Brick-Force (Review)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.brick-force.com/en">Brick-Force</a> is what happens when the people of Minecraft go to war. Brick-Force is a browser-based and/or downloadable first-person multiplayer shooter that has been doing the rounds for quite a while now. In more recent months the game's popularity has really picked up pace, especially when it launched via games portal behemoth Kongregate last month.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTHA4hEWfRR2QcKBPiA9uz3CaV-ZAncbXMCIMpHOLWma7Gxyx9a3rqb7xu-3ekkYRICXhyphenhyphen-TmJauKWHWqqBrCCzkIF3r-p9J-r9shCSJ4biWOP67Ndd6ooJeRHob5wtH-FA-8_lgAemyW/s1600/brick-force11.jpg"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTHA4hEWfRR2QcKBPiA9uz3CaV-ZAncbXMCIMpHOLWma7Gxyx9a3rqb7xu-3ekkYRICXhyphenhyphen-TmJauKWHWqqBrCCzkIF3r-p9J-r9shCSJ4biWOP67Ndd6ooJeRHob5wtH-FA-8_lgAemyW/s640/brick-force11.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Here's the thing about Brick-Force: It's well-designed. It's fun to play. It ties the blocky, creative world of Minecraft together well with that of a regular hard-on-the-trigger FPS title. And yet it doesn't really do anything we've not seen before, and feels completely forgettable afterwards.<br /><br />From the get-go, it's obvious that Brick-Force is keen to lay on the huge number of customization options, creative avenues and available levels that it houses. This is a game that cannot possibly be accused of providing too little content - and with the ability for users to work together to create levels and then upload them to theBrick-Force community, there's no sign that the level of content is going to diminish anytime soon.<br /><br />But first, let's talk shooting. Brick-Force's gun action is appealing because it's so simple and familiar. If you've ever played an online shooter, you'll know exactly how it goes here - aim, hold down left mouse button, wait until enemy is dead, move on. Different weapons can be switched to, and special items like turrets and jetpacks aim to mix the action up here and there.<br /><br />As a means of giving you a little more direction than simply "kill people," there are daily challenges to beat such as "kill 50 people will this type of weapon", a levelling system that sees you unlocking customization options, and clan formation so you can take on other clans. So far, so first-person shooter.<br /><br />There's no denying that Brick-Force ticks plenty of boxes. The various types of maps mean that games can be wildly different - sometimes you'll be battling in close quarters, and elsewhere you'll be sniping across ravines. Then you'll be jumping into a turret, aiming at open doorways and waiting for silly new players to keep respawning and walking into the path of your killing machines over and over again. Mwa hah hah.<br /><br />The other half of Brick-Force is the world building. You can jump into a server and build whole maps brick-by-brick, very much in the same way that you might with Minecraft friends. Then you save the map, invite more people in and start shooting the ding-dong out of each other on your freshly mown battlefield.<br /><br />Building levels is simple enough too - it's literally a case of using the mouse scroll wheel to choose the type of block you want, then clicking to place it. It's all done in the regular first-person view, and putting a world together with friends feels very communal.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gamezebo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/medium/games/7833/brick1.png"><img height="358" src="http://www.gamezebo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/medium/games/7833/brick1.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Can you sense a "but" coming? Here it finally emerges: While everything that Brick-Force does is good, it's not exactly new, innovative or even that exciting.<br /><br />Take the actual team-based shooting, for example. There are already hundreds of games that do it just as well, if not better. Sure, Brick-Force has the "it looks like Minecraft" edge, but then again, we've even got Minecraft-like multiplayer shooters readily available (see Ace of Spades, for example). That's not to say there's no space left for more of these types of games, but in such a diluted genre, you really need to do more to separate yourself from the competition<br /><br />Even the world building isn't that brilliant. Simple map editors such as the one featured here have been around for decades, and map editors where you can build alongside friends and then share with the world aren't anything new either. The map editor supplied with Brick-Force is good and all, but so are hundreds of others too, and nothing here really caught my eye or made me double take.<br /><br />Brick-Force isn't so well crafted in all places either. The shop allows you to purchase everything from guns to accessories to clothing, and some of these actually give you notable advantages against other players, which seems hugely unfair - it basically makes Brick-Force a "pay-to-win" game.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gamezebo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/medium/games/7833/brick2.png"><img height="354" src="http://www.gamezebo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/medium/games/7833/brick2.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br />And this is without mentioning the fact that there are three different types of virtual currency in the game. Three! And each is earned in a different way. Hence, before you buy an item you have to check how much the item costs in each currency, then decide which to spend to purchase it. This is most definitely too much hassle for a more casual player, and I can't see myself ever getting truly invested in purchasing new stuff for my character when the shop is such an eyesore.<br /><br />What it all boils down to is this: Brick-Force is a good multiplayer shooter, perhaps even a great one, and you’ll no doubt have some fun with it if you give it a try - but we already have a ton of great multiplayer shooters. Brick-Force may be gaining traction now, but once the next good shooter for browsers comes along, it'll no doubt be forgotten as quickly as it's being picked up.<br /><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3uK1eS1qwbg" width="480"></iframe></div></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />Source: <a href="http://www.gamezbo.com/" target="_blank">gamezbo.com</a></div><div class="zemanta-related" style="clear: both; margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><h4 class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles</h4><ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://mashable.com/2013/02/26/brick-force/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/148246111_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://mashable.com/2013/02/26/brick-force/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Minecraft + Team Fortress 2 = Brick-Force</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://putthatback.org/brick-force-now-starting-to-kongregate/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/144695542_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://putthatback.org/brick-force-now-starting-to-kongregate/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Brick-Force now starting to Kongregate</a></li></ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8b421bc9-c445-48ae-9e63-6812c84178c2" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div></div></div>

