Blog about Gaming, Computers and Technology

Assassins Creed Brotherhood on Playstation 3.

Do we really need another Assassins Creed title? Should Ubisoft have just moved on or does the new Assassins Creed Brotherhood really bring new and innovative elements to the series? Here, Vinny Lane from Playstation 3 Video Games reviews ACB with a view to answering these questions.

So what is it?

Assassins Creed Brotherhood is the third installment of the mass hits Assassins Creed (launch Nov 2007) and Assassins Creed II (launch Nov 2009). These two titles were one of the biggest hits in both 2007 and 2009 and were great games in their own right so we eagerly awaited the release to find out if Ubisoft had kept up the great work.

Assassins Creed Brotherhood is not so much a sequel to AC but more of a follow on from ACII as it is set in renaissance Rome (ACII was also in Italy). For those that have never played any of the Assassin titles before you play a guy set in the present day called Desmond. Now Desmond has a device called “animus” which allows him to relive the memories of his long ago ancestor Ezio. Ezio was the leader of the Assassins who spent all thier time battling with the Templars. At the end of ACII Ezio managed to kill off (in explosive style) the leader of the Templars, Rodrigo Borgia.

This is where Assassins Creed Brotherhood takes up the story. You still are Desmond and you still use the “Animus” to relive the memories of Ezio and the gameplay still flits back and fen past and present day.The only difference to the overall theme is that it is more city based and that city is Rome.

Now, after old Ezio killed of Rodrigo all thought the world would settle down and be peaceful for ever more. Obviously someone forgot to tell Rodrigos son, Cesare, this as he is now hell bent on exacting his revenge on Ezio. At the start of ACB Cesare gets revenge by battling the Assassins and crushing Ezio who ends up with nothing. Cesare is the powerhouse in Rome and totally controls the 12 districts with soldiers based in towers called (funnily enough) Borgia Towers. Each district has a Borgia Tower which has to be defeated by Ezio and his brotherhood so that trade and business can flourish (this is how Ezio builds wealth).

The rest of ACB is a series of missions that Ezio completes that ends with the downfall of a Tower. Each Tower that falls means that district can now come under Ezios control and he has a lot esier time doing stuff (like building banks, opening tailor shops etc) which he must do to create wealth.

At this point I will mention the backdrop of renaissance Rome. It is stunning. So graphically rich and excrutiating attention to detail really sets ACB above the previous 2 titles. Unfortunately, that is one of the only things that is noticebly different.

Due to each mission being very similar in their structure and they have not really changed from AC and ACII this leaves the player feeling that it is a little monotonus. The gameplay has not been enhanced enough from the originals to make it a great game. The setting has but the gameplay has not.

The game has also got a lot easier. It is easier to kill adversaries due to the new weapons that have become available. This means you can now just shoot them from range instead of sneeking up using stealth and killing them from close quarters, one of the finer points of the original games.

What Else is New?

There are some more additons that Ubisoft have introduced apart from spectacular scenery.

Assassins Creed Brotherhood is MULTIPLAYER! Yes, they have finally got round to letting people join up online and take part in 4 types of gameplay. Wanted, Advanced Wanted (which are hunt them down free for alls) Alliance and Manhunt (which are team based). I must say that this is an excellent addition. The gameplay is quite unique and is a refreshing change from the regular deathmatch or Capture the flaf type of games

Other additions in the single player game include the ability to recruit assassins, tweaks to combat modes and the ability to ride your horse anywhere (which was sadly missing in the first 2 titles).

So should I get it?

Assassins Creed Brotherhood is definitely worth buying, even if it is just for the multiplayer mode. The improvements to the graphics, combat and creating a “brotherhood” are great touches and should keep you playing this game for ages. The only downside is that I wish they had improved the structure of the missions as they do get a little “samey” after completing a few of them. For this reason I have given Assassins Creed Brotherhood 4 out of 5 stars on my review site Playstation 3 Video Games.

Tired of having to deal with lost or damaged game discs? If you are, then learning how to backup game discs will prove to be quite helpful. Game Backup System is one of those game copying software packages that will allow you to copy and backup practically any game title that you would not want to say goodbye to.

