Tuesday 1 February 2011

GameCheese

Recently, my friends and I thought of an idea for a YouTube channel: GameCheese. A place where 4 gamers will being chatting, laughing at and insulting all things to do with games. Please understand; we love gaming, but there is so much to laugh at in gaming too!

We'll post a weekly vid-cast (or vlog.... or a weekly show? Don't really know how to define it) in which Jake, Josh, Daniel and I will cover the topics of the gaming news throughout the week, the shit game of the week, what we've been playing and a round or two of B.U.T.T.O.N. (the best party game ever!!!).

Also, over the coming weeks we'll be posting various other videos such as walkthroughs for the tougher missions of games (we're far too lazy to do a walkthrough of an entire game), some of our favourite games we've played, our personal opinions on games old and new and other videos to do with games in some way or form.

We're just starting out, so we've still got some flaws to deal with (the news section should NOT last for an hour and a half!) but it's still a laugh all the same. Give us some time, and we'll be the greatest YouTube channel ever!! Or not. But still, subscribe, watch and like our videos, laugh with us and support our new channel; GameCheese!

Sunday 23 January 2011

Why GTA IV is one of the best games of all time

It takes a lot to make a game playable for weeks or months after purchase, let alone years. But that is exactly what GTA IV has done for me. It released on 29th April 2008, and I bought it about a year later. Now we're in 2011 and I'm still playing it at least weekly, if not daily. But how has it been so appealing that I just can't stop playing?

A huge, living playground
GTA IV, like most GTA games, features 3 large islands (you could argue there are 4 in IV). Each one makes up a borough of New York City, so already it feels slightly familiar. But unlike a few free-roaming, sandbox games, Liberty City feels truly alive in every sense. There are constantly people bustling through the streets and the roads are filled with cars getting from place to place. Even if you stopped completely, the city continues to live around you. And the fact that random things can happen at any point always keep me interested and involved. Unlike Red Dead Redemption (newest Rockstar game) with scripted 'random events', random events in GTA IV are really random indeed. I could be casually driving down the pavement when an explosion could go off. I'd rush to the scene to see a car blown up and an ambulance crew already on site. Nothing to do with my antics at all. Just life in Liberty City.

There is also the fact that Liberty City is a deep playground. It isn't just filled with solid towers and houses along the streets. A few are actually fully fleshed out buildings with interiors to explore and play in. After a year and a bit of playing, it was only the other day that I found a 4 storey building that I could enter and mess around in. I instantly got the cops on me, lured them into the building, and challenged myself to shoot my way out of the building, like creating my own 'mini mission'. Even though I've been playing for so long, this showed me that I surely have more to get out of Liberty City.

Amazing DLC
Downloadable content for games are usually just a few maps, a couple of skins and/or weapons, and the odd additional mission or two. GTA IV on the other hand gave me two full new stories to play through, each around 6 hours each! "The Lost and Damned" and "The Ballad of Gay Tony" both introduced a new character to play as and a new story to go through. Each story had its own feel to it, and felt vastly different to the main GTA IV story, but in a good way. In both DLC's, you are put into an entirely different situation than you were in within the GTA IV story, and it's this that kept it fresh. It was like being in a new setting, even though it is still set in the same Liberty City you've been in all this time. The missions were also more tailored to the character. For example, in TLaD, you play as Johnny Klebitz, a member of a biker gang. So many more of the missions are performed on a bike with a gang to back you up. This obviously wouldn't happen very often with Niko in the main story.

There is also the fact that each DLC brings with it new weapons, vehicles, online modes and game mechanics. A light machine gun is always a lot of fun, smacking a person with a baseball bat off a bike while driving along side them is very entertaining, and an APC Tank is pure badass. But probably the most enjoyable mechanic for me was the return of parachutes from previous GTA games. By implementing parachutes, the invisible ceiling was doubled in height, massive drops were now possible and its use in missions made it a crucial and great addition to an already awesome game. And having these new game mechanics made the entire game even more fun...

Online
Online modes in games usually take the game mechanics, put you in a small or medium sized stage and make you perform certain actions (e.g. kill each other). GTA IV on the other hand simply lets you loose in Liberty City. That's it. Just go wild with your friends! There are some set modes like Deathmatch, Race etc., but all are within the huge city. Personally, I just play free-mode with friends, and it's exactly what it says on the tin: free to do whatever the hell you want...mode. It is just like free roaming in single player but with more people. Also, since there are options for police and friendly-fire, things can get even crazier without consequence!

