Warlock-

Long before Blizzard had an empire; back before they could shut down to city in Korea with a mere trailer; before there was even a Warcraft, let alone a world, there was Silicon & Synapse. The small, independent studio snuck up on us seemingly from nowhere with one of the best puzzle games the Super Nintendo would see. No one really knew what to make of The Lost Vikings, but it was clear that these guys were on something. At a glance, this seems to be a typical platform like the many that littered the SNES and Genesis back in the early '90s. Sure, the premise is interesting enough to make it stand out: A small party of Vikings is abducted by an alien emperor building to menagerie, and the three Norsemen escape and battle through time and space to get home. But this is not really the platformer it is disguised as. It is much closer to The Humans, a puzzle game that had just hit Amiga computers a few months earlier. You can rotate between the different characters, and it is only through using each of their unique abilities that you can reach the end. They are not very complete characters on their own. Erik the Swift can run, jump, and smash with his head, but without any means of attack, he makes for easy prey. Baleog the Fierce can shoot arrows swing his sword, but with no jumping ability, there are a lot of areas he can not go. Olaf the Stout rounds out the party, carrying a giant shield that block shots or make for a makeshift platform. It's only through working together that anything is possible. The design is not completely revolutionary, but it is certainly different, and unlike The Humans, it is able to preserve the playability and pacing of an action game, while keeping the challenge squarely focused on puzzling. Execution is rarely the issue. If you know how to beat a level, it was just a matter of keeping your plan straight. Organizing your movements can be a challenge, but your reflexes are seldom tried. It helped that the trio have a personality too. The colorful style and far-out story of a lot to sell gamers in this world, and the variety of outlandish settings, ranging from ancient Egypt to alien worlds, makes you really want to see what was in store next. Unfortunately the forced jokes and tired quips between stages are not nearly as entertaining as I remembered them, but the slapstick quality of the animation is even better. Even the soundtrack is oddly anachronistic, with a cheesy hip-hop infused theme, and more funk than should be allowed in a game with a main character named Olaf. Last November at Blizzcon it was announced there would be a new unit for the upcoming Heroes of the Storm MOBA. Their names are Baleog, Olaf, and Erik the Swift. For newer Blizzard fans, these characters may be unknown, but for those of growing up in the 16-bit era these characters are collectively known as The Lost Vikings. The Lost Vikings was the one of the first original titles developed by Blizzard, then called Silicon & Synapse. The game is described as a puzzle / platformer title but that does not quite describe the gameplay. You play as all three vikings each with a unique ability. Baleog can attack each enemy with a sword and bow, Olaf has a shield to defend from attacks and slow your fall, and Erik the swift can fast, jump, and smash certain walls with his head. Each section of the levels requires you to use each viking's ability to get to and from point A to point B. You can switch between each viking with the L and R buttons, and in order to finish the level you need to get all three vikings to the exit The story has a level of depth literature fanatics will go bananas over. One day all three of the vikings were out hunting and then aliens came along and captured them to put them on their species display. The aliens, or "Croutonians," do a terrible job keeping the vikings in their ship and you warp around from world to world trying to get home. The level design has a bit of variety to it. You'll fight cavemen, dinosaurs, pharaohs, scorpions, and more through caves, pyramids, volcanoes, spaceships, and other odd places for Norsemen. Each level is basically just different colored platforms but you'll climb trees, ladders, and even inflate your vikings to get past some of the sections. The Lost Vikings requires a level of patience beyond what you would expect from a 16-bit era platformer. It has a dynamic I'm surprised it was not used much in games to follow. The only other game I can compare it to the Mario Bros foot game in Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color. It's a silly comparison considering that it was basically Tapper if you had two bartenders. I did not remember how well I did renting this as a kid, but I'm guessing I did not get anywhere near as far as I did this play through. The game requires a lot of trial and error to figure out the puzzles and even the platforming works that way in the later levels. There's no way to look through the entirety of the level so each section went something like this: Move Olaf the shield guy forward, move everyone else to a little bit, kill the enemies, run into a section you can not see past, die, realize how you were supposed to do it, start over and try again. It's extra frustrating because for some reason the level does not end when one of your vikings dies, but if you reach the end of the level with one or two of them left you end up at the continue screen anyway. During the pyramid levels you climb trees to get across quicksand. I did not know this, however, I spent a few long-winded attempts by using Erik the jumping Norwegian to try and find the item or bridge to unlock. Eventually, I figured out the climbing thing. You can get to the top of the tree and simply move forward to land across the quicksand ... theoretically. This did not work the first few tries and I eventually figured it out by chance. Basically, if you mess up even a little you have to start all over and it takes a lot of deep breaths to move forward. The Lost Vikings makes up for its frustration with a lot of ambition. For the limitations presented by that era it certainly set itself apart. The puzzles are more challenging to execute than to figure out which is somehow rewarding. Racking your brain is one thing and hacking and slashing is another. This settles in its own comfort zone where you're not doing too much of either. The Lost Vikings has a lot of personality but it feels pretty dated. It's like a streamlined version of Lemmings if Lemmings took elements from Ghouls and Ghosts. There are tons of levels to play through and the passwords are simple enough that you can remember them and get back to where you were. I played the game on the SNES but if you can hunt it down the Sega Genesis version has five more levels. The Lost Vikings can be a lot of fun and will definitely show you how Blizzard became known for their world-building and strategy games. The visuals are charming in a cartoony sense and the music is great despite being one track per world. It would take a bit of nostalgia to really want to play through this title but considering it's free on Battle.net now you can check out a great start to a legendary developer. The Verdict The Lost Vikings did not break the rules, and it did not open the floodgates for waves of imitators. It was not the high-water mark for a budding genre, and it did not set new sales records. There's no denying that Blizzard went on to bigger, better, and more important things, and it's not surprising that they've left the Vikings far behind them. Still, this was the moment when we stood up and took notice; where Blizzard came into their own. It is smart, stylish, and different, and those are the same qualities we still look for today. ADDED

