Alpha Protocol, a game that was hyped up by many and after it’s released disappointed many. I myself actually did not hear much of the game or rather, was unaware of it (not sure if it is good or bad). From some researching it seems as the situation is that the game is under development for quite some years, around the year 2006 or so. Long development means better game? Perhaps, perhaps. Anyways, back to the review. This review is based on experience playing through the PC version. Do note that the game is out for the X360 and the PS3 as well. Without further ado, let us move on to the review.(p.s the review is pretty long. scroll all the way down for the round-up of the pros and cons)

Storyline

You play as Michael Thorton, or Mike like many of the in-game characters call him, a field agent for the secret United States Government agency named “Alpha Protocol”. The plot begins as soon as you are sent to your first convert mission in Saudi Arabia. Things did not go the way it ought to go and soon you find yourself figuring out the reason and cause of a huge global conspiracy.

That is the gist of the whole story within the game. Not too bad, I mean even if it is like the ordinary hero saves the day kind of story, it does have its moments through the plot twists and turns along the way. The story is one of the stronger parts of the game. Storytelling is believable with characters with character and personality that are convincing to the player. It is as though you can understand and know one character after a few dialogues or so. There are several characters within the game, good and bad. Interaction with these characters is important and the way as to how you go talking and treating them results in different paths within the game.

The story cannot be said to be linear. I mean yes it seem as though you have to play through the same few missions go through the same few things but the thing is you have multiple paths and routes to take. Each route taken might eventually lead to the same outcome but it is worthy to note that there are other endings and conclusion as well. According to your actions and your approach to the different missions and characters, the story seems to effectively evolve around your character, making each of your decision count. You might regret later on not doing this or that, but that is the beauty of the game. One play-through is never enough, at least for the story.

Gameplay

I first have to admit that some of the gameplay concepts and mechanics implemented are rather unpolished and unbalance and I guess that is what hurts the game the most (as noted by several other reviewers). The overall gameplay works almost like Mass Effect 1. The similarities are quite obvious in the sense that after completing a mission, you go back to your headquarters and you move on from there. This cycle repeats itself within Alpha Protocol as it does in Mass Effect (completed mission, spaceship, mission, spaceship, you get the idea). You have the ability to purchase new weapons and stock items required before proceeding on. All in all it is not too bad, it makes the game a little more structured and easier to follow.

Mission selection is done simply by your own will. After the starting Saudi Arabia mission, you get to choose from 3 different locations with a choice of different missions within each location. Which and how you want to complete each individual mission is up to you. This comes one of the flaws of the game, the difficulty. The game itself is not very hard but some missions and bosses are. The very fact that enemies within the game do not scale with your level means that if you approached a harder boss at the start of the game, you are practically going to suffer and cry. If that really happens to you, do go for another mission first before returning back. I do know that some missions are relatively much easier than others and it is advisable to start from the easier ones.

Intel – Yay or Nay?

This brings us to the next flaw of the game, or rather one of the unpolished aspects of the game. There is intel within the game that you can buy or find. There are three types, one on characters, one on the different organizations and another one for missions. The intel acquired for characters and organizations helps unlock different routes and choices to make upon meeting some of the characters. For example knowing some of the facts about one character opens a dialogue option at a stipulated meeting and time. Intel for characters are the most valuable of all, as in it seem to have the most impact and effects on your game. Intel for organizations on the other hand is merely there for you to understand and know the background of the story better (at least for me, I mean I did not find much difference with knowing more or less). Intel for missions is almost unnecessary as it does not help you much. I tried buying some intel before proceeding on to a mission and then completing the mission without it, there is not much difference in terms of difficulty or story wise. Yes some of these intel bought allows you to have different takes on the mission but none really affect your overall story or gameplay much.

Weapons and Firefights

It is nice to have such an aspect (intel) but I hope to see more impact on the gameplay as it is simply as if it is not there at all. Speaking of completing missions, there are mainly two ways to complete one mission. One is killing them all and two is to sneak your way through, grab what you want and leave. Both approaches give you a different experience as well as outcome but both have some rather dubious and weak gameplay elements to it. First the gunplay is rather inconsistent and imbalance. There are 4 types of guns and only one of them works best (assault rifle). The others like pistol, shotgun and the sub-machine gun are as if they were not needed. Yes shotgun works better closer range, sub-machine gun good for spraying but when compared to the assault rifle they are practically useless. Pistol is great only for stealth as you can use a silencer with it, but other than that it is just the assault rifle.

