Welcome to the GamerDadsBlog. Our carefully selected team will be bringing you the latest game reviews and when they can be bothered their thoughts on gaming in general.
So I got my copy of Portal 2 through on Friday morning which was as much a surprise as it was an annoyance! Firstly I was expecting it well before then! For which I was annoyed, and secondly I was conceded to the fact that due to the confectionary giving Rabbit and the celebration of a ‘David Blane’ act deifying, fictitious character that the post man was also on holiday and would not be consoling me untill today.
NO SPOILERS
So Portal 2! I played the first one (the Orange Box) and was less than impressed, It all seemed a little basic and bland. But you all know me by now and know I don’t harbour grudges due to previous experiences when it comes to games nor do I refuse to play a sequel to a game I have not enjoyed.
Portal 2 in essence is a first person platform adventure game. You employ the role of a lab rat/test subject who is tasked with completing challenges set out for you. That’s it in a nut shell! I’m only part joking when I say I could end the review here! You are armed with a portal gun that creates an entrance and exit portal if you will, you fire this on surfaces and can travel through said gate ways or use them to allow other objects to pass through space and time. It’s a great idea that becomes very boring and mundane very quickly due to the repetitiveness of it. Honestly it’s all you do! The smug sense of self satisfaction you get from completing a test soon turns into a tedious feeling of when will this be over!? There are a few changes of scenery however, and a chapter (6) that gives you a very claustrophobic atmosphere much like Bioshock due to its lighting and sheer desolateness which is hard to achieve so props on that.
The game is so linear it makes Doritos Crash Course seem like a MMOJRPG. I guess it is a puzzle game but anyone with an ounce of common sense and the ability to think both systematically and logically will find this game a canter. I did get stuck at two parts of this game, not due to the tasks being difficult but because it was hard to distinguish the surface colours of the wall panels I was attempting to create portals on (the fact I never realised I could)
As you know one of my biggest gripes about FP Perspective games that try to carry a story is the lack of connection you have with your character and this is no different, I don’t know why they try to do it but it does not and will not work! Why does ME2 play better then Failout 3? Because you get to connect with your character and truly build up a relationship. Simple things like body language and facial expressions as a reaction to something being said can say things words can’t. Obviously for spoiler reasons I can’t talk about this too much but honestly you could just be a floating portal gun in this game and it would not change a thing. I doubt even a 3rd person view (like Failout3 offers) could change anything.
The Game concludes with a boss fight that can only be equated to the Alan Wake boss fight as the most disappointing ending to a game I have ever played. Once completed the game has no replay value what so ever due to the fact that the levels never change. Would have been cool to have a random level generator or a Halo Forge sort of set up to share puzzles with the community but it doesn’t contain either. I don’t think it would have been hard to include these really because the levels are basically just empty boxes. There is however a Multiplayer which is a good laugh but so simple it can be completed locally with 2 pads on split screen.
I have read some amazing statements and reviews regarding this game which actually make me question my own opinion..... That is until I realise that there are some of the worst fanboys for this franchise that I have ever met!
10/10 Graphics!!! Are you being serious? I play on a top of the range LED TV and let’s be honest your talking Crysis 2 territory. 8/10 at a push (although it does look Pretty on PC)
Best in its class!! Does it have any competitors?
Number 1 in the charts!! Well considering it launched at the same time as MK9 and OFPRR I should hope so! That and the fact PSN was down so that swayed people’s choice towards an offline game and the inclusion of a free PC version sweetened the deal.
People have waxed lyrical about how this is one of the most in depth and involving stories they have played and that this is a certain for GOTY... ...My theory on this is that if you like Glee then you will love Portal 2! If you don’t like Glee you will see it for what it is! My analogy stems from the fact that people who like listening to constant auto tuned narration, transparent story lines, annoying and unlikable characters, un funny jokes, having the feeling of boredom but fighting through it just to have something to discuss with peers and constantly stating how great it is to reassure yourself it’s not average then you will love watching Glee (see what I did there?)
Completing Portal 2 does not grant you instant entrance to MENSA although listening to some people you would think it would!
I honestly can’t remember one song from this game but do remember it sounding very “Mass Effect”
As for people who harp on about Wheatley (the first character you meet) being one of the greatest ever in game characters???? He is voiced by Stephen Merchant, he’s the guy behind the office and extras to name a few shows he helped to write. As a writer I Love his work but as the Barclay card adverts show he has an affliction! One that is known as “Bristolian”, If you never felt like piercing your own ear drums every time Justin Lee Collins came on the TV you probably will after playing this! I wish they could create an unwritten rule where only Steven Fry is allowed to voice main characters in video games.
All in all this is good game worth playing and I’m glad I did and also enjoyed it a lot more then Portal 1 but let’s be serious, it’s nothing more than good! I think the problem stems from the amount of bad games we get palmed off with these days that when an average one comes out people jump on a band wagon, admiring the Emperor’s new clothes as it hurtles down the road to the £19.99 mark less than 2 months later.
Sunday 24 April 2011
The only thing more eagerly anticipated then the return to service of the Playstation Network is the Gears of War 3 Beta becoming available as of tomorrow (25/04/11)
Unless you where lucky enough to get a Friends and Family code or gained access through the limited edition copy of Bulletstorm, this will be when the majority of the community get involved. The Beta will become available to all those with a pre-order code given to all those who commit to the purchase of GOW3 for when it drops (20/09/11)
I was lucky enough to play this last weekend on a closed LAN party at the Gadget show live whilst it was being held at the Birmingham NEC. The closed LAN included maps and weapons (Mercy, Overpass, Retro lancer turret and Hammer of Dawn) that as yet are not scheduled to drop during the Beta period (25/4-15/5) but judging by the inclusion of Easter Bunny heads today and the fact that Epic are.....well Epic,I would not be surprised to see them included at a later date. I have also been very fortunate in that I have been playing this all week and will now pass on my experience in order to make you last a little longer on battle ground when the seasoned players all get up early to bathe in N00B blood tomorrow morning.
