Hobby Zone

When Did Snowboarding Start?

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

The beginnings of Snowboarding was far from easy. To start off, its founder has never been definitely identified: was it Jack Burchett, who in 1929 assembled a crude snowboard using a wood plank, some rope and horse reins for bindings? Or was it Sherman Poppen, whose prototype 'Snurfer' in 1965 was originally a gift for his daughter Wendy, but carried on to shift half a million units the year after?

Either way, snowboarding's early years were troublesome. In a domain ruled by officiously minted skiers, snowboarding came up as a bad joke: the first designs were simulated surfboards down to the tail fins (quite useless in everything except in deep powder), and snowboarders were ridiculed on a daily basis as aspiring surf dudes way out of their depth...READ MORE>>>

How to Survive Off-Piste Skiing and Snowboarding

2012-01-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

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Skiing pathless powder is one to be enjoyed by off-piste enthusiasts, but it is also filled with all forms of perils that on-piste skiers have never encountered. Most common among these is that most dreadful of all ski-related tragedies, the avalanche. On record, 11 (and counting) avalanche-related deaths in Switzerland (involving seven skiers and one snowboarder), and on the average it is the cause of a hundred deaths in the Alps yearly. Not surprisingly, most of the deaths happen to out-of-bounds or backcountry skiers and snowboarders, yet at times disastrous accidents can take place within a snowball's distance of safety. You might believe that skiing a few meters off the piste is as safe rather than being on it, but as soon as you go off-piste in Europe you take responsibility for your own safety, whether you are two meters or two kilometers away from the patrolled runs.

However, as more and more skiers and snowboarders contend for space on crowded mountains, a rising number of people are choosing to head off-piste or to backcountry skiing areas.>>>READ MORE

Assassins Creed Revelations

2011-11-17T06:16:00.001-08:00

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A wiser Ezio Auditore will embrace a new Quest, looking for answers. The time is 1510: Ezio sets out on a journey of discovery & revelation to Constantinople. He will become embroiled in his final conflict with the Templar order in this Action Adventure.

Be a More Effective Muay Thai Fighter Inside the Ring

2011-08-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

As a Muay Thai fighter, bear in mind that there are other crucial things about this combat sport other than executing the techniques correctly. You will also be fighting against a driven and skilled opponent inside the ring and you need to do whatever it takes to win.

Simply having the skills alone won't guarantee a win. It’s about how you handle your opponent and how you control the whole match.

Here are some tips that will eventually let you win more matches and get the advantage over your opponent in the ring.

First, never take your eyes off your opponent. However, avoid looking at the part of the body where you plan on striking. For instance, look low but deliver a high kick. This would deceive and confuse your opponent and not have any idea on where your next attack will be.

Avoid tensing your muscles unless you're about to make contact using your strike. When you tense up prior to executing your move, your opponent will anticipate your strikes. This will also allow them to avoid your strikes and counter easily.

Being correctly relaxed is the key to power and will allow you to last the entire fight.

Don't let your opponent to be in a continued attack mode. This essentially means that you must avoid being in a defensive mode for longer than needed. In most fights, the more belligerent fighter always wins.

When you are fighting a taller opponent, fight closer to him or her. Fighting them from a distance will only allow them to use their advantage against you. By getting close to your opponent, you will play to your advantage at the same time disadvantaging your taller opponent.

Exploit your opponent’s favored techniques. Take away the chance for him of her to use his or her favorite attack. This will provide you good defense and will also thwart your opponent and can truly cause a psychological impact to them throughout the fight.

Avoid listening to the audience when fighting in an arena packed with people. Train your ear to hear your trainer instead. Aside from the referee, they're the only ones that you must listen to.

Never allow your opponent recognize that you are in pain. If you're hurt, clinch and employ this to your advantage.

Do not stand like a statue when receiving strong blows from your opponent. Continue moving around to minimize the impact and deflect the direct power of his or her attack.

By Tip Writer

Muay Thai: How You Can Improve Your Defense

2011-08-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

If you're a pro or an amateur Muay Thai fighter, you have to remember that doing the attacks isn't the only way to win. Actually, there are several cases where the aggressive fighter gets over powered by his or her adversary, all thanks to efficient defensive skills.

When you truly want to be a good Muay Thai fighter, then you have to learn how to sharpen your defensive skills. With this, you will be a more effective fighter and increase your chances in winning or even knocking down your opponent and finish the match early.

Here are some tips on how you can improve your defensive skills in Muay Thai.

The first is by exercising reflex drills. This training regimen will focus on quickening your reflexes on any given action. You have to remember that the key to a solid defense is to develop your reflex to attacks. By responding fast to attacks, you will thwart your opponent’s attacks and even perhaps allow you to ready for counterattacks.

One excellent way to drill your reflex is to have your sparring mate throw mid level roundhouse kicks at you and over you. Your primary objective is to block each kick using the right technique. By doing this again and again, you would gain muscle memory and your body will naturally respond to this type of kick.

The next tip is to build up your pattern recognition. Much like analyzing your poker buddies for “tells”, you have to see what gives off your opponents when they will be attacking. For instance, some Muay Thai fighters move their shoulders prior to throwing a punch. By being observant, you will recognize your opponent’s next move, which would help you prepare for the attack.

Using a mirror is the third tip. To perfect your defensive style, you need to see how your body moves when executing your techniques. Using a mirror or a video camera, you will see what moves you need to work at or improve.

Another tip is to repeat an action several times. Always remember that everything must be automatic in Muay Thai. There's no time to think what your next move ought to be. By repeating your defensive technique again and again, your body would react automatically to attacks.

Lastly, you must take care of your eyes. Always keep in mind that the ability to dodge an attack is linked on your ability to see. In Muay Thai, one blink or flinch is plenty enough to allow your opponent throw a knockout blow. Train your eyes to remain open and at ease even while your opponent attacks you.

Keep in mind that the strongest punch is the one that you do not see. So, try to train your eyes to stay open throughout all the action.

By Tip Writer

Learning The Basic Techniques of Muay Thai Kickboxing

2011-08-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

Muay Thai kickboxing utilizes eight points of contact, which involve the hands, elbows, knees and feet. These are used to execute powerful blows and are also used for defense. In the past, Muay Thai kickboxing was just popular in Thailand and other Asian countries.

Research indicates that the Muay Thai fighting style sprang up in Indian and Chinese martial arts. Since this contact sport uses eight points of contact, it is also known as the Art of Eight Limbs. Before, the use of the head was allowed in Muay Thai fights. It’s only recently when Muay Thai turned into an international sport that the use of the head is no longer permitted in the fights.

You will witness a couple of grappling or clinching between fighters. This method can function as a way to defend or attack. The techniques that you have to learn are split up in to two groups, which are the Mae Mai or the major techniques and the Luk Mai or minor techniques.

You also have to keep in mind that all the techniques uses the whole body movement and turning the hip fully or partially with each kick, punch, and block. This is essentially the reason why Muay Thai sets itself apart from other fighting forms or martial arts.

In Muay Thai, you'll develop various punching techniques, like the straight punch, swing, spinning back fist, hook, upper cut, cobra punch and over head punch.

The judges score fewer points to fighters that use the punching technique. This is primarily because they are less effective than kicks and knee strikes. You'll also find that body punching is employed less in this contact sport as it reveals the head of the fighter to the knee or elbow of the opponent.

You also need to train your elbow techniques, like the elbow slash, horizontal elbow, upper cut elbow, forward elbow thrust, elbow chop, reverse horizontal elbow, spinning elbow, mid air elbow, and the double elbow chop.

The elbow does plenty damage to the opponent. Mainly utilized as a finishing move or to cut the opponent’s eyebrow to affect his or her vision, the elbow is a quite effective weapon when you are a Muay Thai fighter.

Most Muay Thai fighters mostly use kicks and you will have to develop numerous kicking techniques, like the straight kick, nutcracker kick, half spin, roundhouse kick, half knee kick, diagonal kick, jump kick, spinning hill kick, axe hill kick, down round house kick, and step up kick.

Fighters are often taught to hit with his or her shin. Though the shin is quite sensitive for the untrained person, you'll find that after building up your shin strength, it will be a powerful and devastating weapon that you will be able to use against your opponent.

Knee techniques are just as important to learn, like the straight knee strike, curving knee strike, diagonal knee strike, horizontal knee strike, knee bomb, , flying knee strike, knee slap and the step up knee strike.

The knees are quite effective particularly when clinching your opponent. When executed properly, knee strikes can end up the fight early with a KO.

As you can see, there are a lot of techniques that you need to learn in Muay Thai. These are just some of the primary offensive methods that you can use. When you develop and perfect these techniques, you will be able to step-up your chances of winning each time you are inside the ring.

By Tip Writer

Muay Thai Basic Training Exercises

2011-08-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

Muay Thai is among the fastest growing combat sports nowadays. Training centers are being opened throughout the world. Now, you need to keep in mind that although novices can still go through Muay Thai training, this fitness training is targeted only for advancers in gym training.

You have to remember that the training demanded here are so intense and are primarily focused in building and developing muscles including burning calories. Also, the training will involve several strength, alertness, endurance exercises, and also the ability to execute powerful kicks and punches.

Even if you're just a beginner, you'll still be able to join Muay Thai training. You have to be in a considerable health in order for you to truly perform at your optimum level.

Here are the 8 training routines that are generally done in Muay Thai training. This would give you an idea on the type of intensity the training demands, and would also help you decide whether you're able to execute all the actions required in the training.

Just like any training programs, the first step is the warm up routine. You have to run or skip for 15 to 20 minutes. This would wake up your muscles and help it get geared up for intensive training. This also means several stretching exercises to better your flexibility and avoid injuries.

Running is a major part of Muay Thai training. You have to do this for you to increase your stamina. Do this each morning, 20 to 30 minutes prior to starting the training. This will allow you to last longer in the ring and it would also help strengthen your leg muscles, which is all-important in Muay Thai.

The third is shadow boxing. This will help you learn and develop your strategies in Muay Thai. Do it in front of the mirror. This would help you check if your movement is correct and also know if a full range of action is attained in every angle.

Skipping is done to step-up your agility. It helps too in improving your endurance. Remember that stamina and good coordination should be achieved if you require to be effective when you are executing the moves involved in Muay Thai. Use a skipping rope to do this. You should sustain your alertness level and shift from one leg to another. Remember also that you must never bounce using your both feet.

Training with free weights will help you increase your capability to endure kicks and punches, which are typically intense in Muay Thai. Remember to include resistance training for your core muscles using dumbbells or barbells. Go for lighter weights having more repetitions. Remember that training using heavier weights is excellent for bodybuilding but never for boxing.

The bag and pad are great for exercising your punches, elbows, kicks, and knees. This will ready you for the training proper. Speed ball would also be included in the training. This will help enhance your movement coordination and it would also strengthen your shoulders which would add up more power to your punches.

Lastly, you'll need to spar with your training partner. This is a crucial element in Muay Thai as it will help estimate how well you have done in the rest of the training. It would also help teach you how to manage your opponent by exercising neck clinching, and arm locking.

By: Tip Writer

Leopard Gecko as a Pet

2011-08-06T03:16:00.000-07:00

image via Wikipedia

Leopard geckos remain one of the more popular reptiles and this specie is a great choice for a novice reptile owner to start. Leopard geckos have easier caging demands and are smaller than other popular reptiles.

They're a great animal in general. They possess all the qualities of a great pet. Like with ball pythons and bearded dragons, morphs in a stunning variety of colors and patterns, and are making their way into pet stores.

Some of the hot morphs from a few years among breeders are coming down in price and you'll start to see them in pet shops. Examples include the tangerine gecko, named for its tangerine or orange hues, and the Mack snow gecko, which is considerably faded from its normal coloration. And those "super snows" are totally white and black.

The enigma, what breeders refer as a "dominant morph," is another up-and-comer. It's described as a "morph enhancer," as it tends to increase color intensity and patterns.

Also look for the unique RAPTOR (Ruby-eye, Albino, Orange, Patternless, Tremper) morph. These geckos can bear an entirely solid red eye, or have spots of normal eye color.

All these reptiles typically start at about $100 and go up from there.

The Ironstone Chinaware and its Beginnings

2011-07-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

In 1813, the name Ironstone quickly caught the public’s fancy, implying as it did a tough yet delicate china-like ware. It was heavy, durable and non-porous, decorated with Oriental-inspired designs. The colorful new ware compared favorably with the most costly porcelains of the period, and a huge market was established. The popularity of Ironstone exists to this day.

Ironstone was in such demand that almost every potter of the 1830-80 period made a version of it, under various names like Granite China, Opaque China, Stone China, and Stoneware. All were highly saleable, especially in the export market, since they were robust, stood up to hard wear and were not easily damaged in transit. Uniquely suited to world markets, Ironstone closely resembled porcelain, but was sturdy enough for everyday use. Spode and Ridgway were two of the larger manufacturers to follow Mason into the market; another was John Davenport. The original date of his entry is not known, but by 1818 his firm was well established.

Mason’s ironstone vase – Flickr image by exfordy

Davenport made all the style that Mason pioneered. The familiar octagonal jug with hydra-headed handle was a popular item. Also fashionable were vases printed in Imari patterns with gilded finishes. Teapots, cups, saucers, plates, soup dishes, tureens, sauce boats, and milk jugs were turned out, but the main source of revenue was in the production of the practical dessert and dinner services for which the Davenport factory at Longport is best known.

The production of stoneware flourished through the 19^th century. Ridgway made high-quality tea and dessert services, elaborate tureens and white stoneware jugs with detailed scenes modeled in high relief. Doulton & Watts at Lambeth, which was founded in 1815, concentrated on modest, salt-glazed stoneware in the familiar tan and cocoa tints, often with cobalt accents. Doulton made stoneware tankards, urns and vases as well as Toby-style character jugs depicting celebrities.

By Historigal

The History and Development of European Stoneware

2011-07-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

image via Wikipedia

Stoneware is vitreous earthenware fired at such a high temperature that it becomes as hard as stone and impervious to liquids. First made in China, it was imported into England from Germany in the form of grayish-white bottles from Siegburg known as schnellen, and mottled brown jugs from Cologne called tyger ware. In 1671, John Dwight of Fulham took out a patient for the manufacture of stoneware like the Rhineland variety. He created many pieces of brownware and redware before he developed the more popular white salt-glazed stoneware, but, with the exception of several pieces in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, few examples of his innovative pottery have survived.

Dwight’s stoneware was reproduced and modified by many factories during the 18^th century. Staffordshire made brown salt-glazed stoneware from the end of the 17^th century and white salt-glazed stoneware from 1740-60. Josiah Wedgewood, who revolutionized the ceramics industry, created blue-and-white jasper stoneware). Josiah Spode of Stoke-on-Trent introduced a line of decorated stoneware in 1805.

Several manufacturers tried to perfect an inexpensive yet durable earthenware for people who could not afford fine china. The most successful was Miles Mason, who, in collaboration with his sons, experimented with a new form of stone china containing iron slag. In 1813, after his father retired, Charles John Mason of Fenton in the Staffordshire potteries took out the famous patent for Ironstone China.

