Console version of Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls - what's different?

Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls Ultimate Edition is now out on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. You might think that it's a direct port to what's available on the PC version, but to our surprise the console brings a lot to veteran players and players that are not familiar with the series. A few changes to best translate the game with a controller, added mechanics only found in the console version, more multiplayer options, and we just might have the best version of the game yet.

Just to let you know - I own Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls on PC, it was a day 1 purchase. So why the move to console? Living in South East Asia, the online-only model to Diablo 3 always finds a way to frustrate me. I was unlucky enough to live in an area with unreliable internet service, so my enjoyment for the game always comes in bursts. With that said, the ability to play this game offline in the console version is mainly the reason why I coughed up money for a game I've already played countless times. Believe it or not, I still want more out if it, but I want to continue enjoying the game without the elements that make me walk away.

So yeah, there's offline in the console version.

But that's not all that was included. Blizzard has taken the extra mile to really make the game work well with a controller. The menu screen and inventory system has been changed to best suit the console version. The unique grid inventory system known by many action RPG fans was scrapped for the console version, and was replaced with a more simpler system. Items are now placed in a list, with your currently equipped weapon on the right side. Equipment on your character is also seen in a radial design making it easier to go from one piece of equipment with just the left joystick. Every aspect of the menu share the same radial designs, from lore down to skills. It may look like a step backward when looking from afar, but once you play the game with the new interface, it just feels right - easy to use, fast to navigate.

With combat, the controls  was done perfectly. It was quick to grasp, and the fast-paced combat remains intact even with the different control scheme. Each button is attached to a specific skill, with L1 or LT being your way of chugging your potions. The only major change done is the addition of the dodge mechanic - Moving the right joystick in your controller makes your hero roll to avoid danger. It's just like the dodge system found in games like God of War. The addition is to give the player more mobility for the player. Not really a game changer, but it does help the arcade-y feel I get when playing this version of the game. I also noticed melee characters such the Barbarian or Monk has a dash when executing a melee skill. This dash moves you slightly forward when you attacks.

New game mechanics

The console version also has interesting social features that reward or punish players in your friend's list. The first one is the Nemesis System - When a monster kills a player in their game, that monster hops to a friend's game via portal and attempts to kill him as well. That player that was invaded by your killer, has a chance to take revenge for you. From experience, this is a tough enemy that appears in the worst possible time in your game, catching you off guard almost 90% of the time. If you are lucky enough to kill this "nemesis" monster, you are rewarded with loot as well as a gift for your fallen friend which you can send, and that gift mostly comes out as a legendary item. If you fail to take revenge, that monster hops to another friend in that player's friends list until it's killed.

The second feature is the Mailing System. It's actually cool, trust me.

To my knowledge, you can't send gold to friends in the PC version. Here, you can share the wealth and equipment with friends. The best part of the mailing system is the gift items mentioned above. There's a chance that every legendary item drop (One of the highest tier of equipment in the game) can also drop a gift exclusive to a friend in your friend's list that plays the game. I've given a few gifts to friends and all have been legendary items. No one has sent me a gift so far...just saying. The Nemesis system and the mailing system might seem unnecessary, but it adds a small interaction with friends, giving the effect that you are helping each other out, even when you're not playing together.

Cooperative play done right

Another big feature, which I believe is the big selling point for this version of the game, is the addition of local cooperative play. Call up to four friends, order some pizza, and hunt for loot together in one couch. This feature works like a charm. The camera is set on all four players in the screen. It can get chaotic since that is four characters spamming skills like crazy people surrounded by monsters. Each player will have to share the menu screen when working through their items and skills, but a shortcut feature is placed on the directional buttons for a quick swap in items and skills. It's drop in, drop out. One players start by himself and anybody can simply join the game by turning on the controller and login into their profile. If they don't want to play, head to the menu and go drop out. Simple. With the PlayStation 4 version of the game, each player can login to their own PSN account, making any character will be saved for that specific profile. With PS+, I dropped by a friend's house and was able to grab my updated character and download it to a friends PS4 and play with my character. After my session with a couple of buddies,I went home, I upload my character online, downloaded the updated file unto my PS4 , and continued playing. I find no problems with it so far.

