Reckless Getaway iPhone and iPad Game Review

Reckless Getaway sees you driving away from robberies at crazy fun speeds in a couple of different vehicles. The vehicles handle in a skiddish manor adding lots of fun. Currently 17 creatively designed levels are available to drive through but more are coming in the future with updates. All levels are uniquely designed and set in different areas and terrains, from the dessert to icy snow. The mixture keep it fresh and appealing.
The main idea behind each level is to collect up to 4 golden stars. These are obtained by collecting coins and performing stunts, overtakes of other motorists, crashes etc and this also puts up your score which can be shared with the world via Game Center. Coins are placed in very hard to get to areas the further you go through the game, such as on trains tracks which you have to dodge in sequence due to trains coming and totaling your car which loses you a possible star to obtain making it only possible to get three. The cops also play a huge role with constant shoving into your vehicle damaging you and getting you of course from obtaining the stars.
The default controls are really simple to get use to with left and right virtual on screen buttons and that's it. No accelerator, brake etc is required making it very easy to play. Different configurations for the controls are possible with an option to use the accelerometer but this clearly isn't designed to take use of that quite well enough yet. The default controls work flawlessly though!
Graphics are cartoony and makes the whole game work very well. This wouldn't be anywhere near as fun to play if it wasn't for the funky physics and innocent visuals. Buildings, roads, cars etc are all designed in this cartoony way. Crashes and explosions are also consistent. The physics are crazy fun with you being able to just steer into other cars on the road and smash them off a cliff or into a building and then stunts such as jumps are also very over the top.
The audio tracks are well suited and catchy. The sound effects are very cartoony just like the visuals, with big explosions and smashes, o and not to forget constant police sirens.
Awesome graphics, funky audio, great controls, creative level design and epic fun make this an App not to miss this summer.


View the original article here

Read More

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.

For all of your sports video game needs, including the latest on Madden 13, NCAA Football 13 and more, direct yourself to spinmovr.com. Trailers, news and in-depth features are all waiting for you at http://www.spinmovr.com/ and http://www.twitter.com/spinmovr

View the original article here

Read More

The Scruffs: Return of the Duke Review

Way back in 2007, hidden object aficionados encountered The Scruffs, a fun and quirky game that features equally fun and quirky characters as they try to unfold a family secret and prevent their beloved family home from being sold. Fast forward to present 2012, a sequel to this game appears. The Scruffs: Return of the Duke features a completely different storyline, but brings back the comical family from the original game. And this time, they are involved in a bigger adventure which we will be tackling with the rest of this review.

Grandpa Scruff is actually a duke, and after discovering this fact, the entire Scruff family returns to Scrufford but soon encounters an evil impostor that wants to take Grandpa Scruff's rightful position. Well, that is the entire gist of the story as you try to thwart the impostor's evil plans and help the old man get back his title. Simple, right? Well, that is because the entire game is very simple as well. But it makes up for it with pure, lighthearted fun, lots of humor and possibly the cutest hint system you will encounter in the hidden object genre.

The game play of The Scruffs: Return of the Duke is straightforward hidden object. You try to find items in various cluttered scenes with some of them turning into inventory items you can use to progress the storyline. It is much like the first installment of The Scruffs, but definitely better and more refined. I could say it is funnier too, bringing me lots of laughs even with just the hidden object scenes. And while the puzzles may not be so unique, they are very well made, with some taking quite a lot of time to complete (Sudoku, anyone?).

What I really loved best though is the game's hint system. The Scruff dog located at the lower right side of the screen will give you hints whenever he is available. What he does is bark whenever you get to approach the needed object. Absolutely cute and very fun to use. Kudos to the developers for putting such an element oftentimes neglected on other hidden object games.

All in all, The Scruffs: Return of the Duke is certainly a must try, must buy game. But of course, it is much better for you to try it out first if comic style graphics and storyline suits you well. As a bit of trivia, the original The Scruffs game won second runner-up best hidden object game of 2007 at the Big Fish Games portal. Just so you know how fun this game really is to play.

View the original article here

Read More

The PlayStation Vita Has Backwards Compatability

The new PlayStation Vita utilizes a new media format known as the PS Vita Card. These small flash memory cartridges store game data and allow you to load games much like a Nintendo DS cartridge or similar media. However, the change in format has left many people wondering about the backwards compatibility of the Playstation Vita with previously purchased games for the PlayStation Portable. Fortunately, Sony has offered a variety of features on the Vita that allow you to enjoy older games and content on the new device.

PlayStation Vita Network Support

By registering your PS Vita with your PlayStation Network account, you can download any PSOne Classics, PS Minis and most PSP downloads that you previously purchased. PSP downloads are being added as games are tested for full compatibility. These should install and run flawlessly on the new Vita. Icons will be created in the LiveArea interface that allow you to launch these games with the tap of your screen.

PS Vita has Backwards Compatibility for Universal Media Discs

With the switch to PS Vita Cards, a UMD reading drive was not included with the Vita. At this time, no known plans have been made to release an external UMD reader for the PS Vita. However, there is still a way to enjoy your games on the new Vita as long as you have access to an original PlayStation Portable that is linked to your PlayStation Network account.

By using the UMD Passport program, you can register games that you own on UMD using your PSP. This allows you to buy downloadable versions of supported games at a reduced price from the PlayStation Vita Store. The process is quick and easy. Simply download the UMD Passport app on your PSP, launch the app, insert any UMD games that you wish to play on your PS Vita and follow the on-screen prompts. After you have completed the process on your PSP, launch the PlayStation Vita Store and check for your discounts in the PSP downloads section.

Graphics for PSP Downloads

A few small features are accessible for PSP downloads that allow you to optimize the graphics for the display. With the substantial increase in both resolution and screen size from the PSP to the Vita, there are noticeable jagged edges and inconsistencies in the display of many PSP games. However, these are just a result of stretching the image to fit the new display and do not interfere with playing the games in any way.

For More PlayStation Vita Reviews, news, and other related information visit our blog at http://www.vitaplaystationreviews.com/

View the original article here

Read More

Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting Review

Exclusive to the Xbox 360, Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting lands on the Xbox Live Arcade. Considered to be the greatest in the Street Fighter franchise, this is the third installment in the series adding hyper speed to the world renowned Championship Edition. This is an arcade port of the original; no graphical changes and no remixed soundtrack. This is the classic just like we remember with a raw tiger knee to your face.

Appreciate this port for what it is, a higher difficulty adjustment for the vets and 4 player lobby matches online, making it the closest you'll get to being at the arcades looking over my shoulder with your bag of quarters. Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting because of its timeless game play, the equation is simple: nostalgia plus online game play you can't go wrong.

