UFC 2009 Undisputed - Video Game Review

UFC 2009 Undisputed is a video game about the mixed martial arts show Ultimate Fighting Champion, to be released later this month. I am personally very excited to get this game because it's UFC! For those who are also looking forward about the game, it will be released only on Xbox and Playstation 3. There's even a playable demo released last month so people can try it out. The demo is a match-up between Chuck Lidell and Mauricio Rua.

As excited as I am about the game itself, there's one thing I'm looking forward to more than the game. It's how the players are going to look like. I mean, okay, in a video game, maybe other players are considering other things before they decide if they like it or not, but for me, it's this one thing: the accuracy of the CGI to the actual players. Simply put, do they look like the real thing?

I mean I won't be able to really absorb and feel the game and feel that I'm Brandon Vera if I'm looking at someone who looks like a famished version of him. It just won't feel right. That's why when I heard about the playable demo, that's the first thing I checked, not the user-friendliness or other technical stuff. Call me weird, but I really hold that I high regard.

Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed. Granted, Chuck Lidell looks like a little mellower in the game than in real life, but they got his beard all right, and the expression on his face when he does his move is awesome. It got me all excited to play the real game because the players in the game looked like the real thing and that motivated me.

The release of UFC 2009 Undisputed is coming up in just a few days, and I'm probably going to reserve now to make secure a copy before they run out before I could run to a video game store.

Review Feature Office 2010

Gran Turismo 5 Review

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Bordering on vaporware for the majority of 2010, I finally got my hands on a copy of Gran Turismo 5 on November 24th. Unfortunately for me I could not afford the Logitech G27 race wheel I so desired, so a gamepad had to suffice for my review. Polophony Digital delivered their promised features, and this is the best Gran Turismo to date, but how much one will enjoy the game depends primarily on patience.

The first thing that struck me upon starting up Gran Turismo 5 and sitting through the long opening cutscene was the strange interface. It's clear Polophony Digital is in it for the long haul with Gran Turismo 5, and they want to bring players along. The first task upon start up is configuring the player profile, choosing a driver outfit, inputting personal information and preferences, and just getting setup within the Gran Turismo community in general. From the start, players can participate in the traditional A-spec racing mode, as well as the B-spec driving coach mode.

The interface is reminiscent of a web page, and is strikingly similar to the PS3 web browser's home page. It's a strange setup that works for the most part, but the entire interface is bogged down with constant loading screens. Want to enter the car tuning section? That's a 30 second load screen. Want to visit the dealership? 30 second load screen. Ready to view the available races? Several 30 second load screens. Players will spend more time waiting for menus to load than they will spend actively navigating the interface.

Thankfully a snappy soundtrack accompanies the UI, and I love almost every song here. This is some of the best menu music I've ever heard, but a ragtime song in the GT auto menu feels out of place and corny. Another thing I missed from previous GT entries are the licensed songs. Offerings from The Cardigans, Garbage, and The Crystal Method included in Gran Turismo 2 were absolutely amazing and accented the fast paced racing beautifully, but you'll find no licensed music in Gran Turismo 5. In fact, the audio in general is pretty bad. Jeff Gordon coaches the player in the NASCAR racing events, but he sounds absolutely horrid, and the filter they add to simulate radio static compounds the issue. Cars do not sound accurate either, with 60's and 70's muscle cars sounding as if they have the guts of a Japanese import. These are gross inaccuracies, and will be off putting for muscle car GT fans.

Most players will probably dive into A-spec mode first, and Gran Turismo 5 provides players with their initial 20,000 credits to make their first used car purchase. I personally started with a 1996 Nissan Silva Q's Aero. One of my favorite aspects of the Gran Turismo series has been the ability to purchase an inconspicuous used car and turn it into a modded out monster. Used cars were omitted in some of the previous GT entries, so I was glad to see the feature return, however I'm not too enthused with the standard car models that they populate. The first thing I noticed about my Nissan was the horridly pixelated textures surrounding the headlights. It's clear this is an old model that had been up-scaled. You can see blunders like this on a few of the standard car models, but as I progressed through the A-spec events I noticed that they were few and far between. Many of the standard car models look just fine, but perfection would have been nice.

The premium cars on the other hand are a site to behold and feature both better damage modeling and a cockpit view. I love the cockpit view, however Need for Speed: Shift still reigns supreme in this avenue. Players can choose between three different zoom levels in the cockpit view, but this view doesn't feel as realistic as what we've seen in Shift. The cockpit view's default "wide" setting leaves players with too small a viewing area, and I played it myself on an eight foot wide projector, so screen size was not to blame. I really wish Polophony Digital would have added a generic standard model cockpit. I understand this would detract from realism somewhat, but I believe a cockpit view of any kind would have been better than the cold omission we were left with.

As the player levels up, they will be invited to participate in Gran Turismo special events. The first of which is kart racing, but this is definitely not Mario Kart. These racing karts sport only one gear but still get up to 80 miles per hour, so it takes a bit of practice to get the physics down(protip: accelerate very carefully while turning). While kart racing is a fun diversion, NASCAR is absolutely ridiculous on a gamepad. I imagine it would be much more enjoyable on a wheel that features force feedback. The NASCAR events require a level of precision that does nothing but set players up for frustration. Rally racing is fun, but once again players will need to practice and take the time to learn the physics involved if they hope to do well in the rally events. I loved the Grand Tour event, as it takes the player around the world to experience many different tracks, vehicles, and racing modes, with the variety here keeping everything fresh. The special events provide the greatest financial rewards as well, so players struggling for credits will want to visit this mode often.

