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Star Wars The Old Republic Gaming Headset By Razer Review

Benjamin Webb
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Star Wars The Old Republic Gaming Headset by Razer
Manufacturer: Razer
Device: Headset
Price: AU$199
Purchase: Razerstore

Razer, being the leading video game peripheral vendor that it is, had released a series of Star Wars related peripherals alongside the launch of the insanely awesome MMORPG, Star Wars The Old Republic. Now, these headphones are incredibly aesthetically pleasing, as is the Razer way. You just can not call any of their devices ugly, even if their performance is sometimes iffy.

Firstly, the headset features fully functional 7.1 channel surround sound that works similarly to magic. However, I found this to be only the case when playing games and watching Blu-Ray movies. When listening to stereo based things, such as music, with the Surround sound turned on, I found that there was a bias to the left ear of the device. However, this will probably only irritate people who listen to music while gaming. You can turn this off though, if you have downloaded the Razer Synapse 2.0 software, which requires registration to run.

To be honest, the additional software is a must to get the most out of this device. You will need it to be able to configure the many awesome bits of the device, such as the lighting effects and game synchronisation which also affects the lighting of the device. This takes us to our second point.

Secondly, the device has lights all over it. Now then, I’m not entirely sure why it is that it needs to light up, it’s not like we can see things that are sitting on our ears. But I have to admit, the thought of having glowing lights resting over my head is pretty cool. Even further, in a dark room, the lighting reflecting off the walls leaves you with a pretty cool impression. What further enhanced these cool lights, which rest at the base of the ears, was that you can configure them to be one certain colour, or to constantly change colours. I’m the kind of guy that likes changing colours, so I went with that.

The Third thing I want to talk about is the logo’s adorning the ears. These face-plates are defaulted to the Republic logos, but can be switched out with Empire logos easily at any time. As a republic player predominantly, I found that I didn’t really have to switch these out anyway. But when I did, I found it to be an easy enough operation that didn’t require any significant effort on my part. These adornments are back-lit, so they glow around when plugged in. This will surely tick-off your Empire buddies when they come over to play.

Now then onto my first major gripe with the headphones, and that is the audio quality of the microphone. Throughout my use of the headset in various forms of VoIP situations, I found that people complained of my voice quality being significantly lower than it was in comparison to my current headset. However, they did also note that there a distinct lack of background noise that I would otherwise be catching. When pressed further, they remarked that I was still audible and clear, I just sounded a bit different than usual and it was a little unsettling. However, upon recording my own voice, I noticed that it was a complaint that sounded worse than it actually was. The headphone works fine as a microphone, but just know that these are very much functional over brilliant.

Visibly though, the microphone is pretty awesome. It looks like an antennae sticking out of the wings of a Tie-Fighter, which is pretty awesome. In fact, the headphones have a very Empire feel to them overall, and even within the earphones themselves, is an imperial design.

What is really cool about these headphones is the stuff that is included with them. When you install the Synapse software and get them to read the headphones, you are given an option to generate a code to download some exclusive in game items for The Old Republic. These come in the form of crystals to be used in the construction of your characters lightsaber. However, the crystals are more of an aesthetic option, considering their low base stats of +4 to endurance. But still, its a cool way to show off in-game that you own this cool pair of headphones. Also, the crystal glows green and black, which is pretty awesome.

Another bonus that I want to talk about are the stickers included with the package. These stickers come in Empire and Republic variants and can be used to stick on most surfaces. I adorned the side of my PC case with an Empire sticker and it looks pretty cool sitting there. I’m saving my Republic sticker for when I get a new PC case for my eventual graphics card upgrade (those things are getting huge). Of course, this being a Razer product, means that there are also a few Razer branded stickers included in the package, so that everyone knows how much a fan you are of Razers products. I currently have a sticker on my portable hard-disk drive and my 3DS (so if you ever find a blue 3DS with a Razer sticker on it in the street, email us about it).

While you may be thinking that these headphones will only work with Star Wars The Old Republic, I assure you that they do work well with other games of varying genres. Games that I have tested these with include: Star Wars The Old Republic, QuakeLive, Driver: San Francisco as well as various movies and youtube videos. Actually, these headphones worked quite well with Blu-Ray films played on a PC, so if you watch those with stereo headphones and you want a pair of Star Wars themed headsets to go with your new Star Wars Blu Ray collection, these might be the headphones that you’re looking for.

Overall, it is hard to recommend these headphones to someone who is not a Star Wars fan, but it is very easy to recommend them to someone who is. They’re a versatile headset that you wont be disappointed with if you currently lack a 7.1channel headset, but if you do, you will probably prefer your current pair. If you know someone with a pair of these, you might want to try them before laying down your money on them. However, if you’re a Star Wars fan, I’d recommend wasting your money on a pair immediately, especially if you’re a player of The Old Republic.

