Is Call Of Duty A Suitable First Person Shooter (FPS) For Kids?

If you haven't played Call of Duty, it's a game where you kill people/computer animations and get points and xp towards ranking up and unlocking new guns, camos and perks. You get three perks and these allow you to do cool things, like sprint faster, survive explosions, and drop a grenade on death.

So what aspects of CoD are unsuitable for young people? Well, World at War features a mode called Zombies in which you blow waves of zombies to bits and see bucket loads of blood flying everywhere. Also, they drop f-bombs quite frequently. Therefore, keep your children away from everything made by Treyarch because they do not have young people in mind when they are making their entertainment. Infinity Ward is a bit better, but I would still recommend staying away from Modern Warfare 2 because it isn't a Kids first person shooter as the final kill cam shows spurts of blood in slow-motion. Children playing first person shooters is something you see commonly nowadays and it's good to see because as long as they aren't playing for the killing aspect, Call of Duty is an amazingly awesome, fun shooter for young people, and it can in fact help educate them on the brutality of war and teach them about different types of guns.

With parenthood comes the responsibility to look after your kid, but being over protective can be just as harmful as being careless with your children. Shooting people sounds like something your little ones shouldn't be doing, but if parents take a look the website above, they will find it somewhat suitable. Call of Duty 4 is the most age appropriate one from the series and it comes with an option to turn blood and language off. You really don't want your babies seeing excess blood and guts!

When you think about it, CoD is very tame as far as first person shooters go, for Gears of War, Halo, Crysis and Battlefield are all one hundred times worse. In fact, no one in their right mind should play games like Gears of War because it will scar their minds for a long time - you actually cut people in half with chainsaws! Anyway, I think that Gears of War isn't even fun anyway, whereas Call of Duty is fun and relatively tame, making it the perfect FPS for children. Enjoy playing titles from this series before they are replaced by more gruesome games.

Outwitters Review - Hit It or Wit It

Outwitters, released by OIL on iOS, is one of a kind. The exciting game that initially looks cute, thanks to the presence of anthropomorphic mice and teddy bears, is not cute at all. It's a strategy game that makes you wear your thinking cap. It's not really aimed for kids, don't be fooled by the teddy bears, it's for subversives who love fighting sharks, elephants and disembodied brains.

Does it create a horrible picture? The game isn't really horrible. It actually delivers in all aspects and comes out as a winner in the already impressive lineup of strategy games on the iOS. It's a turn-based squad tactical game, which is played on a hex grid. There are 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2 mayhem modes, which means you can challenge your mates and see who can nail it. It's a deeply gratifying multiplayer game, which has the power to keep you hooked.

The game comes free with one army, and allows you to buy more, if required. You move on in the game by defending your base and destroying that of your opponent's. For every right move you earn points, called wits. The game has maps to guide you so that you don't feel lost and keep on track. The maps, fortunately, are designed specifically for Apple devices and are not too big or too small. They serve their purpose pretty well and guide you, whenever needed.

It's one of the most polished games on the iOS. Everything gleams and is in perfect sync. The game is very fast and loads at lightening speed. If you face trouble with it, believe us, it probably has to do with the device than the game. We played it on an iPad and it worked like a dream. The developers have put in their best effort to make this the number one game in the market, and they've succeeded in it to a great extent.

With its menu, interface, and animations, Outwitters sets the bar high. It has outdone all its predecessor. The makers, OML, have carved a niche with this one. We cannot wait to see what more they have in store for us, as they have always outdone themselves and come out on top by producing games that always reach an unprecedented success level.

The controls are fine, but one might face problems initially, especially when you are required to pass the device, since the game is turn based. Nevertheless, once you've played it twice or thrice, you get in the mood and handle it like a pro. This isn't much of a problem.

One of the best things about Outwitters is that it allows you to play against real opponents. You can go against Game Center mates or random opponents to see your skills. The icing on the cake is the ranking meter, which gives you points based on your performance. The ranking meter is automatically updated and is used to set you against opponents that fall in the same category as you do. This sophistication is hardly witnessed on mobile games. It's the first of its kind, and we're sure more will follow.

However, for some it might be a drawback as the game can only be played when there is a player. Since the game is new and hot in the market, it's always easy to find a player. We don't know what the future holds for it though, giving the constant change in the games market. But, one thing is for sure, Outwitters isn't disappearing anytime soon. It's too powerful to neglect!

Overall, Outwitters is one of the best games in the market today. The fact that it is available for free download makes it irresistible. It's so good, you won't regret spending a few dollars to buy the extra armies and enjoy it fully. It's a perfect game that has it all. Asking for more would render you greedy!

Shank 2 Reviewed

Published By: Electronic Arts, Developer: Klei Entertainment, Genre: Action, Release Date: Feb 8, 2012, Rating: M, Systems: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360.

Shank 2 is a 2D beat 'em up arcade downloadable game. It pays homage of sorts to movies I grew up watching during the 80's like Commando, Rambo and Missing in Action. Shank 2 is a bro-man game starring the duel wielding shank man, Shank! I was able to play through Shank 2 for free (its free for PlayStation Plus members at the moment). When analyzing Shank 2's presentation there is more bad than good clearly. I'll discus everything during this review so keep reading. I'll start with the menus on the title screen which includes: Campaign Mode, Survival Mode, Rebel Intel, Leaderboard, Player Stats and Help & Options. No problem navigating in Shank 2, everything is laid out in a nice ergonomic fashion.

Robert "Shank" Torres is the protagonist and ex mob hitman. Shank 2 is a story about redemption regarding Shank. He takes down a corrupted President Magnus while rescuing Elena (his mother figure). Working along side with Resistance leader Corina Shank takes down the corrupt Cartel. As far as the overall story goes it was cheesy and cliche. It was never interesting because it seems like every villain and bad guy in the game was copied from either a movie I saw or a video game I have played. It was suppose to be funny however the bad gameplay and controls kept me from laughing during my entire playthrough.

Visually Shank 2 gets a high score. The art style and animations just exude a visceral and compelling atmosphere. Shank rampages through South American villiges, resorts, ruined temples and swamps. The textures and colors pop out of the screen and every setting was rendered wonderfully. The animations makes Shank appear like a real badass reminding me of heroes like Rambo.

Shank 2 is a 2D beat 'em up that features gunplay, grenade lobbing, pouncing and grabbing enemies. There are different types of weapons that work differently in effectiveness regarding certain enemies. You have Heavy Weapons like the Chainsaw, Machete and Sledgehammer. Ranged Weapons include Throwing Knives, Pistols and a Shotgun. Munitions include Grenades, Molotovs and Mines. The latter is part of the problem. The game's controls and structure makes it near too impossible to use all weapons and items on the different enemies effectively at any given moment. The gameplay became cluttered up and by the time I tried to throw my grenade or use my heavy weapon to break a grunt's shield I was dead.

The single player campaign was ridiculously short to say the least. But lucky for me was the fact that this game has multiplayer (online and off). Its called Survival Mode and is clearly the best thing Shank 2 has going for it. The menu screen for Survival Mode featured: Local Match, Online Match, Invite A Friend, View Invitations and How to Survive. The last option shows a voiced video tutorial for Survival Mode. Survival Mode is a wave type game ala Horde mode via Gears of war 3. Shank 2 is 2D so things are different obviously. Your goal along with another player is to defend supply stations around the map. Bombers are grunts that target your supply stations and blows them up.

