Game Rental - 3 Simple Steps to Finding the Best Service
Video Game Rental Services - Why Use Them?
Ever raced out to purchase the latest gaming new release only to get it home and realize it was a dud? What about the opposite,, game review,,, game review, game review, when you find a title you love so much you just can't stop playing, game review, it...the only problem being that, game review, it takes you less than a day to complete! What if you find a monster of a game that sucks you in for weeks at a time...the only problem being that you hired it from the local store and the late fees are killing you!
Online Video Game Rental Services do away with all of these problems and provide a convenient service to make sure you can have the latest and greatest games at your fingertips, without having to worry about late fees, or time, game review, restraints.
With established services in the USA, UK and Australia, there is now a less expensive, game review, alternative to buying games, and a more convenient way to get your gaming fix than fighting for that lone copy of the latest release at the local video store.
How Does It Work?
It's easy! Paying, game review, one fixed monthly fee gives you access to thousands of gaming titles across all your favorite consoles, including XBox & XBox 360, PlayStation's PS2 and PS3, Nintendo's GameCube, Nintendo DS, GameBoy Advance, PC games and Wii.
Instead of having to pay a new fee for each game rental, you can customize your rental plan to maximize your gaming experience. How? You don't pay for how many games you rent in a month, but can decide on how many games you want to rent at any one time. Only want one game at a time - pay the minimum. Want more? Upgrade your plan whenever you like. What it means though is that even on a basic plan, you can still have unlimited video game rental each month. When you're finished with one game, just order the next.
What Should I Look For In A Service
Most services strive to provide, game review, a large selection of games across a wide range of genre's on all the popular consoles. Membership fees generally vary from $12.95 to $24.95 depending on the number of games you want to be able to rent at, game review, the same, game review, time. Plan customization is also important and this is the reason, game review, its a good idea to compare the various plans available with each service provider, so you know you'll be getting the best deal to suit your budget - and your playing habits.
Importantly, we recommend ensuring that your service has no late fees, no delivery fees, and no time limits for return. A quick delivery time is also something to be wary of, and it may be worthwhile calling or emailing your chosen video game rental mail service to ensure they can ensure rapid deliveries to your, game review, specific location.
Most service providers include game reviews, game review, and helpful search capabilities that let you find the exact game you are looking, game review, for in a moment, or make browsing a cinch if you aren't quite sure what your in the mood for.
Most sites also have a 'try and buy' feature which lets you purchase games outright in the event you decide they are keepers.
Be sure to take advantage of those sites offering, game review, a Free Trial, as this will give you the best indication that you've made the right choice with your video game rental service.
Ever raced out to purchase the latest gaming new release only to get it home and realize it was a dud? What about the opposite,, game review,,, game review, game review, when you find a title you love so much you just can't stop playing, game review, it...the only problem being that, game review, it takes you less than a day to complete! What if you find a monster of a game that sucks you in for weeks at a time...the only problem being that you hired it from the local store and the late fees are killing you!
Online Video Game Rental Services do away with all of these problems and provide a convenient service to make sure you can have the latest and greatest games at your fingertips, without having to worry about late fees, or time, game review, restraints.
With established services in the USA, UK and Australia, there is now a less expensive, game review, alternative to buying games, and a more convenient way to get your gaming fix than fighting for that lone copy of the latest release at the local video store.
How Does It Work?
It's easy! Paying, game review, one fixed monthly fee gives you access to thousands of gaming titles across all your favorite consoles, including XBox & XBox 360, PlayStation's PS2 and PS3, Nintendo's GameCube, Nintendo DS, GameBoy Advance, PC games and Wii.
Instead of having to pay a new fee for each game rental, you can customize your rental plan to maximize your gaming experience. How? You don't pay for how many games you rent in a month, but can decide on how many games you want to rent at any one time. Only want one game at a time - pay the minimum. Want more? Upgrade your plan whenever you like. What it means though is that even on a basic plan, you can still have unlimited video game rental each month. When you're finished with one game, just order the next.
What Should I Look For In A Service
Most services strive to provide, game review, a large selection of games across a wide range of genre's on all the popular consoles. Membership fees generally vary from $12.95 to $24.95 depending on the number of games you want to be able to rent at, game review, the same, game review, time. Plan customization is also important and this is the reason, game review, its a good idea to compare the various plans available with each service provider, so you know you'll be getting the best deal to suit your budget - and your playing habits.