Brick-Force (Review)

Brick-Force is what happens when the people of Minecraft go to war. Brick-Force is a browser-based and/or downloadable first-person multipl...

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Grepolis (Review)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://en.grepolis.com/">Grepolis</a> is a browser based strategy MMO set in Ancient Greece. Much like Ikariam, each player starts with a small town that eventually evolves into a powerful empire. The game also lets facebook users connect it to their profiles, thus making it easier to access the game without having to relog in a different window. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBk4k5tGPei7wFSkmWEPRdvmEnm4FTANilA_45mV601SOwo-V2Y5hpp2YGkujiW2NTQAZbvjBKE7ZiMFcxr6OmjL-ee0V7L5KYzA7EC4-Poe-yRg-IamlIHAO11_6O2-Jmuawk8yFZkwX/s1600/grepolis.jpg"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBk4k5tGPei7wFSkmWEPRdvmEnm4FTANilA_45mV601SOwo-V2Y5hpp2YGkujiW2NTQAZbvjBKE7ZiMFcxr6OmjL-ee0V7L5KYzA7EC4-Poe-yRg-IamlIHAO11_6O2-Jmuawk8yFZkwX/s640/grepolis.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><h3>Different Servers Mean Different Rates </h3>Upon entering the game, you will notice that Grepolis will let you pick a server to play on. Note that this form of server selection is not as simple as just picking a server with the most/least players. Each server has its own speed and limitations. The Mu server for example has a limit of 150 players per alliance and makes use of the new 'Conquer' system while the Kappa server has a higher game speed and an alliance limit of 100. Regardless of which server you choose, you will always have a lot of players to play and have fun with. For now, it's all a matter of how fast, PVP-oriented, or hard you want your gaming experience to be. <br /><br /><img height="472" src="http://www11.onrpg.com/gamepics/articles/Grepolis/3.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><h3>Learning Curve </h3>If you're new to browser based strategy games, I would advise you to stay away from Grepolis. The game (like its counterparts) are quite easy to learn, provided that you have played other games of the same genre. The tutorial was actually rather quick, and runs you through some of the mundane tasks you do in your Grepolis career, but it does leave at least 80% of the system to learn on your own. There is a help page, but I would rather see tutorials tackle most of the basics rather than have everyone do some hefty FAQ reading before enjoying the game (it IS a game after all--- not research). <br /><br /><img height="338" src="http://www11.onrpg.com/gamepics/articles/Grepolis/1.jpg" width="640" /> <br /><br /><h3>Pillage The Village! </h3>One of the best ways to earn resources is to loot helpless NPC villages by sending your troops to attack them. It's a very brutal way of earning gold, but hey, when in Rome, do like the Romans do! <br /><br /><h3>More! </h3>Once you finish your doctorate in Grepolis, you will find the game actually has a lot of features that make it one of the best browser based strategy games out there. Aside from training soldiers and pillaging your neighbors, the game also lets players research various technologies and different systems that can greatly boost the powers of an empire. Religion is also another factor worth noting as players can gain access to different divine powers depending on which god they choose to worship. <br /><br /><img height="356" src="http://www11.onrpg.com/gamepics/articles/Grepolis/2.jpg" width="640" /> <br /><br /><h3> Verdict </h3>All-in-all, Grepolis is a game worth playing, especially if you are into browser based strategy games. It is a bit deep, and has tons of features that will keep you researching until you get your desired results. Still, I can say that I've enjoyed my stay in Grepolis. The game was just so rich with PVP, I just couldn't help but pillage neighboring towns when I ended my 5 day grace period. So what are you waiting for? UNLEASH THOSE DIVINE POWERS!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Source: <a href="http://www.onrpg.com/">onrpg.com </a></div><div class="zemanta-related" style="clear: both; margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><h4 class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles</h4><ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://blog.games.com/2013/03/11/grepolis-road-map-details/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/151521356_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://blog.games.com/2013/03/11/grepolis-road-map-details/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Grepolis sees new developer road map released</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://grepolishacks.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/grepolis-gameplay/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/152340019_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://grepolishacks.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/grepolis-gameplay/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Grepolis Gameplay</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/mmobility-the-community-portal-of-grepolis-might-just-be-a-mode/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/152573866_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/mmobility-the-community-portal-of-grepolis-might-just-be-a-mode/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">MMObility: The community portal of Grepolis might just be a model for the industry</a></li></ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=c59d4153-bda6-4f6b-9140-416e0fcbe0d9" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div></div>

Grepolis (Review)

Grepolis is a browser based strategy MMO set in Ancient Greece. Much like Ikariam, each player starts with a small town that eventually evo...

