Divinity: Original Sin Goes the Kickstarter Route (And You Should, Too!)

Posted on March 27, 2013 by geelw

DIV II ART

DIV_II_WIP NO, no – don’t go and post a Kickstarter for your beer collection or shoe fetish, silly! Go support Larian Studios and THEIR Kickstarter in their push to trick out their upcoming RPG in some really cool ways. The game is coming along really well as you’ll see – the team is offering up the chance to add fan-created content and some cool bonuses into the mix for those of you with some extra disposable income lying around. Personally, I want to see this or some other Divine Divinity-themed game make it to consoles (again, as Divinity II was outstanding on the Xbox 360, but could have used a PS3 port so more could play it). Anyway, poke around that link above and if you like what you see and hear (that video is quite helpful if you turn the audio up), well… drop a few dimes on this one, tell a few friends, sit back and wait for that inbox to ring when the game’s all done. This one looks as if it’ll be well worth the wait…

DARK: Realmforge’s Cel-Shaded Vampire RPG Looks Quite Intriguing…

Posted on March 27, 2013 by geelw

Hmmm… it’s too bad this is Xbox 360 and PC-only at this point, as I can see Sony fans wanting in on this. DARK is coming to you from the fine folks at Realmforge Game Development Studio and based on this trailer alone, looks like a game worth more than watching. Of course, I’ll have to end up with this on a disc for the home PC or download on the laptop, as both my 360’s here are DEAD and not even a bite from a vampire, zombie or zombified vampire console repairman could bring them back to life, grrrr.

Anyway, I’m really liking the Deus Ex meets Syndicate meets Thief meets Vampire: The Masquerade vibe I’m getting here. Yeah, it’s not from a AAA developer or publisher (but these days, that’s more of a big blessing than a fatal curse), but if the controls are solid and the story memorable, it’s most certainly got all the makings of a sleeper hit. Or one that’s got a life of its own and is as hard to put down as a “real” vampire would be to a blind guy wearing sunglasses at night armed with a box of melting Popsicles. We’ll keep an eyeball peeled on this and let you know…

Defiance Launch Trailer & Ark Hunter Chronicles 6: A New Era Is Just Around the Bend…

Posted on March 26, 2013 by geelw

OK, I’ve got a tiny cold today, so my ten or so posts I wanted to do have been cut down a bit by common sense (as in I decided to stay home and not exacerbate my condition by hanging out in a public place with other germy folk). Anyway, I’m doing better, so here’s one more update: I’m a little worried about DEFIANCE doing as well as it should at least on consoles. I’ve read elsewhere today (and had this figured for a while) that Blizzard and Sony have done research that reveals many PS3s are never connected to the Internet. And I’d bet good money that the ones that ARE play mostly the same games or types of games. That said, DC Universe Online seems to have done well and certain franchise shooters seem to grab players as soon as they ship. On the other hand, Defiance breaks much new ground in the MMO space, but does absolutely NOTHING for those who want an offline experience. I think this is a mistake, as more people playing your game is ALWAYS a better thing than LESS and every MMO will shut down that last server at some point.

Hopefully, all three versions of the game will sell like gangbusters and Trion Worlds will also hear from solo play fans who want either a stand alone game they can call their own. Or something for the Vita (which has suddenly become an indie game darling). Or both…

Defiance “Changed World” TV Spot: Reinventing A Few Landscapes…

Posted on March 26, 2013 by geelw

So, if that 14 minutes or so of first episode footage shown on syfy’s site is any indication, DEFIANCE will be a pretty decent new show after all. This bodes well for the online-only game coming to Windows PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 April 2 and yes, the show, which premieres on April 13. I need to now actually look up that darn channel’s schedule, as I haven’t paid attention to it for a while except when there’s a Twilight Zone marathon running and I swing by for a half-hour or so fix. The game is definitely solid from what I’ve played, but I do have an issue with it I’ll kick around (again) in the next post…

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Behind the Scenes: A Fantasy Trip for Today…

Posted on March 26, 2013 by geelw

Hey! Wouldn’t you like to be on a nice vacation right about now? OK, let’s go! Let’s say, hmmm… we’re now in Sweden with Josef Fares at Starbreeze Studios talking a little more about their unique game collaboration, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons coming to Windows PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 courtesy of publisher 505 Games? OK, OK… sitting in another room that’s different from the room you’re in now may not be much of a holiday at first glance, but think outside the box (or outside the building, in this case) and you’re on the way to your new destination with a fresh outlook. Um, Har en fantastisk semester – inte äta för mycket korv!

