PC Peripherals & Gaming (PC, PS, XBOX)

Gaming PCs and Peripherals by Mid of 2023

2023-04-20T18:01:00.001-07:00

As we approach the midpoint of 2023, the gaming PC market has continued to grow at an impressive pace. Manufacturers have been releasing new models and upgrading existing ones to cater to the increasing demand for high-performance gaming rigs. In this post, we'll take a look at some of the latest gaming PCs of 2023 that are turning heads.

Alienware Aurora R15

The Alienware Aurora R15 is a gaming desktop that packs a punch. It features the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card, and up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM. This machine is designed to handle the most demanding games with ease. It also comes with Alienware's signature futuristic design that's sure to catch the eye of any gamer.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is a sleek and powerful gaming laptop that's perfect for gamers on the go. It features an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. The 15.6-inch display has a 1440p resolution with a 165Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for competitive gaming.

HP Omen 30L

The HP Omen 30L is a high-end gaming desktop that's designed for gamers who demand the best. It features an Intel Core i9-12900K processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card, and up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM. The Omen 30L also has a unique design with customizable RGB lighting that lets you show off your gaming setup.

Acer Predator X38

The Acer Predator X38 is a gaming monitor that's designed to give you an immersive gaming experience. It features a 37.5-inch curved display with a 3840x1600 resolution and a 175Hz refresh rate. It also has Nvidia G-Sync technology, which ensures that there's no screen tearing or stuttering during gameplay.

Origin PC Chronos

The Origin PC Chronos is a compact gaming desktop that packs a lot of power. It features an Intel Core i9-12900K processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card, and up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM. Despite its small size, it has plenty of room for customization and upgrades, making it a great option for gamers who want a powerful but portable machine.

Overall, these are some of the latest gaming PCs and accessories of 2023 that have caught our attention. Whether you're a casual gamer or a competitive player, there's something for everyone in this list. With these high-performance machines, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite games like never before.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Video Games

2023-04-20T15:15:00.014-07:00

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the gaming industry by enhancing the player's experience and creating immersive gameplay. AI is used in video games to enable intelligent decision-making by Non-Player Characters (NPCs) and to make the game environment more dynamic and interactive. In this article, we will discuss the use of AI in video games.

AI has been used in video games for decades, from simple decision-making algorithms to complex neural networks. One of the most common uses of AI in video games is to create realistic behaviors for NPCs. AI algorithms can be used to create NPCs that react to the player's actions and make decisions based on the game's rules and objectives. This allows for more dynamic and unpredictable gameplay, making the game more challenging and engaging. We all have experienced it in games like Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor, Halo Reach, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow Of Chernobyl, Gothic, FIFA, The Last of US, FEAR and the list goes on.

Another use of AI in video games is to create realistic physics simulations. AI algorithms can be used to simulate the physics of objects in the game, such as gravity, momentum, and collision detection. This allows for more realistic interactions between objects in the game environment, making the game more immersive and enjoyable.

AI can also be used to create dynamic game environments that change based on the player's actions. For example, in a game with an open world environment, AI algorithms can be used to generate random events and encounters that are tailored to the player's progress in the game. This creates a more personalized gaming experience and keeps the player engaged for longer periods of time.

Finally, AI can be used to improve the game's graphics and sound effects. AI algorithms can be used to create realistic lighting effects, shadows, and textures, making the game more visually appealing. AI can also be used to create realistic sound effects, such as footsteps, gunshots, and explosions, making the game more immersive and realistic.

In conclusion, the use of AI in video games has revolutionized the gaming industry, creating more dynamic, engaging, and immersive gameplay experiences for players. As AI technology continues to improve, we can expect even more innovative uses of AI in video games in the future.

Resident Evil Village

2021-08-28T18:46:00.003-07:00

Hello all the Resident Evil fans out there specially those who were waiting for a sequel to Resident Evil 7: Bio Hazard (2017). As far as story or game plot is concerned, this game is a direct continuation of the story of Chris Redfield from earlier versions of RE. It has been a long time since the events of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Ethan Winters has a new life, with his wife Mia, he finally forgot the past. Ethan Winters new world collapses once more when Chris appears, a familiar face setting off a chain of events that drives a distraught Ethan to seek answers to Chris’ shocking actions and he eventually finds all of them in a mysterious village. This game has found a balance between complexity and dynamics. Like previous versions, there are many puzzles and riddles here. A lot of attention is paid to the detailed drawing of the characters, their appearance and all sorts of little things. High-quality animations are used. Everything as in the previous version, here you can pump the main character, but with more possibilities. We will have to think about the choice of weapons used. In this one each type of monsters requires its own approach and does not die from anything. This game maintains its survival horror elements however adopting a more action oriented gameplay style compared to its predecessor. The games has been launched on these platforms PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S. The Genre is Survival Horror and got both Single Player and Six-Player Online Multiplayer modes. For more details and reviews visit here

System Requirements

According to review aggregator Metacritic, Resident Evil Village received "generally favorable" reviews. Phil Hornshaw of GameSpot praised new direction taken by the game and that it provides as excellent balance of action and scares. Destructoid gave it a score of 9/10, EGM gave it 4/5, GameSpot gave it 9/10, GamesRadar+ gave it 3.5/5, IGN gave it 8/10, PC Gamer 85/100 and Push Square a 9/10. So it's a must try for everyone. Please check out some snapshots of the gameplay

Resident Evil 3 Remake

2020-04-25T18:44:00.001-07:00

Hey all the Resident Evil fans out there, remember Resident Evil 3: Nemesis which was realeased in the year 1999? Today we are going to review it's remake which got released on April 3rd 2020 and on multiple platforms, Microsoft Windows, PS4 and XBOX One. This remake offers a short, intense campaign that’s likely to give you equal doses of nostalgia and nightmares – and it’s now going for a steal. Unlike the original, which uses tank controls and fixed camera angles, the remake features third-person shooter gameplay similar to the 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake. In the beginning of the game, the player briefly controls Jill in the first person perspective, similar to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. This game also includes an online multiplayer mode, Resident Evil: Resistance, which puts a team of four players against a "mastermind" who can create traps, enemies, and other hazards. As far as reception of the game is concerned, Resident Evil 3 Remake received generally favorable reviews from some review websites. It is being praised for its graphics, gameplay, sound and fast paced horror. IGN scored it 9/10, Gamespot says "the game starts well but couldn't sustain well". Kotaku calling it "an intense and confidently executed Resident Evil experience." Eurogamer criticized it's short length and says "all this, the pacing, the progression, the action and the Nemesis' design, contributed to the feeling that Resident Evil 3 remake is over too soon." The Verge says " It was fun while it lasted". The Playstation 4 Version of the game sold 189,490 copies in its first week on sale in Japan and also shipped over two million copies within its first five days, around half of which were digital sales. PC Requirements for our PC Enthusiasts is mentioned below

For a detailed review on this game please Click Here. Check out the trailer below

Windows 10 Version 1903

2019-10-18T14:53:00.001-07:00

What’s new in version 1903 of windows 10? Known as the May 2019 Update or Version 1903, codenamed as 19H1 during development, features speed improvements, a light theme, and lots of polish. The stable update began rolling out on May 21^st 2019 and became available to all users as of June 6^th 2019.

How To Get Update To Windows 10 Version 1903

Browse to Windows Update, click the option for “Feature Update to Windows 10, Version 1903”. According to Microsoft everyone now have the option to get this update via Windows Update.

