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

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Life: If you follow me on Twitter, then you're probably aware that my wife became very ill yesterday and had to be taken to the ER. I know that it's difficult to follow any given story from beginning to end in tweet format, so I just wanted to give a quick update on the whole thing for anyone who was wondering.

Basically, my wife was feeling a little not-so-hot for a while, but we didn't think much of it. Everyone in the family has been recovering from the flu, sinus infection, or some combination of both over the past few weeks, and everyone is running on a pretty nasty sleep deficit. We kind of ignored it at first, but after we ate dinner that night she started having incredibly severe pain. I made an executive decision to get her seen.

Making that choice was basically a no-brainer since she was hurting so badly, but as people who have recently become uninsured due to unaffordable rate increases, we definitely consider the cost of seeking medical help before we actually do. If you ask me, the state of healthcare in the United States is absolutely shameful, and I am of the opinion that private profit is fine, so long as there is a public safety net. Currently, the only safety net in existence is going to the ER, and that's a poor substitute for consistent, prevention- oriented care.

ANYWAY…

Once we got to the ER, it was pretty clear that it was something serious. When the tests came back, the doctors said that surgery would be required, they just weren't sure whether it needed to happen now or later. My son (age 3) and I stayed with her as long as we could, but he started fading after a while, so I took him home to put him to bed.

Although I've never been a person to take life for granted, that night was another reminder of how precariously-perched we all are in our daily lives. Things are only good until they're not, and sometimes, we have no control over what happens. 

Just the day before, everything was as normal and stable as it ever gets, and less than twenty-four hours later, I was faced with wondering what was going to happen to my wife, wondering who was going to care for my child if I went back to work, if I didn't go back to work in order to care for him, how would we afford to live, what would happen if she needed someone to help her recuperate after she got out of the hospital, and so on... although our situation is compounded because we are a single income family and I am a self-employed freelancer, I don't think what I was going through is very different from what anyone else facing a sudden medical emergency would experience.

... And you know what? It was pretty fucking chilling.

Even worse than that was how the situation was affecting our son. Since my wife stays home with him every day, she is his consistency and his rock. Seeing her laid up in a hospital bed had a huge impact on him, and it was awful to see my little man trying to make sense of what was going on. Utterly heartbreaking. 

It seemed like an eternity before we got any hard information, but eventually her test results started coming back with a more positive spin and the doctors started talking about letting her come home as long as she was stable. She continued on that upward trend, and I'm overjoyed to say that we were able to bring her home earlier tonight, and as I write this, she is sleeping soundly and finally getting some badly-needed rest. She will definitely need to have some surgery in the future (and making arrangements for that as an uninsured person is a huge challenge unto itself) but she's good for the moment and I feel like the luckiest man alive to have her back, and the rest of our life along with it.

At this time, I would like to give my most heartfelt thanks to everyone on Twitter who sent messages to my wife and I. We don't have much of a support system locally, but we greatly appreciated knowing that there were people out there, somewhere, who cared. Even getting just a little sentence or two really meant something, so thank you all very much.

Now, since things are back to (relative) normal, I am going to take special pleasure in the fact that I am lucky enough to have the privilege of getting back to this blog’s regularly-scheduled programming...

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Games: A week or two ago, Planets Under Attack was released on XBLA, and no one I knew (including myself) had even heard of it. I gave a demo a whirl, and I thought it was pretty interesting stuff - it's sort of a super-simplified RTS set in space that asks you to dominate each little solar system you come across, or to meet certain requirements like holding a target planet for X number of seconds, wipe out all the opposition, etc.

I'm about halfway or better through the campaign, and although there is one particular type of mission I absolutely despise (Collector missions suuuuuuuuck) it's been a real thumbs-up so far. It's relaxing enough to sit back and chill out while playing, but the missions are challenging enough to keep your brain from zoning out. I also really appreciate that it doesn't really feel like anything I’ve played in a while, and as a fan of different, I am a fan of this.

My full review will be coming soon, but if you're looking for something a little off the beaten path, download the demo and see if it suits you.

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Books: Man-about-town and Aussie thinker @BRKeogh has put out a book that takes a deep-dive into Spec Ops: The Line. 

(For reference, here's my review.)

I haven't had a chance to read it in its entirety yet, but this guy is one sharp dude, and even if I end up disagreeing with some of his points, I will likely emerge enriched from the process.

His work is called ‘Killing Is Harmless" and it's available right here for three dollars. That's right, I said three dollars. If you give a rip about games criticism, skip a latte and support guys like Brendan who are doing the work.

