Blizzard's Titan project 'dead in the middle of development'

Blizzard still isn't really talking about its top secret MMO project, currently code named Titan, but that hasn't

After jokingly acting oblivious to the project, Rob Pardo revealed that Blizzard is "definitely dead in the middle of development". For many, that could mean numerous things, but Pardo confirmed that there is now over 100 people working on the game.

"Titan's still moving along," Pardo said during an interview with Curse. "I don't want to get anyones hopes up that it's around the corner or anything."

"Its a very big project. It's got a long way to go," he admitted. "I don't know yet when we're really going to start releasing more information. We're definitely dead in the middle of development at this point. I think we're over 100 people now on the team working on it."

When asked about Titan's rumored six year development, Pardo responded, "I guess it depends on how you look at such things."

"When we first start a team, we start it really, really small," he clarified. "Like we might start with just a couple people and we just talk about the concepts; we draw some concept art."

He did set the record straight, however. "It definitely has not be in core development for that long. I'd say core development maybe more closer to  four years. Even that was with a smallish team."

With World of Warcraft seemingly losing steam,Blizzard might want to speed up the production of Titan. Especially after analysts are describing the sales of Mists of Pandaria as "disappointing".

Via: Blizzard's Titan project 'dead in the middle of development'

Carmageddon: Reincarnation may come to consoles

The developers of Carmageddon: Reincarnation, who surpassed their funding goal with $600K this summer, are looking into console versions.

At Eurogamer Expo, Stainless Games' Neil Barnden and Patrick Buckland talked to Explosion about possible PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions.

"We really want to get it out on consoles as well," said Buckland. "It depends on additional funding, but we’re working on that anyway. So we’re hopeful it can happen around the same time as the PC version."

"It’s not like we completely have to re-do all the work to bring them to consoles," said Barnden. "A lot of the technology is already there to take it to other platforms. We’re hoping that we can bring it out sooner rather than later."

Buckland added that if all goes well, they could make an announcement about it later this year.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

Via: Carmageddon: Reincarnation may come to consoles

There's glass everywhere! Indie game Stained out now

Indie studio RealAxis Software has announced the launch of Stained, its side-scrolling puzzle platforming project. The game, which I previewed a couple of months ago, is currently available on Impulse, and it will be released on Desura in the near future.

Stained features a heavy emphasis on stained glass and combat. Solving puzzles and progressing through a haunted castle requires you to manipulate stained glass windows in your surroundings, turning them into platforms, and even battling them after they've transformed into monsters.

RealAxis currently has a demo up on its sight, so check it out and see if you dig the game. Additionally, be sure to watch out for GameZone's review of Stained. If you like it, you can also give the game an up vote on Steam Greenlight.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: There's glass everywhere! Indie game Stained out now

The Binding of Isaac 75 percent off for its one-year anniversary

Holy crap, you guys! It's been one year since Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl released The Binding of Isaac! Honestly, it scares me that time passes by so fast. Anyway, some cool stuff is going down to commemorate the lovely roguelike shooter's one-year anniversary.

First off, you can currently download the game (by itself or with the soundtrack) for 75 percent off on Steam. That means you'll get one hell of a game for just over a buck. Additionally, the DLC, which adds loads of content to the already bursting main game, is also available for 75 percent off. That's 74 cents!

Oh, and last but certainly not least, you can also snag some sweet Isaac figures on Ed + Danielle. Of course, by "sweet" I really mean kind of depressing.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: The Binding of Isaac 75 percent off for its one-year anniversary

With enough support, Capcom might remake Resident Evil 2

Capcom isn't planning to revisit Raccoon City in the hours before its destruction, but with a little push from fans, it might consider the idea — at least according to producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi.

Hirabayashi told GamesSpot, "We are not working on a Resident Evil 2 remake as of now. But if the fans really clamor for it — if there's a groundswell of support for remaking that game — then I think that's something Capcom would take under consideration."

In 2002, Capcom remade the classic 1996 original for GameCube, and the result was a huge success. It's not a stretch to think that fans of the "REmake" would vocalize their excitement over another.

The next entry in the series, Resident Evil 6, is due out on October 2 — over a month ahead of its expected release date. Capcom is not developing the game for Wii U, and development for PC is only just underway. Hirabayashi said fans can expect more news about the PC version once the game has shipped for consoles.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

Via: With enough support, Capcom might remake Resident Evil 2

IndieGameStand: pay what you want, Escape Goat now available

The indie bundle formula has always been fairly rewarding. Gamers pay a certain amount of their choosing for a selection of games and the proceeds are split up amongst the developers, distributors, and oftentimes charity. IndieGameStand utilizes a similar technique, but it changes things up considerably.

Every 96 hours, IndieGameStand adds a new game for folks to buy. These gamers pay what they want, and bam, they've got a new game. It's a nice way to ensure that you're always playing something and saving money while you do so.

Currently available on IndieGameStand is developer MagicalTimeBean's Escape Goat, which has previously been made available through Xbox Live Indie Games and Desura. The game is a retro-inspired puzzle platformer that tasks you with helping a goat and mouse escape a nasty prison. I'm sold!

Ten percent of all proceeds from Escape Goat will go to the American Red Cross, which is awesome. Additionally, if you beat the average price (currently $1.86), you'll get some sweet bonuses including the game's snazzy soundtrack. Meanwhile paying a minimum of $10 will get you the last game available on IndieGameStand, Chester, and a download of the next title that will be available.

If you're looking for some indie gaming awesomeness and want to support a great cause, check out IndieGameStand for yourself. As of this writing, Escape Goat has about 52 hours left on the clock, so get to it!

