Defender of the Crown was a classic strategy game during the days when I was playing games on my old Atari ST (and if you think that is showing my age, just bear in mind that I can still recall playing games on the old Atari 2600!!).
In DotC, you were a Saxon lord during the time of Medieval England. The king had just kicked the bucket and the country was falling apart. In such troubled times, the country needs to rally under your banner. Unfortunately, some Norman lords disagree with you and foolishly believe that they would make a better king. In other words, time to build some armies and place old Blighty under your benevelent leadership (by killing everybody who disagrees with you!!).
In the old days, strategy games were very often a mix of strategy and arcade action. The strategy element was comprised of a map of England split into different counties that you would need to "liberate" from the Normans. Each turn, you could do various different stuff such as going on castle raids (to steal money!), trying to take over castles (so I could lob sodding great boulders at the castle walls!) or entering jousting tournaments (so I could get knocked off my horsey and land on my butt).
All told, I loved this game. It had great graphics (for the time) and simple strategy mixed in with some arcadey fun and I can't recall how many hours I poured into this game.
In February 2007, the game was finally remade under the title Defender of the Crown: Heroes Live Forever. I always wondered whether this game stood the test of time but didn't want to take the plunge at full price. Luckily for me, Stardock had the game on sale recently where it was only HKD31. At that price, I figured that even if the game was crap, it would still be worth it for the trip down memory lane.
Having played the game for a while now, I have to say that this game has aged surprisingly well - as long as you played the original!. By 2007 standards, the graphics and gameplay are so simplistic that you would hate this game unless you were digging the nostalgia element. The game is more of a repackaging rather than a remake. Having said that, it still seems incredibly fun to wander round England kicking ass.
At HKD31, this game was more than worth the price for the nostalgia alone.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
gamerDNA
I recently created a profile on gamerDNA.
Its an interesting site which, in addition to other things, allows you to keep a list of games you play and why you like playing those games. This then offers you suggestions on other games you might enjoy based on the descriptions given by people with similar tastes (based on why they liked those games). For example, I said that I liked Rainbow Six:Vegas because it was tactical, an FPS, intense, had a cover system and was squad based. The site suggested I try playing CoD4 (intense and FPS) and R6:V2 (for obvious reasons)
What games do I play?
The real benefit for me though (lets face it, considering how much time I spend reading about games, ideas for my next game to play aren't exactly lacking!) is that it really lets me see the exact types of games I play and why I like playing them. I have input the games which I have played over the last 3 years and it really gave me an interesting look at the type of games I enjoy.
Looking at the lower right hand side of my profile page, you can see some numbers about the types of games I like to play. Not surprisingly, fantasy and sci-fi are by far the most popular settings for me. I also love games where I am the hero (makes sense, in all RPGs, I always play the good character and only play evil characters so that I can see how this influences the game).
Did I like those games?
In the middle column of the screen is a list of the games that I have played over the last 3 years together with my quick review of them. A quick note on my rating scale:
5 stars - Brilliant game and a must play for all gamers
4 stars - Great game and a must play if you are a fan of the genre
3 stars - Good game and recommended if you are a fan of the genre
2 stars - An okay game - only play if you absolutely love the genre and have nothing else to play
1 star - Can't Recommend A Purchase - this is reserved for games which I didn't like
I'll also try to upload quick text reviews of the games there.
My game activity
The site also lets you record your game activity so you can talk about what you have been doing. I won't be updating this religiously (I'd prefer to spend my time playing games) but will use it to post quick notes on stuff related to games I'm playing for which I don't want to expand into a full blog post.
My gamer psychology
The site also has various quizzes that you can take to better understand your play style. On the gamerDNA site is an overall summary (right hand side of the screen) from which you can see that I'm very much a social gamer. You can see the results of the individual quizzes at the bottom of my blog.
