Kotaku recently posted this and I personally found it quite fun. Fonts and titles in video games play an important role in giving that game a unique personality; how many games do you know?
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Sunday, 12 May 2013
DISHONORED
Now here's an interesting take on the steam-punk realm that's been riding high for several years now; Dishonored offers a very dark look into the twisted take on the genre. It plays like a multitude of games with different elements incorporated and it all works quite well. Those familiar with Deus Ex will recognise the exploration aspect of the game while the atmosphere and story borrows from that of a Bioshock / Assassin's Creed-esque style. It melds together to make a well structured game with suspense, an abundance of real characters that actually make you feel like you're in that world and an excellent over arcing story that paces itself.
You are Corvo Attano, the bodyguard to the Empress of Dunwall, after being sent away to search for help in curing the plague that has been crippling the city you soon return but shortly after you are betrayed by your fellow comrades and are framed and thrown in jail. Corvo soon begins his journey to seek both redemption and vengeance against the men who betrayed him. Dunwall itself is very pretty with the architecture reflecting that of an old-world London crossed with the jagged futuristic structures of the new industrial age, a good comparison would be Half-Life 2 for instance (see City 17). As you progress through the game you are faced with a variety of optional quests all of which will aid you with valuables but at the same time affecting the ultimate outcome on the games ending. For example the more city guards killed the more rats come and the more the plague worsens so the game encourages stealth and sheathing you blade for the best outcomes.
The game has some great gameplay elements that keep you enthralled and wanting to search the world for more, my favourite being the ability to possess beings such a rats, dogs and humans and control them to do your bidding. There is a good balance with all the gameplay mechanics , at first I was sceptical on a first person stealth based game but it all works well and genuinely enjoyed myself from start to finish. Overall Dishonored is a sound game that offers multiple play throughs and lots of fun. I have not played the DLC as of yet but I have heard all good things and that it still sticks true to the Dunwall world and what works best already. This is definitely something I'd be proud to have in my library if games, check it out!
Genre: First Person Stealth Based Action
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9 / 10
You are Corvo Attano, the bodyguard to the Empress of Dunwall, after being sent away to search for help in curing the plague that has been crippling the city you soon return but shortly after you are betrayed by your fellow comrades and are framed and thrown in jail. Corvo soon begins his journey to seek both redemption and vengeance against the men who betrayed him. Dunwall itself is very pretty with the architecture reflecting that of an old-world London crossed with the jagged futuristic structures of the new industrial age, a good comparison would be Half-Life 2 for instance (see City 17). As you progress through the game you are faced with a variety of optional quests all of which will aid you with valuables but at the same time affecting the ultimate outcome on the games ending. For example the more city guards killed the more rats come and the more the plague worsens so the game encourages stealth and sheathing you blade for the best outcomes.
The game has some great gameplay elements that keep you enthralled and wanting to search the world for more, my favourite being the ability to possess beings such a rats, dogs and humans and control them to do your bidding. There is a good balance with all the gameplay mechanics , at first I was sceptical on a first person stealth based game but it all works well and genuinely enjoyed myself from start to finish. Overall Dishonored is a sound game that offers multiple play throughs and lots of fun. I have not played the DLC as of yet but I have heard all good things and that it still sticks true to the Dunwall world and what works best already. This is definitely something I'd be proud to have in my library if games, check it out!
Genre: First Person Stealth Based Action
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9 / 10
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
AMNESIA: THE DARK DECENT
Never has a game scared me as much as Amnesia. Never have I wanted to switch off the TV and walk away. This game is truly terrifying. Having recently played this it's still quite fresh in my mind and let me tell you it's all good memories, scary, but good. You are Daniel who awakens in a castle with amnesia, all he can remember is that he needs to kill someone and gradually throughout the game your memory comes back to you, relatively straight forward and simple but lets not argue about that. The world is rich with information from books and notes left by people to truly immerse you in the realm, and that's the key word 'immerse'. You really do feel alone and helpless and Amnesia understands that building tension and atmosphere makes for a remarkably great experience.
