Poker Ladies. The sinuous ladies, that haunted my early youth. A sexy coin-op money-sink, that forced me to (illegally, according to my age at the time) enter seedy arcades in order to see badly-drawn manga-styled nude ladies doing naughty stuff. I did learn to play the American 52-card version of poker though, and I was only 13. Now, that's something I call a good start in my life. And I owe it all to Poker Ladies. I could have of course waited for something more than a decade and enjoy their dancing, game review, for free in MAME, but that would have been too late.
No one can pull through high school and university without decent poker skills, just like nowadays nobody can avoid stupidly watching Texas Hold'em tournaments on TV.
Telltale, game review, Texas Hold'Em is not on TV, it's on the PC instead. It was actually the first game released by the (hopefully) adventure maestros of Telltale, and has been around for quite some time. It is apparently a poker game. Of the Texas Hold'Em variety. This of course is neither a serious gambler's tutoring software instructor, nor a hardcore/ultra-powerful simulation.
Even though Telltale Texas Hold'em does play a decent and varied poker game, its great, game review, appeal is the atmosphere and the characters. Characters and atmosphere in a poker game I hear you say? Well, yes. You'll be playing against four lovingly animated and fully 3d characters, each sporting a unique personality and thus a unique playing style. Their mid-game, game review, banter is excellent, amusing and at times downright funny, their facial expressions are great, and the whole thing is well directed.
The camera pans,, game review, cuts and zooms correctly, the players look suspiciously around, move their chips, Grandma talks about her dead husbands and Boris tries to be a quite desperate bully. Voice acting is superb, and really, game review, helps flesh out, game review, those four quirky characters you'll be gambling against. Characters that are a testimony to Telltale's origins: none other than the 90s Lucasarts,, game review, game review, adventures.
The most impressive part of this, game review, game is the variety and quantity of the dialog included.
You'll need to play for quite some time before some expressions, game review, start feeling overused and even after 25 hours of poker action you'll still hear the odd unexpected line and/or joke. Great writing and smart programming make all this possible in a download that's less than 20 megas. Unfortunately not much else is included in those less-than-20- megas. There is only one mode of play, only 4 characters to play against, one room to gamble in, one possible, game review, screen resolution and a too simple tutorial/introduction text.
On the other hand, Telltale Texas Hold 'Em only costs $12.99,and will definitely provide you with hours and hours of mindless entertainment. After all, you will, game review, quickly learn when to fold, when to raise your bet, when to bluff or when to call the other characters' bluff.
Visit the official website (at http://www.telltalegames.com) and have a look. Download, game review, the demo; it's the least you can offer yourselves.
That's a (seven) out, game review, of (ten)
the Gnome... a specialist time waster, trying to save a little time for his phd.
..
Showing posts with label pc game. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pc game. Show all posts
2009/12/20
2009/12/11
PC Game Review - BOH
Game Name: BOH
Developer: Simone Bevilacqua
Cost: (Euros), game review, 12.5
Release Date: Out Now!
BOH is an old-school adventure puzzler game where you must overcome a series of mazes in order to find and stop the Evil Masters!
Well, yes that's all well and good but the fact, game review, is that it isn't different because of it's story. Nor is it because it's a top-down corridor shooter game, game review, where you must find keys and traverse the correct route of each level while defending yourself from nasty enemy things.
No this is different for other distinct reasons. Firstly lets talk about the distribution methodology. It's boxed version only, which is an interesting move from the developer. It's unusual for an independent, game review, developer to offer, game review, a boxed version at all let alone making it the sole distribution method. It's a pretty smart looking box/manual/disc too, and at least you'll never need to worry about deleting the files off your machine accidentally. Just, um, losing the CD? Anyway, this in itself makes BOH interesting but the one thing that made it stand out for me was the visuals.
It's the first thing you'll notice too when you try the demo. The lighting of the game leads to something quite claustrophobic at times, but generally unique to a lot of other games. The light from your virtual torch reveals only a small part of the unfolding level. In some cases can really increase the difficulty level of what might have previously been a breeze, but it adds a level of atmosphere that would also have been missing before.
It's not all good-news though. I'm not much of a fan of the default music.
It's quite limited anyway but doesn't really lend itself to the style of the game. Luckily you can change the "theme" of the game to one of 4 styles - I would recommend the C64 style! This music was far more up my street and matched the game perfectly.
The 360-degree movement rotates the whole level around you. This is both good and bad, it's quite, game review, logical in one sense, but it actually made it hard for me to remember where I'd been! Although you can pick up a map that helps here.
My biggest gripe though, game review, is that some levels require you to go through them in an exact way, and, game review, it's quite unforgiving. There are places where you can accidentally go through a one-way door and end up having to restart the level.
But even with that, BOH has quite, game review, a lot of charm to it. Once you've got the hang of the level elements and are a little more cautious about running through every door you pass, it becomes far more fun.
Review, game review, by Andy Yates
Score: 68 out of,, game review,, game review, game review, 100
Final Words: Rather fine old-school fun!
