When you start the game you are given control of Sergeant Forge, and must liberate a base to start your campaign. From there, you will need to create UNSC forces. There are many new military units, along with classic ones from the trilogy. There are many ways to play it. You can make a heavily armed army, with tanks and other heavy vehicles, but smaller; or you can produce a lighter armed army, with smaller units, but an extremely large and robust one. By the end of the game you could have hundreds of small units or 50 or so heavily armed tanks rolling across the plains of Harvest. You can also do a mixed army with several tanks and a hundred or so smaller units.
I personally do not like RTS’s that much. However, I thought this was an excellent game. The thing I dislike about the everyday RTS is the need to constantly find resources which takes up most of your play time. With Halo Wars, however, all you have to do is build a couple of supply pads on your base and you don’t have to worry. Halo Wars focuses mostly on the military strategy of the game and the action part, very little of your time will be spent trying to get supplies. Most of it will be spent constructing your army and moving them across the land to confront the enemy. I was also worried about the controls. The Xbox 360 controller does not give much room for RTS’s, but just like the old saying goes, a little goes a long way. They were able to make the controls very simple and efficient, but effective at the same time. There aren’t any tricky controls or complicated combinations you need; most of it is done through pressing a single button.
The Multiplayer is especially fun. If you have Xbox Live, you will spend hours trying to outwit your friends and conquer their bases. You can also do co-operative play with your friends. So you can challenge the Covenant together.
To conclude, this is a great game. No matter who you are you will love it, whether you like first person shooters or regular RTS’s. You should at least try it once. This game definitely lives up to its expectations and the greatness of the Halo Trilogy, along with giving you some background on the trilogy.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Halo Wars: A Review By Conan S.
Halo Wars is a real time strategy game (RTS) and a prequel to the bestselling Xbox 360 Trilogy, Halo. It takes place on Harvest, after the Covenant has recently taken control of the planet. You and your crew have arrived at Harvest on the Spirit of Fire with the intention of liberating the conquered planet.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Microsoft's Left 4 Dead review by Jose D.
Left 4 Dead…
Where to begin?
Left 4 Dead is an action packed survival horror game created by ValveE designer Mike Booth co-designer of both the Counter Strike series for ValveE.
This game takes place in an zombie apocalyptic setting based around 4 different scenarios all created with their certain bonuses and perks; and while the source of the zombie outbreak is never revealed, the intro scene does state that it is “2 weeks” after the infection began.
You chose from one of the four survivors
Bill -A Vietnam War veteran
Zoey-A horror movie fanatic
Francis-Your typical hardcore biker
Louis-A computer salesman
And on team infected are
Hunter-Agile, quick dangerously vicious infected, these attack with a vicious pounce and slash secondary attack
Boomer-A morbid obese infected who can draw the horde on specific individuals via vomit…Yes vomit, secondary attack being that of a punch
Smoker-Tall, slim smog induced infected with the ability to pull survivors from a distance using his tongue (which is very long) either strangling them, or bringing them in for a beat down, secondary attack being slash
Tank- A large, very muscular infected resembling the incredible hulk, minus the green. This large monster has the ability to punch with the grace of a thousand rhino’s and the power to life chunks of concrete off the ground before…launching it at you
All of these characters are playable.
NON PLAYABLE CHARACTER
The Witch-This beautiful infected does absolutely nothing. She usually is found in random spots on her knees crying…yes crying. She is completely harmless unless you bother her. Things that bother her are loud sounds, gunshots, screams and the almighty flashlight. If you mess and annoy her, she WILL kill you. No doubt about it.
Now, you begin the game by first selecting one of the four scenario/campaigns. Where the main point of each is to make it from safe room A to safe room B and so forth, safety with as many survivors as possible, all leading to the final scenario where you must hold up a base and await for extraction.
These are the four scenarios currently available.
-No Mercy: An urban setting taken place in a city, subway, sewers and hospital.
