Chronicle of Games

Archive for 2011

Little Fighter 2 is a very popular Chinese fighting game. The good thing is it is still a freeware for Windows. Due to the over whelming response Little Fighter Online is later released in 2009.

The gameplay doesn’t provide you amazing visuals or animations or graphics but designed well enough to keep you glued to your PC for hours. It supports multiplayer with a total of 4 humans playing on the same keyboard. Online gaming supports a maximum of 8 players.

The game provides many characters and each character have their own special moves such as super kick or firing an arrow. Once the key combinations for the special moves are discovered by the player, the game becomes very exciting. Occasionally you will find items such as baseball bats, boomerangs and knives in the game world that you can employ in fighting. A bottle of beer or milk drops down often and the player can drink them to refill their health and hit points.

Little Fighter 2 has got a variety of game modes. Either the players can fight against themselves in “VS” mode or team together to fight against enemies in ‘stage’ mode. The stage mode contains 5 levels with a ‘Boss fight’ at the end of each level. Championship mode allows the user to create a tournament andBattlemode provides a team based fighting game.

There are 24 characters in total but only 10 are enabled and the rest needs to be unlocked using secret code. Type “lf2.net” in the character selection type to unlock all the hidden characters

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Click here to Download

Click here to see Character Guide and Previous versions

I am not sure how long a PC gamer must wait to get hold of an exciting wrestling game for PC. WWE RAW published by THQ have made some effort to satisfy the PC gamers but proved bitterly disappointing.

The only good thing about the game is the detailed visuals of the wrestlers giving importance to the portrayal of minor details such as the wrestlers’ tattoos and the Rock’s eyebrow. However things turn funny once they start walking. It looks very cartoonish and any professional wrestler would hate to see it.

The gameplay is irritating and more than that it is completely confusing. The computer AI counters almost every move and one needs to keep pressings keys till one move is encountered. The gameplay is too slow that it gives a feeling that your system is malfunctioning or a viral attack has been encountered. Adding fuel to this fire, grapple moves which are dominant in any professional wrestling is extremely hard to implement. Even a tired opponent hanging on to the ropes blocks the grapple move which disappoints every wrestling fan. The crowd looks bad and at some camera angles any normal person with an ordinary eyesight could notice that they are just images pasted together.

The gameplay offers different match types such as triple threat, fatal four way and the tornado. The game seriously misses interesting matches such as ladder, hell in a cell and table that the smackdown series offer in console platform. The wrestlers are not updated and superstars like Hulk Hogan, Rob Van Dam etc.

The bottom-line is WWE RAW is no where near its sisterhood SmackDown series and shatters the hopes of PC gamers once again. The gameplay, animations aren’t professional and the absence of character based story lineup makes things worse. If you are a die hard wrestling fan and got no other consoles except your PC, go for it.

Prototype is yet another action packed game giving the player to complete the objectives roaming freely through the city ofManhattan. No one what is so special aboutManhattanthat it is being targeted in so many fiction-based movies and games.

The game begins inManhattanwhere the people are affected by a potentially dangerous viral outbreak and the military are trying their best to put an end to it. You play the game as a protagonist Alex Mercer who has more-than-human powers and special enemy absorbing skills to take on enemies easily. You can take the physical forms of your enemies by absorbing them thus providing multiple ways to complete the game’s objectives.

Alex can perform superman kind of stunts like jumping hundreds of metres high into the sky, run through buildings fighting against gravity and so on. A notable move in combating technique is sliding through the ground using your enemy’s body as surfboard. Alex is gifted with a wide variety of melee attacks and ground fighting techniques that adds variety to the game. This keeps the gamers from feeling bored due to same fighting moves. Also the enemies aren’t easy to kill as in major action games and that makes it more challenging.

Alex’s major power lies in shape transformation. Believe me he can transform himself into a machine of modern weapons as you see in cartoons. The more bio mass Alex uses the more deadly are his attacks. The highest level of attack is called “devastator” which kills an enemy in a single attack by using maximum amounts of bio mass.

The game’s positive is its not-so-complex story line in spite of having very complex logic behind it, variety of missions that need not be accomplished in fixed manner, breath taking combat moves and added additional challenge modes. Though the game is difficult for normal gamers it never irritates as the missions can be accomplished after repeated gaming and trying out different strategies. Except for its dull scenery the game is a must for all PC gamers!

Fifa09 was released not only for pc but also for other platforms like PS2, PS3, Xbox360, N-Gage and iPhone OS. Compared to Fifa08 there are more than 200 improvements in the game but only a few of them can be noticed during gameplay. The other changes are open only to experts and professional gamers.

The improvements include quick responsiveness that allows players to release the ball quickly and team fatigue taken into considerable account in manager mode. The new improved jostle system permits compares the player’s strength when going one on one. EA Sports have brought in advanced collision system that measures the power and speed of the players when they collide. So you cant place short and thin defenders against attackers like Henry.

One notable change is the lively and natural positioning, reaction and saves from the goal keeper. The players and teams statistics was updated as per the January 2009 transfer window. The PC and PS2 versions support an additional tournament mode that contains officially licensed challenges too. The users can create their own tournament too.

