How To Find And Play Great Games Online

If you’re anything like me, then you’ll be pretty addicted to the Internet – from constantly checking your social media accounts, catching up on the latest current affairs, finding the latest deals on the latest fashions, and even, playing online games to help and cure your boredom on a rainy day.

But, I often find that it’s enjoying the latter that often leaves me in a little bit of a predicament – I never know where to find the best games.  Whether I’m on my lunch break, or looking for a little bit of entertainment in the evenings or at weekends, I always have trouble finding a great game that leaves me captivated and enthralled. The Internet has so many capabilities these days that anyone can create games at the touch of a button, often meaning that gaming fanatics such as you and I are left to try and trawl through all of the spam just to find a fun new game.

Well, to help you on your quest to find great games online, here are a few tried and tested ways to help you wade through the spam sites, helping you to find – and play – those great games straight away.

1. Read Forums

If you’re looking for an amazing new game to try out and are open to new suggestions on what games to try, then gaming forums are a great place to start. Gaming forums are quite often filled with a plethora of gaming fanatics just like you, all eager to trying out the latest new games, express their thoughts to them, as well as give other users hints and tips to help them get the most out of a particular game – so you can see exactly what other people think about new games that are released, and from them you can determine whether or not the game is worth giving a go.

2. Check Out Reviews

Now, I bet if you own a smartphone and you happen to love games then there’s also a high chance that the app store on your mobile phone has become one of your best technological friends. Why? Because aside from letting you download games at your fingertips, it’s one of the best platforms for being able to quickly see what games have newly been released. And what’s more, with many app stores featuring their very own top charts, they also allow you to see what games are good, and which ones aren’t – thanks to their user review and rating system. Now, although I’m talking about using your mobile phone to find great games here, it’s a great way to make sure you’re not running into those pesky gaming spam websites – because other users will have done all that work for you. Simply download the top rated games from your app store’s charts and you’re guaranteed to have endless hours of fun! If your mobile phone’s display is just a little too small for you to fully enjoy your chosen game, then many apps nowadays allow you to connect online and download the app on your tablet, and even, on your laptop.

3. Subscribe To A Popular Gaming Blog

I love to find out all of the latest news when it comes to technology and gaming, and one of the best ways that helps me to do this is through gaming blogs. As well as regularly checking them online, many blogs allow you to physically subscribe to them. By simply entering your email address into the blogs system, the site will proceed to email you with any new blog posts, articles or news updates, so you can stay updated whenever you are. So, if a new blog post comes in about an amazing new game that’s been released, you’ll get notified straight away so you can download it as soon as you get home!

And, what’s more, subscribing to a popular online gaming blog will mean that the blog will also physically do all of the sifting of the spam sites from the good sites, for you too. For example, many gaming blogs will feature only the highest quality casinos, games and apps, so their readers can be rest assured that they’ll only ever receive updates of the highest quality entertainment and sites.

This article was contributed by Stuart Harrison, an experienced gaming and casino writer. You can find more about Stuart, here.

The Xcerts – Scatterbrain | Music Review

I’ve never been to Scotland; never felt the need or desire. I watched a documentary called ‘Trainspotting’ when I was a kid and felt I’d seen enough. However, they do produce a disproportionate amount of good music for the 5 or so million population. Not so fresh off the production line are Aberdeen rockers The Xcerts, who, according to their Wikipedia entry at least, formed after meeting in their headmaster’s office at their school. Boys after my own heart.

‘Scatterbrain’ is the band’s 2nd album and one they’ve actually been touring since it’s release in October 2010. If I’m honest I’d ignored the band. I couldn’t stomach the name and, rather incorrectly, assumed they were some sort of electro laptop-band, a genre I loathe. Rather fortunately I’ve just managed to enjoy them before they return to the studio to hibernate.

This is a good record and one that brilliantly occupies the space between twee indie-rock and the sonic noise of alt-rock. Demonstrating their sounds perfectly the track ‘Young’ has two versions on this record, one with their powerpop sound and the other, the album’s closing track, a stripped back acoustic strum-along.

Still only in their early 20’s this record has at times the feel of a band more mature than their years and at others they sound like mid 90’s punk-pop band Midget. At times it’s clever and exciting. Imagine Biffy Clyro back when they didn’t take themselves too seriously. ‘Tear Me Down’ even sounds like it has borrowed a wee bit from Biffy’s ‘Justboy’.

The criticism of the record is that it plunders rather obviously from other bands. It’s a band still finding their feet and developing their sound, which you would be at 23, but it’s an album worth listening to and a band worth taking note of. That they haven’t yet carved their own niche is not necessarily a bad thing. This record shows the band have plenty of potential. Watch this space and buy this record, I can think of few things better to spend £5.99 on right now.

 

Scatterbrain is out now via Xtra Mile. Catch the band on tour in May.