Review: Runner2 takes the rhythmic action genre to unseen heights of brilliance

From the very moment you hear the game’s title music, you know you’re in for a real spectacle. The grand vibe of Runner2 is only amplified when you hear the narrator say, “I’m Charles Martinet, and now it’s time for Bit.Trip Presents... Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien.” Those few words from the legendary voice of Mario set the stage for an incredible journey through magnificent worlds riddled with treacherous obstacles and appropriately scored with unforgettable music.

The first few levels of Runner2 do an excellent job of teaching you the basics of jumping and sliding, but it doesn’t take long for the game to ramp up the challenge. Before you know it you’ll be kicking down destructible walls, blocking incoming objects, and even dancing. There’s literally no room for error. Everything you do has a purpose, and a rewarding level of difficulty is plentiful throughout the experience. The game actually manages to get better the more you play with absolutely no dull moments to be found. Sometimes you have to jump over enemies, while other times you're required to slide under them. Later in the game, you’re tasked with sliding and then immediately kicking down a wall. Of course, you can’t stop to breathe because after kicking said wall, you need to jump repeatedly over some fiendishly placed baddies.

Performing all of these actions increases your score, but even if you’re not battling for the top spot in the online leaderboards, Runner2 graces you with a myriad of ways to have fun. Gold is scattered across every stage, and collecting everything can become quite the daunting task, especially in later levels. It’s not uncommon to replay stages multiple times as you learn the layout and exact position of gold bars. This is just one of the many incentives that accompany revisiting each of the colorful lands in Runner2. If you collect all of the gold in any given stage, you can then shoot your character out of a cannon. Hitting the bull’s eye awards you a perfect+ rank, so if you’re up for the challenge and don’t want to settle for a regular ol’ perfect rank, you can chase these coveted badges of honor.

Certain stages in Runner2 unlock bonus characters for you to play as if you feel like giving CommanderVideo a break. Aside from gold bars, you’ll come across treasure chests that unlock alternate outfits for your crew of intergalactic heroes. Oftentimes, these treasure chests can only be reached by taking alternate routes. These paths are usually more difficult and are decorated with far more obstacles than the normal routes. Hidden throughout many of the levels are special cartridges that grant you access to retro levels that are among the toughest in the game. If and when you inevitably fail a retro level, you’ll be glad to know that you can access it immediately without having to seek out the cartridge again in the main level.

Runner2 presents you with a world map, though progression is still fairly linear for the most part. That said, there are a few wrinkles thrown in for good measure. A handful of levels have alternate exits that open up new areas on the map. Additionally, certain levels are locked and require a specific number of gold bars to gain access to them. There’s also a special “key vault” level in each world that rewards you with said key. This key can then be used to open up locked areas within stages in that particular world, giving you access to alternate routes and treasure chests. The sheer amount of content and variety is enjoyably vast, and the game constantly invites you to revisit older levels.

Like previous Bit.Trip games, the soundtrack in Runner2 is impressive and catchy. This is some of the best music in the series, with themes that range from purposely quirky to undeniably grand. Every one of your actions affects the music, so whenever you collect a gold bar, slide under an enemy, block a projectile, or jump over a pitfall, you’re treated to a new beat in the music. Songs start off quite calm, but as you get to the more challenging sequences, the music drastically changes and becomes a rhythmic harmony of artful sound that’s just amazing to listen to.

Gaijin went in an entirely different graphical direction with Runner2, but that’s not a bad thing at all. This is a new chapter for CommanderVideo, and the art style reflects that. Our hero’s adventure is decorated with brilliant use of color, breathtaking backgrounds, and awe-inspiring landmarks. Whether you’re running through the heavenly Welkin Wonderland, touring the tropical Emerald Brine, or traversing the forests of the Supernature, you’re constantly treated to some wonderfully atmospheric scenery. Sure, you can’t always focus on all of it on account of the game’s frantic speed and high challenge, but those moments when you do get a clear glimpse of the world around your character are astonishingly absorbing.

It’ll take you about six hours to get to the end of Runner2, though you can add some extra time if you want to collect all of the gold bars in each stage. There are also three different difficulty settings that change the obstacle layout depending on whether you opt to take it easy or really challenge yourself. The awesome thing about the difficulty settings is that you can select the one you desire before starting any specific stage, so you have the freedom to chase a higher challenge as you see fit. If you’re hoping to get perfect+ scores on easy, medium, and hard, you’re in for a lengthy and worthwhile experience. You’re looking at a total of 100 levels plus 25 retro stages, all of which just beg to be revisited over and over again. As far as the Wii U version goes, there’s nothing in the way of extra content, but you can play the game in its entirety directly on the GamePad.

Runner2 is a one of the greatest games to come along in recent memory and a flawless victory in game design. Gaijin has effectively raised the bar for what the running man genre is all about, and it has taken the Bit.Trip series to even greater heights, reaching a plateau of prestige that only few have visited before. The incredulous leap of Runner2 from the first Runner is comparable to that of Super Mario Bros. 3 from the original Super Mario Bros. Yes, this game is that extraordinarily stupendous and evokes that same level of baffling wonder. Regardless of whether or not you played the first game, you owe it to yourself to be left in stupefied awe at the pure brilliance of Runner2.

[Reviewed on Nintendo Wii U]

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Via: Review: Runner2 takes the rhythmic action genre to unseen heights of brilliance

Thomas Was Alone finds company on PS3 and PS Vita

The successful indie puzzle-platformer Thomas Was Alone will find a new audience soon on PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.

Self-published developer Curve Studios, which made the Fluidity games, is adapting the indie title for the platforms.

"Last summer, Mike Bithell’s indie platformer Thomas Was Alone took the world by storm," wrote the studio on its website. "It was received with high praise from both critics and players, and has since received a BAFTA nomination for its heartwarming story of friendship and jumping. Now we’re delighted to announce that we’ve been working on bringing Thomas’s adventures, as well as a brand new story across 20 never-before-seen levels, to PS3 and PS Vita."

The new level pack is called Benjamin's Flight, which is debuting exclusively on Sony's two systems. "Join the impetuous Benjamin in his quest to unearth a great secret during the events leading up to Thomas’s emergence, and take control of a new, mysterious ability," wrote the studio. "We think it’s the most fun ability yet, and you might be able to guess at its nature from the level pack’s name ..."

The game's creator, Mike Bithell, announced early this month that he was leaving Bossa Studios and becoming "a full indie." He said that Thomas Was Alone had done well on PC and Mac — "not miraculously well, not FTL well, but kind of well enough."

Bithell wrote on his Tumblr that the reason for the downloadable content's exclusivity was "because, in all honesty, they couldn’t have happened without Sony’s help. They’ll be coming to PC/Mac down the river, but I can’t give exact dates yet (mainly because I’ve not worked it out yet)."

This is certainly good news for the PlayStation Vita, which is struggling to adopt games to its platform.

Follow @wita on Twitter.

Via: Thomas Was Alone finds company on PS3 and PS Vita

Retro City Rampage dev says its best-selling platform was a surprise

Retro City Rampage has released on PC and a number of consoles since its debut in October last year. Where the indie action-adventure game did best, though, might come as a surprise.