As far as the actual racing goes, GT5 offers absolute perfection. No racing game I've experienced so far has left me with the same sense of immersion I get from Gran Turismo 5. Turn off all assists, turn off the driving line, hell, turn off that pussy ass mini-map. Gran Turismo 5 will make you a better driver, and I was throwing myself around the couch braking into turns and burning out of apexes. Courses like Trial Mountain and Laguna Seca are indescribably fun to experience in a supercar, and there are so many courses included in Gran Turismo 5 I don't even think I've hit them all. On top of that, GT5 includes a course generator that allows players to mix it up with their own course parameters. This isn't a fully featured suite like you would find in Modnation Racers, but it's a great feature that compliments GT5's extensive list of available courses.

B-spec events require that players create a driver, choosing between several broad archetypes that differ in driving skills and mood, and direct the driver around each course. As the driver completes races, their skills will develop, and the player can put together a driving team featuring members with varying strengths and weaknesses, much like the A-Team only way more boring. I tried to spend time with B-spec events, but after just a few races I realized this is just a glorified interactive replay, and I prefer to be more hands on. I'm sure some will enjoy this mode but I would have preferred more available A-spec events.

Multiplayer is criminally fun. I mean wow, with everyone rocking headsets and the ability to support up to 16 players, the multiplayer racing is one of the most fun online experiences I've had all year. When the driver in front of me spun out in an unexpected turn on Nürburgring and comically raged into his mic, everyone in the race was laughing their asses off. Before and in between races, players can freely roam courses with each other, and this is a blast. The lobby is a great place to chat and hang out while showing off your own cars, and players have plenty of options for customizing the race type, vehicle restrictions, and lobby name. As soon as I saw BEER! 14/16 players, I scrambled to join the room. There are many different race modes included; drag, standard race, best lap time, etc.

The tuning system feels fully fleshed out, with a ton of options for body/chasis, intake, exhaust, drivetrain, transmission, tires, engine, etc, but surprisingly no option to upgrade brakes. Apparently every car in GT5 inherently has the best brakes available. For real gear heads, it's possible to fine tune gear ratios once the proper transmission is purchased, and the same can be said for suspension and many others. It's a blast to experiment with the different options available, and although it's tempting to go all out on horsepower upgrades, the drive-train and transmission upgrades will give better returns when it comes to accelerating out of an apex.

Another unique offering in Gran Turismo 5 is the Gran Turismo TV mode, showcasing a boatload of documentaries, carshows, featurettes, and races. Many of these are free, but there is a charge to view some races, usually $2.99, which is not bad at all for racing fans. I'm interested to see how this aspect of GT5 expands and am very glad it was included.

Gran Turismo 5 is fun, but it's not the type of arcade experience you would find in the Need for Speed or Burnout franchises. Players familiar with Gran Turismo should not be surprised with what Gran Turismo 5 has to offer, but newcomers or more casual gamers may be left confused, and the quirky interface will not help matters. I'm very interested to see how Polophony Digital will develop Gran Turismo 5's online community and what features will be added in the upcoming months. Race fans should definitely pick this up, but it's unfortunate that the interface and long load screens leave so much downtime between so much fun.

Game (FR) Review Feature Office 2010

Classic Game Room HD - TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 09 Wii review

Part 1 of 2: Classic Game Room HD reviews TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 09 PRO PLAY for the Nintendo Wii video game console. This EA Tiger Woods 09 review has gameplay and footage from PGA Tour Pro Play 09 showing golfing action from the video game demonstrating why CGRHD likes this game but calls it "unbalanced". You can play as the ex-Buick spokesperson or any number of other professional golfers in PGA Tour 09. If that bores you then create your own human being or likeness of yourself or Luke Skywalker to dominate the golfing rink. Round after round you drive balls with force into holes (heh heh...), use irons and pitching wedges and putters and crush the opposition without mercy. 18 holes of Ninja Golf? Not this time buddy, this time is 18 holes of EA Sports golfing action gameplay requiring the gamer to master numerous gold courses and winning strategies. Classic Game Room may usually review games with laser beams, space ships and ninja assassins. Today we review GORF... GOLF! CGR already reviewed Gorf and that's a good game. Even better than this one actually. Classic Game Room is the ultimate retro and new school reviewer reviewing modern and classic video games for new gamers and retro gaming aficionados today. For PGA Tour 2010 we request ninjas, laser beams and space ships. It's a hole in one of footage! This review of PGA Tour 09 is for the Wii but this game is also available for Xbox 360.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgTBM_KtVzM&hl=en

Review Feature Office 2010

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 1 and 2 - Review

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Well first of all I have to admit that I am biggest fan of first person shooting games. When it comes to the Call of Duty modern warfare I think all you guys out there must heared of it somehow. Before modern warfare previous Call Of Duty series game are in fact all based on world war 2 scenario. Modern warfare is a new entry to the Call Of Duty series with its own storyline.

In Modern warfare 1 you are chasing a man name Imran Zakhaev which is a ultranationalist and weapons dealer selling old soviet nukes to people like khalid-Al-Asad who used one of the nuke during the Event of "shock and Awe". He want to bring Russia back to its Soviet union glory days. During the Events your team capture khalid-Al-Asad and discover that Imran Zakhaev is still Alive and hiding. So you chase after his Son Viktor. His Son commits suicide after a chase. The death of Viktor brings Imran Zakhaev out of hiding to take Revenge now he is after a Russian Nuke Site. I like the ending part of the game when you have to shoot Imran Zakhaev with a pistol.

In Modern Warfare 2 General Shepherd was in command of the Marine force that was decimated by Al-Asad's bomb. He believes the world was indifferent to the loss, and hatches a plan to make the US a superpower once again, with himself as Supreme Commander.

He sends your character (PFC Allen) to infiltrate the Russian Ultranationalists (now under Makarov's command), but Shepherd secretly breaks your cover as Borodin. Makarov shoots you dead so others can tie your American body to the airport shooting, giving Russia a reason to invade the US.

