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Feature: Top 5 Reasons to Jump Online.
July 31st, 2010Gaming in the present occurs in three different spheres. When you’re done wondering what we’re talking about, you’ll discover that it occurs; in isolation, socially, as well as online. While many gamers have obviously experienced the first two spheres, the last one remains undiscovered territory for others. Whether you’re waiting for Telkom to install your line, if you’re thinking that the online world is lame, or if you play online already – here are out top five reasons to jump online.
Value for Money
Now this may seem like a very common point but it’s still a valid one. It must be said that gaming is becoming a very expensive hobby and most games will get shelved after one or two playthroughs. But, should you buy a game which boasts a decent multiplayer component, you’re guaranteed to pile on ten or more days of online time alone. You do that math to get the hours.
Unless you're Richard you care about the price of games.
All the cool kids are doing it…
Have you ever joined a conversation about last night’s Modern Warfare 2 game and been unable to share in on the topic? We know how you feel and with the simple process of inserting an ethernet cable into your console, you will soon be able to fit in with all the ‘rad’ kids at school, varsity and work. (Please note that ethernet cable must be run through a router connected to the internet. Inserting the cable alone will not have any effect… duh?!)
The cool kids...
You are not alone!
Does your gaming obsession get you down somedays? Do you ever think “man, I play this way too much! It’s all I ever do!” Living with this feeling can be quite a burden for one individual to carry, however the minute you jump online you’ll discover a plethora of others who are equally obsessed as you. You will also find some who are obsessed to such extremes that you’ll even feel better about yourself.
Swearing at individuals you don’t know.
Swearing at someone who is standing directly in front of you could lead to a black eye and swearing at irritating younger kids could get you into big trouble. Welcome to the world of online: a place where you can swear at anyone big, small, old, or young and not have to worry about the repercussions. Had a bad day? Come online and find some poor soul to take it out on. Simply fantastic.
Grey hairs, depression and potential hair loss.
Once you have become an online veteran, you will pride yourself at all the skills that you have acquired over time in online multiplayer games. As you will soon find out, people have off days, and so will you. You will die over and over again, miss easy shots, witness laggers and many other annoyances. The result? Frustration, anger, and sorrow which will lead you down a path of grey hair, depression and hair loss. It’s great fun.
You in the next few months..
Modnation Racers Review (PS3)
July 19th, 2010For a console that tends to view itself as fairly ‘hardcore’, the Playstation 3 has shown off some of the cutest games out there, such as LBP and Eye Pet. Now Sony have decided to bring the same customizable fun from LBP and breed it with racing. Modnation Racers is the love child of this mixture, but will Modnation Racers soar to pole position?
Surprisingly for a racing game, Modnation Racers offers the player a story and a decent story at that, which unfolds in short cutscenes before and after races. The plot revolves around a character who is about to start his Modnation racing journey. With the help of an unsuccessful car paint woman and a crazy old man, he will have to make his way through the ranks to become a Modnation Racing Champion. The story is surprisingly entertaining and offers a different take on the racing genre with its great voice acting and quirky humor.
Players will inevitably make the comparison between Modnation and Mario Kart as these two titles do have something in common. In Modnation, players will choose among a series of different cars to compete for that first place position by collecting and shooting power-ups at your competitors. The power-ups include missiles, speed boosters, sonic waves and a range of other abilities. Once you’ve picked up a particular power up you will continue to increase its level as you drive through more power-up bubbles, which allow you to max out your power at level 3 and thereby creating the most dangerous form of that power-up. A word of caution to this tale: should you choose to build up a power and you are hit by an opponent, you will lose it all. There is also a boost bar, which will fill up with style points which can be achieved by drafting, drifting and especially by dropping some fancy tricks during mid-air jumps.
Modnation offers players a range of different race modes (Online Race, Quick Race, Split-Screen and Career) which will be present within the ‘ModSpot’: an arena which allows you to free roam about and choose what you would like to do. In addition to this players will also be able to enter the ‘Creation Station’ which will allow you to customize you character, your car, as well as build your very own racing circuit. The character and car customization is simply sublime and offer players even more room for craziness than LBP. The possibilities are in fact endless. Track customization is just as cool and user friendly to the point where you’ll be creating your own tracks in no time.
