DBR’s 15th episode of the Video Game Podcast! It’s been a little while… but we’ve been busy with secret plans! All will be revealed soon…

Join Ryan, Jenn, Joe, and Ant as they discuss Joey’s hands-on time with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the demo that came out for it, how the PS Vita isn’t selling all that well, SOPA, and of course your questions that we missed due to a power cut last episode.

Thank you to the lovely Garf for his posters to co-incide with the DBR Podcast (coming soon). You can find more of his work on his website: thegarf.co.uk

To listen to our voices, all you have to do is right-click the download link, and hit ‘save link as…’.

You can currently subscribe to our feed via iTunes! Simply open iTunes, click ‘Advanced’ at the top and find the option to ‘Subscribe to a Podcast’. Enter: http://deathbyrobots.com/category/podcast/feed/ and you should be pretty much sorted! Or… you could just click the button below, which will take you the iTunes podcast store. You can also add the Stitcher Radio app, and stream our podcasts straight your mobile device:

Please leave us feedback, via either the comment box below or the review section on iTunes!

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Now let me tell you right now that I never played the original Syndicate… I hadn’t even heard of it until people started bitching and moaning about EA using the name to create a game that was a FPS, and not a top down strategy game like their beloved original. To you people I say this: get off your high horse. Do not say a game is bad before you even play it (that is also a veiled shot to Mass Effect 3 multiplayer haters, play it before judging it).

I was placed together with three other comrades, and we all put on our headsets, picked up our 360 controllers and gave each other a nod acknowledging we were ready for business… and in Syndicate, Business is War. We were taken onto a level in Western Europe, where we were tasked with securing a facility and taking out one particular person. As the four of us stepped off the helicopter we were greeted by enemy soldiers pounding us with bullets. We were expected, and most definitely not welcome.

The most important thing that you will have to remember when playing through the co-op campaign of Syndicate is teamwork, and there are a bucket load of features that help you implement this. The ‘breach’ system is something that is integral to you and your squad mates surviving. If you aim at one of your squad mates while they are taking damage you can keep hold of the breach button, healing them from a distance away. In the heat of battle, where enemies come from all angles and pelt you with fire from machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket launchers, having the ability to heal teammates from a distance keeps everyone alive so you can all get on the EVAC helicopter. Breach doesn’t just allow you to heal and revive teammates; it also helps you defeat enemies and interact with different technology. As we made our way forward through the level we were greeted with an ATV equipped with a laser guided machine gun, which was trying it’s best to rip our flesh from our bones. We chatted over our headsets to put a plan in place and executed it without a hitch. Whilst two of us stayed to draw the fire our other teammates headed round the side of the ATV, getting close enough to breach the gun, disabling it. Throughout the rest of the level there were also enemies that needed their armour ‘crystallising’ before they were affected by gunfire; you do this in exactly the same way.

Visually Syndicate looks great; there is a lot happening on screen at all times with enemies coming at you from every direction, and everything stays smooth even during some of the fiercest fire fights – with the bullets whizzing past your ears and grenades coming at you they certainly heat up. The assault rifles feel heavy and pack a punch, SMG’s are light and need a lot of bullets to take enemy combatants down, shotguns rip people in half, and the sniper rifle blows melons away (when you are accurate, which I was not… most of the time). There are also chip enhancement abilities that you can use that have a range of effects, like increasing shields for a time or increasing bullet damage. As you gain experience points and recover chips from certain enemies you can unlock new abilities, and also upgrade weapons. The system looks pretty deep, although I didn’t get to test it out too much.

I can safely say that Syndicate is firmly on my radar, and come February 24^th when the game is released I will be finding three friends and battling my way through the co-op campaign on the hard difficulty. Playing through on medium was a test, especially when you were getting used to the level, but the hard difficulty really challenges you and your team mates. You have to be in constant communication, covering each other, healing each other and figuring out battle tactics on the fly. It feels like you are far more vulnerable on the harder difficulty and not just because more enemies are thrown at you, but due to enemies being slightly better at what they do. On 31^st January on Xbox 360, and 1^st February for PS3, you will be able to experience the same demo level that I have tried. You should mark it in your calendars and make sure you find three friends (with headsets), and experience a slice of what Syndicate has to offer. If you are one of those “haters” who doesn’t want to touch it because of past affiliations, give it a go. You never know, you may enjoy it as much as I did.

For anyone who hasn’t already checked this out, here’s the first ‘tape’, outlining the city, and survival techniques needed.

The second ‘tape’, launching today, shows how best to take down human enemies. Ammo is of course in short supply, but sometimes ‘bluffing’ is all it takes to get away safely.