Your character (Pvt Ramirez) returns to America with Sgt Foley during the Russian invasion. The Russians have so far been successful because most of the American forces were already deployed abroad. Russia has air superiority until Capt Price uses a nuclear missile to EMP the area.

Shepherd also uses Task Force 141 (Soap, Price, and crew) to help his plan along until the deception is uncovered. Your character (Sanderson) and others are killed by Shadow Company, but Soap, Price and Nikolai are able to escape and get revenge on Shepherd for the betrayal. I also like the Modern warfare 2 ending when have to kill shepherd with a knife.

The story line seems pretty much intense the graphics of modern warfare 1 and 2 is truly good from its previous series and the additions of high tech weapons makes its more interesting. Modern Warfare 2 also add a category called solo mission in which you have to complete different missions in extreme conditions.

Hope you Enjoyed both the games as I did.

Game (FR) Review Feature Office 2010

Nintendo 3DS Review

Nintendo 3DS is the true successor of Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's PlayStation. It totally stole the E3 2010 show with its stereoscopic 3D display. The most attractive feature of Nintendo 3DS is you do not need any glasses to see the 3D effects.

Nintendo 3DS Display:

The bottom screen of Nintendo 3DS is a 3.02-inch normal touch panel, whereas the upper screen is slightly larger than the lower screen. The 3.53-inch upper screen display uses lenticular technology. It means that you can get the 3D effect of 3DTV without those hideous glasses. It is like seeing a miniature world through a very small window. It has a pin-sharp 3D effect and a resolution of 800x240 pixels, but it is effectively split into 400x240 pixels per eye. It will not strain your eyes and you will not get any ghosting effects like movies. It is certainly better than 3D Sony Bravia with the clearest and cleanest 3D.

Graphics in Nintendo 3DS:

Nintendo 3DS has a graphical power boost and graphically it will surpass the PSP without any effort.  When we saw the famous PS2 title called Snake Eater running in Nintendo 3DS, the remake version looked superior to the original PS2 version even in its early form. PilotWings Resort game demo showed the incredible depth of the small screen. While flying a game in the 3D environment the ground looks far, far away, while your plane and the objects near it stood out. Making acute judgments in your games is made easier. It is easier to fly under the bridges and through the hoops because you are armed with real life depth perception.

3D is one of the many clever tricks offered by this little gadget. The box has an accelerometer and a gyroscope sensor which means you can detect the positional and tilting movement like Wii Remote. Nintendo 3DS has an enhanced wireless communication feature, which seeks out and communicates with the other 3DS units. It also allows you to trade details like items or scores with other players. If you want this feature in the current DS you have to run it in a special mode of communication.

Nintendo 3DS Hardware:

You can see two camera lenses on Nintendo 3DS's outer casing. It appears strange but you can take photos with 3D effects at a resolution of 640x480 pixels. The augmented reality demonstration in this device is even more impressive. It recognizes a Nintendo sticker and on screen it creates a 3D dragon. You can also move the 3DS and recognize the dragon from any angle. The third camera in this device lets you take 2D photos. It has a 3D slider similar to a volume slider that lets you adjust the 3D depth. The Slide Pad contains an analog control, which is far more comfortable and usable than the analog stub in the PSP.

Nintendo 3DS is one of the most exciting gaming hardware with incredible 3D effects. You can expect some revolutionary games which uses this device's many clever features.

Review Feature Office 2010

Playstation 3 Slim - A Review to Buyers

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For serious gamers, choosing the right game console is an important decision. While some people simply use video games as a way to relax and unwind alone or with friends or as a way to keep the kids occupied for a couple of hours a day, others are obsessed. They may spend hours and hours playing particular games and competing against friends or over the Internet.

Game consoles have come a long way from the days of Atari and Pong, and today's consoles are used for more than just game-playing. They can also be used to download and store music, pictures and other information and they can also be used instead of a DVD or Blu-Ray player.

The Sony Playstation 3 Slim is certainly more than just a game console. Clearly Sony recognized that it was being used as more than just a source of recreational game-playing as within a few months of releasing a 120GB version, they introduced one with a larger 250GB hard drive. This extra space obviously provides more storage room and encourages users to download more content from Sony's website, making it a win-win for the consumer as well as for Sony.

Apparently, Sony's incentive in introducing this new version of the Playstation was to boost sales since the previous incarnation's popularity was lagging behind that of competitor's like Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360. Some people in the industry see this product as Sony's chance to prove itself as a true player in the gaming console market.

It will obviously take time to see whether Sony will be successful with the launch of this product, but they have already sold millions of units and those numbers are sure to increase as the holiday season approaches and game-loving kids and adults around the world need to have the newest toy.

Purchases of the new Playstation 3 Slim obviously help Sony's bottom line and they seem to be counting on a lower price point to boost volume of sales. At the same time, Sony will probably see an influx of income as purchasers of the Playstation 3 Slim will need to purchase games that are made specifically for the console. Unfortunately, games that were designed for the Playstation 2 are not compatible with the new version. It remains to be seen whether this will discourage owners of the Playstation 2 from upgrading to the Playstation 3.

It may be worth the upgrade simply for some of the other features of the unit, making it appeal to other family members in addition to the game-lovers. The attractive design ensures that the console is not an eyesore. Even the pickiest design-conscious person may not object to having the Playstation 3 Slim on display in the den. There is no need to hide it away in a cabinet. And, it is thought to be one of the best Blu-Ray Disc players on the market today, suddenly rendering it useful to those family members who simply want to watch a movie.

All in all, the Sony Playstation 3 Slim is sure to bring hours of enjoyment to the entire family and probably anyone who receives it this holiday season will have little to complain about.

Game (FR)

Wii Sports Resort Review

Wii Sports Resort is a hit new Wii game.  It has it all: good graphics, good controls, good gameplay, and much more.

