Ah, my dear, dear Alicia… I missed you and your “witchy” ways, but it’s too bad this brief and non-physical reunion we’re having is just courtesy of a reissue and not an all NEW adventure.
Some people hated the now shuttered Japanese developer Cavia’s Bullet Witch when Atari brought it to the US for the Xbox 360, but I liked it (warts and all) thanks to the difficulty that required players PAY ATTENTION to enemies in the environments (snipers in that game were paid very well, let’s just say), learn patterns and take advantage of assorted strategies while trying to find that perfect pace to move at so poor Alicia didn’t get swarmed.
While PlatinumGames’ Bayonetta became a much more popular (and faster moving) heroine three years after this game came and went, I’ll always remember Alicia being there first with her big gun and wild spells. One day, she needs a proper comeback in a better (and multi-platform) game, I say. Continue reading →
When the Diablo III: Reaper of Souls expansion was announced for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, many fans of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions on a few message boards thought they were going to be left out of the loop. I also initially thought so for a hot minute, but didn’t think Blizzard was nuts enough to NOT bring that expansion to the consoles where MORE of that version sold (and continues to sell). Fortunately, console owners from last and this generation (well, save for Wii U owners) will be reaping the rewards come August 19 when Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition rolls out on PS3,PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Yes, that sound you heard is me screeching like a happy Harpy and dancing around the room.
Now before I break a hip, hear below the jump and read what else I wrote about this excellent news… Continue reading →
Back in 2009, developer Renegade Kid released MOON, a fine little Nintendo DS exclusive first person sci-fi adventure game/shooter hybrid that got decent reviews and was a fun solo game with some nice twists and turns as it progressed. The team at RK is still around making games and is revisiting their game as a remade and expanded four part episodic eShop download-only experience that’s sure to draw attention on a few fronts. First and foremost, yes, that trailer above and those screenshots below are a bit fuzzy, but the resolution on the Nintendo 3DS (particularly the 3DSXL) is greater than what’s seen here (as you know if you own the handheld) and the game will run at a slick 60 frames per second even with the 3D effect all the way up.
Secondly, the game being split into chapters means players will have some added suspense to their gaming lives as each new episode is revealed. The original game wasn’t one to be blown through quickly, as it was deliberately paced to be played in small chunks. So the digital delivery method using the eShop is s great move on that front. Granted, gamers who still don’t care for digital content probably won’t be convinced they need this game, but this is a case of supporting a developer that’s always gotten the most out of the hardware they develop for and like the DS version, Moon Chronicles looks to be a technical showpiece for the 3DS (as well as one of the few first-person shooters on the handheld). Episode One drops this summer (price and release date both TBA) and after the other three chapters are released, RK has a second “season” in the works for what they’re now calling an “on-going episodic saga”.
I’m liking this a lot, but I really want to see what RK can do with more powerful hardware. MOON Chronicles on the Vita would probably be quite spectacular and pack and even more impressive visual punch, especially if it’s running at 60fps with even nicer lighting and shadow effects. Anyway, my pipe dreams will continue some other time. More on this one as news drops in – stay tuned…
Short and sweet: you NEED to play Transistor. Preorder links are live on the Supergiant Games site – the game will be $19.99 for PC via STEAM or PlayStation 4 via PSN. As far as i can tell, there’s no Mac version as of yet, you Apple-heads!.
Okay, I’m kind of terminally slow on the crowdfunding front because I have neither the time to look at EVERY project that clogs my inbox nor all the money I’d LOVE to donate to all those cool looking games and products I do look at.
In other words, I had NO idea the original developer was remaking this well aged absolute classic adventure game for current computers (and yes, Macs, iOS and Android devices as well). Based on the art and screens here plus that lovely pre-order trailer, I’m betting fans of this old chestnut are grinning madly as the game’s release looms closer and closer…
“The last thing that you remember is standing before the wizard Lakmir as he gestured wildly and chanted in an archaic tongue. Now you find yourself staring at an entryway which lies at the edge of a forest.”
So begins the classic anew, this time relaunched with many new features and as developer Zojoi states clearly, this isn’t a simple port at all, but a whole new take on the original that expands the adventure in every aspect. As you can see below, the classic adventure game retains the use of static art screens to tell its tale, but Shadowgate has never, ever looked this spectacular because these even more gorgeous screens add motion to the story.
A game overview, screenshots and concept art are all below the jump, as I don’t want to keep you from pre-ordering this ASAP. ogling them can wait a minute or two… Continue reading →
It’s not surprising to finally see the two PlayStation 2 God of War games coming to the Vita, but what is surprising is the delivery method. In addition to the usual PSN download, this new double pack (available NOW!) is getting a retail release with both games on a Vita memory stick.
Yes, both will be HD remastered and yes, Trophies are added to both games, meaning you folks who love them will be hunting down every one even if you’ve played both games to death and beyond many times. Now, all we need is a Vita exclusive GoW game or some even more massive set that packs the PSP, PS3 and oddball mobile game from a few years back onto a disc or memory stick and the collectors out there will keel over backwards because it’ll be one more thing to snap up.
