Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Monster Hunter: Dynamic Hunting - First Impression

Monster Hunter: Dynamic Hunting is a competent hack-and-slash title from the studio that brought the actual mega franchise to market. That’s a good sign. But, while all the mechanics are serviceable, in the early parts of the game, combat seems to suffer from weird design decisions that slow the frantic pace of battle it tries to conjure.

Over-the-shoulder perspective fighting games are nothing new on the App Store. Chair Entertainment, however, possesses the crown thanks to Infinity Blade, a sharp and fast-moving action joint that prioritizes sword control. In that, you can hack wherever you desire and the movements will translate to the screen. Hunting doesn't do this. You can only swipe your sword in two directions: north and south and east and west.

This is… odd because Hunting wants you to hit specific parts of the humungous monsters that it puts in front of you. In this sense, the game sort of requires accuracy, but the lack of fine sword movement makes this lofty requirement hard to fulfill. Instead of dancing around a monster and hacking at its ankles, I’ve instead been rolling almost aimlessly in circles until I accidentally slash at a behemoth’s legs.
To be fair, the early game, at least, isn’t so concerned with where you hit the monster, so long as you make contact. That makes this concern moot to an extent, but I think you can understand some of the frustration I’ve been experiencing — I want to drill monster’s in their obvious ‘open’ places, but I can’t because I’m fumbling with a system not really built for you to exploit such fine details.
In addition to slashing, you can also pull off some defensive moves. By placing two tips on the screen, you’ll go into a guard pose. By swiping those two fingers, you’ll roll. If you slash after successfully pulling one of these moves off, you’ll perform a counter-attack, which are some of the most devastating moves in the game.

The study of monster habits is integral to the Monster Hunterexperience, so that little fact nugget doesn’t come as much of a surprise. You’re supposed to know your foe and then act on its quirks or hesitations. And when you can conquer the sword and really get into the diving, guarding, and countering the game feels great — it clicks.

The loot and grind components are fantastic drivers in the early going. You don’t level up in this specific joint, but you do earn loot from monsters each time you defeat them, which can then be used to make even better weapons and armor. Some of the enemies in the game are absolutely vicious, so it relies on this hooking you. As you beat more monsters, you can unlock more weapons to build, so I’m looking at this as the “leveling” component.
I think there is a hearty caveat that I should note about the guard and counter mechanics, though, and it ties into the game’s hearty UI. The entire bottom quarter of the screen is obscured by your health bar and the like, so when you place two fingers, you’re really eating up screen space and obscuring possible counter cues that may arise.

We’ll be doing a full review on Hunting in the near future and I encourage you to give that write-up a look. For this impressions piece, I’ve taken a narrow glance at the battle system in first "chapter," so you're not getting the full story here.

Who knows? Maybe there's a pivot point that can sway my opinion of the battle or maybe there's good justification for the rigidness and design decisions. Definitely check back with us later to get the full run-down of what Hunting as a complete product.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Top Flash Games

Flash games are extremely popular because of their ease of use. Today, flash games are available for smart phones and can also be played online. This is because flash does not require to be downloaded separately and Flash programs can operate from the browsers as well.

Over the years, many games have been created using flash. However, a list of top flash games is given below.

1. Warfare: Warfare is a strategy game and is set in the era of World War II. At the start of the game, the player is provided with an option to either be a German or an American. The mission of the game is to either kill the opponents or to overrun them with the help of troops. Battle and strategy games have been popular among gamers for many years now as these games allow them to use their minds.

2. Batman Games: Batman Games have become very popular after the success of the batman movie series. This is also owed to the recent craze regarding superheroes and their super powers. Many different batman games are available such as Batman Thief Locator, Batman and Batwoman, Batman Hits Joke, Batman Soccer etc. These are all flash games and can be played online while you are free on the weekend.

3. Ben Ten Games: If you have a younger sibling, you must know how popular the Ben Ten cartoons are. Every kid loves Ben Ten and because of its popularity, children also like to play Ben Ten games. These games include Ben 10 Puzzle, Ben 10 Find Me, Ben 10 Wolf, Ben 10 Speedy Runner etc. All these games can be played online if you are in love with the Ben Ten character.

4. Bejeweled: If you are a regular internet user, you must have heard of this game. Bejeweled is a simple game which allows you to use your brain and problem solving skills to the best. It provides the gamers with a visual insight through different colored jewels which need to be aligned in a manner such that all similar colored jewels come together clearing the way for other jewels. It is a simple yet addictive game.

5. Line Rider: Line Rider is another flash game which will test your ingenuity. The game will be best for you if you have always liked to design roller coasters or make sleigh hills.
Keeping in mind these top flash games, the next time you feel bored, just search for any of these games and start playing online. They will provide you the best entertainment.

Friday, May 27, 2011

How Video Games Can Be Incorporated Into Your Next Company Party

Historically, video games have been seen as an alternative to social activity; a place where those who lack basic conversational skills could thrive without the need to communicate with anyone. Beginning with the Wii, and subsequently with the Playstation Move, and the Xbox 360 Kinect, a new genre was created: the casual game.

Casual video games are defined within this article as any game that is intuitive and user-friendly, typically focusing more on the movement of the player to control the game play. Nintendo's Wii Sports is the prototypical casual game, with options such as tennis that don't require a single button to be pushed once the match begins. Since these new-generation games are able to be picked up and played by just about anyone, they make a perfect addition to any company party.

