RAGE: Hands-On In The Wasteland

Posted on August 2, 2011 by geelw

Thanks to the fine folks at Bethesda Softworks and id Software, last Wednesday, I got to spend a good two and a half or so hours with a complete Xbox 360 version of id's latest shooter (and one of 2011's most anticipated games) AND got to see a stunning live presentation of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim afterwards. No, I'm not going to compare them in this preview, silly rabbits. However, I will point out that both are completely different experiences that no gamer worth his or her salt should miss out on. Unlike many other events I've attended, RAGE was set up to play from the beginning from a new profile. While there were a few PR reps and a Bethsoft (or was it id?) employees floating by on occasion to see if things were going OK, I got to play a small chunk of the single player game the very same way you'll dive into it come this October 4. Note: Spoilers below the jump, but given that my progress was limited to what I could do in a few hours, I'm sure none of them are MAJOR reveals.Read more »

Gallery: PopRally Arcade @ MoMA

Posted on August 2, 2011 by geelw

And here you go: images from the MoMA Event put on by KillScreen Magazine. I'd say the game of the evening was B.U.T.T.O.N., as it had the most people lined of to get in on the mayhem. Seeing a wide range of adults crashing into each other or otherwise rolling around on the floor was absolutely hilarious. I'd say that if the team at CGP had boxed plug 'n play copies of the game for sale with those custom big button controllers for around fifty bucks or so, they'd have sold out before the evening was over. Seriously. I was at the Limbo station starting at 10 and although it was only the demo version, it freaked a few people out while others who figured out how to get the boy to live through the assorted traps wanted to see more (I think I helped sell a few Xbox 360's in promoting the game, so Microsoft owes me a few bucks, I'd say). Many thanks to Gabo and Eddie for the opportunity to help out!
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Review: Catherine

Posted on August 1, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Developer: Atlus

Publisher: Atlus

# of Players: 1 (Online 1 – 2)

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A

Catherine is one of the best original games of 2011, hands-down and of this writing, Atlus' fastest and biggest selling title to date. The hype surrounding the Japanese release along with initial worries that it wouldn't be localized due to its subject matter were followed by quick disappointment from Atlus fans when they found out it was staying overseas. Surprisingly, not too long afterward, word started leaking out that an English localization was underway and shortly after that, Atlus USA announced that Catherine was indeed coming to North America not only uncensored, but with PS3 and Xbox 360 cover variants, a great art book/soundtrack CD pre-order bonus and even a fantastic Limited Edition package. Definitely not for kids, anime haters, hopeless romantics or those easily frustrated by trial and error gameplay, what's here is a remarkable, visually brilliant work that bridges the gap between uncomfortable arty project and instant conversation starter.Read more »

Gallery: GoldenEye: Reloaded

Posted on July 23, 2011 by geelw

While previewing the revamped GoldenEye 007 on the Wii last year at an Activision event here in NYC, I asked one of the Eurocom guys if PS3 and 360 owners would ever get to see how great the game was on an HD console. While I forget the EXACT answer I'd gotten, it certainly wasn't “No”, which was indeed a good sign. Flash forward less than a year later and *boom!*, here it is: GoldenEye: Reloaded, a beefed up new version (NO, it's not a straight port) that features even better visuals and a few new game modes. Check out more screens below the jump.Read more »

Aliens: Infestation Headed to Nintendo DS This Fall (Way To Go,WayForward!)

Posted on July 20, 2011 by geelw

Just when you thought the Nintendo DS was going to roll over and die an unceremoniously dull and quiet death thanks to Nintendo pushing the 3DS hard as the next big thing, there's a ray of light that pokes through (well, BLASTS through) and shows everything is just peachy (for the moment). Sega has announced that Aliens: Infestation is headed to the portable this September. WayForward Technologies with a little help from Aliens: Colonial Marines developer Gearbox Software are taking the hugely popular film franchise on what's looking to be a wild retro ride that could be the best portable Aliens game to date.

Given that there haven't been too many good Alien or Aliens games on a handheld, that's really not saying much to some of you out there. On the other hand, if you know WayForward's stunning 2D work on the Game Boy Advance and DS (Their Contra reboot was phenomenal) as well as the upcoming BloodRayne: Betrayal, you know you're in for a superior firepower-packed instant classic. Hell if the DS IS going to go out soon, it's absolutely going to go out with a nuclear bang. I can't wait to see how this one's turned out.

