Developed by Ironclad games and published by Stardock, Sins introduces real-time strategy into the tired “turn-based” space strategy game.  Sins is not your traditional 4x game: eXpand, eXplore, eXploit, eXterminate.  What Sins really boils down to is a combination of Master of Orion II and Homeworld with a dash of Starcraft seasoning to bring out the full flavour (or any resource gathering strategy game).  Essentially, in Sins you must build an empire of planets who in turn support your mighty fleet throughout the galaxy.  The more resources you are able to acquire and defend, the larger your fleets will become.  Throw in race specific tech trees, race specific capital ships, marauding pirates and unique artifacts that provide your empire with a competitive edge over the competition and you have a game that has an incredible amount of depth and infinite replayability.

Sins’ emphasis is on managing fleets.  Or maybe I should say armadas.  They are truly a sight to behold.  The space battles in Sins are epic and intense.  The ships and effects look amazing and there is something hugely satisfying about sending in your armada to battle the main fleet of the enemy…it never gets old. The beauty of Sins is the balancing act of trying to build the most powerful fleet possible while also defending your empire, expanding your empire, improving your technology base and managing diplomatic relations with the other empires that all have the same ambitions as you…galactic domination.

For a new intellectual property, Sins is an incredibly well balanced game.  You can play as three races in Sins: The Vasari, the Advent or the TEC.  Each race has different strengths and weaknesses and it’s fun playing any of them.  It will take a long time to decide which is your favourite, a fact that is a tribute to how well all three have been designed.  Do you go with the TEC who have the most powerful economy?  Maybe you want to master the Vasari who boast the most powerful ships in the game but are handicapped by a weaker economy than the other two races?  I’m still trying to pick my favourite after countless playthroughs.

What is a space strategy game without an online or multiplayer component?  It’s a shell of what it could have been.  Fortunately, Ironclad has built Sins with multiplayer online and it is as fantastic as it is addictive.  Taking over the galaxy at the expense of the AI is one thing, but watching your massive armada warp into your friends home planet and obliterate him and all he has fought for is one of the most satisfying moments in gaming.  It’s even great teaming up with some friends and taking on the AI on hard settings.  The possibilities, again, are endless.  In our time online we didn’t experience any lag and we were able to save games and return to them without incident.

One of the best reasons to support a game like Sins is because the developer will support gamers like you.  Stardock is one of the very best publishers around today in terms of community and game support.  I’d go so far as to say that they are becoming more like Blizzard with every new game they release.  They are frequently responding to community concerns, comments and ideas and the game has already received several updates that have improved the graphics, online play and balancing issues.  Administered through Stardock’s own game manager Impulse, the updates are easy to install and ensure the game can be updated by even the most timid PC user.  My Mom may still have difficulty though.

In fact, the commercial success of Sins has been so great so far that there are already four planned expansions coming to the Sins universe.  Rest assured, once you have played this game to death there is going to be plenty of fresh new content coming to keep it smelling fresh.  I’m particularly excited for the Entrenchment expansion that has been released already in beta form and you can read more about here.

The Good:
+ Great balance between races
+ Fantastic graphics that run at achievable specs for once
+ Infinite replayability
+ Strong developer support
+ Fun and exciting multiplayer

The Bad:
+ Bit of a steep learning curve – be sure to use the tutorials to get your empire started on the right foot
+ Some players may be turned off by the “real time” nature of the game (some in the MOO camp may wish for the “next turn” button)

The Verdict: BUY IT

On balance, Sins of a Solar Empire is one of the best PC games I’ve played in ages.  It looks great, plays great and you will never have the same game twice.  It’s fun against the AI or playing with friends or strangers online.  Like the good old days of MOO II, this game will keep you up into the earlier hours of the morning when you wonder what you are really doing with your life.  Even without the “next turn” button, Sins will have you waiting to build that next capital ship, capture that enemy planet or research those new phased shields to upgrade your fleet.  The developer support on this game is matched only by the best in the business and Sins is guaranteed to only get better through continual updates and expansions.  If you are a fan of space strategy games you owe it to yourself to get this game.  You won’t regret it.

The drop comes from the boss Tenris Mirkblood in Karazhan. Once equipped, the Arcanite Ripper can transform you into a skeletal rock star. Check out the video of the Arcanite Ripper in action below as you can see from the video it will turn you into a Guitar Hero playing a skeleton-like ax.

Now that Blizzard and Activision have merged into one huge super company…it’s a safe bet we’ll be seeing more weird crossovers like this in the future.

Sins of a Solar Empire has been a huge hit since its release this year and the expansions will no doubt add lots of replayability to the game.

Sins of a Solar Empire has provided PC gamers with RT4X gameplay that requires players to eXpand, eXplore, eXploit and eXterminate. In Sins of a Solar Empire the future survival of the human race is at threat, with three mighty races fighting over control of the galaxy. Players have the opportunity to command one of these three races and attempt to survive and dominate the galaxy. Your success depends on your ability to govern your empire and to command your space navy. To succeed in Sins, a carefully balanced combination of diplomacy, economics and military might are required to become the Master of the Universe.

