Here’s our 2023 Christmas buying guide! Below are our favorite gadgets and family appropriate titles we have played throughout the year. More reviews can be found on ChristCenteredGamer.com! Each game is given a gameplay score for the overall gaming experience and a moral score for how suitable it is for younger gamers. The Amazon and Humble Store links will benefit Christ Centered Gamer by giving us a small % of the sale.
Path of Exile was released back in 2013, and over the 10 years of its existence, it has achieved success that probably no other modern diabloid can boast of. This was possible thanks to a truly developed combat system, as well as constant updates - primarily in the form of leagues every three months. In this article, we decided to talk about some of the features of PoE and help a new player choose whether to start playing PoE now or not.
This is a rather important question, and it cannot be answered in a few words. There is no need to pour money into PoE just to play. But to improve the convenience of the game, of course, yes. For example, you are tired of manually placing different types of items into sections of your chest. Easy - you can buy a special tab, for example, for legendary items, fortune-telling cards, currency, and much more. Then everything in the chest will always be clean and in order. Yes, each of these tabs is not cheap, and the developers have made a huge number of them over 10 years - at first you will be confused about what all these essences do, etc. Therefore, first, you need to figure out what you need to buy first and what you don’t need at all. In addition, you can wait for discounts, which often happen in the PoE store.
Another reason to spend money on the game is boosting. In Path of Exile, players often turn to boosting services for various reasons. Firstly, the game's complexity can be overwhelming for newcomers, with intricate mechanics and a vast skill tree to navigate. Boosting services provide these players with a way to catch up and compete with others effectively, buy poe currency, or just complete boring tasks with the help of skilled players. Secondly, the highly competitive nature of the game's leagues and leaderboards motivates players to seek boosting assistance to optimize their character builds and progress faster than their peers.
First in general. Path of Exile is the spiritual successor to Diablo 2, with all that number-crunching and build-building. More precisely, in PoE, all these things were taken to the absolute level. It is enough to look at the leveling tree of the game to understand that there is no time for jokes - either study or die constantly. However, in the first stages, there is a third way - to play with someone else’s builds that have already proven themselves in this particular league. Of course, the barrier to entry into PoE is very high. Yes, the game has a huge internal encyclopedia, where you can read about any aspect - from how skill stones synergize with each other to the principle of damage resistance. But no matter how well the information is presented, at first it will not help you much. The game is terribly overloaded with mechanics, and the only way to understand it all is to devote a lot of your time to it. Both the game itself and viewing numerous materials about it. So the first conclusion is that Path of Exile is going to be here for a very long time. Yes, you can complete 10 acts even with a fairly superficial knowledge of the mechanics, and, by the way, you will also get a lot of pleasure from it. But PoE is still not about the plot, the main thing here is digging into all these stones, builds, and farming cards. But for this, you will have to sit down with textbooks.
Thank you Kiwee for sending us the Pearl White Master Kase Sling Bag to review!
There are many options available when it comes to protective cases for your Nintendo Switch. We have had the pleasure of reviewing multiple styles including the slim ones from tomtoc and PDP’s travel cases for the Switch Lite. Both of these options are pretty basic and don’t give you much room to store more than your AC adapter and some game cartridges. The Slim model doesn’t even let you carry the AC adapter! Kiwee’s Master Kase Sling Bag aims to protect your Switch while giving you plenty of space to carry multiple pro controllers, sixteen cartridges, and some room for your ac adapter. I also had enough space to pack my JoyCon adapters and some ear buds. One of the pictures on the website shows a headset being carrying around, but it must be very compact, as the Turtle Beach Recon 500 I tried packing wouldn’t fit.
If you’ve got an idea for a game, no matter the format, your first issue is finding people who want to play it. If there’s no audience, it’s a game just for you and your friends! And when there’s no fanbase support, there’s going to be little to no financial support.
That’s why it’s crucial to focus on support generating methods at this point in time. If you’ve got an idea, fleshing it out and testing the waters is the next best step. Once you’re into this phase, you can then use the methods listed below to get the funding you require to turn your game development dream into a reality.
Any true movie-lover or music fan will have a profound respect for the work that has come before their time, but not out of a misplaced sense of obligation. They instinctually develop this fondness by virtue of past work being that good in the first place, automatically worthy of remembrance no matter what our own personal views are.
You can show soul classics to even the youngest person and they’ll understand how wonderful these records are. Artists like Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Ray Charles, and famous groups like The Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Jackson Five all have timeless appeal and will for many decades, and hopefully centuries to come.
