Howdy folks!
Well, as we near the end of the year, you can see I've posted a few new videos which I hope you enjoy. While the "End Of The World" is only a few days away I thought since I don't usually post written blogs here, I might as well do it now, properly.
I've been writing reviews, tips, easy-to-get achievements and more for the past two years here, all starting because I felt that all the online reviewers were slowly becoming too business-like and lacked the passion and love the average gamer has for all their games. It dawned on me that if I, the average gamer, wrote a review about games, it might give newcomers a better idea to what they might like and prefer. As I write these words I have over 9'000 views on this blog, (Insert Dragonball Z joke here) and I never thought it would continue to grow, I doubted that I'd even get as high as it is now and for that, I truly have to thank you. Whether you're a viewer, a subscriber to my Youtube channel or just a passer-by looking for an honest opinion about a DLC you've been looking at, I truly thank you for all the support over these last two years.
As 2013 approaches, and with many fantastic game titles soon coming out, I can only hope that you continue to enjoy my work.
On a serious note, the Fable review will be coming shortly, but since Christmas is now a week away, things are definitely becoming hectic. There will be a shortage of videos until the new year due to me taking a personal break, a thing I have never done before, the exception being unscheduled events such as family issues, funerals and things such like that. However some reviews and Five Easy Achievements will pop up between here and there.
But I digress.
I sincerely thank you for all the support over the years and I look forward to bringing more reviews, silly videos and gaming news in 2013.
From Al Fatman to you, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa and stay safe over the holiday period.
And as always, have fun and game on!
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Choose My Torture!
Warning! If you have a weak stomach, don't watch this video. It may make you vom.
Otherwise, enjoy and thanks for watching!
Monday 10 December 2012
Review: Skyrim Dragonborn DLC
G'day folks!
From rumour, to confirmed and then highly entisipated, the Dragonborn DLC was hungrily downloaded on the day of release to many eagar fans. With a return to Skyrim and the Dovahkiin, we see ourselves attacked by cultists in any random city, only to kill them with ease (of course) and a note found on one of their bodies, indicating their orders. A man named Miraak has sent orders to have you the "fake imposter" dragonborn killed and your now legendary tale wiped from history. So you must travel to Solstheim in Morrowind to find and put down the man who tried to have you killed.
After arriving to Solstheim, you find most of people there under some kind of trance, each chanting the same message over and over.
However, seeing as I nearly spoiled the entire Omega DLC, I shall stop myself here!
Some of the great new perks in the new DLC is weaponry. With the inclusion of two new weapon types, we get to see a new look of our characters, and the various rumours of a new DLC based on the origin of Skyrim may actually be true. New weapons, spells, shouts, armour and more for you to discover, the game also offers updated graphics. From Morrowind and beyond, the graphic detail is greatly shown, especially during "Black Book" sequences (trying to give detail without spoiling huge plotpoints).
Puzzles also make a bit of a comeback as part of the new content will require you to gather items and solve how to get to new regions.
The only issues reported about the DLC so far are ending boss fights where some enemies do not die, AI following issues during quests and areas refusing to load. However, I personally have only experienced one out of the three and Bethesda have already released statements for a quick patch coming in the near future.
Although this new adventure in the Elder Scrolls series and blew on the embers of the furious PS3 gamers, the Dragonborn DLC is definitely worth the price. Sure, it does seem a little more costly, but with the effort gone into audio, new areas, graphics, arsenal and more for you to uncover, this new content is definitely a worthy add into your download list.
Out of 10, I give the Skyrim Dragonborn DLC an 8.5/10
Good points
+ New weapons and armour types
+ Stunning graphics with new areas
+ Diverse new characters and vocal acting.
+ Definitely worth the price...
Bad points
- ...but still a bit of a longshot.
- AI glitches
The Dragonborn DLC is only available on Xbox 360 for now at 1600 MSP
After arriving to Solstheim, you find most of people there under some kind of trance, each chanting the same message over and over.
However, seeing as I nearly spoiled the entire Omega DLC, I shall stop myself here!
