Quick Review: Batman Arkham City

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Overview of Batman Arkham City:

Gotham City is as dank and daunting as ever-a place where crime thrives and and never really seizes to grow, exponentially (Pretty much the same concept you may have been taught in your mathematics class). Those are enough reasons for the return of the cape and cowl, and the unbeatable searing light that spears through the dark skies of the crime-infested Gotham City to call out none other than..The Batman. Hot on the heels of Batman: Arkham Ayslum, the new Batman: Arkham City will put Batman fans in Batman’s own high boots and flung open the Asylum doors before them as they embark on a whole new journey in the north Gotham, the Arkham City.Let us don our cape and cowl and catapult through the high-end adventure.

Story:

As always, the storyline isn’t exactly the worst in the Batman series; in fact, it comes across as one of the most engaging ones (In our honest opinions). It’s extremely chilly out there on the streets of Arkham City as winter befalls the City and besides all the snow, there are quite a few criminals that Batman must take on. So, what’s the story here? Well, Gotham City just goes from bad to worse as a prison crisis gives rise to a number of baddies cashing in on the opportunity of breaking their shackles and gain support of all and sundry situated in the city.

This may well sound like the perfect setting for Batman to jump into and clear all the mess once and for all; but hey, wait a minute. It is more a case of no other choice than a stubborn duty for the Dark Knight. You see, the good ol’ Joker is trying to combat death behind the prison walls and being the clever badass that he has always been, Joker designs his evil plots in such a way so as to trap Batman in no man’s land and force him to help Joker find a cure. It is this very quest that brings Batman come face-to-face and lock horns with old rivals and more than just a couple of new bad guys.

Presentation:

Presentation has to be the key part of Batman: Arkham City. Mark my words, it is a boon when it comes to Batman games made to date. Oh yes, the Gotham City has always been dark and deathly sight popularly painted in bed-time stories, cartoons, comics and video games over and over again. However, what we have here in Batman: Arkham City is an entirely re-imagined and unbelievable vision of Gotham City that is well and truly engaging-cum-satisfying. Yes, you do expect a few hashes here and there, especially with scale, with a game this detailed; however, Batman: Arklham Asylum does remarkably well to retain the atmospheric detail in this awesomely awesome piece of art and imagination. Surely worth mentioning here is the voice acting: Awe-inspiring is the word to be precise. Surely the most amazing bit of work by voice actors, especially voice acting for Batman and Joker: true to every tone from a wheezy little cough to the trademark evil laughter.

Most important of all, Batman: Arkham City is THE example of an open world-structuring and an exceptional level of stage-management. Hats off to the designers really for coming up with such a magnificent piece of playground where there seem to be no holds barred and Batman is allowed full license of throwing himself around and trying out his deadly toys. Be it the spacious redecorated steel mill stuffed with balloons and flashing lights, or the very filthy street corner of the City, each and every bit of Batman: Arkham City speaks for the high amount of attention it holds in its ‘oh so widened scope.’ Such is the level of detail that you may well not mind donning the Batmans cape and cowl and spending hours just gliding over rooftops and towering buildings; thereby, exploring the sprawling Arkham City.

Gameplay:

It is very encouraging to know that developers decided to not tweak with the combat system so God-dam much, so as to completely revamp it, but they decided to safely retain the same combat system from the first Batman: Arkham Asylum. So then, if you have already played Batman: Arkham Asylum, you are surely not going to take any time going through the motions. However, for those of you who are new to the business for one reason or the other, there is one button that strikes, one counters and the other allows jumping around (Yes, it is that simple on paper, indeed). A flurry of new combos, special moves and of course, the inclusion of gadgets makes the gameplay shine like anything. More so, being able to take out multiple cronies simultaneously and being able to bomb areas while gliding is a sure-shot thing of beauty, to say the least.

We would not exactly want to spoil the gadgets scheme of things for you, but the least we can say here is that there is a whole bunch of new stuff to explore with the new variety of things added to Batman’s kitty. For instance, being able to shock your foe and have him accidentally take out his own partner in utter confusion. Besides the various side missions that are sure to keep you involved apart from the main story, the Four Hundred challenge missions in the game mean that you will be spending a good lengthy time in your Batman suit. That is not it, the Twenty Four challenge maps allow players to add a lot more Riddler trophies to their collection and keep their Bat skills sharp for the next encounter. Of course, you as well play as Catwoman if you please, which is a whole new experience to be honest. However, to achieve this you may have to purchase her content online so as to receive the access code.

Final Word:

Can order be restored? There is a fine line between the affirmative and the negative as you don your Batman suit and set off to solve the unrest once and for all. The extremely lavishing attention to detail, solid and satisfying gameplay mechanics coupled with a seemingly never-ending series of quests and secrets make Batman: Arkham City an amazingly wonderful and complete package for its price that will keep sucking you in its direction even well after you see the credits roll. So then, if you really dig the Dark Knight, we would advise you waste no more time and get your hands on this game!