One of the most well-known and difficult to master multiplayer games now available is League of Legends, which is played in the realm of online competitive gaming. In League of Legends, advancing through the rankings may be a challenging endeavor due to the game's intricate game mechanics and constantly shifting metagame. The practice of boosting in League of Legends comes into play at this point. If you've ever found yourself struggling to progress in the ranks of a video game, using a boosting service for League of Legends might be the answer to realizing your full gaming potential.
Boosting services in League of Legends are provided by veteran players who have a high level of proficiency in the game. Players who are interested in improving their ranks and climbing the competitive ladder may get guidance from these specialists. If you use a League of Legends boosting service, you are effectively hiring a competent player to play on your account. This person will help you win matches, gain awards, and rise through the ranks of the game more quickly than you could on your own.
In League of Legends, advancing through the rankings demands not just time and effort but also a significant amount of talent. Let's face it. Many players are trapped in certain divisions or tiers and are unable to advance for a number of different reasons. This may be frustrating for both the player and the game developer. Boosting in League of Legends is quite helpful in situations like these. By enlisting the assistance of seasoned boosters, you will be able to surmount challenges, break out of demoralizing losing streaks, and make significant headway in your quest to climb the ranking ladder.
It can feel like there are so many titles and genres that any gamer would struggle to get through all of them in a lifetime, or even longer. Still, it’s always worth exploring as many games as possible, but if you’re tired of the typical RPGs or sports titles, you may want to check out roguelite games. These are becoming increasingly popular among both novice and experienced gamers due to how rewarding they are, but why are they so rewarding?
Roguelite games do not demand that you learn decades of lore, pay close attention to every piece of dialogue, or even pick up and search each rock you come across (looking at you, Tears of the Kingdom). Instead, it’s almost a meditative experience. They can feel repetitive, but that means the experience is more familiar because you know what you need to do while still offering enough action to keep you engaged. Since they are not so demanding, it makes it easier to choose a gamer computer as you won’t need to focus on the best specs, either.
These games are also much easier to pick up than other titles or genres. Everything is laid out in front of you, and while there’s still a slight learning curve, you never feel too overwhelmed. Furthermore, you don’t need to dedicate hours to enjoying the game. You can pick it up for ten to fifteen minutes before going to bed and feel satisfied that you’ve had a good, fun session.
Thank you Fan Expo for providing me with a press pass for the event!
Fan Expo is formerly known as Wizard World and has not changed much when it comes to bringing in talented film and voice actors along with renowned comic book artists. You can attend question and answer sessions for free, but autographs, pictures and selfies have hefty fees. This year’s themed movies stars come from Back to the Future (Michael J Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Tom Wilson) and the National Lampoon series (Randy Quaid, Christie Brinkley). Unfortunately, Chevy Chase canceled along with Christina Ricci (Addams Family) and Brent Spiner (Star Trek).
Many voice actors are present from popular anime shows like One Piece (Colleen CLinkenbeard, Christopher Sabat, Luci Christian, Ian Sinclair) , Avatar (Dante Basco), and My Hero Academia (David Matranga, Justin Briner, Clifford Chapin). We have seen Mario’s voice actor, Charles Martinet at multiple Fan Expo/Wizard World events and he’s here as well. Fans had an opportunity to play Mario Kart with him. There are some themed areas for younger audiences, but many areas and artwork shown are intended for adults.
Greetings, fellow adventurers, to the dark and treacherous world of Sanctuary! Diablo IV invites ardent gamers to dive deeper into the abyss, forge formidable heroes, and embark on thrilling quests. This blog will explore the secrets of building promising heroes in Diablo IV. So, it's time to pick your weapons and discover the art of character-building.
But before that, if you are unaware of Diablo IV, this information will set the ground for you.
Diablo IV is the fourth installment action role-playing game in the Diablo franchise that introduces a captivating storyline, intense gameplay, and breathtaking visuals. The game allows players to choose from various character classes, including the mighty Barbarian, the arcane Sorcerer, the sinister Necromancer, the agile Rogue, and the primal Druid. Players seek to conquer demons, unearth powerful artifacts, and face formidable challenges. With its seamless multiplayer experience and a dark, atmospheric setting, Diablo IV promises to be an unforgettable journey of heroism and triumph in the eternal battle of the High Heavens against Burning Hells.
Thank you Scarlett Moon Promotions for sending us this album to review!
