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Dominated by Medieval II: Total War by The Creative Assembly, the world of medieval strategy game receives a visit from a new challenger with XIII Century: Death or Glory. Developed by Unicorn Games Studio, this new title on paper has all the ingredients required for a refund faithful at the time, with historical battles playable by five major players in the Middle Ages. It remains now to see if the team’s game has taken steps to enter history.

It’s just a flesh wound

Grouped in a menu shaped history book in graphic style typical of the period that interests us, the five campaigns XIII Century we will fight under the banners of five different countries: England, France, Germany , Russia and Mongolia. It is also not forced to choose a country that does not interest us or follow any order at the beginning of the game, it just finished the tutorial to access all this content. A number of missions against a bonus remain locked until we have proven our value in combat, while a mode “personalized mission” can invent our own conflicts without worrying shadow of any loyalty history. In all cases, we found very quickly on a battlefield of varying size, with an army already trained and deployed (no management of buildings / resource program) under our command and an enemy equally equipped to crush. Not too surprisingly, our troops are divided into squads of dozens of men, that we can organize according to our whims through an interface not very friendly but relatively well fichue. With one click, you can then change the speed of walking or training soldiers of our army, which will constantly monitor training loufoques (spearhead, in a circle rejected, online, etc..) is imposed just to show off before the officers. When you’ve finished playing nice commanding a little eccentric, you finally decide to go into combat, to be literally massacred by the IA.

There is indeed not too much room for fun in the battles of XIII Century: Death or Glory and we will understand very quickly when enemy forces driving our army laughing. The title of Unicorn Games Studio imposes a reflection thrust the player before charging blindly, and will be used preciously few minutes of calm preceding each working skirmish in the placement of our troops. Exploiting the strengths and weaknesses of each is also a priority for anyone who does not want to see his dying archers atrociously in a cavalry charge, and we will quickly adapt to the system of stone-leaf-chisel (cavalry effective against archers , Pikemen effective against cavalry, etc.). To take the victory. In the case of a mistake, I. A. we will anyway not a free gift, and will identify instantly the fault of our plan to transform it into a yawning chasm. Too bad we can not count on a similar initiative on our side, since our troops have a tendency to push apathy when they do not decide to completely ignore our direct orders or to use a route convoluted to three meters. Hard then to have real control over the unfolding events, especially when the slightest error in timing can cost the lives of an entire regiment. The frustration then move quickly enough, when yet another battalion will refuse to move or horsemen decide that die under the blows of launches is more interesting than annihilate archers designated as priority targets. The lack of visual or auditory feedback battles may also lead to situations embêtantes well, and sometimes we do not even notice an attack because of lack of fishing packaging sound, which is limited to a constant hubbub not very convincing.

This is not a campaign

Another major flaw of Death or Glory is noted then when the battle will be won (somehow), since the game we catapultera directly from the menu, with a new mission to choose. No driver over the horizon, zero continuity between battles and absolutely no scenario to follow the programme XIII Century, which can coup not to involve the player in what happens. “Campaigns” are limited to a wholesale switch missions that could very well could take the form of a list, while the absence of a phase of pseudo-managing the Total War we will move it all fairly quickly and without much discussion. Turning to the multiplayer mode n’arrangera unfortunately not given, since it merely a smaller set of cards and a direct connection to IP completely archaic and more uses an interface not quite practical. This is the kind of weaknesses that XIII Century could not afford to have him displaying graphics still well dated and animations frankly not convincing. It may advise the coup as absolute fanatics of the period who have already spun Medieval II: Total War in every sense, since the title of The Creative Assembly has yet ultimately much higher on all fronts. Too bad.

It was believed that we had done everything, but no: The Sims persist and Maxis sign a new add-on rather unusual, since the mixture any new opportunity to move into an apartment and that of practising witchcraft, already explored Abracadabra within reach of the first episode of Sims. So what relationship between the magic wand and to sign the lease? No, but this should not prevent the offspring of Will Wright to have fun and do make to their head once more.

