February’s Game of the Month: Earth Defense Force 2025

Posted on February 1, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, it’s not even out until the 18th of the month, but I’ve owned the Japanese version of the game since it came out last July and it’s pretty amazing and VERY replayable, a great thing in this age of games you can blow through in less time that it takes to make a crock pot dish. EDF 2025’s four distinct classes, 780 weapons, over 90 levels (with more coming through three DLC expansions) and both couch co-op and online multiplayer modes means this one will be in some play stacks for a good long while. There’s even a versus mode here if you like hunting around for each other in some too huge maps…

Sure, it’s not the “best” looking game you’ll ever see and yes, developer Sandlot isn’t whipping out visuals that are going to compete with the greatest-looking games of last generation. That said, the sheer scale of the maps plus the level of destruction here is remarkable, and combined with the seemingly simple gameplay that grows deeper as the game gets more challenging, makes this one a keeper even after you’ve beaten it. Which, by the way will take weeks or more you’re going for every bit of content and every single Achievement or Trophy.

So yeah, BUY THIS GAME. It’s coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 only (Sandlot doesn’t make PC Games, sorry!).

PlayStation Plus February Lineup: Free Is Good. REALLY Good…

Posted on January 30, 2014 by geelw

PlayStation Plus is continuing to be the best deal in gaming these days save for the whole “pay to play online” thing, which makes less sense as time goes on. That said, the amount of free games you get each month for signing up at $50 a year is NUTS. How nuts? Well, it’s clear that Sony wants the PS4, PS3 and Vita to be the ONLY systems you touch, as that library of gratis games per month is enough to keep the hardcore player busy and the casual player wondering when the hell they’ll find time to play all those games that pop up on the first of the month automatically. Heck, even if you didn’t buy a single game from retail or PSN, you’re getting more than enough titles to keep you occupied. as long as you keep that account, you keep every free game you’ve gotten, which isn’t a bad deal at all. Sony will be rolling out more surprises this year, so it will be interesting to see if PS Plus stays a great deal or if that fee goes up a bit over time. I don’t think it will, but I do wonder how they turn a profit by giving away the store to a few million happy users a dozen times a year…

Earth Defense Force 2025 Multiplayer Hands-On: Extermination Agenda, Done Up Right.

Posted on January 30, 2014 by geelw

As a fan of the Earth Defense Force series since its debut in 2003 as part of the Simple 2000 series on the Japanese PlayStation 2, I’ve seen the series grow from a quick 25-level budget run and gun experience to the mighty, soon to be released solo, couch co-op and online play of EDF 2025, coming in less than a month to the PS3 and Xbox 360. D3Publisher of America rolled into town with a complete Xbox 360 version that had everything unlocked (all 780 weapons!) and allowed for non-stop fun for a few hours for some cold-braving editor types who dropped into the Ace Hotel for a spell.

While couch co-op play was the focus when D3PoA was here last year, this time it was the hectic online multiplayer mode for two to four players put to the test. Gameplay is rock solid and depends on teamwork between your squad-mates in order for success. Unlike other shooting games, you can’t bump off your team just to hog the glory and goodies for yourself because not only will it be rude, on the higher difficulty levels, you’ll be chomped, blasted, roasted and spiked to death (for starters) by swarms of pissed off bugs, robots, dragons and other menaces… Continue reading →

EDF 2025 Announcement Trailer: It’s Hammer/Laser/Air Drop/Machine Gun Time! Almost…

Posted on January 27, 2014 by geelw

Okay, this week is going to be a FUN one for me on a few fronts. I get to pop downtown to play some Earth Defense Force 2025 co-op with a few fellow editors and D3Publisher of America PR folk (Hi, Michael! Hi, Myki!) then come back up here to write all about it and get you all pumped up about this game. Yes, those are dragons flying around in that trailer. Uh-huh, that’s right… DRAGONS. And yes, they’re mean and CHEAP bastards when they swarm and start roasting then chomping on your character.