Importantly, we recommend ensuring that your service has no late fees, no delivery fees, and no time limits for return. A quick delivery time is also something to be wary of, and it may be worthwhile calling or emailing your chosen video game rental mail service to ensure they can ensure rapid deliveries to your, game review, specific location.
Most service providers include game reviews, game review, and helpful search capabilities that let you find the exact game you are looking, game review, for in a moment, or make browsing a cinch if you aren't quite sure what your in the mood for.
Most sites also have a 'try and buy' feature which lets you purchase games outright in the event you decide they are keepers.
Be sure to take advantage of those sites offering, game review, a Free Trial, as this will give you the best indication that you've made the right choice with your video game rental service.
2009/12/29
Christmas games - perfect presents for PC gamers!
Christmas has been celebrated for centuries by different people, at different times, in different places, and in many different ways. In approximately year 300 A.D., the birthday of Jesus was determined to be on December 25, the day that has been celebrated from then till this very day. The celebration, game review, on the 25th of, game review, December starts with Christmas Eve, the evening of December 24. It's getting closer and closer to Christmas, but don't fret; These top Christmas PC Games will make great holiday presents.
All in all, it looks to be a great Christmas for PC gamers. Delicious Emilys Holiday Season Join Emily in a festive adventure through a winter wonderland in Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season! Join Emily in this romantic new adventure through a winter wonderland! Meet her family and, game review, catch up with friends. Help and serve guests delicious holiday treats. Go to the winter fair and visit the old farm, now an ice rink. Take part in jolly activities like making snow-angels and snowmen, ice-skating, skiing, and throwing snowballs.
Find out who the lucky guy will be! With five locations, 50 new events, festive, game review, upgrades, and a fresh set of fireworks, Emily's frolicking will brighten up your holidays with heartwarming fun! Try the free trial, game review, version of Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season or download, game review, the full-unlimited version today! Warm up your holidays in a wonderful time management sequel - Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season game! Delicious Emilys Holiday Season Game Review It's hard to imagine a game stuffed with a romantic atmosphere of Christmas, but Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season, game review, proves to be a surprisingly well-balanced time management game flavored with an exciting story throughout the game.
Fishdom Frosty Splash Create the atmosphere of winter in ur tank! Enjoy winter with Fishdom Frosty Splash!, game review, Cheer up and spread the merriment of crispy clear days around!, game review, Use your imagination to recreate the nippy and fun atmosphere of winter in your tank. Earn money as you complete challenging match-3 levels and use it to buy festive fishies and winter-themed decorations. Get splashed with frosty joy in this sparkling and snowy sequel to Fishdom! Gift Fishdom Frosty Splash game on Christmas! Fishdom Frosty Splash Game Features 100 winter-themed decorations Endless replay value Set up your, game review, aquarium as a screensaver Get splashed with frosty joy! Christmasville Save Santa and return Christmas to children! Santa Claus is missing! Christmas has been stolen! You are the Great Private Detective Arthur Knight, and you are the only one who can save the day by investigating the case.
Your new friends ? Abominable Snowman, Reindeer and Elf will help you to discover the truth of Santa's disappearance in this Christmas adventure for the entire family! Save Christmas in Christmasville game! Christmasville Game Features Enjoy unlimited play time Thousands of hidden objects to find Hilarious story Sevaeral mini-games Christmasville Game Review Do you believe in Santa? No? Arthur Knight, a private detective, didn't believe in Santa either., game review, But one, game review, day he had to.
A strange client showed up in his office claiming that Santa was missing... Find other Chrismas PC Games to entertain you!
All in all, it looks to be a great Christmas for PC gamers. Delicious Emilys Holiday Season Join Emily in a festive adventure through a winter wonderland in Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season! Join Emily in this romantic new adventure through a winter wonderland! Meet her family and, game review, catch up with friends. Help and serve guests delicious holiday treats. Go to the winter fair and visit the old farm, now an ice rink. Take part in jolly activities like making snow-angels and snowmen, ice-skating, skiing, and throwing snowballs.
Find out who the lucky guy will be! With five locations, 50 new events, festive, game review, upgrades, and a fresh set of fireworks, Emily's frolicking will brighten up your holidays with heartwarming fun! Try the free trial, game review, version of Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season or download, game review, the full-unlimited version today! Warm up your holidays in a wonderful time management sequel - Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season game! Delicious Emilys Holiday Season Game Review It's hard to imagine a game stuffed with a romantic atmosphere of Christmas, but Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season, game review, proves to be a surprisingly well-balanced time management game flavored with an exciting story throughout the game.
