Table Top Racing Gets A Nice, Necessary Update For Us Fat-Fingered Speed Freaks…

Posted on September 13, 2014 by geelw

Excellent. While I loved the Vita version of Table Top Racing, my big complaint (and it seems the main issue a bunch of other users had) was the rear touchscreen being automatically used for a rear view angle with no means to turn it off. This made holding the Vita comfortably something of a challenge, as the merest brush of a finger on that rear screen meant you’d be looking back for a split second. Or worse if you had no idea about that screen being used, you’d start a race and be looking at the FRONT of your car until you moved your fingers into a more claw-like grip. Ouch.

Well, THAT’S no longer an issue as Playrise Digital has whipped out a patch that sets the rear view to off (you can toggle it on if you like), shows the control layout (the original download didn’t, and while the game is easy to play, some people didn’t figure out the left trigger is used for certain functions) and tweaks a few other things. The update has been out for a little while, but I just hopped back into the game last night and saw the fix was in. Anyway, go grab TTR, as it’s only $7.99, a ton of fun and if you’ve been avoiding it because you have larger hands, it’s now even more of a no-brainer buy…

GTA V “A Picket Fence and a Dog Named Skip” Trailer: Translation: You Need A New Console (or PC), Pal!

Posted on September 12, 2014 by geelw

Well, it’s finally coming to PS4 and Xbox One on November 18, 2014 with the PC version to follow January 27, 2015, but it seems (as usual), some PC gamers think that’s too long a time to wait despite that version of the game needing to be tweaked for about a million or so different computers and every possible settings configuration, whatever mods some talented users will knock out and so forth and so on. Rockstar could simply release every GTA game on consoles only and make a fortune, but they’ve also decided to see if PC gamers will put their money where their mouths are and hope a bunch don’t simply pirate the game with the tired excuse that they want to “try it out” and then buy it later. Puh-leeeze. You KNOW what you’re getting with a Grand Theft Auto game, kids, so you’d BUY it if you liked the other games in the series. That and ANY complaints about visuals or controls on a PC version are MOOOOOT because of modders who fix the things they don’t like and spread that love around all over the internet. So, yeah… you deserve to wait a little bit longer because the world isn’t ending and hell, you get (depending on your rent money gaming rig) the “best” looking version of the game anyway. Class dismissed!/

Little Orbit Drops More Adventure Time & Falling Skies Screens!

Posted on September 12, 2014 by geelw

New screens on a nice Friday? Sure, why not?

I’m liking both these sleepers because each one is inspired by a classic or two and neither seems like a bad game because of those influences they wear proudly on their sleeves. As I’ve noted in earlier posts, I’m betting that both these games will find loyal fans who just sit down and PLAY them as opposed to trolling the internet to find jaded soapbox noise about anything that may not work flawlessly in them. That sort of practice needs to shut itself down, as all it does is stop people from actually playing games as they waste time gabbing about games they’ve yet to actually get a second of game time in. Bo-ring!

Anyway, Falling Skies: The Game is set for a release September 30th for PS3 and Xbox 360 in retail or digital versions, Wii U through the Nintendo eShop and PC via Steam and Adventure Time: Secret of the Nameless Kingdom is out in November for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo 3DS. Back soon with another update once Little Orbit shoots a transmission this way…

Alien Isolation Goes Gold, New Trailer Series To Make You Change Your Pants Revealed…

Posted on September 11, 2014 by geelw

With The Creative Assembly’s Alien Isolation finally gone gold and set to hit retail game stores and assorted download sites on October 7 for PS4/PS3, Xbox One/Xbox 360 and PC, Sega is also kicking off a nicely scary set of videos (the first of which is below) asking one simple question: “How Will You Survive?”. As you can see, our poor heroine doesn’t make it through all 55 seconds of this first teaser, but this isn’t the only way to go, from what I’ve been reading.

Well, now that you’re on the hook (Ouch. Pun intended? Maybe.), you’ll want to tune in to the next in this somewhat hypothetically fatal video series. Me, I just want the game to arrive so I can finally play it and see how it fits in with the original film. I’d gather part two will drop next week, so I’ll have that posted along with more commentary that’s guaranteed to not change your opinion on whether to buy this soon to be classic or not…

Resident Evil Revelations 2 Goes The Episodic Game Route. This Is A Good Thing.

Posted on September 10, 2014 by geelw

Excellent. I was wondering when Capcom would take a page from Telltale Games and start releasing episodic versions of its Resident Evil franchise, but I guess I can wonder no longer. Set for an early 2015 launch, the upcoming multi-platform game Resident Evil Revelations 2 is going to be divided into four digital chapters and like Telltale’s chapter-based game experiences, there will be the option to buy a retail disc version that compiles all the chapters plus any additional content Capcom plans to add to the package. I’m a physical media guy myself, so this is a great thing to see even if it means waiting until all four weekly episodes are out and people are spoiling the story all over the internet. With a game such as this (and Telltale’s The Walking Dead series), I tend to tune out those annoying blabbers who spill the beans anyway. So I won’t have a thing spoiled and I won’t have to go to gamer prison for beating someone senseless with an old controller for ruining any surprises Capcom has in store.

