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Russian Army Silent Assassin Sniper Shooter 3D: Crazy Head Shot Game
Games and Entertainment
App
Play the role of a sniper assassin trying to save his city from gangsters and criminals. Assassinate...
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Jan 29, 2018
The year is 2044, the world has burnt through it's fossil fuels and the effects of global warming has left the world in decline, many turn to drugs and crime to survive and to cope with the world around them. Tech giant James Halliday offers humanity an escape in "The Oasis" a virtual universe where you can pretty much do anything you want and mostly for free. When Halliday dies he has no heir to his vast fortune and announces to the world an elaborate game, the first to win and find his "easter egg" inherits everything. The game however is fiendish and after 5 years without a single clue answered, many have given up searching until one day, Wade Watts, becomes the first to enter the scoreboard and the race to win explodes back into everyone's lives.
I think it's safe to say I devoured this book! Whilst set in a future world, most of what takes place is within the Oasis itself as Wade is a "gunter" (an whittled down name for egg hunter) he dedicates his life to the search for the egg, living on a diet rich with 80's pop culture his knowledge is great enough to rival Halliday's himself. He is far from alone in this though, many are still searching and the race is on against corporate egg hunters, the Sixers, who want to take the egg purely for profiteering. I loved Wade as a character and whilst everything seems overwhelming for him the writing never feels so. You feel everything he goes through, willing him to solve each riddle, sharing his frustration at each dead end and his joy when something goes right. It's almost as if Wade becomes the readers avatar. The 80's references are many as well as throwbacks to all kinds of gaming which I loved and there was many a knowing smile and laugh out loud moment for me whilst reading. I loved how the solving of each puzzle was well laid out and researched (apart from the Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters that is) and how the story felt comfortable moving away from it's linear path, sometimes surprisingly so.
It's quite lacking in female avatars though which I think is a little sad, other than Art3mis it's pretty much a lad zone, which given that female gamers now make up over 40% (various sources) of the gaming populous makes it feel that the book was written for a male stereotype (and stereotyping crops up a lot). Not only is she the only female avatar but it feels like she is only there to be the "love interest" despite her being a formidable gunter. It's not all bad, she is pretty much the most kick ass of all of them but I just wished there was a more even presence. There is also sadly a fair bit of tokenism going on and I felt some minority groups were marginalised.
It didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book at the time which I read pretty much every opportunity I got, but now having had time to reflect I'm going to have to knock a star off for everything I mentioned above. If you grew up in, or have a good knowledge of the 1980's and have a thing for retro gaming this will tick a ton of boxes for you. If you didn't or don't, this is still a great adventure that will pull you in and you will likely discover a whole new world of games, films and TV that you may find yourself wanting to check out!
I think it's safe to say I devoured this book! Whilst set in a future world, most of what takes place is within the Oasis itself as Wade is a "gunter" (an whittled down name for egg hunter) he dedicates his life to the search for the egg, living on a diet rich with 80's pop culture his knowledge is great enough to rival Halliday's himself. He is far from alone in this though, many are still searching and the race is on against corporate egg hunters, the Sixers, who want to take the egg purely for profiteering. I loved Wade as a character and whilst everything seems overwhelming for him the writing never feels so. You feel everything he goes through, willing him to solve each riddle, sharing his frustration at each dead end and his joy when something goes right. It's almost as if Wade becomes the readers avatar. The 80's references are many as well as throwbacks to all kinds of gaming which I loved and there was many a knowing smile and laugh out loud moment for me whilst reading. I loved how the solving of each puzzle was well laid out and researched (apart from the Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters that is) and how the story felt comfortable moving away from it's linear path, sometimes surprisingly so.
It's quite lacking in female avatars though which I think is a little sad, other than Art3mis it's pretty much a lad zone, which given that female gamers now make up over 40% (various sources) of the gaming populous makes it feel that the book was written for a male stereotype (and stereotyping crops up a lot). Not only is she the only female avatar but it feels like she is only there to be the "love interest" despite her being a formidable gunter. It's not all bad, she is pretty much the most kick ass of all of them but I just wished there was a more even presence. There is also sadly a fair bit of tokenism going on and I felt some minority groups were marginalised.
It didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book at the time which I read pretty much every opportunity I got, but now having had time to reflect I'm going to have to knock a star off for everything I mentioned above. If you grew up in, or have a good knowledge of the 1980's and have a thing for retro gaming this will tick a ton of boxes for you. If you didn't or don't, this is still a great adventure that will pull you in and you will likely discover a whole new world of games, films and TV that you may find yourself wanting to check out!
Dream of Pixels
Games and Entertainment
App
A very beautiful falling blocks puzzle game. "Best iPhone and iPad Games of 2012: Puzzle"...
Infinity Blade II
Games and Entertainment
App
Join our new forums: https://www.epicgames.com/infinityblade/forums/ **2011 IGN "Mobile Game of the...
KalJ95 (25 KP) rated the Nintendo Switch version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in Video Games
Dec 28, 2019
Exploration is epic (2 more)
Incredible open-world.
