Apr 022013
 

It’s been said more than once that sometimes a story should know exactly when it needs to end. Not because there’s no more that needs to be shown of the world, often it’s quite the opposite. Instead often due to either sequels not standing up to what came before them or outright contradicting what made them so great in the first place. This often counts for films and novels more than anything else, but a number people seem to think this applies to the Bioshock franchise. Arguments are usually that the first game was enough to explore the themes of its storyline and a sequel set in Rapture ultimately undermined the original’s tale. This seems a very odd stance to take because for all intents and purposes Bioshock 2 improved upon a huge number of points within the first game. Not so much going nuts and trying to outdo everything that came beforehand but going in a different direction while building upon what we’d seen. Especially in terms of its morality, storyline and choices.

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Feb 192013
 

With the abject failure of Aliens: Colonial Marines, now seemed like the best time to revisit an old classic. While Aliens Infestation for the Gameboy DS is a fun 2D side-scroller and 2010’s Aliens vs. Predator is nowhere near as bad an FPS as many claim, neither are what you’d call fantastic games. To see a truly great example of what can be done with the xenomorph license you’d need to look back to the early 2000s when Monolith Productions were allowed a shot at making a sequel to an already big success with Aliens vs. Predator 2.

However, rather than being a review this is to be a comparison. A step by step detail of each aspect of both games to detail why one is a lauded success fondly remembered by fans and the other is a hated wreck. Both for reasons obvious and otherwise.

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Feb 132013
 

In one of the biggest surprises in the last few days, the recently released Aliens: Colonial Marines is receiving almost universally negative reviews across all major websites. It is practically unheard of for a AAA title to receive such universally bad press upon release with all but a handful of reviews displaying either middling or extremely negative scores. What is more surprising however is the apparent duplicity in early promotions, and the stark contrast in actual content.

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Jan 242013
 

In every genre there is one defining aspect which usually makes them stand out and defines them from all others. One specific element above all others which helps them to appeal to a certain audience. In Rogue-like games it’s the potential for failure and the sheer uphill battle you face, with fighting games it’s the ability to break out endless combos and air-juggle your opponent through the air for minutes on end, and in RTS titles it’s the potential for how thoroughly you can obliterate them. In RPGs of many subgenres it tends not to be the stats or combat which is the most memorable but the stories driving them forwards. Any story can make or break an RPG, especially in how the ending is handled as Bioware found out not too long ago, so what could be considered the best within the genre?

Here’s few suggestions with Paranerds.com’s Top Ten Greatest RPG Endings. (Spoilers! [Obviously])
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Oct 172012
 

 

Perhaps the best thing you could say about XCOM: Enemy Unknown is that it’s a different game from UFO: Enemy Unknown. It’s not simply a rehash with a new paint job to try and justify its price but it never departs from that title so much that it seems like an entirely different game. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. For almost every one it takes forwards, XCOM takes another step back.

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Oct 152012
 

To lay some concerns to rest – This isn’t an Assassin’s Creed clone. It doesn’t feature the same mechanics, doesn’t completely focus upon your abilities to hurtle across rooftops and survive falls which should shatter your limbs. Perhaps the only thing it has in common is the fact you occasionally stab people with knives and are motivated by revenge. And to be completely honest with you; the fact that Dishonored does this and tries to put its strengths into other areas is what actually makes it the better political assassination game.

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Sep 072012
 

Having finally gotten around to playing it, I’ve got to wonder who asked for this? As has been said by many a person: A mystery is only interesting so long as no definitive answer is given. There are many reasons for this ranging from just guessing about what’s at the end to fans coming up with their own answers, which have the unfortunate tendency to be better than what we’re actually given. But someone must have been asking for Bioware to spill the beans on the last few mysteries of the ME-verse, so here’s Mass Effect 3: Leviathan.

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