Thursday, October 14, 2010

iPhone vs Android Phones

The iPhone vs Android based phones is always starting up, and we're here to settle that. Let's start with the pros and cons of each phone.

iPhone:
Extremely amazing display
Thin
Great video and camera quality
Looks great
Much bigger App Store
However, there still are a few cons, such as:
No flash support
Less customization
AT@T

So, which phone is better for you? Look at these pros and cons of each phone and determine which phone is better for your purpose.

Monday, October 11, 2010

FIFA 10 Review

With people getting hyped up from the World Cup, EA Sports has seen a record increase in it's FIFA video game for mobile devices. However, are the modes in this game interesting, are the graphics passable, and most importantly, is the gameplay high quality? Below is our TalkAndroid review:

When FIFA first came out for Android devices, many people wondered if it would be an arcade-like game, or a game similar to FIFA on consoles, with deep managing modes and and enthralling Be a Pro Mode. The end product is somewhat in between. FIFA for Android features basically almost every feature of the console versions, such as Manager Mode, My Pro mode, and Training. Even though all of these modes are a little less in depth than they would normally be, it's impressive to see that level of detail on a mobile phone.
The amount of work also put into the graphics is stunning. Players look as if they would in real life, and the field's are created nicely. The presentation obviously doesn't look as good as it would as a console game, but once again, on a mobile device, it really adds more depth to the game. The "halftime shows" show highlights of the game, which is pretty cool, but probably the best feature is that it shows a shot diagram, where shots are presented in lines on where they went. Announcing is also a part of the game, but quotes are trite and are repetitive.
The gameplay of the game is what prevents this game from being great. Even though the touch-controls work together perfectly, the AI doesn't have a good sense on where to go, and don't really make plays off the ball. Teammates often don't go for loose balls when they have a chance to get it, or don't cut to an open spot, instead lagging behind. The passing in this game is probably the worst part of the gameplay; the AI doesn't respond to where you pass it, often just standing there and waiting for the ball to come to them. The end result of this level of gameplay causes games to be mainly running around the field dodging defenders, and maybe getting an open shot on goal.
The game modes in this game are basically what you would find in the console versions. Be a Pro mode, however, isn't as fun as it would be on a console, however, as what you basically do is just control one player and try to score a few goals. Training mode is what I found the most interesting in the game, especially the whole team vs. goalie mode. Instead of clueless teammates to slow you down, you get to fire shots on the goalie, making him go one way or another with your passes. The mode also features corner kicks, free kicks, and penalty kicks, which can be surprisingly nice stress relievers. Only in the training mode can you see what this game should have become.
Overall, FIFA 10 for mobile phones was a nice offering for a first year game. The detailed controls mesh well, and the graphics are good enough to keep you interested. However, it is the gameplay where the game really starts to droop; the arcade like AI can be frustrating sometimes, and it is especially noticeable to soccer fans. EA has made an average first try, one which can definitely be built on next year, into a really high quality game.

Friday, October 8, 2010

What's New in NBA 2K11

Since we at our channel are HUGE NBA fans, we were really excited about NBA 2K11. Here are a few things that it has to offer that were improved from 2K10.  Overall, this game is a HUGE jump from last year.

Better My Player Mode:
The My Player mode was really glitchy last year, and it wasn't that interesting. Your teammates often just went into animations, and couldn't really find you when you were open. That has totally changed this year. Now, you can run plays and your teammates will find you.

Better Gameplay:
Last year, the gameplay was pretty good, but it sometimes just went into animations that were impossible to stop, or always had the same outcome. Players also couldn't pass, and field goal percentages were WAYYYY too high, making it feel more like an arcade game. This has changed this year. The gameplay feels totally realistic, and teams play like they would do in real life. If the only thing that changed was the gameplay, I would still purchase 2K11.

Presentation:
2K11 has really made a big jump with presentation this year. Last year, everything wasn't that exciting. Now, before every game starts, there is an extremely cool intro. Player models look so much better, and the Starting Lineup screen is also improved. There are also types of "commercials", where the game uses NBA Today to connect to the internet and give a preview for a real NBA basketball game. The presentation of the ads look really nice, and end with the two superstars on each team being split in half into one face.

Jordan Mode:
Last year didn't have Jordan Mode, but the Jordan Challenges aren't really as fun as I thought they were. The Jordan Challenges kind of take away from the game, as all you are trying to do is going iso with Jordan. However, adding teams from the 60's-90's era really made the game better, as it's fun to play with stars from the past.

Overall, this game is a huge jump from last year. Pick it up!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Giveaways!

Hey guys, we are going to start having giveaways on this website and our channel.

Our giveaways will mainly be video games, and will mainly be from new games that have just been released.
To start off, we are giving away a few low-priced game for the Wii console. We know the following games are nothing much, but they can help bolster your lineup of Wii games.

