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

*

Games: A few weeks ago, it seemed like there wasn't a single thing to play. Now, it seems like there's too much to handle! Jumping right into things...

>Risen 2: Dark Waters (360) I was a huge fan of the original Risen, and although I'm only a few hours into this sequel, it seems to be quite a worthy successor. Taking on a pirate-based theme, the player will explore a series of islands and level their character up as they see fit. 

The graphics aren't cutting-edge and production quality is a little rough, but the game certainly has it where it counts -- the writing is great, the quests are interesting, and the game really engages the player by refusing to hold their hand and asking them to step up to the challenge. I am definitely looking forward to putting more time into this one.

>Papo & Yo (PSN) Although this game seems like it's been in development forever, I'm a little surprised at how many people haven't even heard of it. In a nutshell, it's a semi-biographical art-house title that functions partially as an environmental puzzler and partially as an extended internal dialogue that's been transformed into something for players to participate in, and witness. 

It's something of a critic’s game in that it eschews much the standard trappings in lieu of providing a more focused experience, but that's quite alright in my book. If you're looking for something different, this is it.

>One Epic Knight (iOS) This one isn't coming out until 8/23, but I've had review code for a few days now. If you're a fan of the auto-run genre, you will definitely want to check this out. While it doesn't completely reinvent the wheel, it adds a lot of depth and variety to a genre that has generally been pretty streamlined. 

It's still about running really fast and dodging stuff, but you'd be surprised at how different something like this feels just by adding a few smart tweaks. Also, I am quite happy to say that the developers don't abuse in-app purchases – they’re there if you want them, but they are totally not necessary to enjoy the game. 

SEE WHAT THEY DID THERE, PITFALL?

>Kard Combat (iOS) I stumbled across this one while googling for CCG/Strategy games, and it has quickly become one of my favorites so far. The thing that makes it great is that it's very simple and streamlined, and the UI is totally user-friendly. At the same time, the cards (very similar to something like M:tG) have some interesting interactions with each other, and it definitely feels as though there’s a satisfactory amount of options without being confusing or overwhelming. 

I've been playing it nonstop for the last two days, and it's still keeping my attention, easily. If you're in the market for something like this, this one is a big winner.

>Gravity Rush (Vita) I hate to end this section on a down note, but if I must, I must. I was waiting for GameFly to send me this one for quite a while, but once I finally got it, I grew bored of it almost immediately. This is doubly heartbreaking not only because the game is visually beautiful, but because the damned Vita has so little to play on it at the moment. 

I really thought this one was going to be the game to make me start carrying the Vita around again, but not so. I think after about an hour or so, I had seen all I needed to see and I felt no desire whatsoever to return to it. I wouldn't have guessed this one would've been such a snoozer, but no matter how much I told myself I should like it, I just... didn't.

*

TV: Alphas (SyFy) Just another quick shout-out for Alphas here. If you haven't already started watching this, go watch it right now. The entire first season is now up on Netflix, and the current season (S2) is only up to episode 3 or 4. It will take no time at all to catch up, and I think you'll want to.

Although I will be the first to admit that the show got off to a weak start, the writers and actors found in their respective grooves after a few episodes, and the season finished strong. I was quite happy to see a satisfactory amount of development with most characters, and there was definitely some quality time spent on the human side of things -- although the cast generally catches a bad guy in each episode, I really feel as though the characters have opened up and gained a fair amount of depth. I can relate to them as people, and that's really the key to why this show has quickly become one of my favorites.

Of special note is the character Bill Harken. I really disliked him in the first few episodes -- he's an ex-FBI agent who wanted to get back in with the Bureau. He had a real attitude problem, not to mention that he seemed pretty pathetic as an agent. As I followed the show along, I started liking the fact that I disliked him. He came off as human, fallible, and someone that seemed somewhat real… he was focused on himself, he made bad choices, but you could understand where he was coming from even if he rubbed you the wrong way.

As things progressed, I really enjoyed seeing Bill reconsider his approach to things, and I thought it was especially clever the way that the writers tied his power (superstrength) into why he acted the way that he did. There are a few scenes when he discusses having children with his wife, and I felt those really resonated… it's not that they were especially unique or mindblowing in any way, but I really appreciated that the show took the time to give viewers another side to Bill has a way of further humanizing a character who could have easily become a heavy-lifting one-trick pony.

