Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare

In a world of money grabbing, cash thievin' DLC it's rare to really see anyone put effort into downloadable content. However, Rockstar again raises the bar for DLC as it did for open world games with the original Red Dead Redemption with the Add on: Undead Nightmare. 

Undead Nightmare takes story elements from Red Dead, but doesn't really fit into continuity very well, so calling it a parallel story doesn't really suit it. So, we'll call the old "alternate universe" card once more. Basically, story wise...ZAMBIEZ!!! A Zombie plague is spreading and it's up to John Marston and some of his colourful friends to stop it and pretty much save the day. Once again, the writing is well done and special props the the devs remembering not to take the story too seriously and putting in some great larffs. The voice quality returns as well as sound effects in Undead Nightmare so the production value is still there and the sounds are even better than the original due to some strange zombie-esque tunes. 

For only $10, you get over 6 hours of story missions, side quests, new achievements, challenges and weapons as well as two multiplayer modes. So worth it. Good thing the bargain doesn't come at the expense of quality. These missions are fun as anything and the side quests are great. The challenges make use of the new Zombies and really make this DLC stand on it's own two feet. This isn't simply more Red Dead with Zombies; this is almost a whole new game. The Karma and fame system is gone, and so is money. Ammo is this game's currency, you'll have to make use of all your equipment to survive. Not to mention zombie horses have unlimited sprint, so that compensates for lack of fast travel from camp. Fighting zombies is very different from Red Dead. They'll charge at you in a variety of breeds. Fast zombie, spitter zombie, fat zombie and even zombie animals. You'll have a blast as you get into a rhythm of headshots a torch swings. 

There are only two real downsides to this DLC. The town saving mechanic and the fetch quest missions. Fetch quests are few and forgivable (same with Red Dead) but in Undead, you have to frequently go and save towns from zombie infection. If you don't, everyone dies and you can't really use that town again. This becomes really annoying when all you want to do is just progress. Luckily, this is really the only downside to the best DLC ever made. If you loved Red Dead Redemption, you'll love Undead Nightmare. Pick this one up. 

Haven't convinced you? Well, you get holy water and exploding bait as well as dynamite. Oh...AND YOU CAN RIDE THE 4 HORSES OF THE FREAKING APOCALYPSE!!!!!!

Red Dead Redemption Review

In 2010, the near undisputed GOTY was a little game we call Red Dead Redemption. And it's obvious why. This game is jam packed with content, great visuals and sound as well a fantastic gameplay and characters. However, there are some parts of the game which do fall a little short, but that's more than forgivable when you have a game as good as this.

Red Dead Redemption looks absolutely gorgeous. The western setting the devs were granted has been used to it's full extent and it brings the world to life. The towns look great, as do it's inhabitants. Even the lonely and sandy deserts have had so much care that even riding around looking at the place is fun. It also helps that the sound design is equally as impressive, including horse sounds, gun shots and voice acting that make this game feel extraordinary. The only real problem that arises from this is the brightness. I found myself having to constantly switch brightness throughout the game from high to low because at night, you cam hardly see anything, but in the day you're bombarded with sunlight that makes the ground unbearable to look at. And, as expected of a game this size, there's a few texture pops here and there, but it's strangely minimal. 

The story in Red Dead is actually a little disappointing. Basically, John Marston is a former gunslinger who's trying to go straight for his family, but his past is too filled with blood. You'll meet a great cast of characters not all of whom you'll like, but will feel some emotion towards them which is something that not many games accomplish. When I say the story's a little disappointing, I mean that there are certain points within the game that aren't fully capitalised on. An example is you spend time working for two opposite sides in the game and you really expect for the story to bank on this, but it never really does, leaving that section feeling a little anti-climactic. Also, some characters don't get the closure they deserve. The real high point of the narrative is John Marston himself. His character is slowly revealed over the course of the journey as you learn more and more about him. And the game's story when in Blackwater truly picks up to a truly amazing level. But the story mainly feels like you're going around doing a bunch of favours for people all around the world. 

