Blog posts with the keyword: Games

Microsoft Flight Beta first impressions

By Jon Riggall on 8 February, 2012

Too much input may cause an out-of-control situation!

Microsoft Flight, the latest in the long running simulator series, will be released as a free to play download on February 29. We had an opportunity to play with the closed beta to see what's changed with this iconic game.

If you sign in with a Windows Live account, you get additional content, but from the off there is plenty to do in  Microsoft Flight. Setting off in an exclusive light aircraft, the Icon A5, you will be given a series missions around the island of Hawaii.

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Humble Bundle now on Android

By Christopher Park on 1 February, 2012

Humble Bundle Inc have released another set of games, but this time also for Android and it's a typically excellent selection.

The Humble Bundle is a collection of games where you pay what you want, supporting developers and charities.

This means that you can pay almost anything for the three games that are part of the sale: Osmos, EDGE, and Anomaly Warzone HD are the three games that Humble Bundle is offering.

If you pay more than the average purchase price, you also get World of Goo included, one of the best indie games ever made. Additionally you get the same games on PC, Mac, and Linux as well as the soundtrack to each game.

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Reckless Racing 2 review: the best iOS racing game yet?

By James Thornton on 31 January, 2012

Reckless Racing 2 is released Thursday 2nd February for for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The highly-anticipated sequel to one of the most popular mobile racing games cranks the action up a gear in what is a deeper and more ‘grown up’ experience.

This week we’ve been testing a preview release of Reckless Racing 2, and have loved every second of it. It boasts the same top-down Micro Machines-style gameplay as the original, only with lots more game modes, improved multiplayer and lots of upgradeable items.

Reckless Racing 2 tones down the hillbilly theme of the original, and the presentation is much more polished. In fact, it feels like developer Polarbit has spent a lot of time playing Gran Turismo during development of Reckless Racing 2!

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Star Trek Online goes free-to-play

By Jon Riggall on 17 January, 2012

Boldy going where many MMORPGs have gone before, Star Trek Online goes free-to-play this morning.

On its original release, Cryptic Studios' take on Star Trek had a generally lukewarm reaction. Despite the huge possibilities that the Star Trek universe offers, it felt bland and lacked character. Thankfully since then there have been lots of updates and episodic content to play through.  The Space combat was exactly what fans wanted, but down on planets, Star Trek Online felt like a bit of a grind. I was surprised by this, as Cryptic's super-hero MMORPGs are some of the best in the genre, and great fun to play.

We'll be taking another in-depth look at Star Trek Online later today when the Free to Play version is released - lets hope more fun has been injected into the game, as the camp humor of the series should be able to differentiate it from po-faced Star Wars The Old Republic!

You can sign up for a free Star Trek Online account here. Cryptic Studios' other MMORPGs, City of Heroes Freedom and Champions Online Free for All are still available to play for free, and are highly recommended!

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Call of Duty ELITE for iOS released

By Christopher Park on 10 January, 2012

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is one of the most popular online multiplayer games around. When the game launched, Activision started an online service that aggregates multiplayer data from matches played. Called Call of Duty ELITE, it is now available on iOS with an Android version set to be released in the near future.

As you can see in the screenshot, the iOS version of Call of Duty ELITE features the same information you can get on your browser or console, but rearranged to fit the touchscreen better. Read our Call of Duty ELITE review and download the app here.

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The best Android apps of 2011

By Christopher Park on 27 December, 2011

Android prospered in 2011. Developers are getting smarter by programming apps to work among the variety of devices, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich could unify the operating system in 2012.

Games are no longer sub-standard clones from iOS and productivity apps are excellent additions on Android devices. The landscape for apps is expanding quickly, and 2012 will undoubtedly be another great year of growth.

There are some incredible apps and games that came out this year.  Here is Softonic’s list of the best Android apps in 2011.

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The 10 best mobile games of 2011

By James Thornton on 22 December, 2011

Last week, we revealed our top iOS apps of 2011. Now it’s time to turn our attention to games, as we round-up the best titles of the year for all mobile platforms.

We’ve played so many great mobile games this year that this blog post could have easily been a top 100. Luckily, though, we were able to get the list down to the top ten mobile games of 2011:

10. Tiny Tower (iOS & Android)

Tiny Tower was our favorite of all the freemium, ‘build ‘em up’-style games this year. Your objective is to build a huge tower complete with apartments, shops, offices and more. Tiny Tower’s cute pixel art graphics and laid back elevator music make it a really charming strategy game. What’s more, its Game Center integration allows you to find other ‘Bitizens’ to challenge online.

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Treasure Adventure Game

By Jon Riggall on 22 December, 2011

It's not very well known yet but Treasure Adventure Game might just be the best 2D platform game you've never played. Made by one-man studio Robit Studios, who describe the game as a  'mash-up of Super Mario Bros 2 and Wind Waker', it's a genuinely sweet and really addictive adventure that perfectly replicates the atmosphere of 80s and early 90s gaming.

It's got mystery, simple gameplay that will challenge you, and lots of lovely touches in its 8-bit graphic style. For a free indie title, it is huge. If you enjoyed the now classic Cave Story or DistractionWare's VVVVVV, Treasure Adventure Game should be a no-brainer.

My only criticism of it is that there's no help in the game when you're stuck, but that just shows what a spoiled modern gamer I've become! Of course, if you do get stuck - get on the internet, and you'll find someone who knows the answer! There's a great forum for the game here, where you can find questions and answers about the adventure.

Download Treasure Adventure Game now!

