Thing's I've learned in my class

1. Write blog posts liek you're talking to people. it makes them easier to read.
2. stick on topic while posting
3. Sometimes websites change their layout and you need to improvise
4. Even with step by step instructions, things can be frustrating
5. managing a website is easy, but still takes time
6. I like reviewing video games
7. Varying the types of posts makes thing more interesting
8. google factors in your outbound links to give you traffic
9. there are tons of free third party software products for businesses
10. the Google main page is more than a search bar
11. Putting up ads on your websites is really easy, and they update themselves
12. I never knew where the little ad boxes came from that are posted by Chitika
13. Posting 3-4 times a week is easier than I thought
14. Paypal is difficult

Cube World

     It looks like Minecraft, it feels like Minecraft, and it's an adventure game. The exploration is similar to the Minecraft way. Just pick a direction and take off. Find your first town and you can branch off from there. It's not super dangerous at night like Minecraft, so you're free to wander around whenever you want. Combat is about as innovative as Minecraft, though. The only difference is that there are different classes. The wizard starts with a fire vortex that you can make a quick or extended version of. The warrior can use two weapons or a giant one. I haven't seen any of the other classes. Combat is rather brutal, though. When you hit something you don't knock them away. They keep moving towards you and you basically sit there and beat the crap out of each other. It's difficult at level one, and eventually you can get a pet that makes things much easier. They'll take most of the hits. Almost every animal is trainable. Some are better at combat, some you can ride, some do both.

     It has the feel of Minecraft, but your main objective is combat instead of just survival as far as I can tell. There are tons of different landscapes, and the maps are generated endlessly. You input a seed, but that is basically a way to share your world with your friends. If you see anything on the horizon, you can get to it and climb it. Trees, mountains, far off islands are all reachable. It's funny just to think of the concept of this game as it would compare to any other fantasy RPG. Right now my friends are guarding each other from squirrels.

     I'd advise you give it a shot. It's downloadable at https://picroma.com/cubeworld.


                             Single player:  5.5/10.0                          Multiplayer 8.0/10.0

Evoland

     I never really played much of the RPG games that have become classic. Final Fantasy and some of the original Legend of Zelda games are a few I've missed out on. Some of you will think it's blasphemy, and to an extent it is. My lack of playing them doesn't mean all the references in Evoland go right over my head. The game is available for $10 on Steam, and takes a trip through the classic RPG adventure games. The display also updates and evolves as you get further and it goes from looking like an original Gameboy to somewhere in the Final Fantasy 7 region. It's a short game, but worth every penny if you really enjoyed the Zelda and Final Fantasy games. My buddy Nathan recommended it to me, and he has played through all the older RPG's.

     The game story isn't especially deep and I beat it in a few hours. You can go back through and collect all the stars, but Unless you're really into the original RPG's, it won't really be something you're into. If you liked them, look into the game and give it a shot. If you haven't played through the classic RPG's, then it's probably not for you.

http://evoland.shirogames.com/

              Single player: 6.0/10.0                                  Multiplayer: N/A

Marvel Heroes

     I usually like MMO games, and I am a huge comic book fan. Why would I not like Marvel Heroes? As it turns out, it's harder to find a reason that I would consider playing this game. The game play has all been done before, and the worst part is that the game removes the uniqueness of playing a certain hero. You get to pick one of a class like normal in MMO's. The bad part is that you're not unique. You can be Captain America, Wolverine, Iron Man, etc. However, you won't be the only one, which takes away from being a hero. How is an entire team of Hulks fair? It's not fun. If you were to actually be one of those heroes, then it would feel like you're in the Marvel Universe. As far as I'm concerned, if you want to play as a super hero or super villain, you're better off playing DC Universe Online or City of Heroes. DC Universe allows for more customization, and you feel like a unique hero with your own theme, powers, and fighting style. You get to choose everything down to the colors of your tights.

     The worst part of the game is that it's the most espensive free to play to date. To try all the characters and skins, you have to spend almost $200 on downloadable content. They're on sale on Steam now and cost more than a brand new game.

