Well, a day late with this. Must admit I completely forgot about this yesterday. Not been playing much this week, really not been in the mood for it. More AC:Brotherhood, more Fifa 11, more Dead Space and some F.E.A.R. when I have played.
Level 42 online in Brotherhood now and I'm really enjoying it, such an intellectual and tactical game when you play it right and me and bunni's play style work perfectly together. Only thing that's annoying are team mates charging around ruining good kills. Not played AC as much as I would've liked this week should hopefully play a lot more next week and get some people signing up for our GB team.
Finished off the Dead Space 2 singleplayer, the ending was a lot lot lot better than the beginning, the story actually formed quite nicely (if a little late on) I'll probably replay this at higher difficulties to get the trophies. Need to play the online as well, try and get a team together and learn it. Hopefully it's good in the same ways AC:Brotherhood is.
Fifa 11 is the game I've played most this week, I've reached January in my Atalanta player/manager career mode and I'm doing pretty well, despite struggling to score for a run of about 5 games I hit form in my last game running out 4-1 winner away to Chievo Verona leaving me sitting comfortably in 7th after 18 games on 33 points. My defence are performing brilliantly and Huth really is a star buy especially at the £4.5m I paid for him, rock solid game after game. Need a good lone striker now after I've converted my Pro to a CAM role similar to Van Der Vaart. I've just put in bids for a striker with a bid for Yakubu as back up hopefully I can get my first choice.
F.E.A.R., what and excellent game. I absolutely love it. So tense and the music is just unbelievably perfect for creating the exact atmosphere the game needs at that point.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Friday, 4 February 2011
04/02/2011
This week I've been playing four main games. AC: Brotherhood, LittleBigPlanet2, Dead Space 2 and Fifa 11
AC, Multiplayer is awesome. Been playing with bunni and we're getting a GB team running http://gamebattles.com/ps3/assassins-creed-brotherhood/team/adrenalin-zone/ If you're interested. I'm ranked about 900 in the world this week from team games and averaging 3717 points per session which is pretty good. We've been playing Manhunt since it's the best team game and the one that's used in GB's. Probably try some Chest Capture soon.
Dead Space 2 is brilliant in all but one way... It's really not gripping me like the first one did. I can quite easily put it down for another game, there's no intense desire to play. Plus is all seems a bit sameish with Dead Space 1. Not played multiplayer yet though.
Fifa 11, I tried one game online, lagged to hell, quit. Then I've played manager mode with my pro as player manager. Finished getting Atalanta promoted to Serie A with a 112 point total and I've played my preseason, my big signing was Robert Huth for 4.5m as well as Frimpong on loan and the important RB that I've needed.
On LBP2 i've mainly been building levels for my set of race levels that on Monday will be published for the first round of my LBP2 Event/Competition. I've built 3 of the 4 levels completely and am now about to start the last level. Also completed the story mode, which was a little too easy. Also if you want to get involved in this event then sign up here, http://adrenalin-zone.forumotion.net/forum that's all you've got to do, then you can take part in the competition.
Good luck. :)
AC, Multiplayer is awesome. Been playing with bunni and we're getting a GB team running http://gamebattles.com/ps3/assassins-creed-brotherhood/team/adrenalin-zone/ If you're interested. I'm ranked about 900 in the world this week from team games and averaging 3717 points per session which is pretty good. We've been playing Manhunt since it's the best team game and the one that's used in GB's. Probably try some Chest Capture soon.
Dead Space 2 is brilliant in all but one way... It's really not gripping me like the first one did. I can quite easily put it down for another game, there's no intense desire to play. Plus is all seems a bit sameish with Dead Space 1. Not played multiplayer yet though.
Fifa 11, I tried one game online, lagged to hell, quit. Then I've played manager mode with my pro as player manager. Finished getting Atalanta promoted to Serie A with a 112 point total and I've played my preseason, my big signing was Robert Huth for 4.5m as well as Frimpong on loan and the important RB that I've needed.
On LBP2 i've mainly been building levels for my set of race levels that on Monday will be published for the first round of my LBP2 Event/Competition. I've built 3 of the 4 levels completely and am now about to start the last level. Also completed the story mode, which was a little too easy. Also if you want to get involved in this event then sign up here, http://adrenalin-zone.forumotion.net/forum that's all you've got to do, then you can take part in the competition.