By Historigal

Weaving Style: The Salish Way

2011-07-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Salish people are distinguished by a lot of individuals as experts in weaving, particularly in the Northwestern side of the Pacific. This race constantly knows how to come up with very beautiful blankets created of twill. Currently, many have already took in new styles and kinds of dyes, weaving techniques, and fabrics that grant researchers to study a very wide range of Salish weavings.

Use of blankets

Back then, people utilized blankets for ceremonial intentions. Whenever Salish blankets are donned by a particular person, that person is differentiated as someone who is quite civic and religious inside the community. In other times, honored people are decorated with blankets in order to identify them. They'll be sitting or standing on their blankets, and sometimes even raise the blankets to accord for their honored position.

The use of blankets is also observed to represent how affluent a certain individual is. The fact is, blankets are given away to the other members of the community to show success. It is really due to the high value of blankets that they're even sometimes utilized as currency for purchasing or bartering others types of goods.

Who are assigned to make blankets?

Since the early modern times, the women are the ones who are responsible of creating the blankets. Even though they were just young girls, they were already disciplined by their grandmothers. Training began when the girls are ten years old, with a far more intense one when they attain puberty stages.

Commitment to the project

Although several believe that weaving is such an easy job, it really requires a lot of dedication and could take such a long time before a resulting product is made. Those who are quite active with weaving are those who are frequently affiliated with some rituals or tasks for spiritualism much like abstinence.

The name “Salish”

This name is afforded to those Native Americans who have a culture and speech that are quite common that there is a detectable relationship. The Salish people are generally found residing in the Northern part of the Fraser canyon, British Columbia, Vancouver Island, or in Aberdeen, Washington.

Weaved blankets were allotted among those who went to the potlatch ceremonies as a sign of wealth. Whoever donated the blankets acquired prestige, and thus, earns an increase in the social rank. Whenever the supply requires to be expanded, the blankets are only cut in lots of pieces so that more attendees can be accommodated with a gift. These gifts would be merged together in order to make a new blanket that is a lot bigger.

Weaving methods

The Salish learned a lot of the ancient weaving methods and altered them to come up with better products. They would include twining of several kinds like overlay, wrapped, three stand twining, slanting and vertical openwork, simple twining, diagonal openwork, openwork, plain openwork, and double twining. The most exploited weaving techniques are the twine, plain, and twill techniques.

By TW

Weaving Styles of the Navajo People

2011-07-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Navajo weaving is in fact a very fine art. The people of Navajo learned the art of weaving from the Pueblo Indians, having some help from those who are not Indians as well. Without the help of those who were part of this discovery, this great art might not have been known as the great art it's recognized for today.

Their inspiration

According to the natives of Navajo, a deity they revered as the Spider Woman was the one who taught them how to weave. Furthermore, they believed that the first loom in their area was from the sky and that the tools utilized for the weaving process were crystal, sunlight, shells, and lightning. Actually, the fact was that the Pueblo Indians were the ones who taught the Navajo natives how to weave.

Cultivation of cotton

The Pueblo natives who inhabited the Northern part of New Mexico were beginning to cultivate even more cotton in 1300 AD after they learned that cotton was best for weaving. They skillfully applied finger weaving and even learned how to correctly use the back strap loom which even came from the tribes of Mexican India.

Weaving

Back then, weaving was considered as one of man’s common activities in most pueblos. They continued with the weaving processes in the kiva, which is a ceremonial room. In fact, this ceremonial room is just a cramped space that further revolutionized the invention of the upright loom.

From cotton to wool

When the Spaniards arrived having their Churro sheep back in the sixteenth century made them consider to use wool as their weaving material rather than the usual cotton. The Pueblo Indians were among the first ones to ever start weaving wool instead of cotton. In only a short time, the natives of Navajo got wind of this from their neighbors and started to practice this new technique of weaving as well.

The Pueblo rebellion

There was a rebellion in 1680, and it intensely had great influences on how the local Indians endured their lives. However, weaving still continued to evolve with a lot more patterns.

It was about this time that the plain tapestry method began to be quite famous. Other designs that were popularly used were slanting twills, herringbone, and diamond. With wool, seamstresses could now come up with shirts, shoulder blankets, dresses, belts, hair ties, door hangings, saddle blankets, blankets, and kilts.

From men to women

When weaving was first exercised, many viewed it like it was a man’s work. Actually, back then, the men were the ones who could be found weaving. Now, however, weaving is something a woman does.

Search Amazon.com for navajo weave

By TW

The Art of Fingerweaving

2011-07-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Fingerweaving is in fact a Native American art that has been practiced for ages to make sashes, straps, belts and other things only using a weaving process that doesn't require looms. Unlike the loom-based weaving method, the weft and the warp strands are not sorted since all of the fibers play both roles.

Some particular designs and combinations of several colors were originally restricted to specific societies or clans only, while others were widely employed by the general population. The patterns that were created through fingerweaving methods were frequently selected for diverse designs for leg bands, belts, dresses, pants, capes, sashes, gun straps, and even shirts. For some patterns that were close to costumes, beads and feathers were interlaced into the clothes.

From the French voyagers

The French voyagers were considered fur traders in the Northern part of the United States of America and the Southern part of Canada. They adapted the designs for creating sashes and belts to show which company they belonged.

The belts they made were in fact the first weight belts so that they could add more support to their stomachs when carrying canoes or some packets of beaver pelts. These weight belts often weighed equal to six hundred pounds.

The Spanish conquistadors

The Spanish conquistadors used sashes that were fingerwoven to proclaim which specific command they're part of. Also, the sashes are tools for recording their conquests over the Native American race.

South American styles

Opposed to what a lot say about the likeness between South American and North American patterns and designs, they are in fact much more different than similar. Their deviations from one another are far more discernible. Moreover, patterns from the North were slightly modified with some additional weft strands.

Basic weaves

Up to now, the weave that's most generally used is the diagonal weave. People and several manufacturers like this certain weave since it creates a terrific series of parallel lines that run down the whole length of the weave in a slanting direction. It doesn't matter if the seamstress begins weaving from the left side or the right side. But the seamstress must pay very close attention in keeping up the same direction. Even a small change in direction can alter the general look of the pattern.

Loom weaving

In loom weaving, a seamstress begins using an even amount of warp strands, but making a point that there are no weft strands. The warp strands must be split up into two groups, a bottom row and the top row. The seamstress can go with the top left or the top right strand and run the strand from the top to the bottom or the other way around in keeping the strands in the very same order. Through this method, an interlocked row can be created.

For the next line of the pattern, the new top left or top right warp strand must be tucked between the top and the bottom rows, which creates a new weft strand. The top and the bottom rows should be interlinked till the whole desired length is completed.

By Tip Writer

The Types of Spinning Wheels

2011-07-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Spinning wheels were designed to help people make designs and different kinds of materials faster. Spinning wheels come in a selection of materials and styles to help make your work more effective. You'll find that there are more new technologies that give very fast yarn production such as air jets, friction spinning and an open-end system.

About the types

There are numerous types of spinning wheels, plus the great wheel which is also pertained to as wool wheel or the walking wheel which easily long draws the spinning of woolen-spun yarns. The flax wheel as really double-drive used with a distaff to spin linen. The upright and Saxony wheels are likewise available. There are multi-purpose treadle wheels which can spin yarn of worst-spun types.

The Charkha

The charkha came from Asia. All yarns were originally done by lining up fibers using drawing techniques then twisting the fiber together, till the spinning wheel that operates via a rotor was made. Rotor spinning granted the fibers located in the roving to be sorted out. There is an open end and then twisting and wrapping of the yarn as it's drawn out from the rotor cup.

Using the Hands

A spinner turns a crank for flywheel using the hands to power the hand-powered wheel types. The mechanical engine type utilizes and presses pedals. The floor charkha or tabletop charkha is among the most common and oldest kinds of wheels. The charkha operates very much like the great wheel, using a drive wheel turned using the hand. The yarn is thus spun off the tip of the spindle. The floor charkha and the great wheel is much the same. The spinning, however, should finish to successfully wind the yarn right onto the spindle.

The Indian independence movement utilized the charkha as a symbol and tool. This is a portable hand-cranked wheel that spins cotton, and other short-staple fibers. It could also be used to spin other fibers. The size would change. The charkha was also used a lot by Mahatma Gandhi when he was teaching.

The Great Wheel

The great wheel was regarded as one of the earliest types of spinning wheel. The fiber is held using the left hand, while the wheel is carefully turned using the right hand. The wheel is ideal for long-draw spinning approaches, wherein the single active hand is the mostly used. The free hand could then turn the wheel. This wheel is used to spin wool. It can solely be utilized with fiber types that are viable for long-draw spinning.

More on the Great Wheel

The great wheel would measure more than 5 feet tall. The huge drive wheel turns the minor spindle assemblage, while the spindle revolves numerous times for each turn of the drive wheel. The left hand always controls the wool tension so that you always get even results. When sufficient yarn has been produced, the wheel can be spun back just a little distance to unroll the spindle spiral. It is then turned clockwise subsequently.

By Tip Writer

Spinning Yarn Hobby

2011-07-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

image via Wikipedia

Hand spinning yarn is really quite popular nowadays. This is why the population of crocheters and knitters has mostly expanded, and so has their purchase of treadling wheels and spindles.

Knitting

Knitting is now recognized to be among the favorite hobbies of scores of women, kids, and even men, all across the globe. This is probably the main cause why the number of spinners is also growing.

Before, spinning is only considered as a necessary part of the cottage industry that kept families decently and comfortably clothed by utilizing the fleeces that were sheared from the sheep that they, themselves, nurtured. Now, spinning yarn is recognized to be such an excellent complement to hobbies akin to crochet and knitting.

Reasons to Study How to Spin Yarn

Having a “love affair” with yarn is similar with learning how to properly and decently weave, crochet or knit. Creating just the right type of yarn has the capacity to come up with a special project. What is more, learning how to come up with methods that can replace several kinds of yarns correctly is a professional skill of crocheters or knitters. This gives the person a much fuller and deeper understanding of what is qualifies a specific yarn fiber to be good. This entails that the particular individual can now have the skill of selecting the perfect yarn for a certain project.

Spinning as Form of Meditation

Moreover, the routine of spinning itself is considered by many as a serene, very soothing, and meditative method once it is properly learned. Also, buying a fiber that has already been prepared is a lot cheaper as compared to purchasing ones that was spun through commercial processes and machinery. This implies that if people are knowledgeable on how to spin their own yarn, then could afford to get themselves a fiber that's created from better quality, like alpaca, cashmere or silk.

Using a Spindle

The basics of using a spindle must be learned. Getting to spin with a spindle isn't just a stepping stone for spinning with wheels. Even when people have already controlled the skill of spinning, they still utilize spindles.

What Exactly is a Spindle?

A spindle is in fact consisted of a whorl, which is essentially a wide disc that gives the suitable momentum and weight which are both needed for a long spin. The shaft part of the spindle pokes out either above or below of the whorl and it is in charge for holding the yarn when it begins to be spun. A hook is also used in channeling the spin from the spindle and to the yarn.

Making a Spindle

People can in fact make their own spindles. They can even create this using materials that are generally available in hardware stores. Some CDs even offer the needed information for making spindles. These said items can be purchased from the local yarn store or from an internet supplier. An example of such place is Etsy, which is among the top stores that give customers spindles and different fibers for spinning.

By Tip Writer

HTC Detour – Get on your bike and take the ride of your life…

2011-07-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

HTC, a global leader in the mobile phone industry, today lifts the curtain on ‘HTC Detour’, a cycling film with a twist. Released to celebrate the Tour de France racing season, the film is designed to encourage people to get on their bikes and explore their local surroundings in different ways. Following the HTC Detour team, which is made up of cycling professionals including record breaking German cyclist and HTC Highroad member, Erik Zabel, plus sponsored talent and enthusiasts from all around the world, the film takes you on on a cycling ‘detour’ through Warsaw exploring some of the city’s most unusual places to which cyclists are not normally given access.
Shot in Poland at night, the film sees the HTC Detour cyclists exploring and cycling through ten unusual and hard to reach locations across Warsaw. As part of the route, cyclists traveled through a car wash in full action, a dazzling fairground, the underground, a tram tunnel, the famous PKIN building, the Palace of Culture and Science and one of Warsaw’s busiest city flyovers.>>>READ MORE

Card Games for Kids: Pig, Beggar, and Slapjack

2011-07-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

PIG

Pig is a favorite "ice-breaker" for huge parties, whether of kids or adults. Any number of people could play, up to thirteen, and the more, the merrier.

From a regular deck, take four cards of a rank for every player in the game. For instance, having seven players, take the aces, deuces, and so on up to sevens, casting aside all higher cards. It does not matter what ranks you select.

After shuffling, deal the cards out one at a time, thence giving for each one player four. The entire play comprises in switching cards. All players take a card from their hands and place it to the left, then all at the same time pick up the cards they find at their right. In fact, it isn't important to keep these exchanges synched. The "ice-breaking" function is that the etiquette of the game allows the player to shout at his right-hand neighbor, "Hurry up, I'm waiting!"

If any player acquires four cards of the same rank into his hand, he should stop passing cards and place a finger to his nose. Every other player, on seeing this act, must promptly stop and place a finger to his nose. The last to comprehend that the game is all over is a Pig, and is generally required to pay a forfeit.

BEGGAR-YOUR-NEIGHBOR

This game depends solely on the luck of the shuffle. Two play. Every player receives half of the pack, face down. Nondealer shows up a card from the top of his packet and lays it on the table. Dealer then shows up a card from his packet and places it on the other. Play goes on in the same way till a face card or ace shows up.

When one player shows a high card, the other should place on it: four cards for an ace, three for a king, two for a queen, one for a jack. When the high card casts its quota in lower cards (ten or lower), the player of the high card gets the entire common pile, puts it face down under his packet, and goes for a new series of plays. But if a face card or ace comes out in the course of playing the quota on an opponent's high card, the duty is reversed, and the opponent should give a quota. This alternation keeps on until a player wins the pile.

The player who acquires the entire pack into his hands wins the game. This may happen in a "run-through" or the game may continue for a while.

SLAPJACK

Suitable for two to eight players. This game could get wild—we won't recommend using your best deck of cards for it!

Deal the cards out one at a time till the pack is entirely dealt. It is okay if some players have more cards than others. Every player keeps his cards in a pile face down in front of him. Each in turn, starting with player to dealer's left, shows up one card from the top of his pile and lays it in a common pile in the center of the table. Whenever a jack is turned, the first player to slap it gets all the cards in the common pile and places them at the bottom of his pile. The next player starts a new common pile. The object of play is to win all 52 cards.

Authors Card Game Rules

2011-07-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

Originally, Authors was played using special cards having the pictures and names of celebrated writers, and such cards remains available, but it's now more often played with regular deck of cards. It is best called a children's game, but in its four- and five-hand forms it is preferred by many fine card-players as a game of skill. A simple variation for very young players is Fish.

