Final Fantasy VIII - Queen of Cards Quest on Disk 4

One of the most tedious, time consuming things to do on ffviii is to complete the queen of cards side quest. It can take many hours of moving between towns and losing rare cards. However it is well worth doing if your a game perfectionist as it gives you access to 5 new rare cards: Chubby Chocobo, Phoenix, Doomtrain, Kiros and Irvine.
Fortunately once you have made it to disk 4 you can simply challenge the queen of cards and she will play each of the rare cards. The only catch is that she is (in my opinion) the hardest card player to beat due to the fact that she combines plus, random and other rules with boss, player, and GF cards. However it is still much quicker to acquire the Chubby Chocobo, Phoenix, Doomtrain, Kiros and Irvine cards this way.
To find the queen of cards on disk 4 go to the bottom of the Esthar continent and look for an area called the "Abadan Plains". You cannot see it from the world map but there is actually the crashed lunar escape pod from disk 3 on the tip of the Eastern Peninsular. Run around near the tip and eventually you will bump into it. Here you will find the queen of cards standing next to the crashed lunar escape pod.
As previously mentioned she can be tough to beat, to stand a chance of winning you are going to have to have a basic understanding of how the plus rule works. If your not sure how it works not to worry, it's pretty simple. Basically if a card is placed next to 2 other cards and both sides that are touching add up to the same number plus will occur. For example if you had a card that had the number 6 that was touching another card that had the number 4 and another side of your card had the number 7 that was touching a card with a 3 both sides add up to 10 and hence plus would occur. The game has a pretty decent card tutorial with pictures so make sure you check that out if you don't understand. Elemental does not effect plus by the way.
I highly recommend you save before each card battle as the plus and random rules may cause you to lose your rare cards to her which you definitely do not want. Also make sure you save after you win a rare card from her.

If you are having trouble finding the queen of cards on disk 4 you are welcome to freely download this guide which has screen shots and some other useful information. You can find it here: ffviii
Thanks for reading, good luck!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6373191

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Posted in: Final Fantasy

F1 2011 revving up Sept. 20

ust last week, Codemasters' racing game F1 2010 took home the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' top award for a sports game, beating out juggernauts FIFA 11 and Gran Turismo 5. Now, the developer--on the heels of the strong debut of the original--has announced and dated the next game in the series.

F1 2011 zips and zooms this September.

F1 2011 will arrive in North America for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on September 20. In the UK, the game will ship on September 23.

Additionally, Codemasters sent word that versions of the game for Nintendo's 3DS and Sony's Next Generation Portable (NGP) are in development and will sport features unique to the systems.

Like its predecessor, F1 2011 will include every circuit, team, and driver from the forthcoming 2011 FIA Formula One Championship, including Sebastian Vettel, current World Champion.

Additionally, F1 2011 will premiere the 2011 Formula One Grand Prix of India, raced at Delhi's Jaypee International Race Circuit, as well as the German track Nurburgring.

For more on the series, check out GameSpot's review of F1 2010.

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Posted in: F1 2011

Top Selling Video Games - Recent Popular Video Games For Game Consoles

Are you looking for some of the best latest video games for your gaming console? Take a look at the top selling video games for some amazing games that you'll definitely want to get.
Here's some of the most fun to play and top selling video games.
Call of Duty for Xbox 360 and Call of Duty for Playstation are some of the top selling video games for the two consoles. It's not a surprise because Call of Duty for Xbox 360 or Call of Duty for Playstation is one of the best game series around. There's the most recent release in the series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 which was a big hit by Infinity Ward. It contains a mind blowing campaign featuring a thrilling storyline about a new Russian threat. Special Ops, which is the co-op mode, has a variety of unique missions that is extremely fun to play with a friend.
And then the biggest thing about Modern Warfare 2 is the addictive multiplayer. There's so many ways to customize your classes and killstreaks to make the game a fun experience. When you first pick up the controller and pop in this top selling video game, you won't want to put the controller down. Don't forget that there's Call of Duty: Black Ops coming out soon which is being developed by Treyarch. This game is bound to be one of the top selling video games of the year.
Call of Duty:Black Ops will have an exciting campaign about the secret missions of the Black Ops, taking place during the Cold War era. There will be a cooperative mode and a multiplayer along with the campaign. There's going to be new features in this multiplayer, such as playable vehicles and a new create-a-class 2.0 that will allow even greater character customization. Call of Duty: Black Ops pre-order is a wise decision if you love Call of Duty for Xbox 360 or Call of Duty for Playstation, or if you're looking for a great shooter game.
Maybe your a Nintendo Wii owner, in that case you will want to buy the Super Mario games for Wii. Experience a crazy adventure as you travel to different planets in the galaxy as Mario in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. A couple of fun games to play that are some of the top selling video games for Wii. Not only is there that, but there's Super Paper Mario, too! In Super Paper Mario you go on a classic 2-D adventure in which Mario has to save the universe. Last but not least, there's Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The game has Mario in it, but he isn't the main character. In this game you battle against other players whether they're the computer or another person. You can play as a ton of fun characters in this game and you'll be won't want to stop playing this awesome Wii game. The Super Mario games for Wii are extremely fun and they're some of the top selling video games.
Another game series that is really fun but not that high up on the top selling video games list is the Battlefield video games. Their most recent release was the amazing Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Bad Company 2 has a hooking storyline that was definitely worth playing, but the multiplayer is the highlight of this game. The multiplayer allows a ton of player customization, a variety of vehicles to control, and well though out game modes. Bad Company 2 competes pretty well with one of the top selling video games, Modern Warfare 2. The Battlefield video games are very fun to play and if you enjoy shooter games, you really should get one of the Battlefield games.
There's just some of the many top selling video games out there that you can play on the 3 game consoles. Trust me, these games are extremely fun and are definitely worth playing!