Good luck. :)
Monday, 22 November 2010
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Review.
I've got to say before we start, I was pumped up for this game. So excited about it. Assassin's Creed 1 was really good but repetitive and all the missions followed the same basic pattern, sneak up, stab, get away asap. then came Assassin's Creed 2, it dealt with the repetition issues as well as adding customisation in the form of weapons and clothing and building up your city to fund your extravagances. So it's up to Brotherhood to go further, well with the addition of multiplayer it's trying to bridge the replayability gap, but can it do it while still maintaining the strong single player that the first two games success has been built on? Here's what i think...
Singleplayer
Probably the most important part for someone who bought the first two games, well it's a follow on from AC2 (hence it not being called AC3), and starts roughly after the end of AC2. It's essentially AC2 with frills and pretty ribbons. Which is a very good thing. The main improvement is MORE. More of everything, things to do, weapons, clothes, things to buy, shops to purchase. Everything is increased in quantity and quality.
Missions, as well as the main story there is now; Territory missions, shop quests, faction missions (Courtesan, Thieves and Mercenary), Followers of Romulus missions, Private Assassination contracts, Leonardo missions collecting and commanding your brotherhood of assassin's and more that i can't mention without it being a spoiler.
This leads on to the next great edition The Brotherhood these are citizens you rescue from the enemy that then join your side as a trainee assassin. They have 2 purposes you can send them on contracts to gain XP and also bring in some money and sometimes items necessary for shop quests, the second purpose they have is even cooler... To assist you, target a person with L1 (PS3) then with a quick flick of L2, in runs a member of your brotherhood and attacks this person. The Brotherhood come in "signals" your first signal is a single assassin so 1 tap of L2 will bring in one, then each signal contains 3 assassins each. The other option you have is Arrow Storm, hold in L2 with 3 full signals and your assassins will shoot every enemy in sight (unless they're the target).
The one way in which Brotherhood has less than AC2 is in the map. Brotherhood one location, and less is certainly more. The sprawls of Rome seems endless with a small amount of outlaying country makes the map conplex and interesting, but can be fast travelled across using the tunnel system (but each exit has to be renovated when you find it above ground) Brotherhood manages to appear bigger than AC2 and AC1 by cutting out the travelling through countryside and keeping it more confined to the city's winding avenues and alleyways.
The actual storyline, without going into it to the extent of a spoiler, is addictive and compelling and while at times you find yourself distracted by the extras of the game they nearly always add to your experience of the main story. The additional features keep the story fresh as well as giving you advantages. My favourite new feature by far is the full-synch feature. To full synchronise a memory you must complete it in a certain way; do not be detected, don't kill anyone but the target, do not touch the ground, do not get wet, etc. these are absolutely brilliant and add a completely new element that keeps each mission refreshing and exhilarating. Oh and riding a horse through the city is very cool.
VR Training is an additional feature in Brotherhood and I won't lie i haven't really played it, it looks like it's for practising your skills in fights and time-trial style modes and that's not really for me. Not to sound cocky but I don't feel I need to practice my skills on this game. Also my first reaction was "Ripped from MGS" harsh i know but whenever something says VR it's what I think of.
One criticism of the singleplayer... Ubisoft you've added the ability to carry heavy weapons; axes, maces, longswords, WHY OH WHY CAN'T I BUY A SPEAR! :(
Minor I know but I always want one each game.
Multiplayer
I took part in the Beta for the multi-player and enjoyed it a hell of a lot. Thankfully Brotherhood is very very similar to that, but with more maps, characters, modes etc.
So far I've played mainly singleplayer so i'm not very far online (level 8 I think) but it's very good. Game ranking uses points to determine the winner and points are awarded for style, stealth and streak. Combining these 3 will get you huge points scores and 2 excellent kills will get you a far better score than someone who charges around and gets 5 kills. There are 4 gamemodes of which I've played two; Wanted and Alliance. Wanted is a FFA were you are both the target and the assassin and it's one big circle between the players and Alliance is similar but it's 2v2v2.
Rankings are point based and points are earned through the style, stealth and streak of your kills as well as various other means such as; Escaping, Variation and Co-op kills.