Players range from four to six. Three could play, but the game is then overly simple for any but young children. The cards are dealt face down, one at a time, until all are dealt; they need not come out even.

Every player in turn asks the other players for a particular card, naming the player asked, the rank, and the suit, hence, "Joe, give me the ace of spades." If the asked player has the card he should deliver it, face up on the table. The asker must have at least a card of the rank he calls for and should not ask for a card he holds. (So by asking for the Ace of hearts, he reveals that he has an ace but not the Ace of hearts.) A player's turn carries on as long as the player required has the card asked for. When an asked player declines, his turn ends. The turn to play passes to the left.

The target is to form books, a book being all four cards of similar rank. When a player nails a book (or is dealt one) he automatically shows it, then turns it down on the table in front of him.

Especially in kids’ games, the winner is the player who completes the most books. More serious players normally keep score using poker chips. Each time a player completes a book, each other player gives him one chip. The player who completes the most books gets an extra chip per player.

For any breach of the rules—demanding for a card one holds, asking for a card without having a card of the same rank, failing to turn over an asked card when one bears it, or failing to show a book as soon as it is completed—the wrongdoer pays a penalty of one chip to every other player.

By Tip Writer

Card Games For Children

2011-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

image source

Kids love card-playing from almost their earliest years and card-playing could be both educational and character-building for them when they're guided to its paragons of analytical thinking and sportsmanlike behavior. Here are some games that are tried and true in their popularity with children.

GO FISH

Fish is a simpler kind of Authors, better fitted to children. It's a good game for two players or more, up to around five players. A regular deck is used. The cards are dealt one at a time, and when there are two players, each gets seven cards. If more than two, deal five cards to every hand. Put the rest of the deck face down in the middle of the table, to be the stock.

Each player in turn calls another by name, and calls for for cards of a specified rank, like "Lucy, hand me your sevens."

The asker should have at the least one card of this rank in his hand. If the one addressed bears any other cards of that rank, he must give them up. The asker's turn carries on so long as he succeeds in getting down cards. Having none of the named rank, the one addressed exclaims "Fish!" The asker then draws the top card of the stock, and the turn goes to the left.

Each time a player catches a book (four cards of the same rank), he must display them and put them in front of himself. The one who acquires the most books wins the game.

Kids often make a rule of their own, and you should not pull the rules book on them when they are set on it. This is the rule that the turn carries on so long as the caller is successful in any way—such as when the card drawn when he is told to fish is of the rank he last named, or if it completes a book.

CONCENTRATION or MEMORY

Concentration might be played by any number from two up. Take a regular deck, shuffle it, and lay the cards out one at a time on a large table, with their faces down and so separated that they do not overlap.

Every player in turn should turn up any two cards, one at a time, putting them in their original positions on the table. If they are a pair, he takes them and likewise turns up two more cards. If they're not a pair, he turns them face down again (still in their original place) and the next player to his left plays.

The point is that by mindful watching you can keep in mind where cards of certain kinds are. After showing up your first card, you may remember what card to turn up to determine its mate. The objective is to get as many pairs as possible, and the one who acquires the most wins the game.

This is a game that interests individuals of all ages.

OLD MAID

From a regular deck, discard one queen. Deal the remaining cards out, one at a time, until all are dealt—they don't have to come out even. Two to eight could play. Each player throws away, face up, all his pairs (never three of a kind). Then every player in turn shuffles his hand and extends it face down to his left-hand neighbor, who draws one card, discards a pair if he has drawn one, and extends his shuffled hand to his left. Naturally one player must be left having the odd queen and is the "old maid."

WAR

Two play. A regular deck is split up into halves, one for each player, face down. Each turns up a card and the greater card wins the other, the two cards going face down under the winner's packet. This goes on till the turned cards are a pair; then there is "war." The pair are laid in the center, each player adds up three cards face down, and so each player turns a card, the high card winning all ten. If these third cards also are a pair, they get into the center, each adds a card, and the whole group goes to the winner of the next turn. Because it takes a long time for either player to gain all 52 cards, it is normally agreed that the first to win 3 wars is the winner of the game.

By Tip Writer

Game Review: GoldenEye 007 Video Game

2011-06-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Only a few video games raise as many fond memories like GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64. The game did not only place console shooters on the radar, but connected a myriad dormitories in intense multiplayer matches. Although GoldenEye’s effect on the industry is fundamental, the gameplay itself hasn’t resisted the test of time. Now it is time for Activision to brush up the nostalgia-rich property with a make over of sorts.

Activision is prompt to insist that GoldenEye 007 video game is not a remaking of Rare’s 1997 title, but instead a fresh game grounded off the movie. In spite of this assertion, a lot of factors of the single- and multi-player are pulled from the N64 game.

Pierce Brosnan is long gone from James Bond. In his place is the practically grittier, darker Bond depicted by Daniel Craig. In the demo, he and 006 (Alec Trevelyan) penetrate a snowy Russian dam to hush up some communists. As the camera pans across the setting, it is clear that this is a reconstruction of the classic beginning level from the original game. Everything from an army truck rolling over a ramp to the sniper rifle put away in a guard tower hollers fan service. Even the coloring of particular textures and enemy design return to the Nintendo 64’s glory days

The gameplay of the single-player experience is radically different. You’re free to pursue situations however you wish. Bond and Trevelyan could take cover behind objects in order to hide from the Ruskies’ sight. If they capture a sentry unaware, they can carry out a timed button press to remove the enemies covertly, either through silenced weaponry or brute force. The single-player part of the demo closes with the two penetrating the notorious facility level using a van in an on-rails shooting section.

While GoldenEye’s single-player has set milestones back in 1997, it was the multiplayer that caused over-caffeinated gamers holding close awkward N64 controllers until break of dawn. That trademark four-player split-screen comes back, together with eight-player internet matches. Players partial to the old specialty game types like paintball and "slappers only" will be happy to learn that battle presets are customizable.

Multiplayer is like the adored N64 title, but it plays a great deal better. Using the new Classic Controller during hands-on with the stock deathmatch mode, thus no motion control was used. This multi-buttoned, dual-analog stick gadget made the game feel instantly recognizable. It plays like a lot of other modern shooters, complete with ironsights aiming and one-touch melee attacks. Utilizing freshly honed FPS skills in such a darling environment is a blast. Eurocom contends to maintain everything good about the original’s gameplay (radar and bloody death screens) while getting rid of the bad (intrusive auto-aim, weapon pick-ups).

Classic multiplayer characters come back to the fray likewise. Oddjob is still awfully overpowered, this time equipped with a one-hit kill bowler’s hat toss complementing his diminutive profile. Jaws returns with customized grenades and a deadly melee attack. The Man with the Golden Gun’s baddy, Scaramanga, earns his debut as well. After all these decades it’s still amusing to see these iconic characters face off against each other.

From what’s been depicted thus far, GoldenEye 007 is forming up to be a game that shouldn’t be disregarded. Diehard fans of the original game can expect replaying a sure favorite without the older gameplay. Everybody else must brace themselves for what could easily be the best Wii FPS as yet.

Game Review: Gears of War 3 by Epic Games

2011-06-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

In the gaming enterprise, it is a little surprise that Epic Games is braving some fresh challenges with the video game Gears of War 3. The new four-player cooperative hunt looks astonishing, the visuals and action shots display a noteworthy step up from the previous installment, and the battles that were seen look positively mad. All the same, the coolest new feature on exhibit at the show was the recently proclaimed Beast mode.

The Beast mode has much in common with the well known Horde cooperative mode. Much like that popular game style, players work collectively through waves to kill the enemy. Different than Horde, you will now get on the other end of the equation, being among the Locust horde as they seek to sweep aside the miserable remnants of humanity.

The new game style begins with a choice - which member of the swarming locust army would you become? In a basic match of 10-15 waves, players will get an assigned selection of monsters to choose from. This set would be customized by players to build just the game they prefer to play.

While playing with this video game, preferences in the early waves included several low-power locust. The ticker could lodge into battle, assault a beefed up position, and detonate. The wretch could scramble between cover points, attempting to get close enough to accomplish a crushing melee assault.

As the waves carried on, more significant enemy types became available. This enables you to choose among any number of various boomer editions. The barbaric boomer could hit out belowground explosive projectiles known as diggers to tunnel past cover. The mauler boomer roused into battle with a tremendous ball and chain going around wildly above his head.

Through the end, enjoy playing as a giant serapede– a monolithic multi-legged worm that could creep into battle and wreak havoc on the opposition. When he ultimately came down, we joined in as a Berserker. She’s got terrible vision, so the screen turned extremely blurry. But her crushing charge pulverizes any mortal that comes in her way.

As the game advanced, we began to witness just how flexible and strategic, this new Beast mode can become. By collaborating with allies, it’s imaginable to field an impressive range of Locust attackers to attack the settled human positions. Blended with the stellar presentation of the campaign in full action, the latest Gears episode uncovered itself to be no less than what was expected: among the definitive games to watch this 2011.

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New Video Games 2011: Deus Ex Human Revolution

2011-06-12T04:05:00.000-07:00

Deus Ex: Human Revolution appeared from nowhere and stormed several video gamers at last year’s E3. Instead of watering down a darling franchise, the team at Eidos Montreal is centered on adhering what made the original Deus Ex games grand: an intricate conspiracy plot, fantastic world design, and the power to decide between multiple solutions for each goal and enemy encounter.

A lot of these choices come along courtesy of protagonist Adam Jensen with his cybernetic enhancements. Jensen’s entire body could be augmented depending on your play style. A few augmentations facilitate him achieve incredible takedowns - instant-kill moves executed close up - like one where he snaps the neck of the guard standing on the other side by punching through the wall. Others would enhance his stealth power or afford him to leap greater distances. There is also an entire set of yet-undisclosed augmentations to help Jensen’s social and hacking paths. Though Adam is not the sole augmented individual in Human Revolution; the E3 show finished in an encounter with a Southern-accented muscle head whose arm transmutes into a chain gun, suggesting at some of the brawny (and insane) adversaries Jensen will face.

Deus Ex video game has an engrossing world to support it. In the two levels seen at E3, the social/exploration-focused bar scene was particularly fascinating, swarming with NPCs that convincingly set about their day-to-day activities. Jensen would be able to converse with each non-enemy NPC in the game, occasionally gathering fresh information or entertaining anecdotes, sometimes even catching a side quest that may help push one of his chief goals.

The art style and color palette of the video game is very Renaissance (as does intense dream/nightmare of Jensen in the amazing E3 trailer which Square Enix put out). Jean-Francois Dugas, creative director of Eidos Montreal, says that this design would help distinguish them from an ocean of shooters that all appear very similar, and he’s right. The nearly sepia tone golden tinge that Human Revolution is immersed in is excising. Curiosity would get you on how the Renaissance style could tie into the game thematically, but the whole plot remains a mystery. The dialog seen was engaging, well composed, and coupled with first-class voice acting.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution fills up a gaming niche that you may not even fully realize you’ve been searching for. It’s still more of a shooter game than an RPG, setting it apart from the BioWare and Bethesda style, but it includes more compelling choices and more unique surroundings than just about any of the first-person shooters. Whether the video game’s magnitude will span out as perfectly as we can hope remains to be seen. Deus Ex: Human Revolution for PS3 and XBOX 360 is scheduled for release in August 2011.

Video Games 2011: Journey by TGC

2011-06-12T03:21:00.000-07:00

Thatgamecompany aka TGC, the genius behind Flow and Flower video game, proclaimed their 3rd downloadable video game at E3 – Journey: Lost in The Wasteland. This project is demonstrating to be as puzzling and intriguing as their previous attempts.

The inspiration for Journey came up from numerous sources. Creative director Jenova Chen reported a lunch meeting he had several months ago with a real world NASA shuttle pilot. The pilot told him that he had never set foot on the moon (he was piloting in the mission), but he had did travel with others who had. Without exception, he stated, these people returned changed, with a fresh spiritual and emotional view on life conveyed on by the feeling of isolation and vast-ness they felt standing on the surface of the moon.

Chen was enamored by this phenomenon, and determined to explore the idea in his forthcoming game. Chen also talked about how the nature of several modern video games was about the illusion of power, and he was concerned in creating a game that brought up the reverse sensibility - a sense of powerlessness induced by being alone and isolated. Such a game character will hunger for contact with others, in the same manner people in real life look for connections and significance through kinships. Additionally, Chen remarked a personal fascination with the comparative mythology authorships of Joseph Campbell, the very same author George Lucas frequently mentions as an inspiration for Star Wars.

From this brood of ideas, Journey started to take shape. The video game starts as the player awakens on a huge open desert filled with crossing sand dunes and swooshing wind. A beautiful, lonesome cello tune picks up in the soundtrack. The chief character is a strange figure in a long red cloak. He could walk using the left stick, move the camera view using the Six axis tilt, jump, and reveal a keening song using another button. Climbing up to the apex of a nearby dune, the player can spot a remote mountain that oozes out a pillar of light into the sky. Having nowhere else to go, the unknown mountain turns into a definitive destination for the game that succeeds.

When the red-cloaked hero runs across the dunes, the ground reacts like actual sand, tumbling down surrounding his footfalls, and having him skid down steep surfaces. The sand possesses a virtually magical character; it rolls and ascends like sea waves that break up against the dunes. The hero can grab these waves, and surf across them like they were water.

Mysteries are aplenty in the desert. Unusual stone monoliths come into being and bring runes on the hero’s cloak. Pieces of cloth drift free in the air, and can be collected to provide bursts of flight. But no enigma is bigger than the vision of a lone character on a distant dune - another player lost in the barren land.
Journey video game makes an unequaled multiplayer experience. At any point in time, one other player can come out in your game. The two players can’t speak or distinguish each other. They can ignore one another, or work together. Chen desires the experience helps players to search a fresh emotional palette centering on how loneliness pressures us to reach out for companionship. The video game seems like a captivating social experiment, and the combined of visuals, audio, and unique gameplay are truly spellbinding. Only time will reveal if TGC’s strange poetic vision will pull in a curious audience. Journey for PS3 is scheduled for release 2011.

Game Review: The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword

2011-06-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

When a piece of concept art was shown in 2009, gamers knew that a new Legend of Zelda was being developed for the Wii. But little was revealed about the project before E3. People anticipated its presence during Nintendo press conference, but were surprised to see the company lead with a full-on disclosure. Those present were treated to a crisp trailer and a visit from Shigeru Miyamoto, the series creator.

As the game designer demonstrated the freshly named Skyward Sword, a lot of viewers were worried about what looked to be technical issues. Miyamoto strained to aim Line’s bow, but the controls acted unpredictably, making him to shoot arrows to the ground. After playing through a section of the game, however, some have confirmed that this truly might have been a fluke technical error on the conference - the controls were perfect.

MotionPlus integration is right away evident, when Link swings his sword in a more accurate and precise style than the canned animations in the Twilight Princess. As the video game’s title might indicate, your sword earns special abilities when directed towards the heavens. No idea yet on how important this will be to gameplay, but it allows Link a heavier sword swipe in the demo played.