The Bartle Gamer Psychology test is based on the Bartle Test but updated for MMOs instead of MUDs. I don't actually play MMOs but I play enough multiplayer games that I figured I would take the test anyway. You can see my main play style is socialiser which is also why I don't play MMOs - I would much prefer playing co-op games with friends than random strangers.
The FPS quiz shows that I am 92% support focused. Again - spot on. In multiplayer games, I generally follow the lead of others and am very much focused on the team winning regardless of my own stats. In fact, you may recall an earlier blog post where I mentioned my kill/death ratio in Halo 3 had gone up after I stopped playing objective based games and focused on team deathmatch.
The RTS quiz shows that I am a strategist. All this really means is that I try to come up with the best strategy to achieve the objective rather than having a preferences for turtling etc.
The last quiz shows that my gaming has been influenced primarily by the 80's and 90's. No real surprise there considering my age. :)
Update
Squueeeeee!!
Check out the comments! Someone from GamerDNA actually read this post and responded - On a side note, I think I just managed to double the number of people who read this blog! I can't believe they not only took the time to read this but post a comment as well (granted, his job title is Community Manager, but still - squueeeee!!).
That, my friends, is how you build an online community!
Its an interesting site which, in addition to other things, allows you to keep a list of games you play and why you like playing those games. This then offers you suggestions on other games you might enjoy based on the descriptions given by people with similar tastes (based on why they liked those games). For example, I said that I liked Rainbow Six:Vegas because it was tactical, an FPS, intense, had a cover system and was squad based. The site suggested I try playing CoD4 (intense and FPS) and R6:V2 (for obvious reasons)
What games do I play?
The real benefit for me though (lets face it, considering how much time I spend reading about games, ideas for my next game to play aren't exactly lacking!) is that it really lets me see the exact types of games I play and why I like playing them. I have input the games which I have played over the last 3 years and it really gave me an interesting look at the type of games I enjoy.
Looking at the lower right hand side of my profile page, you can see some numbers about the types of games I like to play. Not surprisingly, fantasy and sci-fi are by far the most popular settings for me. I also love games where I am the hero (makes sense, in all RPGs, I always play the good character and only play evil characters so that I can see how this influences the game).
Did I like those games?
In the middle column of the screen is a list of the games that I have played over the last 3 years together with my quick review of them. A quick note on my rating scale:
5 stars - Brilliant game and a must play for all gamers
4 stars - Great game and a must play if you are a fan of the genre
3 stars - Good game and recommended if you are a fan of the genre
2 stars - An okay game - only play if you absolutely love the genre and have nothing else to play
1 star - Can't Recommend A Purchase - this is reserved for games which I didn't like
I'll also try to upload quick text reviews of the games there.
My game activity
The site also lets you record your game activity so you can talk about what you have been doing. I won't be updating this religiously (I'd prefer to spend my time playing games) but will use it to post quick notes on stuff related to games I'm playing for which I don't want to expand into a full blog post.
My gamer psychology
The site also has various quizzes that you can take to better understand your play style. On the gamerDNA site is an overall summary (right hand side of the screen) from which you can see that I'm very much a social gamer. You can see the results of the individual quizzes at the bottom of my blog.
The Bartle Gamer Psychology test is based on the Bartle Test but updated for MMOs instead of MUDs. I don't actually play MMOs but I play enough multiplayer games that I figured I would take the test anyway. You can see my main play style is socialiser which is also why I don't play MMOs - I would much prefer playing co-op games with friends than random strangers.
The FPS quiz shows that I am 92% support focused. Again - spot on. In multiplayer games, I generally follow the lead of others and am very much focused on the team winning regardless of my own stats. In fact, you may recall an earlier blog post where I mentioned my kill/death ratio in Halo 3 had gone up after I stopped playing objective based games and focused on team deathmatch.
The RTS quiz shows that I am a strategist. All this really means is that I try to come up with the best strategy to achieve the objective rather than having a preferences for turtling etc.
