Star Wars: The Old Republic Gaming Mouse Mat by Razer

Posted on January 28th, 2012

Razer has done it again – another brilliant product from arguably the world’s best gaming peripheral supplier. This time they’ve brought us The Old Republic Gaming Mouse Mat, every SWTOR fan’s dream! With the release of Star Wars The Old Republic just before Christmas 2011, Razer have flooded the market with a heap of Star Wars stuff and this Mouse Mat stands out as one of the best.

It’s made of a superb gaming grade smooth and hard material that will allow you to glide your mouse over the surface with zero resistance – excellent for steering your Starship or panning the camera with your guildies whilst roaming Illum.

This very cool mouse mat is reversible, so whether you’re striving to fight the evil Sith as the Galactic Republic, or hell bent on ruthlessness as the Empire, you can reflect this by using either side of this Star Wars Mouse Mat.

Razer pride themselves on making the best of the best and the non-reflective surface ensures that this is the case – you’ll notice that the responsiveness is extreme, allowing you to swipe your mouse across the surface with ease without worrying about anything preventing you from moving your mouse where you want, when you want. Another cracker from Razer!

Posted in Star Wars Stuff | Leave a comment

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Posted on December 13th, 2011

UPDATE: Launch is exactly 7 days away! Early access for those that pre-ordered beings in as early as 5 hours from now for those who ordered the first day it was for sale. This is so exciting!

UPDATE: Release date has been set for Dec 20, 2011. I expect early release for those who pre-order will begin around the 10th but maybe as late as the 17th. Have you pre-ordered? What are you waiting for?!

Star Wars: The Old Republic, commonly known as SWTOR or TOR is tipped to be the next best thing on the MMO market for gamers. Even if you’re not a gamer, SWTOR could potentially convert you. Check out this review of this amazing Star Wars game that will have you wanting more and more and more.

What Is It?

Ever thought of being able to create your very own Han Solo, Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader? Have you ever wanted to immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe, control your own landspeeder or wield your own lightsaber? Well, with SWTOR you’ll be able to do just that. You’ll be able to log in to the game and group up with your friends and wage battle against the evil Sith as a member of the Old Republic or battle the Rebels as part of the Imperial Regime.

Why’s It So Good?

This is truly the first MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) that features full video cut scenes that allow you to make strategic decisions that shape your character in the future. You’ll be given options to let certain NPCs (non-playing characters) live or die, gaining dark or light side points and pathing your character.
You won’t ever feel like you’re alone in this amazing game. The developers are introducing a companion system so as you grow in levels you’ll pick up NPC companions which will help you in battle and accompany you on your journey.

I’ve always been a fan of the Star Wars movies and find the lore and storylines fascinating, with Lucas Arts being able to endlessly create different characters throughout the timeline, which easily fit into the lore from the original movies. I was bitterly disappointed with the demise of Star Wars Galaxies, the first Star Wars MMO. It started off a massive success but dwindled shortly after, a great shame. The level of hype surrounding this game is extreme and you won’t experience anything like it.

Is There Anything Bad You Should Know About?

In my personal experience, the main problem with MMOs in general is the time sink. Without being aware of it you could literally lose hours of real time whilst you fully immerse yourself and I can see SWTOR being no exception to this rule. If you’re a fan of Star Wars in general, then you’ll find more interest in this new slot on the timeline that hasn’t been visited in the movies, thousands of years before the birth of Darth Vader. So, take this as a warning that this amazing game will have you so engrossed you’ll need to be careful not to be late for work or miss appointments.

You will definitely regret not trying this game. I have pre-ordered it already from Amazon so I don’t miss out at the start. There’s nothing worse than my friends talking about something that I’m waiting to get a copy of!

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Star Wars games, swtor | Leave a comment

Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith

Posted on November 12th, 2011

You’ll either love or hate this game. Personally, I wasn’t a big fan but Revenge of the Sith does have some good things going for it. Keep on reading to see if you’re a lover or a hater.

The worst thing about this game, I found, is that if you haven’t watched the movie then the game can ruin it for you. The inclusion of cut scenes from the movie is a good feature but could dampen the experience of the gamer. Chances are you’re a Star Wars fan anyway if you’ve picked up this game and therefore would probably have seen the film already. Well, the game follows the movie pretty much spot on, however the only characters that you really get involved with in the game are Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor in the movie) and Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christiansen).