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Godsrule: War of Mortals (Review)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://play.any.tv/SHH4I" target="_blank">Godsrule</a> is a new browser-based strategy game from Sega and Gogogic. It’s currently in open beta and available to play on the open Web.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqG91Iga2yzIPyrRhu_hoQDoWDSv1HJPJ8eDkuFxSItRBiqUPp4mtB-wF5H2mVCDCwYIpZojxjhyphenhyphenLW_NY_oNqGRqlrI7VzyFaAEpYgHBWpc4IAMNwQTOyaCVyjNvO4Ifb2orMnzJiIHmr3/s1600/gods+rule.jpg"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqG91Iga2yzIPyrRhu_hoQDoWDSv1HJPJ8eDkuFxSItRBiqUPp4mtB-wF5H2mVCDCwYIpZojxjhyphenhyphenLW_NY_oNqGRqlrI7VzyFaAEpYgHBWpc4IAMNwQTOyaCVyjNvO4Ifb2orMnzJiIHmr3/s640/gods+rule.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Godsrule is a free-to-play social strategy game similar to those frequently seen on Facebook and elsewhere on the open Web. Players divide their time between building up their home base to improve their resource and troop stockpiles, battling computer-controlled “ruins” to gain experience, and battling other players for dominance over the game’s persistent world map.<br /><br /><img height="359" src="http://www.insidesocialgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/godsrule.png" width="640" /><br /><br />The building component is rather conventional for the genre. Beginning with a small, poorly laid out base, players must build new structures, move existing ones and make use of them to collect resources, train troops and prepare for battle. Over time, players will upgrade their buildings to gain access to more effective troops and more efficient resource harvesting, and must balance their expenditure to ensure that they have enough space for their troop population to expand as well as enough room to store all their resources. As usual for this type of game, almost any activity requires a period of real time to complete, and this may be bypassed either by expending the game’s hard currency “orbs” to construct/upgrade/train something immediately, or by purchasing “speed up” items to reduce the countdown by a specified interval.<br /><br />In the building component, the player regularly receives quests with generous rewards to encourage them down a good development path. Unfortunately, some of these quests have significant errors in them — in one notable case, the player is instructed to train a non-existent troop type that is presumably only relevant to the other of the two factions it is possible to control in the game. A little experimentation reveals that all the quest is asking the player to do is construct the next available troop type, but this will likely prove confusing to some. It is an error which should have been caught during testing, really, since it occurs so early in the game.<br /><br /><img height="359" src="http://www.insidesocialgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/godsrule2.png" width="640" /><br /><br />Upon attacking either a computer-controlled ruin or loading troops onto a ship to battle another player, the game switches to its combat screen. Here, players are put into a square arena and able to summon their troops one by one up to a particular limit. These troops may then be commanded in real-time, similar to how popular standalone real-time strategy games unfold. The interface is a little clumsy, however, as most conventional real-time strategy games allow the user to select multiple units by clicking and dragging a box around them — here, since clicking and dragging normally scrolls the screen around, it is necessary to click a small and not-very-obvious button at the side of the screen to enable group selection mode.<br /><br />The aim in each of the battle sequences is to capture a relic. This simply requires the player to direct troops to attack it. Player-controlled relics are more difficult to capture than those in the computer-controlled ruins. Meanwhile, as the player is attacking the relic, the opponent’s forces are automatically summoning new troops. It is possible to destroy the opponent’s “summoning stones” for a temporary reprieve from the onslaught, but they often come back within a few seconds. More often than not, the most effective strategy is simply to “Zerg rush” the relic with the strongest possible units to capture it as quickly as possible — units are fairly disposable, anyway, so it’s easy enough to replace any that are lost in the attack.<br /><br />Herein lies a bit of a flaw with Godsrule — it doesn’t really go far enough with what it clearly wants to do. While the ability to take direct control over one’s troops immediately sets this game apart from numerous other self-professed “hardcore” free-to-play strategy games, the boring square combat arenas offer little in the way of tactical play. There’s generally no cover to worry about and no environmental hazards, so despite the ability to control units independently, there’s really very little need to do more than select all of them and systematically defeat the enemies one at a time. The asynchronous nature of combat also means that it never really feels like you’re actually outsmarting another person, either — PvP battles just end up feeling like slightly more difficult PvE combat, and that is only because the relic takes longer to capture in most cases.<br /><br />Social features for the game include Facebook connectivity, though this is largely used simply to log in to the game, along with a real-time chat facility, the ability to “follow” individual users, and full clan functionality for cooperative play. Like most games of this type, however, the experience feels largely solitary for the most part — even when joining a clan, the asynchronous nature of the game means that it never quite feels like you’re playing “together.”<br /><br />The game monetizes through its aforementioned hard currency, which may be expended to immediately build structures or train troops, and also on purchasing “Automatics,” which automatically harvest resources from structures for a set period of time even when the player is not present. Players may also spend hard currency on customizing their experience with new emblems for their clan, new taunts to use in battle or new titles to attach to their player name. At this time, there does not appear to be anything in the way of “pay to win” items in the in-game store, which helps keep things balanced.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KVHPhy4G-aU" width="640"></iframe> <br />Gameplay issues aside — most of which are endemic to the browser-based strategy genre rather than exclusive to Godsrule — the game is actually pretty good, on the whole. It’s extremely well-presented, with smooth animation and atmospheric sound. When put into full-screen mode, it looks for the most part like a downloadable standalone game — the only slightly “rough round the edges” element that reminds you it’s a Web game comes when loading a new environment for the first time, and objects “pop in” on screen one at a time rather than simply being there. This sort of thing should really be covered up by a loading screen.<br /><br />Overall, then, Godsrule doesn’t do a great deal new with the browser-based strategy game genre, but what it does it does well. The addition of real-time strategy-style combat is a good one, but it’s an underdeveloped feature with a lot of potential at present rather than a real selling point. It’s a well-presented game that is worth playing, but it’ll need to do more to distinguish itself in the long term if it wants to compete with the big hitters of the genre.<br /><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: right;">Source: <a href="http://www.insidesocialgames.com/" target="_blank">insidesocialgames.com</a></div></div><div class="zemanta-related" style="clear: both; margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><h4 class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles</h4><ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2013/03/26/gdc-roundup-godsrule-unity-and-perblue/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/155410287_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2013/03/26/gdc-roundup-godsrule-unity-and-perblue/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">GDC roundup: Godsrule, Unity and PerBlue</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/2/26/4032788/godsrule-war-of-mortals-enters-open-beta" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/148259941_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/2/26/4032788/godsrule-war-of-mortals-enters-open-beta" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Godsrule: War of Mortals enters open beta</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/video-games/video-games-news/godsrule-war-mortals-open-beta-1733669" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/148455836_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/video-games/video-games-news/godsrule-war-mortals-open-beta-1733669" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Godsrule: War of Mortal's 'Open Beta' is now open</a></li></ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8b421bc9-c445-48ae-9e63-6812c84178c2" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div></div>

