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Reviews by carlyle
Fallen Enchantress - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2016 | Review of Fallen Enchantress Ultimate Edition - PC
It is a strategic turn-based fantasy. The game modes, at least in the early rounds, resemble terribly Civilization, the map is divided into squares, within which move our units. Found cities, find valuable resources, build mines, manage the tree of technologies, in short, it would seem a Civilization set in an unnamed fantasy universe. Added to this is the substantial part RPG, while exploring the game world will find NPCs that give us real quest, which will go from "save my husband" to "kill the orcs" and so on. Some of these are not even very easy, so careful planning. The magic of the character will be available both from battle to administration, thus adding to the management of the kingdom a new factor, given precisely by casting spells useful to cities. In punchline praise also to the conduct of the battles, which will result in automatic or through the battle grid, much like the old assaults the fortress of Sid Meier's Pirates: map squared, displacements shift and combat actions to choose from. A solid game and well done. The rating is very high, because it provides so many hours of play, characterized by fun gameplay, thanks to its diversity, which leads him to give new and unique dynamic action.
Legend of Eisenwald - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 12, 2016 | Review of Legend of Eisenwald Knights Edition - PC
Legends of Eisenwald is an unusual title, with gameplay that mixes elements of traditional RPG with turn-based strategic battles and parties that follow logical unique and interesting, as a bit 'simple. The game takes place in a map scale of the scenario, where you travel, visiting buildings, we talk with the characters and so on, and only when you start a fight you are on the battlefield to move troops. About time management: instead of having the traditional rounds in which you have a certain number of "movement points", the game moves forward all together in real time, but generally the overall time only flows as you move, so that We can think about every move and we should not chase the pace set by the PC. In addition to dialogues with NPCs and carrying out special assignments, the movement on the map are used to collect money from their buildings, recruit soldiers in various places, trade and treat the troops. Each soldier has a type, and a level of equipment. The soldiers gain experience fighting or staying in a castle, and when they level can "evolve". A second element of customizability is in the choice of equipment. A key element in winning the battles are the "wounds". The wounds (that do not coincide with the normal loss of life if you are attacked) are represented by the icon of a drop of blood, and if a soldier suffers a wound its initiative for the battle is significantly reduced. The wounds have consequences even beyond the individual clashes. They do not regenerate themselves over time (unlike the normal health), and should be cured for strength or paying in a building with an infirmary or with the use of potions; In the game there are a dozen types of weapons, each offering a generic bonus: for example, swords fight back automatically, axes ignore half the value of the target's defense, the spears make an extra attack on the turn they quote the enemy comes into contact with the Lancer, maces reduce temporarily the initiative and attack of the enemy and so on. Every single weapon then their personal bonuses and penalties that apply to the profile of the person who equips.
Aliens vs Predator - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 11, 2016 | Review of Aliens vs Predator Steam - PC
Alien vs Predator, set on the planet BG-386, it tells the story of a rookie Marines, an Alien and a Predator in three campaigns that will take place in the same locations, but each time in different situations. It is certainly the history of the marine, the most fascinating and successful, a classic fps accompanied by the sound of our motion detector, which will warn us of the presence of other forms of life through a series of audible beeps, giving us the position indicative of enemies thanks to a small radar, present in the lower right on our screen. With the Alien the game is directed more to stealth than the other: the aliens have the darkness their most valuable ally, also has a strong natural talent visual that allows him to see well even in the absence of light sources. Unlike the other two races, the predator can rely on a range of amenities that will make a real war machine. It will be able to combine its strength in the melee, helped by the two pairs of blades found on his hands. Alien vs Predator is a stock recommended to all fans of the saga, but also to all those who seek an alternative to the usual standards fps. Three different campaigns, offer an interesting gameplay for each of the playable characters, never banal and well structured, which reaches its climax with the marine, able to keep the tension at the highest levels.
Lifeless Planet - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 6, 2016 | Review of Lifeless Planet - PC
The plot is beautiful, full of good ideas and with a really huge potential, but is channeled into a funnel of banality that chokes the imaginative power. It makes you believe that open up unexplored directions, ending finally to withdraw dramatically, to become mediocre and predictable. Progression is interspersed with some puzzle dull, without difficulties, you have to use a mechanical arm to put a ball into a mechanism, or hit a key combination useful to open the big doors. There are parts of the game similar to modern platform and often, to justify the initiation of a sequence platform, the development team is to recover its protagonist a particular gadget, like a jetpack. Lifeless Planet is a barren wasteland where good ideas never take foot, and good intentions crash into a dusty soil. It could have been a game with a mysterious storyline, surreal and able to tease fans of science fiction, but the story quickly becomes a concentration of banality, with some ideas noteworthy concentrated exclusively at the beginning of the adventure.
Clandestine - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 4, 2016 | Review of Clandestine - PC
Clandestine is a stealth game that has two distinct sections of the game and with the specific characteristics, which are used to articulating the gameplay. Using Katya we are in the role of the classic field agent who must infiltrate the places physically missions, moving silently behind guards and related to evade them or put them out in ways more or less bloody. Katya is not alone in her mission, since it can count on Martin, hackers able to break into any computer system. In Clandestine is the player to manage directly and in real time, even this aspect, through a dedicated interface. This is where the title of Logic Artists differs from competitors. In a co-op player assumes the role of Katya and the other those of Martin. Its only limitation is the lack of replay value, because when you know well the levels, you naturally lose some 'tension. It remains an original title and of great depth, plagued by only a technical achievement not very good.
Hotline Miami 2 - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 28, 2015 | Review of Hotline Miami 2 Wrong Number - PC
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number functions as the original, the only task is to dodge every bullet, avoiding all blows because just a moment to die and start over. The rhythm is tight, instant uploads and despite not end up back on the same scenarios several times before completing them, the experience never fails to entertain. In fact, something has changed, first of all in terms of level design: more space, more numerous enemies and a seemingly minor change in perspective in how we explore the levels, which makes the gameplay less strategic and more frantic. Despite the progression of the original was smoother and overall better, Wrong Number still manages to do well and enjoy a longer campaign, which requires at least ten hours to complete, to transport us in various environments and more varied.
Chainsaw Warrior: Lords of the Night - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 21, 2015 | Review of Chainsaw Warrior Lords of the Night - PC
This title is based on the original card game by Games Workshop, a sequel of Chainsaw Warrior. This time the grizzled old Chainsaw Warrior is deep in the Aztec jungle, cutting his way through cultists, wildlife, mutants, and more zombies. The game has three levels of difficulty. Once you've chosen the mode, you will be able to add weapons based on how many equipment points you have.You can carry melee weapons, ranged weapons, armor, special items like med kits, heavy weapons like flamethrowers, and more. However, the number of points you can spend on equipment limits you. There are three locations in this game, represented by three card decks that you must fight your way through. Each deck has increasingly difficult monsters to fight and bosses that require a specific weapon in order to defeat. The boss is usually so tough that, if you don't kill him with one blow, he will kill you. If you are a fan of Chainsaw Warrior, this is a great improvement over the original version. The graphics and animations are better and the overall game mechanics make this a great digital board game.
The Last Crown: Midnight Horror - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 3, 2015 | Review of The Last Crown Midnight Horror - PC
The Last Crown: Midnight Horror is th prologue of the upcoming The Last Crown: Blackenrock. Appropriately set on Halloween, Midnight Horror returns players to the English coastal town of Saxton, in which something is haunting the guest rooms above the local harbour-side pub. The game features the same third-person perspective and black-and-white design aesthetic with touches of colour for special effect. The gameplay is very similar to the first game - mouse controlled with symbols on the screen to show where you can focus, interact with objects, move to or speak with people. In addition, of course, there are the ghost gadgets that you can use on objects and locations later on in the game. I think it is very easy to pick up the gameplay again if you've played The Lost Crown, but not particularly difficult if you have not. In general the game played fairly smoothly. There were a few points at which it was not obvious to me what to do next. However, in practice, there were a limited number of locations to move to so I did not remain stuck for very long. A small range of icons indicate interactive items or locations, and arrows indicate exits from each scene. Double click to jump to the next scene, or calmly walk across the current one. I would recommend it to anyone who likes the genre - although I would strongly advise playing The Lost Crown first.
Hard West - reviewcarlyle | Nov. 27, 2015 | Review of Hard West - PC
Hard West is a title playable only in single mode; is a clone of XCOM dedicated to the old west. Between missions and the other, the game gives us the opportunity to explore in fact the map of the area where there is the portion of the story, visiting places that allow the story to move forward but also to us to make decisions that are in some way to influence subsequent events. You can for example choose to take action to weaken an enemy rather than another, or even go around collecting money and then spend it to market, to buy weapons and items to use in battle. The exploration of the map allows to recruit additional allies to take along. The element of greatest distinction presented by Hard West is the concept of luck, according to which a shot fails to hit the target or not. When attacking, the success rate of stroke is compared with the number of points-luck possessed by the enemy. If the difference is positive, the bullet hits, otherwise misses. With each stroke of the opponent escaped, the character loses a shift amount of luck linked to the above comparison, conversely earning points when being hit. Instead of the usual skill tree, Hard West offers a variety of poker cards, each associated with active or passive ability to assign one of the characters, interchangeably between a mission and the other. It 'a good title, enjoyable and well done.
Bloodsports.TV - reviewcarlyle | April 21, 2015 | Review of Bloodsports TV - PC
Bloodsports.TV puts the player in the shoes of a single hero, to face waves of enemies intent on destroying the missile silo on this map. For the various heroes, there are four different classes, classical in their composition: we find damage dealer, tank, curator and expert in crowd control, useful course to face the hordes of enemies that we are destined to face. The game mechanics of Bloodsports.TV are what makes it more similar to League of Legends: in addition to the presence of a shop where you can buy items, the control system is based also on the combination of buttons to launch QWER character skills that we are checking, designed to increase efficiency in the rise of our level. Much of the fun it must be to a party online games, provided you have a friend who plays. Stylistically, Bloodsports.TV resembles very closely to Borderlands, drawing inspiration however from League of Legends. Inherits from the first title character design and graphic style, represented by a sort of cartoon where there is also a healthy dose of violence, while entitled Riot Games inherits interface and visual, with a zoom level that allows you to highlight a cure for details a little 'wavering: appropriate for the characters and enemies of elite type, a bit' more anonymous as regards the normal enemies and boundary elements of the arenas.
Dynasty Warriors 8 - reviewcarlyle | March 26, 2015 | Review of Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition - PC
It's a frenetic action game in which, you play some of the greatest leaders of Imperial China fighting alone hostile armies and have incredible power. It is a hack'n'slash RPG with a structure and a soul distinctly action, no frills and long to complete. Taking a cue from the beginning, or the ancient battles between Chinese warlords, is to conquer enemy territory by crashing his army against the ball, always guided by a general and other "boss" who once defeated there will annex the place their manned. The classic story mode tries, with many poetic license, to retrace true events, battles of the past with the protagonists of the time, clashes between famous warriors. The action is not rational but purely intuitive, and the combat system is oversimplified. You can carry two weapons at once and "switchare" between them at will; there is the parade, some combo personalized and the use of particular items within the various areas of the game. The second weapon makes sense when is activated a new mechanic during which we have to select the weapon that can damage more the opponent according to its characteristics (some weapons harm others) and always looking for the weak spot. Disappointing the choice to use the assets of the PlayStation 3 version instead of those "next gen", which results in a poor visual impact.
Battlefield Hardline - reviewcarlyle | March 20, 2015 | Review of Battlefield Hardline - PC
Electronic Arts is still went looking for a game to switch to the classic Battlefield. Battlefield Hardline abandons the classic scenario of war on a large scale in order to concentrate on the daily conflict between the police and crime. The single player is not exceptional, in about six hours duration of the game will follow the exploits of Nick Mendoza, a young police officer who will be involved in a situation bigger than him, from which it will try to get out. It was decided to limit the use of armored vehicles and explosives in favor of a more considered approach, often stealth, allowing you to surprise behind enemies and to raise their hands and then arrest them. On the multiplayer side, try changing the gameplay of Battlefield to make it a bit 'faster and more hectic than usual, so closer to Call of Duty, but the result is to have an experience that hybrid depending on the map and mode goes from being exciting to not convincing at all. The impression is that when Hardline tries to make things work smoothly Battlefield: Conquest matches to Big with 64 players on maps of considerable size, in fact, still fun despite the absence of tanks and aircraft. One of the most successful new mode is Blood Money. At the center of the map there will be a booty disputed between the two factions, while at the opposite ends of their bases. However, the large, open maps instead of exalting the classic gameplay of Battlefield, they feel the lack of tanks and planes with which to make the most entertaining confrontation, as well as highlight a lesser degree of destructibility of game scenarios and a less physical refined in the management of the vehicles. The two modes inspired Counterstrike or Crossfire and Rescue, two modes in which two teams of five elements clash in violent clashes with no falls, the ability of doctors to revive a teammate could tip the balance of the match. Battlefield Hardline is a project that has changed the face in these years of gestation and that for that reason he could not find his size well defined. He would like to do a little 'the Call of Duty and a little' Counterstrike, but when does the Battlefield that everything works better, despite the many attempts to change it.
R.E. R. 2: Episode 3 - reviewcarlyle | March 19, 2015 | Review of Resident Evil Revelations 2 Episode 3 - PC
This is the episode that has a higher density of events, enemies, and it is also the one that lasts longer - mainly because of certain tricks that force to undertake complex actions. It is also the episode with a more inspired level design and puzzles that were not bad missed previously. The desire to make various Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is quite clear, especially in this third episode that introduces the puzzles and changes a little 'cards on the table with regard to the management of the characters, who finally manage to appear cohesive and useful l 'one for the other. Are revealed small background on past of Moira and Barry and maintained the great secret of Natalia, but it is clear that it is a preparatory chapter that is leading the way to the end of the season. Of the three so far published, is undoubtedly the most successful.
Monstrum - reviewcarlyle | March 11, 2015 | Review of Monstrum - PC
Monstrum born as an heir of productions the same way as Slender or Daylight, posing as an adventure horror with procedural elements and extremely punitive, that will force players to fight for their lives trying to escape from an abandoned ship. Each game begins the same way: we are locked in a room, we go out, collect a torch and we are in one of the corridors of the ship, chosen in a totally random. The only way out is to use one of the means scattered around the map, a helicopter and a submarine, which fortunately did not change places every time. The only problem will be able to find all the components needed to perform the necessary emergency maintenance, and just this research will be the focus of the gameplay. The random distribution of objects will make our mission difficult, because we will never know really where to look. All this is made even more difficult by the presence of a creature that will do anything to hinder us, and that can not be defeated. The AI behaves well and the degree of challenge is very high, especially in enclosed spaces. In the most cramped we can use some objects as old radios or glass bottles to attract the enemy's attention elsewhere, but even in this case will be recovered around and the space in our inventory will be limited. There will also be steam jets and deadly security cameras that will trigger alarms, without considering the many closed doors that will need a fuse to be opened. Despite Monstrum is still in Early Access (and lacks some content) is still a recommended purchase for all fans of fright.
LA Cops - reviewcarlyle | March 10, 2015 | Review of LA Cops - PC
LA Cops inspired by the phenomenon PC Hotline Miami, is an isometric stealth game that focuses on violence and difficulties. The isometric view, no matter how simple and stylized, it is in 3D, you can rotate the camera or to zoom. You play each game level (8 plus some bonus) with the help of two police officers who work together, chosen from a list of agents and we can strengthen and equip with experience points obtained in previous games. Players must then alternate between the two policemen while burst into homes, shops, factories and warehouses to track down criminals, deciding in each case whether to arrest or kill them. It is always outnumbered and resists very few shots, therefore coordinate movements and calculate the best strategies is critical to not be killed within seconds. Each of our actions, good or bad they are, assign or remove points. The accuracy of the shots, damage or deaths suffered, the destruction we have caused and completion time are all critical to the assessment that we will get. The campaign consists of only 8 levels, that skilled players (or lucky) can complete in a few minutes each, and longevity can massively increase only in case of repeated failures - which still occur, given the high difficulty of the title. The main problem, however, is the realization: AI stupid and inconsistent, the walls are not solid and too high component of randomness are severely undermine the ambitions of this title, which is unlikely to be remembered in the long term as its main source of inspiration.
Paranautical Activity - reviewcarlyle | March 9, 2015 | Review of Paranautical Activity Deluxe Atonement Edition (1) - PC
Paranautical Activity is a fusion of the gameplay typical First Person Shooter classic style Doom or Quake and mechanics that characterize the titles roguelike. Before starting we will be asked to choose the class of the five available. Each class is characterized by a starting equipment, health and speed specifications. We may decide to take up a shotgun at the expense of the resistance, opt for a laser rifle, a crossbow, a sickle that is launched like a boomerang or get to use a katana and a grenade launcher. Each class has its strengths and its limitations, and it will be our task to find the one that best suits our style of play. The game levels are constituted by a variable number of square rooms generated in a totally random. Once through the entrance, we will see all other ports sbarrarsi and we will immediately attacked by enemies. These can range from simple creatures able to spit out small, but extremely dangerous, fireballs, demons, giant spiders, ninja space, flying skulls and monsters of various kinds. The difficulty is high, and even the enemies that populate the first rooms can be extremely dangerous. Will be sufficient to get a few shots before the game over, and considering that each of our death forces us to start all over again making us lose the progress, the tension reached the most advanced levels is increasing. In our help a huge amount of upgrades, both temporary and permanent, that we gather during our matches. The enhancements that we will find may consist of simple increases damage or movement speed, reducing damages, ability to attract coins, until you get to objects much more rare and powerful that allow us the ability to perform double jumps or even walk on the ceiling. Graphically the title is characterized by a retro style mixed with models made from cubes very similar to what has been seen in Cube World, and the room design is clearly inspired by some great titles of the past as Doom and Wolfenstein.