The balance within the weapons is a must to encourage players to take different approaches. Those wanting a challenge can go for other weapon types but the thing is not with what approach you want to take, instead it is how these approaches work. It is similar to that of a class system within the game without obviously stating it but if one class is a huge ass monster and the others small tiny ants, who would want to try the others? Yes you might but it simply does not feel as if you have been fairly treated. A balance is greatly required for an impact to be seen within the game. There are also gadgets within the game such as radio interceptors to trick enemy into shutting off alarms, the usually grenades and stuff like that. Not really required as you can complete missions with or without them.

Stealth – Hardly seen or felt

Stealth within the game is yet another unpolished aspect. There are basically no ordinary stealth elements like hiding within the shadows and stuff. All you do is use a skill, make yourself invisible and then go kill somebody head on. The only stealth element, besides the skill to make you invisible or run without noise, is sneaking behind the enemy’s back. Other than that there is not much else to do. You cannot drag bodies, dispose bodies to prevent enemies from alerting etc, none of that. You do however have the ability to use certain objects to create distraction or so but it is definitely a hit and miss for most players. It simply does not work well enough as it is way too simple and forgettable.

Minigames

There are 3 different types of minigames within the game. One a lock picking minigame, two differently styled a hacking minigame (one is matching numbers with numbers and the other selecting numbers in sequence). The minigames are a nice addition to the game and it makes the game setting and atmosphere a little more believable. With you being a secret agent, you do have to do some computer decryption, hacking and stuff like that right? The rewards of completing minigames are rather insignificant except for the ones where they give you intel or so. Of course there are the compulsory ones where you have to complete in order to complete your objective.

Stupid Enemies – The Case of Terrible AI

The next and major let down to the game is the enemy AI. With poor or rather terrible AI, stealth already being disappoint becomes even worse. Enemies move and fight as if they dropped their contact lenses. One moment they engage in a firefight and the next you see them running around in circles for no particular reason. Some even start climbing ladders and let you openly shoot them. Boss fights seem to have certain perhaps glitches or exploits which allows you to easily kill even the hardest ones. The most irritating of all is how you can simply wait in one corner as you alert the enemy and see them flowing in through the door letting you shoot them down one by one. There are times when the enemy is smart (like throwing a grenade into the room if you are hiding there) but they are simply too far and few in between. The AI being inconsistent and horrible for most of the time makes the fight a little more unsatisfying.

Character Development and Skills

Character development within the game is alright. You get to choose from different active and passive skills from different categories. There are some skills that are much more useful than others and some not having much justification to even have them there in the first place. The sense that your character is growing more powerful as you progress is there as the skills given at the later stages are rather powerful. Hit critical shots and do damage as you active some of the skills make players feel the sense of achievement towards the end of the stage. It is as though you play through the life of the character, growing and learning together with him. This growth results in him becoming one of the best agent within the game, and the ability to able to identify this growth is certainly satisfying.

Dialogue System and Reputation

The dialogue system is pleasing and great. It really helps in the storytelling and exploration of the different paths. There is basically a timer that comes up with choices for you to choose from. Choices differ by the way and style you wish to reply to the character you are talking with. For example you can reply in a “suave” manner or “aggressive” whichever fits your style. You can also choose according to the personality of the character you are talking to. Choosing the right and acceptable manner to reply will result in the other character liking you more. There is a timer which makes it kind of more realistic since you do not take 10 over minutes just to reply to one question. The problem with this however is that sometimes non native language speakers find it hard to choose. The good side is the smooth transitions between dialogues and with that it continues to uphold the high quality storytelling.

Reputation within the game is gained or lost mainly by the way you talk to the different characters as well as the way you carry out your missions. Killing civilians will result in a loss of reputation with a particular handler while replying in an aggressive manner gets some people to like you even more. Sneak your way through missions and gain the liking of those that loves the low profile style of action. The reputation system rewards users with perks within different missions. Missions also vary accordingly to whomever you are friends and ally with.

Graphics & Sound

I decided not to separate both because I only have one comment on the graphics: dated. Textures and animations in the game are one of its weaker points. Considering the length of development, I believe more details should be done. The sound effects, music and voice acting helps to lift the game up. Atmosphere and setting is made even more believable with the music and firefights being already quite frustrating is made slightly better with the believable sound effects such as gun fires and explosions. The voice acting makes the storytelling enjoyable and seriously the story is what drives the game through.

Value

The game story alone is worthy to be played at least once. Playing more times results in more surprises as you find out the different consequences that come from the different decisions you make.  Once you get through the horrible AI and imbalance aspects of the game, the game is really not that bad.

