Defiance Ark Hunter Chronicles 5: Risk Versus Reward, Indeed…

Posted on March 20, 2013 by geelw

How amusing that this week’s DEFIANCE AHC has this particular title. It also seems that’s the collective hive mind thinking of some MMO and shooter fans who somehow STILL don’t “get” this game after MONTHS of footage, previews and information that’s NOT leaked out in dribs and drabs by some “crafty” PR drone, but put up by Trion Worlds and syfy themselves. I still see posts calling this a “Halo” clone, a FPS, or asking if it has traditional MMO click and wait gameplay. Some people love the air in their bubbles, I guess. Personally, they just give me gas. Anyway, the game is fast-paced, fun and will probably surprise some of the jaded types. The only bit of confusion I see that’s a b it pesky for Trion is some think the game is offline as well when it’s not. I still think it SHOULD have an offline solo and co-op game (which would make it PERFECT for fans of Sandlot’s Earth Defense Force games), as well as get a Vita version with the same features. But perhaps we’ll see some other developer give that a go if the series takes off and there’s high interest in taking it to that level. As always… we shall see…

Defiance: New Alien Sightings Make For A Spring Workout Plan…

Posted on March 20, 2013 by geelw

More looks at syfy’s upcoming series DEFIANCE in a quickie alien preview. As noted earlier, this is really looking like it’ll be a show worth running home to see each week, provided you LIKE running home or running before you catch a favorite TV show. Hey, it’s SPRING and you could use to lose that winter fat, buddy. Yeah, me too, but I work at home, so I’ll need to run around the block a few times (or back from the library which is about 1/2 a mile from home) or the Starbucks with the better internet connection about 1.2 miles away. OK, I’ll “walk quickly”, as I don’t run for anybody and I’m certainly not going to run for office, even if it’s at home…

Woo. That’s cyclical humor at its finest, folks! I’ll be here all week – 2 shows nightly, 2 drink cover. Don’t forget to tip your server!

Making of Defiance (7): Amanda & Kenya (And The Places They’ll Take You)…

Posted on March 16, 2013 by geelw

Fans of Showtime’s Dexter and a few other shows she’s been in will recognize Julie Benz from her great work and it looks as if the streak will continue in Defiance. The upcoming syfy series launches eleven days after the PC/PS3/Xbox 360 game tie-in hits, so there will hopefully be enough people playing or hearing about the game to generate a wave of interest in the series. The big fat elephant in the room is quality, but so far, the show and game seem to have it in spades. As always, we shall see… but I say give this one a chance for a season and see where it takes you.

Defiance Ark Hunter Chronicles 4 & Making of 6: April May Not Be The Cruelest Month…

Posted on March 14, 2013 by geelw

Want more DEFIANCE? OK, here you go, and with the game hitting retail on April 2 and the show popping up on syfy April 13, it’s clear that all that hard work will pay off as soon as both pieces of this long in development project launch. As I’ve noted previously, the game is great fun, fast paced and NOT like any other MMO on the market (Yes, even SOE’s epic shooter Planetside, which some are comparing it to). While there’s NO single player offline component, hopping online and playing at one’s own pace or with a group is smooth and the world is constantly active with things to do. I’m gathering the eleven-day lead up to the show will see some really hardcore players try to break the game by power-leveling and trying to defeat some of those massive bosses or Hellbug spawns solo (good luck with that, by the way). But I think Trion has planned well enough ahead, as the PvP and other more MP focused elements all take place in the same world and can be joined or avoided as one pleases. Continue reading →

The Making of DEFIANCE (1 – 5): Nope, No Sharktopus Here, Folks…

Posted on March 11, 2013 by geelw

I figure I may as well run these now, as I’ve finally watched them all and can safely say that this might indeed be a VERY cool show and even better than I was thinking. I still HATE the illiterate “syfy” re-branding (and NO, it’s not the “same” as sci-fi, which as I noted a while back, was reviled when the late Forrest J. Ackerman thought up that abbreviation), but I’m gathering no one but me is bitching about it these days…

