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Multiplayer Game Reviews
September 5, 2010
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten off my editor’s throne and actually done a review. But it’s also been a while since I’ve found a game that I really felt I needed to make a personal commentary on. Our reviewers here do a great job with everything they do, but I’ve been feeling the itch to get back into writing myself. So, when I found myself playing through Mafia II the other day and commenting on various things to my roommate, I realized that if I was going to get back into writing myself I had to do it now. And there’s no better game out at the moment to have helped me with my creative urges than Mafia II.
Before I really get into things though, it needs to be said that this game is rated M for mature, and for good reason. Prolific violence, foul language, and nudity mean that this game is NOT for children. So please, be sensible, read the label, and don’t let your kids play games they shouldn’t be playing at a young age.
The game is set in 1940’s America, following the character Vito Scolleta (you), from his early days as a young boy in Italy, through his childhood life in America, up to his days as a soldier during World War II (where the cinematics end and the gameplay begins) and through his Mafioso days after he comes home.
Visually, the game is absolutely stunning. Sure, there are some that have been a tad better, but you’d be hard pressed to find any physical errors with the way the world looks. It captures a look and feel of the 40’s better than anything else I’ve seen from the time. The “Beaver Cleaver” suburbs, the downtown business districts, the dirty slums and even the heavily industrial dock section all received equal love and care to their visual appearance. And the characters themselves are magnificent. There are parts of the game that are gritty and dark, while others sparkle with a chrome-like sheen.
 Things can get pretty brutal in the industrial sector.
The gameplay is equally spectacular. The whole game is driven by a story that has various climaxes and down times, and works well to depict the underworld lifestyle of Vito and his mafioso friends. If you’re not putting the squeeze on someone for not paying their dues, you might be driving like a madman to evade police, boxing some fool who thinks he could take you, or lounging around the strip club and watching the story move seamlessly into the next chapter. The game also has it’s fair amount of open-endedness. You’re free to do as you please, the same as in most games like this. Your criminal activities might range from shaking down businesses for cash, stealing cars and sending them to the crusher for money, or running around trying to find the numerous collectable items (wanted posters and playboy bunny photos) hidden out in the world. Or, of course, any other creative ideas you might have for yourself.
 But sometimes you just need to make an example out of someone.
But no matter what you decide to do with your time, if you’re into a very solid story backed up by excellent gameplay and quality graphics (and are old enough to buy the game with it’s M rating), then you really can’t go wrong with Mafia II. So far, this game looks like it could be a very strong contender for the Game of the Year award I’ve been mulling over for the site.
Game: Mafia II | Developer: 2k Czech
August 13, 2010
 My first impression of Biz School — Twisted Ed was that someone really loved 3D modeling. The graphics in the game are much better than you would expect to see from an Indie game. The individual people are well done and expressive, even though the game doesn’t really focus on the person aspects of the game.
On the other hand, that could be a problem as well. The game is about running a business, or in some cases a multitude of businesses with the goal of making so much money before the time limit is up. If you don’t know much about business the instructions can be a little confusing and it’s pretty easy to get lost in all the different phrases and terms.
The overview of the game is comical, something I really wasn’t expecting. Usually with games where the end goal is to make insane amounts of money you don’t expect much by way of humor. Still, it’s got a bit of an offbeat kind of dark feel to it which I can appreciate. After all, it’s only in the overview. The rest of the game play itself is “serious business”…get it?
 I don’t usually pay too much attention to the ratings that things get. Some of my favorite movies are ones that have gotten horrible reviews in the past. (i.e. Catwoman and Constantine). Still, I think it is worth mentioning that with over a hundred reviews this game only has two stars. Now, this could be because of the fact that the demo is so short you don’t really get to do anything besides watch the overview and maybe, maybe pick your first venture or so.
The game is really one of those that you have to take a leap of faith if you want to get really into it. You get to see the basic outlay and then you have the option of whether or not to buy it. Now, if you like games that simulate business or economics I would say that it’s worth the dive. It’s one of those games that you can fail and replay, work out where you went wrong and then go back and learn from your mistakes. It’s going to probably take you more than one play through to get it down and it couldn’t hurt to have a heavy dose of luck on your side.
