Galaxy game pad

Samsung launches a game pad for Android that’s optimized for its Galaxy phones 

 

Apple began allowing third-party gamepads on the iPhone with iOS 7, and Samsung is also upping its presence in the space after announcing its own gamepad (the not-so-creatively named ‘Smartphone GamePad’) for Android 4.1 phones.
Unlike the iPhone gamepads which attach themselves to the device, Samsung’s is standalone and uses a Bluetooth connection to link up with a smartphone — although Android 4.3-powered Galaxy phones enjoy more features, including NFC connect support.
The GamePad weighs in at 195g and features an eight-way D-Pad, two analog sticks, four action buttons and two triggers located on the shoulders of the device.




The pad is accompanied by an app (‘the Mobile Console app’) through which users can browse and buy supported games. The GamePad appears to support all Android smartphones, but some features — including a ‘Play’ button — are exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy family.
The company points out that Galaxy device owners can hook their phone up to their TV using an HDMI cable or mirroring apps like Samsung’s AllShare service, and then replicate a home console experience using the GamePad.
Samsung says the GamePad is available now in “select” countries in Europe, although it has not revealed a price (we’ve contact Samsung to try to get it). The company says the accessory will become available in other markets “in the coming weeks.”

THE DARKKN Review

THE DARKKN1GHT459 RETURNS

Calling all super-heroes! Nearly three years after its launch on PC and PlayStation 3, DC Universe Online is flying higher than ever. Now released on PlayStation 4, this action-packed online RPG has grown beefier, free-er, and sharper thanks to a modest graphics makeover. It’s still mostly the same game as it was when we first reviewed it, though, so if you weren’t a fan of grinding through legions of heroes and villains to gain experience, earn super-loot, and hang out with the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman, then this revamped edition may still leave you Captain Cold.

Secret Origins

Getting started with DC Universe Online on PS4 is easy, especially if you’ve been playing on the PS3. It shares the same servers, so all you need to do is log in with your PSN account and your existing toons will follow. For newcomers, though, character creation is a comic fans dream come true. Designing a custom hero or villain from scratch or using an existing DC character as a template offers a dizzying array of possible combinations, naturally falling into the MMO roles of tank, controller, and healer. Be warned, though, that three years in, all the good hero and villain names have been taken so you may be stuck with adding numbers or being really creative.

Based on real-time combat instead of the auto-fighting that prevailed in older MMOs, DC Universe Online’s fun fighting system hasn’t changed much since launch. Expect to punch guys a lot in the beginning since your early powers tend to be less powerful than your fists. Character animations are stilted and the lack of variety in henchmen, cops, and goons can get a bit tiresome. The controls are practically identical to those on PS3, and it’s fairly easy to implement multiple powers using a combination of the shoulder bumpers and main buttons.

As you level up, things get cooler as you add skills and powers from the expansive skill tree. Unfortunately, the progression trees can be too limited, and sometimes ask that you choose powers you don’t want or don’t make sense for your character’s backstory in order to get the one you actually want.

Many of the story quests are personally assigned by DC’s iconic characters like Batman and Joker, which really makes you feel like an important part of this comic-book world and not just another guy in a cape. Open-world quests tend to be pretty grindy and monotonous, usually ordering you to collect or defeat a particular number of items or enemies. Much more interesting are instanced dungeon encounters that climax each story arc, in which you fight alongside superpowered elite like The Flash or take down major villains like Poison Ivy.

Finishing all the main storyline content should cap out your character at level 30. If you’re mainly a solo player, there’s not much for you to do after that except to replay missions or restart a new character, but the more social-minded now have access to an excess of exciting endgame content like story-based raids, co-op encounters, and PvP battles that incorporate DC’s big-name characters.

What’s New

DC Universe Online has grown in complexity thanks to a steady stream of updates and purchasable DLC packs. The new crafting system, which lets you create power-giving exobytes and slot them into your armor and equipment, is dead simple. That’s good, because beefing up your gear increases your Combat Rating; a high rating grants access to some of the most exciting top tier raids and encounters. This stick and carrot system is a powerful enticement to keep playing, even after you’ve maxed out your level cap.

