I also called this my Swine Flu Deck.
Before I continue I need to tell you that this deck is easily $120.00+ SO keep that in mind. I will offer some budget varients as well (mainly the ones I used)
Pox is a special card, it can do magically things, like take a third of people's life, cards in hand, creatures in play, and lands in play (rounded down) for 3 black mana.
This effects you too, some remember a Pox deck can help you but if your not careful it can also hurt you too!
Also side note, please use a calculator, you might be good with math, (I can figure out 1/3 loss rounded down), but some poeple I faced couldn't so I used a calculator to make sure that there is no confusion when running this deck.
First let me start of by saying that there are many different types of Pox decks, and many different color schemes that you could go with.
I.e. Crucible Pox (By far my favorite and the one I used) Contamination Pox (Great Pox varient, but I could never see how it could outlast the crucible pox) Mono Black, Black/White, Black/Green Pox.
I preferr Mono Black Pox since it's the easiest and in my opinion the deadliest since you should always have something to do with a Mono Black Pox and don't have to wait for the perfect land to come along.
I kept going with a decklist but then I remembered this link:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=483236
That link is to the Pox Primer on mtgsalvations, you will find a whole hosts of cards that can be used in decks, and if you click on one of the card links, you will even see what the prices for those cards are.
I would recommend making a Pox deck, but starting off with a budget version, maybe have one Crucible and then slowly build it up to 2 or three.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
False Hope Deck
Well this deck has been know my many names, False Hope, False Promiss, and (mystery)
The name is not mystery, but it will be revealed once I tell you the trump card of this deck.
False Hope starts off by giving your opponent a false sense of security, mostly because this deck wants your opponent to gain life.
Yes you heard me, with this deck you could gain life but the ultimate idea of this deck is so you force your opponent(s) to gain life.
Why you ask? Elementary dear Watson!
First however, let's go through the decklist rundown:
Lands 18:
4x Plains
2x Secluded Steppe
6x Swamp
6x Forest
White 8:
3x Life Burst
3x Wall of Shards
2x Beacon of Immortality
Black 12:
4x False Cure (The kill card of thi deck)
4x Shred Memory
2x Needlebite Trap
2x Sign in Blood
Green 14:
4x Skyshroud Cutter
4x Reverent Silence
4x Invigorate
2x Regrowth
Multicolored 6:
3x Mortify
3x Watchwolf
Artifact 2:
2x Isochron Scepter
THe main kill of this deck is False Cure. False Cure states:
"Until end of turn, whenever a player gains life, that player loses 2 life for each one life gained."
This means if you gain 4 life, you gain 4 life then lose 8 life.
Or Instead of gaining X life, you lose X life instead.
The best thing about this deck, is that False Cure stacks.
Meaning if you have two False Cure's active (it is in instant) for each 1 point of life a player gains, that player loses 3 life.
3 False Cure = 1 point of life gained, player x loses 5 life.
4 False Cure = 1 point of life gained, player x loses 7 life.
It's a very powerful card, if you can play it right, and that's where this deck comes into play.
There are many cards in this deck that can make a person gain life, even cards that you don't have to pay a mana cost for.
These cards are the following:
Skyshroud Cutter - If you gain a forest (Forest card in play) you may have each other player gain 5 life instead of playing Skyshroud's Mana Cost. 2/2 Creature.
Reverent Silence - If you control a forest, you may have each other player gain 6 life instead of paying Reverent Silence's Mana Cost. Destroy all Enchantments.
Invigorate - If you control a forest, you may have an opponent gain 3 life instead of paying Invigorate's Mana Cost. Target Creature get's +4/+4 until end of turn.
Those few cards are really helpful with killing anybody. Especially the first two since they make all other opponents gain life.
One thing to note, you can use Reverent Silnce, and Invigorate even if there are no cards in play that they can target. This is because the card is played, then you look for a target(s). So if there are no enchantments in play, reverent silnce will still trigger, but since nothing in play is elligble to be destroy, nothing is done. The card is still played, it just has no effect.
