Defiance 1:4 “A Well Respected Man” Teaser: Adrenaline Junkies Need Apply…

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

Ah, the drug episode. I figured the writers would need to get that out of the way at some point. Amusingly enough, it’s an idea that I think they lifted lightly from the awful sci-fi action flick I COME IN PEACE, so I’m hoping to see a better job done as well as a reference that makes me crack up. Well, no CD’s cutting off heads, as that would be TOO obvious. Anyway, onward! So far, I’m liking this first season of Defiance and its little surprises, so my Mondays are now temporarily a tiny bit less dull. That’s a bit of an in-joke, as they’re always busy, but it’s good to have something to watch while working. of course, if I’m trying to write while watching a show I like, I only end up getting anything done if that show has commercials (oops). Well, I’d never thought I’d say “thank goodness foe syfy!”, but there you go… and that’s probably the ONLY time you’ll hear that from me. Well, given that we’re NOT actually having this conversation, you DIDN’T hear it from me at all…

Call of Duty: Ghosts Teaser: For A Minute There, I Was Expecting A Trip Back In Time…

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

Another year of life in the 21st century means a new Call of Duty game rolling up onto store shelves and digital shops soon (and raking in a nice chunk of change for Activision), but for a hot and exciting few seconds there I ALMOST thought this one was going to be set in the past with all sorts of weapons swinging and throwing warriors throughout history. Welp (as the kids say), no such luck (this time)… but the super hardcore CoD fans will all be gleefully dancing in the streets and dodging bullets with blood in their eye soon enough. I may pass on this one, as I’m FPS’ed out lately, but I think I’ll hold out for Call of Duty: Caveman just so I can see where all this war stuff got started in the first place…

Diggs Nightcrawler: A Family-Friendly Noir Detective Story? Innnnnteresting…

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

OK, I’m still a bit ticked off that Sony hasn’t gotten that Fifty Shades of Grey Wonderbook out just to reap in the millions they’d get while the iron on that saucy and unrealistic fantasy novel and its sequels is still hot (OK, it’s actually a running gag here I can’t pass up), but for those who want something a LOT less salcious, there’s Diggs Nightcrawler, a really cool looking film noir inspired tale for all ages. Well, all ages who happen to have parents who like noir and want to pass that onto the wee ones without having to make them sit through all those movies they love in a weekend marathon.

Hmmm… just imagine the mood your kid would be in on a Monday after three full days of black and white detective stories with sassy molls, hoods shooting heroes in the shoulder, a few bodies falling out of closets or into a bay somewhere and all sorts of red herrings popping up to confuse and amuse. Yeah, playing this game is probably a tiny bit better – you want to ease the kids into those classics, not toss them in head first and see if they swim back to the surface. The water’s dark down there, you know…

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: It’s About Time The House of Ideas Got Bricked!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

Take that as you will, but Marvel fans have been clamoring for a LEGO game with their favorites for years, so this way too short teaser trailer is giving them a reason to bounce up and down in their seats. I got a big grin going when I saw that the Hulk that looked as if it was modeled after the late Gil Kane’s version (except it doesn’t have that weird pineapple-shaped head his did), the Galactus shadow and yeah, those old costumes on some of the charaters. Speaking of characters, over 100 will be playable in the game, meaning this is going to be yet another game in the long running LEGO series with infinite replay value. This fall will be pretty darn busy for Marvel fans, that’s for sure…
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Silent Enemy: Minority Media’s New Game Tackles Bullying

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

Bullying certainly isn’t new, nor a “phenomenon” at all. Hell, I was bullied over 40 years ago and a few times after that in a few schools, but I managed to overcome the stress of those incidents over time thanks in part to an immersion into gaming, art and a few other hobbies. Living is the best revenge against the evil ones out there, I say. Sadly, technology has actually greatly enabled those who make the lives of millions of others miserable on a daily basis and in fact, access to it has allowed some of the more daringly deluded types who pick on others to use the Internet as a means of spreading their misplaced rage and energy in every direction. Is there a way to stop this by making them see the errors of their ways or is fighting back never a decent solution? Questions, questions. Hopefully developer Minority Media has at least part of an answer… Continue reading →

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: One More Thing…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

And there he goes once more, FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan (just call him York!), chasing after another lead in his Red Seeds Killer investigation. It’s been a fun month covering the man and his actions, but I’m beat from all that stumbling through bushes and smacking into trees like a nut. Well, I did get some pretty good posts out of all this and I think I’ve set a record or something for writing so much about one game for so long. Or maybe not. Whatever, I finally get to sit home where it’s nice and murderer free and play a decent game that’s… going to remind me of stumbling through bushes and smacking into trees. Oh well – it’s MUCH safer at home than in Greenvale at night (or at certain parts of the day)…

Are YOU one of the legions of people now immersed in Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut? Available NOW at a game retailer near you, this PS3 exclusive from Rising Star Games features upscaled HD visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, additional DLC and over 100 changes from the original version. It’s also a fairly long and very bizarre game worth checking out, particularly if you’re a more open-minded gamer looking for something truly and uniquely terrifying and hilarious, often within a few seconds of either mood. Grab a copy, grab a friend, have a seat and enjoy your trip!