The Home Turf DLC lets you purchase and customize your own home base. Lairs are pretty useful in that its personal mainframe gives you access to sidekicks, supply drops, and more while out in the field. Not to mention that you can also invade other people’s lairs or defend yours in fun group raids.

One thing that isn’t new is the setting. DC Universe Online came out right before DC Comics’ New 52 reboot of its comic book line, meaning that Tim Drake is still Robin and Superman still wears his classic red trunks. It’s disappointing that the DC Universe itself has changed, and the game can’t change along with it, but doing so would probably be a major overhaul. In comic book lingo, I prefer to think of it as taking place on one of DC’s unspecified parallel Earths.

THE VERDICT

DC Universe Online looks the best it ever has on PS4, and is definitely an improvement over the PS3 version’s chunkier, low-textured visuals. It has matured quite a bit since launch, adding much-needed elements like crafting, home bases, and more end-game content, but maintaining a level cap of 30 may put off those players who’d like to further advance their veteran characters or are primarily interested in soloing. That said, DC Universe Online is the best super-hero MMO out there and well worth the free download.

Call of Duty: Ghosts- Review

Like a good sequel should, Call of Duty: Ghosts doesn’t ignore the formula of fast, fluid gameplay that has made the series famous, but introduces a unique new premise, unprecedented player personalization, and sweeping changes that breathe new life into the multiplayer experience. It’s over-the-top and at times unnecessarily complex, but serves both current and next-generation consoles with ambitious new ideas and tremendous replay value.

Despite sharing a name with one of Modern Warfare’s best-known characters, Ghosts takes place in an entirely new Call of Duty universe set in the not-too-distant future. In a genre overwrought with antiquated Russian conflicts and ambiguous Middle Eastern terrorist threats, Ghosts takes on a refreshingly unique premise in which the threat comes not from the east, but the south: a federation of oil-rich South American nations rises to take over the hemisphere, pushing north and coming to blows with the U.S.

The prelude establishes a harrowing vision of a United States homeland that's broken but not beaten – not quite Red Dawn,  but not Fallout 3, either. It’s a space not often explored by modern shooters, and its mood is heightened by missions set in a besieged Santa Monica and the wasted remains of San Diego, to the tune of an excellent, somber score from David Buckley (The Town, Metal Gear Solid 4). But ultimately, time on the poignant homefront is short lived as the story goes behind enemy lines in Caracas, the Andes mountains, and other exotic locales.

Those might lack to familiarity, but the variety of environments keeps the campaign fresh, not only in terms of visuals, but in gameplay as well. Instead of just fighting waves of enemies through a linear stage at ground level, you’ll find yourself rappelling down skyscrapers, flying helicopters, having firefights in space, commanding tanks, scuba diving through shipwrecks, playing as a dog, and evading shark attacks. Each requires new strategy, acute situational awareness, and – in the case of the space and water missions – special consideration for verticality and physics.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Call of Duty game without elaborate setpieces, fierce shootouts, and tense stealth missions, and Ghosts delivers some of the most memorable experiences in the series. I felt genuine dread as the ground and buildings collapsed around me during orbital weapons strikes, the zero-gravity spectacle of the Federation’s space station ambush is awe-inspiring, and bursting through a highrise window as the entire building crumbles during the Federation Day mission is exhilarating.

But like previous CoDs, the story of Ghosts struggles to remain in focus amidst the fray of explosive cinematic moments and relentless firefights. Narrated loading sequences with stylized story animations push the campaign forward, but only last for one or two minutes before launching back into the action. It’s there, on the front lines, that much of the plot progression is presented and oftentimes lost.