Godsrule: War of Mortals (Review)

Godsrule is a new browser-based strategy game from Sega and Gogogic. It’s currently in open beta and available to play on the open Web. God...

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Cultures Online (Review)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://play.any.tv/SHHtA" target="_blank"><b>Cultures Online</b></a> is a free browser game that puts you back in the Viking era. At first glance it reminds me of the most popular title – the settlers, which has been developed into a browser game by Ubisoft. Cultures Online is a free browser game with item shop support. Usually  you do not need to buy some items using your real money, but if you want to advance quickly and get started on the game fast, you can go to Shopping mall and find some appropriate items to boost your journey.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsYH8Dw1k4vQeTUYk5l-w1oXnBIW1DeAeds-ETE0EXhF2vcbOlhXidPbDC3mj4cZXh8UDWsUeQZnt2ffpTe7jIYMfsdzS_EDlkpLKGV1F39g-x4CfEQbo5Ofrs95cEQWxwCDBtZf9WnlJ/s1600/cultures-online.jpg"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsYH8Dw1k4vQeTUYk5l-w1oXnBIW1DeAeds-ETE0EXhF2vcbOlhXidPbDC3mj4cZXh8UDWsUeQZnt2ffpTe7jIYMfsdzS_EDlkpLKGV1F39g-x4CfEQbo5Ofrs95cEQWxwCDBtZf9WnlJ/s640/cultures-online.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Turn your village into a sprawling town, lead your heroes on thrilling expeditions all across Europe. Compete against thousands of other players all around the world and band together with friends to form the mightiest tribe of all times.<br /><br /><h4>Registration</h4>After simple registration, you will be redirected to the main page of the game. If you have a Gamigo account, you can login the game directly. ” Thank you for your account at Cultures Online. You will be redirected in 5 seconds to play”.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.browsergameslist.com/imgs/cultures-online.jpg"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://www.browsergameslist.com/imgs/cultures-online.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><h4>Music</h4>I should say the music is of interest to me, as you are immersed into the Medieval ages when you wander on the churn. I am not sure if the music is divided into some chapters, because I am only a listener, never study music art. Fantastic Counry music, cinematic and impressive. It’s charactered by the fresh excitement of giving players joy rather than adventure.<br /><br /><h4>Graphics</h4>The ingame character design is marked by cartoony theme. I personally believe such style is closely bound up with pirates. The maps and buildings are not so quality as I checked even it has all been made using Flash.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.freemmostation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cultures-online-31.jpg"><img border="0" height="477" src="http://www.freemmostation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cultures-online-31.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><h4>Game</h4>In the beginning you have only one hero, some resources, and a building. Your task is to expand your village and go on raids. To develop the village you need more resources that can be obtained by loggers who can help build a quarry too. These two buildings are important in the beginning. The other buildings for the resource extraction, such as iron mine or gold mine will be needed later.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mmogames.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/strategy-mmo-games-cultures-online-farm-screenshot.jpg"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://www.mmogames.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/strategy-mmo-games-cultures-online-farm-screenshot.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The main points of Cultures Online is raids and PvP. However, you will have to spend a lot of money on it if you want to put you in the Raid dungeons, even that will only take you 10 minutes feel. As for PVP, there are only few clicks and after that, you can get some rewards upon your victory, or you will be killed with nothing lost.<br /><br />The game is not bad, but the game may not give players ever lasting action and warring.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/84qJWKB5rJA" width="640"></iframe></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Source: <a href="http://mmogamesite.com/">mmogamesite.com</a></div></div></div>

