The Three Rs N3twork is a primarily British viral entertainment network, with standings in many niche interests involved in a variety of different groups. Ranging from gaming to adulthood to video creation.
1/10 - "Just, No." 2/10 - "Avoid." 3/10 - "Gamebreakingly flawed" 4/10 - "Not so great" 5/10 - "Pretty Average." 6/10 - "A few nice touches, nothing amazing" 7/10 - "Not brilliant, fun anyway" 8/10 - "A decent enough game, Well worth a look." 9/10 - "A really good game. Highly Recommended." 10/10 - "An absolute must buy, a defining game for the genre."
"Hey wait a minute", I'm sure most of you are saying as you glance at the title to this article, "Football Manager? Why don't you cover a good game?" Well. You can all sit down and shut up, Because I love the football manager series like my own firstborn child.
First, The facts. It releases on November 19Th, and will release on the PC, mac, and uhh.. psp. Managing director Miles Jacobson has stated there wont be any home console versions of 09, compared to 07 and 08 which were both released on the xbox. Now, A shiny video for you to watch.
The guy focuses on Football manager handheld first, Talking about the ability to select more then a single league, Like the PC version, and a choice of... TWO SKINZ. OMG. The handheld version also has a 2d match engine. so yeah, it looks like the PSP edition has been brought up to speed with.. Football manager 2007 maybe?
Now, On to the PC version.
expect more feedback from the assistant manager, which is great, And an expansion of the medias involvement. There are press conferences, Allowing you to cultivate relationships with journo's and the public, and transfer rumours.
You can ask your players to learn special moves, theres a total rewrite of the transfer system, and the match engine is now in 3d. Although, i'm sure that LMA manager 2003 had a 3d match engine. You know, Back on the playstation.
And the big news?? You can play as a female manager. the guy was really excited about this.
While researching for this blog, I came across a pretty decent site called The True Football Manager, Where a guy reports on his antics in the game. Check it out if your into footie management games.
The floodgates open, the oasis is filled. Drink gamers, drink!
Spore The newest game from Will Wright (Sim City, the Sims etc.) puts players in the position of God, and in control of the evolutionary process of creatures on a planet. The Spore Creature Creator was released a couple of months ago as a teaser for this game, and gained acclaim. This game should be good: detailed, challenging and original. This is the pick of the month for PC. Platforms: PC, (separate title for DS: Spore Creatures) Release Date: 05/09/08
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Building on the success of Mercenaries, EA are releasing this multi-platform sequel, which, again, puts the player in the body of a hired gun, working for the highest bidder. This game looks to have built satisfactorily on its predecessor, and if it's managed this successfully it should be a great game. Platforms: PC, PS3, PS2, X360 Release Date: 05/09/08 Infinite Undiscovery A new franchise is always nice in the midst of so many sequels. This is an action RPG, but team-based (like Might and Magic), except with a potentially better combat system (it's not turn-based, but real-time, like Fable, which I prefer). Bit of a Japanese style RPG, so if you like that kind of thing check it out. Personally I'll wait a bit. Platforms: X360 Release Date: 05/09/08
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky A prologue to the original Stalker game, this game is set a year prior, and features 8 of the original levels, along with 5 of its own. The only real difference to the gameplay as far as I can see is the possibility of fixing weapons. To be honest, although the original Stalker was a solid game, this looks like a bit of a cop-out, with only 10 hours of original storyline. Only get this if you're an avid Stalker fan. Platforms: PC Release Date: 05/09/08
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise I wasn't under the impression this game had sold well enough first time round to warrant a second one. Personally I love Rare, but I didn't enjoy the first Viva Pinata, and probably wouldn't enjoy this. If you got addicted the original... then don't buy this either because you don't want to have to admit to having an addiction to this kind of game. Platforms: X360 (DS: Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise) Release Date: 05/09/08
TNA Impact: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Not a fan. But if you are, you'll probably love it. Platforms: PS2, PS3, X360 Release Date: 12/09/08 NHL 09 See above description. Platforms: PS3, X360 Release Date: 12/09/08
Supreme Commander These games can be great fun. You basically take a massive army to planets in order to defeat one of the other two factions, blowing up as much shit as possible. This game allows a player to both view the battleground from the standard RTS position, and also go right down to ground level and issue units with invididual orders. 360 edition comes with bonus units. Platforms: X360 Release Date: 12/09/08
