MMA

rrs@researchut.com (Ritesh Raj Sarraf) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 10:41:13 -0400

Wrestling (WWE) is entertaining. The way the ww[ef] superstars (Especially the ones like Undertaker, Triple H) are presented is fun to watch. Or the kind of high flying maveuveurs the wwf superstars are able to perform, it really is super cool. The only catch is - it is not a sport. The feuds are all pre- defined to juicen things up.

I recently came to know of UFC. I hope some day they start airing it in my part of the world. I’m still getting acquianted to MMA, but it really is an awesome sport. This is one forum which does show size does not matter. Was watching Royce Gracie’s matches from UFC 4. Awesome matches clearly showing the skill with which one can beat any size or power. The final was in between a pro-jiu jitsu vs pro-wrestler. Gracie won it but was given a tough fight by the wrestler.

That brings me to EA Sports MMA.

I downloaded this demo some time back but never played it. Only after the recent interest in MMA I looked back at this demo. The demo was good enought to convince for the full version. The gameplay primarily comes in 2 modes: 1 x 1 fighter mode and a Career Mode.

If you start with the 1x1 fighter mode, you’ll very soon be beaten out. Just like The Fight, this game does need some practising and getting a hang of the game controls. Uncommon - Attacks are triggered by the R1 key, with L3 as the modifier for kicks.

In career mode, you can create your own custom character and start from scratch to becoming a fighter. You start off with the basics, learn the standards tactics on how to Clinch , Take Down , Block and Submit your opponent. With these skills learnt, the game starts to becoming a real fun. But the real gem about the game is in the Stamina. The developers ensured that this is not just another " who’s the better button masher" game. You need to be careful to not run out of stamina. The stamina is the biggest key to winning in this game, just like in real life fighting. If you run out of stamina, you can’t even submit your opponent even if you have a full body mount. To beat down the tough fighters you will need to master the key combinations with great speed. Be fast enough to **Jab + Jab

Hook + Side Kick,** all of this with minimal stamina spent.

Overall, a great game to have if you like Mixed Martial Arts.

Console Gaming - Sony Playstation 3

rrs@researchut.com (Ritesh Raj Sarraf) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 02:24:21 -0400

I have been thinking of this topic for some time. I am a happy owner of the old Phat PS3 Model. At one time, I use to do a fair amount of gaming on my computers. So when Sony marketed the PlayStation 3 product, it was cool to see a machine that did:

Gaming
Movies, Music, Pictures
Blu-Ray
Ran Linux

I convinced myself to buy a PlayStation 3, that I’d use it for playing with Linux apart from gaming. The regular gaming did not excite any more, perhaps it had to do with the limitation of time. On running Debian on it, was when I realized that the Linux support was merely a joke. The Linux support included running a Linux distribution in a VM with not much access to the full hardware resources. Not a Great Experience

Soon, as many would be aware, Sony did the meanest thing. They pulled off the Linux support citing security concerns. To ensure further updates, most users were left with no choice but to update the firmware. This was Not A Good Thing as they had advertised the Linux feature during marketing of the product. Losing the Linux support made the PlayStation pile up more dust, as I am an occasional gamer.

But then came the good thing. Sony announced the PlayStation Move product, its answer to the Motion Gaming. This is the best thing they did and they did it good. The PS Move product was well priced and is an awesome product. The level of precision in the PS Move is told to be the best by most of the reviewers that I follow.

The 2 games that make the PS Move shine are Sports Champions and The Fight

The Sports Champions demo came bundled with the PS Move kit. The disc houses 5 - 6 games on it of which Table Tennis, Sword Fight and Archery are very good.

The good part about these games is that they start off with easy levels but eventually (the Champions Cup) get tougher. Playing the Champions Cup level is going to be both, Fun and Tiring. It is surprising that this game was given just a 7.5 rating, I think it deserves a 10/10 The folks at Zindagi Games did an awesome job.

The Fight started off with a different impression. First of all, Sony did not push a demo for this game on the PlayStation Network. Even with low ratings, I took the plunge to buy the game. The game was not responsive. It wouldn’t react to the moves I made physically and that’d lead to the opponent beating me. Game development rules are very simple: Don’t make a game which people can’t win, you’ll lose your gamers. Also don’t make a game which is just too easy to win, you’ll still lose your gamers. A good example is the Prince of Persia game. Was disappointed with The Fight until I read this well done review by Pace J Miller.

Both Sony and Coldwood Interactive did a bad job in marketing this game. I think Sony should pay Pace for doing the right review. The Fight is a good game. It expects the user to train in the system. A user cannot just walk-in into the game and start beating the opponents. The Fight forces the users to earn points (which can be used to improve health, stamina and fighting skills) before they can be a fighter fit enough for fighting the in-game opponents. Points are earned through sparring sessions and working out in the gym.

I am glad I bought The Fight. After reading Pace ’s review, I have been thoroughly enjoying this game. It is a great game and at the same time a very great way to get away from lethargy. Be prepared to sweat like hell when playing The Fight

Despite all the debacle Sony went through (1. pulling off the Linux support 2. PS3 Compromised 3. PSN Compromised), they still have the best product in the market for the Motion Gaming experience

Game Reviews on RESEARCHUT

MMA

Console Gaming - Sony Playstation 3