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Links: A bunch of new stuff has gone up over at @Gamecritics…

>Podcast 82: Giving thanks on Thanksgiving, Wreck-It Ralph, and guest host @Shoinan!

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>My review of the Infinity Blade novel, which was actually quite good! If you are a fan of the games, it's a must-read.

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>My review of the latest Mass Effect 3 DLC, Omega. It's a stand-alone mission that doesn't tie into the main story of ME3, and the new partners are good additions to the canon. (Although technically, one isn't new, she's just newly-playable.)

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>My review of Walking Dead, Ep 5 – No Time Left. It wasn't quite the ending that I hoped for, but it wasn't as disastrous as it very easily could have been, either.

…And speaking of Walking Dead, did you know that there is a brand-new iOS game completely unrelated to Telltale’s series? It's called Walking Dead: Assault, and it’s sort of a top-down dungeon-crawl patterned after the comic book. I've only just scratched the surface of it, but it seems pretty solid so far. The pathfinding AI is kind of wonky, but I love the visual style and I'm a fan of these kinds of games in general. 

(Another iOS game to check out? Battle Cats. It's purely insane, yet still a solid game! If you can watch the whole intro and not crack up, you're a stronger person than I am.) 

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>Finally, longtime readers of this blog will know that I have a deep, meaningful affection for the Etrian Odyssey series on DS, and the fourth installment has recently been announced for 3DS. 

I currently do not own the hardware, but I fully intend to buy it just so I can play Etrian 4. Yes, you read that right... this game is my system-seller. If you haven't already seen it, here is the latest trailer for the game, and considering that each of the previous three games has been better than the last, this one should be a real crackerjack. Can’t wait!

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The 25^th Anniversary celebration of Street Fighter is approaching its epic finale, as the activities that support this super-combo milestone will culminate at the Grand Finals event on December 8^th in the San Francisco Bay Area. Capcom’s high stakes global tournament series has travelled from the USA, Asia, Brazil, France and to the UK in search of the greatest Street Fighter players on the planet. The world’s best fighters from the preliminary tournaments will soon unite in what promises to be the ultimate Street Fighter showdown!

 Over 45 of the best Street Fighter players in the world have made the cut and will compete for $125,000 in cash prizes. Raising the stakes even higher, the winner of the Street Fighter X Tekken tournament will be handed the keys to an all-new custom-designedStreet Fighter 25^th Anniversary branded Scion FR-S Sports Coupe. The tournament series features the following monumental titles from the past and present:  Street Fighter X Tekken, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition, Street Fighter III 3^rd Strike Online Edition, andSuper Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

 In addition to the intense competition taking place on stage, fans can expect a barrage of bonus Street Fighter-related activities and exciting announcements taking place on the show floor throughout the day. All of the titles being played in the tournament will be available for free play, including the recently-announced Darkstalkers Resurrection and more! Street Fighter producers Yoshinori Ono and Tomoaki Ayano will be on hand for signings and photos and a LIVE art show will celebrate 25 years of Street Fighter culture.

 The Grand Finals will be held at the Hyatt Regency SFO (in Burlingame, CA) on Saturday, December 8^th from 10am to 9pm PST. Admission to the event is free, and the first 1000 guests to arrive will receive goodie bags filled with exclusive Street Fighter collectibles. For everything related to the Street Fighter 25^th Anniversary, including the tournament series, go to: http://www.streetfighter25.com/

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MONSTERS & DAMES is a highlight for many attendees of the annual Emerald City Comicon, and the 5th installment in the series promises an amazing variety of original illustrations by the guests and artists of the 2013 Emerald City Comicon. This year’s 80-page edition features a cover by award-winning artist and animation icon Bruce Timm.

 Since 2009, MONSTERS & DAMES art books and auctions have raised well over $35,000.00 for Seattle Children's Hospital, a premier child health care & pediatric center, recognized as one of the leading hospitals for children in the nation. The art book has sold out each year at the convention.

 The full-color, 9"x12", 80-page MONSTERS & DAMES hardcover is limited to 1150 individually numbered copies. The 2013 edition features contributions from some of the top names in comics, animation and illustration, including Mark Brooks, Skottie Young, Terry Moore, Joe Linsner, Mike Mignola, Fat Rabbit Farm, Ben Templesmith, Dave Johnson, Michael Golden, Eric Canete, Brett Weldele, Doug Sneyd, Camilla D'Errico, Mark Dos Santos, Drew Johnson, Lar DeSouza, Benjamin Dewey, David Petersen, Robbi Rodriguez, Mitch Gerads, Doc Shaner, Cat Staggs, Marcio Takara, Lars Brown, Paul Guinan, Andy Runton and dozens more! For the complete list of creators involved in this amazing art book, visit http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/monsters-and-dames/

 The 11th Annual Emerald City Comicon takes place March 1-3, 2013 at the Washington State Convention Center in beautiful downtown Seattle, WA. For more information, visit http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com

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Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker are bringing their talents to The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct video game.

