It’s as though one night in the games cupboard Risk and Scrabble got a bit friendly while watching endless Countdown conundrums and 9 months later out popped Quarrel as the game combines elements from all 3.

• Likes

  • Educational
  • Very addictive
  • Inexpensive

• Dislikes

  • Sound Crackles
  • Can use swear words (is that a bad thing?)
  • Obtuse anagrams

The game is brought to you by Denki a company based in Dundee and are the creators of over 150 games on all different platforms but this has to be the jewel in the crown, well in my opinion it is.

The aim of this games is to capture territories from your opponents but instead of rolling die you have to create words that score higher than them.  The best thing to do once you have paid the mere amount of 400 points is to head to the Tutorial. This gives you a precise and very informative overview of the game ( as you would expect).

Once armed with this ammunition all that is left to do is to descide whether to play multiplayer online mode or one of the single player modes . Well if you are like me and your spelling is a bit carp and your abilitly to solve anagrams is near on non existant do what i did and break yourself in easily on the single player mode!

The first mode i tried was the quick match. This gives you the chance to either play against 1 AI or if you are feeling lucky try against 3. My choice, like me, was simple… just the one.

On hitting the the play button you are transported to a multi colourered island for which you have an equal share. The game then descides how many character, whaich range from Ninja’s through to army men and more, you have on each section and who goes first.
On my first attempt i am battling Malik on Orca reef, who has a Quarrel IQ of 170, but am i scared , a little but someone once said ” with great age comes great intelligence”, so i should be ok (ish)

It has been deemed that i am the red player and i go 1st.  Looking around the island i see i have 4 sections, 2 with 4 ninja’s, 1 with 5 ninja’s and 1 with 6. My adversary has the same amount of characters on each section but he has US army soldiers.  So for my 1st turn, i descide to attach his 4 soldiers with my 4 ninja’s, let the battle commence!!!

The letters we have are DDDRAELE, what is the best i can do with the 4 letter to beat him (the amount of letter you can play is the amount of characters on the section), I play ” deed ” for 8 points and he plays “dead” for 8 points, so now it comes down to who was fastest and the winner was…..Me hahaha in your face Malik, there is life in the Olderthangodsdog yet. This means my ninjas assult his soldiers and capture his segment. As there has to be a minimum of 1 character on each sector and a maximum of 8, 3 move forward and 1 stays behind.

What you find out after each go as it scrolls along the bottom of the screen is that the letters are not just 8 random letter but that they are infact an anagram that you could use if you have 8 characters on a segent. In this case it was “laddered”. It then goes on to give you definitions for the word. The even cleverer bit is that it recognises what the word you last played was and tells you if it was a verb, noun or adjective. It also gives you a definition and does the same for your oponent.

Back to the game, do i reinforce my 1ninja or do i go on the attack. Well attack is the best form of defence, so let the war continue…
5 Vs 5 and the letters are…ALTAONLY , i have a mind blank and play “only” and he plays “tally”, only one loser here and its me. This leaves me with 1 ninja on that square. It is still my go, do i attack another or lick my wounds, i attack another sector.
Too cut a long story very short, it was a massacre ,my ninjas didn’t stand a chance, well not with me doing the spelling.

This didnt matter to me. I loved the way my opponents battered my Ninja’s with there tiles and the way the blackened out and floated skyward with there halo’s glowing as they went.  In summary i learnt the hard way.  It just goes to prove i wouldn’t have made a great general.

If you attack and are successful you will reap the rewards, you take there tile, there is money and even a prisoner ( who can be used to add extra letters). If you collect enough of there land , during the game, you wil be given reinforcements that you can add just as the next word begins, so what could be a losing scenario could be turned around. which is a great idea.

The game is finished when 1 player has all of the land and as it says “to the victor goes the spoils”. It then shows you the stats for your game.  Once you think you have mastered beating just one AI , why not up the stakes by taking on 2-3. This is when the game comes into its own.

Now is a chance to really hone your skills. It will make you think more tactically. There is no real point in attacking and not reinforcing as it will only end in tears.  To keep you involved whilst the other opponents are fighting it out, quarrel shows you what 8 letters they have and allows you to try and solve the anagram or to just make the longest word possible. I to be honest only got a couple of the anagrams in full but it keep you thinking.  I must admit, some of the 8 letter words it uses are quite obscure and even when it defines them , it shed no more light which does lead to a bit of annoyance.

I also found out , quite by accident, that you could use the word W*nk ( no it isnt wink, or wonk). It even defines it!!  Once you have had a few goes on quick match, why not try one of the other single player modes. There are make match, dominaton, showdown and challanges.

In ” make match”, you get the choice of basically casual or clocked quarrel. The difference being one uses a timer and the other has no no no no no no no no no no limits.  Domination is the name of the game and that is exactly what you have to do. Its a series of 12 matches ranging form 1 on 1, to four player. You have to progress through increasingly challanging number of opponents who’s vocabulary wil increase untill you dominate the whole island. Each round is scored giving you gold , silver or my favourite bronze, which will make you try and do better making the game longer.

