The X-Files is BACK (…As A Board Game This July)!

Posted on March 19, 2014 by geelw

I think I only fooled two people with half that headline, but that’s fine by me. Anyway, this July, IDW Games will be getting fans of the show a new BIG box board game based on the first three (and some would say the best) seasons thanks to Pandasaurus Games, designer Kevin Wilson (Arkham Horror, Descent, Civilization) and comic book artist menton3 (Memory Collectors, The X-Files: Season 10).

That box art is sure mighty pretty (and pretty simple) and if the game INSIDE the box is like that art, it’ll keep anyone with even a passing interest in the show back in deep where they should be. Of course, chain smoking as you play like that Cigarette Smoking Man isn’t required, but if you DO get that far into character, make sure you ask your tabletop buddies if it’s OK. No one likes to get kicked out their friend’s place (or even their own home) even if they bought the game with them.

Child of Light Making of #1: Dream, Draw and Drink In The Delicious Results…

Posted on March 19, 2014 by geelw

Ubisoft is making game making an even more “magical” process these days thanks to its UbiArt Framework tech that allows for artists to see their work come to brilliant life while remaining unchanged from how it was created. The upcoming multiplatform role-playing game, Child of Light (April 30, 2014) presents the gorgeous storybook world of Lemuria and allows players to dive in and explore it using some tried and true gameplay along with some nice new features sure to bring on the raves from an audience hungry for new original properties and not more of the same old same old.

Given that the game is set ti launch on PC, PS3/PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Wii U (so far!), it looks as if anyone with a home console or decent enough gaming setup will be seeing what the fuss is all about soon enough. Yeah, I know you Mac and Linux users are all cranky right about now, but I guess there will be a version of this for you folks at some point down the road. In the meantime, I guess you could always make friends with someone who has one of the systems the CAN play on when it launches next month…

Sacred 3 Gameplay Trailer: I See Iso In Your Future…

Posted on March 19, 2014 by geelw

As I happen to love isometric views in my games (not for everything, mind you) and am no stranger to the action or turn-based role playing game experience, Sacred 3 is going to be right up my alley. Of course, I loved the first two games quite a lot for their large open maps, ridiculous amount of side quests to take and and surprises to stumble upon. Some would say the games are far too open and allow for wandering into death traps off the beaten path, but those people would be wrong, as no one asked them to get nosy and follow that trail of bones or gold coins into that pack of much higher leveled enemies or dark place with the nasty surprise or way too large and powerful dragon (and so forth and so on)…

Anyway, Sacred 3 hits PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this summer. If it’s too quiet around here during that time, you know where I’ll be.

Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes: Demo As A “Luxury” (For Better Or Worse)…

Posted on March 18, 2014 by geelw

So, it’s here and even though it’s been known for a while it was going to be what amounts to nothing but a brief demo with a $30 price tag (and similar to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in its cost versus brevity factor), some critics have been punching away hard on poor Big Boss/Solid Snake. As I’m not made of money, I’m going to wait for a used copy or trade from a friend to pop up, but I really want to play this just to see that Fox Engine in action, how Kiefer Sutherland works as the voice for Snake (taking over from David Hayter) and the ability to tackle that single (and large) map as many ways as possible. Granted, the one to two hours maximum play time I’m hearing about IS a bit pesky, but I’m gathering most reviewers played through just to complete their posts and aren’t fully appreciating that demo for all its worth. On the other hand, this is a Hideo Kojima game, so perhaps that and the Metal Gear name are carrying that price point into “Hmmmmm…” territory for some writers and players.

That said, the full game (Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain) is still underway as far as development goes, so I do hope the cost of this slice is offset in some manner, be it some exclusive content available to those with save files (on-disc and not DLC so EVERYONE who bought in can see/play it) or something else Kojima and publisher Konami can think up to keep the angrier folks down off their soapboxes. Eh, we’ll see, I suppose. I’m just glad to see a new MGS on a home console after all this time…

Godzilla International Trailer: All You Need From Me On A Tuedsay Is A Big, Mad Lizard…

Posted on March 18, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, I’m kind of taking the day off to rest because my overtaxed brain has needed it for a bit and I didn’t listen to the signals for a few weeks, so here you go. Of course, after that toy reveal yesterday, I figured we’d HAVE to see a new trailer that shows the big radioactive lug doing his stuff. Nice, huh? I’m tempted to break my travel almost 24 miles both ways boycott to check this out, but we shall see. At this point, seeing new movies when they land in theaters is low on the totem pole unless I get preview passes. I’m not at all averse to holding out for the soon to be released home video version (which as I’ve noted previously, takes less than eight months for most films these days).

Karate Master Knock Down Blow 2: Old And New Hit The Mats In This Upcoming Sequel…

Posted on March 17, 2014 by geelw

Okay, so the title is a bit unwieldy in that manner some import games are, and sure, to some of you this looks straight out of 1989 or so. However, there’s a lot going on here in Crian Soft’s in progress fighter that’s worthy of attention, especially if you like your fighting games attempting at least a little “realism.” It seems that the developer is focusing on actual moves and save for the bear fight (!) and car jumping (Okay, I’ve seen it done, but it’s NOT for your average karate student), this one might be a solid little sleeper when it’s finally let loose upon the world.

