demon souls

Diablo 3 : How To Defeat Siegebreaker And Rakanoth

June 2, 2012 by Raj Agrawal Leave a Comment

Diablo 3 is NOT the easiest of games. For the experienced veteran it might be sort of a breeze, but for the average gamer, the latter levels can be frustrating. Interestingly enough, the major end-of-act bosses of Diablo 3 are manageable compared to some of the mini bosses you encounter in between the acts. I’ve played Diablo 1 and 2 and am accustomed to the increased difficulty in the latter half of the game. The only time I was at the edge of frustration was while facing Siegebreaker, and then Rakanoth. Hence, i’m sharing a mini walk-through on how to beat both of them.

Siegebreaker

This horrendous beast is a pain in the a** to beat. Mainly because there is no specific pattern as to how you can beat it. The simplest way to kill this beast is to wait for it to use one of its ground stomping area of effect attacks. Then get right behind it and slash away. Also be sure to never be in front of it, as it will occasionally rush at you which deals tremendous damage. Also, use the pillars to your advantage. Try and stay on the other side of the pillars as much as possible. Siegebreaker will eventually destroy all of them, but you can reduce his life to half in that much time, and then launch an all out attack. The fight is relatively easy in normal mode, but gets very difficult with increasing difficulty, as the bosses have their healths upgraded exponentially.

Rakanoth

This boss gave me huge headaches. The difficulty is finding out the right strategy. Once you have that sorted, it’s very easy to beat him. He’s one of Diablo’s champions, and rightly deserves the honor. He carries two huge blades, which are extremely sharp and deal huge amounts of damage. To make things worse, he has a huge array of attacks and also spawns minions, which aren’t easy to kill. To top all of this, he has a teleportation attack, using which he’ll teleport to where you are and slash at you with both of his swords. And accuracy is not a factor; he’ll always hit you, and eat away almost 90% of your health in one hit. And he always does this after spawning his minions, leaving them to deal the final blow. So you can understand my frustration, when after dying for 30-40 times, that I wanted to break my computer.

Defeat Siegebreaker And Rakanoth

Thankfully I was able to figure a way out, which turns out to be pretty easy. This requires constant use of potions, and a very effective armor based power. As soon as the battle begins, get away from him. He’ll slash you, before which you should use the armor based power. The power should absorb his attack. Then hit him once or twice, and go to the other side of the map. As long as you’re not near him, he will not spawn his minions, which makes the fight very easy. It also makes it tedious, but its the simplest way to beat him. Make sure to keep potions at hand so that if he slashes you without you using your armor power, you can use the potions and go back to full health.

Barring these two bosses, none of the enemies proved to be very difficult. Though I still have the higher difficulty levels to try out, which people say are very tedious and can really test your patience. But a demon souls and dark souls player understands what they mean, and is rightfully happy about it. And for any of you who are still on the edge about buying Diablo 3, give it a try. It’s worth every penny!

Roundup: The Best Games Of This Generation

December 23, 2011 by Raj Agrawal Leave a Comment

Every generation has its share of great games which direct and define the future of gaming. There was a time when this role was fulfilled with games like Half life, Halo, God of War, and Metal Gear Solid. That some of these games created a revolution is not the major factor of their greatness. The main reason why many of these games are considered as classics is because they created an experience which maintained its greatness throughout their playtime, and still left players wanting for more of the same.

Thankfully, this generation has also had its share of such games. So, without further ado, lets look at the best games to come out this generation for PC and Consoles.

Playstation 3

Demons Souls/Dark Souls

The people at FROM software are masochists, but in a good way. To make not one but two games that are such a pain to play, but at the same time are so enjoyable; it’s a rare combination and somehow they have been able to pull it off. These games really do not care about how or where you go. They just drop you into their world. From there you’re on your own.

Uncharted 2 : Among thieves

Drakes fortune and Drakes deception are both really really good games, but it’s the second one in the series that takes the cake. Combining heart-throbbing action with good set pieces and good story telling, this is a game which will never outstay it’s welcome and will always leave you wanting more. Couple with that some of the best visuals ever made, and you have quality that rivals the best of Hollywood action movies. Michael Bay, now here is one game which you can learn something from.

God of War 3

Concluding a series with such a huge scope isn’t an easy thing. But SCE Santa Monica managed to pull it off. Although it’s not considered to be as good as it’s predecessors, still as a game it’s an amazing experience and one that should not be missed. Kratos, you will be sorely missed.

Metal Gear Solid 4

This isn’t just a game. It’s a game/movie, and this is what many people don’t realize. The most harsh criticisms levelled at this game stem from the “redundant” cut-scenes that this game has. But, longstanding fans will know that they’re as much a part of the game as the gameplay itself, and frankly I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Killzone 2

This game turned a lot of heads when it came out, and turned out to be an amazing first person shooter. The sense of scale on display over here is hardly matched by other games in the genre. Plus the graphics and the awesome multiplayer only added to the experience.

Batman: Arkham City

Simply put, the best superhero game ever made!

XBOX 360

Gears of War 1, 2 & 3

The Gears of War series has always been a favorite on the 360 and for good reason. Combining solid third person mechanics, good graphics, and a great story, it’s no wonder that the series has been received so well by critics and gamers alike.