There are times I want to be sad, when I'd rather be alone, quietly thinking about my life, or hugging a loved one to forget about the day's trouble. Child of Light embraces that melancholy beautifully and its various elements cultivate a doleful mood. From the overgrown foliage threatening to overtake the neglected environments to the tired inhabitants wasting away their days, there's a somber tone that permeates this storybook adventure. I was struck by that desperation in the whimsical poetry of the dialogue; Conversations are constructed with overtly meticulous rhymes that betray the bewilderment building below the surface. And the docile piano melody made my heart all the heavier. Child of Light is a lovely adventure, a journey as remarkable as it is uncommon, that left me grappling with my own sadness. I was not accepting of Child of Light at first. The delicate artistic style is so immediately inviting that I had imagined a world opening before that I would want to exist in. That's because I had mistaken color for happiness. Child of Light is not about fleeting joy, and so, when the sorrowful tone endured as I ventured on, I struggled to find my bearings. I waited for a lightheartedness that never arrived, was fought against the energy that Child of Light was putting forth. But as I pushed deeper inside of this dreamlike world, I stopped resisting and opened up to the game. Child of Light is difficult in ways that I have not expected, and is incredibly effective if you allow it to work its magic. Child of Light is a lovely adventure, a journey as remarkable as it is uncommon, that left me grappling with my own sadness. It's in the earliest moments that the game reveals its true nature. A story told through stained-glass imagery shows the protagonist Aurora's inseparable relationship with her father, and tells of their bond was torn asunder. One night, she rested her head upon a pillow, and never awakened when a new day dawned. Her father, the eleven proud king, was beside himself with grief, choosing to spend his days awash in tears rather than care for his kingdom and the want of his po[CENSORED]ce. He was a lost man. Lost, too, was Aurora, who awakened not in her own bed, but in a place she did not recognize. It's a story about fear and betrayal, hopelessness and fortitude, in which every citizen you meet seeks shelter in Aurora's loving arms. Her plight to fight for both her own freedom and her companions' is one we've seen before, though that does not detract from the feelings it conjures. Aurora joins up with a jester who has lost touch with her brother, a rodent who craves monetary wealth, and a gnome whose people have been cursed with an avian disease. But it's a firefly who proves to be the steadiest friend. Igniculus floats alongside you as you explore the creaking trees and abandoned homes you drift past on your way to this land from the misery that it's drowning in. Always with advice on his lips, he can also light the passageway through dark caves and collect that your human hands can not wrest open. When Aurora sets out to this foreign world - barefoot, weaponless, and utterly alone - she clambers upon rocky outcrops as she winds her way through labyrinthine caverns. Slowly but determinedly, Aurora uses ingenuity to scavenge for scraps of treasure, and I felt at one with the environment as I charted a course onward. After reaching her first destination, Aurora was imbued with flight, and the tactile pleasure of forging unknown paths vanished. Once airborne, you can not run and jump as long as you could, instead floating dreamily through air thick with fog and rain. The kinetic freedom of flight rises and quickly falls away as you continually find your path barred. Thorns rein you in, waterfalls and wales push you away, and those restrictions echo the themes of imprisonment. You're not free; you're trapped and scared and desperate to return home, and those aerial barriers further those feelings. Enjoy flight when you can. There are treasure chests and hidden passages for those with an inquisitive disposition, and when you are able to break free from the chains corralling you in place, the landscape is too beautiful to not admire. But such appreciation is fleeting. There are enemies lurking - creatures that should have no qualms about your presence if you drift too close to them. They patrol in the open, marching from side to side along high plateaus or hovering menacingly in dark caverns. You can avoid them if you wish - fly down another path or wait until they turn their backs on you - but Aurora is not one to walk away from a confrontation. She wields a sword almost too heavy for her to carry, and you have her heart set only on her freedom, so she does not run away from the monsters that stand before her. She longs to fight, relishes in it, and her friends readily join her, eager to damage the foul beasts who roam about their home. It's in the combat that the sadness that permeates the rest of Child of Light is momentarily halted. The music loses its solemnity as it suddenly becomes fierce, and the characters forget their aching problems for a moment while they focus on the threats that stand before them. Wolves and boars growl their displeasure, flaming birds and ethereal horses bar your path, and you stare them down like only a true warrior can. Although your party balloons as you trudge deeper into this desperate land, only two can fight at one time, while the others swap in when their fists are needed and back out once their energy is spent. It's a frenetic system in which you're continually juggling your party, tapping a healer when you need a boost, matching elemental attacks against your shifty opponents, and finding ways for everyone to contribute. The energy of these encounters leads to fast-paced excitement that's lacking from the rest of the adventure. That's not to downplay how affecting the quiet moments, but rather to show how sharp the contrast is. When you're fighting, you're so invested in an immediate threat that you're not longer saddened by the dire world around you. And it's a freeing feeling that exists only because of how different it is from the rest of the adventure. Part of that rush comes from how smartly time is used. Though fights play out in a turn-based manner, you and your opponents race to perform attacks as quickly as you can. Cast to get a boost, or hover Igniculus over an enemy to slow it down. Interrupt an attack, and you can infuriate an enemy, cause it to retaliate with anger or cower from frustration. If you're inattentive, your hard work can blow up in your face, so you have to act with exactitude and think on your toes. The challenge of these encounters is expertly balanced. Against tougher foes, I always felt out of my element. Would this be the fight where I finally met my end? I would scrape and claw, desperately casting spells while fending off the unceasing threat. My attacks would be interrupted, my characters infected by curses, and yet I pressed on. I would drown enemies in water, blind them with sunlight, and never relent for even a second. I never did lose a battle. Child of Light did a wonderful job of pushing me hard, forcing me to fight with speed and accuracy, without ever becoming overwhelming. When I won, I would pause for a few moments to take in what I had accomplished. It's a great feeling to come out on top. And though I would invariably level up from such victories, I was not drawn to better stats or new powers. It was winning that was infectious. It was embracing the moments of respite amid to be of sorrow and despair. Child of Light is a remarkable adventure. I would have thought that was true during the first couple of hours given that my expectations of what kind of game this was shattered when reality showed its face. But once I accepted the sadness that is so intertwined with every element, I grew so much closer to Child of Light. It's easy to heap praise on the combat because it's so interesting and engaging, and it's certainly a high point in this adventure. That's not what makes Child of Light stand out, though. Rather, it's how confident it is in its own feelings of woe. There are so many games willing to explore that dull ache that I became mesmerized by Aurora's journey, even when I needed to step away from her plight while I regained my composure. Child of Light is a wonderfully realized, somber adventure, and I could not be happier that such a game exists. Editor's note: It has been more than four years since Child of Light first hit consoles. The somber tone that permeates the adventure still resonates deeply, using its delicate visuals and wistful music to capture the feeling of melancholy that still feels incredibly rare. The passage of time has not undermined the sadness that makes this game so welcoming because there is still nothing like Child of Light. The transition to the Switch has not hurt the experience in the slightest. Whether it is docked or in handheld, the beautiful artistic design shines through and the controls are smooth regardless of which controller you use. Because this is the Ultimate Edition, there are bonus features that were not included in the original release. A couple of alternate skins for the protagonist are available from the onset along with a few items, one additional skill, and a new mission. It's still the quiet adventure that is the main draw, though, and if you've ever experienced experienced Princess Aurora's adventure or simply want to revisit this dreamlike world, Child of Light is just as great as it was years ago. SWITCH:

