Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Far Too Long
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It has been way too long since I have gotten out an update. Real life hit pretty hard these past few weeks (nothing serious just a lot of work!) but now I have some time to get things going again. I hope to restart The Arena Run and get a few episodes of that loaded up, I want to make a video with my thoughts about the recent Facebook acquisition of Oculus Rift and what that means to me and other gamers, and I just want to PLAY! With a few great games coming out soon and some that are already out, I want to get some reviews done (Dark Souls 2 for PC, Daylight, Child of Light to name a few) and get some let's play videos out there (I'm thinking of Starbound, State of Decay and Path of Exile to get started). When I have had the time to play, most of it has been sunk into Titanfall which is absolutely amazing in my opinion. A real breath of fresh air in the stagnating FPS market. I just started Infamous: Second Son this past weekend and hope to finish that real soon and get out my thoughts. I got sucked into Pokemon X which is bringing back some strong memories for me (X is the first Pokemon game I have played since the original Red/Blue!). I picked up Octodad and it is a total blast! Such a fun/silly game that I am really enjoying. And finally (fingers crossed) I should be able to stream! I moved my computer a bit and am getting a decent upload speed so I will try that out soon and see if I can get a stable stream going.
One last thing to add is that I recently have been involved with the people over at Black Shell Games who just released their game Sanctuary. Go grab it here, its a free to play RPG and its really great. Also go check out their podcast, which I hope to be joining soon once I get some free time, here.
Just wanted to make a quick post letting you guys know I have not gone anywhere and I am working with some great people to put out more content. Hopefully tomorrow I will get a post about Blizzards new game Heroes of the Storm as I have been involved in the technical alpha, so come back and check that out!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
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Friday, February 28, 2014
Update Time and the Week in Review
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I have been up to a lot this week! I got out 2 videos and I am working on a few more things. I started my episodic show called The Arena Run where I play Hearthstone AND I just posted my Beta impression video for the newly released Rengade X. On top of that, I have plenty more in the works and I hope to be posting a few more videos either this weekend or early next week so keep checking back. I will have a full write up on my thoughts and features run down of the Beta for Rengade X which I have had a lot of fun with so far as you can see in the video. Things are really starting to get going and the sooner I get more followers the sooner I can start doing contests to get rid of all these game keys I have hoarded over the past year or so. With all that said, lets get in to the week that was!
Dean "Rocket" Hall to leaeve Bohemia at the end of the year
OK... Don't Panic! I know it looks bad for DayZ and people are calling it another Early Access failure but Dean Hall has stated before that he was planning on leaving AFTER he hit certain goals with the team at Bohemia. If you follow DayZ's updates you will see that there is a very detailed roadmap in place that brings the development of the game right up to a tentative release to Beta near the end of this year. Assuming all goals are met, I see no problem with Dean leaving to start up another project. If the game is in Beta then that means there are no more core feautres that will be left to be added and the Beta will just be used to uncover and fix bugs before a proper release. I don't see this as Dean taking the money already made by DayZ and running, leaving the game unfinished just that he specifically won't be needed at the company any longer because his input was already taken into account and as I said, all that's left to do in the game is fix bugs. I may be in the minority right now, but I still have 100% faith that DayZ upon proper release will be better than any other zombie survival game on the market right now.
Burial at Sea Part 2 gets 1998 mode
The swansong for Irrational Games. The last part of Burial at Sea is coming and with that, a new game mode that ups the difficulty for the player. As we know, we will be playing Part 2 as Elizabeth and it has been stated that the game will take between 4-6 hours to complete. Hopefully this delivers and is another solid release in the Bioshock franchise. I have no reason to think this final entry into Bioshock by Irrational is a cash grab and I look forward to playing through Part 2. You can check out their blog post about the new mode here and I wish Ken Levine and the rest good luck on any future projects they work on.
Renegade X enters Open Beta
As I stated in the opening of this post, Renegade X has entered Open Beta. A sort of HD update to under-appreciated Command & Conquer Renegade that was put out by a small studio called Totem Arts. They acquired the IP from EA with the only stipulation that they make it free and not monetize it in any way. So far the game has been an absolute BLAST for me. It brings me back years to when I played the original Renegade religiously. It might not be the best shooter or the most polished but it hit me right in the nostalgia when I jumped into my first game. The Command & Conquer franchise is one of my top 3 franchises of all time. It was my first introduction into RTS games and I have loved everything they put out up until Generals (AKA all the games by Westwood). Check it out for yourself, ITS FREE! Get it here and check out my Let's Play below (Sorry for the quality dip halfway through, I will re-render the video and re-upload sometime soon so you get to see it in HD).
That's mainly it for this week. A few good games are coming our way in the month of March so be on the lookout for some more videos and impression posts. I will leave episode 1 of The Arena Run below for you all to watch and as stated above, I am working on tons more content and I can't wait to get it all out to you guys!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
I have been up to a lot this week! I got out 2 videos and I am working on a few more things. I started my episodic show called The Arena Run where I play Hearthstone AND I just posted my Beta impression video for the newly released Rengade X. On top of that, I have plenty more in the works and I hope to be posting a few more videos either this weekend or early next week so keep checking back. I will have a full write up on my thoughts and features run down of the Beta for Rengade X which I have had a lot of fun with so far as you can see in the video. Things are really starting to get going and the sooner I get more followers the sooner I can start doing contests to get rid of all these game keys I have hoarded over the past year or so. With all that said, lets get in to the week that was!
