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Multiplayer Game Reviews
June 14, 2010
 A pretty typical starting position. Eridani is a pretty simple RTS that takes place in space. The galaxy or whatever is divided up into hexagons, and it is your job to conquer all of them. Conquering each hexagon gives you a certain upgrade, and each hexagon presents a new set of challenges.
Gameplay
Eridani brings a couple new ideas to the table. They’re not really game changers, but novel nonetheless. For example, when you get to a new sector, you land on a planet and establish your command center. Then you build your different buildings all over the surface of the planet. Pretty cool. The tool to place each building is pretty slick, and you are limited by the surface of the planet (obviously).
 Eat Laser-death Red Team! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAHHAHAH!!! Then, you have to start mining. Yes, this is an RTS, so resource management is the name of the game. You get your resources from mining asteroids. Hint, make sure you guard your mining guys. Yes, you can get stealthy ships, but that level is rough. Also, survey your surroundings before you start building willy nilly, often times the asteroids are the limiting factors in the sector.
From then on it progresses much like any game. Build outer space warships. Blow up bad guys without getting your stuff blown up.
Technical
Technically speaking this is a pretty brilliant flash game. When you are moving a group of your guys around, you will see where they going to be when you click (there are dots signifying this). These dots conform to the different planets. Cool stuff.
The upgrade system is well balanced, and I never felt like it was overpowered in any direction. Targeting enemies to kill is sometimes a pain, because your drones are not the smartest guys in the world. But that’s why they’re drones.
Final Verdict
Fun game. I like the way it is presented most of all. Being able to choose the sector that you wanted to take over as well as getting a certain upgrade from it is a pretty great idea. It also breaks up the gameplay. I had no problem playing a level, getting some work done, and then moving on.
If you’re tired of RTSs that feel the same, then you may want to give Eridani a whirl.
Game: Eridani | Developer: DJstatika
June 13, 2010
Homerun in Bezerkland is a truly weird and mad game. It pays tribute to the classic Smashing Penguins, the golden age of smashing penguins with a spiked club as far as you can across ice and various obstacles.
This game is pretty good fun and it’s difficult to stop playing once you’ve had a few tries. It has more features than a lot of games in this genre. Many simply let you smash something as far as you can but with this game you have to earn experience points and build up your character.
The aim of the game is very simple. Hit the geek as far as you possibly can, each time earning cash and experience points as you go. These will allow you to add to your character traits and buy better equipment for the important job at hand.
 Smash that geek The controls are pretty simple and this works well for the game. All you have to do is use your mouse to aim and apply power. Use the keyboard arrows to move the flying man around in the air and once you get a killer shot you have to quickly hit the mouse again in order to get some more power.
The music on this is terrible, it’s like being at an electro rave, which doesn’t help the intense focus and concentration you need to have watching the screen. If this gets on your nerves, which it will, hit the sound bars up in the top left hand corner until your brain stops hurting from the noise.
 Killer shot! Another great feature to this game is the graphics. The developers have gone all out to make it as interesting as they can within the realms of madness they have ultimately created. This works well because it keeps your eyes trained on the screen.
There is even a bit of technique thrown in for those who like strategy in their games. You have to time the maximum power with exactly the right height in order to get maximum distance. It sounds like some physics theory but the point is that the further you go the more money you get for the job.
All in all, it’s a pretty addicting game.
Game: Homerun in Bezerkland http://www.addictinggames.com/homeruninberzerkland.html | Developer: Beserk Games http://www.berserkgames.com/
June 12, 2010
It probably makes me a complete nerd but the fact that Flotilla opens with one of my favorite Chopin pieces is an automatic win in my book. I watched and re-watched the opening to this game at least four times, just kind of…basking. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was just the shock of hearing classical music as a backdrop for a video game (something I don’t run into nearly enough), it was just the added…elegance. Flotilla is a shooting game, plain and simple. I know there are lots of different kinds of shooting games but when it all boils down shooting games are games of aggression and conquest. You are taking something out every time you push that button or pull your trigger and so you’re always in the mindset of destroy and conquer. But by opening with a beautiful, slow, relaxing classical opening (with shooting and destruction in the background) the game managed to put me more into the mood of reflecting on the grace and splendor of war as opposed to the blood and all of the bodies I’ll have to sidestep once I’m finished.
