Gameplay

Oh Lara Croft, how we love what you have done for us PC gamers. While I won't expand on all the nerdy fantasies that have been gushed about the character, I will say that I stand by my opinion that most of the Tomb Raider series is extremely underrated. Yes, they are popular, but I think a lot of gamers have also written the series off because of said character. Regardless, I loved Legend. I loved Underworld. I loved Guardian of Light. I like Temple of Osiris quite a bit too. If you've played GOL, you will be right at home with the endless gadgets, bombs, puzzles and twists. While this isn't a revolution in the series or gaming for that matter, it's a solid entry and it's smooth, tight and easy to pick up after you get used to the controls, especially via keyboard and mouse.

Graphics and Sound

Oh, you look gorgeous graphics? Well, I have some awesome news for you then. Make sure you have a beefy graphics card if you want to max out the settings. This uses the 2013 Tomb Raider engine and it is a stunner. It also wants a ton of resources to run smoothly. Check out our full 1440p screenshots and video below to see that not only technically, but artistically, this game is a gem. I love the effects and heavy use of light vs dark in a title that just screams quality. DELICIOUS!

Along with the graphics, the sound is equally as impressive though not quite as much. A lot of the sound effects are recycled from GOL and the music is forgettable but not bad. Either way, a solid audiovisual package overall!

Fun

Do you LOVE Tomb Raider? Then you should play this game. Is this your first dive into the series? Well, then, you may be left a little cold. I consider this a "Best for TR fans" type of game but either way, it's a lot of fun albeit short on content. That being said, I've seen it go for under $19 so you should take that into consideration. I love these games and whether playing alone or co-op, there is something for everyone. KEEP ON TRUCKIN' LARA CROFT!

That's one scary looking and quite frankly, nasty looking snowman. Good thing we're hear to melt away the cold and crap that I call "Winter" here in North America. Luckily for all of us, there are a ton of quality apps and games to be had so we can sit our keesters by a nice, warm fire or my case, a blazing fast PC (MUHAHAHAHA!) and warm up to these quick picks!

Reason 8
4.5/5 Stars -- Digital Hippos Highly Recommended

Like computers? Like making music? Well, duh, of course you do! When it comes to music production (DAWs) in today's day and age, there are a ton of choice. Our favorite by far, is Reason 8 by Propellerhead. It's slick, easy to use but EXTREMELY powerful. From all the incredible included samples, instruments and tools, you can make music til the cows come home or, you become the next Justin Beiber. This comes very highly recommended and even if you have a remote interest in music production, you should snag it ASAP. You are welcome.

This War of Mine
4.5/5 Stars - Digital Hippos Highly Recommended

Once in a while, a game hits that not only entertains you but also makes you think. It makes you think about a world that is surrounded by violence, tragedy and.. war. Also, we are surrounded by peace, love, sacrifice and honor. Phew, that was a lot of emotion. So, before I get too sentimental, let's just say that everyone should play This War of Mine. Not only for it's unique gameplay, setting and execution, but for a human side of gaming. Without spoiling too much, let's just say that this should be on your must play list. Go get em Tiger.

The Last Door Collector's Edition
4/5 Stars - Digital Hippos Recommended

Ummm... why is a game that is more pixelated than the first King's Quest and available on PC, tablets and phones even on this list?! Well because it friggin rocks, ok? Seriously. Another game that is not only haunting but extremely touching is available on the platform of your choice. Today, like right now. The music is gorgeous, the sound effects sublime and the story, well, the story is fantastic. If you are a fan of old school, I mean OLD OLD school adventure gaming, this is your cup of tea. Anyone who likes games at all should pick it up pronto. Consider this your monthly blast of adventure gaming goodness.

Gabriel Knight Sins of the Father 20th Anniversary Edition
4/5 Stars - Digital Hippos Recommended

It's been 20 years since the first Gabriel Knight was first released?! Yessir, we are all getting old. Luckily, the entry has been remade for us spoiled 21st century gamers and boy, is this one a doozy. Not only have the graphics been beautifully remade, it's the near perfect mix of old school feeling with modern touches. Not only does the game still rock, it's got a few new twists and surprises. Sierra adventure gaming fans, rejoice! Young kids, this is what gaming was like before Call of Duty. Embrace it.

Icewind Dale Enhanced Edition
3.5/5 Stars

Ahhh... even more old school goodness! Whether or not you've played this masterpiece back in the glory days of Bioware RPG goodness or not, now is the chance to relive it or play it for the first time. While I respect and overall liked the title, I feel like "Enhanced" should be more, especially in the terms of graphics. Yes, you can stretch, scale etc but unless you have a low res monitor, I'm sorry, I just can't get into the graphics. If you don't care about graphics, this is a huge and meaty adventure to be had!

Shadows Heretic Kingdoms
3/5 Stars

I absolutely love Diablo-esque type games. There I said it. I am a complete sucker for anything that is action RPGish with a fantasy element as well. I said that too. I was pretty stoked to start this game and I give the dev HUGE props for the gorgeous graphics and unique execution but I also felt a little bored as I based and looted my way through. I really think the series has promise so if you need a looting itch to be scratched, this title may just do it for you as long as you can forgive some of the shortcomings. 

The Scoop

Ahhhh... The Witcher! Even just WITCHER brings frothing, geeky madness to gamers everywhere. While we unfortunately have to wait a bit more to sink into The Witcher III, we can now whet our whistles on a complex but fantastic adventure in The Witcher Adventure Game. Put your thinking caps on because this is no Chutes and Ladders or Candyland. As you can see above, you can choose a selection of main character from the Witcher novels and previous titles in the games. Rules are complex but there is a tutorial and plenty of helping guides along the way. It's tough to master but a blast to pick up and sick your teeth into!