Gameplay consists of roaming the massive world Red Dead has to offer and doing pretty much whatever. You can collect animal skins to sell at the market, complete tasks for strangers around the world, engage in randomly generated events while riding down the road, complete challenges to earn rewards, explore new towns and moar. So much to do in this game. And that's without the main missions. Most of these are really fun as well. You will storm trains, go on rescue missions, fight your way out of immense odds and even blow up mines. It's great! Only a few times do you encounter a mission that isn't fun. As said before, there is the unfortunately boring fetch quest here and there. And at times, the reason you're fighting these guys isn't really all that interesting and some missions do feel a little tacked on to make the game longer. Luckily, the ratio of good to bad is about 90:10 so it's all K. 

Red Dead Redemption does so many things that a lot of games try to do, but fail. Have a lot of content that's interesting, a great open world with stuff to do, great characters, amazing gameplay and a decent story. It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn impressive. Loved this game to death, one of the best of this generation.

Dishonored

How will you play Dishonored?

Will you lurk in the shadows and wait until the time is right? Or will you charge into the fray with amazing power at your disposal? Perhaps you'll go the road most bloody and slaughter everyone in your way? But you might have mercy and leave those who wronged you untouched and find other ways to topple your enemies. 
What will you do to achieve victory? Swing metal against metal and fight in swordplay? Blast people with your gun, or shoot them with the crossbow? Slit their throat or put them to sleep?

Dishonored offers something which a lot of games forget: player choice and freedom. You have an objective, but you are not funnelled down a narrow path with only one outcome. You can choose who you are and what you are, explore many powers and change the world around you. This reminds me of Deus Ex...in a great way. Dishonored may just prove to be the experience that true gamers have always wanted.

The Doctor Rants: Dark Souls PTD edition

Dark Souls, one of my favourite games of 2011 now has a PC port. Yes I know I'm late talking about this. still... 
I don't know about the rest of you, but my copy of the game lags. REALLY BADLY. i struggle to get the game to run at 30 fps and it really gets on my nerves. especially when the game moves so slowly than a boss can kill you due to your timing being waaaaaay off. I haven't been able to properly play the game due to this lag, neither have i been able to play online for long periods of time due to framerate being 'insufficient for online play.' 
Whilst in the past i have been the advocate for substance over style, i must make this point. this is a PC game, and the fact that the CONSOLE version looks better than the vanilla PC version upsets me. that goodness that there is a mod that brings the game to its full PC potential without changing the game play in any way. 

WHY MUST YOU TAUNT ME ARTORIAS
WHY

Of course, I wasn't expecting the greatest PC port of all time, considering that this is FromSoftware's FIRST ever PC game, so kudos to them for making it. However, the biggest mistake they made was by far, making the game reliant on the the XBOX controller. ITS A PC GAME! I WANT TO USE MY MOUSE AN KEYBOARD. when I did try to play with the mouse and keyboard, I found the game to be unplayable. Its a real shame. If you are considering getting Darks Souls, get the console version, and wait for the Console DLC. Seriously. Just play the game where it was born, and you will be able to play it and enjoy to its full potential.

It also uses Windows Live for its multiplayer...
yeah,,,

DLC

The three most hated/loved letters in all of video gaming. DLC. At times great, but mostly trash. The basic definition of DLC is downloadable content, something that is added onto a previously existing game that you already have. Some is free but most involve purchase of a usual cost of about $10 on an average. Some DLC is just extra characters, weapons and maps, while others are new missions, while others add whole new levels and change things drastically.

In games like Halo, or Call of Duty, most of the time, the DLC is a map pack, or maybe new weapons. The trouble with this, is that not everybody will buy it, and that can make the community a little disjointed when some people have maps and others don't. The same goes for DLC drop weapons. If you buy weapons and somebody doesn't, you generally have the advantage over the ones who haven't. This forces people to buy the new weapons as well as maps. In something like League of Legends, you can download new characters. While some will most likely be overpowered, most of the game devs take time and effort into making sure they are not broken or unbalanced and that they will cater to the people who like to play as them. But, why not just put in those extra characters in the first place when you buy them in stores? It wouldn't be too difficult to make Freddie Crouger's character from Soul Caliber before release date? If it's a long (and I mean really long) running game like LOL and eventually, you feel like rewarding the players, then make new characters. 

