Inclusive Gaming

Sound Just Got a Whole Lot Sweeter

fiona@tkarena.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:15:30 GMT

(Image taken from http://www.cyberacoustics.com)

If you’re like me and you can never find the perfect headset for your gaming then look no further. The Cyber Acoustics noise canceling headset is the perfect choice for all PC gamming and general computing.

This light weight, versatile headset can be customized to suit any gamer. Whether you prefer your microphone on the left side or right, this headset has a 180 degree rotation to suit either side. The quality of sound far surpasses the previous models I have used and the cushioned feel of the padding surrounding the speakers makes for a very comfortable headset.

The microphone of this headset is noise cancelling which means it cancels any ambient sound that might be present when in use. This produces a very clear quality of sound for those that have their computer in an area where a lot of background noise is present.

As with most headsets, the decision over whether to buy USB or AUX is always important. This headset comes with a USB adapter that will convert the AUX signal into USB.

Overall this headset combines quality with comfort which a lot of peripheral devices lack. The Cyber Acoustics headset is the perfect addition to any gamers’ PC. More information on this product can be found at http://www.cyberacoustics.com

tkArena got this set from http://www.audion-mm.com/v2/

Prince of Persia

fiona@tkarena.com — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:45:25 GMT

Look out Prince of Persia fans cause Ubisoft has just released one more in the saga, only this time, Ubisoft has thrown a curve ball into the game. This new Prince of Persia is quite different to its predecessors as the graphics throughout the entire game have a cinematic quality, typical of an anime movie. It presents a unique quality to the game and a welcome change from the last 3.

As with previous Prince of Persia games, the game starts with the young chasing a female companion. The chase leads the young prince to a temple were he soon discovers that the female is a princess and that her role is to protect the prison that holds the evil god Ahriman. As they arrive at the prison, the princess’s father destroys the tree of life releasing Ahriman and the corruption to the four corners of the earth. The Prince and Princess (Elika) must now stop Ahriman and the corruption before they destroy the earth.

(Image taken from http://au.gamespot.com)

As the journey progresses through the kingdom to find and stop the agents of the corruption, the relationship between the prince and Elika progresses as well. As you venture deeper into the game, the storyline starts to unravel about the history of Elika, Ahriman and the corrupted. By hitting R2 this allows the prince to speak with Elika.

Elika plays a very important role in the new Prince of Persia as not only to fit within the storyline of the game but also acting as a secondary character. During the fight sequences, the prince and Elika share in the combat. One major difference in the new Prince of Persia is that you can never die in the game. Every time you slip or fall from a ledge or wall or come close to death from fighting an enemy Elika magically appears and returns you back to the ledge. This presents a few problems in terms of a challenging game. I feel that if you die in a game, you learn from your mistakes.

As you advance further into the game, progression becomes a bit harder as to unlock new stages. You need a specific number of blue orbs that become apparent after Elika cleanses the corruption from that stage. From the centre point of the game (The Temple), there are 4 coloured platforms representing 4 areas in the game which need a specific number of orbs in order to unlock. So you may need to venture back to previous levels to collect the orbs left behind.

(Image taken from http://au.gamespot.com)

The aerobatic manoeuvres that made the previous Prince of Persia games unique are still apparent; however, they have added a few more such as a new sliding manoeuvre that allows the prince to slide from one slope to another.

The graphics throughout the entire game are very unique. It presents a cinematic quality that I feel brings a new aspect towards gamplay. That combined with the overwhelming sound FX and music sequences makeoverall Prince of Persia a very well polished game.

This game is available on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. For those hardcore fans that love the challenges from the older Prince of Persia games, I feel that you might be disappointed; however, for the newcomers to the Prince of Persia series, this game is the perfect introduction and one which will unravel the stunning quality that makes Prince of Persia a fantastic game.

COD World At War

fiona@tkarena.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:12:21 GMT

There was a lot of speculation about the new Call of Duty. Since Call of Duty; Modern Warfare was such a big success, people expected this game to live up to the same standard. I do agree that seeing a new call of duty set in WW2 is a great comeback and one which brings together a few similarities of COD 4 with a great storyline and awesome gameplay.

Call of Duty World at War shares a duel storyline from both the Russian and American forces which accurately depicts the events leading up to the ultimate defeat of the German army and the overthrow of power from the Japanese on Okinawa. Some have suggested it may be too accurate as the sheer brutality of the Japanese in the opening scene really portrays the emotions felt by the serviceman which in turn are then reflected back onto the player.

