Another action/adventure RPG laid on my plate to try and play and complete to a reasonable level. I didn’t think I would enjoy this game as much as I do, but with the new additions that the developers have added, the game has seen some well thought-out enhancements in terms of causing players to formulate new strategies to adapt to the qualities and weaknesses of the new heroes.

Dungeon Defenders is a game that is fairly simple. Build tower defenses and have a good strategy, along with using your hero who has the ability to fight (in most cases, but we’ll get to that later), to defend an object called the Eternia Crystal. If it is destroyed, you lose, if you get through all of the waves, you can continue forward. In the beginning, there were four characters, the Squire, the Apprentice, the Huntress, and the Monk, and they all had their strengths and weaknesses that made adopting strategies fun and challenging. For example, the Monk could use Ranged and Melee attacks to ward off enemies, but its towers weren’t the best out of the group. The squire has great tower defenses, but it can only use melee attacks which make it impossible to hit flying enemies.

Then came two huge additions to the game, adding new map packs, new characters, and a more fun gaming experience. 8 new characters and countless map packs were added, for even more fun. The characters allowed you to make new strategies, such as one character, the Summoner, who could summon minions that could move, hold offensive and defensive positions, and even follow the user, but the downside was that the Summoner could not use any physical attacks himself, so he is vulnerable if anyone gets by the strong defenses. Also, the Barbarian, a character who had excellent fighting ability, and the use of stances that boost one aspect but lower another, but can’t build towers. This makes it really fun, if playing multiplayer missions, to use characters that will help each other out nicely and help you on the path to victory!
Add to that the growing online community, who are constantly creating new map packs for added fun, and helping the game grow into an excellent game that everyone can play.
A couple downsides: Glitches. Umm, yeah. In the opening tutorial of the game, it says that the enemies come out of doors called creep doors, and there is a small purple ring that encircles the entrance of the door, and you can’t touch the enemies while they are in that “invulnerability ring”.

Sometimes, they aren’t so invulnerable. Hitting enemies inside the invulnerability ring occasionally happens to me, and it doesn’t seem to be fair. Also, it is sometimes possible to float through walls on certain levels with the summoner. I was overlooking my defenses with my summoner by floating overhead, and I find myself stuck behind the creep doors that only open at the start of every battle, or combat phase. The only way to begin the combat phase is by activating the Eternia Crystal, on the other side of the doors. So, it is frustrating at times to have to restart because of a glitch that should have been taken care of in the beta phase.

Sorry for my long-windedness, but I really enjoyed the game, and felt that it should get what it deserves in writing.
ESRB Rating: E10+

Not one of Sonic’s finest games. When you think of Sonic, you picture a blue blur flying across your screen and doing loops and huge jumps and things like that, like in the original Sonic. This is not at all what you would’ve pictured. Sonic carries a talking sword, is slower than a snail with a limp, and the gameplay can be frustrating and unresponsive at times. The sword slashes completely disrupt Sonic’s momentum, and he completely stops. That can be frustrating, especially when there is a time challenge. Playing the game on the Wii doesn’t help, as the sword slashes of an upward swing or a simple horizontal slash end up with Sonic running into a horde of enemies, the sword not responding, occasionally doing a flip or two but doing no real damage because of the poor swordplay.

The graphics are exceptional, you can see individual blades of grass and the visual team seems to have paid meticulous attention to detail. The scroll, storybook like cut scenes are artfully done as well, and of course the voice acting is superb, except for the occasional “why would he say that?” that you get when Sonic or one of the other characters says something questionable. The view from the camera is also occasionally obstructed by an annoying rock or other object in the foreground, so the camera angles could have been selected with a little more thought.

While the visuals and audio are good, I didn’t buy the game to watch a movie. The audio and visuals are only half the story. The gameplay does not hold its end of the bargain and that’s why I must say that Sonic and the Black Knight was a disappointing installment into a well-storied franchise. Let’s just forget this one and move on, shall we, Sonic Team?

ESRB rating: E10+

I really like this game because it combined everything I like in games, such as an expansive and immersive world to explore, fun gameplay, good storyline, fun online play, good graphics, and an all-around great experience. This game gave me what I paid for and so much more. From the small details such as looking at the speedometer or into the mountains in the distance. The game takes place in Colorado, where they are holding the Horizon Festival, a festival devoted to driving, customising, racing and buying cars. You, playing as a new to the festival nobody, must make your way up through popularity. You start at 200, and must make your way down to 1 to become the most popular driver at the Horizon Festival. You earn points by doing skills such as drifting, burnouts, near-misses, etc. Also, you must try to make your way up to the Horizon championships to challenge the Horizon champion, Darius Flynt. You make your way up to him by completing races assigned to your wristband. You start with the yellow wristband, which gives you access to only a couple of races, but when you complete them, you earn a new wristband which lets you gain access to new challenges and races. Whenever you earn a new wristband, the “champion” of the wristband you had just completed will challenge you to a race, almost like a boss fight, and you get a ton of rewards for defeating him/her.

