Weekly News Roundup: 3 June 2012

I'm not going to have a long post this week.  E3 begins tomorrow and there will be plenty of stories to link and share then.  Microsoft kicks off the show with their press conference, and Sony's is in the evening.  The big one to watch will be Nintendo's Tuesday show because we'll get to see a lot more on the WiiU or whatever they decide to call it.  This week, I've got a bunch of trailers that leaked ahead of the show.  So, enjoy!

Weekly News Roundup: 27 May 2012

Happy Memorial Day weekend (to my American readers)!  The kickoff to Summer is here!  Lot's of court room drama this week, and loads of gaming news coming up with E3 in a week or so.  Things are going to get interesting!  With that, on with the news!

Weekly News Roundup: 20 May 2012

What a downer week this was!  Lots of losses posted, games cancelled, and 38 Studios going from "darling upstart studio" (for their work on Kingdoms of Amalur) to "state-owned debt house" after missing their first loan repayment.  I've been trying to work through Max Payne 3's brutally hard campaign, and that is another downer.  Max is such a broken man...

Ah well, with that, on with the news!

Weekly News Roundup: 13 May 2012

Happy Mother's Day (to those moms who read this)!  I know I missed last week, not really sure what happened there.  So, without further yammering, here's a few news stories of the last couple of weeks that caught my eye!

PixelJunk Sale

Those who know me personally (or are astute in reading this blog) know that I'm a mostly a PS3 gamer.  With that in mind, there is an awesome sale going on this week on the PSN:  PixelJunk titles are on sale.

The tower defense fun of PixelJunk Monsters

I don't just mean "a couple of bucks off" on sale.  You can get three titles for $2!  That's PixelJunk Eden, Racers 2nd Lap, and Monsters for $2.  A personal favorite of mine, PixelJunk Shooter, is also $1, while the sequel is $5 along with the offshoot (haha, puns) PixelJunk Sidescroller.  If you are a PS3 gamer, just go and spend a couple of bucks on these titles.  Most are phenomenal.  Even if you don't get into some (like Eden because it's different), you still have great titles!  Go!  Go now!

Weekly News Roundup: 29 April 2012

I know this is going up two days early, but I've got a mini-vacation this weekend to visit a friend recovering from cancer.  So, I'll post this up and be on my way out for a long weekend.

Review: Space Chem

Space Chem

PC (Steam)

Publisher: Zachtronics Industries

Developer: Zachtronics Industries

Release Date: 2 March 2011

Every now and then, an Indie title comes along that does nothing by the books and isn't afraid to be a niche title. Last year saw the release of a title like that: Space Chem. Games like this are so much more than the description as a “Casual, Indie” title with “Over fifty mind-bending puzzles” as Steam has it. Some folks would see the “Casual” bit and keep on walking. Or, they might be intrigued by it and think, “Yeah, I like Bejeweled!” Both options would be mistakes. This game is like nothing you've ever played. And it is strangely and awesomely addictive for it.

Making water: so simple

Weekly News Roundup: 22 April 2012

Another week down, another step closer to the title dump that is May.  We've got a lot coming in the next few weeks even after the sudden and troubling delay of Risen 2.  With that, on with the weekly news dump!

Review: Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3

PC, Xbox 360, PS3 (reviewed)

Publisher: EA

Developer: Bioware

Release Date: 6 March 2012

The end has come for my Commander Shepard. She has fought long and hard for both the Human Alliance and the galaxy at large to slow the assault of the Reapers. She has made friends, changed lives, and above all made choices that have all come their conclusions. All but one. And that choice stands before her, with all the glorious journey behind her only one thing remains. She does what she always has done, what is going to save the most lives at the cost she can justify. She makes her choice, and the tale of my Shepard comes to a close. And what a glorious journey it has been.

Shepard and Reapers reach their final battle

Dishonored Finally Unveiled

Arkane Studios has a game coming, and it looks to be a doozy.  This mix of Half-Life, Assassin's Creed, and Deus Ex looks sensational!  Dishonored is the story of man falsely accused of murdering his Empress.  Throughout the game, players will use their magic, cunning, and assassin skills to right the injustice done.  Players can use any combination of powers, skills, and the environment to get the job done.  Check out the first trailer below.  Granted, it is all CG and not gameplay, but you get the idea.

The debut trailer for Dishonored

Personally, I've been excited since Game Informer did a cover story on the game.  I love Steampunk, and the dystopian world smacks of Charles Dickens.  How can you go wrong with dystopian Steampunk?  (Let's just forget Damnation ever happened, shall we?)  Oh, and it has armored guards on stilts.  Stilts!  These guys are like primative AT-STs!

