Ultra Street Fighter 4

'Handsome fighters never lose.'

Capcom's digital demi-DLC of sorts for Super Street Fighter 4 (SSFIV) is a stand alone piece of software much in the vein of SSFIV Arcade Edition.

For those who spent their youth at smoke filled video game arcades in the late 80s blowing bus fares for some serious throwdowns on Street Fighter 2 and the plethora of SNK beat em ups. Its highly likely that they will get this latest Capcom offering. I know I did.

Being an expert in the good old days at a few 'fighters' as we called it, I still remain attached to the sagging genre.
This Ultra-cized version does have multitude of tweaks & treats that actually changes the game in such a way as to offer gamers new play styles to mix up the tired of combo system that really hasn't changed since Street Fighter 2.
An additional 5 new characters have need added to the already burgeoning roster. 3 characters from Final Fight & one from Street Fighter 3rd Strike. The 5th addition only made a short cameo appearance in Street Fighter Zero/Alpha 3 as a member of the Shadoloo female fighting force. Each new character is fun enough to play and will hopefully be seen in some VS fights online rather that the Ryu's and Akuma's.

USFIV also brings along a new system that allows gamers to use both Ultra Combos but reduced the damage from them.

There is also an additional ability to delay the recovery after a knock down. This has obvious advantages designed to mess up the attackers follow up strategy on a downed opponent. It certainly can turn the tide of a fight in some situations.

Finally there is the rage gauge style Red Focus Attack that takes multi-hits. Certain moves have been tuned up as well as refined. Unblockable setups are gone for good and the online play has a 3vs3 knock out bouts much in the same fashion as King Of Fighters.

As with all beat em ups. USFIV is meant to be played versus other gamers online or off. That is when the game really shines. Although I am a tad disappointed that there is no turbo speed. The sluggish pace is designed to pull of focus cancelling but adding a variable speed selector would have added a new dimension to the fun. Only those who have played the old modded SF 2 arcade machines will know just how much fun Capcom's long surviving franchise really can be.

USFIV is the last variation to the 'fourth' incarnation to the main series of the game. Thankfully Capcom have made it a worthy addition with a lot more skills & technique to master as well as new play styles. I am particular happy to see Hugo return to the arena. The last time the old Andre the Giant cosplayer fought anyone was way back in SNK vs Capcom Chaos. Glad to see he is as lethal and as unpredictable as before.
As a beat em up fan, I can only recommend this game for everyone to play. It is really quite excellent in almost every aspect. So take up the challenge because 'there are many guys like you all over the world'.

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Categories: capcom, super street fighter iv, ultra street fighter iv

Burning Down The House?

A band of mercenaries hired to protect a secretive occult organisation desperate to turn the tide of war against the nefarious Ice Lords who are hellbent on destroying all life. During a fervent magick invocation under the threat of imminent attack, the occultist unwitting unleash an ancient entity who possesses the living body of a mercenary. And so the tale of fire and death begins....but do we care?

Well, this Spiders offering enters the annals of gaming history, being the first RPG on a 'new gen' console. However, with all things new, there are flaws. But on the plus side, there is a pretty good game hidden beneath the numerous low ratings and unfavourable reviews from all the commercial video game review sites.

Bound By Flame is an action RPG very much in the vein of Witcher 2 and Dark Souls. Although far from polished, this game isn't as bad as its made out to be.

Firstly, let us get the horrific script and lousy voice acting out of the way. The games attempt at humor fails miserably and the candid banter sound like it came of the typewriter of Michael Bay. In a word, this is the stinkiest part of the game which is a pity because RPGs rely on good story telling to move the plot along.

The heart of the game lies in the combat system. Our protagonist is a proficient killer. Skilled in two distinct fighting styles that can be switched on the fly to deal with threats of all kinds. On top of this, there is a spell casting ability that vastly improves offensive and defensive manoeuvrings.

Bound By Flame is by no means an easy game. Expect to be overwhelmed by mobs of foes who can shred our hero in no time. Survival only comes through the strategic use of combat techniques like blocking, parrying along with evasion, counter attacks and riposte.

As the characters level escalates so will the scale difficulty and hardiness of the enemies. Power leveling will get you absolutely no where. However, diligent tweaking of armor and equipment will provide an edge filled with stats boosting goodness which can tip the balance in a fight.

Bound By Flame has an excellent crafting system that is easy to use and can be done at anytime and anywhere, that includes in the midst of battle. Cheap, yes. And why not? Being ambushed by a herd of giant ticks is equally cheap.