Dean "Rocket" Hall to leaeve Bohemia at the end of the year
OK... Don't Panic! I know it looks bad for DayZ and people are calling it another Early Access failure but Dean Hall has stated before that he was planning on leaving AFTER he hit certain goals with the team at Bohemia. If you follow DayZ's updates you will see that there is a very detailed roadmap in place that brings the development of the game right up to a tentative release to Beta near the end of this year. Assuming all goals are met, I see no problem with Dean leaving to start up another project. If the game is in Beta then that means there are no more core feautres that will be left to be added and the Beta will just be used to uncover and fix bugs before a proper release. I don't see this as Dean taking the money already made by DayZ and running, leaving the game unfinished just that he specifically won't be needed at the company any longer because his input was already taken into account and as I said, all that's left to do in the game is fix bugs. I may be in the minority right now, but I still have 100% faith that DayZ upon proper release will be better than any other zombie survival game on the market right now.
Burial at Sea Part 2 gets 1998 mode
The swansong for Irrational Games. The last part of Burial at Sea is coming and with that, a new game mode that ups the difficulty for the player. As we know, we will be playing Part 2 as Elizabeth and it has been stated that the game will take between 4-6 hours to complete. Hopefully this delivers and is another solid release in the Bioshock franchise. I have no reason to think this final entry into Bioshock by Irrational is a cash grab and I look forward to playing through Part 2. You can check out their blog post about the new mode here and I wish Ken Levine and the rest good luck on any future projects they work on.
Renegade X enters Open Beta
As I stated in the opening of this post, Renegade X has entered Open Beta. A sort of HD update to under-appreciated Command & Conquer Renegade that was put out by a small studio called Totem Arts. They acquired the IP from EA with the only stipulation that they make it free and not monetize it in any way. So far the game has been an absolute BLAST for me. It brings me back years to when I played the original Renegade religiously. It might not be the best shooter or the most polished but it hit me right in the nostalgia when I jumped into my first game. The Command & Conquer franchise is one of my top 3 franchises of all time. It was my first introduction into RTS games and I have loved everything they put out up until Generals (AKA all the games by Westwood). Check it out for yourself, ITS FREE! Get it here and check out my Let's Play below (Sorry for the quality dip halfway through, I will re-render the video and re-upload sometime soon so you get to see it in HD).
That's mainly it for this week. A few good games are coming our way in the month of March so be on the lookout for some more videos and impression posts. I will leave episode 1 of The Arena Run below for you all to watch and as stated above, I am working on tons more content and I can't wait to get it all out to you guys!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
The Arena Run - Episode 1
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I finally did it! I started an episodic gaming adventure! Granted it is only me playing Hearthstone, I hope it will provide tips and give you guys something fun to watch for ~30-45 mins a day. I will be releasing at the very least one episode per week but I hope to make it more (right now I have 3 recorded, I just need the time to edit and upload them) so that will get the ball rolling with content. Take a look if you have not already and let me know what you guys think (constructive criticism works for me. Let me know if my sound levels are right and what I need to do to make it a better viewing experience.) As for other news on my side, I have been playing tons of games lately which include finally getting down to finishing Tomb Raider. I spent a lot of time playing the Beta for Titanfall which will be out in March. I had so much fun playing it and I cannot wait until the official release. Alongside the release of Titanfall, I will be making a review post and video so be on the lookout for that. And as I have said multiple times before... CONTESTS! I have a few formats in mind and I might just do a few different ways of delivering things. As of right now, my internet upload speed is lacking so streaming is not really a strong possibility, but I hope to rectify that problem soon.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Hypersmash.com
I finally did it! I started an episodic gaming adventure! Granted it is only me playing Hearthstone, I hope it will provide tips and give you guys something fun to watch for ~30-45 mins a day. I will be releasing at the very least one episode per week but I hope to make it more (right now I have 3 recorded, I just need the time to edit and upload them) so that will get the ball rolling with content. Take a look if you have not already and let me know what you guys think (constructive criticism works for me. Let me know if my sound levels are right and what I need to do to make it a better viewing experience.) As for other news on my side, I have been playing tons of games lately which include finally getting down to finishing Tomb Raider. I spent a lot of time playing the Beta for Titanfall which will be out in March. I had so much fun playing it and I cannot wait until the official release. Alongside the release of Titanfall, I will be making a review post and video so be on the lookout for that. And as I have said multiple times before... CONTESTS! I have a few formats in mind and I might just do a few different ways of delivering things. As of right now, my internet upload speed is lacking so streaming is not really a strong possibility, but I hope to rectify that problem soon.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Hypersmash.com
Friday, February 7, 2014
Week in Review (Back on track!)
