Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Has A Versus Mode, After All…

Posted on December 16, 2011 by geelw

A-ha… So that’s what Slant Six Games has been up to. I was wondering what else they had planned for multiplayer in REORC, and well, here you go. I normally don’t go for the usual running around and shooting each other in the face MP modes, but I like the heroes vs villains vibe here. Of course, this will be one of those games where the hardcore RE fans go at it in teams to see which of their favorite characters is the best. Sort of like Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but with more a lot more guns, zombies and room to run around in, ha ha.

UNEpic: This Will Be Yor New Favorite Indie Game.

Posted on December 16, 2011 by geelw

Here I was, all set on whipping out an article on the best games I’ve played this year when someone sends me a link to Francisco Téllez de Meneses’ amazing UNEpic, which managed to knock my socks off and keep me away from actual work for most of today. I’ll have a review up in a bit, but for now, I say drop everything and BUY this game. Or hell, at least try the demo out and see what I’m raving about. The cross between classic side-scrolling platformer and RPG elements plus an excellent (and really funny) script (thanks for keeping the language real and raw rather than go for the typical cleaned up dialog found in most games) makes this one of the best surprises in a huge year for indie games. I’d love to see Francisco get his game onto PSN or XBLA or at least wider recognition, as the game manages to feel nostalgic, yet fresh at the same time. Anyway, I’ll shut up here and let you check it out for yourselves.

Syndicate Trailer Twofer: Agent Tech/Agent Tools

Posted on December 16, 2011 by geelw

Two more excellent trailers from Starbreeze’s upcoming reboot of the PC classic, set for a February 21, 2012 release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. I actually broke out the 3DO version earlier this week for a bit of nostalgia and as noted in my preview, both the old and new game feel like very close relatives, but from a different perspective. I kind of like the whole not worrying much about how the game plays part and hope some of the more stubborn folks out there decide to PLAY this rather than criticize the game unfairly because it’s not the same genre (when in fact, it slyly IS)…

Gallery: PC Games Library (Most Of It)

Posted on December 14, 2011 by geelw

More stuff from the collection – these are actually posted on my Facebook page, but it’s only accessible to friends and folks on my contact lists. These pics were taken earlier this year, so a few (well, a bunch of) new arrivals are missing as are a few games I loaned out (as I’m such a nice guy). That, and the photos obviously don’t include all the stuff currently on my hard drive and a few portable drives.

I actually have a dead HDD here that had a ton of games and game saves on it that I didn’t want to destroy in hopes of one day recovering everything. But I’ve replaced a chunk of what was on it already, as it was mostly indie stuff and a bunch of free games and demos I downloaded years back. Yup, I’ve played all of these games. Nope, I’ve not completed every single one, but I can definitely spin a few stories about the too many hours spent with a lot of what’s here (if prompted and properly soused, ha and ha-ha).

-GW

A BioShock Infinite Twofer: More on Characters + VGA Trailer

Posted on December 14, 2011 by geelw

One of 2012’s most anticipated games is BioShock Infinite and it’s clear that Irrational Games has an(other)instant classic on its hands. Here’s a pair of videos to fill you in on a few things you need to know about the game’s characters (courtesy of the two actors in the lead roles) and another fine game footage trailer, this one from the Spike VGA show last weekend. Enjoy!

Rainbow 6 Patriots Trailer Is Disturbing Stuff (But UbiSoft Is Intentionally Going For That Vibe)

Posted on December 13, 2011 by geelw

While I’m not the biggest fan of the Tom Clancy games, UbiSoft’s upcoming Rainbow 6 Patriots managed to get my eyebrow up (and interest piqued) a bit higher than it normally goes. The whole idea of a game revolving around home-grown terrorists taking on the government as well as the big banks is intriguingly innovative, yet is also clearly going to ruffle some feathers amongst a few non-gaming TV talking heads. who often turn to games as a sign of all things evil when they need a quick ratings rush. This should be especially true once they get wind of the game not being made here in the U.S. of A. at all. Continue reading →

Dear Esther: Mystery No More (And Let The Waiting Begin)…

Posted on December 13, 2011 by geelw

Sometimes, you see a game that makes you smile and nod knowingly, not for anything amusing, mind you, but because it’s a solid case where a developer gets things down perfectly and the project is coming together like a dream. Dear Esther is one of those games and with its February 14, 2012 release date coming up, here’s a quick look at two work in-progress trailers that show off quietly spectacular detailed visuals powered by Valve’s “ancient” Source Engine (which goes to show it’s not the years, it’s the mileage a great developer gets out of it). It’s hard to believe that this game started life as a Half-Life 2 mod back in 2008 before a major reworking, but that’s the wonder of inspiration for you, folks… Continue reading →

Hitman: Absolution VGA 2011 Trailer: IO Interactive Gets (Even More) Real…

Posted on December 12, 2011 by geelw

After the amazing gameplay trailer I saw at New York Comic Con (about 17 minutes of sheer excellence), I was hoping developer IO Interactive would show off more of its upcoming Hitman: Absolution before the year ended. Well, here you go. Agent 47 is most definitely back and better than ever. Anyone that says as a publisher, Square Enix is ONLY good for Final Fantasy games needs their eyeballs wiped but good. Preferably by a bald assassin with a bar code on the back of his head and especially after Deus Ex: Human Revolution, (still one of the best games released this year) showed that great games come from all around the world…

Tiny & Big Moves Up The Ranks!

Posted on December 12, 2011 by geelw

Well, alrighty then! Thanks to lots of support, the guys at Black Pants Game Studios are doing a happy dance as they’ve entered indie DB’s Top 100. You can still (and should still) vote for them in the second phase of voting just because they’re making a fun game (not because I say so, although it would make me feel better if someone actually listened to me for a change). Take a peek at the video above, go vote if you’re so inclined and help Tiny & Big become a bigger hit as it nears completion.

Er, you HAVE tried out the demo, haven’t you? If not, go get it! It’s a ton of fun and you get to laugh a lot as well!

Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Posted on December 9, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360, PC)

Developer: Bethesda Softworks

Publisher: Bethesda Softwroks

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A

At some point, if you happen to know someone who’s also playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you WILL get a phone call, email or text with some variation of the following: “Hey, can you help me out on this quest?” It’ll most likely be something you’ve already done and maybe bragged or shared a tale of woe about to your buddy, but you’ll find the results in their case may be slightly to very different. Sure, some of the basics will be familiar, but after that, it’s up in the air. Perhaps they got challenged to a drinking contest, woke up in a temple in a faraway city, had to help clean up the place (or not) and now have a big mystery to solve that sends them to a new town they’d never even seen before. Or maybe it’s the odd Argonian woman who desperately wants you to take that strange item off her hands, and now your friend has a creepy cube that looks like something from a Hellraiser film stuck in their inventory. Or maybe it’s about that strange note handed to them by a cryptic courier asking them to visit an unusual museum in a most unexpected place where a darker mission lurks. Or the paid assassins that assaulted them while traveling and after killing the thugs and looting their possessions, an odd letter is revealed that only brings up more questions than answers. And so forth and so on… Continue reading →