Concerning the nostalgia factor, I wasn't too fond with the graphical changes in SSF II Turbo HD Remix. It made it look too cartoony. SSF2THD Remix is a great game though, and has a wonderful balance system but because it looks cuter people over look Hyper Fighting. Hyper Fighting hits with greater impact by keeping it all-original separating this game from all the rest. I mean this game alone made me buy an arcade fight stick; you HAVE got to buy an arcade stick. I adjusted my entire room just for the arcade fight stick. It adds so much more fun to the game or you can yourself the Street Fighter pad. I'm just trying my best to keep you away from that FPS d-pad on the Xbox. When I mention controllers I'm only talking to the Street Fighter fans anyway. Casual gamers might not even notice. These accessories were not even around when this game was released back in '06. To own the Hyper Fighting cabinet would be awesome. But trust me, you'll have just as much fun as before when you played it on the Super Nintendo. This is an awesome video game and one that any old and new school gamer would appreciate.

Yeah, you remember playing on the Super Nintendo, when you used to wrap your thumb inside your shirt just to throw a hadouken. Because of how loyal I am to the series, I would have easily given 40 bucks for this game but lucky for us its only 400 points on XBLA. Nowadays the online players are scattered around, a lot of them moved to HD Remix and the Street Fighter IV series. Both of those series are great, but this is the game that keeps me coming back, even now I have memories of when my Xbox Live friends list was filled with Hyper fighters.

To put it all into perspective, Capcom released Street Fighter IV almost ten years after their last 2D SF game. This is what the Street Fighter community is all about, it reminds me of 2008 when Mega Man 9 was released in 8-bit graphics, that's crazy influence! Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting is just not going away. So until next time gamers, charge back, forward, sonic boom!

View the original article here

Read More

Back to the Future: The Game

Release Date: October 25, 2011
Publisher: Telltale Games
ESRB Rating: Teen

Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean? Great, Scott! Whoa, this is heavy, Doc. Most people can tell you what movie these lines are from, and most can even pull off a Christopher Lloyd or Michael J. Fox impression while doing so. Of course the movie is Back to the Future. If you have shunned movies and general pop culture for the past 27 years, I suggest you go out and buy the trilogy on DVD or Blu-Ray immediately. You'll laugh through the first one, chuckle at the second one, and probably stop about midway through the third film due to lack of interest. But, without a doubt, you will become a fan of the franchise and might want to pick up Back to the Future: The Game.

Back to the Future: The Game, available for the PS3 and Wii, starts out in 1986 with Doc being presumed dead after leaving for the past and never returning. Marty McFly, however, thinks differently. Shortly into the game, the DeLorean returns with Doc's trusty dog Einsten, but Doc is nowhere to be found. Marty must travel back to 1931 to rescue Doc.

The plot is simple enough (written in part by the original franchise's co-creator, co-writer and co-producer) and so is the gameplay. It's essentially a point and click graphic adventure game. You interact with items and people by clicking on them. If it's a person, you choose from a list of things to say to that person. If it's an object, you either use the object or it's added to your inventory to use later. Admittedly, this gets boring after the first 10 minutes. The obstacles you face and puzzles you need to solve in order to further the plot are also just ho-hum.

The game is broken up into five episodes (the game was originally released for the iPad, PC and PS3 as downloadable content). Despite being a fan of the films, I struggled getting through even the first episode. Don't get me wrong, there are a couple of laugh-out-loud moments that evoke nostalgia for the original films (Who doesn't like to see a member of the Tannen family getting covered in manure?). Plus it helps that Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc in the films, voices Doc in the game. And although Michael J. Fox doesn't voice Marty McFly, a terrific voice actor named AJ LoCascio does a spot-on Michael J. Fox impression. These things don't make Back to the Future: The Game good, however. Just more tolerable.

If you have some time to kill and have already beaten all of your other games, then I'd say check out Back to the Future: The Game. It's more entertaining than the film Back to the Future III, but not nearly as inventive or clever as Back to the Future II. Actually, you know what, you're probably just better off watching the original Back to the Future. So what are you waiting for? Why don't you make like a tree and get out of here? Roads? Where we're going, we don't need...roads. Yeah, well, history's going to change.

No, seriously, watch Back to the Future.

To learn more about Slackers, visit http://slackers.com/! Where playing around is serious business.

View the original article here

Read More

Antrim Escape 3 Review and Tips

Are you a room escape fan? If you are, and you haven't played the Antrim Escape series, you're missing out! Antrim Escape 3 is the latest in the franchise, and it now even has a Christmas Hidden Object Adventure game for the holidays.

Antrim Escape 3 picks up where the second game left off. You begin the game as Ethel, Ryan's grandmother. You're in the past, so she's young. You soon meet up with Ryan and Emma, since they were sent to the past in the previous games. Like Antrim Escape 2, the third game features Team Tactics. This means that at some point in the game, you have control over two different characters and two different inventories. You have to pass things from one to the other to get them to join up and mix their inventories.

Antrim Escape 3 offers plenty of challenging puzzles for fans of the room escape genre. While it doesn't utilize any of the tilt or shake controls like the first two installments, there is still plenty here to keep you entertained.

The graphics in Antrim Escape 3 are gorgeous and full of details. You won't have to guess at any point what you're looking at. The controls are also very responsive and intuitive. Like any room escape game, you tap items to pick them up and to interact with your surroundings.

The new Christmas Hidden Object Adventure adds even more fun, whether you've played the game before or are new to the series. This game is played alongside the main storyline, and has you collecting Christmas-themed items like reindeer and gingerbread men. If you manage to collect them all, you'll get a little surprise at the end.

What makes Antrim Escape 3 so great is its challenging puzzles. But sometimes you might get stuck and need help. If you do, here are some tips to help you out:

1. For the stones puzzle, look at the spiral on the mask for hint of the order of the stones.

2. When you go outside in the snow, some things could be covered in snow! Tap the snow to move it and reveal the objects underneath.

3. For the Christmas game, sometimes you can't access an item until something from the main game is moved. Make sure to check in and under everything, especially after making any changes to the room.

These hints should help you make it through, but if you need more help you can read my walkthroughs.

If you need more help, see my Antrim Escape 3 Walkthrough, complete with screenshots: http://www.appunwrapper.com/walkthroughs/antrim-escape-walkthroughs/

And see here for more room escape games you might enjoy: http://www.appunwrapper.com/escape-games/

-AppUnwrapper
In-Depth iPhone Game Reviews, Walkthroughs and Giveaways
Twitter: AppUnwrapper

View the original article here

Read More

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.

 

View the original article here

Read More

Review - Draw Something

OMGPOP's Draw Something one of the newest hits to come from the app store.

As the title suggests Draw Something is a drawing game, which would usually put it into the "will not play." But surprising to me, I'm actually a fan of the game especially since my drawing ability is that of a two-year-old child. It is probably because the person I'm playing with can somehow realize that my stick figure drawing with what looked like a red hula-hoop is the word belt.

After a game starts, you are given three words with varying levels of difficulty with the coins earned going up as well. You choose the word you want and then it's drawing time. The game has four brush sizes along with somewhat limited choice of colors. Make a mistake? The you can wipe the board clean or just use the eraser tool to clean up a bit.