Brief Introduction and Features of Windows 10 Update Version 1903

1. Speed Improvements

Spectre, a design glitch in CPUs which allows programs to escape their restrictions and read other program’s memory spaces has been patched by windows to help block spectre attacks, but those patches reduced PCs performance. Windows 10 update version 1903 has now practically eliminated those performance penalties and speed up your PC. In short, after this update your PC should get faster and you don’t even need to think about it. Microsoft explains here how these optimizations work.

2. Storage Reserved For Updates

If your PC doesn’t have enough space to install updates then windows update gets failed. To counter this issue Microsoft has reserved 7 GB of your PCs storage for windows update and programs can also save temporary files here. When Windows requires the space it deletes temporary files and performs the update.

3. Improved update notifications

Whenever an update requires you to restart your device, you’ll see a colored dot on the Power button in the Start menu and on the Windows icon in your taskbar.

4. Intelligent active hours

To further enhance active hours, users will now have the option to let Windows Update intelligently adjust active hours based on their device-specific usage patterns. You have to enable the intelligent active hours feature for the system to predict device-specific usage patterns.

5. Update rollback improvements

With update version 1903 of Windows 10, you can automatically recover from startup failures by removing updates if the startup failure was introduced after the installation of recent driver or quality updates. If a device is unable to start up properly after the recent installation of Quality of driver updates, Windows will then automatically uninstall the updates to get the device back up and running normally.

6. Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)

· Attack surface area reduction: Users and administrators can configure devices with advanced web protection that enables them to define allow and deny lists for specific URL’s and IP addresses.

· Next generation protection: With this update version of Windows 10, defender controls have been extended to protection from ransomware, credential misuse, and attacks that are transmitted through removable storage.

· Integrity enforcement capabilities: This feature enables remote runtime attestation of Windows 10 platform.

· Tamper-proofing capabilities: This version uses virtualization based security to isolate critical ATP security capabilities away from the OS and attackers.

· Platform support: ATP’s functionality of Windows Defender has been extended to support Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 clients, as well as macOS, Linux, and Windows Server.

For detailed update and information regarding Windows 10 update version 1903 click Here and Here

The Last of Us Part II

2019-09-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Last of Us Part II, an upcoming action-adventure, survival horror, singe player game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PS 4. The game is a sequel to 2013's The Last of Us and is set five years after the events of the first game, with players controlling an older Ellie who comes into conflict with a mysterious cult in a post-apocalyptic United States. This sequel was announced at a PlayStation Experience event in December 2016, and will be released on February 21, 2020.

This game is also awarded “Most Anticipated Game of the Year” by PlayStation Blog, “Most Wanted Game” at Golden Joystick Awards and Most Anticipated Game at The Game Awards in the year 2017. In 2018 it also received special commendation for its Graphics and Sound at the Game Critics Awards

Joel and Ellie’s emotional story will continue in The Last Of Us Part 2 with an older, and angrier Ellie. Recent trailers showcase a stark and beautiful tale tinged with a helping of ultra-violence, and now we finally have an idea of the sequel’s rough plot structure and gameplay mechanics. Oh, and Naughty Dog finally spilled the beans on the long-awaited release date, too. Unlike the last installment, it seems Ellie will be the sole protagonist, the player taking control of her throughout the entire campaign. However, Naughty Dog loves to keep players guessing, so we wouldn’t be surprised if we step into Joel’s elderly shoes later into the narrative. Ellie is still young and prone to rash decisions without considering the consequences – a personality trait which leads her on a deadly mission of revenge that lays at the centre of The Last of Us 2. Ever since its reveal, it’s been clear that Ellie will depart on a journey of vengeance, bitter and bloody as she tears countless souls apart over her own anguish. The source of this is now clear. It appears her romantic partner, Dina, has been murdered or kidnapped by a mysterious cult known as The Seraphites. Before her fate is revealed the screen fades to black, purposely leading us into an ambiguous realm of speculation. She might’ve met a fate worse than death to make Ellie so relentless in her pursuit. However, she isn’t the only returning character. Other familiar faces will re-emerge to hold Ellie back from the brink, hoping to warn her of the dangers that waits – knowing a journey of hateful demolition will only breed more violence. It’s a vicious cycle, and one arguably perpetuated by Joel – Ellie’s father figure in this broken world. The lies he told to keep her close in the first game have arguably shaped her view on society, how people are programmed to lie and take advantage of her for their own means. So, whenever she grows close with somebody, those foolish enough to threaten that bond need to pay. Get a detailed review of the game here.

Best Desktop PC of 2019 On A Budget

2019-09-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

HP Pavilion Wave A Powerful Budget Desktop PC

Is this a speaker or a PC? You’ve never seen a desktop like this before. Because there’s never been any. A powerful desktop with fully integrated audio, and sleek modern style is the HP Pavilion Wave. You are never going to look at your PC the same way again.

Impressive Power:

Guys Don’t get fooled by its compact profile. HP has packed all the power and performance of a standard Desktop in a fraction of the space. Get the versatile performance of a Intel® Core™ i5 processor, 8GB memory and lightning-fast SSD storage.

Revolutionary Design:

HP re-engineered the traditional tower with efficiency and elegance in mind. 85% volume reduction is done compared to conventional towers, the HP Pavilion Wave is a compact, space-saving marvel. HP Pavilion is small enough to fit almost anywhere, and powerful enough to handle any task you can give it.

Stunning Surround Sound:

It is the HP's first tower with a built-in speaker that turns your PC into a home theater and is designed to project sound for incredible clarity at any angle.

Quality-Woven Exterior:

It has quality-woven exterior material. It was created to allow proper audio transmission while retaining the texture and design of the fabric. The sides designed as vents at the top of the device allow sound to project out.

Built-In Microphone and Cortana:

It comes complete with your new personal assistant. With the built-in microphone, you can ask Cortana to set up reminders, search the web or play your favourite song, simply by using your voice.

Media Streaming and Bluetooth:

HP Pavilion Wave supports media streaming and bluetooth so you can connect it to your TV for a media streaming hub.

Dual Monitor Support:

The HP Pavilion Wave supports one 4K display or two QHD displays, with blazing fast video memory. You can add a second display for a more productive computing experience.

Product Specs:

Windows 10 operating system
6th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-6400T processor 2.2 GHZ
Quad Core Intel Core i5-6400T processor 2.2GHz (6M Cache) Turbo boost to 2.8 GHzIntel Turbo Boost Technology delivers dynamic extra power when you need it, while increasing energy efficiency when you don't.
8GB DDR4 system memory for advanced multitasking
128GB SSD +1TB 7200 RPM hard drive for ample file storage space and fast performance
Cloud support lets you access your files anywhere
Built-in media reader for simple photo transfer
Supports SD, SDHC and SDXC memory card formats.
3 USB 3.0 ports maximize the latest high-speed devices
Also includes 1 USB 3.1 Type-C port
Wireless and wired network connectivity
Bluetooth 4.2 interface syncs with compatible devices
Wireless keyboard and wireless mouse reduce cable clutter
Additional ports
HDMI output for a high-def monitor or HDTV. 1 DisplayPort. 1 HDMI output. 1 microphone-in/headphone-out combo jack.
small frame with dimensions of 235 x 168 x 173mm

Note: This computer does not include a built-in DVD/CD drive. This PC may not be available in new condition but a refurbished one can be bought for $ 250.00 to $ 300.00.

Convert your Non-Smart LED TV to Smart LED TV by MXQ Pro 4K Android TV BOX

2019-09-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is an era of evolving technology. Everything has become smart, be it our cell phones, our watches and our TVs. Though Smart TVs are still not that common in third world countries but still you don’t have to worry at all and can stream your favourite shows on your non-smart LED TVs by using a Multimedia over the set top boxes. Today we are going to tell you about a famous and most economical Android TV Box for non-smart LED TVs. It’s the MXQ Pro 4K

SPECIFICATIONS

· CPU: MXQ Pro 4K features a very capable 2 GHz Quadcore Processor

· GPU: Penta Core Mai-450 GPU

· RAM: 1 GB of RAM ( a bit low when compared to other models)

· Storage: 8 GB ROM (32 GB SD Card Supported)

· Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Ethernet

· OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow (Android 7 on Latest Models)

INSTALLATION

The installation of this TV Box is simple. We will do it in three steps.

