Goliath Gaming

Top 10 Reason why Starcraft 2 is going to suck.

2010-07-15T01:24:00.003+08:00

I know I know, before you start flaming or hating. I have my reasons, Starcraft 2 may be a good game but every good game has a bad game. Every 10 has a 1. Here's why:

1. Its Starcraft.

If you asked me, the lore is kinda similar to Warhammer 40,000. Protoss? Eldar. Zerg? Tyrannid. Terran? Space Marines. I'm stuck between deciding which one is better.

2. Same unit sounds? C'mon!

Recently i went poking around in the Android Marketplace, found soundboards for both Starcraft 1 and 2. Most of it were strangely similar.

3. Overhype

Happens with most games, they build up so much hype and in the end, it just sucked. I hate that.

4. Region Pricing

This won't apply to you if you're from the states. But in our region, a copy is freaking 109. One Hundred and Nine dollars! I mean, WHY?

5. Koreans

They will most likely be dominating this game again. Have you seen their APM videos?

6. It feels very...Starcraft

Yep, it feels like a Starcraft with new 3D engine. Other than that I don't see any difference.

7. Kerrigan

OMFG I want to kill this bitch so bad I'm in love with her. JUST DESTROY/CONSUME/WHATEVER the galaxy already!

8. Expansions

Man, I can't fully play the whole game and have to wait? Why? WHY?

9. Like every other game, kids who can't deal with losing.

I hate this, not saying every kid isn't a good gamer, just saying, you're not gonna be winning all the time.

10. A Possible Dota? Yes.

I've seen the custom maps, they are good. Too good to be exact. I actually wanted to purchase this game just to play custom maps. But if another Dota craze hits our shores, I am gonna be sad. Really Sad.

AIR C-C-C-COMBO!

2010-07-02T16:35:00.002+08:00

If you didn't came in buckets, I don't know what you should call yourself, because I Did. After a decade the good guys at Capcom and Marvel finally unleashed their new awaited title: Marvel Vs Capcom 3.

This video was a short gameplay from E3 and I must say, it was splendid. Also, Chris Redfield's RPG. BEST. FINISHER. EVER!

Portal 2. GlaDOS is back!

2010-06-29T20:07:00.002+08:00

As seen from the video, we can expect two things: GlaDOS and Cake. Although I hope there will be real cake this time round! Portal 2 is due for release in 2011 on both PC and MAC!

Review: Alpha Protocol

2010-06-03T20:06:00.002+08:00

Introduction

Hey, pandar3n here hitting you up with another review. This time its Alpha Protocol from SEGA and Obsidian Studios. I've had mixed feelings while playing this one. It felt like a poor copy of Mass Effect 2. Alpha Protocol is a Espionage Action RPG game similar to Mass Effect 2. Alpha Protocol is actually a secret agency that trains special agents sent around to world for missions. You happen to be kidnapped, drugged into the facility; all that for initiation.

Gameplay

I didn't really liked the controls very much. Like Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls IV. It had similar lockpicking play styles to unlock information, disable alarms and read other people's email, sounds pretty useful. Movement was rather sluggish, I would say that it isn't really polished. You start the game off by selecting your specialization, I picked Agent as I liked to do it from the back. *wink* Even though the controls were bad, I liked how your choices affect the story which during the game you can choose, you can either be Aggressive, Neutral or Lawful.

Graphics

Despite the gameplay, I applaud the game for it's graphic though not as good as others, it has at least some standards. The game uses Unreal 3 engine automatically making the graphics smooth. I've had no problems playing on my 9500GT.

Conclusion

I think that if Obsidian and SEGA had more time on their hands, this game would be golden. It's just not as polished as other titles but its worth a shot if you're into Espionage games.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Launch Event!

2010-05-27T03:36:00.006+08:00

I was invited to a recent Prince of Persia launch event which showcases the game itself and some of the action in game which can be related to real life, like rock-climbing. The event was held at Orchad Central, near the rock-climbing area, we were treated to a live display of a real Prince of Persia where he demonstrated what its like to fall from great heights...without dieing. It was a real treat, but I didn't get a chance to eat the muffins from Gelare though :(.

Here are some pictures from the event itself!

Snapping Necks. Dead to Rights.

2010-05-22T00:49:00.006+08:00

Introduction

Though not as gory as other violent games, Dead to Rights has caught my attention, that snapping necks, breaking legs, kicking your enemies in the face takes it to a whole new level, and a dog that kills on command? Hell Yeah. I wished they gave me more kung fu skills and notably, Bullets. Because I prefer to shoot people in the face than punch them. Not saying punching isn't good just that shooting has a better effect.

