Tag: reviews

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

The Gamer in me GL-6 Until Dawn

Until Dawn

If you are a Playstation Plus member, and haven’t played Until Dawn before you need to download it now.  This is one of the few games that I had no reservations about preordering.  I absolutely love choice and consequence style games.  Heavy Rain is still one of my favourite PS3 games.  Until Dawn takes the Heavy Rain system, and improves on it in every way.

Until Dawn puts you in charge of deciding the fate of a number of interesting characters.  In classic 80s slasher movie style.  The characters find themselves in an old house in the woods being pursued by some unknown evil.  It’s your job to get them through a night filled with incredible danger.  Each character is well represented, and their personalities are quickly identifiable.  How each character is connected to one another plays an important role in the development of the story as well.  While playing the game, you will begin to develop favourite characters quickly.  This is one of the more interesting aspects of the game.  As potentially sacrificing one character to insure the safety of another can become an option.  Do you sacrifice a physically strong character you have grown to hate?  Just to save another character you like, but freezes up at the first sign of trouble?  These are questions you will ask yourself during the course of a game.

The graphics for Until Dawn are excellent.  It makes watching the game just as much fun as playing it.  Actually one of my favourite ways to play this game is with three other friends.  Each of us pick two of the eight characters to play.  We have a mini draft and pick characters one by one.  Whichever character is in control of the situation.  That determines which Player gets the remote at that time.  You’ll learn a lot about your friends over the course of a game of Until Dawn if you play it that way.  If there’s ever a Zombie apocalypse.  I know which friends of mine I wouldn’t want to be trapped with.  You might be surprised how many of your friends wouldn’t take the smallest risk to save both of you.  They’d rather sacrifice you to guarantee their own safety.

Once I completed my first play through.  Everyone and their dog was asking me the same question.  Is it scary?  This game is based on classic horror films after all.  Until Dawn does have it’s moments.  It depends on the individual of course, but I’m sure it will catch everyone off guard a few times.  Play it at night with the lights off, and the volume up to get the most out of it.  I’ve seen people watch me play Until Dawn while clutching a blanket.  Just in case they needed to cover their eyes at a particularly suspenseful moment.

Another appealing aspect of the game that I wasn’t expecting, is the mystery surrounding what occurs.  If you are like me you will find yourself trying to figure things out all the way through the game.  I expected a straight up Jason Voorhees slasher style game, but it was so much more than that.  Real attention was given to the development of the story, and motivation of it’s antagonist.

Obviously I absolutely love this game, but like the majority of choice and consequence games it suffers from the same pitfalls.  The most obvious of which is replay value.  Once you’ve completed Until Dawn once.  The appeal of the game is significantly diminished.  The unexpected moments, and sudden scares are gone.  The mystery behind the story, and it’s antagonist is already known.  The only motivation you will have is to finish the game without allowing any character to die.  Alternatively you could also play it to see how quickly you can get them all killed as well.  😈

That being said, replay value isn’t as much of an issue when you can download the game for Free! I paid full pop, and I wasn’t disappointed.  I promise you, if you set aside a day to play Until Dawn with a few friends.  You won’t be disappointed.

Categories
GOLF Uncategorized

Dentonia course review Starting From Scratch SS-9

The most enjoyable two hours of Golf you can play in Toronto.

Dentonia Golf course

There isn’t a more accessible Golf course by TTC than Dentonia.  Step out of the Victoria Park subway station, and there it is.  It is actually right next door.  The two properties actually share a fence it’s that close..

Although it’s a short course.  It’s only 2100 yards long from the back Tees.  The 18 Par 3s that make up the course provide more than enough of a challenge.  Well positioned Bunkers, trees that can impede your flight path, elevation changes, and Greens with a lot of break make going low through 18 Holes a real test.  I’m such a glutton for punishment that I try to play Dentonia once per week.  I play this course so often that I figured that it was about time I did a hole by hole review of it.