I rarely tell gamers to buy a game based on multiplayer. For Shank 2 I have no choice since the single player campaign was ridiculously short and problematic from a gameplay and control perspective.

American Pickers: The Road Less Traveled Review

If you have watched the show before, you might also love the game. American Pickers: The Road Less Traveled is a hidden object game that is based upon the hit reality television series American Pickers. From the TV show's Wikipedia entry, it seems to have become the highest rated History Channel debut since 2007 when it debuted last 2010. This makes the show in the level of amazing. But can the hidden object game follow suit? Well, let us review the game and find out.

The game follows the adventures of Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, the same guys who ran the TV series. You help them pick antiques and memorabilia from seemingly worthless junk. Well, if you do not know yet on what these guys do for a living, you must be confused on what picking means. The context clues says it all, they try to find antiques and collectibles all over America, and sell them too at a nice profit back in their headquarters named Antique Archaeology.

As you can see, the whole idea of the TV series makes the perfect setting for a hidden object game. And in the case of American Pickers: The Road Less Traveled, that is exactly what it is. In terms of graphics, I say that the hidden object scenes are made pretty well and while there are some pixel finding involved on highly cluttered areas, it is bearable enough and understandable too considering that you play the role of a picker now, and you must have an eye for rare finds, right?

Another thing that makes this game true to the TV series is the amount of dialogue involved. There is just too many for my taste, so I find coursing through the game a little boring that most of the time, I click through the dialogues just to get to some hidden object action. I understand too that fans of the series should find all of these talk amusing, more informative and fun, so this game may be made especially for them too.

American Pickers: The Road Less Traveled is definitely a good game to start on for beginner hidden object players that like a mix of story time and game time when playing their games. The game is absolutely one that is made for fans of the series, but I do still suggest that players try it out for themselves to see if it is enjoyable enough. You never know, the game might make you an American Pickers fan too.

Best Flight Simulation Games For Wannabe Pilots

Many people around the world have dreams of flying and would like to be airplane pilots. For most of them those wishes remain only dreams and fantasies as real flying courses can be very expensive and lot of us don't have enough time, money or other requirements for becoming professional airplane pilots.

Good alternative for many flying fans and enthusiast have been various flight simulation games and software applications. This way they get a chance to experience realistic flying without even leaving their own home. There are many different flight simulator games around. They where developed by different teams and companies so their features and price tags are very much different.

I've tried few different models and currently I'm using Pro Flight Simulator, which has decent features and relatively inexpensive price. What I like the most about it are realistic controls and the possibility to fly anywhere in the world with large number of different airplanes and helicopters. I also like the graphic details and the way this game has progressed and have had many major improvements when compared to similar games from the past decade.

Just imagine being in a cockpit of a Boeing 777 ready for takeoff. Air control gives you the signal to go. You start the engines and can feel all that amazing power. Your speed increases; you are running through the runway and can feel the adrenaline rush inside you. This truly sounds like a dream job to me! But it doesn't have to be a dream any more. Now everyone can experience this and be in the middle of the action with the help of Pro Flight Simulator game.

There are many different features that a good flying simulation software must have. We will look into few most important characteristics, essential for realistic experience and for good playability.

Adjustable surroundings, weather conditions and climate. Changing landscapes and day and night settings.Possibility to program different missions and routes allowing you to patrol in military airplane or go to a helicopter rescue mission for example.Multiplayer options and the ability to play and chat online with your friends and other gamers around the world.The choice of different airplane and helicopter models. Good flight simulation games have a fleet of 100 or more aircraft models to choose from.

Flight simulation games of today have the ability to provide their users with a realistic flying experience much better than ever before. I would advise you to do some research before you decide which one to buy. They are all very much different and are made for different purpose and for different profile of people. It all depends on what your motives and real intensions are. The game, which might be perfect for a casual player, won't meet the standards and expectations for a trainee pilot who needs professional software of much better quality.

Review - Treasures of Montezuma 3

The Apple App Store is crowded with all manner of variations of the match 3 game. Most of them are kind of boring, the best ones bring some new twist to the game that makes you want to keep playing. Treasures of Montezuma 3 is one of the latter types of the match 3 game that will keep you coming back for more.

At its core Treasures of Montezuma 3, as I mentioned before, is a match 3 game. You have a playing field with a variety of different colored and shaped objects on it. You match the objects in groups of three or more in a line, then the objects disappear. More fall down from the top of the field and so on.

Standard match 3 game so far, right? The first twist that Treasures of Montezuma 3 has in store is that you are trying to free crystals that are embedded in the play field objects by matching them with like objects. There is a time limit to the level as well, with the amount of gold increasing based on how fast you clear the level.

Also what Treasures of Montezuma 3 brings to the table is a set of power ups that change how the game acts and is played. As you play, you earn coins. The coins can be spent to improve the powers of various totems that are the same color as the objects on the playing field. When you have two consecutive matches of the same color, the totem associated with it activates. The power ups range from freeing all the crystals on the play field to blowing up objects.

The graphics of Treasures of Montezuma 3 are decent, but nothing that will blow your mind. They look good, both on my iPhone 4 and iPad 2. The game interface is clean and not cluttered which is nice on the iPhone since there isn't a whole lot of space to play with.

The audio in Treasures of Montezuma 3 is pretty good with some nice sound effects and music. It does get a bit much though when you get into a groove and are triggering bonus after bonus. I've gotten more than one look when playing the game at the office from the noises coming from my iPhone.

Treasures of Montezuma 3 has some In-App Purchase (IAP) but it isn't too much or even required. You have the ability to purchase some of the coins used to purchase power ups, but if you do a bit of grinding in the lower levels you won't need them.

The only issue I have with the game is the final level in each stage. For some reason the game changes from a match 3 to a hidden object game. The change is rather annoying, but that may be due to my dislike of hidden object games.

If you are looking for a different take on the match 3 type of game then consider giving Treasures of Montezuma 3 a shot. I think that it brings enough new twists and flavor to the table that will make it worth the purchase price.

Parents: Do Your Kids Love Playing Computer and Console Games? Then They Could Test Them!

As parents we usually worry that our kids spend too long playing games on their consoles and computers, but actually they are developing specific knowledge and expertise that might surprise us. I don't mean just their amazingly nimble thumbs and brains, they are also learning what works and what doesn't in gaming - the right degree of challenge, and reward, that makes the art of gamification function, that keeps players of different levels striving for the next achievement. This is at the cutting edge of behavioural science, with application in fields ranging from education to health policy.

And kids are very discerning consumers - they know exactly what they like and what they don't like, what they want to spend their time playing. Despite the recession, the UK games market alone was worth over ￡3bn in 2011. Understanding exactly what gamers need and want from their next releases is big business, and when the gamers are kids, understanding their unique needs and motivations is an important art. Developers work with brands and technology to design the games they hope will be talked about, enjoyed and create a buzz, but at some point in the development they have to get their prototypes directly tested, by real users who are in the target market for the end product itself - the kids who love playing games.