Batman: Arkham Asylum hits stores on October 18, 2011 and will be available for PC, PS3, XBox 360 and WIIU.

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Fix the XBox 360 Overheating Problems

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Introduction:

We have already had a good, lengthy discussion on the XBox 360 Red Ring of Death problems, causes and solutions in the recent past. However, we strongly believe that if there is one thing that becomes a major cause of concern for most XBox 360 gamers, it is the recurring overheating problems experienced by plenty. Sure, there is always the option to switch to the all-new Microsoft XBox 360 Slim, but hey, not always for everyone. Affordability is not guaranteed for all, especially with power houses like the new next-generation consoles that aren’t exactly very generously priced for all and sundry (However, that is quite understandable..I suppose). With that said, we hope you realize that there is a vast majority (Among the less spoilt brats community, that is) that stuck to the old (FAT) XBox 360 consoles; however, in doing so they are always at risk of encountering overheating problems at any point of their gaming sessions (Yes we know how excruciating that is, truly).

There have been plenty of searches on tips to fix the XBox 360 overheating problems and there have certainly been barrages of fixing solutions coming in from here, there and everywhere (Almost as if its yet another Tsunami that the world has to battle against). All of these fixes ranging from the low-cost; yet, dangerous solutions to some more reputable and relatively expensive ones have always been the core of most discussions on issues surrounding the old XBox 360. Since we feel it’s our responsibility to guide you, to the best of our ability, as to how you can do most stuff right, we bring you yet another edition on how to fix the XBox 360 overheating problems.

The Do Nots:

Quite often, it is our own silly and ignorant attitude that leads to horrors like overheating and infact, the grand daddy of them all, the Red Ring of Death issue. Therefore, it is important to ponder upon what needs to be avoided before moving on to the main cautionary practices to exercise so as to keep the overheating problems of your beloved XBox 360 at bay. One of the silliest errors that XBox 360 enthusiasts commit is that they place a cooling agent, more specifically a pedestal fan, right behind the XBox 360 console that continually blows the air leaving the XBox 360 system back into the XBox 360 console. As per the normal functioning of the internal fans of the XBox 360, all the hot air that builds up inside the XBox 360 unit is sucked out. Now then, with another fan placed right at the point of exit of the air leaving the XBox 360 system the process is seriously hampered. Hence, instead of contributing towards preventing overheating of the XBox 360, such stunts can easily do otherwise.

Yet another issue that really needs to be highlighted here is that quite often the X-clamps, that are part of the XBox 360 console and are responsible for keeping chips in the system firmly attached to the motherboard, loosen up. Since this fairly and squarely qualifies for a hardware issue, the haunting red lights of doom take no time to warm up to the occasion (Almost as if saying, Muhahahah! So, you’re next, eh!)

Go Overheating Go:

With all our basis covered on what should NOT be done, now it is important to emphasise on what needs to be done in order to not do what does NOT need to be done (Confusing?). Thought so. To put simply, now comes the part where we highlight what needs to be done to prevent any aforementioned hazards and how. First up, a simplistic method towards overcoming the temptation of placing a fan right behind the XBox 360 console and blocking its air vents is to use a USB fan and place it in the front vents of your XBox 360 console. Not only will this prevent overheating, but it will largely catalyse the process of blowing hot air out of the XBox 360 system. Plus, another handy method would be to use compressed air in a can and blow out the unnecessary dust particles.

In regards to major hardware issues, especially accidental disassembly of parts of the XBox 360, your best bet would be to send your XBox 360 for repairs. If there is any remaining warranty on the console, you would definitely want to get Microsoft to deal with the issue themselves and fix the XBox 360, totally free of cost (So, what do they say payback is..?). On the contrary, if your XBox 360 has lost its warranty (Legitimately or due to your relentlessness), you may think twice before going for an ordeal as expensive as $140 along with additional shipping charges. Sure, there is the cost of wait attached to the entire package but you must have heard the saying, no pain no gain..fits quite well here.

Closing Comments:

Your XBox 360 requires extreme care alright, and if you plan to play it safe we would highly recommend spending your hard earned penny on a proper XBox 360 fix guide which is widely available these days. Such fix solutions shall properly guide you on how to fix your console on a step-by-step basis. Plus, what they do best is: they help maintain the performance of your XBox 360 console along with fixing all sorts of damage that overheating may have resulted in. There are plenty of them available all over the market; henceforth, make sure you make a wise choice from among the many options available.

That pretty much sums up our edition on Fix the XBox 360 Overheating Problems. We do believe that you will pay heed to all the advice we had to dolly out and will babysit your XBox 360, well and truly.