[IndieGameStand]

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: IndieGameStand: pay what you want, Escape Goat now available

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD (PC) review

Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD throws you into a large map filled with various objects such as half pipes, ramps, and rails for you to practice and hone your skating skills. There are tons of maps to choose from and you unlock each one by fulfilling objectives. Performing tricks and killer moves will net you points and tallying these points up at the end might fulfill one of the objectives of the map. In addition, littered throughout the map are collectibles that also contribute to your objective count. Once a certain amount has been met then the next map is unlocked. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t return for some fun. 

Some of the maps in Pro Skater are excellently designed leaving the players with loads of areas to have fun. It’s also designed so people who like to perform certain tricks have a map dedicated to themselves. One map might feature an abundance of half pipes while another will have various connecting rails for constant grinding. The map design is extremely clever and it never gets old as a result. In addition to the actual design the various locales that the game takes you is a nice change. Whether its a bright colorful school campus or a sunsetting mountain, it’s excellently implemented. 

Unfortunately, the graphics don’t support the locations well. Textures looks extremely flat and lack any detail. Colors are bland and fail to visually intrigue leaving a somewhat distasteful feeling. Even so, this doesn’t mean that the game looks horrendous visually. It’s still solid and everything looks rather polished, however, this is easily one of the blander looking HD remasters in a while. 

Gameplay was one of the greatest aspects of the original game and it’s a bit disappointing to know that it hasn’t aged very well. The idea of gliding through various maps and trying out sick skills is rewarding, however, the lack of variety and the ability to easily pull off tricks once you’ve gotten hang of the somewhat unresponsive controls is a bit disappointing. You’ll soon find that you’ll end up grinding points by doing the same tricks at one specific spot on the map in order to clear the tougher objectives of the maps. You have the ability to do holds, grinds, flips, and such but it’s so relatively easy to mix and match without being easily punished creates a somewhat monotonous game. Add the inability to see the various moves you can actually do, it seems like experimentation and luck is the only way to see the entire move list.

The actual skating isn’t all that bad though. It’s cool to see all the amazing tricks you pull off and sometimes you’ll wonder if you can really pull off that infamous 900. It’s pretty sweet. To mix things up, the game also has various skaters you can unlock and customize. Each skater has different strengths and disadvantages so you can choose a skater that is tailored to your preference. In addition you can also deck out your skateboard with customizable parts. It’s this customization aspect that gives you the ability to fine tune your tricks and giving you specialization. This neat aspect carries throughout the entire game so you’re constantly working towards unlocking new ways to specialize your skater or working towards generalizing him so he’s good in everything. 

Of course, skating around and and customizing your skaters isn’t that entertaining if the game was monotonous. There’s an interesting set of tracks for you to listen to while you explore the various maps and while it’s most of the time entertaining, some tracks are just uninteresting. Most of the music is a bit of rock and hip hop with a variety of mixes from other genres. It’s diverse and it changes up the pace of the game but nothing stands out. 

A controller is highly recommended when playing the PC version. While it’s definitely feasible to play with a keyboard, the game feels much more smoother and precise when using a controller. Not that it helps due to the unresponsiveness of the game sometimes to do a trick on a half pipe or grinding on rails. 

Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD is a dated game and it really shows. The game is extremely simple and plays virtually like a title you would play at an arcade. Each map gives you a time limit to play around with and while the customization features feel deep, it can sometimes feel like it makes no difference. However, despite the flaws the game has with its gameplay, the game is still a blast to go through just for the heck of it. 

Via: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD (PC) review

Humble Indie Bundle 6 adds four more games

The latest deal from the Humble Indie Bundle just got better.

The Humble Indie Bundle 6 now includes Bit.trip Runner, Gratuitous Space Battles, Jamestown, and Wizorb in addition to Torchlight, Rochard, Shatter, Space Pirates and Zombies, Vessel, and the bonus Dustforce. If you've already bought the bundle, then the games should show up on your downloads page. Otherwise, you can still purchase all ten games — valued at $135 — for an average of $6.02.

These DRM-free titles run on PC, Mac, and Linux and can also be redeemed on Steam or the Ubuntu Software Center. Soundtracks accompany the purchase.

Contributions benefit the developers, the Child’s Play Charity, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Six days remain to take advantage of the deal, and over 247,000 bundles have been sold so far.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

Via: Humble Indie Bundle 6 adds four more games

Ravaged blasts its way to PC October 17, available for pre-order

Developer 2 Dawn Studios is prepping for the release of Ravaged, its upcoming online FPS. The game, which focuses on multiplayer action, will be priced at $24.99 and is scheduled to hit Steam on October 17.

The game is currently available for pre-purchase, and if you're looking for some online multiplayer shooting, you may want to consider Ravaged. Pre-purchasing your digital download will grant you instant access to the game's closed beta. Ya know, so you can start playing already and not have to wait until launch.

Ravaged features 32-player online matches, vehicular combat, on-foot action, and five different classes. Watch out for it in a few weeks, or get into the closed beta right now by buying your copy ahead of time.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Ravaged blasts its way to PC October 17, available for pre-order

Jet Set Radio HD review

The game takes place in an alternate version of Tokyo, dominated by street gangs who prefer to dress up in loud colors and spray paint to mark their territory.  Among these gangs are the GG's, consisting of Beat, Gum and Tab, three likable youths who are merely trying to avoid having their part of town overtaken by rivals.  But the minute they start tagging, they find themselves not only facing off against their rivals, but also a rather hostile police force, led by a trigger happy captain.  No worries, though – with some slick skating and quick tagging, you'll move onto the next area with ease, slowly bringing the city and its surrounding areas back to your funky level.

