Well everyone, it’s that weird moment of the year where it’s not quite a ‘new’ year but it’s also just ‘new’ enough that we’re still sore about those resolutions we just broke. It’s cool though, I’ll go to the gym tomorrow. Or maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll spend even more time indoors in front of my favourite video game console (or PC, or phone, whatever). The fact is, February sees the year 2017 AD continue its upward trajectory in terms of game releases (and little else). So without further ado, let’s have a look at what February has in store…

The day has come for us to return to our normal lives, back to our families, jobs, and school work. San Antonio is starting to quiet down and the airport is piling up. This is the saddest part of any convention. We’ve made our friends and we’ve gained new contacts. We’ve started to panic a little because we think the items we purchased at the convention won’t fit in our bags, but we make it work. Pro Tip: always bring a bigger bag, ALWAYS. With PAX now behind us and the return to regular life, the Post-con Depression begins to…

History of Gaming PC’s The history of the gaming PC goes back to 1981 actually. This is when IBM gave users a chance to connect to a television and enhance their experience using a Color Graphics Adapter or CGA for short. In 1987 Video Graphics adapter or VGA was first introduced. Atari as well as Cooadore 64 and Ameiga all did their part to help and introduce gaming consoles in a way to the world. These were the first real glimpses into the world of gaming computers and would go on to become the stanbdard upon wich all others would…

As of now, PAX South officially ended 32 minutes ago,. The realization and settling of Post Con Depression has still not kicked in, which is a good thing, however, tomorrow is another story, psst. I’ll tell you all about what happens after PAX and a little on the Post Con Depression tomorrow. So, let’s look at what PAX South 2017 gave us on the final day, which included one fantastic panel, many awesome indie, and some AAA titles – all of which were awesome.This morning we all lined up in the queue for the opening of PAX South’s Expo hall,…

When a game as long awaited as The Getaway finally makes it out of development hell, it’s often impossible to believe. There it is on the shelf. You can buy it. So that’s what the box art looks like. Finally, The Getaway was released on the 11th of December 2002. It was meant for the PS1, then it was meant as a PS2 launch title, and now, two ice ages later, we have it. Close to five MILLION pounds was thrown at Team Soho and The Getaway, with the intention of turning it into a proper killer revolutionary title, the last…

The Nintendo 64 was an absolute amazing console launched back in 1996. It helped to introduce 3D gaming at its best of the time period, whilst also delivering some of the finest exclusive games. Whilst there were some rare N64 games released, that you should also check out, this article takes a look at the most popular best-selling titles to appear on the Nintendo 64. Let’s get started. Star Fox 64 Selling approximately 3.3 million copies worldwide, Star Fox 64 is number 10 on our list. Being a fighter pilot was cool and so was playing Star Fox 64. In…

With an hour-and-a-half left, PAX Day 2 is almost finished. Day 2 at PAX South was just as busy as last year considering it falls on a Saturday. The line for Nintendo Switch apparently started three hours prior to the opening of the convention, and had a three-hour wait when the expo hall officially opened. Nintendo Switch had a line for the line. The Expo Hall on Day 2 becomes a little overwhelming, you don’t know what you want to see and the crowd is a bit much. I attended two more panels’ today, one first thing in the morning,…

It is currently 11:48 PM on the 27th of January and PAX South 2017 Day 1 ends officially in twelve minutes. With the first day in the bag there are many amazing things that have happened, from an unexpected appearance to the meeting of many familiar faces, and some good panels. Many things have already happened at PAX South while there remain many more experiences to come over the next two days. The two panels that I have attended, it was the first one was the best. GeekNights, who has spoken at 21 PAX conventions around the world, presented a…

There’s no denying that Grand Theft Auto V was an astounding success. With over $1 billion in sales, it stands not just as the most grandiose video game franchise around, but also as one of the most popular pieces of media ever produced. Now, with the exciting announcement that GTA 6 is returning to the beloved Vice City, it’s fascinating to look back at the other cities that were rumored to be featured in this much-anticipated game. Vice City – The Confirmed Location The announcement that “Grand Theft Auto 6” (GTA 6) will return to Vice City has sparked excitement…