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Top Five PlayStation 3 Tips and Tricks

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Introduction:

In our not-so-ancient post on the Top Five XBox 360 Tips and Tricks, we discussed our five favourite XBox 360 secrets that Microsoft may just have decided to hold back from you. Considering how malicious and easily offended fanboys have become these days, we decided to draft five interesting tips and tricks for the PlayStation 3 (Afterall, the next-generation consoles also go through emotions these days). yet again, the theme of the post remains the same; only the subject changes from Microsoft’s XBox 360 to SONY’s own hunk, the PlayStation 3. Thus, we shall safely assume that the concept of this post would not leave you alienated (Besides, this ain’t exactly a story-based RPG, is it?). Alright, let us dig deep into SONY’s PlayStation 3 this time around and explore the top five secret amenities that it packs.

1. Transform DVDs to HD on the PlayStation 3

Let us not forget the fact that the PlayStation 3 is not just a gaming powerhouse; it also delivers largely on movie playback. Oft-well renowned for its Blu-Ray capabilities, the PlayStation 3 plays as one of the best DVD players out in the market. Yes, hardcore gamers on the PlayStation 3 tend to oversee such promising potential on the other end (Sad, but true). Also, it is hard to expect high quality from DVDs in the modern day when Blu-Ray is the name of the deal but the PlayStation 3, oozing with sheer potential, even polishes DVD imagery to a top-notch quality on a plasma screen. How you do it is a good question to ask, of course. Simply, when you are watching a DVD on a high definition device, press the triangle button on your PlayStation 3 dualshock 3 controller and jump down to AV settings. Upon choosing this, you will be able to see various options for mosquito noise reduction, frame, block and a full up-scale on DVD content. Savour this feat and enjoy the nearly HD quality visuals on your television screens.

2. Transform your PlayStation 3 into a PC

One could argue how stupid an idea it is to transform a next-generation hunk to a fat old fart but hey, do not be mislead and try and be a little more respectful here, please. We wouldn’t exactly be turning consoles into PCs with the stroke of a magic wand. Instead, the process only infuses powers of a PC into your PlayStation 3 while retaining the powers of the PlayStation 3 intact, of course. Not a tough task really. The process does requires a bit of digging up into the PlayStation 3 system but you must have heard of the no pain, no gain theory. To achieve this, surf system settings in the settings menu and jump to ‘Install other OS’. Woo, hold on a bit, before moving on any further you must back up all your data from the PlayStation 3 hard drive to a USB. Following this crucial step, you may download a copy of the operating system from any PlayStation forum and burn it to a DVD and install it to the PlayStation 3 hard drive. Then what, congratulations, you now have a full fledged PC all in one PlayStation 3 console!

3. Using PC Peripherals on the PlayStation 3

With your PlayStation 3 already transformed into a PC, it is sort of unfair to treat it like a half-baked cookie. Want more explanation on that one? Well, imagine how it feels to use the internet on the PlayStation 3 using an onscreen keyboard. A few might even argue that there have been enough accessories on the market that mitigate the issue of typing but personally, I would not prefer a peanut-sized keypad attached to my dualshock 3 to make it seem like some sort of a mini alienship gone wrong. Luckily, for all you PlayStation 3 users, the PlayStation 3 offers full support for standard mice and keyboards that not only allow for enhanced typing experience, courtesy of the inbuilt browser, but really prove their mettle in the gaming scheme of things as well. There is absolutely no rocket science involved in doing so. All you have to do is, get off your couch (Where you have been lying and gaming for hours like a bloak with no life at all) and plug your desired peripherals into the USB ports of the PlayStation 3. Oh, and did I mention that there’s also support for bluetooth peripherals? Drooling already? Hah, before you wet the whole place jump to the settings menu on your PlayStation 3 and choose Accessory Settings. Following this, slect the option of Manage Bluetooth Devices.

4. Setting up a Media Server on the PlayStation 3

If you are one of those music maniacs who just can’t resist the temptation of carrying their music, or even their favourite videos and pictures with them wherever they go, you may well be very interested to know this one. Gone are the days when overburdening the valuable space on your PlayStation was a pain in the backside (Yes, backside), say hello to media streaming across your PlayStation network. Simply download Tversity or the latest version of Windows Media Player on your PC. Moving on, tweak the settings of either software a little to allow for sharing of music, video and photo folders. Select Search for Media Servers on your PlayStation 3 and there you go. Next time your PC is switched on, a new option on the XMB would show up that will actually function as a gateway for streaming data purposes.