Anoxemia - reviewcarlyle | March 6, 2015 | Review of Anoxemia - PC
Dr. Bailey, explorer, awakens with a diving suit into the depths darker, with little oxygen in the reserves and a strange drone speaker, called ATMA. The protagonist has to fight for its survival, exploring the depths of the sea in search of three elements - sometimes plants, sometimes documents of sunken ships - to pass on to the next. The plot of the game must be built reassembling the fragments of a story always ambiguous, never entirely clear, which leaves many doubts and anxieties. Despite the player directly controls only the machine ATMA, will be important to exploit the ability of man to carry and place explosives, as a shield against ordigini able to decrease the energy of ATMA, and to collect the precious resources that constitute the target of each level. At the same time, the drone is practically essential: it has a radar able to highlight the dangers hidden from view and indicate the location of items to collect, it comes with a handy grappling hook to move some objects and can sidetrack drones opponents can block the movements of the doctor. The title is very difficult, almost unnerving, because of its structure trial and error, most of the roughness derived from a simple control system but not always reactive. Anoxemia is a title undoubtedly fascinating, but not for all. The awkward design choices and the nature of the game makes it very harsh, a product inadvisable players disinclined to trial and error and even fewer patients.
The Nightmare Cooperative - reviewcarlyle | March 3, 2015 | Review of The Nightmare Cooperative - PC
The Nightmare Cooperative is a particular turn based roguelike, the gameplay is simple: we will move along the level of play (all already fully visible and divided into squares representing our movement) with the arrow keys, while the special moves of our characters with spacebar. The rest is just tactics and reasoning. Another interesting factor is that the movement of the heroes available is shared: in short, the characters will move together with a single command, making the journey very difficult to predict and calculate. We will soon realize that even the walls and obstacles solids can be used intelligently, representing the only way that we will be able to change the position of the formation of the group. The combat is fundamental: any contact with the enemy does a heart, finished which the character will die. Special actions, each feature of the fighter who puts in place, will be activated at the cost of mana (a potion blue) and only when the conditions are suitable. The main feature of the game remains the communion of action of our party, communion that turns the gameplay into something original and certainly more difficult of the usual puzzle game. Also there are several characters, rather numerous, and can be activated only once found and touched inside the dungeon.
Life of Pixel - reviewcarlyle | March 2, 2015 | Review of Life of Pixel Steam - PC
The protagonist of the game is a small pixels. This, tired of his anonymous life from green pixel immersed in a sea of other green pixels, decides to run away, and go back to the time of the console between the 70s and 90s: as Atari 2600, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, GameBoy, NES and Sega Master System. Each console corresponds to overcome a number of levels: as usual, within these, the player must collect collectible, useful to unlock three consoles beginning hidden. In practice, then, once you have chosen a console, after a brief summary of the history, the pixels will face internships classics. Each environment resumes the typical appearance of the games developed for the various console proposed: for example, the levels will be dedicated to the Game Boy in green, the ZX81 will be in black and white. Life of Pixel remembers the two-dimensional platform, hard and tough, full of pitfalls and not very kind to the players. The levels will always be full of enemies, sharp points that emerge from the floors, lethal water holes, tiles that disappear beneath our feet, moving platforms etc ... the level of challenge, therefore, will always be very high, and failures will many and repeated. The real strength of Life of Pixel is the sound department: select the GameBoy, and the title will propose the little sound effect that you could feel you turn the console; choosing the NES, however, you will hear the typical Mario jump. Each console, in any case, will have a musical theme to 8 bits appropriate to the circumstances; these compositions, in fact, are often delicious and pleasant to listen.
Morningstar: Descent to Deadrock - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 25, 2015 | Review of Morningstar Descent to Deadrock - PC
During a routine mission, due to an electromagnetic anomaly, the Morningstar, the ship on which he was traveling our crew, has made an emergency landing on a planet. Survived the crash only Powell, played by the player, and his captain, Novak, although seriously injured. Our goal will be to survive the deadly desert on the planet and, at the same time, restart the engines of the spacecraft to leave the wilderness on which, unfortunately, we were catapulted. This is a classic point-and-click adventure based on where the player must find items, combine them or use them with devices or instruments present in the game - with the possibility of seeking advice via radio to your captain , which we will also indicate the objectives to follow. In this regard a limit encountered is the relative ease of the puzzle, that still allow users to enjoy a fairly fluid of the story, which, in the intentions of the developers, should be the central aspect of the gameplay. An adventure without much expectation, in which there is absolutely nothing of innovative, which is totally lacking originality, representing a way of doing adventure games out of date. The game may be of interest to some lovers of sci-fi stories and those who like to experiment with the puzzle / adventure game is not particularly challenging.
Total War: Attila - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 18, 2015 | Review of Total War Attila - PC
During the fifteen-story of the Total War series, Creative Assembly has explored different environments, moving from Japan shogunate until the France of Napoleon, through the historical contexts that best suited to the strategic dynamics of the game. Among these, the one linked to the Roman Empire was the favorite by most fans of the brand. The campaign for Total War: Attila began in 395 AD, during the years when the light of Rome is definitely off the territories controlled by the Empire. The dynamics of the gameplay more interesting of Total War: Attila is linked to the barbarians and nomads, called "Horde Mode" and inherited from that seen in the critically Barbarian Invasion expansion of the very first Rome: Total War. Instead of being tied to the city centers as the other factions, the Horde does not have a fixed home, and can move through the map by going where they wish. This mode allows the units to build and recruit new troops, through a method of construction similar to that of the factions classic: in the case of movement, but you end up losing the various bonuses, forcing the player to plan well their actions. All factions of the game have in common a new set of dynamics that continue to approach the Total War series to the grand strategy of Crusader Kings: every dynasty has in fact its own family tree, as to manage to arrange a marriage with which to cement alliances , or prevent our blood relatives end up settle our own domain. The latter situation may also be caused by other most famous exponents of his own faction: our defense plans fortunately several possibilities, from an extreme case as murder, until other measures lighter as the cut of the funds available. Each character also develops its own traits alongside skills, which can be assigned using the special game menu. In terms of artificial intelligence, Creative Assembly appears to have made progress both in direct confrontation in the phase shift, making sure that the factions controlled by the CPU to behave less consequential than our actions, their planning more.
Planetary Annihilation - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 10, 2015 | Review of Planetary Annihilation - PC
The plot of Planetary Annihilation is very simple and yet effective: built to fight a war throughout the galaxy, the sentient machines were reactivated after a long period of inactivity, with the sole purpose of annihilating the enemy. The single mode is basically divided into two phases. A turn-based mode, in which we will move from one solar system to another, picking technologies for our army, until they encounter an enemy force, and we can not escape the battle. The second phase is the heart of Planetary Annihilation, and we will catapult on the battlefield. The scenarios are huge and randomly generated, including in fact an entire solar system with planets, satellites, gas giants, and so on. At the beginning of the battle the player can choose which celestial body to land his commander, the only elite units of the game, the destruction of which will inevitably cause the end of the game. The giant robot under our command is able to defend itself with devastating attacks, but most are able to build some buildings that will form the basis of our planet. By our choices we have tanks, battle-hardened robots, warships and aircraft. Each factory allows building of skilled workers, which will go to support our commander permitting the release of advanced buildings. Of course it will be important resources management major: the metal and energy. the first can be derived by building extractors above designated depots scattered on planetary surfaces, while the second will be provided through the construction of appropriate power plants. The real innovation of the title is that we move from planet to planet and have weapons of mass destruction ever seen in an RTS. The title provides several ways to move between the heavenly bodies, but in any case it will be almost mandatory to build a space station. We may decide to transport troops one by one through special warps, build a new base from zero thanks to the builders in orbit, or build a "stargate" input and one output to allow a constant flow of the troops. Planetary Annihilation combines all the potential for a great real-time strategy. "Big" in every sense, if not huge. Too bad that the final version is published with a little 'too much haste. The title in fact has several problems, including a camera management imprecise, "collisions" between planets , a campaign in single poor, a tutorial almost absent.
Pix the Cat - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 8, 2015 | Review of Pix the Cat - PC
It 'a two-dimensional arcade title in which you have the role of a cute cat stylized: it must cross the small environments - always shown entirely on the screen - to collect all the eggs scattered in them: for each, will pay a duck, which will take to chase the cat in any movement. Egg in egg, so you will go to compose a long queue behind us, that we will have the task of bringing up the points set as a destination within the stage, only to reach the exit for the next level. The main mode has the problem to remain true to itself - at least until you become loose enough to mark scores record. Otherwise, you will end up for several hours beginning with the same number of levels, to try to go far forward as possible in the three hundred seconds allowed, and - in the eventual fail - to start all over again the same sequence, in an effort to better manage the frenzied rhythms. Pix the Cat manages to be an interesting meeting point between the dynamics of Pac-Man and Snake, and to propose a fun gameplay and puzzle well designed, capable of stimulating your wits and your reaction time.
Blackguards 2 - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 4, 2015 | Review of Blackguards 2 - PC
For Blackguards 2 Daedalic wanted to facilitate some elements of the game but added a management component. The simplification concerns mainly the whole system of skills, abilities and upgrades. The characters of the game do not level up but earn experience points that we can spend in five different categories after winning every fight. There are power-ups for weapons for general skills spells special moves to be exploited in battle and passive skills. The real heart of the game rather than the management of the characters is given by the turn-based combat characterized by classic hexagons for movement and many new features compared to the first chapter. Arenas and game environments appear more pleasant, large and full of interactive elements such as bridges, traps, objects to break and switches to activate. Although the success rate of a spell is now much more credible (in the first chapter even an attack on two failed). Ultimately Blackguards 2 is a sequel good and superior to the first chapter a bit 'from all points of view. Less confusing, more dynamic gameplay richer management elements less frustrating in the fighting. A blend of RPG and turn-based strategy, with a plot and a setting is not trivial but a calibration of difficulty not calibrated at best, clashes sometimes soporific and poor graphics.
Valkyria Chronicles - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 16, 2015 | Review of Valkyria Chronicles - PC
Valkyria Chronicles is classifiable as Roleplay Tactician "hybrid", which combines the typical gameplay of titles such as Fire Emblem Awakening and Wasteland 2 with mechanical arriving from the third-person shooter. This system, called BLiTZ (Battle of Live Tactical Zones), divides the player's turn in two phases: the first, called Command Mode, allows you to view a map of the battlefield from a visual flyover, then taking a look at the position their units and those under enemy fire; the second phase, Action Mode, allows you to control the individual units in the field, move and perform actions such as attacks or shelling in near real time. The number of times that you can move units on the field is determined by the Action Points available for each shift, the number of which depends on conditions such as the difficulty and the deployment of certain units; in more advanced levels, in addition, these points are also used to issue orders, which confer passive bonuses to the capabilities of one or more units simultaneously. The developers have added two things: the first, dedicated to the overall troop, allows you to use the experience points (earned by completing missions in as few rounds as possible) to advance the stats of all the soldiers belonging to the same class, regardless of whether or not the team "active", or invest the accumulated credits to research the most advanced equipment for foot soldiers and for the Edelweiss; the second, however, is based on individual characteristics of individual militants. The soldiers, in fact, have a set of bonuses and penalties, defined "Potentials", which uniquely characterize the peformance in combat, making them weaker for example if deployed in scenarios citizens, or increasing their defense when placed near bases allied. The ability to trigger these Potential, moreover, is influenced by the interpersonal relationship between the soldiers in the field, which can be friends or hate The conversion of this game, despite technical flaws just like interface optimized for use with a mouse and keyboard and a graphics engine unsuitable resolutions Full HD, still manages to entertain with its interesting and unique blend of strategy, game role and third-person shooter and, above all, to convey the emotions of a story that, with the delicacy typical of Japanese culture, fails to address issues such as raw war and racial discrimination.
7 Wonders II - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2015 | Review of 7 Wonders II (1) - PC
The premise of 7 Wonders II is simply that players must travel to seven locations around the world, and help workers construct wondrous buildings, monuments and structures, such as Stone Henge, The Great Wall of China, Angkor Wat and the Shwedagon Pagoda. The game consists to switch adjacent symbols to make matches of three or more, barring the ability to swap without forming a combination. With bigger combinations, you get power-ups that clear larger areas; those available here differ from the original, but not drastically. The swapping symbols are runes placed above tiles – destroy the rune and you eliminate the tile, and it's your job to make sure that each area is tile-free. After a stage has reached its conclusion, players have a certain amount of building blocks to use in order to work towards securing the final piece of the next Wonder of the World. During play, whilst in the middle of clearing groups of coloured tiles, pieces of map are sometimes uncovered and when all the required pieces have been found and a map is finally completed, you are whisked away to a situation where said map appears on-screen and must cleverly be navigated to the bottom of the pile by clearing a path through the coloured runes in the set number of moves attributed. The graphics are not the best, but it's cute and well built, so that, in the side of the main map, depending on the "wonder" who is going to build, there is a small piece of history to read, to make "discovery "even more tempting. As you level up it gets harder as time in which to complete the level remains the same. There are several bonuses that will come in handy, but that will disappear when we're going to climb again the seven wonders.
Skilltree Saga - Reviewcarlyle | Jan. 11, 2015 | Review of Skilltree Saga - PC
Saga Skilltree is listed as a roguelike, but has only a slight resemblance, the game plays like an RPG random automatic. The game allows you to choose between three different races, including human, elf and dwarf even if this does not really have much effect on the history and skills can be acquired as are all the same. The story will take you to different dungeons, each area is designed uniqueley but do not have many backdrops so you will often see the same over and over again as you progress through the game. The story is fairly trivial. When you're not in a fight, you will be in the city that has the map screen, stores, inventory and skill window. The map screen allows you to travel to different locations to fight enemies. Once you are ready to venture into a dungeon and fight some enemies will be time to go to the screen underground. Here you will be able to display the menu of skills, inventory, health and mana. You'll also be able to view the type of enemy you'll be facing next. When you are ready to face the next opponent simply click the struggle and the battle will begin. The game uses a battle system automatically so you do not have control over what happens during the battle. Ultimately, Skilltree Saga is a decent game, but can have a very cliché plot and writing weak, the game can still appeal to those who are looking for something that does not require a lot of work on their part.
Mount & Blade - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 5, 2015 | Review of Mount Blade (1) - PC
Mount and Blade is a medieval role playing game; after you have created your character, you find yourself thrust into the harsh world of Calradia. Although there is no fixed storyline to follow, your first task is survival. The game is open and the player is free to do as he wishes, here is the freedom to which I alluded at the beginning. Even if the battle is prevalent, is for the most part optional. The player can make money looting or exchanging goods between towns and gain experience. The game offers a basic dynamic economy based on supply and demand. The army of the player can be formed by taking the various NPCs (heroes or companions) that are found in the inns of the city, and the mercenary soldiers. The player can increase the maximum size of the army by investing points in certain skills to level up, or gaining fame by winning battles. The player decides the development of the skills of fellow PNG using them to supplement its own. The world of Mount & Blade is a living world, the armies of the NPC belonging to five factions constantly move on the map to do battle. Some of the quests that we are entrusted make events happen that change the geopolitical structure of the continent of Calradia. The flaws of the game are essentially two: the graphics are stuck to 2005; Also the game is a lot 'repetitive.
Corto Maltese and the Secret of Venice - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 3, 2015 | Review of Corto Maltese and the Secret of Venice - PC
Corto Maltese, the secrets of Venice is a graphic adventure 2D with static screens, with a plot midway between the oneiric and the thriller, the player will have to juggle a thousand puzzle, more or less difficult, and logical challenges. Contrary to what the title might suggest, the main character will not be Corto Maltese, cartoon character success of Hugo Pratt, but an anonymous tourist victim of the events, which will find itself involved in a deadly treasure hunt to find six petals of emerald, fragments of a jewel in the allegedly most majestic and magical abilities. The game is divided into two basic aspects: the discovery of some coordinates or codes and the input of these coordinates in Compass. This tool, in response to the coordinate inserted, will provide a riddle or a puzzle logic, depending on the situation. The reward for our efforts will almost always be an object, an indication, a missing piece to continue. There is also the research of some secondary elements, within the various screens that allow you to unlock many interesting articles about the life of Corto Maltese. Despite the repetition of the situations, the game is not boring; riddles are indeed always interesting and very challenging, putting pressure on the most experienced users.
Dragon Age: Origins Awakening - reviewcarlyle | Nov. 19, 2014 | Review of Dragon Age Origins Awakening EU - PC
What's new in this expansion are interesting: new areas to explore, quests and dungeons are the foundation of the contents of the expansion, topped with a generous helping of objects set of armor and dozens of new talents and abilities, which draw from the 'increased level cap, which now reaches the thirty-fifth. Some dungeons have conformations that are not strictly linear, with paths - or even quest - options that can help you avoid the ambushes of the enemy or provide other kinds of support. The whole question of the choices to be made, it offers more ambiguous dilemmas, where it is often not clear or there is simply no distinction between good and evil, but where there will still be consequences such as emotional impact player. What shines are mostly NPCs and their stories, motivations and personality, which actually eclipses our protagonist as the character less interesting than the story. We can choose to recruit six new recruits, two for each class, with Oghren, which is really the only veteran of the previous chapter, each with their own personal quest, path of growth and wonderful dialogue. Three goals of our hero: replenish the ranks of the Grey Wardens, administer our new feud and unravel the mystery of the talking darkspawn. To do that he has to embark within 20 hours of the best heavy distillate dark-fantasy epic that has been offered in recent years. If you liked Origins, apologies to miss it are pretty slim.
