5 Things Every Gamer Needs

The world of the gamer is tough, we know that, we understand the constant struggle to beat the worldwide high score, the desperation to obtain that ultra-rare sword. That's why we, at The Control Room, have put together a list of 10 things every gamer needs to survive those long nights spent blasting zombies and handing in quests. From PC gamer to XBOX fanatic, we have what you've been looking for.

1. A gaming platform.

Yes, if you want to play video games you're going to need something to play them on. It all depends on what you want - here are some platforms that we suggest.


XBOX 360

PS3

Wii

Or, for you PC gamers you have the harder choice of which laptop/desktop to choose. Personally, I like the feel and power of an Alienware, but you might prefer something else.

2. Games

You should always have a good selection of games to play during the night - you might feel like switching games after a few hours and a decent variety is always good to have. In an evening I like to have something  like this - how about you?

3. A comfy place to sit.

This is incredibly important. Being comfortable allows for better gameplay. A hard wood floor when playing consoles is not comfortable, trust me, and can really damage my aim in shooter games. A nice cushy chair in front of the PC or a nice fluff;y couch can really help you relax and get into the game.

I want this chair so bad...

4. Food, drink and lots of it.

You're pulling an all nighter to complete that all important raid or finally finish the level that's been driving you crazy for weeks - or maybe you're just battling your friends. Either way, you're going to need energy to help you stay alert and ready for action. Before starting a long gaming session we suggest running to the store and picking up loads of snacks.

You'll go through at least 10 of these plus soda.

5. To enjoy the game.

It may sound cheesy, but there is nothing worse than sitting down to play a game and getting stressed over certain levels. Make sure to stay relaxed and just take the game as it comes. If you have to try a certain part again, then don't worry - it's all experience in the end.

So there you have it - 5 basic things that every gamer needs to enjoy themselves. If you have friends to play with then drag them over to you place or challenge them to PvP style or co-op battles online. The possibilities are endless.

Valhalla

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

A post from our guest blogger Faado. A massive thank you to him for this review on the latest Zelda game. - The Control Room. 

Ok so I was looking through the past reviews and I noticed that there was a review for twilight princess but not skyward sword. So I thought to myself “something must be done about this! Challenge accepted”   

And here it is:  

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword 

Ok so by this point in life we should all know the main characters in the Zelda series and if you don’t then you need to get down to the local game store and buy yourself a Nintendo console ('cause you obviously don’t own one. How else can you explain the lack of Zelda in your life?). For this particular title you will be needing a Nintendo Wii and a Wii motion plus controller. But I digress; this is about the game itself not the amazing consoles. So the game starts as the hero Link (not Zelda, Zelda is a girls name) is waking up on the day of his final flying exam, but as with any teenager his first thoughts upon waking up are not ‘HOLY MOLEY, I HAVE AN EXAM TODAY!’ No his first thoughts were ‘right lets go chill with my mates for a bit, 'cause that’s just how epic I am” so he goes to find the most important person to him, good old, not so princess, Zelda. And what does she do? She does what any good girl would do - completely ignores everything he says and throws him off the edge of their flying island only to realise that something is wrong, dive off the edge to save him with her giant bird, and then break down in tears when she realises she almost killed her ‘best friend’. So then your left with one major question, “hey where the heck is my giant bird? I’m the main character, I need a giant bird!” and this is where you meet the most obvious character in the game. Obvious how? Well Link is effectively in school, and what does every good school need? That’s right, an overconfident bully. Enter Groose, the greatest idiot to have ever graced a legend of Zelda game. Turns out in an effort keep our man Link out of the final exam, which takes the form of a race, Groose and his boys have somehow managed to capture and lock away your faithful, flying companion. Of course this is no problem for our great adventurer and he quickly rushes of to free his bird and wipe the smug grin off Grooses face. 