Cultures Online (Review)

Cultures Online is a free browser game that puts you back in the Viking era. At first glance it reminds me of the most popular title – the ...

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Akaneiro: Demon Hunters (Review)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.angry-red.com/">Akaneiro: Demon Hunters</a> hacks and slashes its way through feudal Japan with a Red Riding Hood flair. No one puts a dark twist on a classic tale like American McGee. Having already put Alice through her action-horror paces a couple of times, the designer and his team at Spicy Horse Games turn to Red Riding Hood forAkaneiro: Demon Hunters. This Red is no helpless girl, but a member of a team of demon hunters in the Edo period of feudal Japan. Those demons aren't going to kill themselves, so it's up to you in this free-to-play action-RPG.<br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9T6h3-NDsr-7yk-jQfQPQb2-8VIU9RggPPZEgSxgtsQHuOhrEd_WHErH2a_78mkBz1_vT4TQcFnNalOxU__8GjgDxfG_bf1stXXi66BBoVd0D0p1chcbRoV1fCS6fBdQ8dixfp2PU3BI/s640/Akaneiro-Demon-Hunters-logo-700x300.jpg" /><br /><br /><br />To be fair, the Red Riding Hood theme isn't quite as obvious in Akaneiro: Demon Hunters as the Alice in Wonderland theme was in McGee's Alice games. You're free to create either male or female slayers based on three primary characteristics. Go for Prowess is you want a dual-wielding damage dealer, Fortitude to concentrate on heavy armor or defense, or Cunning to focus on ranged attacks and evasive tricks. The class system isn't absolute, so you can change things up later to suit your playing style.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGqfuq_RG0mutXT2ortoJOgnrFwT9dHv-Trv7X_5gd7u7mOthvjcgnmCDbENk96_sUdrE2iFtvMtEcZzmCzeT1RmQGIIQwY3R8llu7q6r5jLhzaiShcFLFGPoB2G5WhUEVPzPeLOQ0T19/s1600/154_screen_1.jpg"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGqfuq_RG0mutXT2ortoJOgnrFwT9dHv-Trv7X_5gd7u7mOthvjcgnmCDbENk96_sUdrE2iFtvMtEcZzmCzeT1RmQGIIQwY3R8llu7q6r5jLhzaiShcFLFGPoB2G5WhUEVPzPeLOQ0T19/s640/154_screen_1.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />The controls are kept simple, the better to hack and slash your way through waves of Yokai: demons and monsters straight out of Japanese folklore. Yes, there are also wolves, and plenty of them. Movement and basic attacks are done with a left-click, while your primary ability can be activated with a right-click. Other abilities are mapped to the number keys, and you'll need to remember what is where because the enemies give you little time for fumbling around.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvIpFmdujHPuwGOf_8pe91M9-Tb-daCnd4cA1wwAc9trOh8tHK83Kq77jU1VIFmtNRijCLdnT01hjZvE_j-JFmQ3Hn8FqpP-xb0GWPzcU874D1oUWFSpXRLA_pxAGO684YjRRxqL6UDMI/s1600/1334094152_akaneiro-demon-hunters-pc-1334087499-001.jpg"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvIpFmdujHPuwGOf_8pe91M9-Tb-daCnd4cA1wwAc9trOh8tHK83Kq77jU1VIFmtNRijCLdnT01hjZvE_j-JFmQ3Hn8FqpP-xb0GWPzcU874D1oUWFSpXRLA_pxAGO684YjRRxqL6UDMI/s640/1334094152_akaneiro-demon-hunters-pc-1334087499-001.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />A central village acts as the hub for you to take on quests, which mostly require you to clear out neighboring locales that have been overrun with Yokai. You can summon another player's character to act as a wingman – something the game could probably be more clear about explaining – but once you're on a mission, you're there until you complete it or decide to bail by teleporting back to the village.<br /><br />The mini-map is very useful for pointing out the locations of monsters and showing you exactly where you need to go, yet there's still an element of surprise at times, with demons leaping from beyond the edges of the screen to ambush you. Defeated enemies drop Karma Shards, a kind of mystical currency that is used for almost everything: buying gear and consumables, learning new abilities, and in-quest revives. Loot is plentiful in the grand action-RPG tradition, and unneeded gear can be sold at the village shops or simply transmuted to Karma from your inventory screen.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYAjcrk7bH66qdODszA0H_mjpI_0fK__cdHdVER88FGnGXDMbyzIbfJyRyTJJj9P07gYY0u8TT4vB74om2RgWehyphenhyphenTn0XXQIPbrKM8snoo-o0_JHl3RjugeSXRTSeZk5UJBq9sSUlKSO7V/s1600/image_akaneiro_demon_hunters-20272-2592_0008.jpg"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYAjcrk7bH66qdODszA0H_mjpI_0fK__cdHdVER88FGnGXDMbyzIbfJyRyTJJj9P07gYY0u8TT4vB74om2RgWehyphenhyphenTn0XXQIPbrKM8snoo-o0_JHl3RjugeSXRTSeZk5UJBq9sSUlKSO7V/s640/image_akaneiro_demon_hunters-20272-2592_0008.