Opoona Despite the unfortunate choice of name, this game looks like one of the few original games on the market. Described as both a battling and 'lifestyle' rpg, this Wii title is designed by the developers of the Dragon Quest series. Could be good? Wait for the reviews, because it could end up like so many Wii games before it: the Nintendo Hall of Shame. Platforms: Wii Release Date: 12/09/08
Subbuteo Grab a franchise, design a game, and voila you have a gold selling game. This Subbuteo title will probably be as boring as the 'watching paint dry' original. Mainly because it uses the 'official' Subbuteo rules, meaning no grabbing the player, running him into the ball and dragging them both down the pitch. Platforms: DS Release Date: 12/09/08 Crysis: Warhead PC gamer's 2007 game of the year was Crysis. This new installment looks like an expansion, sounds like an expansion, costs like an expansion. But is in fact a standalone. New weapons, new story, new vehicles, upgraded AI and graphics. No major changes to the gameplay which makes it look to me a bit like a marketing technique to take some money and keep interest in the Crysis series before they bring out their next big title. And if I were you, I'd save your money and wait for that. Platforms: X360 Release Date: 19/09/08 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Despite DW's disparraging review of the Demo, this Star Wars franchised game is still the biggest game coming out this month. For those of you that have been living in a cave (like Ben Kenobi) (or just don't like Star Wars, but have nothing better to do than read this), TFU takes place between episodes III and IV, and you play as Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice, hunting down Jedi. The gameplay centres around the four force powers Force push, grip, repulse and lightning, which you combine in order to create devestating (and just damn cool) combos. Despite being firmly and Action title, this game does also have reminders of RPG ideas, such as levelling up. I have high hopes for this game (but not for the graphics is they stay the same as they were on the Demo). This is my pick of the month for the 360 (I know I'll be buying it). Platforms: X360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS Release Date: 19/09/08
PlayTV A couple of months ago, something similar to this almost slipped under my radar for the Wii. These applications need to be watched because they can turn into something incredibly useful. This one turns your PS3 into a Sky+ box (without the Sky channels of course). It enables you to record, pause and rewind live television, and also provides you with freeview channels. A fantastic application if you don't have something similar already, and dead cheap at 70 quid. My pick for the PS3. Platforms: PS3 Release Date: 19/09/08 Brothers In Arms 3: Hell's Highway The latest in the highly successful Brothers In Arms series, which take the biggest battles in WWII and put them in your control. In Hell's Highway, you take control of a member of the 101st airborne in order to successfully carry out Operation Market Garden, a capture of two bridges after D-Day which failed for the Allies. This game should be a fantastic FPS, and great online play too. Pick for the PS3 Platforms: X360, PS3, PC (Wii: Brothers in Arms: Double Time) Release Date: 26/09/08
Wario Land: Shake It! An old formula revitalised and made new. This game takes the old 2D Wario ramblings and infuses them with the Wii remote. I've had a look at this and I've made the mistake of underestimating Wii games like this too much, and I think this has the potential to be a lot of fun. Fun, a concept that the game industry seems to be fast forgetting. Picked for the Wii! Platforms: Wii Release Date: 26/09/08
Rise of the Argonauts Only on release for the PS3 this month, this is an epic scale RPG set in the ancient Greek era. Basically, if you liked the film 300, you should give this game a go. It's nothing particularly new, but it's attempting something on a scale that few RPGs dare to attempt. Platforms: PS3 (X360 and PC next month) Release Date: 26/09/08
SimCity Creator I do enjoy the SimCity games, and this looks to be the most detailed yet, enabling you to 'draw' roads with your Wii remote. It appears to be fun, mixing old style retro gameplay with new stle technologies. A must for SimCity fans with Wiis, otherwise, steer clear. Platforms: Wii, DS Release Date: 26/09/08
Hell's Kitchen Haha. Platforms: DS, PC (Wii in November) Release Date: 26/09/08
That's it for this month, but it's enough to be going on with, and then some. Whichever console you own, there's something for you on this list (unless you only own a Commodore). What does October hold? A football game, a music game, and a fabled game.
I felt in an MMO mood today, and as I did not have a valid WoW sub active, and LOTRO was unspeakably shitty, I thought i'd try out Dungeons and Dragons, another big name MMO from Codemasters.
It downloaded nice and quickly, and a trial key was easily obtained, And by about midday I was creating my character, DarkW ingstalker, Yes that space was deliberate. His last name really is Ingstalker.