Unfortunately you can't play the story co-op, but there are a couple of missions to perform together. There is also a Cops N' Crooks mode where a group of player controlled cops aim to take out the main criminal boss whilst the lesser criminals have to defend the boss and get him to his escape vehicle. A rather unique mode which works very well with the open city. It is the online aspect of GTA IV which keeps the game going for a long time, much like it has done with me.

Swingset Glitch

Hours of fun.


Of course there are many things to love in Liberty City: the wacky radio stations, the borderline insane characters, random fist fights/ fire fights in the street. But you really have to be there to experience the world fully. Forget the stereotype - you don't just kill hookers and murder innocents (albeit that is a fair chunk of the fun).

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Happy New Year!!

First things first - Happy New Year everyone! Here we are; a year closer to 2012. But never mind all that doomsday rubbish, hope you all had happy holidays and got all you wanted out of it. Concerning the New Year, I have actually made a new year's resolution: Post more on my Blog. But, like most resolutions, how well that goes is yet to be seen. But I'll try to post at least fortnightly. Forgive the small, insignificant posts that are sure to come.

Last post I talked about my difficulty choosing between a controller and a headset. In the end, I went for neither. The controller is made for pro competitive gaming, and I came to the conclusion that I just don't play competitively anymore. Single player gives so much more freedom to the player, in my opinion. And the headset; I've heard that it has a rather short cable, and I can't really have that. I don't have a huge room, but I do move around a lot. A short cable would significantly restrict me.

I did get some things though. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Xbox 360), Sonic Colours (Nintendo Wii), a wired controller for my newest hobby of PC gaming (and to replace my dying wireless controllers) and an assortment of chocolate. T'was a good holiday indeed. I'll probably speak about the games at a later date, but it's safe to say I am thoroughly enjoying both of them.

Seeing as its January, I have to deal with the hell that is January Exams. I have to get them done well since I have now got offers from all my chosen universities. It was probably rather bad of me to only think "meh" when I got all my offers! I'm laid-back like that. I have 4 exams over three weeks to complete. Wish me luck!!

That's me done for the time being. With any luck, I shall be posting a lot more from now on, with more than just text for you to read!

Monday 8 November 2010

Well this blog is quickly dying....

Hello once again. I know, it's been a month but what can I do? College is overwhelming and applying for university is hellish. I want to post more, but things are just too unclear right now.

About the Halo: Reach review I was planning... well, it's not coming now. I think after 2 months of release, it's a bit late to review it! Might post it one day, just for the sake of it; we'll see. Long review, short - A great game to tie up the series (for now). Enemy AI is great and ally AI are appalling. Story is very explosive and also tragic, but not on par with Halo 3 in my opinion. So many games modes to play and constant support from Bungie updating challenges and playlists is outstanding. So much to do in fact, I'm still playing it! 9/10

Who is looking forward to Christmas? I am! Sort of.... Don't really have many plans for what I want. I'm stuck between the Razer Onza controller and a SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB Headset. The Razer Onza is a pro Xbox controller with features such as adjusting tightness of thumbsticks, additional shoulder buttons mapped to whatever button you wish, and a GOOD d-pad. The SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB Headset is a comfortable headset made for the Xbox, with very durable parts, noise reducing ear cups, and a nifty little gadget that balances party chat (when you're chatting with friends) and game noise.



What to choose...


...what to choose?



Why not both, you ask? Well the normal Xbox controller has 2 additional slots beside the 3.5mm jack. This is needed for the headset's gadget. The Razer does NOT have these additional slots, only the 3.5mm jack. I'm leaning towards the headset, since I already have an Xbox controller. I also used the headset at EuroGamer Expo 2010 and loved it! But the Razer will make be play much better (in theory).

I'll let you know when I get either, if I get either. Comment what you think I should get out of the two. That's it for this time, will post something else as soon as possible.... I hope.

Friday 1 October 2010

Very busy life!

Sorry for the weeks of no posts! I've been swamped with college work and other distractions. Second year of A-Levels require so much work, it's ridiculous! I've also been very busy on Halo: Reach! It is a stunning game, meeting and exceeding my expectations. I'll be posting my own personal review on it eventually.

