GAMESBUZZ

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments PC Review

2014-10-18T16:05:00.001+05:30

Hi Gamers, What are you playing? Here's my review on Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments.

If there's one figure that is gaining widespread popularity during the recent times than in the past, I must say it's Sherlock Holmes. Thanks to BBC TV series "Sherlock Holmes" played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin freeman, not only can we enjoy the show but also play the game now.

Developed by Frogwares and Published by Focus home interactive, Crimes and punishments is an ambitious attempt in the instalment of Sherlock Holmes series. Inspired by the TV series, developers borrow many elements to create realistic setup in creating a adequately entertaining game.

Set in a 19th century background, game starts with an interesting case of "The fate of black peter". The game introduces the elements required for playing the game through this case, which is a perfect way to introduce the mechanics involved in the game. The campaign offers 6 cases, each very different from the other and interesting. Cases can vary in lengths depending on the player. While few are really short, most are long. In each case different methodology of solving is adopted and are set in a different background varying from dirty streets of the Half Moon street, places where great grand mystic practises Tai-chi(or meditation) to grand and lavish hotels and mansions. Characters seem realistic and delivery of voice acting is extremely good.

Finding clues

Apart from the usual process of finding clues through interrogation and forming an idea of the character, the game "provides" clues in the form of mini games. It is a welcome step as an distraction from sometimes rather long and boring interrogations. These "games" can be helpful to the player in forming a relationship with the character, to form to a different conclusion, or to just better understand the story or premise required for the case.

Lock Picking

Each clue obtain may help result in forming a certain conclusion. Combination of such logical conclusions results in forming idea of the murder or how the incident took place. Clues gathered appear on a palette where logical combination of clues can be combined to result in a conclusion which are presented in the form of a nerve synapses. After forming a conclusion the game asks to make final "moral choice". The game doesn't really tell whether the player is correct or not in making the moral choice. It's more like MY version of culprit rather than the game version's. So if you caught the wrong guy it doesn't really matter you will still be proceeding to the next case, which is oddly satisfying. The player only proceeds to the next case upon solving the present case.

Finding more clues

Are we alone?
When I started playing the game, I felt Watson was just a character who merely follows Sherlock asking him "What do you intend on doing now, Sherlock?" or " I think we must visit Scotland Yard". But I felt his need at some places to solve the case. Toby, the dog, also is seen useful in providing assistance. The game features "Sherlock talent" and "imagination" concepts to help us find evidences and form a sequence of events that took place during the incident of murder.

Toby- The best nose in the British empire

Game play
6 Cases, several endings and different moral choices each having a solid evidence to backup your claim adds to the game's thrilling experience. Each case plays out like short story in a book which aren't necessarily related. Although the game doesn't really become any difficult the mini games like lock picking and other puzzles become more difficult to crack. The game features "Sherlock talent" and "imagination" concepts to help us find evidences and form a sequence of events that took place during the incident of murder.

Our Casebook

It is an open world game. Sherlock carries with him a casebook which really is like the planner or something which tells the player what to do next, what evidence to gather or which can be used for navigating the places pertinent to the case. Sherlock's apartment has an analysis table to perform little experiments-for identifying some elements, newspapers and archives-a useful tool for researching and gathering info, letters by the fireplace, wardrobe etc. Yes a wardrobe to choose an outfit for a particular case or really to have different Sherlock every time!

Who do you want to be now, Sherlock? Gosh! I sound like Watson

So is it worth playing ...
Occasional glitches don't even come close to spoiling the game experience. Even though the campaign was like 20-22 hours I was somehow not content and satisfied with the game, as I felt the urge to solve more and more cases when really there are like only 6 of them. I felt there was like this pattern starting from the first, the difficulty of the case and length of the case oscillated alternatively between long or short and easy or tedious ( not difficult mind you) which can be repetitive and for some may spoil the game experience.

Nerve synapses system of deduction. Don't worry it's not the correct choice

Being an open world game, whenever I was stuck I felt the need to check the surroundings or double check the suspects to see if I have left any clue or interrogation. Although apparently there are these "invisible walls" which limit the search premises but that really doesn't mitigate the rather avoidable frustrating experience.
I felt "mini games" featured in the game should have been more "do it and proceed" because there is an option for skipping these altogether, which actually takes out all the fun in deducing the conclusion the player arrives at.

Game looks gorgeous!

But as I said, the glitches or any other spoilers din't even come close to spoiling my experience in playing the game. Overall the game was really refreshing. The urge to solve more cases or to gather more clues to apprehend the culprit kept me going. It's like you want the case to be solved but don't want the game to be completed.

Verdict: A must play if you are a fan of Sherlock.

My rating is 8.5/10.

Genre: Action and adventure

Remember me PC Review

2013-06-16T20:43:00.002+05:30

Set in Neo Paris, in 2084 AD Remember Me is gorgeous action adventure game developed by CAPCOM. More like Inversion, the game is purely sci-fi fiction. We play as the character Nilin, a memory hunter, who can bend others' memories to her whim. You might be wondering what memory hunters really do? Or how they can bend, erase or create memory bugs in peoples' memory palace. Well during the year 2084, memories are like commodities which can bought,sold, erased, stored,changed etc. So now if that i want to store my memory in some place (which i would do only if my memory is overloaded :P), there exists an organisation called "M3MORIZE" which is like a bank, where the memories are stored.

Obviously now people who are corrupted want to exploit the memory database,by controlling the people. Thinking this as an act of intrusion into their heads, group of people - memory hunters - join together to fight against this organisation. Assuming that Nilin would become a threat to their organisation's interest, they wipe the memory of Nilin completely, making her feel lost. I was actually touched by the story rather than believing it would be hero villain battle. Till the end, the characters portray more than one layer of character, which is again obvious since the memories can erased or bent according to will.

Nilin

Gameplay
Rather than story, i got fascinated more by gameplay. CAPCOM boasts of unique combat system in the game. Ok! so the combat is divided into pressens and combos. There are four different types of pressens-Damage, cooldown, regen, chain. Each of them have their own use. Pressens are more ingredients to make combos. There are again four types of combos available, each of different length and use of pressens. Performing a complete combo increases your 'score' - PMP, which is used in unlocking new pressens. Simply put, there exists only punch and kick moves depicted in different ways to kick the ass out of the enemies.

Enemies vary from leapers- people who have lost their memory and left as an outcast, humans- who put invisibility cloak, to robots to name a few. About 14, if i am not wrong, each enemy has different skill set and pose a good challenge when the player is fighting various types of enemies in a battle. Apart from this, Nilin also possesses powers which unlock after a earning definite amount of focus. Like in dishonored, there exists a power wheel where the players choose to defeat enemies brutally and in style. If we are not fighting enemies we climbing, jumping the walls, buildings etc. Set to serve as a direction towards objective, orange markers guide the players towards the next objective.

Graphics
Remember me is definitely a gorgeous game set in Neo Paris. Cities of leapers look as if they are flooded with all the crap. Otherwise in offices, buildings etc, the graphics look stunning. As we move towards a restaurant or a place with lots of fire, a window pops up displaying the menu or the temperature of the fire place respectively, showing the evolution of technology possible in the future.

Remember me is a game i can never forget. Developed with high expectations, remember me fails to deliver the exact amount of eagerness to play the game. This said, the game can reach new heights if portrayed differently. At the start, i really dint get the 'feel' of damage done when Nilin was punching or kicking. Although afterwards combat become better after unlocking new pressens and combos.

After unlocking some pressens, dint feel the need to change combos !

Despite its flaws, I'd still recommend Remember me to fans of beat 'em ups, or anyone who really likes cyberpunk. I seriously hope there is a sequel down the road. Dontnod has built a world of possibilities and also have got the right ingredients. Only part that needs attention comes when mixing them in right amounts. Remember me has really been an adventure and sure as hell would hope to a sequel.

A must play.....My rating is 7.5/10

GRID 2 PC Review

2013-06-08T22:11:00.000+05:30

Racing through the beautiful tall buildings of Dubai, a bright orange red heat on the hood of the car in Miami, passing through the curvy roads of rocky mountains of California is certainly a delight to watch. But if you are in a race, every second counts, right? GRID 2 graphics are certainly a distraction to the racer ( in a good way). Set in four major race track -- USA, UK, DUBAI, JAPAN, Grid 2 is boon for some serious racers. Grid 2 is much better than its predecessor Grid. Unlike Grid, Grid 2 has no tuning where it was difficult to understand to put in the right amount of engine, differential or brakes settings etc. At the start, the player is put on the race track letting him/her choose between the given cars. At first, i thought it was similar to Dirt or Blur. But i progressed through the game it was different than i thought.

Gameplay is particularly very good. There are many types of races present in the game. The thought of having similarity with Blur can be accounted by having the fan count. The story is like, we as a player should progress and qualify in a world series racing or WSR, an idea of some person who wants IT to be on par with some of the racing league giants. We as a player should prove that we are worthwhile and suitable to the racing series by competing with some of the major leagues.
Cars range from muscle cars Ford mustang to sports car like Nissan Fairlady Z (one of my personal favourite), from the Aston martin to Mclaren. Grid 2 has many types of races and there is always one person to watch out for. Though this may for a couple of races or first two seasons, but this racer can present really competition.
Apart from the usual drift, point to point race, circuit races, Grid 2 challenges players with touge where when the player has 5 sec difference or leading the lap wins, overtake event where overtaking earns you points, eliminator event where after 20 passing seconds the last driver gets eliminated etc and many more. Whats interesting is the player is given the best cars to drive.

Career pops up with a screen floating in the air, where each event is shown with live tiles. To earn more cars, one can play vehicle challenges, or boast of countless number of fans, we have promo events.

I would say the racing in GRID 2 is really a delight and it feels so real. Codemaster's racing has really brought a experience needed after really disappointed attempt from EA games to bring out NFS: Most wanted 2, and not similar to any other racing games like Dirt 3. Here's a fact what codemaster's racing has done to bring out this amazing experience. "To accomplish the marriage of physics and gameplay, Codemasters used professional drivers on real life courses. Detailed notes and measures were taken about each type of vehicle including speed, maneuverability, cornering, tuning etc, This was in effort to duplicate as precisely as possible the character of each vehicle, so that players would actually feel they were driving, for instance, a Nissan GT-R Spec, rather than some dumbed computer model." But at the end, WSR it seriously feels real and so formal type of formula one racing, i wish i was playing longer.