Finally, props to the writers for keeping things very tight and sensible. Every time the wife and I had some question about what just happened on screen, the writers predicted those same questions and would inevitably answer them a few moments later. I'm also quite glad that there's been no ridiculous power-swapping, or any gizmos that take powers away for the purposes of any one episode. The show's reality has been very consistent and logical to the extent that a show about superpowers can be, and that is exactly the right thing to do, if you ask me.

Anyway, enough gushing... go watch Alphas if you like mutants, the X-Men, flawed people with superpowers, Misfits, the first season of Heroes, or anything along those lines. Start with season one and give it a few episodes to blossom. My bet is that you won't be disappointed.

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

***

The Kefling world just got a lot bigger thanks to a free update that released earlier today, adding support for Microsoft Studios’ Avatar FameStar program to A World of Keflings. The program, which offers players the chance to earn Fame and other rewards by completing in-game challenges, adds a substantial amount of new content to the game including a full year’s-worth of free weekly quests, a new kingdom to build in and more.

The new kingdom features sandbox-style gameplay reminiscent of the first Keflings game, A Kingdom for Keflings. Once in the new kingdom players will discover they can now build Kefling-sized ships that will sail the many seas and waterways scattered across the new map. They will also encounter the Rockstar Kefling, a new quest-giving Kefling who will set them to each weekly challenge. Completing these challenges gives players the chance to earn Fame that will help them level-up in the Avatar FameStar program and earn cool rewards like Avatar FameStar costumes. Each completed weekly quest also unlocks a blueprint for one of the more than 50 unique ships players can build for their Kefling fleet.

But completing weekly quests is just one way players can earn Fame in A World of Keflings. Today’s update adds a slew of challenges, similar to Achievements, that players can tackle to earn Fame. Some challenges must be completed while playing the main campaign, while many others are achievable while playing in any of the game’s kingdoms, including the new Rockstar Weekly Challenge kingdom, the alien kingdom from the It Came From Outer Space DLC and the candy kingdom from the soon-to-be-releasedSugar, Spice and Not So Nice DLC.

***

ClaDun x2, the sequel to the highly praised dungeon crawler action RPG game ClaDun:This is an RPG!, is available today on PC through Steam. Providing even more gameplay, features, and replay value, ClaDun x2 contains everything that made the first game so well-received and adored, plus much more!

There will also be a demo available for ClaDun series newcomers! The full version can be yours for only $19.99 in the United States, £14.99 in the United Kingdom, and €18.99 throughout Europe. For pricing in other regions, please check the ClaDun x2 page on Steam.

***

Extra Credits today announced the winner of the Extra Credits Innovation Awards for this year’s PAX 10. Extra Credits’ writer, James Portnow, and editor Daniel Floyd will present the Johann Sebastian Joust developers Die Gute Fabrik with a prize of everlasting fame…or at least a trophy that could serve as a really snazzy paperweight at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Seattle, Washington on 8/31/12.

The Extra Credits Innovation Awards were introduced in 2011 to celebrate creative and daring game design that drives the industry forward. “It’s worth celebrating games that take a risk,” said writer and producer James Portnow. “These are the games that will make gaming tomorrow even more than it is today.” 

Johann Sebastian Joust exemplifies the innovation and creativity the awards hope to capture as “The Greatest Playstation Move Game that Sony Will Never Release for Liability Reasons”.  The bold choice of abandoning  a screen entirely and demonstrating that incredible, joy filled experiences can be created by embracing our childhood playground games and bringing them into the electronic age has won Johann Sebastian Joust this year’s Extra Credits Innovation Award.

A playable demo of Johann Sebastian Joust will be presented by Penny Arcade among the PAX 10 collection of this year’s most promising independent games. 

***

Valve, creators of bestselling game franchises (such as Half-Life, Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), announced today that Mann vs. Machine (MvM), a new co-operative game for its free-to-play online action title Team Fortress 2 (TF2), is now available to download for free via Steam on PC and Mac.

MvM lets you and five friends fight a lethal horde of robots on all-new maps, with the opportunity to upgrade abilities and weapons along the way. Band together to survive all of the robot waves in a variety of missions to earn incredible loot and unlock new achievements.

To find out more about MvM, please visit http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/.  For more information on TF2, please visit http://www.teamfortress.com/.

*

*

Parenting: Fair warning - I'm going to break away from the usual videogames and TV talk tonight in order to tackle something much more serious, and more personal. I'm not sure if I should put some sort of trigger warning here for those of you who look out for that sort of thing, but just be aware that this blog post might be not for everyone.

*

So, THIS LETTER has been making the rounds on the Internet over the last week or so. If you haven't seen it, it's a handwritten note from a father to his son, effectively disowning him for being gay. It's a pretty terrible thing to see, and ever since I read it, I've been thinking about something that happened to me in my own past... not quite the same thing, but along similar lines. 