(Image taken from http://www.secondary-fire.com)

In my personal opinion, I feel that a great game experience has to have elements of realism. Call of Duty certainly reaffirms that realism, as the storyline takes you through various areas where you have to defend yourself against the Japanese bonsai. Strangely enough however, there are sections in the game where you feel drawn away from that realism, like when you respawn after dying from a grenade. The game then feels like it has replayed the same grenade thrown by the same enemy.

(Image taken from http://www.1up.com)

The single player missions are very well drawn together. The multiplayer feature on the other hand lacks the elements that made COD4 such a successful multiplayer game. I did enjoy driving and shooting from the tank but I don’t think this will sway the minds of the COD4 community.

One fantastic feature that I found with this game is the co-operative single player mode. This feature allows players to invite there friends to help complete single player missions. That and the new undead Nazi zombie level where you team up with 4 other players to defend a building against the waves of unstoppable Nazi zombies!

Call of Duty World at War may not be the shiniest apple in the barrel, but it does carry significant improvements to Call of Duty 3. With the new co-op play and great storyline, it’s a welcomed update in anticipation for Modern Warfare 2 which is due to be released early next year. This game is available on Xbox 360, PS3, WIii, DS and PC. So for those out there that have been waiting for a great WW2 shooter, Call of Duty World at War is the game I would certainly recommend.

MK vs DC

fiona@tkarena.com — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:54:00 GMT

Like many other games, Mortal Kombat has had a long history, from the old days of the super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive, through to present games on the PS2 and Xbox 360. However, no one ever thought that MK would go head to head with the Marvel DC heroes and villains!

In my opinion it is a refreshing change for the MK series and one game this week that I just can’t stop playing. The game starts out simple enough. Players will have the choice to play the story mode or the arcade mode. From the story mode, the player will have option to choose their side (MK or DC). Each side has a completely different storyline that explains how the MK realm and the DC universe merge together.

(Image taken http://au.gamespot.com)

For the arcade mode, the player has the option to choose up to 22 different characters, each having a set of unique abilities and powers. The fight mechanics of MK vs DC are still relatively the same as the previous releases of MK. However these games dwell a little more into the 3D plane as there are 3 new fight scenarios: free fall combat, close combat and test your might.

With free fall combat, players enter a mid air combat sequence where you and your enemy are falling to the next platform. Close combat is my favorite, where you enter close combat, the camera zooms in. Players will have a sequence of 4 buttons that they can choose at random. However if your enemy hits the same button as you, it will break close combat. With test your might, your character spear tackles your enemy through a building. During this sequence, a bar is shown at the top of the screen, and your damage taken or given is related to the amount shown on this bar.

(Image taken from http://au.gamespot.com)

One issue I found throughout the game is the lack of fighting from the DC universe characters. Playing as an MK character I found that the DC universe heroes and villains use there powers more often then they fight. So if you’re into fighting more than using special abilities, you will find more often you are blocking than fighting.

The cinematics throughout the story mode are very well presented and creative. Throughout the game, there was a sense of seriousness, until you meet the Joker. The Joker creates a surprising twist as his personality is reflected in his fighting style. One move in particular is where he holds his hand out and says “Put it there” and as he grabs your hand you take damage.

Overall I found MK vs DC to be an awesome addition to the MK and DC series but one which is very unique. The gameplay and animation are very exciting and well designed. The fight mechanics and combat scenarios are fun and entertaining but unique in terms of the merger. Available on PS3 and Xbox 360, this game will be sure to be one that I will be playing over Christmas.

Fallout 3 has Hit the Shelves

fiona@tkarena.com — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:55:08 GMT

I am a big RPG fan, that’s literally all I play on PC. So when Bethesda's new game Fallout 3 hit the shelves, I made sure to keep that at the top of the shopping list.

Fallout 3 is essentially an RPG game in nature; however, there are a lot of characteristics that suit every style of gameplay.

You start out as a vault dweller in vault 101 and it’s at this point you can customize the name, gender and look of your character. The game is set in post apocalyptic DC in the year 2077. Once you have completed the opening quests you soon discover that your father has mysteriously left the vault and it’s at this point where you decide to leave and venture out into the wasteland.

Fallout 3 ultimately follows the main quest chain in search of your father. However like all RPG games, advancing your specs and completing side quests are ultimately beneficial. As you progress in level throughout the game you will gain points which can be used on a variety of skills and abilities. There are many factions in the game that you can become friendly with, as well as a variety of objects throughout the wasteland that aid your character and your progression.

(Image taken from http://fallout3.files.wordpress.com)

This is your pipboy 3000. This device allows you to track your progress throughout the game as well as viewing and changing your skills and abilities. Pipboy also has a wide range of perks that let you decide the style of gameplay you want.

