Boogity boogity boogity, I've got a Need for Speed!!

The roar of the engines just gives you chills all over, doesn't it?  With the Daytona 500 being run this weekend, racing has returned to the forefront of the sports world.  What could that possibly mean for this post?  It means that it is time to look at one of 2012's most polished and exhilarating games, Need for Speed: Most Wanted.

Driving has never looked this good outside of the real world.

As a remake of EA Black Box's 2005 original, the Most Wanted of 2012 is developed by Criterion Games, who had been the developer of the highly-successful Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit remake in 2010 and the Burnout series.  Criterion knows how to get the job done when it comes to the racing genre.  They understand that most individuals don't just buy a racing game for one specific reason, but for multiple reasons.

One of those multiple reasons is for the gameplay.  Remember how in most racing titles your objective was to go from point A to point B on a certain path and after you were finished, you were taken to a menu?  Yeah, you can forget about that now.  There are many shortcuts, obstacles and structures you can use to either slow your opponent down, avoid a roadblock or other obstacles or to gain the upperhand on the other drivers.

Most Wanted's gameplay is seamless from race to open world play.  If you have cops on your tail when you finish a sprint race, they aren't going to go away just because you finished anymore.  The handling of the many cars that are available throughout the game is incredible and the cars you have the opportunity to drive are much more diverse than any other racing game on the market.

The open world of Fairhaven allows the driver to do anything they have ever dared to do in a car.  Go as fast as you want, crash as often as you want and any way you want.  Most Wanted offers absolute control over what you do to you.  As for the cars, most of them are scattered around the world just waiting for the driver to find them to unlock their availability, from the tough Ford F-150 SVT Raptor to the speedy Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.

A new feature to this remake is the Easy Drive menu.  It is accessible right from the game screen and you can manage just about anything without having to leave the action or pause the game.

Ain't no joke.

Speaking of the open world and cars, the graphics and visuals of Most Wanted are absolutely stunning, something we have come to expect from the Need for Speed series under Criterion's direction.  The cars have never looked so flawlessly beautiful.  The edges, colors and other exterior features of the car all pop and just make driving around its own epic experience.  The world of Fairhaven might be just as beautiful as the car you drive.  The roads are all very well thought-out and the blurs of the objects you pass as you speed down a highway really makes you feel like you're in the driver's seat.

What?  There was a roadblock there?

If you're a fan of racing games, you would be doing yourself a GREAT injustice if you didn't play Need for Speed: Most Wanted.  Even if you aren't a big racing game person, this title can keep anyone entertained!  This game is so polished that it might just be too good to be true.  The amazing thing is that it isn't just the visuals this time around.  The gameplay is very well thought-out and never ceases to excite.  Searching for cars and other challenges when you're not racing can keep you busy for hours.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is out now for Xbox 360, PS3, PS Vita, PC, and Wii U.
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Like what you read?  Leave a comment on your thoughts and like this post and don't forget to read other posts from before for more gaming madness!

Deuces for now bros!

3D Pokemon?! We can only hope . . .

I was six or seven years old at the time.  My family and I were on Long Island, heading to my grandparents' house for a visit.  As we pulled up to the house, my Pidgey used Gust to blow away the rest of Brock's Onix's HP, or health points.  After seemingly countless attempts, I had finally defeated the first gym leader of Kanto and Pokemon: Yellow Version.

Oh boy, these were the days . . .

That is where my gaming career as a whole had begun, on a brand-new Game Boy Color with my first game ever.  Even as a fine young student-athlete in college, Pokemon still holds a very special place in my heart.  In the many games Nintendo has put out over the years, the formula has remained the same for the most part: capture strange creatures of all shapes, colors, and sizes, train them to become strong, and battle other "trainers" to become the "Pokemon Master".

Yet through all the years, it has remained as successful as ever!  Gamers will sometimes buy a Nintendo system solely for the purpose of playing Pokemon games.  Pokemon has been a worldwide sensation since it hit the shelves in the U.S. in 1998 and just keeps growing.  However,  just when you start to think the plot and formula are getting a bit stale, the masterminds at Nintendo HQ in Japan bust out something new and ground-breaking to make us shut up.

What, did they FINALLY run out of colors?

With that being said, reports have come out that the Japanese gaming company is "rebuilding" the series from its 2D origins and roots and converting it over to the 3D world of gaming in the upcoming Pokemon: X and Y.  As a big Pokemon fan and supporter myself, I have been thinking for years, "What if Nintendo made a legitimate 3D Pokemon game that is based off the original formula?"  No Pokemon Stadium or any specialty game.  I'm talking about a straight up, 3D Pokemon game with the same gameplay and plot we have come to know and love.

The best combo of examples to use would be to have an open-world as large a scale as Skyrim and have some of the battle mechanics from Kingdom Hearts.  Imagine this: you are traveling around a new world and you are far enough into the game where you can use the move Surf in the open world, which also you to journey across bodies of water, whether it's a river, a lake or even an ocean as long as you have a Pokemon who has learned the move.  As you are traveling,  a wild Gyarados thrashes out of the depths to the surface in front of you.