Touch the mat to the nearby

The main innovation brought by this add-on is the possibility, as the title suggests so well, to live in an apartment. If up to four families can live on the same field, we can not control one, while neighbours are considered as NPC with whom it will be possible to interact. The buildings available in the new district Belladona range from small studio at the student standing duplex. Note that it is impossible to build apartments without going through the cheats. A half-dozen lots préconstruits can be installed in other areas so that everyone can enjoy life in an apartment, Montsimpa to Veronaville. However, before the eyes bigger than their stomachs and move into a luxury residence with a swimming pool and jacuzzis to all floors, it must be remembered that there is a rent to pay each Monday. To alleviate our Sims can always take a roommate (one) through a classified ad. But beware: they are totally autonomous and the player has no control over them, just as animals Animals & Cie. And, as in real life, we may also fall on a fairy of the homeless as a nightmare on the streets. Fortunately, it is possible to put them at the door and resume a life of solitary with a single click. You can not say that life in Apartment revolutionizes the basic gameplay, which sent more than ever warmed up. After hearing the promises of Sims 3 and its open neighbourhood, it is inevitably disappointed that the temporal paradox own the Sims 2 is also de rigueur in buildings: one family with which one plays ages, the other living in a sort of parallel dimension where time did not exist. For the rest, interactions with neighbours no different from what it was already possible to make on the lots.

When you arrive in town …

Fortunately, even if it may seem strange, La Vie en apartment is not limited to apartments. Maxis has indeed added a few features here and there that are supposed to come spice up the lives of our Sims. First, if one searches in the interface increasingly overloaded after each extension, we end up falling on the indicator of popularity. A simple gauge that allows us to know in a split second if that Sim is appreciated or not by its citizens. A Sim People may be pistonné to get a promotion, or even benefit from a reduction in his rent. On the contrary, an unpopular Sim will eventually have problems with neighbours. To raise or lower the gauge, just go into a community and interact with other Sims. It might even be rubbing five new communities of citizens, as the nerds or sores, each with its preferences for hobbies and subjects of conversations. An interesting concept, which should give the impression to evolve in a real small town, but sealed by the “difficulty” out of home, this from the very first episode: between the time of loading and bars that need s’étiolent inexorably, to carve out a good reputation is really long and tedious and, ultimately, not really profit compared to the efforts. In addition, developers have played the card fanservice adding small claimed more horns and a screaming by fans of the Sims 2. Among others: a new view on the ground in construction mode to see through the eyes of a Sim and admire at the same time the new ceilings, the possibility of raising or lowering objects that hangs on the walls and a handful of new furniture varied, with some good ideas as the retractable bed, the park puppy, the giant screen, hélipad the library that hides a secret passage, and some returns, as the spiral staircase, the bed vibrant and drinks. These small more sympathetic, but giving the unpleasant impression of having been dumped in bulk in a data disk that serves as a catch-all. And so far, nothing that really justifies a purchase.
I put a spell on you …

And yet, La Vie en Apartment proposes a new interesting experience for Sims, or at least for those of Sims 2, but did not even mention the case of the game: it is witchcraft. Already explored by The Sims first name through the extension Abracadabra, it signs here his big comeback in a form quite close enough. After being initiated by a witch, a Sim can start to turn in the performance of magic and follow one of three ways: the light, that of Shadow, and the balance. By studying one of these schools of magic, Sim then unlocks new spells that can be launched in producing ingredients through its magic cauldron. And following the alignment of these sorts, they are beneficial or evil: you can fill a Sim joy, to induce vomiting, bees to launch its continuation or to remove all the leaves from the garden, or even invoke a servant to the household. What forget the bills and work for a little while. The players benefiting from the add-on Pets & Cie may even invoke a familiar take the form of a cat and spectral who will act as the cat-dit, small needs less. In terms of additional places for neighbourhoods, it is still far from Magicland of Abracadabra, since there are only a palace of Light and Dark Castle to meet the high-witch of these two alignments. The return of the magic still saves this extension allowing the player to depart daily, but does not forget the aging game engine, which seems no longer able to go very far.

The idea of Space Headquarters was commendable, since developers Gas Powered Games attempting with this title to remove the hack and slash the grip of the heroic fantasy and involve us in history through a “revolutionary “Cybernetic implants. Too bad that the spiritual heir of the Dungeon Siege series is ultimately unworthy of the pedigree of its creators.

Want to know more?

The unusual context of Space seat does not alter the basic rules of the hack and slash, and it moves our hero Seth Walker a left click of the mouse drawing using the right mouse button. A classic bar allows skills in addition to operating up to ten special powers or objects (grenades, turrets deployable, etc.). To add a little pepper in our struggles, knowing that most of them use the energy to recharge a flinguant to go. Technically, there are all the ingredients necessary for good rigolades hours, and yet the sauce never took. The lack of energy and capacity varied or interesting really make fighting incredibly monotonous, and we pass the bulk of our time simply select an enemy until our basic weapon facing the work. Because you can not shoot in moving (while the enemies are, strangely) on bored quickly enough, to relive again and again the same bastons against monsters who change their appearance (aliens, robots, cyborgs, etc.). but who remain the final all similar. The arrival of our robot sidekick HR-V, which was presented as a big innovation by the team Thursday, will not add little to gameplay because the guy is not exactly a fine tactician and he will constantly remind order to avoid premature death.

