Recent reviews by Nifty

Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is the latest installment of this popular long running series. Now after a few games in this highly addictive turn based game I feel comfortable writing this review. So a lot of chattering about this game is its going to a predecessor to one of my favorite Sid Meier's game of all time Alpha Centauri and probably my first 4x strategy game. The other chatter was all about how this is just a new skinned Civilization 5 and how its just Civilization in space. They both couldn't have more wrong in my opinion. This game is definitely no SMAC (Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri) and other then the hexagon squares is all the feel I get about Civilization 5 even though they used the same engine used for Civilization 5. This truly is a stand alone game I look forward to the DLC's as they get released because the game does seem lacking in some a few areas and I'm hoping for more substance more of the just one more turn mentality many of us Civ fans want and have that holy schnikes its 4am moment all of Civ fans desire and experience only so well and often more then we would like to. Alright the game introduces some new mechanics the affinity tree similar to the ideologies in Civilization 5 but at the same time completely different. Love the concept of this but its one of the area's lacking wish it had substance the three affinities are harmony living in peace with the planet and adapting to the planet in contrast to the purity affinity. Purity is all about the desire to keep/preserve the human race and save the people of earth. Then there is the Supremacy the ideology behind this is all about technological advancement and liberating the people of earth. Each one affinity affects how your game plays out and how your civilization looks and feels even how the cities grow and the appearance they take. But there is no way to truly combine them they even affect the upgraded soldiers, tanks, and advanced military units later in the game. Would like to make a side note saying one of these late game military units looks (stolen) from Stargate SG-1 and is a Replicator in appearance . Also the technology tree has a distinct feel like that was stolen as well the layout and colors are eerily similar to another 4x strategy game Endless Space. Also the technology tree is confusing and no easy way to navigate it it basically it starts in the middle of a circle and branches out in all directions. Then each tech has main tech then two below it then it branches out again very confusing but you don't have to research it all. Should of just been a spider web all the way if that was the idea but then you could really tell the idea was stolen from Endless Space in my opinion. Now the Virtues seems from culture seem really secondary with all the emphasis on the affinity branches. All though really useful as you advance your civilization. Also there are four virtue trees (culture) military, growth, science, and money (energy in the game). Now they want you to pick one and follow the three with bonuses going down the columns but also to branch out with bonuses on the row but are most costly because you need to advance across all branches to achieve those bonuses instead of straight down a row so choose wisely. Now these three combined affinity, research, and culture add a very distinct feel of play not seen in any of the Sid Meier's Civilization games before if you ask me. That is why I recommend this game and say its not a successor to SMAC or Civilization 5 in space. To many it was truly astonishing how many people want SMAC to return and how many people hate a new Civilization coming out (this always happens remember the loud cry from Civilization 4 to Civilization 5) We have to admire a game that in six franchise releases still has so many die hard fans for each one. And for Sid Meier his idea that brought us 4x turn based strategy games on such a monolithic scale. This game has its flaws instead of creating such a vivid intro video they should of spent more time on the game and design of units and affinity tree because I would be surprised if they say it turned out like they envisioned. Now one of one of the more interesting features is the quest the game assigns to you. For affinity points, production, tech points, food, and all the other aspects in the game. Really a nice feature gives you something to try to achieve why playing other then the end game of winning. Also the planets are rich with alien life that is passive aggressive but levels with you as you play unlike the barbarians in Civilization 5. These aliens get other creatures/units on the map as the turns progress also they are hostile if you attack and hostile if you don't but will leave you alone if you can work it. So what else is there about this newest installment I haven't covered . The characters there are are only eight playable factions from all over the world and don't belong to just one nation which is an interesting idea. Because honestly this is the first Civilization game that is in the future not using historical characters. They do seem a little lackluster and I would like to see my own faction character as they progress down the affinities. And they don't seem to have set traits/affinities they go down just seem to do the opposite of there neighbor but I’m not 100% sure on this one yet. Sometimes they get along sometimes they don't. Also the spying in the game gives you more options which is a warmly welcome. Need to setup a spy network in the designated city, and steal tech, science, maybe search for defectors, or drop a dirty bomb to name a few of the choices in the covert actions you can perform and maybe get a quest in to entertain you why spying. But this is such an impressive game and can't be reviewed completely to do it justice. Like any game and new installment it has its pros/cons but I would recommend buying and trying it out. If you are a SMAC fan it will want you wanting more like colonizing on water creating your own units and the videos for your advancing tech nothing will be SMAC till they release SMAC 2 no matter how much the developers try or say its the spiritual successor to SMAC that’s a marketing ploy that got me and its not even close to SMAC once you play. This is also not Civilization in space for one it's (going obvious) on a alien planet not in space. Its just a futuristic Sid Meier's Civilization game. So if your a 4x lover and/or a Civilization fan GET THE GAME. Cause you know you will eventually anyways.