The visuals of Modnation are highly stylized from the characters bodies (which lack any true proportion), to the squashed and mishapen vehicles and many crazy tracks. Overall the visuals are very sharp and fit in perfectly with the feel of the game. The level design is very unique and this can be easily seen with some of the ridiculous looking track layouts which are nothing short of awesome.
When it comes to the moment of judgement, Modnation Racers is a great little racing title. It offers the players loads of crazy racing time as well as plenty more time to spend creating characters, cars, as well as tracks. If you own a PS3 and you’re tired of the run-of-the-mill racing games, this is a must have.
Feature: The Ultimate Gaming Controller
July 18th, 2010Fanboys from across all platforms will tell you that ‘their’ controller is always the best. Truth be told, there is no single controller which is perfect and each controller suffers from some sort of downfall. What if a clever entrepreneur took all the good points of every controller and created a super remote which would be adored by all gamers? If you’re that entrepreneur, take out your notepad and listen up:
Xbox 360 Controller:
The 360 controller firstly benefits from some great trigger buttons which not only allow you to press them in at different sensitivities but due to their shape, your fingers are guaranteed to stay put without sliding off. The ultimate remote should include the Xbox analogue sticks, however their placement will have to be different.
Slowly getting better...
PS3 Controller:
Yes, it has been the same since PS1 with minor changes here and there but while it may look aged, it still carries some useful characteristics for the ultimate gaming remote. First off it has a responsive and easy to use d-pad which simply has to be used for the ultimate remote. It also has correctly placed analogue sticks and most importantly has six-axis.
Look familiar?
Wii-Remote:
There’s something weirdly wonderful about the Wii-remote. Yes, its split in two but its shape and design seem to work quite well. Perhaps one could take the creativity and uniqueness of the Wii-remote and use it to brighten up the character of the ultimate remote. This also bring s us to the fact that the ultimate remote should possess the responsiveness of the Wii Motion Plus in order to get the most out of your gaming.
Beware of too much innovation.
Keyboard and Mouse:
For PC gamers, these above mentioned controllers are completely subordinate to a keyboard and mouse. Perhaps the ultimate gaming remote should include a mouse peripheral in order to give the players the ability to play FPS’s and strategy games with ease and that way keep all the gamers happy. PC guys will like this as playing adventure games, or FIFA sucks with a keyboard and mouse.
With the triggers and analogue sticks of the Xbox, the D-pad, and six-axis of the PS3, the innovation and motion control of the Wii-remote and the mouse attachment from the PC, the ultimate gaming remote would completely eradicate the existence of any other controller and move toward world domination in the controller arena. Now, we’ll need to find someone to build it. Any ideas?
Feature: Can There Be Gaming Nightclubs?
July 3rd, 2010At its worst, gaming can be an isolated hobby, but for the most part it carries a semi-social characteristic. This social aspect occurs solely in particular environments with a select group of people. But what if someone wants to go to a nightclub and at the same time play video games? Thanks to our brains here at GCL, we have discovered a way to join these seemingly irreconcilable concepts. This is where the Gaming Nightclub® steps in.
Why on earth would we do this?
For those who play video games, there is no denying how cool gaming can be. Clubs also have the capacity to be fun and ensure a good time too. Breeding these two pass times could result in an offspring which is filled with all new forms of awesomeness. It will firstly get the gamers out of the house, and secondly it will introduce the snobby club goers to realise that games are not simply for “kids”. Gaming in clubs will give video gaming in South Africa more exposure and expand the community. Plus peoples mouths tend to be smaller in person as opposed to online.
How would this work?
Venue design and layout is key here and could make or break this great idea. The Gaming Nightclub® will consist of four floors. Yes you’re reading correctly. The first two floors will be strictly dedicated to adhering to the club scene vibe, while the next two floors will be a mixture of clubbing as well as competitive console and PC gaming. Clubbers will be able to get a well needed fix of gaming and gamers will get the needed social dosage. All large scale, small scale and casual gaming tournaments could be held at the Gaming Nightclub® as well as game launches.
There will be a lot of this too
The Result:
Music, beautiful people, gamers and an awesome atmosphere will come together in The Gaming Nightclub® and join all these different personalities. Picture yourself playing a Modern Warfare 2 tournament, listening to deep house while having a beer and a beautiful woman staring over your shoulder.