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Karma can also be used to adjust the difficulty of existing missions or unlock new regions of the game world. Increased difficulty in this case mostly means more and hardier monsters, and you may end up having to go through some of the maps multiple times to gain enough Karma to advance. On top of that, you can only level up at the end of a completed quest. But while there's a definite grinding aspect to the gameplay, at least there's a purpose to it. Plus, if you find yourself enjoying the game enough to pay for it, a one-time fee can unlock all of the content in one fell swoop.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGS06eAEP-sFNKVP0FA5-sbcWphArAzXYLsVrZvkxg1qna4PDy3OKYfAUj3lV2uvTS2XgunCuTBQOT0x0SvDtFnfvJkn0zGnc0NIdLz_rRQVbeDxIp0Wa3PKfo-hu7N6n-wBLb3Nd_zzR/s1600/akaneiro-demon-hunters_003.jpg"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGS06eAEP-sFNKVP0FA5-sbcWphArAzXYLsVrZvkxg1qna4PDy3OKYfAUj3lV2uvTS2XgunCuTBQOT0x0SvDtFnfvJkn0zGnc0NIdLz_rRQVbeDxIp0Wa3PKfo-hu7N6n-wBLb3Nd_zzR/s640/akaneiro-demon-hunters_003.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Some people are bound to do just that after falling in love with the setting of Akaneiro, which takes a backseat to no game in terms of atmosphere. That probably comes as no surprise given McGee's track record, but it's still pretty remarkable the way the game immerses you in Japanese mythology. The visuals make it look like you are playing your way through old Edo-era paintings, and the extra flourishes like leaves that fall in front of the camera simply add to the overall feel. Those graphics require a bit of processing power from your PC or Mac, but there are several settings in case you need to tone them down.<br /><br />Some features Spicy Horse wanted to include at launch, namely crafting, co-op multiplayer, and mobile editions for iOS and Android, are still in the works. A Kickstarter campaign that (just barely) met its goals means that all of these things will probably still materialize, and there are even more ambitious plans for future content if the game really catches on. Even in its current form, though, Akaneiro: Demon Hunters is a stylish action-RPG with the power to suck you into its world. You can't ask for much more than that from a free-to-play game.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c_kUiWF4Wn8" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Source: <a href="http://www.gamezbo.com/" target="_blank">gamezbo.com</a></div><div class="zemanta-related" style="clear: both; margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><h4 class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles</h4><ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/rise-and-shiny-akeneiro-demon-hunters/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/146057597_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/rise-and-shiny-akeneiro-demon-hunters/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Rise and Shiny: Akaneiro: Demon Hunters</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/02/04/american-mcgees-akaneiro-demon-hunter-goes-live-gets-kickstarted/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/143004689_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/02/04/american-mcgees-akaneiro-demon-hunter-goes-live-gets-kickstarted/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">American McGee's 'Akaneiro: Demon Hunter' Goes Live, Gets Kickstarted</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/214328/akaneiro-demon-hunters-hits-kickstarter-goal-coming-to-ios/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/143067650_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/214328/akaneiro-demon-hunters-hits-kickstarter-goal-coming-to-ios/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Akaneiro: Demon Hunters Hits Kickstarter Goal, Coming To iPad</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/previews/akaneiro-demon-hunters-kickstarter-ending-soon-heres-what-we-think-of-it/" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/142432987_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/previews/akaneiro-demon-hunters-kickstarter-ending-soon-heres-what-we-think-of-it/" style="display: block; height: 80px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Akaneiro: Demon Hunters Kickstarter ending soon - here's what we think of it</a></li></ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8b421bc9-c445-48ae-9e63-6812c84178c2" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div></div>

Akaneiro: Demon Hunters (Review)

Akaneiro: Demon Hunters hacks and slashes its way through feudal Japan with a Red Riding Hood flair. No one puts a dark twist on a classic ...