1. Connect the box to your TV Set

MXQ Android TV Box comes with an HDMI Cable so connect the HDMI Cable to HDMI Port on your Box and your TV. All the LED TVs these days comes with HDMI Ports. Now plug the power adapter in to your MXQ Pro Android TV Box and turn it on using the remote. Don’t forget your turn your TV On as well 

2. How to setup WIFI or Internet on MXQ Pro 4K

An internet connection/WIFI is mandatory to stream media via android box to your TV. If you have one then follow the steps below

Connect the box to your TV Set via HDMI Cable
Connect the Internet with android TV Box via a wireless router
Go to Settings on you android box
Select WIFI
Choose your WIFI Connection
Now enter your password and connect it

And it’s Done ;)

3. Setup KODI or PLEX

The most organized media centers are Kodi and Pex. What ever we are doing here is for watching Movies, Cartoons or other streaming videos.MXQ Android TV Box comes with MX Player or VLC but with KODI or PLEX we can do all sort of stuff from streaming to playing videos. Before installing KODI Addons, we have to install Kodi repositories first.
Repositories are basically addons put on various servers around the Internet. So you need to download the repositories zip file. When you have found the zip file, download the zip file. And follow these directions to install them to your Android TV Box.

Navigate to Kodis main screen and select the addons section –and navigate to file manager. Then, Select add the source by double clicking on the option.
Now, Select install from zip file and then navigate to the repository you want to install and double click on it. Wait until the completion message is shown.
Navigate to the main menu and select install from the repository
Now from repository search for addons that you want to install, double click on it and wait for installation to complete

Now you are all set, Browse the menus and enjoy HD Streaming on MXQ Pro 4K Android TV Box :)

XBOX One-X (The Most Powerful Gaming Console)

2019-06-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to introduce the worlds most powerful gaming console XBOX One-X. With 40% more power than any other console, experience immersive true 4K gaming. Games play better on Xbox One X. The 8-core Custom AMD CPU is clocked at 2.3GHz to bring enhanced AI, real world detail, and smoother interactions to your gaming. 12GB GDDR5 of graphic memory add speed and power to game performance to enable bigger worlds, further horizons, and quicker load times. A 6 Teraflop GPU enables 4K environments and characters to become more realistic than ever, with more detail and smoother animations. Game graphics are faster and more detailed with 326 GB/sec memory bandwidth, to keep your gaming momentum flowing. The gaming engine used in this console is called SCORPIO. All that power doesn’t mean more heat and noise. Xbox One X uses advanced liquid cooling and the supercharger-style centrifugal fan to ensure it stays cool. Xbox One X uses the hovis method, a cutting edge digital power delivery system that custom tunes each console’s voltage. The Xbox One X is compatible with all existing Xbox One software and accessories. To assist in optimizing the new hardware to run existing games at 4K resolution, Microsoft developers used internal debugging software to collect GPU traces from major titles that did not run at full 1080p resolution on the original Xbox One. Halo 5: Guardians, which uses a scaling system that dynamically lowers the game's resolution when needed to maintain a consistent frame rate, was able to run at its native resolution with no scaling on Xbox One X hardware. Phil Spencer also touted that Xbox One X's hardware could also be used to support virtual reality, due to its power, price point, and convenience. At the 2017 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft announced plans to support Windows Mixed Reality VR headsets on Xbox One in 2018, but the company later stated that it was initially focusing on PC platforms first, and that it wanted to focus on wireless VR solutions for consoles. Thats it for today, stay tuned for more details on this product.

XBOX 360 Best Selling Games List

2018-03-27T02:19:00.001-07:00

Many of XBOX 360 gamers face some hard luck playing some of the best games that has been released for XBOX 360. So we've prepared a list for them so that they can get their hands on them and beat the hell out of their consoles 👊

Title	Total Copies Sold	Release Dates	Genre
Kinect Adventures	24 million	NA: November 4, 2010 EU: November 10, 2010 AU: November 18, 2010	Sports
Grand Theft Auto V	17.79 million	WW: September 17, 2013	Sandbox game
Halo 3	14.5 million	NA: September 25, 2007 AU: September 25, 2007 EU: September 26, 2007	First-person shooter
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim	13.7 million	WW: November 11, 2011	Action role-playing game
Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition	13 million	WW: May 9, 2012	Sandbox game
Call of Duty: Black Ops	12 million	WW: November 9, 2010	First-person shooter
Halo 4	9.41 million	November 6, 2012	First-person shooter
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2	7.562 million	November 10, 2009	First-person shooter
Gears of War	5 million	NA: November 7, 2006 EU: November 17, 2006 AU: November 23, 2006 JP: January 18, 2007	Third-person shooter
Gears of War 2	5 million	WW: November 7, 2008	Third-person shooter
Halo: Reach	4.79 million	September 14, 2010	First-person shooter
Batman: Arkham City	4.6 million	October 18, 2011	Action-adventure game
Grand Theft Auto IV	4.362 million	April 29, 2008	Action-adventure game
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare	4.211 million	November 5, 2007	First-person shooter

For a complete list of best selling XBOX 360 Best Selling Games List please click here

XBOX 360 vs XBOX One

2018-03-27T00:20:00.001-07:00

XBOX 360 vs XBOX One

Today we are going to give console gamers and gaming enthusiasts an idea of what's the big deal in between XBOX 360 and Xbox One. As we all know that Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The name Xbox was derived from a contraction of DirectX Box, a reference to Microsoft's graphics API, DirectX. It represents a series of video game consoles developed by Microsoft, XBOX Original, XBOX 360 and XBOX One. The brand also represents applications (games), streaming services, and an online service by the name of Xbox Live. The brand was first introduced in the United States in November 2001, with the launch of the original Xbox console. That original device was the first video game console offered by an American company after the Atari Jaguar stopped sales in 1996. It reached over 24 million units sold as of May 2006. Microsoft's second console, the Xbox 360, was released in 2005 and has sold over 77.2 million consoles worldwide as of April 2013. The successor to the Xbox 360 and Microsoft's most recent console, the Xbox One, was revealed in May 2013. The Xbox One has been released in 21 markets in total, with a Chinese release in September 2014.

XBOX 360

The Xbox 360 was released as the successor of the original Xbox in November 2005, competing with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. As of June 30, 2013, 78.2 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold worldwide. The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The console sold out completely upon release in all regions except in Japan. The Xbox 360 showed an expanded Xbox Live service (which now included a limited "Free" tier called Silver), the ability to stream multimedia content from PCs, while later updates added the ability to purchase and stream music, television programs, and films through the Xbox Music and Xbox Video services, along with access to third-party content services through third-party media streaming applications. Microsoft also released Kinect, a motion control system for the Xbox 360 which uses an advanced sensor system. At their E3 presentation on June 14, 2010, Microsoft announced a redesigned Xbox 360 (XBOX 360 S) that would ship on the same day. The redesigned console is slimmer than the previous Xbox 360 model and features integrated 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio output, five USB 2.0 ports (compared to the three from older versions) and special port designed for the Kinect peripheral. Older models of the Xbox 360 have since been discontinued. The first new console to be released features a 250 GB hard drive, while a later less expensive SKU features 4 GB internal storage.