Jet Set Radio's skating techniques are nothing like you'd find in, say, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.  There are things in common, like grinding on rails and performing mid-air tricks with a bit of flair, but it feels like it has an entirely different set of physics.  This can be fun and also frustrating in parts, especially when you're trying to link tricks together and something like a passing car or a bothersome policeman breaks up your run.

That's not to say the controls are bad, because they really aren't.  But there are some decisions that could've been better made.  Having the camera function in the same place as the "tag" spray option, for instance, results in a jarring change of view when all you want to do is spray away.  You'll still hit your target most of the time, but it's just a poor choice.  Other physical problems emerge as well, but after some practice, you'll have no problem rolling along, performing tricks, collecting cans and marking like a pro.

As far as content goes, it's great to find all the levels here, with collectible icons and unlockable characters, but the option to share graffiti, as you were able to do in the Dreamcast version, isn't happening here.  At least there are online leaderboards, where you can compete with others, but we would've preferred something a bit more creative. What's more, if you care at all about the history of Jet Set Radio, a neat featurette spotlighting the creative process behind the game is accessible from the Extras menu.

But now let's get to what really makes this port click – the presentation.  The visuals, while a bit iffy with pop-up here and there, sparkle in a full 720p set-up, with gorgeous cel-shading effects and elegant city design, along with slick animations that bring your characters to life.  It's also fun to watch Professor K inject some old-school attitude back into the proceedings, as only he can.  And the music, like the original, is magnificent, with plenty of dance tunes, techno mixes and American rock to keep your ears occupied.  You'll have fun listening to this all over again.

Not every aspect of Jet Set Radio HD has aged well over the past few years, particularly the controls.  But it's still a well done port of a game that defined what made the Dreamcast so different then, and still remains a fairly good ride now.  Besides, who knows when we're gonna get Shenmue…?

[Reviewed on PlayStation 3]

Via: Jet Set Radio HD review

The Sims 3: Supernatural review

The most recent is The Sims 3: Supernatural, a new expansion pack that introduces the all-new world of Moonlight Falls. Filled with peculiar objects and strange happenings, this mysterious town offers all sorts of spooky surprises ranging from supernatural beings to new skills and careers.

Inspired by the lush landscape of the Pacific Northwest, Moonlight Falls is clearly EA's take on Forks, Washington, the setting of Twilight. Moonlight Falls is an intriguing new town filled with gothic-style housing and all sorts of interesting creatures like fairies, vampires, witches and zombies.

If I had to sum up the Supernatural expansion in one word, it'd be "simplification." The main appeal is the ability to create supernatural beings from the start of the game. From the "Create a Sim" screen, you can now create and live as werewolves, fairies and witches from the very beginning of the game, rather than having to wait around for death or a magical transformation. This is particularly useful for those who prefer to play as vampires. Whereas in The Sims 3 Late Night, Sims could only transform into vampires by getting bitten, now you can just create one from the beginning.

Each supernatural being offers a unique gameplay experience which, harking back to the "simplification" of the game, lets you quickly perform mundane tasks depending on which being you create. Witches learn spells that simplify activities like cleaning the house or eating. Other supernatural beings, like the fairy for instance, are there for the enjoyment of pulling pranks on other Sims.

If you're not into creating supernatural beings, The Sims 3: Supernatural does offer some alternative gameplay choices. You still have your obvious expansion stuff like new decorations, new clothes, new hairstyles and furniture.

The Sims 3: Supernatural is about more than just creating a magical Sim, however. It also adds a ton of traits and abilities that make The Sims 3 a more enjoyable experience. A new alchemy skill lets you experiment with locating hidden ingredients and mixing them together to create magical concoctions that have mysterious effects on Sims. Once again, some of the elixirs accelerate gameplay elements like career and relationship boosting and weight loss.

There's also a new fortune teller career. With this, you can choose one of two routs: a true mystic who can look into the future or, like most real life fortune tellers, a scam artist. I personally opt for the latter of the two, just because it's hilarious giving Sims bogus readings. The only downside to this career is that it's one of the old-school types where your Sim actually disappears from the world while at work. It's unfortunate that as far as The Sims has gone with in-depth professions in Ambitions, that fortune teller seems like a step backwards.

My least favorite of all the supernatural beings are zombies. These mindless creatures can do a number to your landscaping, and if you have spent a lot of time crafting a beautiful outdoor area, this can be incredibly frustrating. While I'm normally a fan of all things zombie-related, Supernatural makes them more a nuisance than enjoyable experience.

The last thing I'll touch on is the overall state of The Sims 3 game itself. I've noticed, with the last few expansions, The Sims 3 is getting more and more demanding — from a technical standpoint. There's just so much going on now in the game that it's a lot for lower-end PCs to process.

Whereas The Sims used to be enjoyable for those on all types of PCs, it's almost at the point where you need a good amount of RAM just to get the game to function properly. Having tested the game on both low and high-end PCs, I have to warn you that you should save frequently. The game on the lower-end PC, which has 4GB of RAM, often suffered from game crashes and memory leaks.

While I personally enjoyed this expansion, traditional Sims fans may find themselves turned off by all of the supernatural elements. The Sims 3 has come a long way since the original "life simulator" it was meant to be, and for many, this jump to the supernatural realm can be seen as a negative. EA has created this expansion with a clear target audience in mind and, for that group, they will find this to be an enjoyable play. 

Via: The Sims 3: Supernatural review

Major League Gaming fall schedule released

Amidst a number of negative trends in the gaming industry, including completion rates, day one paid DLC, and the closure of many fantastic studios, one trend has continued to be a shining light, growing rapidly, and that’s none other than Major League Gaming. Through online games such as StarCraft II and MOBA, MLG has continued to grow, which is why the league is anticipating its best fall showcase in history.