It is fortunately very easy to resurrect, using the spare parts of Space Headquarters. Each trunk open enemy killed or destroyed hard cash actually precious few scraps of metal to be used for anything and everything in the title of Gas Powered Games. Improved features of Seth and HR-V (armor, points of life, etc.). Or even arms pass through this debris miracles, which are also used to “buy” or médikits grenades in Checkpoint rooms. The trouble is that the collection of these toys is supposed to replace the usual loot so important in the hack and slash and that it is therefore never pick up objects on the enemies that it kills. The ten weapons used in the final s’obtiendront a very linear in the following scenario, and there was therefore no chance of getting a “Assault Rifle D’+15 of the Owl” to detour a passageway Simply because the team decided Thursday that it would use light machine guns during the first part of the game, it was also smart to give a different role in each of weapons since, in the state, each toy that there are instantly makes its predecessor obsolete. The frequency with which our arsenal is maintained is also quite poorly regulated and sometimes we use certain weapons for just over half an hour before finding the next toy fashionable.

Half man, half robot

But, of course, all these considerations are futile revolutionised by ethical choices and the system of cybernetic implants, is not it? And maybe not. Once again, you will find here a glaring lack of ingenuity in exploiting concepts which, on paper, seemed interesting. As weapons, robotic grafts to recover over scenario only at the whim of developers, with a commentary on the various members of our crew will encourage us to use / ignore this technology. Once installed the thing, against, do not wait any reaction on their part, the “dilemma” no longer interested. And we no longer by the way. The famous “ethical choice” promised by Gas Powered Games is completely non-existent, and it eventually very quickly by installing all implants because it is the only thing “new” to be done and they release access to most of the skills of our tree talents. The latter is divided into two parts (and combat engineer) where he will spend the two points that we receive at each level. The character customization is still rather limited because the levels of XP are actually given arbitrarily to some “key points” scenario without that we can influence them whatever their achievement. Yes, yes; Gas Powered Games invented the hack and slash without loot and XP.

Despite all these flaws, the game even happens when we push forward steadily, without knowing really why, indeed. There is constantly towards our destination (and three different endings to the key) without really having fun during the trip, although all is not completely catastrophic. The fighting can be quite distracting through the exploitation of many elements destructible / explosives in sets, and later ultra-bourrin amusera without doubt the fans of action pure and hard. The cooperative multiplayer mode may be attractive for the same reasons, so he took his side défouloir by providing us at the outset what the game as weapons, implants and points of skills. It was only then worry about the battle which, if nothing transcendent in the end, can still be fun to several although there would also quick to play the last Shadowgrounds. In the end, we must recognize that lack Space Siege by far the target had been set, and that is not its graphic aspect dated and completely devoid of imagination in the design or soundscape more or less non-existent who will save from oblivion ahead.

Lifting of hell that had plunged the angel of Darkness, Lara Croft was really having a health since Tomb Raider: Anniversary who managed to find the spirit of the series while also injecting a bit of fresh air. The challenge for Underworld, currently under development, was the confirmation, especially on Next Gen. Present at the Games Convention and accessible to the public as the press, the title has left close to the time a small session of Archaeology extreme enough promise in whole.

The Little Mermaid

With a little behind other licenses successful video game, Tomb Raider has finally decided to make his driven cross and truly step Next Gen. Unlike Tomb Raider: Anniversary, conceived for the PS2 and then adapted for the new machines, Tomb Raider Underworld was designed with the Xbox 360 and PS3 in mind. During the level presented, it discovered Lara, quietly installed on a boat, preparing to take the leap into the middle of the ocean. On the surface, it can obviously afford a few lengths of crawl, but it will probably things interesting for our archaeologist shock can be found on terra firma, a few dozen metres further. After a shark attack just missed, Lara reached without major difficulties a first platform and then tries to recover a small climbing where you will have the opportunity to see that the fine has not lost its flexibility.