As things are ramping up on the third season of AMC's Emmy® Award-winning drama "The Walking Dead", Activision and Terminal Reality are proud to announce that series stars Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker will reprise their respective roles as fan-favorites Daryl and Merle Dixon in their upcoming The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. Their addition is central to developer Terminal Reality's commitment to delivering an engrossing, original experience that stays authentic to the characters, tone and storyline of the series Entertainment Weekly called the “greatest thriller ever produced for television.” 

In the game, players assume the role of the mysterious, crossbow-wielding survivor Daryl Dixon. This first-person survival title takes place within the universe of “The Walking Dead” and before the events of the AMC show, following Daryl and his brother Merle on a gruesome journey to reach the supposed safety of Atlanta as the world around them ends. Reedus and Rooker will bring life to their characters' desperate, unforgiving struggle against limited resources, the nightmarish walkers and, perhaps, their fellow survivors...

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct video game will be available in 2013 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC platforms. To pre-order or to find out more information, visit www.TheWalkingDeadBegins.com or 'Like' The Walking Dead on Facebook (facebook.com/TheWalkingDeadAMC).

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Rising Star Games Inc. today announced that the classic shmup (shoot 'em up) arcade game Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition is now available for PlayStation®3 exclusively through Amazon for $29.99. Players looking to get their hands on the digital version via PlayStation®Network can do so on December 4.

Developed by Japanese arcade video game company G.Rev, Under Defeat is widely regarded as one of the best-selling and finest shooting games ever made. Set in an alternate universe during a World War-esque conflict, Under Defeat HD lets players take on the role of a helicopter pilot in a territory divided by struggle between the Empire and the Union.

Under Defeat HD builds off of the classic arcade version with a new set of upgrades and modes. Some of the new features include: dual stick compatibility and destructive realism, which presents a refined iteration of the original with improved artwork, textures and shadowing. In addition, the game includes two engaging player modes: the Classic Arcade Mode and a 16:9 New Order Mode, which takes advantage of HD TV screens -- showcasing high quality graphics through the PS3. Moreover, practice versions of both modes will also be available to players looking to refine their shooting skills.

In addition to the full game, the Amazon Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition exclusive includes:

Digital art book / All Current DLC and Patches / Soundtrack CD / Exclusive VKL6.02(A)P Chopper

To order the retail version of Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition, visit the Amazon Store below: http://www.amazon.com/Under-Defeat-Deluxe-Edition-Playstation-3/dp/B0093FMS3U

For more information on Under Defeat HD, visit: http://www.risingstargames.com/game.aspx?sku=under-defeat-hd-deluxe-edition-ps3.

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Hey Krackleheads- Kirby Krackle has released a brand new single, "One More Episode!"

The song is about the unending love we have for curling up on the couch and watching TV shows until the wee hours of the morning!

You can download the single on
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/one-more-episode-single/id580847426?uo=4
Amazon MP3 - http://www.amazon.com/One-More-Episode/dp/B00ABH9ML0/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354039278&sr=301-1
Bandcamp - http://kirbykrackle.bandcamp.com/
and more

You can also view the video here: http://youtu.be/evA8JEjJbLg

We'd love to hear what you think, please make sure to leave a comment on the video or drop us a line on Twitter or Facebook!

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TV: Just a quick PSA to let y’all know that Misfits is back. Season 4 is now in progress, and it's available for download via Hulu, iTunes, and who knows where else. 

I've mentioned it before a million times on the blog so I won't go into it just now, but know this… it is one of the greatest shows to ever grace the small screen, and if you don't watch it, your life will always be missing that certain something.

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Games: GameFly sent me Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale the other day, and while I haven't had a whole lotta time to get into it, I did play a few multiplayer sessions with my youngest son. The time we spent on it basically amounts to me standing still while he beats on me with a variety of different characters, but he enjoys it and that's good enough for us.