Now it’s not too long after this that our heroes’ world gets casually flipped upside down and he is forced to watch as his precious friend is dragged down below the thick clouds that had been the edge of their world for as long as anybody had known. And so Link is forced to begin his search for a way down below the clouds, which inevitably leads to the acquisition of the titular, Skyward Sword, and the meeting with a character so annoying I actually cried for Navi at times. Once you’re stuck with Fi (and when I say stuck I mean there is absolutely no getting rid of her) then you're off for your first experience of good old fashioned Hyrule and you know what that means… your first dungeon, and more importantly your first boss; who is quite possibly one of the campest bosses in video game history and my personal second favourite character in the entire game. Now as stories go Skywards swords is pretty good, admittedly it can be a little predictable at times, but I found that those moments weren’t disappointing in the slightest - instead they managed to make you feel good about story and the way in which it was heading. 

Now as far as the actual game play is concerned the most difficult thing about it, in my opinion, was getting used to the motion plus controls. Being an unfortunately lazy gamer I found myself trying to play the game with just general swings of the remote - the kind required for twilight princess… or any Wii game before the motion plus. Of course once I realised that just wasn’t going to happen, I picked myself a seated position that allowed adequate arm swinging room and started playing the game properly, like a boss. My personal favourite feature of the game is the rather simple item upgrades, that’s not just the sword but pretty much everything from bug nets to the rather beautiful bow… well that, of course and the flying on a giant bird (can’t express how cool they are.). 

Next up is the graphics. Now as a hard core gamer and someone who had just transferred from the mighty Skyrim, there was something about the Skyward Sword graphics that weren’t quite the HQ games I was used to and at the same time weren’t quite the cell shading of the wind waker. Now at first the ever so slightly cartoony feel to the graphics made me weary, but after playing the game for a while I started to realise that they gave the game its own unique charm, like it had looked at the big high def games of the Xbox and PS3 and thought ‘you know what? No. I’m not gonna compete with them. Instead I’m gonna do what Nintendo does best. I’m gonna make you fall in love with me in a way that means once you’ve got bored of you Call of Duty and your Battlefield, you’ll come back to me and you’ll love me all the same.’ Now if you are looking for a Zelda game that will compete with the quality of the of the HD consoles then you have two choices. One, go play Twilight Princess or two, wait for the legendary Wii U and the beautiful Zelda that will be coming with it (hopefully). 

Now as for ratings I give Skyward Sword 9/10 my only real problems with the game were the fact that Fi obviously thinks we are all total morons, and that the final boss left me wishing for so much more. But it did manage the incredible feat of keeping me away from Skyrim for a full 2 weeks which is no easy feat (just ask any of my four characters) and it’s the kind of game I will happily go back to weeks, months even years later and love it just as much as ever. The legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is most defiantly a game the series and the fans can be proud of.  

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

You may have seen it all over Twitter and plastered across the internet. It's no lie - Black Ops 2 is a reality and due for release November 13th 2012. We're buzzing over here and want to bring you a few recently discovered pieces of information. If I could do this as a live blog, I would. Instead, I'm planning on staying up until all the information is released and writing this as the news reaches me. Black Ops 2 is due to be announced tonight and we cannot wait to hear all the details for the next CoD game. MW3 was spectacular and we hope this one will live up to its expectations.

Set in 2025, there's a new problem facing humankind - a lack of rare earth elements. It's no longer about the energy crisis, this is far more important. Rare earth minerals power many of our everyday products, from phones to military equipment. In BO 2, China is refusing to trade anymore elements with the USA and the rest of the world, following an attack on the Chinese stock market. This starts a new cold war between China and the USA, with Russia attempting to provoke both side into full-out war - sneaky.

The game will start in the 1980's as a build up to the current situations. During the 1980's period you'll play as Alex Mason (you may remember him from the previous BO game). In this part of the game there is also the opportunity to ride horses during one of the missions (as suggested by the trailer (see below)) - which looks great. A lot of fans are excited about this particular feature. However, once you reach 2025 his son, David Mason, will take over and you'll be saving the world with him. Now, in 2025 military weaponry is pretty advanced and uses drones, autopilot planes and all that kind of futuristic-Terminator-stuff. When you first see these it'll be in Los Angeles as it is called for evacuation. Basically, the whole intro is filled with bombs, guns and a whole load of robot machinery. The robot machinery is seriously cool. Just take a look at C.L.A.W who looks a lot like a horse. But that's just the intro, what the game is actually like, no one yet knows, but if this fantastic introduction is anything to go by then it's going to be fantastic. For those of you who liked covert missions in BO, don't worry - there will be loads of those.