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Game Backup System can be your ultimate partner in learning how to backup game discs. It is a great software solution that can help you make perfect copies or backups of your most favorite games. This software can help you make 1:1 copies of your favorite console game titles, including those for Nintendo Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360.

This game copying software has been designed to be as easy and simple to use as possible. Practically anyone can use it – it does not require you to have any technical knowledge before you can use it. With this game copying software, you will never have to bid farewell to any game title because you have damaged or lost its game disc.

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With the boom of the internet reaching an all time high and the online gaming communities evolving rapidly more and more online gaming sites are appearing. But what are these online gaming sites?

Some of these sites are set out for serious gamers and online games such as “world of warcraft” have massive followings with hundreds of thousands of players. Other online games are aimed at the less intense gamer, with fun games such as those that poop up on all the social networking sites where it is easy to play and join in games with your friends.

Other online gaming sites offer people free sign up and a chance to win real prizes whilst playing against real people. See link below for the best free online gaming site that offers the best free prizes.

It is believed that the thrill of taking on real people in live time in highly detailed high level graphics games is the real thrill for the millions of online gamers. It has become so big that the companies that make the games consoles have had to join in this revolution by introducing online play for there games, such as the X box live.

There are many sites on the internet that offer live gaming, some that offer prizes (see link below) and others that are played just for the thrill of the game and taking on real people instead of just a computer. It is safe to say though that this online gaming review believes that online gaming is the real way forward for the computer game and will evolve more and more in coming years.

You dont just play Wii, you experience it!

Since its launch in 2006, the Wii has quickly revolutionized the console gaming market. Not only have its motion sensitive controls grabbed the excitement of avid gamers, but Wii has truly been the first console to say Games are for the whole family.

To truly understand how Wii revolutionizes gaming, you have to try it for yourself. Quite simply, Wii is for everyone. The ease of use and interactivity of the Wii remote and Nunchuck allows for a unique social gaming experience for the whole family. You dont just play Wii, you experience it!

The Nintendo Wii utilises a unique control system for unparalleled interaction with a wide range of innovative games. The ergonomic Wii remote uses a three-axis motion sensor to detect physical movement and translate them into control commands. Why press a button when you can make the action yourself; the Wii remote becomes  your table tennis paddle, golf club, steering wheel, drumstick and sword, letting you control your gaming experience as if you are really participating in the event itself. A range of optional add-ons for the Wii controller such as gun, tennis racket and baseball bat attachments add even more realism to this interactive experience.

Combine the Wii remote with the innovative Nunchuk control to take this interaction even further; gain two-handed control, wield both sword and shield in adventure games and get an even more immersive experience out of sporting games.

Wii Connect 24

With WiiConnect24 you can use the Ninetendo Wii for more than just paying games. WiiConnect24 keeps you connected to the internet even when the power is off, downloading new content and delivering unique new experiences everyday. The Wii Message Board utilises WiiConnect24 to help you keep in touch with friends, relatives and other Wii users the world over; you can even receive messages from the games you are playing, adding a new depth to the interactive experience provided by the Wii.

Entertainment & Media

Wii Channels is a content menu, divided into Channels, that uses WiiConnect24 to extend the interactive capabilities of the Nintendo Wii. Keep up to date with the latest news and weather forecasts with news and weather channels, create a photo channel with personalised images to share with family and friends, stay in touch with the Wii Message Board Channel and settle disputes with the Everybody Votes Channel. A Wii Shop Channel gives you access to games for the Virtual Console feature (see below), software updates and additional Wii channels.

A Virtual Console feature provides downloadable access to classic favourites from the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Sega Mega Drive, NEOGEO and TurboGrafx games consoles. A Classic Controller is available to provide the ultimate in nostalgic gaming experiences (sold separately).

Wii Connectivity

The Nintendo Wii can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi connectivity (IEEE 802.11b/g) or an optional Ethernet LAN adaptor. Two USB 2.0 ports provide connections for a range of peripheral accessories and compatible devices.

Bluetooth technology allows up to four Wii remotes to be connected wirelessly. Wireless communication is also possible between the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS hand-held system.

