I’ve always played fighting games for the spectacle, even if not just for it. Skullgirls is high on spectacle, setting standards for the quality of 2D graphics and animation. Every move and attack is making good on the promises games like Blaz Blue made but never fulfilled. This 1920s inspired dystopia presents its own twist on the anime style visuals we've come to know and comes with an overly sexualized female cast... offencive and welcomed at the same time.
Gameplay in Skullgirls is solid, if not new. Reverge Labs re-engineered what they knew worked into a game that blends some of the most successful mechanics in previous 2D fighters. The result is very satisfying and allows for layers of complexity that will have both the inexperienced and the hardcore with things to learn and play around with.
Being a cross-bred child of several fighting successes from the past, it's hard not to define Skullgirls by comparison. What you're getting into is a game with a lot of attack variety, speedy land and air movement as well as team mechanics that extend character abilities or compensate for their weaknesses. I'd likely compare it to a restrained version of Guilty Gear with optional team battles and bigger move arsenals.
It'd be a mistake to think this is an entirely derivative experience. The tutorials in the game, for instance, are the best I’ve seen in the genre. They succeed because of their great pacing and because they allow players to learn foundational fighting game concepts that have never been directly addressed by a game before. Not all areas are covered but even then the game is way ahead of the competition and comes across as both accessible and complex.
Are there downsides? Sure. There are some parts of the game that are just not there: things like move lists, in-depth training mode options and a bigger roster. The content and quality well surpasses the price tag and patches are in the works to fix some of the most glaring omissions.
Even with the limitations of rapidly shrinking budgets, post launch support has been stellar. The folks at Reverge Labs interact with the fanbase and involve them on decisions about upcoming patches. This is a product that you feel good supporting, not only because of its quality but also because of the people behind it.
Final Thoughts
Skullgirls is the intersection of craftsmanship and some of the most notorious minds in the fighting game scene. It’s a blast to play and watch for players new and old. Most importantly, it has managed to carve something new out of refining and improving upon what came before. If you are at all intrigued, you should buy this. I meant now.
When I first started to play Limbo I wasn't sure what to expect. Reputed to be one of the best and most commercially successful indie games of all time, it had a lot to live up to. Vaguely aware of the game's art style due to stills on gaming websites, I loaded it up, but was completely unprepared for the game that came up before me. Because what stills of the game and reviews fail to encapsulate, is how much of the appeal and experience of Limbo lies in the atmosphere created by the animation and sound (or lack thereof). On the surface, Limbo is standard platformer, pretty much as simple as they come. There is nothing in the way of story within the game itself; Playdead only gave the game the tagline: Unsure of his sister’s fate, a boy enters the unknown. But it is this simplicity and ambiguity wherein lies the genius of Limbo.
On starting a new game the screen transitions from black to a dark forest in which the boy lies. The graphics are in greyscale, images in the forefront and background are out of focus, only the playable area is sharp. The screen flickers like an old black and white movie but nothing happens. I waited for my player to move, or for some indication that the game had begun, but until I pressed one of the arrow keys, the boy remained flat on his back. Upon hitting the key, the boy's eyes light up and he slowly got to his feet before waiting again for my command. This was the first indication that Limbo was not the usual spoon feeding game, that would offer instructions and hints in order to help the player solve a puzzle. The game required the player from the first instance to be proactive and learn how to control the boy themselves.
The boy's first challenge is climbing off of a tree trunk. It is completely simple, requiring only that he drops or jumps down close to the edge so he lands safely on the sloping ground below. From the top of the tree trunk it is impossible to see the ground and requires the boy to make a leap of faith. If the boy takes a running jump off of the trunk he will fall to his death, teaching the player early on in the game that being overly confident and taking action without thinking will get them nowhere. The player continues with care and trepidation, adding to the tense atmosphere instilled by the soundtrack.
