Free Download de Blob

Nintendo third party games have had an interesting, and rather pathetic history. But it could be on the rebound.de Blob is a Wii game from developer Blue Tongue that is making quite a splash. The idea was conceived by some game development students in the Netherlands and spotted by THQ. Now the fully fleshed out platformer is making its gooey debut on both Wii and DS consoles.

The evil I.N.K.T Corporation has sucked the color out of the once vibrant city of Chroma. Now its population is being captured and, dare I say, some former musicians are being made accountants! Well of course, enter the (de) Blob. He’s slow, overweight, and likes to eat paint, but he’s the man to save this city from a cruel, monochromatic death.

The gameplay is simple. Players use the analog on the nunchuck to roll the Blob around the city, painting the white and gray buildings full of color. While you may wonder why you don’t use the tilt functionality to roll, the analog provides a much tighter and more responsive feel to the game. To jump requires a fling downwards with the Wii remote, and similarly to attack, players swing down.

I found the controls to leave me wanting more. The downwards motion is not sensitive enough and somewhat unresponsive. But I also wanted more unique Wii features for this game, like IR functionality in-game or some tilt or motion functionality. I also expected there to be some drawing games using the IR in the game (it is a game about coloring and paint mixing). There were a lot of missed opportunities there.

But for the system it’s on, de Blob is a star. The visuals look fantastic and are rendered nearly on the same quality as Nintendo 1^st party titles, like Super Mario Galaxy. The style is also magnificent, oozing cool on every level. I only wish there was a tad more variety in the levels, and less of the same urban blocks. Most importantly, however, is the music, and it makes this game. As you roll around, painting buildings, the music layers itself based on the paint your using. Maybe one level starts out with a dull beat. As soon as you grab some paint and splash it on a building, a keyboard or saxophone will riff in time. When you have a whole block or city painted, there will be a jazz or funk rhythm driving in the background. Between audio and visuals, you will have a great feeling playing the de Blob.

The levels consist of you racing against a fairly lenient time limit to cover a good partition of the city in color. Other challenges appear on the way, like to race to a building top in 30 seconds or mix colors on a certain block, but those are optional. Other than that, and some bosses along the way, de Blob rarely challenges you or provides enough engaging gameplay for my tastes. I loved painting the city and jumping across buildings (and watching the world come to life is beautiful) but that mechanic alone wasn’t enough to get me for the long-term. I wanted more creative outlets for this game, like the ability to customize paint styles, or more challenging paint-mixing puzzles.

De Blob is a fantastic, and surprisingly polished, 3^rd party Wii game. The game has a great sense of humor and the cut scenes are often hilarious, nearly on par with any recent movie animation. But what keeps this game from true greatness is the lack of depth and challenge in the gameplay. I had fun playing it and enjoyed the visuals and music, but when I put it down I really didn’t feel strongly compelled to pick it back up again. I also think that the developers, in an effort to shoehorn in Wii motion controllers, mishandled the Wii’s basic functionality. They could have made better puzzles with reliable IR and tilt motion. Similarly, I think the time limits imposed on each level give the game an artificial challenge. It’s the start of a great franchise, however, and one that I hope will continue in other iterations.

Review Scoring Details for de Blob

Gameplay: 7.0
The platforming mechanics are solid and coloring buildings is extremely relaxing and enjoyable. But the weakest part of de Blob is the lack of variety and challenge in the levels. It’s just not engaging enough.

Graphics: 9.5
A beautiful style and amazing (for the Wii) physics and particle effects. The game has a clean, polished look that is rarely beaten by Nintendo 1^st party games these days.

Sound: 10
As you color buildings, music gradually layers into the score. And the instrument that comes in depends on the color you’re using. It’s truly a reason to play the game.

Difficulty: Easy
The game is perfect for younger players.

Concept: 9
de Blob started as a great idea and really came out as a highly polished platformer.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Lack of online play is a downside for replay value. The local multiplayer games are fun, however.

Overall: 7.8
de Blob is a fantastic experience, but one that I wish had more depth and challenge. I think this is the start of a great franchise (game, toys, or TV show) and one that will surely improve in its next iteration.

Free Download ode of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island

The last game that had anything to do with the French Foreign Legion was a nasty little game I reviewed a couple of years ago called Boiling Point where the hero is a former Legionnaire. So now, three years later, it's time to revisit those tough as nails legionnaires and see what sort of disservice has been wrought upon them this time.

OK, here is the problem, the first person shooter is arguably the most popular genre in all of video games. Sorry fans of sims and strategy, the numbers don't lie, the FPS is it. And as it is the most popular genre, it behooves most publishing houses to try and pump out a top notch shooter and then hopefully make a franchise out of it. Well, since this is the second in the Code of Honor series, one may think that there is some semblance of style and gameplay, one would be wrong, very wrong. Not only are there a gazillion better FPS's out there, but there are better cooking simulation games out there, seriously. And here is why.

