The Typing of the Dead Overkill Now On Steam: Shaky Hands May Actually Help…

Posted on October 30, 2013 by geelw

…and some really BIG keys to type on if you’re really a scaredy-cat. Granted, Sega’s hilarious offshoot of it’s popular classic arcade game series is more fun to play for fast typists with nerves of steel who aren’t squeamish about a bit of digital blood and guts, but the game is fun no matter what your typing skills. Now, I’m from the two-to-three finger school myself (using more makes my hands confused because they all want to hit the same keys (stupid fingers!), but I’ve played the classic Sega Dreamcast game The Typing of the Dead with my untaught tapping skills and did pretty darn well.

Anyway, this gory great little game is on sale NOW through Steam for a measly $9.99 and yes, comes highly recommended if you’re camping out at home on Halloween and want something different to do besides the usual scaring the crap out of kids stalking your doorway for candy. Of course, in a perfect world, parents would get this game for their kids and keep them at home where it’s nice and warm, but hey – you can’t stop those little monsters from wanting to go on the prowl for free treats on NON-holidays, so I guess tradition wins in the end…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Out NOW On Steam AND GOG.com!

Posted on October 29, 2013 by geelw

I think I’ve written MORE about Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut more than anyone else this year, so I can do this with my eyes stapled shut. Er, NOT type this post with my eyelids, as I’d be in enough pain already and please, I’d want to sanitize my keyboard first, you know. Anyway, Swery 65’s horror/adventure sleeper finally arrives on PC via Steam and (this just in!) gog.com, both at 10% off the $24.99 price for a LIMITED time with a ton of excellent Steam or gog.com exclusive content.

If you’re new to the DP experience, DON’T go in expecting it to look like some uber next-gen game (the resolution is higher, but your new 3D card won’t be taxed much pumping out those graphics) or blow you away with action straight from a non-stop FPS. DO expect a surreal, highly stylized game that surprises at many turns while being deeper on some levels you won’t even see coming (well, provided you didn’t scour the internet for hints and spoilers). This one’s strangely addictive and thanks to the included DLC, you’ll be spending many hours in Greenvale as York while enjoying that FK in your coffee. “Whatever the heck is FK?” You ask? Well, dear readers… you’ll need to play the game to find out. So go do just that, I say…

WIN Free Stuff! Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut – Ultimate Edition GET!

Posted on October 19, 2013 by geelw

SOME of you readers are smart. REALLY smart. And fast, too. As in less than five minutes after I posted that I was planning give away PSN codes for Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut – Ultimate Edition, I got two requests. Smart people get PAID. Well, in free game codes that is. Ask me for money and you’ll get a big hoot of a laugh and a hearty handclasp for your troubles.

That said, I now have ONE code left, so if you have a US PSN account (this code is ONLY VALID IN THE US!) and a PlayStation 3 (of course), well… let’s keep it simple. First one to post a reply below with a valid email address gets it. I’d just post the code and let you all have at it, but that’s always sucky if someone grabs the code first planning to redeem it later and finds out it’s been used.

Anyway, if you’re STILL reading this, stop and post a response! You MUST be interested if you’ve read THIS far, right?

Surprise! Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Ultimate Edition Hits PSN!

Posted on October 18, 2013 by geelw

EDIT: It was TUESDAY when this dropped on PSN (Oops! Thanks David Bruno! Hey, I was THAT shocked by this news that I forgot to check!)

“Wait, Whaaaaat?“ was my first response to this rather sudden news and after I found my face (it popped off and rolled under a table), I had to do a few double-takes and check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1st again. Anyway, Rising Star Games and developer Access games have been keeping this a huge secret until this week, but if you’re a PS3 owner jealous of your PC gaming pals getting that lovely Steam version of Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut this Halloween (well, this October 29th to be more precise), now you can stop being that jealous git and do some fancy dancin’ of your own around the room (go put some pants on first, though – i can see you through that monitor or other device, y’know).

As for what’s IN that Ultimate Edition? Well, look down and find out! No, not down THERE, silly – on your screen:

Included with Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Ultimate Edition:

Espresso Suit – Tolerance to Hunger and Tiredness x3
Field-Ops Suit – Increase HP and Attack Power x3
High Roller Suit – Money Rewards x3
Happy Songkran Suit – Money Rewards x3
Special-Ops Suit – Increase HP and Attack Power x2 – Tolerance to Hunger and Tiredness x2 – Money Rewards x2
Catgirl Outfit – Character skin only
Friday Night Outfit – Character skin only
The Blue GT – Enhanced Handling
The Devil’s Red – Increased max speed and faster acceleration
The Green Drifter – Expert car, drifting capabilities
Chibi Chibi Bang Bang – Vehicle skin only
Greenvale Real Estate – Take up roots, rest, and recover from the comfort of your new home in Greenvale!