It is difficult to underestimate how eerie a game without sound can be. The sound of footsteps, the rustle of trees, the crack of bones: this is Limbo's soundtrack, at least in the earlier stages of the game. The distinct absence of sound in the initial stages, makes the louder sounds in the later levels all the more significant. The violent snap of the animal traps sent me flying about a foot in the air and shocked my system with adrenaline.
By now, the reader has probably sensed a strong sense of fear from this reviewer. This is due to the fact that (bear in mind I am a massive fan of the survival horror genre) Limbo is the most terrifying game I have ever played. The boy stumbles across dead bodies in cages, floating in pools of water and littered on the ground. Seeing the spider creep silently behind you as you run away is far more affecting than any overproduced megaboss with frantic music of a Triple A title along the lines of the Legend of Zelda, Metroid and selected bosses of the Metal Gear series. The other boy figures who attack the player with dart guns and swinging traps make the outdoor area feel like Lord of the Flies without the cheery beginning, giving the game very sinister overtones.
The boy never gains any skills or power-ups, in this way the gameplay is very pure. Like other popular indie title Super Meat Boy, the difficulty of the game increases as new mechanics are introduced in each level. The boy must learn to time jumps, destroy body-possessing brain slugs and use anti-gravity switches in order to progress. There are stages in which the whole level move and rotates (once in semi-darkness) which require great concentration on the players part, other levels which require different switches to be pressed quickly in order for the boy to reach the next level. The gameplay is innovative and the controls easy to use, with only two buttons: jump and action. Taking everything back to basics allows Limbo to offer something original and atmospheric. The game doesn't last very long, you will finish it in a couple of hours, but if you are looking for something a little bit different and whole lot of dark I urge you to give Limbo a look.
A welcome less-'Serious' & over the top shooter in the age of gritty realism:
In "The First Encounter" Sam "Serious" Stone had to battle his way through vast hordes of enemies to prevent alien races from taking over the universe. As this is a direct continuation the story follows the same path however so does the gameplay.
Largely "The Second Encounter" is exactly like the first in the series just with a new environment and a couple of extra weapons and enemies so going into the game thinking there will be a whole lot more will leave you disappointed. I however was expecting exactly what I got and it definitely was not a bad thing.
The game starts with Sam crash landing in South America, conveniently close to the object he is now trying to obtain. The player is stripped of all weaponry collected in the first game which makes sense seeing as there will be players who start with this game and it is the beginning of a new part of the story. What didn't make sense to me was how the game reintroduced about half the arsenal within the first couple of stages along with three new weapons. Although the armoury felt more complete with a chainsaw, flame-thrower and sniper rifle to use, the pacing that the game used for their distribution felt rushed.
As ever Serious Sam does not hold back and throws everything it can at you right from the off however within the opening minutes you'll be facing enemies which weren't introduced until much later in the first game. This may be the reasoning behind including so many weapons in the very early stages of the game but it may be a little overwhelming to newcomers. With those two points out the way, alongside the old enemies are an array of new ones including chainsaw pumpkin men, alien soldiers and winged demons. This new cast of cretins adds a small but welcome variety to the enemy ranks waiting to get blown to pieces.
There are three scenarios throughout the game, South America, Persia and Medieval. Each has a unique look and different level layouts which is a lovely contrast to playing through a mostly yellow coloured campaign in the shape of Egypt from the first game.
An annoying feature is that you lose all collected weaponry at the beginning of each scenario, not just the first one. And each time you are quickly re-introduced to the lovely collection you had to leave behind. Again, it makes little sense to me.
In terms of core gameplay, it is largely the same as the first game but with different level structures. Puzzles are still no more complex than "find button, push button, kill an army equivalent to the population of the Earth and continue" but the game uses them well. The boss encounters are a lot more exciting than simply fighting another horde of enemies as this time three main bosses are included, one for the end of each scenario. Although they largely follow the same structure in terms of how to kill them, it felt good to have a finale style battle.
In terms of multiplayer, "The Second Encounter" includes a co-op mode and a death-match mode, which return from the first game, as well as a new survival mode. I managed to play all three this time around, if only for a short while however, I did gain an opinion on all three.