Online? Online is the same. Which is a good thing for those looking to band with strangers.

Apprentice mode

If there's one thing that happens over and over when starting an rpg game with friends, it's that after the first sessions, the next time you gather you'll find out there's a gap between each of your characters because someone played a little while you were away. It's understandable, people have different schedules. So Blizzard introduces the apprentice system only found in local play. If a character that's a lower level joins your game, that character's stats and damage is instantly boosted to fit the highest player in the group. So don't feel discouraged if your friend is 10 levels ahead. You can still play together, catch up in levels, and also get loot fit for your current level. This is a great feature, a feature I wish will take wind to other developers creating cooperative games with a leveling system.

Patch support

With patch 2.1 (New features like greater rifts, seasons, new items) already live in the PC version of the game, the big question is if console players will get patch support. Blizzard has confirmed that there will be patch support for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, also confirming that patch 2.1 will be heading to those consoles soon. Sadly, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 might not get patch support since developers find it harder to updated the game in the last gen consoles. We say "might" because anything can happen if pushed hard enough.

Those are the changes. Worth the plunge? It will set you back P2,395 for the PS4/Xbox One version, and P1,695 for PS3/Xbox 360.  Aside from what's mentioned above, the content are all the same - same acts, same maps, etc.

E3 2014: Full E3 press conference schedule to get us all updated

E3(Electronic Entertainment Expo) is the biggest event for the gaming industry, where all the big game reveals and announcements from big video game companies happen. It's literally just around the corner, so for those that want to catch all the reveals and big announcements from the big gaming companies, here's the full schedule of when each press conference goes live. 

*TAKE NOTE OF THE TIME DIFFERENCE: PDT is for those living in the United States, while GMT is for those living in South East Asia like the Philippines. 

Microsoft - Monday, June 9th at 9:30AM PDT / Tuesday, June 10 12:30AM GMT

Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb said on his blog that you can stream the press conference, entitled "Xbox: Game On," through Xbox.com, Xbox Live and Windows Phone worldwide. The press conference will also be broadcast on Spike TV in the U.S. and Canada. Halo 5: Guardians has been announced by 343 Industries so it's very likely we'll be seeing a demo of the new Halo running on Xbox One. There are rumors of a Gears of War reveal, as well as more about Sunset Overdrive which is looking pretty promising. Forza Horizon 2 was also announced plus there's Fable Legends so we'll see them on the presentation. Oh and of course, we'll see more of Kevin Spacey for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

Also, with Microsoft announcing the Xbox One without Kinect, making the new console at the same price as its competitor, we will definitely see a strong presence of Kinect in the press conference.

EA - Monday, June 9th at 12:00 PM PDT / Tuesday, June 10 3:00 AM GMT

Just like past EA conferences, we will see tons of EA Sports talk for NFL, NBA, the works. All that aside, we'll most likely see the latest on Dragon Age: Inquisition, Sims 4, Battlefield: Hardline, and we just might get a gameplay demo of Star Wars: Battlefront III. There are talks of them teasing a new Mass Effect game, but that's very unlikely in our eyes.

Ubisoft - Monday, June 9th at 3:00 PM PDT / Tuesday, June 10 6:00 AM GMT

Ubisoft will be an interesting press conference. We'll definitely see a demo for this year's Assassin's Creed called Unity, as well as another announcement of the second Assassin's Creed planned for this year as well. Tom Clancy's The Division will have new gameplay to wow the crowd, and we'll get our first look at Far Cry 4 planned for this year. Just Dance will make an appearance yet again, and we'll see a demo for The Crew. We also expect a new IP coming from the European company since we've seen a new title from them two E3's in a row (Watch Dogs - 2012, The Division - 2013). Ubisoft has a lot going for them, it's crazy.

