Friday, April 12, 2013
A quick check-in!
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Alright, so I know I haven't been updating nearly as often
as I have been.
Sorry about that, but I do have my reasons -- I’m deep in
the middle of editing my book (the deadline is the end of this month and I can
feel it breathing down my neck!) and when I'm not doing that, Monster Hunter 3:
Ultimate has been consuming my every free moment, of which there have been
precious few.
So, please forgive the lack of new content here. ^_^
In terms of the near future, I'm expecting updates to remain
slow until the beginning of May when my workload will lighten up a bit... however,
I'm currently prepping a series of testimonials from people who are Monster Hunter fans.
That should go up next week.
I'm also going to Undead Labs tomorrow to get a hands-on
with State of Decay for XBLA. You might have remembered I mentioned it here at
the blog a few times, and it's one of my most-anticipated games of 2013. I'll
have some preview coverage just as soon as I can get it written.
In the meantime, you can check out my recent review of
Guacamelee! (which was totally awesome) and please give a listen to the
brand-new, re-launched @Gamecritics Podcast. We've got a fantastic new host and
a new publishing schedule, two things which will be of interest to fans of the
show. And hey, if you're not a fan, listen anyway... you soon will be!
Finally, I've accumulated quite a few PR announcements over
the last week or two. I'm going to post them all down below, so skim through
the titles and see if anything catches your eye.
TTFN!
********************PR/NEWS/INFO********************
Independent adventure game publisher Wadjet Eye Games has
brought their best seller Gemini Rue to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Inspired by the point-and-click classics of Sierra, LucasArts, and Revolution,
this award-winning game combines "old school" adventure gameplay with
gritty, low-res graphics and a gripping neo-noir narrative. Gemini Rue is
currently on sale on the App Store for $3.99 (regularly $4.99): https://itunes.apple.com/app/gemini-rue/id614678683
A Universal App, Gemini Rue runs on iPhone
3GS and above, iPod touch 3G and above, and all iPad models including iPad
Mini.
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We’re pleased to announce that QuakeCon 2013 online pre-registration
is set to open on April 15th! While general admission to QuakeCon remains FREE for
all attendees, when pre-registration opens we will be offering premium
packages. These premium packages are limited and will be available on a
first-come first-serve basis. Pre-registration for QuakeCon will begin Monday, April 15th
at 7:00pm CST/8:00pm EST on http://registration.quakecon.org/.
For more information visit: www.quakecon.org. Images
for the QuakeCon premium packages can be downloaded from this link:https://www.yousendit.com/download/UVJpNWNqQzd0d0VYRHRVag
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Mr. Runner 2: The Masks -- the sequel to the widely
popular Mr. Runner which has more than five million downloads
-- will be arriving on iOS in a couple weeks.
Players are thrust into the comical, unpredictable running
platformer made up of the main character’s dreaming subconscious as he avoids
deadly yet imaginative obstacles to catch an enigmatic figure that holds the
key to his identity. As the crazy cartoon world changes around him his mask
temporarily morphs to resemble pop culture icons, everything from your favorite
super hero to a classic video game figure is likely to appear.
The game will officially launch Wednesday, April 24 on iOS.
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NIS America is thrilled to announce that we have partnered
with ATLUS, a brand of Index Digital Media, Inc., to publish Etrian
Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan throughout Europe this summer. The game
will be available in physical format at retail stores, as well as a digital
download version on the Nintendo eShop. Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the
Titan contains plenty of challenges and gameplay for fans of old school
dungeon-crawling RPGs, exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. A demo which includes
2 dungeons will be available on eShop early this summer leading up to the
game’s release, for those fans who want to get a nice sneak peek of Etrian
Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan!
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Independent game development studio Minority Media announced
today that Papo & Yo, its critically-acclaimed emotional adventure
game, is now available internationally for pre-order on Steam, Amazon and other
PC-based direct download platforms. Starting today through the PC launch on
April 18, 2013, gamers can pre-order the game to receive 10 percent off the
$14.99 purchase price and a free copy of the wildly popular Papo & Yo original
soundtrack (OST).
