Great DLC

Downloadable Content has become a major part of most game releases these days and it’s almost become a given that the bigger AAA titles will be supported post release with packs and extras. Sometimes these are exceptionally disappointing and are just to try and make money for something completely unoriginal or redundant; I’m looking at you Horse Armour. Other times these extras can add hours of interesting content, new characters, new maps and now gameplay modes. In this article I will be looking as some of the best DLC packs of all time. In no particular order let’s get on with the show…

Halo/GOW Map Packs

The great shooters of this generation have had an abundance of good DLC map packs to keeps us coming back for more time and time again. This has become a common theme in most of the big competitive multiplayer titles and it would be hard not to see this trend continuing. Some of the best maps in the Halo universe came from the previous generation but these were released as an add on to the Halo 3 multiplayer as a paid download. Other games have since taken this method and ran with it like the worldwide success GOW2 which has a staggering 14 additional maps released over 3 downloadable packs. Map packs are usually quite high in price but shooters have such a fan following that they usually sell really well.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2- Vietnam

Usually I’m not the biggest fan of map packs due to their high price hikes but for BFBC2 everyone should make an exception.  Vietnam added some well constructed maps, new weapons, a new atmosphere and Vietnam based action. The visuals held up the stunning Bad Company Engine and the Frostbite damage was put to great use. The DLC itself added a lot more life to a tried package and personally I still play this quite regularly.

Bioshock 2: Minerva’s Den

Bioshock 1 and 2 are both awesome games and while the impact was a bit lacking in the prequel it’s DLC pack, Minerva’s Den made up for the disappointment slightly. The pack itself was a standalone campaign story that has great pacing, tense shock factors and a brilliantly engrossing story. The level design in my eyes surpassed anything shown in Bioshock 2 as well and gave the grim reality a dangerous atmosphere. The actually story fleshed out further aspects of the Bioshock universe and is one of the best FPS campaigns available counting fully released games.

Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx

Borderlands was one of my breakthrough games of 2009 and one that got critics hooked straight away. The action was fun, the loot system accessible and the humour was brilliant. The DLC that came out shortly after the games release and although they are all quite good in their own rights General Knoxx takes the tops spot. The DLC itself was really cheap considering how much came in the package. Players got an increased level cap, new weapons, new vehicles, new quests, new areas and better humour. I also found Zombie Island to be a fun pieces of DLC but avoid Underdrome at all costs.

Fallout 3: Broken Steel

As I’m sure you’ve heard before Fallout 3 is a truly epic game from Bethesda that has a real end of the world feel. Most of the expansions were pretty deep extras but the cream of the crop was definitely Broken Steel. Following on from the completed campaign with a host of new missions gave this DLC an extra edge. The enemies were bulked up and the difficulty made this a great addition to any Wastelander. The story wasn’t great but the action pieces were such good fun.

Left 4 Dead 2: The Passing

With a fully fledged campaign, an awesome Mutation mode, some very lovable character and another great example of storytelling, The Passing was as good as any DLC we had been offered. In some respects the campaign mode outshines the original L4D2 content. I know the campaign was very much like that of the original but it was enjoyable in itself and a worthwhile purchase for and L4D fan. This was one of the best pieces of DLC at the time and remains a solid addition to the main game.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles

The Elder Scrolls IV is regarded by many to be one of the greatest games of all time, with its excellent level design, addictive nature and huge open world. The biggest piece of DLC for it was Shivering Isles which was also praised for the same reasons and added an additional area to explore. The open world style carried over really well and the game design took on a much more diverse world. The whole expansion was a great place to explore and somewhere that you could lose well over 10 hours. The quests were up there with some of the best of the main game and in fact this is probably the most played DLC I’ve ever purchased. Shivering Isle showed what Bethesda could do if they wanted and added lots of new features to an already vast game. The prices was slightly higher then that of other DLC on offer but the additional areas, quests, loot and story means this is still a very cheap purchase.

Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker

By far and away the best of the DLC available in all of the Mass Effect Universe. Bringing back a great character from the original in Liara - the stroy traverses around and above Illium. The story follows on from the exploits of the Shadow Broker and has some of the best combat and set pieces Bioware have ever come up with. The decisions are well handled and the two boss battles are genuinely intuitive.