There are several different ways that you can go about incorporating video games into your event. If you are planning to have families invited but wanted to have more mature entertainment, such as casino games, you can have a separate "kid-friendly" area with lots of age-appropriate video games for all of the kids. You may find that many of the adults end up spending their time in the kids' area though. Another option is to choose from many different video game party themes. This can be as simple as having Wii Sports set up in different stations for a sports themed party, or as extravagant as having full racing simulators brought in to complement your Nascar theme. Best of all, you can just allow the games be the focus of the party.

The next trick is convincing people that have never played video games in their life, that not only will they be able to play, but that they will undoubtedly have a lot of fun. Contests can be a great way to accomplish this. Break your group into teams and have them compete in a few of the games for the chance to win a prize. Not only will this encourage team-building amongst your fellow employees, but it will get everyone involved in the games and having a great time. Another strategy would be to grease the wheels a little bit by waiting until the guests have had a drink or two before moving on to the games. If that is still not enough, having dedicated event staff on hand to encourage and coach everyone on how to play the games can get even the most reluctant employee to give it a go.

As new and entertaining casual games continue to come out for the all three of the main consoles, video games will only continue to grow in popularity as the second highest priority at your next company event, just behind the open bar.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Connect Your PS3 to the Internet - Wired and Wireless Techniques

The PlayStation 3 serves as a decent home entertainment console that lets you play hundreds of games as well as watch Blu-ray movies. However, you can really see the potential of the console when you connect your PS3 to the Internet. An Internet connection is required to access the PlayStation Network which is used to download games and play multiplayer games online. It also lets you surf online or use other online services like Netflix.

Your approach to the Internet will depend on how your PS3 is set up with the rest of your components. If your PS3 is placed near your router or modem, you can use the wired connectivity approach. Otherwise, going the wireless route is easier and more convenient if you have a wireless router or access point.

1. Plug the Ethernet cable that comes with your PS3 into the Ethernet jack on the back and plug the other end to one of the available ports on the router.
2. Make sure the router is connected to the access point via Ethernet if you want wireless access. This is not necessary if your router has built-in wireless functionality.
3. Turn on your PS3 and go to the "Settings" menu from the home screen. Go to "Network Settings" from there and head to "Internet Connection Settings." Select the "Yes" option to proceed. Use the "X" button on your controller to confirm any selections or choose an option.
4. Depending on your setup, select either "Wireless" or "Wired Connection." If you choose "Wired Connection," select the "Easy" option first and then select the "Test Connection" option to see if you have Internet. If you don't, choose the "Custom" option instead and ask your Internet Service Provider for assistance regarding the settings.
5. For wireless connections, select the "Scan" option and wait for the system to scan for any access points.
6. A list of SSID's should appear and one of them should represent the access point or wireless router that you have. Choose that SSID to connect.
7. If your wireless router requires a key, choose the type of encryption from the list. It must match the encryption used for the wireless router, so contact the person who set that router up if you do not understand this part. Enter the key afterward and test the connection using the "Test Connection" option.
8. If you have any problems, double check all the connections and confirm your router works with a laptop or desktop PC. Then try to access the admin panel. You can also try loading up a web browser to see if you have Internet connectivity. Otherwise, contact your Internet Service Provider for assistance.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Gaming for Non-Gaming Fanatics

Non-gaming fanatics can easily limit themselves in gaming, because they are not used to this activity, and they are more focused on other things. Unlike gamers who will really do all their best to grab opportunities to play their favorite games, without being aware that some other things were already neglected due to this habit.

Turning gaming into habit is not bad at all, because this habit brings a lot of benefits. However, it will become bad when you incorporate this habit on your daily activities. Instead of making this habit a disruption to your daily living, treat this helpful habit. With the benefits of gaming, you will surely be motivated to face life challenges. Fun is one of its primary benefits, but not the only one. Gaming is a great stress reliever and motivational activity. It can make you more appreciative in the products of creativity, it brings you values and good lessons that you can use in facing diversities in life, and it can also enhance your competitive skills. You can make this activity as source of your motivation, confidence, and strong will toward life's hardships. It could also teach you on how to reach your goal. Life's journey is just like a game. You have to be strong in the first level and stay stronger as you pass the succeeding levels in order to attain victory at the last level. You cannot attain victory if you are not good in playing the game of life.

Actually, the benefits of gaming are not just for your own sake. Playing games is a good activity not just for you but including the other members of your family and friends. This is a magnificent recreational activity that could enhance bonding moments between you and your family and friends. Rather than spending more of your time in traveling to other places regularly to have bonding sessions with them, you can spend it through gaming. By just utilizing personal computers and mobile phones, you can already play cool games online as these devices support Internet connection. By accessing different gaming sites in the web, you can find amazing play-offs that are very entertaining.

Choosing competitive and challenging play-offs is good as these are the ones that could really give remarkable fun and excitement. You can enjoy the benefits of playing cool games when you love what you are playing. But, when you are against on what you play, you will not enjoy this kind of activity. Playing very simple games can also bring fun, but the fun it brings is really different from what challenging games can offer. Simple games is supposedly for kids because young ones are not yet capable of solving too complicated matters and their understanding capabilities are not yet mature enough to play adult games, especially those very violent play-offs. Kids can play these kinds of play-offs as long as they are guided properly by their guardians.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Connect Your Xbox 360 to the Internet - Wired LAN, Wireless Wi-Fi, or Internet Connection Sharing

Microsoft wants the Xbox 360 to be the center of your living room where you can do all sorts o things with your HDTV such as play the hottest new games with advanced graphics engines and watch HD video content. You can use the gaming console to access files in PCs as long as you let it join the same network the other computers are in.
Xbox 360 has plenty of Internet features including Xbox LIVE which is basically a network of millions of gamers around the world that want to play cooperatively or competitively while sharing achievements, scores, and even downloadable titles. There are three ways you can connect to the Internet.

