I just found out that someone found this blog with the question is it too late to play Oblivion? I say hell no! If you've never played the game before and especially if you haven't played Skyrim yet then why not play Oblivion? I'm actually still in the process of playing the game myself with a Dark Elf character that's a bit of a hybrid of a thief, assassin and mage.
On a similar note I'm also playing Fallout 3 for the first time. I already played Fallout Vegas a lot a while back and beat the game. Recently I had a craving for playing the game again and I thought "why play Vegas again when I haven't played Fallout 3?", so I went out and picked up a copy of Fallout 3 and I've been enjoying it, in the end it's a new Fallout experience for you. Oblivion is a great game, if you feel like giving it a shot I suggest you pick it up enjoy!
What happened to the bare knuckle online world championship for Fight Night Champion? I used to enjoy a couple of bare knuckle matches here and there, especially when I couldn't find a suitable opponent in the regular championship mode. Recently I had stayed away from Fight Night because I'd been playing other games like Red Dead Redemption and Fallout 3. I came back to climb the online ranks in Fight Night Champion and was disappointed to find that no one is playing the bare knuckle mode online. I've been playing a lot the last few days and I keep checking if there's anyone in any weight division but I've had no luck so far. What happened?
Well it's good to hear that some readers are enjoying their Combat King arcade sticks. One of my main issues is that I have a Hori arcade stick and a Combat King. The button layout is different on both controllers and that's slightly annoying when I'm hanging out with friends. Instead of getting right down to the action you have to map out the buttons for both controllers and do that for every game. That's not really a flaw with the controllers, it just means that it might be a good idea to have two of the same kind of controller if you're going to play with two players.
The main reason I wanted to give an update on the Combat King is because someone left a comment the other day saying they were glad to hear that the protective cover on the controller comes off because they want to draw their own Ninja Turtles cover on it. Well the plastic doesn't come off that easily but it's also not impossible to get rid of. I've been rubbing the plastic and the graphic off a little bit at a time with each use. Once a bit of the cover came off I figured I'd just let the whole thing go. Here's a picture of what it looks like at the moment.
As you can see, a lot of the original picture has come off where I usually rest my hands while playing. If you were actually trying to get rid of the entire picture then I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard. You'll also notice that I had to label the 4 buttons on the left side so that they show the PS3 buttons. If you're familiar with PS3 controllers then you can see that they layout isn't the same as on a typical controller. This is one of the things that makes having a Combat King and a Hori stick kind of annoying. The 4 buttons on the right are a little more straight forward with L1 and R1 at the top and L2 and R2 at the bottom.
I'd love to hear more feedback from anyone else who owns a Combat King, I've been having lots of fun with mine.
I'm off to put this controller to good use now with some Marvel vs Capcom 3, thanks for reading.
After using my arcade sticks on different fighting games (SFIV, MK, Marvel vs Capcom, and MK vs DC) I've decided that the Hori Fighting Stick 3 is the one I like best. It may not be pretty, but it gets the job done easily and with no hassles. The joystick and buttons are more loose on my Hori stick than they are on the Combat King controller that I also purchased. When I reviewed the Combat King controller I mentioned that I preferred the tight feel of the buttons on the Combat King. This is still true but the fact that the controls are a little more loose on the Hori stick is only a minor detail. I also mentioned in a different post that a friend of mine preferred the Hori stick from the beginning because it was a little more loose, I guess it's all about your personal preference with that kind of thing.
I got my Hori stick used. I'm not sure how long the previous owner had it but it works great and I have no problems with it at all. In a few ways the Combat King feels like the more professional joystick. The Combat King both looks and feels a little more like the sticks that you see people using at tournaments. The Hori Stick 3 doesn't have a macro setting, but it does have a turbo button and the R3 and L3 buttons. When I first got my fight sticks I liked the Combat King a little better than the Hori 3, now that some time has gone by I actually prefer the Hori 3. This is really just because of convenience. I use the sticks on a PS3 and (rarely) sometimes also on a PC. For me, choosing the Hori stick is just a matter of convenience, the buttons are laid out more or less like they are on a PS3 controller so it feels a little bit easier most of the time to get right to the action. People using the controllers are usually familiar with the standard PS3 controllers already and the layout of the buttons, it's just more intuitive.
