StarCraft II - Impressions from Paris

Recently found in Paris's annual World Wide Invitational place, the annual press event publisher annex developer Blizzard. During WWI 2008 StarCraft II was playable and it became clear what's changed. Since the introduction of the game, during the last year of WWI, In particular, the various units of the three races in the game underway.

Blizzard could pick last year no better place to announce than Seoul, which at the time the first World Wide Invitational took place. StarCraft II The first StarCraft in South Korea after all, still unusually popular. But as with the launch of Diablo III this year, the presentation in Seoul was limited to displaying images from the game. Playable StarCraft II was not. That was fortunate different this year. On the WWI 2008 dozens of computers were ready when the RTS could be played. Long lines of fans were waiting for their twenty minutes of playing time. The top of Blizzard was present to explain the changes that have been made since last year.

*Playtime

Twenty minutes is not long, of course, but happily playing Starcraft II, like its predecessor, really fast. A game against a computer opponent - it was more common for visitors not possible - was completed just in time. As a member of the invited press, I got the opportunity to play more pots with varying results. During my play sessions became very clear that there needs to be doctored. The balance of the game There's still plenty of time for that. Officially StarCraft II 'when it's done ", but during the demonstration in Paris became clear that this year we no longer have to rely. Rob Pardo, head of game design at Blizzard, admitted that the game is not finished yet.


Thus, the single play campaign until ready for a third and is still working on the balance between the units, which do not yet have the required capability. Thus, it is difficult to compete with the Marines of the Terran. Produce quickly and cheaply in the current version The Terran know off so fast to send, that it is hardly possible for other races to build up a defense. Army on your At this stage of the game development incidentally does not even matter much. It is quite something that Blizzard's game at this stage lets play. There are not many developers that allow a glimpse at such an early stage in the kitchen.

Top Spin 3 Review

Virtua Tennis and Top Spin exchange in recent years penny, when it comes to the question of which series offers the best tennis games. Top Spin 2 was a very good game, but Virtua Tennis 3 raised the bar yet again higher. Top Spin 3 publisher 2K Games hopes to get his throne. Again With the final weekend of Wimbledon for the door, the timing of the release of Top Spin 3 in any case perfectly.


Tennis Games are fairly predictable, and that goes for Top Spin 3. The game puts the game modes to expect before, so there can be both single matches are played as tournaments and a career mode. Here are added, such as an online mode with a world ranking. Some perks It is a known recipe, which many tennis games with it for years and it has never disappointed fans of the genre. A typical case of "do not fix what Is not broken."

Therefore, you can ask what needed to be improved. Top Spin 2 The game was good, but it was overtaken by Virtua Tennis 3, which was based on a completely different way of playing. Apparently developer Pam Development by that given to the thought put, for the control of Top Spin immediately started to kick. In addition, the graphics are updated, of course, with respect to the previous game in the series. Together that would need to be able to recapture the title. "Best tennis game 'enough

Civilization Revolution: PC legend relocated to console

For years, PC gamers considered the Civilization series as their hope in dark days. Game after game moved to consoles, but die-hard PC players were sure that this would never happen. In a complicated game like Civilization A miscalculation, as shows Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution on.

Civ Revolution is not the first Civilization game that appears on a console. There was already a version of Civilization II for the Playstation, but that was a pretty literal and additionally moderate executed copy that we forget the most. Civilization Revolution is a completely new game developed for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. There is a separate version for the Nintendo DS, but we leave out of consideration here. Sid Meier, the man who gave his name to the series, has been actively interfered with the development of the new game, which he did. Nowhere at all Civ titles


* In turn

For those worried about the transition to consoles: Revolution is still a real Civ game. The game is turn-based and the game world is divided into invisible square tiles, which units and buildings can stand. The world consists largely of water and he is probably smaller than you're used to. There are dozens of small islands you can settle you. Civilization You may think as long as you want, what you want to do with you. Units and buildings per turn Then you have to stand idly by which to put your enemies have invented. You start with a small settlement, which you can build a big city. Additionally, you can build new cities, or towns to conquer your opponents.