Sony - Monday, June 9th at 6:00 PM PDT / Tuesday, June 10 9:00 AM GMT

Sony might have a great lineup for their presentation - Deep Down, the new Uncharted, The Order: 1886, and a possible reveal of From Software's PS4 exclsuive currently titled "Project Beast". Final Fantasy XV will make an appearance together with Kingdom Hearts 3. The indie scene might just get the spotlight yet again to strengthen the consoles indie game support.  What's going to be their big reveal? There's a big chance of a new God of War game moving the franchise forward. Destiny will definitely appear on Sony's presentation, and we might get more titles for PS Vita since it's been lagging behind on the number of new games per month. Oh, and we shouldn't forget the slight possibility of  The Last Guardian showing up at the presentation...very unlikely.

Nintendo - Tuesday, June 10th at 9:00 AM PDT / Wednesday, June 11 12:00 AM GMT

Just like last year, Nintendo won't be holding the traditional press conference at E3. Instead, they will be broadcasting their presentation through a video similar to their monthly video called Nintendo Direct. It's called the "Nintendo Digital Event" and we will be seeing our first look at the new Zelda game exclusive to the Wii U. The Super Smash Bros Wii U and 3DS will definitely make an appearance, we'll get more footage for Bayonetta 2, and Monolith's RPG currently called X might get a full reveal. New 3DS games will take a small portion of the spotlight, but we expect all the effort will be put on making the Wii U appealing. There's rumor of a new Metroid that will be announced for the Wii U, which we pray is true because Nintendo needs announcements like that to be the big talk in E3. The horrible Wii U sales is a big concern and we hope they can bounce back with their presentation.

Where can I watch E3?

Since we are now in the age of Social Media and Live Streaming, watching the events that will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center will be easy for even folks on the other side of the globe. Here are a couple of sites that will be live streaming E3 happening next week:

Full event

Gamespot

Twitch.TV

Spike.TV

E3 Insider

EA Press Conference only

EA's Hub

Ubisoft Press Conference only

Ubisoft YouTube Channel

Ubisoft twitch Channel

Nintendo Digital Event only

Nintendo E3

The crew will be watching the event live, so just in case you are unable to watch the event live or just want the big scoop - stay tuned on our Twitter and Facebook page, we'll be posting the big announcements as it gets revealed. A full compilation of each press conference will be posted on the site.

We'll also be discussing everything that happened during E3 2014 on the TMG Podcast after the event. The post E3 show, Episode 36, will be up on June 17 on a Tuesday.

We'll update the list of channels covering the event as more come up. If you think we are missing some, please comment below and we'll add it to the list.

Heroes of the Storm officially launching in four South East Asia countries

Blizzard's upcoming MOBA Heroes of the Storm is officially coming to South East Asia. Asiasoft in partnership with Blizzard Entertainment, Inc will be in charge of operating and marketing the game in Thailand and Singapore while Asiasoft's subsidiaries, CiB Net Station, will handle the game in Malaysia. For the Philippines, well, we have Level Up! in charge of the game's operations...great. 

So what does that mean? Nothing is clear at this point, we have yet to hear the details on what makes it different from  officially launching the game in respected countries rather than simply logging in through Battle.net through their Asian servers once the game goes live. But official releases in South East Asia for highly anticipated games are always welcomed.

As of this posting, distribution of Heroes of the Storm is still download-only. We'll have to wait to see what are the launch plans for each country.

"Heroes of the Storm will bring together many of the most popular heroes and villains from more than 20 years of Blizzard games," said Paul Sams, COO of Blizzard Entertainment. "Our focus on team combat and map-based objectives make the game accessible to new players, while offering depth for competitive gamers as well. We believe gamers in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines will love playing Heroes of the Storm."

With the sudden rise of the MOBA(Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre, it's only fitting to have Blizzard finally entering the fray. It's currently crowded thanks to games like League of Legends, Dota 2, and Smite, but from what we see in the early stages of the game's beta, their sole aim is to retain the team-play aspect while providing something completely new.

