FUSE “Hired Guns” Trailer: Well, The Demo Is Free, So They’re Really Not Hired (Yet)…

Today’s the big day for Insomniac’s FUSE in terms of the gaming public finally getting a great demo to blast through on PSN and Xbox Live. I’ve been a fan of the game since I got some hands-on time late last year, but the project has been a bit of a gripe-fest for some fans of the developer who didn’t like the visual change from its initial reveal as Overstrike and the made-up rumors that EA “made” the team change the game to a modern-looking “gritty” shooter just to sell more copies. Every game goes through a few redesigns before the final product ships, so I give Ted Price and company the first and last word on the game’s visuals and gameplay (which by the way, are both solid). Anyway, if you’ve got a PS3 or 360 humming in your home, drop everything and go give that demo a shot. Insomniac certainly won’t mind the feedback once you’re all done, that’s for sure…

The Double Fine Humble Bundle: Today’s “Must Buy” Deal!

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Hey, it’s my birthday today, so you know what you can do for me? No? Well, get YOURSELF some of the best damn games you’ll ever play and thank me later, that’s what! Yeah, I don’t ask for much, but you can’t go wrong with this latest Humble Indie Bundle because it’s ALL about Double Fine Studios and their great games. Ok, you don’t need to do this TODAY, as this awesome offer expires in 13 days, 21 hours and 25 minutes as I type this out. Anyway, what’s in the digital box you ask? A jump below the jump reveals all… Continue reading

Dinking Around With DOSBOX: Anvil of Dawn Lives!

I’d been tempted to muck around with replaying some old DOS games for a long time, but I’ve been so busy that I kept putting it off until a few days ago when I dug out DreamForge Infotainment and New World Computing’s ancient classic Anvil of Dawn to see if it would still work. Of course, even on Windows XP (Vista, 7 and 8 are quite awful for my classic gaming needs), thanks to some automatic upgrades, the old disc will install, but not run properly (no sound and a major error in that no onscreen text pops up in dialog boxes, meaning it’s impossible to talk to NPCs, making the game unplayable because you can enter, but not exit conversations). Anyway, I’ve used DOSBOX and one or two other programs in the past, but not on my laptop, so it was time to give it go… Continue reading

The Last of Us: “Meet the Infected” Trailer: Er, Let’s Not, And Say We Did…

Hmmm… somehow that trip to Devil’s Island on the Titanic via Bermuda Triangle route seems like a really much better idea than hanging out with developer Naughty Dog’s creepy-looking non-zombies. Some people have been getting a wee bit confused about The Last of Us in thinking it’s borrowing from Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise, but I’d bet this is another case of getting to actually PLAY a game and seeing you were completely wrong from the beginning. If I were a smarter man, I’d go around making bets with all those skeptics, but then again, it’s not a smart thing to bet against or with a ton of strangers you’ll have a really tough time collecting a dime from. That and my antisocial side won’t let me interact with people who only piss me off too much because they’re ALWAYS wrong and even if they are and know it, they still feel the need to express an ill-formed opinion or three. It’s like having an argument with a child who doesn’t quite understand that that lie they keep telling doesn’t work anymore (which, amusingly enough, can be said about most politicians!).

Anyway, The Last of Us hits stores and PSN on June 12, 2013.

Tomb Raider Top 10 Moments: Oh, Now You’re Just Showing Off, Lara!

