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Saturday, June 27, 2009

MotoGP2 for the PC falls short of its potential.

In response to the runaway success of the original MotoGP for the Xbox, THQ decided to bring the next game in the series to both the PC and the Xbox. The original game featured accurate and accessible controls, stunning visuals, and a dynamic racing experience, and the Xbox version of the sequel managed to improve on the outstanding original in every way. The PC version of MotoGP 2, on the other hand, shows signs of being perhaps a little too closely related to its cousin, and in the end, the developer should have spent more time making the PC version as cohesive as its console counterpart. Fortunately, the game is at least available at retail at a budget price of $20.

The first thing you'll notice when comparing the versions side by side is that their menu systems are nearly identical. Unfortunately, this means that the in-game menus don't have PC-specific options, such as the ability to adjust your control setup and graphical configuration. These functions are all handled by the game's launcher, so you have to exit the game and then relaunch to make any changes. The game does all this with short load times and very little fanfare, but it's still a pretty clumsy setup.

Otherwise, MotoGP 2 is a detailed re-creation of the 2002 MotoGP series, and with the changes it makes to last year's title, the experience is a spot-on match. The roster has been updated to match last year's series, with riders such as Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi, Sete Gibernau, and Daijiro Kato. The track count has gone up to 16, representing all of the series' courses, from Suzuka and Sepang to Brno and Valencia. The 500cc two-stroke machines now share the starting grid with 1,000cc four-stroke bikes such as the Yamaha M1, the Suzuki GSV-R, and the Honda RC211V. The single-player mode provides a wide variety of modes to play in, such as the quick race mode, for those who want to jump right into the action, and the stunt mode, which is an arcadelike game in which you pull off high-speed stunts to score points and unlock new riders. Other modes include time trials to polish your cornering lines on the tracks and a slew of multiplayer modes.

The heart of the single-player game is the career mode, in which you create a rider to compete in the full MotoGP series. In addition to choosing a bike and leathers, you'll distribute attribute points into skills such as cornering, braking, acceleration, and top speed. Additional points are won by completing challenges and winning races, so if you're successful you'll have a pretty skilled racer by the end of the season. Each circuit is run in a sequence and presented as a two-day race event. The first day is for practice and qualification for grid placement, and the second is for the race itself. True to life, races are held rain or shine, and the lines you chose on a sunny practice day might be thrown out completely in the pouring rain of the actual race day. At the end of each series, you can choose to go back and race on any of the previous tracks again or complete any challenges you may have missed to improve your attributes, or you can move on to the next season.

The Xbox version of the game has a control scheme that creates a very compelling and accurate simulation of the control of Grand Prix race bikes--but this is another area in which the PC version falls short. The operation of the game's motorcycles relies heavily on analog control, from gradually increasing lean angle as the bike dives into a turn to the smooth application of throttle to speed out of it. This translates very well to the Xbox controller, since nearly every function on that controller is analog. But few such controllers exist for the PC, and digital control of your throttle and brakes in particular can create some serious problems. If you've got a gamepad with analog sticks, you can at least assign one of them to the throttle, but you'll have less control over your bike overall, especially when it comes to pulling off advanced techniques, such as powerslides and burnouts.When riding a motorcycle, going from nothing to wide-open throttle and locking your brakes are good ways to compromise the traction of one or both of your tires, which in turn is a good way to ensure that your rider spends a lot of time on the ground. While this problem can be alleviated somewhat if you set the game's scaleable "simulation" setting at 0 percent, the game is nearly unplayable at any other setting, especially in wet weather--this can be particularly frustrating, especially for beginners.

While the computer-controlled AI provides a lasting challenge for players, the most enjoyable competition is another human. The PC version of MotoGP 2 features a multiplayer component, but it wasn't handled very well. The game supports both LAN and online play, but you can use the in-game server browser only for local network games. Online games require you to provide the IP address of the server you're trying to connect to--there's no internal server browser, so you'll most likely have to turn to a third-party application. Beyond that, the multiplayer experience is functional, and servers can take on up to 16 players. The game features a multitude of multiplayer modes, and a number of them are quite fun. Championship and quick race are simply races for the checkered flag, while the stunt mode forces you to compete for a high score by performing wheelies and burnouts and knocking competitors off their bikes. The tag mode has players competing for ownership of sections of the track by trying to complete those sections in the shortest time.

