Lumo: Brilliant Iso Platformer’s One of The Year’s Best Surprises

Posted on May 25, 2016 by geelw

Lumo is out now on Steam, gog.com, the Humble Store (PC/Mac/Linux), and PlayStation 4 now and that $20 price tag may actually be too little for such a gorgeous and brain-twisting platform/adventure game hybrid. Created by Triple Eh! (Gareth Noyce) and published by Rising Star Games, there’s so much packed into this isometric wonder that most gamers under a certain age with no sense of game history outside their own short memories will spin themselves silly trying to keep up with the seemingly endless references to games they’ve never seen or played. North American gamers with some experience will note the Solstice and Equinox homages along with nods to Donkey Kong, Marble Madness, and a few other classic arcade and console games while they jump through around and in many cases, OVER levels to locate some very-well hidden secrets.

This isn’t a proper “review” (yet) as I’m basing my wordy noise here on the preview code I received and finally got around to this past weekend. Think of this as a fine and dandy heads-up if you’re on the hunt for a lengthy, challenging blend of old and new schools that’s cute enough to be a kid’s game, but tricky enough to get the most seasoned player checking out every nook and cranny for hidden stuff. As you play, you’ll discover Noyce is indeed a very, very talented guy with an elephantine memory and deep knowledge about his favorite games and a willingness to share that with anyone who picks up a controller. 400 rooms in a beautifully rendered Easter Egg farm where fast movement is necessary, yet paying attention to visual cues makes for truly rewarding play sessions. The sense of discovery in Lumo is fairly remarkable because you’ll be doing things both inside and outside the box. See some crates stacked by a wall or what looks like a curious means of reaching the top of a wall? With a bit of effort poking around in nearby room or a bit of backtracking to other curious spots, you’ll be up and over those walls and into new territory. Continue reading →

This DOOM Trailer is a Feat of Clay

Posted on May 8, 2016 by geelw

So, yeah. DOOM comes out on May 13th and this 4th game can also be seen as a modern reboot of the seminal FPS franchise as well as a love letter by id Software to itself. While the official game trailer itself is quite NSFW, the very talented Claycat (or Lee Hardcastle) has whipped up a hilariously cartoon gory (and not for the kiddies) claymation version of one of the early trailers that’s a must-watch.

Er… Hey, that’s NOT blood, kids… it’s um, jelly! Take a look:

Yep, awesome, innit? Here’s the yuckier (content-wise) official trailer:

DOOM hits retail and digital on May 13, 2016. As the song says, “go to hell and see how you like it!”

Persona 5’s New Trailer Is A Game-Selling Jaw Dropper

Posted on May 5, 2016 by geelw

Well, now. Or: Holy WOW, Persona 5 cannot come out soon enough. While I still miss the absolutely gorgeous and intentionally strange artwork of the great Kaneko Kazuma, Shigenori Soejima’s absolutely lovely work is a fine enough homage to Kazuma’s style that it makes me happy to see it work so flawlessly. That animation and new game engine flow like buttah, the new game looks like it’s going to play faster and that sexy interface and battle results screens? Yup. SOLD. I’d write more, but I need to go make dinner and then figure out how to escape into the future when this PS3/PS4 exclusive drops and be the first one to grab a copy, play it and NOT tell anyone I did so until it’s time to let loose a full review.

GALLERY: Aragami – Losing its “Souls” Makes This Even More Appealing

Posted on May 1, 2016 by geelw

Formerly known as Twin Souls: The Path of Shadows, developer Linceworks’ upcoming stealth/action game is now officially known as Aragami and should land quietly behind you this fall provided you’re a PC or PlayStation 4 owner keeping a close eye on this one. The stealth mechanics and setting have a nice Tenchu vibe, but the game is also influenced by excellent games such as Mark of the Ninja and Dishonored. For my money, losing the word “Souls” from that re-titling is also a really good thing thanks to so many gamers comparing any game using that word as copying or influenced by FromSoftware’s Dark Souls trilogy and its precursor, Demon’s Souls. Solid-looking games like this don’t need that needless fan-brain baggage loading them down at all. Thankfully, Aragami seems to have it all going on from visuals to what’s sounding like a great score from Two Feathers (of Hammerwatch fame).