Major League Gaming’s fall lineup does indeed start this week, kicking off a slew of events, some of which can be seen below:

MOBA (Wednesdays at 7pm ET) – Free to Watch

Wednesday nights at MLG will feature the best MOBA games and players. League of Legends matchups will be featured this Fall in the ongoing series. On September 26 at 7pm ET, fans can watch a Counter Logic Gaming showmatch as team CLG Prime takes on CLG EU. Commentary will be provided by Tom "Optimus" Searfoss and Chris "MonteCristo" Mykles. Weekly MOBA broadcasts will also include the Finals of the MLG League of Legends Gamebattles Tournaments. 

StarCraft II (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm ET) – Free to Watch

Beginning October 2, Tuesdays and Thursdays will be devoted to StarCraft II starting with the StarCraft II Online Qualifiers. Featuring competitions for Europe, North America, and Korea/Taiwan, the broadcast will highlight the best from each region with the victors receiving coveted Group Play spots and paid trips to the Fall Championship in Dallas from November 2-4. Shows will be commentated by Nick “Axslav” Ranish and Alex “Axeltoss” Rodriguez.

MvP Invitational (Starts Thursday, September 27 and Airs Mondays and Fridays at 7pm ET) – PPV only  

As previously announced, the world’s best StarCraft II players will meet up in an unprecedented collaboration between MLG and KeSPA’s Proleague in the MvP Invitational. A complete overview of the tournament, players, and first week match-ups is available here. Kicking off on Thursday, September 27, the MvP Invitational will feature 15 days of broadcast with 100+ games casted for dozens of hours of content. 48 players will compete for a $10,000 first prize, paid trips to Dallas, and coveted Group Play spots. Shows will be commentated by Nick “Axslav” Ranish and Alex “Axeltoss” Rodriguez and passes are available online. 

If you’re overwhelmed by the action, you can check out the league’s online schedule to map out which events you’ll wish to catch by clicking here. Which MLG games do you see rising in popularity this fall? Let us know by commenting below.

Source: [MLG]

Via: Major League Gaming fall schedule released

These Remember Me screens may stay ingrained in your memory

I have to admit that a game I haven't really been watching out for is Remember Me. That is, of course, until now. After checking out Capcom's latest screens for its upcoming action title, I'm pretty excited to play the game for myself.

Remember Me features an emphasis on pure combat, but it also allows you to perform a clever trick known as "memory mixing." You'll be able to enter the minds of your targets and totally mess with them. You can then play a different memory in their minds and alter their thoughts in the process. Potentially awesome stuff indeed!

Capcom will be launching Remember Me next year on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Watch out for it. I know I won't be forgetting about this one anytime soon. (See what I did there?)

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: These Remember Me screens may stay ingrained in your memory

The Secret World review

Firstly, the game’s writing is superb. Taking place in a world that’s our own, but all the superstitions and stories that you’ve ever heard are true, the game has all the makings of one that’s familiar to just about anyone who picks it up. This means there’s plenty of pop culture references delievered throughout that don’t feel shoehorned in, and are done so through the game’s excellent voice acting. The game’s story, in which three factions (the Templars: Typical do what must be done for the greater good; the Illuminati: think Dante from Devil May Cry with a touch more business sense; and the Dragon: creating chaos, yet seeking to come out on top for it) are busy warring with each other and with other mystical forces to save humanity in one form or another ends up being very good, with many twists and turns delievered throughout the game’s main story quests.

These quests are varied, too – it’s not just the “go here, kill that, bring me this” grocery list we’re used to. There are mystery quests which really do force you to think, without the game screaming the answer at you. As an example, one quest gives you a note which makes you open the game’s internet browser (also built in and fully functional, a nice touch) and navigate to a “website” to gather clues for the investigation you’re working on. It’s the little things, I suppose, that make me happy.  Though the answer to these quests is just a short wiki posting away, I couldn’t help but feel like love and care had gone into crafting some of these puzzles.

And don’t worry if you end up needing help - the game’s community is also superb, largely thanks to the cross realm interface that Funcom has implemented. Though there are many Secret World realms, it ends up not mattering at all, as you can group up with and even raid with people on other servers right out of the box. The only downside to this is that names are shared across all servers, making getting a name that isn’t being used by someone a little close to impossible. Getting a group for anything you want to do is also made easier by the fact that in PVE, factions don’t matter. You are able to group with someone no matter what faction they are, lending to the story that the various factions do need to team up to deal with threats, unlike the treatment other MMOs such as World of Warcraft have given where its factions were “working together”.

Lending to this is the game’s skill system. Once you’ve been playing long enough, you’ll have enough points so that you’ll have every skill available in the game, across all the various weapon types. This means that you’ll be able to fill any role eventually, provided you have the gear. And if you’ve been playing long enough, you likely will. Speaking of gear, don’t expect it to change your appearance. The game’s appearance altering gear are all basically costumes, with all of the stat altering gear being things that would be small enough to be invisible on your avatar such as earrings and rings – however, the weapon models seem to be more varied as a result. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

Via: The Secret World review

Dante has giant fists in these DmC screens

DmC: Devil May Cry may be launching until early next year, but we've got some brand new screens for you right now. Revealed at the Tokyo Game Show by Capcom, these images are especially awesome because they feature ...

... giant fists! Well, okay, to be fair, they're actually gauntlets, but still. It looks like Dante can now pack quite the punch (See what I did there?) as he takes control of these demonic gauntlets known as the Eryx.