Taking part in games testing is invariably huge fun for those involved. The researchers are trained in the very specialist field of child related research and games testing, and tend to be very communicative and personable characters, experienced at making children and parents feel welcome and right at home quickly. Sessions could last anything from 45 minutes to two hours, and mainly involve hands-on games testing. This will be playing an unreleased game, likely to be in a genre selected to be of special interest to the child involved, and they'll be asked for comments and feedback during the session. Appropriate breaks and refreshments are provided, to the gaming children and their parental chaperones, who accompany them at all times. There will also be members of the research team present, and sometimes others from the development company may view from behind a mirror or videolink - so as not to create additional crowds and pressure that might distract or stress the young participants.

The children taking part are typically aged 6-17 years, and will need some level of gaming experience - they'll usually be recruited because they own a current generation games console or handheld, and like certain types of games, but for different projects different degrees of expertise and enthusiasm are required - indeed, often casual or inexperienced gamers are what's needed, typical average kids, who make up a wider share of the target market than the obsessive experts.

For ethical and child protection reasons, the research recruitment company involved will recruit via the parent/guardian, who's consent and input is required at all times. Sometimes there are event joint research sessions where the parents will be specifically interviewed about their child's gaming behaviour, but most often they will just be present as an observer and chaperone - and to sign for the research incentive fee of course, which is typically in the region of ￡50 for a one-off short session in the UK (of this ￡20 is normally regarded as the chaperone fee, the rest is for the young research participant!)

To find out about research opportunities in the UK for you and your family (where applicable) you need to be over 16 and enrol with Saros Research Ltd - if you have children in the target age range, they will then contact you directly as the parent, with any games testing in your area for which you may be able to apply.

Halo 4 Ranking System

It is official, Halo 4's ranking system will not be a duplicate of Halo Reach's, but then what will it be like? Frankie has denounced a 1-50 system like in Halo 3; stating that boosting was rampant and ruined the ranking system once you went above level 45. These admissions may infuse Halo's more dedicated fans to a possible return to the way Halo 2 ranked skill. I for one would be thrilled with a return to this system, but that seems unlikely.

It seems that game developers have gone from simple and effective ranking systems to complex, ineffective, and meaningless ways of measuring skill. In Halo 2 your rank was based solely on your wins and losses, if you won you went up, if you lost you went down. Moreover decent players did not achieve the highest rank, you were good when you reached level 30 and truly great (or a cheater) once you approached the 40s and beyond.

As Bungie progressed into the Halo 3 area they modified their ranking system to incorporate Microsoft's true skill algorithm. The levels were 1-50 still, but now ranking was slightly more complex than just winning and losing. It analyzed your opponents wins and losses and would reward you with more experience if you triumphed over someone who was, "better than you". At the same time you'd lose more experience if you lost when the game felt you should win. Halo 3's ranking process had two major flaws with it though: acquiring a 50 was too easy, and boosting.

Unlike in Halo 2 where any rank 30 and above meant you were good, Halo 3 had plenty of terrible level 50's. Achieving the hardest level in the game should separate you from the majority of other players, but not in Halo 3. Reaching a 50 was the equivalent of attaining Forerunner rank in Halo Reach; if you played long enough you'd get it.

Yet if you did not want to spend time earning a level 50, you could always boost for it. Boosting in Halo 3 entailed playing with an account that had a substantial amount of more losses than wins. The ranking system would then assume whoever was on the boosters team would lose. This would earn players significant rank boosts when they would beat the other team. With a booster you could level up from 1 to 50 in as little as 11 games. The flaws of Halo 3's leveling system far outweighed any benefits it offered, Halo 2's ranking system was vastly superior. But, this did not discourage Bungie from making an even stupider system for Halo Reach.

Halo Reach removed the permanent 1-50 system in favor of a 5 tiered system that would reset every month. This methodology was in place to discourage boosting, but with shoddy game play mechanics from bloom, and a rank reset that activated every month it was an atrocious replacement.

As the Halo series has progressed the ranking systems have gotten worse. They have been increasingly ineffective at separating the good from the bad, and have attempted to inflate the egos of the casual gamers, while punishing the competitive gamers. Halo 4 will not be using Reach's ranking system, but will it use a system truer to Halo 2 or Halo 3 that is not certain.

Epic Raiders Review - Just Another Multi-Character RPG

With great RPG success with sequels like Zenonia and ILLUSIA, GAMEVIL is here to entice their fans with more role-playing action. It is nearly impossible not to be reminded of Battleheart while battling through the campaign; however, GAMEVIL has more up its sleeves to make this game hard to miss.

Epic Raiders has incorporated mutli-class strategy into their battle system, allowing players to configure a 4-men team before attempting each daunting level. Players start off with a classic tanker-healer combination before recruiting more versatile characters with coins or premium credits. Each character comes with a unique set of skills where players can choose which skills to perfect based on the desired role players assign to their characters. This exponentially diversifies the permutation of possible team dynamics. Non-skill centric upgrades are available by spending real cash giving your characters both visual and attribute boosts. Being transparent about the upgrades makes the deal very hard to resist, especially for RPG fans that will most likely spend beyond 10 hours on this game. Strong peripheral motivation can be expected from the catchy tune and well-polished graphics.

Battling through increasingly challenging stages, players are promised EXP and gold, with amounts dependent on completion. Controls were substantially refined, although I did have my fair share of selecting wrong characters by accident. The issue arises when you command your party to a single action, which is a pretty common command to use.

Strategy is an obvious element in this game; however, it can easily be overlooked if your character were clad with charming equipment attained from micro-transactions. To balance out between pure F2P players and players who are willing to fork out cash is something Epic Raiders need to work on. Even so, players who are for freemium play will find the stages well crafted to match their growth. The level designers at GAMEVIL had perfected the art of creating levels challenging enough to keep players intensely engaged and also manageable enough to reinforce players' mastery.

Epic Raiders supports PVP that requires players to use dungeon coupon in order to slug it out with teams orchestrated by another player. The combat, however, is controlled by Artificial Intelligence. Killer-class gamers may feel disgruntled by as such mechanism cripples social bragging since the performance of their opponents depended on programmed limitations. Hand to heart, I have pondered over the value proposition of having such a PVP system and could only derive with a weak reason that players may want to find out how their setup perform against another player's. Then again, this is a self-defeating proposition considering that the meaningless PVP system ultimately makes Epic Raiders purely PVE.

To sum things up, this game is a great companion if you have to travel alone 5-7 hours and didn't feel like reading. Though it is very likely that you will enjoy the game even without spending any money, premium content is still strongly recommended. One thing that Epic Raiders has to work on is the relevance of the PVP mechanics. Having computer-controlling opposition just wouldn't cut it for hot-blooded players who are all out to triumph against others.

Super Mario 3D Player Review

Nintendo expected their new handheld 3DS system to sell like hot cakes... but it unfortunately didn't. There were not any games that were properly showing the capabilities of the revolutionary system, so it gave no incentive for consumers to buy it.

Now I just picked myself up a 3DS this week for the sole purpose of trying out the hyped game: Super Mario 3D Land. Let me first say that I wasn't sure what to expect. This applies to both the handheld itself and the game. Nintendo hasn't let me down in the past, so I felt at least some level of confidence (enough to make the purchase).

But as soon as I turned on the console and started playing, it was amazingly breathtaking. The 3D looked so real. I would consistently attempt to look at the 3D screen and try to see a 2D image, but it was messing with my brain... I just couldn't do it.