Conclusion

Rent it or buy it, whichever it is at least try it. The gameplay mechanics might put off some, but for me it was not great but passable. It is sad to see a game of such great potential under the guidance from a rather reputable developer go to waste. I mean it is average when it could have been a lot better. As to which version to grab, choose whichever you are comfortable with.

Pros

• Great storytelling with believable characters
• Choices play a part in the ending and your gameplay experience
• Dialogue system is fantastically smooth for me, might require lengthening of time though
• Character development feels personal and grows onto you
• Story has multiple routes depending on choices. Makes it rewarding to have a second play-through.

Cons

• Unrefined weapons and skills result in some being totally omitted
• Stealth mechanics unpolished and not satisfying
• Terrible AI results in a game about secret agents and stuff a little less believable. Results in poor firefights and stealth
• Dated graphics

[Show as slideshow]

Spain

The Spanish team is simply way too balanced and powerful to leave them out. I mean seriously, look at their players. Midfield, covered, striking force, covered, wingers, covered, center backs, yup. Everyone is simply of world class standards. In fact, in my honest opinion, the Spanish team got some of the world best players in their individual positions. For example the likes of goal keeper Iker Casillas, midfielders Xavi Alonso, Xavi and Fabregas, strikers like Fernando Torres and David Villa. Spain is definitely a huge contender for the championship.

France

Though their performance during the qualifying stages and previous competitions were horribly disgusting, they do have great players within the squad. Now all they need is a sound tactic which the players can relate themselves to the assigned positions and they’ll be up and kicking in no time. I want them to win also because I feel that they are one of the most powerful teams within the virtual soccer game Fifa 10 and Fifa World Cup South Africa. What a reason but yeah, that is partially why I think they’ll win as well. You have to say that France is lucky to be inside the finals though after the controversial handball incident.

Netherlands

I love how all Netherland players have the gift of the perfect touch. Looking at how they bring the balls down first time, how one flick of the leg and off they go into space simply makes me want to see them win. They do have very good players with the talent to go all the way through the competition. They seem to be rather underrated? I’m not too sure but you sure don’t hear much about them, at least for me even when their soccer is rather good.

Brazil

Ah, the team that I always love to watch them play. Their dribbling skills and techniques simply dazzle and the way they pass and move up the field within a match is simply fantastic. Brazil a major contender and it is with taking into consideration not only how many magnificent talents they have within the squad, but also their rich football history and competition experience. Of course not forgetting the football legend, Pele being one of the greatest soccer player of all time.

England

I chose England for just one reason: I watch their domestic league (Barclays Premiere League) and because of that connection I feel that if they win the World Cup, I’ll be happy. It is also because I seem to know each and every individual player inside out after week in and week out of watching the different teams pit against each other for the fight to be the king of England. Their squad is fine, above average but that is all. To say world class and world cup winning? I really have my own doubts. Nevertheless should England go all the way through, that will be something nice to see.

What are the teams you prefer or think will go through and lift the World Cup trophy?

P.S Lineups and formations are just what I myself want to see in the matches. I don’t have much tactical knowledge or anything so don’t argue with me saying why the hell you put someone here or there.

Looking forward to the bonding sessions with the class. Hope that the trip will unite the class as one even though we’re a totally non-intact class (well for me at least. almost 3/4 of the time I’m not with my class). Going to Cambodia to do some community service with an Orphanage. So yeah I’ll not only probably be more bonded with some people but also spiritually enriched after the trip.

That aside, WOOHOO I got my first ever google adsense cheque. Waiting for a $50 cheque from Nuffnang that should come within a month (or much more seeing the amount of complaints back then. Some took several months! Hope that is not the case for me).

And lastly, SINGAPORE is playable in Fifa World Cup 2010 South Africa game! How awesome is that? Even though the people don’t even resemble one bit of our national team, it don’t matter. As long as the name is there and the national anthem can be heard it is a great achievement. Time bring Singapore into virtual world cup glory.

P.S I feel the great importance of this milestone and decided to feature it. =)
P.P.S I’m so happy I decided to put a cool interesting fire illusion video I stumbled upon.

Here are some major new features added in to some of the products (just photoshop and dreamweaver for me. Scroll to bottom for links for more information) which I find the most interesting and exciting to look out for. For those already gotten their hands on the products, you might want to try them out just to see how fantastic and amazing the results you might get!

