The Darkness: shooter with story

It's night and looks deserted.'s Premises Tweakers.net The curtains are closed and there are no lights. Nevertheless, some flashes of light reveal that something is going on. An editor in the house is locked and rambling that it is safer in the darkness. In the dark With trembling hands and a sweaty brow he plays the game to which he has begun that morning. Have his hands the controller for a moment left alone, not even to go to the coffee machine to run all this time.

The game "The Darkness" from developer Starbreeze Studios is based on the eponymous comic by Top Cow Productions. Licensed games can no charm in general and also of The Darkness we did not expect more than a mediocre first person shooter. We had to come back to this: the game is not a pure shooter, but certainly deserves a place among the top. We gamers can already warn the game entrenched in the mind of the player and is not getting out there.

* Snakes and tentacles

The game is named after a demonic force that protagonist Jackie Estacado in his power. Estacado is an orphan taken by his uncle in the mafia Franchetti family and performs there regularly since then nasty chores for off. One of those tasks is quite out of hand, which gives the gamer a spectacular opening scene, while Jackie is the moment when he turns against his uncle. The player experiences together with Jackie the first time that the Darkness shows up. When Jackie met by a gang of enemies appear from his body two giant snakes complete with tentacles that brutally put an end to the life of anyone who stands in your way.

The player can 'snakes' activate with the push of a button and also the help of 'darklings' can be invoked. These creatures, somewhat similar to Gremlins or the minions of the Overlord can perform tasks like killing opponents, but they can also be used to open a door or do. An indicator of Moreover, they provide the game with a dose of black humor. The animals are not afraid of dirty methods to an enemy to explain, so for example drill and saw to the standard instrumentation, and once the person lifeless on the ground, there is another urinated over it. We do not expect that Jeroen Dijsselbloem the game in his collection. The player's task to avoid the light at all times: the Darkness is here to cope and darklings and tentacles through it will disappear like snow in the sun. In the ongoing search for the twilight in the streets of New York, the player can shoot all possible lighting piece. The game takes the player even to a perpetual War where the dead still carry their struggle.

* Crossing between Half-Life 2 and Fahrenheit

The Darkness can not be labeled purely as a shooter - hence the game would be shortchanged. Maybe we can put away the game under the name of first-person adventure shooter - think of a cross between Half-Life 2 and the adventure Fahrenheit. Developer Starbreeze did all experience in combining different game genres with their previous title The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, a game that actually was a good movie license game. The Darkness offers plenty of action may be times when there popped with different weaponry and on top of that there are the supernatural powers that the player has at his disposal. By tearing out the hearts of opponents strengthens the Darkness itself and there are more opportunities unlocked.

In the beginning, the player can use one of its tentacles as a scout. The appendix may be used for example to watch a corner, making doors open to disable enemies and make piece. Lights Later the ability to release. One tentacle from the breast of Jackie This can be impaled. Objects move and enemies To obtain the third force is a unique weapon that undead enemies finally kick the bucket. Finally, a portal can be recalled that everyone and everything sucks. The AI of the opponents leaves something to be desired, but it is never a point of annoyance. Enemies hiding behind objects when they get into a firefight, and from there they try to hit you. Opponents can hear you coming if you make too much noise. Unfortunately, they do not always come at the sound, they often wait until the player makes a move. We found that the enemies very easily got killed - little opposition was desirable.

More Brain Training: Even grandma can play

According to Nintendo's Brain Training fun for everyone. It should not matter whether it is a teenager who plays games daily or an elderly person who has never touched a game. Nintendo says that more than ten million people worldwide use the first game for training of the gray matter. The first part, which is based on the brain exercises of Japanese neuroscientist Dr. Kawashima, flew out of the shops and also stimulated the sales of the Nintendo DS. The title of this excellent sequel describes what the buyer into your home: more brain training.

* Short exercises
Many clones were trying to emulate the success of the game but the eye simple concept proved so difficult to copy than expected. Dr. Kawashima let the player's mental skills and train memory by performing short exercises in arithmetic, reading and memory. The DS is hereby held like a book, and the correct answers are written on the screen. At the beginning the player has a few exercises at his disposal, but new exercises can be unlocked by collecting stamps, every time there is trained, the player receives a mark on his calendar. Who has collected enough stamps, access to new exercises.

