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.