New movements will control several advanced attacks in The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. Swiping the Wii remote and nunchuk jointly from left to right, Link executed his trademark spin slash - swiping them together in a downwardly motion, and he does an impressive (and potent) flipping upright slice.

In this video game, a lot of enemies feature movement patterns that demand Link to change the direction of his slash. Freshly designed deku-bobba plants open their mouths either horizontally or vertically and you must aim your slice according with this alignment. You will encounter what appears like a Stalfos Knight, and his defense patterns will force you to switch up attack patterns as you battle along. Training your sword swipe correctly is utterly crucial to passing through enemy defenses in Skyward Sword.

One important change to the video game series’ account is the item management system. As with the original NES Zelda, changing weapons called for the gamer to pause. Skyward Sword does this process a great deal more convenient and intuitive, and holding down the B button will show the item wheel without breaking the action. Encountering a swarm of bats while bombs are equipped, and as they fly, run away, hold the B button to bring up the wheel (while still running), rotate the wheel using MotionPlus control, and let go to select whip. The action doesn’t stop at any point, but it’s still convenient to move around and choose your new item while fending off danger.

Another engaging implementation of motion affects bomb control within the video game. You will pull the explosive out using the B button. You can either cast it off or roll it over the ground depending on the motion you employ with the remote. Rather than slashing at one certain deku-bobba, bait him into lowering his mouth to the ground and finish him off by bowling a bomb straightaway into it.

A lot of enemies will demand you to plan the execution of your slices. Skyward Sword’s E3 exhibit also included a flying beetle, slingshot and bow. The beetle is thrown then operated by moving the control around, and the commands are right-on. You are able to use it to gather items, bother enemies, search areas, and a lot more. Slingshot use is somewhat basic (point and shoot), but the bow more tightly resembles Wii Sports Resort’s archery minigame. You will aim in first-person mode, hold down the C button to stabilize your aim, pull the nunchuk backwards, and let go to fire your arrow. It’s definitely more engaging than just hitting a button while aiming at the screen.

With The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword game, we ultimately get a built-from-the-ground-up Zelda experience that exacts full advantage of the console and its underused MotionPlus auxiliary.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

Kill Zone 3 Game Review

2011-06-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3

1-Player Shooter (32-Players online)

Sony Computer Entertainment

By Guerrilla Games

Release: February 22, 2011

Most of the talk about Killzone 3 has centered on the single-player campaign, Move functionality and 3D capabilities. Guerrilla Games eventually cracked the door open on multiplayer for fans who have waited patiently for details since Sony declared the game early last year.

For the third release, Guerrilla Games is revamping the level advancement to afford it much more flexibility. Rather than just 15 ranks like in the last game, Killzone 3 has 45. Instead of merely tossing in a bunch of arbitrary ranks, Guerrilla altered matters so that players can be rewarded more often. This time players gain points that they can decide how to spend, and players will no longer be stuck with a gun or power that they don't desire.

Guerrilla also rewrote the matchmaking logic in order that players are better coupled with adversaries of the same skill levels. The team also added up a party lobby so that bands of friends can easily stick together from match to match. Each match gives your friends headset priority so they are constantly louder than random strangers. Clan support comes back as well, having regional leaderboards and unranked matches so your crew can rehearse without marring its reputation.

Prior to every match, players choose from five different classes - engineer, medic, infiltrator, marksman and tactician. Each class contains six unique abilities players can gain overtime, and the weapon unlocks for every tract are suited to work best using that specific play style. For instance, the medic should always watch his or her back while healing others, so should you level up that class acquires the ability to equip a mini drone that accompanies you and blasts foes for a fixed amount of time. The drone can also try to patch you up when you get shot down.

Some maps now involve vehicles. The exoskeleton in Killzone 2's single-player campaign is usable in multiplayer for the first time. This walking tank possesses the firepower to decimate the whole opposing force, but the thin glass windscreens offer a glary weakness for snipers to take advantage of. The jetpack is also available for particular multiplayer maps also. These environments are planned having more vertical action in mind to exploit the extra axis that players can cover. These devices will not keep you in the air for more than a couple of seconds at a time, so don't expect any dogfighting high above a blown up city-scape.

With Guerrilla's dynamic respawning system, in a team deathmatch, players will respawn in locations roughly close to the action but not too close that they will get blown up immediately by a random grenade. The Operations mode is an assault and defend match having a series of objectives. In the map played, one side must defend a crucial dam while the other connives to demolish it. The first part involves blowing up the outer doors. When the assailants succeed, they will be treated to a brief cut scene starring every player included in the conquest, complete with customized outfits and gamer tags drifting above their heads. The better you execute, the more striking a role you will have in the replay. A less integral player might be running across in the background, while the best player is the hero putting the charges. On the other side, high-ranking defenders would appear as the ones giving commands for further measures like discharging nerve gas or detonating an EMR. When the dam is finally blown, the victors fly away heroically on transports while the others appear like chumps getting dragged away by the flood.

By: Tip Writer

Dead Space 2 Game Review

2011-06-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 Xbox 360

1-Player Action (8-Player Online)

Electronic Arts

By Visceral Games

Release: January 25, 2011

The first Dead Space was a huge success that did not take in much criticism from fans. Gamers enjoyed the space horror vibe and slice and dice gameplay so much that several lamented the lack of a multiplayer mode. While strategically taking apart Al opponents is still a central element of the single-player experience in Dead Space 2, splitting live opponents apart online as a necromorph or a human seems evenly enticing.

Since this is the first multiplayer outing for the Dead Space franchise, the team at Visceral analyzed games like Left 4 Dead for inspiration. Dead Space 2 multiplayer features four-on-four matches around five objective-based maps genuine to the multiplayer campaign. Every match is composed of two rounds, one of which you play as Sprawl security guards and another in which you command necromorphs. Humans are fitted out with special abilities like stasis and memorable weapons like the pulse rifle, plasma cutter, and line gun. Necromorphs are more melee centered, with a couple of ranged attacks that primarily involve spewing toxic bile on opponents. As players run through the maps, weapons can be upgraded and necromorph attacks step-up in damage while players level up.

Visceral exhibited one of the five objective-based multiplayer maps, Titan Mine. Inside this map humans scuffle to collect three parts of a shock mine necessary to open a passageway. All the while, necromorphs are on the prowl set up to rip humans to shreds and forbid them from getting to their goal. Playing as a human is second nature if you are acquainted with the single-player campaign, as the control scheme is still the same. Necromorphs take a bit getting used to, but once you master their attacks, laying down the hurt on Sprawl security is a smash.

Playing as one of the demon childly Pack creatures affords you to scuttle toward a human, leap onto them, and rip away with your claws by actioning quick button presses such as the Hunter character from Left 4 Dead. This results in the human victim being vulnerable to other attacks. As the name entails, Pack creatures are most efficient in groups. The other necromorphs bring other powers to the table. Lurkers can scale along ceilings and walls and deliver long-range fire, leaving an unsuspecting adversary below open for attack. It's an excellent way to startle your foes. The Spitter and Puker can switch between melee and projectile bile spewing from several ranges, leaving opponents having burning faces covered with goo. Learning the strengths of each of these character forms keeps things brisk and fun.

By: Tip Writer

2011 Games: Metal Gear Solid Rising

2011-06-04T05:08:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 Xbox 360

1 -Player Action

Konami

Kojima Productions

Having a couple of stylish swings of a high frequency katana, Metal Gear's Raiden made his victorious return at last year's E3 as he made brief work of a slew of bad guys and a defenseless watermelon. The latest release in the fabled stealth franchise accentuates blade combat, a fact spotlit in the E3 trailer as a sentry robot and a group of generic soldiers are literally dissected in a fit of lightning-quick swordplay.

On Microsoft's press briefing at Tokyo Game Show, the people there were treated to a live demo showcasing the free-cutting mechanic at Rising's heart. Players will have the power to slice objects from just about any angle, as exhibited by a set of bowling pins set up on an outdoor table. Raiden carefully aims at the pins displaying a red line that maps where the blade will go through the object, then let loose the blade for a clean cut.

Then, a harmless set of stacked watermelons immediately reveal the franchise's signature exclamation mark. Hiding behind the fruit is a Scarab, one of the orb-like robots having three arms that came out in Metal Gear Solid 4. The Scarab lifts up a watermelon, which it carries on to spin on one of its fingers just like a basketball. Then it juggles bowling pins and balances one of its kind above its body to display Raiden's power to slice and dice moving objects.

The Scarab claps for Raiden's efforts at the end of the demo just before it rips in half. From watermelons to bowling pins, Rising's free-cutting mechanic appears more and more enticing with every swing of Raiden's katana. We look forward to chopping enemy cyborgs and random dead objects when we get to undergo the "lightning bolt action" for ourselves once the game hits PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 to be released late 2011.

By: Tip Writer

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 Game Review

2011-06-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

PS3/Wii/X360

1 to 4-Player Sports (4-Player Online)

EA Sports

By EA Tiburon

Release: June 8, 2010

Tiger developer EA Tiburon believed they had the full-motion golf swing down in 2009 using the addition of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral, but with this game, they affirm they have it dialed in. Seriously now, the franchise's second bout with the MotionPlus brings a fresh dimension to your swing that gives greater results. In a curious way, it adds up the possibility of even more inconsistency to a swing without wrecking the whole experience. The series carries on to tinker around the edges, making minor improvements that are generally welcome.

In Tiger 10, the MotionPlus peripheral was primarily occupied with whether your wrists were bent or not as you hit the ball. Your wrists are still crucial, but now the game also registers your follow-through. It could be a subtle change that does not factor in all your swings, but it is most welcome for it further codifies what establishes a good technique and what that feels like. If you do not want to use the new motion you will be able to revert to the old one via the game's detailed system of assists and difficulty levels that you could mix and match, like whether you want to use the waggle-style spin. One recommended turning on is the TrueView camera, which is a first-person view the ball as you size it up and watch it (hopefully) breeze through the air. Once more, the career mode (comprising of skills challenges against pros, a PGA tour schedule, and the Ryder Cup) has been fine-tuned, this time with a more calculated approach towards attribute points and modifiers. Clubs - and not shafts or clothes - are the only item that bestows stat bonuses, and you're only granted to give one of your four attributes an impermanent stat bump prior to most challenges or tourney rounds. This approach lags the stat-jacked characters of the past, but it is also not as fun.The inclusion of the Ryder Cup is most welcome, but even though the tourney's format is mostly the same, it's a little weird that the CPU won't abide by the nationality rules (Americans vs. Europeans) that make the Cup what it is. The Ryder Cup is also online, like is last year's disc golf.

Tiger 11 is a full-fledged game having a motion-based swing and not just a flimsy curiosity.

By: Tip Writer

Game Review: Blur

2011-06-04T04:15:00.000-07:00

PS3 / 360 / PC

1-4-Player(20Player Online)

Activision

By Bizarre Creations

Release: May 25, 2010

Blur developer Bizarre Creations has a reputation of thinking out of the racing box. The Project Gotham makers attained a name for themselves by that series' Kudos system. It called for players to think of the race inside the race - driving with style and on the edge was as important as getting across the finish line first. That same feel is found in Blur, though this time winning the inner battles by ill-treating other racers at each turn is synonymous with getting into the first place.

Blur is a game constructed on versatility. Power-ups aren't just offensive or defensive; they're tools you can utilize in several ways depending on the condition. A Barge blast is constantly handy to interrupt any cars in your immediate vicinity, but it could likewise be deployed as a temporary shield. Similarly, most power-ups go with an alternative tire option, for example, your garden-variety Nitro boost can alternately be employed to slow you down-useful for those very tight corners.

There are several ways to play Blur aside from how you use your power-ups. Gaining fans (which is the method to level up and unlock cars) is a breeze, and even when you are not acquiring them for doing stuff you would generally do -like pounding someone using a Nitro boost while you are in mid-air - the game gives you a lot of opportunities. There are always mid-race challenges that earn fans for doing stuffs like hitting somebody with a Bolt missile whilst drifting or passing via a dozen checkpoint gates.

Opposed to Mario Kart, Blur does not adopt randomness or orchestrate worst-to-first finishes. Power-ups are in similar position each lap and are never randomized, so you will be able to plan ahead for when you could grab that Shield or lightning blast. You could also see what everybody's carrying, so you recognize when to make your move versus a weak opponent or value their strength. Finally, Blur allows you control three power-up slots and drop power-ups at any time. You could stock up on three speed boosts for those long straightaway, for instance, or cook up a triple threat that'll gain you lots of fans when they demolish the field. The great thing is that the game won't favor one particular kind of strategy.

Blur has boss battles, and you'll be torn on the fact that to unlock them you must go through a set criteria first. Most of these you fulfill merely by doing what you do best, but a couple are so specific (such as reverse Shunting five cars), that occasionally feels like grinding races only to meet one of the goals. The cars you win from the bosses boast mods (which afford you in-race bonuses), but surprisingly these aren't as prevalent like in the multiplayer where you get cars having multiple mod slots and the ability to control different mod loadouts. Blur's online multiplayer feeds your craving for earning fans and leveling up, and it's among racing's best online multiplayer modes.

Blur is considered the thinking person's death race - if there's such a thing - where your mind is racing even as fast as your motor.

By: Tip Writer

Joe Danger Game Review

2011-06-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

PC/ PS3/ Xbox

1 or 2-Player Platform/Racing

Hello Games

Release: June 8, 2010

It is a rare feat. Making a game that entertains after the first minute is difficult enough, but creating one that's as entertaining after the first hour, day, and week - now that's hard. The people at fledgling Hello Games did precisely that with PSN downloadable title Joe Danger, a romping good time that never stops to entertain, combining genres and game styles into an habit-forming synthesis that can charm to the youngest and most casual gamers just as much as the committed, hardcore crowd.

Joe Danger resists easy classification, and a glance at the screenshots only helps a bit. There's definitely a touch of racing just like the classic Excitebike, and obstacle navigation that recalls the popular Trials series. What that first look could not tell you is how the game chucks equal inspiration from the combo systems of Tony Hawk, the creative drive of LittleBigPlanet or the speed-fueled platforming of 2D Sonic.

Joe is a grizzled, run-down stuntman, whose previous injuries have kept him away from the circuit for years. When he returns, he really must wow the crowd to return to the top. To do so, you will pilot him through a large number of obstacle-laden courses, each of which comes with a number of goals. Gather all the stars. String a combo throughout the whole level. Land on perilous targets around the course. Beat the time limit. Or, for the really big scores, start fusing objectives into a single run. Each achievement nets you buying power to unlock newer levels.

Things appear so simple initially. The responsive and tight controls only uncover their magic through time, and Joe's bike starts managing acrobatics that should not be possible. The bike can switch its momentum in midair and move backwards. Bouncy springs send the stuntman lunging through the air. The magnified physics are expertly balanced to be comical but predictable. The high level of accuracy gives players the same control they would have over an old school platform character, but here there's the additional ability to put in flips, boosts, and wheelies. Almost every action casts off points up on the board.

