Kingdom Knights review - online - facebook

Kingdom Knights - to play on Facebook - and still in beta is a well built mix of strategy and role playing. 

The look is anime like, with excellent graphics, good level of details, well assorted sounds and a vast array of features, items, gear, power-ups and buildings.

You'll start on an "island" with a patch of land and the option to expand by buying the neighboring lands with money and, earned through battles, expansion permits.
As in any strategy game one of the main parts is building your infrastructure: houses, farms, lumber yards, hunter cabins, quarries and so on. Decor features will improve happiness (that will bring production bonus). 

Each feature costs and brings a certain amount of money and supplies, 2 of the main resources in game.

Military buildings are needed for troops: barracks, archery, stable, training ground and so on.
The Blackwater Inn will allow hiring mercenaries, and crafting as soon as you get the Blacksmith.
Each military requires various rank upgrades and skills upgrades all depending on your level and troops rank and there's a certain time for recruiting, researching and upgrading.

Every operation in game consumes your energy. The amount of energy depends on your level, replenish in time and on each level upgrade. Also it can be replenished through various potions.
The basics of the game are based on in-game missions related to infrastructure and battles.

Battles so far goes on level missions each in another map location and are sort of turn-based but not player-controlled. All you do is deploy troops, supply them with goods and then the battle scenario is self-generated based on rank, skills, and power-ups.

A new feature was recently added - The Rise of the Dragoons but the lowest Thunderpeak map requested to enter training grounds has a 100k supplies price so will wait for now :).
As any monetized F2P there gems that can be bought on real money and used to enhanced and buy various items. Gems are also part of various rewards so it's ok if you don't want to invest.
Also being MMO there friends / allies to invite and cooperate with in various missions, including military and you'll even get an Embassy.

Rating goes 3.5 - 4 (out of 5) and for a game still in beta goes quite well.
1 major no-no: Unity Web Player plugin sometimes crashes - the image freeze and you have to refresh, or in the best cases just exists full screen. 

Overall if you have a FB account go try the game - it's easy handling and playing even for a newbie into this.

"The Entire Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions" - a look into the no-no of the games monetization

I recently reviewed Dragon Eternity and it looked like a quite good playable game (f2p) but on gaining more levels and going deeper an ugly face started to show.

This game is a money making factory and a good example for the title saying. The supporters of monetization / f2p eternal pro is the fact that people get the chance to play the game for free. 
True but not. Yes technically speaking, but in this game if you don't invest there's no chance on doing well in game and tho you wont see it on the net there many abandoning the game before achieving level 10.

First of all is the gear: leveling up you get access to better gear (weapons, armors, and so) but the better items are not available in shop. Presumable you get them in quests from enemies drops - which are very rare and involves using a lot of other items (potions, orbs, and so that also costs) to get there - or you can buy them in the auction hall at almost prohibitive prices. Which means you need to buy some "reals" on real money.
Quests items / collections also requests reals. You get the first ones also from battling monsters or in PvP but a part of them you have to buy. I got the "amendar" but it expired before getting the chance to gather enough reals for a "mekhar" (priced 3 reals) so only chance was to buy the reals from bank with my real money.

Upgrading items like parcels costs a bunch of reals if you buy them from the Merchant. 

Of course you can avoid investing and painfully crawl on gathering money through game but in the meantime you'll be constantly busted by rich players. You may end up by being level 12 to 15 hardly worked on some reasonable good armor and weapons and a level 9 with a bought better gear will bust you in PvP.
And the rotational PvP system is also designed to break as much as possible from the gear that will need repair (more money) and consume loads of orbs, potions or glyphs - more money. You'll fight one and when you are about to give the final hit it's switched with another one and someone else will give the deathly hit taking your credits. potentially this is said to balance the fight but not true. If they would want balance then they should offer equal levels one-o-one fights for PvP. Because you don't get the option to switched by yourself if that suppose to simulate real battles.

Even the monster battling tho appears like a random is not: it has an algorithm also to break you the most. I studied and registered about 200 of my battles and it is obviously not random: if you give a critical hit for example almost sure next time you'll have a low attack or the monster will block / dodge. You never have 2 critical hits in a row or if it is random at one point this will happen. I asked friends to study their fights and they confirmed: is not happening. Or you get a false critical hit - its marked in red but in fact is not bigger than your average damage potential.
 

With that being said, yes you can play the game for free but it wont be too much fun, you'll struggle a lot. I am considering that the "buy the game system" (paying a price from the beginning) is a far more honest offer that will bring the fighters with the same chances in game. 

Paying 30 to 50 $ on a game from start (you will pay far more in the so called f2p except that you'll pay by instalments) is what I want (at least at this point) but it is your choice. Maybe other f2ps are more honest but this one is not. So basically speaking is not that I'm against the f2p system but I want an honest offer.

Dragon Eternity - browser game

I played this game online for a while until reached some level (9 at this point). Haven't finished as is a long therm commitment :).

