As I said in my Dragon War Phantom unboxing post, my Thor started giving out which prompted me to buy a replacement for it. Not going to say much about the mouse in this post. Instead, I have a video review about it. As well as a video showing off how to change the color of the LED on the mouse.
DRAGON WAR ELE-G4 PHANTOM GAMING MOUSE
Product Code: ELE-G4
Purchased at Datablitz for 1795php
Features:
Ergonomic design for professional gamer
Gaming Mouse with Performing Capability
Powered by 5600 DPI Precision Laser Engine
Suitable for almost every surface
Adjusted Sensor Resolution of 800/1600/3200/5600 DPI
Turning Weight-in Design Offers the Perfect Feel
Gold-plated USB Connector for a Reliable Transmission Integrity
Mouser Cable Length 1.8 meters (with Braided Fibre Cable)
Gaming mouse with 10 control buttons
Adjustable Length to Suit Your Hand Size and Grip Style
Precision Aim Mode that Will Hit Your Target the First Time
Designated Configuration Panel:
Assign Your Choice of Key Gaming Actions to Programmable Buttons to Create Your Own Custom Profiles
Resolution: 800/ 1600/ 3200/ 5600 dpi
Interface: USB
Dimension: W110 x D100 x H36 mm
Package Contents:
Dragon War Phantom Mouse
User Manual
Dragon War Sticker
Spare Foots – 4 Pairs
On February 4, 2015, PlayStation invited 40 lucky fans and media to attend a closed event that would make them the first gamers in the Philippines to try out two exclusive games coming to the PlayStation 4 - The Order: 1886, and Bloodborne. The TMG Crew attended the event and was surprised to see Sony make an effort in reaching out to gaming community here. For those that were unable to attend, here’s what you missed.
It was discreet to say the least; a single Facebook post from PlayStation Asia seemed to be the only promotion done to such an event. But it seemed to be enough because when we arrived, a solid number of participants were all lined up patiently waiting for the doors to open. It was held at Imperium e-Sports Bar and Video Game Lounge at Metrowalk, which they closed shop for the whole day to cater to the event. Registration to enter Imperium started at 6:30PM. By 7PM, we were asked to gather at the main stage to begin.
Before we were given a chance to try out Bloodborne and The Order: 1886, Sony Computer Entertainment's Asia Region marketing manager Arata Naito went up on stage to do a quick presentation –a brief description of Bloodborne and The Order: 1886 was given, as well as highlighting SCE Worldwide Studios' such as Media Molecule (Little Big Planet), Sucker Punch (Infamous), Guerrilla Games (Killzone), and Naughty Dog (Uncharted, The Last of Us). Talk about The Order: 1886 was first. Then, something I was not expecting happened – a video message from Ru Weerasuriya, CEO of Ready at Dawn and director of The Order: 1886. What’s special about this message was it was recorded just for this event, welcoming Filipino fans and the media present. They even started his video message with “Kamusta”, which means “How are you” in Tagalog. At this point, it made me think Sony is testing the waters here in the Philippines, looking at the reception given by the gaming community here.
The Order: 1886 is set in a unique vision of Victorian-Era London, where Man uses advanced technology to battle a powerful and ancient foe. In an alternate history where myths and technology co-exist, players take on the role of Sir Galahad, a hardened member of an elite order of Knights engaging in a centuries-old war that will determine the course of history forever.
Arata asked us to head over to the only TV on that displayed a demo version of The Order: 1886, which is to be played by cosplayer Myrtle Sarrosa. Two sections of the game were demonstrated; shooting gameplay and a portion that features the game’s visuals and other mechanics (puzzle, stealth, etc). The demo started with Sir Galahad and the rest of the Order rappelling down the side of a blimp in order to board it. A conversation between the characters kicks in and Arata explains that all of this is being done in-engine, it’s not CG. We’ve seen trailers and actual gameplay footage of The Order, but seeing up close, this game is definitely a visual marvel. After a small chat with the Order members, Galahad enters the blimp and we see Myrtle sneak behind an unfortunate soul and stabs him to death with a simple press of the triangle button. Then, we were shown a small hacking mini-game in order to unlock doors and disable certain devices. Galahad whips out a weird looking contraption with two mercury rods on both sides. With the mercury rods moving up and down on both sides, the player is tasked to press L3 for the left side and R3 for the right side at the right time. You’ll need to do one side at a time and once you get it, you’ll have to hold that button until you get the other side. Once done, you can now progress. At this point Arata cuts that section short and went straight to another portion of the game to showcase the game’s gun play.