Recap:
Although I originally preferred the Combat King over the Hori Fighting Stick 3, I know like the Hori 3 just a little more than the Combat King. I still use my Combat King and they are definitely both well made sticks, they do their job like they're supposed to and are fun to use. The edge now goes to the Hori 3 mainly as a matter of convenience for a PS3 user.
For the last couple of weeks I've had the craving for a horror game to play on the PS3. I didn't own any horror games so I went out to see what I could find used and I came back with Silent Hill Homecoming. I've only played through the first level and I've been slowly progressing through the second. My first impressions are that it's overall a pretty good game. I like the creepy atmosphere so far, but it's my first time playing a game in the series and I found it a little hard to find direction in the game sometimes. It's been annoying at some points because there's a considerable bit of puzzle solving involved and the levels have been a maze so far. I think the graphics are cool so far, the enemies are creative and scary and it's also nice to have silence and sound effects in the background instead of the constant drone of music.
Earlier today I was playing the latest MK for PS3. I had it on the easiest level and I was trying to blaze through computer opponents with Shang Tsung. I was trying to do one his finishers but I accidentally hit the wrong button and I discovered his Babality instead. So, here it is for you to enjoy, my happy accident from earlier in the day.
Shang Tsung's Babality:
back, down, back, light kick (from a jumping distance)
As I mentioned in my last post, I've finally gotten my hands on Mortal Kombat for PS3 and I've been blown away by how amazing it is. Earlier this weekend I was checking out the DLC characters for MK and I was really excited about Freddy Krueger. I remember watching Nightmare On Elm Street as a kid and Freddy was one of the most charismatic slasher bad guys around. Having him in a game is pretty awesome and that's one of the cool thing about the new MK, the ability to play characters outside of the MK universe like Kratos. I've never played God Of War but it seems like a great game that has a lot of fans so I'm sure GOW fans are just as thrilled about Kratos as I am about Freddy.
It was definitely cool being able to play the nightmare king himself and Freddy proved this weekend that he can fight right up there with the big boys of MK universe. If you're a fan of Mortal Kombat and the Nightmare On Elm Street movies then you'll get a kick out of laying down Freddy's nightmares on your opponents.
Oh yeah baby! I finally picked up MK for the PS3 last night and I've really been enjoying slamming computer opponents into the ground and seeing all the different fatalities. I might do a real review of the game later but for now my first impression is a solid two thumbs up! I was worried that Mortal Kombat would kind of suck because MK vs DC Universe kind of sucks but I was pleasantly surprised. One of the biggest things that sticks out about the game and the best surprise so far is that the fatalities aren't ridiculously impossible like they seemed to me in MK vs DC.
I haven't gotten a chance to really explore all the characters, their moves, or all the different modes available in the game but I expect to be pleasantly surprised. How awesome is it to have Freddy Krueger available for download? I grew up watching Nightmare On Elm Street and I still enjoy watching the movies every now and then. They were a lot scarier back when I was a kid. Now they're actually kind of funny. That Freddy sure does have a sense of humor! I can't wait to download him and actually, I think that's what I'm going to go do right now, download Freddy so I can put him in my game...
I was thinking about the different sports titles coming out from EA for 2013. I'm looking forward to seeing the improvements in all of them and I generally love EA sports titles but like many other people I've been dissapointed by the Madden franchise. Is it really that bad? Yes, it is, but I'm also a big Madden fan and have been since I was a kid. The reason for the huge dissappointment is the superstar mode. Some people like controlling the whole team in franchise mode or playing as the GM. I'm a superstar mode kind of guy. Whenever I play almost any sports game the first thing I want to check out and enjoy is the career mode; I want the full experience of the professional athlete and this is where Madden goes wrong. I think they had it right back in the PS2 and XBox days when your superstar had a house, a map of his city and many different aspects you were able to customize. These days, superstar mode gets boring quick and if a career mode is boring I stop playing that game. Like I said, I'm a superstar mode kind of guy.