The upcoming Devil May Cry reboot is due out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on January 13, 2013, with the PC version of the game scheduled to release later in the year following the console versions.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Dante has giant fists in these DmC screens

EA celebrates Ultima Online's 15th Anniversary

Today marks the 15th anniversary of Ultima Online, the fantasy MMORPG set in the legendary Ultima universe. Launching in 1997, Ultima Online was the first game of its kind to gain a widespread audience and one of the pioneers in the massive multiplayer online role-playing game genre.

To celebrate this occasion, the development team at Mythic has crafted a long running seven month story arc that will usher in a new king in an upcoming in-game event.seven month story arc that will usher in a new king in an upcoming in-game event.

Sadly, Ultima Online in its current state is hardly the same game it once was. Although it still features an in-depth 58 skill system that allows you to customize your character how you see fit, both its graphics and gameplay are outdated when compared to current MMOs. Outdated gameplay combined with a broken economy and poor design decisions make it tough to enjoy Ultima Online, but it's still important to recognize what it stands for: the first MMORPG that has withstood the test of time.

To be perfectly honest, despite the position it's currently in, Ultima Online's 15 year run is impressive considering how many MMOs flop just months after the release (see Star Wars: The Old Republic). To think that the game has spanned over three decades, entertaining millions is truly a testament to the game. It was the first game that got me hooked on MMOs and I've yet to find a game that brings me as much joy as Ultima Online did.

“I personally have worked on Ultima Online for more than 13 years and I’m still inspired by our players and actually learn something new from them every day.  We truly have any amazing community who have been responsible for keeping the game alive for 15 years,” said Associate Producer, Bonnie Armstrong.

To learn more about Ultima Online, the 15th Anniversary celebration and how players can become a part of this still vibrant community, visit the game's official site.

Via: EA celebrates Ultima Online's 15th Anniversary

Spirits review

The 1991 original Lemmings was full of traps and obstacles that the critters could bypass by assuming different roles. Spirits, which looks a lot nicer than the game it’s inspired by, basically follows the same concept: You guide a predetermined number of spirits through a hazardous environment while avoiding spikes and manipulating air currents, which can whisk you away to undesirable places. When a spirit uses a certain function (only select ones are available at any given time) — either digging, blowing gusts of air, building a leafy ladder, or blocking wind — it sacrifices itself to help the rest to safety. As long as the minimum quota of spirits enter the vortex at the end, you’ll successfully finish the level. Of course, completionists are welcome to find new ways around to obtain a perfect score, which involves illuminating out-of-reach plants and losing as few spirits as possible, but you may not care to.

The core problem with the game comes down to its main mechanic: controlling the spirits. Pausing the game allows you to assess your environment and plan out your actions, but most of the time the spirits won’t react the way you expect them to — through no fault of your own, but rather the finicky programming. Sometimes you’ll know exactly how you need to approach a situation, but getting the spirits to do what you want them to is another matter entirely. Sometimes they’ll even stray from the course the others will follow, throwing your chances of success askew. A puzzle game shouldn’t force players to resort to blind trial and error, but that’s what Spirit does — and far too often.

Spirits could have been an enjoyable game if it managed to innovate a little, but even Lemmings seems to offer more personality and fun. The gameplay doesn’t appropriately challenge the player to learn new techniques or adapt to existing ones, but rather to use them at random depending on what nook or crevice they get themselves stuck in. Solutions feel contrived and are difficult to carry out even when you know what you’re doing, and the music and environments largely remain the same.

At least there isn’t a time limit (the spirits will usually kill themselves off if you fail to act accordingly), and you can assign tasks to any of the spirits while the game is paused, allowing for simultaneous execution. The game is generous with how many spirits you need to pass per level, and although the bar is sometimes set agonizingly high, you’ll probably fret over directing the spirits more than you will saving them.

The game is available on other platforms, including mobile, so it’s possible that PC (this version was tested on Steam) simply isn’t the right home for Spirits. Regardless, this isn’t a game you’ll want to pay $10 for.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

Via: Spirits review

Sleeping Dogs reveals DLC filled October

This October, Sleeping Dogs fans will be assaulted with a collection of DLC ranging from mission packs to player upgrades.

With four separate sets of DLC, you may be wondering whether or not your wallet will be crying it in fear come October. Worry not, the devs at United Front Games aren't looking to clean out your wallet. The Community Gift Pack DLC's is going to be free! You heard me, FREE!

With that being said let's take a closer look at what the October DLC offers:

Street Racer Pack

SWAT Pack

Tactical Soldier Pack

Community Gift Pack

Check out the DLC reveal trailer below.

Via: Sleeping Dogs reveals DLC filled October

Weekly wrap-up 9/21/2012

Another week in gaming has passed us by, and it’s been a cool one. We’ve got new reviews, previews, and more right here on GameZone, and if you missed any of the biggest content from the last few days, be sure to check it all out here in our weekly wrap-up. Enjoy your weekend, everyone, and get some gaming done!

Reviews

Joe Danger: The Movie review (Xbox 360)

Joe Danger is back, and his latest stunt-fest is yet another thrill ride worth checking out.

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition review (PC)

Some glaring flaws keep this PC port from being as great as it should’ve been, but overall, this is Dark Souls through and through, and it’s still one hell of a ride.

Guild Wars 2 review (PC)

This MMO endeavor lives up to the hype and delivers on all grounds, offering up a ton of quality gameplay content for no subscription fee.

LittleBigPlanet Vita review (Vita)

If you’re looking for some platforming and customization bliss on your Vita, you really can’t go wrong with LittleBigPlanet.