Fishdom Frosty Splash Create the atmosphere of winter in ur tank! Enjoy winter with Fishdom Frosty Splash!, game review, Cheer up and spread the merriment of crispy clear days around!, game review, Use your imagination to recreate the nippy and fun atmosphere of winter in your tank. Earn money as you complete challenging match-3 levels and use it to buy festive fishies and winter-themed decorations. Get splashed with frosty joy in this sparkling and snowy sequel to Fishdom! Gift Fishdom Frosty Splash game on Christmas! Fishdom Frosty Splash Game Features 100 winter-themed decorations Endless replay value Set up your, game review, aquarium as a screensaver Get splashed with frosty joy! Christmasville Save Santa and return Christmas to children! Santa Claus is missing! Christmas has been stolen! You are the Great Private Detective Arthur Knight, and you are the only one who can save the day by investigating the case.
Your new friends ? Abominable Snowman, Reindeer and Elf will help you to discover the truth of Santa's disappearance in this Christmas adventure for the entire family! Save Christmas in Christmasville game! Christmasville Game Features Enjoy unlimited play time Thousands of hidden objects to find Hilarious story Sevaeral mini-games Christmasville Game Review Do you believe in Santa? No? Arthur Knight, a private detective, didn't believe in Santa either., game review, But one, game review, day he had to.
A strange client showed up in his office claiming that Santa was missing... Find other Chrismas PC Games to entertain you!
Mystery Case Files - Dire Grove Game Review
MCF: Dire Grove is the latest chapter in Big Fish Games' Mystery Case Files (MCF) series, with the events in the game taking place right after Return to Ravenhearst. Once again, you take on the role of the master detective as you continue to tackle mysterious cases that include hints of the supernatural, game review, .
MCF: Dire Grove starts with the detective (that's you!) driving back through the English countryside after solving the mystery in MCF: Return to Ravenhearst. As you're driving, you are caught in a freak snowstorm that is so intense that your vision is entirely obscured, and you are forced to stop in a secluded village just off the motorway: Dire Grove.
As, game review, you approach the village, you find an abandoned, game review, car along the road. Investigating, game review, it, you come across scraps of paper and a video cassette containing disturbing information about a dark legend that had come to life. As you progress further into the village, you start to discover that something is really wrong, game review, here. The village seems abandoned, and you find more video cassettes showing recordings by a group of archaeology graduate students who had come to Dire Grove to investigate an ancient dark Celtic legend.
And by the looks of it, they found what they were looking for...
The first thing you'll notice when playing MCF: Dire Grove is that the production, game review, values for this game have gone through the roof, much better than its already-impressive predecessors! All the, game review, art and music in the game are gorgeous and fit the theme and atmosphere brilliantly. To enforce the atmosphere of a snowstorm, you also have snowflakes and flying leaves moving all over the screen.
What stood out for me was the almost movie-like quality in the cutscenes.
The intro scene, game review, and all the video clips showing the archaeology students and their misadventures are live, game review, action recordings. The acting is pretty decent and the recordings have an almost Blair Witch-like quality to them. All of this adds an extra dose of realism to the game, drawing, game review, you in like never before.
The gameplay of Dire Grove has also evolved from the basic, game review, hidden object gameplay of the earlier instalments in the MCF series. This game is an adventure and exploration game first, with hidden object gameplay and puzzle elements thrown, game review, in.
You don't get mindlessly led from one hidden object scene to another. Instead, you need to use a bit of exploration and logic to decide what you should do to achieve your immediate goals and advance the plot. The game isn't extremely difficult to solve though; most of the objects of interest will have a slight sparkle to guide you along your, game review, path.
The hidden object scenes and the puzzles that appear as minigames are both of the standard that you would expect from a MCF game. The designs are crisp and clear, while the puzzles are difficult enough to require a moderate amount of thinking and planning, but not so difficult, game review, as to detract from the story or become a stumbling block.
There are also puzzles that span across multiple scenes. You might find a crowbar or a bunch of nails in one scene, and won't find a use for them till an hour or more later. There are also obstacles, game review, that require manipulating the scenes. For example, there's an object of interest on the top shelf in the garage. Now what can I find in the area that I can use, game review, to reach it?
As has been said before, the game has superb production, game review, values, and is a full-fledged adventure puzzle game that will draw you in for hours on end.
