Red Faction: Armageddon Review

I’ll be honest with you, I had never played anything from the Red Faction series before playing Red Faction: Armageddon. In fact, I’m not sure how, but I had never even heard of the series. I became intrigued by the promises of completely destructible environments. The fact that it spawned a swarm of SciFi spin offs such as Total Recall was just icing on the cake.



Gameplay

9.0

Even though I was completely new to and unfamiliar with the Red Faction style of gameplay, I was welcomed with open arms by the Geo-Mod engine. Red Faction: Armageddon is not your average, everyday shooter.

When the Red Faction series advertised completely destructible environments, they didn’t oversell. EVERYTHING is destructible! The ability to completely annihilate and later rebuild environments on a whim completely changes the dynamics of gameplay. Are your enemies turtled in behind cover? Just smash through it! Is your position open because of a previous rampage? Rebuild it! The world opens itself to your destructive / constructive will, allowing for complete creativity in combat.

Not only does Red Faction give you the ability to manipulate your environment, but also gives you quite and arsenal with which to do so. Every weapon has its own special use, some are specifically designed to destroy cover while others are meant to destroy enemies while leaving their structures intact. The choice is yours.

Not only does the game supply you with enough ammunition to kill a substantial army, but it also equips you with the Nanoforge. This contraption allows you to customize your playstyle even further through purchasable upgrades and abilities. All these powers and perks are incredibly fun to use, however, they are not without their downsides.

These upgrades are cumulative and your upgrade capacity is limited only by the amount of salvage you scavenge. If you have to dough, you can have the upgrades. This may sound great but what it means is that after a certain point, the game becomes incredibly easy. Enemies simply cannot compete with your supreme power, and this makes the last sections of the game rather unexciting. Even changing difficulties does little to ease this problem.

Difficulty aside, the gameplay experience of Red Faction is incredibly entertaining and definitely worth trying.



Video / Audio

7.5

Although the sheer destructibility of the world adds a sense of awe and amazement, the rest of the game leaves quite a bit to be desired visually. That’s not to say that the game looks awful by any means, it really just fails to amaze or captivate as its gameplay mechanics do.

On top of this, the individual physics of the environments combined with animations of weapon explosions causes some lag and tearing in areas of high action. This is to be expected in a game with such attributes, but it is still worth noting.



Story

5.0

Red Faction: Armageddon follows the unfortunate tale of Darius Mason, a freelance miner tricked by a malicious cult into releasing an alien Armageddon. Darius must rectify his mistakes while taking on hordes of both aliens and colonists who blame him for the strange outbreak.

The story itself is not incredibly immersive or intriguing. Darius himself is a well developed 3-dimensional character, unfortunately, he is the only one. Every other character introduced has absolutely no depth, this means that when they inevitably are killed off, the player feels nothing for them.

The game tries to supplement its obvious story flaws with collectible audio logs spread throughout the mines. These logs however, add almost nothing to the overall story and seem placed in locations that make no sense. Why is there a military log lying around in what looks like an abandoned underground house?

All in all, the story of Red Faction: Armageddon left absolutely no impression on me, and this isn’t a good thing. A forgettable story is sometimes worse than no story at all.



Content

6.0

Red Faction offers three modes for the player to choose from: Campaign, Infestation, and Ruin Mode. It’s a very good thing the game includes more than simply the Campaign as it is very short and can be completed in one sitting.

Infestation mode brings a Horde-esque survival mode to the game where players can fight alone or with friends against wave after wave of aliens. This mode features a bunch of maps to play on but there might as well be just one. After one playthrough of this mode, there is really no reason to come back. I found myself getting bored around the 25th out of 30 waves.

Ruin mode is legitimately a mode who’s sole purpose is to blow stuff up. The player can either chose point-based and timed setting or to just go about destruction just for the fun of it. This mode encompasses an interesting idea but really fails to hold up. The first few minutes are a hoot, but the luster of destruction falls very quickly.



Huevos Factor

8.5

It may be because I had never played anything from the Red Faction series before, but this game felt AMAZING to play! This feeling of amazement was rather short due to lack of content and the diminishing of difficulty over time, but you know what they say, “A candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long.”

Okay, that was incredibly cheesy, but you get the idea. This game is a real treat to play, but there isn’t much to it. My suggestion: Rent It.