Most of the time though, devs tell you about the DLC they are going to make and then don't actually let you get it on the disc without another purchase or a pre-order. It makes sense that devs might want to reward fan loyalty with Pre-order bonuses, but when you don't pre-order a game that comes: "with early access to the next drop off" you feel a little ticked off. If they're making something which they plan to be in the game from the beginning, then why not just give it to us? Oh, that's right...money. If a game has been out for a while and developers feel like they can make something new and interesting for the player, then sure, DLC could be cool, but most of the time it feels like a money grabbing ploy against your wallet. 

And most DLC's are short anyway. Most of the time, reviews criticise DLC for being short or unpolished. Take most Mass Effect DLC. Short and probably not all that worthwhile. Even Batman's "Harley Quinn's Revenge" DLC could have been much better as it was fun, but short and didn't really add anything new to the experience of Arkham City.

The absolute best DLC comes from some of the best minds out there. Valve's TF2 comes out with lots of updates frequently as well as things like Maan vs Machine which is free. Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption got Undead Nightmare which was a long, well crafted and cheap add on to RDR that really made the future of DLC look bright. But most likely, DLC will remain a cheap way to con cash.

The Amazing Spider-Man review

Ta-Daaa!!

With Spider-Man getting a reboot with the new movie, there is of course an inevitable move tie-in game. But here's the thing, it doesn't suck. Beenox has had a while to develop this and although it doesn't come away with a full cartridge of webbing, it serves to impress both gamers and fans.

For starters, the game is a mixed bag graphically. Character models are a bit off for everyone but Spider-Man and the quality of the texture isn't fantastic. This is a bit of a contrast to Shattered Dimensions, which makes me a little sad, but in the end, it's merely annoying. The city of New York is absolutely amazing graphically though, with it feeling like a living, breathing city more than any other Spider-Man game. Swinging through the sky is also great. The camera is pulled close to Spider-Man giving you a huge sense of vertigo as he dives off tall buildings and swings himself away with his trademark web. Amazing. As for the story telling, well it's decent. The story is well written and does some pretty shocking things for the narrative, but I have an issue with the way it's told. Every cutscene is just one continuous shot. I don't know why, but I absolutely hate it when games do this. All I want to do when this storytelling technique is used is move around and get back to the game. Still, it's forgivable. The loading times are actually pretty obnoxious though...

The gameplay is a pretty big mix. Most time will be spent swinging around in Manhatten as the web slinger, running up buildings and collecting comic book pages. Swinging is the most fun thing to do in the game, no question. You always feel like Spider-Man when traversing Manhatten, and thanks to the new "Web-Rush" feature, you can slow down time and point Spider-Man towards a direction and land with precession, something you always saw him do in the movies and TV shows but could never do in a game until now. Manhatten is littered with little comic book pages to collect, which I swear to god is more addictive than gambling (not that I do such a thing outside Super Mario 64 <ahem>) And best of all, they unlock actual comics.

Don't look behind you...

When fighting as Spider-Man, you will notice...the fact that they completely took the Batman fighting system and used it in their game. It works for Spider-Man and is actually harder to get the higher combos than it is Batman, but the combat isn't as deep. The true fun from Batman lay in trying to get a perfect run without taking any damage and working out when to use what move and such. Spider-Man's fighting is simpler (not as deep) and while it is harder (you will die more) that's only because enemies do so much damage. It is still thrilling to see Spider-Man beat up thugs and you'll never tire of it. The stealth gameplay is what was really surprising. When faced with heavily armed foes, you'll sneak about the shadows using his acrobatic abilities and wall crawling to silently take out the guards. This is really fun and you'll feel like the web slinger himself as you sneak about, picking off enemies. The only time this feels clunky is when upside down on the ceiling. You can hardly control the way you look and are forced to use web retreat to return to a wall. What really makes the stealth fun is that these guys will search the walls for you with torches. This adds an element of stress as the enemies can actually find and beat you, forcing you to stay on your toes. (I was playing on hard the whole time)

The boss fights against the cross species are fun, but really easy compared to the rest of the game, while the boss battles in the open are amazing and some of the best bosses ever made in video games. You feel like a total swinging around as Spider-Man fighting giant flying robots. Ah, my childhood dreams realised!