Designer Brian Provinciano said that despite releases on Xbox Live Arcade, Steam, and other platforms, the PlayStation Network provided the most sales. He encouraged people to give the Vita, in particular, a chance.

"Indies should definitely jump onto the PS Vita," he tweeted. "RCR's sold much more on PSN than XBLA and more on PS Vita than even PS3."

Clarifying, he tweeted, "This doesn't include PS Plus. It's SOLD far more on PSN than XBLA. With PS Plus, there are a bajillion more copies out there."

Provinciano also mentioned that the game did better on Steam than even XBLA. In addition, he praised Sony and Nintendo as being friendly to indies. (The game comes to WiiWare tomorrow.)

"Sony promoted the game incredibly well, and Vita players are hungry for games! Make them more!"

Indie developers have criticized Microsoft in the past for its treatment of them, but it looks like Sony and Nintendo — as they reach out to smaller gamemakers — are coming out ahead.

Follow @wita on Twitter.

[via Joystiq]

Via: Retro City Rampage dev says its best-selling platform was a surprise

Review: Oozi: Earth Adventure is a fun throwback to platformers like Earthworm Jim and Ristar

Platformer fans will notice plenty of familiar elements in Oozi. A lot of the time, the game requires you to perfectly time jumps as you climb vines, traverse moving platforms, and avoid hazards. Additionally, there’s a great deal of pattern memorization. Enemies move a bit sluggishly, but because they’re often grouped together, overcoming them and making your way around other elemental obstacles can be pleasantly tricky. Speaking of enemies, there isn’t too much variety in this department. While a few of the alien creatures you come across can’t be touched, most of them are easily disposed of with a stomp on the head.

Each of the game’s four worlds throws a boss fight at you. Like so many action games from previous console generations, these battles are based entirely around attack pattern memorization (and three hit points). While these ordeals are generally challenging, they can be a bit frustrating. This is due to how slow-paced they are -- bosses take their time dishing out offense, so if you fail at one of these encounters, expect to deal with the obnoxious length until you clear the stage and claim victory.

There are a total of 20 levels in Oozi, not counting boss battles. It’ll take you about five hours to get through the game, but there’s plenty to do to keep you occupied for much longer. Collectible stars are strewn about each of the game’s stages, and finding these requires a bit of exploration off the beaten path. Grabbing these trinkets unlocks objective-based challenge levels for you to sink more time into. The idea of exploring the world of Oozi is okay at first, but I grew bored of it halfway through the game due to the long nature of the levels.

Graphically, this is a really pretty adventure. Levels consist of bright colors and pleasing backgrounds. Sadly, there’s not much variety within each of the worlds, so you can expect to see a lot of the same themes for long stretches of time. That one gripe aside, Oozi is just a really nice game to look at. It should also be noted that the main character has a goofy grin and distant look on his face reminiscent of just how silly platformers used to be. As far as the music is concerned, it’s also pretty fun to listen to, but it loops a bit too often and gets repetitive fast.

Oozi is a great attempt at providing an entertaining alien land to jump around in and explore. It’s not without its flaws, but this game delivers some wholesome gameplay that’s just a heck of a lot of fun. A little more variety and some shorter stages could’ve made for a much more enjoyable experience, but there’s no denying that the fun factor in this intergalactic platformer ranks pretty high.  This isn’t the next big 2D platformer, but it’s still worth playing if you’re a fan of the genre. It’s especially worthwhile if you grew up on these types of games back in the days of the Genesis, where Oozi would’ve felt right at home alongside titles like Ristar and Earthworm Jim.

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Review: Oozi: Earth Adventure is a fun throwback to platformers like Earthworm Jim and Ristar

Next-gen Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still happening

Pressured for new details about Beyond Good & Evil 2, a next-gen project, Ubisoft chief executive officer Yves Guillemot confirmed "it's coming."

He told Kotaku, "I don't give comments anymore on BG&E2 because I think ... the next time next time we communicate we have to have something new."

GoNintendo has uncovered a CV listing for Ubisoft's ex-level designer Mathieu Audrain that suggests the game may be in development for Wii U as well as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Given the company's leading involvement with Nintendo's new console, this makes sense.

Beyond Good & Evil 2 has been in the works for several years.

Follow @wita on Twitter.

Via: Next-gen Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still happening

Runner 2 out on Wii U, Steam today, XBLA tomorrow, PSN next month

The return of CommanderVideo began today as Bit.Trip Presents... Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien made its way to the Wii U eShop and Steam. It's not often that a Nintendo download is available on a day other than Thursday, but this is Bit.Trip -- the exception most certainly makes sense.

Xbox 360 owners will have to wait a day to play the game. Sadly, that version seems to be the weakest of the bunch, so if you've got a choice, you may want to stick with the game on the Wii U or PC.

As far as the PlayStation Network edition of Runner2 is concerned, PlayStation 3 owners will have to wait until about March 5 (at the earliest) to play. Vita fans have an even longer wait ahead of them, as do iOS fans -- those versions of Gaijin's running man title will not be playable until this summer.

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Runner 2 out on Wii U, Steam today, XBLA tomorrow, PSN next month

New Dollar Dash screens show off burglar party gameplay

Publisher Kalypso Media and developer Candygun Games are gearing up for the launch of Dollar Dash, the party game where robbing banks and your pals is key to success. In preparation for the game's upcoming launch on Xbox Live Arcade and PC, some new screens have been released.

Dollar Dash will feature 18 maps for you to burgle in and three different multiplayer modes. You'll be able to equip weapons and power-ups to blow your foes up and get that much-needed edge over your equally greedy competition.

You can download Dollar Dash starting March 6 on Xbox Live Arcade and PC. The PlayStation Network version of the game is set to release soon afterward.

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: New Dollar Dash screens show off burglar party gameplay

Twin-stick shooter P-3 Biotic is $1 for the next few days on IndieGameStand

If  you're looking for an arcade-style twin-stick shooter to play, you may want to check out P-3 Biotic from developer BatCat Games. You can currently snag the game for $1 on IndieGameStand, which is all kinds of rad.

Beating the average payment will get you P-3 Biotic along with its soundtrack. Of course, if you're feeling generous, you can pay $10 and receive P-3 Biotic, Adventure Apes and the Mayan Mystery, and the next IndieGameStand deal.

As its charity of choice, BatCat has decided to support Electronic Frontier Foundation. Ten percent of all proceeds from this campaign will go to that organization.

[IndieGameStand]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Twin-stick shooter P-3 Biotic is $1 for the next few days on IndieGameStand

Gaijin Games reveals Runner 2 technical differences across all platforms

Bit.Trip Presents ... Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien is set to launch next week, and developer Gaijin Games has released some info on each of the different versions. The studio covered the technical differences of the game on the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U, and it definitely seems like these differences set the games apart qualitatively.

First off, the PC version will allow you to update the game regularly if Gaijin releases any fixes. That said, depending on how awesome your hardware is, you'll either reap the benefits of a good gaming rig or suffer from a drop in technical quality. Also, the game's on sale the first week on Steam, which is certainly nice.

