There are quite a few different genres being released this month from Platformers to Racing games. If you are interested in having a game for a specific system, or simply want a game remade such as “Donkey Kong Returns 3D” or “Resident Evil: Revelations,” then this is a great month for you.

RPG

(5/7 Tuesday) “Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut” (Wii U)

(5/22 Wednesday) “The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing” (PC)

“Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut” is the extended cut of the cyberpunk role-playing game exclusively for the Wii U. The game will feature a new augmentation, the Neural Hub, using the Wii U’s Gamepad. This expansion also includes two new levels.

“The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing” is a game based on the tribunals of young Van Helsing, son of the monster hunter Abraham Van Helsing from the novel Dracula. The setting of the game is in gothic-noir 19th-century Eastern Europe with monsters, magic, and strange technology.

Platformer

(5/9 Thursday) “Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move” (Nintendo 3DS)

(5/24 Thursday) “Donkey Kong Returns 3D” (Nintendo 3DS)

“Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move” is a puzzle game and the fifth game in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. The game will have the player placing blocks on a board to make a path for the Minis (small Mario-like robots) so they can reach the goal in every level. There will be at least 180 levels in all.

“Donkey Kong Returns 3D” is the remake of the Wii game “Donkey Kong Returns.” The game has been optimized for portability on the Nintendo 3DS and features layered side-scrolling levels that come to life with the 3D capabilities. Eight new levels have been added in the Golden Temple as well as a new mode for an easy on-the-go play.

Action

(5/14 Tuesday) “Dust 514″ (PlayStation 3)

(5/14 Tuesday) “Metro: Last Light” (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

(5/21 Tuesday) “Resident Evil: Revelations” (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC)

(5/28 Tuesday) “Fuse” (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

“Dust 514” is a game that takes place in New Eden and is directly connected to the MMORPG “Eve Online.” In fact, actions in one game will affect the political and economic status in the player’s other game. The player will be able to customize various aspects such as skills and specialize their roles and tactics on the battlefield. Though the game doesn’t have a single-player campaign, there will be a survival game mode which will pit players against A.I. controlled drones.

“Metro: Last Light” is a first-person shooter set in the post-apocalyptic world and is the sequel to “Metro 2033.” The game is meant to be a story-driven experience and will have the player fight with exotic man-made weapons. The player will fight against both human and mutant enemies. The game is designed to be an immersing atmosphere.

“Resident Evil: Revelations” is a port of  the game of the same name that had been previously been exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS. The game returns to the survival horror gameplay such as a limited supply of ammunition and more emphasis on puzzle solving and exploration that has been missing from the newest installments. The game will be ported to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PC.  

“Fuse” is a four-player cooperative game set in the near future, where a team of four misfit agents must team-up to stop an evil corporation from getting an alien substance called Fuse. Each character will have their own Fuse-powered weapon that will serve different purposes throughout the gameplay. Each character will also have their own skill tree, which will allow the player to upgrade each level.

Racing

(5/21 Tuesday) “Fast & Furious: Showdown” (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, PC)

(5/28 Tuesday) “Grid 2″ (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

“Fast & Furious: Showdown” is a cooperative racing game and will tie into the events of the sixth movie. The game will also bridge the events between each film in the franchise.

“Grid 2” an upcoming racing game and the sequel to “Race Driver: Grid.” The game will feature various real world locations such as Paris and the U.S., as well as vehicles from four different decades.

Image credit: The Incredible Adventure of Van Helsing via Facebook

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In Part 1, we discussed the world of “BioShock Infinite” and gameplay. In Part 2 we will go deeper into the atmosphere of Columbia.

A highlight of the gameplay is the use of Columbia’s Sky-Line. The Sky-Line is the rail in which the city uses to transport goods throughout the city. Booker can use a Sky-Hook to get around the city as well as be used as a melee weapon that can snap enemies’ necks, cut them open or decapitate them. Enemies can also be pounced upon from the Sky-Line, which is pretty intense. Riding the Sky-Line is just as intense an experience; it feels as though you are on a roller coaster.

The enemies you will encounter throughout “BioShock Infinite” are varied, but not as iconic as the enemies of the first “BioShock.” There are the basic enemies which consist of the men and women on both sides of Comstock’s army and the Vox Populi that use guns, cannons and flying ships. However, the Heavy Hitters are the boss-like enemies that Irrational Games and Ken Levine have spoken at length about in several videos while “BioShock Infinite” was still in development. They have changed immensely from their initial debuts, but their impact to the gameplay was severely over-stated.

In addition, the fabled 1999 mode that was spoken so highly of is simply just a mode more difficult than the hard difficulty. The enemies are exactly the same except that they do more damage and when you die, the game takes away even more money from you. If you do not have enough money to regenerate, then it is game over.

Visually “BioShock Infinite” is gorgeous. The detail that was placed into every part of Columbia is immense. When looking from the city, you can see off into the horizon and it feels crisp, clean and fresh. This almost serene picture is juxtaposed against the crumbling society of Columbia, which makes it all the more eerie. Try having Booker stand still for a minute and during that time, you will see the city drift up and down almost as if it is breathing.

Elizabeth, Booker, Comstock, Daisy Fitzroy and the scientist behind why Columbia floats, Lutece, have their own backstories for you to discover. The story line is one of the greatest stories of the video game scene today and is something that will require much thought after being completed. Numerous gaming sites have had discussions as to what the ending means for the characters and the debate that has come out of “BioShock Infinite” alone make it worth playing. Each player can walk away with a different interpretation and are willing to share that perception with other people.

Gary Schyman has returned to score “BioShock Infinite.” His talents were used in both “BioShock” one and two and are crucial to the atmosphere of Columbia. The soundtrack of “BioShock Infinite” was given within the premium edition as well as the Ultimate Songbird Edition, but unfortunately according to Irrational Games’ “BioShock Infinite” frequently asked questions, they “currently have no plans to sell the soundtrack.” The score evokes emotion in tense places where appropriate, while not being overbearing. Moreover, the score does inject a sense of  danger in combat situations that only add to the urgency of Booker’s situation to the gameplay.

Altogether, “BioShock Infinite” delivers an experience unlike any other game currently on the market. It does not take the player as a fool, it will not spoon feed you any answers. You will have to pay attention to every detail found within the game in order to truly grasp the meaning behind the incredible ending. This may mean that “BioShock Infinite” will be a miss for gamers that typically are not familiar with the franchise. This is not a game for players who just want to whizz by Voxophones and environmental queues.

Rating – 5/5: If you put in the hours, “BioShock” is an extremely rewarding game with an intriguing story that will stick with you for a long time even after you have finished it. It will make you want to discuss it and understand it. “BioShock Infinite” is not just a game, it is an experience. For this complete package and long lasting impact with a lot of depth, “BioShock Infinite” deserves the praise and accolades.

Image credit: Bioshockinfinite.com

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“Dishonored” is back with its latest storyline-expanding DLC pack: “The Knife of Dunwall.” The story has you in the role of Daud, the master assassin that murdered the Empress in the main story. However, it seems as though even after making a career of mindlessly assassinating people, Daud actually feels remorse after killing the Empress. The Outsider appears to Daud and tells him that his “story is coming to an end.” The Outsider tells Daud to seek out a person named Delilah.

As Daud, the player is given unique abilities such as the ability to summon assassins to aid him in combat and to imbue his comrades with his abilities. A familiar power, Blink, is still available but very much improved. You can now freeze time at the very top of a jump and plant your next move within that time. Rat Swarm and Possession are not part of Daud’s repertoire, but he makes up for this by having unique weapons such as the Chokedust, which, when thrown, explodes into a cloud of poison which chokes the enemy and allows you to either take the offensive or disappear into hiding. As the leader of the assassins, Daud also has the choice of buying information from informants such as safe codes, whale oil tanks, or even bone charms.

Even though it is only three levels long, The Knife of Dunwall does give the player valuable insight into a very intriguing character. We did not get to uncover much about him during the main story, so it is interesting to hear his thoughts about certain events and how he works as the leader of his band of assassins. In addition, the horrific practices of the whaling industry are shown, which is as interesting as it is repulsive. Enemies within the whaling factory are armed with immense flesh rending saws which can shoot metal at long range.

Each level has multiple ways of tackling it, in true “Dishonored” fashion. Multiple routes provide you with ways of completing a level with low chaos or high chaos. Being an assassin, it may not seem to make sense to leave everyone alive but in order to remain undetected low chaos is essential.

“The Knife of Dunwall” is part one of Daud’s story, and yet it feels like an unfinished game. The DLC is more of “Dishonored’s” great gameplay but the story is mediocre. The end of this episode delivers a watered down twist that is obvious from the beginning.

Rating- 3.8 out of 5 . If anything you should buy this DLC if you crave more “Dishonored” gameplay featuring Daud, wish to know more about the horrific whaling industry or just to see a little more of the enigmatic Outsider. If “The Knife of Dunwall” had been released as a whole, it might have felt more satisfying to play and spend money on. Part two of the DLC (“The Brigmore Witches”) has yet to receive a release date or price. “The Knife of Dunwall” is available on Steam ($9.99 USD), PlayStation 3 ($9.99 USD) and Xbox 360 (800 Microsoft Points).

Image credit: Dishonored via Facebook

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“BioShock Infinite” has delivered. After five years of speculation and doubt surrounding the project, the game has surpassed the expectations set for it. Irrational Games, 2k games and creative director Ken Levine have given gamers an ambitious labor of love and thought that has brought the “BioShock” franchise out of the stagnation of limbo and into paradise. Gamers, in Ken Levine we trust.

With that said, the story of “BioShock Infinite” begins simply. Booker Dewitt has problems. An ex-Pinkerton agent with nothing left to hang onto has received a last chance to clear his debt. The task is stated in simple terms:  “Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt.”

However, this is no easy task. The girl, Elizabeth, is kept hidden away in a literal city in the sky, Columbia. Booker must get to Columbia and get Elizabeth to New York unharmed. Booker must also bypass the conflict between Comstock and the Vox Populi. The Vox’s leader, Daisy Fitzroy, aims to change the hierarchy of Columbia and will do anything to make sure Comstock falls.

The world of Columbia is bright and spacious for a city that’s floating in the air. The people of Columbia are set in their nationalistic, religious and racist ideals. They follow their leader, Zachary Comstock, with unwavering devotion even among the trouble that’s brewing with the Vox Populi. All over Columbia there are propaganda ads that let you know how the citizens are to feel about the Vox Populi among other racially charged messages.

Gameplay wise, “BioShock Infinite” delivers more of the same to players who are familiar with the franchise. The Vigors (super powers) are on Booker’s left while the guns are on his right. You switch between each or focus on one over the other depending on your playing style. You can upgrade both guns and Vigors through vending machines.

And while the Vigors are inventive and include some new twists on old favorites, such as electro bolt and incinerate, but are lacking in relation to the plot. In the first “BioShock,” the Plasmids (powers) were involved in Rapture’s evolving genetics race and the citizens purchased them to protect themselves during the war. In Columbia there is no real explanation as to why Vigors are needed by anyone. They’re more of a novelty to Columbians, with only the Vox or the Founders consuming them.