What else can you expect from the developers of the Mystery Case Files series who have yet to disappoint?
Rating: 5.0/5.0
MCF: Dire Grove starts with the detective (that's you!) driving back through the English countryside after solving the mystery in MCF: Return to Ravenhearst. As you're driving, you are caught in a freak snowstorm that is so intense that your vision is entirely obscured, and you are forced to stop in a secluded village just off the motorway: Dire Grove.
As, game review, you approach the village, you find an abandoned, game review, car along the road. Investigating, game review, it, you come across scraps of paper and a video cassette containing disturbing information about a dark legend that had come to life. As you progress further into the village, you start to discover that something is really wrong, game review, here. The village seems abandoned, and you find more video cassettes showing recordings by a group of archaeology graduate students who had come to Dire Grove to investigate an ancient dark Celtic legend.
And by the looks of it, they found what they were looking for...
The first thing you'll notice when playing MCF: Dire Grove is that the production, game review, values for this game have gone through the roof, much better than its already-impressive predecessors! All the, game review, art and music in the game are gorgeous and fit the theme and atmosphere brilliantly. To enforce the atmosphere of a snowstorm, you also have snowflakes and flying leaves moving all over the screen.
What stood out for me was the almost movie-like quality in the cutscenes.
The intro scene, game review, and all the video clips showing the archaeology students and their misadventures are live, game review, action recordings. The acting is pretty decent and the recordings have an almost Blair Witch-like quality to them. All of this adds an extra dose of realism to the game, drawing, game review, you in like never before.
The gameplay of Dire Grove has also evolved from the basic, game review, hidden object gameplay of the earlier instalments in the MCF series. This game is an adventure and exploration game first, with hidden object gameplay and puzzle elements thrown, game review, in.
You don't get mindlessly led from one hidden object scene to another. Instead, you need to use a bit of exploration and logic to decide what you should do to achieve your immediate goals and advance the plot. The game isn't extremely difficult to solve though; most of the objects of interest will have a slight sparkle to guide you along your, game review, path.
The hidden object scenes and the puzzles that appear as minigames are both of the standard that you would expect from a MCF game. The designs are crisp and clear, while the puzzles are difficult enough to require a moderate amount of thinking and planning, but not so difficult, game review, as to detract from the story or become a stumbling block.
There are also puzzles that span across multiple scenes. You might find a crowbar or a bunch of nails in one scene, and won't find a use for them till an hour or more later. There are also obstacles, game review, that require manipulating the scenes. For example, there's an object of interest on the top shelf in the garage. Now what can I find in the area that I can use, game review, to reach it?
As has been said before, the game has superb production, game review, values, and is a full-fledged adventure puzzle game that will draw you in for hours on end.
What else can you expect from the developers of the Mystery Case Files series who have yet to disappoint?
Rating: 5.0/5.0
2009/12/28
Westward IV: All Aboard Game Review
Westward IV: All Aboard, game review, continues, game review, the excellent gaming tradition that is the best-selling Westward game series, game review, ., game review, This fourth outing, game review, features the same great resource management, time management and adventure elements that made the Westward games such great hits in this genre.The story of Westward 4 focuses on the railroad, the mighty engine that connected, game review, the wild wild west to the prosperous cities of the east.
There are many great stories and adventures connected with the railroad; from the tales of exploration of a dangerous land, to the daring raids of robber barons and hostile Indians, to the inspirational stories of pioneers trying to make their fortunes in the new frontier.Westward 4 tells the story of the Turner Railroad, a small family business that is trying, game review, to prosper in the wild west. You play the part of either the spunky and rough-and-tumble Anne Turner, or the inventive gearhead Henry Turner, both children of the Turner Railroad's founder.
The adventure begins when the siblings return home after a, game review, few months away, only, game review, to find out that their father has gone missing and their homestead has suffered from lack of proper care. You then embark on your great adventure to find your father and transform the family business into the most prosperous outpost in the west!The game starts off fairly, game review, slowly, teaching you the basics of the game while, game review, introducing the setting and story. The first few quests/missions will teach you the basics such as gathering resources, looking for buried treasure, building farms and homes, and assigning workers to various jobs around town.
All of this happens while you are introduced to the story, game review, involving the current condition, game review, of Turner Railroad and the mystery of your missing, game review, father.The gameplay gets more complicated the further you progress into it, as you learn the blueprints for more buildings and are required to skillfully manage your limited building resources, money and labor. The buildings you can construct range, game review, from the simple farm and house that are available to you from the start, to the more complicated salon and smithy that require blueprints and more resources to build.
