PS4 Controllers for use on PC gaming

Hey there guys, Endblade here.

Below is a post that I half finished back in late 2015 and forgot to complete it. I will now attempt to post it with updates.

Original post 2015:

Having just got Witcher 3 a few days back (Review coming up!), I struggled like a madman to attempt to digest and internalize the controls. I can safely say the WASD keys and Mouse to play Witcher is REALLY HARD. Well why you may ask? Just imagine - The Camera pans together with your mouse, which means you can't mimic the console and serve the camera to aim at the back while riding on the horse in a direction.

The sprint/gallop on the keyboard is a hassle to reach, to hold down L-Shift AND use WASD to maneuver at the same time is a burdensome activity which got my pinky really tired. The combat portion of the Witcher 3 on keyboard makes it HARD as HELL to dodge enemies. This is pretty bad considering that you have to dodge quite often, especially against monsters which you can't just simply parry or block with your sword.

Hence my controller purchase. After the purchase, I was really satisfied as I felt I wa snow playing on a PS4 BUT on a more intimate level - just me and my computer screen, which was a comfort as I detest people coming up to interrupt me and stare at me when I game.

The model of controller I got was the new PS4 design, the stock pictures are below (Too lazy to take a photo and upload anyway), take a look, I find these new colourways much better than the generic old black/blue/red colours which are really dull.


Silver was the only one available, I would have chosen Gold had the choice been given to me. But hey, this isn't half bad haha. The controller has a good build, you can tell the years of research and effort gone into improving the PS controllers over the years have helped to create what the controller has become today. The touchpad of sorts is alos pretty good, I can control my mouse via it! Amazing huh. Battery life is decent, it can be linked via Bluetooth to create the wireless experience.

For software, if you don't already know by now, there is NO official software released by Sony to make it compatible with the PC (marketing tactic to buy their PS4...I WON'T SUCCUMB SONY).

If you're deciding between PS4 or other controllers, definitely get the PS4 controller. It may be slightly pricier, but if you're an Asian (like how I am) and have smaller hands, the PS4 controller affords you a lot more dexterity and flexibility than the normal controller.

Update in 2017:

Plus, it is long lasting. I have had it for 2 years and it STILL works perfectly. I have played countless games on it (FIFA, Witcher, Transistor, Pyre etc.) and it doesn't have any disconnect issues or battery problems, since it is fully rechargeable.

So if you asked me - which controller would I recommend? PS4 hand down no competition.

Until Next Time,

Endblade

Game Review: Sid Meier's Civilization V

Hello everyone, and on today's post I'll be touching on a game which I highly recommend all Strategy Gamers to pick up: Sid Meier's Civilization V! Although arguably albeit old already (Released in 2010, that's 5 years ago!), this game has been updated, with DLCs released in the past few years (both 2012 and 2013, Gods and Kings & Brave New World respectively) to expand and elaborate on the lore as well as gameplay elements, tweaking the game further and making it increasingly interesting to not just play, but also WATCH others play.

To say that this game isn't an epic and doesn't deserve a typical gamer's attention would be an outright lie, this game has many elements which make it stand out from al the other strategy games (think Starcraft, Age of Empires, Europa Univeralis). But this post isn't just to glorify the greatness which is CIV5, but to also explain WHY Strategy games in general are sometimes underrated by the average gamer like you and me, who refuse to give it a shot.

1) Replay Value 

Much like any other strategy game, RTSes in general bring about a fresh gameplay aspect in where EVERY game in and of itself is unique, the circumstances are different, the AIs you face up against in singleplayer campaigns are different, and the terrain and seed generation in every game is unique. Which means that NO two games are entirely similar. Decisions you make in CIV5, whether to declare war and attack a neighbouring city in an attempt to dominate the early game and shut down to late game, or to turtle your way to victory in the late-game by not interacting with other AIs in the early game have HUGE repercussions. One declaration of war or denouncement against an opponent mean huge ramifications in the long run if you do so decide to adopt a pacifist stance in the later stages of the game. Every decision is different, and that makes games unique.

2) Victory Conditions

Diplomatic Victory 

Cultural Victory

Domination Victory

Science Victory

Now onto the strengths of CIV 5. Other strategy games (most actually) feature ONLY domination and subjugation of your enemies through sheer force of numbers as a victory condition in the game. But CIV and the franchise which is CIV is different. Domination is but one of the possible win conditions. There are many other ways which you can choose to claim your spot in the world. Cultural, Science and Diplomatic Victories are some other ways in which a Civilization can attempt to win. This means that in a game of CIV, everybody is working towards differents ways to win, and not just by destorying your opponents completely. Cultural Victories for example, require you to increase your cultural influence with other cities and CIVs by increasing your tourism and overcoming the other opponent's culture in order to be influential to the point where you 'control' other states just by being such an economic and cultural powerhouse. This adds to the realism aspect of the game in the sense that in the real world, not all conflicts and not all world leaders were borne solely as a result of militray might and domination, which most other strategy games might have you think that way,

