Thursday 19 November 2015

VIDEO GAME NEWS: Deus Ex: Manking Divided Delayed - Square Enix



Hail Mighty Reader and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs,
Our friends at Square Enix and Eidos have contacted us, asking that we let you know that they're delaying the release of the latest title in the Deus Ex Frnachise and why.  Here's what they had to say:
"As you may have already seen by reading and watching the many previews for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, our aim is for it to be a worthy successor to Human Revolution, and to improve upon that game in every way possible. I know that expectations are extremely high, and we not only want to meet those expectations, but exceed them.

We’re confident and proud of the game so far. However, as we are now playing through the game in full we can see that it will require more time in post-production for tuning, iterations, and refinement to meet our high standards. In order to achieve this, we need to move the release of the game to August 23rd, 2016.

We are sorry to disappoint you with this news, and also thank you for all of your support and comments. This game is a huge part of our lives, and we don’t want to compromise on its quality.

So please be patient with us a little longer, and thanks as always for your passion and support – through thick and thin. It’s a huge responsibility to work on Deus Ex Mankind Divided - we know, but also a huge privilege. We’re determined to deliver the best game we can.

David Anfossi – Eidos-Montreal Head of Studio"






Wednesday 18 November 2015

URBAN FANTASY ROMANCE REVIEW: The O'Dwyer Triloty 2: Shadow Spell - Nora Roberts

Release Date: 19/11/15
Publisher:  Piatkus

SYNOPSIS:

Three cousins inherit a gift that will transform their lives...

Meara Quinn is in trouble. Fiercely independent and scarred by a tough childhood, she is convinced that love is for other people. She is certainly not going to fall for Connor O'Dwyer - her best friend's brother. He may be drop dead gorgeous, with a good heart and a wicked smile, but he's never taken his relationships seriously. Safer for them to stay friends, share the odd pint - nothing more.

And loving Connor would be a dangerous business. With his sister Branna and his American cousin Iona, Connor has inherited a dark gift, passed down through generations. The cousins use their powers for good, but they are being hunted by evil. An evil that is determined to destroy them - and everyone they care for...

In the enchanted woods of County Mayo, Meara must fight the one thing she fears the most - her own heart.


REVIEW:

This is the second book in this series and whilst I did read the original, I had problems with it as I wasn’t a huge fan of the principle character. I found them pretty flat and with a supporting cast that almost felt a little like an Irish joke waiting to kick off. All round left me feeling disappointed.

All round, this book has been a huge disappointment to me and whilst fans will buy this without any query, if you’re a new reader and want to try Nora, this isn’t the series for you. Finally back this up with lacklustre plot, a bit of mishmash pacing and all round you know that I won’t be picking up the third.

Friday 13 November 2015

VIDEO GAME FACTOID COUNTDOWN: Rise of the Tomb Raider - Microsoft


 Rise of the Tomb Raider Factoid Countdown 1



Lara’s Journey – Lara uncovers an ancient mystery that places her in the cross-hairs of a ruthless organization known as Trinity. As she races to find the secret before Trinity, the trail leads to a myth about the Lost City of Kitezh. Lara knows she must reach the Lost City and its hidden secrets before Trinity. With that, she sets out for Siberia on her first great Tomb Raiding expedition.







 

Thursday 12 November 2015

VIDEO GAME FACTOID COUNTDOWN: Rise of the Tomb Raider - Microsoft


 Rise of the Tomb Raider Factoid Countdown 2
 

Cutting Edge Technology – Utilizing the full power of the Xbox One, the world of “Rise of the Tomb Raider” comes alive with interactive exploration spaces two to three times larger than the “Tomb Raider” reboot in 2013. Featuring real-time cloth and body physics, full performance capture, a new lighting model that allows for richer materials, and new and improved hair tech for highlighting each individual strand of hair, Lara is brought to life like never before. Built on Crystal Dynamics’ Foundation Engine, “Rise of the Tomb Raider” was designed to become one of the best looking games on Xbox One.