XBOX One

The Xbox One was released on November 22, 2013 in North America, as the successor of the Xbox 360. The Xbox One competes with Sony's PlayStation 4 and Nintendo's Wii U and Switch as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles. Announced on May 21, 2013, the Xbox One now has a large emphasis on internet-based features; including the ability to record and stream gameplay, and the ability to integrate with a set-top box to watch cable or satellite TV through the console with an enhanced guide interface and Kinect-based voice control.

After an overwhelmingly negative response from critics and consumers (who also showed concerns that the system could prevent or hinder the resale of used games), Microsoft announced that these restrictions would be dropped. Microsoft was also criticized for requiring the Xbox One to have its updated Kinect peripheral plugged in to function, which critics and privacy advocates believed could be used as a surveillance device. As a gesture toward showing a commitment to user privacy, Microsoft decided to allow the console to function without Kinect. On June 13, 2016, Microsoft announced the Xbox One S, a slimmer version of the Xbox One, at E3 2016. Its new casing is 40% smaller than the original design, and supports vertical orientation with a stand. The capacitive power and eject keys were replaced by physical buttons, the side USB port and controller sync button were moved to the front of the console, and its power supply is integrated into the console's casing rather than sitting externally. Xbox One S requires a USB adapter to attach a Kinect sensor, as it no longer includes the proprietary port used on the original model. A free USB adapter was provided by Microsoft to Kinect owners who registered their ownership of Kinect and Xbox One S online, but this promotion ended in March 2017. The adapter was sold separately thereafter, but has since been discontinued.

Below is side by side comparison of both consoles that will give a more clear understanding of the article

Top 5 XBOX 360 Games (2017-18)

2018-03-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

This time, we are looking at a short review list of 5 XBOX 360 games that are worth purchasing. Although each of the game offers unique possibilities, they are joined by one cause and that is the endless possibilities of replay and a lot of gaming hours. Below is the list of games that we are going to discuss.

1. Mass Effect 3

2. Mirror's Edge & Mirror's Edge Catalyst

3. Gears of War 3

4. Alan Wake

5. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

1. Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 is an action role-playing third person shooter video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U.[1] Officially announced on December 11, 2010, the game was released March 6, 2012 and marks the final chapter in the original Mass Effect trilogy of video games, completing the story of Commander Shepard. A Wii U version was announced during Nintendo's conference at E3 2012. The Wii U port was developed by Australian developer Straight Right, and was released as a Wii U launch game under the title Mass Effect 3: Special Edition. The combat system in Mass Effect 3 was changed and refined from previous titles. In particular, the cover system was improved, additional options for traversing the battlefield and scoring instant melee kills were added, more conventional grenades are available, and improved artificial intelligence was introduced.

A four player multiplayer co-op mode is also available. Some of the cut scenes for Mass Effect 3 are influenced by decisions made in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, for players who have completed those games, with minimal to no effect on the gameplay. Like its predecessors, Mass Effect 3 was released to commercial success and critical acclaim. Critics praised the emotionally powerful storytelling, art direction, improved combat, characters, soundtrack and voice acting. However, the game's endings were criticized by many players and critics as rushed, unfulfilling, and most importantly did not reflect the decisions made in predecessors, prompting the release of a free extended cut DLC (downloadable content) which elaborated on the consequences of the ending chosen and the choices made by the player throughout the series, as well as clearing up elements of the story. It was nominated for five awards at the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards and it won Best RPG of 2012. A new installment in the series, Mass Effect: Andromeda, was released on March 21, 2017.

2. Mirror's Edge & Mirror's Edge Catalyst

Mirror's Edge is a first-person action-adventure platformer developed by EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was announced on July 10, 2007, and was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in November 2008. A Microsoft Windows version was released on January 13, 2009. Mirror's Edge is powered by the Unreal Engine 3, with the addition of a new lighting solution, developed by Illuminate Labs in association with DICE.

Mirror's Edge is set in a quasi-futuristic dystopian society, in which a network of 'runners', including the main character, Faith Connors, act as couriers to transmit messages while evading government surveillance. In the style of a three-dimensional platform game, the player guides Faith over rooftops, across walls, through ventilation shafts, and otherwise within urban environments, negotiating obstacles using movements inspired by parkour. The game has a brightly colored style and differs from most previous first-person perspective video games in allowing for a greater freedom of movement with regard to its 3D environment. This allows for a wider range of actions—such as sliding under barriers, tumbling, wall-running, and shimmying across ledges; in having no heads-up display; and in allowing a range of vision which incorporated the legs, arms, and torso of the character as frequently visible elements on-screen. A reboot, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, was officially announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 and released on June 7, 2016 for XBOX One and Windows.

3. Gears of War 3

Gears of War set the bar for Xbox 360 graphics pretty high in 2006, but it was polished and perfected later by Gears of War 3. Gears 3 looks totally gorgeous with the best lighting, particle effects, and explosions in the series. It still looks fantastic even today. Gears of War 3 is a 2011 military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the third installment of the Gears of War series. Originally due for release on April 8, 2011, the game was delayed and eventually released on September 20, 2011. The story was written by science fiction author Karen Traviss.

Like its predecessors, the game received widespread critical acclaim from critics. Critics praised its story, voice acting, graphics and visuals, and music, but criticized its lack of innovation. Gears of War 3 sold over 3 million copies and was the second best selling game in the US. Gears of War 3 takes place two years after Jacinto, humanity's last stronghold, is destroyed in an effort to completely eradicate the Locust Horde. The Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) remnants relocate to Vectes, a secluded island, in order to rebuild their civilization. The COG then disbands after Chairman Prescott mysteriously disappears and seemingly abandons his forces. A new foe, the Lambent, are threatening humanity's dwindling numbers. As the Lambent begin to invade Vectes, Marcus Fenix and his comrades retreat to the CNV Sovereign, a helicopter carrier, and take refuge at sea. A sequel, titled Gears of War 4, was announced in June 2015 and was released on October 11, 2016 for XBOX One and Windows.

4. Alan Wake

Alan Wake still stands as one of the best horror games on Xbox 360, and even going on 5+ years old, it still looks awesome. The lighting effects are absolutely top-notch, which isn't surprising considering that light is your greatest weapon in the game. Everything else looks fantastic too, of course.

Alan Wake is an action-adventure video game developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios, released for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The story follows best-selling thriller novelist Alan Wake, as he tries to uncover the mystery behind his wife's disappearance during a vacation in the small fictional town of Bright Falls, Washington, all while experiencing events from the plot in his latest novel, which he cannot remember writing, coming to life. In its pacing and structure, Alan Wake is similar to a thriller television series, with episodes that contain plot twists and cliffhangers. The game itself consists of six episodes, and the fiction is continued by two special episodes, titled "The Signal" and "The Writer", that were made available as downloadable content (DLC) within the same year of the game's release. Together, they make the first season of a possibly longer story. Additionally, a six-episode live-action web series called Bright Falls acts as a prequel to the game, and a number of related books also expand upon the Alan Wake story.

Chiefly written by Sam Lake, Alan Wake took over five years to create—an unusually long development time in the game industry. The game received positive reviews from critics, and is often praised for its visuals, sound, narrative, pacing, and atmosphere. Alan Wake was awarded the first spot in Time magazine's list of the top 10 video games of 2010. Alan Wake's American Nightmare, a full stand-alone title, was released in February 2012 on the Xbox Live Arcade service. A sequel was in development but was cancelled. However, the scrapped sequel became the foundation and inspiration of Remedy's next title, Quantum Break.

5. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Japanese: アルティメットマーヴル VS. カプコン3 Hepburn: Arutimetto Māvuru bāsasu Kapukon Surī) is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The game was released in November 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and was featured as a launch title for the PlayStation Vita in 2012. The game was later ported to PlayStation 4 in December 2016, and Xbox One and Microsoft Windows in March 2017. In Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, players select a team of three characters to engage in combat and attempt to knock out their opponents. As an update, the game utilizes largely identical gameplay mechanics to the original. However, both the aerial combat and X-Factor systems, introduced in Fate of Two Worlds, have received adjustments. In addition to gameplay modifications and new playable characters, the game features several aesthetic changes. After the events of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disrupted the development schedule for downloadable content for Fate of Two Worlds, the additional content was created into a standalone title, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, for a discounted retail price. The game received generally positive reviews upon release; critics praised the expanded character roster and improved online experience, but criticized the lack of new features and game modes. A sequel, titled Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, was released in September 2017 for XBOX One, Windows and PS4.

Graphics Card for HP DC7900 CMT

2018-03-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

Hello, A lot of Intermediate gamers and other budget PC users are still using their old pal HP DC 7900 CMTs. The reason behind this is it was among the best core2duo PC of its time with 4GB DDR Memory and the best Core2duo E8400 (6M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB). People often ask which GPU will best fit this rig and many of the user have installed different Low Profile GPUs like Geforce GT-210, GT-730, GT-740 etc but these GPUs are not worthy of gaming at all. If you want to play real games like GTA-V, Battlefield-2,3,4, Crysis-2,3, FarCry-2,3,4 Assassin's Creed: Origins, Fifa-12,13,14,15, Counter Strike:GO, DOTA-2 etc then go for MSI Geforce GTX-750ti Low Profile GPU. You will not need to get another PSU as the Stock PSU is going to work with it flawlessly. This 2 GB Edition is a special edition of NVIDIA's Fast-Middle-Class Geforce GTX-750ti, created by MSI. The architecture is 28nm Maxwell with 40 TMUs, 43 GTexel/s, 16 ROPs, 2GB GDDR5, 128 Bit MBus for detailed specs click here and here . I would also recommend ASUS Geforce GTX-750ti Low Profile card and KFA2 Geforce GTX-750ti Low Profile card as these two will easily fit inside PCI-E x16 Slot of your HP DC-7900 CMT and if u can't fit any of these then Use the white PCI-E Slot instead. The GPUs will work without significant loss of any performance. I'll highly recommend you guys to go for a single slot one please. The budget price can be between 100-150$.

Installing HL2 the easiest way

2011-12-25T05:46:00.000-08:00

Hello today i will show you guys how to download Half life 2 for free

you will need
Utorrent:

utorrent.com/

Winrar:
download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=WinRAR+32+bit+&tag=404&am...
Half Life 2 Torrent
megaupload.com/?d=8A5C0Z4B
Heres what you need to do
1. Download utorrent
2. Download winrar
3. Download the half life torrent
4. Go to your downloads folder open half life 2 then run the install
5. Go to computer/c: drive/half life 2
6. Rename the hl2 application to hl2-steam-console
7. Righ click on hl2-steam-console go to properties then compatibility and select your operating system press apply and ok
8. Play the game

Max Payne 3 (PC, PS, XBOX)

2010-02-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

Max Payne 3 retains many trademarks of its predecessors; a focus on story and character-driven action, a large number of sophisticated weapons with dual-wield capabilities, Bullet-Time, an addiction to painkillers, mature themes and Max’s ever-present internal monologue. Max Payne 3 also utilizes Natural Motion and Rockstar’s own RAGE engine, working with brand-new particle physics technology to deliver spectacular, highly advanced close-quarters combat, an intelligent cover system, and constantly varied gameplay in every level. For more info read this.

Halo 2 XP Installation

2010-02-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

There are so many guys willing to run Halo 2 on Win-XP. While surfing the net i just found a solution for such guys. Now you can easily install Halo 2 on Win-XP. For more info see this Halo 2 XP Installation .

Call Of Duty 6: Modern Warfare 2 ( PC, PS, XBOX 360 )

2009-10-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

Infinity Ward has done it again … amazingly so. Just when you start thinking that the latest iteration in the Call of Duty general franchise can’t look any better, Infinity Ward proves that idea to be totally wrong.

Activision was showing off Modern Warfare 2, the sequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, during the Electronic Entertainment Exposition in Los Angeles with a special media viewing behind closed doors. There was no trailer, just a level called ‘Cliffhanger’ that was demonstrated by IW’s Robert Bowling. In a word – wow!

Modern Warfare 2 resets the visceral bar, with fantastic facial animations, and NPC animations that are a combination of motion capture and hand animated but are smooth, lifelike and fast.

The environment details almost stole the demonstration. In the Cliffhanger setting, players start off on the face of a mountain and do a little scaling up the icy side of a wall using picks. As each pick buries the end into the ice, you see the cracks; move too slow and the ice breaks loose and your character (‘Roach’) will fall. The missions were given by the senior enlisted man on the mission, your partner. Essentially Roach and MacTavish were to penetrate a mountain-top airbase and blow up the fuel depot. While on the top of the mountain, a bit of a snow flurry moves in, which really highlighted the newest technology applied to the game – streaming textures.

Of course, no CoD mission is easy and the assault soon turns into a running gun battle. Bowling deftly picked off a would-be attacker coming at Roach on a snowmobile. The snowmobile, once its driver was killed, did not merely slow down and stop, but careened wildly, striking and killing Roach.

Oh well, there is the auto-save respawn point …

The snowmobile avoided, Roach and MacTavish slide down a hill, still pursued by foot soldiers and snowmobile-driving soldiers. A couple of the snowmobile drivers are picked off and the snowmobiles are appropriated by the good guys for their escape.

With the roar of the snowmobile engines filling the air, the flight to freedom was on; but, of course, not without challenge. Roach was driving with his right hand and shooting his pistol at attackers (also on snowmobiles) with his left – all while avoiding the attacks from helicopters and the trees that dotted the escape path.

It was truly an amazing moment in the level and for the series on a whole. The world is larger in Modern Warfare 2, and the entire game runs at 60 frames per second.

Modern Warfare 2 will release on the 360, PC and PS3 on November 10^th 2009

BATMAN (Arkham Asylum)

2009-10-10T01:33:00.000-07:00

You knew it was coming. When every masked vigilante and obscure superhero starts making appearances in games and film, the big guys are sure to make an appearance. Batman is arguably the most recognizable superhero ever conceived, yet when it comes time for such heroes to make a jump into the realm of digital gaming, they often fail to impress. The resurgence of Batman’s popularity following the acclaimed Nolan films suggests that a new game must be comparable in tone, with a dark and brutal atmosphere. Fans will rejoice in the knowledge that Batman’s latest venture, Arkham Asylum, is also his greatest yet.

Given the historically low bar for franchise-based video-games, this may seem a trivial achievement. However, this is not merely an excellent game. Arkham Asylum elevates Batman to the realm of his finest cinematic productions and most beloved graphic novel depictions. Interestingly, the design of the game is an amalgamation of several forms of Batman. The visual style, lavishly detailed thanks to the Unreal engine, mimics the style of a comic; Batman’s sculpted abdominal muscles are more reminiscent of a comic than a movie, while the Joker’s visage is freakishly exaggerated, truly a nightmarish clown of homicidal intent. There is also an obvious precedent for the voice acting in Arkham Asylum, with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill playing the Batman and the Joker respectively, reprising their roles from the Batman Animated Series.

