Evochron Mercenary: That Final Frontier Again, But A Hell of A Lot More Thrilling

Posted on October 9, 2012 by geelw

I’m wrapping up my review for Endless Space (yeah, it took a bit longer than I thought, but I got hooked) and someone sends me a link to this video. Great, ANOTHER space sim to get tractor-beamed on for too long! Actually, Evochron Mercenary is a different bird in a number of ways I like and I’ve been hearing some great things about StarWraith Games, so on the to-do pile this one goes. I guess I’ll finally get to it in a few months, given all the games I still need to play. I’m actually afraid to go near something this deep again, as my free time has dwindled to just about zero or something below that. Then again, the weather is getting really chilly lately, so I may at least download a demo at some point sooner…

Nintendo’s eShop To Kick Into High Gear Soon…

Posted on October 9, 2012 by geelw

For better or worse, Nintendo is finally going whole hog (hopefully, say digital fans demanding the best) on this eShop thing. A quarter says it’s up and running when the Wii U launches next month. It had better be live, given the drubbing the company got when the 3DS launched with an incomplete shop function that left some gamers and journalist types wondering what the heck was going on. I’m betting they’ve learned that hard lesson, as the Wii U is going to need to be on point plus tax with no flaws in the ointment.

Gallery: Dokuro – GungHo’s PS Vita Puzzle/Platformer Looks Like A Winner…

Posted on October 9, 2012 by geelw

GungHo! Online Entertainment is embracing the PlayStation Vita full force with a pair of very promising game releases in 2012 – here’s the first of the company’s small but very cool lineup for Sony’s handheld. Dokuro is a hybrid platformer with a unique, gorgeous visual style and gameplay that should make fans of the genre sit up and take notice. In the game, players will take on the role of Dokuro, a lowly skeleton in service to a Dark Lord who decided to free a princess kidnapped by his master. As the princess can’t see him, Dokuro needs to help her in some way before her fate is sealed. Our bony would-be savior finds a potion that can change him into a handsome prince the princess can see, and the gameplay revolves around Dokuro switching back and forth between forms to aid the princess as she makes her way to freedom.

Platformer, puzzle and combat elements are all part of the game and with almost 150 levels to complete, GungHo estimates between 20-30 hours of play time, making the $19.99 price a bargain in my book. Check out the screens below and set your calendars for October 16, 2012 when Dokuro makes its debut exclusively on PSN. As for that other game… well, it’s a no-brainer Action/RPG purchase called Ragnarok Odyssey – more on that one in a bit…

Assassin’s Creed III Liberation Dev Diary: With Liberty and Vitas for All…

Posted on October 8, 2012 by geelw

Is Ubisoft’s upcoming portable side story the best PS Vita game to date? Well, I’m not (that) psychic, but it sure looks like a prime contender. Check out this latest behind the scenes look at what’s definitely a game worth playing on Sony’s handheld. The system may be struggling a bit these days, but this could be one of those titles that becomes a system seller, killer app, must-play and so forth and so on. Hey, all that hard work here HAS to get some appreciation, I say…

DmC Preorder Madness: Choose Your Poison (They All Look Tasty)…

Posted on October 8, 2012 by geelw

I’m not a fan at all of the current crazy situation where every major retailer gets SEPARATE pre-order bonuses, no matter how good a game is. I happen to love games where everything is in the package or those where I know I can scoop up every last bit of content in a Game of the Year or other reissue. I know a lot of other gamers who hate this tactic as well, but it seems to be here to stay.

And don’t go hating ONLY on Capcom for this, kids – you can toss a dead cat and hit games from nearly every major publisher that do this sort of thing. That said, from what I’ve played, at least DmC is going to be one of those games that no matter how you buy it, will keep you busy through multiple replays. Continue reading →

Need For Speed Most Wanted: Criterion Clearly Hasn’t Burned Out Yet…

Posted on October 8, 2012 by geelw

It’s been a ton of fun playing this upcoming competition-based racer at press events and it’s equally fun watching people play, especially those new to the crazed competition Criterion has created. You’ll be fighting for every challenge, as the game’s non-stop pace, open world and constant need for, well, SPEED n the bulk of the events will keep your fingers on their toes constantly. This could be the perfect party game for many and it’s definitely going to get people obsessively checking their Autolog scores or fearing the updates with their former best times smashed by someone else (probably within seconds or minutes). Naturally, if you hate being beaten, you can always play the game offline against the AI, but this is exactly the sort of game that encourages you to dive in with as many other live players as possible.

