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Showing posts with label current gen consoles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label current gen consoles. Show all posts

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Animal Crossing: New Leaf, A Look At Town Sharing! + Our Review

Image 1:

By Gabriel Roderick


So today I visited a friend's town seeing as it was raining and what not in my town.



By: Adam Zimmerman
It was very exciting to see another town and the different people, fruit and layout of the town. 



We decided since it was raining in reality that we would go on a trip in her town to a island where we would go and catch fish to get "metal", the island's currency and other neat things. My friend whom I was visiting had gone to the island a few times before where she had taken a boat over to the island. The captain Kappn likes to sing and tell stories, when I went with her he seemed a little jealous of us going together...Oh Well. 



Anyways on the island after doing some fishing misadventures we got some metals then went to go to a rental place. The nice guy gave me a axe, fishing rod, net, and even a diving suit. You might want to debate on the items you borrow seeing as they take space in you're pockets. Once you fill up you can visit a box in the island's landing room where you can deposit you're items to be picked up later at the dock upon returning.



It's important to add them to this box or you'll loose them! Upon going diving you can swim really fast and find awesome bottom dwellers and even get stung by jellyfish! Diving is simple. Dive down and swim towards darker areas and BAM you caught something.



Don't wanna go swimming? No big deal, there is about 4 other mini games you can play to get metals and of course chop down coconut trees with you're axe!



I suggest on a rainy day in reality or in you're town go visit a friend, steal some useful items then go on a trip together!

 Adam's Earlier Review:


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If I were to simply state what you do in Animal Crossing, most people would think it sounds like one of the most boring games ever created, and the description alone makes many people not even want to give it a try. Those people are missing one of the most charming and addicting experiences in gaming.


 Admittedly Animal Crossing isn’t for everyone.


If your idea of the perfect game only involves blowing peoples heads off then this is not the game for you. New Leaf will do absolutely nothing to sway those that don’t want to spend days, weeks, or months talking to animals and searching for every possible bug/fish/fossil/piece of art to complete your collection, but it retains the series’ trademark charm that makes tasks that are seemingly boring so much fun and addicting.





New Leaf essentially takes the best parts of the previous entries in the series and combines them into one game. All the bug catching, fishing, fossil hunting, art collecting, and home decorating return (I assure you that it is a lot more fun than that sounds). You get a great sense of accomplishment when you complete the museums collections. The city from City Folk has been changed and moved closer to you, with the stores that were in the city now apart of Main Street. The tropical island that you could visit in the original game with the help of a GameBoy Advance returns, luckily without the need for an extra system and connecting cable this time. There are certain fish and bugs that can only be found on the island. Also on the island are mini games called tours that allow you to earn special island currency to buy items like special island themed furniture, or a wetsuit, which allows you to swim for the first time in the series. Swimming further allows you to catch special “deep sea” creatures such as clams, sea urchins, lobsters, etc.


Image 2:

Where New Leaf really separates itself from its predecessors is your role within the town. From the moment you step off the train, you assume the role of mayor. I enjoyed having much more say in how the town is constructed. The only real customization in previous entries involved you personal look and your home décor.



Though this is still very much a part of New Leaf, you have many more things to customize this time around. New town ordinances allow you to tailor the game to your preferred play style a bit. If you play mostly at night you can chose the “night owl” ordinance which will make characters sleep in later and stores open later, but stay awake/open much later as well. The reverse is true for the “early bird” ordinance. Two other ordinances make it so that you will either get more money for everything you do or keep your town looking good by watering the flowers for you, picking weeds, and keeping trash out of the water. Public works projects are also part of your duties. They involve raising money for things like another bridge, a water fountain, or an additional floor for the museum. Your duties as mayor don’t fundamentally change the way you play the game, but they do give you more choices to make and a lot more to spend your money on..






Yet another interesting new addition to the game is the integration of 3DS play coins. Regular stuff like tools, furniture, and clothing are still bought with bells, the series regular currency, but play coins are used to purchase fortune cookies. These cookies may or may not contain a lucky ticket, which can be redeemed for special Nintendo-themed items. Nintendo enthusiasts will absolutely love these items as they include, but are certainly not limited to the Triforce, a Mario Kart go-kart, Captain Olimar’s ship from Pikmin, and a Samus helmet.

Image 3:




Even after spending more than 20 with the game in a 4 day period (I did mention it can be quite addicting earlier), new happenings in my town kept exciting me. New characters would move in, new shops would open up on Main Street, new tours would be unlocked on the island. While none of these events are game altering, getting to know a new character or getting new places to explore or spend your money is always good.




Visiting a other player’s town is fun as well. You can check out how they designed their homes, see what characters live in their town and meet them. For instance in my town I have a dog dressed as a mummy, 2 tigers, and penguin, and another bird. My daughter on the other hand has a cat, and elephant, a much angrier looking penguin than mine, and 2 other characters. Also when you go to someone else’s town you can grab whatever fruits are native to their town to add them to your own. The tours on the island can also be done with friends where the challenge gets scaled to the number of people taking part.