The gameplay, very Indiana-Jonesque in his style, of course, had what he needed when grab branches, balconies overcoming a parapet, bridges croulants and other small wonders of the gaming architecture: always dependent on acrobatics Lara, the game offers a good share of exploration-based waterfalls and catching up unlikely. As always in the series, these phases of gameplay aïgu require a sense of observation and reflexes, the game is obviously still Radin alternative path, and ruthless on the “off-piste.” With a little experience, we learn also to recognize the walls exploitable, “good” branches, catches rock authorized by the game; animations Lara deliver even, in most cases, information on its ability to pass a jump or not, tending the arm for example. Tomb Raider Underworld is therefore the item on the gameplay, despite some worries of not properly wicked camera when the lens too close to Lara. Just can we blame the developers a certain severity on some jumps a little limits, which send systematically and without further ado, the player fifteen meters below.

Come back successful?

This shift from pure platform, soon followed by the discovery of a lost first temple, to be honest looked more like a big tutorial, to circumnavigate the potential of the game in terms of achievement and gameplay. In addition to a panel enriched animations, like when Lara dismisses gently brush it before each of his steps (a little closer detail, for example, what we found in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune), then swim in familiar territory on the side of playability. There are all movements submitted for every day in a series of events rather well views, small reels here to resume balance, roulades side now more … by dint of motion capture sessions, Lara cheek gymnast competition to pave a path among the obstacles the game, to light years of its rigidities of the past. Most tatillons may nevertheless be objected that our adventurer custody a few scars of its residual stiffness of yesteryear, specifically the lack of fluidity sequences during breaks, which are still quite slow to emerge: you jump, you move suspended on landmark another outlet, rappelling down a suspended its Grapple, you turn on the camera and re-jumping, etc.. Despite obvious progress in recent episodes, it is still very far from the intuitiveness of a Prince of Persia.

Visually finally, Tomb Raider Underworld impressive. Whether the turmoil of the ocean, subtle reflections on the surface of water, abundant flora, calibrating environnemennts or look teenager Lara, we must admit that the game is many strengths on its side to seduce retinas. From time to time struck a few freezes on the Xbox 360 version we’ve tried, TRU is in any event a great game, and should easily rinse the eyes of many players. This bodes well for the best a few weeks before leaving the game, especially since the few puzzles and enemies entrevus during our test session had the air of perfect recital gameplay “the Tomb Raider” - can be therefore expect solid, it was probably classic for this comeback of Lara Croft. Five years after being burned in the angel wings of Darkness, it will be satisfied without chicaner.

Tomb Raider Underworld is scheduled on PC, PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, Wii and DS on November 21

Unveiled in spring at the event Connect 08 from Codemasters, the first expansion The Mines of Moria for The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar was back for the Games Convention in Leipzig. The opportunity for us to follow the developers of MMORPG for a short visit in the kingdom of Durin, history to see what’s new is preparing to Middle-earth.

For the team Thursday, one of the biggest changes in the Mines of Moria affect the title of a viewpoint scénaristique because we cease to put spokes in the wheels of the King to Sorcerer focus on the awakening of evil between Moria and Lothlorien. For this presentation will concentrate on the famous underground kingdom of dwarfs, we will visit after the passage of the Fellowship of the Ring, which presages a happy foutoir saw chaos raised by their passage. It appears that the invasion of goblins, orcs and other creatures even more dangerous in the halls of Durin has particularly irritated the dwarves who have therefore sent a delegation army to resume the territory. In practice, this means that we will be mainly serving bearded happy in this first part of the add-on and we will give them a helping hand to do the housework under the mountain. The goal of developers here is clear to us in detail visit places never seen from the Mines of Moria - as mine shafts, underground lakes or large forge - and give life to a part of ‘history of Middle-earth that has been qu’effleurée by Tolkien himself. Lovers of dwarves should have for their money with an astronomical amount of information about their history, their success and their big mistake inflamed that Gandalf had terrasser.

Players level 50 will therefore what to do in the corner, especially as the architecture dwarf is paradoxically focuses on a gigantic tinged with an arrogance evident. The distance display thrust of the same title showed its limits in some halls that were discovered, so they stretched as far as the eye for miles and miles of terrain accessible to 100% if the we believe developers. It should be noted that the team has also sought Thursday to change a little pleasures for example by imagining what might resemble a vivarium in the vast underground mines, or proposing some caves still raw will doubtless enjoy the speleologists grass. And if the exploration program is obviously in this add-on, we must not forget rather than eradicate the new models of Orcs and goblins that have been modeled specially for the occasion. As for the opportunity to kick the buttocks of Durin’s Bane, it has still not been confirmed nor refuted by the way, by developers, who are decidedly with the nerves of some players.

