Gallery Update: El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

Posted on May 25, 2011 by geelw

UTV Ignition's absolutely gorgeous action game mixes its surreal and brilliantly original art style with a unique take on biblical lore in a game that's sure to draw attention amongst core gamers as well as non-gaming folks interested in the religious imagery and themes. Good, bad of otherwise, this is certainly one amazing looking game. I've been watching this since it was announced and now that it seems its FINALLY getting a US release sometime this year, I'm HOPING the publisher drops into NYC with a build I can get my hands on. I also hope the game isn't buried and forgotten under the TON of bigger-hyped releases, as what's here looks like it's made to be played multiple times through in order to see everything. As it is, marketing this is going to be a tough deal for certain. How the hell do you advertise a game that takes such bold artistic liberties with a revered text while fitting the gameplay tastes of the masses? We. Shall. See, I suppose…

Here's a look at some of the fantastic art in character renders and game screens (more below the jump!).

Review: Trapped Dead

Posted on May 18, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PC

Developer: CreneticStudios/Headup Games

Publisher: Iceberg Interactive (UK/Europe)/Meridian 4 (US)

# of Players: 1 (1 – 4 online)

PEGI Rating: 18/ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site(Iceberg Interactive)

Official Site (Meridian 4)

Score: B-

In the never-ending realm of action-packed, lightning paced zombie games, Trapped Dead tries to do things a bit differently as a more tactical top-down experience that still packs an action game punch where it counts. Featuring impressive visuals that look great even on lower end PC's, six playable characters, great genre weapons and up to four-player online co-op, there's a lot to like here… but the game isn't perfect. Thanks to some occasionally wonky path-finding (even with the patch), the game isn't quite the epic mash-up you'd expect. But if you're a patient sort and want a unique (but still as gory as you'd think) chunk of fun, there's a lot of that to be had in this mildly campy and nicely bloody homage to classic zombie flicks.Read more »

Madden NFL 12 NYC Event Gallery

Posted on May 1, 2011 by geelw

EA kicked off NFL Draft Week here in NYC in a big way with a unique event that brought newly crowned Madden NFL 12 cover athlete (and Cleveland Browns running back) Peyton Hillis to town for a unique LIVE cover shoot for the upcoming release. Hillis beat out (er, no pun intended) Michael Vick (who was the cover star on Madden 04). Despite a brief rainstorm about an hour or so in, the spirits of the enthusiastic crowd that gathered certainly wasn't dampened in the slightest.Read more »

Review: Battle Slots

Posted on April 25, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PC

Developer: 8Monkey Labs

Publisher: Phantom EFX

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating:

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

At first glance, Battle Slots might look like yet another Puzzle Quest clone, but you’d be mistaken if you thought it wouldn’t be as solid or fun as Infinite Interactive’s two gems. It only takes a few spins of this one-button winner to find out it’s a really fun and addictive little hybrid RPG that’s easy to pick up but very difficult to stop playing. The light and breezy humorous notes the story hits keeps the game from sinking into overly serious territory even as the battles grow increasingly more challenging. While there’s no multiplayer modes at all, this is one of those tightly focused single player experiences that makes the hours fly by whenever you sit down for a session. After a few hours, you’ll be wanting to hook up a coin drop and REAL slot arm on the side of your PC, is all I’ll say…

Continue reading →

Gallery: Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon Bestiary

Posted on April 7, 2011 by geelw

Want to know what sort of over-sized opposition you'll be facing off against this July 5th? Well, here you go – a look at some of the enemy types from D3Publisher of America's upcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 bug-blasting action game. Hmmm… Fireworks on the 4th and more fireworks on the 5th? Sounds like a plan…Read more »

Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon Hands-On

Posted on April 4, 2011 by geelw

D3Publisher of America brought along bullet hell, beast hell and bug hell to their recent NYC press event and fans of insanely deep dungeon crawlers, trippy arcade shooters and giant bug blasting will all be well-served soon enough with a few key releases. I'm working on a separate hands-on for Dream Trigger, Bangai-o and Gods Eater Burst – from this point onward… this article is all about Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon and how much it simply rocks.

I've been waiting patiently for D3Publisher of America to drop into NYC with a build of Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon and after playing a bit of the very solid, very fun three-player online co-op and a bit of the intense Survival Mode, I can very safely say that the game's going to be a keeper for EDF fans old and new. The missions are lengthy and challenging even on the easiest setting with bugs appearing in differently sized packs that come from multiple directions, often mixing in different types of pests that end up being more than enough to keep you on your toes. I'm getting ahead of myself here, so I'll break it down from the beginning. Read more »

Earth Defense Force Insect Armgeddon Update: Pre-Order Kickoff GO!

Posted on March 10, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/BaIUHRxSV4s?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

D3Publisher of America has launched the pre-order program for its upcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 release Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon with a pretty neat deal for those who want a little more bang for their buck. GameStop and Best Buy locations will be offering those who slap down a deposit one of two different cool DLC weapons packs for the game's customizable armor sets.

July 5, 2011 is the official release date for the game and (YES!) D3 is dropping into NYC next week with EDFIA and a bunch of other upcoming titles, so expect a few hands-on reports once I finally come up for air. Three more screens and another trailer below the jump!Read more »

Gallery: Battle Slots

Posted on March 7, 2011 by geelw

Phantom EFX has a super-nice surprise for fans of the Puzzle Quest games and slot machines in its upcoming PC (and possibly console) release, Battle Slots. Yes, it's a hybrid game that mixes all the addictive fun of gambling and all the addictive fun of RPG's in one package. Or bacon wrapped butter dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with bacon bits to some of us.

More screens below the jump. the game is currently in development, so expect an update and new images as more info drops this way. I'm warming up my favorite chair as we speak and even thinking of installing a coin drop on the old monitor here.

Review: Baron Wittard: Nemesis of Ragnarok

Posted on March 6, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PC

Developer: Wax Lyrical

Publisher: Iceberg Interactive

# of Players: 1

PEGI Rating: 7+

Official Site

Score: A

Despite the market overloaded with fast-paced shooters and action games as well as plenty of licensed properties that get a lot more press coverage, point & click adventure games are far from dead. The genre, while not getting the massive ad budgets of the aforementioned “Triple A” action blockbusters, continues to forge onward with a number of excellent releases from publishers brave enough to slow things down to a more cerebral pace while giving fans the mystery, suspense and puzzles they crave. Wax Lyrical's Baron Wittard: Nemesis of Ragnarok is an excellent new game that features a nicely (and increasingly) unsettling atmosphere, brain-bending puzzles and a solid story that grabs you right from the start. From the photo realistic pre-rendered visuals, excellent sound design and music that will have you looking over your shoulder every so often, the Baron is a worthy addition to any adventure fan's library.

Hunted: The Demon’s Forge Hands-On

Posted on March 2, 2011 by geelw

Fans of tightly focused “old-school” hack & slash RPG’s as well as anyone looking for a hefty challenge should absolutely stick inXile’s upcoming PS3/Xbox 360 game on their to-do lists. At a recent Bethesda press event, I got to sit down with a final build of the game and was very impressed at the level of challenge in the game (and the presentation’s not bad either). While inXile has noted previously that Hunted’s cover-based gameplay is inspired by Epic’s Gears of War series, the fantasy trappings and two tough yet likable leads should appeal to both male and female gamers alike. I got a taste of both the single player and co-op story modes (with a fellow editor) and yes, you should click on down to read the real deal on what’s going to be a bit of a sleeper hit this June. Continue reading →