The gameplay of “BioShock Infinite” sets itself apart from its previous iterations through Elizabeth. She gives you anything that you need to assist you in the heat of combat. Too focused on fighting with a group of enemies that your Salts (a liquid that allows you to use Vigors) become dangerously low? Elizabeth will throw a bottle your way. Get yourself backed into a corner with low health? No problem, Elizabeth will throw you some health. She will even find you ammo for the gun you are currently employing.

Elizabeth’s powers are an asset to Booker as well from an offensive standpoint. She can bring objects through Tears (doors through time and space) whether they be a turret, cover or a weapon to aid in combat. With Elizabeth at your side, you are almost invincible.

Outside of combat, the game play is evident to a “BioShock” fan. Get ready to root through tons of desks, trashcans, crates, boxes, and corners. Elizabeth is vital to searching for items such as ammo, health, Salts and most importantly Voxophones (diaries of the citizens). Moreover, Elizabeth’s perk is that she can lock pick doors for you. She will point out lock picks in the environment as well as Voxophones. She will even give you money when she finds it, which is immensely helpful if you want to upgrade your weapons and Vigors.

The downside of Elizabeth scavenging with you is that she will point out objects in the environment which will glow briefly. If you do not look immediately, the glow will disappear and you will miss out on whatever she found. Also, you can only hold thirty lock picks at a time, but Elizabeth will still point them out to you even though you cannot pick up anymore.

In Part 2, we will delve more into the gameplay and the atmosphere of “Bioshock Infinite.”

Image credit: Bioshockinfinity.com

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There are quite few good titles coming out this month, mostly in the Action and RPG genre such as “Injustice: Gods Among Us,” “Star Trek” and “Dead Island: Riptide.” However, since these two genres are so popular, there is certain to be something for everyone to play.

Action

(4/2) “Defiance,” for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC

(4/16) “Injustice: Gods Among Us,” for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U

(4/21) “Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins,” for Nintendo 3DS

(4/23) “Star Trek,” for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC

“Defiance” is a game that was made as a tie-in to a Syfy show of the same name. Unlike other MMO’s, the game doesn’t have set classes for the player to choose from, but instead an origin, which doesn’t limit ability, outfit, or weapon choice. The players customize their characters in various ways, and will choose to either play as a human or an Irathient (a humanoid alien species). The players also choose from a large variety of weapons which they can modify.

“Injustice: Gods Among Us” is a fighting game based on characters from DC Comics. Locations for fights include the Batcave, Watchtower, and Fortress of Solitude, and will have interactive environments with several layers. For example, a powerful attack will launch an opponent into another layer. During a battle, players charge their “super meters” by executing combos or getting hit by an opponent. The super meter can be used to perform special moves or to counter an opponent’s moves. When the super meter is charged the player can use the strongest special attack.

“Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins” is the prequel to “Lego City Undercover,” and follows the adventures of Chase McCain as a rookie cop.

“Star Trek” the game is based on the 2009 ‘Star Trek’ film, securing the voices and likeness of the main cast. The game will feature both single player and co-op gameplay as Kirk and Spock. The two characters have different gameplay techniques, with Kirk’s gameplay being that of a typical shooter and Spock having more stealth-based gameplay, using the Vulcan nerve pinch and mind meld. As players progress, the experience they gain will allow them to unlock new settings on weapons.

RPG

(4/23) “Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen,” for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

(4/23) “Dead Island: Riptide,” for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC

(4/30) “Deadly Premonition: Director’s Cut,” for PlayStation 3

(4/30) “Soul Sacrifice,” for PlayStation Vita

“Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen” is the re-release of the original game but features new content. The player will have new quests to choose from, new monsters to battle, and valuable treasure to discover. The game will also feature improvements from the old game, such as easier travel and a more intuitive menu system. There will also be 100 pieces of new equipment, new high level weapons and armor sets. Players who own the original Dragon’s Dogma will receive 100,000 Rift Crystals (the currency), unlimited Ferrystones (a form of teleporter), and the Gransys Armor Pack, consisting of six brand new costumes, for free.

“Dead Island: Riptide” is a spin-off of the original “Dead Island” and picks up right where the last game left off. The five survivors arrive at another island that is overrun by zombies. The game will feature new vehicles, levels, and weather conditions. There will also be online multiplayer support, as well as co-op.

“Deadly Premonition: Director’s Cut” is the re-release of the game with the Guinness World Record for “Most Critically Polarizing Survival Horror Game.” This game will feature a new branching ending, as well as an in-game camera. The game will also have a graphical overhaul from the original game.

“Soul Sacrifice” is a role playing game where the primary mechanic involves the ability to sacrifice parts of their character’s body or items to unleash devastating attacks. However, there is a catch: each sacrifice will be permanently marked on the player’s body, so they will not be able to constantly draw upon their sacrifices. The player will be able to choose from different types of sorcerers to customize their character.

Image credit: IGN.com

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Wei Shen has been through so much since the “Sleeping Dogs” main story ended. Wei has battled the undead in order to save his girlfriend in the Nightmare in North Point downloadable content (DLC) and has been in a major martial arts tournament in the Zodiac Tournament DLC but the player has never really seen Wei Shen take responsibility for his undercover exploits, until now.

In the latest DLC, The Year of the Snake, Shen’s bosses are very upset at all the property damage and casualties that were caused during his time working undercover and demote him to a regular officer. Here, Shen must follow orders, help citizens and even give out traffic tickets. While amusing to see Shen’s aggravation at being demoted, is the DLC worth the money and more importantly the time?

The Year of the Snake is the first of the DLC packs to actually promise to follow Wei Shen after the initial story, unlike Nightmare in North Point which could have easily taken place in the middle of the main story. This story begins before the Chinese New Year and Shen has been called to investigate some strange happenings going on around Hong Kong. Several bombings have been taking place and it is up to Shen to find out who is behind it and why, before the New Year.

The Year of the Snake contains roughly six missions along with new collectibles, trophies/achievements and weapons. For each mission accomplished, the clothes, weapons or vehicles that are unlocked may be used within the main story. As Wei Shen must settle down as a regular cop, so too must the player. You cannot simply beat down assailants as an officer, but you can tase them or beat them with a baton before arresting them. Moreover, if a riot starts Wei Shen can tear gas the entire crowd to gain back control. These weapons provide a new experience to an already great game.

Despite becoming an officer in Hong Kong and having the ability to tase criminals, there really is not much else to this DLC. Seeing Wei Shen punished for his handling of his undercover work was satisfying but that is all there is to it. As a final ending for the “Sleeping Dogs” main story, it is lacking but then again the main story’s ending was very anticlimactic as well, so you get what you pay for. There aren’t any twist ending or surprises, just Wei Shen dealing with being demoted.

Rating – 4/5: The Year of the Snake is a short but sweet DLC which provides a realistic consequence for Shen’s actions during the main story and gives the player a new angle to play from after tormenting Hong Kong as a gangster. This DLC is worth the money for the liberties one can take as a cop, however in the end, you will want to go back to being undercover because being a member of the Triad is still much more fun. The Year of the Snake is available for the PlayStation 3 ($6.99 USD), Xbox 360 (560 Microsoft Points) and Steam ($6.99 USD).

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Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix have done it. They have made a game that not only gives us a legitimate origin story of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft but have also given an intense action-packed thriller that makes us come back for more.

The game begins with twenty-one year old Lara Croft, just graduated from college and on a search for the island of Yamatai, which may or may not exist. Her college friend Sam, who is recording their journey for a reality show, the lead archaeologist, Whitman, who is funding the expedition, Roth, the Captain of the Endurance, an old friend of Lara’s father and a father figure to Lara, and the rest of the Endurance crew (Reyes, Alex, Jonah and Grim) all accompany her. Lara believes Yamatai is located in the Dragon’s Triangle near Japan, but the crew is uneasy because of the storms that surround that area. Roth believes in Lara’s instincts and the ship enters the Dragon’s Triangle. The Endurance becomes engulfed in the storm and sinks, leaving Lara and the crew of the Endurance stranded on an unknown island.

The game that follows is nothing short of intense, as Lara must not only survive on the island but also try to save her fellow shipmates and fight against enemies driven by an unknown force. All of this makes Lara realize that she must grow up fast if she is to save herself and protect the ones she loves.

From the start, “Tomb Raider” creates a very real survival atmosphere, sucking you into Lara’s emotions. Lara’s very first kill is traumatic for her and you feels her sorrow and fear. Voice actress Camilla Luddington brings a sensitive and raw side to Lara Croft that lends well to the new experience the character is going through.

Gameplay wise, “Tomb Raider” has third person combat mixed with quick time reaction (QTR) ques. During melee combat the QTR ques can be daunting to press perfectly each time, especially during a thrilling fight. Once mastered, however, they aren’t much of a bother. The QTR ques add extra adrenaline for you in life or death situations, such as Lara dangling from a cliff after thrashing through rapids. Lara’s deaths are ghastly to see but are intriguing nonetheless. The game designers wanted you to believe that this environment has no mercy and careless mistakes have consequences. If you jump at the wrong time, Lara will fall and be impaled through the neck by a sharpened tree branch. If you lose a fight with a wolf, it will rip your jugular out. If you do not guide Lara out of a rock slide fast enough, the rock will chop her in half and you will watch helplessly as her head explodes and blood spurts out.

At first, Lara only has the bow and arrow as a weapon. However, as the game progresses, she gains advanced weaponry and can upgrade her weapons through collecting salvage or raiding tombs. Lara’s skills can also be upgraded from defeating humans/animals and looting their bodies. However, the main focus of the game is not the actual raiding of tombs, as it was in Lara Croft’s past games. They are optional and not all that dangerous. The tombs serve as mini puzzles which, after solved, treasure is rewarded. The gameplay is focused squarely on survival through combat but also by traversing the island. Lara can rock climb, crawl through caves, zip line, and most obstacles are removed by burning them with any fire you can find.

When thinking back to the past games in the “Tomb Raider” franchise, it is astonishing to see how far the franchise has come. The improvements to the game mechanics such as running, jumping, and climbing are so vastly improved and are obviously much more natural. In previous games developed by Core Design, you would have to aim the camera angle in a specific way to accurately injure an enemy, which was a frustrating endeavor. As the games matured under the development of Crystal Dynamics, Lara’s movements became more weighted, more natural and nimbler.

Lara’s image, needless to say, is much less pornographic now than it was in her earlier games. By focusing on Lara’s mental state in her given situation, Crystal Dynamics has let the character carry the game rather than relying on body image. Overall, the “Tomb Raider” franchise recycled the old running, jumping, climbing, stealth and weapon animations so often that it is very refreshing to see new animations and ways to solve environmental puzzles. In Crystal Dynamics’ hands, Tomb Raider could reclaim the glory it once had when it premiered in 1996.

The score for “Tomb Raider” is brilliantly composed by Jason Graves. At times it is reminiscent of the game “Arkham City.” It gives Lara Croft the theme music that not only defines her as a video game icon but as a human character who feels fear and loss throughout her experience on the island.

The only negative aspects to “Tomb Raider” are the cut scenes, which are not lip synced well, and the multiplayer component. The multiplayer features the survivors verses the inhabitants of the island in several game modes such as team death match or free for all. Although entertaining, multiplayer was not needed for this game to boast replay value. The single player mode is more than enough to warrant more than one play through. But these are trivial complaints for what the gamer receives in this action packed, emotionally driven survival narrative.