I found the fact that both characters have exactly the same moves at the beginning of the game rather strange, since one is the student and the other the master, so you would think that the student doesn’t have all of the Force powers yet and the master is, well, a master in the Force. Naturally, as you progress in the game, the Force powers become stronger and the lightsaber combos become greater and more complex, which is a welcome aspect of the game.

Unfortunately, I found this game far too easy and I would most definitely not consider myself a hardcore gamer. My skill level is probably slightly higher than average and so I feel LucasArts could have made this game much more challenging. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun game; however you could almost wade your way through the levels just mashing buttons. There are some boss fights which break up the flow of the button mashing a little bit and are actually pretty fun but I just found that holding down block was a sure-fire way of defeating anyone. It’s so overpowered it’s not funny and you’re actually pretty much indestructible with the block mechanic.

To top this off, I completed the game in only 6 hours which is far too quick. You could sit down after lunch and have the game done and dusted before dinner time – not good! Modern games are becoming increasingly harder and longer to play, so it’s a shame LucasArts made this one way too easy for the average gamer.

I’ll stop slating the game now and touch on a big positive – the looks. It’s pretty, very pretty, and does the brand of Star Wars justice in this department. They’ve cleverly made the characters look like the actors from the movie which is a nice little touch that made the game a lot more playable for me, being a big fan of the movies. The camera angles aren’t perfect and can be slightly annoying sometimes, but other than that a big thumbs up in terms of graphics from me.

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Revenge of the Sith III, Star Wars games | Leave a comment

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Posted on November 5th, 2011

I was very pleased to see how closely Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga followed the movies. I’m a massive fan of the epic films and picking this game up was always going to be on the cards for me and I’m so glad I did. It’s given me hours of endless fun and you should definitely look into buying this game. Keep reading to see my honest review.

Key features

It’s important to know what to expect from any game, so here is a list of some of the key features of this Lego Star Wars game:

All 6 Star Wars films in one game
Laden with puzzles throughout that require teamwork
Over 160 different characters
Enhanced Force powers

Just being able to re-enact the key parts of the films is a massive plus of this game and being able to do this with the child-favored Lego characters is amazing. As you progress, you’ll interact with over an incredible amount of different characters which can be unlocked and placed at your disposal. For some strange reason, I lost hours running around as Luke Skywalker blasting Han Solo with my gun…I blame my 7 year old nephew!

The puzzles are fun and for a 31 year old adult, I was extremely upset that I had to constantly ask my nephew how to solve some of the puzzles, clearly showing that this game isn’t easy. You control one character at a time but can alternate easily with the others in your party, just at the press of a button. This is essential for the puzzle-solving and is greatly sped up if you’re playing with someone else as they can help solve the puzzles with you, or just get in your way and shoot at you!

I did find that following the progression was a bit difficult after putting the game down for a few days, since there only a limited number of doors to enter for the different films and you had to remember if you hadn’t completed one entirely. I also always felt like I had missed something out, since the story progressed without me necessarily picking up all the pieces to complete some parts of the game, but that boils down to my nature of not missing anything out. Some people don’t mind that at all.

Is This Game For Me?

I highly recommend it, that’s for sure. The 360 and PS3 versions allow for online co-op gameplay and the Wii version is fun with the Wii controllers. Kids will love this game, especially with it being Lego-related, however there is violence involved in the form of guns and lightsabers, so be warned.

What Are The Customers Saying?

“This is a great Christmas gift and I loved watching our 4 year old play this with my fiancée.” – Trista Ott
“The award winning game speaks for itself. A big thumbs up from me!” – Mark Twain “Two”

In Summary

Definitely a game to pick up for such a low price. It’s great fun to play with other people and just as fun on your own and will keep you occupied for a fair while!

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Lego Star Wars, Star Wars games | Leave a comment

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

Posted on October 29th, 2011

If you’re searching for a pure lightsaber-wielding Star Wars game, then Jedi Academy is the one for you. In this installment of the Jedi Knight games, you take on the role of a Jedi student called Jaden, having just survived the crash of his transport ship.

Key features

FPS action adventure
Epic story-based campaign
Multiplayer combat available
Fully customizable character and lightsaber

You’ll find that the missions involved in the storyline are highly varied so you shouldn’t find yourself becoming bored quickly. You’ll visit known planets such as Coruscant and Tatooine and be able to choose your path as you progress through the game. Although the game is linear, you’ll be able to choose which missions you’ll undertake which is one of the aspects I loved with Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. You start off with 5 missions to choose from and only need to complete 4 of them to continue on your journey, but you still have the option of taking that 5th mission – well done LucasArts!