I remember the first Unravel more for its adorable protagonist and lush setting than as a puzzle platformer. But Unravel 2 goes a long way to change that, tabling to more accomplished, and at times demanding, platforming experience with puzzles to match. The most immediately-noticeable change is the addition of a second playable Yarny. The entire story mode can still be tackled alone, however, and I did so without ever feeling at a better disadvantage. When playing alone, Unravel Two allows you to quickly enter both, Yarnys to create a single multi-colored character, meaning platforming sections only have to be tackled once, thankfully. It's an elegant little mechanic that works well, even if the image of its spliced beings is ever so slightly harrowing. That said, there are a couple of sections that I can imagine being slightly easier or more elegant with a partner, but it never felt mandatory. Yarny's abilities have carried over from the original. He / she / it can swing across gaps, rappel down walls, ascend cliff faces, lasso distant objects and, by tying knots, create bridges, pulleys, and trampolines. There are no major new skills to single out, but the addition of a second. For instance, either character can now function as a moveable anchor point, allowing the other Yarny to rappel, ascend, or swing across otherwise impassable gaps. At its best, it feels like you're mountaineering through the undergrowth. Playing alone, this allows for some satisfying character switching, as I navigated hazards and inched my way through levels. But in co-op, this mechanic takes on a new dimension - it makes the experience more stressful and much funnier. Since a button must be held for Yarn to anchor his fellow explorer, and sometimes must be released at just the right moment for a jump to be made, it's essential players coordinate their actions. Otherwise, speaking from bitter experience, you'll see Yarny crash into the ground or smash against a wall, repeatedly. It takes a little getting used to two players, but it is never fiddly, simply requiring good communication and timing. The best puzzles involve looping around objects, creating additional anchor points, but in a way that never tangles up and stops you from moving on. You need to think and plan ahead. Sometimes you also have to create multiple temporary bridges to move objects around that can help you climb higher. There's a decent amount of variety. Ideas are used again, but are elaborated upon in interesting ways. I found the core story puzzles challenging without ever being stumped. And even if you get stuck, the sequel is added to pretty robust hint system to help out. Platforming is also improved. Yarny feels more responsive, and it's a good thing, too, since there are more sections that demand precision control. Occasionally, like the original, there are sequences that have an element of trial-and-error - you must fail to figure out how to proceed, no matter how finely-tuned your reactions. The core story is unfolded in seven 20-30 minute levels, which take Yarny once again through verdant forests and slightly more grim urban settings. Behind Yarny, in the background of levels, an ambiguous story plays out with shadowy manifestations of past events. From what I can infer, Yarny's retracing the journey of two teenagers who escape from a care home and go on an adventure that leads them into danger. It's pretty opaque, and while it occasionally adds atmosphere, I'm not really sure what it adds. It's much less emotionally involving than seeing Yarny in the foreground being chased by sinister ember creatures or a deranged chicken. Levels are simply beautiful. Yarny's tiny stature, and the clever use of forced perspective and photorealistic environments, makes you pay attention to the little details. It's like looking at nature through a macro lens - whether it's the spongy moss Yarny has to wade through the puddles that feels like swimming pools, every texture feels more detailed and engrossing seen from his perspective. Outside of the core story, there are 20 additional Challenge levels, which are a fantastic addition to the game. Afternoon missions, hidden areas open up within the Lighthouse hub world, containing a handful of additional levels. Each one has a difficulty rating of one to three spikes, which probably gives you a flavor of what they have in store. These are exceptionally fiendish challenges, ranging from Super Meat Boy-style platforming gauntlets, which take dozens of attempts to master. to head-scratching self-contained puzzles. I've spent up to 30 minutes getting it figuratively - and literally - tangled working out some of these problems. You really are the flexing their design skills in these levels, and they're a big reason why Unravel Two surpasses the original. However, unlike the core game, some of these challenges will definitely benefit from having a second player. Completing these ordeals not only nets you pride but customisation options for your Yarnys, allowing you to change their shape, eyes, and color. If video games have taught us anything over the years, it's that adventures are always better when undertaken with a friend. Experiencing a challenging mission for the first time. Overcoming a boss with hard-fought teamwork. Solving a puzzle at the exact same moment. Co-op can often give us some of gaming's most meaningful moments. That sentiment must have been in the mind of Swedish developer Coldwood Interactive when it began working on the sequel to heartfelt platformer Unravel, because it really shows. Unravel Two is very much an iterative sequel. That's not meant to be negative, but rather that its developer knows what the first game was so charming and simply doubles down on those unique qualities. Once again, you control a miniature woollen hero called Yarny, who travels to a 2.5D adventure using his own yarn-based string to swing across gaps, pull down objects to reveal new paths and scale seemingly insurmountable heights. You'll still be using picture frames as gateways to new levels, only now there are new memories to explore. This time, however, is joined by a blue-colored friend, leading to levels filled with environmental and platforming puzzles that call for the two woollen pals to work together. Much like the first game, Unravel Two's story avoids being overly explicit, instead using simple and often metaphorical themes to guide you through a whole host of levels inspired by the Swedish countryside and a variety of local inner-city. With composers Frida Johansson and Henrik Oja returning to the score, you're left with a gaming experience that rarely rushes or stresses you. It's a chilled and charming puzzle-platformer willing to tell stories of sadness and joy at its own pace. In that way, it's similar to the sedate cooperative world of Journey. With the ability to control two different Yarnys this time around, something as simple as reaching a new platform requires you to deploy a constant use of teamwork. Both characters are connected by their yarn, so while you can still swing using your string, you can also use one another as an anchor point to reach seemingly unreachable platforms across far greater distances. So eleven one player has reached said high point, the other can use their position to ascend to cliff face by climbing their own yarn to the very top. You can once again use your yarn to fashion to bridge or trampoline between two points, and you can now increase the height of each jump by doubling up your yarn. It's designed in such a way that many of Unravel Two's platforming puzzles can be beaten by a single player, so if you are playing cooperatively with a younger or less experienced pal, one of you can reach the required point on screen while the other uses your position as a handy anchor point to join you. As the game progresses and you move through each chapter, that need for tandem problem-solving increases, but every time you crack how to move to a certain piece of scenery out of the way or use your yarn as to makeshift bridge or trampoline, the sense of achievement becomes the most potent because you achieved it together. It should be noted that while it is being sold on the enjoyment of its local co-op, Unravel Two is brilliant fun from beginning to end when played on your own. You can only move one character at a time - enabling you to place on one's weight, or to create a lift by leaping over a hook - but you just need to have 'X' when both are next to one another to combine them together into one multi-colored Yarny. There are benefits and drawbacks to playing solo or co-op - for instance, getting your swings in sync when trying to leap between swing points can be a challenge in co-op, while solving certain puzzles takes a little longer in single-player - but both remain solid ways to play in their own right. Despite taking an extra nine months of development, Unravel Two proves to be well worth the wait. A visual downgrade is certainly in effect - as you'd probably expect, given that this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing home console games of E3 2018 running on Nintendo Switch - so you'll notice the occasional bit of blurring in the background , rasterized assets here and there and the odd bit of interactive landscape disappearing as soon as its role in an environmental puzzle has been played out. Coldwood Interactive has smoothly used trick it to get Unravel Two running smoothly on Switch's hardware, and it has pulled it off. Loading times can sometimes overstay their welcome and some of the game's amazingly gorgeous dynamically-lit moments do some of their visual magic, but Unravel Two is still a beautiful game to play on Nintendo hardware. Even with two players attempting to solve multiple parts of a puzzle while swinging about the shop, we never experienced a single second of framerate reduction or slowdown. It's another confident reminder that Switch has the potential to run so many different types of game when they're given the right amount of time, care and optimization. The Verdict While its core story, Unravel Two improves upon the original in every other respect. The platforming is more responsive and demanding, while the puzzles are far more inventive and satisfying to solve, which is largely due to the excellent implementation of a second character and co-op. It still works as a single adventure, but is far more enjoyable if played with a partner. And despite its oh-so-cute appearance, the generous helping of brilliant Challenge levels that Unravel Two has really been made by a talented group of Scandinavian sadists BETTER EXPLAINED