I am a long-time fan of The Legend of Zelda, since the NES gold cartridge days, and I did enjoy (and review!) The Breath of the Wild. I also enjoy some hard rock; one of my favorite genres of music is progressive and instrumental rock, like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Dream Theater, and Yes. So, when I was offered the chance to review this album, I instantly jumped at the chance!
In 2017, Ro Panuganti released one of his first game-related albums on Bandcamp, called "The Wild". While I can only guess how popular it was, it did catch the attention of the indie label Materia Collective. Now, with the release of Tears of the Kingdom, he released this spiritual sequel, "Return to the Wild".
Compared to the five tracks on the original 'The Wild' EP, this is a full CD-sized release, with nearly fifty minutes of music. Five of the tracks are remixes of the originals, while the nine others are all new, making this album fourteen tracks. All tracks are hard/progressive rock, and prominently feature excellent guitar playing along with percussion and other accompaniments. Below is a track list with my thoughts as I listened to each one:
Awaken - Nice piano intro with electric guitar and synthesizer melody, heavy drum beats, short start to the album, and sets the tone
Guardian - Strong Guardian theme via guitar plucking, battle notes have strong emphasis, then fades to background as heavier riffs come forward; melodies come and go, always lots of tension and shifting time signatures keeping the listener on edge; some saxophone later; mellow, acoustic ending
Riding Day - Piano to start, with signature tune for the outdoors that strongly points back to the game; calming with violins in the background and occasional guitar riffs; short
Hinox - Higher energy track, with heavy percussion and a strong guitar lead with synthesizers; very tense as battle music should be; also has alternating time signatures; some wood flute mid song before returning to heavy riffs; occasional jungle-like sounds, ends with harmonica and sounds of footprints
Kass - Heavy tones with a clear, strong melody with mostly guitar
Gerudo Town - Jam heavy, with a strong lead melody; lots of guitar and percussion; longer
Tarrey Town - More mellow, starts with piano and ocarina; jazzy presentation with calming lead guitar with ocarina given a prominent place in the melody; some country-ish tunes near the end
Zora - Lower distortion electric guitar with harmonics and prominent piano; relatively calm with a strong melody; mellow and enjoyable song overall with a strong lead guitar presence over piano
Korok Forest - Strong bass lines with a prominent violin, and acoustic guitar; very different presentation than many of the other tracks; very enjoyable for a jazz lover like me; lots of echo effects
Shrine - One of the most recognizable songs on the whole album for players of the game; starts acapella with stereo effects simulating the starting shrine jingle, and moves to low distortion electric guitar; moves into a harder sound, with more guitar distortion
Molduga - Starts with strong percussion, and jams into one of the heaviest songs in the album with strong rhythms and a heavy jam, with a melody driven by less distorted guitars; several time signature changes; this one is very metal
Rito - Begins with distortion and piano, recalling the theme of the area, and much more mellow than the previous song; nice low-distortion guitar with a strong melody; ends with a loud, hawk-like sound
Hyrule Castle - Starts with a bold announcer pronouncing doom; goes into a strong distorted guitar melody with heavy percussion, with some piano backing; later in the song, some great bass lines and harder riffs with the classic Zelda themes
Sheikah Tower - Begins with some echoing piano and guitar; a very atmospheric, mellow ending to the album
I feel like this album is best played in order and enjoyed as an album, as several of the song transitions are clearly meant to be from one to the next. I would say this does mean that it's a bit less ideal in a shuffle format, though you can certainly enjoy the tracks in that way, even if a few end a bit oddly.
Return to the Wild is a jam-packed album that I highly recommend to fans of Zelda music who also enjoy harder rock. I really enjoyed this album a lot; it is one of the best indie game-themed albums I've heard in a while.
Thank you
Antioxidants and focus aminos are present in every serving to promote healthy cell production and to stimulate your brain. Multiple vitamins including C, E, B12 and B6 have also been added without overpowering the flavor.
Caffeine is a major ingredient, and you’ll find 140 mg in each cup you drink. This is double the amount found in other energy drinks. For reference, 8oz of coffee has 96 mg. When I did my unboxing/first impressions video, I consumed a glass at 6:30PM. I’m normally really tired at 9:30PM since I’m up at 5:15AM almost every morning. At 10:30PM I was not tired and was quite alert. I forced myself to go to bed since I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t. Falling asleep took a little more effort than usual but it was not that difficult. Having a purring cat at my side lulled me to sleep.