Wii Accessories

A host of creative accessories help to further enhance the unique levels of interaction provided by the Nintendo Wii. The Wii Zapper combines the Wii remote and Nunchuk controllers in a single housing to add unrivalled depth to first person combat games while the Wii Wheel and Wii Balance Board put you right in the thick of racing and sports games.

The Wii LAN Adapter attaches to the Wii via USB to provide internet access for any Wii users that do not have a wireless internet connection.

Other Wii Features

The Nintendo Wii features 512 MB of internal flash memory that can be expanded via a SD memory card bay. Nintendo Wi-Fi provides a fast, free and safe way to play games online with other Wii users. All you need is an existing internet connection.

The Nintendo Wii is backwards compatible with Nintendo GameCube media, allowing you to play your old favourites on your new system. It provides connections for up to four GameCube controllers and two GameCube memory cards.

Simply imagine you are piloting your space ship through space, on a search for fortune and fame. Perhaps you are in the process of working a trade route, transporting ore from a central mining area to a heavily industrialized planet in order to sell it at a huge fortune. Just as you are flying through the star system, your sensors pick up on something…it’s the pirates after you, and you sire off a few shots to keep them away.

One of them shouts out at you, “You must hand over your cargo or die.” Though you consider negotiating with them, but realize it’s of no use. However you fire off a missle salvo at the pirate closest to you, and he crumbles into dust. As you make a run back to planet, another two pirates open fire thus weakening your shields. Miraculously you duck into its protection just as your shields breaks up, barely escaping death and heading towards the biggest sale of your life.

Eve Online is one of the several MMORPGs that can be found on the internet. An MMORPG stands for a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. A MMORPG like Eve Online is unlike a number of computer games in that in a regular computer game, where you are the sole human player; as for all the other characters you relate with are simply computerized “bots.”

On the other hand in MMORPGs you’re interacting with other people who populate the world of the game. There are NPCs (Non Player Characters), who are just a part of the game, however for the most part you’re interacting with other people. For instance, the pirates in the Eve Online form the other people, at times on other parts of the world, linked through the Eve Online Server. If you receive messages, these are sent out by someone on the other end.

Although MMORPGs have been around for a long time (Everquest was definitely one of the most popular of all time), they are at present becoming increasingly more popular. Despite the fact the earliest MMORPGs were almost all fantasy based games that were full of wizards, warriors and dragons, many MMORPGs have split out. For instance, Eve Online is a futuristic, space-based combat and trading game, while The Sims Online is based on the popular Sims living and building game engine. A number of people are drawn to MMORPGs since they allow them to play an interesting computer game which enables them to interact with other people, keeping the player’s interest and avoiding the predictability that some games can lapse into. Eve Online and other similar games function much alike small worlds with their own leaders, heroes, crooks, followers, wars and politics thus making the fantasy worlds that much closer to reality.

Blockbuster dvd rentals are becoming very popular as the place to go for renting movies and video games. Blockbuster is increasing their membership base throughout the Internet with incredible  benefits which include super low membership fees, free trials and online movies to download instantly to your PC or handheld device. Why is blockbuster better than Netflix or any online Dvd rental service.? The answer is threefold.

1st – Blockbuster dvd rental service is now offering introductory membership fees, reduced prices and coupons online. You can easily pick up blockbuster coupons here or anywhere within the internet to save $50.00 or more on subscription fees. Other blockbuster offers include free trials for two weeks and $3.99 subscription plans. Blockbuster has revamped their website to include over 80,000 movie titles with reviews and ratings included. Consumers can also cancel their subscription at anytime without any penalties or fees.Another great resource to members are blockbusters brick and mortar stores throughout the nation. Members do not have to wait for the mail they can simply walk into their local blockbuster branch to drop off and pick up movies and video games.

2nd – Blockbuster members can now download their favorite  movies straight to their PC or handheld device. Blockbuster’s movie download service offers their members the opportunity to take their favorite movies with them on the go. Downloadable movies will be the wave of the future and blockbuster knows that if they want to stay in the forefront of the online movie business they must offer fast anytime downloadable service to their members. Movie may stay on the consumers PC for 30 days. Once the consumer starts watching the movie then it would only be available for 24 hours for complete viewing which is the norm within the marketplace.