Game: Biz School — Twisted Education | Developer: Ggaler
August 10, 2010
Now, I realize how unprofessional this would be on any other website but since this is one for gaming and gamers I think I’ll express my thoughts on this game without any words for just a moment. Here we go…. =\
Yeah, that’s it. The almighty =\ face. Now, before I get started, I just want everyone to know that I bought this game and honestly, I think it was a dollar well spent. My husband, on the other hand, said, and I quote: “That was the worst game I’ve ever seen.” He’s so mean, but at the same time I suppose it gives another perspective based on our different personalities and our gaming types.
The game is basically a dating simulation. Your goal is to seduce and win the heart of one of four eight bit ladies. These girls have different personalities and are looking for different things in a man, but ultimately what you want is to impress them by figuring out what they want to hear.
I think the best part about this game actually occurs during the losses. When you fail to chose the right option for your particular girl you are given a fail screen. These range from hilarious to downright ridiculous but are almost always worth a look-see. My husband and I played the game all the way through, which means we not only read the text for the correct answers but also went through and got the wrong ones so we could see those too.
The game will probably only take you about an hour to finish. It was only a dollar so I felt that the time and money were well spent. Still, there are a few concerns to address. First of, all the game is exactly as it says it is. It’s an eight-bit game, which can seem a little confusing at first. For people like me you might not always understand what you’re looking at.
Besides that, the text is small and not always on a clear background. I would highly suggest this game but you should probably play in a well lit room and on the biggest screen you can find. The graphics are simple but not unpleasing if you’re looking for something familiar and easy. Besides that, the game itself is pretty funny. I’ve never seen a knight work so hard to win the girl and, though my husband would probably disagree, I’ve never seen a woman be more difficult.
Game: 8-Bit Girlfriend | Developer: Jaded Horizon
July 27, 2010
 There's a monkey in the kitchen. Isn't that a Health Code violation? Café World allows you to become a world-class chef and run a restaurant. You decide what your café should look like, what to cook, and even what to wear. You are given a cookbook with recipes that you can make, and every item you cook grants you Café Points (Café World’s version of XP.) As you level up, you earn more stoves and buffet-style serving tables, and more of the items in your cookbook are available to you.
Your café also has a buzz rating, which is affected by how well your customers enjoy their meals. A good experience will boost your buzz rating by 0.1, but a bad experience will drop it a full point. (The maximum rating is 105.) In order to keep your guests coming back, make sure they have a clean table to sit at when they arrive and a hot meal within a fair amount of time. If guests wait too long for their food, they will storm out and lower your buzz rating. The higher your rating is, the faster customers will spill in.
It takes a little bit of foresight to keep your café running smoothly, since most of the items in your cookbook have a fairly long cook time. (Times range anywhere from 3 minutes to 4 days.) And if you let something sit too long, it will spoil. An item’s cook time will determine how long it can sit before it spoils, so items with longer cook times last longer than those with short ones.
Since it is a Facebook application, Café World rewards the highly sociable. You can add your friends as neighbors, earning medals as your neighborhood grows. There are many actions that you will need help from your friends to complete, like building a spice rack, baking a wedding cake, obtaining a super stove that allows one-click cooking, or opening a crate that contains a coffee maker. And your friends can send you free gifts every day, usually bonus servings of your favorite dishes. You can even hire your friends for extra help around the kitchen.
There are also weekly themes, such as the Stone Age and Sci-Fi, which are celebrated by adding brand new decorations for your café as well as new menu items. This provides great incentive to keep coming back.
Café World is highly addictive. You’ll have a blast decorating your restaurant and unlocking new menu items. And with that, I must be off. I think my quiche is done!
 A page from the menu. Yes, there are dinosaur eggs on it.
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Game: Café World | Developer: Zynga
May 21, 2010
Shark Bait is a very good little retro hunting game, which allows you to take on the role of one of the world’s deadliest predators.
You control a huge shark as you swim through a variety of waters. Your aim each time is to bag the various wildlife indicated as your goal. Do this and you complete a stage and move onto the next one, which will give you a new challenge.
This game has a lot going for it as the title screens and graphics have been kept very simple. This allows for a fast game engine and even if your computer is slow, there is an option for you to choose which will compensate for this.
 Snnnnnnnap! Keyboard control is all that you need. You move your shark around using the arrows on the keyboard. However, the option to charge can be used by pressing the z key, which seems a little confusing as enter or shift may have been more appropriate.
There are two things that currently hold this game back. One is the lack of activity taking place on the screen. You expect much more sea life and human activity on the waters above than you actually get.