Developer: Simone Bevilacqua
Cost: (Euros), game review, 12.5
Release Date: Out Now!
BOH is an old-school adventure puzzler game where you must overcome a series of mazes in order to find and stop the Evil Masters!
Well, yes that's all well and good but the fact, game review, is that it isn't different because of it's story. Nor is it because it's a top-down corridor shooter game, game review, where you must find keys and traverse the correct route of each level while defending yourself from nasty enemy things.
No this is different for other distinct reasons. Firstly lets talk about the distribution methodology. It's boxed version only, which is an interesting move from the developer. It's unusual for an independent, game review, developer to offer, game review, a boxed version at all let alone making it the sole distribution method. It's a pretty smart looking box/manual/disc too, and at least you'll never need to worry about deleting the files off your machine accidentally. Just, um, losing the CD? Anyway, this in itself makes BOH interesting but the one thing that made it stand out for me was the visuals.
It's the first thing you'll notice too when you try the demo. The lighting of the game leads to something quite claustrophobic at times, but generally unique to a lot of other games. The light from your virtual torch reveals only a small part of the unfolding level. In some cases can really increase the difficulty level of what might have previously been a breeze, but it adds a level of atmosphere that would also have been missing before.
It's not all good-news though. I'm not much of a fan of the default music.
It's quite limited anyway but doesn't really lend itself to the style of the game. Luckily you can change the "theme" of the game to one of 4 styles - I would recommend the C64 style! This music was far more up my street and matched the game perfectly.
The 360-degree movement rotates the whole level around you. This is both good and bad, it's quite, game review, logical in one sense, but it actually made it hard for me to remember where I'd been! Although you can pick up a map that helps here.
My biggest gripe though, game review, is that some levels require you to go through them in an exact way, and, game review, it's quite unforgiving. There are places where you can accidentally go through a one-way door and end up having to restart the level.
But even with that, BOH has quite, game review, a lot of charm to it. Once you've got the hang of the level elements and are a little more cautious about running through every door you pass, it becomes far more fun.
Review, game review, by Andy Yates
Score: 68 out of,, game review,, game review, game review, 100
Final Words: Rather fine old-school fun!
2009/12/04
Frontlines - Fuel of War PC Game Review
Black Gold
The argument is as individual as little weight as expected, and puts us in the shoes of a soldier involved in the clash of the Red Star and the China-Soviet Union in the umpteenth re-release of the compact-communist alliance against a Western seeking to address them. The reason for the conflict is the gradual depletion of oil fields in the Middle East, and the, game, game review, review,, game review, fierce struggle between two factions for control of the few surveys that continue to make profits fuel.
The operation of the campaign and multiplayer tour takes us to the stage from one point to another of them, fulfilling the various objectives that we are entrusted. In essence Frontlines is virtually identical to a Battlefield, leaving, game review, clearly influences and roots of Kaos Studios. Maps points to capture, game review, whether to place explosive charges, gain resources, or take the property of the enemy bases. The campaign, for example, is about a little over 6 hours and is comprised of a number of levels -8-divided into several specific goals each.
These targets are usually cut very similar, and may end up conveying a certain feeling of monotony, since no other game modes available only to supply the title.
The campaign is not very neat and it would be inconsistent both in terms of argument as playable. The in principle moderately interesting, game review, story is not exploited at all, and some defects in the enemy's artificial intelligence and the passivity of our colleagues may end up resulting in a very, game review, unsatisfactory experience.
And is that a lot of Kaos Studios claim that they had to conduct a competent campaign, the truth is that it seems that very few elected-Call, game review, of Duty 4, for example,, game review, are able to combine a powerful multiplayer mode with, game review, a similar Singleplayer, game review, terms of quality.
The main attraction is its undisputed Frontlines Multiplayer epic, as is well known, allows the simultaneous presence in PC of up, game review, to 50 players simultaneously.
Massive Scale
In the maps for Frontlines to support 50 players must be huge, but the game always looking to maintain his composure in a series of points to focus on fighting locations.
Thus the succession of goals which are the patterns of these "hot spots"
Similarly, game review, the great spectacle of fire, armored vehicles, helicopters and other paraphernalia will test our connections and dedicated servers that THQ has made available to all users with the intention of experiencing the fewest possible problems of lag.
The weapons arsenal is diverse and presents enough differences between, game review, both sides as to recommend the test to find both the army and the type of soldier that specifically suits our style.
The radial menu will, game review, help us find a comfortable way of the gun you want on the battlefield, up to eight simultaneous, and in terms of control of vehicles it is very intuitive and fast, with the exception of air, something more sophisticated in their management.
Each of the roles we can take on very different battles including heavy weapons,, game review, signaling targets, anti-tank specialist, etc-up to three levels of experience, and as we reached we unlock the various special abilities that make us soldiers more effective on the battlefield.
Future Gray
Graphically Frontlines is a product that does not dazzle, nor much, game review, less, but the manner that complies with its intention to move to a future dark, gloomy and uprooted. Using Unreal Engine 3.0 and without the need for a night or rainy environments Fuel of War conveys the sensation of something to spare to place these futuristic gray buildings that dot the vast deserts.