What is nice about Draw Something is that the game isn't time intensive. You draw your word and then send it to your partner. They have as long as they want to figure it out and then send back a drawing for you. You can even nudge them as a way to remind them about the game in progress.

The graphics in the game are minimal, but that doesn't matter all that much since you are the ones doing the drawings. But the user interface is not cluttered and everything is presented well. Draw Something's sound is also sparse, but once again it shouldn't matter or have an impact in the game.

In-app purchases do mitigate one of my main issues with the game. To start, Draw Something only gives you a limited choice of colors. But you can buy more color packs with coins earned in-game or buying a bundle of coins with IAP. You don't really need to buy the color packs, but it does help to create better drawings.  I recommend buying the Mardi Gras pack once you have earned enough coins because it has most of the missing colors.

The only other issue that I have is sometimes it takes a while to find a new person to play a match with. I'm sure if I integrated it with Facebook I would have more people to play with, but I'm the kind of person that refuses to spam my Facebook feed with app updates.

If you like playing multiplayer games with friends or even strangers, I suggest you give Draw Something a shot. I know that I will continue to annoy game players with my admittedly terrible stick figure art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBGavQJg-kE&list=UU4vrtdKjQlyvlEqIUnz1UJg&index=1&feature=plcp

Verdict:

Graphics: Varies
Sound: Two stars
Gameplay: Three stars
Amount of IAP: Medium
Angry Bird Leg rating: Medium to high

Overall: Three stars

Cost: $1.99

View the original article here

Read More

Review - Dungeon Raid

Dungeon Raid

Dungeon raid. The title brings to mind a RPG where you are battling to defeat the big bad guy with a group of your friends. But Dungeon Raid for the iOS isn't really a RPG, it is a match three game mixed with a RPG. Surprisingly it is one of the best games in my opinion for the iOS, and I believe that everyone would enjoy playing it.

At it's heart, Dungeon Raid is a match-three game. On the playing field there are various icons; potions, shields, coins, swords, and skulls. You match them up to remove them and gather what they represent. Coins give you gold which can be spent to buy new equipment, potions heal you, shields level up your armor.

The tricky part is the swords and skulls. The skulls attack you every turn, lowering your life. You can match them to kill them, but that isn't efficient. Instead you match swords to the skulls and you kill them faster. What is also different about Dungeon Raid is that you aren't limited by matching only three items, if the entire play field is coins, you can match all 36 at once.

Dungeon Raid also throws into the mix boss monsters, ones that are more powerful than the normal monsters. These also have their own unique tricks from teleporting around to stealing gold to having spikes that damage you when you attack them. The spikes boss is the most annoying, one that has ended many of my games when I wasn't paying close attention.

As you play Dungeon Raid, you sometimes get trophy's. These unlock new classes and races to play, each of which offer a different spin during game play. It does take a while to level up each class and race, but it never feels like a chore.

Graphically, Dungeon Raid is kind of plain looking. But I think that the plainness works to its advantage. The game is about progressing and leveling up, you don't want to have it be too flashy looking lest you get distracted. The best way I can put it, is the graphics are functional and that they work.

Dungeon Raid is also lacking a bit in the sound department, but that isn't to say its silent. Each thing you gather makes its own sound, from the bubbling of potions to the grunting of the skulls as you kill them. Once again, the sounds are nearly perfect for this game.

Dungeon Raid doesn't have any in-app purchases (IAP) but I almost wish it did. I got the game when it first came out last year and I've put so much time into it I want to give the developer more money. I know, strange but that is how much I enjoy this game.

Time seems to fly by when playing. When I was playing today to get screenshots I somehow managed to play for about 20 minutes without even noticing. Then again I was doing extremely well so that might have contributed a bit to the time.

So in closing, do you like match-three games? Do you like RPG's? Do you want to try a excellent game that combines them both into one wonderful package? Why are you still reading this? Go and buy Dungeon Raid right now and start playing. This is one game that I think everyone will love. If you are still on the fence, there is a lite version. But try it and I can nearly guarantee that you'll end up buying the full game.

Here's a sample of the game play from Dungeon Raid, sorry there isn't any sound for it. And this is my actual game that I ended up screwing up due to getting greedy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDzjBfVEpcs
Verdict

Graphics: Two stars
Sound: One star
Gameplay: Four stars
Amount of IAP: None
Angry Bird Leg rating: High

Overall: Four Stars
Cost: $2.99

View the original article here

Read More

Need For Speed: The Run Review!

Brace yourself for the next generation of video games, the next edition of the wildly popular Need For Speed series, entitled The Run. Running is exactly what you'll be doing too, across the country from San Francisco all the way to New York. There's plenty of good reasons why this is one of the most popular video games ever created. This is one of the few venues where you can drive recklessly without killing someone, or yourself. Still, its realistic enough to make you look behind you to check for the police and other guys who want you dead.

Need For Speed: The Run- Gameplay!

EA hasn't held back with intense graphics in Need For Speed: The Run, and like its predecessor Hot Pursuit, there's plenty of gameplay. Maybe because they've made the graphics so intense, you'll also notice occasional flaking out of the game, especially if you go out of boundaries or during cut scenes. Handling your vehicle also can be troublesome, and a sleek vehicle can feel more like a tractor trailer in handling on some of the open road.

Some of the buzz surrounding Need For Speed: The Run is that the game is relatively limited in achievement milestones and can be accomplished in a short period of time by ardent gamers. While this may be the case for some, like other video games, NFS: TR isn't necessarily made for finishing, but instead, for driving. Like the previous versions of Need For Speed, The Run offers you a wide selection of hot cars to choose from. Some of these machines handle true-to-life and others, well, handle more like a grocery store shopping cart.

The course is perhaps the biggest selling point for Need For Speed: The Run and takes you accurately from the West Coast all the way to the Big Apple. The course is divided into ten different sections, each with different events for earning trophies and moving to the next level. Many of the events are simply a race between your car and other drivers, which is really what racing is all about, right? To add some fun at the beginning and the end of this game, EA adds mobsters following you in hot pursuit in cars and helicopters. If this doesn't get your adrenaline running, don't know what will.

Need For Speed: The Run-Our Opinion Of The Game!

Need For Speed: The Run affords you with several opportunities for hitting a "reset" button. This means if you crash, fall off a cliff, or die in any way, you can "reset" yourself to a certain point. Hitting a reset does cause the game to lag for about 15 seconds but it also gives you another chance to score big. If you'd rather trudge on through, you can also choose to restart the entire event and save reset points for experience at the end.

The bottom line on Need For Speed: The Run is that it's loud, fast and a blast to play. If you're into pure racing without fluffy tangent games, this is perfect for you. If you're looking for a game that is pure entertainment, The Run won't disappoint.

