ZombiU Review Summary and Trailer

 

 

A launch title for the Wii U, ZombiU is survival horror first person shooter developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. 

Plot:
A great plague has descended upon London, infecting the human race with a deadly disease. How long will you survive in the labyrinth of London streets and underground as the infected close in around you? As you Assume the roles of various survivors during the game, the horrifying remains of humanity shuffle through the streets, waiting to prey on your living flesh ...

8(

Gameplay:
A very steep learing curve, one bite sees you joining the undead, however in a neat twist you simply take on the role of another survivor, allowing you to return to kill your former self and collect your lost inventory.  During normal play the gamepad is used to manage inventory and display a map of the area. The touchscreen is used for barricading doors, hacking combination locks etc. Holding the pad screen parallel to your tv allows you to scan the immediate area, very nifty for those sniper shots... though you are left defenceless in this mode, which is where a spare eye on the tv comes in handy.

Reception:
Polar opposites from the  reviewers, a love or hate title, but with universal recommendations for survival horror fans.  Despite this the game scores a very favourable 77% on Metacritic

What the developers said
"ZombiU will send shivers of fear and excitement up and down your spine in equal measure: it's the perfect showcase for what the Wii U is all about."

Quote of the Bunch:
It is unforgiving and brutal, but in the best of ways that challenges players to carefully consider each step. Digital Spy

Reviews Summary
It's a fantastically tense horror experience
A weak link in the Wii U's launch lineup
High difficulty and asymmetrical gameplay ideas deliver an intense experience
Slow and methodical, designed to build tension rather than pump adrenaline
Fundamentally difficult, repetitive and boring.
Not so impressive graphics, lack of online multiplayer
The perfect Wii U launch game for adult gamers
Good ideas are sadly spoiled by poor action and an average technical execution
Fans disenchanted with Capcom's Resident Evil series will find much to love in ZombiU

Official Website

Stunning Mass Effect Character Fan Art

Jack by ruthiee

Kasumi by TheBoyofCheese

Liara T-Soni by Tiara-Owl

Miranda by Patryk "Garrett" Olejniczak.

Tali and Legion by BoyGTO

Miranda by Spiritus

These stunning images inspired by the epic that is Biowares' Mass Effect series, realised with some extraodinary talent by the artists mentioned above.  Patrick Garrett has featured here before. The artist's portfolio (all deviantArt members) and higher resolution images on the links beneath the artwork.

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Fan Made Farcry 3 Facebook Cover

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With the holidays in full swing and the incredible demand for this Ubisoft gem leaving local stores without stock, even Santa had difficulties getting me a gift wrapped copy.  With a red Porche also on the missing pressi list I'm begining to think that perhaps Santa prioritises his younger clients at Christmas. A most unfortunate development I'm sure you'll agree.

All this leaves me, for the one and only time in my gaming history, regretting that I hadn't pre-ordered.

In an effort to ease my disapointment and with the Forum Avatar business in sharp decline I've instructed Alf the Helper to knock up some Facebook banners for your approval.

And in case you've just escaped captivity from a desert island somewhere, Farcry 3 is an open world FPS with RPG elements set on a cluster of islands at the intersection of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.  You play as Jason Brody on vacation until things take a turn for the worse and you find yourself fighting for survival, saving your kidnapped friends and escaping the islands and their ...erm interesting inhabitants.

or so I'm told... I wouldn't know... would I Santa?

Offical Website

Alf The Helper: Yeah and Santa forgot the phone number I asked for as well....
Elderly: Wait...you asked Santa for a phone number?
Alf The Helper: Yeah.. why what's wrong with that?
Elderly: ..but a phone number, why would you... !!....Scarlett Johansson's number?
Alf The Helper: Yep! I was am.. going to phone and wish her a happy new year and stuff..
Elderly:  The wall full of photos, the shrine, the t-shirt...the teddy bear you nicknamed Scarlett? Your becoming obsessed you know that?
Alf The Helper: But I'm .. If she just met me... ?.. you think?
Elderly: ...Alf, a Shrine!?
Alf The Helper: Sniff... I can take it down..

(Alf leaves to dismantle the shrine and Elderly rips up Santas' card with the ultra secret phone number...)

Captain America Console Mod

Given that applying a plastic decal and changing my xbox 360 faceplate is the complete extent of my console modding experience I'm constanly amazed at the lengths that a rare breed of gamers go to, to create their dream console.