When I played this with a friend we reckon it was at least a solid 45 minutes before we caught a solid glimpse of the monsters that lurk the halls. Sure we heard noises in rooms and cautiously investigated but there was nothing there. It's that fear that there's something there but you just don't know when or where it's going to strike. The game itself plays like any other first person game with a few quirky and interesting additions. The use of a mechanic for opening cupboards and doors at the speed you move your mouse is an excellent one allowing you the option to carefully inch a door open and peek in or slam a door open and run like hell. In a game like this it makes for a brilliant tension builder. Also the use of the 'Sanity metre' is well designed; in dark areas your sanity drains making your vision blurry and teeth chattering however this renders you temporarily hidden from monsters, in bright lit areas you are calm and quiet but enemies can spot you much easier so it can leave you in quite a predicament when faced with tricky hallways and tight spaces.
Frictional studios have done themselves proud producing a masterpiece like this. I feel that some of the best games I've ever played are survival horror games simply because no other game makes me feel such raw emotions and scream like a girl of course. There was certainly instances where I refused to go on simply because I heard a eerie noise from outside the cupboard I was hiding in and these memories certainly stuck with me, all I can say is for a helpful tip...don't ever let your lantern run out of oil! This is a must buy; $20 on Steam is an absolute bargain. Play with the lights off and your headphones or surround sound system and brace yourself for a scary night.
Genre: Survival Horror
Platforms: PC & Mac (download via Steam)
Score: 9.5 / 10
When I played this with a friend we reckon it was at least a solid 45 minutes before we caught a solid glimpse of the monsters that lurk the halls. Sure we heard noises in rooms and cautiously investigated but there was nothing there. It's that fear that there's something there but you just don't know when or where it's going to strike. The game itself plays like any other first person game with a few quirky and interesting additions. The use of a mechanic for opening cupboards and doors at the speed you move your mouse is an excellent one allowing you the option to carefully inch a door open and peek in or slam a door open and run like hell. In a game like this it makes for a brilliant tension builder. Also the use of the 'Sanity metre' is well designed; in dark areas your sanity drains making your vision blurry and teeth chattering however this renders you temporarily hidden from monsters, in bright lit areas you are calm and quiet but enemies can spot you much easier so it can leave you in quite a predicament when faced with tricky hallways and tight spaces.
Frictional studios have done themselves proud producing a masterpiece like this. I feel that some of the best games I've ever played are survival horror games simply because no other game makes me feel such raw emotions and scream like a girl of course. There was certainly instances where I refused to go on simply because I heard a eerie noise from outside the cupboard I was hiding in and these memories certainly stuck with me, all I can say is for a helpful tip...don't ever let your lantern run out of oil! This is a must buy; $20 on Steam is an absolute bargain. Play with the lights off and your headphones or surround sound system and brace yourself for a scary night.
Genre: Survival Horror
Platforms: PC & Mac (download via Steam)
Score: 9.5 / 10
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
COPS: SKYRIM
Here's something a little off topic...those familiar with the Elder Scrolls series probably would've played Skyrim, now if you haven't witnessed the beauty that is Cops: Skyrim I strongly erge checking it out. Some of the best YouTube I've had in a while. Check out episode 1 season 1 here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxHbO1MHXuI
EA'S EXCLUSIVE STAR WARS D3AL
Those up to date in the Star Wars universe would know that last month Disney shut down LucasArts the development studio that have been working on key games like Star Wars 1313 and Star Wars: First Assault and following this there's been an interesting deal struck between disney and EA. After allegedly attempting to purchase LucasArts and being unsuccessful it appears that at least now EA have exclusive rights to publish and develop Star Wars games themselves. EA's key developers; EA DICE (Battlefield), Visceral (Dead Space) and Bioware (Mass Effect) will each start developing a Star Wars game. EA seem pretty stoked on the deal and promise to bring us an amazing portfolio of games to their fans around the globe.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
SHADOWMAN
Time to re-live one of my all time favourite games from my childhood. Now don't get me wrong this game is awesome but I understand it's not for everyone especially seeing as it is rather dated; 15 years in fact. However this game defined my childhood and in hindsight as a nine year old I probably shouldn't have been playing a game so gruesome. But if I can get at least one person to play Shadowman I'll be a very happy camper! Remember this was in the N64 and Playstation's early years so the looks of the characters aren't super appealing but the overall world and feel is stunning.