My rating is 8.5...

+ New cars - crashes often
+ Gameplay much better than sequel
+ Number of types of races
+ Visually pleasing

~Gamesbuzz game of the month~
JUNE
GRID 2

Upcoming Reviews

2013-06-07T17:22:00.000+05:30

Next reviews coming up
1. COJ: Gunslinger
2. Remember me

Don't Starve PC Review

2013-05-09T11:10:00.000+05:30

Klei entertainment studios never fail to entertain us. Klei entertainment present to you Don't starve- A classic indie game. Don't starve is not exactly a "don't starve yourself but eat something in order to survive" but more like "survival and adventure kinda game". The player assumes the role of Wilson. The game is in a vast area of map, encouraging players to explore and find new items for crafting or making new items. Yeah!! Crafting items. I felt the game drew the concept of combining elements from "Little Alchemy", where items acquired are mixed to make new items. We can craft almost anything from the available resources.

Craft anything!

Gameplay
The main objective is to survive as many days as possible. On the right top corner, there is a day counter where the day, evening and night are represented in a pie chart diagram. On the bottom of the counter, there are number of bubbles players must look for. There are health, sanity, hunger levels. Player must strive to satisfy all the needs despite the odds that are presented in the game. Its like the satisfying both sides of equation.

To survive and satisfy the hunger, there are numerous kinds of and number of animals to kill.Don't worry not all animals are scary and come to kill the player. Some are docile, some are aggressive, some are dumb, some are scary. Some animals are hostile not only to us but also to other groups of animals. This can be used to the players' advantage. So...better learn about the animal's behaviour and approach to kill. Its not necessary to kill the animals always.

The best strategy for surviving in the initial stages of the game is to gather as many resources as possible. Later once the player gathers plenty of resources, he should settle down and explore the world around. The game boasts of real time seasonal changes. Although the game usually starts with summer or autumn like season, though its not necessary. It can also start with winter. Beware, the animals in winter are not so kind and it just adds to the difficulty of the game as the player should also survive the icy cold of winter. Craft a earmuffs or a jerkin to keep yourself warm. :D.

There are numerous tabs on the left side of the game play. Each for different upgrade or for creating more sophisticated items or weapons. Ah!! Weapons! Important! :D Weapons category actually surprised me back there, because of the lack of the quantity and life of each weapon can be really frustrating. Yeah! Life for weapon!! You must be like "What??" . Although that is there, developers din't want the players to just settle for one weapon lifelong.

Ya, he's Wilson with exceptionally long beard :D

As already mentioned, we play as Wilson (who grows a magnificent beard. Trust me, the beard comes in handy afterwards ;) ). Usually the game rewards the players depending upon how many days the player has survived-whether intermittently or at a stretch. The rewards are in the form of experience points and the players can unlock different characters who possess different ability. For example, Wendy doesn't need light to keep her surviving through the night. She lights a fire just enough times to survive the night.

Wendy survives the night by lighting a fire.

Conclusion
Although at the initial stages, i felt the need/addiction to play the game, it gradually declined. The main reason being the game rewards are minimal only confining to unlocking the characters, but not any new features in the game.
This said, game is not bad at all in other aspects. It just balances the need and wants pertaining to survival of the player without the game play leaning towards either of them.
The game can improve in lot of ways actually. I hope i can see a update available for the game or start a sequel like slender.

My rating is 7.5/10

+ Exploration - Re spawning from Day 1
+ Adventures - Awards are limited
+ Survival

~Gamesbuzz game of the month~ April

Don't starve

Assassin Creed IV: Black Flag Release date revealed

2013-03-03T19:49:00.001+05:30

The much awaited sequel to the greatest game series Assassin Creed is here. Its Assassin creed's IV: Black Flag featuring Ezio like character who looks like a total badass to me. So much excited to play this game.

Scheduled to released on Oct 29th

Omg it happened very fast. I can still recall the whole game of AC 3 and now i will be playing this one in next few months. Damn !! :D

See the official trailer below

Hitman Absolution PC Review

2013-03-03T14:42:00.000+05:30

After many years, Hitman is back!! Rising from the shadows this time, Agent 47 reveals what it takes to be an ultimate assassin. He more badass, more agile, and more dangerous than before.

Story takes after Hitman Blood Money left off. Story starts with Agent 47 getting a contract assignment to kill Diana Burnwood. Yeah, you heard it right. Its the same Diana who used to guide us in the previous games of Agent 47. Its all about Victoria, Diana's daughter. She is genetically modified to an assassin. Diana makes 47 promise her that he would take care of her and not let her become like him. So, obviously people who heard about this start bidding and want to gain hands on the girl.

Interesting Characters!!

Story involves a lot of new characters (except of course, the tailor :P :D). For the first time, 47 displays the ability of caring nature, trusting people whom he should not, and whatnot. Although this said, he has definitely not gone soft. Instead, he still preaches exactly the opposite-- killing mercilessly to get the job done. I particularly liked the story and 47's character. 47 may have gone soft only to protect Victoria, he more dangerous than before. This layers of character has been well developed in 47.

A decent story--3.5/5

Haha Epic Scene from the game

Graphics and sound
I put this in front of gameplay and final verdict section just to emphasize that this is a incredibly and devastingly gorgeous looking game ever. See for yourself in the pic below.

OMG!! so much detail

No mission takes place in a single place and we as a player get to see many beautiful episodes of the game. Sometimes i wonder even such a place would have existed then the reality would have been dupe of the game's pictures. Best looking game for an stealth based game.

Sound although doesn't have much to give, its very important at times. Sorry i don't have much on sound.

Yeah its from the game !! See those visuals!! :O

Incredibly gorgeous looking game---5/5.

Gameplay
Gameplay has changed a lot. With awesome combat to merciless mass murderer, 47 is agile, dangerous and literally can do anything.
Game has checkpoints instead of 'save and quit' feature. I like it because it really brings out the skill of the player. There are about 20 missions in the game each in a different location.

Mission are divided into small objectives kinda of thing. So that makes each mission longer time to complete which adds up to 15 -16 hours, depending on the skill of the player. Unlike in previous games, we don't to carry many weapons or buy or modify them (except only in contracts mode where we gain money). Again this i liked because it makes us think how can we about completing the mission, or objective for that matter. We only get to carry silver ballers and fiber wire for every mission. Hand to hand combat is a new feature introduced in this game and its very easy to master if the player knows how to press the right button at the right time.

Hand to hand combat!!

Just like we get to dump the bodies anywhere there is space. For example cupboard, bin, off the cliff etc. That said we can even hide and peek from the safe, cupboard which gives us strategical advantage. Speaking of strategical advantage, Absolution introduces 'Instinct Mode'. Just press RB button which reveals the people through the walls, give available hints, hell we can even tell where who is going. Definitely a welcoming feature. On an entirely different note, using this feature i could complete 12 out of 20 missions with an "Silent Assassin" rating.

12 out of 20 missions in silent assassin!!

Oh almost forgot! Each mission has points for each type of activity. Complete objective gain 5000 points, kill silently gain 150, kill a civilian lose 2500 points. At the end of each mission, points are added and we are evaluated and given a rating. Rating system consists of the following rating depending on the mission type, points acquired.
Going from highest points gained to lowest
Silent Assassin
Shadow
Professional
Specialist
Veteran
Agent

Don't get spotted! Use instinct!

For completing a mission, the type of style is also rewarded. Dint get my point? Well if i used more of instinct to complete the mission and kill the target silently, i will unlock Chameleon I. Talking about disguises, we have many and most of them funny ones.

Unlocks if played in style!!

Incredible feature--instinct!

One more important feature introduced in Absolution is point shooting. People who played Tom clancy's Splinter cell conviction can grasp this better. Activating point shooting stops the time for a while, in which time we need to tag targets whom we want to kill, and execute them. But unlike in Splinter cell where we can only tag two people, we can tag any number of targets. Only disadvantage is it consumes instinct meter. But then again No pain, no gain :D. So i would advise to check the instinct meter before activating point shooting.

47 with his legendary silver ballers!!

One more part of the game featured is the Contracts mode. In this mode, its like a gaming competition. We get to make contracts or assignments or find them online or challenged by a friend. Creating contract is simple. We play normally just like we play. The style of the play determines the type of contract created. For example, we get to kill maximum of three targets. The type of execution is taken as the style of the contract. If i kill them silently, contract should be executed in exactly the same style or better in order to get more points than the person who created the contract. Contract gets completed successfully only when we get points than the person who created the contract. Successfully completing the contract, money gets wired to the account where we can use the money for upgrading the weapons or buy new weapons.

Definitely worth the wait and improved gameplay--4.5/5

Ya i too like the suit!! :D

47 rises from the shadows to show what it takes to become an Ultimate Assassin !! A must play..

My rating is 9.5/10....

+ 47 is back
+ Instinct mode
+ Hand to hand combat
+ Incredibly gorgeous

Dead Space 3 PC Review

2013-02-26T12:41:00.001+05:30

So..finally we reach the end of the Dead space series. Its been fantastic journey throughout the Game series. Dead space 3 was necessary sequel to to finish the game series in style. I particular liked the story ending and game itself.

Dead space 3 starts with a brief cutscene showing the origin of marker and something called a "Codex" which could be of important significance in saving the world. Issac Clarke is more badass than before. We meet new characters in this game. Issac who wanted to take some time off, gets denied by Norton and Carver whom Ellie sent to do another mission of saving the world. Well i am doing the best not to reveal the spoilers. But anyways, one thing i can say is story is very good mix of emotions ( cause we lose a lot of people ), some brief moments of happiness ( when the group rejoins ) .

