Author: GamerBolt Team

Within the gaming world, hunting simulators are often overlooked in favor of more action-oriented titles.  However, it’s often hard to overlook that fact that many popular games (such as Bethesda’s “Skyrim”) integrate various honest-to-goodness elements of hunting within their core gameplay.  There’s something strangely calming about wandering around lush virtual forests without having to worry that some gigantic Dragon / Troll hybrid is going to emerge from the tree line to smash you to bits.  “Cabela’s Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts” is a good example of this as it presents a somewhat slower and more deliberate FPS experience that’s a…

Taking cues from older arcade racing titles, the Trials series has always been about providing gamers with fun and accessible, yet uniquely deep and challenging side-scrolling gameplay.  In other words, these games are often very easy to begin playing for enjoyment, but extremely frustrating when it comes to mastery (latter levels often being very difficult in design).  Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, RedLynx and Ubisoft’s “Trials Fusion” is evolution of the aforementioned model. Whereas previous entries tended to place you in rather restricted locales, this release has you racing across an incredibly diverse range of terrains.  In short,…

If you’re only interested in somewhat serious sandbox titles, the kind of games that seek to convey some sort of deep story, Coffee Stain Studios’ bizarre “Goat Simulator” might not be for you.  On the other hand, if you delight at the very notion of a game that’s every bit as zany as its title implies, this peculiar 3rd person open-world experience will definitely hit the spot. One of the hallmarks of this insanely fun creation is a complete lack of any type of plot or series of objectives.   While this might sound rather droll, within the context of Goat…

There’s something to be said about the concept of releasing stand-alone, tournament-based sports games like “2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil”.  On the one hand you could easily say that the fully annualized editions are flagrantly superior, but you’d be missing out on the character that a game like this offers you.  One could just as easily argue that titles like FIFA 14 are so massive and filled with options that it’s often tough to know where to start.  Likewise, if you’re after a title that accurately captures the spirit of a particular event, what better way to accomplish that than…

Regardless of the image that the industry tries to cultivate, every game that’s released onto the market is not a glaring success.  In fact, some releases are downright disturbingly disappointing.  The following list of titles contains some of the more noteworthy failures we’ve seen… Lost Planet 2 In case you’d already forgotten, in the early days of the Xbox 360, the original “Lost Planet” kept gamers entertained with its rather simple yet workable concept of seeking to replenish thermal energy by means of defeating large foes.  In LP 2 of course, this mechanic was thrown right out the window in…

Almost immediately, the first thing you’ll notice about Arc System Works’ “Blazblue: Chrono Phantasma” is its wild, hyperactive visuals.  Seriously, this game is basically analogous to a sugar rush, replete with an energetic soundtrack to provoke your button-mashing bouts.  This is a 2D fighting game that makes allusions to 3D dynamics, effectively generating a sense of depth within a more simplified range.  We’re not talking about a game that shoots for slow, mediocre skirmishing – no, Blazblue: CP is basically a brush with full-on frenzy. Those who might be looking for the same sort of highly-individualized character storylines found throughout…

Let’s get one thing straight here – “Titanfall” is essentially Microsoft’s attempt at building an exclusive multiplayer-centric title that’s capable of somehow evolving the FPS genre.  Whether or not they accomplished this, you can’t deny that Titanfall artfully integrates all the various things we love about online matchmaking into one potent stew. First off, the action is by default, sort of frantic, with loads of players scrawling across the various maps inflicting damage at will in increasingly unpredictable ways.  This is offset by the dualistic nature of the game itself, which pits large, bulky and visually imposing robotic mechs against…

Say what you will about Disney’s “Aladdin” game for Sega Genesis, but it more or less perfectly embodies a certain type of 2D platformer which a lot of retro gaming enthusiasts really seem to enjoy.  In truth, there’s a lot to like about this rather straightforward side-scroller, even though it was published in 1993, the visuals and overall gameplay style are both markedly sharp.  If not for the somewhat primitive soundtrack one might be tempted to think it was released much later.  This is due to the use of cel animations, which provides the game with a very distinctive look.…

Building upon the success of its predecessor, “Tomb Raider II” expanded upon the Lara Croft saga by expanding the formula in various ways.  These weren’t gigantic changes or alterations mind you, but still significant enough to be considered a marked improvement in overall design.  Overall, the core gameplay and artistic style remains unchanged, of course.  It still has the same sexy Indiana Jones-like aura and relies on inventive puzzles to divide combat segments.  Yes, you could say that it was simply “more of the same”, but for Tomb Raider that would still imply unpredictable romps through untouched ancient crypts with…

It’s hard for many to think of the original PlayStation console without the game “Gran Turismo” springing to mind.  We are, after all, talking about a title that (according to Wikipedia) is in fact the “best-selling game on the system”, with around 10.85 million units shipped worldwide.  Who would have guessed that a racing game would have ended up being the PSX’s #1 game? All in all, the release of “Gran Turismo” marks a turning point in console gaming.  Up until its arrival, racing games of its caliber tended to only be found in arcades.  Gamers were initially wowed by…

Ask most gamers who possess a fairly adept understanding of the history of console gaming and they’ll probably be inclined to say that quality First-Person Shooters didn’t really emerge until the era of the PS2.  While it’s possible to argue all day long about what constitutes a quality shooter, anyone who claims that the original PlayStation didn’t have any good FPS’s to its credit is either oblivious or being intentionally divisive. The fact of matter is that the PS1 had quite a few decent shooters, albeit they’re fairly primitive by today’s standards.  However, with the rise in retro / vintage…