As you can see, I stuck with the Generic human race with the fighter class. First impressions were pretty meh as both me and random dave looked upon it as just another mmo but when I got into the combat, I realised it was very enjoyable. For a start, You can block by hitting shift, and dodge around and positioning and movement affects damage. For example, your less accurate if you swing your sword while running headlong at someone while screaming like a banshee. This seems fair. Its all abit stat heavy, but lets not forget this is the RPG genre. Its easy to forget this though, as sometimes it feels like a dungeon crawling action game, this belief being strengthened by the primarily instanced quests. Its also nice to see an MMO that takes itself seriously, World of Warcraft started to really grate on me with its "comedy" elements, and the cartoony style rubbed me up the wrong way, None of these game breaking faults in a mostly social game, but still, Its nice to see a serious game with decent graphics. Helps the kobold slaying. And finally, Did I mention that there are Prestige classes, and that in true DnD fashion, you can Multi class? Its true.
There are however, A few downsides. The interface is needlessly cluttered, and isnt as smooth as World of Warcraft's, or indeed city of heros, so a simple trip to buy skills can be confusing, Let alone trying to read the map. This is further hurt by a Quest log that's like a Chinese encyclopedia, Full of information, but impossible to totally understand without an intricate knowledge of the game [or Chinese if you haven't dropped that metaphor yet.] I am aware the game has been out for a very long time, but my recommendation stands. An MMO is never at its best at launch, and so i IMPLORE you to download this game [nice and tiny at 3gig download] and use a 10 day free trial, just to see if you enjoy it. After all, Its free right?
Its time I told you about a guilty pleasure of mine. I first picked up Trackmania nations [the free one], about 3 months ago, when the paid version released, and was impressed with the simplicity, and the fact that, unlike most racing games i didnt have to go round the tracks very often, and races were often finished in under a minute.
After a successful week or two playing it, it had on my PC. Now, while i'm downloading the Dungeons and dragons online client, I got bored, and had an idea. Plugging my Wired 360 controller into the laptop, I was able to play trackmania without even changing any settings. A was accelerate, and turning was identical to if i was playing a Console game. A legend was born. I was racing far better and the game was alot more fun to play, call it the future of PC games if you will, I'm considering reinstalling Swat 4 and testing that out.
So, I put the question to you guys, Any of you used a Wired 360 controller to play a PC game? How'd it go?
Here we are again, the beginning of the new gaming month. Well... the beginning of the new month, but the new gaming month too. Hopefully after last months disappointments we'll see a more formidable line up of summer games. In addition, this is to note that DW apologises for his continuing absence, but he's working on a new project currently. Hopefully once it's up and running we'll see some more of him. Thanks to Melasis for keeping some sort of material on the site.
Table Football Well... I know to people who don't have a Wii this must sound like a ridiculous idea for a game. But it looks like it might be fun. And I don't see why it shouldn't be. It's a typical Wii-style game: and they've been one style of game that hasn't seen disappointment after disappointment. Mainly because people didn't really expect much from them. Platforms: Wii Release Date: 08/08/08
Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties This is a new expansion for AoE III. If you enjoy AoE III then go for it, it adds quite a bit of new content: maps, civilisations, campaigns etc.If you haven't played AoE III and you were thinking of buying this game and the original and giving it a go then I would suggest against it, even if you enjoyed the previous installments of AoE. It was a fair game but not really much worth spending good time and money. This expansion, unless it fixes the inherent 'business' of the first one probably isn't worth getting. Platforms: PC, Mac Release Date: 12/08/08
Madden NFL 09 If you don't know what this is, don't buy it. If you do, then you might like it, lots of new features etc. but still, essentially, Madden NFL 08, just updated slightly. Your choice this time. As a side note, the Wii has its own version Madden NFL 09 All-Play. Same game, but with support for your remote. Dunno whether that really makes a difference. *yawn* Platforms: Wii, PS3, X360, PSP, DS Release Date: 15/08/08