Showdown takes you through a raft of AI opponents from the very simple Dwayne to the cream de le cream Kali in a series of 1 vs 1 battles. The further up the scale you get the more intence your concentration will need to be .  Last but not least is the challanges. This is split into 4 sections that offer focused challanges. These are fightback, where you have to get from a heavy losing position to that of victory. Another is 8 vs 8 megaword challanges. The final 2 are stealing an exact amount of prisoners and blazing a trail of successive victories.

Once you have exhausted these why not go online. You can play ranked or friendly games. With these games you may meet worthy opponents or just more Dwaynes !!! There is an option to use your camera to see your online opponets but it doesnt seem to be Kinect compatable which seems strange.

My overal view of this game is that it is an addictive game well worth the 400 ms point you have to pay for it. I am not a great person for word games but this one had me hooked . I had to win, i had to get a better word that my opponent.

It is also a great teaching game, i am sure if you play it enough, your vocabulary will increase. You will learn words that you would have normally never heard of.  Quarrel is a nice break form shooter or driving games and is a great game to test your grasp of the English Language.

Insta buy?  At 400 points I think so.  Quarrel provides a rare combination of fun, strategy and grey cell bashing mayhem that offers somemthing lightly

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Compared to the initial PC release, the Xbox 360 edition of the Witcher 2 will feature lots of new and exciting content. In this video, the developers reveal their first secrets.

The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings Enhanced Edition is scheduled for April 17th 2012 on Xbox 360 only.

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The trailer starts off with a selection of clips from the gameplay but moves into the exciting 4 player multiplayer as well as the creation tools on offer.  If you thought it was just tracks you maybe creating then you may want to look towards the end of the trailer in which the footage shown may scramble your noodle a little.

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What we’ve never had though, in games as a media format as well the musical talent that graces our pastime, is recognition of the talent involved in creating an atmosphere that stands up to the best of the best in other media formats, including film and music.  There is, however,  a group who wants to change that very thing and as some music in games can be considered classical, this ever growing group have endeavoured to try and get video games music into the Classic FM hall of fame and with your help they may well achieve it.

Voting for the Classic FM 2012 Hall of Fame is now open – every year this run down of the 300 greatest pieces of classical music features amazing compositions from the greatest composers in history along with fantastic movie scores, BUT, to anybody’s knowledge it’s never featured any orchestral tracks from video games.

This MUST change!!

From now until voting closes on Feb 29th I’m asking all fans of video games and video games music to visit the voting site at http://www.classicfmhalloffame.co.uk/ and vote for classical interpretations of their favourite bits of video game music.

To make a real splash though, I’m hoping that everybody who does vote chooses Nobuo Uematsu’s “Aerith’s Theme” from Final Fantasy VII for at least one of their choices so we can really push it up the chart – and for anybody who wants a reminder of what that sounds like, here’s a link http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TXO5CO/ref=dm_dp_trk3

This is a UK radio station, but voting appears to be open worldwide so please let everybody you know who loves video game music to come “like” this page and vote. Let’s get video game music the recognition it deserves.

For more information, please head across to their official Facebook page or follow @ClassicVGMusic and keep up to date with what’s going on.

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In this video, discover what the story of Ghost Recon Future Soldier is all about.

GRFS will feature intense next-gen warfare action, prototype high-tech weaponry, and state-of-the-art single-player and multiplayer modes.
Ghost Recon Future Soldier will release in May 2012 on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

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Worms fans and newcomers alike can now join in with the fully 3D destruction in this pumped up digital collector’s edition of the very best content from Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem.

Worms Ultimate Mayhem is a souped-up, re-vamped, high definition reimagining of Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem, bringing the very best of both games together in one incredibly over-stuffed, over-the-top package for Xbox 360 from Xbox LIVE, for PlayStation 3 from PlayStation Network and also for PC from Steam. Worms Ultimate Mayhem  comes complete with 60 single player missions, numerous challenges and  graphical themes, 38 weapons and utilities, full online play for up to four players and literally more ways to customise your worm and game experience than can possibly be counted!

Worms Ultimate Mayhem will be priced at $14.99/£9.99/€12.99, whilst PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive a launch discount.

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Final Fantasy XIII-2 is the sequel to the multi-million selling Final Fantasy XIII. The new game features enhanced level design that encourages exploration and a battle system bolstered with multiple additions, including the ability to capture over 150 monsters to add to your party.

For the first time in Final Fantasy history, players can keep friends up-to-date with their gaming experience via a direct link to Facebook. Once players are introduced to the Historia Crux, they will have the chance to upload information about their progress; including current party setup, monsters collected, battle scores and more.

