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The Last of Us: American Dreams - Issue 1 [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 04/06/2013 - 13:32
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Overall Feeling: 

Expanding upon the lore of The Last of Us, American Dreams delivers a brilliant narrative focused on character building and making us, the readers, immediately care about what’s going on.  Presented with some beautiful art that blends an element of style with reality without ever going over the edge, it’s nice to receive a comic that simply isn’t a marketing tool.  It may be too early to peg The Last of Us: American Dreams as a breakout hit of 2013, but as of now the comic is certainly on the path of such a thing if the first issue is indicative of the overall quality of the series.

The Pros: 

+ Writing is perfect in the tone it captures.
+ Faith Erin Hick’s art style really creates a wonderful mood in the game along with being nice to look at.
+ The story isn’t being too obvious in laying out clues or point blank telling us the history of everything.

The Cons: 

- This was only the first issue and I want more immediately.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Taking something from one medium to another is by no means an easy feat nor is it one that results in immediate success.  At times some rather brilliant moves can be done when a film/TV show is expanded upon by becoming a novel or something else, yet most of the time it’s obvious we’re only receiving a franchise expansion as a means of a marketing tool.

The Art of Bioshock Infinite [Product Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 03/27/2013 - 08:11
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Overall Feeling: 

Fans of BioShock Infinite won’t want to miss this chance to take an inside look at what Irrational Games sought to achieve with their latest project and what sadly made the cutting room floor. Featuring images that are truly beautiful, The Art of BioShock Infinite features an amazing glimpse at the creative process of video game design leading up to when everything is in a playable form.  With a hearty amount of pages and a manageable price tag, gamers and lovers of video game art owe it to themselves to pick up The Art of BioShock Infinite.

The Pros: 

+ Layout is perfect since it features plenty of full-page art highlights.
+ Nice amount of focus on concepts that aren’t in the final game.
+ Brilliant art from beginning to end.
+ Price is very reasonable for the content that’s provided.

The Cons: 

- A bit light on the full creative process and development stories.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

Going through the creative process of a video game is always fun since so much stuff occurs during the three or sometimes five year cycle a game may be in active development.  If we can notice key differences when a game appears at an event like E3 and then finally hits retail then what could’ve gone on during a more extended time period?

Tomb Raider Signature Series and Limited Edition Strategy Guides from BradyGames [Product Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 03/11/2013 - 11:09
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Overall Feeling: 

The action may be the forefront of this latest reimagining of the Tomb Raider franchise, but there are still plenty of secrets to find and the new strategy guides from BradyGames do an excellent job at making the quest both easier and more manageable.  Filled with information that is actually useful to the quest provided by the game, the strategy guides may be a more old-school way of tackling things but they’re nonetheless effective compared to more modern offerings.

The Pros: 

+ Layout of the guide is easy to read and is presented well thanks to good in-game screenshots.
+ Specific breakdowns of enemies, weapons, and multiplayer abilities is nice.
+ Tagged maps do an excellent job at showing where every secret on Yamatai is.

The Cons: 

- The Limited Edition guide is missing some of the more unique extra content one usually associates with BradyGames past efforts.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

No matter how long we’ve been playing games for, there always comes a time in which we’re utterly stumped once we come across a particular section.  While the possibility of entering a cheat code may have entered the minds of gamers during the heyday of items such as the Game Genie or the Game Shark, one ever trusty standby has come in the form of strategy guides.

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 01/29/2013 - 06:07
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Overall Feeling: 

Opting to highlight the artistic majesty of the Zelda franchise, Hyrule Historia provides an amazing look at never before seen concept art from various Zelda games.  Things are a bit light on major details and stories from the development team, but the art alone is worth the price of admission since it’s presented in a beautiful fashion that will likely please longtime Zelda fans.

The Pros: 

+ Layout is perfect in showcasing various images.
+ Content is broken up nicely between the various games and presenting a historic overview of the Zelda lore.
+ Small blurbs from the development team may not be massive but they provide nice info the artistic process.