It's everything a majority wants a game like this to give - fun, scalable challenges that are available to all players, with virtually infinite replay value. While Joe Danger forks up an amazing wealth of levels and content for a downloadable game, it grounds on 2 other huge extras for fun. Split-screen multiplayer has only a couple of levels, but does extend a great way to acquaint friends to the title. The second big addition helps to ease that depth of content; players can make and share online single-player and split-screen levels with friends. The level creator is straightforward and easy to use, and assures all sorts of additional playtime if you ever manage to force through the exceedingly challenging levels at the close of the core game.

By: Tip Writer

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Game Review

2011-06-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

DS/DSi/ PC/ PS3/ Wii/ X360

1-Player Action

Lucas Arts

Release: October 26, 2010

At some point, we all acknowledged that the original Force Unleashed would not have a happy ending. Starkiller (called the secret apprentice) did not have a chance at defeating Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. Even though he did not save the galaxy, Starkiller did make do to start the Rebellion before sustaining a fatal dose of Force lightning. Sacrificing himself for the good of the Alliance, he expired in the Emperor's chamber on the first Death Star.

You may think that Starkiller's death would make it hard for him to play a significant role in The Force Unleashed II. "That left us with sort of a big challenge," admits executive producer Haden Blackman. "We researched several possible directions, but finally felt really strongly about returning Starkiller as a character." The team's resolution to reviving a dead character is exposed in the opening moments of the sequel.

After the signature text crawl, Darth Vader's TIE fighter comes down on the planet Kamino, where the clones for the imperial army are produced. About six months have lapsed since the events of the first game, and Vader gets a new pet project in the works in a secret cell of the cloning facility: another Starkiller. According to Vader, the Jedi is only a clone of the original, but the story puts doubt on that statement early on. After turning on Vader and breaking out of the facility, Starkiller tries to figure out who he is while tracking down Juno Eclipse and breaking away from the Empire's agents.

Whether Starkiller is a clone or not, his powers certainly aren't the same as the last time. In addition to dual-wielding lightsabers, he has gets an improved array of Force powers. This implies you will see new powers, such as Mind Trick - an ability that turns enemies against each other and may even trigger off suicidal tendencies. However, you will also see enhancements to classic abilities, with a better focus on distinguishing the effects each time you invest in a new tier of the power. "What you buy counts," says project lead Julio Torres. "It significantly matters."

You will have a lot of chances to put Starkiller's new powers to the test as you hunt down Juno in a range of new worlds. From derelict vessels to the Las Vegas-like trappings of planet Cato Neimoidia, you will witness even more of the Star Wars universe, but the alterations in scenery won't essentially change the way you play The Force Unleashed II. It's still all about busting up everything using the Force, and that's amusing irrespective what galaxy you're in.

By: Tip Writer

Tron: Evolution Game Review

2011-06-01T23:28:00.000-07:00

DS/DSi /PC/ PS3/ PSP/ X360

1 -Player Action (10-Players online)

Disney Interactive Studios

By Propaganda Games

Release: Dec. 7, 2010

By bridging the gap between 1982's Tron and Tron Legacy, Disney-owned Propaganda Games has made a different kind of licensed tie-in to a big-budget movie release. Tron: Evolution abandons the human stories of the digital world's programmers and their families for an adventure starring the programs themselves and their struggle against a rampaging virus called Abraxas.

Disney is held back much of the game's story, but the basic premise is out there. Tron: Evolution happens in 1989 - coincidental the same year that Jeff Bridges' character programmer Kevin Flynn, has gone missing in the fiction heading up to Tron Legacy's millennial setting. Actress Olivia Wilde is lends her full likeness to the game in her role as helpful program Quorra, entailing that the character plays as pivotal a role as any human being in the ongoing story. The mysterious Abraxas virus is slowly corrupting the whole digital realm, and the player is drawn into this war of extinction. The protagonist's personal identity isn't known, but given the bare handful of humans that gain their way into the programs' reality, we are not be surprised that players can take on the role of an artificial construct themselves.

Gameplay is developed as a blend of free running and melee and mid-range battle employing the iconic disc versus corrupted, malicious programs. Several games have tried to fuse these disparate components into a cohesive whole with variable degrees of success. Propaganda has put in lightcycle arenas too, which also form the foundation of the online multiplayer .

Tron: Evolution aces the universe's genuine aesthetic perfectly. Disney's willingness to employ a licensed game to improve and explore the Tron fiction instead of retell the films' stories is an excellent sign for the future of film tie-ins.

By: Tip Writer

2011 Games: Bodycount

2011-06-01T23:19:00.000-07:00

image source

PlayStation 3 Xbox 360

1-Player Shooter (2-Player Co-Op Online)

Codemasters

Release: 3^rd Quarter 2011

Every bullet fired has an effect. Whether a projectile inflicts a magnificent head-shot or aerates a wall, it constantly leaves a mark on the world. In most video games, .50 cal machine guns seem like BB guns, rounds bounce off glass, and bullet holes as if by magic, vanish. Bodycount is the gritty FPS aspiring to place the power back in firepower.

Codemasters is working arduously to produce the ultimate shooter, one which forks up a typhoon of devastation and gunfire. "We do not do vehicles, massive terrains, jet packs, walking on walls, or controlling time," states creative director Stuart Black, who also assisted in developing 2006's Black for Criterior Games and EA. "We do you, with a gun, on the ground, kicking ass."

Ass-kicking obtains variety by the other ways each weapon ravages the surroundings. When that hulking enemy handling an anti-armor machine gun is blocking your exit, you will be able to unload the clip of an SMG into a fragile interior wall to make your escape. Contend to exit the derelict concrete building and you can punch through and through the dense exterior structure using your high-powered sniper rifle, taking out large chunks from both the wall and the ogre's health. Each weapon in Bodycount possesses its own personality, and Black thinks of them each as much as a character as the leading man.

Speaking of, the lead character of Bodycount is Jackson Delgado, a young every-man who has been forced into killing for the enigmatic Network. Pertained to as a John Doe, Delgado should track down specific marks belonging to a variety of factions. Bringing up espionage inspiration from Mission impossible and Alias, Black calls Bodycount "a glossy, techno thriller for the 21st century."

One element of the game that is definitely 21st century is the cover system. Bodycount shuns the tired "whack-a-mole" cover system in favor of a richer mechanic. Bodycount uses both analog sticks when in cover; one controls aiming while the other allows for precise action behind your improvised sanctuary. Hoping that the cover system uses Bodycount's rich demolition by granting players to shove gun barrels through perforated barriers and attack from safety.

All these ample advancements in the FPS genre are just the tip of the iceberg. Co-op action, fierce online deathmatches, upgradable skills, and a wide array of enemy types are all in the works. If you miss the times when guns took center stage in FPS games, make sure to keep an eye on Bodycount.

By: Tip Writer

The Sims 3 Game Review

2011-06-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

3DS/ DS/DSi/ Mobile/ PC/ PS3/ Wii/ X360

1-Player Simulation

Electronic Arts

By The Sims Studio

Release: October 26, 2010

When The Sims 3 released last June 2010, it easily became the most successful week one PC launch in EA's long and revered history, leaving sizable measures for its console brethren to live up to. While the central functionality of the game rests unchanged, remarkable additions give Sims 3 on console new gleam - enough to deserve a bit of envy from PC loyalists.

The console variation of Sims 3 plays just like its PC predecessor - a deviation from past ports that forced players to modified linear play. EA did a wonderful job of addressing control issues, making navigation as organic as possible having no mouse and keyboard. Commands are intuitively mapped out and the streamlined interface is comfortable to use. Choosing objects isn't as accurate as with a pointer, but a popup menu will present you having options if several objects are in close proximity.

The Karma system is the most intriguing add-on, and which anyone might exploit often, even to the detriment of the little tenant. Utilizing "super satisfy" to max out my sim's rewards your sim with challenge points, which can be converted for new outfits, karma powers, household objects, and more. Some challenges are simple, like attending a sporting event in Moonlight Bay. Some are more complex, like having twins. Nevertheless, all challenges facilitate exploration and lead you to experience everything Sims 3 has to give.

The new exchange system is certain to sate players using an incessant supply of user-generated content. From the exchange hub you can custom-make a personal profile, search for products that fit your needs, favorite items, manage your own custom content, and more. Its usefulness ultimately depends on the creativeness of the community, but that's not been a problem for the series in the past.

With Sims 3, console gamers ultimately get a true translation of the gameplay that has created the PC entries such a hit. Engrossing new content and intuitive design makes picking up the console port of EA's digital dollhouse a no-brainer.

By: Tip Writer

Shaun White Skateboarding Game Review

2011-06-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

image via Wikipedia

PC/PS3/ Wii/ X360

1 or 2-Player Action/Sports (8-Player Online)

Ubisoft

By Ubisoft Montreal

Release October 24, 2010

Seeing that most people nearly break their necks when they just step on a board, you must to appreciate the risks that skaters take doing the most routine moves. Shaun White had every chance to fall on its face; whether you do a comparison to EA's Skate, the lackluster Shaun White Snowboarding franchise, or even the challenge of starting up a world full of player-crafted rails, I'm glad that Ubisoft took a chance on this game.

Shaun White Skateboarding will give you loads of fun and that's because the trick system works quite well. It maybe a surprise at how the variety of tricks it pulls off having controls that are easier than Skate's, but all the same require skill. It's not as combo intensive or inventive like Skate, but Shaun White does hand over a payoff. Transmuting the Ministry's drab world using your tricks is one way to do it, but this alteration in the environment also happens on another level. Sometimes you may have a difficult time acquiring gold medals for a challenge, but by terra-forming the surroundings and creating a better skating line, you would be able to post a better score. While it may look cheap that you have to purchase new tricks, you'll be spurred by the demand to earn XP and love reaping the reward.

Although you bring down the Ministry's gray world, that does not entail that the game is full of life. The absence of an open world is conspicuous, but what is really striking is how easily you'll tire of the game's challenges. While not being bad, they are the standard fare of fetch pursuits and score challenges.You won't be inspired by much of the non-story based quests. Even while you're able to shape rails and gain entry to new places, it feels like the game does not take enough advantage of the cool world that's been made. The online choices are customary, having the Shaping Battle mode the lone standout. Here you do tricks to make full your Flow Meter, and whoever does that first gets at shaping the world any way they want for 30 seconds.

In skating terms, this game's success is more than just dropping in on a vert ramp for the first time without eating it face-first. Shaun White Skateboarding possesses some tricks in its back pocket, and looking forward to it building up its arsenal in the future.

By: Tip Writer

DJ Hero 2 Game Review

2011-06-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

PS3/ Wii/ X360

1 to 3-Player Rhythm/Music (4-Player Online)

Activision Developer

By Freestyle Games

Release: October 19, 2010

People love to disparage sequels, but the reality is they are often an excellent opportunity for developers. You've established a strong foundation, but several obvious flaws in the first game can be easily adjusted. You also have a list of exciting features that you did not have the time or budget to carry out in the first game. DJ Hero is a favorite music game of 2009, and this sequel exceeds its predecessor in almost every way.

The huge innovation is the new freestyle sections. Formerly, these were confined to a small handful of samples you can deploy using the middle turntable button. They were generally lame, so everyone ended up utilizing Flavor Flav's "Yeeeeaaah, boy!" entirely. Now, the samples are suited to the track, often separating a cool factor or sample that you can employ to enhance the beat.

Developer Freestyle Games also added up freestyle scratching and freestyle crossfading parts. Freestyle scratch allows you scratch your own rhythms, adding an factor of creativity to the mix. Freestyle crossfade lets you spring between the tracks. For instance, you can set apart an acapella vocal, then immediately slam back to a bruising beat. The game ranks you on how musical and unique your freestyles are, making a corny gimmick into an inherent part of the experience. DJ Hero 2 also features new "held" notes, a lot like those from Guitar Hero - yet another cool addition to the gameplay.

Thankfully, FreeStyle Games shot down the guitar/DJ duet songs. It only resulted in track slots being dedicated to terrible rock/hip-hop mash-ups. However, the new vocal mode is not any better. The vocal lines are so carved-up and jumbled that it looks like playing a karaoke game in the clutches of a seizure. Still, it doesn't do any harm, as it's only an add-on to the songs that are already there. Who knows, maybe someone will have fun with it.

The two-turntable multi-player modes are quite enjoyable. The mixes themselves are uniformly exciting. The track list expertly equalizes superstars like 50 Cent, Kanye West, and Lady Gaga with reputable producers such as DJ Shadow and Chemical Brothers, plus spectacular tracks by lesser-known artists.

DJ Hero 2 is thrilling. While you crossfade, scratch, and control the mixes, the feeling is relative to riding a musical wave.

By: Tip Writer

EA Sports MMA Game Review

2011-06-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

Playstation 3/ Xbox 360

1 or 2-Player Sports (2-Player Online)

Electronic Arts

By EA Tiburon

Release: October 19, 2010

MMA fighters must be fairly well-rounded to endure in the world of mixed martial arts. For instance, it is difficult for a boxer to jump into an MMA ring and dominate the competitor without first drilling on his ground game. The fact that EA Sports MMA was made-up out of the Fight Night boxing engine may entail that the game has fast hands, but does it imply that it's well rounded enough to win the title belt?

Each fighter has to begin at the bottom, and MMA's career mode is the same. After making your own fighter from EA's detailed creation software, you are acquainted to the hilarious Bas Rutten, who takes your fighter through a battery of training camp routines, international league invitations, and a mixture of toughened opponents. It's a so-so excuse to chain a bunch of MMA matches together and ramp up a boxer using light RPG elements, but the essence of the game is still obtained in the ring.

Having two MMA titles presently on the market, it's difficult not to liken this with THQ's game. EA offers a faster-paced, less-technical fighter, and it does not appear to care how much you already know regarding the sport. Its analog-based combat grants fighters to jab, hook, and uppercut by thrusting the stick through different rotations. This makes the action a bit more about feeling out your adversary's weaknesses and answering to his attacks than it does about memorizing a default set of pre-scripted attacks. The game also grants you to use a certain level of strategy. For instance, if your opponent is running all around the mat so that you can't get a lock on him, you could focus your attacks on one of his legs till it turns inot dead weight that he has to carry around the ring.

After getting your opponent to the mat, MMA becomes a strategy game where you are trying out to balance your stamina against your opponent's as you fight for greater positioning. Using a simple press of a button, you transition forward towards a position that would set you up for a submission hold, choke, or the ground-and-pound. Your opponent can block or countermand your maneuvering if he moves fast enough, but you could also throw a few attacks at his head to throw him off his game. It's a reasonably simple system, but the nuances of realizing when to attack, when to block, and when to gun for the high-risk double transition affords the game some complexity that's especially impressive when you're facing a human opponent.

EA's first round on the mixed martial arts scene heads back to its corner appearing pretty strong, but there are still a a couple of holes in its defense, among them is the game's roster. There are some great fighters inside this game - like Fedor Emelianenko, Satoru Kitaoka, and Randy Couture - but without the UFC license and a lot of of its most powerful combatants, there's a large hole in the game's roster. The game's presentation likewise lacks a bit of the spectacle and style found in actual broadcasts. In spite of these issues, EA Sports MMA is still a hefty brawler, and another year or two in the gym would turn it into a true monster.

