E3 2012: Tomb Raider “Crossroads” Gameplay Trailer: Crystal Dynamics Goes For The Gold

Posted on June 2, 2012 by geelw

Now, THIS is a TR game I can get behind. Truth be told, I haven’t been much of a fan of Lara’s current-gen games despite their much better visuals and tighter gameplay than the Core-developed original series. For starters, saddling her with that crew of techies and such made things too chatty and all those gadgets turned Lara into a female James Bond more than a tough as nails solo explorer. This origin story with a survival adventure vibe just might be the best way to re-reboot the franchise, as I think we need more cool female game characters around. That said, I’d REALLY like to see Ms. Croft in some more sensible (and realistic) exploration outfits and gear should she return as an older, wiser spelunker in the future…

Of Orcs & Men E3 2012 Trailer: Spiders And Cyanide Are Good For You? Who Knew?

Posted on June 1, 2012 by geelw

This is one of those games that I’ve liked ever since I saw the first images and this latest trailer shows it coming together even more. From the nicely stylized fantasy characters to the richly detailed game world (which I’m hoping is a bit more open than Cyanide’s dark and deep Game of Thrones, which I just got on Monday and am still playing to review), this one looks like a game to spend many hours exploring. That and heck, the chance to play as a pair of characters who normally are the ones you’re killing off in other RPGs makes for a nice twist to ye olde formula. Will it be a sleeper of prisoner of the bargain bin because people want their usual square-jawed hero in his dragon-busting armor? I’m hoping for the former and more… Keep an eye peeled for this one as more info gets out….

Review: Dragon’s Dogma

Posted on June 1, 2012 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3)

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A-

After a lengthy and rewarding partnership resulting in loads of treasure, experience and some deadly dungeons being cleared out, you take stock of your traveling companions and see that the two pawns you’d hired some 15 or so hours previously are no longer suitable for the tougher enemies ahead. As much as you hate dismissing them, you absolutely must in order to progress further onward. Touching a Rift Stone, you dip into the void and discover that you probably should have replaced them a few levels ago with two much stronger and better equipped allies. As you’ve socked away more than enough points, you decide to add two pawns that are about five or so levels higher than your level just to keep them around longer. However, before you make your final selections, you decide to look at a few more pawns before choosing a pair that’s even stronger. Satisfied (and after saying goodbye to your former traveling companions), you set out for new territory, knowing that you’ll see your old mates on the road at some point in passing. After enhancing your gear, crafting handy items from gathered loot and learning some new skills, you and your new team take on an escort mission into uncharted territory, unsure of what awaits, but more than confident you can defeat anything…

And so goes just a tiny fraction of Dragon’s Dogma, Capcom’s new open world high action RPG that’s one of the nicer surprises of the year (so far). While the game isn’t quite perfect, the level of immersion, excellently fluid movement and combat system plus the massive game world insures those who like this type of game will be hooked in for quite some time. While you can follow the main quest in a mostly linear fashion to the endgame in about 30 – 40 hours, the land of Gransys is big enough to spend much more time exploring and adventuring in. That and the fact that this is a game where multiple replays are a must just so you can experiment with different character builds and party formations as you take on the many dangers the game throws your way. Continue reading →

Sports Champions 2: Is This Sony’s OTHER Move Secret Weapon?

Posted on June 1, 2012 by geelw

Cue the “It’s About Time!” music, please. Well, I’m glad that’s one more E3 surprise I don’t have to worry about not being announced, even though it was a no-brainer. I like the new additions a lot and hopefully, Sony will have a few more fun PS Move games to show off next week. Truth be told, I’m not even a huge sports fan these days and I’ll be picking this one up just for the workout possibilities. Motion control gaming isn’t dead quite yet, kids – but it’s not going to completely replace traditional controllers at all, either. It’s all about BALANCE at the end of the day…

I’m Betting My Money On Inversion This Month…

Posted on June 1, 2012 by geelw

So, it’s this months featured banner (for at least a week or so) until I decide my E3 pick), as you can see above. Namco Bandai and developer Saber Interactive are finally getting set to bring Inversion your way and I say you should take a look at it. The genre-bending, gravity-defying, hyphen-friendly action shooter looks to put a fresh spin on the usual cover-based shooters we’ve seen over the years and from what I’ve seen and played months back, the game was definitely one worth giving a shot. It’s been in the oven for a bit more time, so my fingers are crossed that not only do gamers get it… they “get” it when they play that this isn’t yet another Gears of War wannabe at all. Although, I’d say the first time they’re having a firefight against an enemy at an impossible angle and they use the Gravlink to yank an enemy out of cover and blast it or arc that first grenade at 90 degrees, they’ll be hooked…

Steel Battalion Heavy Armor Press Kit: OK, Capcom, You’re Killing Me!