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Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances (Review)

In this free-to-play browser game, you can experience the Command and Conquer series like never before and show off your strategic skills to players around the world...<br /><br />In the online version of the latest in the Command and Conquer series, you will be faced with many different challenges which will put your strategic skills to the test. In this tough-as-nails world, the only thing that is sure is all-out war over the valuable resources. Of course, you need to get your hands on those resources as well and you must stop at nothing to claim them as your own.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y_OyCR9ggyQSAfZORLAjasnSAuDJnwEUQty3alhSwjiBe3rlBElY3zxl7UK492NVDECXvpVt40MqsV-yVP15IDiUWqclcfZSHHK1IN0k-0MMT3-6zNQUz86isyfOqi0s-FepyQGu_Oiz/s1600/cctiberiumalliances_20338.nphd.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y_OyCR9ggyQSAfZORLAjasnSAuDJnwEUQty3alhSwjiBe3rlBElY3zxl7UK492NVDECXvpVt40MqsV-yVP15IDiUWqclcfZSHHK1IN0k-0MMT3-6zNQUz86isyfOqi0s-FepyQGu_Oiz/s640/cctiberiumalliances_20338.nphd.jpg" /></a><br /><br />However, it is not always about wiping out the enemy and flattening their bases at every turn in <a href="https://www.tiberiumalliances.com/">Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances</a>. An important facet of taking over the world is diplomatic as well. This is why you must perfect your diplomatic skills and forge powerful alliances with other players. You cannot face the world alone, those that do, fail.<br /><a href="http://img01.bgstatic-com.de/images/games/games/580/screenshots/620x465/commandandconquer2.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://img01.bgstatic-com.de/images/games/games/580/screenshots/620x465/commandandconquer2.jpg" /></a><br />In order to bring the area around you under your control and to build up an empire, you will need a large amount of resources. However, as you already know, these are the single most important things in the world of Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances and it will be no easy task to secure them.<br /><br /><a href="http://img01.bgstatic-com.de/images/games/games/580/screenshots/620x465/commandandconquer11.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://img01.bgstatic-com.de/images/games/games/580/screenshots/620x465/commandandconquer11.jpg" /></a><br /><br />As you look at the map of territories, which seems to go on forever, you will be able to plan the growth of your empire and see your enemies. You must plan carefully in Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances because your enemies could turn on you at any moment. Remember, you are not the only one trying to bring all of the territories under your control.<br /><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_PMGAtQd27Y" width="560"></iframe></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">Source: <a href="http://browsergamez.com/">browsergamez.com</a></div>

Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances (Review)

In this free-to-play browser game, you can experience the Command and Conquer series like never before and show off your strategic skills to...

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Ontario. A voyage to Province of Ontario, Canada, North America - Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, London, Markham, Vaughan, Kitchener, Windsor...