Something I would strongly suggest that you have to carry your clubs around with you on a short course like Dentonia is a Sunday bag.  They are light, have enough space for the few clubs you will need.  Make sure you purchase one with a few additional utility pockets, and a shoulder strap.  I also find them great for the Range.  I usually only bring a few clubs with me that I’m interested in working on.  Here’s a great example available on Amazon that qualifies for Free shipping as of the publishing of this post.

HOLE 1

Your first hole at Dentonia sets the tone for what is to come.  Depending on the Tee, and Pin placement this hole plays at around 110 yards.  The course played a little shorter today because the Grounds Crew were making repairs to a number of the Tee boxes.

Looking at the approach to the Green you’ll notice that it’s downhill from the Tee box with a deep gully between you, and the Green.  The Green sits in a bit of a bowl with the high sides along the right side, and back.  A bunker sits back left of the Green in case a Lefty like me misjudges the distance, and slices it.

HOLE 2

After what may have been a difficult first hole.  Especially if you hit it long into the back hill behind the Green.  The first Green slopes downward from back to front.  Chipping from behind the Green is a very tricky affair.

The second hole looks like an easy task at first glance.  Take a closer look, and you will realize that missing the Green is not an option.  Today the hole played 95 yards to the flag.  Miss left and there’s a bunker waiting.  Miss right and there’s a slope that’s steep enough to leave your ball under a grouping of trees.  Miss it long, and you could find yourself in serious trouble.  Brutal rough, and Trees can leave you with an impossible second shot.  Do yourself a favour.  Land it short, or better yet, get yourself a Green in Regulation.

HOLE 3

Looking at the Green from the Tee box on the third hole.  The first thing that you will notice is that the third Green is cut into the side of a hill.  Everything slopes downward from the left side to the right.  Today it was playing 90 yards long slightly down from an elevated Tee.  In other words it was begging me to hit my 52 degree Wedge.  Missing left, which is my usual miss isn’t so bad here.  A good kick off the hill will land you on the Green.  Don’t miss right though.  Two bunkers, and of course the hill that slopes away from the Green.  These hazards can turn a Par 3 into a triple bogey right quick.

HOLE 4

Looks a little bit like the previous hole doesn’t it?  Today this hole played 100 yards long.  So it was a little longer than the previous hole.  There are a few major differences though.  The first, and most significant difference is if you miss the Green left, or long.  Unlike the previous hole where hitting it left, or long could earn you a lucky bounce on to the Green.  Hitting it left, or long here can result in a lost ball.  Your only safe miss is to the right.

HOLE 5

The fifth hole is another one of the holes at Dentonia that rewards you for taking precise aim.  Today it was playing at 115 yards long.  Looking at the photo the hazards are obvious.  Bunkers protect both the left, and right side.  Trees can be an issue for people who like to shape their shots.  Short right has a waste area that’s brutal to hit from.  The only safe miss is long because the Green has a backstop of sorts.

HOLE 6

Similar in appearance to the first hole only longer with way more danger.  The sixth hole was playing at 140 yards long today.  There is a real danger of losing your ball on this hole.  The stream cuts across your approach at an angle ready to gobble up any errant Tee shot.  Carry the stream but come in left of the Green, and you can lose your ball in the woods as well.  The only safe miss is to the right.  You will leave yourself with a very easy chip up to the Green.

HOLE 7

There are a few holes at Dentonia that require you to hit off mats.  Hole 7 is the first of these.  Today the hole was playing 98 yards uphill from the back mat.  Obviously if you come up short with your Tee shot.  You will end up at the bottom of a steep hill.  Hit your Tee shot left.  There’s a very good chance that it can end up rolling down the cart path, and settling at the bottom of the hill.  Miss hit your Tee shot right, and well good luck finding it.  Hit it a little long, and there’s a good chance that it will kick back on to the Green.

HOLE 8

There’s that threatening gully between you, and the Green again.  Playing 96 yards to the Flag.  I was happy when my Tee shot flew long, and came to rest at the top of the hill behind the Green.  Hitting it short leaves you in a world of trouble.  Bunker on the left, bunker on the right, and of course the gully in front dares you to play it to the front of the Green.  Better to club up than down on this hole.