Our Honest Gives Animal Crossing: New Leaf a 9 out of 10. Detractors of the series will point to its lack of defined goals and gameplay, but they are completely missing the point of what makes Animal Crossing such an enjoyable experience. New Leaf takes the best parts of the first 2 console versions of the game and puts them into 1 great experience. They also addressed some of the minor problems. The game is a stress free experience that instead of focusing on stressful boss fights, combative multiplayer experiences, or really intense action of any kind, it instead focuses on clever humor, forming friendships with the residents of your town, and the Pokemon like gotta get em all mentality when it comes to fish, bugs, fossils, and art. It may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed every minute and can’t wait to go back to my little town.

Replay Value: Infinite

Similar Games:  

Animal Crossing GameCube - Image 4


FarVille Facebook - Image 5












Harvest Moon Another Wonderful Life Gamecube - Image 6


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Sources: 
Image 1: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Animal-Crossing-animal-crossing-231227_1024_768.jpg) 

Image 2: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/3500000/Animal-crossin-wii-animal-crossing-3545161-896-480.jpg) 

Image 3: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/nintendoland/thumb/f/fd/AnimalCrossingShot.png/468px-AnimalCrossingShot.png) 

Image 4: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/82/Animal_Crossing_Coverart.png)

Image 5: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VTJLQ9M6uZBUDZSFRhBuJyJMQtvRkpnoajw8MGVPVFbS9syW0JOkSssrqktkNurkmwCpx3BHsQrbt-35iI4osRPlLn-jTJI4Mg2WPyhgsGCBhZ1G6V63Jr6K5yIEFCMy1ZJHhXkFIcGD/s1600/28715.$.jpg)

Image 6: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://hmmeadow.net/images/gimgs/4019d1194771504-harvest-moon-another-wonderful-life-scan-ntsc-harvest_another.jpg) 

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Review: "Animal Crossing: New Leaf" (2013) "Come On Across The Way And Visit."

Image 1:

By: Adam Zimmerman

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If I were to simply state what you do in Animal Crossing, most people would think it sounds like one of the most boring games ever created, and the description alone makes many people not even want to give it a try. Those people are missing one of the most charming and addicting experiences in gaming.


 Admittedly Animal Crossing isn’t for everyone.


If your idea of the perfect game only involves blowing peoples heads off then this is not the game for you. New Leaf will do absolutely nothing to sway those that don’t want to spend days, weeks, or months talking to animals and searching for every possible bug/fish/fossil/piece of art to complete your collection, but it retains the series’ trademark charm that makes tasks that are seemingly boring so much fun and addicting.





New Leaf essentially takes the best parts of the previous entries in the series and combines them into one game. All the bug catching, fishing, fossil hunting, art collecting, and home decorating return (I assure you that it is a lot more fun than that sounds). You get a great sense of accomplishment when you complete the museums collections. The city from City Folk has been changed and moved closer to you, with the stores that were in the city now apart of Main Street. The tropical island that you could visit in the original game with the help of a GameBoy Advance returns, luckily without the need for an extra system and connecting cable this time. There are certain fish and bugs that can only be found on the island. Also on the island are mini games called tours that allow you to earn special island currency to buy items like special island themed furniture, or a wetsuit, which allows you to swim for the first time in the series. Swimming further allows you to catch special “deep sea” creatures such as clams, sea urchins, lobsters, etc.


Image 2:

Where New Leaf really separates itself from its predecessors is your role within the town. From the moment you step off the train, you assume the role of mayor. I enjoyed having much more say in how the town is constructed. The only real customization in previous entries involved you personal look and your home décor.



Though this is still very much a part of New Leaf, you have many more things to customize this time around. New town ordinances allow you to tailor the game to your preferred play style a bit. If you play mostly at night you can chose the “night owl” ordinance which will make characters sleep in later and stores open later, but stay awake/open much later as well. The reverse is true for the “early bird” ordinance. Two other ordinances make it so that you will either get more money for everything you do or keep your town looking good by watering the flowers for you, picking weeds, and keeping trash out of the water. Public works projects are also part of your duties. They involve raising money for things like another bridge, a water fountain, or an additional floor for the museum. Your duties as mayor don’t fundamentally change the way you play the game, but they do give you more choices to make and a lot more to spend your money on..






Yet another interesting new addition to the game is the integration of 3DS play coins. Regular stuff like tools, furniture, and clothing are still bought with bells, the series regular currency, but play coins are used to purchase fortune cookies. These cookies may or may not contain a lucky ticket, which can be redeemed for special Nintendo-themed items. Nintendo enthusiasts will absolutely love these items as they include, but are certainly not limited to the Triforce, a Mario Kart go-kart, Captain Olimar’s ship from Pikmin, and a Samus helmet.

Image 3:




Even after spending more than 20 with the game in a 4 day period (I did mention it can be quite addicting earlier), new happenings in my town kept exciting me. New characters would move in, new shops would open up on Main Street, new tours would be unlocked on the island. While none of these events are game altering, getting to know a new character or getting new places to explore or spend your money is always good.