This keep the game simple but it does limit the game when it comes to entertainment. It would be quite good to go off on a jaws style rampage at some point and ignore the level objective.
 Swim upside down to bamboozle your prey The other thing which might annoy you is the music. It has quite obviously been put on loop and you can recognize this at various points. It is very repetitive and will make you click the close button sooner rather than later.
Also there is nothing hunting you. Believe it or not but sharks are hunted creatures as well. If you had to keep one eye out for predators, it would make this game much more skillful.
It’s refreshing to see a game with this sort of role as it’s unique and hasn’t really been done before in flash game format. Give this game a go and it will keep you well entertained for a little while. However, do not expect big things and do not expect a sequel because it will struggle to get more than a few clicks based on this effort.
Game: Shark Bait http://www.addictinggames.com/sharkbait.html | Developer: Gonzo Games http://gonzogames.com/
May 3, 2010
Disc Pool is a game which offers a unique and contemporary twist on a sport that has been around for decades.
The theory is exactly the same as playing Pool or snooker, the format is just slightly different. Pot your own green or red discs using the golden discs. Pot more than your opponent to win the game and score a digit against your name.
What’s more, is this is a very entertaining multiplayer game. You can create an account for free and play against opponents all over the world. You can even just sign in as a guest and play against the computer or other guests that happen to be online at the same time.
 Pot all of your pieces before your opponent The makers of the game clearly went for some basic graphics. This let them spend more time on improving the speed and efficiency of the multiplayer action and the goods are there for all to see.
The controls are very simple. All you have to do is use your mouse to drag the golden disc to your own base line. You then click and hold down, move the mouse to line up your shot and set power, then release to send the disc flying off.
Do your best not to pot any of your opponent’s pieces because this automatically gives them control of the board in the same way that they would get if you were playing a normal game of pool or snooker.
The game takes no time at all to load. This means if you are having a long day at work or trying to put something off, you can quickly log on and have your own marathon game with someone sitting on a computer on the other side of the world.
 Judge direction and power with your mouse The only disappointing aspect of this game is that the title and build up screens promise a lot more than the game actually is. You may expect some three-dimensional graphics and maybe interactive playrooms, but these simply don’t appear.
All in all, disc pool is a solid internet game. You may not have to wait too long until disc tables start being built by established manufacturers and air hockey goes off on a dramatic tangent, which either ends up as a hit or doesn’t. The game is worth it for the multiplayer functions alone.
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Game: Disc Pool http://www.miniclip.com/games/disc-pool/en/| Developer: Mini Clip http://www.miniclip.com
April 29, 2010
 If you are illiterate, you may want to find another game. Cybernations
Have you ever wanted to have your own country? Do you like having armies at your beck and call? Well have I found the game for you. Cybernations is an browser based multiplayer game where you manage your country, form alliances and, should you see fit, obliterate other countries.
Gameplay
One thing that’s great about this game is there are many things to do. Unlike other browser games, where you have a few rescources that you have to build up in order to get more things to kill people with, Cybernations has many options for gameplay. For example, if, in your alliance, you want to be the guy that makes a lot of money (you’ll be a bank basically), you can buy a lot of land and tax the you-know-what out of it. Or, you can be super kill guy. You have control over your government type, currency (this doesn’t matter, but it is funny to use the dong) or the tax rate. It is important to be involved in your alliance. There is even a Senate where leaders of alliances can be voted into positions which will give certain groups preferential treatment.
Technical
 Blah blah blah nukes blah blah blah tanks. This game has a steep learning curve. There are so many variables that it is very hard to get lost. However, there is a very extensive user-base that will guide you through it all. You interact with the world, like in many browser-based games, through drop down folders and inputting numbers. There is no real time movement, so reflexes are not the name of the game.
Unlike many other browser based games, I would say that the technical aspects of this game are the easier part. It is the gameplay that is more subtle. This is not necessarily a game where more time = winning. Playing smart is the name of the game.
Although it’s arbitrary, you can choose the location of your nation, and it grows bigger with the more land that you buy, which I think is cool. In fact, many people will attack you based off of where you choose to start your civilization.