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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O9SMTKKV0Cs/UVYgAf0zuOI/AAAAAAAAfuQ/rYlaVOCEUEQ/s200/Ontario+Canada+31.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a class="pin toggleMap closed" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario#" id="pinToggleMap" style="display: block;"><span class="showMapText"></span><span class="closeMapText"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHhvqhmZcNoV0055ud4DaAHBzniSeUIogWHwLEVYD7p8q0FYWWMo_vPmehBdnq6QHZDuZmN_fiufpzmAgO2tuY4VxnZE9sJuzefKwlVEzCDeFztW_0DAKsRomj0_BLOI7sFoxz7R-DGS7/s1600/Ontario+Canada+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHhvqhmZcNoV0055ud4DaAHBzniSeUIogWHwLEVYD7p8q0FYWWMo_vPmehBdnq6QHZDuZmN_fiufpzmAgO2tuY4VxnZE9sJuzefKwlVEzCDeFztW_0DAKsRomj0_BLOI7sFoxz7R-DGS7/s320/Ontario+Canada+21.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361420">Québec</a> may be bigger, <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361227">British Columbia</a> may have more mountains, and <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361213">Alberta</a> is certainly flexing its economic biceps at the moment, but when it comes to culture, cuisine and sophistication, Ontario wins hands down. Sure, there are just as many empty, cold acres here as anywhere else, but when you’re in Ontario, you can’t help but feel a palpable connection with the rest of the planet. Forget ice fishing, conifers and bear for a minute – this is global <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361212">Canada</a>, big-city <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361212">Canada</a>, sexy, progressive, urbane <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361212">Canada</a>. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-fFHql6Ah9TSjox4VF9fUQ-4IXvlGonaAKqNc5MYl2rJMXN3080-mQP6kFFHOdrXzQdb8KOPrlDajwsuyJvRpbujfSpfV9T01MPwtrZX6GaL-XsQJZoEJT7cjGyDNEsRqqXx0hKmi6Sa/s1600/Ontario+Canada+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-fFHql6Ah9TSjox4VF9fUQ-4IXvlGonaAKqNc5MYl2rJMXN3080-mQP6kFFHOdrXzQdb8KOPrlDajwsuyJvRpbujfSpfV9T01MPwtrZX6GaL-XsQJZoEJT7cjGyDNEsRqqXx0hKmi6Sa/s320/Ontario+Canada+18.jpg" width="320" /></a>Most Ontarians live in the south within a few hundred kilometers of the US border, where winters are bearable and steamy summers lure folks outside. <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361412">Toronto</a>, <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361212">Canada</a>’s largest city, is here – a blazing metropolis overflowing with multicultural arts, entertainment and eating opportunities. <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361401">Ottawa</a>, <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361212">Canada</a>’s capital, is changing too. No longer a steadfast political filing cabinet, contemporary <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361401">Ottawa</a> is as hip as you want it to be. Year-round, Ontario celebrates its diversity with a cavalcade of festivals. Thespians rejoice over <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361410">Stratford</a>’s Shakespeare Festival and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Connoisseurs of a more hedonistic activity – beer drinking – immerse themselves in Kitchener’s Oktoberfest and the <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361408">London</a> Beer Festival, while a festival-free weekend in <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361412">Toronto</a> is an event unto itself. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpxKCXJBtqI/UVTyzL-8BnI/AAAAAAAAfsI/jczXjZDz1GQ/s1600/Ontario+Canada+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpxKCXJBtqI/UVTyzL-8BnI/AAAAAAAAfsI/jczXjZDz1GQ/s200/Ontario+Canada+22.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DjqkKIIrUFI/UVYgCLp9fEI/AAAAAAAAfu4/_tKAB5gvMG8/s1600/Ontario+Canada+35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DjqkKIIrUFI/UVYgCLp9fEI/AAAAAAAAfu4/_tKAB5gvMG8/s400/Ontario+Canada+35.jpg" width="298" /></a>Cities and festivities don’t float your boat? Not far from the madding crowds, low-key agricultural towns and historic settlements define Ontario’s country civility. And if you <i>must </i>seek out wildlife, there are some excellent national parks here too. From arctic Hudson Bay in the north to the temperate <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361928">Great Lakes</a> in the south you’ll find more than enough boreal forests, undulating hills and vineyards to keep you feeling green.<br />And don’t forget <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361389">Niagara Falls</a> – if you’ve found a natural wonder more deserving of the adjective ‘spectacular, ’ drop us a line.<a class="pin toggleMap closed" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario#" id="pinToggleMap" style="display: block;"><span class="showMapText">Show in Lonely Planet</span></a><br /><div class="relatedLinks clearfix"><h3 class="themeHeading">More about Ontario </h3><ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJn_fFJz8Gu3I-4D1CVhLFC5f2mXe2MEb6ZzucLZXVpIZQ5zHU5mtC0xYFbBvpIQYXd7AS1WWZq1d2GX8R33QZpA6aMkD1ORYm841R0Ht1Ky4Mq8GRYU20xMfPUCeZvdNpG9vHh2IG8lW/s1600/Ontario+Canada+16.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJn_fFJz8Gu3I-4D1CVhLFC5f2mXe2MEb6ZzucLZXVpIZQ5zHU5mtC0xYFbBvpIQYXd7AS1WWZq1d2GX8R33QZpA6aMkD1ORYm841R0Ht1Ky4Mq8GRYU20xMfPUCeZvdNpG9vHh2IG8lW/s400/Ontario+Canada+16.jpg" width="400" /></a><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/places">Places in Ontario <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/weather">When to go & weather <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/transport/getting-there-around">Getting there & around <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/history">History <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/travel-tips-and-articles">Tips & articles <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/hotels?lpaffil=hotels-beta">Hotels</a></li></ul></div><div class="relatedLinks clearfix"><h3 class="themeHeading">Make it happen</h3><ul><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/shopSearch?q=ontario%5E2+or+Canada">Shop for travel guides</a></li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/ontario/hotels?lpaffil=hotels-beta">Search hotels</a></li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings/flights.do">Cheap flights</a></li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings/insurance.do">Travel insurance</a></li></ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlgO0f15ZFIBAegBxLsS9-K9pHyKs-_m9hVZJjEQ19BwCEPc5MzxRxiy6rq4x3Yyx74Tbdx2XV0I86-Lty8LWAckPRJkY_woBLa2w0ERN7b_JWCk0OMZY5K4wgTxh7VxSA2dsaHVoP8j4/s1600/Ontario+Canada+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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Ontario. A voyage to Province of Ontario, Canada, North America - Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, London, Markham, Vaughan, Kitchener, Windsor...

Québec may be bigger, British Columbia may have more mountains, and Alberta is certainly flexing its economic biceps at the moment, but ...

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