Heroes of the Storm is currently on Alpha testing and no release date has been given. For the mean time, watch Raynor battle Diablo, while Kerrigan dog fights Tyrael in the air in this trailer. God those cinematics...

Review: Strider [PC]

It took awhile, but Strider was brought back to the spotlight thanks to studio Double Helix (Killer Instinct) and oh, did they do a great job at staying true to the original content. A fast-paced download only game that keeps you hooked with non-stop action and level design that we think should be used more often in future platformers. Flailing a sword around at blazing speeds never felt this satisfying.

Quick - that is the best way to describe this action-adventure platformer. You play as the famous Strider Hiryu, a ninja with one simple task -- take down the evil Grandmaster Meio in the heavily fortified metropolis of Kazakh City. Right off the bat, with not much of an introduction about anything, you find Hiryu gliding into the city along with the first wave of enemies ready to warm your blade. There’s never a dull moment in Strider. Every room is filled with enemies to engage, and based on the level of your performance, you may clear even the most challenging areas in just seconds. The better you understand your enemies, the faster the game gets. Strider is all about the action; it doesn’t bother giving much explanation or character progression at all. No backstory of Strider Hiryu’s past or why he wants to take down Grandmaster Meio. That’s just how it is, and this game works well that way. The cheesy lines are already bad enough, but once the short dialogue in between boss fights and new locations end, the fun continues.

The most appealing part of the game is its level design. It greatly reminded me of the old Metroid games on SNES, as well as the best Castlevania game in history – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (well, that’s my opinion). It’s played as an open world side-scroller with upgrades and unlockables tucked away around this huge map waiting to be explored. Every locale in Kazakh City has its own unique visual and technical appeal. From the sewers to the military compound, each area you come across has its own personality, providing different ways to tackle the area. Some might be heavier on enemies, while some require you to watch where you jump. From combat to platforming, this game keeps on changing gears, preventing any repetitive tension.

Objectives are given to move forward in the game, but thanks to its Metroid style of level design, you get that feeling of wanting to just explore. As you progress, new weapons and skills are unlocked, which also serve as keys to certain locations in the city. You will find doors requiring a specific upgrade, and once you get it, you can’t help but backtrack to see what’s behind that door you couldn’t access. Controls are easy to grasp from the get-go, but they soon evolve as you get more abilities to use. There are some enemies that can only be defeated with specific abilities, but this doesn’t hinder the freedom of play, only adding to the fun and creative methods with which you can dispose of Grandmaster Meio’s henchmen.

You will eventually come across different flavors for Strider Hiryu’s preferred weapon – the plasma sword Cypher – which provide different properties depending which one you equip. One gives you the ability to deflect incoming projectiles, while another freezes enemies with a single touch. These are color-coded and can be switched anytime during play via the directional pad. This gives more depth to the combat, and at the end you’ll find yourself constantly switching Cyphers based on the current situation. From summoning mechanical animals to throwing kunai to extra movements like the addicting dash, gameplay evolves constantly throughout this 4-6 hour experience, keeping the combat from ever going dull.

Sadly, the game isn’t so difficult. So don’t come in expecting a challenge, even on its hardest difficulty.  Every enemy has a pattern and once you learn how to exploit these patterns, you find yourself going through them, no sweat. This also applies to the bosses in the game, which have great mechanics I haven’t seen in a long time. Every boss I’ve experienced in Strider is memorable, especially that last fight which doesn’t make any sense at all (you’ll understand once you get there). You’re always left at the edge of your seat after every fight. Yes, it’s easy, but the combat is so satisfying that the lack of challenge didn’t rear itself as a problem for me. I find enjoyment in disposing of enemies in the fastest possible ways. Oh, and let’s not forget the soundtrack, which not only gives you a bit of nostalgia, but supports the gameplay very well in keeping you invested.

