Author: Jessica Thompson

BioWare’s history as a developer is an interesting one. Although the company is perhaps best known for its narrative-driven RPGs and character building, their first game, Shattered Steel, was a MechWarrior-style mech combat sim published by Fallout overseers Interplay. The game was released in 1996, and was a fairly straight-laced mech game with some interesting features, chief among them deformable terrain and the idiosyncratic designs of the bipedal mechs piloted by players. When people say that BioWare should be focusing largely on story-based games because that’s their heritage, Shattered Steel is the game to bring up. If BioWare wants to…

Roguelike games are very, very tricky to get right. Any enterprising developer looking to create one of these games must ensure that they’re properly balanced, with challenge on the one hand and accessibility on the other. Several features common to roguelikes can very easily become intensely frustrating in the wrong hands: killing players permanently and forcing them to lose their entire inventory is very, very hard to communicate as a potential learning experience to a player who’s just lost three hours of intense gameplay. When creating a roguelike, then, it’s perhaps best to focus on one style and hone it…

Superheroes, we are told, do not exist in real life. Our caped crusaders and brooding vigilantes live only on the page, coming to life during fancy dress parties and briefly when movies are made of their exploits. People who do extraordinary things in the pursuit of saving someone else’s life are often called heroes, but many deny the title, suggesting that they’re just ordinary people who did what they thought was right. Superheroes, to put it simply, are not real. And yet, say we. And yet. What name do we give to supercross riders? These people demonstrate incredible physical daring…

Twitch ads can be a bit of a mixed basket, varying between relatively unobtrusive to really annoying. However the problem is that trying to get rid of ads on Twitch is equally difficult, and almost always ends up with mixed results. Experience Twitch Ads-Free One way that is effective at blocking ads is contained in Twitch itself, but unfortunately it involves subscriptions. Essentially you can experience Twitch ads-free by: Having an active Twitch Turbo subscription that will set you back $8.99 per month and requires an Amazon Prime subscription. Subscribing to a specific channel directly that has opted to have…

Love Sonic or hate Sonic, but you can’t ignore it and the amazing characters it has been giving to the world of arcade games. So, what is the reason that Sonic has been facing the mixed fortunes with its series of games? Many fans and video game experts believe that the reason lies in the fact that the developers of Sonic choose to ignore their hit characters in the subsequent chapters of the game. If that is the case, what are the 3 most popular Sonic game characters that fans want to see more of? Let’s take a look. 1.…

It’s been said that the point at which humanity reached a state of civilisation was the point when we stopped simply surviving and started living. Survival is, of course, still necessary; we still eat, sleep, drink and do all the things we need to in order to keep living. It’s fair to say, though, that for the vast majority of us survival is no longer a need that isn’t constantly catered for. The same can’t be said for the protagonists of these games. In the best survival games going, your continued existence is constantly under threat not just by monsters…

I have never met a single person in my entire life that enjoys waiting for someone or something. It’s even more boring when you have to wait on airport due to a number of reasons. Yes, we have come a long way when it comes to technology in air transport. There are a number of reasons which can cause the delay in air flights be it maintenance problems, bad weather, congestion in air traffic or security issues. This article could help you to enjoy your time at airport. Here are some cool things that you could do on an airport…

Go To War Anytime you hear the word “Battlelands” as a game player, you automatically know that you will be in for quite the treat. Well, Battlelands Royale on PC is a game that does not let down in any way. It is jampacked with action, suspense, adventure and needless to say, excitement. The game will thrust you into a world that is centered on fighting and firing. The strategy is simple: you have to wager war and defend in the battlefield. Yes, the enemies come from each and every direction and you will have to be prepared in every…

Do you see yourself as an up and coming pro gamer? Or perhaps you just want to enjoy a good game or two after having a long day? Either way, you want to ensure a great gaming experience. Luckily for you, there are ways to achieve this every now and then. From battling enormous monsters to scoring multiple hat-tricks, these tips can help you maximize your gameplay and never miss a single beat. #1. Performance According to this Bluehost review, the first thing you need to consider is to have the best performance. So what does this exactly means? Well,…

Where were you back in the late ‘90s? Were you, like many of us, still in school, eagerly watching the Pokémon anime every morning and waiting with bated breath for the video game to hit the shelves of non-Japanese gaming stores? Were you a little older, snarkily pretending to despise Pokémon while secretly saving up money to grab yourself a copy? Were you older still, studying at university and unashamedly devoting whole days to Pokémon and Pokémon alone? Whatever your early-life experiences with Pokémon might be, unless you’re not a ‘90s kid you’ve probably got some very fond memories of…