It's by no means an achievement in dramatic storytelling — it's more about dumb fun — and it lacks the player-choice element introduced with Call of Duty: Black Ops II, but when given time to breathe Ghosts actually offers some interesting human drama. The story centers around two brothers, Logan and Hesh, their father Elias, and yes, their dog Reilly as they fight the Federation as part of the battered remnants of the U.S. military, and later as the elite Ghosts squad. The family ties, specifically the relationship between Logan and Hesh, made me care about the protagonists in a series that's habitually made its characters a dispensable commodity. The voice acting is decent overall, though there are periodic moments of cringe-worthy dialog, like one superfluous moment when Elias reveals he’s a member of the Ghosts. And then there’s Riley. Though the subject of many a meme at this point, Riley not only acts as a useful tool for recon and silently dispatching enemies, but is integral to several dramatic sequences, saving your character on more than one occasion.

The story stumbles in the second act when it strays away from the more evocative character focus in favor of a long stretch of back-to-back missions driven almost exclusively by guns-blazing combat. While not poorly done, this visually arresting, action-packed, but ultimately hollow middle stands in stark contrast to the effective first and final acts. On the bright side, that padded out my play time to roughly 10 hours, making this campaign one of the longest CoD single-player experiences.

Or, in the case of those for whom multiplayer is the primary focus, it handily gets out of the way other than to serve as the inspiration for map environments, equipment, and weapon design.

Ghosts preserves much of the look and feel of the traditional Call of Duty multiplayer experience, but introduces sweeping changes that make it more personalized, more diverse, and better balanced. At its core lies the expansive new Create a Soldier system, which affords us the ability to create and customize 10 unique characters, each with up to six loadouts, for a total of 60 available classes and 20,000 possible configurations. Create a Soldier also riffs on Black Ops II’s Pick 10 system, allowing you to forego certain equipment in order to outfit a primary weapon with extra attachments or enable extra perks. In all, there are an impressive 39 weapons, 12 pieces of equipment, 35 new perks, 36 scorestreaks spanning three categories, and various weapons attachments to choose from.

Create a Solider is ambitious in its scope, and the sheer breadth of options caters to and empowers every style of play. Whether you want to run around like a high-powered knife-wielding mutant or move stealthily through a map by using heightened senses, you can. But for all of its versatility, Create a Soldier is dauntingly complex next to previous Call of Duty games. Even after hours of matches and experimentation, I felt as though I had only begun to understand the nuances of each of the 35 unique perks and how to optimize my classes for a specific style of play. On the one hand, Create a Soldier’s depth will have enthusiast players honing their perfect loadouts for months, but on the other, it makes for a more challenging entry-level experience.

Or, in the case of those for whom multiplayer is the primary focus, it handily gets out of the way other than to serve as the inspiration for map environments, equipment, and weapon design.

Ghosts preserves much of the look and feel of the traditional Call of Duty multiplayer experience, but introduces sweeping changes that make it more personalized, more diverse, and better balanced. At its core lies the expansive new Create a Soldier system, which affords us the ability to create and customize 10 unique characters, each with up to six loadouts, for a total of 60 available classes and 20,000 possible configurations. Create a Soldier also riffs on Black Ops II’s Pick 10 system, allowing you to forego certain equipment in order to outfit a primary weapon with extra attachments or enable extra perks. In all, there are an impressive 39 weapons, 12 pieces of equipment, 35 new perks, 36 scorestreaks spanning three categories, and various weapons attachments to choose from.

Create a Solider is ambitious in its scope, and the sheer breadth of options caters to and empowers every style of play. Whether you want to run around like a high-powered knife-wielding mutant or move stealthily through a map by using heightened senses, you can. But for all of its versatility, Create a Soldier is dauntingly complex next to previous Call of Duty games. Even after hours of matches and experimentation, I felt as though I had only begun to understand the nuances of each of the 35 unique perks and how to optimize my classes for a specific style of play. On the one hand, Create a Soldier’s depth will have enthusiast players honing their perfect loadouts for months, but on the other, it makes for a more challenging entry-level experience.

When comparing the PS4 and Xbox One versions side-by-side, there’s little to no variation in textures and effects, but there is a discernible difference in resolution. While both are displayed at 1080p, the Xbox One version upscales the game from 720p resolution. In contrast, the PS4 version runs natively at 1080p, which makes character models, weapons, and environments look noticeably sharper and more detailed. The difference is especially apparent on larger-sized TVs, where pixel density weighs more heavily in picture quality.