3) Realism

Well, that saves History teachers a lot of time explaining the rise and fall of Rome

I mentioned realism earlier in my second point, but why is realism such a big draw in CIV (And the franchise)? Basically we bring into the equation historical monuments and historical units, technologies and the such. This adds to the realism aspect of the game, and yet still injecting a sense of fantasy and imagination. Just think- you can control your civilization and their advancements through the basic ages where even Writing, Mining is unknown to your civilization and through the ages, progress to explore and discover technologies like refrigeration, radioes, ships, and even atomic theories. Although albiet simplified in the discovery process, the fact that there is this technological tree and milestones in terms of eras reinforces the idea of a History lesson, a much more interesting and engaging History class. Where else can you birth great people like Galileo, Mozart and Einstein all in one game? I'd say that's pushing the limits of human discoveries and uncovering (as well as teaching) kids and adults alike of the wonders and advancements which we as a human race have gone through. This serves as a constant reminder that games can be more than just one-dimensional, hack-and-shoot platforms.

4) Interactivity/Multi-player content

The main thing that sustains any game is always the Multi-player aspect of the game, whether be it Warcraft, Halo or CIV. Usually single-player, story-driven games are great, with immersive plots and great graphics. But the issue is- what of the game after you finish the Single-player story mode? Surely there HAS to be more than just the story. Sadly, not all games have a great multiplayer option (I'm looking at you Uncharted) and most of the time the games dies down in popularity due to the plot just being finished by most players, who move on to something else. But what gets player HOOKED is the multi-player, which CIV does not fail to deliver. Yes, there could be a better platform to engage and allow unknown people to match each other, but CIV is a great game to play if you have like-minded friends who love to participate in 5-6 hour drawn out games full of intrigue, fighting and discovery. Backstab your friends, make allies with them or choose to even tough it out solo against a group. CIV allows all that and YET does not compromise on the fun gameplay aspect of the game. One thing that leaves much to be desired, though, is the laggyness of the servers. Sometimes it just frustrates me to no end that the servers are not as well maintained as lets' say - DOTA2 for example. But sometimes that's just something you can't change. After all, it IS a pretty old game, and to be featured by me in the year 2015 when it was released a whole 5 years ago is pretty astonishing in and of itself!

5) Graphics

< BEYOND EARTH 

< CIV 5

Lets talk about something all 21st century gamers talk about- is the game pretty? Now, of course if you compare this game to lets' say-  the recently released Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth, then of course you are going to be disappointed with the graphics quality of this game. But if you think about it, in 2010 this game was honestly one of the best games in terms of graphics, especially are a strategy game. Comparing this game to current games, it still manages to hold up. But if you are playing a game like CIV for the graphics, I suggest you look someplace else. Maybe play something like Grand Theft Auto or Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain. (That's another review for another day)

Moving on...

Things that I don't exactly like about CIV:

1) 'OH MY GOD' length of the game

The realization when you sank in over 4-5 hours and you're not close to winning....yet

Most of the time, you won't be winning in the first 200-300 turns or so, unless you choose to beeline for a domination victory and crush your enemies very quickly. Otherwise, if you are aiming for a late-game domination victory or other victories in particular, then you gotta wait for a good 500 turns or so before even standing a chance to win. This equates to roughly 5-6 hours of gameplay, or even MORE depending on how slowly the game progresses (how slowly your friends or AI chooses to play as well). This is compounded with the fact that if you play Multiplayer, you're going to have to wait for other players to select their units and techs, to move them, to queue production as well as to end their turn. This takes AGES sometimes, especially if your friends are attempting to trade, fight in wars and move units etc. This is literally the most frustrating part about the game. Having to wait for others. This problem isn't as evident when you play with the AI or in the early stages of the match, mainly because people simply have little/no units to move and items to select and choose from.

2) The lack of a dedicated matchmaking server accessible to all players

Unlike games like DOTA2 or Destiny, or in fact any other online multiplayer game, CIV in general lacks a matchmaking server, meaning to say there's no MMR/tiers of gamers and the extreme length of the games (mentioned in the previous paragraph) basically mean that it is difficult or close to impossible to go online and match with some random dude who will be willing to sink in 6-7 hours in an effort to complete the game in one sitting. I have never completed a CIV game in one sitting, just because it honestly takes a SHITLOAD of time just to complete one game, and you may not even end up winning (even on AI if you play harder difficulties). This, coupled with the steep learning curve this game has, with so many aspects of the game to juggle, from diplomacy to city growth, honestly having to finish ONE game of CIV really takes a whole lot of effort...from all parties if you are playing a multiplayer game especially.


