Review: Remember Me

Posted on June 23, 2013 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360/PC (also on PS3)

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Score: B+ (85%)

A stylish and thrilling combination of cinematic elements and action featuring a memorable new character, Remember Me is a grand example of the “shut up and play it!” game. You can be on the sort of clueless “Well, my friend says he heard it’s not like so and so…” side of the fence, or you can step right up, slap your money down and enjoy a well made, always entertaining and somewhat innovative thriller that, while borrowing elements from a few sources, ends up feeling original and refreshing on a few fronts. This is a game that, if you’re in the mood for a good story (save for a slight stumble near the finale) delivers on that promise pretty well. While it may not seem sequel-friendly, the overall experience makes you want to see a second game that features a lot more of the richly detailed 2084 Neo-Paris developer Dontnod Entertainment has created.

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Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut DLC: New Cars, Clothes And A Crib For York!

Posted on June 11, 2013 by geelw

Well, oh yeah! If I weren’t up to my nose hairs in WAY too much E3 stuff (enough to last a few weeks’ worth of coverage), I’d most definitely be back in Greenvale enjoying this new DLC for Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, now available on PSN. Yeah, you KNOW you want it… and boy are you going to get it. And sooner than you think, I bet.

And hey! Whaddya mean you need a review before you buy this? OK, OK… here you go. And yeah, I’m biased in favor of quirk over quality, so sue me – the game is awesome and weird as hell, but it all works!

Speaking of work… OK… back to work (again). Too much to do and not enough hours in the day as usual!

EDF 4 Web Shop Treats: And That’s Why We Love You, D3Publisher!

Posted on June 7, 2013 by geelw

With Earth Defense Force 4 less than a month away in Japan, D3Publisher is keeping fans up to date with a little web shop weirdness that really needs to be part of the game’s US localization. Yeah, yeah, explaining inflatable cuties in maid outfits is going to be an eyebrow lifter for some gamers, but just roll with it – they’re actually really useful in the game against the hordes of giants bugs and other pesky enemies you’ll face. July 4, 2013 is when this hits overseas, meaning those of you importers who pre-ordered won’t be getting your copies until after that holiday even if you paid for more expensive shipping. Anyone else, well – D3Publisher of America hasn’t dropped that release date just yet, but E3 is in a few days so expect some info soon…

Now Playing: Remember Me (and Other Stuff)…

Posted on June 4, 2013 by geelw

Of course, I had to run out early on Friday evening and zoomed past the UPS truck a block away that I SHOULD have hung around a few minutes to bug the driver about any packages that were mine on board, but, oh well. Anyway, Remember Me popped up again yesterday and I’ve been playing it since (which is why there weren’t a load of posts happening, folks). Anyway, it’s quite a blast and yep, a review is incoming probably tomorrow. So far, it’s quite original, somewhat linear, but very gorgeous in a “this is the game you make when your studio is in Paris!” kind of way.

Back in a bit – spoiler: the score will be good unless the game falls apart in what looks like the last few areas I’ll be getting back to soon enough. As for “Other Stuff”, that’s not a game – it’s just my queue stacked up with a bunch of games I’ll try to get to before the E3 crunch steamrolls me…

GRID 2 Launch Trailer: “Hotter Than Georgia Asphalt…”

Posted on May 31, 2013 by geelw

Yeah, I was watching Wild at Heart again this week _ I don’t think Sailor and Peanut will mind me swiping that line. Anyway, GRID 2 Codemasters’ gorgeous and innovative racer is zooming into stores and yes, go grab a copy and see what the fuss is all about, I say. I’ll be reviewing this sometime next week or around the weekend when my review copy slides into my mailbox. Yeah, yeah, it’s not the upcoming 1200+ car overkill beauty pack that is Sony’s upcoming Gran Turismo 6, nor is it the “Everyman’s a winner because of our difficulty curve assuring you do indeed win a lot of races on the first or second go!” that the stunning-looking Forza games are. The team here if focusing on a ton of cool offline and online play that looks to shake up the racing game field and hopefully, many will dive in feet first and enjoy the ride. Back in a bit with more words dropped onto a digital page at random about this one…