Hey, my name is Chase. I love sports and I especially love playing video games. I mainly like playing Call of Duty for Xbox 360!

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Shadows of the Damned - Reviewed

Shadows of the Damned follows demon hunter and quintessential badass Garcia Hotspur as he fights his way through hell to rescue his beloved Paula. Haven't you heard this somewhere before?

No. You haven't. No one can say they truly understand the gist of a Suda 51 game (or Suda 51 trip as the box adequately puts it) without having played it first. In that sense, this review is a bit fruitless. Shadows of the Damned is nuts, inside and out. Just like other Suda games, it's similar to nothing else. It's this unique, influential insanity that make all of Suda's games so great and so important. So in short, if you've never acquainted yourself with a Suda51 game in the past, do so-- you wont regret it--, then come back. That understanding needs to be clear. Otherwise I might as well be speaking Latin.

That being said, Damned is the most coherent of Suda's titles, which again, isn't saying a lot, but at least It's premise is summarizable for the back of the box. Paula, Garcia's squeeze, is kidnapped by Fleming, Lord of all demons, and now you must battle through all of hell's creatures in order to reach Fleming and save the damsel.

The first thing that really popped out upon entering hell was just that, hell. The environment. Gamers have been to hell numerous times, but not this hell. Memorable environments in games I often like to equate to walking through a good amusement park. Everything around you, to the textures of the ground to the glow of the street lamps help aid in the illusion of a fantastical setting. And with the heralded Akira Yamaoka of Silent Hill fame at the reins of sound design, it wont take long for you to get completely immersed in Damned's world. Hell is the locale for the games entirety and not once did I feel fatigued by any similar environments; each "Act" is genuinely fresh and brings a new spin to the game. Sometimes the rules are just thrown out along with a dimension and suddenly you're in a side-scrolling SHMUP. Yup, Awesome.

It's easy to call Damned a shooter, you use a gun, it dispenses bullets and hell monkeys fall. But it doesn't really feel like a shooter. It's more in-your-face and visceral than any shooter and that's something that should be applauded. It didn't follow suit with a typical run and gun feel, it paved its own path and it paid off immensely. The weapon at your disposal is also your partner in hell, Johnson the former-demon-talking-skull. Johnson shifts forms to three different weapons that evolve as your progress does through the game. Red gems you collect through the game can be used at the players convenience to upgrade passive attributes of the weapons. The results are significant, but not very exciting. You can also perform one melee attack. And... That's it. A bit anemic, but it still works pretty well and combat, just like the level design, remains fresh and exciting until the end. The end which comes after 10 hours of gameplay and therein lies Damned's achilles heel.

In an industry that more often than not provides customers with sometimes hundreds of hours of gameplay, having a singular 10 hour or less experience doesn't cut it. There's a hard mode and trophies, but not including those would just be insulting. Beyond that there's literally nothing. What's worse, I don't think the story should be any longer, it was well paced and ended on a perfect note, but it simply isn't enough. I'm not saying use tired methods to extend the game's life span like recycling environments, but at least extend to the player a little bit of added value. A boss survival mode, extra unlocks like costumes, weapons, abilities-- anything. The original No More Heroes encouraged multiple playthroughs by throwing in very arbitrary/relatively pointless collectibles, but it still felt like something to work at and look forward to after the credits. I think it's a perfectly avoidable flaw and it's unfortunate that an otherwise spectacular and inspired game has such little replayability.

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Posted in: Shadows of the Damned

We get to get to grips with F1 2011's new handling model and 16 player online modes.

Having already heard the chief game designer of F1 2011, Stephen Hood, talk up the game's focus on multiplayer, we've been curious to see the improvements for ourselves, and check out the improved handling model. With the British Grand Prix taking place this weekend, there's no more fitting a track than Silverstone to go hands-on with the new two-player split screen mode, and 16-player online grand prix.