Adobe Photoshop CS5

Content-Aware Fill

Watch how photoshop magically fills up the surrounding and objects after you cut out parts of the image!

Puppet Warp

Some people use photoshop to adjust and bend images. Now with this new technology you can shift bend and modify images as if you were controlling a puppet!

Realistic Paint Brushes

Painting in photoshop never gets more realistic than this! Now you can even mix colours as in real life!

Adobe Dreamweaver CS5

Support for PHP-based content management systems

Now you can modify and edit sites based on WordPress, Drupal, Joomla etc and test them live! A great new features especially for people using such platforms (like me!).

PHP Custom Class Code Hinting

Display proper syntax for custom PHP functions to help you write code more accurately.

For more information of the other products do take a look at their official videos at their site or take a look at this post, an article of the global launch of cs5 with videos or the official press release.

Just wished that apple didn’t ban the use of flash cs5 to build the apps on the iPhone. Bah that is the only thing that sucked.
Are you excited about CS5? If you have used it already do share you experience with others!

Cocoto Magic Circus has a simple storyline behind it. A mysterious and evil clown kidnapped Pixie, the fairy. You guessed it right; it is your mission to aid Cocoto and his friends to save Pixie. Unfortunately, things are not that simple for you will find yourself trapped inside the evil circus. As such, shoot your way through different stages to finally reach the evil clown and save Pixie. The story is told with animated scenes for the beginning and end; a very nice touch to the game.

There are two ways to play the game, online and offline. I’ll talk about the offline part of the game first. Basically you have the options to choose from the main arcade mode or the training mode. Training mode allows you to practice the different mini shooting games that you will be facing in the arcade mode. There is not much need to do so since instructions are extremely straightforward and will be given before each stage starts. Nonetheless, you can specifically play and perhaps challenge your friends in some of the challenges that are of better fun and uniqueness.

With that aside, the arcade mode simply proceeds through stages. You get to choose from 4 different characters to play with and there are 5 main stages with around 7 mini levels within each. There are a variety of mini games but most of the objectives are repeated with just different enemies and environment. Still, the fun still maintains throughout the whole game as you shoot your way through the stages. There are levels where you have to shoot enemies approaching the fairy, shoot cards that matches whatever the computer wants you to shoot, timing shots to shoot enemies when they are near a certain object etc. The freshness of the game is done by adjusting and modifying little bits of the stages. Therefore even when the objectives are similar, you will always find something new for example some enemies walk in a manner that is rather hard to shoot in the later stages etc.

You get to face a boss at the very end of each main stage. The bosses aren’t particularly hard to kill. The simple skill is to spam shooting at him whenever possible. This however results in lower accuracy and thus lesser points in that particular aspect. Nonetheless, you will be able to clear the boss in no time. There are power-ups/downs within the game as well. These come in balloons where you can shoot within the level. Some gives you bonus multiplier to your score and others might alter the game to make it more difficult for example re-orientating the whole level upside down etc. There are 3 difficulty settings you are able to choose from: easy, medium and hard. Basically the harder the difficulty the more you have to shoot within a shorter time frame.

You get points at the end of each level adding to a main total when you finish the game. Not sure what the score is for since there is no highscore board of any sorts for the offline mode I believe. You are given a certain number of lives and can be increased by scoring well n the bonus stages after every main stage. Shooting is done by the simple tapping of your finger at the spot where you want to shoot your dart gun at. Controls are responsive and smooth, making the game a whole lot more enjoyable.

The online mode pits you against other players competing to see who can get the highest score possible after a series of mini-games. You get to play the same few mini-games from the offline mode but instead of simply playing against yourself, you are now competing with another live opponent. For example there is a mini-game that its objective is to shoot as many enemies as you can. You and your opponent is placed in the same field thus if he shoot that same particular enemy you are shooting and he does it in a quicker manner, you will be losing out in that enemy and thus your points. At the very end the person with the highest points wins. The online multiplayer is very fun and competitive, taking the game to a whole new level.

I tried the online multiplayer a few times and all I have to say that it is superb. There isn’t much lag to the point where it makes the game unplayable. Everything seemed to run smoothly and fine. I have one question however is perhaps to have some kind of statistics implemented into the game which would make it a whole lot more complete.

Graphics and sound effects are great as well. The 3D graphics are fantastic for me and pleasing to the eye. The colours used, environments and atmosphere created is simply magnificent. I love how the sound effects are used as well. It gives you the kind of arcade feeling like as if you walked into an arcade hearing all the bleeps and bloops. Everything matches very well to emphasize the overall theme of the game. Kudos to the animated videos added in at the start and the end of the whole game; a very nice touch that is well appreciated.