Wired Connection
1. Take an Ethernet cable and plug it in the back of the Xbox 360. Plug the other end of the cable to an available jack on the router or directly to a modem if you do not have a router.
2. Turn on your Xbox 360 and go to "My Xbox." choose "System Settings" and go to "Network Settings." Choose the "Text Xbox LIVE Connection" option and choose "Yes" to allow the service to update your console's software. If this finishes successfully, you should have no problems with using the Internet.

Wireless Connection
1. For old Xbox 360 owners, connect the Wireless Networking Adapter to the console. Skip this step if you have the slimmer Xbox 360 model and want to connect wirelessly.
2. Head to the "System Settings" option from the "My Xbox" screen and then go to "Network Settings." Find the network name that matches the router with Internet access that you wish to connect to. Ask the person who set up the wireless router if you are unsure which one you need to connect to. If you cannot find the name, select "Specify Unlisted Network" and type in the name yourself. The person who set up the router should know the name.
3. Input the wireless network password if prompted. You also need to contact the administrator or individual that set up the router if you do not know the password.
4. Wait for the Xbox 360 to connect to the Internet and choose the "Yes" option to allow the console to download the latest update from Microsoft's servers. You should end up in Xbox LIVE afterwards which shows that your Internet properly works.

Internet Connection Sharing
1. Turn on the computer or laptop that is using the Internet so you can share the connection with your Xbox 360. Click the Start menu type "Ncpa.cpl" on the search box. Type this in the "Run" dialog if you are using Windows XP.
2. Right-click the connection icon that is hooked up to your router (usually the wireless connection). Click the "Sharing" tab and tick the first two checkboxes.
3. Now that your wireless connection is actively sharing, plug your Xbox 360 into the vacant Ethernet jack.
4. Go to "My Xbox" on your Xbox 360 console and go to "System Settings" followed by "Network Settings." Choose "Wired Network" if prompted and then go to "Additional Settings". Choose "Restore to Factory defaults" and choose "Test Xbox LIVE Connection" to see if you have Internet connectivity.

Monday, May 23, 2011

The Pros and Cons of Gaming

Are you amongst those people who love playing video games more than anything? More than being in school? Or playing basketball with your friends? Or hanging out with friends? The truth is that everyone loves games whether you are old or young; there is no age limit in whether you can play a particular game or not, right? Gaming has become a source of entertainment for everyone including adults. Let's talk about the pros and cons of gaming, how gaming is beneficial in certain situations and not so much in some.

The Pros of Gaming:
1) Great source of entertainment and Good stress reliever: Mostly all groups of ages are vulnerable to stress; whether it's from working long hours, being in school all day, or encountering stressful situations at home. The most effective way to avoid stress is to stay away from stressful situations and embrace positive views in life. And this can be done by doing what you enjoy to do. If playing games is what makes you happy, then it's worth playing video or online games for awhile to ease your stress.

2) Fine socializing gadget: With modern day technologies, what made gaming even more popular now is the fact that people can play games with other random people online. Moreover, by playing with random people and communicating with them allows making new friends and a means of socializing with other people who tend to have the same interest which makes playing a game even more fun. So, in a way gaming is a teenagers or anyone's friend because it entertains there young brains as long as they are playing good games.

The Cons of Gaming:
1) Bridging apart from Real World: some people are so involved in the world of gaming that they can't see through pass that. They lose interest in outdoor activities; lag behind in school as they don't find education and doing homework as much fun as playing video games; like being in home all day to play their games.

2) Damage to Eyesight and increased risk of Obesity: As much amusing and enjoyable gaming is doesn't it make oneself a couch potato? When people love gaming so much and find it so pleasurable they tend to lag behind on other important things. Their life is just limited to that one room in which they can just sit and play games all day, and that's what comforts them and makes them happy. This can become a long term health issue as if you stay home all day in a couch playing games you tend to eat lot of junk food and in lot more quantity compared to going out and playing ball with friends which takes up some energy. Moreover, by sitting all day and being not involved any physical work can also extend the risk of obesity. Furthermore, let's not forget starring at the computer screen or TV for a long period of time playing games is very damaging to eyes and can weaken eyesight in long term.

The bottom line is that everyone should enjoy doing what they love; in this case playing games, but also be proactive and take care of your own health. Play games but for a short period of time and get more involved in outdoor activities and focus on your education as well.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Nintendo 3DS Handheld Console Review

Back away, 2D consoles. Here comes the newest wonder in the portable gaming lineage. The Nintendo 3DS Handheld Console is set to take the gamers market by storm by the end of March 2011. Yet before this highly-anticipated launch, people are already raving about this first-ever 3D handheld console.

The Nintendo 3DS Handheld Console has made a breakthrough in the portable gaming world with its auto-3D display that doesn't require the user any special glasses. This 3D feature allows a more realistic gaming experience. With enhanced depth, the game can display its characters and obstacles in a way that the users can increase their skill levels in no time.
Although the dual-screen console generally opens in 3D, it is a good thing that it also includes a depth controller that can transform games into 2D. This comes in a form of a slider, which can be used for adjusting the 3D display settings. Users may also choose to turn off the 3D effect completely whenever they like it.

