Rise of Nations - Great Gameplay For a Great Price

Looking for a great bargain Real-Time Strategy game that still plays like new? Then I suggest you check out Big Huge Games' Rise of Nations. In fact, you can get Rise of Nations (RoN) and its expansion pack (Thrones and Patriots) together for a great price now, so I'll be talking about both in this review. RoN combines elements from Turn-Based Strategy games into an excellent RTS engine. Though it is beginning to age, RoN still looks and plays great.

RoN gives great RTS gameplay. Your empire-building is centered around cities. Cities expand your national borders, allow you to build resource-collecting and research buildings, and even Wonders of the World, historical structures that boost your performance. Resources are spread throughout the map, and are not depleted. Rare resources can also be found, which give increased production and added bonuses. Technology is also key, unlocking new units and buildings, and allowing you to progress through eight "ages," from Ancient to Information. Most technology is researched at the library, but nearly every building has some of its own. Combat follows the rock-paper-scissors concept, in that one unit easily defeats another, but is easily destroyed by a third, making well-balanced armies and navies the best choice.

Replayability is unlimited, with different map types that can be randomly generated time and again. There are 24 different "races" available, from British to Nubian to Mongol, each with its own unique units and national bonuses. Quick Battles offer custom fights between you and up to seven computer opponents, on a variety of different map types, with many customizable options. When (or if) you tire of unlimited Quick Battle play, there are five "Conquer the World Campaigns" to choose from. These range from Alexander the Great, Napoleon, the New World (following the colonization of the Americas), the Cold War between the USA and USSR, and "The Entire World," a Risk type map where each nation starts small and must expand its empire. Multiplayer is still highly active, and many player-made scenarios are available. RoN does not bore easily.

Even though it has been out for several years, RoN is still worth getting. It offers unlimited play with a very innovative design. Even graphics wise, RoN still holds up to more modern strategy games. Choose your nation, choose your gametype, and play in your own style. Rise of Nations is a great game that is easily found for a bargain price.

Scott is a student and avid strategy gamer. Please support him by visiting his blog http://greatstrategygames.blogspot.com/ for more reviews, info, and screenshots.

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Enjoy Your Afternoon Playing Checkers Board Game

Checkers board game has a long fascinating history of more than 3000 years, which qualifies it as one of the most traditional game in civilization. The earliest checkers board was believed to have originated from ancient Egypt, which has been mentioned by Plato and Homer in 1600 BC. Then, the game pieces were known as "ferses" and the game is called "Fierges" , instead of checkers. It is believed that these games were later modified by the French to be played on a chess board during the middle ages. Thus, this is beginning of the "modern" version of the checkers board game.

Since then, the checkers board game has been played around the world and throughout recorded history. Though bridge and chess are usually played more often than checkers, it also possesses several aspects that make it a better game. Most people may find both bridge and chess are too dry and slow-moving. In addition, these games require a high level of intense concentration which is not suitable for those who can't withstand the stressful elements. In comparison, checkers board game is much easier to learn as the learning curve usually takes less than 15 minutes to master. Besides, the fast-moving game provides hours of exciting entertainment, as there is always the possibility of large changes in fortune.

In order to enjoy an afternoon of playing checkers board game, all that is needed are two players and a checkers set. Nowadays, getting a brand new set of checkers definitely will not cost more than going to the Disneyland theme park or getting a electronic game. Even if the two players are beginners, it will only another 15 minutes to learn the basic rules of the checkers board game and get used to the mechanics. The rules are few and simple to understand. By the time you finished sipping your cup of coffee, you will have all the rules at the back of your fingertips!

For more information on the playing checkers online, learning checkers rules or getting checkers boardgame, please visit the following website: Checkers Guide

Skyjoe is a well-known author, website publisher and owner of http://www.mygeneralknowledge.com. Skyjoe. All rights reserved. This article may be freely distributed as long as it remains unaltered inclusive of the active links and the copyright notice. No alteration is allowed without express written permission from the author.