I must have been about six or so, and I was living in California at the time. My father called me into the living room and said he wanted to talk to me about something.

If I close my eyes, I can recall many small details about that exact moment. The way the furniture was arranged, the sunny day outside the window, my toys scattered around and under the legs of the dinner table where I had been playing. My dad was sitting on a chair, and I was on the floor in front of him.

This talk we were about to have was a short one, but I've never, ever forgotten it. I have absolutely no idea what made him want to have this talk on this day, but he wasted no time in getting to the point.

“If you turn out to be gay, I will kill you. I will blow your head off with a shotgun.”

That was the entire conversation.

Was I in trouble? What did I do? I didn't say anything at the time, but I remember breaking out into a sweat and nodding my head, then immediately wondering if I should be shaking it instead of nodding. Whatever response I was supposed to give, I ended up just wandering back over to my toys and staying out of sight.

I don't think the subject ever came up after that day and we never had this talk again, but I lived in constant fear of “being gay” for quite some time after wards, despite the fact that I knew I wasn't. In fact, as far as I could tell, I had never given my parents any reason to think that I might be. Even so, I was utterly frightened that I would one day wake up, discover that I was gay, and then... what?

I'm not sure, really.

Was I convinced that my father would actually murder me with his gun?

It's hard to say. Part of me wants to think that it was just talk, but the very fact that he took the time and set me down to inform me of this extreme viewpoint gives me pause, not to mention that my father actually did have a shotgun at this time. It was an older double-barreled model that he kept in the garage near a box of shells, stored out in plain sight. I would touch it sometimes… I was always a little surprised at how cold the metal stayed, and how long the gun was.

And heavy. It was quite heavy, at least to my six-year-old arms.

As I look back on it now, though, I don't think it was really the threat of death that bothered me the most… I think what disturbed me more was the underlying message. The same core message that’s illustrated in the letter I mentioned at the beginning of this post -- the idea that a son could do something or be something so distasteful that a father would cut all ties one way or another, and be done with him.

Would that happen to me? Would I have to constantly mind my P's and Q's for fear of no longer having anyone to count on? Would I mistakenly fuck up one day, and then find myself all on my own? Knowing that this bond could be severed so casually rocked my world, and put my entire life into a different perspective.

*

It's been more than thirty years since I had that talk with my dad, and I'm now a father myself. I've got two boys, and every single day I remind myself that I want to be a better father to them than mine was to me. It may be a cliché for someone to say "I'm going to do the opposite of what my parents did", but in my case, that's what I strive to do, and it leads me in the right direction.

When my wife and I talk to our kids, we make a point to tell them over and over that no matter who they are or what they do, we will always support and accept them. When we talk about their future and the possibility of them getting married, we always say "when you find the right partner" instead of "wife", just in case. When we are out with GLBT friends, we take time to talk about them with our kids in a positive way, accepting the differences and showing that they are wonderful people we are glad to have in our lives, and that there's nothing wrong with them in the least.

It's utterly heartbreaking to me to see that there are still men in the world who dare to call themselves fathers while drawing these arbitrary lines between themselves and their children, commanding that they not be crossed. I know firsthand the damage these lines can cause, just as I'm sure the man who posted that letter does as well. It's a terrible, terrible thing to do to someone, and knowing that your parent is capable of disowning you, hating you, or even worse creates a kind of loneliness inside you that doesn't ever get filled.

If you're a parent or someone who would like to be a parent someday, I hope that sharing this story means something, and that you choose a better path than my dad did. His selfish, conditional “love” was just another kind of hate, and there's already plenty of hate in the world to go around as it is.

If you really, truly love your kids, then be there for them, support them, and let them know how much they mean to you, even if they turn out a little different than you expect.

*

*

Cosplay: Both of my kids are really into costumes and such, and today my youngest asked me for some rocket boots. I didn't have anything immediately on hand besides an old pair of galoshes that were not being used, so the wife picked up a few bits, and this is what I put together.

Definitely some influences from Sonic/Metroid there. Still, not too bad for a first effort, I think. Now, hopefully he won't ask me why they don't actually fly...

*

Games: I just recently completed Persona 4: Arena and the review just went up over at GameCritics. Click on over and take a look if you are so inclined.

(While you're at it, @Aeazel’s review of Endless Space is up, as well as a review from Tera Kirk for PSN’s Time Machine: Rogue Pilot.)

