My Top 10 Games..

Ten games is quite hard to come up with. Games that come immediately to mind are:

1. Burnout Revenge (multiplayer was the best I've seen in a game to date, its just too bad it's not a popular game anymore.
2. Broken Sword.
3. Discworld
4. Super Mario: All Stars
5. Tomb Raider (although very much dated now.)
6. Half Life (series)
7. Rift
8. Simcity 4 (yet to play the new one)
9. Far Cry 3
10. Guild Wars 2 (subject to change)

From this, I feel I hold a lot of nostalgia for games gone by. What are yours?

Holiday Books..

In need of a book to take with me on holiday. Always prefer a traditional book to an e-book when abroad. Now to decide which one..

The Witch And Wizard Series by James Patterson

I have recently finished reading the 'Witch and Wizard' series from James Patterson. I must say, the sheer fact that I managed to complete this trilogy is of immense credit to Mr Patterson as I have the attention span of a goldfish at the best of times.

Following our two main characters, Whit and Wisty Allgood, as they become embroiled in an adventure which only becomes more and more intense. The book itself would appeal mainly to a late teen I feel. The writing is very fluid and moves from page to page with little effort or even realisation.

How Time Flies..

Before I know it I'm racking up to 80 hours of gameplay on Far Cry 3, from a game that I just bought on a whim. The other option I considered at the time was Forza Horizon, I doubt I would of got as much value for money for that instead. Good choice I'd say!

Gamerscore or Trophies?

Which one is better. Do you like the thought of all of your achievements being held into an accumulative score, or do you prefer the random mix of bronze, silver and gold trophies which ultimately determine your current user level (I guess this is more similar to people who play MMOS or any game with an RPG development side to it).

Ultimately, as I dive between the two, I don't see that one is better than the other. I just see them as an additional element to each individual game that can make the game that little bit more addictive or replayable.

To consider trophies or a gamerscore as a reflection of your gaming prowess could be considered ignorant. You may completely dominate a certain genre of game, whilst not as much with another. Plus the fact that some achievements/trophies are insanely hard to get, or require you to invest a lot more time than you would ideally like to.

I think this system would work a lot better and mean a lot more to us if we actually saw real rewards from it (i.e: reach 20000 gamerscore or level 10 and we will give you *** store credit/points). This would create a whole new buzz around the system and make people, hopefully, invest more time in their games, rather than moving onto the next big thing.

Bioshock Infinite and COD..

Can these two even be compared into the same class, even though they are considered to be in the same genre? The depth and complexity you find in a game like Bioshock cannot be compared to the stale reinvention of a game franchise that has failed to truly progress game after game in many years.

Bioshock Infinite is very different to its predecessor and lends a unique art style, imagination, humour and emotion that can be rare to find in today's first person shooter selection. Games are sometimes mainly considered to be a source of viable income for developers, but occasionally, some can still do this but can also strive to take considered risks to make their games even more unique and fun, and this is how the industry will truly progress.

Too Much Choice!

Do you ever feel we may have too much choice these days? Personally, I say this from a gaming perspective as the sheer overwhelming number of games available can sometimes make it impossible to make a decision. This, ofcourse, can be the same for other things such as books, music and films, amongst others.

Is this a good or a bad thing though? The sheer choice could be considered as a wealth of possibilities that we, as a modern society, have become accustomed to expect. Boredom will never be an issue again it would seem!

On the other hand however, if you simply can't buy everything, then this leaves you feeling more pressured to buy the right thing and also reluctant and hesitant to make a purchasing mistake. Also, even if you can buy everything you want, are you then getting the value for money from what you buy?

For instance, if you buy an item but then something else grabs your eye, it can be so easy to move on and forget your previous purchase without even a second thought. This item you bought for £** is then condemned to the darkest corners of your attic, never to be seen again. We as consumers have then actively bought something, not seen it to its true potential and are therefore effectively somewhat chucking our money away.

Shopping used to be so much simpler.

Is it just me or is Skyrim that bit harder than its predecessors?