By: Tip Writer

Captain America: Super Soldier Game Review

2011-06-01T04:34:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3/ Xbox 360/ 3DS/ DS/DSi/ Wii

1-Player Action

Sega

By Next Level Games

Release: July 19, 2011

Throughout the chaos of World War II, the world's superpowers were engaged in building devastating weapons that can cripple nations. With the Nazis exploring the uranium bomb and experimenting using human genetics, the Allies were under the gun to come up having their own secret military weapon. The result was Operation Rebirth, a super-soldier program that metamorphosed sickly army reject Steve Rogers into a genetically perfect soldier - the world's most articulate weapon of mass destruction.

Marvel's version of World War II is the background for this summer's Captain America movie and the companion video game from Sega. Like the film, the game will detail Captain America's tour of duty in the war. However, with the movie taking on Cap's origin, the game is free to complete some gaps on the hero's formative war years. Television and comic writer Christos Gage (Avengers: The Initiative, Civil War: House of M, and Avengers Academy) will help with the story, which pits Cap versus foes like the scientist Arnim Zola.

Everybody knows that Captain America's shield is his signature tool. He can use it to stop incoming gunfire, but it is far more impressive to direct those bullets ricocheting back at his enemies like a Jedi master or cast the shield into a group of foes and watch it bounce about like an air hockey disc before coming back to his arm. Sega says that the shield comes in handy in some of the game's Prince of Persia-style platforming sequences, but its functionality remains to be seen in action.

Captain America's peak body-build makes him a distinguished opponent in battle. He jumps over enemies to deliver a flurry of kidney-crushing punches from behind, and grabs foes before slamming them to the ground with more force than a WWE superstar. As Cap unleashes his arsenal of strikes, counters and grabs, he fills

up a Crippling Strike meter. When full, this meter allows him to execute special takedowns together with some sexy slow-motion camera tricks.

Captain America does not have any special eye powers in the comics, but the game's Tactical Vision mode spotlights interactive objects, objectives, and other points of interest within the surroundings. It sounds more like Batman's detective mode from Arkham Asylum, but hopefully Sega finds something to incorporate this power into the fiction in a way that won't come across as contrived.

By: Tip Writer

Games 2011: El Shaddai - Ascension of the Metatron

2011-06-01T04:18:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 • Xbox 360

1-Player Action

Ignition Entertainment

Release April 28, 2011

A religious tale told using varying art styles perspectives, and gameplay mechanics, El Shaddai is a dark horse to check out. The narrative itself is broadly drawn from the Book of Enoch, which accounts the scribe's exploits as he interacts with seven fallen angels.

Ignition's rendition of the text begins with God nominating a group of angels as wardens of the world. Dubbed the Grigori, their keen observation of Earth results in a fascination with humankind, and finally they defect to live amidst and dominate the masses. To forbid such divine impact over mortals, God decides to flood the world, only stopping when the strong-willed human scribe named Enoch objects.

Postponing his apocalyptic penalty, God grants Enoch an opportunity to capture the angels and save the world. Commissioned as a protector, the darkly clad archangel Lucifel joins Enoch, having taken a liking to the selfless if a bit overconfident protagonist.

Tossing scriptural truth aside, Ignition is bringing drastic liberties with the presentation. Golden-locked Enoch is clothed with heavenly armor that shatters as he takes damage (acting as a replacement for a standard health bar) exposing what appears to be designer denim underneath. Lucifel is as stylish having his black ensemble, accessorizing with a cellular phone he uses to have contact with Enoch.

Gameplay opens through a blend of third-person action and side-scrolling platforming, having combat broken into two clear-cut stages. Enoch sets out his journey unarmed, but could rob foes of their arms through fluid melee attacks. Once in his ownership, weapons must be made pure using a power gifted to Enoch by God. The default weapon in El Shaddai seems to be the Arch, a stolen relic from heaven by the disloyal angels and clouded by their betrayal. The blade needs to be cleansed in order for Enoch to return souls to heaven above.

Ignition is assuring multiple weapon types, all of which should be won by battle and refilled as they assume damage. Enoch's attacks range from heavy and light, and can be altered to cover aerial and timed varients. Increasingly intense combos demand a level of skill targeted to appeal to more seasoned gamers.

Above all, the art direction is where El Shaddai gleams. Sometimes characters appear cel-shaded, and at others more in the likes of a watercolor painting. The development team at Ignition features Takeyasu Sawaki at the helm, famous for his work at Capcom on Devil May Cry and Okami.

The setting exhibits skyscapes having marbled veins of color. We've watched Enoch traverse unrolling clouds, the light transitioning from day to night to something else altogether. Enoch then turns silhouetted against a vibrant stained-glass window prior to returning to a snowy vista having swans flying through iridescent skies. These fields are all forged after the angels who possess them, assuring several genuine environments. The world of El Shaddai can only be characterized as transient at best.

By: Tip Writer

Pokemon Black and White Game Review

2011-06-01T03:51:00.000-07:00

image source

Nintendo DS

1-Player Role-Playing

Nintendo/The Pokemon Company

By Game Freak

Release: March 6, 2011

After more than a decade since the original Pokemon titles first arrived in Japan, the franchise has exhibited no sign of slowing down. Game Freak's remakings of Gold and Silver were proof that the classic collecting mechanic and rock-paper-scissors mode battle system hadn't lost their brilliance. Still, Pokemaniacs have apprehensively waited for the franchise to take steps in a new direction. With the releases of Pokemon Black and White incarnations, these fans certainly have been satisfied.

Pokemon Black and White versions immediately demonstrate the 5th generation's new direction with an animated cutscene. An uncharacteristically dark scene shows a crowning ceremony of a mysterious young man with no corroborating details as to who he is and the role he will play. The scene then alternates to a more upbeat scenario having the signature Pokemon theme song as the words "Hope," "Dream," and "Discovery'' shoot off on screen, all the while expansive fresh environments of the Isshu area and figures of a ton of new Pokemon just waiting to be caught are exposed.

Having a quick intro by Pokemon expert Dr. Araragi, you are free to search the bustling new world. While we know little regarding the plot at this point, you are still in charge of collecting badges and combating stray trainers, inclunding encounters with troublesome Team Plasma. After a a couple of hours of exploring the Isshu region, you'll observe more densely populated towns, tall housing constructions spanning multiple floors, and the Pokemon Center and Poke Mart merged into a one-stop shop. Worlds are colorful and elaborate, with each new area boasting its own catchy soundtrack. Camera angles dynamically shift while traveling, giving the three-dimensional space a feel of large scale. You will have a lot of of land to cover when looking for the 156 new Pokemon that come out in Black and White.

Players select one of three new starter Pokemon: Mijumaru (water-type), Tsujara (grass-type) and Pokabu (fire-type), and commence traversing from one grass patch to the next to engage monsters in battle. The combat system has incurred a graphical overhaul, as creatures are far more elaborate and better animated than the old pixelated sprites. Camera angles change to give a keener sense of action and battle music escalates when your Pokemon are low on health. Up to three Pokemon are able to take part in some battle scenarios, putting in an element of party-based battle. Even though the combat mechanics stay similar to one-on-one, figuring out which half of your six Pokemon to call up while being aware of elemental strengths and weaknesses rocks things up.

By: Tip Writer

Virtua Tennis 4 Game Review

2011-05-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3

1 to 4-Player Sports (Online TBA}

Sega

Release: May 10, 2011

The longest running tennis series in history, Virtua Tennis, has returned exclusively on PlayStation 3. The rationality for this exclusivity is simple: The game supports Sony's two latest technological initiatives - the Move controller and 3D television support.

Apparently, as a sports game, it's not the most spectacular usage of the 3D effect - there are no tennis balls going out of the screen like a bloody hatchet in a B-grade 3D horror movie. Still, there is a detectable sense of depth. Thus far, it appears like a fun - but scarcely essential - addition to the game. Nonetheless, if you own a 3D television, it does add up some appeal to a style of game which is barely known for visual fireworks.

On the other hand, Virtua Tennis' Move support exemplifies a fundamental change to a series that has persisted in stasis for years. It operates exactly as you'd expect: Your Move controller is your racket. Calibrated correctly should make it work well. Sony's claims about the accuracy of the Move seem to be true; though this anatomy of the game was far from perfect, you would still be able to execute top spin and slice shots just as you would in real life. It can be a bit of a workout - hitting a cross court winner demands you to position your body sideways and place some real oomph in your swing. It is also crucial to get a good feel for timing - no more preloading your swing as you may have done on the Wii. The biggest problems came in carrying out overhead smashes. Estimating the position of the virtual racket in reference to the ball going down onscreen is often hard.

The build played handled your onscreen player's movement automatically. However, there will is an expert mode that affords you to control your onscreen avatar using the Move's navigation controller.

By: Tip Writer

2011 Games: Bloodline Champions Review

2011-05-31T03:28:00.000-07:00

image source

1-Player Action (10-Player Online)

Funcom

By Stunlock Studios

Release: January 13, 2011

This student-project-turned-full-game from Sweden is easy to get and play - but is there room on PC for a drastically unique subgenre of competitive PvP?

You might presume at first glance that this is another Defense of the Ancients knockoff, like League of Legends or Heroes of Newerth. You would be wrong, though the extremely competitive five-on-five battles partake a similar top-down, RTS-like view.

Beyond the team sizes, the fierce nature, and the viewpoint, this has little in common with those titles. Bloodline Champions is a lot more direct than DotA-like games. No minions or creeps to fight, just other players. Randomness doesn't exist; there are no dice-roll dodges, critical strikes or even damage ranges. Refreshingly, rounds are close to five minutes compared to the 40-minute slogs that DotA-likes can oftentimes be.

Your sight and targeting moves with the mouse cursor when you move with WASD and shoot powers using your two mouse buttons plus the space and q-e-r-f keys. There's no auto-attack; to do anything in the least you must use your powers. Luckily, you don't have anything like a mana bar to concern about. Power use is modulated entirely by cooldowns.

Every ability in the game - spear throws, fireballs, plague clouds, even healing spells must actually connect with its target to have any impact. Your shots will head off exactly to your mouse cursor's location when the power is conjured up, but almost everything has a travel time or a charge-up delay (or both, for those nasty effects). You've got to have the skills to get your moves to land.

Bloodlines have a range of core skills together with both a defensive and a movement power. The fire mage, for instance, bears an inferno shield that makes him invulnerable for a couple of seconds and pushes back whatever enemy is nearby when it fades. He can also make a fiery dash that imparts a burning trail in his wake, damaging foes who get a bit close. This diversity is key; it affords each player in the game to manage some genuinely amazing feats of skill if they possess the dexterity.

The basic 5 vs 5 death match game type is the central experience here, but two alternative respawn-enabled modes exist also. Capture the Artifact is a variation of capture-the-flag, where your team has to bear two artifacts at the same time in its scoring zone. Conquest demands teams to contain two separate bases to stop the other team from respawning.

Likewise, as compared to DotA-like games, Bloodline Champions has no gear procurement or leveling up inside the match. In the build played, the bloodline you select during match preparation is what you have for the whole thing. Further distancing itself from that subgenre, the game ships having over a dozen maps, most of which are just for arena matches.

By: Tip Writer

2011 Games: Yoostar 2 Review

2011-05-31T03:13:00.000-07:00

image credit

PlayStation 3 • Xbox 360

1 to 4-Player Party

Yoostar Entertainment

By Blitz Games Studios

Release: March 8, 2011

If you have ever cherished to act together with some of Hollywood's greatest stars, Yoostar 2 can make that dream a reality. The game affords would-be actors to put in themselves into a huge variety of classic movie moments, act to their hearts content, and then see how the results pile up. Better yet, there's no trouble about blowing a scene and wrecking a production or getting into drunken fights with paparazzi between projects.

Yoostar 2 offers a range of gameplay modes, like quick play and a goal-driven campaign, but the general experience is basically the same. Using Kinect or the PlayStation Eye, Yoostar 2's software renders a green-screen effect without the need for hanging up a sheet in your living room. We spent a few hours with the Xbox 360 version of the game, and while the effect isn't flawless, it's leagues above what products like You're in the Movies have offered in the past.

Film clips include scenes for one or two participants, with the real actors filling their roles when a friend isn't handy. After choosing a scene from a wide variety of classics, comedies, dramas and TV shows, players select which of the preset roles they wish to take on. From there, it's a simple matter of stepping into position and retelling lines through a karaoke-style scroller. After each scene is finished, players watch their scene and earn stars depending upon how well they presented their lines, whether or not they suck to their marks, or if they disturbed other characters.

Once they have had a few minutes to bask in the adulation of their fans, players could upload their videos to the Yoostar network. After being sorted for content by moderators, other players can look and rate okayed performances. There is also a social-networking element, with Facebook and Twitter integration, and the developer says it's wanting to add YouTube support. Video quality is somewhat contingent on your lighting, and even after doing adjustments you are not going to mistake your inserted actors for part of the actual scene, but it's certainly satisfactory.

Yoostar 2 isn't a game for people who take themselves a bit seriously, but it has tons of party-game potential. Setting playlists of clips is easy and gives individuals a chance to test the waters, and the fact that there is no controller to worry about allows it to be accessible to fans everywhere. The Kinect version also does a nice job of filtering and cutting background activity, so you don't have to treat your living room like a quarantine zone on shoots. If your friends aren't allergic to fun, though, odds are they will want to take on a leading role instead of hovering in the back of the room, anyway.

By: Tip Writer

Test Drive Unlimited 2 Game Review

2011-05-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3/ Xbox 360/ PC

1-Player Racing (8-Player Online)

Atari

By Eden Studios

Release February 08, 2011

Test Drive Unlimited 2 was recently held up and released in the first quarter of this year. It's perhaps a good thing, since Atari and developer Eden Studios have crammed a huge chunk of content in the game. The first Test Drive Unlimited wiped off the division between online and offline racing and this game goes a step further by giving players more context to the world and tools to forge their experience.

TDU 2 adds up a storyline, and its shoddiness is deliberate but at least humorous. You are a valet at a posh hotel on the island of Ibiza who lucks into a chance to be a race car driver by commandeering the Ferrari of your employer's daughter. As paper-thin as it appears, at least the story offers context to a lot of your challenges as you go up the ranks and start to live the full TDU 2 lifestyle. Your driver can now leave his or her car and walk around the world and socialize with other drivers. Naturally, you're going to want to look your best, and part of the game's lifestyle element is the ability to buy new clothes, houses (with garages of varying sizes), and other alterations to your appearance. Other than the size of your mansion, your progress in the game is graphed by a 0-70 level system that sums up your Collection, Competition, Discovery, and Social skills (having each of these sub-categories bearing 15 levels of their own). Several championship race events of differing targets, duels with other drivers (including the opportunity to win their car), and multiplayer challenges fall under the Competition category, while more esoteric objectives like putting stickers to your cars or finding treasure-filled wrecks using a metal detector acquire you experience for the Collection and Discovery classes, respectively. Even if you aren't actively involved in a challenge and just driving around, you can still move on in the game by taking in money for gaining air, near misses, and drifting.