There also seems to be Steam Greenlight status being gone for with this one and I really hope it makes it as this one’s got sleeper hit all over it if the controls are flawless and the action is thrilling. Granted, the game won’t appeal to everyone, but that’s fine by me as every niche has its fans who will appreciate what’s here far more than those who dismiss what they see without even picking up a controller (as usual)…

Ultra Street Fighter IV: Meet Decapre!

Posted on March 17, 2014 by geelw

So, I’m more of a casual Street Fighter player these days, but even I can see that the lovely Decapre is a more or less (okay, more) cyborg-like version of popular fighter Cammy with a more clothed (bit still very sassy!) look. Nevertheless, Ultra Street Fighter IV with its slew of bonus content and features should please any fan of this series thanks to its healthy roster of talent to choose from, additional stages and the usual outstanding replay value Capcom fighters are known for among novice to veteran players.

Yeah, yeah – the haters still have their axes to grind and soapboxes to wobble on, but who has time to read or listen to those feebs other than the ones who agree with them? I say play more games and ignore the bile – you’ll live longer and enjoy yourself more than someone sitting at a keyboard whining away about stuff they really have no idea about. Hey! I wasn’t referring to ME, silly (grrrr!) – I’ve been doing this gaming thing for far too long to know I’m always right (er… okay, MOST of the time)…

Press release below the jump, by the way! Continue reading →

Titanfall Fanatics Get A New Booster That Does Double Duty…

Posted on March 17, 2014 by geelw

Got Titanfall? Good. You’ll probably LOVE this, then. The folks at 5-Hour Energy and Wal-Mart have teamed up to being you this exclusive Titanfall themed packaging for their Berry flavor which is available now for a limited time. Yes, I know some of you all night crowd gamers will surely be stocking up on those boxes just for the artwork and connection to the game, so this is a head up for you to snap them up and sock them away because once they’re gone.. they’re gone for good.

Now, how you GET to that Wal-Mart is all up to you, but I say leave the Titan at home, please. Not EVERYONE has the game and if you go clanking around in a big mech suit just to score s shelf full of that 5-HE, chances are you’ll be doing a LOT of explaining to the local police. Of course, you’re smart enough NOT to stomp on that prowler that rolls up on you when you’re on the way to or from your shopping trip, right?

I thought so…

Tactical Bacon? Oh-kaaaay. But Here’s What’s Really Good About This Can O’ Worms…

Posted on March 17, 2014 by geelw

So, this exists and it made me laugh like hell because I know bacon maniacs will snap this up and load it into their man caves and woman holes (I guess that’s what you call a lady’s den of digital sin), survivalist storage and *yawn* overpriced “anti-zombie” apocalypse kits. Here’s the thing, folks: this product and a few others may actually be a way to clean out the gene pool if there’s such a thing as a survivable disaster scenario.

How? Well, as long as we normal folks hold out as best we can, the folks who stocked up on canned smoked cooked bacon will start to die off from heart attacks (you can’t just eat ONE strip of bacon!) or fight to the death over that last can of salty porky awesomeness. As long as there’s water to last and you’re off the streets during the riot hours, at some point in the not too distant future, the gunfire will cease, the scent of canned bacon will dissipate and once the grass starts to grow greener, the rest of us can step outside and over the bones of what remains of the human race after the Great Bacon War.

Or something like that. Get your own can(s) of Tactical Bacon if you want to HERE or Amazon, some fine sporting goods shops and other reasonably unusual emporiums where you’d think something kooky like this would be sold. My heart seized up twice just writing this post, so I can’t even look at bacon anymore these days… *sob*

Godzilla Toy Reveal: MTV Makes Itself Relevant Again!

Posted on March 17, 2014 by geelw

Image: MTV

“Raaaar! Hi Kids!” is what this new Godzilla seems to be saying with a grin on his mug. Thanks to the fine folks at MTV News, here’s a long and loving first look at the 2014 version of this classic beastie from the upcoming film by director Gareth Edwards.

The figure (coming to you from Jakks Pacific) stands a whooping 23 inches tall and with the added tail length, measures a very respectable 43 inches long. Yikes, there goes the neighborhood indeed in terms of finding a shelf at home to put this hefty plastic monster on. Other than his weird feet and manly-muscly arms, I like the new look of the big guy a lot.

Image: MTV

It’s also got twelve points of articulation including a mouth that opens and closes (important when pretending to chow down on citizens and scenery) and a tail that swings back and forth (also important for keeping away helicopter-sized bugs and other flying things). This massive monster might seem too scary for the wee ones (it’s made for ages 3+, parents), but we all know that boys (and girls) just ADORE dinosaurs of any size, correct?

Besides, it still can’t top the KING of inappropriate movie licensed toys geared for the wrong age group, Kenner’s 18″ ALIEN figure from 1979. I had one of those babies, boxed and all, but it got swiped by my younger brother and wrecked/tossed out eventually while I was away and I’ve been kicking myself since for not buying a few when Gimbels was closing them out at a song. Ah well… you can’t change the past, people… but you CAN get started on the room-sized diorama you’re going to fit this new HUGE Godzilla in. Good luck on that project!