Other Mentions:

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Dragon Age: Awakening
Fifa (any): Ultimate Team

I hope you enjoyed the list, tell me what you think of it and which your favourite DLC packs are in the comments section below! If you have any favourite that I haven’t mentioned then please let me know so I can check them out.

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Arkham City - Personal Review

Whether you're a comic fan or not, it's hard to outline just how deep the DC Comic’s Batman Universe really is. A host of supporting characters, villains and of course the man himself make this whole world a richly rewarding experience. Rocksteady have followed their breakthrough success Arkham Asylum with a newly updated and hugely innovative game that gives everyone exactly what they want. Game of the Year or even the Generation is a distinct possibility. Yes the game his a few flaws but all in all this is one of the best titles you may get to play for a long time.

Off the bat I should say that Arkham City does have a lot of ties back to the previous game but is open enough for you to pick up and play even if you haven’t gone through the original. I would recommend playing through Arkham Asylum if at all possible first though; not just because of the story ties but because it is a hell of a game itself.

The plot centres on Arkham City, a prison super-complex constructed in the middle of Gotham City to house every super villain Batman has ever had to face, all being run by Hugo Strange. To go into more details would spoil the surprises but suffice to say the whole campaign is excellently driven.

The gameplay is very solid from the first encounter all the way to the last with an interesting strike, counter or stun method that has been greatly expanded over the original. The premise is still the same with certain enemies needing specific tactics to be taken down. The enemy types are much more varied with battle scenarios and strategies needing to be worked on the fly as more enemies pile into your already started brawls. You can also disarm or circumvent certain enemies which is a nice touch. Hitting a nice long combo or dropping a host of enemies without being attacked is as rewarding as ever. Rocksteady have made Batman a bad ass again.

The graphic and sound quality of Batman: Arkham City has been drastically up-scaled compared to Arkham Asylum, the lip-syncing and voice acting are more professionally handled, the animations are no longer floaty and always connect now when Batman gives a finishing blow, and overall fidelity has seen great care for the entire open world. One note to keep in mind though is that textures do tend to pop-in when the game switches to a cinematic though should not be noticeable beyond the first few moments of any clip.

The levelling system is still included from the last game but the options are much vaster with a greater variance in the option available. These are listed as combat skills or gadgets and even down to some practical functions like swinging away from your grappling hook to get a height boost. Rewards are also given for solving the Riddler Challenges which could include finding hidden trophies, unlocking tricky contraptions, scanning objects to solve word riddles, or even taking on one of his challenge rooms once you've gotten enough secrets. Alongside the main quest is a selection of side missions that flesh out the plot and have some brilliant cameos too.  All in all I’m immensely satisfied with the depth of this game and the variety of missions. Along with the main campaign is a Riddler Challenge section that pits Batman against increasingly difficult odds. These are still played as Silent and Predator modes but have a lot more variety then their Arkham Asylum counterparts.

The best character in this game is by far the city itself, its dark twisting rooftops to its grimy alleyways and buildings give the title a very real feeling of deprivation and danger. The whole game is brilliantly brought together with a fantastic story that helps move you around the world in a very constructive manner. The actual city reminds me of Zelda in the way that it’s open enough without causing the player too much hassle when looking for their next objective. The fields of Hyrule can stand for the city itself and the dungeons can be counted as the internal areas Batman gets to explore. Every so often you will obtain a new gadget that helps you reach a new area or gives you the ability to collect more Riddler trophies. The game is always adding more for the player to complete which keeps you wanting to play.

The cast of super villains is pushed up a notch too with the returns of Joker, Bane and Ivy as well as a fresh host of new faces in Mr. Freeze, Hugo Strange and Two-Face. I don’t want to spoil too much but they each have their own interests in the city and give the main quest a real feeling of danger. One point I would note is that the vast amount of villains can sometimes be a detriment to the depth each one has on the story that is unfolding. Some characters are fleshed out well while others barely get time to say their own name.