Also of note is the script, or more specifically, the person responsible for writing it. Paul Dini is known for his work on the Animated Series as well, but rarely are his talents displayed in such grandeur as this. The premise of Arkham Asylum is a simple one: the Joker has taken over, freed all the violent criminals within, and made the entire facility his own little circus with Batman under the spotlight, naturally. As the game progresses, it becomes clear that considerable thought has been given to the storyline – this is not just some mediocre action title with Batman-themed geometry. Dini’s vast experience with the characters, as well as the undisputed abilities of the cast, truly bring Arkham Asylum to life. The entire development team should be congratulated for creating a Batman world of unparalleled credibility.

This credibility is fundamental in creating what might be considered the first authentic Batman experience. It would not be stretch to call Arkham Asylum a “Batman Simulation”, in fact. As a comic-book character, it is the credibility of Batman’s world that makes him so compelling, not simply the realism. When you’re using “Detective Vision,” Batman is essentially scrutinizing multiple spectrums with a fidelity exceeding any known scanning equipment. Does any of this detract from the game? Of course not. It’s easy to throw fantastic elements around and write it off as “just a game”, but in the Batman universe, there is always a satisfactory excuse (Batman’s unique access to original and obscure technologies, for example). Perhaps more impressive is the fact that many will not even stop to question such things, because the game itself is so gloriously immersive.

Not surprisingly, Arkham Asylum seems to take more than a few hints from good ol’ Sam Fisher of Splinter Cell fame. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; in fact, I would argue that Splinter Cell works so well, many of its mechanics are worth studying. One of the underlying principles of stealth-based gameplay is that you must see the enemy before they see you. This is obviously easier when the game is presented in third person, and when the player is able to find concealment in the shadows. The alternative vision modes are the most extreme example of heightened situational awareness. Enemies can stand out like a sore thumb, making the hunt seem almost too easy at times. The abilities of Batman might make him seem a little overpowered at times, but why complain? After all, he is a superhero, and that’s how it should be.

Within any given context, there are plenty of options for mixing things up, and acting out your very own Batman moments. Rappel down to an unsuspecting guard to snatch him up like an ambush predator. Watch his fellow inmates panic when they discover his limp body, suspended in the air like a hunting trophy. See them scatter and search, only to get picked off one at a time, victims of the terrifying Batman. Track them and hunt them, sneaking up on them from behind and striking from the shadows. Of course, Batman doesn’t actually “kill” his enemies, only knocking them unconscious before moving on to another area of interest. Rest assured, there is still plenty of violence to be had.

The hand-to-hand combat is simple enough that you won’t feel much fear when pummeling goons. Stringing together moves can be done with little more than a few successive attacks, and some variety can be found in the form of counters and special moves. This is probably the biggest fault I can find with Arkham Asylum. The combat feels a bit watered down to appeal to more casual gamers. It would have been nice to see more in the way of counter attacks, with Batman-esque moves that turn the enemies’ aggression against them. The boss battles, although visually interesting, are also something of a letdown – primarily because they simply do not feel like boss battles at all.

Despite these disappointments, Arkham Asylum is an outstanding piece of digital entertainment. The musical score is appropriately moody, the sounds effects have plenty of oomph, and the voice acting is easily some of the best you’ll get in a video game. It should come as no surprise that the PC version of Arkham Asylum happens to be the prettiest. In fact, if your PC can handle all the high-end effects, this will be one of the best looking games in your library. Unless you are absolutely disgusted by Batman or action games in general, there is really no reason to pass on Arkham Asylum. It is truly Batman’s finest hour.

Review Scoring Details for Batman: Arkham Asylum

Gameplay: 8.8
The boss fights and combat mechanics feel a little weak, but everything else works extremely well. Great pacing, variety, and some surprisingly good replayability thanks to the Riddler.

Graphics: 9.5
If your PC is up to snuff, I daresay that Batman has never looked so good.

Sound: 9.5
Superb audio design, with the voice performances being one of the game’s strongest points.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Batman dominates his foes physically, but there’s plenty of mayhem to keep him on his toes.

Concept: 9.0
Alright, so it’s Batman. Even so, the story is original, and the blend of combat, stealth, and detective gameplay is really fantastic.

Overall: 9.2
This is the first game that truly grants players an opportunity to be Batman, whether he’s using his intellect or his fists. Anyone with even a modicum of interest in playing an awesome Batman game should pick up Arkham Asylum, without any hesitation.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-10-10T00:35:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince falls somewhere in between those games, offering characters and gameplay elements that will draw you in – and others that will turn you off. The lifelike character designs are superb; the only thing that hurts them is their facial expressions, which I doubt anyone expected to be good anyway. (Excluding MGS and Mass Effect, bad facial expressions are insanely common these days.) This helps you care for the cast, even though the voice acting is a little weak. Even better, the music – which you’ll hear more than character dialogue – is joyous and boisterous without being too bombastic.

These features make it easy to like the Half-Blood Prince as a connected moviegoer. The gameplay is where things get a little tricky because everything it provides is potentially entertaining. So what’s the problem, then? Every feature you’re about to discover is spoon-fed to the player. While not quite a cakewalk, the game is without any significant challenges; the only time you could possibly be stumped is when trying to figure out where to go next. Potter’s world is fairly large this time around, and there’s no way you’ll remember every location. Thus, the developers included a handy – and very necessary – level guide in the form of Nearly Headless Nick.

Part of me can’t complain about Nearly Headless Nick because the game would be torture without him. But by creating a game like this, one that needs a level guide, the Half-Blood Prince is quickly watered down with go here, go there escapades. Players will backtrack more times than they can count – and no, having a guide doesn’t make that experience any less repetitive. It merely makes it more tolerable, because without the guide you would be completely lost.

Some of you may be quick to point out that there have been plenty of great games that made backtracking acceptable. I agree. But in this game, you’re going to endure an awful lot of it just to fight with magic, produce a bunch of potions, and participate in numerous Quidditch events.

Just Like Magic

The Half-Blood Prince isn’t like most adventure games, which introduce new enemies by the caseload. Instead, you’ll fight them only when the story corresponds with a battle. Side characters will test Potter’s skills every now and then, and he can join the Dueling Club for additional battles. You’ll probably want to, since this is by far the most exciting part of the game.

Battles consist of two characters, two life meters and as many spells as they can cast. Most of the spells are easy to perform and require nothing more than a push of the right thumbstick. For some spells, such as Expelliarmus, both sticks are used (push them outward simultaneously). Only a half-dozen spells are offered, but you can use them to stun, knock down and levitate your opponents, all the while inflicting damage that will slowly eat away at their life meters. Most enemy attacks can be dodged with ease, but if that’s not good enough, Protego gives you the ability to deflect a spell.

Airborne Harry

You can’t play a game of Quidditch without hopping on a broom and leaping into the air. So when Potter decides it’s time to compete, he’ll do just that. Meanwhile, the player will be responsible for maneuvering Potter through a series of star-shaped rings that appear in the level. These stars give you extra time, which is noted on screen by the color of the next star you encounter (if it’s red, you’re nearly out of time).

While cool at first, this mini-game isn’t much more than a glorified and graphically rich arcade flight sim – a really primitive one where the only goal is to keep moving. Assuming you last till the end, the Golden Snitch will be acquired automatically.

Let’s Make a Potion

Harry Potter meets Cooking Mama? Not quite. In this frequent mini-game, players must take a whole bunch of weird ingredients (bugs, poison, various liquids, etc.), drop them in a caldron and heat or stir until the color changes. Heating requires a few pumps from the right thumbstick (push it up and down until it reaches the desired color); stirring requires a few spins (turn it counter-clockwise). Each potion-making session is timed, which can make it a little more challenging than, say, dodging a poorly thrown blast of magic. But it doesn’t take long before this becomes repetitive.

