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Multiplayer Game Reviews
April 18, 2010
Zombie Racing
 This dude doesn't joke around. His hair is fire and there is a skull on his car AND his belt. Imagine a world where you race, and the natural obstacles are zombies. Imagine, then, that you get points for hitting these zombies, points that are critical for winning races against other characters who have tattoos. That’s the premise of Zombie Racing.
Gameplay
 I'm way off track here, but you get the idea. This is a racing game, so nothing I am going to tell you is going to be all that different from any other racing games. You use the arrow keys to navigate. In addition to this, you can pick up obstacles such as oil, water and bombs and drop them behind you. These things stay on the course the entire time, so only use them when it’s critical or during the last lap.
You also get nitrous oxide, which, like any boost, can be a double edged sword. Use correctly, it will blast you into first place. Used poorly, you’ll spiral out of control.
Yes, part of this is running over zombies. This is easily the best part. It is gruesome, and it is hilarious.
Technical
Honestly, this game is lacking in many respects. First, the graphics are not the best. The cars are blocky, and the background looks like it was rendered by a an N64. However, everything else is very well done. The zombies are cartoonish, and there are random bits of cartoon violence.
One weakness this game has is that there are only 3 drivers. I like there to be a lot of vehicles. This leads to more fights, better competition and it’s always awesome when you lap someone.
I can waste days on a good racing game. This one has a razor thin margin for error. You can be miles ahead, but if you hit oil or a bomb, baby, you’d better hope you have a lot of NOS.
Final Verdict
If you like racing games, this may be for you. You don’t have to worry about upgrading that much stuff. All you have to do is run over zombies and get across the finish line as fast as possible.
Game: Zombie Racer | Developer: Gamezhero
March 26, 2010
 He's so full of hope, that little duck. You are a farmer and you own a duckling. Because this is America, and you want to be the best of the best, you are training this duck for some races. There are 3 different skills that are tested – running, swimming and flying. You have 2 ways of upgrading these skills. You can train them, by doing repetitive tasks where you have to dodge obstacles like rocks and icebergs. Or, you can buy blue seed which train all the skills at the same time.
Once you think your little guy is ready for it, you can race him. If you win, you get money, which you can spend on more seed. If you’re stupid, you can spend your money customizing your duck. It all culminates in the World Championships, where you race against another duck in the ultimate test of your skills.
 Tell me about it. This is a very poorly designed game. It is repetitive and there is no way to “lose” the game. Winning means being able to face your own limits of time and boredom. The upgrade system is flawed, and it would be nice if you could have some control over the races, but they are all on auto drive.
The keys are pretty boring, and the training sessions for running and swimming get very hard after a certain level. There is no sense of “balance to the game”.
Aesthetics
Even the look of the game does not help it. The one thing it has going for it is the moving background in the main screen. Other than that, the graphics are flat and the physics are often flawed.
One thing that would have been cool is to have the duck’s physical appearance change when he upgraded. In addition, the duck doesn’t even look like a duck, it looks like a chick.
Final Verdict
If you are interested in watching a yellow blob move across the screen for 45 minutes so you can beat another white blob so you can get a crown, then this is the game for you. Otherwise, go play outside.
Game: Duck Life | Developer: Arcade Town
March 21, 2010
I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this in my reviews but I have epilepsy. I know, an epileptic gamer doesn’t exactly sound ideal and let me tell you, it’s not exactly a comfortable situation. There are often games that my husband will shy me away from if they’re too brightly colored or too flashy, and I long ago accepted that as part of my gaming existence. It can sometimes be a bit of a drag but I don’t allow it to get me down often. That is… unless it’s worth the distraction.
 That being said, Audio Surf was definitely worth the little bit of sadness I get when I find a game that I would love to play but can’t. I played a few short hours of Audio Surf and loved every moment of it. This is a game that is interactive in one of the best ways. It incorporates the musical tastes of the player while allowing one to play with it. It’s one of the best games I’ve not been allowed to play. It’s wonderful!
Audio Surf is a game in which you play a spaceship that is pushed down a road that beats with music. You s teer this spaceship in the direction of colored pegs, trying to group them together in triple block clusters. The speed and location of the blocks themselves are scattered down a traitorous road covered with blocks. There are quite a few things holding you back on your quest to gather these blocks together. There are gray blocks that block your advances, not to mention the fact that if you try too hard you will doubtlessly find yourself with too many non-matching blocks and thus blocked on all accounts.
