Free to Play Week: Counter-Strike Zombies

Hello and welcome back to Day 2 of Free to Play Week and of course a good round of gaming isn't complete without at least one zombie game. Since 1992 with Alone in the Dark and in 1996 with Resident Evil, zombies have been the default enemy for FPS and TPS for survival horror. With this creation on October falling under Massive Multiple Online First Person Shooter giving a Player Vs Player and Player Vs Everyone. This is Counter-Strike Nexon: Zombies.

Get in position, men!

A spin-off of Counter-Strike after four incarnations, this MMOFPS offers a free-for-all bloodbath action that can easily be causal to a full coordinated assault. Counter-Strike is one of the more popular online games to date. From the pitting of terrorists vs counter-terrorists play face off to their objective in round-based combat.

With the option of being the tactical human squad member to being a rampaging zombie rendering flesh and creating exponentially more zombies, the graphics run fairly smooth, give multiple levels or mapped regions to play in. Make no mistake, this is purely team effort, free range games of racking up kill counts and solo journeys. With a wide variety of weapons and ground to choose from, the roaming undead are not slumping along Romero style but actually very quick, aggressive and dangerous as all get out. After six violent deaths I know of what I speak. It's the gluing fingers back on part that annoys me.

Due for a mani, Carl.

Zombie experience aside this version has all the standard modes like Hostage Rescue and Bomb Diffusion giving the team a split-second decision making all the while up in their necks in the enemy. From spectator, good guys and bad guys this Counter-Strike differs in only the introduction of zombies to this FPS franchise.

A few comments about the overall game play.

Keyboard directional is standard WASD and third button mouse to select weapons or the hot keyed F1 and on. Comes with a TeamSpeak or Ventrilo option for chating with your team. Standard FPS and TPS view can be swapped out during play or downtime between events as usual. The downsides are also abundant. The complex levels of menus, craftung system, the enormous inventory to keep track of and the server browser. Throughout the game time, pop-ups will occur on every menu screen to try and tempt you to play for the day. You haven't completed the weekly challenge. Are you sure you want to quit? You have unclaimed prizes! Are you sure you want to quit?

Meanwhile, the poor slob just wants lunch or maybe to go for a walk. Aside from the nagging of stay demands, the most problem you have is the zombie swarms book at an impressive rate so have a SAW (Squad Assault Weapon) at the ready. Other than an occasional jump scare the worst thing will happen is a finger cramp for the trigger button.

Zombie mime!!  Get it!!!

Random Picks Week

Howdy all and welcome to the week.  This week I thought we will skip the staple title and just grab into games, movies and maybe a few TV shows.  Normally I would call that Grab Bag Week but I am sick of that title so this week it will be known as Random Picks Week.    So I will dig through my various films, TV and maybe a few games or two and see what we can inform and entertain you all with.

Head shot!  Yikes!

As mentioned in previous Grab Bag Weeks, this allows me to sharpen my writing skills on the fly rather than the predestined straight and narrow of a structured week.  To hone my abilities if you will and delve deeper in the recesses of forgotten films, hidden gems and maybe even a decent TV show that was cancelled before its time.

A planet were apes evolved from... ah forget it.

As always I appreciate the comments, critiques and suggestions my readers give me so keep churning those out and I promise to keep firing good and bad films, TV and various platform and PC games your way.  I shall attempt to be less biased to most but I cannot say I would give a gleaming review on anything Pokemon so my advice, skip suggesting that.   Ta ta for now!

Grab Bag Week Returns: Deadpool

Hiyas reader fans and welcome back to Day 2 of Grab Bag Week and this time around we are tackling a video game.  Shock and gasp you say?   Well... that's weird but I merely shrug it off.   Now getting into the origins of this video game we have to look at the lead character's humble beginnings.  Crafted by comic book writer Fabian Nicieza (X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, Cable and Deadpool and Thunderbolts) and half witted, self-taught monkey boy artist Rob Liefield (Avengers, Hawk and Dove, X-Force, Deadpool and Youngblood).  In 1990, Wade Wilson/Deadpool was devised as a wise cracking, heartless mercenary who was a constant thorn in Cable's (Leader of The New Mutants and later X-Force) paw and/or side.  The progression of the character was found dull and it was decided to give him more of an anti-hero story line instead and the sales went crackers.   With his Spidey knockoff spandex, to totting SMGs, katanas and various nasty toys, the popularity went through the roof.    This is Deadpool.

Hey true believers, rope burns hurt yer groin!

Deadpool: What? He said no? That was our chance to be in our own video game!
Deadpool's voice in his head: Maybe we shouldn't have spoiled the proposal in crayon.




From his first appearance in New Mutants issue 98, Deadpool has had a solid following of devoted fans that found out that big bad mercenary Wade Wilson was dying of cancer, he volunteered to the Weapon X program (makers of The Wolverine) to an experimental healing factor compromised of genetic stock of Wolvie's own DNA.   The process cured him of cancer but the side effects scarred his face, body and drove him completely off his nut.  Coupled with the fact that Wilson is a superb marksman and swords-master he can only regenerate newer damage so he is constantly in costume to keep the neighbors from projectile vomiting.  Could be worse though, I mean look at Wolvie's hair, right?
Wade spends most of his time in search of love, romance, big guns and chimichangas, when he is not slicing, dicing or blowing people up for money.   Our game starts with a cut-scene of a deary apartment that has not seen a decorator since 1971 and Wilson is checking his Cobra answering machine.  Wolverine tells him to stop calling about borrowing the Blackbird Jet, Domino shoots his sexual advances down and creative director of High Moon Studios doesn't want to produce his video game.  After a substantial amount of explosions, a script is on its way for Deadpool's game.