As you progress, you’ll be able to revisit the Academy to spend points in those cool Jedi abilities. You start off with the basic ones: sense, jump, speed, pull, push, saber offense, saber defence and saber throw. As you progress naturally, these abilities become stronger on their own but there are 8 further abilities that you’ll be able to spend points in, on the dark and light side. I tend to play the good guy so rely heavily on the light side powers of absorb, protection, heal and Jedi mind trick. Be careful which you choose, since you can’t rank in all abilities!

The real fun factor for me came with the ability to throw enemies around and lobbing my lightsaber at them whilst they were hopelessly suspended in the air as a result of my choke ability. If you’re feeling really dark, there’s always the option of throwing them off cliffs – not one for the kids to attempt at home!

I was disappointed in the lack of repercussions of choosing dark side abilities. Since you are a Jedi Knight, you’re naturally aligned to using the light side of the force, however choosing to rank in dark side abilities has no affect apart from giving you a warning in the game. I guess it is nice to be able to pick up choke and lightning and using them to devastating effect without being the bad guy, though.

What Are The Customers Saying?

This game is amazingly fun and it’s no surprise that the reviews are brilliant:
“For the great price, this is a must have!” – Gadget Fan in CA
“I loved playing this game and you will too.” – accolademaiden
“I couldn’t stop playing this game and highly recommend it to anyone who is a Star Wars fan.” – Spendsters

In Summary

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a must have game for Star Wars fans. That is a fact. If you’re into running around flashing your lightsaber at enemies and using Force powers to the max, then you’ll fall in love with this game. I highly recommend it.

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Star Wars games, Star Wars Jedi Knight | Leave a comment

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Posted on October 22nd, 2011

An interesting view on the movements of Darth Vader during his reign as a Sith Lord, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed might not live up to the hype that surrounded its release. Keep reading to take a look at my honest review of this lightsaber-wielding game.

What’s It All About?

You take on the role of Vader’s apprentice, Starkiller. Taking place after the Clone Wars film, The Force Unleashed is the story of Starkiller’s hunt for the last remaining Jedi with one goal in mind and that is to destroy the Jedi entirely.

I found the story in general to be very good with lots of twists to keep you enthralled. However, I managed to complete the game after about 8 hours, which to my mind is far, far too short. You’d expect a Star Wars game that is story-driven to last a lot longer than that and I must admit I was fairly disappointed. It’d be very easy to give away a lot of the game here, so I would recommend getting this game – using the Sith’s Jedi powers is always fun and it’s good to get some lore that surrounds the dark side, rather than a focus being on the Republic.

There is a huge fun factor in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Running around throwing objects at Republic Commandos is a joy and once the game gets into full swing after the tutorial level, you’ll be very excited. Frustration levels can get quite high, though, since I found the targeting system to be highly annoying. Wanting to throw a Wookie in the air in front of me before sending him off into a few walls before meeting his maker, instead I would find myself controlling a piece of junk metal that was sat right next to him. EURGH!

I would definitely say that the fun-factor wins over though, once you get used to the targeting system the game gets better, you just have to stick with it and not let the frustration beat you.
What LucasArts have done well, is the boss fights. Instead of standing next to some giant lump of a beast swinging your lightsaber, you actually find yourself taking Starkiller through stages in these fights, having to hit button combos when prompted to throw your opponent up in the air before using force lightning to stun them, then sending them flying into a nearby wall. Making use of the seemingly endless lightsaber combos on boss fights is a necessity, making combat varied and extreme fun.

What Are The Customers Saying?

Understandably, there are mixed reviews for The Force Unleashed:

“The environments look great and it’s fun to blow stuff up! The ability to upgrade your weapon is a cool feature. I was impressed overall.” – NickNAC
“The game was too buggy and the targeting annoyed the hell out of me.” – Andrew H

In Summary

It’s a tough call to say whether The Force Unleashed is a “must have”. In terms of lore and being able to blow stuff up and throwing people around with force powers, then it definitely is. In terms of the physics engine and overall gaming experience, I’m on the fence.

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Star Wars games, The Force Unleashed | Leave a comment

Star Wars Republic Commando

Posted on October 15th, 2011

Star Wars Republic Commando is different to the usual look and feel of a Star Wars game, which is what I loved most about it. It does away with the generic thought of Jedis running around wielding lightsabers and focuses more on squad-based combat through an elite group of commandos.

