Fun fact that’s got nothing to do with actual history: Nikola Tesla has been in at least two videogames this century. Airtight Games’ fun but flawed Dark Void, published by Capcom back in 2010 and now, Ready at Dawn’s upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive, The Order: 1886. Anyway, here’s a look and listen with some of the soundtrack and a nice interview to go with that moody music. If you’re in a Tryptophan haze after gobbing down your turkey dinner, this music may induce some interesting dreams. Hey, at least you had dinner. My kitchen is still a wreck and although some cooking can be done, you certainly wouldn’t want to be here waiting for something to pop out of the oven. Feh. Well, about eight days or so next month will take care of that, so my kitchen nightmare continues into December.
Okay, enough grumbling from me – go back to your celebrating, shopping and whatever else you were doing. I’ll be back tomorrow with a few more interesting posts…
So, I’ll probably need to buy a new PC after all thanks to Polish developer Warhorse Studios and their incredible-looking (and still in development) game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance. That trailer below says and shows it all and the “Dungeons… and No Dragons” tagline made me laugh out loud because I thought of it as I was watching the footage and picking my jaw up off the floor. Crytek’s versatile CryEngine 3 is really getting a workout here and that realistic medieval setting is even more intriguing. The game was a successful Kickstarter project that got a great deal of attention and over $1.7 million in pledges. The game is still being funded by new backers on the official site and to date, almost $2.2 million has been raised, meaning people REALLY want to see this game come to a PC or next-gen console near them next year…
Well, well well. If developer Rocksteady made last generation consoles sing with their technical prowess, as you can see here, with Batman: Arkham Knight they’re making the new systems a whole symphony orchestra blasting out perfect overtures. This blend of stunning in-engine gameplay and cinematic sequences almost gives the upcoming game the look of a feature film, but it’ll be the next revel that’s the bigger one. On December 1, 2014 at 9am Pacific Time on the game’s official site (that’s noon here in the eastern US), more will be revealed in an attempt to break the internet (without anyone dropping their clothes, of course).
Given that the game’s latest delay has it now shipping out on June 2, 2015, it’s a more than sure bet that each new trailer or set of screens will get pored over and dissected a ton of times on the internet and in conversation. Hey, if the game is as good as it looks, it looks like Rocksteady will still be the Batman developer for the ages to many fans. Now, if only Harley Quinn were available to play on the disc or download and not as a DLC bonus, things would be perfect. Ah well, that’s the digital life for you these days, I suppose…
While it may seem like a super-easy casual game at first glance, don’t let the either the art style or offbeat hybrid concept fool you one bit. Rollers of the Realm offers up a serious challenge to pinball aficionados and is one of the bigger indie surprises of 2014. However, you really don’t need to be a pinball wizard to fully enjoy what’s here. The game offers up enough fun to get pretty much anyone who picks it up pulled into its unusual blending of genres. Developer Phantom Compass gets some decent mileage from its medieval fantasy epic setting, dedicated voice actors and yes, the all-important element of making the gameplay both fresh and rewarding… Continue reading →
Cliff Martinez, formerly a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and composer of some fine film scores (“Traffic,” “Drive, ” “Spring Breakers”) is also the main man behind the tunes to Ubisoft’s upcoming FPS, Far Cry 4. Working with Ubisoft Montreal’s Music Designer for the game, Jerome Angelot, Music Supervisor Simon Landry and Audio Director Tony Gronick, Martinez has created an original score meant to flow flawlessly with the game’s action and cinematic sequences. While the game’s soundtrack won’t be getting the big deluxe box treatment Rockstar is giving Grand Theft Auto V, it’s a more than solid enough set of tunes to add to your own music library (especially if you’re a soundtrack collector).
Of his collaboration on the soundtrack with Ubisoft, Martinez says:
“It was an honor to be asked to write the music for the Far Cry 4 game as my first full-length video game soundtrack,” said Cliff Martinez. “It was exciting for me to be asked to take my usual minimalistic cinematic approach to the immersive game world. Any game where you can ride on a rampaging elephant is a project you can’t turn down!”
Well, I’m listening to the music as I type this post and really feel as if I’m in some very dangerous foreign land about to go on some rather wild adventure. Granted, I’m typing this post in a public place, so the worst that can happen is some old guy bumbles by and drops a hot cup of coffee on my shoe. But hey, I’ll settle for that tiny bit of excitement over dodging digital bullets and rampaging elephants any day of the week. Anyway, the Far Cry 4 Original Game Soundtrack digital edition will release worldwide on November 4, the limited 2-CD edition will release on December 2 in North America and on December 9 in Europe, and the limited 3-LP edition will release in January 2015. Far Cry 4 will be available November 18 worldwide for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC.