Here's the most exciting part - your decisions on the game WILL impact the story. The death and survival of your group in missions will have a massive effect on the story. You have the choice to go it alone or control an entire team of soldiers. This looks more than a little exciting. Think of how different this game will be now that you can choose how the story ends - will Menendez succeed or fail?

When it comes to multi-player there isn't much that we know except that it will be filled with zombies, burning buildings and a lot of shooting.

Check out the trailer here, it looks amazing.

November 13th is on its way and the excitement is rising. Are you looking forward to Black Ops 2?

Just don't get shot...

Unit 13 - I love it. It's a third person shooter for the PSVita and it is awesome, for lack of a better word.

There isn't really a storyline for this game. You're a member of a counter-terrorism force, infiltrating and taking over enemy bases and sometimes collecting important objects along they way. Each mission varies in its level of difficulty, and you can only play the next mission once you've completed the one before it. They're not stupidly long either, it's just incredibly fun, and tense, but still enjoyable. It tests your mind when it comes to things like stealth and attempting to find the best route to your destination, which is something I like in shooter games. Being a bit of a bruiser when it comes to war games, playing the missions that don't allow me to be anything but stealthy were a challenge - and a good one at that.

Gameplay is great. Unit 13 really makes you use all the controls, whether it's in an attempt to seek cover from the enemy or to zoom in for the perfect head shot. I have to say, the sniper abilities on this game are great - it allows for an incredibly accurate shot. There's a lot of freedom to move around in this game, you don't need to follow the guiding arrow at the top of the screen to find the best and most efficient way around the game. The graphics are fantastic, especially for a handheld console. The movement of characters is fluid, there's no lag which is something I was pleased to see.

The training grounds at the beginning of the game are incredibly useful as they teach you how to use the controls, change weaponry and target things quickly and accurately. The controls are mapped out really well, with the dual sticks being used to set up a close range and move around. The shoulder buttons are used to zoom in on aim and fire round after round of bullets. Grenades are easy to access, and if you don't want to use the various buttons for these things then you always have the option to use the touchscreen instead, especially when it comes to things like disarming mines.

For each mission you're able to select a soldier that you think would be best for completing it in fast and efficient time. The game will tell you which soldier is recommends, but you don't have to go for that one, you can make your own judgment. Every soldier is from a different part of the world and has their own speciality. There are different forms of missions as well. Covert missions require stealth and for you not to be caught by alarms or the terrorists you're attempting to sneak around. Others will require you to go right in and blow things up, collect items and shoot anyone that dares cross your path.

People say that this game can't beat CoD, but I don't know how far I agree with this statement. When CoD arrives on Vita we shall see, but until then I would urge all you shooter fans to run down to your local video game store and demand a copy. It's well worth it.

"I'm Batman"

I finally got Arkham City for PS3. I'd been meaning to pick it up for some time, and this week I decided to just do it and stop procrastinating. I'm so glad I did.

I haven't finished the game yet, but I already know that this game is one of the best I have ever played. Being a bit of a comic book nut, I was expecting to enjoy Arkham City anyway, but my mind was blown by the sheer awesomeness of this game. From the second the start screen appeared and the music began to play, I prepared myself to enter a game unlike any other.

You are Bruce Wayne, a.k.a Batman. Set after the events of Arkham Asylum, you are opposed to Arkham City you hold a press conference to express your anger. However, during this press conference you are attacked and kidnapped by Hugo Strange's men from his group TYGER. You wake up in a dark room with a TV that is showing Dr. Strange listing the rules of Arkham city - you have to escape. I can tell you that after listening to Strange list the rules over 15 times it starts to drive you a little crazy yourself - I had some trouble escaping. After moving the L stick left and right for what seems like an eternity, you'll eventually fall over, alerting the guard outside. You're prompted to counter attack him, and do so before being captured again.