Why You Should Care

There are 1000s and 1000s of PC games out there to play right now. They range from horrible to downright polished and amazing. The older and crankier I get, the more I care about quality and polish. Well, this title has it in spades. The art is absolutely stunning, the effects are dazzling and the gameplay is solid. You can pick this up for a very low price on GOG.com right now. GO GET EM TIGER!

Gameplay

ZOMBIES!!! BRAAAAINS!!! Does that get you excited? For some, it's like a mating call to their entertainment senses. From Shaun of the Dead to Plants vs Zombies to The Walking Dead, zombies are all the rage right? For me, I just can't seem to get into the craze but I respect those who can. Techlands Dying Light not only ups the ante, it made me somewhat interested in the whole thing. After an extremely drawn out "tutorial" and intro, I was already getting leary of the whole thing, luckily, the exploration starts and a HUGE open yet detailed world is at your fingertips (or lead pipe). The action is slow paced at first but then you start running into some bigger, faster, stronger zombies and you really start to run, jump and parkour your way into something special. Finding, crafting and bashing peeps up is half the fun and I loved searching every nook and cranny for goodies. Co-op also is a riot with a fellow player helping you out in the action. For every thing cool in the game, there are little quirks here and there such as that much too long intro and the standard story of a zombie cure. Other than that, it's a bashing good time to be had solo or with a friend.. or a sweaty stranger across the Internet.

"Danny Glover say WHAAAT?!"

Graphics and Sound

As you can see from the screenshots, the pallette of colors doesn't change a whole lot. There are A LOT of oranges and blues in this game but it help adds to the desperation and overall sufficating mood of the game. It ran well on our GTX 970 SLI setups (Even at 3.5 GB of RAM!) but there were some glitchy shadows and slowdowns that seemed to spell "not fully optimized quite yet". Either way, this game has some gorgeous moments, especially dimly lit tunnels and interiors. Characters are rendered well and overall, this is a purty game.

On the sound front, there is some haunting music and some solid smashing of parts and bits. Setting of a pack of firecrackers in a crowd of walkers is quite satisfying but once again, we are plagued with game developers having to make every other word the F bomb. Seriously, intelligent writing needs to replace this endless drool of profanity. Just take Half Life 2 as an example of a solid, adult story without all the crap. In the end, this is a solid sonic package and I know zombie lovers won't be disappointed.

"No, serious, come take a hit off this pipe.."

Fun

Ahhhh.. zombie bashing. In the end, it looks nice, sounds great and has some solid if quirky mechanics but is it any fun to play? Definitely. Especially if you are into the whole zombie craze and open world exploration with a bit of dark humor and horror mixed in. I think playing co-op, like any game that supports it, is the way to go but solo players won't be let down either. Half of the fun is searching, crafting and seeing what crazy weapons you can come up with, story is definitely secondary. With so many zombie offerings out there, Dying Light is near the top of your entertainment options in the world of the undead.

Why 4K?

If you've been to CES, any electronics store or heck, even your local Costco, you've probably been bombarded with buying a 4K display. While the imagery has been beautiful since the new higher resolution was released, the content video wise is so extremely limited, I hadn't given it much thought. After testing a ton of different monitors as of late, we've finally decided to stick with the Monoprice 28in 4K Display and man is it an amazing display. Not only is it a good looking display in the looks and design department, despite a few funny buttons to control menus, the image quality is absolutely stunning. Colors pop, white are bright as the sun but more importantly, this glossy display has some gorgeous blacks. After much deliberation, we've decided to go 4K! All our screenshots in the gallery will be in full 4k resoluton (Check out some samples below!) our videos, will be mastered in 4k as capture technology isn't quite there for 4k 60FPS gaming but stay tuned. Overall, this Monoprice 4K @ 60hz display deserves the highest praise we can give.

Sploosh. Gaming at 4K is a whole new world..

Gaming at 4K

So, still images and video is gorgeous at 4K but what about gaming? Well, I am pleased to say, it's absolutely stunning at 60 FPS on our NVIDIA SLI system. Two GTX 970s is working almost flawlessly in most games. Yes, Crysis 3 maxed out still kills our system but most games work perfectly fine if you have a beefy rig! Either way, we are sold on gaming at 4K and can't what to see what AMD and NVIDIA do next in their GPU lines to further the cause. Make sure you get a DisplayPort 1.2 compatible cable to do 60hz at 4K because trust us, 4K at 30hz gaming wise is horrid at best until someone perfects Freesync, Gsync, Nsync or whatever it's called this week. Overall, we are excited about this display. We are excited about 4K. We are excited to bring it to you here.

What's Hot!

HOT HARDWARE OF THE MONTH - Kingston HyperX Cloud II 7.1 Headset

5/5 Stars -- Digital Hippos Ultimate Recommend

Here at the 'Hippos, we get to test a lot of headphones, headsets, and audio gear. Sometimes, we get a whole slew of average sounding cans that not only bore, we wonder how they ever even got on the market. Then, there are other times where we get gear that is so solid, exciting and game changing, we can't wait to tell you about it. The latter is the case with the latest offering Kingston Gaming. After last years excellent Cloud X set, the Cloud IIs up the ante with even better sounding drivers, a noise isolation of sorts and an add on 7.1 sound card via USB. Not only does this set sound absolutely stunning in the highs, mids AND lows department, they are comfortable and an excellent price for all that you are getting. This is a stunning acheivement and a leap forward in the world of gaming headsets. We cannot express enough how much we love these bad boys and so we have no choice but to award them our rare, highest five star rating! if you are in the market or even remotely interested in a high quality set of cans at a fair price, look no further!