Gaming Info And Deals is located in Central New Jersey. We started out as a bunch of friends that loved the gaming experience. Hours a day we spent trying to be the best at whatever game we were playing at that time. Searching the web for blogs or information that would get us to the next level was a daily occurrence. Tired of searching the web, we decided to pool our knowledge and create this site. The site is for the serious gamer. Daily blogs and discounted gaming sites are our main focus. Hope you enjoy the site and all of it's content.

Thanks,

Nancy E. Surace

Gaming Info And Deals LLC.

http://www.gaminginfoanddeals.com/

View the original article here

Read More

Pro Flight Simulator Software - Learn the Art Of Flying From Your Own Home

You've probably heard about different versions of flight simulator software. They can be very helpful for every aspiring aircraft pilot to get some realistic flying experience from the warmth of their own home. The choice of flight simulators on the market is quite huge and it's important to understand some of their features before you decide which one to get.

Many people choose flight simulation software because it's relatively inexpensive and it gives them the opportunity to learn a lot about actual flying. It's a great way to learn basics before actually getting into the aviation academy or into some expensive flying course.

Nice characteristic of many flight simulator software packages is that they can be operated by to use joysticks, pedals and various controllers and some of them will allow you to use only keyboard. For the latest packages the graphic is also becoming very important and they've put lot of work into it. Such packages put lot of attention to detail so you will get lot of scenery details with them, including rivers, lakes, towns, roads and mountains. The experience with these modern flight simulator programs is quite realistic and they can definitely help you to sharpen your skills and teach you the fundamentals of flying.

The objective of any flight simulator software package is to teach you how to become a pilot and instruct you on basics of flying. They tend to be quite user-friendly making the whole process rather easy and straightforward. But be warned, most of the good flying simulators will require some learning time! They are designed to be more like a training devices rather than standard computer games. This is why it's helpful to get a better quality simulator that can be operated by pedals, joysticks, yokes and other types of controllers, if you are really interested in learning how to fly. Make sure to check the system requirement and if you computer model and operating system are supported!

Yokes, for example, are used to raise and drop the aircraft, making the whole experience of flying much more realistic. By using them you'll get a hint of how real pilot would feel inside the cockpit of an actual plane. So it's important to get familiar with all the options and features when it comes to choosing the flight simulator software. Lot of new packaged and released are coming out every year and all of them bring something new and different than before. For the best learning experience you will have to choose the package that best suits your needs and aspirations.

Don't be mesmerized by all the shiny graphics and animations by certain packages. Such flying simulators are made to look nice and are very playable and fun but the experience of flying is rather poor. These games are made for wider audience and are great for playing with for a while but when it comes to actual learning experience, thy have zero value.

If you are truly interested in learning how to fly you'll have to choose the right option for you and go for the flying simulator that can be operated by joystick, yokes, pedals and other types of controllers. These should give you the right kind of experience for your new journey into the art of flying.

I've tried many different flight simulator software packages on the market and currently I'm happy with the Pro Flight Simulator Suite package. Read more detail about it at Pro Flight Simulator Review page.

View the original article here

Read More

James Noir's Hollywood Crimes

I got my Nintendo 3DS at the beginning of the year, along with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This is my favorite game of all time and, I'll admit, the only reason I traded in my DSi for the 3DS was to play Ocarina again. While I love Ocarina, it's also a huge commitment. It takes dedication, and then there are all the little side quests you can do. Then once you've completed the game you get to play the "Master Quest" version. Needless to say, I got my sword and shield at the beginning of the game and.... That's as far as I got. I wasn't prepared to dive into a game that I knew would consume my life for the next several weeks. So I began my own real life quest to find a decent 3DS game that I could pick up, play for an hour or so, and then tuck away without going into withdrawal. That game was James Noir's Hollywood Crimes.

You are a contestant in an early 1960s game show in which you compete to solve puzzles. The first week your competitor plays the game and sees how many points he can score by solving puzzles of varying difficulty. The harder the puzzles, the more points you can earn. You get to play during the second week to try to top his score, or at least garner enough points to move onto the next round. Oh, and there's a serial killer on the loose killing former contestants and you're helping the FBI solve puzzles left at the crime scenes. Everyone involved with the show is a suspect. Heck, you're even a suspect even though you're trying to help catch the murderer. Who is the killer, and will you beat your competitor to claim the top prize? Or will you die trying?

Okay, the drama here isn't exactly riveting, but more like when a sitcom tries for a heartfelt episode when the family pet dies or something. There are two reasons to play this game: the puzzles and the graphics. If you're a fan of the Professor Layton series for the DS, this may be up your alley. Granted, the Professor Layton puzzles can be a bit more difficult and offer more variety, the Hollywood puzzles can be enjoyable, if not predictable after a while. Oh gee, another puzzle where I have to slide puzzle pieces around to move one particular piece into a highlighted spot? The fun never ends! But seriously, the puzzles aren't half-bad - just don't expect a huge variety.

This is only the second 3DS game I've played, but I must say that I was very happy with the graphics. Real actors are used in the video game so it plays out almost like a movie. When they talk, their mouths move, but their words (if you can call them words) don't match the audio. It's as if you were watching a dubbed foreign film. The style is definitely 1960s from the clothes, the hairstyles, and even the opening credits of the fake game show. The 3D effects aren't as impressive as, say, Ocarina, but they were decent enough.

Although James Noir's Hollywood Crimes is worth a go-around and I've enjoyed playing it, it's not a keeper. Besides the puzzles being repetitive, there are also loads of typos throughout the game and the game itself is pretty short (you could probably knock it out in five to six hours). Sure, you could play it again to solve all the puzzles you passed up during the first run-through, but after that you're going to want to trade it in (at Slackers, of course) for something different.

Visit http://www.slackers.com/ for more awesome reviews!

View the original article here

Read More

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

View the original article here

Read More

The Tiger Woods Pga Tour 13 - Review

The Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is the latest installation in the franchise. Below is a comprehensive review of this video game:

Game Details:

- Genre: Sports
- Publisher: Electronic arts
- Developer: EA Tiburon
- ESRB rating: E (Everyone)

Graphics

The Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 has amazing graphics. Its developers, EA Tiburon, has designed some superb illustrations of the real life players and playing courses. They put all these together in a way that makes the game look like a flashy television show.

Sound

The game is integrated with Electronic Art's normal licensed tunes and there are some quite amazing sound effects whenever you swing or smack the ball. There are also some background crowd noises that try to imitate the real atmosphere experienced in golf championships. Commentary is also present with Tiger Woods himself providing his own views and proceedings in the Legacy mode.

Game Play

This game has a breakthrough platform known as the Total Control Swing System. This is the most developed, accurate and deep control technique ever integrated in a golfing video-game. However, this technique may be difficult to master.

Just like the previous instalment in the franchise, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 still utilizes the left stick. The power of your shot depends on both the speed of your swing and the club which you choose. There is an on-screen guide in the form of an arc which encircles your golfer, and this displays the swing arc's optimum. It is then up to you to apply the precise amount of power and accuracy while playing the stroke to imitate this guide. You also receive feedback from your in-game caddy, and a small guide on the bottom of the screen informs you of how well you have managed to manoeuvre the analogue stick while playing your shot.

