Archive for the ‘PC Games’ Category

World of Warcraft Cataclysm is finally out and has the wait been in vain?  This long awaited game adds new features to the table.  Adds two new races the Worgens and the Goblins.  Level cap now is 85.  There is much much more, this is a must buy.

An ancient evil lies dormant within Deepholm, the domain of earth in the Elemental Plane. Hidden away in a secluded sanctuary, the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing has waited, recovering from the wounds of his last battle against Azeroth and biding his time until he can reforge the world in molten fire. Soon, Deathwing the Destroyer will return to Azeroth, and his eruption from Deepholm will sunder the world, leaving a festering wound across the continents. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation.

‘If you include the vast changes to the core game, Cataclysm is far and away the most impressive expansion to an MMO ever made, but if you just isolate what Cataclysm itself gets you, it’s ultimately less content than Wrath of the Lich King. It’s also better content than Wrath, with engaging storylines, inventive quests, and some very striking visuals. Even without the core Azeroth changes, Cataclysm is an excellent expansion in its own right, and worthy of your attention whether you’re a veteran of Northrend or a grunt just getting your toes wet for the first time.’ ~IGN

We give this one 4.5 stars out of 5.

Evolution is an epic adventure set in a massive digital world filled with high-mobility disc-based combat and advanced light cycles. Set during the era between the two TRON films, TRON: Evolution conveys the story of significant events within the TRON mythology.

“TRON: Evolution is barely a TRON game. It’s a repetitive cyberpunk Prince of Persia. The platforming and combat are flashy, but both feel awkward to control and get really competitive. All the cool things you’d expect in a TRON game are restricted to the limited multiplayer modes. If you’ve got 10 people you can play some fun multiplayer games, but there are only a half dozen maps including the day one DLC. If you want to find out what happens between the two films, then you at least get a bit of a story here. And if the developers keep expanding the multiplayer with DLC like they’re already doing then this game could be worth a purchase eventually. But right now TRON feels like a movie cash in game more than the next step in a classic gaming franchise.” We give this one 2.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Explore magical new gameplay, amazing challenges and customizable features. Revel in a relaxing world filled with glimmering graphics and dazzling effects. Your quest for fantastic fun starts here. Take the journey today!

“Bejeweled is as accessible as gaming gets. With the third numbered version PopCap delivers eight distinct modes, so if you get hooked by the classic gameplay formula there’s a lot more to dig into. There’s something here for every kind of Bejeweled fan, from high intensity timed challenges to more laid back matching options. It’s just a shame the leaderboards aren’t online, which misses out on a lot of potential for competitive longevity. Even so, the gameplay remains addictive. If you’ve only got five or ten minutes to play a video game, there are few better options than Bejeweled 3.” We give it 4 stars out of 5.

The newest installment in the biggest action series of all time and the follow-up to last year’s blockbuster Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops.

‘Call of Duty: Black Ops is a great overall package that has a ton of content to enjoy. The multiplayer modes are largely based on what was established by Modern Warfare, but the twists that Treyarch throws in work well. My biggest issue with the multiplayer is that the new Wager Matches, while fun in their own right, don’t compare favorably to the high-quality and addictive leveling system and game modes from Modern Warfare 1 and 2. Single-player is as exhaustingly fast-paced as ever with large set pieces that try to take the attention off of the lackluster AI of both friends and enemies. Thankfully, the story is the best I’ve ever seen from a Call of Duty game. Couple both of those substantial offerings with more Zombie content than some full-fledged zombie games and Black Ops is certainly worth your time, even if you aren’t already a fan of the series.’ We give this one 4.5 stars out of 5.

In The Sims 3 Late Night you can get your Sims an all access pass to the hottest spots in town. Whether they mingle with celebrities or enjoy a casual night with friends, your Sims’ social lives are getting a boost! But keep in mind that some scenes are more exclusive than others, so make sure your Sims have the right connections to get past the bouncers at the hottest clubs. Wherever your Sims go, they’ll discover new things to become—adored celebrities, all night partiers, rowdy bandmates, or sexy vampires. What will your Sims get up to after dark?

