If you are a fan of real time strategy, then Halo Wars is the right game for you. Halo Wars is based in the Halo universe that is based in earlier times. You get to live the events that happened prior to the first Halo game. Serina is your help in guiding the various units of the game which you are familiar with. There are also technologies throughout the battlefield that allow your Commanders to utilize their powers and assist you in battle.
Game Play Specifics
The campaign mode allows you to live the story in which your UNSC Warship, the Spirit of Fire and all of its troops first meet up with the Covenant, your alien enemies that are on a mission to exterminate humans. You can take control over Covenant units when playing multiplayer and lead your Grunts, Elites, Ghosts, as well as Scarabs to defeat human foes on the battlefield.
Ensemble Studios did a great job at creating this groundbreaking Xbox 360 real time strategy game with intuitive game play through a interface that plays almost effortlessly. This creates a control scheme which can be mastered to demolish your enemies and power through games with strategically planned game play. This large scale combat system lets you truly feel like a commander of an army. This is true for both sides, being UNSC troops or Covenant forces. Build up your army and become the superior force to obliterate your foes. This offers a tactical system that is unmatched by any other real time strategy game on Xbox 360. By using combinations of leaders and units to control, you can custom tailor your playing style to match realistic war simulations.
The Bottom Line for Halo Wars
This is a unique and interesting take on one of the greatest PC to Console games transformations. You could really create your story of how the events prior to the original Halo game occurred. This gives you an idea as to why you love playing Halo alone and with your friends online, as well as insight through where this concept originates. This is a great buy for anyone that enjoys real time strategy game play or just plain war games with their friends. Whatever your take, this is a must have for your Xbox 360 console.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Rock Band 2 Review - Harmonix's Guitar Hero Has Evolved Into Xbox 360, PS2, PlayStation 3 Versions
For many, the only thing better than Guitar Hero is the new release of Wii Rock Band 2. If you want to be a part of the new concept in gaming, then tapping into this console can help you to enjoy even more of your gaming experience. This particular game is known as the best playing option and Rock Band upgrade in Wii history, with several more features and abilities than past Wii music games.
History of Wii Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 was originally released by Harmonix, a company that provides digital games linked to music. When building this game, they began with the launch of "Guitar Hero". This allowed players to add in some basic tunes while playing a guitar in the console. This particular concept developed into the Rock Band game, where standalone software was given for the guitar or drums, as well as an entire bundle that allowed players to sing and play their choice of instrument. Since this game was developed by an outside company, it is available for Wii as well as Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox. However, the advantage with the Wii platform is due to ability to move into motion with the music.
How Wii Rock Band 2 Relates to Others
The Wii Rock Band 2 was expected to be released in December, 2008, as one top option for the Christmas season. However, with this were some delays in some of the music, which had to be released in 2009. With the main game that was released, instant positive feedback made this game one of the best games of the year. Because of the additional 84 songs, free music downloads and compatibility with other players, and the highlight of enjoying listening to music while participating in taking center stage with the game.
Along with this, is the benefit of Rock Band 2 being available with different consoles. The release also includes the PlayStation 3 version, Xbox 360 version and the PS2 version. The only difference noted with these are that more songs are available to download than in the Wii version. Because the game was tried in these areas first, it is also providing more playing options. With these, are software attributes that ranges from standalone versions of $49 to bundles that are at $189, as well as sales and discounts from wholesale stores.
Whether you a professional or an amateur, you can be a part of the rocking music through the Wii Rock Band 2 console. Let the music begin to flow out of you. This particular musical platform is one that provides even novice musicians everywhere with a chance to star in the spotlights and to experience the full band beats. This latest version 2 has received rave reviews about the unique concept of playing music, and as a console, is also being rated as one of the best experiences in gaming.
History of Wii Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 was originally released by Harmonix, a company that provides digital games linked to music. When building this game, they began with the launch of "Guitar Hero". This allowed players to add in some basic tunes while playing a guitar in the console. This particular concept developed into the Rock Band game, where standalone software was given for the guitar or drums, as well as an entire bundle that allowed players to sing and play their choice of instrument. Since this game was developed by an outside company, it is available for Wii as well as Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox. However, the advantage with the Wii platform is due to ability to move into motion with the music.