Battlefield 3: Armored Kill review (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

If you’re looking to add more Battlefield 3 to your life, this expansion pack is for you. It won’t change the game much, but it’ll certainly give you more of what you already like.

Splice review (PC)

This indie puzzler may not be for everyone, but fans of the genre will find a truly mine-breaking experience worth checking out.

Rigonauts review (PC)

While there’s definitely some fun to be had here, this title ultimately feels more like a mobile game than a PC experience.

Skyrim: Hearthfire review (Xbox 360)

Ever wanted to own land and adopt kids in the land of Skyrim? Well, now you can.

Legends of Pegasus review (PC)

Untapped potential and some noticeably unpolished spots make this PC strategy title hardly worth playing.

Spirits review (PC)

Nice visuals aside, this point-and-click puzzler doesn’t manage to offer up anything more than a frustrating experience.

Dredd 3D review (Movies)

High on violence and sci-fi spirit, this surprisingly enjoyable flick is worth watching by fans of the genre.

Previews

Medal of Honor Warfighter single-player impressions

Despite our demo session’s brevity, there’s no denying that the stage is set for what could be an engaging single-player military shooter mode.

FIFA 13 demo impressions

If you’re a fan of soccer games, keep this one on your radar.

Frontline Tactics hands-on preview

If you’re looking for some strategic gameplay on your PC or Mac (that’s also transferable between your different iOS devices), watch out for this upcoming tactical experience.

GZ Originals

Guild Wars 2 Mystic Forge crafting guide: basics

Need some help crafting in Guild Wars 2? Check out our basics guide!

Ten highlights from this weekend's Gearbox Software Community Day 2012

Shenanigans and Borderlands galore! Check out our footage from this Gearbox event.

Let's Talk Doctor Who: A Town Called Mercy

We take a look at the latest episode of Doctor Who. What’s the verdict?

Missed Comikaze Expo 2012? We got you covered with these pictures

GameZone heads to Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo 2012 and checks out some comic books, cool merch, and cosplayers.

Video Game Jam tasks people to build a game in 48 hours

Get an in-depth look at Video Game Jam and see how these developers manage to turn out a game in just two days.

Battlefield 3: Armored Kill - Tips for fun & winning

If you feel like you might need a little help on the battlefield (See what I did there?), check out these anti-suckage tips.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Weekly wrap-up 9/21/2012

New Slender game slated for commercial release

The hit indie horror game Slender is going bigger and better.

Creator Mark "AgentParsec" Hadley's ParsecProductions studio and Toronto-based Blue Isle Studios are working together to turn Slender: The Eight Pages into a commercial remake called Slender: The Arrival.

For PC, the game will introduce "more levels, improved visuals, and an engaging storyline." Blue Isle wrote that The Arrival will be "a bigger and better version of the game."

A group of fans is also making a four-player mod called Slender: Source, now renamed Faceless.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

[Eurogamer]

Via: New Slender game slated for commercial release

Play Saints Row: The Third for free on Steam right now

Saints Row: The Third, also known as my favorite game of 2011, is one hell of a thrill ride rife with hilarity and perviness galore. If you've yet to play the game, you're either one of those easily offended types, or you just haven't gotten around to it. Or maybe, just maybe, you're on the fence about it.

Well, now's your chance to check the game out for yourself and see why you need a little purple dildo action in your life. Wait, never mind what I just said. Anyway, Saints Row: The Third is playable for free through Steam this very minute, and it will remain so until tomorrow at 1 PM PST.

Don't worry, though, because if you like the game, you'll get to buy it for 66 percent off its original price. That's a lot of naked fun and auto-tune-voiced pimps for just under $14. So yeah, if you haven't already, go play Saints Row: The Third right now.

[Steam]

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Play Saints Row: The Third for free on Steam right now

Guns of Icarus Online launches this October

You can now preorder Guns of Icarus Online, which launches on October 29 on Steam for PC and Mac.

The team-based multiplayer airship combat game is selling for 25 percent off on Valve's website, so you can snatch it for $14.99 for a short time.

For $24.99, you can purchase the Collector's Edition, which includes the game, Captain's costume pack, and the soundtrack. These promotions — along with Collector's Edition four-pack deal for $34.99 — end on the date of release.

Buying the game early will get you immediate access to the beta until September 30.

Guns of Icarus Online features co-op and player-versus-player modes.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

Via: Guns of Icarus Online launches this October

Mirror's Edge lands on PSN next week

The parkour game Mirror's Edge hits the PlayStation Network next week as a download.

Mirror's Edge will appear on PSN on Tuesday, September 25. The game first came to PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2008 before releasing on other platforms, including PC and mobile.

The PS3 version holds a 79 on Metacritic.

Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.

[IGN]

Via: Mirror's Edge lands on PSN next week

The Walking Dead Episode 3: Long Road Ahead review

After the horrid events that took place during episode two, the curtains open with the team in major distress, but at least safe. Depending on your choices throughout the series, characters may or may not be present, but nevertheless, you quickly find out that someone’s been stealing supplies from the camp. Better yet, you find out that this someone has been dealing with the ugly bandits you’ve come to know and hate. Events quickly turn south after the aforementioned thieves overthrow the motel, and as you can imagine, your party is in dire need of answers that eventually come through some of the most gut-wrenching sequences yet.

Without spoiling the major events that stack-up throughout Long Road Ahead, we can confirm, and admire, the fact that whereas episode two revolved around more surprises and “WTF” moments, the third installment focuses on Lee and the squad’s desperation that nearly overthrows them on. Surprisingly, though, fewer surprises equal more action, which compliments the narrative excellently. One moment that that totally through us off guard was the motel shootout. Instead of finding interactive ways to take down the bandits, you simply pull out your scoped sniper rifle and pick apart the foes while your friends dash for safety in the camper. It seems simply enough, but it’s such a nice change of pace from the first two episodes and deserves praise.