Some are suggesting that I am Alive could rival that of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, but who knows…

All I can guess at is it’s not just going to be humans in that dust.

DBR’s 14th episode of the Video Game Podcast! We had some technical issues (Jenn’s mic… power cuts…), just listen, you’ll see. We’re sorry, ok?

Join Ryan, Jenn, Joe, and Ant as they get back to the usual schedule of abusing each other (mostly Joe). discussing the downfalls of GAME, what we’ve been playing, and the all important ‘what we got for Christmas’.

Thank you to the lovely Garf for his posters to co-incide with the DBR Podcast (coming soon). You can find more of his work on his website: thegarf.co.uk

To listen to our voices, all you have to do is right-click the download link, and hit ‘save link as…’.

You can currently subscribe to our feed via iTunes! Simply open iTunes, click ‘Advanced’ at the top and find the option to ‘Subscribe to a Podcast’. Enter: http://deathbyrobots.com/category/podcast/feed/ and you should be pretty much sorted! Or… you could just click the button below, which will take you the iTunes podcast store. You can also add the Stitcher Radio app, and stream our podcasts straight your mobile device:

Please leave us feedback, via either the comment box below or the review section on iTunes!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBOTS…

First of all (without making this post ridiculously soppy, we are robots after all) I would just like to say a huge thank you to anyone out there who has visited the site, read one of the posts, commented, shared a laugh with us, listened to a podcast, met us at events etc. The whole point of Death By Robots has been to share our gaming experiences with other like-minded people, and without you guys that just wouldn’t happen.

I would like to also say a huge thank you to the people who make up this awesome site (past and present). I’ve made a lot of friends throughout this year; contributors, industry folk, and readers, and it’s made making this site all the more worthwhile. Thanks also to the special, lovely people (specifically Steve, Lee and Vikki) who have had to deal with my incessant questions and bollocks to keep the site working.

We have done some great things this year; travelled to many an event, written a fair few articles, witnessed Ryan trying to bum Professor Genki, launched a sick as shit podcast (which if you haven’t downloaded yet… why the fuck not?), seen Joey’s tighter than tight arse in a Commander Shepard outfit (and made him rage quit), almost brought Ant to tears over the fact that no one has ever landed on the moon, had some ridiculously awesome artwork created by Gareth, and much much more crazy stuff in between… oh and played a shit tonne of video games, can’t forget that!

Death By Robots have some big plans coming up in the not so distant future, so keep your ear to the ground… it should be a very interesting month.

Again, thanks for checking us out, it really means a lot to all of us.

P.S Please feel free to continue our tirade of abuse at Joey whenever you see fit -
@joeydale13 #joeyisscottmills

You see what I am going to do is highlight a few reasons why you need to experience Reckoning. I know a lot of you will be reading this, content with sitting in your comfort zones, exploring Skyrim - and that is the biggest problem that Reckoning faces. It is being released while gamers are still enjoying playing another fantasy RPG, and they won’t let anything come between them and their endless wandering, ‘taking things from desks’ simulator.

So, Skyrim players take note; Reckoning is a completely different game. Yes it has armour and swords and mages, yes it is set in a land that isn’t Earth, and yes it is an RPG, but that is where the similarities stop and were Reckoning comes into its own. So, sit back and digest what I am about to tell you.

Visuals

The first thing that strikes you about Reckoning is the visual style. It truly is something stunning. Walking the fine line between realism and fantasy, character models are based in realism with exaggerated features that you would expect for a certain race. Dwarf-like characters (known as Gnomes in the Reckoning world) look fantastic with their slightly larger noses and custom fit armour, whose attention to detail is nothing short of stunning (pun intended). The living, breathing world is full of colour, unlike 90% of video games these days. It really is refreshing to see a colour palette that uses more than just grey, dark grey and the occasional brown. Even in the murkier settings, such as caves, there are always little areas of light that shine through – usually in the form of plants that have a light glow emanating from them.

Enemies and friendly figures are varied with plenty of races to learn, and you will quickly become accustomed to what each one looks like; the Dokkalfars with their pale skin and elf ears, the Fae who look as if they have been born of the earth with their nature inspired outfits, the Almain and Varani are two human clans who have their own looks about them, and the Tuatha Deohn with their glowing red eyes who are the enemies you first encounter in the game, and you will find out much more about as the plot progresses.

Combat

So you have this completely different colour palette which sets Reckoning apart from similar games on the market and then there is the combat. Without a shadow of a doubt in any western RPG Reckoning has the best combat system I have ever had the pleasure of going hands-on with. The great thing with Reckoning is that you don’t have to force yourself into specialising in just one area and weapon type – you are able to have two weapons equipped at once as well as some magical powers. The different weapon types include Swords, Staffs, Sceptres, Bows, Daggers and Chakrams, as well as different versions of those I have just mentioned. You can equip one weapon as a primary and one as a secondary weapon, allowing you to participate in combat however you see fit. As you level up you are given points to spend on new abilities and weapon upgrades that will unlock new combos and strength for the specific weapons, but it is fantastic that you can be a long sword wielding, magic staff waving hero if you wanted to be.