Another addition to the multiplayer are things called Chase Breakers, these are doors or gates that slam shut if you run through them and are great for not letting you pursuer come through, and then they re-open afterwards and make for an extra element to what otherwise would be a boring straight chase.
My only real gripe with the multiplayer is that connecting takes a long time, I'm pretty sure this is due to a low number of players and because the game doesn't enter you into already running lobbies (a good thing). Overall the multiplayer side of the game is breathtakingly refreshing, innovative and cleverly worked. It's also fun while still being competitive enough to get you annoyed if you're getting beat, but it's a good annoyance since it makes you want to play better rather than just quit.
And now it's time for my verdict...
10/10 - Without a doubt, it's stunning and while the graphics haven't been updated they're still very good, Vista's, Chases, Guns and the brilliant Crossbow for stealthy range kills, what more do you need in a game. Coupled with the excellently worked multiplayer makes this a must own game.
Unfortunately the multiplayer won't appeal to everyone, if you only like your mindless shooters then it's not for you, to do really well at this game you need to outsmart your opponents, and that's what makes it really great, it's about more than physical reflexes to dodge through crowds, it's about predicting and planning the enemies moves and not blowing cover until the knife is sliding into their ribcage (or fan is slitting their throat, since I play as the Courtesan).
Summing this game up in one sentence? "Pat yourself on the back Ubisoft, GOTY with ease."
Oh yeah and...
Singleplayer
Probably the most important part for someone who bought the first two games, well it's a follow on from AC2 (hence it not being called AC3), and starts roughly after the end of AC2. It's essentially AC2 with frills and pretty ribbons. Which is a very good thing. The main improvement is MORE. More of everything, things to do, weapons, clothes, things to buy, shops to purchase. Everything is increased in quantity and quality.
Missions, as well as the main story there is now; Territory missions, shop quests, faction missions (Courtesan, Thieves and Mercenary), Followers of Romulus missions, Private Assassination contracts, Leonardo missions collecting and commanding your brotherhood of assassin's and more that i can't mention without it being a spoiler.
This leads on to the next great edition The Brotherhood these are citizens you rescue from the enemy that then join your side as a trainee assassin. They have 2 purposes you can send them on contracts to gain XP and also bring in some money and sometimes items necessary for shop quests, the second purpose they have is even cooler... To assist you, target a person with L1 (PS3) then with a quick flick of L2, in runs a member of your brotherhood and attacks this person. The Brotherhood come in "signals" your first signal is a single assassin so 1 tap of L2 will bring in one, then each signal contains 3 assassins each. The other option you have is Arrow Storm, hold in L2 with 3 full signals and your assassins will shoot every enemy in sight (unless they're the target).
The one way in which Brotherhood has less than AC2 is in the map. Brotherhood one location, and less is certainly more. The sprawls of Rome seems endless with a small amount of outlaying country makes the map conplex and interesting, but can be fast travelled across using the tunnel system (but each exit has to be renovated when you find it above ground) Brotherhood manages to appear bigger than AC2 and AC1 by cutting out the travelling through countryside and keeping it more confined to the city's winding avenues and alleyways.
The actual storyline, without going into it to the extent of a spoiler, is addictive and compelling and while at times you find yourself distracted by the extras of the game they nearly always add to your experience of the main story. The additional features keep the story fresh as well as giving you advantages. My favourite new feature by far is the full-synch feature. To full synchronise a memory you must complete it in a certain way; do not be detected, don't kill anyone but the target, do not touch the ground, do not get wet, etc. these are absolutely brilliant and add a completely new element that keeps each mission refreshing and exhilarating. Oh and riding a horse through the city is very cool.
VR Training is an additional feature in Brotherhood and I won't lie i haven't really played it, it looks like it's for practising your skills in fights and time-trial style modes and that's not really for me. Not to sound cocky but I don't feel I need to practice my skills on this game. Also my first reaction was "Ripped from MGS" harsh i know but whenever something says VR it's what I think of.
One criticism of the singleplayer... Ubisoft you've added the ability to carry heavy weapons; axes, maces, longswords, WHY OH WHY CAN'T I BUY A SPEAR! :(
Minor I know but I always want one each game.
Multiplayer
I took part in the Beta for the multi-player and enjoyed it a hell of a lot. Thankfully Brotherhood is very very similar to that, but with more maps, characters, modes etc.
