Mini Late July Update

Hey everyone, Hubbs here. I know it's been quiet this past month but per usual, the summer season is relatively slow with less interesting games coming out and what not. However, in August I am looking to pick things back up by hopefully getting a couple videos out. One August vlog video and the other, the annoying top ten NES games that I mentioned about briefly. Getting used to my new position at work, a new child and fixing up my pc has been the priority of late. So hang it there and get ready for a nice little video when August begins. -Hubbs

DHGF Review - Divinity: Original Sin (PC)

Larian Studios did something I never expected; they went far beyond the expectations for Divinity: Original Sin, the latest game in the Divinity franchise. After the fans spoke out and helped Larian reach their Kickstarter goal, the company did everything they can to prove to their supporters they were out to make one of the best games possible. Divinity: Original Sin is an incredible game that heralds back to the heyday of classic point and click RPG’s, and in many ways surpasses many of the greats like Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights. Larian Studios managed to set new standards in the realm of role playing with it’s unique approach to storytelling and highly addicting gameplay. Granted, it’s not a perfect experience, but the pros of playing Divinity: Original Sin heavily outweigh the issues that arise during your time playing.

DHGF Review: Divinity: Original Sin (PC)

GVN Quick Triple Review: Final Fantasy III (PC), Rayman Legends (Xbox One), Watch Dogs (Xbox One)

This is a new style for me to try out.  Sorry, I didn't really have time to dedicate to writing a full review for each of the games below but I really wanted to cover them.  So this felt like a reasonable compromise.

Gamers VS The Internet:
The Battle of Intellect, Skill, Data Transfers, and Broadband Connections


  Over the past 20 years, the Internet has streamlined itself into being a very core part of our everyday lives. It was something that was based on ideas branching off from "The Difference Engine" in 1822, delivering the very first "Email" in 1965, being coined "The Internet" in 1974, then dubbed the "World Wide Web" in 1989. This world changing development in technology has brought forth such iconic and heavily used websites such as Ebay and Amazon in 1995-96, our beloved Google in 1998, the infamous Wikipedia in 2001, to now being accessible from the device in your pocket on a regular day to day basis.

  So what does this have to do with Gamers today? Well, a lot. As technology advances, so does the Entertainment Industries. The Video Game Industry is heavily dependent on these advancements to make the Next Gen console and experience that is sitting in your living room, bedroom, or even at the tips of your fingers that also allows you to read this article right now. Nowadays, if you're not connected to the Internet, you're missing half of the experience (or so they say).

  The Internet has changed so much about how the typical Gamer sees their gaming experience. It has changed the way they seek out information about a game, how they use or view the information, and even how they perform when using their new found knowledge.

  For now, let's take a look back to the 80's. A time before Microsoft jumped into the video game console war in 2001, before Sony won over the industry with their first mainstream gaming console in 1994. Let's look at a time when information about video games was very few and far between. When you had to buy a monthly magazine at your local retailer that carried the particular gaming magazine that you sought after for what was going on in the mysterious realm known as the Video Game Industry.

GVN Quick Look
First 40 Minutes of Shovel Knight on the Wii U played by yours truly, Rolento13!!!



So far, Shovel Knight seems to be everything that we expected out of an action platformer and more. The controls feel great and not sluggish at all, classic NES style graphics that remind you of the video games you missed being a kid in the 80's, classic (slightly updated) styled music soundtrack for a truly immersive retro experience, and it forces you to think and hone your various skills you've gained through the years. You're not going to run through levels like a Pro on your first playthrough (I mean, You can try, but have fun dying). Even after this video, it just gets better and better. So, is it worth a buy? You better believe it buddy!!! It's so good that I'm highly tempted to buy it again on my 3DS XL so that I can play it on the go!!!

GVN Review: The Elder Scrolls Online (PC)

The Elder Scrolls Online
PC
Publisher: Bethesda
Developer: Zenimanx Online

I am utterly disappointed in you Zenimax online.  I am disappointed that you had the utter gull to release a game that gave us the idea we would be playing an Elder Scrolls game online. I am disappointed that you gave us false hope in that we would be exploring huge areas of Tamriel that have never been visited in any of the previous games of the noble franchise.  I am disappointed in myself for jumping onto the hype train and feeling the impact of the crash upon the realization that this is nothing more than a standard MMO style game with the Elder Scrolls name slapped on it.  Make no mistake, Elder Scrolls Online is not a bad game, but it's not a good game either.  It had expectations to live up to and it never met any of them.

DHGF Review: R-Type Dimensions (PS3)

"I LOVE R-Type. It has been one of my favorite space sidescroller shoot-em up franchise for decades. I played it in the arcades, on my Commodore Amiga, Sega Master System, the Super Nintendo, and on Playstation. Irem, the company that created the franchise, was able to create new games in the franchise and somehow keep the series from going stagnant as the years went by. In 2009, we were graced with the release of R-Type Dimensions on the Xbox 360, but I never got around to buying it. R-Type Dimensions is a remake of the first two games in the series, following in the vein of other upgraded classics like Bionic Commando."

DHGF Review: R-Type Dimensions

Nintendo @ E3 Preview!

Another year has past and it is now time to get ready for E3!  In the next few days, we will finally see what the new video games that are being created, will look like and hopefully have some information about their release days.  I am super excited for this years E3 because of 2 reasons, 1. As a part of GVN I get to express my thoughts and have all you wonderful readers understand what I am feeling and 2. there should be an announcement for the new Legend of Zelda game coming out for the Wii U!

GVN Review: Killer Instinct: Season 1 (Xbox One)

Killer Instinct Season One
Xbox One
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Double Helix

Killer Instinct was a day one Xbox One launch title that in all fairness, was an incomplete game. Six characters, a limited online mode, no story mode, and oddly enough one of the most in-depth training mode around.  So to review the game on those merits alone would probably make people not even bother looking into the famed franchise.  So I figured it would be fair to review the game after it's final season one update which finally made Killer Instinct a full game.

For the younger generations, Killer Instinct was a crazy combo fest fighter from the mid 90's that was developed by Rare exclusively for Nintendo to help demerit their kid friendly image.  the first Killer Instinct was a great game in its intense twitch based combo system, counters, fatalities and fast paced gameplay.  A few years later, Killer Instinct 2 was released with more characters, more insane combos, a new auto-double combo system, and better graphics.  Needless to say that the franchise was dropped and completely forgotten by Nintendo and Rare since then.  Some years later Rare is sold to Microsoft, and the rumors start flying about a KI revival during the entire lifespan of the Xbox 360.  So just before the announcement of the Xbox One system, we received confirmation and here we are a year later.

GVN Review: Dark Souls 2

Having played the original Dark Souls and its predecessor Demons' souls I was looking forward to the newest iteration of the series. Overall, it turned out reasonably.