Análises recentes de Javamensch

Tom Clancy's: The Division stands among one of my favorite modern games. It has taken a dystopian future in New York City with an incredible amount of clutter and debris to a new art form.

I am on my second character run through of the game and am still amazed at the snowy winter scenery ornate with leftover holiday decor full of garbage bags, containers, abandoned vehicles and boxes of a population in the midst of a panic. The areas are faithfully represented (I grew up there) in an outstanding impression of three dimensional building and neghborhood sets with recognizable landmarks such as the Williamsburg Bridge, Madison Square Garden, The NY Public Library and the ubiquitous Mass transit Subway system. The animal AI/animation has to be some of the best I've seen in a simplified console port. Seeing the rats scurry as you trudge through a bio nightmare makes you almost want one! The dogs are not to be outdone but have been toned down to an environment factor (where have the cats gone I wonder?)

The voice acting is superb, rife with NY accents, mindsets and international languages that only a fully cosmopolitan metropolis can spill out from its cornucopia. With an open ended map and story which you can prioritize, it is complete with well made cut scenes (mostly in the beginning) to fill you in on the vital aspects and advancement of the plot as you try to save your city alone or with the help of a few players.

The great soundtrack amongst this outbreak is almost uplifting and can't help but be reminded of Mr Strandh's influences of Vangelis and Blade runner. It has a lot to do with a little hope as you sprint around the city trying to get your systems up to help with your buffs and mods as you try to defeat various factions vying for power throughout the city. As if that wasn't bad enough, the game/players can then devolve into rogue players as they look out for 'number one' to bring themeselves up to a 'king of the pile' so to speak, in a very inhospitable 'Dark Zone'.

Besides an intricate array of weapons, sidearms and protective body armor, each moddable to some extent, you also have a massive and collectable wardrobe to change your characters appearance. Not since the classic 'Deus-Ex" have I had so much fun in exploration mayhem!

This is one of the few non-combat flight simulations (It does have a very well done F-18 with some good missions!) that is definitely worth owning.

The open world is literal with the globe as your sandbox and places you dream of going to and seeing easily available. It has an incredible 'live' weather environment that lets you experience the weather as it is there now. It has one of the largest amount of third party add ons for aircraft, skins, scenery & environments viewable and usable on client side only. And thanks to 'Dovetail games', the overall game/simulation runs and looks better than the last patched version from MS.

It does have a few lacking qualities in that some of the stock scenery landmarks still seem drab and plain (why can't they get the whole world done right? lol) but as I said above add-ons help immensely. Another is the unsynced narrator on the missions which seems to get his cues a bit off sometimes (!)

It's multiplayer environment lets players fly pilot, co-pilot or run the high stress management job of Air Traffic Controller. Even with the mission narrator issues, this is still (IMHO) one of the better highly enjoyable, complete, instructional and informative flight sim games on the market still well worth it's regular price.

"Il-2 Sturmovik: 1946" originally began as an Eastern Front flight combat simulator which branched into Europe, The Pacific and then into the immediate Post-war Jet era. It has become a bit of a cult following with several loyal players continually playing, hosting, creating skins, missions and campaigns.

It is probably one of the longest running dedicated combat sims which though using a limited and dated engine, is still able to satisfyingly emulate the widest scope of aviation combat centered around World War 2 in varying difficulty levels and complexity. It has over 150 flyable aircraft from varying aspects of nearly all theaters of operations as well as associated maps. It includes pilot campaigns from nearly all sides, a quick mission builder and a full mission builder. But most of it's contemporary strengths come from beautifully made skins, missions, campaigns and utilities from it's many followers and fans that run the gamut of historical to flights of fantasy.

It's latest version now is 4.14.1m (4.13.4 is the latest steam version) which has been officially updated by a group called Team Daidalos (rumor has it they are even working on 4.15!) has added flyable aircraft, tweaked graphics and sounds and additional mission building options and objects. (it even now has the option to add 3rd party "Online sounds" and still be a 'stock' game) It's multiplayer capability is via Hyperlobby where you can usually fly and/or host missions, join dedicated server maps, or get limited help from people there.

Besides the stock game, many have added one of the popular mods to add even more popular aircraft, different flight models, digitized sounds, slightly improved graphics and mission building options and objects. (Most mods can be switched to stock easily via a simple program BUT you need to pay attention to proper folders when installing these mods!).

It has the added advantage of being able to run smoothly (A critical point in combat flight sims) on most older systems.

oh, I have purchased 2 retail box versions and the steam version so I've played a bit more than 10 minutes.. :)

(I have "Il-2:Cliffs of Dover" and "Il-2: Battle of Stalingrad" and I still enjoy "Il-2 Sturmovik:1946)

POSTSCRIPT: This is still the (IMHO) best WW2 era combat sim that having basic/mid knowledge of flight and an appreciation of aviation combat history, (It's simplicity allows you to takeoff in any plane without having to learn each planes startup details) immerses you into flight combat be it instant, single sortie or campaign. The Full Mission Builder lets you build detailed sorties and campaigns.