The game plays as a MMORPG in the hack&slash quest style where basically the background story doesn't count too much. But it is reflected in the many community based quests you get.

You're set in a fantasy world (Adan) where the Sadar Empire and Vaalor Empire are fighting for supremacy and will start by choosing one of 2 factions: Sadarians (Red) or Vaalorians (Blue). I played Sadarian the pick being based purely on the fact that I like red color :). The things in the story are complicated by the armies of the Dark Gods of Shaab that break into Adan from the mysterious Abyss and are enemies of both factions.

There 3 classes to choose from Bersek, Paladin or Witcher. Each class has specific items (weapons, armors, jewelry, necklasses and amulets). Potions, artifacts, glyphs and some other stuff are not class dependent. The items are earned from battles, or bought. The Shop will always show the items available to you depending of your level.

The leveling goes by earning XP like in any RPG to which will add various Reputations like Gladiator (fighting in the Arena) or Conqueror of Seven Bridges, and will also get Valor by participating to battles.
You can easy access your character stats, gear, and backpack content from a very easy handling interface

Later you'll have the option to create or join to a clan. Clans are formed by the online players, being available after you reached level 6. Also after reaching level 16 and passing the Elder Dragon trials (collecting 6 parts of the Amulet of Melding) you may have a dragon, and summon it into battle.
For the rest as said the game plays mainly by fulfilling various quests mostly requiring fighting a bunch of enemies: monsters, living dead, traitors, spies and others. Also there various quests of finding and researching.
You can also learn and use spells in battle

and various professions - hunter, farmer, fisherman and prospector that will help gathering items for crafting: blacksmith (armors & weapons), alchemist (potions) inscriptor (glyphs), cook (food) and jeweler (orbs). If you wonder what they serve for keep in mind that all these items are used to boost yourself a very useful thing.
The combat goes in turn-base style where you can choose to weapon attack, defend or use magic. Boosting by using potions doesn't count as an action being performed at anytime in battle and some items like orbs have auto option being functional for a certain number of actions.
Additional features are:
- PvP option with 5 Battlegrounds: Arena of Honor and Seven Bridges being available for players of any level the other 3 only for level 16+.
- Auction - for buying and selling items
- Bank - for buying reals, and items for real money.
There a lot of things going on will not go into all details it's up to you to discover them.
Technically the game goes very well in therms of graphics, sounds and handling and it's a very appealing scenery with a catchy going through. I started with the thought of just testing and ended by being caught in playing.
Worth trying, a good recommended experience for the fans but only if you're ready to spend some real money. And seriously if not you will struggle to get well in the game.

L.A. Noire review

The game is an action adventure, a blend of mission puzzles (cases) solving and combat / shooter.

It was released for PS, Xbox and PC.

The best of the game are the story and characters built and the technical built. And it’s not just the authentic air of the 40’s (action take place in L.A. year 1947), one of the coolest things is the motion capture feature that offers the opportunity to analyze the facial expressions during the interrogation – a must in solving the cases. 

Also add to this very good VOs and sounds and excellent music (a thing that becomes a rarity in these days judging by the latest games I played).

Now to get into the story: play as rookie patrolman named Phelps and develop his career inside the Police to Traffic, Homicide, Vice and Arson bureaus. Start with a serial killer, drugs trade, and a small insurance fraud to end following a big fraud case with many roots (the Mob, the corrupt policemen, businessmen and dignitaries).

You will be assigned with various cases to solve and will have a different partner on each bureau, while the story is revealed through clues found on cases, and newspaper cut-scenes info and memory flash-backs. Along with the main cases there also 40 side ones, not connected with them. After solving the cases you are evaluated and ranked 1 to 5 stars according to your performance for each case.

The side cases (Streets of L.A. mode), are unlocked after finishing activity on a bureau, and gives you the chance to hunt for badges and gold film reels. Also you will earn experience that brings intuition points and may also bring a new suit. There 10 suits, each gifted with special powers (like increasing shots accuracy or damage resistance), 6 in the main game and 4 in the side cases.

The control and going through is a mix of adventure like style while you walk through the scenery, interact with items, drive cars and talk and interrogate suspects, but also involves action play with body-combat and gun shots. Action sequences offers three attempts and if you fail all you may skip.

The interrogation is puzzle solving, clues based, and you get to believe, doubt or to not believe the suspects, but to prove the lies and accuse of crime you need evidence (notes on clues in your notebook). You may use the earned intuition points to eliminate one of the 3 options and also in the crime scenes to search for clues.

As said the game has an excellent noir atmosphere with a great attention to the details, from the people expressions to the items and scenery interaction, it is very catchy and clever done, and quite challenging. There is a bit of a certain clumsiness during the action scenes but a minor no-no.

A definitely worth playing game.

The Bridge - indie platformer puzzle

A puzzle platformer game that goes on the warm area especially when it comes to the going through.
Clever idea but looks very much unfinished and not enough polished. 
There isn't a basic story in game as you start with the character sleeping under a tree and waking him up by throwing an apple onto his head. 