The right stick helps you to change your stance and the amount of spin you apply on the ball. The ability to change your stance and the way you position yourself during taking a shot is a particularly significant addition. This is because it allows you to play shots in awkward bunker situations more effectively.

Another significant addition to this game is motion control which also has total support for Kinetic. When in full effect, you can deliver some voice commands to pick a new club or survey the course in the classic 'Man at Littlewoods' pose by raising your hand to your brow! Kinetic also works well while teeing or playing those long shots as it will track your swing accurately as you would wish.

Multi player

The all new Country Clubs feature makes it possible for you to create your own tournaments and clubs both with friends and other online challengers. In these tournaments that you create, you can win coins by performing well in them or for being the outstanding player in your club throughout the week. You can also easily access Quick Matches and other regular tournaments taking place.

Longevity

There is a remarkable 16 courses available from the start and a good number of real-life golf big name players. There are other numerous content to be unlocked. These include additional characters, courses, clothing and these can be obtained by winning enough coins in tournaments, ranked online matches or overcoming certain challenges for every course.

The prolonged career mode allows you to come up with a custom player and begin a golfing quest to find all your way to the top and succeed in major tournaments. There is also the Tiger Legacy challenge mode.

Pros, Cons and Verdict

There is lots of content available and this comes with improved game controls that make your playing more accurate. The county club is also a quite interesting feature.

There is lack of life in the golf courses and the commentary is usually dull. Added features like the kinetic support have their own challenges. This game is also not any different from its predecessor, therefore a rating of 8/10 can be given.

Gaming Info And Deals is located in Central New Jersey. We started out as a bunch of friends that loved the gaming experience. Hours a day we spent trying to be the best at whatever game we were playing at that time. Surfing the web for blogs or cheats that would get us to the next level was a daily occurrence. Tired of surfing the web, we decided to pool our knowledge and create this site. The site has something for the beginner to the serious gamer. Daily blogs and discounted gaming products are our main focus. Hope you enjoy the site and all of it's content.

Thanks,

Nancy E. Surace

Gaming Info And Deals LLC.

http://www.gaminginfoanddeals.com/

View the original article here

Read More

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.

View the original article here

Read More

Men In Black 3 Review: Protecting The Galaxy On IOS And Android

Barring another dominant performance from The Avengers, the top movie this weekend should be Men in Black 3 (sorry, Chernobyl Diaries), the big-budget sequel starring Will Smith and a whole bunch of computer-generated aliens. To capitalize on this potential success, Gameloft has a Men in Black 3 video game for iOS and Android. Even better, it's free. Just don't go into this title expecting to run around blasting bad guys.

Oddly enough, the game revolves around the simulation aspect of operating your own MIB agency and a heavy dose of time management. There's combat, but the developers limit this to turn-based battles, where you and slimy-looking enemies trade shots at each other as you equip different health packs and weapons.

That aside, Men in Black 3 plays more like Farmville and Big Time Gangsta. You build the agency from the ground up by placing different departments within a limited grid, creating an armory, gadget workshop, infirmary, evaluation room, firing range, zero G trainer and a plethora of other services; there's even a fast food joint.

The goal? Research new technologies that'll imbue your character and others (you can train new agents and send them on missions) with different weapons with names like Fat Nancy, the Temporal Pulse, Dark Plasma Gun and the humorous Noisy Cricket from the original Men in Black. That said, these things require you to reach a certain level to unlock and various amounts of time; you can't make use of the Fat Nancy, for instance, until reaching level 10, while some missions may force you to wait 30 minutes.

Fortunately, Gameloft provides a slew of objectives to complete, inspired by the movie's time-traveling plot. This involves visiting 1969 and 2012 versions of New York City, where you'll have more than enough tasks to keep busy, from interrogating aliens to squashing outer space cockroaches, stopping for a bite to eat and wiping away the memories of countless witnesses using the Neuralyzer. There's little interaction involved, you merely tap something or someone to instantly perform the activity, but at least it takes your mind off whatever's going on at headquarters.

Naturally, there's a hook. You need energy to beat these missions, and this also replenishes (albeit slowly) over time, forcing you to cough up some real-world dough to acquire T-Pulses that allow you to buy more. The same goes for gold coins that go towards stocking up on supplies and purchasing equipment; Gameloft is more than ready to accept your payment(s). Granted, you don't need to spend a dime playing Men in Black, but things will move significantly faster if you do.

Finally, there's a social aspect, where you can invite friends to assist in the fight against a particularly pesky alien, or to simply visit your agency, and vice versa. Nothing revolutionary, by any means, but at least you can see how others play the game/decorate.

Taking all of this into account, Men in Black 3 isn't bad by any means, but it also doesn't stand out, either. We can't hate on Gameloft for going simulation heavy instead of creating a third-person shooter; the App Store has plenty of both. At the same time, there's a strictly enforced limit on how much you can play if you refuse to spend money, and with that being said, us cheapskates discovered the appeal wore off quicker than we expected. Fun, but only in short play sessions.

Chris Buffa is Editor in Chief of Modojo, a website that covers the mobile game industry, offering readers reviews, previews and features of the newest titles for smart phone and tablets. To visit this website, please head to http://www.modojo.com/

View the original article here

Read More

Review - Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD

Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD is a different spin on the usual solitaire game for the iOS, but is it worth you hard earned money especially for $6.99? Read on to find out.

Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD is a golf-style solitaire game. By golf style solitaire, I mean that you have a layout of cards on the table and you have one card up in front of you for example an eight of clubs. Now you can place a nine or a seven on that card and so forth. It took me a bit to get used to it, but now I kind of prefer playing the golf style solitaire instead of my usual Klondike.

Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD and it's sister app, Faerie Solitaire Mobile, are a port of the popular PC game of the same title. I've sunk way too many hours playing my copy to be comfortable in admitting my playtime. Since this is a port, some things did get left out, but more about that in a bit.

The general plot is that you are rescuing faeries from imprisonment by playing. The reason why you are rescuing them it that you have been charged with a quest to rescue them all. After you complete ten hands in the game, you can release a faerie from captivity. At least that is what I vaguely remember from playing the PC version since the cut scenes aren't really in the game. Well, they are but are external YouTube links that take you out of the app.

Graphically Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD looks good, but it really doesn't have much in the way of flash.The same with the sound, nothing really special. The background music is nice for a while, but to be honest I usually have it muted.

As for IAP, Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD doesn't have any. This is nice especially considering the rather high cost of the game.

I have managed to drain the batteries in both my iPad and iPhone several times playing this game, usually with the idea of "just one more hand." I have also managed to have both my legs fall asleep while playing it in a waiting room. There is just something about the game that scratches an itch that keeps me playing it.