New ingredients are constantly being added to try and expand the variety, but that only makes the process take longer (more ingredients means longer potions). The game also expands on what you have to do to complete the potion. In the beginning you won’t have to shake (push the thumbstick up and down) an ingredient before adding it; after a while, however, certain potions will require that you do so.

Still, it isn’t enough. Potion-making might – a big might – appeal to young girls, but that seems to conflict with the rest of the game. It’s not anti-girl or anything, but it doesn’t feel like a game that women of any age will flock to.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince isn’t a horrible game by any means, but its gameplay doesn’t extend past two mini-games and a bunch of spell-based battles. Diehard Harry Potter fans will like it but they probably won’t love it. Rent it for certain – and definitely play it before making a purchase.

Scoring Details

Gameplay: 6.6
Each game type (flying, battling and making potions) is decent at first. One of them – battling – stays entertaining. Not monumentally addictive, but good enough to keep you playing. The other two, however, are much too easy and much too repetitive.

Graphics: 8
Potter's world looks good, but the character designs are the best part. Just be sure and brace yourself for when they open their mouths. The effect isn't pretty.

Sound: 8.3
Ignore the voice acting and embrace the score. Wait, who am I kidding? I don't have to tell you that. You're going to love this music no matter what.

Difficulty: Easy
There were moments when I stepped out of my room, stood in the hallway and peeked over at the TV in another room – all the while playing the Half-Blood Prince successfully.

Concept: 6.8
Harry Potter games need more than Quidditch flying, magic battles and potion development.

Multiplayer: 5
Club Dueling for two, which is fun for about 20 minutes.

Overall: 6.9
Before playing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, you should first be a huge Harry Potter fan. Second, you should have a high tolerance for backtracking and mini-game repetition. Third, you must be able to enjoy a game that isn't challenging (some players just can't do that). There are tons of trivial, easily-awarded trophies and a bunch of other collectible extras that should appeal to a certain crowd. But for most, this game won't outlast the lifespan of a rental.

Wolfenstein (PC, PS3, XBox-360, GBA)

2009-07-06T03:40:00.000-07:00

Set within a near-fictional, historical WWII setting, players take on the role of the heroic OSA agent BJ Blazkowicz as they are thrust into the unknown and unexpected to battle against combat troops, otherworldly forces, and the dark science created by a supernatural Nazi force hell-bent on world domination. Wolfenstein offers players an action-packed experience as they investigate the powers of a dark parallel dimension, join with resistance forces, and employ an arsenal of conventional and otherworldly weapons in attempts to annihilate the Nazi war machine. Ensuring a deep variety of action, Wolfenstein provides gamers with an assortment of interlinked missions that drive an intense, story-driven combat experience; while the Wolfenstein multiplayer experience continues the world-renowned tradition of class-based team objective gameplay with a full arsenal of conventional and supernatural weapons for addictive online warfare. Read more..

Nvidia GeForce 9600GT Review

2009-04-02T04:59:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty good time for PC gamers, especially when it comes to graphics cards. With two impressive products like the GeForce 8800 GT and Radeon HD 3870, gamers can see some solid performance in high-end DX9 games and playable performance in DX10 games without spending a fortune. In fact, it would only cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $250.
But $200 is somewhat of a "hard ceiling" for many PC owners. Sure they want to play some games, and they want them to look good and run well. But they don't have 24-inch widescreen monitors, they don't have superfast quad-core processors, and they can't yet justify spending more than $200 for a graphics card. The sub-$200 market is big, and the GeForce 8600-based products simply weren't cutting it anymore—not with the truly excellent Radeon HD 3850 coming in at well under $200 and blowing away the competition in that price range.
Finally we have Nvidia's answer, the GeForce 9600 GT. Based on the G94 chip, it is quite similar to the G92-based GeForce 8800 GT. The most striking difference is the reduction in shader units comes down to 64. But with aggressive clock speeds and a 256-bit memory interface, it is otherwise a very robust card.
Today we review EVGA's "SSC" version of the GeForce 9600 GT, a factory-overclocked version that should give gamers on a budget a reason to smile. Read More

Nvidia GeForce 9500GT Review

2009-02-23T02:31:00.000-08:00

NVIDIA’s new GeForce 9500 GT is the company’s latest weapon in its arsenal of sub-7000 PKR graphics cards but don’t let the relatively low price fool you. Of course the card won’t offer the same level of 3D performance as current high-end, more expensive products. However, its feature set is comparable to just about anything else on the market. And its power consumption is nice and low as well. Thanks to extremely consistent performance across our battery of benchmarks, it is very easy to summarize the new GeForce 9500 GT’s capabilities. The GeForce 9500 GT is measurably faster than the Radeon HD 3650 NVIDIA is targeting with this release, and it performs about on-par with the GeForce 8600 GTS, which debuted at a much higher price point. The GeForce 9500 GT, however, is no match for the somewhat more expensive GeForce 9600 GT or Radeon HD 3850… If street prices settle at or below the 7000 PKR range, the GeForce 9500 GT should be a rather compelling product for mainstream consumers. This is the Best Gmaing Card for Low Budget Gamers. Below is a 3DMark 06 OverAll Score for this card

After viewing these scores i would go for ATI Radeon HD 3850 as it is available in the same price as that of Nvidia's 9500 GT. Read more for this gaming PC Peripheral.

PC vs CONSOLE GAMING

2009-02-20T02:32:00.000-08:00

We always have a question mummering in our minds, if the PC can compete with new generation gaming consoles. Here is my opinion: You are well, probably not looking at this from the PC angle. This may go on for a little bit but it covers a lot of good ranting grounds in regards to video games, and if you start to read it, then finish it or you won't get what I'm trying to say. Most assuredly PC gaming will never die, especially when the consoles are just like stockcar PC's. My PC is very close to the specs of the PS3. The differences are small such as: I have Two gig of RAM, the PS3 has some ware around 256, though the new architecture is nice, it still isn't that much, especially for the little things like bodies and shell casings on the ground. Also the CPU clocks faster than mine and the CELL CPU is a nice piece of technology for size and price, but the AMD FX-55 even at 2.6 GHz still owns it with its 1.5 MB cache, which is the thing that counts the most in games; though it doesn't own it by much. My 6800 ultra is apparently less so than the PS3's but with the new 6800 ultra that has 512 MB of DDR3 RAM, that will more than make up for the slower clock speed, and if I had the money to waist I would get an SLI deck and be about 3-4 times faster than the PlayStation3 GPU. Online doesn't matter much, just who ever your ISP is, but PC's are upgradeable in ways that can help as well. Interface wise is all a matter of opinion, I was raised on the keyboard, so that is my preference, but I more than understand that an equal or more amounts of people were raised on the controller. Even in respects to that, the variety of PC controllers don't sit at the keyboard and mouse, variety from something alike a PlayStation 3 controller to a laser mouse in the model of a gun turning any FPS into a really violent version of duck hunt. Though I have to say the controller looks like I could hit people with it, and maybe toss it and have it come back to me. Games are a real to be decided category but now that consoles like the PlayStation 3 have caught up to the PC, console ports wont make my skin crawl, in fact gaming will be better in general for every one. Though the PlayStation 3 for the first year or so will probably have more releases than the PC as always, the new technology will make porting the game a near one click process, and not the back breaking process that it is to make a good cross console game these days. Never the less, I can only wait on this, but releases for the PC will be very well planed out as they usually are (PC exclusive releases that is). But the PS3 may have a lot of crap games released, either way it will still have the good ones, that will match up to what PC games can do for the most part of the first year or so it is out.Open ends: despite the new consoles internet access and the ability to mod it out on the PC and drop it back into the console, it will never be as open ended as the PC.