I don’t think I can say it enough but Audio Surf is absolutely worth the price of buying it. I’m pretty sure that given the oppertunity it would doubtlessly have been one of my most favorite games ever. It allows you to play at your own pace, whether you want to play quickly or take your time. It’s a game that you basically bend to your own will and enjoy as if you are creating it yourself. You change the overall feel of the game to match your moods and thus are given absolute control while you play. This is doubtlessly one of the most engaging games I’ve ever played. Highly recommended.
Game: Audio Surf: http://www.audio-surf.com/ | Developer: Dylan Fitterer
March 15, 2010
Fast car frenzy is a web game that does exactly what it says on the tin. Fast paced and entertaining action, quickly and easily.
Like many web based racing games, there is a limit on just how good the graphics can actually be but this game is a keeper because of the simple fact it is so easy to control.
All you need to do is use your keyboard skills to beat other racers as you go through and complete various stages. This makes it quick and allows the game to load quickly so you can always go back and start again if you’re driving is a bit rubbish.
 Win more races to become the best! However, the only problem is that the depth of the game is very limited. It is easy to get into but once you have got the hang of the turns and the pace of the game, it can become quite boring pretty quickly.
The way this is counter acted is in the nature of the game itself. The developers clearly have not go for something that is going to rival the modern day examples of Formula One graphics and game play.
This is more the sort of game you will have a cheeky go on while you’re boss is not looking over your shoulder at work. Or a way of distracting yourself innocently when you have that important essay lingering in the back of your mind.
The game is hosted on a number of different web based game sites. This is because it seems to be very popular in terms of distraction and pace as opposed to having a deep story line and brilliant graphics.
 One of the best racing games around There are different settings on the latest versions of the game, which allow a slightly more difficult type of game play. Once you get the hang of it though, it will not be long until you are doing a Jenson Button and winning pretty much every race.
This is where the game falls. You will move on so quickly that it won’t be one that sticks in the memory for too long at all. Hopefully it will make you smile and open up the inner child inside yourself for a couple hours though.
You can’t go outside and put your foot down to drive like a mad person in real life but you can do it on your computer screen. So sit back, get into it, make yourself a coffee and enjoy.
Game: Fast Car Frenzy http://www.miniclip.com/games/fast-car-frenzy/en/ | Developer: Mini Clip http://www.miniclip.com
March 1, 2010
Gravitee 2
Gravitee 2 is a strange wee game developed by FunkyPear. It’s a golfing game with a difference: it’s set in space.
Gameplay
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to play golf in a way that golf has never been played before, around planets and stars. You score points by hitting pickups (green balls larger than your golf ball), by thwacking the ball through gates and hoops and wormholes, by bouncing off planets and generally travelling through space. You’re given a certain amount of strokes per level to get as many points as possible.
 Space golf! Get enough points and you’ll receive a medal — gold, silver and bronze. Silver and bronze are generally fairly easy to get, but winning gold ain’t easy.
There are also competition rounds, kinda like mini-golf, where the aim is to get the ball through a gate located on another planet in as few strokes as possible.
As you go along you get awards for various things (you even get an award for failing to get a medal in a round). Get enough awards and you’ll unlock rewards.
One of these rewards is a level editor, which enables you to create your own levels, adding to the fun of the game.
 Who doesn't enjoy designing stuff? Remember to take into account the planetary gravity when making your shot, and don’t hit the ball too hard, otherwise it’ll fly out of bounds.
You shoot by clicking on the ball, dragging in the direction you want to shoot and then adjusting up or down with the mouse for power.
Technical
Graphics and music are fine.
There are a lot of different levels, and the level editor means gameplay is almost limitless. If you’re struggling there’s a walkthrough available of the first ten levels, via a YouTube video clickable from the main menu of the game.
The game also keeps track of your stats, which is always neat.
There’s no multiplayer functionality, though if you’re keen for other people to try out a level you’ve created you can leave the level code in the comments section of the site and people can paste it into the box designed especially for that purpose.
Game: Gravitee 2 | Developer: FunkyPear
February 15, 2010
Crunchball 3000
A cross between ice hockey, American football, rugby and soccer, but with armor.
That pretty much sums up Crunchball 3000, a free java-game developed by Ben Olding Games.
This is very reminiscent of a game called Speedball that used to be available on Amiga. In fact, the developer of this game specifically credits Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe as his inspiration.
The game is set in a future where all forms of sport are outlawed. However, Crunchball gains a huge underground following because people are yearning for the physical sports that used to be played, so the government, in an effort to avoid civil unrest, sponsors a Crunchball League.
Cue our entrance.