In terms of story, you’ll play as Aragami, a slain warrior summoned back from the dead by Yamiko, a noble girl from the sacred citadel of Kyûryu. Her connection to Aragami isn’t clear at the outset as his memories are somewhat hazy and need to be regained as he and Yamiko make their way though Kyûryu’s heavily guarded streets. Stealth and the risen raider’s Shadow Powers will be keys to survival as the developer notes:

Aragami has a punishing difficulty; you are lethal when undetected, but outmatched in numbers. Getting detected can lead to an abrupt defeat, so you must rely on your supernatural abilities and stealth to choose your battles wisely.

As for those Shadow Powers, look out below. Or above. Yikes!

Use your Shadow Powers to become the ultimate stealth killer. Cast shadows on any surface and use your Shadow Leap to move around undetected. Dispose of enemy corpses using your Shadow Vanish, create shadow clones to distract your enemies or invoke black holes to swallow your targets in one fell swoop. As you advance you will need to use all your powers and wit to sneak past guards, teleport between shadows, create your own areas of darkness and strategically assassinate those who stand in your way.

Sounds deadly, doesn’t it? Let’s take a look at some screenshots below the jump so you know what to expect in case that trailer was too much for you to handle Continue reading →

Valley: Blue Isle Studios’ Newest Is Intentionally More Jumpy Than Scary

Posted on April 23, 2016 by geelw

Blue Isle Studios made a name for itself with Slender: The Arrival on PC and then consoles, but the studio wisely decided not to become the all jump scare all the time game factory fans of that horror hit wanted it to be. Its upcoming title, Valley is a very different game than Slender was, although some are making direct (and probably unfair) comparisons to Gone North Games excellent first-person puzzle platformer A Story About My Uncle.

The trailer below certainly has a few things going for it that game didn’t as well as what looks like a tonal shift from freeform 3D platforming to a bit of slightly frightening business:

As for what’s what with the story and what to expect from the gameplay, here you go:

Valley is a First-Person adventure unlike any other. Hidden deep within a remote region of the Rocky Mountains, you find yourself bewildered within a secluded valley. With the power of a recently discovered L.E.A.F. suit (Leap Effortlessly though Air Functionality), run and jump your way through beautiful forests, dangerous ruins and vast environments; all the while utilizing the power to control life and death to uncover the startling secrets of the mysterious valley.

Features

Move faster, jump higher: make your way through the world of Valley™ using the incredible speed and agility of the L.E.A.F. suit.
Manipulate life and death: the L.E.A.F. suit grants its pilots the phenomenal power to both give and take life from any living thing.
Experience a unique twist on death: the more you die, the more the valley will die around you.
Enhance yourself: upgrade your suit with new abilities and strengths.
Explore: the world of Valley™ is filled with forests, wildlife, ancient ruins, charming creatures, dangerous enemies and other mysteries.

Six screens below to ogle:

The varied environments combined with the intriguing gameplay makes Valley quite intriguing and well worth a play to see how the mechanics work. If it all works well, Blue Isle will have what’s looking to be an even bigger hit than Slender was, provided that game’s legion of fans is willing to try something different. Valley lands on PC via Steam (so far), PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this summer.

April PSN Flash Sale: Your Wallet Just Went On A Crash Diet

Posted on April 22, 2016 by geelw

…and is now MUCH lighter. Thanks, Sony! This new PSN Flash Sale will have your head spinning as the values pile up in your digital shopping cart thanks to so many deals on PS4, PS3, and Vita games plus a bunch of Video content to keep you entertained and your friends wondering how you can afford all that content. Hey, up to 75% off is nothing to sneeze at. Unless you’re allergic to discounts (of course).

In case you didn’t get the picture – there are some NICE deals here!

Of course, they probably know all about this sale by now if they’ve read this far and they’re busy clicking away adding stuff to their carts in order to entertain themselves and make YOU jealous. Such is life, right? Anyway, get to it – there’s a lot of tempting stuff there and you don’t have much time to spare.