Bastion - reviewcarlyle | Nov. 7, 2014 | Review of Bastion Steam - PC
Bastion looks like a stock characterised by simple mechanical extremely accessible and immediate. The player just continue along the path that is created in front of the boy, defeating all manner of creature until the discovery of the artefact useful for the reconstruction of the ramparts. This pattern is repeated substantially the entire length of the game, interrupted only by sessions to be addressed to raise survival "coins" and unique challenges that will allow us to get the materials to be used in upgrading of weapons at your disposal. Each unit collected at the end of a stage will rebuild one chosen among the six buildings that were once the bastions, an act that we can use to expand gameplay possibilities and customization of the equipment. The element that makes it stand out Bastion in the now abundant mix of video game masterpieces of independent matrix is undoubtedly the so-called "dynamic storytelling." From the first seconds of the game until the end of the adventure the male voice of the character of Rucks will not be limited simply to tell the story and events in their order, but in a different way every comment on your choice of action or habit. The environments inspired by the narrative engaging and breathtaking sound department create a great little work that will be hard to forget.
Eador - reviewcarlyle | Nov. 6, 2014 | Review of Eador Masters of the Broken World - PC
The player is called just to play the role of a super creature who has to try to unify the fragments into a single land mass. Who will be able to become the lord of the universe. At the beginning of each world the Master must select a hero to be sent into battle and provide an army. The hero can belong to four different classes: Warrior, Commander, Ranger and Mage, each with their own abilities and each with their own specializations which must be selected after having grown layers. The gameplay is divided into distinct phases. There is an exploratory phase, which is to conquer and explore individual territories. There is a management phase, where you have to build buildings in the capital for new troops for hire, new spells for the heroes and all sorts of other bonuses that are of enormous significance in the unfolding of the game. Finally, there is the phase of actual combat when troops are deployed on the battlefield, divided by the board. Eador is a great turn-based strategy, with a great depth and mechanical properties quite different from the average for the genre. There is unfortunately a certain difficulty interface, with some elements, especially informative, which could be explained better. Still deserves a promotion compared to his older brother and therefore, deserves to be taken into account.
Alien Rage - reviewcarlyle | Oct. 7, 2014 | Review of Alien Rage - PC
An asteroid hidden in its bowels the Prometheus: an energy source with incredible efficiency. Humans and aliens go together, splitting fields, until the aliens decide to destroy their allies. The plot of this fps is intriguing even if foreseeable. The opponents are very short and often equipped with a jet pack or devices that make them invisible. In addition, most of the shell behind which you will repair will tend to be destroyed if you hit by a grenade or hit repeatedly by bursts of machine gun. The firefights are extremely dynamic, adrenaline, challenging. However, the absence of a large arsenal and artificial intelligence is not particularly well developed, the game becomes boring. I recommend Alien Rage only to die-hard fans of science fiction and chaotic FPS.
Shadowrun Returns - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 28, 2014 | Review of Shadowrun Returns - PC
The setting of Shadowrun mixes fantasy and cyberpunk noir tones and implications horror, science fiction and ghosts. The breeds are typical fantasy universe as the world draws strong inspiration from Blade Runner and, not surprisingly, has several points in common with the famous RPG Cyberpunk. The avatar customization is really free thanks to the implementation of an opportunity that allows you to balance all the failings of our character. Between missions, and the other is in fact possible to hire up to three mercenaries in payment that will support us in the next mission. The maps are static and devoid of animated elements, apart from a few broken neon flashing sadly. And even the characters that populate the city are statues waiting for a possible script to tell them if it's time to move or fight. The turn-based combat system is structured in a very simple way. Each character has a certain number of action points. These can be worn to activate abilities, ranging from magic to trick shots, or to move, with a visual indicator that indicates where you can get with the action points currently available. There are not resources, such as mana, and bullets are infinite even if the magazine is empty and must be recharged by spending an action point. During the action, the characters can kneel and can take advantage of some roofs to reduce the rate of being hit by opponents. But the cover system is very limited, the fire reagent is limited to a single counter and automatic, there are not options of stealth. Shadowrun Returns can not compete with the major representatives of the genre RPG like Fallout or Arcanum or Baldur's Gate. However dialogues and skill work well, the atmosphere is great and the campaign is fun. A good title.
Far Cry 3 - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 7, 2014 | Review of Far Cry 3 - PC
The game's plot is taken directly from a movie series b, the consciousness of the protagonist is one of the strengths of the title : at the beginning Jason is afraid , afraid and reluctant , he just wants to find his friends and run away, then understands that there is something more going on and that has a clearly defined role in the fate of the island, in short, is the chosen one will have to make difficult choices that will mark him deeply. The game mechanics are therefore those of discovery, exploration and survival , of course, declined between main missions and "secondary" . This division is fully functional to the growth of the character. The ' artificial intelligence opponents offers a rate adequate challenge even though there have been cases where their routine comportali went into crisis by facilitating our task . The breakdown of enemies in different categories and their strong vision and hearing really work to complicate the dynamics of the action, and in this sense are the confirmation that the search approach " reasoned" is the real reason the game. Obviously we can not pretend nothing has happened and throw into action without thinking, but between snipers in raised positions , crazed bomber who throw petrol bombs , equipped with armored flame thrower , rifle in cover, you can really die in a matter of a fraction of a second. It is not simply to storm the outposts , in some circumstances we need to find and kill opponents without alerting details all the soldiers of the guard, in other stealth is total, and here , unfortunately, we have to put in mind that the lack of an internal map structures is almost expire Far Cry 3 in a repetitive trial and error to figure out where to go and there are also sections with a lot of small exploratory environmental puzzles to solve. Ultimately, a great game , to try
Awesomenauts - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 8, 2013 | Review of Awesomenauts - PC
Awesomenauts is a MOBA : The aim is to destroy the core of the Solar opponent while protecting your own. He failed to avoid the fire of the mercenaries and rivals that of the lethal gun towers that will be destroyed as well . The PC version does not deviate too much from its incarnations already been released for the console: can undoubtedly improve the uncertainties of matchmaking , this time to find challengers and playmates is easier, although it remains the problem log on to items already marked by the outcome . The control system it is very helpful to use a mouse and keyboard , which offer an unprecedented precision of the controls so going to improve the strategic possibilities of each match . Being absent an offline campaign that would probably have expanded the range and highlighted the gameplay features of the product, the soul of the game is all in the multiplayer mode , with its exaggerated tendency to repeat sessions always equal to respawn , tip more than anything else in particular to thrill fans of the MOBA : while trying with his entertaining presentation to include newcomers to the genre , for the latter Awesomenauts is likely to be a colorful source of frustration if not tackled with the right mindset .
BioShock 2 reviewcarlyle | Feb. 19, 2013 | Review of BioShock 2 - PC
Finally in this sequel you can play as Big Daddy, the last prototype before the outbreak of the civil war and the consequent social and structural degeneration of Rapture. Answer the name of Delta and, unlike the other mammoth Dad, you are bound in a visceral, intimate, paternal relationship with a single Little Sister: Eleanor. In the shoes of a Big Daddy pretty special we will have 8 different weapons, each with different types of ammunition and the ability to use them to melee attacks. The plot is compelling: an equal quality in the narrative will find it very difficult in another first-person shooter and progression in the adventure can stimulate the player's attention by offering something new, it's a weapon, a plasmid or a setting unusual eye for detail. But problems remain: Technically, the game is not very good and many of the additions in the gameplay, as the underwater sections, leave the time they find. But above all, BioShock is partly a victim of its own heritage. Too many parts of the game know "already seen", from the settings, and nothing of this second chapter can match or exceed the splendor of its predecessor. BioShock 2 is beautiful, really beautiful but it is not a new masterpiece.
LEGO Lord of the Rings - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 16, 2013 | Review of LEGO Lord of the Rings - PC
LEGO Lord of the Rings might seem a perfect game, but despite being the best LEGO game ever has defects: first, a certain repetitiveness of the fund, beyond the battles, spectacular excesses, the views represented are essentially the same as seen in the movie on a reduced scale and dotted here and there with objects and buildings made of bricks to destroy all. Hidden a bit 'everywhere hub and individual levels, often acquired intuitive puzzle solving, the player can collect bricks in Mithril needed to forge a series of objects, such as weapons and armor that can be equipped by the various characters. Some of them enhance their skills, others give new ones, like the ability to open passages otherwise impractical. Many of these items must be forged if only to solve the various missions entrusted by the people of Middle-earth, real "quest" from RPG that require the discovery of objects or even before, the fundamental recipes to manufacture them. Most of the quests are completely optional, but they provide a reason to revisit the areas and levels already explored: after all, the purpose of the game is always the same, namely to collect hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks to unlock bonuses and new characters.
Under the Sea ....carlyle | Feb. 13, 2013 | Review of BioShock - PC
BioShock is a masterpiece. There is little to say. We use many times the weapons that we can find on the ground next to a dead body or at certain points in the game, but, more often and more willingly, we will combine the use of bullets to the classic supernatural abilities that we have achieved thanks to the plasmids. The game is pretty much perfect in every way and sets new standards in the world of first-person shooters. Lovers of FPS will not only get their teeth, but also a great rpg. Grave mistake would be to think of BioShock as usual FPS for PC. We are facing a new way of understanding the shooter, we are faced with a new level of video game, far superior to even the most renowned works. We are in the presence of a game that can be appreciated by those FPS they have never played before or has ever endured. But above all, it is a title that manages to stand out for its quality, in a market already saturated with products that are too similar to each other, distinguished by its peculiarities and its originality and desire to innovate.
Mass Effect 2 - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 4, 2013 | Review of Mass Effect 2 - PC
Mass Effect 2 continues the threads woven into the first chapter, shaking the root of the canons of Western RPG and finding a balance between action and narrative. Where Mass Effect 2 frees itself from the more traditional RPG is the elimination of the inventory: in the first chapter where you spent hours changing characters and weapons to sell all the items that were accumulated to fill the slot of the equipment, where there is a shared heritage, made up of various types of weapons and upgrades, which are immediately available for all players compatible therewith. Now most of the battles take place in real time, thanks to a tracking system much more intuitive, which, combined with the fluidity finally optimal graphics engine, makes the action steps at the same level of the share of exploration, creating in a package as a whole can only be amazed by the quality and care put into all aspects, from level design, down to the smallest details.
Swords and Soldiers - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 4, 2013 | Review of Swords and Soldiers - PC
The game gives us three single player campaigns involving rich and thick, which will keep us busy for quite a while 'together with the excellent multiplayer mode, both local as well as online. The gameplay of the title Ronimo Games is simple and effective, does not engage in excessive complications and goes straight to the point, allowing us to understand the mechanisms involved right from the start thanks to a control system to the occasion. The graphic, colorful and comic strip, complete the picture of a very high quality product, which should be tested especially by those who have never experimented with this particular branch of the RTS. Recommended.
Sine Mora - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 3, 2013 | Review of Sine Mora - PC
The gameplay that leaves part of the traditional style of the shooter to focus almost exclusively on the concept of time. The player will not have a predetermined number of lives to complete a level, nor an energy bar destined to fade under the lead opponent. The only discriminating between success and failure is the time to end the current scenario, an amount that increases gradually reaping havoc among the enemy ranks, but at the same time, decreases in proportion to the damage suffered. Each game will require so to find the right balance between "security" and the time available, where to proceed with a more sedate pace will save us from annoying yes contingencies, but inexorably consume precious seconds. Not enough, damage upgrades will lose offensive collected and reset the score multiplier.
Deus ex return - reviewcarlyle | Feb. 2, 2013 | Review of Deus Ex Human Revolution (1) - PC
Deus Ex presents a game structure open, which allows individualized approaches to the action. Possible interactions are different and there are many hidden corners, within developing specific powers that hide bonuses or maybe special items such as weapons or otherwise. Usually the rule is that most are hard to find, the more you rich booty. Speaking of the grafts, or the powers that Adam can develop assigning praxis, the rose of choices of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is extended further. Unfortunately the AI is poor and does not react efficiently, you will often encounter situations bordering on the ridiculous, a bit 'ruin empathy. The same bosses are very subdued and does not represent a major challenge with their tactics monotonous and predictable. Graphically Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game of ups and downs. If you can not move notes artistic director and scenario building, is some trimming, mostly because of the scripted sequences and facial animation.
Mini Lara Croftcarlyle | Feb. 1, 2013 | Review of Lara Croft And The Guardian of Light - PC
Lara Croft leaves the third person in favor of a broader recovery by opening a range of new gaming solutions previously precluded transforming the latest incarnation of gaming Lara in an interesting combination of elements shooter, platforming and puzzle solving. The presence of two characters allows you to play the game in co-op and this certainly appears to be the best way to fully enjoy the experience that allows players the freedom to approach the levels. Other interesting feature is the use of cell-shading technique, used in a shrewd without being invasive but never helpful in giving a personal style and pleasant to play. High level is definitely the level design, with settings often extended vertically and complex architecture served equally excellent development of the puzzles that even in this incarnation isometric accompany exploration.
Conflict: Denied Ops - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 30, 2013 | Review of Conflict Denied Ops - PC
Conflict: Denied Ops reveals an interesting title, but nothing more. The arcade setting, combined with a high destructibility of the scenario and a good differentiation abilities of the protagonists, offers several hours of fun, replayable fully co-operative mode. Unfortunately remain even several defects, as a technical realization is not outstanding, an artificial intelligence sometimes coarse and some limits imposed on the player precisely because of the basic concept. We are not likely to face a must-have, but if you want a shooter pleasant and intuitive, with a structure a bit 'different from usual, Denied Ops could be for you.
Alan Wake - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 29, 2013 | Review of Alan Wake - PC
Alan Wake is undoubtedly a particular product that gives its best when enjoyed at night, with a pair of headphones. The action component of Alan Wake is implemented with great competence based on the contrast between light and dark, the credibility of the tools available to the protagonist, and that's a gun that shoots flares becomes absolutely our most effective weapon, and revolvers and gun should only be used after making enemies tangible to our attacks on them turning the flashlight for a few seconds. The removal of an opponent is made more spectacular by the same bullet time emphasizing a dodge reach the last second, and in this sense the control system is perfect. The title Remedy bases its appeal on narrative content and distinctive features of the scenarios has never been so beautiful and detailed thanks to the unique graphics optimizations, as well as a fun and spectacular action component. Above all, therefore, a compelling storyline, a great atmosphere.
Condemned - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 28, 2013 | Review of Condemned Criminal Origins STEAM - PC
The FBI agent Ethan Thomas is called to investigate a mysterious serial killer but then things go wrong and all of a sudden and he is then a hunted fugitive. The only weapons available to Thomas have a gun, which will discharge very quickly, the equipment of the science, which reveal and collect clues and samples, a mobile phone with which to keep in touch with the lab and a stun gun. The game takes place in a closed and dark, in which, in most cases, the only source of light is the flashlight. Dilapidated buildings and abandoned subway after closing time or spectral libraries night, these stages runs the ominous path of the player, along the way, meet increasingly aggressive and dangerous enemies. The most innovative aspect of Condemned is undoubtedly the combat system, you will find around any type of blunt object that we can imagine. Sure, some rifle or pistol pops out every now and then, but the ammunition is never enough, and soon we will have to throw away the weapon.
Postal III - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 28, 2013 | Review of Postal III (1) - PC
Postal III is not fun, in fact, the humor of the game is so low and saddened rather than making people laugh. The problem is that you can not make a product "outrageous" and hope that people talk about and shop for just this reason, and unfortunately the third episode of Postal, perhaps more than the previous ones, is clearly set in this way, given the obvious shortcomings in terms of quality and variety of gameplay. We are in the presence of a discrete technical realization and a lot 'of weapons at your disposal, but the combat system is awful, artificial intelligence virtually non-existent, and, finally, the action is very linear and repetitive.
Warriors of the North - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 28, 2013 | Review of Kings Bounty Warriors of the North - PC
King's Bounty: Warriors of the North is the natural result of a series turn-based strategy acclaimed and successful, a title that in its successful implementation does not aspire to anything new and innovative, offering what has been done by the young Russian in previous episodes. If from the point of view closely play the game is able to offer lots of fun and excellent longevity, the gameplay is a bit 'redundant, supported by a technical department that you could certainly revisit and improve. Curated as always the narrative, rich in content though not particularly original. As with any appointment with the King's Bounty series, we would like to recommend the game to fans of the strategy genre, as well as the role play gamers looking for a good fun diversion.
ARMA II: Combined Operations - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 27, 2013 | Review of ARMA II Combined Operations - PC
This is a pack that contains ArmA II, as well as the new stand alone expansion, Operation Arrowhead. Both games are similar, with the biggest difference being their setting. Arma II takes place in a detailed jungle environment while Operation Arrowhead throws you into a desert in the Middle East. For as frustrating and tedious as the single player campaigns are, the multiplayer can be extremely fun. Commanders for each team exist, but you can also be a regular soldier. Multiplayer games are a lot like something you would see in a Battlefield game, although far more realistic. Please keep in mind that you can install the mod Day-Z, which will surely make it much more durable this type of game.
BC2 Vietnam - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 24, 2013 | Review of Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam - PC
Bad Company 2: Vietnam is able to offer fans of Battlefield experience completely different from that contained in the disk of Bad Company 2, but without sacrificing the excellent gameplay that already characterized the original title. Once again it is necessary to choose between one of these classes, so get out on the battlefield armed with the equipment most suited to your style of play. This time, however, the environment is characterized by dense vegetation in Vietnam. Just like in BC2, accumulating experience you can unlock new weapons, all in line with the historical period in which this expansion takes place. So a dlc really well done, of course, as long as you like Bad Company.