The resource, game review, management involves making sure you have enough gold and lumber to construct the various buildings you need, as well as enough coal to power your railroad network. The labor is also important: you will need to make sure all your workers are properly housed, fed and employed.You will also need to contend with bandits and rescue damsels in distress. No game set in the wild west is complete without some gun-slinging and rescuing hostages from railroad tracks in the nick of time! In addition, the game doesn't just revolve around the growing township of Turner Railroad.
There are plenty of other locations (all connected via railroad of course) for you to explore and expand to.The mechanics in this game are very similar to its predecessors in the Westward series. The simple interfacing primarily using the mouse has an elegance that keeps the game from becoming overly complicated. The graphics and music are top-notch like before, giving the game a polished feel and making you feel like you are part of a movie western.Westward 4 is a very engaging and immersive game that is guaranteed to take you away to the, game review, wild wild west for hours on end.
So come help the Turners find their father and transform their homestead into a bustling town. And when you're done, you can check out the other games in the Westward series.Rating: 4.0/5.0You can read more about Westward IV: All Aboard at http://www.game-tycoon.com/westward-4.html
There are many great stories and adventures connected with the railroad; from the tales of exploration of a dangerous land, to the daring raids of robber barons and hostile Indians, to the inspirational stories of pioneers trying to make their fortunes in the new frontier.Westward 4 tells the story of the Turner Railroad, a small family business that is trying, game review, to prosper in the wild west. You play the part of either the spunky and rough-and-tumble Anne Turner, or the inventive gearhead Henry Turner, both children of the Turner Railroad's founder.
The adventure begins when the siblings return home after a, game review, few months away, only, game review, to find out that their father has gone missing and their homestead has suffered from lack of proper care. You then embark on your great adventure to find your father and transform the family business into the most prosperous outpost in the west!The game starts off fairly, game review, slowly, teaching you the basics of the game while, game review, introducing the setting and story. The first few quests/missions will teach you the basics such as gathering resources, looking for buried treasure, building farms and homes, and assigning workers to various jobs around town.
All of this happens while you are introduced to the story, game review, involving the current condition, game review, of Turner Railroad and the mystery of your missing, game review, father.The gameplay gets more complicated the further you progress into it, as you learn the blueprints for more buildings and are required to skillfully manage your limited building resources, money and labor. The buildings you can construct range, game review, from the simple farm and house that are available to you from the start, to the more complicated salon and smithy that require blueprints and more resources to build.
The resource, game review, management involves making sure you have enough gold and lumber to construct the various buildings you need, as well as enough coal to power your railroad network. The labor is also important: you will need to make sure all your workers are properly housed, fed and employed.You will also need to contend with bandits and rescue damsels in distress. No game set in the wild west is complete without some gun-slinging and rescuing hostages from railroad tracks in the nick of time! In addition, the game doesn't just revolve around the growing township of Turner Railroad.
There are plenty of other locations (all connected via railroad of course) for you to explore and expand to.The mechanics in this game are very similar to its predecessors in the Westward series. The simple interfacing primarily using the mouse has an elegance that keeps the game from becoming overly complicated. The graphics and music are top-notch like before, giving the game a polished feel and making you feel like you are part of a movie western.Westward 4 is a very engaging and immersive game that is guaranteed to take you away to the, game review, wild wild west for hours on end.
So come help the Turners find their father and transform their homestead into a bustling town. And when you're done, you can check out the other games in the Westward series.Rating: 4.0/5.0You can read more about Westward IV: All Aboard at http://www.game-tycoon.com/westward-4.html
Nancy Drew - Warnings at Waverly Academy - Game Review
Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy is a great new game that is sure to please Nancy Drew mystery fans. It is an improvement from the last Nancy Drew video game that came, game review, out, and it has better detail in the graphics.
For many Nancy Drew book fans, emerging computer games make it even more fun to solve mysteries. In the computer you can, game review, control how slow you move through the game or in which direction you will take, the game moves around as, game review,, game review, you do and many people love that sense of control.
A disappointing feature in this game was the limiting areas of game play., game review, Nancy Drew joins a girls only boarding school and must live in to solve a mystery, however there are not enough rooms to explore and it can leave fans feeling rather tight squeezed in the corridors, game review, of the boarding school and its limited access.