-Blood Harvest: A country/farm like setting where you must make your way to extraction via Military Evacuation.
-Dead Air: A scenario taking place in an airport setting where you must navigate your way through a traverse airport whilst defending yourself against the zombie horde.
-Death Toll: The survivors are once again brought out of there big safe room and thrown into highways, forests and a small town where evacuation is that of boat extraction.
These are the current available scenario/campaigns available at launch, more scenarios and infected, perhaps even more survivors will be released with the expansion of DLC (Downloadable Content) being released whenever ValveE feels necessary. (Hopefully in the near future)
Overall this action packed game is well worth the $50 offering very high replay. You will be playing this game, over, and over again. I personally, cannot stop playing it. I highly recommend this game to any avid first person shooter, horror, survival zombie fanatic.
READ MORE
Where to begin?
Left 4 Dead is an action packed survival horror game created by ValveE designer Mike Booth co-designer of both the Counter Strike series for ValveE.
This game takes place in an zombie apocalyptic setting based around 4 different scenarios all created with their certain bonuses and perks; and while the source of the zombie outbreak is never revealed, the intro scene does state that it is “2 weeks” after the infection began.
You chose from one of the four survivors
Bill -A Vietnam War veteran
Zoey-A horror movie fanatic
Francis-Your typical hardcore biker
Louis-A computer salesman
And on team infected are
Hunter-Agile, quick dangerously vicious infected, these attack with a vicious pounce and slash secondary attack
Boomer-A morbid obese infected who can draw the horde on specific individuals via vomit…Yes vomit, secondary attack being that of a punch
Smoker-Tall, slim smog induced infected with the ability to pull survivors from a distance using his tongue (which is very long) either strangling them, or bringing them in for a beat down, secondary attack being slash
Tank- A large, very muscular infected resembling the incredible hulk, minus the green. This large monster has the ability to punch with the grace of a thousand rhino’s and the power to life chunks of concrete off the ground before…launching it at you
All of these characters are playable.
NON PLAYABLE CHARACTER
The Witch-This beautiful infected does absolutely nothing. She usually is found in random spots on her knees crying…yes crying. She is completely harmless unless you bother her. Things that bother her are loud sounds, gunshots, screams and the almighty flashlight. If you mess and annoy her, she WILL kill you. No doubt about it.
Now, you begin the game by first selecting one of the four scenario/campaigns. Where the main point of each is to make it from safe room A to safe room B and so forth, safety with as many survivors as possible, all leading to the final scenario where you must hold up a base and await for extraction.
These are the four scenarios currently available.
-No Mercy: An urban setting taken place in a city, subway, sewers and hospital.
-Blood Harvest: A country/farm like setting where you must make your way to extraction via Military Evacuation.
-Dead Air: A scenario taking place in an airport setting where you must navigate your way through a traverse airport whilst defending yourself against the zombie horde.
-Death Toll: The survivors are once again brought out of there big safe room and thrown into highways, forests and a small town where evacuation is that of boat extraction.
These are the current available scenario/campaigns available at launch, more scenarios and infected, perhaps even more survivors will be released with the expansion of DLC (Downloadable Content) being released whenever ValveE feels necessary. (Hopefully in the near future)
Overall this action packed game is well worth the $50 offering very high replay. You will be playing this game, over, and over again. I personally, cannot stop playing it. I highly recommend this game to any avid first person shooter, horror, survival zombie fanatic.
READ MORE
Tamora Pierce's Bloodhound Review by Becca L.
How dare she!?! She is supposed to be with Rosto! ROS. TO. Not this "Dale" person. I don't care if I'm giving things away, I am angry. Serves her right. Serves. Her. Right. What serves her right, you ask? Sorry, my judgement-clouding anger has abated. I will give no more away!