The best way to run this deck is as follows:
Play Isochron Scepter (2 of any mana) when it comes into play remove an Instant card with CMC (Converted mana cost) of 2 or less in your hand from the game. The removed card is imprinted onto Isochron Scepter.
Tap 2 of any mana, tap Isochron Scepter. You may copy the imprinted card and play the copy without paying it's mana cost.
I know this sounds stupid since your still paying 2, but think again. YOu can play 2 of anything. SO if you have more plains then swamp and you imprinted False Cure (2 Black mana cost instant) you can save those black mana for something else more useful.
The ultimate combo of this deck is Beacon of Immortality + False Cure.
This is a one-hit kill combo. Beacon of Immortality (5 Generic 1 White mana) Double target player's life total. Shuffle Beacon of Immortality into it's owner's library.
That is an instant kill combo, because even if they try to do anything (like a counter) you still have plenty of ways to kill them.
Most of my matchups with this deck are very positive with Beacon since they are trying to counter false cure or other cards, and ultimatly wasting counters on essentially decoys in the grand scheme of this deck.
This is a very good "Controlish" deck since you are controlling life points.
The name is not mystery, but it will be revealed once I tell you the trump card of this deck.
False Hope starts off by giving your opponent a false sense of security, mostly because this deck wants your opponent to gain life.
Yes you heard me, with this deck you could gain life but the ultimate idea of this deck is so you force your opponent(s) to gain life.
Why you ask? Elementary dear Watson!
First however, let's go through the decklist rundown:
Lands 18:
4x Plains
2x Secluded Steppe
6x Swamp
6x Forest
White 8:
3x Life Burst
3x Wall of Shards
2x Beacon of Immortality
Black 12:
4x False Cure (The kill card of thi deck)
4x Shred Memory
2x Needlebite Trap
2x Sign in Blood
Green 14:
4x Skyshroud Cutter
4x Reverent Silence
4x Invigorate
2x Regrowth
Multicolored 6:
3x Mortify
3x Watchwolf
Artifact 2:
2x Isochron Scepter
THe main kill of this deck is False Cure. False Cure states:
"Until end of turn, whenever a player gains life, that player loses 2 life for each one life gained."
This means if you gain 4 life, you gain 4 life then lose 8 life.
Or Instead of gaining X life, you lose X life instead.
The best thing about this deck, is that False Cure stacks.
Meaning if you have two False Cure's active (it is in instant) for each 1 point of life a player gains, that player loses 3 life.
3 False Cure = 1 point of life gained, player x loses 5 life.
4 False Cure = 1 point of life gained, player x loses 7 life.
It's a very powerful card, if you can play it right, and that's where this deck comes into play.
There are many cards in this deck that can make a person gain life, even cards that you don't have to pay a mana cost for.
These cards are the following:
Skyshroud Cutter - If you gain a forest (Forest card in play) you may have each other player gain 5 life instead of playing Skyshroud's Mana Cost. 2/2 Creature.
Reverent Silence - If you control a forest, you may have each other player gain 6 life instead of paying Reverent Silence's Mana Cost. Destroy all Enchantments.
Invigorate - If you control a forest, you may have an opponent gain 3 life instead of paying Invigorate's Mana Cost. Target Creature get's +4/+4 until end of turn.
Those few cards are really helpful with killing anybody. Especially the first two since they make all other opponents gain life.
One thing to note, you can use Reverent Silnce, and Invigorate even if there are no cards in play that they can target. This is because the card is played, then you look for a target(s). So if there are no enchantments in play, reverent silnce will still trigger, but since nothing in play is elligble to be destroy, nothing is done. The card is still played, it just has no effect.
The best way to run this deck is as follows:
Play Isochron Scepter (2 of any mana) when it comes into play remove an Instant card with CMC (Converted mana cost) of 2 or less in your hand from the game. The removed card is imprinted onto Isochron Scepter.
Tap 2 of any mana, tap Isochron Scepter. You may copy the imprinted card and play the copy without paying it's mana cost.
I know this sounds stupid since your still paying 2, but think again. YOu can play 2 of anything. SO if you have more plains then swamp and you imprinted False Cure (2 Black mana cost instant) you can save those black mana for something else more useful.