The plot is not disappointing; in fact many people are, game review, saying that it is one of her best. Nancy Drew lives in a boarding school to solve the mystery of the black cat.
A black cat has, game review, been sending kids threatening messages and Nancy must find out why.
In the game, Nancy is able to communicate with lots of characters as she plunges through the game. There are many puzzles to solve as she tries to ultimately solve the game. This game is in the first person and the screen moves around by pressing on the arrow keys. It has been noted that the voice acting of Nancy, game review, is excellent and sounds very good.
Nancy Drew is able to keep track of all the school's latest gossip through a social networking site on her cell phone, that little feature may have fans relating, game review, to her as they too might do the same at their schools.
Nancy is also able to use her photography to battle assignments as she attempts to solve the case.
This game was a sure improvement to the last game that came out. It lives up to Nancy Drew's reputation for having great storylines, and excellent mysteries to solve. The graphics showed improvement and so did the detail in the artwork including face details.
This game requires certain things to run; windows XP/vista 1 GHz or, greater Pentium, class CPV, 256 MB of ram, 1 GB or more, 32 MB direct, game review,, game review, 9.
0 computer video card. To find out if your computer is able to run this game just learn what, game review, programs are on your notebook or computer or ask a computer, game review, associate for advice.
Nancy Drew fans will most definitely be excited about this game. The character stays true to her as she does what only she can do best and that is to solve mysteries. This game loads easily and runs with not problems making it an easy game to purchase, play and love. If you're stuck at any time during the game there is a handy reference book to look up any questions you may have.
The internet also has some websites that are dedicated to Nancy Drew and features gaming cheat sheets and advice on, game review, what to do in her games. It is best to try to solve the game on your own as that is the more challenging, game review, way to play it. At the end of the game there is one timed puzzled that Nancy must solve and it is worth all the drama just to get to the end and solve the final mystery.
For many Nancy Drew book fans, emerging computer games make it even more fun to solve mysteries. In the computer you can, game review, control how slow you move through the game or in which direction you will take, the game moves around as, game review,, game review, you do and many people love that sense of control.
A disappointing feature in this game was the limiting areas of game play., game review, Nancy Drew joins a girls only boarding school and must live in to solve a mystery, however there are not enough rooms to explore and it can leave fans feeling rather tight squeezed in the corridors, game review, of the boarding school and its limited access.
The plot is not disappointing; in fact many people are, game review, saying that it is one of her best. Nancy Drew lives in a boarding school to solve the mystery of the black cat.
A black cat has, game review, been sending kids threatening messages and Nancy must find out why.
In the game, Nancy is able to communicate with lots of characters as she plunges through the game. There are many puzzles to solve as she tries to ultimately solve the game. This game is in the first person and the screen moves around by pressing on the arrow keys. It has been noted that the voice acting of Nancy, game review, is excellent and sounds very good.
Nancy Drew is able to keep track of all the school's latest gossip through a social networking site on her cell phone, that little feature may have fans relating, game review, to her as they too might do the same at their schools.
Nancy is also able to use her photography to battle assignments as she attempts to solve the case.
This game was a sure improvement to the last game that came out. It lives up to Nancy Drew's reputation for having great storylines, and excellent mysteries to solve. The graphics showed improvement and so did the detail in the artwork including face details.
This game requires certain things to run; windows XP/vista 1 GHz or, greater Pentium, class CPV, 256 MB of ram, 1 GB or more, 32 MB direct, game review,, game review, 9.
0 computer video card. To find out if your computer is able to run this game just learn what, game review, programs are on your notebook or computer or ask a computer, game review, associate for advice.
Nancy Drew fans will most definitely be excited about this game. The character stays true to her as she does what only she can do best and that is to solve mysteries. This game loads easily and runs with not problems making it an easy game to purchase, play and love. If you're stuck at any time during the game there is a handy reference book to look up any questions you may have.
The internet also has some websites that are dedicated to Nancy Drew and features gaming cheat sheets and advice on, game review, what to do in her games. It is best to try to solve the game on your own as that is the more challenging, game review, way to play it. At the end of the game there is one timed puzzled that Nancy must solve and it is worth all the drama just to get to the end and solve the final mystery.
2009/12/27
Braid - The Complete Game Review
Braid is a game invented for Xbox 360 and later developed for the PC and PlayStation 3. It is a mind boggling game that has people wanting to try it for the sheer thrill of it., game review, The hype around it overshadows the mystery for the game as people want to play it just to find out what everyone else is talking about.
