Nike Plus Training -Day 1

Yesterday was actually my first time "playing" Nike + Kinect Training but all of that was just diagnostic exercises to gauge what my fitness level was and to determine my goal, workout days, and routines.  Today was my first workout.

The workout was about 25 minutes of active time and Nike + said I burned 47 calories.  I call SHENANIGANS!  I made it through the workout and immediately stripped my clothes, put them in the wash, and jumped in a cool shower because I felt like a steamy, soggy diaper!

I mean, that's a good thing.  The workout was definitely harder than Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012, but how did the program say I burned so few calories??  I keep track of my nutrition and exercise via My Fitness Pal on my iPhone, so I begrudgingly logged my piddly 47 calories.

The routine was a real workout and was a bit too tough for me.  There were two moves that I just could not do and that's really frustrating, but I will keep at it and post an update at the end of my first 4-week program!  

Nike+ Kinect Training - Getting this gamer moving!

I've been using Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 for about a month and am already seeing and feeling the results so I thought I'd work in another fitness title for variety.  Most reviews of Nike+ Kinect Training were glowing and it was at an all-time low of $12 on Amazon, so I put it in my digital cart.  It arrived this morning and since I hadn't done my daily workout yet, I figured I'd try it out immediately!

SteelSeries Merc Stealth Gaming Keyboard Review & Photos

Released: January 2010
Original MSRP:$90
Current Average Price: $60
Product website:  SteelSeries Merc Stealth


The Good: innovative game pad design, 3 illumination colors at 4 levels of intensity, 2 USB 2.0, media hotkeys, gold-plated mic and headphone jacks and gold plated USB connector, easy to use drag&drop macros, mapping and programmable keys.
The Bad: manufacturing flaws, "Delete" key tied to "Num Lock"
Would I buy it again: Yes, as a gaming/media-only keyboard

Kate Reviews: Dungeon Siege III

Four heroes with stories of their own.  What will yours be?

GAME DETAILS

Release Date: 6-21-2011

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment

Publisher: Square Enix

Genre: RPG

ESRB Rating: T for Teen (Blood, Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes)

Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Reviewed On: Xbox 360

Original Sale Price: $59.99

Reviewer Purchase Price:$11.68@Amazon 

Back-of-the-Box Info

• Players 1-2
• Co-Op 2
• 2 MB to save game
• In-game Dolby Digital
• HDTV 720p/1080i/1080p
• Online multiplayer 1-4
• Co-op 2-4
• Voice

Game website: www.dungeonsiege.com 

DLC available at the time this blog is written:

1. Treasures of the Sun (avail 10-25-2011) $9.99

Now, I realize this game was released a long time ago and I am just now playing/reviewing it, but a good game is a good game, right? I got a sweet deal on it and I was a fan of the first in the series on PC in 2002, so I figured it was worth a try.

Starting point in Dungeon Siege III

Starting point in Diablo III

The moment I took control of the character I had chosen and headed up the pathway toward a dilapidated mansion gate, I got the distinct impression that this was a very Diablo-esque game.  Boy, was I right.  From the top-down perspective to the lighting in the dark environment to the join-in-progress cooperative gameplay, this game kept reminding me of Diablo at every turn; not that that's a bad thing.  Even my husband who has only watched me play Diablo III a few times and played the original one himself many years ago, asked if I was playing D3.  It was, in many ways, a departure from the gameplay of the original Dungeon Siege, but not to its detriment.  It kept enough to be discernibly Dungeon Siege but changed up some of the more grueling aspects of the original.  The pack mule and the difficult inventory limits are gone and there was even a comical nod to the beloved mule from the previous games.

"The pitiful corpse of a mule has been left at the roadside.  Other travelers have wandered off with the many suits of armor, sacks of gold, and impractically large battleaxes that collectively crushed the poor beast."

There are four playable characters from which to choose to start the game.  They fall into the typical archetypes:

LUCAS
sword & shield master

ANJALI
elemental magic / melee shape-shifter

REINHART
magic user

KATARINA
long-range huntswoman

This game has some great RPG elements. 

