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LATEST CONSOLE NEWS |
2008-05-09
Josh Drescher, producer for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.
"BT: So, speaking of other Warhammer games, did you know about Iron Lore shutting down? Their last game was the Warhammer 40K Dawn of War: Soulstorm expansion and the company said that piracy played a big part in their closure.
JD: Yeah, well if I’m honest then piracy is the number one concern for a PC gaming developer.
BT: You think it’s putting off a lot of PC developers and driving them to consoles?
JD: I think that in other genres, yes. Luckily, as an MMO we’re largely insulated from all that because of our model. It’s impossible for a player to pirate our game and, even if they did, then it’d be them alone in their basement. For our game to make sense you need thousands of players all playing together on a massive architecture.
As a result, we’re very attracted to Asian markets along with Russia and China – places where piracy is everywhere. Piracy is just a pandemic there. So, while we’re very worried about it, it doesn’t really affect us as much.
Obviously, I can’t speak for other developers like Iron Lore. But, y’know I had friends who worked there and we tried to bring a load of them over to us when they closed. If they say piracy was a problem for them then I absolutely believe them. Piracy is why we see so many samey shooters."
Check it out@bit-tech.
Trials 2: Second Edition review
"The achievements reflect the whole design idea of Trials 2 - it's almost laughably easy to pick up, but if you give it your little finger, it will bite hard and won't let you go. It's a truly "oldschool" game - always absolutely fair and predictable, yet devilishly difficult to master, rewarding pure skill. While these days most games can be completed with a walkthrough or cheat codes on hand, Trials 2 laughs at such things - it shows you exactly what you need to do in the form of high score replays, complete with the needed key presses displayed on-screen, and then taunts you to dare try pull the same thing off - and the only way to do it is to practice, practice and practice. "
Check it out@yougamers
Halo 3 for Xbox 360
Check it out @ Shopping
Iron Man: The Game for Xbox 360
There’s nothing wrong with bad graphics in a game. There have been plenty of games in the past that have proved you don’t need billions of polygons to make a best-seller – look at Pac-man or Tetris for crying out loud. Likewise, glitches and bugs didn’t completely spoil games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and might not have proved to be the end of Iron Man.
Hell, you don’t even need to have a great new mechanic or fantastic new idea to make a great game. Beat ‘em ups have been spinning the same tricks ever since International Karate +.
There is something wrong with a game that combines all of these with a total lack of shame. This isn’t a game that is even remotely good, this is a game that someone hoped would make a lot of money and it’s a perfect example of why movies and games just don’t mix for the most part – Iron Man: The Game is little more than a bucket of broken promises and rust.
Check it out@Bit-tech
Echocrome (PS3) - Gaming Heaven Review
Echochrome is a puzzle game, however it breaks the usual tried and tested mould by letting the gamer change and alter the in game perception to solve the puzzles. These optical illusions are rather unique within the puzzle world and the focus is entirely based on wireframe style graphics.
A series of platforms are presented mid air against a backdrop of pure white. In the midst of these platforms is a wire frame persona who continually walks along the current platform, accompanied by four shadowy echoes of that figure in various sections of that particular level.
Check it out@Driverheaven
Grand Theft Auto IV - Xbox 360
Over 18's only folks. It's the HEXUS.gaming GTA IV review!
Check it out@Hexus
Luxor: Pharaoh's Challenge Wii Review
All around, Luxor: Pharaoh's Challenge is not a bad sort of puzzle game. Fans of the original PC versions should be satisfied with it, as it not only keeps all the original controls and game play, but adds new elements as well to improve the game play experience. For people like my wife (who adores puzzle games of all sorts) the replay value is worth the $30 price tag. When you want to just laze around the house and relax, it can provide hours of meaningless, colorful entertainment.
Check it out@Gamepyre
Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360 and Playstation 3) Review
The Grand Theft Auto series has been the jewel in Rockstars crown for a long time and the latest incarnation has been surrounded with unparalleled speculation for well over a year now. Surely no game to live up to this hype? Well once again it seems that Rockstar have proved us wrong, everything they touch truly does turn to gold because Grand Theft Auto 4 is quite possibly the best game I have ever played, period.
Check it out@Driverheaven
Assassin's Creed Director's Cut Edition PC Review
TTGamer have today posted a review of Assassin's Creed Director's Cut Edition for the PC. This console original actually feels quite at home on the PC, but most criticisms remain.
Check it out@Tweaktown
Okami was originally released for the Playstation 2 two years ago and it has been recently released on the Nintendo Wii. The big question however, can Capcom make this port as enjoyable as the excellent original?
Interestingly Okami was destined for the Wii at the same time development occurred for the PS2, however this release is over a year late. Okami creator Clover Studios dissolved so it was up to Capcom to find a suitable replacement to handle the Wii version. Developer Ready At Dawn were drafted to handle the coding duties from remnants of half finished code.