The last quiz shows that my gaming has been influenced primarily by the 80's and 90's. No real surprise there considering my age. :)
Update
Squueeeeee!!
Check out the comments! Someone from GamerDNA actually read this post and responded - On a side note, I think I just managed to double the number of people who read this blog! I can't believe they not only took the time to read this but post a comment as well (granted, his job title is Community Manager, but still - squueeeee!!).
That, my friends, is how you build an online community!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
EA screws over consumers (again)
Another post bashing EA. I guess I shouldn't constantly bash them considering that they are already on my boycott list. However, considering all the stupid shit they do, its hard to resist as they are such an easy target.
Anyway, the latest issue can be found here. To be fair to EA, this issue doesn't just apply to them as several other big companies (like Microsoft) are doing the same thing.
The Big Issue
Basically, the issue is that if you download a game from EA's online store, you better backup those files (bear in mind that EA says that you aren't allowed to backup those files to a CD/DVD). If for any reason you need to reinstall the game after 6 months and you no longer have the original files you downloaded (say in the event of a hard drive crash, virus or even a new PC), then basically, tough shit as you will not be allowed to redownload the game from EA.
On the bright side, for the paltry sum of $6.99, you can buy the Extended Download Service which allows you to redownload the game at any time for the next two years! Wow - they are soooo nice and considerate....
This is just so fucked up that I really am at a loss for words. On the bright side, at least I now know to look out for this whenever I download software in future.
Whose fault is it anyway?
The arstechnica columnist says that it isn't EA's fault but rather the fault of the digital distributor, Digital River. Digital River are a big company that have some major clients so this problem actually applies to a lot of products.
Bullshit.
As the consumer, why should I care who put the policy in place? Bear in mind we are talking about EA's official online store here. EA chose Digital River to be their digital distributor and as such, have to take responsiblity for the policies on their online store even if they were put in place by Digital River.
The fact is that this is another shaft up consumers already tender rear ends.
Why should I put up with this?
Good question - and one which I have no answer for. On the blurb for the Extended Download Service, it says:
"A little extra protection on your order to keep your products safe? Why not!"
Just off the top of my head, I can think of several reasons:
1) If I wanted to rent games, I could do it for cheaper elsewhere (eg via sites like GameTap).
2) If I wanted to buy games online, there are better options where I can redownload at any time (eg via sites like Steam, Greenhouse and Impulse).
Lastly, can anyone tell me why legitimate buyers have to put up with this shit when pirates don't (again, I have to stress that I have no intention of playing any pirated games on my PC)?
One last point
This was just too funny to pass up:
Source: userfriendly.org
Anyway, the latest issue can be found here. To be fair to EA, this issue doesn't just apply to them as several other big companies (like Microsoft) are doing the same thing.
The Big Issue
Basically, the issue is that if you download a game from EA's online store, you better backup those files (bear in mind that EA says that you aren't allowed to backup those files to a CD/DVD). If for any reason you need to reinstall the game after 6 months and you no longer have the original files you downloaded (say in the event of a hard drive crash, virus or even a new PC), then basically, tough shit as you will not be allowed to redownload the game from EA.
On the bright side, for the paltry sum of $6.99, you can buy the Extended Download Service which allows you to redownload the game at any time for the next two years! Wow - they are soooo nice and considerate....
This is just so fucked up that I really am at a loss for words. On the bright side, at least I now know to look out for this whenever I download software in future.
Whose fault is it anyway?
The arstechnica columnist says that it isn't EA's fault but rather the fault of the digital distributor, Digital River. Digital River are a big company that have some major clients so this problem actually applies to a lot of products.
Bullshit.
As the consumer, why should I care who put the policy in place? Bear in mind we are talking about EA's official online store here. EA chose Digital River to be their digital distributor and as such, have to take responsiblity for the policies on their online store even if they were put in place by Digital River.
The fact is that this is another shaft up consumers already tender rear ends.