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Where to start? Well 2 weeks ago I actually had my whole week in review typed up and ready to go... and then never posted it! It has been a crazy couple of weeks where I was bogged down by tons of work so I was unable to do much of anything (except when I did have time, I FINALLY got around to beating Mass Effect 2 which was a masterpiece in storytelling). Anyway, I have the time now and I even recorded some Starbound footage last night that I will be posting shortly so be on the lookout for that and lets get right into the week that was:
Dungeon Keeper mobile embodies everything wrong with EA and F2P
Way to ruin another piece of my childhood EA! Dungeon Keeper was an amazing game when it came out in 1997. I had tons of fun and spent many hours building up my dungeon and destroying anyone who dared enter and try to steal from me! Fast forward to present day and this abomination has been unleashed on us. At first reports, I was intrigued of a port of an old classic, but the more and more information I read about Dungeon Keeper Mobile, the more and more I get angry. EA has put up pay-wall after pay-wall into the game which really sours the experience. Look, I get micro-transactions to an extent. The company is releasing the game for free so there should be some way for them to make a few bucks here and there. I understand micro-transactions that give a little boost to the experience or make the game a little bit easier (I probably won't play your game though, but I see why companies do it). The way EA has weaved micro-transactions into this game are truly despicable. The game is unplayable without paying more and more. Reviewers everywhere are wrecking EA and gamers are furious. If you want, give it a quick try but be warned, you will be basically forced to have to pay to actually get anything of substance out of the game. I feel after this I should make a video about my feelings towards the F2P model and what games get it right and what games, such as Dungeon Keeper Mobile, get it horribly, horribly wrong.
Titanfall requires Origin on PC. Beta details coming soon
No surprise here. Titanfall will be exclusive to Origin on PC. No Steam release which makes sense for EA considering they have done the same with Battlefield 3/4, Dead Space 3 and Mass Effect 3. EA wants to bolster Origin's lineup and get Origin on as many computers it can. I have my gripes about Origin but that won't keep me from getting Titanfall. The game is very high on my list of releases this year and I cannot wait to play. That being said, Respawn has announced that the details to get into the Beta will be coming soon, so I will patiently await that info and try to get in to get a head start.
Outlast releases on PS4 (Free for PS+ members)
Not a totally new release but it is another title to launch on the PS4. I already picked it up and installed the game so tonight or tomorrow night I will be live streaming it in my pitch black apartment with my girlfriend. Should be fun, and from what I have heard it is immensely scary so I can't wait to get into it.
Steam unveils Steam Music
Interesting addition to the Steam family. It was noted as coming late last year when Valve unveiled SteamOS and their concept for Steam Machines. Steam Music seems like just another app that gives more versatility to the SteamOS as a whole. A desktop and controller based app that can stream your own music while playing games or while just sitting around or throwing a party. Steam is moving into the living room and I hope it pays off in the end.
That's all for this week. Like I said, I will be trying to stream some Outlast either tonight or tomorrow so catch me on Twitch (twitch.tv/im_gonna_die) and watch me cry out with terror! I also will be uploading my Starbound video soon and I have a couple of videos I want to make concerning topics in the industry.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Where to start? Well 2 weeks ago I actually had my whole week in review typed up and ready to go... and then never posted it! It has been a crazy couple of weeks where I was bogged down by tons of work so I was unable to do much of anything (except when I did have time, I FINALLY got around to beating Mass Effect 2 which was a masterpiece in storytelling). Anyway, I have the time now and I even recorded some Starbound footage last night that I will be posting shortly so be on the lookout for that and lets get right into the week that was:
Dungeon Keeper mobile embodies everything wrong with EA and F2P
Way to ruin another piece of my childhood EA! Dungeon Keeper was an amazing game when it came out in 1997. I had tons of fun and spent many hours building up my dungeon and destroying anyone who dared enter and try to steal from me! Fast forward to present day and this abomination has been unleashed on us. At first reports, I was intrigued of a port of an old classic, but the more and more information I read about Dungeon Keeper Mobile, the more and more I get angry. EA has put up pay-wall after pay-wall into the game which really sours the experience. Look, I get micro-transactions to an extent. The company is releasing the game for free so there should be some way for them to make a few bucks here and there. I understand micro-transactions that give a little boost to the experience or make the game a little bit easier (I probably won't play your game though, but I see why companies do it). The way EA has weaved micro-transactions into this game are truly despicable. The game is unplayable without paying more and more. Reviewers everywhere are wrecking EA and gamers are furious. If you want, give it a quick try but be warned, you will be basically forced to have to pay to actually get anything of substance out of the game. I feel after this I should make a video about my feelings towards the F2P model and what games get it right and what games, such as Dungeon Keeper Mobile, get it horribly, horribly wrong.
Titanfall requires Origin on PC. Beta details coming soon
No surprise here. Titanfall will be exclusive to Origin on PC. No Steam release which makes sense for EA considering they have done the same with Battlefield 3/4, Dead Space 3 and Mass Effect 3. EA wants to bolster Origin's lineup and get Origin on as many computers it can. I have my gripes about Origin but that won't keep me from getting Titanfall. The game is very high on my list of releases this year and I cannot wait to play. That being said, Respawn has announced that the details to get into the Beta will be coming soon, so I will patiently await that info and try to get in to get a head start.
Outlast releases on PS4 (Free for PS+ members)
Not a totally new release but it is another title to launch on the PS4. I already picked it up and installed the game so tonight or tomorrow night I will be live streaming it in my pitch black apartment with my girlfriend. Should be fun, and from what I have heard it is immensely scary so I can't wait to get into it.