Multiplayer
You can play this game on any level. There are people that are fanatical about it, and then there are the weekend warriors. The best part? You can play this anywhere you get an internet connection. I would say that this community is very strong, if only because alliances and diplomacy are the lifeblood of this game. If you are looking for something where your on-line social skills will come into play, I would choose this game. Be careful, you will start it intending to play for half an hour a day, and then you will find yourself spending all your breaks on it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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Game: Cybernations | Developer: Planet Realm Online Gaming
April 24, 2010
 Let the Games begin! 1100 AD
Do you like knights and medieval stuff like that? Do you like building up resources and then using those resources to buy units to kill things? Do you like immersive online games? Boy do I have a game for you, 1100 AD. In the vein of Travian and AstroEmpires, you play this game through your browser. You start off with nothing more than a wooden castle, and some places where you can dig up some resources. If you develop things right, you will have yourself a nice little dukedom.
Technical
In terms of online games, this one has a steeper learning curve. I found it very hard to find my way around this game. For example, after I registered for the game, not only did I not receive an e-mail, but I was not given a link to choose my server. I had to go back to 1100ad.com and re-login. Very counter intuitive.
I frequently found myself comparing this game to Travian. Everything just feels a bit clunkier. Often times you click on something, and it does not register. In addition, the menu system is a bit hard to understand. I often found myself having to go to outside resources to get more information.
 A well defended city. You build up resources by upgrading a series of buildings, centered around your main castle. For every level you upgrade the buildings, they look better. Very cool.
On top of that, this is browser based, so you can play it any where in the world where you can get a decent internet connection. Yes, even on the ISS.
Gameplay
Although this game has a rather steep learning curve, it hands down has the best tutorial of any browser based multiplayer game that I have played thus far. It walks you step by step through your opening developments, giving you specifics on where to click for each action. Plus, you get free stuff for doing it.
Once you get going, it’s a lot of fun. While you don’t get to watch your guys move around, it is still done graphically and through the GUI. In many of these games, you have to manually enter numbers, which is a huge drag, and really takes you out of the whole thing.
I would also venture to say that this is a very balanced game. You have to make a lot of choices about how to distribute your resources. In addition, building troops is not so much about how many attack points you get per resource, but rather what type of unit would be best against a certain enemy.
Final Verdict
If you’ve been experimenting with browser based, immersive games, but got bored because they were not very pretty, or you had to manually enter a lot of numbers, then this is the game for you. Plus, if you have a thing for the Middle Ages, like I do, well, then it isn’t really a question.
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Game: 1100AD | Developer: Amber Games
April 16, 2010
Youda Sushi Chef is a fantastic little time filler, which will test out your patience skills and timing to the maximum!
The point of the game is to run a well-oiled and maintained sushi restaurant and keep every single one of your customers happy.
Don’t worry if you have no experience of creating sushi or even if you have never eaten it before because there is an in play recipe book to help you as the orders start to pile up in front of you.
 Keep those customers happy! In terms of controls the game is very simple and easy. You just need a mouse and a few keyboard skills to negotiate your way to a higher level. Once you reach these higher levels, you need to be very quick so touch typing and mouse skills help.
Game play can become a little irritating after a while but there is a simple option to turn off all sound and character noises. This will mean you do not have to put up with impatient customer grunts as they wait for their sushi!
The game will also handily save each time you close your web browser. This means if your boss is walking around the office while you have a cheeky little play then you can just click the x and come back at a later point.
The graphics of the game are very good. Bright colours and crisp 2D images are all the game offers up but it does this very well.
 Look up recipes you are not sure about There are many internet games like this on modern web gaming sites but the developers of this game have to be praised for bringing something a little extra to the table.
The Café Worlds of this time and age have already rocketed to popularity and this game does well because it doesn’t try to be any thing like that. It sticks to the concept of fast paced and popular action, which keeps a gamer hooked on the game long enough for the developers to be able to score some vital statistics.
All in all this is a cracking little role play game, which will keep you entertained for hours. If you ever wanted some vague idea of how the pressure of running a restaurant would feel then this is a nice place to start. Enjoy.
Game: Youda Sushi Chef http://www.unlimitedwebgames.com/game/youda-sushi-chef | Developer: Mini Clip http://www.miniclip.com/games/en/
April 2, 2010
 You are red. Any other color is a bad guy. Yeah. SteamBirds
The year is 1907. 50 years earlier a scientist, no doubt with a sweet mustache, discovered cold fusion. Lo and behold, at the turn of the century, there are fully functional airplanes. Over the course of 15 levels, and 5 bonus levels, you have to re-fight the WWII air war. The action is turn based. You select the path of your plane over the course of 2 seconds or so. In addition to this, every plane has certain power ups, be that speed, protection, acid gas or a 180 degree turn. You are often outnumbered, out gunned and outflanked.