"Cause walking through the gate isn't manly enough for a Legionnaire."

CoH2 starts out with a whimper, and then folds up very quickly, the game can be beaten in about two hours and that is not a good thing. As you adventure with the Legionnaires, you are being sent to an island to avenge the deaths of a scientific team that was doing research there and were subsequently murdered by a team of mercenaries. OK, not bad so far, and with a title like "Conspiracy Island" you would think the scientists were working on something dangerous or some sort of new weapon that can't fall into the hands of Kim jong il or Osama or Donald Trump or whoever scares you most. The fact is, that the scientists were the Mcguffin for the game, it wasn't what they were working on, its just the fact they were killed and now you get to go in and make some fools pay. And now you know the conspiracy, the conspiracy to relieve you of your money for this game.

The visuals are a poor man's example of what not to do. Textures are spotty throughout and level design will frustrate and bewilder you. Areas that seem accessible aren't and small holes in the wall are. No rhyme or reason applies to the physics and weapons seem to work as if you were firing them with no recoil. Unloading clip after clip into enemy's chests only to have them still shoot at you. And then, some guns work so well, you won't use anything but them. Just a really lopsided display of firearms and realism. Of course you really have nothing to fear from the mercenaries you face. They all seem to have attended the lemming institute for self preservation, running directly at you as you pump them full of lead, or run back and forth giving you ample amount of time to pull out the sniper rifle, read a book, reshingle the roof, glaze a ham and then pop him in the head, never once being in any sort of danger. Oh, and they are all clones of the same four dudes.

"It never fails, the kids always leave their stuff on the table right before dinner."

The most glaring aspect of the game is the fact that everyone is speaking with an American accent. This is the French Foreign Legion, and I understand that they do take men from all parts of the world, but shouldn't somebody speak with a French accent? Sound effects are woefully underwhelming and make no real use of your speakers.

CoH2 is a sequel as I earlier stated and maybe you deduced since there is a "2" in the title. And although there is a cliffhanger style ending, I just don't see there being a third in the series, this is a pretty bland and unexciting game. I know, I hate to be tough on any game, because I know its a booger to even make a game, let alone get it published, but this is one that underperforms on so many levels. Even the multiplayer mode is disappointing with the same standard multiplayer modes adding literally nothing to the genre in terms of gameplay or innovation.

Lastly, the game controls are pretty much standard fare, if you have played a FPS then you know the drill, but when you actually begin mixing it up with the enemy and the running and gunning begins, you truly understand that this is something you want nothing part of, the feel of the game feels very wrong and the A.I. is an absolute joke. I can usually find a "but" somewhere, even in the worst of games, but I see no real redeeming quality in this title, anywhere.

Review Scoring Details for Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island

Gameplay: 3.2

You fight the morons of the mercenary set and don't feel right about doing it.

Graphics: 3.0

Very dated graphics, poor level design, improper physics, over cloned enemies.

Sound: 3.0

No French accents in a game featuring the rough and tumble French Foreign Legion?

Difficulty: Easy

You can burn through this title very quickly and easily.

Concept: 2.0

The lowest score in the rack because the game is called conspiracy island, and there is no conspiracy.

Multiplayer: 3.5

Nothing new, and all of the sloppy effects the single player game features.

Overall: 3.1

Easily one of the worst FPS I have ever played, and the fact that the game is so short is a second slap in the face. The first is making you feel like you were getting a game that would put hair on your chest.

Free Download Fracture PS3

Whereas futuristic shooters set in real-world locations are a dime a dozen these days, it’s quite heartening to see one that truly shakes the foundations of what the genre has become. Fracture is one such game, allowing the player to manipulate the terrain in real-time as they play, effectively creating cover, displacing foes, and deforming the environment in awesome ways.

While the game does some great things with its Terrain Deformation engine, there are still some areas where it falls just short, namely some glaring aiming and control issues and AI problems. Still, if you’re shooter fan that’s looking for something that’s a little different, Fracture may be worth your time this crowded holiday season.

Fracture takes place 150 years in the future, where the continental US has been divided both physically and ideologically. The Atlantic Alliance (East Coast) believes that cybernetic enhancements are the future of mankind, while the Pacificans (West Coast) believe that genetic manipulation is the way of the future.

As Jet Brody, a member of the Atlantic Alliance, you get sent in to take on a military General who is hell bent on starting up a civil war between the two factions. While Jet often falls into the generic gruff n’ tumble action hero mold and the dialogue is pretty shallow, the background story of the game involving the ethics behind genetic versus cybernetic manipulation as well as the damage done to the planet doing a number on the continental U.S. is pretty intriguing.