X-OOM Media Centre for Wii XE This looks interesting. I hadn't heard about it this before I started the research for this article, but it looks like a must have for Wii-only owners. It basically brings Wii owners up to speed with Xbox owners, working as an extension of their PC onto their Wii: effectively Media Centre Extender. However, as far as I can see, this program doesn't require XP Media Centre 05, or Vista. And it retails at £29.99! Not bad at all. So if you own a Wii and can't be bothered with the more complicated methods of getting your movies onto your big screen then this is the way to do it. So long as it works ok, this is my pick of the month for the Wii. Platforms: Wii Release Date: 15/08/08
Sony Playstation 3 with 80 gig HDD It's finally arriving here. The 60 gig's bigger brother. Retailing at 299, so snap one up if you have the odd £300lying around. Pick of the month for PS3, seeing as PS3 games seem so scarce this month. Platforms: n/a Release Date: 27/08/08
The Sims 2: Apartment Life Well... it's yet another expansion pack from EA Games for the Sims 2. God knows what extras this one contains, but I can tell you without looking at a detailed list that it will have new items, new places to go, and new clothes and stuff for your own personal avatar. If you Sims fans have any space left on your shelf for more expansions then I'm sure you don't need to tell you to buy this one. Platforms: PC Release Date: 29/08/08
Too Human Looks something interesting: an RPG set in the middle of the typical 'epic struggle' between some guys and the bad guys. You are a 'cybernetic god' in the middle of it all, preventing the good guys from getting wiped out. Dunno. Seems a little 'done' to me, but the developers are pretty reputable, Silicon Knights, it uses that Unreal Engine 3, which is pretty well reknowned. So, yeah, it might be worth giving a go. Platforms: X360 Release Date: 29/08/08
Soul Calibur: Legends For those people unlucky enough to not be able to own SCIV, you've been given this token game: Legends. Honestly... get a console that has SCIV on it if you want it. There is no way this could be good. Platforms: Wii Release Date: 29/08/08
Well, there seems to be plenty of choice, but no quality. Not a good month for gaming really. My two 'pick of the month' games weren't even games! If you own a 360 my suggestion is going to remain SCIV, same for the PS3, unless you want another PS3. I suppose my general suggestion to all gamers this month is for you to go out and get some much needed fresh air. Next month the gaming season starts again, you're going to need to store away as much oxygen as possible for the gaming-heavy winter months.
Here's my monthly rundown of the top games coming out.
Unreal Tournament III This game has been out for a while on other platforms, but only now comes toX360. It's been critically acclaimedfor the other platforms, and so Xbox 360 owners should be pleased to have some extra input. I don't think I need to tell you much about this game, only that, if you don't already have this game, it'll be well worth a look. Platforms: X360 Release Date: 04/07/08
Devil May Cry 4 This game, again, has been out for a while on console, and this month is coming to the PC. There's already a review on here for the game, so this is just a recommendation for those PC gamers of you out there. This is a game worth your time. Platforms: PC Release Date: 11/07/08
Soul Calibur IV In a bit of a dry spell for games, Soul Calibur is positively an oasis. This month this game gets my pick for both X360 and PS3. People who are familiar with the Soul Calibur series don't need me to tell them that this is the finestfantasy beat-em-up available, and SCIV looks good to build on the great games that have already come out of the franchise. This ought to be must have gaming. Platforms: X360, PS3 Release Date: 01/08/08 (not strictly in this Month, but it'd get missed out otherwise).
That's really it this month. A bit poor as far as gaming standards go. Of course, if you're a Wii fanatic there are plenty of sports games flooding the market which you might like to give a shot. For the rest of us though, let's just look forward to Soul Calibur and hope August brings more fruitful gaming.
I sunk a few hours into Lord Of the Rings Online today, day one of the free trial, and got myself past the instanced tutorial.
So far, it's a nice change from WoW. If you have ever played WoW, it's pretty similar stuff. A lot of the earlier quests involve talking to people a LONG, LONG way away, which is slightly irritating, but there'sa lot of nice touches. You can earn titles to display, such as "Watcher of the Roads" "Man of Rohan" you know, typical fantasy stuff. And the world, obviously is a lot more interesting and authentic then World of Warcraft. I found myself somewhat irritated with the lack of seriousness in World of Warcraft, and how everything was humorous, sometimes I just like MMO's to take themselves seriously, and LOTRO certainly had that, by the end of the tutorial instance maybe 10 minutes in, I'd been rescued from a jail by a ranger, rescued two hobbits, one with the surname of Baggins, and then watched the ranger get stabbed in the chest by a Nazgul.
I made a Female Human Champion from Rohan, on the Snowbourne server, called Darkwingstalker, just in case I take this up for the long term, which might happen.