It’s certainly going to be a sticking point for those who demand the highest fidelity experience, but the difference is harder to identify in absence of a side-by-side comparison.

Oddly, the Xbox One version makes no use of the haptic feedback motors built into the controller’s triggers, and the DualShock 4’s trackpad is used solely as a button to toggle the in-game scoreboard during multiplayer.

There is, however, one notable exclusion from current-gen. Historically, Call of Duty has limited a majority of its modes to 12 players, but offered an additional playlist that supports 18-player matches known as Ground War. While the larger-scale matches live on with the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, owners of the Xbox 360, Wii U, and PS3 versions are capped at 12 players. It’s a surprising step back for the series, and the larger maps could have benefited from the higher player count.

It should also be noted that my smooth multiplayer experience was hosted on a dedicated server hosted by Activision – and most of yours will be, too. Activision says that all platforms will use a hybrid of dedicated servers and peer-to-peer matchmaking, which should eliminate many of the lag issues we've seen in the past. If all goes well, the days of being tossed into a game hosted by someone 2,000 miles away on a dial-up connection will be behind us.

The Verdict

Call of Duty: Ghosts isn't a reinvention of the franchise, but proves there's still room for innovation within its existing formula. Though at the risk of overcomplicating things at times, its robust multiplayer gameplay, surprisingly fun co-op modes, and lengthy, challenging, and varied campaign makes Ghosts one of the best Call of Duty games to date.

Siri vs. Google Now: Which is the best iPhone assistant?

Google Now voice search vs Siri : Battle of the personal assistants

 

As big players in the mobile phone industry look to outperform each other on certain features, voice has become one of the biggest go-tos as they hope to garner customers in recent years.
Apple kicked things off on the iOS side with the introduction of Siri in October 2011 - the personal voice assistant the company hopes lives up to the Norwegian Siri name, meaning "beautiful woman who leads you to victory".
Google's Android incorporated Google Now in 2012, which won Popular Science's "Innovation of the Year". It was launched a little later than the iOS Siri, but nonetheless was called a solid competitor at the time. There's also Microsoft's voice-enabled search features in Windows Phone, but they aren't as wide-reaching as Siri and Google Now so we've held off comparing it here for the moment. Both companies peg themselves as having the best "intelligent personal assistants", but who really has the upper hand on features?

What is Siri?

"Siri. Your wish its command," says the Apple marketing blurb.
Siri is a personal assistant developed by Apple and is hard-coded into the company's iOS software. It was a standalone app available on the App Store in 2010, but has been part of iOS since 2011. It first appeared with the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 after Apple acquired the company behind it.
"Ask Siri to do things just by talking the way you talk," Apple says. "Siri understands what you say, knows what you mean, and even talks back. Siri is so easy to use and does so much, you’ll keep finding more and more ways to use it."
Siri prides itself on using natural language to have the answer to about anything you need. It can answer questions in a witty way, make recommendations for restaurants, perform tasks like calling or texting, and load information through supported web services. Apple says Siri can even learn your personal preferences over time and become more accurate the more it's used.
Unlike Google Now, Siri isn't available cross-platform. You'll only find it on iOS.

How does it work?


Siri is loaded by holding down the home button on an iPhone 4S or later. You'll then be prompted to speak a command to Siri for interaction with applications, including Reminders, Weather, Stocks, Messages, Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Music, Clocks, Safari, Wolfram Alpha and Maps within iOS.
Using natural language, Apple wants you to speak to Siri like you would a normal person. “Tell my wife I’m running late” or “remind me to call the vet” are legitimate requests with Apple's personal assistant. It will launch an application that makes sense with your response. For example, if you ask Siri to remind you of something, a Reminders panel will pop-up within the Siri window asking you to confirm it for later.