The 3DS absolutely lives up to its name. Lucky for Nintendo, Super Mario 3D Land was able to demonstrate the capabilities immensely. They included two modes on the game. The first mode is for "pop-out 3D", where it appears that Mario is actually jumping out of the screen. The second mode is for "indented 3D", where it appears that you are looking into a little box through the opening on your screen. Both demonstrate depth perception exceedingly well.

Console aside, the game is a mix between New Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Bros 3. You get to use that crazy tanooki suit again and it's just as fun as before. (Might I add cute) But you are not going to see the capability of turning to stone until you beat the first round of the game.

For all of the hard-core Mario fans, don't let this one slip through your fingertips. I know it is hard to shell out $150 for a new handheld, but let me assure you that it is totally worth it. If nothing else, sell it after you are done! Or even make your way to your local used-games store to see if anyone turned one in.

Everything in this game was done RIGHT by Nintendo. They didn't make stupid mistakes, and you can tell that is due to hard work and experience. Check out the game in stores to get the full 3D effect and enjoy the game!

If you love Super Mario 3D Land, then you are probably a fan of the Galaxy games. You should check out this site that calculated the Mario Galaxy 3 Release Date. Or just check out the entire site over at Super Mario Galaxy 3

Final Fantasy VII Game Review

Final Fantasy VII is by far the best and most popular game in the Final Fantasy series. This role-playing game (RPG) is a combination of sci-fi and fantasy, which was developed by Square Enix and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the seventh in the series, which was released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was made available for MS Windows-based PCs in 1998. This installment broke barriers in the Final Fantasy series by being the first to use stunning 3D graphics and fully generated 3D images of the characters. It features nine playable characters with various specialty weapons and special skills called Limit Breaks.

The story revolves around a character named Cloud Strife, an ex-Soldier who joins the rebel group called AVALANCHE as a mercenary. He helps them in their campaign against Shinra Corporation whose shady operations are continuously draining the life of the planet. But during their conflict with this corporation, Cloud and his group encounter his old comrade named Sephiroth, the game's antagonist who would ultimately become the planet's greatest threat. Cloud's quest to unravel the mysterious purpose of Sephiroth leads him to various places wherein he meets other playable characters like Red XIII, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid and Cait Sith.

The game has three major areas such as the world map, field map and battle screen. The world map is a 3D environment that can be navigated by foot, chocobo (an ostrich-sized bird), sand buggy, plane, submarine or the airship called Highwind. The chocobo and vehicles in the game enable the character to go to areas with rigid terrains or across water masses, which cannot be travelled by foot. On the other hand, the field map depicts a 2D environment inside towns, structures, grasslands or mountains. While the combat mode portrays the 3D model of the characters and enemies, which moves and magical spells are illustrated in a brilliant fashion.

Character leveling is achieved through experience accumulated per battle. The experience gained depends on the level of the enemy defeated by the character. So the harder the enemy, the more is the experience awarded to the player. Skill or magic acquisition is through the use of Materias that can be attached to the weapons and accessories of the characters. In addition, powerful monsters can also be summoned using Summon Materias, which can be bought, acquired through quests or as the level progresses.

Another notable feature of the game during combat is the presence of special attacks called Limit Breaks. Each character has four levels of Limit Breaks, except for Cait Sith with only two. The Limit Break bar can be recharged as a character takes damage and it levels up every use when the meter is full. Limit Breaks may be in the form of special attack, boost or heal, but in the case of Vincent, it transforms him into a rampaging monster that attacks the enemy automatically.

The plot starts at the City of Midgar, wherein the protagonist Cloud and supporting characters like Tifa and Barret, join forces to destroy Mako reactors, which converts the planet's life-force into energy. Their adventures eventually lead them to the surviving Ancients named Aerith, and the antagonist, Sephiroth.

The sudden appearance of Sephiroth, who was long presumed dead after his sudden disappearance becomes an obsession to Cloud who later pursues him with the group. Along the way, they discover new places as well as new allies with unique personalities and different goals. In the end, they unite to defeat Sephiroth and guardians called WEAPON in order to save the Planet from destruction. As the story develops, they also inevitably clash with the cohorts of the new President Rufus Shinra, whose goal is to find the Promised Land teeming with energy.

A must see feature during the game's progression is the unveiling of the interconnected dark past of Cloud and Sephiroth. Along the way, Cloud discovers that everything he knew is not what it seemed to be, and somehow, Sephiroth had the answer that he needed. The past of the supporting characters were also detailed within their exploits and their goals are eventually realized.

Final Fantasy VII's fantastic storytelling coupled with unexpected twists, remarkable musical score and the amazing graphics of this game really makes it the "greatest game of all time" as described by RPG enthusiasts. No wonder it sold 10 million copies worldwide as of 2010, and the figures still keep on going up. The astonishing commercial success of the game produced prequels and sequels as well as spin-offs. Final Fantasy VII characters also appeared as guest in other video games due to their skyrocketing status.

The graphics were the best and state of the art during its time but it may no longer be that excellent based on today's standards due technological innovations. The characters also appear unnatural or deformed on maps although the models are more realistic in combat mode with its 3D rendition as opposed to the 2D sprites used in previous installments of the game. Therefore, a little improvement in terms of graphics for the remake is strongly recommended and is looked forward to by all RPG fans.

This game really brings back memories during my teenage years because this is the first RPG game that I have ever played and it was the game that introduced me to RPGs. Before, I thought RPG games were boring because all I see are texts and bunch of commands as opposed to the popular button-mashing action games like Street Fighter and Mortal Combat. Then I tried playing Final Fantasy VII out of curiosity because of the hype it was receiving during that time. Before I knew it, I was stuck in my chair leveling up my characters and excitedly anticipating every turn of events in the game.

I have played and finished this game numerous times but I still find it exciting whenever I find time to play it. So when I heard that Square Enix is considering making a remake of this fantastic game, I just can't wait until it goes out in the market.

Giancarlo C. Perlas is a professional freelance article writer working for various companies and clients. He is an expert in writing web contents, SEO articles, news articles, product reviews and other tasks related to writing. He also specializes in providing consultancy services in the promotion of various projects and businesses due to the experiences that he acquired during his 4-year stint as an Assistant Mall Manager. He is currently holding an officership position in a government agency.

Madden 13 Preview

We recently had a chance to get our hands on a playable version of Madden 13 and it looks like we'll have an all new learning curve on offense this August when the game ships. We're already past the gratuitous "presentation" portion of EA SPORTS' marketing campaign and into the grittiest of the nitty when it comes to Madden 13: gameplay. There's plenty to talk about after our session with the game but here we want to focus on pass timing and flight path.

You'll have to bear with us because we tend to ignore the fancy names given to new Madden 13 features. What they call Total Control Passing, for example, we'll just refer to generically as the new touch passing system. Trust us, it can get quite confusing trying to keep track of all those new marketing-driven phrases every year so it's better if we just look at what they actually do rather than what they're called.