The ultimate combo of this deck is Beacon of Immortality + False Cure.
This is a one-hit kill combo. Beacon of Immortality (5 Generic 1 White mana) Double target player's life total. Shuffle Beacon of Immortality into it's owner's library.
That is an instant kill combo, because even if they try to do anything (like a counter) you still have plenty of ways to kill them.
Most of my matchups with this deck are very positive with Beacon since they are trying to counter false cure or other cards, and ultimatly wasting counters on essentially decoys in the grand scheme of this deck.
This is a very good "Controlish" deck since you are controlling life points.
Gaea's Blessing Deck
This is my version, I will add budget versions of the more expensive cards in it.
Lands 17:
6x Plains
4x Island
2x Forest
4x Tropical Island - can be replaced for more forest and island
1x Seaside Citadel
White 6:
4x Wrath of God
2x Island Sanctuary
Blue 24:
4x Ponder
4x Sage Owl
4x Counterspell
4x Fact or Fiction
4x Force of Will
2x Dreamborn Muse
1x Frozen Aether
1x Jace, The Mind Sculptor
Green 3:
2x Gaea's Blessing
1x Azusa, Lost But Seeking
Artifacts 10:
4x Howling Mine - Great for getting your cards faster
4x Mesmeric Orb - THE KILL CARD
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Chrome Mox
Tropical Island - can be replaced for more forest and island
Wrath of God - Helpful against creature heavy decks
Island Sanctuary - great against non flyers/non insland walk creatures, has helped me more times than I can count!
Sage Owl - Goes great with Jace, The Mind Sculptor
Fact or Fiction - Perfect for Gaea's Blessing
Force of Will - Perfect card for this deck, can be replaced by daze or another counter card, like mana leak
Jace, The Mind Sculptor - Excellent card, can look at the top card of your opponent's library and put it on the bottom for +2, can get a free brainstorm for 0, for -1 return target creature card to owner's hand, and for -12 can exile all cards from target players library and turn their hand into their library. This is an expensive card, but it's so freaking worth it!
Dreamborn Muse - Part one of the three part milling machine, for each card in a persons hand at the beginning of their upkeep. The take a card from their library and it goes into their graveyard. SO if they have 7 cards in their hand, then 7 cards go from their library into the graveyard.
Gaea's Blessing - The meat and potatoes of this deck, for one colorless and one green you can Shuffle up to three cards (you can still use this if target players graveyard has no cards in it, since it says up to) in a target player's graveyard, into their library and draw a card. What seperatres this card though is this:
If Gaea's Blessing is put into your graveyard from your library (milling, Fact or Fiction, etc) shuffle your graveyard into your library.
So you get milled and your opponent(s) and you come out fine.
Fact or Fiction is perfect for this because you reveal the top 5 cards of your library, target person makes 2 piles from those cards. You take one pile and put it into your hand, and the other goes into your graveyard. Since Fact or Fiction is not making you draw, but reveal and then put into your graveyard, if Gaea's Blessing is in one of those piles then GB triggers and you get to shuffle.
Any card that makes you look at or reveal (not draw) and put at least one card in your GY, then Gaea's Blessing's ability will trigger.
Azusa, Lost But Seeking - Legendary creature that lets you play two additional lands on each of your turns, so if you had three lands in your hand, you can play all three as long as that creature is out!
Mesmeric Orb - Is really the kill card. When it's out, whenever anyone untaps a permenant (for whatever reason, even during the untap step) that person puts a card from their library into their graveyard. Yep, for each card. So if they tapped four mana, then when they untap, they have to mill four cards.
This effect stacks, for each Orb in play, so four orbs, four mana = 16 cards going buh-bye.
Crucible of Worlds and Chrome Mox, are only there as insurance. Chrome Mox is useless later in the game since everything you have will go from GY to your library and if it comes out later then it's useless. Same for Curcible of Worlds, however foreach land in your graveyard (with Azusa out) you can play three lands so one in hand and two from GY. Again if it doesn't come out until later, then it is of no realy use.