The Amazing Spider-Man makes you feel like Spider-Man, but at the same time, some of the indoor levels leave a little to be desired and the side missions are a little repetitive and they aren't random like in Spider-Man 2. This means the game isn't perfect, but it's still fun, especially if you're a Spider-Man fan, and who isn't?

Mass Effect 3 Review

Oh god...this....this game is truly amazing. One of the greatest games of all time, period. No game has ever stirred up the same feeling that Mass Effect 3 has. 

Mass Effect 3 takes the story from your last two games and uses it to continue the universe you've built. This is easily one of the best features of the game, as you feel as though what you've done really affects the world and that all the decisions you made actually mattered (note: I downloaded the extended cut before beating the game) The story needless to say is masterful, finally bringing all your efforts all you've fought for into one, final climactic struggle for survival. The characters a fantastic. If they survived the story of the previous two games; then you will see a lot of familiar faces, but if not, you will love the new characters (except for a few) and literally fall in love with them. The crafters of this game have put time and effort into making this script and setting feel closer to that of a Hollywood blockbuster (the good kind) rather than a video game. 

Sometimes, you'll forget you're playing a game while you sit back and watch an epic cutscene play out, or have a conversation with a character. And this all looks great thanks to the powerful game engine, making everything look fantastic with few exceptions. A graphical glitch and the occasional poor lip syncing might throw some of the illusion away, but that's forgivable since Mass Effect 3 is so good, you won't really care. The voice direction is also great with the amazing Jennifer Hale reprising fem-shep (she is in everything!), Seth Green as Joker (Scotti Evil from Austin Powers) and Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man (Uncle Ben from Amazing Spider-Man as well as numerous others) The other actors are also super impressive with great lines and moments.

The gameplay brings back the great shooting mechanics from ME2 and adds in more layers of RPG like modding weapons and armour back into the mix, bringing back some of the depth that was lost from the transition from ME1 to ME2. Luckily, there are a greater selection of weapons to choose from as well as the levelling system becoming more complex and useful. Some of the scenarios you'll find yourself in do more than just entertain, you really do feel a part of the action with some great back drops and moments in the story. The game will often change on the fly where a new threat might pop up and you'll have to deal with it as well as your mission. But the biggest device in ME3 is the choice making system. Being forced to make choices constantly means that you're experience will end up differently than the other person who you're forced to live with...uh...

Anyhoo, the gameplay is fantastic, even though I found the armour to be useless (I never used it) And the game just has so many big moments that you'll just be amazed at how well everything comes together. The combat is always fresh as you'll be tasked with different missions and have to fight interesting and varied bunch of enemies. One things that they've brought back from ME1 is having one super powerful enemy as well as several of the smaller grunts. Super fun times will be had playing dis gaem! :-)

Now, the ending...
oooohhhhh bbbooooyyy
Now, most people blindly say: Whhhaaoooror de ending sucks cos the internet says it does!

And let me tell you, they're sort of right. The original ending (without the extended cut) is pretty terrible. It looks like it's about to wrap up the story nicely while showing you the consequences of what you've done tie into the game's final hurrah...except it doesn't. It just abruptly ends. Like, immediately, right when you think that your choices are about to matter. With the extended cut however, you are pretty much safe. This ending inspires, it truly does. It shows you the true consequences of what went down during your journey and you truly feel great when it's done. Mass Effect 3 is also the game that has taken the most emotion from me ever, nearly to tears (not quite though...it's not Toy Story 3, or Marley and Me) and it was a blast to play through.

Pick up ME1 and begin the greatest gaming trilogy of our time if you haven't already. If you have, then pick ME3 up and get ready for the ride of a lifetime. Mass Effect 3: one of the best games ever made.

Go, go Normandy Rangers!!!!!!!!!!!