Key Features

It’s probably best if I provide you with a quick list of some of the key features of Star Wars Republic Commando before I explain to you why this game is so good. So, here it is:

Intuitive squad commands
Full control of a squad of Republic commandos
Good looking graphics
FUN FUN FUN!!!

Yes, it’s fun – a lot of games on the market seem to be all about pure skill and intensity, rather than the gamer having fun. I had some good memories playing this game and still have my copy to fire up when I want some easy gaming fun.

Being in full control of a squad of Republic commandos, the main focus is on your commando called, “Three-Eight”. You’re a clone and like the other squad members are known via a number – not very personal, is it? Playing through the game, you’ll interact with your squad mates and pick up a variety of weapons that justify the skill and calibre of the elite commandos.

One of the great things that I loved about Republic Commando was the ability to be revived by your squad mates. I tend to be a bit gung-ho when it comes to shooters and found myself wading into battle with guns ablaze, only to be shortly cut down by the enemy. Normally it was my squad mate “62” who came to my rescue, but it was probably a coincidence that he was the only one that was willing and able to pick up my pieces.

Being able to command your squad is core to this game, so maybe I should’ve used that feature some more. The intuitive one button squad control is brilliant and easy to use – I think next time I’ll be more of a team player rather than trying to be that hero, after all that’s how the game was designed to be played!

Is This Game Right For Me?

That’s bound to be a question on your lips and the simple answer is, “Yes!” Even if you’re not a fan of Star Wars games, Republic Commando is a great tactical squad-based game. It has a teen rating due to the combat, so if you’re looking for a game for your 6 year old, chances are this isn’t the right one.

What Are Customers Saying?

Here are a couple of quotes from some happy shoppers:

“This is the only shooter that I enjoyed dying in. The graphics are great and it’s so much fun to play.” – fett51

“Has a very smooth interface and for its age, has great graphics. Very fun.” – Charlie

In Summary

If you’re looking to pick up a shooter that’s fun and will plug a gap until the next big graphics-busting FPS, then Star Wars Republic Commando is definitely worth the low price! For the price of a cup of posh coffee, you’d be a fool to overlook this one.

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Republic Commando, Star Wars games | Leave a comment

Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords

Posted on October 6th, 2011

The Old Republic games are the best single player Star Wars games that I’ve played. KOTOR 2, in my honest opinion, is a fantastic sequel to a must-have set of Star Wars games. Keep reading to see why.

The only better Star Wars product that has been released prior to these games is the box set of the movies. KOTOR (Knights Of The Old Republic) won an abundance of awards, which was no surprise to me. This sequel is as excellent, which is a rare claim to make for a follow-up. There isn’t a huge amount of variation from the original which is good and bad. Hardcore fans might feel a little bit disappointed that the Sith Lords feels a bit “samey” due to there being no huge difference, although considering the first was so damn good this is almost forgotten. The story carries on not longer after the original left it, still thousands of years before any of the movies and focuses on the struggle between the Jedi and Sith.

You immediately set off on a journey of discovering who you are, knowing you are a Jedi but not knowing Force powers or possessing a lightsaber. Quite frankly, the lore that you go through in this game is amazing, learning of the history of the Jedi and specifically the Sith Lords, hence the title.

I do not wish to provide any spoilers, however if you really want to know more then I can not recommend buying this game enough! If you really consider yourself to be a Star Wars fan in general, then you have to check this game out. It won’t be too demanding on your PC and can be picked up easily in stages, although be careful you don’t lose hours out of your day! I played for 4 hours straight without realising that I’d totally missed out on lunch; all I was hungry for was Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords.

One of the best parts of the game, I found, was seeing your character changing on his path down the light or dark side, depending on the actions and choices you make in the game, allowing you to truly shape your character how you wish. I originally completed the game by going purely down the Light route and discovered a practically separate game by going down the Dark side for the second offering. I really couldn’t stop playing.

Customer Quotes

Here are some actual quotes from people who have played this game:

“The story is massive and so engrossing and I found the gameplay better than the first, if that’s possible?” – John Salerno

“There were lots of opportunities to use light or dark side options and the graphics were so awesome. It’s definitely a worthy sequel” – Igor Minevich

In Summary

Why haven’t you bought this game already? Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, you should get this for the immersion and incredible storyline.

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: kotor 2, Star Wars games | Leave a comment

Star Wars Empire At War Gold Pack

Posted on September 29th, 2011

It’s definitely not the worst Star Wars game out there, that’s for sure. But, is it the best? Probably not! Is it worth getting? Quite honestly I would have to say “yes”…

What’s It All About?

