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PAXAus 2019, being there and slightly square

Oct 20, 2019 Richard Armitt 1512 Views EB Expo, Expo, indie, Microsoft, PAXAus, Playstation, Sony, XBOX

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.

Byte Size Review XBLA Xbox One xbox360

Xbox – Lynx (for gamers)

Jul 21, 2019 Richard Armitt 2356 Views Grooming, Influencer, Lynx, Smelly, XBOX

I’m not sure how it came about, probably one marketing person talking to another, maybe they wanted to do something about influencers smelling of Bullshit, maybe it was because Gamers alledgely smell of teenage stockpiles stashed under their beds.

Also, it’s been around for well over a month, but sometimes when the PR guys decide not to send you something to review, you have to buy it yourself if you really want to try it out. This is just as true for games and hardware as it is for grooming products.

So here we are, a week after I spent $12 in Coles to try out the Xbox flavour Lynx and to see if it really did lift my game.

Overall, it has been a neat little spike for exposure on both brands, has it won over consumers? Probably not. Has it won over the Influencers, streamers and gang that gushed over their care packages? Well, let’s file that under Anthem shall we.

Game Reviews Gaming Xbox One xbox360

Crackdown 3 Review – Xbox One

Feb 15, 2019 Richard Armitt 1364 Views Crackdown, Microsoft, XBOX, xbox360

A long time ago when the xbox360 was young there were games that defined the console, one of them was Crackdown.

Putting you in the shoes of a super-human Agent, the game had you reclaiming an open world one task at a time and mowing down a hefty roster of bad guys. All sounds pretty familiar, well yes it was, but then there were Orbs and the way you skilled up and the subtle effects that came with those skills, not to mention the small army array of weapons at your disposal. Having recently hit the backwards compatible pile and being free to download I had a recent spin around the original and it didn’t disappoint.

Yes, by today’s standard the open world was fairly bare and the cel-shaded aesthetic wasn’t much to write home about. However, the game had chops, big furry, playable chops and people loved it.

There is a lot to like about Crackdown 3, while it may feel like an older game, it is built using a formula that works and you don’t have to worry about getting chores or conversations. As a great example of keeping it simple we have a Crackdown for people to enjoy, a game that doesn’t get bogged down in drawn out narrative, rather a game that wants you to play it.

Get out there and kick some ass Agents.

Game Reviews Gaming PS4 Xbox One

Resident Evil 2 (2019) Review – Xbox One X

Feb 1, 2019 Barrie Clarke 1558 Views Capcom, PS4, Remake, Resident Evil, XBOX

Even though this is a remake I don’t want to spoil anything for first time players or absent minded older gamers who are revisiting Raccoon City.

So consider this a SPOILER FREE REVIEW.

Now you would have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of Resident Evil, or Biohazard for those from Japan. The games have been around for over 2o years, along with comics, novels, toys, several movies, and now rumours that Netflix have a Resident Evil series in the works.

I guess that all this longevity and multi format content just shows how good the story and characters are in the Resident Evil Universe. Obviously this game isn’t the second release in the series but a remake of the 1998 version.

Feature Article Game News XBLA Xbox One

2019 on Xbox. What’s to come?

Jan 8, 2019 Barrie Clarke 1267 Views 2019, Anthem, Crackdown, Gears of War, Metro, Microsoft, Sea of Thieves, The Division, XBOX

So here we are, a new year and a new slew of games to look forward to. Most have been in the mix for a while now so there are no real surprises here but still an impressive list none the less.

Personally I am looking forward to The Outer Worlds and Wasteland 3 the most, but am also keen have a crack at Anthem and Metro Exodus. And lets not forget that all Microsoft Studios titles will release straight to Game Pass so if you aren’t a subscriber what more reason do you need?

Cheers, Barrie.

Feature Article Gaming PS4 PSNetwork PSVR Switch Console Xbox One

The Koru-Cottage Games of The Year 2018

Dec 16, 2018 Guy 1835 Views Alienation, Ashen, ESO, Fallout, Firewall, Forza, Microsoft, Moss, Mudrunner, Mutant Year Zero, Nintendo, No Man's Sky, PS4, Sony, Spiderman, Strange Brigade, Switch, XBOX

The end of 2018 fast approaches and what an amazing year of games we have had. Playstation have had more AAA exclusives you can poke a stick at, Xbox has changed the gaming landscape with the amazing offering that is Game-Pass and Fortnite…..well has taken all the money and given us silly dances in return.

But I hear you say, enough talk…….. what are the Games of The Year down at the Cottage?

Well, here we go.

Feature Article Game News XBLA Xbox One xbox360

New Family Settings and Tools for Cross-Play Now Available on Xbox

Dec 8, 2018 Barrie Clarke 1350 Views LIVE, Microsoft, XBOX

Microsoft recently announced the availability of cross-play updates to Family Settings on Xbox, which include two new settings parents can turn on and off in supported games, for both cross-network play and cross-network communication on any child or teen account.

With this update, Xbox is giving parents more choice in managing child and teen accounts for cross-network gaming scenarios.

Feature Article Game News Hardware Xbox One

Xbox Adaptive Controller Now In New Zealand

Dec 8, 2018 Barrie Clarke 1293 Views Adaptive Controller, Microsoft, XBOX

Microsoft is proud to announce that the Xbox Adaptive Controller is available for purchase in New Zealand for $139.99.

It is a first-of-its-kind device as an affordable, easy-to-set-up and readily available Xbox Wireless Controller designed for gamers with limited mobility.

Feature Article Game News PS4 PSNetwork Xbox One

PUBG on PS4, December 7th!

Nov 14, 2018 Richard Armitt 1205 Views PS4, PUBG, Sony, XBOX

Maybe not a complete surprise, but you have to love when things happen quickly.

So, PUBG finally comes to PS4 in a couple of weeks about a year after we reviewed the Xbox version, but hey, this is a Fortnite Free Zone and I personally enjoy the pace and atmosphere that PUBG can generate. So bring it and its nice looking pre-order bonuses.

Oh yes, press release below…

Game Reviews Gaming Xbox One

State of Decay 2 – Daybreak Pack (Xbox One X)

Oct 3, 2018 Barrie Clarke 1615 Views Microsoft, State of Decay, XBOX, Zombies

Daybreak is the first real add on for Undead Labs great zombie survival game, State of Decay 2. There have been some weapons and cars made available via DLC, but nothing substantial.

Now six months after the initial game release will have seen most gamers, including myself, having moved on from State of Decay 2. And with so many great releases recently and in the near future it would have to be something pretty spectacular to draw gamers back in.

Game Reviews Gaming Xbox One

Forza Horizon 4 Review (Xbox One X)

Sep 26, 2018 Barrie Clarke 1523 Views Forza, Microsoft, XBOX

This time round we find the Horizon Festival taking place in the UK, near Edinburgh, and the big talking point is seasons. Different seasons bring different weather and, of course, different driving conditions.

It’s Forza Horizon. We all know it, we all love it. The fourth release in the series does not disappoint. It is more refined, more social, and most importantly more open.