I'm definitely not at a point where I can speak about it in a critical sense, but so far I've been pleasantly surprised. The graphics look great, the selection of characters is a little on the small side but still pretty satisfying with a good mix of both new and old (no clue why there are good AND evil versions of Cole from inFamous, though…) and it seems pretty solid.

However, just a word of warning: if you rent the game or buy it used, you need an online pass in order to play multiplayer via PSN. The catch here is that Sony is not selling the pass online. I don't know if there is some kind of licensing problem, a technology problem, an oversight in the PSN store or what, but if you get this game any way other than new, you won't be able to play online. I'm sure the issue will be fixed at some point in the future, but until it is, you may want to hold off unless you've got catch-co-op buddies or you're cool with going solo.

In other games news, my next major review will be Hitman: Absolution from Io Interactive. Working on the full writeup now, but if you follow me on twitter, then you already know that this is a pretty miserable interpretation of the Hitman formula, not to mention a fairly miserable game in its own right. 

Although there are a few stretches when it seems to find the old magic, more often than not, any enjoyment is crushed under the weight of poorly-designed levels, ridiculous AI, a totally broken disguise system and a dozen other choices which make this the worst game in the series.

If you are a longtime Hitman fan like I am, prepare to be bitterly disappointed. If you're new to the series, expect to find a game that feels very confused and muddled, caught halfway between being stealth and a shooter without really succeeding at either.

Moving on, I've been playing a bit of Sine Mora on the Vita, and I've got to say, it's pretty impressive. I don't often get too excited about graphics, but this game looks absolutely beautiful on the handheld and comes across as a bullet-hell shooter which doesn't overdo the bullet-hell. 

I haven't completed yet, but I've been loving it so far... the story is a bit of a jumbled mess, but everything else is right on target. I will be doing a review on this one after Hitman, but my early take on it is that it seems like a must-own for Vita folks.

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Links: I was quite happy to be invited back on to the Monster Hunter Video Podcast hosted by the Teamwork guys recently. Although Nick and Shepard were not able to join in, Nahxela and Krystian were gracious enough to carry my rusty skills along for some G-rank hunting.

We do a successful three-beast quest, get pwned twice, and then end on a high note by taking down my first-ever Lavasioth. While this is happening, there’s plenty of talk on current games, the state of games writing, and the right way to review.

If you’re a Monster Hunter fan, it’s a great set to watch. If you’re not, then just listen in and ignore the video portion… If you ask me, it was a pretty good chat!

If you need still more me, my review of Ragnarok Odyssey went live at Gamecritics a couple of days ago, and you can check that out right here. It's not a terrible game, but... well, nevermind, I guess it is pretty terrible.

If you're in the mood for something completely different, Brandon Bales has a great interview with Greg Rice of Double Fine Studios right here. I have no idea how this guy keeps lining up all these interviews with developers, but man, is he good at it.

Here's another thing from Brandon. He recently attended a precedent for upcoming a vampire stealth game called Dark. This isn't a puff piece preview -- He's got some reasonable criticisms based on what he saw. Despite his words (and he knows his stuff) I have to admit, I'm still pretty curious about it... 

Despite the prevalence of vampires in popular culture, it's a little bit strange to me that they haven't been used in more videogames apart from the type of generic bloodsuckers that serve as sword fodder in fantasy RPGs. Although I'm sick of reading about them, they seem totally ripe with potential for new types of gameplay.

Finally, my man @PeterSkerritt has a new blog up talking about the woes of the WiiU launch, and why being an early adopter might notbe the smartest move. I have to say, he ain’t wrong.

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SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced details for the GameStop exclusive DLC for the highly anticipated Anarchy Reigns™ game, launching January 8, 2013. For those gamers eager to cause as much anarchy as possible, pre-ordering the game at GameStop will net them two extra multiplayer game modes, Mad Survival and Dogfight, and an extra playable character: none other than the world’s most famous witch, Bayonetta™!

 To pre-order Anarchy Reigns from GameStop with the exclusive pre-order bonus, please visit your local GameStop store or visit http://www.gamestop.com/browse?nav=16k-anarchy+regins

 Anarchy Reigns™ will be available on January 8, 2013 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft for $29.99.

For more information on Anarchy Reigns, please visit http://www.sega.com/ and www.platinumgames.com.

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Award winning game developer and animator, Michel Gagné, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the first four minutes of a proposed animated feature film based on his graphic novel, The Saga of Rex.

Gagné began his career as an animator in 1985, and went on to work on several high profile projects for studios such as Don Bluth Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Disney, Pixar, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and many more. In the mid nineties, he worked his way up to Head of Special Effects at Warner Brothers Feature Animation where he remained for six years. In 2001, he decided to leave the big studios behind in an effort to pursue a different goal.