The coolest thing about this game is the ability for everyone to play.  Anyone can pick up a remote and start playing quickly.  Yet, there is still enough depth that the sports can be mastered.    

There are over 12 sports to play in Wii Sports Resort.  All of them have more than one mode to play on.  The events are: 

Fencing
Table Tennis
Biking 
Basketball
Wave-boarding
Archery
Disc throwing
Skydiving
Air Sports
Bowling 
Golf
And More!

The coolest thing about Wii Sports Resort is how realistic it is.  Parents can actually beat kids because you actually have to play like you are playing the sport in real life.  The Wii Motion Plus accessory (included) registers every movement and ultimately makes playing a blast.

Every person can find something here.  There are games for everyone and they are actually in-depth.  For each sport there are different variations of it.  Stamps are also given out for completing hard tasks.  You will never get bored.

Beating the game fully will take around 30-50 hours to complete.  Even when you beat the game, you will be coming back for more.  Wii Sports Resort is very addictive.

I believe that every Wii owner should have this game.  It is a must buy.

Make sure to check out my article (in my author signature) to learn more about this game, watch videos, look at pictures, and read tips that will help you get all the stamps and master all the sports.

Review Feature Office 2010 Game (FR)

Psycho Movie Review

"Psycho" can quite rightly be called the grand-daddy of modern horror films, and yet manages to trounce all that came after it. You'd be hard pressed to call any film perfect, and save one scene towards the end, this film is as close to perfect as you can get. It's incredibly suspenseful, deeply disturbing, intellectual and defies convention by managing to kill off the main character a third of the way in to the film. Arguably, this is Hitchcock's best film, simply due to its ability to go between simplicity of story and complex intellectual detail on the other. It's a film that doesn't rely on gore but gives the suggestion of it, making the film far scarier and shocking. This is a film that will draw you in and leave you waiting on what comes next.

The plot of "Psycho" can be somewhat deceiving when you first start to watch it; we are introduced to Marion Crane, a woman who runs off with $40,000 of her boss' money in a spur of the moment act that sees her drive off in to the country to start a seemingly new life. Along the way she is consumed by guilt and becomes increasingly afraid that she will be caught out. A truly scary scene comes when a policeman pulls her over and stands imposing over her car, demanding to know why she decided to stop on the side of the road to sleep in her car. At this point, you're thinking the policeman is the evil killer about to pounce, especially as he starts following her as she continues her journey. To shake the policeman, she eventually stops at the "Bates" Motel, and we are then introduced to Norman Bates, the seemingly shy motel operator who checks her in for the night. They eventually talk, and it turns out Bates is living alone with his demented old mother who needs his constant care. Later that night, in one of cinema's most famous scenes, Marion is knifed to death as she is taking a shower in a terrifying scene where the only hint of the killer appears to be the outline of an older woman. When Bates discovers her dead body, he recoils in horror and proceeds to cover up all evidence of the crime, believing his mother actually did it in a fit of jealously. What is truly amazing from a story telling point of view about this turn of events is that as an audience we've invested so much time in to Marion that it comes as a complete shock when she's killed, and all of a sudden we have a new protagonist in Norman Bates and we start to follow his journey. There is enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat and an ending that you don't really see coming until you see it. It's obvious that Hitchcock must have read up on Freud and psychology to explain the motivations of the killer, and bearing in mind that it was 1960 this film was initially released, a lot of what was in this film would have been fairly new and shocking to people watching it.

Arguably, the best scene in the film is the death of the private investigator. Out of all the shocks in this film, the tension is built up so well that in the end when the shock comes, it almost feels like its come out of left field and will literally have you jumping out of your seat, and of course, chilled. There have been so many horror films since Psycho that have featured killings but I would suggest that there really aren't many that can come close to matching the ones portrayed in this film, largely because later horror films have relied on gore rather than suspense, and 'Psycho' also has the added benefit of an intellectual reasoning behind what's going on. It also has a more general appeal, where as most films in the horror genre have a limited appeal.

The only downside to this film, and possibly an example of what was needed at that time, is one scene at the end when a psychologist explains exactly why everything happened the way it did. Perhaps looking back at it from today it's far simpler to see what was happening rather than having someone explain it to you. It's not really necessary, but again, at the time this may have been more new to a general audience and perhaps Hitchcock needed it in there to help the audience along with this truly disturbing story.

Perhaps the most chilling moment is the final scene in the film where we see Norman Bates sitting solemnly in his chair, but we hear the voice of his evil mother. Even almost 50 years later, this scene will send a chill down your spine as you realise how deeply disturbed Bates is. It's all very simple, quiet and a fantastic piece of acting by Anthony Perkins, especially the final shot where he glances up at you and smiles.

Probably the best horror film you'll see. It's dated but still incredibly effective and chilling.

Review Feature Office 2010 Game (FR)

PlayStation 3 Slim Review - Is the PlayStation 3 Slim the Best Game Console?

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The PlayStation 3 has been around for many years now, but now it has been slimmed down and revamped and certainly doesn't disappoint. First and foremost, the PS3 Slim is cheaper. It's also a third smaller and lighter than the hulking previous version, and a third more energy efficient, meaning slightly lower running costs and, more importantly, near silent operation as minimal fan work is required to keep it cool.

The Slim has gained a 120GB hard drive and exchanged the fingerprint magnet gloss finish for a matte one. The ugly font is gone to, replaced by a new, embossed PS3 logo on both top and bottom.

Furthermore, Sony has dropped the touch sensitive power and eject sensors, ending the frustration of waving your finger to no avail. Instead there are proper, old-fashioned buttons with an agreeably clicky action. The on/off switch on the back has also gone, so you'll need to switch it off at the socket.