Issac captured by Danik

Main villain in the game is Danik, who wants to take control of marker and destroy humanity. In this game, although at first we don't know what is going on, eventually we understand why things are happening the way they are. Game explains as to why it all started, what happened during the initial infection etc. We lose a lot of people in the game, but only to contribute to the mission's success. Most of the game, we find some signals and Issac is sent to investigate or get the job done. This authoritarian behavior from the team i din't like. It was as if we take orders from others and game even forbids others from helping us cause we only be in a group for a brief moments. ( Maybe the call of EA for multiplayer). Despite a very good story and perfect ending, Dead space makes a lot of mistakes. If you remember in DS2, Ellie got gouged her eye out by Dr. Stross, but still she is completely fine in Dead Space 3, in fact even sexy than before.

Ellie is fine :O (In fact sexier than before)

A very good ending---4/5

Graphics and Sound

Arctic suit

Dead space 3 is breathtakingly gorgeous. Even though i am attacked by the necromorphs, i just stand facing the setting sun on the white frozen planet of Tau volantis. Just see the pic below. Stunning right? Beautiful setting sun on the white frozen planet filled with equally gross necromorphs with assembled body parts of dead people is set in such a way its difficult to forget the image even after the game has finished.

Stunning Visuals!! OMG

Sound is equally horrifying and deadly. Whenever a necromorph attacks the player, fast music sets your heart racing, or when we walk alone in an open space is equally scary. Trust me, we walk alone more than we kill those blood thirsty creatures.

Never seen such beautiful graphics before---4.5/5

Gameplay
The gameplay is lot better than any of its prequels. From what IGN quotes " Its has the best combat system that we have seen". Its certainly true. Tackling necromorphs is very easy this time. Even if you run out of ammo, Issac tackles the necromorphs like a child's play. Unlike before, DS3 doesn't have save stations, although beam locator will guide where next objective is, store and bench are situated. Instead game saves automatically at certain points.

No save station any more

We can make our own weapons, modify and even upgrade them. For doing so we need to collect items like scrap metal, tungsten, semiconductor and many more. Each weapon upgrade is unique and can enhance overall damage, reload rate, clip size etc of the weapon. I must admit i am very bad at crafting weapons. I completed DS2 so i got Planetcracker for free. I managed to make a "okay okay" kind of weapon at the end and completed the game using the same. For upgrades instead of power nodes we get upgrade circuit. Each of which has some improvement. For eg., +1 Rate of fire, +1 Reload rate etc. Although modifying weapons is welcoming feature, many gamers may find it difficult to craft a good weapon. Not all are so skilled. :P

Craft your weapon

We have already seen that suits can be changed and upgraded in DS2. In DS3 we have suits for different purposes. For example, we change in Arctic suits when encountering severe cold in the planet. The player has many suits at his disposal. Also the RIG can be upgraded in suit kiosk only. RIG can be modified to deal with more damage, have more air, simply by upgrading the RIG points. Also kinesis and stasis can be upgraded as well.

Simply Stunning!!

Dead space 3 is not set in a single place. Issac needs to travel from one planet to another. Fortunately we use some kind of small space shuttles for travelling short distances. Zero gravity feature remains the same only having more air in the suit.

Plenty of puzzles

One thing we always encounter in the game is a puzzle. To pass a door or complete certain mission we need to solve the puzzle. Some puzzles like shown below have timer.

Puzzle solved :D

Each mission has percentage of completion. Unlike in prequels, we have optional missions and quests to find something to complete the mission 100 %. Although not necessary to complete these optional missions or quests, we can unlock many suits and weapons.

Upgrades!!

Enemies are different than before in the planet Tau Volantis. Like Yeti dressed in a suit or jerkin, necromorphs turn even more deadlier. Oh almost forgot!! There's this big spider kind of thing which keeps coming and going. (Although at end we squeeze it to death and it took me long time to kill it because of the glitch in Chapter 13)

Glitch!!

So much for boasting and improving the gameplay, i dint find the game to be scary at all. Most of the time the solitude is the one that is more scary than necromorphs itself. Roaming vast corridors of caves, getting down the cliffs of mountains intimidates you better than necromorphs do.

Improved gameplay and i liked it---4/5

Dead space 3 is definitely better and a needed sequel to the game series. Even if you din't like the game ( which i highly doubt) just play the game for the great visuals--absolutely stunning!! If not for that glitch its definitely a must play. Thoroughly enjoyed!!

My rating is 8/10....

+ Breathtakingly Gorgeous - Sorry, not scary at all :P
+ Improved gameplay
+ Perfect ending to the sequel
+ Craft your own weapon

Dead space 2 PC Review

2013-02-19T20:47:00.000+05:30

Dead space 2 has made a significant number of changes from its sequel. The game starts off where it previously left off.
Read through to find out more.

Story
Dead space 2 mainly focuses on the story part of the game. The story was really strong filled with emotions, frustrations and what not. Accordingly Issac is made to walk through the game. The game begins in an asylum on the Sprawl, a densely-populated space station surrounding a shard of Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Issac recalls having no memory of past three years after he was haunted by Nicole. In this game, a woman named Daina guides him as to why things are happening the way they are. But only to find that she is unitologist and she wants marker made number of times. Felt betrayed, he finally listens to a man named Stross, who thinks he can destroy the marker. Issac meets with another woman, Ellie, who at first though is hostile eventually joins Issac in the quest of destroying the marker. Stross turns mad and freaks out Ellie, in fact he pops her eye out, making Issac to kill him. For the rest it is Nicole who keeps taunting and annoying Issac, also convincing him that she would love to destroy the marker together with him. Although, the story takes a unexpected turn at the end with Tidermann controlled by Nicole tries to kill Issac. Felt betrayed by Nicole again, he battles against her destroying the marker. By this time the whole place falls apart. Issac who initially sends Ellie only to save her from all this apocalypse, returns back to rescue him.

Issac is back!!

Gameplay
The gameplay has improved significantly than its prequel if you can find the negative points mentioned in my previous post Dead space. Issac moves freely unlike in Dead space.
Newer and better weapons are introduced. Weapons have the same upgrade system. Although the points to upgrade to its maximum require many power nodes. Newly introduced weapons include detonator mines, new force gun etc. Unlike in prequel, Dead space 2 has different type of suits for various purposes which can be bought and equipped at any time unless there is a store nearby. For eg., Advanced suit, security suit etc.

Better weapons!!

Issac can now track not only objective but also can find the path for bench, save station, store using his beam which is really useful.
Enemies are really deadly and very fast. Dead space 2 can boast advanced forms of enemies from its prequel. The one which looks like ostrich particularly scares the hell out of me. Also watch out the pods like enemies which throw eggs.

Zero gravity feature improved !! Have a look at those graphics :O

Zero gravity is improved greatly from its prequel. Instead of just aiming and pressing 'alt', Issac's suit shoots four rockets which helps in levitating him. So basically we can stop anywhere and have our own time in analysing the surroundings. The game has more puzzles to solve. Each time you end in a open environment you are likely to solve a puzzle to get past. In this game we have something like boxes where we should turn the mouse to set the disc in the correct location, although incorrect position can cost you your life. Every mission is enjoyable and memorable. I particularly liked the last few missions which are both challenging and story oriented. In a nutshell the game has improved a lot from its predecessor.

More money needed now :P

Graphics and sound
If it isn't gorgeous enough in its prequel, Dead space 2 elevates the level of beauty. It devastatingly gorgeous and enemies are equally grotesque. Sound again plays an important role in the game.

Addition of cutscenes in the game!!

Whatever little glitches and minor errors may have been present, Dead space 2 is a must play. Dead space 2 concentrated mainly on story without compromising fear factor. 9 hours of pure horror and enjoyment.

The final betrayal!!

My rating is 9/10....

+ Better gameplay
+ Gorgeous graphics
+ Story oriented without compromising fear factor
+ Characters leave an impact on story

Dead Space PC Review

2013-02-14T13:13:00.000+05:30

I know its late to review Dead space now, but i will be reviewing complete dead space series by end of this month (hopefully) so you can get the feel of series. Since its a been a long time Dead space was released, i may as well include some spoilers. Those of you who dint play it yet, watch out!! :D

Dead space is a sci-fi horror survival game starring the protagonist Issac Clarke. Issac Clarke is a ship systems engineer who is deployed on USG kellion to answer the distress call sent by USG Ishimura. So basically mankind has exhausted all the resources present on earth, but has mastered space travel and created some really cool weapons. Crew from earth is sent to answer the distress call by Ishimura. Landing on Ishimura, hell breaks lose.

Issac Clarke

When the crew lands on the ship, they find out that most of the systems failed in the ship. When the crew enters into the main deck of the ship, deadly beings called Necromorphs attack some of the crew members. The player gets separated from the crew (and for the rest of the game we are alone) and in due course of the game we find out that most of the crew members are dead. Then we realise that the distress call is more to it than meets the eye. As game progresses, players find out that there is something called 'The marker' which is sending out hallucinations which is hypnotising some people to kill themselves, coagulating the dead peoples' body parts to form deadly beings called Necromorphs. Issac Clarke comes to assist in this mission mainly because of his girlfriend, Nicole, thinking of rescuing her in case she hasn't turned into one of 'them'. Interestingly the story takes superb twist at the end of the game, revealing Kendra's true intentions.

Gameplay
Dead space is a third person over the shoulder perspective game. Most of the story is conveyed through spacial holographic
projections, rather than cut scenes. We play as Issac Clarke. Issac Clarke is not your typical survival kinda hero or has some specialised military training. As mentioned before, he is a systems engineer dispatched by maintenance crew. When i first played the
game, i really underestimated the plethora of options that can be possible during the gameplay. Issac can project beam kinda of thing onto the floor stating or guiding to your objective.

Weapons--Plasma cutter

Player wields up to four weapons. Basic weapon player equips is plasma cutter. Plasma cutter projects a beam mainly used for cutting limbs or tails. Oh by the way...almost forgot, dead space features what is called as 'strategic dismemberment'. It means the enemy can be dismembered off its limb which deals with maximum damage. This is very useful and a new strategy employed by the developers. As we progress, we buy newer and better weapons. I particularly liked the plasma rifle. Weapons can upgraded and the game boasts of new type of upgrade system. Basically upgrade system is made like its some kinda of tree which has many branches. Each branch has nodes which can be only filled when the previous node is filled and adjacent to the node being filled. Upgrade is done by collecting or finding 'power nodes' and by visiting the 'Bench'.