The game's social aspect is a chief component, especially since you could dip into online play at any given time. Apart from competitive races, players can be a cop and chase lawbreakers, and there are cooperative challenges such as Follow the Leader - where only the leader of the pack can view the next checkpoint gate. Best of all you can once again make your own challenges through a suite of tools that lets you install Speedtrap radar guns, Time Attack checkpoints, rewards, traffic, and more. If you have been getting off of your car and running about using the emoticons and voice chat options to make friends, then you must know enough people to start your own racing club and try to garner exclusive cars and pool club money.

The best thing about the first Test Drive was its sense of freedom. Ironically, it seems like developer Eden Studios could have improved the franchise by putting more structure to the title. Irrespective of some of the tweaks, at its heart, this game is still about letting you live the life.

Download Test Drive Unlimited 2

By: Tip Writer

Games 2011: Catherine

2011-05-30T04:01:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 • Xbox 360

1-Player Action

Atlus

Release: 26 July 2011

Catherine is the first HD game designed by the team behind the Persona series. The publisher has still to confirm a North American release, but as among the strangest, brightest titles to come from this offbeat studio, hopefully Atlus will do the right thing and bring it to US shores too.

The first thing you should know is that Catherine abandons the hardcore RPG style of Persona. Notwithstanding the team's pedigree, this time Atlus decided to make an action/adventure title. Hopefully this implies Catherine will pull in a larger crowd of gamers who were fascinated by Persona's stylish look but frightened away by the intense time and skill commitment.

As with former games by the team, Catherine doesn't tell a usual story starring typical protagonists. Players assume the role of Vincent, an unmotivated, insomniac salary man who finds himself entrapped in a nightmarish world each time he manages to fall asleep. The main abstract of the game seems to be in the same vein as A Nightmare on Elm Street; when you die in your dreams, you die in the real world.

The action occurs in these nightmares, where Vincent has to fend off disgusting monstrosities to save his life. Some of the beasts shown so far involve a giant pair of hands using a fork that tries to stab Vincent and a huge half-robot baby with a chainsaw substituting one of its hands and a hook on the other. To shake off the evil dream, players have to navigate obstructions and work their way up a gargantuan staircase.

Back in the real world, a bizarre mystery unfolds in Vincent's life along a more adventure-style segments. Vincent has to get by with two women, the sultry Catherine and more founded childhood friend Katherine. Throughout these parts of the game, players can search the town and interact with other characters, and also check their email for messages from Vincent's two love interests.

Catherine raised several eyebrows with its highly suggestive trailer. Despite some tempting imagery that caused imaginations to run wild, Catherine won't be a full-on adult game. Sexuality is clearly among the main topics being undertaken, though, which makes the game all the more absorbing. Very few developers seem willing to cover this touchy subject. Hopefully Atlus can do so in a reasonable manner.

Catherine can involve between 20 and 30 hours to play - a welcome relief from the 100-plus hours devoted to various Persona games. Naturally, for those willing to spend more time, the game boasts multiple endings to find. Catherine may have the potential to be a huge game-changer for Atlus, both in going beyond RPGs and engaging in more matured subject matter.

By: Tip Writer

2011 Games: Killzone 3

2011-05-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3

1-Player Shooter (Multiplayer TBA)

Sony Computer Entertainment

By Guerrilla Games

Release: February 22, 2011

While there was some slight ghosting on the images every now and then, no nausea was experienced playing the game that sometimes comes with 3D gaming. There's a very slim downgrade on the visuals since the image has to be doubled up and offset for the 3D effect to work, but the dip is not that detectable.

The first segment of the demo starts out in a ship flying through wintry canyons while you shoot incoming enemies using a turret. It's not long before you crash and have to leg it through a snowy base. Among the first nice 3D touches is fluttering snowflakes that dance about onscreen all the time. Using the iron sight on the rifle might easily make you cross-eyed, but it's treated in a way that isn't jarring and makes do to make the gun feel more like a real physical object. As far as enemy assaults go, the rocket shots have the most exciting 3D effect so far since you can see them blaring toward you contrary to mostly unseen bullets. The most amusing weapon to use was the new WASP. The standard shot blows a series of wild, spiraling missiles towards your target while the alt-fire works as an air strike that can annihilate a tank in a single shot.

The jet pack brings in a new platforming element to the series. Astonishingly, it controls like a dream. You hit L1 to get a generous upright boost and press the X button to shoot forward. Not once did we have to worry about dropping off an icy platform. The pack also offers some nice alternative tactics to the standard run and gun strategy. In one place there was a small building filled of enemies all shooting at us via the windows. Normally, this beefed up position should be tough to infiltrate, but the jetpack opens a new option. We flew over, set down on the roof, and tossed a couple of grenades down through a hole and that was that.

By: Tip Writer

Earth Defense Force - Insect Armageddon

2011-05-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 • Xbox 360

1-Player Action (Up to 6-Player Online)

By Vicious Cycle

Release July 5, 2011

You're part of the Earth Defense Force now, and the time for questions like why giant ants and killer robots attacking, has passed. All you need to know is that Ravagers are besieging the city of New Detroit, and your task is to wipe them out EDF-style.

The success of Earth Defense Force 2017 might be hard to understand. Published for Xbox 360 in 2007, the game did not have impressive graphics or cutting-edge gameplay. Rather, it provided a sea of alien insects for players to destroy them cooperatively and set against a hilarious B-movie backdrop. Even having low production values, EDF 2017 was shameless fun.

After putting in some time playing the forthcoming Insect Armageddon, we can safely say that developer Vicious Cycle realizes what makes EDF so captivating. Bugs pour in from every direction, buildings break down at the slightest impact, and the people around you mouth off ridiculous dialogue - which is nothing new. Only this time, a couple of changes to the formula would keep you and your friends returning to defend Earth over and over.

Taking charge of a soldier designated Lightning Alpha, players now get more control over how their powers build up. As you finish missions and acquire experience, you unlock new tiers of arms for purchase (a few are still available as drops inside a level). Eventually, you will be able to even unlock new body armor, each of which has unique abilities and weapons techniques.

The default armor has the most extensive selection of weapons, while the battle armor is heavily beefed up and centered on mortars and shotguns. The tactical armor affords you access to turrets, which are now a special ability rather than occupying a useful weapon slot. The coolest of the lot is the jet armor, which is highly maneuverable and hands you access to flight and a range of energy weapons.

To garner these upgrades, you can labor through the missions yourself (assisted by Al comrades), or team up with up to two different players online to finish the main campaign. Adding to the co-op fun in the last entry is the ability to revive each other.

By: Tip Writer

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Game Review

2011-05-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

Nintendo DS

1-Player Adventure

Capcom

Release: January 11, 2011

With the huge stuff of games popping out of E3, it's easy to miss titles lacking million dollar budgets. Capcom's Ghost Trick is one such lesser-known game. Shu Takumi, the creator of the Ace Attorney series, has had another outburst of genius. Now he's imparting his brand of crime-solving drama into the spectral dimension.

Players kickoff Ghost Trick dead as a doornail, but that's where the fun begins. Sissel, the deceased protagonist, bears objects scattered around two-dimensional levels. Utilizing the DS stylus, players can use Sissel's soul to take up and animate environmental items like blenders and wrecking balls. So what is the catch? His soul has a restricted range, so he can just enter nearby objects. This creates a Rube Goldberg-like series of events, transporting Sissel from one point to another.

One level happens inside the apartment complex of a snooty writer. As the drunken bourgeois pounds at her typewriter, Sissel possesses an attic door and opens it. A rat falls out from the opening onto a ledge, and then once more onto a lower shelf after Sissel knocks it down using a drinking bird toy. The terrified lady then swings at the rodent with a wine bottle. Players interact with the game world in small ways like this, ramping up up to more climactic moments like having a chandelier to crash down on the inebriated typist.

If Ghost Trick's unique premise and gameplay do not reel you in, the vivid visuals and humor would. Each character and object is animated thoroughly, resulting in fluid, natural movements. Charismatic cast members also come fitted out with quirky personalities that personify a similar humor to the Ace Attorney series.

By: Tip Writer

Fable III Video Game Review

2011-05-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

Xbox 360 • PC

1 or 2-Player Action/ RPG (2-Player Online)

Microsoft Game Studios

By Lionhead Studios

Release October 26 , 2010

Peter Molyneaux began the demo with a stark admission: He did not like Fable ll's story, and believes it generic and forgettable. With Fable III, the team at Lionhead set out to craft a story that is immediately understandable and appealing: Your mission is to accumulate enough power and fame to bring down the tyrannical dictator of Albion, then step into his shoes and rule the land yourself. Your enthronement will come approximately halfway through the story, and brings out a variety of new gameplay elements, as you apportion your kingdom's wealth, settle disputes bestowed before you in court, and decide whether to honor or forget all the promises you made to your supporters on your ascend to power. You will still have the ability to travel the countryside slaying hobbes and looking for treasure with your trusty pooch - but you'll perhaps have to don a disguise in order to be left alone. Molyneaux declared players will learn certain truths regarding power, which may result in you acting more like your contemptible predecessor than you would like.

Molyneaux's criticism of Fable II did not end with the story: the worst part of the game, was the start button - the player was regularly drowning in statistics and lists and never quite felt like they were leveling up or accumulating a fortune. For Fable III, all of the items that were previously hidden in menus now rest in the Sanctuary, a series of rooms that house your assorted collections. Your faithful butler Jasper (vocalized by the hilarious John Cleese) aids you in each of the Sanctuary's areas. These include a dressing room with the hundreds of clothing items you have acquired (Jasper will present select costumes for you on mannequins); an armory that displays all of the weapons you have amassed or crafted; and a treasure room, which will slowly fill with mountains of gold as you collect wealth (there was also a co-op room, but Molyneaux was not talking about it yet). As Molyneaux flaunted a long line of customized swords -the visual style of your weapons now develop based on how you use them - it was right away clear how much more rewarding collecting items will be in Fable III.

A variety of other enhancements would reinvigorated your love of the series. Magic is now bound to enchanted gloves, which can be mixed and matched to produce different effects based on each glove'S level and power. Co-op has also been revamped, now allowing for a complete experience: Your visiting friend can bring all of their weapons and powers inside your game, and the two of you can travel independently to wherever you wish in the world. Thanks to the new Victorian-era time period, the game has more of a distinguishable style than most fantasy games, too.

By: Tip Writer

Games 2011: MotorStorm Apocalypse Game Review

2011-05-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Playstation 3

1-4 Player Racing (16-Player Online)

Sony computer Entertainment

By Evolution studios

Release: May 03, 2011

The first MotorStorm burst out of the gates with a lot of its racing basics in place. The feel of speed was excellent, the surroundings and different vehicle classes influenced racing and produced some strategy, and the graphics were stellar. Regrettably, the sequel didn't build on the promise of the first title, allowing some fans wondering where the franchise was headed and what it had left to offer. Thankfully, this recent MotorStorm is going all-out to retake the excitement and redefine the series.

Burning edifices going down on the track, subway tunnels immersed in flames, rubble-strewn streets, and other marvelous situations will challenge racers in over 40 tracks sweeping urban environments and other locales. You play the primary career mode from the position of three different racers, looking at the world in various states of decay according to the character you're playing and where they're at when the s— hits the fan.

The game's anything-can-happen attitude beamed through. The game gets you to speeding cars up stairs and through the interiors of skyscrapers, and narrowly avoid being mashed like a bug as the surroundings crash around, and encounter enough burning detritus for a lifetime. As though bumping off pedestrians wasn't fun enough, the game also supports 3D (if you have the right TV). Seeing pitiful fools streak over your hood in 3D is a sick thrill which, some would admit they would love.

The game's core precepts of boosting, cool downs, and varying vehicle classification is back, and there are 4 new kinds of rides including minis and motorcycles. Contingent on how sturdy your vehicle is, you will be able to break through portions of the environment, which should add an attribute to the series' emphasis on selecting the correct path on the track to match your vehicle. The game's art director, Simon O'Brien, announces that different than the past MotorStorm titles, Apocalypse affords players to enjoy the levels irrespective what they're riding.

While Apocalypse's gonzo advance to racing is a huge differentiator opposed to the rest of the MotorStorm titles, its online part is a monster leap forward. You can create races - like the ability to set the win criteria, boost parameters, etc. - and share them with some online. The game also produces a community atmosphere with online gambling (for XP) and clan liveries. Lastly, there is a perk system that pays you back with upgrades in combat abilities, handling, and boosting.

By: Tip Writer

Medal of Honor Game Review

2011-05-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

Playstation 3 / Xbox 360 / PC

1-Player Shooter (24-Player Online)

Electronic Arts

by EA LA, DICE

Release October 12, 2010

After a few rough games in the series that barely registered a blip on the online charts, EA ended messing around and passed on over to DICE the multiplayer mode, the studio best recognized for its critically applauded Battlefield franchise. Instead of creating a straight up Battlefield clone, DICE is gunning for a Call of Duty/Battlefield hybrid. Like Call of Duty, the fast-paced action occurs on smaller scale maps, bullets do greater damage so death comes quickly, and players can garner kill streak attacks. Like Battlefield, Medal of Honor utilizes the Frostbite engine, features a soldier class system, and honors your tactical prowess with medals, ribbons, and awards.

The first part featured a 24-player team deathmatch that occurred on the streets of the eradicated Afghani capital, Kabul. Like Battlefield, you pick out one of the three soldier classes before joining the map. The rifleman class appears to be the jack-of-all-trades, having assault rifles like the AK-47 and M-16, plus a grenade launcher attachment. The Special Ops class utilizes a similar assault rifle, the M-4, but can also employ combat shotguns. The sniper class uses -naturally - sniper rifles. You can also fine-tune your loadout by modifying the rail attachment, barrel, or ammo clip. Choices include a laser sight, iron sights, red-dot sight, and hollow point bullets that step-up your deadliness in close-quarters but suffer effectiveness when gunning from long range.

The Kabul City Ruins map will remind you a lot of Call of Duty maps in that the level is configured so you are never safe from getting sniped. Having multi-story buildings, tight back alleys and bombed out storefronts, you constantly need to be concerned of a potential slug to the back of your head. If you thread together an impressive score chain, you will be able to unlock a tactical support option. Like the kill streaks in COD, these afford you access to annihilating attacks like mortar strikes and cruise missiles. If you would instead give your side a boost on the battlefield, you could procure health or armor bonuses to your teammates instead.

Medal of Honor's ranking system includes a unique angle in that you begin as an Army Ranger with the goal of turning into a Tier 1 Special Forces expert. Your reward for proving your worth on the battlefield? A sweet, bushy beard much like the badass gracing Medal of Honor's box.

The 2nd part shifted from the Team Assault mode to an objective-based mode. Like Battlefield's Rush mode, the teams are separated into attackers and defenders, with the aggressors acting to capture objectives in a well timed fashion. When they succeed, the map area expands and a fresh objective is created. The Helmand Valley mountainside, involved the attacking team to capture five total objectives up a mountain pass to succeed the skirmish.