Random Unfinished Indie Game of the Week: DOOM RPG: Evil Unleashed

Posted on October 7, 2012 by geelw

Even if you’re not a fan of turn-based RPGs, DOOM RPG: Evil Unleashed should be on your list of games to play before you’re worm food. Why? Well, between the intentionally retro visuals, great use of music (from a few sources) and reworked art assets from the original game and a solid level of difficulty, the game is a pretty nice surprise that will eat up your free time. Created by thespazztikone in the nicely versatile open-source game engine O.H.R.RPG.C.E. (Official Hamster Republic Role Playing Game Construction Engine!) and hopefully going to get polished up a bit more and updated with more episodes, the game hooks you in right away with a surprising amount of voice acting and a nice, slow buildup to the actual gameplay. Once you get into the combat and hear that familiar level end tune when you’re victorious, expect a grin to spread as the hours fly by.

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007 Legends Opening Credits Cinematic: More Bond-age Makes Me Smile…

Posted on October 6, 2012 by geelw

Four games into the license and Activision has done this long-running franchise right by shaking and stirring things up with solid results. Eurocom’s new Bond game could very well be the best one to date this console cycle thanks to its story-based structure that puts today’s 007 (Daniel Craig) through his paces in re-imagined missions from five of the best Bond films (plus a DLC mission based on the upcoming SKYFALL). The dev team is clearly at the top of their game here, so expect all the action, gadgets and mayhem of a James Bod adventure, but a lot more interactive, as you’re not sitting on the couch rooting for James to not get bumped off by Goldfinger below or any of the other villains classic to current coming your way October 16 for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Now, someone tell me Eurocom has a PS Vita dev kit humming away somewhere in their offices, as I’d really LOVE to see what they can do with Mr. Bond on that HD handheld…

Silent Hill: Book of Memories Hands-On: The Reliable Chase & Chop Formula Always Rocks

Posted on October 6, 2012 by geelw

I was instantly intrigued by Silent Hill: Book of Memories when I first heard about coming exclusively to the Vita. The fact that veteran developer WayForward Technologies got the gig was cool enough, but as soon as I saw early screenshots showing the game was a top-down action RPG hybrid, it went on my radar as something to watch. Of course, me being so stupidly busy trying to get DAF more noticed and generate some income (hey, I like being a taxpayer!) meant I’d forgotten to check in on things until recently when a demo dropped on PSN. Not too surprisingly, the team has whipped up an extremely addictive action-heavy blast that’s sure to draw in those who crave tightly focused dungeon crawlers in all their knocking off of monsters and gathering of much loot glory.

While the BoM demo isn’t as initially creepy or instantly unsettling as previous games in the franchise, it has enough going for it that promises plenty. In terms of gameplay, it rocks in the manner of the Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, Champions of Norrath and Hunter the Reckoning series. Naturally, some Silent Hill fanatics are raging over this intensely all over the internet, but let me put some sanity into place here by saying the game not only looks and plays well, it works as a Silent Hill game once you get over the fact that it’s the most combat-focused entry in the series history. The game deviates from the SH formula in a few key ways, but it also taps into what makes the series compelling. If you’re familiar with the above mentioned titles and love this type of game, I’ll bet you’re grinning already…

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Nano Assault Neo/Nano Assault EX Trailers: Shin’en Style: Super Shooters Inbound!

Posted on October 6, 2012 by geelw

Excellent – not only is Shin’en beefing up Nano Assault for a 3DS digital release, we’re also getting Nano Assault Neo on the Wii, which packs in even more all-new content and nicely uses the GamePad for two-player action. My only issue with both games are they’re going to bi digital downloads only. Personally, I’d pay for a retail release that features full-on Wii U remakes of Nanostray, Nanostray 2 and both Iridion 3D games. I bet fans of the developer’s shmups would agree, especially if they also got a discount voucher for Nano Assault EX included in the deal. Anyway, color me thrilled to see another Wii U game on the way…