Rating 5/5- Tomb Raider has not only earned but deserves a perfect score. From the visuals, musical score, explosions, enemies both animal and human, the loss and the nostalgia of raiding tombs, “Tomb Raider” has it all for either those new to the franchise or for long time fans. Not only have Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix redeemed an icon but they have crafted an origin story that gives the “Tomb Raider” franchise the credibility it had lost long ago.

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Racing games, unlike RPG’s or Action Adventure games, are pretty straight forward. What you see is what you get. Still, there will always be little secrets hidden inside racing games like “Real Racing 3″. As you progress through cars and upgrades, the number of upgrade options will expand to include body mods and exhaust kits that will help you further your racing ability but there are other ways to play “Real Racing 3″ to your advantage.

1. Risk vs Reward

Staying with the racing line is usually a good thing during the race but at certain times during the race it is advantageous to take the outside or cut the corner a little quicker than the guy in front of you. Just be aware that you’ll have to pay for any repairs that need to be made when you finish the game.

Hint: While it isn’t very sporting to use another car as a shield to bounce off during a corner, you can do it near the beginning of the race if there are a lot of cars. Not only does this slow all the cars that are behind you on the racing line, you take minimal damage and likely move up in position from back of the pack to middle or even 1st place. Just make sure after you bounce off this car that you don’t also bounce into a wall.

2. Checking Out the Sand

If you haven’t already figured this out, allow yourself to feel thunderstruck. There are sand or gravel markings on select tracks and it is not an accident that they happen to be there right where the racing line is located. Similarly, there are road bumpers on the side where the green is. Instead of this grass slowing you down, it is  a darker green that gives you a slight bit of turning grip for the benefit of cornering.

Hint: For better training, follow the sand markings via a connect-the-dot method so that you hit each one at maximum speed just after or before braking. Doing so can help you see where the racing line is, if the concept is new to you. If the racing line isn’t new to you, you can still use the location of the sand to indicate where the opponent will race and plan to drive around them accordingly. The aforementioned darker green area is also usable to gain a fraction of a second when doing endurance races where every mile counts.

3. Saving Your Coin

Gold coins aren’t used often in this game.  You’ll be spending R$ (racing money) so that you can guy upgrades like exhaust or body kits and new cars. Unless you’re impatient enough to use your gold coins, you should have a healthy amount saved as you gain levels. Save them all though and you’ll have some of the best cars featured in the entire game.

Hint: The gold coins that you make at the end of every level up should be saved so you can buy cars with it. The few that require only gold coins to buy are from Pagani, Koenigsegg, McLaren and Porsche. It makes sense to save them versus spending them on speeding up the time required for upgrades.

4.Watch the Showcase Events

There are showcase events that pop up in every tier of every series of racing events as well as independently on the main racing board. These showcase events allow you to buy cars that are also in the current tier but usually at a discounted price. When you start the race, you’ll have a choice between the Ford Focus RS and the Nissan Silvia S15 because the Dodge Challenge R/T and the BMW 1 Series M Coupe will be out of your budget for this beginners set of races.

Hint: When you get about halfway through the first of four series in the beginner level, the desire to buy the Challenger or BMW 1 Series will become stronger as races get harder. Assuming you’ve upgraded all the parts in your beginner Ford or Nissan, the showcase series race for the Challenger or the BMW 1 Series will come soon enough so just wait and save yourself some money as you progress. By then though, your starter Ford Focus or Silvia S15 may be so powerful you can speed through the rest of the races without buying the challenger or BMW 1 Series.

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Real Racing 3 for Android and iOS is the latest in a long list of racing games appearing in their respective market places. A sim racer at heart with a bit of arcade thrown in for good measure, the game’s graphics are top notch and the audio equally so. This is a game that racers will spend time on, moving through the progression, redoing races and earning cash along the way.

Developer Firemonkeys, the result of a merger between Firemint and Iron Monkey in 2012, are an in-house studio for EA interactive. Firemint, since its 1999 acquisition by EA, have produced a steady stream of mobile games for iOS, Android and other mobile platforms. Many of Firemint’s games are racing related so expectations are high for the sequel to Real Racing 2.

As a tilt control racer on the mobile market, there are still a myriad of additional control options ranging from tilt steering with an onscreen brake all the way to detailed left or right hand drive with brake and clutch. This many choices are a welcome boon to any player when combined with the racing assists to help keep the game as responsive as possible. In practical terms it means that players can control their car well even in motion, such as on a moving train or car, where switching out the tilt steering for a responsive on-screen steering wheel is advantageous. It also means you’re not shoulder checking the person next to you on the bus when you drift a turn.

The cars control well and it should be noted that across multiple brands, the cars all feel different. Steering is sharp and fast in cars that you expect to turn on a dime and achieve blistering speeds. North of 150 miles an hour is easily achievable with your first street spec car. That does not mean, however, that you can take every corner with impunity. Hitting a sandpit, a wall or another car deals damage to momentum and your car. This damage will not only cost you money, but acceleration, top speed and ultimately the race. Players who ignore the racing line will simply drive willy-nilly into the wall again and again in last place. Repair times do not run simultaneously; they stack, meaning a totally wrecked car could take upwards of an hour to repair.

The multiple points of view available also helps things move forward, as the sensation of speed and control is greatest inside the cockpit of the car. The engine noise, road noise and crash damage all transition well to the player’s audio and visual senses. There is nothing quite like rear ending a car and seeing your windshield spider web or your front bumper disintegrate. At least, nothing until you remember that going into corners too hard means your tires and brakes wear out fast. There is nothing like simulation racing to calculate how much money and real time maintenance your car requires at the end of each race.

The selection of vehicle brands and car models is limited to 46 cars, but includes a bevy of exotic supercars from automakers like Porsche, Pagani, Ford and Bugatti. Players will start with four run-of-the-mill street race spec vehicles while earning cash and gold coins for upgrades.

Collecting funds in this game is slow and unrewarding until later in the game. Players looking to buy all 46 vehicles are in for a rude awakening. Unless you are willing to pony up real cash, racing to save up digital funds the regular way is a lengthy process. There are alternatives for getting gold coins through Real Racing 3’s Twitter or Facebook page, but this is not a quick arcade racer. Racing fans will have to buckle down and stick with this game to get the real rewards.

Sadly, there are few customization options as far as colors and mechanical upgrades go. A few tiers worth of parts for the engine, drive train, brakes and tires is about all you’ll get. The paint colors are likewise standard, and cost gold coins rather than money. This, in concert with the freemium use option of using real money to buy in-game money, makes quick progression a problem and at times, tedious.

For example, you can repeat races, looking to improve scores and lap times, but some events, such as beating a certain speed limit on an oval, become too easy on the 20th play. To keep things fresh, players are encouraged to buy new cars, get new upgrades, and do the more than 900+ events in different cars and racing styles. This facet of the game is very enjoyable but also necessary to keep the gamers’ attention. Without the race and event variety, players would have been bored with an otherwise limited game.

The most important thing about Real Racing 3 though, is the Time Shift multiplayer. This function logs lap times and other statistics of actual human players, providing gamers with real player statistics to race against, albeit with a time delay. It is an interesting way of setting up players against real players, but this facet is largely ignored if your friends aren’t playing. With it on however, the game play takes on a competitive edge that is thrilling to experience.

Thankfully, EA and Firemonkeys have done a great job with Real Racing 3. The game features good racing physics and graphics despite the expected battery drain when playing. Lastly, the game is a racing sim in the truest sense of the word, requiring time and effort to progress. Impatient racers will spend real cash for in-game cash. But the only dime worth turning in this game is the one under your wheel as you blast by at 200 mph through the corners with a perfect oversteering drift turn.

Rated 4.5/5: Beating all other racers on the mobile market, Real Racing 3 is leagues ahead as far as controls and track variety goes. Fun factor and replay value is extremely high despite the limited number of cars and slow progression in an otherwise beautiful simulation racer. Real Racing 3 is the mobile race gamers have been waiting for.

Image courtesy: EA.com

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“Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” is a RPG developed by Studio Ghibli makers of such animated film classics as “Spirited Away,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and “Ponyo.” The game was released for the Nintendo DS (only in Japan) and the PlayStation 3.

The story of “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” follows thirteen-year-old Oliver, whose mother dies from heart problems. When a male fairy named Drippy tells him that there might be a way to save his mother by going to a parallel world called Ni no Kuni, the two set off together. They soon discover that Ni no Kuni is being subjected to corruption by the evil Dark Djinn Shadar. Now they must band together with fellow characters to stop his evil from taking over all of Ni no Kuni with the hope that he will also be able to save his mom.

This game was developed by Studio Ghibli, who designed the characters and settings in the game as well as created the animated cutscenes sprinkled throughout the game. These scenes perfectly set the mood for every new setting and character. The game’s graphics use cel shading (like in “The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker”) in order to keep Studio Ghilbi’s traditional animation style intact.

Like many RPGs, you collect more and more characters to the party, who the player can either take control of or allow AI to take over. This AI is very good, often able to take care of the characters in battle as well as help others in the party. However, if the player wants someone to perform a specific move, they will be able to give the AI orders during battle.

Something else that players are certain to enjoy is the Familiar system, in which they will be able to command a creature reminiscent to a Pokémon. They will also be able to evolve when they grow stronger like Pokémon. On top of that, the player will eventually be able to tame some of the monsters they face in battle into Familiars.

Speaking of battle mechanics, the battle system in this game is great. At first one might assume that it was a turn-based battle system (which to an extent it still is), but in fact the player will be able move around the area and even dodge some enemy attacks. This is not to say that battling is simple; in fact, the player will die regularly if they don’t use strategy for nearly every battle. There is also a ton of content in this game with quests and bounty hunts on top of the main story.

A considerable downside is that this game can be pretty hard. The player might even die several times during the beginning tutorial on easy mode, especially if it is their first time playing the game. This does not only apply to the bosses, but even against the regular enemies if the player does not know what they are doing. Then again, when the player does win, there is a great feeling of accomplishment for winning against a powerful boss. The controls are simple to pick up and the camera angle is perfect without much adjustment.

Another possible downside is that this game starts off much slower than other games. The player will be playing for a couple of hours and still be learning new mechanics in the game. This is not to say that it is boring! The game is entertaining throughout this time, and when something new is added it is just the icing to the cake. The voice acting is also exceptional, especially since several of the voice actors have to be able to pull off both a British and American accent. The voice actors do this wonderfully without their accents ever seeming stereotypical.

Rating 4.5/5- Overall “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” is a very good game with great gameplay, an intriguing plot, entertaining characters, and beautiful graphics. If you love JRPGs or Studio Ghilbi, this is definitely the game for you, but it definitely has enough to appeal to people outside these two groups!

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Studio Ghibli has been responsible for heartwarming movies in Japan since 1985. With legendary animator Hyao Miyzaki at the forefront, Studio Ghibli has produced movies such as “Princess Mononoke,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Ponyo,” and most recently “The Secret World of Arrietty.” When they gave Disney their blessing in regards to releasing their movies in a dubbed format within the United States, their fan base grew even larger. So when gamers, Studio Ghibli fans, heard that they were partnering with developer Level-5 and Bandai Namco publishing to create a role-playing video game, it seemed like an obvious match made in heaven.