A step in the right direction for the world of Pokemon.

Now, the game will pause to bring up a menu with some options.  Just as in the Kingdom Heart games, you would have the option to call upon comrades, or one of your Pokemon that is in your six-member party.  You can choose one of them to go into to battle or you may simply flee the possible conflict and try to lose the opposition.

If you choose to stand your ground (or water in this scenario), you don't watch your Pokemon go into action as you bark orders to it as in previous games.  No, you take CONTROL of the creature you have chosen to battle.  Your view switches from your trainer to the Pokemon, where you can move around freely to dodge or set up attacks, with certain buttons to activate moves your Pokemon knows.

You may bring a menu up freely as well during battle if your Pokemon needs a potion or other item to heal or recover, or to choose a Poke Ball to throw if you feel the time is right to capture the wild Pokemon . . .

Something like this would be astonishing to behold.

That sort of game would be so breathtaking and absolutely stunning that it could open so many doors for so much more in the future.  Kingdom Hearts with a Skyrim-sized world that holds hundreds of Pokemon and challenges in it?  X and Y Versions could be the start of something great that could change the world of Pokemon forever, but time will only tell if Nintendo will make my vision a reality . . . or some form of it.
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Like what you read?  Leave a comment on your thoughts and like this post and don't forget to read other posts from before for more gaming madness!

Deuces for now bros!

Alien, Aliens, and more Aliens!!

SPOILERS BELOW!! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

In 1979, it was said that "in space, no one can hear you scream."  In 1986, they returned to fight back and at that time, they said, "this time it's war."  In 2013, the horrific story continues . . .

For those new to the Alien movie series, there are five movies that are focused on the original story line, including Prometheus (sorry, Predator, you don't make the cut here.)  However, after the 1986 smash-hit sequel Aliens, an appropriate sequel to it was never truly released . . . until now.

Acidic blood? Check. Ugly ass smile? Got that too.

With Gearbox's highly anticipated Aliens: Colonial Marines on shelves now, it would be wise for anyone who wasn't seen Alien and Aliens to watch them before stepping into this title.  Not only would you be doing yourself a huge favor because they are AWESOME films but also you will know the story, characters, and what exactly you'll be stepping up against in the "Aliens" or xenomorphs (z-no-morfs.)  Trust me, you haven't seen anything this horrifyingly awful since the third Spider-Man movie.  Just awful.

As an official sequel to Aliens, you will be dropping onto the planets where the first two films had taken place.  You and your crew are on a mission to investigate what exactly happened to the community that was destroyed in the second film.  Unfortunately, you likely don't know what you're up against . . .

Mean lil' sucker, isn't it?

I think anyone who wants to give this game a go owes it to themselves to see how this horrific problem began and how it grew into one of the greatest and most respected movie series of all-time.  Colonial Marines has been much-hyped in its development because, unlike past games, it's supposed to bring the goods and make for a truly entertaining and real Alien experience.  That standard is set by the first two films so watching them is the best advice I can offer for you, my readers.

Deuces for now bros!

Become the ultimate Dragonborn in Skyrim!

Greetings everyone! A few weeks ago, I had received a request from a follower to put up a post for advice on Skyrim. So let's discuss some hints and tips for those diving into the beautiful, mountainous and snowy region of Tamriel known as Skyrim!

Some of the game's greatest moments can be just standing and taking in the view.

The first piece of advice is actually in the second sentence. Skyrim is a mountainous land with many valleys, hills and cliffs. Use the natural landscape to your advantage during battle if you can. This usually means keeping high ground on your opponent.  For example, if an opponent with a ranged weapon (bow, magic, etc.) were to cross your path, gaining ground on them makes their job of trying to kill you at least a little tougher.  It also makes the kill easier for you.

Unfortunately, sometimes gaining higher ground isn't an option and you have to go toe-to-toe with a opponent on even ground or in a room.  When this happens, you must evaluate them quickly.  Learn their techniques, what weapons and attacks they prefer and how they defend.  Your best bet is to play a little defense first to figure them out.  You can also send your follower (if you have one) after your enemy to see how they operate.

Once you feel confident in defeating them, play to your strengths.  If you're good with the sword and the FlameCloak spell, go for it.  Don't change everything you do because you're facing a Frost Troll versus a normal Troll.  Now if you're fighting a dragon, you may want to switch tactics depending on where you are in Skyrim and what level your character is on.

Fighting dragons is always an exciting feeling!

More than any other advice I can give you, you absolutely MUST save on a very regular basis.  Failing to do so could result in some very seriously annoyed situations.  If you were standing outside of Bleak Falls Barrow and saved, went through the entire dungeon, got everything you needed, came out and an Ancient Dragon decides to show up and make you a fried Dragonborn, you go back to where you where before entering the dungeon! Skyrim doesn't have any checkpoints so saving all the time is an essential part of your travels if you want to be successful.

I would like to thank those who have visited my site so far and have read my posts.  Your support is greatly appreciated.  Please follow me for more great advice, hints, tips and overall knowledge of the gaming world!  Also, if you would like some advice from me, leave a comment on any of my posts and I'll get your request up ASAP!