By: Tip Writer

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier

2011-05-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Playstation 3 / Xbox 360 / PC

1-4 Player (16 Player Online)

Ubisoft

Release October 4, 2011

In the olden days (like 2009), U.S. soldiers and Ghost Recon players opted to do their shooting from afar. Why go up close when you could take a tango down from 400 yards and have his comrades in the dark regarding your position? In Ghost Recon Future Soldier, matters get much more up close and personal.

Equipped with ass-kicking near-future technology like exo-skeleton suits and optic camouflage, the Ghosts in the latest Tom Clancy sequel are not afraid to move in for the kill. Ubisoft flaunted the first live gameplay during E3, and the action was truly personal. The Ghosts are commissioned with securing a northern European beachfront for an approaching convoy. They move directly into the hot zone undetected all because of to their Predator-like camo. One of the soldiers sneaks right behind an unsuspecting foe and plunges a knife into his neck before he gets a chance to scream. Having the first target dealt with, he turns on the crosscom interface to skim the area for other hostiles. The augmented reality eyepiece straight off fills the HUD with targets in the area, one of which turns out to be a wanted war felon.

Having a high value target in the area, the mission dynamic flips to a snatch and grab. Moving along the area like 21st century ninja assassins, the Ghosts methodically get rid of threat after threat till they reach the mark. Three soldiers are standing in near proximity to him, which makes matters harder. As the main Ghost moves close in preparation for seizing the target, we see three infrared lasers mark the other three enemies. The Ghosts lead up a countdown and seconds later three baddies simultaneously bite the dust as the Ghost leader moves in to secure the target.

This challenging new gameplay dynamic feels markedly unique from the former Ghost Recon titles. Whether or not this new focus will appeal to longtime fans remains to be seen, but it definitely looks badass.

By: Tip Writer

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Game Review

2011-05-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Mobile/PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / Wii

1 to 4-Player Racing (8-Player Online via PS3/Xbox 360), Wii Online

Electronic Arts

By Criterion Games/ Exient (Wii)

Release November 16, 2010

Fans of Need for Speed have been clamoring for the old days, when the game was built upon a basic premise of eluding the cops. This addictive game mode has been noticeably absent from the EA racer of late, but now Burnout developer Criterion is on the wheel of Need for Speed. This studio knows how to present a core experience that will blow your hair back.

The premise of Hot Pursuit might be simple, but that does not entail the game is shallow. The game extends two separate career paths for the cops and the getaway driver. It is interesting to see how these career campaigns try to keep the game's chase essence saucy, and we hope that the two paths are unique enough for both to justify their own playthrough.

One distinguishing factor between the two is the assorted weapons each side has at its disposal. In the demo, the cops put up roadblocks, spike strips, aerial support, and an EMP blast that screwed up the other driver's controls for a moment. Racers, meanwhile, get their own aids such as radar-jamming equipment, a brawny nitro boost, a visibility cloak, and the power to cast out a decoy signal to fool the police. These weapons are called up by pressing the d-pad, become available as you race, and each one has its own cool-down time.

A short demo as a cop was played, and though it did not seem to have the mad sense of speed like Burnout Paradise (at least not with the police cruiser), there was some strategy to employing the weapons. As a cop, the job was to harm the other guy into oblivion by all means necessary - whether that's via ramming him using nitro boost, causing him to make a mistake and hit something in the surroundings, or via ally assist like a roadblock. Throwing up a roadblock or spike strip is a favorite as the perp was about to head around an approaching curve to surprise them on the other side. When you are being chased, you must utilize the game's open world and your own driving skill to pull back.

Burnout Paradise wiped off the line between online and offline play, and Hot Pursuit preserves this through a relentless XP system called Bounty Points. As you rank up, you unlock cars, upgrades and new levels. The experience system also records of your every move and lets you share your accomplishments with friends. Hot Pursuit promotes communication among friends using various messaging features and the Autolog, which disseminates challenges to everyone based on what you and they have achieved.

Download Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

By: Tip Writer

Civilization V Game Review

2011-05-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

image credit

1-Player Strategy (Multiplayer TBA)

2K Games

By Firaxis Games

Release: September 21, 2010

Big changes are already in the godfather of strategy games. The new lead designer, Jon Shafer and the team at Firaxis are shook up the Civilization formula in numerous ways, but Civilization V's E3 showing replaced fear of change with excitement for the future.

You already know about the big fresh features: a hex grid rather than squares, the removal of army stacking, and the add-on of minor nations. What stood out at the show were smaller details. Money is getting a needed boost to make it enticing to pursue wealth instead of go all-out on research. Gold can get you additional tiles for your cities to work and is a chief component of the built up diplomatic options - especially with minor city-states. Firaxis says that bettered automation alternatives allow players to let the Al cover more tasks like the particulars of city governance and research paths, leaving players free to center on big-picture strategy without gimping their empires. Most especially, Civilization V's community support is quite amazing.

Instead of downloading a file using a third-party website and unzipping it into a targeted folder in your Program Files directory (and hoping that you got the most recent version of it and that it's well-matched with your game version), Civilization V players can utilize the in-game mod browser to quickly coordinate all of the details. Civilization IV has one of the most dynamic and engaged modding communities in the world, and that's without much post-launch back up from Firaxis. With this addition, Civilization V has the opportunity to be something truly special.

Civilization V was released on September 21, 2010 and is arguably the best strategy game to date.

Download Sid Meier's Civilization V

By Tip Writer

Videos Game 2011: Rage

2011-05-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / PC

1-Player Shooter (Multiplayer TBA)

Bethesda

By: id Software

Release: September 13, 2011

Agoraphobes would be upset about the direction id's taking with its most recent shooter, Rage, but the rest of us could not be more pleased. Instead of developing yet another corridor shooter, the company is dismantling the walls and presenting its first wide-open experience. It is id, nevertheless, so don't await placid glades, lush fields, and serene spaces. The world could be a more open place, but it's been scourged by the lingering effects of a meteor hit and caught up with a fascist regime and rampaging mutants. Good thing you have your guns.

Players have an arsenal of weapons in Rage, and they are a bit more specialized than the "pistol, shotgun, rocket launcher" guide we've become used to. The wingstick is a razor-edged boomerang that takes out limbs (and heads) with aplomb. Handguns can fire an assortment of ammo types, like electric rounds that provide a disastrous jolt to enemies unfortunate enough to be dealing the same puddle. Engineer objects can also be deployed, like a bomb-equipped RC car or spider-like turrets. Players cobble these things alongside scavenged spare parts, and id says blueprints for new items are spread out all over the world.

The game's engine, id Tech 5, makes exploration an optical treat. The engine's largest bullet point is also the easiest one to spot. The game's world has been crafted employing megatextures, which affords the studio's artists to create fields by hand without falling back to smaller, repeating textures. The demo's opening surface area, set in a wide canyon, exhibits the tech to excellent effect. The area is full of rocky outcroppings, steep walls and boulders and it uses a stunning quantity of variety. Areas truly look unique, without the unusual quilted quality that other games with large worlds often fall back to. That was demonstrated best in a level that was shown for the first time. The Dead City is a place normally off-limits to survivors. It's basically a ruined downtown center that's been domesticated by mutants. The palette is almost overpoweringly gray, but structurally it's sensational. Walking down the cracked asphalt street you will see collapsed parking garages and more than a few buildings that seemed as if they would fall at the slightest aggravation. After tearing along a grenade-launching creature the size of a Fallout 3 supermutant, the worst was still not over. The demonstration ended having a glimpse of a mutant huge enough to span the two-lane street with ease. If that's what we are up against, it's certainly good that we have some room to run.

By Tip Writer

Modern Warfare 3 Sneak Preview

2011-05-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

Modern Warfare is back. The best-selling first-person action series of all-time returns with the epic sequel to the multiple Game of the Year award winner Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

The much awaited Modern Warfare 3 will soon be released!

Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Platforms: PS3, XBOX 360, PC, WII
Release: November 8th, 2011
Developers: Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision

Kirby's Epic Yarn Video Game Review

2011-05-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

Wii

1 or 2-Player Action / Platforming

Nintendo

By Good-Feel / HAL Laboratory

Release October 14, 2010

After all these years, heaps of gamers still have a weak spot in their hearts for Kirby. From hardcore FPS players to grizzled MMO freaks, Nintendo's little pink cream puff has successfully choked our arteries. That's why Nintendo's announcement of Kirby's Epic Yarn for the Wii has hordes of gamers smiling with childlike expectation. Two-player co-op, lightheaded gam eplay, and a texturized aesthetic are just a couple of reasons this game has Wii owners excited to revisit their old friend.

Kirby's Epic Yarn boasts a hand-crafted veneer not unlike LittleBigPlanet. Everything in the colorful world is composed of cloth, zippers, buttons, yarn, and other items you'd find in your grandmother's knitting basket. The needlework presentation doesn't merely serve as a visual gimmick, however, as many items react like they would in real life. Unzipping two pieces of cloth causes one piece of fabric to realistically flutter downward, revealing secret passages behind. Buttons are even used as anchor points for Kirby s yarn whip. The best-looking Wii games often accept the Wii's graphical limitations, resulting in creative marvels such as this.

Epic Yarn's striking visuals are sure to motivate nearby friends to seize the Wii Remote, but with 2-player drop-in/drop-out co-op you don't have to worry about passing the controller. With the press of a button of Kirby's pal, Prince Fluff, can pop into the game to help whip foes into shape and make platforming easier. Both characters have access to the same moves. While lassoing baddies, swinging from the yarn whip, and throwing one another onto tricky platforms takes center stage, other classic Kirby transformations return. Each character can transform into a destructive brick, speeding car, submersible submarine or floating parachute. In one section the duo combine like cuddly Power Rangers, morphing into a screen-filling tank armed with swarming missiles and a rocket-powered boxing glove.

If you're fretting a motion-controlled mess, stop right there. Kirby's Epic Yarn is controlled NES-style, with the Wii Remote turned sideways. Old platforming skills spark to life right away, as the game's intuitive controls are easily mastered. With this simple control scheme in place, developers Good-Feel (Wario Land: Shake It) and HAL Laboratory (Super Smash Bros.), are free to incorporate motion game play in interesting ways like steering the fist of the giant Kirby mech.

Unlike other oldschool platformers, the Kirby series has been known less for its blistering difficulty and more for its approachable fun.

Epic Yarn is no different. Kirby and Prince Fluff collect loads of colorful gems throughout the game. Each time they take damage the shiny collectibles shake loose, lowering their end of level scores. This more forgiving penalty replaces death, so less-experienced gamers can keep on trucking even if they take a wallop.

While the padded difficulty is guaranteed to polarize Kirby fans, Epic Yarn's gonzo boss fights are sure to entrance everyone. A giant yarn-crafted dragon is the first massive threat Kirby and Prince Fluff must defeat. The fire-breather spews out flaming buttons, which must be lassoed and return-fired by the player. Hefty damage causes the beast's button-tipped tongue to loll from its mouth, begging to be whipped. After wrangling the dragon's tongue, players pull back and let 'er rip. Watching a hulking, mythological beast get taken down by two adorable puffs is ever-satisfying, and moments like this are sure to have co-op buddies cheering in tandem.

Kirby's Epic Yarn is shaping up to be the Wii game you didn't know you wanted. The winning combination of rock-solid gameplay, enchanting visuals, and slick co-op make this one title a sure winner!

LittleBigPlanet 2 Video Game Review

2011-05-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3

1 to 4-Player (4-Player Online)

Sony Computer Entertainment

By Media Molecule

January 18, 2011

When Media Molecule's beguiling gem first hit the scene two years ago, the lovely platformer spawned a creation revolution. Gifted users from across the globe produced levels that rivaled the best Media Molecule had to offer with its rich toolset, and over two million levels already have been shared to date. LittleBigPlanet 2 will grant this community of budding developers the chance to create not only levels, but entire games over multiple genres with its huge set of creation tools.

Media Molecule exhibited a series of stages that were part of its Community Game Jam, an event developed for top creators in the LittleBigPlanet community. During a studio visit, the users were demonstrated developer-created levels from the sequel and were then commissioned to create their own using the toolset from LittleBigPlanet 2 in a mere 24 hours. The results were impressive. Some of them were real-time strategy game, a retro space shooter, a 2D brawler, a sumo wrestling game, and more. When playing these levels, you'll be amazed not only by the variety of genres users explored, but how every level's design was unique down to every piece of geometry. It was also obvious that users can tinker with physics, which can make a zero-gravity adventure in space or a game of bumper cars feel that much more realistic.

Several of the new creation tools were shown during the demo, but among the standouts was the ability to make Sackbots. These Al bots can be whatever size you wish, plus you can tailor-make their proportions and costumes. Al logic can be employed to these bots, which can be programmed to follow you around, attack you, or simply follow a path of your choosing, leaving you to create tons of mini-Sackbots for your own version of Pikmin or to develop the next Ico. If you just want to produce your own music video and make the bots groove, you could record motions executed manually using the analog sticks and triggers. When you stop recording, the motions are looped for an endearing dance sequence. Though seemingly complex, the interface's labeling is straightforward and easy to navigate.

By Tip Writer

Infamous 2 Video Game Review

2011-05-25T02:33:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3

1-Player Action (Multiplayer TBD)

Sony Computer Entertainment

By Sucker Punch Productions

Release June 7, 2011

Sucker Punch Productions was reluctant to expose any fresh information about Infamous 2 at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, but it did tease that the greatest changes to this sequel haven't been revealed. How Cole's morals are judged might be one of these big changes.

Brian Fleming, Infamous 2's producer, was quick to dodge any questions relating to Cole's stance in the world, but did comment that Sucker Punch wants players to feel like "the ultimate super villain or super hero." This statement definitely falls in line with the moral arc from the first game, but Fleming did add up that Cole will start this sequel with much of the powers he wielded before, like the power line grind. This, naturally, brings into question what course the player chose and whether or not the game would read a save file like Mass Effect 2 does. Fleming would not even offer a hint; insisting "we are not talking about morality at this point."

The game was still early in development upon testing, but the game play already feels as fine-tuned as any major retail release. Cole's power to scamper up buildings is as fluid as before. But why ascend buildings to reach your foes when you can level the structure they're standing on? A series of grenade lobs would do the trick, but his newest move, an electrical tornado, would do the trick right away and it would also suck up every trash can, car and civilian as it spins chaotically around heavily populated streets.

Cole's newfound affection for close-quarters melee (and large whacking sticks) shows stylish Spider-Man-like animations, cinematic camera placement, and snail-paced slow motion for players to relish the moment. One of the most rewarding moments was to knock civilians into cars using a swing that would make Ryan Howard proud.

With Infamous 2, the enemies can be really large. A view of a gorgeously detailed cathedral was blanketed by a gigantic green beast that's easily between seven to ten stories tall. The creature thrashed and screamed violently, and before Cole could engage it the screen faded to black.

By Tip Writer