Call of Juarez Gunslinger, the good, the bad, and the ugly. First off I loved the approach the developers took to the game. Now if you have read my other reviews you will know I'm not a huge fan of first person shooters. I am however a gamer!! So the game play is secondary to this larger-than-life storytelling. So you take on the role of Silas Greaves legendary bounty hunter. The best way I can think to describe the game it your character Silas is telling about his legendary life in a true old west fashion. Its a first person shooter told by yourself in a third person storytelling style. You are Silas Greaves walking into a saloon taking advantage of your bounty hunter status and storytelling ability for some free booze. Are they all big fish story's or true? At a certain point I was thinking the gameplay got in the way of the story. That is how good it is being told. But the game play is basic nothing expectational or revolutionary as far as a video game goes. The duels are probably the best part. They automatic checkpoints will save you from time to time lot of blood shed by Silas as his career as a bounty hunter so dying in the game is expected from time to time. They fast pace of the game is key to survival in my opinion if you take a more reserved approach you will not die as much but miss out on the point of the story because the narrative is bigger then life he didn't stop to cover he went balls to the wall in wild wild west style. But with its lackluster play style they story makes up for it in a tremendously enormous way. Once I started playing I want to see the next chapter from beginning to end. Also this is the fourth installment of Call of Juarez I haven't played the others but I will be looking into them because if the main antagonist in those is anything like Silas and the way they tell story is similar they will be just as fun I would assume. But definitely worth the price steam has on it $14.99 and if its on sale its a MUST BUY.

Bioshock Infinite has been in my game library since the Christmas sale i want to say maybe fall sale of 2013. Bought it as a combo pack with all three games. Friend has been raving about the series for years to me. I play the first and am blown away by the story. Start the second one and couldn't even get past an an hour into and am thinking total garbage. So the third installment I put on hold for quite awhile. Finally get a wild hair to sit down and play it. It is a very graphical stunning game. I'm a little at a lose on written this review because it's a good game possible a great one with one thing I'm not 100% sold on the story. The story is good but it was completely rushed it starts out slow like the first one that's fine getting your bearings and the lay of the land. But then you hit the action and it's done quicker then a plate of oreos' at a weight watchers meeting. It leaves you wanting more or it does in my opinion. A person could easily finish this game in ten hours just rushing it not exploring or all that jazz. I would feel even more cheap, dirty, and used like a five dollar hooker if I had paid full price for the game. I did not so the feeling passed pretty quickly think I picked up all three and the season pass for idk around $20. The story itself is good but you wish it had a little more detail to it. All in all a good game don't let this review discourage your from purchasing it. And the ending linking up to the Bioshock original wasn't even needed. Love how they did just not fundamental to the story. I would rate this game a 7.5 maybe an 8 but more towards the 7.5 mark. Graphics superbly done. Story I liked it but didn't love it. All in all if your a fan of the first skip the second and purchase this one. If your new to series doesn't matter the order you play them just skip the second and your golden. This game should definitaly be on your wishlist at the very least.

Payday 2, Not sure where to start on writing this review. This game has offers quiet a bit even with the bugs and there are bugs but patches seem pretty regular which is good. Having never played the first but I have heard good things about it and few friends recommend it yet. The two things they say it has in common is how horrible the AI is. The AI definitely needs some work its not horrible but some tweaking would be in order. With that being its biggest downfall this game is exceptionally awesome. I picked it up in the Steam Summer Sale 80% off WELL WORTH EVERY PENNY I've been eying it awhile but after playing it I would recommend the $29.99 is also a good price for what it offers. So the game is pretty straight forward you are bank robbers, muscle for drug cartels, and straight up crooks. The offline play is a little lacking but I would recommend after installing to play offline a few missions and get the layouts of the maps, objectives down, and get a feel for the game. After that its all about the online play. Its a four person co-op game ideally you would have each of the four skills trees in in group, Mastermind, Enforcer, Technician, and Ghost. The Mastermind (Dallas) is the leader that can manipulate the situations to get a better control over them. The Enforcer (Chains)(my favorite) is the just like the name the big guns, tank, and portable saw for cracking safe deposit boxes. Technician (Wolf) just likes stuff that goes BOOM!!! He gets trip mines and C4 the further they progress on the tree. The Ghost (Hoxton) silent and just as deadly also get the safe cracking skill which is so helpful. There are five mission difficulties normal, hard, very hard, overkill, and death wish. The pay and experience earned is greater on the levels and so is the risk do not go into an overkill unprepared, and don't even think about a death wish till you are a season veteran in the game. Then there are Pro Jobs also one shot is all you get no repeats. Now the game does get a monotonous lacking in a variety of missions but they make up for it making the spawns and layouts just a little bit different every time you load an ready up a mission. Now keep in mind there are only really two play styles loud guns a blazing from the get go or silent the way the game was meant to be played. Other then the occasional idiots you get teamed up. This is one game that does have a lot of replay potential with the down sides of the bugs, AI, mind numbing missions over and over, and the idiots. But nothing gets your heart raising more then pulling of the biggest heist and get that hard fought and elusive achievement to show off your badge of honor. And once you play more and more you find a group of friends who love the game and I've never had so many or sent so many steam friend request for one game this is a tight nit community that loves the game and good people to play with. I highly recommend the game.