HOLE 9

There is trouble all around.  That about sums up the ninth hole in five words.  You’ve got bunkers protecting both sides, trees all across the back, and a large tree that blocks out a portion of the left side of the Green.  Then of course there’s another gully across the front.  Today it was playing 115 yards to the flag.  I really hope that’s a good distance for you.

HOLE 10

This has been, and hopefully always will be an easy hole for me.  Today was an unfortunate exception.  Playing at 100 yards even today.  The tenth hole has a bunker on each side of the Green.  The bunker on the right is set far enough back for me to use my Pitching Wedge safely.  I aim a little right of centre so I either catch the Green or land just off it before the bunker.  Today I missed the Green and landed short of the bunker as usual.  Only this time I landed in a particularly deep hole in the rough.  Took me two chips to reach the Green.  Two Putts later and I’m marking a double Bogey on my scorecard.

HOLE 11

One of the most picturesque, and intimidating holes on the course.  It plays 185 yards to the Pin.  It’s severely downhill though, so all you need to reach the Green is your 150 yard club.  Running along the left side from Tee to Green is Woods.  If you miss left you’ll be hitting another ball for your next shot.  Hit it too far right, and you could end up in the stream I mentioned on Hole 6.  You can come up short safely, which has happened to me many times.  A truly well struck ball from the 11th Tee is something to behold though.  So I say go for it.

HOLE 12

Playing at only 85 yards today.  The 12th hole lets you relax after that crazy Tee shot on the 11th.  There’s still a lot of trouble to avoid.  You still have the Woods that run from Tee to Green along the left side.  There’s a bunker protecting the right.  Hit it long here, and you are probably down another ball.  Honestly though, after playing the 11th hole.  The 12th hole just seems easy.  That’s how it felt for me today.  I hit my Tee shot, and earned myself a Green in Regulation.  Stepped up, and sunk my Putt for Birdie.  Just goes to show you how much of this game is played in the mind.  Confidence will always generate results.

HOLE 13

This hole looks a lot worse than it actually is.  Sure it’s 130 yards long.  The Green appears tiny because it’s framed by trees in the foreground.  Actually once you are past those trees the area opens up.  You can actually miss safely to the left, or right.  You can even go a bit long left, or right as well.  The only real danger is the stream in front, and Woods far back.

HOLE 14

This is by far the easiest hole on the course.  Today it was playing at 95 yards to the flag.  The only real danger is completely duffing your Tee shot into the stream in front of you.  The Green does have a fair amount of slope though so I’ve yet to Birdie it.

HOLE 15

The other easy hole on the course.  Not as easy as the previous hole because you can lose your ball long, and misses right tend to roll down towards the trees.  Today it was playing much shorter than usual at 85 yards.  Definitely a hole you should be looking to Birdie.

HOLE 16

Another hole that at first glance looks dangerous.  It isn’t as bad as it seems.  The trees along the left appear to block out the Green but once you are past them it opens up.  The smart play here is to avoid potentially getting caught up in the branches on the left.  Aim a little right where the mound just in front of the Green can provide a great kick on to the Green.  Today it was playing at around 120 yards long.  As long as you don’t hit it too far left you should leave yourself a decent second shot.

HOLE 17

Playing at 95 yards to the Pin today.  The 17th hole is deceptively tricky.  Part of this has to do with the yardage for me.  It’s a bit too long for my 52 degree Wedge, but just a touch too short for my Pitching Wedge.  With a bunker on the right, and trees along the back and left side.  You might be tempted to aim for the front of the Green.  Unfortunately it has a bit of a false front.  The 17th Green is quite the complicated puzzle.

HOLE 18

The final hole on the course has been for me the most challenging.  This hole is my nemesis.  It’s a very rare occasion that I earn myself a Par on the 18th.  There are bunkers in the front, and back.  I’ve never landed a Tee shot in either one, so that’s not the problem.  There are Woods along the left, and that’s my usual miss.  Truth be told, I’ve never put it in the Woods here.  So that’s not the issue either.  The real issue is the Green.  Unless I stick it close directly uphill, or downhill of the hole.  The amount of slope on the 18th Green practically guarantees I three Putt.  Your ability to read Greens will definitely be tested at Dentonia.

