Dark Souls II “Aching Bones” Trailer: Yeah (Ouch!) That Collector’s Edition Weighs A Ton…

Posted on September 18, 2013 by geelw

Innnnteresting. When Dark Souls came out last year, publisher Namco Bandai made the very cool decision to charge the same $60 price tag for the standard and collector’s edition of the game and yes, that steel-boxed version with the art book sold quite well while the standard edition seems to have done quite fine (not everyone likes that extra swag). This time out, Dark Souls II seems to be getting three different editions: a standard retail version (which will probably pop up as a digital release as well), a Black Armor Edition and a Collector’s Edition details of both are below, of course). Some may say Namco Bandai is being a bit overconfident here, but I think if they can get the fan base that LOVES this game to pay a little more while packing in some more swag (and cool swag, at that!), then more power to them.

Besides, you can always scream into that metal case or at that Warrior Knight perched atop your tee vee when the game keeps killing your avatar off when the going gets tough. Of course, since you hard~~-headed~~ core PC gamers love your downloads, I believe you don’t get Jack other than the game (even if you find it on a disc at your favorite brick & mortar game emporium), so I guess that’s a win for us poor slobs who prefer our consoles for what they bring us (again!). Of course, PC-heads get fans who can fix stuff developer From Software doesn’t right away, so there’s that tradeoff…

EDIT: Oops. As you can see by those newly updated images, I was quite wrong! One crow pie out of the freezer and into the oven for me! PC gamers get the swag too. Nice. Now stop that online petition stuff!

*Black Armor Edition Pre-Order Bonus*
The Dark Souls II Pre-Order Bonus comes with a FREE Collectible Metal Case, Game & Original Game Soundtrack – while supplies last. The collectible case has the unique Warrior Knight box art that will only be found on the Black Armor Edition. The Original Game Soundtrack is composed by Motoi Sakuraba, who composed the full score for the 2011 hit Dark Souls as well.

*Collector’s Edition*
The Dark Souls II Collector’s Edition comes with a gorgeous premium quality 12 inch tall Warrior Knight figurine, made from solid PVC weighing nearly 16 full ounces packed inside a custom printed display box with transparent window. Fans will also be treated to an exclusive hardbound artbook filled with never-seen-before images from the game developer, as well as a sizable full-color microfiber game map perfect for mounting onto your wall. The Black Armor Edition metal case will house both the game disc as well as the Original Game Soundtrack.

Hmmmm… It’s coin tossing time, I guess…

Orc Attack Double Blast: This Was My Stomach Earlier Today!

Posted on September 18, 2013 by geelw

OK, I know, I know… “eww!” and TMI, am I right? Anyway, I was supposed to pop in to a big TV/Entertainment conference this morning, but something I ate last night put me out of commission for the better part of today. Lots of water and rest later after Mr. Toad’s Wilder ride (yes, my toilet has a new pet name), I’m up and much better, but as usual, a bit behind in my work. Oh well, but these new Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion trailers made my day go, er… smoother by giving me some laugh power (which is ALWAYS great for any sort of pain). So, now you know… and knowing is half the battle! The other half is too yucky to talk about, but use your imagination.

Anyway, now that you’re all turning green, I guess I can inform you that Orc Attack is launching this fall on XBLA, PSN, and PC. More to come on this “hack ‘n gas” game soon…

There’s No Beer In Hell, But All The Pianos Play DOOM There…

Posted on September 18, 2013 by geelw

File this under “Now, I’ve REALLY seen Everything!”: OK, so it’s NOT Hell Paris again, but hell… someone made a piano that plays DOOM. Yeah, I want one now (and am kicking myself that I gave up on lessons as a kid), but I’ll need to steal a cargo plane, hire some some assistants and fly all the way to London’s Virgin Media Game Space in order to get this one of a kind hybrid machine/instrument. Of course, I’ll get arrested, tried and convicted and need to serve some hard time (boo, but I want to keep the film rights!), but at least I’ll have a story to tell at parties after I get out that will top the usual “I saw so-and-so coming out of a Starbucks drunk!” stuff you hear all the time, right? Hmmm… I wonder if Carmack, Romero or even Bethesda will ask for one of these to be made for them at some point. Hey, I say if anything, you can buy off that devil with a gift he’ll really flip over! You DO know he plays EVERY instrument, right? I got him a harmonica last year and he’s quite the expert at it!

U55- END OF THE LINE: Lovecraft-Inspired PC Game Kickstarter Needs Some Love (It’s Already Got the Craft Part Down)…

Posted on September 16, 2013 by geelw

Hmmm… there are only a few days left to get this one funded (the campaign ends on 9/19), and it’s a bit far from its goal. I thought people LOVED horror games? Unless they’re all free version of Slenderman-playing posers, of course (none of those games is actually “scary” – I find them annoying and one-note jump scare-fests for the most part). Anyway, if you have some spare loot burning a hole in your jeans, take off those jeans before you get a bad case of hot ass and pledge a few of those dollars, dinars, Euros or whatever to these fine guys from Germany HERE. If anything, at least READ the pitch page for the testimonials, some of which are pretty interesting. Kurtis Blow is still around AND a gamer? Wild!

The Backlog Continues (“Oops” Edition), Plus a Viking Wants Some of My Money…

Posted on September 15, 2013 by geelw

Yeah, yeah – I’m laaaaate to posting again, but I’ve been busy working through a bunch of games. One of which ISN’T Volgarr the Viking (now available on gog.com). Not that I don’t want to buy and play that awesome looking old-school hard as nails 2D action platformer, mind you. I’m actually OUT of space on all three of my hard drives and every portable drive I currently own. Ugh. Actually, I need to go through those drives because part of the reason I’m out of space is I accidentally backed up a complete drive onto another a while ago when I thought I was copying a few files and I don’t need everything I duplicated. I just haven’t gotten around to clearing out the drive because I’ll need to go through a load of files and that will take most of a day. Eh, one thing at a time, I suppose. I guess I’ll delete a few games I duplicated and add Volgarr and a few other things this week. I still have a few cheap indie bundles I spent a buck or two on that need to get added to my virtual stack of games to get to.