My sleep quality wasn't great because I was woken up by coyotes at 1:30AM. I won't blame G Fuel for that. My mental clarity was solid and I didn't experience any sided effects like jitters. I'm always busy doing something in regards to pets, farm animals, or bees and I had plenty of energy to spare.
The price is a bit steep at $35.99 for forty servings, but they’re currently running a buy one get one free special which sweetens the deal. If you subscribe to a monthly delivery, you can save an additional 5%. Flat rate shipping will set you behind $8.49. It’s definitely not cheap, but other energy drinks are expensive too. If you’re looking for a fruity low calorie caffeinated drink, G Fuel Rapid Fire has got you covered.
I (Daniel Cullen) recently contacted the maker of RPG Architect, which is currently in Early Access on Steam. Locke, the head developer, was gracious enough to respond to my queries about their game engine, and on top of sending us review keys for the engine, for which we will be providing a complete review, he requested and we were happy to grant an interview to learn more about their engine.
Before we continue, I want to make it clear that, aside from formatting needed to make it appear legible in print and any needed grammatical adjustments, this interview is formatted exactly how I sent the questions and how Locke responded.
1. First, ChristCenteredGamer would like to thank you, Locke, for consenting to this interview. We've reviewed products like RPG Maker, which provides a full suite of options to make turn-based role-playing games, and we are curious about what will make your product stand out by comparison?
Hi Daniel, thank you for reaching out. Y'all will be the first official curators to review RPG Architect!
RPG Architect is going to be massively different than other makers for several reasons. As a RPG Maker veteran, I was frustrated that RPG Maker never really evolved -- it feels like it has been constantly adding features and removing them, never appending them -- and as soon as plugins were added, they relied on the community to "fix" the problems they had. Further, once the latest version or [sic] Maker is released, it never really adds features -- just bug fixes (if you're lucky).
RPG Architect is largely a response to this. You shouldn't have to upgrade an entire edition to get a "new" feature. RPG Architect is planned to be updated for a decade after official release. I'll be obviously sorting out the bugs, but also adding features. Once the core feature set is built, the big ask from the community has been a tactical or simulation RPG battle system -- so that'll be next. After that, it'll be up to the community to decide. My goal is to make RPG Architect the last RPG creation engine you will need (within reason). Since I'm the only developer, I can respond quickly to the community's needs/asks without any red tape. If you look at our reviews and comments in our forums or discord, you'll see that is one of the strengths many have noticed already.
Further, I have no desire to make RPG Architect 2. The goal is to have continual iteration on RPG Architect. If there is desire after a decade and a new engine rewrite is warranted, I might consider it, but only with the blessing of the community.
2. Your product is currently in early access, so some teething pains are inevitable, but your Steam page already advertises it can be used for more than just making RPGs if needed. Ultimately, will this become a more general framework and SDK for game development, or will it still primarily be devoted to role-play gaming?
This is a good question. Most games ultimately have RPG elements in them -- even Mario. Mario collects coins and can "equip" power-ups. The same could be said of action/adventure games as well. Since RPG Architect boasts a fully-fledged physics engine, it's not impossible to make these types of games and track different scores, power-ups, etc. We actually have an internal "Platformer" sample that is in the works (coming soon)!
The better question -- is RPG Architect ideal or suited toward this? I think that will be for the community to ultimately decide. I certainly don't mind adding other features to make other game types possible.
3. You provide native support for Microsoft Windows, and experimental support for macOS and Linux. Will this be supported for Steam Deck or other third-party operating systems?
Actually, we're a bit past experimental support for macOS and Linux -- we have full-fledged support for them. Steam Deck will be supported for published games (as will consoles, and the aforementioned platforms), but I don't know that it will be ideal for an editor. If there's enough interest and compelling arguments for it, I could be agreeable to try it eventually.
The only piece missing for support on Steam and consoles at the moment is controller support -- which the platform supports, but RPG Architect doesn't have implemented/connected just yet. Coming soon!
4. Currently, your engine is generally 2D based with 3D support. What kinds of 3D support do you anticipate providing via your engine ideally?
The physics engine (and everything internal) is all represented in 3D, so the sky will (mostly) be the limit. I plan on supporting 3D models in glTF format. Maps will still ultimately be built from tiles. However, with Doodads and Entities supporting 3D models, you'll be able to build non-blocky houses, cliffsides, trees, and so forth.
I hope we see (at best) some PS3-era style games in the lifetime of RPG Architect.