Since becoming a full time independent artist, Gagné has done books, graphic novels, short films, a video game, live performances, etc., while at the same time, continuing his affiliation with the movie, television and game industries as a freelancer. Earlier this year, he was awarded a BAFTA (British Academy Award) and an Annie Award (Animation's Highest Honor) for Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, a video game he created with Seattle based game veteran, Joe Olson. The Saga of Rex: The Animated Film is his latest venture and he is confident that he can get the project off the ground through the crowd funding opportunity that Kickstarter offers.

The Saga of Rex was serialized in six volumes of FLIGHT, from 2005 to 2010. All the chapters were then compiled and published as a single book by Image Comics in the Fall of 2010. The story features a little fox who gets abducted by a flying saucer and is transported to the planet Edernia, where he encounters the Blossoms, a race of shape shifters. One of the Blossoms, chooses Rex as a potential mate and so the adventure begins. Rex must prove his worth and Aven, the shape shifting Blossom, must conquer Rex’s heart. The Saga of Rex is a labor of love that reflects Gagné's deep enthusiasm for offbeat golden age science fiction and classical animation.

Find out more about The Saga of Rex's Kickstarter campaign, and Gagné's plan on how he intend to make the movie at the following links: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michelGagne/the-saga-of-rex-the-animated-film-project Kickstarter Video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/A5M3ebgBL04 Michel Gagné's Official Website: http://www.gagneint.com/ Contact: gagneint@aol.com

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Life: I had a completely different blog post planned for this evening, but a few hours earlier, I was informed that a good friend of mine passed away tonight.

I knew she had been sick for a while, but I didn't realize she was so close to death's door.

I had planned to visit earlier, but had found various reasons not to. Not enough money this week, not enough time that week. So on and so on.

The thought that she might pass away before I would see her again was certainly in the back of my mind, but I was essentially playing the odds that she would live long enough for my situation to be more agreeable towards making the trip.

I knew her for about eighteen years, and over the course of that time, we had worked together, shared many laughs, gone on trips, spent a lot of time talking… we were never best friends, but I certainly would've counted her as someone who meant something to me. She was one of those people who was always around, or in the background of pictures while never being the focus, but when absent, she was missed.

The last time I saw her we left on good terms, so I'm glad that there wasn't any unfinished business between us. Still, I'm sad that there was no "last time" before she died.

Her death today is a very real reminder of the fragility of life. Any of us can go at any time, and for practically any reason.

An undetected tumor for someone without health insurance. A drunk driver blowing through an intersection. Unchecked addiction for someone who says that they don't have a problem, eating a meal that shouldn't have had any peanuts, or trying to leave someone who refuses to let go... these things and a million others can lead to the untimely end of someone we care for.

Every minute we have is precious, and it's very rare that any of us knows exactly how many of them we have left. We forget sometimes, or choose to ignore it, but it’s a real and true thing.

Scary, perhaps. Unpleasant to be reminded of, but still… A real and true thing.

Spend time with people you care about. Talk to those who are far away. Don't put important things off until later, and take every opportunity you have to say "I love you" to those you do. Make the most of what you have, and be thankful for what you’ve got. 

You never know when you won’t have it anymore.

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Book: Quick update on my upcoming Urban Fantasy novel, Speaking in Forked Tongues - the publisher sent over the contract this weekend, and just as I was about to print it out and sign... my printer is out of ink. Go figure, right? Anyway, the pieces are falling into place and I'm very happy that progress is happening.

More to come.

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Reviews: My review of Dokuro is now live. I guarantee it's the best game you didn't play this year... Expect it to figure quite prominently in my year-end top ten.

Other recent pieces at Gamecritics include @GC_Danny’s review of Mad Max wannabe Ravaged, and @CoreyMotley’s semi-epic examination of why Survival Horror sucks so much these days.

If you've got time, give them a click.

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Games: I've been asked a few times if I will be getting a Wii U, and what my plans are in regard to the system. Basically, my plans are... I have no immediate plans.

Nintendo will not be sending review hardware to Gamecritics (they never send us anything!) and discretionary spending on a new console is on hold right now. Apart from that, I’ve looked at the release list and as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to get excited about. Although what technically qualifies as the "release window" is a little squishy, the only things I'm even remotely interested in are Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, ZombiU, and Pikmin 3.

