Game Review - FarCry 3 Blood Dragon

FarCry 3 meets neon laser tagging comedian who watches a lot of 1990's films and likes irony, who was probably high and liked 90's arcade games too.. 

Look at that! It so purdy.... But really this "game" is spectacular as just a solo campaign to kill time. I'd say a small amount of time but I could kill days hunting neon lions and running like the chicken I am from Blood Dragons. I'll get into the review however.

  The gameplay is pretty much FarCry 3 with a makeover, which is what I believe it was designed to be. It may be a stand alone tittle (none DLC) but it runs under the same name as it's predecessor so cannot be expected to be massively different. It has the same features, levelling up with new unlocks, side missions for weapon attachments, main missions, base takeovers. However some aspects are different. For example there is no skill trees, you just get different unlocks hen you level, such as bonus health, less bow sway etc. Also instead of just going in guns blazing or "stealthing" it up to get into the base, you can throw a cyber heart which calls a Blood Dragon (confusingly has no wings) into the base to laser beam and/or eat people then just throw another to get it to leave. #DragonsOP.

  As far as story goes I can't delve too far into it as I prefer not to give out spoilers, but it follows a storyline that attempts to rip off every cult classic that has ever been produced and it does it well. It has references to Bionic Commando as well as other games and films. Basically the aim of the game is to take down the head honcho and be a hero. The majority of cutscenes are styled to  classic arcade game style with a comedical twist or the usual FarCry 3 style and the mix is interesting to say the least. I haven't completed the story yet but it is extremely captivating and very humorous. It even has Cyber Sharks!

The graphics are beautiful with the neon effects, the high quality terrain, the lasers from the guns, everything sits right on the eyes and is an aesthetic masterpiece. My system hasn't got the most pricey specs (the system cost just under 1000 pound) but it can run this on almost very high quality on every setting. You can see by the screenshots how well it runs, even though it turns my PC into a miniature heater for my room. The only thing I don't like with the graphics is that some cutscenes (as above) aren't designed to fit the entire screen which just annoys me.  

Overall this game is very good quality and really worth it's price tag with hours of gameplay and endless fun. It's a shame that it doesn't have multiplayer or co-op but not many story driven games do. Now I know the last Ubisoft game I reviewed I gave high sores to. No they do not pay me. They probably don't even know about me. I'm not a fanboy and I don't work for them, they just have a tendency to produce super high quality games. 8/10

 -Patrick

My Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/fromfearrises

My Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PatrickLacey

Game Review - Warframe

Warframe is a "free" to play 3PS online futuristic pay to win game that is about as fun to play solo as being slowly licked to death by a ant eater.

Don't get me wrong, it's fun just to mess around with a few mates and chop some shit up, but if you're playing solo it kind of sucks. Not only does it appear to have looked at Mass Effect 3's multiplayer and said "Hm that looks nice, maybe we'll base our game on that" but it also is highly confusing. It may offer a tutorial on combat but it doesn't offer any help on the customisation aspect of the game which I had to work out with a bit of help from the good old YouTube. The graphics are good, the combat is pretty difficult until you either grind/play a large amount or buy weapons from the marketplace (although the melee is awkward with the lunges seeming to go in straight strangely angled lines rather than free moving). As you can see this is a short review, that is because to be honest, the is an average game. Nothing special, just a bit of free fun with your friends. There is not much to say on it, get it if you want to mess around a bit but this to me is not a solo game. 5/10.

Game Review - Cube World (Alpha)

Everyone knows cube world. It's like Minecraft Steve got a bit to frisky with a Pandarian female from Azeroth and forgot to use a cuboid protection. This thing is such a cute looking game I just want to eat it up. But is it a good game?

First of all, I shouldn't be calling it a game, it's still in Alpha stages so shouldn't be compared to the AAA tittles that cost you all of your wallet and your pants. This game costs around $15 which is a reasonable price considering that you get to keep it through Beta and full game )I assume) with no more hidden charges. The graphics are super cute blocky style, with all very nice and pleasant colours - simple yet affective. The combat is buggy and thanks to the lack of tutorial or warning, you come up against really hard enemies who make your day a living hell and kill you without even taking damage. Then you dissolve into mini cubes and have to rethink your life. So far I have played mage and ranger and had little success in either, resulting in many deaths and keyboard hammering. It is a... unique combat experience but with no tutorials is rather difficult. That pretty much sums up this Alpha. It needs tutorials but has none. Like really needs them. I had to YouTube some videos to help me because I was lost.
   The character customisation is excellent, and even more will be added as the development progresses. I hope they add tutorials and some form of more easily usable multiplayer (RP servers etc.) and then maybe then it will live up to the hype. I mean what really lets this game down is the hype around it, it's like Minecraft, the hype makes it feel like the best game in the world, until you buy it, then it is just a giant let down. 6/10.
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatrickLacey
My YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FromFearRises