The game is packing a bunch of other surprises in case you haven’t gathered quite yet, but I’ll save some of those surprises for my hands-on later in the week. Oh, yeah… those two EDF Troopers below playing Patty Cake while there’s a spider THAT close? They’re dead meat unless that screen was shot on Easy mode. Anyone who’s played any EDF game knows what I’m talking about.

Earth Defense Force 2025 Update: Game Goes Gold, Gets Mission Pack DLC

Posted on January 21, 2014 by geelw

Closer and closer it creeps, folks. Sandlot’s straight up giant bug and robot run and gun spectacular, Earth Defense Force 2025 has gone gold and is on track to land at your favorite game emporium on February 18, 2014. In addition to the 85 massive stages (94 if you play the game online), D3Publisher has announced three mission packs coming, one on launch day and one each within two weeks of launch. Before you get all cranky about this DLC, know ye this: beating EDF 2025 with all four classes will take even the most seasoned gamers some time (as in a few weeks at best), as the game can get pretty hectic if one goes it alone (like a true EDF maniac). That said, the mission packs offer up even MORE challenging enemy variants and are geared towards players who like it rough.

According to the press release, these Mission Packs will be available separately on the dates below and later on as a bundle:

Special Ops – Will feature 5 new missions for $2.99 and be available on February 18.
Mutant Rampage – Will feature 20 new missions for $8.99 and be available on February 25.
Beyond Despair – Will feature 20 new missions for $8.99 and be available on March 11.

Color me psyched, as the import was a big time eater for me last year and I can’t wait to see what’s been tweaked in the time since that version shipped out. Anyway, the days are ticking away and my PS3 is winking at me and blowing kisses for some reason. On the other hand, I do need a new controller, as there’s a button starting to stick and an EDF game DEMANDS you have a controller that’s in working perfect working order. Off to check the funds and take care of that…

Review: Diablo III

Posted on January 15, 2014 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360)

Developer: Blizzard

Publisher: Activision/Blizzard

# of Players 1-4

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A (95%)

My experience with Diablo III on PC was an ab-Normal Hell Nightmare of an Inferno thanks to the always online requirements, Error 37 woes and a raft of other issues that have finally been patched up over time by Blizzard, but not quickly enough to get me playing again once I finished up my initial review. When the console version of the game was announced, I was one of those people jumping for joy at the news because I know that the game would soar as an untethered from the internet solo or co-op experience because other chase ‘n chop dungeon crawlers were plenty of fun without the online ball and chain. On the PS3 however, the game is not only superior to the PC version in nearly every respect (save for visuals, but it’s not a bad looker at all), it makes for both a great entry level and hardcore experience that’s a must-buy.

While the story isn’t what you’d call “deep”, Blizzard keeps things rolling along through some fine CG cinemas and a few nifty (if not too unexpected) twists before things are wrapped up (sort of) in this sequel. You don’t need to have played Diablo II (or even the first Diablo) to get off and running into the fray at all. But it helps if you’re a continuity freak or someone looking for references to previous installments. Of course, the chances of Blizzard getting those two older games onto any console is slim to none, but it’s something to dream about since this super-enhanced “port” that’s not a port turned out so well… Continue reading →

Alien Isolation “Transmission” and “Origins”: Puzzle Pieces Falling Where They Need To…

Posted on January 10, 2014 by geelw

Hmmmm… As predicted, with The Creative Assembly on the case this time out, Sega’s upcoming Alien Isolation is looking pretty impressive in this introductory teaser and developer diary. Hopefully, the story will work as intended, as I can see some folks not being all aboard the playing as Ellen Ripley’s daughter thing. Me, I’m a wait and see guy myself because I trust The CA to do their best and they’ve always done just that when they make their games. I do like that it’s turning out to be NOT a stupid shoot everything that moves experience and seems to be focusing on story and characters first and foremost.