BioShock Infinite Launch Trailer: 2K & Irrational Games Get To Say “See? Told You So!”

Posted on March 25, 2013 by geelw

So, it’s out and getting high marks overall, but what else did you expect? Sure, the Internet did its thing last year when a few post-E3 looks revealed the game wasn’t quite done and ready to ship and there was a delay while it seemed things were being further tweaked. But I’ve always trusted Ken Levine and Irrational Games to get this one as polished up as possible before unleashing it onto the public. Will I run out and BUY it right away since it seems I’m not getting a review copy? Probably not this week or next, but it’ll get added to the “to-do” list at some point. I’m in no rush to jet out a review before anyone else, but it’s good to know that when I actually DO get to play this, I’ll be having quite a blast…

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Gameplay Reveal: Pirates’ (Raking In More) Gold…

Posted on March 25, 2013 by geelw

Now, I really COULD (and should) litter this post with plenty of pirate and numerous nautically-themed puns (enough to make your eyes and ears cower in fear), but I won’t (consider yourselves lucky. THIS time). But instead, I’ll just state the obvious and say that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag looks really amazing and yes, all that sea battle stuff from the last game seems to be what Ubisoft was going to end up making nearly an entire game around. Granted, it might have been really spectacular to see this game show up as an all NEW franchise, as the stand alone pirate game has been sorely missed. Now, we’ll get to sit through those long-winded online rants from fans of the original AC games who think going so far away from the Templar stuff is a terrible thing. I always thought it was kind of pompous and that futuristic Desmond plot unnecessary, but that’s just me. Oh well, this one will sell a million or two based on the “Yo Ho Ho” factor alone. Just you watch…

Gallery: Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara

Posted on March 23, 2013 by geelw

(Cue stereotypical booming RPG narrator voice along with equally stereotypical epic-sounding fantasy music) NARRATOR: “And so, it came to pass, after many years of online fire and calamity that Capcom doth finally decree that the gamers worldwide long starving for a pair of decent fantasy hack & slash arcade games long consigned to history’s dusty trails become updated and set loose as one whole product to be forever named Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara. And that game, now headed to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U and Windows PC (developed for Capcom by Iron Galaxy and priced at $14.99/€14.99/£11.99/1200MSP) was indeed met by the cheers and praises of the long-starved masses destined to play until the long hours of the dark night have turned to day… and beyond!”

Or something like that. I’ll just shut up with the silly stuff and run the gallery below:

Review: Bloody V3 Multi-Core Gun3 Gaming Mouse – Shooter’s Paradise?

Posted on March 23, 2013 by geelw

Bloody V3 Mouse Throw a dead stuffed cat anywhere on the Internet and you’ll hit a gaming mouse review or recommendation. It’s a tough and packed market these days, what with big name companies getting their products out through big PC gaming tournaments worldwide, all sorts of promotions, pro review recommends and community board high fives pumping up interest in the best and often, most expensive mice you can buy. Then there’s A4Tech and their quiet storm of putting out some decently awesome peripherals and seeing what happens as folks like me try them out. Well, without a glowing trumpet or flaming flag in sight, I can safely report than the Bloody V3 Multi-Core Gun3 Gaming Mouse is a really awesome deal at $39.99 (or less if you shop around) and it’s also an excellent mouse FPS fans should take to like ducks to water. Packed with features (and some nice goodies inside the box that make it an even better value), the V3’s only drawback is the option to buy into what amounts to a cheat upgrade that allows even more functions to an already solid peripheral. Continue reading →

Gallery: Lost Planet 3 Screenshots – 50 Shades of Winter for Your Viewing Pleasure…

Posted on March 23, 2013 by geelw

LP3_nice In case you haven’t been paying attention, Lost Planet 3 is looking mighty impressive. This PREQUEL (which I feel should have been called Lost Planet Zero just to aid the still confused folks out there ranting about it being a sequel and being totally and ignorantly incorrect about that) is chock full of some truly impressive Unreal 3 engine-powered visuals that show developer Spark Unlimited is doing more than their best work here. Poke around through LP3’s lovely Facebook gallery, “like” a few of these if you do indeed like what you see and definitely mark your calendars for June 25, 2013 when the game hits retail for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.