Technical
Technically, this game is one of the best out there. You have to think tactically on the small scale and then strategically, considering where your plane will be in 5 turns. All the controls are done through the mouse. Although, you can use the arrow keys to select individual airplanes, a feature which I found to be very, very useful later on in the game.
 Just throwing it out there, you're probably not going to make it out of this one. The pacing of the game is incredibly well done. You have 1 or 2 tutorial levels and then it gets progressively harder from then on. The game keeps finding newer and harder ways to test your skills as a 2D pilot. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed in the last level. It took me the longest, but it was by no means the hardest battle.
I really hope that Andy Moore, the creator, expands this concept to have giant air battles. OH MAN that would be awesome. I only found a few bugs. If you flew off of the edge of the screen, you died; and sometimes, like once or twice, I couldn’t select the special options. All told, all the action was smooth, and the physics are surprisingly in depth.
Aethetics
What really put this game over the top, however, was the artwork. This game has a real steampunk vibe, without distracting you from your mission. You fly over an olive green topographical map and your planes bank and puff out smoke when you’ve been hit. If you’re hit, sometimes your rudders are jammed and you can only fly forwards. Easily as much effort was put into the design as into the gameplay, which is something I value in games.
Game: SteamBirds | Developer: Andy Moore
March 19, 2010
webDiplomacy
 The Game of International Intrigue I suppose you could describe the game Diplomacy as Risk without the dice, but that would be doing the game a huge disservice. Set in 1901 Europe, in essence you are going to replay WWI. Chance does not play a factor in this game. You rely on your own strategic thinking, your alliances with other players and knowing when to break these alliances.
You can find the rules on the website, but the theory is that each army or navy has a power of one. To take over a country, you have to have a power greater than the occupying force. So say there is an uncontested country, you can just move your guys into it to conquer it. However, if there is someone in the country, you have to have the support of another one of your armies.
That doesn’t make sense? Well that’s okay because there is a very dedicated group of forum readers that will help you learn the ropes. In fact, if you announce that it is your first game, most people won’t screw you over. However, they will on your second game. Boy howdy will they!
Technical
 Learn from Napoleon; Never Invade Russia in the Winter. There are a bunch of Diplomacy websites out there, but this one is hands down the best. The interface is easy to learn. You use drop-down menus which tell you all of the possible moves, which is very handy when you have a complicated retreat.
The GUI is hands down the prettiest of any of the websites. This, in addition to the fact that they can host any number of variants, makes this the most robust Diplomacy host on the internet. On top of this, the forums are lively and you will find very detailed discussion of strategy.
Final Verdict
This is a fun game, but takes up a lot of mental space. The learning curve takes a lifetime. If you are a fan of sleeping easily, then this is not the game for you. If you get off on out-thinking and out-weaseling your opponents, then drop whatever you are doing and start a game.
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Game: webDiplomacy | Developer: Open Source
March 5, 2010
 This is a menu where you build things. Don't worry, you'll figure it out. AstroEmpires is a text based, on-line Space MMOG where you battle for planets and credits in an immersive online environment. Finding the right guild and working well in it is the only path to success in this game.
A basic account for AstroEmpires is free; but you if you want to build certain structures, or expand beyond 9 planets, you have to pay for an account.
Gameplay
You start off with one planet. From there its up to you how you want to play the game. Like many online games there is no way to ‘win’, but you must build yourself up from nothing.
Developing your resources is the name of the game. You have metal, energy and crystals. You must balance your distribution of developing these. During this time you also have to look around for a guild. A guild is just a bunch of people who are united under one banner, who share resources and defend each other. I cannot stress the importance of finding a good guild. You cannot play this game well alone, you have to work with other people.
 This is your planet or 'astro'. Protect it. Do not let it fall into the wrong hands. You also have to build Outpost ships and fleets to protect your bases. Once you have built an Outpost ship, you get to poke around the star system and decide where to build your next colony. This is easily the most tedious part of the game, but searching for planets is an inevitable part of space colonization.
Once you’ve settled in, there’s a good chance you’ve made some enemies. Either that or you see a couple tasty planets that you want to take over. Yep, you get money for taking over other planets. Yes, there are sensible protections to keep the big players from beating up on the smaller ones. You’ll get the hang of the battle system fairly quickly, there are a ton of guides out there.