Take design student Zachariah Perry Cruse, who integrated a blue LED for the power button, mounted a raised shield on one side and embellished the opposite with the classic Avengers "A" and wings.

Simple and elegant.

More images on his Official Blog page

Alf The Helper: How'd he do that then?
Elderly: I don't know, but I do know he does commissions
Alf The Helper: Do you think he'd do a Scarlett Johansson mod?
Elderly: A Black Widow mod.. sure I reckon he....
Alf The Helper: No!...... a Scarlett Johansson.... actress mod...
Elderly: She still hasn't replied to your tweets has she?
Alf The Helper: ..well not exactly no.. but these things take time...
Elderly:  Indeed, an eternity.....
Alf The Helper: :(

Game Graphics Farcry 3 Nicolas Collings

10 minutes plus, with it's own chapter selection list.

Thanks to the skinning abilities of a certain Mr.Bickle on Gaming Ales, I may have found my last game purchase of 2012.  So having watched the 10 minute trailer, an unhealthy number of times, I  dug a little deeper and found the outlandishly talented Mr. Nicolas Collings Lead/Supervisor Character Modeler and Texture Painter with Blur Studio.

Not alone select character models for Farcry 3, but Mr. Collings has also contributed to the Game Cinematics on.....

Injustice Gods Among Us (Capcom) - 2012
The guardians of the middle earth (Monolith) - 2012
PlanetSide 2 ( Sony Online Entertainment) - 2012
Dishonored (Bethesda) -2012
Resident Evil Raccoon City (Capcom) - 2011
Overstrike (Insomniac Games) - 2011
Lost Planet 3 (Capcom) - 2011

Official Website
On CGhub

Far Cry 3 Official Website

2012 Video Game Posters, Halo 4, Mass Effect 3

Featuring key artwork from some of 2012's blockbusters, and the perfect present for my blog helper Alf, who tells me he wrote to Santa looking for "Uncharted 3".... cruel but practical given our austere times.

Mass Effect 3 Game Poster

Halo 4 Game Poster

Assassin's Creed 3 Game Poster

  

Uncharted 3 Game Poster

Fuse Trailer and Wallpaper 2013

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Whilst salivating at the prospect of Santa's arrival, I decided to take a peak at some of the delights awaiting us for 2013 and came across this offering from Insomniac Games (creators of Ratchet & Clank and Resistance).

A reworking of the four-player co-op game once known as "Overstrike",  published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and due March 2013.

What They say....
“a 4-person co-op action shooter that thrusts players into the roles of four elite, covert agents with their own unique skills and experimental weapons.”

“Fuse demonstrates what Insomniac does best: outlandish and gruesome weapons design, over-the-top action and a touch of humor."

"....story-driven, action game where even solo players can experience the unique attributes of each agent by using the game’s LEAP feature to switch between the four characters at will during combat."

Possessing as I do the online co-op prowess and team spirit of a slug, a 4 player co-op is enough to leave me cold, nay catatonic. But that "Leap" feature, which reportedly allows solo players to switch with any AI team character at will, a newly developed game engine and Insomniac's penchant for outlandish weaponry... well who knows, but this is defo going on my must investigate more list for 2013....

Official Game Website

Wonderous "Eclectic Delights" Bundle In a Box

 

Following on from their  succesful "Adventure" and "Deep Space" bundle offerings the now near legendary peoples at Kytarro Games present their third "Eclectic Delights" Bundle in a Box.    Nine rather extraordinary indie games in a bundle that goes further than any other indie game bundle known to man.

For a limited time only.....

Not alone do you get 9 awesome indie titles to brighten up your darkest hours, but in doing to so, help out a nominated charity AND support the development of young indie game developers by contributing to  Kytarro Games' Indie Dev Grant.

Soooh!!! without further ado, lets get unbundling and see what we've got in store...
(.....Rustle of parcel opening, a paper cut and some swear words...)

.....Tadaaaaaa!!!

Delve Deeper (PC): the endlessly replayable and quite wonderful adventure/strategy offering by Lunar Giant, complete with ALLLLL it's DLC

War of the Human Tanks (PC): Frantic strategic battles in a story-driven and most original game.
Eversion (PC/Mac). Cutely disturbing platformer with Lovecraftian references.