5. Make Video Phone Calls (FREE) on the PlayStation 3

Oh what a mouth-watering prospect this one really is. On paper, it sounds like some real technical thing to try but to be honest, there’s less technique and little more trickery involved in here. For this, you would only require a USB headset and the PS EyeToy camera. Upon plugging both the things into the USB slots of the PlayStation 3, start a new chat with one of your friends. Now here’s the trick. Type something like ‘Videochat please?’ in a message. Upon receiving this, the recipient would be given the option of accepting your videochat. Now, if your friend does have a USB handset and the EyeToy camera as well, acceptance of the invitation will open up two windows ans then starts the video chat, all of which costs you..nothing!

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Quick Review: Dark Souls

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Overview:

There are RPG games and then there is Dark Souls. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen. Dark Souls for the PlayStation 3 and XBox 360 has finally seen the light (At the end of the tunnel) and has emerged from the dark once, but not for all though. If you liked the brutally challenging; yet amazingly engrossing PlayStation 3 exclusive ‘Demon Souls’ released in 2009, Dark Souls automatically becomes an experience that is well worth a go. Very much like its predecessor, Dark Souls adapts a similar formula and is, thus, precisely described as a highly challenging role-playing title. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the plot question,

‘Are you prepared to die?’

If not, take our advice and do not bother touching the game. If your answer is in the affirmative, though, be prepared to face another horde of grotesque massive bosses that will pose a serious challenge to your mind and mettle. Let us jump straight into the action and take a quick detour of Dark Souls with our quick review.

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Story:

Similar to Demon Souls, Dark Souls puts on offer an exciting third-person dungeon crawler that comes well-equipped with control and precision. Fortunately or unfortunately, Dark Souls isn’t much different from its predecessor in regards to story-telling either (We count that as a negative of course). Throughout the game, storyline is never really the factor in the Dark Souls.

Following character creation and statistics customization, it is really up to you to craft your own little tale within Dark Souls, the core of which remains killing the Gods and Demons that pose major threat to the already grim world that Dark Souls portrays (Talk about being as simplistic as..anything!). A flurry of captivating narrative details do keep you company all along Dark Souls. True that storytelling might just not be the thing to be proud of for Dark Souls but there are way too many goodies that it packs within itself to undo all the criticism that it might have to face in regards to story.

Presentation:

Dark Souls comes across as a really thoughtful and atmospheric role-playing title. Death is the theme around which the game builds itself and truly, it acts more as a building block for gamers rather than just a hindrance in the passage as they progress. The painstakingly designed role-playing game paints a beautiful open world that seems like it would never seize (Another major development from Demon Souls).

As we have mentioned earlier, Dark Souls plays as a highly precise and responsive role-playing game that continually impresses with the sort of dark and grizzly atmosphere it paints around itself. Yes, you die quite often in Dark Souls but following your death, you respawn near the last bonfire that you rested at.

Bonfire, yeah that’s another exciting new feature in the game that allows you to take a breather, meditate and save your progress and thereby, functioning as your checkpoints. Good thing is that these bonfires are scattered all over the Dark Souls world. Moving on, the concept of soul collection still persists and we absolutely do not mind that one bit. If, by any chance, you die at any point in Dark Souls, the game does does tend to punish you by making you one soul short but you could always see that as an opportunity to recapture the lost soul. Although, following your death, all the enemies you defeat in the vicinity shall come back to life. Yes, very much Demon Souls-like. Plus, this speaks of the level of challenge that Dark Souls brings to the table.

An enormous amount of detail to each and every boss to the level of design in every building in the surrounding is absolutely paramount to the presentation of this game. The extremely dark and dank surroundings will soon start to play on your mind and consume you with twist even after you have finished the game (No joke).

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Gameplay:

Do bear in mind that Dark Souls is no Oblivion-sort of Role-playing game that guarantees you sure-shot success following a few hits and misses. As aforementioned, Dark Souls will challenge you to the core and punish you exactly where you deserve it. Make no mistake about it, Dark Souls is even harder and more punishing this time around.

However, where it tends to punish you for where you go wrong, Dark Souls does largely reward you for each and every right move that you make in the game in the face of death-extreme action. Not to mention, the combat system in Dark Souls is no joke. The matter of your survival ultimately comes down to your gear instead of the skills you possess. There is no question of the combat system failing on you at any point in Dark Souls; thanks to the wide variety and maliciousness of bosses in the game. There would come a time when the high level of difficulty will burn down to outright sadistic craziness, but you know what, that’s what the Dark Souls multiplayer is for.

Get stuck at any point in the game or struggle a tad too much in defeating a boss that becomes a pain in the backside, simply team up with a fellow online and try your hand at the mystery together (So it’s true what they say about two dumb brainies being better than one, eh?). You may also seize the moment to assist other players by entering their world and helping them out. Messages on the game floor help a great deal in the act as well. Want directions or want to play a philanthropist and want to dolly out some key tips to game fellows about the mammoth creature ahead? Use the messages on the game floor (They could be misleading at times, but oh well its free advice afterall). Hence, a vividly challenging game design with an extremely rewarding learning curve to it, coupled with amazing multiplayer features makes the gameplay of Dark Souls shine like a lost soul.