My only issues with Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD are some crashes while playing and the fact its missing one of the parts of the PC version I liked. The pet raising mini game is not present, although the publisher does say that it will be added in a future patch.

The only other thing that bothers me about the game is the absurdly high number of wild cards I have. In other games like this, I might have four or five stocked up, in Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD I have almost 100. This seems like overkill and has made the game far to easy in my opinion.

I will admit that I was shocked by the price of both Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD and Faerie Solitaire Mobile. I believe I got them both for free or at least much lower than that. But I believe that they are both great games that are worth it. If you like solitaire, then give Faerie Solitaire Mobile HD a shot. Now if you will excuse me, I'm off to play some more before my next meeting.

Verdict:

Graphics: Two stars
Sound: One star
Gameplay: Three stars
Amount of IAP: None
Angry Bird Leg rating: Three stars

Overall: Three stars
Cost: $6.99

View the original article here

Read More

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.

If you want to learn more detail and read more about this cool product and its features visit this review page: Pro Flight Simulator.

View the original article here

Read More

In-Depth Look at Modern Warfare 3 Killstreak Assault Strike Package Reward

Modern Warfare 3 Assault Strike Packages rewards - Gives you kill streaks that aids you to kill more people. The kill streak counter is reset every time you die.

A 3 kill streak reward.
Calls in and periodically scan enemies that do not have Assassin perk or inside a scrambler.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Care Package - A 4 kill streak reward.
Gives you a smoke grenade that calls in a helicopter bring a care package.
Care package can contain any Assault or Support kill streak rewards.

IMS - A 5 kill reward.
Deploy a grenade sentry that has 4 rounds. It is very accurate and will kill most enemy that enters its range. The only way to be safe from an IMS trigger is to have Stalker pro and immediately duck behind a wall or large objects. Can be affected Concussion and Flash Grenades. Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Predator Missile - A 5 streak reward.
Takes control of an Air to Ground missile. You can control the path of the missile to guide it to the enemy. You can accelerate the missile by hitting your fire button. However, accelerating missile is harder to control and can make you miss. EMP effects covers targeting map but you can still shoot it.

Sentry Gun - A 5 reward.
Drop a turret that will automatically shoot any enemies in front it.
Can be affected Concussion and Flash Grenades.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Precision Airstrike - A 6 streak reward.
Targets an area to call in airstrikes. Three jets will do a bomb run at the designated point.

Attack Helicopter - A 7 reward.
Calls in a helicopter that will move around the map randomly and shoots enemies.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Safe Run - A 9 kill streak reward.
Calls in 5 helicopters that travels in a straight line and back, shooting any enemies they encounter on their flight path. Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

AH-6 Overwatch - A 9 reward.
Calls in an AH-6 that will follow you around and cover your back.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Reaper - A 9 kill streak reward.
Calls in a circling Reaper drone that shoots guided Air to Ground missiles. Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Assault Drone - A 10 streak reward.
Take control of a medium armored vehicle that is equipped with a machine gun and rocket launcher.
Can be affected Concussion and Flash Grenades.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

AC-130 - A 12 kill streak reward.
Take control of a circling AC-130. It is equipped with missiles launcher, cannons and heavy machine guns. Each weapon has a cooldown so it cannot be spammed. Players have to cycle though the weapons to maximize their damage output. Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Pave Low - A 12 streak reward.
Calls in a Pave Low into the battlefield. Pave Low is an armored attack helicopter that can take a lot of punishments.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Juggernaut - A 15 kill streak reward.
When you take the Juggernaut care package, your primary gun will be replaced by a light machine gun and your secondary will be replaced by machine pistols. You will also receive an armor that reduces incoming damage.

Osprey Gunner - A 17 streak reward.
You take control of the gunner in an Osprey. You fly around the battlefield while shooting people with your heavy machine gun.
Can be destroyed EMP or shot down.

Unlocking the last Modern Warfare 3 Assault Strike Package reward, Osprey Gunner, in a game is probably one of the hardest thing to accomplish due to assault kill streak being reset at every death.

you can find more things about call of duty here at stupid games

View the original article here

Read More

Mobile Gaming Quality Improving As Devices Improve

The problem with the relatively new market of mobile games has been the limitations of the mobile devices but are we beginning to see those restrictions ease?

Games designed for playing on handsets and other mobile devices are improving as game developers are able to build more elaborate graphics and, whilst we probably won't see serious gamers flinging their PS3s, Xboxes and Nintendo in the trash just yet, there are new breeds of games coming out that do offer more.

Typically the type of game on offer for the average iPhone user little more than a year ago was a very lite-on graphics affair - perhaps word puzzles, search games or scaled-down versions of social games like FarmVille with their bright colors and relatively slow-pace; in the past year slightly more complex games and action-based games have become very popular, as the ridiculous amount of downloads of Angry birds has shown.

There are even newer breeds of action-based game that are more graphics intensive appearing in the apps stores, with lots of animation, but without being overly bulky, top-heavy or memory-hungry.

The skill of the game developers has gone hand-in-hand with the skill of the device manufacturers to produce better, more textured, multi-layered games, designed for devices that are more powerful, have better processors and graphics chips and have a battery life to support extended play times.

The moans and groans that met the recent release of the iPhone 4s, from people who'd been expecting the release if the iPhone 5, meant that some major improvements to that phone were missed - many specifically designed to improve the mobile gaming experience.

These improvements include the use of the A5 chip, which is the same as the one used in the iPad 2. This provides twice as much CPU speed as the iPhone 4. It also has a dual core graphics processor that is seven times faster than the iPhone 4. These two features, along with the extended battery life, all make for a more game-oriented device.

This, of course, is great news for the casual gamers you see tapping their iPhone screens on the bus on the way to work in the morning, because it means a better gaming experience; whether it will be enough to attract serious gamers as well as mums, dads and kids, is not so clear.

Just recently I tried out a new free sidescroller game from the App store; it was very graphics intensive, with very beautiful landscapes where I had to guide a spaceship through. It was a throwback to the days of Atari video games and great fun.

I almost forgot that I was using my iPhone to play that game, it was so unlike typical iOS games; there's no doubt that games are becoming higher quality as the devices improve.

Styla Brite is a published author and product reviewer. Continue reading more about JumpShip Thrust Control and MonkeyBin Studios

View the original article here

Read More

Ninja Gaiden 3 - Gameplay Review

The main character of the Ninja Gaiden 3

He is the son of Kent Hayabusa who died in his hands after he passed the sword to him for his bravery in an earlier part of Ninja Gaiden series. He is now leading the Hayabusa clan with possession of spiritual, physical and magical powers from the ancestry of the dragons. He is still the same brave character in the Ninja Gaiden 3 video game.

Staging of the video game

The video game sets off on a foggy day in London and Ryu Hayabusa is taken back into thought as to why he came there in the first place. He then remembers that he is on the hunt for a terrorist group that attacked with the aim of getting into the master ninja. He then feels warmed up and takes into flight over the huge clock tower and as he goes down the street he can see the group.