Now don’t let my fawning over music choice give you the wrong impression. Flotilla might have relaxing music but I think that is supposed to offset the roar-factor of the game itself. Flotilla is not one of those games that you’re going to get right off the bat. It’s not really complicated but it takes some adjusting. It’s basically a strategy game that you play with your fleet of space crafts versus the enemy. The goal is fairly simple: be the last guy standing and don’t get dead. Good plan. The only thing is that while you’re making plans to destroy the enemy, they’re intelligently making plans to kill you to. Emphasis on the “intelligently.” The game is fast paced and to make it a little more complicated it’s also…how should I say this…multilayered. I didn’t want to just say “oh, it’s in 3D,” because that’s usually a term we use for graphics, not for dimensions on which we play, but that’s exactly it. You play in all space in Flotilla, which means when you’re planning out your attacks and movement you have to not only keep in mind that your ships can be attacked from the front, back, and sides, but also the top and bottom. This may sound simple but when you throw in the fact that some ships can only be taken down from these points and the fact that everything is moving just as quickly as you are, this can get real trying, real quickly. All in all, Flotilla is a good game. Not to be underestimated at all, but worth the time and effort it takes to master it.
Game: Flotilla | Developer: Blendo Games
June 11, 2010
 It's a zombie feeding frenzy! If video games have taught us one thing over the past couple decades, it’s that shooting hordes of zombies is one of the greatest ways to spend an otherwise dull afternoon. The Boxhead series by XGen Studios proves this once again with Boxhead: The Zombie Wars. (Also check out Boxhead Bounty Hunter, which I reviewed a while back. Click here to read about it.)
In this top-down shooter, the only goal is to see how long you can survive. As you kill zombies, you gain points, which will automatically cause your weapons to be upgraded. You start with only a pistol, but you will obtain a shotgun relatively early on. And as we all know, a shotgun blast to the head is the absolute best way to kill a zombie. You will also earn exploding barrels, barricades, and automatic gun turrets. You can use these to build yourself a safe place to hide when the waves of zombies get too thick to deal with. Some zombies will even drop crates of ammo. So if you find yourself running out of shotgun shells, try to find one of these crates so you can keep blasting away.
And if zombies aren’t quite enough for you, you’ll eventually see other monsters peppered into the mix. There are Dracula-like vampires (which don’t die in the daylight, but at least they don’t sparkle like Edward Cullen), mummies, and even devils that shoot long bursts of flames. All of these creatures of the night are still vulnerable to a good shotgun blast, so keep the ammo flowing.
The scenery isn’t as varied as it is in Boxhead Bounty Hunter, and there is no multi-player mode, but you’ll be so busy killing hordes of zombies that you won’t have time to think about that. In fact, you could probably just consider these games as two different modes in the same game: Bounty Hunter is the multi-player mode and Zombie Wars is the single-player.
So if you are sick and tired of being murdered by your friends in Boxhead Bounty Hunter, or if you simply thirst for a good zombie shooter, Boxhead: The Zombie Wars is the perfect game for you.
 Surround yourself with barriers and turret guns. That should keep you safe for a little while. Game: Boxhead: The Zombie Wars | Developer: XGen Studios
June 10, 2010
 This bloodbath has only just begun. What would you do if you could summon forth a skeleton army? Would you turn them into a polite, if unnerving wait staff? Or would you pillage the countryside. If you chose the latter, well do I have a game for you.
Gameplay
In Necronater, you are a necromancer who can summon all sorts of bad guys from beyond the mortal realm. You can also control them and tell them to kill people and bust up buildings. You go through the land step by step until you have control of the realm, at which point, well… who knows, the game just ends there.
 Thanks gypsy. Most of the control is done through the mouse, but there are a great deal of keyboard shortcuts that can be pretty helpful. You simply click on the guy that you want to summon near your portal and BOOM, he appears. Simple enough? Yeah, well it turns out the towns and villages aren’t going to take this lying down and they will send their own guys with swords, bow and arrows and magic to come try to stop you.