After that, I did a quick evaluation of the "New Character" DLC for Street Fighter X Tekken. The review is in the can, so look for that to go up soon. In general, I really liked it... Blanka is a badass and Jack-X is a lot of fun to play. Elena is also an interesting character to use, as well. Although the price is steep at $20, this stuff is a great addition to an already-great game.

On the other hand, it's hard for me to look past the fact that fourteen extra characters were already on the disc that I bought. Regardless of how people try to spin it, I'm just not okay with paywalled ransomware, and it makes me feel a little dirty. It's a little too late at night (at the time I'm writing this) to get into that whole discussion again, but it just doesn't sit right.

At the moment, I'm going through Thomas Was Alone, a small indie effort on PC about a little line of code that becomes self-aware and begins navigating its way through its environment. 

It's utterly charming and I love the ultra-clean, elegant visuals. I'm not done with it yet, but what I've seen so far has been quite pleasant.

*

Games: One of my most-wanted this year is Dishonored… although I haven't laid hands on it yet, it seems to me to represent a great combination of Bioshock and Hitman, with a lot of little random bits thrown in for good measure. 

Although buzz is building for this title, I have to admit that I'm quite surprised more people haven't been talking about it. Bethesda just released a brand-new video about some of the creative ways to kill people. Check it out, and I'm pretty sure that it will be on your most-wanted list, too.

In smaller-game news, the newest Indie Game Uprising will be taking place soon on XBLI, and the good people behind it have released atrailer of their own. If you haven't seen what's been happening on Microsoft's Indie Channel lately, make sure you take a look... most of the titles selected for this trailer look quite intriguing to me. Well, except one. One looks pretty lame. But the rest? Sign me up!

*

That's it for now. I'm running a pretty severe sleep deficit and need to get myself under some covers, but check out the news section down below... lots of good bits this time around.

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

The AbleGamers Foundation is proud to announce the 2012 Children's Grant Program.  One child with special needs will receive assistive technology he or she needs to play video games despite their disability.

Applications are open now until the end of August. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Fill out the form at http://www.ablegamers.com/ablegamers-2012-grant.html for your chance to be the selected for the 2012 AbleGamers Foundation Children’s Grant Program

*

Starting from August 9, players will be able to participate in a new competition being held on the Pawn Community website, The Gran Soren Times. Players will be able to submit in-game screenshots taken using the photo sharing feature in Dragon’s Dogma into three different categories: The Fairest Maidens, The Most Dashing Gentlemen, and The Most Unique Myrmidons. Winning entries will receive exclusive avatars for PSN or Xbox Live and 18 very lucky grand prize winners - six each from Europe, North America and Japan - will have their pawns showcased in the “Special Pawn” area of the Rift. For more information be sure to check out The Gran Soren Times at http://game.capcom.co.jp/DD/en/top/

Also, to help new players enjoy the world of Dragon’s Dogma, a title update delivering an all new ‘Easy Mode’ is now available on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

*

Announced earlier this week, Ada Wong will be a playable character with her own individual campaign in Resident Evil 6. A single player experience, Ada’s campaign features unique missions and will provide her perspective on the bioterrorist outbreaks that threaten to wipe out the world’s population. Ada Wong’s campaign becomes available once players have completed the campaigns for Leon, Chris and Jake.

For those who want to experience the action as a zombie, J’avo or other C-virus mutation then the all new online mode Agent Huntdelivers. As a ‘hunter’ players will be able to infiltrate other players’ sessions with the aim of eliminating the human characters.  As a hunter, players will have access to the unique movements and attacks of each of the enemies, including those of the various J’avo transformations.

So how does Agent Hunt Mode work?

·         Complete the main campaigns for either Leon, Chris or Jake to then unlock the Agent Hunt stages for each of those respective campaigns

·         When creating an RE6 gameplay session a player has the option to allow/not allow Agent Hunt

·         When a hunter searches for a session to join they will see whether or not other players from around the world want to allow hunters into their game

·         The hunter then picks another player’s session to join and jumps into that session

o   Please note only certain stages will be available for Agent Hunt sessions

·         The agent side can be either a single human player with an AI partner, or two human players in co-op mode. Up to two separate hunters can join an Agent Hunt session. When a hunter dies they respawn in the same session as a different random enemy from that area.

·         If the hunter eliminates the agent then they will be taken to a ‘hunt successful’ results screen where they can join another session if they wish.

·         If the agent is eliminated then their game session will end exactly as if they had been playing a standard game session with CPU enemies.

·         If the hunter quits the session then the agent’s game continues as normal with all AI enemies.