The Nintendo 3DS Handheld Console also boasts of its wireless connection features that seem to level with that of the existing smartphones. It can exchange data from one console to another even when the users who carry them are merely passing by the streets. This feature is aptly dubbed as StreetPass. Even in Sleep Mode, the device can share its data. Miis or personalized avatars are among the data that are being exchanged in the process. SpotPass is another wireless feature that can detect Wi-Fi hotspots even when Sleep Mode is activated. It can download free software and other similar data into the system.

2D Nintendo games that were released in the past years can still be played in Nintendo 3DS. For those who prefer gaming without the additional dimensional feature, the Backwards Compatibility can be an advantage. After all, the 3D effect of this device can only be viewed at some angle and which may even cause eyestrain when used frequently.

Nintendo 3DS still retains the physical controls of its predecessors. The gamers can interact with the device using the stylus, the analog stick and the traditional push-buttons. The stylus is great for using the touch screen when controlling the games. It can be adjusted at any length depending on the user's preference. 

With all its impressive features, the Nintendo 3DS Handheld Console still managed to fail at one point: the battery life. Expect playing in 3D effect to cause a battery drain after three to five hours of continuous playing. It can be observed that the other Nintendo DS that came before 3DS can offer a more decent battery life. Overall, it is a gaming console that is well worth the wait.
With the release of the console gone, you can see that the really good deals and bundles are now starting to come out.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Halo Reach Video Game Review

I have always been a Halo fan and I have followed the series since the start with Halo: Combat Evolved on Xbox. I would say this is a must for any shooter fan. It is a great addition to the Halo series.

The story is very well planned out even though any fan of the series should know how it ends, it still delivers an amazing campaign. Something I have always enjoyed about the Halo games is just how many ways you can approach the game-play and Halo Reach takes that to a whole new level. Whether you like to melee, snipe or even grabbing an Assault Riffle to spray and pray you will find a way to play using any method and this adds a lot of replay value. The only issue I had with the campaign is the lack of use of the different Armour Abilities - for example, I was looking forward to using the Jet Pack but you only get to use that Ability twice throughout the campaign.

The graphics are amazing, you can really notice how much they have improved from the others, they brings the Halo universe to alive and make you feel like you are a part of the game has you discover all the new locations of Reach.

As always the main hype and selling point of the Halo series is the online Multiplayer. The action is fast paced and there are so many playlists to choose from that there is a game type for everyone. The Armor Abilities feel balanced apart from Armor Lock still to find its weakness but this just adds to the chaos. The online Multiplayer has a different feel to this game than the others in the series but I think that why I enjoyed playing it more.

I fell in love with the customisation of the Spartan Armor and the with ranking system, there is many different challenges and commendations to have you playing for months.

If you like the idea of raining death down from above while Jet Packing over people, deflecting rockets and grenades with Armor Lock then this game is for you.

The only bad thing about Reach I can say is that it is the last Halo game by Bungie, maybe another developer will continue with the Halo series in the future but it will not be the same without them.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Online Games - How Flash and Java Script Changed the World

The majority of games that are played online are coded in a manner that means they can be played on most computer platforms. As a result, anyone who plays a particular game should have an experience that is pretty much the same as anyone else who plays it, regardless of what type of computer they are using. This means that instead of having many smaller, distinct online gaming communities, we now have a single, much larger one.

The ability to have the same online gaming experience, regardless of the computer hardware that you have, has been made possible through the creation and continued development of Flash and Java Script - which are both programming languages. As these two languages began to get recognition, more and more games began to be made using them, with the result being that gamers were demanding that any new computer they bought had the capabilities to play them.

Before the universal adoption of Flash and Java Script, PC users and Mac users were mostly unable to play against each other in online games. Now, not only can they do so, but they can do on a totally equal playing field, where users of either see, hear and experience exactly what users of the other platform are also seeing, hearing and experiencing.

These new computing languages not only brought online gamers closer together, they are also significantly improved the quality and range of online games. Once implemented, the Internet experience shifted from one that was primarily geared towards data retrieval to one that was leaning towards a well-rounded multimedia experience which incorporated sight and sounds not previously possible.

Progress and developments since then have been fast and furious, and online games as they now were beyond imagination just 10 years ago. It's really been a snowball effect, that started with the introduction of Flash and Java Script. Those two languages opened up the Internet to lots of new people, and as more people began to use the Internet, the more companies set about improving the online experience in terms of technology and connection speeds, so as to meet the demands of the ever increasing online market.

Such improvements within the industry have unsurprisingly led to an influx of new people to the world of online gaming - which means the market is bigger, there is more money available, and, as a result, game producers create bigger and better games in order to gain a bigger share of it. The result? Even better times for gamers everywhere!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

History of Online Games

Much can be talked about online games history and much can be known as well as learned during this process. Hence one should know the origins of the various types of online games which are responsible for the present degree of enjoyment.

The magic started around the year 1969 when a two player game was developed with the basic aim for education. The path has seen an upward trend and hence many changes and new introductions took place since that time. All of these changes were quite fantastic in terms of the features that they provided as these features were completely new for that time period and hence were vested with a mammoth degree of attraction.

Hence the first multi-player game was born as a result of a toils of the scientists and the software developers. Many things about gaming were learned during this period and all of them were incorporated into the games that were built.

Online games really blossomed after the year 1995 when the restrictions imparted by the NSFNET(National Science Foundation Network) were removed. This resulted in the access to the complete domain of the internet and hence multi-player games became online 'literally' to the maximum possible degree of realism. The monetary success of the parent companies who first launched these games were ample source of encouragement for other companies to venture in this field. Hence competition continues to grow from that moment to even as this article is being written. The features hence became more advanced in an effort to implement immaculate product differentiation and the resulting games became more and more advanced. Today most of the online games that are present are also free and hence they are able to provide ample resources of enjoyment without the need to spend a single penny.