At least MotoGP 2 features some very good production values. All 16 tracks were impeccably re-created for the game, and the weather effects, such sunlight glaring off the smooth track surface or rain spattering on your visor as you dive into a corner behind a pack of other riders, are enjoyable no matter how many times you see them. The bikes and riders are made of a large number of polygons, and they closely resemble their real-world counterparts. The animations of riders leaning hard into corners, tucking behind the windscreen, or glancing back as they pass are all well done, as are the subtler animations such as throttle manipulation and shifting gears. The sound is pleasing as well, from the nasal scream of the two-stroke bikes to the roar of the four-stroke bikes. The sounds of plastic bodywork hitting and sliding against the tarmac and the wave of cheers as you pass through the grandstands are very convincing. The soundtrack consists of rock tracks from artists such as V8 Pack, Third Girl, and Darrin Roggenkamp, but if this isn't to your liking, MotoGP 2 supports custom soundtracks. For the most part, it seems that MotoGP 2's graphics and sound were ported over directly from the Xbox version, but the game still looks and sounds quite good.

In the end, MotoGP 2 for the PC falls short of its potential. If the developer had spent more time refining the control scheme and graphics to make better use of PC hardware and had added more functionality to the game's menus and multiplayer options, the PC version of MotoGP 2 could have been as good as the Xbox version. To its credit, the game is selling at a budget price, but as it stands, MotoGP 2 for the PC is a simple port that lacks good multiplayer and in-game options, and doesn't re-create the highly functional and rewarding control scheme of the original console game.

By Tyler Winegarner, GameSpot

Monday, June 22, 2009

Play Great Wall of Words - A True Word Wonder

Link letters to form words and rebuild the Great Wall of China in this epic word game. The Great Wall has protected China from its enemies for centuries. Now embark on an epic word journey to repair the great wall.

Featuring three game modes, an epic storyline, and addictive fun, Great Wall of Words is a true word wonder!

Editor's Review:
"Calling all word game fans! This is a great letter linking word game with a cool story line and nice graphics." by Spinny.

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Play Dam Beavers - Help Quax the Duck

Like most ducks, Quax loves swimming. But today an unruly gang of beaver baddies insists on building their dams upstream, reducing his favorite swimming pond to a mere puddle. Determined to have his pond back, Quax has constructed a dam-busting catapult to smash the beaver dams and restore his peaceful pond, but he needs your word-creating skills to help him battle the beavers.

Click on letters to form words and give Quax the ammo he needs to demolish the dams. Featuring stunning graphics, hilarious characters, unique power-ups, and more words than you can shake a stick at, Dam Beavers is a blast of word game fun for the entire family.

Editor's Review:
"A lexical extravaganza for all you word junkies." by Spinny.

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Play Bonnie's Bookstore - Help An Aspiring Writer

Fulfill a writer's dream! Challenge your vocabulary and word-finding skills by helping an aspiring writer fulfill her dreams of becoming a children's author.

Change tiles to green by spelling words and evading the dreaded Writer's Blocks. From the Makers of Bookworm - Download and play today!

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Play Wild Wild Words - Rustle up Some Words

YeeHaw! Ready to rustle up some words? You'll have to be quick on the draw to make words out of letters as they fall. But don't worry, they don't have to be adjacent - just so they make a word.

As you make words you'll be earning badges you can trade for guesses at the hangman word to get you to the next level.

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Play Bookworm Adventures - Lex is Back

Help Lex battle through books in a spelling sensation of epical proportions! Vanquish villains, whomp foes and annihilate over 150 enemies. Increase your word power with fantastic gems, potions and treasures.

With exciting mini-games and brilliant bonus modes, it's the ultimate test of vocabularic valor!

Editorial Review:
"One of the best word games EVER is back full of surprizes. This game is very addictive I couldn't stop playing! Recommended for everyone who likes to have fun!" by Spinny.

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Play Typer Shark - Type Words Like Crazy!

Move over, Mavis Beacon, it's the typing tutor with teeth! Zap sharks and piranha as you dive for sunken treasure and types words like crazy.