The Cons: 

- More full page art highlights would’ve been appreciated.
- Not having more stories/insight on the Zelda franchise is somewhat disappointing.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

When you take a moment to step back and look at the layers of a video game it’s somewhat shocking to see how deep they can be.  No, I’m not referring to the newfound intellectual depth that’s sometimes found in the narratives of games today as I’m instead referring to the what usually serves as the first foundation of a game: the art.

Memory Express Velocity MicroATX [Hardware Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 01/28/2013 - 13:04
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Overall Feeling: 

Memory Express has out-done themselves. Each and every criticism previous offered (on our original gaming PC reviews) has been addressed, and removed. It is sleek, it is sexy, it is small, easy to carry from home to LAN Party, and is a stone-cold software KILLER.

The Pros: 

+Smaller case, perfect for portability.

+Light-weight (less than 28lbs).

+Dual GTX670s in SLI will CRUSH any game out there (go nuts with your Skyrim mods people!).

+Silent. As. The. GRAVE. The new liquid-cooled approach means I sometimes forget it’s still on.

The Cons: 

-No real room for improvement. What are you going to do next ME!?

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

Memory Express, it would seem, have been paying attention to the reviews that we’ve been providing on their gear. This is a positive and a negative. How so? Well, for the consumers, it’s good news. Memory Express has proven they can not only take criticisms when supplied them, but show dedication to improving. The bad news is for the writer that has to try and pull apart their third-generation build. Criticisms are harder and harder to come by…

Roxio Game Capture HD PRO [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 11/20/2012 - 13:32
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Overall Feeling: 

For doing the basics the Roxio Game Capture HD PRO is certainly a device worth scoping out if you wish to capture all your gameplay sessions.  Thanks to a simple to use interface capturing content on the HD PRO is simple as is editing content as well via the accompanying editing program.  While not catered directly as a high-end professional device, the HD PRO nonetheless manages to provide performance that is consistently good.

The Pros: 

+ Set-up is easy.
+ Interface is brilliant thanks to a simple layout and key feature being accessible.
+ Small size of the device makes it easy to find desk space for.
+ Streaming works fine despite not being perfect HD.

The Cons: 

- Not including component cables is a bit disappointing.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

As video games have evolved so have the ways that people interact and ultimately share our experiences with each another.  The desires of gamers have grown to become more social with one another, not just in a little bit of trash talking while playing online, but in how they share their actual gameplay footage with one another. 

Memory Express Custom Gaming PC Review

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 06/25/2012 - 21:43
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Overall Feeling: 

Memory Express’ second generation custom gaming PC is insanely powerful. So much so, it’s near impossible for us to properly test this thing. Like a super-car that was somehow made street legal you may never get to see its full potential, but it’s got ridiculous bragging rights. If you have the money to spend, you’ll be able to watch people drool over your PC as they leer insides through the case’s side window. 

The Pros: 

+The twin GTX680s mean never having to worry about lacking the graphical juice for a video game until sometime next year.

+Slim black case offers a sleek and sexy design that doesn’t sacrifice function for form, and actually offers more accessibility than the original build.

+Everything here is top of the line. With a PC of this caliber you get to reverse the industry. Games will be made to try and keep up with your system, rather than you worrying about if your system meets the specs for a game.

The Cons: 

-There’s no real good way to carry it, so if you’re a LAN enthusiast, look at investing something to carry it with.

-The cost is right up there, you’re getting the best, but you need to expect to pay for that as well.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Anyone familiar with the world of PC Gaming, or just PCs in general knows that technology moves quickly. Keeping up with technology is a full-time gig for the dedicated technophile. In the past I’ve equated PC gaming to car building and collecting. Hopefully our readers won’t begrudge me a few more extended automotive metaphors because our PC Hardware sponsor, Memory Express, has basically just dropped a Rolls-Royce in our lap after six months of running with a Lambo.