Different kind of upgrade system

There are places called 'stores' where the player can buy things in exchange with credits (maybe their currency). Player are able to collect items like air cans, med packs, credits, line racks, etc and can exchange or sell them to get money to buy new items. Hell! we can even store the items in a vault. This feature is really useful.

Player can even move a object or slow down a fast moving object using stasis or kinesis feature.This enables to clear off the road
blocks and player can take their time to neatly dismember the enemy by using stasis. However stasis get depleted after usage which again can recharged at stations.

There are numerous save points where one can save their game. The game also has zero gravity areas where the player can float and
travel to any point. This feature although depicts the reality possible during the era in which game takes place, it is really frustrating. For example it not really possible to travel to any point. And also one
wouldn't know which is the ceiling or floor.

The game is said to take place in year 2508 but the elevator takes like forever to get to the next level/floor. Also Issac is really rigid and the controls are not fluid enough. He runs like he is carrying a bag of rice behind him. Also zero gravity feature can be really frustrating sometimes.

Enemies are gruesome and really gross looking. There are of different kind. One who carries a huge glowing sack, one who can regenerate, one who is really tall like slender etc. At first enemies can be easy to get through, but as players progress in the game and
hallucinations become worse, enemies become very fast and stronger.

Enemies are gruesome!!

Graphics and sound
As needed by horror type of genre, game is really gross. I mean in a right way. Loads of dead bodies throughout the ship, blood spilled
over at some places, limbs or other parts of body flying in the air during the zero gravity really brings out the reality of situation the
player is in.

Graphics in Dead space

Sound as we know plays an important role in horror games. Sometimes there is no sound giving you a lonely feeling, sometimes there is sound of creature moving towards you, sometimes its just you walking. I am not able to exactly tell how i felt when i played but trust me, Dead space delivers right amount of sound or horror required by its genre.

It took about 12-13 hours for campaign. I really wish i played multiplayer. Well its definitely is a great example of the horror survival genre and is an awesome way to launch a franchise. Awesome job by EA and Visceral games. God!! I can't wait to play the sequel now. Will start Dead space 2 as early as possible. Watch out this space for Dead space 2 Review. Coming up next!!! :D

My rating is 7.5/10....

+ New concept
+ Story is believable
+ Weapons

- Zero gravity is frustrating sometimes
- Controls are not fluid enough

DmC PC Review

2013-02-06T22:16:00.001+05:30

Dante is back!! He's badder than ever.
Capcom and ninja theory's new addition to the Devil may cry's series brought a new feel to the game. Stunning visuals, sick combos will instantly quench your thirst for action filled adventure/thriller.

Story

I love the new Dante!!

Its all about revenge. Dante, son of sparda, is a nephilim (half demon,half angel). Sparda falls in love with an angel, giving birth to twin brothers-Vergil & Dante, whose animosity is as old as DmC 3. Felt betrayed by Sparda, Mundus kills Dante's mother and sends his father into exile where he faces hell. Filled with revenge, Vergil and Dante plot to bring down his 'empire' by destroying his factory and his only child. To assist in the plan, Kat helps in bringing down Mundus. Much to the so called planned 'plot', story at the end takes a interesting twist.

Gameplay
After trying to play stealthily in Hitman absolution, getting back to action filled adventure is certainly inviting. Gameplay doesn't change very much as in previous games, subtle changes introduced in gathering, travelling or progressing in the game make a huge impact in the overall gameplay of the game DMC. Dmc features some of sick and deadliest combo moves i have ever seen in dmc series. One does not simply mug up the combo moves and try it one after the other. Developers made sure the game rewards only to players who try different combos. Combos are the best part of the game. Dante wields 8 weapons at once. Unlike in previous editions the sword transforms into angelic mode or demonic mode depending on the requirement of the player. Each weapon has its upgrades which can be achieved by killing demons stylishly and of course, brutally. Hell yeah!! :D.

Talking about enemies/demons, there are many and of different kinds. Each one requires certain type of weapon to defeat them. At first combos may seem little unnecessary but later it becomes very essential. DmC not only requires the player to master combos but also requires the player to have skill to execute the correct combos in particular order to achieve maximum style points.The rewarding dint change much from the previous game in the series.

Training session

For beginners, after the mission is completed statistics appear on the screen consisting of style points, completion time, completion of the in-game items and no of deaths. It is important the player optimizes the above in order to achieve maximum points. Ranks are given depending upon the number of points the player achieves. Ranks are divided into SSS,SS,S,A,B,C,D.(SSS- being the highest).

Boss fight!

If there's anything to comment about the game, its the length of the game. Each mission seems like they are checkpoints of the overall plot. When i played it happened so fast credits started rolling after 8.5 hrs. Sad :(...i miss all the fun!!

Graphics and sound
The first thing one encounters is the stunning graphics. Most of the time the game is in limbo and its always
incredible. Blend of gorgeous red, yellow and orange and sometimes blue colors simply is mind blowing.

Stunning graphics

Soundtrack is given by dutch band 'Noisia' and Norwegian electronic band 'Combochrist'. The “Devil May Cry” series has always had an interesting history, musically. The first two games’ soundtracks were notoriously difficult to obtain, with Capcom not officially releasing them until 2004. “Devil May Cry 3″ and “Devil May Cry 4″ soundtracks were easier to obtain and featured a distinctly “heavy” sound. Which is why it was surprising when Capcom revealed that the series reboot, “DmC Devil May Cry” would be composed by Dutch electronic band Noisia. This was certainly a change of musical pace to go with the story’s overhaul, but whether or not you enjoy this will depend on your feelings on Noisia’s breadth of electronica.
(courtesy: Forbes). The music genre being electronica is a correct addition for a game which requires so much energy and enthusiasm.

So,Its not late guys!! . Stunning graphics, very sick combos, new Dante's satires and more deadly demons doesn't get in the mood of playing this game, i don't know what will?
Its bad bad world out there, start slaying demons now!! :D

Gamesbuzz's game of the month-January

+ New Dante - Short
+ Gorgeous graphics
+ Pretty sick combos
+ Great controls

My rating is 8.5/10

Mark of the ninja PC Review

2013-01-27T12:17:00.000+05:30

I always wanted to be ninja and see what its like. I am not a joking, its on my bucket list. Well, Mark of the ninja took care of that now. :D
Well if it isn't a pretty game?? Its all about ninja!! Cool, right? We play as..eh..i don't know, we are not told about who we are!! He has all these tattoos printed on him. They are not just tattoos. They are powers.To be frank, there isn't much to talk about the game. The game is very similar to shank and is a trade mark of KLEI entertainment-The art of scrolling games. And trust me, this stealth based game is the best i have ever seen of 2012 in this platform.
The game mostly features stealth approach. The character is required to sneak through a series of enivronments while staying out of sight of guards. There are various type of guards. Intially the guards are basic men with guns, later as we can progress, guards/enemies become more deadly and can easily find you and catch you.

Guards get alerted when the player makes a sound.

As all ninjas would do, we need to be silent in our approach. If we run, guards can make out the sound and start shooting at us. Ninja has to be in darkness so as not to comprimise his position. Player has arsenal of 'ninja' weapons at his grab. Basic darts are very useful and allow you to do many weapons. Also there are attack items like spike mine, catacombs etc to enhance our kill strategy. All these at our disposal, one can still get caught by the guards. If detected the player has to disappear from the sight of the guards till the time runs out after which the guards will return to their original position.

Some guards have the ability to pinpoint your last known location!!

The game at first is all about different ways of killing the people. But as the player progresses, he can use environment kills. Although we ourselves might into the same trap.
The rewarding systems seems very satisfying. There are specific objectives for each level in the game. If upon completion the player receives what are known as honor points. Using these honor points the player can upgrade his skills. Before each mission the player is taken to an upgrade screen, where they can spend their seals in three sections: Techniques (passive skills and more types of stealth kills), Distraction Items (such as smoke bombs and firecrackers) and Attack Items (such as spike mines and caltrops). The next screen allows the player to select any unlocked costumes and equip items. Each costume (except the starting one) gives special bonuses, but also a side effect in order to balance its power. Completing the game once unlocks a New Game Plus mode where the enemy AI is smarter, the line of sight is more limited and sounds produce no expanding circles (aside from enemies' footsteps). Most useful skills i found were the twilight, spike mine, brief shadow. Also there are scrolls we can find on the way or we need to complete a challenge in order to achieve them. These too count in getting honor points.

There isn't much about the plot or story. The ninja clan gets attacked by some people who are wealthy. Azai, Master of clan seeks revenge on those who attacked the clan. I wouldn't want to reveal cause that be would be a spoiler.

These dogs are real bottle necks to stealth killing...they can sniff you
if you are in their domain.

The graphics are the usual comic style. The cutscenes are also in cartoons. I like it when in the game it rains, or when there is a sandstorm. Cause that definitely spell bounds you.

Although there are some levels where the player can get frustrated cause the ninja sometimes on the surface and doesn't let go, or doesn't jump far enough etc, i would suggest you play this wonderful game. The ending was unexpected. I am not saying its bad, its just i am surprised.
KLEI has again done it. It certainly is becoming a pioneer in making such scrolling games. Looking forward to "Don't Starve" -another new IP from KLEI releasing in early 2013. Stay tuned!!

+ NINJA
+ Beautiful comic style graphics
+ Wide range of weapons and deadly appoaches to killing

My rating is 8.5...

Guide to Far Cry 3

2013-01-22T14:01:00.001+05:30

In this post i want to give some tips about how to survive in the dangerous island of Far Cry 3 and make it more interesting. This is kinda my survival guide to the game. :D

1. So firstly try and liberate outposts. By doing this we can get multiple save points and fast travel locations on the map-easier for starting over again near the desired place in case you die.