Improve your typing speed while having fun - suitable for all skill levels! This game is as fun as typing can get! From the creators of BookWorm and Bejewled comes Typer Shark.

Editor's Review:
"Who said typing can't be fun? This game certainly isn't for everyone but if you want to learn typing this is a great way to do it." by Spinny.

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Monday, June 15, 2009

Play WordJong™ To Go - Download & Play Now!

Word game fun meets Mahjong in this exciting and unique treat. Build words by removing letter tiles from the board. Play Classic mode and open the gates to your fortune. Link words and complete puzzles in Link mode. Or, challenge a friend in the head-to-head action of Versus mode.

Featuring beautifully rendered graphics, a relaxing soundtrack, and hours of challenging game play, WordJong™ To Go is a delightful diversion for word game and Mah Jong lovers alike! Download & play WordJong™ To Go today!

WordJong™ To Go User Review:
"I love all kinds of word games and WordJong in particular because it challenges the mind in many ways..." by Nancy

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Play Hidden Relics - Find the Priceless Antiques!

Priceless antiques have been stolen & hidden throughout Europe. The Professor calls upon her star student Adrianna to help retrieve them. Evade the thief as you travel across Europe to find the stolen antiquities!

Along the way you'll be able to collect gadgets that help you uncover secret priceless artifacts from Mr. Gadget after solving fun puzzles. Find hundreds of hidden objects, play 9 different mini-games, and collect gasoline to fuel your plane.

Editor's Review:
"Get ready for some really fun hidden antique hunting!" by Spinny

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Play Laura Jones and the Secret Legacy of Nikola Tesla

Young Laura Jones picks up a mysterious box left to her grandmother by inventor Nikola Tesla, with whom her grandmother worked with during her youth. The box contains clues to the locations of the parts needed to start Tesla's greatest invention which promises to rid the world of its energy problems.

Solve puzzles, discover hidden clues, collect the parts needed to start Tesla's secret invention. Energy is big business so Laura's not the only one trying to find and start Tesla's secret invention. Hurry it's a race against time.

Editor's Review:
"A riveting hidden adventure/seek & find game." by Spinny

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Play Mushroom Age - Solve Hidden Object Puzzles!

Our heroine, Vera, is desperately searching for her fiance, Tom, who has disappeared a few days before their wedding. She stops by the TimeLab where Tom works to see if they don't have him working on some super top-secret project. When she doesn't believe the staff, she searches the lab for her fiance and accidentally activates a time machine.

Solve interesting puzzles and play mesmerizing mini-games with pre-historic characters like a dinosaur and a caveman, historic personages like Socrates and Nostradamus, robots and bad guys from the future, not to mention characters not bound by the confines of time!

Editor's Review:
"A fantastic adventure + hidden object game." by Spinny

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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Play Mahjong Fortuna 2 - Transport Yourself

Transport yourself to a relaxing world of tile-matching fun in this introspective title. Find the Fortuna tiles and unlock information about your horoscope, element, birthstone, birth flower, and more. Even discover the mysteries around the personalities of your friends and family.

Featuring 3 game modes, 96 challenging Mahjong levels, and loads of hidden surprises, Mahjong Fortuna 2 is not only a stunning bit of Mahjong fun, it's also a tranquil trip into the secrets of your character.

Editor's Review:
"Self actualize and match tiles all at once...how can you go wrong! by Spinny.

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Friday, June 5, 2009

Monster Truck Fury 4x4

Choose from a wide selection of gnarly monster trucks including Saabre Cage, Sergeant Steele, American Hero, Spider Bite, and Firepower. Kick it into gear on 6 off-road and stadium-style tracks, burn some rubber in the deserts of Arizona or fall to your death in Grand Canyon.

Let the destruction begin with jumps, pits, and wrecked cars. Jump and smash through fences, livestock, and farms. Test your skills in a bunch of kick-ass game modes including Car Crushin', Checkpoint Race, and Lane Race.

Monster Truck Fury 4x4 Game Features

  • Kick it into gear on 6 off-road and stadium-style tracks including Arizona, Grand Canyon, and the Mojave desert.
  • Engage in multiplayer mayhem via network or splitscreen mode.
  • Test your skills in a bunch of cool game modes including car crushin', checkpoint race, and lane race.