How Wii Rock Band 2 Relates to Others
The Wii Rock Band 2 was expected to be released in December, 2008, as one top option for the Christmas season. However, with this were some delays in some of the music, which had to be released in 2009. With the main game that was released, instant positive feedback made this game one of the best games of the year. Because of the additional 84 songs, free music downloads and compatibility with other players, and the highlight of enjoying listening to music while participating in taking center stage with the game.
Along with this, is the benefit of Rock Band 2 being available with different consoles. The release also includes the PlayStation 3 version, Xbox 360 version and the PS2 version. The only difference noted with these are that more songs are available to download than in the Wii version. Because the game was tried in these areas first, it is also providing more playing options. With these, are software attributes that ranges from standalone versions of $49 to bundles that are at $189, as well as sales and discounts from wholesale stores.
Whether you a professional or an amateur, you can be a part of the rocking music through the Wii Rock Band 2 console. Let the music begin to flow out of you. This particular musical platform is one that provides even novice musicians everywhere with a chance to star in the spotlights and to experience the full band beats. This latest version 2 has received rave reviews about the unique concept of playing music, and as a console, is also being rated as one of the best experiences in gaming.
Cabela's Big Game Hunter PS2 - Does it Measure Up to Expectation?
Cabela's Big Game Hunter is the first hunting game in the current high-end consoles. The game gives the player the freedom to do what they like as a hunter. For serious players, who would imitate hunters, those who would use decoys, scents and scopes to do the traditional stalk, the game will let you do just that.
But if you just want to explore the land by riding an ATV or snowmobile and shoot animals as you see them, you can do that as well. This freedom certainly adds realism to an outdoor setting experience. The game can be played in three difficulty settings. The easy setting will let you spot animals from afar by marking them with a red dot.
The medium setting removes the red dot but the animal's AI is still the same. The hard setting increases the animal's AI a few notches, which requires you to consider the wind's direction and type of approach in shooting animals. The graphics and sound is fairly good. Different types of environments and animals are re-created sufficiently. The hunting regions follow its appearance according to the season of the year.
If it's winter season, snow can be seen covering the ground and trees and if it's spring, growing grasses can be seen on the ground and on the hillside. In general, Cabela's Big Game Hunter for Playstation 2 will only captivate few gamers around the world. It can satisfy hunting game lovers and those who are really into real life hunting sport.
But if you just want to explore the land by riding an ATV or snowmobile and shoot animals as you see them, you can do that as well. This freedom certainly adds realism to an outdoor setting experience. The game can be played in three difficulty settings. The easy setting will let you spot animals from afar by marking them with a red dot.
The medium setting removes the red dot but the animal's AI is still the same. The hard setting increases the animal's AI a few notches, which requires you to consider the wind's direction and type of approach in shooting animals. The graphics and sound is fairly good. Different types of environments and animals are re-created sufficiently. The hunting regions follow its appearance according to the season of the year.
If it's winter season, snow can be seen covering the ground and trees and if it's spring, growing grasses can be seen on the ground and on the hillside. In general, Cabela's Big Game Hunter for Playstation 2 will only captivate few gamers around the world. It can satisfy hunting game lovers and those who are really into real life hunting sport.
Review - King of Fighters Orochi Saga (PSP)
Where to begin with this compilation that's based around the King of Fighters series circa 1994 - 1998? Would it be best to start with a witty remark such as "SNK Playmore refuses to accept new century, prefers to live in the 90's"? Perhaps not... Because as much as it begrudges me to say this, this title's actually quite playable.
Taking the King of Fighters titles as a collective entity, there is a lot of value contained within, I discovered. Playing through what's called the 'Orochi Saga', starting with KoF '94, you can see how the series has taken steps to evolve over the yearly entries. Ranging from the preset teams to choose from in the '94 edition, to the ability to create your own in '95, and the overall awesomeness of the '98 edition, it seems SNK Playmore took notice year after year regarding what the fans wanted to see in the next edition. King of Fighters '95 might start with the message "The event shall be conducted as the previous one", implying the title is exactly the same as '94, but I actually discovered the experience surpasses it in spades. From the combat to the graphics, each year feels new compared to the prior, and when you add in the many, MANY different characters contained in each release then you have more reasons to replay. Even if you only play as Mai....