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GTA 3 released for iOS and Android devices

By James Thornton on 15 December, 2011

Grand Theft Auto 3 has been released today for mobile devices, promising  iOS and Android users all the fun, action-packed gameplay of the controversial original game. Its release is designed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original launch.

As you can see from the trailer, GTA 3 for mobile is a very faithful conversion of the original for the small screen. You play as Claude, a career criminal who must work his way up the crime ladder of Liberty City in order to get revenge on his ex-girlfriend who betrayed him during a heist.

Full of great 3D graphics,  fast cars, fun storylines, and brazen violence, Grand Theft Auto 3 is well worth the five bucks it costs from the app store. Find out more by reading our review of GTA 3 for iOS and Android.

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Five great Skyrim mods

By Jon Riggall on 14 December, 2011

Recently I explained how to install mods in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, so you can alter various aspects of what many people are calling the game of 2011. Now, here are five of my favorite mods for Skyrim:

4GB Skyrim

It's a bit boring, but if you have a powerful gaming PC with 64-bit Windows 7, this allows the game to take advantage of the entire 4GB Virtual Memory Address Space. This will reduce instances of slowdown in the game when things get busy. Great! Download here

World Map in full 3D

This mod changes the in game map so you can zoom right in, almost to ground level, easily exploring without having to actually walk around! The file page has instructions for use, with some advice for making some personalizations, like adding clouds. Download here

Realistic Water Textures

I love this - it divides the water in Skyrim into categories: puddles, rivers, oceans. While oceans and rivers are subtly improved, the puddle category really give marshland a more realistic feel. Water in marshes is now much stiller and marsh-like. Download here

No More Blocky Faces

Even though I think 'blocky' is a bit of an exaggeration, this mod does smooth out some features to make faces look more realistic. It's a small thing, but I like the overall effect, and you spend quite a lot of time looking at faces in the game. Download here

Skyrim Sunglare V3

This mod gives the sun a cinematic glare and occasional 'lens flare' effect. No performance improvement, and it's not more realistic. But it's very attractive! Download here

[adapted from OnSoftware Netherlands]

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Get Empire Earth: Gold Edition free!

By Jon Riggall on 13 December, 2011

Good Old Games is offering the popular strategy game Empire Earth free until 10.59 GMT (02-59PST) on December 14.All you have to do is sign up for a free account here, and you can download the game immediately, DRM free.

The game hails from 2001, but still holds up as an engrossing strategy title today, even if it is aging graphically. You have to guide your population through 500,000 years of history, so you can't argue with the scope of Empire Earth - it's huge.

GOG is a site that offers old PC games, made compatible with modern Windows PCs. Its catalog goes right back to Ultima and Zork from the 80s, although it's far from a complete history of PC gaming at the moment.

Which games from the past would you like to see resurrected?

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Angry Birds celebrates 2nd anniversary on iOS

By Christopher Park on 12 December, 2011

Angry Birds has remained on the top of iOS lists since its first release. Each title under the Angry Birds series has added new elements and puzzles.

Recently the original Angry Birds celebrated its second birthday. To celebrate, Rovio are giving fans a gift with the newest Angry Birds 2.0 update:

All episodes unlocked

300 levels now available

New expanding orange bird

News menus and graphics

Special achievements

Read Softonic's reviews and download the games here: Angry Birds and Angry Birds HD.

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Microsoft releases My Xbox LIVE for iOS

By Christopher Park on 8 December, 2011

For Xbox LIVE players, communicating outside the service is usually achieved via email.

Now Microsoft has released My Xbox LIVE, allowing subscribers to perform most of the same functions on their consoles and web browsers on their iOS devices.

My Xbox LIVE gives players the options of viewing their friends and comparing games. The app also includes the ability to edit player profiles and avatars and send messages to LIVE friends.

While the app is simple, it covers most of the major uses for subscribers right now.

Read our review for My Xbox LIVE.

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The best Minecraft tools

By Jon Riggall on 7 December, 2011

Minecraft has spawned a huge community of developers making all kinds of complimentary Minecraft programs. Here is my pick of the best, and most useful Minecraft tools available today:

  • Minecraft Crafting Guide. This is a neat little app, an encyclopedia of crafting. Newcomers to Minecraft will find the concept of crafting difficult, and in 'survival mode', you don't have time to mess around experimenting with recipes! This is a comprehensive guide to how to make everything in the game, from food to weaponry to portals to another dimension!

  • Mineviewer. Has hours of mining not got you the minerals or resources you were looking for? Load your world into this app and you can zoom around, and see exactly where rarer things like diamond are hiding. Then you can mine straight to what you need in Minecraft.
  • MCEdit. Like Mineviewer, this app lets you see and explore your Minecraft world, but also lets you edit it. It's easy to use, and allows you to make some enormous changes in seconds! I made a ball of TNT so big it crashed the game - so be warned!

  • MCPatcher. Minecraft is constantly being updated, but if you find you want to play an older version, MCPatcher makes it easy. It features a library of past versions, and allows you to backup your current games, so you don't have to worry about losing any progress!

What Minecraft applications do you use? Or do you think this is all cheating?

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5 free racing games for PC

By Niamh Lynch on 7 December, 2011

We've noticed some excellent racing games at Softonic recently. Even better, they're free, which is perfect for the holiday season, when your funds my be directed elsewhere. If you're an adrenaline junkie, read on. We're sure you're going to love them!

Coolest, and most innovative, is Extreme Motorbikers, a game that mixes speed with cunning and guts. In this one, not only must you make it around the track ahead of your opponents, but also stop them from using villainous tricks to get what they want. For a free game, the graphics are really rich, and Extreme Motorbikers adds a little something to a tried and tested formula.

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