Final Word:

Hear us out one last time and listen well to what we have to say, if you are one of those plentiful casual gamers that play games for entertainment, and entertainment only, death is all you will find in this game. However, once you grasp the ever-so-deep concept of Dark Souls, you are surely going to get immersed in this peach of a role-playing game title. Oh, and you might even manage the feat of beating the game atleast once before your own pretty existence is consumed once and for all. Muhahah!

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Top Five XBox 360 Tips and Tricks

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Introduction:

The Microsoft XBox 360 has been around for quite a while now. If you are the adventurer sort, we suspect you must have dug well into your XBox 360 and unearthed all the features it possesses. However, no matter how effective your endeavours of digging deep into your XBox 360 console is, eight out of ten times you are highly likely to have missed out on a few vital tips and tricks. This is precisely what the theme of today’s post is-unveil the top five XBox 360 tips and tricks. We realize that there would be a minority of people who already have some idea of a few tips and tricks that we are about to highlight but that is really beyond the purpose of this post. Our prime purpose is to enlighten our viewers and as always, we stick to those basics and bring you the best from the world of technology. Now then, let us quickly move to the top five XBox 360 tips and tricks that you XBox 360 fans may very well want to know about.

1. Connect the XBox 360 to dual screens

Oh yes, this one has got to be the best one of the lot. Now you can enjoy all the XBox 360 entertainment off two television screens, instead of merely one! First thing’s first, if you are to try this you would require the composite (yellow-coloured) and component (red, green and blue), dual video cables that are not at all tough to find (Since they come with your XBox 360 console in the box-duh!). As for the trick involved, it’s not a very tough one to exercise really but certainly one that is a tempting prospect. Simply, flick the switch of the cable to the Standard Definition. Now this is where the magic lies, connect the composite to one television and the component cables to the other. Voila! Try it for yourself and admire.

2. Connect the XBox 360 to wireless without the use of an adaptor

So you’re tired of having to loosen the grip off your pockets for the extra goodies that, one feels, should have been in the box on time of purchase of the XBox 360? Not to mention, the official Microsoft wireless adaptor is one of those priced amenities. Now the good thing about this trick that we are about to showcase here is that the cruelly-priced official wireless adaptor is not a necessity for wireless internet connectivity with the XBox 360. Fortunately or unfortunately, a laptop with Wi-Fi is all that you require for this. Simply open Control Panel on the laptop -> Network Connections (with Windows XP)/Network Sharing -> Manage Network Connections (with Windows Vista). Upon seection of Local Area Conection and Wireless Network Connection, bridge connections after right-clicking.

3. Hook up an HDMI cable; however, get Digital Surround Sound

The new XBox 360 units, despite having HDMI output for the sole purpose of optimal video quality, have been designed in such a way that with the standard ports do not allow for connection of the standard component/composite video cable while an HDMI has been connected to the XBox 360. Yet again, do get things done the way you want, or even close to your wishes to say the least, Microsoft demands loosening the grips off your pockets (For the official HDMI cable with audio adapter this time around). Naah, nevermind we would suggest. You must have noticed the large plastic box at the end of the standard video cable. Even if you haven’t, insert some tool (preferably a knife) in the joint and pull it off. Consequences are a tad messy, yet rewarding. Well, atleast you get your wish.

4. Play All Formats of Media Files on the XBox 360

If you are not one of the vast majority of those who only uses its beloved XBox 360 for gaming purposes, but also to listen to songs, watch videos and tinker with other forms of media, you would know of the meaningless limitations that Microsoft imposes on you so as to restrict you from playing video/audio formats of your choice. Tversity comes across as an avid free application which is brilliant solution to all such issues. This one also requires a PC alright, but once again the rewards that one reaps are really well worth it. Be it a simple RM. file or online video URLs from Youtube, this peach of an application will can and convert all your media and ofcourse, allow you easy access to all of it from the comfort of your XBox 360 remote controller.

5. Reset the Video Settings on the XBox 360

We can safely regard this as a tip more than a confidential report. Well, tere would be plenty of you who are in a habit of carrying your XLove (XBox 360) with you to friends’ places and obviously, that would require connecting your XBox 360 to different displays altogether. In such cases, it is often observed that a defected signal is output resulting in no display on the screen or a mere flickering screen. No, don’t cry (Your XBox 360 ain’t dead yet). The only simple thing to try here is to shut down the XBox 360 and turn it back on with the XBox 360 controller. While the XBox 360 console is still in the process of booting, press and hold the ‘Y’ button followed by the right trigger (RT). The video settings have now been reset..Tada!

