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Age of Empires IV, review

November 7, 2021 Gerard Campbell 1127 Views Age of Empires IV, Historical, Microsoft, Real Time Tactics, real-time strategy

t’s been almost 15 years since the last instalment of Microsoft’s seminal real-time strategy (RTS) game. Man, it’s good to be back playing the newest game in the series, Age of Empires IV. Back in the day, Ensemble Studios was the proud custodian of the Age of Empire mantle but that developer has sadly long since departed.

The reins have now been handed to Canadian development studio Relic Entertainment, an experienced developer with a fine pedigree of RTS games behind it like Homeworld and the Company of Heroes series.

Returning to the medieval age, AOEIV offers eight civilizations (English, Chinese, French, Rus, Roman Empire, Delhi Sultanate, Mongols and Abbasid Dynasty) and a handful of single-player campaigns running from the Norman invasion of Britain in 1066 up to the Russo-Kazan wars of 1552.

Game Reviews Game Pass Gaming Microsoft Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

Forza Horizon 5 Review (XSX)

November 4, 2021 Barrie Clarke 1357 Views Forza, Microsoft, Open World, Racing, XBOX

nd the first Forza Motorsport on the original Xbox, it had me hooked. But then in 2012 came the first Forza Horizon on the Xbox 360.

It was the Horizon Series that reeled me in. The freedom and forgiveness that Horizon has over its Motorsport brother is far more to my liking, and driving style. And here we are now in 2021 with the fifth instalment in the Forza Horizon franchise.

Viva Mexico!

Gaming Game Reviews Microsoft PC / Mac Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

Psychonauts 2, review

August 24, 2021 Gerard Campbell 1427 Views Adventure, Classic, Doublefine, Mental Health, Microsoft

Five years.

Five long years (actually, it’s more like five and a half years but what’s six months?)

That’s how long I’ve been waiting for Psychonauts 2 from Lucasfilm alumni Tim Schafer & his Double Fine Productions studio to be released since I backed it on crowd-funding platform Fig in January 2016.

I’ve long been a fan of Tim Schaefer’s work – don’t get into a conversation with me about how good Grim Fandango is – and while Broken Age didn’t do it for me, despite funding that, too, I jumped at the chance to crowd-fund Psychonauts 2 when I learned it needed help to be made. This was a chance to be part of game development history, right?

Gaming Game Reviews Microsoft PC / Mac Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

MS Flight Simulator, Xbox Series X

July 29, 2021 Richard Armitt 1018 Views Flight Simulator, Microsoft, Open World

MS Flight Simulator, it’s here, finally here. Eleven months have literally ‘flown’ by since the amazing PC version hit the skies. Console gamers have had to wait patiently like Air New Zealand flights landing in Sydney, (behind Qantas arrivals).

Not only that, it’s also on bloody Gamepass, which is turning into the must have service on the planet.

Everybody with any itch to travel needs to experience this game at some level. If you haven’t got a kickass PC, get an Xbox, get Gamepass and get flying.

Gaming Hardware Hardware Reviews Microsoft PC / Mac Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

Xbox Wireless Headset

March 28, 2021 Richard Armitt 1333 Views 3d Sound, Headphones, Microsoft, XBOX SERIES S, XBOX SERIES X

Yes, I got influenced, the Xbox Wireless Headset was not something I really needed, but seeing it flaunted on Socials and flying off the shelves. I decided I’d better shell out for a set before they were gone. So after seeing my local EB Games run out, I hit a quick ‘Click and Collect’ on the JB hiFi website and turned to my flexible friend.

I had an email from them by 6:30pm, and was dashing into late night shopping to pick it up by 7:30pm. No supply issues there.

Fortunately we’ve had a few Headsets run through the team in recent times. Wired, wireless and both first or third party.

At the end of the day, it’s about how they enhance your game time. The Xbox Wireless Headset is no exception, the first reveals promised a quality unit and they didn’t mislead.

Fresh out of the minimalistic packaging and box, which is more PS5 than Series X the new Headset smell is unmistakable.

Gaming Game Pass Game Reviews Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

The Medium, Xbox S|X Review

January 28, 2021 Guy 1306 Views Blooper Team, Gamepass, Microsoft, XBOX SERIES S, XBOX SERIES X

I think most would accept, Xbox’s Gamepass is the revelation of this generation. Over one hundred games to choose from and xbox exclusives are released straight to Gampass at launch. It is a brilliant, brilliant subscription service. And, excuse my glibness, it saves gamers from mistakenly spending money on titles that are probably not destined for greatness, (*cough) like The Medium.