The cooperative model is the one people have hyped up for me. It allows for up to 16 players to battle side by side through the games campaign missions with unlimited re-spawns and what I visualised as full-on carnage. Sadly, I was disappointed. I paired up with around 5 others and played through a level midway through the game however with the firepower of 6 people it was ridiculously easy, let alone 16. I can see how people may find a thrill to having that many people play at one time against a mass onslaught however winning isn't fun if it's too easy and there is practically no way to lose.
There is a version of the co-op campaign which limits the team to three lives per level which means players actually have to be careful. This provides a much more tense and fun experience in my opinion.
The deathmatch mode was fun from what I played however I got booted from every game for playing the game as it's meant to be played; get kills, don't die. That aside, the arenas were nicely designed and the "Quake" style of play worked well. There are several other game modes however deathmatch was the only one with players.
The last mode, survival, was the most fun I had outside the solo campaign. It is very similar to Horde mode from the Gears series or the Firefight mode from the Halo series however instead of multiple waves there is one never-ending one with timed enemy spawns. It was great fun to play, shooting everything in sight until you simply couldn't hold them back anymore. After you die, your time of death is logged and counts as your score. This provides a contrast to the L4D survival in which team time is awarded.
Overall I enjoyed the multiplayer aspects of the game but I personally feel a greater sense of achievement if I beat something really difficult on my own and when there is a way to lose.
I can imagine playing all of the different modes would be fantastic if playing with people you know as it always adds a greater element of fun than playing with or against random people.
Although it has flaws, "Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter" was ab enjoyable experience. I'd have to recommend it over "The First Encounter" as it's practically the same game with simply more stuff added. The new enemies, weapons, power-ups and some truly wonderful secrets compliment the new campaigns to provide an intense, full-on old school fps.
For those who played the originals, you already know what the games are like, however, if you didn't get a chance to play it back in the day (like myself), give this remake a go. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Developer: Croteam
Publisher: Devolver Digital & CDV Software Entertainment
Publisher: Devolver Digital & CDV Software Entertainment
Platforms: Steam (reviewed) & Xbox 360
Genre: FPS
Release Date: 24 November 2009
Price: £6.99
In today's market it is fairly unusual to find a first person shooter which doesn't try to overload the player with a "meaningful" story line, a more realistic experience or numerous customization options for practically anything the player can think of. "Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter" is an exception which takes the player back to a time where the rule was "shoot everything you see, no exceptions" and although this doesn't take much thought it provides a fun and oddly refreshing experience. "The First Encounter" is set in Egypt with the plot revolving around collecting elements in order to travel back in time, a truly flawless storyline! Though the game may be lacking in the narrative department it makes up for it with the intense, non-stop gameplay which requires the player to stay focused if they want to stay alive.
Staying alive provides a challenge with the game launching wave after wave of enemy forces at every turn. Enemies consist of horse-like skeleton creatures, soldiers with saw blades for heads, giant walking robotic brains with laser cannons, scorpions with machine guns and headless kamikaze soldiers, who comically scream as they charge towards you, and this is only naming a few.
Sam is however well equipped to take on the variety of ludicrous enemies with an equally varied arsenal including shotguns, machine guns, lasers, canons and rocket launchers. Though there is about sixteen weapons in the game I found myself sticking to about four, with the others becoming more and more redundant as the game progressed. A lack of ammunition wasn't a problem for me however I can see it causing issues on the harder difficulties in the game.
The game, however simple it may be, is most definitely not easy. The continuous bombardment from every direction requires quick reflexes so the player doesn't get overloaded by enemies who can deal fairly large chunks of damage at a time. Trying to deal with enemies as soon as they spawn is the best plan of attack however they spawn so frequently that the player can often be overrun. On a couple of occasions I found myself being literally thrown around by countless charging bull type enemies leading to my inevitable death.