If you’re new to the wonderful world of Minecraft, there’s probably a lot about the game you don’t know yet. For example, did you know torches can bear an infinite amount of weight? You can use that to make some great-looking structures. How about the fact that swords break melons and cacti fast in survival mode, but axes are the best way to get into pumpkins? As you can tell, Minecraft is a game with plenty of hidden depth to it. One thing that’s not quite as difficult to discern as all this is how to change your Minecraft skin.…

The recovery of the important data that may be lost for any reason is a serious headache for all users of computers and mobile devices. However, now this hard drive recovery is made easier by the use of a software program that is named EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free. The users need to know the procedures of installing and using this software for retrieving all their lost files from the hard drives of electronic devices. Definite steps followed for using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Different versions of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard are available according to the various operating systems. So…

There are, broadly speaking of course, two different public perceptions of those who play board games. The first is perhaps the most common, and involves families gathered round a table shouting at each other over Monopoly or bickering over whether a Scrabble play is valid or not. The second, which is exclusive to geek culture, involves meticulously painting miniatures and using them to do battle in a Warhammer-style wargaming setup. There are other ways board gamers are thought of, naturally, but when talking about board games these are the two images that crop up most commonly. They’re both correct to…

Video Games with the Largest Skill Disparities The world of video gaming is full of thousands and thousands of different games,hundreds of different genres and endless hours of fun and enjoyment. One of the main joys of video gaming is that you have so many different types of video games to choose from. Video games transport you to alternate realities – you can play Red Dead Redemption and become a cowboy or you can put yourself into the world of Dota 2 and play as an alien or a demon. Video games allow you to travel to distant galaxies, you…

You may be scared of the amount of money you spend on gaming. Steam has gotmany games that you can download for free. The games are exciting to play andkeep you engaged for an extended period. This article highlights the top 8 best free steam games that you can download incase you do not have enough money to spend on your gaming habit. Warface: Blackout This game is from Crytek Kiev that has been able to gather small FPS that isinteresting just as other entries in the bullet-ridden genre. It offers fourclasses that include gear, attachments, with a weapon and…

We’ve thrown about some rumors over the last two years surrounding the possibly of a upcoming Command and Conquer game. The signals were in place suggesting that EA would extend the series and this was recently confirmed thanks to an announcement by the company. It seems fair to say that fans of this long series haven’t enjoyed what EA has offered since it took over from Westwood Studios. Red Alert 3 was a decent game, later destroyed online by EA’s decision to pull the servers, meaning online play wasn’t possible unless you used a community created alternative. Certainly a bad…

Strategy is the genre of choice for the thinking gamer. Far from blasting demons on your last scrap of health, if you’re a strategy gamer you relish the thought of executing a carefully-planned gambit and watching as all the pieces fall expertly into place. No matter what your chosen flavour of strategy might be, there’s plenty to tempt you over the coming months. We’ve gathered together 10 of the most promising strategy games coming in 2019. Wargroove (Q1 2019) Combining a beautiful pixel aesthetic with deep, compelling strategy mechanics, Wargroove will be a familiar sight to anyone who’s a fan…

For many people, the act of running a city, a country or a political organisation is a constant headache. Being the mayor of London, or the President of the United States, is no doubt an often thankless job, with many unpaid late nights and the constant threat of the population becoming dissatisfied. Put simply, there are very few of us who would actually want to be in this position, however much we might say we do. That won’t stop us from loving tycoon games, though. If you’re unfamiliar with the genre, tycoon games task players with the day-to-day management and…

Fun fact: the first real-time strategy (RTS) game is argued by many to be 1989’s Herzog Zwei, and it’s a console game. Anyone who says that RTS games belong entirely on PC can and should be swayed by this fact, because Herzog Zwei is the progenitor of what we know as real-time strategy today. Since then, seminal titles like Warcraft, Starcraft and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War have further refined the formula, and today the genre is hale and hearty. With RTS games doing a roaring trade and showing no signs of slowing any time soon, we thought now was…

Twitch is the most popular live streaming platform for gamers, which gives everyday people an opportunity to stream their gameplay. As such, the content of the platform varies depending on the people who provide it. Most of it closely revolves around video games and video game tournaments. However, Twitch offers a lot more, especially with new popular categories that have recently started emerging, such as music broadcasts, ‘’in real life’’ streams or creative content that involves drawing, painting, designing and much, much more. The platform was launched in 2011 and, by 2023, it had had 6.89 million active streamers. Certain…

Consider, if you will, the strange and wonderful world of racing simulation games. From Codemasters’ F1 series to Slightly Mad Studios’ Project CARS, the art of driving cars really fast around increasingly dangerous tracks has been represented in as many ways, shapes and forms as it’s possible to imagine. If you’re a gearhead and you love customisation, no problem – you’re catered for by franchises like Need For Speed and Gran Turismo. Of course, motorcycle fans have plenty to choose from in this area, too. Franchises like MotoGP and MXGP cover all the major motorcycle racing events, and many games…