A presentation of Mines of Moria would of course not be complete without mention of two new classes promised by Turbine: Runekeeper and Warden. If you have not really been able to see these two new adventurers in action, the team game we still delivered a few details about the new gameplay they provide. Presented as a “lightweight tank” equipped with a shield and a spear, and the Warden will use the “Gambit System” which combines an operating stances on various roles (aggro boost generation, damage increased, and so on.) a range of combos to follow to activate some buffs or side effects. The Runekeeper, in turn, is the first real “magician” Lord of the Rings Online and will be in charge of swing spells remotely as much to damage his enemies for treating its allies. It will use it for a system which will increase significantly our power carefully if one is having fun heals the spammer, and vice versa for the sorts of damage. Note that the models used for the creation of Warden and Runekeeper are Haldir and Celeborn, two inspirations elvish for an extension under the sign of the dwarfs. Beyond all these major additions and an increase in the maximum level at 60, there will obviously arrival of a package of quests, objects, achievements and other additional gadgets, but also the introduction of objects that legendary we will be able to evolve as levels through their bar XP integrated. What occupy the many heroes who always travel on Middle-earth in sum, especially if one considers that two other huge areas of the extension have not yet been revealed.

Announced at the very end of the spring by Obsidian Entertainment, the expansion Storm of Zehir for NeverWinter Nights 2 was already presented during the Games Convention in Leipzig. It was therefore able to discover some of the many new features planned for the second add-on, all placed under the sign of nostalgia than innovation.

Small reminder for those who have not followed the scenario started in NeverWinter Nights 2 and continued in Mask of the Betrayer is well and truly completed, and will therefore not be extended by Storm of Zehir. Instead of our heroes end of 2006, the fabrication is a brand new avatar who could even add three companions also created by us. It will be in addition to this the opportunity to receive a helping hand from some additional characters during our progress, even if it should be possible to play solitaire for antisocial masochistic. In all cases, our adventure begins aboard a small boat which set sail for adventure, which ultimately failed miserably on the reefs of a mysterious island after a storm. Commencera then our heroic journey, it will very quickly develop a few bandages and weapons of fortune from the remains of our boat. Reception of indigenous will actually not very friendly, and it is very likely that we will have to chart our way through the sword on this terra incognita. The discussion may still serve to calm everything small world as long as you have the right skill (intimidation, diplomacy, bluff, etc.), while a new system of dialogue - which we leave to change their interlocutor the fly - is expected to combine the strengths of each member of our group. This classic introduction aside, it is unclear for the moment any scenario that awaits us in of Zehir Storm, except that we trimballera in some corners never seen before in video gaming of the Forgotten Realms and that it should have a tone a little lighter than those used in previous episodes.

Once you leave the zone of our sinking, the game will go in an entirely new view called Overland Map, which strongly recalls the sight of a strategy Heroes of Might and Magic or King’s Bounty: The Legend. It actually moves our group on a map dézoomée to extremes between different places important, and we will even go monsters who walk in the same way in the region. If it decides to attack, we will carry the game almost immediately in sight “classic” NeverWinter Nights 2 where we will settle our accounts in the usual way before returning to the adventure. Some quests generated at random sometimes even appear on this Overland Map, and could also use some skills usually under-exploited in the Ports of Dungeons & Dragons in video game (spot, find, etc.) to discover hidden objects on the map. It also happens that we encounter in the open market special trip, or patrols of bandits with whom we can negotiate at these peregrinations in aerial view and which should make our trips a little more exciting than before.

The arrival of Storm of Zehir will also batch of monsters, dungeons and exclusive objects, and they are apparently incorrigible Yuan-Ti that will play the major role of bad guys this time. It will be possible to embody a Yuan-Ti Pureblood or Gray Orc as new races, while Swashbuckler (fighter lightweight), Doomguide (class prestige anti-death living) and Hellfire Warlock (class prestige invocateur demons) will strengthen the number of playable professions. Please note that the rules used are always those of the 3.5 edition of Dungeons & Dragons, even if the scenario should serve as a link between this set and the most recent edition 4. On the side of XP, will begin on Storm of Zehir at 3 and we should finish the intrigue around the 15 level according to the developers, even if the cap will remain fixed at 30. The life of the whole east, for its part, estimated between 15 and 25 hours of gameplay according to the number chosen at the beginning of the game and our tendency to batifoler right to left, or not at all. A fairly rich content for an add-on that promises to be still very comprehensive, but perhaps a little too classic after Mask of the Betrayer.

Already presented and playable at the Games Convention 2007, Empire of Sports took advantage of the year since our last zoom to grow with a beta-test that is currently hosting several thousand players sorted on strand. So at the outset that things have progressed well since our first matches played tennis last year, as a package of new sports are now available in the title of F4.