Another enjoyable experience was the 'Challenges' mode, where you have arbitrary goals to accomplish such as 'Win a battle blind - no energy bars etc."". It adds further replay value and unlocks content from across the titles such as secret characters, artwork and other in-game assets. Trying to clear all of the challenges will likely keep you going for days! I'm still playing through them when I have time, as time is a very important factor for this title as I shall now explain.
Things I didn't enjoy:
Loading Times: UMD proves itself once more to be a thorn in the side of developers with regards to the PlayStation Portable. Getting from the main Title Select screen to an actual fight took exactly '1:02.05′. Long enough when you're playing a quick round or two and you end up waiting longer than a battle would normally last. Not only that, the load times between rounds were '6.7′ seconds long, again breaking up the flow of the combat. When a round can end in under 20 seconds for a REALLY good player this becomes a problem somewhat.
Bugs, glitches and errors. There are random occasions when the sound just cuts out randomly. The fight announcer might start talking then stop mid sentence, the same applies to the in game music. I wonder if it has anything to do with the UMD format itself? Perhaps there was a flaw in the porting across process and they simply didn't want to spend money fixing it. Who knows? All I do know, however, is that the problem is not limited to my PSP; I spoke to one Adam Gulliver over on GameStyle, and he was just as confused as I was about the glitches. Graphically, the title maintains the charm of the series, but I do wish that a proper 16:9 screen format had been included, as the default 4:3 just seems like a waste of screen. Nit picking I know, but I want my whole screen to be filled with lovely pixels, not wildly stretched ones.
Outcome? Whilst I can only speak for myself, I found myself thinking early on in my experience with this title that if you go into the title expecting a Street Fighter II, you will come away disappointed. Expect something more technical, where luck and persistence have to be joined with skill and remembering the patterns of many fighters in order to succeed. Give it a try, folks. It's a great way to get ready for King of Fighters XII this summer. SNK Playmore - colour me interested!
* Verdict: If you're a King of Fighters fan then the rating is BUY. If not? Try.
* Completed: KOF 94, 95, 98.
* Players: 2
* Platforms: PSP, Wii
* Price: £29.99
* Released: March 27th 2009.
Taking the King of Fighters titles as a collective entity, there is a lot of value contained within, I discovered. Playing through what's called the 'Orochi Saga', starting with KoF '94, you can see how the series has taken steps to evolve over the yearly entries. Ranging from the preset teams to choose from in the '94 edition, to the ability to create your own in '95, and the overall awesomeness of the '98 edition, it seems SNK Playmore took notice year after year regarding what the fans wanted to see in the next edition. King of Fighters '95 might start with the message "The event shall be conducted as the previous one", implying the title is exactly the same as '94, but I actually discovered the experience surpasses it in spades. From the combat to the graphics, each year feels new compared to the prior, and when you add in the many, MANY different characters contained in each release then you have more reasons to replay. Even if you only play as Mai....
Another enjoyable experience was the 'Challenges' mode, where you have arbitrary goals to accomplish such as 'Win a battle blind - no energy bars etc."". It adds further replay value and unlocks content from across the titles such as secret characters, artwork and other in-game assets. Trying to clear all of the challenges will likely keep you going for days! I'm still playing through them when I have time, as time is a very important factor for this title as I shall now explain.
Things I didn't enjoy:
Loading Times: UMD proves itself once more to be a thorn in the side of developers with regards to the PlayStation Portable. Getting from the main Title Select screen to an actual fight took exactly '1:02.05′. Long enough when you're playing a quick round or two and you end up waiting longer than a battle would normally last. Not only that, the load times between rounds were '6.7′ seconds long, again breaking up the flow of the combat. When a round can end in under 20 seconds for a REALLY good player this becomes a problem somewhat.