As a result, “Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” has become a critical darling with critics and fans alike falling over themselves with the cute, innocent nature of the characters. But however lovable the characters may be, does this marriage of Studio Ghibli and video games work? Studio Ghibli’s stories usually have a theme that is heartwarming, with grown up sentiments tied together with amiable characters, together with fantastical landscapes and environments. No matter how well done a story and environment is, within the confines of a video game the game play has to be in the same league as the visuals to be concise and a success as an entire product.

Studio Ghibli’s contribution to the game is your typical Studio Ghibli fare. You have your hero, Oliver, the chosen one, with a buddy on the side, in this case a sassy fairy named Mr. Drippy. He learns and loves and gains some companions along the way just to even out the cast, as well as give the player different skill sets to fight battles with. The color palate is bright, optimistic pastels, with solid animation to back it up.

However, the player only sees the animation in very limited cut scenes. In the meantime, the game designers decided that cel shading would be the most complementary style to go along with Studio Ghibli’s art style. It was a logical choice but does not flow exactly with Studio Ghibli’s smooth and bright animation. Oftentimes the animation out-shines the cel-shaded gameplay and distracts one from enjoying the play.

It feels as though the designers wanted a “Grandia” type of feel, with both the gameplay and cut scenes coalescing into a whole, unified atmosphere. But cel shading does not marry well with Myzaki’s beloved art style and the result is a disjointed gaming experience. The cel shaded scenes and gameplay gave off an “Eternal Sonata” (also published by Bandai Namco) vibe and atmosphere, with darker tones which do not always match the animated contributions of Studio Ghibli.

An example of this disjointed experience: just before an animated sequence finishes, the scene fades to black a little too quickly and a mini load screen comes up before the cel shaded sequence pops up. It’s almost as though the game wants to speed through Studio Ghibli’s animation to get to the next sequence. This places the player in an uncomfortable place between wanting to be invested in Studio Ghibli’s story or wanting to play the game.

Cut Scenes should add to the experience and create an entire atmosphere in order to tell the gamer a whole story. Throughout the whole game, one continues to see more of the limited scenes Studio Ghibli contributed, which is probably not what the designers had in mind for their game as a whole. In addition, the game does not take full advantage of Studio Ghibli’s talent. A majority of the scenes are that of the cel shaded variety, which would anger a Myizaki fan who bought the game not only to play a role playing game but to play one that featured the talent of a beloved animation studio.

In the end, what the gamer gets is a role-playing game with a few Studio Ghibli scenes thrown in, which is fine for a casual gamer but not for one who truly loves Studio Ghibli and their art style.

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“BioShock,” since its debut in 2007, has been a franchise that is just gorgeous to look at as well as to play. Six years ago, gamers were introduced to the underwater city of Rapture, which was isolated from society and stuck in the 1950s. Every detail that went into the environment, from water leaking into just about every room, retro vending machines and the posters that hinted at the city’s technology and culture, drew the player in and made them feel trapped in Rapture.

The people behind the “BioShock” franchise have done it again with their new game “BioShock Infinite.” The artwork reflects certain design choices within the game and grants the player with a new atmosphere to become lost in: the floating city of Columbia. The Art of BioShock Infinite published by Dark Horse, grants an in-depth look into the evolution of the design, style and characters within “BioShock Infinite,” with a forward by the Creative Director of Irrational Games, Ken Levine, with commentary by Julian Murdoch and Dorian Hart.

The art book gives an adequate amount of attention to every aspect of the development process without overwhelming the reader with technical terms. Certain enemies that are seen in the finished game have different appearances, textures, appendages or just were scraped all together while core concepts were kept. What is truly beautiful and telling is the artwork of Columbia itself. Vast open spaces with towering buildings give the viewer a sense of the city while the darkness and degradation of the environment give an uneasy vibe, as if there is something going on behind the scenes.

The main characters of “BioShock Infinite,” Elizabeth and Booker, have gone through their iterations as well, until just the right look portrayed the characters correctly. Elizabeth in particular has a multitude of pages dedicated to her facial features and attire, which gives the viewer an appreciation for her polished final design.

Artist Robb Waters hints upon the difficult relationship Elizabeth has with the Songbird in one single image. Elizabeth stands next to the immense creature with one hand placed on it, as if petting the creature with a look of sadness on her face. The Songbird’s evolution is quite interesting to see. From early sketches that resemble that of a “Big Daddy with wings” the artists transformed the Songbird into a different creature altogether. The Songbird gives off an avian vibe with a mechanical tick that is both fascinating and terrifying. Is it truly a bird? Is it purely mechanical? This is something the player will have to find out within the game.

The only qualm is in the design of the main protagonist, Booker Dewitt. In his early iterations, Booker’s facial features had character. One example of this was that the bridge of his nose looked swollen, giving the rest of his face a fighter kind of look. However, in his polished design he appears to be a mix of Nathan Drake (“Uncharted”) and a younger looking Joel (“The Last of Us”). The commentary points to a necessary “everyman” look. The game industry is obsessed with the attractive white male in his thirties with a little scruff on his face, but it is becoming old hat. Would a less attractive leading male have been too much in a first person game which, according to Ken Levine, only shows Booker’s face in a reflection?

The art book makes up for this setback by giving an intriguing look at the game’s powers, which the player obtains by consuming Vigors. Vigors are given their very own chapter which sheds light onto the numerous designs of the bottles as well as the physical transformation of Columbia’s citizens that become addicted to them.  Their bodies are grotesquely affected as a result.

Propaganda art work is a staple within the “BioShock” franchise. Posters littered around the city give the player insight concerning the social and cultural goings on around the city and that time period. The chapter on the propaganda of Columbia is reminiscent of the propaganda from the nineteenth century. They portray an America worried about foreigners deluding the American standard and values.

At the same time, propaganda posters for the civil war between The Founders and the Vox Populi add to the tension within the city. The leader of the Vox, Daisy Fitzroy, also has her own designs, as the artist strove to create a compelling leader for the revolution.

Last, one of the most interesting aspects of Columbia is the Sky-Hook. Sky-Hooks are the method of transportation between the floating sections of Columbia. They resemble roller coasters, except a character hangs by one arm. The design of the Sky-Hook is highly intricate, which gives a sense that they would actually exist. Irrational Games has produced some for the eager collector to own. As if the Sky-Hook was not innovative in itself, it can also be used in combat. There are several exciting renderings of the Sky-Hook maiming enemies.

Throughout The Art of BioShock Infinite the viewer is treated to a behind the scenes look at how concepts and designs are drawn up and evolve within the game design process. Many concepts do not make the cut, but the ones that do are the polished and truly unique ideas that make the finished game worth experiencing. This is an art book not only for the discerning collector, but a must buy for any fan of the “BioShock” franchise.

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Borderlands 2 was one of the most anticipated gaming titles released in 2012. Voted by many reviewers as one of the best, if not the best game of 2012, the road to level 50 is not easy. Filled with equal parts fear and uncertainty, players who finish the game in Normal Mode are only in their mid 30′s as far as experience and weaponry is concerned. After Normal Mode is the True Vault Hunter Mode and this mode scales everything up to become much more Super Badass.

In True Vault Hunter Mode, players restart the game with all their previous weapons and stats intact but the enemies have gotten consequently tougher. Now enemies have tougher armor, are more resilient against your weapons elemental affects and deal more damage to you. Any gamer who is expecting an easy time, just because they have great weapons and shields from Normal Mode, is in for a rude awakening, as they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars dying over and over again.

True Vault Hunter Mode just plain hurts for those that are unprepared. Going into this mode below level 34 is likely an impossible feat, given how fast a player will die, regardless of weaponry. To combat this, loot chests are scaled up to give better weapons as well since players will need them to survive. Bosses are likewise harder and thankfully give more experience. While the dynamic of fighting a bad guy does not change much from Normal Mode, just surviving is a problem for those, who get lazy when fighting the new Armored Maniac. As the name implies, hard to kill is an understatement upon first meeting.

Besides the change in difficulty, there are other aspects of Borderlands 2 that change once you hit the big leagues. By this point, most players will have expanded their backpack and ammunition space to their maximum range using Eridium. What this means is that Eridium, the purple rock of awesomeness, will be relegated to use only when used to summon the four Invincible series raid bosses. Money too, takes on different meaning since having a million dollars has limited use; it only helps you come back from the dead and to buy ammo.

The real value is in ammunition. Players who have ammo absorbing shields or the right Gunzerker skills will be able to regenerate ammo on command but for the rest of us, ammo becomes a problem. While each class has advantages to conserving ammo, even the greatest amount of ammo will not save you from a fiery gruesome death. There are boss battles in True Vault Hunter Mode that drain players of almost all their ammo and at 3,000 dollars a cringe-worthy pop for 24 shotgun rounds, having that cool million will go a long way at level 50.

Loot chests too, are affected since most of the chests give better weapons to players than the vending machines do. Smart players though, will take any weapon they can carry and sell the useless but high value weapons to keep their cash flow north of 500,000 dollars. Similarly, useless class modes and relics are sold off at the earliest convenience to make room for more items to sell later on.

Interestingly enough, relics and class modes have a higher retention rate due to their ability to change the game play. For practical combat applications, players in True Vault Hunter Mode now have bigger incentive to re-spec and experiment with the majority of their skill points. Whereas a level 20 player would only have access to half of one skill tree, upper level players can experience the full range of options by selecting points in all three skill tree for the most customized skill builds.

For many players, reaching level 50 is only half way through the game since players can and should leave the side quests for after finishing True Vault Hunter Mode where all the loot is scaled to level 50. After that, it’s time to fight the four invincible raid bosses, some of which do require the DLC’s to go after the Legendary and Seraph class weapons.

Given all the great weapons, shields, relics and class mods; it’s easy to see why Borderlands 2 is such a phenomenal game. Five characters, 15 different skill trees and True Vault Hunter Mode make Borderlands 2 one of the most robust games of all time. With the ability re-spec after every mission or to create a character and skill tree build tailored to defeating a boss, customization is high no matter the level a player reaches. The best rewards come to those who wait and spending time with Borderlands 2 at Level 50 is well worth the effort.

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On February 17, the company originally responsible for “Halo,” possibly one of the biggest franchises available on Xbox 360, has revealed their new project “Destiny.” A futuristic shooter that seems to be set on a near-apocalyptic setting with humanity attempting recovery while still declining.

Premise:

In an age where humanity once colonize other planets, the Earth home planet suffered from a catastrophe known only as “The Collapse,” which decimated the human population until only a small fraction of it remained. The mysterious appearance of a massive spherical structure known as “The Traveler” prevented the extinction of humankind and gave a place to rebuild right beneath where it lays floating on top of the Earth. Once humanity started to explore the outskirts of the planet again, they discovered they were not alone, hostile and unknown creatures have now become present on the edges of civilization. The player is placed into the game as a soldier able to wield some of The Traveler’s power to defend the city and reclaim what humanity has lost. (Click here to watch the recently released ViDoc revealing the project.)

Rumors/ Expected Gameplay Elements:

Not much about the game has been released, only a few concept art videos with what to expect on this year’s E3 and  few rumors about what the game will do differently than other games in the bungie repertoire. So far, the people we have been able to talk to seem to be thinking of this game as another “Halo” project or “Halo-like” game, but from what little info available, it is pretty evident that Bungie is aiming in an entirely new direction, even if some successful “Halo” elements are borrowed and implemented to “Destiny.”