The first expansion, entitled “Entrenchment” will include:

• Star Bases, which can be customized and upgraded over time;
• Race specific Star Bases which will have a unique variety of upgradable characteristics. The ability to upgrade your Star Bases is limited so players will have to think strategically and plan carefully!
• The number of Star Bases each gamer can control will now be limited by a new research feature
• More Star Base goodies both race specific and generic;
• Mine field designs specific to each race and essential for hindering and endangering enemy forces;
• More types of mines;
• More defense systems both race specific and generic;
• New artifacts and planet properties;
• And much more.

The expansion “Entrenchment” for Sins of a Solar Empire will be available via download at the online platform Impulse soon for 4x fans to lose themselves with this Christmas.

First of all, the game is looking great.  The visuals look amazing and the atmosphere is very reminiscent of the Alien Trilogy (Quadrilogy my ass). If you enjoyed watching Ripley battle aliens in dark corridors against insurmountable odds this game should be on your radar.

Second, the story is almost exactly the same as the now legendary Ridley Scott directed Alien film…and that’s a good thing.  Set on a mining ship that is in, you guessed it, deep space, protagonist Isaac Clarke finds himself up against an alien species called “Necromorphs” that have taken over the ship and killed everybody.  It’s a classic science fiction story and one that perfectly creates a situation where you are completely alone and afraid.

Third, Dead Space is a third-person survival horror game that is very similar to Resident Evil 4 and the upcoming Resident Evil 5.  Chances are, if you like those types of games, this one will be much the same…only with less zombies and a sci-fi twist.

Fourth and finally, this game is a brand new IP from EA, a company that is traditionally very hesitant to take chances and move in creative new directions.  There is far too much money involved these days with developing new IP’s and the fact that EA is taking a chance on a new one is a positive sign not only for the industry but for gamers.  If you are tired of playing sequels and the same games that have been rehashed over and over again, now is the chance to throw your support behind a game that is trying something new.   Lets be honest, new IP’s don’t come along very often because of the financial risks involved. Too often a great new IP will be released that is gains universal critical acclaim…only to catch on too late with gamers. Fans of the amazing PS2 game Okami will agree that the game should have had far more success with the gaming community.

If you are one of the many that has not even seen this game yet be sure to check out the trailer below.  Better yet, be sure to see the awesome developer commentary video. Science fiction fans should be excited.

I think this game is going to be worth taking a “chance” on.  To learn more from someone that has actually played the game, check out a hands-on preview written by IGN’s Hilary Goldstein.

To be clear, I’m not advocating that you should go out and buy this game…yet. But if it comes out and is actually really good I only hope that gamers will give it a chance. Otherwise, all we may have to look forward from EA will be the next iterations of Tiger Woods and Burnout for years to come.

Many gamers will end up mistaking Darkness for an adventure game. Even those who download the demo may not get far enough into the story to realize that Darkness is in fact an RPG, and a very good one at that. RPG fans should take notice. The battle system in Darkness utilizes real time mechanics but adds a turn based flavour (Final Fantasy fans may yawn at this point…but there’s more). As you select commands for your group you are also responsible for blocking enemy attacks, which actually is a game in itself. Timing a block takes practice and it will keep you on your toes throughout the game. Like any good RPG, each character has a special attack that charges over time and can be unleashed after completing a successful mini-game. In action, the battle mode is at the same time frenetic but also very strategic. It needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated.

Technically, Darkness looks and runs great. The cartoonish animations and comic panel approach give the game an authentic comic book feel that works incredibly well. Add in some Mass Effectesque dialogue trees and the game does well to immerse you into its crazy world and ridiculous story. Darkness is easily one of the best looking XBLA games to-date.

Of course, there is some bad with the good. The cost of entry for Darkness is a bit high at $20, making it the most expensive stand-alone XBLA title so far. This wouldn’t be so much of a problem if the game was a bit longer…most gamers will be finished with Darkness after 7-9 hours. Unfortunately, Darkness doesn’t lend itself to multiple playthroughs, so once you are done, you likely won’t be replaying it. In addition, despite being relatively short the game still manages to require a fair amount of backtracking which may turn off some gamers.

The Good:

+ Fantastic battle mode mechanics
+ Refreshing humour (if you like Penny Arcade especially)
+ Graphics and presentation are great

The Bad:

- A bit short at 7-9 hours of gameplay
- Some backtracking
- High cost of entry

The Verdict: BUY IT

Penny Arcade’s first game manages to overcome a high price tag with a game that will win over RPG fans and Penny Arcade enthusiasts alike. For those who are on the fence, at the very least you should try the demo. For me, I’m already looking forward to the next episode. Let’s just hope they don’t make us wait too long.