Some of the great new perks in the new DLC is weaponry. With the inclusion of two new weapon types, we get to see a new look of our characters, and the various rumours of a new DLC based on the origin of Skyrim may actually be true. New weapons, spells, shouts, armour and more for you to discover, the game also offers updated graphics. From Morrowind and beyond, the graphic detail is greatly shown, especially during "Black Book" sequences (trying to give detail without spoiling huge plotpoints).
Puzzles also make a bit of a comeback as part of the new content will require you to gather items and solve how to get to new regions.
The only issues reported about the DLC so far are ending boss fights where some enemies do not die, AI following issues during quests and areas refusing to load. However, I personally have only experienced one out of the three and Bethesda have already released statements for a quick patch coming in the near future.
Although this new adventure in the Elder Scrolls series and blew on the embers of the furious PS3 gamers, the Dragonborn DLC is definitely worth the price. Sure, it does seem a little more costly, but with the effort gone into audio, new areas, graphics, arsenal and more for you to uncover, this new content is definitely a worthy add into your download list.
Out of 10, I give the Skyrim Dragonborn DLC an 8.5/10
Good points
+ New weapons and armour types
+ Stunning graphics with new areas
+ Diverse new characters and vocal acting.
+ Definitely worth the price...
Bad points
- ...but still a bit of a longshot.
- AI glitches
The Dragonborn DLC is only available on Xbox 360 for now at 1600 MSP
Friday 7 December 2012
Review: Mass Effect 3 - Omega DLC
Howdy folks!
The battle that many people have waited for, the recent release of the Omega DLC has had many fans in a fury over many things; the fight to retake Omega, new enemies and weapons but above all, the first featured female Turian!
Starting this mission is kind of sly but a smart and classic move by EA. With a simple message from Aria, Shepard flies off to the Citadel for a meet up, only to be taken for a car drive with Aria to reveal her plan to retake her home.
Upon hearing her proposal, Shepard completely shoots her down, refusing to do it. But when she puts her entire force of Blood Pack, Eclipse and Blue Suns at your disposal (Much more than just the factions you collected on the Citadel) with a chance to take out The Illusive Man's near Right Hand man along with it, he reluctantly accepts. However, her only rule is that no one, absolutely no one, from your team or the Normandy can join her on this adventure. (This is kind of a cheap way of not hiring back any of the vocal actors back for the DLC, no character ever mentions the takeover of Omega throughout the entire game)
With this, you and many ships fly to Omega in Cerberus ships, attacking them while their defences are down only to fail and be shot down to crash land at the lowest level of the station.
And that's enough of the intro, more possible spoilers soon to come!
Gameplay is much of the same, while the new weapons do indeed KICK ARSE against the new enemies, not much is offered. The DLC is mostly focused for the Renegade users, especially where a stand point mid game will offer Shepard to take the Renegade option 3+ times in one cutscene. The issue? If you take the option, you kill hundreds of civillians, if you don't, there is a chance that you will kill Aria and your new found friend Nyreen Kandros (The female turian...who turns out to be Aria's old love interest...awesome), however the gameplay redeems itself with classic Mass Effect tasks and a possible shoutout to the first game as mid game, you will have to fight off multiple enemies and disarm four bombs. While there is a small fleeting mention of Mordin as you pass through his old clinic, there is barely any other attention to past or present crew members between Aria and Shepard, a return to Omega for Garrus would have been interesting or some more backstory of the system by Javik would have been inventive as well. But of course if this were to happen, Nyreen or Aria wouldn't have been available as squad members but seeing as Nyreen only appears a few times during the entire DLC, another crew member to help out would have been nice.
Voice acting by Sumalee Montano and Carrie-Anne Moss are quite well done but lack much of an "oomph", especially it comes to dramatic scenes. While the animation does save face for the sake of the melodrama between the "lovers" does kind of become lost with a near energyless projection.
Without completely spoiling the new DLC, the writing, acting and gameplay is definitely up to par with the standards of the game, however for this fan, it failed to "wow" me such like "Lair Of The Shadowbroker" did last year. Maybe EA and Bioware were hoping for something to live up to that sort of reputation, but for a DLC to have AI glitches here and there, no real effect on our War Assets and barely any on the storyline, Bioware and EA have released an ordinary DLC.
