Tag Archives: PC

Remember Me: Your Mind Is Up For Grabs In Capcom’s Newest IP

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This one sounds pretty cool (and more than a tiny bit like Chris Nolan’s mind-bending film, Inception), so color me intrigued. Capcom dropped news on this upcoming game at GamesCom 2012 and it’s already getting a lot of buzz. Developed by Paris-based DONTNOD Entertainment, the game has you playing as a female “memory hunter” who can tap into people’s minds and steal or alter their memories. Of course, when someone has her memory stolen, our heroine sets out to find out who did it and as the press release says, “discover how she can change the world.” Expect a lot of athleticism, a bit of stealth and lots of ass-kicking in a few varieties in this third-person game set to hit PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in May 2013. More to come on this one, now that it’s on my radar…

Borderlands 2 Update: Say Hello To Handsome Jack (He’ll Be A Big Pain Later On, I Bet)…

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Looks like those of us who played the original Borderlands will get a nice treat with this DLC, er, provided we go the pre-order and Premiere Club route. Of course, as much as I love Gearbox’ great series, I’m a bit aginst this sort of buying into content, as sticking it on the disc (or the inevitable Game of the Year Edition) will serve the needs of those who dislike pre-ordering or buying digital content. We. Shall. See, I suppose. As it is, Borderlands 2 is going to be a pretty huge hit without the need for extra content, but this should do well among the most rabid fans who want everything before those of us who can wait a bit longer (because the main game will be so darn HUGE)…

Phantasy Star III2K: This RPG Maker Remake Is Better Than The Original In A Few Ways

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While poking around over on RPGmaker.net the other day looking for smaller games to download for my weekly feature on Random Indie Games, I stumbled upon this pretty interesting fan-made remake of what some call the “black sheep” of Sega’s Phantasy Star series. Programmed by Lys86 (who also made A Blurred Line, one of my old favorite RPGM games), this version keeps the same story as the original, but adds in a ton of new dialog (with a nice sense of humor in spots where its needed) and a completely reworked battle system that takes a bit of getting used to. Like the original game, there’s still  the need to grind quite a bit before you can fetch Nei from her waiting spot in the forest, then grind some more before tackling the desert area and so forth and so on. But I rather like the mix of enemy sprites based on the original, redesigned maps (some with fun puzzles added) and completely different RTP backgrounds.

The game also adds collecting creature parts, plants, relics and other items which can be traded for Meseta or cool gear, trainers for certain character skills and lots more that make it a lot less dry than the game it’s based on.  Visually, as this one’s a bit long in the tooth, it hasn’t aged all that well, but still gets the job done. While it’s not perfect and you may find a minor bug here and there that can take you out of the fun for a tiny bit, this is one of those games that will make you appreciate the third installment all the more because it manages to be quite enjoyable while hitting all the right nostalgic marks. It’s too bad Sega isn’t planning to revisit the older PS games any time soon, as I’d actually love to see Lys’ beefed up translation get the nod as an “official” rewrite of the game’s story. I’ve still got a ways to go before I’m done with this one, but from what I’ve played thus far, the game kept my smiling away and reminiscing for a bit. Give this one a look and definitely a play if you’re a Phantasy Star fan looking for a new take on an old friend…

Random Really Short Indie Game Of The Week: Wither

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While you can complete Wither in well under an hour (or about an hour if you get stuck), the game will linger in your mind for quite a bit longer. This RPG Maker gem from Rastek is a creepy little exploration game that focuses on mood and manages to be unsettling despite the cute Game Boy style visuals. In the game you’re a guy who’s been in an accident tasked with collecting sixteen flowers to lay at a grave. As you explore your surroundings, you’ll run across assorted citizens who can help you out on your quest. Some know where flowers can be had, others have flowers you need to acquire in a few different ways.

There’s some fine writing here, some logical clues to help you find a few of the trickier to get flowers and some interesting bits of morbid humor throughout to keep the occasional grin going when needed. You might see the ending coming about halfway through, but I’d say that’s just how Rastek wants it. Telling any more would spoil the fun (well, as much fun as can be had by being mildly freaked out by some of the more unsettling content here). Go download this one, play it with the lights down low and prepare to have a few hairs standing up  on assorted body parts. I was going to post a gameplay video I found on YouTube, but it gives pretty much the entire game away. Click that link at your own risk! Better yet – just get the game. It’s FREE, it’s a small, quick download and I’d bet you’ll tell someone else about this one once you’re done playing…

What Is QuakeCon? A Video Primer Of Sorts For People Like Me…

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Yeah, that’s right… I’ve never been to a QuakeCon, as it’s always been way out of my budget and I’m not the biggest PC gamer out there (unless it’s some vintage vault classic, super fun indie stuff or RPGMaker epic that’s worth raving about), so that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. Still, I’ve been to a few East Coast tournaments (that World Cyber Games held here in NYC a bunch of years back and some other fun events), so I know that things get really fun and really crazy in a good way for fans of id Software’s games. Eh, one day I’ll get out west again, so perhaps I’m not a total loser. Hell, I do need a decent vacation. after not having one for ages..