Stay Dead (PC/Mac): FMV gaming is far from dead as action/rhythm/fighter Stay Dead (PC/Mac) effortlessly and most emphatically proves.

The 4th Wall (PC): The excessively surreal and deeply indie horror offering The 4th Wall (PC).

Fibrillation (PC). From Russia, With horror.

The Adventures of Shuggy (PC): an excellent, retro-inspired platformer that isn't afraid to experiment with new ideas.

Shadows of the Vatican (PC): Mystery point-and-click adventure  in both HD and regular flavours.

Flibble (PC):  Retro-tastique and actually hillarious, a shiny new maze-action game.

Exclusive Droidscape: Basilica content for the soon-to-be-released mobile action puzzler.
+ PLUS Eclectic selection of extras including soundtracks and digital comic books.

Available exclusively on

Bundle in a Box "Eclectic Delights"

Assassin's Creed 3 PVC Figure Connor

For those who didn't manage to grab the Assassin's Creed III limited edition figure. From UBICollectibles comes this Connor aka Ratonhnhaké:ton pvc pre-painted figure. Depicting Connor in all his glory as the Master Assassin, the figure is detailed using Ubisoft's CGI models as reference. The statue stands approximately 9" tall and comes in a window box container.

Available from Amazon.

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THE Wii U Unboxing Video but No Optical Audio

 

 

Wii U Release Date: US November 18th, EU and Australia November 30th, Japan December 8th

Well you can't get more authorative than this, Mr. Satoru Iwata, complete with white gloves, as he unveils Nintendo's great hope.

Alf The Helper: There's no optical audio support...
Elderly: What!? Alf I wish you'd stop doing that..
Alf The Helper: Just sayin, jeezh!! ....
Elderly: Wait... your telling me theres no optical sound option.... but..
Alf  The Helper: There's digital output in the form of a HDMI cable, so if you've got a HDTV with HDMI output hooked up to a soundsystem with HDMI input your laughing, provided of course your TV coverts the sound properly.

But we're going to need to buy a HDMI to Optical decoder if you want to hear in 3D... less your HDTV has an optical output, though I must warn you many is the HDTV that has optical output but dosen't convert multi channel sound.... like yours mr.Elderly!!

Elderly: :( how much for a decoder...
Alf The Helper:  a half decent one about $200 or €160....just hope that some third party bring out a HDMI cable with an optical inset, like ye old Xbox cable
Elderly: :( I need to sit down now....

Wii U Specs on Wikipedia
Wii U Official Website

Alf's Game Wallpaper Mashup part 2

 

 

 

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Folowing on from his mildly successful and quite frankly heinous abuse of some radical game wallpaper designs, it is with distinct distaste that I have agreed (for a fee) to upload the latest of Alf's Game Wallpaper Mashups for your critique.  No doubt with enough adverse comment, Alf will abandon his Mashup pursuit and concentrate on some lucid Game Wallpaper work.

Alf The Helper: A fee!?? What fee?
Elderly: You didn't think I was going to post these monstrocities for nothing?
Alf The Helper: Am well... I hadn't thought about.. But Yes!, ...I thought I was helping out!
Elderly: Well your not, So I'm deducting an appropriate fee from this week's wages.
Alf The Helper: But.. I can't afford...
Elderly: Too late they're up
Alf The Helper: : (

Alf's Game Wallpaper Mashups part 1

See all "Game Wallpaper" posts

Game Tattoo #10

The latest collection of awesome gaming tattoos direct to you from the Wuberternet.  When I started this series of posts back in 2006 finding even a game tattoo image on the net was nigh impossible.  Now finding the images is easy enough but blast me if it's just as difficult to find the owner.  So imagine my delight when, in a first for the Elderly Gamer, we actually found our first Game Tattoist link, a mr. Tom Ruki from Tenacious Tattos with his stunning Final Fantasy VII Tattoo, Sephiroth and the Jenova Doll (top image).

Remember Tattoos are for life, or a very painful and expensive laser removal session.

Top to Bottom:

Tom Ruki on Facebook
Sae from Fatal Frame II on Tumblr
Swtor tattoo on Reddit
Link from Legend of  Zelda (no source, grrrrr...)

