Review: The Wizards – Enhanced Edition (PSVR)

Posted on March 12, 2019 by geelw

Yep, buy it.

BOOM. Carbon Studios has cooked up an absolutely incredible and fun VR experience in The Wizards: Enhanced Edition ($24.99), a game so immensely entertaining it’ll make you want to run out and buy a PS4 and PSVR setup just to play it. If you’ve already got that rig and are ready for the next instant classic… well, here you go.

Granted, there are a nice selection of other exceptional games for PSVR fans (Moss, Astro Bot, BattleZone and many more spring immediately to mind as must-owns). But as a huge fan of action/adventures with a fantasy setting (this isn’t quite a RPG despite having plenty of RPG inspired content), the game’s got that great “Just one more level!” pull to it that keeps you pushing forward with a rather huge grin on your headset-covered face. Well, an hour or so at a time if you’re not able to sit for long VR sessions and need to take breaks (I’m in that category, by the way).

As I haven’t played the PC version, going into the world of Meliora completely cold made for an even more thrilling time right out of the gate. Dual PS Move controllers in hands, the game does quite an excellent job at making you feel like a full on magic-slinging, monster mashing champ. While there’s likely going to be a bit of a learning curve for new players, for PSVR vets, the game excels at making you feel as if you’re in its solidly rendered environments with a level of immersion so great that even those glove-covered hands you’ll be casting and blasting with are pretty flawlessly animated. Once you learn how to time your spells and cast them properly, any initial frustrations will melt away (along with a few waves of weaker foes). Bosses are a challenge on a few fronts, but overall, this one’s a well-made chunk of entertainment. No new ground is broken here, but this comes recommended because it gets what it gets as right as can be every chance it gets.

“You’ve got the touch… you’ve got the POWER!… ZZZAP!

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Review: Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality

Posted on May 11, 2018 by geelw

Developer Owlchemy Labs really has a decent handle on this VR stuff, so Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality ($29.99) is pretty much a no-brainer for fans of that popular show who just so happen to own a PlayStation 4 and PS VR setup. The game’s about as as insane as the show and the VR is pretty neat and designed to be a good deal less frantic on the eye holes (meaning those of you who get a bit woozy from VR can rejoice).

While I’m not as much into the show as some of its more avid fans, a well-made game will always catch my eye (ow), particularly one with the totally offbeat (and not for the young kiddies) humor the show excels at. So, yeah, if you’re new to the show, have wee ones and this game pops up as a request (because some kids can be cooler than their parents, or at least get away with watching cartoons out of their age range), you may want to play it for yourself and have your jaw hit your shoes a few times before you let those kids take it for a spin. Oh, you’ll very likely laugh your ass off in the process of checking this out. But that’s a good thing, correct?

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Deadly Premonition: The Board Game Update (Surprise Swery Edition)

Posted on May 9, 2017 by geelw

Well, oops. I was wrong. But that’s okay this time.

It turns out Swery does indeed have a hand in this particular pie after all. Excellent. So far, Deadly Premonition: The Board Game is still in production, so we’ll have to find out later if it’ll be partially crowdfunded or a fully-funded Rising Star Games project (EDIT: see below!). Either way, much of the game’s fan base is very likely going to be pleased while the rest will need to go make some friends in the real world as opposed to living vicariously through others online unless this board game gets some sort of digital treatment.

More updates to come as news lands in the inbox.

-GW

Well, ooh – news has landed in the inbox, so here’s an update: THE GAME IS NOW LIVE ON KICKSTARTER! Three bucks gets you a Steam code for the bizarre horror/mystery action/adventure adventure Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, while $30 gets you the board game and that Steam Key mentioned above. The game will come in Standard and Special Edition versions and yes, stretch goals are in the works should the game push way past its initial funding goals.

Press release below the jump – the funding is already over the halfway point ($32K funded with a goal of $50K!)
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Deadly Premonition Returns… Where You’d Least Expect It

Posted on May 5, 2017 by geelw

Wait, what, Zach? Whoa. Countdown clock on the site says three days plus a few hours to go before the big reveal. Suspense mode activated. I’m gathering Access Games signed off on this, as there’s no doubt here that Swery isn’t involved with them or his most popular creation these days. But speculation is for those seeking hits and I’m just here for splits and wiggles. Or something like that.

Color me intrigued and wanting this as soon as it drops. Back in a bit with more on this one.

-GW

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut – Classified Edition: FK Yeah, You Need This!

Posted on August 26, 2015 by geelw

(thanks, zbencz2!)