The game itself isn't as polished as many other games but in a weird way it does provide some sort of fun.

Gameplay
While it lacks action from other games, fights were smooth in the sense of combos. Fighting with your fist while hearing that punch land on your opponent's face, that kinda brightens my day.

Takedowns were a crucial part in the game, they charge your focus bar and allows you to twist your enemies' neck one full round and kick them away. Disarming your foes allows you to slow everything down and take that headshot. It was bloody. Very Bloody.

Graphics

For a PS3 game I don't really see any difference compared to the Xbox or PC, the game itself has a flashy takedown scence where it colors your screen red, a slo-mo mode when disarming your enemies before shooting them in the face. Comic style introduction to enemies and places. Gore Graphic wise, 3/10. Not saying that it should be of GoW3 standard but even a little bit of head snapping would be nice....right?

Conclusion

Price wise, I wouldn't really complain but if you played the past Dead to Rights, you should prolly get this one, I liked the story for instance, a cop that ignores rules and gets the job done, with his father waaaaay up in the police department, he seems to be able to get away with bad things while doing good things, so its kinda confusing at a point of time. But I'd give it to him. Hes one badass.

Crossbows? IN MY BLACK OPS?

2010-05-19T22:52:00.002+08:00

When i first heard of Call of Duty Black Ops, my first thoughts were oh, are we gonna be going into another airport killing random civilians? I. Was. Wrong.

Crossbows. Yea.

Starcraft 2 Pricing! UPDATE!!

2010-05-13T19:36:00.007+08:00

It is confirmed by Blizzard that the Singapore copy of Starcraft 2 will cost S$109. Better start saving up! By paying that amount, you'll be able to have unlimited access to the online features of the game.(duh) However Blizzard has plans for "alternate pricing" for future expansions, cheaper maybe? We can only hope. Taken from their press release in California:

"One of our design goals for StarCraft II was to make it accessible to a wide range of players, from beginners to veterans," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "The same is true with regard to our pricing options -- we want to make sure players have the flexibility to experience the game according to their own preferences and play style."

However no news about collector's edition though! When will they acknowledge us to be loyal customers too? :(

**UPDATE**
Rumors are flying around that the game itself will not only be region locked, the local copy is also unable to play with players from other countries.

**UPDATE**

Based on the recent interview with Blizzard's Gobal Manager for Community Development. It is confirmed that the game will be region locked. Reason being they want to build up the community in SEA. However if you wish to play with US players, you can purchase a copy from amazon, have a separate BNET account. So if you're a kiasu type then probably purchase one in Singapore and one in US. Even though I'm sure the US version will still be cheaper.

This fantasy is far from final!

2010-05-09T18:12:00.001+08:00

Source: kotaku.com

Need i say more?

SC2 Galaxy Editor takes custom maps to a whole new level

2010-05-09T18:04:00.002+08:00

Thanks to a fellow gamer, djskye.

We've all seen how custom maps changes how games operate out of normal parameters. We've also see how DOTA has taken the world by storm. Thanks to the geniuses at Blizzard, Starcraft 2 is redefining how custom maps work.

Touhou Project is a popular game in Japan which basically pushes the boundaries of arcade-styled shooters to a whole new level. Dodging bullets has never been so intense and fun. And boy it is fun. I'm looking for another reason to pre-order SC2 now, besides the main reason of finding out what Kerrigan or The Queen Of Blades is up to.

Starcraft II lands this July

2010-05-04T13:29:00.001+08:00

Hell it's about time, says the Marine, and damn right it is. After all the teasers that Blizzard has thrown at our faces for awhile now, Starcraft II is dated to due this July 27th! It's predecessor and expansion left us with tons of unanswered questions and hints of a cross-racial zerg-protoss breeding in the shadows. Here's to hoping that all those questions be answered come this July. Are you excited?

PS: If you're wondering what's in the collector's edition, look no further, click here.

BioWare: SWTOR Combat promises to be a Heroic Experience

2010-05-01T10:52:00.001+08:00

In the latest SWTOR video documentary, we're given a closer look at how we will be killing our foes come early spring 2011! Fights will make us feel heroic, and as promised be developers, all the gadgets and skills we have seen throughout the whole epic space opera franchise will be available to wreak mayhem. Don't take my word for it though, see it for yourself!

WHO IS THE TANK?!?!?!?!?