Check it out@Driverheaven
Ikaruga (Xbox 360) review
The Dreamcast and Gamecube arcade shooter Ikaruga has finally made its way onto Xbox live, in the shape of an enhanced version costing only 800 gamer points. Can it capture the magic of the original title which is now hailed as a classic?
Check it out@Driverheaven
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue PS3 Review
TTGamer have today posted a review of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue for the PS3. It may only be a early preview edition, but GT5 Prologue still has plenty on offer for PS3 gamers.
Check it out@Tweaktown
XIII Century - Death or Glory (PC) Review
The Total War series on the PC has been a huge success for years, with its indepth army style tactical element appealing to a wide array of strategic gamers. XIII Century: Death or Glory is a game in a similar vein (with a lower budget) by developer Unicorn Games Studios, but is it worth your money?
Check it out@Driverheaven
Frontlines: Fuel of War XB360 Review
TTGamer have today posted a review of Frontlines: Fuel of War for the Xbox 360. While not a totally innovative game, Fuel of War's link to the once hugely popular Desert Combat mod is definitely on show.
Check it out@Tweaktown
Bully: Scholarship Edition XB360 Review
TTGamer have today posted a review of Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Xbox 360. While not a whole lot has changed from the PS2 version, this game was too good not to come to the 360.
Check it out@Tweaktown
Pro Evolution Soccer (Nintendo Wii)
It would be fair to say that the Wii has had its share of substandard games, so much so in fact that I have had a hard time finding a handful worthy of review recently. Surprisingly the game I am looking at today is probably the best sports game on Nintendo's next gen console. Please read on!
Check it out@Driveheaven
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LATEST HARDWARE NEWS |
2008-05-09
How to Recover Windows that Disappear
David Copperfield may be able to make an entire house disappear, but missing windows are an event that nearly everyone has encountered. This occurs more frequently with laptops, as they frequently change profiles that have different video outputs (especially if you use a docking station). Some programs save their last window positions, so if you opened a program when you were docked, then the program may open off-screen when you are undocked.
Your program windows are still on your desktop; but you just can't see them. Most people have gotten so dependant on their OS's graphic user interface, that they can't understand how to interact with something that cannot be seen. Never fear, because I am here to gift you with second sight: how to see what cannot be seen.
Check it out@ocmodshop
USB 2.0 Computer Copy Cable Review
"For most computer savvy users, transferring data between two computers is relatively easy. If you have a network set up, you can share data between two computers. Alternatively, you can simply use a flash drive... but that might not be very efficient if you are transferring a large amount of data. But, for those users who aren't as "skilled" with computers, this can present quite a problem. I have seen countless people burn CD after CD of data to transfer to their laptop, which of course is time-consuming and wasteful."
Check it out@ocia
ASUS R2HBH059T 900 MHz Intel Celeron M Tablet PC
Check it out @ Shopping
Razer Destructor Professional Gaming Mat Review
The Razer Destructor Professional Gaming Mat is certainly something gamers should look into buying. Razer's test showed an increase in tracking of 37% with laser mice and 25% compared to other gaming-grade surfaces. This surface is of the highest quality. Razer claims it as the Razer Fractal surface for high-precision gameplay. Something that you probably haven't seen with any other gaming-grade mousepad is a protective carrying case, which comes included with the Destructor. Perfect for on-the-go gamers.”
Check it out@thinkcomputers
VisionTek Radeon HD 3870 X2 Overclocked Edition Review
Today we are checking out the Asus EAH3850 X2 dual GPU video card. This is one of the fastest ATI graphics cards you will find. If you only have space for one card and you prefer ATI, the EAH3850 X2 is worth a serious look.
"Overclocking a pre-overclocked card? Can it be pushed any further? The answer is yes. It didn't take me long to discover that this video card does not like to be pushed, but I was able to obtain a minimal overclock on the already overclocked beast of a video card. I reached 850MHz on the core clock from the stock frequency of 840MHz, and on the memory I obtained a frequency of 975MHz over the stock 960MHz. It's not much, but we'll see if it gives a performance increase at all."
Check it out@overclockersclub
Coverage from GIGABYTE P45 Spring Break and Plug-Fest 2008
: "This morning we are gathered with worldwide media at the Gigabyte headquarters in Taiwan for their Spring Break event and Plug-Fest 2008. It’s an event which allows media to get an early look at Gigabyte’s upcoming Intel P45 Express based motherboards."
Check it out@tweaktown.
Thermaltake M9 Mid-Tower PC Case Review
"Today for review I've got the Thermaltake M9 ATX case, it's a mid-tower style case that is sort of a basic case but offers some nice features and looks good as well. Aesthetically the M9 is very pleasing with an almost solid black exterior, nice contour lines and an overall sense of style to it. When powered on the blue LEDs of the included fans make a nice contrast with the black and make for a very nice presentation, its also quiet and does a decent job of keeping your system cool."