BioShock Infinite Drops Its Multiplayer Modes. I Am Happy As Hell It Did So.

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Yes, and Yes! and thank you, Irrational Games. Sure, running around and shooting each other in the face would have brought in more of that crowd who loves this sort of thing in other genres, but for my money (and despite the second installment’s inclusion of MP), the BioShock series has ALWAYS been about the solo experience and the story. Period. This latest move in a game that’s currently in a rather bumpy development cycle/delay phase will in fact, be a MUCH stronger game experience now focused on storytelling and pure immersion in the world Ken Levine and company want to create. The primary issue with most all MP modes in a story-driven game such as this is they require a much larger suspense of disbelief than the single player campaigns (why am I running around shooting other people in the face? Where does this fit into the overall plot and why should I care if it has nothing to do with the main narrative and reason i bought the game in the first place?).

Additionally, as much fun as multiplayer modes can be, in the case of games such as this, Hal-Life, or Dishonored, they can be seen as a pure waste of resources if you consider the overall power of each game’s storytelling. This is especially valid if the main game suffers because of a multiplayer focus that’s unnecessary and only designed to boost sales to a crowd that has a huge variety of games focused on their needs. Of course, some will disagree entirely with my happy dancing ways, but I’m betting that the end result of all this rejiggering will be worth any additional delays added to the game’s development schedule. Off to find something appropriate to dance around the room to…

The Prequel To Sacred 3 Is A Downloadable Side-Scrolling Brawler. This Could Go Two Ways…

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Well, I didn’t see this coming at all, but here you go: SACRED Citadel in all its work in progress glory (complete with corny captions trying too hard for that “hip” angle).  Let the scalp scratching commence.  Naturally, haters (and people who can’t read the description of the game on the official site) are gonna hate. That said, once I got over the shock and took another look, the game does look nice enough and could be quite fun for what it is. As a longtime fan of the Sacred series and old-school side scrolling games from the 80’s until today, I give my official DAF stamp of approval. Of course, If you know me, you also know I’ll wait until the game is actually out and playable before forming a more reliable opinion. That said, I hope to hell that this shows up as part of Sacred 3’s retail edition (as in on the game disc, grrrrrr!) so those who hate digital media can actually play it. That seems to be the big mistake developers and publisher keep making with some of these cool projects, but that’s a complaint for another post. Anyway, 2013 is looking more interesting by the minute…

Aliens: Colonial Marines Developer Diary 2: Gearbox Wants You Playiing From Under The Couch

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More fun with fast-moving Xenomorphs in this latest dev diary from Gearbox Software and Sega. You can definitely fell the love these guys have for James Cameron’s second installment in the popular film franchise, which will hopefully translate into a game for the ages that’s as scary and action-packed as everyone wants it to be.

Random Incomplete Indie Game of the Week: Dungeon Crawl

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Yeah, that title is as generic as they come, and it needs a bit more work, but don’t let that stop you from trying out this cool little free game. What’s cool about it is how developer Liberty has tweaked the extremely familiar anime/manga style RPGMaker 2003 visuals to a simpler top-down viewpoint while limiting the cute stuff down to some well-written dialog sections between characters.There’s also a lengthy intro sequence that’s well done, pulling you into the story and game world, making you eager to jump in and experience the challenge ahead.

Gameplay isn’t quite what you’d expect from a game called Dungeon Crawl, but that’s a good thing. Rather than being combat focused, success in the game relies on careful exploration, avoiding traps and using resources you find wisely. You’ll also need to deal with a few other adventurers in the dungeon, some of whom will try to take advantage of you. You can choose to be nice and help them out, or be a total jerk and blow up that bridge you just made or refuse to aid someone who needs a helping hand. Everything you do affects one of (currently) ten different planned endings and each of the three classes plays slightly differently. The save system is a bit quirky, but manageable once you understand you can’t save wherever you’d like and may need to retry some areas if you run out of health.  For a rainy day or if you’ve got a few spare hours to burn, this one’s a charmer that sneaks up on you and keeps you playing longer than you’d probably expect.

RAMBO: The Video Game In Development (It’s 1988 All Over Again!)

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Granted, the teaser site just has a nice image and that film clip heavy trailer doesn’t reveal much in the way of gameplay (as in no gameplay at all, so I’d gather the project is still early in the dev cycle), but I’m sort of positively ambivalent about the whole thing. Well, positive yet ambivalent if that’s an actual emotional state. If the game is based on the last Rambo film with the hyper-realstic violence and interesting pro-rebel attitude, it’ll be a game worth checking out to see how far it takes its story and violence. Hey, the whole archery thing is big in games these days (not that it went away for us die-hard RPG players out there), so at least I’ll enjoy those parts. And hell yeah, the game had BETTER use some of the late, great Jerry Goldsmith’s music (if legally possible).

On the other hand, if it’s another 80’s throwback with angry Russians, rescue missions in Cambodia or wherever and nostalgically crappy (and completely unnecessary these days) USA!, USA! jingoism permeating the entire project…. I’ll go play something more relevant like Dynamite Duke instead. As usual… we shall see… Don’t blow it, Reef.