World renowned Game Director Swery 65 is back at the celebrating thing once more down at the Swery 65 Bar, but he’s actually been SO busy on facebook and other places online that his coffee keeps getting cold! I think he also likes Iced coffee, but I’d bet he prefers to have that when it’s hot out as opposed to being so tied up that a fresh cuppa Joe goes cold as he’s typing all those updates. Let the man drink his beverage, people, I say! You all have a game you need to play (or BUY and play), so get to it already!

Turbo Super Stunt Squad Hands-On: Zippy Trick Snails Remind Me A Bit Of The Old Days…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

Image converted using ifftoany

Dreamworks Animation is having quite a busy year with a few big releases zipping into theaters this year, and D3Publisher is right in the same zone, getting out a few cool family-friendly titles tying into these assorted properties. Turbo (set for a July 19 release) is the next film zooming your way and D3P’s Turbo: Super Stunt Squad will also pop up as a multiplatform release (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii/Wii U, Nintendo DS/3DS) a few days before on July 16, 2013 (what, no Vita version?). I had the chance to take the Xbox 360 and 3DS versions for a spin earlier this month and came away with a smile, as the games are coming along as fine and well-made tie-ins to the upcoming film.

While you’re not going to be getting any hyperbole-packed “Game of the Year!” reviews from a licensed game like this (and you shouldn’t expect any, mind you), developer Monkey Bar Games is whipping up a fun, cool homage of sorts to the classic Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater with this stunt-filled racer/exploration game that’s sure to put smiles on a few faces…

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KILLER IS DEAD 3rd Trailer: Suda’s Mondo Girls, The Moon, And All That Jazz…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

KID_black Oh, yes indeed, Suda 51’s upcoming game, KILLER IS DEAD is sure to be one of those great sleepers that makes his longtime fans happy campers as it baffles those new to his work and riles up others who throw arbitrary rules of “reality” around in dopey ways when going after what’s clearly a fantasy-themed game. Gigiolo Glasses, a gorgeous gal riding a hypodermic needle and main character Mondo Zappa out for a stroll on the freaking MOON should clue you in that this one’s going to be bizarre even by grasshopper manufacture standards. That said, it’s also going to be another “Don’t you miss it at all!” game experience that’s sure to be remembered as a modern classic.

Of course, I say that about all of Suda’s work, as I’ve been into it for quite some time, so yeah – I’m a bit biased. Still, the man does come up with some of the most memorable characters male and female (and other, if you toss in some of those strange bosses in his games)…

Grand Theft Auto V: Meet The Boys of Late Summer (You’ll Be With Them For A While)…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

MFT-

Say “Hi!” to Franklin, Michael and Trevor, the three playable leads in Rockstar Games’ upcoming soon to be blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto V. Some of us GTA fans play these for the stories and wild characters and I can very safely say that this wild bunch will be the best trio of anti-heroes to date. For me, a new Rockstar game isn’t about violence or raising all types of hell, but sinking into the world and characters the team has created and getting a big smile going when everything clicks into place as each new chapter plays out.

As i haven’t played this yet, I’m not about to dissect these videos at all save to say that amazing engine being used makes the game look incredibly realistic and hopefully we’ll see some of these cinematic sequences flow into gameplay that’s just as thrilling. As for “favorite” character of these three miscreants, again, it’s hard to say without touching a controller, but I’d have to say Trevor’s arc might be the most “fun” to play given his intro video and personality:

That said, I don’t need to go into all sorts of analysis about the GTA series, as since the third game that pulled in millions of new players and all sorts of awards, Rockstar has been consistently upping the quality of the writing and visuals. All I know is these games are instant classics for solo players like me, as each game is best when you’re getting those bits of well-scripted exposition before setting out on missions to advance the story for a while before just taking off to wander around and find a nice spot to check out some stunning vista before hopping back into the mayhem.

Mark your calendars for September 17, 2013 and even if you’re not planning to buy or play this one, I can bet that you’ll notice a LOT of people not showing up at work that day (or rest of the week) in some places. They’ll be on a little vacation in the same busy, crazy world being whipped up for them by a team that’s the best at what they do…

Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Launch Trailer: A Bang And A Boom Time For 80’s Action Fans…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

You have to admire Crytek’s chutzpah here, as Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon isn’t even pretending to be original or in fact a “great” game. Of course, you absolutely need to be well-versed in the 80’s action flick cheese it makes fun of (but with super-colorful visuals that won’t run on a low-end gaming PC, of course – this IS a Crytek game after all). The good thing is this one flies into digital release at a cheap-ass price point and those who get what’s here will be chuckling along merrily. Those who don’t will wonder what the hell the fuss is about, but I say just go watch a few awful to decent macho action stuff from that era and you’ll get the point of this gem. Duke Nukem is probably very pissed of right about now…