OK, so I still haven’t gotten around to playing the new Tomb Raider yet other than the demo and showing a friend who bought the game how to get past one part he got stuck on (don’t ask). Anyway, I got a chuckle out of this not exactly spolier-free video from the dev team at Crystal Dynamics because it’s clear that yeah, they want you (and me) to go buy the game they worked so hard on. It did well critically and analysts aside, not too bad commercially (as in, hell, if I had the same number of hits and followers as sales this game has, I’d be quite a bit happier). Anyway, pull up a seat, check the video out and go pick up a copy of the game if yo have something to play it on…

Resident Evil Revelations “Infect” Trailer: You Are What Eats You…

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRl5B3p_0Kw]

That hot breath on your neck isn’t that handsome hunk or hot babe who was eyeballing you at the bar the other week, that’s for sure. And hell, even if it is, he or she is all undead and stinky enough that even a box full of clothespins soaked in assorted essential oils would do nothing buy squeeze your poor nose and leave it sore and smelling nicer. Anyway, may I suggest high collars and sleeves made from chain mail and some handy lessons with a machete in case that thing chasing you gets up close and too personal. Better safe than sorry, that’s for sure. Resident Evil Revelations is coming to the PC, PS3, Wii U and Xbox 360 on May 21, 2013… prepare for a long trip at sea and plenty of creatures who don’t get seasick hot on your heels…

Review: Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

DD_DA_PS3Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360)

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A-

My favorite fantasy game (as well as the one that got played the most) of 2012 was Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma thanks to the level of immersion it offered as a single player experience, the massive land of Gransys and its assorted dangers above and below ground, tons of hidden secrets and unique Pawn system. It was impossible for me to not spend at least two to three hours at a minimum exploring outside the main quest, poking about in areas and often running like hell from some high-level monsters just to beef up my character a few more levels and hire some more powerful pawns just to drop back in and kick that big boss and his minions around. Of course, there was that cranky, level-shifting Ur-Dragon to give me fits a few times until it was able to be defeated multiple times, coughing up some cool treasure, but that’s a book I can write some other time.

Anyway, this year, we get a wonderful expansion, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen that packs in the original game with some nice fixes and an all new massive underground dungeon and rewards geared for high-level players only. Make that high-level players with a ton of patience willing to go through hell before they reach high water, as DD:DA is even more brutal than the original, but in a good way…
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Lumber Island Gets A Scary Little Update…

Lumber Island 1.2

Dean Forge adds some user-requested features to his chilling little indie horror game’s first chapter, so… let’s get ready to run-ble! Yep, now your amnesiac party yacht castaway can run from that creepy-ass lumberjack, who by the way, gets an AI boost of his own. You’ll also find that teddy bear a lot more useful font of info and there are some other tweaks. Still, the game has its sense of scaring the poop out of you intact, so if that’s up your alley (and er, don’t take that personally), boogie on over to Desura, Game Jolt or ModDB, grab that update and scare yourself silly (again)…

Young Justice Legacy Hands-On: Teens & Titans Collide In Little Orbit’s Upcoming ARPG…

GA_IceRiver_001One of the nicer surprises at the Namco Bandai Global Gamers Day event was a playable build of Young Justice Legacy, set for a fall release on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, 3DS and PC (what, no Vita version?!). Fans of the show should be pleased to know that developer Freedom Factory is cooking up a fast-paced action/RPG in the vein of the X-Men Legends and Marvel Ultimate Alliance games featuring stylized 3D visuals and a nicely-sized roster of characters from the series. The game has a few months more cooking to do on the developer’s stove, but it’s definitely going to one of those the more dedicated fans of the currently canceled cartoon should dive right into as soon as it hits stores.

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Gallery: Remember Me

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RM_PressTour2013__22Capcom and Dontnod Entertainment are about to bring gamers a new action heroine who could be yeat another really interesting female characters making her debut this year.  Remember Me, coming on June 4, 2013 will see the deadly and agile Nilin take to the streets of 2084 Neo-Paris as she attempts to discover why her former employers wiped her memory (leaving her very underemployed as a result) AND seems to have sent out a team of assassins to deal with her. Eeek… talk about NO job security!

rm_ps3_fob 2D Boxshot Wizard v1.1

Anyway, the team at Dontnod is cooking up an absolutely beautiful game as you can see from the nice screenshot gallery below the jump, and the gameplay is also looking quite lovely (and innovative) as well. PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 owners can look forward to this one soon (as time is absolutely flying this year).

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