Category Archives: PC

PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, RPG, Xbox 360

South Park: The Stick of Truth (Review)

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Review of the new RPG game South Park: The Stick of TruthThis generation of consoles hasn’t had the best run for licensed tie-ins or traditional RPG experiences. And now, as it winds to a close, the two genres get one last chance in an odd-sounding hybrid. A South Park RPG.

How do you fit South Park into an RPG experience? Simple, just have the kids pretending to be on an epic adventure with elves, mages, wizards and warriors. Adults may know it as LARPing (Live Action Role Playing (like in the movie Role Models), but to the kids of South Park, they’re simply playing outside.

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First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PS4, Reviews, Xbox One

Battlefield 4 (PS4 Review)

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With the Christmas release schedule being so packed, some games slips through the cracks. But here at Dealspwn it’s never too late to give you a verdict on a game. After all, in these modern times developers are able to add patches to their games to fix issues that may have been around at launch. The next-gen launch versions of Battlefield 4 on PS4 and Xbox One had a few teething issues, so maybe time (and a few patches) have proved to be a great healer. I’m about to find out as I dive into Battlefield 4 on the PS4.

Let’s get straight to it. Battlefield 4’s single player campaign is better than Battlefield 3’s, but still way behind the Bad Company games. For those of you kind enough not to have scrolled down to the multiplayer part of the review already, I’ll tell you why.

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Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Are Game Development Costs Set to Spiral out of Control?

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Last week we learned via a Eurogamer interview, that 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot only started to make a profit nine months after its March release date, despite selling 3.4 million copies in its first three weeks. If it takes that long for a game that good that sold that well to actually make money, how long can companies afford to make similar blockbuster big-budget games?

Tomb Raider’s budget was reportedly around £60 million ($100 million), which is probably why Square Enix set their sales targets so high (5 million units) in the first month,  which would have seem them move into the black straight away. Continue reading Are Game Development Costs Set to Spiral out of Control? →

Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS Vita, PS4, PSN (PlayStation Store), XBLA, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Consoles Doomed to Pay High Digital Prices Forever?

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For years, PSN and XBLA gamers have been enviously staring at the generous offerings PC gamers can gorge themselves on via sites like Steam, GOG and Green Man Gaming. The ever-increasing number of sites sees regular price war over these digital titles, leaving PC gamers the clear winners for cheap games.

For console gamers, it’s been a very different story as PlayStation and Xbox gamers have been left with one first-party option for a digital game store on their console. With only one option available, this has of course meant that there is no need for competitive prices or discounts bar the odd sale.

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Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, RPG, XBLA, Xbox 360

How to Survive (Review)

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Bring duct tape.

Like any good zombie attack, you never see it coming and How to Survive will sink its teeth into your nights if you let your guard down while patiently awaiting the arrival of your shiny next-gen console.

EKO Software’s game is a top-down action-RPG that can be loosely compared with the likes of Diablo III or Dead Nation. After crash landing on a zombie-infested tropical island, you’ll need to scavenge for salvage and build weapons and armour to hold off the infected masses. The overall aim is to make a series of vehicle repairs via completing fetch quests. Ok, so not exactly a revolution of new ideas, but once How to Survive gets going, it’s hard to put down.

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PC, Platformer, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360

Contrast (PS4 Review)

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Shadow Starlets

Contrast has been thrust into the limelight of the PS4’s launch thanks to its inclusion as a free game for all PS+ subscribers. And given that said subscription is required to play the PS4 online, it may be getting a bigger audience than it expected on opening night. No pressure then.

The game’s setup is an unusual one from the start as you control the odd pairing of Didi -the young girl- and Dawn, a female stage performer. More unusually, the other characters in the game don’t seem to see Dawn, and they only appear as shadows. This is the norm though as we see Didi talk with her parents in their shadow form throughout.

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First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360

Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 1 (Review)

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Elizabeth brings us home to Rapture


Bioshock Infinite’s first DLC surprised many of us when Irrational announced it would take place in the original game’s underwater city of Rapture and not in the floating city of Columbia. Surprised? Yes. Disappointed? Not one bit.

With Bioshock Infinite indicating the many possibilities of alternate universes, the concept of taking (a version of) Booker and Elizabeth to one of the most inspired locations in gaming history is one that pulls you in from the start, more so after teasing us with the idea in Infinite.