It is really fun to be buying new cars, exploring the world, doing side quests, such as knocking down all of the upgrades signs you spot around the region to get a discount on items purchased there, or find old and rare cars through barn find rumors that you hear about on the radio in your car. It’s fun that will virtually never end!

ESRB: T for teens (drug reference, language, suggestive themes)

I don’t read much realistic fiction. I don’t think it is really the type of thing that is up my alley. I prefer action and adventure, fantasy, and dystopian novels, but I have never read a realistic fiction novel as good as the Fault in Our Stars. It was amazing, heartwarming, made you cry, made you laugh, and made you love reading. This book brought out the hard to understand and reach for topics, such as cancer, love, half by circumstance, half by love itself, finding your place in the world, finding out the point in living, and understanding the point in being here. It’s funny at some parts, sad at others, confusing at some, because of the thoughts constantly running through the characters’ heads. They have a different mindset than we do, and sometimes it can be difficult to wrap our heads around that. Sometimes, it was actually surprising when you feel yourself really thinking about what the characters would say and really getting to understand what they’re going through.

Hazel Grace Lancaster is a sixteen year old girl who was diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at age 13 and was taken out of school as a cause of that, is now suffering from depression. Her parents, because of her depression, decide to put her in a support group for cancer survivors. Still surviving at sixteen after a miracle drug keeps saving her life, she finally meets a boy at the support group, Augustus Waters, who had osteosarcoma that took him out of playing basketball. Together they struggle to figure out why they were sent to Earth, and try to ponder the meaning of life together. Touching, heartwarming, I was deeply moved.

P.S. Author John Green wrote this partially in honour of Esther Earl, a young girl diagnosed with metastasized papillary thyroid cancer in November 2006. She fought bravely until August 25, 2010, when the cancer took her life way too soon at the age of 16. Rest in peace, Esther.

Guide: Teens for suggestive themes and topics that are not suitable for younger readers.

I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve read the trilogy, and I don’t think I can bottle the amount of love I have for the series, and I don’ think telling you how much I love the series will make you half understand how much I actually love the series, so I’m just going to give you a little background, and you can decide for yourself.

In a future America, called Panem, after the world went awry and everything started over, there was a war. The land of Panem was comprised of the Capitol, a hedonistic society where everyone eats, plays, and enjoys life, and the 13 hard working districts, who supplied materials ranging from luxury items to forestry and fishing to coal and graphite. The 13 districts, not agreeing with the unfair way in how things were being run, decided to revolt against the Capitol, but were utterly destroyed. The 12 districts were defeated, the 13th, the graphite mining district, obliterated. Now every year, to remind the citizens of Panem about why something this atrocious should never be done again, created the Hunger Games, where two people, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district would be pitted up against one another in a fight to the death, and the last one alive wins and gets to live a life of riches and fame. If you were in the games, the odds are 1 in 24 that you will win. The odds do not seem to be in your favour.

Guide: Teens for mature subject matter, a lot of violence, mild suggestive themes, and topics discussed that may not be suitable for young children.

I actually read this quite a while ago when I decided to read my edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I started reading it, then got sidetracked and abandoned it. Little did I know that I was missing out on so much. I went over to a friend’s house one day, and he suggested we watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I agreed, because I figured that part of the reason that I had abandoned the Chamber of Secrets was because I didn’t understand what was happening. Maybe watching the first movie would give me some background. I watched it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I went on a rampage, reading all of the rest of the books. I absolutely loved them. The books were lengthy, but I enjoyed them so much that the length didn’t bother me. The length was not just a filler, it was actually part of the story. I loved the idea of the wizarding school Hogwarts and was always captivated by the sense of trouble and mystery going on throughout the year. I also enjoyed his out of school life, dealing with his unwilling family back home, and the evil wizard Voldemort. I absolutely loved the series, and it’s too bad that J.K. Rowling hasn’t one ay more work on the series meaning prequels and/or sequels (preferably and). I highly recommend this series for anyone interested in an amazing, lengthy series of fantasy, action and adventure, and mystery.

Guide: Kids 9 and older: There aren’t many things that would be considered offensive or overly violent in the novels, it is only the length that might leave some younger children overwhelmed or uninterested.

Wow. I was introduced to this book from my Kobo E-reader on the recommended for you section of the online store. I decided to purchase it because I found out that it had been compared to the Hunger Games, a series I had really enjoyed. From the very first page, I was hooked. From its unforgettable dystopian storyline, to the connections I made with all of the excellent characters, I fell in love with the Maze Runner and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the other two books in the series, the Scorch Trials and the Death Cure. So I did, and they did not disappoint. Let me give you a little background. Sun flares unleashed in a future Earth have wiped out most of the population. Most people thought it was a curse, others a godsend. People, who later formed the Post-Flares Coalition thought that it was a good way to wipe out most of the population in order to start the dying Earth anew. So they unleashed a deadly, highly contagious virus nicknamed the Flare on the population. Years later, another government agency, named WICKED, needs to find a cure. Amazing trilogy that just continued to get better. My personal favorite was the Scorch Trials, let me know after you’ve read the trilogy what your favorite book of the series and your favorite character is using your U-read-it-U-write-it account.