"The First Encounter" seems to have a fairly even difficulty curve by which I mean it starts by sending multiple enemies at you and ends by throwing everything including the kitchen sink. However this onslaught or enemies can be tackles in a group of up to 16 players in co-operative play and although I didn't get to try this feature due to no-one being online, I can imagine it being amazingly good fun.
The game takes most elements back to root level with health and armour packs dotted around each level as opposed to health regeneration found in most fps games today. Level layouts are largely liner with any tasks simply requiring the player to push buttons or find a key in order to progress. The fast paced "shoot on sight" gameplay takes centre stage however it does run the risk or feeling largely repetitive. Impatient gamers shouldn't be put of by this though as the game is one that you can simply dive in and out of at will.
By the midway stage in the game the player will have seen practically ever enemy the game has to offer which does get boring, creating the feeling that you're merely fighting clones. Waves of enemies can become tiring when locked in a room or arena to do battle with the same enemy for minutes on end. However this is a HD remake much can be forgiven.
The visuals in the game are impressive, especially when you look back to the original, which has not aged well, it shows what a good job the developers have done. Everything now looks bright, crisp and colourful which is exactly what you want from a HD remake.
Serious Sam The First Encounter (2001)
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter (2009)
As with the co-operative play, I was unable to play the deathmatch mode due to lack of online users so I can't really comment on it. I imagine it would be very like unreal tournament or quake online and if the opportunity arises I'll definitely give it a go.
As a newcomer to the series I would recommend "Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter". The old-school gameplay provides a solid adrenaline fuelled experience and though it is very simplistic and short in comparison to modern fps games it definitely holds its own. If you are looking for relentless action or simply just want to shoot things until they explode "Serious Sam" will deliver.
Saturday, March 10, 2012Michael JohnsonNo comments
Earlier this week, rumours were floating around, about Valve announcing a next-gen console to compete with the Wii U and Next Gen Playstation and Xbox. The marketing director of Valve, Doug Lombardi put these rumours to rest yesterday, confirming Valve aren't developing any hardware in the near future.
Kotaku columnist, Stephen Totilo, interviewed Doug about the possibilities of Valve ever making a Steam based hardware.
Totilo: "What you're saying is, there's definitely nothing coming any time soon,
nothing at GDC or E3, but what you're not ruling out is the possibility
that, hey, maybe some day Valve would make hardware,"
Will Valve ever enter the console market? And will they succeed? It's not an impossibility though it appears very implausible at this time with no Steam based hardware due in the near future.
Saturday, March 10, 2012Michael JohnsonNo comments
The ever so friendly Gabe Newell seems to be worth a fair bit these days according to Forbes. Newell, co-founder and managing director of Valve Corporation is estimated to have a net worth of $1.5 billion. Forbes has ranked Newell as the 854th richest person in the world.
Newell couldn't have achieved so much if it wasn't for his extremely successful video game company Valve Corporation. Which last year skyrocketed. Valve's digital distribution platform Steam doubled sales for the seventh year in a row. As well as hitting 40 million users. Valve's big release last year, Portal 2, sold four million copies world wide in the first four months. Valve Corporation is now expected to be worth over $3 billion dollars.
Valve has started to see increasing competition with Steam's main competitor being EA's Origin service, which has received a lot of flak from the community, and other services such as Good old Games, Direct-2-Drive and Desura. Digital distribution is becoming more and more popular in recent years with advances in internet technology resulting in faster speeds, making downloading multiple gigabyte games less tedious.
Now if only Mr. Newell would reveal when Half Life 3 will be released.
You know, at times it’s a curious thing being a classic gamer. I get a little excited any time a game is announced that opts to nix the third dimension - it is, after all, a pretty uncommon event these days. I’ll admit to you that it doesn't generally matter what the game is, either; if it takes place on a 2D plane, it’s got my full attention. So while I fancy myself some kind of gaming purist (retro-whore is probably more accurate), in truth it’s a very rare game indeed that manages to blow me away completely. Rayman Origins is that game.