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Resident Evil 4 - Wii Edition Review

Resident Evil 4 is a horror FPS game that does things differently compared to the other Resident Evil games.

You play as Leon Kennedy, a survivor of the Raccoon City incident that occurred during the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3. He now works for that government and is sent on a mission of find and rescue the President's daughter who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult. There's a sighting of the President's daughter in an isolated village in Europe and Leon investigates. While he is there the villagers start attacking him for an unknown reason so Leon has to find the President's daughter and find out the secret of the village.

There are no zombies this time around. I know what you're probably thinking. 'But its a Resident Evil game, the only thing you do is shoot zombies'. Yes, that is true but they have been replaced by something so original (/sarcasm) that it will make you think, 'Wow, why didn't I think of that.' Possessed humans, fully equipped with pitchforks, axes, knifes, other whatnot that has a sharp end and dynamite sticks.

Gone are the absolutely horrible (and somehow awesome) 'frozen' camera angles. Instead of the camera pointing at you in some awkward position, the camera is in an over-the-shoulder position which is alright but it seems like its been done, which it has, many times before.

Almost the entire game is an escort mission. I hate escort missions especially if they make the NPC who's following you a complete idiot. Unfortunately sometimes in this game, your partner does something so stupid that it makes you not want to care about her and just push her into a mob of charging bloodthirsty villagers.

The guns in this game range from pathetic to freaking' awesome. You start off with a handgun and, if you are like me and chose the easy mode (which I'm pretty sure is Wii exclusive), a shotgun. You eventually get a sniper rifle that is hopeless in a close-up situation, a rocket launcher and a few different types of grenades like the hand and flash grenade.

The enemies are good and bad at the same time. The case for the game says that the enemies work together but I've never seen them once perform this feat. The enemies react differently to where you shoot them. Shoot them in the feet and they stumble to the ground. Shoot them in the arm and they drop their weapon. Shoot them in the head and they die, sometimes.

Ammo is everywhere in this game. They are in boxes, the enemies drop it but you can't buy them from the salesman who looks like one of 'them' and will turn on you at any moment. When you run out of ammo, you are screwed. This time you have a knife if you run out of ammo so you aren't as screwed as you would be if you ran out of ammo in any other Resident Evil game.

The whole game takes some advantage to the Wii's motion sensing capabilities. You aim using the wiimote, slice the knife by shaking the wiimote and that's actually it but I don't blame the lack of motion sensing abilities because that's really all you can do with it.

In short, this is another Resident Evil game, just revamped with a whole new way to play. I highly suggest buying it and keeping it.

- Shaun McGarry - Shaun832

http://shaun832.wordpress.com/

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Download Video Games - Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii or PlayStation 3

If your one of those people who plays and buys lots of videos games whether its Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii or PlayStation 3 games, or maybe all 3, then you're probably shelling out a fortune in cash. Often you will buy a video game but when your at home playing it you either finish it very quickly or its just not very good, so you feel you've wasted your money. There is an alternative-- there are sites on the Internet which let you download video games for all 3 platforms Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Some sites have put together huge data bases full of Video games and other media such as movies to watch on your Xbox 360 or Music to play on your PlayStation 3 or Wallpapers to download to your Nintendo Wii. The site I use to Download My PS3 Games costs around $50 which I think is very reasonable when you think I've downloaded over 20 video games and many Music files and Movies.
After you've joined there's no hidden costs or monthly fee's or per download fees. I recommend this type of service very highly.

Remember to stay well away from free sites that 'say' they offer free downloads. They either have hidden charges or are illegal and unsafe. by unsafe I mean they are full of viruses and spyware infections which can totally destroy your computer if infected. So make sure you do your homework before you start downloading or part with any cash.

So start saving cash and look for a decent site to download all your video games.

Click Here For more information and to read a review of the site i use to Download Video Games.

AP - A man exonerated by DNA evidence in a rape case after serving several years in an Illinois prison now faces a murder charge in Indiana.