PlayStation Vita [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 10:30
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Overall Feeling: 

The PlayStation Vita is a device that may prove to split certain portions of the gaming audience in half while still maintain an overall level of appreciation.  PlayStation fans will surely love the Vita as it delivers that next-gen handheld experience many have been waiting to see from Sony without any major comprises like the lack of analog sticks.  However, there may be a bit of ire drawn from those now accustomed to smartphone gaming as the Vita may seem like a beast that’s all but a relic at this point despite some of the impressive design traits and technology that powers the device.  But for those who simply want to play good games on a device dedicated to gaming the PlayStation Vita is as good as it gets right now as the initial software line-up is appealing and the raw horsepower of the device is more than capable of giving us games that are massive and always engaging.

The Pros: 

+ The OLED screen is ridiculously good.

+ Shape wise the Vita is perfect for holding and doing the occasional rear touchpad movement without it feeling too awkward.

+ Face buttons/d-pad/L and R buttons all feel good so do the analog sticks, even if they’re missing buttons.

+ Near is a nice meta game to waste some time with and meet new people.

+ OS and UI are really responsive and is a breeze to navigate.

The Cons: 

- The touchpads don’t provide much aside from menu navigation.

- Analog sticks take some getting used to and feel slightly too springy.

- Having simple plastic flaps for the memory unit and game slots feels a bit cheap and odd considering the quality of the device.

 

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

When a new video game console arrives it’s a special occasion for a variety of reasons, all of which are either justified or have a special meaning. For fans of one particular console seeing the next iteration arrive with a shiny new design and mind blowing technology is like seeing a mythical figure walk out of the shadows to reveal its immense power to all.

Cyborg MMO7 Pro Gaming Mouse [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 14:20
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Overall Feeling: 

The MMO7 comes from a long-ling of professional gaming mice (the R.A.T. series) and feels every bit as good as its predacessors. The only problem with the mouse, for the general gaming public, is the ridiculous amount of buttons and commands on the thing. 30 is the most I've ever heard anyone 'need' and this is more than double that.

The Pros: 

+Fully customizable, allowing gamers to get exactly the feel they want.

+Included software and accessories mean getting a ton of options out of the box.

+Downloadable (or custom) software means getting to maximize your mouse's potential without a whole lot of heavy-lifting. 

+The new 'lock' feature is something I wouldn't have thought I needed, but now have a hard time living without.

The Cons: 

-78 programmable commands seems a little overkill.

-The locations for the mouse's 13 buttons are a little odd, and take, at minimum, some getting used to. 

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

I have always been someone that has been pretty picky about my computer accessories. Mice need to have the right shape, appropriate clicking sound, smooth action and correct weight to them. So, traditionally it’s been a bit of a challenge to get a mouse that has everything… There have been options along the way that hit two or three of the sweet-spots and were deemed “good enough,” that’s why the concept of the Cyborg R.A.T.

Tritton Switchblade for PS3 [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 02/10/2012 - 09:59
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Overall Feeling: 

The Tritton Switchblade for the PlayStation 3 is a durable and extremely reliable option for gamers out there looking for something solid to use while playing online.  With a sleek design and small footprint, the Switchblade doesn’t feel like you’re talking to someone through a string can as the quality on both the audio and mic side of things is handled well.  Outside of having to come to grips with making the Switchblade comfortable, the ear clip can’t be adjusted and isn’t too flexible, the device is certainly worth investing the money in for those looking for a completely wireless and affordable audio solution.

The Pros: 

+ The design is simple yet incredibly effective.

+ Not everything may sound like it’s coming from a perfect source, but the audio quality in general is good and is almost comparable to high-end headsets.

+ Charge time is rather short and a full charge doesn’t drain too quickly.

+ Having a docking station is nice and makes charging the device a breeze.

The Cons: 

- Ear clip would’ve benefitted from some padding or alternate clip sizes.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Advances in technology can be great and this generation we’ve become more acclimated with certain things which have become a part of our lives in one way or another.  In video games we’re used to playing online multiplayer modes, perhaps more often than standard single-player experiences since having some competition against another person is more engaging and there’s always the added bonus of trash talking being thrown in as well.

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