As far as consoles go, the Xbox 360  iteration of Runner 2 seems to be the weakest of the bunch, mostly because it suffers from the slowest load times. The PlayStation 3 version will not have strong depth of field or shadow filtering, but the game's colors will pop more and the quality as a whole will be sharper. Runner 2 on the Wii U is probably the most interesting of the four. First off, you can play the game entirely on the GamePad, which is convenient. Additionally, the console's larger memory allows for faster load times.

So, which version of Runner 2 will you be downloading?

[Runner 2 Dev Blog]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Gaijin Games reveals Runner 2 technical differences across all platforms

Edmund McMillen describes Mew-Genics as a 'cat lady' game

Indie developer extraordinaire Edmund McMillen has revealed some beefy info on his upcoming project Mew-Genics. According to the designer, the game can be best described as a "cat lady" simulator. Well, kind of. It's actually more than that, but if you were to strip a description of the game down to its barest form, that would be an appropriate way to do so.

After reading McMillen's post, it certainly seems like raising cats and watching them do cat stuff is a big part of the experience. There's a lot more to it than that, though -- at least that's what it seems like after reading a short narrative by McMillen himself.

In this brief tale, the dev talks about grooming and breeding cats for a pageant; locking up a pregnant female cat in an attic; giving a poor little feline AIDS; and something about a cryo-cube. Yup, put all that together with McMillen's previous statement that Mew-Genics is "a cross between The Sims and Pokemon with a sprinkling of Animal Crossing and a dash of Tamagotchi," and you've got quite the intriguing indie title.

Currently, Mew-Genics doesn't have an exact launch date, but we do know that the game is headed to PC, iOS, Android, and possibly other platforms.

[EdmundM]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Edmund McMillen describes Mew-Genics as a 'cat lady' game

Wadget Eye Games announces The Blackwell Epiphany

Developer Wadget Eye Games has become notorious for its Blackwell series of adventure games. These titles deal with death and communication with otherworldly spirits, and they star a strong cast of characters and deliver interesting plot developments. Wadget Eye has announced that it is currently working on the fifth game in the series, The Blackwell Epiphany.

Lead designer and Wadget Eye boss Dave Gilbert has shared some details regarding the upcoming entry in the stellar adventure franchise, and it seems like fans have a lot to look forward to. First off, Blackwell Epiphany will tackle a lot of the series' previously unanswered questions in an attempt to move the story forward in as strong a manner as possible.

In addition to story progression, Blackwell Epiphany will be a much darker game than its predecessors, which you could argue are pretty damn dark already. The experience will also be longer, though Gilbert didn't reveal too much about that considering the game isn't very far off in development.

The Blackwell games are very old school in their point-and-click adventure game design, but they never feel archaic in any way. They also tell some really great stories, so the fact that we're getting a brand new title is most definitely exciting news.

[Indie Statik]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Wadget Eye Games announces The Blackwell Epiphany

Weekly wrap-up: Dude, PS4, yo!

It's safe to say that the past week was fairly huge for the gaming industry. Aside from getting a worthwhile hack-and-slash adventure in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, we also got the first word on the PlayStation 4 straight from Sony. Whether you're excited or not, it looks like the road to the next generation of consoles is well underway. If you missed anything, be sure to check it all out here. We've got news, reviews, and even speculation regarding the PlayStation 4. It's on now, suckas!

Reviews

The Walking Dead recap and review: 'Home' starts bringing things together

The story of Rick and company continues to develop, and in the latest episode of The Walking Dead we got to see some interesting character and plot growth.

Movie review: Beautiful Creatures ... At least it's better than Twilight

This fantastical romance flick isn't all that special, but it could be worse. Like, it could be Twilight.

Review: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance isn't silent, but it is deadly

Raiden takes center stage in this Metal Gear spin-off and slices his way to victory in what is a mostly enjoyable adventure.

Review: Serious Sam Double D XXL is a gun-stacking, time-traveling, enemy-blasting good time

This 2D take on the adventures of Sam Stone is one hell of a ride from start to finish. Also, fire-breathing kitty cats are both adorable and dastardly.

Review: Oozi: Earth Adventure is a fun throwback to platformers like Earthworm Jim and Ristar

This colorful platformer may not be perfect, but it harks back to some of the coolest titles from the Genesis days.

Movie review: Snitch offers minimum mandatory entertainment

If you're looking for some dumb entertainment, The Rock's latest flick more than delivers the goods ... or rather, the dumb goods.

Movie review: Dark Skies is domestic horror from another world

Sadly, this horror flick doesn't properly capitalize on the idea of otherworldly terrors.

Previews

Preview: Destiny is braving a new world filled with co-op adventure

Bungie has completely unveiled its current project, and it definitely looks like something to watch out for if you're a shooter fan.

GZ Originals

What to expect from tomorrow's PS4 event (realistically)

What predictions did we make regarding the Sony presser earlier this week? Were we correct?

What NOT to expect from tomorrow's PS4 event (a wish list)

What didn't we expect Sony to reveal?

IndieCade East: The indie games you'll be playing next

GameZone checks out the first-ever IndieCade East. What was cracking at the event in New York?

PS4 rumor roundup: Everything (we think) we know about Sony's new console

What can we expect from the PlayStation 4 when it launches in the holiday 2013 season?

Dr. David's Indie Roundup: Serious Sam, Hotline Miami, IndieCade East, and more

GameZone presents the biggest indie game industry stories of the week.

PS4 announced. You're move, Microsoft

Now that Sony's revealed that it's going to release the PlayStation 4, Microsoft needs to get ready to bring the fight.

PS4 details that Sony left shrouded in mystery

Oh, Sony, you secretive little devil, you!

Next Xbox will still play games sometimes

Maybe.

Before we accuse Sony of being sexist, you should hear about G.I.R.L.

GameZone weighs in on the G.I.R.L. scholarship.

The industry responds: a repeating theme to recent gaming layoffs

As we continue to see jobs lost in our industry, you realize you have to be thankful for what you have to even be a part of gaming.

Week in Mobile: Turbolab Pursuit, Shadow Escaper, and a big sequel announcement

What's big in the world of mobile this week? How about a major sequel reveal?

Interview: Random At Best pokes fun at video games

We chat vidya game humor with the dudes of Random At Best.

Deadpool gets his own video game, so why can't these Marvel characters?

Howard the Duck, anyone?

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Weekly wrap-up: Dude, PS4, yo!

Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit hits iOS as Pocket Inferno

Arkedo Studio's hellish downloadable action-platformer Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit has spun off into an action-adventure side-scroller on iOS.

Polm Studios handled the transition to mobile, changing the game into Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno — a transformation not dissimilar to Rayman Jungle Run's. Tapping the left side of the screen jumps while the right side activates your machine gun.

Players can also collect skulls as they plow through levels with predesigned challenges. The game costs 99 cents on the App Store.

Follow @wita on Twitter.

[via Joystiq]

Via: Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit hits iOS as Pocket Inferno

Rainbow Moon getting multiplatform sequel titled Rainbow Skies

Eastasiasoft has announced a sequel to its 2012 old school-inspired RPG romp Rainbow Moon. Titled Rainbow Skies, the game is being developed by SideQuest Studios, the same dev that worked on the previous title.