What a Pimp
Gone are the days where you’ll play against your buddy in PES or FIFA at home, or sitting in a small hall with only gamers. The future is The Gaming Nightclub®: a place where craziness and intoxication meet skill and technology.
The Gaming Nightclub® is a registered trademark of Gamescastlive.com
Have a super weekend.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review (Wii)
July 1st, 2010Our dear friend Mario has been around for many years and time has shown that him and his games seem to only get better with age (we wish the same could be said for some people). The first Super Mario Galaxy was a huge hit on the Wii and now Nintendo are back with Galaxy 2, but will this new galactic adventure soar with the stars? We’re about to find out.
When it comes to the story of Mario games in general, it can be said that if you’ve played one, you’ve played them all. Galaxy 2 surprises us as Mario is on route to visit the beloved peach when she is kidnapped by Bowser. As unexpected as this kidnapping is, Mario has to set out to save his precious princess and defeat his arch enemy. By teaming up with the ever cute Lumas, you will have to explore a number of worlds and galaxies in search of Peach.
In typical Mario fashion, Galaxy 2 delivers all the fun gameplay we’ve come to expect from the first one, and then it steps it up a couple of notches. The game begins in the typical side scrolling fashion but then it reverts back to its 3D adventure platforming form. Once again you will have to visit galaxies and worlds in order to find power stars. Thanks to a new system of navigating worlds or galaxies, moving from galaxy to galaxy is a much easier process. From your new starship (which is a giant Mario face), you can interact with a number of characters as well as jump into your navigation system.
What would Mario be without his power ups? Galaxy 2 has all your favourite power ups from the first and also adds a couple of new ones such as ‘Cloud Mario’ and ‘Drill Mario’. You will also be able to receive help from your trusty man/lizard/thing servant Yoshi which is a great new addition to the game. The gameplay in Galaxy 2 is faster, crazier, and even more fun than the first Galaxy.
The visuals of Galaxy 2 are not worlds apart from its predecessor, but there’s definitely an improvement to be seen. The level design has taken a step up and all the new galaxies make you feel like you’ve been slipped an even stronger drug. There is lots of variety to be found in all the galaxies, with levels ranging from water, to jungle, to lava levels and pretty much anything you could imagine. The detailing is great and the visuals are so uniquely stylized which adds to this superb gaming experience.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 has managed to take a great game and make it even greater. It steps in as a welcomed change from the usual gaming experience. Its all about bringing the fun and enjoyment into gaming without the serious undertone. Plus it can also make you feel intoxicated as you run, swim, fly, and jump around the crazy looking levels. Definitely up there with the stars.
Feature: Gaming in 2160
June 13th, 2010There is no doubt that gaming as we know it is evolving. With the imminent introduction of 3D gaming, one could only wonder as to what the future may hold. Luckily for those who want to know, we have obtained a little time contraption to boost us 150 years ahead from now – and this is what we saw…
No Disks?
In 2160 the dvd and blu-ray are the dinosaurs of gaming. Games are sold by you going into store and loading the game files into your finger. Yes, your finger. Once you arrive home, insert your finger into the finger-drive on you console and it installs onto your HDD. This latest creation sees the eradication of piracy and second hand games.
The Games?
You thought 2010 is looking good? We managed to head over to some of the distributors in 2160 and played some great titles. This is going against confidential policies, but let’s just say that Uncharted 13, Gears of War 12 and Final Fantasy 92 are looking awesome.
Peripherals?
Playstation Move and Project Natal have been off the market for quite some time now and new gaming techniques and ideas have taken over. With the concept of control-less gaming being common, developers are now creating wonderfully weird peripherals, such as life size plastic army tanks, airplanes as well as bundles with real guns that are motion controlled.
Designed for Call of Duty 154: Modernest Warfare
How real can you go?
Gaming is always striving toward realism and in 2160 realism has been achieved. Games now come with a ‘reality’ setting whereby you can choose the level of realism that you would like whilst gaming. This can range from different levels of pain to physical bruising and possibly even death. Unbelievable? Believe it.
Real Enough?
In the Game?
Most of us are used to monitors or large TV’s for gaming, however these are also a thing of the past. With the aid of odd looking goggles, gamers are placed directly into the game and experience it as they would experience everyday life. Games are no longer played, but rather they are lived.
Picture is completely unrelated.