CONCLUSION

Depending on how busy it is, and how many people you play with?  A Round of Golf at Dentonia should take between 2 to 3 hours.  My friend Carlisle, and I have finished a Round in 110 minutes.  Today’s Round took 2 hours and 15 minutes.  If you are interested in playing a quick Round of Golf in Toronto.  Dentonia is the perfect course for you.  It’s never too busy during the week, and at $27 for 18 holes.  It’s easily the most affordable Round of Golf that you can play in the GTA.

 

Categories
GAMING

The Gamer in me GL-5

A Board game review by Cobe

Lets begin with one of my favourites

The internet is chock full of reviews from many different sources of newer games.  So I’m going to begin with one of my absolute favourites.  This game has been around for many years, but still remains as the board game I play most often.  The game was designed by Richard Garfield of Magic the Gathering fame.  It was originally released in 1994 by Wizards of the Coast.  It was subsequently rereleased in 2005 after Hasbro acquired Wizards of the Coast, under the Avalon Hill label.  Like all things Richard Garfield, there is a fair amount of calculation that went into the creation of this game.  If you don’t know what it is by now.  Chances are good that you’ve never played it.  If that’s the case, then I’m about to open your eyes to something truly special.

The name of the game is Roborally.  A game that requires a little bit of luck, a very adaptive Strategy, the ability to quickly plan ahead, and the right amount of ruthlessness in order to win.

The blurb on the box reads

As one of several supercomputers in a fully automated widget factory, you have it made.  You are brilliant.  You are powerful.  You are sophisticated. You are BORED.  So enjoy a little fun at the factories expense!  With the other computers, you program factory robots and pit them against each other in frantic, destructive races across the factory floors.  Be the first to touch the flags, in order, and you win it all: the honor, the glory, the grudging respect of the other computers. But first you have to get your robot past obstacles like gaping pits, industrial lasers, moving conveyor belts and, of course, all the other robots!

Personally I find it a little more fun to imagine myself as the Robot.  In a race across the factory trying to reach that final checkpoint to escape.  Most everyone I’ve introduced this game to has preferred to see it the same way.  It starts with the Robot character pieces.  They resemble something right out of a Pixar film.  The character Game cards don’t make it any easier.  A lot of work went into making all of them appealing.

The Robots

As previously stated the point of the game is to maneuver your Robot through the Factory.  Whichever Robot reaches all of the checkpoints first wins.  Alternatively you can also win by being the last Robot standing.  I have both won, and lost that way also.  There are a number of Game boards, and checkpoints included with the game.  How many of each you choose to use is entirely up to the Players.  This guarantees that no two games of Roborally are the same.  It also allows you to control the length, and difficulty of the game to a certain extent.  Very few games have that degree of flexibility, while maintaining a replayability equal to any other game.  If you enjoy your first game of Roborally.  You’ll enjoy it each, and every time you play it always.

Maneuvering your Robot around the Factory floor isn’t as easy as rolling dice.  It is limited by the placement of program cards. Each card is set up by you at the very beginning of a turn. Then each card is revealed one by one, and it’s instructions are followed.  These program cards are what really contribute to the chaos, and strategy of the game.

Zoom Bot is ready to roll
Forward 1, and slide 1 down with the Conveyor belt
Move 3 ahead
A quick left turn
3 more spaces forward, but the wall stops him at two!
One last right turn, and Zoom Bot is only 3 spaces from the checkpoint.

Anticipating what your opponents will do when your Robots are in close proximity to each other is key to winning at Roborally.  Knowing when to run, stay put, or go on the offensive can be the difference.  Robots can also earn upgrades during the course of a game.  Taking full advantage of these upgrades can significantly change the way you play.  Not only do they enhance your Robot.  In some cases they can strike enough fear in your opponents that a path to victory opens up.

Power Ups

Lastly the Factory itself can be used to gain an advantage.  Hazards can become helpful if used correctly.  You can push an opponent’s Robot into Factory lasers.  You can guide your Robot on to Conveyor Belts that carry it toward the checkpoint.  There are ways to take advantage of every space on the board if you think quick enough.