2. Try poaching lots of animals and different varieties of them. This will enable to craft more syringes and a pathway to additional powers on the "Tatau". I crafted all the possible pouches,wallets etc before the game progress was 15 %.

3. Game progress is entirely dependent on the player. It can either go slow by exploring every possible location, doing challenges, doing animal hunting etc or fast just by completing missions. I suggest one opts the former approach. Cause this will enable us to be ready for the next mission which might require additional powers and certain important weapons which BTW will unlock by doing side missions.

4. Gain more Xp by doing story quests, trails of Rakhyat, or by finding relics, letters of the lost which give big xp boost. This will unlock more skills and a better Jason brody. :P

5. Finding relics, letters of the lost unlock signature weapons which are way better than normal weapons but are not customizable. ( though paint jobs :P)

6. Liberating outposts: Almost every outpost can be liberated silently, giving additional 1000 xp boost. Try and watch for cages where the animals are kept. Release them, and the animal will finish the pirates,cool ain't it? So don't spoil your hands :D. If there ain't no animal, try to have sniper ( preferably silent one ) and a Molotov flamethrower for creating fire on the houses. The pirates treat this as a natural disaster and in panic, they start shooting each other.

7. Climbing radio towers will unveil the map. Climb all of them to have a look at what is present where.

8. Keeping variety of weapons in hand is very useful. I carried a sniper, SMG, Assault, Flamethrower in 4 different slots. Doing this will make the gameplay/fighting easy.

9. LOOOT!!! Loot as much as you can. Don't worry if you cannot craft anything out of animal skins. They also can be sold. Pirates carry lot of money with them. Try unlocking 'grab 25% more money' skill.

10. Try taking down multiple targets at once. I find Knife throw take down, heavy take down, death from above particularly useful.

Trust me, its a bad bad world out there on rook's island. Only trust yourself. Vaas and Hoyt are unpredictable and very dangerous. They should taken out cleverly. So if you wanna fight them you will need these tips. Remember "Exploring is rewarding", and bust every body's ass :D

Happy gaming ~GamesBuzz~!!

Far Cry 3 PC Review

2013-01-14T09:19:00.000+05:30

Whoa if it isn't how insanity should be defined?? I never played far cry 2 completely, but i got the theme of how Far Cry 3 would not be less than badass.

It improves a lot from its prequel in gameplay, graphics etc.
We can literally do anything in Far Cry 3. Hunt animals, play poker, be a true Rakhyat by completing challenges, explore the jungle, play knife darts etc etc. I would be joking if this is all we can do in far cry 3. The map is huge and exploring is very rewarding. Unlike Darksiders which has a large map but exploring is a lot of pain and not much rewarding, far cry 3 allows players to liberate outposts of pirates to use them as fast travel locations.

The characters are very well developed. We play as Jason Brody. Although i dint like his character at first, who is in fact very timid and scared all the time, but as game progresses he gets to become more and more badass. Well it is required to do that just to survive in the jungle. I love the character vaas. He is funny, unpredictable, and very very dangerous. After our escape from Vaas' camp, we are introduced to a tribal warrior Dennis who is more friendly and go-'get'er type of guy. And there is the hottie of the jungle 'Citra' whom the Rakhyat treat her as jungle goddess. She is very sensuous and hotter than my girlfriend(Liza). The game also portrays other friends who have been captured but enough justice to their roles is not done, although every character is very important. If you thought is badass, then you gotta meet Vaas' boss, Hoyt, who is beyond badass and devilish.

The hottie i was talking about

As we make progress, we earn skill points. The skill points can be used in three different ways-heron, shark and the spider. Each skill set gives a edge to hunting, combat, fighting and surviving in jungle. We can view in 'tatau' how many skill points we have earned.

Story
As far as story is concerned, i can split it into two parts-rescuing our friends and taking revenge. Any minor detail other than this would be a spoiler. So i would like to keep it that way.Six friends travel for a vacation who in their blithe moments are captured. We as Jason Brody will have to rescue our friends. Story is decent, but its the characters that make the story exciting and make unexpected twists and turns in the playing.

Awesome graphics

Gameplay
As i said, there isn't anything we can't do. we can explore the island, liberate outposts, climb radio towers to reveal the map etc. The game runs smoothly but with some glitches. To start off, radio towers are very tough to climb in second half of the game. When we stand in front of the stairs, the player is unable to climb the stairs , we need to jump for him to move forward.
Far cry 3 features variety of weapons each of which is unique in its own way. Also there are signature weapons which unlock after completing certain stages. We can collect plants and animal pelts/ skins to craft various medicines and items like for example- increasing our pouch capacity, having extra health etc.

I would like you to play this awesome game. This game is definitely as Vaas defines it-'Insanity'. I am not adding any other detail cause that will only spoil the game-play. Now play this game and have fun...:D

+ story - climbing radio towers
+ graphics - poor engine
+ exploring is rewarding
+ characters
+ weapons
+ hunting

Badass-o-meter rating is 9.0/10....:D

( My first game which i completely played with Xbox controller and it felt great :D :D)

2012: A year of best gaming sequels and new IP's!!

2012-12-31T13:34:00.000+05:30

Hey there gamers!! how r ya??!! How did 2012 fare for you ?? As the year comes to an end, i would like draw and conclude some important events that happened in this spectacular year. Firstly i would like to call this year as "The year of sequels". This year saw some of the best sequels down the line.
My favorite were :

1. Max Payne 3
2. Far cry 3
3. Mass effect 3
4. Assassin's creed 3
5. Darksiders 2
6. COD Black ops 2
7. Shank 2
8. Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings
9. Torchlight 2
10. Total shogun 2: Fall of samurai
11. Diablo 3
12. Crusaders kings 2
13. Darkness 2
14. Sid meyer's civilization V
15. Guild wars 2
16. Planetside 2
17. Orcs must die 2
18. Sims 3
19. Doom 3
20. Fable 3: The journey
21. Left for dead 2: Cold storm

Well there are many other exciting games which may not be considered as sequels but were very much anticipated and gained world wide whooping response like Hitman absolution after waiting for ages came out this year, and there is The walking dead series which became big hit, bigger hit than TV series i think :P. One cannot miss epic FIFA which releases every year before the year even commences. BTW did u screw around with the police, then you must have definitely played the " Most wanted 2".

Not only sequels have scored points this year but also some of new IP's have caught the gaming community's attention.

1. Dishonored
2. Xcom: Enemy unknown
3. Forza horizon
4. World of warcraft: Mists of pandaria
5. Mark of the ninja
6. Quantum conundrum
7. Inversion
8. Vessel
9. Botanicula
10. Rayman origins
11. Alan wake
12. Dear esther
13. Spec ops : The line
14. Sleeping dogs

The list of awesome games of this year goes on, but due to lack of space i could only fill in the best ones here. Each game in the above list is of different genre and have done very good in the market too.
Although i wanted to write only sequels and how 2012 has been, on an another thought i would like to give points to certain games in some particular fields. There are as follows:

Best story : Spec Ops the line

Best co-op Multiplayer: Borderlands 2

Best campaign : Far cry 3

Best graphics : Assassin creed 3

Best puzzle game : Quantum conundrum

Best high octane killing : Darkness 2

Best high octane destruction : Dirt showdown

Best shooter : COD Black ops 2

Best stealth game: Dishonored and Absolution (well its a tie :P)

Best drama series: The walking dead

Best sports game : Fifa 13

Best 2D scrolling game : Mark of the ninja

Best ending sequel : Mass effect 3

Best racing game : Most wanted 2

Best new genre : Sleeping dogs

Best strategy : XCOM : Enemy unknown

Best horror game : Slender man

So these are my choices for their respective fields. What about yours?? Post your comments in the blog's official facebook page Gamesbuzz

Well that's that!! But what will be the use of writing this post without declaring Game of the year ??. :D Well what do you think???

And the Gamesbuzz's Game of the year goes to.....

Far cry 3

Well, what is your game of the year ?? Comment below...:D

Almost forgot...wish you happy new year 2013.. Hoping to play as many awesome games as possible!

Assassin's Creed III PC Review

2012-12-10T16:18:00.001+05:30

The much awaited game of the year of one of my favorite series is here---Assassin's creed 3! Assassin's creed is a completely different genre of story altogether. I felt it was one of the best assassin games of this year next being absolution.

AC 3 portrays Connor who is half British and half Mohawk. Born and raised in a tribal village he develops skills required by that of a hunter. The setting of the game dates back to American revolution. Connor with his undeveloped skills seeks help of an old person who helps him to seek revenge of the person who destroyed Connor's village. As the story progresses, much is revealed and questions are answered. The story is perfect balance of convoluted twists and turns and some temporary moments of happiness.

Naval missions are pretty good!!

Gameplay and design of the game
The gameplay in AC 3 is much more developed than its sequels. The combat is much more deadly and fluid. The combat with the British shows the typical British style of line firing of the target. The player plays many characters in the game. Starting from Haytham to young man Connor the game develops and shows the important events happened in the life of Connor and of the American revolution. Advancing from tree to tree is so fluid as if we were walking on the road. Its really difficult to lose grip and fall down as Connor is fast and agile while travelling through trees.

These kids are frustrating!! Arrrr...

Connor has arsenal of weapons stuffed in his robes. Way many than the Ezio or Altair He can dual wield weapons. One can wield hidden blade, sword/Ax, gun, bow while wielding tomahawk on the other hand. But not at the same time. At first i found the gun's reloading time was longer and frustrating but then i understood its a game set in a ancient period where the weapons were not well developed and also its not a shooter game :P. I find the hunting feature introduced as welcoming gesture. But the hunting techniques are as not that well developed. Also the animals don't change tactics to evade. The game does not have any mission which us money to upgrade our weapons or buy new items instead one should rely on hunting and other side missions which produce just sufficient money.

Improved combat

Desmond missions are too easy. But at the same time frustrating and glitchy. Particularly i hated the ending video and play where we need to find the key for the apple of Eden There is no objective marker nor a map to set path where we should go.