Out of 10, I give Mass Effect 3 - Omega DLC an 6.5/10
Good Points:
+ Expansion on story of Aria
+ New guns and enemies? Awesome
+ Classic ME tasks
Bad Points:
- Underwhelming voice acting
- AI glitches prevent storyline (Aria follows instead of leads)
- Barely any effect on War Assets
- No hollow return to Omega for Garrus? Aw.....
The Omega DLC is out now for 1200 MSP
Starting this mission is kind of sly but a smart and classic move by EA. With a simple message from Aria, Shepard flies off to the Citadel for a meet up, only to be taken for a car drive with Aria to reveal her plan to retake her home.
Upon hearing her proposal, Shepard completely shoots her down, refusing to do it. But when she puts her entire force of Blood Pack, Eclipse and Blue Suns at your disposal (Much more than just the factions you collected on the Citadel) with a chance to take out The Illusive Man's near Right Hand man along with it, he reluctantly accepts. However, her only rule is that no one, absolutely no one, from your team or the Normandy can join her on this adventure. (This is kind of a cheap way of not hiring back any of the vocal actors back for the DLC, no character ever mentions the takeover of Omega throughout the entire game)
With this, you and many ships fly to Omega in Cerberus ships, attacking them while their defences are down only to fail and be shot down to crash land at the lowest level of the station.
And that's enough of the intro, more possible spoilers soon to come!
Gameplay is much of the same, while the new weapons do indeed KICK ARSE against the new enemies, not much is offered. The DLC is mostly focused for the Renegade users, especially where a stand point mid game will offer Shepard to take the Renegade option 3+ times in one cutscene. The issue? If you take the option, you kill hundreds of civillians, if you don't, there is a chance that you will kill Aria and your new found friend Nyreen Kandros (The female turian...who turns out to be Aria's old love interest...awesome), however the gameplay redeems itself with classic Mass Effect tasks and a possible shoutout to the first game as mid game, you will have to fight off multiple enemies and disarm four bombs. While there is a small fleeting mention of Mordin as you pass through his old clinic, there is barely any other attention to past or present crew members between Aria and Shepard, a return to Omega for Garrus would have been interesting or some more backstory of the system by Javik would have been inventive as well. But of course if this were to happen, Nyreen or Aria wouldn't have been available as squad members but seeing as Nyreen only appears a few times during the entire DLC, another crew member to help out would have been nice.
Voice acting by Sumalee Montano and Carrie-Anne Moss are quite well done but lack much of an "oomph", especially it comes to dramatic scenes. While the animation does save face for the sake of the melodrama between the "lovers" does kind of become lost with a near energyless projection.
Without completely spoiling the new DLC, the writing, acting and gameplay is definitely up to par with the standards of the game, however for this fan, it failed to "wow" me such like "Lair Of The Shadowbroker" did last year. Maybe EA and Bioware were hoping for something to live up to that sort of reputation, but for a DLC to have AI glitches here and there, no real effect on our War Assets and barely any on the storyline, Bioware and EA have released an ordinary DLC.
Out of 10, I give Mass Effect 3 - Omega DLC an 6.5/10
Good Points:
+ Expansion on story of Aria
+ New guns and enemies? Awesome
+ Classic ME tasks
Bad Points:
- Underwhelming voice acting
- AI glitches prevent storyline (Aria follows instead of leads)
- Barely any effect on War Assets
- No hollow return to Omega for Garrus? Aw.....
The Omega DLC is out now for 1200 MSP
Thursday 6 December 2012
Review: Dishonored
G'day folks!
Bethesda has been known for many years for the Elder Scrolls series but late last year they released a trailer to a brand new game that many people have now fallen in love with. A game combining Steampunk fashion, futuristic (kind of) weapons and superhuman abilities, those short statements sum up the world of Dishonored.
The game follows wrongly treated Corvo Attano, Royal Bodyguard of the Empress of Dunwall, recently returning from a trip to exotic lands for a cure to the plague infesting the city. However, upon his return, the Empress is assassinated, leaving a man named Doud magically restraining Corvo while kidnapping the Empress' daughter Emily. With no witnesses left, Corvo is blamed for the murder and kidnapping and sent to prison. After a set of months, Corvo escapes the prison and is met by a man named Samuel who delivers him to the Loyalists, who believed that Corvo is innocent.