With the announcement of a new console, I always try and be positive. When a new piece of hardware launches and it’s a success, this is a positive for everyone. People who make games and people who play them are better off thanks to healthy competition and more choice. So it’s with this mindset that I started to think about the Nintendo Switch. Putting on my Positivity Hat I sat down and pondered on what impact I think the Switch is likely to have and whether I think it’s going to be a game changer, like the Wii, or an…

Mario, Link, and Pac-man have had their time. But this list is based on characters that didn’t appear until this century. Since the year 2000, developers have brought us hundreds of amazing video game characters that we will forever hold in our hearts. Nathan Drake Easily one of the most iconic figures over the past few years is Nathan Drake. For those unfamiliar with him, Nate is the star of the very popular Uncharted franchise. The explorer has always believed he is a descendant of the famous explorer Sir Francis Drake. He has the knowledge of a historian, and lives…

With less than twenty-four hours remaining until the opening of PAX South, the anticipation grows stronger. The flight is packed and the next four days will bring new and interesting components to the Game Industry and Tech community. A full line of panels is ready for tomorrow and the crowds have been coming in by the truckloads yesterday and today. While the first day falls on a workday, many attendees will be skipping school, work, or other obligations just to get the full experience. Tip: If you plan on ever going to a convention take advantage and do the entire…

I’ll have to admit that when I first saw screenshots of Stardew Valley last year and heard tales of how it’s a game all about farming, I had a few questions. They were; how the heck is that fun? What’s the appeal? How did this get so popular? So it was with some trepidation that I got my hands on the PS4 version of the game and set about trying to make the most of my time in the Valley. The game opens with you creating a character and witnessing your grandfather pass away. Cut to you in a dead-end…

You may have read my article about what it’s like to be a female gamer. Well, some guys still want to know how they are expected to approach a girl for optimum results. So, here’s a little bit of advice for those of you who want some tips on how to treat, approach, and win-over girls in-game. Treat Others Well Too She notices how you treat other players. I say this because when you treat other players, newbies, and friends poorly while you are nice to her, chances are she will not want to talk to you. Sure, a little…

Of course, most gamers are in their late teens or early twenties. But, there are a few jewels out there that step out of the box and get a head start on the rest of us, never stop playing past retirement, or pick up the lifestyle afterward. Here are a few of those special people. Oldest Gamers Here’s to all the people that refuse to let aging get in the way of their lives. The ones who refuse to live by stereotypes and standards. Chris Bond Not much is known about this player, aside for the fact that the fifty-two…

Considering most party games are part of a series, let’s list these as a franchise, as opposed to single games or we’ll be here all day. Mario Party Surprise, surprise…one of the most renowned party games of all time.  As of January 2017 there are fifteen Mario Party games for N64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, GBA, DS and 3DS. Each game has a party mode where player navigate through a game board, collecting coins to reach the end and claim victory. There are about seventy different mini-games involved in each game. If you don’t want to commit to an entire…

With the release of Steep, we have seen some funny internet videos of people failing miserably, or achieving really amazing and impossible stunts. This is the life of a professional snow extremist, I would say snowboarder, but this game goes beyond snowboarding and skiing. With this game, you ski, snowboard, “squirrel fly” with a wing suit, and paraglide – you could say that it is adrenaline-junkie paradise. At the start of the game you are placed in the tutorial and cannot skip through it. This is an important factor to the game, not only does it teach you how to…

Ahhh yes, Back to the Future. It’s hard to believe that we are already two years past the year Marty went to the future. Remember, the year was 1985 and be blasted on to 2015 in the DeLorean Time Machine. At the time, we thought that the events and inventions that were present in this 2015 were outrageous and impossible. Yet, somehow, the producers weren’t that far off. Perhaps someone actually did pay a visit to 2015 sometime in the past. But, let’s take a look at the exact predictions we saw back in the eighties. Cubs Win World Series…