Siri sets the stage

Apart from accessing apps quickly through voice, Siri can also give you information. You can ask for a sports score, movie showtimes that will then prompt you to buy tickets from Fandango, restaurant reviews, track your stocks, and even ask Siri about Siri. Ask “what can you do?” and Siri tells you exactly that.

Dictation

Also baked into Siri is dictation through iOS, something Apple really prides itself on. This is a feature Google actually incorporated into Android first. Instead of typing, users can tap the microphone icon on the keyboard to say what they want to say and the iPhone listens. Once you've spoken everything a "Done" option is available and iOS converts your words into text. "Use dictation to write messages, take notes, search the web, and more. Dictation also works with third-party apps, so you can update your Facebook status, tweet, or write and send Instagrams," Apple says.

Eyes free

Apple is working to incorporate Siri in a large way into automobiles. The company is working with manufacturers to bring Siri to vehicles through "eyes free" functionality. Users will be able to click a button within the car and not take their eyes off the road. They'll be able to perform normal Siri tasks like sending a text message, selecting music, performing a call, and using Maps to receive directions.

Siri Eyes free is available on several 2014 models from Chevy, Honda and Accura - with plenty of other partners lined up including BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota and Chrysler.

What is Google Now?

Google Now is a personal assistant developed by Google. It first debuted in July 2012 as part of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It's now available in the Google Search mobile apps for Android and iOS. Google Now is widely available across platforms, unlike Siri which is locked to just iOS.
Among of the core features in Google Now is its ability to help you manage your day with reminders and traffic alerts. It can also help you stay connected with news and weather reports. It will even provide local information such as nearby attractions and currency. Instead of requiring you to ask for information like Siri, Google Now will instead provide it to you automatically.

Google Now catches up

But now that Google now supports reminders and notifications

What are Google Now cards?

Google Now recognises your repeated actions. These repeated actions can be related to things like restaurants you frequently visit, annual calendar appointments, recurring search queries and more. Google Now subsequently serves up relevant information to you based on your repeated habits. This information appears in the form of cards.
There is a range of specialised cards, including ones for active summaries (walking, biking), birthdays, concerts, events, movies, news, appointments, places, public alerts, public transit, reminders, saved offers, stocks, sports, traffic, nearby attractions and events, translations, weather, etc.
Google Now also serves up information by leveraging Google's Knowledge Graph, a system that provides more detailed search results by analysing meaning and connections of keywords entered for search.

How does Google Now work?

Cards

If you really want to see what Google Now can do, then you should use it for a while, because it needs to understand your repeated actions like movements and the kind of information you are interested in or usually search. Just give it time to learn about you, quietly, in the background on your device, and you’ll soon reap the benefits.
The more Google Now learns, the better it can get you to appointments via real-time traffic conditions or reminders, for instance. Google Now cards will simply pop up with information related to you, and you can either swipe the cards away or tap them to get more detailed information. You can also scroll down on cards to request more cards.

Voice search


Google Now supports a range of voice commands and functions. You could always type searches into the search box, or you could unlock Google Now's true power and convenience by utilising voice search. All you have to do to activate voice search in the Google Search app is say “OK, Google Now," and it will anticipate follow-up questions and provide useful related information.
Here’s an example list of questions and commands:

• Who is the Queen of England?
• Show me the stocks for Twitter.
• Go to Pocket-lint.com.
• Play The Beatles.
• Wake me up in a half hour.
• Remind me to order dinner when I get home.
• Launch Google Plus.

How is Google Now's voice search improving?

Conversational search

Google's Amit Singhal gave a keynote on the future of search at Google I/O 2013. He explained that forward-thinking search engines will need to evolve in order to answer, converse, and anticipate. Specifically, Singhal focused on conversational search and hot-wording, the ability to search without requiring an interface.
An example of conversational search includes being able to load the Google search engine by simply stating, "OK Google." The search engine could then answer queries in conversation as well as presenting results for the query. In the demonstration at I/O, Google's Johanna Wright showed how conversational search worked with Google's Knowledge Graph.
"Show me things to do in Santa Cruz," she told the search engine. The search engine responded, "Here are popular attractions in Santa Cruz," along with presenting results for the query. "The Knowledge Graph knows that Santa Cruz is a place, and that this list of places are related to Santa Cruz," Wright added.