As this is only a Beta I don’t think it’s fair to pass judgement in the form of a review as the whole point of a Beta is to find what’s wrong with the game and to improve on it for the retail release. The other reason is that any problem I have could be obsolete by the time this publishes due to the fact that Epic are listening to the community and fixing major problems in the game as the Beta progresses.
First thing first, if you haven’t played GOW before then why not? You should but it’s not imperative in order to play this Beta(unless you want a Skin and Medal). GOW Multiplayer take the form of a 3rd person shooter in which you are split into 2 teams (COGS & Locust) and is played out in the form of TDM, King of the hill and capture the Flag. Only TDM has been available as of Monday this week so don’t worry too much about getting owned in the other 2 game types (CTF/KOTH) as they where only available for a short period prior.
The 2 maps that have been open this past week are Thrash ball and Checkout with Trenches being made available on Thursday. Old town will be made available as of tomorrow as will the others but for some reason to do with the dedicated servers and play lists I was lucky enough to play Old Town for the majority of Friday so I know my way round that bad boy.
Load outs are basically Main Weapon, Shotgun, Pistol and Grenade with the option to pick up heavy Weapons, upgraded pistols, upgraded grenades, launchers, flame throwers and sniper rifles throughout the map. Don’t worry too much about that right now because I will be giving advice on what to roll with and pros and cons of each weapon latter.
Unlike other games this does not have a specific crouch or jump button, it has a cover system and an action button that will become more apparent as you play it, you also have the roady run and roll button, get used to this it will save your bacon in a gun fight or when passing planted grenades. Returning GOW player will be no stranger to the Active reload system but for first time players learning how to reload is imperative.
So onto the weapons: Main weapons are the Classic Lancer, Retro-Lancer and Hammer burst.
Classic lancer;If you have played GOW before then this will be what you know best, its COG standard issue and offers a large magazine and is good for blind firing over cover and pining enemies down whilst your opo flanks round and greases the enemy.
PROS> Has the best melee weapon as just holding down B for less than a second will unleash the chainsaw attack but be aware you may come up against another person on the other team trying to cut you in half so be prepared to hammer the B button.
CONS>Not very powerful so expect to have to put a lot of rounds into someone.
Classic Lancer; this is a new inclusion to the franchise and is a tricky weapon to master but when you learn how to it’s a beast. It comes fitted with a Bayonet which is used to dispatch the enemy through a melee attack but be aware it take a while to charge but when it is used correctly its amazing.
PROS> powerful weapon for use in CQC and has the most stopping power of the 3 main weapons, you will need to learn how to deal with kick back on this and learn at what distance you can begin to engage people for the most effectiveness.
CONS> lack of range and a melee that requires a long charge with huge kick back when firing can make this an unpopular weapon.
Hammer Burst; this is the standard issue for the locust grunts and looks a lot like a SMG. The great inclusion for this game is the ability to click in the right stick to ADS for improved accuracy. Great range and good stopping power make this a great all rounder.
PROS> greatest range of all 3 weapons and has great accuracy so good for all maps and with its deliberate rate of fire it’s probably the most popular main weapon.
CONS> small mag’s mean lots of reloading and the melee on this is a straight beat down leaving you open to being shot gunned on a regular basis.
Shotguns are the Sawed-off(Sawn-off?)and the returning Gnasher:
Gnasher; everyone knows how to use this and was the biggest cause of bitching on GOW2 “He must be the host his shotgun is better than mine oh I’m butt hurt”
PROS> TBH 90% of all the people I have played against so far seem to use this as their default weapon, it carries more ammo then the sawn off and is devastating up close and offers damage from range.
CONS> be prepared to be enraged when you shoot someone twice only to be shot once by them from further away and get a one shot kill on you.
Sawed-off; making its debut on the beta this weapon is death via 2 smoking barrels. I love this gun! I honestly don’t mind when I get killed by this with one shot because that’s its purpose.
PROS> its sheer power at very close range make this enjoyable to use and its large kill box means you can take out multiple targets. It’s even capable of stopping a charging Retro Lancer melee attack.
CONS> only carries one shot and takes an age to reload, also if you’re not close enough it won’t give you a one shot kill and leaves you open to be attacked. TBH with the amount of 1 shot kills you get from the Gnasher I hardly use this at all.
Maps and recommended classes:
Thrash Ball; Retro Lancer and Gnasher or Sawn-off (but only if you’re good with it)
Thrash ball sees you spawn at either end of a thrash ball field, the middle of the map is open with lots of cover and contains a power weapon (Digger/Torque bow) until the score board is dropped. On the left hand side of the map is a long tunnel with grenades in. On the right is a raised area with a viewing platform containing a heavy weapon (Mulcher/Mortars).
If you spawn on the blue side the raised area is to the left and tunnels to the right, Remember this by RED-RIGHT-Raised area. Most people rush the middle so I advise sitting back and picking them off or throwing smoke and rushing the power weapon with your shotgun equipped. Another good tactic is to rush the nades and then spam the power weapon with them. If you choose to head for the heavy weapon be sure to stick your smoke to the wall on your way to the viewing platform to offer an audio warning of incoming enemy. You leave yourself open up here and can be attacked through the rubble at the either side of you. Nice Easter egg up the back of the viewing platform is a cardboard cut out of Cole Train viewable through the gates.