I'll definitely get hardware in the house in time to play Monster Hunter next year, but I don't really see any reason to pop for it right now. Pikmin will be more Pikmin (not a bad thing, but not a system-seller, either) and ZombiU is still an unknown quantity.

So, there you have it. Unless Nintendo has a change of heart and a unit shows up on my doorstep out of the blue, don't expect any Wii U coverage from me until March at the earliest.

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Games: I'm expecting to start my new review assignments this week, but in the meantime I took a couple of days to finish the Origin of Pain DLC for Trials Evolution on XBLA.

I didn't hear a lot about it at the time it was released, but I'm glad that I didn't miss it... the addition of a BMX bike is a lot of squirrelly fun, and some of the new tracks are atmospheric and full of personality. Be warned, though... the Magic Marker Extreme level was a serious pain in the ass to complete. It was perhaps not as difficult as some previous Extremes, but that's kind of like saying hitting concrete at 200MPH is less painful than hitting it at 300MPH.

Anyway, check out this video to see how easy the track looks when a top-class player does it, and then don't even think for a second that you'll be able to do the same without days of practice and an ulcer. Me? My best finishing run was around 6 minutes and 98 crashes...  

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Music: If you're in the Seattle area or will be on 11/15, Kirby Krackle will be playing a last-minute show with I Fight Dragons and MC Lars at El Corazon. Tickets are $12 in advance or $14 at the door!

Doors open at 7:30pm, the show is All-Ages, and will feature the full band!

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Experience a brand new chapter of the Devil May Cry adventure with Vergil’s Downfall, the untold story of Dante’s twin brother Vergil which will be downloadable from XBLA and PSN. Vergil’s Downfall offers fans the opportunity to play as one of the most wanted Devil May Cry characters, Vergil, in an all new storyline with fresh gameplay including new weapons, combos, enemies, and locations.

Vergil’s Downfall will be available shortly after launch for 720 MS points and $8.99 on PlayStation Network. North American consumers who pre-order Devil May Cry at GameStop or EB Canada will receive a redeemable code to access Vergil’s Downfall at no charge when the content becomes available.

DmC Devil May Cry arrives on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on January 15, 2013 across North America and Europe with a PC version shortly after.

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Award winning game developer and animator, Michel Gagné, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the first four minutes of a proposed animated feature film based on his graphic novel, The Saga of Rex.

Gagné began his career as an animator in 1985, and went on to work on several high profile projects for studios such as Don Bluth Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Disney, Pixar, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and many more. In the mid nineties, he worked his way up to Head of Special Effects at Warner Brothers Feature Animation where he remained for six years. In 2001, he decided to leave the big studios behind in an effort to pursue a different goal.

Since becoming a full time independent artist, Gagné has done books, graphic novels, short films, a video game, live performances, etc., while at the same time, continuing his affiliation with the movie, television and game industries as a freelancer. Earlier this year, he was awarded a BAFTA (British Academy Award) and an Annie Award (Animation's Highest Honor) for Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, a video game he created with Seattle based game veteran, Joe Olson. The Saga of Rex: The Animated Film is his latest venture and he is confident that he can get the project off the ground through the crowd funding opportunity that Kickstarter offers.

The Saga of Rex was born when Gagné was approached by editor Kazu Kibuishi, about creating a story for the annual comics anthology, FLIGHT, published by Image Comics and Random House.

The Saga of Rex was serialized in six volumes of FLIGHT, from 2005 to 2010. All the chapters were then compiled and published as a single book by Image Comics in the Fall of 2010. The story features a little fox who gets abducted by a flying saucer and is transported to the planet Edernia, where he encounters the Blossoms, a race of shape shifters. One of the Blossoms, chooses Rex as a potential mate and so the adventure begins. Rex must prove his worth and Aven, the shape shifting Blossom, must conquer Rex’s heart. The Saga of Rex is a labor of love that reflects Gagné's deep enthusiasm for offbeat golden age science fiction and classical animation.

Find out more about The Saga of Rex's Kickstarter campaign, and Gagné's plan on how he intend to make the movie at the following links:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michelGagne/the-saga-of-rex-the-animated-film-project

Kickstarter Video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/A5M3ebgBL04

Michel Gagné's Official Website: http://www.gagneint.com/

Contact: gagneint@aol.com

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Today, BioWare is excited to announce that the global launch date of the Star Wars: The Old Republic Free-to-Play option will be November 15, 2012. This release will be simultaneous across all of the territories and countries where The Old Republic™ is available. The new Free-to-Play option allows gamers to experience all of the class storylines through to Level 50, the current level cap, at no charge and introduces the new Cartel Market!