7-5-capsules-out-of-10

Gravity Maze Review

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Gravity Maze
Developer: Geemzo
Publisher: Geemzo
Platform: iPad (Reviewed), iPhone (Reviewed), iPod Touch
Release Date: February 3, 2012
Price: $1.99 USD/AUD Available Here

Overview
Gravity Maze is a physics based puzzle game taking advantage of iOS devices’ built in accelerometer. Fluffs have been trapped in a maze with dangerous traps and need your help to find their way to freedom. Does Gravity Maze tilt its way to success or does it fall flat?

Visuals
The most noticeable thing about Gravity Maze is its lack of color. The whole game is composed of black, white, and lighter shades of gray. The visual style is reminiscent of indie darlings Limbo with a dash of World of Goo thrown in for good measure. There are three visually distinct areas of the game representing summer, autumn, and winter. The graphics are implemented well, being sharp and crisp on both iPad and the iPhone screens. However, the details of the fluffs are easier to pick out and appreciate on the iPad screen as they are very small on the iPhone screen.

Audio
The audio in Gravity Maze is top notch. The music is ambient and chill. It fits perfectly with the simple graphic style of the game. The sound effects are solid; the fluffs make squeaks, yelps and provide the odd comment for a nice contrast to the music while you tilt your way to their freedom. The sound effects come together with the music well for a great auditory experience to match the gameplay.

Gameplay
Gravity Maze revolves around tilting your iOS device to allow the fluffs to tumble through the maze. The idea is very similar to the board game Labyrinth, where you guide your ball through the end of the maze while avoiding traps. The physics is well executed, though it is important to note the gravity in the game feels lower than the gravity experienced in everyday life. This allows for more accurate manipulation of the fluffs, which is absolutely necessary for later levels.

The difficulty starts at a relaxing pace and scales upwards as the game adds different types of fluffs that add traps that need to be maneuvered around and new goals. Navigating the maze is a race against the clock and at the end of the level your performance will be ranked. The game is universal and optimized for both iPad and iPhone. Gravity Maze may be a game you want to avoid on the iPad if you plan on playing in a public space. The iPhone provides a much smaller device to twist and turn. However, because the iPad screen is much larger in size, it is easier to see and maneuver the fluffs with accuracy.

Overall
No matter which device you choose to play Gravity Maze on, you will not be disappointed. Each has its pros and cons, but the differences seem to boil down more on personal preference than any glaring faults. Gravity Maze is a well-executed physics based puzzler that thrives on simplicity. Though $1.99 seems to be a lot of money for 45 levels, the developers promise more levels in upcoming patches. Whether you choose to wait for a content patch or spring for the game now, Gravity Maze will not disappoint.

9-0-capsules-out-of-10

Alcatraz Premiere Tonight in Australia

Ally Bodnaruk
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March 21, 1963, three hundred inmates and forty guards vanish from Alcatraz prison. Fifty years later and the inmates begin reappearing and carrying out violent murders while a special task force trys to hunt them down.

‘Alcatraz’ is a new series produced by ‘Lost’s J.J. Abrams airing on Channel 9 on Monday nights at 8:30 pm from 13th February. If the involvement of TV great Abrams isn’t enough to capture your interest, the cast certainly will. Starring Sam Neill, Jorge Garcia and Sarah Jones in the primary roles, ‘Alcatraz’ is shaping up to be one of the best new shows on Australian TV.

This show promises to hook you right from the start, drawing viewers back week after week as the mystery of the Alcatraz prison is, in true ‘Lost’ fashion, deepened rather than explained. Even in the first episode more questions are asked than answered.

Not only will fans of ‘Lost’ and ‘Fringe’ enjoy ‘Alcatraz’, but anyone who likes good crime procedurals as well.

EA adding some love to Valentines day with some new themes

Darren Resnekov
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If you ever dreamed of spending Valentines Day with your loved one, bubbles coming from your glass of champagne as well as from the jets of your personal hottub, then get ready for some spruiced up The Sims Freeplay Valentines Day inspired cool items. Whether single or attached, there’s something for everyone, ranging from raunchy heart shaped beds, through to cupid statues and lovey dovey wallpaper. All of these are available now for Ipad, Iphone and Ipod touch. For those of you who still want to enjoy the game but prefer to stay away from any romantic encounters or any such behaviour, EA have also added some new less romantically themed statues as well as new careers to be found throughout the township.

Call of Duty Elite 1.5 Million Paid Subscribers… So Far

Roger Ma
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Since the launch of Call of Duty Elite with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 last November, the service has drawn in over 7 million subscribers including 1.5 million premium paid subscribers, according to Activision’s 2011 earnings report.