Technical
This game has but one fault in that it is not very pretty to look at. In my opinion it sacrifices visual aesthetics for quality gameplay.
The immersive environment means that you can log into any computer in the world, at any time and command your legions.
The interface is not the most intuitive that I have ever experienced, however the community is very strong, and there is a very active forum that will answer any questions you have. In fact, I consider the userbase to be the strongest part of this game. Yeah, you are going to get some idiots, but in all, there are a lot of people who are passionate about this game, and if you work hard will help you out.
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Game: AstroEmpires | Developer: Nuno Rosario
February 16, 2010
Back in 2007, a company called Reflexive Entertainment released a little game called Airport Mania. For me, the game sucked away many hours of otherwise productive time that I didn’t really miss. It was that good of a game. I’ve kept an eye on them, waiting to see what they’d release next. The result was Simplz: Zoo.
Simplz: Zoo is a dual game of Match-3 puzzles and a zoo simulation. It starts off quick with a letter saying you’ve inherited a zoo from your grandfather and a lofty goal : to make it the top zoo in the world. You’ve got your work cut out for you.
The core of the game is the Match-3 puzzles. It’s pretty simple – match 3 (or more) tokens in a row which allows that row to collapse in a Tetris-like fashion. It might seem that completing puzzles would get tiresome and repetitious, but that’s not the case in Simplz: Zoo. Reflexive solved this by merging the puzzles with the expansion and upkeep of your zoo. Each month, your zoo requires a certain amount of Food and Personnel to operate. This is based on the number of animals you have and the buildings you maintain. In order to meet your needs, you have a goal of Food and Personnel matches in the puzzle. Anything above that earns you extra money or lumber, which can be used to purchase more animals or different buildings to expand your zoo.
 Match! Each new building, in turn, grants you a perk to use in the puzzle. Adding the Research Center causes a new token to appear in the puzzle – a question mark that when matched grants you research points which are used to research new animals. Collecting multiple matches repeatedly in a short amount of time earns you Conservation Points. These are put towards ‘purchasing’ rare animals to use in your exhibits. More animals means more visitors, and a higher zoo ranking.
As the game progresses, more goals are added such as collecting decorations, paths, or freeing animals that can be added to your zoo. Obstacles are thrown in your way as well, but I won’t give away too much. If the puzzle isn’t challenging enough, you’re given the option of turning on a timer.
 Spending a day at the zoo. Building the zoo is quite a bit of fun as well. Laying it out, planning it, and watching people walk through it with little bubbles over their heads telling me their impressions and thoughts was enjoyable. At the same time, the lack of interaction on this level was disappointing. I wanted to do more than just build a zoo and stare at it. I wanted to see my employees walking through the park, feeding animals, or maybe fixing problems that pop up.
The graphics are clean and crisp with a touch of cuteness and the music is light enough that it fades into the background. It didn’t become annoying or too repetitious, though there is an option to disable it.
Overall, Simplz: Zoo is a great game that can be played by anyone in the family. It’s addictive, light hearted, and good for plenty of hours of fun. For only ten bucks, it’s worth picking up.
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Game: Simplz: Zoo | Developer: Reflexive Inc
January 31, 2010
 Main Screen Sometimes I find it so easy to fall into the trap of Facebook applications. There are literally thousands of them, cluttering up the air like flies hovering over the garbage, constantly reminding you of how wasteful and lazy you are. The problem with a lot of these applications isn’t the main idea that they tried to go with. Applications often are meant for casual gamers, so in theory as long as you have anything addictive and enthralling enough to make individuals lose huge chunks of time without realizing it you should be gold, right? Wrong.
Where the majority of these games fall through Playfish’s Pet Society holds strong. It’s a fairly simple game in itself: you have this pet; you need to take care of it. That’s all you’re required to do to “win” at Pet Society. It’s not a high maintenance idea. What keeps you interested is all the perks to having a pet. There are dozens of shops in which you can spend the money you make with your pet on things that are pretty. Yes, gentlemen, pretty is the name of the game with Pet Society. Your goal (while simultaneously not killing your pet) is to surround it with lovely things to interact with.
