Humble 2K Bundle: Five Days Left To Score Too Many Great Games!

X-COM 5 PackWell, since I missed the beginning of this Humble Bundle sale whenever it popped up (I’m way behind in my inbox perusing thanks to too many games and such I’m in the midst of playing and reviewing), it’s a pretty spectacular deal for anyone looking for older to more recent 2K-published games or some well-aged classics worth playing once more (or for the first time).

Sure, you can pay what you want for BioShock, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and The Darkness II and be pretty pleased with that little deal. Bu I say drop at LEAST $8.15 or more bucks down to get an even better deal that adds BioShock 2, Mafia II, Spec Ops: The Line, X-COM: Complete Pack (which is FIVE complete games: X-COM: UFO Defense, X-COM: Terror from the Deep, X-COM: Interceptor, X-COM: Enforcer, and X-COM: Apocalypse) or heck, just throw down a digital twenty and add XCOM: Enemy Unknown and BioShock Infinite to the package.

It’s the middle of summer, so taking a short gaming vacation is a good idea if you have some free time and don’t feel like baking in the sun or dealing with nether region probing from some overzealous TSA agents. Hmmm… I’d bet you a penny that they’re all REALLY aliens from another planet, thus the rubber glove treatment and body scanners some of us have to experience when we travel. Ooooh, I think I’m onto something, but then again, that tinfoil hat I’ve been wearing when I do venture outside may be cooking my brain a little…

Anyway, go get yourself (or someone else) some darn good to darn great games, I say!

Review: Mafia II


Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3/PC)

Developer: 2K Czech

Publisher: 2K Games

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)


Official Site

Score: B

The original Mafia was an ambitiously cool, well-made PC game that made for a less than perfect (but still enjoyable) console translation. Seven years and a new console cycle later, 2K Czech's Mafia II is a heck of a lot more visually impressive, even more ambitious and offers up a far more interesting cast of wiseguys playing out their lives of crime to assorted results. The sequel is sharp as a new suit, but there are a few loose threads hanging that make it a bit less than a perfect fit. Those going into it expecting yet another cut & paste Grand Theft Auto experience will be in for a surprise. The pure story driven focus here means your enjoyment of the game relies on sticking to the script rather than going too far off the beaten path.

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Random Release News (Or If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be DLC Day…)

Yikes – plenty of new games and games news hit the inbox today, so instead of individual postings, a rapid-fire approach is in order. In general, August is flying out with a big ol' bang and September is rolling in with an even bigger set of booms. Here we go with part one:

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Mafia II Complete Song Listing + First Hour Live Play Online


If you're free around 2PM Pacific Time (5PM EST) TODAY, you can actually Watch Denby Grace (Sr. Producer) and Dan Schmittou (Production) play through the first Hour of Mafia II LIVE from the official Mafia II website. 2K Games will be streaming the play session live on the official Mafia II Ustream website. Denby and Dan will also be answering questions from the Mafia II twitter account and in the chat real-time as they play.

As for those songs…

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Preview: Mafia II Hands-On

With 2K Games set to strong-arm Mafia II into stores on August 24, I had the opportunity to play a demo of the PS3 version at Sony’s Holiday showcase in NYC. The build had a brief taste of game’s driving and shooting mechanics and featured spectacular visuals, deadly enemy AI, partially destructible environments and some excellently acted and voiced cinematic sequences. So far, 2K’s Czech studios has crafted a dynamic, violent crime saga with what’s looking to be a richly developed plot. Granted, a great deal of what’s here is clearly inspired by Rockstar’s epic GTA juggernaut. However, the time period and overall visual quality of Mafia II’s Empire Bay looks as it will be a bit more realistic in some aspects.

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