Not to put too fine a point on it, but for my money, Deadly Premonition: the Director’s Cut was and is one of the most beautifully bizarre and unique horror game experiences to date. Its bat-crap crazy elements and deadly serious story bits combined with the intentionally dated visual style and many hours of open-world gameplay to provide a highly replayable game experience once you got over and used to its many quirks. Given that I’ve probably written more kooky articles about the game than anyone else (well, that’s what I’ve heard), I’m telling you PlayStation 3 owners who happen to also be horror game fans who’ve yet to give this game a try that now you NEED a copy even more than before.

Yes, you absolutely NEED this, Zach!

Thankfully for you, the NISA Online Store is taking pre-orders for this ultimate edition of the PS3 version of the game. In case you still haven’t clicked and whipped out your wallet, here’s what’s in the box:

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut physical copy for the PlayStation® 3
Classified Edition DLC Voucher containing all DLC for the game (It’s all in the details)
Hardcover Art Book 6.75 in x 5.25 in (A book with some unique images inside)
Official Soundtrack 25 tracks with jewel case (Not available before on compact disc)
Deck of 54 Custom Playing Cards (York’s favorite)
Collector’s Box (A good way to keep everything safely tucked away, out of the light)

Given that I’ve played through the game at least five times already (not counting the Xbox 360 version), finding time to do so again won’t be tough. But I can’t let myself become too obsessed, Zach. Actually, I’m much more interested in all that bonus content, particularly the art book and soundtrack. It’s too bad the box doesn’t have a somewhat hard to locate these days Deadly Premonition coffee mug as an extra special bonus. But I’d gather that would add to the cost and there’s the issue of careless delivery persons tripping on that ONE spot on your walkway when walking up to your front door. Well, you can always make your own coffee and find out what the FK is going on when you pour a bit of milk into it.

Anyway, Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut – Classified Edition is available for pre-order NOW (you’ve already clicked one of those links above, Zach? I know you did!) for $49.99 and will be headed your way on November 24, 2015.

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Gets Patched Up But Good* on Steam…

Posted on November 27, 2013 by geelw

EDIT! Guess what, kids? The game is now part of the big, big Steam Autumn Sale and is a WHOPPING 50% OFF unitl December 3, 2013! That’s right, a measly $12.49 gets you the game all patched up and ready to go! Woo-hoo!

Hoo-ray! I think I’m the ONLY one that doesn’t mind the game’s non-adjustable resolution (*the main thing some still want to whine about who may not think the patch fixes EVERYTHING), but as someone who plays primarily console titles (well, there’s about a 70-30 mix), no controller support was a big pain in the wrists and lower for me. Anyway, the list of changes is HERE, so if you’ve been on the fence about this one, it should at least be easier to control if you’re coming from a console background. NOTE: You’ll need an official wired Xbox 360 controller for best results. I guess a wireless pad will also work, but I used my wired controller so I don’t need to recharge or replace any batteries. Also, this is currently only for the Steam version, but I’d gather a gog.com patch is also incoming.

Yes, Virginia, There Will Be A New Deadly Premonition Game. Eventually…

Posted on November 26, 2013 by geelw

Oh, Frabulous Joy Or Whatever, Department: Can I get an “FK in the Coffee!” in the house (to go, light and sweet)?!! According to the fine folks at GamingBolt, Swery 65 says he was working on a sequel to Deadly Premonition during the time he was coming up with what’s turned into the Xbox One exclusive, D4. Granted, this is only noted at the end of a sentence, there’s no HUGE reveal of info about how far along that work went and the interview is 99.9% about D4 (and a good read), so don’t look too much at that 2014 calendar and start rubbing your hands for a release date on that DP follow-up.

The interview also COMFIRMS that D4 is an Xbox One exclusive (argh!), not a DP sequel or related in any way and will contain a load of “Easter Eggs” and other elements to give it more replay value. So now that that’s settled, I guess some Swery fans will be dropping five large to get an Xbox One JUST to play this game. I’m a huge fan of the man’s body of work, but I may be passing this game up entirely unless there’s a price drop on that console and that game comes complete on a disc at some point in the future. To date, it’s the ONLY reason I’m remotely interested in Microsoft’s new ~~service~~ console, as I don’t play online “bro” shooters, have ZERO interest in sports and have plenty of movies that I can watch on cable in a MUCH better quality than any streamed content. Your own mileage may vary, of course…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Out NOW On Steam AND GOG.com!