 Let's break some bones Gameplay
Crunchball is easy enough to pick up, and the controls are changeable. The aim of the game is to score more goals than your opponent. You do this by chucking a metal ball in the opposition goal. To prevent the other team from doing so you need to tackle them, either by running into them or, when you’re close, pressing the tackle button. If the tackle — an elbow jab or a barge — is successful the player will fall down and lose possession.
 Long may the Peacelovers sit atop the table The action isn’t limited to single games, however. You can play a campaign, where you start off as a Division Four team and attempt to work your way up to champions of Division One. Along the way you’ll be able to spend your winnings to improve your players, both in ability and equipment, and eventually have a force that can fight with any team. You can also buy better players at the end of each season. And unlike today’s sports, drug cheating doesn’t appear to be frowned on. Neither is bribery. Well, actually, if you get caught doing either of those things there’s a stiff penalty, but if you can get away with it… Hey, maybe it’s not much different from today’s sports after all.
Like the old Amiga game, this is surprisingly addictive. Nothing quite like the rush of jarring somebody’s bones, is there?
Technical
The graphics are slick and a nice homage to the particular style of the old Amiga game. The sound gets annoying after a while, but is definitely retro.
Being able to change the controls is a big bonus, and there is also a download available so this game can be played with a joypad.
 You are a winner! The physics are also surprisingly realistic. It’s very difficult to turn on a dime and sometimes when you run into someone wrong you’re the one who ends up on your back. Players have ratings for speed, tackling and passing and these are reflected in the way they carry out these actions.
Apparently, the developer mentions, the game is best played in Firefox.
Multiplayer
While the game does have a multiplayer option, it is limited to two people sharing a keyboard (or, with the download plug-in, two joypads). Unfortunately this means everything’s a little cramped, and exuberant play might end up with you actually elbowing your playing partner. An added touch of realism, perhaps?
But overall, this game is solid, easy to play and a lot of fun.
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Game: Crunchball 3000 | Developer: Ben Olding Games
February 13, 2010
Zombie Driver – the name pretty much says it all. Get behind the wheel and start running the undead over. Sure, it’s not entirely imaginative, but sometimes its the simple things in life that are the most enjoyable and Zombie Driver tries for that.
The introduction tells the story in silent storyboard format. A chemical or nuclear plant has exploded, contaminating the citizens of the city and turning them into flesh eating zombies. That is the extent of any real storyline in the game, which is good, because it leaves more time for turning zombies into roadkill.
 The Aforementioned Road Kill You start off in a simple Taxi with nothing but your bumper to smash through the ranks of zombies. This is, of course, satisfying in so many ways. As you accomplish missions, you earn more money to buy upgrades and the like.
 A Mission of Grave Importance Each level begins with you being informed of your Primary Mission. These are straightforward – “Rescue X number of citizens in these locations in X amount of time’. Doing so not only gives you money, but can also earn rewards of new weapons, cars, etc. You’re also given a Secondary Mission. These are often ‘Kill X number of Zombies’ or along those lines. Extra cash flows your way if you accomplish those.
An added bonus is that your vehicle of choice – be it a taxi, sports car, bus, or whatnot – only takes damage from zombies. This means that you can run right through parked vehicles (causing them to explode into fiery goodness), fences, and other debris scattered about the wreckage of the city.
Zombie Driver’s graphics are decent and do a good job of showing the carnage left behind by your violation of traffic laws. Audio is fine but I turned off the music after a while. The game is shown from a top-down isometric view with three camera options. Note – if you have a tendency to get motion sickness, you’ll want to try out the demo first. The camera views can be disorienting and you might want to limit your playing time to short chunks. Control-wise, it’s simple – ASDW or Arrow keys plus a few for shooting and using the hand brake. There is also an option for Game Pad if you’re so inclined.
 Knocking 'em dead-er with lead Zombie Driver could benefit from an in-game radar or map. More than once I found myself stuck at a dead-end while racing to save survivors. It’s frustrating, to say the least. The game is short (17 levels, 2 -3 hours of play) and can be repetitious. After the first few levels, not much changes aside from your vehicle and weapon package. You’ll have to rely on your own glee in splattering the undead to continue.
Zombie Driver is not the best zombie game on the market out there, but for just $10, it’s an easy way to kill a weekend if there isn’t anything good in the theaters or if you’re snowed in. It’s available from the website or through Steam.
Game: Zombie Driver | Developer: Exor Studios
February 5, 2010
Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not all that big into sports. I mean, it’s repetitive and boring, right? Wrong. For the last few days I’ve been playing around with the wonderfully innovative game Howzat, an online Cricket Game that managed to completely surprise me.