2010-04-30T14:31:00.000+08:00

You might be thinking WHY IS THIS HERE! IT'S SO OLD!!!!! Okay okay.. relax.. take a chill pill. I'm doing this for those who're missing out on this golden video! I've been back in WoW rolling on a new character, and was surprised to find out there are still people who're missing out on this! For those of you who don't know what the jibbers I'm saying, watch the vid! You'll like it. :)

First Impressions - Splinter Cell: Conviction PC

2010-04-26T22:07:00.009+08:00

Hey there, panda here. Sneaking up on ya. I've been playing Splinter Cell: Conviction(SCC) on the PC for a short while now and I've got a few things to note. For starters, finally there's a game that lets you be a brawling and angry secret agent!

One of the coolest things to note would be, how objectives flash on random objects in the game. Instead of hitting the tab, or esc button, Ubisoft has placed them right in front of you. However unlike old SC games, this one seemed a little too easy.

Then again, I've only just started playing, and I can't say enough about how "imba" Sam is right now.

The game takes you through Sam Fisher's past to find out more about him and in general how SCC came about.

This game uses Unreal Engine 3, so graphics wise, its pretty good. If you've seen how it looks on the Xbox 360, and got slightly turned off (I know I did), the PC version might redeem that bad impression.

Gameplay wise, controls work out to be decent, and the only joy, as I've said, would be the on-screen interface, that doesn't have you tabbing in and out of mission objectives. Developers have tried to put everything you need on-screen and succeeded in that they did.

The single-player story can be finished in 6 hours roughly, however the multi-player co-op mode is where this game truly shines. The downside however is that you need an internet connection to be up constantly in order to play the single player. Kinda stupid if you ask me. DRM aside, this game is pretty decent for a quick break from other games.

Until the full review is up, I'll give this a 6/10.

Marvel vs Capcom 3

2010-04-22T08:34:00.003+08:00

Here you go, after such a long time, Capcom and Marvel finally released a trailer for their upcoming game. Yes i just got a gaming hardon.

WoW's answer to the Pegasus: The Celestial Steed mount

2010-04-16T14:33:00.003+08:00

If I might say so myself, I like this steed. Its blue, its shiny, and its the closest you can get to a unicorn! Unless you think unicorns do not have an extra horn on its head, then hey! It's a unicorn mount!

This is Blizzard's newest addition to the increasing choices of animals you can get from their online store. The mount, once bought, will be available on all of your characters, and its speed scales with your riding skill level. All at USD$25! Not a bad thing if you ask me. Anyone wanna get this for my birthday? *Bats eyelids*

Gears of War 3 Official Trailer release and some more

2010-04-14T01:43:00.001+08:00

They're adding 4 player co-op this time into the story mode, and the game will take place 18 months after the events of Gears of War 2. If you've played the first two games, and are wondering where the hell did the Locust Horde vanish to? April 2011 will be the month for those questions to be answered. Keep on reading for more details and a video treat.
Apart from the whopperage 4 player co-op, Cliff Bleszinksi has confirmed that the third game will sport a somewhat intertwining storyline, filled with lots, and lots of guns.

"One of the other things we're doing in the campaign that's cool is switching up the story a little bit," he said.

"At some point in the campaign you're not going to be Marcus and Dom - you're going to be another squad and you're going to experience their section and then eventually you're going to see some overlap and eventually they'll merge Pulp Fiction style, which is one of the cool ways that we're playing with the story this time.

"I can confirm today that we are doing 4-player co-op in the story mode," he added. "In Gears it's not the same as in other games because you're getting a story-based mode and in Gears 1 and 2 player one is Marcus and player two is Dom.

"The only way to play as Dom in the campaign is to be player two. That cascades down to players three and four; so if you want to play as Cole or Baird in the campaign, the only way you can do that is by playing three or four-player co-op."

Describing the new set of armory Gears of War 3 will be receiving, Cliff confirmed that the Pendulum Lancer - a precursor to the famous chainsaw version that "kicks like a mule" when fired and sports a nasty blade on the end for gruesome execution kills - of which Gears 3 will sport many more.

"We're looking at a double-barrel shotgun, we're looking at female Gears, we're looking at bringing back old maps - I can't confirm any but I can confirm that we will see some favourites returning," he said.

"We definitely want to improve players' ability to play with their friends and stick together as a party. We haven't announced how we're doing that yet but we definitely have plans for that."

April Releases

2010-04-13T23:02:00.002+08:00

April is here, a month without much to go about. Save your wallets for Starcraft 2 Collector's edition!