For the full list of digital distributors, please visit http://www.weareminority.com/blog/pre-order-papo-yo-for-pc and pre-order Papo & Yo today. For more information about Papo & Yo and Minority, visit www.weareminority.com/ or connect with Minority on Twitter: @we_are_minority.
For the full list of digital distributors, please visit http://www.weareminority.com/blog/pre-order-papo-yo-for-pc and pre-order Papo & Yo today. For more information about Papo & Yo and Minority, visit www.weareminority.com/ or connect with Minority on Twitter: @we_are_minority.
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505 Games, a global publisher of video games, today
announced that the block-building smash hit Terraria is headed to thePlayStation®Vita
system (PS Vita). In development by Engine Software, Terraria for PS
Vita will be available in summer 2013.
Originally released in 2011 for the PC by creator/developer
Andrew Spinks' Re-logic studio, Terraria has received universal,
critical acclaim and over 2 million "Terrarians" have struck out on
their own adventures and fallen for it's mix of side-scrolling,
action-adventure gaming and emphasis on crafting and exploration.
For all the latest news and updates on all things Terraria head
over to https://www.facebook.com/TerrariaOfficial or https://twitter.com/Terraria_Logic.
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It's here! After lots of packaging, tweaking, and testing,
we're rolling out the new Torchlight Editor - GUTS.
Torchlight 2 now fully supports Steam Workshop. A new launcher synchronizes any mods you have subscribed to, and lets you customize their activation state and loading priority. In addition, when playing Internet games in the lobby, you will be able to filter modded games by mod combination, and with a single button click, subscribe to those mods. Torchlight 2 will then restart, synchronize them, and activate them before returning you to the game.
New to modding? Here's how to get started with GUTS - the Torchlight Editor wiki that we've been creating. You will definitely want to bookmark this resource! http://docs.runicgames.com/wiki/Getting_Started
Click here for the complete patch notes. http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54098
Torchlight 2 now fully supports Steam Workshop. A new launcher synchronizes any mods you have subscribed to, and lets you customize their activation state and loading priority. In addition, when playing Internet games in the lobby, you will be able to filter modded games by mod combination, and with a single button click, subscribe to those mods. Torchlight 2 will then restart, synchronize them, and activate them before returning you to the game.
New to modding? Here's how to get started with GUTS - the Torchlight Editor wiki that we've been creating. You will definitely want to bookmark this resource! http://docs.runicgames.com/wiki/Getting_Started
Click here for the complete patch notes. http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54098
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Meteor Entertainment, publisher of the much-anticipated
mechanized robot shooter, HAWKEN, has revealed that their advanced
interactive Mech store is officially online - www.playhawken.com/store
The Mech store is the result of weeks of hard work,
late nights, and passionate dedication of the entire METEOR / HAWKEN team
to ensure a seamless and visually spectacular player experience, both within
and outside of the game itself. Visitors to the site will find everything they
need to immediately acquaint themselves with the game and the hardware they
will need to wreak havoc in online warfare.
TO VIEW THE MECH STORE:
Just visit www.playhawken.com/store or point your browser to the www.playhawken.com homepage
and click on the image near the top of the screen labeled “Browse the Online Mech
Catalog – MECH STORE OPEN NOW”
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It's been nearly ten years since the last chapter closed in
the original Shin Megami Tensei® role playing game (RPG) series, but the
long wait is nearly over. Developed by the award-winning ATLUS team, Shin Megami Tensei IV (SMTIV) features
powerful new demons, expansive dungeons, epic story arcs with branching plot
lines, game-altering decision making, and more. Built specifically for the
Nintendo 3DS™ system with optimized graphics, 3-D dungeons, voiced
dialogue, and StreetPass functionality, SMTIV will be a premium title available
this summer.
Shin Megami Tensei IV will be exclusive to the Nintendo
3DS system and sold as a premium title beginning this summer. The game is
expected to receive an M rating from the ESRB, but is not yet rated. More
details will be revealed in the future, with updates on the official SMTIV
website at http://www.atlus.com/smt4.