Now, within the first few hours of tinkering around with this little gem I was forced to accept the fact that I know absolutely nothing about cricket. It looks kind of like another sport but the rules and workings are completely different. At first I was kind of wary about going out and actually researching the sport itself so that I could play this game (which came recommended to me from a friend) so I skipped it all together. Then a funny thing happened: I was interested.
Now, you don’t actually NEED to know much about cricket to get this game. It’s fairly straight forward when you look at the controls and effort required to play. I spent a while in the practice mode, just trying to figure out when I am supposed to do what and when I finally got it it was more or less a cinch to play. You have the option of finding others to play with or you can invite friends –who are hopefully at the same level of expertise on the game as you are—but either way you’re not going to be terribly lost while playing.
 Play Field |
 Play Table |
The game itself is designed beautifully. I was really impressed by the movement of the characters on the field and the accuracy of the timing. When you press the button to hit or throw the ball you can expect the game to do exactly as you tell it to. Unfortunately this leaves you unable to blame the game when you miss, but that’s a fair trade off (if you’re not my rage-y husband).
In the end I rather enjoyed myself playing cricket for the last few days. There are tons of incentives to working hard on your team and building them up, including badges and a nice little team info to show off once you’re good enough (one day!). Even more surprising is the fact that after playing the game for a while I actually volunteered to go read up on my cricket. Anyone who is interested in sports should definitely give this one a try, whether cricket is your game or not. Who knows, you just might learn something.
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Game URL: http://howzat.com/
Developer: Game Ventures http://www.gameventures.com/
February 3, 2010
 Quality graphics made DSP a treat to look at. Driving Speed Pro (DSP) comes to us all the way from Australia’s Wheelspin Studios, a group of indie developers and the creators of the popular Driving Speed 1 & 2 games. The game includes a collection of seven cars and four tracks. You can jump in and play a Quick Race, Multiplayer, or a Career Mode which offers Test drives and Race Events.
Graphics-wise, DSP is easily on par with some big-budget games. The cars look slick and so do the tracks. Neither adds in too much in flashy extras to get in the way. The audio is solid as well, without being annoying.
The game physics are realistic. Hit a corner too fast and you’ll spin out. The inclusion of an optional Braking Line makes it easier for the leadfoots among us to ease up on that problem. ABS and Traction Control are also optional toggles. While at the starting line you have the option to tune your car, and between races in Career mode you can apply a wide variety of upgrades including tires, brakes, engine changes, etc. The default controls are the Arrow keys, but you can hook up an XBOX Controller to your PC and use that instead. Lap times are easily uploaded so that you can compare yourself to others around the world.
 Should I upgrade performance or handling? The Career mode caught my eye, as I enjoy games that allow you to fight your way up through the ranks, allowing you to improve and customize your vehicle while at the same time being responsible for any setbacks (i.e. – crashes). DSP does that fairly well. I did find that some of the upgrades were rather cheap (after winning the first Race Event, I could easily upgrade my car to the max of everything) and you are limited in accessing some events until you have the proper car, which actually limited the game play somewhat until you could afford a new vehicle.
DSP Multiplayer mode is excellent. The system requirements are so low that a group of friends could easily dig up some old computers to have a LAN party. DSP offers both LAN and WAN options, but the lack of a centralized hosting server means you’ll have to know the IP Address of those you want to play with.
That said, DSP is not without its flaws. The damage modeling is poor. I repeatedly hit barriers at 120mph and drove away with just a few scuff marks. In Career mode, the damage costs a lot to repair, but it didn’t seem reflected in my performance too much. The Track Map, constrained to a small box, barely showed me enough of the upcoming track to prepare. I felt that it could have been larger and transparent.
Likewise, the Camera views irked me severely. You have two options, a Chase and Hood cam. In my opinion, the Chase cam was too low and close to the rear of the vehicle. It made it difficult to see the track ahead. As for the Hood cam, I would have preferred that it was moved back onto the Roof. The lack of an In-Car cam might disappoint some, but I rarely use that in racing games so I didn’t notice. Oddly enough, more camera views were available in the Replay mode, but not game mode.
Despite these flaws, Driving Speed Pro is a very good game, especially considering its price and quality graphics and game play. The career mode was challenging and kept me entertained. It’s low cost also makes it a bargain for a group of friends at the next LAN Party.
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Game: Driving Speed Pro | Developer: Wheelspin Studios
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