Xbox one official headset + adapter review

Microsoft has made a few mistakes with Xbox one but the reality of that finally seems to be sinking in somewhere within the Redmond company.
The latest mistake to be addressed is the curious decision to adopt a proprietary audio connection on the new controller. Of course originally Microsofts intention was to not ship with a headset at all. Instead they wanted gamers to use the new kinect sensor for chat. Er - no thanks Microsoft, we want proper headsets.
So Microsoft caved and issued a pack in headset of a similar ilk to the one you get with the 360. But that's not all. Along with the free headset came the promise of solution for those gamers who wanted to use 3rd party headsets they already owned, in the form of a stereo adapter for the controller.

One feature of Sony's Ps4 I really love is the ability to connect a multitude of chat devices directly to the controller. Myself I use a Steelseries set intended for mobile devices. Its a simple set but is surprisingly adept in the audio department and chat is second to none. With that in mind, I decided to buy the xbox one adapter as soon as possible so I could use my steelseries with that too. Now it was never my intention to buy the official headset too, but truth be told, when comparing the prices, £20 for just the adapter or £59.99 for both, the complete package was a no brainer.

As with all official Microsoft products the set came really well packaged, sporting the familiar lime green color of the xbox one branding.
The build quality of the headset was nothing to write home about. A little flimsy perhaps but it was okay and I really liked the design. Basically they match the style of the console perfectly with the usual matt black and glossy black plastic combo, then a splash of the lime green inside the earpiece.
Now the build quality of the adapter did surprise me. What I expected was a little cheap piece of plastic like the connector of the pack in set. Not an unfair assumption considering they are nearly identical in design but the new adapter carries a weightier and sturdier feel.
Functionality wise, the adapter has the standard master volume controls and obligatory mute button but also sports buttons for balancing game and chat. I must say too - having the buttons essentially form part of the controller itself is an inspired design and really handy in game too.

Before I talk about general sound quality, I just want to address a sound issue with the adapter first and that is the dreaded crackle and hiss I have heard a lot about recently. Now I heard, prior to get going the headset, that a controller update was needed to add headset adapter compatibility, so I did that last week. Now I went to use the headset when it arrived and the console demanded I update again. I don't know if this was a new fix for the crackle and hiss bug or simply a duplicate update but I can report no hissing or crackling with my 6 hours of Titanfall gameplay last night. There was a faint tapping noise just sometimes however in the lobbies. That could have been mic noise from other players but it did show up between various matches.

So on to actual sound quality. I will just point out my references for comparison here are the sets I have owned before. So were comparing this set to a turtle beach ear force bravo, a mid range set, Logitech g50, high end PC set and my trusty steel series cheapys ( which work with the adapter too I might add).
I have to admit this official headset, even being stereo only, stacks up really well against the Turtle beaches and trumps the steel series completely. The comparison with the Logitech g50's isn't favourable but, of course, it was never going to be. Having said that; on price to performance ratio I'd still go with the Microsoft set every time.
Bass is a surprise with these cans as I only really expect that from high end products but here to is clear and powerful without ever threatening to do damage to your hearing. Likewise, low range sounds I found very clear too and I was able to discern many subtle noises in the Titanfall soundtrack that I had missed completely over the speakers of my TV.

All in all I confess to really liking this headset. Its all the more satisfying for me when I consider that I only punted for these out of a stubborn unwillingness to stump up the 20 pounds for the adapter only.
Microsoft have hit a home run here in my estimation by making a headset that is well designed, if a little flimsy feeling, has great sound quality and represents great value for money when you factor in the free stereo adapter.
Well done Microsoft.

Build - 5
Design - 9
Sound - 8
Value - 10

Overall - 8.5

Turtle beach announce Captain America headset

Nobody does timing quite like headset maker Turtle beach. Hot off the heels of their Titanfall tie in headset, the company have now announced a Captain america headset too and will no doubt hope to drive sales off the back of the new winter soldier Marvel movie.

The headset will feature swappable captain America plates and also make sound more 'heroic'. Whatever the hell that means.

No word yet on release date or price but these will be limited edition. So I you're a big fan of the cap, get your preorders down asap or miss out.

Titanfall review

Playing the full version of Titanfall is a peculiar experience at first. Never had I played a games beta as much as I had Titanfall and when Respawn finally allowed me to play a map other than Fracture or angel city I felt a little overwhelmed. Not only were all these new environments filled with other players much higher ranked than me (how do so many get these game so damn early?) But I also couldn't quit wrap my head around just how different these maps were.

