The Shadow Sun: Ossian Studios Makes a Mobile RPG Monster…

Posted on November 24, 2014 by geelw

I think Ossian Studios must be full of very powerful wizards who just so happen to stay out of trouble magic users get into by making some really wonderful games. The developer, well known by western RPG fans for two excellent expansion adventure packs for BioWare’s Neverwinter Nights 2 (Mysteries of Westgate and Darkness over Daggerford) has a new mobile RPG that’s going to maybe make some PC-only players jealous. Available for Android and iOS platforms, The Shadow Sun is a Unity engine RPG with about 10 hours of content, some really pretty visuals and what looks like fine gameplay in action.

The Shadow Sun is packed with features you’d normally see in high-quality PC and console role-playing games. However, given the developer is made up of veterans with experience on Neverwinter Nights and The Witcher, what’s here is just the team showing off their work for all the (mobile) world to see and enjoy. Check out the gallery, game features and teaser trailer below the jump, if you please:

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Random Art: Monday’s Not as Manic, But a Bit Chuggy…

Posted on November 24, 2014 by geelw

Hmmm. Things are moving NOW with the internet up here, but for about an hour or two it was slow and annoying. I had to reset my computer to make sure things weren’t mucking up on this end (they weren’t), but now things are mostly okay. The crazy news of the day is NYC is supposed to be transforming 10,000 former pay phone locations into public wi-fi hubs, which is stupendous news. Well, if you live in the wealthier areas of the city and its outer boroughs, that is. According to the New York Daily News, some poor neighborhoods (which have MORE people in them, by the way) getting these extremely helpful solutions are getting kneecapped slower service on their kiosks, a bad thing if you consider access to information comes in handy for less educated people who need to be up on things. Granted, it’s up to those communities to put a foot down and demand the same service the hipsters get, but we’ll see what happens when these stations start rolling out.

Anyway, the ~~lady~~, er, tree sketch above came from my head while I was waiting for the service here to kick back in. “Ar my seams straight?” Yeah, they’re fine, ma’am. Okay, now that things are back to “normal”, I need to get back to work!

Batman: Arkham Knight Ace Chemicals Infiltration Trailer: Rocksteady Gets Operatic

Posted on November 24, 2014 by geelw

Well, well well. If developer Rocksteady made last generation consoles sing with their technical prowess, as you can see here, with Batman: Arkham Knight they’re making the new systems a whole symphony orchestra blasting out perfect overtures. This blend of stunning in-engine gameplay and cinematic sequences almost gives the upcoming game the look of a feature film, but it’ll be the next revel that’s the bigger one. On December 1, 2014 at 9am Pacific Time on the game’s official site (that’s noon here in the eastern US), more will be revealed in an attempt to break the internet (without anyone dropping their clothes, of course).

Given that the game’s latest delay has it now shipping out on June 2, 2015, it’s a more than sure bet that each new trailer or set of screens will get pored over and dissected a ton of times on the internet and in conversation. Hey, if the game is as good as it looks, it looks like Rocksteady will still be the Batman developer for the ages to many fans. Now, if only Harley Quinn were available to play on the disc or download and not as a DLC bonus, things would be perfect. Ah well, that’s the digital life for you these days, I suppose…

Jurassic World Teaser: The Return of Barney, Rubble

Posted on November 24, 2014 by geelw

Oh… kay. Now, I was hoping Jurassic World was a joke, but nope. Looks like this one is a go, is getting done up as a big blockbuster and looks to rake in the big bucks when it’s released. Hmmmm. Given the law of diminishing returns hit the franchise hard the last time, I’m one of those with an arched eyebrow ready and set to stay arched. Yeah, yeah, it’s got super-hot hunk Chris Pratt in it and sure, CG technology has improved by light years so those damn digital dinos will look spectacular. But CG tends to be so obvious and all-consuming in these blockbusters that I’m betting now jaded audiences aren’t going to be as wowed as they were back in the day. Which wasn’t so long ago, mind you. Anyway, I can hold out for the cable premiere at this point, as nothing I’m seeing is floating my boat. Of course, that could change in the not too distant future. Well, Thursday is the day the longer official trailer gets released, so that’s the first… er, second chance the folks behind this get to grab my interest. I suppose I should be more excited about this one, but it’s a big “meh!” for me at this stage of the game.