Why should I put up with this?
Good question - and one which I have no answer for. On the blurb for the Extended Download Service, it says:
"A little extra protection on your order to keep your products safe? Why not!"
Just off the top of my head, I can think of several reasons:
1) If I wanted to rent games, I could do it for cheaper elsewhere (eg via sites like GameTap).
2) If I wanted to buy games online, there are better options where I can redownload at any time (eg via sites like Steam, Greenhouse and Impulse).
Lastly, can anyone tell me why legitimate buyers have to put up with this shit when pirates don't (again, I have to stress that I have no intention of playing any pirated games on my PC)?
One last point
This was just too funny to pass up:
Source: userfriendly.org
Monday, December 22, 2008
IGN re-reviews Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009
A couple of weeks ago, I ragged on IGN because they had an astonishingly bad review of Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009. It looks like this viewpoint was not only shared by fans of the game, but by the wider IGN editorial staff as well.
The link to the original review has been replaced by an apology from the IGN staff and a new review has been posted.
Although the new review only gave a score of 7.9 - the review itself is much fairer (at least they are no longer comparing it to Fifa...). The criticisms levelled against the game are all valid criticisms and you can easily understand why the game was docked review points for those issues.
Unfortunately, as the original review was removed, the astonishingly bad review can no longer be viewed there. Luckily for us, Yahoo Games hasn't purged its review coffer yet! For posterity (and a good laugh), full text of the IGN review is copied here:
*********************************************
This game gets a red card, and possibly a lifetime ban.
By: Avi Burk
What sports fan doesn't want to take control of his favorite team and guide it to a championship, or, better yet, a long string of championships? Well, if it means playing Worldwide Soccer Manager, you can count me in that number.
Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009 gives gamers the chance to manage and coach 5,000 soccer teams from 50 countries around the globe, giving them the chance to manage every aspect of their team's roster, field questions from reporters at their team's press conferences, and coach their teams in real time as each simulated game unfolds. What it doesn't do, more importantly, is provide any compelling reason to keep "playing."
Although the game's database of more than 350,000 real-life soccer players is certainly impressive, only the most diehard fans of the sport would be able to appreciate having such a massive pool of talent to sift through, and the casual fan would almost certainly find the task overwhelming – I did.
The game's incredibly complex menu system is very difficult to navigate, even with the on-screen help box directing you through the process. In short, this game is extremely difficult to simply pick up and play. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise expect to spend a significant amount of time simply trying to figure out how to navigate the menus.
Worldwide Soccer Manager's presentation problems don't end there though, once you finally make it to your team's first game you'll find that the player renderings and animations are awful, and the stadiums you play in lack any kind of personality or detail. Each field is bordered by fences and what appear to be unfinished stands, which don't have any fans in them. And, when the ball is kicked off of the pitch, it passes smoothly through the surrounding fences, right through the stands, and disappears from view only to return to the field in the same fashion, appearing magically from the stands and passing through the fences (and goals) on its way back into play.
Then there's the sound, or lack thereof. There is no soundtrack that plays while you work in the game's menus, which you'll spend the vast majority of your time in this game doing. There is no audio narration to accompany your participation in press conferences, even though your options for how to respond to each question is incredibly limited. There is no audio commentary to accompany the action in the simulated game's you watch/coach. In fact, the only sound we found in the entire game was the tones of fans cheering as each simulated game played out – which only detracts from the game's feel of authenticity seeing as there are no fans rendered in the stands.
As far as traditional gameplay goes, there really isn't any in Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009. Apart from managing your roster and coaching your team, there really isn't anything to do at all. So, unless you really enjoy clicking on menu buttons, you'll find your interaction with this game extremely disappointing.
However, if you're a big footie fan and big fan of sports simulation, you'll be extremely impressed with the depth of Worldwide Soccer Manager, which allows you to control just about every facet of your team and draw from a player pool that is simply mindboggling.