In terms of gameplay, it looked like the traditional third person cover shooters you’d come to expect. But the only difference I was able to get while watching Galahad mow down 10 guys in under a minute is that it becomes even more stunning visually. Bullets seen flying; Galahad’s garments gracefully swaying as he takes cover; papers up in the air; debris coming from walls, soaking up bullets; there’s a lot going on and it was smooth all throughout. During the fight, the player was welcomed with a fearless thug equipped with a powerful shotgun that easily overpowered Galahad. We didn’t get a game over screen though, but more of a “downed” state. Arata explains that there’s an item called Blackwater that can bring Galahad back to the fight. Once used, Galahad stands up and does his thing. Arata then says that thanks to the PS4, developers at Ready at Dawn were able to create a game they’ve always wanted to make. After the dust clears, the player heads to the kitchen and more thugs appears and we are back to another gun fight.
Next up was Bloodborne, a new IP from From Software that strongly resembles the Demon Souls/Dark Souls franchise. Arata asks the crowd if people are familiar with Dark Souls, and the crowd replied with an ecstatic “yes”, suggesting that majority of those present were fans of the Action RPG franchise. Then, we get another video message, this time from Bloodborne producer Masaaki Yamagiwa, also wishing they were there to attend the event. The game takes place in the gothic, ruined city of Yharnam. Over the years, many travelers make pilgrimages to the city seeking the remedy to cure their afflictions; the player takes the role as one of these travelers known as Hunters. Yharnam is plagued with an endemic illness that has malformed most of its denizens into bestial creatures.
We head over to the only station on once again to watch a demo of Bloodborne, ready to be played by Myrtle Sarrosa yet again. The section demonstrated was said to be at the beginning of the game and the player was equipped with a scythe-like weapon, able to switch between two forms to cater to the situation at hand. These are called “Trick weapons”, and it’s one of the unique elements introduced to this new IP. Also unique to Bloodborne is the use of guns in the game as an offhand weapon (goodbye shields). Arata states that guns in the game isn’t used as a main damaging tool, but more of a tool to either stun your opponent or get yourself out of tight situations. The player was equipped with a blunderbuss-like gun that provides a pushback to whoever gets hit by the blast, my kind of weapon. The enemies wandering the stage were easily disposed by the typical spam of the attack button. After some quick dodges, we finally get hit hard, and we were introduced by a new system for the game – The “Rally System”. Arata starts explaining that after getting hit by a lethal blow, you are given a small window to attack your enemy in order to regain some health back. This also shows that they are taking a more offensive approach in combat with this new system, oppose to the more defensive route taken from the Souls series with the use of shields. From Software has stated in the past that it will be one of the most difficult games you’ll ever play on your PS4 system, but we’ll see once it hits shelves this March. The demonstration went on going through the same stage with Arata explaining the different kinds of weapons in the game, said to give a lot of variety to the player. At this point, Arata was in control and stated that there are different paths to take in Bloodborne. We then see a larger foe wielding a hammer, banging at a gate. Arata then says that we can choose to not engage and opt to find another path, but then the crowd shouts in unison “FIGHT…FIGHT”. With a simple smile from Arata, he accepts the crowds request and we were greeted with the infamous ‘YOU DIED” screen found in Demon Souls/Dark. It was roughly a 30 second fight.
The presentation was over and the first wave of players was about to try out the games themselves. All participants were given a stub before entering and were given the choice to pick one of the two games to demo. Fans were able to bring one friend during the event, so we saw a couple of folks discussing what game they’d like to try. Miggy and I had a similar discussion, and since he was never a fan of shooters, I happily gave him the chance to try out Bloodborne while I deal with The Order. Each batch of players playing the game was given roughly 10 minutes to try the demo. Once time is over, the next batch of players take over the stations prepped for the playable demos. Dinner was served and those waiting for their turn was able to dig in and mingle, talking about what they’ve seen so far. Mr. Arata and the rest of the Sony crew was very welcoming to all those that approached them. Taking photos with the fans; talking more about the two games, I think I also overheard someone asking about Uncharted 4. This was after all a PlayStation Fans event, so I’m sure they were expecting questions like those. We had a good talk with him and he appreciated the enthusiasm of the Filipino fans.
