Review: Portal 2

The sequel to the best selling Portal has a lot to live up to. With the inclusion of a multiplayer and an extended storyline, does it live up to the original? It does!

This game takes place a few years after the original game. You play as Chell the silent protagonist from the first game. You are woken by Wheatley in the ruined Aperture Science labs and you need to escape from the facility. But when you hear the voice of GLaDOS the machine you thought you destroyed in the first game you know it’s not going to be easy to escape. With your trusted portal gun, you are put through your paces with many test chambers until the final challenge.

Although Aperture looks as though it has been inactive for a long time, there are a few more tools available to use. As well as the portal gun; there are repulsion gels, propulsion gels, jump pads and more at your disposal in some of the test chambers which adds a new dimension in solving the problems.

This game is far longer than the first one. With more test chambers and even further DLC to be released in the near future it surpasses the first game in length. But the process is simple you go to one of the test chambers figure out the puzzle to open the door and then move on to the next one. Each of the puzzles get increasingly difficult and the tougher ones will rattle your brain.

The co-op is a welcome addition to the series and works very well. You play as

either Atlas or P-body, robots who are tested by GLaDOS, so that they will prepared to venture outside the test centre. The majority of the test chambers are tougher than the main campaign as you will need to utilise all 4 portals to help you through the test. You will need to rely on your counterpart so that both of you reach the end of the test centre. It is recommended that you play this with another friend as you get the headset capabilities to give voice commands. However there is a ping system to indicate to the other players where to place their portal.

The Aperture Science centre is getting on and it certainly looks the part. Plants and falling debris shows the age of the centre. And going through some of the test centres you will get a sense of déjà vu as a couple of them are wreaked and older versions from the first game. The voice work is very good, especially the chilling voice of GLaDOS with her bitter and scary remarks. But there is a comic relief in the form of Wheatley voiced by Stephen Merchant.

Overall, it has very good gameplay and an interesting storyline. It’s a much needed sequel, with the added length and co-op feature, it is an enjoyable game you can play on your own or with a friend, and I would recommend this to anyone.
10/10

Duke Nukem Demo: First Impressions

I brought Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition quite a while ago (possibly February) so that I can do the review for the game for the University newspaper (250 words wasn't enough to write about the game and its 4 add-ons. I may post a full review soon or I may start doing video reviews when I have time). One of the bonuses about from the value for money (Got it for £14.99 which is brilliant as you can play it for ages without having to buy another game) was a First Access Duke Nukem pass. Basically I could get bonus videos, news about the Duke Nukem.

However there was one advantage I wasn't expecting, which is the first access to the demo! I was looking forward to playing on it. I enjoyed Duke 3D on the PC and have been looking forward to the game since the first trailer. I know it's going to be a standard FPS but its Duke!

Downloaded it yesterday and I have played it for a few minutes during my break from revision.

Overall: I wasn't impressed. It was too clunky, a bit bland and not even the funny one liners saved it. I remember playing it on the PC and you could carry any weapons you picked up but they have changed it to only 2 weapons. I know, things need to change to make them better, but Duke was supposed to be a walking gun shop and you feel limited in what weapons you can carry. The choice of weapons doesn't help since you have a lot of choice but can't enjoy one weapon long enough till you need to pick another.

The levels that were given to you for the Demo weren't that exciting. The first had

you battling this giant monster which shot rockets and had a boost which could knock you over (Guess the weak point!) Then you had the driving segment which lasted slightly short but hoping it will be longer in the actual game. Fight a few pigs (which for normal were brutal) then you finish by filling the car with fuel. But saying that I shouldn't expect an impressive storyline since it is Duke Nukem.

For a demo, I think it has to be one of the biggest selling points. If you aren't interested you won't buy the game. Unless there is no trailer then you watch Let's Play videos to see what it is like. I found his jokes and his womanising to drone on. The voice was spot on but when you hear the same joke over and over again, you want to put the mute on.

It could just be the demo and I will probably look at a few videos of people playing through it to make up my mind. But currently I don't think people should be putting their eggs in one basket for this game.

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 DLC Characters

I have had Marvel vs Capcom 3 (MvC3) for a while a now and I must say its a very good fighter (I will post a review of the game soon). I have played the second one and I thought it was insane and before the third instalment was announced I was hoping for a sequel. However if you look at the roster for both games there is a big difference between them. There was over 50 characters in the second but only 38 in the third one. There were loads of omissions which I think are going to be DLC down the line. Here are my top 10 characters that I would love to see in MvC3 (in no particular order):

1. Venom

Personally I think there is a shortage of Spiderman characters. Yes there is possible one or two good guys that could be put in from his universe (Blackcat) but I think it needs more villains. Venom was there in the second one and he is one of Spidermans toughest enemies and it would be good to see a different fighting style from him. Consider him the Akuma to Spiderman's Ryu.