Online games history bears a illuminating aspect to it and hence it should be known by all those who love to play online games. Free games were have been a part of online games for quite some time now and hence an idea about free games history is also quite interesting. The first games that were declared free were basically board games like chess and backgammon and today the list has increased to free games being present in almost all the feasible genres of games.

The study of the history of both online as well as their free versions gives an idea as to how these marvels were conceptualized and how were their ancestors(the first original games that were built like the first flight simulation game which was developed around 1979). Online games history is full of magical solutions to all the questions which must have been raised in the mind of perhaps every gamer.

Monday, May 16, 2011

iBomber Defense iPhone Review

If you have ever played iBomber you will know you take the role of flying a plane with a birds eye view of the ground below which you bomb. Now in iBomber Defense you play the reversed role whereby you place the turrets and anti air units on the terrains to blast the planes, vehicles and boats into non existence. Essentially this is a tower defense game.

The main campaign consists of 22 levels with waves consisting from 20-40 in each which take place across North Africa, Russia and Europe. Levels all take place on different terrains which makes you really think strategically. Some levels take place on very high ground, some on very low and then there is the variety of enemies which will be presented in each wave to take into account which makes you completely rethink your strategy each time. So plotting your towers and defences really needs a hard think about. All this keeps the game fresh and interesting.

Enemies from planes, to ground units and boats will attack your defences which means the money you earn from destroying the enemy will have to go into repairing your towers ect otherwise they'll come crumbling down. Of course just like all tower defense games you can upgrade all of your defense with money as well. All this is pointless if you let too many enemies into your base because it's game over however it's not always game over. iBomber Defense has a very cool feature dubbed as 'rewind' giving you the ability to essentially go back in time within the game which then allows you to tighten up your defense before doing those waves again. This is a feature that has seriously helped me out when I thought I was on the brink of doom.

The controls are very simple. To build a defense you just tap on it with your finger at the bottom of the screen and drag it out onto the terrain and place where ever you want. The defenses available aren't as many as we have seen in some tower defense games but none the less they are all very tightly done. Such as Machine gun towers, Cannons, AOE, anti-vehicle, AA launch (anti air), Sabotage towers etc... To upgrade you again tap on a tower and you have the ability to upgrade it if you have enough cash. The controls are very simple allowing the game to played at ease.

The graphics are very brightly cartoony like with all iBomber titles. I love the bright block colors it gives the game a really fun feel to it. Terrains are very different in appearance depending on the destination such as Russia and Europe whereby some terrains featured in levels will be dessert based and some will be based upon the sea meaning a more planes and boats. Enemies are very well designed and the physics are the best we've seen in any tower defense game for the iPhone and iPad.

In terms of sound quality weapons all sound very rich and same goes for the explosions ect of the enemies. The iBomber sound track is also here which is always a good thing but there really isn't much with sound you can do in a tower defense game.

Overall iBomber Defense is our favourite tower defense game on the iPhone and iPad. With 22 action packed levels, easy controls, crisp graphics and some serious strategic thinking it's a great addictive game to play this holiday.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Online Games - Now More Popular Than Ever Before

Simply saying that online gaming has become popular is a massive understatement. It had been popular for a while, but in the past couple of years its popularity has reached previously unheralded heights. It's not just the number of gamers that has been increasing either, it's the number of games and gaming websites too. Type 'online games' into Google and you'll see that there are more than 200 million results!

So, why is online gaming becoming increasing popular? Well, you can put it down to a few things. One is better technology, another is improved graphics, and a third is increased interactability.
It seems like a lifetime ago now that Pong, Pac-Man and Frogger were the leading lights of the gaming world, but in actual fact it was just a decade or two ago. In the world of technology though, that is more than a lifetime, it's an entirely different era! It's not that games programmers didn't have ideas for the types of games that we enjoy playing now, it was rather that they had no way of implementing their ideas. The coding languages that form the basis of current games simply didn't exist in the past, and the processors in computers just not fast enough to process anything more than simple commands. Now though, technology and programming languages are at a level whereby the imagination is the only limitation, and this has shown itself in the great games that are consistently released.

As for graphics, slow moving, uninspiring blotches that jerked across the screen have been made a thing of the past. Today with the modern technology that is out there, some of the three dimensional games that are being offered online actually more closely resemble a movie than a game. The graphic capability with Flash and Java Scripting and AJAX programming allow a near photo-realism. This is especially true if you are lucky enough to have an extremely high-speed connection like a T1 or a T3 line.

Everyone knows that great graphics don't always equate to a great game though. The criteria for a great game is that it is interactive and rewarding, and this is where online games have really come into their own. Playing online against real people is, for the vast majority of people, far superior to just playing against a computer. Before, Internet connections were just too slow to allow gamers to properly compete against each other online, but now you can compete simultaneously against 20+ people from around the world with no problems at all. This has greatly extended the amount of time that you can play a game before getting bored of it, and literally every time that you play a game you don't know what to expect.

So, what about the future of online gaming? You can be sure that all of the points mentioned above will only continue to improve and, as such, the gaming industry as a whole will continue to grow and bring in more and more gamers, which can only be a good thing for those of us already hooked on the world of online gaming.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Battlefield Bad Company 2 iPhone Review


Battlefield Bad Company 2 was a hit on the PS3 and Xbox 360 so seeing it being brought into a portable game should be interesting.

With the launch of N.O.V.A. 2 on the same day of it's release Battlefield Bad Company 2 had some serious competition where FPS's are concerned. The main campaign packs 14 short missions in 5 different battle zones from desert and snow environments to the jungle.