For a novice observer, beta Empire of Sports which has been presented this year in Leipzig could very well go for a completely finished product. Almost all sports provided by the team were actually implemented in the game, the tools necessary and indispensable community (clubs, management training, etc..) Are already ready and we will not suffer a small latency even playing from Germany on servers in Paris. However, the team’s game does not rush the launch of MMO athletes until everything is settled in minute detail, balancing necessary part of the RP advanced gameplay of team sports through the establishment a strong and dedicated community. Do not ever fell in front of the effort (virtual means), it has striven valiantly to the task of trying all these options that are currently in the midst of “development”, history to see just what he returns.

We know from a long time now, Empire of Sports will allow everyone to create a super athlete from head to toe, and work its characteristics to the hard to make a real gross or in the sports that we more interested. What is not known by cons is that each of the existing sports disciplines in Empire of Sports (ski tennis, through the bobsled and many others) will propose a tree of “talent” specific, that we will during our careers. The tennismen may, for example, mastering the art of “Magnetic fire”, which allows you to hit full line for a certain period without ever risking the ball out of the ground. Practice for the return cannons. While a lot of bonus similar, whether passive or active, will enable everyone to tip the balance in their direction during the critical moment, though we should not rely on these skills alone to win the victory. A quick glance at current ranking of the best tennis players of Empire of Sports we confirm indeed the thing, since athletes placed on the podium are rarely those who have the level of XP highest. That is to say once again, winning the game of F4 will be more a matter of personal ability and tactical than statistics.

Improving our character in any discipline will be possible by other means, such as buying equipment. Available in specialty shops that speckle streets of every city of Empire of Sports, specific objects we will then benefit from a reinforced strike blows for our rights, here is an increased endurance for prolonged efforts. Access to that material will be, against, not a small matter so the prices displayed by these virtual shops may seem mirobolants. Fortunately it is always possible to equip themselves to win some tournaments, and even find a racket that also surpuissante free proving our value against the greatest. Even in cases of repeated defeats, there will always be a minimum since winning each match will bring at least some XP / money whatever happens. The less gifted players may even draw on techniques of the most famous athletes attending their matches, while athletes eager to make nice sums involved in the matches they are almost sure to win.

Find a challenge to our arrivals in Empire of Sports is the simplest way of the world, just enter it in a sort of cabin dedicated to the sport that interests us to have a look at the parties who are currently in preparation courses and possibly join other athletes hungry for victory. It is also possible to continue batifoler in town until more people connect to our party for team sports, even if some of them should be playable in a relatively small committee. Football, for example, will of course be available in its classical version to 11 players (noting that the goal is controlled by the IA), but 5 against 5 or even 3 against 3. In all cases, each player will find a real one single position on the ground and it will require teamwork pushed and communicate effectively to bring all this beautiful world to victory. A note in passing that the game of football Empire of Sports has little to do with FIFA and other Pro Evolution Soccer, since there controlling our keyboard player while firing trajectories to decide mouse. It requires a certain course of time taken in hand, but still provides a bit of fresh air in the land of clones. All that to say qu’Empire of Sports has always seemed as fresh after a year, even if the interests of certain disciplines (Random bobsleigh two) seems for the moment still much lower than that of sports stars “As football or tennis.

Already gone through the test case playable there is a good little while, The Chronicles of Spellborn suffered last year of the famous syndrome “MMORPG the stuffing” and saw its release date pounce gradually since June 2007 until ‘the meanders of the end of 2008. Unless new report, the title of Spellborn International should therefore put an end to his endless beta test in a few months and benefits of the Games Convention again for a chance to test bench.

Without losing time with a creation of characters that has been explored in detail last year, the team game we invited him to fill a small basic quest in the world of Spellborn, which in one year, n ‘really has not lost its charm. At the controls of a Deathand - a subclass of Rogue - armed with a large axe and a skill deck covered with alien powers will tackle directly to a more or less a discreet camp bandits , A company Runemage very focused on suicide attacks. In essence, the combat system original Chronicles of Spellborn has not changed, he always organized around a rotating bar skills which obliges us more or less to juggle a multitude of skills in sequences that require a lot of reflection in the end. Significantly more fluid in its evolution that during our last test, this system finally showed its strength during this presentation and we very quickly understood the importance of sequential use of our powers when a group of five instructed to six enemies in our direction. Although fortunately, the philosophy of Spellborn wants the player is a true hero, capable of dominating several monsters its level without too many problems. This is undoubtedly why the average size of a spawn of at least three individuals bellicose, even though it will not play under penalty rambos finish lint.