Checkout; Hammer Burst and Gnasher. Same again you spawn either side of the map but this time an out of order escalator blocks off the middle of the map. To the left is an Electronics store the hides a (Digger/Long-shot) infront of this is a raised platform with upgraded nades and is perfect to engae people at range. To the right is another store with a till area with a Mulcher behind the counter. No real advice here just don’t get over keen on getting to the Mulcher because people don’t last long on it! There are fire alarms on this map then when pressed open a back room with more smoke nades.
Trenches; Classic Lancer and Sawn-off
I will leave this as a nice surprise for you: D let’s just say its kills galore on this map and it’s my favourite of the 4. Can’t give away my tips because I’m looking forward to getting some kills here lol.
This map includes the new heavy weapon the One-Shot, a Sniper rifle that contains 3 rounds that does exactly as it says on the tin! Takes a second to charge up but will be an insta kill if landed anywhere on the enemy.
Stevies Top Tips: 1 Mark people! This game gives you the option to mark people by pressing the left stick in earning you points and telling your team where the Enemy is.
2 Learn the Maps! You are given the option to have a bird’s eye view of the map prior to the game starting; this shows weapon locations and spawn points.
3 Master the art of the active reload! You reload by pressing RB when and need to land the cursor in the shaded area; you also get extra power in your weapon if you land on the sweet spot but for starters just learn the basic reload. You will suffer if you miss the reload and you will die very quickly!
4 Chose your Character wisely! When they become available I advise using the characters ANYA(COG) DRONE(LOCUST) the reason behind this is they appear smaller behind cover and are less visible then others when crouched down.
5 Run in pairs! It’s better to double team then be double teamed! Unless that’s your thing lol
6 Don’t rage! As soon as you lose your cool you stop concentrating and die more! Just accept your going to die a lot to start off with and deal with it! WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT RAGE QUIT!!! You will receive a -4500 XP penalty.
I saw this game on release a while ago now and it didn't really catch my eye. I don't know why, it just didn't.
However I finally decided to give it a chance.
R.U.S.E is a real time strategy game set during World War 2.
You play the role of General Sheridan, a U.S Army officer as he reminisces over his journey through the war, starting in North Africa and finally to Europe.
Near the start of the game you are joined by a (very stereotypical) British Intelligence officer Colonel Andrew Campbell. This Character assists you through the game offering hints and tips.
The game itself sees you taking control of large Armies on a table top, as if you were in a war room. It is your job to build bases, take on the enemy, and secure the objectives.
I say table top, but a nice little twist allows you to zoom fully out and look down on the battlefield as a table top (you can even see chairs and desks around the edges) or if you zoom fully in, you can see the battlefield in a Command and Conquer style.
Alas yes I dropped that name, I admit, it is easy to draw similarities between the games. You have to collect resources in order to build units, point and click etc etc. Don't be put of straight away though, yes its very similar, but there are other aspects that are appealing and help this game stand out.
First lets cover the time period itself. Yes its WWII (stop yawning) but the developers really did their homework on this. The battles you take part in all centre around real battles, the units are numbered and named the same as those who actually took part. Place names are the same and the size of allied and enemy forces are accurately represented.
For a history buff like myself, I thought this was a really nice touch.
The actual story line itself is quite good, you know me by now, I wont say much on that, but it is delivered with cut scenes where the artwork and voice acting is surprisingly good, making the game quite believable and mingling nicely with real world events.
Another thing that stood out to me was a particular game play aspect, known as a 'Ruse' (hmmm where did they get the name from again?)
A 'Ruse' can allow you to identify enemy movements, hide your own forces, make enemies flee quicker, speed your forces up, there are loads. All can be an advantage, but the AI has them too and uses them effectively, which can change your way of thinking and planning.
There is a rank system involved, completing certain actions allows you to level up, unlocking different friendly forces etc. This gives you a reason to do secondary objectives which are often overlooked in these kind of games.
Lastly the AI itself, both friendly and enemy is pretty good. Friendly forces react to close enemy movement without hassle, retreating and attacking without you having to hold their hand all the way, which really comes in handy when the action starts to pick up later in the campaign. Enemy AI will react differently almost every time depending on what you do, so each game can be unpredictable.
Alongside the campaign is an online mode and a 'Battle mode' allowing you to go against an enemy AI on any map.
The campaign itself is long and tricky in parts even on the Normal difficulty setting and with the other modes available, playability on this game is quite high.
However any game has its bad points. For me these included the in-game visuals, they seemed pretty basic for a new-ish game, which was disappointing considering the cut scenes look very good.
Secondly it has to be that this game is quite time consuming, don't get me wrong I like it when a game lasts, but at times it can be borderline dull. Especially early on when the battles are quite straightforward and you don't have a lot of different assets to call upon.
Having said that though its worth sticking with it, as the action, difficulty and satisfaction all increase quite rapidly.
If you are a fan of strategy games or history in general, then this game is definately worth a look, however if your not a fan already, I don't think this game will swing your opinion.
Its fun and challenging, easy to learn but difficult to master. But sadly all things considered, its just an average game. I enjoyed it, but its not for everyone.
Thanks for reading this review and thank you to www.boomerangrentals.co.uk for supplying the game.
Cheers
Toby
By the way, if anyone picks this up, let me know what you think!