I'd like to go on a rant about this but I found a YouTube video that says exactly what I'm trying to say. I agree 100% with everything the guy in this video is saying. So, here's our message to the EA sports Madden team, we hope you're listening.
The main points of the video are:
1.GO BACK TO PS2/XBOX DAYS
2.POSITION BATTLE
3.GET lDEAS FROM NCAA FOOTBALL
4.GAINING SKILL POINTS
5.CAMERA ANGLE
6.DRAFT DAY
7.ENDORSEMENTS
8.INTERVIEWS
Do you agree or disagree? Leave your comments below and help get the message across to the EA Sports Madden team.
I ordered the Combat King Joystick from Ebay when I was looking around for fighting sticks. The Combat King Joystick seemed like a decent quality stick and the price was affordable. This particular stick was shipped to me from China and the delivery was quick and reliable. The joystick and buttons on the Combat King controller felt very tight to me and I liked that. I mentioned that the Hyperkin fight stick I bought felt very loose, the opposite is true for the Combat King. Everything felt very tight and in place. The quality of the parts is very good. I originally thought that this fight stick was the best of the three that I tried and this was mainly because of how tight the controller feels. I later realized that this is only a matter of preference when a friend mentioned that he actually prefers a loose stick and that the Combat King felt a bit stiff. I thought the stick and buttons felt great when they were nice and tight but my friend preferred the loose controls of the Hori Fighting Stick 3 which I will be reviewing as well.
Another reason I chose the Combat King when shopping online was because it came with a cool Street Fighter IV picture on it. Most higher quality joysticks that I've wished for have those graphics so when I saw that I could get something like that myself at a low price I just had to get it. Unfortunately this backfired on me a little because the graphic and the plastic cover protecting the picture were'nt very well made. After only a short while playing, the protective plastic on the Combat King started peeling off. It started with only one of the corners at first so I put a bit of duct tape on it; then a while later I more started peeling off on the side. I had to duct tape a big section of that as well and the picture is still in tact but the tape ruined the original esthetic and it was dissappointing to have to patch up an otherwise good arcade stick.
There are some things worth considering if you're thinking of buying a Combat King. It looks like a decent arcade stick, something you would take to a tournament. There are turbo and macro settings on it but they are located on the front panel facing you, not on the face of the controller like they are on the Hyperkin and Hori sticks. This could be a good thing if you're always playing on a table top. The suction cups are pretty good too and they really stick well to plastic surfaces. The downside to having these buttons located there is that if you're playing with the controller on your lap in a more casual setting then there is a risk of accidentally pushing these buttons. This has happened to me and my friends while we're battling each other. The button that functions as the PS button is also located there so funny things can happen in the middle of a fight. You could accidentally hit the macro button on the joystick and program a set of moves to one button without even knowing it.
The Combat King fight stick I ordered is the same model as the one below. That's the graphic that it comes with. The plastic cover on graphic is hardly noticeable in the picture. Mine first started peeling off at the corner where it says SSFIV and then it happened again along the side where you see Cammy and Vega. Notice the 3 buttons on the front panel and that none of the buttons (start, select, square, triangle etc...) are labelled.
The last thing worth mentioning with the Combat King is that the buttons are not laid out in the standard way for PS3 users. Both the Hyperkin controller and the Hori 3 controller are clearly laid out. You know exactly where L1, R1 and all the other buttons are and should be. The Combat King is the only stick out of the 3 controllers that does not have the button layout of a typical PS3 controller. This isn't really a huge deal and you get to know the controller with a little time but it can be annoying. Getting the buttons to match the kicks and punches where you want them isn't as straight forward as with the other two sticks and I have to fully customize my settings in Street Fighter IV instead of choosing premade arcade stick settings that are in the game.