The major flaw of the game is the repetitiveness. Though it may be fun, the fun doesn’t last if you were to go for a second play-through in the single player mode. There ought to be much more variety in the game modes and though I did say the tweaks were rather good, it is better to have completely different concept/objectives for it keeps the game ultimately fresh throughout. Other than that, there isn’t much more to complain about.

It is currently priced at $0.99 for a limited time. If you love those shooting mini-game styled games, get Cocoto Magic Circus while it is still at that fantastically cheap price. If you’re looking for generic fun, get it as well. For such a price and such a quality game it is extremely hard to resist. Who knows that they might add in add-ons in future which might include much more new levels and types of mini-games?

NOTE: There is some lag present when playing the game with a 1^st generation iPod Touch. The lag comes whenever the screen gets clotted up with a certain number of enemies etc. It is bearable and does not make the game unplayable.

Gameplay Video:

iTunes Appstore Link: Cocoto Magic Circus

Like the game’s name, Hangman RSS is hangman with the word puzzles generated from latest news articles. You have certain amount of lives before you actually lose (man being hanged). With the technology and innovation behind the ways the puzzles are generated, you can be sure that the puzzles will never be the same and will always be renewed once you update the game via the internet. The concept behind the retrieval and generation of levels is a very smart and creative idea which saw GtN being rated highly by many people.

Not only can you have fun with the game, you will also be updated with the latest news happening in the world. From terrorists attacks to the latest gossips, hangman RSS will let you know them all as you complete each level. Upon completion, you get to read the full article to know much more about the event or whatever the article is saying. From the title, you get the gist of the content and if it does interest you, read on. Knowledge and fun doesn’t often come together as a package but Hangman RSS shows how it is done.

There is no time limit within the game. You lose when your man gets hanged, at that is just 7 chances for you to guess a wrong letter. As the difficulty increases, you get more hints but more words to guess as well. This however doesn’t come with the added obstacle in that each word will require a whole new set of letters to guess. For example one puzzle requires you to guess 2 words. For the first word, you can only guess letters for it. Even if the other word has perhaps a letter “S”, while guessing “S” in the first word, it will not be placed into the second word. Instead, once you complete the first word, the letter tiles will refill when guessing the second word.

To unlock the other difficulties, you have to complete a number of levels in a streak for the easier difficulty. This ensures a steady progress as well as difficulty level as you get used to the way of guessing and thinking. Openfeint is implemented within the game and that adds a certain level of interaction for players. Leaderboards and achievements are always a nice addition to the game.

The only downside Hangman RSS has is the lack of the ability to choose the categories of what news you are interested as per in GtN. Some people would rather have such a feature while others don’t really mind at all. It would be nice to have it though since some people might not be interested in sports news while others more interested in finance etc. It is nice though that they have country specific news which is really nice to those people interested more in local news rather than that in other countries.

Hangman RSS is definitely a gem for word game lovers as is GtN. For the price of $0.99, this is a must buy (applies to word game lovers, others you might want to try the free version first) for not only the fun but also the knowledge aspect that comes with it. Reading newspapers might be a chore for some but playing a word game while learning about the news is certainly something new and welcomed.

Official site link: FingerArts

Itunes Appstore: Hangman RSS $0.99

note: ratings for the category “sound” is similar to that of graphics since the “sound” aspect is not of importance within the game.

Time management games often requires player to be quick. Are you Alright is no different. There are several different machines in the hospital that serve different purposes. Patients would come in and request for different treatment at the same time. You have to be alert to their requirements and then bring them to the different stations accordingly. At specific stations, you are required to play mini-games in order to complete the treatment process. At the start, patients often require only 1 to 2 process treatments (temperature checking and then x-ray) before they finally pay up and leave the hospital.

Patients would have a specific icon above their heads to inform you of which treatment is required. You then drag them to the specific machines to place them there. You must then perform the treatment by touching the machine (activating it. This is not needed once you have upgraded your hospital to include assistants). Depending on the treatment, some requires you to manually play a mini-game in order for the process to be successful. There are a several mini-games for example finding a foreign object in the stomach, pulling out blades on the skin and checking for the virus that the patient is being attacked from (I think, not so sure ain’t a doctor nor a bio student myself).