First noticed is the unique graphics, while quite simple in design, they give a great and aged feel to the game much like Borderlands in that retrospect. Sound effects are quite gruesome, especially when it comes to decapitation and deadly kills. With the use of "Magic" bestowed by The Outsider, the sound effects alter and create a sense of danger and sets the mood well. The soundtrack, while mainly slightly creepy, is bloody excellent for setting the mood and pitch of the game alongside the sound effect. Their version of "Drunken Whaler" while fighting many plagued victims quite makes a mark in your mind. Voice acting, while decent, doesn't quite live up to the snuff. While the game does feature some well known actors such as Susan Sarandon, Lena Headey and Chloe Grace Moretz, only during the more humourous scenes does the acting suit, but its mostly the Additional Voice Staff the makes the gameplay fun.
Not much can be said about the game that doesn't reveal the storyline, but I will say this. What makes the game playable is how far they reach to tell a story not only through all the things you experience during your play time, but once more choices make a huge significance not only to yourself but to the characters around you so be careful of your actions and what you do.
While fans of Bethesda scream for more Multiplayer, they have stuck to their guns and made a brilliant game that just begs you to go back for more and more. The tale of Corvo Attano is one to be remembered and enjoyed long after we fans beg for a sequel.
Out of 10, I give Dishonored an 8.5/10
Good points:
+ Excellent and engaging gameplay
+ Musical score and sound effects effective
+ Choices have consequences
+ Storyline developing and ever changing to choices
Bad points:
- High/Low Notority is kind of dodgy
- Voice acting lacked muchly
- Tips aren't that helpful...
Dishonored is out now for the standard price of $70
Bethesda has been known for many years for the Elder Scrolls series but late last year they released a trailer to a brand new game that many people have now fallen in love with. A game combining Steampunk fashion, futuristic (kind of) weapons and superhuman abilities, those short statements sum up the world of Dishonored.The game follows wrongly treated Corvo Attano, Royal Bodyguard of the Empress of Dunwall, recently returning from a trip to exotic lands for a cure to the plague infesting the city. However, upon his return, the Empress is assassinated, leaving a man named Doud magically restraining Corvo while kidnapping the Empress' daughter Emily. With no witnesses left, Corvo is blamed for the murder and kidnapping and sent to prison. After a set of months, Corvo escapes the prison and is met by a man named Samuel who delivers him to the Loyalists, who believed that Corvo is innocent.
First noticed is the unique graphics, while quite simple in design, they give a great and aged feel to the game much like Borderlands in that retrospect. Sound effects are quite gruesome, especially when it comes to decapitation and deadly kills. With the use of "Magic" bestowed by The Outsider, the sound effects alter and create a sense of danger and sets the mood well. The soundtrack, while mainly slightly creepy, is bloody excellent for setting the mood and pitch of the game alongside the sound effect. Their version of "Drunken Whaler" while fighting many plagued victims quite makes a mark in your mind. Voice acting, while decent, doesn't quite live up to the snuff. While the game does feature some well known actors such as Susan Sarandon, Lena Headey and Chloe Grace Moretz, only during the more humourous scenes does the acting suit, but its mostly the Additional Voice Staff the makes the gameplay fun.
Not much can be said about the game that doesn't reveal the storyline, but I will say this. What makes the game playable is how far they reach to tell a story not only through all the things you experience during your play time, but once more choices make a huge significance not only to yourself but to the characters around you so be careful of your actions and what you do.
While fans of Bethesda scream for more Multiplayer, they have stuck to their guns and made a brilliant game that just begs you to go back for more and more. The tale of Corvo Attano is one to be remembered and enjoyed long after we fans beg for a sequel.
Out of 10, I give Dishonored an 8.5/10
Good points:
+ Excellent and engaging gameplay
+ Musical score and sound effects effective
+ Choices have consequences
+ Storyline developing and ever changing to choices
Bad points:
- High/Low Notority is kind of dodgy
- Voice acting lacked muchly
- Tips aren't that helpful...
Dishonored is out now for the standard price of $70
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)