Skills can be upgraded with an easy-to-learn system.  Better weapons, armor, and items are plentiful and are acquired though looting dead enemies, treasure chests, and from item shop vendors.  Each character follows the same overall tale, but the story is personalized to tell how the events have and will affect that character.  Dialog options will appear and will often affect another character's feelings and reactions towards you.  Your choices can also affect events in the game.  Even if you choose a callus or hard-hearted response it never feels like you made the wrong choice.  It feels just as organic to the character and story as if you were to choose a neutral or more positive selection.  I thought the story was pretty well thought out and it was entertaining and had the right level of drama and tension.  I particularly enjoyed the way in which much of the main story was told: with charcoal-type drawings and by a wonderful storyteller.  It was somewhat reminiscent of the storytelling in the Fable series. 

An interesting feature that I haven't been able to delve much into because of the age of the game is the co-op feature.   I did get into a few other players' games and it was pretty fun, however the camera angle becomes locked making it difficult to see exactly where you need to go or treasure chests that might be hiding just out of sight.  It was thoughtful design to make it so that if your partner got too far away or behind, they would be transported to your location.  Co-op was drop in-drop out which was pretty helpful.  Overall I like it, but it was a bit frustrating trying to find a co-op partner.  Local co-op was fun as well. 


 Pros

• Almost no loading
• Nice visual effects
• Decision-based story lines
• Fantastic storyteller
• Superb audio
• No inventory shuffling
• Plenty of replay value
• No wrong choices
• LOOT!

Cons

• Square-Enix registration doesn't work (at the time of this review)
• I didn't buy this sooner when more people were online to play Co-op with

The Wrap Up

This game was worth every penny of the almost $12 I paid for it and then some.  One of my biggest complaints is not really being able to play co-op which held the promise of fun adventures.  I absolutely recommend this game to RPG fans and gamers who just like a good story.  With 3 difficulty levels, this is a challenging adventure for most everyone.  Oh, and I definitely recommend playing it with your headphones on.  Even the main menu screen sounds amazing.

Kate Reviews: CastleStorm

 

Knights Vs. Vikings

FIGHT!

GAME DETAILS

Release Date:  5/29/2013

Developer:  ZEN Studios Ltd.

Publisher:  Microsoft Studios

Genre:  Action & Adventure, Strategy, Simulation
ESRB Rating: T for Teen (blood, violence)

Platform: Xbox Live Arcade, PS3, PC, Vita, WinPhone, iPhone, Wii U
Reviewed on: XBLA
Original Sale Price: $9.99
Reviewer purchase price: $4.99

Features

• Offline Players 1-2
• Offline Co-op
• Stereoscopic 3D

Online Features

• Online Multiplayer 1-2
•  Online Co-op 2
• DLC
• Leaderboards
• Voice Chat

I wasn't sure what I was getting when I downloaded CastleStorm on XBL.  It was on sale for half off of the regular price of $9.99 and seemed different from everything else in my collection.  Here's how the XBL description sold it:

It’s Knights vs. Vikings in CastleStorm, where medieval warfare meets 2D physics-based destruction! Controlling the battle in real time, players will harness the power of medieval artillery, manage a fearsome ground attack, and cast powerful spells! CastleStorm features a story-driven solo campaign, a custom castle editor, online multiplayer, co-op modes, and more. Building castles and knocking them down has never been so much fun!

Really all I read was medieval, destruction, and castle editor.  I was sold already; the rest was filler.  The description and the sale price were intriguing enough for a purchase.  As soon as the game loads it asks if I want to enable Stereoscopic 3D.  Hells YES!  I wasn't even aware it was 3D-enabled so this was a cool bonus as I don't have many good 3D games.  A first-world problem, amiright?