This is where the more soldiers come out and the battle begins, with Hayabusa going head straight into the battlefield. This is where the greatness of video game begins.

Features and gameplay

You can have Ryu's attack power charged up but there is no essence to absorb. When his sword glows it is the best time for the player to attack to execute a multi hit combo that will destroy the enemies. The video game gives Ryu ultimate technique attacks which depend on using Ryu's KI meter. Be careful of unnecessary usage of the techniques but again any KI left in the meter goes into refueling his life.

The video game has taken into note lessons from the other titles which then promote alternative game play modes such as gear of war 3 and halo: reach. It is a modern multi player with the avatar customized for each player needs and capabilities. Also accessibly is the option of changing gear and clothes along the adventurous journey.

Team Ninja have really outdone themselves with the Ninja Gaiden 3 from the Ninja Gaiden 2.

The players are always to be on guard so not to be caught unaware as there are no warnings, suggestions or any kind of peace in the game. The video game accommodates 8 simultaneous players at a time that are separated into groups. The aim of the groups then is to kill the opponents on a time limited challenge. The co-operative modes last up to 5 minutes and throughout the player have level system to climb up to.
Another feature that the Ninja Gaiden 3 possesses is the option of customization menu that is located on its own directly from the main menu.

View the original article here

Read More

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.

Verdict

Graphics:Two stars
Sound:Two stars
Gameplay:Three stars
Amount of IAP:Some
Overall: Three stars
Cost:$4.99

View the original article here

Read More

Review - Tiny Tower

Tiny Tower, the latest game from the folks at Nimblebit, is the subject of today's review. As the games title suggests, you are in charge of building a tower.

From the start Tiny Tower pulls you in with a layer of charm that almost all the Nimblebit games have. The graphics are blocky, with a 8-bit game kind of feel. But this adds to Tiny Tower, rather than subtract from it.

The goal of Tiny Tower is to build a tower, bring in new bitzens to work and live in it, and complete some semi-simple missions. Each floor of your tower can either be an apartment level or a retail level. Each of the apartments can hold five bitzens, while the retail levels only have one kind of business.
Each of the bitzens that live in the tower have a number of stats that determine how good they are at certain job types. They also have a dream job that is a big part of the game.

Each service level can employ three bitzens, with the number of bitzens allowing an increase in the amount of stock that each location has. For example the Mapple store sells the Mypod with one employee, the Myphone with two, and the Mybook with three. If you have an employee that is working in their dream job, the amount of stock you can have increases. There is a fair amount of different service jobs from the aforementioned Mapple store to a movie theater to a wood shop.

As your tower grows, so do the costs of adding new levels. I'm sitting at 49 floors, with the cost to add a new one being 375k coins. That amount its too much though, considering that I'm raking in about 20ish coins a second. There are missions to do in the game as well, but do be honest I haven't attempted any of them yet.

The sound is minimal in Tiny Tower, but it's not the kind of game that requires it. There are little coin sounds as your total goes up, a bell that lets you know store is ready to be restocked, and a nice light music bed to go along with everything.

Tiny Tower does include some IAP, but considering the game is free I'm ok with it. You can buy bux from within the game that allow you to move levels, or move in a new bitzen without having to wait, or cash them out for the games currency. I ended up buying some bux just because I was enjoying the game so much and I wanted to kick Nimblebit a bit more money.

Overall this game is good to look at and a blast to play. The only issue I have with it is once your tower is going for a while. It gets a bit annoying to have to stock and restock every in the tower. But the annoyances are outweighed by the fun I had playing it.

http://youtu.be/cn8WpN_AXcE

Verdict

Graphics: Three stars
Sound: Three stars
Gameplay: Four stars
Amount of IAP: Some, but not very annoying
Angry Bird Leg rating: Moderate in the beginning, minor after things get going.
Overall: A solid game that is well worth the download.
Cost: Free

View the original article here

Read More

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.

View the original article here

Read More

Borderlands 2 Release Date

The wait for millions of fans of the original Borderlands game is coming to a close. With a tentative Borderlands 2 release date being slated by the developers as mid to late 2012, gaming geeks and fans alike are already speculating if the second installment can live up to the first. Let's cover what made Borderlands such a hit to start with and investigate if 2K Games and Gearbox Software can step up to the plate with their latest iteration.

Borderlands was released in 2009 and received critical acclaim for its meshing of gaming genre's, namely First Person Shooters and Role Playing Games to coin a new phrase in gaming, the Role Playing Shooter. By the end of 2009, Borderlands had sold over 2 million copies worldwide and this figure has now hit 4.5 million. The games' success was due to a number of reasons including filling a gap between the RPG and FPS genres, the striking cell-shaded graphics, almost endless list of weapons and enormous quest lists. Re-playability also factored into its ongoing success with four pieces of downloadable content which expanded storyline, quests, leveling abilities and included the ultimate of challenges, Crawmerax the Invincible.

The scene for Borderlands was the planet of Pandora and the storyline revolved around you, as one of the four main protagonists on a quest to find mysterious pieces of alien artefacts in order to open 'The Vault'. The game catered well for single player as well as co-op through either two player split screen or up to four players over the net.

Borderlands 2 picks up five years after the opening of the vault (the end of the first game) and the scene is once again laid in Pandora. The new main antagonist, Handsome Jack, has claimed the credit and the riches from the opening of the vault which has allowed him to take over as CEO of the Hyperion Corporation and implant himself as the dictator of Pandora. The players' role in this story begins when Jack back stabs and then leaves the player for dead on the frozen tundra, sufficient enough motivation for revenge.

Everything that made the original game so successful is set to return in its sequel. What can be garnered from available information prior to its release date, the visual style and humorous dialogue will be back, but what is going to set this apart from its predecessor? In a word...Guns. The selection in the first was almost inexhaustible but in the second, they will be. Guns will also be easier to identify visually so no more cross hairs over weapon to see if you want to add it to your inventory. The modifications to weapons will also be ramped up with the inclusion of Eridium enhancements as well as the standard mods available.

There are four new characters to choose from, only two of which have been announced prior to the Borderlands 2 release date. These characters are Salvador the Gunzerker and Maya the Siren. The skill trees for Salvador and all of the new characters have been completely overhauled as well. My favourite so far is Salvador's' 'Sexual Tyrannosaurus' (can you name the movie this was taken from) which regenerates health as you are taking damage.

Vehicles have received some attention with four person transports now being available, a great leap ahead as anyone who played four person co-op in the first can testify to. One of the criticisms of the first Borderlands was the 'sameness' of the environments. A concerted effort is being made this time round to ensure a plethora of different areas, with the added bonus that if you can see it, you can explore it. Three areas which have been named are the arctic tundra, dangerous grasslands and the corrosive caverns.

