E3 2013: Dying Light Trailer: Seems Those Undead Will Live Forever…

Posted on June 7, 2013 by geelw

OK, it’s officially official: zombies are finally played out in games. But at least they’re getting used in desperately fun and funky ways as fodder in some new hybrid titles. Techland’s upcoming PlayStation 4 and PC title, Dying Light pits your supremely agile character against packs of fast-moving undead in what’s looking like a pretty thrilling “open world” action game that’s part Mirror’s Edge, part Left 4 Dead. This one’s not coming out until 2014, but it’s on my radar as I like a lot of what Techland has done. Hopefully, it will look and play good as well as not disappoint – it’s tough to judge from a CG trailer, but as usual, some hands on time is the best and ONLY way to gauge any game’s potential success of failure.

E3 2013: Meanwhile, In NintendoLand…

Posted on June 6, 2013 by geelw

All Hail King Reggie! Huzzah! Verily and forsooth, Sire Reggie of Redmond hath some gilded words for his loyal subjects! Huzzah!! OK, OK… I jest (and jest a little, hee ho!). Still, I bet that every executive at Nintendo is smiling a bit broadly (or just a little bit more) now that Microsoft has thrown down it’s gauntlet and four of the fingers clattered off onto the stone flooring. Oops. Well, my own Wii U and Wii are bouncing up and down as my two busted 360’s are doing the dead face thing. My PS3 isn’t saying anything, but it’s been batting its eyelashes at me every time I turn it on. Anyway, this should be a really interesting show this year, as it seems some plans aren’t going as planned and some will do better than expected. I say skip the boring stuff, show the games and just keep us all up to date on what we’ll be paying for and how the heck much it’ll all cost.

E3 2013: DuckTales Remastered: Launchpad Lands in the Amazon and Transylvania…

Posted on June 6, 2013 by geelw

Woo-ooooo! Yeah, I played the Transylvania demo level already at the Capcom event last month (it’s quite amazing how WayForward recaptured the feeling of the original and has enhanced it even more), but seeing it once more makes me smile. That Amazon level looks as tough as ever, but with some nice twists. I’m allowing this happy-happy joy-joy stuff take over instead of the news that all my (and your) emails and other online conversations have been (and are) pored over by the federales for security reasons. Bleh. Well, I should be a LOT more annoyed, but I guess I’ll leave that to the bloggers who do better at focusing on politics. Me, I just want to toss them all onto a slow boat to the sun, Wooo-oooooo!

Bethesda Gets You Cultured (Sort of): Welcome to Uppsala, Sweden!

Posted on June 5, 2013 by geelw

While Machine Games toils away on its new game, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Bethesda (and YOU) get a little more cultured in this latest update that actually features no game footage at all (whee!). OK, OK… stop panicking, people. You see soon enough that the game is definitely in good hands (I’ll post a gallery after E3 is over and done). Think of it this way: the lighthearted travelogue and studio tour going on above and below is just fluff to keep your eyes and ears in shape for the upcoming shooter.

In plain English: giving you too much candy now will just ruin your appetite for dinner, you know… that’s your free lesson of the day.

Humble Weekly Sale/Humble Bundle 8: MORE Games To Die For, But Act Fast…

Posted on June 5, 2013 by geelw

OK, I’d almost missed this incredible Humble Weekly Sale thanks to some emails getting eaten by my spam folder, but wow. Some of Telltale Games’ biggest hits, including the critically acclaimed episodic series The Walking Dead, is up for grabs for a stupidly LOW price for the next 20 or so hours. If you love adventure games and great stories well told with a few puzzles thrown at your brain for good measure, you NEED this bundle, period.

Oh, did I mention that Humble Bundle 8 has made over $2 million for charity? I didn’t? Well, I just did a sentence ago, silly. Anyway, THAT one’s on sale for a bit longer (6 days) AND now has eleven games and ten soundtracks for under $6!

Anyway, the clock, she is ticking, no? So stop reading here and go HERE to get what’s coming to you. Or else. “Or else, what?” you say? Or else you’ll be kicking yourself in the pants for not getting these games at a great price AND be stuck reading Fifty Shades of What’s Left in the Freezer again this weekend, silly. Seriously – The Walking Dead alone is THAT good a game that slapping down a measly five bucks or more will net you Steam keys for all five episodes

Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara – Meet The Thief (Your Wallet Will Be Lighter, But You Won’t Mind)

Posted on June 5, 2013 by geelw

Another week, another class from Capcom’s upcoming arcade classic set to hit PC, PSN, XBLA and Nintendo’s eShop later this month. As I noted in my hands-on preview last week or thereabouts (hey, it’s close to E3 and I’m up to my newly clipped nose hairs in press releases and such!), the game is coming along fantastically and will be packed to the gills with content and game modes that should make it highly replayable.

