Posts Tagged ‘end’

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Supreme Commander 2


Posted in Gamechangers

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Chris Taylor about the upcoming Supreme Commander 2, which is poised to take real-time strategy gaming to a new level. I want to thank Chris for taking the time to answer my questions and for Barandon, at Mav PR, for arranging the interview.

Questions from Gareth Von Kallenbach
Skewed and Reviewed


1. What is the background and setting for the game?

The game takes place thousands of years in the future. The old Earth Empire that has ruled for so long became split into three factions, fought the Infinite War and then joined forces to fight the Seraphim. But this peace didn’t last, the Coalition leader is assassinated, and hostilities are renewed. You take turns playing one of three Commanders, each one, old friends, and how this friendship impacts the decisions they make while fighting on the battlefield. (more…)

E3 2009: The PC Perspective


Posted in Gamechangers

With this being my first E3, I couldn’t really gauge how much a compact version this was, but after hearing murmurs from the crowds and eager businessmen, this is miniscule compared to the gaudy insanity when E3 was still a ridiculous paroxysm of noise and overeager yelling over the latest trailers for the next big game.

I didn’t feel any of that. I thought E3 ’09 was massive, and I can’t imagine how much bigger it was in its glory days. It really put a lot of things in perspective. Games are a big deal commercially. That was always a known quantity, but seeing the profitability displayed over the course of three days, it really hits home. Games are a business, and it’s a serious one.

And sometimes, it can be a cold one. I always knew games were a business, but again, seeing the business side play out was impacting. As I walked through the food courts and meeting rooms where I could hear myself think, I heard about exclusivity deals, why a publisher should publish their game, and even about company bleeding out its wallet to just barely maintain itself. It was tragic to hear, as I sat there eating my overpriced cheeseburger. (more…)

Review: God of War III


Posted in Gamechangers

God of War III picks up exactly where God of War II left off.  Kratos, defiant, has challenged his father Zeus and threatens the very foundations of Mount Olympus in his bid for vengeance.  Riding astride the Earth Mother Titan Gaia, Kratos ascends the cliff face of Olympus as Zeus dispatches his fellow Gods against the other Titans that threaten his seat of power.

As much strife as Kratos faces, this release has faced more.  With game director David Jaffe leaving Sony of America and creating his own shop, would the God of War series crumble or could it stand up with its predecessors, raising the bar for action titles once again?  I’m very pleased to report that it not only meets the level of the PS2 games, it exceeds it in every conceivable way.  I try to be very objective in my reviews, but brace yourself as I have very little negative to say about God of War III.  Yea…it’s that good. (more…)

Gaming for Money: Trading Game Assets (1)


Posted in Gamechangers

In the world of MMORPGs, one thing you can’t help noticing is that player vs. player (PvP) combat is not typically the central focus of the game, even if they offer certain servers and options that make it possible. While there are almost always ways in which two players can have it out if they both consent, the focus of most MMORPGs so far has been player vs. environment (PvE), where groups of players fight cooperatively against computer controlled monsters. Furthermore, for a host of reasons, PvE is clearly the preference of the overwhelming majority of MMORPG players. Shadowbane set out to change all that by shifting the emphasis onto PvP, team on team conflicts, sieges, and territorial domination. Considering that, because of the obvious imbalances created by level differences between characters, PvP in most MMORPGs leaves a lot to be desired, this was a rather risky move. Today, some gamers consider Shadowbane the only decent option for serious PvPers, while others point to it as a perfect example of why PvP in MMORPGs is, quite simply, no fun.

Background
Player built cities and guilds are central to Shadowbane. Unlike many MMORPGs which have pre-defined realms warring with each other, in SB there are as many sides as players choose to form. Any player with sufficient resources may start a guild, found a city, recruit other players, and lead their kingdom to greatness. Advertorial info: fun games for girls (more…)

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