While the graphics are nothing to shout about, the music deserves special mention here. Pieces composed by the maestro who worked on Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and Remember Me will delight one and all with an audio sensory assault that dictates the atmosphere and adds tension through out the game.

Bound By Flame isn't going to win any GOTY awards, but it is clearly obvious the developers wanted to provide the best experience within their means and capabilities. While it may not be good enough for some, it is, however an above average effort that will appeal to hardcore RPG fans and casual players might find it to be a pleasant surprise. It will provide a entertaining challenge while we await the much anticipated emergence of Dragon Age Inquisition.

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Categories: bound by flame, dark souls, focus entertainment, rpg, spiders, vulcan, witcher 2

It is a Dog's Life for all it is worth

Its a Dog's life...someone once said, if a game can hold the players complete attention for 30 seconds, it means that the developer has succeeded in delivering something special that went far beyond aesthetics & hype. That some went on to conceptualize & develop Destiny, one of the most hotly anticipated game of this year.

Of course that observation hold true in todays gaming scene. So many developers have begun churning out demo sized games with shallow concepts & ill devised plot topped off with horrendous programming that are hardly ever tested & more often than not riddled with bugs that eventually start bombing other subroutines & under severe circumstances results in a game breaking error.

Watch Dogs has been in development for quite sometime which doesn't actually have any impact on the quality of the game whatsoever. However, Ubisoft has earned the distinction of making above average entertainment (now called AAA). Watch Dogs takes on a controversial plot & story to apply the padding to the complete gameplay, providing a highly interesting play style the combines the best ideas from Ubisofts previous titles. The controls allows for ease & concise play which never bothers the gamer again with button combos & such. As the anti hero protagonist (told you it was controversial), the player must navigate a massive sprawling city utilising advanced hacking, phishing & unlawful skills to tip the balance & reap from the advantages of these abilities.

Its a story of revenge but not exactly an interesting one. The old 'people vs the man' scenario is once again put through its paces in rather spectacular style. If you bought & played Grand Theft Auto 5, then its highly likely that you saved up to by this game or threw tantrums enough time to get your folks to buy it for you. You will not be dissapointed. There's just so much in this game that I refuse to delve into it & spoil the thrill of surprise & discovery.

I will however touch on the gameplay which is finely tuned to give players an astonishing degree on control that allows players to precisely time specific sequences that result in some of the coolest action which incidentally makes players feel the euphoria of pulling it all off like clockwork. There's some much in Watch Dogs waiting for the player to discover & explore & eventually exploit. The game world is massive & filled with the kind of non player denizens that seem to have lives all of their own which becomes apparent once players start stealing banking info off those NPCs.

The moral dilemma of cleaning out some poor saps measly savings account is left entirely up to the player. To steal or not to steal, that is the question. Ubisoft have really gone from strength to stength & reach the pinnacle of being fondly known as the best game developers on earth along with the likes of Rockstar, Bethesda & CDK Projeckts. In fact if tomorrow every other publisher & developer was liquidated with only these four supreme software houses left, I would be glad the good guys survived & focus on finding out whats for breakfast & the continue playing Watch Dogs where I left off.

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Categories: aidan, dogs, hacker, pearce, Ubisoft, watch

Dark Souls 2

Dark Souls became a phenomenon almost instantly when it guaranteed no learning curve, an AI that seemed to overcompensate for itself & environmental elements that gave no clues & very little to see by covering most of the areas in total darkness. Its a game that requires exploration, because, unlike most other role playing games, Dark Souls offered many different paths that lead to some desolate or dank locations, all permeating with evil.

As good as most gaming sites rated this brutal uncompromising game, most failed to realize it gave players very little in the way of combat strategy & more often then not forcing the player to use sedated hit and run tactics which eventually was the standard method of fighting every enemy in the game, be they boss or minion. The only redeeming factor that a majority of gamers & writers spoke of was the exhilarating face off againt dragon slayer Ornstein and executioner Smough, which was quite beautifully conceived. In fact that is what every Dark Souls player remembers regardless of whether they completed the game or not.

With Dark Souls 2, comes a new directorial team presenting obvious improvements and bringing in some older elements from Demon Souls. The result is a beautifully presented world filled with more sorrowful characters than a funeral parlour with a great many bosses to hit and run along the way. The plot is quite honestly full of shit just giving players a reason to get through the game. But the preposterous story soon fades as new and more devious minions put all their efforts to adhering to the makers first and only rule. 