You can order the Combat King with an extended joystick for the same price as the regular sized stick so if you prefer the longer controller then this is something worth considering. I'm happy with my Combat King controller. It has a stick on the side that says professional fighting joystick. Is it a professional fight stick? I say yes, but it's certainly not perfect and it has it's a little quircky. I was looking for something good, something professional, but I was also on a budget and looking for something affordable. The Combat King is what I was looking for, even if it's not perfect.
Overall:
Responsive controlls with good quality parts Controlls feel tight when it is new Comes with turbo and macro settings Comes with a Super Street Figther IV logo Plastic cover peels easily but it this can be prevented easily with some tape The controller can be ordered with a regular sized or extended joystick The buttons are not laid out in the standard way for PS3 users
It's not that long ago that I finished Fallout New Vegas which is so far my favorite RPG out of the ones I've played recently. I felt like moving on to another RPG and I figured I'd try Oblivion since it's made by the same company as Fallout. I originally described Oblivion to a friend as a medieval Fallout but that description doesn't do it justice since it's a great game in its own right. There are similarities in the game play between Oblivion and Fallout but there's still many reasons why they're both great and very different from each other. Oblivion has been a real treat so far and I'm having a hard time tearing myself away from it all.
When I was growing up I spent many hours playing Street Fighter II and these days I often get together with friends for a few hours of intense fighting with Street Fighter IV. For some reason out of all the character theme songs in the Street Fighter series the one that sticks out in my mind most after all these years is Guile's theme. The opening riff is so memorable and it pops into my head from time to time as I'm going about my day. Guile's theme has to be my favorite tune from SF II. I was searching for it on YouTube recently and I came across this funny set of videos where people have discovered that Guile's theme goes with everything. Funny!
I really think arcade sticks are the way to go when you're playing fighting games. I know there are probably a lot of great players who use console style controllers but for me playing with a stick is kind of a tradition. These were arcade games in the beginning and that's the way they were originally meant to be played and that's the way I like to play them. Call me old fashioned!
I recently had a chance to test 3 arcade sticks: the Hori Fighting Stick 3, the Combat King Joystick and the K.O. Fighting Stick by Hyperkin. I was pleased with all of them. They work absolutely fine and they instantly brought back memories of playing these games at the arcade. When I was shopping around for a fight stick I was worried about buying a lower end stick like the one by Hyperkin because I read some reviews saying they're not as good as other more expensive sticks. While it's true that the Hyperkin wasn't as good as the others, this was only because the base was a little bit smaller and the stick control felt a little more loose than on my other two sticks. This didn't prevent me from playing the same way and it only reminded me of the worked in cabinets in arcades. While the stick control was a little loose on the Hyperkin controller, the buttons were absolutely normal and very responsive. I would recommend the Hyperkin controller for anyone with a smaller budget or a beginning interest in fight sticks. Aside from the size and fancier cosmetic features, it plays in the same league as the others.
What's up with Ken Master's alternate costumes in Street Fighter IV? One of the coolest things about Street Fighter IV is all the different choices in costumes for the characters. I'm a huge fan of the game so I don't mind dishing out the extra cash for the alternate costumes that make the experience more enjoyable for me; even though I think Capcom should have included the alternate costumes in the arcade edition.
I've been downloading the costumes a little at a time and I eventually plan to get them all. The costumes have all been very creative and exciting to look at from Ryu's tattered gi to Rose's frilly dress that makes her look like a southern belle from New Orleans. Some costumes are better than others but since there are usually 3 alternate costumes for each character you can always bet there will be one alternate costume you like, at least that's what I thought until I saw Ken's alternate costumes. They suck! While Ryu has a tattered gi and some cool bruises that make him look like a hardcore warrior on an ultimate quest, Ken has a slightly nicer gi than his regular one with a pair of tennis shoes. Where Ryu has a cool traditional Japanese outfit that makes him look kind of like a samurai, Ken has a silly looking cowboy outfit. Ken's best outfit is probably the 3rd alternate costume I downloaded where he's wearing sporty spandex shorts and he looks like some kind of cyclist or surfer.