Fractal Design Edison M 750W PSU

4.5/5 Stars -- Digital Hippos Highly Recommended

The world of modular PSUs is becoming increasingly crowded, especially over the past few years. Luckily, for the most part, the majority are solid products at a fair price. It's no secret that we have absolutely loved every piece of hardware that Fractal Design has released thus far including their unbeatable cases and case fans. It was was with cautious excitement that we cracked open the Edison M 750 watt beast to see how it looked and how it was performed. Like every other Fractal product this is a solid, beautiful and quality piece of hardware. The white fan adds to their minimalistic flair (oxymoron?) that we love so much about them. With huge efficiencies and enough power for even our overclocked Haswell CPU and dual GTX 970s, these is a beast to be reckoned with! Not only is this a fantastic PSU, it's available at a fair price. So, besides a set of cables that aren't truly modular, that is the only VERY small niggle keeping us from the 5 star rating. Either way, this is stellar PSU and deserves your hard earned hardware geek dollars.

HOT GAME OF THE MONTH - The Book of Unwritten Tales 2

4.5/5 Stars -- Digital Hippos Highly Recommended

Yep, it's here. The return of the point and click adventures. After practically being raised on the likes of King's Quest, Day of the Tentacle and Tex Murphy, (Who needs water or food?!), I'm thrilled that we are getting some amazing, high quality adventures and The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is what I consider, the pinnacle of modern adventure gaming. Honestly, in a world of fast paced shooters, over bloated graphical only productions and endless rehashed garbage, this title stands tall, confident but humble. Now, this is a game right? Why does it deserve such praise? Because not only is it gorgeous in the graphical, sound and music department, it's solid and meaty adventure that brings me back to the days when games felt... well, magical! Even if you never played the first title, I highly recommend jumping into this beast ASAP! Seriously, even if you aren't even interested in the adventure genre, this still deserves you time, attention, and gamer cash.

HOT GAME OF THE MONTH - TIE - Hand of Fate

4.5/5 Stars -- Digital Hippos Highly Recommended

And... the quality releases keep pouring in! This might be the best gaming February we've ever had. In a rare tie for Hot Game of the Month, make no mistake, Hand of Fate nearly beat out the competition. Look, it's hard for me to get excited about "card games" so despite this Kickstarted games fantastic art design and graphics, I just couldn't join the hype train. Well, I stand corrected. Just one more round is something that will be stuck in your head for weeks as you build you deck, fight your way through waves of enemies, help old homeless dudes (!) and dodge your way through dungeons and traps. Not only is this is huge surprise IMHO, it's the subtle details of the dealers voice, the dripping candle wax and the endless quality environments and cards you encounter. Once again, regardless of the genre you prefer in gaming, this is a title you shouldn't miss. Not only that, it's extremely fair priced on Steam and over outlets. Get your cards on!

What's Not!

Cities XXL

3/5 Stars

Warning! Do not let the gorgeous screenshot above get you excited about an incredibly medicore title that is not only overpriced, but rehashed from the previous release. Not only did we have a multitude of technical issues getting this game to run properly, or better yet, even get into the game, it just feels clunky and unpolished. Now, don't get me wrong, if you can handle and get through all that, there is a decent game lying underneath, hence the low but not horrid score we have given the game. That being said, there are much better games at half the price.. like, the ones we mentioned above. If you absolutely have to get the latest civil engineers wet dream, jump on this but do it with extreme caution or, wait for a Steam sale..

Dumb and Dumber To Blu-ray

3/5 Stars

Ummm... who didn't see this one coming? After an incredibly hilarious viewing of the original title from 20 (!) years ago, I had very low expectations but was surprised how funny the intro was. After that, it's all down hill. Just watch the trailer of the movie and you'll know how bad it can get. Even though the Blu-ray is technically fantastic, like most modern titles, the movie itself deserves a rental at best. If you are a die hard Dumb and Dumber fan, lower your expectations and maybe you can get a few laughs but personally, I'd wait for your local Redbox to get the title in stock, besides, it should have gone straight there any way... Ohhhh snap!

Gameplay

Memories. Nostalgia. They invoke some strong feeling in this geek. I remember spending an ungodly amount of money back in 2000 on a brand new Pentium 3 and a Voodoo 3 graphics card just to play the latest and greatest games. Homeworld was one of those titles and I was instantly hooked. Now, 15 years later, we can not only play the classics Homeworld and Homeworld 2, we can also play them in glorious 4k and modern OS'. Luckily, all the gaming goodness you fell in love with, is fully intact. For those new to the Homeworld universe, you can play the new remastered versions that are even more stunning with a powerful gaming machine. Homeworld in a nutshell is a space combat RTS in full 3d, meaning, you can move in any direction. The combat, the controls, the ships; all are top notch and gameplay is smooth and silky. Gearbox has done a stellar job bringing a classic into the modern era. 

Graphics & Sound

We've seen a huge resurgence in space combat and sims as of late with incredible graphics. That being said, Homeworld Remastered is no slouch when it comes to not only intricate space and ship details but stunning scale as you have hundreds of ships swirling, blasting and diving throughout space. So yeah, this is a spaceship geeks dream! The old versions still look decent but the Remastered versions were absolutely gorgeous on our 4k gaming rig. Don't believe us? Check out the 4k screenshots in the gallery below. Kudos to Gearbox for a stunning acheivement of old and new!

While the visuals are fantastic, the audio department equally or exceeds said acheivement. Not only is the music absolutely beautiful and haunting at the same time, the voice acting and narration is some of the best to date. That's right, 15 years later and I still absolutely dig the ear candy this game portrays.

Fun and Value

Now that I've gushed enough about gameplay, graphics, and sound, how much fun are these game anyway? Well, let's put it this way: Do you like space? Do you like amazing graphics? Sound? Solid RTS'? If you answered yes to any of these, you should pick up this title. Even if you answered no, you should still pick up this title. It's not only a fantastic value with all the gaming included but it's Remastered done right. A huge shout out to Gearbox for treating a classic how it should be treated. What are you waiting for? This title is available now!

