Christian's Corner


Hello everyone my name is Christian and I am a 21 year old video game fanatic! I have been playing games all of my life and I'm not ashamed to say that they are not just my favorite hobby but also my go to for conversation and relationship building. I have always felt that video  games have the potential to improve the world and will develop into a staple of everyday life. My dream is that one day video games will reach the level of both sports and movies and become a topic of conversation for more than just teenage boys. My purpose for this Blog is to review video games for a primarily parental audience. Often when we look at the rating on the back of a video game we aren't always as informed as we want to be, parents still struggle to find the perfect game for their children. This is where my reviews will come in handy. I will be reviewing a range of games and will give a game play description, a review for quality, and a proper age rating with direct examples for my claim. After each review it is my hope that the reader will know exactly if they want to purchase this game for their child and perhaps even play it with them.

                                          

The first game that I have chosen to review is Lego Batman for the DS. Right off the bat (teehee) I should say that I love this game. If you're anything like me you absolutely love Batman and Lego. Both were a huge part of my childhood and they go together incredibly well. The game itself lets you play not only as Batman and Robin but as many villains from the Batman universe as well. The game play is a third person beat'em up with lots of platforming and puzzle solving. To the uninitiated this means that the camera is behind the player's character and allows you to direct Batman's movements while he fights bad guys, climbs walls, and builds the Lego world around him to progress in his mission. The game is fun and goofy unlike some of the resent movies and while it is aimed at children it will have you parents chuckling from beginning to end. The combat is not very challenging and the penalty for losing is almost nonexistent but it is still satisfying and it is a nice break from exploring and solving puzzles. The puzzles range in difficulty leaving me scratching my head at times but are always solvable with a little logic. The game is designed with lots of replay value. If you want to just run through each story mission the game will last you approximately 8-12 hours but if you want to 100% the game you're looking at anywhere from 30-60 hours. Since it is a Batman game there is some violence but it is handled pretty well for a kids game. There is no blood and no gore, just Lego characters bursting into Lego pieces. I would say that this game should be played by children older than 8 years old, but it can be enjoyed by anyone over that age with a love for video games, Lego, or Batman.



This is a remake of the classic Gameboy game Pokémon Gold Version for the Nintendo DS. The game has been upgraded and reimagined for the Nintendo DS system and brings many new and exciting features to the world of Pokémon while still maintaining the magic that was captured in the original. For those who aren’t in the know Pokémon started life as a Roleplaying video game in Japan where the player captured and made friends with little creatures named Pokémon. Each Pokémon possesses powers and skills which allow the player to battle and train there Pokémon to overcome obstacles in the game. Since the games origin in 1996 Pokémon has grown to be one of the most successful and popular franchises in the video game world.  There have been movies, manga, an anime, and more merchandise then you could ever buy. But at the core of this massive franchise what keeps everyone interested are the games. The games have a rich leveling system with a massive variety in Pokémon and a reasonably good storyline to follow and complete. The Pokémon games have a proven formula and are perfect for portable gaming. Any age group can get into Pokémon; it is another one of those Nintendo games that offer something to everyone. This game is best enjoyed with another player. To any parents looking for a game to play with their child my recommendation is to play the game simultaneously and take breaks from the story to battle and trade your Pokémon. Parents looking for a fun addictive game to play with their children don’t need to look farther than any Pokémon game. Pokémon gives you a chance to explore, strategies, and immerse yourself in an ever expanding world of fun and adventure.

Civilization 5 is the newest game in the Civilization series and is best classified as a tactical real time strategy game. Your goal in Civ5 is to build your civilization and expand across the globe. One of the reasons Civ5 is so fantastic is because just like in the real world there are many ways to become the most powerful civilization in history. You can invest in your economy, your army or your diplomacy skills to win the game. The scale of the game is massive and can last for hours and hours depending on game settings and play style. The game has been made easier to play since its last revisions so it is more accessible to new players. That being said the game is still challenging and presents a relatively steep learning curve. People that don’t have much experience with games may need to be shown how to do many things from a fellow player since the controls and tutorials leave a bit to be desired.  Once the player has an understanding of the mechanics for this game it is enjoyable and rewarding. Parents interested in this game for their children will need to be involved in teaching younger players how to play. However once the child has played for a few hours they will be able to execute the most complex moves and will have as much fun as any other older and more experienced player. I would recommend this game for anyone over the age of ten as it is both fun and challenging.

                              

Ladies and gentlemen today I am writing a review for League of Legends! I'm extremely excited to write this review today because right now League is my favorite game to play. League of Legends is a tactical team game where you select one of 112 champions (more are being added all the time) and join 4 friends to battle against 5 other opponents. Your job is to build up your character's power level and fight your enemies; ultimately driving them back to their base and destroying it. Lol is currently free to play and is the most played PC game in the world. It also has a huge competitive scene and  a thriving community on websites like Reddit.com. Everyone with a computer and an interest in video games should give Lol a try, it is pretty much the most fun you can have in a multiplayer video game at the moment. Lol is a viable game for any skill level, whether you play with friends, strangers, or NPCs, you're sure to have a fun experience. To any worried parents about online games Lol has a language filter built into their chat system and the ability to mute both your opponents and allies, so if you feel uncomfortable you can always ignore the loud mouths on the internet. Everyone should give lol a try because its fun, extremely deep, has dozens of professional tournaments going on all the time, and its free to play. So summoners get out there, give it your best shot and fall in love with the game as I did. Together we can make Esports a viable job that gets global respect even from people who have never played video games before. 


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