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March 04, 2011

Short absence

Hey guys... just wanted you to know that I'm going on vacations for a few days.. I'll be back by wednesday.. so no updates for a short while :(

I'll see you all soon ;)

March 02, 2011

Games PC : Fallout New Vegas

As promised, I bring you the PC Game Review of Fallout 3: New Vegas

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment


For the most part, I've always disliked Open RPG's. Their openness comes in hand with freedom, and this freedom translates to a lack of 'purpose' which ultimately leads to the question: Why am I playing this game? . This is the most difficult challenge for any ORPG DEVs.. creating a game which has both the freedom of choice but also elaborate an illusion of purpose and meaning to all your (meaningless) actions.

..Fallout: New Vegas achieves this goal wonderfully.


The Game .. takes place in the Mojave Desert, years after its destruction (together with presumably all of America) due to a nuclear war.
All that remains now is a shadow of the past (More specifically, the 1950's). Ruined buildings, poisoned food, and mutated animals are a common sight.

Howdy, Pardner!
You are the courier. You were tasked by your superiors to deliver a package. Simple enough, right? Well.. no. A gang lead by a mysterious guy in a suit intercept you, steal your package.. and shoot you in the head.
Fortunately for you, a cowboy robot digs you out of your shallow grave and sends you to the doctor. What's next, an alien abduction? :P

Anyway.. you're fully patched up now, and your purpose is simple. Payback.

Of course that, along the way, many questions will arise. Like why did they want with that package, what was the package's content, and many others. This questions will lead you into a myriad of sidequests which will ensure hours of fun.

If you ever played Fallout 3, then you'll very quickly catch up with the controls and the environment in general, given that it's pretty much identical in F:NV.
Some have critized Obsidian for not innovating at all. Me? I commend them for keeping a system that works.

Beating guys with a golf club? ..Check
Really, the only changes made those that were truly necessary. Melee weapons were lacking in Fallout 3. In New Vegas? Lots of them. Fallout 3 too easy? .. New Vegas has a Hardcore mode where you'll have to drink, eat, and sleep regularly to survive. This is simply awesome for those that are acquainted with the franchise and want a serious challenge.

The replayability factor is more present that ever.. with 3 different approaches that you can take, each with dozens of unique quests. Join the NCR and defend the desert from the menace of the Legion. Join the Legion and drive the NCR away. Or perhaps you'd be more interested in aligning with the mysterious Mr. House...

The irony.. it burns..
Graphically it looks almost identical to Fallout 3. A game released quite a few years ago. While I have no issues with the graphics themselves, I feel Obsidian could have improved on the subject a little. Perhaps something akin to what Valve did with the episodic series of Half Life 2.

Soundwise, no complaints here. The voice acting is frankly excellent, and combined with all the elements discussed above, you'll be drowned into the game in no time.
Many new weapons were added to the game, and each has its own unique sound effects.


It's really hard for me to think of something bad about this game. You could nitpick and point at minor issues.. but really, how should we judge a game? . My opinion is this: If the game is addicting, and the experience is good, it's worth playing. And F: NV is one of those games.


Rating: 10/10

March 01, 2011

Xbox 360 games - Dragon Age 2 Gameplay Demo

Today I'd like to show you guys gameplay footage of the Dragon Age 2 Demo for the Xbox 360.

We can clearly see a shift from turn-based combat to action-based.. more akin to games like God of War. It's a neutral change for me, given that I like God of War and turn-based combat games :P

Enjoy! And stay tuned.. Tomorrow, we'll have the review of Fallout 3: New Vegas.