There are some cool new ways of controlling the PS3 Slim. Plug it into a Bravia Link-capable Sony TV and you can navigate the PlayStation's media bar menu with the TV's remote, making it ideal for watching Blu-ray's. It even powers down the PlayStation when you switch the TV off.

If you are out and about, you can still get out all your PS3's movies, pictures and music using your PSP, but you'll also be able to access it from certain Sony Ericsson phones.

There is one major gripe with the new PS3. It won't play PS2 games, although some PSOne titles will work. There are also a litany of minor caveats. It only has two USB's, is no longer compatible with Linux, doesn't come with an HDMI cable and you'll have to shell out extra on a stand to make it sit upright. We doubt those are deal-breakers for anyone, but we thought you should know.

In all, though, the Slim is a big improvement, being cheaper, smaller, quieter and more efficient, with new features that further expand its appeal, both as a gaming and lifestyle device. As well as a killer back catalogue, forthcoming titles include Band Hero, FIFA 10, and Red Dead Redemption. A video store also arrives this year.

So, game over? Well, maybe not, given Microsoft has just slashed the price of an Xbox 360 elite. Even so, in this slimmed down, cut-price guise, Sony's PS3 has never looked more affordable or alluring.

Game (FR)

Call of Duty 4 - Review

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When I began playing COD 4, I was skeptical due to its lack-luster predecessor. Those doubts were very short-lived. When the game begins, you are given an obstacle course of sorts, like all COD games. Afterwards, you are treated to a training mission that takes place in Tanker. This is what truly made me realize how powerful the Unreal 3 Engine truly is.

The graphics, mechanics, sound effects and just overall feeling sucks you into the game very quickly. Not to ruin the game for anybody, but like all COD games, you play as different soldiers, each from their respective Countries. You start as a S.A.S officer, than as the game progresses, you play as a U.S. Marine Core Officer.

The weapons and different things available in this game are unbelievable. Everything from the M920 to the Javelin truly make it an enjoyable experience. Environment also comes into effect, as exploding cars and what seems at times, an endless barrage of grenades can seem to kill you. Enemies have gone to school and now don't just randomly pop out to get shot at. Lucky for you, your squad is a grade higher. Sometimes just when you think its over, your squad mate will take out the enemy that got you pinned. Needless to say, you start thanking your squad.

What makes a great game even better? Great replay value and this games multi-player adds this without effort. The different modes available provide such a great online experience. There is no one guy that takes out a whole team with a pistol and a melee. Every kill here you work for it, and just as it is a bit easy to kill, being killed is also just as easy. Don't fret though, as the kill cam allows you to see how you got killed. Like all games, you win by getting points, either by killing enemy's, or holding a base, or calling in an air strike. Yes, air strikes, choppers and radar are all gained by consecutive kills. Great little reward system.

How does COD4 compare to the monster that is Halo 3? Simple, they are 2 different games that in ways compliment eachother and use what works. The online community in COD 4 is excellent and people really know what they are doing. Halo has the same thing, but we get treated to the oh so often 11 year old who thinks he is Master Chief and that every kill we "cheated."

Overall, this is one fabulous game that deserves every good score it has received.

Review Feature Office 2010

A Full Review of the BloodRayne Movie

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Rayne (Kristanna Loken) the Damphir, half human half vampire escapes from her captors at the carnival, mimicking the style of BloodRayne in the video game. Set somewhere in the late Middle Ages, the movie showcase quite a popular cast other than Kristanna Loken like Matthew Davis, Micheal Madsen, Billy Zane & Michelle Rodriguez.

Note that the cross she wears around her neck is different than that in the video game. In fact, her unique cross resembles the sword of the brimstone vampire hunters. Jessica Alba would have made a sexier BloodRayne. Kristanna Loken physique is not quite as slender as BloodRayne in the video game.

Rayne decides to hunt down Kagan (Ben Kingsley), the vampire that raped her mother & created her. Firstly she has to find the "eye" which she does & absorbs it powers. Many scenes are in darkness in the movie which is not particularly complimentary of Kristanna Loken's figure in my opinion.

Nonetheless, there is a decently lighted & spicy sex scene between Rayne & Sebastian (Matthew Davis) in the movie. You may want to close your children's eyes during the scene. Additionally, there is some gore included yet hardly close to the level of gore in the video game. Thank goodness.

There are some interesting camera shots to suggest fast movement of a vampire in the BloodRayne movie. The age of Dark Ages theme to the movie bodes well with the suffering that is expressed by the constant battles & verbal confessions like that of Rayne (Kristanna Loken) & Sebastian. Rayne trains with the brimstone society; people dedicated to slaying vampires. Additionally her sword is not as attractive & fierce looking as in the video game up to until she receives a new pair from the Brimstone society.

Somehow, the actors talk in a funny way, especially the character of Michelle Rodriguez, Micheal Madsen & occasionally from Kristanna Loken too. It is possibly because of their natural slangs & having to adjust their speech to talk in a more British accent for the BloodRayne movie.

Moving on; Rayne after having to slay Katarin (Michelle Rodriguez) then manages to acquire the "heart" & battle to the death with Kagan. Successful as expected, she is virtually alone now after her lover Sebastian & compatriot Vladimir (Micheal Madsen) is dead. Nonetheless, she is satisfied because her vengeance is fulfilled, sits on a throne & perhaps pondering her future too.