The only major sticking point to some will be the lack of a Wii U version as the gameplay seems perfect for that GamePad, but such is life in this generation of consoles I suppose. Someone HAS to get a suitable Alien game out on that system one of these days, I say. I’m not sure who, but it would be nice to see one at some point…

Alien Isolation: The Creative Assembly Plays The Role Of Redeemer Quite Well Indeed…

Posted on January 7, 2014 by geelw

So, here we go folks – once more into the breach with Sega and the somehow tougher to make it work right as a video game Alien license. Can you name a decent game made this century with the license that’s not only on PC? I thought not.

While its last two attempts were decidedly of the “mixed results” and “missed opportunities” trains, this time out it’s veteran developer The Creative Assembly at the wheel and Alien Isolation is looking pretty darned scary where it counts (as you’ll see in Three… Two.. One.):

Of course, the boo-bird naysayers are out in force on this thanks to the critical mass that was Aliens: Colonial Marines, so Sega has a lot to live up to and live down even if Isolation is indeed the best game using the license to date.

I trust this team quite a lot as in addition to the incredible Total War franchise on PC, they’ve also had fun making more action-heavy game experiences such as the excellent Spartan: Total Warrior (which is being remade as a PlayStation 4 exclusive!) and the solid Viking: Battle For Asgard (which could use a nice remake or sequel one of these days). So an Alien game from these guys and gals should be (wait for it…) a “walk in the park” to some extent.

Of course, we shall see what the future brings and of course, I’m hoping that people aren’t all screaming into space for all the wrong reasons again. But again, I trust The CA to not go where man has gone before and deliver an Alien experience that’s truly memorable and frightening for all the RIGHT reasons. More on this as it develops…

PlayStation Plus Actually Pays For Itself In January Alone. Wow. (But…)

Posted on December 28, 2013 by geelw

That said, I think even Sony realizes the insanity of forcing PS4 owners to pay for the “privilege” of multiplayer gaming on their new console. Stick around until the end of this trailer and note how that stupid little thing about paying to play online is shoved in quickly at the end. Granted, they just hit you on the head HARD with the free games mallet and you’re already so dizzy you didn’t even realize you’d whipped out that credit card and signed up. The free games are MORE than worth that $50 and yes, Sony’s not kidding about that “instant game library” thing. The drawback to this is STORAGE space, as even though you get free cloud saves and a nicely sized HDD this time out (which is still small when you consider the size of some new games), you can’t access them should PSN go down for the count for a few days or even a few hours for simple maintenance.

Thankfully, the PS4 will play disc games and anything you have stored locally offline if the game has offline play. Anyway, I think they need to DUMP the requirement to pay to play MP games, as it’s NOT a privilege at all. If a game is made to be played online, any fee should be part of the price of the game, period. Asking people to pony up as part of a package is lame, even if they do get what amounts to a few thousand bucks a year in free content. Granted, having thee time to PLAY all those freebies AND buy and play NEW games requires either quitting one’s day job, renting out a TARDIS so you can go back in time to fire up a game, complete it and go back to start a new one and some other time magic. But hey, who can pass up FREE when the buffet is so tantalizing?

Unconventional Games of The Year Choices Incoming. You’ve Been Warned.

Posted on December 21, 2013 by geelw

(Thanks, movieclips!)

As some of you may know, I hate making “best of” lists, as it’s always a case of what one DIDN’T experience not making the cut almost always being as good or (or better) than what was chosen. That goes double for public choice where popular seems to outstrip good by a few leagues. That said, if you kidnapped me, tied me to a couch with a bunch of random strangers and submitted them to some rather strange blood testing to see who was infected with an alien virus, I’d fess up beforehand that yes, I’m one of those Things just because I hate me the hell out of needles and sharp objects (unless I’m in the kitchen cutting up stuff to cook). I’d also probably admit that out of all the games I’ve played this year, I probably put MORE time into a few than most did because I liked them a lot more than most did. Okay, that and my backlog is insane and I no longer review too many games in a “speed to the finish!” manner, as that’s how you miss some important stuff… Continue reading →