So, the final (but not quite final I’d bet) push is here as Electronic Arts and BioWare even more heavily promote Dragon Age Inquisition, the upcoming BioWare-developed epic RPG set for release November 18. While the game is coming to PS3 and Xbox 360, it’s the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions that are getting the most attention from many fans and pretty much every critic set to review it. Those versions should clearly show the developer making the game they wanted to make from the beginning of this popular franchise, although one can only imagine how future games will look once older hardware becomes less common.
There is also an intriguing and optional social feature currently in beta called Dragon Age Keep that looks to immerse fans even more completely into the world of Dragon Age as they learn every bit of lore from previous games and even share their progress in the new adventure as they play. Check it out:
if you’re Twitching for more Dragon Age, fear not. EA and BioWare have you covered this coming Thursday with a live stream of the game’s multiplayer component starting at 10:00AM PST (that’s 1:00PM EST) on the developer’s Twitch channel. This content will include the following:
Three Multiplayer Maps: The team will be showing three destinations: Elven Ruins, Orlesian Chateau and Tevinter Ruins.
Three Multiplayer Characters: The team will be showing character progression on the three unlocked starter characters: Legionnaire, Keeper and Archer.
Tips & Tricks: The team will be walking viewers through core tips and tricks on how to be successful in Dragon Age multiplayer. They will also touch on Ability Trees, Chests, and Crafting.
Live Q&A: Producer Scylla Costa and Associate Producer Billy Buskell will be taking questions from viewers live during the stream.
Who:Dragon Age multiplayer Producers Scylla Costa and Billy Buskell
What: Dragon Age multiplayer gameplay feature 3 maps, 3 multiplayer characters, and Q&A.
When: Thursday, November 6th at 10:00AM PST / 1:00PM EST
That should tide you over until the game is finally launched on November 18, 2014 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows.
Miserable weather or not, learning all you need about dispatching zombies and staying alive on a desert island are always handy skills. 505 Games dropped EKO Games’ How to Survive: Storm Warning Edition for the PS4 onto PSN and Xbox Live yesterday and it’s a must buy if you’re a fan of the original game or are entirely new to the experience. This visually gussied up version gives you the original game plus all six DLC packs for a decent price. While best with friends, the game offers up a hefty solo challenge with decent AI. Just make sure you watch where you aim, chop or punch. “Friendly” fire can’t be toggled off as far as I know and you don’t want to accidentally knock off your AI companion. Anyway, this one’s quite cool and funny for a fairly violent game – go check it out, I say.
Leave it to McFarlane Toys to bust out another cool collectible for you Assassin’s Creed fans out there. Well, you can’t wear this Assassin’s Creed Unity Phantom Blade(available now!) with pride in many if not ANY urban areas outside of part of a Halloween outfit. You’ll probably have to do some face-down explaining to the local authorities if you do walk around sporting this all stealthy-like. Not only does this think look like part of some past century assassin’s getup, that crossbow and retractable blade actually work (although they’re very non-lethal). As I live in New York City, I’d be socking this one on a shelf somewhere and not wearing it strapped to a wrist for a subway ride downtown at all. Some poor commuter would think I was a poor Travis Bickle wannabe and ring up some overzealous MTA cop and the next thing you know, I’m all over the local news for all the wrong reasons.
Still, for $59.99, you’re certainly getting something that’s going to be a conversation piece whether or not you decide to wear it while out and about. In addition, the Phantom Blade also includes a bonus code to download the French Cavalry Pistol in Ubisoft’s upcoming Assassin’s Creed Unity for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, set for a November 11, 2014 launch. If you’re grinning like a Cheshire Cat right about now, you’re probably already buying TWO of these online or planning that trip to your local toy retailer to snap one or more of these up. Ubisoft and McFarlane Toys like that about you quite a lot, you know…
(shakes fist at monitor)… Stupid Sony. Having another PSN sale on some stuff I might want just when I’m poking around for something light and kind of fluffy to play between bigger games. Yeah, I got Dead Nation (finally) for under 4 bucks, but stopped there because I do have some things to take care of here outside the gaming sphere. Anyway, check out the long list of games, movies and TV shows (okay, mostly movies and TV shows, as the game presence is a bit limited this week) for some decent deals if you’re looking to stock up on content for one of your consoles or that Vita you’re not telling anyone you own for some oddball reason.
Or, hell… at least get Dead Nation if you own a Vita. It’s a ton of fun so far and I just may want someone around to hop online with in the not too distant future…
Yaaah! When did this slip out? Oh, September 30? Well, I wasn’t paying attention, but this one’s on my list of too many games to buy and play. *Sigh*… well, given that I have the Genesis version here and have made it about halfway through, I know what to expect already. That said, the HD visual upgrade makes this one the one I’ll probably default to once it gets purchased. So many games… so little time, grrrr!
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 