Over the course of my gaming life, there have been so many moments playing games that always seem to stand out. It might be the visuals, the soundtrack, anything really. When I first started thinking of this I wanted to do a countdown, with number 1 being my all time favourite moment. But its just too damn hard! There's so many! So Ive compiled a list of ten of my favourites. Ive put them in order, but that's more just for presentation than anything.
Do you have any favourite moments? Are any of yours in this list?
Anyway, enough of me going on, lets get on with it!
Ive got that achievement :D
Number 10: GODS intro
Back in my youth, my elder brother had an Amiga 500 (google it folks). When he left the house I would sneak into his room and play his games to my hearts content.
The reason Ive chosen this game is because it was the first game I would play, always. The reason? Simply put, the bad ass intro! The excitement when this screen came on used to pour out of me, it still brings back lots of happy memories to this day. The game itself was great fun, but many times I would reboot it to hear the intro again.
Number 9: Resident Evil: First encounter with zombie dogs!
My first experience of a 'horror' game, I was young and impressionable (I probably still am!)
But this particular part of the game, always stands out. Mainly because it scared the crap out of me. Its quiet, atmospheric, then all of a sudden SMASH! and these rabid little shitzus are on your ass with a serious case of the zombie horn, the first time a game has ever made me jump and a game I will always remember. So it made the cut.
Number 8: Cannon Fodder: Intro and getting Jools past level 8
Another Amiga great, and easily found on the net to download. Cannon Fodder is a cracking little point and click game that's wonderfully simplistic and bloody tricky too! It has a subtle dark humour. Play it guys, I highly recommend it!
If you've not played it, you start the first mission with 3 characters. One of those being Jools.
If they die, you start the next mission with new characters, so on and so on.
For some reason, I used to make it my mission to get these originals as far as I could before their eventual Death. On this particular game, I had lost the other two by mission 5, Jools remained, I wanted to keep it that way. It was tough, dangerous and took forever, but I got there! I was at last on mission nine, until my highly decorated veteran of war decided to get killed by a stray bit of exploding barrel. I was distraught, the first time I had ever grown attached to a character.
The intro is a classic. The song is written and performed by the games developer Jon Hare
I was never really good at this game, I tried, tried, tried again and normally failed to climb the ladder of enemies. But one day, I was on fire, the button mashing was frantic, my enemies fell one by one and then I heard those words ''FINISH HIM'' once more. I mashed the pad in some random combination. There Sub Zero stood, my bad ass character looking cool as anything while my foe swayed like a drunken Muppet on some reality TV Police programme. Suddenly, Sub Zero reached inside my foes throat and decided to rip out his skull and spine in one go. I heard the words ''FATALITY'' ring in my ears. I did it, sussed, finally. I was ecstatic, I couldn't believe I'd done it. Was I finally going to climb to the top? My joy was only short lived as the next opponent fancied a scrap. No problem thought I, until I had my arse handed to me.
Number 6: My First Online Multi player Experience
OK I don't mind admitting it. I was quite late to the world of online gaming, I didn't really see the hype. But never the less, I took a dive and tried it. OH EM GEE. I couldn't believe what was happening, I was running around, shooting people, they were shooting back, but I was in England, they were overseas, some kind of witchcraft surely?!? It was smooth, everything happened instantly. I was in awe, and hooked.
I was playing Activision's demon love child, Call Of Duty, and I bloody loved it.
I haven't looked back since. I am hooked on online gaming, don't get me wrong, I want a good solid single player from my games. But Ill be more tempted to buy it if it has multi player.
Number 5: Completing Metal Gear Solid 3
What a journey this game took me through, with awesome visuals, a cracking story line, and game play that bettered most other games out at that time (and most that come out today), I was in love with this game.
The problem is, I was gutted when it finished, it left me hungry for more, so I played it again. Quite a few times actually. The closing scenes of this game were beautiful, emotional and very satisfying.
A fantastic game all round, and one I will always remember.
Number 4: Red Dead Redemption: Conclusion and ending.
First of all, what I mean by conclusion is the part after you have killed your final target, and you have nothing left to do other than ride your horse back to your ranch. Everything is tranquil, the song is the background very fitting and its a long journey, Just like the one you have played. It gives time for you to reflect on the story, with this character with whom you have got to know, now its over, or so you think! Then you get to fulfill your characters dreams, to live on the farm and lead a normal life, something you normally don't get in a game, how strange thought I, but its all good, this character can now leave a happy ending, whoopee!!!
But no, then the real ending comes along and your beloved John Marston ends up getting turned into a pepper pot. The shock twist, and emotion involved made it a great ending.
The underlying morals shining through didn't put me off at all. It was great, I was shocked and saddened. Especially considering I wound up playing his high pitched whiny bastard child to carry on the side missions.
Number 3: Call Of Duty 4: All Ghillied Up
I know what your thinking,
''AAAARRRGGGHHHH My eyes! Cod be gone, evil one!''
But well, tough.
This was my first intro to the XBOX 360 (at a friends house), and to be honest the visuals simply amazed me. From the moment your sniping buddy merges out of the tall grass this level captivated me. The visuals, the sneaking around, the suspense when the enemy walks right past you, watching this take place in front of me left me stunned. I couldn't believe how good it looked, sounded and played.
I walked from his house thinking one thing 'I need a 'next gen' console'
Number 2: Mass Effect 2
Yes that's right, the whole damn thing and a very recent addition to my memories.
After a very sound recommendation from a fellow gamerdad, I took the plunge and gave it a shot.
