Blogcritics Author: Kristen Schweitzer

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

PC Game Review: World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade

Kristen Schweitzer — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:25:51 EDT

Flying mount, new quests, new monsters, new spells, jewelcrafting - these are just a few of the new features that The Burning Crusade has brought to the already popular game, World of Warcraft. The end game at level 60 was all that people had to look forward to when the original game came out. For years, a collection of people would unite to destroy large dragons and other such monsters that just a single group could not accomplish. With the release of The Burning Crusade, the swarms of level sixty players find new challenges that await them in the Outlands. Outlands is the new continent where only seasoned players may put their skills to the test versus a new range of ravenous monsters. Along with new monsters comes the city of Shattrath, where the bulk of business is taken care of. Within the city you are able to port to any other of the original cities at your whim, cutting down travel time. Another city available is The Exodar, which is home to the new Dranei race that appears to be blue fauns. Don't let the cute animal look deceive you, these creatures can take a beating and recover with their innate ability Gift of the Naaru, a heal over time spell with a three minute cool down. While the Dranei chose the side of the ally to aid in the epic battle, a new threat has arisen with their assistance going to the horde. The Blood Elf, a cruel yet attractive race, has the power to cause destruction in its wake. The release of the Blood Elf Paladin has become a popular choice with the horde now having the ability to become a class that was never before allowed. Meanwhile the Dranei bring the shaman class to the ally to balance the scale of power. Within the Outlands characters now have the ability to control their own flying mounts! Soaring the skies has become a reality in the land of Azeroth, along with being able to group with horde or alliance due to the new system of Scryer and Aldor. If you can believe it, a human and orc can work as a team! In addition to the teamwork, players find that level seventy is a difficult goal to reach but in the end it has delicious rewards. Along with character levels, crafting skill levels have had the bar raised and even incorporated a new skill called jewelcrafting. Jewelcrafting is a skill that allows for earrings, rings, and necklaces to be crafted. At higher levels, gems can be cut to fit socketed armor allowing players to customized gear for maximum performance. With all these addition and so much more The Burning Crusade is a must have for all hardcore MMORPG lovers everywhere. World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence. This game can also be found on: Mac.

Yes, I am a girl gamer. I can generally be found playing RPGs or fighting games. My favorite RPGs include the Final Fantasy series, Suikoden series, and Lunar: Silver Star Story. I am a big Mortal Kombat fan.

PC Game Preview: Vanguard - Saga of Heroes

Kristen Schweitzer — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:18:48 EST

With the release of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes only one week away, online gamers are sitting at their keyboards in suspense of what promises to be the next big hit in massively multiplayer online role play gaming.The main reason to get excited about this game is because it's the product of collaboration between Sigil Games and Sony Online Entertainment. Sigil Games Online, Inc. is the creation of two of the original EverQuest developers. Anyone who knows anything about MMORPGs is aware of the success that EverQuest has found. Vanguard's beta servers have been open -- to those who have preordered the game -- for the past month, with some players getting exclusive invites even sooner. Those who have had the opportunity to play the beta have seen similarities between already popular MMORPGs such as EverQuest I and II, and World of Warcraft. Early game leveling seems to revolve around quest completion, similarly to EQ 2 and WOW. However, according to Jeff Butler of Sigil Games Online, Inc., Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will have much more to offer players than any existing MMORPG."Vanguard gives players more return for their investment of time. At level five, you should see something more impressive than anything in EQ or WOW," said Butler.Butler was also confident that while Vanguard would not steal any hardcore players away from other MMORPGs, that people who are looking to move on for a change of scenery will pick up Vanguard."[The release timing] is a good opportunity to pick up people from WOW," said Butler. Changing games is a huge decision, but with the release of Vanguard just around the corner, those that aren't impressed enough with what's already on the market will find the means to give Vanguard a try. Vanguard will also be designed for those who game with friends, according to the Sigil Games Online Website. Whether they are playing with friends in the other room, or another city, "player interdependence is the key to community building.""Everything in Vanguard is designed to keep friends together with tons of headroom," said Butler.Players have more concerns however than just the game play, but there is good news for players who already have SOE accounts. "[Payments] will work the same way," said Butler. The Station Access account offered by SOE will also include Vanguard, according to April Jones from Sigil. This will be useful for players who wish to keep old EQ or EQ2 accounts but don't want to pay individual per month pricing.Many players are also worried their computers won't be able to handle the advance graphics promised by Vanguard. "We are making the game so it lasts for years to come," said Jones. Don't let this turn you off however. Most people who already play MMORPGs and have computers less than two years old should be fine, according to Butler and Jones."Anyone who can run Oblivion on their PC can easily play Vanguard," Butler said. A proper video card will support advanced 2.0 pixel shaders, and usually runs about $85-115, according to Butler.Some juicy information, such as the number of servers available and the expected number of players is being saved until the actual game is launched, but the level cap will be 50 at launch and will go up as the game expands."Pre-orders do not reflect the number of players. It's too early to tell," said Butler on the number of players anticipated.Pre-orders for the game have been on sale at GameStop, EB Games, and even Best Buy and the official launch date is January 30. For more information on Vanguard: Saga of Heroes visit the official Website FAQ.