In between all the slashing, this is also a platforming game, with Strider Hiryu jumping, dashing, and climbing walls and roofs to reach the next area. Hiryu still moves just like he did back in the classic games. I consider it a big plus that Double Helix kept our hero true to the original. The classic cartwheel jump returns, as well as the upward slash you might see in previous games as well as in Marvel VS Capcom 2 or 3. Animations aside, the platforming elements aren’t a tedious feat thanks to the solid controls. You won’t find yourself fighting against how Strider moves, making the platforming aspect of the game a fun break from all the combat. You are always in control, so when things go the wrong way, it’s hard to fault the game’s design.

I’ve already mentioned that exploration is greatly encouraged, but the rewards you receive once you find new areas are very underwhelming. Some do give you upgrades like increased kunai range or increased life, but don’t quite give a good boost in the overall gameplay, making them something that can be ignored. You can also find a variety of concept art (which I believe should not be a reward for exploring), challenge maps, and trial maps that you can access in the main menu. Don’t be surprised with these maps though, since they provide little meat to the game. It’s a decent 5-minute experience of you either taking down waves of enemies or you reaching a certain spot in the world map the fastest way possible. You can also find new costumes for Strider Hiryu, which isn’t much of a plus, since they’re just different colors of the same outfit.

These additions may add to the replay value, but there’s no option to explore further once you enter the last part of the game. Once you finish it, you can’t reload and revisit places you haven’t explored. Instead, you lose your save, and you’ll have to replay the whole experience again. So, before entering the last part, make sure you’ve explored everything that interests you.

For a $15 download-only title, it’s definitely worth diving into a series we haven’t seen in years. The combat is satisfying, even if it tends to hurt the fingers with the constant need to swing your sword for hours. The visuals are colorful and look amazing in 60 FPS. Specific design touches like Strider Hiryu’s scarf and the returning bosses from previous games are well appreciated, making Strider a nice benchmark for developers looking to reboot a franchise. It stays true to the original content and exports it to a more modern look and feel. Whether you’re a fan of the series or have never tried Strider, you’ll be surprised how much fun you’ll have as Strider Hiryu.

SCORE: 9/10

Reviewer: Carlos Hernandez Strider was reviewed on the Windows PC platform Game completion was at 64% Recorded game time was at 6:25:00

PROS

-       Quick combat

-       Vast world map to explore

-       Stays true to original content

-       Memorable boss fights

CONS

-       No option to revisit your playthrough after the last part of the game

After 3 Long Years...

 

Finally! After 3 long hellish years of outdated PC specs I've finally had enough cash to update it, it's now safe to say to all Too Much Gaming fans, "Hello boys! I'm back!" -quoted from Independence Day by the guy that was probed by aliens.

Here is the before and after specs of my PC:

	Before	After
Motherboard	Intel Desktop Board D946BZAB	MSI Z87-G45 Gaming
Processor	Intel Dual Core E6500 3.0Ghz	Intel Core i5 4670 3.4Ghz
Video Card	HIS ATi Radeon HD 4670 512MB GDDR3	Sapphire ATi HD 6850 1GB GDDR5
Memory	Corsair Value Select 2x1GB DDR2	Corsair Vengence 2x4GB DDR3
Storage	Seagate Barracuda (320GB & 80GB)	Seagate Barracuda(1TB & 320GB)
Audio	SB Creative Audigy Value2	Realtek ALC1150
CPU Cooler	Deep Cool Alpha 200 plus	Cooler Master TPC 812
Casing	Cooler Master HAF 922	Cooler Master HAF 922
Power Supply	Ion2 600watts	Ion2 600watts

Side by side picture of the before and after, notice the enormous amount of dust that was piled up, it’s evidence of how long the previous system and I have been together.

Before

 

After

Here’s a small description of the new parts that I placed, hope it could help those who want to do an upgrade.

Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming *features and specifications are from the MSI website.