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ATLUS, a brand of Index Digital Media, Inc. announced Persona 2:
Eternal Punishment is now available for download on the
PlayStation®Network for PlayStation®3, PlayStation®Vita,
and PlayStation®Portable. Presented as a parallel world to the
events that unfolded in Persona®2: Innocent Sin, Persona
2: Eternal Punishment delivers all the gameplay and action from
the original Eternal Punishment title, delivering the missing chapter to fans
to complete the full Persona experience. The title is priced at $9.99.
As in the other Persona titles, players have the option to
fight demons encountered or negotiate with them to earn items, assistance, or
their Arcana cards in order to fuse new Personas and gain access to more
powerful attacks. Additionally the game incorporates a rumor system,
where players collect and exchange rumors throughout the game. Rumors taken to
the Kuzunoha Detective Agency can be spread for a fee, changing the dynamic of
the gameplay to alter storefronts and other gameplay elements.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is rated M for Mature.
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Kalypso Media has released a new single-player demo of Omerta
- City of Gangsters for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system
from Microsoft .
The demo features two levels from the Prohibition-era gangster game that mixes city conquest with turn-based combat and heist planning. Grab the demo to get a taste of Omerta, and see if you can become the ultimate crime lord in 1920’s Atlantic City.
The demo features two levels from the Prohibition-era gangster game that mixes city conquest with turn-based combat and heist planning. Grab the demo to get a taste of Omerta, and see if you can become the ultimate crime lord in 1920’s Atlantic City.
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They say there’s no freedom like the open road, and no
bigger badasses than bikers. Deep Silver is proud to take gamers deep into a
world of bare-knuckle violence, seedy strip clubs, and rip-roaring motorcycles
with the Ride to Hell universe, revving into homes starting June
2013.
Ride to Hell: Retribution tells the story of a lone rider, Jake Conway, a man with either a gun in his hand or a girl on his lap (and on more than one occasion both!). He’s on a merciless path of revenge against a brutal biker gang called The Devil’s Hand, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of deadly weapons to enact his vengeance on foot and on bike. The only law Jake answers to is his own. Hit hard, ride fast and leave 'em in the dust on June 25, 2013, in North America and June 28, 2013, in the rest of the world for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.
Looking to lead your own pack of fearsome bikers? Ride to Hell: Route 666 is just for you, taking the player on a journey to conquer legendary Route 66. Players will recruit and lead a gang of bikers from Chicago to Los Angeles,fighting for every mile of the road using both brain and brawn. Fast paced arcade combat combined with easy to understand tactics – anyone who understands team sports will be able to dive right in to commanding their gang. Get ready to rule the road with Ride to Hell: Route 666 in June 2013 on the PlayStation®Store, Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360 and Steam.
Last, but certainly not least, the Ride to Hell universe will be rounded out with Ride to Hell: Beatdown, a rock’n’roll brawler set to light up the mobile space, on the go! More details on this title will follow soon.
Ride to Hell: Retribution is developed by Eutechnyx, Ride to Hell: Route 666 by Black Forest Games.
For more information about the Ride to Hell universe, please visit one of the following official sites:
Web: http://www.ridetohell.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ridetohellgame
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RideToHellGame
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/deepsilverhq
Ride to Hell: Retribution tells the story of a lone rider, Jake Conway, a man with either a gun in his hand or a girl on his lap (and on more than one occasion both!). He’s on a merciless path of revenge against a brutal biker gang called The Devil’s Hand, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of deadly weapons to enact his vengeance on foot and on bike. The only law Jake answers to is his own. Hit hard, ride fast and leave 'em in the dust on June 25, 2013, in North America and June 28, 2013, in the rest of the world for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.
Looking to lead your own pack of fearsome bikers? Ride to Hell: Route 666 is just for you, taking the player on a journey to conquer legendary Route 66. Players will recruit and lead a gang of bikers from Chicago to Los Angeles,fighting for every mile of the road using both brain and brawn. Fast paced arcade combat combined with easy to understand tactics – anyone who understands team sports will be able to dive right in to commanding their gang. Get ready to rule the road with Ride to Hell: Route 666 in June 2013 on the PlayStation®Store, Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360 and Steam.
Last, but certainly not least, the Ride to Hell universe will be rounded out with Ride to Hell: Beatdown, a rock’n’roll brawler set to light up the mobile space, on the go! More details on this title will follow soon.