Program Details: 30 minutes of gameplay, free! Download Monster Truck Fury 4x4 now, and if you like it you can buy the complete version for only $19.99 without an additional download!

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Safari Biathlon Racer

Safari Biathlon Racer is a wild race between powerful turbocars of the future over racetracks on three different planets! On the first planet are interplanetary competitions on the second -- intergalactic. On the third you'll have an opportunity to win the title of Universal Champion! There are 14 different models of turbocars in the game - sandcars gliders marsh buggies and snow cars with maximum speeds of up to 500 km per hour.

Each car is equipped with an onboard weapons system which allows you to hit opponents' cars from a distance. Win large sums money and buy new more powerful cars. Get ready for breakneck speeds dangerously sharp turns tracer bullets a terrific soundtrack and the deep roar of mighty engines.

Watch out; the slightest slip and your super-charged car will veer off the track instantly reducing you from the leader of the pack to a pitiful heap of scrap iron.

Program Details: 60 minutes of gameplay, free! Download Safari Biathlon Racer now, and if you like it you can buy the complete version for only $19.99 without an additional download!

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Off Road Arena

Looking for an awesome arcade-style off-road racer that is just plain fun to drive? Then put the pedal to the metal as you mix one part burnin' speed, 2 parts dirt and mud, and 3 parts adrenaline for the most exhilarating indoor racer that you have ever seen! This game has a split-screen option for 2 simultaneous players and up to 6 players on LAN. With professionally designed tracks and two distinct game play modes, you will want to jump in the driver's seat and push it to the extreme!

Off Road Arena Game Features
  • Multiplayer Racing Action!
  • Arcade And Championship Modes
  • Realistic Graphics And Physics
  • Pick Your Car And Start Racing!

Program Details: Download Off Road Arena now, and if you like it you can buy the complete version for only $6.99 without an additional download!

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TruckSaver

Feel the power of 18 wheelers on the open road.

Experience the freedom and charm of a trucker's life, as trucks of chrome and metal pound the hot asphalt highway. TruckSaver is a 3D animated screensaver with a trucking theme. A variety of trucks ride through landscapes of North America, seen from cinematic cameras.

18-wheelers haul cargo on an endless highway taking you and your monitor on a trucker's voyage through the most spectacular scenery ever seen in a screensaver. 10-4 Good Buddy!

TruckSaver Game Features

  • 3 big rigs
  • 3 different environments
  • Various time of day settings
  • Many breathtaking camera angles
  • Real-time reflections
  • Open to user modifications

Program Details: Download TruckSaver now, and if you like it you can buy the complete version for only $9.99 without an additional download!

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OceanDive Download

Experience the unique combination of a gorgeous 3D marine life screensaver and a scuba diving exploration game with OceanDive!

OceanDive Game Features
  • Amazing animated creatures, dozens of species, including shark, tortoise, octopus, and clownfish
  • Seek out ancient ruins, a sunken vessel, coral reef, underwater canyons, and grottos
  • Tens of thousands of square feet of stunning ocean floor to explore
  • Photorealistic seascape, with awesome surface special effects

Program Details: Download OceanDive now, and if you like it you can buy the complete version for only $19.99 without an additional download!

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Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch

Samantha Swift is back for another fantastic hidden object adventure in Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch.

Join Samantha on a stirring search for masterfully hidden objects in an all-new quest featuring an ancient scroll, a secret brotherhood, and a mystery that dates back to King Midas. Solve puzzles, collect artifacts, and discover startling clues in this immersive challenge. It's going to take a lot more than digging to uncover the truth in Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch.

Discover the thrilling challenges, engrossing storyline, stunning scenes, and unique gameplay in this original hidden object adventure. Play Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch and uncover the secret of fun today.

Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch Game Features

  • Use a variety of tools to uncover secret items
  • Solve challenging puzzles and mini-games
  • Search stunning, animated scenes for hidden objects

Program Details: 60 minutes of gameplay, free! Download Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch now, and if you like it you can buy the complete version for only $19.95 without an additional download!


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