Features

• Intel® Z87 Express Chipset
• Supports 4th Gen Intel® Core™ / Pentium® / Celeron® processors for LGA 1150 socket
• Supports DDR3-3000(OC) Memory
• USB 3.0 + SATA 6Gb/s
• Audio Boost: Reward Your Ears with True Quality
• Killer Ethernet: Kill Your Lag
• Military Class 4: Top Quality & Stability
• OC Genie 4: Overclock in 1 Second
• Click BIOS 4: Easily Fine-tune Your System
• PCI Express Gen 3: World's 1st PCI Express Gen 3 Motherboard Brand
• Multi-GPU: NVIDIA SLI & AMD CrossFire Support
• Sound Blaster Cinema: Realistic Surround Sound Experience
• Gaming Device Port: Optimized with Triple Gold-plating for High Polling Rate Gaming Devices
• Total Fan Control: Optimize All Fan Speed As You Wish

Specifications

• Socket: 4th Generation Intel LGA 1150
• Chipset: Intel® Z87 Express Chipset
• DDR3 Memory: 1066/1333/1600/ up to 3000*(*OC) MHz
• DIMM Slots: 4
• Max Memory (GB): 32
• PCIe 3.0 x16 slots: 3
• PCI-E Gen: Gen3 (16,0,0), (8,8,0), (8,4,4)
• PCIe 2.0 x1 slots: 4
• SATAIII slots: 6
• LAN: 10/100/1000*1
• USB 3.0 ports: 2(Front) & 4(Rear)
• USB 2.0 ports: 6(Front) & 2(Rear)
• Audio: Realtek® ALC1150 Codec
• Video: On-board VGA / DVI / HDMA
• Form Factor: 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm) ATX Form Factor
• SLI / Crossfire: Supports 3-Way AMD CrossFire Technology or Supports 2-Way NVIDIA SLI Technology

“Let the games begin: MSI GAMING motherboards are designed to provide gamers with best-in-class features and technology. Backed by the imposing looks of MSI's Dragon, each motherboard is an engineering masterpiece tailored to gaming perfection.”- quoted from MSI’s website.

First 4 words alone were enough to capture my interest; but, this board wasn’t my first choice. Initially, I considered Gigabyte but due to my lazy ass I opted for a more easily obtainable board on the Philippine market which is MSI and based on the reviews that I’ve read, as well as, my initial impressions, the board is great.

MSI Z87-G45 is neatly organized and properly labelled; it even has instructions on what DIMM slots to use when using two memory sticks. The MSI dragon adds a fierce and serious look to the board; but, it would’ve been nice if the dragon has red LEDs. Another slight disappointment is that the board isn’t black, it’s brownish not that anyone would notice when it’s put in place still would be good if it’s black.

The BIOS is a thing of beauty, the whole interface can be operated via mouse and there’s a nifty feature there called “Explore Board” where you’ll be taken into a visual representation of the board where you can identify which and what part is connected. You can also find the overclock genie in the BIOS for a one click overclock setup, which let me note early on that I’m not a fan of overclocking. Other features also include the Military Class 4 label, means that the board can endure high levels of stress and temperature, and that the components used are of good quality. You can check out the link for the tests made: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/msi_certifies_military_class_components_claims. Another is the “Killer Ethernet” which can be set to prioritize the games to use the LAN connection, will try that out in the future. Last but certainly not the least is the gold plated USB ports which ensure good communications between your gaming devices and the board.

Audio: Realtek ALC1150 (On-board) *features and specifications are from the MSI website.

Features

• Studio level Integrated 600Ω Headphone amplifier
• Golden audio jacks for pure audio signals
• EMI shielded audio codec
• High quality audio capacitors

Good bye to my very old SB Creative Audigy, the card has served me for a long time give or take 10 years; it’s still operational but the hardware is severely out-dated that you can no longer buy this type of card anywhere. Using an on-board audio is a first for me so during my initial sound testing of rock n’ roll music, I was pleased that it came out great. I expect that games with roaring sounds will come of crystal clear.

Based on the website of MSI, the RealTek ALC1150 runs on a different circuitry which would mean that you should encounter less interference, like the website says. Just like the USB and PS/2 ports, the audio ports are gold plated for better conductibility of the jacks –I may need to buy another speakers to fully appreciate the sound. However, even when the audio jack is not gold plated you can still hear the clear and full sound of any game or music.