The key element to Fracture’s gameplay is Terrain Deformation. Using your assorted weaponry and your Entrencher ability you can reshape the ground in real-time. You’ll be able to raise and lower sections of the ground by shooting your Entrencher at them, creating cover by raising up a hill and ducking behind it, or use the other shoulder button to lower the terrain. The game uses Terrain Deformation for limited puzzles as well, as you’ll often have to use it to destroy certain objects or to gain access to otherwise unreachable areas.

Aside from your Entrencher, your weapons will be able to affect the terrain in key ways. You’ll have grenades that can raise huge spikes out of the ground, some that will perform the same functions as your Entrencher as well as serve as frag grenades, and even a vortex grenade, an explosive that traps surrounding enemies and objects in a spinning gravity well and blows them to kingdom come, which is an awesome looking effect.

You’ll also get a hold of a nice array of firearms. Aside from the familiar stand-bys like SMGs, shotguns, and rifles, you’ll get some awesome new additions that use the game’s Terrain Deformation capabilities. Among the weapons you get are torpedoes capable of going under an enemy’s cover, a gun that creates a quick gravity burst that sucks in enemies and debris where it lands, a ricochet gun, and several more. Also, as you go, Jet will unlock new augmentation abilities, allowing you to double jump, hit harder, take more attacks from enemies, and so on.

Unfortunately, for all of the innovation and impressive engineering feats behind the game, there are some major issues that plague the core gameplay. For example, the aiming system is very problematic. When attempting to fire near some cover, your shots will hit your cover instead of their intended target far too often. This is especially a problem with the Entrencher, as you’ll often find yourself using it to create a hill for cover, only for it to hit the ground at your feet, raising you into the air and more in harm’s way.

Grenades are another sore spot for the game, as you aren’t given any control over throwing them aside from pressing the shoulder button. You won’t be able to control the power of the throw, nor its arc, which can be frustrating in the middle of a firefight.

The AI is also a mixed bag in the game. While they’ll sometimes impress you by reacting realistically when you put up a mound, often either shooting it down or sidestepping it to take you out, they can still be caught doing some pretty buggy moves, like standing around in the heat of the action waiting to be shot or running up against walls.

Graphically, the game looks pretty good. The character models are good, if a bit repetitious, and the deformable environments are fun to watch when they’re getting blown to smithereens. While the framerates hiccup when the action gets heavy, they generally stay pretty solid.

Soundwise, the voice acting is a bit of a mixed bag, with much of the dialogue feeling a bit workhorse and not adding much to the overall story, and some of the performances feeling phoned in. The score is nicely done and does a good job of accentuating the action. There are a few technical issues with sound effects and music cutting out at times in the PS3 version.

Aside from some frustrating gameplay issues, Fracture definitely gets kudos for adding new elements to the standard run-and-gun shooter genre. While it’s far from perfect, it’s worth a look from gamers looking for something different.

Review Scoring Details for Fracture

Gameplay: 7.5
Fracture’s Terrain Deformation features are a lot of fun and do a lot to give the game some legs, giving control to the player in an innovative way. The weaponry is also very impressive, but the aiming issues are very frustrating, and the AI is a bit buggy at times.

Graphics: 8.0
The character models look good, if a bit repetitious, and the deformable terrain is great. The framerates can hiccup, but generally stay solid.

Sound: 7.5
Some of the voice work feels phoned in, but the music adds a nice mood to the gameplay. There are some unfortunate technical glitches in the sound, however.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.0
Fracture bites off a big chunk, trying to balance the run-and-gun shooting mechanic with the new Terrain Deformation ability, and does very well with it, except for some annoying issues with the core gameplay.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Fracture has a bevy of gameplay modes for online gamers, from classic modes to new ones that take advantage of the game’s environment shifting capabilities.

Overall: 7.5
Fracture is a solid effort that offers a new mechanic to the shooter formula and allows for some exciting new ways to play. Unfortunately, for what it does right in Terrain Deformation, its issues fall with the basics of the genre due to spotty AI and frustrating aiming issues.

Free Download Igor (PC)

When I first viewed the trailer for the movie Igor I instantly thought it was a spiritual sequel to A Nightmare Before Christmas. The character designs and art style of Igor reminded me of the Tim Burton classic so I was intrigued to play the PC game. Even though my interest in seeing the movie is still high the game has definitely left me with a lasting memory. Unfortunately that memory is more of a nightmare than a holly jolly Christmas-morning lucid dream.

