May 2011 Archives

Any game coming from the Bethesda has to be taken seriously, after all the Fallout games have shown just what genius is behind it.

If anyone is expecting another Fallout 3 though then it's not what you are after, this is a very different game and more importantly a very different type of game.

The game is set on Ark - a floating Utopia which is on the brink of civil war.

You are at the centre of a power struggle for control of Ark and you must decide which side you wish to fight for the Security side or the Resistance side.

Standard fodder really in terms of theme, good v bad, warring factions, world in chaos - it's hat we know best and there's no complaints here.

There is a moral theme running through the storymode, ie you never quite know which side to trust and whose intentions are the most honourable, it adds to the plot and gives it some depth.

Depth that it has to be said is important, otherwise the single-player mode would appear a little shallow.

The crucial thing here with the game is that whilst the single-player mode is fun this is primarily a co-op game as far as I am concerned.

In fact the whole game is designed around you getting your backside online with your mates and blasting the living daylights out of everything.

It is a very smooth package with excellent seamless gameplay controls, high-end graphics and plenty of character customization.

Brink lets you move between single player campaign, co-op mode and multiplayer. Multiplayer lets you play with up to seven other people/AI against another team of the same number.

The game has a neat twist with an element of Parkour (free-running) thrown in which sets it aaside from being a run-of the mills First person shooter.

It's a game with a few surprises but at the same time few surprises, yes the gameplay is smooth but by no means innovative.

It won't stop you playing Black Ops online but it will give you a useful alternative when you fancy a change.

This is an excellent multiplayer game with a heavy emphasis on teamwork, the lack of a worthwile single player mode leaves it ironically on the brink of being something special.

Mortal Kombat (360)

The Mortal Kombat franchise has had a very chequered past in the gaming industry, arguably one of the best and worst fighting games of all times.

First appearing in 1992 it has seen now fewer than 9 games in total and even a film, a film that was so atrocious cinema projectionists are still weeping quietly up in that little window of light in the theatre.

The early Mortal Kombat games were ground-breaking and very much the anti-Streetfighter with a blend of simplicity and ultra-violence winning over an army of fans.

The early genius has been watered down a bit over the years with a rollercoaster offering of sequels and reboots - some better than others, Mortal Kombat 4 should be erased from history for its own good.

Luckily this isn't one of those forgettable ventures, it's the second game to be called simply Mortal Kombat and I can see why, it's a very clever reinvention of the game but maintaining all that was fabulous about the original version.

The graphics are fantastic with a superb 3D presentation complementing the highly slick 2D graphics, and they are very slick.

The controls are very easy to master and very rewarding to just pick up and play, there is then another level of special moves and unlockables to master though.

The finishing moves, pure over-the-top madness and gore are here in abundance, it's not a game for the feint-hearted but it is a game for people who like their beat-em-ups with a wicked edge.

A great addition to the series, and arguably the best. You will be surprised at the depth of options, modes and just how good the storyline is.

I just wish they would learn how to spell Kombat!

It may have a complicated name but this product actually could not be more straightforward.

Designed specifically for mobile phones, small cameras, MP3 players, PDA's and handheld systems this allows you to mount devices on almost any surface.

The unique and flexible legs can be positioned to suit any scenario giving you a flexibility that other tripods wouldn't.

Superb for uneven surfaces or even wrapping around a handle for example, you can put it pretty much anywhere!

A superb little gadget that is pocket-size and offers a plethora of options for gadget lovers and photo buffs.

Available from www.qvcuk.co.uk

The digital photo frame market soared about two years ago and ever since it has shown little sign of stopping.

The technology on offer now is becoming far more sophisticated, and this frame from Motorola is quite simply brilliant.

This isn't just a photo frame, it's an alarm clock, MP3 player and calendar, too.

With built in wi-fi and email capabilities this is the next generation of photo frames boasting a 10" screen and a boatload of options and features.

It has a tilt sensor, can store 1,200 pictures, is fully remote controllable and has superb resolution of 800 x 600 pixels.

If you want a sophisticated photo-frame and talking point for a room then this is what you need.

● Available from www.qvcuk.co.uk

Games agency Adotomi, have announced the launch of their market leading Facebook integration platform, IronFlyer.

It enables clients to successfully and efficiently run campaigns using the Facebook API.

This means that Adotomi has the resources to dig deep into Facebook's demographic using their patented Intelligent Cluster Groups (ICG) platform to match player profiles, enabling campaigns to meet their players.

IronFlyer is the only platform that uses a Facebook Ads API for the monitoring and real time optimization of gaming campaigns.

Facebook is the number one advertising platform; with over 600 million unique users worldwide it is the most effective way to reach out to a wide audience.

Joe McCormack, CEO of Adotomi stated: "IronFlyer is the platform that gets the statistics our clients want and targets their specific audiences on Facebook. Our advanced technological knowhow and understanding of the games industry together with our social media expertise, helps our clients to receive the results that they do from the campaigns."

"Adotomi are highly experienced professionals and understand the industry like no other. IronFlyer has increased our playerbase and with thanks to Adotomi, we continue to raise awareness of our games to the audiences that play them". Stated Alex Reeve, Synapse Games.