Steam unveils Steam Music
Interesting addition to the Steam family. It was noted as coming late last year when Valve unveiled SteamOS and their concept for Steam Machines. Steam Music seems like just another app that gives more versatility to the SteamOS as a whole. A desktop and controller based app that can stream your own music while playing games or while just sitting around or throwing a party. Steam is moving into the living room and I hope it pays off in the end.
That's all for this week. Like I said, I will be trying to stream some Outlast either tonight or tomorrow so catch me on Twitch (twitch.tv/im_gonna_die) and watch me cry out with terror! I also will be uploading my Starbound video soon and I have a couple of videos I want to make concerning topics in the industry.
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Friday, January 17, 2014
Back from Hiatus and Week in Review
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So I know I talked a lot about posting more but I failed. Ultimately the holidays took up a lot of my time and then my job required a lot of my attention right after so I was unable to get some posts put together. Moving forward I there may be short spans of these "breaks" due to my schedule. I will try my best to get as much content as I can out there. I hope to set up a streaming schedule where I have dedicated times during the week that I will be able to at the very least stream some games for you all. I plan on getting that schedule going very soon and I want to kick off the stream with a huge 24-hour charity stream! I will officially announce the date and the charity shortly and I hope I can create a lot of buzz for a good cause and to get me off my feet.
Until that all gets sorted out, I still plan on trying to get out my Friday week in reviews and hopefully a few other opinion articles. I also plan on uploading some casts of Starcraft and Starbow and possibly a lets play or two in between (If you don't know what Starbow is look it up here).
Anyway lets get down to business and take a look at what went on this week
Sim City offline is coming
When Sim City was released last year it was no where near a smooth launch, in fact it was probably one of the worst launches in gaming history. Plagued with players unable to connect to servers and a whole mess of other bugs, it is about time that an offline mode is coming for Sim City. As far as I am concerned, it is too little too late for the game and I highly doubt this will skyrocket the title up the charts. I personally have not played a Sim City game since the good old days when Maxis was running things and from what I hear, its a good thing I stopped there. The latest title is a mess and will remain a mess and a black mark on this once beloved franchise. EA needs to get their shit together when it comes to their games. How about instead of milking the fans for every dime they have with micro transactions in crappy games, make a quality, stable game that fans will love and invest into on their own without being forced to. It works for other companies but EA seems to be too greedy and is only concerned about lining their already rich pockets.
Elder Scrolls Online price points announced
I've played the Beta, I've seen the reports, and this is the final nail in the coffin. The Elder Scrolls Online will be officially priced at $60 for purchase and $15 subscription fee per month. To be completely 100% honest, I fully believe this game will fail. I see no redeeming factors that will lift this game over competitors to keep it sustainable at these price points. I will gladly wait until Elder Scrolls VI to come out than play this abomination/cash grab. I'm sure some people will play it and really enjoy it, but this is not the game for me and the price points officially buried any chance that I was ever going to play this game once it's released.
AGDQ raises over $1 million for charity
I was always aware of the speed running community but I never actually watched kids run games as fast as they could until this past week when Awesome Games Done Quick held their annual winter event to raise money to fight cancer. I first tuned in and watched their MegaMan block and as you all know, MegaMan is my favorite gaming character of all time so I was interested in seeing it. After watching a speedrun of MegaMan 2 I was hooked! For the next few days all I did was watch speedrun after speedrun of some great classic games. Speedrunning is a niche scene and may not be for everyone but these guys did a great job making everything run super smooth and some SOME! runners had entertaining personalities. In the end they raised over $1 million and I got to see a lot of great runs. I highly suggest going through their archives and watching a few. Here were my highlights:
MegaMan Block
Castlevania SOTN
Super Meatboy
Borderlands 2
Mario Block
Thats all for this week. I wanted to keep it short and just let everyone know I am back and I will try my best to pump out content on a regular basis. I hope to have a streaming schedule nailed down in the next few weeks so I actually have something to stick to so look out for that. As I stated above, I will also be setting up a 24 hour charity stream in the not too distant future where I will play tons of games for a good cause (I will also be giving out game codes I have!) Keep checking back and I will see you guys out in the Wasteland!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
So I know I talked a lot about posting more but I failed. Ultimately the holidays took up a lot of my time and then my job required a lot of my attention right after so I was unable to get some posts put together. Moving forward I there may be short spans of these "breaks" due to my schedule. I will try my best to get as much content as I can out there. I hope to set up a streaming schedule where I have dedicated times during the week that I will be able to at the very least stream some games for you all. I plan on getting that schedule going very soon and I want to kick off the stream with a huge 24-hour charity stream! I will officially announce the date and the charity shortly and I hope I can create a lot of buzz for a good cause and to get me off my feet.
Until that all gets sorted out, I still plan on trying to get out my Friday week in reviews and hopefully a few other opinion articles. I also plan on uploading some casts of Starcraft and Starbow and possibly a lets play or two in between (If you don't know what Starbow is look it up here).
Anyway lets get down to business and take a look at what went on this week
Sim City offline is coming
When Sim City was released last year it was no where near a smooth launch, in fact it was probably one of the worst launches in gaming history. Plagued with players unable to connect to servers and a whole mess of other bugs, it is about time that an offline mode is coming for Sim City. As far as I am concerned, it is too little too late for the game and I highly doubt this will skyrocket the title up the charts. I personally have not played a Sim City game since the good old days when Maxis was running things and from what I hear, its a good thing I stopped there. The latest title is a mess and will remain a mess and a black mark on this once beloved franchise. EA needs to get their shit together when it comes to their games. How about instead of milking the fans for every dime they have with micro transactions in crappy games, make a quality, stable game that fans will love and invest into on their own without being forced to. It works for other companies but EA seems to be too greedy and is only concerned about lining their already rich pockets.