I feel Skyrim has taken a leap up from its most recent outing on Oblivion. Either my gaming prowess has taken a nose dive or there has been a considerable rise in difficulty this time around..

Games That Suck You In..

No matter how hard you try, some games can get their grubby little claws into you and you'll be hard pressed to be able to let go. These are games that either have so much content, addictive gameplay or rewarding goals that we all play them time and time, and time again.

To name a few:

- The Elder Scrolls Games.. Oblivion being particularly greedy with my time.
- WoW
- Fry Cry 3
- Fuel
- Just Cause
- Simcity
- Anno

I'm sure we can all name our own few games that seem to of stolen many hours of our lives without us even realising it. This is likely to be the future of gaming and we are likely to see much more addictive 'RPG' like factors applied to almost every style of game going forward; for better or for worse (very much for worse with concern to things like DLC).

Xbox vs PS3

The Xbox and PS3: Is there an overwhelming winner in the battle for console supremacy?

Personally, I think it ultimately comes down to which one you happen to like that tiny bit more at the time of purchase and it has nothing with regard to specifics. You may also happen to be a fan of one in particular from the start and that may be the sole reason you continue to stay loyal. Putting these aside, is there any real benefit from having one and not the other?

I'm currently having this debate as I own both consoles and am thinking about moving from the Xbox to the PS3. This is due to differing social circles and also the fact it's nice to have a change.

- Exclusivity. As much as a single game can affect your console preference, exclusivity is a minor concern for me. There are games which ofcourse are exclusive and remain that way for the duration of the series (i.e Gran Turismo, God of War), but the majority of games will now port over to the other console in due course. It just requires a little patience.

- Functionality. Both work in different ways, the PS3 has its scroll bar, whilst the Xbox has its tiles. Both work as they should with no issues. There is no plus from having one over the other. One thing I would note however is that the Xbox applies updates/downloads extremely quickly when comparing it to the speeds of the PS3. You may find yourself unable to play a PS3 game for an hour or more, merely because of a compulsory update that needs to be applied upon booting up.

- Graphics. Yes, yes. The PS3 trumps the Xbox ever so slightly, but its nothing that can't be overlooked at a glance.

With the PS4 and Xbox 720 just around the corner, the debate will likely become fearsome once again soon enough.

Is there any reason for debate. What ultimately made your decision?

Separating The Impossible From The Improbable..

What is impossible? What defines such an absolute term of phrase in this day and age.. I feel this term has changed its meaning and become less used and needed in today's ever evolving world.

Two hundred years ago, if I were to say that we would be flying around in metal machines, travelling hundreds of miles in mere hours and travelling into the heavens where the stars reside, each of these possibilities would of been met with immediate ridicule and be dismissed as impossible by the high majority.

Here we are however, in the age of technology and at the pinnacle of development in our current civilised status. The world now, with the influence and expansion of science, industry and technology has become a very different place. This is now a place where the term impossible is met with curiosity and wonder instead of dismissal.


Will we be able to create a robot that could operate exactly like a human? Possibly.

Will we be able to exceed the speed of light? Improbable, not impossible.

Many more questions reside in this category and as we develop, we have begun to have a whole new concept of what is possible and what really defines 'impossible'. The faith we have in science has risen to a point where almost anything cannot be 100% ruled out. Science fiction today may one day become science fact, and there can be no definitive rule that could categorically say otherwise.

Call Of Duty: What About Aliens?!

Call of Duty has been going for many many years now and there clearly isn't a financial, or any real reason to change a winning formula (rather than the imminent tweaks and little additions year on year).

I'm also aware that Call of Duty seems to like to keep itself within the possible (or at least the normal, bar the zombies addition of-course).

What would everyone's stance be on the Call of Duty franchise delving into a sci-fi feel. For instance, the inclusion of an alien invasion in one of their future games. Fighting am alien bombardment rather than merely just another country. A step too far perhaps?

Personally, I feel with all the maps and story lines, there is room for new originality. A company with such a large wallet, thanks to the success of this franchise, is a company that surely should be pioneering into new things. It should be one that is able to breed originality into the gaming industry. The smaller developers lack this as they cannot financially undertake such risk as its too consequential to their entire operation.