The first map I found myself on (after skipping the tutorial every uncle and his monkey has already played) was called Boneyard. From the second the match started I knew things were going to be insane as I witnessed an npc get assault by some kind of winged demon bird thing that had swooped down from nowhere. The level really couldn't have been anymore different than the two in the beta. Gone were the greens and greys, In came yellow sands and giant skeletons of long dead giant beasts. Many have criticised Titanfall in the graphics department those issues, and I'll come to those later, can't detract from what is some truly inspired art design. All the levels in the game are vastly different from one another and each is unique in its own way. For example, as a contrast to boneyard we have Lagoon, a tropical themed outpost that counters the dusty sands of boneyard with still blue waters and signs that a more laid back lifestyle has defined the town. Some maps differ from those in the beta in more ways than ascetically too. In one I played, the map was dominated by giant automated gun turrets that can be hacked by players to fire on the opposing team and doing so earns you points for the hack. Another new feature was ziplines. Perfect for reaching hard points just a few seconds sooner.

The game modes in the full version I found myself a little disappointing. The game features very few of them and all of them I found a little samey. The exception though is hard point which anyone who plays cod will no doubt recognise. Where all the other game modes in Titanfall I found to be mere variations on the tired death match formula, hardpoint at least brings objectives into the mix. Hard points are three parts of the maps that are designated A, B or C. The objective is to take and hold this point from the other team. Simple but it just works so well in this game. I also found this mode to be the only one where Titans had a separate part to play, other than the usual stomp round and look for things to kill. In hard point though I often found use for my titan as a guard dog to protect me while assaulting objectives. Sometimes I even left my Titan to guard points while I ran off to capture the others.

Campaign too, I found to be a little lacking. Well, a lot lacking actually. You see Respawn will tell you there is a campaign and that it has been entwined with the multiplayer to create a new kind of experience. But it hasn't.
What campaign is really, is multiplayer with additional voiceover. Don't get me wrong, they are great voice over, top voice acting and all that, but that's all it is. The game modes play the same and are the same. In fact the only thing campaign does differently is force the player to play all the match types. Which is a negative when all you'll want to play is hard point.

I been quite critical of the game above so, for balance, at this point I should remind the reader that I love this game. Last month I wrote about how much I adored the beta for its freshness and fun factor. This is all still true of the full game. Its still the most enjoyable first person shooter I have ever played. When I die, I can't wait to respawn and when I game ends, I can't wait to start the next. It really is one of those 'just one more go' games.

Graphics. From what I can tell, things have pretty much stayed the same since the beta. The resolution remains a long was short of full HD and the frame rate problems from the beta remain, especially in titan v titan gameplay.
The problems with the games visual fidelity are a tad disappointing, but Respawn have promised further refinements are incoming and tbh this is a game more about fun then fancy anyhow.

Verdict: Titanfall fails to live up to the hype in a few minor ways by falling short on game modes and a handful of visual hiccups mar the experience just slightly and the campaign, hailed as the dawn of a new era for story driven multiplayer, is barely even what it claims to be.
But such things were never going to be what defined the Titanfall experience anyhow and what the game lacks, it more than makes up for in sheer, approachable fun. Repawn have crafted a multiplayer experience that arguably trumps all their competitors in this, their very first go and, while it won't win my game of the year, its certainly worthy of very high praise. It gives me shivers just thinking about what they'll bring back to the table with Titanfall 2 but one thing is guaranteed. They will have my preorder.

Graphics: 7
Gameplay: 10
Sound: 9
Story: 3

TITANFALL SCORES - 8

Batman drops last gen & isn't looking back

Batman developer Rock steady announced a short while back that the next game in the Arkham series, and last, will not be making an appearance on last gen systems or Wii u. Though disappointing for some; I think even the most staunch last gen supporters would agree that this latest batch of screenshots show that the developers decision is bearing fruit now.

The screenshots are glorious and Rock steady has clearly gone to town with the power the new consoles give them. Look at those high res textures. 

Some last gen users might feel they are being left out of the party but I have to applaud the decision myself. The line has to be drawn somewhere and I for one am glad this game won't be held back by old tech.

How great is Dead rising 3?

Just a really quick post to remind everyone just how awesome Dr3 is on the bone.
I mean seriously, in what other game can you get accosted by a perv with a cannon for a cock and then end up finishing him off with a floppy dildo? Genius.

World Exclusive: A Call of Duty camper interviewed.

The call of duty camper; a common beast, but also a rare one, to nail down that is. Even more so the best ones. You see, they're not chatty types Cod campers. In fact to see one normally involves laying face up and being brutally tea bagged to the head having been sniped from a nearby bush. It was such a encounter that led to my meeting with the subject of today's interview, someone we shall refer to as Dick*.

(*Campers are commonly figures of hate in western society. As such, my guest has asked that I conceal his true identity out of fear for his family, friends and kill death ratio.)

Lazygamer: Dick, I'd like to applaud you for your bravery and take this opportunity to thank you for agreeing to do this interview today.

Dick: Cheers bro innit.