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Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

What’s Right and What’s Wrong with Call of Duty: Ghosts’ Single Player

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Infinity Ward’s latest shooter, Call of Duty: Ghosts, hit the shelves this week and has again proved a big success, although not to the same degree as previous titles. There’s been a drop in sales, albeit one which could be explained by players waiting for next-gen versions later this month. The critical reception has taken a hit too though as the series dips into the ‘dreaded’ yellow zone on Metacritic with a current average of 75 instead of the usual 80-90 range.

Much of the criticism has been aimed at the game’s single player element, which is surprising, given that Infinity Ward should know what they’re doing by now. Have they become lazy? Are we expecting too much? Have our tastes changed? Or do we just want to get on with the multiplayer?

Well, today let’s tackle the single player side of Ghosts, by looking at what’s strong and what’s wrong with it. My experience and thoughts are based on my recent complete playthrough of the campaign on the PS3.

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Hands-on previews, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Hands-On Preview)

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First things first. This hands-on report will be spoiler-free regarding the first game. I’m currently playing that one through (I know, I’m late) and several previews for the new game have blown the first game’s ending. I don’t want to do the same if you’re yet to play Lords of Shadow. So read this, then get on it, you don’t want to get left behind again.

The word on the wire is that this concluding part of the Lords of Shadow saga is going to be a more open world affair. That’s not on display here though as this is more of an introduction. Don’t worry; it’s much more exciting than it sounds. There’s a massive, Holy Transformer thing for starters! But more on that later.

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Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Lost Planet 3 (Review)

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After the slightly frosty reception the thawed out first sequel received, it would seem the Lost Planet series has been pining for those long cold winters again. So the third game is a prequel to the original, taking place many years before.

You are Jim, red-haired (finally!) and awesomely bearded-up for the cold. Jim has a wife and newborn son back on earth, but he’s taken this job on the frozen rock of E.D.N. III to earn some serious money as a Rig operator / go-to guy for exterminating the pesky Akrid wildlife while the NEVEC Corporation searches the planet for T-Energy.

Rather than the Vital Suits of the last two games, you get to romp around in a 50-foot high walking Rig. These huge mechs are essentially maintenance machines, hardly built for combat, but as you and Jim will find out, you’re stuck with what you have.

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Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Review)

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When the best stealth experiences this generation have come from first person games -take a bow Far Cry 3’s machete and Dishonored- you have to wonder if grizzled vet Sam Fisher and Splinter Cell can still compete. Like any stealth master though, you don’t even notice how good he is until you’ve been completely drawn in.

The so-so wrapping of this long-awaited return belies the high quality within though. Fans of TV’s 24/anything with terrorists will be able to spot the plot a mile off. A rogue ex-military group attempt to start World War III by threatening terrorist attacks on America if they don’t pull all their troops from foreign countries. A few familiar faces from Sam’s past turn up, but newbies can play the game without feeling they’re missing important facts. Blacklist is a great standalone entry point to the series.

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Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, RPG, XBLA, Xbox 360

Mars: War Logs (Review)

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That’s One Red Dead Planet

Low cost downloadable RPGs are something of a rarity on consoles, with only Rainbow Moon coming to mind in recent years as anything vaguely worth your attention. Mars: War Logs would like to get involved with the genre too, despite being more of an action-RPG.

Set far into the future, Mars has undergone colonisation, but that new civilisation has long since collapsed. It has been replaced by warring water companies as everyone inexplicably fights over the dusty hellhole.

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Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (Review)

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The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is far removed from the strategy roots of last year’s much-loved XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It was off to a rough start when originally revealed as an FPS, before the internet threw its toys from the pram over a few minutes of footage.

Fans were appeased when 2K released Enemy Unknown, and since then The Bureau transformed into a third-person shooter and the tactical side of the game was given some much-needed emphasis in the build-up. After all the fuss and returns to drawing boards, 2K may end up annoying fans anyway. There’s no escaping that this is essentially a third-person shooter with squad commands stapled on.

The story is standard alien invasion fare, but with an unusual setting for most video games, the early 1960s. This gives the early parts of the game something of a unique identity. The sharp suits, the hats, the cars, the picture perfect suburban homes and even the music all feel spot on. Mad Men fans will adore it.

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Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

The Sunday Seven: Why You’ll Enjoy Saints Row IV More Than GTA V

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We’ve been looking forwards to Saints Row IV ever since Deep Silver surprised us all with its announcement earlier this year. Yet much of its hard-earned limelight has been stolen by Rockstar’s upcoming GTA V. Rockstar release a few screenshots, one gameplay trailer and the world goes nuts, despite the press not even being allowed to touch it. Same old story, same old Rockstar.