All in all Roborally is a game I would encourage everyone to play.  Even if you aren’t a fan of Board games.  Roborally has a comedic quality that makes it fun for everyone.  If you are a fan of Strategy games that reward you for out thinking your opponents?  Then you will absolutely love Roborally.

A quick reminder for any new visitors to my blog.  Be sure to click on over to my VIP Subscription section in the menu.  For a limited time Subscriptions are free!  Monthly contests will begin at the end of summer.  All VIP members will be automatically entered.  You will be given notice of all upcoming contests, or events by email.  You will also receive a new post update each Friday.  Membership does indeed have it’s privileges my friends.

Categories
GAMING

The Gamer in me GL-4 Video game releases

The benefits of being patient.

New console video games are released every month.  I used to purchase at least one of those new releases each month.  I’d read every preview, watch every trailer, and gather every snippet of news that was released about every game of interest.  Then when release day came I’d be first in line to pick up my copy.  There are two problems that come with buying new games the second they are released every month.

The first problem is not having enough time to finish some of the longer open world games.  Before you are even halfway done.  A new game is released that you can’t wait to try.  Then the game you were currently playing gets put on the back burner.  By the time you get back to playing it.  You might have already forgotten key elements of the game.  You could be totally lost of where you are in the story, or confused about the game controls.  In some cases it’s easier to just start over.  Then before you know it.  Another game you’ve been anticipating comes out.

And so on…and so on…

The second issue with purchasing too many games at release, I touched on in a previous post.  Quite a few of the games released each year are total crap.   The majority of them are actually.   I’ve learned to be very wary of glowing previews.  You know who gets to preview a game?  Someone who’s written glowing reviews, or previews for games released by that Developer before.  Try writing a review about how you think a particular Game is garbage.  Then send that Developer a request to preview their next game.  Good luck with that buddy.  If I represented that Developer I wouldn’t send you a preview copy either.    You need to be skeptical of early test versions of games being demoed at E3 also.  Half of the time these demos are being presented on state of the art gaming computers.  The image quality, and frame rate could far exceed the capability of your consoles.

Your best strategy to insure that the majority of games you purchase don’t totally suck.  Is to wait at least one week after it’s been released.  Then read the reviews posted by actual players.  Are there any server issues?  You’ll find out in the reviews.  Is the game plagued by glitches?  You’ll find out in the reviews.  Does it suffer from frame rate problems?  You’ll find out in the reviews.  Does the game just fail to deliver what you expected?  You’ll find out… Well you know where this is going.

Now some of you are worried about missing out on all that release day swag.  Those special character skins, bonus equipment, or extra downloadable content.  Truth be told, most of those release day bonuses are still available one week later.  If it isn’t.  Are you really going to be devastated about missing out on a character skin that everyone is using?  I know I’m not.  I get bored of having the same outfit, equipment, or vehicle that everyone else has right quick.  Don’t you?

Trust me if you remain patient, and only buy the highest rated reviewed games.  You will enjoy your game system that much more.  You’ll also have the necessary time to fully explore those fantastically realized open worlds.

Categories
GOLF

Choosing a Golf Putter – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Selecting a Putter

The single most important club in your bag.

The right Putter can mean the difference between a good day on the course, or a frustrating one.  You don’t think so?  Here’s two actual examples of the difference having the correct Putter can make.