Gameplay

In the past few years, the glorious 2D and 2.5D platformer genre has been revitalized. There are several titles that have not only redefined the possibilties of the format but exceeded as stellar games that truly question the old adage "Can games really be art?" With that question, I anxiously but cautiously jumped into Ori and the Blind Forest and it only took a few seconds to know that I was diving into something special. Even the main menu and intro are spectales in a somewhat cookie cutter and seemingly tedious industry. After the intro, in the spirit of Child of Light and other 2D marvels, your mouse and keyboard combo controls all your movement and interaction in a world teeming with detail. You'll jump, dive, pounce, wall hop, and explore your way through several levels, each more gorgeous than the next. You unlock skills and combat upgrades through exploring that lush world that never gets old. Honestly, this is platforming at its best.

Graphics and Sound

While the gameplay is extremely solid in Ori, I don't think anything can prepare you for how beautiful the game really is. Ok, maybe our gallery of 4K screenshots below can at least give you a taste of the visual candy that the title really holds. Trust me, from pressing enter of the main menu, your eyes are treated with some of the most beautiful art and animation ever. Yes, EVER to grace a video game. In fact, that term almost sounds too generic for a moving piece of living, breathing art. The technical and artistic merits are truly a towering acheivement even though, we sadly confirmed Ultrawide/21:9 resolutions are not natively supported. No worries as our 4K display looked absolutely gorgeous. Two huge thumbs up to Moon Studios for this unreal display of how graphics can truly immerse us.

Alongside the dreamy visuals, the audio and music of the title are definitely up to par as well. From simple tunes to grand pieces of emotional delight, this title delivers. There are moments of frantic action and pace while others are subtle, haunting, and surreal. The audio portion of the game is exactly what all games should be: discreet when fitting and powerful when needed to convey overwhelming emotion. Overall, this title is an audiovisual treat that no gamer should miss. 'Nuff said.

Fun and Value

Slick gameplay? Check. Stellar graphics and sound? Double Check. Fun and Value? Another win for Ori. While easily worth double it's asking value, at a value price on Steam and other gaming platforms, this game is an absolute steal when a few questionable titles as of late have slipped in around $40-$60 USD. I had a blast playing (and looking at) this game and anyone even remotely interested in platforming should pick this up, yesterday. Even if these types of games aren't you cup of tea, it's something special and I can highly recommended it without hesitation. The forest of Nibel is dying... will you answer the call to save it? Phew, that was deep.

gfhgh

Usually this time is SLOOOW and boring when it comes to most gaming releases. That being said, we've been surprised by the quality of the indie games and smaller releases that sometimes gets skipped by the public at large. Well, that's why we're here, to sludge through the crap and bring you the hidden little gems that are worth your gaming dollar. With an onslaught of unfinished and lame releases out there, especially with Steam Greenlight, it's hard to know which titles to pick up.  Without further ado, let's get started..

Woolfe - The Red Hood Diaries
GRIN
Available Now

Ahhh yes, fairy tales gone bad. We've seen this before in Alice and a few other deliciously insane titles. So, what makes Woolfe so special? Well, let's just start off by saying it's intruiging, mature, and haunting all at the same time but without taking itself too seriously. It's got gorgeous graphics, animation, and the music is sublime. Now, don't get me wrong, the combat is a bit lame and this isn't a revolutionary title by any means but it's a platforming gem and most of all, it's unique and asks a very fair price. I'm a sucker for games that are not cookie cutter and Woolfe is it. if you want a short, cheap but fufilling little adventure, you cannot go wrong here. GRIN has long been a favorite dev of mine and this is not exception. Pick it up today on Steam. BAM!

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas
Cornfox & Bros
Available Now

Ok, let's just call out the elephant in the room: THIS IS OLD SCHOOL ZELDA FOR PC! No, really, all jokes aside, this is a sweet little gem for anyone who loves Zelda-esque games. While this has been out for mobile platforms for a bit, the PC version is gorgeous at high res and even playing with the keyboard and mouse is a snap. Between the charming animations, colorful and sharp graphics (check out the 4K shots below!), this is a stellar little title also at a fair asking price. I am digging how all the games we are featuring today are a superb value that offer a ton of playability for very little cash out of your pocket. This is a game that deserves your attention and gaming dollar and if anything else, shows how talented the peeps at Cornfox are and for me, it gets the geek juices flowing on seeing what they come up with next. Check this out on Steam today as well.

Deathtrap
NeoCore Games
Avaiable Now

Another 4 and half star game?! That's right suckas. Seriously, we are stunned by the quality and value of these releases. The folks at NeoCore Games are not only fantastic peeps overall but extremely talented game devs. They showed us with Van Helsing that they are a force to be reckoned with and now with Deathtrap, they show us they are just plain mad geniuses. They have taken the tower defense genre and flipped it on its head. With the Sorceress, I was trapping baddies and then blasting them with lightning in the face. Along the solid and super fast paced gameplay, the graphics and sound are top notch as well. You really have to play the game to appreciate how stellar it really is. Even if you've never tried your hand at a tower defense game, it's a lovely time to start.. with Deathtrap. Get it on Steam!

Intro and Gameplay

As my first article on the 'Hippos, you have to ask yourself, who is Amy Slattery, who is Victor Vran and why should I even give a flying f&#!?? Well, we have a few things in common. First off, you've probably never heard of either one of us, you probably didn't care five minutes ago and you may not even care now. Fair enough. While I am not interest besides the newest gaming fanatic here on the team, the newest title on Early Access from Haemimont Games should be on your list. Let me sum this up: IT'S LIKE DIABLO III ONLY IT DOESN'T SUCK!! There. End of article. Bahbyenow. Oh, you want some actual details on the game? Fine. Let's get on with it. This game is an interesting twist on the Action RPG genre that has honestly, kinda sucked as of late if it wasn't for the likes of Path of Exile and Grim Dawn. Victor Vran helps the cause too with some nifty weapon skills and details that you actually have to "aim" with mouse to land a hit on the usually host of skeletons and some actually cool baddies. 