You may say that aliens is hardly a new and original concept in any regard. It's at least something new to try and something I think would be just as addictive, if not more so, with the Call of Duty mechanics running in the background.

Tomb Raider..

As much as I love the old Tomb Raider games, from the very first, to the most recent concoctions. Tomb Raider has evolved to meet the needs and wants of the modern gamer and has done this incredibly well.

Think Far Cry but with a Tomb Raider edge. The game incorporates many of the things that are the frequent additions to most games of this genre.

- Open world
- Collectibles
- Levelling up
- Personalisation
- Weapon Levelling / improvements

One point also to mention is that the narratives and characters are much more 'human'. You can relate and feel for them in a much more refined way.

Overall, the whole premise of the new Tomb Raider takes it away, completely, from what we expect of the series. An open world? I don't think anybody would of expected such a turn in this series five years ago. The change from an adventure to what is, in essence, more of a role playing feel, is a highly positive one. This has certainly brought new life to an old and tired formula and ensures that the series will continue for many years to come.

What Is The Formula In Making A Long-Standing MMO?

There are various different aspects that affect the longevity of an MMO and when it's date with imminent death is. These include:

- The game becomes stale (same old stuff, just remade in a slightly different way)
- No user support or very little
- Playerbase never takes off so it doesn't last outside of a year
- Competition
- No unique selling point

Take a look at the below article which tells us more about what Guild Wars 2 is planning to do going forward to try and maintain their playerbase. The factors they discuss are fairly common sense, however, even with the best laid plans it may still prove futile.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/03/07/how-guild-wars-2-plans-to-survive

This is because the MMO genre can be very fickle, purely because there are so many options available. It's very easy to be able to move onto different adventures.

So what makes an MMO stick? What do you love about your favourite MMO that means you aren't easily deferred onto something else?

SimCity!

Although it has already been released in the US (anybody in the US or with a UK preorder already let me know what it's like), SimCity will be here tomorrow and I must admit I'm rather excited. It's a game that has been due a sequel for quite some time and hopefully it will live up to expectation.

I know there have been aspects which have caused uproar, such as the DRM , the constant need for an online connection and the matter of having several different smaller city areas; rather than a large expanse. I'm prepared to look beyond these as long as the game is as addicting and involved as the previous ones.

We shall see.

Typing Errors In Games..

Whether it be within dialogue, random text or through any other means. Finding a spelling mistake in a game when just starting out can have a considerable affect on your first impressions, especially if its joined by errors two and three shortly thereafter. It doesn't in anyway reflect the final product necessarily, however it doesn't bode well.

I have been recently playing Anno 2070 and have come across many instances in the few short hours I have played. When you consider the mainstream MMOs have page after page of text to check but don't often make errors, you find yourself thinking there wasn't much attention to detail during development and testing.

Can you think of any other games where you have found the elusive, or sometimes, obvious error?

On another note, if there does happen to be any spelling errors in this post.. please ignore.

Rant: Pointless, Attention Seeking Statuses!

To the people who update their social networking profiles with statuses with the likes of:

'OMG I don't believe it'

'Did that really happen?'

'Thats never going to happen again'

Or amongst many other incarnations.. Why! Why even spend your time writing the status when it clearly has no new information. Not a lot, if any, of the people on your friends list will know what your talking about and the only persona you therefore create is one of an attention seeker.

To the people who comment on the said status and actually ask further.. ... ...

Rant over.

Review / My Thoughts: Far Cry 3

Is this game worth paying out for at the moment or is it something to find in a bargain bin in the near future? Ultimately, this purely depends on the type of gamer you are. If you are looking for a engrossing single player adventure then Far Cry 3 should be your choice without doubt. If you are looking for a multiplayer gunfight, then your best option is probably with Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2.



Graphics/Gameplay: Graphics aren't the be all and end all of a game but they help tremendously to a games appeal and sticking power and especially when it comes to this game. The main reason it is so important here is because the environment is an active part of the game itself. It feels alive. You could be hunting anything from a tiger, to a pig, or a Komodo dragon, or be on the verge of storming an encampment when suddenly something random happens that changes your plans. The game surprises you.