This. May. Not. Be. Sparta (!!!!), but it’s an action-packed romp twice over that’s not for the kiddies and has a great, bleak story for those who like their heroes anti and of the non-stop angry variety. Kratos has his reasons for being so terminally pissed off, but I’ll leave those for you new to the games to find out what those are…
So, Monstrum, huh? Let’s see now: You’re a passenger on an abandoned ship with only a flashlight and maybe some flares and there’s a second “passenger” on board that happens to be a bit of a monster who you don’t want to run into. You need to find a way off the ship or die trying and if you DO die, it’s for good and the next game starts you out all over again with a fresh layout to get lost in? Did I mention there are assorted traps and dangerous stuff scattered about to beware of? Well, there are! Anyway, count me in and I’ll be the first to pat the team at Junkfish on the collective back for cooking up yet another horror game I want to dive into for a spell. Granted, I won’t be able to play it on anything but my current aging PC (for now), but the team is making the game compatible with the upcoming Oculus Rift virtual reality peripheral, a process that’s making for some really interesting blog posts.
Anyway, creepy and noisy video above – five alpha screens below. The game is due out in the fall, I believe. As the Rift isn’t (ha ha), I’d imagine it will be playable without it. I should ask for a demo to try out, shouldn’t I? Oh, I don’t know why I do this to myself, as I always get freaked out and end up sleeping in the kitchen sink or on top of the refrigerator…
Yes, the Call of Duty franchise is a multi-billion dollar winner for Activision’s coffers each year, but it’s also one of the more automatically reviled game series to some folks who think it’s more of the same each year. Activision seems to know this and has for a few years, so it’s shaking things up in a big way with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. While the game is also set to hit PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 4, 2014, it’s the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions that will be getting the most scrutiny. A three-year development cycle means the team at Sledgehammer is most likely looking to change up elements of the more than familiar gameplay and the added star power of Kevin Spacey in a central role (nope, you don’t PLAY as him, though). Videos ahoy, above and below with three teasy screens, all in-engine of course:
While I LOVE Vice as a news outlet, their getting caught up in this game here is a bit dicey on a few fronts. Oh well, I guess this whole concept of future war HAD to be addressed, but Blackwater getting a nod here? Yeesh. Anyway, I guess those guys still have their loyal supporters. Anyway, more actual game-related teasy-pleasy for you:
And YES, in case you’re interested, the pre-order madness has officially begun. All you need to do is click one of those links above with your wallet out and *ding!*, you add money to Activision coffers, get yourself a copy of the gae on launch day AND boost up the presale figures to potentially Guinness World Book of Records stats if you’re one of those folks that’s REALLY thrilled about a new CoD game and what that entails and wish to be part of that potential record.
As for me? I just want to see what the campaign looks and plays like, as I avoid multiplayer entirely in these types of military shooters. If the story is engaging and thrilling, I’ll even sink to playing this on my old fat PS3 which is still going quite strong after years of service. Anyway, if looks could kill, the next-gen visuals here would leave plenty of folks deceased in front of their monitors, shrinking the user base down by a significant amount (much to Activision’s displeasure). Thankfully, gorgeous screenshots have never (as far as I know) caused serious injury (or even minor ones), so I think Activision has found a great balance here that will make some commit to that new-gen console if they haven’t already made the move.
Some of what it says on the PlayStation YouTube page:
inspired by such classics as Rygar, Contra, Bionic Commando, Blaster Master, and, of course, Metroid. But it also gives you power over glitches like those found in classic games, allowing you to scramble enemies, corrupt environments, and enter hidden areas.
Hmmmm… Okay, I’m IN. PC, PlayStation 4 and Vita bound soon, Axiom Verge may look like yet another of those endless numbers of retro homage games that crowd the indie space these days, but everything I just saw about in in that trailer above set my nostalgia meter into the red zone where it’ll be stuck until I finally play the game proper.
To me, it looks spectacular, capturing that old-school 8-bit vibe through its sprite and tile-based visuals while adding a few wicked visual effects you probably didn’t see back then on home consoles. Even better, it’s being made by ONE guy, Tom Happ, who has worked on a number of “triple-A” games for both PC and consoles (End of Nations, Tiger Woods, and NFL Street, to name a few), meaning he knows what he’s doing (but I’ll bet his wife thinks he’s crazy sometimes for tacking such a killer project like this!).
Even more awesome, in addition to the screenshots above featuring his great pixel art, Happ has also made some excellent GIFs of the game in motion so you can see all that hard work he’s doing. The screens are above and the GIFs below the jump because they’re of varying sizes. Enjoy! Expect updates as more news comes in and if you’re a fan of this style of game, you KNOW you need to get this on something its coming to. I’m all over this one, but I know the folks who hate having their butts handed to them by digitized alien scum will be pooh-poohing this before they even pick up a controller. It’s their loss, of course… Continue reading →
As promised, here’s updated info about the PlayStation Vita exclusive, Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, coming to PSN this summer. Apparently, it’s a twofer as the press release says the PSN-only download will contain an HD version of the previous game in the franchise titled Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment, which was originally released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable.
In a few respects, the game will probably seem quite familiar to those who played and loved the .hack series of games on the PlayStation 2, as SAO takes place in a “virtual MMO” world where players are trapped and are required to keep fighting enemies in order to survive. Some press release action for you? Sure, why not? Read on, MacDuff:
Take on the role of Kirito, the main character of Sword Art Online, who has been locked into the VR world of Aincrad by the creator of the game along with thousands of other players, including popular characters from the original anime series. To escape the fantastical and dangerous world, players must explore and defeat the enemies contained within. Players will actively engage monsters and characters and experience aggressive battles with breathtaking attack actions, exhilarating combos and powerful burst attacks. Continuing to fight is essential when locked in the VR world – if players die in the fantasy world, their character will die in real life.
Sounds like fun… except for the dying in the real world part. Eeek. Anyway, more on this one as news rolls in.
Ah, my dear, dear Alicia… I missed you and your “witchy” ways, but it’s too bad this brief and non-physical reunion we’re having is just courtesy of a reissue and not an all NEW adventure.
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