This is pretty great to look at, but remember: it’s ONLY a tech demo and under the right hands, I’m betting things can only go up from there. But at what cost? For me, a game engine is only as good as the programmers and artists who end up using it. There have been a number of games created with older and current versions of the Unreal engine that do an amazing job of NOT looking as if they were made using it (which is really cool in my book). This leads me to believe that while we will indeed see plenty of games that make us all say “Oh…THAT’S Unreal 4?”… we’re going to be sitting through a lot of games before that, sighing “Oh, that’s Unreal 4…” Continue reading →
OK, I’ll admit it. I wasn’t at ALL keen on Defiance from the moment I heard about it. Sure, Trion Worlds is known for some solid MMO experiences, but the fact that the game would be based on a show from the network that brings us crappy camp like Sharktopus and Jersey Shore Shark Attack! didn’t exactly make me comfortably assured about reliable quality control in regards to the upcoming TV series. Sure, the Battlestar Galactica reboot was groundbreaking and great from the start , but as the song goes, “What Have You Done For Me Lately?”
Then I saw some gameplay and well, I had to eat my hat…
Capcom and developer Spark Unlimited are going back to the past to bring you the future with Lost Planet 3. Taking place before events in the first game, the mix of “older” tech, some new Akrid to fight and a few tweaks to the gameplay formula (while ditching what didn’t work in part two) could just make this one a sleeper hit. Just don’t get it mixed up with Dead Space 3 (as that installment gets a cold and wintry planet to explore as well as huge bosses to battle) and you’ll do fine…
Not one, but TWO new games on the way from the fine folks at Larian Studios? Nice. We’re getting a prequel to Divine Divinity (still a really cool RPG to dive back into for me) and an all new strategy game with what’s looking like a wild sense of humor from the same team. Here are looks at both games iv developer videos from before and during the show. Keep up the great work, guys!
Even with all those big name , bigger deal AAA shooters out there, turn-based strategy gaming has never really gone away, but it’s just nice to see it getting more notice with higher profile releases such as Firaxis’ upcoming relaunch of one of the best PC games in the genre. I can most definitely recommend giving this one a go even if your only dip into the genre has been something along the line of Advance Wars or other lower stress SRPGs. If this new game is as deep and fun as the original, 2K has a surefire hit that will be played and replayed for ages.
Travelers Tales has had this LEGO thing all sewn up tightly for a while, but with this game and LEGO Batman 2, they’re doing their best work to date. Between the funny, family friendly gameplay and always cute visual style, there’s something for any gamer with a pulse who happens to love to laugh. WBIE knows that the LOTR franchise had enough legs to stand up to this sort of kookiness, so kudos to them for getting this one out for just about every console or handheld available. Now, about that greatly improved War in the North sequel I hope is being worked on (wishful thinking, but hey… I can always dream, right?)…
To me, this was hands down, Ubisoft’s best games lineup to date. Yeah, yeah, we all knew Assassin’s Creed III was going to be great (it’s even better than I thought), Far Cry 3 continues to be gorgeous (and even MORE outrageous with each new reveal) and the new Splinter Cell: Blacklist looks fantastic. ALL of these were superior game experiences I’d buy as well as recommend in a heartbeat. But it was the new IP that made me jump out of my seat (and more than once at that).
Rayman Legends was perfect, nostalgic fun on the Wii U, and that up to five player thing is going to make a LOT of families happy (as well as any gaming party where a little levity is needed). But then there’s Watch_Dogs. Wow. Not only does the game address some things I’ve been whining about for YEARS (our loss of security in this “always online” era), it’s actually one of the best looking games I’ve ever seen, blending cinematic techniques and gameplay seamlessly while surprising me with gameplay that shifted to a new character at the end of the demo.
Oh yeah… I don’t give a hoot about Just Dance 4, but you can’t deny the game has been HUGE on the Wii and sit JD3 last year, the PS3 and Xbox as well. So I’ll give then that and dock point for the boring Shootmania e-sports part I wish they’d relegated to the show floor instead of torturing the audience with for so long. I do want to see MORE on that Avengers game, though – even though it’s not hitting the PS3 or 360, it might be fun to play, as the trailer showed old school versions of Wolverine, Storm, Magneto, Venom and Spider-Man doing their stuff in CG form (but no actual gameplay, boo!). Update: Ubisoft also plans to “port” it’s Wii U titles to other mobile devices as a means to offset development costs, so I guess we’ll see where that goes and if it’s a success other publishers will mimick at some point….
Like plenty of publishers these days, Atlus has been diversifying its games lineup for a while now with unique games in assorted genres outside the ones they’re know for in the US. Here are trailers to two titles from their lineup, one a sequel to a PC, PSN and Xbox Live Arcade fighter/action/shooter hybrid (that i REALLY wish would be put on a disc with the first part so MORE can play it) and the latest in the Sherlock Holmes game series ported from PC (which has ZERO to do with that bizarre BBC show everyone seems to like save for Holmes purists). Oh yeah, my Game of Thrones review will be up once all the E3 madness subsides, it’s not as bad as some sites are saying… you just need a great deal of patience and not mind at all that the game takes itself REALLY seriously (for the most part)…
2K Games and developer Yager really have a hit here, what with all that amazing sand technology and the source material (Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness) being perfect for the game they’re presenting. Here’s yet another example of a genre game defying the usual conventions and stepping outside of the box to do it differently. Like a few other titles pushing the envelope, I’m hoping gamers can free up a few extra brain cells to actually appreciate the hard work that went into this one without complaining about the experience NOT being what they “expected.” Hell, sometimes, it’s NICE to be surprised about a game, I say…
HEY! You’ve only 11 days left to snap up one of the best deals in gaming (ever!). Pay what you want, get five amazing games which would normally run you $110 if you bought them separately. Yes, your brain is hearing that correctly and YES you can and should do this, I say. If you’ve never played Amnesia; The Dark Descent, Bastion, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery, and LIMBO, the deal is already a must buy, but add in Psychonauts and well, you’re getting not only one of the best games this century, you can also probably fire your therapist. Or at least, cut down visits to once a month (or less). Anyway, head over the the Humble Bundle site and download these awesome titles. Did I mention your purchase helps out the Child’s Play charity? Well, I just did, so there! Still, it’s too bad this deal isn’t on a disc or consoles, as I’d see it selling VERY well indeed at around $40 with some nice artwork and maybe a PDF manual for every game on that disc (or disc set).
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