Now, Rayman Origins is a whole lot of things, but one thing it’s not is anything new. If you’ve played a 16-bit platformer, you’re going to feel right at home. You run, you jump (and shoot), and that’s it. You do this for 60-odd levels. Sounds like an exercise in repetition, but the genius of the design ensures your experience is anything but. The game plays like a mix of the best elements from Genesis classics Sonic the Hedgehog and Dynamite Headdy, a little bit of Super Mario Bros., and “the other SMB”, Super Meat Boy. I don’t intend to make it sound derivative, but rather emphasize the kind of pedigree we’re dealing with here.
Rayman can walk, run, punch in the four cardinal directions, shrink (altering attack properties), catch ledges, bounce, float, swing, run along walls or ceilings, swim, and even pilot a giant mosquito. By the latter half of the game, you’ll be utilizing all of his abilities to make it to the end of each stage. If that all sounds overwhelming, rest assured it couldn’t be simpler – the entire game is played with two face buttons (for jump and punch), with the right shoulder buttons dedicated to running, which keeps your thumb from working too hard. With a smooth difficulty curve, you’ll be mastering all of Rayman’s abilities in no time. And it’s a good thing too, because this game is no pushover. Rayman Origins is a tough little platformer, but unlike the aforementioned Super Meat Boy, its goal is not to be a grueling test of skill and reaction time, but rather a game of options. This is where the sheer brilliance of the level design really becomes apparent, as the layout of each and every stage can be tackled in a variety of ways. While it’s relatively easy to just blow through the game, if you want to master all of its challenges, be prepared to muster all of your platforming skill.
You have a number of basic goals beyond reaching the finish line: There are Lums to collect (the game’s version of coins or rings – if you’re looking to master the game, you’ll want to finish each stage with 350 Lums or more), secret cages to find and times speed runs to beat if you expect to see everything Rayman Origins offers. The time challenges (and special chase stages) in particular are sheer genius and truly showcase the meticulous attention to detail Rayman’s level designers brought to the table. These stages are all about momentum, route planning and precision jumps and attacks, and represent some of the finest platforming sequences I’ve ever experienced. Bring your A-game if you want to complete this one 100% - and trust me when I say your efforts aren’t in vain, as you’ll need to earn enough badges to access the ten treasure chase levels, which in turn will earn you the ten “Skull Teeth”. Collecting all the teeth unlocks the game’s true final level (and boss). The treasure chase and final stage (“Land of the Livid Dead”) are the highlights of Rayman Origins, so while they’re optional, please consider them mandatory. You won’t regret it. As if the rock-solid platforming weren’t enough, Rayman Origins masquerades as a shooter from time to time. One of the most pleasant surprises in the early game for me was when I first hopped onto my little mosquito buddy to jet over to the next island. Scrolling shooters (Shmups) are my favourite kind of game so it was a real treat to see another homage to a marginalized (nigh extinct) genre that was once the king of the arcades. While the shooting stages don’t hold up to the best examples in the genre, they break up the action nicely and show, once again, just how brilliant the stage designers are; none of the shooting stages are particularly difficult, but memorization, aim and precision movements are going to be required if you expect to collect enough Lums to nab all the medals. The team responsible for the shooting sections clearly understand the appeal of these games and it shows when you aim for the best possible score by the level’s end.
Boss fights, while sparse (five platforming bosses, two shooting bosses), are all unique, challenging and utterly hilarious. I don’t want to ruin anything here so I’m going to keep things vague but if you've ever dreamt of fighting the horrors of acid reflux in a very literal sense, Rayman Origins has you covered.