To sum it up, it's an 8 gig download, then a couple of patches, but if you fancy a change from WoW, or you're a Lord of the rings fan, you should give it a go, you can get the free trial here
Fancying something different, I've signed up for a 7 day free trial and I'm downloading the client now. It's got a rather impressive 8.2gig download, but according to a few friends "it's worth it". Looking across the classes and skills as it downloads, it looks like they've made the remarkably silly move of splitting tank and DPS into two classes, which worked against City of Heroes aswell.
Either way, I'll let you know how I get on when give it a crack. This is a time of great MMO turmoil for us, as DSF is also considering a trial on Age of Conan.
If you've not heard of spore yet, then you've probably been living under a rock for a few years. What you might not have heard however, is that they have released a trial of the Creature Creator which you can get here. As this is the free version, you're a little limited to the amount you can use to create your "creature" of sorts, but even with the limited tools I had to work with, I churned out some impressive creations.
I've been told its great to put your kids on, but I wouldn't trust anything under the age of 16 on my laptop, so I'll have to just nod slowly at that possibility and tell you that, you OWE yourself to give it a go, it practically comprises a game in itself. It's a clever move from EA, in that I want to buy the game now, because the creatures in themselves are so entertaining, and dare I say it, endearing. And a competition of sorts: Name these two creatures, and the funniest, most fitting names will get your names up in lights. Competition runs till the 26th of june, Email all suggestions to Darkwingstalker@googlemail.com
Ninja Gaiden II This is my pick of the month for the 360. Following from the previous game called, believe it or not Ninja Gaiden, you play as a Ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who is on a mission to avenge his clan (original) and save the world from destruction (not quite so original). Ninja Gaiden is a critically acclaimed game that I personally enjoyed, with fast paced gaming that is a little more complicated than simple button bashing. Ninja Gaiden II looks set to build upon this sturdy base with an enhanced battle system and a completely innovative health system, being a hybrid of the traditional 'health bar' style and the more modern 'regen' system. This, all in all, looks like a very worthwhile game from a trusted group of developers (Team Ninja), and one that I will certainly be keeping an eye on. Platforms: X360 Release Date: 06/06/08 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit I've played the original DBZ fighting game, and I was not too impressed, saying this, I was never a fan of the DBZ series. However, for an in depth look at the pros and cons of this game, I direct you to DW's First Impressionson this game. Platforms: X360, PS3 Release Date: 06/06/08
Sports Island Another example of how Nintendo is attempting to change the face of gaming. Sports Island is a third party, and more in depth version, of Wii Sports. It includes 10 different 'disciplines' of which a couple of examples are Badminton an Basketball. However, the question for its popularity will be whether it can live up to the simplicity of Wii Sports. Platforms: Wii Release Date: 06/06/08
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots This is, of course, my pick of the month for PS3. This is the last episode in the Solid Snake saga, and is set to be monumental as such. With visually stunning effects and a grand amount of innovative technology, MGS will be a game for even non-Playstation owners to watch. For those of you already interested, I don't need to remind you of the basic storyline, and we can see included Metal Gear Online for those of you who like your 'social gaming'. I can say that we should all be watching this space. Platforms: PS3 Release Date: 12/06/08
Sid Meier's Civilisation: Revolution Turn based stratey at its very best. With Sid Meier somewhere in the title, this is guaranteed to be a classic game, though a questionable choice to not go on the PC, where the traditional fan base lies. If you're not a purist, and don't believe that Strategy should be confined to the mouse and keyboard, then give this game a go, it has the potential to be another great game in a long list under this franchise. Platforms: PS3, X360, DS Release Date: 13/06/08
Sins of a Solar Empire This looks to be an interesting sci-fi strategy game. It involves building an empire, and destroying other empires in order to further your own gain. Of course, its been done before, but never really to the extent that AoE managed. Could this be the AoE of the stars (and I don't mean SW: Battlegrounds)? Only time will tell. Platforms: PC Release Date: 13/06/08
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith The first time this franchise has been brought to an individual band, and Aerosmith is decided on. Not sure what to say about this. I guess we can expect GH3 with all Aerosmith songs. Good if you really like Aerosmith, not so great if you don't. This really needs some big fundamental changes in it for me to consider it worth buying. It should be stressed that this game is not GH4, and so will probably just be the GH3 interface again. Platforms: PS3, X360, Wii, PS2 Release Date: 13/06/08