The first example is of a hole I played with the second Putter I purchased.  It wasn’t the right Putter for me for a number of reasons.  I had developed a decent putting stroke by this time though.  I wasn’t completely hopeless on the Greens.  This happened on the 8th hole at Scarlett Woods Golf course in Toronto, Ontario.  A fantastic course for beginners by the way.  The Pin was placed back left on the Green, and the hole was playing about 170 yards long.  At that time 170 yards was a 4 hybrid distance for me.  I wasn’t making particularly good contact that day, and there was a bit of wind to deal with.  I clubbed up, and decided to go with my 3 hybrid off the Tee.  My Tee shot drifted left of the target.  I was left with a difficult pitch over a bunker roughly 20 yards away with very little green to work with.  I hit my 56 degree wedge which successfully cleared the bunker.  Unfortunately my shot ran through the Green to the opposite side and settled in the fringe.  At this point I’m thinking two putts for bogey on a par 3 that I missed the Green is perfectly fine with me.  I actually finished that hole with a triple bogey!  Now here is how it happened, and it’s all because of the Putter.  I had a Taylormade Rossa Daytona blade style Putter.  Why this Putter was wrong for me begins with the weight.  It was definitely too light for me.  A heavier Putter helps me follow through with my pendulum style swing.  It also has a specially designed insert in the face of the Putter that reduces weight, and improves the feel at impact.  I found the insert to be a bit spongy feeling, but it did get the ball rolling smoothly with perfect contact.  The real problem was the combination of a spongy Putter face matched with an extremely soft covered ball.  I was strictly using the Wilson Staff Elite 50 balls at the time, and they have a very soft outer layer.  This meant that it required a lot of additional force to get the ball rolling when putting.  My first putt struck me as requiring a little extra power to get it through the fringe, and on it’s way to the hole.  The hole was on a bit of a downslope though, so I didn’t want to hit it too hard.  Due to the fringe the bottom of my Putter brushed along the ground during the stroke.  It slowed it just enough for the soft insert in the Putter, and the soft outer layer of the ball to come together and my ball travelled a total of 2 feet.  It only just made the Green.  Well at least I was on the Green now right.  So now I’m looking at double bogey.  One long lag putt plus a tap in, and I can get on to the next hole.  My next putt wasn’t bad by my standards. I left myself a 4 footer with very little break for the double.  It should of been an easy putt to make.  With a Putter that feels too light in your hands, isn’t balanced right for your type of swing (toe weighted), and takes a fair amount of force to get the ball rolling.  A short downhill putt is unnecessarily challenging.  Needless to say I left it just short.  Triple effing bogey!

Seven months later with a Putter far more suited to me the second example took place.  It was on the 11th hole at Dentonia Golf club in Toronto, Ontario.  This is also a 170 yard par 3, but it plays significantly downhill.  I chose to hit my 6 hybrid which ended up being just a little too much club that day.  My line was close to perfect, and I ended up rolling the ball off the Green, through the fringe, and settling in the short rough.  The Green slopes downward to the hole from my position.  Once again I’m staring down a shot that could potentially get away from me.  The distance to the hole was about 25ft.  I considered a short chips, but my chipping had been horrendous that day.  Instead I chose to go with the Putter.  I was using the third Putter I had purchased at this time.  A Yes Milly face balanced mallet.  It is a completely different design then the previous Putter.  First of all it’s quite heavy, so once you begin your swing bailing out isn’t an option.  It also has a face insert, but instead of being designed to provide feel.  It’s firm not soft, and designed to quickly get the ball rolling.  These two features practically eliminated my propensity to leave the ball short on touch shots.  I used the same stroke I had used at Scarlett Woods.  This time though the ball didn’t come to a complete stop at the edge of the Green.  It rolled on through without losing too much speed at all.  It tracked well, caught the downslope, and ended up in the hole for birdie!  The speed of the ball when it dropped would have probably left me a 5 footer coming back up hill if I missed.  A very doable putt for par.  Either way a massive improvement over the last Putter.

A quick word about how much you should spend on a Putter.  Given it’s importance, price should not be the deciding factor when purchasing a Putter.  You still need to be careful with your budget though.  While testing Putters I had some very good results with a Scotty Cameron model.  It was three times the price of the Yes Milly Putter I eventually picked though.  In the end I believe that there are features on the the Yes Milly Putter that actually benefit me more.  The true alignment aid on the base of the Milly is one particular advantage.  Once you’ve settled on which type and balance of Putter is for you.  You should be able to find one that fits your price point as well.  For instance Wilson makes quite a few different Putters at great prices.  One of my particular favourites is the one available for less than $50 on Amazon as of the publishing of this post.