Our first game will be NHL 2K10. I have found this game to actually be very enjoyable, as the graphics are pretty good and gameplay feels great with the Wii remote. The second game is NBA Live 09 All Play. This game, being released in 2008, isn't really worth much now, but it is still pretty fun to play.

There are just a few conditions to winning these games. First, you must be subscribed to our channel at youtube.com/joannesiano. Then, all you have to do is post a comment on any of the videos on our whole channel, and that automatically enters you. When commenting on a video, make sure to note that you want to enter the contest. So, just go to our channel, choose any video, and post a comment saying you want to win. The ending date of the contest is still not determined, but it should be around November.

Thanks for reading!
twitter.com/joannesiano

Saturday, October 2, 2010

MLB 10 the Show vs MLB 2K10

Baseball fans are always debating which video game is better, MLB 2K10 or MLB the Show. 2K really has made a HUGE leap from last year. However, MLB 10 still triumphs in this video game battle.

Presentation:
Even 2K fans have to admit that The Show has much better graphics. Player models look amazing, and ballparks are amazingly created.  Fans in the Show actually look good. However, 2K still has made a big improvement from last year, and I have to say that their announcing is better. But, comparing the visuals in 2K to the Show isn't even fair. The Show totally wins.

Gameplay:
The Show also wins in this category. In MLB 2K10, there seems to be a glitch where home runs can only be hit to the opposite field. In my many hours of playing, I have never pulled a home run. And, if you try in the Home Run Derby, the only way you can hit home runs is hitting them to the opposite field. Also, 2K doesn't really make the game seem extremely realistic, because there are never any bunt singles, infield hits, or things like that. The Show wins this one too, but not by that much of a margin.

Game Modes:
2K has finally stepped up this year with a My Player mode. However, it still has a little work to do. In the Show, the Road to the Show mode is much more detailed than My Player. You have to position yourself in defensive alignments, and watch the base coach to find out what to do. It really feels like you're in the game. RTTS is basically more detailed in every aspect, with stats such as how you do against different pitchers, and if you are better hitting at home or away. Both games have online leagues, which are basically the same thing.

Cool Things:
One thing that I found really cool in the Show is the Custom Sounds you can add to the game. You can assign music or a recording to a team, add tracks to batter walk-ups, or record your own voice and assign it to a team or a player in a specific situation. 2K also has noticeable glitches, such as when the defense makes an error (which is rarely does), the players almost never go after the ball, and you can get an inside the parker.

Final Notes: In the end, the Show wins again, because of its great cool things, WAYYYYY better presentation, and better gameplay. However, 2K has helped narrow the margin between these two games.

Friday, October 1, 2010

What's New

What we now have up on our channel is a review of Mafia 2. The written review was up a lonngggg time ago on our blog, but now we finally have the video up for you to enjoy.
If you also enjoy new, low priced fantasy games, we have a gameplay up of a game called Darksiders that you should enjoy. You can find that on our channel at youtube.com/joannesiano.
We now have more app reviews, such as FIFA 10 and Fruit Ninja.

The main news that we're most excited about, however, is the release of NBA 2K11. The game looks extremely smooth and the graphics look great as always. Remember that we will have gameplay up and a review soon after the release.

OnLive, the online internet streaming game service, has also announced that they will be selling their 2K games, which include NBA and MLB 2K10, and Borderlands, for 50% over this weekend, ending on Sunday at 11 Pacific Time. That's an interesting deal that OnLive fans might like.

Anyways, we're going to keep this post short, because it's just an update.

Things That All Mac Users Should Have (Part 1)

This next blog post is a list of some great apps that I think all Mac users should have. Most of them are free, and for the non-free ones, the serial codes are usually provided.

The first app that I have here is Adium. Adium is a probably one of the best chat apps for the Mac, probably because of it's great notification system, and its syncing with lots of mobile and Facebook accounts at once. With Adium, you will always know when when of your contact logs on, off, or does another activity (you can set the notifications), and you can easily set auto-replies.

The second app I have is called App Cleaner. Yes, dragging files to the Trash on a Mac does uninstall a program, but it leaves a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny amount of files on your computer. If you're using a Mac such as a Powerbook, those tiny, tiny files can add up, and you may want something such as App Cleaner. And, if you're thinking about getting App Cleaner or App Zapper, get App Cleaner because it's free and better.

The third app I have is called iDemo. iDemo is available for both Mac and PC, and is a great free app that you can use to screen record your iPhone or iPod Touch. The screen recording is a little big laggy, but comes in handy a lot of times.

For those torrenters out there, I have found Transmission to be the easiest and fastest way to torrent something. And, for the gamers (basically everybody), sign up for a service called OnLive to play all the hottest games through the internet. Some great titles include NBA 2K11, Mafia 2, and Borderlands. New games are being all the time, as Lego Harry Potter came out on OnLive on the day it was released. The unique thing about this service is that the games are streamed over the internet, so you could be enjoying high-quality gaming on your Powerbook. For more info, check out OnLive.com.

This is just a short list of the best things that all Mac users should have. Another list will be coming soon.