The Secret World

Remember my previous posts about World of Warcraft and my related adventures? Well if you do I received a much more recent and less heard of online game called The Secret World. I would call this an ordinary MMO in fact it's so atypical that it almost deserves a genre of it's own. Maybe I'm going to far but I'll let you form your own opinion in the next page or so.

What makes it so different?
A truly crucial question that one must ask them self before purchasing or playing a game. What makes this one stick out? Well here is the answer. The Secret World is set in today's world the only twist is that any urban legend or modern fairy tale is real. Anything from zombies to evil deitys  are present in this wonder of a world, and where there is turmoil there is conflict and where there is conflict there is an opposing force. In this case it is three different organizations that the player can choose from when creating their character. Those factions would be. The Illuminati, The Templar, and The Dragons. Based on who you choose to side with you will find yourself in New York, London, or Seoul, China.

If this isn't different enough there is an obvious horror factor to the game which can make you take this game more seriously. A interesting concept they've used in this game is the choice not to use levels. That's right! everyone is the same level from start to end game. Instead you spend ability points in any weapon classes you like from magic to swords to guns. Then you build what they call a deck of skills and abilities, to make a character that best suits your play style. Also unusual to MMOs there are many research quests in game that require you to search the web for clues and information to solve riddles and puzzles. Luckily the game provides an in game browser, however for personal experience the riddles are extremely hard, and 9 times out of 10 you will need to consult someone who has beaten it to solve it. If your stubborn the satisfaction of solving it yourself is definitely worth it as the puzzles and  riddles are extremely well written and allow the player to immerse them self into the game. Since immersion was brought up you won't find a problem getting into it here. You finding yourself creating a character with an actual first and last name and follow a riveting story line with cut scenes and intriguing dialogue. If that isn't enough the game is gorgeous, and the music is well written. I can only describe this game as believably unbelievable a contradiction in itself, but here you are faced with a modern world sickened by the presence of evil, and darkness.

The fate of the World is in your hands.

If you aren't a fan of the concept of an MMO that actually makes you think this isn't for you. If you want something refreshing and are tired of the typical fantasy genre take this for a spin it won't disappoint.

Halo 4

Halo 4 was a highly anticipated game that came out in november of 2012 I believe. After the previous trilogy this game had extremely big shoes to fill. Creating a game halo fans would like, while bringing something new and unfamiliar to the table, to let the players know it wouldn't be just another halo game.

It indeed was the start of something very new I found myself in awe of the storyline and gameplay. It was just a wonder to play through. Although I played on the highest difficulty from the get go I still had little problem with enjoying the story. A problem I've encountered in previous games is that the harder the difficulty the less you enjoy the story. You tend to get distracted with the frustration of dying once every five minutes or so depending on the mission, and lose sight of the story or objective as a whole. While I may be over-exaggerating how hard the game actually is, it's something to keep in mind when approaching the halo franchise.

What was so refreshing about the story?
Well for starter the covenant are back with a full head of steam, elites that were once allies come back into the fight as your enemy for the first time since halo 2. (Of course halo reach included elites but it is technically a prequel so I will treat it as such.) To make things even more interesting a new form of enemy all together called the forerunners has appeared. While being mentioned many times in the previous games they have never made their appearance until now, and they are a sight to see. The forerunners contain three different types of enemies which can work as a team using different strategies based on how many of which units they have. It provides an enjoyable challenge that requires players to have both skill, and a well thought out plan to take on.

To top it all off bungie who was originally at the head of the halo franchise was bought out by microsoft I believe ( don't quote me on that.) leaving 343 the developing company to fend for themselves. They did just that. A graphic overhaul redoing many of the games guns, vehicles, and even master chief ( the protagonist's) battle suit.

This game has alot of elements of a really good movie in it's cutscenes the beginning of the game was believably life like and a joy to watch. It gave you goosebumps as you anticipated getting to play, while enticed by the story it's throwing you into. I'll link the opening scene at the end of the review.

A final mention to the score of this game. The music is absolutely gorgeous and extremely well composed to suit the specific scenes and invoke appropriate emotions and reactions from the players. While it isn't my favourite soundtrack from the franchise I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it assuming you've played a few of the other games. If your curious my favourite soundtrack was from Halo 3 even if you aren't a gamer check it out, it's more than worth a listen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKanxNE-FT4
Thanks for your time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKanxNE-FT4