Obviously those of you who brought the game new also got Catwomen as a playable character and I would suggest that you install this before playing the game as she certainly adds another dynamic to the proceedings. The Catwoman download also has a specific set of Riddler trophies and challenges to complete. She handles differently to Batman but has a similar control system making the change over easy to work with. I’m sure you all know but Robin and Nightwing are also available if you chose the right retailer. Although they have no offerings in the campaign mode these both have additional challenge maps too and their own combat styles.

goodie in Batman's arsenal the game time is easily doubled or more. You can also play a New Game + mode that gives the player everything they had in their last game. This new game is beefed up even more too so the player is still challenged.

Overall this is a top quality title and one that any action fan should definitely pick up even if you don’t have a specific interest in the Dark Knight himself.

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Mass Effect 3 Demo

Finally Bioware have announced a demo for their upcoming Mass Effect 3 game. The first thing to point out is that this will be both a single player demo and a multiplayer demo too.

This will be due out some time in January so Bioware will have well over a month before the full game hits shelves worldwide.

Owners of Battlefield 3 and its Online Pass will, via their EA Account, automatically gain early access to the Mass Effect 3 demo. PC copies of Battlefield 3 bought on Origin automatically have the Online Pass included too.

Bioware have also announced an online tool to give people a chance to check whether their EA Account has been granted early access.

Bioware will announce another, free way to gain early access to the demo in "late November or early December".

There is no news yet on how long the demo will run or when exactly this will start but we have been told that the demo’s release date will be announced in late November.

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Werewolves in Skyrim?

Over the last year snippets of information kept hitting the internet about Bethesda’s upcoming open world RPG, the Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. One of the most regular of these ‘rumours’ was the addition of Werewolves to the northern province of Tamriel. This is one of the big points missing between Morrowind and Oblivion and the fans have been eager to see this gameplay element included once again. Obviously they were only included in the Morrowind add-on but they were a major part of the Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall too.

Anyway this rumour has been hinted at again on the Computer & Video Game magazine’s website that can be quoted below…

“Subterranean cave systems and warrens are plentiful and in a promising twist Skyrim is home to werewolves as well as vampires – we’re fully expecting the lycanthropy disease to make its long awaited return to the series”

Of course this is not a direct confirmation of werewolves to the world but is a good sign that these hairy beasts will at least feature somewhere. I’ve tried my best to put the paragraph ‘in context’ but the outcome is not clear. Obviously the author has encountered a werewolf on his Skyrim travels but whether lycanthropy is present or can be contracted by the player remains to be seen.

Obviously it is a fairly reasonably assumption that if there really are werewolves in Skyrim then we are probably contract the disease – I mean we all know that there are Vampires and we can become one of them. Unfortunately Bethesda remains tight lipped on the whole thing so this is still somewhat od an assumption.

It would of course be a shame to have these hairy beast excluded from the fifth game in the series especially as there was so much said about their exclusion from Oblivion. Lycanthropy is common in all the provinces of Tamriel too but some races are more or less immune to the disease.

Were-creatures are common in the lands of Tamriel and even the book ‘On Lycanthropy’ in Oblivion mentioned were-crocodiles, were-vultures, were-lions and even were-bears that are found in the province of Skyrim.

I for one really hope that Skyrim does have werewolves as I loved this element in the previous instalments. The gameplay changes with the disease and gives the whole experiences an edge of your seat rush.

What do you guys think….? Sound off in the comments below.

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Crysis - PC vs Console

A few days ago I got to try out the new XBLA release of the original Crysis. I eagerly pressed the start button to see whether Cevat Yerli; the Crytek president, was correct in saying ‘the console versions looks better than Crysis on PC’.

It really does say something when a four year old release is still considered a popular benchmark within the industry and of course anyone who’s played the original will know why. The suggestion that the visuals have been improved on hardware that pre-dates the game itself is a rather bold claim. I’m positive the PC fans will have something to say about it.

Anyway the game itself is quite clearly a loving remastering of the PC classic that has a lot of fine tuning under the hood and is far from a quick port. I must stress that this is the Crysis we all know and love, all the gameplay elements are included and the fact it has reached the console market at all is worthy of celebration.