Well, balls to them. Less than a month before GTA lands, one of the worst gaming droughts we’ve seen ends with numerous big hitters and none of them look half as entertaining as Saints Row IV. Here at Dealspwn we’ve had plenty of updates, trailers, interviews and hands-on sessions and it’s time to tell you why you’ll be having more fun with the dudes in purple.

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Hardware, PC, PlayStation 3, Reviews

Aftershokz Bluez Bone Conduction Headset (Review)

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We love a bit of innovative gadgetry here at No Sleep Gamer, and ‘military bone conduction technology’ on the side of the box of Artershokz’s new Bluez Bluetooth stereo headset is certainly a good way to get our attention. Mainly because we’ll need all the help we can get when Battlefield 4 rolls out later this year.

This open ear headset isn’t like ones you’ve used before (shh, you military types, it’s new to us). Instead, the earpieces rest near your ears on your ears bones (see above image), leaving your ear holes free and still able to take in sounds around you.

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Action, Interactive Drama, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

The Walking Dead: Retail Edition (Review)

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After receiving widespread critical acclaim over the course of the first season of the episodic download game series, The Walking Dead has finally followed the tracks and shuffled its way to retail. Telltale have missed an opportunity though as this release features no extras, like making of videos, interviews and so on. Hell, if they’d chucked a poster in they could have called it the Collector’s Edition.

I’m making a fuss about this because as many of you will be aware you can download the series on PSN/XBLA for around £15 or even cheaper on PC or during a sale, but the RRP for this is £30. I love having physical copies of games, but you may want to buy this digitally or wait until this version drops in price, which it surely will. At least with this on the shelves it may stop people buying Activision’s awful -entirely unrelated- The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct by mistake.

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First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger Review – Finding redemption

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Ah, the old west. It’s good to be back. Techland’s last Juarez title (The Cartel) opted for a modern setting and suffered from a large dose of ‘bloody awful’ leaking from every festering orifice. So, um yeah, we weren’t fans.

However, I was a huge fan of the game before that, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, which featured a fantastically realised Wild West setting during and after the Civil War. After the mega success of Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption, you would have thought that Ubisoft would have insisted Techland cranked out a Wild West follow up to Bound in Blood. Well, several years later (now that the Wild West bandwagon has long gone) we have one in the form of Gunslinger, a low-priced download-only game. Continue reading Call of Juarez: Gunslinger Review – Finding redemption →

Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Why We Love… Single Player Games

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Recent news has seen gamers lash out over the launch fiasco surrounding EA’s latest SimCity title. The game requires an always-on internet connection, which meant it broke as soon as it went live as thousands of enthusiastic gamers tried to play at once.

This happened days after Crytek CEO, Cervat Yerli, said, “I think the notion of a single-player experience has to go away.” Instead, he believes there should be more integration with the online world with “online single-player.” So, while keen to plug his upcoming online game, Warface, he’s stupidly kicked his other game –Crysis 3– in the stones. Guess we know why Crysis 2 and 3’s single-player modes can only muster a rental recommendation then.

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First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 (Review)

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Lost between long-range brilliance and shooting itself in the foot

A glitchy but somewhat enjoyable first game had us crossing our fingers for an improved sequel from City Interactive. The sniping genre has intensified of late with stiff competition coming from Sniper Elite V2 last year so they need to hit the ground running this time.

The CryEngine 3 (also used for Crysis 3) certainly gives the game a graphical boost. The game is off to a sunny start in the Philippines with wonderfully bright lighting in the jungle environments being a fine tonic to any gamer fatigued with all the grey corridors and city environments in others shooters.

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First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Aliens: Colonial Marines (Review)

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Gearbox’s first -and hopefully last- bug hunt

After Duke Nukem’ Forever, you wouldn’t be insane to doubt Gearbox Software’s capabilities. But hold on a sec, they were only finishing off someone else’s mess right? They were just keen to finally get the game out. Even so, pride should have stopped them releasing it in such a poor state.

Then Borderlands 2 came along and was met with great sales and wide critical acclaim. So, maybe their frequently delayed Aliens: Colonial Marines would be ok on the day. After all, it’s been Gearbox’s game since birth and numerous videos clearly show a franchise-adoring staff. So, they wouldn’t f**k it up, right? Cue the angry sobbing.

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