Now RPG's are really not my thing, the sword fights, the magic powers etc etc I just didn't get them. But this, wow.
Everything about this game I loved. The visuals, the game play, the story. I played out a film, and I loved every single minute of it. I was gutted when it ended and immediately started it again. From the opening scenes I was captivated, I was constantly excited about what was to come. It opened my eyes to a whole new genre and a whole new gaming experience. Mass Effect, you have a brand new fanboy right here, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Number 1: COD 4: Mile High Club on Veteran
I know its CoD again!!! I'm sorry!
Well no actually I'm not, As I said at the start, I didn't order them in any particular way, its just turned out this way.
Why is this such a good memory?
Well to start with, it was so damned difficult to do! But my god was it addictive, something so simple, so short but yet so god damned good! I lusted after that achievement, I needed it, and when I got it? Not even the wife's moaning could bring me down. My first real taste of the achievement bug, it didn't last for long mind, but that's a different subject entirely.
I was new to xbox, to achievements, and to cod. Addictive beyond belief for something so simple. It reminded me of older games, when all you had was yourself and a scoreboard to beat. Perhaps that's why I liked it so much?
And that's it guys. I hope you enjoyed reading my musings. If you didn't, well then tell me why :D
If you’re not a Fan of Mortal Kombat, Portal 2 or as stoked about the GOW3 Beta as I am then the release schedule of games available until L.A Noir makes for bad reading.
This is the time of year where things slow down until you get smashed with a title every week, the calm before the storm if you will. On the other hand due to other commitments you may not be able to fork out £40-£50 every week and that makes you want to kick the dog!Please don’t kick your dog, if you’re angry then go push a push pop)
Well fear not because this article is here to offer you some solace and hopefully make you realise just what you have been missing out on. In light of the financial year start/end and times being hard, I thought I would pass on my opinion of some great games that have been out in the last 18 months of which I have owned a 360.
Ultimately they could have been over looked due to busy release days or the simple fact you have been glued to certain titles and lost contact with reality whilst screaming “Arrrrggghhhh I was 1 off my F##king Chopper Gunner”
So to reiterate this is not my list of the greatest games on 360 (that will follow soon) but more of a ‘you have to play’ this list! To qualify the games have to be a Stevie Score of 8/10 or over, been released in the last 18 months and played by less than 40% of my friends list. Oh and the best part a Total Bargin!!!!
The List is in no Specific order and contains retail titles and XBLA games plus a bonus gem that was picked up for less than a Big Mac meal (no I don’t equate cash value to Big Macs regularly, imagine the transfer window if I did lol, Torres is worth a lot of Big Macs)
It won’t be in the format of formal reviews either just a little footnote justifying its choice and best price I have been able to find. It will also contain additional advice like if the game includes DLC or Online codes as there is no point buying a game second hand to save a couple of quid when you will just have to pay more than that in MS points! To be honest I recommend buying all these games brand new. Also it contains no spoilers!
Enjoy :D
The Saboteur 8.5/10 Released 04/12/09 Best Price £8-£15
This game sees you control Sean Devlin, an Irish racing mechanic who makes for a great main character as he has what a lot of others in this genre don’t have, Character! He is quick witted and very likable making this a great game. Set in Nazi-occupied Europe it’s an open world game containing a mixture of GTA and AC style game play, Driving, Free-running, fighting, shooting and having your way with the lady’s : D Good use of real soundtrack in this game. 40+ hours worth of game play here without becoming boring and repetitive like others in the genre can.
VANQUISH 9/10 Released 22/10/10 Best price £14-19.99
Directed by Shinji Mikami, VANQUISH is a sci-fi shooter of epic proportions with a fast, fluid and frenetic combat system, and an engaging and immersive storyline. I honestly love this game and so many people passed this over due to other releases. If you like 3rd person shooters with a great storyline then this is for you! I’m getting excited just remembering this game lol.
Medal of Honor 8/10 Released 15/10/10 Best Price £17-£25
Medal of Honor takes you into the conflict being fought out by the Tier 1 Operators from the US Special Operations Community in Afghanistan. Basically these guys are the best on the ground Military units USA has to offer. The development team actually worked with the Tier 1 guys whilst making this game and it’s loosely based on true events from 2001 onwards, it shows!
I’m happy to go on record as saying this is the best FPS single player story I have played! It’s gritty and believable and makes you feel involved. This game got horrifically bashed on release! Granted it was by people who didn’t like the fact it shows US operatives involved in conflict or that it shows them in a bad light, and Of course fanboys from other titles in this Genre. Make your own decision and realize how wrong they were.
The multiplayer community was plagued bad apples on launch (90% of people decided to be camping snipers) but now you will find a good game with a mix of styles of combat from other players. Think Battlefield but with smaller maps and you may get a idea of what this game is like.
NFSHP 9.5/10 Released 09/11/10 Best Price £20-£30
Experience the gripping and heart-racing action of both cops and racers. Hot Pursuit seamlessly links a tremendously deep and fully-defined single player career with a BAFTA winning multiplayer experience. Weapons and Equipment enhance the intensity of the pursuit using multiple weapons during a pursuit. Whether taking down suspects with a variety of cop weapons or using evasion equipment as a racer to outsmart the cops, you will always have a method for gaining an edge over your opponent. Auto Log increases the longevity of this game and is adds to the addictiveness.
Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition 9/10 Released 2010 Best Price £10-£20
The Gold Edition of the game includes the original game plus additional content: two new episodes as well as all new playable characters for the Mercenaries and new costumes. It also contains new Multiplayer modes. Be prepared to jump out of your skin! I nearly S##t my pants on many occasions. A great 3rd person shooter with a gripping story line and lots of action with puzzles thrown in. This is a total bargin as not only are you getting the original game your getting all the DLC. Must play and I kicked myself for not trying it sooner.
007 Blood Stone 8/10 Released 05/11/10 Best Price £18-£25
Normally steer clear of movie to game cross over’s but thanks to Golden eye on the N64 and 007: Everything or Nothing on the Original Xbox I don’t mind risking it for Bond! Like with oo7EoN this is an original story created for games. Great Single player that’s a mix of stealthy sneak and creep to guns blazing 007 action. Vehicle aspects of this game are good but a little short. Also includes a MP for all you Agents out there.
Mass Effect 2 10/10 Released 29/01/10 Best Price £10-£15
For those of you that are reading this list and have played this game you will probably laugh that not as many people have played this that should have! The words RPG can conjure up visions of a big fat guy player killing on WoW (South Park) or geeky teens gathered round a table in Game Workshop rolling dice.
Although die hard RPG players would order your death for calling this an RPG it is! And it has changed the way of thinking with this genre. One of the reasons I wasn’t so into RPG games before was because of my experiences of RPGS with FP views with no character dialogue or true interaction with yourself building up a relationship with your Character, this changes that!
I could go on for the next 3 hours about what makes this the greatest game ever made and be condescending towards people that haven’t played this but I won’t! It’s not what this list is about and it’s not my style. Don’t worry if you don’t like Sc-Fi or RPG just do yourself a favour and buy this game! Now! Like right now! Why are you still reading this go buy it lol. Also don’t sweat it about needing to play the 1st instalment too much, after playing this you can decide on playing that.
Batman Arkham Asylum 9.5/10 Released 29/09/09 Best Price £8-£15
This Game won countless awards yet there are still people on my list who haven’t played this :S Be prepared for a unique, gritty, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes you to the depths of Gotham's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. This has a MGS feel to it with gadgets and abilities. Like with 007 earlier stated its an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, plus the Joker is voiced by none other than Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) who makes the character his own! So much so I’m scared for his well being.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS (trying to keep this on one page)
Splinter Cell Convictions 8.5/10 Released 16/04/10 Best Price £8-£15
Assassins Creed 2 9/10 Released 20/11/09 Best Price £9-£15 Best game in the trilogy)
Border Lands GOTYE 8.5/10 Released 2010 Best Price £18-£25
If you put a load of Snowboarders in a room with a ton of weed and only Robot chicken, American Dad and some Manga to watch then asked them to make a game, then this is what they would come up with. It's very rarely that you use the words "So much fun" and "video games" in the same sentence these days but this defiantly is one of the funniest titles I have ever played.
The sound track to this game is epic and the story is bonkers! It's more of an arcade feel then a serious sim game but I prefer that! I got this game second hand for £3, best £3 ever spent! Keep this game in mind when your next browsing EBay or the bargain bins at your local game shop.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you find a game on here to try! Would love to hear from you if you do try one so leave a comment bellow
It’s time for another tech review, but now instead of just a YouTube video, you get a video AND written review… two for the price of one you lucky, lucky people!
This time, courtesy of our friends at Vuzix and MustardPR we give you a look into the future… a Buck Rogers/early Sci-Fi B-movie inspired future where sentient Mecca-Hamsters have become the masters of Earth, forcing us all to live on city sized Spaceships, and lounging around our living quarters wearing these:
For those of you who don’t know me very well-I am an uber-tech Geek. There. I said it… I’m out and I’m proud! I LOVE cutting edge tech. Now this may at first seem a little contradictory to some of you, as you may know I run the Retro Gaming side of things for the Gamerdads Network-the two things cannot surely gel together can they??
The truth is I love retro gaming and retro consoles BECAUSE I’m a tech geek. The obvious example is that I owned most of the retro consoles/games I babble on about in the chat box the first time round… they WERE cutting edge tech at one point!
The real reason though is that there’s nothing I like better than to trace the technology we use today back to its roots… its origins… its component parts if you will. There’s nothing more fascinating than seeing how an original concept/piece of technology grows, develops and improves over time…
…A perfect example of this is the frankly brilliant concept of the wearable video display unit.
life wearable TV by moo_bit, on Flickr
TV Glasses: Inventor Hugo Gernsback (1963)
Photographer: Alfred Eisenstaedt
As you can see above, the concept of the Personal Video Eyewear or wearable display is not a new one, and the practicalities of such a device in today’s fast moving, multimedia society do make logical sense as we travel more frequently, our business commutes become longer and our new build housing gets smaller.
Also from a pure consumer level, as our appetite for cutting edge tech grows, we are increasingly looking for companies that offer new ideas and the latest “must-have” gadgets…
One such company that as a tech geek, I personally have been following quite closely over that last couple of years is New York based company Vuzix.
Ever since I first came across their Vuzix Eyewear AV230’s by accident whilst surfing the net a few years ago, I have been keeping an eye on their website and the Gadget/Tech press for their latest products. From the evolution of the AV line, through its development of Medical and Military applications of the technology, Vuzix always seem to try to tweak and improve their products and every iteration seems to be better than the last.
Review:
This brings me to one of their latest products-the Vuzix Wrap 920 Video Eyewear, which is their latest consumer solution to the problem of watching films and media on the go-the small screens found on a portable device…
These glasses allow you to plug any media input you like into them and watch your content as if viewing it on a 67 inch flat screen TV from 10 feet away. They can also handle just about any 3D content you pump into them without breaking a sweat!
