On Australian Prices And Shit

The only reason I’m posting here is because SW:ToR is down until about 1 and a half hours from now.
Oh BTW, review on SW:ToR to come. Until then your appetite is sated with “It’s Good”.

So anyway, Harvey has finally got with the times and is now offering games for a cheaper price, online only. Directly imported from the UK probably, but either way, it’s a whole lot better than retail.
Skyrim for $59, Deus Ex: Human Revolution for $26, and Battlefield 3 for $62. With a flat fee per game postage of something like $3.

Some prices are not better than OzGameShop, some might be, I honestly don’t care right now because I’m wallowing in the depression that is Internode got bought out by iiNet.

So Harveys fancy new slightly better priced website is super long and is is is: http://www.harveynormandirectimport.com/

And just for shits and giggles OzGameshop is: www.ozgameshop.com

Personally, I buy from whatever is the cheapest. Zavvi, Play-Asia, OzGameshop, whatever. Usually the shipping takes a long time. But at least you save yourself money. Play-Asia fortunately has choices, I usually ship via FedEx, and still save myself a healthy amount. In the process, Play-Asia gives you coupons with literally (really) every order for $5 off. Last time I got a sticker. Yes it’s awesome.

So there you have it. A shitty article, in my usual style.

Meh…

Ok so Arkham City gets really boring after a time. It’s a good game and all, but to be frank the side missions are somewhat annoying.. For example, I can’t find Fries’ wife for the life of me. And The Riddler missions I gotta find more people to beat up and get information out of.

I’m basically at the end of the game, and I only have something silly like 10% completion… Really? The fuck is that meant to mean?
The fact that you can’t complete -ALL- of the side missions at the end of the game also pisses me off. So I’m going to have to restart the game, complete side missions as they come along.

I highly doubt I’d get any replay ability out of it at all, that’s basically what [RPG] games are these days, good for once, not for any more.

On other points, I like Revelations, playing as Al’tair when he’s an old dude is fun. And Ezio’s later life really intrigues me. Though to be honest, I kind of hate the 100% synch thing, but it’s a nice touch if you like to crack at these things over and over and get it right then and there. I probably wont see the point in doing it again, but who knows – it may be the last in the franchise, which I sincerely hope it isn’t.

Either way though, it’s a fucking awesome game and I like it.

Onto another point, SW:TOR is nearing release date, and I really, really, REA-FUCKING-LLY hope it’s a game worthy of my money and thus my monthly subscription. MMO’s have been pretty shitty releases, not to mention other games that have been hyped to hell in recent years have released with an overall lack-lustre reception come the levels that the big reviewers didn’t bother to get to (and sometimes the starting levels too).

I’m seriously looking for a decent PC game to download, I think I might get The First Templar, despite what people say about the voice acting. I mean hell, The Witcher number one people said the voice acting was shite, but hey, I quite liked it, it was a great game in my books, and still is. Which brings me to my next point, I’m probably gunna play Assassin’s of King’s again just to try the new patch thingmies, and mods.

Blah blah blah, so on and so forth.

Downton Abbey, Merlin – New Seasons

Downton Abbey – series 2 is already out. We left series 1 on the bombshell of WWI starting. I really like Downton Abbey with Dame Maggie Smith playing the awesome role of Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham.
I’d highly recommend the series  to anyone. It’s right up there with Game of Thrones by HBO.

Now Merlin series 4. Also a great TV show. More geared towards the kids. But none the less a great show all-over. King Arthur has aged since I last saw him in series 3. It could be the haircut, but he looks a bit older. Merlin however looks the same. Great actors in the show, and hopefully Morganna wont have as big a role. My main gripe is her, I hate her character and the person playing it. Be the directors having her grinning in the background – whatever. They truly annoy me with her character and the actress playing it.

Both are great TV shows none-the-less. Both are available on BBC-iView I believe. In Australia – ABC (not sure about Downton though).
Go ahead and watch them.

In other news – I finished watching the whole of 24, and I must admit that is also an epic TV show. So if you haven’t watched it – go do it. Pity about it ending though. I really like Kiefer Sutherland

Saitek Cybord R.A.T 7 (MadCatz)

Saitek, known for making completely fucking awesome flight control systems, have their sister company MadCatz… Known for making shitty products.
Well they’ve stepped up their game and I recently bought an R.A.T. 7 Gaming Mouse. While pricey, I find it’s well worth it.

The unique feature of this, ugly mouse is it’s completely customisable, save for the buttons and thumb rest. Though mind you the thumb rest is movable in, our, forwards and backwards.
The pinky rest has 3 parts, one which will cause no drag, and 2 which I probably wont try out. It comes with a built in tool to the mouse allowing you to undo all the bits to remove, or completely change them.

All this combined with weights, and 3 different palm rests (1 smooth, 1 grip-like and 1 high profile) and an awesome glide with a satisfying click make this mouse my favourite to date.

I’ll let the pictures do all the talking.

The Witcher 2 Review

Okedoke guys, a review for ya.

The Witcher 2 – the sequel to one of the best RPG’s in my books. Based on the books done by Andrej Whoop Whoop Bang Bang. The Last Wish, The Blood Of Elves etc etc.

Overall – the story is non-linear, as they advertised. Stunning world. Combat system is basically the same, but I like it more this time around. The game isn’t all about the combat after-all.