When I check my scorecards, and count the number of putts per round.  I used to average 45 putts per round.  Now I average 36 putts per round.  That’s an improvement of 9 strokes per round of golf.  There are very few clubs in your bag that can make that much of an improvement in your game.  All it takes is switching to the model that’s the correct fit for you.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to have the right Putter.  So don’t take choosing a Putter lightly.  Test as many as you can.  Visit the putting practice area at your local course, or range.  Ask to try a few swings with other Players Putters.  Visit your local store and get a Putter fitting done.  Once you know which type of Putter suits you.  You can then decide which one to purchase.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

The Gamer in me GL-3 Rec Room Toronto

First impressions of the Cineplex Toronto Rec Room

Cineplex Rec Room just opened up in Toronto.  They took over the space that used to be the Leon’s Roundhouse Location.  It’s on Bremner across from the Ripley’s aquarium and Skydome.  Yes I still call it the Skydome.  Shit most people I know still do.

When approaching the Rec Room, you can be forgiven for mistaking it as a night club, or strip joint.  The first thing you’ll see is two guys that look like bouncers.  They are fully decked out in the typical tuxedo style garb, waiting to greet you from behind the rope line.  My first thought at 3:20pm on a Friday was am I dressed too casual for this place?

Now I know a little bit about the Cineplex Rec Room.  From my understanding it is just another version of a Dave & Buster’s.  So really their shouldn’t be anything wrong with wearing shorts and a collared T-shirt.  Still for just a moment I thought I might be denied entry.  Thankfully I wasn’t.

Once inside my suspicions were correct.  What I had expected to see was all there.  There were a lot of interesting games.  Many of the titles were familiar to me, but they had quite a few new games as well.  They had a pretty even mix of Video games, and games of chance or skill that earn you “tickets”.  Similar to Dave & Buster’s you need to purchase credits in order to play any of the games.  The more you buy, the better the value.  So my buddy Weber and I just pooled our money and purchased a single reloadable game card.   They have taken full advantage of the newest technology.  Instead of receiving a magnetic strip swipe card.  You are instead provided with a small tap card.  Not only does it transfer credits to play games.  It also keeps track of the number of tickets you win.  I’m torn between loving the simplicity of it, and missing the satisfaction of watching machines slowly spit out ticket after ticket when you win big.  Another point of concern with the tap card is it’s ability to pay for a game without you even realizing it.  Depending on your height, if you keep the tap card in your pocket and lean against a machine.  You could accidentally pay for a game.  I witnessed the same guy do it twice while watching his friend play one game, as he leaned against another.  Of course I helped out the best way possible.  In order to keep those credits from going to waste.  I stepped up and played each game so that he wouldn’t be disturbed, and could continue watching his friend play.  You’re welcome.

The main area has a long bar which serves an indoor lounge, as well as an outdoor patio.  Having that outdoor space is a huge bonus in my book.

Rec Room bar

There are two restaurants, one fast food casual, and one for dining in.  The first thing that really caught my eye when I walked in was a 6ft Pac-Man machine that two players can actually play simultaneously!

Playing together to clear each level actually required a fair amount of teamwork.  Shouting orders to one another to keep ourselves alive, and splitting the level into his section and mine was absolutely key to winning.

Giant Pac-Man

There are quite a few competitive games at the Rec Room.  The most popular of which was Super Mario kart.  It was so popular in fact that we didn’t actually get an opportunity to play it.  This was the first issue I had with Rec Room.  In comparison to a Dave & Buster’s, the Games area is much smaller.  It won’t take too many people before it’s packed.  Now it was opening week so you would expect a slightly larger crowd.  Still 4:00pm on a Friday shouldn’t have you waiting to play every popular game.

We decided to try our luck at a few of the ticket games while waiting for some of the more popular games to clear.  Something I noticed right away is the large number of Progressive jackpot games.  The highest of which was over 3000 tickets!  The temptation to try and hit the jackpot was very high.  With all those tickets you can have a swag buying spree in the swag shop right after.  I couldn’t help myself so I gave it a few tries.  On my third attempt, wouldn’t you know it, I timed that game absolutely perfect.  Well almost perfect, and walked away with squat.  Whoever wins Zombie arm owes me 24 credits.