The game has many glitches. One major glitch is when Connor jumps into cart filled with hay he immediately jumps back out. Which again is frustrating cause when guard finds out optional quest of 'do not get detected' fails. Also i dint like the children who beg as they wont leave you and can be really frustrating if triggered a open conflict. The game presents wide range of enemies starting from the ones who brawl to heavy grenadier with Ax. The game has about 200 species of animals and many missions to gain experience.

There is lot to do in the game. In leisure time one can simply open and choose homestead missions or thief missions or simply hunt animals and sell their parts for money or help others or attack convoy or just admire the beauty of the game.

Graphics and sound
Whoa isn't AC 3 a spectacular delight in every way. Those lively environments, animals in forests, live oceans---simply mind blowing Its better to witness it rather describing it. Sounds play important role in AC 3. Rugged sound of carts, neighing of horses, growling of wolves, all these make us feel as if we are actually in that place.
The seasons change and it really makes difference in the game. Leaves shed in winter and more wolves are present for hunting whereas during sunny season beautiful grow alongside the path.

Lively town of Boston!!

To sum up, it was a pleasure and its playable again and again. If not for those myriad of glitches and tricky optional quests it comes close to Game of the Year (GOTY). A gorgeous game!!

+ Improved combat - Many glitches
+ Gorgeous graphics - Tricky optional quests
and lively environments
+ open world-good for hunting
+ setting of the story
+ Lots of side missions

My rating is 9/10...

NFS: Most Wanted 2012 PC Review

2012-11-15T21:24:00.001+05:30

Most wanted is back and with a bang!! Its tougher, better and cops are more gruesome than ever before. Most wanted has been one of the most anticipated racing games of this year. EA and criterion games work together to bring this awesome game for this year.

Just like in previous most wanted there is no story except we have a set of 10 racers who are known as the most wanted whom we should beat. For first timers the objective is simple- earn speed points and beat the rivals in the most wanted list. The game draws heavily from other franchises developed by EA and criterion games themselves. It is easy to notice the game has close details from NFS: Hot pursuit and burnout paradise.

The city of Fairhaven is deadly and filled with cops at every corner of the street. The beauty of the Fairhaven simply astounds you. Game developers have this city much more thrilling to explore and more to the racing genre. City is filled with lots of speed cameras, billboards and restricted gates etc smashing which will earn us bounty or speed points (here).

Each podium unlock certain car part!!

Most wanted is filled with lots and lots of cars.There are different types of cars like muscle, exotic, SUV's etc. Unlike previous most wanted, cars can be found on streets, only we need to find them and its ours. Most wanted allows us to customise our cars. There are different mods possible for example burn nitrous, reinforced chassis, off road tires etc and many more. Only drawback i felt was each time i drive a new car i need to play race specific to the car and install the mods. This happens with every car. There is more to this mods. Each car has certain achievements if on completing them will unlock better mods. Like driving and using burn nitrous for 600s will unlock pro nitrous.

Unlock pro parts completing these challenges!!

Cops are deadlier than before. There are no such "cool down" locations unlike in its prequel. Either you lose them or get busted. Again which is problem. Cause we get busted we got nothing to lose except the speed points we collected in the pursuit. Cops search the perimeter thoroughly before calling it an "end". By which again we can get caught if you are not paying attention.

For me gameplay seems tricky topic to discuss. The handling of the cars initially is very bad and can make the person lose interest. I mean even i drive at 10 kmph and collide with oncoming traffic i am directed to cut scene and am showed how i crashed. Seriously @10kmph ?? One major drawback was accumulation of speed points. Whatever you do everything counts as speed points. That is a problem cause we may not be ready to take on a most wanted racer. Also if becomes difficult to race the most wanted we just escalate through the speed points requirements and are left with countless number of races to play.

Most wanted 2012 features a lot of races. There are different types of races like speed run in which a min avg speed is required to maintain, Ambush- where we are thrown at unknown location and told to escape the cops. Each type of car has specific kind of races to be played.

Different races for each car!!

Whatever i say shouldn't bother a true most wanted fan. cause this is the best racing game of series and it only gets better and tougher as you progress. Most wanted 2012 came out with a bang and lives up to its name. A must play...

+ All new cars - Gameplay initially bad
+ Cops are tougher - No more cooldown locations
+ Types of races
+ Lots to do
+ Visuals are great

My rating is 8.5...

LA Noire PC Review

2012-11-02T14:16:00.000+05:30

Its unique, its thrilling, its great environments of streets of LA simply spell bounds you. Guys i am talking about the third person shooter LA NOIRE. After playing for a few hours itself the gameplay felt great. This is a unique detective game set in 1947 in LA. The time setting of the game is what makes the game it is.

LA NOIRE is a third person detective/ thriller game set in 1947 in the streets of LA. LA NOIRE is a typical of Rockstar production-an open world game filled with lively environments, buildings and featuring 1947 style cars.Players must investigate crime scenes for clues, follow up leads, and interrogate suspects, and the players' success at these activities will impact how much of the cases' stories are revealed.

MotionScan Tech

I heard the game draws the plot, style and aesthetic elements of film noir which included similar visual styles and themes. The game is known for the tech used in the game for facial expressions. The developers were able to achieve this by using a tech called motion scan, where the actors in the game were real characters in the real world , whose actions were recorded by 32 cameras. Recording from every angle,almost 360, each camera captures the slightest change in expression which is essential for the player as they will have to use that to detect whether the person is lying or not.

Beautiful streets of LA

Graphics
The environments are lively. Sometimes i even thought twice whether the characters were real. Cause every person in LA is different as if in the real world. Not to exaggerate, but the graphics were bound to be good cause the player need to confirm whether the suspect is lying or not. Developers have done a really good job in making each building different and so real. Coming to the cars...what can i say? The cars in LA are so real and have that classy finish which look exactly similar to the cars in 1947.

Audio
Audio is key element of LA NOIRE. There's different type of sounds for everything--wrongly accusing, answer the question correctly, when we pick objects to scan etc. Whenever we find a clue the chime sound is played, when we wrongly accuse a different sound is played.
The player has the choice to tick the option to stop the music when all the clues are found. I felt audio makes the game even more exciting. Some missions need creepy music, some need romantic effect,etc. This is how important the audio is in this game.

Finding Clues,eh?

Gameplay
In short i would recommend to play rather than asking my opinion. Not that i don't know how to describe the gameplay but to get the feel of the game one needs to play the game. The game takes place in the year 1947, in the city of Los Angeles, a meticulously planned (both in terms of gameplay and developers) for crime, felony, beauty,glamour, corruption and rife. The player assumes the role of Cole Phelps, a retired marine, who now works for LA PD as a detective. The game starts off with Cole being assigned with traffic desk as a patrolman. The game explains how the read people, find clues, how to go about the investigation, whom to accuse or whom to not. There are about 21 cases to solve. The best part being that each case is different than the other. All the cases are subdivided into four different categories-traffic, homicide, vice and arson. Each category differs from the other. Each case starts with same type of gameplay of briefing with the person in command, finding clues, interrogating possible suspects or neighbours, sometimes fighting some people sometimes just subduing the suspects.

Accusing somebody?

Instead of the usual levels the player gets experience after interrogating people which will result in increase in rank. Each level increase rewards the player with an intuition point which eliminates one of the three possible answers(truth,doubt,lie) and gives the clue attached to the question in case of a lie. Instead of missions the game presents different categories of crime possible in LA. Each of the desk has 5-6 cases which the player pairs up with a partner who helps us to find the suspects or clues. In between the cases there will a cut scene showing the war memories of Cole Phelps which in turn unfolds the events of the overall plot/story.

Phelps has a notebook in which he records every clue, writes about the people likely to be involved in the case, general objectives to be followed. Its a useful tool to progress through the game. We need to use the notebook when you accuse someone of lying and need evidence to prove it.

Sometimes we need to fight to get the evidence

To increase the player's chances to nail down the suspect one can use intuition. Intuition points are earned through experience.Players earn experience by correctly answering the questions, completing the street crimes, capturing landmarks, or reading newspapers. There are about 40 street crimes. I could complete only 12. But still i could achieve rank 17 without that. The game blends investigative elements such as mystery and crime solving, with fast-paced action sequences, including on-foot and car chases, hand-to-hand combat, interrogations and gunfights.

This man is weird-solve the case he praises, screw it up he messes with you

When the player is interrogating suspects and witnesses, the player must listen to the story that they give. The player will be given the option to either believe them, doubt them or accuse them of lying. (If the player accuses them of lying, the player must have evidence to prove that they're lying.) If the player interrogates two people at the police station, the player will be able to decide who to charge with the crime. The captain's attitude will tell if the player charged the right person.
If the player is having trouble completing an action sequence, after three failed attempts, they will have the option to skip past and continue through the narrative. I felt this was good.

Negative aspects
whenever i replay a mission the cut scene cannot be skipped. Sometimes is essential sometimes it is not. At least when replaying a mission we should be able to skip the cut scene. Also the rewarding system is limited. And of course they are usual glitches.

Lasting appeal
I felt that this game is a must play. I loved this detective side to the game. The overall plot of the game unfolds in the last cases. And the cases are absolutely thrilling and heart racing. The game ends with Cole Phelps dead. This was not expected as usual cause nothing is so easily predictable in this game. Loved every part of the game and every case. The characters in the game are so different. I loved working with fellow partners especially with Roy Earle cause he is bitchy about things and finds the use of threat as a means to spill the answers of the suspects :D .

My rating is 9.5...

A exciting game and must play game, unique in its own way...
If any other developers want to make a game like this, Rockstar and Team Bondi have set the bar high. Try and beat this...:P

+ I am detective - Cut scenes cannot be skipped
+ Different gameplay
+ Beautiful streets of LA
+ setting of the game
+ Thriller

9-graphics
9-audio
10-gameplay
9-lasting appeal

Scarygirl PC Review

2012-10-31T15:58:00.001+05:30

It is said that the graphic novel was released before the game released.
Scarygirl is a orphan who has lost her parents. She is adopted by an octopus.
Scarygirl is a beautiful looking yet bizarre game 2-D rolling game. The game is visually great. The world is pleasingly organic, with distinct and lively environments. Giant blades of grass sway in the breeze, thick weeds choke a path lined with clay, icy stalagmites rise skyward, and fetid pools of swamp water line rock basins. It's a strange world populated by angry animals ranging from frogs and birds to spiders and snakes. Plus, there are lumberjacks who hurl axes or bellow and charge like they're football players. You may find yourself pressing onward just to see how bizarre things get.