During the demo, we were told that whoever can beat the boss at the end of the Bloodborne demo will be given an exclusive Bloodborne t-shirt. There were roughly 9 waves of players that tried out Bloodborne and only two players were able to beat the big baddie waiting at the end. And no, Miggy was not one of the two players that snagged a shirt. He’s still dreading about the last move he did that lead to his death.
When it comes to events in the Philippines, this is the first of it's kind. It’s an event greatly overdue for the Filipino gaming community. PlayStation is finding huge success with the PlayStation 4 and it looks like they are staying aggressive in order to keep the momentum going by reaching out to other regions. I'm going to take this event as a sign. A sign that big companies like Sony will make a bigger presence for console gaming in the Philippines.
Our full hands-on impression of Bloodborne and The Order: 1886 will debut on episode 69 of the TMG Podcast going live on February 10, 2015.
The Order: 1886 is scheduled for release on February 20, while Bloodborne will be out next month on March 24, exclusive to the PlayStation 4.
The TMG crew had the big opportunity to attend this year's Manila Game Jam in Ateneo De Manila University. With around 120+ participants, they were all tasked to create a game under 48 hours and revolve their concept on a specific theme: 'What Do We Do Now?'. After all the pitching, coding, and sleepless nights, 32 games were created in the Ateneo site. Here's the crew's personal top 5 games list.
Putting the Street Fighter inspiration aside, this fighting game was quite a surprise in the event. If there was one genre I wasn't expecting in a Game Jam, it's a ragdoll fighter. To stay true to the theme, it felt like the developers kept everything about this game random. From gameplay mechanics, down to the elements in the stage. It was a great game that kept me at the edge of my seat because I had no idea what was going on, but I guess that was the idea.
I'm not putting this on my list because I've beaten every high score in this game(I'm bragging, yes), it's up there because of it's addicting nature and it's need of constant focus. The more mistakes I do, the more I sweat. I love a challenge, and would love to see what the developers can do with this rhythm-inspired game if given more development time.
This makes my list because of sheer concept alone. When the theme was announced on day 1, pitching started and the concept of the Angry Wife game stuck, resulting in us hellbent in looking for this game once the exhibit floor was available. You play as a husband with an Angry Wife. You don't know what you did or what happened, so what do you do now? How do you fix it? It lacks in gameplay and polish, but it's the best use of the given theme.
There's a lot that made me appreciate Hugo. Was it the atmosphere established by the music? Or the need to find more about this lost soul unable to move on? "WHY DON"T YOU JUST MOVE ON". I keep saying that on the screen, but it just doesn't happen for this guy. Gameplay is quite simple and you are left in this endless loop of despair, forever lost in this world. Oh, the feels. It sounds depressing I know, but it's great art style and presentation really stood out for me. Add more characters and story and I just might reach for a tissue.
This could be one of the weakest application of the Game Jam theme but it's execution and gameplay was quite impressive considering that they created the game in less than 48 hours. It's complex platform gameplay wasn't punishing but inviting. Materializing what color objects you need in order to progress, I found myself having loads of fun, reminding me of a stage taken from Mario Galaxy 2. Only three stages were available, and the presentation(Textures,art,color) was not even close to done. What's important is it got me invested, and if there was more to it, I'd probably use the remaining time I had left in the Game Jam to complete it.
Not a lot of games have you controlling two characters on one controller. The stained glass aesthetic and the mellow paced puzzle gameplay can make this a good game on a slow afternoon.
This level memorization based infinite runner was one of the most solid games at the event in terms of art style and gameplay. A simple concept with a mix of old school difficulty
It's ragdoll Street Fighter mixed with some random stage effects and hazards. Looking forward to a full version of this in some form in the future. Hopefully with slightly better and more responsive controls.
A puzzle platformer where you summon colored blocks to stand on in order to progress. No doubt my favorite from the event. This is the kind of game I look for in indie puzzle games.
This list of course is our personal favorites. Almost all the games found in the event floor showed a lot of potential with the given theme. The variety of genres in this site was also a big surprise since we saw a First Person explore game with Unreal Engine 4, platformers, a fighting game, a text adventure, a card game, and all the way down to even a board game!