While details are currently scarce, it's been confirmed that the upcoming RPG will feature an all-new cast of characters and will take place within an entirely different world. That said, the gameplay formula of Rainbow Moon will remain, albeit with a few enhancements.

Among the new features in Rainbow Skies are different combo attacks, treasure hunts, and monster catching. Specific consoles have yet to be announced, but the game will be going multiplatform this time around.

Rainbow Skies is currently scheduled for a late 2014 launch.

[Joystiq]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Rainbow Moon getting multiplatform sequel titled Rainbow Skies

Legend of Grimrock 2 announced, in development

Developer Almost Human has announced that it's started working on Legend of Grimrock 2. The studio was originally planning DLC for the first Legend of Grimrock, but it decided to turn those efforts and ideas into a brand new title.

Almost Human was influenced to shift from DLC to a full game when it realized that a simple expansion would be too limited. Legend of Grimrock 2 will instead be its own game and feature a "big engine update."

No release date has been revealed just yet, but Almost Human will be posting updates on the game's development blog. The original Legend of Grimrock was critically praised. Here's hoping we get another winner with Legend of Grimrock 2.

[Grimrock]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Legend of Grimrock 2 announced, in development

Rumor: Electronic Arts shuts down Visceral Montreal studio

Electronic Arts is on the rampage. Numerous sources report that Los Angeles and Montreal based employees have been laid off. Montreal based Visceral Studios has reportedly been shut down completely, though that has been completely unconfirmed by EA, and is, as of right now, complete speculation.

For those drawing a blank on Visceral, they're the guys who made that 'slightly above-average' Dead Space 3, as well as its much better predecessors, and the upcoming Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel.

An EA representative told Kotaku:

Today EA internally announced some adjustments to select development teams to align staff and skills against priority growth areas, including new technologies and mobile. Many employees are being retrained for new positions; however a small number will be released. These are great, talented people and we wish them well. EA is growing globally, and we expect our headcount to increase this year.

EA Labels President Frank Gibeau has stated:

These are good people and we have offered outplacement services and severance packages to ease their transition to a new job.

Via: Rumor: Electronic Arts shuts down Visceral Montreal studio

Square Enix announces Murdered: Soul Suspect for current consoles and PC, due out in 2014

Well, this is odd. On the same day as Sony's big event where it's expected we'll see the unveiling of the PlayStation 4, Square Enix has decided to announce a new game for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. Murdered: Soul Suspect will "challenge gamers to solve the hardest case of all... their own murder."

Not much is known about the game except that it "takes players into a whole new realm of mystery where the case is personal and the clues just out of reach." Surprisingly, there is no mention of a next-gen console release which is odd considering it is set to release in early 2014. That happens to be the time the PlayStation 4 and next Xbox are expected. Strange, right?

Why Square Enix chose today to announce Murdered: Soul Suspect is beyond me, but it certainly does look interesting. A brief teaser trailer was released which you can view above.

Via: Square Enix announces Murdered: Soul Suspect for current consoles and PC, due out in 2014

Bloody Palace Mode returns to DmC Devil May Cry and Vergil will become playable

Out today, for FREE, DmC Devil May Cry has been updated to include the popular Bloody Palace Mode. This can only be activated once you complete the campaign. In this mode you’ll be able to slash your way through over 100 bonus levels of monsters, demons, and abominations. There will also be five bosses for you to take on in Bloody Palace Mode. To reiterate, this is FREE for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE, and PC.

If that wasn’t a big enough announcement, DmC Devil May Cry also has incoming DLC due out March 5th. In Vergil’s Downfall you’ll be able to as, you guessed it, Vergil. With hours of new gameplay opportunities, four difficulty level, new storyline missions, new weapons, new combos, and new enemies, you’ll have your hands full with this brand new playable character. You’ll be able to pick this up for $9 or 720 Microsoft Points.

Add this DLC to the release of SimCity and Tomb Raider, all coming out March 5th. 

Via: Bloody Palace Mode returns to DmC Devil May Cry and Vergil will become playable

At the Gates will have a boxed edition

The 4X strategy game At the Gates will be receiving a boxed edition after a high demand from their fan base. While several Kickstarter projects are for digital download only, Conifer Games decided to take a more traditional option with At the Gates. While on the topic of their Kickstarter, there are currently 16 days left and the project has been backed. Those who have donated $250 and above will receive a boxed versions of the game along with all other previous stated bonuses.   

The game box itself will be approximately 7.5 inches tall, 5.5 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. This boxed edition will also come with a manual/strategy guide with 100+ pages. Although this guide has yet to be created, it will contain advanced strategies and not simply how to put the game disk in your computer. You’ll also receive autographed photos of all three members of the Conifer team. Oh yea, let's not forget about the CD or DVD copy of all versions of At the Gates in a paper sleeve.

Check out their Kickstarter page to learn more about this project. While you’re at it, check out GameZone’s interview with Conifer Games’ founder and president, Jon Shafer.  

Via: At the Gates will have a boxed edition

Infinite Doodle puts other drawing games to shame

The creators of The Adventures of Shuggy and Gateways have revealed their next title, a drawing application for Xbox 360 and PC.

Smudged Cat Games describes Infinite Doodle as an "experimental 'toy' rather than a serious drawing package." As you can see from the video below, players can endlessly zoom in on a picture and draw within it — going as microscopic as they wish.

"There’s no limit to the amount of detail your creations can contain," reads the press release. "While just scribbling freehand will let your creativity flourish, you can also make use of a range of different tools to help your picture come to life. Draw lines, squares, circles and even stamp fun shapes like the Shuggy characters into your drawing. If you make a mistake there are undo and redo buttons and you can always move, rotate and scale objects that you’ve already drawn."

The Windows PC version is free to download. Infinite Doodle costs 80 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live.

Follow @wita on Twitter.

Via: Infinite Doodle puts other drawing games to shame

Review - Special Forces: Team X is all about guns and glory

As I already mentioned, 'Find Game' allows players to search for matches online. This is where all of the action takes place. Like all multiplayer shooters, matches rely heavily on team-based objectives. As a matter of fact, all game types are team-based. There's your standard Team Deathmatch -- easily the most recognizable game type. Teams are set on a maximum 12 players, and you score points for kills and player-kill bonuses. Interestingly enough, there aren't any specific names given to the two opposing sides, just color coordination.

Hot Zone is a fixed-point-based game where players work to secure a zone. The longer players remain there, the more points you accumulate until they come out victorious. High Value Target (HVT) is like a game of 'Tag, you're it!' The HVT will accrue three points-per-kill for their team, while the remaining players will score two points. The main focus of this game mode is to take out the HVT, netting you those whopping three points and making you the 'hit man.'

Another recognizable game type is Capture the Flag. Like all other CTF games, each team has a flag placed on their home tile. To score a point, you must reach the enemy's flag and rush it back to your home tile. Control Point is probably one of the most played game types in STX. With three control points on the map -- labeled A, B and C -- you and your team must work together to capture these points.