So far I've played mainly singleplayer so i'm not very far online (level 8 I think) but it's very good. Game ranking uses points to determine the winner and points are awarded for style, stealth and streak. Combining these 3 will get you huge points scores and 2 excellent kills will get you a far better score than someone who charges around and gets 5 kills. There are 4 gamemodes of which I've played two; Wanted and Alliance. Wanted is a FFA were you are both the target and the assassin and it's one big circle between the players and Alliance is similar but it's 2v2v2.
Rankings are point based and points are earned through the style, stealth and streak of your kills as well as various other means such as; Escaping, Variation and Co-op kills.
Another addition to the multiplayer are things called Chase Breakers, these are doors or gates that slam shut if you run through them and are great for not letting you pursuer come through, and then they re-open afterwards and make for an extra element to what otherwise would be a boring straight chase.
My only real gripe with the multiplayer is that connecting takes a long time, I'm pretty sure this is due to a low number of players and because the game doesn't enter you into already running lobbies (a good thing). Overall the multiplayer side of the game is breathtakingly refreshing, innovative and cleverly worked. It's also fun while still being competitive enough to get you annoyed if you're getting beat, but it's a good annoyance since it makes you want to play better rather than just quit.
And now it's time for my verdict...
10/10 - Without a doubt, it's stunning and while the graphics haven't been updated they're still very good, Vista's, Chases, Guns and the brilliant Crossbow for stealthy range kills, what more do you need in a game. Coupled with the excellently worked multiplayer makes this a must own game.
Unfortunately the multiplayer won't appeal to everyone, if you only like your mindless shooters then it's not for you, to do really well at this game you need to outsmart your opponents, and that's what makes it really great, it's about more than physical reflexes to dodge through crowds, it's about predicting and planning the enemies moves and not blowing cover until the knife is sliding into their ribcage (or fan is slitting their throat, since I play as the Courtesan).
Summing this game up in one sentence? "Pat yourself on the back Ubisoft, GOTY with ease."
Oh yeah and...
That's mine.
Also add in some trailers for you.
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Sorry... (update)
So... yeah, I haven't really updated this recently for a number of reasons;
So I'll see you then.
- I'm busy, most of my coursework is in during the next few weeks
- I've barely played any games, I'm about 2 hours of my Dead Space platinum trophy though
- I considered doing a Dead Space review but I really can't be bothered at the moment
So I'll see you then.
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Fallout: New Vegas Review
Fallout: New Vegas Review
This review has taken a while to get around to... first off my copy didn't get to me until 6 days after release (thanks play.com), then i was busy at uni, then i discovered Fifa 11 Creation Centre (and my team of fiction characters, politicians and genocidal maniacs/serial killers). Anyway.
I was later to the fallout craze, I played it a few times at a friends, and thoroughly enjoy blowing myself sky high with a fatman, ut never got around to getting it. I love Oblivion (also by Bethesda) so eventually got around to picking up Fallout 3 about May. I found it heavy going at first, lots to learn and take in. But after a few hours i got into it and really enjoyed i, so when NV came around I was pretty pumped, so here's my review.
ps. Can i please get some comments about the style and layout of this review since I wasn't sure how to lay it out, and also on my general writing style, thanks. :)
Right then, Game-play. It's exactly the same as FO:3 which in this case is a good thing, it's relatively heavy but not inhibiting, and has a good feel of realism to it. One difference does seem to be that Damage seems to be far higher, which makes you less of a tank and actually makes it more fun.
Another very good improvement is that the game as a whole is way way more in-depth; weights, more items, locations packed map, more weapons, items, Bethesda have excelled in expanding the catalogue of items in NV as well as making weights to decimals to make up for the realistic differences betweens items unlike FO:3. Also there's a lot more enemies, and radscorpions seems a lot stronger. I've yet to survive and attack against a giant radscorpion but i am still low levelled.
Factions, big big big positive for me, I love the idea of having factions which face each other, who's opinions of you are regulated by your actions both to them and their rival faction, and punishments/rewards you receive based on your choices, eg. Powder Gang - Goodsprings, you help the people in Goodsprings and you get a discount at the stores there HOWEVER the Powder Gang will attack you if the see you. This is something that appeals to me massively and I love the fact that your actions have consequences and it makes for a much more interesting aspect to the game and expands on the Karma system.