(Image taken from http://thegamereviews.com)

One of the more exciting features to this game is The Vault dwellers Assisted Targeting System (V-A-T-S). This system allows your character to pause live action and selectively target the limbs or your enemies. This can be done with any weapon and the camera angles associated with this system allow for some compelling finishing moves to your enemies.

As with previous RPG’s released by Bethesda, Fallout 3 shares a common trend with that of Oblivion. The environment feels a bit animated at times. I felt like I was taking leaps and bounds when I jumped from one object to another. However the environmental qualities and structures surrounding the wasteland create the atmosphere and compliment the storyline. There are literally kilometres of wide open space for you to explore. If you stray too far you may end up in enemy territory and trust me, these are not your common crooks. Wasteland Raiders and mutated humans are riddled throughout the game as well as specific areas that have a higher radiation level.

(Image taken from http://ie.playstation.com)

Overall Fallout 3 is a well polished game that has offers 100 hours of gameplay. If you immerse into the storyline, Fallout 3 becomes a very exciting and adventures game. Fallout 3 is available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. A world of exploration awaits you. : )

Little Big Planet for Little Big Kids

fiona@tkarena.com — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:49:00 GMT

(Image taken from http://www.electricpig.co.uk)

Recently I have had a lot of people asking, “Is Little Big Planet just for young children?” Certainly the trailer by Media Molecule creates this impression. I can understand the confusion as even the front cover displays a huge sock puppet. However, this game breeches the boundaries of creativity and customization. Literally everything in this game can be customized to tailor for any gamers’ interests.

Meet Sackboy, your companion throughout the entire 50 levels of Imaginative design. Now the style in which this game presents itself reminds me of Super Mario (being a Mario Fan for many years) with its side action view; however, with the game’s advanced physics engine and the ability to move from foreground to background, this allows for some compelling gameplay.

The only flaw I found with the gameplay of Little Big Planet is the lack of control over your sackboy. There are only 2 controls: grab and jump. This game may look simplistic in nature but the single player levels encourage the player the revisit each level and complete alternative objectives.

The level of customization offered in Little Big Planet is overwhelming. A player can choose to customize not only there sackboy but also decorate the levels themselves with collectables and stickers that are picked up throughout the game. A major feature is the ability to create your own levels with an endless supply of innovative objects and tools at your disposal.

Image taken from: http://www.pspsps.tv)

This is your “Pod”, the hub Little Big Planet. From here you can choose to play the single player levels, create and edit your own levels or browse online and download levels that other people have created. Customization is only the tip of the ice berg; Little Big Planet also has a massively multiplayer feature that allows a player to either upload their own levels or download them from other players. One thing I did notice was the level of difficulty of some of the levels that I downloaded. I became overwhelmed at the extent of creativity and difficulty that could be crammed into one level.

Overall I found Little Big Planet to be an exciting and unique game, full of creativity and design. Exclusive to PS3, this game is for big little kids or is that big little kids!?

Dead Space – Not Dead Boring

fiona@tkarena.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:53:58 GMT

I've never found horror games or movies to be terribly appealing. You've scene one, you've seen them all. However, with EA's new Dead Space, strangely enough I found myself immersed into the opening cinematic and after 3 hours of combating mutated aliens, my scepticism had all but dissolved.

Dead Space follows the storyline of a typical lost in space scenario similar to that of the movie Event Horizon (For those that have seen it). I found the game similar to that of DOOM 3 or Quake 4, with its interactive terminals and environmental structures. However, there are some exciting new features to this 3rd person shooter that make it sine above the rest.

One major difference is that of an over the shoulder perspective. I have played many 3rd person games but found this style to be very impressive.

One major drawback is the ability to set a white line that allows tracking the location of each objective. Players will find meeting the objectives to this game quite easy which does let down a bit. There are many critics stating that this feels like you are being carried through the game but I found the interactivity to be enticing, from being able to customize the abilities of your weapons and armour to the video and sound logs that you pick up throughout the game (,thus having the similarity to DOOM 3).

The strategic Dismember system allows the player to selectively dismember the limbs of the necromorph aliens which is goolish but cool. Players will also find that this doesn't kill them straight away, as some of the necromorph's try and claw there way up to you again.

At one point I did find the game to be a bit tedious as one objective felt the same as it did at the beginning. But as I progressed through the game, the combat became harder and more exciting. The feature of Zero Gravity combat creates the atmosphere that you are actually fighting in outer space.

Dead Space ultimately brings together an action packed, bloody, gory, survival horror genre with an engaging storyline that is sure to entice the most hardcore of gamers. This game is available on PC, Xbox360 and PS3. With its unique environmental qualities and combat sequences I’m sure this will be one game you will not be disappointed with.