Review Feature Office 2010

Playstation 3 (PS3) Wireless Keypad Review

In this video, I review the wireless keypad for the Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) console. This wireless keypad attaches to the PS3 Six Axis controller and is available for sale today for $49.99 USD. The device has a USB connector at the top which is used to charge it. It has its own battery which isn't replaceable much like the Six Axis controller. Thankfully, it has it's own power switch to turn the keypad on and off manually. It has buttons for the Select, Start, and Playstations buttons which work with your existing controller. Along the top of the device are two meta buttons, one blue, and one orange. To type the orange and blue keys on the keypad, one would have to use the each respective meta key. Shift is not used for these characters and is only used for capitalization. As for comfort, I couldn't type very well until I figured out that I needed to slide my thumbs up from the normal position. Once I did that, I was able to type fairly easily. A great feature of the wireless pad which I have not seen before, is that the entire keypad acts as a trackpad! To turn this on, there's a toggle button along the bottom which looks like a finger. The sensitivity of the trackpad is not great (given it's design, it's understandable), but it is usable for couch surfing and basic tasks. Also along the bottom are two more keys: A message box button and a friends list shortcut. If you have a PS3, and send messages to your friends, this is a good investment. It's also good for ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYBQwjNYpBk&hl=en

Review Feature Office 2010

Wii Sports Resort - Wii Fencing Minigame Review

Like many fencers, I approach any mention of "fencing!" in a game or movie with trepidation. I'm mainly looking at how "they" are going to screw things up and totally misrepresent fencing as a sport.

One of the most featured games in pre-launch was the "fencing" game in Wii Sport Resort. I saw the videos from E3 and the promotional stuff and just had to try it. After my really bad experience with Clone Wars: Jedi Duals, the bar was set pretty low.

The Asian influence is apparent in the game. The Wii menu calls the game "swordfighting" and not "fencing". Score +1 (for not trying to call it something it's not.)

When you set up for the game, you're put on a circular platform above the water (think dimensions of a wrestling mat) and are equipped with your "sword", which resembles a kendo shinai, head guard, and chest guard.

The motions are simple. You hold the Wiimote vertically and swing it to swing your sword. Pulling the trigger (B button) activates blocks so you can move the wiimote to parry oncoming attacks from your opponent. Though the on screen tutorial suggests holding the wiimote with two hands (like you would do in kendo), I used one hand.  (Made it easier to emulate actual sabre fencing techniques than trying to remember any kendo.)

I wanted to see what you could do with the game, so instead of just swinging away and wailing on my opponent, I held back to see what the parry system would be like. The earlier opponents are like your U rated fencers - they wind up and you know exactly where they are going to strike. Parries are executed as traditional sabre guards - 3, 4, and 5 will do just fine.

When you make a successful block, the attacker is "stunned" for a second which gives you the time to make your riposte. As you make successful hits to your opponent, they are driven back until they fall off of the mat, to fall American Gladiators style into the pool below.

My kids (4 and 6) enjoy just having another version of "lightsabre fighting" and wail away at their opponents. I'm enjoying setting up parry-riposte combos and testing out various tactics. (By the way, you can thrust and hit in this game.)

The lack of footwork control is a drawback, but it really does simplify the gameplay. (I would prefer some sort of way to dodge or get out of distance similar to Punch Out.)

Fun Games Unlocked after Duals

The other sword fighting games are a cutting challenge and then "running the gauntlet". Do the cutting challenge once to unlock the 3rd game, where you are the typical kung-fu hero fighting through the horde of bad guys until you reach the "big boss" (who really isn't that great either).

I've only played that game once, but it was a lot of fun having my Mii run across a rope bridge cutting through 20 opponents in just a few seconds!

Review Feature Office 2010

Classic Game Room HD - TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 11 for PS3 review

LORD KARNAGE!!! Classic Game Room HD reviews TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 11 for Playstation 3 PS3 (also available for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii). Now with a boatload of content to download and the Ryder Cup, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 explodes off the PS3 with Lord Karnage sized action. This CGR review of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011 has gameplay from Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 on PS3 showing hd video game golf action.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rtTz3gYgqM&hl=en

Review Feature Office 2010

An Action Movie With Very Little Else - "Crank" Movie Review

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The premise of "Crank" is a fairly simple one. Chev Chelios (Jason Statham - "Transporter") is a professional assassin who is poisoned with a combination of drugs called "The Beijing Cocktail" by one of his enemies. The poison will quickly kill him unless he can keep his adrenaline up to block the poison from bonding with his blood. Thus, Chev must do everything he can to keep his blood pumping fast enough to keep himself alive while he hunts down his enemy Verona in search of an antidote and to avenge the poisoning itself.

Despite the simple concept, "Crank" becomes a complex weave of characters and action that really doesn't make sense, causing the movie to just be one high-adrenaline action scene after another. The high points of the movie are few and far between. Due to the concept of the movie, the action scenes are intense and each one brings a different type of action to the forefront. From a gun fight, to high speed car chases. to a fight on a helicopter mid-air, "Crank" takes every possible way to create action-packed moments and forces Chev to experience them.

One of the other high points is in the cinematography. At certain points of the movie, the camera switches from a single one following Chev to the view seen through the security cameras, allowing the viewer to observe the scene in a different light.

Other than those few high points, "Crank" falls flat in the rest of the movie. As for the action of the movie, most of the scenes seem completely unrealistic and completely staged. For example, when Chev first realizes that he must keep his adrenaline up, he walks across the room and punches a couple gang members, causing a fight that probably would've gotten him killed. Instead, it just pumps him up and he jumps into his car and drives away. Sure, the adrenaline fact for Chev is a matter of life and death, but punching a gang member out of the blue seems a little forced.

When it comes to characters in the movie, the essentials are clear. Chev is an assassin in trouble. Verona is the crime boss who poisoned him. Eve (Amy Smart - "Just Friends") is Chev's girlfriend. Beyond that though, the characters and how they relate are poorly discussed and the character relationships are poorly developed. For example, there is a character named Carlito. He is a rival crime boss, and although it is clear who he is, the reasonings behind his actions are never fully explained, and all of a sudden, Carlito is in a scene with another major character, and you're not really sure why.

