Dementium II HD Behind the Scenes: A Whole Lot Of “Nope” Means This Needs To Be Played…

Posted on March 10, 2014 by geelw

So, yeah… Dementium II HD. Digital Tribe and Memetic Games’ PC version of Renegade Kid’s super scary Nintendo DS exclusive looks like an even more complete freak-out, although there’s definitely something to be said for the original game’s defying the hardware it was made for and offering up a frightening portable thrill ride that’s still the best horror game on that old handheld. Anyway, this update looks pretty darn jump out of your underwear freaky on a few fronts, but I’m brave. I can take it. Maybe.

Let’s see it in action (go hide the kids and pets in a closet, folks – this probably isn’t pretty):

Yeah, there’s a whole bus load of “Nope!” going on there, as in “Nope, I’m not going to open that door… TOO LATE! Gyaaaah!” and so forth and so on. Digital Tribe has done well with this frightening little gem and since I missed posting them, I’m going to run all four behind the scenes videos so you can see how the game was made. Pleasant Dreeeeeeams, now…

The other two making of videos are below the jump. Why? Because I like you… M-O-U-S-EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
Continue reading →

Midnight City Gets Two (More) Big Indies to Publish…

Posted on March 10, 2014 by geelw

Okay, since my stupid spam filter was eating their emails until recently, I’ve missed Midnight City‘s fun press releases and videos for the indie titles they’ve published (and a few review opportunities as well, boo!). Anyway, with that little problem now solved, here’s what’s up from these guys this week. Costume Quest 2 is coming! Hoo-ray! Double Fine’s sequel to its Halloween-centric, candy filled role-playing game is indeed getting a release on PC as well as consoles (yes!). As you can see below, even Double Fine’s Grand Poobah, Tim Schaefer is in on the fun in this goofy Midnight City team promo video below the jump… Continue reading →

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II: If You’re Hungary For More, Come Get Some!

Posted on March 10, 2014 by geelw

Okay, I’m late to the mad monster party thanks to such a massive games backlog that I won’t be seeing some of the bigger titles I downloaded last year until late this year (or next year!), which is pretty sad. But I understand quite a lot of people have this problem thanks to too many bundle sales and low prices on single games that are way too hard to pass up.

Anyway, I bumped up the demo to The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing a few weeks back to “PLAY IT!” status when I was cleaning up my Steam library and realized I’d downloaded but not played it. It hooked me in right away and made me wish it was on more platforms because as great as Steam is, not everyone who’d love this fun and funny action/RPG is playing it.

Of course, me being late to the party means Hungary-based Neocore Games has been a hard at work on a sequel that’s going to be even bigger than the original and they want you to climb aboard the even more comedy-laced monster killing train early:

What was that? You say things were moving too quickly and you want screenshots? Um, okay – here you go:

Feel better now? Good. But wait, there’s MORE… Continue reading →

Gallery Update: Cloudbuilt’s Looking More And More Like A Winner…

Posted on March 8, 2014 by geelw

Well, well, well… New Cloudbuilt screens have arrived! Check them out:

Just look at them. Lovely, aren’t they? If Coilworks’ awesome free-run/shooter/platformer Cloudbuilt doesn’t win some awards this year, I’m hanging up my controllers and packing it in for good as a gamer. This is a game I so WANT to succeed if only for the fantastic art direction and fact that it’s just too much fun for PC gamers to have all to themselves. Think of Mirror’s Edge, Gunvalkyrie, and a bunch of classic 8 and 16-bit action games all wrapped up in a neat little (and HIGHLY challenging) package. Then again, the game is ALL about pinpoint control and making the best of mistakes as there’s a way out of almost any bad jump, boost or wall dash provided you have keen reflexes and don’t panic. Continue reading →

Dragon Age Inquisition Update: Oh, The Places You’ll Go (And Stare At For Far Too Long)…

Posted on March 7, 2014 by geelw

Lovely. While I wasn’t enamored with Dragon Age II‘s overuse of environments and SUPER truncated finale, that first game was quite spectacular through and through. The third game looks pretty mighty to behold in these trailers, but I’m hoping we see more open environments that beg to be explored like a real world spot where you want to stop and smell the virtual roses (without getting jumped by a pack of monsters or highwaymen). We’ll see soon enough, but I’m going to go out on a limb and trust BioWare has learned from keeping an ear to the ground for fan feedback by now that more is always better thing when it comes to freedom in how one plays their RPGs…