Sure, that PC version has additional enhancements over this one, but that’s showbiz, kids. Anyway, like the retail version of DPTDC, the Ultimate Edition will set you back a mere $29.99 on PSN and comes highly recommended if you’re a big SWERY65 fan who wants MORE DP and FK in that coffee or it’ll make a great digital gift for a fellow PS3 owner you know who STILL hasn’t been to Greenvale.

And if you’re an PS3 and/or PC AND happen to own an iPad, you NEED the awesome Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Visual Companion, now available on iTunes for a mere $9.99. 350 pages of art, notes and other fine stuff about the game that’s currently available nowhere else (unless you happen to kidnap Swery and make him tell you everything. That, by the way is a bit extreme and we don’t condone kidnapping here at DAF. Well, in MOST cases…

Oh, and if you’ve read this far, stick around for another surprise. As in I’ll be giving two codes away of that Ultimate Edition… soon. Really. Soon.

Short Takes: What You Should Be Playing This Week (Randomly, of Course)

Posted on October 16, 2013 by geelw

Skylanders SWAP Force: HD quality visuals, jumping and all new customizable figures all for the first time on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U make this latest entry in Activision’s supremely successful yearly cash cow a huge must. Wii and 3DS owners don’t get HD graphics (obviously), but the core game is the same deal. In SWAP Force, the gameplay is even more addictive than ever (and yes, some of you adults will be sneaking in time when the kids are asleep or at school), the story longer and more interesting (in part thanks to the enthusiastic voice acting all around) and overall, this makes for both a great entry into the series as well as the latest installment that will have your wallet making faces at you whenever you yank out that cash or card to buy more figures. $74.99, pretty much anywhere that sells video games.

Valhalla Knights 3: This new PlayStation Vita exclusive from Xseed Games looks to bring Japanese developer K2’s niche grind-heavy RPG series to the masses with the best looking (and possibly, playing) installment to date. The Vita seems to be the prefect platform for this combat-heavy game that now includes an optional segment that features a bit of NSFW visits to a sort of love hotel where players can er, “score” additional playable characters and gear if they partake in a series of racy mini-games. Given that the other entries in the series have been given Teen ratings, that M VK3 is sporting must mean you’ll want to keep this away from the kiddies. That’s no problem here, as any kid that comes near my Vita is pulling back a stump… with a lollipop stuck in it (hey, I’m NICE mean old guy)… $39.99 (retail and digital).

F1 2013: Longtime fans of the actual motorsport have been a bit disgruntled these past few seasons thanks to the juggernaut crushing all under his speedy wheels that is three-time champ Sebastian Vettel. However, Codemasters is giving them a chance to beat the man at his own game, provided you’re sitting at home on your couch or in front of a high-end gaming PC setup. This year’s installment is even more gorgeous than ever, has some solid improvements (you can now save between events!) and that adjustable difficulty means even total newbies can actually make it around the track with some effort. While it’s definitely NOT for the NASCAR crowd of those expecting power-up and arcade-style gameplay, it does a decent enough job at breaking down the F1 experience that the Codies really don’t need to do more next year. Well, except add MORE Classic cars and courses, as the small amount this year is VERY welcome, but made me want to see what they could do with a few dozen more rides from the 70’s to 90’s (or perhaps earlier). $59.99,

The Wolf Among Us: I’ve not read any of the Vertigo comics this first installment is based on, so it’s pretty obvious that my excitement about this game is lower than those who have. On the other hand, given that it’s coming from Telltale Games and is modeled on the success of the company’s hugely successful multi-platform hit The Walking Dead, this one’s a no-brainer as far as the usual “should I play this?” stuff some of you go through. Given that this chapter is a slower-paced mystery with gameplay that’s heavily Quick Time Event focused and what looks to be a growing cast of really interesting fairytale characters updated and placed in an alternate New York City setting, it’s certainly right up my adventure alley and Telltale is actually offering up a really cool deal for that $24.99 (PC or Mac) price tag. Once all the chapters are complete, PS3 and Xbox 360 owners will hopefully get a retail version as well (like The Walking Dead did), but we’ll have to see if Wii U and Vita owners get as lucky…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut PC: The More Things Stay The Strange…

Posted on October 11, 2013 by geelw

You’d think that after playing and reviewing this game a few times on the Xbox 360 and PS3 plus spending well over a month creating daily random screenshot posts about the updated Director’s Cut and a few more on the upcoming PC version soon to pop up on Steam would mean I’m tired of Deadly Premonition. But nope, I still love this weird, funny and compelling horror adventure, warts and all. If you’re a big fan as well you can clearly see above that the game isn’t going to look much different than the console versions, but I’m betting the higher resolution and what should be a more solid frame rate on a decent PC will help smooth out a few issues some had with the other versions. The game also packs in Steam Achievements and Trading Cards plus a bit of extra content at no additional cost and yes, there’s already a page up on the Steam Store where you can keep abreast of the launch date (which is Halloween, of course) and other gory details. Naturally, all that FK in the coffee I’m drinking is keeping me up with a haunted look on my mug much like FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan, but hey – he’s got skills I could use on a daily basis…