Nicole Kidman on the Brain Training and Dr..  Kawashima
The hardcore gamers editors who have a lot of time provided to test this game were expanded disappointed: the first play session was over in fifteen minutes. This was partly because there were no unlocked exercises, but mainly because an exercise usually takes between twenty and ninety seconds. Exercises can be done so again, but the game will not yield any scores. To get a stamp is moreover not necessary to do all the exercises: one per day is sufficient. As more freely played, the player will have more time to invest in the game, but long play sessions are not addressed. In addition, the games are quickly boring as they are too often done consecutively. The short playing time is perfect for those who do not touch any games. Generally, these people are not willing to stabbing at a computer for hours, or simply do not have the time for it. However, this does not mean that a hardcore gamer this game on the side will lay disinterested, it will be seen by them as a snack in addition to the games that require a lot of time. To reach the masses, the game is translated into Dutch. Fortunately, it is a good translation, where the player does not feel that he is missing something. It makes the game even better, unless the player also wants to work on. His English


* Brain determine
According to Dr. Kawashima's Brain ideal twenty years. This age is also striving for the player. By doing regular Brain test the player can progress, or perhaps decline, followed. The test consists of three exercises, which at one time may vary. One of these challenges is voice controlled, as we were in the previous section more often. It will definitely be a reason that the player is now almost impossible to talk against his handheld because the speech just was not good enough and frustrated many a player. Incidentally, the voice-controlled exercise is not required, and can be optionally chosen a different type of exercise. Based on the three exercises, the player is confronted with his Brain. We show that some of us prefer omitted.

Elite Beat Agents: Batty Japanese rhythm game

The editors of Tweakers.net sounded remarkably kind ticking. It was not the sound of fingers on keyboards, but a rhythmic ticking interspersed with cursing, Elite Beat Agents, a rhythm game for the Nintendo DS had arrived in the newsroom. In the game the player can humanity come to the rescue with three dancing cops. Ever known that dance to music can solve all the problems

The player must remain seated and leaning back yourself just tapping on the touch screen of the DS. Rhythmically with his stylus However, as simple as the concept is, so are the storylines: the player must include to the rescue again with a woman who has her son promised to go picnic at weekends. Heavy rains seems outing to go and disrupt the weather, to present the weather woman must choose between disappointing her son sweet or lie about the weather, so she puts her job on the line. The life of a single woman again is not easy. As a good mother she does not get the bad news about her lips, and reports that it is going to be a beautiful day. The three agents receive a call to action and dancing to expel. Though the dark clouds

Elite Beat Agents - cutscene
* Manga
Each song starts with a similar story in Manga is drawn style. The situations and three officers reminded us of the animated series Totally Spies. After introducing the dancing cops appear on the touch screen. They are displayed in three dimensions, while the top screen shows the progress of the story in 2D manga style. To the rhythm of the music, the player must tap circles numbered in sequence. An ever smaller circle. Appears around each round It is important just tapping when the circle is exactly the circle. Tap the player a little earlier or later than this will result in less points or nothing if the timing is wrong. The life bar, called the Elite-o-meter "should be closely monitored if the attempt is over and the song has to be replayed. Let every error, the meter slowly deflate, tapping the rhythm fills it again. At nineteen retreaded songs of other artists like Queen, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Avril Lavigne and the Village People, the player can tap it loose. Below is a list of all the songs to play.

Overlord tested on PC and Xbox 360

The preview of the game Overlord we came to the conclusion that this Dutch product could well be. a topper Remains that good feeling standing now we have had? Final product in your hands Tweakers.net has tested the PC and Xbox 360 versions, with two different final grades as a result.

Take a game studio in Delft, let the creatives games like Dungeon Keeper, Fable and combine Pikmin, throw in a dose of black humor here and there and finally add a wink to Lord of The Rings to it. This hodgepodge provides a game where the player on the right side, but the role of villain to take on: the Overlord. The player controls not only the evil ruler, but also his minions, a kind of gremlin-like slaves.