With a decent selection of weapons and explosives from pistols to machine guns to bombs keeping the campaign fresh is a real relief for this title. You can drive tanks around and fire out of helicopters also. Missions are quite varied with different tasks being spread out in each. Some missions you are ordered to meet the enemies with all guns blazing but in others you are told to sneak up on them in stealth. A combat system implemented helps you out by basically just hiding you behind obstacles.

The controls outright suck. There are few different controls setups to choose from but all didn't work that well and defiantly didn't feel natural. I used the control setup which had an onscreen fire button but didn't have an onscreen joy stick because again it sucked. Instead I just swiped the left hand side of the screen right, left, up and down which worked awfully and sometimes didn't respond at all. The precision of movement wasn't that great with aiming of the gun either. Especially when looking through the iron sight, it just felt sluggish. Then there's the vehicles which you can drive like the tank being controlled like in Brother and Arms 1. Having bad controls really lets down the whole game.

The graphics look pretty decent but textures up close are not that detailed which is unexpected for an FPS at this time on the iPhone. The environments look good but some have had more work put into them visually than others which is a huge shame. Guns look well polished and the physics put into shooting etc. is pulled of well. Vehicles look good and enemies die and react mildly realistically. But it feels as if there could have been way more polish put into the overall graphics.

The sound is just dire. Now I'm not sure if this is an iPhone 4 problem but in the cut scenes voice acting is so quiet. And this goes right across the game with explosions and guns shots all seeming lifeless, it's as if a tin can is over the top on all sound effects.

The multiplayer is unreviewable due to us all being kicked off the servers which never allowed us to try the different modes which were on offer and this is defiantly a universal problem.

Overall Battlefield Bad Company 2 is a really weak game. The campaign has some really nice elements but bad controls, not polished enough graphics, awful audio and multiplayer which doesn't work makes a this game not recommendable.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Advantages of Playing Online Games

The disadvantages of the internet in general and online gaming in particular are known to everyone. However, when it comes to development and improvement of thinking abilities, it turns out that playing online games has many benefits.

We all know that playing computer and online games is fun. Therefore, we cannot take our eyes off our PC screens even if the phone is ringing, our favorite TV show is about to begin or our dinner is burned on the stove.

All of us have already heard bad things about this amusing pastime. We all know that online games are addictive; they can cause you and your children to spend valuable time in front of the computer on the expense of work, school and family obligations. Playing video and internet games on a regular basis can isolate you from human companionships, distort your sense of reality, shorten your sight, damage your back and basically mess up your life.

Let's put it this way: if you or someone you know is doing nothing but playing online games, it is something to worry about. However, most online gamers tend to adopt a less radical approach towards their habit. Then, when talking about milder cases of addiction, online gaming is less harmful habit than watching Dr. Phil, for example.

Actually, the habit of playing online games has many advantages that the habit watching bad TV is lacking. Recent research has shown that playing puzzle and word games decreases the risk of Alzheimer disease while watching daytime television increases the risk.

Many other researches have proved the positive effect of playing online games on the youngsters' mind. Word, puzzle and trivia games enriches the children's speech; classic computer games such as Tetris benefits the kids' ability to focus, analyze shapes, think and plan ahead; board games like backgammon and chess can help in the area of thinking skill and so on.

While watching TV is completely passive, you are required to do nothing but stare, overhear and open bags of chips, playing computer games, still not an Olympic sport, require you more often to recall that grey substance inside your head.

Additionally, playing online games is less solitary act than most people think. First, many types of games, including shooting games, sports games, backgammon, billiard and chess, are two or multi player games in which players can compete against each other. Additionally, most gaming sites add several features that encourage interaction between gamers including forums, chats, multiplayer games and tournaments, etc.

The bottom line is that online gaming, if taken in a reasonable dosage, is the opposite of harmful. Thanks to many of the online games advantages and their contribution to thinking skill development, parents can allow their children to play them, and play them themselves.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

A Review On Video Games

A healthy body means a health on the outside as well as inside. Physical as well as mental wellness and fitness is equally important. Video games have captured the imagination of children and youth worldwide. Since its creation every year you have more number of games entering the market.

Often being blamed for causing change in the behavior of the child, the games have its share of gray too. Before we go into the gray part, let us know the nicer sides of playing video games.

It popularity is huge amongst children of all age group. It is considered a healthy and good recreation; provided the parent makes sure the child is watching and playing the right kind f games. There are a number of video games that instigates violence and makes the child quite insensitive. Choose the game that suit your child s age group, and also keep violence and bad mouthed games away from your shelf.

There are a number of educational games available too. With math or quiz, and puzzles as the theme, the child has to often solve the problem or crack the code to break through each level. Thus, it keeps the child mentally engrossed in a thinking process, and trains his ability to analyze, understand make strategies, follow rules, and train to restrict oneself within rules etc. It also improves the motor co-ordination and hand - eye co-ordination. Search for games that has an aim being its game, which is a brain teaser.

Another benefit of video game is that many of these can be played with a partner or a team, and thus you learn to play as a team and learn to adjust and accommodate with everyone. Upcoming gadgets and the newer generation gizmos offer a lot of gaming that most elders are not able to grasp. A child is a quick learner, and he can teach elders the do's and don'ts, helping bonding between them and also encouraging his self confidence.