The remastered version has been undertaken predominantly by Crytek’s new UK studio (formerly Free Radical), and it is no surprise that the overhaul has been achieved at the highest level. The ground and object textures have been worked on as well as the transition from CryEngine 2 to CryEngine 2.

Of course the PC version should visually destroy the console version but it would be a rather bold claim by Cevat if this was no at least a close race. The console versions are very well handled with better lighting effects due to the CryEngine 3’s revamped lighting models. This allows for an increased number of lighting sources as well as high level reflections off every surface. The sand glistens under food as you run in the direct of the sun giving the illusion that each individual grain of sand is refracting light.

Textures are great but do suffer from the occasional drop in when rushing through crowded areas although the speed of movement usually means you miss this if you aren’t looking directly for issues. The lighting really does make the whole area look brilliant but the brightness can sometimes be overpowering in sections where the extra lighting isn’t being used too much.

One thing I did notice was the removal of some objects from the interior areas. Mood objects like lambs, paperwork and rubbish as I like to call them have been refined or removed completely. Although this is unnoticeable on the gameplay it does make certain areas feel baron especially when you think that some of these areas are supposed to be lived in.

Crytek have still produced a full sandbox for us console users to play around with and is as close to the original product as can be. Obviously a top of the range PC with relevant mods will still wipe the floor with the console version but in itself the game is still beautiful for full retail let alone the XBLA tag. I cannot recommend this game enough; the original Crysis has always been a joy to play and has some beautiful vistas. One of the other things to note is that Crysis has really shown us what the CryEngine 3 can do on consoles – something the sequel failed to live up to.

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Mass Effect 3 - Multiplayer Update Update

Slowly but surely more information is hitting the net after the recently Bioware confirmed there would be a multiplayer aspect to Mass Effect 3.

Progress made in the cooperative aspect of the finale can be viewed on iOS devices, facebook ‘and more’. A colour coded map will chart the progress of your squad to show the success of your defences.

From what I can make out it looks like these co-op areas are also visited during the single-player campaign but in multiplayer you can team up and defend them.

We still don’t know how the multiplayer game will affect your single player progress or at what points these missions will take place.

In my previous post I mentioned the Galactic Readiness meter that appears to be a currency for purchasing allies, facilities and tools to help you save Earth. It appears as if the currency for this meter can also be earned during the co-op aspects but this has not yet been confirmed.

Bioware previously confirmed that you would not need to play the full co-op suite to complete the game so maybe this aspect will be used as a supplement to the main game instead of a necessity.

The Mass Effect 3 co-op multiplayer will follow 4 player wave-based missions, as was suspected earlier this year. Each stage has eleven waves of enemies, ranging from basic foot soldiers to giant Mechs and Phantoms.

You earn experience points for kills, assists, objectives and other undisclosed actions. Downed allies can be revived but in a limited time-frame before they bleed out. Admiral Hackett orders the co-op multiplayer missions directly so these look like they will tie in with the single player story quite well..

There's a level-cap of 20 on the multiplayer but looking at the previous outings it is presumed that Shepard will exceed this in the single player.

All six classes are available and six races too - Human, Krogan, Asari, Drell, Salarian and Turian

Each race and class can be utilised in different ways so Krogan’s can charge and knock down foes and may make brilliant Vanguards.

Just to make sure you know that Bioware will be using an Online Pass as access to the Galaxy at War section. Each new copy of the game will have a code but if you buy used the Online Pass can be purchased at a small additional cost. 

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Battlefield 3 - Beta to Launch Changes

DICE have finally confirmed information outlining differences between the Beta game and the final product.

As I’m sure most of you noticed the Beta did seem to have a rather low selection of guns available and DICE have firmly explained that the retail version offers much, much more. If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the leaked weapon list for the upcoming Back to Karkand expansion pack.

By now those who played the Beta a lot are sick to death of the Operation Metro map. In fact some even complained that it wasn’t true to the Battlefield culture in that it was small and linear like it’s competition Modern Warfare. DICE have confirmed now that Operation Metro was the smallest map on offer in Battlefield 3 and from my personal perspective wasn’t actually that small in reality. DICE then went on to say that Battlefield 3 maps will be substantially larger then those found in the console version of Bad Company 2.