Breakdown:

Gameplay	9.0
Video / Audio	7.0
Story	5.0
Content	6.0
Huevos Factor	8.5

Total

7.7

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Posted in: Game Reviews,Games,Ryan

FEAR 3 Achievement: Doll Collector: Alma Doll Locations

In order to help you guys out with completing the FEAR 3 Achievement Doll Collector, we have put together a little video showing various different locations that the Doll can spawn on each level.



These may not be all of the locations, so if you come across the location where to doll is show but it isn't there all you need to do is restart the level and it will respawn.


Interval 01 – Prison
As you go down a set of stairs in the dark during this mission, you will come across a door that you can open half way down the stairs. Look left to the door behind a locked fenced door. From there continue down the bottom of the stairs. You can crouch to get below the stairs, and once you are there, look in the corner to find the Alma Doll.




Interval 02 – Slums

Location #1 

After fighting the first group of enemies in the level you will pass through a house and exit through a door. The door will close behind you and there will be another group of enemies in-between some houses. After exiting the first house, hug the right wall and there should be a small alley. Inside this alley lies the Alma doll.

Location #2 
When you open the door and see three enemies chatting in front of you in a building with no wall on the second floor, kill them all, and walk up a set a stairs. Take a left and you will be heading towards the end of the building at the top of the stairs and end up in an open area with crates lying around.
From here go down the stairs, and you will see a door that you have to go through to continue the mission. Instead of opening the door, go inside the other room and look to your left. You will find the Alma Doll in the corner.

Location #3 

After picking up the first Zap Grenade in an ammo box you will continue forward into an adjacent house. There should be some graffiti on the walls and a hole blown in the forward wall that you pass through and fight a small mech. Before proceeding through the hole look to your right, the Alma doll should be right behind this half-wall.

Location #4 
When you come across a road going uphill and notice a transport vehicle that arrives to drop off enemies and when you fight a small mech. You will notice there are several rocket launchers in the building to your right. To the left of the street you should see a hole in the wall, you can easily locate it left to the first car on the street. The Alma Doll is in this hole. To reach there continue up the street and take a left before the transport vehicle. Go to the high elevated ground and jump on the ledge, from there you can jump in the hole.




Interval 03 – Store
Location #1
Exit the Men Washroom and come down a few hallways to a door you can open. Open the door to enter a room with lots of crates. As you enter the room, take a right and you will spot a shelf in the corner. The Alma Doll is on top of that Shelf. In order to get this doll, you will have to climb to the top of the shelf beside it and then sprint jump across it.

Location #2

After fighting through the deli with the glass freezers you should exit into an area with crates and ladders. Proceed to the end of the walkway and you should see the first suicide cultist in the level jump down from behind a red drape. The doll is hidden immediately behind this drape.

Location #3 

After the suicide cultist blow open the fence for you, follow the hallway until you enter another room with crates where cultists throw knives at you. Proceed forward up a ramp and jump down the others side. After climbing to the top the doll should be visible underneath a small ramp. You need to jump down onto a lower ladder-bridge to reach it.

Location #4 

Close to Location #3 simply continue on with the mission until you come upon a TV with Alma's face drawn on it. Continue forward until you reach a drop. Drop down and turn around, there should be a small path that leads to this Alma doll.

Interval 04 – Suburbs
Location #1 
When you fight the enemies in the backyard of houses with fences surrounding the area. You will come across a fence that you can pass through. As you exit this area, you will see a shed ahead of you.
The Doll is inside this shed. Remember, you will have to take the broken fence and exit through it, don’t go through any other area, or you will miss it. There is also another spot with table on top of an air conditional, letting you go over it and reach outside. Don’t go from there or you will miss this Alma Doll.

Location #2 

When headed through the houses you will eventually see The Creep briefly scream at you then skitter up a wall into the ceiling. After passing through the kitchen you will see a TV that says "I Hate You", it only displays this for a few seconds so you might miss the message. Proceed up the stairs and you will see the door to your right shut, go through that door an you will see the next door shut. Open this door and you will see a dead body on a table, the Alma doll is the the right of this body in the corner.

Location #3 

After the mid-level cinematic you will be attacked by a group of enemies. When the helicopter crashes and opens a way for you there will be a mech in a clearing. To the left of the mech, next to a basketball hoop, is the doll.