The combat happens at a frightening pace and the ability to use your long sword a couple of times quickly, followed up by a few biting dagger stabs, ending with a magical burst of thunder sent the way of your enemy really gets your heart beating. Enemies have different weaknesses and attack types that will keep you thinking as you progress through the game, some being more vulnerable to physical attacks and other magical, it’s just something else that keeps you on your toes. One little thing that really impressed me was when I came across a pack of three wolves who quickly turned to attack me. Instead of just lining up and trying one by one to attack me they quickly spread themselves and surrounded me, attacking one at a time, and as I tried to fend off the one attacking another snarling beast comes from the side and tries to rip the windpipe from my throat. It’s the little details like this that just show how much thought has gone into Reckoning.

Story

Now, I don’t want to talk about the actual plot of the game at all but I just want to bring it to your attention that Amalur has been crafted around a 10,000 year history. R.A Salvatore best known for the Forgotten Realms book series has written this incredibly detailed back story which has allowed Amalur to feel like a world that exists in its own reality, and hasn’t just been thrown together. As well as the main plot there promises to be hundreds of side quests for you to sink your teeth into and allow you to explore every nook and cranny of the mystical world.

Demo and Mass Effect 3

I can tell you that there will be so much more to Reckoning than just the above, but you really have to experience it to see what else is on offer. Luckily you are able to get your hands on a demo on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC worldwide on 17^th January 2012. The demo will show off the very beginning of the game, allowing you to test out the character creation system and make your way through the first area. When you meet a character called Agarth you will have 45 minutes to freely explore Amalur and get a feel for just how this game plays.

One of the selling points that EA have pulled with the Reckoning demo is the fact that actually playing and completing the demo unlocks extra content for the full release:

• A Twist of Fate Card is earned after you have installed the Reckoning demo and linked your Origin account.
• The Twinned Souls Chakram is earned after you have installed the Reckoning demo and linked your Origin account.
• The Infernal Helm is earned after completing the Reckoning Mode Tutorial.

As well as unlocking Reckoning’s in-game items for free there is also a genius crossover with Mass Effect 3. Playing the demo through to completion will achieve the unlock of the Reckoner Knight Armour for Commander Shepard to use and also a Chakram launcher. It is nice to see EA bringing 38 studios and Bioware together to cross promote the games and offer some content for free instead of purely pre-order bonus content. It also means, hopefully, that more people will download the Reckoning demo and give the game a chance purely because they might want their free Mass Effect items.

So there you go. Just a few reasons why Reckoning should be on your radar. There are no excuses to not give Reckoning a try on 17^th January when the demo is released. That will give you a few weeks to sharpen your Chakrams, re-string your bow and craft yourself some potions ready for the full release on 10^th February.

Boasting two nunchuk style controllers strapped to the side; complete with analogue joy pad, two triggers and four face buttons – this new tablet is aiming to handle PC gaming from the comfort of your arm chair!

Packed into the slim beauty is an impressive Core i7 processor. The new tablet will be running Windows 8, and it will also focus on connecting players seamlessly to multiplayer games, a lot like Xbox Live.

Razer is looking to have this little beauty hit the market by the end of the year for just under $1000. So is this something that would interest you, is there really a market for tablets running PC games?  I quite like the idea although the controllers look a little weird and uncomfortable to me….

Source MCV 

I was asking for Pro Evolution Soccer 6 - a game that was at the height of its domination of its own genre, arguably in a similar way to the domination Call of Duty currently enjoys. The cashier politely informed me that Pro Evo 6 was only available on the next generation consoles, leaving me with a choice: buy an Xbox 360, or continue languish with a set of clearly outdated games. In not too many months, you might just be presented with a similar dilemma. What does history tell us about the step up to the next generation? Do games that dominated previous generation continue to do so?

The change in generation for consoles is a rare event. Not only in frequency, but- more importantly-in the opportunity that it provides: a level playing field. It creates an environment where developers face a dilemma comparable to that of the aforementioned gamer.

Take Pro Evo. As mentioned, at the time it was a dominant game, and in its first iteration on the new consoles, it felt like an up-scaled clone of its previous-gen predecessor. Make no mistake- Konami chose deliberately to do this- the ‘play it safe’ option. The result being that over the following years FIFA quickly overtook its rival through continuous innovation.

