OXCGN’s Tomb Raider Review

Posted on 10 March, 2013 by Deus Exer

OXCGN’s Tomb Raider Review

A Survivor is Reborn

by Daniel Geikowski

©2013 Daniel Geikowski

Rebooting 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…

Filed under: 3rd Party Games, Console gaming, New PS3 Games, New Xbox 360 Games, PC Reviews, PS3 Reviews, Reviews, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 Game Reviews | Tagged: 360, bow and arrow, Crystal Dynamics, Far Cry 3, Game, games, Lara Croft, multiplayer, OXCGN, Playstation 3, PS3, Square Enix, Tomb Raider, Uncharted, Video game, Xbox, Xbox 360 | Leave a Comment »

OXCGN’s Crysis 3 Review

Posted on 1 March, 2013 by Deus Exer

OXCGN’s Crysis 3 Review

Best looking game on 360 to date?

by Daniel Geikowski

©2013 Daniel Geikowski

Gamers 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

Filed under: 3rd Party Games, Console gaming, New PS3 Games, New Xbox 360 Games, PC Reviews, PS3 Reviews, Reviews, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 Game Reviews | Tagged: 360, cryengine 3, crysis, Crysis 2, Crysis 3, crytek, EA, Electronic Arts, Far Cry 3, Game, games, Halo, Nanosuit, OXCGN, PC, PS3, Video game, Xbox, Xbox 360 | Leave a Comment »

OXCGN’s Dead Space 3 Review

Posted on 17 February, 2013 by Deus Exer

OXCGN’s Dead Space 3 Review

A ‘visceral’ stomp?

by Daniel Geikowski

©2013 Daniel Geikowski

It seems that during the course of gaming, various trends come and go, much like everything nowadays.

Whether they are visual styles, aesthetics, themes, mechanics or gameplay styles, many publishers attempt to incorporate these current trends into their games and franchises, with mixed results.

The Darkness II altered its visual style from a realistic to cell-shaded effect, reminiscent of the game’s comic origins.

Splinter Cell: Conviction ditched its primary focus on stealth and silence, opting to turn to a more “Bourne-like” action theme.

The Fallout series was originally a top-down RPG, however Bethesda mixed things up in Fallout 3 by utilising a first person perspective, used in titles such as Oblivion, and later Skyrim.

Some hit the jackpot, while others damage their franchises by incorporating something which feels seemingly out-of-place.

Dead Space 3 is no different.

Dead Space 3 review

Filed under: 3rd Party Games, Console gaming, New PS3 Games, New Xbox 360 Games, PC Reviews, PS3 Reviews, Reviews, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 3rd Party Games, Xbox 360 Game Reviews | Tagged: "Splinter Cell: Conviction", 360, Action, Co-Op gameplay, Dead Space, Dead Space 2, Dead Space 3, EA, Electronic Arts, Fallout, Fallout 3, games, Horror, Oblivion, OXCGN, Skyrim, Splinter Cell, The Darkness 2, Video game, Visceral Games, Xbox 360 | Leave a Comment »

If You Don’t Like Dead Space 3, Speak With Your Wallet Not Your Keyboard

Posted on 1 February, 2013 by GrathiusXR

ARTICLE_dead space 3

If You Don’t Like Dead Space 3, Speak With Your Wallet

Not your keyboard

by Arthur Kotsopoulos

Dead Space 3 is still the same Dead Space we know and love, albeit with the inclusion of auto and semi-automatic weapon wielding Unitologist soldiers and Necromorphs.

Yes, the game now features a very basic cover system, and various intense action pieces which are fleshed out through the game dependent on the story.

These have not been included for the sake of including them because Visceral and EA wish to ruin the Dead Space franchise, but instead as producer on Dead Space 3 John Calhoun puts it in our interview which you can read here:

Other things like weapon crafting and other features, these are just ways of innovating and making sure that Dead Space isn’t stale. When people buy this game, we want them to make sure they get a good value. There’s a lot that’s new and everything that you love is still intact.

After playing through the first three hours of the title, the game still retains the same basic functions that made Dead Space such a great new IP when it was released in 2008. What do you think?

Filed under: Console gaming, Game Impressions, New Game Information, Xbox 360 | Tagged: Cover system, Dead Space 3, DeadSpace, Electronic Arts, games, Isaac, Necromorph, visceral, Visceral Games | 1 Comment »

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