Igor is your typical platform game that you probably expect with a movie-based game. You control Igor and three of his creations as you explore the land of Malaria (yes, Malaria) on the quest to win the annual Evil Science Fair. Each character in the game has its own unique powers and abilities to help you on your quest. Igor is a standard character with decent power but with a special wand/rod he can use to attack and connect with various locks throughout the world. Eva is Igor’s latest creation that hasn’t worked out the way Igor imagined. Instead of being an evil-menacing creature, Eva is now a lighthearted lady who doesn’t have an evil bone in her body. Scamper is a rabbit-like creature with huge ears, which can shock enemies, that can jump extremely high to help you find hard to reach items. Brian is simply just a robot with a brain that can shoot rocket-like projectiles that can register the most damage of all the characters.

All of the characters are interesting and have a very unusual yet appealing look to them. Even with the interesting characters the game itself just falls flat, really flat. You’ll find yourself just running around stages picking up items and fighting monsters. Sure, that sounds like typical stuff in just about every game on the market but Igor doesn’t offer anything interesting to make you want to keep playing. Most of the items you collect in the game are used to unlock additional parts of a stage. Yet you’re still collecting other items but you never really know why.

The layout of all the stages feels very repetitive no matter how many different creatures the game throws out at you. The game flows like this for what seems like every level: Fight monsters, collect items to unlock next part of stage, collect more items and then fight the boss. Repeat, repeat and repeat for every stage and you get the idea. To make matters even worse, the game has a terrible camera angle that can’t be adjusted and gets in the way of the action many times. It’s hard to enjoy a game when you’re trying desperately to move the camera angle because you can’t see where the enemies are coming from or where your characters are going.

Probably the only true positive part of the gameplay is the ability to switch between the four different characters during the game. All of the characters are on the screen at the same time and you can switch between them at anytime with a simple press of a button. As I mentioned earlier each character has its own unique abilities that will help you locate items in the game. Each character definitely feels and plays differently and you will find yourself switching characters repeatedly. Eva for smashing down barriers, Igor for unlocking locks, Brian for firing off missiles and Scamper for jumping. Unfortunately the description sounds more exciting than the actual gameplay.

In the end Igor ends up being that typical movie-based video game that we used to hate playing. Sure the key ingredients are included such as playing as the four main characters and having a solid look that mimics the movie. However, the game probably should have stayed in the oven a little bit longer since the gameplay is a repetitive mess that never comes together. If you enjoy the movie then you’ll probably find something to enjoy with the game. However, if you want to play the game first before seeing the movie, like me, then you might want to try and forget the game a few days before the movie.

Review Scoring Details for Igor the Game

Gameplay: 5.2
A platforming game that just repeats itself over and over again with a bad camera is never a completely pleasant experience. Switching between the four characters does help alleviate a little bit of the repetition.

Graphics: 6.5
The look and style of the game will probably remind many gamers of The Nightmare Before Christmas. The wacky and over-the-top look with a twinge of creepiness is present in the entire game.

Sound: 7.0
The voice acting in the game was well done with some decent quotes from the various characters in the game. The music in the game, once again, reminded me of the Tim Burton movie with the soundtrack by Danny Elfman. Crazy music that you’ll find yourself humming from time to time.

Concept: 5.0
Besides controlling the four different characters the game misses the bar in getting to the next level of gameplay. The gameplay in Igor is nothing you won’t find in other games and some with much better execution.

Difficulty: Easy
No one should have a problem making it through this game in one long setting or a couple of days.

Overall: 5.9
The presentation of the game does a decent job of sucking you in while the gameplay tries hard to push you away. Sure, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad and when you do Igor ends up being an Ok game. Not great and definitely not perfect. For the younger audience Igor will probably be a game to keeps them entertained for hours on end, especially if they went to see the movie.

Free Download Outcry (PC)

Outcry is definitely different. The designers created a unique atmosphere to the game by depicting it visually as an old, grainy film throughout the entire game. While the different chapters are depicted in different color themes, they are all washed with the same overall graininess, light fluctuations and wavering lines that run across intermittently. This visual affect makes the whole game seem almost like a memory of times past. The actual time frame of the story is unstated, and could be anytime between the late 19^th century and early 20^th century. This is a strange-looking game, and the story is just as strange to match.

The protagonist’s brother is missing, and is searching his apartment for any clues to his brother’s disappearance. Once he enters the apartment, he listens to a recorded audio message from his brother stating that if he is listening to this message, then the worst must have happened. He then begins to investigate the apartment, and discovers many strange writings and machines. It soon becomes apparent that his brother believed that a form of time travel could be achieved by separating the mind from the body. The rest of the game is spent trying to follow the path taken by his brother.

The story is bizarre, and the setting equally so. Everything is muted and gloomy, and the music is soft and sad, as well. This is a lonely game, on the lines of Myst and The Lighthouse, but even more so. At least in those games there was sunlight.