* Cities

In these cities, you can develop new technology, money and train military units. You can also "miracles" construct buildings that give you special abilities town. If you make sure that your city has developed culturally, will occasionally one of the many Great People in the game are there to settle, and you also provide additional opportunities again. There is however a limit to the use of those opportunities. A city can only handle one task at a time. If you are researching a new technology, you can not train military units. You can prevent this by founding new cities, but there is a caveat needs to be placed. If you only develop a city military or economic level, the population becomes dissatisfied and the government over to the enemy. City dwellers need culture. If you put any buildings that meet those needs than the population goes along with all the soldiers in the city in question are stationed over to an enemy who has more cultural awareness

Lego Indiana Jones

While the fourth Indiana Jones movie long and wide in the theaters, gamers must first trilogy going to repeat replay. The three feature films commissioned by publisher Activision a Lego-coat in the same manner as that previously was used in Star Wars. Lego Star Wars was surprisingly fun to Lego Indiana Jones so heavy task to continue line. Developer Traveller's Tales seems to have succeeded there. With flying colors


The prejudices that existed before the release of Lego Star Wars, are known: Lego is for kids and the game is far too simple to be able to entertain adults. The Star Wars version as charged, however simple it off, and for Indy is that the game certainly is not only suitable for children. Indeed, Lego Indiana Jones is the very fun for adults. For children it is a funny looking game, built of Lego parts, but for people who have seen the movies, it is also a feast of recognition. From the moment the famous Indiana Jones-tune commitment, to the credits at the end of the game, everything is imbued with the typical Indiana Jones atmosphere.

The nice thing is that its creators as a fun way to get ahead of ourselves. The wide range of elements from the films are taken and quite bloated in the game. Take for example Indy's fear of snakes. In the game that makes Indy regularly suddenly stopped, if a serpent appears before him. So more things exaggerated, are what a lot of humor in the game provides.

Alone in the Dark

Central Park in New York on summer days can be a lovely place to come to rest in the middle of the city after sunset, it's a whole different story. This is not only due to the presence of stray vagrants or criminals, as we learn in the game Alone in the Dark.

Alone in the Dark is a 'do or die' title for publisher Atari. Although the company says it is not with such words, much depends on the success of the game. Not for nothing the publisher announced recently that this is the last single player game will be. In this market segment Atari is also 'all out' joined the marketing around Alone in the Dark. Earlier this year, the publisher organized a press trip to New York, and in the Benelux countries, the game was recently launched at a big event in Antwerp.


Alone in the Dark is not a new title, published in 1992, there is already a game with that name. The game then introduced the survival horror genre, and thus formed the basis for several other games in this corner, including Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The new Alone in the Dark is separate from the old game. Atari calls the game therefore emphatically not survival horror game. According to the publisher hears these Alone at home in the action-adventure genre. That is not to say that there is no horror influences in it, and of course you'll have to survive. Well in the new game

Iron Man

Why Sega should, if necessary, the bias based on movies games reinvigorate? We were just a little on the right track, with nice Lord of the Rings and The Godfather games, we get a sudden Iron Man on our plate.

On paper it seems stories from comics and movies sometimes quite suitable to be used in a game, but in practice it rarely leads to success. Too often after the release of a film-game combination that the game looks like an absolute must for hanging, and not even a tenth of the quality of the film - like that movie to begin with was good, of course. Or Iron Man is a good movie everyone should decide for themselves. But leave the game, please ignore.


I recommend a game off anytime soon. Tastes differ and games that I like what other people do not often appeals to something in itself. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Iron Man, all parts missing the game quality. The game looks pretty from all the actors from the movie are present and during the rare moments when you're not in combat plays quite well. The problem is that you have the time to look around you, any time you are constantly fighting and cut scenes with actors who are only very moderately developed.

Go Explore - Navigation for the Playstation Portable

Sony is trying to get the attention Playstation Portable to a wider audience by introducing three new products: the video and voice chat feature Go Messenger, the Go Cam and GPS navigation package Go Explore. With Tomtom Go Explore Sony wants to crown the stabbing. The question is whether the Dutch market leader has to fear from the Japanese competition. Anything

Go Explore comes in a beautiful set consisting of a GPS receiver, a universal media disc with software and maps, and a sturdy clip that the Playstation Portable can be pasted. On the windshield of a car 150 euros is set in the store, which includes a power supply that allows the PSP can be connected. An automobile cigarette lighter There is also a bundle sale which a PSP is included. This package costs 300 euros.


* Familiar names

Go Explore in cooperation with software manufacturer Nav N Go and map provider Tele Atlas developed. Both partners are not new to the market for GPS navigation. Go Explore comes in seven different versions, each covering a region in Western Europe. For us, the Benelux version obviously the most interesting. The required software and maps are included on a disk. Additional maps can be downloaded for twenty euros, a collection of all the maps of Western Europe costs ten dollars more. Remarkably, the additional cards can only be purchased via the PC store from Sony, and not through the Playstation Network.


The biggest attraction of Go Explore is the three-dimensional view of major cities. A total of 48 European cities are depicted, half full three-dimensional, and the rest mostly three dimensional. Go Explore do to tourist attractions. The main buildings of the three-dimensional cities are particularly detailed. In a city like Amsterdam are a forty in Brussels about 35. Across Europe is about 1.5 million "points of interest