Ride to Hell: Retribution is developed by Eutechnyx, Ride to Hell: Route 666 by Black Forest Games.
For more information about the Ride to Hell universe, please visit one of the following official sites:
Web: http://www.ridetohell.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ridetohellgame
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RideToHellGame
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/deepsilverhq
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Independent developer NeocoreGames revealed today a
spectacular new gameplay trailer and screenshots for The Incredible Adventures
of Van Helsing, demonstrating the much anticipated Rage and Power-up
System, whereby players have the ability to tailor skills on the spot. Whether
it is killing foes instantly or freezing them in place, players have an
enormous selection of abilities to take advantage of while they combat twisted
creatures born in secret laboratories.
Watch or download the trailer and check out the latest screenshots here.
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Watch or download the trailer and check out the latest screenshots here.
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Ubisoft® announced its new line-up of digital titles, adding
to the portfolio of games to be released in the coming months.
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon lets players get the girl, kill the bad guys and save the world in a VHS-era vision of the future! As Sergeant Rex Colt, you are part man, part machine, all American. You are a state-of-the art Mark IV cyber-commando on a mission...of vengeance.
Flashback
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Flashback is back in 3D and HD. Updated for the new millennium by its original creator and rendered in 3D by the power of the unreal engine, a new generation of players can now experience a game that helped define sci-fi Action/Adventure games.
Cloudberry Kingdom
Unhappily ever after? That’s how it starts. The Orb resurfaces and the classic characters return. Kobbler with his mania, Princess with her endless boredom. It’s only a matter of time before Bob, our hero, shows up to put order back to madness. Three powers struggle for victory and the fate of Cloudberry Kingdom hangs in the balance.
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon lets players get the girl, kill the bad guys and save the world in a VHS-era vision of the future! As Sergeant Rex Colt, you are part man, part machine, all American. You are a state-of-the art Mark IV cyber-commando on a mission...of vengeance.
Flashback
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Flashback is back in 3D and HD. Updated for the new millennium by its original creator and rendered in 3D by the power of the unreal engine, a new generation of players can now experience a game that helped define sci-fi Action/Adventure games.
Cloudberry Kingdom
Unhappily ever after? That’s how it starts. The Orb resurfaces and the classic characters return. Kobbler with his mania, Princess with her endless boredom. It’s only a matter of time before Bob, our hero, shows up to put order back to madness. Three powers struggle for victory and the fate of Cloudberry Kingdom hangs in the balance.
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Metro: Last Light is a first person shooter and the highly
anticipated sequel to the extraordinary Metro 2033. In the year 2034, a nuclear
war has turned the world into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In Moscow, the
tunnels of the Metro have become a new home for the former inhabitants of the
city. Within the catacombs, they fight for their survival, fending off hordes
of hideous mutants born from the toxic atmosphere, as well as other factions
desperate to take control of what little hospitable land remains. As they
fight, they also search for a doomsday device that could be the key to their
victory. A civil war is inevitable. During these dark hours, the players will
embody Artyom, and become the last light for all of mankind.
Today Metro: Last Light sees an epic bombshell of gameplay
action released as a beefy strategy video guide, Ranger Survival Guide, Chapter
1 is now available. The first of three creature-filled videos to come, the
guide takes you deep under the city and prepares you for the foes you will
meet, the items you will need, and gives sheds some light on the dark,
fascinating story of Metro: Last Light – all cloaked in stealthy action. YouTube: http://youtu.be/pTqqL8QWXP0
For more information please visit: www.enterthemetro.com.
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Posts
I went and read your Guacamelee! review. Good stuff - I enjoyed it as well. Kind of a bummer you didn't get to try the co-op mode. My son and I played for about an hour of it and it was pretty deftly handled. He tried it using our Vita as well as a 2nd controller. Helpful for some of the boss fights, but I liked how one of you could become a 'bubble' and sort of 'stay out of the way'. Useful for some of the harder platforming parts. I think when I reviewed it, I said it took me about 4-5 hours for my first playthrough, but I only explored about 70% of the game I'd guess.