Any paying subscribers at the launch of the Free-to-Play option on November 15th will be granted all of the Complimentary Cartel Coins currently listed on the Cartel Coin Ledger page, plus a one-time grant of 250 Complimentary Cartel Coins! Additionally, the Rewards Program has been extended! All former subscribers who reactivate their subscription by the new date of December 20, 2012 at 11:59am CDT will be granted Complimentary Cartel Coins for their prior paid months up to November 15, 2012.

As always, be sure to check StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com for latest updates and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. 

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Rising Star Games Inc. has released a new trailer for the arcade shooter Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition. The trailer features new gameplay footage of the remastered classic, and unveils the exclusive 'VKL6.02(A)P Chopper.' The exclusive helicopter features a unique design and a stockpile of powerful weapons.

Under Defeat HD is developed by Japanese arcade game powerhouse G.rev and will be released in North America for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Network on November 27 for $29.99. The retail version of Under Defeat HD will be available exclusively at Amazon.com.

In Under Defeat HD, players will take on the role of a helicopter pilot as they are caught in a struggle between the Empire and the Union. Along with additional upgrades and features, Under Defeat HD will include destructive realism, dual stick compatibility and the new 16:9 New Order Mode. In addition to the full game disc, Rising Star Games' Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition includes:

- Digital art book

- All current DLC and patches

- Soundtrack CD featuring tracks from the New Order Mode

For more information on Under Defeat HD, visit: http://www.risingstargames.com/game.aspx?sku=under-defeat-hd-deluxe-edition-ps3.

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Games: So, the end of 2012 is drawing near.

I've had a chance to play most of the candidates for my year-end Top 10, and after scanning the upcoming release lists, it doesn't seem like there's much likely to shake up my current ranking. There are a couple of things still on my radar, though.

Hitman: Absolution is one of the few that has a good chance of getting on the list if the levels are as free and open as they appear to be at first glance. I can't say that I've ever been much of a Far Cry fan, but I'll give Far Cry 3 a shot as well.

Apart from those, it's looking pretty done. However, I'm definitely up for any suggestions for sleeper picks or surprises worth investigation. If you've got something that’s worth considering, drop me a line via Twitter, email, or with a comment on this article, and let me know!

Games: I'm still between review games at the moment, so I started playing Silent Hill: Book of Memories on Vita. I liked the demo and I'm a big fan of dungeon crawlers and Roguelikes when they're done well, so despite all of the negative talk I heard, I decided to go for it. I'm about ten levels into the campaign so far, and I think it's actually pretty good – but that statement needs some qualification.

  

For some reason, Wayforward (the developers) decided to keep the player in the dark about basic aspects of how the game works. I'm not talking about a few little details here and there, I'm talking about some core, fundamental elements which are barely explained. By not taking the time to properly introduce the player to what's going on, I can easily see why so many people were turned off.

Once I got my hands on a copy, I spent the first two hours or so trying to figure out what was affecting what, what was causing what, and basically, trying to get a handle on how to play the game efficiently.

Even after that, there was still plenty of stuff that I didn't understand, so I went to GameFAQs and read as much information as I could. I got some answers there, but not all. Then, I talked to a few reviewers who had already been through the game, and that helped clarify a few more things. That research combined with my previous experience with other Roguelikes finally started making all of the pieces fit, and that's when I finally began to enjoying the play.

A welcoming, approachable title this is not, but if you've got a Vita and jumping into a quasi-Roguelike with rusty metal and bloody nurses sounds like an appealing thing, here are a few tips to get started:

***Save up money and buy Backpack upgrades ASAP. Every upgrade lets you hold one extra weapon and increases the amount of supplies that you can carry. Needless to say, this is absolutely crucial for your survival.

***Choose which enemies to kill carefully, and invest in the Karma Flip ability as soon as possible. Killing enemies willy-nilly means that the Karma meter will usually hover near the center, without building up towards either side. Without making progress towards the Blood or Light side, the player will never be able to use special abilities, and using them is key towards making progress.

A strategy that's working well for me is attacking only Blood karma enemies until they're gone, then using Karma Flip and turning any remaining Light enemies into Bloods. (I know this probably sounds like gibberish, but it will make sense once you start the game.) If you're having trouble telling which enemies are which, use the left shoulder button to lock on and their orientation is revealed by the color of the reticle around them. By doing this, I keep my Karma meter consistently high on the Light side, which means I have a few healing spells available so that I don't have to use healthpacks except in extreme emergencies.