Like the classic Myst, this is a first-person adventure. The look and type of mechanical puzzles is a little similar to the ones in Syberia, with a sort of H.G.Wells or Jules Verne feel and appearance to them. The isolation is furthered by the soft music and minimal sound effects, plus the lack of any real human interaction with other characters. This is a puzzle-driven game, with a mix of inventory-based and mechanical puzzles. These puzzles range from slightly difficult to very difficult. The main challenge with the manipulative mechanical puzzles is that there is an almost total absence of any type of direction while working the puzzle. There is no visual feedback, and only a few times where sounds give a few hints. And, to find out if the combination is successful, oftentimes the player will have to leave the location and see if anything is happening elsewhere. I admit, I used a walkthrough to get past a few of the lever and handle ones.

The story centers on a mystical separation of mind and body, which supposedly can enable a type of time travel. This story is interesting, but is cluttered with too many different ideas on this subject. Dolmens (ancient stone buildings), Freud and Jung, and even botany are among the many subjects that are presented to further the story. By introducing so many different reasons for the possibility of time travel, the story becomes a confusing mixture of separate parts, rather than a cohesive whole.

This is a Russian designed game and has been translated into English for the North American market. The translation is bad, but is not as jarring as in Sinking Island, as most of the language is written rather than spoken. I did have to laugh at the “antic potsherds,” though. Makes you wonder what they were getting up to, huh? What was really funny about that phrase was the fact it was spoken in a straight manner by the person reading it in English. Most of the papers can be read silently, but sometimes there is a mandatory reading of the material. This narrator didn’t seem to have accented English, but he couldn’t have been a native English speaker, unless he was a robot. There were many other strange wordings. What does it mean to “couch” a plant in a greenhouse? Is this a real botanical term?

Finding the different clues and items can be a little challenging. Hunting for things is quite difficult, as everything is the same color and dark, and sometimes things are found at odd viewpoints, in corners of the screen or way down on the floor. The camera viewpoints are narrow and players can only see one aspect of an area at a time in most locations. Also, sometimes things have interactive icons, but can’t be used yet until something else is done. Many clues to solve different puzzles are tucked away in dry readings about psychology and plants, so it is important to not skip reading everything that is found.

The puzzles are the best feature of the game in terms of enjoyment, and are well-integrated with the story and are mostly logical. There is never a feeling that they are inserted solely to exist; they all have a purpose. While there should have been more direction and feedback for these puzzles, most people who really like fiddling with levers and the like will not have too much of a problem.

Outcry is indeed a unique and stylish game, and as such, is worth a try for players who enjoy these types of first-person adventures that are heavy on the mechanical puzzles and light on the dialogue. I found the story confusing and a little dull with all the required reading, but others may really enjoy it. This is much more my husband’s type of game rather than mine; he’s a Myst guy and I’m a Monkey Island girl. For the right person, this is the right game. The price is right, too, at $20.

Review Scoring Details for Outcry

Gameplay: 6.0
The gameplay is a mixed bag. The puzzles are quite good and challenging, but the story is all over the place. Also, the reading of dull material which is written in very bad English is not much fun, but required. Even if the translation was better, the material would still be uber boring. The atmosphere is handled very well, with the use of graphics and music to produce a creepy, silent world of days gone by. But the story takes away somewhat from this effect.

Graphics: 8.0
The graphics are excellent.

Sound: 8.0
The music and sound effects are exactly right.

Difficulty: Hard
The puzzles range in difficulty from medium to very hard. Some may have gamers scrambling for a walkthrough.

Concept: 6.0
Outcry has a great concept, but the execution isn’t as expected. Again, the bad writing really takes away from the game as a whole.

Overall: 6.5
Even though Outcry looks and sounds pretty good, looks don’t make a game. It has to be fun and interesting, too. While there are many aspects of this game that are interesting, there are also many times when the gameplay is boring and lackluster. The story as a whole just doesn’t appeal or resonate, and the writing is bad. Making people listen to the same spoken passages every time they look at some of the entries is not ideal, either. The diary is a large pain to try to read while the narrator is droning on and on. The only solution is to turn off the sound. The puzzles are very good for the most part, but getting the required pieces and clues isn’t always all that fun. On the other hand, gamers that enjoy solving mechanical puzzles in a solitary game setting will enjoy this game, despite the problems.

A Journey From Video Game To Online Computer Game.

Video games have been a significant force in society and one of the most popular leisure, more or less a solitary pursuits in those days of the late '70's and early 80's that relied on graphic improvements and better ways of shooting the enemy. There were games like Atari, Intellivision, Colecovision, Sega and Nintendo. With the rise of the Internet and online games however, lots of things changed, including the ability to download games and playing online games, making games a more of social activity, with lots of players, or opponents playing with each other from the different corner of the world thus making people from the different parts of the world come closer and interact with each other while playing.