Gallery: Hello Kitty Kruisers (Wii U)

Posted on October 8, 2013 by geelw

I’ve found that one of the big secrets to enjoying life is smiling more and anything Sanrio is usually quite good for getting a grin going, no matter what your mood is. Austin-based Scarab Entertainment knows this, so they’re cooking up a fun family friendly kart racer for the Wii U and mobile devices (with other platforms TBA) called Hello Kitty Kruisers, set for a Q4 2013 release from publisher Bergsala Lightweight.

Granted, I’m betting the bulk of you fist-pumping, caffeine swigging uber-core gamers are probably cringing from all the bright colors searing your eyeballs and rainbow juice splashing onto your keyboards scaring that mouse you were clicking under your seat. But, hey… I say everyone needs a too cute for words game in their libraries just to break up the monotony of grays, browns, greens and whatever color big explosions are.

Besides, EVERYONE loves Hello Kitty – they just don’t all admit it in public. For those of you immune to the charms of Miss Five Apples Tall (weight, three apples!), you’d better put on those sunglasses now if you dislike bright colors in super shiny HD, folks – things are about to get Kitty up in here:

Screens above, press release below the jump.

Continue reading →

Oops. I Forgot Some Adventure Time 3DS Screens Last Month…

Posted on October 7, 2013 by geelw

OK, this is a sort of filler post, but I did forget to add these to that Adventure Time: Explore The Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! screenshots for the Nintendo 3DS in that preview I wrote up not too long ago. I’m still flipping a coin about whether to buy a new 2DS or a bigger and more expensive 3DS XL to play this on.

On one hand, cheap is always good and that 2DS and its kid-friendly design (it’s targeted to 5 and 6 year olds!) will make me the envy of the playground parent set (er, not that I hang out at playgrounds or with parents, mind you). On the other hand, that more expensive XL is MUCH better for my eyesight thanks to the nice and big screen. Decisions, decisions… well, it’s not exactly earth-shaking in importance at all, so worry not your pretty little heads about me this time. I think I’ll work it out just fine…

Thief “The Bank Job” Pre-Order Bonus Has Me Thinking Stolen Thoughts…

Posted on October 2, 2013 by geelw

…As in I’ve seen plenty of annoying comments from people who think this game will be awful because Looking Glass Studies isn’t working on it, the color palette is too blue and black, the “stealth” seems easier and so forth and so on. All of this by looking at movies and screens from a game that’s not even done. Wow, the psychic prowess on internet trolls is REMARKABLE sometimes (well, ALL the time), isn’t it? I say shut up and wait for that knock on the door that will be followed by a conk to the noggin if you were silly enough to fling that door wide open without checking first. It’ll be Garrett reminding you that this reboot is probably going to have some stuff you haven’t yet seen and might actually be fun if you pipe down and hold out for a demo and/or maybe some ratings (although, if you rely on those solely to buy games, there’s something mildly to moderately wrong with you). Opinions are only worth the time to read these days if the person is at least INFORMED, not speculating to the point of draining the brainpower of anyone who reads their scribblings about how little they know about everything and how that lack of fact makes them an “expert” because the scream the loudest and their soapbox has spinning rims or whatever…

Armored Core: Verdict Day In Stores – World Mech War Begins, Recruits Wanted!

Posted on September 27, 2013 by geelw

Namco Bandai Games and developer From Software want you to REALLY stay home a lot more. Armored Core: Verdict Day is here now for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and in addition to its online-centric multiplayer action, the game actually features a single player campaign (thank youuuu!) those who want to play without friends (hey, some of love our alone time!) can hop into and fully enjoy. Got and Armored Core V save handy? Even cooler, as that can be uploaded to allow you some nice bonuses. For those of you who DO have friends and a PSN or Xbox Live account, you can round up your other AC fans and have at it in a pretty deep online play mode that’s actually worldwide (meaning it’ll have a longer shelf life than other AC games that only had North American server play). Anyway, the level of challenge gets a MAJOR boost with the Hardcore modes that I hear are tougher than the developer’s Demon Souls and Dark Souls in terms of some terrifyingly powerful enemies and insane game rules that make for increased damage as well as super-expensive repairs and ammo costs.

Granted, you’ll get more enjoyment out of this if you’re already a longtime Armored Core fan, but it’s definitely deep and challenging enough to keep your interest going if you like games that keep you on your toes as you learn the ropes…