The guards are pretty terrifying in their walkers

No solid release date yet, though it is slated for a "2012" release.  Look for it on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

Review: Journey

Journey

PSN

Publisher: Sony Santa Monica
Developer: thatgamecompany

Release Date: 13 March 2012

What is there to say about Journey? Sometimes a game comes along that does more than just raise pulses. While plenty of games can excite and have players mainline adrenaline with bombastic set-pieces and summer movie production values, few games try for other feelings. Many games are all about the cinema experience and aping movies. Games exist that cover the science fiction genre, the pulp action genre, the noir genre. There are not any that aim to reproduce poetry or the Zen-like calm of mediation. Auteur gaming studio thatgamecompany has always broken away from convention. While they have only created three titles, each has brought the company closer to creating “art” than “games.” Journey, their third title, pushes buttons gamers may not realize that they have. Journey is something more than mere “game.”

Journey begins

Weekly News Roundup: 15 April 2012

Well, 100 years ago the Titanic sank.  It is also (technically) Tax Day!  This last week, I found these stories interesting.  Not much else to say!

Weekly News Roundup: 8 April 2012

Well, happy Easter (or Lich Jesus Day), everyone!  I hope the Spring is finding you well!  I've finished Mass Effect 3 and Journey, but those reviews are not coming forth as easily as I'd hoped.  I'll be posting those both in the coming week.  As for the rest, here's some fun/interesting/wubwub stuff for you to enjoy!

Weekly News Roundup: 1 April 2012

Happy Spring, everyone!  I just finished Mass Effect 3 in the wee hours, so that review will hopefully be up in a few days.  And today is the day that gaming news should come with a very large grain of salt.  I'll have some serious stories up, and then tomorrow I'll update the post with links to collections of the best (worst?) of the Gaming World's April Fools gags.  With that, here's a few stories that caught my (distracted) eye.

Weekly News Roundup: 25 March 2012

Another week gone, another news post is up!  There's some good news, some bad and lots of stuff on Mass Effect 3.  I don't spoil anything in the post, but the links in that story are SPOILERS so be forewarned!

Review: Hot Shots Golf - World Invitational

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

PS Vita

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Clap Hanz

Release Date: 14 February 2012

As as staple of Sony systems, the Hot Shots series has always been about accessibility. The entire series takes a casual approach to sports, and it makes for fun gaming. The golf series features courses that are just a bit fantastical, characters that are type-casts out of anime movies, and mechanics that everyone can easily pick up, but that take time to master. Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational offers that familiar and simplistic golf action on your Vita. Those that love the series know what they are in for, but folks on the outside may not “get it.”

The cartoony greens are calling again!

Review: Unit 13

Unit 13

PS Vita

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Zipper Interactive

Release Date: 6 March 2012

The Vita has two analog sticks. This fixes one of the major complaints about third-person shooters on the PSP: that the controls were wonky or ineffective. Despite the PSP's limitations, Zipper Interactive saw great success with their SOCOM series. Visions of a proper military shooter were realized with the announcement of Unit 13. Here was Zipper with the chance to show off how good a portable shooter could be. And they succeeded. Mostly.

Soldiers VS Terrorists

Review: Uncharted - Golden Abyss

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

PS Vita

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Sony Bend

Release Date: 14 February 2012

Daring adventurer and mystery solver Nathan Drake has been busy lately. His blockbuster adventure in November, Drake's Deception, was another successful entry in the franchise. To make sure that the PS Vita had a “core franchise” at launch, Naughty Dog handed their boy over to the folks at Sony Bend. It's always a gamble to have another studio take on a beloved franchise, but with Naughty Dog consulting, Golden Abyss has every chance to be a solid entry in the series. What we got was akin to Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

Adventurer Nathan Drake is back in Uncharted: Golden Abyss

News and Vacation!

Alright, it's that time of year!  The one time where I get to have a week and change off to enjoy time with my family.  I'm not going to be able to update until next week, so there won't be any posts this weekend or the following week.  However, I'm hoping to get enough quality Vita time to be able to review Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Unit 13 and get write-ups done for Syndicate and Binary Domain after I return.  Also, I have (and cannot enjoy yet) Mass Effect 3 to play for fun (and review later).  So, I'm hoping that two weeks of silence will be followed by an explosion of reviews (since I've been so bad at that lately).  Before signing off, here's a couple of stories that caught my eye!

Quantic Dream is at it Again

The folks behind Indigo Prophecy and Heavy Rain released another amazing tech-demo at San Francisco's Game Developers Conference.  They blew people away when they released "The Audition" which became the basis for Heavy Rain.  Now they are showing off "Kara" and I couldn't be more excited about what they might do with the engine.  This isn't a game in progress, mind you, it's just a demonstration of what they can do with their new graphics engine.  Quantic Dream has a history of amazing ideas and solid tech that falls short as a "game" but that's no reason to think this couldn't work!  We'll see what they are cooking up next, but "Kara" has me starry-eyed with the possibilities.  And if not Quantic Dream, maybe someone else will use the engine to make something incredible.  Check out Geoff Keighley's interview with David Cage at Game Trailers, too! (via Game Trailers)

This eventually evolved into Heavy Rain

This is the new short "Kara"