Check it out@dragonsteelmods.
XtremeMac Tango X2 Review
"Audiophiles, listen up! XtremeMac has just introduced its next-generation Tango, the new X2, offering a high-fidelity three-way speaker system designed for use with your iPod. It contains two full-range speakers, two tweeters and a subwoofer. The question is simply as follows: Does it offer better performance than its big brother, the original Tango?"
Check it out@digitaltrends.
Canon IXUS 80 IS Review
..." Canon has finally offered compact digital camera with 8 megapixels. This point-and-shoot camera gives impression of reliability and well built product. Canon IXUS 80 IS has all standard and expected functions without unnecessary "fancy" stuff that some manufacturers implement with intention to attract customers. Canon intended this model for users who desire modern, reliable and quality photo camera without any unusual functions (with limited usability)."...
Check it out@insidehw
Enermax PRO82+ 525 W Power Supply Review
"Enermax has recently released two high-efficiency power supply series, MODU82+ and PRO82+. The name implies that products from these two series have efficiency of at least 82%, but Enermax says they actually have efficiency of at least 84%. Both use the same internal project, with MODU82+ models using a modular cabling system. Today we are going to take an in-depth look on the 525 W model from the PRO82+ series (also known as EPR525AWT) and see if it can really deliver its labeled power and efficiency. Read on."
Check it out@hardwaresecrets
Scythe Zipang 139MM CPU Cooler
"Fortunately, the heat sink blew away most of my doubts about the product. The Zipang is shockingly well built and extremely solid. It feels like serious quality, not at all flimsy like many others in this price range. Again, the shear size of the fan speaks for itself; attached resolutely with fan clips. I ran my hand across the the six heat pipes, which connect to the main cooling fins, in not only one section, but two sections, distributed on the bottom and throughout the center (UPHC as dubbed by Scythe). In addition, the Zipang includes a thick sub-heatsink, attached to the main cooling plate directly. This reminds me of the famed, but obsolete Thermal Right XP-120, except on some serious steroids."
Check it out@overclockersclub
Kingston HyperX KHX14400D3K2/2GN DDR3-1800 Review
"Today we are checking out a 2GB DDR3 RAM kit from Kingston’s HyperX line. This RAM is a great lower cost kit that performs well and has overclocking headroom.
When all the testing was finished the Kingston HyperX KHX14400D3K2/2GN kit performed well. It has some headroom left for overclocking and performs well at the programmed SPD settings. The RAM is also a bit cheaper than some other brands of enthusiast DDR3 on the market."
Check it out@i4u.
Foxconn 9600GT-512NOC Video Card Review
Sure the NVIDIA 9800 series of video cards are the current crème de la crème of gaming performance but what if you don’t have the scratch to afford such a beast? Well that’s where the NVIDIA 9600 series comes in.
Foxconn sent us over their pre-overclocked 9600GT. As an overclocked card, it should give us a bit more kick than your standard garden variety card. Let’s check it out!
Check it out@futurelooks
GIGABYTE X48T-DQ6
Today we are going to take a look at GIGABYTE's high end motherboard, the X48T-DQ6. GIGABYTE makes two versions of this board utilizing Intel's X48 chipset. The X48 which is a DDR2 variant and the X48T which is the DDR3 version that we will be covering today. The X48 brings minimal changes to the chipset when compared to the X38 and the only tangible difference should be more overclocking headroom. In recent years GIGABYTE has truly reinvented itself as a leader in innovation. In today's world the name of the game, or color to be more specific, is green. We have green cars, green homes and now you can add motherboards to the growing list of items going green. GIGABYTE has made a concerted effort to produce motherboards that use the least amount of energy possible without sacrificing performance. A task not easily accomplished. To this end they have dubbed this innovation DES or Dynamic Energy Saver. A system which can adjust voltage, power phases and clocks speeds of the board and CPU to ensure as little energy as possile is wasted while providing as much power as needed. Is it possible to have a power efficient system without losing performance? Let's find out.
Check it out@bjorn3d
Arctic Cooling Silentium T3 - Driver Heaven Review
“Arctic Cooling is probably most well known for CPU and VGA coolers but a few years ago they started branching out into cases. The concept behind AC’s case range has always been silent but effective cooling and this philosophy also extends to the PSU’s that are bundled with each chassis. Today we are reviewing one of the newest additions to the Silentium range, the T3.”
Check it out@driverheaven
SilverStone Kublai Series KL03 Case Review
A Silverstone case with LED lightening in none rectangular front panel? The Kublai series is Silverstone's entry in the Gaming/Enthusiast ATX case market. Build with less expensive materials it aims to find a balance between price, looks and features. We take a look at the KL03 model in this review to see how it stacks up to the competition.
Check it out@madshrimps
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