It starts slow since there are varied methods of play to learn and accompanying controls to master. 
Control a Ballista and use different types of upgradeable ammunition to knock down the opposition's castle.  It's physics based so if you are unfamiliar with the play-type, think Angry Birds and Wreckateer. The aiming is a bit hard to master, but crushing the Vikings' castle is so satisfying.

Control Ground Troops like swordsmen, paladins, archers, dragons, and priests.  That mechanic is a bit like a tower defense game where picking the correct types and leveling them can affect the results on the battlefield.  They aren't controlled directly; they are purchased using a renewing pool of resources and are set out at the foot of the castle where they traverse the path between the two castles and fight any enemy in their way.

Magic spells and the summoning of a hero (who looks strangely a bit like my brother) can be chosen to aid in battle.  Controlling the hero is quite a bit of hack-and-slack fun as he, like the magic spells, can be leveled up to do a great deal of damage.

These elements are interchangeable at any time and can be selected to carry out the strategy desired.

Pros

• So freaking funny
• Different ways to play the game
• Some of the best 3D I've seen yet
• Customizable castle, troops, spells, and ammo to perfect a strategy

Cons

• Accurately aiming the ballista is more tedious than it should be

The Wrap Up

This game has a lot of corny humor that completely delighted me and was reminiscent of the Deathspank series which are some of my favorite XBLA games.  It jokingly referenced other games like Angry Birds and The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.  I really enjoyed playing this in 3D and it looked spectacular.  I'm having fun playing this game and am really glad I got it.
Interested? Check it out and buy it on XBL HERE.

Kate Reviews: Bejeweled Blitz

Commercial break? Time to Blitz!

 I played this game on: Apple iPhone 4S          I bought this game for: FREE

Pros

• Quick playtime
• Great graphics & audio
• Good updates
• Occasional freebies

Cons

•  It's not perfect but I don't think there's any "cons" 

Kate Reviews: Far Cry 3

Dip your toe into the crazy-end of this shark-infested pool.

You'll thank me later.

Kate Reviews: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

    

 The hottest guy on the block takes out whoever stands between him and his past.

The Pros

• Interesting storytelling and lore
• Stellar cutscene animation and dialog
• Unique playstyle and mechanics
• Several ways and difficulties to play
• Different scenarios unfold depending on your choices

 The Cons

• Rendering and sound issues for the first second of many cutscene animations
• Setting selections are unclear and default settings are crazy-weird
• About 5 seconds of -LOADING- for nearly every door opened
• The invisible aiming reticule makes for haphazard loot pickups

    

     This was a lusty introduction to The Witcher series for me.  I am somewhat intrigued to play the first iteration in the franchise and try out The Witcher 3 that's currently in development.  I had no idea of what to expect when I bought The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Version on sale for $9.99 at Best Buy. 

iPhone Games I'm Currently Playing

Bookworm Heroes

You don't have to be a smarty-pants to be a bookworm.

This game is one of the best competitive games I've played on my iPhone.  I have other word games like Scrabble and assorted games that are somewhat fun to play in turns with friends like Skee-ball 2, but I can really see myself playing this game for a while. 

Gears of War 2 Solo-Campaign Review

     I reached the conclusion of the story of Gears of War 2 this morning with all of the collectibles safely in my War Journal.  I also ended up with all but one Unlockable, RAAM. RAAM is unlocked with a GoW1 achievement I don't have yet: "A Dish Best Served Cold".  I knocked out a couple of multiplayer achievements and have netted a total of 375 Achievement Points for GoW2.

My Solo-Campaign Review:

Diablog: Diablo III Launch

     Diablo III launched Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 3AM EST.  It is now exactly 52 hours later, and I have logged almost 23 hours of play...and I couldn't even log in to create a character until the afternoon of launch due to server time outs and error code 37.  To say I am engrossed is an understatement.  Diablo III is the most engaging game launch I have been part of.

     Even though Diablo III is the first in the series I have played, I got a good idea of what to expect as I was beta testing it last year and earlier this year.  I most closely  compared it to