Mechanics and gameplay is Nintendo's greatest achievement.
Breath of fresh gaming.
On December 25th 2018, I finally got a Nintendo Switch, after years of hinting to my other half. There was only ever going to be one game to start with; Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Within the space of a week, I accounted 85 hours of gameplay and exploration around Hyrule. And I was disappointed with what I had experienced. The experience felt hollow, empty even. The story was bare boned, set amongst cut scenes of Link's memories from 100 years ago. I immediately sold the game and bought Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
I was a fool.
Zelda: BotW is a mesmerising behemoth of a game, full of so much to discover and encounter through the breathtaking world of Hyrule. My stubbornness through my first playthrough was largely down to wanting a more linear, story based experience, like past Zelda games. What Nintendo crafted is something else entirely. Rather than focus of Link defeating Ganon, and saving Princess Zelda, your focus is to explore this vast open world and traverse its landscapes through whatever means you desire. And that is why this game is so special. The serene music and light melodies that play as you circumnavigate from land to land could often be quite dull and boring with other open world games, but in BotW its absolutely the right move. It gives you time to breath absolutely everything in, and stare in awe of the beautiful world you've inhabited.
The emphasis on going your own way and exploring is simply remarkable. The world is quite literally in your hands. Then comes the 120 separate challenges called Shrines, put in place so you can gain extra Health and Stamina bars as you progress. The puzzle solving is another great addition to a game already jam packed with content. I could mention and write all day long about its weather system, various amounts of enemies which require different approaches to combat, the side missions and extra content in regards to weapons and clothing, the list could quite literally go on, but I will finish this here with a few final observations:
BotW is a stunning achievement, and I am sticking to my gripe that the game is lacking quite significantly with its narrative, but it's a game that was never built around a long linear story. The simplicity that you are Link, and the world is yours just happens to be everything Nintendo needed to create a damn near Masterpiece of gaming.
I was a fool.
Zelda: BotW is a mesmerising behemoth of a game, full of so much to discover and encounter through the breathtaking world of Hyrule. My stubbornness through my first playthrough was largely down to wanting a more linear, story based experience, like past Zelda games. What Nintendo crafted is something else entirely. Rather than focus of Link defeating Ganon, and saving Princess Zelda, your focus is to explore this vast open world and traverse its landscapes through whatever means you desire. And that is why this game is so special. The serene music and light melodies that play as you circumnavigate from land to land could often be quite dull and boring with other open world games, but in BotW its absolutely the right move. It gives you time to breath absolutely everything in, and stare in awe of the beautiful world you've inhabited.
The emphasis on going your own way and exploring is simply remarkable. The world is quite literally in your hands. Then comes the 120 separate challenges called Shrines, put in place so you can gain extra Health and Stamina bars as you progress. The puzzle solving is another great addition to a game already jam packed with content. I could mention and write all day long about its weather system, various amounts of enemies which require different approaches to combat, the side missions and extra content in regards to weapons and clothing, the list could quite literally go on, but I will finish this here with a few final observations:
BotW is a stunning achievement, and I am sticking to my gripe that the game is lacking quite significantly with its narrative, but it's a game that was never built around a long linear story. The simplicity that you are Link, and the world is yours just happens to be everything Nintendo needed to create a damn near Masterpiece of gaming.
Blaze of Strike
Games and Entertainment
App
Blaze of Strike brings you the fairest FPS multiplayer experience on mobile phone for free! Relieve...
Brothers in Arms® 3: Sons of War
Games
App
Join the heroic MULTIPLAYER shooting action of World War 2! *IMPORTANT* Brothers In Arms® 3: Sons...
Retro Gamer Magazine: First for classic videogames
Book and Magazines & Newspapers
App
Retro Gamer is the only magazine in the UK that’s fully dedicated to the halcyon days of classic...
bwin Paris Sportifs: Foot & Tennis
Sports and Entertainment
App
Stay close to the action with the bwin Sports app. Access more markets than any other betting...
Sheridan (209 KP) rated Halo: Hunters in the Dark in Books
Jul 9, 2017
Very Enjoyable
Having a massive video gaming background, I'm finding it strange that I never really bothered with Halo. I'm beginning to wonder why that is... It's an interesting world to say the least. My Dad let me borrow this novel after he read it because he knows I love my sci-fi. If I'm honest I was a little skeptical about it, having never actually played Halo I was worried it wouldn't make much sense, but it was quite good, it wasn't bogged down with too much information, yet still explained things so that someone who hasn't ever played Halo could still enjoy the novel. I liked the characters and all their differences from each other. Some interactions between characters were particularly amusing at times. If I had one negative thing to say about this one was the ending was a tad predictable. I knew how it was going to go from around the end of chapter ten. Other than that it was an interesting read with a few gripping moments that had me walking around with my nose in the book :) You like sci-fi and aliens? Pick this one up, it's not overly taxing to weave your way through the Halo world, and it's enjoyable too.