Overlord - blue minions
* "An object, I like objects'
The minions are the stars of the game. With their ongoing commentary and hyperactive behavior, they provide welcome humor. We were happy to see how the creatures give a living room a makeover. Chairs, tables, lamps, dishes, everything really will have to go to these destructive creatures. Should anything be found valuable, then they bring the loot slavishly to their master. The most useless objects use the minions as a weapon, helmet or decoration. Later in the game will find better items to defend themselves or even use parts of killed enemies to dress. Himself to the disciples It's a funny view how-starting an army of minions armed with pitchforks, rolling pins and swords behind the player.

Overlord - Tower heart
* Colored minions
There are different colored minions that can be. used for various purposes The brown minions are warriors and are good for the standard combat work. The red variant can remotely attack by shooting off. Fireballs Green minions are ideal assassin and large can attack enemies from behind. Finally, there are the blue minions. They can swim and minions dead back to life.

All minions can be controlled as a group, but the player can also choose a color to control separately. This will sometimes also be necessary, because the unique characteristics of a particular Minion necessary to resolve a situation. At Some things are obvious, such as a sealed water-way, where only the blue minions through it can, but more interesting is to put. Minions at strategic locations So we set up a group of red minions onto a higher platform. From there, the lower enemies were bombarded with fireballs while we put an end to their suffering with the rest of the minions.

Overlord - Melvin Underbelly
We would have seen more situations where the player is put to thinking. However, it is often obvious what the player should do. Thus, the gamer for example a road on which can be a hole in the middle. Walked on Further on is a stone the size of the hole. We guess that most readers can guess the answer. Enemies may require a certain type of minion. For example, a fire-breathing beetle is easily put an end to all the minions that are not red. Nevertheless, the lazy gamer choose a grand attack with all the minions, while a few cases of followers take for granted. In the game there are plenty of opportunities to re-add. New minions to the Army

Mario Party 8: Party with the Wii controller

Nintendo continues with the release of the eighth part of the Mario Party series safely on the beaten path? Tweakers.net examined whether the Wii version of the game has something new to offer, or only the accountants Nintendo have cause for celebration.

Hudson Soft released in 1999, the first Mario Party on the Nintendo 64 from, and since then not much has changed in the franchise. A good concept needs to be, of course not, but knocked the game series is starting to show. Signs of aging First let Mario's party tent enter and see what the mustachioed plumber provides us with entertainment. The menu what the player is dished consists of a large circus tent, with some smaller tents around it. The largest tent the main game can be played, the Extra Zone offers a number of additional mini-games designed with its own character, the Mii characters, playing his. The Fun Bazaar includes unlockable minigames and digital characters that can be collected. There are also tents ready to play. Loose minigames

Mario Party 8 - cast Lasso
* Investing in hotels

Due to the success of the Wii and Nintendo tap into new target groups, there is a big chance that people first get acquainted with Mario Party. The game combines an old-fashioned board game short games that are sometimes based on skill and sometimes luck. With a figure from the Mario universe, the player moves with three others on virtual boards. The other three can be controlled either by the computer as Friends of flesh and blood. Each round players throw a virtual dice to move to one of the six boards. After each round, a minigame played. The players battle eventually won the largest number of stars. How the player is a star depends on the type of board, but the coins are gradually gained here have always influence. Often there are stars in certain places on the board, but as a sign Tycoon Town here differs from it delicious. Players can invest coins in the hotels on the board, and who invest the most coins is the owner of the hotel and get one or more stars. Is there anyone on the highest number of coins back then he puts his name to the hotel and take the stars away from the previous owner. Game Boards are fully represented in 3D this time giving players more the idea of ​​having to move through a game world than a game board.

Tenchu ​​Z: Foreigner in Japan

Ninjas still speak to the imagination. The Japanese warriors can be found in books and movies, as well as in computer games they regularly appear. Even four turtles drawn on TV, the ninja martial arts master. The Tenchu ​​games, which are versions of the PlayStation and Xbox appeared, again giving the player the chance to get a ninja in the skin. Since the first part 'Tenchu: Stealth Assassins' on the PlayStation, the series went downhill. Do Tenchu ​​Z on Xbox 360 again breathe life into the series, or is this the end?