Lands 17:
6x Plains
4x Island
2x Forest
4x Tropical Island - can be replaced for more forest and island
1x Seaside Citadel
White 6:
4x Wrath of God
2x Island Sanctuary
Blue 24:
4x Ponder
4x Sage Owl
4x Counterspell
4x Fact or Fiction
4x Force of Will
2x Dreamborn Muse
1x Frozen Aether
1x Jace, The Mind Sculptor
Green 3:
2x Gaea's Blessing
1x Azusa, Lost But Seeking
Artifacts 10:
4x Howling Mine - Great for getting your cards faster
4x Mesmeric Orb - THE KILL CARD
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Chrome Mox
Tropical Island - can be replaced for more forest and island
Wrath of God - Helpful against creature heavy decks
Island Sanctuary - great against non flyers/non insland walk creatures, has helped me more times than I can count!
Sage Owl - Goes great with Jace, The Mind Sculptor
Fact or Fiction - Perfect for Gaea's Blessing
Force of Will - Perfect card for this deck, can be replaced by daze or another counter card, like mana leak
Jace, The Mind Sculptor - Excellent card, can look at the top card of your opponent's library and put it on the bottom for +2, can get a free brainstorm for 0, for -1 return target creature card to owner's hand, and for -12 can exile all cards from target players library and turn their hand into their library. This is an expensive card, but it's so freaking worth it!
Dreamborn Muse - Part one of the three part milling machine, for each card in a persons hand at the beginning of their upkeep. The take a card from their library and it goes into their graveyard. SO if they have 7 cards in their hand, then 7 cards go from their library into the graveyard.
Gaea's Blessing - The meat and potatoes of this deck, for one colorless and one green you can Shuffle up to three cards (you can still use this if target players graveyard has no cards in it, since it says up to) in a target player's graveyard, into their library and draw a card. What seperatres this card though is this:
If Gaea's Blessing is put into your graveyard from your library (milling, Fact or Fiction, etc) shuffle your graveyard into your library.
So you get milled and your opponent(s) and you come out fine.
Fact or Fiction is perfect for this because you reveal the top 5 cards of your library, target person makes 2 piles from those cards. You take one pile and put it into your hand, and the other goes into your graveyard. Since Fact or Fiction is not making you draw, but reveal and then put into your graveyard, if Gaea's Blessing is in one of those piles then GB triggers and you get to shuffle.
Any card that makes you look at or reveal (not draw) and put at least one card in your GY, then Gaea's Blessing's ability will trigger.
Azusa, Lost But Seeking - Legendary creature that lets you play two additional lands on each of your turns, so if you had three lands in your hand, you can play all three as long as that creature is out!
Mesmeric Orb - Is really the kill card. When it's out, whenever anyone untaps a permenant (for whatever reason, even during the untap step) that person puts a card from their library into their graveyard. Yep, for each card. So if they tapped four mana, then when they untap, they have to mill four cards.
This effect stacks, for each Orb in play, so four orbs, four mana = 16 cards going buh-bye.
Crucible of Worlds and Chrome Mox, are only there as insurance. Chrome Mox is useless later in the game since everything you have will go from GY to your library and if it comes out later then it's useless. Same for Curcible of Worlds, however foreach land in your graveyard (with Azusa out) you can play three lands so one in hand and two from GY. Again if it doesn't come out until later, then it is of no realy use.
Retro Tuesday Postponed for today
Hijacking my own blog to put up some magic the gathering decks for someone on playfire.
WIll add review tomorrow.
WIll add review tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Update + Retro Tuesday Surprise
So I haven't posted anything since last week, I had to have a tooth removed on Wednesday, but it was so badly infected that after 5 shots of Novocaine I was still feeling the needles, so I had to take a course of antibiotics.
I just had the tooth removed yesterday so all is good.
Okay, info from Midwest Gaming Classic. It was a blast, I bought a bunch of stuff, (lol, big surprise there) and I played a lot of great games and saw some amazing systems.
The following is the surprise, It's a console that plays a lot of great classic games
I was there for Hyperkin's newest creation the RetroN 5. Hyperkin is known for building great systems to play your favorite classic games. The RetroN 3 which plays NES, SNES, and Genesis.
They were going to announce the RetroN 4 but they changed it, the skipped the 4 and went right into the 5 and HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!