     This feels like a last grab by developers to try and milk some cash from the Avengers pop culture craze. Don't bother with this one.


               Single Player: 4.0/10.0                     Multiplayer: 5.0/10.0

Vindictus

     I haven't fully immersed myself in this game yet, but it's a refreshing action pace for an MMO, and I really like it. I've put in quite a few hours with Vindictus. It's free to play, and I haven't maxed out my character yet, but I've been told that you need to spend real money to buy elixirs to be top tier in damage meters for raids. I haven't spent a dime on the game, and I've had a good time so far. I've mostly played with friends and my brother, but I've had some experience with the online community, and so far they're much more mature than your average LFG chat spammer. The one thing I do have against the game is that quest drops from bosses don't always drop and you have to replay the whole mission. Especially if you're going through with other people. There are five character classes with different play styles. I've spent the most time with Kai who is a ranger class. There are also two dual wield fighters, Vella plays a more counterattack style than Lan who just tries to shred things. Fiona has a sword and shield and is able to just block the best attacks in the game. Karok is a half giant looking monster of a character with a pillar or a cestus and is fun to play and just to have in the group. He has some boss clash interactions where they lock horns and he throws them around. It is advised that you have one in your group at all times.

     The level up process is fairly slow and you have to replay some content for experience to unlock further content. However, if you join a guild you get extra experience which, if done early enough, should be enough to keep you ahead of the curve.

     Every class has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the developers are releasing new content. They recently gave Kai a Van Helsing-esque repeating crossbow that offers a different playstyle and new stats to maximize. The game is really fun, free, has some really awesome boss fights later on in the game that I've only seen in videos. The developers are pushing to release new end-game content. Every class has two weapon styles or more, so you technically get two available play styles for each character. If you're looking for a new MMO to get into, this is the one.

http://vindictus.nexon.net/

                     Single player: 6.5/10                           Multiplayer: 9.0/10

Warframe

     Warframe is a game available on Steam. You play as one member of a cyber ninja race known as the Tenno. The game is set in a sci fi future with three different enemy factions, loads of different weapons, and a completely customizable mod system for weapons. The game plays sort of like Halo and Ninja Gaiden combined. Maybe more like Mount & Blade combat than Ninja Gaiden. You always have a power suit, a melee weapon, a primary, and a secondary weapon. You have tons of choices as far as weapon and mod types, so you can customize any of your weapons and your suit to fit your play style. Suits have four slots for abilities, and no suit can have the same abilities installed as any other suit. They're all unique and the most obvious way to change your preferred style of play. The Wiki is extremely helpful, providing stats, descriptions, and crafting recipes for new gear.

     Each mission starts out like a game of splinter cell. You have successfully infiltrated an enemy compound, and they are unaware. As long as they remain this way, you can sneak attack for silent kills, use the longbow because it is also silent, or just bust out your shotgun and wreck up the place. All of the suits are good in their own way. Some offer durability, some do area fire damage, one offers mind control possibilities.

     One of the best things about this game is that the developers are so in touch with the community. they host live stream Q & A's and take direction from the community. they have implemented several ideas, and they are loved for it. They even went so far as to let you be able to recieve special mission updates through your twitter feed.

     The clan system is newly implemented and you can also level up your profile and all of your weapons. You have to grind for everything, but that's what people seem to want to do. The content is replayable, and randomized except for survival missions, and it's a good time with friends. Some warframes are better in groups such as the trinity and rhino, and playing with friends always makes things better.

A link to the warframe homepage can be found here: https://warframe.com/

                                   Single player: 7.0/10                   Multiplayer 9.0/10

Sanctum 2

     Sanctum 2 is a new twist on tower defense. I spent quite a bit of time in the computer lab in Jr. High school playing games like Bloons tower defense, and nowadays the majority of tower defense games are apps for your smartphone. I also spent some time playing the different variations between Warcraft 3 and Starcraft 2 custom maps. I hadn’t played in a while, but it’s not really something you forget. The twist here is that you’re also a player on the map, and you run around and build towers in down time. Then when the wave starts you have two guns that you use to help suppress the waves. There are 4 different characters, and they all have their own specialty. The multiplayer is insane. You can customize load outs to try different strategies. The game was developed with lots of interaction from the community, and it has really come together well.