It was Magnavox and their "Odyssey" system in 1972, which were the earliest video games that included twelve simple games with graphic overlays. It was very simple and needed lots of improvement. Seeking the opportunity Nolan Bushnell along with Al Alcorn, the founder of Atari created Pong complete with built in paddles, and a speaker and released it in the market after one year, which came out to be a great success. At the same time another video game Atari dominated the market. Among the other video games that were famous worldwide were Pac Man, the yellow blob that ate up dots and avoided squid-like ghosts, Space Invaders, Super Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and other classics.

With the running time industry was trying for more efficient system and as a result the entire industry adopted the implementation of the microprocessor due to which these systems produced groundbreaking and innovative graphical and auditory effects that had never been seen before. Millions of dollars were spent on video arcade machines and on home video game systems. Atari's VCS/2600 system still dominated the market throughout 1982, when the gaming market experienced a crash due to the loss of public interest in video game specific consoles, and sales dropped.

The video game history took a new turn with the end of the reign of Atari and with the two innovations in the year 1984. The two innovations were reduction in cost of Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips, which allowed more memory, and the production of higher power 8-bit processors, which lowered the prices of the previous chips. Sega and Nintendo of Japan entered the console market and would battle over the next five years for dominance. Recently in this advance age of technology where the gaming market is saturated with hi-tech online computer games battle for domination is still in existence and this could be seen between PlayStation 2, the X box and the Game Cube.

Craps History

The historian may have a little trouble clearly defining the history of Craps. In some circles, Craps has a debatable history. I found it fairly challenging to trace the game of Craps back to one single origin.

If popularity is to rule the day, then we should go with a widely accepted origin. It's largely accepted that Craps evolved from an old game called Hazard, which was allegedly created by Bernard de Mandeville.

While his name might sound French, Hazard didn't come into being in France or even Europe. Nope. Hazard was forged right in the USA. The time was 1813 and the place was none other than party town New Orleans-figures right? As the legend goes, Hazard grew in popularity.

And here's something to completely throw you. Many found Hazard to be too complicated, so they simplified it. The new name? Craps. Many people today think Craps is extremely complicated. Can you imagine what Hazard must be like? The tables in Vegas would be barren-only a couple rocket scientists here and there. Come on baby, daddy needs a new pocket protector.

In the glory years, Craps was part of American culture. It was played in casinos and on many American streets. It was a game that was at least known about by most of society. And then the fall came. Some believe that gamblers just don't want to think much. They want to put their money down and have a set path with limited choices. The popularity decline of Craps over the past 20 years would seem to support this theory.

Craps' decline helped give rise to other games-like Blackjack. In the early 1990s, Las Vegas casinos experimented with a simpler version of Craps. Many of the decisions were taken out and it was more of a carnival came. There was one dealer-think Blackjack table here. You'd make a bet and throw the dice. It failed.

Real Craps players weren't interested in the novelty game and non-Craps players just didn't give a, well, crap. The casinos saw that there wasn't any real money in the game and ditched it.

I think the game failed, because of one critical issue-community. Most real world Craps players play the game, because of the atmosphere. They want to be where the action is. Also, they want others to throw the dice to mix things up. There's nothing better than a full table of happy Craps players. No matter where you are in the casino, you'll hear the shouts.

Craps also has an interesting twist. An empty table is hard to fill. Craps players go where other Craps players are. Take a look at any other game, like Blackjack. An empty table can be a welcomed sight. There's no other game as passionate as Craps.

Reasons To Play Poker

Poker has boomed in popularity over the past five years. What started as a game played on the fringes of American society has now become a worldwide phenomenon. There are a variety of reasons people play poker.

Financial: Poker is one of the few gambling games where players can actually win money in the long-term. This is because players play against each other instead of the house. A superior player is able to win over time by making skilled moves against his opponents.

However, making money isn't the only financial reason players opt to play poker. In fact, most people who play poker do not play for money; rather, they play for 'fake chips' which are not worth anything. Since poker is a skill-based game, it can be very entertaining without having to risk money. Poker is one of the few forms of entertainment that can be played for hours without paying a nickel.

Educational: Poker is a great method to brush up on math skills. Since much of the strategy in poker revolves around odds, players quickly become experts at calculating expected value and other mathematical principles. It is for this reason that some teachers are now employing poker in schools as a method for teaching expected value.

Social: A great way to kick back and relax is playing poker with friends. Poker facilitates conversation and a calm atmosphere especially when played for low-stakes or no money at all. Poker has been featured on multiple TV shows as a weekly social gathering, such as on Desperate Housewives, where the main characters have a revolving poker game each week.