SOMA Update: Theta of the Absurd, Getting Creepier By The Second…

Posted on March 5, 2014 by geelw

Okay, my pun-like reflexes are a bit sad and lonely today, but that’s what happens when you just finish hanging a bunch of laundry and haven’t had that second cup of joe yet. Anyway, Frictional Games’ upcoming PS4 and PC exclusive, SOMA is looking quite nice in this latest clip and while the game won’t be done for a while, it’s looking like one to watch as it progresses. I still want Frictional to give the world a FIEND update, as that scary little top-down horror gem deserves a nice modern update at some point. Although, not that I think about it… I’m not sure if I’d prefer a first-person viewpoint, as you could see all those damned deadly holes you could avoid falling to your death into with the bird’s eye view. Eh, we’ll see what happens in the future when we arrive. SOMA’s the game to concentrate on for the moment…

Lumber Island Chapter Two: Two Bucks Gets You Scared Half To Death? That’s A Buy!

Posted on March 4, 2014 by geelw

Dean Forge’s unsettling little Unity game, Lumber Island just got an update with a new chapter that worth picking up if you like scary game experiences that have you off kilter from the start. In the first chapter, your character wakes up on a rowboat that’s headed for a dark and not so deserted island and has to deal with a frightening… thing out in the night that seems to want him very dead. The fact that you had no clue as to why you woke up in that boat in the first place coupled with the darkness and disorientation that comes from arriving in a new place in such an abrupt manner made the game a sleeper for me, and this sequel looks even more chilling.

That and those eerie notes that you find that spell out bits of the back story make this a fine little read as well as a game best played in the dark (headphones on at your peril, as you’ll probably keel over dead if someone walks into the room behind you and taps you on the shoulder). At only $1.99 (but you know you NEED the first chapter for an extra $1.99, right?), this one will keep your spine shaking so much for about four to six hours that you won’t even be able to move around using that mouse and keyboard. Yeah, you KNOW you want it… so go get it already!

South Park: The Stick of Truth Now Available: Obsidian’s Got A Solid Hit, It Seems…

Posted on March 4, 2014 by geelw

I normally avoid reading other reviews until after I write my own, but the two I’ve seen for this game are pretty favorable and only knock the game for some bugs and technical issues that need patching up and some repetition in attack animations (a common complaint for RPGs for ages). This bodes well for developer Obsidian and publisher Ubisoft, who rescued the game from oblivion after original publisher THQ folded a few years back. Now, if only Obsidian could get a few more RPGs made using a similar combat engine (but a different visual style), I’d be even happier. Well, this goes on the buy list and in the “Play It!” queue (which has grown by a few too many titles as of late).

Strider Returns! My Hiryu Is Your Hiryu Now, Too…

Posted on February 19, 2014 by geelw

Eeek. To add to this silly and busy week, Capcom has released an reboot of Strider, the classic arcade game many of my gaming dollars went into back in the day. This new version is from developer Double Helix and looks pretty nifty and quite challenging. I’ll probably not get to this until the weekend, but I think I’m ready to have my ass handed to me a few times before I get through this one. We’ll see. It’s too bad this can’t be played on the Vita OR Wii U , but oh well (I still say why aren’t these on MORE platforms? Both the Vita and Wii U could use a fun and tricky retro platformer like this) Hmmm… I also see Dustforce also came out and I missed that launch last week (oops!). I need to check my inbox for a review code, I guess. Hey, I’ve been a bit busy here, people!

Cloudbuilt: Eternal Run Shines (of the Spotless Kind)…

Posted on February 15, 2014 by geelw

I haven’t even played Coilworks’ incredible looking Cloudbuilt yet, but between that very descriptive game trailer above and the lovely screens below, I’m getting a serious Gunvalkyrie meets Mirror’s Edge meets Mega Man vibe – and that’s a damn good thing.

Man, I wish this game was on consoles on a disc so MORE people could play it. The sense of speed and what looks like solid controls only add to the fun, and given the levels seem to be open to each player’s skills, I’m expecting this to be one of those games that’s not played and put away (or deleted) any time soon (unless you’re a total loser who despises a decent challenge). Now I just need to find time to actually play that demo I’m being teased with, as Toy Fair is going to take up a huge chunk of my time for the next four days and afterward as I write up a few articles. Eh, it’ll all work out soon enough. It always does. Back in a bit.