If you want to see the game in action, check out a clip here:

To help fill the void as I await the imminent release of Grand Theft Auto IV I started looking into games the PC currently has to offer. Immediately, Sins of a Solar Empire caught my eye. I was a huge Master of Orion fan back in the day and Sins was getting some stellar reviews – check out IGN and 1UP’s reviews for more details.

Sins is not your traditional 4x game: eXpand, eXplore, eXploit, eXterminate. Instead, Sins is a RT4X game that blends those elements with real time strategy. Essentially, Sins is a combination of Master of Orion and Homeworld. Published by Stardock, the ones who brought us another Master of Orion clone in Galactic Civilization, Sins allows you to take control of one of three very different races (the Trader Emergency Coalition, the Advent or the Vasari) and has all the elements that keep that “one more turn” mentality going. Those of course being building and managing massive fleets, developing planets, engaging in diplomacy, fending off space pirates, researching new technologies, fighting real time space combat…and I could go on.

To see what I’m talking about, check the official trailer for the game below.

Put simply, this game blew me away. It is really fun and once you learn how to play (be prepared for a steep learning curve) Sins becomes one of those experiences that will suck you in for hours on end. I have only played through 3 games so far (all on small maps and they take about 3 hours each) and have yet to even think about diving into online multiplayer. This is one of those games that will take countless hours to master and the depth of the game is incredible. For only $39.99, it’s a steal if you have a computer with the specs to run this game. Even better, developer Ironclad is releasing a constant stream of updates to the game and there are already hints that expansion packs are on the way.

For anyone who loved Master of Orion or is a current Galactic Civilizations junkie, this game is a must buy.

Check out some of the screenshots below and a video of some of the space combat (yes, it really is this awesome).

For more information, be sure to check out Sins official website here.

I won’t even go into the inevitable encounters with online idiots that you are guaranteed to come across. Those would be the racists and the little kids whose voices haven’t cracked and spend most of the match squealing like spanked pigs.

This list is about in-game multiplayer annoyances and the people that use them to maximize the frustration factor for everyone else.

Without further ado…

Number 5 – Idiot reaches level 55 and decides not to enter “prestige mode”…ever

We’ve all experienced it. You get into the lobby, check the rank of everyone in the lobby and notice that 5 players are all at level 55. Ok, so they’re good. Then, you get into the match and they absolutely own you. I’m talking you die almost as instantly as you spawn. They know where you’ll be, they have insane proficiency with every weapon in the game and they let you know it. Clearly, they are “prestige mode” material. Then, after you get your ass handed to you at your meager level 30 rank, they decide to call you out for sucking. Good times. Real cool. Man up and make the game a challenge for yourself by entering “prestige mode.” Pwning noobs doesn’t prove anything to anyone. It only confirms that you are a jackass.

Number 4 – This automatic shotgun will go great with my martyrdom perk!

Again, we’ve all seen it. These players constantly sprint around the map flying into rooms with the finger on the trigger and using about as much skill as it takes to blow up a balloon. Then, when they inevitably die, they drop their grenade (thanks martyrdom perk) and hope that their “tactics” were enough to take someone with them. Bonus jackass points awarded to the players that employ this strategy in tiny maps.

Number 3 – Spawning into an air strike or helicopter attack

Ok, this one can’t be blamed on players, so much as on Infinity Ward. Yes, the attack choppers and the air strikes are a cool idea. However, where the game breaks is when you are playing in a map like “shipment” and a helicopter attack kills everyone and everything. The map is so small that you have no chance of shooting the chopper out of the air before someone else takes you out. The result, non-stop sprinting for cover until the chopper is gone. The frustration: in a map as small as “shipment” you can bet those choppers will be out for almost the entire game as elite players rack up 7 kills over and over and over. Spawning into random chopper fire “hilarity” ensues.

Number 2 – Hey, I have 3 frag grenades, I better use them all within 2 seconds of respawning

You can bet that almost as soon as players reach the level to unlock these babies they will be clipping an extra 2 frags to their belts. And why not? You can throw a grenade anywhere and some sucker almost always accidentally stumbles into it. I wish COD 4 kept stats on how you get killed. Was it a sniper rifle? Was it a handgun? Or was it another damn grenade. I spend most of my time navigating the minefield of grenades, especially in smaller maps.

Number 1 – Juggernaut, the second chance for those who can’t get the job done without it

This was easy. Who hasn’t shot a player point blank in the chest after getting the drop on them, only to have them suddenly realize you are there and somehow kill you instead. It happens every game. Its happened to me. Its happened to you. It will happen again. Juggernaut is like the perk for players that accept the fact they need need a handicap to compete online. I have simply lost count of the number of times I’ve heard players scream into their headsets when they get killed by a player with this perk. It happens every game.

Phew. Well that’s it. I know there are other things in there that annoy people so if I’ve missed your personal pet peeve let me know in the comments section.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’m heading back online. Because lets face it, despite these annoyances, Call of Duty 4 is damn fun. Thanks Infinity Ward!