Visiting a other player’s town is fun as well. You can check out how they designed their homes, see what characters live in their town and meet them. For instance in my town I have a dog dressed as a mummy, 2 tigers, and penguin, and another bird. My daughter on the other hand has a cat, and elephant, a much angrier looking penguin than mine, and 2 other characters. Also when you go to someone else’s town you can grab whatever fruits are native to their town to add them to your own. The tours on the island can also be done with friends where the challenge gets scaled to the number of people taking part.



Our Honest Gives Animal Crossing: New Leaf a 9 out of 10. Detractors of the series will point to its lack of defined goals and gameplay, but they are completely missing the point of what makes Animal Crossing such an enjoyable experience. New Leaf takes the best parts of the first 2 console versions of the game and puts them into 1 great experience. They also addressed some of the minor problems. The game is a stress free experience that instead of focusing on stressful boss fights, combative multiplayer experiences, or really intense action of any kind, it instead focuses on clever humor, forming friendships with the residents of your town, and the Pokemon like gotta get em all mentality when it comes to fish, bugs, fossils, and art. It may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed every minute and can’t wait to go back to my little town.

Replay Value: Infinite

Similar Games:  

Animal Crossing GameCube - Image 4


FarVille Facebook - Image 5












Harvest Moon Another Wonderful Life Gamecube - Image 6


 REMEMBER to BECOME a FAN by LIKING our FACEBOOK PAGE! Our Honest View (https://www.facebook.com/OurHonestView) 


AND of COURSE follow US on TWITTER!  #Our Honest View (https://twitter.com/ourhonestview)



And NOW! On Youtube: Our Honest View  http://www.youtube.com/user/OurHonestView 

Sources: 
Image 1: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Animal-Crossing-animal-crossing-231227_1024_768.jpg) 

Image 2: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/3500000/Animal-crossin-wii-animal-crossing-3545161-896-480.jpg) 

Image 3: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/nintendoland/thumb/f/fd/AnimalCrossingShot.png/468px-AnimalCrossingShot.png) 

Image 4: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/82/Animal_Crossing_Coverart.png)

Image 5: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VTJLQ9M6uZBUDZSFRhBuJyJMQtvRkpnoajw8MGVPVFbS9syW0JOkSssrqktkNurkmwCpx3BHsQrbt-35iI4osRPlLn-jTJI4Mg2WPyhgsGCBhZ1G6V63Jr6K5yIEFCMy1ZJHhXkFIcGD/s1600/28715.$.jpg)

Image 6: Accessed On June 12th, 2013 (http://hmmeadow.net/images/gimgs/4019d1194771504-harvest-moon-another-wonderful-life-scan-ntsc-harvest_another.jpg) 

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Preview: "Batman: Arkham Origins" (2013) "Teasing Me With A Movie?"


By: Gabriel Roderick
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So today the first official teaser of Batman Arkham Origins.



And I'm left with much anticipation and also fears for this game!





Granted I know it was just a trailer to silence the fans since the games announcement a few months back, but this cinematic trailer seemed more like another Christopher Nolan film than a video game.

 



I understand that's the way video games are headed these days but come on, I want there to be a distinction between my Batman video games and movies just saying.



My other issue that I had was Batman's suit seemed better than the one he left Arkham City with at the end of the second game. This could just be me, but this was a ninja awesome suit that could combat with Deathstroke. What happens to this suit in the future?



That aside my feelings of the trailer are that this is a final or climatic scene showing a much wiser Batman finally able to finish the villains on Christmas night!



The background was awesome and I hope they incorporate all the weather effects of the snow and cold temperature in the fighting and overall playability of the game!



Besides Batman's battle with the assassin's and Deathstroke, he'll also be fighting Black Mask and other mob members. And lets not forget this will tell the story on how Penguin got his glass eye and of course Commissioner Gordan will only be the Captain at this point.


This is the ultimate teaser leaving such great anticipation for this game seeing as a lot of the things we loved of the previous games are gone! I still have faith in the Bat, but I do hope that Deathstroke is a lot stronger than he appears to be in the video! 

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Monday, April 22, 2013

Preview: "Dark Souls 2" (2013) "Just When My Hair Grew Back, Now I Have To Rip It Out Again!"

By: Nevill Adeyeye

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When most people think of hard games they may think of battle toads or Castlevania but, I think of Dark Souls.
 Dark Souls is and will be one of the hardest games I will every play. Dark Souls was the spiritual successor to Demon Souls but Dark Souls is getting its own sequel hopefully later this year. There isn't to much info on Dark Souls 2 yet but what from we do know the combat is staying the same. With a brand new engine Dark Souls 2 graphics will be better than ever and Namco-Bandai themselves said they wanted to give the game a more “realistic” look.

 One of the directors was quoted on the engine saying that “it was made for current gen” so no plans for next gen in the future.. One of the reasons Dark Souls was punishing because when you died you lost all of your souls and if you died again they were gone forever. This was the staple of Demon and Dark Souls and of course it will be coming back. The director of Dark Souls was quoted that he doesn't think Dark Souls should have a lot of sequels but, we shall see.
 

Though it has no release date as of yet, we hope to see it in 2013. Most likely when E3 happens they'll want to show off their new game. Especially with games like Beyond Two Souls promising the most realism in video games on current consoles. 



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