Added: 02.12.2014 18:11 | 42 views | 0 comments


Dealspwn writes: This UK site are currently running a 3-for-2 offer on Skylanders Giants figurines and free shipping for orders over £39, and super-savvy HotUKDeals member Genki has worked out a way of getting an absolutely massive haul in time for Christmas so long as you're after the PS3 version. As detailed in the HUKD post, you'll want to add the following to your basket to make the most of your money: Skylander Giants Starter Pack (PS3) (3 figures, software etc.) Skylander Giants Triple Pack A (3 figures) Skylander Giants Triple Pack C (3 figures) Skylander Giants Triple Pack E (3 figures) Skylander Giants Triple Pack F (3 figures) Skylander Giants Triple Pack G (3 figures) Skylander Giants Scorpion Striker Battle Pack (2 figures plus weapon) Skylander Giants: Giant Figure - Hot Head Skylander Giants: Giant Figure - Swarm Skylander Giants: Giant Figure - Thumpback Doing so gets you free shipping and brings down the price to under £40, making this an absolutely...

Added: 20.11.2014 8:19 | 13 views | 0 comments


'Bladestorm: Nightmare' is a strategy game where the player takes the role of a mercenary and chooses to fight either for England or for France in missions inspired by real events and battles of the era dubbed 'the Hundred Years War' (1337-1453). Revisiting one of the lengthiest and most politically unstable periods in European history, Omega Force has developed this title in a way that allows the player to assume command of different kinds of army units, while it also offers them the opportunity to develop their own unique character, increase their fame, gold, and army and complete various missions irrespective of sides and loyalty. Aside from the main mode’s educational value (it accurately follows the events as they unfolded), 'Bladestorm' will also include a stand-alone mode called 'Nightmare', which features an original, fictional scenario. In 'Nightmare', as the war between England and France wages on as a mysterious battle horde of outlandish creatures appears led by a seemingly turned-evil Joan of Arc. The army is comprised of Dragons, Giants and Demons of various kinds and infinite numbers and the kingdoms of England and France momentarily cease fire and join forces to drive this evil out of the world. This new mode allows the player to take control of an additional 32 playable characters, based both on fictional and prominent historical figures of the time. With their assistance the player’s character can try and control the demonic armies, restore Joan of Arc to her former self and save the world from evil. This fun new twist diversifies the classic strategy elements of the game, and effectively splits 'Bladestorm: Nightmare' into two parts; 'Bladestorm': the historically accurate account of the 100 Years' War, and 'Nightmare': a fictional fantasy scenario that unfolds in the same world.

Added: 30.10.2014 18:08 | 13 views | 0 comments

The hook for this year's Skylanders entry seems prosaic at first; a speaker on the series' newly designed portal can broadcast the disembodied voices of baddies you defeat in-game, with the portal acting as a prison for your vanquished foes. The intended effect is the reverse of what the series has done so well in its previous entries. Instead of making you believe that a toy has come to life on screen, Skylanders Trap Team wants you to believe that a character on the screen has come to life in the real world. Sure, there are also new real-world figurines to collect in Skylanders Trap Team (such as the eponymous new type of Skylander), but trapping bad guys, having them interact with you, and then using them in battle is the key differentiator for this year's game. Compared to the inventive mix-and-match focus of last year's , a talking portal seems almost pedestrian.

That is, until you see and hear it in action. Defeat a boss, and (provided you have the right type of elemental trap inserted in your portal) a gigantic, whirling portal appears on screen, sucking in your struggling foe. A flash of light and a rush of sound later, and the voice of your vanquished enemy blares from the portal sitting right in front of you. It's a surprisingly effective gimmick, particularly for the younger set. My five-year-old son was transfixed the first few times it happened, and would engage in conversations with the virtual baddies in their plastic prison. It seems that time and familiarity still hasn't dulled that Skylanders magic.