The main positive for NV for me is that it feels like a natural evolution from FO:3 and it feels like it's moving on the right way, they've made it a bit harder, added in some cool new features and expanded on most of the old ones while not really removing anything from FO:3. Bethesda made a big deal over this not being FO:4 but it certainly feels like it could be FO:3.5 and that's a very good thing, i'm a great believer in once you've got a good game base don't change it, don't go radical and mess around with the core elements that made the original so good, whatever that may be; in depth details or plain simplicity *cough*Mw2*cough*, stick with what made your original game good and tweak it to be better and the people that matter, your hardcore fans will be happy, and that's exactly what Bethesda have done. They've tweaked and improved without messing and radicalising.
The one big change away from FO:3 is hardcore mode, but cleverly it's an optional choice to give people the choice to play it like the Fallout they know or to take it that extra level of realism, and most people I know who play FO have said that they're playing Normal first then moving on to try Hardcore, so it adds even more playing time for gamers.
To deny that there are a few issues with New Vegas would be like saying that the world's flat. And here's the big one;
Freezing/Glitching/Generally Screwing Up, unfortunately it's plagued by the same issues that ruined FO:3 (especially DLC) for quite a few people. Glitching, enemies falling into the ground then getting stuck, freezing very often, are 2 things i've experienced while playing for only a short time (about 7 hours) also failing to load textures.
This is a photo I managed to take because my camera was actually put together and out, of the textures failing to load and it stayed like this it wasn't just slow loading, it felt like I was playing minecraft again. All these issue are annoying and potentially game ruining, freezing especially, for me it'll freeze and I'll just turn it off I won't try again. Another far more minor negative is that the graphics haven't improved, not a very important thing for me but it might be for some people.
Storyline so far is weak for me, compared to FO:3 anyway, the opening is poor and you feel far less attachment to your character. It also doesn't seem to have the same addictive, compulsive effect on my that FO:3 had although like the story that might come as I get further into the game.
7.5/10 for now, fixing the issues would get it up to a 8.5/10 and a 9/10 if the Story picks up, if you like Fallout 3 you'll enjoy it, if you don't you won't because it's very similar. If you're thinking about picking up Fallout for the first time, get Fallout 3, see if you like it, then consider New Vegas, by then it'll probably be down in price or a GOTY edition with DLC will be released. You can pick up Fallout 3 GOTY pretty cheap now anyway, thanks for reading. :)
This review has taken a while to get around to... first off my copy didn't get to me until 6 days after release (thanks play.com), then i was busy at uni, then i discovered Fifa 11 Creation Centre (and my team of fiction characters, politicians and genocidal maniacs/serial killers). Anyway.
I was later to the fallout craze, I played it a few times at a friends, and thoroughly enjoy blowing myself sky high with a fatman, ut never got around to getting it. I love Oblivion (also by Bethesda) so eventually got around to picking up Fallout 3 about May. I found it heavy going at first, lots to learn and take in. But after a few hours i got into it and really enjoyed i, so when NV came around I was pretty pumped, so here's my review.
ps. Can i please get some comments about the style and layout of this review since I wasn't sure how to lay it out, and also on my general writing style, thanks. :)
Right then, Game-play. It's exactly the same as FO:3 which in this case is a good thing, it's relatively heavy but not inhibiting, and has a good feel of realism to it. One difference does seem to be that Damage seems to be far higher, which makes you less of a tank and actually makes it more fun.
Another very good improvement is that the game as a whole is way way more in-depth; weights, more items, locations packed map, more weapons, items, Bethesda have excelled in expanding the catalogue of items in NV as well as making weights to decimals to make up for the realistic differences betweens items unlike FO:3. Also there's a lot more enemies, and radscorpions seems a lot stronger. I've yet to survive and attack against a giant radscorpion but i am still low levelled.
Factions, big big big positive for me, I love the idea of having factions which face each other, who's opinions of you are regulated by your actions both to them and their rival faction, and punishments/rewards you receive based on your choices, eg. Powder Gang - Goodsprings, you help the people in Goodsprings and you get a discount at the stores there HOWEVER the Powder Gang will attack you if the see you. This is something that appeals to me massively and I love the fact that your actions have consequences and it makes for a much more interesting aspect to the game and expands on the Karma system.