To conclude...

Civ5 ( and all CIV games in fact) are great creations by Sid Meier and his company, the long playtime and steep learning curve aside, if you are into strategy gaming this is truly a masterpiece. Even if you aren't, I'd advise you to go grab it right now, G2A.com (click on the link to direct to the website) is selling CIV 5 the COMPLETE EDITION with all DLCs at about 11USD! A worthy buy even if you only play it once in a while. Do note if you do purchase from there, get the Steam version for GLOBAL, there are multiple servers which makes it tricky, don;t purchase a version which is region locked!

Comment on the section below on what you think about CIV games and Strategy games in general, and what YOU think is the future of strategy-based games (in the next 5-10 years). And until next time,

Endblade

Game Review: Dota 2?

Hello guys. Its' been quite a while since my last post. The topic of discussion in particular is the game created by Valve, an adaptation of the original DotA custom map on Warcraft III. The game Dota 2. Now a bit of background behind this game. If you don't already know, Dota 2 has been out for a good 3 coming to 4 years, and it is available to play on Steam for FREE. Yes thats' right. FREE. Now you may ask: Why Dota 2? Its' just another pointless game where you waste 40 minutes to an hour of your time just to start back from square one in the next game. Meaning: there is no continuity. But here are some reasons why you should play Dota 2, or at least give it a shot before you judge it.

1) Every game is a new game

This 'flaw' that was mentioned earlier is actually one of the greatest strengths of Dota as a game, and other copies of it, like LoL/League of Legends (sorry LoL fans but sadly its' true.) and HoN (Heroes of Newerth, which nobody actually plays anymore). Simply put, every game is a new game. You start on a blank slate, a fresh start. Unlike some other games like MapleStory or Diablo III where your progress is 'saved' and accumulative, and a wrong move such as adding the wrong skill or getting the wrong items or armor can be disasterous in some cases, Dota 2 is unlike these games. Even if you screw up badly on a game and lose horribly, this does not mean you are destined to keep losing. Variables like item choices and skill builds change every game. Need more stun? Go for a hero with disables like Lion or Nyx Assassin. Need some late game potential? Then go for carries like Gyrocopter or Spectre. With so many variable to take note of in every game, no two games are completely similar.

2) Simple yet sophisticated

Now another aspect of Dota 2 that you should be aware of: it may seem like a challenging game at first with a steep learning curve, but unlike its' predecessors DotA in Warcarft III, this time there are many newbie-friendly aids to make the game slightly easier to play. With item suggestions, changeable hotkeys and hero suggestions and guides, to pick up Dota 2 is no longer a chore. Furthermore, Dota 2 uses a tiered matchmaking system, where new players are pitted against each other rather than a free-for-all pvp environment where the better more experienced players completely trash and own the newbies. There are over 100 heroes, and each hero is unique and has different skills and uses. Some heroes are easier to pick up with less hotkey spamming or timing involved when playing the hero, such as Rikimaru or Ursa, where they have more passives and are easier to play with a 'click and own' type of gameplay. Others are more challenging and require precise timing and utilization of terrain, along with prediction of enemy movement like Mirana or Pudge with their Elune Arrow and Meathook respectively. Then there are others which require massive skill to master like Invoker, with spell combinations and button mashing ability that would scare a new player off. With so many different classes of heroes, the selection is wide enough to cater to both new and experienced players.

3) Graphics and feel

For a game that runs on a engine which isn't very new, the graphics that come with it are crisp and the environment is realistically created, with small graphic embellishments like fishes in the river located in the middle of the map, to the water puddle effects and dark, somber feel of the entire map making you feel as if a real battle between two sides is going on (unlike some games with cartoonish art and glaringly bright colours, not mentioning any names here.) If you so decide to spend some moolah on this game, you can get cosmetics to customize your hero to your own liking, which gives you the MMORPG feel of equipping new weapon and equipment sets but without the overly game breaking effects like increase in damage or armor which would give those spending money an unfair advantage over those that don't. So in essence, it is a fair environment where even if you don't spend a single cent on the game, you still can play just as well if not better than others. But if you wish to support the community and ensure the continuation of the game, you may so choose to spend (buy the compendium for Ti4 hehe).

4) Almost any computer can run Dota 2

Well granted, of course not on the highest settings, but to give you some idea, a Windows XP OS desktop that is >7 years old is STILL able to play dota 2 on the highest available settings. So you get an idea on how easy it is to run Dota , unlike some other games which require you to ramp up your gaming rig just to get it running.

Well, hopefully this blogpost has gotten you interested about Dota 2, I highly recommend this game if you are stuck on what next to play or anything like that. Have fun and until next time,

Endblade