Video games can become an addiction. Since these are very engrossing and exciting to play, stopping and sticking to your decision to stop at a particular hour is difficult. Thus you may end up playing longer hours which are strenuous for eyes, and absolutely bad for your body. Lack of physical exercise may lead to obesity and various other illnesses thereafter. Besides, it also causes isolation in many. Most who spend hours playing video games, fail to connect with the real world which is harmful. Indoor games can be fun, outdoor games and academic studies are extremely important too.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Angry Birds Review

                                 




At its heart, Angry Birds is a 2D, physics-based puzzle game which features no end of personality and fun.  Although there are plenty of competitors in this genre, this entry stands out from the pack in a lot of great ways which I’ll detail later.  But first, the “tl;dr” version of the review:  This is a must-own game if you like lateral thinking and knocking stuff over.
Over the course of this review, I will discuss not only the game itself but some of the depth that I discovered during many hours of play.  In that sense, the article will serve as a hybrid between a review and an Angry Birds guide of sorts, helping the new player understand why this is such an appealing piece of software.  If you enjoy the article, you might also want to check out my other reviews as well.  Enough of that, Let’s dig in!


Premise and Gameplay
The premise of Angry Birds is simple:  Birds hate pigs so much that they choose to take their own lives in dive-bombing operations against their enemies.  Through a series of increasingly complex scenarios, the player is tasked with launching the birds out of a slingshot and into the protective structures that stand between the pigs and certain death.  The pigs are destroyed when they are hit by either birds or structural debris, and you complete the level when all the pigs are dead.  There is a “story” here which is told through some amusing still-frames, providing justification for the game world and acting as a palette cleanser between level sets.

For instance, the most basic unit is the red bird, an over-glorified rock which simply launches into obstacles and causes damage.  You will later unlock units like the yellow bird, a unit that allows you to tap the screen a second time after its initial launch, causing it to shoot linearly toward whatever part of the screen it is pointing at.  When you combine special unit abilities with the physics engine, new strategies and variants open up to the creative player.To begin with, the player controls only one type of bird and there is only one structural material to break through.  Things get more complex once the player is comfortable with using the slingshot, breaking through walls, and killing pigs: New unit types enter the equation, each sporting a different ability that can be employed against the pig fortress.
As an example, I often found myself launching the yellow birds up high rather than directly at the pigs – this allowed me to precisely dive-bomb weakened structures from above rather than attempting to break through the front walls.  Additionally, you’ll realize pretty early on that certain structures are weaker to specific units.  For instance, I found that using the bluebird unit’s splitting ability like a concentrated shotgun blast worked nicely on glass barriers.  This is the real beauty of the game:  Each person will adopt their own Angry Birds play style and strategies.
The real star of the show, the glue that makes all of these elements work, is the physics engine.  I’m a total sucker for throwing something at an in-game object and then sitting back, cackling while the results of my decision play out.  Any given structure in Angry Birds is essentially a house of cards, precariously perched on cliff-sides under tumbling debris and made even more dangerous by shaky foundations.  The physics calculations involved here are impressive to say the least, allowing these buildings to come crumbling down with (mostly) realistic consequences.  If you enjoy this sort of thing, check out Boom Blox on the Wii and Red Faction: Guerillaon the 360/PS3/PC for more physics-based chaos.
So what system should you be playing this game on?  In my opinion, a touch interface is the ideal way to interact with the game.  Using your finger to determine how much and at what angle the slingshot is pulled back is a tactile way to get the player involved with tweaking his approach.  For my money, the muscle memory involved with the iPad’s touch screen is just more satisfying than using a mouse.  That being said, Angry Birds for PC is available and is definitely worth your money if you don’t have access to the touch version.As you might have already gathered, the real depth in theAngry Birds app emerges from actions which seem fairly basic when considered in isolation, but expose their true potential in unison with other game elements.  Change the angle at which you shoot the slingshot, and now you can take advantage of the features inherent in the physics engine, including bouncing, rolling, etc.; engage your bird’s special ability at a different point along its flight path and take note of how the result differs from previous attempts; use a weakened structure to kill a pig rather than brute forcing it with waves of angry birds; the possibilities are many and varied.
Graphics and Sound
I’m lumping graphics and sound together because even if they are more than competent, they’re clearly not the main focus.  The sounds range from satisfying breaks and falls to hilarious emotes from the birds as they fly enraged toward their victims.  The graphics are totally appropriate, rendering the animals as lovable (if not psychologically unhinged) caricatures of their real-life counterparts.  There’s not much more to say here; the aesthetics do a great job of establishing the scene and then stepping aside to let the player focus on the real meat of the game.
Overall
My overall impression of the Angry Birds game is obviously very positive, and yet there’s so much more that I haven’t detailed in this review.  There’s a ton of replay value here thanks to the sheer number of levels that you can access as well as the availability of unlockables.  Additionally, the player is scored based on how many birds are left in the arsenal upon level completion so there’s always the drive to go back and improve your strategy in order to waste fewer birds and get higher scores.
The game is very approachable, adhering to the “easy to learn but hard to master” gold standard of game design which I’ve mentioned elsewhere on the site.  It’s appropriate for anyone that’s old enough to use the device it’s being played on, so the appeal is wide-reaching.  This game’s audience will consist mainly of people who like to size up situations and experiment with physical reactions.  Put another way:  Who doesn’t enjoy the opportunity to make a huge mess without real world consequences?

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Gaming Mice

What is all the hype about gaming mice? Most serious gamers know why using a good gaming mouse is so important compared to using a standard mouse. It is true that good ones are generally more expensive, but most of us think that they are well worth spending the extra few bucks on. Overall, they just provide more comfort, improved gaming control, better performance, and sharper precision.

