Bundle Stars Deal #7: Shooters, Strategy And Sordahon In This Latest Indie Jam…

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

I can’t even run a few of these games in this newest Bundle Stars bargain pack, but I still want it. Well, common sense took over as I typed that and smacked me over the head with an encyclopaedia (Ouch. it HAD to be the “S” volume, too!) so I’ll instead tell YOU to take the plunge and pony up a measly five bucks plus nine cents US to get these nine huge games. Hell, the quirky epic RPG Two Worlds II alone will take you a few weeks to complete if you get into it and HAVE to explore every creature-packed nook and cranny… Continue reading →

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: It’s About Time The House of Ideas Got Bricked!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by geelw

Take that as you will, but Marvel fans have been clamoring for a LEGO game with their favorites for years, so this way too short teaser trailer is giving them a reason to bounce up and down in their seats. I got a big grin going when I saw that the Hulk that looked as if it was modeled after the late Gil Kane’s version (except it doesn’t have that weird pineapple-shaped head his did), the Galactus shadow and yeah, those old costumes on some of the charaters. Speaking of characters, over 100 will be playable in the game, meaning this is going to be yet another game in the long running LEGO series with infinite replay value. This fall will be pretty darn busy for Marvel fans, that’s for sure…
Continue reading →

Resident Evil Revelations “Atmosphere” Case File: Remember to Breathe At Some Point…

Posted on April 28, 2013 by geelw

I’m probably the only person I know who thinks that there should be a Resident Evil game where you don’t put a single bullet through a zombie or other mutated monster. Nope, in fact, almost the entire game would take place at some sort of control center where all you did was send out agents into the field and they’d do the dirty work while you sat back and collected all that information from the files, videos and other intel that makes up a good deal of lore and used it for assorted research purposes. Granted, this sort of management simulation has been done to death in other genres, but I think it might be interesting as a side game in a new Resident Evil game at some point down the road…

Hmmm, perhaps I didn’t get enough sleep last night or something? Where the heck did I put that rocket launcher again? Resident Evil Revelations hits PC, PS3 and, Wii U and Xbox 360 on May 21, 2013. My goofball game idea? Well, that’s shipping out never (much to the delight of the most dedicated RE fanatics out there)…

Orc Attack: Casual Brothers Cooks Up A Cool-Looking “Gas & Slash” Game…

Posted on April 26, 2013 by geelw

OrcAttack Box Art With SO many indie developers getting so many games out there and not enough time in the day to cover them all, they need to be either really innovative or really amusing to catch my attention. Orc Attack isn’t innovative at all, but seeing it in action made me smile because it reminded me of some of the classic arcade beat ’em ups I spent way too much money on back in the day.

This may be developer Casual Brothers Games first project, but it certainly looks as if it won’t be their last if the right audience snaps this one up. It’s already getting interest as a potential Steam Greenlight candidate )go vote if you’ve an account there!) and is coming to PS3, Vita (yes!) and Xbox Live Arcade soon. I’ll have to check this out once it’s out because my retro sense is tingling, shiny 3D visuals aside. Alrighty, then – my work here is done. For now… Orcs, I’m coming for you (and holding my breath, you gassy brutes)…

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Katarina Trailer: A Little Ghost Recon For You…

Posted on April 26, 2013 by geelw

That’s LADY Katarina, to you, mister. Yeah, you can take your jiggered jump scares “reality” TV ghost shows and stick them in the circular fish tank where they belong. Me, I’ll be running around in some mighty pretty (and pretty deadly) environments with a ghost that’s actually useful against other supernatural creatures. Katrina might be fake, but at least she doesn’t give a crap and knows you’re going to like her for her skills and not just her good looks. NeoCore Games must have read my mind, as The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing has got “sleeper hit” stamped all over it, but “Mega Hit” is glowing away in BIG neon letters for fans of these action RPGs like me. Keep it coming guys. Did you know you can pre-order this one and get a beta key on Steam? NO? Well, hell – I’m not doing my job right then… (takes out Hypno-Coin)… Go do that pre-order thing NOW.

And you’re welcome…

Gallery: Resident Evil Revelations

Posted on April 26, 2013 by geelw

revelations_logo_r

Jill_Porthole_Artwork Jill Valentine certainly isn’t on The Love Boat this time out and this creature-packed cruise from hell she’s stuck on will surely make her long “OK, let’s NOT do that again” list along with her every other appearance in a Resident Evil game where she’s put through the virtual wringer. But where would you fans be if she wasn’t always in some sort of peril with half a clip left and something really ugly closing in for it’s dinner? Granted, if she’s out of ammo and on her last legs, that’s actually more your fault than the game, right?