I do not know about you, but as an older gamer, I remember living under the threat of nuclear annihilation. Aside from the continual worry of uneasy U.S./Soviet peace breaking down into armed conflict, there was the overriding fear of World War III, one whose end could result in widespread destruction by nuclear weapons. The ensuing destruction and fallout would devastate the planet for many years, forcing a radical change to civilization as we know it. Now, imagine that a nuclear war did break out, but instead of nuclear winter, the sheer power of the nukes knocked Earth out of it's natural alignment, putting it on an inevitable crash course with the Sun. Topware and SSI posed this scenario with Earth 2150, a Real-Time Strategy title that challenged players not to conquer the world by defeating your enemies, but to escape from it, saving humanity in the process. Two years and two titles later, Strategy First and Reality Pump have taken up the reigns, presenting the third game in the series with Earth 2150: Lost Souls. So, without further ado, here's a very, very quick plot summary of the first two games for those of you who have not played them. In the near future, Earth has descended into political and economic chaos. Seeking to escape the turmoil on the planet, a company called the Lunar Corporation (LC) takes over NASA's functions and establishes orbiting cities, as well as bases on the moon. Focusing on their attention upon research and development, the LC makes strides in technology, becoming a scientifically advanced group. Recreating society in these extreme regions proves difficult, but possible, and shortly thereafter, the LC cuts its ties with Earth, becoming wholly self-sufficient. While the LC practices its techno-isolationism in space, anarchy reigns on the planet, tumbling governments and financial institutions. Out of the rubble come two global factions: the United Civilized States (UCS) in the West and the Eurasian Dynasty (ED) in the East. The UCS relies on computers and robots to do their work, ranging from day to day life to the highest forms of government. Consequently, the citizens of the UCS quickly become decadent and lazy. Running counter to this lethargic lifestyle is the working proletariat of the ED, whose deep-seated roots in the masses have fostered a massive work ethic. Inevitably, these two political ideologies came into conflict, leading to a nuclear deployment of weapons in a massive world war. Shortly after a massive battle at the North Pole, LC scientists discovered that the UCS and ED's skirmish managed to negatively affect the Earth's natural orbit, putting it in a direct crash course with the sun. Obviously, this sends the governments of the three factions into the panic, as the leaders realize that Earth will be burned to ash, and the moon will be dragged with it, captive by the planet's gravity. The most immediate solution to the problem seems to be obvious: spaceships will have to be built, and Mars, our closest neighbor, will have to be forcibly colonized. However, this undertaking would require a massive amount of resources, one that would seem to be almost a global effort in the making. Rather than work together as a species, the three factions descended into petty squabbling and eventual open warfare as time quickly ticked away. In Lost Souls, the end of the world is nigh, with a rather tragic end in sight. Spaceships have indeed been launched to Mars, and a colonization of the Red Planet has taken effect. However, due to government officials seeking to save their own skins, a large number of the po[CENSORED]tion has been left behind on Earth, condemned to die. These "Lost Souls," as they're known, come from all three factions, but feel a certain amount of understandable hatred towards their brethren for leaving them to suffer. Hastily, each side attempts to gather enough materials for a second wave of spaceships before the world is destroyed as well as to create an army to destroy their enemies on Earth, but also take revenge on their former comrades for deserting them. A typical facet of RTS games, army creation and resource gathering is expected for players to progress and survive through each level. However, Lost Souls' most touted features actually revitalizes these concepts. For example, most strategy titles provide you with units that serve specific functions. Tanks attack ground units, plans attack air units, and harvesters continually need protection. Like other strategy titles, each faction has units that reflect its personal ideologies and equipment. The ED, with its industrial approach, has a very definite Eastern European military feel to its units. As a team, they still field tanks modeled after 20th century weapons. The UCS 'dependence upon robots and machines provides them with a robotic army. Featuring bipedal and spider-like tanks, the sheer size of their armies tower over their opponents. Finally, the LC's technological advantage provides most of its units with antigravity capability, allowing them more maneuverability and evasion to attacks. Plus, their weapons are some of the most unconventional of the three sides. However, Lost Souls gives you the opportunity to change this stale formula by giving you the ability to design your own units, that circumventing traditional pre-established troops. To start the process, you choose a chassis from a land, or air unit and then attach additional weapons and equipment. Fully designing a unit only takes a few button presses, yet it gives you the ability to tailor your troops to your specific attack style. For example, mechanics or other repair units in most games are weakened and non-aggressive, often requiring shepherding in the field of battle. In Lost Souls, you can equip your mechanics with machine guns, shields, or other offensive and defensive capabilities to protect them against enemy attack. If you discover a design that you like or is particularly effective, you can save that specification for mass production in a factory. Additionally, you will have the option to improve upon these components by performing research into a specific field. With Lost Souls, you're no longer confined to predetermined research trees or prerequisites. As soon as you have gained access to a specific technology or piece of equipment, you can begin studying and improving your new gear immediately. Depending on the enemies you'll face, you'll need to do this often. The majority of weapons break down into one of two categories: energy and ballistics. Energy weapons include lasers and beam weapons, and pack remove a punch against most materials. However, they can be deflected by equipped or shields, greatly decreasing their damage. To penetrate this protection, ballistic weapons such as machine guns or rockets can be fired, which pack significantly less power but are unaffected by any safeguards except very strong armor. Needless to say, discovering exactly what kind of weapon your opponent favors and preparing a sufficient response is a necessary tactic for survival. Speaking of tactics, the game allows you to perform quite a few unorthodox attack strategies. You can capture enemy units with your mechanics, turning them against their former comrades. Of course, this is always a dangerous maneuver, one that can quite easily get your troops killed. A safer means of deception is painting your units with the colors of the enemy in an attempt to have them infiltrate your opponent's ranks unnoticed. A successful attempt will allow you the ability to wreak havoc through their ranks. For some players, to sneak attack is the way to go. Well, you can take advantage of this in one of two ways. The first way is by utilizing the changing elements and time of day. The steadily advancing movement towards the Sun creates chaotic weather patterns on Earth, causing massive storms, blizzards, or other conditions during the day and night. This weather can obscure vision on the field of battle, for both the player and the computer, but can be used in sneak attacks. For example, most units automatically turn their lights on at night. By turning an advancing platoon's lights off and slowly approaching to base during a heavy rainfall, you can strike the enemy and inflict a lot of damage before being detected. If this direct approach over land seems too direct and obvious, you can tunnel into an enemy base, establishing a subterranean entrance right behind their defenses to cause destruction on vital structures. In fact, a breach of any kind can catastrophic, because buildings can sustain incidental damage from stray bullets, rockets or lasers. If properly planned, an invading force can place their foe's structures in front of any incoming attacks, acting as impromptu shields as they press their attack. Inevitably, if it's attacking enemies or repelling invaders, Lost Souls will force even the most battle-hardened veteran of RTS titles to completely rethink their tactics. The largest and most important way is by ammunition constraints. In most RTS games, units have an unlimited supply of ammo with which to assault and destroy your rivals. Obviously, this is an unrealistic facet of warfare. Lost Souls forces to recognize this by placing an ammo limit on each weapon. Once exhausted, your units will have to be re-supplied by friendly units or face becoming a smoking pile of rubble. The other massive change to the genre is the restricted number of resources for each level. Each mission has a finite number of exploitable assets that players can use for base construction and unit production. This correlates to the plundering of natural products for the first wave of spaceships and steadily decreasing distance from the sun. In effect, it enforces a certain amount of conservation upon the player, because you can (and in some cases, need to) transfer credits and units from base to base to have a fighting chance within some missions. See, once expended, the player has to either make with what they have, acquire the enemy's resources, or perish. Obviously, the preservation of credits restricts the number of en masse strike forces that you will launch, forcing you to strategically plan out the best way to assault a position. Regardless of these innovations on the RTS formula, Lost Souls comes across more like an expansion pack than a completely new game. There are no new units to be found within the game, no new factions to fight, no graphical improvements or sound augmentations. In fact, with the exception of the set of missions for each group, you would have played the Moon Project or the original Earth 2150. Maybe this is the reason why a majority of the competition you'll face online prefers to play the Moon Project instead of Lost Souls. They're not missing anything, and they know it. While the game does feature the solid camera controls from the previous two games, it also features the clunky control panels and pathfinding issues from its predecessors. This can be a major problem when dealing with a large-scale attack from the computer. Enemy AI within the game is quite good, and the difficulty of Lost Souls is rather high. Many times, you'll find units driving past targets, getting confused and attacking enemies they deem more important, or following enemies into rather blatant death traps without a second thought. Computer controlled enemies, on the other hand, perform concerted attacks with ruthless efficiency. It does not help that the same old intro movies and tutorials have been included, meaning that if you've been playing this game for a while, you're not really missing anything. On second thought, it's a plus that the tutorial has been included, because the written documentation for this game really sucks. Weighing in at a paltry 26 pages that describes the barest basics for the game without describing units or other aspects of the game, it is simply enough information for the game, especially for newcomers to the series. Even experienced players may be forced to re-examine the tutorial to jog their memory of what units are and what buildings perform what functions, because you will not receive any explicit ideas with Lost Souls. Veterans of Earth 2150 will probably be disappointed in the lack of pressure associated with the inevitable end of the world as well. In the original, there was a set time limit of 180 days to complete all of your missions before the world came to an end. If you consider that The Moon Project ran parallel to the time period of the first game, there should be even greater pressure to escape the planet before it burned. However, there is no timer and no immediate threat to destruction. Save mission imposed limits, making the eventual goal of escaping the planet seems more lackadaisical than frantic. Plus, you'll frequently discover that you're not sure of how to proceed in a mission because of a lack of information. No information equals quickly mounting frustration. Graphically, Lost Souls still looks rather nice, but the engine is quickly becoming outdated. This is immediately noticeable if you zoom in on units, as you will detect the aliasing flaws and sharp, blocky polygonal shapes of the units. 3D landscapes are decently represented, with plenty of mountains, valleys, and bodies of water within the environment. As I said before, the weather plays a major role within gameplay and strategy, and the weather effects manage to pull off a major graphical coup with its detail and depth. Rainfall will obscure your view of units and buildings, making it very hard to see what's going on. Similarly, everyone who's playing an RTS has got used to the concept of "fog of war," but this is one of the few games where the fog is so thick that it can be used as an additional weapon. However, one of the coolest aspects of the first title was that the landscape and the weather changed as the game progressed, displaying the impending disaster. Somehow, in the transition from the first title to the third, this exhibition of pandemonium on the planet has been lost. You'll also be able to discern the direction of the wind by blown smoke, which billows and floats naturally from power plants. Buildings and vehicles are nicely animated as well, with individual articulation between different parts. Doors slide open, siphons pump up and down and turrets swivel. Lighting is also well handled, as turning vehicle lights on or off can have a dramatic tactical effect on play. Combat is nicely done, with great reflections displayed from shields reflecting laser beams. Individual rockets are also tracked as they streak across the screen towards their intended target. In fact, the engine does an amazing job of tracking every laser, every rocket, and every attacking unit without a hint of visible slowdown. Even better are the explosions and scattering of flaming debris from buildings and eliminated enemies. Music is still as dynamic as it has been in the two previous games. As a matter of fact, it's the exact same soundtrack, without any new arrangements or pieces of music. However, it does feature a shifting score, moving from fast paced techno to hard-edged guitar solos to sweeping orchestral arrangements, one that sets a nice backdrop for in-game action. Sound effects, such as the building of bridges or tunneling of passageways come across with a mechanized, industrial tone, while explosions and weapons fire sounds appropriate. The largest fault found within the game, one that has plagued the Earth 2150 series since its inception, are the voices, which come across in a very cheesy delivery. Whether it's the canned production of the robots of the UCS, the overenthusiastic voices of the LC or the heavily accented sound of the ED, they could've been produced better with more variations to unit speech and text delivery. The Verdict If you noticed, I did not really speak too much about the online component of Lost Souls. Earth 2150 has had a thriving online community, ever since the original game launched Earthnet and it's subsequent successor, Moonnet for The Moon Project. I've been doing a lot of talking to players online and in messages about Lost Souls, trying to gauge their opinion as to why so few of them play the latest game in the series. Remove a few of them from the title, but a majority of them did not see a difference in the two games and prefer the older title to the newer. You know something, in many ways, they're right. While Lost Souls does add to the storyline of the series, attempting to extend the premise of the Earth's last days, there's absolutely no innovation or new features to make this game stand out. Like I said earlier, the game comes across more as an expansion pack than a standalone game, and probably works better in conception as such than the third title in the series. Hardcore players will probably pick this title up as a matter of course, but those to the game might want to pick up the original or The Moon Project, mainly because there is more documentation and information explaining how to play in those two games than Lost Souls . Do not get me wrong, though. While it's starting to show its age, it still manages to deliver a thoroughly enjoyable playing experience. Lost Souls still has a lot of merits. It still features the classic gameplay that Earth 2150 founded, that of a genuine strategic experience with an interesting premise and a rock-solid gaming engine. It also introduces creative spins on the RTS genre, many of which will hopefully be taken and built upon by following games. Next Review: About