Ferrari Challenge This is the official Ferrari game. All real cars, and all real tracks. This looks to be the best racing game of this month, if you're an enthusiast, and if you're not, it might be worth a look in if nothing else here tickles your fancy. Unlike other genres, 'official' driving games don't tend to be that poor, so don't let the 'Ferrari' label necessarily put you off, this could be a good game. Platforms: PS3, Wii, DS Release Date: 20/06/08
Battlefield: Bad Company This looks impressive, as can be expected. The storyline looks a bit whimsical... set in the 'near future' during a 'eurasian conflict', not the most original of scenarios. But the gameplay looks solid, taking part half way between squad based and trad-Battlefield play. The online will be up to 24 players, and looks set to improve on previous Battlefield games. This may give MGS a run for its money in sales on the PS3 this month. Platforms: X360, PS3 Release Date: 27/06/08
Super Smash Bros.: Brawl This is my pick for the Wii this month. For those who haven't played this series, explaining it would be pointless because it would just come across as a simple beat-em-up game. But it's so much more than that. Super Smash Bros. is an opportunity to get inside the minds of Nintendo characters and really understand what makes them tick... and then get them to kick the arses of other Ninty characters. Great fun for fans of Nintendo, and more sceptical people. Even if this game only changed the stages of the previous game, Melee, it would still come out great. Platforms: Wii Release Date: 27/06/08
Robert Ludlum's: The Bourne Conspiracy Not based on any of the films, but instead one of the books, the demo of this was not looked favourably on by DW, in his First Impressions, which is a shame, because I thought it looked quite good till I read the preview. Platforms: X360, PS3 Release Date: 27/06/08
This looks to be a good month for gaming, with MGS, Super Smash Bros. and Ninja Gaiden II. You can expect reviews for the best games here. I know that the review for DBZ and Ninja Gaiden will be up hopefully this weekend. Keep reading.
Yesterday, according to IGN, Gamespot, and various other reliable gaming sources, Capcom finally announced the beginning of production for Street Fighter IV. The announcement has not come as a surprise, and has been widely anticipated, despite the fears that 2D beat-em-ups have left common favour in exchange for 3D arcade styles such as Tekken and Dead or Alive. The announcement by Capcom, despite coming yesterday, was clearly prompted by their public unveiling of the game as a Japanese arcade fighter, but have now confirmed it will also be coming to the platforms of 360, PS3 and PC, leaving the Wii uncomfortably out of the loop considering the franchise made millions on the SNES.
As for release dates, nothing has been specified, the arcade version is set for late July, but no such time frame has been given to console release, suggesting they are over a year away. The game, as those who hated Street Fighter EX will be pleased to hear, maintains the 2D stylings of the original Street Fighters, with up-to-date 3D visuals. As for characters, Ken, Ryu, Chun-Li and Guile are all set to return, whilst new additions will be made such as Crimson Viper. There is no doubt that this game should be watched by the whole gaming world with interest, because, if it fails, it will be a backstep, but if it succeeds, it could reshape beat-em-ups as we know them.
It's nearly June, we're nearly half way through the calendar, and the latest game release schedule has just been posted on IGN. Here's a quick look at the titles that I think are worth a look at. (where PS3/360/Wii/PC dates conflict, I've used the 360 date.) (PC only games from Play)
Ninja Gaiden II: June 6th Sid Meier's Civilisation: Revolution: June 6th Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots: June 12th Super Smash Bros.: Brawl: June 27th Soul Calibur IV: July 31st Saints Row 2: August 28th Empire: Total War: September 5th Midnight Club: Los Angeles: September 12th Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: September 19th Starcraft II: September 26th Fable 2: Q3 Mercenaries 2: Q3 Tom Clancy's EndWar: Q3 FarCry 2: October C&C: Tiberium: October Splinter Cell: Conviction: October 24th Call of Duty 5: Q4
All the above dates are subject to revision, and some great games aren't yet on the register even though they're due for release this year. So, in other words, if you don't think there are enough games here for you, don't worry, more are due before the end of the year.
Recently my colleagues have been focusing on looking at upcoming games, so I thought I'd have a look at what was, for me, the most engrossing game of last year: Call Of Duty 4.
Now, if I had written this article a few months ago, I would have come off as a rabid fanboy, In fact, it took Rainbow Six Vegas 2 to break the spell of this game, where I would regularly play from 10pm when I got home from work, until the sun came up and my team and I grudgingly dragged ourselves to bed.