The following quote comes from an article published by Gamespot on February 15, 2013.

“According to the documentation, Destiny will be a first-person shooter set in an “always-connected” universe that allows gamers to create a character and earn customizable weapons, gear, and vehicles.”

In the ViDoc we see some of the developers tweaking with a few Iphone apps that allow the player to stay communicated with the gaming community they’ve created exclusively for Destiny; it is apparent that Bungie isn’t just building a game, they are attempting to build an entirely new experience for their players. Bungie’s 10-year publishing year with Activision is evidence of that,  we can not assert that this deal means continuos updates to heighten the player experience and keep us hooked, but judging by the fact that some developers have stated things such as”

“We’re building something alive, it has a nature that we don’t totally control, things are gonna happen that we don’t plan and that’s amazing” (heard on ViDoc)

It seem comfortable enough to speculate that somehow, Bungie will manage to make this new universe feel fluid, alive and connected for all of their players. I am curious to know whether it will be a single player campaign with a multiplayer or if they will break away from that traditional structure and somehow merge the two into a more fluid mechanic, if someone can pull a move like that, it is definitely Bungie.

Those who are loyal to Bungie should be very excited for the turnout of this project, from what little information is available it looks like it could be a promising title that any gamer should consider picking up.

An official release date is yet to be announced, but it is rumored to be in 2014.

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Naughty Dog, the studio that brought us popular franchises such as Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter and more recently, Uncharted, promises to give gamers an innovative survival action horror title that will have gamers at the edge of their seats. “The Last of Us” revolves around black market smuggler Joel, who is asked by his partner to smuggle a girl, Ellie, from out of a city under military rule.  This proves to be no easy task, with the world infected with a fungus which renders humans to a zombie-like state.

From viewing the very first gameplay trailer in 2011, “The Last of Us” definitely brings tension and tough decisions to the forefront.  Joel is tasked with protecting Ellie, but this does not mean she is a useless non-player character. If the player takes cover, she will do so as well. If she hears enemies near, she will alert Joel. She picks up her own weapons and uses them to assist Joel.

The choice of how to dispatch of enemies is completely up to the player. Straight forward methods such as using a gun are an option… until the player runs out of ammo.  If the enemy hears your gun click it will know you are out of ammo and advance upon you. Other ways to kill include Molotov cocktails, stolen weapons, and performing choke holds on unsuspecting enemies.  A highlight of dealing with enemies is being able to use the environment as a weapon, and being able to create your own weapons with items scavenged from the environment. The player can bash a thug’s head into a table or wall if they so choose.  However, these choices will factor in later in the game for the player.

The environment in “The Last of Us” is surreal, as it is very clear that the earth is reclaiming the environment. The characters slug through stagnant water, as vegetation covers everything.  Throughout the first trailer the monsters are strategically absent, but this does not take away from the preview of the game.  The environment and human enemies give off more than enough tension and intrigue to keep the audience engaged.  For example, sounds from footsteps, floors creaking, and wind blowing through empty buildings give off a feeling of isolation as Joel and Ellie traverse the city, attempting to escape. However, one little noise can disrupt the silence and put the player immediately on high alert.

The second trailer is a “story trailer,” which gives more insight into the dilemma of smuggling Ellie out of the city.  The tension of the game is amplified by the reveal of the “zombie-esque” monster designs.  They appear extremely grotesque as well as formidable, and are seen lunging at Joel and Ellie in the trailer. The designs for the creatures are a welcome breath of fresh air, as they do not look or feel like your typical zombie-like creatures.  Their visage is obscured with oozing fungi that really do look infectious to the touch. The audience is also given more of a look at the military rule of the city, with constant soldier vigilance, and civilians being arrested.  In addition, the relationship between Joel and Ellie is also being put to the test, as the stress from trying to escape both infected and non-infected humans is evident.

“The Last of Us” is very much anticipated and as such, gamers were disconcerted to hear that Naughty Dog is planning for the game to have a multiplayer component.  As of now they are still very tight lipped about it, but believe it will not compromise the single player experience.

“The Last of Us” is a PlayStation exclusive set to be released on May 7, 2013.  For pre-ordering with Amazon.com, gamers will receive “a digital download of the game soundtrack, featuring original music by Academy Award winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla, a PS3 dynamic theme showing Joel and Ellie on their journey through a ravaged city and two exclusive PlayStation Network avatars featuring Joel and Ellie in winter survival gear.”  For gamers that pre-order with GameStop will receive the same bonuses as Amazon as well as a “survival pack” for the game’s multiplayer mode.

Two special editions were announced on January 22, 2013 on the PlayStation Blog.  The “Survival Edition” will cost $79.99 (USD) while the “Post-Pandemic Edition” will cost $159.99 (USD) and come with everything from the “Survival Edition” to a twelve-inch figurine of Joel and Ellie, but does not include the art book. The “Post-Pandemic Edition” will only be available from GameStop. Collectors will have a difficult choice to make between the art book and the figurine. On the bright side, the art book will be available for purchase in July.

Image Courtesy : Polygon

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This month is much busier than January, and if you are a sci-fi fan this is the month for you, with titles like “Dead Space 3” and “Aliens: Colonial Marines.” If a fan of classics there are series like “Sly Cooper” and “Fire Emblem” for you. Odds are there will be some type of game for you to enjoy this month.

 Action

(2/5/Tuesday) Dead Space 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

(2/5/Tuesday) Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita)

(2/12/Tuesday) Aliens: Colonial Marines (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC)

(2/19/Tuesday) Crysis 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

(2/19/Tuesday) Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

“Dead Space 3” is the third game in the Dead Space series. This new campaign will have a drop-in/drop-out function that will result in each player having different experiences, depending on which character he or she is playing as. Players will also be able to construct new weapons from parts found throughout the game.

“Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time” is the fourth game in the Sly Cooper series and the first game in the series to be released for the PlayStation 3. A new feature to the series is collecting costumes which, when on, will give Sly new abilities. Worlds in the game will be three times the size of those in the original games, and there will be local multiplayer in some sections of the game.

“Aliens: Colonial Marines” is a game based on the Alien film franchise. Players will be able to use iconic weapons from the movie, such as flamethrowers, pulse rifles, smartguns, shotguns, pistols, RPGs, and robotic sentry turrets. Collecting experience points by killing enemies, the gamer will be able to customize a player, get upgrades for weapons, and unlock skill sets. There will also be some new alien types designed solely for the game.

“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” is a game that takes place between “Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” and “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.” The game features a cutting system that players can use in melee combat. The system will also allow the player to cut through anything from enemies and vehicles, to the environment around. There is also a stealth mode called “Ninja Dash,” giving the player the choice to ambush enemies, or take them head to head.

 RPG

(2/4/Monday) Fire Emblem: Awakening (Nintendo 3DS)

(2/26/Tuesday) Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan (Nintendo 3DS)

“Fire Emblem: Awakening” is the fifth game in the main series to be released in the US. Some new features to the series will include an “Avatar” system that allows you to create and customize your character. There will be 40 different classes each, with a set of different skills which the player will be able to change. The game will also feature different difficulty settings such as “normal,” “hard,” “lunatic,” and “lunatic plus.” Two different modes will also be available “casual” and “classic,” with “classic” featuring permadeath, a state in which a character dies and is permanently dead, meaning the character cannot be revived after battle. 

“Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan” is the fourth game in the Etrian Odyssey series and the first of the series to be for the Nintendo 3DS. The game will feature new and improved 3D graphics and special effects. The game also allows the player to map out a path and the dangers to encounter. There will also be a “Casual Play” mode that is a little easier for newcomers or beginners.

 Multiplayers

(2/5/Tuesday) Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U)

(2/8/Friday) We Sing 80s (Wii)

(2/26/Tuesday) Rayman Legends (Wii U)

“Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2” is the sequel to “Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage.” This game will have enemies attacking in hordes. Movement and combat have also become faster and smoother. The game also features two modes “Legend Mode” and “Dream Mode.” “Legend Mode” is a streamlined campaign with several playable characters. “Dream Mode” shows the back stories of the playable characters, and has alternate paths for the characters to choose.

“We Sing 80s” is a karaoke game that has songs only from the 1980s. The player will sing along to the music, matching pitch and rhythm. It also includes “anti-cheat” technology so that tapping or humming will register, but no points will be received.

“Rayman Legends” is the fifth game in the main Rayman series, and the direct sequel to “Rayman Origins.” Up to four players will be able to play with a fifth player, helping the others using the Wii U Gamepad. This makes it imperative on several levels for players to cooperate in order to proceed ahead.

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Most Metal Gear Solid (MGS) fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new spin-off from the series, originally announced as “Metal Gear Solid: Rising” at the 2009 E3 convention but re-announced at the 2012 E3 convention as “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance”  It promises to be a much more action-oriented cousin of the classic franchise. 

The story takes place 4 years after the events in “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriot,” in a time where cyborg technology runs rampant, being used in war as well as to terrorize by the organization Desperado Enforcement LLC.

Yuji Korekado, the Creative Producer at Kojima studios, said in an interview at E3 2012 Convention:

“Within the Metal Gear series, Raiden has been this really cool character with incredible action scenes, so we heard this universal cry from our fans that they wanted the opportunity to actually be able to control Raiden. We answered that call by creating Metal Gear Rising, which will allow users to control Raiden and get to really enjoy those amazing action scenes as a player.”

The plot hints at returning him to his colder persona, “Jack The Ripper,” while further explaining his past as a child soldier and exploring the extent of his human weaknesses. The game will take place in various locations around the world, some in the process of reconstruction from their recent war-ridden past.

In this installment, the man who puts Raiden on a trail of vengeance is Samuel Rodrigues, an operative from the Desperados whose cyborg body is similar to Raiden’s. Since Samuel destroys his body during the assassination of one of Raiden’s protectees while he was working his “low-risk security job” he becomes outfitted with a new and improved body that allows him to perform spectacular feats.

According to the trailers, it seems we have quite a few interesting upgrades that will heighten the experience considerably, such as a stronger blade mode (discussed later), and what looks like a bladed pole he wields as ferociously as his sword.

It is implied at the end of the demo that there will be a sense of cognitive dissonance thanks to his cyborg state, possibly a struggle to maintain human while Raiden takes the life of cyborgs he himself does not consider human. It will be interesting to see how that element plays into the story.

Gameplay

The gameplay is smooth, action packed and heartwarmingly ferocious. It is much more action oriented than the main MGS titles, so if you’ve only played the stealth based games you might be onboard for a sweet surprise when you pick up this game. The cyborg body allows Raiden to perform superhuman actions, such as moving through the environment very quickly with the appropriately named Ninja run. The game features an Augmented Reality interface similar to the Solid Eye from MGS4 that allows you to spot enemies and sliceable structures in the environment from a considerable distance. The greatest feature is Blade Mode: player enters a slow motion state in which he can carefully aim with the analog sticks to cut through an enemy or simply bash X and Y to slice and dice the enemy until satisfied.