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Enter Michael LeRoi aka Shadowman a possessed voodoo warrior embedded with the Mask of Shadows which allows him to traverse between the living world (Liveside) and the place where everyone goes after death (Deadside). The game itself borrows heavily from French literature the Bible and Southern American voodoo lore (see 007 Live And Let Die's Baron Samedi for instance). The great evil known as Legion has taken control of a large part of Deadside and is looking to bring about Armageddon, in doing so he requires the powers of Dark Souls. However Shadowman hopes to obtain the souls before Legion in order to thwart his plans. So Shadowman begins his quests through the sacred temples and grim locales of the Asylum in order to save the world before it's too late.
Having gone back and played this recently for about the fifty-billionth time I still really do love it. I still manage to find new things on each play-through and the adventure platforms aspect of it does satisfy that part of me that not many games do these days. The soundtrack is brilliant as was a lot of Acclaim's work that they did. The locales are all very unique and defined and make you really feel like you're in another realm. The sad part of this is that studios like Acclaim and Rare (the Rare we all knew and loved) truly have gone the way of Deadside which is probably why I still look back to 15 year old games from my youth to satisfy me. This game is a sorely overlooked gem in the N64's library and I urgently press that you all give it a crack. It is available on Playstation but the quality isn't as good and there are a few bugs that affect the gameplay...otherwise PC emulators all the way! Until next time.
Genre: 3rd Person Action / Adventure
Platforms: N64, Playstation & PC
Score: 9.8 / 10
.jpg)
Enter Michael LeRoi aka Shadowman a possessed voodoo warrior embedded with the Mask of Shadows which allows him to traverse between the living world (Liveside) and the place where everyone goes after death (Deadside). The game itself borrows heavily from French literature the Bible and Southern American voodoo lore (see 007 Live And Let Die's Baron Samedi for instance). The great evil known as Legion has taken control of a large part of Deadside and is looking to bring about Armageddon, in doing so he requires the powers of Dark Souls. However Shadowman hopes to obtain the souls before Legion in order to thwart his plans. So Shadowman begins his quests through the sacred temples and grim locales of the Asylum in order to save the world before it's too late.
Having gone back and played this recently for about the fifty-billionth time I still really do love it. I still manage to find new things on each play-through and the adventure platforms aspect of it does satisfy that part of me that not many games do these days. The soundtrack is brilliant as was a lot of Acclaim's work that they did. The locales are all very unique and defined and make you really feel like you're in another realm. The sad part of this is that studios like Acclaim and Rare (the Rare we all knew and loved) truly have gone the way of Deadside which is probably why I still look back to 15 year old games from my youth to satisfy me. This game is a sorely overlooked gem in the N64's library and I urgently press that you all give it a crack. It is available on Playstation but the quality isn't as good and there are a few bugs that affect the gameplay...otherwise PC emulators all the way! Until next time.
Genre: 3rd Person Action / Adventure
Platforms: N64, Playstation & PC
Score: 9.8 / 10
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
SPEC OPS: THE LINE
Now it's time to delve into the gritty realm of the modern warfare shooter and what better game to represent this growing library than Spec Ops: The Line. There are many games amongst this genre such as the juggernauts we all know and love like Infinity Ward & Treyarch's "Call of Duty" and EA DICE's "Battlefield"but after playing The Line I felt that nothing really comes close to an epic experience anymore. You are Captain Martin Laurence of an elite Delta Force assisted by two very helpful NPC's (Adams & Lugo) to infiltrate the sand ridden wasteland that once was Dubai and bring back a US Army Colonel known as John Konrad...sounds straight forward right?
As you may have guessed things soon turn south and Delta Force find themselves locked in a fight for survival against the rebels that still haunt the swallowed city. Having heard great reviews and several friends recommending it I couldn't help to not pass up the opportunity to play such a great game. It's been a long time since I've felt such an emotional attachment to the protagonist and even the supporting cast. The story paces itself fantastically with each piece of puzzle coming together when needed. Along the way you'll be faced with many choices that only you can resolve and you'll have to suffer the consequences whatever they may be.
Genre: 3rd Person Shooter
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9.3 / 10
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