The main positive for NV for me is that it feels like a natural evolution from FO:3 and it feels like it's moving on the right way, they've made it a bit harder, added in some cool new features and expanded on most of the old ones while not really removing anything from FO:3. Bethesda made a big deal over this not being FO:4 but it certainly feels like it could be FO:3.5 and that's a very good thing, i'm a great believer in once you've got a good game base don't change it, don't go radical and mess around with the core elements that made the original so good, whatever that may be; in depth details or plain simplicity *cough*Mw2*cough*, stick with what made your original game good and tweak it to be better and the people that matter, your hardcore fans will be happy, and that's exactly what Bethesda have done. They've tweaked and improved without messing and radicalising.
The one big change away from FO:3 is hardcore mode, but cleverly it's an optional choice to give people the choice to play it like the Fallout they know or to take it that extra level of realism, and most people I know who play FO have said that they're playing Normal first then moving on to try Hardcore, so it adds even more playing time for gamers.
To deny that there are a few issues with New Vegas would be like saying that the world's flat. And here's the big one;
Freezing/Glitching/Generally Screwing Up, unfortunately it's plagued by the same issues that ruined FO:3 (especially DLC) for quite a few people. Glitching, enemies falling into the ground then getting stuck, freezing very often, are 2 things i've experienced while playing for only a short time (about 7 hours) also failing to load textures.
Storyline so far is weak for me, compared to FO:3 anyway, the opening is poor and you feel far less attachment to your character. It also doesn't seem to have the same addictive, compulsive effect on my that FO:3 had although like the story that might come as I get further into the game.
7.5/10 for now, fixing the issues would get it up to a 8.5/10 and a 9/10 if the Story picks up, if you like Fallout 3 you'll enjoy it, if you don't you won't because it's very similar. If you're thinking about picking up Fallout for the first time, get Fallout 3, see if you like it, then consider New Vegas, by then it'll probably be down in price or a GOTY edition with DLC will be released. You can pick up Fallout 3 GOTY pretty cheap now anyway, thanks for reading. :)
Friday, 29 October 2010
Flower HD Review
Flower HD Review
Flower HD, if you see it, if you're reading this review then i'm hoping that you'll watch the trailer i'll add at the end, you'll think "What the hell is this?" I 99% guarantee it. It's what I did at first. You'll be sat there thinking "How can this be a game?" (Let alone a GOOD one) Well here's what I think;
Flower... it's innovative, it's conceptual, it's interesting to say the least...
It's based on the concept of a flower on a window sill slowly dying in a dirty, grimy city devoid of freshness and consumed by noise and blandness (something i can certainly relate to after living on a main road in London last year). The game is the flower's dreams of filling the world with flowers. And the dreams follow the journey of the flower to the city bringing the colours and beauty with it. Before the final level in which you recolour the city.
Gameplay wise you take the role of a petal, it's your job to bloom other flowers in order to refill the dream world with flowers and recolour all the grass, once you bloom all the connected flowers in an area this will allow you to access the next areas or give you the means to access them in the form of windmills which give you extra propulsion. You move using the six-axis motion control of the PS3 controller to determine your direction and the X button to propel yourself forwards.
Graphically Flower HD is extremely pleasing, it uses strong vibrant colours for the flowers you bloom while for each flower you bloom a petal of that colour joins your Flow a sort of tail behind your original petal that can grow to huge proportions. The evolution of the levels from grey to full colour as you're playing through them brings a real sense of completion with the game, you feel that every step you're going you're getting somewhere.
Flower HD is surprisingly addictive for a game that you would feel would get repetitive after the first 2 levels, each level has a unique way to be completed, from blooming flowers around a stone circle to move rocks, to breaking pylons to open your way through. It also has it's main aim, it's incredibly relaxing, it does wear on you and you can just casually meander your way through levels at your own pace, need to stop? press select and it'll play music and show a slideshow from the game. It allows you to play the game at your own pace which is a refreshing alternative to high pressure, pace dictated games like COD or Fifa.
There are a few negatives to Flower HD, firstly and unfortunately for you Xbox players... it's a PSN exclusive, sorry. Probably because it's motion controlled with the six-axis, so it won't be appearing on marketplace.