Alpha Protocol - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 22, 2013 | Review of Alpha Protocol - PC
In Alpha Protocol after a few missions you have the impression of being in the hands of a product with an extraordinary nature, but due to a technical realization poor never fails to show the best of themselves. Technical problems ranging from the Intelligence Artificial unconvincing graphics dated, until you come to a series of glitches and bugs related to animations and the roofing system. One related to Artificial Intelligence is revealed rather heavy, since on many occasions goes to affect the gameplay real. During stealth happens frequently encounter guards completely immobile (which only react if attacked) or, on the contrary, in real hounds. The guards also alert you only if they see a comrade on the ground, but the fact that the corpses disappear after a few seconds, makes the phases stealth much less exciting than it could have been. So many of the problems of the title Obsidian make the game suitable only for diehard fans.
Deep Black Reloadedcarlyle | Jan. 22, 2013 | Review of Deep Black Reloaded - PC
Deep Black Reloaded is a title from Russia very well done, despite its derivative nature. The protagonist is a walking cliché, both in appearance, both in speeches that makes radio contact with colleagues. We are in front of a third person shooter with cover, designed for users but very hardcore shootings reasoned that do not have enough in hand to win the biggest gun, but they require a minimum of skill, if you proceed with too much swagger is inevitably riddled with bullets, or embraced by some underwater mine of unprecedented power. Just the underwater battles are the best part of Deep Black Reloaded, thanks above all to the control system that allows you to move easily in water: in addition to move in various directions, as in many other titles, here you can turn on the jets allow to overcome the stronger currents and to move faster. The fighting on land instead make it a lot less. So Deep Black Reloaded is not a perfect game, especially hurt by problems in the control system, as well as the history characterized by bad dialogue and characters flat and banal.
LEGO Harry Potter - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 20, 2013 | Review of LEGO Harry Potter Years 57 - PC
This is a classic mix of platform, action and puzzle solving, seasoned with all the humor that colored bricks can offer. Spells, already present in the last chapter, are the element that differentiates the franchise from other Lego Harry Potter Lego series. We will have a total of 8 spells to be able to master, and many of these puzzles are really connected to their proper use. From this point of view, although all LEGO products are able to draw a diverse audience, we must emphasize an average difficulty in solving some puzzles, all very original and creative. The magic of this time is also used to fighting one on one, in which we have to choose the right spell at the right time, looking good with the colors shown in the circle on the ground. In these situations, moreover, we also need to press the right buttons with the right timing, as if we were in front of small and short quick time event. Those who buy LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 knows what to expect, so that if you enjoyed the predecessors, you will be at ease with this title.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 20, 2013 | Review of Dead Rising 2 Off the Record - PC
The plot and setting, which is exactly the same as Dead Rising 2. In fact, the most substantial new Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, the Sandbox Mode allows us to use the same save slot game of our "normal" to withstand the rigors of Fortune City from a different perspective: free from the constraints of 'omnipresent timer and therefore from having to reach the opposite end of the map to start a new mission, we can go where we want, visit the many attractions of the city and gain experience points that will enhance the capabilities of our character, shared with the single player mode and standard therefore also be upgraded using this trick. Those who have completed Dead Rising 2, while appreciating, difficult to find the reasons to buy this reinterpretation: the story is the same, the boss and also the additional modes are not adding this spectacular where maybe you hoped.
Twin Sector - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 19, 2013 | Review of Twin Sector - PC
Clearly inspired by Portal, this Twin Sector is a first-person game where everything is focused on solving puzzles. Unlike its predecessor, where the various puzzles were solved with the help of the "Portal Gun", here everything is literally in "our hands", thanks to two special gloves that we wear: the left will allow us to attract to us objects away, grab and rotate walls or structures to perform jumps shorter or longer depending on the power struck. The right, however, to hurl objects and drop them to form waves of energy to cushion falls from heights impossible. The game mechanics are based entirely on the exploration and use physics to solve puzzles and overcome certain obstacles. Twin Sector is a game, or that you love or you hate, there is no middle ground. But if we are part of the first category the satisfaction of having solved a puzzle and almost obsessive desire to move forward are sufficient stimuli to shut an eye on the various defects that are hidden in the game, including the physical and in some cases it is not very realistic and the graphics are not as good.
LEGO Batman - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 19, 2013 | Review of LEGO Batman The Videogame - PC
Unlike previous LEGO titles, entirely focused on the highly popular franchise Star Wars and Indiana Jones, this last episode of the series is not tied to a rigid film mythology or specific sequences of predetermined events. With a considerable departure from the classic format of the Lego series, you will be fighting against the bad guys impersonating both in parallel storyline. After hindered their devious criminal plans with Batman and Robin, you'll find it in Arkham and relive the same events from the perspective of the bad guys, helping them to create their own contraptions and evil plotting evil schemes of action. With its dual structure, Lego Batman offers at least twice in terms of gameplay stark compared to the proposal Lego Indy. It is not certain yet overflowing like Star Wars, with its legendary gold bricks to unlock bonus material.
Lost Planet 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 19, 2013 | Review of Lost Planet 2 - PC
In Lost Planet 2 there is not really a main character and there are no "bad" to deal with, but only a series of completely anonymous people belonging to various factions in the field. Being basically a third person shooter, most of the time we fight using various weapons and the Vital Suit (or VS): are all the effects of metallic exoskeletons with heavy weaponry, but rather slow in basic movements able to make great strides thanks to the reactors supplied. The management of VS and weapons supplied is the same as seen in the first episode, and in fact did not require major changes as it is well made: each exoskeleton can be fitted with one or two weapons, and our character can disassemble and reassemble in will. Given the propensity native to the multiplayer, it is clear that Lost Planet 2 is well suited to be played with friends, or rather gives by far the best when you can organize a group of four close-knit and fairly experts who can deal with any threat with a minimum of coordination. Also because the IA of Lost Planet 2 can not be taken as an example of excellence, both as regards our comrades "virtual", and especially with regard to the enemies.
Magicka: The Stars are Left - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 18, 2013 | Review of Magicka The Stars are Left - PC
Arrowhead and Paradox insist on particular tone mix of fantasy "serious" and parody crazy with the new expansion of Magicka, who on this occasion brings horror classic colors in The Stars are Left. The new expansion explores Lovecraftian settings and atmospheres touching the myth of Cthulhu, while maintaining the ironic note that distinguishes the game. This is also not necessary for the gameplay in the strict sense, but nice all in all if you appreciate the dark side.
Magicka: Nippon DLC - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 18, 2013 | Review of Magicka Nippon DLC - PC
The Nippon dlc for magicka game introduces some new features, however insignificant, in the gameplay. The good news is that it can be shared with all who play in coop without the need to own it. It is a simple and inexpensive way of further develop the base game, but which is very well possible to do without them without affecting the gameplay itself.
Krater - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 17, 2013 | Review of Krater - PC
Krater is proposed as an ARPG with isometric view, freely rotatable, we monitor a group of three characters, corresponding to different classes to choose from among four. The management of the three protagonists, then, would seem to provide some strategic depth view of the clear differentiation of roles they played. Indeed, we have the expert who is in close combat, more resistant to attack by other comrades, another specializing in inflicting massive damage from a distance as well as slow or paralyze the enemy up to the classic curator. However do not help to keep the interest monsters, dangerously little different and the lack of artificial intelligence, which manifests itself in the set of groups against which there is located in combat, seemingly random because they are not able to exploit the different skills to their advantage. The skill system implemented in Krater is quite simple and involves the installation of upgrades in slots, unlockable advancing rank. Upgrades can be found from monsters killed or even products through the primary crafting in the game. The result is a game that fails to involve as it should, yes proposing some fun for those not intimidated by grinding, but on balance severely limiting the offer playful.
Still Life - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 17, 2013 | Review of Still Life - PC
Still Life collects the spiritual heritage of Post Mortem, which is a sequel a bit 'special: we find it in the role of Victoria McPherson, the grandson of that Gus, a private investigator involved in the murky affair of Whyte in the previous game Microids. Graphically the game is very good. The beauty of the 2D Syberia turns into dark and grotesque crime scenes, the colors and hues of the buildings dominate the scene in this species, as it is surreal and tragic atmosphere of a desolate Prague, where poverty and poverty are felt in the air, and the emergence of an American as McPherson puts on your toes, not only the people but the same places that comply with unwanted guests. The real news is the dialogue: it is no longer possible to choose between different questions or topics, and has been inserted two choices to be made by the mouse buttons: the left is reserved for important things for the purposes of the game and which concern then the plot, the right to the most "personal" and less significant but are used to give depth to the game and increase the characterization of the characters and the plot thanks to the various facets of the dialogues. Still Life does not disappoint even under the aspect of the puzzles: most of them are easy and common, easy to interpret and resolution. In this solid substrate made of inventory puzzles and dialogue-based, but also to analyze the crime scene (like CSI, complete with luminol, light screens, etc..) And interpretation of codes, however, are at the "outliers" in a lot of trouble greater than all other puzzles.
Alice: Madness Returns - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 17, 2013 | Review of Alice Madness Returns - PC
The game American McGee fun for the madness of the characters and the design of environments, hopping around from one decadent London to a hellish Wonderland. However, there are several limitations: Alice offers levels unnecessarily fetched and ideas are always the same, touching the bottom with boring sessions horizontally scrolling shoot'em up, there are also bad textures, as well as ruining the environment more pleasant, are often loaded late . The coup de grace give it a framerate sometimes dancer and the many invisible walls. This is not a complete failure, fans of the first episode and fans of the original novel certainly appreciate the way in which it was rebuilt Wonderland, but the fact remains that Alice has the bitter taste of a wasted opportunity.
Tower Wars - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 16, 2013 | Review of Tower Wars - PC
The focus of Tower Wars is the multiplayer online, although you can engage in a comprehensive tutorial or the classic challenges to survival time, where it is necessary to resist the highest number of enemy waves to place their records in the online rankings. Missing altogether - unfortunately - a single player campaign, which would undoubtedly have helped the appeal and longevity of the game. The title is a classic representative of the genre, but the developers have introduced an approach to component offensive very solid and original. The playing area is set traditionally, with two headquarters antipodal places respectively, to protect and enhance the defense and of course to attack on offense. The articulated maps available, with an original style steampunk wink wink to the Middle Ages, are separated by hexagonal tiles which are placed the various defensive structures. As in any other tower defense respecting the secret lies in the obligatory path we're going to "build" for the enemy waves: the more it will be a long, tortuous and dangerous, the greater the chance of successfully defending their base, eliminating opponents before they can reach it. While you are committed to defend your castle you must also think about the attack, and it is in this context that Tower Wars shows more personality. Tower Wars level design offers a nice, refined polygonal models and also a good achievement for the troops. Average particle effects and special textures rather good, considering the number of well-animated elements that fill the screen.
Alien Shooter: Vengeance - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 16, 2013 | Review of Alien Shooter Vengeance - PC
New chapter of the esteemed saga shooter with a top view of the house Sigma Team, unashamedly retro in setting but with a considerable depth - thanks to the skill of the characters - and characterized by amount of blood, dismemberment and explosions on the screen. The game, in addition to the single player campaign, has other game modes (in addition to multiplayer) as the survival. The game features a mode very similar to the old glories of the past, albeit with graphics more suited to today's standards, that will satisfy fans and nostalgic, but may disappoint those accustomed to more challenging games.
Warp - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 16, 2013 | Review of Warp - PC
The heart of the game wheel right on the characteristic of Zero in teleport, but not only. The alien may enter into objects and people and then make them explode from the inside, while in advanced stages is able to generate a holographic clone to confuse the enemy, and even transfer other objects inside their bodies. The most fascinating feature of the product is represented by the freedom offered to the player to manage the powers of the protagonist. Warp can be faced so bloody or as a stealth game and level design explores the implications of this peculiar system, not without great irony. Warp is the product of two souls, that draws inspiration from titles such as Portal and puzzle adventure without being derivative. The idea of limited teleportation and the ability to enter into objects (and people) opens up a wide spectrum of possibilities, such as the choice to face it all by force or strategy.
Project Snowblind - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 15, 2013 | Review of Project Snowblind - PC
Projcet: Snowblind is a discrete FPS, whose main limitations are related to lack of balance of its different aspects regarding the graphic, the level of difficulty and some features of the structure of game. Referring to the production Eidos, it can therefore be safely speak of potential not fully expressed, as well as of which a certain lack of attention to detail. The single player adventure Project: Snowblind runs smoothly in spite of everything, offering the player a series of stages well differentiated and hot spots, which can also involve the most experienced users of FPS. Also because of a low average level of difficulty, however, to complete the main mode of the product does not require that a few game sessions. Summing up, one can hardly say that the title is a little FPS failed: indeed, especially the opening bars is hard to deny him a clear ability of player involvement and a good overall presentation. Nevertheless, Project: Snowblind fails to present itself as an experience different from the usual playful, peppering their gameplay interesting elements but too fragile, which inevitably end up falling and make room for a game structure rather conventional.
Magicka: Dungeons & Daemons -reviewcarlyle | Jan. 15, 2013 | Review of Magicka Dungeons Daemons DLC - PC
Good DLC package that adds new spells and new game levels, not to mention the possibility offered by the additional monsters. The new spells are very beautiful to look at, but do not add much to the already well-done gameplay. Maybe not the best and not essential, but overall for the price tag worth it.
Death Rally - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 15, 2013 | Review of Death Rally - PC
Death Rally is an arcade racing game with a bird's eye view that allows you to enhance different aspects of a range of vehicles, weapons included. Each machine, heavy or light it is, can equip additional protection, missiles, anti-tank rifle and mines to take out your opponents before they get to the finish line. Between special modes and tracks overturned the title offers a good longevity despite the very simple structure. This game is very fun and suited to games very fast. Suffers from a certain repetitiveness bottom but all in all can enjoy.
Assassin's Creed 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 14, 2013 | Review of Assassins Creed 2 Deluxe Edition - PC
The structure of the game is in its bases substantially the same as the first chapter, Assassin's Creed II is a third-person adventure that offers a large game map and immediately explored for the most part, a main story to follow, and many different types of quests and optional. Once again, through the memories of Desmond can relive timelines involved who see Ezio Auditore, "strategy" that is used to move from one period to another or to skip unnecessary downtime, so much so that the goal is to synchronize with everything that happened at the end of 1400, and find out what is useful to the present day . Change the setting, change the actors, but also changes the way in which the progression of the game is offered to the player, where Ubisoft has managed to much to erode those defects, repeatability and schematic, representing precisely the most critical of the first Assassin's Creed. The game has a clearly better balanced, which can mask much of the time the repetitiveness of the fund and is supported by a fascinating narrative and with several twists. Some quests are really great for construction, the idea of managing your own villa interesting, longevity, well above average for such a title.
Dungeon Siege III - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 14, 2013 | Review of Dungeon Siege III - PC
Dungeon Siege III played alone is soon to boredom. Not that it hurt, mind you, but after a few hours of play we have seen everything there is to see, scenarios aside, and new stimuli they are found. The same bosses are all pretty similar and have attack patterns that repeat themselves. The balance between the powers of the character and the power of the monsters remains stable throughout the adventure, with the progression of classical elastic guaranteed by the management of the collection of objects and the increase of the level, you can select new skills or grow them in different ways depending on personal taste. From the technical point of view, Dungeon Siege III is very good, with well-shaped characters and enemies, scenes full of details and special effects of a high standard, especially for the representation of power. The graphs of Obsidian have worked a lot on variety, perhaps to compensate for the monotony of the gameplay, and were able to pull a repertoire of scenarios and fantasy creatures impressive.
Homefront - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 14, 2013 | Review of Homefront - PC
Homefront is not the classic corridor shooter: the action takes place very often outdoors with the help of some partisans controlled by the CPU (which let us do 90% of the job), but it's not a Crysis disguise where you can approach the target in half a dozen different ways. For every situation there are at least a couple of ways to deal with it, leading to a slightly different behavior by opponents. In general, the difficulty in dealing with the shootings is characterized by the number of opponents that the game sends us against, and no sign of any kind of organizational autonomy, but only good script attack. Too bad for the respawn pretty obvious enemies. About the multiplayer of Homefront general direction is clear enough: large maps, vehicles and functionality of the Commander of Battlefield (although much simpler than the original commander of human Battlefield 2) are complemented by sbloccabli equipment, killstreak and customizable weapons that wink instead of the eye to fans of the recent Modern Warfare.
Commandos: Strike Force - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 14, 2013 | Review of Commandos Strike Force - PC
In each of the fourteen missions available in CSF, we will have to drive a maximum of two characters, and sometimes, instead, take our missions solo - with the default character from the computer, without the possibility of "switcharing" with other members of the team - making the most of the intrinsic features of our commando. The game shows with graphics not top notch, but of great impact. Much less pleasant Artificial Intelligence that controls our opponents. Given that, in ninety percent of the situations, just kneel not to be seen by an enemy a foot from us, the good Germans are not very smart even at the highest level of difficulty. The challenge they present in combat is therefore almost nothing, even by virtue of the fact that they tend to die for a gunshot fired by six kilometers. Much more interesting is the stealth component, when it comes to get behind the victim and strangle him: but sin that the tenth same animation in a row, it gets boring to see the enemy reeling and die.
Black Ops - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2013 | Review of Call of Duty Black Ops - PC
The big piece of Black Ops 2 is the classic multiplayer modes, and in this respect we note that few things have changed. We find, as always, the increase in the level of the profile, which allows you to unlock new weapons and gadgets, many modes ranging from Deatmatch team matches Domination, through fights only with his pistol, fighting with the crossbow etc.. most innovations are the gameplay.Per example, the "life bar" player seems a bit 'more durable than other Call of Duty but the novelty that we enjoyed the most is the revision of the Kill Streak, which are no longer based on the number of killings but on points. These may be obtained by completing objectives like capturing bases, killing an opponent from a distance, concatenate multiple kills quickly, survive several rounds, etc.. At the technical level, Treyarch did not take the "risk" to change the graphics engine of the various Call of Duty the first Modern Warfare. As long as it remains in motion the effect is altogether enjoyable, but if you stop to look at the texture you realize that they are seriously beginning to show their age. The animations of the characters and their modeling is natural, but when it comes to looking decorative elements or environments judgment is far less flattering. Colors blurred, details of the environment "cubic" effects of smoking prehistoric.
