Game Diary

The Smithsonian Joins the ‘Top 5 Games’ List Fray

Are video games art? Who really cares – so long as they are well designed, immersive and fun! But many people DO care, and the need for some – film critic Roger Ebert in particular – to stick his opinion where he has no knowledge has resulted in a large and broad-ranging debate. Ultimately I think most gamers would say that video games have the potential to be art, but that not all video games ARE art. At the peoak of the debate in 2009, Ebert and game designer Kelee Santiago had quite a series of exchanges. From Smithsonian Magazine:…



The Island: Castaway HD for iPad Review

Statistics are very much in my mind now – not the least reason for which is due to my profession. First off we have March Madness kicking off, and I employed a non-linear regression technique to try to predict my way through the tournament rather than just guessing like I normally do. We also have the release of ‘The Hunger Ganes’ movie next week, which uses the phrase ‘may the odds ever be in your favor’. What does this have to do with The Island: Castaway? Well, before I started playing I was thinking – G5 has had a really…



Mass Effect 3 Has Import Issues and Reveals EA’s Untruths About DRM

The launch this week of Mass Effect 3 is a huge event in the gaming world. It is a Bioware RPG, which already makes it a big deal. But it is the end of a trilogy that has sold millions of copies across platforms and has enchanted gamers who have fallen in love once again with the same characters we find in every Bioware games, but now with different names and in a non-Star Wars sci-fi setting. But there are a couple of clouds hovering – issues with importing your existing character, and some DRM details that cast an unfavorable…




Raptor M3 DKT Gaming Mouse Offers High Precision at a Great Price

When it comes to making a great gaming mouse, only one thing matters: precision. Precision and feel. OK, so I am not going to continue the ‘Spanish Inquisition’ line, but suffice to say that unlike just a few years ago there are many hurdles to making a successful gaming mouse. Let’s see how Raptor did! The Hype: The optical sensor of the M3 operates with precision accuracy at ultra-fast speeds up to 500Hz and 1600 dpi, and the dpi settings can be adjusted to 3 different levels: 400 dpi, 800 dpi, and 1600 dpi. The extra large Teflon mouse sliders…


The Bard’s Tale for iPad Adds Classic Bard’s Tale from 1985!

I am still finishing up my dual review of The Bard’s Tale – I had been working through the PC game for a retrospective review when the iOS version launched, so I have now completed both! But the game just got a HUGE update that makes it a more compelling buy than ever – and trust me, it is already a great game! Here are the notes from the update: New Features: • Includes the original classic game The Bard’s Tale I: Tales of the Unknown! • Earn free gold through TapJoy offers! Spend gold on in-app-purchases, or buy in-game…


Virtual City Playground for Kindle Fire Delivers City Builder Goodness!

Recently I reviewed Virtual City for the Kindle Fire, finding it the first mis-step in the franchise for me – while the content was there, the performance was laggy on my Kindle Fire even compared to the normal Android version. Since I had loved the Android version of Virtual City Playground, my big concern was that Virtual City playground would suffer the same fate – so let me assure you that it does NOT. Virtual City Playground brings the full Virtual City experience, and is a pleasure to play! Let’s take a look! The Hype: Virtual City Playground allows you…


Fly with Me for iPhone/Touch

  We have all flung birds at enemy pigs and used our tiny wings to navigate the hills of an unknown world but how many of us actually get to fly on our iOS device? Do not ask me to explain it, but bird games seem to be fun. As I was scouring the Appstore trying to bring you the best of the bargain apps, Fly With Me jumped at me. I knew being from EA and having a bird as the main character I could not go wrong. The app is actually free as of this writing, on sale…



Virtual City for the Kindle Fire Review

A while agoI reviewed the iPhone and iPad versions of Virtual City, noting that my only real complaint was the lack of a sandbox mode – and the high initial price of the iPad version (which has been lowered). The game already took advantage of the high resolution Retina display which made it shine on the iPad, so my assumption was that there would be a minimal difference in the move to the Kindle Fire. Turns out I was right … and wrong. Read on to find out what I mean. The Hype: Build a city of your dream –…


Special Enquity Detail – The Hand that Feeds for Kindle Fire Review

Mix together a crime-drama mystery, puzzles, hidden objects, and tons of twists and turns and intrigue … and you have the makings of one of the most compelling casual games made this year. The name of that game is “Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand that Feeds” from G5 Entertainment, and I reviewed the iPad release earlier this year. Now it is available for Android! Let’s take a look and see how the port stands up to the original release!


Sony Finds One Last Way to Screw US PSP Owners

They say that if you want to learn something about a person take a look at how they treat people they DON’T have to be nice to – you know, anyone from kids to animals to waiters and store clerks. If a person treats them poorly without reason they are, quite simply, a lousy person. And you can only expect to receive the same down the line. On the other hand, if they treat you AND others well, you have a partner you can count on. I can hear you saying ‘what is it NOW, Anderson? What are you griping…


Supermarket Mania 2 for the Kindle Fire Review

I loved the PC version of SuperMarket Mania 2, and now that it is available for iPhone and iPad I wanted to take another look and see how it would work as a port! Read on and find out how they did! The Hype: Nikki and her friends are back in Supermarket Mania 2! Help her uncle Ross manage and run his chain of grocery stores on the other side of the country. Keep the supermarket shelves stocked up, floors clean and customers coming as you work on improving the stores and increasing profits. It’s not all peachy though, as…


Mystery of the Crystal Portal for the Kindle Fire Review

I had bought and enjoyed Mystery of the Crystal Portal for my iPad and also loved the PSP version in spite of some issues with having to pan around the scene, so I was excited to try out the Kindle Fire version. It had been a while since I played, so it felt fresh as I had forgotten most of the game. Let’s take a loot at hwo the experience translates to the Kindle Fire!


Gaming Future and Obsoleteness

Obsolete describes something that is no longer being used or is out of date. The perception of obsoleteness shapes the upcoming gaming outlook as the Wii and PSP are scrutinized as the “new” Wii U and PlayStation Vita release soon.


XIII Lost Identity iPad Game Review

Almost two years ago I did a review of the 2003 PC game called ‘XIII’, which took a French intrigue-filled graphic novel and brought it to life in a unique graphical style. Late last year the game made the jump to the iOS platform as a hidden object adventure. Let’s see how it did! The Hype: Imagine waking up to discover you’ve led several different lives. Based on the comic book series by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance. A man suffering from amnesia is found washed up on a beach by an elderly couple. He has to unravel who…


Server Maintenance Reminds Us Why Ubisoft’s ‘Always On’ DRM is Stupid

It has been nearly two years since I reviewed ‘The Settlers 7: Path to a Kingdom’, in which I trashed the always-on DRM for the single-player, offline strategy title, saying: As for the DRM … it is intolerable and unacceptable. The DRM is this: you need to go through all of the normal serial number and online activation hoops, but beyond that you also need to have a constant internet connection to Ubisoft’s servers. If that connection drops – ON EITHER END – you are booted out of your game. Originally the boot-out would lose all progress from the prior…


Hands on With G5 Games Navigator for Kindle Fire!

Late last year G5 Games released a ‘Game Navigator’ for iPhone and iPad, and has since integrated part of it into all of their games. That familiar interface where you see a number of recommended games, the most recent release, and the game you are starting all at once, has become an integral part of every G5 game – which is a testament to how well this app works. Let’s take a look!