Craps One Roll System

I once watched someone walk up to a table, play very little and walk away with a lot of winnings. Just how did this happen? I'll tell you.

One thing that kills a lot of Craps players is they think they need to have action all over the table all the time. There's nothing worse than having just a Pass Line wager and watching the shooter throw number after number. And that's what makes players bet more after the fact.

But, what if you could have minimal action, minimal risk and some upside? That's what this one roll Craps system is all about. It's kind of funny, because the probability of you "being caught" is minimal and you don't need many "hits" to get ahead even if you get caught.

The basis of the system revolves around the point numbers-4,5,6,8,9 and 10. Okay, refresher course time. Since where going to talk about the $10 wager level, let's first go over what a $10 wager on each of these numbers pays out.

4 and 10: $10 pays $20 (If bought)
5 and 9: $10 pays $14
6 and 8: $12 pays $14 (You don't place a $10 wager on these numbers)

Okay, let's get rolling. Keeping with our $10 theme, you're going to place $10 on each number-except the 6 and 8, which is $12 each. This is known as $64 across in Craps lingo. If you're playing in the real world, you could just say "$64 across" and the dealer will set up the cheques as I've laid out.

Now, here's the key. We don't want to keep our bets out there. All you're playing for is the very next roll. Once it happens, you take your wager down. If a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 is rolled, you make money. If a 2,3, 11 or 12 is rolled, nothing happens. And if a 7 is rolled, you lose. Not bad odds really.

Technically, you could do this system at any time. Most people will do it after the point is established-so once per point. I recommend waiting 1-2 rolls after the point. I do this because I can't tell you how many times I've seen people throw a 7 one roll after the point was established.

Here's something to ponder. When you get a "hit," you win $14 - $20. You're risking $64. As long as you get five hits per one lose-only a 7 kills you-then you make money! If you catch three 4's and/or 10's, you're at $60 already.

The system can be a tad boring for the hardcore Craps player, but watching your chip rack fill up should help some.

Buying WoW Gold or Building WoW Gold

To buy gold wow has been a debatable issue with World of Warcraft or WoW players. Probably the largest MMORPG on a global scale, World of Warcraft has an excess of one million paying users in North America alone. Wow gold is World of Warcraft s unit of currency. Even though there are instructional websites to teach players the methods of earning free wow gold, a majority prefer to buy gold wow to advance their virtual status in the game. It also saves them time. We come across virtual goods being sold for several thousands of dollars in the World of Warcraft game. When you buy gold wow it helps get your professions to a higher level.
Save Time When You Buy Gold Wow
Usually farming and patiently playing the game earns free wow gold. This can be used to buy weapons, spells, tools and other things needed to get ahead in the World of Warcraft. But since most of these are quite expensive it can take quite a long time to acquire the amount of gold needed. This is when most players prefer to buy gold wow. This can be done at really low prices by shopping around for the best rates since it is done online over the Internet. Depending on what stage you are in your game, you may want to buy gold wow if there is something you need badly but do not have sufficient time to earn it.
When many players started to buy wow gold a couple of years ago, it s value increased rapidly. This happened in spite of it not having any tangibility in the real world. Its main value lies with the players who treasure it the fans of the WoW game that are constantly looking for the best sources to buy it from.
Making money is never simple, whether it is in the real world or virtual. This is why players are tempted to buy wow gold from secure websites. Unless you are an accomplished player, collecting the gold you need could be a frustrating process. People are willing to pay real money to buy wow gold because it is a much-coveted article of trade.

Free Download TNA iMPACT!

Total Nonstop Action. That’s what the “TNA” in TNA iMPACT! stands for. It implies that the game you’re about to play is one of extreme entertainment – a fighter on overdrive that doesn’t take slow for an answer. If not that, then surely its title should embody the very essence that permeates the TNA franchise, a wrestling group that is known for its intense, expertly choreographed battles and unique Ultimate X competition.

Upon its unveiling last October, it appeared that TNA iMPACT! was set to achieve all of the above. It wouldn’t just be a licensed wrestling game – no, this was the game to crush Smackdown Vs. Raw, stomp on it like Christian Cage and choke it like AJ Styles. Speed wasn’t a concern because TNA iMPACT! played faster than any other wrestling game available.

Fast-forward to September 2008, the moment when the game was finally released. Featuring a small but respectable lineup of play modes, TNA iMPACT! comes with Standard Match, Tag Team, Free For All, Ultimate X, Ultimate X FFA (1 vs. 1 vs. 1), Submission, Handicap (1 vs. 2), FCA Match (falls count anywhere), and FCA Match Tag, along with a story mode that focuses on a fictitious star-in-the-making, Suicide. The dialogue isn’t good (cheesy voice acting makes it worse), and neither is the premise. But the presentation is very clever.