This is to date, the most enjoyable 3rd person shooter/arcade/adventure game I have played. Replete with beautifully rendered, multiple dimensional level maps, you are forced to enjoy Lara's almost superhuman physical ability to climb, jump and leap.

Though not a student of archaeology, many of the treasures found look very authentic and based on a quick google search, seem to be historically based designs. Discovery of these treasures gives Lara upgrades in her adventure gear, weapons and skills.

A fictional story wraps the main character and her exploration team on a fictional Island as they try to discern a weather anomaly in an area of ocean that has taken it's share of ships. Though arcade in nature, fatal mistakes made by Lara (player) have an almost brutal, wincing, finality within the cutscenes. This is perhaps to offset the slightly unreal challenges facing the player. Rest assured, the game reverts to a last saved position but the cutscenes may be a bit much for underaged players.

Highly recommended (stills don't do this game justice!).

By far the best of the Fallout series in terms of the story, option dialogue, the availability of mods on Nexu...(Am I allowed to say that?) and the most well done, immersive and believable post apocalyptic alternative city I have seen.

If you like a good yarn with a great cast of voice actors, you can't go wrong. If you get this while it's on sale, get ready to get drawn into a world where your decisions affect the outcome of alliances and factions. I highly recommend all the story related DLCs as they take you to different but, lore related locales.

There are many weird mutations of things we know to be familiar. And though the models and animations may not be todays standards (The mods can and do improve this) The story and atmosphere will have you lurking about in dark, dangerous places where you should not be!

Oh, If you hear: 'Gary' ...RUN!!

The first in the Max Payne series were amazing Crime-noir games juxtaposed interactive graphic novel with a really well written storyline. The theme follows through all of them and attracts you the most via the hard luck life of the main protagonist. He is, the anti-hero/superhero (in the sense that you simply restart the section when he dies!) Who stumbles through his tragically unfortunate life in hangeover's and DT's. Wiser and more 'leathery' with age, but as is sometimes in real life, with unchanged fortune.

Though it has an almost mind numbing amount of gun play and weapons, the story is interwoven throughout with Max's cynical and very distinctive 'New York sense of humor' narrative. I found it enjoyable to experience returning themes and motifs from the series as well as the various spoofs and homages to other popular detectives. As the story builds, don't be surprised if you forget at key moments, that you're in an interactive game. This may upset the point hounds, but it is so seamlessly done at times, as to be almost enjoyable!

The worlds though linear, are richly detailed as you go from contrasting extremes of lifestyles and are almost fully destructible. (HINT: Not wise to cover behind plywood strapped onto a cyclone fence!)

In the end, It is the continuity. It is the Story. It is ...Max Payne.

Recommended to fans at any price if they can afford it, and highly recommended to all who like a good crime-noir yarn when it's on sale.

NOTE: I recently had the yearning to re-enter Max Payne's world and there were log-on issues after re-installing. Please read the forums for these issue's and hopefully a resolution from RockStar games.

If you are in ANY way into Zombies, Zombie storylines or Zombie movies, you need to get this. Nothing very deep, fairly good storyline and gallons of gibbage fun!

I am not too much into the puzzle type of games, but a review I read or saw some time ago seemed intriquing, different. And even though the main character is a little kid, it sounded a bit ...creepy. And there, I do like my to jump out of my skin every so often!

The stills don't do it justice. Suffice it to say that this little game draws you in with the really well done animations, physics and properly placed and accented sounds. Not overly engrossing, but strangely immersive in it's somewhat scary atmosphere and clever puzzles.

This is a great little game at regular price an a fantastic bargain on sale.

A true classic, "Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45" (released in 2006) still manages to place the player in an immersive, believable and variable environment of the bitterly fought Eastern Front battlefields.

It has a limited single player mode but the game shines in it's multiplayer aspect as live players take on the various infantry roles/associated weapons and on some battlefields, crew tanks and other infantry support vehicles.

The weapon modeling and textures are visually exquisite, have sounds that are probably recorded from the actual weapons, and have an uncanny sense of realism for 1940 era weapons.

'Tripwire' Interactive, has, during the active life of the game, updated it with a large database of maps and skins that make each historical battlefield a distinctive experience.

Mods included are 'Mare Nostrum'; based on the Desert War and "Darkest Hour"; based on the Allied invasion of Europe (D-Day) as an integrated part of the steam purchase.

Visually, one of the most impressive games in the genre of the Conflict in the origins of the United States. The game takes on the impressive graphic and sound minutiae regarding ground and naval combat with brilliantly rendered, and historically (albeit idealised) accurate individual units (infantrymen) and ships to such an extent that the only thing missing is the smell of burnt gunpowder and the occasional acrid scent of blood.

The campaigns included are of the rise of American Independence as well as a Global campaign (which unfortunately, does not include the US as an Independent controllable entity) which take into account, geography, trade, technology, agriculture and politics. But, fear not! the meat and bones of this game is in the tactical battles, and there you will revell as musket, shot, splinters fly, men fall, and History is remade according to YOUR tactical abilities.

Multi-player is fully incorporated as well as purchaseable (Elite units) DLC content.