Location #4 

After reaching an area where you are forced to exit the mech there will be several electrical fences. At the end of these fences will be a hallway. The first door on the right opens into a control room. The Alma doll should be underneath the window in the control room.

Location #5 

After the control room from Location #4 is a room with green boxes where you fight some soldiers. When entering this room go straight forward and hop over the green boxes. The doll should be behind these boxes in a corner.

Interval 05 – Tower
Location #1. 
When you start the mission, you will see ground sink in front of you and an ambulance fall in. Take the road to the left and enter a building with an open door. Now, you should spot a door that is partially open. Open this door and continue down the hall. Keep going till you come across a locked door at the end of the hall. In order to open this door, go through the open door beside and take a right. Open the door and it will get stuck. Look at the locked door and you will see a lock.
Shoot down the lock and then go back through once locked door. Go through the door and look behind the door that got stuck earlier, there is an Alma Doll in the corner behind the desk.


Location #2.
When you come back outside, you will encounter enemies. Clear the area and wait for the gate to open. Continue down and you will see ground break apart. If you look ahead, you will spot a tower and sign labeled “Harbor Market”. Now, you need to pass through the fence. There are three entrances to the fence area on the other side of the ground that broke apart. In the middle fence entrance is the Alma Doll. Stick close to the fence and the pavement will support you to make it to the doll.

Location #3 

At the part of the mission where you climb two ladders to reach a rooftop and immediately jump down on the other side simply turn around immediately after reaching the ground. There should me a small alley-like area with some weapons and an alma doll.

Location #4 

After going through a fenced section you will come to a large gate that is shut. Alma will have a contraction that opens the gate and a truck will fall into the ground. Before going through the gate turn to your right, there will be a small alley between a fence and a brick wall. The Alma doll will be at the end of this alley. 

Location #5 
When you face Harbor Market “Harbor Arket”, you will come across a gate that is closed but open automatically after tower sends a shock-wave. Continue forward and ground will break apart, go around it and continue. Ground will break apart again beside Fairport Terminal. You will see a bus falling in, and you end up jumping on the bus to climb at the top of Fairport Terminal. As you jump off, the Harbor Market sign becomes more messed up and will read “H RO A ET”. Jump off and stay as close to the wall as another hole appears. Keep going forward and you will see ground breaking apart again with a bus falling in vertically inside. You will see a white delivery truck beside the hole. To the right of this hole and delivery truck along the building of the Harbor Market is the Alma Doll.




Interval 06 – Bridge
Location #1 
Immediately after the mission starts there are two train cars in front of you. The left will slide down the slope. The doll is on the right side of the right train car. Just go around the car to get it.


Location #2 
When you confront the two enemies after passing underneath the trains. You will see a helicopter crashing into them. When it happens, go straight into the train ahead of you and take the first door to the left inside the train. Go into the next train and look to the right beside the door to the left of the seats for Alma Doll.

Location #3 

After going through a train car a demon dog will block the exit. After killing the demon dog there is a drop down, immediately in front of you should be a train car blocking the whole bridge. Instead of entering the car, turn around and you will see two train cars that are broken in half. Hop into the farthest one and there will be a drop down into a small area. The doll should be in this small area.

Location #4 

After fighting two phase commanders there should be a mech protected by a shield. Next to the mech is a building and next to the building is a power generator. Next to the power generator should be the doll.

Location #5 

When crossing the first bridge with the mech there is an area with two buildings, many enemies and another mech to your right. The doll should be to the left, in a corner.

Interval 07 – Port
Location #1 
When entering the food court take the stairs down to the elevator. Once inside the elevator you will see Alma teleport around a little. Turn around and you should see some green boxes, the doll should be next to these boxes.

Location #2 

In the area with restaurants on the second floor, look for an elevator in the middle of the circular room. There is a door between the Janus Cafe and Sophie’s Pizza stores. In order to reach there you will have to go down a set of stairs and then go up a set of stairs. You can find the door to the right of ATM machine just near the stairs you just went up. Open the door and look for the Alma Doll in the corner.

Location #3

The same as Location #2 only instead of entering the door, go under the gate for the pizza place. The doll should be right there.

Interval 08 - Ward
Location #1. 
At the start of the level, go down the first stairs you come across to the right. Look at the wall, it reads “Gymnasium” to the right, and “Medical” to the left. Take the Gymnasium route and keep going through the hall. At the end of the hall, there will be a room with cage door. Open the cage door and you will find it in front of you.