The only other real negative with it for me is length, it's only 6 levels long, plus the credits level that's interactive that makes 7 levels. I finished it in a few hours while on and off it, not really paying attention. However it does have good replayability and there are 3 "secret" flowers to bloom in each level which allow you to complete the game 100%.
8/10 - An involving and innovative game with a very interesting concept, that gives a break from standard games that saturate the gaming market, main criticism is the length. This game won't appeal to a lot of people, but if you're looking for something a bit different from the norm it's definitely worth a try.
Flower HD is available for £6.29 or $10
Trailer - V
Flower HD, if you see it, if you're reading this review then i'm hoping that you'll watch the trailer i'll add at the end, you'll think "What the hell is this?" I 99% guarantee it. It's what I did at first. You'll be sat there thinking "How can this be a game?" (Let alone a GOOD one) Well here's what I think;
Flower... it's innovative, it's conceptual, it's interesting to say the least...
It's based on the concept of a flower on a window sill slowly dying in a dirty, grimy city devoid of freshness and consumed by noise and blandness (something i can certainly relate to after living on a main road in London last year). The game is the flower's dreams of filling the world with flowers. And the dreams follow the journey of the flower to the city bringing the colours and beauty with it. Before the final level in which you recolour the city.
Gameplay wise you take the role of a petal, it's your job to bloom other flowers in order to refill the dream world with flowers and recolour all the grass, once you bloom all the connected flowers in an area this will allow you to access the next areas or give you the means to access them in the form of windmills which give you extra propulsion. You move using the six-axis motion control of the PS3 controller to determine your direction and the X button to propel yourself forwards.
Graphically Flower HD is extremely pleasing, it uses strong vibrant colours for the flowers you bloom while for each flower you bloom a petal of that colour joins your Flow a sort of tail behind your original petal that can grow to huge proportions. The evolution of the levels from grey to full colour as you're playing through them brings a real sense of completion with the game, you feel that every step you're going you're getting somewhere.
Flower HD is surprisingly addictive for a game that you would feel would get repetitive after the first 2 levels, each level has a unique way to be completed, from blooming flowers around a stone circle to move rocks, to breaking pylons to open your way through. It also has it's main aim, it's incredibly relaxing, it does wear on you and you can just casually meander your way through levels at your own pace, need to stop? press select and it'll play music and show a slideshow from the game. It allows you to play the game at your own pace which is a refreshing alternative to high pressure, pace dictated games like COD or Fifa.
There are a few negatives to Flower HD, firstly and unfortunately for you Xbox players... it's a PSN exclusive, sorry. Probably because it's motion controlled with the six-axis, so it won't be appearing on marketplace.
The only other real negative with it for me is length, it's only 6 levels long, plus the credits level that's interactive that makes 7 levels. I finished it in a few hours while on and off it, not really paying attention. However it does have good replayability and there are 3 "secret" flowers to bloom in each level which allow you to complete the game 100%.
8/10 - An involving and innovative game with a very interesting concept, that gives a break from standard games that saturate the gaming market, main criticism is the length. This game won't appeal to a lot of people, but if you're looking for something a bit different from the norm it's definitely worth a try.
Flower HD is available for £6.29 or $10
Trailer - V
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Portal Review
First off i know that Portal is about 3 years old now but i want to do "classic" games in this blog as well as new games, and in my eyes Portal is exactly that. So read, enjoy and comment. :)
Portal Review.
So a week ago after seeing it while buying Borderlands GOTY I decided i'd take the plunge and get that game that's always on your peripheral but never the game you pick up, because something else always seems that little bit more enticing.
You take the role of a test subject (Chell) in the Aperture of Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Centre, you are told by the eerie voice of GlaDos that you are scheduled to take part in a series of tests with the aim of learning and fun. Portal is essentially a puzzle game, you are armed with the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device (Portal Gun) this allows you to create linked blue and orange portals which you have to use to navigate the varying puzzles set out for you. Your other tool s are Cubes which are used to weight down buttons or as stepping stones to help you climb. There are the normal Cubes or the Companion Cube (a normal Cube but with hearts on). As I used the Companion Cube I found myself getting more and more attached to it which made destroying it (part of the level) pretty damn hard.