The Jaguar F-Type has been a very successful model, but it has been on the market for a long time and it's time to think about replacing it. As Auto Express has learned, the British brand would already be developing it, it will reach the market in 2022 and its first details are already known, which point to a lot of changes with respect to the current model. So, it could be called J-Type (recently that Jaguar has registered the name) and little or nothing will look like the sports car that is sold today. The most important change is that it will have the motor in central position, which will modify its morphology, lowering the nose and giving rise to a higher and more voluminous middle / rear area. In addition, it will not be pure combustion, but will use a hybrid propulsion system. Although the details are still unclear, engineers are using the reference Honda NSX, because the goal is for hybridization to help the model improve its performance. Thus, next to the main engine (which should be a V6) will be added two electrical blocks, one coupled to each axle to ensure that the sports car has full four-wheel drive. On the final power figures, it is speculated that it will develop 550 HP. Finally, within the firm, the possibility of later launching a 100% electric version of the model, thanks to the versatility offered by its platform, which would compete in the market directly with the Porsche Taycan, is proposed.

The central Espanyol, very coveted by powerful clubs, can prevail however the guarantee of minutes in a year that will end the European Championship. They have not reached the RCDE Stadium for now formal offers by Mario Hermoso, but at Espanyol they assume they will arrive. Which is a matter of time. Not in vain, since January they have been playing clubs as powerful as Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain. A priori, the situation of the central is the most vulnerable to the parakeet club, which nevertheless plays with another asset in its favor to retain it. A Hermoso, signed at zero cost from Real Madrid two summers ago, can be taken by the white entity for only 7.5 million euros. A situation of defenselessness that, although it is true that could be triggered at any time, do not believe in Espanyol to happen for an interest in taking advantage economic, only in case of a sports need of Zinedine Zidane team, who does not seem for now very for the work. So, if it is any other club interested, prevails the clause of termination of Beautiful, which amounts to 40 million. If an offer arrives, from Cornellà they will not go too far to demand that amount: half would also be for Madrid. In favor of its continuity, beyond the illusion of participating in European competitions (which surely would also have in another club), is the guarantee of minutes, practically of being a starter, in a 2019-20 season in which a Euro Cup will be played . Against, however, is the fact that only one year of contract remains, and it would be a fatal business for Espanyol to go free. The alternative is renovation. But summer seems long

Eating well, having routines for your free time and not neglecting any detail will allow you to feel better. And not neglecting any detail will allow you to feel better. Among Latin Americans around 66% have to eat outside the home, due to work or study commitments and, therefore, they are forced to turn the daily menu into an example of poor nutrition, according to the World Organization of health. This information should not be taken lightly, because poor nutrition can cause health problems. In fact, according to the same study, 50% of people suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems and gastritis have developed these diseases due to poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle and emotional stress. To prevent you from falling into this group, Dinero presents the 20 habits to lead a healthy life, which were selected with the advice of doctors, dieticians and physical trainers. Feeding There are all kinds of diets, some good and some bad. And you have the power to decide which way to go. The key is knowing how to eat a balanced diet. 1.Variety Feeding The proportion of different foods in the diet will make this set more or less healthy. You should try to mix the food groups (fruits, vegetables, cereals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats) preserving and not eliminating any. In addition, the priority should be for proteins, fruits, vegetables and cereals, and not for carbohydrates and fats. 2.Eat vegetables Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. It is recommended to consume vegetables in the afternoon and evening. A good dietary habit is to start meals with raw foods. Increasing the consumption of fiber in the diet prevents high cholesterol, colon problems and constipation. Prefer fresh salads to the cooked ones. 3.Moderate the consumption of meat and fish The daily intake of protein needed for a balanced diet should not exceed 15% of the total energy intake. Meat and fish are not the only sources of protein. The balance can be obtained from the proteins of the legumes (soy, lentils, chickpeas); dairy products (fresh cheeses, yogurt); eggs (in moderation) and nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, nuts). 4.Include the egg The egg protein has an excellent composition in terms of essential amino acids, as well as a good digestibility. In fact, the egg contains almost all the essential nutrients for humans (it serves for the maintenance of ocular function, protection of the skin, cell membranes, neurons and metabolism). A person in good health can consume an egg a day. 5.Fair point of sal To obtain a reduction of salt in the meals the aromatic herbs used in the salads and vegetables, or the lemon juice are of great help. Another resource is to cook the vegetables with very little water or steam. Thus they preserve their full flavor and their mineral salts. If you use salt, natural sea salt is preferable, because it provides magnesium that regulates metabolism and is important in the process of bone formation. 6.Do not eat after hours All diseases have a metabolic component, so they are susceptible to beneficial or harmful modifications through food and nutritional mani[CENSORED]tions. A normal diet for an adult is about 2,000 calories a day. The logical thing is to distribute them in the three daily meals by varying the diet and eating between meals healthy foods (yogurt, cheese, fiber cookies, cereals, fruit). The food of the night should not be less than 25% of that daily intake (500 calories) and should always be done. All diseases have a metabolic component, so they are susceptible to beneficial or harmful changes by means of food mani[CENSORED]tions and nutritional A normal diet for an adult is about 2,000 calories a day. The logical thing is to distribute them in the three daily meals by varying the diet and eating between meals healthy foods (yogurt, cheese, fiber cookies, cereals, fruit). The evening meal should not be less than 25% of that daily intake (500 calories) and should always be done. 7.Consume vitamins and minerals with moderation The needs of vitamins and minerals, present in most foods, vary according to the individual. These serve as antioxidants, to strengthen muscles, for hair and even to maintain a good mood. Calcium, for example, prevents arthritis, high blood pressure and colon cancer, among others. However, vitamins such as A, D, E and K accumulate in the body and are not easily eliminated, which can even cause constipation. Its use as a medicine is justified, under medical supervision, if the person suffers from any disease or lacks any of these nutrients. 8.Organize your time Prioritize your activities and order in an agenda what you should do according to its importance. Identify your hours of higher energy and thus develop the activities that demand more effort in this schedule and reserve the least energy for rest or hobbies. Also, plan your time hour by hour including meals, social life, rest or exercise. Be realistic with your time and set a goal to leave productive leisure time. 9.Exercises inside the office If you do not have time to leave your office, there you can go down stairs, even two or three floors. This is a good exercise and it will only take 15 to 20 minutes. You can also walk to your appointments or even to your home. If you can not do it every day, doing it two to three days a week is a good idea because that is how you would be doing the minimum physical activity of 30 minutes recommended by specialists. 10.Take rest times If you can not devote time to exercise or hobbies, the least you should do is take periods of 30 to 40 minutes of rest in the office, or go out and have a coffee. First, because people who sit in front of the computer all day can suffer back, spine or neck problems, although they have never suffered and even the eyes can be affected. Similarly, being very tired, your productivity in the office will not be the same. Added.Exercise routine Physical activity of at least 30 minutes is recommended every day. If you do not like gyms, you should practice some sport. The most important thing is to develop a routine. Exercise is positive, because it gives you energy, tones up your body, reduces stress, helps you sleep better, keeps the digestive system healthy and, as the body uses oxygen and nutrients effectively, the immune system improves.

Concentration of citizens in Venezuela, in rejection of what they consider a persecution of the legislators of the country's opposition and in support of the National Assembly. Norway said on Saturday that Venezuelan government and opposition representatives would return to Oslo next week after an initial round of preliminary talks on how to address the country's political crisis. "We announce that the representatives of the main political actors in Venezuela have decided to return to Oslo next week to continue with a process facilitated by Norway," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Scandinavian country said in a statement. "We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting the search for a solution agreed between the parties in Venezuela," he said. Venezuela has been mired in political turmoil this year when the president in charge, Juan Guaidó, invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency, ruling out the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro in 2018 as a fraud. More than 50 countries, including the United States and many members of the European Union, now see Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. Also read: Government in charge of Venezuela takes official control of the embassy in Washington. Maduro, who maintains control over state institutions in the midst of a hyperinflationary economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis, calls Guaidó a puppet of Washington. The Venezuelan Ministry of Information did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the announcement. The press team of Guaidó said he would comment shortly. The ruling Socialist Party has backed the talks, but opposition supporters remain skeptical, arguing that Maduro has previously used dialogue as a stalled tactic to maintain his control over power, while living standards declined steadily in the nation. rich in oil. Last week, opposition legislator Stalin González and two advisers represented alongside Guaidó, while Information Minister Jorge Rodríguez and Miranda state governor Héctor Rodríguez went to Oslo on behalf of the government. Each side met separately with Norwegian mediators, but there was no face-to-face meeting between the government and opposition representatives, Gonzalez told local media.