"Oh look. A health bar, skeleton, spells."

Graphics and Stuff

Look, I like good graphics just as much as the next gamer but sometimes, it just doesn't do it for it. With our site requirements of 4k screenshots, my machine really chugged on Victor. No really, this game is still in early access so don't expect perfection but honestly, it is a great looking game if you get off on that sort of thing. Either way, the sound is bone crushing when it needs to be and subtle when it needs to be. It's all where it needs to be if that means anything to you. Ok, I'll spell it out: Everything here is quite generic but at the same time, it feels different from your average cookie cutter Diablo clone. That's a good thing right? Totally. I am pretty excited to see where this goes as it is developed because spells, etc are fun to use and almost feel like LoL or something with the "Q, E" etc keys. Whoooooeeeeee! A MOBA in a ARPG? Color me impressed.

"Arrow: Season 4"

Should I Play?

I like to wrap things up with a nice little bow, put my arm around your shoulder, and... no, really, just play the bloody game if you like ARPG. It's one of the finest titles right now in the endless sea of mediocrity known as Steam Early access. It's fun, your fingers will bleed from pressing the same keys over and over; it's unique. Just play it.  Over and out from DH Central. Yours truly, Amy Slattery, reporting live from DH Central. 

Intro and Gameplay

Ready for the shortest review ever? Well, here goes: I am a child of the 2000s. Not the 90s. Not the 80s. I kinda understand the recent return of pixelated games. Kinda. This is a huge collection of pixelated games. I guess they inspired a lot of modern games (Tongue in cheek) - Platformers, FPS games, racing; it's all here in low res glory folks.

Graphics and Stuff

Pixels. 

Should I Play?

If you like old games, be my frickin' guest and play these. For me, I prefer something a little more modern but for you old sweat 35+ year old geeks that still know DOS commands better than your own children names, have at it. This is a solid collection for the price. And yes, you can buy it right now, RIGHT HERE

The Legacy

Ahhhh, the nerdy satisfaction of launching an unknown title and immediately being totally engrossed, blown away, and overall impressed by such gaming goodness. That is how I felt in the summer of 2009 when the folks at Frozenbyte launched Trine and at that time, I bought it and downloaded from one of those crappy PC gaming sites that had their own patches that usually came out months after the Steam or retail patches. Anywho, I was blown away by the physics, the graphics, the solid gameplay and a magical journey that was unmatched in every category.

Fast forward a few years and not only did Trine 2 absolutely blow away it's predecessor in every department, which is no small task, it was one of the first games to acheive our 5 star rating. Now that Trine 3 is in early access on Steam and will be upon us fully later this year, we want to look back at the stunning technical and artistic acheivement that is the Trine series. Check out our high res video below and especially, the full blown 4K screenshots in the gallery. You can find the Trine series now on Steam and other digital platforms. And heck, if any stores around actually sell physical PC games still, you can probably find you a copy there as well.

Yes folks, we are expanding! Expanding into a... *cue Aladdin song*  A WHOLE NEW WORRRLDDDD! Not really, we are just expanding out coverage to anything tech related from games to tech gadgets to any sort of gear that encompasses tech, digital art, and anything geek. While our primary focus will still be PC gaming and the related tech, we are in the process of bringing on new staff to broaden our horizons and bring you more coverage on the increasingly fast paced world of tech. Without further delay, here is the latest stuff we think is worth note.

Fractal Design Define S - Window / Venturi Fan Series
Available Now

Ok, I'm a total sucker for quality products at extremely fair prices. Pretty rare combination, AMIRIGHT?! Not with Fractal Design it's not. These Scandinavian wizards just keep pumping out quality without raising their prices to some of the more quality but insanely priced product out there *cough*LianLi*cough*. First off, with the new Define S case, you can rock a ton of components but keeping them cool, quiet but within view with the Window option that we received. Regardless of whether you want to keep things at a minimal, streamlined design of stuff it full of gear, there is room to tuck things nice and neatly away and cool them with the huge amount of fan mounting options. Speaking of fans, the Venturi Fan Series that we tested are some of the best fans we've ever tested when it comes to both cooling performance while still keeping at a comfortable noise level. Honestly, this combo is perfect for any gaming or high performance build at a fair price. Pick em up now and.. you're welcome!

QNIX UHD325 4K 31.5" UHD Monitor
Available Now

Ahhhh.. 4k. Check out the muscles in 4k. Ok, really, don't. Back to 4K, it's the buzzword that TV and monitor manufacturers are going gaga over just to gouge you, the consumer out of more money. Here comes Korea to the rescue! No seriously, this amazing but simple monitor is based on Samsung PLS technology. What does that mean for the average computer and/or hardware gamer? Well, it's a got solid blacks, great colors and is fast enough for gaming and has to blur or flickering issues. The best news? It's almost half the cost of the same name brand monitor here in the states. What's the catch? Well, for starters, there is no height adjustment on this beast. A deal breaker? Maybe for some. Either way, if you have a DisplayPort 1.2 cable, a capable GPU and CPU, you can be rocking games and movies at 3840x2160 resolution for around $700. The cherry on top? It ships free to the USA from Korea. I got it in TWO DAYS after ordering. This item is available now from accessorieswhole on eBay. Delicious!