As you're led through the prison, the other guards and inmates will refer to you by your nickname 'rich boy' and throw other insults at you such as 'you're my bitch, Wayne'- you'll take the intimidation and the insults, 'cause you're Batman and nothing can get you down. Eventually, you're given the opportunity to beat up the guards that had been guiding you to a different part of the prison before climbing up the walls and escaping onto the roof of the prison, Dr. Strange yelling at you from below. After giving Alfred a quick call, he drops a package on top of a nearby building that contains your suit. Time to suit up and get to work. The thing is, the whole of Arkham city is crawling with criminals, it's an open-air prison and the inmates are allowed to roam free as long as they do not attempt to escape. It makes moving around ten times more difficult. The first thing you do when you escape the prison building is go in search of Catwoman - she might have information you need.

You find her in an old museum, tied up and dangling over what looks like a pool of acid. She has been captured by none other than Two-Face (who have never ceased to make me shiver when I see him)who is trying her in his own court for stealing. Catwoman, being her usual self, tries to flirt her way out of it. It's you who has to save her. After battling with Two-Face and his goons, Catwoman exchanges places with her captor and she's free. Sadly, it seems she doesn't know too much, and after the Joker attempts to assassinate her you decide that he's the one to track down and find. Leaving Catwoman, you encounter Harley Quinn next who runs off leaving you with her thugs. You dispose of them, but all the criminals think you're dead - good cover for you. It's then that you pick up the Joker's radio signal and start to follow is across Arkham City to the Sionis Steelworks. After entering the steelworks you start tracking down the Joker, knocking some thugs out on the way. Turns out that the Joker is dying, and the doctor they borrowed to try and cure him has failed in making him any better. As a result they plan to torture and no doubt kill her, so you go and save her - classic superhero stuff. You learn from the doctor that the Joker is dying from toxins on his blood caused by TITAN - an unstable steroid that turns men into monsters. The Joker has basically overdosed himself and there's no way to save him. With this useful information tucked away safely in your mind, you continue to track the Joker down.

That's as far as I've got, took a few hours, but I'm a leisurely gamer. I'll tell you all how I do in the rest of Arkham City as I play.

Let's take a look at how good gameplay, control and storyline are.

Gameplay:

It's a tactical game that involves being stealthy and secretive - something I'm not particularly good at. The Dark Knight has always been known for his ability to camouflage himself in darkness and his epic gadgets - a lot of which are in this game. Unfortunately, I don't have any of these gadgets, when I levelled up I chose more durable armour. should have gone with the gadgets. The only gadgets I currently have are my little throwing weapons, such as the Batrarang, and my grappling hook (which has come in handy numerous times).
There's a lot of useful technology - such as the radio and criminal tracker as well as the detective mode which is used to find evidence and potentially dangerous traps.

When it comes to battle it tends to be a 'beat-em-up' game that involves a lot of hand-to-hand combat. Traditionally, the Bat has never carried firearms and has always relied on his skill as a martial artist. The only problem is that he's pretty weak against guns and other firearms, resulting in a near instant death.

Robin and Catwoman are also playable characters - but you need to either buy and download them from the online store as DLC (e.g. PSN) or buy a copy of the game that includes them. I was supposed to buy the Robin version but ended up with Catwoman.

Controls:

It's all pretty easy to get the hang of. Fighting controls use the typical, Circle, Triangle, Square movements with X serving as the control for running. Combos include pressing two or more of the right hand control pad buttons, sometimes using the L and R buttons located on the back of the controller. All the necessary controls and combinations are quickly accessible which prevents you from stalling and losing HP as a result. The game will also prompt you to use certain controls during battle, so if you forget you've always got the game to lend you a hand.