Two never-ever-seen features are Adidas Live Season and user-controlled celebrations. Also the weather effects can be changed in quick play mode (kick off) but it is not possible to do the same in manager mode. All covers and posters featured Ronaldinho and one more player depending on the region. In India Wayne Rooney was featured along with Ronaldinho. Though the gameplay has been improved the AI messes up with some errors. Except for the funny commentary and few bugs this game definitely worth a try.

Well it is really amazing how Ubisoft keeps popping up with quality games worth every penny spent. Though Far cry 2 is a sequel it is completely different from its previous version. It offers complete freedom to explore the different parts ofAfrica. It depictsEast Africain the midst of Civil war and various crisis. The goal is to get through all the hindrances on your way through various jungles, deserts and kill ‘The Jackal’ , an arms dealer.

The gameplay is of sandbox type. The player decides the order and the speed of the game. The player can ally with the multiple factions to progress in the game. The health bar is divided into five pieces each of which gets filled when the player takes rest inside cover. Unlike the earlier versions the player can carry first aid kit with him to recover lost health. The kits can also be collected from various boxes throughout the game.

Weapons include modern warfare machinery such as an MGL Grenade Launcher, flame thrower, mortar and also mob items such as Molotov cocktails, RPGs etc. Another innovation is the degradation of the weapons after prolonged use. The player can buy weapons at various gun shops in the game world. Weapons can be stolen from enemies after killing them but they are in poor condition already and hence facilitates only temporary use. The weather changes dynamically and makes the user feel the variable African climate. A map and a GPS are provided to keep track of the locations.

A much more aspect of realism is that the player can acquire illness such as malaria. He needs to swallow one or more pills during gameplay at regular intervals to keep himself fit. Very few games offer such realism these days but this can be a bit irritating at times when done too much.

The game supports online support for multiplayer gaming. The user can create their own maps in the map editor and use them to play online too! One negative aspect is the poor audio performance in PC.Also some times the saved games get corrupted. So make sure you take a backup of them regularly.

Weapon has its own plus and minus. Some may backfire on you. Choosing the weapons in the right order and in the right positions is the key to win. Attacking the opponent earns points. After 20 shots(10 each) the player with the highest point wins. The timely use of defensive weapons once a stable scored is reached permits easy win. Unlike humans the computer AI uses the powerful weapons that yield greater points in the beginning and switches to defensive ones at the end.

The game’s collector edition is very cheaper to buy and it contains the actual deluxe version along with the expansion packs. Recently the game has been released for Apple’s iPod and iPhone and continues to amuse the gamers.

It doesn’t require extreme visuals, high end graphics, aggressive monsters, blood pool, quality animations, combat moves to make a game successful. The best example is Pocket Tanks!

Pocket Tanks is created by Bitwise Productions for Windows and MAC OS.

The game can be a single or double player. With huge support from gamers world wide Bitwise Productions have added a feature to play via LAN or IP in the third version of the game.

The games objective is to win a one-on-one combat with the enemy tank with the weapons available. This may be tagged as a strategic game and it doesn’t merely involves aiming and shooting. It involves predicting the moves of the opponent, randomizing his angle and power, moving randomly to disrupt his aim, dirt creation and removal.

The game is equipped with fantastic weapon packs which makes it a very interesting one. Not all the weapons are used for attack. There are weapons for defense such as shelter, great wall, magic wall and flak. The latest weapon pack includes more than 200 weapons.

Each weapon has its own plus and minus. Some may backfire on you. Choosing the weapons in the right order and in the right positions is the key to win. Attacking the opponent earns points. After 20 shots(10 each) the player with the highest point wins. The timely use of defensive weapons once a stable scored is reached permits easy win. Unlike humans the computer AI uses the powerful weapons that yield greater points in the beginning and switches to defensive ones at the end.

The game’s collector edition is very cheaper to buy and it contains the actual deluxe version along with the expansion packs. Recently the game has been released for Apple’s iPod and iPhone and continues to amuse the gamers.

The much awaited Sims 3 from EA Sports is finally released world wide on 2^nd June 2009.Has it done justice to its predecessors? I would say more than ever!. The Sims 3 is and would be the most energetic simulation of real life in the history of PC games.

What makes the Sims 3 different from its previous versions is that you can roam around the entire city which was actually tried to achieve in the previous versions but never worked. The game is all about managing the sims (people).They need to socialize, eat, take bath, drink, dance, play, cry, work etc. Though it sounds quite usual and silly this game could stick you to your console for hours.

What makes this game interesting is its AI that makes the interactions between the sims as funny as possible. When sims interact they maintain the personality you have defined for them. Kiss a girl in front of the sim’s wife will make her to give an instant slap. The sims have their own needs, goals and tastes. The funny and expressive animations during the interaction between the sims is very natural and enjoyable.