Game Review - Sol Survivor

Sol Survivor is an Indie Tower Defence game that costs 8 pound (around $10) on Steam. It has a campaign, survival and multiplayer game mode. Here's a look at the graphics:

Let me just set this straight, I don't like this game. I do't say that about a lot of games but this game is literally not good. For 8 pound you get an average quality tower defence game, I've seen better Tower Defence apps for free! Obviously it has multiplayer so has to be worth 8 pound! No. Do not be conned. This game is probably worth avoiding if you have more than 10 brain cells or want to collect every tower defence game ever made. I know this sounds harsh but why would an indie developer release such an average game at a moderately high price? It confuses me as to who's business plan it was to waste people's money and hope to get more sales. For some reason it has a metascore of 75 on steam. I don't know if the guys over there don't own a phone capable of accessing the android market but this is definitely not true. after about an hour of play I found myself bored of a campaign with no voice acting, no intriguing story line, just tower defence. What's more is it's not even difficult, I could just spam out towers and melt every incoming wave, not to mention the seperate resources available for "support" abiities like a death lazer that just eat everything. There is some good points, it's a time killer and would probably be fun if you actually got to the point where you have unlocked the different things available, but I have no time for a game like this.
  In conclusion, I don't like this game, but if it's your style, it's probably not worth the money anyway. Score: 2

Game Review Smite Beta

Smite is a pretty legendary sounding game. It is however, a pretty good quality game (well beta). It's a MOBA, yes I know everyone hates MOBAs but I enjoy them. Now what makes this MOBA different from the rest? Well take a look.

Third Person!!1!!one!! Yeah that's right Smite is a 3rd person MOBA based on Gods of all forms of mythology from Nordic to Chinese to African of all forms. In these images I'm Odin. As a giant nerd (my girlfriend can back this up) I love mythology especially Nordic with all the fantasy realms etc. and I am so happy to be able to fly through the air as Thor bringing down his almighty hammer on unsuspecting victims. Well unsuspecting until you hear him. Since this game has no ability to see over walls etc to see incoming attacks with ease then there seems to be an implemented sound whoring feature where you can pretty much hear if you're about to get viciously pummelled so can slowly and casually stroll back to your tower and wait for the storm to pass. As with any MOBA there is frequent patches to nerf and buff Gods which seems to be kicking ass the most violently.
  The graphics are pretty damn sexy too, with scenery that pleases the eye and abilities that please the thirst for f*cking sh*t up (I do try to keep it PG I swear). It also has a handy feature to stream from your launcher straight to Twitch. But the best thing by far is the fact that HiRez (The developers) Stream it 24/7 with giveaways on there own Twitch with presenters always commentating. It provides for excellent background entertainment while nuking that stupid monkey, no offence Hun Batz but you are annoying. They also provide useful hints and tips on how to not be a noob.

Look at the sexy menu screens!
   There is a variety of game modes and the competetive scene is just starting to pick up (if you like a challenge) however it is still in beta so it's all changing around and trying to get used to one aspect can sometimes be a struggle. Also the lack of being able to see over walls can cause difficulties and it could be argued that some skins and Gods are slightly overpriced. The worst aspect is however the community. The average game is full of raging children and rage quiters, especially in ranked. But that's to be said with all MOBAs really, there's only a small pocket of people who play these games for fun, or because they enjoy them, the rest just want to win.
  In conclusion, this is a much easier to play MOBA that is extremely enjoyable, free and visually impresive, but not for people who like to keep their stress levels low. 9/10 for gameplay, 1/10 for  lack o f giving me the Thor banhammer on the community (Hint hint Bart ;) )

Game Review Paranautical Activity

This is a, well I guess you'd describe it as "Indie" game. It's a FPS with a twist. What's the twist? Take a look.

 Yes it looks like Minecraft, Doom and Binding of Isaac had some sort of weird twisted 3 way baby that became the badass of school and got high. If you are high whilst playing this game I don't expect you to ever wake up. So it's a randomly generated set of chambers that you battle through with a class of your choice whilst killing everything to move to the next room, with a shop, a sub boss and a boss. That may sound boring but since it's randomly generated it changes every single time you load up. One time you may be battling a giant purple jelly fish (yes that happens), the next two flying multiplying eyeballs which shoot lasers. Trippy right?
    This game cost me a massive 3.50 GBP. For a game this re playable and addicting you'd expect to be playing big bucks not just a few quid that would only go on a KFC anyway. Okay KFC maybe would satisfy your cravings but this would last longer. So the question you have to ask yourself is do you like it quick and amazing or long, good and hard (hurhur). In all seriousness this game is ridiculous. It's currently in greenlight on steam so go vote that shizz up! The soundtrack to very-hard-to-spell Activity is about as trippy as the game itself. I love it. I love everything about this game. Apart from the limited choice of classes (including David Bow-ie) and the lack of changeability of the surroundings (I'm sure it will be updated to change soon) this is my perfect game. 8/10 for you lil budy.