The only problem I had is installing the drivers, the ones in the installation CD is obsolete that whenever I install the driver, the driver crashes and no more audio. I was able to fix the problem by completely removing the driver and then installing the latest one from MSI website, after doing that it was all smooth sailing.

Notice that it glows, too bad the MSI dragon doesn’t

Video: Sapphire ATi HD 6850 1GB DDR5 *features and specifications are from the Sapphire website.

Features

• HDMI (with 3D) Support for Deep Color, 7.1 High Bitrate Audio, and 3D Stereoscopic
• AMD Eyefinity Technology
• AMD CrossFireX Multi-GPU Technology
• AMD HD3D Technology
• Accelerated Video Transcoding
• Dolby TrueHD and DTSHD Master Audio Support
• Physics processing support
• AMD Advanced Parallel Processing technology
• TriXX UtilityAMD
• PowerPlay

Specifications

• Display Support: 4 x Maximum Display Monitor(s) support
• Output: 1 x HDMI (with 3D) & 1 x DisplayPort & 1 x Dual-Link DVI-I, 1 x Single-Link DVI-D
• GPU: 775 MHz Core Clock
• Video Memory: 1024 MB Size GDDR5

First of I’d like to give a shout out to Daniel Marco Cabral for without him I wouldn’t have this video card. He gave it to me as a present before resigning, that’s right you heard it correct, “as a present” –translation: FREE!

Just like my audio card, the current video card in my build is way above the specifications of its predecessor. I tried playing Skyrim on my old video card, it such an atrocity to the game that I immediately stopped and removed. Now, I can run Skyrim on a high level setting, I can still push it to ultra high if I want. Safe to say, PC Gaming I’m back!

Processor: Intel Core i5 4670 3.4 GHz *specifications are from the Intel website.

Specifications:

• Sockets Supported: LGA1150
• Number of Cores: 4
• Number of Threads: 4
• Clock Speed: 3.4 GHz
• Max Turbo Frequency: 3.8 GHz
• Cache: 6 MB Intel® Smart Cache
• Max Memory Size: 32 GB
• Memory Types: DDR3-1333/1600
• Number of Memory Channels: 2
• Intel 64bit: Yes

I had two options for the processor, first one was 4670k and the second one 4670. Both exactly the same in terms of specifications, the only difference is the locking of the processor. I was about to buy the 4670k but then I figured since I won’t overclock my machine might as well go for the locked version cause it’s cheaper.

Installation of the processor is a breeze; it’s just like any CPU installation. Place the processor over the motherboard pins, take note of the orientation then carefully drop the processor over the pins, after lock the processor in place and you’re done. I didn’t use the stock CPU cooler, I know it’s over kill but my experience with stuff over heating is notable. The experience has taught me to go for a good cooler rather than breaking it early, and considering that the Core i5 cost me money, I’d like to keep it safe for a long time.

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB DDR3 *features and specifications are from the Corsair website.

Features

• Maximize your system memory capacity for ultimate performance
• Specially selected RAMs for overclocked performance
• Includes XMP performance profile

Specifications

• Heat Spreader: Vengeance
• Memory Configuration: Dual Channel
• Package Memory Format: DIMM
• Memory Size: 8GB Kit (2 x 4GB)
• SPD Latency: 9-9-9-24
• SPD Speed: 1333MHz
• Tested Latency: 9-9-9-24
• Tested Speed: 1600Mhz

Corsair Vengeance is one mean looking memory stick. The fins give it a mean look, and unlike the Corsair Dominator where the fins are all slim and straight wards, the Vengeance have wide fins curved at an angle giving it a more sophisticated look. The fins are about an inch long, which is common for high profile memory modules, are a nuisance when I installed my cooler because I had to adjust the fan, I’ll get into the details for that fiasco in a bit.

Performance wise, all memories are somewhat the same; there are very little performance difference between using a regular memory and a high profile one. Only difference is how it’s cooled, a regular is dependent on air cooling and a high profile one has a heat spreaders in order to withstand higher temperatures when overclocking. I choose Corsair because since I got into PC gaming, Corsair has always been my go to memory and I’m not about to change that.