Considering that the Elite service hasn’t even been launched for PC or Playstation 3 (Call of Duty Elite is scheduled to launch on Playstation 3 later this month on February 28), this is certainly an impressive figure that will mostly likely rise exponentially.

So far two new maps have been released for Premium Subscribers. But plenty more downloadable content including new game modes, maps and Special Ops missions is set to be released over a planned nine month schedule.

Toki Tori 2 making plans for the Wii U

Darren Resnekov
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Toki Tori 2 making plans for the Wii U

Toki Tori just has Nintendo written all over it, so its no surprise really that Two Tribes, who have released titles on the Gameboy, DS and Wii have a vested interest in making a sequel come true on Nintendos upcoming HD console, the Wii U. With very little information available at the moment, everything is a little speculative, with the news coming after Nintendo announced new strategies for its online capabilities and stores. It seems Two tribes see the 3DS store as a huge step in the right direction and assume Nintendo will follow suit with the Wii U’s online offerings. With the title relying heavily on online sales, choosing the right platforms for which to develop becomes a hard decision, with the quality and ease of delivering the product to market being of the utmost importance.

Two tribes see plenty of potential for the Wii U controller, already anticipating a smooth transition onto the platform in relation to controls, where the 2 analogue sticks would be perfect for stomping and whistling. Toki Tori has also specifically been designed to run without being a drain on the graphical interface, meaning it should look awesome on the controllers wide screen as well as on any large flat screen. Toki Tori’s uniqueness comes through the living environment players inhabit, where everything is used to solve puzzles, with very few limitations on what to do.  Apart from the fact their will be NO motion control and these small tidbits of information, not a whole lot is known about this title yet, but stay tuned for more news.

Oz-Comic Con Stan Lee’s Message

Benjamin Webb
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OZ-Comic Con, the Comic Con alternative for Aussies has had it’s blessing from none other than Stan Lee himself. For those who don’t know who Stan Lee is, you have forgone your right to live on this planet. I’m not going to bother explaining to you that he is one of the biggest icons in the comic-book world at all.

Now then, he has left a message for all of us Australian Comic-book fans that may be attending this event – which I have embedded below. So take a look and thank Stan Lee for his time in participating in this awesome video.

Excelsior!!

Update: Tickets can be purchased for $20 for adults and lesser rates for children. For more information, check out the ticket prices here and choosing the Tickets section on the side. Tickets are available through Ticketek and on the website linked above. Oz Comic-Con is also looking for Volunteers for the Adelaide convention. So be sure to register for those positions if you are interested in helping out.

Getting Hitched Tomorrow? Do it in Telara

Claire Phillips
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Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, and Rift developers Trion Worlds have decided to mark the date in a bizarre but wonderful way – mass marriage! That’s right, if you get married in Telara between 9am PST on February 14 to 9am PST on February 15, you will automatically be part of a world record attempt – for the most in game marriages in 24 hours.

If you take part you’ll get the exclusive in game title – “the Avowed” (changed from the originally announced  “Tier of Knots”), but marriages of convenience will not be tolerated – you must remain married until the end of the event! Marriages are a fairly new feature in Rift, but those who have already tied the knot are encouraged to file for divorce so they can do it all over again!

If this whole marriage business is all a bit of an unknown, you can find more details on the process here. Trion Worlds have also released a new video specifically for the event, which you can watch below.

Hard Reset: Extended Edition New Gameplay Trailer

Jorel Alvarez
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A new gameplay trailer has been released for Hard Reset: Extended Edition from Kalypso Media and Flying Wild Hog .

In this single-player shooter, veteran Major Fletcher is caught in a battle between two of mankind’s greatest enemies. With over-the-top action and a wide variety of weapons, Fletcher must battle his way through seemingly never-ending waves of mechanical foes which will lead him to discover that not everything is what it seems to be.

Check out the new trailer below and visit http://www.hardresetgame.com/ for more information on Hard Reset.

Hard Reset: Extended Edition will be released for the PC in the UK on 9th March, 2012.

 

Introducing Crossfire: Europe’s Biohazzard Mode

Jorel Alvarez
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The free-to-play online fps, Crossfire: Europe, now has a new gameplay style: Biohazard mode.

In this new mode, the Black List terror organisation lost control of soldiers biochemically experimented on. Now these infected mutants are roaming in the secret Grand Canyon facility and the Global Risk counter-terrorist unit has dispatched a team to eliminate them.

Biohazard mode features four-player support and 18 new monster types. This mode rewards players that play cooperatively as players that do will receive the best rewards. The better the teamwork, the higher chances of the team surviving, which in turn means receiving exclusive items from prize crates after each wave tier.

For more information and to start playing now, visit http://crossfire.gamerage.com/

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