Windward
Available Now

Avast ye swabs!!! Ok, horrid sailor intro is now off. So... Windward, it's pretty freaking sweet to get something that reminds me a pit of Sid Meir's Pirates. Is it the same game? Not even close but the only one in recent memory that let's you cruise around in a BEAUTIFULLY rendered world while you trade, fight, and plunder your way to infamy. Is the game deep, huge, and teeming with content? Nope, but it doesn't need to be at a discount price. The content in the game is perfectly balanced for a casual style game but still much deeper than most games that this price. And hey, guess what? It's on sale on Steam right now so quit reading this and purchase it through the link above. BAM!

Packaging and Design

There are those few rare moments in the life of a game/hardware/tech reviewer that you get truly excited. With so many cool things being thrown our way daily (1st World Problems), you almost get geek fatigue with all the flashy new product announcements, uber super resolution gaming trailers, and for sure, the announcement of 4K everything. Great, right? Well, sometimes as most of it just fails to truly excite. Enter the opportunity to jump in review the Acer XB270HU 27" IPS G-SYNC gaming monitor and I was truly stoked. Not only is this beast the first IPS 144hz G-SYNC monitor on the market, the specs alone are just staggering. So, after almost mauling the FedEx guy at the door, I careful but quickly tore this beast open to start testing.

First off, the packaging was truly beautiful to behold and everything was slim, sleek, and slick. No issues were found at all and the glossy black and red accents I think, are fantastic on the eye. Included were several cables and it was all packaged with that fantastic looking stand as you can see in the pics. Getting it set up was a breeze and the adjustable stand really worked well for our desk. Buttons were easy to access and the menu system while simple was extremely easy to use and like most Acer monitors, pretty minimal but that is a good thing. On connections, DisplayPort is your choice here. Nothing else matters at such high refresh rates. Also, I see other connection options in future videos fading away regardless *Cough* DVI *Cough*

Now that the boring stats, specs, and details are out of the way, let's dive into the goods..

Ryse. 40 FPS. Smooth as butter...?

Performance and Gaming

Ok, so the real reason you are reading this review or at all remotely interested in this monitor is because you are a hardcore gamer. Now, of course, the monitor looks extremely sharp and colors are accurate for normal day to day desktop, surfing, and even photo touchup but all that stuff that could eventually pay off and you could do something productive with, that's pretty lame. So, yeah, G-SYNC. NVIDIA G-SYNC! It's pretty sweet. For example, I loaded up the extremely performance heavy Ryse with all the supersampling and bells and whistles cranked up. Even with my GTX 980 Ti, it struggled to stay up above 40 FPS. No matter, that's where G-SYNCs magic takes over and yes, I was running at 40 FPS but it was extremely silky and smooth. Every test I tried, this monitor was absolutely gorgeous regardless of whether I could pump 144hz or 40-60FPS via G-SYNC depending on the game.

Now, Acer also threw in another fantastic feature with ULMB blur-reduction technology. So what does that even mean? Well, at 100hz, we turned on ULMB and it was smoothest, most responsive gaming experience we've ever had. Regardless of whether it was a 3rd person adventure or especially a FPS, the response time and general feel of the game was absolutely stunning. Acer has a winner on their hands here and it will be tough to ever beat.

Nerd-Splosion.

Value and Conclusion

Look, I could write 10 more pages of all the technical details, super nerdy explanation of G-SYNC, ULMB and all sorts of boring details but the fact of the matter is this: If you are a hardcore gamer, the Acer XB270HU is probably one of the best if not THEE best gaming monitors on the planet. It has a beautiful, sharp and detailed picture but it's really the plethora of motion enhancing technologies at your fingertips that really sets this beast apart, all in an IPS panel. It's definitely not cheap for the size and while I prefer 32" and larger, this is a great size for gaming. So back to motion enhancement, want to run NVIDIA G-SYNC? Done. 144hz with VSYNC? No problem. 100hz with ULMB? Cake. Color me truly impressed with this bad boy. Acer and NVIDIA reps, we'll take three for a triple head setup.

This display is available now. Check out Acers product page for more details.

Packaging and Design

No, serious. I can't it anymore. We are being absolutely bombarded with amazing gear here at The 'Hippos. Ok, I can take it. KEEP THE GEAR COMING! W00t! Back to serious, reviewer mode. Who wouldn't be excited about the opportunity to test out a sweet looking 42" inch 4k/UHD monitor? Well, I was stoked to rip open the package especially after it shipped from Korea to our doorstep in the US of A in TWO DAYS. That's right, the folks at accessorieswhole on eBay know their stuff. In case you've been hiding under a rock, there are some no frills computer monitors that are only sold from Korean eBay or Amazon dealers that are usually a steal. Sure, there have been some stinkers but this is an amazing display at an amazing price so you could understand my cautious optimism when receiving this beast.

I am happy to announce not only did the monitor come extremely well packaged but it looks, feels and shows way more professional than most Korean counterparts. The remote (in Korean), the stand, the bezel all are top notch quality. The silver finish around the edges are a sweet touch. It has a semi glossy display which makes the image pop ever more. This is a gorgeous and beefy display of FORTY TWO inches of gaming (or work..) goodness.

Ahhh... gaming at 4k and 42".

Performance and Gaming

Ok, sure, you can work on spreadsheets comfortably and easily in any display this size but let's get to the meat and potates.. this display just plain rocks for gaming. Images are huge, sharp, detailed and the motion at 60hz at 3840x2160 is just unreal. While not the most responsive display we've ever tested it's more than sufficient for fast paced and FPS style games. We tested Wreckfest, Witcher 3, Tomb Raider, BF4 and many others with pure joy. No matter what usage case you are buying this for, you will be pleased.

Now, let's be realistic. This display isn't perfect and that's why it's in the $800 range vs the $1200 or more range of some mainstream displays. It's an AH-IPS which some panels exhibit IPS glow and/or backlight bleed. That is the only reason this isn't a 4.5 or 5 star display. It isn't perfect in that arena but you only notice in a fully dark scene or black background. Is it a deal breaker? No way. But, if you are super picky, you will notice. Either way, this display is an incredible piece of technology at a fantastic price.