Elder Scrolls Online price points announced
I've played the Beta, I've seen the reports, and this is the final nail in the coffin. The Elder Scrolls Online will be officially priced at $60 for purchase and $15 subscription fee per month. To be completely 100% honest, I fully believe this game will fail. I see no redeeming factors that will lift this game over competitors to keep it sustainable at these price points. I will gladly wait until Elder Scrolls VI to come out than play this abomination/cash grab. I'm sure some people will play it and really enjoy it, but this is not the game for me and the price points officially buried any chance that I was ever going to play this game once it's released.
AGDQ raises over $1 million for charity
I was always aware of the speed running community but I never actually watched kids run games as fast as they could until this past week when Awesome Games Done Quick held their annual winter event to raise money to fight cancer. I first tuned in and watched their MegaMan block and as you all know, MegaMan is my favorite gaming character of all time so I was interested in seeing it. After watching a speedrun of MegaMan 2 I was hooked! For the next few days all I did was watch speedrun after speedrun of some great classic games. Speedrunning is a niche scene and may not be for everyone but these guys did a great job making everything run super smooth and some SOME! runners had entertaining personalities. In the end they raised over $1 million and I got to see a lot of great runs. I highly suggest going through their archives and watching a few. Here were my highlights:
MegaMan Block
Castlevania SOTN
Super Meatboy
Borderlands 2
Mario Block
Thats all for this week. I wanted to keep it short and just let everyone know I am back and I will try my best to pump out content on a regular basis. I hope to have a streaming schedule nailed down in the next few weeks so I actually have something to stick to so look out for that. As I stated above, I will also be setting up a 24 hour charity stream in the not too distant future where I will play tons of games for a good cause (I will also be giving out game codes I have!) Keep checking back and I will see you guys out in the Wasteland!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.hypersmash.com
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Game of the Year
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2013 is nearing an end and what a year it has been. There have been some really amazing games released this year plus the launch of the Xbox One and PS4, the industry is booming. Now I did not play ANY console exclusive releases this year so that means my list may lack a few important titles but I do believe at the very least, I should give honorable mentions to the following:
The Last of Us (PS3)
Super Mario World 3D (WiiU)
Zelda: A link between worlds (3DS)
Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox 360, PS3)
Hopefully next year I will be able to play GTA V, The Last of Us and Zelda (I recently bought a PS4 which has plans to bring PS3 games over next year using their Gaikai system and I also got a 3DS) so I can comment further and experience some of the top games I missed. Anyway, back to business. The time has come to reveal my list for Game of the Year!
10. Hammerwatch
Insanely addicting game that brings me back to the days of the original Gauntlet for NES. I have gotten tons of enjoyment out of this simple hack/slash game released in August. The game is very straightforward and very easy to get into. I made my first Let's Play video to this game and finally got around to playing the game multiplayer last night which adds a whole new level of crazy fun to the game. Hammerwatch further proved to me that you don't need a AAA budget with state of the art graphical fidelity to create one of the best games of the year.
9. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
While not exactly a fully released game, Blood Dragon was an expandalone title following Far Cry 3 from last year. To me, Blood Dragon was what Duke Nukem Forever wanted to be. Incredibly fun and overall an enjoyable experience. The game itself is a bit on the short side but what do want from a $15 DLC that you don't even need the original game to run? Blood Dragon captured everything I love about 80's culture. The soundtrack, the futuristic setting, the voice acting, the story, all incredibly cheesy but in a fun, nostalgic way.
8. Monaco
Simply, one of the best Co-Op experiences ever. Monaco is a game in which up to 4 players work together to get through each level pulling off various heists. The more players, the more chaos, the more fun! The sound design is great and the visual elements in the game are beautiful. The gameplay is very very simple and really lets the player focus on the heist at hand instead of fumbling around the keys to perform specific actions to get to the next stage. The one flaw I have with the game is that the single player while good, is not great. It is a great way to learn the game but other than that it is rather boring alone so pick it up and bring friends!
7. ARMA III
Pushing graphics to the next level, ARMA III may melt your machine but its SO WORTH IT! A lot of people prefer Call of Duty or Battlefield because they are more accessible to the average gamer but ARMA III is hands down the best modern war experience of the year. The engine is truly the next step up and the immersion factor cannot be denied. And with the full release out now, next year I expect to see mods mods and more mods created by the community. ARMA III, while flying under the radar with major reviewers this year, is the best military experience in a game to date.
6. Don't Starve
This quirky rogue-like game brought me great enjoyment. I usually don't really like rogue-like games but this one stuck with me. The art direction and the oddly satisfying sounds were a nice touch to this game of survival. The crafting system is easy to use and the game has a very high replay factor. The Tim Burton-esque style of this game is what first caught my eye and after playing for a while I can firmly state that Don't Starve was one of the years best. If you are looking for a good challenge while still able to relax and enjoy a game on your own, go grab it.