Now, you have to know that this is a RTS (Real Time Strategy) game, so you’ll have to make tactical decisions on the fly and won’t necessarily be controlling one unit, like in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. There are 3 different modes to choose from and this Star Wars game can provide endless hours of fun online. Let’s take a look at the different modes:

Space Battles

This is arguably the most fun mode to play this game in. Basically, you have a base from which you create your ships to wage battle with and as you progress in the game you gain the ability to build bigger and better spaceships and create more defences, oh as well as the all-important credits! Make sure you use those mines to generate loads of credits to build your space empire rapidly and get those defences up to repel the invaders.

Land Battles

This is a very simple version of RTS and is still popular, perhaps maybe not as popular as the space battles, though. Here you’ll be able to build the classic AT-ATs and with the expansion pack, many, many more types of different units – all possessing different attributes that are crucial to winning the battle. Here, you can spawn in units from the Galactic mode (see below) or train them in your base. This mode can be slightly frustrating, however, since your recruited units don’t spawn in your base so they are ready to defend, but at landing pads ready for battle.

Galactic Mode

If you can set aside a good few hours at a time then this is the mode to play in. This is a very strategic mode, letting you move fleets of ships around, build space stations and massive armies before wading into large scale battles with the enemies. If you’re impatient then this is unlikely to be the mode for you and you’re better off with Space or Land Battles.

Is This Game For Me?

It might not be a very modern game, but it’s definitely something to pick up for the price. With the modern powerful PCs, you shouldn’t have a problem running the game and Star Wars fans will love this addition to the Star Wars range of games.

Customer Reviews

Here are a couple of quotes direct from those who have played the game in-depth:

“I’m not a Star Wars geek but I really enjoyed this game. I found the mix of battles brilliant and fun, letting me play the game for a long time.” D. Donovan

“RTS fans in general might not be that impressed, but if you’re a Star Wars fan then you have to get this fun game!” – J. Loscheider

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Empire at War, Star Wars games | Leave a comment

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Posted on September 22nd, 2011

Continuing on from the first in the series, this Star Wars game attempts to build on the solid base that the first installment provided. However, is the sequel as good as the original? Let’s take a look.

Key Features?

Before I go into detail, here’s a quick run-down of some of the key features in the game:

Continues the story of Starkiller, Darth Vader’s apprentice
Timeline for the game is between Episodes III and IV
More force powers with improved controls
Ability to wield dual lightsabers

Let’s be honest, there’s nothing greater than seeing dual lightsabers being wielded by a force-bearer in a whirlwind of flashing green, red or blue light. With this Star Wars game, you’ll be able to do just that as you take control of Starkiller once again, doing Vader’s evil bidding across the galaxy. Being only available on the PS3, in this incarnation Starkiller has, what seems to be, over-the-top Force abilities as he hunts for his love, Juno Eclipse. Possessing new abilities such as Force Fury and the famous Jedi Mind Trick, Starkiller searches for answers to his past as he races after Vader.

Is This Game For Me?

For the sheer lore alone, I would be tempted to pick this game up just to gather more information about Vader’s actions between Episodes III and IV. The game itself will keep you occupied for a good while and I would say it’s an average sequel. Read below for some quotes from other people who have played Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II.

What The Customers Say

“I would recommend this game. It may be a little short, but it didn’t leave me feeling ripped off. You won’t be disappointed.” – Emily Crook

“I managed to finish this game within 4 hours and found that a bit of a joke. The first game was a masterpiece and I felt the sequel let the first one down.” – Robert Yarber III

“They fixed a lot of the control issues from the first game and a lot of the graphic glitches seem to have gone, but this game is a little too short for my linking.” – Jared Burdick

In Summary

I would have to tend to agree with some of the comments above in the sense of the game being a little short. Settling on the couch for a big Star Wars gaming session has always been fun for me and whilst I still had that feeling with this Star Wars game, I felt myself wanting more, but not necessarily in a good way. You could almost argue that this sequel seems to just be an extension of the first one and could have been added as DLC (downloadable content). It’s definitely worth a try, however, since I still enjoyed playing the game and following the lore.

Posted in Star Wars Games, Star Wars Stuff | Tagged as: Star Wars games, The Force Unleashed II | Leave a comment

Star Wars Items

Star Wars: The Old Republic Gaming Mouse Mat by Razer

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Star Wars Republic Commando

Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords

Star Wars Empire At War Gold Pack

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Categories

Pages

Toys and Games

Video Games

Books

Movie DVD’s

More to see