Steel Division: Normandy 44 is a tactical RTS game set during the World War 2. Developed by Eugen Systems, the game relies on detailed and historically accurate vehicles, artillery and infantry, and gives you a ton of tactical options that are enjoyable to engage with. This is a game that leverages historical accuracy, complex gameplay systems, and beautiful visuals to make a cohesive and enjoyable experience, without compromises. There is a significant learning as with any good RTS, but the beautiful visuals and a robust intro are enough to hook any interested player. The large maps might feel daunting at first, but with an array of tactical considerations at your disposal, there’s barely any downtime. The attention to detail is striking, as zooming in to a section of the battle shows nic...
Remember when we were kids, we used to connect two cups with a string and talked over it? Well, that was an actual means of communication back in the day in the mid 1600s until 1876, when Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone. An archaic device that did it’s job. Over the years, technology has evolved and now we have if not the best, one of the best smartphones of 2017, the Samsung Galaxy S8+. Boasting an “Infinity Screen” or an almost bezel-less phone, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ screams 2017, welcome to the future of Minority Report, hello Back to the Future. Back when I was younger, a dream of my friends and I, being science fiction fans, always wished we could watch TV on our phones, use the internet on our mobile phones and dare I say, maybe even play some games! Well fast for...
Gorgeous artwork, a wonderful score, and a brutal world, Rise and Shine promises so much more but ultimately falls short. Developed by Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team (That’s a mouthful) and published by Adult Swim, Rise and Shine was released in January 2017 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The game tells a tale of a video game world where characters know they are in a game and are controlled by a “guide”. The game follows the story of an eleven-year-old known as Rise who is chosen to be the carrier of the sacred talking gun known as Shine to save his planet Gamearth from the Space Grunts of the planet Nexgen. The art style and artwork of the game is absolutely gorgeous with beautiful backgrounds that feature cameos and references to many famous games of the pas...
The right headphones can be like soft fur on your ears, and Skull Candy Grind Wireless bluetooth headphones feel near perfect. Firstly, the headphones are really light, but feel very sturdy. They rest comfortably over the head, and on the ears without feeling too tight. The sturdiness comes due to a strong metal strip acting as the central frame for the headphones. The headband section of frame is then covered by a soft cushioned padding that snugly covers the top of the head. A more sturdy design also means that the headphones are not fold-able. I can imagine some audiophiles taking issue with this, specially when carrying the headphones in a bag, but I personally never found this to be an issue. Whenever I was out and about, I was wearing the headphones with a podcast running in the back...
A story of dread, deceit and destruction with plenty of twists and lots of bone shattering spectacles, Injustice 2 is a fantastic sequel that improves on its predecessor in every way possible. Developed by NetherRealm Studios, famed for their Mortal Kombat series and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Injustice 2 was released in May 2017 for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One along with ports for Android and iOS mobiles. To start off, I went on into this game completely blind, having not watched any trailers or character reveals. I was not expecting much from the game, thinking that it would be just another re-skinned Mortal Kombat game with a somewhat boring rehashed Batman v/s Superman story but I was more than just pleasantly surprised. Almost every aspect of the game felt...
Even as some one who doesn’t usually play sports games, NBA Playgrounds was one of my most anticipated games of 2017. Despite my lack of fondness for the yearly sports franchises, the more goofy and over-the-top style of NBA Playgrounds, and other games preceding it, like NBA Jam and NBA Street, always managed to deliver quick doses of fun, and the lack of most rules meant that I could just jump in, pull off some flashy moves, have a great time and step away. NBA Playgrounds stands up in this regard for the most part, but definitely falters in significant ways. For those new to these arcade-style sports games, NBA Playgrounds offers a two-vs two game of basketball, that you can play offline with bots, or with others via local and online multiplayer. You start off with a limited roste...
