Shadowgate is Back? Welcome To Your (Highly Enjoyable) Doom!

Posted on May 6, 2014 by geelw

Okay, I’m kind of terminally slow on the crowdfunding front because I have neither the time to look at EVERY project that clogs my inbox nor all the money I’d LOVE to donate to all those cool looking games and products I do look at.

In other words, I had NO idea the original developer was remaking this well aged absolute classic adventure game for current computers (and yes, Macs, iOS and Android devices as well). Based on the art and screens here plus that lovely pre-order trailer, I’m betting fans of this old chestnut are grinning madly as the game’s release looms closer and closer…

“The last thing that you remember is standing before the wizard Lakmir as he gestured wildly and chanted in an archaic tongue. Now you find yourself staring at an entryway which lies at the edge of a forest.”

So begins the classic anew, this time relaunched with many new features and as developer Zojoi states clearly, this isn’t a simple port at all, but a whole new take on the original that expands the adventure in every aspect. As you can see below, the classic adventure game retains the use of static art screens to tell its tale, but Shadowgate has never, ever looked this spectacular because these even more gorgeous screens add motion to the story.

A game overview, screenshots and concept art are all below the jump, as I don’t want to keep you from pre-ordering this ASAP. ogling them can wait a minute or two… Continue reading →

DreadOut Launch Trailer: You’re Now Under The Table Without A Single Drink, Right?

Posted on May 5, 2014 by geelw

On May 15, a bunch of you will be sitting in darkened rooms, headphones on and hunched over playing Digital Happiness’ scary new game, DreadOut. I’m gathering there will be some squealing and flat out screaming involved on that day, particularly among those of you who do something dumb like play with the door to your room open and your back to that door. You KNOW that’s not a good ting, especially when someone else in your house or that pet running around decides to pop in and check up on you. Yeah, I’d expect those headphones to pop right off when you leave your seat and hit the ceiling, unless they’re wireless headphones. in which case you’ll want to have a pair with a NICE padded top, as ceilings can be quite hard when you fly up to them too quickly. Ouch. Turn off that ceiling fan while you’re at it, as it’ll keep your head from hitting the floor before the rest of you comes down. The police will have a hard time figuring out what happened until some deft detective sits down in front of that monitor, puts those headphones on and the scenario is repeated… Ouch.

Telltale’s The Walking Dead Is Nearly Everywhere You Look. Go Get Caught Up In This One, I Say…

Posted on April 25, 2014 by geelw

Between the Complete First season being released on Google Play and Season Two dropping onto the Vita, Telltale Games’ stellar The Walking Dead series is taking over just about everything that can play this multiple award winning series and letting an even wider audience experience the horror. Telltale’s games are more accessible than your typical action-heavy PC or console games thanks to a simpler to use interface, story-focused dialog trees that require reasonably fast (but not insane) timing and choices that truly affect the outcome of each chapter. This also makes TWD highly replayable because of how your decisions stack up as the chapters flow onward.

So, your interest is piqued, no? Well, go whip out that favorite device and go get some Walkers into your now more entertaining life, I say.

DreadOut Teaser Trailer II: It Ain’t Over Until The Lady In Red Sings…

Posted on April 23, 2014 by geelw

When we last left DreadOut, this Indonesian-made horror game was scaring the pants off of a few folks with YouTube channels who make a living pretending to be scared or perhaps being actually scared but somehow make it look canned when they jump and squeal in their seats like clubbed dog toys. Anyway, that video above is the latest “update” for the game just to let you know it’s coming out on Steam in May. Below is the previous teaser that shows and tells you what you’re in for next month: good old school horror in the Fatal Frame manner.

Digital Happiness will certainly bring some Digital Scariness to horror game fans with this one, as the demo from last year certainly had its moments. Well, prepare to sit in the dark and keep looking behind you every few minutes soon enough…

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II Update: New Screens, Beta Gets a Big Boost!

Posted on April 18, 2014 by geelw

Nice. Neocore Games has released four new screens from The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II and added some new areas to the closed beta (which is automatically updating via Steam as I type). Excellent.

I was wondering what that other game was Steam was adding content to as I knew The Wolf Among Us was going to drop in Chapter Three as soon as I logged on. Of course, by the time I got to the email from Neocore announcing the beta update, it was about 70% done and I realized that’s what was up. Yeah, I think sideways from time to time, what of it? Anyway, May 22, 2014 is the new release date for VHII. Remember, you can pre-order the game directly from the developer or through Steam. I’ll have an updated hands-on shortly (most likely after the weekend)…

Tech Review: Color Cables

Posted on April 12, 2014 by geelw

Welcome to the easiest review I’ve ever done: Color Cables are AWESOME (The End!). Okay, there’s a bit more to write about, but the direct and simple nature of this cool, colorful luminous charge and sync cable makes this one a no-brainer replacement for any OEM charge cables thanks to a few fine features. Available in seven colors with 30-Pin, Lightning and Micro USB options with two length choices (3 or 6 feet, $15 and $20 respectively), Your iOS, Android or Windows phone or device gets a superior cable that’s well worth the price point.