Google Now conversational search

Google is clearly trying to make searching with Google as easy as possible. And it thinks conversational search is the best way - because it's the future, whether it be on a laptop or mobile device.
In the Google Search app for Android and iOS, you can say "OK Google" to launch voice search. You can also set reminders by saying things like “Remind me to check out the fair this weekend."
With Android 4.4 on the Nexus 5, you can also launch voice search by saying "OK Google" directly from the home screen. This technically indicates a step away from Google Now, but it's still part of the overall message: Google search is trying to go hands-free via voice.
At this very moment, asking Google Now about a certain topic might not garner the most accurate or snappy response, but at Google's current innovation pace, Google Now will one day be able to give you helpful responses dredged up from discussions you had with it in a previous conversation. That's the ultimate goal for Google, anyway.
Google Now is all about the Knowledge graph, voice search and specialised cards, just like conversational search is about the Knowledge graph, voice recognition and serving up information. It's inevitable that the two technologies will fully converge, or rather, evolve into a single search product from Google that can answer, converse and anticipate.

Google Now-like conversational search in Chrome

One week after Singhal's keynote on conversational search, Google updated Google Search for Chrome and Chrome OS with what it called the "no-interface" approach.
The update gave desktop users the ability to launch Google Search by saying "OK Google." They could then ask a question, and Google's Knowledge would provide a voice response with results. Users could even ask things like "Send an email to Jake" or "Show me my photos from London last year."
One of the most useful features of conversational search is the Knowledge Graph's ability to parse together what you're saying. For instance, just ask “How old is Queen Elizabeth II?”. Chrome will speak the answer. You could then ask a series of follow-up questions like “How tall is she?” or “Who is she married to?”. Google will know who you are referring to in each question and can interpret pronouns appropriately.
No typing, clarification or button-presses required.
Note: Although Chrome enables conversational search with voice recognition and natural language understanding similar to the way Google Now works on mobile devices, it does not have the full Google Now card user experience.

Conclusion 

So which one is better? Well as always with these things, there isn't an easy answer and it depends what you are looking for to suit your needs.
Google's voice conversational search is very impressive, when it works. And if you are looking for multiple queries, just not at once, then it's certainly worth giving it a try.
The system will get better and the ability either through the Google Search app on iPhone or the home screen on the Nexus 5 to just start barking commands is very clever, but with that ambition comes failure sometimes and that can be frustrating. Still, in many cases using your voice to search is quicker than typing, certainly if you are on the go; just make sure you are in a quiet environment.
As for the Cards, they too can be very useful when right, giving you weather information where you are and where you are heading, telling you about travel times to your next meeting, or reminders so you don't forget stuff. It's a much more complete service compared to Apple's Siri, which to deliver the same information needs to access a number of apps; calendar, reminders, weather, etc. But your searches can have a rogue affect and at times that can be confusing.
Siri's approach, again when it works, is to try and focus more on pretending to be your friend, and be a true personal assistant to getting more out of your phone. Phrases like "Tell my wife I am running late", flummox Google Now, but return a text message ready to send in Siri.
Likewise, you can use your voice to open apps and if you get it wrong rather than providing you with what it thinks you might need, you get a snarky answer. "What's my favourite colour?" brings back phrases like, "I can do many things but reading your mind isn't one of them." Google just gives you results for favourite colour tests. But it won't tell you you've got stuff on your to-do list, or what the weather is like on the business trip or holiday you are about to go on.
Of course, in a strange twist of fate, Apple users get to have their cake and eat it as they can run both.

 

SG Round vs. LG Flex

LG G Flex vs Samsung Galaxy Round

Both Samsung and LG are pioneers of what could become a very popular trend very soon, with their respective curved display smartphones. But how do the two compare to each other? Does this increasing focus on form factor lead us to this natural evolution? Are curved displays a good thing? Are they even necessary? Let’s take a quick look at a comparison between the Samsung Galaxy Round and the LG G Flex!