Thanks for reading our Feature. Sorry that its only coming out to you on a Sunday, it’s just that we only returned from our trip to the future today. Have an awesome week.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Review (360/PS3)
June 13th, 2010Once upon a time in a kingdom far far away, 2D platforming games were a true work of art. Thankfully those days are long behind us as we celebrate the 3D platformer. The Prince of Persia series is well known for its great platforming and its exciting adventures, but will this latest entry wall-run its way to victory.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands wastes no time and after a short yet beautiful CG cutscene you’re thrown right into the action. The premise of the story revolves around a prince who is visiting another kingdom which belongs to his brother Malik. As he arrives to his brother’s palace, he soon discovers the city to be under attack. In desperation, Malik unleashes a terrible force which begins to consume the palace and everyone in it. In typical Prince like fashion, your goal becomes to rise to the challenge and save the city. The story is fairly entertaining and manages to put across some great magical elements. Voice acting is great, but we still struggle to figure out why the Price of Persia boasts a prim and proper English accent.
The Prince of Persia series is famous for its quality platforming, and The Forgotten Sands raises the bar once again. Players will find themselves jumping and climbing in a whole new array of ways thanks to new powers, which allow you to freeze water and swing your way across ledges or by having to teleport your way across strange static birds and large gaps. All in all, the platforming makes for a highly entertaining gaming experience. The combat has also taken a step up, and players will also have to take on a wealth of different enemies ranging from man sized ones to giants all at the same time. Thankfully you will be able to access and upgrade abilities using points which are acquired by defeating enemies. These powers allow you to make use of the rock, fire, water and ice elements.
Running on the Assassins Creed 2 engine, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands holds its own in terms of visuals. The level design is superb and you will find the palace to be an incredibly beautiful place to be in. The areas are draped in exotic colours and some serious detail can be found in all the levels. The character models are well designed and the prince himself moves ever so fluidly.
If its adventure and mind blowing platforming that you’re looking for, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will not disappoint. It offers a great fantastical story, some equally fantastic gameplay as well as some solid visuals. Hail to the King of platformers!
How To Become a Game Reviewer.
May 30th, 2010As gamers, we’ll talk about games, dream about games and live for games. But the question remains; how does one become an expert on games? Being a game reviewer can almost become an excuse with which you can explain your obsession with gaming. After all, people will understand that it’s your job and so playing games 24/7 will become an accepted practice. If you’re keen to make the jump toward the game reviewing industry here are some free and fantastic tips which you could follow.
Obtain Free Games.
If you’re buying games and reviewing them you’re not a reviewer in a true sense but rather a consumer who has an opinion on the product of purchase. This then becomes one of the defining features of a hardcore reviewer. Pretending they were free, or getting them from your folks will simply not cut it.
Robbery - not really an option
Lose the Bias.
If you feel that the Pokemon series sets the bar for any RPG and that every other game that comes out is a cheap imitation, you will never be a reviewer. ‘Fanboy-ism’ must be abandoned and replaced with a clear objective eye.
If you have thoughts like this, you probably should refrain from being a reviewer
Finish the Game.
It is key to note that seeing a game right until the end is highly important. At first some games may appear to be a little dull, but quite often turn out to be gems by the time you actually finish them. Even if it starts off horribly, persevere and suck it up even if it doesn’t get good and you know it really sucks. Games which require 40 hours or more are always a challenge to finish on time, but at least ensure you’ve played 90% of it.
Give games the hours they deserve. In Terminator: Salvation's case, give it the minutes it deserves
Pretend you know something.
With the correct and effective use of words, you can turn your opinion of relative nothingness into something that will make people sit down and listen to. Even if you don’t have anything insightful to say, add some spice to give meaning to your point. Act as if there is nothing that you don’t know about the game.
Don’t be a tyrant.
Most games have something cool to add to ones gaming experience whether some hate the game or others love it. Avoid trashing a game because it has long loading times or because some small textures are lacking. No one likes a grumpy crumpet of a review and so try keep it light and fun. Plus reviews which are horribly negative are probably linked to point #2; so you may want to go to step to and re-read these tips.
Above: Avoid.
There you have it. All the information to becoming the world’s greatest reviewer now lies in the palm of your hands. Please remember to read our reviews (and enjoy our mediocre Photoshop skills) from time to time even when you do become famous.