     The game is customizable to meet the level of challenge or strategy you want. There are lots of towers and perks you can use to specialize your gameplay. Four character classes, different perks, and the multitude of towers to choose from keeps a lot of variation in the game. The genre blend is the first iteration of its kind, and it feels good. Get a few friends together, throw in on the bundle pack, and have at it. The shooter part feels like borderlands, and the tower defense feels like you’d expect it does. Getting what you expect is something that is refreshing. There are even a few twists to keep you guessing.

Here is a link to the Sanctum 2 homepage.

          Single player: 6.5/10                                                    Multiplayer: 8.5/10

Games I've reviewed

                Today I’m going to recap the games that I’ve reviewed so far. Don’t Starve, Killing Floor, and Hammerwatch are three of the best games I’ve played recently. I’ve been fairly busy with schoolwork, so I haven’t had much time to explore very many other games, but I do still thoroughly enjoy these games. I plan to spend at least some of my time this weekend playing through Hammerwatch again. I can’t wait for the rest of the content to be released. The link to my blog post discussing the game is HERE.

                Killing Floor is really only a game I play when I go to my brother’s and we have nothing else to do. We have Hammerwatch to play, but afterwards we’ll probably play a few rounds of Killing Floor. It’s a nice filler game, and you can end up getting sucked in and randomly playing it for two or three hours. The link to my review is HERE. 

                I spent a few hours the other day playing Don’t Starve again, and it gets stale if you have to rebuild everything again. The end goal is to go through Maxwell’s door, and live through the next 5 worlds to complete the story mode. If you do that, there’s really nothing new to do except shoot for survival high scores. It gets rather hum-drum living the same way, and just walling up from the hellhounds. I still haven’t had to contend with the Deerclops, but I hear it’s a nightmare. The link to my review for Don’t Starve is HERE.

l l l l Click Here for a job, testing video games!

The OUYA Console

     The console and the controller are two different matters entirely. The controller is large and bulky. It's in fact larger than the console. The console is the smallest I've ever seen. It doesn't being much computing power or memory with it, but the freedom it brings is much more than we've seen from a console to date. Users can create their own content, and buy games from the online market for around $1 per game. The games I've played are tons of fun with friends and easy to learn. The console accepts any type of wired controller once you have an adapter, so chances are that you already have 4 controllers lying around your house. The games are nothing to be astonished by. There's no big hits like Uncharted, Halo, or Bioshock. There are, however, tons of old arcade games and user generated content.

     We spent a long time playing a ninja party game. You start off a game as a random ninja, and everyone looks alike in a room full of randomly moving clones. Your job is to distinguish who you are, and run around to touch all 5 statues. You can't give yourself away to the other players, or else you risk being assassinated. Each player gets one smoke bomb to help create confusion if they think they've been spotted. This is one of approximately 6 mini-games that are all up to 4 players. Talking to your friends to try and fool them is something I found really enjoyable and is greatly encouraged.

     We also played a game called Fast Fast Laser Laser. Each person gets a laser gun and a light saber. There is only one level available in the demo, and it's full of hallways and mirrors that reflect lasers. You can also use your sword to reflect the lasers backwards 180 degrees. It'll continue back through the mirrors and back to its origin point. The goal is to shoot all the other players and pick up all their power ups for speed, shields, and double and triple shot. The game lasts a couple rounds, and it's fun for a little bit. I'm sure it's more fun with more maps, but we only had the one.

     The console is the cheapest we've seen in a long time, and has tons of room for improvement. The best part is it comes with the means for its own improvement. The limits of the OUYA console are up to its users. The most capable hands to date.

Here  is a link to the homepage for the OUYA console.

The OUYA Controller

     The OUYA console was released this week. I got to spend some time with it today. It takes all kinds of controllers, and comes with one of its own. The controller shipped with the console is large and bulky. It feels kind of like a wider version of the Xbox controller and it also has longer grips. The buttons and joysticks are identical to the Xbox controller, but the joysticks are harder to move. They feel heavier and have more resistance than what we're used to. There is a touch screen in the middle, but I didn't get to use it. I've heard that it's overly sensitive.