Closing Comments:

So that’s all we have for you in our Top Five XBox 360 Tips and Tricks. We do hope that each one of these would seem like a pleasant surprise to most of you and more importantly, you get the execution of each one of them right. Our honest advice would be to follow all the instructions carefully because surely, you wouldn’t want to cause any damage to your pretty XBox 360. All in all, you’re all set to umm.. rediscover your XBox 360. Go on, try it for yourself. Peace!

If you have any tips or tricks for the Xbox360, do share them with us in the comments below. If you have questions, add them too.

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Top Five Indie Games (PC / PS3 / XBox 360)

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Overview:

Hello, all you gaming fans out there, big, small or neutral. Today’s edition on games is a touch different from what we usually have to report to you. We believe that there has already been quite a bit of talk on the modern hardcore games, especially that are exclusive to the next-generation gaming consoles. In essence, Indie games is one genre that, we believe, is often overlooked as the shadow of the modern hardcore games tends to build too large on the former. However, there is no denying the fact that there is a true driving sense of passion that goes behind the development of Indie games which speaks a lot for what a thankless job Indie game development is. Yes thankless-these games are comparatively cheap or at times free of cost! (No reference made to the list ahead, though). Selection of a total of top five indie games from amongst a plethora of break out Indie titles is somewhat a cumbersome task alright. That is simply because the temptation to showcase the creativity and adventure-filled minds can easily get the better of you if you were I (Talk about demanding reverence). Without squandering another minute, let us thrill you with our list of the top five Indie games.

1. Super Meat Boy

If there is one video game that can even hold a candle to the classic Super Mario Bros in terms of gameplay (and the story, somewhat), it has to be Super Meat Boy. Rightly described by developers as ‘tough as nails’, this pure Indie 2D platformer comprises of a good two-hundred odd levels of running and jumping missions between hypodermic needles and spinning saw blades. No, we do not regret comparing the story to Super Mario Bros’s one bit as the plot requires saving a Bandage Girl who is kidnapped and encaged in an abandoned castle by Dr. Fetus (Makes me wonder if the doctor’s a child specialist). With seemingly daunting environments and the separation of a single pixel between life and death, Super Meat Boy is one Indie game that righteously rewards you for all your efforts. This Indie development may feel frustrating at times but the sort of environment Super Meat Boy crafts coupled with its precise tools makes for an exciting Indie games experience.

2. Braid

Braid comes across as one of the most compelling Indie games to date. Encouraging is the fact that the PC version of this Indie title manages to do justice to the original XBox live title. Yet again, there is a Princess to rescue in here as well, very much like Super Meat Boy, but Braid manages to craft a completely different little world of its own. More or less a mind-boggling puzzle solving Indie development, Braid immerses you with its high level of accomplishment that comes as an immediate corollary of striving through cerebral and cumbersome tasks. One main highlight of this Indie platformer is the ability to rewind time and take on all sorts of special meaning amidst all the amazingly engaging puzzles. The expertly designed puzzles that come with hefty challenges along with splendid art designs and a mature storyline make Braid an Indie game worth trying for sure. Bottomline is, Braid is a portalesque piece of perfection that should surely catch everybody’s eyes.

3. World of Goo

You may not fancy puzzle-platformers or even those regular narrative-driven Indie games that keep dropping in and out of the gaming market; however, with World of Goo your perception about 2D puzzle platform Indie games is sure to transform. A breathtakingly fresh Indie title, World of Goo, draws a gentle learning curve allowing players to rise among the ranks, slowly and steadily. Rewarding more often than not, World of Goo makes for a smooth learning environment instead of punishing you, mercilessly for all the hashes you make. As the name suggests, this Indie title is based around getting a certain amount of ‘goos’ from one extreme of the map to the other. Undoubtedly, World of Goo is a top-notch Indie game that is addictive in its gameplay and delivers a quirky and smart gaming experience.

4. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

Hot on the heels of the original Geometry Wars, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 conveniently manages to recreate the magic and deliver the lightning-in-a-bottle excellence that the original Geometry Wars packed. With over six modes of gameplay, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 helps ascend Indie addictive shooters to a level of unprecedented awesomeness. With a standard gun to keep a bunch of snake-like creatures at an arm’s length (Perhaps shorter considering the limited rectangular arena on your screens), Geometry War: Retro Evolved 2 is no happy accident-it is a dream come true (Especially for all you Snake and Pacman fans out there). Being a satisfyingly solid sequel, this Indie title impresses with ease and grace.