In other life news, I'm heading to the Eurogamer Expo 2010 tomorrow! It's an annual expo where you play both new and yet to be released games. Highlights of the expo are Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, LittleBigPlanet 2, Infamous 2, Crysis 2, Killzone 3 and various other highly anticipated games. There will also be various PS Move and Kinect games there for people to try. I can finally give Kinect a go and say it's rubbish with prior experience! But it would be a nice suprise for it to actually be good. Here's a link for more information: http://expo.eurogamer.net/ Tickets will be sold at the door after 3pm, so try to go if you can!

That's all for this time, just a post to say I'm still planning to post in the future!

Thursday 9 September 2010

Back to College and REACH!

I'm finally back in college...just great. But I suppose things aren't too bad. My college has recently completed its new building, so I've got a new place to explore. At first I thought it would be an effort to find my way around, but the layout is rather simple! Different areas (West, northeast etc.) are clearly signposted and make it easier to find your way around. It's even easier for me since I only need to get to the East and West areas for lessons. The whole look and feel of the college is fresh and slightly reminds me of those high schools/colleges you see on American TV shows. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I'm not sure, but either way I like the new college.

I'm especially like the new college year because of my timetable. Last year, I was faced with long days that usually had one or two lessons early, a one or two hour break and a lesson last. It was very long because during that time, I usually had nothing to do. Not even homework, since I finished it too soon. I couldn't go home either, since by the time I got back home, I'd have to leave for college again! But this year is totally different. I have one early start on a Monday, then the entire Tuesday off! The rest of the week consists of late starts, early leaving, and minimal breaks! I'm actually in one of those breaks now, writing this up at college. The timetable is a lot more forgiving this year, so that may help with the harder work I have to face.

On the note of games, Halo: Reach is out next week!! It comes out on the 14th September, a Tuesday, which I now have off! Seeing as this is the last Halo game by Bungie, I felt that I wanted the whole package, so I forked out the cash for the Legendary edition. The price? £100. I know, very steep, especially for a college student, but this is something I have wanted for so long! The contents of the Legendary Edition are:
  • Exclusive Noble Team statue from McFarlane Toys. Individually moulded, hand-painted and numbered
  • UNSC-themed custom packaging
  • An exclusive in-game Spartan armour effect- a flaming helmet

  • Game disc and manual in custom case modelled after a recovered ONI data module
  • A custom in-game Elite armour set for use in Reach's multiplayer modes
  • Artifact Bag containing a brand-new piece of the extended Halo universe - the personal notes and documents of the creator of the SPARTAN program: Dr. Catherine Halsey.
  • Dr. Halsey's ONI Security Badge
  • Embroidered Spartan II Patch
There is a lot of gear there that's simply awesome for any Halo fan! But I must say the price is steep, and should only be bought if you are a big fan of Halo. There is also the limited edition for £60 which includes everything in the second set of bullet points. Then of course there is just the game for £40. Make your choice.

I have to say the main thing I'm excited about in Reach is not the competitive multiplayer, but the Campaign. It looks to be a lot darker than the rest of the Halo series, and more explosive! There's also the very cool feature of making the main character you play as, Noble-6, look exactly like your online Spartan. So all the awesome gear you buy in-game with your credits can shine not only online, but in the Campaign (including in the cut-scenes). This same character model is used in every aspect of the game, from Campaign, to Firefight, to Forge and Online! It really makes you feel that YOU are Noble-6. A small feature, yes. But an effective one.

The Firefight is also a really fun mode I look forward to. Basically, waves of enemies are thrown at you and you have to fight through them, all while 'Skulls' are activated, making the game play harder (e.g. less ammo, stronger enemy shields). This was a popular mode introduced in Halo 3: ODST, but it has returned for Reach. The main appeal of the mode to me this time around is the customisation implemented into the mode. You can change which enemies appear, their weapons and behaviour, which skulls activated, what skulls actually do, time limits, number of waves....I could go on for hours. The depth of customisation is immense and will keep Firefight fresh for years!

I could talk about Reach for days, but I'll spare you. If you have an Xbox 360, buy Halo: Reach!! Ok, that's me done for this post.

...

Buy Halo: Reach.

Thursday 2 September 2010

Anime / Manga list

This week has just been so....meh. More so than usual. So instead of a post with actual meaning, I'm just going to post my Anime and Manga list. Be warned, it is a VERY long list! See you all next week, hopefully got something meaningful to say when college starts again.