***If you run out of supplies, replay the first level and stock back up. The enemies there are pretty easy to beat, and you probably won't need to use any items to get through to the end.

***Take the time to do every bonus mission that the demon offers you at the beginning of each level. The weapons he rewards you with are usually quite powerful, and well worth the effort. Once your backpack is upgraded, use the pickup weapons found in each level as your primaries while keeping a Sword of Obedience or a Great Cleaver on hand in case of emergency. Having a heavy-hitter in your back pocket can get you out of trouble in a hurry.

***On difficult levels, don't try to make any real progress until you locate the save point. In most cases, it's possible to find it after a few test runs. Once you know where it is, then start putting the effort in towards meeting your objectives and take the time to save after each one -- losing a ton of progress is really disheartening, and there's no real reason to do so. Haste makes waste.

***Increasing the INT stat to at least 10 gives you time to avoid all of the invisible traps that pop up in each level. Strongly, strongly, strongly recommended.

***Weapons have their own alignments. If you're trying to use Light powers and find that your Karma meter keeps dropping, go to the pause menu and check the details for your weapon. It's possible you may be using a Blood weapon that’s sapping your Karma. The reverse is also true, if you are trying to use the Blood powers while wielding a Light weapon.

….So yeah, there's a lot of stuff to learn about Book of Memories and the game tells you basically none of it.

Some of this can be figured out with a little experimentation, the frustration factor ramps up quickly when you’ve got no idea what’s happening, and I would imagine that plenty of people who would have otherwise enjoyed this game bailed before they came to grips with it -- and I don't blame them. Giving players something to figure out is one thing, but failing to explain fundamental principles of a game in which they aren't immediately obvious is a pretty serious lapse in judgment, if you ask me.

I'm definitely glad I stuck with Book of Memories and did the legwork, but WayForward’s got no one to blame but themselves for all the negative reviews and poor word-of-mouth. And really, it's a shame... once a little light is shed on the proceedings, it's actually a solid title on a system that really needs ‘em.

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Parties organized by gamers across America this weekend will raise funds for and collect video games and consoles to be sent to U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan as well as being rehabilitated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.  The events, part of Operation Supply Drop’s national Veteran’s Day “8-Bit Salute to Veterans,” will be held in Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York City on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. Gamers everywhere are invited to participate.

Attendees and others can contribute via monetary donations or drop boxes.  The events will feature live music, bars, game tournaments and prizes.  Professional athletes will support the Dallas and Los Angeles events.  The Dallas party will also have the Charisma +2 calendar models.  Pamela Horton, an avid gamer and Playboy Playmate Miss October 2012, will be present at the Los Angeles event. 

Captain Stephen "Shanghai Six" Machuga, a former Army Airborne Ranger, founded Operation Supply Drop in 2010, after serving for eight years with the US Army, including 13 months in Iraq.  An avid video game player himself, Machuga realized that many soldiers are gamers and don’t have access while deployed to their favorite form of entertainment, one of the few types of leisure activity permitted in high threat areas.

“When soldiers aren't outside the wire on patrol, their favorite activity is playing video games,” explains Machuga. “Our packages are an immeasurable morale booster; troops are accustomed to getting care packages from strangers full of baby wipes and socks.  Our care packages are designed to blow their socks off."

Since the charity’s establishment, Operation Supply Drop has raised more than $60,000 in games and gear packages, each with an average value of $2,000 to units deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. 

With the help of a variety of allied gaming organizations, Operation Supply Drop’s “8-Bit Salute to Veterans” will be one of the country’s largest efforts undertaken in support of Veteran’s Day. 

Join one of these groups on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012.

Chicago

Game Pazzo

2011 63rd St.

Downers Grove, Ill. 60516 (West Suburb of Chicago)

6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Dallas

Kung Fu Saloon

2911 Routh St

Dallas, TX 75204

1 to 9 p.m.

Las Vegas 

Insert Coin(s)

512 Fremont St

Las Vegas, NV 89101

7:00-10:00 PM

Los Angeles 

Los Angeles Film School

6363 Sunset Boulevard  

Hollywood, Calif. 90028

2:00 – 4:00 p.m. 

New York

Union Hall

702 Union St.  

Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215

Midnight to 4 a.m. (Saturday night into Sunday morning)

If someone would like to make a contribution to Operation Supply Drop, but cannot attend one of the events, there are still several ways to get involved:

Operation Supply Drop (OSD)
9301 Alvyn Lake Cir.
Bristow, VA 20136