Beka is back, and and, to be horribly cliche, better than ever. Though she is taken from her dear Corus (and Rosto. ROSTO.), she continues to fight for truth, justice, and the Tortallan way. And now she has a doggie! As anybody who is anybody knows, Tamora Pierce was at our dear Martin Library this summer and read an excerpt from her latest book, Bloodhound. Beka is undercover chasing down colemongers with the help of Goodwin and a rather silly hound named Atchoo in Port Caynn. Cool people will recognize Port Caynn as being close to Pirate's Swoop, Allanna's home with Beka's decendent, George.
Everyone, and by everyone i really do mean everyone, must read this book. But wait, I hear you say. I thought you were angry. Thank you for paying attention, dear reader. Yes. I am angry. I am infuriated. I want Tamora Pierce to die, and then come immediately back to life because I love her and I'm sorry for saying such horrible things. It is my anger that should clue you in to the sheer awesome contained within this book. I want to slap Beka. She isn't real, but I still want to slap her. Only a truly amazing read causes such emotion toward a character and an author.
Run, do not walk, to your nearest time machine, go to April, buy this book, read it, shred it in fury, buy another one, shred it in despair, buy one more, and don't you dare hurt this one! Do you have any idea how many trees you people have killed? But you told me to, I hear that same observant voice say. I want to throttle a fictional character. I am clearly not to be trusted. Now shoo. You have some sad and lonely waiting to do until April.
READ MORE
Beka is back, and and, to be horribly cliche, better than ever. Though she is taken from her dear Corus (and Rosto. ROSTO.), she continues to fight for truth, justice, and the Tortallan way. And now she has a doggie! As anybody who is anybody knows, Tamora Pierce was at our dear Martin Library this summer and read an excerpt from her latest book, Bloodhound. Beka is undercover chasing down colemongers with the help of Goodwin and a rather silly hound named Atchoo in Port Caynn. Cool people will recognize Port Caynn as being close to Pirate's Swoop, Allanna's home with Beka's decendent, George.
Everyone, and by everyone i really do mean everyone, must read this book. But wait, I hear you say. I thought you were angry. Thank you for paying attention, dear reader. Yes. I am angry. I am infuriated. I want Tamora Pierce to die, and then come immediately back to life because I love her and I'm sorry for saying such horrible things. It is my anger that should clue you in to the sheer awesome contained within this book. I want to slap Beka. She isn't real, but I still want to slap her. Only a truly amazing read causes such emotion toward a character and an author.
Run, do not walk, to your nearest time machine, go to April, buy this book, read it, shred it in fury, buy another one, shred it in despair, buy one more, and don't you dare hurt this one! Do you have any idea how many trees you people have killed? But you told me to, I hear that same observant voice say. I want to throttle a fictional character. I am clearly not to be trusted. Now shoo. You have some sad and lonely waiting to do until April.
READ MORE
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Allan Moore's V for Vendetta review by Jesse B.
A young girl is pressed against a wall by a group of policemen who ready themselves for raping and subsequently murdering her. Suddenly, a cloaked figure wearing a smiling mask approaches, quoting Macbeth. The man releases a stream of tear gas and drops off a bomb as a souvenir. He grabs the girl and carries her to safety on the city rooftops. Together they watch as the Houses of Parliament are bombed to the ground. Fireworks follow.
So begins the stunning graphic novel V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. In a post-nuclear war England, a Neonazi group comes into power and establishes a totalitarian empire. All minority groups are sent to "relocation camps" and are systematically exterminated.
Enter "V", a revolutionary bearing a Guy Fawkes mask who devotes himself to the principles of anarchy and aims to destroy the current government and its institutions. V saves the life of Evey Hammond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and shelters her in his "Shadow Gallery". He grants the girl access to all of the cultural knowledge forbidden by national law. Evey wonders at all of this, but most of all wonders at the mystery of the man behind the mask.