PC Game Review: EverQuest II - Echoes of Faydwer

Kristen Schweitzer — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 01:18:34 EST

In my days of EverQuesting, I always enjoyed the fairy shroud because I wished my real character had wings. Bottom line: wings just look cool.Welcome to the continent of Faydwer - found in the third expansion for EverQuest II, released on November 14 - where a winged-fairy race roam. These fairies, known as the Fae, are the newest playable character of EverQuest II.Coming from the original EverQuest, the first thing I noticed about EQII was the character design for the Fae. Customizing characters for this game is a phenomenal experience. Everything from the width of a character's nose to the size of their legs could be altered. The Fae is no different. However, what's cool about the Fae race is the opportunity to choose from a number of unique wing designs. Maybe it's my girly side talking, but this is by far the most beautiful race to appear in an MMORPG. This aspect might not entice all gamers out there but it could definitely encourage an increase in female MMORPGers.However, the Fae is more than just fantasy eye-candy. Fae wings are incredibly useful when falling from high places. Too many times have I fallen to my death in an MMORPG, but the Fae can gracefully float down from what would otherwise be a plunging death.In addition to bringing a great new character, the Echoes of Faydwer expansion reveals new zones to compliment the Fae. One new zone Kelethin, home of the Fae, is a lush, rainforest-like setting with towering trees and exotic flowers. Those creating a Fae character will find themselves initially exploring this land. A newly created Fae will obtain much experience by exploring Kelethin and completing the quests the zone has to offer.The character design and zones, along with the color selection for both, create a perfect addition to the fantasy-established nature of the game. Game play itself doesn't change any with the new expansion, but players will definitely stay busy adventuring through over 20 new zones. And if that isn't enough, they will be able to add more than 300 new missions to their quest journal.Those who aren't looking for plot or new character creation will still find Echoes of Faydwer to be an essential asset in order to fulfill their gaming experience. The expansion includes new zones created for all level characters, along with new equipment, spells, and trade skills. EverQuest II is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence.

PS2 Review: Final Fantasy XII

Kristen Schweitzer — Sun, 7 Jan 2007 23:53:21 EST

My first impression of this game was one of annoyance, I mean; can I get a little game with my movie please?It seemed like cut scenes and cinematics were constantly interrupting my game play. Not that the cinematics were bad, just the opposite. The graphics are top quality. The introduction itself will leave players breathless. The voice acting is also surprisingly realistic in comparison to other games in the series. Unfortunately, I can read faster than the characters speak and that is where my impatience grew.There's much more to be said about the game however. The game itself has proved to be more challenging than many other RPGs. I find myself in constant need of leveling up my characters in order to proceed with the game. Random high-level monsters are thrown in with lower level creatures and it's good luck if you run into one unprepared. The game also has side quests throughout called hunts. Hunts basically required the player to go kill a named creature in exchange for money or equipment. So far keeping up with the hunts and defeating the creatures has been quit a challenge.Another difficult aspect of the game is acquiring gil (money). Most run of the mill monsters won't be dropping gil, but instead loot, which must be sold for gil.Weapons and armor become pricey early on in the game, so it's hard to actually keep money in your pockets. Average loot dropped will be worth very little, while harder monsters will drop loot that can fetch a higher price.The magics, equipment, and battle system are unique to this Final Fantasy. The magics and equipment system are based on a new license point (LP) system. LP is obtained by beating monsters along with normal experience. The LP is then used to obtain license for spells, weapons, accessories, etc. The equipment and spells must then be purchased in order to complete the process. For the record, I love this system. There's more freedom to it as far as spells, as opposed to the learn-as-you-level technique, and it gives one the opportunity to customize his or her characters abilities. The system seems to keep up well with the level of the character, as long as the player makes smart choices about what ability or weapon license should be obtained.The battle system, however, I can't make up my mind about. The system itself is very strange. It's definitely more realistic than the jump-in-and-attack-when-its-your-turn style of older RPGs. There is less control though over each character. It's easy enough to sit back and watch the battle play out without touching the controller at all. However there are ways to customize how the battle goes, so it's not a huge turn off.It's never good to end on a negative note, but I feel this last peeve of mine is perhaps the biggest. I am over 50 hours into the game and I still feel as though I have no idea where the story line is going. I just have the basics covered: a war, some evil dudes, a princess, and a random main hero. I'm not at all sad that I'm getting my times worth of the game, however, with all the cut scenes and dialogue it would be nice to have a better idea of what's going on, or who the big bad guy is going to be.All in all, however, this is an RPG player must-have. It has definitely earned the name Final Fantasy.Final Fantasy XII is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes.

God of War II God of Noise Contest

Kristen Schweitzer — Fri, 3 Nov 2006 02:26:16 EST

Sequels are nothing unusual to most gamers, but Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., is throwing something new into the mix with the release of God of War II. A battle of the bands, titled "God of Noise," will be held for the upcoming game.Until November 8, undiscovered musicians have the opportunity to submit a song of their own for judging. The winning band or musicians will get to see their song in the upcoming God of War II, set to be released in early 2007 for the Playstation 2. The competition consists of three stages, with each designed to narrow down the choices into a top ten. The top ten will then be voted by fans and the band with the highest number of votes will have their song feature in God of War II. Band and musicians can read the official rules and enter the contest through MySpace.com, a well-known blogging and networking website. The site also features video clips, screenshots, and concept art for God of War II. According to Sony's contest rules, all song submissions will be judged on the following criteria: originality 40%; musical compatibility with the feel/tone of the game 30%; creative use of game score samples 30%.