The game highly encourages you to carefully aim at the red square that appears at the center of an enemy, which highlights a bundle of nervous fibers loaded with energy the player can use to recover his blade’s energy and health (really useful when surrounded by more than 4 enemies). In some cases the enemy will be a gecko (a large, bipedal unmanned tank), and presumably larger enemies once the game is released. Enemies may be weakened enough for a Blade mode finisher, prompted by a light blue frame on the screen. It is very action packed, aesthetically pleasing and punishingly difficult the first time you play it, but you quickly master the learning curve.

Difficulty wise, in normal mode it is easy enough for new-comers to enjoy the game yet difficult enough for experienced gamers to feel challenged and rewarded upon completing a battle. The voice acting is mostly solid, it only falters in some Codec calls, but this is not a big issue. In the developer’s defense, the game is originally Japanese, so some lip-syncing issues are expected.

The only real issue I had with the demo was that it is difficult to stay focused on your target or Raiden without using the lock-on feature since so much is going on in the screen. Also, the camera doesn’t necessarily move with Raiden’s back. I found myself looking at his face more times than I’d like, which can be disorienting when getting shot and kicked by geckos and cyborgs.

Hopefully, Platinum Studios takes that into consideration. However, since it does add to the fast-paced fighting system by forcing you to be aware of your environment, they may not. I also hope that at some point we can use the skin from MGS4 during the entirety of the game; you can see it in some trailers but its probably only in the first mission when protecting the major.

The demo introduces an upgrade concept not unlike the weapon sales and customization menu in MGS4. It uses BP (Battle Points) as currency, but this time you’re going to be upgrading Raiden’s suit and blade instead of weapons.

Aside from straying from the normal stealth-based gameplay common in a MGS game, the menus and the in-game hud are very similar to previous MGS, but simpler, cleaner and more intuitive. It is really hard to compare this title with previous ones due to its core difference, but it is safe to say that Platinum Studios and Kojima Studios have created a solid spin-off that shows a possibility to branch out into its own franchise while maintaining the Metal Gear atmosphere.

Even with those very small issues, “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” looks like a solid, fun and enjoyable game regardless of whether you’re a returning fan or a newcomer. The game will be available on February 19, 2013 and you can try it out for free at the Xbox Live Marketplace and PSN stores.

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“BioShock Infinite” is set in 1912 at the height of American exceptionalism. Booker Dewitt is sent to the city in the sky, Columbia, with the mission of retrieving a woman named Elizabeth from captivity amidst a civil war between two factions: the Vox Populi and the Founders.

Developer Irrational Games (the original team behind the first BioShock released in 2007) has been slowly, painstakingly slowly, building BioShock Infinite since 2010. Three years of “content in progress” videos, concept art, gameplay videos and most recently released the actual first five minutes of the game. Ken Levine, co-founder of Irrational Games, has been resolute in Irrational’s development of Infinite even as some employees left Irrational in the middle of Infinite’s development.

Despite setbacks, fans were still excited, that is until Levine discussed the target audience for BioShock Infinite. Apparently, Levine and his team intended the game to appeal to gamers who are fans of games like the “Call of Duty” franchise. Levine has interviewed these fans in an effort to understand what makes them play certain games over others. It is understandable that Irrational Games would want a demographic that is as lucrative as the young male demographic since they buy the same types of games over and over again. However, this means some things about the game will be tailored to that demographic; such as the protagonist, Booker Dewitt, being the only featured character on the box art. This is questionable because there are two main characters: Booker and Elizabeth. Irrational made an attempt to remedy this by having fans vote on a reversible cover.

In classic “BioShock” style, the player is aided by supernatural powers. These powers are gained by ingesting “Vigors” and grant the player control over elements such as electricity or even crows. Dewitt’s partner, Elizabeth, comes with her own power which only she has control over: the ability to summon objects through space and time to assist the player in combat situations. She brings objects called “Tears,” which can be determined from their gray, fragmented appearance over objects nearby. For example the player may come under heavy fire and may want Elizabeth to bring a cover into the space from another reality. She can do so only if a “Tear” allows her to. In addition, Elizabeth’s abilities cannot be overused as they require a cool down period, causing the player to think about every “Tear” they use.

Moreover, the actual gameplay is akin to a free for all, all out chaos with enemies shooting, tears being ripped open by Elizabeth, Dewitt being hurled from skyline to skyline while using his “Vigors” and guns to aid him. Such a dynamic combat system is overwhelming to watch and take in. However, when one has the controller in their hands they could become lost in the combat and feel more immersed in Dewitt’s role as the one who needs to protect Elizabeth and escape the madness that Columbia has become. The tag team dynamic that Elizabeth and Dewitt share can only give the player more choices on how to handle a particular fight, which in the end is a positive and intriguing aspect of the gameplay.

Another interesting aspect of “BioShock Infinite” is the “1999 mode” which is much more than a hardest difficulty setting. The player will need to plan out every single choice they make in order to survive. Ken Levine states on the BioShock Infinite website that “1999 Mode will demand that players pick specializations, and focus on them.” This mode promises to frustrate gamers, but in a good way. Levine advises to save often in result.

In the meantime, players who pre-ordered any version of “BioShock Infinite” can play the online flash puzzle game “Industrial Revolution.” In the game you are a worker in a factory and it is your choice whether you want to support the Vox Populi or the Founders. In line with BioShock heritage, the choice the player makes effects the story. The player is also able to unlock money and powers that they can use in “Infinite” when it is released.

Irrational has also jumped on the special edition bandwagon in which players have a choice of two editions: “Premium Edition”($79.99 USD) or the “Ultimate Songbird Edition”($149.99 USD). Both editions come with unlockables, an artbook, keychain, handyman figurine, avatars and themes for the Xbox 360 or PS3. The only major difference is the “Ultimate Songbird Edition” comes with a statue of the Songbird, the monster that holds Elizabeth captive. The player has a choice to make here as well:  is a statue worth the price of $149.99? According to Ken Levine, it is. Moreover, in addition to all of these goodies, on January 22, 2013, Irrational announced an e-book, “BioShock Infinite: Mind in Revolt,” will be free for gamers that pre-ordered with Amazon.com. The prequel covers the lead up to the events in “Infinite” and delves deeper into the conflict between the Vox Populi and the Founders.

“BioShock Infinite” will finally be released on March 26, 2013. As one of the most highly anticipated games in the New Year, one can only hope Levine has not let fans down. As Levine said in an interview with Adam Sessler, “Columbia is the memory of America that people think existed that never really quite existed.” Just from viewing trailers from the game, Levine and Irrational have definitely brought to life a highly concentrated version of American idealism from long ago.

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When one thinks of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft, one thinks of a voluptuous woman, with a long braid, holding pistols while climbing cliffs in short cut offs in a tiny tank top. In 1996 “Tomb Raider” was developed by Core Design, released by Edios Interactive and has since then changed developers and publishers. With ten games, two movies and a theme park ride under its belt, the franchise has gotten a little stale.

Developer Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix have teamed up to reboot the franchise in a way that will revitalize the “Tomb Raider” in a grittier, edgy new way: by making her human. The new Lara Croft adventure is a prequel that will take players back before Croft became a “kick-ass,” gun-toting adventurer; a young woman thrown into adventure who must fend for herself on a seemingly deserted island.

Along with this new take on “Tomb Raider,” Croft is younger and her body type design reflects this. It is no longer one that will be just gawked at; rather, her skills will be put on display. In the game videos Lara is seen hunting, falling from great heights, using stealth to evade enemies and surviving the elements of the island. The use of a bow and arrow is a welcomed addition as it reflects the best possible skill that Lara would need in surviving on an island. Using a gun would be too loud and give away her location to enemies. In addition, it would also scare away prey. The player would also be using a weapon not often seen in a third person adventure game. It will be interesting to see how the bow is incorporated into the gameplay as Lara acquires other weapons.

Another interesting aspect of this reboot is the inclusion of multiplayer. As a game that is heavily reliant on the single player story, it is curious that Crystal Dynamics would choose to include a multiplayer aspect to a game that did not need it in the first place. In an interview with IGN, the Creative Director of “Tomb Raider,” Noah Huges, stated that multiplayer is, “…important to establish Tomb Raider for the future […] that is part of what a reboot is about.” So far, the multiplayer will include a team vs. team mode and the bow will be available as a weapon of choice. What  is refreshing to see about the multiplayer mode is, that the third person point of view adds an extra challenge that the usual first person point of view does not create for the player. The character can also swing on ropes, climb on top of structures and hang from said structures, which means the player has more options for offense and defensive strategies.

The rebooted franchise sports two editions: regular edition ($59.99 USD) and “Survival Collector’s Edition” ($99.99 USD). The collector’s edition comes in an “endurance” tin from the game, has an eight inch figurine of Lara Croft with her bow and arrow weapon, iron on patches as well as access to a weapons pack in game. In addition for those who pre-ordered there is “Scavenger Hunt” that players can access online and play to win other in game items. The scavenger hunt integrates community elements and trivia questions by having players take photos of themselves with the answer to the trivia question for that particular week.

Gamers that buy from Amazon.com will get “The Final Hours Edition” which comes with “an exclusive Art Book, In-Game Skin for Lara  and a digital copy of Geoff Keighley’s, “The Final Hours of Tomb Raider” for the Kindle Fire.”

This exciting new twist on a fan favorite will be released on March 5, 2013.

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Though the majority of the big games are coming out in February that does not mean there will not be any good games to start off the New Year. In fact, this might be the ideal month to check out some different kinds of games than the regular mainstream games.

• January 8: Anarchy Reigns (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
• January 15: DmC: Devil May Cry (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
• January 15: Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 (PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC)
• January 22: Ni no Kuni (PlayStation 3)
• January 22: Sims 3: 70s, 80s & 90s Stuff (PC)
• January 22: Painkiller: Hell & Damnation (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

Anarchy Reigns is an action combat beat ‘em up, featuring both old and new characters from “MadWorld” in which the player uses extravagant fighting moves to defeat their opponents. The game will also include both a regular and online multiplayer modes such as Tag Team, Battle Royale, Death Match, Capture the Flag, and Survival.

DmC: Devil May Cry is the fifth game in the Devil May Cry series, but instead will take place in an alternate reality from the original series and also introduces a new Dante. Two new features to the series are the two new modes called Angel Mode and Devil Mode which are activated by the trigger buttons. Angel Mode allows the player to pull themselves towards enemies and various areas, leap across large gaps, and use the Osiris which is a fast and quick scythe. In Devil Mode, however, the player is able to pull enemies and objects towards themselves, slow down time to perform stylized moves, and use the slow, but powerful Arbiter.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 is the sequel Sniper: Ghost Warrior in which the player takes control of Private Security Consultant Captain Cole Anderson on missions that include fighting in Sarajevo, the jungles in Burma, and the mountains of Tibet. The game features realistic bullet physics that takes into account the distance, wind and bullet drop of every shot. The multiplayer will allow players engage in sniping duels against other players.

Ni no Kumi is a role-playing game developed by the famous Studio Ghibli about thirteen-year-old Oliver entering the world of Ni no Kumi, a world parallel to his own, in the hope of finding his recently deceased mother. The game has the player battle using a magic book that contains spells which are activated by drawing with the stylus. The player will also be able arrange the characters enabling them to create various tactics.