So how does the game play? Well, the controls are solid at best. Aiming, running and performing melee attacks on enemies are pretty basic for the genre. STX is played in a third-person view. In some ways, I feel the third-person view is exactly what this games needs to play right. You need to be on your toes at all times, and having the freedom of moving the camera around to peek down corridors or around corners is crucial in STX -- I can't stress that enough. It’s possible Zombie Studios is a fan of Gears of War; the animation when your character runs seems all too familiar -- crouch-running with the surroundings closing in with just a bit of shaky-cam. It takes getting used to if you aren’t familiar with that style of sprinting, but you can reload while sprinting. This is a nice feature I wish all shooters would implement.

The shooting also holds up pretty well. Each gun has stats on its capabilities for reloading, damage, spread and recoil. I found it best to fire in short bursts to keep my accuracy up. While running and shooting can help you stay alive, the game wants the player to take cover -- a lot of cover. There are objects all around the map to regenerate health, reload or even blind-fire those enemies who won’t stop shooting. (See what I mean about the Gears feeling?) Like I said, this tactic will be your go-to strategy throughout a match.

The battlegrounds selection is unique. It’s made up of three sections, and you and fellow players vote on all sections to construct up the map. The choices can result in numerous combinations. In these maps are item boxes that contain a random special weapon. I once had the pleasure of wielding a chainsaw, allowing me to run around like Leather Face.

The game’s graphics are all cel-shaded, maybe even a little on the comic side in terms of style. Some gamers may not be accepting about the graphical choice, and we can see eye-to-eye on this. If you are used to Borderlands' graphical approach, then by all means, two thumbs up. I, however, am not too fond of the cel-shading. I found myself cross-eyed at times because STX can be fast-paced, and the environment may be too blurry. The environment and character details are negligible. The game is bright, and you can spot your enemy from long distances easily. And yes, there is blood involved, you little heathen. It presents more as a large spatter.

The headshots during the mass firefights have taken the core roots from the Gears series, yet again, but are enjoyable when seen. When hit, you’re left with a lifeless body with flesh dangling! One thing I really enjoyed was the melee attacks; it’s a right haymaker, and bare fists are all you need. Gone are wimpy knives to slice the gut; in it's place are just knuckles to your face. If done directly behind an enemy, the kill-animation is more than satisfying.

My initial opinion was shot down by this well-made game, even though I don’t care for the graphical appearance. It’s a solid shooter that stresses teamwork and guns, with your occasional grenade kills. If you are looking for extreme action regarding automobiles, aircrafts, missiles and turrets, you won’t find it here -- just entirely guns ’n’ glory. And I welcome this with open arms. Special Forces: Team X is absolutely worth a try with friends or just for the pure enjoyment factor.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Review - Special Forces: Team X is all about guns and glory

First-person RPG 3079 available for $1 on IndieGameStand

Indie title 3079 is the latest title available on IndieGameStand, the pay-what-you-want site that lets you score some sweet games for as little as $1. The game comes courtesy of developer Phr00t's Software, which is currently working on a sequel titled 3089.

For $1 you'll get the purposely blocky 3079. Paying over the average will get you that game plus its predecessors 3059 and 3069, as well as a digital game guide. Last, paying a flat fee of $10 means you get 3079, QRTH-PHYL, and the next IndieGameStand deal.

The developer has decided to support Child's Play, so 10 percent of all proceeds from 3079 will go to that charity.

[IndieGameStand]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: First-person RPG 3079 available for $1 on IndieGameStand

A Valley Without Wind 2 hits Steam, bundled with first game

Earlier today, A Valley Without Wind 2 landed on PC and Mac via Steam. The game is available now for a discounted price of $11.24. After launch week, the game will be downloadable for the full $14.99 price tag.

Bundled with A Valley Without Wind 2 is the first game, and if you already own that title, you'll snag this sequel at absolutely no charge. Additionally, the two games will be bundled together from this point on, so if you get one, you'll snag the other.

According to developer Arcen Games, A Valley Without Wind 2 is more of a spiritual successor than a full-blown sequel. The studio took what it learned from its first outing with this franchise, which it admits was "clearly not for everybody," and added some new strategy-based gameplay.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Valley Without Wind, though I felt like its open world design was its own worst enemy. It goes without saying that I definitely plan on giving A Valley Without Wind 2 a look-see.

[Steam via Joystiq]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: A Valley Without Wind 2 hits Steam, bundled with first game

Free Bundle 3 has Ninja Senki, Cube 2, and more (Free, dude!)

The Free Bundle is still going strong, and it's on its third incarnation. This time around, five new games are available for download, and they're being distributed at no cost to you.

The games in the latest Free Bundle are Ninja Senki, Cube 2: Sauerbraten, Uberleben, Armagetron Advanced, and Lyle in Cube Sector. Those are some pretty sweet games, and I can personally vouch for Ninja Senki, which is like a Mega Man fan's wet dream.

Additionally, Vampires! is also downloadable, though it features a $4.99 price tag. The reason for this is due to developer Jan Kavan having some recent issues with a publisher and going through financial woes. If you've got some spare cash and want to purchase the game, you can. If not, you can always spread the word.

Check out the latest Free Bundle and do a little shopping while you're at it. At $0, everything's quite affordable.

[The Free Bundle]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Free Bundle 3 has Ninja Senki, Cube 2, and more (Free, dude!)

Weekly wrap-up: Aliens: Colonial Marines sucks edition

With Sony set to make a big announcement this week, we’ve got a lot to look forward to. That said, let’s take a look back at the last week in gaming, which in terms of content was pretty damn good, too. Well, except for Aliens: Colonial Marines, which we reviewed. So check that out and see exactly why you should never play that game. Or maybe, why you should!

Reviews

The Walking Dead recap and review: 'Suicide King' spins its wheels around some interesting problems

The mid-season premier of The Walking Dead starts off strong, posing some new problems and situations for Rick’s group.

Review: Game over man, Aliens: Colonial Marines falls flat

It’s a shame that this game ended up blowing as much as it did. You know the drill by now: just stay away from this even if you're a fan of the franchise.

Review: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Revolution' DLC sets out to recapture the series' DLC formula

This DLC brings some satisfying new content to Black Ops 2 and gives players another reason to sink even more time into the experience.

Review: After Burner Climax on iOS offers flighty, yet short-lived fun

If you dig aerial combat, you’ll likely get more than a few fun short bursts with this title.

Movie Review: A Good Day to Die Hard, a bad night at the movies

Oh, Bruce Willis, what were you thinking starring in this pile of garbage?

Review - Special Forces: Team X is all about guns and glory

This shooter is simple, satisfying, and sweet, delivering an action-packed experience for FPS fans.

Previews

Preview: Big changes coming to Marvel Heroes

The crafting system is getting in overhaul in this Marvel-themed MMO.

GZ Originals

7 studios we'd like to see develop Zelda on the Wii U

Is The Legend of Zelda in need of some revitalization? Could a new developer bring a fresh new experience to the series?

Launch titles, pls? Games critical to reception of PS4 event

Simply put, it’s essential for Sony to have some great launch titles lined up for the PlayStation 4, so here are a few ideas.

Predicting tomorrow's Nintendo Direct 3DS and Wii U announcements

What did we want to see from Nintendo’s recent video presentation?

What does the Valentine's Day Nintendo Direct announcements mean for gamers?

And what did we actually get?