‘The expansion packs that have been released so far for The Sims 3 have been meatier than expansions from the previous iterations of the franchise, and Late Night continues the tradition. It really raises the bar for what we expect out of a Sims expansion, and even though this one is coming only four months after the last one (instead of the usual six to eight months), it really holds its own. Although streamlining some of the new changes could be better, there are easily a dozen hours or more of pure gameplay before you figure out how everything precisely works, and it makes all Sims new and old that much richer in their personal stories.It’s not all perfect, of course. The fact that many of the new systems absolutely do not integrate into old save files (or at least, not without many hours of work on the player’s part) is a seriously negative design choice that, given the history of how the franchise has often linked new content with old, is inexcusable. Luckily, with some work and the fantastic community Sims fans have created, it won’t be long before you can at least find the new lots to place in your old neighborhoods, though you will still be making due with a slightly lessened experience. Overall, Late Night is yet another quality expansion for Sims 3 fans everywhere , provided you are willing to start over to experience it all.’  We give this one 4 stars out of 5.

The Star Wars Saga continues with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the highly anticipated sequel to the fastest-selling Star Wars game ever created, which has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. In Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, the world was introduced to Darth Vader’s now fugitive apprentice, Starkiller-the unlikely hero who would ignite the flames of rebellion in a galaxy so desperately in need of a champion. In the sequel, Starkiller returns with over-the-top Force powers and embarks on a journey to discover his own identity and to reunite with his one true love, Juno Eclipse. In Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Starkiller is once again the pawn of Darth Vader-but instead of training his protégée as a ruthless assassin, the dark lord is attempting to clone his former apprentice in an attempt to create the Ultimate Sith warrior. The chase is on – Starkiller is in pursuit of Juno and Darth Vader is hunting for Starkiller. With all-new devastating Force powers and the ability to dual-wield lightsabers, Starkiller cuts a swath through deadly new enemies across exciting worlds from the Star Wars films – all in his desperate search for answers to his past.

‘Reviewing The Force Unleashed 2 breaks my heart. As a rabid Star Wars fan who’s gone so far as to tattoo symbols of the franchise on my body, I wanted to jump into another epic story that better fleshes out Starkiller’s story. It’s disappointing that The Force Unleashed 2 not only fails to tell an interesting yarn, but also somehow manages to make the cool combat mechanics feel relatively pedestrian by failing to have enough variation in combat, or enough outside of combat to break up the pacing. Hardcore Star Wars fans should still check this out, but, as Master Yoda might say, “a good game The Force Unleashed 2 is not.”’  We give this one 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Lock, Load, & Face the Madness! Get ready for the mind-blowing insanity, as one of four trigger-happy mercenaries, taking out everything that stands in your way. With its addictive action, frantic first person shooter combat, massive arsenal of weaponry, RPG elements and four-player co-op, Borderlands is the breakthrough experience that challenges all the conventions of modern shooters. Borderlands places you in the role of a mercenary on the lawless and desolate planet of Pandora, hell bent on finding a legendary stockpile of powerful alien technology known as The Vault.

“Gearbox’s Borderlands is without a doubt a slick, satisfying hybrid title for those who know what to expect. If you’re a shooter fan curious what the world of Pandora is all about, then you should know that this is a product built on a foundation of statistical progression, character customization, and one that holds item acquisition high above interesting quest structure and narrative. At the same time, it plays like a shooter, requiring twitch skills to dominate the droves of enemies that stand in between you and your search for a mysterious vault. With the opportunity for up to four to join together for co-operative play, four character classes, a dizzying array of firearms, around 20 or so hours of content for a single playthrough and the option to restart with stronger enemies and loot, there’s plenty of content here. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable journey that offers a steady stream of rewards that remains convenient and accessible. It’s something action role-playing game fans looking for an experience more up-close and brutal than genre entries of the third-person variety should have a blast with, and one of the more memorable products of 2009.” We give it 4 stars out of 5.
October 14, 2010 @ 2:31 pm

Is this what we waited for? Wow!