As if this just wasn’t enough for Ubisoft and brainchild Michel Ancel, the entire game is playable with up to three other friends (offline only) at the same time. While it won’t be the preferred way to achieve your best times and scores, you’d be crazy to avoid the slap-tastic mayhem playing with friends offers. There are benefits to cooperating, as friends can help you obtain some of the difficult to reach jumbo coins found in each stage, but it’s so much fun slapping your friends around that you’ll be hard pressed to get anyone to settle down and coordinate. Of note, while this mechanic may appear to work much like the cooperative perks in games like Little Big Planet, co-op is not required to obtain all the goodies in the game. With about two-dozen characters to unlock (the vast majority simple re-skins of Rayman/Globox/Teensies), it’s generally very easy to keep track of who is whom on screen. Seriously, if playing with friends doesn’t put a huge goofy grin on your face, you may want to ensure you still have a heart.
What should be obvious to anyone who’s seen screenshots or footage of the game, Rayman Origins is absolutely gorgeous. The completely hand-drawn artwork, simultaneously stunning and bizarre, is executed with as much care as the level designs and represents some of the most consistent art direction I’ve ever seen in a video game. This is a game that proves graphics can indeed make a game better. There are layers upon layers of parallax scrolling, plane changes, an incredible colour palette and crisp, detailed definition between objects and obstacles, all running at a consistent 60 frames per second, with no frame drops or slowdown, even with four players on screen. The UbiArt Framework (the game’s engine) is a technical marvel and deserving of accolades in its own right. While currently proprietary, industry reports indicate Michel Ancel is pushing to make the technology open-source. If he succeeds, all of us will benefit. Seriously folks, unless the Wii is your only means of playing this game, I beg you to purchase this one on PS3 or Xbox 360. Playing the game in standard definition would be a borderline tragedy.
What no screenshot will show you is just another dimension of the game that deserves mention -if not an entirely separate article: The soundtrack. As bizarre and beautiful as the visuals, Rayman Origins’ audio experience is absolutely sublime. Peppered with adorable, helium-infused vocals, the score is a masterful blend of Country, Big Band, Jazz, Hawaiian and Rock, if they all met up at their local auditorium backed with a full symphony. It’s whimsical-but-epic, glorious-but-understated. It brings me to my only noteworthy gripe: There is no sound test option. A score this exceptional stands on its own and it’s a shame it isn’t possible to enjoy the individual tracks without having to fire up the game and hop into a given level. Of course, when the gameplay is this much fun, it’s hard to sell that as anything but a superficial niggle.
Rayman Origins is a bonafide masterpiece. A package so loaded with content and so immaculately presented that I can’t help but gush over its sheer magnificence. Gameplay and controls have been honed to a razor’s edge. The stages present incredible variety, both in terms of level design and scenery, as well as methods for gamers to tackle the challenges. Multiplayer, collectibles and unlockables offer fantastic replay value, and the visual and audio designers have managed to elevate an expertly crafted game into a sublime orgy of platforming bliss.
Buy it, play it, love it. Rayman Origins is not only one of the best games released in 2011, but is perhaps the finest example of the Platformer genre ever created. I’m not willing to label anything as perfect, but this is as close as it gets.
It may look quite disturbing but the gameplay is fantastic...
It is very rare that a game initially intended as a week-long project will gain so much interest that it becomes a hit. However that is exactly what happened when Edmund McMillen, of Super Meat Boy fame, and Florian Himsl teamed up for a game jamming session in place of the former going on vacation. The result became what is now "The Binding of Isaac", a unique roguelike dungeon shooter with a premise of the game based on a story from the Hebrew bible.
The opening cut-scene to the game follows this eerie tale with Isaac's mother being told to sacrifice Isaac to prove her love to God. After watching his mother accept this command, Isaac finds a previously hidden trap door leading to the basement where many monstrosities await.
This is where the game begins and the player is able to experience the game in all its glory. Using W, S, A, D to move and the arrow keys to shoot tears (your starting weapon) the player must navigate Isaac, a crying, naked boy, through multiple rooms in a style very similar to the original "Legend of Zelda" dungeons. However as well as having multiple rooms, there are multiple floors. The player may progress down to the next floor after defeating a boss on the floor they are currently on.