Official game Info below the jump – I'm off to warm up my DS from its too long hypersleep…Read more »

Review: Captain America: Super Soldier

Posted on July 19, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360/PlayStation 3

Developer: Next Level Games

Publisher: Sega

# of Players 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B

As far as this year's crop of licensed superhero movie games go, Captain America; Super Soldier comes out on top as the most enjoyable. Brandon Gill and the team at Next Level Games (working with a no-nonsense script from Marvel writer Christos Gage) have cooked up a game that packs in exploration, excellent combat sequences, tons of collectibles and a timing-based navigation system that's refreshing as well as rewarding. A few technical issues drag the fun down a notch, but overall, this is one of those games that's hard to put down once you start playing. Granted, if you're one of those folks who wants a “Game of the Year” contender in EVERY title you play, you'll probably find the game lacking in a few areas. On the other hand, for what it is, Cap gets the job done in a solid no frills manner that's well worth the price point.Read more »

BloodRayne: Betrayal Gameplay Trailer + New Screens

Posted on July 19, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/HJ3Jwnbr3Fw?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0

New screens (below) plus a mere 44 seconds of beautiful, bloody side-scrolling (and surprisingly, only T-rated!) bliss thanks to WayForward Technologies and Majesco. Reinventing the sexy vampire killing machine as a slick looking retro arcade style slicer was a genius move and these days almost no one does a better game of this type than WayForward. August can’t come soon enough, I say. Now about getting this thing on a DISC (as well as the usual download for the couch-bound sun haters out there)… THAT would make me a happier camper indeed…

Preview/Gallery Update: Dark Souls

Posted on July 17, 2011 by geelw

FromSoftware’s nightmarish, brutal (and beautiful) RPG gets better and better looking each time I see it. At the Namco Bandai event last week, I also got to see see a hilarious speed run through the demo that made a formerly torturous hour-long plus replay after replay session under normal hands get us to a pretty spectacular (and scary) boss battle in around two and a half minutes or so. The Namco Bandai rep doing the run had gotten so good at the demo that he decided to show off part of the build that few game journalists had actually made it to after multiple attempts.

While sitting there with our jaws on the floor or cracking up at the pack of death-dealing creatures running after the poor armored Templar type on screen, I had the immediate thought that Xbox 360 owners who didn’t play Demon’s Souls on the PS3 are in for a big, bad surprise. Dark Souls is looking to be beyond hard for newbies and trying to play it like any other game where you’re guided through missions will probably lead to a few smashed controllers and complaints that the game isn’t at all fair. Well… it’s not supposed to be. When your official website is called PREPARE TO DIE, er… what sort of game were you expecting to play?

Dark Souls will be in stores in October for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It’s going to get ugly online and off – but you’ll love every minute of it.. unless you’re not prepared to die (and a LOT at that).

Review: Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon

Posted on July 15, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Developer: Vicious Cycle

Publisher: D3Publisher of America

# of Players 1 – 2 (online: 2 – 6)

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B+

The bugs are back and badder then before thanks to developer Vicious Cycle and D3Publisher of America. Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon manages to be a leaner, meaner, faster and in a few way, better game than its predecessor thanks to tweaks to the run ‘n gun formula that streamlines the number of missions yet enhances the gameplay. Controls are tight, the action is more reasonably paced (initially) for new players and for the most part, the addition of online play is not bad at all. Some gamers whose experience with this budget series began with EDF 2017 (and those who seem to think the game ONLY appeared on the 360) might find nit-picky faults with some elements of EDFIA. However, those of us who’ve been around since the series debut on the Japanese PlayStation 2 and/or love original developer Sandlot’s work on the franchise now have a new dev team to moon over because they’ve taken the gameplay and refined it for a just as fun (and at times, more fun) to play experience.

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Gallery Update: Shadows of the Damned

Posted on May 28, 2011 by geelw

The one-two punch of doom from Shinji Mikami and Suda 51 continues with these screens from the upcoming single player horror action game, set to hit the PS3 and Xbox 360 on June 21, 2011. I personally can't wait to play this as I'm a HUGE fan of Killer 7, No More Heroes and other Suda/grasshopper manufacture games. I'd say Resident Evil fanatics looknig for something a lot more bizarre and mature should also give this a spin and if you loved Deadly Premonition, well… you probably got your pre-order in already. The mix of Suda and Mikami's always intriguing mindsets coupled with the bizarre visuals should make SOTD a keeper of a sleeper. Will the more jaded gamers out there “get” this mixture of action and twisted psycho-horror? I guess we'll see if it all pays off in a few weeks, huh?