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…
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Gallery: Sacrilegium – Reality Pump’s Survival Horror/Adventure Game Is Creeping Closer…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

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sacrilegium_art Veteran developer Reality Pump Studios has been cooking up what’s looking like a nice surprise for horror game fans with its upcoming multiplatform release, Sacrilegium. Coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360’s worldwide soon, the TopWare Games-published “Survival-Horror Action Adventure” sounds (at least on paper) like a game that’s got a lot going for it if the lengthy and very detailed press release is any indication.

For many gamers who love their work, Reality Pump’s games (particularly their deep and mostly well-made RPGs) have always been highly ambitious, but between the outstanding new engine and promise of a deep, story driven single-player adventure starring a female character with a tailor made back-story, this could be one of those really intriguing game experiences that draws attention to itself on a few key fronts.

TopWare is promising this will be “A dark, thrilling tale with a captivating atmosphere, full of twists and turns, surprises and rewards.” as well as delivering “A constant feeling of tension, trepidation, and fear of the unknown and the unseen, combined with visceral action rewarded by the excitement of progression.”, which gets my brain tingling in all the right ways…

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Turbo Super Stunt Squad Hands-On: Zippy Trick Snails Remind Me A Bit Of The Old Days…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

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Dreamworks Animation is having quite a busy year with a few big releases zipping into theaters this year, and D3Publisher is right in the same zone, getting out a few cool family-friendly titles tying into these assorted properties. Turbo (set for a July 19 release) is the next film zooming your way and D3P’s Turbo: Super Stunt Squad will also pop up as a multiplatform release (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii/Wii U, Nintendo DS/3DS) a few days before on July 16, 2013 (what, no Vita version?). I had the chance to take the Xbox 360 and 3DS versions for a spin earlier this month and came away with a smile, as the games are coming along as fine and well-made tie-ins to the upcoming film.

While you’re not going to be getting any hyperbole-packed “Game of the Year!” reviews from a licensed game like this (and you shouldn’t expect any, mind you), developer Monkey Bar Games is whipping up a fun, cool homage of sorts to the classic Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater with this stunt-filled racer/exploration game that’s sure to put smiles on a few faces…

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KILLER IS DEAD 3rd Trailer: Suda’s Mondo Girls, The Moon, And All That Jazz…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

KID_black Oh, yes indeed, Suda 51’s upcoming game, KILLER IS DEAD is sure to be one of those great sleepers that makes his longtime fans happy campers as it baffles those new to his work and riles up others who throw arbitrary rules of “reality” around in dopey ways when going after what’s clearly a fantasy-themed game. Gigiolo Glasses, a gorgeous gal riding a hypodermic needle and main character Mondo Zappa out for a stroll on the freaking MOON should clue you in that this one’s going to be bizarre even by grasshopper manufacture standards. That said, it’s also going to be another “Don’t you miss it at all!” game experience that’s sure to be remembered as a modern classic.

Of course, I say that about all of Suda’s work, as I’ve been into it for quite some time, so yeah – I’m a bit biased. Still, the man does come up with some of the most memorable characters male and female (and other, if you toss in some of those strange bosses in his games)…

Grand Theft Auto V: Meet The Boys of Late Summer (You’ll Be With Them For A While)…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

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Say “Hi!” to Franklin, Michael and Trevor, the three playable leads in Rockstar Games’ upcoming soon to be blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto V. Some of us GTA fans play these for the stories and wild characters and I can very safely say that this wild bunch will be the best trio of anti-heroes to date. For me, a new Rockstar game isn’t about violence or raising all types of hell, but sinking into the world and characters the team has created and getting a big smile going when everything clicks into place as each new chapter plays out.

As i haven’t played this yet, I’m not about to dissect these videos at all save to say that amazing engine being used makes the game look incredibly realistic and hopefully we’ll see some of these cinematic sequences flow into gameplay that’s just as thrilling. As for “favorite” character of these three miscreants, again, it’s hard to say without touching a controller, but I’d have to say Trevor’s arc might be the most “fun” to play given his intro video and personality:

That said, I don’t need to go into all sorts of analysis about the GTA series, as since the third game that pulled in millions of new players and all sorts of awards, Rockstar has been consistently upping the quality of the writing and visuals. All I know is these games are instant classics for solo players like me, as each game is best when you’re getting those bits of well-scripted exposition before setting out on missions to advance the story for a while before just taking off to wander around and find a nice spot to check out some stunning vista before hopping back into the mayhem.