5. The system requirements for all supported systems are quite modest at present. Do you anticipate this changing over time, or is the intention to keep base requirements geared for more modest requirements as a baseline?
The editor itself doesn't need a whole lot -- and neither does the engine. When you start pumping in larger resources with higher polygon counts, etc, it might change. At the end of the day, though, the engine is highly optimized and the goal is to make something that works with really bad and old hardware.
Fun story -- before I released into Early Access, I actually borrowed a friend's laptop from 2008, which had Windows 8, 2GB of RAM (not even enough to run Windows), and no disk space. My internal 3D test project ran at 40 FPS with lighting turned on (though it did take a while to load). At that moment, I knew that RPG Architect had the potential to be something really accessible and special.
6. We at ChristCenteredGamer understand some stock resources will ship with your current program, and we were wondering what ages they would be most appropriate for? We also would like to know how freely we use and adapt resources from other engines and what general limits this will include for the immediate future.
I think most of the resources are suitable to all ages, minus small, small children. Inherently, RPG's have violence (there is a battle system, after all). However, there are no scantly clad men, women, or monsters, nor do I really anticipate there being any of such.
Adapting resources from other engines is a very nuanced question/problem. Some engines and resources are distributed to be used with a specific ENGINE only (the licensing terms). RPG Architect is similar -- you cannot use our resources in RPG Maker, etc. That said, the format is largely similar to other RPG Maker tilesets/character sets (we do support user-defined frames of animation, as well as 1, 2, 4, and 8 directional sprites). We have an import tool on our website and Steam (under Tools) that will help you import RPG Maker-style tilesets for use with RPG Architect, since the format is a little different.
RPG Architect's volunteer resource makers are all pretty wholesome -- Final Boss Blues (Jason Perry), Jason Martin, and Bit by Bit Sound (Bert). We're always looking for more volunteers!
7. Your Editor uses C# and AvaloniaUI. The Engine uses C# and MonoGame. Is the product going to remain proprietary or will some or all of it it eventually become open-source? If it will become the latter, to what degree?
Some of the verbage I have listed may be old -- the engine actually uses FNA now (it is comparable to a "cousin" or "sibling" of MonoGame, as they both are implementations of Microsoft's XNA). The core engine is abstracted enough to be easily ported (part of the strategy to support consoles, if necessary, though FNA seems to port natively on all of them right now).
I have no desire to let RPG Architect go open source -- except for maybe at the end of its life (see above -- that'll be in the 2030's sometime, perhaps later). It needs to remain closed source and generate revenue in order for it to get the active development it deserves.
In fairness, though, the engine isn't obfuscated whatsoever.
8. Finally, what are the future ambitions you have after this product reaches a mature state? Do you foresee other types of development software you might develop, or is it too early to say?
That will ultimately be up for the community to decide. I'd like to work on RPG Architect full time, but that'll depend on the community's support/investment of it. If it gets community investment comparable to other big-name makers, it wouldn't be hard to make it my full time job. Pie in the sky, for me.
As far as other tools -- it might be something I eventually humor. However, it has to make sense to do such, since the goal of RPG Architect is to make ONE tool that you'll buy and use for years. I don't want users to have to pay someone to port their game to a console -- or pay money for a plugin to fix a shortcoming of the engine -- that seems contrary to what an engine should do. I imagine we'll see little features pop up here and there (or Templates) that will help the engine tackle a different genre of game.
One idea I've humored with some of the resource makers -- I may eventually release a DLC for a Character Maker/Tool (this would need the blessing of the community) to basically fund resource development to the artist volunteers I have. The revenue for that would basically continually flow to the resource makers to push content out, not too dissimilar to what Final Boss Blues does with his Patreon account -- but you would buy-in once. As people do that over the months and years, it will pay for resource development.
The financial goal/strategy for RPG Architect and its sub-products will ultimately be volume. If we can get enough support to do things, then that will fund other endeavors, features, and upgrades. Kind of like the world's longest Kickstarter, but hopefully without the stigma of missed deliveries (and awful pitches).
However, this all requires me to repeat this again -- it HAS to be supported by the community. If there is no community, there will be no volume of sales -- and there will be no good input/ideas on how to grow the engine.
Ultimately, having a connected, involved, passionate community is paramount to RPG Architect's success.
Thank you Scarlet Moon for sending us this digital album to review!