Timing is going to be everything in Madden 13's passing game. After the snap you, as the quarterback, have to be aware of the fact that your receivers will be looking for the ball only at certain points during a play. On an in-route, the receiver won't be looking for the ball until after he makes his break; on deep routes, the player won't be looking for the ball until he gets a certain number of yards down field. This didn't seem like that big a deal on paper but when we saw how Madden 13 is implementing this system, our reaction was mixed. When we say a player isn't looking, we mean that literally now. Offensive and defensive players actually have to look at the football in the air before they can make a play on it. If the receiver on the in-route doesn't look up for the ball after he makes his cut, it's highly unlikely he makes the catch. Obviously this is where a receiver's AWR and CTH rating will play a part. This doesn't mean that you can't throw the ball early on a timing route, like a curl, knowing that the receiver will be looking for the ball immediately coming out of his break. That will definitely work. Our cause for concern comes from the fact that you may not see the passing icon over the receiver's head until the timing for the pass is right. That is, your X receiver on a fly route won't have that 'X' over his head until he's at a point in his route where you're supposed to deliver the ball. This disappearing/reappearing icon will likely be optional when the final game ships, but for now it definitely takes some getting used to.

We ran with the Oakland Raiders (our favorite team) to see how Carson Palmer's arm and Oakland's speedy weapons would function in the new passing system. The timing system was apparent on a screen pass to the underrated Marcel Reece. The whole point of running a screen to the fullback is that no defense is ever going to commit more than one player to watching the fullback. Thus when we snapped the ball and didn't see the "LB" icon over Reece's head, there was a moment of brief panic. You can still throw the ball to a receiver who doesn't have the icon over his head, but we nonetheless thought we'd called the wrong play or something had gone wrong when Reece's icon didn't come up. A split second later when we hit the "LB" button to deliver the ball anyway, Reece broke off his route and headed upfield rather than drifting toward the sideline like the playart shows. Now Reece made the catch, but because the timing of the play was thrown off by our early pass attempt, the blocking didn't get a chance to set up and he only gained two yards. Yes it's only one play, but it clearly illustrates the importance of timing in Madden 13 and it does it using a screen pass; the ultimate timing play. The takeaway here is that the disappearing icons are meant to simulate the reads and decision making quarterbacks have to make during a play. It seems to be implemented fairly well but we'll need much more time with the game (which we'll get) to really see how far this new timing system goes toward accurately representing NFL football.

Hand-in-hand with the new timing system is the new ball flight trajectory and precision passing system. We're now given more control over where the ball goes and how it gets there. The distance between the quarterback and the receiver will determine what kind of power you can put on the pass. No more rifling short passes six yards downfield or inadvertently throwing a "moonball" out of bounds. Tapping or mashing a passing button will determine what kind of touch you're putting on the pass but there are limits to how fast and how high the ball will travel through the air. We had a difficult timing separating the effects of the precision passing system from the flight trajectory system. In theory, you're supposed to be able to use the left stick to lead a receiver with your pass and do it better than we've seen in previous editions of Madden NFL. For years, holding up or down on the left stick as you press the pass button would throw the ball high (so your man can outleap the defense) or low (so you can pick apart a zone with precision). Aiming left or right while passing didn't have a dramatic effect, really. Now, in Madden 13, all of those directions on a pass will cause your quarterback to throw the ball ahead of, behind, deeper or more shallow than the receiver's current route....sort of. As best as we can tell, the same left stick controls during passing will also still throw the ball high or low. So of course we tried all sorts of variations of passes intended to illustrate for us just what does what. For example on a broken play, we always want the receiver to break deep down the field so we can throw a high touch pass over the defender and make a big play out of something. In past Madden's this is very difficult. In Madden 13, in theory, it should be easier with all of the new passing control changes. What we ended up with was a lot of incompletions and interceptions. In our session with Madden 13, we couldn't get an understanding of how to at least attempt creative passes regularly. Whether it's user error, incomplete design or simply a rough early build of the game that's to blame, we'll be digging into this in later sessions.

So that's an early taste of Madden 13. The passing game looks promising as long as the new features are implemented in a way that's not obstructive. The super linebackers are gone, replaced with your decisions to throw high or low and with velocity. That's a good thing. There should be more to come with Madden 13 so keep it on spinmovr because we plan to tell you all about it.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent Game Review

Amnesia is an exciting and horrifying adventure game built around exploration and puzzle-based environments. Imagine waking up in a brittle old castle in the Kingdom of Prussia. You have no recollection of how or why you got there [Hence the title.]. You remember your name and still preserve your long term memory. Still, the mystery of how, why and where you are eludes you.

Your name is Daniel. As you slowly regain consciousness, you discover a note addressed to you, written by none other than yourself. Upon gazing at it, you discover that you purposely wiped your memory and that you are to find the Inner Sanctum within the castle to seize and kill Alexander. Get ready for a long journey ahead, Daniel.

First off, Daniel is deathly afraid of the dark, and very easily scared. During the game you are followed by a haunting force that is called The Shadow. Its only purpose is to guard an Orb. One that Daniel previously stole from a burial chamber to give to Alexander whom had promised protection from the evil that followed the Orb. The only object you start with is an oil lantern. Throughout the game you must find tinderboxes and oil to stay constantly in the light, otherwise Daniel will gradually become insane and start seeing things that are really not there. Basically the lower your sanity is, the more difficult the game becomes. After the first few rooms and puzzles dealing with keys, finding various objects, and jumping over ledges, you will encounter the biggest problem in the castle; the most feared monster in the game, the Grunt. As you are not able to fight back, your only option is to run away from these creatures. They will kill you with one slash and they are faster than you. I think it gives the game more of a fear to it. If you are caught in the open near one of these monsters, well, you're screwed. The only way to avoid them getting to you is to make it quickly to the closest room and close the door. Did I mention they can break through doors as well? Well, they can. As soon as you lock yourself in, find a place to hide quickly. You will then have to risk your sanity by turning off your lantern and waiting in the dark until the creature passes. Tempting as it may be, do not look directly at the monster. Doing so will drop your sanity level much faster as the horrific looking monster makes Daniel shudder.

After many rooms and puzzles you will run into what I think is the scariest creature, the Kaernk, also called the Water Lurker. It has no physical form, you can't see it, but you know it's there. You hear its growls and the heavy splash it makes as it slowly follows wherever you go. Jump on the crates and boxes near you or the Water Lurker will kill you. The only way to create a diversion for it is to throw hunks of meat and body parts you find on top of some of the boxes. If your sanity level is fine throughout the game, you will only encounter this creature once. If it is low most of the game, expect for it to pop out of any room that has knee-high water.

All in all, aside from the great aspects to the game, there are also a few things that could use a bit of improvement. Oil is scarce, try to use as little as you can because the oil in the lantern tends to run out so fast. It is hard to find. It's hidden throughout the game, sometimes in the most ridiculous spots. Use as many tinderboxes as you can as a source of light. Another thing is that sometimes the puzzles are way too complicated. Hints are scarce and you can find yourself wondering what do to next. It's not uncommon to spend hours trying to find what triggers will get you through. This game is more out to scare you than anything else and it does an amazing job of it. The sensation of desperation and helplessness is purposely weaved into the game. If you are a fan of scary movies and adventure games, this is the perfect game for you. Aside from minor things, this game is definitely worth the money, and could easily make its way as the Scariest Game of All Time on any Gamer 's list. I hope you enjoyed this Video Game Review as much as I enjoyed playing the game.