Size

With its larger 6-inch display (compared to the 5.7-inch display of the Galaxy Round), the LG G Flex is definitely the bigger of the two smartphones. This difference in size may be the deciding factor for a lot of consumers, either for or against the G Flex, especially if you’re not used to handling devices of this size.

But, if you’ve caught our unboxing and first impressions videos of the Galaxy Round and the G Flex, you’ll know that the “problem” associated with large display device is mitigated, albeit slightly, because of the curved displays of both these smartphones. Because of the left to right curve of the Galaxy Round, access across the device is somewhat easier because of the curve. Similarly, because of the top to bottom curve of the G Flex, access to the top of the smartphone, whether at the front to open the notification center, or at the back to access the button layout, is also easier. Overall, the curves do allow for easier handling, and if the upward trend in display sizes is to continue, curved displays could play a big role in making life simpler.

Display

As far as the display of both these smartphones are concerned, the difference between the Samsung Galaxy Round and the LG G Flex is obvious. The Galaxy Round features a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 386 ppi, while the G Flex features a 6-inch Plastic OLED display with 720p resolution, and a pixel density of 245 ppi.

LG’s G Flex design is curved from top to bottom.

Before jumping to pick a winner based on specs, it’s important to note that the display of the G Flex is still quite impressive, and definitely works with the curve. For example, if you’re scrolling up and down a website, you do get the sense that the elements on the screen are bending to the curve, which is really nice. While the curved display of the Galaxy Round is also equally noticeable, the natural feeling is missing, with Samsung relying on the software, such as the side ways scrolling transitions on the homescreens, to provide that illusion.

The Samsung Galaxy Round’s curvature is from side to side

Granted, at the end of the day, if you’re looking for a high resolution display, the Samsung Galaxy Round is the definite choice, but the the 720p display of the G Flex is no slouch either, and should also provide a pleasurable viewing experience.

Software

When it comes to the software, you’re getting familiar versions of the Samsung TouchWiz UI and the LG Optimus UI with their respective smartphones.
TouchWiz remains the same as what we’ve become used to seeing recently, but the Galaxy Round includes some new features that are designed to take advantage of the curve, such as Quick Glance. Tilting the phone opens a small notifications window, which is very cool. Unfortunately, in its current version, there is on occasion a little bit of delay, and you may be better off using some of Samsung’s other staple features, such as Air Gestures, for quick access to what you need.
While limited, the Galaxy Round does take advantage of the curve on the software front, and the LG G Flex is found wanting in this regard. In our first look, there don’t seem to be that many features or functions that make use of the curved form factor of the device. In the case of the LG G Flex, the stand out feature is more on the physical side, with it being possible to flatten the smartphone with some amount of force.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Review

Anyone who has played even 10 minutes of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise before Black Flag will feel completely at home with the new game. The series, which took players to the American Revolution in the last installment, now gets you to sail the Caribbean in the year 1715 as a swashbuckling pirate, Edward Kenway.

Before looking at the game, we can’t help but compare the new installment with the earlier one, Assassin’s Creed III. While the earlier one was tortuously slow, the best part was undoubtedly the naval combat. Unfortunately, we did not get much time in AC III to explore the high seas, and were instead relegated to traverse level after level of tutorial-like missions that sometimes tested our patience.

Black Flag, though, ensures that we get our fill and more of sailing. Ubisoft, this time around, has managed to hit naval warfare and seafaring right on the nail. Controlling a ship, sailing the sea, firing broadside cannons was, well, an absolute blast. The new installment focuses a lot on that space, and has done wonders with it.

Shiver me timbers!

Black Flag comes packed to the gills with pirates, looting, shooting, sailing and a whole lot more. You can traverse desert islands, explore ramshackle towns, sail through calm waters or battle against stormy weather. As a pirate captain, you can find buried treasure, locate maps on corpses and attack other ships for their loot. As a side mission, players can even jump across rooftops to literally catch songs to teach their crew.