5. Tomb Raider
I never played any Tomb Raider games prior to this installment and to say this was a delight was an understatement. This being my first introduction to the Tomb Raider franchise blew my mind. Great overall story, great graphics, great gameplay. Tomb Raider had it all for me. The survival aspects that were woven into the game really played well and the grim setting was perfect for the game. The overall level design really helped this game for me. There were no repetitive tombs and the combat was fluid and memorable for me. And how could I go on and on and not mention the VOICE ACTING! Everyone did such a great job on this and I am looking forward to the next installment and I am eager to get into the backlog of the franchise. Square Enix handled the game very well and they deserve all the praise in the world for reviving a stale franchise. (Oh and HAIR PHYSICS!!!)
4. Bioshock Infinite
I love the original Bioshock, it is one of my favorite games of all time and was one of the very few "life changing" games I have ever played. I must say that my expectations were not incredibly high for Infinite just because of how good the original was and then how underwhelming (Note* Not Bad!) Bioshock 2 was. Playing through Infinite brought back some of the nostalgia of the original for me in that the world was vibrant and full of interesting nuances so that was a plus. While the overall combat system was a bit flawed, the story 100% made up for that. In my opinion the story of Infinite is the second best of the year (first is coming up soon!) and the world of Colombia was everything I wanted it to be and more. Elizabeth, while a sort of handicap during combat, was an incredible character and really made the game a triumph. The voice acting in general was AMAZING (Troy Baker deserves all the praise in the world for the year he had) and really pushed the game over the edge in terms of making it a memorable game. Bioshock Infinite, while not as good as the original, was one of the most immersive and visually impressive games of the year.
3. Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
This is my biased choice. Sorry, I love Starcraft and Heart of the Swarm pushed the game further in terms of gameplay and competitiveness. While the campaign lacked a bit of charm, the game really shines in Multiplayer. I follow the Starcraft e-sports scene very closely and the innovations (haha get it?) that HOTS brought to the table really showed this year in tournaments. When Wings of Liberty was getting stale towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year, HOTS really stepped up and gave new life into the game. The balance patches continue to be churned out and Blizzard is really stepping up and listening to community feedback and it showed in HOTS. I cannot wait to see what Legacy of the Void brings to the table and how the scene will grow next year but right now, Starcraft is the most skillful e-sport out there. I said that correct. While I enjoy DOTA and respect the immensely popular League of Legends, when it comes to skill, Starcraft outshines any MOBA game. One on one, mind vs mind, Starcraft is our generations chess.
2. Path of Exile
What Diablo III should have been. That's the first line I always give when someone asks me about Path of Exile. At first glance, the Free to Play tag may scare some people away who might think that there are tons of micro-transactions within the game that make it more of a "Pay to Win" title. This is 100% not the case. The developer, Grinding Gear Games, implements what they call "ethical micro-transactions" meaning anything you can buy in game does not actually affect the gameplay (ex. all transactions are purely cosmetic). Grinding Gear Games developers put their all into creating this and it shows. The passion that the development team had made me as a player feel comfortable enough to trust them and they delivered on their product and then some. PoE was everything I wanted in Diablo III and more. The skill tree is MASSIVE and the gameplay brought me right back to the much loved Diablo II days. While I keep mentioning Diablo, don't confuse that with me trying to say this is a clone of the game, PoE is not a clone, it is its own entity that adds new elements to the Action RPG genre. Go pick it up on Steam if you don't have it yet and I guarantee you will fall in love with it if you are a fan of Action RPGs. Go get it now and I will see you out on Wraeclast.
GOTY. Metro: Last Light
One of the most immersive experiences I have ever had in a game to date. Metro: Last Light is a hauntingly beautiful game that is hands down the best of the year. In a year filled with tons of heavy hitting titles, Metro comes out on top for me because I felt like I was part of the world throughout the entire game. The gameplay feels perfect and the graphics are (in my opinion) the years best. I had such a great time playing through and I do expect I will be returning soon to play through again. The original Metro 2033 was a good game when I played it but that's it, just a good game. Last Light expanded on the world of Metro and the developers over at 4A Games really stepped up and put their all to deliver. With all that said I must give all the praise in the world to 4A Games. What they had to endure during the development cycle and then put out a game as amazing as this really shows their passion for the game. It was stated by former THQ president Jason Rubin that the development team faced extremely difficult working conditions, "From unreasonable budget demands, to literally freezing office working conditions due to frequent power failures, to having to smuggle computer equipment into the offices to avoid corrupt customs officials. Rubin goes on to say, “If you care about the art of making games then you have to care about more than the final product,” and “The struggle and the journey becomes part of the story. Like sport, you cheer when the underdog comes from behind, and triumphs in the face of incredible odds."" And boy, did 4A Games triumph with this masterpiece. I suggest you all go out and experience the beauty that is Metro: Last Light and you will see why it is my pick for Game of the Year and why it deserves that title.