Obviously the Battlefield 3 Beta has been used to balance the final version and included vehicles, guns and kit. DICE have confirmed that they have changes to make from the Beta but that the final product will also be monitored and changes implemented as these issues arise.

At least we will be getting a lovely post-launch support system still.

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Skyrim Speed Run

A fun story from Bethesda has been released today to confirm that speed run champion Sam Bernstein has done it again.

Following his 75 minutes speed run on pre-launched Fallout 3 that undisputed champion of the quick finish has done the same with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The quality assurance tester has set the early pace with an impressive run of two hours and sixteen minutes to complete the main quest from the open world RPG.

Bernstein finished the whole main quest in 2:16:10 a mere 20 seconds faster then Jeff Browne. No cheating was permitted and apparently both contestants used different routes through the game itself.

The pre-release speed run seems to be a Bethesda tradition now and Bernstein is definitely the guy to beat.

I’m sure it will take everyone else a whole lot longer to get through the game when it is released on 11^th November 2011.

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Xbox 360 - The Greatest

Over the last 5 years the Xbox 360 has gathered a plethora of brilliant games all begging to be played. Some for the perfect gameplay, others for their story and several just for how ridiculously addictive they are. What I have decided to do for you is write a little list (or big if I get too excited) about the games that really should already be in your collection. While this list could get enormous I’ll mention particular game that will stay in your mind. These will be broken down by franchises too as I don’t want you to miss out on the original Mass Effect if I happen to write a 2 next to the title. 

Let me start:

Batman: Arkham Asylum – I’m guess the majority of you are probably fans of Batman and if not I’m sure this great game could change your mind. It doesn’t require you to know the comic lore or find out about his brilliant multimillion pound gadgets. Instead you will get an easy to learn, hard to perfect action-adventure game that really is exceptionally solid. If you liked ‘The Dark Knight’ then you will love this. It’s clear from the get go though that Rocksteady have experience with the Batman Universe. Their final product is so true to the world that even the loyalist of fan’s won’t find a fault with it. This is by far and away the best superhero inspired video game ever and the best thing to keep your fingers occupied on in anticipation for Arkham City.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – This game launched during a time when the Xbox 360  was still early in it’s life cycle and showed us first hand exactly what the new console could do. Bethesda are well known for their brilliant open world RPG’s and this is one of the best (only Morrowind trumps it in my opinion). The world was is fleshed out and feels alive. Featuring exceptionally compelling gameplay and story. Even now few games on the Xbox 360 have reached the high bar this game set upon it’s released and with Skyrim launching in November there is no better time to run around Tamriel.

Red Dead Redemption – Rockstar took what they learnt from Grand Theft Auto and created a vast open world game set in the west. The story was original and compelling with all sorts of interesting characters to interact with. Not only was the gameplay great but the story made you feel for the characters of the world around you. Rockstar have made whats great about GTA and basically added cowboys, The finale is one of the best pieces of storytelling on the current generation and one I’m sure will be spoken about for years to come.

Grand Theft Auto IV – While we are on the subject of Rockstar we should really mention GTA. The series has been a brilliant franchise but the most recent outing took the story in a new direction. The whole concept became even more serious while it’s main competition in Saints Row went the other way. While many expressed their dislike for it's new gritty direction many believe this to be the best installment yet. The level of detail has also stood firm over time with Liberty City looking better now then ever.

                      

Mass Effect 2 - This is one of the best series to have come out this generation; it takes choice and consequence to a whole new level. The story consequences are carried over and give this game the next generation feel. Combat is fluid but slightly varied in both. The cast of squad based characters are well crated rival the best in the industry. That said the lack of customisation is poor. Buy this series now and it has the hours to last you until Mass Effect 3 releases next year.