On the PC market, the game seems to share the success of its Console counterparts, with Xfire stating that 6,909,213 minutes of the multiplayer game have been played today, second only to the online behemoth that is WoW.
I'll start with the bad. The often forgotten Single Player campaign is, after a promising start, a pretty standard "Spec Ops" FPS fare, with the slightly familiar scenario's of "America waging a war on a Middle eastern country" as mirrored by the incredibly popular "Real Life" and the classic "Russians as the enemy", however cliched these may be, thats not to say they don't do them well, but more on that later. It also suffers from the classic CoD problem of having to literally slog through hundreds of generic terrorists who respawn endlessly until you reach the waypoint, there is no way to stay back and play it cautiously, you just end up wasting your ammo, and enraging yourself.
The multiplayer suffers from other flaws, Some of the perks are either ridiculously useless [Eavesdrop] or ridiculously overpowered/cheap [Grenade launcher/Matyrdom] and, while they are well thought out, popular use of them has cheapened the COD4 multiplayer experience heavily. It's a great testimonial to the game when I can only find a single big flaw with its multiplayer experience, and I stand by the fact that it is the best multiplayer game of 2007.
On the positive side, and its certainly a big ol' positive side, the campain is well thought out and is full of awesome set pieces, including a particularly tense firefight in a TV station, and a highly commended level that has you crawling through Cherynobl, you really do have to play the campaign to get the true feel for it.
The same is true of the multiplayer, The engine itself is very simple, there's no cover system, no character customisation, and is pretty standard multiplayer shooter fare. A visitor for example could play a few rounds and enjoy it, without knowing too much about the game. However, it shows a level of depth totally unheard of in an FPS game, with a healthy amount of weapon customisation, and a frankly stunning level design. I have never played maps as fine as Call of Duty 4's, which have been amazing people hunting for tricks and tips since the games release. I think it's the depth of the maps that have really ensured CoD4's continued dominance.
In retrospect, I dont play Call of Duty 4 anymore, because I took it far too seriously, going down the gamebattles route and playing in clan matches until I "burnt out" on the game, but I think it still holds up. It's a masterpiece of what can be achieved, and its technically impressive too. It stands among Team Fortress 2 and Halo3 as the greatest Xbox live has to offer.
Once upon a time, back in 1998 i was round a friends house. This friend of mine was playing Starcraft: Brood War, after the both of us spending about 6 hours doing LAN matches against each other i went out and purchased the game, at least once a year since i have busted out the game and kicked some Zerg in the head.
The announcement of Starcraft 2 you can imagine lit up my seemingly otherwise dreary life. That being said the wait is proving to be an arduous one and the infrequent updates by Blizzard are really starting to irritate me, i do not see why Blizzard feel the need to announce an eagerly awaited game such as: Starcraft: Ghost (which they then axed), Wrath of the Lich King and Starcraft 2 when they are not planning on releasing them in the next millennium, all it does is increase the hype and make the game a possible letdown, let us not forget Halo 3 (congratulations Bungie).
While I'm ranting about this i would like to pick up on a couple of things i have noticed about Starcraft in that it's 3 playable races the Terran, Zerg and Protoss draw unnatural similarities with the Aliens, Predators and Marines, in that the Protoss are a highly developed warrior race who are well up themselves (Predators), the Zerg are a parasitic alien life form that need a host in order to evolve (Aliens). Finally the Terran who are the human marines though i suppose i cant really rant about that, because a futuristic RTS just wouldn't be right if the humans and their clearly inferior technology didn't hand in which side gains victory.
Anyway enough of how massive games companys make me want to do nasty things to them with desert Forks. Starcraft 2 does as all sequels so often do by taking up the story where its predecessor left off, in this case the aftermath of the War with the Zerg, my guess is that they are all going to come back even worse with the harbinger of death Sarah Kerrigan (see left), and cause the Terran and Protoss a whole lot of trouble.
I have been looking at the Website and watching videos and i must say i am very impressed with what Blizzard have done with the game, the graphical improvements are. So far as i can tell they have made the races a lot more balanced and fair unlike the last game where anyone playing as the protoss could just spam Zealots in an anal raping tactic, or the Terran with their ghosts and the seemingly unstoppable nuclear bombs.
I am also happy to see the return of Jim Raynor after helping the Protoss at the end of the last game he seems to have butched up a bit taken up smoking cigars and now he looks completely different.