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Assassins Creed 4 : Black Flag restored a little fate in the Assassin's Creed line after the (spoiler for the Assassin's Creed 3) The death of Desmond Miles but for me this was devastating and the horrible character of Ratonhnhaké:ton a.k.a. Connor. But our newest unknown main character a research assistant for abstergo entertainment seems to have some unknown potential. But enough about him our true main character Edward Kenway a man who wanted to hold the world hostage and take what was owed to him or so he thought and became a pirate and lived by the pirate code and unwittingly lived by the iconic assassin's code: Nothing is true; everything is permitted. Edward does start off a little lackluster and takes you awhile to get into his character and the many flaws he does have. (spoiler) Not being a true assassin or even joining order at the end of the game. I knew he had joined at the end but felt like it wasn't a strong revelation for him to join. The story was strong in spots and weak in others and felt a little jumpy from certain missions to the next mission. Towards the end of the game they mentioned its been six years and you are like wow really. One of the downsides of the game is how Ubisofts loves adding those treasure chest and the run after an item like almanac sheets in the third and now music sheets and animus fragments. I personally am bored with because all the games have had something along these lines but the plus side no feathers in this game. Same way with the fighting mechanics you basically just spam the same button combinations over and over eventually I would like to see a combo fighting style installed in the games to keep it fresh. The open world/sea was a amazing you will spend hours raiding ships. Till the awe factor wears off and I mean hours because it was fantastic and the world was so huge. If you didn't have the fast travel it would take you days (over exaggeration) to get from one location to another. The naval part was one of the prizewinning features of this video game it was grand. Legendary ship battles will have you shouting for joy once you defeat these monstrous ships. Now the other downside to Assassin's Creed: Black Flag was the every so often how you would find the hole in the world and just free falling to your death. The climb your ship from the sea and just fall through and be stuck or the gaming loading and you and your crew fall in a big empty ocean where your ship should be. And the occasional graphic glitch where you need to exit the game completely and start again. These were more annoying then anything on just how random they were. All and all AC4: Black Flag was a excellent game and as a huge fan of the series I do recommend this game even though the gameplay and style hasn't changed much since brotherhood.

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Bioshock I don't even know where to begin the good, the bad, the scary, the funny the impressiveness, the uninspiring. This game has to be one of the best story’s I have ever played. I went in not liking the game not wanting to play the game. And even though it did take me about a month or two of casual gaming to achieve the ending because I did not want to play it. The game play and story won me over. This has to be one of the scariest, 80's hack and slash style movie, rolled into a first person shooter. Now if you have read my other reviews you know I'm not a huge fan FPS's (first person shooters). I do like to play video games so I play them and above all else I love video games with a fantastic story and this has one. Bioshock is like the Twilight Zone meets Alfred Hitchcock and they had a baby. Now I think it took me so long to get into the game because it starts off slow and you are leveling your character getting new ability’s, weapons, and getting the crap scared out of you by the slicers and the enviroment. It takes you awhile to start to understand this game its set in the 1950's in an underwater city called Rapture. If you are going to play it the biggest element to the game are the audio diaries. They give you an inside look into the minds of the citizens of Rapture and explain how the city has evolved into its current state of commotion. There are some essential lines in the game and one of the best is at the very begin as you ascend to the majestic city. “I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No!' says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the poor.' 'No!' says the man in the Vatican, 'It belongs to God.' 'No!' says the man in Moscow, 'It belongs to everyone.' I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... Rapture...” This honestly does set the tone for the rest of game. Now if you are going to play this game beware there are three different endings. Make up your mind at the begin which way to go kill, save, or do both on the little sisters those three options determine your ending. The game is 14-20 hours long depending on your play level and style. Now I can't stress the audio diaries enough they are essential for you to get the whole story out of this phenomenal game. Just when you think you are like this is it this is the ending nope hold on to your hat. I think that was a decisive turning occurrence for me to start apprenticing this game and seeing why it has a 96 meta critic score. Now the downside the game crashed on me a few different times. (Windows 7 user) So just save often. The story little slow at first but it picks up. Wallet has a cap. Hacking certain machines not set up to well I thought. Bots not the brightest. Now the last couple I'm nitpicking because honestly this game doesn't have a lot of flaws in my opinion other then being a first person shooter :) Get it love and play it again and again.