There are several types of patients available. They all require some thinking and strategy in terms of planning who to serve first. Some patients for example the old man will die faster than the others. Another type of patient is the business man who will give you more prestige (points) then the rest. When you have all these different types of patients coming into the hospital, you better know who to serve first to ensure that you get no patients dying on you while squeezing them out for the maximum prestige offered.

Prestige is used to meet objectives (a minimum requirement for each level) and for upgrades. You use prestige to upgrade machines to make them work better or simply hire an assistant to help you out in the busy hospital. Careful spending will result in higher efficiency and an easier time to get by each level. You are also provided with brain chips to help you in each level. Before each level, you are allowed to choose different chips that provide different effects when enabled during the course of the level. For example some gives patients an instant 1 health point when activated while others allows patient to die slower.

The game offers two different modes; the time mode and the story (main) mode. The gameplay is very similar but just with different objectives. Overall a very addictive and fun game. You can never stop playing once you picked it up. The variety in the types of patients and the mini-games present all make the game balanced and fun throughout the entire 70 levels (story mode). Upgrades keep you wanting to go on to get the best out of each machine and assistant while beautiful cartoon styled graphics make the game simply magnificent. I have to say that the graphics and art are well drawn and splendidly coloured. Everything is so bright, colourful and fabulous. Music in game is catchy but should you want to play your own music the game allows that as well.

Are you Alright? is a fantastic game and a must for all time management game fans. It is now out for a special promo price of $0.99 (original $2.99). Now it is time to bid you farewell for it is time to go save my patients!

iTunes Appstore Link: Are you Alright?

1. Final Fantasy XIII

The Japanese release is already out but too bad I can’t speak nor read jap. Wished that I knew how to (maybe I will since I’m pretty interested in many entertainment stuff Japan has such as anime and whatnots). The English release will be out this March and I can’t wait for it. I have to admit that I’m a final fantasy fan after I played Final Fantasy 8. Totally fell in love with the game and how it is done. An additional fact is that I love RPG games so Final Fantasy is a series I will love forever and always (I hope).

2. Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer

The concept of the game sounds really cool to me. Graphics looks awesome and the ability to choose from so many possibilities is mind blowing for me. Story driven interactive drama game, hell that sounds fun. I mean after looking at all the different trailers and videos the game looks interesting and fun. It will be released this February.

3. Red Dead Redemption

Open world wild west? Hell yeah I’m in for it. Rockstar games never go wrong do they? Loved whatever games they come out with and I doubt I’ll be disappointed with Red Dead Redemption. Get ready to hijack some horses and kill some cowboys. A setting and atmosphere hardly touched, Red Dead Redemption will go for the glory of claiming it and making the Wild West one fun loving world. Game out this April.

4. Mass Effect 2

Played Mass Effect 1 and loved it. A second helping to the series? Hell yeah. Really excited for this game as well since the PC release will be the same as that of the Xbox. The game will be out late January.

5. Gran Turismo 5

The first time I tried the series was during the years when I had the Playstation One. Not really a huge fan of racing but I do get some fun when driving and racing. Pair that up with realistic gorgeous graphics, I think I’m in for a ride. Let’s just hope it does not get delayed any further. Might be out 3^rd quarter later this year.

6. Mafia 2

The first game was a hit, and I’m sure the second would be much better. Besides all the released screenshot previews and trailers all seem to be evidence to that fact. Brilliant storytelling, fabulous graphics and a world begging you to explore, what more can you ask for?

7. The Last Guardian

Action adventure gaming madness. Ought to share the same gameplay elements and presentation style of previous titles Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Both of those games are masterpieces that many loved. The Last Guardian ought to be as promising and spectacular. I’m not too hyped up over this one but it never hurt to wait for a game that has the potential to be a game of the year contender (in my opinion). Might be released this November (no actual announcement yet I think).

8. White Knight Chronicles

I’m a fan of RPG games and I love how the fact that White Knight Chronicles has some gaming concepts that makes me excited. Not very new concepts but still they are nice to have. For example the battle system they implement is something different and the fact that multiplayer network mode is available. Reviews of the already released Japanese version seem not too favourable, but still it looks good to me. Out in February.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClAkKsMKlMA

9. God of War 3

I didn’t really play much of the first two games but I did watch my friend play it extensively. I guess it is kind of addictive with all the gore and gruesome finishing blows Kratos does to his enemies. The kind of action adventure gameplay goes pretty well with me and I think God of War 3 will be one fun game to play.

10. All Points Bulletin

MMO GTA game? Oh yeah that is something I will always look forward to. Said to be ready by March.