Fallout 3 - When Bethesda announced that they'd be developing a new Fallout title that would be played through a first-person perspective, fans of the franchise were outraged. The team at Bethesda stepped up to the plate though and delivered a witty open world RPG a'la the Elder Scrolls. The beautiful post apocalyptic world was fantastic. Obsidion also had a go with the highly recognised Las Vegas. The Characters even make you feel like helping them in this dark, hopeless time.

BioShock - No game this generation features a better plot twist than the original BioShock. The underwater world of Rapture was completely unique and Irrational games gave this one a dark twist too. Choices and consequences were the new words on everyones lips and enemy design was great. Take a journey into Rapture! The second one is great too and fleshes out the world from another perspective. 

Halo: Reach - Definitely the most complete game of the magnificent series so far. This was pretty much a homage to the brilliant outer space shooter. The Halo Universe has been a massive winner for Bungie and the life of the Xbox 360 for most of it's life. Halo 4 has been confirmed but is under the new watchful eye of 343 Industries. The prequel of the original series has a vast multiplayer with well handles map creation. With a plethora of gameplay options this game has far and away many hundreds of gameplay hours.

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Skyrim Map in English and Manual Basics

A recent Internet leak has given us a look at the world map for the long awaited fifth Elder Scrolls game; Skyrim.

Below is a full sized English version of the map itself for you all to behold. Loyal fans of the series have translated the whole thing into English for us as the previous one shown wasn’t exactly easy to follow.

Skyrim has been one of the biggest stories of 2011 and is sure to be one of the big sellers going into Christmas too. Its 11^th November release is fast approaching and more news seems to be hitting the web every day. From the new radiant story to the new world we will get to explore, this November is looking to be a great time for fans of the series.

The most significant change over Oblivion will be the range of mountains that Skyrim holds. The developers have said on several occasions that the world map will be around the same size as Oblivion but that the heights involved will mean there are generally more areas to explore.

Each town has been given its own insignia Game of Thrones style and will have individual design style, characters and trades. The smaller details like rivers and mountains are also interesting. A specific area of notable interest is called ‘The Reach’; although nothing is known about this at the current time. You can also see the large Lake of Henrich which has been mentioned in just about every Skyrim trailer.

On top of the recently leaked map are the manual pages. These can be found on Goggle if you search for them but I will not be posting them here. I will however outline some of the specifics located within the pages.

The main point of interest will be the fact that Skyrim will allow the player to hire people from taverns to fight alongside them called Hirelings. According to the pictures each of these will have specific combat bonuses and natures. You can ask them to wait, follow, attack, open or pick something so the choices follow a similar pattern to Fallout 3.

Much like Oblivion friends may also join you on your journey, where you can give them gifts in return for their help.

The manual also offered a brief description of the skill cooking. It read, "Cooking pots allow you to prepare food items that provide various temporary effects. Each recipe requires specific culinary ingredients that can be found throughout Skyrim."

Cooking joins skills like farming, mining, woodcutting and blacksmithing in Skyrim.

The manual also aired the dialogue option of brawling, should persuasion, intimidation or bribing not work.

Crimes are also covered in these pages and specifically state that the bounties will be localised to specific cities or towns. Witnesses can be killed to avoid a bounty.

All in all Skyrim is shaping up to fill all the requests I had after I finished Morrowind and Oblivion all those years ago.

Check out the English Map below….

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Mass Effect 3 - Multiplayer Update

Bioware recently confirmed the long anticipated multiplayer for its 2012 title Mass Effect 3.

The third entry in the popular Mass Effect series sees the return of the popular Commander Shepard in an intergalactic journey of war and rivalry. The gorgeous universe that Shepherd travels will be moulded into a bonus section of the campaign that gives players a brand new 4 player co-op experience.

The new co-op multiplayer missions will allow you to create your own character from a variety of different classes and races and aid Commander Shepard in the war to reclaim Earth. If you manage to be successful in the multiplayer areas it will directly impact the single player experience. The ‘Galaxy at War’ missions will be completely optional so if you don’t play online this addition will not directly affect your game in an adverse way. Bioware have also confirmed directly that it will be possible to experience the story in whole without playing this mode online.

