Up late talking games & writing? You're...

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BIG NEWS!!! So, in case you haven’t heard, NISA announced that they’re picking up the third Danganronpa game for US release this fall. Called Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls, it’s a third-person puzzle/action game… 

People who’ve played it tell me it’s awesome, and the past two titles have been pure greatness. GET HYPE!!!

If you’re in the mood for a little linkage, I got you covered.  

For starters, I guest on the @JoshAndJayShow podcast, and we chat about MH4U, Dying Light, Peter Molyneux, and a bunch of other random stuff. These guys put on one of my favorite pods, so give it a shot if you’re not already a fan.

In terms of new reviews, @Gamecritics ran a bunch over the last few days…

>Grow Home by @MikeSuskie

>Citizens of Earth by @JimB_85

>Kalimba by @GC_Danny

>Grey Goo by @Unangbangkay

>Gauntlet by @TayoGC

>Super Mega Baseball by Paul Stuart

>Fantasy Life by @TheGayGamer

>Criminal Girls: Invite Only by @KayinAmoh

>Guilty Gear Xrd –Sign- also by @KayinAmoh

>Rollers of the Realm by…. Me!  ^_^

Moving on to meatier topics, I talked about this on Twitter this morning, but I made a bit of an error… At least, an error in terms of how I usually like to play games.

In general, I don't like to take on more than one "big" thing at a time, and for me right now that's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (which is awesome, so go buy it.) However, I also had a copy of Dying Light (also really great) and after talking to some people, it seemed like I could buzz through the critical path and get it knocked out. BUT, I ended up liking DL a lot more than I thought I would, and I've been doing all the side quests and, uh, greatly increasing my playtime.

In other games news, I want to give a shout-out to Hand of Fate, currently on PS4, Xbox One and PC and handcrafted by Defiant Development in Australia. My full review is coming soonish, but basically the game reminds me a lot of playing Dungeons & Dragons in real life.

As it begins, the player is sitting across from a sinister fortuneteller, and he invites you to play his game. If you agree (and are you really going to say no? I mean, you just dropped $20 on the download…) he deals fancy cards and lays them in various shapes – these cards on the table in front of you make the "dungeon" that you go through.

Each card represents an enemy encounter, a friendly character, a shop, or some other random situation. The player chooses where to go and resolves each one as they come. Some non-combat cards have you relying on luck to choose a correct outcome (do you give the priest 5 food, or not?) and the combat cards transport the player to a small arena to actually fight things out, Arkham Asylum style.

There's a full campaign mode with the ultimate goal of eliminating the fortuneteller’s army before taking on the fortuneteller himself, but there's also an endless mode that works well with the randomized nature of the design. One notable feature is that the player can actually add or take cards away from the deck, customizing what kind of experience is had.

It's not the kind of thing that I binge for hours at a time, but I've been playing a couple of rounds a night, and I think it's pretty fantastic. Also, everyone I've recommended it to has fallen in love with it, but it seems like there are still a number of people out there who haven't heard about this little gem. If playing a card-based semi-roguelike Dungeons & Dragons simulator seems like a thing that might be of interest to you, it comes with my highest possible recommendation. 

Having nothing but a great time with it so far.

******************PR/NEWS/INFO******************

This Dying Light CE is MADNESS.

From NISA:

We are happy to announce that there is a localized logo and new trailer available for Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance, which will be available physically and digitally in North America and Europe in Fall 2015! To view the new trailer, please use the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v3OIa6teUE 

Second, we are also very happy to announce that the sadistically sinister Monokuma is back with Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, which will be making its way to North America and Europe in Fall 2015. This PlayStation®Vita exclusive will . This title will be available as both a physical and digital release. Unlike the first two games, players will take on the role of two heroines, Komaru Naegi and Toko Fukawa, in this action adventure game as they are thrust into a despair-ridden Towa City with one goal—escape. To view the new trailer, please use the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEVxS__Kjkk 

VIDEO: A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMM9IMV7f0A&feature=youtu.be

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VIDEO: Not A Hero

http://goo.gl/1mfoCg

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VIDEO: The Charnel House

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaxVGEdpzc8

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CI Games today announced the official launch date of Lords of the Fallen: Ancient Labyrinth, the long-awaited DLC expansion that builds upon the existing lore, characters, and storyline of action-RPG hit Lords of the Fallen. Check out the video trailer.

Ancient Labyrinth incorporates an all-new storyline set in a long-forgotten library that exists somewhere between the human and demonic realms. With the DLC, players can explore the uncharted wilds of the Labyrinth, discover hidden secrets, and fight never-before-seen enemies with new weapons, shields, and armor, all in the name of destroying the evil that has shattered civilization.  Players can expect the same challenging gameplay as fan-favorite Lords of the Fallen, but with more rewards for playing through multiple times and exploring every dark corner of the Ancient Labyrinth.

Lords of the Fallen: Ancient Labyrinth DLC launches on Steam, Xbox One and PSN Europe on March 3rd and PlayStation 4 in the U.S. on March 4th.

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 Dennaton Games and Devolver Digital have announced that the much-anticipated sequel to the award-winning top-down shooter Hotline Miami will release March 10 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC, Mac, and Linux. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the Digital Special Edition are both available for pre-order now on Steam, GOG, and Humble (http://store.steampowered.com/app/27417).

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is the brutal conclusion to the Hotline Miami saga, set against a backdrop of escalating violence and retribution over spilled blood in the original game. Follow the paths of several distinct factions – each with their own questionable methods and uncertain motivations – as unforeseen consequences intersect and reality once again slips back into a brilliant haze of neon and bloodshed.

Hotline Miami fans can now pre-order to receive 10% off Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the Digital Special Edition that includes the exclusive Hotline Miami 2: Remix EP featuring six select music tracks remixed by M|O|O|N, Scattle and Carpenter Brut.

Dennaton Games and Devolver Digital have also partnered with Overkill Software to introduce exclusive new Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number masks and a “Jacket” character pack for PAYDAY 2 free to owners of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the Digital Special Edition (www.overkillsoftware.com/hotlinemiami2.)

For more information, please visit www.devolverdigital.com or follow @HotlineMiami and @DevolverDigital on Twitter. 

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