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In addition to 16 online players, you have the option of adding eight additional AI controlled cars to make up a full F1 grid. Before the start of a race you can setup your assists such as braking and racing lines, as well as choose your preferred team to race as. There are also options for adjusting the performance of cars. You can choose to have each car perform identically--thereby levelling the playing field--or have each team's car perform as in real life, with tweaks and engine differences affecting speed.

Once you're in a race, you have further time to tweak your car in your garage, making adjustments to your tires, engine or team strategy. After a brief drive down the pit lane we made our way onto the grid. We chose to race as Ferrari, using a steering wheel setup that had been specially adjusted to mimic the feel of an F1 car. Racing on a full grid was an intimidating prospect, and indeed, the start of the race was complete chaos. Our competitors were all over the track, and trying to sneak up the grid from our starting position of sixth without hitting any other drivers was a near impossible task.

By the first corner, several cars had already spun out, giving us a chance to cut through on the inside and move up a few places. As the cars spread out, we were able to start working on our lap times, making use of a racing line overlay that let us know when to go heavy on the brakes and accelerate out of corners. Each of Silverstone's classic corners was instantly recognisable; from the gentle curve of Copse, through to the steep angles of Club and Vale. We also experienced some significant improvements to the handling model, most noticeably with the car's suspension. It felt tighter, meaning it was less prone to suddenly spinning out when hitting a curb. There was also more feedback, allowing us to gain control of the car and keep it on the track, rather than being thrown off in an instant.

That's not say keeping the car on the track was easy, and with all the assists off we found it difficult to get the car round corners. Those with real-life racing experience will find it an easier task, and it's a testament to the accuracy of the simulation that our competitors who were real-life racing drivers commented on how true to life the experience was. Our racing skills were somewhat less advanced, so we made do with playing on medium simulation settings, which still offered up a challenge, but allowed us to complete a lap without crashing off on corners.

Using a standard controller certainly results in a different experience, but not necessarily any better or worse than using a wheel. We tried out a split screen race using a pad--racing split screen felt as good as in our online race, though some concessions to the visuals have been made to accommodate, so you won't see reflections in the mirrors of the car, for instance.

Watch out for Hydroplaning on those wet tracks.

We walked away from our demo impressed with the improvements Codemasters have made to the game. There was a noticeable improvement in the handling, meaning it felt better and more accurate. The multiplayer modes were fun too, and split screen is a great option for those who have friends over to visit and just want to have a quick blast around a track. F1 2011 is due for release on September 23 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Look out for a full review from GameSpot soon.

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Posted in: F1 2011

Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 2 - Have You Played it Yet? If Not What Are You Waiting For?

If you enjoy serious shooting and action sequences like fighting through a Brazilian favela as a member of a crack military unit task force, then prepare to play one of the greatest video games ever... well not quite ever (that is a very long time and there is a chance in the future something may be created to surpass it)... so I will have to change that to greatest video games made to date; Call Of Duty; Modern Warfare 2. This is an awesome first person shooter which includes massive inexorable force that seems to crush everything in its way.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is actually the third and fourth installment of Activision's first person shooter Call Of Duty series, depending on your console preference. Available in PS3 and Xbox 360 incarnations this version of Call Of Duty propels the video game combat genre into a whole new level of awesomeness. I was originally sold on Call Of Duty initial introduction and the way it totally bloodied up the World War II arena.
Then Infinity Ward, the developers of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and its predecessors, followed with Modern-Warfare. Its butt-kicking graphics and knockout online multi-player version had me tuning out the world for endless hours as I worked with my cyber-team to compete our assigned mission. Combining the best of each of these two previous embodiments, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the best of the best.
Set in the future, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 quickly inducts you, the new raw recruit, into an elite force of international super bad terrorist killers, known as Task Force 141. Your can not be a wimp and you had better know how to use your weapons, your wit, and eyes. Your mission is the elimination of a Russian nationalist. In pursuit of your mission, Modern Warfare 2 takes you world wide, from snow covered glaciers to tropical jungles. Each destination brings with it a host of different environmental situation to deal with and weaponry configuration that will not allow you to drop your guard for a second.
According to Joel Emslie, the lead character artist for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, "we were able to get into the Navy SEAL's locker room. Those guys have some unbelievable war toys. I had to include them. That is why you will experience more scarier fire fights then you have ever seen in any other video game. We really did our dangerous research to make Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as authentic and believable as possible he adds."
I agree. Each version of the Call Of Duty gets me deeper and deeper in to trouble with my family because I can't put it down. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is no different. Give it a try, but be forewarned, it has cult appeal.

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Posted in: Call of Duty