The game can seem very difficult at first however once a player gets used to how the game works in terms of items it becomes much more manageable. On most floors there is an item room, a shop room and on every floor the is a secret room which may contain items which aid the player. Passive items will permanently increase a stat such as hearts or improving speed while activated items give the player the ability to use a special attack in accordance to the item picked up. This attack can be used whenever the player wants and will recharge over time. Other items which can be picked up are pills and tarot cards. Their features vary and can sometimes be harmful to the played meaning they are not as useful as the other items mentioned. They are also one time use items and cannot be recharged.
Gaining access into rooms containing these items does come at a price. The core collectables on each floor consists of keys which grant access through locked doors, bombs which can destroy the environment and coins which can be used to purchase items from the shop rooms.These three collectables are vital as they are needed to gain entry in to the previously mentioned rooms by either unlocking doors or blowing up walls.
The game boasts 132 different items some of which have different effects not only in terms of attacks or stats but also in terms of appearance, for example picking up the "PHD" item will result in Isaac wearing a doctors mask or picking up a coat hanger will result in a coat hanger through the head. Though is not an essential part of the game, it creates a desire to see what every item does to the appearance of Isaac.
Another great feature is the vast number of enemies and bosses with unique attacking styles. There are easily enough enemies to keep the game interesting, even after multiple play-throughs and boss fights are always interesting as there is no way of knowing which boss you will face until you gain access to the boss room.
The game is pleasing on both the eyes and the ears with the visual style being very cartoony and containing dark humour. The music score is composed by Danny Baranowsky (Super Meat Boy) and is superbly done capturing the right mood with every track.
The element of surprise is a key feature in the game as everything is randomly generated for each play through meaning that no run will be the same.
With the range of items to collect and enemies and bosses to witness the game will keep a dedicated player busy for a surprising number of hours. On top of the collectables there are also unlockables, in the form of extra characters and bosses, and achievements (through steam). I myself have managed to log over 35 hours playing and although I have completed the game, I still haven't found every item. It was one of the few games I have became truly addicted to when I first played it and not many games have that effect on me.
Spending 35 hours of time playing a flash game is something I never thought I would do so it's a credit to the creators for making a game which has never felt boring to me. The game can be very difficult when first playing; I guarantee you will die in it. Although this can be frustrating it as the game uses a perma-death system, it's simply a case of the more you play the better you'll get.
I could say much more about the game however I feel experiencing the game would be more beneficial. For those interested in buying the game it is currently avalible on Mac and PC for £3.99 through steam and I believe it is worth every penny.
I personally rate it as one of my top games of 2011 so if anyone is on the fence about purchasing the game I recommend it without a second thought.
Double Fine Studio (creators of Pyschonauts, Brutal Legends and Costume Quest) have created a kickstart project called Double Fine Adventure. If you haven't heard of kickstart before here alittle run down on what kickstart is. Kickstart is a site that helps small companies start off, giving them a kick start if you will. Helping them get on there feet and make a profit. This is done by people of the public donating towards these companies. All funds earned from the Double Fine Adventure will go directly to a classic point-and-click adventure game.
You are probably thinking why would I donate to a game company that has made successful games like Pyschonauts. If you donate $15 or more you will get a beta access to the game before release and a free copy of the game on steam. If you donate more you also get greater rewards. Posters, Special Thanks in the credits and One of the biggest rewards was Lunch with Tim Schafer and Ron Gilbert, a tour of the Double Fine offices. Though you had to donate $10,000 and someone has already gotten that reward.
The company has had this running for just over a week so far and have earned $1,909,055 which is 4 times as much as they wanted in the first place ($400,000). The Goal was reached just over 8 hours into the kickstart event. It now hold the record of the most money earned on kickstart.
Tim Schafer with an Update
In a recent update Tim Schafer has announced that the game will be made for PC, Mac and Linux. It will have a closed beta which will be ran through steam for everyone backer.