Dante's Inferno DLC

GTA IV DLC

Sam & Max Season 3

Super Street Fighter IV

After Burner Climax

I'm looking forward to After Burner Climax next month, wouldn't want to spend money in the arcade for that! Even though theres that pilot turning like seat with a joystick and throttle control which only makes you go extremely fast or slow down a lil.

Her name is Bolo Santosi.

2010-04-13T22:50:00.005+08:00

Just Cause 2 in very summarized terms is pretty much GTA beautified with exploding buildings, gas tanks, helicopters and of course Bolo Santosi. Bolo is a faction leader you meet in the game, offering you missions and weird lines that you might think she is trying to get you to bed but at the same time, something is wrong. What is wrong? This is wrong.

Review: Razor DeathAdder Left Hand Edition

2010-04-13T20:23:00.009+08:00

This review was made possible by Tiffany, a left-handed gamer, and friend of Michael, who took her time, to serve us up with a look at Razor's new product for lefties.

It is about time someone stepped up and made toys for left-handed gamers! Razor did, with the new launch of their DeathAdder Left Hand Edition. The days of forcing yourself to play with your right hand are finally over.

Razor's got some dual-sided mice that caters to both left-handers and right-handers, but for once, it is nice to know that the producer of great gaming products aren't about to just leave left-handers with products not specifically designed for them.

The DeathAdder has an ergonomic design that provides us, left handers, with the same gamingly good comfort the right-handers feel. It's got excellent accuracy and five programmable Hyperesponse buttons conveniently placed to satisfy our left-hand fingers. Giving us a competitive edge, this mouse is well worth. The concept is truly commendable. Not only does it have a sleek and cool design, it also lessens the burden for lefties.

However, this smudge-prone mouse may not support everyone's non-palm grip. You'd have to hold it first before you buy it. That aside, it has good resistance on the fingers as it does not stick or slip.

Now, I don't have to worry about controlling the mouse as much as I used to. As an avid gamer myself, gaming has never been easier. If you are a lefty, this light-weight mouse is exclusively designed for you.

The stuff of StarCraft II Collector's

2010-04-12T10:47:00.004+08:00

We've been anticipating StarCraft II for a long time now, and I'll bet the dry season we're having right now isn't helping our anxiety. Nontheless, if you're wondering whether Blizzard will give us a Collector's Edition worthy of our cash, keep on reading for juicy details.

Taken off the official site, the set is packaged with the game itself, a 176-page art book, a 2GB USB flash drive that has preloaded copies of the original Starcraft and Brood War expansion, in the shape of Jim Raynor's dog tag; a behind-the-scenes DVD and soundtrack CD; a comic book, prequel to a forthcoming comic series; and an exclusive in-game pet for World of Warcraft, a miniature Thor unit.

In addition, digitally exclusive bonuses will be available off Battle.net as well, just for you, the Collector's Edition buyer! Of course, if you feel this is too hefty a price or package, there's always a Standard Edition. But, hey, did I mention you get a big heavy box as well? We can only hope, local retailers won't slaughter us when it arrives on our shores, if it ever does.

Review - Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom

2010-04-09T01:29:00.004+08:00

This latest series in the long-running Settlers franchise brings with it the same charm and enjoyment as with all of its predecessors. You get little workers that follow your orders to the letter, and boy are they a tireless lot. They’ll be mining for minerals, shearing sheep, chopping up wood and even smelting iron for peanuts! Give them no job, and they cry out for work. Fancy that!

Needless to say, you too, oh, great ruler, will be as busy, and as content as these tiny little people! The only plague you’ll find in this game is the clunky on-again, and off-again online troubles, that is to do with the infamous Ubisoft online authentication, which we all know, messed up all their other games! Muster up some patience however, and you’ll find this little charmer of a game, a delight to play for hours and hours!

As a good first impression, complexity does not rear its ugly head, and you’ll find the flow of things in this game able to reel you in. You start with setting up a resource supply line, and keep that chain as efficient as possible, by placing structures and homes in the appropriate places. Keeping a balanced stream is important as resources tend to jam up, once you have too much, or too little of something. Expanding your Kingdom comes next, and you do that by taking over connected settlements via brute force, diplomacy, or bribery. The campaign mode teaches you the basics, and thankfully, it is not as complicated to follow, as some of the other kingdom simulation games we’ve seen so far.