      The upside to the console is that it can use every other type of controller and/or bluetooth device. We all hooked up Xbox controllers. There's also an app for different devices that let you use them as controllers. Tablets can be made into keyboards, and I think iPods can too. I'm fairly sure you can just hook up a normal keyboard, too. Don't hold me to that, though.

     There's a multitude of emulators available, and most of the games available now are reminiscent of Bomberman and a lower graphics version of the Assassin's Creed multiplayer. You can also download old arcade games and games as far back as the SNES. The store is pretty easy to use, and looks just like a Netflix menu. Most of the categories in the store are pretty meaningless. The only useful ones show what's hot, genre separations, and featured. The games out for it are extremely simple right now and feel a bit like games you'd find in Mario Party. Users can create their own games, though. This is a huge leap for console games, and will allow for the community to play the kinds of games they want to play.

My Website

     My website is a more concentrated and summarized version of my blog. Ideally, I'll get to the point where my website is easier to navigate than my blog. It has links to all my game review posts, includes my some articles I've written that I wanted more depth in than just a blog post, and has a way to contact me directly.

      The website will soon become the general hub for all things Game Hawk. Gear, in depth articles, reviews for games, links to relevant content. I plan to give you a way to see everything in an easier to read and concentrated form. I don't want to direct you to everything, I want to give you examples of good games, so that you will be more apt to explore new games for yourself, or so you'll explore new game genres that you wouldn't normally play.

     The website has picture links on the homepage of games that I've reviewed that go directly to their corresponding blog posts. As of this point, I haven't negatively reviewed any games, but that's mostly due to the fact that the games I've reviewed were recommended to me by friends. I've also got them on the search for more great games while I work out the finer details with finishing my website and getting some cool and valuable content up for you guys.

     I hope you'll share my blog and my website with friends, and remember it in your free time when you're looking for something new to play. Hopefully I'll be able to release new content faster than you can eat it up, but that's something we'll have to find out together. If you have any questions or recommendations, feel free to drop by my website and use the "Contact Me" page.

     Coming soon is a link to my shop full of Game Hawk gear complete with a logo. I'm considering putting in another page that will link all my non-review blog posts. I've been busy with real life recently, so I haven't had much time to direct towards exploring new games. Over the weekend I'll have some free time to try and churn out some new content. Until then, here is a link to my website: Enjoy, and keep reading!

5 More Reasons to Play Video Games

     I just finished reading an article on IGN about the top 5 reasons to play video games. The article is a little dated, but the 5 ideas I had in mind had no overlap. Here is a link to their article, and these are my 5 reasons:

1. Introduction to physics. As kids are exposed to more complex games, they almost all have their own physics engine. Some include puzzles that take time and creative thinking to solve, and exposing younger kids to things that encourage critical thinking is never a bad thing.

2.  Keyboarding skills. I haven't ever had a typing class, and can reach 50 words per minute. Using a keyboard is a job skill you can't live without in the world we live in. Practice makes perfect, and if doing something you enjoy can help teach real life skills, there's really no downside.

3. Learning to fail. Nobody ever goes through life without making mistakes. If you've ever had someone yell at you for screwing up in a video game, it has helped thicken your skin. In the work world, people have to deal with stressful bosses constantly on their back or coworkers this they don't do enough. Playing video games helps build up conflict resolution skills.

4. Teamwork. Most games being released have a multiplayer component. Communicating with teammates helps build team skills. Notifying teammates of an incoming flank isn't too far off from reminding coworkers of a deadline discussed in the last business meeting.

5. Real world friendships. Literally all of my friends play video games, and we met up through middle school and high school to play halo and gears of war. Having a common ground to start spending time together has helped me forge some relationships that will stay with me forever.

     Video games encourage interaction, which is in stark contrast to the old adage that gamers spend all night in a basement by themselves. The Internet and an abundance of multiplayer games have opened up a whole new social aspect.