Company of Heroes, also called CoH, is a real-time strategy video game. Set in World War II, the game covers the confrontation between German and American troops from D-Day to the end of the war. For its innovative style of game, use of essential tactics to obtain victory and impressive graphics is considered one of the best ETR (Real Time Strategy) games in history. Its multiplayer system strongly influences the game and ensures many more hours of play, so much so that several years later Company of Heroes still has a good number of players online every day. The game has ground, air and external artillery units (although the air units are not controlled directly by the player), it has a great diversity of units ranging from tanks, heavy weapons, anti-tank guns, self-propelled artillery, artillery on foot, mortars, half-tracks, recovery and support vehicles, parachute, commands, and a long etcetera. It has been developed for Microsoft Windows by Relic Entertainment. Launched on September 14, 2006 in stores, and July 17, 2007 on the Steam platform. The game method is very similar to the previous Relic game, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. By conquest of points scattered on the map, which the player must take and defend since they provide the three basic resources: Labor, Fuel and Ammunition. On May 7, 2012, Company of Heroes 2 was announced by THQ. The second installment will be set on the eastern front putting the player in charge of the red army against the invading Nazi troops. The game will use version 3.0 of the Essence engine. Battle of Normandy List of missions OMAHA BEACH June 6, 1944, day D. The orders of the company Able are to clear Dog White and neutralize the German support points. VIERVILLE On June 6, 1944, the paratroopers of the company Fox must secure a key link road between Omaha Beach and the town of Vierville before disembarkation. CARENTAN Located at a crossroads between the beaches of Utah and Omaha, Carentan is a crucial goal to establish a decisive Allied beachhead in Normandy. The orders of the Fox company are to secure Carentan and push back the defenders of the axis. COUNTERFEIT IN CARD After securing Carentan, the Fox company must face a determined counterattack by the Germans. Shortly before sunset, the advanced part of the 17. Div. Panzergrenadier of the SS launch an offensive to recover Carentan. MONTEBOURG 4 days after Carentan, the companies Able and Dog must be in charge of clearing the route to Cherboug and defending and convoying troops and supplies necessary to reach Cherbourg. CHERBURG The company Able is entrusted to lead the final assault and keep the port of Cherbourg intact. The guns of the USS Texas support you. SOTTEVAST Allied intelligence has discovered a V2 rocket factory. To end the threat, the Fox company receives orders to storm the installation. The mission is to neutralize the V2 garrison from place and destroy the rockets. SAINT-FROMOND The company Able has been deployed in the sector of Saint-Lô, also known as the hedge region. The first mission is to secure the city of Sanit-Formond and establish a bridgehead crossing the River Vire. HILL 192 Between the company Able and Hill 192 there is a labyrinth of hedges plagued with guns of 88, Panzers and hidden infantry. The orders of the Able are to secure hill 192 before advancing towards Saint-lô. SAINT-LÔ The mission of the company Able is to eliminate all the defenders of the Axis of Saint-lô itself. The Germans have turned Saint-lô into a fortified city and will defend it tooth and nail. HÉBÉCREVON On the offensive, the Able company is ordered to hunt down and destroy the remaining Panther of the Panzer Lehr Division.

Elite: Dangerous is a space simulation videogame and the fourth installment of the Elite series. On board a spaceship the player explores a galaxy at a scale of 1: 1 based on the true Milky Way, being the first of the Elite series to offer a massive multiplayer experience (MMO), in which the actions of the players directly affect to the persistent universe, while maintaining the options of a single player. It is the sequel to Frontier: First Encounters, the third game in the Elite series, released in 1995. After not having reached a financing agreement with the distributors for many years, the developer created a Kickstarter campaign in November 2012. Fans have been able to access the initial versions of the game since December 2013. Elite: Dangerous maintains the basic premise of the previous games, players start with a spaceship and a small amount of money as a starting point to make their way into the galaxy, either legally or illegally, through trade, piracy, murder or being a bounty hunter. David Braben has described the game in some way as a mixture of the original Elite and the sequels Frontier: Elite II and Frontier: First Encounters, describes it closer to the sequels, more like a scientifically accurate galaxy. The player will be able to explore the Milky Way at 1: 1 scale, around 400 billion star systems, with planets and moons that rotate in orbit and in real time, resulting in dynamic day and night cycle, is based in the generation by procedures according to the real scientific models, of which about 150 thousand star systems are taken from astronomical data of the real world. The developer said: "It is very common to see space games making botched scales so that things look good, however this translates into unreal space locations." In Elite everything is at the scale that it should be, so the planets are of the correct size and the distances between the objects are also correct. In the GDC of 2011, Braben confirms the development of a new game of the Elite franchise, the project, initially called Elite 4 had difficulties finding funds, however Braben himself was already interested in crowdfunding. In November 2012, a few days after the Kickstarter was launched in the United Kingdom, Frontier Developments announced that the game would now be called Elite: Dangerous and that it would be financed on that site, with the goal of raising 1.25 million pounds and launch the game in 18 months. On October 10, 2013, the development team officially announced the compatibility with Oculus Rift and by the beginning of 2014 it could already be used with the alpha version of the game. In March 2014 the Kickstarter project was available for 60 days, the rewards included a digital copy of the game (standard and premium), a t-shirt and early access to the alpha and beta versions of the game. The financing was also possible thanks to the website of the game, through PayPal. The campaign raised 1.7 million euros in April 2014 and Braben had reacquired the rights to the Elite franchise. The game entered Phase Beta 1 in July 2014 and in Phase Beta 2 on September 30, 2014. During the Kickstarter many asked about the release of the game to other platforms and it turned out that they seemed interested, but the PC version was the priority at that time, anyway they also announced a version for Mac OS X three months after the launch in Windows. David Braben answered some questions about a possible port for Linux to the digital magazine Tux Radar, although he did not confirm that version, he said that the Linux platform was something that they were seriously considering and that there was no reason why COBRA, the game engine itself of Frontier Developments could not run on Linux, because it uses OpenGL.

Mass Effect is an action-and-shoot RPG in the third person1 2 of science fiction for Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and later PlayStation 3, developed by BioWare, the famous developer of role-playing games like Jade Empire, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights and the Baldur's Gate saga. The Xbox 360 edition was presented globally in November 2007, published by Microsoft Game Studios. The edition for Microsoft Windows was presented on May 28, 2008 and was published by Electronic Arts. The edition for PlayStation 3 was presented on December 4, 2012 within the Mass Effect Trilogy compilation, whose conversion to the Sony console was carried out by the Edge of Reality company and was published by Electronic Arts. The game is set in the year 2183, and moves the player to take the place of Commander Shepard, an elite soldier of the Systems Alliance fleet (an organization that brings together all the ancient nations of Earth) in a plot that, little by little, will involve you in a plot of galactic dimensions. The order of the main missions can be altered by the player and thus change the order in which the events of the story are triggered. Subsequently two sequels of the game have been published to complete a trilogy: Mass Effect 2 in 2010 and Mass Effect 3 in 2012. The game Mass Effect was named "Game of the year 2007" by The New York Times3 and won first place on the list of best Xbox 360 games by IGN.4 The player assumes the role of Commander Shepard, a soldier of the Alliance. This can be personalized by the player. The appearance of the character also varies depending on the weapons and armor that the player uses. In addition to the personalization and appearance of Shepard, the player can also choose the background of the character, which influences the dialogue throughout the game, as well as the different kinds of missions that may be available. The main player (Shepard) is always accompanied by two other characters that support him in combat and contribute to the dialogue. These characters are not created by the player and control over them is limited to the direction of the team (Advance, group, cover) and the use of their technological and biotic skills. On board the Normandy the player can build and strengthen the relationship between Shepard and these characters. There are characters that come together throughout the story, each with their own story and their own reasons to help the main character. Three of the characters are human and the other four are extraterrestrials: a turian, an asari, a krogan and a quariana.

Sony has officially announced that it will not be in E3 2019. But the most important thing is what it has not officially announced: it could present the new PlayStation, the highly anticipated PS5, during the new year. Let's go with the sure thing. PlayStation will not participate in the E3 2019 video game fair. It will be the first time, in the fair's 24-year history, that the Japanese company is not present. Sony has confirmed in a statement published in Variety what was already advanced by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), organizer of E3. "PlayStation fans mean everything to us and we are always innovating, thinking differently and experimenting with new ways to delight players, and as a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019," says the company. So Sony has decided so because apparently they have nothing outstanding to present at the event. But is that really true? They may have simply chosen other forms of presentation; ways where no other brand shades them. In the statement, the company says they are "exploring new and familiar ways of involving our community in 2019 and we can not wait to share our plans with you." What has been said, maybe E3 is not the right forum.