*

Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today revealed the all-star cast lending their voices to Dishonored, a new first-person action game from Arkane Studios in which the player takes on the role of Corvo, a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. Dishonored will feature an award-winning ensemble including Academy Award® winner, Susan Sarandon (“Thelma & Louise,” “Dead Man Walking”), Golden Globe® winner, Brad Dourif (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest”), Emmy® Award nominees Carrie Fisher (original “Star Wars” trilogy) and John Slattery (“Mad Men”), Michael Madsen (“Thelma & Louise,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “Kill Bill”), and Lena Headey (“300,” “Game of Thrones”),

Susan Sarandon, an Academy Award winner and five-time nominee, will make her videogame debut as the former aristocrat, Granny Rags – an intriguing old blind woman now deranged after years of street life. Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe-winner Brad Dourif takes on the role of the inventor Piero, creator of the iconic mask worn by Corvo as well as a wealth of gadgets Corvo can use. Emmy winner and Hollywood-icon Carrie Fisher can be heard broadcasting government propaganda over loudspeakers throughout the city of Dunwall, where the game is set.

  

The all-star cast continues with John Slattery (“Mad Men,” “The Adjustment Bureau”) who takes on the role of Admiral Havelock, a Loyalist who helps Corvo on his quest, as well as Michael Madsen who brings his videogame voiceover experience to the role of Daud, a mysterious assassin. Chloë Grace Moretz (“Kick-Ass,” “Hugo”) portrays Young Lady Emily, the Empress’ daughter who is kidnapped after her mother’s death while Lena Headey joins the cast as Calista, Emily’s caretaker. In addition to the star-studded voice cast, Composer Daniel Licht (“Dexter”) lends his musical talents to create the game’s original score. 

Dishonored gives players the chance to eliminate enemies using a flexible combat system that combines supernatural abilities and numerous weapons. Pursue targets under the cover of darkness or boldly attack with weapons drawn. The choices you make will control each mission and the game's ultimate conclusion.

Dishonored is set for release in North American on October 9, 2012 and throughout Europe on October 12, 2012 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows.

Dishonored has been rated M for mature by the ESRB. For more information about Dishonored visit: www.dishonored.com.

*

ATLUS, the video game publishing brand of Index Digital Media, Inc., today announced that THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII, the most recent entry in the legendary fighting franchise and the sleeper hit of the recent Evo 2012 Finals, is now available for digital purchase and download via PlayStation®Store for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system (PS3™) and Xbox LIVE®Marketplace for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Showered with praise since its release and generally considered one of the best iterations in the long-running, highly-acclaimed series, KOF XIII is a must-own for fighting game fans.  Its huge roster of beloved fighters, ample content and features, and exceptional fighting gameplay elevate it into a class all its own, making it easy to see why GameSpot hailed it as the "Best Fighting Game of 2011."

THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII is out now in North America for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems in both physical and digital versions, the latter of which is available for $29.99. For more info, visit http://www.atlus.com/kofxiii.

* 

*

Games: First, a disclaimer - this is NOT a review. Just saying.

So, Persona 4: Arena… like, WOW.

As someone who wasn't really a fan of the BlazBlue fighting games, I wasn't overly excited about the thought of those devs taking one of the best JRPGs from the last decade (if not the last… ever) and making a fighting game out of it, but I just received a review copy and I've been playing it for the last few days.

After getting through the mostly excellent tutorial (why don't more fighting games do this?) and starting the story mode, I was blown away by how much story is in the story mode. I mean, I expected some lip service to what happened in Persona 4, but what I've seen so far goes a million miles above and beyond what I thought we'd get. Not to overstate the case, but the best way to explain it is like this:

Persona 3 & Persona 3: FES  =  Persona 4 & Persona 4: Arena

The story picks up exactly where P4 left off, there’s a ton of dialogue, and there have even been some choices to be made. I'm still way early and it's far too soon to make any sort of final judgment, but my hat is off to Atlus and Arc System Works for the bits I've played through so far. The visuals, music, and mood are all absolutely spot-on, and the story mode doesn't feel at all forced or artificial.

I never would have guessed it, but it genuinely does feel like a legitimate continuation of Persona 4, and I can't wait to get back to it… if it wasn't already on your radar as a serious consideration for purchase and you are a Persona 4 fan, rectify that immediately.

(By the way, I don't think this is really spoiler territory since the playable character roster has been announced for while, but there are actually story ties in Arena that connect P3 to P4… I sure didn’t see that coming!)