One of the other major negatives of the movie is in the portrayal of women. Eve, although beautiful, is portrayed as naïve and dumb. In the face of possible death, Eve feels it's more important to try and pick up her spilled purse than to get out of danger. Besides Eve, the only other women in the movie are seen as sex objects or servants. "Crank" lacks a positive female presence, which isn't always a necessity, but the fact that the women that are in the movie are portrayed so poorly makes it hard to watch.

Overall, "Crank" is a good action movie if all you're looking for is action. Other than that, it really is a poor movie. The potential was there. The concept was rather unique and could've made for a great film, but in this case, the way it was told, it really made for a bad viewing experience. Although I would typically recommend all movies for some reason or another, even if they aren't that great, I really can't find a good reason to recommend this movie.

Grade: D

Review Feature Office 2010

Elements of a Good Movie Review

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Not all movie reviews are created equal. Some are written excellently. Others are blatant advertising and shameless marketing attempts. Still, there are haphazardly written reviews that are hardly worth your time. How do you decide which ones are good and which ones are not? It depends on several things.

When you consult a film review, consider the following tips.

Take a look at the brief synopsis of the movie review. A film review provides only a brief synopsis of what it is all about. It does not summarize the entire film. You read a review to understand if it is worth watching and not to read about the script! A review would enumerate the whole story in your face.

A good review analyzes the different aspects of the movie. The review is not all about the acting of the actors and actresses. It is not an extolling of the technical prowess of the film. A good movie review therefore takes a look at all the aspects of the film from the plot, characterization, cinematography, the technical aspect and its overall implications.

A good movie review gives a rating. A good review would give its overall analysis of the movie. It does not sit at the fence and refuse to give its verdict. It cites both the positive and the negative aspects of the film. This way, the review helps the viewers determine the excellence of a film.

A good movie review is a great aid in enhancing your viewing experience. It may not necessarily be a necessity, but surely it helps you understand the film better. It will also help you look out for the best things that a movie offers. It also prepares you to deal with the bad parts of the movie.

Review Feature Office 2010

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 Review

Tiger Woods seems to have the perfect lifestyle. A drop dead gorgeous Swedish supermodel wife, an enormous mansion, fame, money, on Forbes list of celebrities, an adorable daughter, close friends with Charles Barkley, thirteen major championships under his belt, and his very own video game.

Tiger Woods 2008 is the next iteration in the fairly long series of Tiger Woods video games. If you are an avid fan of the Tiger Wood games, you will feel very much at home with the latest installment. Electronic Arts have been notorious for making arcade Tiger Woods golf video games to appeal to the casual gamers, but his year seems different. Unrealistic scores (like 50 under par) are virtually impossible to achieve this time around. The gameplay is similar to the previous games in that it keeps the player immersed in the golf course. One new feature is a revamped putting system which allows you to anticipate the line of trajectory that your golf ball will travel on the green. Even though it is not as useful as Tiger Vision, (which was introduced in Tiger Woods 2005) it still helps to line up the putt. There is a limit to how many times you can utilize this feature, so players should not expect to abuse other players with their putting. Your skill level and difficulty will determine how many times you can use the putt preview.

Another element of the game that might turn a few players off is the golf swing mechanic. The analog sticks are no longer used to hit the golf ball; however, the buttons are used. This alteration may have been because of the lack of challenge with hitting the golf ball with the analog stick. The new way to make contact with the ball is to press the button three times (ala Madden kicking field goals). Once to start your swing, twice to start your downswing, and a third time for accuracy. If it seems too intricate, it really is fairly intuitive. Madden fans can easily make a smooth transition with this gameplay mechanic. Photo face is yet another new feature of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008. It gives gamers the opportunity to generate their own face and put it in the game. This feature appears to be exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Electronics Arts has not corroborated a Photo face feature for the Nintendo Wii. Sorry Nintendo Wii owners. The create a golfer aspect is back, and it has the usual things you would expect. You can create a golfer as skeleton-like as Nicole Richie, or as putrid as Rosie O'Donnell. It is all up to the gamer. All of the mini-games remain intact in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008. The visuals in the game are brilliant. Everything from the beautiful golf courses to Tiger Woods' millions dollar smile will appease anyone. Shot Confidence is another original aspect of the game. In a nutshell, playing well gives you confidence. Playing poorly lowers your confidence. Many will be dissatisfied with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008, but other will be elated. Overall, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 is a solid improvement over Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007.

Final verdict 8 out of 10

Review Feature Office 2010

Sherlock Holmes - the Awakened Game Review

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Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened successfully brings the exploits of the Master Detective into 3D puzzle adventure gaming. Join Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they travel the world and solve unimaginable mysteries in this story based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu world.

The game starts with some people suddenly disappearing under mysterious circumstances in the Master Detective's own backyard. His investigation subsequently leads him and his constant companion Dr. Watson to far-off places like the Louisiana Bayou and from there to other parts of the world trying to uncover the reason for all these disappearances and locate the group that is kidnapping these unfortunate people.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a truly immersive game. The 3D graphics and playing the game via a first-person perspective makes you feel like you are really there trying to solve these inexplicable mysteries. The 3D world also adds a great new dimension (pun intended) to puzzle gaming. The entire world is interactive, with any little detail being potentially a vital clue in helping Holmes solve the case.

The artwork is top notch as well. You can see the little details in the characters, their faces and their clothing. Every little shadow and texture in every object is finely detailed and looks real in that old Victorian England style.

The mysteries and the story are also nearly perfect. You wouldn't normally expect the highly logical Sherlock Holmes dealing with mystical and supernatural things like Lovecraft's Cthulhu, but it actually works surprisingly well in this game. Kudos to the designers for great storytelling and for being able to perfectly incorporate this style and feel, while still staying true to what you'd expect out of a mystery thriller involving the Detective from Baker St.