BUY! Ridiculous Indie Bundles Galore From All Over!

Posted on September 13, 2013 by geelw

With so much other stuff going on here I’m having a stupidly difficult time keeping up with all the deals going on in the indie game space, so I’ll just list what’s in my inbox here in a single post and let you all have at it. There are some REALLY great titles in these bundles, so definitely check one or all of them out, especially since (with the exception of all those Square-Enix/Eidos titles if you buy them all) you’re basically able to get the bulk of these titles NOW for much less than the cost of a AAA title at retail or via a digital download service.

Ready? OK, here we go:

BUNDLE STARS (Indie Rush Bundle)!

Oh, that’s not all – I’m just sending you below the jump so I can save space on this page for more of my scribblings…

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New Rollers of the Realm Trailer: “We’ve Got The Biggest Balls of Them All!”

Posted on September 13, 2013 by geelw

Okay, I really couldn’t think of anything pinball related, thanks to a slight cold coming on and my head being a little fuzzier than usual. “Thankfully” that old AC/DC tune happened to pop into my head and here you go. Anyway, Rollers of the Realm looks even more polished in this trailer and thanks to all the folks voting for it on Steam Greenlight, the game is becoming even more eagerly anticipated. Phantom Compass (and friends) expect to have this one ready to go before the year is out and as a longtime Pinball fanatic, I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.

BUY!: The Elder Scrolls Anthology Out Now, Dishonored GOTY Coming in October

Posted on September 12, 2013 by geelw

As noted in my earlier post, Bethsoft is making sure you KNOW The Elder Scrolls series is a force to be reckoned with (or they at least want you to stay home a LOT more that you normally do). Their awesome $79.99 box set, The Elder Scrolls Anthology stormed into retail on the 10th (here in North America, $89.99 in Canada, European territories this Friday for €59.99 / £49.99 / $89.99 AUD) and YES, you need to buy this just for the hundreds of hours of adventuring plus the chance to make some of your own content if you so desire.

There’s a ton of stuff in that box to discover, so make this one your big gift to that favorite RPG fan (or for yourself if you want to become one).

In other Bethsoft news, October 8 marks the release date of Dishonored: Game of the Year Edition (whee!), which means I need to pick this one up as well:

As for what’s in THIS box, well, read on (below the jump!):

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General Chaos Is Coming Back via Kickstarter (That’s Major News For Some!)

Posted on September 11, 2013 by geelw

I can recall the first time I played General Chaos on the Sega Genesis and not liking it because it was so different than the strategy games I was used to playing. Of course, that wacky art style and hilarious action-packed gamplay changed my mind quickly, as it took maybe a half hour of play before I was hooked, so I’ve been a big fan ever since. While I’m not sure of how many units it sold, I do know that the game has garnered a particularly loyal fan base then that’s been hoping for a sequel or remake for over 20 years. Well, thanks to Brian Colin and Game Refuge (the same folks behind the original), General Chaos II: Sons of Chaos is now a Kickstarter project you should look into funding. It’s a LOT cheaper than a real war and hell, you’ll both get some laughs to boot.

I’m liking the upgraded art style here quite a lot and it looks as if that trademark humor is intact. The only thing I can say I’d like to see more of is destructible environments, as who wouldn’t want to take out that guy in the wooden watchtower by taking the tower down with him? Yeah, I thought so. Anyway, the funding on this has 25 days to go and is still pretty low considering the goal is a mere $125,000. I guess more people need to study up on their game history. Hmmm… maybe the team at Game Refuge can do something about that like get the original game out on different platforms at some point down the road (with improved controls, of course). That old classic would make a fine game on PSN, Nintendo’s eShop and XBLA that’s for sure and I’m certain an iOS and Android version could be done. On the other hand, I want them to get the funding for this sequel taken care of so we CAN see the original get done up for today’s systems. So, give ’til it hurts (it won’t hurt for long) and prepare for battle as only a General Chaos game can deliver!

Tech Humor (of Sorts): Rumors of the Demise of PC Have Been Greatly Exaggerated…

Posted on September 11, 2013 by geelw

DOOM! If you have an eye or ear close to any device that drops tech news into your world, you’ve probably been hearing of the “death of the PC” or its imminent demise from a few business analysts and other cracked crystal ball gazers. As someone who’s not a tablet/phablet user or huge fan and who knows plenty of people who prefer a larger screen experience for assorted work and entertainment, I have to poke a finger in the eyeballs of these analysts paid to say that crap and wag those fingers back and forth until they see the point. We’re NOT all headed into tiny screen world just yet and there are plenty of options for folks who like living larger and want to enhance their setups in a few ways.

Not counting the rabid PC “master race” clowns who deny any other choice for entertainment purposes while also denying their own childhoods (yeah, yeah, yeah, suuuuure you “never played a console game” in your life… maybe if you’re under 20 and was kept in a cage), there are plenty of normal Joes and Janes that like a PC or laptop as everything from a game machine to a prose and art producing monster. If you’re a dedicated device user sitting there squinting at that small to medium sized screen reading this (and about to have your expensive toy knicked by some sneering traveling highwayman), here’s a peek as some of the cool stuff you’re ignoring in favor of that “handy” device. You may want to read quickly on that device, as I hear one is stolen every fourteen seconds… or less in some areas. Eeek. Eeek. Halp, Police.

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