Well as a final couple of present i leave you the overly lengthy and not really that interesting opening trailer which blizzard released just before Blizzcon last year, also the Protoss in game introduction giving you a quick look at in game action
I played the Trial of the Penny arcade game today, on the PC, and then on the 360.
I really liked it. This isn't a real first impressions, because its late, and I'm tired. But after an hour or so of pottering about, I'd like to say:
I like the combat
The Art style is great
I really liked the character creator, although basic, it really made me feel like i was in the game.
What I didn't like, was the ridiculously high price. I reckon I'll probably pick it up anyway, as the 360 is a little starved for decent Action RPG's, and this one is pretty entertaining, I'm a Penny arcade fan anyway, so the humours right up my alley.
Have any of the readers here played the full version?? Is it any good?
Yes, i'm writing a blog about World Of Warcraft, but dont panic. I'm not an obsessive.
Yesterday, another of my friends signed up for a WoW account, pretty much all of my friends have got an account even if they dont play it anymore. The reason for this blog in main is that, My friends sign up has caused all of us to utter "Re-Activation" this is an absurd craze in our social circle, where once every six months of so, we all start playing WoW again, fully cooperatively and level up together. It doesnt matter about the level difference, we help each other out, and its great. For a while, it ceases to become a game, and its just our social thing. Last time we had a WoW lan and spent literally, 14 hours doing run throughs of an instance to try and get my main character the weapon he wanted. It was perfect symbiotic cooperation. And then, just like that, 3-4 of us would stop playing, and everyone would slowly grind to a halt around us.
So, Now this cycle has started again, I say one thing: All of the people who believe WoW players have no social lives are clearly wrong. I wont deny that certain players are on the game to an "unhealthy" extent, but on some level, I would say that the World has brought our little group of friends closer together, Starting to rely on each others abilities, and giving us funny anecdotes to share together. Now, we do the same thing with F.E.A.R on the Xbox360, and arguably people could say that the same thing is true in F.E.A.R, but I cant help but feel that WoW has a bigger appeal. I'm not saying i'm a WoW addict, and as a game I cant stand it, But Socially, i think its got a pretty important place, as its something anyone can get together on, and just shoot the breeze.
On top of that, My tauren warrior is sexy and I love him.
Let me start by explaining nexus war, a game that most of my readers will never of heard of, To lift the description straight off the front page:
"Nexus War is a browser-based multiplayer online roleplaying game where players and their factions struggle for control over territory and power over several planes of existence." In Nexus War you play as a mortal freshly transported to the Nexal battleground of St Germaine islands, For a free to play browser MMO the game is richly detailed, with a clean and usable interface, and a full backstory featured both from the hidden badge locations, and the newspapers that can be found all across the islands. As you level up, you are given Character points, or CP, which you can use as a currency to buy new skills. Every action you perform in the nexus has an effect on your Morality, or MO, which functions like a sort of Karma meter indicating that you are good or evil and this effects the routes of character progression open to you as you play.
At level 10, players can pick one of the 12 "Tier 2" classes, Ascending to angelhood, or descending to become a Demon. Players may choose to favour the forces of neutrality and free will becoming one of the 3 neutral classes, again you get a choice at Level 20, to pick one of the final exits for your Tier 2 class, and this ammount of customisation and skill selection means that every character is unique.
However, the main strength of Nexus war is its community, in addition to it's own IRC network,it has a forums and its own Wiki, where detailed in game help can be found. The community is roughly 500 people strong, and I think one of the main strengths is how friendly everyone can be, despite the fact the game is solely PVP based and so you are always killing each other.
With Straylight the whole game has become far more.. Shiny, and I dont think there has ever been a better time to take a holiday in St Germaine.
So, i got bored today, and on a whim, dug out my old Steam account Details.
I have everything half life related, up to Half life 2, and so i played around abit. i also spent an hour dicking around on Garry's mod. This is the first time i've ever played it, so it took me maybe 30 minutes to get the hang of it, and then chuck Alyx Vance across the landscape with the physics gun.
Anyway, At the end of the hour, this is what it looked like:
Thats a general overview of the mess i made experimenting.
Facial Expressions Editing :]
my First attempt at a car. Its a Bedframe welded to two Wheels. The balloons are attatched to something else entirely.
"If you hit the right click, you can make things freeze in that spot!!"
it was pretty funny, but really complicated, i reckon i might as well give it another few goes. Also, Xbox live was down today, presumably for the Spring Update, And yeah, I am too lazy to make a proper post today.
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