Author: Jessica Thompson

Whether you’re a simulation racer, or you prefer arcade fun more, in 2019, you will find some great gaming options for every taste. The gaming industry has developed significantly over the years, and nowadays, the racing game genre is as versatile and complex as never before. From impressive sound design to amazing graphics, there are many characteristics that contribute to a game’s general appeal. New versions are being released regularly, and it seems like this year, developers have perfected the features even more. You know a racing game feels just right once you play it, but which are the options…

There’s a common perception that video games represent pure escapism. To a certain degree, that’s true; video games are able to create fantastical worlds and have players inhabit them in a way that simply isn’t possible for other media. Still, it’s not entirely right to say video games offer pure escapism. There are many games set in the real world; there are games that focus on actual historical events; there are games that purport to teach moral lessons. These games aren’t offering escapism per se. One of the ways in which video games incorporate realism into their structure is with…

The CPU can easily make or break your gaming PC. If you end up choosing the wrong one, in spite of the best hardware and high RAM, you cannot get optimum performance out of it. It is also an expensive purchase due to which you should be pretty careful while choosing one. The problem is that most of the players look at the confusing technical jargon and specifications while choosing one. It will end up confusing you more rather than helping you. That is why; today we will help you understand how to choose best CPU for your gaming PC…

Regardless of platform, whether it be on one of the consoles or PC, racing games have always proven incredibly popular. Developers have been churning them out for decades now (the first true racing game – Gran Trak 10 – was released all the way back in 1974), and gamers have been more than happy to lap them up! There are a select few titles, however, which in our opinion stand head and shoulders above the rest of the racing games out there. And so, without further ado, here are the best racing games ever created. Gran Turismo Series When it…

So you’ve seen the insane money Twitch streamers can sometimes make and you’ve decided you want in on that. Congratulations – you’ve just taken your first step towards becoming a Twitch creative. This job can be lucrative, exciting, and extremely rewarding, but it can also be very difficult indeed. Not just anyone can become a Twitch streamer; you need to set yourself apart from the legions of imitators also wanting to become pros on the platform. So, how can you do that? How, exactly, can you enter the world of professional Twitch streaming? Well, there’s no simple answer to that…

The very first FIFA game was released for SNES and Genesis (along with a bunch of other platforms) way, way back in 1993. It was simply called FIFA International Soccer and it was, as you might expect, pretty primitive by modern standards. Still, since that time, FIFA arguably hasn’t massively evolved. Sure, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where a game representing a sport could improve; after all, accurate representation is surely the goal. Still, there must be room for improvement. It’s with great excitement and glee, then, that we look forward to the upcoming FIFA 20. The game is due…

Ubisoft’s E3 2019 showing was pretty impressive. We got new details about The Division 2, announcements for new Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon games, and of course confirmation of the existence of a new Just Dance game. Would it even be a Ubisoft conference without this ever-present franchise? All in all, Ubisoft’s conference was a pleasing mixture of old favourites and new, exciting titles.  Probably the most exciting announcement of Ubisoft’s entire E3 show was the open-world sandbox hackathon Watch Dogs: Legion. This game is making a lot of exciting changes to its predecessors’ formula that should shake the games…

If you’re savvy, there’s good money to be made in betting on esports. This discipline may not match traditional sports for viewership and popularity, but esports’ star is on a meteoric rise, and it won’t be long before esports are discussed and analysed on the same level as regular sports. With that in mind, there’s never been a better time to start making bets and trying to earn a little cash from this nascent form of entertainment. But, cry you, which esports should I bet on? It’s true that not all esports are created equal. Some games are better disposed…

One of the most popular browsers – Google Chrome – has many interesting tricks and tips for expert users. Chrome has a significant number of features. To begin with, mention should be made of the high download speed of the program. Also, this browser opens sites very quickly, which is important when working in a global network, and it is also very stable. The Hidden Tricks & Tips or How to Use Google Chrome Differently This program has a very simple interface that allows the user not to be distracted from traveling through the Internet. Anyone can quickly change the…

Some gamers like to go in all guns blazing, immersing themselves in the action and dispatching enemies left, right, and centre. Others prefer to take a more hands-off approach, guiding their troops towards victory with a perfectly-executed strategy. Of course, there’s room for us all at this wonderful buffet table, and we love shooters just as much as the next gamer. Still, we can’t deny we’re definitely partial to a spot of real-time strategy. With that in mind, it’s obvious we’re overjoyed that the first Command & Conquer and its sequel, Command & Conquer: Red Alert, would be getting remastered.…

When you want to add a touch of grit, class and History to your game where do you go? The answer is London. There’s something about London that keeps gamers captivated, and coming back for more. Whereas gamers will groan about games being set in New York from time to time, rarely will you hear any complaints about London. The variety of the London experience has always resonated firmly with gamers around the world. From the majesty of Big Ben all the way to the grit of the underground stations, London offers a lot for gamers to sink their teeth…