After that the action moves in the character's house, a weird non-sense labyrinth, with a very intricate non-logic complex design. The goal of the game is to get the character through each section of the house self-contained worlds. 
Basically is to go from point A to point B - the exit door, which in some levels is locked, so also requires getting one or more keys. 

 
The interesting part is in the way you manipulate the environment by tilting / rotating the world left side or right side and changing the way the gravity acts. That combines with also moving the character left or right. 
The odd design with tricky spots where you can fall out of the world, or get stuck is complicated time to time by some menacing balls with teeth which kills you at the slightest touch. So solving some levels goes on a very tricky combo of movements to acquire the key (or keys), avoid the ball and don't fall outside the labyrinth and being killed. 

 
The help comes in form of the ability to rewind the time / movements, back to a safe position. 
Sounds good but unfortunately the going through is not only repetitive, up to the point of becoming boring, but also is more of a try everything than plotting a strategy. Especially because in some places it's hard to anticipate where exactly your movements will end. It's like Chrono Disfunglement in concept but I liked that one more as was involving more strategic thinking than this one.
The graphics are sketchy charcoal like but with an appealing concept of the scenery. Sounds are ok. 
Overall as said very good, clever idea, but not enough of a gameplay, and not the catchy challenging sort. Rating goes to 3 out of 5.

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - review

Ok this is a 2012 game but worth playing. A very well made platformer Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams project successfully funded on Kickstarter and a sequel of the Great Giana Sisters (from the 80's).

But this one is a very up to date well crafted HD graphics modern mechanics play.

Story goes as Giana and Maria are lost in Giana's dream world (or should I say worlds) and Maria gets lost. So you play as Giana to save her. The most interesting clever catchy thing of the game is the dual world concept. The game goes on two worlds that can and has to be switched in game in order to progress with the tasks.

One world is a cute pinkish fairy tale like world and the other one is a dark twisted nightmare full of monsters. The funny thing is that Giana also has a dual personality each one with her own abilities.

The "nice princess" "Cute" Giana plays in the nightmare world and the "bad girl" "Punk" Giana goes in the pink world. The Cute one is a ballerina with flowing movements, dances and has the ability to glide though the air, while the Punk one is the fighter. 

The world levels are very extended allowing you loads of exploring and treasure hunting, but otherwise the game goes as a classic jump and run platformer. 

The levels are full of traps and puzzles to solve each step requiring a clever combination of the two Gianas. Also there battles to have including the also classic level bosses with the difficulty increasing as you progress. The mechanics are very simple with easy handling on the console controller and on a game pad for PC but if you're used to it the keyboard will do properly either. 

A bunch of colored crystals are scattered throughout the worlds: blue ones that can be picked by both Giana, yellow only by Cute and reds only by Punk. The crystals are also puzzle tasking many times and there also Megacrystals to get (secrets). Gathering all the crystals offers the replay option of the stage.

Some extras are available depending on your achievements in the levels, some new modes to unlock like Time Attack, Hardcore, and Uber-Hardcore and also a gallery mode.

The HD graphic concept with the fantasy, clear and appealing design is one of the topmost of the game. Also that goes very well assorted with the sounds and the music. Some old tunes were remixed. 

Overall this is a very catchy adventure platformer with simple mechanics but tricky strategy and puzzles, with a very inspired built-in, and good looking.

Rating goes between 4.5 and 5 (a bit of a no-no is due to some not so smooth handling on keyboard). But really worth playing (Xbox 360 or PC).

Dreamscapes: The Sandman

From Shaman Games via Playrix

Really worth playing adventure puzzle game with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 and just 2 no-nos: the puzzles are a bit too easy and the game is rather short. 
I think this is one of the best concepts of a dreams / nightmares world I played, with a catchy story going in a very well designed scenery.
Play as a nameless volunteer to rescue Laura from the nightmares world by basically entering in her dreams and solving each part of it to save all Laura's reflections. These will bring you with a piece of the protective dreamcatcher to repair it. 
As in any adventure game all the items are to find in the scenery or to gain by solving various tasks. The puzzles (mini-games) are, as said, easy going but very nice drawn and interesting. 
The best of the game is the catchy clever touch of the entire story with a good background, logical flow and very little backtracking as the locations are closed on solving.
I really liked the little vampire gremlin (I always like the fun addition of a minion) Benny. 
That's a very good thinking of the story built by adding small things that gradually transforms the nightmare (you can see the nice things like through some holes in the curtain): Benny, the butterflies, the paper dolls, the roses on the porch, the cat and so on.
The graphics are well done with an appealing design assorted with good sounds, but a bit too monotonous creepy music.
There 108 beholders to collect and you can see by the left guiding bookmark how many are in each scene. You get some achievements, and along with the dreamcatcher pieces are also diary pages to get that completes the story.
The CE brings a bonus chapter, SG, and the usual art extras.
Overall I enjoyed the game just wished to be a bit longer.