Just before Suicide’s battle for World Champion, two masked men bust into the locker room and demand that he takes a fall. Being the tough, does-whatever-he-wants kind of guy that he is, Suicide pretends to listen but scoffs after the two men leave. He goes ahead with his own plan – to win the fight – and earns the new title. Later that night, the masked men catch up with him and all but rip his face off.

Enter the game’s clever moment: Suicide’s face is going to be reconstructed and you get to play doctor. This player creation feature isn’t nearly as robust as those featured in EA’s sports games, but it’s good enough for a story mode (not so good elsewhere though). Now you’ve got to work your way back to the top. As a new version of Suicide, you’ll enter low-level matches that’ll make him miss his days as a champion.

Without having last year’s press-only demo in hand, there’s no way to judge the two for certain. But if my memory of that great experience is correct, the final game is actually slower than the first playable build was 11 months ago.

From a wrestling perspective, and perhaps when thinking about the competition and the gamer you’re trying to reach, this might have been a wise move. TNA is pretty fast, but this isn’t a sport that’s known for speed, not even when pre-choreographed. If the developers were seeking realism, or hoping to appeal to fans of Smackdown Vs. Raw, slow may have been the way to go.

But as a part of the fighting genre (which wrestling games very much are), speed is crucial. It’s not only vital to the first time you play the game – faster and more exciting games tend to invigorate us more than those that drag – but also to the long-term replay value. In that respect, TNA iMPACT! seriously erred.

Variety is another area that can make or break a fighting game. The most perfect combat system in the world means nothing if every combatant controls the same. Likewise, you can’t make a good game out of 30 fighting styles if none of them are fun to utilize. On that note, TNA iMPACT! leans toward the first approach, minus perfection. It has a solid (albeit flawed) combat system that encourages players to execute a series of grapples, jump attacks, ground assaults, and the familiar Irish Whip. One special finishing move is applied to each wrestler, which is stellar.

What’s not, however, is that the variety ends there. Individually, most wrestlers feel the same. The basic move set lets you grab (Y button), kick (A), punch (X), counter (RB), run (RT), and modify (LB). The B button functions as your action command, allowing you to pick up weapons, tag in a teammate, climb onto the apron, and so on. When combined with a modifier, attack buttons yield other types of assaults, but that’s about the end of your move set.

Each wrestler has access to the iMPACT! (finishing move) meter, which is filled by attacking and unleashed with a simple button tap after getting your opponent in a head hold. On the opposite end, players also have to worry about their stun meter filling every time they are hit. Once full, your wrestler will be stunned and unable to move or attack. To get out of this mess, quickly push the left stick back and forth until the negative effect wears off. This mechanic is also used to get out of a pin.

Reversals are an exercise in following the on-screen commands. During a submission hold, two button sets appear on screen, one for each player. If the wrestler being held enters the correct code, he breaks free; if the wrestler doing the submission enters the right code, he inflicts more damage. It’s a crazy system that just might have worked 15 years ago when we didn’t know that fighting games could do better. In today’s world, it merely feels like a mini-game collection.

Wrestler animations differ slightly, and their aesthetics are wonderfully close to the real TNA stars. But toss them into the virtual ring and they become clones of each other. More often than not, your opponent will defeat you with the same moves you used (or intended to use) because that’s all that is available to him.

This could be intentional – in hopes of reaching the broadest audience possible, the developers may have wanted to avoid making a game that was deep and potentially offensive to players that don’t want to dedicate any amount of time or skill to the experience. But to everyone else, especially diehard TNA fans, this could be the reason they aren’t playing this game for many years to come.

Review Scoring Details for TNA iMPACT!

Gameplay: 6.5
What started out as an original fighting game ended up feeling like a mellow Smackdown Vs. Raw clone. Moderately fun but the fun doesn't last.

Graphics: 8
The wrestlers look great, minus their expressions (which are rather lifeless). Backgrounds are colorful and flashy with a lively (though not always impressive) audience.

Sound: 5
Not the best or most engrossing soundtrack in the world, the voice acting is a bit cheesy, and the commentary is typically pointless and non-specific.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Whether you're a fighting game lover or Smackdown Vs. Raw player, TNA iMPACT! won't be much of a challenge for those who have some experience. And what about those who have no experience at all? They'll master it in a month, give or take a week. While a month might sound like a long time for an action game, it is very short for a fighting game.

Concept: 7
NQNA: Not Quite Nonstop Action.

Multiplayer: 5
Four local, two online. Not very deep.

Overall: 6.5
TNA iMPACT! has a great license and great characters, it just doesn't use either of them correctly.