Painkiller: Redemption - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2013 | Review of Painkiller Redemption - PC
Compared to other Painkiller there is nothing to report: the protagonists are recycled, the enemies are recycled, the environments are recycled with relative texture, objects are recycled, the weapons are recycled and menus are recycled. This is a small tribute that can be enjoyed by a few hardcore fans, but that does not make much sense outside of its celebratory nature of mod. Technically there is not much to say more than that. It is a game of 2004, so the graphics engine is 2004. At the time he made a certain effect, today does not compare.
Bad Company 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2013 | Review of Battlefield Bad Company 2 - PC
As for the single player, despite the linearity and scripting sometimes too obvious everything works and runs smoothly, almost like clockwork, but did not really scratch, without actually unforgettable moments despite the renewed destructive capacity of Frostbyte 2.0 engine. This is the main flaw of the campaign, to be technically superb and very funny, but without any particular peaks, neither positive nor negative thankfully. The multiplayer is the main dish because the maps are huge, and offer a variety of tactical possibilities, including buildings and dense vegetation, construction sites, bridges and snowy landscapes. Take the larger from one end to the other is impossible, so here at our disposal a number of means such as tanks, light armored jeep, quad, troop transports and helicopters that might seem the masters of the scene, but that if thrown into the fray without method. The battle must be played with great coordination, an armored vehicle alone, given the presence of anti-fixed locations and enemies with bazookas and C4, is doomed to explode in a short time if not accompanied by infantry, just like the real fact.
ARMA II Operation Arrowhead - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2013 | Review of ARMA II Operation Arrowhead - PC
ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead is set in Takistan, clearly inspired by Middle Eastern nation of Afghanistan, and the American soldiers that play as they are engaged in a series of missions which have the ultimate liberation of the country. Before each shipment is presented to us a briefing text complete with the details of the transaction, then takes action. In some stages there is already projected in the area concerned, in other must reach it on board of a vehicle; in all cases, our goal to turn is indicated by an arrow brown with a lot of distance in meters. The reality is that Operation Arrowhead behaves more like a military simulation. The vehicles and weapons used are numerous and can be seen from the very outset a strong focus on realism, thanks to a graphics engine of extraordinary power. Unfortunately remain the major problems with the AI, the character animations are mediocre, the sense of "impact" of weapons is small and the controls are the antithesis of immediacy. The mission structure also shows the side in a "direction" aseptic and situations that are often similar to each other, with huge distances to be covered and a poor sense of involvement. In short, a controversial product.
Sanctum - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 13, 2013 | Review of Sanctum - PC
Sanctum is a first person shooter tower defense, choose one of the three selectable maps need to build blocks of defensive structures (machine guns, laser turrets, mortars, etc.) Building on the boxes. This is to ensure that groups of aliens from reaching the power core on the end opposite to their landing zones. Finished building, you go to the next step, which is the real action, with the player required to participate directly in the conflict as a classic FPS, holding one of the three weapons at your disposal right now. Any structure constructed or improved cost resources, resources that would otherwise be used to upgrade weapons. At the start you have a few credits, which accumulate rejecting the enemy waves, so you have to choose wisely what to build and set up what would later be the strategy of any level. Interesting experiment, manages to entertain despite not having a lot of content.
Alien Breed 2: Assault - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 12, 2013 | Review of Alien Breed 2 Assault - PC
No doubt Alien Breed 2: Assault is a game made with competent and discreet care, in short it comes to addressing the various levels in the spaceship moving from one target to another, pushing buttons, flipping switches and interacting with various terminals , all seasoned with a little 'back-tracking. A bit of strategy that really has no bearing, since each lens is more clearly indicated in the radar on the map. What remains then is a shooter, pure and simple, that puts the player alone against waves of aliens of various sizes but still very aggressive. The attack patterns are very basic and there is no particular strategy in the fighting, and on the contrary the greater difficulty in some passages is only related to the number of enemies at the same time intended to attack the victim role. Despite this, the fights are fun, especially with the now more than tried and tested structure of the game and a good variety of weapons available.
Mafia II - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 12, 2013 | Review of Mafia II - PC
Mafia II manages to be a free roaming only on paper, the theoretical notion of the term. The avventurasi plays the interior of a Empire Bay which on the one hand, it is entirely accessible and down and shows attention to detail and attention to detail, the other suffers from a lack of secondary and ancillary activities able to give her personality and above all variety. Mafia II short distances itself considerably from GTA IV becoming in effect a "simple" action, which in the free roaming is an accessory to give more depth to gameplay actually extremely linear. The same mission system betrays the sequential nature of the story in Mafia II: almost every chapter opens with a sleepy Vito about to rise from his bed because awakened by a phone call or someone at the door. So, once taken the favorite car, we head towards the character that will start the mission itself. Just completed it will have the unique chance to get back to our apartment to go to sleep, an action that will complete the chapter. There are no real activities svolgibili beyond those imposed by the narrative and the same system of work (a kind of side quests) is extremely small bone. Also the interaction with the secondary characters is practically absent outside of the mission in progress. What works quite well, especially when compared with the maximum weight of the genre, GTA IV is managing hedges and the other strong point of Mafia II is definitely the driving model that, when set to simulation (compared to normal the other available) offers no little satisfaction.
Bulletstorm - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 11, 2013 | Review of Bulletstorm - PC
Bulletstorm is an original and funny, an action that is based on the Skill Shot: executions that mixing the use of arms to that of the whip, the environmental interaction to the possibility of slipping and kicking in the air. A sandbox combat, as they say lately, where the killing is just an excuse to entertain. When you pick up an enemy in the air, however you decide to do it, he just goes into a sort of stasis that slows it down, and the player and the rest of the world - then the rest of the challenge - moving at normal speed, to prevent of all levels a simple choreography here before you need to be able, not stylish. The weapon upgrade system itself, through which to buy even the most powerful strokes secondary is instant understanding but makes you think about the Skill Shot in the database that have not been completed, still full of bonus plus restricted to each first run. From the technical side Bulletstorm manages to mix effectively sessions more traditional, in moments of delirium true: steps such as those inside a skyscraper collapsed on one side, in a discotheque or indoor of a building but with a storm lethal lightning outside. Except for some minor shortcomings, the experience of individual proves to be a frantic race through insane levels to complete using a combat system conceptually simple but difficult to master the best. Shame then that the multiplayer Bulletstorm is a bit 'anonymous, something more could have been done in this direction.
Painkiller Black Edition - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 11, 2013 | Review of Painkiller Black Edition - PC
This is a pure action title FPS voted. Put in a plot unpretentious your task will be to play as Daniel Garner, a poor man who died in a car accident, thrown to hell with the sole purpose of slaughtering a disproportionate number of demons and damned souls for the sole purpose of conquer Heaven. The gameplay is straightforward and simple, but effective: their way through beautiful levels infernal slaughtering everything moves in front of you. At the end of each level there will be a boss in office waiting for us. In short, nothing new, but very funny. The strength of Painkiller is a level designing very nice and spot on. Levels in a gothic horror setting combined with a lot of fun making our way towards redemption. The graphics are absolutely perfect: the graphics engine (called Pain) never shows uncertainty and perfectly adapted to the machine on which it is installed (stronger than a large scale). Many enemies and many weapons are the accompaniment to a title of the highest level.
Shank 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 11, 2013 | Review of Shank 2 - PC
Shank 2 begins with a fascinating introduction, after which we quickly fell in action. The goal has remained the same, through eight long-scrolling levels, chaired by dangerous boss. Klei has enriched formula by inserting an interesting vertical and numerous platforming sections, but much more tours, and a number of prisoners to be released in order to obtain special weapons. These include the ubiquitous chainsaw, a shotgun, pistols and a pair of deadly machete. Shank on the other hand is anything but unarmed, having the default two knives that allow it to perform a vast array of combos, throwing grenades and Molotov cocktails and even their weapons from defeated enemies. Technically Shank 2 is a small wonder with a look and feel almost indistinguishable from a cartoon. Animations extremely fluid, style to spare which is expressed in a successful mix of violence and humor, and a really cool protagonist as appropriate to the situation. The plot is highly specious to send our hero in the most unlikely locations, from military camps in burning villages, jungles and ancient temples. There is a bit 'of everything not to bore easily.
Blades of Time - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 10, 2013 | Review of Blades of Time - PC
Blades of Time focuses much attention on the ability to Ayumi can rewind time. Ayumi, in fact, rewinding time, create one or more clones of herself that faithfully replicate its past actions, of course, the greater the number of aliases that are created and the weaker their life. This ability is useful and well used against some enemies with shield front that need to be worked around by keeping them busy fighting with one of our clone, or to meet the creatures of magical barrier that become vulnerable when subjected to sustained rate of fire more Ayumi firing simultaneously. The handling time is useful for solving some basic puzzles, including the best use of this ability occurs during a section of desert where the use of clones will allow the player to manage the shadows that protect it from the sun. Blades of Time is different from its predecessor and especially for the new design that characterizes the game, leaving the cell-shading. In general, the technical realization of the whole production is not a miracle, with one mole polygonal just enough and use almost spasmodic and invasive as part of the lighting system of the bloom and of a color contrast sometimes pushed to the excess. Unexplained are the frequent dips in framerate often unjustified by the presence of a few characters on screen and animations linked together in a rough and a little harmonica, and gratify the lighting effects that always accompany the abundant dynamic melee combat.
Ravaged - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 10, 2013 | Review of Ravaged - PC
The Ravaged action takes place in a post-apocalyptic scenario, in which the company has been cleared, the city devastated by some kind of disaster and the survivors will compete in two factions for control of the remaining resources. Both groups had access to weapons and vehicles in abundance, and once in a match we can choose not only the team of belonging but also select your character in five different classes. The maps provided by Ravaged show us scenarios actually fascinating and charming in their ruinous destruction, there is a good variety and good design, with some very interesting solutions. Ravaged stands as a multiplayer experience interesting and full of great potential. The approach decided by the developers, with very large maps and encourages the use of vehicles to collaborate with other members of the team, patrolling areas in a jeep with a machine gun to prevent the enemy comes close to seats that we won. Unfortunately, the gunplay "walk" is not so funny.
Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 10, 2013 | Review of Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition - PC
In this chapter there is the addition of fourteen fighters to begin the long list of new features compared to the previous title, all previously unlocked. The heart of the game, as above, can only be the two modes and multiplayer Versus Live. Three new methods have been introduced: Team Battle, Endless Battle Tournament. While the first mode consists of the classic 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 to start the last two players connect to a lobby with up to 8 players will battle two at a time, with the rest simply will watch the battle until they reach the their turn. Endless Battle allows endless clashes between the winner of the clash before, it will play up to their first defeat, and who will book first for the next battle. In Tournament mode instead of up to 8 players will battle in a tournament in direct confrontation randomly generated by the game. The technical sector has remained essentially unchanged from the previous chapter, the changes to the roster of fighters rebalanced and online modes really add a lot of irons in the fire users who come directly from the first version.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 10, 2013 | Review of Tom Clancys Splinter Cell Conviction - PC
In Splinter Cell: Conviction innovations jump immediately to the eyes, the difference is that this time will be our view to make us understand if we are hidden or in the open, changing the color palette of what appears on the screen depending on the coverage, when we're in 'shadow colors disappear and turn the game into a noir action in shades of gray, and the last known position: if we discovered once again to evade the attention of the guards our last known position will be specifically marked on the screen as a kind of silhouette transparent to indicate where the enemy will look for the former secret agent. It 'artificial intelligence to represent the real problem of Conviction, extremely smart, intelligent and realistic gameplay in normal situations or during the active search for Sam Fisher in which we can appreciate movements of encirclement and hedging, shelling and more a general ability to cooperate to hit our agent, but not much in the interactions with the dead, with the lights off and especially with the last known location of Fisher. Splinter Cell: Conviction is pretty standard in terms of graphics and never reaches peaks of excellence in the video industry. The models are good but rather skinny and very repetitive, except for the main character who has excellent detail and animation edited down to the bone, the enemies show a significantly lower cure. The level design offers only a few ideas truly remarkable. For the rest evolves through the constant ups and downs where maps nicely laid out and with the right division of the space alternating layers flatter and with less bite.
Avencast - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 9, 2013 | Review of Avencast Rise of the Mage - PC
Avencast follows the story of a young apprentice who once won the title of magician in the prestigious academy Avencast, will be forced to deal with the demons that invade the school. Although at first it may seem obvious, the plot is rather addictive and has many missions very original, detaching it from the traditional RPG-action. Although "Avencast" is an action-RPG in many respects different from those that are the canons of this kind. For example, the game view, instead of being isometric, the hero follows directly from his shoulders, or if a player is more comfortable traditional view, can easily change it. But the beauty of "Avencast" are the fighters, where you can show off a lot of spells available, which are executed by means of interesting combo. Overall the game is very smooth and pleasant, and is able to give many hours of fun and relaxing. Although it is not the kind of game like "Diablo" or "Sacred", in which the player kills hordes and hordes of monsters relentlessly. In "Avencast" the player has the opportunity to engage in intractable puzzles that require patience and skill to be solved.
Double Agent - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 9, 2013 | Review of Tom Clancys Splinter Cell Double Agent - PC
The possibility of being a double agent giochista is undoubtedly a good choice, in fact it is probably the best direction that could take the single-player mode, for a general renovation. In Double Agent you reach the point of giving the opportunity to the player to make choices that potentially alter the course of the game. The relationship between cause and effect is, however, superficial, some important decisions about how they should not affect the relations of trust within the two factions. Double Agent is one of the most fun stealth game and probably the most complete and best-realized of all the episodes of Splinter Cell but with some defects of single player, already seen in previous chapters, and surviving in this, first of all the submissive Intelligence artificial Cpu in difficulty level standard.
Velvet Assassin - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 9, 2013 | Review of Velvet Assassin - PC
The title in question is a stealth game, the actions of our protagonist will be mostly hidden from the eyes of opponents who indeed should be removed from us so silent and stealthy, so we should take advantage of shadows and avoid passing in front of light sources that could detect the our presence. There is a graphical as well as being very pleasant it is also lightweight, which gives this title to have almost instantaneous uploads, also the 'use of checkpoints and the low resistance of the protagonist are not factors to be considered negative but rather they are fully functional the game as a whole: to study the patrols and the movements of their opponents to accomplish it in a number of situations until the next checkpoint is even satisfactory, and once you're comfortable with the game is by no means impossible or even difficult. It 'a title that probably does not make a leap into the future in general, be interpreted in many ways that you can hate or love no middle ground, which obviously depends on the subjectivity of the player, but certainly in an overall assessment and objective positively deserves to be taken into account.
Zeno Clash - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 9, 2013 | Review of Zeno Clash - PC
Zeno Clash is a real simulator of unarmed combat in which you have a whole series of moves to beat the opponent's turn, you can bring rapid but weak punches, punches stronger but slower, you can dodge, parry , giving his shoulder on the run, grab an enemy stunned, run it against his buddies, kicking him while he is still on the ground, grab a big bat and hitting, dropping bombs explosive skull-shaped and so on. More than levels by real, Zeno Clash is formed from arenas. The rooms are indeed very small and little explored in the sense that there is not much to be found apart from some flower power. Graphically, we are faced with a title fine, considering the price range and the level of production. Zeno Clash takes advantage of the engine Half-Life 2 and offers good dimensional models well characterized. The different maps are quite small, though some are filled with details that shape a world original and pleasant to watch. No shortage of spectacular moments as a battle at the foot of a whale stranded on a beach or a long trip on a river on which drink from the huge beasts.
Alien Breed: Impact - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 8, 2013 | Review of Alien Breed Impact - PC
This title is a "modern interpretation" of a classic from the past, do not expect some kind of novelty. The gameplay is really simple: Conrad, helped by radio communications - that we will see on the screen in the form of post-, will go far and wide for each of the 5 layers that make up the game. Each level corresponds to a different area of the ship. We start the exploration by going to a point A, and then find a point B, and then get to a point C. The alien monsters are of different types: there are those little ones, more 'annoying than dangerous, who kill with a single gunshot, "standard" ones, that look like cockroaches, and the much more' stronger, because they are more 'fast and why they are also able to "shoot" some clothes (gas, spores, etc. ..). The weapons can be collected around the ship, or to be purchased in the shop that are also save points. Graphically, the setting is changed from the original 90s: top view, yes, but in isometric style.
Deus Ex: Invisible War - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 8, 2013 | Review of Deus Ex Invisible War - PC
The freedom to act as we want and to do what you prefer is the pride of Deus Ex Invisible War, there is, in fact, a predetermined order to carry out the missions and we can choose how to act in every moment of our adventure. Compared to the first chapter of the RPG elements have practically disappeared: D Alex is not customizable, the only choice that is given us to do is to play as a man or a woman. The rest of the changes concern only the BIOMOD. We will be able to increase our capacity through the choice of six skills that will contain three specialties for each group, for a total of 15. Each BIOMOD is upgradeable to three levels and will give us the ability which interfacciarci electronic equipment. Skills allow us a very direct approach to the game and face the fighting or careful and measured as real secret agents. Some minor technical deficiencies and the approach is not just immediate do not enter into the category of masterpieces, but it is fair to say that the work of the developers has been more than good and the title in question is able to provide many hours of fun .