Resistance 3 Review

Release Date: September 6, 2011

Publisher: Sony

MPAA Rating: Mature

Having very few friends, I hadn't really been impressed with the recent rash of video games boasting cooperative play or multiplayer features. If I were more popular, I thought, maybe I'd like them. But for all the multiplayer action I usually get I might as well have just one PS3 controller. Twenty-five years ago I might have been able to get by with grabbing two Atari joysticks and playing by myself, but games like Pong don't quite match today's offerings in terms of challenge or complexity. Also, I was in diapers and didn't exactly know what my feet were.

My opinion changed, however, when I picked up a copy of Resistance 3, which was released late last year. Being a fan of the first one, I finally made my way around to buying this newest entry into the alternate-history series. The co-op aspect didn't even enter my mind at first, as I was completely taken in by the stunning graphics and the engaging gameplay. One of the strongest aspects of the Resistance series has been the melding of historical elements (namely World War II) with science-fiction (aliens that will rip your head off if you get too close, for example), and this one was no different. From fighting aliens under a barely-standing St. Louis Arch to an intense battle in the middle of a war-torn Times Square, Resistance 3 uses real life locales to push the feeling of high stakes, like you could look out your window and see the buildings around you bursting with explosions.

After finishing the campaign, I immediately started on a second play-through, but on the main menu the co-op option somehow caught my eye, and I wondered just how much different it would be to play with a partner. The prospect of saving the world again seemed much more inviting with someone to cover me. So, I dusted off my second controller and invited a friend over to play.

The co-op mode is, story wise, exactly the same as the single player. But what a world of difference. Together, my friend and I were shouting at one another to take down alien snipers, whimpering our way through abandoned railway stations infested with creatures that looked like they'd just dressed themselves for display in a butcher shop, and then awed into silence (for me a second time) when the game's stellar graphics would show us just how intense the PlayStation 3 can get. One particular scene involving floating up the Mississippi river and getting trapped under a falling bridge was particularly impressive, and by the time the thing collapsed, both of us looked like we'd just sat through a summer blockbuster.

Resistance 3 is from Insomniac Games, the same studio that produces the Ratchet & Clank series, and their influence can be seen especially in the weapons the game makes available. Several guns (like the Bullseye and Auger) from the previous two games make return appearances, but they're complemented by new guns like the Mutator, which grows explosive green pustules on enemies and turns them into walking time bombs. Also, the Cryogun gives a nice little inverse to the often played-out flamethrower by shooting a jet of ice at enemies and allowing you to smash them to pieces with either a melee hit or the weapon's alternate firing mode, a concussive blast that shatters frozen enemies to pieces.

Overall, the game itself is very impressive. It's a great title to add to your PS3 collection, especially if you're a first-person shooter or sci-fi/horror fan. But even action gamers in general will probably find something here to enjoy. And, although I was skeptical of co-op games beforehand, the multiplayer aspect of Resistance 3 turned out to be pretty fun. I'm looking forward to trying out more games with a cooperative element. Now all I need is for Slackers to sell people to come play video games with me.

Spec Ops: The Line-Third-Person Shooter Action With A Locational Twist

The third-person shooter paradigm isn't exactly new, but Spec Ops: The Line shows that there is still some potential in the massively popular gaming format. While there is little in the basic gameplay that will surprise longtime gamers, the placement of the action in a Dubai city setting during an ongoing sandstorm is definitely a novel touch.

First ambush
The game begins six months after the sandstorm first hit, and your mission is to lead a squad of three soldiers into the city in search of other soldiers left behind in the chaos. Things take a sudden turn for the worse when the city's myriad refugees mistake your team for the bad guys and set up an ambush. From this point on, the action gets pretty intense, and you have to fight your way through the storm and various other obstacles in your path to hopefully rescue the other soldiers, who may or may not even be alive!

Right from the start of the action, Spec Ops: The Line exhibits a familiar feel. Players have the ability to duck, gain more health points, and even command other soldiers to shoot at different enemies. Even the button layout is a lot like the controls in other shooting games.

The novel desert setting
What really sets Spec Ops: The Line apart from all the other shooters is the uniqueness of the setting. The initial ambush take place on a highway littered with broken cars and dead bodies, with sand dunes and the scorching sun overhead giving the game a startlingly vivid look, which stands in marked contrast to the often grimy and dark environments of the typical shooters. Players will also occasionally have to shoot it out atop towering skyscrapers, and this again gives an interesting and unique twist to the familiar shootout action. When the sandstorm starts acting up again, the game becomes even more challenging, with visibility severely impaired by the billowing clouds of sand.

Unfortunately, the action in the other settings is pretty typical, and there isn't a lot that separates Spec Ops: The Line from all the other shooters when you aren't battling it out on a skyscraper or in the midst of a sandstorm. In these settings, Spec Ops: The Line is pretty much like any other shooing styled game, although it does have enough features to make it one of the better representatives of the gaming category.

True to life gaming action
Thankfully, there are a few other details that give the game a more unique feel. One interesting aspect in particular is the inclusion of stages wherein you will be given the choice between the standard weapons or a weapon that will brutally wipe out your opponents. Choosing the latter will reveal to you the consequences of your decision and subsequent action, giving the game a more true-to-life feel. With this aspect of the game, you will have to weight the merits of a quick finish to the battle versus the cost in human life. Pretty heavy stuff for a shooter, but it is touches such as these that make Spec Ops: The Line stand out from the pack.

One other detail that adds to the realism is the fact that players start out with just as much firepower and capability as the other players. This gives even new players the chance to rack up a few kills instead of mercilessly being wiped out before they are able to earn weapons.

Spec Ops: The Line is a familiar but enjoyable enough take on the classic shoot' em up. With all the added touches and the striking setting, this should be enjoyable to new players and veteran gamers alike.

Kid Icarus: Uprising - Review of the Nintendo 3DS Game

Out of all the great games I play each and every year, it seems there is one title per year that becomes an absolute obsessive/borderline frightening time sink, one that I can't seem to put down until it gets naturally lost in the shuffle of other games, and gradually fades from memory. One that I look forward to every evening, much like a hot cooked meal or a smooth glass of wine. In all honesty, I really, really didn't expect the reemergence of Nintendo's long lost hero Kid Icarus to be that game.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is a polished, wonderful revival of this long dormant franchise. Playing through it once provides a rock solid journey of considerable length, but beyond that initial playthrough, this game reveals itself to be completionist heaven. The entire game is designed to encourage replay, and there are so many goals and so much content in this game, it's overwhelming at first glance. I have been playing well over 100 hours and my completion rate is still only around 93%. And the content isn't pathetic filler; in fact, it all feels very Smash Bros, which is no surprise given the game was designed by Masahiro Sakurai.

In Kid Icarus: Uprising, you play as the plucky hero Pit, who is once again tasked with taking down the evil Medusa and her underworld minions. Though it's not Shakespeare, it is an interesting enough story, and comes off like a children's cartoon mashed up with Greek myth - that is to say, a wonderful idea. But the story is really elevated by genuine smart writing, occasional dramatic moments and very humorous voice acting, not to mention a carefully constructed musical score, complete with reoccurring themes that tie in to the different characters. The production values are high here.