Eurogamer as a blog

     I've recently started checking up on the Eurogamer blog. They have tons of game reviews, good coverage on E3 in case you missed anything, and some news on pretty much anything video game related. Right now on their front page they have a review for the new Deadpool game and another post concerning some copyright infringement in The Last of Us. They have news, review, and face-off sections on their site to categorize their huge amount of content.

     They have hundreds of authors and new posts come up at least every half hour. Their front page is organized and holds tons of information. They have two sections for articles that track based on how new the post is or reader activity on the post. Almost every post has more than 30 comments, where some are insightful, and others are trying to slam the content. That's to be expected, though. Users rate the comments and usually keep them in check.

     User accounts have the option to tie your Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit accounts. It's easy to share articles through these social media outlets and helps the site by hopefully getting more traffic.

     The site is really well maintained, harbors tons of content, is easy to navigate, allows users to be involved, and it explains things so you don't have to be a hardcore gamer to understand what the writers are talking about. It's a good blog, and if you're looking for something likely to be viewed as a mainstream game, they probably have some content about it.

"The Last of Us" as written by Paul Sartori

     I strive to bring you games you haven't heard about. Showing off games that don't have huge promotional campaigns behind them makes me feel like I'm helping out the little guy while still providing a service. As I was playing Don't Starve last week, I was also watching my buddy Rob over the shoulder playing "the Last of Us". I've seen ads and such for the game, but not much actual game play.

     Paul Sartori, a writer for The Guardian, wrote an article about the game and it's a good read. Short of playing the game and telling you about it myself, this is a really in depth look at a great looking game. I've included a link to his article at the bottom of the page.

     He uses really in depth visual imagery, a few screenshots of game play, and talks through the way the game feels as you play. Based on my watching the game be played, it's a little more like splinter cell than he gives credit. You just use a bow and arrow instead of sticky cameras, and a pipe wrench instead of a machine gun.

     I do really enjoy zombie games, and I enjoy stealthy games. When I get the time, I'm sure I'll get a good deal of time in with this game. Until then, I'll leave you with his.


THIS is the link to his article

Hammerwatch - Top 6 Reasons You Should Play This Game

     I was up all night last night until the sun came up. I was huddled around a crowded TV with some friends just like the good old days. We were over there to see how far we could get in a game called Legend of Dungeon, but that's a different matter entirely. The real star of the night was Hammerwatch. With controllers in hand and a case of Mountain Dew, we played for hours. It's only in beta testing right now, and is available for pre-order on Steam. It's very much like the old dungeon crawler Gauntlet. There are a number of reasons to give this game a try.

     1. Tons of fun with friends. The game is really fast paced. We played for about 7 hours straight, and even after beating the beta content I'd still enjoy replaying it. The survival mode is incredibly hard, also.

     2. Each class plays differently. Paladin, Ranger, Wizard, and Warlock are the 4 classes currently available. Each plays a distinctly different way, and the level system allows for some customization of each along the way.

     3. It's only in beta testing, and bound to get better. The final form of the game will come with 12 levels, and when that gets tiresome there's a level editor that comes with it so users can create extra content.

     4. It's challenging. Only Act 1 is available for play currently, and even on medium difficulty we died as a party 4-5 times before eventually killing the boss, and we only made it to the end of wave 6 in survival mode.

     5. Supports modifications. Think the game isn't hard enough? There are ways to make it more challenging without changing the difficulty. You can enable constant negative health regeneration, a shared health pool among teammates, or disabling mana regeneration.

     6. So much nostalgia. I love these types of games, and used to play games like Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes, Champions: Call to Arms, and Gauntlet: Dark Legacy with my friends as we were growing up. This game takes me back to those times, and I love it.


     The only reason I can think to not play this game is if you're bothered by the old school graphics. They're an upside to me. Go to Hammerwatch.com to download the beta or pre-order it for only $8.00. It's also available through Steam I believe.

                         Single player: 7.0/10                                       With friends: 9.0/10

Don't Starve

     I've been playing a game all day. It's called Don't Starve. Starvation is one of the many ways to die in this survival based and incredibly humorous game.