Thief: Deadly Shadows - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 8, 2013 | Review of Thief deadly Shadows - PC
Thief: Deadly Shadows is the third episode of the saga that began in '98 that chronicles the adventures of Garrett, a thief video game par excellence. The setting is one of the most evocative of the game: a dark medieval town where houses, palaces, monasteries, caves and libraries are the scenarios of action that takes place in the almost palpable darkness, broken only by the faint light of torches, gas lights and flames. Another characteristic feature of the game is the silence, broken by the steps and whispers of the guards patrolling the vicoli.Garrett juggles in a medieval town to explore every corner, where the old political equilibrium-based social orders of Hammers and Pagans is increasingly precarious and the population is terrified from having a terrible profezia.Oltre to complete quests for their own personal gain, Garrett will have to discover the truth of this prophecy trying to stop it. The strengths are the third-person view, which ensures comfortable and close shots, new gadgets and new sequences of burglary and the charisma of the protagonist and engaging atmosphere for a compelling story, backed up by an excellent engine. Sound Effects exceptional thanks to directional effects, ambient noises, voices and whispers of the guards, crackling flame, footsteps on gravel and pavement absolutely realistic and almost hypnotic music. The attention to sounds becomes crucial to the game mechanics, to understand which direction comes a guard and how far it is.
Hitman 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 8, 2013 | Review of Hitman 2 Silent Assassin - PC
Hitman 2 is a particularly complex and that sums up in a single title so many aspects of other games, we have the action of FPS, strategy, puzzle solving and management of our resources in preparation for missions. In practice it is a very complete game and appealing to those who like to engage in the challenges. One might complain that it is a little too short to finish. There is also to take into account that Hitman 2 is absolutely replayable. Each mission can be accomplished in many different ways. In Hitman 2, as in the previous chapter, the view is third-person behind the protagonist. Already with the first Hitman this was a winning choice. The fact of seeing their character and part of the surrounding environment, in a game that relies heavily on stealth elements, is something to be reckoned with. We can easily check where we are and take "walk" the corpses of our enemies and hide them so that no one can see them.
Penumbra Requiem - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 7, 2013 | Review of Penumbra Requiem - PC
Penumbra Requiem recycles everything you have seen in previous episodes, related graphics, sound and gameplay. There has been no change as both scenarios as special, the only pleasure we experience is the feeling of anxiety and fear fueled by dark areas, lighting and well-dosed sound that always portends something terrifying and imminent . Things have already seen and experienced, and perhaps the only positive side of the game, the rest is monotony. Turn to the various levels without a narrative link them to associate, to recover the diaries and artifacts, only the spaces created to implement the well-proven and innovative gameplay. Levels are nine and the only purpose will be to activate the portals to the next level, then turn to the level, understand what to do and how to get out, find and take the artifact and go to the next level. For fans of the series who were expecting a concrete conclusion, it is certainly a cold shower and lie in his hands a simple platform, undoubtedly very dark and mysterious, but far from the call expansion as it should be heard, only the addition of levels without a purpose.
Penumbra Black Plague - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 7, 2013 | Review of Penumbra Black Plague - PC
Compared to the first chapter in Black Plague have lost many of the elements that characterize the style of horror: the enemy (like a zombie) will be shown in the early minutes of the game, taking away much of the anxiety caused by the feeling of fighting a "something" not defined, the puzzles proposed, except for a few, few, particularly pleasant, they are absolutely elementary to fix them and rarely require more than a few seconds to figure it out. The other element is left ruined the atmosphere, the main point of the first episode, anxiety plausible due venturing in a secret base in Greenland, with the anguish of what you might find around every corner, has failed with the introduction of a comic foil, disguised as a voice in your head that will ruin some of the most tense even with the jokes so funny. The gameplay, which did so much luck in the first, is proposed in this his successor, the distinction lies in the fact that for any action, such as opening a door, turning a lever, and so forth, you have to perform with the mouse gesture that is is in reality. A second chapter is more disappointing than the first episode: The past year was not used to make any aesthetic improvement and also the choices on how to develop the plot ended up in the usual cliché of the sect evergreen world versus the rest of the world.
Just Cause 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 7, 2013 | Review of Just Cause 2 - PC
The second chapter in the saga of Just Cause, from simple mechanical free roaming strengthens all with massive doses of action, delighting the player with a great freedom of movement. There are several characteristics that distinguish Just Cause 2 on similar securities. The hook is the most obvious and takes Rico for almost more important than the weapons that he picks. It can be used in many ways, both in terms of offensive and defensive. The island is dotted with hundreds of government installations, from simple antennas strongholds, passing carts propaganda to fuel depots, razing everything will increase the level of chaos which in time will unlock new weapons and vehicles but also new missions , major and minor. The mechanism works, eliminates downtime and times when you do not know what to do, but conversely demeans the role of narrative that already suffers from her since there seems to be a predominant part of the game. In general, the diversity of objectives, which all revolve around the classic escort, destroy, hijack and conquest, Just Cause 2 excels in freedom of choice on how to bring in terms of our tasks, in how you can search the best approach for each situation. The only missions are those who suffer from repetitive "stronghold" where you have to conquer an enemy base, really all the same, indistinguishable in their enter and destroy, but necessary as the basis conquered serves as the headquarters where "rest" away from the enemy attention
Just Cause - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 7, 2013 | Review of Just Cause - PC
The spectacle found in Just Cause is really high levels: those that are typical possibility of a free roaming title as the means to steal the title of Eidos implements the novelty of actions worthy of the best action movies with our Rodriguez that goes on the roof of a car and jump on another medium, or clings on the wing of a plane and dives in the air as if nothing had happened. From this point of view, Just Cause truly represents a breakthrough in terms of freedom of action seen that we can use any possible solution to complete a mission. Though not too original quests (secondary ones are not necessary, but enable us to have at our disposal new tools and weapons) to be completed are quite varied, solved in different ways and the required achievements of the strongholds of the government with the guerrillas or drug traffickers have certainly appeal rather high. Unfortunately, the gameplay is not able to reach all the quotes present in GTA: too little convincing the driving of vehicles with answers "inconsistent" between half and one and during the shootings the interaction takes place in an excessively rough and intelligence artificial proves very little intelligent.
Magicka - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 6, 2013 | Review of Magicka - PC
Despite the playful atmosphere of the title there is also a healthy dose of blood splattering copious when a certain spell hit opponents. So at first glance looks like a super deformed action adventure, the feeling certain situations reminiscent of Diablo and the gameplay action is rampant. In Magicka there are plot, characters and dialogue but everything is extremely simplified. Witty dialogues and atmosphere are obviously important to contextualize the deeds of our magician, but the heart of the experience is that of a pure hack & slash, where action counts more than any words. Even if you can wield a sword, the center of gravity of the absolute title is obviously the system of spells. Nine types of magic eight of which can be combined to generate a plethora of different effects and devastating. The gameplay is fast, dynamic, and once you're comfortable with spells becomes more fun. The power base is the wind and can not be combined with others, but it is essential to get rid of enemies and escape from the most desperate situations. Selected items individually can generate a stream, which can range from care to blazes, while the combinations vary in shape and type.
The First Templar - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 6, 2013 | Review of The First Templar - PC
This game is an attempt, brave but naive to imitate Assassin's Creed. It is precisely in fighting emerging thickness The First Templar, and the real difference with Assassin's Creed. Unlike the Ubisoft series, in fact, Celian and Marie can also be defeated in a fight, especially when opponents go down in the most cunning, with shield or heavy armor. Our character can perform different combos, parry the blows of the enemy or discard the side to avoid them when they can not be stopped, perform spectacular moves that fall into the category of critical attacks and finish with a blow opponents to the ground. The levels are mazes, puzzles and anything else they can happily break the linearity of the action, while not shining because of the complexity of the puzzle and revealing simple. About the technical realization of the game, from the quantitative point of view is worth a praise, but in the same way that can not be dated when compared to current productions. Scenarios can not be explored far and wide as in Assassin's Creed, rather they are full of limitations and invisible barriers, alternating textures little inspired and a choice of colors is often questionable.
Zombie Driver - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 6, 2013 | Review of Zombie Driver - PC
In Zombie Driver will be the sole survivor with a means of transport in a city completely overrun by zombies and closed in quarantine. The aim of the game is to save the few survivors holed up in the various buildings scattered around the map. To complicate life will only undead who will try to block the road: although only one zombie does not create any problem, the mass of walking corpses that Parera opposite danger of stopping the vehicle you are driving with the consequent destruction of the , thus causing death. In addition to the main objectives of each mission also offers sub-missions that will require, for example, make a clean sweep in an area infested or return to baseline within a time limit. In this way you can earn money to appear new weaponry and enhancements for your vehicle, or even receive new ones in case of special events. Zombie Driver is damn funny during the first hour of play the damn boring after. All the rest of the game is reduced to make the first mission seventeen times waiting to unlock some new vehicle, and nothing more. The city in which the story takes place is very small and the lack of a mini map interface takes players to follow the paths shorter already known to him returning a nagging sense of deja vu.
Alpha Black Zero - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 6, 2013 | Review of Alpha Black Zero - PC
It is a third-person action shooter, who despite being strongly influenced Offering guests a futuristic offered by the complicated plot of the game, very reminiscent of a well-known title like Rainbow Six. Core of the gameplay is the coordination team here managed through a practical and simple interface that contains a single bar in the characteristics of the team members with regard to their health status and the action that at the time they are running , and through which it is also possible to impart them, via radio, orders and instructions. Each mission is preceded by an extensive briefing that joined the movies are a truly remarkable background capable of giving the game a thick and complex history. Once on the battlefield targets, although based on the complex structure of the story, the player always lead back to the same script. This is largely targets designed to flush out opponents, and to eliminate any possibility of resistance and counterattack that almost always corresponds to the total elimination of enemies. Unfortunately the AI does not shine for innovation and apparatus graph does not show particular signs of demerit, but remains modest.
F.E.A.R. 3 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 5, 2013 | Review of FEAR 3 - PC
The gameplay F.3.A.R. reveals immediately solid, fast-paced and spectacular, with management of arms and a feeling of the same in many ways reminiscent of Modern Warfare. The bullet time is a key element of the gameplay of F.3.AR, a trait that becomes distinctive and emphasizing the spectacle of a large number of situations, especially when enemies are many and maybe even some among their hides enhanced soldier. There is definitely a balance between challenging firefights with soldiers, the hordes of "zombie" that runs counter to the phases in which we drive powerful mech and those, terrible, in which there are supernatural beasts, but lacks the shock of a terrifying enemy that box in front of the blue. So put aside fear, indeed one of the prerogatives of F.3.AR, what remains is still a FPS very well done and very thick, with an arsenal of highly respected and excellent feel and impact of arms, the very rare cases. The game uses a system of appostamento similar to that seen in Killzone 3. Clearly, also benefit from the enemies of the objects of the scenario for lurk, and their behavioral routines within the average as regards the complexity of artificial intelligence.
F.E.A.R. 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 5, 2013 | Review of FEAR 2 Project Origin (1) - PC
The second chapter of the horror shooter, created by developers Monolith followed the legendary FEAR The AI is definitely excellent and incredibly versatile for any room: the frequent tight spaces seems to react more aggressively, preferring direct assaults compared to the tactics of avoidance and coverage, and that leads us to a frequent use of slow-motion. It 's still this slowdown the mechanism of action tip, said the explosions of blood and hollow the hook at critical moments, but it never really necessary and shows you do not have the freshness of a turn, pushes FEAR to portray himself as a game built generically above to a couple of mechanisms, archaic and derivatives, and the quality of the fun does not rise more than a certain height. The scenarios differ, even if they remain unoriginal. The technology shows fluctuating: a system of checks and fluid with excellent animation and particle effects are opposed in contrast framerate constantly fatigued, the texture resolution really low polygonal objects and some little complex, to which is added a segment of music and sound effects rich, but a little 'standard.
Super Meat Boy - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 4, 2013 | Review of Super Meat Boy - PC
The aim of the player, once again, is to lead the small and courageous Meat Boy through a series of short levels filled with deadly traps, the only way to avoid death is to run and jump like crazy. The traps are positioned to give huge hard time, often with dozens of attempts before passing one level. Precisely for this reason, Super Meat Boy is not within the reach of less tenacious players, but the good progression of difficulty and the gradual introduction of new traps make it so difficult, but rarely frustrating.
Max Payne II - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 4, 2013 | Review of Max Payne II - PC
One of the most striking qualities of this title is just to never take the player to watch the dramatic setting of the game without detracting from tons of lively action and shooting to no end. The storyline, fragmented and deliberately confusing offers from the first moments a story that has little to do with the story of the first chapter, but that is configured perfectly in the noir tradition. The news are many compared to the first Max Payne, the graphics engine is an evolution of what we saw in the first chapter and offers a truly noteworthy. Play Max Payne 2 is not only fun, but also enjoyable. The details have been refined considerably (from the faces of the characters, fantastically detailed) and is enhanced the degree of environmental interaction available. The faces are made with painstaking care and what is even more astounding, but more necessary than ever in a game that has almost pretend to be a movie, the lip movement is synchronized with the speech. The numbers of small objects scattered throughout the map that Max can interact. Starting with the opportunity to delve into many hiding places, such as cupboards and drawers, looking for ammunition and painkillers, to the ability to see whole roll on the ground piles of cans, boxes and various scrap, a blessing for realism. Any small object hit by the characters or some stray bullet will react in a totally natural, and I seemed to notice a certain correspondence between the hypothetical weight of the object and the reaction of this impact. The physics engine is also very true to life. A show, albeit macabre, is to see how the bodies of fallen enemies is accasciano on the ground, or get caught in the props.
Crysis 2 reviewcarlyle | Jan. 4, 2013 | Review of Crysis 2 Maximum Edition EU - PC
Crysis 2 is set in the city of New York of 2023, being in some way by following the events, which took place three years before, told in the original and Warhead, as by then these are Space out enough to be fully enjoyable by anyone other than has no confidence in the series. There is a campaign that, as the first big plus can have a life expectancy well above the average, the level design open justify a discourse of increasing longevity with increasing level of challenge selected because the scenarios can be crossed in a more or less noticed and therefore worth experiment different strategies. The typical level has a direct, one which states that the enemy bringing its presence to the classic clashes, and a couple of alternatives that are usually a shortcut to use to shorten the track enemy hiding from view, and then a position strategically favorable raised or with a fixed location from which to fire. The Nanosuit, here in version 2.0. revised and corrected back than it was in Crysis and Warhead: while upgrading armor and invisibility are still activated by an appropriate selection, speed is directly related to the use of the key for the sprint and jump enhanced can be exploited by extending the press of the button used to make a normal jump. In a similar way the melee ability loaded, applied to an enemy, or some elements such as machines scattered in the streets, must be made prolonging the execution of a melee attack. The result is less complex in terms of number of interactions - and therefore more suitable for pad - but this simplification is compensated by a freer use of the energy available to the authorities, as they can now be combined in extensively as temporally limited. The biggest defect in the single-player game is artificial intelligence that should in fact be one of the most advanced in terms of technology to meet the freedom of movement and the use of power, unfortunately it is not so, and demonstrates the shortcomings. The average distance when the gunfight is face to face, the enemies behave almost acceptable and Ceph, decided to attack up close, they also have a believable pace. But as soon as you start to overdo the fantasy of invisibility or use when you take advantage of the sniper rifle to keep a lot of distance between himself and others, are then highlighted several flaws.
Red Faction Guerilla - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 4, 2013 | Review of Red Faction Guerilla - PC
Red Faction: Guerrilla is a real sand-box to the GTA. The gameplay, tested and intuitive, while allowing the player a fair amount of freedom, remains linear main missions assigned by the Red Faction to our alter ego aim to weaken the EDF and reduce its control over one of the six areas of Mars in which we are operating. They are definitely the most intriguing and varied, from simple demolition of buildings in the race to the destruction of transmitters on board a vehicle, chased by dozens of enemies - than the quest outline, all aimed at reducing the influence of EDF and increase fame: the gratitude of civilians will lead them to give us a hand in the crossfire while we do very careful not to harm our allies to avoid becoming a bit 'too unpopular. The missions are quite similar boundary between them, destruction of plants and buildings or support the rebels attacked by EDF in places and times completely random. The real reason the saga remains the total annihilation, which is at the discretion of the player: you can throw on a farm and begin to tear down all the walls, or that single center, realistic point which is the key to the whole structure . A couple of shots, and a whole building will collapse in front of you. It 's all in real-time. Bridges, towers and vehicles: all falls apart when struck by hammers, controlled detonation explosives, rockets, lasers and more.
Dark Messiah Might & Magic - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 3, 2013 | Review of Dark Messiah Might Magic - PC
Dark Messiah has a system that allows the player to earn points as you progress through the adventure, and then assign them to certain skills that can be divided broadly into three categories: magical abilities, combat skills and stealth. The fighting with bayonets are pretty well implemented and to win even if the fighting is not required some kind of tactical skill, the resulting performance is always of a good standard and the fun never fails. The mixture is then enriched by the many spells available, which in addition to being quite useful, give a certain depth to gameplay, allowing the user to manage a fight in different ways: you can opt for a direct attack with fireballs , lightning or whatever, place stealthily traps and then lure over enemies, use telekinesis to use elements of the scenario, a hostile creature to hypnotize her fight on our side. To top it all there's a more than fair management of physics and the various "environmental aid" that programmers have spread throughout the game, so you can bring down statues on the unfortunate duty, make sharp spikes to impale, use tables, chests wooden chairs or as throwing weapons, or simply to fly an enemy off a cliff giving a kick
Kings Bounty Armored Princess - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 2, 2013 | Review of Kings Bounty Armored Princess - PC
They are fighting the focal point of King's Bounty: Armored Princess: the battlefields mentioned from time to time provide the strategic layout of the forces available, each with a certain amount of possible movements carried out in a checkerboard boxes hexagonal and then with statische and specific skills, to enable many thousands of possible combinations as well as an impressive level of depth. After the first few hours of gameplay, challenging but surmountable without too many uncertainties, the rate of challenge grows exponentially and with it the need to carefully choose each unit, or magic object, a process fortunately supported by the enormous job of balancing the fact, that make every encounter an inspiring run to the right move. Graphical style is cartoony and often does not hide the desire to make to the World of Warcraft, compensating for the lack of originality in a good yield also available to smaller configurations. Very good artificial intelligence, able to dominate the playing field putting in difficulty just enough to stimulate the continued use of gray matter, without giving the impression of cheating. The sound, finally, uses a pleasant soundtrack composed by catchy tunes while leaving less satisfied with the set of sounds that accompany battles and exploration, rather poor.