Mark your calendars for September 17, 2013 and even if you’re not planning to buy or play this one, I can bet that you’ll notice a LOT of people not showing up at work that day (or rest of the week) in some places. They’ll be on a little vacation in the same busy, crazy world being whipped up for them by a team that’s the best at what they do…

Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Launch Trailer: A Bang And A Boom Time For 80’s Action Fans…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by geelw

You have to admire Crytek’s chutzpah here, as Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon isn’t even pretending to be original or in fact a “great” game. Of course, you absolutely need to be well-versed in the 80’s action flick cheese it makes fun of (but with super-colorful visuals that won’t run on a low-end gaming PC, of course – this IS a Crytek game after all). The good thing is this one flies into digital release at a cheap-ass price point and those who get what’s here will be chuckling along merrily. Those who don’t will wonder what the hell the fuss is about, but I say just go watch a few awful to decent macho action stuff from that era and you’ll get the point of this gem. Duke Nukem is probably very pissed of right about now…

GRID 2 Uncovered: Paris, Here We Come (Plus A Few More Gameplay Modes)…

Posted on April 29, 2013 by geelw

Hey there! Go pull up a seat (without a steering wheel attached, please) or stretch out on the couch and check out these two new GRID 2 videos from Codemasters. Before you ask, NO you can’t stop the car during the race you’re part of in that beautifully rendered Paris street course to go get a croque-monsieur and café au lait. You’d lose the race before your coffee was even poured and hell, probably throw up in the car later because it’s not a good idea to go 150 MPH right after that lunch you just had. No madelines, either… and nope, no smoking in the car while I’m trying to drive (there’s no ashtray, silly!), so toss that pack of Gauloises into the crowd on the next turn, grrr… Man, I can take you anywhere anymore! Hmph – this car needs an ejection seat, methinks…

FUSE Unboxing Video: This One Is At Least Intentionally Funny…

Posted on April 29, 2013 by geelw

In case you didn’t know, I really dislike unboxing videos. For me, it’s a waste of time, white cotton gloves when the person making the video is wearing them (and looking like a game usher!) and basically, the majority of the ones I’ve seen are just smug “look what I got” videos or just show off one big reason the industry is having issues with some AAA games that seemingly get overpriced Collector’s Editions for no really good reason but to be in someone’s unboxing video. Thankfully, Insomniac Games has read my mind and come up with the *ULTIMATE* in unboxing videos for their new PS3 and Xbox 360 game FUSE, set for release on May 28 (in the US) and May 31 (In Europe). I say just get me the game and I’ll play and enjoy it – no statues, comic books, CD soundtrack, artbook or other goodie necessary, as they won’t fit into my consoles anyway…

Metro: Last Light Ranger Survival Guide Trailer: McGuyver’s Got Nothing On Artyom…

Posted on April 29, 2013 by geelw

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I actually recently (and FINALLY) completed the absolutely tense and brilliant Metro 2033 on a borrowed Xbox 360 (as the ones I own are dead as doornails, dammit) and it’s still one of the best and most frightening first-person games I’ve ever played. Between the destroyed Moscow landscape, the ruined tunnels survivors make do in and those dreadful mutations they fight against, there’s a great deal of details in that game and this follow-up, Deep Silver’s Metro: Last Light that make it a must-play experience. The fact that the game isn’t a straight up shooter and has elements of adventure and role-playing games while feeling downright frightening and depressing as your avatar, Artyom and his beat up survival gear barely make it through the radioactive hell makes it a keeper I’ll go back to again and again.

As I’ve said before, this game and a few others where so much thought and work has gone into crafting a world and characters you want to live with for a while are all the same to me like great novels are to someone who collects books. I’ve actually never read anything by Russian sci-fi author Dmitry Glukhovsky has written, but based on the near-flawless atmosphere these two games have, I just may be adding a new book or two to my already packed list. Thankfully, 4A Games is absolutely committed to making this a story-driven solo experience, so we won’t be saddled with mindless multiplayer modes of running around shooting each other in the face for no good reason than collecting XP and yelling obscenities over headset microphones. Besides, in this version of the future, you’re better off saving any ammo you can find and settling your differences with a a blunt or sharp object you can repair or replace afterwards…

Metro: Last Light hits PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on May 14, 2013, so if you’re looking for a bleak, purely terrifying slice of post-nuclear survival action, this is probably going to be your best bet for a good long while…

Gallery: Lost Planet 3

Posted on April 29, 2013 by geelw

It may be spring outside, but looking at these Lost Planet 3 screens makes me feel as if I’ve got my face stuck in the freezer and there’s no ice cream left – just a mean-looking alien with glowy bits and very sharp claws an teeth staring back (eek). Veteran developer Spark Unlimited is doing its best work to date, using the Unreal engine and some great motion captured actors to create a solidly stylized vision of the cold, bleak ball of ice covered rock that is E.D.N. III.

Working class hero Jim Payton isn’t the usual lantern-jawed hero with a hefty arsenal, bulletproof shorts and an ego as big as the planet he’s on at all. He’s just a regular guy who’s trying hard to make a living in a frozen hellhole with Akrid and perhaps a few pesky space pirates ruing his workday. I’ve been hooked in since I played a demo last year and with the first two multiplayer modes finally being revealed last week, it looks as if all the pieces are falling into place for a sleeper hit that will hopefully catch the skeptics by surprise.