I was looking forward to the third of season of ITV’s Mr. Selfridge since the ending of the second series. While the third season did not exactly disappoint me, I do think that there was a bit of room for improvement. When the season begins, World War I has ended. Harry Selfridge’s daughter, Rosalie, is getting married, and a spectacular wedding and reception are being prepared. While Harry is still mourning the loss of his beloved wife, who died recently, his store and financial circumstances are in a very good state, and things are going well. However, Harry’s grief is…

This 2013 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic 20th-century novel, The Great Gatsby, was directed by Baz Luhrmann.  It stars Toby Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Joel Edgerton. As in the novel, in the film Nick Carraway (played by Toby Maguire) is the narrator of the story, which is told from his perspective.  Nick Carraway is telling the story at the distance of several years after the end of the events he describes, and is putting it all in writing.  In the story he tells, Nick is a young and rather naïve man from the Midwest, who has…

This movie was a disappointment.  With all the publicity this movie received when released, I was very curious about it.  Unfortunately, however, I found that this film has a lot of faults that far outweigh its few (very few) positive points. The movie’s unnecessarily crude opening scene made my hope for the film’s quality quickly sink, and foreshadowed the many poor quality components to come.  After the opening scene, we are introduced to a ridiculous, fictional celebrity news show called “Skylark Tonight”.  The show and its production constitutes an admittedly rather amusing (and frighteningly accurate) parody of Western celebrity culture. …

This 2011 docudrama is both fascinating and illuminating.  It is about Alan Turing, a man who has not received anywhere near the amount of praise, acknowledgement, and fame that he deserves.  As a result, you might not know who he was.  In fact, you probably don’t.  Born in 1912, he was the man who, in 1936, came up with the fundamentals of the computer.  In other words, without his work, we would not have computers, or for that matter any other of our well-used and popular digital devices.  He also was the person who introduced the whole idea of artificial…

The One I Love, directed by Charlie McDowell, is about a married couple, Ethan and Sophie, who are trying to rekindle their relationship. Their marriage counselor suggests to them a weekend away together at a house that many of his clients have been to. What is great about this movie is that if you think you know where it’s going already by those first two sentences, you’re probably wrong. The place that Sophie and Ethan stay immediately seems whimsical; an adorable house with a beautiful and spacious garden. Greenery, flowers, a pool, the works. Making it seem more like a…

As I saw each successive episode of Wolf Hall, I was increasingly mesmerised by the realism and beauty of the production. Wolf Hall is based on the award-winning novels Bring Up the Bodies and Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel, and is directed by Peter Kosminsky. It stars Mark Rylance, Damien Lewis, and Claire Foy. Wolf Hall depicts the events surrounding Thomas Cromwell’s connections with Cardinal Wolsey and with King Henry VIII of England. Thomas Cromwell’s perspective is the main one from which the story is told. The production begins in the period of Thomas Cromwell’s service to Cardinal Wolsey, who…

The Pyramid was released in December 2014, and ‘stars’ Ashley Hinshaw, Denis O’Hare, James Buckley and Christa Nicola; it was directed by Gregory Levasseur. The movie was Levasseur’s first venture into directing, having previously been better known for writing the screenplays for movies such as The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors and Maniac.   It was written by Daniel Meersand and Nick Simon, a writing duo who had previously collaborated on Removal (2010) and The 7th Claus. In a found footage format, The Pyramid follows father and daughter archaeologists, Miles and Nora Holden, in their quest to discover a pyramid (ah, now…

So, you have visited Twitch, Hitbox, and many of the other video game streaming websites. You’ve watched what others do, from the big-name streamers, to the small, and you think you can do it too. Here is what I say: you can do it, with the right equipment and the correct attitude, but most importantly, your attitude is the key ingredient. Let’s start with the basics which you should use and will make you stand out from the others. First, choose your equipment. Now you don’t need state of the art, top of the line PCs that can handle every…