It helps, of course, that the actual gameplay that accompanies this four-year-old toys-to-life franchise is charming, funny, and engaging, throwing lots of different challenges and scenarios at you in an effort to make sure that boredom never has a chance to settle in. Mechanically, the game works as it always has--place a real-world Skylander figurine on the game's included portal, and that character's digital likeness appears on screen. The figurines themselves are, as I've come to expect from the Skylanders franchise, well built and sturdy enough to withstand some knocks from the little ones. The new Skylanders added this year are particularly excellent. These Trap Team figures are about the size of the larger Giants and Swap Force toys of previous years, and all feature some cool transparent weapons or armor. As always, their designs are expressive and appealing, giving you a clear indication of what these little guys will be like when you actually start playing with them on screen. The figure for the crocodilian Trapjaw, for example, has a huge crossbow that he indeed uses to great effect within the game, while the round belly of the bulbous Gusto figurine leads you to believe that he'll have some use for his big gut in battle (which, of course, he does).

The villains that you battle and capture in the game don't get their own toy line, however, and their real-world presence is limited to clear plastic "traps" that you'll need to insert into the Skylanders portal to actually use these baddies as fully controllable characters in your adventures. But what they lack in physical presence they more than make up for in personality, with almost all of the trappable villains being an absolute joy to hear (and play). Some of these characters are simply straight-up funny, with the various quips and comments they utter whilst trapped in your portal sure to bring some laugh-out-loud moments.

Not only are these villains affable companions, but they're also capable allies in the field. There's great joy in using a captured villain right after you've defeated him, using attacks that were just used on you against the rest of your foes. The Skylanders Trap Team experience itself is a varied adventure, and whilst it's never truly challenging, its sheer insistence on gameplay variety and its consistently charming presentation makes dull moments few and far between. You'll spend the majority of your time bashing and pummelling your way through enemies using your favored Skylander, but there is seemingly always something different to do to break up the swathes of combat. There are turret sequences, puzzles to solve to open locks, Angry Birds-style mini-games, tower-defense-like challenges, and even a basic card game to compete in, just to name a few. And you perform these activities in some gorgeous locations. From lush and verdant areas where gigantic flowers pop open when you get close to dreamscape locales where fluffy clouds disappear under your feet, there are a lot of cool sights to see during the long campaign.

The Skylanders, too, are an equally varied bunch. I used about a dozen different figures (a mix of new and old) when playing Trap Team, and each felt unique to play thanks to their distinct powers and abilities. This is no small part continues to add to that feeling of variety with Skylanders, as switching from one play style to another by simply replacing a character is as easy as ever.

It helps if you've previously invested in the Skylanders franchise and have toys from previous generations (they're all compatible with Trap Team). From a financial viewpoint, Skylanders continues to be a potential money sink, particularly if you're coming into the franchise cold. There's a casual pressure to buy more of the real-world toys permeating the entire game, manifested in things like special areas being accessible only to specific elemental types of Trap Team toys, and abilities being unlocked for characters you may not even have. It's never pushed to point of being egregious, but it's there. More problematic for me were the traps in this game. You need to have a trap of the right elemental type to capture and use a villain, and each trap only holds one baddie at a time. To experience some of the best this game has to offer (those excellent, funny, and awesome villains), you're going to have to shell out some extra cash for more traps.

The flipside of this is that you have access to the bulk of what Skylanders Trap Team offers using what you get in the basic starter pack alone. And what's there is great--an expansive, funny adventure that appeals to kids while having a surplus of wit and charm that can directly engage older players. I had an excellent time playing co-op with my son in Skylanders Trap Team, but if you don't have a little rugrat, don't let it dissuade you from playing. There's plenty of joy to be had for grown-ups in Trap Team, and more than a few laughs as well.

Added: 30.10.2014 18:08 | 9 views | 0 comments

The hook for this year's Skylanders entry seems prosaic at first; a speaker on the series' newly designed portal can broadcast the disembodied voices of baddies you defeat in-game, with the portal acting as a prison for your vanquished foes. The intended effect is the reverse of what the series has done so well in its previous entries. Instead of making you believe that a toy has come to life on screen, Skylanders Trap Team wants you to believe that a character on the screen has come to life in the real world. Sure, there are also new real-world figurines to collect in Skylanders Trap Team (such as the eponymous new type of Skylander), but trapping bad guys, having them interact with you, and then using them in battle is the key differentiator for this year's game. Compared to the inventive mix-and-match focus of last year's , a talking portal seems almost pedestrian.