Unlike Brotherhood, we see a completely new protagonist calling the shots. Players now see through the eyes of Kenway, the grandfather of Conner from the Assassin’s Creed III. While earlier characters like Altair, Ezio and even Conner came across as serious, ‘must save the world’ individuals, Kenway’s character plays out as a cheerful one who is only out to make as much gold as he can get his hands on. From the moment you start playing, one thing is clear: Edward is no saint, and his personality stands in direct contrast from earlier AC protagonists.

Murder all the fishes!

Unlike AC III, which had a slow start, Black Flag doesn’t waste time with build up, instead tossing you straight into the thick of things. In the first few minutes of the game, the player finds himself in the midst of a heated battle on board a ship, with cannons and explosives tossing you all over the seven seas. Kenway, a normal crewman right in the beginning, finds himself washed onto an island. What surprised us was the fact that Black Flag did not let the pace slacken, with the plot movement holding from the first scene through pretty much all the game. Yes there were times when the plot slowed down, but we welcomed the breathing space. The world itself opens up for the player surprisingly quickly. In fact, once you get your hands on a ship, you can pretty much travel where you like.

The game, however, does warn you when you head into “dangerous territories”, but unlike earlier installments, much of the game is accessible. A major plus point is the characters you deal with, many of whom play an interesting role in your gameplay. Some of the auxiliary characters do come and go a bit quickly, but the urge to explore the game keeps you hooked, so we aren’t complaining too much. The pace extends to the modern part of the game as well, although we could have done without the flash forwards altogether, as it takes time away from looting and pillaging. Apart from highly customisable ships, Black Flag gives the player the option of tricking out their very own secret pirate coves, a welcome change from Monteriggioni in our books.

Ahoy, Matey!

Gameplay-wise, Black Flag comes with most of the mechanics that you are used to from AC III, but does them a bit better. Controls are almost identical; you can still free run, shoot, use your hidden blades, climb and fight in almost the same way as before. The developer, however, has managed to fine tune the combat system quite a bit in this installment. While Kenway still has the ability to take out soldiers and bandits with ease, the fights flow much better and has also become a bit more challenging, making it a lot more fun to fight your way out of a scrap.

While enemies still do stand around waiting their turn, getting ganged up on by multiple opponents at the same time has increased a bit more than before. The varied use of muskets as the preferred long range weapon also increases the difficulty with which you can tackle each situation. Sword fights, on the whole, feel a whole lot better, and the combat mechanics fit in well with the overall theme of Black Flag. Hunting, trading and crafting have all seen some improvements, and this time around, you can get add quite a few sea creatures to your list of species to drive to extinction. An interesting addition this time around is dual-wielding. Players can now dual wield swords in a satisfying manner while mixing things up with smoke bombs and flintlock pistols.

Blow the man down!

Being an Assassin Creed game, it would be remiss for us not to talk about stealth. Black Flag, surprisingly, brings a healthy dose of that for players. Despite being a game focusing on piracy, there are a lot more options and missions for players to sneak around in. The added use of bushes and overhanging branches also add a lot more options to carry out a mission. Overall, stealth missions feel seamless and make the gameplay a lot more fun. Players can now surreptitiously weave their way through entire assassination contracts if they want to, and the resultant gameplay is a lot more rewarding. And there are additional stealth mechanics integrated into swimming and sailing as well, making naval combat an interesting if somewhat frustrating affair.

Overall, Black Flag is easily the most enjoyable Assassin’s Creed title so far. While the game is still far from being perfect, it brings a delightfully refreshing look at a franchise that has in the past been offering almost the same kind of gaming experience. Apart from the slightly repetitive combat, there doesn’t seem to be much you can fault in the game. Stealth has improved, the side-missions have become more fun, the serious overtones have been dampened and the back drop of the Caribbean is gorgeous to look at. If you’re in the mood for a good game from a solid franchise, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is definitely a recommendation we can give.

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (tested), PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4