Blacklight Retribution is essentially a first person shooter but it allows players to customize their characters and weapons so much, that it frequently passes the border into RPG land. Add to this the fact that it is free to play and we have an intriguing concept that is worth checking out by anyone who loves tight shooting controls and great visuals. There is no storyline to carry this title, but the numerous game modes are varied and good enough not to need the support of any narrative.

Step into the Blacklight

Players start with basic gear and unassuming weapons and gradually improve their equipment by winning games and gunning down opponents. Blacklight gives fans plenty of reasons to launch into murderous sprees but the original way in which it rewards those who achieve victory makes it more pleasant to grind experience. Customization is not only about making your character visually appealing, because each piece of gear that you add will improve stamina, speed or other attributes that increase your chances to survive.

While gearing up for battle is a never ending process it is by no means a tedious one and very few will feel the urge to throw some money on the table. Blacklight Retribution might be a free to play title, but this doesn’t mean that the developers erect any barricades against those who are willing to spend real money. In fact they encourage them to convert real cash into Zen which is the virtual currency and use it to purchase a plethora of better gear.

Money won’t keep you alive

This is one of the main concerns with any free games, because there is always a risk to ruin the balance when those who pay gain access to vastly superior weapons or armor. Fortunately it is not the case here, as characters are only slightly improved when they wear top gear and it is still the experience and skill that makes the difference. Headshots deliver some indiscriminate justice to rookies and veterans alike and no matter what you are wearing, it will not save you from a bullet hitting your head.

Mechs and the celebrated HRV system are two of the elements that spice things up in Blacklight Retribution, with the latter being truly innovative. The Hyper Reality Visor allows players to see through walls and take enemies by surprise, although they can’t shoot while wearing the device. Overall this is an excellent game and the fact that it is free but comes on par with expensive shooters makes it easy to recommend. Watch the trailer and you’ll see understand why 4 out of 5 stars is a fair rating for Blacklight.

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Tower defense is an established genre with millions of fans worldwide and the latest titles are better looking and flowing nicer than their predecessors. For all the concern for aesthetics and improved game mechanics, there was little innovation and that’s why Anomaly: Warzone Earth feels like a breath of fresh air. Developers have a completely different take on the genre and instead of pitting the player against endless waves of incoming foes, they place them on the opposite side of the barricade.

The other end of the invasion

In Anomaly: Warzone Earth the invader is you and the stationary structures need to be overpowered, with little resources and limited mobility. All those who often thought that it’s difficult to bolster their defenses and fend off wave after wave of invaders, will get a bitter taste of how it’s like to be on the other end of the invasion. This doesn’t mean that the game is awfully hard or that there is no fun in playing it, quite the opposite. While it is the most atypical tower defense ever, it is also the most exciting and challenging one.

Some will call it “tower offense” or “tower rush” because this is how it feels playing Anomaly: Warzone Earth and players will agree that reinventing the wheel was worth the effort. To achieve victory you need to make the most of the few troops that are given to you, carefully plan your route through the infested city and use special abilities. Your convoy will follow predefined routes, but the strategic decisions you make are critical and in order to win, you need to avoid bottlenecks and heavily defended areas.

March your troops to victory

Choosing the appropriate units is paramount, with slow but might armored units marching alongside fast but vulnerable APCs or missile launchers. You can’t build an army made entirely of one type of units, or use the same combination for each scenario, because the obstacles vary a lot. The only unit that can be controlled while you advance with your mission is the commander and he plays a central role in leading the rest of the troops to victory. He is highly mobile, can collect different power ups, repair units, place decoys and request aerial support, but while you are using him, the rest of the troops will not attack.

Playing Anomaly: Warzone Earth is a pleasure regardless or your skill level and picking up the basics is just as easy as with any tower defense. The sounds are less than inspiring but the visuals greatly exceed expectations, making this one of the best looking titles often genre. 11 Bit Studio took some chances when choosing this innovative direction, but what they’ve accomplished earns them 5 stars out of 5. The story is rather shallow, and it is worth watching this trailer to learn how it all began.

Anomaly Warzone Earth HD List Price: $3.99 Price: $3.99 Read Reviews

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If you live outside the US and wanted to access regionally blocked services like NetFlix, Hulu, Spotify from outside the US, then there is a service called UnoDNS from UnoTelly that will really help you.  The main advantage of this service is that it’s easy to setup and with it you can access the blocked sites from your Phone, Console and even your TiVo easily.

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Most franchises struggle to keep fans happy and releasing a new installment is a challenge for developers. They need to find the perfect balance between innovation and upholding the standards that made previous games popular, so that both newcomers and hardcore fans will stay happy. Warriors Orochi 3 doesn’t bother itself with such details and boldly pushes the envelope with changes that promise to transform the entire game. So much novelty might be hard to bear for some of the most conservative fans, but very few will argue that the changes are not for the better.