*

Reviews: If your clicking finger is itchy and you're in the mood for something that IS a review, a couple of my recent pieces just went up over at GameCritics.

Here you can read up on Squids: Wild West, which came out for iOS a little while ago. It's an interesting blend of turn-based tactics and elastic undersea creatures, and it's pretty damned good.

Here, you can see my thoughts on Spec Ops: The Line. Although I can appreciate the effort put into the story and I liked where it was going, I felt like the project as a whole was a bit wrong-headed from the get-go. Close, but no cigar.

*

Podcast: The latest episode of the GameCritics Podcast is now up, and you can click right here to check it out. The episode starts off with a fairly standard “whatcha playing” check-in, but the second half of the show is devoted to a discussion of graphic violence in games, films, and how it may affect life in general. It's a bit of a wide-ranging discussion that's not limited to just games, so any feedback or comments (as always) are welcome.

*

Games: A quick shout-out for XBLI’s Super Amazing Wagon Adventure. 

I plan to cover it in more depth at some point in the future, but my hands are pretty full at the moment. That said, I was able to play it for a bit, and it's one of the funniest things I've seen in quite some time. I think anyone will be able to appreciate the absurdist humor on display, but those with memories of Oregon Trail will likely find it twice as hilarious. Either way, it's a buck on XBLI… give it a shot, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Another quick shout-out goes to Juggernaut on iOS. It was recommended to me by @mBlakew via Twitter, and I'm really glad that he did. While I have to be honest and say that the game gives a very poor first impression thanks to an overly-long tutorial and lack of clarity on certain aspects, but if you give it some time, it unfolds to be a very interesting thing indeed. 

The core of the game is 1-on-1 combat, but it's not a hack and slash at all. Instead, it ends up being fairly strategic while maintaining certain real-time elements, and there is a lot of supporting content that makes the game feel meaty and involving. It looks kind of generic and takes a while to unfold, but it's pretty clever once things get rolling.

*

Links: My buddy @Nightdreamer sent me this link written by a comic book reviewer, and while it's not directly about videogames, I think a lot of the issues he brings up are absolutely applicable to other fields of criticism. Plus, it's pretty funny.

*

TV: If you care about Doctor Who then you’ve probably already seen this, but just in case you haven't, here's the recently-released trailerfor the upcoming Season 7. While I was pretty disappointed with Seasons 5/6, I still count myself as a Who fan, and I am sincerely hoping that the writers can turn things around.

Secondly, the wife and I have been looking for a new show to get into on those rare nights when we have a few moments of quiet time on the couch, and we recently started Season 1 of Alphas on SyFy. Although the premise isn't the most original (team of super-powered people investigate crimes, etc.) I do like that many of the abilities on display so far have been extensions of normal physical abilities. For example, one person has superstrength triggered by their adrenaline gland, one person has hyper-acute senses, and so on. Some of them are a little more ‘out there’ than others (the autistic kid who can ‘see’ the internet) but it’s generally a good mix.

It doesn’t seem like an instant hit the way some other shows have struck me, but it’s amusing and I can see some potential here. The writers get a few good chuckles in here and there, so that helps. Also, it’s been linked directly to Warehouse 13 thanks to one crossover guest, so that’s definitely a mark in the plus column. I’m not 100% sold on it yet, but I’m still watching.

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

***

XSEED Games, an independent-minded publisher, is pleased to announce today that the open-world action title, Way of the Samurai 4, will be released in North America as a digital download on PlayStation®Network on August 21 at a price of $39.99, exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The latest entry in the popular long-running series, Way of the Samurai 4 takes players on a journey through post-isolationist Japan, allowing them to choose an allegiance in the midst of an ongoing power struggle between three competing factions. Fans can check out the game’s all-new website at:www.wayofthesamurai4.com

Set in post-isolationist Japan, Way of the Samurai 4 offers a unique way to experience an era that forever changed a nation. The era’s cultural landscape offers countless opportunities for the ambitious, and players are thrown into this world as a rōnin (masterless samurai) looking to make a name for himself. Taking their place in the overall power struggle, players will be given the choice to align themselves with one of three factions: the shogunate pro-governmental forces, the nationalistic isolationists and the growing foreign powers, and their loyalty and interaction with each of the three factions will shape the story towards one of ten possible different endings.

Offering an unprecedented range of customization, Way of the Samurai 4 allows players to create their own samurai however they see fit. Nothing, from the most historically-accurate robes to more modern designs to the downright bizarre, is out of reach. Once set loose in the world, players are free to do as they wish, whether it be accepting missions to further the game’s story, shopping for new items and weapons or challenging other samurai in battle. A unique online feature allows the uploading and downloading of player characters to roam in other players’ games as a computer-controlled assassin to challenge and defeat in order to receive that character’s equipped spoils. The original Japanese voice-overs have been left intact, heightening realism, and will be accompanied by English sub-titles.