Graphics are pleasing. The game portrays 7 main stages each with 3 checkpoints to save. We explore the water, fight the yeti, pick up the mushrooms to scare the ugly spiders etc. This is fun stuff to hear but not to play. Cause our scary girl can't kill spiders with her tendrils, knock deers, fly for a long time.

Although the game has got some story to start with, it doesn't seem so fitting and real. Gameplay is the biggest fall of the game. The controls are sloppy and are difficult to execute. Scarygirl has a hook on one hand and an octopus tendril kind of thing on the other. using this tendril we can fly and move across pits. Sometimes the game has less refresh rate making for frustrating kind of gameplay. Often we need to kill enemies and move on. That's pretty much the game for you. There's a place where this rabbit stays. He teaches us the art of combat which again is sloppy.

Audio sets the fitting. Audio sets a fitting, if unremarkable, tone and the delightful narrator is a highlight. His deep voice brings to life a number of lines that capture the game's understated humour with the appropriate subtlety. There's a vaguely menacing tone to everything he says, even the bits that sound cheery, which makes it all more interesting than it probably has a right to be.

There's a scope for upgrades in this game. All we need do is collect gems and go to a creature who is fat and ugly cause he sells things. We can the hook to magnet, flier, etc. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Also we have vinyls. I would be exaggerating if i said this is great. Cause the upgrades are good but not great. Vinyls are useless. One can hardly notice wearing them.

I personally feel the game was beautiful and audio was setting the game type but that's pretty much the game can take you. The gameplay should have been better and controls was very sloppy. Took me six hrs to complete and still remember all because of the visuals.

My rating is 5.0..

+ Great visuals - Sloppy controls
+ Lively environments - keep killing and move on..that's all??
+ Audio sets the game - Gameplay sucks big time

8-visuals
4-controls and gameplay
3-story
6-lasting appeal

Dishonored PC Review

2012-10-16T14:03:00.000+05:30

Dishonored is first person stealth based game set in a hatred and corruption filled city called dunwall. Bestheda studio and Arkane studio have outdone themselves this time creating this magnificent game.

You play as a character called corvo, who was known as lord protector (bodyguard to the empress). You arrive at the city of dunwall which is hostile place filled with corruption and hatred. To add to this misery it is infected with plague too. As the game progresses you meet Emily empress' only daughter who takes us to the empress at the gazebo. After she finishes reading, people in mask come from nowhere attack and kill her. The daughter goes missing. At this point we don't know as to why she got attacked but we are insinuated and charged with the murder of empress. Corvo escapes using the help of loyalists who serve the queen faithfully. Knowing what really happened through admiral Havelock and lord Pendleton we plot plans to eliminate and bring down lord regent who is in charge of dunwall.

The Empress

The story looks a little silly. We don't know why we need to save the little girl. As if she could save the city of dunwall from plague or fight corruption and eradicate it. Well we need to ask the loyalists for an answer who would say : we are loyal to the queen and we shall save the Emily at once.. silly right? But i particularly liked the setting of time and city of Dunwall. It is filled with lots of f***king rats.

Stabbing in the throat...osm!! :D

Gameplay is the best i have ever seen. We inherit powers in our left hand and wield weapons on our right. The player has the choice of completely avoiding the enemies using abilities like blink or and kill brutally by swarming rats, choking to death, stabbing knife in throat etc to name a few. The game is played from a first-person perspective and allows the player to tackle a series of assassination missions in a variety of ways, with an emphasis on player choice. The player has the choice of playing stealthily or killing enemies brutally creating huge chaos. A total of 9 completely different missions makes the game more enjoyable. Often we come across barriers which can passed using blink, possessing rat(yuck), removing oil tank from the machine etc. Each mission took me atleast an hour to complete giving me enough time to explore the places. Corvo regenerates health by eating bread, using health potion, drinking champagne. The main idea of the game is complete the missions using stealth. The game features the ability for the player to save anywhere and also includes a checkpoint save system, with both disabled during combat. There are four difficulty levels which affect the effectiveness of health and mana potions, and enemy awareness, damage delivered, and responsiveness. The easy difficulty also enables health regeneration. In any game journal would to follow the story, but here in this game it used for mission objectives, clues, upgrading powers, statistics.

Circle of powers..

Runes or charms help acquire new abilities and powers. Each of the ability is unique in its own way and its becomes difficult to choose the best. We can upgrade the ability to make Corvo more stronger. I particularly liked dark vision, agility, swarming and blink. While blink, dark vision and agility are essential other abilities help Corvo become more dangerous. Actions committed by the player are not judged to be of a good or evil morality, but instead are tracked by a "chaos" system that records how much collateral damage, violent actions and deaths are caused by the player. The game world is modified by how little or much damage is caused, affecting story decisions with an emphasis on not punishing the player or forcing them to choose one style of play over another.

I like when rats target enemies rather than me :P

Stealth is based on occlusion, hiding behind objects and architecture and avoiding the enemies' cone of vision, with lighting also a factor in player visibility. When hiding behind an object, the player can lean around the sides to view the immediate area and eavesdrop, and as long as Corvo's body remains hidden, enemies will not see him. The player can also look through keyholes to gain insight into closed rooms. Enemy AI will respond to sound and can be distracted by the player creating a sound in one place to lure a guard away from their position.

Guards have several states of alertness ranging from normal, to suspicious, aware of the players presence and then actively searching for the player. Remaining concealed from guards eventually reduces the alertness to aware, but it will not return to normal in that particular mission. Enemies communicate their alertness state to their allies, in turn increasing their alertness level.

Gorgeous Visuals

Graphics and visuals are gorgeous at times. I sometimes felt i wish i was in that city. Occasional rats and filth can put you off but you will get used to it. I think this was done to emphasise the brutal plague occurred in the city. I dint find any frame rate lag. Sound is an important part of the game. It modifies accordingly. When i am alone and traversing through tunnels or something it becomes creepy, when i am fighting with enemies music roars increasing your heart rate. Voice acting is also good.

The story seemed a little out of the track. I felt the story could have been better. Other than that i felt this game could be "Game of the year". One of the best games i have ever played...

My rating is 9.5...Awesome shit ever..:D

+ Original - Disgusting rats

+ Deadly way of killing - Story seemed a little off

+ Great visuals

+ Voice acting spot on

+ Gameplay

Dear Esther PC Review

2012-10-15T16:28:00.001+05:30

Can games work or become a hit without actually having a fight, weapons or rather having to interact with any character other than yourself? Well, one such game is Dear Esther.

Dear Esther is a first person narrative style of gaming. The game does not follow traditional video game conventions, as it involves minimal interaction from the player and does not require choices to be made nor tasks to be completed. It instead places focus on its story, which is told through a fragmented, epistolary narrative read to the player as they explore an unnamed island in the Hebrides.

The player progresses through Dear Esther by exploring an uninhabited Hebridean island, listening to a series of voiced-over letter fragments to a woman named Esther. The player progresses through Dear Esther by exploring an uninhabited Hebridean island, listening to a series of voiced-over letter fragments to a woman named Esther. At the game's end, the player reaches the radio mast atop the island's peak and climbs a ladder to the top of the tower during a final monologue by the narrator, then jumps off and falls to the shore below. As the player falls, their shadow becomes that of a bird's. The player flies through the island's bay before flying low above an array of paper boats in the water—the letters the narrator wrote to Esther.

It looks beautiful at times

Personally i felt the game was a waste of time. There is nothing to do in this game. You just wander through the lonely island with nobody there to help if you are lost. I will bet you will be lost at least twice. Cause there is no definite way to go. There is no map, no weapons, you don't interact with any environment. Story seemed to have some meaning though i had to go through wiki just to see what i have missed. That's the reason i copied the above part from wiki. The game feels creepy and full of candles. I often wondered if there were nobody in the island who the f*** lit the candles? Not only games like this have no scope, they contribute to list of shitty games that some developers produce at the end of the year.

If this the way the developers see in new direction then i must say the company which publishes them will be in loss for sure. I don't know if this game has brought any profit or compelling light to look in different directions and think differently, we gamers would not love if something like this ever happens again.

+ Story is strong - Nothing to do

+ Game is beautiful inside the caves - Boring

My rating is 3.0...A pathetic game...

Bad Piggies PC Review

2012-10-06T15:38:00.001+05:30

Wow....isn't this the best game ever??

So now we know why piggies were stealing the eggs....hmmm..

It all started because of him

Bad piggies is incredible looking game and is love at first sight. The game tells the story from pigs point of view. Once upon a time when the king pig was travelling through the some forest he sees a telescope. Using the telescope he sees some eggs at the other end. Then he orders his subjects to get the eggs to have them for lunch or something i don't know. :P. They set out to make a map. But only in vain, the map flies away leading them to some mechanical parts.
Then starts the adventure with this cute little pigs. Contrary to the belief, pigs struggle a lot to get the eggs.

Playing the game is absolute fun. Our objective is simple-land the piggie on the end mark. And its not throwing projectiles here like in angry birds. Here we build contraption or basically anything which leads the pig to the end mark.

Using boxes, wheels, blowers, helium balloons, and what not, we build some moving vehicle.

So...how do we get stars? The goals are mentioned above the puzzle. Its reaching the end mark for one star- that has to be done for sure :P. The other two stars are obtained as per the objectives- don't use TNT, no wheels etc etc..

Do you think this works ??

This game is beautiful from every point of view. Sometimes i just double click the game and leave it at the main menu just to see different vehicles that are made. Also pigs make different expressions according to situations..I should say that this game has been very well planned out. I could learn how aerodynamics work. Come on! There aren't many games in which one can actually learn, play and have fun at the same time.

Whoa..now that's something..!!