The RetroN 5 plays:
NES
SNES
GENESIS
GB
GBC
GBC
Wait, that's not all. The RetroN 5 also plays:
Famicom
Super Famicom
and finally
Mega Drive.
It also looks like no NTSC nor PAL games will lockout at all. You don't have to worry about CIC lockout chips or FX chips.
The system will have and utilize wireless controllers (their own)
However if you want to be more "Classic" then just use the side ports of the system, the include the following:
NES
SNES
Genesis
The wireless controller (Pictured Below) shows off the features that it will have:
Sound quality has also been seriously improved, most systems (in order to save memory) will use sound of inferior quality to try to emulate it as best as they could, which is often horrible.
Not so with the RetroN 5, here's a sample of their new system's sound emulation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fnXjK0xLkTM#!
it's embedded and unlisted so you have to use that link.
You can also reassign buttons, as shown below in the new GUI of the RetroN 5:
You can also speed up or slow down your games, this next part is taken from their website:
"The RetroN 5 will allow for manual and passive overclocking, giving the users the ability to speed up or slow down their games as they see fit. This option will be available on our GUI, and users will have the ability to access this at any time during gameplay by utilizing the “Home” button on the controller. You will also be able to utilize this function by programming the Macro buttons on the wireless controller as well."
In the end, this looks like it could be the absolute best thing that any Retro Gamer (like myself) could hope for.
It has the ability to not only play NES, SNES and Genesis, but also Famicom, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, GB/GBC and GBA games. It also has the best sound quality out of them all, it also has support for four wireless controllers and even has the ports for the classic NES, SNES, and Genesis controllers.
The system I use now is the RetroDuo, which is awesome, but I want something more. I want something with more features, more controller ports, and will let me play every game without worrying about Lockout Chips.
The RetroN 5 looks like this could be the best thing that there ever was and I for sure am getting one.
When more information comes out I will definitely remark about it on future posts!
I can't give this a score just yet since I don't have it.
make no mistake about it though, I will buy this and I will also be buying gmames that had lockout chips that plagued other like the RetroDuo and I will give this a test.
Hopefully it lives up to what they claim! If they do, then I will damn sure tell everyone to get one!
I just had the tooth removed yesterday so all is good.
Okay, info from Midwest Gaming Classic. It was a blast, I bought a bunch of stuff, (lol, big surprise there) and I played a lot of great games and saw some amazing systems.
The following is the surprise, It's a console that plays a lot of great classic games
I was there for Hyperkin's newest creation the RetroN 5. Hyperkin is known for building great systems to play your favorite classic games. The RetroN 3 which plays NES, SNES, and Genesis.
They were going to announce the RetroN 4 but they changed it, the skipped the 4 and went right into the 5 and HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!
The RetroN 5 plays:
NES
SNES
GENESIS
GB
GBC
GBC
Wait, that's not all. The RetroN 5 also plays:
Famicom
Super Famicom
and finally
Mega Drive.
It also looks like no NTSC nor PAL games will lockout at all. You don't have to worry about CIC lockout chips or FX chips.
The system will have and utilize wireless controllers (their own)
However if you want to be more "Classic" then just use the side ports of the system, the include the following:
NES
SNES
Genesis
The wireless controller (Pictured Below) shows off the features that it will have:
Home Button for syncing controller(s) to system, manus, etc.
marco buttons for customing, 6 button config in the style of the genesis, LED Buttons alert you of what player you are.
The RetroN 5 will utilize a save state feature that lots of emulators have, but not systems like this.
also the RetroN 5 will use shaders to emulate the picture in 720P for use with HD tv's
Pictured below shows RetroN 5 and SNES 300% Zoom
Not so with the RetroN 5, here's a sample of their new system's sound emulation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fnXjK0xLkTM#!
it's embedded and unlisted so you have to use that link.
You can also reassign buttons, as shown below in the new GUI of the RetroN 5:
You can also speed up or slow down your games, this next part is taken from their website:
"The RetroN 5 will allow for manual and passive overclocking, giving the users the ability to speed up or slow down their games as they see fit. This option will be available on our GUI, and users will have the ability to access this at any time during gameplay by utilizing the “Home” button on the controller. You will also be able to utilize this function by programming the Macro buttons on the wireless controller as well."