Lazygamer: Let's begin, if we may, by discussing our meeting last night on the popular call of duty: ghosts map, prison break.

Dick: Yeah that is a well good map.

Lazygamer: Hmm. I found it a little frustrating if I'm honest.

Dick: Why? Izit cos you iz well shit?
(Dick does this weird flicky thing with his fingers every time he gets excited. Just an observation.)

Lazyboyblue: Well no. Its just I felt a little like a fish in a barrel. Seemed like every time I turned a corner I had my head blown off by someone in the foliage.

Dick: Wot is a foliage?

Lazygamer: A bush Dick.

Dick: Oh right. Ha, yeah I love blowing noobs off in the bushes.

Lazygamer: (cough). Knobs?

Dick: Noobs. You know newbies. Like someone who hasn't had anything to sell and can't buy da game on launch day and as 'ad to wait till crimbo for it.

Lazygamer: So you were hiding in a bush when I found you....

Dick: I found you first (points an invisible rifle at my head and fires.)

Lazygamer: Whatever Dick. Exactly how long had you been in that particular bush hiding?

Dick: All the match. Well mostly, sometimes I crawl into that little sewer pipe and squat like I had taking a shit.

Lazygamer: Lovely. So that's a favourite part of the map for you? Don't you ever get tempted to try a different vantage point? Other parts of the map?

Dick: Other parts of the map?

Lazygamer: Like the tower for example.

Dick: There iz a tower?

Lazygamer: ok, let's move on shall we? Dick, tell me a bit about yourself. Where you're from? What's your home life like?

Dick: ???

Lazygamer: Do you have a girlfriend for example?

Dick: (scoffs) No!

Lazygamer: Does that question embarrass you? You look a little red.

Dick: Mum says I iz too young for girls.

Lazygamer: You're 45 aren't you?

Dick: yeah.

Lazygamer: This is a good start dick. Are you comfortable talking about some more of this more personal stuff?

Dick: I don't want to talk about my micro penis tho.

Lazygamer: O...K Dick. Sure let's move on. Do you have any pets?

Dick: Yeah I 'as a dog innit.

Lazygamer: Oh that's great. Tell me about your dog. I noticed how much your face lit up when I mentioned it. You must love your dog very much?

Dick: He iz my best mate tho innit. He iz my only mate tho innit.

Lazygamer: That must make you closer as a couple?

Dick: we isn't a couple like that.

Lazygamer: No, of course not. I didn't mean anything like that.

Dick: Me and him are partners.

Lazygamer: You spend a lot of time together then?

Dick: Yup, he iz with me all day and night.

Lazygamer: What kind of breed is he?

Dick: He iz a German shepherd. He's beautiful. He's my boy.

Lazygamer: You clearly love your dog. What's his name?

Dick: Riley.

Lazygamer: Dick, is your pet dog the dog in the game? It is isn't it? It's the dog in the f'ing game isn't it?

We had to stop the interview there because I leaped across the desk and strangled the sad camping bastard.

What is Titanfall like if you suck at Call of duty?

Some context. I suck at fps games; I love them, but I still suck at them. My kill ratio in my last match, on domination, in cod was 3-24. Battlefield I do a little better on because I can play the objectives, and yes, I am that guy that runs around the place holding his revive paddles instead of his rifle. So basically, imagine giving chimps rifles and sending them to war and right there you have the gist of my skills at fps games.

And then a voice boomed down from the heavens and said, "STANDBY FOR TITANFALL."

Titanfall rides in on one hell of a hype train. It's not only the first, long awaited, game from the creators of Cod 4 modern warfare, its heralded as nothing short of 'the saviour of the fps genre' and also serves as Microsoft's 'great hope' in their search for a true must have system seller for Xbox One. In short; it has a lot to live up to.

Whether or not Titanfall cuts the mustard against any of that hype that will come down to personal opinion. All I'll say on that is make your own mind up. You're going to see reviews, you're going to see blog posts like this one and you're going to hear the thoughts of your friends. But here is the thing. They are all going to be different.

Titanfall is a game that is as much about what you bring into it as much as it is about what you will get out of it. If, like me, you struggle to climb the leaderboards on these online shooters, then you're going to love Titanfall. On the other hand, if you're someone who is used to dominating matches online, then you might be a little disappointed.
You see, what Titanfall does well, really well, is bring players together. This is a game about equals. It's a game that puts nothing above fun. You can finish top in a Titanfall match like any other shooter, but no one is going to dominate and likewise nobody in a match is going to be left feeling that they are just there as fodder for the best players. It's a game about balance. It's a game about fun.

Is Titanfall going to be everyone's cup of tea? No way. Not even close.
But have it from me; whether you have crazy mad fps skills or you are a chimp with a rifle, if you can leave those at the door and take the game for what it is, then you will have fun. And after all; isn't that the point?