Last week (8/02/2012) terrible news came in through on twitter about Adam Adamowicz losing his battle to cancer at the young age of 44. Many of you may not know who he is but Adam was a concept artist for Bethesda Game Studio. He worked on some outstanding titles like Fallout 3 and The Elders Scroll V: Skyrim.
A co-worker of Adam's said in a blog about his death "He was full of life. Always drawing, always creating, and always the most entertaining person in the room. He was insanely creative. He made instant friends. He made those around
him happier. He was the person everyone wanted to work with and hang
out with. He made everyone laugh. He was the person you know that
everyone loves."
Nobody quite knows what type of cancer he had. All that is known is that the cancer is typically only formed as a child and is extremely rare. Sadly he's death was overshadowed by Whintey Houston (Nothing against Whintey it's just a shame Adam didn't get much notice too)
It's always sad when somebody dies and a young death is even more tragical.
Shigeru Miyamoto spoke to Official
Nintendo Magazine of the UK and revealed that he is hard at work on
Pikmin 3 for the Nintendo Wii U.
"Originally, I was making Pikmin 3 to be
launched on the Wii platform," Miyamoto told Entertainment Weekly.
"Because the Wii U is capable of HD quality pictures, and will be
accompanied by the subscreen on your hand. I thought that I would be
able to make a Pikmin that was closer to my ideal. I am now actually enjoying myself, working on the game." Stated Mr. Miyamoto. It will be quite interesting to see what the legendary Miyamoto can produce with the Wii U controller. Only time will tell.
Mojang's creating a game from scratch for Humble Bundle. They have one weekend to create a full game. The pay what you want feature is how this one works as well. Pay $1 or $1,000,000 for the game that they create and choose what charity get the money. EFF, Child's Play, charity: water and American Red Cross are the charity.
GAME RELEASE OF THE WEEK
UK Weekly releases
Date:
Game Title:
Platforms:
February 15th 2012
Warp
PSN/XBLA
February 16th 2012
Alan Wake
Steam
February 17th 2012
Tekken 3D Prime Edition
3DS
February 17th 2012
UFC Undisputed 3
PS3/360
AUS Weekly Releases
Date:
Game Title:
Platforms:
February 16th 2012
Alan Wake
Steam
February 16th 2012
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
PS3/360
February 16th 2012
UFC Undisputed 3
PS3/360
Note these lists don't contain every game release this week. I didn't think the new moshi monster games would interest you guys/girls. If by some chance you do, I am sorry.
Sunday, December 11, 2011Michael JohnsonNo comments
Spike VGA Summary & Awards
It's that time of the year December is upon us
award shows are coming out of our ears and the Video Game Awards (VGA) have
come and gone. The wacky over the top award show that barely even focuses on
the awards half the time is over. Did you completely forget it was on? Did you
just have no idea it even existed? Well have no fear we have a write up of the
whole show world exclusives, all the awards and all the weird and wacko things
in-between
The Humble Indie Bundles (Humble Bundles) are a series of bundled DRM-free multi-platform games, that were sold at a 'pay what you want' price point. The proceeds are split between the indie developers, two gaming related charities (Child's Play and EFF) and Humble Inc, which pays for the bandwidth and development of the promotion.
The first Humble Indie Bundle went on sale from May 4 through May 11,
2010 and included five games initially including: World of Goo, Aquaria and Gish.
The bundle went on to achieve more than US$1 million in sales within the week from
approximately 116,000 donations.
The current bundle on offer is the Humble Voxatron Debut bundle which includes the alpha version of Voxatron, a 3D retro blended shooter and two other fantastic games: The Binding of Isaac and Blocks That Matter.
What is the problem with the general English speaking population when it comes to Japanese games? More often than not, it seems to be the language barrier.
Most gamers don't need an introduction to Minecraft, it's one of the most popular sandbox/building games on PC. Terraria is a similar game that plays in two dimensions instead of three. Though it does differ in some key areas.
The graphics are a throwback
to the 16 Bit generation with games like Mario, Sonic and Bomberman.