Maniac Mansion is a video adventure game developed by Lucasfilm Games in 1987. Initially released for Commodore 64 and Apple II, it was the first video game that Lucasfilm Games launched on the market. The game follows the adventures of young Dave Miller in a mansion as he tries to rescue his girlfriend from a mad scientist controlled by a meteorite that collided near the mansion twenty years ago. The game was conceived in 1985 by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, who were inspired to develop the story in the class B movie cliches and horror films plus some elements of humor. The characters of the game were developed on the basis of characters from the comics, movies, horror magazines or people they knew. The design of the mansion is based on the main house of the Skywalker Ranch. Maniac Mansion uses an engine created specifically for the game called SCUMM ("Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion"), that supposed a revolution in the game interfaces for graphic adventures of its time and that was very used by Lucas in later developments of adventures graphs Maniac Mansion takes place in the mansion of the Edison family; occupied by Dr. Fred, nurse Edna and his son Ed Weird. Living with the Edison there are two large tentacles without a body, one purple and the other green created as the result of a genetic experiment. During the introduction sequence of the game it is shown how a meteorite crashes near the mansion twenty years ago. This symbiote takes control of the family and causes Dr. Fred to start sucking human brains to use in his experiments, while his family encourages and supports him in these efforts. One day, Sandy Pantz, girlfriend of David Miller (the protagonist), disappears without a trace and he suspects that Dr. Fred has kidnapped her. After the introductory scene of the game, Dave and two of his companions prepare to enter the mansion and rescue Sandy. The game begins with a selection screen in which you must choose two of the six characters available to accompany Dave (this selection will condition the development and outcome of the story). Maniac Mansion is a graphic adventure game with a point-and-click interface to guide characters through a two-dimensional world in which they must solve riddles. Players can select fifteen different commands with this scheme; for example "Walk to" to move the characters, "New Kid" to alternate between the three characters and "Pick up" to collect objects. Each character has unique abilities, for example, Syd and Razor can play musical instruments; while Bernard can repair appliances. The game can be completed with any combination of characters. Because many riddles can only be solved with specific abilities, the game will offer different outcomes depending on the characters chosen by the player. The gameplay is interrupted regularly by "cutscenes" (a term coined by Ron Gilbert), which advance in the story and show the player the actions of the non-playable characters. Including the green tentacle, the inhabitants of the mansion are a threat and will put the playable characters in the dungeon - or try to kill them - if they see them. It is also possible that the player himself causes the death of one of his characters. In any case, if one of the characters dies, the player may choose among the remaining ones. Finally, the game ends when all the characters die. Maniac Mansion has five possible successful endings, which will depend on the combination of characters made by the player, who survive and what events they generate. Maniac Mansion was conceived in 1985, when Lucasfilm Games assigned its employees Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick the task of creating an original video game. Gilbert had been hired by Noah Falstein to work at Lucasfilm Games for three months programming the game Koronis Rift. Meanwhile, Winnick was working on Labyrinth: The Computer Game. By joining together for the development of this project, Gilbert and Winnic discovered that they shared a similar humor and equal tastes about film and television. To complete the project, Gilbert was hired full time. The success of this video game and its predecessors is attributed by Gilbert to the fact that Lucasfilm Games executives carried out very little supervision of the development process. Although Gilbert and Winnick are the main designers and co-writers, they worked separately in the art and game programming respectively. In the brainstorming held to define the history of the game, the love they felt for the B movie came out and they decided to create a video game of a horror comedy set in a haunted house. Winnick called this idea "a ridiculous teen horror movie," where a group of young people are sacrificed one by one while trying to escape the house. This creative duo made use of clichés of po[CENSORED]r horror films such as Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street to set the game.

Gears of War is a third-person shooter from the action-adventure and strategy genre, developed by Epic Games using the Unreal Engine 3 video game engine. Gears of War was released by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 console on March 16. January 2006 in North America, January 26 in Europe, January 29 in Australia and January 10, 2007 in Japan. Everything starts on the planet called Sera, where the pendulum wars were born, which lasted more than 70 years, when the CGO fought against the UIR or better known as URI (union of independent republics) by its acronym in English, his dominion of the planet the CGO stole the most powerful weapon of massive destruction of the UIR called Hammer of the Dawn, thus the CGO could cause more damage to the UIR and force them to surrender. Everything was peace until one day the locust emerged to the surface as humans were filling their tunnels with inmulsion, a powerful and cheap fuel. When the locust remained in contact with the inmulsion they became lambent, they destroyed everything in their path to both Locust and Humans, so Queen Myrrah angered by it gathered her locust troops and guided them to the surface telling them the part that It corresponded to them. That day was called "THE DAY OF EMERGENCY" or "DAY E". When that happened the locust wanted to take the whole planet, but the brave soldier Marcus Fénix who in the game starts as a prisoner of war but with the death of Lieutenant Minh Young Kim is given the post to Marcus being the leader of the Delta squad that It was formed by Damon Baird, Augustus Cole, Marcus Fénix and Dominic Santiago "Dom". These little by little they went towards the locust tunnels placing a resonator to show the locust tunnels but this was not the expected result, so the delta squad went to look for a bomb of light mass that would be able to destroy the tunnels but before they would have to face a terrible boss called GENERAL RAAM. The plot begins 14 years after day E, after the activation of the hammer of dawn in Sera. Marcus Fénix, The CGO soldier, is reinstated in the army after spending four years in Jacinto's Maximum Security Jail for leaving his military post in order to make a futile attempt to save his father, Adam Fénix. Dominic Santiago, a personal friend of Marcus, takes him out of prison informing him that Hoffman pardoned everyone who was in prison to fight the Locust Ordas, and takes him to Delta Squadron led by Lieutenant Minh Young Kim. The platoon is ordered by Víctor Hoffman to obtain the "resonator", a device that would make maps of the locust tunnels and then implement the light mass bomb, which will destroy the heart of the Locust forces. The Delta platoon recovered the device, but suffered multiple casualties in the process including Anthony Carmine and Lt. Kim. In the middle of the chaos, Phoenix takes the remaining soldiers through the ruins of the planet Sera where they face a Berserker, a mining facility where the Delta and Locust squad fight becomes very intense, and finally to the depths of the planet . The Delta squadron detonates the resonator, but only to discover shortly after that the device does not achieve its objective. Fortunately, they discover a larger map of the network that originates from the old house of Fénix, specifically his father's laboratory. When they arrive, Delta encounters a great Locust resistance. After collecting the data, the platoon flees from the farm in an armored transporter being chased by a Brumak (in the PC version it tells what happened on the trip). Marcus and Dom go through a train which loads the pump of light mass in which they must place the data that they took in the house Phoenix so that the blow with the pump in the network of tunnels is effective, after passing several Locust they have a confrontation with General RAAM (who killed Lieutenant Kim), at the time of the fight they manage to shoot down with him and load the data for the activation of the bomb. After this Marcus and Dom are rescued in a helicopter that awaited them with the help of Colonel Hoffman before the train rushed from a destroyed bridge and in Imulsion below the surface. Fully activated, the light mass pump explodes in the Locust tunnel network In the final sequence of the game, Hoffman offers a victory speech for the collapse of the tunnels, whereupon Queen Locust's voice ends promising that the Locust will keep fighting and will not stop. The Delta Squad appears in full during the first act. The platoon is made up of: Lieutenant Minh Young Kim, Marcus Fénix, Dominic Santiago and a beginner soldier, Anthony Carmine who dies after being shot in the head of a sniper in the first act, but when the first act of the game ends the Squadron Delta is formed only by the former prisoner, Sergeant Marcus Fénix with his second in command Dominic Santiago, Augustus "Train" Cole and Damon Baird.

Combat Arms is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game, developed in South Korea by Doobic Studios, and published by Nexon Corporation. The closed beta was published on May 29, 2008, exclusively through Nexon and lasted a week. It ended on June 6. This beta was limited to users in North America, South America and Oceania. In this beta there were 4 maps and 30 weapons available. On June 26 Combat Arms entered its "Pre-Open Beta", so the game was open to the public. Pre-Open beta is also limited to users in North America, South America and Oceania. The official launch of the Combat Arms was on July 11, 2008. On August 8, 2008, NEXON announced that Combat Arms would launch a NEXON Europe server for European players. On September 25, 2008, the Combat Arms Europe Teaser website activated NEXON for Europe, and on October 28, 2008, NEXON Europe began a period of beta testing closed to Europe by Combat Arms. The closed beta tests ended on November 11, 2008, and the Open beta began on December 16, 2008 and lasted until January 15, 2009. On April 2, 2009, NEXON America of South America announced that the Combat Arms service would close as of April 9. Those who had a pending amount of NX would be allowed to play until October 9, or until their NX runs out, whichever comes first. The game is now fully released in Korea and North America; while the European server hosts players from Europe, the Middle East and South America (the latter not yet officially recognized by Nexon Europe). In mid-2012 the game lost a portion of its active players due to serious problems with hackers in games. The community complained about finding at least one cheating player in each game room. A year later, this problem was solved by Nexon and several players returned to play. In 2015, Nexon announced that it was working on a new version of the game. This was called Combat Arms: Line of Sight, and was developed jointly with BlackSpot Studios, and included new graphics, different maps, a huge ability to customize weapons and a system of superhuman powers, such as short teleportation, invoke meteorites on the enemy, or throw balls of fire. During the beta, many players complained about the latter, claiming that it did not follow the original Combat Arms game style. After the beta, Nexon decided to discontinue the project, delivering the game to BlackSpot Studios, who after modifying it a bit, launched it on the market with the name of Line Of Sight. The following year, Nexon revealed that a remastering of the Combat Arms was underway. This included the graphics - which after 10 years, were somewhat obsolete - and the game's interface. To the delight of some players, they could choose between playing with the new graphics, or continuing to do so with the old ones. The Beta was opened in early 2017. One of its advantages over other games of the same genre is that Combat Arms is renewed regularly in terms of its contents (maps, weapons, missions, characters, avatars and other functional elements to earn extra points, get shields for the clans, etc. ) in addition to that being a free access game, there is a number and variety of players highly superior to those that can be found in other video games, such as Call of Duty or Battlefield.