From juice potato?

The Chronicles of Spellborn actually breaks with the system IA just stop where we find in most MMORPG current (and future), and we propose relatively intelligent enemies (yes, yes) or deliberately stupid. The animals, for example, will not really invent strategies advanced when attack, although some birds nearing extinction fun even when we disarm every five seconds as big fourbes. While addressing a group of humanoids, against, the battle becomes immediately more serious and strategic planning much more important. Each NPC aggressive met in Spellborn will in fact lead to fill a role corresponding to its archetype (warrior, mage, thief, etc.). And therefore it should be no surprise the enemy tanks we slow / block while their buddy the magician makes its distances and / or preparing a large lot that is very bad. How to choose its first target, to avoid the pitfalls of each type of enemy and monitor small smart fun that we bypass for the better we will stab imperative for survival in the MMORPG of Spellborn International, and this is definitely a good new. Add the combat system in real time to all these strategic considerations and you get bastons already calling a lot of skill, then it is never as the most common form of crude which is PvE.

Unfortunately rather limited duration (and pull interrupted by a catastrophic and fatal instantly), our presentation of Chronicles of Spellborn s’enchainait then on a furtive glance at some elements of the original gameplay, as the introduction of pirate attack / bugs on ships travelling between different shards (floating continents) of the world title. Hard obviously make a judgement after a comprehensive test session barely half an hour - especially since we are talking here about an MMO in the open-beta test - but we must confess that significant improvements in the combat system and the efficient organization of groups of enemies have made The Chronicles of Spellborn much more attractive than last spring. The future will tell if the title of Spellborn International Ltd will be able to succeed at the game in the ruthless world of massively multiplayer, and it is hoped very soon have the opportunity to put feet in this magical universe that could eventually be well more promising than expected.

Grand winner of the war FPS military each year involving more than a dozen game publishers, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare had succeeded in giving a boost saving the genre leaving players of historical conflicts of the twentieth century for the plunge in intrigues contemporary tonifiées by staging a suffocating tension and a remarkably controlled. A success for its developer Infinity Ward and his publisher Activision, which could well be reissued with the upcoming release of fifth album. For Call of Duty 5, however, the U.S. firm has decided to resume its old lubies and return under the bombs of World War II, entrusting the game development studio Treyarch, already in charge of very average CoD 3: Moving Forward to Paris. A choice that carries with it grounds for concern among fans of the series, anxious to know whether this new FPS will take advantage of decisive contributions made by the last episode to date, we have been trying the demo of the game, this at the Games Convention in an attempt to provide an initial response to only a few months of its release.

To ensure the rotation of Call of Duty 4, and it requires developers Treyarch has therefore applied to marry their work with the third episode scripts rapid and devastating game of Infinity Ward. There is therefore the Second World War and its hundreds of hot spots around the globe summarized in a title, World at War, with a staging more support than before. Players rôdés on previous episodes will therefore remain in familiar territory, with a responsive and satisfying gameplay and an arsenal seen and reviewed. Only the flamer, available at our mission of the Pacific, made his entrance onto the battlefield: effective, perhaps even too despite its limited scope, this new weapon could engulf the soldiers hidden, for example, in a bunker or tree, or to force their way and allow the dispersal of our allies on the ground. The entrevus environments in the demo of the Games Convention differed, finally, by a relatively open architecture, the opportunity for each player - it was indeed a part in cooperation in four - to break the enemy ranks the leadership of its choice.

Passage (s) in force

The problem with semi-open environments, especially in a FPS, is it usually a Artificial Intelligence prime able to anticipate and react to each of your initiatives. Already not very at ease during our breakthroughs in solo, in hiding without much conviction on the battlefield as you outline, the enemy is simply exceeded at the cooperative mode to four. Between the players at your side, the soldiers of your unit controlled by the IA, and Japanese soldiers who jaillissaient the four corners of the screen to kill you, war is rapidly taking on the appearance of large foutoir anarchic, where everyone darkens above is a major strokes of bayonets. Bourrin, CoD: WaW the east and it certainly is not necessarily an evil, but it must be noted that the challenge of title remained well below expectations, so it was easy to break into the enemy lines, basting lead any helmet beyond. For some, this part looked like the team deathmatch against an armada of bots a little simplets, except in rare places where the provision of enemy units forcing U.S. troops to discipline a minimum. However, the increase was failing pleasant surprise, and that we can still come more than once to retreat or to planquer against a rock to not finish with a giboulée lead in the forehead. Players still will be forced to work when injured ally, it must then find and revive a few moments, the disabled poor soldier may nevertheless continue to draw from the ground, to clean around him pending relief. After this glimmer of brotherhood also touching that fugitive is almost of every man for himself on the battlefield. Each player is, anyway, too busy to save its own face the loaves spawns predators enemy soldiers.

