Exteel

Spud — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:47:45 +0000

Exteel: Mechwarriors Unite By Burton Clark             For several years now, developers at NcSoft have brought us several games like City Of Heroes, City of Villains, Guild Wars, Tabula Rasa and more. Most of these games are 3rd/1st person Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. Lately, gamers like me have just been overwhelmed with the recycling of the standard formula MMO. We have all “been there, done that” for at least a couple of these. We all have one or more max-level character with top tier gear, flying mount, etc. I have told myself during numerous sessions of W.o.W., “I really need something new to play.” We have all felt the sting from when your favorite game just isn’t cutting it and you need something new. Exteel may be your answer. It is a fantastic, cut loose, hard-hitting Third Person Shooter in a beautiful looking anime style. If you are a fan of any Anime series with oversized weapons, Mecha, and firepower that just won’t quit then check this game out!!!

            The game starts with a free download off the website (www.exteel.com) which average’s about 10-20 minutes. Next, just install, make a quick account (which MAY be now linkable to a preexisting NcSoft Master account. The first stage of it did not allow a quick link to master accounts.) The quick and easy way to setup is to make an account with the same name and add one more digit to your password just to make it simple. Finally, you just need to pick a call sign and you’re ready to go. You get a very simple control set that is easy to master within minutes. Once you go through a brief tutorial with weapon recognition (and some free credits, but the tutorial IS optional), you get your first “Mechanaught” and get to jump into the battle and begin earning kills, credits, ranks and levels. You can customize your Mech in practically every way possible. Various parts grant different stat bonuses. Some reduce cool down time, others increase marksmanship, and some alter weight and size. Mixing and matching parts to their utmost efficiency is left entirely to the users personal play style and weapon choices. The parts share a look that allows for most any of them to fit within the overall scheme of a particular mechanaught design.             There are Parts, Weapons, Attack Skills, Items, a variety of paint colors, and you pretty much make your own custom Mechanaught. You can mix it up with everyone else online in classic game-play styles like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Territory Control, and the very popular Last Stand. Last Stand is a mode where the players are on the same team and you have to defend your bases from timed waves of drone attacks. You setup with two weapon sets and can dual-wield any combination of the following weapons: Pistols, shotguns, sub machine guns, rifles, swords, or lances. You can even use oversized cannons, and rocket launchers that sport a very stylish and impressive look.

            One of the most popular weapon choices are dual sub machine guns, and when your weapons overheat (which imposes a 5-8 second cool down) you can switch to dual melee weapons, or a weapon and shield. Make a statement and choose the weapons that you feel comfortable with, but I must warn you that you will want at least one melee weapon in your set. Not sure that your weapon choices will hack it? Then hop over into practice mode and test your new gear out on mindless drones. Please keep in mind that if you jump into a battle after making a new mech or weapon choice untested, no matter what the outcome, that all matches are ranked. There is a very easy to use buddy system for all your fellow mech pilots. There are only 4 game modes at this current time due to only being in beta, but further details are available on the website. At the moment, the game is free to both play and download. Although options are limited due to beta testing, this does not limit the enjoyment of the game. The sound palette, the music and sound effects, do the game and theme justice. Automatic weapons fire chatters, and boosters roar with abundance while melee weapons sing with true sci-fi lust. Even communications with your fellow pilots can be heard during the fervent fury of a battle. Shells fly, melee weapons gleam, and body counts rise in this fast and fun game. I fully encourage you to check this out now! The requirements are slightly higher than that of Warcraft, Heroes, Villains, but the game looks FANTASTIC.

Bioshock PC Demo

kenneth.holm — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:52:59 +0000

Bioshock Demo: The Review By Kenneth Holm Dorkgasm Staff Writer

So, everyone and their mother are talking about Bioshock now. Seriously, even my mother asked me about it. The demo is now available, and I thought it prudent to play through and jot some thoughts. As with every other review published so far, I will try to be as spoiler-free as possible.

This game, developed by Irrational Games (System Shock II, Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich), is PC FPS action at its finest. I really cannot think of a game that got me salivating only by the demo. The atmosphere is so immersive; I had to look around sometimes to remind me I was at home. The graphics are just sick, both in the geek speak way and the more-commonly used adjective form. The storyline is brought out with in-game dialogue in the form of recordings and a voice-in-the-ear of "Atlas". This may be just in the demo, though.

I know the real game is out now for your dorky consumption, but I decided to review the demo for two reasons: 1) I wanted to see if it was even usable on my setup. It is, obviously, but only on medium settings. And 2) I am oh-so-poor.

So, as you can see, a free demo is just right for me. However, now I am faced with a problem. The demo has roped me in fully. For those of you not really in the know about what this game is about, let me tell you...

It's the 1960's, and you begin on a plane. You're having a smoke, thinking about life, when all hell breaks loose. Your plane goes down in a spectacular crash, and you're left to find your way out of the rubble while floating in the middle of the ocean. Good thing there's an island nearby with a mysterious lighthouse, or is it?!?!?

From hereon out, you are sucked into the world of Andrew Ryan, who, in the grand Objectivist tradition, has created a completely underwater world where religion and morality hold no sway. Sounds like my kind of place, but I digress. Apparently, the underwater world of "Rapture" has fallen, and the only occupants left are scattered people and lots of crazy ass monsters. I am not going to say anymore about the story, but rest assured, it is creepy as hell and it will keep you going.

Final words on the demo, though. If you can run it, do so immediately. Make sure all non-vital programs that might be running in the background are turned off, as this game is a system hog, for sure. Games like these are why I started playing in the first place. Great story, great bad guys, and great graphics. I'd say this game is for people who liked System Shock II (who doesn't?) and Deus Ex II (the Plasmid system in Bioshock, add-ons that rework your physical abilities, borrows heavily from DEII), and who aren't afraid to journey to the darkest places of the human heart. In other words, almost ever reader on this site.

Until next time, folks, keep it dorky. I know I will.

Dorkgasm - PC Game Review

Exteel

Bioshock PC Demo