The alternate costumes for SF IV are definitely cool and worth downloading if you're a big fan of the game but if you're a fan of Ken Masters, expect to be dissappointed.
The other day I did a blog post about the missing fatalities in the moves menu for Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (PS3). I was annoyed that the fatalities and heroic brutalities are missing in the game for no apparent reason. Well I have good news for MK lovers on the PS3. I downloaded the Mortal Kombat Trilogy the other day which is available through the Playstation Store. The arcade versions of Mortal Kombat I, II, and III are all included in the trilogy. The good news is that if you like these classic arcade titles you can purchase them for very little and best of all, the fatalities are included in the moves menu. I know some people out there already play these on MAME emulators but I would strongly suggest anyone with a PS3 buy the trilogy if only for convenience. I have to say it's really handy having all the moves right there in the menu and I feel like I can finally start getting to know these characters in depth. The other great thing about the MK trilogy on PS3 is that you have the option to play online with leader boards and rankings so you can practice all those classic moves on others.
So if the fatalities for the MK arcade trilogy are easily accessible in the moves menu then that begs the question, why weren't they included in the MK vs DC Universe game? It doesn't make sense!
There are many things that go into making a great video game and one element that shouldn't be ignored is the music. Anyone who watches Angry Video Game Nerd videos will eventually hear one of his rants about an old school game that goes cheap on the music with annoying results. So, since video game music will likely never be as bad as in the old days, it's good to be thankful for some of the great tracks that our out there in some of our favorite games today. I was playing Fallout Vegas earlier and I have to say I really enjoy the selection of the music from the game. While it's all really good, my favorite track would have to be Johnny Guitar. There's just something really dark and mysterious about the piece that I really enjoy and it fits the mood of the game so well. It's a great tune sung by Peggy Lee. Click here to listen to Johnny Guitar on YouTube.
One of the great things about this generation's gaming consoles is how far we've come along from the NES, SNES and Sega Genesis days. Back when arcade fighting games first came out for home consoles you had to study the game manuals for the moves if you didn't know them already. Chances are that you're pretty good with one character but not all of them so if you're kicking some ass with Scorpion but then you get a little bored and want to try a new character like Reptile or Shang Tsung you'll have to stop and study the manual or look for the moves online. The great thing about games for Xbox and PS3 is that they can support online manuals. If you're playing Street Fighter IV with Gouken or Juri for the first time you can press start for instant access to all of their moves. That includes special moves like hadokens and shoryoukens, super moves, ultra combos and unique moves like Guile's reverse spin kick.
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe was the first game in the MK series that I bought for PS3. I was exited about the fatalities and brutalities and I couldn't wait to have them there in the start menu, easily accessible like the Street Fighter IV moves but then....
They weren't there. I'm not sure if there's something that I've missed or that I am still missing but I had to check online for fatalities and heroic brutalities. The fatalities are complex and difficult to learn so why wouldn't they be included with the rest of the moves in the start menu?
So I finally signed up for the Playstation network and I've discovered the joy of online gaming for the first time. I know, I know, I'm a really late arrival but hey, better late than never. The first two games I tried online were Street Fighter IV and Fight Night Champion. Well, online gaming can tell you a thing or two about people's mentality. One of the first things that struck me about playing Fight Night online were the boxers people create. The middleweight and lightweight divisions weren't that bad but the heavyweight division was downright disgusting!
By far, the majority of boxers I fight in the heavyweight division online are the tallest boxers with a thick muscular build (usually the Tyson body type which looks ridiculously intimidating) and the biggest reach which is somewhere around 82 or 83 inches. There's hardly any variety to these user created heavyweights, especially in the lower ranks and it can be rare to fight someone that doesn't fit the biggest physical measurements.