You can choose from 4 different characters, each of them with a unique advantage over the others. These 4 survivors (you in other words) are attempting to stop the outbreak of the living dead, zombies. To do so, you have to create an antidote which will help the cause. To do so, they have to deliver a sample of deadly virus to the hospital at the other side of the city. Thus the starting point and the ending point of each level. As you progress through the game, you will find out more about the virus and the storyline of the game. I myself haven’t seen much of the story as of yet (an explanation later on), so I cannot for one decide if it is as intriguing as the developers say it would be. In any case, here is a segment of what the developer’s promises of the storyline.

As the foursome’s grim fight for survival continues, it becomes apparent that there’s more to the virus than anyone thought possible. As the group are systematically hunted by these abominations of nature, they soon discover that these cannibalistic monsters aren’t as mindless as they look.

With all that said, the game objective is simple. As said earlier, you get from point A to point B and the level ends. You are then greeted with a screen that allows you to shop for items such as weapons and healing aids. You then continue with the next level and the game repeats itself as you uncover more of the game’s story. There are a total of 46 levels in the game. You get to choose from 4 characters to play through them. Each has their own capabilities, for example one of them (the police man) deals more damage with his weapons while another has more health. 9 different weapons are available (only when you complete a level do you get to buy a new one) and there are several health aides to help you along each level.

All of that is fine, the game menus presentation are all acceptable. However, there are just two things that make the game a little horrifying in the wrong way. They are the controls and the level designs. Controls of the game make the game frustrating. I’m not joking, for an average casual gamer, I doubt he’ll be able to get pass the first level at all. It is not so the game being difficult that causes the fuss, instead it is the controls. You move with a virtual joypad, up to move forward, left to rotate left and so on. That is totally fine, but the lack of responsiveness is what makes it a little troublesome. The turning and stuff feels stiff and when it comes to aiming the zombies it becomes frustrating. You cannot move and shoot. To shoot, you have to enter the aiming mode. In aiming mode, you get two new buttons, shoot and reload. So you go into aiming mode, you can’t move instead you start moving to aim. It is tough at first, takes some getting used to but even so, it still doesn’t work well enough. There are times when you think you are already aiming the zombie and shooting it but you’ll soon realise you are totally off target. You do at times need to be dead centre on the zombie’s body to shoot them. And the frustration gets even worst when you are starting to get surrounded by hordes of them. You can’t move when shooting, you can’t shoot when moving. Fine we do have games such as resident evil following that concept but the thing is, in Dead Strike to switch between shooting and moving is horrendous. Buttons feel unresponsive and to simply turn and run after switching is no child’s play.

With the controls needing a revamp, the level designs need to get some renovation work as well. The game is way too linear. I don’t know about the later few levels but from the first 2 I’ve played, I didn’t find any difference between the first and the second. They felt and looked exactly the same. You simply work a straight path through the whole level with a minor turn once or twice within the game. The levels are way too straight and thus becoming boring as each you progress through the level. I’m not sure if there are going to be any changes in the levels later on (if anyone did get through so far please do tell me) but from the start to the second level, the levels were boring.

One last minor problem of the game is the price of the weapons. Killing zombies gives you money but it simply does not balance the game well. After the first level, ammo needs to be purchased and you simply won’t have enough money to do so. Thus in the following level, you’ll only survive with that little remainder ammo from your previous level. A little problem for those who managed to get through the first level that is.

With all that said, thank the developers of the cheat function. They provide a cheating option for the player and thus granting you unlimited ammo, money and becoming god yourself. With the cheats, you are able to get through each level with ease and learn more of the storyline. All problems except one mentioned above are solved. God mode allows the frustrating controls to be fine, money and ammo allows you to get weapons and blast the zombies the way you want and of course there is a speed mode that allows you to breeze through the level with quick speed. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the levels are way too linear and boring. To find cheats for the game, Google “dead strike cheats”.

I do want to praise the graphical and sound aspects of the game. The graphics aren’t phenomenal, but are decent. Blood spurting, effects of bullets hitting metal surfaces, zombies looking horrid and so on. I feel that for an iPhone game the 3D graphics of the levels and zombies are worthy to be praised. Other than that, the sound effects are fantastic. Expect to hear eerie voices when you get near zombies, weird noises of the zombies when they chase you and of course the sound of your gun as you gun down the zombies. In my opinion, the sound is the most outstanding aspect of the whole game.