Luckily there is an in depth upgrade system which allows your guys to become super-duper. You get “souls” based off of how many people you kill, buildings you burn down and whether or not you beat certain time and killing requirements.
Technical
Necronater uses 8-bit graphics which gives it a cartoonish feel. It takes a bit of getting used to before you become comfortable with it, but after that point, it’s stabtastic. There is no real learning curve to speak of, but I feel like this game is not very balanced. Case in point, I never lost a level. I don’t even know if it is possible to lose a level. I suppose if all of your guys die, or your portal gets attacked, well that could be the end.
Final Verdict
Great game. It’s a bit of a RAM hog, but it will entertain you nonetheless and has some pretty decent eye candy. The best part is seeing the villagers run away saying “OMG Zombies!”
Game: Necronator | Developer: Armor Games
June 9, 2010
Moto Rush 2 is a fun little high paced racing game. It combines the skill needed to do well at a conventional two-dimensioned racer with the pace and excitement of something a little madder.
The aim of the game is very simple. All you have to do is race from one end of a stage to the other before your opponents. However, this is much more difficult than it sounds because there are a variety of different obstructions along each stage designed to make your life more difficult.
 Hurdle over huge obstructions! You also have to keep a good look out for all of the bonuses that you must collect in order to build up your nitro boost. You can use this boost to blast by your opponents and reach the finish line a mile before they do.
The controls of the game are simple enough, just to use the arrows on your keyboard to move. This may sound easy but you have to combine your speed and breaking with the terrain on screen otherwise you’ll end up falling off and going back to the start more than once.
The music keeps everything moving along nicely. The heavy guitar riffs illustrate the game well and the chugging will keep you fighting against your opponents until you have either finished the game, been told off by the boss, or bored yourself silly.
 Perform tricks in mid-air! If this game had three dimensions, it would be fantastic. The two-dimensional view you get does not allow you to predict and account for what is coming directly towards you. This can be very irritating, especially if you have built up a huge lead over the other people you are racing against.
Don’t forget to perform your tricks either. This is where the game excels. There are often points when you end up soaring through the air like an eagle. These are the points where you get to bash the space bar and watch your little character perform a tiny tiger or other biking trick.
Timing is everything in this game and it does take a while to get the hang of. However, once you have got the hang of this, it’s very easy to find yourself trapped in the game while all else takes a back seat for a good twenty minutes or so.
Game: Moto Rush 2 http://www.addictinggames.com/motorush2.html | Developer: Addicting Games http://www.addictinggames.com/index.html
June 8, 2010
 Iron Grip Warlord is aptly named. That was my first thought as I ran through the streets totting my rifle and waiting for little blue dots on my screen to be foolish enough to get near me. When I realized that the brave little blue dot had a shield I chuckled softly under my breath and wiped out my handy-dandy Molotov Cocktail. Being the cool kind of girl I am I waited until he was nice and close to me so I could watch his glorious death.
Alright. So, first of all, Iron Grip Warlord is, for the most part, a first person shooter. There are stages and positions in which it’s more of a real time strategy, but for the most part it’s all about the FPS. If you don’t know what that means, it’s simple. You don’t see your body, all you see it your hands, your guns, and everything that you should be killing. Now, first person shooters aren’t my choice game but they can be fun if you’re feeling a craving for good, old fashioned destruction. The only real warnings I can think of when it comes to Iron Grip Warlord and games like it is A) when you’re starting out you might want to take it slow and play in short increments. The movement of these games can be a little daunting at first and B) rage as quietly as possible or people will call the cops.
