Poor mans james bond

No Man’s Sky is one of those games that will be hard to forget by the gaming community over time. It was hyped up so much by everyone on it – Hello Games the developers, and by Sony their publishers. For a small studio, at the time what they were showing off looked impressive. Better still, what was promised sounded alluring. And eventually at release, we all know and remember how it all went pear shaped. This month, NMS seems to be picking up steam again, as the next major update is incoming, and we look at how different the game has become since launch. Admitting Mistakes Were Made You remember Sean Murray don’t you? Many call him a conman (still do). Harsh perspective from parts of the community, but as developer and the face of Hello Games, Sean said it all. It was through his preview events and videos that much was promised – like multiplayer being available at launch chiefly among others – when when it didn’t turn out as stated, he took the … [Read more...] about 3 Ways No Man’s Sky Improved Since Launch

Now that I’m back in Star Trek Online and spending a lot of time going back through the storylines and building up a new ship, I’m convinced all over again that this MMORPG has really become a gem in the industry. I know it gets some flak for its lockboxes and cash shop, but honestly it doesn’t bother me that much or seem that prohibitive. There are so many great aspects of the game, yet I cannot help but see six areas that definitely need improvement. Let’s gripe! 1. Cutscene glitches and lip syncing Star Trek Online gets a lot of points in my book for going to great lengths to secure the actual actors from the show and for doing a whole lot of voice acting (in fact, I would say that STO has the most voice acting by the original cast of any IP-related MMO ever made, unless I’m forgetting a glaring oversight). Yet it often squanders that with abysmal lip syncing and visual glitches during cutscenes. The mission briefing screens are fine, but any time the … [Read more...] about 6 things Star Trek Online does poorly

I’ve been meaning to write this list for a while, especially since I’ve done my top 10 SNES, PlayStation, and Atari 2600 games. What makes coming up with a list of my favorite 10 Nintendo Entertainment System games a little weird is that unlike the other game systems I’ve done, I never owned a NES. Instead, all of my friends did, and so my experiences were always bumming off someone else’s system. Even so, I had my favorites! Here goes nothing. 1. Ikari Warriors II I’ve seen this on some “worst of” lists, but for me it was always a fave because my friend and I would play co-op on this shooter for hours when I went over to his house on Sunday afternoons. Yes, occasionally we’d get stuck in the levels and end up shouting at the other person, but that was half the fun. 2. Super Mario Bros. My first NES game and my introduction to the 8-bit era. It really blew me away at the time with its graphics, its tight platforming, and all of those … [Read more...] about My 10 favorites NES games

Okay. The Secret World team has seriously outdone themselves this time with the latest update Issue 7: A Dream to Kill. I know you’re all probably sick and tired by now of hearing me lament the fact that not more people are playing this gem of a game, but after experiencing this new update, I just gotta say it once again: Seriously! Why the hell aren’t more people playing this game?!?!? Anywho, by now it’s clear that each update comes with a theme. For example, last issue was Last Train to Cairo, exuding major Indiana Jones vibes. And well, if Issue 6 was all “Indy”, then Issue 7 was all “Bond, James Bond”. It was just so awesome, I feel like I have to share. Caveat: Here be spoilers! If you haven’t played Issue 7 yet and are planning to soon, you might want to skip this. On Monday night, two groups of brave guildies from The Knights of Mercy gathered in Transylvania to start the mission chain. They say “Strength in numbers”, … [Read more...] about TSW: The Knights of Mercy Shaken, Not Stirred

Often associated with the wood-paneled, low-lit rooms of James Bond’s favorite casinos, Baccarat is a gentleman’s game that has made its way online with no loss to the elegance of the sport but with all of the rewards from winning. That’s because, with online baccarat, you can spend more time learning the game outside of the pressures of a casino. Focusing on strategy and what works, you can hone your game for other venues or continue to enjoy the 100% authentic experience offered by the online casino. And there’s a ton of advantages to playing online instead of in a physical location, outside of the lessened pressure on your gameplay. Probably the biggest advantage to playing baccarat online is that, being a gentleman’s game, it can be a bit tough for newcomers but it also has its own culture unto itself. Baccarat is often known as a high-rollers game or, in other words, a game for rich people. That’s pretty much the reason celluloid icons like … [Read more...] about Inside the World of Live Casino