Location #2 
At the start of the level, go down the first stairs you come across to the right. Look at the wall, it reads “Gymnasium” to the right, and “Medical” to the left. Take the "Medical" route and keep going through the hall. At every turn take a left until you reach a pile of wood in a corner. The Alma doll is behind this pile of wood.

Location #3

In the room where you destroy the book, continue into the back room. The doll should be immediately behind the door, next to the control panel.

Did we miss some? Let us know in the comments if you know any more locations.

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Posted in: Game Guides,Games,Misc Games,Ryan

Duke Nukem Forever Review

Today has been long awaited by many Duke Nukem fans. It feels like eons since 3D Realms announced the development of Duke Nukem Forever but today dreams finally came true. In an age when vaporware is seen so often, the final completion of the next round of Duke seemed like a godsend. Unfortunately, fans may not be getting exactly what they dreamed of.

Gameplay

3.0

The first moments of Duke Nukem Forever evoke a feeling of nostalgia that is inescapable. This feeling, however, fades quickly after this first taste.

Poorly executed mechanics gives the game a very unfinished and gritty feeling. Even something as important as aiming feels awkward and flawed. How far can a game go if aiming is broken? On top this is Duke’s, his Ego is essentially his health. Though small at the start of the game, Duke can interact with various object such as weights or pinball machines to improve his ego. This adds another layer of tedious, awkward gameplay that does nothing but waste time. If Duke really needs to look at nudy magazines in-order to increase his ego after saving the earth from alien invasion, then he really shouldn’t be a game’s protagonist.

The game’s gritty feeling and poor mechanics would be forgivable if it weren’t for the horrid loading screen. Upon completing each section, or even simply dying, the play must endure a horrendously long loading screen. With countless cheap and unavoidable deaths, I felt like I spent far more time loading than I spent actually playing. Even installing the game onto the Xbox hard drive ultimately did nothing to ease this.

All of these flaws aside, Duke Nukem Forever brings back all of your favorite weapons from Duke Nukem 3D and all of its classic enemies. If only they felt at all like their predecessors.



Video / Audio

3.5

Even with a quick glance it is easy to see that Duke’s graphics are very sub par to most games released today. Duke Nukem Forever looks like it should have been released years ago. It simply cannot compete with the graphics of today’s FPS’s. Despite it’s unimpressive graphics the game still has a very hard time rendering many effects at once. It lags and tears sometimes with a single explosion in an empty room. You would think that poor graphics would at least mean good performance but, apparently, you’d be wrong.

The voice acting in Duke Nukem Forever is, to put is simply, just terrible. It’s a conglomeration of cheesy one-liners and shameless puns. Oddly enough it somehow feels right with the game and makes for some semi-frequent chuckles.



Story

6.0

The story of Duke Nukem Forever is incredibly simple: Aliens are taking our women, lets kick their asses! The simplicity of the story is matched only by the simplicity of the protagonist. Duke Nukem gives the word “one-dimensional” new meaning and exemplifies one thing: a total bad ass.

This game is obscene, brutal and apologizes for nothing, and honestly, I like that. The story cannot be considered great by any means, but it really is exactly what this game needs.



Content

3.5

The campaign of Duke Nukem Forever is very short, but it somehow didn’t feel short enough. The seemingly perpetual loading screen and constant cheap deaths completely destroy any replay value that Duke may have had. This is unfortunate because the game seems laced with plenty of easter eggs and minigames that I feel no one will have any interest in finding. The game does support multiplayer of up to 8 players, but it’s really something I can’t imagine ever becoming popular.



Huevos Factor

2.0

Duke Nukem Forever offers obscenity galour and plenty of laughs. Despite this, it was a true chore to play through. A good game will leave you wanting more after it’s finished while Duke just left me with a foul taste in my mouth and a feeling of relief that I never had to play it again.

Wave upon wave of cheap deaths followed by ludicrously long loading screens made the game feel nearly unplayable. Even when not trapped in this never ending respawn screen the game feels completely unfinished and unappealing.

Duke Nukem Forever was one of the most highly anticipated games of 2011, but ultimately, I feel it may become known as its worst.



Breakdown:

Gameplay	3.0
Video / Audio	3.5
Story	6.0
Content	3.5
Huevos Factor	2.0

Total

3.5

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Posted in: Game Reviews,Games,Ryan