In the end, this looks like it could be the absolute best thing that any Retro Gamer (like myself) could hope for.
It has the ability to not only play NES, SNES and Genesis, but also Famicom, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, GB/GBC and GBA games. It also has the best sound quality out of them all, it also has support for four wireless controllers and even has the ports for the classic NES, SNES, and Genesis controllers.
The system I use now is the RetroDuo, which is awesome, but I want something more. I want something with more features, more controller ports, and will let me play every game without worrying about Lockout Chips.
The RetroN 5 looks like this could be the best thing that there ever was and I for sure am getting one.
When more information comes out I will definitely remark about it on future posts!
I can't give this a score just yet since I don't have it.
make no mistake about it though, I will buy this and I will also be buying gmames that had lockout chips that plagued other like the RetroDuo and I will give this a test.
Hopefully it lives up to what they claim! If they do, then I will damn sure tell everyone to get one!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Blog update + reviews for Retro Tuesday
This has been a hard week for me, so I am making sure that I don't miss this week's Retro Tuesday. I will be posting another classic review tomorrow.
Also MGC (Midwest Gaming Classic) is this Saturday
Tetris, the game that really put puzzle games on the map. You can say Tetris to almost anyone and they will know what you're talking about.
Tetris is an icon, it has yet to have any game be able to contend with it, it's unsurpassed.
The greatest thing about this game is that it's hard and easy, but it's always fun. It's a really addicting game since games don't take much longer than maybe 30 minutes at the most.
How can any puzzle game be simpler than Tetris? There are what seven pieces of different shapes, that must be placed and form a line connecting from one end of the board, to the other.
It sounds simple, but it can be very hard on later levels.
Those are the pieces that you must use (in no particular order) to create as many lines as you can. If you can make more than one line at a time, you get more points. You get points for bringing pieces from the top of the field, to the bottom (you don't get points if the pieces use the level's gravity speed to bring them down, you must pull them down) The amount of lines that you can make up to (for using the long piece on the bottom right of that picture) one line, two lines, three lines, and finally four lines. If you can make four lines at once, this is called a Tetris. This is the most point making line that you can achieve.
It's really hard to come up with one reason that it's so popular, I guess if I had to pick one reason it would be that it's simple. It's not an overly complicated game, it doesn't have a bunch of features that other puzzle games have that might hinder the quality or the tempo of the game.
In the end, Tetris is a game that can transcend time because it's something that everyone, young old, everyone can relate to and experience together because it doesn't try to be one thing or another. Tetris is something that people should follow in their lifestyle and just be themselves.
I give this game a 10 out of 10
Tetris is the best puzzle game, and even though it has been remade since it came out, it still keeps the core value of the game and while some variants might have new game modes, the classic classic mode is still the best and is still the go to mode for everyone.
Also MGC (Midwest Gaming Classic) is this Saturday
Tetris, the game that really put puzzle games on the map. You can say Tetris to almost anyone and they will know what you're talking about.
Tetris is an icon, it has yet to have any game be able to contend with it, it's unsurpassed.
The greatest thing about this game is that it's hard and easy, but it's always fun. It's a really addicting game since games don't take much longer than maybe 30 minutes at the most.
How can any puzzle game be simpler than Tetris? There are what seven pieces of different shapes, that must be placed and form a line connecting from one end of the board, to the other.
It sounds simple, but it can be very hard on later levels.
Those are the pieces that you must use (in no particular order) to create as many lines as you can. If you can make more than one line at a time, you get more points. You get points for bringing pieces from the top of the field, to the bottom (you don't get points if the pieces use the level's gravity speed to bring them down, you must pull them down) The amount of lines that you can make up to (for using the long piece on the bottom right of that picture) one line, two lines, three lines, and finally four lines. If you can make four lines at once, this is called a Tetris. This is the most point making line that you can achieve.
It's really hard to come up with one reason that it's so popular, I guess if I had to pick one reason it would be that it's simple. It's not an overly complicated game, it doesn't have a bunch of features that other puzzle games have that might hinder the quality or the tempo of the game.