The sims needs is unending just like humans. They need better housing, furniture, gadgets , jobs and more money. Earning more and buying stuff is the key to make them happy. Your goal doesn’t end with finding a job for your sim. You need to assign a daily mission or goal for them to accomplish. For example if your sim is new to a job socializing among coworkers will ensure extra benefits. If a sim reaches the highest level in his work, he/she would keep winning rewards and additional payments. The sim’s relationship with respective boss would determine the morale of the sim.

The game was designed exclusively for PC gamers and fans of sim series. The game set a record of selling more than 1.3 million copies world wide in its first week of opening. The additional features include creating your own sim. This permits you to set the personality of the sim and adds more fun to the gameplay!

Prince of Persia Warrior Within is yet another master piece from Ubisoft. If you are looking for an action packed third person shooter game, Warrior Within should top your list. The blood red darker tone and stunning finish moves by the prince makes this once of the greatest action games of all time.

The game revolves around the Prince and his enemy Dahaka.Dhakais the guardian of time and since the Prince escapes his fate the Dahaka wants to make sure the Prince is dead. The Prince comes to know of the island of time and starts his journey to it in order to prevent the sands of time from being created.

The Prince’s objective is to kill the Empress of Time Kaileena and prevent the creation of the Sands of Time. Though he succeeds to kill her, the sands get created from her remains. The Prince later forces her into present and they both kill the Dahaka together and are set toBabylon.

The positive aspects of the game are advanced combat techniques and an aggressive theme. The combat moves are quite complex and once the key sequence are got used, the gameplay is enjoyed to the fullest. Compared to its previous version Sands of Time, this game is much bigger and takes more hours to complete. With an average gameplay time of 20 to 24 hours I can say that Warrior Within is worth the money.

However the difficulty never progresses through out the game and is very unveven. The visuals are more enjoyed with an advanced level video card. The story is too complex and difficult to understand for many gamers. Ubisoft has made sure that the visual style is more appealing to youngsters to improve the sales. Though a map is available throughout the game it is quite useless as the direction of proceeding is never clear throughout the game.

On the whole Warrior Within is a well packed fast-paced action game with professional graphics except for its complexity.

Roller Coaster Tycoon is all about managing a theme park. It was released for both PC (Mircrosoft Windows) and Xbox. The game was developed by the Transport Tycoon fame Chris Sawyer who was expected to earn more than 30 million US dollars for this game.

The goal of the game is to create and manage a theme park and achieve the objectives set for each goals. Challenges include achieving a considerable visitors rate in a short time, achieve a higher park rating, win awards and build different quality rides.

The more diversified the rides, higher is the park rating and hence more visitors. Some parks start with a small budget and it’s the players skill to rise money with the rides. The ticket prices can be adjusted based on the public interest. However if it raised above par price we may lose our guests.

The game also contains various scenarios to complete. Once we complete a scenario, the next one gets unlocked. Also some of the scenarios are based on real time theme parks. The game simulates to a greater extent a real life theme park and also reflects the mood of the visitors and their thoughts.

Each ride has its own excitement rating, nausea rating and an intensity rating. Rides should be built such a way to satisfy all kinds of guests. Majority of the guests prefer exciting rides than intense ones. Also its possible to earn by installing food stalls, drink stalls, shopping centres in your park. Loans can be lent from the bank incase the budget is not sufficient. Rides need to be managed properly by hiring staff for servicing them and also the clean the park. Once a ride malfunctions the service engineer needs to be called to service them. Make sure to hire sufficient cleaners else the park would become dirty.

Roller Coaster Tycoon offers a completely new dimension to gameplay and gifts the players with plenty of challenges to think and work on. Its in-depth analysis of roller coasters and other rides are a treat to gamers. The game is a must for theme park and roller coaster lovers!

If you ask me which is the best game you have ever played I would simply go for Resident Evil 4.Officially developed by Production Studio 4 this game was released for both PS2 and PC(Windows XP).

It is a third person shooter where you play the role of Leon Kennedy. Your role is to rescue the daughter of the America’s President Miss. Ashley. Possessing the skills of an American special agent you need to find your way through the villages and islands dumped with monsters and zombies. The game provides a lively environment. For example shooting at the legs of your enemies makes them to stumble or fall while shooting at their arms causes them to drop their weapons.

Throughout the course of the game you would find huge monsters that cannot be easily beaten. You need to analyse and find the loop holes in their body and attack them before they do .It is good to see the laser light attached with each of your weapon that allows better focusing. Like Counter Strike your gun recoils after every shot and accuracy falls. It is better to shoot 3 to 4 bullets at a time.
Another important aspect is the player can use the environment such as kicking down a ladder when your enemies climb on them , throw lamps at them. The game provides additional submissions for long and short range shooting. Valuables such as watches, rings etc are hidden at various places. Once you find such treasures, the same can be used to buy ammunition from merchants.

The main enemies in this game are called “Los Ganados” who come in groups with or without weapons and are ready to sacrifice themselves to kill you!. The game has got a good weapon diversity. Each weapon has its own merits and demerits.

The game is better enjoyed in PS2 because we don’t have mouse controls in PC. If you don’t own a PS2 go for a gamepad to enjoy this game to the fullest.