Game Review - Blacklight Retribution

Any Steam Free to Play fanatic who has no idea what Blacklight Retribution is has been sleeping under a rock. I call it a free to play but it's more of a free to play micro transaction central game.

I'd played this game before and I have to say, I was impressed by the gameplay. I picked up some sweet weapon modifications, even turning the default Assault Rifle into a Sniper! But that was on the US server (which I have to say I had little lag on even being from the EU) so when I played again on the EU I was reset to defaults. This isn't a bad thing however, apart from having no camo any more the base weapons aren't bad, the game is ridiculously well balanced, with me coming second in my first game with team mates running round with what appeared to be lightsabers! (Yes they are in this game and yes I want one) I assume they cost a bomb so I stayed away from them, remaining strong in my stingy free to play roots. You get GP (credits) for playing games which is the main form of acquiring/upgrading armour and weapons. However there is a "Zenn" option which fuels boosts, upgrade packs etc. You also get packs for levelling up which is awesome

This shows the customization section. Looks familiar right? To me it looks like Blink's older brother. Now don't get me wrong that's a good thing as I loved Blink but I think it lacks originality in the style of screens. It's all easy to handle menus that help to optimize smooth transitions and on the fly customisability in the short duration between lobbies.

This is some in game screenshots. It looks superb and doesn't even run that hard on my GPU, with everything very smooth and pretty like all good shooters should be. It plays better than CoD BO2 in my opinion, with an easy HUD and no un-balanced weapons or lag spikes or any sort of the usual CoD problems (start flame war here). As shooters go this was great for the price, with everything being how you want it to be, no killstreaks (CP is earned and can be used on Ammo/Health refills, flamethrower, rocket launcher or juggernaut style Hard Suit) so everything is balanced, noone is running round insta headshotting, noone is spawn trapping it is a very good experience. However the bad side is that it takes a long time to get all the weapons you want to try out, but if you play it enough it is excellent.

 As Free to Play's go this is up there with the best, but I'm afraid until you play 100 hours straight, it's not living up to the hype behind it and it's lack of originality in menus forces me to give it a 6/10

Game Review - The Mighty Quest For Epic Loot BETA

So today (July 2nd 2013) there is an open house event to the closed beta of TMQFEL, a recently announced Ubisoft tittle that didn't receive the spotlight I feel it deserved down at E3. The main theme of this game is that you're a knight/archer/mage(not available in open house) that raids either pre-made or community created castles filled with creatures and traps in an attempt to reach the loot room. Yes this also means that you make your own castle full of fun little ways to f*ck your friends over, whether it be turning your fortress into the mother of all mazes or having a Cyclops pummel them into the dust. However the game works on a level/XP system, so you won't be diving head first into a necromancers cold embrace the first time you load up, rather a flock of chickens, the only chickens I know that fight back rather than entering my stomach.

This is a screenshot from the windowed version at a home screen of my level 6 archer.
   As you can see, even in windowed view this is some of the best graphics I've seen in a BETA. What's better is it's like this all the time. The animation style is cute yet incredibly detailed, with a cartoonish feel, not so immersive  but enough to keep you hooked. There is no ugly loading skills, everything is nice and clean. The cut scenes are suited to he usual humour of games such as this with the opening scene voice acted like the opening to a Disney movie, but for grown ups. However the other cut scenes I have experienced have been mainly images and reading pre-coded text, which for me had an annoying effect. I'm unsure whether it was purposeful or a beta glitch but the text appeared in standard form but then turns bold a second after it has all been revealed, which is distracting and maybe I'm just being picky but irritating.

Above are pictured the attack (bottom) and defence (top) options.
 Defence is creating your castle for preparation for raid. I have not had much experience with this yet as I'm unsure if higher levels will give more freedom of creation which I'm sure it does, but I have not had time to get to such a high level as I was having to much fun in the attack. The attack shows multiple castles (the green being in game castles and the blue being user created) that you select to raid. The stars show the completion level that you have achieved (there is certain criteria to get to each level - mainly no deaths and in the time limit - beating the time limit is the only way you can steal the owners loot) and the number to the left of the castle banner shows the suggested level that is needed to raid this castle. Overall the game play is smooth, with the raids being fun, although it could be assumed it would be slightly repetitive, each level is new and challenging. The only issue I had was sometimes the left click to attack function was messing up and that there is no option to auto attack any enemy near but hey, it could just be to make it more challenging. All the HUD and abilities etc are similar to that of diablo etc. and so are fairly familiar. There has to be over 100 hours of gameplay before you reach max level with a large amount of castle grinding to get that money to upgrade.
              This game has to be randomly selected into the closed beta or can be purchased in different editions (more free stuff the more you pay) for instant access and all features available. This game is highly promising and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a casual yet challenging game but also those who love challenging their friends to a good old castle raid race. Props to Ubisoft on another great tittle 9/10.