That is, until you see and hear it in action. Defeat a boss, and (provided you have the right type of elemental trap inserted in your portal) a gigantic, whirling portal appears on screen, sucking in your struggling foe. A flash of light and a rush of sound later, and the voice of your vanquished enemy blares from the portal sitting right in front of you. It's a surprisingly effective gimmick, particularly for the younger set. My five-year-old son was transfixed the first few times it happened, and would engage in conversations with the virtual baddies in their plastic prison. It seems that time and familiarity still hasn't dulled that Skylanders magic.

It helps, of course, that the actual gameplay that accompanies this four-year-old toys-to-life franchise is charming, funny, and engaging, throwing lots of different challenges and scenarios at you in an effort to make sure that boredom never has a chance to settle in. Mechanically, the game works as it always has--place a real-world Skylander figurine on the game's included portal, and that character's digital likeness appears on screen. The figurines themselves are, as I've come to expect from the Skylanders franchise, well built and sturdy enough to withstand some knocks from the little ones. The new Skylanders added this year are particularly excellent. These Trap Team figures are about the size of the larger Giants and Swap Force toys of previous years, and all feature some cool transparent weapons or armor. As always, their designs are expressive and appealing, giving you a clear indication of what these little guys will be like when you actually start playing with them on screen. The figure for the crocodilian Trapjaw, for example, has a huge crossbow that he indeed uses to great effect within the game, while the round belly of the bulbous Gusto figurine leads you to believe that he'll have some use for his big gut in battle (which, of course, he does).

The villains that you battle and capture in the game don't get their own toy line, however, and their real-world presence is limited to clear plastic "traps" that you'll need to insert into the Skylanders portal to actually use these baddies as fully controllable characters in your adventures. But what they lack in physical presence they more than make up for in personality, with almost all of the trappable villains being an absolute joy to hear (and play). Some of these characters are simply straight-up funny, with the various quips and comments they utter whilst trapped in your portal sure to bring some laugh-out-loud moments.

Not only are these villains affable companions, but they're also capable allies in the field. There's great joy in using a captured villain right after you've defeated him, using attacks that were just used on you against the rest of your foes. The Skylanders Trap Team experience itself is a varied adventure, and whilst it's never truly challenging, its sheer insistence on gameplay variety and its consistently charming presentation makes dull moments few and far between. You'll spend the majority of your time bashing and pummelling your way through enemies using your favored Skylander, but there is seemingly always something different to do to break up the swathes of combat. There are turret sequences, puzzles to solve to open locks, Angry Birds-style mini-games, tower-defense-like challenges, and even a basic card game to compete in, just to name a few. And you perform these activities in some gorgeous locations. From lush and verdant areas where gigantic flowers pop open when you get close to dreamscape locales where fluffy clouds disappear under your feet, there are a lot of cool sights to see during the long campaign.

The Skylanders, too, are an equally varied bunch. I used about a dozen different figures (a mix of new and old) when playing Trap Team, and each felt unique to play thanks to their distinct powers and abilities. This is no small part continues to add to that feeling of variety with Skylanders, as switching from one play style to another by simply replacing a character is as easy as ever.

It helps if you've previously invested in the Skylanders franchise and have toys from previous generations (they're all compatible with Trap Team). From a financial viewpoint, Skylanders continues to be a potential money sink, particularly if you're coming into the franchise cold. There's a casual pressure to buy more of the real-world toys permeating the entire game, manifested in things like special areas being accessible only to specific elemental types of Trap Team toys, and abilities being unlocked for characters you may not even have. It's never pushed to point of being egregious, but it's there. More problematic for me were the traps in this game. You need to have a trap of the right elemental type to capture and use a villain, and each trap only holds one baddie at a time. To experience some of the best this game has to offer (those excellent, funny, and awesome villains), you're going to have to shell out some extra cash for more traps.

The flipside of this is that you have access to the bulk of what Skylanders Trap Team offers using what you get in the basic starter pack alone. And what's there is great--an expansive, funny adventure that appeals to kids while having a surplus of wit and charm that can directly engage older players. I had an excellent time playing co-op with my son in Skylanders Trap Team, but if you don't have a little rugrat, don't let it dissuade you from playing. There's plenty of joy to be had for grown-ups in Trap Team, and more than a few laughs as well.