A brilliant analysis of modern society and a disheartening picture of a potential future, V for Vendetta is of a surety one of the greatest graphic novels one will ever read. But if the above material did not impress this upon the reader, let it now be made plain: This novel is not for the faint of heart. Murder, rape and genocide are but a sampling of the heavy topics touched upon by Lloyd and Moore. V for Vendetta is not your standard comic book fare, as the majority of the novel focuses on philosophy, sociology and politics. If one undertakes the reading of this novel, that person should be prepared to experience both disgust and elation. One must remember, "England prevails."
READ MORE
So begins the stunning graphic novel V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. In a post-nuclear war England, a Neonazi group comes into power and establishes a totalitarian empire. All minority groups are sent to "relocation camps" and are systematically exterminated.
Enter "V", a revolutionary bearing a Guy Fawkes mask who devotes himself to the principles of anarchy and aims to destroy the current government and its institutions. V saves the life of Evey Hammond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and shelters her in his "Shadow Gallery". He grants the girl access to all of the cultural knowledge forbidden by national law. Evey wonders at all of this, but most of all wonders at the mystery of the man behind the mask.
A brilliant analysis of modern society and a disheartening picture of a potential future, V for Vendetta is of a surety one of the greatest graphic novels one will ever read. But if the above material did not impress this upon the reader, let it now be made plain: This novel is not for the faint of heart. Murder, rape and genocide are but a sampling of the heavy topics touched upon by Lloyd and Moore. V for Vendetta is not your standard comic book fare, as the majority of the novel focuses on philosophy, sociology and politics. If one undertakes the reading of this novel, that person should be prepared to experience both disgust and elation. One must remember, "England prevails."
READ MORE
Saturday, February 14, 2009
J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard: Review by Nathan W.
The newest J.K. Rowling book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is what Harry Potter fans have been waiting for. For the past year and a half, Potter fans have been trying to cope with the ending of the series and trying to find other books to satisfy themselves.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is mentioned in the final Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and is a great read for both hardcore Potter fans and those who simply want to read a new book. There are five short stories in The Tales of Beedle the Bard : “ The Wizard’s Hairy Heart,” “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” and “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot.”
My favorite story was “The Wizard’s Hairy Heart” due to its darkness and its ending, which is Romeo and Juliet- esque. This is a story of a young man who refuses to fall in love and removes his heart, which becomes hairy and moldy after its removal. When he finally falls in love, the wizard realizes his mistake and kills himself (his lover also commits suicide). “Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump” was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was expecting a happy, cherry rabbit-based story; instead, reader read about an old woman who makes a fool out of a charlatan. “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” as Harry Potter fans know, was mentioned in and was instrumental in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This story tells of the deathly hallows: the elder wand, the resurrection stone, and the invisibility cloak.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard comes with commentary from Albus Dumbledore, our favorite Hogwarts headmaster. The commentary is funny. Another ode to Harry Potter fans is that the book “was translated from the original ancient runes by Hermione Granger.” The proceeds from the book go to the Children’s High Level Group, a charity that helps orphaned children. While Harry Potter fans have to wait for J.K. Rowling to finish her Harry Potter encyclopedia, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a great way to pass the time, and reader will donate to charity in the process
READ MORE
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is mentioned in the final Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and is a great read for both hardcore Potter fans and those who simply want to read a new book. There are five short stories in The Tales of Beedle the Bard : “ The Wizard’s Hairy Heart,” “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” and “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot.”
My favorite story was “The Wizard’s Hairy Heart” due to its darkness and its ending, which is Romeo and Juliet- esque. This is a story of a young man who refuses to fall in love and removes his heart, which becomes hairy and moldy after its removal. When he finally falls in love, the wizard realizes his mistake and kills himself (his lover also commits suicide). “Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump” was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was expecting a happy, cherry rabbit-based story; instead, reader read about an old woman who makes a fool out of a charlatan. “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” as Harry Potter fans know, was mentioned in and was instrumental in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This story tells of the deathly hallows: the elder wand, the resurrection stone, and the invisibility cloak.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard comes with commentary from Albus Dumbledore, our favorite Hogwarts headmaster. The commentary is funny. Another ode to Harry Potter fans is that the book “was translated from the original ancient runes by Hermione Granger.” The proceeds from the book go to the Children’s High Level Group, a charity that helps orphaned children. While Harry Potter fans have to wait for J.K. Rowling to finish her Harry Potter encyclopedia, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a great way to pass the time, and reader will donate to charity in the process
READ MORE
Monday, January 19, 2009
L.A. Meyer's My Bonnie Light Horseman - Review by Becca L.