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master TPC 812 *features and specifications are from the Corsair website.

Features

• Uses 2 separate cooling technologies to transfer heat – heat pipes and Vertical Vapor Chambers.
• The first-ever CPU heatsink to use Vertical Vapor Chamber technology.
• 100% pure polished copper base – combined with improved soldering technologies for the best thermal transfer.
• Special fin design – heatsink receives concentrated cold airflow.
• Improved air pressure design and fan mounting system.

Specifications

• Intel Socket: LGA 2011 / 1366 / 1156 / 1155 / 1150 / 775
• AMD Socket: FM2 / FM1 / AM3+ / AM3 / AM2+ / AM2
• Dimension: 138 x 103 x 163mm (5.4 x 4.1 x 6.4 in)
• Heat Sink Dimensions: 134 x 74 x 158 mm (5.3 x 2.9 x 6.2 in)
• Heat Sink Material: Copper Base / 2 Vapor Chambers & 6 Heatpipes / Aluminum Fins
• Heat Sink Weight: 826g (1.83 lb)
• Fan Dimension: 120 x 120 x 25mm (4.7 x 4.7 x 1 in)
• Fan Speed: 600 – 2,400 RPM (PWM) ± 10%

The first thing that I thought when I saw this cooler is it’s huge, I mean seriously huge, it’s like an engine radiator is popping out of my case. Setting it up is also a little bit tricky since it’s compatible with all known processor socket, meaning a lot of parts, there was a time when I was so stumped that I just stopped and procrastinated. Eventually I was able to fit it in and it looks absolutely awesome. The polished finish, the fin design, and the mere height of it –awesome, combine it with the HAF922 it was an absolute marvel.

I bought this cooler out of a whim, due to the very hot summer here in the Philippines I opted for a third party cooler instead of the stock one; I asked what was available and he gave me a cooler master TPC 812. First I was hesitant because I don’t know anything about the cooler but then again what the heck I’ll be able to use this when I make another upgrade so I went with it. Upon installing the back panel I figured that it’s the same as with all CPU coolers, you just need to adjust the lock and screw mechanism to fit the socket then it’s all good.

The only setback I had is the TPC 812 makes it impossible for you to place high profile memory sticks on the first 2 slots, options are you can place the CPU fan on the other side or elevate it to couple of inches. I opted for the later (result is seen in the picture below), but I’m still thinking of ditching 1 of the Corsair Vengeance and replace it with a regular one, for the mean time elevating the fan works.

Corsair Vengeance + Cooler Master TPC 812	Result: Fan is elevated up to an inch; thankfully I haven’t encountered any problem yet.

Final Thoughts

Upgrading my PC has been one of my dreams and the parts I chose didn’t disappoint. I’m now able to play games without sacrificing visual effects and without experiencing lags. I’d definitely recommend the MSI Z87-G45 and the Cooler Master TPC 812 for the enthusiast, but if you’ll go for a TPC 812 better make sure to get a low profile memory or remove the fins. I would eventually try out overclocking but only after the warranty is gone so that’s approximately a year from now. However, since I’m still under warranty I’ll continue on playing and catching up to the greatest games of 2011. I can't wait to start making reviews and sharing my game escapades here at Too Much Gaming, maybe I'll make a review for Shogun 2 Total War as a start. ^_^

Here’s a couple of links for a detailed benchmark of the highlighted hardware:

1. MSI Z87-G45 Gaming: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/Z87-G45_GAMING/
2. Intel Core i5 4670 3.4Ghz: http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/506/Intel_Core_i5_i5-4670_vs_Intel_Core_i5_i5-4670K.html
3. Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB DDR3: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-299-CS
4. Sapphire ATi HD 6850 1GB DDR5: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/graphics-cards/sapphire-radeon-hd-6850-962568/review
5. Cooler Master TPC-812: http://www.legitreviews.com/cooler-master-tpc-812-cpu-cooler-review_1913