Forza series

The PS3 might have Gran Turismo, but that does not mean the 360 does not at least attempt to answer its challenge. The Forza series is the premier racing series on the 360, and unlike the NFS series, it manages to get better with every iteration.

Mass Effect 1/2

Although the game is also there on PC, it’s the 360 version that has made this game so popular. With interaction sequences that manage to wow people even today, solid combat, and a huge world, it is one of the best action RPG’s ever created.

Red Dead Redemption

Another exception as this game is on the PS3 as well. But if any game deserves to be in a best of list, it’s this one. Never have Western games been this good; Rockstar delivered with the one of the best stories in gaming. Also John Marston is one amazing character. Missing out on this game is blasphemy.

The Elders Scroll : Skyrim

skyrim elders scrolls — The elders scrolls

Okay, another exception. But anyone who’s played an Elders Scroll game on the PC will agree that the experience on PC is vastly superior to the console experience, and for one single reason – Mods. Mods have made Oblivion a totally different game than what it was when it released, and the same seems to be the case with Skyrim. The game itself needs no commendations; it’s an experience unlike any other.

Civilization 5

No PC best of list will ever be complete without a mention of the Civilization series. Strategy has always been an ace in the hole for the PC, and no game does it better in that department than a Civilization game.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

This is the game that should have won the award for best graphics. But it wasn’t even nominated for the VGA awards. But that’s not important. What’s important is that it’s one of the best rpgs out there and is not an experience that should be missed.

Shogun 2 : Total War

Another strategy game that is hugely popular on the PC. Rome : Total War still stands tall as the best strategy game ever, but Shogun 2 gives it stiff competition.

Bioshock

Story is an important aspect of gaming, and no game proves this more than Bioshock. The solid combat and spooky atmosphere only add to the sense of amazement and complement the story perfectly. And this is the one game where you can safely use the term big daddy without referring to a sexual innuendo.

Starcraft 2 : Wings of Liberty

Anything I can say has also been said too many times before. All I can say is if ever there is a strategy game that can be as popular as COD or Halo, it’s Starcraft.

Why Dark Souls Is One Of The Best Games Ever Made

November 5, 2011 by Raj Agrawal 4 Comments

What is the best part about playing a video game? Is it the thrill of watching the visual effects of a plane crash through a building and the amazement of the graphical destruction caused by the building crashing down to pieces? Is it the Hollywood style action sequences which keep the adrenaline rush going till you eventually want to jump out from the window to try and catch that ledge? Is it the thrill of racing or playing in a football game which one might not be able to achieve in real life? All of these can qualify as perfectly valid reasons for playing video games. But for me, they’re a bit too superficial. My reasons for playing games are much more basic. For me, its all about failing and trying again to correct myself. The possibility of death and the chance of life after it really intrigue me. I love a challenge, and I love to be rewarded for playing well and punished for being stupid. And in that regard, I feel Dark Souls is the best game i’ve ever played.

Improving on something like Demons Souls can be quite the challenge. Although the game did not have to create a name for itself from scratch like Demons Souls did, still when you set a standard, its always a challenge to better it. And the fact that Dark Souls has bettered its predecessor in almost every aspect speaks volumes about the developers determination to excel and make a name for themselves. But most of all, it commends their ability to make a great game. And Dark Souls is more than just a great game. It’s a love letter to all of the gamers who want a challenge, and who want to play something unique. And its not everybodys cup of tea. If you have never played demons souls, and if you’re a Call of Duty fan (I’m not trying to stereotype anybody, but if you haven’t played a difficult game before, then you wouldn’t be able to keep up with the sudden bump in difficulty levels), you’re going to get frustrated and probably regret spending $60 on this game. If you do like a challenge, and if you’ve played games like Far Cry and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., then you’re going to feel right at home.

dark souls 2 — This will pierce you to no end

You will die a lot in Dark Souls, but every death is a lesson to be learned, and every time you correct you’re mistakes, as the game itself puts it, there will be “Imminent Elation”. And considering the fact that you’re going to die a lot of times, the satisfaction you’re going to get will be unparalleled. Another thing I love about such games is the epic boss fights, and Dark Souls has plenty of those, and almost all of them will have you frustrated enough to break your controller. This is one game which really personifies the idiom – “Patience is the best virtue”; you cannot go all swords blazing , or else you will die, which you will even if you don’t, but to a much lesser degree.

dark souls boss fight — You’re in for surprises. Lots of ’em.

Today, death in video games is handled very loosely. Games like Prey refrain from letting the player die in order to sustain the immersion. But I think death add layers of depth to immersion. When you have tried your best to reach the end of a level, the last thing you want to do is die, and this is where the prospect of death become nerve wrecking. Back in the old days, many games like Contra only granted a specific amount of lives to the player; lives gone, game over. These days, even the toughest of games will only spawn players at a check point infinitely. Hence, it becomes important to make the player earn his way to the next checkpoint. And no games exemplifies this more than Dark Souls. Realistically speaking, it may not the best game i’ve ever played. The experience that it gives is quite unlike anything. As the maiden in black from demons souls puts it,

Let strength be granted so the world might be mended, so the world might be mended.

That is exactly what you need in Dark Souls, along with a life worth of patience. After all, the true value of success can only be adjudged after a lot of failures, and any game which tries to personify this has to be good.