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…
In the mood for some classic platforming action? Do you like (or more precisely, are you not afraid of) SPIDERS? Well, then… Kalypso Media Digital and developer Enigma Software Productions have a fun little indie game for you (well, provided you own a PC, Mac, Xbox 360 or PS3). Alien Spidy packs in 69 levels of that aforementioned platforming straight out the the NES and arcade days with pretty HD visuals and plenty of challenge. PS3 owners? You’ll be getting a version shortly afterward and it’ll cost the same $9.99 as PC and Mac owners will pay. XBLA users have to pony up 800 Microsoft Points (which is sort of the same price, I think) for the pleasure of playing with Spidy. I’m gathering that if you haven’t hit your monitor with a shoe or sprayed it with Raid ’til it keeled over DEAD, you’re still intrigued, so here are some screenshots to ogle while you wait for the 20th to roll around…
And just exactly what has Starbreeze Studios been up to these days you ask? Well, the busy and super-talanted developer has been collaborating with Swedish film director Josef Fares on an upcoming digital-only fantasy game headed for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Steam this spring and published by 505 Games. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons lets you control a pair of siblings with a single controller as they try to find a cure for their ailing father in a nicely detailed stylized fantasy world. Check out the teaser above and the short walkthrough clip below to see how the game will play. This one looks quite cool and hopefully will gain a strong following and not get buried in the rather large online game libraries on PSN, Xbox Live and Steam. As always, we shall see…
In a way, FUSE is probably Insomniac’s most important game to date. The veteran games studio is well know worldwide among critics and PlayStation fans (and anyone else who happens to be console agnostic) who knows everything the developer has done has been of the highest quality. Sit down with any Insomniac title and you’ll find plenty of outstanding design, excellent visuals, and games that are just pure fun to play. Much of that work has held up over time (yes, even Disruptor) and as their first multi-platform release, the game looks to the carry those traditions to both the PS3 and Xbox 360. EA had a new demo of the game up and running at their spring press event a few weeks back and it was one of those cases where I walked up to the demo setup with a huge grin and left holding the top of my head so it wouldn’t fall off because that grin got a wee bit too wide. The co-op focused shooter formerly known as Overstrike looks spectacular, controls like a dream and more importantly, is certainly geared towards expert players.
And here you go in case you can’t make it to the very cool Applied Design show here in NYC (or if you’re a total cheapskate but have an eyeball for art): a bit of a walk-through in image and movie form. Some of these pics and vids are shot by me, some by artist Linda Dennis who tagged along for the experience (and got to play Pac-Man again for the first time in a long while and Tetris for the first time ever. Too bad the Pac-Man had a “ringer” joystick (which means no one but someone who can work with that thing like it is will make it to the kill screen, which isn’t a short process, mind you). Enjoy! There may be a test later (but I doubt it). Bonus points if you spot yours truly in any of these pics. Trying to stay semi-anonymous on the Internets these days is a total pain in the neck… but I guess I’ll need to get used to it…
More images and a short video below the jump (and more to come tomorrow)…
Platform: PC
Developer: Instant Kingdom (Ville/Anne Mönkkönen)
Publisher: Instant Kingdom
# of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: N/A
Score: A (95%)
Do you own a decent cap or hat, dear reader? If you do, go get it now, put it on and tip that cap or hat in the general direction of Finland (Jyväskylä, to be a bit more precise). If you don’t have a good cap or hat, what’s wrong with you? It’s cold outside! Anyway, what’s with all the polite haberdashery tilting? Well, dear reader, it’s a hats off to Ville and Anne Mönkkönen for the seven years of work that went into one of the best games of this year. Driftmoon is an instant classic you’ll want to dive into and explore at your own pace just to experience great game design in action. Solid writing, great visuals and the excellent hybrid adventure/RPG/puzzle gameplay make a visit to Driftmoon well worth the price. As great as the game is, the included easy to use editor gives this one endless possibilities for users to craft their own potential classics…
Platform: PlayStation Vita (via PSN)
Developer/Publisher: Ratloop Asia
# of Players: 1 (online 2 – 4)
ESRB: Rating: M (Mature)
Official Site
Score: A- (90%)
Before you even ask, nope, Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken has absolutely NOTHING to do with Angry Birds. Zero. Zilch. So, please clear that Jenga with a slingshot game out of your heads before reading further (I’ll wait)… and if you happen to have grown up playing classic NES side-scrollers, a few too many platform-based puzzle games and maybe a few oddball arcade flight shooters, well… this game’s got your name on it somewhere. Ratloop Asia (sorry, but that studio name makes me want to avoid eating Chinese food for a few days) has cooked up a tasty bird buffet that’s a tad spicy for the kids thanks to a bit of foul (or is that fowl?) language, blood and lots of stabby and shooty violence. But for those of you Vita owners with a sense of humor and a few bucks in your pocket, it’s a guaranteed fun time while it lasts. A few new Vita-exclusive elements added makes this the most complete version out there and yes, it’s a definite must-buy if you’re looking for a solid adventure that, while not the longest game out there, is going to get a few replays and perhaps even stay on that memory card long after you’re all done.
If you’re one of those video game fans who collects assorted goodies related to your favorite games or if you’re just interested in fun finds with a quirky edge, I bet there’s a nice possibility that there’s something from A Crowded Coop on a shelf or hanging on or from something you own. Based out of Monroe, Washington and made up of a couple of professional genius business types with heavy experience in all things toy related as well as being some very talented artistic types with vision to spare, the company creates its own products as well as licenses and distributes other trendy, hip gear the cool kids (and old farts like me) love through a number of retail outlets such as Think Geek and other quality online and brick & mortar emporiums. At this year’s Toy Fair, the company showed off an outstanding line of collectibles from some of Valve’s hit games (Portal 2, DOTA 2 and Team Fortress 2), a new line of beautiful plush toys from artist Justin Hillgrove, another upcoming fun plush line called Whim Whams and more that had me smiling even as I walked up to the booth…
Namco Bandai Games is turning into quite the busy bee of a publisher these days, picking up distribution rights to a bunch of cool-looking titles from a few developers. Milestone’s upcoming MUD FIM Motocross World Championship is coming to the PS3, PS Vita and Xbox 360 on February 26, 2013, so here’s a look if you haven’t seen it yet. The game combines simulation and arcade racing with some real-life riders and racing that’s based on the FIM series plus some stunt-heavy maps to tool around on when you’re not racing. While it probably won’t wow the graphics hounds out there, the game looks decent enough and might be a bit of a fun diversion for those seeking a bit of bouncy bike action in an off-road flavor. You can catch bugs in your teeth at home when the game jumps into stores next week (and on PSN for the Vita).
Finally headed to North America courtesy of Namco Bandai, Milestone’s rally racer looks to catapult itself (and its cars) onto retail shelves and as a PSN download this spring. As a big fan of the previous Evolution Studios-developed games in the series on the PS2, I’m interested in seeing how a new developer also known primarily for racing games handles this franchise. I’ve played a few of Milestone’s racers in the past, so I’m liking what I’m seeing here and in gameplay videos so far. Of course, I go into every game I play with no expectations of perfection (which makes for more accurate reviewing, folks), so I’ll be playing and judging based on whatever merits it has before I pounce on any major flaws (with constructive criticism, as always). As an actual release date has yet to be announced, my engine is idling until then, but once I hear of an update, you’ll be the first to know…
More screens below the jump.
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 