To conclude, I did read up while doing this review that the developers are preparing to release an update for the game to help correct some of the issues I mentioned. They also promise new gameplay options such as multiplayer and stuff in the next few major updates. All these updates are definitely welcomed but for now, if you really want to play a zombie game, Dead Strike isn’t ready yet. For the price of $1.99, I don’t really think it lives up to it due to poor controls and gameplay design. However, if the updates do prove to fulfil whatever they promise, this game is something you might want to get. The game as huge potential, but as of now it isn’t reaching nearly 100% of what it can offer.

p.s version of game reviewed is 1.0. Rating and scores are given for that version only.

Links: Appstore Game Official Site

Game Trailer:

Colorix is a fantastic tetris-like strategic puzzle game. The concept behind the game isn’t very new but the execution and the additional mechanics make it such a beauty. Colorix was firstly released on the Android and just recently ported to the iPhone. This review is based on the iPhone version. The game is currently out for $2.99 and you can click the link right at the bottom of this review to get to it.

The objective of the game is extremely simple. Rack up as much points as you can before you lose. There is only one way to lose. You are unable to keep the marbles from reaching the top. Think Tetris and the other game (can’t remember what is the name, okay that doesn’t make any sense at all). For Colorix, each turn gives you 3 marbles. They are vertically stacked (meaning 3 rows 1 column) and can be shifted among each other. For example if the 3 marbles are red green and blue, you can shift it into blue green red, red blue green and so on. Matching up 3 or more of the same coloured marbles results in them disappearing from the game and thus giving you the points. Points are also awarded when you drop the marbles instantly.

Here comes the very interesting part of the game. There are combos in the game that can be carried out to rack up the points. To be exact, 10 combos are there for you to master. They come in various shapes and sizes but what you need to know exactly is the shape. The colours can be mixed and matched to get the same combo but the shape must be exactly the same as that of specified. I must say this makes the game not only much more fun, but also much more strategic. To execute high point combos, you have to think ahead by a few steps. Take into account the risk that you need to take while waiting for the exact pieces that you need. Check out the gameplay video below to see some of the combos in action.

There are several different coloured marbles. But there are 3 special marbles that you need to take note of. First is the rainbow marble. Like the name, it can be any colour you wish. You don’t exactly choose the colour but it simply blends in and form chains with any other colours. Second the white marble. The white marble becomes a random colour when it lands. Take the risk or play safe? You decide. Lastly, there are black timed marbles. These black marbles have turn timing on them. They range from 1 to a lot, plan well and use them to your advantage. With these 3 special marbles (the black and rainbow to be specific), you can execute the hardest of all combos. It is hard to even think on the spot on which column to place the marbles, let alone thinking and planning ahead. But once you execute it right, it is extremely rewarding to see your points increasing at a rapid rate as well as the number of marbles disappearing.

To be honest, the game isn’t very hard to pick up but to master it, that is one heck of a job. It is easy to get 3 marbles together but to execute a combo, it becomes really tough. I’m not joking, till now I can only execute the most basic of all combos, other than that it is only through sheer luck that I can even get any other. It takes some time to get used to the different combos, but other than that you still can have fun with the basic technique of getting 3 coloured marbles together. That however, will not put you up on the high score board but still it is a good start.

The game controls is smooth and fluid. Flick up or down to change the arrangement of the marbles. Double tap to let the marbles drop immediately. Flick left or right to shift it into the different columns. Simple and neat controls. In addition, there are dots at the background for each individual columns so as to allow you to see clearer and not commit the mistake of placing the marbles at a undesired column. Not necessary but definitely welcomed.

The graphics of the game is sharp and crisp. The pleasantly coloured marbles and the satisfying background make the game even more enjoyable. I mean there is nothing much on the graphical end but it simply feels just right. The special effects when you get the combos done and stuff all feels good and pleasant to the eye. It makes the game look smooth and neat. Something that many other games lack, the feeling is what that matters as well. Complementing it will be the controls as mentioned earlier and it all blends together like a fantastic milkshake. The sound effects in the game is fine but nothing too outstanding for me. Nonetheless it is sufficient and altogether it makes the game a fantastic one.

$2.99 might be a little expensive for some but I must say it is definitely worth it. I mean think about it, not only is it fun, it trains your brains. I’m not kidding, this game has so much strategy and planning in it than it looks. Of course you can go on just getting the basic 3 marble chains, but seriously the combos are extremely tempting to master. I have to admit their catch phrase at their website is pretty true. Once you start, you can’t stop. Puzzle, strategy, fun, Christmas present game? Colorix is definitely the game for you.

Colorix Appstore Link

Colorix Official Site

Gameplay Video