Mario Mixtape by Mustin Enterprises is a father and son collaboration that only took 88 days to make. They reached their goal of releasing this album before The Super Mario Bros Movie. This is my first time hearing Mustin’s work, and I must say that I’m impressed. Though I’ve only played the NES and SNES Mario games, I’ve heard my husband and son play the others, so I’m familiar with the rest.
In total, there are twelve tracks that’ll keep you entertained for close to half an hour. Here’s a breakdown of the tracks:
New Super Mario Bros. - Ground BGM 02:17
Super Mario Sunshine - Delfino Plaza 02:22
Super Mario Galaxy - Attack of the Airships 02:43
Super Mario World - Game Over 02:18
Super Smash Bros. Melee - All-Star Rest Area 02:29
Super Mario Bros. - Underground BGM 02:32
Super Mario 64 - Piranha Plant's Lullaby 02:27
Dr. Mario - Dire, Dire Docs 01:19
Super Smash Bros. Melee - Menu 01:56
Super Mario Galaxy - To the Gate 02:58
Super Mario Bros. 3 - Athletic Theme 02:05
Super Mario 64 - Dire, Dire Docks 02:51
As you can see, there’s a good representation of the various Mario games here. Even though the Attack of the Airships is from Super Mario Galaxy, I picked up on the Super Mario Bros. 3 Airship song similarities. That’s not the only mashup. I enjoyed the Dr. Mario and Dire, Dire Docs mix too.
Most of the songs like All Star Arena, Piranha Plant’s Lullaby, and Underground BGM are smooth and easy listening while To the Gate and the Super Mario Bros. 3 Athletic Theme have a more electronic feel to them. Delfino Plaza has an upbeat ska vibe.
Overall, I enjoyed the whole album and don’t have any particular favorites or disliked songs. If you enjoy relaxing Mario-themed music, Mario Mixtape is worth checking out. You can give it a listen on BandCamp and buy the digital album's FLAC or MP3 files for $9.99. The tracks can be purchased individually for $.99 apiece. The physical version of the CD will be available on April 20th. I look forward to more father and son collaborations!
Thank you Scarlet Moon for sending us this album!
Deltarune, in my opinion, has one of the best soundtracks of the indie game genre, and due to this, people love making their own versions of the songs in it. A wonderful example of this being done is an album called Piano Diaries: Deltarune Chapter 1 by David Russell and Laura Platt. It contains 40 pieces that show the arrangers’ views on what they would do to the soundtrack in a more classical style. All of the songs are played on a piano without any percussion, but sometimes effects are added and may change the instrument in some way.
Each song is unique and has its own separate mood, while staying fairly faithful to the original material. One of my favorites is their version of Rude Buster, as it keeps the chaotic vibe but interprets the song in a way that I really like in terms of the key, the way it completely changes the mood in some parts, and the great control of the volume. Another thing that I believe is really great is that even though a lot of the songs in the original Deltarune soundtrack rely heavily on percussion, the renditions in this album make up for that really well by messing with the tempo or volume of the already amazing piano playing. The arrangers also made something beautiful about the only song in the soundtrack with lyrics, Don’t Forget, by turning it into a slow, flowing piece that’s pretty much guaranteed to calm your mind.
Although this album is great and I think the artists behind it did a very good job, there are a few songs that I feel are unnecessary due to how short they are or how they aren’t worth putting in so much work to transcribe. Some examples of this are their covers of Weird Birds, I’m Very Bad, Fanfare, and a few others.
Other than some small things, Piano Diaries: Deltarune Chapter 1 is completely worth listening to, especially if you enjoyed Deltarune’s soundtrack or if you like solo piano pieces. There are songs in here for any mood, and consist of various genres played in various styles which I think you’ll enjoy.
Piano Diaries: Deltarune Chapter 1 is Available on Amazon for $8.99
(Amazon Affiliate link)
Note: Due to the fact the PC open beta of Gundam Battle Operations 2 had some features restricted, this article will not cover all aspects, it will merely cover what was available during my experiences with the open beta period.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operations 2 is the second iteration of the MMORPG-styled third-person shooter set in the Universal Century franchise of the Gundam universe. Despite being a longtime fixture on consoles, it was oddly not playable on the PC platform. A failed launch of the open beta for the PC port on Steam further did not herald good fortune for those who wanted to play versus others on their computers in 2022. Thankfully, the second attempt at an open beta on January 16th, 2023 went better after an initial issue with logins, and most of the game, albeit in restricted form, was available for play.