When the mission must not fail, the National Command Authority calls in the Tier 1 Operators. And we’re not talking about those guys who sell candles and wicker chairs. We’re talking “Tier” 1 with a “T.” They are the best of the best – the elite-est of the elite. To give you an idea of just how elite they are, more than 2 million Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines serve in our armed forces. Out of those 2 million, about 50,000 fall under the direct control of Special Operations Command. Although their exact numbers are classified, only a few hundred out of those 50,000 make the cut as a Tier 1 Operator. They are living, breathing, precision instruments of war. They are experts in the application of violence. And out of those few hundred, only one, namely you, will step into the boots of one of these elite warriors in the hostile, unforgiving battlefield conditions in present-day Afghanistan. Do you think you have what it takes to confront a new enemy who improvises mercilessly in a new kind of war? Do you think you have what it takes to be Tier 1? Put this in your shopping cart. We dare you.

Medal of Honor‘s real problem may be Danger Close’s inability to commit to a particular direction for the game. Swinging wildly between the horrors and danger of war and unrealistic action movie moments and hampered by a surplus of boring scripted sequences, not even DICE’s talented multiplayer designers are able to elevate Medal of Honor to something memorable. Combined with Danger Close’s fixation on delivering an experience about a war that Americans are deeply ambivalent about, and multiplayer that remains likely to incite controversy about its content after players have moved on to deeper, more engaging multiplayer options, Medal of Honor is one of the bigger disappointments of 2010. That being said, for gamers with the option, Medal of Honor for PC is the version to get, with none of the apparent stability problems of its console counterparts.’  We give it 3 stars out of 5.

ArcaniA – A Gothic Tale is set in a rich world that invites the player to explore all of its innumerable attractions and details. Different climate zones, abundant flora and fauna, subterranean vaults, and cities and castles with unique architecture await the adventurous player. Clouds darken the skies, weather effects such as wind and heavy rain influence the game world, keeping it endlessly fascinating with its amazing graphics, day and night cycles, and a stunning display of light and shadow. Wonderfully atmospheric music and top-of-the-line sound effects create a truly immersive playing environment. A multitude of entertaining and challenging quests, challenging combat, mysterious NPC characters and a sophisticated plot guarantee many hours of highly entertaining gameplay. The Southern Islands await!

‘While the PC version is certainly superior to the console port, Arcania: Gothic IV does very little to progress the genre – particularly in mission structure and storytelling areas – but what it ultimately does deliver is a loot-heavy dungeon crawling experience that doesn’t tax your skills. Instead it lets you leisurely enjoy the world and kill a lot of goblins and swamp flies along the way. In this way, the Gothic series has always filled in a more casual space than similarly minded RPGs. The combat has a decent level of depth, the island is sprawling though certainly not truly open-world, but at least varied and detailed. The story is distracting and disposable – kind of enjoyable but never subtle. It’s not going to please hardcore D&D purists or gamers looking for the next Elder Scrolls, but as a middle ground between deeper entries and linear adventures, Arcania: Gothic IV hits its stride.’ We give it 3 stars out of 5.

Just when you think you’re safe from having your brains eaten, another zombie apocalypse always seems to spring up. Frank West saved America from being overrun by zombies in the original Dead Rising, but the cause of the zombification was never completely contained, leaving the door open for future zombie outbreaks. Dead Rising 2 picks up the story several years later, and this time Fortune City, the entertainment capital of America, is the site of the next zombie convention. Unfortunately, what happens in Fortune City will not stay in Fortune City if motocross champion Chuck Greene is unable to stem the zombie tide.

‘Again, Dead Rising 2 has issues. It’s not the smoothest game and it can feel like the last one, however that doesn’t mean a thing when the game’s this much fun. Using a car battery and a Street Fighter mask to electrocute the undead and a set of knives and a pair of boxing gloves to make Wolverine claws are all great times. Watching Chuck get covered in blood as he slays thousands of zombies, changing outfits so that one minute you’re in a toddler clothes with a LEGO head and the next you’re in a sundress, and listening to completely whacked out boss stories – that’s what I remember about Dead Rising 2. Any issue the game might have just falls to the backburner.’ We give it 3 stars out of 5