Playfish does an amazing job at keeping it’s game updated. Once a week it brings out a slue of shiny objects that you may or may not want to spend time earning the coins for. A new outfit, some new furniture, cool food that you can prop up in the kitchen you made. This game not only offers you incentive for beautifying your surroundings but as you continue to play it you find yourself with more rooms and additional perks to fill your time and, of course, to buy items for.
Now, with the constant updating of things you can put INTO your house Playfish realizes that its costumers will want more than one way to make said coins to spend. One of my favorite things about Pet Society is that there are so many different ways to work for that shiny new bed with the pink covers and the canopy. You can fish, garden, visit friends, run races, and even cook for those precious coins. Unlike other applications that REQUIRE you to have so many friends in order to do anything, Pet Society encourages you to do so but at the same time it pays attention to those individuals who do not wish to whore themselves out on the “friend train” in order to have fun in a virtual game.
 Lottery Screen
Game URL: http://www.playfish.com/?page=game_pets&pf_ref=x1030
Developer: Playfish
October 9, 2009
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Does anybody remember the older Ghost Recon games? They were a pc series of first person shooters that did military style campaigns with a significant degree of realism. They were always fun, they were always challenging, and they were always fulfilling. I haven’t played any of the previous Operation Flashpoint games, but I was a fan of Ghost Recon, and I’ve been aching for something along that style of play to pop up sometime soon. Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, brings the nostalgia back with an excellent formula for both single and multiplayer gaming goodness.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer offers cooperative play against the computer, or competitive play against other players, either online or via a LAN. Games were very easy to find, there were plenty of servers running and players were eager to start games. I played through several maps of both the cooperative and competitive styles and had a blast, regardless of the style of map, but there was something nagging at me the whole while that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Then one of my teammates suddenly started speaking, and I realized exactly what it was. PS3, unlike the Xbox360, doesn’t just out and hand you a headset along with your first controller, and that lack of communication in a game like Operation Flashpoint could get you killed very quickly. The squad leader has a list of options and commands he can issue to try to guide the team in the correct direction, but unless everybody on the team has purchased a microphone to use on the PS3, sometimes you lose track of your squadmates, or aren’t quite sure what they’re doing. I’m not faulting the game for this at all, I’m faulting Sony, but because of the obvious effect it has on the game it needed to be mentioned. So whether you’re trouncing the computer or trying to outmaneuver a real squad of opposing players, keep your squadmates in sight, or you might find yourself out in the open and drawing way more fire than you can handle. Overall though, the multiplayer aspect is both challenging, rewarding, and well paced. You never feel like you’re sitting there waiting for something to happen. On the contrary, more often than not you’re on the edge of your seat as bullets slam into the ground beside you and you pray that none of them actually hit their mark. The game’s damage system is very realistic, and it only takes a shot or so to the torso to kill you. So keep your head down, stay in cover, and make your own shots count.
Gaming Review
Operation Flashpoint has a playstyle that almost feels more like a real life simulation than a video game. It trades the glitz and the non-stop action for the realism of intense, spur of the moment adrenaline rushes and the dramatic, nerve-wracking periods of silence in between. Visually, it’s still a pretty attractive game. The graphics aren’t cutting edge, but for a game of Operation Flashpoint’s massive scale (you have an entire island to traverse), it keeps everything well in a realistic perspective. If they’d gone overboard on the graphics, I don’t honestly think they could have fit the entire game on one cd. Sound quality is crisp, clear, realistic, and at times uncomfortably quiet. When you can’t hear anything but your own breathing, then all of a sudden someone in your squad spots the enemy and bullets start whizzing by, your own squad’s rifles are cracking away, and the groan of trucks or whopping of a helicopter adds to the tension, you really get immersed in the experience. At any given moment you’re sneaking quietly through the trees, then the next your fighting for your life as bark splinters off the tree you’re hiding behind and dirt flies up into your eyes, obscuring your view (yes, it really does this). Operation Flashpoint definitely went for a combat simulation style with the game, making as much of the game mechanics as they could as realistic as possible without going overboard on the graphics and turning it into an unnecessary gore-fest. Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising brings out the fun in it’s team play, high stakes gameplay and the simple fulfillment of surviving a firefight when you’re outnumbered on a regular basis and just one bullet in the wrong place can bring you down. I recommend picking the game up without a second thought.
Media
Check out Operation Flashpoint’s website for some really well done videos on the game.
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising Vids
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Demon’s Souls, also for the PS3, will get a review sometime within the next couple days.
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