Wow! So many amazing games this year and I only could choose 10 to include on the list! I cannot wait to see what next year holds in store for us with the next gen console releases, that means more quality games are coming our way. Right now I can say the big titles on my list for next year are: Titanfall, Destiny, Metal Gear Solid, Watch_Dogs, Dark Souls II, Infamous: Second Son, and The Division. Here's to next year and I hope to see everyone out in the wasteland!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.Hypersmash.com
2013 is nearing an end and what a year it has been. There have been some really amazing games released this year plus the launch of the Xbox One and PS4, the industry is booming. Now I did not play ANY console exclusive releases this year so that means my list may lack a few important titles but I do believe at the very least, I should give honorable mentions to the following:
The Last of Us (PS3)
Super Mario World 3D (WiiU)
Zelda: A link between worlds (3DS)
Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox 360, PS3)
Hopefully next year I will be able to play GTA V, The Last of Us and Zelda (I recently bought a PS4 which has plans to bring PS3 games over next year using their Gaikai system and I also got a 3DS) so I can comment further and experience some of the top games I missed. Anyway, back to business. The time has come to reveal my list for Game of the Year!
10. Hammerwatch
Insanely addicting game that brings me back to the days of the original Gauntlet for NES. I have gotten tons of enjoyment out of this simple hack/slash game released in August. The game is very straightforward and very easy to get into. I made my first Let's Play video to this game and finally got around to playing the game multiplayer last night which adds a whole new level of crazy fun to the game. Hammerwatch further proved to me that you don't need a AAA budget with state of the art graphical fidelity to create one of the best games of the year.
9. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
While not exactly a fully released game, Blood Dragon was an expandalone title following Far Cry 3 from last year. To me, Blood Dragon was what Duke Nukem Forever wanted to be. Incredibly fun and overall an enjoyable experience. The game itself is a bit on the short side but what do want from a $15 DLC that you don't even need the original game to run? Blood Dragon captured everything I love about 80's culture. The soundtrack, the futuristic setting, the voice acting, the story, all incredibly cheesy but in a fun, nostalgic way.
8. Monaco
Simply, one of the best Co-Op experiences ever. Monaco is a game in which up to 4 players work together to get through each level pulling off various heists. The more players, the more chaos, the more fun! The sound design is great and the visual elements in the game are beautiful. The gameplay is very very simple and really lets the player focus on the heist at hand instead of fumbling around the keys to perform specific actions to get to the next stage. The one flaw I have with the game is that the single player while good, is not great. It is a great way to learn the game but other than that it is rather boring alone so pick it up and bring friends!
7. ARMA III
Pushing graphics to the next level, ARMA III may melt your machine but its SO WORTH IT! A lot of people prefer Call of Duty or Battlefield because they are more accessible to the average gamer but ARMA III is hands down the best modern war experience of the year. The engine is truly the next step up and the immersion factor cannot be denied. And with the full release out now, next year I expect to see mods mods and more mods created by the community. ARMA III, while flying under the radar with major reviewers this year, is the best military experience in a game to date.
6. Don't Starve
This quirky rogue-like game brought me great enjoyment. I usually don't really like rogue-like games but this one stuck with me. The art direction and the oddly satisfying sounds were a nice touch to this game of survival. The crafting system is easy to use and the game has a very high replay factor. The Tim Burton-esque style of this game is what first caught my eye and after playing for a while I can firmly state that Don't Starve was one of the years best. If you are looking for a good challenge while still able to relax and enjoy a game on your own, go grab it.
5. Tomb Raider
I never played any Tomb Raider games prior to this installment and to say this was a delight was an understatement. This being my first introduction to the Tomb Raider franchise blew my mind. Great overall story, great graphics, great gameplay. Tomb Raider had it all for me. The survival aspects that were woven into the game really played well and the grim setting was perfect for the game. The overall level design really helped this game for me. There were no repetitive tombs and the combat was fluid and memorable for me. And how could I go on and on and not mention the VOICE ACTING! Everyone did such a great job on this and I am looking forward to the next installment and I am eager to get into the backlog of the franchise. Square Enix handled the game very well and they deserve all the praise in the world for reviving a stale franchise. (Oh and HAIR PHYSICS!!!)
4. Bioshock Infinite
I love the original Bioshock, it is one of my favorite games of all time and was one of the very few "life changing" games I have ever played. I must say that my expectations were not incredibly high for Infinite just because of how good the original was and then how underwhelming (Note* Not Bad!) Bioshock 2 was. Playing through Infinite brought back some of the nostalgia of the original for me in that the world was vibrant and full of interesting nuances so that was a plus. While the overall combat system was a bit flawed, the story 100% made up for that. In my opinion the story of Infinite is the second best of the year (first is coming up soon!) and the world of Colombia was everything I wanted it to be and more. Elizabeth, while a sort of handicap during combat, was an incredible character and really made the game a triumph. The voice acting in general was AMAZING (Troy Baker deserves all the praise in the world for the year he had) and really pushed the game over the edge in terms of making it a memorable game. Bioshock Infinite, while not as good as the original, was one of the most immersive and visually impressive games of the year.
3. Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
This is my biased choice. Sorry, I love Starcraft and Heart of the Swarm pushed the game further in terms of gameplay and competitiveness. While the campaign lacked a bit of charm, the game really shines in Multiplayer. I follow the Starcraft e-sports scene very closely and the innovations (haha get it?) that HOTS brought to the table really showed this year in tournaments. When Wings of Liberty was getting stale towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year, HOTS really stepped up and gave new life into the game. The balance patches continue to be churned out and Blizzard is really stepping up and listening to community feedback and it showed in HOTS. I cannot wait to see what Legacy of the Void brings to the table and how the scene will grow next year but right now, Starcraft is the most skillful e-sport out there. I said that correct. While I enjoy DOTA and respect the immensely popular League of Legends, when it comes to skill, Starcraft outshines any MOBA game. One on one, mind vs mind, Starcraft is our generations chess.