Posted on October 29, 2013 by geelw

I think I’ve written MORE about Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut more than anyone else this year, so I can do this with my eyes stapled shut. Er, NOT type this post with my eyelids, as I’d be in enough pain already and please, I’d want to sanitize my keyboard first, you know. Anyway, Swery 65’s horror/adventure sleeper finally arrives on PC via Steam and (this just in!) gog.com, both at 10% off the $24.99 price for a LIMITED time with a ton of excellent Steam or gog.com exclusive content.

If you’re new to the DP experience, DON’T go in expecting it to look like some uber next-gen game (the resolution is higher, but your new 3D card won’t be taxed much pumping out those graphics) or blow you away with action straight from a non-stop FPS. DO expect a surreal, highly stylized game that surprises at many turns while being deeper on some levels you won’t even see coming (well, provided you didn’t scour the internet for hints and spoilers). This one’s strangely addictive and thanks to the included DLC, you’ll be spending many hours in Greenvale as York while enjoying that FK in your coffee. “Whatever the heck is FK?” You ask? Well, dear readers… you’ll need to play the game to find out. So go do just that, I say…

WIN Free Stuff! Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut – Ultimate Edition GET!

Posted on October 19, 2013 by geelw

SOME of you readers are smart. REALLY smart. And fast, too. As in less than five minutes after I posted that I was planning give away PSN codes for Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut – Ultimate Edition, I got two requests. Smart people get PAID. Well, in free game codes that is. Ask me for money and you’ll get a big hoot of a laugh and a hearty handclasp for your troubles.

That said, I now have ONE code left, so if you have a US PSN account (this code is ONLY VALID IN THE US!) and a PlayStation 3 (of course), well… let’s keep it simple. First one to post a reply below with a valid email address gets it. I’d just post the code and let you all have at it, but that’s always sucky if someone grabs the code first planning to redeem it later and finds out it’s been used.

Anyway, if you’re STILL reading this, stop and post a response! You MUST be interested if you’ve read THIS far, right?

Surprise! Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Ultimate Edition Hits PSN!

Posted on October 18, 2013 by geelw

EDIT: It was TUESDAY when this dropped on PSN (Oops! Thanks David Bruno! Hey, I was THAT shocked by this news that I forgot to check!)

“Wait, Whaaaaat?“ was my first response to this rather sudden news and after I found my face (it popped off and rolled under a table), I had to do a few double-takes and check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1st again. Anyway, Rising Star Games and developer Access games have been keeping this a huge secret until this week, but if you’re a PS3 owner jealous of your PC gaming pals getting that lovely Steam version of Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut this Halloween (well, this October 29th to be more precise), now you can stop being that jealous git and do some fancy dancin’ of your own around the room (go put some pants on first, though – i can see you through that monitor or other device, y’know).

As for what’s IN that Ultimate Edition? Well, look down and find out! No, not down THERE, silly – on your screen:

Included with Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Ultimate Edition:

Espresso Suit – Tolerance to Hunger and Tiredness x3
Field-Ops Suit – Increase HP and Attack Power x3
High Roller Suit – Money Rewards x3
Happy Songkran Suit – Money Rewards x3
Special-Ops Suit – Increase HP and Attack Power x2 – Tolerance to Hunger and Tiredness x2 – Money Rewards x2
Catgirl Outfit – Character skin only
Friday Night Outfit – Character skin only
The Blue GT – Enhanced Handling
The Devil’s Red – Increased max speed and faster acceleration
The Green Drifter – Expert car, drifting capabilities
Chibi Chibi Bang Bang – Vehicle skin only
Greenvale Real Estate – Take up roots, rest, and recover from the comfort of your new home in Greenvale!

Sure, that PC version has additional enhancements over this one, but that’s showbiz, kids. Anyway, like the retail version of DPTDC, the Ultimate Edition will set you back a mere $29.99 on PSN and comes highly recommended if you’re a big SWERY65 fan who wants MORE DP and FK in that coffee or it’ll make a great digital gift for a fellow PS3 owner you know who STILL hasn’t been to Greenvale.

And if you’re an PS3 and/or PC AND happen to own an iPad, you NEED the awesome Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Visual Companion, now available on iTunes for a mere $9.99. 350 pages of art, notes and other fine stuff about the game that’s currently available nowhere else (unless you happen to kidnap Swery and make him tell you everything. That, by the way is a bit extreme and we don’t condone kidnapping here at DAF. Well, in MOST cases…

Oh, and if you’ve read this far, stick around for another surprise. As in I’ll be giving two codes away of that Ultimate Edition… soon. Really. Soon.