Sports-themed games have long been a fixture of the video game world.  In fact, it could be argued that the first truly great multiplayer titles were in fact, sports games.  Of course if you grew up with the original PlayStation or one of its forerunners no one should have to tell you this.   Chances are you spent hours on the couch with your friend(s) or sibling(s) playing some baseball / football / hockey / basketball-derived video game, right?  Naturally, this trend continues on into the future with the 7th and 8th generation consoles as well, but now there are loads…

It could be said that the modern era of console gaming started with the hardy little PS1.  After all, we’re talking about a device here that effectively ushered in a disc-based format and helped to popularize gaming as an everyday household activity.  Sure, one could argue that the Nintendo (the original NES) was really the first console to firmly plant video gaming on a TV into the minds the populace, but it did so with less-than-optimal graphics (no ability to render 3D environments, for example).  Simply put, there wasn’t a lot that game developers could do with the NES platform…

When it was first revealed that Bethesda’s next Elder Scrolls excursion would be an MMO, many were confused, excited or even upset.  The expectations have been riding high for what seems like an eternity now with many seeing this as a critical turning point for the series as it makes its way onto 8th generation consoles.  No need to worry, “The Elder Scrolls Online” delivers the goods in ample amounts, generating an experience that’s not only amazing and immersive, but also highly interactive and maybe even a bit unpredictable at times. As the name clearly implies, this is a game…

What do you get when you take the side-scrolling platformer format, add some classically familiar characters and expand it with HD graphics?  If you said “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze”, you answered correctly, but there’s more to this colorful Wii U title than meets the eye. Even though DKC:TF is in fact a 2D affair, it accurately projects an air of 3D depth by means of its integrated level design.  In other words, elements from the foreground will appear to merge with background elements and so on and so forth.  The end result is a rather classic-feeling title that looks…

Straight away, you should know that many are calling “Don Bradman Cricket 14” one of the finest cricket-centric video games ever made.  Simply put, it accurately captures many of the elements of the game while also surrounding it with nicely packaged systems that enhance the overall entertainment factor.  For starters, if you don’t know who Don Bradman is, you need only know he’s a legend of the game.  In short, what Babe Ruth is to baseball and Michael Jordan is to Basketball, Don Bradman is to Cricket.  The real question is, does this game live up to his incredible reputation?…

Let’s face it, a lot of motocross titles tend to border on the unrealistic or unbelievable.  Perhaps this is because developers are trying to “jazz up” the action or for other, more technical reasons, but the fact remains that there aren’t really many companies that are making these kinds of games that are also interested in realism.  With the release of MXGP however, that trend is being broken.  You won’t be hitting any massive jumps and performing tricks or triggering explosions here, that sort of arcade flair has been replaced with more believable additions and physics (this is after all,…

Following in the footsteps of titles like “Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island”, “Yoshi’s New Island” for 3DS builds upon well-known and accepted gameplay mechanics.  Many critics have decried its somewhat unoriginal nature, claiming that it’s basically an attempt to rehash shop-worn formulas, but in all actuality it’s but another great installment to explore.  In other words, rather than trying to build a better mousetrap, developer Arzest is simply providing fans with more of what they want. A game that tells the story of a stork delivery gone wrong and the subsequent kidnapping of baby luigi, Yoshi’s New Island adds…

When “Super Mario 64” was initially released, many didn’t know how to take it.  Up until that time, platformers (particularly those featuring Mario) tended to be extremely linear 2D side-scrolling experiences, not open-world fantasies.  Needless to say, Super Mario 64 remains a landmark title, the sort of game that essentially rewrites the rules and setting expectations much higher. Right off the bat, what set SM64 apart was its very thoughtfully-designed 3D design.  As opposed to doing something conventional and well-explored, Nintendo EAD decided to eschew traditional menus altogether, essentially creating a world that was self-contained.  In other words, everything was…

“GoldenEye 007” probably needs no introduction, especially if you gaming in through the late 90’s on up into the early 2000’s.  Quite simply, this wonderful little title actually helped to put Nintendo’s N64 console on the map in many ways.  Almost overnight everyone was raving about how awesome this new bond game was, prompting legions of gamers to run out and purchase their very own console after experiencing it.  Of course now, in hindsight, the game certainly appears to be rather blocky and dated, but that initial appeal is still there and it’s still a hell of a lot of…

With the 8th generation of consoles now officially launched and stretching out into their new role at the top of the heap, 2014 is only now starting to begin taking shape in terms of game releases.  Spring tends to usher in new life, not just in terms of organic flora / fauna, but also within the domain of software and gaming as well.  Likewise, many of the really “big” titles that have long been in the works are being rolled out for pre-order.  Naturally, this is your cue to begin setting aside reservations – preparing for the awesomeness that is…

Turtle Beach is an organization that’s really made a name for itself within the realm of gaming accessories over the course of the last few years.  This is especially true when you look at the various headsets they’ve been steadily releasing.   In fact, the Ear Force XO Seven model that we’re taking a look at here is essentially an upgraded counterpart to another entry from Turtle Beach, the XO Four (which is also a fine piece of gaming equipment).   Truth be told however, the XO Seven is truly of an entirely different caliber – suitable for everything from professional tournament…

Nintendo EAD Tokyo & 1-UP Studio’s “Super Mario 3D World” is pretty much everything you’ve ever wanted in a Mario title.  First off, it artfully blends together the trademark overhead 2D gameplay you find throughout recent series releases with some abstract 3D designs.  The result is a game that looks, plays and responds like you’d expect a truly classic platformer to.  It’s basically the sort of game that can transport you back to a simpler time in gaming without sacrificing modern visuals, of course. If you’re already familiar with the way Super Mario 3D Land worked then 3D world is…