5. Lume

Point and click adventure Indie games have seen a barrage of titles which really speaks for the longevity of one of the games oldest genres and proves that it’s still alive and kicking. With the puzzles being highly intuitive and logical, the stand-out feature of this particular Indie title is the presentation. The splendid paperwork imagery make Lume look like one of the most gorgeous Indie game to date. It is no surprise that gamers will enjoy every second spent on this game; despite the game being shockingly brief, mind you. All in all, the plot and puzzles amalgamate well together to put on offer a fluid and well consolidated punch of Indie gaming.

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The XBox 360 Red Ring of Death (Causes and Implications)

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Introduction:

If you have been an old XBox 360 owner, you most probably already know how it feels like to be ‘owned’ by a series of flashing red lights. Well, if you have already been a victim of this colourful; yet, unwelcoming effect this might not be too big a news for you. However, if you are new to XBox 360 fan club or perhaps, purchased/going to purchase a used XBox 360 system you may very well find this post very helpful for your liking (Honest, no blowing your own trumpet sort of comment). Today’s article shall shed light on what exactly the infamous Red Ring of Death is and what causes this nuisance.

What is the Red Ring of Death?:

To be honest, the internet is full of posts on how you can repair your XBox 360 and more specifically, how you may treat the Red Ring of Death upon its unwelcome arrival. Before we move on to what may cause the Red Ring of Death to your Xbox 360, let us discuss what the Red Ring of Death exactly is. So then, first thing’s first-what is this Red Ring of Death. Basically, all the XBox 360 consoles come with a ring of light on the front panel comprising of a circle of various LEDs and a green one right in the middle. This helps find out what condition your XBox 360 is in. In normal circumstances, the pattern of four quadrants on the XBox 360 front panel light up on connecting a controller; meaning thereby, the more the connected controllers the more the number of illuminated quadrants. However, when quadrants on the front panel of the XBox 360, numbered one, three and four turn red you are bound to say hello to the infamous Red Ring of Death, or oft-termed Red Ring of Doom or even at times Red Lights of Death. This, in turn, marks a general hardware failure No candy for your XBox 360, surely!).

Possible Causes of the Red Ring of Death:

As mentioned before, Red Ring of Death has arguably been the most discussed topic regarding the XBox 360. Inevitably, general hardware failure may have plenty of different causes.

Imperfect Soldering

One of the most revolving stories around the XBox 360 forums regarding the Red Ring of Death is concerned with the sort of solder used in the interior of the XBox 360 units. Word in the media has been quite consistent regarding this-solder devices used in XBox 360 models is very much susceptible to diminutive bubbles inside it which expand and at times contract upon heating up and cooling down of the XBox 360 system. Red Ring of Death kicks in when connections are knocked out of the sockets upon the extreme temperature changes inside the XBox 360.

Powerbrick Issues

Yes, that’s right. That small box in black outside the console that directly connects the console to the power supply is precisely what we are referring to. The transformer contained by this little box is responsible for supplying sufficient amount of power to the XBox 360 system (For noobs and sundry). In essence, the little box has its moments when it gets damaged or even at times overheated beyond measure. You gotta feel sorry for such a small piece to be going through so much suffering in infancy..somewhat. Anyway, by providing too little or too high power to the XBox 360 as a result of this, the XBox 360 will often experience overheating and persistent shut downs itself (Talk about sympathy pains?). Be ready to welcome the unwelcoming Red Ring of Death to your XBox 360 if this process never fails to seize.

Overheating

Red Ring of Death is mainly associated with the overheating of the XBox 360 system. Being the most prominent cause of causing the Red Ring of Death to the XBox 360, the issue seems to have been used as a trademark by Microsoft for quite some time (C’mon, nobody else came up with anything as fancy as the Red Ring of Death, right?). If other factors remain constant and the normal routine overheating process is allowed to thrive, the images on the display screen are expected to freeze as they are and the XBox 360 shut down as a consequence of the overheating issue (Sounds like a horrid scientific recipe to me). Then what, the front panel of your beloved XBox 360 will display two red lights (Yes two, but don’t get too cocky here, folks). Yes, the moment the GPU cools down and returns to its normal state you may be able to pick up from where you left; however, if the problems reoccurs it won’t be long before you encounter the highly-despised Red Ring of Death (Sigh, poor XBox 360s).

Keeping Red Ring of Death at Bay:

Following all the haunted talk on how the infamous Red Ring of Death turns your dearest XBox 360 into TrashBox 360, it’s high time we ponder upon the simple cautionary measures that can be adopted so as to buy the XBox 360 a few more years of life and keep the Red Ring of Death at an arm’s length (Infact, a touch more distance than that). Since the main corollary contributing to Red Ring of Death revolves around overheating of the XBox 360 unit, the rule is simple-do not let your XBOx 360 overheat. Question is, how do you achieve that? Not a problem at all. Just like human beings and all other living things on the face of this earth need to breathe in and breathe out, the XBox 360 requires the same (Never thought next-gen gaming would have such humane requirements). Makes sure you place your XBox 360 in a well-ventilated environment where there is less chance of dust to settle in and on your XBox 360 console. Bear in mind that your XBox 360 is a little baby of yours and you need to separate him from the horrors of Red Ring of Death if it is to flourish and continue playing on you.