Congratulations to all that participated! This event was one of many sites that participated in the annual Global Game Jam, with a good number of countries participating that weekend to celebrate games development. When the event concluded, 5,437 games were created world-wide. In that 5,437, 85 of those games were developed here in the Philippines, with 4 game jam sites organized this year.
If you'd like to pick your own personal favorites on any site in the Philippines or even in other countries, head over to www.globalgamejam.org and start playing.
Our full video coverage of the event is now up on our YouTube channel!We have a playlist all set and ready for you all to check out.
If My Heart Had Wings was a difficult game for me to start playing. But I’m glad I did. I’m no stranger to visual novels, and for the most part, I can’t say that I’m a fan of the genre. I generally tend to prefer stronger gameplay elements in my games. Occasionally however, one comes along with such an excellent story that you don’t mind the minimal gameplay elements, just because you want to see what happens in the end. If My Heart Had Wings is such a case, where a strong, well-written storyline overcomes the genre shortcomings and can appeal even to non-fans of the genre.
If My Heart Had Wings is a romantic visual novel. Quite a popular genre in Japan, not so much in the West. The gameplay is limited to clicking through dialog with accompanying scenes, with choices scattered about here and there. Ultimately, your choices do end up taking you on a specific “route” which leads to different endings. It’s very similar to the old Choose Your Own Adventure series of children’s books from the 80’s.
Since the gameplay tends to be so limited, Story takes precedence, and the game relies on its writing and visuals to suck you in. If My Heart Had Wings shines for the most part, and I found myself engaged for a majority of the game. The story centers around Aoi, a young man recently returned to his home town, and his participation with the Soaring Club, a high school club where club members make gliders to fly. Along the way, you meet various young women with whom you can choose to engage in romance with each girl leading you down to a separate ending, giving the game some level of replay ability.
The visuals, music and voice acting are crisp, clean, and expressive. The text, for the most part, is edited and reads well, although I did find the initial exposition of all the characters to be somewhat dragging, with lots of internal monologues that seemed just a little overdone at times. Thankfully, the game really picks up after a point, and it’s worth muscling through some of the earlier dialogue to get to it.
One small caveat was that there were also times where the writing simply didn’t match what is happening on screen. This was likely due to localization issues, as when originally released in Japan, the game contained several hardcore sex scenes which were edited out for the Western release. In a lot of cases, this seems to be where the irregularities tend to occur. For example, reading the text describing a girl’s eyes, when the camera and spoken Japanese are clearly focused on her breasts. However these parts are rare and few between, and actually had I not known that this was originally an eroge game I probably wouldn’t have noticed these areas.
As far as the girls go, they tend to follow typical anime tropes, and the selection of potential romances are all textbook waifu material. The childhood friend, the older senpai, the disabled tsundere. Thankfully the writing is strong enough to carry these tropes throughout the game, and there’s a lot more to the girls than their initial appearance. To be perfectly honest, I’m not generally one who enjoys romance stories, and I ended up squirming at some parts, but thankfully it’s that extra story behind these characters makes it palatable. Even if I was not romancing a particular girl, it was interesting to discover more about each of them, their motivations and lives, dreams and desires. And when you do decide to romance a particular girl, the characterization goes even deeper.
The story is a character driven one, and it’s the high point of If My Heart Had Wings. The central theme of the game, that of loss and the coping and recovery that follows, is a very strong one that I think just about anyone can relate to at some level. Each of the characters in the game have lost something, be it physical or emotional. The game explores a lot of the changes and dilemmas that those losses can inflict upon a person, ranging from simple things like having to give up something you love doing, or perhaps in just trying to act like a regular normal teenager. It’s insightful and empathic and makes you really care about the characters and relate to what they are going through.
The binding aspect that brings these characters really together is the Soaring Club, and the dream of flight. As a fan of aircraft myself, I was very happy to see how the game is able to capture the simple beauty and wonder of flying, and the game does a wonderful job of showcasing the sheer anticipative joy of the idea. For most of the characters, the Soaring Club acts as their way of coping with their respective losses, all for different, but all valid reasons. Admittedly, the game doesn’t do a very good job at actually explaining how flight works, and the game’s explanation of the physics of flight are all wrong, but again, I was willing to overlook that just because the story itself was so compelling.