Total War: Shogun 2 - reviewcarlyle | Jan. 1, 2013 | Review of Total War Shogun 2 - PC
In Shogun 2 Japan was divided into several provinces, each of which has a principal and several smaller cities in which to develop the resources, modeled on the Empire, and through the various menus you can access the control of the finances, of diplomacy, of its characters and agents and law and order, to the study of Eastern filolosofie, which take the place of socio-technical research of Empire and they recycle system. The units are very trainable many, so many that it is difficult to be able to try them all, also because some are special for certain clan or certain religions. Diplomacy was again enriched options, including for example the exchange of hostages, even if the majority is trying to equip the computer with an AI worthy of the name and to develop political and diplomatic strategies consistent. On the battlefield, each unit has different capacities, from arson attacks, finally no longer merely aesthetic, in particular training, ability to fight on foot rather than on horseback, until real skills as strike fear into enemies or courage in their companions, creating different variations tactics firsts for the series for the first time and focusing attention on the management of the units as well as the army, trying to create a synergy between the various components of its army. As for the naval battles, they are of course still present and balance the paucity of vessels present we think the same positive aspects that make the experience enjoyable on earth: the micromanagement of the various skills of the ships, the perfect harmony between the classes (boarding , fraying, merchant) and the influence of the game environment, such as dry or counter-currents on the yield of field units, and of course a visual wonder that his own best in the representation of coastal environments and games of refraction on surface of marine waters.
Empire: Total War - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 31, 2012 | Review of Empire Total War - PC
Empire: Total War is a turn-based strategy game, unlike all the other games in the series the game features two campaigns, the first one is classical, called Imperial, provides a map of the game, ranging from North America to India, through Europe and North Africa. The second campaign, unlike the first, is more similar to one of those of Kingdoms. Indeed, it is completely centered in North America and will fight the war of American independence. Addition to the expansion of the game map, the developers have also upset the management of the regions: while in previous episodes region was essentially governed by a city more or less imposing, in Empire: Total War is partially abandoned this approach. End up in the region of local resources, around which you have to build the improvements gradually more and more complex to increase your revenue and get other bonuses, in addition to the mother city, the possession of which will determine control of the region, but in addition there will be a series of settlements according to the government can grow and evolve from small and insignificant villages and large cities, leading to 'empire of attractive returns in economic terms and not only. On the battlefield scenarios are much richer not only to the static elements with which you can interact directly to obtain tactical advantages, but also a lay of the land. This will allow more variety to choose from an infinite number of possible new tactics, thus making every single fight. The introduction of firearms has also completely changed the way to deal with the battles in Medieval 2 and, basically, everything led back to the crowded melee Empire in the vast majority of the fighting will take place over the distance, with hundreds of soldiers who bombard a musket. This radical change in the gameplay, which will impose tactics completely different to those that had used the series, will immediately understand that there will be more than just the number of troops deployed to make a difference, but especially their ability.
Renegade Ops - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 31, 2012 | Review of Renegade Ops - PC
Renegade Ops has a simple structure of the game, is a classic shooter with a view from above, once you have chosen one of the four main characters, he finds himself in a sort of super jeep driving armored different for each character in appearance, but also in some features. Getting good scores during the raids will gain experience to spend to unlock upgrades of various kinds. These allow for example to make the medium more resistant to attack, to extend the reserve of secondary projectiles and so on, ensuring a minimum of customization experience. The levels have a good variety, giving visions of jungles, deserts, ruins, and so on. The maps surprising breadth, so that the developers chose to implement an arrow always ready to show you the way to the next target (primary or secondary). The game manages to entertain in an excellent way, giving some splash of variety, for example, by driving a helicopter, a stolen truck loaded with a nuclear warhead. The best way to enjoy Renegade Ops, however, is in the company of three friends, you can connect online, in local network or via split-screen, limited to two players. With four participants chaos screen will increase exponentially, as well as fun. Is felt in this sense the absence of any additional mode, but the ability to enhance and customize your favorite renegade and quests, provide a good rate of replay value to the product.
Rome: Total War - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 31, 2012 | Review of Rome Total War Collection - PC
Rome: Total War offers a range of experiences to the player in order to revive the greatest battles of the times of the ancient Romans. In campaign mode the player is in front of a map of ancient Europe, divided into the provinces of the time of the great Rome on it is possible to identify the main cities and a number of military units scattered on it representing the forces deployed by the various factions. The structure of the game in the way of so-called "tactical map" is bound system in rounds, each round covers a relative time of six months, during which time you can start the construction of buildings in the city, manage any damages incurred in sieges or battles , dealing with domestic politics, diplomacy, economics and train new armies. II player assumes the role of an unlikely commander immune to the effects of the passage of time, but takes control of a Roman faction controlling leaders, possessions and military. Projected into the field of battle, are shown sides taking part in the battle and ultimate stages of preparation finally comes the time to get into the action. Each type of unit, located conveniently on the field following the criteria of the strategy pitched, can be controlled by platoons, for they will be given an attacking formation. The behavior of soldiers is extremely realistic, both from the point of view of the reaction to attacks and in response to the offensive enemy, both from the point of view of the reproduction of the clashes. The morphology of the territory at the same time should not be underestimated in any way since in any case provides an important element for the purposes of the battle. Venturing into a ravine or recklessly close to a steep wall without knowing the exact position of the enemy may in fact prove to be fatal, even for the most battle-hardened army.
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 30, 2012 | Review of Brothers in Arms Road to Hill 30 - PC
Brothers in Arms is detached from the prototype FPS set in World War II. In reality BiA, in terms of the gameplay, can be more appropriately matched to products in which the tactic plays a role of primary importance. The tactical element is so important that programmers have correctly implemented the ability to view the battlefield from above in a sort of strategic map where we can see all the locations of our men and those opponents, in addition to possible shelters the best way to study the movements to be made. The campaign is expected to be rather short, there's bound to consider, however, that he failed attempts you will have to suffer so much so that many programmers are well thought out to give all the energy and supplies of bullets in case the life of your alter digital ego is interrupted for more than three times at the same point of the mission. In this way it is easy in front of the frustration that could affect the players (especially those less accustomed to tactics and strategy) in BiA, the game certainly is not easy even for the extreme realism of the functionality of arms: aim at the enemy then it will not automatically we have seen in the hands, arms '40s. And then, despite being a tactical game, where most firefights take place over long distances, there will be more action and adrenaline situations in which even the reflections will count a lot. Brothers in Arms has some wonderful texture for the faces of the soldiers and environments amplissime not even require specific hardware too exorbitant, but the title Ubisoft affected too old of a graphics engine. This does not mean that it is a bad game to watch, anything (because there are exciting moments film), but it pales in comparison with the giants in the field of current FPS in terms of technology.
Duke Nukem Forever - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 30, 2012 | Review of Duke Nukem Forever - PC
About gameplay, Duke Nukem Forever incorporates and expands some of the concepts introduced in Duke Nukem 3D. The shooting action is in fact interspersed with a large number of puzzles based about the setting, platforming sections fortunately "optimized" so as not to be too frustrating and explorations in search of air ducts to cross, objects on which to jump to reach a platform at the top and so on. Duke can sometimes run into some sort of biological alien device that reduces the size of an action figure, and in this form must strive to find alternative routes, taking advantage of boxes, shelves and so on. During the early stages of the game, the protagonist is the miniaturization of an absurd sequence driving a RC car, while conflict with invaders of normal size must be avoided in such conditions. The phases of driving back later, with a whole chapter in which the Duke moves to the edge of his powerful bigfoot, routs and their enemies by jumping from one canyon to another using the boost of the vehicle, then stop whenever the fuel runs out. And then, last but not least, there are just firefights, certainly "old school" from the point of view of the approach but equally challenging and enjoyable. Duke Nukem Forever is able to give a lot of good times, but the comparison with the more famous FPS will inevitably be merciless, just pay attention to boundary elements and so many details to be aware of the differences in terms of polygonal models, and drawing distance detail.
Aliens vs Predator - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 30, 2012 | Review of Aliens vs Predator Requiem - PC
The selection of Aliens vs. Predator is based almost entirely on the ability to play as a representative of the three forces in the field, from marine to 'Alien up to the Predator. The three campaigns take place then separate but parallel, sharing a towel and a tight narrative rather trite, resting as usual on the presence of an alien planet, an alien pyramid, two alien races plus one, alien to the other. Along the marine campaign you first have to make way complex between now and the desolate jungle, trying to survive, and then set himself up as the savior of the country, thwarting the usual threat that leaves room for reflection on who between man and apparently defenseless other two species is the real threat. Playing as an Alien, born in a research center installed on the planet, we are located in front of the portion of the gameplay less convincing at all, problems can be detected in two distinct elements: the alien has no motivation except dell'ingravidare some human and the arrow pointing to the next objective, thus preventing the occurrence of an empathic link that enhances the atmosphere, while the fighting was initially fun, but there are almost always within our areas closed to clean up before moving on to the next. The Predator is a sort of cross between the previous two, with an interesting background and the ability to move vertically on several levels, adding to the invisibility gadget in some cases by taking advantage of special recharge stations scattered 'everywhere .
Metro 2033 - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 29, 2012 | Review of Metro 2033 (1) - PC
Metro 2033 is a FPS pure and raw, a first-person shooter without any deviation of the genre. Scripting is there but is reduced to a minimum, it is never intrusive or annoying and even the respawn is virtually absent, except for a couple of situations where it is required by the story. There are sections in solitary component with a horror greater or lesser degree, share of exploration where we move inside the tunnels underground perhaps without encountering any enemy, times when you will have to strongly defend a position in the company of other militia, or go to the assault of fortifications using a military structure of the group. There will also be some puzzle, or even a few moments platform based on small sequences in quick time event (unfortunately forget in a hurry) and the classical scenarios of track where you must shoot with a fixed turret mounted on some means of locomotion, and even with a flamethrower . The real problem of the game are unfortunately fighting, first missing a sense of feedback when you hit the enemy outside of a small spray of blood, there are no animations or textures that change to show us that we actually hit our opponent . He will continue to move as if nothing had happened, to attack or aggirarci, just all of a sudden fall to the ground after a certain number of shots. The result is like shooting blanks, and especially when the enemies are numerous, the result is pretty bad.
Binary Domain - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 28, 2012 | Review of Binary Domain - PC
Binary Domain wheel all about taking out the dozens of robots of Amada and the Japanese government, these come with a design, or rather a mecha exceptional design and a refined artificial intelligence, able to skillfully diversify the routine attack by the types of units in the field. The game does not push to shoot blindly at everything that moves, but we are committed to try to aim for the limbs of the robot, there is in fact a kind of selective disruption of the enemy, as the blows to the legs or arms, as well as make enemies "helpless" rewards the player with more points to spend on upgrades, both for the protagonist and for the members of the party. Not forgetting that the blows to the head does not "kill" instantly scrap metal, but can damage their sensory centers, confusing them and causing them to shoot at random. Binary Domain suffers, however, the syndrome of the corridor repeated indefinitely, extremely flat, with shell diligently placed as needed and more generally little chance of movement of the team. Do not luck leads to a tedious repetition, but we are truly on the edge anyway.
Darksiders - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 28, 2012 | Review of Darksiders (1) - PC
As for the gameplay Darksiders although it seems at first glance an action, actually contains many more elements of adventure and puzzle than you might think. The primary purpose is to wander inside the game world to track various bosses and demons in order to reach the final and then punish him properly. To stand in the way there are, apart from the enemies, several steps are only accessible after acquiring certain items and abilities, as well as environmental rather large and intricate puzzle, which are often represented by large sections of the game to be solved with logic and with gadgets in possession of the main protagonist. The component of the fighting is in fact no more than 25/30% of the game, in addition to the classic sword the main character also has a number of secondary weapons and gadgets useful not only to get the better of the enemy, but also to overcome steps otherwise impassable. For example a kind of steel fist, able to break ice barriers which block the road, or the grapple, which is essential to reach places situated at a great distance. Continuing in the advanced stages of game balance between the action and the stage of exploration and puzzle becomes unbalanced in favor of the latter, providing pleasant sections in which you have to use the newly acquired skills to continue.
Worms Revolution - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 26, 2012 | Review of Worms Revolution - PC
The first thing that catches your eye, a veteran of the series, is that Team 17 is actually returned to 3D, but only for show. Worms Revolution uses a fully polygonal engine, but the action is always shooting sideways, as if the game were two-dimensional in effect. The feeling is in fact to be faced with a new generation of Worms, however, without taking the distances from proven approach and, indeed, necessary. Do not expect a real plot, mind you, as several dozen missions that often put a strain on the nerves due to supernatural and unsuited to precision artificial intelligence and the intricate, ingenious complexity of some maps. The Puzzle mode is instead a solid addition to the solitary players, who will undertake a series of challenges in which you must use wisely the environment and a few objects at your disposal to achieve some particular goals. Worms Revolution naturally shines in multiplayer mode, which offers an unprecedented ability to customize the games.
Dark Sector - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 26, 2012 | Review of Dark Sector - PC
Dark Sector, without offering anything original, can mix with craft elements from different games: a shot of Resident Evil 4, behind the protagonist ¾, and the mechanics of Gears of War, complete with a race button interaction with the seabed and melee. The distinctive element is generated by the rotating blade arm of the protagonist, which can be launched to decapitate and mow their opponents and that, over the stage, is enhanced with some exciting capabilities. So as to become a real projectile remote, driveable thanks to a camera that follows him closely as he flies through the bottom, with the action that is slow to mo 'bullet time, enhancing the impact of the blades on the flesh of soldiers and monsters that you parry the path of the hero. In Dark Sector, the device of blade has allowed developers to place even the slight hints of environmental puzzle, since, throwing on items such as ice, fire and electricity, this assumes the characteristics, ghiacciandosi, or infuocandosi charging current, enabling it to increase damage inflicted on enemies and activate switches or gas sources that operate doors or gates that block the way. The engine tacked to move Dark Sector is very reminiscent of the Unreal Engine 3 and the results are comparable to those obtained from Epic with Gears of War, with the proper proportions of course
Crysis Warhead - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 25, 2012 | Review of Crysis Warhead - PC
The plot of Warhead moves in parallel but definitely synthesized compared to what we saw in Crysis and this time the player will be made to dress the suit futuristic Sergeant Sykes, also known as Psycho veterans of the series. Warhead is then set in another portion of the family tropical island, exactly the opposite coast, a strip of land that sets the stage for a much more fast-paced gameplay is where the action component to it as a protagonist. The 7-hour in which the game can be finished fly away in an instant, thanks to a series of events that are away from the first Crysis Warhead much. On the one hand the cutscenes made with the game engine and third-person narration to add that touch of a plot certainly more developed than almost immediately confronts the player with the aliens about to conquer the Earth, from 'on the other hand almost a downside due to a linearity that apparently leaves a little 'less freedom to the player, but completely eliminates the long periods of stasis that characterized Crysis, especially when traveling to a mission objective to the next. all enemies already seen in Crysis Warhead but that are launched against the player almost immediately when you consider that just the third level already meet the huge Hunter. But going to dig deeper into some innovation we can find in this area and, to be more precise in terms of artificial intelligence. The soldiers must be said, did not gain great genius but respond in a much more realistic in any hit and run tactics that take advantage of invisibility.
Crysis - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 25, 2012 | Review of Crysis - PC
From the point of view of graphics Crysis is prodigious and lacks reserve breathtaking views galore, moments of quality hardly be experienced elsewhere, including complex light sources and explosion ever so close to reality, going for a smoke and a volumetric fog, even for opponents models are treated to the finest detail, with smooth animation and credible as well as with a great variety and, in the first case, accompanied by a facial expression perfect justice to the emotions of anger, fear or determination, based on the context. Very well taken care of artificial intelligence, which controls shell and battle strategies are still far from those that an experienced player can devise, but greater lengths of many algorithms usually exploited. The environments use textures for stunning detail and definition, combined shader that offer reflections, refractions and transparencies can literally pierce the screen, in the forest, frozen or not, as in the buildings, water and alien structures . The single player campaign of Crysis is divided into parts distinguishable: the first part, with the fighting without quarter against the Korean forces, is clearly devoted to the exaltation of the work done in the development of the technology behind the title, in the second the lush jungle first is now completely aseptic and, aided by former enemies, you will be asked to move to this spectacular land, defeating the terrible machines sent by aliens.
Red Orchestra 2 - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 24, 2012 | Review of Red Orchestra 2 Heroes of Stalingrad - PC
The foundation on which Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is based a lot of its charm residing in the simulation aspects fielded by both the heavily modified version of Unreal Engine 3 used, both by mechanical implemented. Covers, one of its most recognizable motor signed Epic Games, for example, are been implemented allowing the visual remains in first person all the time, leaving mixed solutions such as Rainbow Six Vegas. The physics of the projectiles, the degree of penetrability of the surfaces and the environmental interaction are important details taken into account: each material is passed through it differently from shots fired in agreement with the actual values of each weapon reproduced, while the force of gravity may be offset is raising the aims as well as adjusting the handle of the weapon. A bit disappointing 'only the destructibility of the scenario, rather publicized in development, applies to a few elements and not always consistently. The area in which Red Orchestra 2 excels, the only one for which it was made and what really justifies the purchase, is the multiplayer: the three modes are the classical Territory, asking you to attack and defend points on the map , Countdown, which is similar but with a life for each player, and then the team deathmatch.