HyperX is a reputed name when it comes to headsets and memory, but now the company is making its foray into the peripheral market with a new keyboard. With Cherry MX Blue switches and a flashy red LED backlight, the Alloy claims to be ideal for fans of FPS titles, but it is actually much more than that. The keyboard is highly compact and lacks any properly discernible bezel around the keys, making it much easier to pack it up and carry it around. What makes it even more convenient is that it weighs only about 1.05 kg and comes with a padded pouch. The slim and small size is also a boon for gamers who lack a lot of table space, or want to keep additional stuff along with the keyboard. Everything about the HyperX Alloy FPS screams portability. Even the cable is a detachable braided USB cable...
At first glance, GNOG is a bright splash of colors and upbeat musical tones. Take a few steps further in, and you’re greeted by a whimsical point and click puzzle game, with no help, tips or directions given to you at all. You’re given puzzle boxes (or heads) of sorts to solve. You can flip them to look at the front and back, and angle around to inspect the sides. The boxes can be opened to reveal more details inside. Almost everything can be interacted with by moving the cursor using the controller. GNOG is presented in a very colorful manner, with flashing bright lights across the screen, and clicking on many different spots on the puzzle box usually leads to them moving or changing. And they are complimented by a fantastic dynamic soundtrack which also responds to your click...
Its easy to compare any game with punishing difficulty to the Souls games, but saying that difficulty is what the Souls games do best would be selling them really short. Labyrinthine level design, oppressive atmosphere, environmental story telling, epic boss battles, well balanced combat that offers a challenge while remaining fair, are what lie at the soul of these games. It’s not something that is easy to replicate, and previous attempts have either been substandard or unsatisfactory. Lords of the Fallen was one such attempt by Deck 13, and The Surge is a testament to learning from failure, while adding whole new systems that, at times, surpass the very games that it takes inspirations from. The Surge is set sometime in the near future in a world ravaged by war and global warming. ...
Gaming on a PC has its pros and cons, and one major con is that it lacks portability, as the desktop can be heavy and cumbersome. The Vortex MSI tries to deal with that problem, fitting an entire gaming rig inside a console-like chassis, which is both compact and lightweight. But does it end up compromising on the performance? Let’s find out. Tech Specs CPU Intel i7-7700K Chipset Z170 GPU GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5X Memory 8 GB DDR4 Storage 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD LAN 2 x Killer Gb LAN Wireless LAN & Bluetooth Killer ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth v.4.1 Audio Jack 1 x Mic-in 1 x Headphone-out 1 x TOSLINK SPDIF Out USB 2 x Type-C 4 x Type-A USB 3.0 Display 2 x HDMI, 2 x Mini DisplayPort Power Embedded 450W 80 Plus Gold Certification PSU Dimensions 202.5 x 191.7 x 278.0 mm Weight (w/Battery) 4.0...
A couple of months ago, HP debuted its gaming line up under the banner of Omen, to an overwhelming response by the audience. Comprising of a range of high performance laptops, desktops and accessories, the Omen series focuses on gamers and VR enthusiasts, coupling its powerful internal specs with cutting-edge design. Today we check out the Omen 870-260in Desktop PC, a mid-tower gaming rig. Tech Specs Operating System Windows 10 Home 64-bit Chipset Intel Z170 Processor Intel Core i7-7700K (4.2GHz, Boost up to 4.5 GHz) Memory 16 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM (2 x 8 GB) Storage 2TB 7200 RPM SATA and 128GB SATA SSD GPU NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB GDDR5) Optical Drive DVD-Writer Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2×2) and Bluetooth® 4.2 M.2 combo Expansion Slots 1 PCIe x1; 1 PCIe x16; 2 M.2 Network Interfac...
Set in the Ys universe, the events in Ys Origin occur 700 years before the first Ys game, and was originally released in 2006 for Steam. Now 11 years later, Ys Origin comes to the PS4, and while it retains all the trappings from older JRPGs of its era, Ys Origin is a surprisingly good game that still holds up 11 years later. Since Ys Origin is a prequel to the series, you don’t need to know a lot of backstory, and can jump right. For those who are already fans of the Ys universe, having played the later entries will definitely make you approach the game with more fondness. The main plot of the game has you climbing an ominous tower filled with dangers, as you make your way up in order to save two Goddesses, Reah and Feena, that you hold sacred, from the forces of evil. At the very st...