 It’s weird to say but I don’t really have that much by way of comments on Iron Grip Warlord. It’s a good game. It takes a lot to run and it’s not the smoothest thing I’ve ever seen but it’s not a bad way to spend an hour. I could have gone without the two subsequent hours I had to spend getting over my nausea, but that’s just me. The game isn’t anything new for those of you who already play FPSs or real-time strategies. There’s different ways to kill people and some extra goals instead of mindless mayhem. You may have to defend your homestead or cap someone else’s, but ultimately it’s all the same. Good, clean….well, not clean, it’s fairly bloody, but it’s fun all the same. So, if that’s what you’re into I would definitely give this game a try. It’s meaty, gritty, and you can play against the computer or you can actually take it to multiplayer land where you get the resounding satisfaction that while you are winning someone else is having a terrible night. Always fun.
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Game: Iron Grip Warlord | Developer: ISOTX
June 7, 2010
Totem breaker is a quaint little action game that should put a smile on the face of pretty much anyone.
My first impression was that the game is a little bit mad and chaotic for a web flash game, but if you give it some time it quickly becomes pretty addictive. You control a small group of charcters which have to use various methods to destroy architecture and enemies in order to move onto the next level.
There are three main ways to create this destruction. The first is to do it yourself with the weapons you are given. The second is to use the big tree, which has the ability to spit rocks and the final option is to drop bombs from the sky above.
 Got to get that timing right! It all sounds a bit mad. However, it is very easy to get into. There are no complicated keyboard controls as all you have to do is use the mouse and your own sense of timing to launch objects and attacks to hit key areas, which will move you onto the next level.
The graphics are pretty good and should keep you interested. Although they are only two dimensional, there is plenty of colour and pattern action going on, which means it’s hard for you to take your eyes off the screen for more than a few seconds.
One problem with this game is not being able to see your characters and your enemies in the same shot. You have to keep switching back and forth, which is very annoying when you are trying to hit a tiny area.
 Destroy your enemies in sneaky ways Furthermore, things may not go that well for you from the very first time you play. The repetitive sound of annoying music going around on a loop will soon get on your nerves so it may be better to hit the mute button when you start playing.
This is really clutching at straws though because it’s a fairly decent game. You’ll notice on the levels screen that there are many more levels than you would have expected, so there are plenty of hours to be spent playing this game.
Give it a go and you’ll see how addictive it is. The only problem is that there will probably be a second version, which will eat up even more of your time than this game inevitably will do!
Game: Totem Breaker http://www.addictinggames.com/totem-breaker-game.html | Developer: Gamezhero http://www.gamezhero.com/
June 6, 2010
 Now, I know I’m a little behind in the times (a little, ha!) so forgive this review. I’m actually going to review all three of them, just in case there are people like me out there who have indeed been living under a rock.
So, this is the first of three reviews I will title “The Rooms,” many of you probably already know what I’m talking about based on the simple fact that I love these kinds of games and didn’t even realize these existed, but no matter.
Escape from the Crimson Room was honestly such a good game I was crushed when it was over. It was one of those games that I barreled through with frustration and love then, realizing it would be soon coming to an end I took my time and tried to stretch it out. Unfortunately, no matter how much I love something, all good things must come to an end and so…here is my review.
Escape from the Crimson Room was…kind of creepy. I mean, I’m not exactly sure if that’s what they were going for here but that’s what I came up with. The game is pretty freaking creepy. I decided to play without any walkthroughs, as I am prone to do and I was pretty hot under the collar on more than one occasion but the game itself was challenging as well as fun.
The entire premise of the game is that you are trapped in a creepy room. The only way to escape from the room is to use little items you find around you together in order to break out. This is one of those find item a and b, in order to get item c, to open the chest where you will find item d games. I, personally, am a huge fan but someone with little patience or the inability to think on more than one level at a time may disagree, so keep that in mind before you decide to play.
I don’t think I have to go so far as to recommend this game. Most people who like these kinds of games have already played this one. Still, if you haven’t – GO DO IT. Like, right now. Stop reading this review and go play it.
…why are you still here? Go play it!
Game: Escape from the Crimson Room | Developer: Fasco
June 5, 2010
Ricochet Kills is a very good action and strategy game where you try to eliminate a number of different targets using a limited number of bullets and different terrains.
The aim of the game is to fire bullets from one corner of the screen and use the environment around you to bounce bullets off of and over sophisticated obstacles.
