Video Games

Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker Review

Since the release of Mass Effect 2, players have been clamoring for a real expansion pack instead of the scant offerings such as new weapons and armor. The two new characters, Zaeed and Kasumi hardly took more than an hour to complete their offerings and the recently released “Operation Overlord Pack” looked to be the expansion fans were hoping for, but it turned out to be little more than a very linear and short taste of more action. The Lair of the Shadow Broker expansion makes up for all of that and more.

Cerberus has ascertained (by questionable means, I’m sure) a lead as to the location of the Shadow Broker’s lair and it’s your job to team up with Liara T’soni and help bring down this mysterious force. As you delve further into the 3+ hour expansion, you’ll uncover the secrets of the Shadow Broker. This expansion extends the story arc that is established in the “Mass Effect: Redemption” comic book, in which Liara and a drell named Feron recover Shepard’s  body from the Shadow Broker and turn it over to the Cerberus Corporation. It isn’t necessary to have read the comic for the DLC to be entertaining but it’s a very good companion. If you have followed the story diligently then you will not be disappointed by the way the characters are portrayed in-game.

PC Shooters You Should Play Instead of Halo Reach: Part 3

Halo Reach comes out the day after tomorrow, and we can expect a relentless media blitz about the XBox 360 and its new killer app.  But what about us PC gamers who’d rather shoot bad guys with our high-precision mice instead of a clumsy analog stick?  Each day from now until Tuesday morning when Halo Reach launches, we here at Player Affinity’s PC department are going to suggest a PC exclusive shooter that you can play instead of Halo Reach (Or at least help kill the time while you wait).

PC Shooters You Should Play Instead of Halo Reach: Part 4

Halo Reach comes out tomorrow, and all of my friends who own Xboxes are making plans to pick up their pre-orders tonight at midnight.  Gamers who prefer to play shooters on their PCs will be stuck at home with no new AAA game to occupy their time, but that’s just fine, because Player Affinity’s PC department is offering a daily recommendation of PC shooters to help distract you from those raucous midnight launch parties

Quantum Theory Preview

Quantum Theory is an “Epic” departure from the Dynasty Warriors games that have been Tecmo Koei’s claim to fame for years. No, seriously. This game looks like it was stolen from Epic Games’ designer offices. Instead of a sprawling landscape filled with thousands of feudal soldiers, Quantum Theory is a third-person shooter that has been nicknamed “The Japanese Gears of War” by many who have followed the game’s development and progress. That moniker could turn out to be more accurate than expected if the demo is a good indication of the final product. The game mimics the “roadie run”, the control scheme, the weapon interface, the cover system, the look button and even the soundtrack feels like you’re listening to a Gears tribute band.

Metroid: Other M Review

Given the almost 50/50 emphasis of story vs. action in Other M, it stands to reason that if either the gameplay or storytelling was of a higher level, maybe it could compensate for the flaws in the other. Between the two, the storytelling is the better done, but only because the gameplay–which is from one of the best pedigrees in the medium– is so subpar. Nintendo took a step forward in storytelling, but digressed everywhere else.

Dark Elves Play Football With SWAT Teams and Nerd Porn In These Weekend Sales

While your friends with Xboxes are sleeping on the sidewalk in front of Gamestop in anticipation of the big Halo Reach launch on Tuesday, you can spend the whole weekend at home playing with the mountain of cheap games you can buy in these Weekend Sales.

PC Shooters You Should Play Instead of Halo Reach: Part 2

There are just four days left before Halo Reach comes out, and the internet is ablaze with tantalizing previews and secret accounts of life in the beta test. Your XBox fanboy friends are probably spending the their time trying to unlock every achievement in Halo ODST, but those of us who prefer our shooters on a PC can amuse ourselves with some great titles which never made it to the consoles.   Every day until Halo Reach launches, Player Affinity will feature a different shooter that you can only play on PC.