The story is by necessity somewhat vague. You are a new member of a mercenary corporation that can pilot practically any unit in the UC Gundam canon, and aside from definitely being set after the original Gundam and its One-Year War, it's not exactly clear when it takes place otherwise. Further, units from both the Earth Federation and Zeon factions are available for piloting, which was certainly not unusual for both sides, especially later in the Universal Century. The exact reasons you are fighting are mostly an excuse to have giant player-versus-player battles where shooting down mobile suits, and their pilots, and destroying their base camps and sources of resupply will be your bread and butter. Combat will take place both in terrestrial (land) and space environments, much as it did in the Gundam TV series, manga, movies, and so on.
For PC players, it uses a Free-To-Play model, as the game itself can be downloaded for free from Steam provided they meet the system requirements. It uses a "gacha" model for providing enhancements to units and pilots. Gacha machines in real life are a form of Japanese capsule toy machine that can grant rewards randomly for payment of real-world currency, resulting in a chance to earn certain rare capsule toys and other prizes. In-game, both in-game currency earned through various events and real-world money can be spent for similar reasons to acquire new mobile suits, equipment, pilot outfit upgrades, and various other enhancements. While the game is perfectly accessible to newcomers and those who do not wish to spend real-world money, it is much easier to acquire certain high-end prizes for payment.
The game itself starts in the mercenary camp of your employer, which serves as the main player hub. Here is where players can start matches, upgrade units, do training missions for various game mechanics, join clans (not available during the beta period), and otherwise rest in between sessions of online combat. There are options for both auto-saving and manual saving of progress during this part of the game, allowing the player to resume progress at any time in case they shut the game down at any point or if they suffer a sudden loss in internet connection.
The combat modes are where the game gets a bit complex. There is a "rock-paper-scissors" style balance for mobile suits, revolving around General, Raid, and Support Machines. Each type is strong and weak against one of the other types, so proper knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of your equipment and the units piloted by others will be essential. Mobile suits can be further customized for different load-outs and mission profiles for different styles of play as well. Pilots may also dismount their machines or be forced to do so by the destruction of their current mobile suit. In this mode, they must either commandeer another unit or perform certain actions only accessible on foot, such as setting bombs on enemy base camps or calling in fire support.
Player versus player can get VERY chaotic as a rule. While some players wind up serving one side, some will fall on the other, and the goal is to score the most points before the timer for the mission sortie runs out. The overall goal is to make the player less a one-man army and more emphasize they are just one more soldier on the battlefield, so careful play with allies serving to support one another and prudence in taking on enemies lest the player be overwhelmed is strongly encouraged. While players and suits will respawn after a time, it's best to avoid blindly charging at enemy lines and preserve one's own combat health as much as possible. Respawn points can also be seized by enemies or attacked while the player is calling in another suit or fire support, further making this a game where wits are required to survive matches with the least casualties.
On a graphical level, this title derives heavily from the franchise models and designs for mobile suits and areas but renders it all in a fairly gritty, realistic style to fit the wartime aesthetic. Mobile suits are typically rendered as lumbering war machines vulnerable to the laws of physics to further hammer home these are pilotable machines with great power that requires great skill to handle effectively. The terrain and backdrops are generally gritty and slightly bleak looking to capture the wartime feel of the franchise, though even on higher graphical settings look a bit under-detailed at times.
The sound and music all crib heavily from the licensed series that comprise the franchise and for the most part are 1:1 accurate to their sources. There is full voice acting for several languages, all of which is clear and distinct, though players generally are restricted to certain limited dialogue selectable from lists for commenting towards another during play. Most of the voice acting is heard in the player hub from the NPC characters who handle various services and explain various game mechanics.
The controls are accessible via either keyboard and mouse or any Steam-compatible controller, there is full support for both. I found the keyboard and mouse to be just as well implemented as the controller for accessibility, but it is heavily advised to play the tutorials to get used to the mechanics before doing anything else. There is also the option to remap controls to player preference in case certain controls feel counterintuitive.
Stability is, given this is the first open beta to let people actually get as far as the lobby and beyond and still function, uneven. Despite having a PC that easily cleared the recommended requirements for high-end play, I had to turn down some graphics settings to maintain a reasonable framerate. Connections remain stable most of the time, though I had some server timeouts on occasion. Saving periods between certain events also can take a bit long to complete as well. This should hopefully improve as the official launch implements lessons learned from the open beta period.
Certain features were not available, either partially or fully, during the open beta period. Clan creation and joining clans of other players was not available, and while crossplay between PC and the console versions has been highly desired, there was no crossplay ability at this time, due to the fact the open beta for the PC version was a limited access event to PC only to evaluate technical issues and server load balancing.
