OXCGN’s Tomb Raider Review

REVIEW_Tomb Raider

OXCGN’s Tomb Raider Review

A Survivor is Reborn

by Daniel Geikowski

©2013 Daniel Geikowski

PS2CoverSheet108Rebooting a game is risky business.

On one hand, a game is usually rebooted due to a decline in popularity of a franchise, where a fresh start and new perspective is required. Therefore, various changes and mechanics are implemented, sometimes with characters being overhauled in order to generate new interest in the series.

On the other hand however, altering much of the core themes, characters or mechanics can have disastrous effects. Developers risk damaging their product even further and possibly losing the last remnants of an audience they were so desperate to retain.

Time is also a factor on the popularity of a franchise. As time goes on, and more entries are released, it is only a matter of time before fans begin to lose interest due to stale or overused mechanics, bland characters, and cliched storylines.

The latest entry into the franchise, simply titled Tomb Raider, aims to reboot the ailing series, detailing the beginnings of the young Lara Croft.

And it succeeds.

Developer Crystal Dynamics, along with publisher Square Enix, have injected the once popular Tomb Raider series with new life.

Tomb Raider successfully reappropriates the franchise for a new generation of gamers thanks to updated mechanics, along with two very important things: a believable main character and a well-told story.

See if Lara’s new adventure is for you…

OXCGN’s Crysis 3 Review

Crysis 2012 Headers review

OXCGN’s Crysis 3 Review

Best looking game on 360 to date?

by Daniel Geikowski

©2013 Daniel Geikowski

crysis3 packartGamers love being badasses.

Whether it’s being placed in the shoes of a supersoldier wielding an arsenal of weapons, a highly-trained assassin, or given superhuman powers by an ancient god, gamers love playing the one man (or woman) army.

These gamers can rejoice once more, as EA‘s Crysis 3 lets players become the ultimate badass, the perfect hunter, by using the famous Nanosuit.

It’s one thing to be given a whole bunch of neat abilities though, but players want to roam environments in which they can constantly utilise said abilities without feeling forced.

Thankfully, Crytek has once again created some diverse and gorgeous environments in which to blow enemies to hell in. Situated in an abandoned New York, nature has reclaimed the city, perfect for hunting unsuspecting prey throughout.

Crytek and EA have given players the ability to approach objectives in various ways, utilising the Nanosuit’s various abilities, as they try to defeat CELL, and the Ceph, once and for all.

Crysis 3 verdict here

Is Gaming Too Easy Today?

ARTICLE_difficulty

Is Gaming Too Easy Today?

Are games less challenging?

by Daniel Geikowski

©2013 Daniel Geikowski

uncharted-3-screenshots-oxcgn-21I’m always after new experiences.

Therefore, I recently purchased a PS3 for Christmas, and one of the first games I bought was the highly-touted Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.

I played through the original, and while I had an enjoyable experience, it was over rather quickly.

So therefore I decided that I better purchase Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. I flew through  that also, which led me to getting my hands on Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.

I soon realised, that even though I’ve had my PS3 for just under a month, I’ve blasted through the Uncharted Series, as well as Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and DOOM 3: BFG Edition.

It got me thinking: have my skills as a gamer increased over time, or are games not as challenging as they once were?

Aging man’s rant, or legitimate concern?

OXCGN’s Far Cry 3 Review

REVIEW_Far cry 3

OXCGN’s Far Cry 3 Review

You’d be insane to miss this trip…

by Daniel Geikowski

©2012 Daniel Geikowski

far cry 3 box art oxcgnIt’s a beautiful day.

The sun is shining, there’s a cool breeze in the air, filled with the sound of the ocean lapping upon the coast.

There is no time to enjoy the weather, though; I’ve got an island to retake.

I creep through the jungle foliage, approaching an outpost just to find it being patrolled by some nefarious pirates. I take out my camera in order to get a closer look at what I’m dealing with, when all of a sudden a snake strikes from the long grass, latching onto my hand.

I frantically pull the snake away, dispatching it quickly with my machete. Realising the snake attack didn’t give away my position, I quietly creep up to a clearing overlooking the outpost.

Discover the definition of insanity this way!

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