Posted on June 1, 2012 by geelw

Argh… It’s “bad” enough I’ll soon be getting a Kinect here and knocking over plants and stuff while I’m spazzing out in front of my TV, but Capcom is making me want to see one of these cool press kits miraculously show up at my doorstep. I’m still kicking myself for not snapping up that last Xbox Steel Battalion when I had the chance (hey, it was that or a new console for work, and the new console won). Anyway, they’re giving one of these babies away on their Capcom Unity blog for you non-press folks, by the way. I’m betting From Software is going to surprise a LOT of people with the game, but what else is new? People keep underestimating these guys and they just keep on pulling out surprise after surprise…

It’s June! Or: E3 Is Here, But The Future Isn’t Exactly So Bright….

Posted on May 31, 2012 by geelw

OK, I’m kind of annoyed. Don’t get me wrong, folks – I’m THRILLED about the Wii U, new Vita and 3DS games, all the new console games coming, fun stuff like Torchlight II, Dishonored, Sleeping Dogs and even the new Steel Battalion stealing my free time even more than Dragon’s Dogma, The Witcher II: Assassins of Kings – Enhanced Edition and a few other games I’ve been buried in this past month. But something shifty is going on under all the flashy lights at this year’s show that’s a tad unsettling. Despite the huge amount of new games coming, a number of key publishers are skipping the event this year and there has even been criticism coming from a few well-known names about the show not being relevant any longer. In addition, there’s still a worldwide recession going on (worse in some spots than others) and layoffs happening all over the industry, yet it forges on ahead with the plan to make us all lazier than we need to be, which is a really bad thing if you think about it… Continue reading →

Metro: Last Light ‘Enter The Metro’ Trailer: Why Single Player Is Still Important

Posted on May 30, 2012 by geelw

4A Games’ upcoming post-apocalytic FPS isn’t a multiplayer game, and that’s a REALLY good thing. By focusing on storytelling, characters and driving home the feeling of being in a deadly and frightening destroyed Moscow where what’s left of humanity there is fighting for survival while assorted mutated beasts whittle them down bit by bit, this could be one of the bigger “sleepers” out there when it hits the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC sometime in 2013. The prequel, Metro 2033 was (and is) one of the best story-driven shooters that, despite some hitches here and there, was a truly memorable experience. This one looks even more polished and hopefully, will get the audience it deserves.

Prometheus Clip Mini-Bonanza: The Clock Is Ticking…

Posted on May 30, 2012 by geelw

Yup, the Prometheus trailer and clip free for all continues on the internet. Even after seeing all these clips plus the HBO and Showtime features covering the making of the film, it’s still all a big fat mystery to me as far as what exactly happens in the film. Sure, I’ve got the basic story down pat and as noted previously, there won’t be that same alien from the other films running about and bumping off crew members (a good thing in my book). But when Ridley Scott says he’s “going to scare the $#!t out of you,” I have to take him at his word.

So, yeah… June 8 is rolling up next week and I can see that theater filled with folks expecting one thing and getting something entirely different. But in a really good way. I know I’ll be going home and watching Alien again just to check out the links made in the new film and how well they all fit. One cool thing I’ve liked about the trailers and commercials by the way: they use that weird sound effect from the original Alien trailers to excellent effect…

Resistance: Burning Skies Launch Trailer: Console Quality FPS Experience, Anyone?

Posted on May 30, 2012 by geelw

OK, it looks like the mild drought of retail releases is over for the time being… as long as you like shooters. Still, it’ll be fun to actually play a FPS on a handheld with two analog sticks instead of being forced to used a D-Pad for movement. Granted, I’ve played loads of old PS1 and some PS2 shooters with this older form of control, but it’s a LOT different when the screen and controller are in your hands at the same time. It looks as if the team at Nihilistic has nailed it up tight in terms of the look and feel of the PS3 Resistance games, so it also looks as if this one’s a buy for me…