The sequences we alluded to above are truly Long Road Ahead’s most appetizing feature. By now you’ve invested in these characters (if you haven’t, you’re not playing the game right), whether or not you truly care about them, and as trouble increases and those characters are no more, you begin to honestly sit back and tell yourself that this is only game. You become so enthroned to what’s to come, praying for good but expecting the worst, that every corner has you on the edge of your seat. It may sound cliché but Long Road Ahead is a pivotal example of what games can do and be for people.

With that being said, there are some notable bugs in Long Road Ahead that may leave some bothersome through this emotional thrill ride. A few times we found ourselves glitching through the environment, through objects, and eventually having to restart from our last save because of these bugs. These issues don’t detract from the overall experience, but they’re still noticeable and can somewhat of a pause in your emotional state.

As our three hour experience came to its horrifying, yet oh so satisfying conclusion, we couldn’t help but sit and playback all that had just transpired. If you thought things couldn’t get worse in The Walking Dead, you’re horribly mistaken; and if you thought Telltale couldn’t top its previous two entries, you’re also mistaken. Long Road Ahead, plain and simple, is one of this year’s hottest titles, which is an accomplishment in and of itself being a 400 MSP arcade title. Zombies, emotional disaster, and death are back and for Walking Dead fans, that’s exactly what you want to hear. 

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: The Walking Dead Episode 3: Long Road Ahead review

Legends of Pegasus review

Other than humans, there are two other playable alien races; the tech hungry X’or and the ancient Arthrox.  There are campaigns for each of the three species as well as options to just skirmish in long, time consuming matches like any other popular turn based game.  I enjoy the concepts of Legends of Pegasus; A space themed turn based game with RTS style fights sounds enjoyable, much like a Total War game, but in space instead.  While I definitely like the concept of LoP, the execution didn’t come off as smoothly.    

While I’m all for complexity in video games, I also want an explanation of that complexity.  On top of that, I want a reward for understanding the meta and a payoff for the complexity.  In Legends of Pegasus, I never felt that.  While the tutorial or early missions spoon feed you simple tasks, I still don’t feel like I fully understand what I’m doing.  I love when strategy games implement culture and people, which LoP does , but I didn’t fully understand the purpose of it, though I get that culture makes your people happy so you want to find that balance.  In a game where you have to put hours into a single match or level, having a bunch of questions always makes me feel insecure about what I’m doing.

The 4x map navigation can be sluggish at times but once you get a hang of the shortcuts, navigation becomes much simpler.  There is a lot going on with the screen and without fully understanding every button the game gives off the feeling of being overwhelming.

As a dedicated RTS player, I found the most fun to be in combat.  While the battles did not require a large amount of micro, certain strategies were super effective vs. the AI.  My main tactic was to get my entire fleet to focus fire certain ships and just have my own vessels move back when their shields got low to cycle back in when ready.  In these types of games I usually find the infrastructure elements to be the most enjoyable, but in LoP that award goes to the combat.             

On a technical level, I’ve run into a few snares as well.  I’ve just randomly dropped from my game so many times and then had auto save issues on top of that; it’s rather frustrating.  The combination of these two issues has made my ability to progress in the game far more difficult.  Replaying through the first human level / tutorial gets frustrating after the second time. 

In conclusion, I feel like Legends of Pegasus has a ton of potential but was either released too early or the game just wasn’t fully polished yet.  I always want games to come out when they say they are but if a game has to be pushed back for quality control, I'm all for that.  A bad launch can completely ruin a potentially good game.  The foundation is there, I think it’s still possible that if some major updates were to occur soon that the game could be salvaged.  As it stands though, the game is somewhat of a mess, though the developers are patching it and (hopefully) making it better.

Via: Legends of Pegasus review

Intel Extreme Masters Guangzhou canceled due to political unrest in China

Intel Exteme Masters Guangzhou, or IEM Guangzhou for short, a popular yearly stop on the IEM circuit has been cancelled. This cancellation comes as a result of the cancellation of the hosting event, the Anime Comics and Games Convention, which is held yearly in Guangzhou similar to PAX here in the US. This cancellation is unfortunate as qualifiers for the event are still in full swing - but considering they are being compensated for already booked travel and board, no harm no foul. This event was set to host a League of Legends and StarCraft II tournament - and its sad really, as last year's Guangzhou was one of the highlights of 2011. There are no plans to reschedule this event.

Michal Bilcharz, director of this pro gaming event, issued the following statement:

We were all looking forward to going to China yet again as last year's tournament in Guangzhou, at the same venue, was a great success for us. Fans from all over the world surely remember Greg "IdrA" Fields' successful run through the tournament as well as the first ever encounter between Western League of Legends teams and their Chinese counterparts.

We are terribly sorry to disappoint esports fans that were expecting to enjoy the event, especially all Chinese esports fans. Unfortunately, the circumstances that forced the cancellation upon us were entirely beyond our control, though we understand and respect the decisions made by the Anime Comics and Games organizers.

Despite this setback, we are working very hard on delivering more fantastic events for esports fans around the world. We will soon announce more Intel Extreme Masters tournaments, including another one in Asia

The cancellation of this event comes after political unrest in China against Japanese culture in general (due to territorial disuputes, if you're unfamiliar with the situation) - unrest that's included riots against many popular Japanese stores. Officials of the hosting convention were worried that the same could happen there, and thus, with no home IEM was also forced to cancel their event. No word yet on the effect on the IEM circuit as a whole, but we'll keep you posted as we find out more on the situation.