Sounds good on paper, but are they actually any good??
In a word… yes.
Vital Statistics:
• Equivalent to a 67-inch screen as viewed from ten feet (approximately 3 m)
• Twin high-resolution 640 x 480 LCD displays
• 60Hz progressive scan update rate
• Ultra-low video distortion
• 31 degree diagonal field of view
• 24-bit true colour (16 million colours)
• Independent +2 to -5 diopter focus adjustment
• Weighs less than three ounces
• Adjustable brightness, contrast, hue and colour saturation
• Works with 2D and common 3D video formats including side-by-side and anaglyph
• NTSC and PAL compatible
• Six hours use with 2 AA alkaline batteries
• Onscreen display for video display adjustment
• Includes Wrap multi-connect port for optional Adapters offering expanded compatibility
• Wearable over many prescription eyeglasses
• Adjustable, hypoallergenic nosepiece
• Ultra-thin cabling
• Two AA alkaline batteries will power the device for up to six hours
Now I must admit being a little apprehensive about this review, as explained above I have been following Vuzix as a company for a few years now and am absolutely thrilled that we at Gamerdads are now able to work with our friends at MustardPR and review this product, but at the same time I thought that this may turn out to be a classic case of “never meet your heroes”
It turns out I was wrong.
Yes, these things are by no means perfect-there are a few little niggles that my geek brain still has problems with- the lack of HDMI/Component connection out of the box, even considering the product itself was first developed on 2009, still annoys (this can be fixed somewhat by a Multi-Connector HDMI Adapter, soon to be sold separately via the Vuzix website), and the initial setup that I would recommend upon first receiving these from the shop may be found by some to be “fiddly”, but it is a necessary inconvenience...
I’m talking of course about the fact that each Human being, in the infinite wisdom of a Deity/Genetics is unique-no two faces are exactly the same… great for the continued diversity and evolution of the Human species, but an absolute nightmare for manufacturers of wearable tech...
When you first put these on your face, they can initially feel uncomfortable and a little heavy-especially to a person who is not used to wearing glasses themselves. However once you realise that the Wrap 920s nose bridge can be adjusted by pulling it closer or further away from the main unit and the metal nose bridge can be bent slightly to fit your nose shape, these issues quickly subside.
I would definitely recommend you taking the time upon first trying these to adjust the nose bridge to fit your own facial contours-you’ll only need to do it once and one you do, you’ll realise that these, whilst noticeably heavier than a pair of normal sunglasses during long viewing sessions (you HAVE got the equivalent of a 67 inch TV strapped to your face after all), are actually quite comfortable to wear, and whilst immersed in your favourite game, you eventually forget they are there for a while.
Those of you who may be a little concerned that you cannot plug your own ear buds into these glasses also needn’t worry-the sound quality on the noise isolating ear buds included in the box is absolutely brilliant and can easily handle the high Trebles and low bass of any film/game you throw at them.
“Tweak to your heart’s content”
As mentioned in the video review above, the glasses feature a removable rubber panel on the top of the unit that hides a pair of adjuster screws. You can use the included “adjuster tool” (a plastic screwdriver found clipped to the bottom of the battery unit), or any Philips head screwdriver to tweak the screens left or right individually, ensuring the two pictures merge into one, creating the optical illusion of the large screen “floating” in front of you. This is a welcome addition as with the nose bridge, no two sets of eyes are different so this allows you to find the setting that is right for you.
Other tweaking options include the on screen display (OSD), accessed by pressing the Menu button on your remote. This brings up a multitude of settings for you to play with including Hue, Brightness, Saturation etc. and the ability to choose between 2D or multiple 3D setups or simply have 3D set to “auto”. On top of that, you get 4 “Save Slots” and a “PC” settings slot, allowing geeks like me to save different setting depending on which device you have plugged into the glasses at the time (don’t worry-there are auto saves for you to cycle through if you don’t want to play around yourself).
The OSD is easily accessible via a press of one of the nicely convex buttons on the remote unit and easy to understand and cycle through the various options once you start playing around with it.
“AARGH! It’s coming right for us!”
One noticeable feature of the Vuzix Wrap 920s, especially in the current renaissance of 3D films, games, etc. is the ability to play back 3D content in side by side and all the various Anaglyph formats. This is probably the main “killer app” of the glasses out of the box as they offer a similar 3D viewing experience to the £2000 3D TVs out on the market at a fraction of the cost.
Two examples of videos used to test the Vuzix Wrap 920’s 3D capabilities.
Having used the glasses with a variety of 3D videos easily found on the internet and youtube I can say the experience is a lot of fun. The screen offers a good bit of depth and can also handle things popping out of the screen very well. Although true resolution-philes who want to truly compare these to said 3D TVs may want to wait for the release of Vuzix’s next product the Vizix Wrap 1200 (which will offer true 720p 16:9 widescreen HD, rather than the high resolution 4:3 displays found in the Vuzix Wrap 920), I personally found the experience quite satisfactory.
“Time to accessorise!”
Accessories for the Vuzix Wrap 920 include:
The Wrap Lightshield - A moulded soft rubber shield that blocks out any distracting light from around the edges of your glasses.
Changeable lenses - allow you to pop out the standard dark grey lens for alternates to match your mood or style.
Wrap VGA Adapter - enables you to connect to a VGA port on a desktop or laptop computer for watching video. When used, it replaces the battery/control box provided with the Wrap video eyewear and draws power from the computer through its USB connection.