In the end, Tetris is a game that can transcend time because it's something that everyone, young old, everyone can relate to and experience together because it doesn't try to be one thing or another. Tetris is something that people should follow in their lifestyle and just be themselves.
I give this game a 10 out of 10
Tetris is the best puzzle game, and even though it has been remade since it came out, it still keeps the core value of the game and while some variants might have new game modes, the classic classic mode is still the best and is still the go to mode for everyone.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Skyrim Review
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the fifth installment in the popular Elder Scrolls series. The Elder Scrolls game type is ARPG (Action Role-Playing Game.
One of the best things about these series is the open world aspect. You want to go here? Go ahead! Now you want to go all the way over there? No problem. You are not limited by anything except for how big the game's world is.
The game takes place on the continent of Tamriel in the providence of Skyrim. I can't go much into the story (I've only just started playing the game) you are (??? - You can choose between various races that all come from various places) who is slated to be executed by the Imperials when all of a sudden a Dragon attacks. As chaos ensues all around, you escape (you have a choice as to who you escape with between two people) and soon you will be on your own while trying to avoid dangerous and powerful foes.
While yes there probably is a real story (Like I said I have only begun) since Skyrim is a true Open world Action RPG that means that even though there is a "fixed" story, you can still do whatever you want. You want to only use your time to attack civilians, go right ahead, you want to kill bunnies have at it (There is a stat for how many bunnies you ahve slaughtered) you want to kill a chicken?????
DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can kill other things, just don't kill those chickens!
Graphics in this game are simply amazing, from character models to the foliage, to dungeons, caves, towns, etc. There are very few RPG's that can compete with Skyrim in terms of graphics. Sounds and more importantly music in this game is also one of the greatest you will ever find. I actually find myslef attracted to the sound that plays while you choose to srat a game, continue, load, etc.
The sound effects of your weapons being both sheathed and unsheathed, your bows firing, swords hitting enemies, rocks, etc. are also one of the best I have ever experienced. Don't even get me started on how much I love the sound of my fire spell blasting away at things, <3
Now onto problems with this game. First thing is I'm playing with a PS3 and this is what I've noticed.
Random game freeze, within the first 30 minutes of the game, it just froze. Now you might say that might not be a problem, remember that this game has come from Bethesda, who are infamous with their games freezing, glitching,. lagging, bugging out on the PS3.
Also interestingly enough, I have noticed what appears to be a frame rate issue with this game. Some of you may wonder how do I know this since you can't get a true frame rate with anything other than a PC? Simple, I've played way too many games to know when a game is lagging and it's mostly because of the graphics in that area causing a drop in frame rate. I would think that they could do a better job with this but then there's another problem.
Bethesda sucks for PS3 users, quite simply they don't know what a PS3 is. This is both a joke and true at the same time. Bethesda has said that they've never touched a PS3 as far as making a game is concerned. They used an outsourcing company to port the game over to the PS3. Which is why Skyrim DLC was never released on the PS3 until last month when the first three arrived.
The outsourcing company couldn't port it over for the PS3 so they had to completely re-make the DLC for it to work on the system.
Oh boy and they will probably do stuff with the PS4?
GAMING PC FOR THESE GAMES NAOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The gameplay mechanics are pretty solid though, I would love a wheel similar to Dishonored's system. I only hope that the next game will have this wheel, this wheel is really nice. I would also love to see (stealing something from Call of Duty here) custom class setups, but have it limited to weapons and magic, and shouts only. Like oh I'm going to go against this type of enemy, let me select this setup. it's a bit annoying to use the regular menu and even the favorites menu can be a bit of a bother. However they are on the right track.
I would also like to see the carry weight restrictions to be able to grow higher than they can. Sometimes this can be annoying when your in certain places like a city and if you drop weapons, guards will give you a warning at first. I'm not sure when the second or more times will cause but I'd rather not find out.