That is to continuous punish the gamer by constantly rewarding failure to learn with death.
Quickly this sequel descends into boredom as tactics are once again crippled leaving most gamers to use the tired old method from the Dark Souls 1. It dwells into a game based on the obsession of crafting material. Any one who has feverishly devoted many hours into this sequel is probably doing only one thing. Farming. This is all they will be doing for many more hours to come desperately seeking the best crafting materials to forge better gear that won't count for diddly squat in the final dungeon of the game.

One of the nicest addition to this game is the ability to traverse to previously visited bonfires from the beginning. This greatly helps new players who will most likely prefer to warp around the cursed land. But for the stalwarts who persevered through the prequel, the option to trudge around on foot is ever present.
Combat has been notably redressed. Although there are some niggling annoyances with collision detection when using certain close ranged weapons. This will certainly cause a great deal of frustration when players start taking wild swings the completely miss the target and leaves one open to fatal retaliation.
There is plenty to see and even more to do in Dark Souls 2. There are bosses a plenty tempered with varying methods to quickly snuff out all who dare to take them for granted.
At the end of the game, players are offered a New Game Plus option, so prevalent in RPGs of old. This wonderful addition introduces new foes, weapons and items all at the cost of a higher degree of difficulty which has always appealed to the masochist in me.

Dark Souls 2 comes off as a sequel expected by most, but for me, there is just so much From Software could have added and changed to turn this great title into an unforgettable one that could have set new standards. Only worth purchasing if you are a hardcore fan of the Souls series of games or someone who frequents those BDSM dungeons like the one they have in L.A.

Categories: 2, bandai, dark, from, namco, software, souls

Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition

The realm of a superhero is a precarious one. When one possesses ungodly powers capable of freezing objects, reading and manipulating minds or just simply being immortal, questions will arise. Is it probably that even these superheroes are capable of making mistakes? Will their mindset change over time?

As the old saying goes 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. What would our lives be like if we switched on the news and saw a massive green skinned monstrosity rampaging through a city thoroughly driven by rage with nothing on this earth or indeed in the universe actually capable of stopping such a beast?

Injustice: Gods Among Us tells us of one such tale where heroes and villains from the DC universe are forced to choose between two unenviable factions. One the one hand, the mighty indestructible Kal El and on the other the unyieldingly twisted Bruce Wayne aka Batman. Both set on a collision course by the maniacal deeds of the deviously insane Joker.

The premise is not one that has been explored countless times by DC themselves. But in this fabulous fusion between the comic giant and Netherrealm Studios comes a terrific story executed in the brilliant style that revived the Mortal Kombat series in a way that only Tobias and Boon could have concocted.

There is a series of options that allow players to fully appreciate and enjoy this brutal beat em up that easily gives Capcom, SEGA, Namco and SNK Playmore a run for their money. This is light years beyond the experimental crossover where Mortal Kombat took on the unassailable members of the Justice League.

Much like MK9, Injustice's story mode puts you in the tight spandex of a myriad of DC Super Heroes, each moving the epic story along to its devastating conclusion. The Ultimate Edition bundles all the DLCs to create the total package. Additional characters like Lobo, Martian Manhunter, Zaltanna and even a special guest who every fighting game fan the world over will instantly recognize.

Other modes include the favourite PvP mode along with a comprehensive and well thought out online mode.

The graphics are, in a word, a work of art. With the help on the great Jim Lee, Netherrealm have created some of the most astonishing DC characters that are just brilliantly animated. The fight animation is simply superb and the ingenious interactive battle arenas can make or break a heated battle. One particular favourite of mine is where players can send their opponents crashing into the private cell of Gotham's most reviled mad men, all of which take none to kindly to the hapless fool who busts in to their space.

The developers have put special effort into creating 'the meter' and allowing it to have a variety of uses besides the obvious OTT desperation attack. With the meter filled up, players can opt to utilise the meter burn specials that add a bit more pain to an otherwise standard special move. Meters can also be used to initiate a power clash of sorts where players must wager their built up meter for a heavy offensive attack or a strong defensive manoeuvre. Of course, the best way to use the meter is to fill it to the brim and unleash a stunning, highly damaging desperation attack that will knock the stuffing's out of any opponent.

This Ultimate Edition is a must for any beat em up fan who enjoy the technical complexities of games like the King of Fighters series. Although, lacking the through precision of said royal game, it allows novices to quickly pick up the game and have the confidence to go up against the veterans.