When playing games you want to excel. You want to completely blow the competition away. Most of the popular laser gaming mouse like the R.A.T. series by Cyborg or the G700 by Logitech have a much higher polling rate than the other more standard mouses. What it means is that the mouse reads the surfaces of the mouse pad or the desk at a higher rate and that it makes the mouse more responsive. They offer much sharper precision than any optical mouse. These infrared laser gaming mouses usually come with laser sensor technologies designed for improved sensitivity. Lots of the gaming mouses on the market today generally show us that the majority have a resolution of over 2000DPI. For example, the Logitech G700 has a resolution of 2000 DPI while the Razer DeathAdder has a resolution of 3500 DPI and the Cyborg R.A.T. 9 has an amazing 5600 DPI. Besides the gaming mice having all of these great features, they are mostly all adjustable.

The manufacturing process for this new era of gaming mouses is vastly different than that of the standard optical mouse. They are designed specifically for competitive gaming purposes and many of them have unique features such as grip shape and buttons locations that would allow comfort and efficiency of use. Their sizes and weight are also carefully designed in order to let players use them through an extended period of time. Many of these products even come with weights, a feature standard mice simply won't ever have.

Unlike standard optical mouses, gaming mouses usually have many more buttons to provide extra controls and functions. For example, the R.A.T. 9 has extra buttons and different controls that are versatile and able to be programmed. The Logitech G700, being the mouse which is designed for MMORPG, even has a 13 button thumb pad. This helps the player not having to use the keyboard and keeps their attention on the screen instead. From what I can tell, PC gaming capabilities will continue to impress us with one technological advance after another.

Brink: Summary

Brink
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Splash Damage
Release Date: May 10, 2011
MSRP: $59.99
Available on: PS3, PC, Xbox360
T for Teen: Blood, Language, Violence
A man-made floating city called the Ark, made up of hundreds of separate floating islands, is on the brink of all-out civil war. Originally built as an experimental self-sufficient and 100% "green" habitat, the reported rapid rise of the Earth's oceans has forced the Ark to become a refuge for humanity. With 25 years of social unrest, the inhabitants of the Ark have reached their breaking point. It's up to you to decide the future of the Ark and the human race.
Brink is an immersive shooter that blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless experience, allowing you to develop your character across all modes of play. You decide the role you want to assume in the world of BRINK as you fight to save yourself and mankind's last refuge for humanity. Brink offers a compelling mix of dynamic battlefields, extensive customization options, and an innovative control system.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Check Out the Daily Game Review On FaceBook!

Like our articles? Have a Facebook and wanna share the site with friends? Well now you can! Just go to www.facebook.com/DailyGameReview and Like the page! Thanks for reading and being a huge support!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Zygor WoW Leveling Guide Review

Reviewer: Gabriel
Rating: 5stars(fastest leveling guide)
Guarantee: 100% money back guarantee

Zygor Guides
Zygor Guides by John Cook is one of the most popular World of Warcraft guide currently due to many benefits it offer to the user such as easy to use software and fast leveling guide. These features have helped many players to strengthen their character quickly and at the same time still enjoying the game.

Zygor Guides Review – Pros and Cons

ProsPretty much the fastest and easiest leveling guide that I ever use. The level auto sync, talent advisor, irrelevant quests auto-skip, and continuous updates are another reason why I’ll never stop using this one.

ConsWoW is keep evolving and Zygor is no part of Blizzard, so from time to time, you’ll find a glitch or two here and there due to the recent updates impact. Whenever you see this, immediately contact their support and ask them to fix it.


Zygor Guides Review – Features Summary

1. In game guide with everything being taken care by the program, including what to do, where to go, what to kill, which quest to take, which item to find, show related places by putting dot in your map, both in world map and mini map, set waypoints, and arrow in front of your character pointing where to go, complete with distances and coordinates.
It is truly like having a pro World of Warcraft player looking over your shoulder, telling you what to do on each step. NO MORE old style PDF guide with alt-tab every 3 minutes.

2. It will guide you from level 1 to maximum level without grinding, 100% questing.

3. Specific guide for Alliance and Horde with details for every class and starter guide for every race.

4. Class quests also included.

5. Auto sync with your character level and finished quest even if you start using this guide at level 24 or 60.

6. If you are using Recruit a Friend, Heirloom Items, doing instances running so much, or other things that made you getting too far ahead from the guide, it will skip unnecessary steps and automatically sync with your current level.

7. Including Talent Advisor which detect when your character level up and offer you a suggestion about spending your new talent point.

8. When you create a quests circuit (a series of quests designed to leveling), sometimes it can’t apply for all  class. Eg: a low level mage or warlock may have difficulties finishing a quest due their lack of health while a warrior at the same level can finish it easily.
The Zygor Guides have been tested using various class and race to makes sure that it will never gives you an impossible task to accomplished at your level.

9. No need to remember where you left since the guide will be there to remind you when you log on again

10. Another reason why I decide to do this Zygor Guides review is a unique feature: if you stray from the guide and leveling your toon far ahead, the guide will automatically ditch undone irrelevant quests that don’t offer much benefits for your current level.

11. The author is an active player, so you will get updated version that match World of Warcraft newest patch each time.

12.You need to install the guide first, and it is LEGAL; you won’t get banned by Blizzard for using it. It is not that difficult with the easy to understand video tutorial provided, but if you have technical problem, contact the support staff in his forum.

13. 100% money back guarantee.

Zygor Guides Review – Conclusion
If you are looking for easy lightning fast leveling, don’t want to bother with every details of both quests and class quests, as well as having an in game Talent Advisor, then you have found the right guide.