Bugs, glitches and errors. There are random occasions when the sound just cuts out randomly. The fight announcer might start talking then stop mid sentence, the same applies to the in game music. I wonder if it has anything to do with the UMD format itself? Perhaps there was a flaw in the porting across process and they simply didn't want to spend money fixing it. Who knows? All I do know, however, is that the problem is not limited to my PSP; I spoke to one Adam Gulliver over on GameStyle, and he was just as confused as I was about the glitches. Graphically, the title maintains the charm of the series, but I do wish that a proper 16:9 screen format had been included, as the default 4:3 just seems like a waste of screen. Nit picking I know, but I want my whole screen to be filled with lovely pixels, not wildly stretched ones.
Outcome? Whilst I can only speak for myself, I found myself thinking early on in my experience with this title that if you go into the title expecting a Street Fighter II, you will come away disappointed. Expect something more technical, where luck and persistence have to be joined with skill and remembering the patterns of many fighters in order to succeed. Give it a try, folks. It's a great way to get ready for King of Fighters XII this summer. SNK Playmore - colour me interested!
* Verdict: If you're a King of Fighters fan then the rating is BUY. If not? Try.
* Completed: KOF 94, 95, 98.
* Players: 2
* Platforms: PSP, Wii
* Price: £29.99
* Released: March 27th 2009.
Nintendo DS Kids Games - Best Choices For 2009
If you have a child that enjoys video games - and if you are looking for any Nintendo DS Kids Games, there are some really great ones to choose from this year. Of all the games to choose from, here are the ones that are "safe" (appropriate) for kids, as well as being highly rated and extremely popular with the real experts - the kids themselves:
1. Disney Club Penguin Elite Penguin Force for DS - This is a very cute-themed game, with the players being secret agents and solving top-secret missions. But, it's much more than a simple game - kids can be members of a club that sends them newsletters with updates about the games, as well as receiving new games for the system. Because of this the games can never get old or boring - there's always new missions to carry out.
2. Mario Kart for DS - Kids can play with up to four carts at the same time - or eight if they are playing online. Both classic Mario tracks are available as well as some new ones. Plenty of gaming and racing options - this one is lots of fun!
3. Pokemon Ranger Shadows of Almia for DS - In this version of the Pokemon video games for kids, the region of Almia allows for a broader territory and many more options for game play. The object is to journey and become the "top ranger" - players can use different characters in the game as well.
4. New Super Mario Brothers for DS - Hey I remember this one! But - this Super Mario Brothers has been modernized and is a terrific version of the game for DS. There are new power-ups, and new "other things" but the bottom line is that this classic game may never go out of style. It's still as fun as it ever was - but better.
5. Littlest Pet Shop Winter for DS - In this game, players can collect the "Littlest Pet Shop" pets, dress them up and even compete with them in games. 16 separate games are available for play, each having multiple levels - this is sure to be a hit with any Littlest Pet Shop fan.
Not only are the Nintendo DS Kids Games above fun games - they are actually appropriate for kids of any age - even the youngest of little players.
1. Disney Club Penguin Elite Penguin Force for DS - This is a very cute-themed game, with the players being secret agents and solving top-secret missions. But, it's much more than a simple game - kids can be members of a club that sends them newsletters with updates about the games, as well as receiving new games for the system. Because of this the games can never get old or boring - there's always new missions to carry out.
2. Mario Kart for DS - Kids can play with up to four carts at the same time - or eight if they are playing online. Both classic Mario tracks are available as well as some new ones. Plenty of gaming and racing options - this one is lots of fun!
3. Pokemon Ranger Shadows of Almia for DS - In this version of the Pokemon video games for kids, the region of Almia allows for a broader territory and many more options for game play. The object is to journey and become the "top ranger" - players can use different characters in the game as well.
4. New Super Mario Brothers for DS - Hey I remember this one! But - this Super Mario Brothers has been modernized and is a terrific version of the game for DS. There are new power-ups, and new "other things" but the bottom line is that this classic game may never go out of style. It's still as fun as it ever was - but better.
5. Littlest Pet Shop Winter for DS - In this game, players can collect the "Littlest Pet Shop" pets, dress them up and even compete with them in games. 16 separate games are available for play, each having multiple levels - this is sure to be a hit with any Littlest Pet Shop fan.
Not only are the Nintendo DS Kids Games above fun games - they are actually appropriate for kids of any age - even the youngest of little players.
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