Sims 3: 70s, 80s & 90s Stuff will be the eighth stuff pack for The Sims 3 and will allow players to decorate their house and Sims with stuff from the Groovy 70s, the Awesome 80s, and the Grunge 90s.

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation is a remake of the game Painkiller which has the player going through a level from start to finish killing various monsters. Each level has a new location that includes castles, monasteries, graveyards, and more. The remake has also added new features such as the entire campaign being able to be played by two players the entire way through. A survival mode is also included that pits up to eight players against each other in a limited area on a single map. There will also be modes such as Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, and Duels.

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“Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” is the sequel to the Wii exclusive title “Epic Mickey.” However, this game is far more inclusive than its predecessor being available to play on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, and PC.

The game is set after the events of the first game. Wasteland is experiencing strange earthquakes which threaten to tear their world apart when the Mad Doctor (an antagonist in “Epic Mickey”) who says that he has turned over a new leaf and wants to help. Oswald decides to trust the Mad Doctor and gives him a second chance. However, his girlfriend Ortensia does not and calls upon Mickey to come and help them. Now, Mickey and Oswald must work together to save Wasteland.

As one might infer from the plot, the entire game can be played with two players with one person playing as Mickey and the other playing as Oswald. Of course, if the player doesn’t have a second friend to play along the game can be played as a single player. However, the player will have to work with the Oswald AI in order to get through the game. Fortunately, the partner AI is fairly responsive and will either automatically do the action or the player can order the AI to initiate the action. That being said, the AI is not perfect and will occasionally either not do what you want or wander around uselessly.

Two new features added to the game are voice acting and musical numbers. The voice acting is good with Bret Iwan, the current voice of Mickey Mouse, returning to the role. The ever popular Frank Welker is voicing Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Cary Elwes is voicing Gremlin Gus who offers advice to the player, and lastly Disney voice veteran Jim Cummings.

While the full voice acting, opposed to the grunts and unintelligible sounds, is certainly a welcome change, it can at times get annoying. For instance there will be times when you might be briefly stuck at various sections in the game. However, if you don’t figure out the puzzle or don’t move through the place fast enough Gus will keep giving you the same hint over and over again. The same can be said of the Oswald AI who will often be talking throughout the entire playthrough.

The musical numbers which were mentioned quite a bit before the game came out are not really musical numbers. There is only one character who sings in this game and that is the Mad Doctor voiced by Dave Wittenberg. In fact, the character doesn’t really talk at all, he just sings.

Another problem in the game is the controls, but this can mainly be applied to the other consoles and is much better on the Wii and PC. While walking, jumping, and attacking work fine on all the consoles, using the paint and thinner attacks on the other consoles that becomes much more difficult.

However, a few problems in a game might be inconvenient throughout a playthrough, but would be worth it if the game’s storyline and characters are good. For example, “Epic Mickey” had a lot of camera issues that could ruin a game for some people, however, since the characters and storyline were good the game was definitely worth playing. Does “Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” do the same? The answer is no. The storyline is rather dull and while it attempts to be a mystery the player solves who the culprit is in no time.

The same can be said of the characters: in the previous game they were colorful and fun, now much less interesting. Throughout the game you are given different quests for various characters and if you complete them that character will get a happy ending at the end of the game. This is again taken from the first game, but whereas in the first game the player felt motivated to help the characters he or she’s grown to love, in this game the player will feel mostly indifferent.

However, there is a ton of old Disney material sprinkled throughout the game that is certain to make every Disney fan feel nostalgic. One example of this is a boss battle against an animatronic Elliot from “Pete’s Dragon” which is also a reference to the light parades done at Disneyland and Disneyworld.

Rating 2.5/5- “Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” is a flawed game that doesn’t live up to the magic of the original, but if you are a big Disney fan and you’re playing with a friend the game might be worth checking out.

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With the holidays just around the corner – or passing for those who celebrate Chanukah – everyone is trying to find that perfect gift. However, if that perfect gift is a video game, it may be a little difficult to determine just which game from 2012 or 2011 to choose. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin’s Creed III are great choices, but also rather expensive. Instead, here are some games in the $30 to $50 range that are definitely worth having.

Sleeping Dogs is a game that is available for PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. In this gritty drama the player is Wei Shen, an undercover cop in Hong Kong, who is trying to take down a gang known as the Triads from the inside. However, in order to gain trust and climb his way up the Triad ranks, Wei Shen must take part in their criminal activities. Throughout the game the player is able to explore the city of Hong Kong both on foot and through driving vehicles. Sleeping Dogs got an average 9.2 rating out of 10 on Gamestop’s website.

Resident Evil 6 is the latest incarnation of the zombie-ridden video game series and can be purchased for PC, Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. Several things have been changed since the previous games. There are several new characters, four new ones in total, with two recurring characters: Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield. Additionally, the location and scale of the game has changed. Now, instead of being limited to one location the gameplay is global, taking the players to North America, Europe, and China.

Resident Evil 6 has great co-op opportunities – just as Resident Evil 5 did – so that two players can play together both online and offline. This feature is a definite benefit since the zombies are now more agile and able to use weapons, making them even more of a threat. Additionally, mutant creatures will be formed by the outbreak of the C-virus, creating more unpredictability. Ultimately, the game has gotten bad reviews but there are many new features and it is the next part of the franchise.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is also the most recent game in its franchise, but it has gotten excellent reviews ever since its release in 2011. This incarnation is set 200 years after Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and much has changed in the world of Tamriel, both in the story and in game play. Skyrim has a new combat system, new graphics, and a whole open world to explore. The player can also affect the direction of the story; if the player kills an important character that character’s family will try to hunt him or her down, giving the world a very realistic spin. Playing Skyrim is like having another life in a magical world. Skyrim can be purchased from Gamestop, pre-owned for the Playstation 3 or Xbox 360.

Another fantastic game that some players may have regrettably missed is Batman: Arkham City. This game is available on PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 and has gotten incredible reviews. Similar to Skyrim, this latest Batman video game allows the player to explore an entire city while also fighting several different enemies such as the Joker, the Riddler, and Harley Quinn. The gaming world in Arkham city is five times the size of the previous gaming world in Batman: Arkham Asylum. With a 10 out of 10 from ‘Game Informer’ and a 9.4 out of 10 from GameStop customers, this game is a can’t miss for any gamer.

The last game that was particularly noteworthy for the 2011 to 2012 year is Rayman Origins. This game is a great platformer for kids and adults with incredible graphics and sound integrated into the game play. For example, for some of the levels the characters jump off of musical instruments, creating their own music as they jump their way through the world. The game is available for almost every system including Playstation 3, the PS Vita, PC, and Nintendo 3DS.

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As intriguing as Dishonored’s storyline is, at its core is the gameplay. The developer is tasked with keeping the gameplay fresh while tying together a new way of making decisions in a game that has many outcomes. While innovative as Corvo’s abilities are, the “chaos meter” fails to outshine Corvo’s abilities.

Corvo’s main abilities are the highlight of the gameplay as one has the choice with Rat Swarm to literally unleash a swarm of rats  upon unsuspecting enemies. The drawback from this power is that the rats will attack you if there aren’t any enemies around. However, one can use this ability in combination with the power Possession to possess a rat and run by guards without sounding any alarm. This ability to combine powers gives the player numerous ways to complete a level without raising any chaos.

Another useful and enjoyable power is Blink, which allows you to teleport from area to area relatively quickly. This power, when used in succession, can slow down time for a few seconds. In keeping with the time motif, Bend Time is a power that literally stops time for a short time period. This allows the player to set traps, escape from an area, run past guards or even assassinate without anyone realizing what has happened. The Outsider’s powers allow for numerous opportunities for the player to complete a level and each decision will affect the final outcome of the story.

“Dishonored’s” levels are linear with each taking about an hour in time to complete; however, the time taken could fluctuate depending on how one decides to influence the city of Dunwall. In high chaos, killing everyone in your path, including Weepers, shortens your playtime on each level. However, if you limit your chaos through putting everyone to sleep and taking your time collecting books, audio recordings and hunting down every Bone Charm and Rune then that time could easily drift into two hours per level. Other collectibles also included are the money of the world, “coins,” and Sokolov paintings.

On the combat side, Corvo can upgrade his weapons through coins collected or earned from taking rare artifacts from the richer citizen’s homes. Weapons available are common and include your sword, crossbow, pistol and grenade. However what is very entertaining is that Corvo can set traps with the Spring Razor, which can be tripped by enemies and eliminates them while you are hidden at a safe distance. Corvo can also rewire machines so they attack enemies instead of you, or you can choose to simply remove the power source from said machine. At the end of the level, your gameplay will be graded from highly chaotic to peaceful, which will affect how characters speak to you and whether the city will be infested with more or less rats, Weepers and security patrols.

As impressive as Corvo’s abilities are, “Dishonored” falls short in the story department. It has a great environment, characters and graphics but its foundation limits the story itself with a “chaos meter,” which tracks your movements and choices throughout the world and tallies them into how much or little chaos you have unleashed onto the environment.  Consequences must be dealt with for either action or inaction. Weepers roaming the streets, more rats attacking everything in sight and many more guards on patrol are what high chaos brings to Dunwall if the player decides to kill or even ignore certain quests. In the end this “chaos meter” feels more like a morality meter as performing non-lethal actions yields no chaos, while killing everyone, even in self-defense, will punish the player.

Through environmental cues, such as posters and words written on walls the player can deduce how the people of Dunwall are faring throughout the siege of the plague. Main characters often leave journals and audio recordings behind which give the player more insight into their state of mind, plans or past. The player will have to be aware to look for such cues, since books or audio recordings are easily missed if one is concentrated on the mission at hand.

All in all, “Dishonored” is a solid game with its faults being underscored by the “chaos meter” and not tying up loose ends in the resolution of the game. In theory, the “chaos meter” sounds innovative, but it is really just a morality meter and in the end it becomes tiring sneaking everywhere and putting everyone to sleep with a choke hold. The highlights of the game really are the abilities earned throughout the game, with the Rat Swarm being a top favorite.

Rating 4/5 – For incorporating abilities which challenge the player to use different ways to solve a problem; however, it lacks that shocking twist in the storyline that was built up from the beginning. At the same time it did not build upon intriguing characters, such as The Outsider, to make the story more memorable.

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From game publisher Bethesda and developer Arkane Studios comes “Dishonored”, a linear action first person game that delivers intrigue and mystery with high quality graphics. The plot of “Dishonored” centers on Corvo Attano, the body guard of Jessamine, the Empress of the city of Dunwall, located on the island of Gristol. Gristol is a technological wonder that is able to function from the slaughter of whales for their oil. The inventions created by the celebrated scientist, Anton Sokolov, are mostly used to keep the poor in line while a plague rampages across the city.

Corvo was sent to the neighboring islands of Gristol by Jessamine to see if any cure for the plague was to be found. The city is overrun by plague victims called “Weepers,” and one of the first signs that one has contracted the plague is blood pouring from the eyes. Once contracted, the plague robs the victim of their faculties and they attack anyone on sight. As he delivers word from the neighboring states, the Empress is murdered before his and Emily’s (her daughter) eyes. He is branded as a traitor and murderer of the Empress and is sentenced to be executed. The player is then in control of Corvo’s fate as this tale of murder, betrayal, love and consequences unravel.