To make it easier, the game does point out flaws in your economic system, by having floating icons on top of your structures. For example, producing gold coins requires you to have a mint, and materials like gold ore and coal, to manufacture. Have one of those resources missing and the appropriate icon will appear to let you know what you need to provide.

Don’t let the simplicity fool you however, mastery in this game will take some time. Balance is the key, and although expanding your kingdom quickly is always good, overbuilding, and overproduction, can lead to lots of complications and in turn even lead the underproduction of certain resources. Pay attention to what is needed. Some helpful tools you’ll be given are an abacus-looking table, that lets you keep track of the items you have in your storehouse, and zooming out of the map allows you to have an overview of available resources in nearby zones, and other helpful information nuggets.

Henceforth, what is a Kingdom without its army! Combat in this game is rather straightforward, but somewhat entertaining in its own way. You simply amass your troop count, send them into battle, and watch the outcome! In most cases, the army with the most troops wins! This is why chain of supply is important, slow down the resources, and you won’t have enough to build your army in the quickest possible time. Not to mention, there are towers you need to destroy before even getting to your opposition’s main forces. As the saying goes, two can play at this game, so don’t forget you can research fortifications and defensive towers as well, along with many other upgrades to help you in your thirst for conquest.

With all that said, start with the campaign mission. It’s the best way to learn the game’s mechanism and all the nooks and crannies it has to offer. The missions also begin with lovely pop-up storybook updates and peppered with impressive and colourful cutscenes.

Vibrant colors and goofy art design make The Settlers 7 leap right out of the screen (well at least on my screen it does). The quirky animations make gameplay fun to watch as well! It never gets old watching your little army get ready for battle, and seeing them actually charge into the fray with huge and ridiculously exaggerated movements. Soundtrack in this game is nothing short of wonderful. The orchestral fare and the ambient sound effects play mellifluously throughout the whole game. To be honest, I found the Celtic-inspired vocal warbles rather entertaining, and fell right in place with the whole game.

Online play is smooth, and by nature of the game, matches would most probably last beyond an hour. Sad to say however, finding games online might turn out to be a pain. Then again, AI skirmishes provide a decent challenge, and while there isn’t a huge selection of maps, you can edit game modes in different ways, like changing victory conditions for instance.

The Settlers 7 came with some new features, and one of note would be the ability to tie in your in-game accomplishments to Facebook. Not only does it allow you to update your achievements, but lets you add friends as well! Now who said gamers aren’t social people! All in all, The Settlers 7 has something for everyone, whether you’re an experienced economist, or a simple commoner looking for some entertainment, the virtual little people you’ll be playing with, will charm you off the edge of your seat.

Review - Heavy Rain

2010-02-26T02:35:00.001+08:00

Heavy Rain is an "interactive drama" that focuses on four protagonists, as they fight to track down and capture a serial murderer known as the Origami Killer. The game's emotionally driven premise encourages its players to empathize with its characters. In doing so, it allows one to experience a more satisfying and genuine role-playing game, which we call an RPG. Though it is an adult story with a mature rating, the game has been tastefully done and does not talk down to its audience.

You interact with the world through an unconventional control scheme: Holding down R2 and waggling the Left analog stick to walk around. This process, may appear cumbersome at first, but due to the nature of its gameplay, it simple takes some getting used to. Interaction with your environment is accomplished by following on-screen prompts and it varies with following arrow directions with your Right analog stick, or having to go through quicktime events, where you press buttons ala God of War style. This is one game which fully uses to SixAxis, as you may be required to perform motions via shaking up your controller.

This game wins in visuals, throughout the game, players will play into and out of cutscenes with seamless transition. The quality and detail of Heavy Rain's sets are spectacular, making a world that feels rich and genuine. Whether it is broad daylight, night fall, rainfall, water effects, environmental hues and object textures, a lot of detail have been put in, to bring out the game's gritty realness. Sound-wise, the game's musical track plays well to enhance the feel of the game, with its melodramatic tunes.

The game adapts to your actions. This means every mistake you make, every quicktime button you miss, every detailed action you do, affects the outcome, and the way the story is played. In a nutshell, no two play-throughs are the same, and with a plethora of actions you can choose for each scenario, the game makes you feel like the director, taking control on how you want the scene to play out.

When Quantic Dream released Indigo Prophecy, a.k.a Fahrenheit, they brought a whole new gaming experience to the plate. The non-traditional controls, cinematic gameplay direction, and a compelling story, made us asking for more. Today, Heavy Rain is the evolution of this predecessor, and although, this time, its slower and more dramatic, has kept it promise of giving players the interactive cinema experience.