Wrap Multi-Connector HDMI Adapter - Connects Wrap model video eyewear to video sources equipped with a HDMI connector, such as set-top boxes, video game consoles and Blu-ray Disc players.
Wrap 6DoF Tracker/Compass – a very cool device that clips onto the Wrap Mini-Port (found on the top right corner of the glasses-see review video). When connected, it transforms your Wrap eyewear into a virtual reality system that senses 6 degrees of head movement and compass direction! This is especially good for you PC FPS players out there as it means your head can be used to look around in real time! (Basically doing the job of the mouse/right thumb stick on a console).
The Vuzix range is set to expand with the Wrap 920AR augmented reality glasses, which were revealed at the CES expo. Now I have to say Augmented reality applications really get my geek juices flowing-you may have read about the future of Augmented Reality online or via TV programmes such as The Gadget Show. You may have even watched my review of the Nintendo 3DS, which uses basic AR cards to display a CG image in the “real world”. The Vuzix platform incorporates a pair of Stereo cameras that mount to the front of Wrap eyewear and captures real-life images that can be combined with mixed reality software to overlay computer-generated graphics onto the real world setting that you are looking at.
The possibilities of this technology-especially in the medical world from which I am formally trained are just astounding-especially if used as a training tool. Examples like this explain why I started following the company ion the first place-they tweak, modify, and improve their tech with each iteration, incorporating new developments as they go-it makes for very interesting viewing.
Conclusions:
The Vuzix Wrap 920 Video Eyewear a tech lover’s dream-a gadget just for the sake of being a gadget, yet they still offer a real world purpose. Rather than being a “flash in the pan” product, the Vuzix wraps offer a genuine solution to the problem of watching portable media on the go on a small screen. They also come in handy in many situations, for example in the bedroom when you feel like watching a film and don’t want to disturb your partner, in a flat share situation where you want to watch something different to your flatmates, and when living in for example a tiny flat or houseboat where having a large screen TV is simply not practical. They are also great when traveling as a car passenger or on a plane/train when you just want to be immersed in your own world for a while.
The Good:
Great Screen quality for the price
Excellent sound quality from the included ear buds
Ability to plug into a multitude of sources
Lots of tweaking options
Plays back all major 3D formats for a fraction of the cost of a 3D TV.
The Bad:
Lack of HDMI/Component connection out of the box (available via an optional add-on)
Can feel a little uncomfortable at first (ensure you tweak the nose bridge to find the right setting for you).
Vuizix was founded in 1997 and makes products for the consumer market as well as medical and military applications.
The concept of the “wearable TV is not a new one-prototypes were being developed in the 1960s!
The first mass market “wearable TV” was the Seiko WatchTV-released in 1984 (ominous). It was quickly driven out of the market due to its low quality display and high production cost. Today components are so affordable and the quality is so much better that you can not only wear a video display as a watch, you can incorporate a TV into a pair of glasses.
1995 (Re-released in 1998 with extra levels and level creator software).
Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament for me is THE seminal party/racing game and is still just as much fun to play now as in 1995.
These days with online play being so prominent, and the ability to play games with multiple people from all around the world at the same time being commonplace, it is very easy to forget the ‘olden days’ when the idea of more than 2 players at the same time was a distant fantasy, and we had to actually go round each others houses to play multiplayer… Physical social interaction people…it’s the way forward… ;-)
Sure-we had Multi-taps, but the amount of games that supported them were few and far between-and then there was the actual cost of the peripheral itself, with was not much cheaper than some games at the time, and as a young teenager with hardly any expendable income due to the small sticking point of legally being unable to work on anything but a paper round, I knew which of the two things I would sooner buy.
But then this came along…
…and it changed the way me and my school friends socialized forever (at least until we were all tall enough to sneak into the local pub…)
MM2:TT for anyone who doesn’t know is a top-down arcade style racing game in whichyou are given control of a variety miniature cars, (including choppers, speedboats, racecars, tanks, jeeps, and formula 1 amongst others) while racing against either AI opponents or your friends on various locations such as kitchen desks, pool tables, workshops, school desks, gardens, bathtubs etc.
There are around 20 different drivers and opponents to choose from-all of which are customisable to a point, ie: you can name each one anything you like-this does not sound like much now, but back in the day this was half the fun-naming each character after people you know/TV characters, etc. It was also fun to see your friends arguing over who got to play as the ‘Fonz’ lookalike, Spider, and who had to play as Dwayne the Hillbilly…
The controls are simple – you just need to accelerate, turn and slow down. There are a few modes of playing. You can compete against computer opponents in single races or tournaments, or you can race your friends in head to head mode. The skill of the game came from learning how to drift round the corners, and how to avoid being bashed off the table by your evil friends, causing you to fall to your doom and have to catch up to the pack upon re-spawning.
And multi-player is what this game is all about. The “J-Cart” shown above was a revelation back in the day-two extra controller ports built into the cartridge for no extra cost…this allowed 4 players racing with standard controls, or up to 8 players racing at the same time using only 4 controllers! (two people to each controller-the cars auto accelerated, one person steered left and right with the D-pad, pressing ‘down’ to break, and one person used the A+C buttons and B to break).
You cannot imagine the cluster f**k of having 8 teenagers in one bedroom, gathered round a 12 inch CRT portable TV, all trying to “cheat” by knocking each other off the course and hogging the controller you were supposed to be sharing with your peer…hilarity and good natured animosity would always ensue in equal measure…
They certainly don’t make ‘em like they used to… :-)