The game is reasonable in length, it took me about 9 hours to get through my first play through. Thankfully, the game features a forward feature, so my subsequent play through to view the other paths and try other romances went on for about half of that each.
Overall, If My Heart Had Wings is a great coming of age story that doesn’t do anything particularly new or different for the genre, but what it does, it does well. This isn’t a story epic in scope, but it is a very personal one that speaks to all of us in a little way. Highly recommended.
Score: 8/10
Reviewed by: Willem Den ToomPlatform: PC
Pros:
- Strong and Heart-warming slice of life story
- Great visuals and sounds
- Easy to understand interface
Cons:
- Doesn't do anything really new for the genre
- Some odd translations / scenes due to localization
- Can sometimes get draggy with exposition and internal monologue
P.S. This game also features a duck with a top hat. You can’t go wrong with that.
A big gaming convention is happening in the Philippines. For two days, the E-Sports and Gaming Summit (ESGS) will open its doors on November 15- 16 to feature a series of video game competitions, and showcase video games developed by local game developers. This isn't the typical convention you'd expect in the Philippines, so let's give you all the details shall we?
The organizers working on this event is the same group bringing us this year's Pinoy Gaming Festival (PGF), another big gaming event happening this week on October 25- 26, 2014. For those looking to witness the best players in the Philippines in a specific game, ESGS has a total of nine tournaments happening on the two-day event's stage floor.
The full list featured at the event stage as of October 25,2014 are as follows:
1. eSports League (ESL) Hearthstone Philippine Finals
2. ESL League of Legends Philippine Finals
3. Mineski Pro Gaming League (MPGL) Dota 2 Philippine Finals
4. MPGL Assault Fire Philippine Finals
5. MPGL Dragon Nest Philippine Finals
6. MPGL Ultra Street Fighter 4 Philippine Finals
7. Point Blank Revolution
8. Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm
9. Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Pinoy2DFighters, the 2D fighting game community here in the Philippines, will be attending to host tournaments for Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, and Injustice: Gods Among Us. For those looking for some Persona 4 Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold action, PinoyPS got you covered- they will be hosting a tournament during the event.
So there...E-Sports...check! Now, that's not the only thing attendees get to see during ESGS. Local game developers and publishers will have booths all around Halls 3 and 4 of the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia to feature the games they have developed. Other big gaming companies will also have a spot at the event, names such as Garena, Boomzap Entertainment, Asiasoft, Zeenoh and the International Game Developers Association Manila Chapter. So, if you're looking to get your foot into the gaming industry, this would be a perfect place for you to mingle.
Here's the list of developers/publishers as of October 23, 2014 that's confirmed to be at the event:
If there's one event you can't miss as a gamer, it will have to be this one. We hardly get a chance to see local game developers come together to show their amazing talent to the local gaming community, and let's not forget the E-Sports scene here, which is vastly growing into a beast that the rest of the world won't be able to ignore. We are excited that an event like this has finally surfaced. They are aiming big - a convention aiming to be in the likes of Tokyo Game Show (TGS), Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3), or PAX. If successful, just imagine how ESGS would be for the community in the next few years.
Tickets are now available for purchase at all SM Ticket outlets in all SM Cinemas nationwide. A single ticket will cover only one day of the event and will cost you P150, so that's P300 if you want to fill up your weekend. Tickets are limited, so I suggest you run to your nearest SM (it's right around the corner, I'm sure) to secure your spot at the event floor. If you want more information about the event, or wish to see the latest updates as we get closer to event, head over to ESGS's official Facebook page for more details.
The TMG crew will be working on a full coverage of the event, so that all of you can see every nook and cranny of the first ever ESGS.
Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
Video Game reviews, news, previews, videos, and gaming podcasts.
As I said in my Dragon War Phantom unboxing post, my Thor started giving out which prompted me to buy a replacement for it. Not going to say much about the mouse in this post. Instead, I have a video review about it. As well as a video showing off how to change the color of the LED on the mouse.
The TMG crew had the big opportunity to attend this year's Manila Game Jam in Ateneo De Manila University. With around 120+ participants, they were all tasked to create a game under 48 hours and revolve their concept on a specific theme: 'What Do We Do Now?'. After all the pitching, coding, and sleepless nights, 32 games were created in the Ateneo site. Here's the crew's personal top 5 games list.