Continue reading →

Defiance: Arkhunter Chronicles 3 & Weapons Modifications: More Fictional Fat For The Fire

Posted on March 8, 2013 by geelw

With that April launch rolling up sooner than you think, Trion Worlds and syfy continue to let loose more and more fun Defiance lore and game info. Here’s the third Arkhunter Chronicles video and below that, a look at some of the many weapons you can modify to your tastes in the game. Sure,it’s no Borderlands 2 with it’s bazillions of guns, but there’s more than enough here to keep the fans busy for quite some time. Speaking of… as I’ve been saying for some time now, the game looks really fantastic and plays as smooth as silk. At this point, it’s really all up to the show to hook the skeptics in (as in,it BETTER be great from episode one) and get them to plunk down that AAA game price for what’s looking to be one of the big deal potential Game of the Year candidates if everything comes together as all are hoping…

Defiance Competitive Multiplayer: Rush Hour At The More Than OK Corral…

Posted on March 4, 2013 by geelw

Since Defiance isn’t a garden variety online FPS (or a FPS at all) and not your standard semi-real time MMO where you queue up actions and wait while moves play out, the game flows a lot more like a purer action game because it IS one. Granted, I still can’t play it online at all here (boo!), but nothing should stop YOU from if you’re interested in the show and able to do so. Here’s hoping Trion Worlds has a bigger hit than even they’ve imagined and they can do something similarly fun for those of us who don’t live online (whether by choice or not) when we want some simple, fun but thrilling gaming… my fingers are crossed…

Defiance Ark Hunter Chronicles 1 & 2: Building Up That Mythology Is Very Helpful…

Posted on March 2, 2013 by geelw

As Trion Worlds and syfy get ready to roll out Defiance on April 2, they’re dropping all sorts of background mini-movies and excellently produced trailers on the game, game world, creatures and other features (like these Ark Hunter Chronicles vids) in order to have a big, fat and very necessary back story to all the events you’ll soon be watching (and hopefully, playing). This is indeed a good thing and potential viewers and players of the innovative TV show/MMORPG hybrid will probably want every little thing to sync up as perfectly as possible to pleas and appease even the pickiest of nitpickers. It works for me (but I’d still prefer that great looking and playing game – it’s REALLY fun – to have an offline mode)…

Defiance Pre-Orders Kick Off: MMO Innovation Is On The Way…

Posted on January 21, 2013 by geelw

If any MMO deserves to succeed in a far too crowded market, it’s Trion Worlds’ upcoming action-based tie-in the the upcoming syfy TV show. As you can see above and below, it’s absolutely NOT another licensed game tossed out the door by a studio looking to cash in on the rubes who buy anything attached to a genre like clockwork, folks. At least five years of hard work has gone into the game and show and they’re kind of joined at the hip in that watching the show and playing the game link the narrative in a few ways. Like a few other MMO’s you’re paying for the retail version, but the game will be free to play after that. While offline play is a no-go (a shame, as the game is fast-paced and plays just like a great action game should) I’m hoping it does well enough that Trion can spin this off onto other platforms in some way as a solo experience that doesn’t require an online connection. I’d bet there are loads of potential players without decent online connections that would love to give this one a shot at some point. As always, we shall see…

Defiance Co-op Trailer: Looks Great as Ever (But Offline Play Needs An Invite)…

Posted on January 16, 2013 by geelw

I’ll say right now that I loved playing that fantastic Defiance demo last year, but as the game nears its eventual launch this year, I’m sort of hoping Trion Worlds has a “Plan B” for all that hard work should the show not be accepted by the more jaded fans out there. Sure, the MMO space needs a game changer and in terms of third-person console shooters, this game adds some great things to the genre that makes it even more player-friendly than DC Universe online while having the challenge core action gamers expect. That said, the game needs a way to play offline or co-op with friends just in case gamers aren’t biting as much as they should on the line. I guess I’ll keep my fingers and toes crossed that the game succeeds as the best new cross-platform action/ MMO on the market, as I really want to see gamers embrace this soon to be classic.