With Google’s entry into the console gaming (well, sort of) ring now firmly established, it’s time to start speculating. There’s plenty we already know about Google Stadia – what games will launch for it, what its technical capabilities are, when it will launch (November, if you’re interested) – but we don’t know what the future looks like. Given the power and reach of Stadia, it’s not unreasonable to want games that push its technical limitations and show us what it can really do. Here are some of the games we want to see on Google Stadia. Dark Souls Trilogy As…

Digital technology comes in waves, with new devices created weekly. Older technology has retained its relevancy despite this, and statisticians Clear Sky Institute reckon there’ll be over 760,000 amateur radio operators by 2020. A technically demanding hobby with a great amount of depth, amateur radio operation has a huge crossover with gaming, and Twitch, through a communal love of retro technology and the steampunk imagery often evoked by both radio operation and the latest AAA title games. What’s driving the charge? Radio equipment is easily obtained and affordable; ham radios are continually updated with regards to technology, and the cost of parts makes them accessible…

Dark Souls has a lot to answer for. Since From Software’s cult RPG classic launched back in 2011, it’s spawned a legion of imitators. There have been straight Soulslikes (Lords of the Fallen, The Surge), 2D Soulslikes (Salt and Sanctuary, Hollow Knight) and even roguelike Soulslikes (Dead Cells). It’s not unreasonable to say that Dark Souls has had an incredibly significant cultural impact, so since its phenomenal success everyone has wanted to give the formula a try. One of the games that lined up to have a crack at the Souls crown was last year’s Death’s Gambit. This game comes…

The great debate in video games for a while was as follows: should we pursue linear level-based design or open our games out and make them sandboxes? Both design approaches have their advantages. Linear games are more focused and allow for tighter, more controlled design. Open-world games have more potential for “watercooler moments”, those funny instances where things happen that haven’t specifically been programmed by developers. The obvious answer here is “both are great”, but the trend moved largely towards open-world experiences and linearity seemed mostly forgotten. It’s arguable that the original RAGE, released back in 2011 as a showcase…

As an aspiring game developer, you’re probably often thinking about the subtle but masterful ways that games get players emotionally invested in the narrative. You’ve also likely realized that “atmosphere” is the medium through which games typically induce emotional immersion. So what elements create immersive atmosphere, and how does a developer sustain the player’s immersion throughout the gameplay? While the answer is manifold, we’re going to pay special attention to the function of sound cues in video game development. The purpose of atmosphere When we talk about the “atmosphere” of games, we’re usually describing our overall experience of exploring and…

We’ve all experienced this phenomenon before: you’re gaming online with your friends, about to secure that all-important kill and win your team the game, when suddenly all the character models on screen freeze and lock in place. Movement becomes jerky and characters start to slingshot around the map. Nothing you do has any effect and the game suddenly becomes unplayable. You’ve been hit by the dreaded lag, and your online game is ruined as a result. It’s no fun having this happen to you. Your friends will chastise you, you’ll probably lose some sort of rank or standing in your…

We all love our cars. It’s difficult to imagine a world in which we had to get around without them. Whether we’re shopping, traveling, or simply cruising around for a leisure drive, our cars are essential to our daily lives. Even if you don’t drive yourself, you’ve probably availed yourself of the services of other drivers when you’re taking taxis or catching public transport. Spare a thought, then, for those who don’t have this luxury. There are some people who could really use a car, especially those stuck in dire circumstances. One such figure is the hapless Fred, protagonist of…

For many, Japanese RPGs represent an impenetrable phenomenon. There are, of course, plenty of accessible entry points into this most idiosyncratic of game styles, but many are put off by the very genre conventions others adore. JRPG opponents decry the occasionally wobbly dialogue and sometimes samey tropes these games employ. Proponents of the genre love the games’ huge scale, grand scope, and sense of daring, almost never executed with the arch raised eyebrow of Western RPGs. Many JRPG franchises have their fierce defenders, but there are few more long-running or storied than Gust’s Atelier franchise. These games have been going…

Many debates have been held about movies over the course of history. What is the greatest film ever made? Are cinemas about to disappear? What is the worst film ever made? Who is the greatest actor ever? These are all important questions to ask, but they are eclipsed by a single question that haunts families and causes arguments all around the world. The question is as follows: what movie should we go and see tonight? If you have a family of your own – or a particularly tight-knit friend group – then you’ll know the frequency at which this question…

Here’s a question worth asking: what’s the best way to honor the lineage of a video game? Should we present its earliest version warts and all and allow others to judge it for what it truly was? Should we tidy up the game and add features it didn’t have to make it seem more palatable? What is the right way to approach this? The fact is that there isn’t really a “right” and a “wrong” way to preserve gaming history. Every studio will come at this issue from their own angle, and that’s fine. Nintendo will polish its games for…