Developed by ACQUIRE and published by Spike in Japan, Way of the Samurai 4 will be released in North America by XSEED Games on August 21 on the PlayStation 3 system as a digital release on the PlayStation®Store. More information is available at the newly launched product website at www.wayofthesamurai4.com

*

*

Events: Last year’s Seattle Indie Expo proved that the Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of up-and-coming games development talent, and if anyone needed further proof, then this year’s SIX drove the point home. 

Taking place at the DigiPen Institue of Technology,  the event was hosted by 17 Bit Studios (Skulls of the Shogun) and provided a great venue for gamers, journalists and developers to mingle face-to-face.

 Here's a quick rundown of the highlights, and for further information, you can find a complete list of what was at the show right here.

*

Easily one of my favorite games at the show, Mark of the Ninja (Klei Entertainment, XBLA) was an incredibly impressive ninja action game that takes 3D stealth concepts and interprets them to work in a purely 2D environment. The animation was smooth as silk, the controls were effortless, and the amount of thought that went into making the sneaking intuitive was fantastic.

For example, the game takes the guesswork out of being sneaky with things like an on-screen circle whenever the player makes noise. Any enemies within that circle will hear it, so it's quite simple for the player to accurately gauge whether they will alert guards or not. Other things were just as clever, such as the player being black when hidden, and brightly-colored when visible.

The substantial demo gave a very good taste of what to expect from the full version, including things like optional objectives for challenge-seekers and multiple paths through each level. Apparently, it's also possible to complete the game without killing anyone (except bosses) as well. From every angle, this looked like a big win.

*

Shellrazer (Slick Entertainment, iOS) was another one that caught my eye, although for a slightly different reason -- I had actually downloaded it to my iPhone just a few days prior to the show. I had no idea that it was going to be shown at SIX, so getting to meet the artist of the game was a pleasant surprise.

In this title, the player takes control of a giant tortoise who straps various guns, cannons, and other weaponry to the back of its shell. The goal is to walk from left to right while taking out all opposition by any means necessary. There are loads of options for people who like to tinker with gear, and to be quite frank, seeing this giant reptile plod along while spewing lead in every direction is just too damned cute.

Unlike many of the other games featured at the show, this one is available on the app store now!

*

Playing with perception seemed to be a recurring theme at this year's show.

The first one to catch my attention was Perspective (Widdershins, PC) and I have to admit that as I was looking over the shoulder of another person playing the demo, I absolutely no clue what the hell was going on. Once that person left and I had my own turn at it, I thought it was pretty brilliant.In this game, the player takes control of a 2D character who must navigate through fully 3D environments. The hook is that he can only travel across blue platforms which are scattered around the walls, floors and ceilings. By rotating the camera view, platforms can be connected by altering the perspective onscreen. It was a bit reminiscent of something like Echochrome, but far more flexible and energetic.

The Bridge (Ty Taylor, PC) was the next mindbender I came across. It's most easily described as the player taking control of a man who is walking through the type of impossible geometry that M.C. Escher is known for. Portrayed in black and white, the goal of each area was simply to reach the exit, but along the way the player must account for the movement not only of his own character, but of large boulders which bring an end to the adventure if they roll the wrong way.

The last one to play games with space was Subduction (Improbability Drive, PC). This one had the most stripped-down graphics out of all of them, with the on-screen display consisting of little more than simple lines and a small avatar, but it had no problem piquing my curiosity. In this title, the player controls a princess navigating through stark 2D environments, but these environments could be flipped and rotated every which way, including top-down. I was dying to talk to the developers of this game, but every time I came to the table they had just stepped away.

*

At least two of the games I saw (maybe more) were the result of projects by students still at DigiPen. Both Rhinopocalypse and Meka Zoo were cute, clever, and instantly engaging. The former was about a rhino crashing through a world made up entirely of 3D pixels (it looked a lot like 3D Dot Heroes, really) and the latter was a platformer inspired by Donkey Kong Country. However, instead of starring apes, the player can transform between frog, snake and pelican modes. I was told by the Rhinopocalypse developer that because the game stems from work done at DigiPen, it had to be released free of charge. Look for that one to be available for PC in the next few months. Meka Zoo’s eventual fate was unclear.