There are a few different ways you can play this game. In the earlier levels the scatter gun approach is very good. However, bear in mind that firing millions of bullets at once will cost you points, which will mean you will never make it onto the high scorer page.
 Time your shots Controls for this game are very easy. Just move the mouse and click the right mouse button. This fires your bullets and allows you to change your trajectory in order to eliminate the most enemies on screen.
This is a pretty solid game if you are looking to waste a little bit of time. However, it could be much better in a number of ways. To begin with the graphics are very stale, which makes the game limited on excitement.You’ll also have to hit the mute button a short time after you start playing otherwise you’re going to have a very irritating and repetitive sound going around your head for the rest of the day.
 Scatter gun! It would be made much better if there was some space in the game engine for the enemies to move around and try to eliminate you. At the moment it is all very static.
There needs to be more going on to keep the player hooked. It may have been worth it for the developers to make a more three-dimensional version of this game.
However, that would have slowed the game engine right down, which would have meant the game does not have the pace and zip to it, which are two things going in its favour.
Ricochet Kills is one of those games which will pop on your screen and entice you into playing for a few minutes. It will not be one of those games that sticks in your memory and encourages you to come back time and time again.
Game: Ricochet Kills http://www.addictinggames.com/ricochet-kills-players-pack-game.html | Developer: Addicting Games http://www.addictinggames.com/index.html
June 4, 2010
 BA-BOOM! My highest was a 24 combo. In Indestructo Tank you pilot a tank that cannot be destroyed. That may seem redundant, but it is critical to the game. You are battling a bunch of unnamed yet nefarious enemies in the form of helicopters, bombers and miners. When you hit them, you bounce up in the air.
Gameplay
You have three buttons you need to worry about. Right, left and up. Right and left move you right and left (you Southpaws can use A and S). Up makes you jump. Of course, your boom bar has to be filled for you to jump, which is done by stomping on bad guys. When you run into a bad guy, you get launched up into the air. If you run into another vehicle or a bomb while in the air, you get launched further. For each consecutive bad guy that you land on without hitting the ground, you get points.
 Why yes. I will upgrade the miners. Points build up until you level up. Leveling up is critical in this game. See, your major limiter is your fuel supply, and leveling up replenishes this supply. In addition, you spend points to up the frequency that the bad guys appear, boosting your combos.
The game ends when you run out of fuel, period.
Technical
This is a surprisingly well balanced game. It took me a while to get the hang of it. Bombs are good. Running into things is good. You want to bounce from side to side. If there is one thing, it is that this game may lead to repetitive stress problems in your hands. No joke, I was mashing buttons the entire time. My right hand feels worse than the time I bet my friends I could karate chop my coffee table.
You would think that a game where you have an indestructible tank would not be that much fun, but man is it a blast to bounce off of helicopters and see their occupants parachute out.
Final Verdict
Great game. Addictive but not frustrating. Well worth the time invested in it.
Game: Indestruc2Tank | Developer: Armor Games
June 3, 2010
 This is the big gun. Also your guys are about to die. Did you play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare at your friend’s house? Did you really like that part where you were in the gunship and it was your job to rain down terror on bad guys while your allies ran around buildings? Well do I have the game for you, this is the flash game version of that level.
Gameplay
The game is almost exactly like the ‘real’ version. You have 3 guns, a big one, a medium one and a rapid fire small one. The big one makes an explosion but takes an excruciating amount to reload. The small one would be the best, but it has a really limited window. All you have to do is hold down the mouse button and blast away.
You also have control over the helicopter, but it is a little different than the original version. In this version, the helicopter just spins in circles. It doesn’t feel very organic, and it makes aiming with the smaller gun a bit hard. With the little gun, your field of view is very limited. In fact, I had trouble using it at all.
 Great job buddy. The terrorists won. Technical
I was pleasantly surprised by the technical aspects of this game. The aesthetics were very similar to the original version, down to the snappy introduction. You are looking at the characters through the same grainy night feed, and any guys show up as being white. Your characters had green beacons. On top of this there are vehicles, which don’t necessarily show up as well on the screen. So be careful.