There are certain aspects that you may find repetitive and tedious, however there are many different options and ways in which you can play so it is very easy to move onto something else should you wish. There is the main storyline, but then you can also storm encampments, hunt animals, do time trials or go around collecting things. Your attention can be grabbed by something new quite easily.

Co-op: Good for a mess around and a nice little adventure but this can get highly repetitive. Kill pirates, move along a bit, kill pirates. Kill more pirates. The thing is, because you don't have the different things to do than what you do in single player, this gets old rather quickly. It's nice to have the option for split-screen however as most games do not include any kind of local splitscreen support these days, which is a real shame.

Multiplayer: Standard stuff really. No real difference from its predecessor and so it results in being a rather dated feeling affair. With the mechanics that we find in Battlefield and in Call Of Duty, it feels subpar, but it still stands as an adequate experience none the less.

Overall: Buy it if you liked the previous one as it has only improved, and if you like games such as Just Cause for their single player experience. If its multiplayer that you seek, seek elsewhere.

Defying Gravity.. Is It Possible?

As crazy and unlikely as all of science fiction may seem to us, there is a fundamental force at play that if able to be controlled, could make those stories and shows a thing of the here and now and within the grasp of our lifetimes..

Gravity. If we ever found a way of manufacturing ways to control it and bend it to our will, then we may have control over many more things that would vastly change the prospect of humanity's future. For example:

- Space travel. This could be done without the concern of long term damage to our bone structure.
- Space travel again. Being able to bend gravity itself may make lightyears condense down to much smaller units of time, as we may be able to understand more about how to bend space around us, rather than us fitting into space.
- Time Travel. You never know, these could be linked and from various sources it would appear they could be.
- Weight will have no value. If gravity were turned off in a sense, a once heavy item could suddenly be manageable. This would work also for vastly large structures.

On a more negative note however, if possible and if discovered, due to the implications of such an ability, this could spell dire times ahead for all of us if handled wrongly.

Entropia Universe..

This is one of those games I have recently come across which both intrigues but also completely puts me off.

The prospect is good and the mechanics of the game are much the same as many other games. A similar game I find is Eve Online whereby this also has an active, user fuelled economy. This game however, takes the user created economy to the next level. The currency can be exchanged into USD, this therefore means that every item, every piece of land, vehicle or accessory has a real world value to it. This has resulted in a lucky few people being able to make a living from this single game and good for them (although this would not be easy as first thought, and would also involve taking significant risks/investment, unless they happen to get lucky).

The main reason this puts me off is, although I may pay a monthly subscription for a game, this is done automatically and is not something I give a second thought over. If I were to want to invest and buy items in a game to help me progress, where each item i buy would be considered as a real purchase, this for some reason gives the whole transaction a different feel. I can see this mechanic causing people to also get too involved and plunder much more money than they would of ever done in a standard MMO.

The only other thing to mention is that the game has some of the best visuals in an MMO to date, just be sure to get yourself a powerful enough rig to make the most out of it. Personally, I'll stick to playing the standard stuff, but for anybody than ventures into this game, good luck.

Britain's Railway

After watching a documentary concerning the daily work and complications that Network Rail deal with. It is no wonder that the trains cannot always run smoothly and it certainly makes the complaining customers look very shallow and frustrated at a company which is ultimately trying to do the best it can.

The truth is, the british railway has to maintain a system which is many many years old and subsequently has its hic-ups more often than not. We live in a very privileged time where we can travel from one end of the country to the other in a mere 3 hours or so, due to the hard labour of hard working people who once laid the track down and also all the other people who then maintained it and installed all manner of other things which increase its safety. Yet given this, customers complain at an hour delay, even a 10 minute delay.. I hope this only represents the minority of the population.

We need to appreciate the services that are supplied to us and how privileged we are to be able to use them, rather than being encompassed within our own little bubbles with a disregard for anybody else. Thinking of people representing these companies as less than equal (this can apply to many different sectors). Ultimately 99% of the time, the company is trying to help, not hinder.