*

There were a number of games which were clearly not ready for prime time, but which still showed some promise, regardless. 

Volgarr theViking (Crazy Viking Studios, PC) looked like it was ripped straight out of the 16-bit era, and I mean that in the best possible sense. If I didn't know better, I would swear this was some forgotten Genesis gem, and an interesting turn of events, the developers currently have a fully-funded Kickstarter going to support development with plenty of days left before it ends.

My Giants (Studio Pepwuper, PC, Mac) was a cute multiplayer game featuring kids playing capture the flag, with the twist being that they have monstrous helpers along for the ride lending backup. Given the small scale of the development house, multiplayer is the only mode in production right now, but this one was crying out for a proper campaign, if you ask me. Hopefully that can come to fruition in the future.

Rednecks vs Robots (Noxious Games, PC, Mac, iOS) was notable for pitting anthropomorphized animal hillbillies against mechs from outer space. Several elements of the general design were still under development, but my guess is that it will be a good fit for iPhone/iPad.

Finally, a special shout-out goes to Heart Shaped Games and their new title Battleline Bandits (PC, Mobile, and NOT FOR FACEBOOK.) An interesting mix of turn-based tactics and CCG elements, this one will be going to beta soon and will be in need of testers. Keep your eyes peeled here, or check in with HSG for more details.

*

Rounding out the show were returning favorites Skulls of the Shogun (17 Bit Studios, XBLA, PC), PAX 10 finalist Containment: the Zombie Puzzler (Bootsnake Games, PC, iPad) and Vessel (Strangeloop Games, PC, XBLA) made a return appearance, all of them having been polished up and prepped to move to new platforms.

*

That about wraps it up for me, but as you can see, there’s a lot to be excited about here in the Pacific Northwest… I can't wait to see what's on tap next year!

* 

*

Games: I finished Metro 2033 on 360 last night, and I started a blog post to sort of wrap up my final thoughts. By the time I had it all down, I realized I had effectively written a full Second Opinion review without intending to, so I'll go ahead and post that to Gamecritics. It should be up before too long.

In the meantime, if I had to nutshell my overall impressions I'd say that the first 2-3 hours were pretty amazing, but that the game quickly falls apart afterwards by relying too heavily on tedious gunplay and by presenting a story that lacks detail in every aspect. It's tough for me to get excited about slogging through tunnels and shooting mutant rats when the plot is paper-thin and makes little sense.

Despite all the complaints I had with the game and how little I ended up enjoying it, I would still recommend the first section to those who have an interest in rich atmosphere and effective pacing. After that, though, kick it to the curb and don't feel guilty about it for a moment.

*

Reviews: Super LTTP on this one, but here’s my writeup on Skylanders: Spyro’s Avdenture. Spoiler: I’ve beaten the game twice and I own all the figures, so you can probably guess what I think about it…

*

Events: Seattle Indie Expo THIS SUNDAY. Don't miss.

*

Requests: We will be recording a new episode of the Gamecritics Podcast in less than twenty-four hours, and the subject will be graphic portrayals of violence and what purpose they serve. 

How this came about was that I got an e-mail from a listener/reader who expressed concerns over gory stuff like Manhunt and its ilk, and more recently, Sniper Elite V2. In this game, the player is shown several “kill cam” shots of his bullets traveling great distances to explode the heads of enemy troops, and there are several scenes where the bullet is shown traveling through vital organs, and so on. It's quite reminiscent of the x-ray supermoves in the most recent Mortal Kombat, actually.

Essentially, this person is saying that they feel the extremely graphic presentation of the damage being done to the bodies of enemy soldiers is over the top and unnecessary, and that it serves no real purpose. In fact, he goes on to say that the specific level of violence he's talking about should actually be banned since it may even be harmful, in his view.

So, what you think? 

Is there any good reason to have hyper-violent content in games? Any good reason to get rid of it? Should it be banned, or should people have the option to consume such types of content if they wish?

If you've got an opinion and want to share it, e-mail me and I'll read it on the air.

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

 NIS America today announced that Character Chowdown is now available for download on iTunes® for iOS devices!
Character Chowdown is a brand-new game that will aid students in learning new languages. Developed in cooperation with Yummy Yummy Tummy, Character Chowdown will feature cuddly characters and cameos from Nippon Ichi Software Inc.'s popular Disgaea® series. 

Players can start learning the Japanese language with a free katakana pack. More language packs for hiragana and hundreds of kanji will also be available.

***

The new Darksiders II trailer – Death Comes For All

***

A brand-new Dishonored trailer showing multiple solutions to a problem.

*