Speaking Of Mr. Bond… 007 Legends Is Also Looking Pretty Neat

Posted on August 1, 2012 by geelw

With voice actors for previous films on board lending their talents (Daniel Craig is Bond, so don’t expect any cameos from other folks who’ve played Sir James this time out), this just might be the best Bond game to date. Yeah, yeah, you die-hard N64 fanatics can’t give up that GoldenEye fetish (and it absolutely was a great game for its time), but it’s a new generation of systems and Eurocom has established themselves as the go to studio for the franchise. I say buy 007 Legends and play it with pride, as the developer has taken cues from Rare’s work and expanded greatly upon it to all our benefit.

Juggernaut: A Horror Game For Eggheads (And That’s A Good Thing)

Posted on July 31, 2012 by geelw

Proof that a good horror game isn’t all about running around dispatching all sorts of hideous monsters with assorted weapons, Juggernaut is also a tough sell unless you’re looking for a game that’s very weird and intentionally slow moving that still manages to get under your skin. From the surreal visuals to the even stranger plot, the game is a three-disc descent into hell that gets stranger as the plot spools out, yet makes for a compelling experience once the game has its hooks in you. Granted, it’s an old PlayStation game from 1999, so you’d need to have an interest in revisiting that system for about a dozen or so hours (give or take). Nevertheless, the story of a guy trying to save his possessed girlfriend’s soul by taking a trip into her mind (with a little help from a creepy corrupt priest with his own agenda) just might keep you up longer than you’d like. Don’t expect this to pop up on PSN any time soon, as the game never got decent reviews other than a few of writers (yours truly included) who “got” the creativity oozing from the game in all the right places.

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Retro/Grade Trailer: It’s One Of Those “What The What?” Games That Works Well…

Posted on July 28, 2012 by geelw

So, what’s Retro/Grade, you ask? Well, it’s a rhythm game/space shooter/reason to dust of your plastic guitar peripheral and probably a dessert topping, all available as a PSN exclusive download. Given that I tossed my guitar peripherals into a volcano some time ago, I’ll be skipping the fun. But I certainly won’t stop YOU from picking up this game if you like what you see. Fake, formerly pricey and now greatly discounted (thanks to the demise of the guitar game as a major cash cow) controller option aside, it would be nice to see this also on the Vita, as again, the handheld could use some fun titles like this to combat the app-happy crowd and their dollar games. People will pay more for quality if the content is worth it, I say…

XCOM: Enemy Unknown “Last Stand” Trailer: Well, You’ll Be Sitting Down While Playing, Right?

Posted on July 27, 2012 by geelw

Things seem to be humming along quite nicely over at Firaxis in terms of their XCOM game ticking off all the boxes fans expect and I’m hoping the game does well enough at retail to convince the more stubborn dopes that the other XCOM game (where it’s been too damn quiet in terms of update news) will work as well. Hopefully 2K isn’t going to cave into the entitled whiners who complain too much about stuff they won’t buy, only to turn around and snap it up when it hits the bargain bin and end up liking it a lot more than the imaginary game they had in their heads based on a few screen shots and low-res movies of a work in progress that has a ways to go before completion.

As usual, we shall see…

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Multiplayer: Two (Or More) Can Play That Game!

Posted on July 27, 2012 by geelw

It’s pretty clear that Activision and High Moon Studios have a big hit here, so the game will practically sell itself without any trumpeting from me. My only issue with the game is there’s no portable version, specifically a Vita game that could be played cross platform or had content such as upgrades earned while playing that could be transferred to the PS3 version. Yeah, I know the game has been in development for a bit, but why not try to use features touted in Sony’s new portable in order to possibly generate a few sales for the unit? I know I’d buy a Vita version of this game for sure…

WRC 3 Gameplay Trailer: Another Milestone, But Still A Ways To Go…

Posted on July 26, 2012 by geelw

As works in progress go, WRC 3 is looking mighty fine to my eyes. Of course, some rally purists or overly picky types who didn’t read that disclaimer at the beginning of the video that this is indeed a game that’s NOT completed are getting a wee bit cranky at the sound effects work in the trailer. I say give it a rest and see what happens. For me, if the gameplay is solid, I’ll just fiddle with the sound options if I find the engines too buzzy.

Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time Trailer Update (Or, Why I Still Need A Working Time Machine)

Posted on July 26, 2012 by geelw

Let’s see now, stirring score to get you all hopped up for the SRPG action and deep story? Check. Lovely character artwork by Satoshi Urushihara (of Der Langrisser fame, among other things) lending a distinctly nostalgic feel to things? Check. PSP release on UMD (yes!) set to hit stores in a mere six days? Check. Thanks, Atlus (once again)… except where the heck am I going to find TIME to actually play this gem? Eh, you can’t get everything you ask for, right? I’ll just grab the game when I see it and figure out when I’ll have time to play it afterward. You can add yourself to that list of gamers needing to figure out how this time travel stuff is supposed to work by making a beeline to your favorite brick and mortar emporium on July 31… or pre-ordering it here

Sleeping Dogs Official Site Goes Live With A Bit Of Hidden Object Fun

Posted on July 26, 2012 by geelw

I’ve been quietly following United Front’s work on this one since it was announced and yes, I’m pretty happy with how this is coming together and hope it does great when it ships out. Amusingly enough, after watching all those gameplay videos and taking in the scope of the game (it’s going to be huge), I noted to a friend that all the game needed was puzzle or hidden object game elements to appeal to the super-casual crowd. Of course, Future US and Square Enix have kicked off the official site with… you guessed it, a hidden object mini-game that, while not for the casual crowd at all, does unlock a cool new gameplay video once you find all four objects in the rather cool interactive “marketplace” complete with people and items you’ll see in the game proper. Go on, check it out (you know you want to). August 14, 2012 is the big day, by the way – so get ready….

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Update: A Little Bit About Storytelling…

Posted on July 25, 2012 by geelw

Here’s a new look at more on Disney Epic Mickey 2’s production, this time a quick peek at what it takes to put together the game’s story elements. This one’s on course to be even better than the first game in every aspect, so I can’t wait to see how it’s turned out. Hopefully, all these videos will appear on the retail disc so people can see that it takes a great deal of work to get a game like this into out hot little hands. As i always say, it’s all about respect, people…

WRC 3 Trailer Makes Me Jumpy In All The Right Spots…

Posted on July 24, 2012 by geelw

If you know me, then you know I love a good rally game. WRC 3, headed to the PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Vita this year (well at least outside the US), absolutely looks like something I’ll want to play. Granted, since no one bothered to release the other two current-gen WRC titles in the U.S. of A., I’m a bit annoyed about that little issue (I’ll need to import the PS3 versions when I can find them cheap enough). From my poking around online as soon as I saw this trailer, it looks as if UK gamers will see this one in October, but I’m hoping a smart US publisher can snap this up at some point. Milestone has put out some fun racers over the years, but thanks to a new graphics engine and what’s looking like more attention to detail, WRC 3 could be the best game yet in the series. At least for the current console cycle, as Evolution Studios set itself the task of making the PS2 home to aome of the best rally games on a console with its five WRC games (only ONE of which was released stateside, boo! Thank goodness I also have a Japanese PS2 here). My fingers are officially crossed for a US release (retail, PLEASE), so let’s see what happens…