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PAXAus 2019, being there and slightly square

Richard Armitt 1264 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

After all the build up and fervour PAXAus 2019 has been and gone. It was a first visit for me, probably not the last, but my old bones are currently arguing against it. Having become something of a big hitter on the gaming calendar I was keen to see this year what all the fuss was about.

As an eclectic gathering of Gaming, Pop Culture and Cosplay it does the job well, and you can see from the eyes of the consumer that wanders the floors glassy eyed that they are getting all the shiny things they need. I enjoyed the relative tranquility of the table-top game area and retro section, it was a relief from the pressing crowds squeezing through the aisles.

The main event was loud, brash and exhausting, especially when I flew in for a single day with a maximum of six hours on the ground.

But, that’s me, at PAXAus 2019, being there and slightly square.

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Children of Morta Review (Xbox One X)

Barrie Clarke 1101 Views ,  ,  , 

Meet the Bergsons, the Children of Morta. John, Linda, Kevin, Mark, Lucy, and Joey. Good, solid hero names if ever there was. Living in the shadow of Mount Morta and entrusted with its protection, life has been pretty good for the Bergsons. Until an evil corruption takes hold with in the mountain.

Now it is time to take up arms and save the sacred mountain they call home.

When it comes to games, I don’t mind rogue-likes, talk to @nzbrowncoat and you might just get a different response. So thankfully for him, I have Children of Morta from Dead Mage Inc. to review and he doesn’t.

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Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Breakpoint
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Ghost Recon: “Inflection Point”

Guy 1316 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Once upon a time, there was a Ghost Recon gamer who loved to be sneaky.

With tactics, teammates and guile he would carry out complex, dangerous missions where the fate of the world was at stake.

He… was a Ghost.

But something changed. There seemed to no longer be a need for true Ghosts. 2019 has made this gamer become a new beast, and not something that makes bad guys scared of the dark. He has now morphed into a soft, spongy creature called a ‘Cash Cow’, and his only mission these days is to gobble up shiny trinkets and loot crates.

To be clear, this isn’t going to be our Review, as I think at this point any discerning gamer has enough information available to make an educated purchasing decision. What I intend to do is give some brief thoughts on how I approached my first few hours in Breakpoint.

Then in a few months come back and revisit the title, to see if the developer has come to their senses and made some improvements.

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Frostpunk – Console Edition Review (Xbox One X)

Barrie Clarke 1769 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

The year is 1886 and thanks to massive volcanic eruptions the world is plunging into anther Ice Age.

Man scrambles and builds massive coal powered generators to try and create enough heat to establish areas where humans can continue to live in this harsh new world. But resources are scarce and plenty are needed to ensure people are fed and sheltered. In Frostpunk you need to decide on the priorities and whether it will be order or faith that will see you through.

It is good solid fun. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Concrete Genie feature
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Concrete Genie Review, PS4

Richard Armitt 1866 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

Only last week my wife was watching me play another game and she asked ‘why is it always shooting’? Sadly I knew exactly what she meant, then I fired up my Concrete Genie review code and we both got lost for a few hours.

First party developers Pixelopus have created something new and unique, a game that drips with charm and subtlety. It is fair to say although short by some standards Concrete Genie is a beautiful experience that lifts your spirit.

Concrete Genie tells the tale of a boy saving his hometown Denska from darkness with magical graffiti. It is beautiful, colourful and enriching.

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Greedfall
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Greedfall: Colonialism in the New World

Gerard Campbell 1253 Views ,  ,  , 

When it comes to games from publisher Focus Interactive, you sometimes expect things to be a little rough around the edges. Greedfall is no exception, an action RPG set in the 17th Century where colonialism is spreading through the new world.

Sure, it’s a little rough around the edges, but it does have charm that grows on you as you progress.

I guess Greedfall could best be likened to a game like CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher series. Where combat and diplomacy play key roles as you explore towns and other locations in the New World of Ter Fradee. Discovering its secrets – and the cure for a strange affliction called the malichor.

Players control diplomat De Sardet, an emissary of the congregation of merchants. He’s a likeable chap, if I’m being honest, with a cheeky charm and attitude that is instantly endearing.

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The Sojourn - Feature
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Byte Size – The Sojourn Review (Xbox One X)

Barrie Clarke 968 Views , 

sojourn

noun

a temporary stay.

“her sojourn in Rome”

Similar: stay visit stop stopover residence holiday vacation

Sounds fantastic. And when you start your sojourn in an unknown and mysterious land full of beauty it is hard not to relax and take in surroundings.

But The Sojourn is a puzzle game and we all know where that can lead. You can’t help but wonder how temporary this stay will be.

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NBA 2K20, PS4 Review

Guy 1724 Views ,  ,  , 

I’m not a huge player of Video Games in the Sports genre, so loading up NBA 2K20 was very much a fresh experience for me.  I came to learn two things about the current state of AAA sports games.

They look and feel amazing to play, with a perfect balance of fun and realism I never thought Video Games would or could achieve and secondly, that micro-transactions seem to have permeated every facet of the genre.

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CoD: Modern Warfare 2019 – M/P Beta

Guy 1258 Views ,  ,  , 

Over this weekend I got all hot and sweaty. I immersed myself back into the Multi-Player world of Call of Duty.

Something I haven’t done in many years, as the ridiculous, bombastic, sci-fi direction CoD has taken in the last 10 years has not grabbed me. Well, CoD: Modern Warfare 2019 is going to change all that.

The prospect of a contemporary, realistic shooter peaked my interest when I saw the Campaign trailer earlier this year. It seriously looks like my cup of tea. So when a code for the M/P Beta hit my emails I couldn’t help but go for a look.

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Roman Reigns Leukaemia
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WWE 2K20 – Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society Partnership

Richard Armitt 1114 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

2K have partnered up WWE 2K20 with The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). With cover star Roman Reigns as its figurehead the campaign is set to drive donations for the LLS through September and October. Reigns himself is a second time survivor of Leukaemia.

Having survived Stage 4 Lymphoma myself back in 2005. This is a subject close to all sorts of avenues in my body. There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t think about what might have been or worry about what tomorrow might bring.

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