In the end, this is a great open world ARPG with lot's of stuff to do, like killing wolves, giants, spiders, giant spiders, etc. This might not be the game for everyone so before you play this, please check out the other games in the series like ES IV Oblivion (Which is $19.99 brand new GotY edition at gamestop, well it was when I bought it 3 months ago)
I give this a 9.2 out of 10
I feel that the constant frame drops and somewhat annoying equipment menu to be a hindrance, however if it causes less of a problem for me I might have to re-write this review to reflect on it.
One of the best things about these series is the open world aspect. You want to go here? Go ahead! Now you want to go all the way over there? No problem. You are not limited by anything except for how big the game's world is.
The game takes place on the continent of Tamriel in the providence of Skyrim. I can't go much into the story (I've only just started playing the game) you are (??? - You can choose between various races that all come from various places) who is slated to be executed by the Imperials when all of a sudden a Dragon attacks. As chaos ensues all around, you escape (you have a choice as to who you escape with between two people) and soon you will be on your own while trying to avoid dangerous and powerful foes.
While yes there probably is a real story (Like I said I have only begun) since Skyrim is a true Open world Action RPG that means that even though there is a "fixed" story, you can still do whatever you want. You want to only use your time to attack civilians, go right ahead, you want to kill bunnies have at it (There is a stat for how many bunnies you ahve slaughtered) you want to kill a chicken?????
DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can kill other things, just don't kill those chickens!
Graphics in this game are simply amazing, from character models to the foliage, to dungeons, caves, towns, etc. There are very few RPG's that can compete with Skyrim in terms of graphics. Sounds and more importantly music in this game is also one of the greatest you will ever find. I actually find myslef attracted to the sound that plays while you choose to srat a game, continue, load, etc.
The sound effects of your weapons being both sheathed and unsheathed, your bows firing, swords hitting enemies, rocks, etc. are also one of the best I have ever experienced. Don't even get me started on how much I love the sound of my fire spell blasting away at things, <3
Now onto problems with this game. First thing is I'm playing with a PS3 and this is what I've noticed.
Random game freeze, within the first 30 minutes of the game, it just froze. Now you might say that might not be a problem, remember that this game has come from Bethesda, who are infamous with their games freezing, glitching,. lagging, bugging out on the PS3.
Also interestingly enough, I have noticed what appears to be a frame rate issue with this game. Some of you may wonder how do I know this since you can't get a true frame rate with anything other than a PC? Simple, I've played way too many games to know when a game is lagging and it's mostly because of the graphics in that area causing a drop in frame rate. I would think that they could do a better job with this but then there's another problem.
Bethesda sucks for PS3 users, quite simply they don't know what a PS3 is. This is both a joke and true at the same time. Bethesda has said that they've never touched a PS3 as far as making a game is concerned. They used an outsourcing company to port the game over to the PS3. Which is why Skyrim DLC was never released on the PS3 until last month when the first three arrived.
The outsourcing company couldn't port it over for the PS3 so they had to completely re-make the DLC for it to work on the system.
Oh boy and they will probably do stuff with the PS4?
GAMING PC FOR THESE GAMES NAOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The gameplay mechanics are pretty solid though, I would love a wheel similar to Dishonored's system. I only hope that the next game will have this wheel, this wheel is really nice. I would also love to see (stealing something from Call of Duty here) custom class setups, but have it limited to weapons and magic, and shouts only. Like oh I'm going to go against this type of enemy, let me select this setup. it's a bit annoying to use the regular menu and even the favorites menu can be a bit of a bother. However they are on the right track.
I would also like to see the carry weight restrictions to be able to grow higher than they can. Sometimes this can be annoying when your in certain places like a city and if you drop weapons, guards will give you a warning at first. I'm not sure when the second or more times will cause but I'd rather not find out.
In the end, this is a great open world ARPG with lot's of stuff to do, like killing wolves, giants, spiders, giant spiders, etc. This might not be the game for everyone so before you play this, please check out the other games in the series like ES IV Oblivion (Which is $19.99 brand new GotY edition at gamestop, well it was when I bought it 3 months ago)
I give this a 9.2 out of 10
I feel that the constant frame drops and somewhat annoying equipment menu to be a hindrance, however if it causes less of a problem for me I might have to re-write this review to reflect on it.
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