As the cables are flat and extremely well made, they don’t tangle up while in your bag of choice and solid connections on both ends mean you’re not likely to see any splitting or fraying form general wear. The cool factor comes from the distinctive luminosity on display and yes, it’s pretty nifty to let your cable sit in the sun or under a light for a bit during the day and have them giving of that soft glow in the evening or night. If you grew up with stars on your walls and ceiling or had some toys that gave off that familiar greenish color, you’ll get a grin going every time you use your cable.

Sure, there are similar colored cables out there for less that don’t have that funky glow thing going for them, but the smarter of you out there know you get what you pay for and often “cheap” refers to both price and quality. Color Cables are a nicer (and still affordable) solution that take care of a few problems as well as making for a great gift for that phone or device user you know who wants something to stand out from the crowd when they need a recharge at home or away.

– Greg Wilcox

Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure Launch Trailer: Atlus Goes Back To The Past To Bring You The Future!

Posted on April 9, 2014 by geelw

As I noted last year, seeing a new Tex Murphy interactive adventure (or game, for those of you scratching your heads right about now) is quite a shock as well as a pleasant surprise, so it’s also a good thing that Atlus is not only seeing this through, they’re making sure their followers know all about it. Now, you don’t need to have played the other Tex games to get into this one at all, but it may help some of you appreciate what’s here all the more. Especially if that mildly cheesy full motion video you’re seeing above isn’t floating your boat, but you’re intrigued about the story and such. Trust me, you’ll get used to it once the plot wraps its fingers around your throat and starts shaking gently. It’s great to see you back, Tex… next time, don’t take so darn long to make a comeback!

The Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure is coming to PC and Mac April 22, 2014.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 2 Gets Knockbacked Into May…

Posted on April 3, 2014 by geelw

Game delays are nothing new, so this isn’t really a big surprise. Still, you have to love the press release Neocore Games sent out to announce the delay:

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II Delayed due to Monster Invasion

Slightly delayed, but no need to worry – all that extra time will be spent polishing the game. The new release date is set to May 22, 2014.

So, what happened to the April release date of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II? Well, we could blame the supernatural or the bad Vrikolak meat in the fridge, but the truth is, we want to release a superb game as polished as possible on release and that will take a little longer than we thought. We want to make sure the sequel is superior to the first game in every aspect and it keeps you nailed to your chairs all the way to the end with its engaging new story. Now the new date will also mark the anniversary of the first game’s release. So be ready to hunt down the new swarm of monstrosities when the game hits Steam on May 22, 2014.

All of you are reaping souls right now anyway, aren’t you?

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II is available for pre-order on PC. To pre-purchase the game, head to neocoregames.com/store and choose from the various supporter packages in various price ranges.

Me, I’m currently NOT reaping souls because Blizzard has ignored PS3 and Xbox 360 owners of Diablo III, but I have other stuff to keep me occupied while I wait for the man with the hat and Lady Katarina to make their second appearance in a more polished form. That, and I can also replay the beta a few more times just to see how all those other character classes do against the hordes.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II Beta Hands-On: It’s The Reckoning For That Hunter…

Posted on March 31, 2014 by geelw

Thanks to the fine folks at Neocore Games, I had the opportunity to take a beta version of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II for a spin and am happy to report it’s looking like a bigger, badder, meaner and harder game than the first one, especially if you’re hopping into it with your saved hero from the original. I hadn’t played the first game save for some hours with the demo, but Neocore also sent me a code for the Complete Pack, which got a marathon playthrough over the past week or so (and me a nicely maxed out Level 30 Hunter by that cliffhanger ending).

The new game starts off with a rather massive siege on a factory by many enemies being airdropped in capsules and a large army of civilian soldiers assisting Van Helsing and Katarina, his ghostly (and snarky) AI companion. Granted, one could play the beta using a few default high level characters in a few classes, but after trying out a few of these overpowered guys, I decided to take the longer, tougher (yet highly enjoyable and rewarding) route and go through the first game just to have a more personalized experience… Continue reading →

Color Cables To The Rescue Of The Lost (And Dull) OEM…

Posted on March 26, 2014 by geelw

Normally, I’d say something silly like “Power cables are a dime a dozen” here, but as anyone who owns an already expensive device knows… that’s just not true. Lose your iDevice or other OEM charger cable and you’re either shelling out a premium for a replacement or you’re stuck with some crappy inexpensive wire from one of those shady looking places that you ran into because you were in a hurry. Or you end up with a pricey substitute that you end up losing because you kind of need a cable that maybe glows in the dark. Well, guess what? Color Cables might be just the thing you’re looking for:

Over on Indiegogo, they’re running a bit of a funding drive that has 11 days to go and could use a few more people hopping on board. As I’m an old fart with no fancy mobile, I’m eyeballing the mini USB cable myself, as I usea few devices that happen to support that size plug. Yes, iOS and Android cables are available, the flat cord shape prevents tangling like your current cables love to do, there are some fun colors to choose from and who can pass up something that glows in the dark AND is actually something you can use every day? Umm hmmm.. I thought so. Well, that’s my good deed for the day, then and you’re welcome!