Deuces for now bros!

Crysis 3 might just blind you with beauty

CAUTION: SPOILERS FROM CRYSIS AND CRYSIS 2 ARE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE BELOW. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

These past few weeks, I've been dishing out advice on games that have already been released and I'm thinking I'm going to change the pace a little bit this time around.  Let's discuss an adventure that is to be released on February 19th, Crysis 3!  This is the thirs installment in the series following Crytek's famous nanosuit.

Yeah...that's the formentioned nanosuit. With a crossbow. Sick.

As in the first two Crysis games, you return to Manhattan, although the "Big Apple" seems to have rotted a little since we last saw it.  Vegetation has taken over almost every area of the city and, to be honest, it couldn't look more lovely.  Crytek has managed to turn the Concrete Jungle into a legit jungle!  Throw the baddies from the previous two games along with some new ones and we have an adventure so big that New York might be the only place on Earth to hold it!

I'm a HUGE fan of Crysis, personally.  I picked up Crysis 2 for the Xbox 360 and has IMMEDIATELY hooked.  From the sheer beauty of the environments surrounding me to the gameplay itself, I felt awestruck as I turned around every corner.  I had never seen a better looking game anywhere, as far as visuals went.  Everything was crystal clear in its appearance and I felt like I was actually in the nanosuit at some points!  The gameplay wasn't very off either. The weapons felt real and you always knew that you could get through any situation with any weapon the game could offer.

While this was all amazing and amounted to one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had the pleasure of playing, the downside of my time behind the nanosuit is that I was lost at times with the story, and that leads to my advice to you.  Play the first two Crysis.  If you can't do that (even though I'm HIGHLY recommending it), read about their plots online if you have to.  The story in these games has continued from the first one and on into this third edition.

I found myself confused by the plot because I wasn't aware of certain characters or situations from the first game (however, it was still a great plot and I thoroughly enjoyed it, haha.)  Do yourself a massive favor and learn and understand what happened in the first two games before diving in the third because your nanosuit experience will be that much sweeter and it's pretty damn sweet to begin with!

Crysis 3 will be out on February 19th for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Deuces for now bros!

Super Sunday and Madden Football

A new week and a new post!  Ah Super Bowl Sunday!  A national pastime and a celebration not only of America's Game but also of our right to sit down, eat tons of food, and watch the biggest game of the year friends and family.  As the proud owner of a gaming blog, I cannot imagine a better time to share some advice for football gaming junkies!

As the years have progressed, EA Sports's Madden NFL Football has grown in popularity.  However, coming into its 24th year of existence, Madden NFL had been slowing down and had been losing ground to its EA counterpart, NCAA Football.  NCAA had surpassed Madden is many ways...until Madden 13 arrived.  With a new gaming and graphics engine that applied real-world physics to the game (finally), Madden is ready to take its spot back atop the football gaming universe.  With the new engine, plays happen more realistically so the authenticity of the game is astounding and with such realism, there are somethings players may want to know.

First off, the days of a 190-pound wide receiver bulldozing over a 235-pound linebacker are over.  Wes Welker isn't about to truck Ray Lewis anymore.  The new engine takes everything into account, including height and weight so if a 235-pound linebacker comes screaming at your 190-pound wide receiver, chances are that he's going down. HARD.

Second, when I said the engine takes everything into account, I really mean EVERYTHING!  After playing for a few hours on the new Connected Careers mode (it's like Franchise and Superstar modes combined), I noticed that my runningback for the Pittsburgh Steelers would run up the middle and sometimes get tripped up...BY HIS OWN LINEMEN!  Gone are the days where tripping over feet or other body parts wasn't a worry.  Everything on a player's body can used as a method of tackling so if Peyton Manning decides to step up in the pocket and as he is about to throw, a defensive end comes around and grazes the end of the ball, this could be enough to knock the ball out for a fumble or an incomplete pass, just like in reality.

Now let's revisit the Wes Welker and Ray Lewis example.  Just because Lewis has a good angle to tackle Welker, it doesn't mean it's a done deal.  Welker can still make him miss by juking or shaking him.  Lewis may still get a hand on him but the tackle can still be missed.

The best advice I can offer to any Madden player, is to play as your team would on Sundays.  I can't tell you how much it pisses me off when I see someone trying to put the ball in the air all the time when they have an elite runningback, like the Philadelphia Eagles.  Michael Vick is not an elite quarterback, especially when it comes to throwing it.  LeSean McCoy, however, is an elite runningback in the league and should be used to his strengths, like catching the ball out of the backfield.  Yet, most people believe that Vick is the greatest thing since sliced bread and decide to scramble all the time and never once give the ball to McCoy, which causes turnovers.

USE THE WEAPONS AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!  If you're the Saints, throw it.  If you're the Vikings, run it.  If you're the 49ers, have fun because there isn't a wrong answer, haha.

That's all I've got for now gamers but just for fun, there is no way that Ray Lewis is walking off the field with out a second Super Bowl title under his belt.  Ravens 27, 49ers 17.

Deuces for now bros!