Alan Wake Review (360)
May 18th, 2010One would assume that video games which fall into the ‘thriller’ genre could potentially lack a capacity to thrill you. Alan Wake steps in as the latest psychological action thriller made especially for the Xbox 360, but will it manage to provide us with all the intentions that it’s promised? Continue reading and you’ll find out.
The story revolves around a character by the name of Alan Wake (duh!) who is a world renowned writer of thriller novels. After suffering from severe writers block, Alan and his other half set out on a getaway to Bright Falls, a town in the middle of nowhere in order for Alan to leave the chaos of New York City behind him. However his little retreat is not as pleasant as he thought it would be as Bright Falls is no ordinary town. Filled with mystery and unusual events, Alan’s task is to conquer the darkness and unravel the truth. This is hands-down a brilliantly told, intricate and thrilling story which will keep you wanting more. It unfolds in episodes which are done similarly to a TV series with the well known “last time on…” This adds to the great cinematic experience the game has to offer. The voice acting is top notch and enhances the experience as the events are made more believable through the characters.
Alan Wake is not your conventional third person title. Its gameplay is not only incredibly unique but also makes for an interesting play. The light is your best bud in the game as you will have to use it in order to defeat your dark enemies. By flashing light on an enemy, you’ll break down their dark aura and allow for bullets to hit them. Light can be found from flairs, torches and other items in your arsenal. Collecting ammo will not be your only concern as you’ll also find yourself searching for batteries to power up your torch. This adds to the tension as you’ll have to ensure and maintain your stock on ammo and batteries. When it’s not melting faces, the torch can also be used to discover hidden treasures around the environments. For the slow-mo fans, there are also some slow-mo bits which occur as you dodge enemy attacks. In order to add variation there are also a few daytime sequences as well as some driving sequences. The gameplay makes for an immersive experience as you’ll find yourself in some action packed yet scary sequences which will give you goosebumps as you flee from your enemies.
The visuals in Alan Wake are truly impressive. The first aspect which will be noticed immediately is the great dynamic lighting that the game has to offer. The light in the game changes based on the source which is emitting the light, and so the light from flares will offer a glaring light as opposed to street lamps which offer a brilliant white light. The appearance of the light also varies from your positioning in relation to it. In short – it’s nothing but incredible. The environments are put together really well and enhance the creepy atmosphere which the game has to offer. To add to the experience the game also benefits from great sound effects as well as a solid soundtrack.
Overall Alan Wake is a truly unique and incredible game. It boasts a thrilling and compelling story, as well entertaining and unique gameplay. Its incredible lighting, solid visuals and great sound create a beautiful and intense atmosphere which will keep you glued to your screen right until the end. So pick up your flare gun, charge your torch and get ready for this top notch psychological thriller.
God Of War Collection Review (PS3)
May 16th, 2010God of War and God of War 2 back in the good old days of the Ps2 were some of the best games that the console had to offer. However for those who missed out, those who sold their PS2 and those who don’t have backwards compatibility, look no further. Will Kratos’ PS2 adventures retain their glory, given all the new competition the PS3 has to offer?
What is the God of War Collection? It is a single blu-ray disk which contains re-mastered versions of God of War and God of War 2. The game has been has been re-worked in order to render the game in HD. The actual game itself is the same as the PS2 version and that’s not a bad thing.
Has the move to HD made a difference? Yes it has and a huge one at that. While it may be based on a game that was released on the PS2, both games have solid visuals. The visuals are incredibly smooth and sharp. They may not be the most detailed and will sometimes look a bit bland. However, overall they’re definitely a huge step up from the original versions. A handful of the in-game cutscenes do look a little pixilated while the CG cutscenes look like a good ps3 game’s gameplay. Running at a super-slick 60 frames per second, expect the fast paced action and chaotic combos to flow easily without any hint of slowdown.
For that trophy “street-woman” in you, each game boasts its own set of super cool and incredibly easy trophies that should ensure you two easy platinum trophies (if you’re into that kind of thing). Included on the disk are behind-the-scenes films into the making of God of War 1 and 2; so there will be lots of time spent on this single disk.
Is it worth it? To put it simply, yes. If you’ve sold your older copies or you still own them, or you don’t know what we’re talking about, the God of War Collection is a must have for any PS3 owner. The experience is that much better thanks to it being re-mastered in HD. Yes it may look like a money making scheme, but put it in and you’ll see that it’s at least an awesome money making scheme.