Interview with Jon Shafer about Conifer Games’ At the Gates

GameZone chats At the Gates with developer Jon Shafer.

Gaming's 5 best love stories

Here are some of the most notable romances in all of gaming.

Why new League of Legends champion Quinn isn't fighting in a bikini

What’s going on with Quinn? We take a look at the latest character update in League of Legends.

Is Aliens: Colonial Marines’ multiplayer worth a second glance?

Honestly, if you already shelled out the cash for this piece of sh*t, you might as well have some fun with the decent multiplayer.

Week in Mobile: DrawQuest, Redneck Revenge, and lots of Pokémon

We take a look at some of the hottest mobile releases. Also, Pokemanz!

Nintendo titles that should have cross-platform play

As mad as this idea may seem, we think Nintendo should totally include cross-platform play in some of its titles.

Five games we'd love to see announced for the PlayStation 4

When the PlayStation 4 gets revealed, what titles should absolutely be confirmed for it?

Interview: Serious Sam Double D XXL dev Nathan Fouts talks fire-breathing cats and pancake monsters

GameZone speaks to Nathan Fouts of Mommy’s Best Games about the upcoming Serious Sam Double D XXL.

Halo 4: Five problems that 343 can improve in Halo 5

Can 343 make Halo better? It sure can, and here are five areas it can address.

Yippie-Ki-Yay: The History of Die Hard Video Games

The latest Die Hard movie may be total ass, but the games were pretty good.

5 things we want Sony to announce, but probably won't, regarding the PS4

Welcome to another edition of “The Things We Want from Sony.” Spoiler alert: This will probably end ugly.

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Weekly wrap-up: Aliens: Colonial Marines sucks edition

Review: Game over man, Aliens: Colonial Marines falls flat

Upon firing the game up, I immediately felt that the guys at Gearbox really care about the Alien franchise. From the overall presentation to the lighting and music, Aliens: Colonial Marines offers that authentic Alien experience. These guys are fans, and they have no intention of ruining the franchise.

I think we can all agree that the big problem in the films is the transition from Aliens to Alien 3. You simply can not go from the all-out action of Aliens to what was presented to us in Alien 3. Oftentimes, when you go as big as they did in Aliens, you have to follow it up with something bigger. Unfortunately, Gearbox's aim to not only replicate the experience, but one-up the Aliens film, eventually leads to the game falling flat.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is designed as a true sequel to Aliens. Taking place after the events of the second film, a new squad of Colonial Marines are sent as part of a search and rescue mission to investigate the U.S.S. Sulaco and locate the missing marines who were dispatched to LV-426. It certainly seems like a premise for a solid sequel, and that's because it is.

From a story standpoint, Aliens: Colonial Marines offers a similar experience to that of the film. The tone of the game matches that in Cameron's film. It's dark, it's gritty, and it's got a real sci-fi kick to it. Unfortunately, some of the characters fall flat. It's hard to fault the game for the many campy lines, as Aliens had its fair share. Unfortunately, it's not just the dialogue; the presentation of your fellow marines is lackluster. It's hard to have any sort of attachment to them because of how emotionless they appear in-game. Even during some of the more intense moments in the story, the characters are dead in the face and don't appear to have any sort of response to what's going on around them. The in-game cinematics are hardly a step up, suffering from frame rate issues and just an overall lack of visual detail.

To its credit, much of the game's faults aren't necessarily with the concept, but rather the execution. From a conceptual standpoint, Colonial Marines certainly hits the mark. As I said, Gearbox perfectly captures the tone and feel of Aliens -- at least in the beginning. There were parts at the beginning of the game where I genuinely felt as though I were playing a sequel. As I navigated the cold, narrow corridors -- motion tracker pulsing in hand -- the thought of being alone as I hunted a single xenomorph through a cocooned room had me on the edge of my seat. 

But somewhere in the early middle-stages of the game -- shortly after crashing on to LV-426 -- the violence ramps up and it seems Gearbox lost their way. Opting for an even bigger sequel, the game leans on heavy encounters with enemies -- both xenomorphs and Weyland-Yutani humans. It stops playing like an Aliens film and instead resembles any other generic first-person shooter. And it's here where the game's faults begin to rear their ugly heads.

It starts with the gameplay. To put it simply, it's just not up to par. The weapon types are spot on, but combat is clunky and generic. Xenomorphs accurately scale walls and ceilings, doing a somewhat-decent job of popping out of the shadows. Unfortunately, once in the open, they are awkward in their movement and animations. Watching them run at you like a baby T-rex becomes more comical than terrifying. Not to mention, there is little reason to fear them. Even on the more difficult settings, the AI logic is flawed. There were numerous glitches in my playthroughs where a xenomorph would just stand in place and wait for me to shoot at them.

It seems that in order to compensate for the lack of intelligence, the damage has been scaled to unforgiving levels. Just a few shots from a Weyland-Yutani Corp. soldier is more likely to incapacitate you than a few swipes from a xenomorph. It not only emasculates the xenomorphs, but results in some very frustrating deaths.

It's not just the combat; the overall gameplay suffers upon landing on LV-426. It's neat to revisit the iconic locations from the Aliens film, and Gearbox should be commended for their amount of research into the backstory. However, LV-426 quickly loses its appeal when you realize every level follows the same format: you running through a linear path, firing at whatever comes your way. The game forgets its Aliens roots and instead becomes a linear, first-person shooter with some xenomorph skins. Even then, many of the encounters are with Weyland-Yutani humans. It becomes easy to forget that you are playing Aliens and not some futuristic Call of Duty. The result is a repetitive shooter void of any unique stature.

Don't get me wrong, gameplay aside, there is still plenty Aliens: Colonial Marines does right. Exploring LV-426, as limited as it may be, is still a neat experience. For fans of the franchise, revisiting these iconic locations will bring back classic memories of the movie. As I mentioned, Gearbox has done a tremendous job with researching the franchise, and it shows in the backstory you uncover through hidden laptops. Hearing Newt talk with her parents, or running into some of the weapons used by the original Colonial Marines, will surely elicit an emotional response from fans the series. Not to mention, there are quite a few twists and surprises thrown in that will likely catch you off-guard. Though I will admit, there wasn't nearly enough power loader combat sequences, and the final encounter is very disappointing.

Following the campaign, Aliens: Colonial Marines does offer a multiplayer component. While not pivotal to the core experience, it does offer some nice replay value. An interesting feature to note is that your character profile is linked between the single-player and multiplayer modes -- meaning any levels you gain in the campaign (and weapon upgrades as a result) will carry over to the multiplayer portion. While the multiplayer is a nice feature, it's also not anything you can't already find in other first-person shooters.

Aliens: Colonial Marines may not have lived up to the hype, but it's far from a bust. Fans of the film franchise will absolutely find joy in the game. After my first playthrough I immediately wanted to watch the films. With that being said, average gamers with no emotional ties to the Alien franchise might want to look elsewhere, as this sort of gameplay can be found in just about any other first-person shooter. I have no doubt that the good folks over at Gearbox are fans of the Alien franchise; it just doesn't necessarily reflect in the gameplay itself. Having said that, this certainly isn't the worst Alien game I've played.