Blockchain technology, which underlies digital currencies such as bitcoin, is poised to transform several industries such as banking, international trade, music distribution and many more. Moreover, one unsuspecting player that is ripe for blockchain disruption is the gaming industry. So, how does blockchain link to the ever-growing world of gaming, an industry with a projected $128 billion in yearly revenue by 2020? In this guide, we will explore four ways blockchain could disrupt gaming. How Blockchain Could Disrupt Gaming Incentivizing Games Providing in-game incentives to players is a crucial selling point for most leading games. Some popular online games such…

Killings, dungeons and a lot of bloody magic spells. Not, it is not about Diablo. We are talking about a game that should be the king of the realm in the world of RPG action. The game that everyone used to know back in 2013, has changed a lot in the last 5-6 years. While before, the thing that was mostly appreciated about this game was simplicity, you can grow really fast, from a shipwreck survivor into a god-killing crusader. In this article we wanted to list 6 more reasons why players love to play Path of Exile. Modernism with…

News reporting in the gaming industry – as with most industries – isn’t as detailed over the Christmas period as it is during the rest of the year. That might explain why an announcement from Capcom regarding the future of the legendary ‘Street Fighter’ series was glossed over at the time, and is only now provoking interest from gamers, who feel it may have given away more than it initially intended to. The most recent game in the ‘Street Fighter’ series is ‘Street Fighter V,’ which was released in February 2016 and is therefore now more than three years old.…

Humans like games, and there’s no denying that. The thrill that comes with pulling off the ultimate game-changing move that crushes your opponent was as fun for the ancient Egyptians as it is for us modern folks. And even though back in 3500 BCE your daily existence was a matter of survival, you always managed to find the time to stick it up to your fellow papyrus merchant by showing off your Senet skills. We’ve come far since then, but nothing’s changed. The sadistic, superior pleasure in hitting your opponent’s carrier on your first try in Battleship or stunning them…

Esports is a multibillion-dollar juggernaut and many leading developers are desperate to crack this hugely lucrative market. Right now it is dominated by multiplayer online battle arena titles like LoL and Dota 2 and team-based first person shooters such as CS:GO. However, battle royale games are now beginning to muscle in, as PUBG paved the way and then Fortnite developer Epic Games started throwing prize money around like Marie Antoinette. Apex Legends is the latest outrageously popular game in this booming genre, displacing Fortnite as the most prominent game on Twitch, and esports teams are taking its rise very seriously…

The next console generation is, if reports are to be believed, just around the corner. With that in mind, what better time to start planning the construction of your new monstrously powerful gaming PC? While everyone else is off buying new Xbox and PlayStation consoles (very fine as they’re sure to be), you can boast that you were ahead of the curve and built yourself a juggernaut to match their strength long before they were released. It’s not always easy to know where to start when it comes to constructing a mammoth gaming PC, though. Unless you’re experienced in the…

What’s the most dangerous job you can think of? Several should spring to mind if you’re of the same nervous disposition as many of us here. Some of them might seem a tad unconventional – logging work, construction, and truck driving can all be extremely dangerous vocations – but there are always the classic jobs like mountain guide and stuntman. Whichever one you’re thinking of, you’re probably thankful that your job doesn’t entail such risks (unless it does, of course). Experiencing jobs that could potentially harm or kill you is the premise of video games; that’s mostly what they’re there…

2019 is shaping up to be a pretty darn good year for gaming. We’ve had triumphs like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Devil May Cry 5 already, and it’s not hard to feel like the best is yet to come. Here are the 15 most exciting games arriving in 2019. Rage 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One – May 2019) The original Rage may have been little more than a showcase for id Software’s id Tech 5 engine, but damned if it doesn’t provide some of the most satisfying shooting action around. The sequel promises more of the same high-octane action…

Developer 4A Games Publisher Deep Silver, Koch Media Official Website www.metrothegame.com Metro Exodus Release Date Feb 15, 2019 Genre First Person Shooter Going through catacombs covered with spider web while wearing a gas mask and hearing clicks of a dosimeter under the ground is a nightmare for a usual human but happiness for gamers who love post-apocalypse. After watching the first Metro Exodus trailer, fans of this game had some other horror dream. What if there is nothing left of their favorite setting in a new game? Developers made a tough decision to move the action to the surface and…

Anyone who even has a remote interest in games knows that it can get mighty expensive rather quickly. The gaming platforms (PC, consoles and Handhelds) aside, there will always be a need to get a new game. Whether it’s purchasing that big hit everyone seems to be talking about or simply buying an all new world to play in, the unrelenting allure of a shiny new bauble will always be there. Sure, it may be one of the reasons gaming has been so successful; having tons of options to choose from never gets old. Though despite being a devout gamer,…