     As an overall view, it's like Tim Burton's version of Minecraft with a few references to Star Wars. There are tons of items, and they are all given detailed descriptions in the wiki. Eventually, you get your own economy going. You encage a bird to feed fruit to get extra seeds to plant crops to get more fruit. You're constantly managing multiple cycles like this to keep your hunger, health, and sanity levels in check. That's right, you can eat psychadelic mushrooms or sometimes just stay out in the rain for a week or so, and without attention you'll start to see things. When your sanity levels reach zero, the apparitions come to life and can actually damage you.

     You unlock characters as you gain experience by getting further in sandbox mode. The one you start with begins the game growing a beard. You can grow it out to help survive winter, or you can shave it for sanity points and to get beard hair for making effigies to resurrect you if you die.

     I've been playing pretty much all day and I'm only to the second tech level. There's plenty of playability in sandbox mode, and through sandbox mode you can get to adventure mode to help unlock even more new characters. There's quite a few hours in this game.

     There are tons of ways to set up your little personal economy. I've done well being a berry farmer, while my brother has had success with beekeeping.

     The only thing I have to say against it is that there is NO MULTIPLAYER. Not yet anyways. I'm not sure if they're looking to incorporate it.

     There's tons of playability already, and the developers are still releasing content. If you're looking for a good game with more on the way, I'd recommend it.

                        single player: 8.0/10                   multiplayer: n/a

Killing Floor

     Killing floor is a game you can get through Steam. It's a zombie wave survival game that is kind of a mix between Left 4 Dead and Nazi Zombies from the Call of Duty franchise. It's great fun with friends, and is above average in the normal online community. There are over 20 different maps, and each one is unique. There are roughly 10 different enemy types, which are all referred to as specimens.

     Clots are your normal run of the mill zombies. They're easy to kill, and are relatively harmless by themselves. However, if they hit you, you get immobilized for about a second. if you get surrounded, the end is near.

     Gorefasts are slightly more dangerous. they move about the same speed as clots until they're within striking distance. They dash in, and do one of the highest amounts of damage in the game.

     The biggest one to look out for in the normal waves is the Fleshpound. Its hands are spinning metal weapons that deal the highest non-boss damage in the game. It also has an adrenaline pump in its chest that activates at certain points. While active, it's extremely fast, and getting hit will most likely kill you or at least leave you badly in need of treatment.

     This game has a class system, a store with over 45 weapons available. Some of the weapons sport an Unreal or Quake flair, and some are shout outs to other games on Steam. They're all unique, and loads of fun. This is the best survival game that I've played, However, all of the other games have been throw-ins with the original game. Gears of War Horde Mode and Call of Duty: Nazi Zombies are examples.

     If you're a fan of the Left 4 Dead series, Call of Duty: Nazi Zombies, or even just fast action shooters I recommend this game. If a lack of a storyline and dying in a video game are things you don't enjoy, then i wouldn't advise you try it.

With friends:  8.0/10        Without friends 6.0/10

-Game Hawk

About Me

     I don't talk about myself much, so I'll keep this short. I like to play video games. I play all types, and I prefer multiplayer games to single player games. I grew up with a Super Nintendo and a brother. Super Nintendo happens to have two controllers, so that's probably where the draw to multiplayer games comes from.

     LAN parties are amazingly fun, and I highly recommend them. First person shooters are much more fun when you can yell at each other across the room or see facial expressions of the people you kill, especially if you've known the players for a long time. 12 person system-link xbox parties with my friends were what I looked forward to on the weekends in my early teens.

     I've spent more or less my entire life playing video games, and I'm extremely partial to dungeon crawlers, fantasy RPG hack and slash games, and fast paced shooter games. I'm also a sucker for nostalgia. I grew up playing Halo and Diablo, and I have most recently been spending a lot of time with Neverwinter. League of Legends has always been a standby game that I'm never upset about playing. If you like these games, then these are the types of games I will be covering in future posts.

     With this blog, I hope to help you get the most out of your free time. Time is a valuable commodity, and the last thing you want to do is waste the time you have set aside to enjoy yourself.