And that level of care and love can be seen in every inch of this product. No detail was spared. Nothing feels lazy. Even one particular stretch of the game (in which I felt things got off the narrative course and dragged a bit) was still designed and executed to a high standard of quality, when compared to many other games. The final battle is absolutely epic, something that many games stumble with. KI: Uprising might have been hard to have found fault in, were it not for the controls.

Ah, the controls. Glaring as they may be, they are not a deal breaker. While the controls are weird and problematic (and yes, they hurt for extended play sessions) you will grow accustomed to them. You move Pit with the analog stick and use the stylus to aim your weapon, shooting with the L trigger, all while support the weight of the 3DS. It's an unusual set-up, but the game is otherwise excellent, and worth adjusting to the controls. "The Claw" technique used by Monster Hunter fans on PSP never stopped them from logging hundreds of hours, and the same should be said for this game.

Aside from the lack of Circle Pad Pro support for dual analog control (arguably a grand oversight), I don't really see how they could have implemented much better controls, given the design of KI: Uprising. And the extensive option menus allow for a deep level of customization and optimization, so don't hesitate to get in there and fix things to what works best for your hands.

Included with every copy of KI: Uprising is a little plastic stand, and I'm shocked anyone gave it the greenlight, for fear of sheer embarrassment. But ridiculousness aside, it actually works - it takes away the portability of your 3DS, but it also takes away the need to awkwardly support your DS while controlling the game. I honestly prefer lying down in bed or on my couch when I play my 3DS, so I ultimately tossed it aside, but if you are willing to sit at your kitchen table or desk, you will have an easier time when using the stand.

So, it all comes down to this: if you think you can deal with the controls, then buy this game. Like now. Or tomorrow. Because this game is an awesome time sink, with a ton of heart and soul.

And multiplayer. Not that the game needed it for longevity, but it's there and it works admirably, given the limitations. It's nothing special, a Kid Icarus take on simple deathmatch with a twist, or free for all. But it's there, to complete what is a beautiful package, that if not for the undeniable control issues, I would have absolutely no problem giving a solid shining ten out of ten, as it is one of the best games (my favorite) to have been released for the 3DS. But nothing in the world is perfect, so take Kid Icarus: Uprising with all of its flaws, and love it for all that it achieves.

Pro Flight Simulator - The Game Or The Real Thing?

To understand what's going on in the minds of flight fans and enthusiasts, first we have to learn what a flying simulation truly is. Flying simulators can be classified as software applications used to reproduce and simulate real airplane flying experience with all its features and characteristics.

There are many different flying simulation software packages available on the market today and we will look into Pro Flight Simulator, which has been considered one of the best options in terms of price and quality. It is relatively inexpensive and offers lots of great features, planes and aircraft, including helicopters, military and commercial planes.

The quality of simulation software is generally measured by its ability to recreate the flying experience as realistic and true-to-life as possible. Pro Flight Simulator fits perfectly into that model and with its abilities to recreate different weather conditions it makes you practice various emergency scenarios and potential disasters. In such situations the software will automatically detect your nearest airport and give you all instructions necessary to land safely; based on weather conditions, amount of pressure, wind, temperatures and other key factors.

The game could also be helpful to potential and aspiring pilots who would like to learn more about different flying conditions in different parts of the world during different seasons of the year. This is especially useful for those people interested in military aircraft and war situations.

Another cool feature of Pro Flight Simulator is the "hour of day display" with its ability to adjust universal time to your own computer's time. That's very helpful if you want to experience realistic flying in night or day settings. It will also adjust to different geographical and climate conditions as you fly through different locations and to different airports around the world.

It would be unfair to review a product and not to mention its competitors and other similar packages on the market. Popular flying simulation software also available on the market today is "RC Flight Simulator" but, in my experience, it is no true match to the "Pro Flight Simulator". It is made more like a computer game and no true, professional training software. On the other hand, I really like what "The Virtual Procedure Trainer" has to offer. It is a great piece of software and many pilots and flight crew are using it as a part of their training program, but with the price tag approaching $1000 I think I will stick with "Pro Flight Simulator" for another while.

It's really hard to tell which one from previously mentioned software packages is the best, as they are made for different profile of people, have different features and price tags. In my experience as an aircraft enthusiast and a fan of flying, Pro Flight Simulator seems to be the best choice, with its numerous features, training potential and reasonable price.

Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon Review

The Spyro series is one of the most successful series on the original Playstation. The trilogy sold more than 20 million games, and had simple gameplay with a fun story that made the game extremely fun. After the first two games, the bar was set high for the third game. Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon not only delivered, but it surpassed the first two games in many ways.

Graphics, Sound, and Setting:

Spyro 3 follows Spyro, a young purple dragon, who is celebrating the "year of the dragon" with his fellow dragons. During the celebration, a young sorceress named Bianca leads an army of creatures named Rhynocs and steals the dragon eggs from the dragon realms. Spyro chases Bianca and ends up in an ancient world that is ruled by an evil sorceress. The game's plot involves Spyro freeing the dragon eggs, and fighting the Sorceress's army in various worlds. The game's story is very simple and interesting, and you do not need to play the second game to enjoy the third game. The world is divided into four realms, and each realm has portals leading to many different areas.

The world's look incredible, with a rich blend of light colors and great detail in each level. The enemies look fierce and intimidating. Spyro looks very good, and moves fluidly through the world. The only major problem with the graphics are some blocky textures in some of the worlds. However, overall the graphics and story both mix wonderfully and the game creates an immerse environment. The music in Spyro is amazing, each world has a unique track of music and this leads to the game having a very diverse and beautiful sound to it.

Graphics: 9/10

Sound/Music: 10/10

Story/Setting: 9/10

Controls and Gameplay:

The controls are for the most part the same as the old Spyro games. You move with the directional pad, and unlike other PlayStation games during that time, you can also move with the analog stick. Pressing the square button makes Spyro charge with his horns, and it's useful when you need to get places fast. The circle button allows Spyro to breathe fire, and the X button allows Spyro to jump and pressing it twice makes him glide. The game does a great job making the controls very easy to learn, but having a variety of ways to use them.

Along with these basic controls, Spyro can perform a variety of other abilities including swimming, hovering, and climbing. The game also has a plethora of minigames, that allow Spyro to do things such as ride a skateboard and pilot a submarine.

The gameplay is very much like Mario, and other platformers where you control Spyro and take him through portals into different worlds where you help the local creatures there and collect gems. These gems have different values and can be obtained by exploring and also defeating creatures. The gems can be used to buy things in the game from a man named Moneybags. Beating the levels releases dragon eggs and it progresses the story. The game's levels are very vast and enjoyable, and are all different. There is a lot of unique and challenging content in the game, and it's a blast to play through.

Controls: 8/10

Gameplay: 10/10

Rent or Buy? Final Thoughts:

Spyro 3 is definitely a game you should buy. This is the best game out of the whole trilogy, and has incredible gameplay combined with a rich and fantastic story and solid graphics. This is a underrated gem on the original Playstation, and if you're looking for a great platformer, this game fits the bill perfectly.

Breakdown

Graphics: 9/10

Sound/Music: 10/10

Story/Setting: 9/10

Controls: 8/10

Gameplay: 10/10

Overall: 10/10.