You can pick one up as they are AVAILABLE NOW or from accessorieswhole store page.

Packaging and Design

First off, I have fond memories of the entire Sound Blaster line. Unlike some of our readers, this old fogey remembers going to a friends house and ripping open the brand new Creative Labs Sound Blaster sound card. It was a godsend. I remember hearing the amazing digital voice and music effects in Access Software's games like Amazon and Wing Commander II's digital effects. Also, for the real fun, Dr. Sbaitso and Parrot app you can still check out here -- Amazing stuff for a young kind obsessed with anything gaming, nerd, and PCs. Throughout all the years, I've owned or tested every sound card in the line from the extremely popular Sound Blaster 16 to the AWE32 to today's pinnacle of technology, the Sound Blaster X7. The box arrived at my porch of course, I tore into it like a kid on Christmas morning. The packaging and box were simple but of very high quality. All the cords, gadgets and gizmos needed to run this beast were all in tow.

Now, check out all these features below. This thing is a beast and will cost you a pretty penny (More on that later) so yeah, if you need all these features, or even if not, this pretty much does everything besides rubbing your feet and slicing your bread.

Performance and Sound

So, yeah, it does of stuff that I don't need to list out here and bore you valued readers but how does it SOUND? That is really what we are hear for. Snarf snard. Ok, bad puns off. So I (and my ears) were pleased to hear this thing in action. From games, to music, to your favorite movies, this thing is absolutely stunning. No really, it is a crowning acheivement of modern sound for PCs. Oh how far we've come from the days of the original Sound Blaster and those sounds in DOS. It's crystal clean, has plenty of hook up options, control from apps, streaming and even works with the PS4 and XBOX One! Bar none, this is crystal clear audio at its finest.

Now, not all is puppies and rainbows as with all these complex features, comes the setup and tweaking. So really, no, it's not just plug it in and all works 100% in minutes. You do have to know your way around Windows, sound devices, and audio hookups in general. Of course, if you are in the market for this device, I hope to shoutin' you do! There are so many settings, nerd knobs and things you CAN do, it doesn't mean you SHOULD try to do it all or can easily. Regardless, get ready for some nerd time with this device.

Value and Conclusion

So.. a sound device that retails for $399, one has to ask themselves, is it really worth it? Well, honestly, it depends. If you have disposable income and want only the best in PC sound, yep, go pick it up now. If you are looking for a sweet gaming only sound device and are on a budget, some of Creatives other offerings that we'll be featuring soon may be more to your liking. Regardless, this is a sweet device that carries a heavy premium. I personally feel like $299 might have been a more fair price but even then, it's not your mommas sound card. Creative has knocked it out of the park on this one but could have knocked a few dollars off too. Either way, if you can pick one up, you'll be rocking your den/nerd cave/grandmas basement hard.

THE GOOD

Zombie Army Trilogy
Available Now

Zombies Zombies Everywhere. No really, they are everywhere. TV. Movies. Games. It's a little overwhelming for most yet I tend to leave underwhelmed from most zombie gaming offerings. Not this bad boy. If you want your zombie head popping fix, I was super stoked to get the op to play this til my eyes bled (SERIOUS) today. (NOT REALLY) I can't stop playing... and dying. This game is kicking my while I am down while it starts tame enough but those lame, slow meat shield zombies soon become fast, killer and tough to kill meatsacks. No really, this game is absolutely fantastic in the graphics department, sound and skull splattering department. We loved the Sniper Elite series and this feels very similar but even more polished. WE LOVE YOU REBELLION! This ain't your grannies tea and crumpets. It's rough, tough, and friggin awesome. And guess what? You are just in time for LEFT 4 DEAD CHARACTERS -- That's right. You can be the usually cliched Brits, Yanks, or whatever but how about the whole cast from the L4D series?! Back to popping more zombie noggins. 

Risen 3: Titan Lords Enhanced Edition
Available Now

How do you rate a game that's so bad it's good in a Good, Bad, and Ugly article? You put in the good section! Why? Because let's face it folks, there be some crazy (in a good way) action RPGs coming out of Europe and Risen 3 EE is no different. While Risen 2 really did nothing to float our boat around here, Risen 3 is quite different. Awesome graphics? For sure. Even on PS4. Great loot and adventure? Yay! Horribly laughable profanities and dialogue? X100! My favorite lines are too many to list here but you've got to play to see these crackup lines. Imagine a teenage boy learning cuss words for the first time and then he gets kicked in the head by a horse. Yep, that's the dialogue level we are talking. Regardless, I had a friggin blast playing this meaty adventure and the PS4 exclusive has all the DLC goodies included. It looks and plays fantastic on the console. BUY IT FOR THE DIALOGUE! 

THE BAD

Dead Realm
Early Access

Ok, ok! I'll do it! Next time I am changing this spotlight to The Good, The Mediocre, The Ugly. Games like Dead Realm aren't bad. In fact, they aren't even close to bad.. they are just, medicore. I guess my expectations were pretty high with this wonderchild of a game and while the premise is unique, it's just too rough to recommend at the moment. Why may you ask? First off, you know something is bad when you can't select over 1080p resolution. Fail! The animations? Straight Outta Compt.. errr.. straight out of Nintendo 64 era. This spooks vs meddling kids romp (I love the word romp) just has so much potential but also has so much polish to be added. Wake me up when the full version is released. Yawn.

Breach & Clear: Deadline
Available Now

Ohhh look! A zombie game! Zombie Army Trilogy! Whoops. Wrong game. Don't get me wrong, this is a zombie game trying to be different. It really is. Props for trying to be unique. Sadly, I was bored most of the time. Go play Zombie Army Trilogy unless you like long tutorials, a very slow pace and.. being somewhat bored. 