Also some notes about the list:
An OVA is an Original Video Animation, made by the animators outside of the week-to-week releases. Also known as a "Special" episode.
Episodes usually last around 24 mintues. Just think about all the hours of Anime I have watched!
Chapters can vary in number of pages per chapter, but it is usually around 20-30 pages.

Anime [episodes]
• Naruto [220]
• Five Naruto OVAs (specials)
• Naruto Shippūden [176 ongoing]
• One Naruto Shippūden OVA
• Bleach [286 ongoing]
• Darker Than Black [25]
• One Darker Than Black OVA
• Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini [12]
• Four Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini OVAs
• Dragon Ball Z [276]
• Two Dragon Ball Z OVAs
• Dragon Ball GT [64]
• 11 Eyes [13]
• Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni [26]
• Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai [24]
• Wolf’s Rain [26]
• Candy Boy [7 + prologue]
• School Days [12]
• Deathnote [37]
• Canvas [2]
• Fullmetal Alchemist [51]
• Five Fullmetal Alchemist OVAs
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood [64]
• Three Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OVAs
• He’s My Master [12]
• K-ON! [14]
• One K-ON! OVA
• K-ON! Season 2 [22 ongoing]
• Loveless [12]
• Sonic X [78]
• Tenjou Tenge [24]
• One Tenjou Tenge OVA
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya [14]
• The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya [15]
• Vampire Knight [13]
• Vampire Knight Guilty [13]
• Fruits Basket [26]
• Chu-Bra!!! [12]
• The Legend of Koizumi [3]
• Working! [13]
• Mayoi Neko Overrun [13]
• Kaicho wa Maid-sama [22 ongoing]
• KissXSis [12]
• Three KissXSis OVAs
• Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-Chan [8]
• Elfed Lied [13]
• One Efled Lied OVA
• Angel Beats! [13]
• Highschool of the Dead [9 ongoing]
• Asobi ni Ikuyo [8 ongoing]
• Seitokai Yakuindomo [9 ongoing]
• Cat Shit One [1 ongoing]
• Black Rock Shooter [1 ongoing]
• Amagai SS [9 ongoing]

Movies
• Naruto: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
• Naruto: Legend of the Stone of Gelel
• Naruto: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom
• Naruto Shippūden The Movie
• Naruto Shippūden 2: Bonds
• Naruto Shippūden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire
• Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
• Ghost In The Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
• Ghost In The Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society
• Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa
• Bleach: Memories of Nobody
• Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
• Bleach: Fade to Black, I Call Your Name
• Deathnote: Rewrite [LIVE ACTION]
• Deathnote: Rewrite 2 [LIVE ACTION]
• Battle Royale [LIVE ACTION]
• Battle Royale 2: Requiem [LIVE ACTION]
• Ten Dragon Ball Z/GT Movies
• The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

Manga [chapters]
• Naruto [508 ongoing]
• Bleach [418 ongoing]
• Deathnote [108]
• Fullmetal Alchemist [108]
• Bloody Monday [96]
• Bloody Monday Season 2 [32 ongoing]
• White Cloud [1]
• 7th Period Is A Secret [3]
• Absolute Boyfriend [33]
• Alive! [10]
• Bitter Virgin [32]
• Liar Game [138 ongoing]
• It’s Not Like That, Darling [14]
• Love Strip [3]
• Battle Royale [119]
• School Days [12]
• Seishun Pop [7 ongoing]
• GE – Good Ending [46 ongoing]
• Are you Alice? [8 ongoing]
• Mysterious Girlfriend X [46 ongoing]
• Boyfriend [11]
• Lock-on [18]
• Hajime no Ippo [905 ongoing]
• Loop [1]
• No Bra [31]
• Highschool of the Dead [26 ongoing]
• Go! Tenba Cheerleaders! [22 ongoing]
• Ayu Mayu [29]
• Heads [9 ongoing]
• Kaicho wa Maid-sama [53 ongoing]
• Mirai Nikki [55 ongoing]
• Angel Beats – Heaven’s Door [5 ongoing]
• SWOT [8 ongoing]
• Akkan Baby [3]
• Always Together [1]
• 24 Colors – Hatsukoi No Palette [5]
• Futagami Double [1]
• Aoi Kiseki [5]
• Karakuchi Kakumei [1]