The modeling of the characters meets the minimum quality that we seek for a next-gen title, but the animations could have, game review, been much more polished.
The textures are poor, and the effects are not particularly noteworthy, but the whole is more than acceptable.
Technological issue in the game is more irregular and performance optimization in terms of Pc leaves much to be desired. The frames per second rate is low and the game is very demanding in terms of hardware for, game review, what it offers, especially considering what you see on screen is no wonder, "and accuses the title, game review, if you have severe slowdowns high options visual representation of the, game review, vegetation.
Bet for the game partially destructible environments that significantly enriches the fighting, however, the criterion which can be damaged and what not is quite debatable, and often surprises us a solid coverage apparently collapses before the shooting and another in top lighter that resists smoothly.
The sound is a notable point that fulfills its functions in a, game review, very good one. The effects of gunfire and explosions sounded fierce timely and powerful in equal parts, the soundtrack fits without shine, and the dubbing is a little lower but not too many lines of dialogue is not revealed as a significant weakness
The argument is as individual as little weight as expected, and puts us in the shoes of a soldier involved in the clash of the Red Star and the China-Soviet Union in the umpteenth re-release of the compact-communist alliance against a Western seeking to address them. The reason for the conflict is the gradual depletion of oil fields in the Middle East, and the, game, game review, review,, game review, fierce struggle between two factions for control of the few surveys that continue to make profits fuel.
The operation of the campaign and multiplayer tour takes us to the stage from one point to another of them, fulfilling the various objectives that we are entrusted. In essence Frontlines is virtually identical to a Battlefield, leaving, game review, clearly influences and roots of Kaos Studios. Maps points to capture, game review, whether to place explosive charges, gain resources, or take the property of the enemy bases. The campaign, for example, is about a little over 6 hours and is comprised of a number of levels -8-divided into several specific goals each.
These targets are usually cut very similar, and may end up conveying a certain feeling of monotony, since no other game modes available only to supply the title.
The campaign is not very neat and it would be inconsistent both in terms of argument as playable. The in principle moderately interesting, game review, story is not exploited at all, and some defects in the enemy's artificial intelligence and the passivity of our colleagues may end up resulting in a very, game review, unsatisfactory experience.
And is that a lot of Kaos Studios claim that they had to conduct a competent campaign, the truth is that it seems that very few elected-Call, game review, of Duty 4, for example,, game review, are able to combine a powerful multiplayer mode with, game review, a similar Singleplayer, game review, terms of quality.
The main attraction is its undisputed Frontlines Multiplayer epic, as is well known, allows the simultaneous presence in PC of up, game review, to 50 players simultaneously.
Massive Scale
In the maps for Frontlines to support 50 players must be huge, but the game always looking to maintain his composure in a series of points to focus on fighting locations.
Thus the succession of goals which are the patterns of these "hot spots"
Similarly, game review, the great spectacle of fire, armored vehicles, helicopters and other paraphernalia will test our connections and dedicated servers that THQ has made available to all users with the intention of experiencing the fewest possible problems of lag.
The weapons arsenal is diverse and presents enough differences between, game review, both sides as to recommend the test to find both the army and the type of soldier that specifically suits our style.
The radial menu will, game review, help us find a comfortable way of the gun you want on the battlefield, up to eight simultaneous, and in terms of control of vehicles it is very intuitive and fast, with the exception of air, something more sophisticated in their management.
Each of the roles we can take on very different battles including heavy weapons,, game review, signaling targets, anti-tank specialist, etc-up to three levels of experience, and as we reached we unlock the various special abilities that make us soldiers more effective on the battlefield.
Future Gray
Graphically Frontlines is a product that does not dazzle, nor much, game review, less, but the manner that complies with its intention to move to a future dark, gloomy and uprooted. Using Unreal Engine 3.0 and without the need for a night or rainy environments Fuel of War conveys the sensation of something to spare to place these futuristic gray buildings that dot the vast deserts.
The modeling of the characters meets the minimum quality that we seek for a next-gen title, but the animations could have, game review, been much more polished.
The textures are poor, and the effects are not particularly noteworthy, but the whole is more than acceptable.
Technological issue in the game is more irregular and performance optimization in terms of Pc leaves much to be desired. The frames per second rate is low and the game is very demanding in terms of hardware for, game review, what it offers, especially considering what you see on screen is no wonder, "and accuses the title, game review, if you have severe slowdowns high options visual representation of the, game review, vegetation.
Bet for the game partially destructible environments that significantly enriches the fighting, however, the criterion which can be damaged and what not is quite debatable, and often surprises us a solid coverage apparently collapses before the shooting and another in top lighter that resists smoothly.
The sound is a notable point that fulfills its functions in a, game review, very good one. The effects of gunfire and explosions sounded fierce timely and powerful in equal parts, the soundtrack fits without shine, and the dubbing is a little lower but not too many lines of dialogue is not revealed as a significant weakness
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