Guide: Teens, for violence, mature subject matter, mild suggestive themes, and topics not suitable for young children

I had picked this book for a school project, as I am interested in Sci-Fi and wanted to know what part of it this would be about. Aliens, starships, other worlds. Ender’s Game had all of this, yes, but that is not what makes this game so great. It is the depth of the story. Ender has to face many challenges as he sometimes struggles to find out the difference between realism and games, between who is manipulating him and who isn’t, and he is struggling to find out who he really is. From a young age, everyone knew that Ender was a genius, and they definitely needed one. Earth is under attack by these aliens called the buggers. They are going for a final assault, and they need a military genius to defeat the aliens and continue the survival of humanity. This military genius was discovered at a very young age by authorities, and he has been brought up through the ranks, being invited to the most prestigious military schools across the solar system, so that he can help the humans defeat the aliens.

Ender, Earth’s last hope, must prove that he is the best, a military genius among military geniuses. He excels at the military games in school, but the simulations aren’t just what they seem to be. As Ender, military genius among military geniuses, will soon find out.

An amazing novel, very deep with a lot of material that is still really important in our society, even though it was written in 1977. It teaches us that children are more important than they seem, that it is important to know what is real and what is not, and how important good relationships can be for someone struggling.

Guide: Teens, for two reasons. One, there is some violence, and some mild suggestive themes. Two, the topics discussed in these books are really deep and it is a book for young adults to read and understand, because the topics are aimed at them.

This was my first real time strategy game. I usually just stuck to my NHL games and my racing games, but this one caught me by surprise as I began playing it and becoming a huge fan of the genre and the series itself. You take control of a civilization, choosing between the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Persians, the Babylonians, the Celts, and the Norse. You must try to complete your civilization’s storyline while leveling up your civilization to level 40 by completing certain quests and gaining experience points from them. You can also gain coins from doing quests, which can then be used to purchase stronger gear, which will enhance your troops, consumables, such as extra resources and things like that, to help you get through a difficult quest, materials, which can be used to craft weapons or items, and decorations for your capital city.

I’ll begin by explaining quests. Quests range from simply defeating the enemy, by wiping out his base, to capturing someone or rescuing someone from the enemy. You must use strategy to construct a strong economy, recruiting villagers that will help you build up the four essential resources, stone, wood, gold, and food. You then use these resources to formulate your strategy. Do you want to rush the opponent, trying to kill them early but leaving your base vulnerable to attacks? Do you like to defend until you’ve recruited enough troops and have a strong enough economy to support it? Or, do you like to use your own methods? The choice is entirely up to you, and that’s what makes this game so fun to play.
The fun doesn’t just end with the quests, there is so much depth to the world outside the quests, ranging from decorating your capital city, to purchasing items, to crafting weapons, to simply chatting with someone online.

Did I mention that it is absolutely free? The currency in this game for purchasing new civilizations is Empire Points, which is a value which is the same across all of your civilizations, and can be obtained by completing quests, or once you get to level 40, a new mode named Alliance Quests is opened, in which you can get loads of Alliance Points which can later be converted into Empire Points to explore all of the features in the game.

Even though the developers of Age of Empires Online have opted not to create new content for the game because of funding issues, the servers are still online, the community is still growing, and there is still tons of content to explore.

So what are you waiting for, expand your civilization, and grow your empire!

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Online interactions not rated by the ESRB)

I will admit, I was not looking forward to playing this game after my friend gave it to me. I thought that this game would just be another one of those collect them all games with no storyline or anything interesting behind it. I had some apologizing to do, after my friend put up with all of my doubting, and after I started to really enjoy the game. It turned out that there was quite a bit of depth to the game, the storyline was captivating, and as I was just being introduced to Pokémon, it was an interesting world to be introduced to. From the fun of catching a Pokémon, training it, evolving it, using it to win important battles, and then just catching more, this is one of the best RPG games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Unlike most games, the main objective of this game isn’t to defeat the enemy or whatever, but instead, to become the champion of your region. That takes a lot of effort, you must defeat 8 gym leaders, which are sort of like minibosses, then you can move on to the Elite Four, an extremely tough group of hard working trainers that you must defeat in order to challenge the champion. Pretty much, they aren’t your enemies, just your opponents. You must defeat them by knocking out all of their Pokémon. After you have defeated them, they will give you helpful tips about progressing further. It is especially fun, after beating the game, to spend hours and hours training Pokémon, getting new ones, and then training them, catching all of the legendary Pokémon, which are rare Pokémon that are really powerful, and trying to finish the game to 100% completion. I have nearly 150 hours spent on this game, the most I’ve spent on nearly any game, except Age of Empires Online, but I’ll save that for another review.

ESRB rating: E (Online Interactions not rated by the ESRB)