The Best Shooters of 2012 - 2013

Borderlands 2

Trying to pick the best out of a list of best Xbox 360 shooters really is hard. I mean pretty much every area is covered; realistic, sci-fi heck there is even one where you have to shoot dinosaurs. One game that I must admit took me by surprise and became one of my most played games on the system was Borderlands. So you could imagine just how excited that I was when Borderlands 2 was announced.

What I loved about the first Borderlands game was how it took first person shooters which is one of my favorite genres, and sprinkled it with a bunch of role playing game elements. It was like two of my favorite genres had been thrown together. I was sceptical that it would work, but I was pleasantly surprised by the great end result.

Borderlands 2 looks to build upon everything that was in the first game. The look of the game is very similar with its awesome cell shaded graphics making a return. I was so glad to see this, as the overall presentation of Borderlands was a breath of fresh air in the shooter genre. The character building elements are going to be expanded also which is even more great news.

The best news I have heard about Borderlands 2, and one that may make it the best of the best Xbox 360 shooters is that the enemy AI has been given a good working over. The AI will now work a lot smarter, and really make you think before you go in all guns blazing.

If you missed out on the first Borderlands you really must give this a try. Borderlands is a great game and if you are a fan of first person shooters I am sure you will love Borderlands 2.

Halo 4

Master Chief is back!

When it comes to icons on the Xbox 360 there is one guy that probably comes to most gamers' minds, and that guy is John-117 better know as Master Chief. Halo really kicked the Xbox off when it was first released, and each release has been met with great excitement from the fans. Halo 3 was a fitting end to that part of the Halo story, and Halo 4 is going to be the start of something new.

Halo Reach for many is considered one of the best Xbox 360 shooters, but it was also the last time that Bungie would have control of the Halo franchise. Halo 4 has been developed by the good people at 343 industries. These guys also gave us the Halo anniversary remake, and while it was just a remake they did a fantastic job.

Halo is the prefect blend of offering a fanatic's shooter experience, but it also gives you a great sci-fi story. Playing Halo is like you are involved in your own sci-fi movie. Very little has been given away as far as the story goes. We have seen that Master Chief will be going up against a new foe, and also that Cortana is going to have a very interesting part to play.

One really exciting thing about Halo 4 is that the story of this game is going to encourage the player to really get into the levels and explore. It is going to be very cool to discover some of the secrets of this Forerunner planet. One thing that is going to really go in this games favor is that the story has been written with two sequels already in mind.

Halo has always offered a very solid shooter experience, and this game looks no different. There are some gamers who are perhaps a little worried that Bungie is no longer running things, but 343 industries did a great job with the Halo anniversary, and the footage shown at E3 really does look like these guys know what they are doing.

This may very well be the last time we get to play as Master Chief this generation of consoles, but so far Halo 4 is looking like it could be one of the best games of the year.

Medal of Honor: War Fighter

Prepare for war!

It is crazy to think that this will be the 14th game in the Medal of Honor franchise. When it was rebooted in 2010 many saw it as a great return to form for the long running franchise, So it was with much excitement that War Fighter was received.

Medal of Honor: War Fighter is a direct sequel to 2010's reboot. It will follow on from events in the first game. You are still controlling Tier 1 operators through various missions. There are a great variety of different missions for you, and they will all be connected with a single story line. Many of the guys from the first game such as Preacher, Voodoo and Mother will be making a welcome return.

One thing that has gotten players really pumped up for this sequel is that the multi player is going to be powered by the Frostbite 2 engine. This is the same engine that powers Battlefield 3 which is considered one of the best Xbox 360 shooters out there. Multi player in this game is going to be fantastic. Even if you are not into the single player campaign Medal of Honor: War Fighter's multiplayer is sure to blow you away.

One very interesting thing is that along side the standard PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, there is also going to be a version for the PlayStation Vita and the new Nintendo Wii U.

In all the reboot of Medal of Honor was great fun, and with this sequel they look like they are trying to improve on every aspect of the first game. If you loved the first game you will really want to give this a try. If you are one of the gamers that the Medal of Honor series lost over the years, there has never been a better time to give it another chance.

Call of Duty Black Ops 2

One of the things that has made the Call of Duty series one of the best Xbox 360 shooter series is the versatility. Many people may think that versatility and Call of Duty do not go hand in hand, but I am talking about how they are set in World War 2, Cold War and so on. The different settings bring some diversity and fresh air. The basic formula is the same but why fix it if it ain't broke. What makes Black Ops 2 so exciting is the fact that this is the first Call of Duty game to be set in the future. Now we're talking!

The story of the Black Ops series is an interesting one, set in three time periods, the 70's to the 80's and then the future of 2025. In the future a new Cold War has broken out. This time, however, it is between China and the US. The story does sound like a great deal of effort and time has been put into it so even from a single player point of view Black Ops 2 is going to be a lot of fun.

Of course one of the reasons so many gamers rush out to buy a new Call of Duty game is because of the multi player. You could argue that in a list of best Xbox 360 shooters, the Call of Duty franchise would be on top for the best multi player game list. On a different note, Treyarch has revealed that the much loved Zombies mode from the first Black Ops game will be making a welcome return.

In all, Black Ops 2 is another Call of Duty mark of excellence. If you love the series then there is no doubt you will love this. If you've been disappointed by the Call of Duty formula and saturation of games, Blacks Ops 2 will surely win you over. It's evident that this Call of Duty release has had the most effort put into it. Out of all the Call of Duty games, Black Ops II will be one for the books.

What Are The Best Video Game Jobs?

If you are a zealous gamer who loves everything to do with video tournaments then you have no doubt considered obtaining a gaming career. There are certain jobs obtainable in the gaming industry and there are more of them than you might think. A few of the several types of employment you could seek would include graphic game tester, game designer, producer, programmer, animator, sound designer and public relations manager. These gaming professions are essentially in two different groups. One group of jobs is directly responsible for creating the games while the other group focuses on running the business.

Many of the people looking for video and animation game careers are doing so for the reason that they may be enthusiastic video players and want to have a career which interests them. They are well-informed about video games and additionally they know very well what a good game looks and feels like as well as understanding what makes a game pleasurable to play and popular. A job as a video game tester can be an entry level position that can let people enter the video game industry. This can be an interesting career that pays people to experiment with all of the newest games so as to test their capabilities.

The job of a video game tester is to ensure that any new game functions properly and that its content makes sense. The game must run seamlessly and the whole thing must be in context and work together. In doing this occupation you would also inspect all of the technical components to make sure that they were working the way that they should. You will need a passion for gaming to follow this job but because testing video games is such a popular career, you must also have an educational qualification something like a video play offs degree or anything similar.

Another career that is available in the field of video games that needs educational and also technical training is that of the computer programmer. Programmers are a necessary part of the gaming process because they write down all the computer language codes which are required in order for video games to operate correctly. Without computer programming video games would not be able to work. Programming is quite different from testing games and it needs a mind which is mathematical and can generate complex algorithms. Being a programmer is a fantastic career for individuals who like computers and writing software programs.

Creative persons can get into the video tournament field as an animator, the folks who bring the graphics within the game to life in a realistic fashion. People with musical expertise might have an interest in becoming the sound designer that is responsible for creating the sound effects as well as the music used within a video game. Individuals with good management skills might decide to be a producer, the one who holds the entire project together and ensures that everybody is meeting deadlines and cooperating. Game designers create the overall concept of the game and PR managers promote games to the public.