Breaking Bad Season 4 Finale: “Boom” Time For Walter White

Posted on October 10, 2011 by geelw

Well, THAT was definitely a shock, but the episode title (“Face Off”) should have been a dead giveaway (ha ha) in addition to having a dual meaning. Amusingly enough, despite the disturbing imagery, I got a big laugh thanks to watching too many Warner Bros. cartoons as a kid. Walter White (Bryan Cranston, probably set for another Emmy) finally takes care of his Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito, who might be his competition for that Emmy) problem once and for all with explosive and fairly gory results. Continue reading →

Uncharted 3 Cargo Plane/Chateau Gameplay: Naughty Dog Shows How It’s Done

Posted on October 9, 2011 by geelw

Nathan Drake (above), meet Nathan Drake (below). As you can see from these videos (thanks, CVG!) clearly, we’re watching a developer at the top of its form getting the most out of the PS3 hardware. Sure, they’re definitely showing off here, but when the results look this good, it’s hard to find fault with that at all. Sony’s first-party lineup has been solid for a while, but between last year’s hits and this year’s follow-ups, there’s little doubt that the console still has a lot of life left in it. That November 1 release date for Uncharted 3 is rolling up really quickly and there’s little doubt that this one will be a huge hit in a rather crazy year of major releases.

Nintendo Plans For NYCC Blowout

Posted on October 8, 2011 by geelw

Ups and downs aside, you can always count on Nintendo to give gamers what they want when it comes to showing off key first and third-party titles. At next week’s New York Comic Con, the company is rolling out the big guns and as usual, their booth will be jammed from the minute fans step inside the Javits Center. In addition, there’s a Professor Layton anime premiere at the show as well as the Pokemon Gaming Lounge located near the convention center, so there’s definitely more than enough to do if you’re a huge Nintendo fanatic. Titles they’re showing include: Continue reading →

The Lord of The Rings War In The North Boss Battle Vignette

Posted on October 8, 2011 by geelw

I like the quote in the email that prefaces this trailer, so here it is:

“The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone.”
Celeborn, The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings

Snowblind Studios is really going all out with this one and I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s all turned out. I think fans of the books should be pleased as the game doesn’t shy away from the violent elements found in the books and it’s looking as if it will let you venture to a few areas chopped from the movie trilogy. Granted, the M-rating might be a initial turn-off for those expecting one of the simpler hack & slash movie games geared toward the entire family. However, I say let’s see what happens as people play the game and share it with friends in co-op. I’ll bet any hesitance over a purchase based on the amount of blood in the game disappears once folks see how much fun it all is.

Kill Screen & Capcom Present Fright Club

Posted on October 7, 2011 by geelw

Got plans for October 11? If you happen to be in the NYC area (a few days early for New York Comic Con, perhaps?), Kill Screen Magazine and Capcom are whipping up a nice event for fans of the Dead Rising and Resident Evil franchises. Here’s the when and where:

Santos Party House
96 Lafayette St.
New York, NY 11013

Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM (ET)

It’s a super-busy week for me, but I just might show up to see and play for a bit as all three titles are on my radar…

Spiderweb Software Is Having An Eternal Sale. Get Some Great RPG’s Anytime You Like…

Posted on October 7, 2011 by geelw

Want to try out (and then buy) some of the deepest and most intricate RPGs out there for PC and Mac (and in at least one case, iPad)? Well, Spiderweb Software, which usually runs an October sale has lowered their prices even more permanently! While getting 20% (or more) off is awesome, buying one of their PC or Mac games this month will give you an EXTRA 10% off, making anything they have an even nicer deal. Hmmmm… at these prices, I may just have to take my own advice here for a change…

Yakuza: Dead Souls US/Europe Bound in 2012

Posted on October 7, 2011 by geelw

Thanks again, Sega! Known as Ryū ga Gotoku OF THE END in Japan, this offbeat (and more action-oriented) side story to the long-running franchise known as Yakuza in the west will be hitting the PS3 in March 2012. The game uses the same engine and locations found in the PS3 Yakuza games, adds plenty of zombies to the mix and lets players take on the roles of four characters as they try and put an end to the undead plague. No doubt Sega of America will get this out with as few changes as possible, as the US version of Yakuza 4 was a more solid game than the thanks to the wise decision to NOT chop out some of the more, shall we say, “controversial” content. I’m guessing this may show up at a press event at some point. If it does, I’ll get a hands-on preview up.

Aliens: Colonial Marines Gameplay Footage (Link)

Posted on October 3, 2011 by geelw

I’d posted this Aliens: Colonial Marines E3 gameplay demo trailer over on the other DAF blog on Saturday, but forgot to link to it from here (oops). I need an assistant to keep track of this stuff, that’s for sure. The clone I’m looking at costs way too much and is out of my time zone by about 80 years. Feh. Anyway, Go Gearbox! Go Sega!

Sega Offers FREE Rise of Nightmares Comic Download

Posted on October 1, 2011 by geelw

Sega’s campy/scary Kinect horror game Rise of Nightmares is generating a decent amount of interest among gamers (warts and all) and now there’s even a comic book tie-in to pore over. You can download it HERE if you’re interested in the game ad want a bit of cool back story.

Writer Al Ewing and artist Marc Olivent’s “The Lost Tapes of Roland Childs” tells the tale of the private detective whose tapes and experiences players can collect as they explore the world in the game. As I don’t currently own a Kinect, I’ll have to hope Sega brings the game over to the Move at some point. I kind of need a bit more room in my place for a Kinect as well as that Nyko Zoom add-on so I can actually play some of those games and not knock all the air out of the room in the process.

Please note: This comic contains adult language and scenes. Reader discretion is advised.

Sonic Generations Dreamcast Era Trailer Brings Back Memories…

Posted on October 1, 2011 by geelw

I remember seeing screenshots of Sonic Adventure and being blown away by how great the game looked. Sega’s upcoming console had definitely opened the door for developers to start creating console games that actually looked closer to CG trailers of the period and the DC was home to quite a few spectacular-looking titles, a few of which still stand out as solid genre classics. My review copy of Sonic Generations is on the way, so I’ll be taking time out from reworking the blog to post my impressions. Stay tuned…