Arkham City: Support Your Local Game Developer

Originally posted on www.wolfsgamingblog.com - 20th October, 2011
 
As I’m writing this, I’m waiting for my copy of Batman: Arkham City to arrive through my letter receptacle with its shiny, cellophane wrapped goodness ready to be torn open and digested slowly over the next few months.

But already the internets’ crybabies have descended to create some sort of minor controversy over Rocksteady/Warner Brothers’ decision to take the much publicised Catwoman sections of the game and only allow free access to them for those who buy the game new; the preowned masses having to pay for the privilege of controlling the be-goggled Ms. Kyle. The collective whingebags cry foul that they are being denied elements of the game because they didn’t buy the game new and that they are being screwed over.

Get over it.

Why 3DS and Vita won't be killed off by iPhone and Android

 Originally posted on www.Made2Game.com - 12th October, 2011

Dedicated gaming handhelds are dead. That’s the story. The 3DS is a flop and that Nintendo should put it out to pasture. PSP was a disaster and PlayStation Vita doesn’t have a chance. So many are quick to hail the end of the handheld console market. But they’re wrong and I’ll tell you why.

There is no doubt that mobile gaming is the biggest revolution in the games industry over the past decade. The early days of mobile phones hosting primitive games such as Snake are long gone. Phones now have enough power to play all sorts of games, from the classics of yesterday’s consoles, to cut down versions of modern triple-A titles. Even the iPhone is capable of running hi-tech game engines such as Unreal Engine 3 - something dedicated home console the Nintendo Wii can't do.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review

 Originally posted on www.Made2Game.com - 19th September, 2011

The return of the fabled Sci Fi RPG to consoles is nothing short of a triumph. You've really got no choice but to play it. Or have you? Better late than never, here's our Deus Ex: Human Revolution review.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is set in Detroit in the year 2027, in a world where advances in technology have allowed humanity to take charge of its own evolution through the use of augmentations, these being bionic appendages and implants that are used to improve human abilities either for medical or recreational purposes. The problem with these enhancements is that the human body rejects them. The solution to making the augmentations stick lies in a drug called Neuropozyne; an anti-coagulant that enables prolonged use of augmentations via regular doses. The high price of this drug has enlarged the gap between the rich and poor classes, as well as causing a simmering political war between those who are for augmentations, and those oppose them for ethical reasons.

Waving My Hands In The Air (And I Really Don't Care)

Originally published on WolfsGamingBlog.com - 22nd August, 2011

As a long-time gamer, I find it incredibly difficult to keep an open mind about the use of motion controls in gaming – After more than three decades of using various joysticks and controllers, why to anything else? As they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Honestly, you could strap analog sticks to an SNES pad and I’d be totally happy.

I admit that I was completely sold on the prospect of the Wii’s motion controls. I purchased the console at launch day, without playing any games (admittedly, my main reason for purchase was Zelda: Twilight Princess) and I was eagerly awaiting the imaginative gameplay additions that could come from the advent of motion controlled gaming.

Double Dipping: Now in HD!

Originally published on VGUpdate.com - 20th August, 2011

If one thing could be said about this year’s E3 (that isn’t about newly unveiled console hardware with silly names), it could be that a lot of HD remakes of games are on the way. It’s almost as if the gaming industry is taking a leaf out of Hollywood’s book, where new ideas have been sacrificed for the potential box office draw of reboots, adaptations, sequels and remakes of older films and franchises.

Over the past couple of years, it has been easy to see that “everything old is new again”. As a long-time supporter of retro gaming, I’m all for giving older titles a new lease of life – The Team ICO Collection is a perfect example of a worthwhile remake. Both ICO & shadow Of The Colossus are games that I missed out on originally (I didn’t own a PS2 until about 2 years ago) and due to their limited production runs, many gamers have missed out on experiencing these critically acclaimed titles.