Anyway, Resident Evil Revelations looked fantastic as a Nintendo 3DS game last year, but completely redone for consoles and PC, it’s definitely a visual showstopper for the long-running franchise. With a May 21 release date set Capcom has announced that yes indeed, a demo for the upcoming multiplatform game will be released soon over Steam (PC), PSN (PS3), Xbox Live (Xbox 360) and eShop (Wii U), so you’ll get to try this one out and see the horror for yourself. Or not see it, because you’re too damn scared to tiptoe into the next room. Hmmm… I wonder if there’s even a tiptoe animation in the game. I guess that’s my winning suggestion to Capcom for the next installment in the series…

Below the jump are a boatload of screens and a part one of a great developer diary that looks at how RE’s of the past have shaped this installment – do drop in and check it out, please… Continue reading →

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Hands-On: Starbreeze Takes A Brave New Direction

Posted on April 24, 2013 by geelw

brothers_cave01 Starbreeze Studios and Josef Fares’ upcoming collaboration: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (set for a spring launch on PC, PSN and Xbox Live Arcade) is an important game for a few reasons, but it’s also a game you actually need to play in order to understand how and why it works so well. The acclaimed Swedish director and well-seasoned developer have crafted a gorgeous-looking fantasy adventure tale with an innovative control scheme, smart camera system and no GUI to take away from the immersion, all of which make the game unique but accessible once you wrap your head around controlling two characters with a single controller.

There have been many games where players were either followed around by “smart” AI characters or controlled multiple characters on the same screen, but Brothers’ unique control scheme gently demands that both halves of your brain operate in unison right from the start, as many of the puzzles you’ll face require timing and precision in order to progress. Just remember that your left side of the controller is Big Brother and the right side Little Brother and it all clicks into place…
Continue reading →

Papo & Yo Comes to Steam (And Yes, It’s On Sale For A Few Days More)…

Posted on April 21, 2013 by geelw

Oops (again!). I’d not even realized Papo & Yo was on Steam (for PC!) as of a few days ago until I did that article below on Among the Sleep. Anyway, if your PC or laptop can run this one and you’re a fan of offbeat stuff with a personal touch, BUY THIS GAME! New to the PC version are nicely updated visuals and Steam Achievements, and yes, you can (and should) use a controller to play. As you can see, the game looks quite lovely running on a higher resolution than an SD or cheaper model HD television:

Until April 28, 2013, this one’s on sale for $13.49 and is worth every penny. You can also pay a few bucks more ($16.99) and grab the game’s excellent soundtrack so your ears can be as entertained as your eyes.

Among the Sleep: Child’s Play Gets A Whole New Meaning In this Upcoming Indie Game…

Posted on April 21, 2013 by geelw

I can only think of a very few games that are played from the perspective of children and all of them are indie-made sleepers. In addition to a few RPG Maker games, there’s Papo & Yo, Baby Blues and now, Among the Sleep, which looks to be the most intriguing for a few reasons. First, the protagonist is a mere two years old, second, it’s a horror-themed game that doesn’t revolve around combat (I don’t know any two-year old babies who can carry around a rocket launcher and Rambo-sized knife). It’s also a recent Kickstarter project that’s garnering a lot of interest for its theme and excellent visuals. Hamar, Norway-based Krillbite Studios is crafting this gem up carefully.

There are minor similarities to Baby Blues in that the game has a young child and a teddy bear as key elements of the experience. However, Among the Sleep focuses on its child escaping from a nightmare and from the production art shown so far, the game looks to take on a more fantasy-themed twist as it progresses. Hmmm… Keep an eyeball on this one, pony up a pledge if you like what you see and someone get Guillermo Del Toro on the horn – a film version looks right up his strange, dark alley. That or, hell, I’d ring up LArry Cohen and get his blessing to do his cult 1974 flick, It’s Alive as a game, complete with that creepy Bernard Herrmann score and the film’s shocks and scares intact.

Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures Trailer: My Conflict of Disinterest Is Somewhat Activated…

Posted on April 19, 2013 by geelw

Hmmmm… Not sure how I should feel about this, as I think if you REVIEW games for a living, you don’t necessarily NEED to be in one. Granted, the folks at Penny Arcade get a free pass because they do so much for charity and all. But I guess TAVGN gets a big, sloppy pass as well because he’s so damned popular and good at what he does that the bulk of his fan base will buy this up as soon as it’s available. Granted, if the game is “bad” (and not intentionally, mind you), he’ll hear about it (but probably shrug it off completely). I’ll play this at some point but probably not review it, as it’s a bit strange trying to do that and not feel as I’m fitting into someone’s master plan… Well, we’ll see… You can’t muck up this kind of “retro” that much anyway. Hopefully…