2. Path of Exile
What Diablo III should have been. That's the first line I always give when someone asks me about Path of Exile. At first glance, the Free to Play tag may scare some people away who might think that there are tons of micro-transactions within the game that make it more of a "Pay to Win" title. This is 100% not the case. The developer, Grinding Gear Games, implements what they call "ethical micro-transactions" meaning anything you can buy in game does not actually affect the gameplay (ex. all transactions are purely cosmetic). Grinding Gear Games developers put their all into creating this and it shows. The passion that the development team had made me as a player feel comfortable enough to trust them and they delivered on their product and then some. PoE was everything I wanted in Diablo III and more. The skill tree is MASSIVE and the gameplay brought me right back to the much loved Diablo II days. While I keep mentioning Diablo, don't confuse that with me trying to say this is a clone of the game, PoE is not a clone, it is its own entity that adds new elements to the Action RPG genre. Go pick it up on Steam if you don't have it yet and I guarantee you will fall in love with it if you are a fan of Action RPGs. Go get it now and I will see you out on Wraeclast.
GOTY. Metro: Last Light
One of the most immersive experiences I have ever had in a game to date. Metro: Last Light is a hauntingly beautiful game that is hands down the best of the year. In a year filled with tons of heavy hitting titles, Metro comes out on top for me because I felt like I was part of the world throughout the entire game. The gameplay feels perfect and the graphics are (in my opinion) the years best. I had such a great time playing through and I do expect I will be returning soon to play through again. The original Metro 2033 was a good game when I played it but that's it, just a good game. Last Light expanded on the world of Metro and the developers over at 4A Games really stepped up and put their all to deliver. With all that said I must give all the praise in the world to 4A Games. What they had to endure during the development cycle and then put out a game as amazing as this really shows their passion for the game. It was stated by former THQ president Jason Rubin that the development team faced extremely difficult working conditions, "From unreasonable budget demands, to literally freezing office working conditions due to frequent power failures, to having to smuggle computer equipment into the offices to avoid corrupt customs officials. Rubin goes on to say, “If you care about the art of making games then you have to care about more than the final product,” and “The struggle and the journey becomes part of the story. Like sport, you cheer when the underdog comes from behind, and triumphs in the face of incredible odds."" And boy, did 4A Games triumph with this masterpiece. I suggest you all go out and experience the beauty that is Metro: Last Light and you will see why it is my pick for Game of the Year and why it deserves that title.
Wow! So many amazing games this year and I only could choose 10 to include on the list! I cannot wait to see what next year holds in store for us with the next gen console releases, that means more quality games are coming our way. Right now I can say the big titles on my list for next year are: Titanfall, Destiny, Metal Gear Solid, Watch_Dogs, Dark Souls II, Infamous: Second Son, and The Division. Here's to next year and I hope to see everyone out in the wasteland!
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
www.Hypersmash.com
Monday, December 16, 2013
Let's Play! Hammerwatch
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Over this past weekend while I was waiting out the snow storm that hit CT, I put together my first Let's Play video! I choose the game Hammerwatch from my long list of games frankly because it is relaxing and nostalgic for me and the day called for a very laid back, lazy playthrough that I could mindlessly drone through. That in no way means that I think Hammerwatch is a bad game, in fact, it is up there with one of the best games of the year for me! Sure its not story driven and it doesn't have "OMG NEXT GEN GRAPHICS!", like i said, it is a nostalgic trip back to when I was growing up and playing NES games. Hammerwatch is a throwback to the old hack n slash games such as Gauntlet which I spent hours playing as a child. The boss fights are very enjoyable and the game itself is extremely enjoyable with friends. Go grab it on Steam and check out my Let's Play below.
Overall the gameplay is straight forward and the classes are pretty self explainitory. Playing the game singleplayer is sort of dull but I enjoyed it and playing with friends is a blast. Grab Hammerwatch here.
7/10
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Hyper Smash
Over this past weekend while I was waiting out the snow storm that hit CT, I put together my first Let's Play video! I choose the game Hammerwatch from my long list of games frankly because it is relaxing and nostalgic for me and the day called for a very laid back, lazy playthrough that I could mindlessly drone through. That in no way means that I think Hammerwatch is a bad game, in fact, it is up there with one of the best games of the year for me! Sure its not story driven and it doesn't have "OMG NEXT GEN GRAPHICS!", like i said, it is a nostalgic trip back to when I was growing up and playing NES games. Hammerwatch is a throwback to the old hack n slash games such as Gauntlet which I spent hours playing as a child. The boss fights are very enjoyable and the game itself is extremely enjoyable with friends. Go grab it on Steam and check out my Let's Play below.
Overall the gameplay is straight forward and the classes are pretty self explainitory. Playing the game singleplayer is sort of dull but I enjoyed it and playing with friends is a blast. Grab Hammerwatch here.
7/10
Thanks for reading and until next time:
Like it: https://www.facebook.com/TheOnlySurvivor
Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/user/theonlysurvivordan
Follow it: Follow @IMxGONNAxDIE
Hyper Smash
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