Mortal Kombat: Arcade Kollection - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 24, 2012 | Review of Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection (1) - PC
Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection is a collection containing the first three chapters of the series Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. The screen is cut for the 4/3 because the graphics are exactly as the original. For each of the three titles in the online mode Kollection there is recreating the wonderful atmosphere of the original bar from the 90s where a group we dealt with one at a time. You can not, unfortunately, go from one to the other Mortal Kombat but you need to leave the room, change the game and recreate every time you want to rename. The statistics online, unfortunately, are disconnected from each other and there is not a "universal" that encompasses all three games. It may seem unconventional play-today-the classic Mortal Kombat, but for all those who want to deepen the birth of this kind, or for all those who are extreme fans, I would strongly advise to download and experience, all the strengths and weaknesses of the original Mortal Kombat nearly 20 years ago. The experience is in fact faithfully reproduced: it is not and then remake the series retains all its original features, with strengths and weaknesses including IA often "suspect" and collisions dancers.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 23, 2012 | Review of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - PC
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the most played title of all time in the server world, so the single player is only a little more than a good appetizer to the real main course. The game also allows you to try out the Spec Ops, with which you can play cooperatively with a friend. If the single player works, but does not add anything to what is already seen, is in the multiplayer that the game finds its definitive consecration: The predefined classes are five, among these there are the overwatch, armed with a machine gun and bazooka team light and the riot control, equipped with machine guns and ballistic shield. The others are the grenadier, with assault rifle, the first recon compact machine gun and sniper that immediately brings with it the Barret. In addition, the possibility to create your own class: You can now carry two weapons "long". Not only guns, but also shotguns, rocket launchers and machine guns. The perk excessive response is no longer necessary to increase its firepower. the real news is the unusual death streaks and killstreaks. The deathstreaks are passive abilities that are activated after a certain number of deaths suffered, the first two are copycat, or the ability to steal respawn before the class of those who have killed and painkiller, a temporary bonus to the energy at the time of rebirth. The killstreaks are nothing more than media planes, but this time they are very many, about 15, and are unlocked at level rises acquired
Devil May Cry 4 - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 22, 2012 | Review of Devil May Cry 4 - PC
Funny, spectacular, highly replayable. These, in summary, the three main positive aspects of Devil May Cry 4, which follows the path of his predecessors and uses new technologies to bring even more to the limit situations and passages that remain memorable in the mind of the gamer. You select the level of difficulty between the two initially available, and you are catapulted into the middle of the action and in the role of Nero, Dante's nemesis and also infused with demonic powers that manifest themselves in the form of his right arm, capable of give him unexpected moves and always useful in combat. Just when Black seems to have everything, the game makes a circle and allows to govern Dante, while doing some few appearances before, at some point enters by force in history, with his charisma and above all offering a system of control and different combos. No longer a demonic arm for sockets, but four different styles, customizable and much evil, which makes its use even more fun.
Borderlands - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 21, 2012 | Review of Borderlands Game of the Year Edition - PC
Superficially Borderlands is a sort of Diablo with guns. As one of the four available characters we are on the planet Pandora in search of a mysterious treasure of alien origin hidden in a crypt to find somewhere. During the raids to Pandora, a planet desolate and dusty villages visit and get to know different people. In these places you can capture missions (especially secondary) just as you do in the MMORPG through the panels, while talking to a select few people will be pursued in most cases the main mission. The classes are the typical stereotypes of the RPG genre, these basic differences also adds the special ability is different for each type. In addition to the climbing experience (in addition to greater skill with the weapon used), you can spend points earned in various passive abilities. If the single player works, but has a certain repetitiveness background that could alienate many users, the potential for Borderlands literally explodes in games with more players.
Deus Ex - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 20, 2012 | Review of Deus Ex Game of the Year Edition - PC
The game is very similar to the layout in System Shock 2, so it's virtually identical in the mode of interaction. The game is clearly focused on interactivity that our character has with the people who live and inhabit the virtual world of Deus Ex, this means that we can converse with anyone but also pick up and move almost everything that is within our reach. The setting is in a not too distant future, where we are beginning to see the first bionic man, the world economy is near collapse, social classes are deeply divided between too rich or too poor. Our alter ego is an agent of UNATCO, a kind of special body well organized and trained in terrorist activity. The game uses the Unreal engine even if the code has been heavily modificato.L 'artificial intelligence is very good. The enemies if encountered individually, when they are seriously injured, rather than perish flee for help, if they can aim in a few seconds will return with reinforcements and their attack will be much more violent. The game is very nice, I've never seen a level of interaction so complex and enjoyable.
Company of Heroes - reviewcarlyle | Dec. 18, 2012 | Review of Company of Heroes (1) - PC
Company of Heroes is a RTS set in World War II. A feature of the game is the system of management and micromanagement of troops has created a much more tattica.Il player must take control of the points on the map. The more points you control, the more resources you earn. This concept requires a continuous expansion of the territory. These points are connected to each other as a supply line, and then, if another player interrupts winning a point, island points and dramatically reduces the resources produced by the enemy. The units are very expensive, so Company of Heroes distinguishes itself from other real-time strategy, where it is easy to see many units deployed in the field. The interaction with the environment is almost complete: you can use walls, wrecked car, bunkers and so to hide their troops making them more resistant. Some houses in ruins can then be transformed into barracks where recruit units on foot, without her forcibly from the base camp. Company of Heroes uses the Havok physics engine that gives the game a more realistic ever seen in an RTS game. The buildings can be destroyed by grenades, satchels or mortars, and tanks can destroy walls or fences. Smoke created from explosions is programmed to behave realistically and react according to the wind. The debris is affected by the explosion, a stroke of the tank can fly a barrel and a splash mud troops, leaving a large crater. When the infantry is under artillery bombardment, the bodies are dismembered and the limbs are lost. Bridges and buildings can be destroyed by engineers with the demolition charges.
BioShock reviewcarlyle | Dec. 16, 2012 | Review of BioShock - PC
BioShock is a FPS with a large component of exploration and adventure, heavily contaminated RPG elements. The plot written by developers is fairly compelling, and presents detailed and full of twists. In addition to normal weapons, instruments of offense of which the protagonist may have include above all the plasmids, particular combinations of Adam capable of altering the genetic code giving special powers, ranging from the ability to emit fire from their fingers to launch a powerful electric shock, freeze enemies from being able to move objects through telekinesis. To use these powers is necessary to consume the Eve, the counterpart of "mana" of the GDR, which, just as in the case of medical kits, can be found around the levels or in vending machines. One of the main reasons why BioShock will be remembered for years to come is the artistic aspect. The great merit of the developers is to be able to recreate a world apart, credible and extremely fascinating.
Titan Quest reviewcarlyle | Dec. 14, 2012 | Review of Titan Quest Gold - PC
Titan Quest is an action role-playing game that goes back to the very pillar of the genre, Diablo, where you will, through your character, save the planet from the threat of mythological Titans, escaped from Erebus. The creation of his alter-ego is very small. In addition to the usual attributes (strength, dexterity ...) you can choose two of eight disciplines that govern different characteristics, such as resistance to shocks rather than the mastery of fire magic. Within each of these you may distribute the experience points in order to enhance a particular skill (eg berserk mode for masters in battle) and thus give birth to heroes with unique characteristics, partially compensating for the limited initial. The adventure is vast, and take you to explore landscapes Greek, Egyptian and Asian, all very detailed and rich in historical references, the oracle at Delphi to the Great Wall. An important characteristic is that, as in Dungeon Siege, the map is a continuum devoid of loadings between a setting and the other. The view is isometric and can not be changed.
Fear reviewcarlyle | Dec. 10, 2012 | Review of FEAR (1) - PC
Fear is a fps with a horror story background, we will be the classic soldier without a name or speech, of which the plot will come backstage to define significant, though not exactly surprising or unexpected originality is not an absolute credit to this production. We find ourselves in pursuit of that Paxton Fettel, a soldier apparently created and grown in the laboratory and has the power to telepathically control a battalion of soldiers-clone. Graphically, the level is absolutely fine, the textures and the general realism of environments and characters reminiscent 'DooM 3. Special mention must animations, among the best globally and, by extension, to the summit for the FPS. The characters' movements are fluid such as water and interact seamlessly with the surrounding environment.
Trine reviewcarlyle | Dec. 10, 2012 | Review of Trine - PC
Trine is a platform game with elements of puzzle game with a fantasy theme. The player can choose, at any time, one of three different characters to control: a magician, a thief and a warrior. Each of them has special abilities, useful to overcome various sections of the game: the thief has a grappling hook that can be attached on some surfaces, and an arc with which to hit distant enemies, the magician can conjure boxes and bridges, and has telekinesis, the warrior can fight hand-to-hand combat with enemies, using sword and shield, as well as pick up and throw objects. The experience accumulated by collecting vials of green and killing enemies. Leveling up characters get points to spend to grow one of the three skills they have. Unfortunately, there are also some defects should be noted: the first is the longevity, the second is that the control system is intuitive, but there are situations where it is difficult to realize what we have in the head especially because of the speed of reaction necessary for create certain configurations with objects.
Killing Floor Reviewcarlyle | Dec. 9, 2012 | Review of Killing Floor - PC
Survival horror co-op (like L4D) that can be played both online and single player. In the game, a group of six soldiers should proceed along the various areas of defeating waves of monsters, until you reach the "Patriarch", the final boss. Unlike L4D in the various areas will not have to kill zombies, but rather question of monsters derived from a secret government program to create clones monstrous soldiers. Every game is marked by successive waves of monsters screaming and limping, with a counter in plain view that informs players of the remaining number in the attack today. At the end of each one, you have one minute of time to make the supply of arms and ammunition reaching the merchant in the area to provide supplies. The element "persistent" is the experience gained in the six different 'perk' - benefits - (leading to specialization of Commando, Doctor, Support, Berserker, Firebug and Sharpshooter) that can be cultivated by the characters.
NecroVisioN: Lost Company - Reviewcarlyle | Dec. 7, 2012 | Review of NecroVisioN Lost Company - PC
NecroVision: Lost Company is a prequel to the horror-shooter to historical setting that staged a somewhat skewed version of World War I. History makes us play a soldier who fights supernatural forces but which seems destined to eventually become the Necromancer this then in the first chapter (after this according to the timeline). I would say that is a B-shooter, a title of second order but with dignity, well-structured and even enjoyable. The graphics engine has several new and enhanced features, the management of lights and shadows, through a general increase of the polygons on the screen and new shaders to get a speed loader. The fights will be once again in the name of absolute frenzy, populated by a dozen unreleased monsters.
Two worlds reviewcarlyle | Dec. 7, 2012 | Review of Two Worlds GOTY - PC
In this Two Worlds us play as the role of a ruthless bounty hunter, arrived in the lands of Antaloor not to save the world, but only to pull out his sister. Well, the similarity with Gothic 3 is absolutely clear, if only for the appearance of your alter ego, and the ubiquitous presence of the Orcs, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see that instead Two Words can deviate from its competitors, showing their own personality cured. Graphics simultaneously offers breathtaking views, with a very realistic rendering of water, mixed with low-resolution textures and visual effects very poor. The combat system is very well structured character not only is able to automatically block the blows of his opponents, but also to resort to dirty tricks like throwing sand in the eyes. Programmers have thought to implement the mount not only for ease of movement, but also for use as a "platform" of attack, unleashing deadly blows against your enemies, but unfortunately it was badly made.
Commandos 3 reviewcarlyle | Nov. 28, 2012 | Review of Commandos 3 Destination Berlin - PC
Commandos 3 characters in the game are not specialized as in previous episodes: for example, the Green Beret can now use almost all firearms as well as the pistol: this makes the missions less linear, since it takes less time required the use of a character in certain situations. In addition, each character has its own inventory, where they can be collected objects taken from enemy corpses. The character of the Pilot has been eliminated, and some of its features were incorporated in the Engineer, the Thief now has a lethal weapon standard that was missing before (the piano wire).
Brink reviewcarlyle | Nov. 27, 2012 | Review of Brink Nexway - PC
Brink is a fps that perfectly blends different game modes (single player, multiplayer and co-op). In Brink are told the story of The Ark, a city / island in front of San Francisco where there is a war between the Resistance and the Security Forces, fighting for control of the resources of the city. The real peculiarity of Brink is the breakdown for the tasks of the team. Each belonging to the Resistance or the Security is based on different specializations, or technical, soldier, doctor and agent, the fundamental economy of the game as the main objectives, dynamic within each mission are completed using the single specialization of a class. The accumulation of experience points through the achievement of objectives, kill, successful attacks and defenses allows us to unlock perk and additional capabilities. Each specialization is bringing unique skills, assets and liabilities
The Saboteur reviewcarlyle | Nov. 26, 2012 | Review of The Saboteur - PC
Pandemic was meant to deviate a bit 'from the usual prototype of the soldier that kills 50% of all the soldiers of the opposing faction, but has created a pilot of racing cars Irish, Sean Devlin, who took part in the resistance movement in occupied France by the Nazi regime. We will go here and there in the city trying to sabotage different aspects of the system, in order to make them less effective than the control. Just the way in which is depicted, to give The Saboteur its most important characteristic. The game begins almost entirely in black and white except for the red Nazi flags and yellow lights on the roads. Continuing the adventure, give back color to the world, completing missions we face. The way it works is quite intuitive: the color will be more intense at certain points, the more the local resistance will be strong against the Nazis. This games requires a mixture of caution, violent firefights and agility in climbing, in order to complete missions. Also you have the possibility 'of climbing on different buildings to get a better view of the field that will be holding our mission
Dead Island reviewcarlyle | Nov. 25, 2012 | Review of Dead Island Game of the Year - PC
Dead Island is a first-person action game that takes elements from the FPS and RPG from a rather balanced, the main point of contact with the FPS is the first person, RPG elements instead permeate the rest of the game beyond the combat system, the vast insistence on exploration and development of the characters as well as the care of weapons and their careful management. FPS, RPG with another characteristic: free roaming. D.I is a game designed to be enjoyed in multiplayer, or otherwise at any time by providing the ability to switch from single to multiplayer
New Vegas reviewcarlyle | Nov. 25, 2012 | Review of Fallout New Vegas Nexway - PC
The gameplay is the same as Fallout 3, which is good. The only difference is the addition of iron sights, which is quite nice. There are some serious bugs though which could hinder your experience. The amount of content is really good. If you want to do everything there is to do, you'll be playing for quite some time. Visuals are nothing spectacular, but they're certainly not bad either. I had to turn on AA though. Without it, everything just looked very unpleasant. Animations are bad, but in combination with the dumb AI, it can cause some serious immersion breaking
Dead Space reviewcarlyle | Nov. 25, 2012 | Review of Dead Space - PC
Certainly a prominent feature is the sci-fi, there to explore the length and breadth of a ship extremely desolate, where darkness and blood are master; certainly impact the omnipresence of mutilated bodies and often also written on walls and windows in the vicinity of them: all these features combined with special sound effects give this title a persistent state of anxiety that can turn into fear (very subjective, I is not proven much) during the most hectic of combattimanto. It is under this point of view we will face a large number of enemies quite diverse as fighting style, some alien species are swift and lethal blows sferreranno close, others will be more awkward and try to defeat us with ranged attacks through their tentacles; on our side, we will have a powerful arsenal of fighting constantly updated with components that collect during the patrols that will allow us to get rid of them in various ways, this is because Deda Space has a sophisticated system of dismemberment and we will be able to slow down the ugly beasts hitting the arts or even resorting to "stagnation", an innovative system that allows you to slow down our targets faster for a few seconds. We may seem like a manageable situation too, I invite you to reconsider as potentially problematic considering that the ammunition is not always abound, and that the enemies to come to your counter are not few, with all the consequences used: in fact in some cases we will have to defend punches and kicks, respectively, in an attempt to break up and remove the enemies.
In the Africacarlyle | Nov. 23, 2012 | Review of Far Cry 2 - PC
I never play twice in a row in the same game, I did it once with Far Cry. Then I bought Far Cry 2, I completed didinstallato and put the DVD on the shelf, difficult to reinstall it on the PC. The game is beautiful, spectacular graphics, beautiful settings, never frustrating, but sometimes it is not clear if it is a driving simulator or FPS. The missions are repetitive, almost all look alike, and between a mission and other touches you move to an exaggerated time between a point and the other on the map. Boring. Fortunately, you can use public transport, but is strange that a ruthless killer moves only by bus ... The snares of the enemy are exactly the same, take them out at the end becomes a cinch. Every now and then you happen to be a sniper that you sidereal distances centered in the head, was not even a UFO. Unreal. It 'nice for the first 50%, then to put it Califano: Everything else is boring. The weapons are very realistic, jam easily and there are several. Too bad we can combine as you wish, for example, the combination sniper rifle and Kalashnikoff which for me is the favorite, you can not do. The graphics are the best part, I am on a laptop, even if the latest generation, I did run almost set to maximum. Incredible. The best thing about the graphics is how it is represented fire, fire and there are several. Realistic. Great sound, and well-voiced dialogue in Italian, is an entry of an enemy spiccicata to that of father Amendola, voice of Rambo. Exciting. There's still a few bugs, such as snipers penetrated in stone, of course invisible and invincible, but not much. Good game, nothing to say, but in my opinion, not at the first, and easily forgotten.