As a kid, I grew up on a lot of Justice League and I can safely say this is one carefully crafted piece of work for people who love comics and beat em ups.


Injustice: Ultimate Edition
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Categories: among, DC comic, edition, gods, injustice, nether realm studios, ultimate, us

Who Let The Dogs Out?!

Watch Dogs centers on Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker bent on revenge and inflicting his own brand of justice after a violent family tragedy. Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, this massive open world action adventure will be out on March 27th, 2014 for the PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and the WiiU.

Categories: aiden, montreal, pearce, Ubisoft

Top Ten Shittiest Games of 2013

The past year has been one of the most unusual years for video games. Its seen some of the worst game designs and some of the shoddiest programming as well as controversy ranging from false advertising to the usual rip off that many gamers of this generation have become used to.

Just like last year, our shit list holds nothing back. Expect this years doo doo list to spew out bucketloads of foul smelling, vomit inducing crap to ever come out of the anuses of some of the biggest money grubbing corporations this industry has ever seen. This flatulent list is in no order of merit. Shit, by any other name, is still shit.

GOD OF WAR: ASCENSION
Besides the boring multiplayer aspect, this game offered absolutely nothing new. It is time for Sony to lay old Kratos to rest. The man has killed everything and everyone. There's nothing left to destroy. We say, let the Spartan rest in peace.

ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES.
Given the subject matter at hand, one would expect Gearbox to have put something interesting together. Unfortunately, all the gamers got was an unacceptable load of faeces. It played badly, graphics were pixelated and the FPS style was at best, myopic. The game was wrought with controversy and tarnished Gearbox's reputation.

BEYOND: TWO SOULS
As a Playstation 3 exclusive, one would expect a game of the highest standards but this predictable pile of tosh is about engaging and as exciting as breaking wind. Monotonous flatulence is not fashionable. Ellen Page may have gotten a starring role but she's no ball kicker here. Created more as a fantasy movie than a game, players were cheated into thinking it was a huge box office game changer that was at best, arse worthy.

CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS
Just like a cockroach this undeniably boring series refuses to die. Game play was consistent with the old COD titles as all FPS go but the lack of originality and gameplay haunted players like a Hollywood blockbuster (haven't you seen this before?)

that promise hours of fun but instead uses the same boring regime in the hope you'd pay more for the online multiplayer options. Ghosts is nothing more than a roach with a missing leg. Now, where's that shoe of mine?

STAR TREK: THE GAME
This bug ridden crap fest proves, once and for all that people who don't know who to program are getting high paying jobs as programmers. All those involved should have been drowned at birth. Developed to ride on the success of the new movie franchise, you'd sincerely hoped it was the hope of the Klingons who messed up your day with this purchase.

FINAL FANTASY: ALL THE BRAVEST
This horrid, simplistic inexcusable piece of turd cake hid an outrageous micro transaction money grubber. And just like a putrid lump of shit, it should be immediately flushed down the toilet.

DEADPOOL
This one held much promise. Great marketing and a totally psychotic character. Imagine the potential. Sadly, they fucked it all up. Repetitive gameplay, horrendous design and just plain and simple boredom make this one a big dollop of ca ca.

DEAD SPACE 3
What once started as a innovative jump start to the dying Survival Horror genre slowly dissolved into a run of the mill third persons shooter. On top of that, the developers included online transaction where players could practically buy the ending. Sitting around the campfire with Mr. Taggart and the cowboys eating beans and farting all night is much better than getting this silly little piece of coding.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS
The moment Warner Bros was said to be working on a new Dark Knight adventure instead of Rockstar, everyone knew it would be shit, and they were right. Arkham Origins has a smart enough premise about a younger vigilante crime fighter and lots of big name bad guys to boot, but it was just way too much to handle and what we end up with is a bland, boring mess of colon cannonballs.

THE WALKING DEAD: SURVIVAL INSTINCT
Telltale did one hell of a job with the successful episodic foray detailing the accounts of one of the most watched television shows. With that success they decided to up the ante and do something they had never done before, which was to make an FPS based on said TV series. But just like Indian curry kept overnight, this FPS seemed like a violently bad case of diarrhoea complete with incessant flatulence and a smell that would stink up the whole of Buckingham Palace for 35 to 45 minutes. Like the old saying goes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Categories: 2013, Activision, Electronic Arts, Gearbox, SEGA, Sony, square enix, Top 10 Shittiest Games, Warner Bros Interactive, Worst