Brand new enemies are also on the cards with these already being named:
Elemental Skags - This time they pass their power to others nearby.Arctic Bullymong - A gorilla-like creature can throw torn up pieces of scenery at you,Surveyors - Bots who can re-energise nearby allies,WAR Loader - A large bot that fires missiles and bullets, and my favorite,Nomad - A chubby bandit with an all-round shield, and an angry midget tied to it.

From the limited information available to date, it seems that a significant amount of time has been spent to rectify the small shortfalls that were present in Borderlands. With the Borderlands 2 release date approaching, it appears that 2K and Gearbox have gone much further than a 'spit and polish' just to rake in some cash.

Borderlands 2 Release Date price guarantees have been put in place by the major dealers. Have a look at the price comparisons at http://borderlands2game.com/

View the original article here

Read More

The Tower of Druaga - Nintendo Famicom Game Review

Many video games today features a number of secrets hidden within them, but they are usually just a source of short amusement from the developer to the player rather than essential bits of information important to the plot of the story. Even if such games did feature secrets essential to the plot of the game, the advent of the Internet has basically ruined the original intention as anybody can easily look up the answers on the first day of release. However, such was not the case back when The Tower of Druaga was released on the Famicom in 1985.

Concept

The Tower of Druaga is an action role playing video game based on maze gameplay. The thing that is most interesting about it is that it was one of the first games that required players figure out and find a number of secrets in order to complete the game; without finding these essential hidden secrets, it was impossible to finish the game. Because there was no Internet back when this game was released, it was important for friends to work together to figure out the game.

Some of the secrets that were hidden in the game included a number of different things, such as random starting positions for each maze. In other words, if you restarted a maze, you might end up in a completely different part of the map, meaning you could not just blindly use muscle memory to get through the maze. On top of that, the maze could also change entirely, though it would not randomize, just to add another challenge.

Gameplay

In The Tower of Druaga, the player takes on the role of Gilgamesh, and the primary purpose of the game is to pass through sixty floors of mazes in an effort to defeat Druaga in his demonic tower. The only equipment Gilgamesh receives is a shield and a sword, and these items allow him to defend himself from magical attacks and defeat enemies, respectively. With this equipment in hand, Gilgamesh is required to go through a maze to find a randomly placed key, which will then open the door to the next floor.

The Tower of Druaga is the game that became the precursor to roguelikes such as Nethack and the recently released and popular The Binding of Isaac. Fans of either of these two games should absolutely invest in obtaining the original Famicom cartridge, if not just for the experience of seeing from where their favorites derived.

Please visit retrogamerjapan.com for Super Famicom games, Famicom games and more. We also have cleaned, tested and ready to play classic retro Famicom and Super Famicom consoles, controllers and guides. All 100% original, straight from Japan.

View the original article here

Read More

Angry Fly Adventure - Cool iPhone Arcade Game

If you enjoy iOS games with gorgeous graphics and action oriented gameplay, you are in for a treat. That is because USOApps has released the sequel of an arcade-style game, Angry Fly Adventure. The title is available as a universal app so iPhone & iPad owners can enjoy it.

This is not a game that was quickly thrown together! A lot of thought and work went into every single feature and move, and that will be immediately obvious when you open the game.

THE STORY
Revenge!!!
The tiny Angry Fly is free now! A new cruel world with lots of enemies... Need to defeat everyone & everything. So, the journey began. However, don't think the it will be easy, oh no! Sluggish and nimble wasps, drones, tricky caterpillars, snails with beehives... that are the enemies, they'll attack tiny Fly during his adventure. Help him to overcome all the difficulties of life, help him to save world from them! Angry Fly is counting on YOU!

THE GAMEPLAY
The graphics and sound are adorable, perfectly matching the whimsical style and highly colored and dynamic gameplay.

You need to go through all the levels, kill all your enemies, get as many points as possible.

Simple touch control: in the lower left corner there is a joystick, with the help of which you'll operate your character. In the lower right corner - buttons for shooting (rockets, bombs, gun), boost & landing.

The game and levels are beautifully designed and dynamically loading so they're different each time you play, creating challenging gameplay which is always unique and engaging.

KEY FEATURES
- Unique control method
- Loads (35) of tricky "Killer" levels, increasing in difficulty
- Universal: iPhone & iPad cross compatible
- Great for all ages, easy to learn
- Very addictive, exciting gameplay, that keeps you coming back for more
- Community on Facebook and Twitter
- Leader boards and achievements
- Slick animations and immersive sounds effects
- Weapon store using your earned virtual cash, nine different types to choose from
- 100% fun for everyone
- Sweet and delightful
- Cartoon style graphics
- Easy to play, hard to master

Easy to understand, but difficult to master, this new iOS game requires dexterity and precision to finish the levels in record time.

Once you finish the game, you'll want to play it again!

Beat your high score, and collect every thing in every level!

Angry Fly Adventure is a game that will keep people of all ages hooked with its addictive, quirky and stylistic gameplay. Gorgeous graphics that really pop and unique music make the game a feast for your eyes and ears.

Well? What are you waiting for? The world isn't going to save itself!

View the original article here

Read More

New Exciting Details About Assassin's Creed 3

Following the very successful first two installments, Ubisoft is set to again catch the gaming world by storm with the upcoming Assassin's Creed 3 revelation on March 5 2012.

Although the company is yet to announce some details about the game, some leaks have been circling the web for some time now. Here are some of the supposed leaked information we have filtered so far.

The story of the game will now be fast forwarded to the 18th Century North American cities of New York and Boston. Some historical figures such as Charles Lee, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin will be included in the game. This information was gleaned from the latest issue from GameInformer.

According to the magazine, the name of game's character will be Connor, a half English, half Mohawk native American living on the US frontier.

Not enough information were revealed by the US magazine but historical events like the winter of George Washington at Valley Forge and the great fire of New York are some of the scenarios of the game.

A third of the game will take place on the US frontier. GameInformer claims this map will be 1.5 times bigger than the entire map of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Obviously, there will be fast transport system to let characters traverse the vast expanse in the game.

Gameplay includes climbing trees and cliffs to get good vantage points for kills and hunting animals for resources.

Another good addition to the game will be the passing or changing of seasons after some time. Non-playable characters will behave according to the weather as well. Soldiers movement will be hampered by snow and will stumble around clumsily around frozen lakes and rivers.

Connor's main weapons will be a knife and a tomahawk. Users will also be able to perform multiple takedowns, chained kills, and double counters.

If there is a good practical thing ditched, it will be the target locking feature. The game will automatically pinpoint an opponent instead of a player manually locking the target like in the previous installments. Ubisoft wants players to experience faster and more fluid gameplay and thus the control system has been automated making combat more controllable and exciting.

Ubisoft also announced that additional platforming sections will be added this time around.

And if these scant details do not excite you that much yet, an undisclosed amount of money twice bigger than the budget for revelations according to Ubisoft has been allocated for this game. That said, we can expect a lot from Assassins Creed 3 when it comes out. This game will be one of the biggest gaming news for AC fans out there.

View the original article here

Read More