2. Gambit
One of the X-Men that I think should have been in the game. I don't care if Cyclops wasn't put in because his attacks would be a bit boring. But Gambit is suave, and gets to throw cards at people and use a pole. They could play with his abilities a bit more as anything he touches will explode, so his hyper combo could be that he touches them and they explode. Or the 52 card pick up move from X-Men: Next Dimension (Played that on the Gamecube, very glitchy game)

3. Frank West/Chuck Greene
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom had him so why can't we. He is an interesting character for a fighting game since in the game he didn't rely much on punches and kicks but more on what he could find. Plus the opportunities for skins would be interesting like having a Servbot mask/helmet thing. Or if you had Chuck Greene then you could add the motorcycle element to it and there is added ability of him being able to create items so there could be a varied special move set.

4. Bison
I know, another Street Fighter character but, he is one of the oldest bad guys in the series. When I found out C.Viper was in the game, I thought Bison should have been put in the game instead since he is a veteran to the series. But she is a good addition but maybe adding him would make him one of the skilled characters to use (similar to Wesker).

5. Phoenix Wright
Yes he isn't a fighter but wouldn't it be interesting to see how they would pull it off. 'Objection' ultra move or getting the judges mallet and whacking the enemy. There are possibilities but it would be something difficult and if they could do it, I take my hat off to Capcom.

6. PTX-40A (Lost Planet)
Yes the massive robot from the Lost Planet game. Marvel has Sentinel but Capcom seems to be lacking on the massive robot front. I personally think it would be a lot of fun to see them two fight it out. They would probably have to change him from the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. But the fighting style in that game could work in MvC3.


7.Blade
Its a guy that hunts vampires for a living and is fairly bad ass, what more do you want? I think it is hinted that he will be in the game since he was in Jill's ending. I think he would be similar to Dante in playing style.

8.Nightcrawler

One, he is seen in the Trish ending. Two, I think there needs to be more telporting fighters. Three, is fairly well known in the Marvel universe and I think a lot of people would be glad to see him in the game. He is more agile and I prefer the quicker fighters.

9. Iron Fist
Remember the ending for Ryu. Iron Fist was his challenger and I would like to see him in the game. Pit one of the martial arts champions of Marvel against the martial arts champion of Capcom. Plus he is one of the characters that dosen't get much publicity and I think obscure characters are good so that people reaserach them more and get the comic/video game

10. Mega Man
We have Zero, so I think Mega Man isn't too much to ask. They had Mega Man Volnutt for Tatsunoko game so why not here. He would be a hard character to put into a fighting game as he relies on his gun and the different power ups it can pick up but they could have the speical moves alter his normal attacks.

Those are my thoughts on who should be the next few DLC characters. What do you guys think? Who do you want to be the next fighters in the game? Leave comments and as always happy gaming ^_^

Download Some Magic with Magicka

Fire, water, earth, arcane and many more will help you cast mighty spells to help you through your quest. But does the immense amount of spells at your disposal make up for the number of bugs?

The plot is simple: you are one of four mages from a sacred order which must

fight against an evil sorcerer and a number of obligatory creatures and monsters hindering your progress. After each level of facing waves of monsters and evil mages, you must face a very difficult boss. However it is more light hearted with many funny references to Star Wars, Monty Pythons Holy Grail and 300. One problem with the story is the checkpoints are an issue. There are few of these checkpoints and therefore can potentially send you back to the beginning of the level.

This game was meant to be played with others. Team up with 3 other players online or locally to get the full experience of the challenge mode and online co op play. It gets crazy and fun with your teammates ‘accidently’ aiming their spells at each other rather than the enemy. This game is very good if your in the mood for something not so serious with friends. But with the occasional bugs (however these have decreased since launch, with the number of patches) it is a good laugh with friends.

From the title you use magic, and casting spells is very entertaining and unique. You have 8 different elements (water, fire, life, arcane etc.) to combine to create bigger and deadly spells. Some are simple but some require a combination of 5 elements to cast. It does get complicated with the dizzying number of combinations that and choosing to either cast as an area. Apart from this it is simple as there is no inventory to worry about and you pick up better staffs and melee weapons through the game.

With the added online and challenge mode this game has replay value, especially playing with friends. If you are a fan Castle Crashers (Xbox 360) and want something light, fun and at only £8, then I recommend this.

8/10

The Screeching Pubescent Online Players (Oh, how annyoing)

This is a rant that I want to put out there. You know when you buy a game for the PS3, Xbox 360 or PC and have the ability to have a good co op or versus game or whatever you will always face this one group of people, The whining kids. Yes, you know the ones I am on about, the kids who think they know the ins and outs of the games and just start complaining about everything until you mute them or until either one of you leaves. However its the former of the two.