Storyline:

I am guilty of having never played Arkham Asylum before. It's a game I really need to pick up at some point. Because if this, some say I may not be able to fully appreciate the storyline of Arkhamn City, but I think they're wrong. I was intrigued by the story from the first line spoken. I have found it gripping throughout and there hasn't been one moment so far that hasn't excited me. I am looking forward to my next Batman Arkham City session.

That's what I think of the game so far. For those of you who may have already played, what did you think of the game? Was it better than Arkham Asylum or were you disappointed?

Valhalla

Marvel Heroes

I was going to treat you all to another Skyrim update, but I had to postpone it when I received the latest news on what was formerly known as Marvel Universe Online (MUO). Marvel has to be my favourite in the comic book world, with DC following a close second, and so finding out about these comic book MMORPG's was incredibly exciting. I was left feeling a little disappointed after DCUO, but I'm willing to blame that on the poor quality of my last TV's screen instead of the game - downloading patch notes now to test the game out again. So, I'm expecting good things from Marvel Heroes - I don't want it to be a let down.

The game has no set release date (although I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this year)and it will be released on PC only from what we've been told so far - which I'm pleased with. It will be a free-to-play browser-based game, which is especially nice for those of us who really cannot afford another online subscription, and it will feature the awesome-ness that is Dr. Doom as the main villain. Sounds pretty good so far.

Playable superheroes:

- Iron Man
- Ms. Marvel
- Human Torch
- Storm
- Cyclops
- Hulk
- Spider-man
- Thor
- Wolverine
- Captain America
- Thing
- Squirrel Girl
- Nova
- Cable
- Deadpool

Personally, I'm hoping that this list is going to grow, because there are certain heroes I want to see as playable characters such as Hawkeye, Ant-man, Black Panther...the list goes on.

The question you may be asking is 'how is this going to work', the answer being, we're not entirely sure yet. From what I've been told it will be similar to Marvel Superhero Squad Online (MSSO) - a game I had never played because it's for kids. However, as this one is aimed at an older audience I decided to make an account and play around on the kids version so that I could tell you more about the gameplay to give us all a clearer idea of what the game will be like.

I registered for MSSO under the name Hawkeye12345 (pretty unimaginative, I know) and got to work on testing out the controls. I think my Squad name is Chaotic Punisher as I just went for a random one. Then, the process of waiting for it to load on my browser began. As it's a browser based game, I figured I'd just use my writing laptop rather than pull out my gaming one...it takes a lot longer to load on a low powered laptop.

My first thought when the game was starting up was "I really hope the characters don't look like this in the new game" as the art was incredibly childish - which is good for children, but will hopefully be different in the new game. One thing I was pleased to see was some of the lesser known early Avengers were present on the loading screen. It died on my little laptop before the game could even start so I had to switch to the gaming one - a bit of a pain to be honest.

Re-starting the game, I was taken through the basic controls. If Marvel Heroes is going to work in the same way as MSSO then moving your character across the screen is very simple - simply hold down the left mouse button and slide the mouse in the way you want your character to move. It's a very easy way to move and is something different from the usual WASD or arrow key movement. As with most games, the spacebar is used to jump. To enter buildings or kill things you simply left-click, again making the controls easy to use. Whether or not they'll change this for the older version I'm unsure.

The thing that might make you wonder is the list of available heroes. It's not like DCUO where your character merely has powers that are similar to the chosen hero, no, it would appear that you are collecting heroes. If Marvel Heroes is anything like MSSO then you will be collecting heroes for your team so you can build the most powerful squad. That squad will work to complete missions which will earn you gold, silver or tickets. Gold can be used to purchase more heroes, silver for equipment and tickets on the spinning wheel on which you can win gold, silver or items. It's a fun and simple system. Taking the gameplay and controls in mind, it looks like Marvel's new browser-based game will be simple when it comes to playing allowing for relaxed gameplay. Whether or not they plan to complicate the controls, we don't know yet. However, I reckon it's going to be some light hearted fun. What do you think? Will Marvel Heroes be the next best free browser game or is it going to flop?

Valhalla