I don’t know if this is the case in the original version, but here, your characters can defend themselves, and also have a HP bar. Obviously they can’t do the job themselves, which is why you are there to blast the terrorists.
Final Verdict
This is not a comprehensive game. I feel like what made it awesome in the original version was context. In the other levels you had to almost out think the bad guys, but once you hopped up in the gunship you could just blast away. Also, your finger will get sore from holding down the fire button. This will not be a problem for experienced gamers. It’s fun for a while, but I felt no need to take it to the end.
Game: Cloud to Ground Guardian | Developer: Game Pirate
June 2, 2010
 Attack! Ultimate War
In the Ultimate War you choose between 3 races: Human, Orcs and Dwarves. Then you try to take over the world in a combination of turn by turn strategy and then real time battle tactics. This game has taken over my life. I am addicted and I don’t think there is any turning back.
Gameplay
The map is divided up into hexagonal segments. When you conquer each one of them you get a certain income. In addition some of them will give you sweet upgrades like a free defensive unit or a dragon. Yeah, you can command dragons.
 You can also upgrade your territories to give you more money, better units or specific defensive units. Some plots of land are worth more than others. After you’ve built some units then the real fun begins. The battle is a full blown real time strategy game. You don’t have to worry about building buildings. You just have to worry about killing the other guys.
Although this is my favorite part, it is also the weakest part of the game. Units rarely do what you tell them too and often times they get in the way of each other. Landscape can make or break a battle.
Technical
This game is a beast. Yeah, it’s flash. But it really slowed down my browser. On top of that, sometimes the controls are a bit clunky. For example when I would click on a city to select units it sometimes took multiple clicks. Nothing serious, just a bit frustrating. And yes, the problem I mentioned earlier with the battles. The battles could use a huge upgrade.
This is not to say that this is not a fantastic game. Part of the strategy is figuring out what unit combinations will fare best against which opponents.
Final Verdict
Huge game. There are 22 levels to the game, and they get incrementally harder. The first couple levels are somewhat tough but then they get devilish. This game combines turn by turn strategy and real time action, which is something I yearn for in games. Only play this game if you are done with exams or don’t have any deadlines coming up. If you’re like me, you will consciously trade sleep for time with this game. It will be worth it.
Game: Ultimate War | Developer: Arcade Bomb
June 1, 2010
The Heist 2 has come a long way since the gangster classic hit the internet world. What better fun than to manage your own gang and go along completing different missions to enhance your status.
This is a much more interactive of the sort of Mafia Wars game, which has taken Facebook by storm. There is a lot going for this little game as it ticks boxes in several areas of internet gaming.
To begin with the soundtrack is spot on. It is almost a tribute to Guy Ritchie and reminds the player of classic gangster films like “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch”. It keeps things moving and it keeps things interesting.
 Carefully select your gang members and weapons Furthermore, the controls are so basic it’s impossible not to get the hang of the game. You are effectively the Godfather who watches over missions and gets to make changes accordingly. There is no mission interaction from you. It all depends on how finely tuned you have got your gang working.
The point of the game is to win a few missions, earning money each time. This will allow you to create a much bigger gang and eventually buy better weapons and vehicles you will need for the harder missions.
You are able to view the character traits of everyone you hire before you officially hire them. This will give you the best possible chance of completing the missions in the smallest amount of times.
 Work your way through a variety of missions Although being the Godfather is the ultimate role to play in any gangster related game, it is one of the things that also works against this game. Sometimes when I play games of this genre, it’s tempting to jump right in and get my hands dirty.
Here you cannot do that and it’s actually quite annoying when you spot little mistakes and tactics happening on the screen that you can’t actually do anything about. However, you can always sack the person you hired or have them hit.
This game will never be a Grand Theft Auto or anything similar. However, it does have a lot going for it. In the next version there has to be more player interaction and less management aspects. This is the balance the developers need to achieve.
There will be a next version because the game is too good not to be developed yet again. Watch this space because The Heist is a series growing in quality and popularity.
Game: The Heist 2 http://www.addictinggames.com/theheist2.html | Developer: Addicting Games http://www.addictinggames.com/index.html
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