Via: Review: Game over man, Aliens: Colonial Marines falls flat

Indie Royale's Valentine's Bundle includes Serious Sam 3, Oozi, Shad'O, and more

Valentine's Day is known for two things. First, it's known as the day when people spend crazy amounts of money on their loved ones, which is nice. A lesser known detail about Valentine's Day is that it commemorates the death of Bishop Valentine, who, according to ancient texts, was imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately decapitated. Not so nice.

Now, because I'd hate to talk about love and then follow that up with grisly death, I'm going to tell you about the best thing about Valentine's Day: The Valentine's Bundle 2.0 from Indie Royale!

For the next five days, you'll be able to snag a handful of awesome indie games for really cheap. The titles included in the bundle are: Serious Sam 3: BFE, Oozi: Earth Adventure, Shad'O, Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time, Lunnye Devitsy 2013, and Wake 2013. That's over 15 bucks worth of games that you can currently snag for less than $6 on the pay-what-you-want site. Additionally, if you pay $8, you'll also get the Slipstream Volume 2 album. Suh-weet!

So yeah, check out the Valentine's Bundle, and please try to forget all that stuff I said about Bishop Valentine. That's just gruesome ... Yay video games!

[Indie Royale]

Want to talk about indie games, Kirby, or cheap pizza? Follow me on Twitter @dr_davidsanchez.

Via: Indie Royale's Valentine's Bundle includes Serious Sam 3, Oozi, Shad'O, and more

Review: Who put Gears of War in my Dead Space 3?!

First, it’s important to note that Dead Space 3 is functionally sound and is definitely a decent game mechanically, but it’s not what I wanted from Dead Space. Dead Space 3 plays more like Gears of War in the Dead Space universe. If that’s something you’re interested in, by all means, I welcome you to enjoy the game with all your heart. But for those of us who really wanted a scary game that made us feel like survivors, this may not be the game we were hoping for.

Dead Space 3 stars Isaac Clarke of the previous games. Once a lowly engineer, Isaac is apparently a soldier now. In the previous games, Isaac was tossed into hostile situations that would prove lethal for nearly anyone, but through the will to survive, ingenuity and a ton of good luck, Isaac lives. Really, he just barely survives. Oh, and it’s horrific, hence SURVIVAL HORROR. Yet in Dead Space 3, Isaac is recruited by a battalion to essentially be a soldier on a rescue mission. I was scratching my head a bit as this unfolded, and I suspect many will do the same.

To be fair, Isaac has nothing to lose anyway. His good gal is gone, his other gal may gone be too, and he’s behind on rent. And I’m not kidding about that last part. The game’s narrative escalates very quickly, tossing the over-stressed, gray-haired Issac into the mix. Isaac has nothing to lose, but as a player, it’s hard to feel like there’s much to gain as the beginning stumbles in its brisk sprint.

The first enemies you fight as Isaac are humans. Better yet, they’re militarized unitologists, which are like scientologists in space. I’m not certain why these religious fanatics are soldiers, but if Isaac the engineer can be a soldier, I suppose they can be, too.  There’s even a cover button, making the game feel more like a cover shooter than monster game. The game makes no apologies in trading in your trade tools for a sub machine gun. I guess a spade really is a spade anyway, and these hostile Tom Cruisers need to stop jumping on the couch and get taken down a peg.

Necromorphs are the main attraction, though. They’re definitely still around, along with a new mix of undead space baddies. This time around, they’re much, much faster. They’re no longer scary so much as they are overwhelming. I suppose it can be kind of thrilling to have a bunch of speeding beasts chase you down when you’re reloading your plasma cutter, but it’s more often frustrating and disenchanting. The best part of being terrified is knowing you’re in trouble but not knowing where the trouble is coming from, and Dead Space 3 often misses that mark.

Before I get too far into dismantling the efforts of EA’s Visceral Studios, I will say that the gunplay is technically tight and responsive. Ripping off necromorph’s limbs is one of the few returns to glory that truly delivers. Exploring the vastly expanded gun system is mostly rewarding and fairly fresh. The first and secondary fire of each weapon feels unique, especially with the new weapon modding.

Dead Space 3 features a weapon creation system loosely akin Dead Rising; if the weapons are available, and you can imagine a sick combination, it can be made. Creating combinations like a line tool with a plasma cutter is not exactly advantageous, but feeling out smarter combinations is interesting and mostly enjoyable. Enhancing attachments also help the weapons to be more effective. Upgrading weapons is still done with nodes, but this time around, specific stats require specific nodes -- a surprisingly restrictive change for an otherwise open system.

The new creation weapon system is immersive and mostly well-executed, but not without its frustrations. The interface for upgrades takes some deep exploring to truly understand. Extra parts can be made with found materials, but without being able to deliberately harvest materials, it’s more often that players will stumble upon upgrades rather than work towards them. It also means that many players will likely hold on to resources and punish themselves, though I encourage experimentation, because the game will punish you far less. All in all, the system allows for a very customizable experience.

Oddly enough, ammo works on all weapons. Each weapon has its own conversion rate, but they all share the same ammunition, meaning that players won’t have to adapt to different ammo drops like in previous games. I suppose this is to serve the player and let them master their custom weapons of choice, but again, that really seems to detract from the survival aspect. Ammo is easy to come by, so long as the player stomps every corpse it drops. Essentially, the tension is gone. Even when ammo is low, carrying an upgraded weapon means shots rip through enemies anyhow.

As the story progresses, the game gets wackier and wackier. For all intents and purposes, the delivery is seamless with not even a single beat missed. It’s full throttle all the way, for better or worse. The narrative repeats certain themes seen throughout the series, including dementia, betrayal and Isaac Clarke being EA’s sad clown. While it’s meant to serve as a common, binding thread, the game’s story is often predictable when it’s not overly convoluted. And the repeated points may seem poetic and serve the theme, but sometimes it feels a bit like rehashing and beating bits over our heads.

Along Isaac’s journey, he is joined by John Carver. If you grab a buddy to experience the game with you online, they’ll take the role of Carver. This guy is a part of the group of soldiers that basically blackmail Isaac into helping them out. He’s largely unlikable, despite Visceral’s best efforts to explore his character beyond his archetype. He bullies Isaac around like someone may do to a rookie, despite ISAAC NOT ACTUALLY BEING A SOLDIER. But whatever, I guess he is now.

Carver experiences the story slightly differently than Isaac does. While he’s not really around all that much in the single player campaign, having him around for co-op explores the dementia bit more thoroughly and provides a different perspective. Assuming you enjoy the campaign as a single player event, it’s likely that playing co-op will provide an extended value to the game. It doesn’t toss everything on its head, but it is new enough to be worth exploring. I will say that depending on who you’re playing with, it can cut or raise the terror considerably – hopefully the former, if you’re lucky.

After a dozen and some hours, Isaac’s wacky adventure comes to an end in a disappointing, flat sort of way. When I beat the game, I sighed, “Of course,” and I walked away with no desire of playing it again. Unfortunately, I had to play it again. Again, it’s not that it sucks, but having a middling experience can be the hardest to cope with. The game was well made with high production value and a lot of care, but it didn’t grab me like the previous games had.