THE UGLY

The Flock
Available Now
No Stars for You!

Look, I'm not a heartless beast that can't enjoy an original idea.. ok, maybe I am heartless but hey, I don't LIKE writing the ugly section and luckily there is only one game. Phew. So yeah, nothing to see. Move on. Want to buy a game that will expire after a certain number of peeps die? Yeah, might be a novel idea if the game was not only boring but doesn't look that great and honestly, isn't suspenseful or really have any meaning to your death. Sorry, it didn't take long for us to realize, you'd be better off buying 8 Taco Bell Doritos Tacos (Now THAT gets me excited!) instead of this game. Or.. a 24 pack of soda. Or put it towards your copy of Zombie Army Trilogy... ZOMBIES!@!!

Christmas, 1990. I remember it like it was yesterday. Why? Because that was the year that I received my first console obsession. Sure, my older sibling had received an Atari 2600 for Christmas of ’83 (Santa, I love you!) and I had tinkered with Space Invaders, Combat, etc but the first Nintendo Entertainment System was the console that captured my nerdy little heart and imagination. Many early mornings and late nights were filled the bleeps, blops and smiles of Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, and Gyromite.
Fast forward 25 (!) years and our excitement for consoles has waned. We got a Wii U here at The ‘Hippos last year but while there was the usually slew of fun, family oriented titles, the console itself and interface was a disaster. It sucked getting online, it was a pain to download and install anything and user management? Kill me know.

After that debacle, recently, we started getting more requests for the Playstation 4 and finally relented on getting on for our lab. The exclusives seem 10x interesting on PS4 and since we have moved past the Halo franchise, we decided to hold off on the XBONE. While some may believe we should have just started covering the PS4 and XBONE at launch, PC has been our bread and butter. After spending several weeks with the PS4, I am happy to report it not only is it a fantastic piece of hardware but the interface and online experience are absolutely stellar. Most importantly, the exclusives are delicious..

So, after that long winded intro, I’ll get to the point: The Last of Us Remastered, Bloodborne, The Order 1886, Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture, Until Dawn; all of these games are quite fantastic in their own right. We’ll be featuring more and more titles ongoing and we whole heartedly welcome the PS4 to our gaming bench. We’ve come a long way from the original NES and the PS4 is definitely a huge margin better than our Wii U experience. “This is the start of a beautiful friendship…”

GEEX. Anybody remember that show? It wasn’t that long ago that the halls of the South Towne Expo Center were sparsely attended with a few small gaming outfits, T-shirt makers, and gaming/geek fanatics. While it was only a few short years ago, it seems like an eternity before the likes of the SLC Comic Con and now, SLC Gaming Con have their own venues and things seems to be booming.

While the 2015 GamingCon was definitely larger than the previous GEEX shows, there still seem to be a few holes in the lineup. Regardless, it was a lively crew and definitely some cool things to see and do. My fave crew to chat with was the Gamers of RA and they had a nerdgasm of a setup going on with peeps duking it out over different consoles and titles to drool over. You can check them out here.

Sony and Microsoft were both their touting their next gen consoles and they had some cool games and gear as well ready to rock. Also, all the big T-Shirt and geekgear places were in full effect. There was nothing eye popping at the show but it was a solid event and gets me excited to see where this show goes. We know the geekdom and is growing and we are stoked to be a part of it!

Intro and Gameplay

ONE.. FOUR. ONE… SIX. ONE.. FIVE. These words and numbers are spoken at the haunting intro of one of the most unique gaming experience this year not only on the Playstation 4 but on any platform. Leave everything you know about mainstream titles at the doorstep as you won’t be shooting any aliens, crushing any candy or killing endless waves of enemies. The folks at The Chinese Room are absolutely genius wizard in their craft. After enjoying their outstanding Dear Esther again recently, I was convinced that they are some of my favorite devs. With the help of Sony, The Chineses Room has brought another surreal and unique experience that I won’t even attempt to explain or better yet, convey the masterpiece they have crafted here. You will walk, explore, take in sights and sounds, feel confused, scared, excited, and every other emotion you want to throw in to complete this description. Just me, it’s a short ride but a ride worth taking…

Graphics and Sound

We are pretty spoiled our line of work as the ‘Hippos main gaming rig is a beefy PC with a 40” 4K display. As you can imagine, we are pretty jaded when we hear a game has “great graphics” but you know what, Rapture has outstanding graphics not only in the technical sense but artistic as well. Don’t believe us, check out the screenshots and video below. This is a work of art in every way. Fog rolls off trees, lighting changes from day to twilight in an instant for dramatic effect and ethereal beings shine and shimmer during dialogue flashbacks. Once again, I won’t spoil it all as this is an experience to be seen and felt, not described. Let’s just say, during one segment, night is turned to day quickly and the stars are shining and the night sky is rendered with an amazing effect. This is a gorgeous game.
Along with the eye candy on display here, the ear candy is equally if not even more impressive. The soundtrack is a marvel for a digital only release and rivals movie and big game soundtracks. The voice acting, effects, tape recordings etc are absolutely phenomenal in every regard. This is a visual and audio treat in every way.

Fun and Value

Ok, so, this is slow paced game not only in movement, pace and flow but it’s also a very good slow burn as curiosity peaks and you unravel what has happened in this carefully crafted settings. Even if you are the type that prefers a much more frenzied and fast paced gaming experience, you owe it to the these developers and to yourself to experience this title. I have kept the descriptions very vague for a reason. This is a game that like a fine wine, needs to be sipped, contemplated and ultimately enjoyed with all its layers and waves of emotions it brings. It’s only $19.99 on PSN and it’s worth every penny. Buy it. Experience it. Love it.