The game itself involves a lot of exploration and being alert to the many items scattered across every locale that could potentially be clues to help Holmes solve the case. Small things such as discarded newspapers, finger stains and an innocent passerby could provide that last vital clue to trigger that "Aha!" moment.

And things aren't always what they seem. If something looks fishy, you can whip out your trusty magnifying glass and take a closer look at any suspicious objects. There are also action sequences in the game to break up the slow pace of puzzle-solving. Nothing gets your adrenaline pumping like being chased by mindless Cthulhu worshipers!

In all, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a great puzzle adventure game that captures the essence of both the Sherlock Holmes mythos and Lovecraft's Cthulhu world. It also introduces gamers to a beautifully rendered and detailed 3D world that is seldom found in casual games.

A few warnings though. The game has been designed for a mature audience in mind. There is a fair amount of graphic content and references to the occult in the game. So be warned if you get squeamish seeing a naked dead body lying on an altar with body parts missing... Otherwise, this is a great immersive game that is well worth your time.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

You can read more about Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened at http://www.hidden-puzzles.com/sh-awakened.html

Review Feature Office 2010

Hex Empire Review - Flash Gaming Review

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The game I am reviewing today is called Hex Empire, sponsored by Minijuegos. The game is a basic strategy game, easy to get the hang of, but does have a sense of difficulty to it.

The game starts up with a randomized map supposedly created by complicated arithmetic equations. There are 4 different countries/states you can choose from to start your conquest of world domination. When you find the map to your liking and the country to your liking you start the game. You start with a few units at your home base and move through the map by clicking on your units then clicking in the given area to move them. The unit display is as followed, Number of people in the unit you have selected over the moral number/bonus. These bonuses can be achieved by moving to certain spots on the map. For example, if you move onto a city (Regular dot) you get a people bonus which increases the number of people you have on the unit you moved to the city, another bonus is a moral bonus which can be achieved by either capturing a port (port-like icon) or by using the "Give a speech" bonus which boosts the moral of all units around the map by a great amount, but can only be used once. As you move through the map you face the computer players which can be put on different difficulties depending on your skill level. When you move your unit onto another players units then they will "fight" and the computer will decide who wins, depending on number of units and moral and whoever wins will come out alive. The option of the game is to conquer the rest of the world.

Another strategy to this is being able to have a peace pact with another computer, which usually only happens towards the beginning of the game as long as you have not came in conflict with that player. To defeat another country/state you must move your units to their main state and defeat the units standing on the main state to achieve victory and take control of all the ports and cities of the country/state you have conquered. The only downside to the game is the occasional small glitch and worst of all, there is no multi player. A game like this is just begging for online multi player. Although the game does not have multi player it is most definitely addicting, strategic and fun.

Review Feature Office 2010

Madden 2008 Review

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The most notorious sports video game of the year is available. Many critics and even devoted Madden fans have been perturbed with Madden recently because they have been the same old Madden. Some would even go as far as to say that there has not been many innovative features after Madden 2005 (which introduced the hit stick). Others believe that Electronic Arts is not striving to make the best NFL game because there is no competition. Since EA bought the exclusive NFL rights, they have been making the same old Madden video games. Madden 2008 is an exception to that rule because it is brilliant.

After an average three iterations of Madden that have disappointed fans, Madden 2008 will definitely please fans. The visuals are amazing on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but they are dreadful on the Nintendo Wii. Players will notice is that the somewhat vexing Tony Bruno is no longer doing his absurd radio show, and the gratuitous newspaper information is nowhere to be seen. The gameplay is more fluid than previous iterations of Madden. Gamers will realize that the players do not arbitrarily run around the field like Bobby Brown addicted to crack cocaine anymore. There have been some minor alterations to the hit stick; moreover, high and low tackles can be executed. The pass rush is more realistic in Madden 2008 than in Madden 2007.

You cannot expect to pick up the blitz with only five offensive linemen; you ned to alter your protection and blocking schemes. Quarterbacks will be more precocious because high IQ quarterbacks like Peyton Manning will be able to see what play the defense is running. To counter this, defenders with high IQ will be able to view what play the offense is running. Players with low intelligence like Michael Vick (dog killer) will not be able to read defenses. This feature is only available if the defense or offense runs the same three of four plays every time, but it is still a nice touch and prevents any team from running the same plays every time. Offensively, the highlight stick has been revamped; more maneuvers can be performed on your way to scoring a touchdown. This is incredible because it reduces contemplating what to do next on the field. Wide receivers have some brand new things to do as well.

Spectacular catches and possession catches can be utilized in Madden 2008. Many expert Madden fans will realize that each receiver plays differently. For instance, Hines Ward will attempt a conservative catch because he is a possession receiver. Conversely, Torry Holt will attempt an aggressive catch because he is a spectacular receiver. Another element about receivers is the chess match with defenses. For example, Terrell Owens (the guy who sabotaged the Eagles 2005-2006 year and helped the New York Giants win their division) will be much easier to play bump and run coverage than a swift receiver like Steve Smith.

This is because Terrell Owens is an easier player to press at the line of scrimmage. The same rule applies for Randy Moss. Substitutions are more of a factor in Madden 2008 than last season. Teams like the New Orleans Saints will run a two back system, and Reggie Bush will share the load with Deuce Mcallister. Superstar mode has been overhauled in Madden 2008.

Players will have more control on the rating of their created Superstar. He will compete in 40 yard dashes, lift weight, and various other drills to bolster his attributes. This is much more proficient than the asinine DNA mode which was random. Subtle icons are shown under each player to accentuate their field of expertise. For example, Brett Favre has a rocket under his name because he has "rocket arm." Overall, Madden 2008 has given even the most novice NFL fans something to be elated about. It seems that the Madden franchise is finally heading in the right direction.

Final verdict: 8.5 out of 10

Review Feature Office 2010