Escape rooms are becoming more and more popular in the United States now. They first got noticed in Asia and some parts of Europe, and it is not so difficult to see why people there got hooked on them. The level of excitement and thrill that they bring is very stimulating. An escape room usually admits a group of people that are made to stay inside a themed room (Harry Potter, a war zone, etc.) where they have to solve puzzles and riddles to find clues that will lead them to their way out. They are to accomplish their mission…

Due to the massive innovation and advancement in technology, coding and programming is more important than ever. It is one of the most important job skills out there and without people programming, much of our software, hardware and other technology simply wouldn’t work. Coding is at the core of every piece of software, app, and website that you use. However, not all code is created equal. Some code out there is low quality, while others is high quality. Of course, a high-quality code is better and more preferred, but what exactly makes code “high quality”? It can be a difficult…

When we were younger, the prospect of playing “augmented” video games was something that belonged exclusively to the distant future. Peripherals like the Sega Dreamcast’s VMU (Visual Memory Unit) and the original PS1’s PocketStation gave us a glimpse into what playing games with secondary displays might feel like, and in 2012 Nintendo’s Wii U showed us all how not to execute this concept with its clunky and difficult controller. Any system that utilises a secondary display needs to be sleek, discreet and accessible. Enter Sony’s PlayLink feature for PS4. If you’re not familiar with this setup, it works like this:…

For a long time, PC gaming was exclusively the premise of keyboard-and-mouse users. Many PC games in the 1990s and 2000s were obtuse, difficult affairs, often requiring players to memorise hundreds of different button combinations and keyboard shortcuts in order to maximise their efficiency while playing (lookin’ at you, System Shock 2). Incomprehensible flight simulators, complex RPGs and real-time strategy games dominated the landscape, and all looked bleak for the “casual” gamer. These days, though, the lines between PC and consoles are blurred. The immediacy of console gaming has not gone unnoticed by PC gaming enthusiasts; many titles which would…

There aren’t enough happy games in the world. Most video games these days revolve around gruff, grim people trying to do gruff, grim things in a gruff, grim world. That’s not a criticism; some of our favourite games take place in relentlessly dark universes where there are no moral absolutes, only shades of grey. It’s just, well…can’t we all lighten up a little? Happily, Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons creator Yasuhiro Wada appears to agree with us. His latest title, Happy Birthdays, is an unflinchingly colourful, joyous outing in which absolutely everything is adorable. From dinosaurs to rhinos, from…

Turn-based combat is a tricky beast. Get it right and you’ve got something like XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a thrilling, tense battle of strategy and wits between two evenly-matched enemies. Get it wrong, though, and you’ve got a player staring catatonically at the TV, mashing buttons until combat automatically resolves itself. It’s a delicate balancing act for sure, and one that the folks at YYT Games looked to overcome with the Fallen Legion titles. Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory offers both Fallen Legion titles in a single package, which makes this a pretty perfect time to go back and see how…

“Take me home, country roads/To the place I belong/West Virginia, mountain mama/Take me home, country roads”. So go the lyrics to John Denver’s famous “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, a song that Bethesda has been working very hard indeed to attach to its online survival RPG Fallout 76. This song is already something of a cultural touchstone, having appeared memorably in American Dad!, Kingsman: The Golden Circle and many other places. It might seem like a bit of a non sequitur to start by talking about Denver’s iconic song, but there’s a parallel here to be drawn between “Take Me…

When a particular game does what it does so well that it becomes a runaway financial and critical success, pretenders are bound to appear. For every Dark Souls, there’s a Lords of the Fallen. For every Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario Bros, there’s a Bubsy. For every Spider-Man 2, there’s a Prototype. Sometimes, these games iterate on and expand on their predecessors to create much better experiences, but sometimes they’re just straight rip-offs, content to wallow in their betters’ success. Nowhere is this more true than in the realms of Mario Kart. Since Mario Kart 64, a legion of…

When revisiting old video gaming classics, there’s always a sense of dread that the reality won’t match up to your memories. Nostalgia is a funny old thing, and it blinds even the best of us, especially when we’ve grown up with something and can’t extricate it from memories of our childhood. The games we played when we were younger will almost never hold up to modern scrutiny; they’ll forever be preserved in amber, remaining a pleasant but unattainable fiction for us. Sometimes, though, a game you played when you were younger is just as brilliant as you remember it being.…

Video games have always enjoyed a strong relationship with other forms of media. Whether through the amazing translations seen with Rocksteady’s Batman Arkham games or the less-than-impressive old-school Atari 2600 translation of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the franchise potential has always been a source of interest. However, somewhat oddly, we have recently seen an increasing trend of older television shows receiving modern adaptions into the world of gaming. Why does this happen, and what examples help illustrate this development? The Key of Appeal While it might have been true that there used to be some level of stigma towards video game enthusiasm,…