Chapter 1 and 2. Excellent. I loved the areas. The characters. The sexing. The killing.
Chapter 3 – a little too short. You kinda get placed right there, and then the end happens. I sometimes found it hard  to navigate around.
Epilogue – OMG THE END NOOOO.

I want more.

But overall, the minigames (save for dice) are excellent. The sexing of womens is also good. I like the story. The way the choices actually do impact (lol DA2). And the way that CDPR actually LISTENED to their player-base (insane difficulty).

Sure, there’s a rough launch. But the patch was released, and they are trying hard to appease us gamers. They practically gave all DLC to everyone for free.

Anyway, without spoilers – which is what I do. Brutally honest review. Me actually playing the game, not getting paid for these reviews. I give this a 9/10. The last chapter is a little rushed.

Happy? Yeh. Angry? No. Good? Yes.

The Witcher II: Assassins Of Kings

I’m currently playing this game.
I’d like to comment on one particular issue:
It had one bit censored for Australians, however I got mine off of Amazon, with courier delivery. In Australia on the 2nd day, at my doorstep the 3rd day. DHL worldwide. CouriersPlease locally (also owned by DHL).
But low and behold – some smart cookie has released a de-censorship patch. Go Google for it. It’s a win-win really.

I got the collectors edition. I must admit the quality of the contents is amazing. It would have to be THE BEST collectors edition game I have ever bought. You get 3 stickers, a letter, a gold oren, 2 DLC packs, bonus DVD, game guide, artbook, marble mock bust of Geralt, maybe some other shit that I’ve missed. But by far, it is really awesome.

The graphics are orgasmic. The voice acting is better, and I must give this an A+ for improvement. The story is the same quality stuff. The combat has had some overhauls – and I must admit, I like it.
The game is a challenge, however it has varying difficulty levels. I tried on hard for some of the game, and it is quite a challenge. I’m not going to touch the hardest level – where you die and have to start over.

But seriously CD Project RED are one hell of a developer. They truly listened to their community, and despite some major issues (such as the game not installing off of DVD) they seem to be doing quite well.

I’m only up to chapter 1, but I already want more Witcher games to come.

10/10 so far. Much better than Dragon Age 2

A Game of Thrones

Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Political and sexual intrigue abound. The primary families are the Stark, Lannister, and Baratheon families. Robert Baratheon, King of Westeros, asks his old friend Eddard Stark to serve as his chief advisor. Eddard, suspecting that his predecessor had been murdered, accepts so that he can investigate further. It turns out more than one family is plotting to take the throne. The Queen’s family, the Lannisters, may be hatching a plot to take control. Across the sea, the last surviving members of the previously deposed ruling family, the Targaryens, are also plotting a return to power. The conflict between these families and others, including the Greyjoys, the Tullys, the Arryns, and the Tyrells, leads to war. Meanwhile, in the north, an ancient evil awakens. Amidst war and the political confusion, a brotherhood of misfits, The Night’s Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and the horrors beyond.

Yet another awesome TV series by HBO.
Thanks to the USA and the UK I get to watch this one before 2012. I’m loving it so far, and I urge everyone to watch the show.

I’ve not read the books, but I feel reading the books will not ruin the show too much. Anyway, on to the review:

It’s got love, betrayal, greed blood and guts, and of course murder.
It’s a fantasy epic, in George R. R. Martin’s writing. I think it’s unlike any other world. The main conflict here is between two families, one royalty, the other aristocracy.  House of Stark, and House of Lannister. But there’s also other stories to be told.

Sean Bean stars as Eddard Stark, who is the main character in this, the story is mainly about him, but it still isn’t the whole story. Which is  good. I like stories within stories (Storyception). I think HBO put a bit of a gamble in this series, with lots of money, it will pay off.

There’s a lot of character to the art, with depth. A good job I think by creating the world ground-up. Costumes are fucking awesome, so is the landscape and armour. It’s all been done well, and which is why I like HBO.

Go ahead and watch it as the stories unfold. It’s pleased me just like Rome did. You wont be let-down. I will probably read the books after this series has ended.

I give it a 9/10 so far. The actors, younger and older are full of win.

King Arthur: The Roleplaying Wargame

Neocore games made an awesome game. Released in 2009 King Arthur: The Roleplaying Wargame brings in elements of an RPG to a real time strategy.
While I personally have never played a game like this, I feel it has done a pretty good job of doing it.

3 days ago from the time of this post, I was looking for a game to play, because the US/AU timezone in EVE Online is a bit lacking in my current alliance. So I figure: “While I’m waiting for a Jabber alert, why not play a game?”.
I think, hey I like Empire: Total War, but even with DarthMod, before I can get towards the end of the time span with the more modern units I’ve already won the game. So maybe Napoleon: Total War might be good….
For $50 it’d be a bit of a money sink for a game with has an appalling AI, and E:TW didn’t exactly deliver.

I’ve heard good things about King Arthur: TRPWG, and for about $40 I can get the whole game, all expansions and DLC’s. Hey, and it’s got an AI way better than N: TW and E: TW.

The game, overall, is good. It takes you to the land of myth, in a time of magic. With Merlin, Arthur, Guinevere and other historal peoples from that time. It’s got a nice Chronicle to it, and the story develops as you play the game, and send your magic wielding heroes on quests, and make decisions.
While the graphics are a bit lacking, I noticed one really cool thing: the people in the units don’t all have the same face. WTF?
It is little things like this that make me like a game.

If you’re looking for a fun game, while not necessarily looking to spend a lot of money, this game will deliver.

Overall: 8/10.