Life Is Strange 2 is an episodic video adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix. It was released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows platforms, the third game in the Life is Strange series, and the second one developed by Dontnod, just like the first title, the game is composed of five episodes. The first episode was released on September 27, 2018. The game will reach MacOS and Linux in 2019, thanks to a port developed by Feral Interactive. The main characters of Life is Strange 2 are brothers Sean (16) and Daniel Diaz (9), two brothers who lead a fairly normal life in Seattle, Washington state. After a tragic event, their lives change forever. Now, fleeing the police and threatened with separation and imprisonment, Sean decides to take his younger brother and seek a better life in the hometown of his family, Puerto Lobos, Mexico. Life on the road is hard and dangerous. The brothers will face all kinds of challenges as they bravely undertake a journey that will test the bonds of brotherhood. Playing as Sean, you must make the kind of difficult decisions you can expect from a Life is Strange game, and you will have to live with the consequences of your actions. The game will focus on the brotherhood this time, along with the need to guide and educate your younger brother as you grow up. As in the previous games of the series, Life is Strange 2 will address a series of problems that we can all identify with and that will cause moral dilemmas, requiring a look inside. These themes come together more strongly in the way that Daniel will develop according to the lessons you teach him and the model you choose to be. In turn, Life is Strange 2 will have a new power, unlike the trips in time of its predecessor. While Sean and Daniel travel to Mexico, they will meet a cast of completely new characters and will go through many new stages.

once, but even better is the following. How will the 2020 cars be, in just 5 years? It is already possible to see some of the market trends, observing what manufacturers have presented in recent months and what they have in reserve. Some technologies already belong to po[CENSORED]r knowledge such as autonomous cars, others are still on the design table while there are some that are already present in some cars in an early stage of development. Five years may not seem like a long time to revolutionize the market and that is because they are; in fact, most of the technologies that we are going to review now are based on current cars. Smaller and more ecological engines It is unlikely that in five years we will all be driving electric cars, but we will continue to use combustion engines, but much smaller and more ecological, like the prototype that Nissan took to the 24 hours of Le Mans last year. Even sports cars will follow that trend, with four-cylinder engines. Although sooner or later the electric motors will dominate. Sports cars will not disappear If something has shown us the Detroit Motor Show this year is that sports cars have no plans to retire despite having "gone out of fashion" in the face of electric and ecological engines. The new Ford GT and the Honda NSX are part of a new generation that embraces technology. Autonomous cars Not "completely autonomous cars." There are many reasons why there are still decades left for our cars to take us from one place to another without interacting with them, including legal and technical reasons. But some prototypes are already capable of driving alone under certain circumstances, such as the Audi car capable of traveling on a freeway without problems. Take control of the vehicle Apart from the fact that a car can drive on its own, it will be more important that it can help us when we are the ones we are driving. For example, in situations where we are going to collide and we do not show that we have reacted on time. Soon the cars will be able to brake alone even if we are stepping on the accelerator if they decide that we are getting dangerously close to an obstacle (or when we reach a speed radar). Biometric access The keys or the remote controls are finished, now what it takes are the scanners of retina or of fingerprints.

Quino Colom and Sebas Saiz have played all the matches of the Windows (12). Jaime Fernandez could have accompanied them, but the Unicaja escort, who was on Scariolo's list for these last two games, was injured in the Copa del Rey and could not attend. Las Ventanas started in November 2017 - there have been six stops with two matches each - and the Spanish coach has used 29 players: 22 of them have made their official debuts. The last two were yesterday Albert Ventura and Pere Tomàs, a few days after they did Carlos Alocén (the fourth youngest to premiere with the National Team in all history) and Xabi López-Arostegui. Colom (13.7 points and 4.8 assists) has closed the Windows as the best scorer and passer of the team, while Saiz managed in the game against Latvia ten offensive rebounds, record in the National Team. Scariolo could reward some player of this Selection of the Windows in the World of China (from August 31 to September 15). Jaime Fernandez, Quino Colom, Oriol Pauli and Darío Brizuela have options to be in the Asian date.

The safest and most effective way to lose weight and stay fit is to follow an adequate feeding plan that can be sustained during the time necessary for the descent without risking health and continue with a maintenance scheme. Once this point is clarified, it is also true that there are occasional occasions in which it may be useful to lose weight quickly, appealing to a diet that speeds up the process to see results and be able to enjoy them. For example, when you have been a long time with a high weight and anxiety makes the person want to notice the change in his figure to motivate and adhere to a safe diet and exercise plan. Or when there are only two or three kilos to lose and there is an important event in which you want to show off a splendid figure. For those occasions there are specific diets, tips and secrets that can be resorted to, knowing that by losing weight quickly, it is also likely that it will be quickly re-gained, if a reasonable and adequate feeding plan is not continued. each, prepared by a qualified professional. Let's see what are the most effective options to lose weight quickly. Detox of juices: 2 days To lose 1 to 3 kilos (depending on overweight) What it is: a cleansing of the organism based on fruit juices and / or raw vegetables. There are several types of detox based on juices but this is the most traditional. What for: to eliminate toxins and cut with the habit of eating too much. Fruits and vegetables provide a feeling of instant vitality. With what: the idea is not to eat anything solid, but to consume fruits and vegetables in shakes and smoothies, of course without milk, not even vegetables for these first two days. Using more vegetables than fruits is ideal since fruits have a lot of sugar. 4 glasses for women and 6 for men are the recommended consumption. During the day drink water, herbal teas and no tea, mate or coffee, to promote detoxification. How much time: between one and two days. If it is done longer, there are risks to health. It is days already considered an extreme fast. 10-day protein diet To lose 3 to 10 kilos (depending on overweight). What it is: a food plan based on consuming foods that, practically, contain proteins and are low in carbohydrates. It works because hydrates are foods that provide a lot of energy and, if not consumed, tend to stay accumulated in the body in the form of saturated fat. In contrast, proteins are nutrients with great satiety that also promote metabolism that accelerates and can burn more calories. The principle of its success is that by reducing the intake of foods that have a high intake of hydrates is activated the process of ketosis of the body. For what: to activate the metabolic situation of the body that is known as "ketosis" by which one begins to use body fat as an energy source. Lean proteins (which are not accompanied by sauces or excess oils) do not usually become accumulated fat and require the metabolism to activate a large amount of energy to be processed. With what: with protein foods - Lean meats: chicken, cow, pork, lamb. - Fish: of all kinds, except shellfish packed in oil. - Dairy products: milk, cheese, ideally low in fat. - Eggs: an excellent source of protein and with great power of satiety if consumed in the form of a hard egg. - Fruits and vegetables: although they eat a few, they must be incorporated to maintain the balance of the food plan. - Olive oil. Only two teaspoons daily and raw. It is not convenient to eliminate it from the diet since oils are important. - Example of lunches or dinners: a good lunch may include a baked chicken drumstick with cooked green vegetables (broccoli, artichokes, cabbage) and carrots or roasted peppers. Vegetarians should include vegetable proteins such as tofu, texurized protein vegetable meats, lentils and legumes. - Breakfasts and snacks: a hard-boiled egg with infusion and a fruit or 1licuado of banana with skim milk without sugar or a piece of cheese and a coffee with milk. - What to avoid: transgenic and saturated fats, sugars and sweets, fried foods, alcohol.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked on the phone on Monday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Russia to "cease unconstructive behavior" in its support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro through a phone call he had with his counterpart in Moscow, he said on Monday. Department of State. Spokesman Robert Palladino said Pompeo had talked with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday about the situation in Venezuela. "The secretary told Foreign Minister Lavrov that the United States and the countries of the region would not sit idly by while Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela," Palladino said in a statement, in which he also condemned Moscow's military support. To the "illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro". Last week, the special envoy of the US State Department He met in Italy with representatives of the Russian government. At a press conference, Abrams said the conversation had been "interesting" and that he now understands a little better the Russian position on the subject, and vice versa. "They are supporting (Nicolás) Maduro, but they realize the Venezuelan situation," he said, adding that they know that the internal crisis is serious. He ratified that Russian interests and investments in Venezuelan soil will not be recovered if Maduro is still in power.