Remember Me Live Action Trailer: Dontnod’s Lost Angel in the City of Light

Posted on May 31, 2013 by geelw

Capcom and developer Dontnod Entertainment have a Royale (with no cheese) surprise coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on June 4, 2013 with Remember Me, a sci-fi action game set in and around a 2084 Neo Paris about a former “memory hunter” forced to take on her former employer after her own memory is erased. Some hands-on time with a demo at a recent Capcom press event revealed a stylish and cinematic single player focused experience with a unique “rhythm” based combat system, some nice and fluid parkour elements and what’s looking like a few tricky environmental puzzle-based surprises and rewards. Lead character Nilin’s slim athletic build, multiracial look and telltale scar make her a refreshing change of pace from certain other female characters that usually step in from the same gene pool, so hopefully gamers will hook into her and fine a heroine worth (wait for it) remembering. I think they will. Back with a full review sometime next week…

GRID 2: Only A Few More Days to Hit The Road…

Posted on May 24, 2013 by geelw

I just saw a TV commercial for GRID 2 and it caught me off guard because I was changing channels when I passed it and quickly flipped back to see the rest. The game certainly looks beautiful (even more so once you have a controller in your hot little hands, as I can attest from my two hands-on experiences), it’s fast as hell and Codemasters is introducing some fine innovations to the racing genre that should keep this one a hot item for some time.

I’m actually kicking myself because I’d traded my copy of the first game to a friend for two other racers and I actually miss it. Well, it looks as if I’ll have this sequel to drool over and keep, as I’ll be hanging onto this until I see everything it has to offer. Hmm… I’m out of coffee, too. I think I’ll need to grab some before this hits stores, as I don’t think I’ll be leaving the house for a while…

Lost Planet 3 Updated Hands-On: Payton’s Place Is On Channel E.D.N. III…

Posted on May 22, 2013 by geelw

I’ve been a supporter of Lost Planet 3 ever since I played the demo last year simply because I completely “got” the direction Capcom and developer Spark Unlimited set for the upcoming prequel. While that first demo was put together to show off certain areas in the game and how well-designed and acted the cinematic sequences were, the version I played last week here in NYC was the first area of the game that showed off a solid story and gameplay progression that made the 45 or so minutes fly by too quickly.

Those folks unfairly criticizing the game for nonsense reasons will hopefully not affect the sales one bit should they actually get their hands around a controller and have their minds changed. Of course, you can’t care what some less informed people say on the internet, right? That said, my more informed powers of “I played it and see where it’s going” trump anyone with a bile covered keyboard who still thinks this is a “sequel” and not going to cover elements in the other LP games…

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Review: Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut

Posted on May 19, 2013 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Access Games

Publisher: Rising Star Games

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A- (90%)

Just like its original incarnation as an Xbox 360 game, Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut is a victory of surprising supernatural and surreal substance over what’s expected by some as visual “style” in a game this generation, and that’s exactly what makes it just as much fun to play as before. Actually, better aiming, vehicle controls and a handful of PS3-specific features make this the content superior version, as do the new brief movie segments that add a tiny bit more lore to the story. The frame rate takes a dip here, but this new “flaw” actually adds an even more dreamlike quality to the game and definitely isn’t as bad as some have noted. I’d gather some new players won’t notice it all that much because the game’s general weirdness in every area demands and commands one’s complete attention. Continue reading →

Payday: The Heist 2 Gets A Cross-Platform Retail Release: Smart Move (And A Steal, At That)…

Posted on May 15, 2013 by geelw

payday2_logo_black

Other than trying the game out at a friend’s place for about an hour or so, I didn’t get to play Payday: The Heist because I can’t access PSN or Xbox Live at home. Of course, with its fast-paced but more tactical gameplay that your garden variety FPS and ability to play out different heists, the game did well enough as a PS3 and PC download that a sequel was a no-brainer. Overkill Software has been in the kitchen cooking up Payday 2 for a bit and publisher 505 Games has announced that not only is the sequel coming soon (as in this August), it’s making the jump to Xbox 360 AND getting a nice retail release this time out.

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As you can see from the screens below, the fine folks at Overkill (which is an offshoot of Starbreeze Studios) certainly know their way around a graphics engine and if you hate clowns, you’re already hiding behind a couch cushion thanks to those freaky masks. Of course, the proof is all in the playing, so I guess this one gets added to my already crowded list of games to get to once they’re out. Those of you looking for a little virtual cops & robbers action should probably be on the lookout for this one as well…