I have probably two major problems with these types of gamers. One is the fact the games that they are on, don't tend to be for their age rating. Fair enough when I was 14 I had a copy of GTA but luckily I didn't like going online much so if I was that type of gamer I didn't let people suffer the unrelenting taunts.
And secondly is that 'their bark is worse than their bite'. So lets say you were playing Halo (which is where there is higher likelihood of encountering these gamers) and it was a death match, more often than not you will have the better score. Then they will complain saying that you or him have a bad internet connection, you are cheating, he was distracted etc.

The reason I am ranting about them is that there is a small hope one of them will be reading this post and hopefully keep in mind of other peoples lack of hearing after a round of Halo or Team Fortress. Maybe its the type of games they prefer to play on, like Halo or Black Ops or something, since they require less brain power. I have had less cases when playing RTS, so if you want a decent online game without these gamers, choose Starcraft or Command and Conquer.

Command and Conquer: The First Decade

When you hear Command And Conquer, the one thing that comes to mind is the word awesome. The first PC game I played was the first Command and Conquer game and it got me interested in Real Time Strategies and led me to one of their best games (in my personal opinion), Red Alert 2.

   But the question you ask is, why should I buy these games? Because the fact is that, without them you wouldn't be playing some of those RTS that you play now. These were good games when they came out, graphic-wise but they had a new storyline which kept you interested. And if your a student and want to play a RTS, a cheap option if you haven't got the original games is to buy The First Decade Edition. And includes the 6 original games with the 6 add ons, spanning through from the original to General Zero Hour.  This would be a prime investment as you will get hours of entertainment, from one purchase.

The Storyline
   Tiberian Series: Command and Conquer, Tiberian Sun, Renegade
In this series, an anomalous extraterrestrial substance known as Tiberium is brought to Earth through a meteoric collision during the early 1990s. The substance's intriguing yet hazardous properties begin to fuel an escalating war between two globalized factions; the United Nations' Global Defense Initiative, who wish to prevent the proliferation of Tiberium for safety reasons, and the mysterious and ancient Brotherhood of Nod society, who embrace the substance as the herald of a new age and the next stage in humanity's evolution. So, two fractions fighting over a resource (oil.... I mean  Tiberium).

   Red Alert Series: Red Alert & Red Alert 2
This follows more of a what if scenario. Albert Einstein, develops a time machine (Chronosphere), to travel back in time to eliminate Adolf Hitler, so it would prevent Nazi Germany from forming and World War 2 to be averted. However without World War 2, this leads to Joseph Stalin s invasion of Europe (Red Alert) and eventually the USA (Red Alert 2). These games has the strangest units in the game, including shock troopers, attack dogs, dolphins & giant squids!

   General Series: Generals and Zero Hour

It is set in the near future and you can play either three factions, United States, China or Global Liberation Army (GLA /Terrorist organisation). USA and China are trying to fight against the GLA as they are a terroist organisation and in the campaign you play as all three.

Gameplay
Apart from Renegade they follow the simple mechanics of a RTS, build a base, build an army and destroy the opposition before they destroy you. The campaigns deviate from this by setting you defending quests, obtain the intelligence, escort missions. Some will give you limited amount of troops or resources which is when you have to use a bit of tactics to overcome them but it is worthwhile in the end. As newer RTS are getting rid of the base building aspect, this part of C&C is the most fun. Building the super weapons, research buildings or having multiple bases scattered around to annoy the enemy, be it computer or actual person. Although the base building didn't reach its peak til Red Alert 2, it is still good fun. But the older games like Command and Conquer, has you waiting ages just to build one troop. The mechanic is tried and tested and it works

Internet Play

Whatever Internet play there was back in the good old pays of dial up (yes I said it, the infamous dial up, the tone still terrorises me), some of it hasn't come along with the older games. Renegade, Generals and Zero Hour are the only one with Internet capability. Red Alert 2 have LAN but was difficult to set up a game with my old housemates. It is sad not to see Red Alert 2 without this ability to play games online (if I am wrong, which I am hoping that I am, please comment below how I can). But for Generals, its good fun, especially with Zero Hours when you specialise in the different armies, like USA aircraft, Chinese military or the GLA toxic specialist. They play differently and normally its how the player uses them, which wins them game rather than the so called 'brokenness' of the army they used.

PresentationWhat can I say.... Old School. They haven't improved the graphics, which I don't mind. There are some which will complain about how old they look and why they didn't update it. My guess is, the people that would buy this collection wants a blast of nostalgia. There isn't much I can say since its not pushing the boundaries of graphics. The music fits the scenes and missions, especially in the first game and Red Alert 2. The music creates the right mood for the scene. Low and soft for the stealth/low profile scenes and louder/tensions heightening moments. The weaponry and buildings look different especially the Russians when they have the random looking units such as squids, shock troopers etc.

Overall
You have a decent game here for a reasonable price on Amazon (plugging). There may not be much on the way of Internet play but the campaigns and skirmishes will set you back quite a few number of hours and hone in on your RTS skills. With a good (be it insane) plot, varying units, huge and unique maps and old time presentation, this is a collection which is worth taking over

Rating: 8.7/10