Everyone, game, game review, review, admits that the game is different. Once someone plays the game they become enchanted by it and usually tell their friends how crazy it is.
The actual idea, game review, and theory behind it takes gaming to a whole new level. And many are surprised that this game was developed by an independent game company. Some people even admit to wanting to play the next game that comes out by the same game company.
The purpose of Braid is to combat levels by collecting puzzle pieces. Now it sounds easy enough, but the challenges lay in the way in which you find the puzzle pieces. Your mind will want to explode as, game review, you scurry around in search of puzzle pieces for your collection.
And once you collect the amount you need, you can put the pieces of the puzzle together and move on to the next level.
If you get stuck, which many claim that they did, you can check the internet. On there you will find many cheat sheets and advice on how to find puzzle pieces and beat the levels;, game review, however the game can be quick to finish once you get started and if you finish it then it will be done. So many advice not to check the internet for answers because that makes your game whiz by instead of getting your money's worth.
The cool thing about Braid is the ability to move forward in time and head, game review, backwards and when you walk backwards, time moves with, game review, you.
When you're playing the game the most common buttons are just the arrow keys. The space bar is to simply jump and the shift, game review,, game review, button is to control time. Many people love, game review, the idea of controlling time while they are attempting to battle missions.
The songs in the game are commended. The songs actually fit into the scenery and they complement each other as the game goes on.
When the game is rewinding the music also plays backwards but the sound doesn't sound too strange.
The graphics, game review, on the screen are amazing. Some of the scenes almost look like they are in 3D mode. The detail put into the quality of the artwork may have you believing in the product they are selling.
Creative thinking has to come first in this game. Your mind really needs to stretch and bend for this game. Many people found themselves stuck and just stared at the screen until either they blinked or, game review, had someone help them.
The challenge is what strives people forward in the game and what has them recommending the game to friends.
The overall review of this game is that people hated to love it. Yes it tugged at all their cords and possibly gave those headaches, however the game,, game review, game review, proved to be something well worth the extreme challenge. This game rated well above what it was expected and was a nice surprise for all players and testers of it.
Everyone, game, game review, review, admits that the game is different. Once someone plays the game they become enchanted by it and usually tell their friends how crazy it is.
The actual idea, game review, and theory behind it takes gaming to a whole new level. And many are surprised that this game was developed by an independent game company. Some people even admit to wanting to play the next game that comes out by the same game company.
The purpose of Braid is to combat levels by collecting puzzle pieces. Now it sounds easy enough, but the challenges lay in the way in which you find the puzzle pieces. Your mind will want to explode as, game review, you scurry around in search of puzzle pieces for your collection.
And once you collect the amount you need, you can put the pieces of the puzzle together and move on to the next level.
If you get stuck, which many claim that they did, you can check the internet. On there you will find many cheat sheets and advice on how to find puzzle pieces and beat the levels;, game review, however the game can be quick to finish once you get started and if you finish it then it will be done. So many advice not to check the internet for answers because that makes your game whiz by instead of getting your money's worth.
The cool thing about Braid is the ability to move forward in time and head, game review, backwards and when you walk backwards, time moves with, game review, you.
When you're playing the game the most common buttons are just the arrow keys. The space bar is to simply jump and the shift, game review,, game review, button is to control time. Many people love, game review, the idea of controlling time while they are attempting to battle missions.
The songs in the game are commended. The songs actually fit into the scenery and they complement each other as the game goes on.
When the game is rewinding the music also plays backwards but the sound doesn't sound too strange.
The graphics, game review, on the screen are amazing. Some of the scenes almost look like they are in 3D mode. The detail put into the quality of the artwork may have you believing in the product they are selling.
Creative thinking has to come first in this game. Your mind really needs to stretch and bend for this game. Many people found themselves stuck and just stared at the screen until either they blinked or, game review, had someone help them.
The challenge is what strives people forward in the game and what has them recommending the game to friends.
The overall review of this game is that people hated to love it. Yes it tugged at all their cords and possibly gave those headaches, however the game,, game review, game review, proved to be something well worth the extreme challenge. This game rated well above what it was expected and was a nice surprise for all players and testers of it.
GTA 3 - Game Review
And the game that marks the passage of the GTA series from 2D to 3D, with outstanding results.
It 'almost impossible for every video game he had never heard of this series was born in 1997 and has sold nearly five million copies around the world.