Does everyone have to be the biggest, baddest, most powerful and intimidating boxer?
Lucky for the more reasonable ones among us that our big bad opponents usually don't have the brain to match their muscles. When I created my heavyweight I was thinking of an average blue collar type guy. My first heavyweight was a brawler but I tried to make him well rounded by building up different punches both to the head and body. This has been frustrating for the tough guys in the online heavyweight division who choose to spend all their xp points making one punch (usually the straight to the head) as strong as possible while ignoring the rest of their boxer's attributes. These guys forget that it's a boxing game not Mortal Kombat and I've been using that to my advantage when they come into the fight thinking they'll win with an early KO.
I've come up with a scenario that often goes something like this:
I'm the underdog who steps into a fight with a guy who's overall rating is a few points higher than mine. Less experienced fighters rarely challenge guys higher up the ladder so my opponent thinks I'm a fool for challenging them and they are over confident. They come out in the first round and immediately show me that they've spent xp points trying to make one punch as dangerous as possible. I know this because they come out swinging their one and only heavy punch and rarely throw jabs or other punches that would compliment and set up the big punch. My opponent usually has me stunned and in trouble a few times during the first half of the fight; this works to my advantage because once they've hurt me once they are over confident and think they will KO me very quickly.
The tough guy keeps throwing power shots with the same punch while I pretend I'm more hurt than I really am. I throw jabs and power shots to the body and while these slowly wear the other guy down, they're not pretty flashy punches like a powerful hook to the head. I stay away from my opponent and try to conserve energy for the first half of the fight. My opponent thinks the fight is his because he has won every round on the judge's score cards and then BAM! I come out for the second half of the fight with most of my stamina against an opponent who is tired and slow. Once their stamina is gone their punches don't hurt as much. Counter punches and power shots are much easier to land because the opponent is slow and frustrated. It's only a matter of time before I knock them out with an even mix of brains, speed and power. When this happens some guys get so frustrated that they quit before the fight ends and they end up with a loss and a negative online record for disconnecting from the fight.
So there are a lot of dumb fighters out there but the higher climb up the ladder, the smarter the boxers become and then fighters do come along who know what they're doing and fights become a real challenge. I have to admit that I have been the victim of having too much confidence also and found myself paying the price late in the fight. I respect the players I come across who have a real knowledge of the sport. Unfortunately it feels like the majority of the gamers out there want to be the big bad tough guy that knocks you out in round 1 and don't seem to understand what Mike Tyson said in the promo trailers leading up to the release of Fight Night Champion,
"This is a thinking man's sport. A tough man is going to get hurt real bad in this sport."
That's right Mike, it's a thinking man's sport and that's how you win in boxing.
I've been really excited about fighting games recently. My collection of them for the PS3 has grown recently with the addition of Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, and an upgrade from Super Street Fighter IV to Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition. I have enough fighting games to keep me busy for a while and I plan on getting my hands on the new Mortal Kombat soon also.
With so many fighting games on my mind I was doing a YouTube search under Street Fighter thinking that I would come across a review of the game or something like that. What I ended up finding was even better! I found a YouTube web series called The Street Fighter. It's still rather new so I'll try not to spoil it for everyone by giving too much away. Basically, it's about an average Joe with a penchant for Street Fighter IV and fight sticks. The show is very well made and was very entertaining to watch. I read a ton of positive reviews for the little series and it even left me wanting more so I actually checked out a "making of" segment afterwards. The acting, directing, plot and camera work were all great. The Street Fighter was very entertaining and has something for almost everyone, even if you're not a big fan of Street Fighter video games. There's even a nerdy but sexy gamer chick that works in a comic book store (a nerd's dream come true!) who is one of the main characters. Judging by the YouTube comments, she already has quite a few fans. The Game Station did a great job making this project, be sure to check out their YouTube channel.