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Guide on Buying the Perfect Gaming HDTV

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Syed Hassan

Overview:

We have already discussed how gaming has gone on to the next level and with all sorts of gaming devices and games flying in and out of the gaming market, the industry of gaming has surely seen a boom period over the years. Be it a young, enthusiastic gaming freak or a part-time mid-aged casual gamer (Agreed, they are rare finds but still), gaming has certainly become the heartbeat of many. The sheer excitement and pleasure derived from all the daily gaming fodder, be it a case of a strategic game that keeps you bashing your brains or a first person shooter that keeps you on your toes at all times, it keeps most gamers go on and on at doing what they do best-gaming. In this edition of Guide on Buying the Perfect Gaming HDTVs, we will guide you on you may buy the perfect HDTV for gaming purposes but before we do move on to the topic of the day let us discuss the innovations in the gaming industry that; in fact, has paved way for HDTV(Talk about pitching in climax). So then, ride along.

Modern Gaming:

There used to be a time when PC gaming was the only real sort of gaming that most gamers could enjoy; not anymore though. The advent of next-generation gaming hasn’t put PC gaming out of commission (Certainly not!), but what it has done really well is that it has extended the approach of many more, previously quality gaming deprived, potential gamers towards state of the art games. Gone are the days when gaming meant sitting in a computer chair and sitting in front of a PC for hours without food or exercise (Yes, that puts YOU out of commission). Not-so-old entrants like SONY PlayStation 3, Microsoft XBOX 360 and Nintendo Wii have indeed taken gaming to a higher level. Gaming is not just a matter of sitting before a TV or computer screen and killing time for countless number of hours-instead it has opened the gates for cognitive skills, problem solving and a bit of creative thinking. More so, the induction of motion-sensing technology into gaming, especially in shape of Microsoft’s XBOX 360 Kinect and SONY’s PlayStation Move has allowed people to hop, skip and jump around their living rooms and work a sweat to develop their reflexes.

Gaming HDTV For The Win (FTW):

There is no doubt whatsoever in the fact that HDTV or high definition television is perfect if you wish to experience pure and polished gaming atmosphere all round. Crisp and clear sounds coupled with the unparalleled high definition clarity and sharpness is a dream come true for all gaming fans out there. It is apparent that an HDTV has all that it takes to home next-generation gaming. It is true that most HDTVs out in the market today provide a lot better picture quality than the regular home televisions but the task of buying the perfect HDTV for your home entertainment can be an overwhelming one. It really comes down to more than just the choice of the perfect HDTV. Important thing worth noting here is the fact that the perfect gaming HDTV is the one that really suits best your gaming preferences (See, that is what the topic says up there). Let us have a look at a few main HDTV features that you must have knowledge about so as to taste the best of gaming.

Enter the Perfect HDTV:

Now then, here starts all the fun and talk on the main features to look out for while choosing the perfect HDTV for gaming, and gaming only.

Size:

While buying an HDTV, the screen size is seen as one of the foremost factors to consider so as to enjoy the perfect gaming experiences. The size of whichever HDTV you are buying needs to be consistent with the space-that is paramount. Viewing distance range charts largely help in sorting this out. However, we feel that anything between 26 inches and 42 inches is round about perfect.

Game Mode:

The talk of the table for most gaming enthusiasts, Game Mode comes across as an exciting new feature that makes gaming on an HDTV a perfect and pleasurable experience. Surprisingly, this HDTV feature provides an essential combination of the majority of perfect features on an HDTV, most noticeable of which are improved resolution and shorter response time.

Input Lag:

Often termed as response time, Input lag refers to the response time between the HDTV screen and the gaming controller. An HDTV with the lowest of Input lag makes for the perfect gaming experience; hence, enhanced response time.

Refresh Rate:

Refresh rate is also a very important factor to consider when buying an HDTV specifically for gaming. This very feature of an HDTV refers to the number of per second the screen on the HDTV updates itself. The higher the better.

Contrast and Resolution:

Although two slightly different terminologies, these two, but they basically deal with the clarity of an HDTV. While contrast maintains a combination of light and color variance, the higher resolution brings out the perfect picture on an HDTV.

3D Functionality:

Following its success in featured 3D movies, 3D functionality is rapidly gaining popularity in the gaming arena; hence, an HDTV with 3D functionalities will certainly beef up your gaming environment, thereby, putting on offer the perfect setting for gaming on a quality HDTV.

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