That's for Wolverine: Origins!  PIMP SLAP!!!

Okay, with all this in mind comes the annoying warning part for the parents.  The following is found in this video game:  graphic violence, booze and smoking references, sexual innuendos and a fair amount of swearing.  Yes folks, this is probably not one of the kids but the kids inside of us all.  Bushido style sword mastery harnessed by beer and fart jokes, Wilson has the emotional maturity of a 14 year old hopped up on energy drinks and a love for Chop Socky films.  He also has an unusual love for Death (Marvel's personification of the Grim Reaper is in the form of a dishy super model build and a skull face) and frankly it is unhealthy.   Course so is a steady diet of beer, chimichangas and pizza but healing factor handles that noise.  LOOK KIDS!!! NO LOVE HANDLES!!!

With the insane fighting styles, guest star characters such as Rogue, Wolverine, Psylocke, Cable and Domino, our conglomerate has no idea who Wilson is talking to half of the time as this character is notorious for breaking the fourth wall (the imaginary wall that separates theater from the audience) which is not to be confused with an aside (a dramatic device specifically for addressing the audience to plot, person or device) or a soliloquy (a technique that allows a character to speak his or her's thoughts and feelings under the guise that they are alone projecting these thoughts aloud).  Ah, English lessons.

The gun play is a bit static, the sword-fighting combos give a fairly wide range of mayhem and the endless amount of clones courtesy of Mr. Sinister does pile up from the slaughters.   The gags and puns are worthy of the character and once again Nolan North (voice actor of Guild Wars2, Wolverine and the X-Men, Uncharted 1,2,3, Young Justice and Marvel Heroes) brings the gab gold.  

Deadpool: A cut above the rest!

Old School Week

Let's kick it.  Yeah I'm sorry and will never use that term again.  The meaning behind Old School Week is to review a movie, TV Show season or video game at random.  I wanted to get back to my routes of reviewing as I used to and frankly it is a bit more fun picking material out of a hat rather than adhering to the rigors of what I set out for the week and the week after.  So if you will indulge me on this little endeavor, I shall attempt to make it fun as always.

Better do what da man says, sucka!

Also I cannot stress enough to plug some comments or even some requests.  Not saying the well has run dry but come on people, if this lacks in anyone having fun on these reads it is you all.  Take your time and think about something fun you would like to see on here.  No rush needed but I always love a little input.

Black & White: Good or Evil?

Now normally when I give a review about a game I am weighing the pros and cons of it but with Black & White it is damn near impossible to bad mouth it. Lionhead Studios released Black & White in 2001.  Published by Electronic Arts for both Windows and Mac, this game got instant raves allowing you to be either a savior or a devil. Due to its popularity, a expansion came out, followed by its sequel Black & White2.   The tutorial (unfortunately you cannot skip through that) starts as soon as you are brought into this world as a new deity. No sooner do you rescue a child from ravenous sharks; the villagers wish to worship and praise your name. You are then greeted by your collective conscience of evil and good or black and white if you will. Both will offer advice to situations as each new problem or crisis is put before you. Each task can be handled with benevolence or malice. The choice is yours. I feel you cannot properly understand a game until you have explored all the angles and opportunities that both good and evil provide so without further adieu here are the highlights to good.

Good: You are the toast of the town and the answer to all prayers. As a good deity you will find worshippers come quickly to prayer. As this is your flock you must watch and tend to them. Assign them work and life. Creating disciples is a snap. The options are builder, breeder, farmer, fisherman or woodsman. Your disciples will continue this line of work that you saw them fit to do until the day they die. This includes breeders, so if you do not want a population increase to epic level, be a bit choosy as to how many breeders you possess, because they are like rabbits.

Part of being a loving god is to take all the problems in your stride and assist them as best as you can. Aiding you in these endeavors will be a pet you can nurture with love and understanding. Providing compassion to this creature is not only kind but a must in the game. Teach it to respect the people and land to create a better harmony for all. With each problem correctly taken care of, a reward is assured and happier worshippers are bountiful. Bear in mind that you will not make them happy 100% of the time. You can only do the tasks, provide miracles to astound and bewilder them and in general and guard them from harm from evil deities. While some might view this as a thankless task, yours is a higher calling to the children you wish to strive in your land.

Evil: Corrupter of youth and destroyer of men, yours is a task behold to the pathetic mortals that dare ask for favors. Constantly underfoot and demanding, these mortals attempt to take up your precious time with requests of benevolence of which you have none. You strive to obtain powers and wreak havoc across the land leaving these frightened simpletons cowering in their little, hopeless lives awaiting to be the next sacrifice to your awesome might. When one of their neighbors goes to the altar for blood sacrifice, they should be down on their knees praising you for not ending them.

Fear is an excellent motivator and provides more worship in your name. Their children will learn to abide by your rules or be fed to the fiendish creature you command with a ruthless iron fist. You will revel in delight as your creature hurls lightning and fireballs from sheer boredom or just in general malice. Cackle from high above at the wanton destruction in your name. Oh it is good to be the god.

The story is in your hands. Do what you will and enjoy.