Prepare for the ultimate roster

Heroes are what makes Warriors Orochi 3 special and with some of the most famous heroes joining forces to defeat the main villain, players should brace themselves for a truly unique gaming experience. Characters such as Ayane from Dead or Alive, Shuten Doji, Kaguya fight alongside legendary heroes such as Achilles or Joan of Arc. Such variety might be a bit intimidating at first, but as you progress with the campaign, it is clear that their addition enriches Warriors Orochi 3.

Those who were disappointed by the latest Ninja Gaiden, will rejoice seeing their favorite Ryu Hayabusa using his deadly skills again. In Warriors Orochi 3, it is a pleasure to use him for good and although there are some slight balance issue with so many heroes, none are enough to bring the game to its knees. New characters are not all that we are presented with, but even time traveling is possible and it stands at the very foundation of the game.

Experiment with different play styles

The story is extreme but still engrossing and pits players against the tall order of traveling back in time to amass a force capable of defeating an extraordinary enemy. Following the crushing defeat to the Hydra, players are charged with saving generals that died in the past and using them to reverse the outcome of the battle. The narrative is catchy enough to keep players hooked and the side mission are not dragging either, which translates into many hours of delightful play time.

Each hero has his or her own abilities and this means that virtually endless combinations are possible and players are encouraged to try different play styles. Combat mechanics are dynamic and foes can be killed in more than a few ways, with battle effects being spectacular. Bonds can and should be created between heroes, so that they will support each other more effective in combat and increase the chance to triumph.

Few games succeed in keeping everyone happy, but Warriors Orochi 3 will most likely receive positive reviews from both veterans and novices. For this achievement and for the way it stays cohesive despite the incredible innovation, I award it 4 and a half stars out of 5. The launch trailer is fairly long, but the four minutes are worth spent watching it.

Warriors Orochi 3 List Price: $59.99 Price: $57.96 Read Reviews

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Hey there.  We have been fortunate to live glorious age of video gaming.  The three biggest consoles (Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii) are entering their twilight stages of their run which means that we can expect the big 3 to push the envelope and wow us with their next generation gaming consoles.  Rumors are running high from all three camps but only Nintendo is ready to provide us with their next gen console.  The Wii-U is set to take over for it’s predecessor, Wii, and take the first of many steps towards evolving video gaming.  With a 2012 Q4 holiday release date, that moment is a lot closer than we think.

According to a source for Forget the Box, the manufacturing cost of the Wii-U is no more than $180.  In other words, if Nintendo is manufacturing the Wii-U at $180, we can be assured that we will be paying more for Nintendo to turn a profit.  After all is said and done, we can expect a retail price of at least $300 when the Wii-U is set to be released to the masses.  That is almost twice the production cost.  And that $180 manufacturing cost includes the tablet controller that has garnered much attention.  According to the  source:

“Cutting production costs to maximize profits is Nintendo’s main concern with the Wii U. They are cutting costs in the Wii U’s hardware to build back confidence in investors. Nintendo wants investors to view Wii U as a less risky proposition. ”

This means a more economical CPU and GPU as opposed to more powerful.  It is also mentioned that the camera on the tablet controller is only slightly better than the one found on the Nintendo 3DS and the total manufacturing cost of the tablet controller is slightly under that of Microsoft’s Kinect peripheral.  Now this is the kicker… The Kinect was tagged at a manufacturing cost of $56 and was sold at approx. $15o in retail stores pretty much everywhere.  Can we expect the Wii-U tablet controller to be sold at a similar price as that of the Kinect?

Nintendo is already confirmed to say that will focus their efforts into pushing downloadable content.  By cutting costs, they believe that the a strong revenue stream could be made from downloadable games, applications, video streams, etc., etc. Despite the fact that a holiday release date is usually gold for video game companies, Nintendo may face stiff competition from Microsoft and Sony.  With rumors of next gen consoles in the works, Sony and Microsoft are expected to have price drops for their current consoles to deter consumers from putting their cash into a Wii-U system.  If the Xbox 360 or the PS3 goes for $150 during the Xmas season and the Wii-U is released for $300, the consumer may decided to go with the console that already has a strong gaming library as opposed to the new console.  Especially in the US where we are still suffering from an economical recession.

It will be a tough hill for Nintendo to climb but they are definitely the king of innovation.  I’ve had my reservations about the Wii-U in the past.  If Nintendo decides to go with that $300 price, it definitely will be interesting to see how well it will sell.  The 3DS didn’t sell well at launch but once that price drop kicked in, sales drastically improved and Nintendo strengthened it’s grasp in the handheld market.  Will the Wii-U follow suit with lackluster sales until a price drop kicks in?  I guess we’ll find out more once it hits store shelves during the 2012 holiday season.

Later!

Nintendo Wii U

Nintendo Wii, Video Game

Product Description The new controller incorporates a 6.2-inch, 16:9 touch screen and traditional button controls, including two analog Circle Pads. This combination removes the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the video game world. The rechargeable controller includes a Power button, Home button, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons.... Read moreAmazon.... Read more

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