The effect Portal has on you is weird. The extreme concentration sometimes needed to work out how to complete the challenge added to the droning constant sound of GlaDos speaking to you adds a psychological effect to the game, this is added to by the constant promises of a party and cake and GlaDos' continued insistence that “she” cannot lie to you. This is further increased by the discovery of hidden areas and messages left by a previous test subject which start the games discordance and give you hints that everything is not as it seems of the Aperture of Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Centre.
While not quite a complete original with it's Portal concept (which comes from Narbacular Drop), Portal introduced the idea to the mass market. The graphics of the game actually make it feel like you're playing a concept game, crisp sharp colours, which bright whites dominating the enviroments giving it a clincal feel, which actually reminds me of physics testings for game engines, and that's exactly what it feels like you're playing sometimes, a note must be made of Portal's brilliant physics that are near perfect, which helps with the puzzles.
The only real downside to Portal is the length of the story, it's incredibly short for a game that doesn't have multi-player, probably 3-5 hours depending on how fast you work out the puzzles. But then the game doesn't really feel complete, it feels like it was a test from Valve to see how people reacted to the ideas and style of the game, and with Portal 2 scheduled for 9th February 2011 it's just a short wait for the next, hopefully slightly longer instalment. Also the ending track Still Alive by Jonathon Coulton is one of the best tracks made for a game EVER.
9.5/10 – a refreshing and highly entertaining game, that is a MUST PLAY and will be a classic for years to come.
WARNING – if you want a mindless game this is not for you, it requires a brain.
Ps. You better hurry up to the party. Before someone cuts the cake.
Portal Review.
Portal, one of Valve's masterpiece games, not a new game but something i'd place in the “modern classics” section, I first played Portal a few months after it game out at a friends and never got around to playing it again. Orange Box is one of those games you always think “hey I want that” when you;
a) have no money.
b) are going to get a different game.
a) have no money.
b) are going to get a different game.
So a week ago after seeing it while buying Borderlands GOTY I decided i'd take the plunge and get that game that's always on your peripheral but never the game you pick up, because something else always seems that little bit more enticing.
You take the role of a test subject (Chell) in the Aperture of Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Centre, you are told by the eerie voice of GlaDos that you are scheduled to take part in a series of tests with the aim of learning and fun. Portal is essentially a puzzle game, you are armed with the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device (Portal Gun) this allows you to create linked blue and orange portals which you have to use to navigate the varying puzzles set out for you. Your other tool s are Cubes which are used to weight down buttons or as stepping stones to help you climb. There are the normal Cubes or the Companion Cube (a normal Cube but with hearts on). As I used the Companion Cube I found myself getting more and more attached to it which made destroying it (part of the level) pretty damn hard.
The effect Portal has on you is weird. The extreme concentration sometimes needed to work out how to complete the challenge added to the droning constant sound of GlaDos speaking to you adds a psychological effect to the game, this is added to by the constant promises of a party and cake and GlaDos' continued insistence that “she” cannot lie to you. This is further increased by the discovery of hidden areas and messages left by a previous test subject which start the games discordance and give you hints that everything is not as it seems of the Aperture of Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Centre.
While not quite a complete original with it's Portal concept (which comes from Narbacular Drop), Portal introduced the idea to the mass market. The graphics of the game actually make it feel like you're playing a concept game, crisp sharp colours, which bright whites dominating the enviroments giving it a clincal feel, which actually reminds me of physics testings for game engines, and that's exactly what it feels like you're playing sometimes, a note must be made of Portal's brilliant physics that are near perfect, which helps with the puzzles.
The only real downside to Portal is the length of the story, it's incredibly short for a game that doesn't have multi-player, probably 3-5 hours depending on how fast you work out the puzzles. But then the game doesn't really feel complete, it feels like it was a test from Valve to see how people reacted to the ideas and style of the game, and with Portal 2 scheduled for 9th February 2011 it's just a short wait for the next, hopefully slightly longer instalment. Also the ending track Still Alive by Jonathon Coulton is one of the best tracks made for a game EVER.
9.5/10 – a refreshing and highly entertaining game, that is a MUST PLAY and will be a classic for years to come.
WARNING – if you want a mindless game this is not for you, it requires a brain.
Ps. You better hurry up to the party. Before someone cuts the cake.
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