One of the attractions I was most interested in was their virtual reality experience The Void.  The opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a Ghostbuster zapping ghosts is just too good to pass up.  Well unfortunately I did.  First of all it isn’t easy to find when you first enter.  Weber and I got so caught up with downing beers, and playing the newest version of Cruisin U.S.A. that by the time we were done.  The line up at The Void was just too long for us to wait.

Now would I recommend that you visit the Rec Room and experience it for yourself?  Definitely.  I’ll be back soon and next time the first thing I’ll do is try out The Void.  If you plan on going I would suggest picking an off peak time, or planning on staying for quite a while.  Bring a few friends along, and if you find a game you like.  Stick with it until you’ve had your fill.  You might not get back on it again if you leave.

Categories
GAMING

The Gamer in me GL-2 Console Video games

Is it just me, or has the quality of video games gotten worse as the capability of consoles has gotten better?

I’ve owned a lot of systems over the years, and would qualify as an early adopter of my favourites.  I waited in line on release day for Playstation 2, Playstation 3,  XBOX 360, and Playstation 4.  The anticipation of what’s capable with a more powerful system along with the release title hype that goes with it gets me amped.  More often than not though I’m left sorely disappointed.  PS4 was one of my greatest letdowns.  For a year leading up to it’s release I absorbed as much information as I could like a sponge.  I was especially interested in the launch title The Division by Ubisoft.  I figured that game alone would make waiting in line to purchase it on opening day worthwhile.  The PS4 release date was November 15, 2013.  The Division got pushed back due to development issues, and was eventually released on March 7, 2016.  The harsh part was that the delay wasn’t advertised, and then to make matters worse it kept getting pushed back for years.  Was it even a good game when it finally did launch?  In my opinion it was.  It’s one of my favourite games on the PS4 to play cooperatively online.  Actually the two games I planned on purchasing on PS4 release day we’re both pushed back.  I settled for a couple others that are so forgettable they aren’t worthy of a mention.  Month after month I’d buy new games.  Just hoping that there would be something that begins to rival my favourite PS3, and XBOX 360 games.  There wasn’t.  At least not until September 30, 2014 when Warner Bros Interactive released Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor.  Till this day it remains as one of my favourite games.

I’ve seen it on the PS3, and the difference is significant.  I’ve never actually completed the game.  If you hadn’t noticed by now, I have a lot of hobbies.  I’ve started and restarted Shadow of Mordor 3 times.  Only to be interrupted by something else before I complete it.  I will finish it though.  Especially now that the sequel has been announced.

My point of all this is, whether I will wait in line for the next generation of consoles when they ultimately release.  To be honest, I seriously doubt it.  No matter how much hype, incentives, or new technology goes into them.  The reality is that next generation consoles require on average a year of software development before you actually begin to realize their potential.  Even then you need to be careful about which titles you choose to invest in because even the larger developers release a fair amount of crap. Game developers will sometimes tease  5 or 6 new titles to be released in the following year.  Be very wary of that.  No matter how amazing their teaser trailer might look.  Chances are extremely slim that they will be able to release 5 Marquee titles.  Realistically they would be lucky to release 2 great games.

I used to play absolutely everything that showed even the slightest promise.  At one point I operated my own store that held PS3, and XBOX 360 tournaments.  Those days are no longer.  The prices have gone up, while the average length of games have gone down.  Most Developers used to release only one or two games a year.  Now it’s unusual for a major Game Developer to release less than one per season.  Increased competition from Application based cellphone games has meant that maintaining a reasonably active online presence for some games is difficult.

Has this soured my love for video games?  Maybe just a little.  Not enough to keep me from being excited about finally beating Shadow of Mordor.  I remember when laserdisc games first appeared in Video Game Arcades.  Dragon’s Lair was so unlike anything before it.  I was one of those guys that people would stop whatever they were doing to watch me play it.  I was one of the first guys at my local Arcade that memorized the moves required to beat it.  So many of today’s games borrow from that original fairytale style of game.  Some day there will be another Game Developer that takes games another giant leap forward.  I’ll definitely be ready to play it.

I just won’t be first in line.