Like all fans of the saga already know, we wander in the game in a big city on foot or by other means, in search of, game review, new missions to be done that will give us the chance to earn money to purchase them and we slowly reveal the plot of game.
Unlike previous chapters, we could do this in environments in three dimensions, which will bring many new possibilities.
The game is set in a metropolis called Liberty City, a sort of New York version of super violent, with a high rate of crime and prostitution, game review, .
The city is in the hands of three major Mafia gangs (Mafia, Yakuza and Puerto Ricans) who divided the three main areas of Liberty City.
The beginning of the game shows us John (the protagonist), a criminal of low relief that the coup attempt of his life in a bank, but, game review, something goes wrong and he was, game review, arrested, then manage to escape.
During the attempted escape, game review, of John, game review, taking control and start the flight in the car with 8-Ball (a fellow prison.)
At first, we find ourselves a bit 'out of place before, game review, the vastness of the city, fortunately, the map is easily accessible and not difficult to find the place where you can start a new mission.
What stand out is the incredible freedom that is granted to a player, we could in fact decide to explore the city (only the first section, however, the other two are locked at the beginning) or go in search of new missions to accomplish to go forward in the plot, will be up to us to choose.
The missions have a variety of situations to be addressed, we pass from robberies to the sniper missions, drug trafficking and so on.
Graphically the title Rockstar is well built with, game review, changing weather conditions and excellent lighting effects, but it also has flaws like the sudden appearance of some buildings.
Special mention should be made to the soundtrack of the game, in fact when we are driving a car we can change the, game review, radio frequency, from song lyrics to rock songs.
The view is third person and character control are good, well arranged on the gamepad and allow good management of the character.
As for longevity,, game review, GTA III unrivaled in that, game review, it has about 73 main missions that will ensure many hours of gameplay, plus the freedom, game review, of action granted to the player, the hours may increase significantly.
Ultimately GTA III is a masterpiece also because it marks a real revolution for the series and brings a flurry of news, game review, in the gaming world, has few flaws including, game review, imperfection some graphics.
Recommended to all fans of action games and those who want to try their hand at something totally different than the games released so far.
Rating: 8.5/10
It 'almost impossible for every video game he had never heard of this series was born in 1997 and has sold nearly five million copies around the world.
Like all fans of the saga already know, we wander in the game in a big city on foot or by other means, in search of, game review, new missions to be done that will give us the chance to earn money to purchase them and we slowly reveal the plot of game.
Unlike previous chapters, we could do this in environments in three dimensions, which will bring many new possibilities.
The game is set in a metropolis called Liberty City, a sort of New York version of super violent, with a high rate of crime and prostitution, game review, .
The city is in the hands of three major Mafia gangs (Mafia, Yakuza and Puerto Ricans) who divided the three main areas of Liberty City.
The beginning of the game shows us John (the protagonist), a criminal of low relief that the coup attempt of his life in a bank, but, game review, something goes wrong and he was, game review, arrested, then manage to escape.
During the attempted escape, game review, of John, game review, taking control and start the flight in the car with 8-Ball (a fellow prison.)
At first, we find ourselves a bit 'out of place before, game review, the vastness of the city, fortunately, the map is easily accessible and not difficult to find the place where you can start a new mission.
What stand out is the incredible freedom that is granted to a player, we could in fact decide to explore the city (only the first section, however, the other two are locked at the beginning) or go in search of new missions to accomplish to go forward in the plot, will be up to us to choose.
The missions have a variety of situations to be addressed, we pass from robberies to the sniper missions, drug trafficking and so on.
Graphically the title Rockstar is well built with, game review, changing weather conditions and excellent lighting effects, but it also has flaws like the sudden appearance of some buildings.
Special mention should be made to the soundtrack of the game, in fact when we are driving a car we can change the, game review, radio frequency, from song lyrics to rock songs.
The view is third person and character control are good, well arranged on the gamepad and allow good management of the character.
As for longevity,, game review, GTA III unrivaled in that, game review, it has about 73 main missions that will ensure many hours of gameplay, plus the freedom, game review, of action granted to the player, the hours may increase significantly.
Ultimately GTA III is a masterpiece also because it marks a real revolution for the series and brings a flurry of news, game review, in the gaming world, has few flaws including, game review, imperfection some graphics.
Recommended to all fans of action games and those who want to try their hand at something totally different than the games released so far.
Rating: 8.5/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