Consoles are still regulated by the corporations that birth them; the worst example of this is the Xbox 360. (I'm going to call it the Xbox 2 probably once or twice so don't hold it against me) The new Xbox has an ability to mod out things, then upload them and sell them for a buck or so, they call it "mini transactions" doesn't really matter, introducing mods, tweaks, and or home made maps in the same realm as money is a horrible idea, and knowing Microsoft, it will only expand further into something much worse, and that is bound to affect me as a PC gamer. PC's are a compilation of what tools are provided, and what tools exist that you can find on the net, whatever it takes to mod it, mess with it, or run it better; The consoles will no doubt be regulated to the core as to protect its copy rights, or worse. Longevity is also an issue that PC's own at. By the time the PlayStation 3 is released out in 2006, My PC that is neck and neck to it now, will be leagues ahead of it, either in just additions, or maybe in some new jump in technology.

The PlayStation 3 or any new console will stay as it is and grow older and older and will be rinse repeats till the new consoles come out. Its just too bad the PC games get consolitus towards the end of a consoles life, though there are a few games out there in this twilight period (for the Xbox and PS 2 this was started about 2 years ago until now where PC gamers feel the terrible effects at its worse of the out of date console games).Game concepts, PC games will have the real time strategy to boast over the consoles, just as consoles will have fighting games over the PC. RPG's are at a crossroads, mutually Morrowind and for the new consoles Oblivion (Xbox 360 maybe but PlayStation 3 is in the picture because Microsoft wont bend to Bethesda's needs in order to port it to the Xbox Live system since it is released in chunks as they finish them); any how, Oblivion is sort of the part were RPG is good on both the console and the PC in an even way, this is probably due to Bethesda's part in both development and publishing, giving it an unbiased view over PC or console, no need to make it any different when it doesn't have to be. Another aspect of concepts is that of just the game, this is just a common thing since it is real all up to the developer and as long as that developer isn't an Ubisoft related one, the game is the same for all the systems it is released on, unless hardware is an issue.

In conclusion, the PC isn't disappearing, its getting better, It may cost a lot to compete on the front lines for the first year or two with the consoles, but this isn't much if you are already a PC gamer though in the end it is a lot more money than the consoles are. You get what you pay for though and for those whose life is entrenched in video games, or for those who want the best of the best experience, the PC is still and will always be the way to go. But in defense of the consoles, for those who aren't 3,000 dollars into video games, and want a good premium yet depreciative gaming experience, then by all means go to the consoles, the important thing is that you are frying your brain with mind numbing violence.

The problems come when you hurt the other systems out of pure bullsh-t like what Microsoft has been doing with both its Windows XP monopoly hurting gaming performance, to releasing certain games in a series on the PC and not the sequel or so on. Let's not even talk about the screwing they pulled on the PS2. I understand the world of economics, and I also know that alienating people isn't the way to get them to comply. Attempting to force someone into a situation to buy a product by handicapping others ability to compete is a poor practice, and the Oil companies are finding this out, so will Microsoft hopefully with the PlayStation 3's massive upshot past it. If people would just make their system a better product in order to get sales instead of pulling legal bs on the competitors ability to compete or just spreading crap around about the opfor.

Fortunately the PC isn't a competitor company which puts us out of the way, but that also makes people think we don't exist, or where this whole thing started, The PC market is huge, and if you make a game worth buying for us it will fly off the shelves, look at Half-Life 2 (despite in store copies having bugs). Also its good to see games like Far Cry sell what they deserve now, Doom3, Raven-shield, BFV and BF 1942, Ghost Recon, COD, Morrowind, Max Payne; PC copies all sold in the millions of each of these games, even though some have console ports still. The PC market is no midget; you just have to have something worth money (unlike PARIAH). With this new generation of games coming out, suddenly something is worth money, and PC copies will sell, as well as will the console ones, and the corporations will make the maximum profit since they are expanding all potentials.It breaks down into if the game is good. Good games will get good reviews, and that will cause people to want to buy it. Not cause its a PlayStation 3 game or a PC game, cause it doesn't suck, and they will by it for what ever suits them best, so make your console suitable (which Sony defiantly has) and make products.

PC's aren't in the race because the consoles have something over them, they aren't even in the same league (imagine consoles are NASCAR and PC's are Formula 1 racers. The end result is that the drivers are still crazy mother f----s that love driving fast as hell. PC and consoles are the same only with video games. The only difference that 2009 will bring is that the stockcars will be a hell of a lot better than they were last year, it still doesn't stop the F1 racing or replace it, and it never will. :)

F.E.A.R. 2 PROJECT ORIGIN

2009-02-10T23:27:00.000-08:00

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, ships to retail stores in North America today for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Games for Windows. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is the sequel to F.E.A.R., the critically acclaimed supernatural first-person shooter, and ushers in a new dimension of paranormal horror, cinematic combat and highly kinetic action.
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is a blend of advanced visceral combat mixed with seamless game pacing set inside a sinister and paranormal universe that begins shortly before the ending of F.E.A.R. A Special Forces squad is on a routine mission when the city of Auburn is rocked by a supernatural explosion. Alma, a girl with immense power and a thirst for revenge, has unleashed her wrath upon the city and thrown it into chaos. Tension builds as the squad must combat enemy forces and the supernatural as they struggle to find a way to stop Alma and uncover the mysterious forces arrayed against them before it’s too late.
As players move throughout the smoldering remains of Auburn in search of Alma, they must investigate the crumbling remains of schools, hospitals and alleyways as they are stalked by otherworldly creatures and enemies. Gamers will need to use everything at their disposal, including all-new weapons and superhuman abilities, to fight the supernatural forces arrayed against them and keep the entire city from succumbing to Alma.

In addition to a gripping single-player campaign, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin supports up to 16 players for action-packed multiplayer match-ups. Multiplayer options include nine maps, four modes and a powerful mix of weapons, grenades and high tech machinery, including the Elite Powered Armor (EPA) mech suits that players can take control of in both multiplayer and single-player action.

F.E.A.R. Platinum

2009-02-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

F.E.A.R. Platinum combines the complete F.E.A.R. franchise in to one package. Enjoy F.E.A.R. the Director’s Edition, F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point, and the all new F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate together in one box! FEAR – You are an elite soldier trained to deal with unusual situations other can’t even imagine. Called in to confront a murderous force with paranormal abilities, you must contain a crisis spiraling quickly out of control. Discover the true meaning of F.E.A.R. in this unique fusion of stylized FPS combat and supernatural suspense. FEAR Extraction Point – Once the hunter, now the hunted your new mission is simple… escape. The Replicas are no longer your only nemeses, as powerful supernatural entities are wreaking havoc on everything and anything that crosses their path. You are trapped in a desolate city and your road to freedom hinges on the ability to destroy all that gets in your way. The only question that remains is…can you reach the Extraction Point. FEAR Perseus Mandate - Having lost contact with an earlier squad, F.E.A.R. sends in another team in an attempt to secure the situation and investigate. Once on the ground your team quickly realizes that there is another group also on the loose, the Nightcrawlers. The Nightcrawlers are ransacking the Armacham facilities letting nothing stand in their way as they try to gain access to something called the Perseus Project. Follow this new threat through the bowels of the Armacham facility, and find that the Nightcrawlers are not just after information, they are after something else – It is up to you to uncover the mystery that surrounds Armacham and what the Nightcrawlers want with the Perseus Project. Follow this new threat through the bowels of the Armacham facility, and find that the Nightcrawlers are not just after information, they are after something else – It is up to you to uncover the mystery that surrounds Armacham and what the Nightcrawlers want with the Perseus Project.