So here we are. Isaac is no longer an engineer but a bona fide badass and spiritual member of the Gears of War COG crew. I have no idea whether or not he was able to pay his rent in the end, but honestly, it’s the only thing that does terrify me in this game. Or maybe I’m more scared that Visceral has lost its intentions with the series – I’m not sure. All I know is that while Dead Space 3 is a decent game, it’s not of the same caliber as the second game or certainly the original. Yet though I’m left deflated and disinterested, I expect some people will truly love this game and have a blast. To them, I say congratulations. But for me, I’m done with Dead Space until further notice.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Review: Who put Gears of War in my Dead Space 3?!

Weekly wrap-up: Stacked sandwich edition

Ah, another week has passed by, so that means ... Wait, two weeks have gone by? Well, in that case, expect a lot of reviews, previews, and editorials in this latest edition of GameZone’s weekly wrap-up. This time we take a look at Dead Space 3, Path of Exile, and more. Miss anything over the last couple of weeks? You’ll find it all right here.

Reviews

Review: Euro Truck Simulator 2 is, despite its premise, a fantastically designed sim

If you’re a fan of big trucks — and even if you’re not — this game may be the niche title for you.

Review: Corpse Party: Book of Shadows pens a novel of blood and gore

This rare PSP release is stronger in certain parts than others, but if you’re looking for a horror-themed visual novel, you should definitely give Book of Shadows a look.

Review: The ROCCAT Isku FX will light up your gaming world

Need a gaming keyboard? You really can’t go wrong with the ROCCAT Isku FX.

Stratego Online review: Strategized nostalgia

Stratego Online is exactly what you want out of a mobile board game.

Movie Review: Parker is Cable TV's next hit movie

It may be dumb, but this movie is quite enjoyable if you have your expectations set accordingly.

Review: 10,000,000 is pure addiction in a simple puzzle/RPG format

If you’re searching for an addictive title to sink unknown amounts of time into, look no further.

Review: Cognition: Episode 2: The Wise Monkey rips apart body and soul

The second episode of Cognition is a strong continuation of this awesome adventure series.

Review: Skulls of the Shogun slice and dices its way as one of the premier XBLA titles to date

Skulls of the Shogun is a great strategy game that deserves to be downloaded.

Review: Omerta: City of Gangsters has a great premise but gets repetitive

While the potential was certainly there, this crime sim ultimately falls victim to monotony.

Movie Review: Warm Bodies is the second-best romantic comedy with zombies

Solid horror comedy makes Warm Bodies a fun film to check out.

Movie Review: Bullet to the Head is unironic action, done well

Unlike Arnold’s latest film venture, Bullet to the Head proves that Sylvester Stallone can still kick some ass.

Review: Super Street Fighter Volume 1: New Generation is a treat for fans of the franchise

The world of Street Fighter successfully crosses over into the comic book format, providing a fun (and often funny) read.

Movie review: Don't let these Noobz pwn your wallet

This movie is stupid. And bad. And then stupid again.

Review: Fire Emblem Awakening shines brightly as the 3DS' finest game to date

The tactical RPG franchise from Nintendo returns, and it’s better than ever.

Review: Who put Gears of War in my Dead Space 3?!

Some glaring setbacks keep Dead Space 3 from being particularly good.

Review: Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time will steal your heart (PlayStation 3)

Sly Cooper is back, and he’s just as awesome as he ever was. PS Vita version review

Movie Review: Side Effects may include frustration, followed by pleasant surprise

If you stick with it past its weak opening, Side Effects will provide a worthwhile movie-watching experience.

Movie Review: Identity Thief has an identity crisis

It’s a shame that this movie doesn’t know when to quit.

Review: Hitman HD Trilogy doesn't entirely hit the mark, but still completes the kill

You could argue that there are better compilations out there, but that still doesn’t mean that Hitman HD Trilogy is a bad collection.

Previews

Preview: My one hour(s) with SimCity's addictive beta

Oh, SimCity, why are you so preciously addictive?

Preview: Darkstalkers Resurrection brings online action to two classic fighters

Darkstalkers is back. Well, sort of. Either way, this collection is definitely intriguing.

Preview: Alien vs. Predator: Evolution offers hacking and slashing action as well as vertebrae removal

The lore of Alien vs. Predator will continue in this mobile hack-and-slash title.

Preview: Injustice: Gods Among Us is gritty, sharp and it looks incredible

DC’s finest and baddest look to provide one hell of a fighting game experience.

Preview: You and me Tearaway, we're stuck like glue

If you’re looking for something interesting to play on your Vita, Media Molecule’s Tearaway should definitely be on your list.

Razer Edge Tablet is a portable PC gaming machine

Technically, this gaming tablet is quite impressive. But seriously, that battery life is just sad.

Preview: Killzone: Mercenary aims to deliver a console experience on the Vita

How will the Killzone series fare when it lands on Sony’s handheld?

Preview: God of War: Ascension's single player campaign could be the best we've seen yet

Kratos’ upcoming adventure could very well be one of the best in the series to date.

Preview: Splinter Cell Blacklist channels its inner Assassin's Creed

Taking cues from Ubisoft’s other action-adventure series, the next Splinter Cell could be an awesome thrill ride.

Preview: Surviving The Last of Us

GameZone attempts to live through some of the events in the upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive.

Preview: Terraria on XBLA and PSN will probably take up hundreds of hours of your time

Terraria looks to provide a fun, limitless experience once more, this time for the console gaming crowd.

Preview: Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut revives the 2010 cult classic with some extra content

If you’re even remotely interested in this horror cult classic, now would be the time to get stoked for its upcoming rerelease.

GZ Originals

What did last week's Nintendo Direct mean for gamers?

What do Wii U and 3DS owners have to look forward to in the upcoming months?

Interview: Talking Borderlands 2 with Gearbox's Anthony Burch and Paul Hellquist

We chat with developer Gearbox Software about the awesome Borderlands 2.

Are we becoming the "Pay-to-Win" generation?

What are microtransactions doing to video games and to gaming aficionados?

Free-to-play spotlight: Hawken

We take a look at the entertaining free-to-play title Hawken.

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Bungie's Destiny left out of Activision's 2013 earnings plans

Destiny from developer Bungie may not be launching in 2013 as previously speculated. The game, which is being published by Activision, was set to launch sometime this year, or so it seemed. That may no longer be the case as the company omitted the title from its projected earnings plans for 2013.

"Development also continues on our new ground-breaking project with Bungie," stated Activision Chief Financial Officer Dennis Durkin. "Bungie defined the action-shooter category with Halo, and we feel this project will once again deliver genre-defining innovation. While we don't have a launch date to announce today, we expect to deliver incredible games with unprecedented marketing support for new IP. We look forward to sharing more information on this title in the near future."

An LA Times article published in 2012 revealed that Activision had plans of releasing Destiny during the fall 2013 season. The game was set to appear on Xbox 360, the next Xbox console, PlayStation 3, and PC. While Destiny may indeed still launch this year, nothing is set in stone. Add to that the fact that the project was left out of the earnings call for 2013, and it further seems to indicate that it may not release this year after all.

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Via: Bungie's Destiny left out of Activision's 2013 earnings plans