Closing Comments
This game obviously aims to provide the deepest soccer simulation experience possible for the sport’s most passionate and informed fans, but it offers little to nothing that would appeal to a casual fan of the sport or to the average videogame enthusiast. The menus are complex and difficult to navigate, graphics are terrible, the sound is non-existent and there is no traditional gameplay to speak of. I couldn’t imagine why anybody would prefer Worldwide Soccer Manager to FIFA 09 or Pro Evolution Soccer 2009.
The link to the original review has been replaced by an apology from the IGN staff and a new review has been posted.
Although the new review only gave a score of 7.9 - the review itself is much fairer (at least they are no longer comparing it to Fifa...). The criticisms levelled against the game are all valid criticisms and you can easily understand why the game was docked review points for those issues.
Unfortunately, as the original review was removed, the astonishingly bad review can no longer be viewed there. Luckily for us, Yahoo Games hasn't purged its review coffer yet! For posterity (and a good laugh), full text of the IGN review is copied here:
*********************************************
This game gets a red card, and possibly a lifetime ban.
By: Avi Burk
What sports fan doesn't want to take control of his favorite team and guide it to a championship, or, better yet, a long string of championships? Well, if it means playing Worldwide Soccer Manager, you can count me in that number.
Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009 gives gamers the chance to manage and coach 5,000 soccer teams from 50 countries around the globe, giving them the chance to manage every aspect of their team's roster, field questions from reporters at their team's press conferences, and coach their teams in real time as each simulated game unfolds. What it doesn't do, more importantly, is provide any compelling reason to keep "playing."
Although the game's database of more than 350,000 real-life soccer players is certainly impressive, only the most diehard fans of the sport would be able to appreciate having such a massive pool of talent to sift through, and the casual fan would almost certainly find the task overwhelming – I did.
The game's incredibly complex menu system is very difficult to navigate, even with the on-screen help box directing you through the process. In short, this game is extremely difficult to simply pick up and play. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise expect to spend a significant amount of time simply trying to figure out how to navigate the menus.
Worldwide Soccer Manager's presentation problems don't end there though, once you finally make it to your team's first game you'll find that the player renderings and animations are awful, and the stadiums you play in lack any kind of personality or detail. Each field is bordered by fences and what appear to be unfinished stands, which don't have any fans in them. And, when the ball is kicked off of the pitch, it passes smoothly through the surrounding fences, right through the stands, and disappears from view only to return to the field in the same fashion, appearing magically from the stands and passing through the fences (and goals) on its way back into play.
Then there's the sound, or lack thereof. There is no soundtrack that plays while you work in the game's menus, which you'll spend the vast majority of your time in this game doing. There is no audio narration to accompany your participation in press conferences, even though your options for how to respond to each question is incredibly limited. There is no audio commentary to accompany the action in the simulated game's you watch/coach. In fact, the only sound we found in the entire game was the tones of fans cheering as each simulated game played out – which only detracts from the game's feel of authenticity seeing as there are no fans rendered in the stands.
As far as traditional gameplay goes, there really isn't any in Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009. Apart from managing your roster and coaching your team, there really isn't anything to do at all. So, unless you really enjoy clicking on menu buttons, you'll find your interaction with this game extremely disappointing.
However, if you're a big footie fan and big fan of sports simulation, you'll be extremely impressed with the depth of Worldwide Soccer Manager, which allows you to control just about every facet of your team and draw from a player pool that is simply mindboggling.
Closing Comments
This game obviously aims to provide the deepest soccer simulation experience possible for the sport’s most passionate and informed fans, but it offers little to nothing that would appeal to a casual fan of the sport or to the average videogame enthusiast. The menus are complex and difficult to navigate, graphics are terrible, the sound is non-existent and there is no traditional gameplay to speak of. I couldn’t imagine why anybody would prefer Worldwide Soccer Manager to FIFA 09 or Pro Evolution Soccer 2009.
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