3rd. Blockbuster online is the only dvd online service which also provides video game rentals as well. Members can rent all Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, WII, PSP and other handheld device games directly from their account online. This is something unique to blockbuster since the competition, including Netflix, do not offer video game rentals.

Blockbuster dvd rentals are the wave of the future and they have come along way within the past 3 years to not only increase membership with their new services but also increase their membership base by 4,000,000 within the past 2 years alone. Consumers can try membership benefits for free and see if ti meets all expectations. if not then cancellation can be done at anytime.

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Demon`s souls is an incredible game that has many gamers talking. This game will tackle even the best of players who have a fair amount of patience. It is deemed to pull on your every last cord until you want to scream with fury. It is bound to plunge you into death over and over again as you plummet through a dark and surreal world. There is little direction and you learn as you go along.

This is one of those games that will have you aching to try it just out of sheer curiosity. And if you are a patient person who has lots of time to play the game, then you might thrive on the challenges and constant opposition, however if you know that you get frustrated easily then beware…this game will push your buttons.

The beginning of the game starts off as you explore and battle through five worlds. The worlds are dark and creepy with lots of mythical creatures and savage beasts. Your enemies are there to destroy you and they will and just when you get your life back, they will do it again. You will be mad and frustrated, and you might quit, or you might press on.

You can explore everything in this world, from swamps to dark caverns and to all of the nook and crannies around a castle and its walls. The only way you learn anything is by constantly being faced with trial and error. The game has a slow progression which means you will need lots of time on your hands to finish the game. The enemies you will face and fight are hard and will do whatever they can to destroy you. You need to learn their tricks and know when to use your weapons at the very moment that you need them, in order to stay alive.

As you plunge through the dark levels in the game, you will collect souls and you can get souls by killing demeans. The currency in the game is through the use of souls and you can use them to buy spices for optimal health.

When you die, you lose your souls and start from the beginning again, you can retrieve your lost souls but you have to make it back to where you died and touch your old blood, if you do you get the souls back and if you get killed on the way back to your blood, then your souls are lost for good which might heighten your frustration level or spark your interest for further play and conquer.

You can create a character using demon’s souls and you can customize options, the cool thing is that you are not stuck in one playing mode, you can change as often as you like which opens you up to an array of weapons, armour and magic energy.

The negative comments made about this game was that it was too hard and unforgiving. Many felt that the lack of instructions or guides assisted in their continual failure. The trick to winning this game is through always searching for signs and clues. There are white ghosts that float through the game’s levels who are actually other online players playing, they might leave clues for you to use. You can also win by trial and error and by dying a few hundred times.

When a game is released with as much hype as Heavy Rain, I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. How many times previously have we been told this is the greatest game ever created, only to abandon it after 15 minutes of game play due to that felling of same old same old? I have to say before I go any further that no, Heavy Rain isn`t the greatest game ever to hit the shelves, but for a riotous and addictive assault on your senses, it comes pretty close.

Unless you`ve been on vacation to Mars recently, you can`t have failed to miss the marketing campaign. In turn, you should already know that the story revolves around a quartet of protagonists who are fighting to first track down and ultimately capture a serial killer known by the pseudonym the Origami killer. A simple premise indeed, but greatly improved by the way the story is told in an unapologetically adult manner. By adult I don`t mean graphic sex and violence, I mean that it respects the player and doesn`t patronize as so many of these types of game invariably do. You actually feel empathy with the characters as you explore their psyche, this gives a much more rewarding experience than other RPG games do.

Something that could have been made better is the non-traditional way that you interact with the setting. The buttons and sticks for the various commands are cumbersome at best, and although they don`t spoil the game play, they do get frustrating at times. The biggest downfall is the when you are trying to control the movements of your characters, there isn`t a direct link and seems to be more of a half hearted attempt. One thing I would strongly advise is to play Heavy Rain via a Dualshock3 controller. Not since Metal Gear Solid has the rumble feature been used to such great effect.