“Dishonored” is for the gamer who enjoys stealth as well as action with a dose of drama at times, enhanced by various lethal weapons and supernatural powers. Think of “BioShock,” except instead of incinerating with fire, you can conjure a rat swarm to devour your enemies at will. These powers are given to you by the mysterious “god” of the world, The Outsider, who is the bane of the Overseers. People who worship him are punished by the Overseers with harsh punishments, including death, depending on how loyal they are to The Outsider.

Throughout the game The Outsider bestows more power to you through every Rune and Bone Charm you collect. Runes are made from whale bones and are gifted with direct power from The Outsider. The player uses Runes to upgrade their powers. Bone Charms on the other hand come predisposed with set abilities and randomly generate within each level so that every play through will grant different Bone Charms at different times. For example, a Bone Charm might grant you the power to possess white rats for a longer period of time, while another can grant you health regeneration from drinking out of faucets.

When Corvo comes across an Outsider shrine, a new ability may be bestowed on him and The Outsider will speak, either about Corvo’s progress, or about a certain situation he finds amusing. The Outsider is the most intriguing character of the game as his “gifts” are clearly linked to Gristol’s slaughter and consumption of whale oil.

In Part 2 we will dissect Corvo’s abilities and see if the “chaos meter” enhances the gameplay of “Dishonored”.

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Brighton, England — Brighton-based publisher Lace Mamba Global and Digitalmindsoft, the developer of Men of War and “Men of War: Assault Squad,” have teamed up to launch a brand new project “Call to Arms.” Based in a modern war setting Call to Arms is a real- time strategy PC game and will offer Digitalmindsoft’s innovative “direct control” feature, a 3rd person action mode used to operate a player unit’s aim and movement.

Players will be able to choose between 2 playable factions, 20 realistically modelled vehicles and heavy weaponry, as well as over 60 firearms and customization. The game will aim to capture the unique combat strategies faced by today’s soldiers through a blend of action and tactical gameplay.

Digitalmindsoft will be crowd funding the project via their website. Chris Kramer, Managing Director of Digitalmindsoft says that “We have raised enough funds to begin developing Call to Arms, but with the assistance of our loyal community, we aim to create the best RTS gaming experience yet. Every cent offered will go towards developing the game, allowing us to provide our supporters with the high quality game they desire.” Also on choosing a new publishing partner, Kramer added “We are very excited to be working with Lace Mamba Global. They have successfully launched boxed versions of Men of War: Assault Squad, Vietnam and Condemned Heroes into English speaking countries worldwide and so we saw them as the perfect partner for our new game.”

Adam Lacey, CEO of Lace Mamba Global said “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Chris and his team at Digitalmindsoft on this exciting new addition to the RTS genre. From our first meeting with Chris we were all very impressed with his passion for creating quality, innovative games and shared a common vision for Call to Arms from the outset.”

Lace Mamba Global plans to publish Call to Arms in Q4 2013.

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El Segundo, U.S.A. — CJ Games Global announced the release of the Police Navidad content update for its hit FPS District 187: Sin Streets. Celebrating the holidays in a war torn, post-apocalyptic world overrun by criminals, CJ Games Global bears the gift of three new maps, new holiday themed weapons and characters, and even a whole new mini-game arcade.

“The MarbleLand Mini-Game Arcade lets players take a break from the business of shooting to kill and allows them to try their luck in a set of mini games,” said Jon-Enée Merriex, Producer, CJ Games Global. “We’ll continue to update MarbleLand as a new form of entertainment for players needing a quick fix of gold and items.”

In addition to MarbleLand, player run VIP Rooms will now be available where entrants can purchase tickets using in-game gold as an entry fee. The entry fee money then goes into the pot for the room for players or teams to win.

“During room creation process, players will now be able to control settings that allow them to add an entry fee amount, anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 gold.” said Merriex. “To make it a little more interesting, we’re subtracting 10 percent from each VIP Room pot played throughout the month and adding it into one giant pot to be won during Street Fight.”

Police Navidad Features include:

New Maps

• S2 Towers (Holiday) – This is the work holiday party you’ve always wanted. The S2 Towers will have a holiday overlay but will be a permanent map when the season is over.
• White Night – Deck the halls with…bodies. Available only during the holiday season, blast through blockades and turn opponents’ White Night into a bloody nightmare.
• Viper Room – Bring your knives but check your guns at the door. The seedy underground is lit up with shiny blades in this knives-only party.  It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

Seasonal Characters

• Santa Gangsta - What’s Christmas without the sound of jolly Old Saint Nick gunning down everything in his path.
• Rudolf Copper – A new character to guide your slay…against the Gangstas tonight and every night through the holidays.

Weapons

• FAMAS Holiday Edition: Nothing says Christmas like a new French Assault Rifle. Try the new holiday FAMAS out in the Christmas Arcade in MarbleLand.
• AK47 Holiday Edition: Themed re-skin of an old classic. The AK47 Holiday still packs a punch; only now with more holiday cheer.
• M4A1 Jade Edition: An exclusive version of the M4A1 with more ammo, better recoil and a nice new skin job.
• PSD-XR Splendor: This popular gun gets an update with a new skin, more ammo and improved recoil. The competition doesn’t stand a chance.
• Snowman Grenade: Pull the pin and get out of the way of this Snowman shaped grenade that explodes into joy-filled death.

For up-to-date information on “District 187: Sin Streets”, visit http://district187blog.com/, join the conversation on  Twitter or Like District 187′s Facebook page.

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The rogue misfits of Croteam, Devolver Digital, and Mastertronic are stepping up their holiday spirit and offering cheer-inducing discounts for all things Serious Sam on Xbox LIVE Arcade this holiday season. Starting now “Serious Sam 3: BFE,” the “Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile DLC pack,” and both “Serious Sam HD: The First and Second Encounters” will all be 50% off for both naughty and nice gamers – just 600 MS Points each.

Both longtime fans of the irreverent shooter series and gamers that have yet to taste the pleasure of over-the-top action will be able to snag the most iconic entries in the franchise for half-off and experience a high-octane alternative to today’s plodding military shooting ranges. Grab a rocket launcher and step out from the cowardice of cover-systems to experience the brutal fun as Serious Sam battles through overwhelming hordes of imaginative monsters and puts the “shoot” back in “first-person shooter.” Gamers will be also be able to crank up the holiday cheer with custom Santa-themed skins in the legendary madness of Serious Sam campaign co-op and a variety of white-knuckle multiplayer versus modes.

While these serious holiday discounts will most likely usher in peace on Earth and possibly even good will toward men, not everyone is pleased with the promotion.

“I’m all for peace on earth and good will toward men but this is ridiculous,” said Fork Parker, noted humbug and CFO of Devolver Digital CFO. “Looks like once again I’ll be sipping unicorn eggnog from my platinum chalice and watch my potential wealth be slashed in half by the marketing department’s penchant for charity.”

Serious fans can join in the celebration and win free downloads throughout the holiday season by visiting facebook.com/SeriousSamFan or following @SeriousSamIAm on Twitter.

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Abu Dhabi, UAE – Tahadi Games, an Arabic free to play online games publisher, is delighted to announce the launch of Stylista, its first Fashion Social Game on Facebook on December 17.

With client based MMOs like Runes of Might, Arabic Ragnarok Online and Point of Blank, Tahadi Games is taking a new direction with Stylista focusing on the Arabic female audience in particular.

“We are excited to cooperate with developer Sandbox Global to launch Stylista in this emerging region. We believe that female casual gamers did not get the proper attention in the past years though 1/3 of all Facebook users in the Middle East are females”, says Howard Lee, CEO of Tahadi Games. “To change that Stylista will be available in English first but we are planning to translate and launch an Arabic version of the game in the near future.”

In Stylista players can create their own and individual character to start the fashion challenge. In many different missions around the world, girls can look forward to travel to New York, London, Paris and many more to fulfill their virtual shopping needs in the hottest boutiques. Players can decorate their own cozy home to store all purchases and to recover from all the shopping exertions. The game also features a picture option for all Stylistas to take photos of their character and home to share them with friends or to submit them for rating by other players. And last but not least, as common in social games, players can invite and visit friends and have the possibility to send gifts.

With the launch of Stylista, Tahadi Games is running 2 events: everyone who creates a character until January 6, 2013, will receive an exclusive Fashion in-game and 50 Stylista Cash. In the Like and Share Facebook event players can win additional premium cash for liking and sharing the page.

More information on Stylista can be found at www.facebook.com/StylistaMena and on www.tahadi.com/stylista.

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The Drag Racing game series by Creative Mobile has millions of fans and became a definite hit on Google Play. Drag Racing: Bike Edition is one of those games. Thanks to easy and captivating gameplay, it achieved great popularity among Android device owners. Now this addictive racing game is available on the iOS, too.

The game is simple, yet challenging: the goal for the player is to win a drag race by controlling one of 17 available super-bikes. Extreme dynamics combined with captivating high-res graphics ensure an exciting gaming experience, while dozens of bike upgrades, tuning and color options, as well as the career game mode should keep a user playing for a long time.

Players can face each other in four online competition modes, including Face-to-Face, Tournament, Unranked and Mass start races. The online leader board keeps track of the best bike riders in the world and in a specific country, and displays comparative users´ rankings. Gamers are also encouraged to participate in online racing tournaments announced by the company and challenge each other to win real prizes.

“Drag Racing: Bike Edition already has millions of devoted players on Android, and we are sure that iPhone and iPad users will appreciate the game as well,” says Marianna Krjakvina, CMO at Creative Mobile.

Drag Racing: Bike Edition is available for free on iOS 3 or higher and Android 2.0.1 or higher devices.

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Gotland, Sweden — On December 17, ThreeGates announced that Legends of Aethereus, an indie action RPG with up to four player co-op and a variety of PvP game types, is now offering its live beta for Linux and Mac.

“It is really important for us to offer Legends of Aethereus to the Linux Community,” said Don Geyer, CEO of ThreeGates. “We will upgrade the current beta with multiplayer and co-op features in the next few weeks but first we wanted to focus on getting out a version for our friends using the Linux and Mac Platforms. They have been incredibly supportive of the game and we want to take good care of them.”

Legends of Aethereus is a high action RPG with up to four player co-op and a variety of PvP game types. Join forces in online multiplayer cooperative expeditions as the Inventor, Astrographer or Officer and venture into the uncharted wilderness of Aethereus seeking fame, glory and untold riches.

Invite your friends to your own customized Nexus City-State to battle in your arena or just show off how cool you’ve personalized your city using the statue-maker, banner creator and other customization features.

Embark on a variety of story driven hand-crafted expedition levels or explore the wilderness through a variety of procedurally generated exploration quests. Design and build new gear and weapons while you develop your character across a diverse and expansive skill tree allowing for a multitude of character strategies.

• Physics-based combat system including traps, set-up weapons and interaction with environmental objects
• Expedition system combines hand crafted levels with procedurally generated areas that allow for virtual infinite replayability
• The Statue-Maker, Banner Creator and other customization features allow you to personalize your own city environment
• PvP, CO-OP and Single Player combat in your own City-State Combat Arena
• Crafting and Materials system allows for virtual limitless customization

For Information about getting into the beta now http://www.aethereusgame.com or getting the game via Steam, please visit Steam Community

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