Granted, it took time for gamers and developers alike to find their feet with 360s and PS3s. And granted, some formula replicators like Halo held on to their crown. But the gaming landscape of 2011 feels very different to that of 2006; there is fresh blood on the console battlefield. Giants like Gears of War, Assassins Creed, Call of Duty, and Uncharted have all made their mark on this generation thanks in part to the level playing field that the new tech affords.

Snap back to the present. Amidst rumours of an impending announcement of next-gen Xbox “Loop”, and similar assertions about Sony, we stand on the brink of yet another level playing field. Now, we all have a tendency to have a pop at certain formulaic annual shooter franchises, or at developers for re-skinning last year’s game with a few bolted on mini-games. We would do well, then, to remember that while these games seem to sit in untouchable ivory towers atop massive hills of sales figures, that playing field could soon be levelled.

That’s possibly the biggest reason why I look forward to the next set of consoles. Not because I want better graphics, or faster computing speeds. Not because I want a shiny new gadget in my living room (well, maybe a little bit). It’s because I can’t wait to see what emerges victorious on the next level playing field. But there is another important way in which the gaming landscape changed.

“I’ll take an Xbox 360, and one copy of Pro Evo 6, please”, I asked. Even though I sounded confident, I was nervous about jumping into the Xbox camp. Jumping in at launch with a new console is a long-term commitment unless you happen to be super rich. All the hardware and software is at its peak cost, and launch line-ups are generally sparse. But little did I know that I wasn’t signing up for a new console, I was signing up for a new lifestyle. See, to me, online gaming was something I had tried in the past but was always a pain to set up, and certainly was not the streamlined experience we have on consoles today. In fact, it took me over a year to even bother connecting my 360 to the interwebs. But I’ll never forget the first time I did; I knew then that console gaming had changed forever.

Now, it’s important to note that consoles did not invent anything new in terms of online gaming. PC gamers had been doing it for years, and consoles had had the basic ability to do it since the Dreamcast. But by bringing together things like voice-chat, instant access to demos, and generally making the whole thing so damn easy, Microsoft had opened this world up to every gamer and his dog for the first time in history.

So a change in console generation also provides an opportunity to change the overall architecture of how we play games and socialise. There are rumours that the next-gen will take digital marketplace to the next level, providing concurrent digital-only releases to all games. Like online play, this is nothing new – Steam has existed on PCs for a long time, and there is a limited online marketplace on consoles already. But Sony and Microsoft have shown us before that they can take the basics and make them feel fresh, and accessible. If they get the price-points right then there is no reason why we couldn’t have an iTunes-esq scenario; one which would destroy the used game market and make developers happy once and for all.

We have seen a lot of experimenting with motion and sensing technology in the latter half of this console cycle. While they may not quite have caught on across the board, we know things like Kinect and Move have sold fairly well, and the technology seems promising. Again, who knows how this will be implemented in the next generation. I for one am not ready to give up on my ‘Minority Report’ style dashboard interface.

The inevitable answer to all of this, however, is simple: we do not know. And that is the real reason to be excited about the next generation. We can (and probably will) speculate about the features of the Xbox Loop or the Playstation 4. We will undoubtedly be blown away with concept images and tech demos at upcoming gaming events. But the real excitement comes from not knowing exactly how it will work, and discovering that for ourselves. It’s nearly six years since I was in that game store, and I’ve gone from burning hours in Pro Evo to (among other things) playing FIFA online, discovering new worlds in Mass Effect, or being thrilled by Uncharted. I can’t wait to see what the next generation has in store!

DBR’s 13th episode of the Video Game Podcast! Finally, our pick of the bunch that is the DBR Podcast Awards 2011 is ready for your perforated eardrums.

Join Ryan, Jenn, Joe, Ant, and the lovely Lee, as they decide on the winners for various made up awards, including ‘Best Poo Companion’, and the obvious ‘Game of the Year’. Trying to come back to the norm slightly, there is also the ever popular, and slightly disturbing, Question Corner, with added Christmas cheer.

Thank you to the lovely Garf for his posters to co-incide with the DBR Podcast (coming soon). You can find more of his work on his website: thegarf.co.uk

To listen to our voices, all you have to do is right-click the download link, and hit ‘save link as…’.

You can currently subscribe to our feed via iTunes! Simply open iTunes, click ‘Advanced’ at the top and find the option to ‘Subscribe to a Podcast’. Enter: http://deathbyrobots.com/category/podcast/feed/ and you should be pretty much sorted! Or… you could just click the button below, which will take you the iTunes podcast store. You can also add the Stitcher Radio app, and stream our podcasts straight your mobile device:

Please leave us feedback, via either the comment box below or the review section on iTunes!

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