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Call of Duty Elite Drop 1: Liberation, a militarised Central Park in the heart of NYC, features a vast landscape ripe for long-range sniper and LMG kills. Mounted turrets on opposing ends of the map offer overwhelming firepower to anyone brave enough to man them. Elite Drop 2: Piazza, set in an idyllic seaside village, Italian getaway gone rogue, where blind corners and a complex network of branching pathways pose danger at every turn. Visceral close-quarters combat dominates in Piazza, and attacks from above and below are an ever-constant threat.

The Modern Warfare 3 Content Season is co-developed by Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software. All content is available first to Premium Members on Xbox 360, but will be available to Premium Members on PS3 before non-premium members on their console.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is PEGI rated 18. For more information on the Call of Duty: MW3 content drops, season of content, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty Elite visit www.callofduty.com/mw3 and www.callofduty.com/elite.

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The award-winning next chapter in the premiere weapons-based fighting game franchise comes loaded with new game features, expanded modes and fan-favourite guest character Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Ubisoft’s multi-million unit selling franchise, Assassin’s Creed.

Developed by Namco Bandai Games’ Project Soul team, SoulCalibur V picks up 17 years after the events of SoulCalibur IV with new heroes and returning warriors clashing in an epic showdown between good and evil. The tale of Patroklos and Pyrrha Alexandra unfolds as their family’s destiny becomes entwined with the Soul swords. With an expanded character creation mode, and new gameplay features including the Critical Edge and Quick Move systems, SoulCalibur V will be the must-have fighting game of 2012.

The updated Creation mode allows players to customize outfits for existing SoulCalibur V characters or create an entirely original warrior. Tweak everything from hairstyle, voice, outfits, equipment and sizes of various body parts to create a fighter as fearsome or outrageous as possible! Players will be able to show off their custom characters to the world in multiple online modes including the new Global Colosseo. The Global Colosseo acts a hub for all SoulCalibur V community interactions from around the globe. Pick a region and start interacting with other SoulCalibur V players through voice and text chat. Create or enter specific rooms to challenge friends and other players. Ranked and Player matches are also available for quick online battles.

Alongside the standard retail edition, a special Collector’s Edition of SoulCalibur V is also available at launch. Packed in a specially designed ‘book’ box, the Collector’s Edition includes a high quality art book, a CD containing a selection of music spanning the history of SoulCalibur, the making-of videos, a DLC card for the Black Knight and White Knight armour sets, plus original artwork and letter on reproduction parchment paper signed by the team at Project Soul. Fans who pre-ordered either edition of the game from participating retailers will receive a code to unlock Dampierre as a playable character as soon as they fire up the game.

Three packs of DLC are scheduled for February 2012, each priced at €1.99 or 160 MS points in Europe and loaded with exclusive new customization items and music that players can then unlock in-game. Pack contents are as follows:

Pack 1: Launch Day February 3rd

Nine exotic customization items including bikinis, wings and face paints

Original music from Soul Blade and SOULCALIBUR (tracks also available individually for €0.99 or 80MS points)

Pack 2: Valentine’s Day February 14th

Nine fearsome customization items including breast plate, kimono and animal heads

Original music from SOULCALIBUR II and III (tracks also available individually for €0.99 or 80MS points)

Pack 3: February 28th

Nine exclusive customization items including mask, face paint, camouflage and skull

Original music from SoulCalibur IV and SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny (tracks also available individually for €0.99 or 80MS points)

Following the launch of the game, Namco Bandai Games is organizing “SoulCalibur Impact 2012” a series of local tournaments to unite the community and let fans publicly demonstrate their weapon-wielding prowess. The local tournament finals will take place as follows:

· Belgium – March 10th at Utopolis in Mechelen

· Denmark –start on the 11th of February (Online tournament in partnership with Gamereactor)

· Finland – February 11th at Katariinankatu 18 in Pori

· France – March 10th in Paris (in partnership with FNAC)

· Germany – February 25th at the Kolner Jugendpark in Koln

· Italy – February 8th at the Straf Hotel in Milan

· Netherlands – March 10th at the Pathé Tuschinski in Amsterdam

· Norway –start on the 11th of February (Online tournament in partnership with Gamersparadise)

· Poland – February 25th at the Lucid Club in Warsaw

· Portugal – February 25th , online tournament

· Russia – February 19th at MediaMarkt in Moscow

· Singapore – March 3rd at e2MAX@Cinleleisure in Singapore

· Spain – February 25th at the HUB Madrid in Madrid

· Sweden – February 18th at the Gamer Meetup in Stockholm

· Switzerland – February 18th at the Club Block in Zurich

· United Kingdom – March 17th at St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill in London

Once they’ve proven their worth in the country tournaments, the winners will head to London to compete in the European Grand Final on March 17th. The ultimate winner of the European final will take home a £1000 cash prize and a Soul Edge replica trophy.

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The brand new site also features a chronicle of all Max Payne 3 news, videos, downloads and information released to date. Explore it all at www.rockstargames.com/maxpayne3 and check back often in the weeks and months ahead for a fully-loaded barrage of new videos, screens, game details and much much more as we head towards Max Payne 3′s release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this May.

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