In spite of myself, I found myself really beginning to care for these protagonists and became desperate for them to succeed in their quest. There is a very real possibility of any of these characters dying, with further adds to the already nerve jangling tension. My heart rate was frequently raised, and I don`t mean by way of a cheap shock like something jumping through a window, this was through very cleverly created rising tension which I`ll admit had my hands shaking on more than one occasion. There is a bleak frankness in the way that Heavy Rain portrays suffering, pain and death, and there are occasions where you can find yourself in a situation where either outcome can have horrific consequences.

I`ve spoken to many others about their experiences playing Heavy Rain, and no two have been the same. My advice is when you go to play for the first time, don`t cheat yourself. You are taken straight to the beginning when you load the game, not to the main menu. Miss out the chapter select screen completely and go with the flow.

Although Heavy Rain is shorter than other multi-disc, so called epics, there is more than enough content to compensate and to be honest I think the experience would have been diminished by lengthening it. I give this game 9.8/10. You can guess where it lost points, yep, the controls. It`s unlikely that this game will make you cry, like the designers would have us believe, you will finish this game pretty close to a nervous wreck.

I’ve been waiting a long time for the sequel to Starcraft. I wasn’t exactly sure if Blizzard could update the game and still keep the same feel. I am happy to say that they have! The game play you know and love from the original is all there but the graphics have been brought into the 21rst century. Here is a quick run down of my experience so far:

Graphics: I’m not running the most state-of-the-art computer, but the game runs great on the “High” settings. I’m running an Intel E7400 with 4 GB of RAM and Dual NVidia 9600 GT OC’s in SLI. I had just a bit of stutter on “Ultra” settings, so I turned it down a bit.

Sound: The audio is a mix of “blast from the past” and “Wow! That is cool they added that!”

An avid gamers of Starcraft  will noticed right away with regards to menu , You can even select the music you want to play as the background  and lastly an allies that wil response.

Control: I hope you remember your hotkeys from SC1 because you’ll be needing them. The interface is pretty much cut and paste from SC1 but it has been updated for today’s graphics. Camera control is very nice, but I haven’t yet found a way to rotate the view and you are pretty limited to how far you can zoom out.

Single-player  play games : There are some interesting new aspects to the single-player game. You get to research upgrades and purchase new types of units (warning: some of these units are NOT available in multi-player). You also get delivered the storyline in face-to-face chats with other characters as well as through the standard cut scenes.  As for during mission game play, Blizzard has stayed true to form. Basically if you likes SC1 in single-player, you should love SC2′s single-player mode.

Multi-player Game play: Pure “vanilla” SC2 is very similar to online play with SC1. But you have the option to install custom game types as well. Think tower defense and DotA in Warcraft 3. I’m really looking forward to seeing what people come up with. While I love standard RTS action (which SC2 offers plenty of) a little change never hurts and promises to give the game a lot of longevity.

Ok, now for the bad part. You knew there had to be a reason for 4 stars, right?

1.) You have to log in to play, even in single-player. This really doesn’t matter to me, but I know some people call it a “deal breaker”.
2.) No LAN play at all.

But LAN play isn’t dead, Blizzard. Some of us like having the ultra-low latency of getting together face-to-face with our friends.

All that said, I’m looking forward to a long, healthy relationship with StarCraft 2 fighting games. So far, the wait has been worth it. I can’t wait to see how the community evolves and what new mods are made available over the next few months.

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This program will let you convert almost any video to FLV or flash website format. It will even let you automatically download and convert videos from sites, create video playlists, and even convert multiple videos all at once. It also allows for manual control of the quality settings of your video, which will let you change the following according to your own preference: video resolution, video bitrate, audio bitrate, and video frame rate.

Included in the software package are ten web page templates, a total of fourteen video player styles, and thirteen video skins which you can select from. You can choose any one of these templates and you can place your video on your chosen template automatically.

Video Web Wizard will let you put video on any existing web page instead of requiring you to make a new one. You will be able to brand your videos with your own logo, website address, or custom text to come up with a more impressive site and get you more visitors. With its “completion URL” feature, you will also be able to automatically redirect the viewer to a website address after the movie has ended.

Thanks to Keith Gilbert; putting videos on your website has never been this easy.

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