RER2 is currently in development for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. Nice work in progress screens up there, huh? Anyway, back with more on this one soon…

Tiny Troopers Joint Ops PS4/PS3/Vita: Simple, Hard to Pass Up Fun For Casual To Core Players

Posted on September 6, 2014 by geelw

I really liked the PC version of Kukouri Mobile’s former mobile-only game Tiny Troopers enough to give it a 90% rating, so as soon as I saw this upcoming PS3/PS4/Vita game that combines all the content from the first AND second games, is a cross-buy title and definitely a must-buy if you’re into fast-paced arcade-like games that start off simple and get more challenging as the levels zip by. I’m gathering this PSN game will be inexpensive enough to nudge some skeptics who’ve never played either of the games to give it a shot, but I guess we’ll see. Heck, if it’s as fun as the PC version was and contains that zombie add-on content, I think I may have to score it higher than I did the older game. Well, that’s how it SHOULD work if fairness is the name of the game (which it is here, folks)…

Crimes and Punishments (Sherlock Holmes) Update: A Little Macho Disguise & Some Arm Wrasslin’ Get Our Man A Clue…

Posted on September 5, 2014 by geelw

Okay, Focus Home Interactive and Frogwares, you’ve got me now. I just HAVE to play Crimes & Punishments: Sherlock Holmes now just because of those goofy disguises the dashing detective can don in the game in order to help in his decidedly deducting ways. This trailer made me laugh for a few reasons, but not AT the game at all. I just like how the series has evolved from its stuffier Victorian era settings to a more modern (but not too modern) set of scenarios that looks as if it will have a wider appeal among a few types of more adventuresome gamers willing to take a chance on something new. Hmmm… I wonder if Holmes can deduct the cos of his disguises from his taxes? Or is that even allowed in foggy Londinium? Ah, the mystery… the mystery…

Crimes & Punishments: Sherlock Holmes is out on September 30, 2014 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC.

Falling Skies: The Game Teaser #2: Angry Aliens Asking For It Are Landing Sooner Than You Think…

Posted on September 4, 2014 by geelw

September 30th is peeking around the corner and Little Orbit’s upcoming Falling Skies: The Game keeps popping up on my radar as a game that needs to be played. Sure, it’s swiping its style from the classic X-Com series, but as I’ve noted earlier that’s all good with me if they swipe the best parts and make it fit with what works in the popular TNT TV series. It may not be the prettiest nor the most hyped game of the year at all, but I’m betting it finds its niche among strategy-starved gamers who want a new title to keep their interest for as long as it takes to complete (and be replayed a few times). Keep an eyeball peeled on this one, folks…

Rollers of the Realm Priced (YES!) and Dated (Sort Of): Get Ready To Roll This November!

Posted on September 4, 2014 by geelw

A mere penny under ten bucks for this Pinball/RPG hybrid AND it’s cross-buy/cross-save on the Vita and PS4? Yep, I’m in day one and you should be too. I’m all over this one and have been since I heard about it early in development because I’m a pinball maniac with no room for an actual machine in my place (boo!) and a love for developers who keep the silver ball flame going by every means necessary. I also love RPGs, so developer Phantom Compass had me from day one. Atlus picking this up to publish also made me grin a wee bit too much because this means it’s going to get that extra push and pedigree their best games get and hopefully score some point among the fans who’d normally avoid a western-produced game for some oddball reason.

Anyway, I’m betting on Rollers of the Realm being a total no-brainer buy when it finally hits PSN in November. Heck, even if you avoid digital games like the plague, I’d day lift your “nope” restrictions, drop the ten bucks on this PSN download and play a game that will surprise your socks off at how good and FUN it is.

Pathologic Reborn: Ice-Pick Lodge Remakes Its Flawed Classic As A Crowd-Funded Next-Gen Game

Posted on September 4, 2014 by geelw

While it had its share of problems, 2005’s first-person adventure/role-playing hybrid Pathologic was one of those “creep under your skin” game experiences that made quite an impression. Sure the graphics weren’t exactly “state of the art” for the time, but the surreal nature of the art style, interesting map layouts and unique character designs helped carry developer Ice-Pick Lodge’s vision of a strange world in the grasp of a deadly plague. While the game didn’t do all that well outside its native Russia, enough of a loyal fan base picked it up over the years to gain it a cult following and of course, these days that means there HAS to be a remake or sequel. Thankfully, I-PL has decided to reboot their original game idea and expand greatly upon it to include content planned for the original that was scrapped as well as create all-new content that’s guaranteed to get the game a second life as a more richly rewarding experience… Continue reading →