Meanwhile, in Japan: EDF 4.1 Keeps On With the Fun Stuff

Posted on April 20, 2016 by geelw

Here’s something you don’t see every day in Japan: an extended game video entirely in English that seems made for western audiences. Then again given the popularity of Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair worldwide, it seems that D3Publisher there is smart enough to have this new video all ready for distribution wherever people are playing their game. Anyway, enjoy this slice of humor, EDF style and go pick this one already if you have a PS4. It’s one of the better (okay, BEST) bang for your buck titles on any console with well over 100 hours of play which can easily double or triple if you get pulled into online play with like-minded EDF troopers.

Get on the Good Wood, Get Your Tech Some TOAST

Posted on April 19, 2016 by geelw

It’s hard to believe a mere ten people work at TOAST hand-making beautiful custom environmentally friendly wood cases and covers for everything from phones to tablets, laptops, game consoles and more, all reasonably priced.

The Portland, Oregon-based company uses sustainable wood and in addition to standard cases also does custom work where buyers submit their own artwork for one of the specific cases they manufacture and within 3-5 days (for single item orders) they turn out a lovely tech keeper/keepsake.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony and Microsoft haven’t bugged these folks to turn out a small amount of custom console cases for special occasions, but maybe they have and I’ve yet to hear about it. If not, someone needs to get on the ball over at Corporate and give he TOAST guys and gals a ring-up. It’s too bad the Wii U isn’t represented here, as Nintendo’s soon to be replaced console could use a bit of classy coverage journalists aren’t giving it (ha and ha). Still, if you’re a PS4 or Xbox One owner looking for a way to show off your consoles and want a finish that’s not only going to be unique even if you order the same one for multiple consoles (that’s the power of wood for you, folks!), it’ll make your gaming pals wanting their own freshly made TOAST, well there you go.

Axiom Verge on Vita: Instant Classic Goes Pocket-Sized

Posted on April 19, 2016 by geelw

Hey! That’s what we Vita owners are supposed to be saying to YOU, game! Thanks for showing up when you’re most needed, though.

While I’ve only sampled a bit of Thomas Happ’s outstanding and astounding retro action game Axiom Verge last year at Indiecade, it impressed me more than enough to want to play it as soon as it was released. Then I heard it was coming to the Vita and decided to hold my breath and wait because that powerful but plagued by a few issues handheld needs more top-drawer games like this.

VERY blue in the face later (*gasp!*), it may have taken a while to port over (it wasn’t a simple process at all), but it’s out now on PSN for $19.99 (Cross Buy with the PS4 version AND 10% off for a limited time) and it’s a must for Vita users worldwide. Got get it and prepare for a total blast. From what I played on the PS4 last year, the game is a fantastic mix of retro game challenge and messes with your head as it allows you to use intentional glitches as means to further your progress.

If you don’t have a Vita or PS4, fear not. PC owners can buy the game directly from the Axiom Verge site, on Steam or through the Humble Store. The game is also headed to Xbox One and Wii U at some point this year, so you kind of have no excuse NOT to play this one. Well, unless you hate great games and supporting indie developers, of course.

Aliens vs. Pinball: Ripley’s Back; She’s Got Balls Now

Posted on April 12, 2016 by geelw

As a longtime fan of Zen Pinball 2’s creative digital tables, I’m always surprised when I see a new board that tops what I thought was their best work. This brief teaser for the upcoming Aliens vs. Pinball: Aliens Pinball made me grin way too much (in a good way) because it looks as if it’ll be a fun skill shot paradise for silver ball fanatics.

And yes, that art above, logo to the left and screenshots below reveal the other two tables in the pack. Alien Isolation was a terrifying game in its own right, but I’m betting the pinball version will be somewhat less scary (but still a blast to play) just because Zen makes its tables for a wider age range. As for that AvP table? It should be a lot better than the films (sorry, Fox!) if it avoids them entirely and is closer to what the old Dark Horse comics were.

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As usual, we shall see soon enough. Aliens vs. Pinball will be out April 26, 2016 (ALIEN Day!) for PS4, PS3, Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Steam, Windows 10, Mac, as well as in-app purchases for Zen Pinball and as a standalone app on iOS and Android devices.