The Medium is the latest game from Blooper Team who made the brilliant “Observer”, a Sci-fi Detective adventure released in 2017. This time round, they have ditched the cyber-punky aesthetic and are channeling some silent hill-esque tension set in an abandoned Kraków resort in Poland. Its moody, inspired by the greats of the genre and has a fresh take on puzzle mechanics.

Feature Article Gaming Microsoft PC / Mac Playstation PS5 Xbox Series X

2020 Roundup, the year that was.

January 1, 2021 Richard Armitt 1867 Views Cloudpunk, DOOM Eternal, Dreams, Dualsense, Flight Simulator, Ghost, Hot Pursuit, Maneater, Microsoft, PS5, PSVR, Sackboy, Star Wars, Sucker Punch, The Last of Us Part 2, XBOX SERIES X, youtube, Zombie Army

How do you have a 2020 Roundup? A year that has put the Annus in Annus Horribulus. The ongoing pandemic notwithstanding its been a year where everybody seems to have shared tragedy on some level. Having lost close friends, dear pets and suffered a weather event catastrophe I’m just glad COVID has not yet reached my door.

Here we at the dawn of a New Year, and just like twelve short months ago. Everybody is wishing that when that calendar clicks over the trend gets better. We should take a quick spin around the highlights of what we managed under such adversity.

Gaming Feature Article Indie Game Microsoft Xbox Series X

Xbox Series X – The First 14 Days

November 29, 2020 Barrie Clarke 1562 Views 4K HDR, Assassin's Creed, Gears of War, Microsoft, Touryst, Valhalla, XBOX SERIES X, Yakuza

I am one of the lucky ones. Despite constant doubt and rumours of supply shortages my Xbox Series X Pre Order was waiting for me instore on November 10th. I was working, it was a long day. This isn’t a deep dive into the hardware, or even the next gen games. This is a overarching opinion piece from someone who has been Xboxing since day one, almost 19 years ago.

I have be enveloped by the Xbox ecosystem, met great people online, suffered RROD, tried to dance and sing, been a rock god, and most importantly, loved the games.

Gaming is in my blood. At almost 50 years old there isn’t a day go by that I don’t play a game or at least do something related to gaming. And to my wife’s dismay, our teenager is following in my footsteps. I have owned countless consoles, PC’s, handhelds, all-in-one’s, and devices. From C64’s to Gizmondos. 386 PC’s to 3DS.

I love all gaming and am definitely not one caught up in fanboy, PC master race, console war rubbish. I want to play games. Nothing more, nothing less.

Gaming Hardware Hardware Reviews Microsoft Xbox Series S

XBOX SERIES S, Impressions

November 21, 2020 Guy 1955 Views Impressions, Microsoft, XBOX SERIES S, XBOX SERIES X

Oh the excitement! Oh the Hype! We are entering a new generation of Consoles and I have been lucky enough to have an Xbox Series S for the last couple of weeks to play with.

Richard has put the Big Brother Series X through its paces, so check out his impressions in that post.

But for now, here is my Review of the lil Xbox Series S.

Gaming Game Pass Hardware Hardware Reviews Microsoft XBLA Xbox One Xbox Series X xbox360

XBOX SERIES X, Impressions

November 7, 2020 Richard Armitt 2405 Views @XBOXANZ, Backwards Compatible, Crackdown, Dirt 5, Gamepass, Gears of War, Microsoft, Minecraft, Too Human, XBOX, XBOX ONE S, XBOX SERIES S, XBOX SERIES X, xbox360

I’ll come straight out with this, Microsoft and Xbox ANZ very kindly supplied us with an XBOX SERIES X in their review window. That means we’ve had it for about a week and a half. What follows are my thoughts after unboxing and those first steps with the next generation of gaming.

Don’t judge an Xbox Series X by its cover.

At least until you’ve read a bit.

Gaming Game Pass Game Reviews PC / Mac Video Content

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020: Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away

August 28, 2020 Gerard Campbell 2982 Views Flight Simulator, Gamepass, Global Mapping, Microsoft

I didn’t expect to love Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 as much as I did when I first started playing it but I do. I love it.

There’s just something therapeutic and relaxing about taking to the skies in a Cessna or a Daher TBM930 single-engine and just flying from point A to point B. Heck, often there is no point B involved at all. I often just found myself taking off from an airport, be it Christchurch, in New Zealand, or Tekapo or Brisbane or Melbourne and just flying around, looking at houses and seeing how close I can get to the ground before the plane’s warning klaxon does my head in.

I’ll be completely honest: I’m a hopeless pilot. My first few take-offs were sketchy af. They still are sometimes, actually.

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