In this latest installment of the Bloody Jack series, Jackie has gotten herself into the most far-fetched bit of trouble yet. We've stuck with her through cross-dressing, finishing school, piracy, slavery, and grand theft nautical. Even I, Jackie's biggest fan, cannot swallow our heroine as a spy/ballerina/burlesque/French soldier. Yes, she tackles all these roles in a single book. One day she's gaining information on French troop movements via pillow-talk, the next she's delivering the orders that save Napoleon's bacon. And the author tells us this is not the end of it!
I have never been a supporter of neat, tidy, gift-wrapped endings. In fact, I am highly offended by them. But would it kill L.A. Meyer to give it a ending? Every book ends in the middle of something very important. Just send her back to England with Jaimy already! She can get in plenty of book-worthy trouble when she's married.
I am all for suspense, but I have been waiting with baited breath for far too long. I have another bone to pick with you, Mr. Meyer. When did Jackie become gentrified? A large part of her charm stems from her cockney upbringing. I cannot have a properly educated Cheapside scammer! It simply will not do! I demand that you return her to her humbler speech patterns that must be read aloud to be understood!
Still, I can never stay mad at Jackie for long. She holds a special place in my heart as the one heroine I actually like who can be snuck into the "realistic fiction" box of required reading. I shudder to think what the seventh book will bring. I doubt there is anything left to subject her to.
I have never been a supporter of neat, tidy, gift-wrapped endings. In fact, I am highly offended by them. But would it kill L.A. Meyer to give it a ending? Every book ends in the middle of something very important. Just send her back to England with Jaimy already! She can get in plenty of book-worthy trouble when she's married.
I am all for suspense, but I have been waiting with baited breath for far too long. I have another bone to pick with you, Mr. Meyer. When did Jackie become gentrified? A large part of her charm stems from her cockney upbringing. I cannot have a properly educated Cheapside scammer! It simply will not do! I demand that you return her to her humbler speech patterns that must be read aloud to be understood!
Still, I can never stay mad at Jackie for long. She holds a special place in my heart as the one heroine I actually like who can be snuck into the "realistic fiction" box of required reading. I shudder to think what the seventh book will bring. I doubt there is anything left to subject her to.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Olivia Birdsall's Notes on a near life experience
Divorce is all over. In movies, TV shows, with her friends, etc. Mia never expected to have it happen to her though. Suddenly, after having an almost perfect family with tons of routine and tradition, she’s 15 and her father decides to move out with no notice. As her family life crumbles, her love life picks up. Her longtime crush, Julian, has finally noticed her. However, Julian happens to be her older brother, Allen’s best friend. Allen… isn’t exactly thrilled to have Julian want to spend more one on one time with Mia. As this is happening, Mia’s mother is disappearing more and more into her work, Allen is starting to skip school and is becoming very mysterious, and her father just brought home a woman from Peru.
“Notes On A Near-Life Experience” was an interesting book. The family drama added to the new dramatic love life was totally addicting. I really enjoyed all the topics that Birdsall included. Although, might have been a little too much. It easily could have been broken up a little more and been made into a series. Despite that fact, it was an awesome book.
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“Notes On A Near-Life Experience” was an interesting book. The family drama added to the new dramatic love life was totally addicting. I really enjoyed all the topics that Birdsall included. Although, might have been a little too much. It easily could have been broken up a little more and been made into a series. Despite that fact, it was an awesome book.
Read More
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