Tenchu ​​Z - hiding on the roof
* Splinter Cell in Japan
Tenchu ​​Z offers gamers the opportunity to go. on a stealth mission in ancient Japan The player can sneak in Splinter Cell-style between the traditional Japanese homes. Guardians of the small villages make their round so there will be, or wait in the shadows until the coast is clear again. Regular bush dived Not just too much noise will alert the enemy, even an unpleasant body odor will betray the presence. The ninja play may be designed themselves. Unfortunately, the supply of heads, clothes and hairstyles rather meager. We chose a charming female ninja with a sultry, but deadly look. To our surprise, if there is a second character can be created. It seemed too good to be true;? Can or a possibility to switch between the two played together with two characters would None of this, the second character sometimes pops up in the cutscenes before and after levels down. Further benefits of this figure remains unclear. The femme fatale we play with it has also the possibility to change. Between the missions of clothing Besides some free clothes and accessories, the player can also purchase clothes and items, does not add a lot of this, and to a large extent, it is not even clear what can be bought. Descriptions are missing and why the player would spend money on something called game 1 , game 2 or game 3 , if he does not know what it is.

Tenchu ​​Z - combat
* Fifty missions
attempt was made ​​to bring in fifty missions, variety, but usually it comes down to is that the player must move. themselves from point A to B In addition, a specific person should normally be slain, but sometimes meets finding someone. Another time packets must be collected or there must be a bridge to be crossed. It is unfortunate that not only the missions are similar, but that the enemies and villages are almost identical. What should have been boring old Japan - apparently find the enemies too, because we heard they yawn frequently. It can climb on roofs adds some extra depth to, with a grappling hook is thrown at eaves and the ninja is automatically hoisted. From the roof is about to see where all the enemies are good and gives a perfect overview of the field. In the multiplayer mode the player can up with three fellow ninjas form a team to play the single player missions again. As a team approach is therefore strange that the players compete for the most kills, and only can win. Player from the team A deathmatch mode is not available, so the multiplayer functionality is not to much.

DirectX 10 for Windows XP: the (im) possibilities

DirectX 10 has been working exclusively on Windows Vista. Since the launch of the first beta version Many believe that Microsoft wanted to force switch to Vista gamers that way and that was for Beyond3D reason for a thing to be reviewed.

DirectX 10 logoOne of the main "evidence" for the theory that Microsoft Direct3D 10 - the graphical portion of DirectX 10 - a push would give the sales of Vista has a historical background. Microsoft has in the past regularly released products which the company said they would not work on a particular version of Windows. Several hackers have later to pick up these claims. Slicing know So with DirectX: when version 5 of this API was released Windows NT 4.0 was not supported according to Microsoft. Several people, however, have claimed that they have been working still on NT4. DirectX 5 Although parts of the Direct3D software library got to talking, it never succeeded in full hardware acceleration with Direct3D on NT4 get. Someone talking The reason is simple: the driver model NT4 has no support for 3D technology.

Beyond3D logoMicrosoft wanted in the kernel of Windows 2000 full support for 3D integration, but most game fans used a few years ago, Windows 95 or 98. DirectX 5 was therefore focus on these versions of Windows. Not having to reinvent the wheel completely re Microsoft has large parts of the Windows 9x-3d-driver architecture reused for Windows 2000. This decision was supported by manufacturers of graphics cards, because they are so completely did not rewrite. Their drivers However, the decision also had a major drawback: the driver model of Windows 9x was designed for an operating system that allows direct access to hardware components. The NT line did not allow. Direct access to the hardware for safety There had to be created an additional layer between the hardware and control the 3D drivers, which obviously creates more overhead. In XP, this layer still present, and that provides game developers sleepless nights. This layered driver model, the increase in raw GPU power nowadays no longer keep up, and Microsoft in the development of Vista was thus forced to take. Throughout driver model on the shovel