Thursday 17 March 2011

Gaming Reviews

Dungeons
Kalypso Media
Available Now - £34.99 (PC only)
Review by Rob Wade

In Dungeons, our protagonist falls victim to a devious plot hatched by his vile, nasty and thoroughly vicious ex-girlfriend and finds himself at the bottom of the underworld hierarchy and the top of the dungeon pile, which in this world is about as bad as it can get. Our Lord must have his revenge, and make his way back down the dungeon levels to his rightful place -- but first he must deal with his new bosses, the three despicable Dungeon Lords who stand in his way...

Let’s be honest for a moment here: As soon as we saw this game announced, I’m willing to bet that a decent number of us thought that it sounded eerily reminiscent of a game by Bullfrog from back in the golden age of strategy gaming. It’s not hard to make that leap, either, with the main framework of the game being entirely built around a similar premise. However, I am pleased to report that Dungeons is actually a really enjoyable game.

First of all, the game isn’t exactly the same as you might expect. Yes, it’s laid out similarly to Dungeon Keeper, but it also has elements of Overlord, with your protagonist character wandering around the map picking off heroes as you explore the dungeon map. Also a strange one, the game also employs almost resort-style mechanics. It’s ingenious in a way, the mentality is that heroes are to be kept happy while they are in your dungeon, because their happiness results in more Soul Energy for your hero to spend on upgrades. As mechanics go, it’s quite a novel one, and it works really well.

However, the game is not without its issues. During the course of the game, a lot of the hero appearances are quite rushed, and if you’re fighting off skeletons at the other end of the map, you’ll find yourself rushing around like a blue-arsed demon from Hell, largely unsuccessfully. Moreover, the game has its moments of being quite awkward to control, with the keyboard and mouse controls being very much a mixed bag. However, this is not to detract from an otherwise enjoyable experience, which should definitely be tried.

The Emotionally Fourteen Games Rating
Graphics: A little rough around the edges, but bright and colourful and good enough.
Sound/Music: Pretty much what you’d expect, nothing to write home about.
Gameplay: Sort of Dungeon Keeper mixed with Overlord. Enjoyable, but lacks that killer spark.
Lasting Appeal: A decent-sized campaign mode, plus the option to play it different ways as per usual “God” sims.
Summary: A decent surprise, and a very playable game. 7/10

BRUTAL.

Heavy metal and animation collide in this programme from the popular Adult Swim brand.

The metal band Deathklok, which includes both Scandinavian and American members, has conquered the world, becoming far more influential than any band in music history. But with success comes danger and corruption, and each episode of the show sees the band fending off the attentions of a shadowy organisation known as the Tribunal, who attempt to bring the band's popularity to an abrupt halt. Metalocalypse is full of brutal cartoon violence (it's not unusual for audience members to die at Deathklok shows) that has won over countless fans from the heavy metal community.

Thanks to our friends at Revolver Entertainment, we've got a copy of the Metalocalypse: Season 1-3 Boxset on DVD to give away - as well as two copies of Metalocalypse: Season 3 as runner-up prized! For your chance of winning, send your name and full postal address to emotionally14@hotmail.co.uk before midday on Thursday 24th March, making sure to put "Metalocalypse" as the subject. The first three entries out of the electronic hat after the competition closes will receive a fantastic prize!

Don't forget to put "Metalocalypse" in the subject line. Incorrectly labelled or blank entries will be discarded.

Metalocalypse: Season Three is available from Monday 21st March, priced £19.99. the Metalocalyplse: Season 1-3 box set is also available from Monday 21st March, priced £39.99.

Entries limited to one per household. Offer open only to postal addresses in the UK and Ireland.

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