Puzzles become difficult at later stages. Particularly i want to mention the sandbox mode. The objective is to collect all the stars. Believe me...its very difficult. You will be given all the resources- motors, wheels, fans, blowers, balloons etc and many more. It becomes difficult to start for the first time but then once you know where the vehicle is stopping or not working, it becomes easy and so much more fun. Sometimes its fun to watch the piggies blast using TNT. Awesome gameplay....:D. Here to guide you there is a book which teaches you how to go about in building the vehicle you want to build. Its a perfect addition and addiction. There's always so much to learn.

For the first time, i could feel the struggle the pigs have to undergo to find the eggs. Till now i was with angry birds. I think i would change to piggies side. Cause its so much fun 'this' side. :D
This is perfect game and much better improvement till now.
All i want to say is " Keep calm and steal eggs "

A perfect 10...

+ Fun is inbuilt
+ Building things
+ Learning aerodynamics ?? :D
+ Pigs are cute
+ Addictive

Max Payne 3 PC Review

2012-10-03T10:23:00.001+05:30

If u r a max Payne fan, u will love max Payne 3 in every way. Max Payne stills shoot dodges but only this time the gameplay mechanics has improved drastically. The type of recoil and type of reaction you get when different type of gun is used is a beautiful design done by the developers. To write about how i felt about the game the following paragraphs just isn't enough. One needs to play this game to have experience which is refreshing in every way except that the Max Payne still wallows in guilt and trauma.

Set nine years of Mona sax's death, Max Payne enters into Brazil to work for Rodrigo bronco- a big mafia who has a wife named Fabiana and daughter Giovanna. During the first mob fight in the bar where Rodrigo is kidnapped, max payne agrees to work with Raul passos, an old retired CIA agent who worked with max before. Eventually we decide to save the kidnapped. The story has strong ending and is very strong and makes sense.

Streets of sao paulo

Rockstar took nine years to develop this game-don't know whether to actually match the story in reality or it actually took that much time. But one thing is certain rockstar has worked really hard and this is seen in the gameplay mechanics. PhysX works really great. The graphics and visuals and the typical narration in which the game is explained is changed and look gorgeous. The detailing of the environment the developers put in this game is really paid-off. I could actually see the papers, staplers on the worktable, flying ash etc. All i can say is the game is really gorgeous at times and story telling style is impeccable. The developers chose sao-paulo as the prime place for main of the game. The streets really show the hatred and despair in people.

Talking about the achievements and collectibles, there is separate tab called grinds which tracks the stats. Though this is like a dossier to see how much we have done, this isn't in any way rewarding. There are also some golden parts of guns to be collected. This also is purely for collecting and not in any way rewarding. The game has 14 chapters and each chapter takes about 35-40 minutes depending on the type of the mission playing. I could complete the game in 13 hrs and enjoyed every second of the game.

Environments are very detailed

Dialogues and sound quality is really good. This is apparent from the story telling style which is impeccable. I really loved Max's narration. Story telling is displayed in comic style.

Though the game has an lasting appeal, the developers have taken really long time. The game has pleasing sense of nostalgia. After i finished the game, i felt the game should have been for some more time.

Max Payne has suffered beyond reasonable limits. (It's all in the name.) Nine years have passed since the last game in the series, yet little has changed for its long-suffering protagonist, who remains deeply traumatised by the death of his wife and child. ‘Trauma’ is the key word – in Greek, it means ‘wound’, and Max is someone who has never let his fully heal. To move on would be to forget – a betrayal of those he loved – and so instead he chooses to wallow in the past and the pain, with the help of brown liquor and white pills.

Did i say i was satisfied and enjoyed playing every second of the game? Well.....i wasn't completely honest with you people. To start off with the bad points, i have got many. The game has got a lot of glitches. I could literally point out a 100 glitches if only i had space. Sometimes the gun suddenly comes into the air and starts shooting me. I mean what the fuck did i do? Sometimes Da Silva goes off the boat and i stay behind drowning in the water but i don't die. Hmmm...this is bullshit. Also i had to start the game 2-3 times just to get away with the glitch. The people get stuck sometimes and don't die. This is just frustrating. It took nine years to develop and making it so many glitches is really sad and not justified. Because of this very reason i am forced to cut points. Also players aren't at liberty to explore the game. The shoot dodge is sometimes frustrating and max payne doesn't get up he shoot dodges which drains our health. The number of painkillers are just sufficient which is really bad thing sometimes especially when you are sick of dying.

Although the game has numerous flaws, the experience one will have is unforgettable. I am writing 4 weeks after completing the game but i still remember the game story and feel nostalgic. Truly the game is epic. Times change and people change, too; Max Payne isn't the same man by the end of this game that he is at the beginning. It's fitting, then, that the gameplay has also evolved, that Max needs to proceed with a bit more caution than he did in his younger days. They say the more things change, the more they stay the same, and one thing remains true: you can still count on the Max Payne name to deliver some of the most stylish, distinctive, pulse-pounding shooting around.

My rating is 8.5....

+ Great story - A lot of graphical glitches
+ Awesome visuals - golden parts- not rewarding
+ Detailed environments - Shoot dodge is frustrating sometimes
+ Gameplay is the best i have seen till now
+ Narration style

Limbo PC Review

2012-09-28T23:18:00.001+05:30

What's black and white background with a boy passing through scary forest having a lot of hurdles? Its limbo.
To start off Limbo is an incredible puzzle platform game. You play as a boy who just wakes up in scary forest, who goes searching for something or escapes from the forest. Well, i don't know. I am betting he too doesn't know. Ha ha LOL

So as you progress you face many hurdles in the form of puzzles. There are easy at first and become increasingly difficult as you reach the end of the game. There are 39 chapters and 1 bonus chapter if you collect all the hidden trophies. I know what you must be thinking. How can i find things in the dark? Well i don't want to spoil the surprise. Play and see !! :D

Its a dangerous world out there

Puzzles get frustrating enough sometimes. Also he becomes difficult to control. Some puzzle are deadly; some are easy enough.

Some Frustrating puzzles

The visuals are great and depict its night time. To instill horror the sound quality just adds spice to the game.

Spiders are dumbest of them all. Had fun killing them.

The game starts the boy wandering through the forest. The game's biggest drawback is it doesn't explain as why this is happening. Also the game ends abruptly showing a girl doing something.

The game is short(4.5 hrs). some puzzles hardly take a minute. BUT again Limbo is an incredible game. Short,crisp, original and consistently brilliant. Though it is short the lasting appeal it leaves is incredible. I heard there is gonna be a sequel. Can't wait....

My rating is 8.5....

+ Black and white visuals - short (4.5 hrs)
+ Great sound - no story
+ Good puzzles - becomes frustrating sometimes
+ I think he is cute :P
+ Original

The Darkness 2 PC Review

2012-09-13T17:02:00.004+05:30

I felt like a monster playing this game. I was invincible. Great visuals presented in a graphic novel style and better gameplay mechanics than its prequel and the story being strong definitely makes the game a success project.

The darkness 2 portrays the lead protagonist Jackie Estacado who in the prequel has lost his girlfriend jenny Ramano, becomes the head the Franchetti crime family. The darkness was brought to his family by his great grandfather.

The game starts off with Jackie going to restaurant, where he is attacked by the mob. When things go out of hand, The darkness wheedles him to release it. As the story progresses Jackie finds he is being pursued by the organisation led by Angelus for the darkness using the siphon. I have told the story in short. I felt the story was strong and reasonable. Come on it would not be justified if we had to just went on a killing spree of people without any motive. That would be cheap.

Well, the combat in The Darkness II is vastly superior to that of its predecessor. There are plethora of tactics one can use like conventional weapons, guns, use dragons by slashing the enemies, throwing the objects and by causing environment destruction. The Darkness powers include summoning different types of imp-like "darklings" that can attack foes, using "dark tentacles" to impale foes or break down walls, using "creeping dark" tendrils that sneak along floors, walls, and ceilings to take out foes from a distance, and creating a black hole that sucks anything nearby into it. The dragons on either side are cool and dangerous. They slash through the power boxes, break doors or barriers, and rip the enemies in many possible ways. Each in its way is gruesome and its exciting to kill the enemies in different style when it comes with a reward.

Dragons are so cool

They also can pick glowing objects and slice and butcher the enemies at a far distance. By tearing an opponent limb from limb you will be able to regenerate health, replenish some of your ammunition, decrease the cool down of tertiary abilities or generate a protective barrier for a short period of time. This is how gruesome the death can be. Better not to keep with Jackie. :P

Simple upgrade system

The unlockables and powers are pretty simple and straightforward. Between battles you will come across ominous purple rifts which give you access to an upgrade wheel interface. Jackie can unlock abilities using the “Essence” (Experience) he’s accumulated from dispatching foes in clever ways. Also there are many relics to collect which give a good boost to the essence.
Each ability if utilised in game can be tremendously useful. You can learn to “channel” the Darkness into your guns and fire off extra powerful shots without expending any ammunition, useful when your clip is already empty but that foe just won’t go down. Another ability allows you to unleash a swarm of insects to temporarily stun opponents and yet another allows you to knock an enemy into the air and freeze them in place for a few moments making them vulnerable to your fire.

Awesome visuals

Sound and voice acting was perfect and adds spice to the story. Visuals are mind blowing. Sometimes the environments looks gorgeous filled with every colour possible to make it feel real. The environments are filled with sharp objects and pots just to make the battle with enemies even more deadly.

The main drawback of the game is its short campaign. While you slowly develop the characters and you feel the story is actually beginning, it ends abruptly. Also one more thing i dint like is that the dragons growl at each other and take some time to be back on the battle while we are being aimed at.

The imp helps Jackie by lunging onto the enemies

Personally i felt the game was awesome but at the expense of the short campaign (6-7hrs). Due to this all the upgrade paths were not unlocked. I am concerned about this cause i want to see a different style of killing altogether. Apart from the short campaign the game looks gorgeous and sound and voice acting being impeccable, 2k games deliver much better first person shooter game than its prequel.

+ good story - short campaign
+ great visuals - throwing objects doesn't seem
+ sound and voice spot on to work
+ multiple ways of killing
+ dragons are so cool

My rating is 9.0......