And if the conditions under which we were able to try the game - a few minutes, amid brouhahas Germanic, with no indication on the storyline or the context of our mission - we will probably not stop a notice on the ambiance itself, we must recognize that staging it was rather neat. After crossing a swamp with no wolf and withstood the assaults of pliers and camouflaged military to face, players and their companions then landed on a vast bare and ripped by bombs, under the thunder of engines and aircraft the rain of enemy bullets. Without being too nervous for Modern Warfare, succession scripts knew surprise and revive action at the right time. We have seen better, it’s true, but we also saw worse; only certainty, in fact we had already seen elsewhere. The technical aspect does not surprise him rather than after the previous episode: correct, but not reversing, Call of Duty: World at War provides the essential remaining fluid, which allows him to excuse some textures a little baveuses here or there. This too short demonstration we will unfortunately does not draw more conclusions about what we reserve the new FPS, which will not surprise under the influence of Call of Duty 3: On to Paris in its overall architecture. Hopefully, however, that the solo in cooperative mode offers a little more challenging and more enemies bricks together, under penalty of being flared in a small handful of hours by most players. Costaud, pêchu, sure of its forces, but still looking for real peaks of intensity, World at War will have to prove itself worthy to ensure the succession FPS most sold by Activision last year. And once again needed.

Dead Space continues its path of man to be ready to terrorize the world when it was released in October next set. Presented in playable by Electronic Arts in the Games Convention 2008, those who want one of action games gores the most recent years has left in its attempt Xbox 360. The opportunity to share with you some of our horror, and you can prepare in advance to one of the biggest butchers virtual either.

For those who have not followed the case, remember that a few words Dead Space is a game of action for the third person halfway between the spirit of the first films of the Alien saga, and the famous Doom 3. As you can imagine, the dominant taste of such a cocktail is the fear that paralyzes you to prevent you from moving forward. Because more than anything else, the atmosphere is quite exceptional releases the title that should scotcher more than one. Establish an atmosphere really cumbersome application of the method of care, and that is what seems to have understood the game developers who have chosen good ingredients. The hero of the game will have to fight every moment for its survival, lost in the middle of the space in a huge ship whose crew has been decimated by a species alien parasite. The corpses serving as hosts to these destructive beings can be found quickly confronted with vile creatures who have much more human, often able to transform even resist your attacks if you do not find directly their point weak. A occise head or torso cut in two may not be sufficient to prevent these horrors gigoter each member of which teems frantically to pissant blood, and seek until the last moment to shred you. So it would be better ensure twice have finished working with each enemy before leaving the room without having to go back three or four times to have peace of mind. It’s a bit there lies the very oppressive Dead Space: monsters that we encounter are so frightening and unpredictable as the player quickly becomes too suspicious and paranoid.

And frankly, there is for what. For the sadists who take care of its development have planned to make you sweat, even startling on many occasions. Bris ice unexpected enemies appear anywhere, sounds glauques whose origin is difficult to determine … Only paumé in the middle of space in a large vessel populated by grotesque creatures and vicelardes, the player will have to contend with an additional arsenal rather limited for such situations as the main character is the foundation more than a technician combatant. The weapons, few can be enhanced with special terminals through credits to raise over the levels, and these all have special features that will get rid of his pursuers using his head a little rather than kilos of ammunition. The latter is rather rare, it will anyway not always a choice. Outside écoeurante its atmosphere, the title looks pretty good also on the side of manoeuvrability. The version that we were in the hands we found a good overall ergonomics, and the relative slowness of the hero can quite understand in a product of this type. The interface is a bit special it with very little information on the screen, but a state of health of the heroes who appear on his suit and information (inventory, weapons) which will be projected in front of his face to aid ‘holographic technology: a tool to enhance the immersion and to forget that you are in a game with three levels of difficulty and backup terminals scattered throughout the ship, Dead Space attempt still to reach a lot of players, finally at least those who have the heart pretty well hooked to embark on this crazy adventure. And in our case, the few moments spent on this version have reinforced a little expectations in this respect which should increasingly be about him over the week. Rather pretty horrible in its style and perhaps more profound than it seems, this is a game that will fall in time to Halloween.