This open beta event left me hopeful this will become just as popular and develop just as dedicated a player fanbase as the console versions when it launches officially. Regardless, it will still need a fair amount of technical polish if it wants to do this when it launches officially.
Playing video games with your kids is an effective way to spend time with them, but it can also be a great way to teach them about life. It is important to set limits on how much time you allow your child to play these types of games and encourage them to think creatively. In general, it can be a fun and rewarding experience getting to play video games with your kid, especially if you’re an avid gamer. But how can you keep them safe online and teach them good habits while having fun simultaneously? Keep reading on to find out!
Although video games are often a great activity to engage in, parents still need to take measures to ensure that their kids are kept from unsavory characters and content online. Even if you’re next to them, playing with them, make sure to pick certain video games where they won’t be so likely to encounter anything inappropriate. You could even look into a Minecraft SMP server to see if one is good for your child. You can’t control how others act, but it’s on you to protect what your kid is exposed to. Some websites have been designed entirely around this, and that’s the nature of many particular games, too. For example, teaching them the rules of a card game like patience through a well-developed site can be a great shared experience.
Video games offer a unique way to encourage problem-solving skills in children. Some of the most popular video games, such as "The Legend of Zelda," require players to solve puzzles. In addition to the puzzles, these games also teach perseverance, communication, and planning. As with real life, children need to be flexible in order to overcome obstacles.
This may mean taking a different route, relying on a team, or trying a new strategy. Since video games have these perks, why not utilize them yourself? If you play video games with your kid, why not let them do the strategizing and do the puzzles? It’s a great way for them to learn and be encouraged to work on problem-solving skills.
The online games industry is widely developed around the world, and many developers add casino elements to their projects - various game rewards that can be earned to a greater extent from luck and investment.
Such projects have a rapid outflow of players if the situation is set strictly for pumping money, but subject to a compromise on the principle - today you lose, but tomorrow you win - they are wildly popular, including due to excitement and risk.
Popular games with casino elements
Thank you tomtoc for sending us two review samples!
I like to protect my gaming gear and I’ve been using tomtoc’s Urban Sling Bag despite it not being designed specifically for the Switch. Not only is the Urban Sling Bag spacious, it’s quite sturdy as well.
The tomtoc Slim Switch Carrying Case is indeed slim. If you’re hoping to have room for ear buds, USB cables and charger, you’ll want to look elsewhere. This case will only hold your original or OLED Switch and ten of your favorite game cartridges.
There are many color options available, including some neat gradient offerings. There are thirteen different options on the Amazon page, including solid colors and camouflage. I would think twice about bringing a camouflage carrying case on a hiking or camping trip! We were sent the Cherry Blossom and Sky Blue models to review. Both of these models have nice gradient color transitions.
tomtoc is known for their military-grade protection and these carrying cases live up to those standards with their water-repellent EVA hard material. Their store page states that Switches in these cases survived military-standard drop tests. I’ll take their word for it.
Not only does tomtoc offer a 12-month warranty, they also have a 30-day money back guarantee. They want you to be happy with your purchase and to take comfort in knowing that you have your product covered.
Along with a Switch case, I highly recommend applying a screen protector (sold separately). The $29.99 asking price is a bit steep compared to other cases available, but there’s a 10% off coupon available on Amazon at the time of this review.
(Amazon Affiliate Link)
League of Legends is an online game played by millions of players. This is a battle game that was inspired by Defense of the Ancients. Creators want to make a stand-alone game and did so in 2009. This game is a multi-player game that is also an action role-playing game.
There are many websites that give you information about League of Legends. There are also websites that you can check your accounts worth to see how much you have in your game. You can do some research and find out all you need to know about League of Legends.
This article will share some cool statistics about your League account. There may be some things that even you did not know about. Read on to get some interesting information about League of Legends.
Cool Stuff
Here’s our 2022 Christmas buying guide! Below are our favorite gadgets and family appropriate titles we have played throughout the year. More reviews can be found on ChristCenteredGamer.com! Each game is given a gameplay score for the overall gaming experience and a moral score for how suitable it is for younger gamers. The Amazon and Humble Store links will benefit Christ Centered Gamer by giving us a small % of the sale.
"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while
...Please consider supporting our efforts. Since we're a 501 C3 Non-Profit organization, your donations are tax deductible.
We have 22792 guests and 2 members online