Hopefully, this will do well enough that we also see portable versions hit as well as a new sequel or all-new D&D game starring the same characters plus a few more classes for good measure. All that’s up to you (well… partly, as I’m not sure how “easy” it is to get the license for a new game from whomever owns it these days), so make sure you make yourself happy and Capcom happier by snapping this up.

UPDATE! Release dates from Capcom incoming: Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara is due out this June on PSN (NA: 6/18; EU: 6/19), Xbox LIVE (NA: 6/19; EU: 6/19), Wii U e-Shop (TBC – more info coming soon!), and PC (NA: 6/18; EU: 6/18) for $14.99.

E3 2013: South Park: The Stick of Truth Trailer: They Didn’t Kill Kenny!

Posted on June 5, 2013 by geelw

Nope, THQ’s dying off in slow flames didn’t stop this game from getting snapped up by the highest bidder when the publisher’s assets were sold off, so veteran developer Obsidian Entertainment and new publisher Ubisoft are making sure fans of the TV show will have nothing to worry about. Granted, if you hate South Park, you’re shaking your fist at the screen and screaming “Whyyyyyyy??!!” or something (and if you’re at work or in a public place, you’re just mouthing it so no one gives you a dirty look), but this one looks like it’ll be fun and as pointedly crude as the show.

I’m not a regular viewer myself, but it does make me laugh and cringe at all the proper moments. One thing, though… where the hell is the Wii U version? Ubisoft? Get on that, please. I’ll most likely grab this for the PS3, but I’d say Nintendo’s console could use some more love…

Killzone: Shadow Fall Update: Guerrilla’s in the Midst (and Not Monkeying Around)…

Posted on June 2, 2013 by geelw

Well, it sure looks like Killzone: Shadow Fall is going to be another marquee title for Sony’s new console and as you can see here, the guys and gals at Guerrilla Games are making sure series fans get their money’s worth and then some. What’s really impressive here is despite being yet another shooter in a very well-packed genre full of them, if you follow the game from its first chapter on the PS2, you can see the developer maturing as they lay down the series’ trajectory as the focus shifts from one side to another. Win or lose, war is indeed hell for both sides at the end of the day…

Ride to Hell: Retribution “Built, Not Bought” Trailer: Hmm, How About A Slice of Iron Pie?

Posted on June 1, 2013 by geelw

Well, OK… you can technically add food to stuff you can “build” and not buy off the shelf, but who’s writing this lame material, hmmm? Anyway, Deep Silver’s and Eutechnyx’ grindhouse biker action game is still on the way and sure, it’s not going to win any Game of the Year awards for visuals, but it just may be a hell of a lot more fun than some expect. Especially because you absolutely CAN’T judge a game by looks alone in this day and age. Hell, that would kill nearly the whole retro/indie games market in one go. As I’ve noted elsewhere, if it’s fun to play and makes you laugh in all the right spots (as in WITH the game, not AT it), it’s a keeper. Sort of like with people, you know…

Mamorukun Curse! PSN Announcement Trailer: The ONLY Time “Crazy Meets Cute” Works.

Posted on June 1, 2013 by geelw

Consider the humble “bullet hell” arcade shooter. Some think they’re a dying breed, but for some reason they keep turning up all over the place as developers and fans of this niche genre know what they like and there seem to be enough old to new games appearing on a few platforms obscure to current that keep things really interesting. Anyway, G.rev Ltd. and Gulti’s insane “cute ’em up” Mamorukun Curse! is finally hitting PSN on July 16, 2013, so here’s a look at the announcement trailer and a small batch of screens. This one’s cool because you’re not in a spaceship or plane at all, but on foot or floating about in some maps, which reminds me of Pocky & Rocky, Twinkle Tale, Elemental Master, Undeadlinee and a bunch of other classics. But harder, as you’ll see above. Anyway, mark that date down and keep an eyeball peeled I say. Finger exercises optional, but if you go down in flames because of hand cramps, it’s your own damn fault…

Here’s what to expect in the game:

3 exciting game play modes: Netherworld Action Mode, Arcade Mode, and Story Mode
Online Leaderboards: Use Curse Powers to rack up huge bonuses and challenge your friends to the top-ranking spot of the online leaderboards
Includes all previously released DLC from the original Japanese version:
2 Extra Netherworld Adventures Courses
2 Additional playable characters: Nowa and Rukino for use in Arcade Mode and Netherworld Adventures Mode
Alternate Costumes for all 7 characters
66 challenging PS3 Trophies to unlock