All the characters from the single player will be unavailable in the new missions so you’ll need to create your own character from scratch. This creation can be from any of the games races and unique abilities will be available for each so selection is important. Unfortunate as it is we won’t be able to sniper people as Garrus or hurl people away as Liara.

The mode itself will contribute to your Galactic Readiness meter that slowly makes it easier for Commander Shepard and his team to do their job and save Earth.

None of the additions or storyline branches from Mass Effect 1 or 2 will impact the multiplayer aspect of the third game.

All in all this addition should be a great part of the Shepard finale but I am still a little concerned that we might be forced to play this section of the game to see how the series finally ends.

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Once Upon an Elder Scroll

When Skyrim was first announced at the close of 2010 fans of the Elder Scrolls series spieled off their lists of what they wanted to appear. Bethesda cleared up their initial intent to recapture what made Morrowind so great. Oblivion of course sold well and was well received across the planet so what made Bethesda draw on inspiration from the past?

A lot of this probably had something to do with Morrowind’s still infectious popularity. Players obviously compared Oblivion to its predecessor upon release and many fans felt the game had been toned down. In fact it’s a pretty accurate assumption; the previous game had been designed for the PC originally and was far more unforgiving then experiences within Oblivion that were tailored specifically for consoles.

Oblivion has a very well known levelling system that allowed players to go almost anywhere right of the bat. Morrowind however tried to tighten the reigns of the player by increasing enemy levels the further a player ventured into rural areas. Where Oblivion held the player hand, Morrowind let go. It was not uncommon for a player to lose track of specific quest progress and it was definitely an unforgiving experience to any player who didn’t take their time to learn the gameplay. After Oblivion went on general sale the developers attempted to ‘fix’ some of these issues by bringing it closer to its predecessor but this never really worked.

The actually world design of Morrowind was less traditional then the standard fantasy affairs of Cyrodiil too. In Oblivion the world held stone castles, brown mud caves and lavish cities. In Morrowind the island of Vvardenfell was portrayed as a much darker region entirely. Cities were individually created and the different houses add a different dimension to the gameplay. Where the cobbled streets stood in Oblivion there were tentacles and vines in Morrowind. Overall the predecessor has a much more original design style that really showed off the direct the game was hoping to head.

Bethesda tried to recreate this illusion with the Shivering Isle content that was released about as year after Oblivion. The new area was a joy to explore and the world design was far better then the main game. Each location had its own unique architecture and character models for both enemies and other NPC’s were much more creative.

Skyrim is set in a region of the same name and draws upon the area in a different way once more. The developers have definitely tried to learn from their mistakes and add both Cyrodiil’s opened expanses and Morrowind’s desolate marshlands. Skyrim is the most northern land of Tamriel and the home of the Nord race. These large pale men and women look like they have been ripped right from Viking lore and are used to swinging Axes both in combat and their day to day life.

The North of Tamriel is full of high mountains of snow, ice and wind. There is also a large amount of foliage and greenery but at the same time Skyrim is a much more unforgiving landscape. The terrain is tough to traverse and the inhabitants are battle strong. Monsters are much more brutal then those found in Oblivion and it is not uncommon to spot a Giant or Werewolf among the trees. As I’m sure you’ve heard, Bethesda have also included Dragons to the open world. These battles will usually be random but there are some scripted circumstances. Each battle with one of these terrifying beasts will require the player to use all their wit in order to the monster in its tracks.

Skyrim has a different architecture style then both Cyrodiil and Morrowind too. Buildings in the main five cities are created mainly out of stone with wood and straw only used as supports and roofing. Because of the cold climate a lot of the locations are dug into the ground and add another interesting layer to the inhabited areas. Along with the five major cities there a many other smaller towns and settlements scattered around the land. These give the whole gameworld a lived in but rural effect that makes the whole place scream with realism.

Following in Oblivion's footsteps the story of Skyrim once again begins with regicide as the High King of Skyrim has been laid to rest. A civil war is raging and is the last in a string of prophesised events that will result in a return of the dragons under the Nord god of destruction, Alduin. We can only guess what will happen as the player journeys through the main campaign.

“And they shall call him Dovahkiin” = Dragonborn = Awesome!

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