ArcaniA – Gothic 4 is a mediocre RPG that is mildly amusing, addictive, and simply boring all rolled into one. Its a semi-open world where you have to unlock the next area by completing certain objectives. The hero a boy from Feshyr a simple shepard and I mean simple. This is one game that truly could have been an OUTSTANDING game. The hero he lacked substance and didn't grow he was still the simple ignorant, and dumb shepard from Freshyr. If you are a hardcore RPG fan this game might be for you. It does have some really good parts and the story has so much more to offer then it did. Mind numbing questing everyone in the game just takes advantage of the main hero (honestly after 25 hours of game play I couldn't tell you his name). I need to find this will you help me? Yes but you have to do this first? OK I accomplished the task. NO you tricked me or What I have do one more thing. The repetitiveness of the same quest just a different location hurt this game more then anything. The game mechanics on fighting were good. On the other hand the enemy’s repeated there attacks in the same order over and over again just like the weather dusk, morning, afternoon evening all sunny. Then night calm, lets say midnight rain, then dusk it stops and repeats the order. That’s all the game does really is repeat its self over and over. The graphics are descent the endless invincible walls not so much. I don't personally like to give a bad review because the designers of the games we love to play, put so much time and effort into them but this is one game had the possibility to offer so much more and falls short by a long haul in my opinion. It feels like they had a good a vision for the game but couldn't fulfill or even do it justice on what they envisioned. One of the most notable parts of the game was the voice actor David Lodge. He was known for his voice role as Kenpachi Zaraki in Bleach and the role of Jiraiya in Naruto. Winstan a NPC that has only a few lines in the game

The Witcher is probably one the best fantasy RPG's on the market even being over five years old. Your monster hunter Geralt of Rivia an outcast, hero, and necessary evil in a world filled with dreaded monsters that need to be killed. Geralt is thrust into a conflict he doesn't belong in with intrigue, backstabbing, and concealed agendas. The game itself is just a plus to the fantastic storytelling. One game where your choices really do have consequences so many choices on the story on how you can align with or stay autonomous like the witchers of past. This is a mature story not meant for the young because there is nudity but in all honesty who doesn't like a little digital nudity from time to time, especially when its just makes and breaks the storytelling involved. Now the combat system has little learning curve where you can't get it just right till you invest a little time the game. The save files on average are around 30mb so be prepared to have small quantity of your hard drive taken over by the save folder but its worth every penny if your like me and save often. So you can go back and replay it different right away if you didn't like how it turned it. This is a phenomenal game that has a strong following for exactly that reason. I purchased the game through steam just so I could write this review Its that good of game, I now own two copies.

Far Cry 3 was my introduction to the Far Cry franchise. Now I’m not a huge fan of first person shooters (FPS) but there are some goods and this is one of them. This is a open world game which other then the story missions to advance the main objectives you can play how you like. Set on an island where you Jason Brody must free your friends from the psychotic Vaas. And there are times you wish you could play as Vaas or enter his mind at least because he is an first-class psycho. Rook island is a land semi-forgotten by the world. Where you hunt down relics of the ancient ancestors that lived on the island. See and feel the effects of World War 2 on this Pacific island. Truly a world where anything goes and does happen. The story happens in a nonlinear fashion but as you progress you will see how it all fits together and how this forges your champion Jason Brody. And the nice thing about the far cry series is each game is its own other then being an open world shooter you don't need to play them in an particular order. If your looking for a game you can run through swamps, jungles, and mountains you found it don't get me wrong it is no Skyrim on that size but it will take you a good 10+ to get from one side to another. But if you are one of the people that has to everything in a game you can easily get 60+ hours of play time. The biggest downside of the game is your friends you are rescuing how they seem unaffected by this island. The graphics are awe inspiring and the cut scenes will have your heart racing especially.....* NO SPOILERS* Get the game and find out for yourself.

Dragons Age is well a put together RPG that will immerse you in the story and you will invest time in developing the characters that accompany you on your quest. The biggest downside to the game is the story is tried, tired and done a thousand times over. You the hero are on quest to destroy the dark spawn that is wreaking havoc on the land. This being its biggest downfall does not make this a bad game at all. I had over 70hours in one play through and with all the decision making you encounter this game will surely keep you amused for multiple plays. One of the best combat systems I've seen you can not only setup the AI to have your companions on the quest do what you like but you can fully take control of them which in my opinion is a huge advantage. The combat system is a little bit of learning curve but once you get the hang of it you will love it and enjoy the simpleness of how your characters act and follow your directions in the heat of some best battles you will see in an RPG. Bioware did an excellent job in creating a game you can fully plunge yourself into and get behind.