See all "Game Tattoo" posts

Alf The Helper: Can I get a game tattoo?
Elderly: Of what?
Alf The Helper: I was thinking of a rat from Dishonored
Elderly: Yes okay, but what Game Tattoo do you want
Alf The Helper: I was thin... a rat.. like the ones in Dishonored
Elderly: A rat!? ...a dirty, infested, sewer stinking rat!?
Alf The Helper: ....am...well...when you put it like that...

Hitman Absolution Wallpaper, Trailer and Facebook Cover

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Worldwide Trailer

 

Facebook Cover 851x315

 

Hitman Absolution is an upcoming stealth game developed by IO Interactive, and if my count is right, the fifth outing for agent 47.  Set for release for Xbox 360, Ps3 and Microsoft Windows on November 20th. 

Hunted by the police Agent 47 finds himself the centre of a dark conspiracy and must
"embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world, in his search for the truth"

Apart from the deadly defrocking nuns and the chance to dress as a chipmunk,  Hitman Absolution promises a "familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games."

Roll the projector there Alf!!

Official Website

Solitaire Free Browser Games

Timer and Score

 

Luxury Decks

 

Changeable Backgrounds

 

Taking a break from the rat infested wonderment that is Dishonored or perhaps cleaning the Xcom Alien goo from your carpet you could do worse than spend a few moments with these 50 beautiful free web based Solitaire games from WorldofSolitaire.

Klondike, Spider, FreeCell and more. No installs, no plugins, no flash needed.  Downside, the massive big bloody ad, but hey free comes at some little price.

World of Solitaire

Elderly: Alf you done with the carpet cleaner yet?
Alf the Helper: Few minutes mr Elderly, this blood spot is never going to come out
Elderly: Alf!
Alf the Helper: Yes?
Elderly: That's the carpet pattern.....
Alf The Helper: oh yes.. right.. okay all done here!!

See all "Buzzlisted Games"

Rare Retro Games Escape from Mt. Drash

 

 

Manufactured: 1983 for Commodore VIC-20 home computer.
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Programmed by Keith Zabalaoui for Sierra, Escape from Mt.Drash is considered one of the most valuable if not rarest game ever released for the VIC-20.

The Plot
Imprisoned within a mountain by "Garrnintrots" your task is to escape the randomly generated dungeon mazes across 15 increasingly difficult levels and do so before the time runs out.  Along the way you must defeat a variety of monsters and collect gems to aid in your escape.

from the manual....
"Escape from Mt. Drash is a game of life, and unless you can prevent it, a game of death"

Rarity
Only 13 copies of the reported 3000 that were manufactured are believed to be in existence.  The game was published on Cassette tape and not the standard Rom Catridge. In addition, because of it's length the game required a memory expansion cartidge to be installed on the Vic-20, further limiting it's sales.

The first complete copy of the game sold on eBay in March 2004 for $3,605, in June 2009 a boxed copy without manual was sold on ebay for $1,875. December 2011 and again on ebay an unboxed manual and cassette sold for $676.

I wanta play it:
Vic-20 emulator in hand then hit this Peroxide.dk link page.

Mt. Drash article on "Ye Olde Infocomme Shoppe"
See all "Retro Game" posts

Dead or Alive 5 Character Wallpaper

Kasumi

 

Ayane

 

Leifang

 

Hitomi

After the last demented game wallpaper mashup, I am happy to announce that Alf the Helper is once again back on his medication and producing some fanmade Game Wallpaper that has some semblance to normality.

Having locked the little fellow in a room for a day without food or water, he hasn't let me down.  The fact he's gone off and produced 16 of these is... well... proof that a tight employee regime always gets results.

Dead or Alive 5 is the soon to be released (25th-28th September) fifth instalment in the DOA series by Team Ninja (if we ignore the volleybobble outings).  A debut for the series on the Ps3 and featuring guest appearances by members of Sega's Virtua Fighter Team.

The above wallpaper a selection from:
Ayane, Kokoro, Hayate and Akira DOA 5 wallpaper on Just Walls Blog
Kasumi, Christie, Tina and La Mariposa DOA 5 wallpaper on Beauty Re-rendered Blog
Hitomi, Sarah Bryant, Pai Chan, and Mila DOA 5 wallpaper on Rendered Bits Blog
Leifang, Bayman, Hayabusa and Helena DOA 5 wallpaper on Eyesurfing Blog
UPDATE! Dead or Alive Facebook Cover photos on Eyesurfing Blog

See all "Game Wallpaper" posts