Dustin Steiner is GameZone's eSports Correspondent! Follow him on Twitter @VGHC_Deitis and check out Video Gaming Hard Corps, where he is a local tournament organizer for the S. FL. Fighting Game Community.

Via: Intel Extreme Masters Guangzhou canceled due to political unrest in China

Castle Crashers launches next week on Steam

It may have taken some time, but Castle Crashers is finally landing on Steam. The game, which was revered highly when it launched back in 2010, has gone on to become a favorite among indie and digital download enthusiasts. Now, Castle Crashers will be available to even more folks.

Those of you who download Castle Crashers on Steam will be glad to know that the game will offer online multiplayer, Steam Cloud, and gamepad support. Yay for awesomeness!

Check out the official Castle Crashers Steam page for more info. The game is due out on September 26, and it will be playable on PC and Mac.

Oh, and for those of you complaining about how Castle Crashers is "arriving on the PC too late," quit your whining. Not everyone played the game on consoles! Let those folks who missed out on it before enjoy it on the PC and Mac!

[The Behemoth]

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Castle Crashers launches next week on Steam

Rigonauts review

Each of the levels tasks you with customizing your ship and doing battle with your oppressors. You have access to a variety of tools such as tires, wood, bones, cannons, and guns. The cool thing about Rigonauts is that you can't just slap some guns on your ship and call it a day. You need to place your weapons in spots that will be effective. If your ship tips over during battle, the placement of a few cannons can decide whether you defeat an equally (or much more heavily) armed ship.

Battles are automated, so you never actually have direct control over what pans out once you customize your ship. You can select a few targets to focus your attacks on, but when you start a battle, you basically watch your Hobs blast away, all the while getting blasted themselves. It's fun seeing the little ships taking each other on, and while I initially scoffed at this gameplay design, I soon realized that Rigonauts wouldn't really work the way it was intended if you could control your ship's movement.

Battles get tougher as you progress, and as your enemies get stronger, you need to customize as effective of a ship as possible. Because you have limited modifications every time, you need to experiment with your ship designs. Unfortunately, later levels have a high reliance on trial-and-error. Needless to say, it can get frustrating trying to redesign your ship and failing to find something that works against the barrage of cannonballs your enemies are firing at you. Rigonauts is physics-based, so you never know what's going to happen. One moment you can lose a battle because your ship tipped over, only to try again with that same ship and come out on top. Some players will find this element comical, while others may find it frustrating.

You receive star rankings after successfully completing levels. The less parts you use on a ship, the higher your rank. Rigonauts keeps track of the stars you've earned, and in order to progress to later levels, you need to accrue a set number of stars. This poses a bit of an issue because you're then forced to create smaller ships for battle. Not only can this make each level unnecessarily tough to complete, but it takes away from the novel building aspect of Rigonauts.

Unfortunately, unpredictable physics and ranking limitations aren't the only flaws this game suffers from. Customizing your ship is handled with the computer mouse, but oftentimes, the controls are a bit unresponsive and finicky. Having to move pieces around to create your ideal ship is important, so it's a shame that this aspect of the game is flawed. Additionally, while there are plenty of levels, nothing ever really changes. Yes, you ultimately encounter multiple enemies with stronger tower-like ships, but you're essentially experiencing the exact same formula without any nuances the entire time.

Rigonauts is a game suited for mobile platforms. As an iOS and Android title, I can totally see this game succeeding. But as a $10 game on the PC, it's just a bit too pricey. The building mechanics and simple artistic charm are tailor made for what should be a mobile time sink. It's hard to justify a purchase on the PC, because even though the game is fun a lot of the time, there are too many hindrances keeping it down. When Rigonauts lands on mobile devices, though, I would definitely suggest you check it out then.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Rigonauts review

Splice review

In Splice, you're tasked with taking cells and forming them into a preset structure. You know exactly what your cells need to look like because the outline is apparent throughout. You simply need to align the cells and fill in the outline. Except it's never that simple. Splice challenges you by requiring you to arrange cells in a limited number of turns. It isn't long before the game throws cells that can duplicate and split themselves up, and by arranging them in different orders, you can get a number of varying results.

Splice is a game about patience. If you think you can just breeze through every puzzle, you'll be sorely disappointed the moment the game has you scratching your head out of sheer confusion. But that's exactly the kind of game this is. You're going to stare at the screen wondering what to do next. You're not going to solve every puzzle with your first attempt every time. You're going to be challenged, and when you finally figure out how to split cells up and where to place the multiple strands, you're going to get this amazing feeling of utmost satisfaction, because that's the kind of game this is.

For every challenge and frustration that Splice throws your way in its 70+ stages, there's an equal reward and satisfaction once you realize you've cleared a puzzle. You can't be afraid to walk away from a puzzle for a few minutes, maybe even a few hours, if it's just too taxing. Return to it at a later time, and you may just figure out the solution. At one point I actually stopped playing Splice for a few days, and when I returned to that tricky and fiendish puzzle that was getting the best of me, I figured it out after a few tries, and it felt great.

Splice is an interesting game because it most certainly won't appeal to everyone. And as far as the gamers who it does appeal to are concerned, you'll find a lot of enjoyment, and possibly an equal amount of frustration in this title. But Splice is a puzzle game; it's supposed to puzzle you. Splice isn't supposed to go easy on you, and it doesn't. This is a game that requires puzzle game mastery, and if you're up for the task, you're in for a superbly rewarding experience rife with wondrously calming visuals and beautiful sound.

For a bunch of indie game and burrito talk, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Splice review