New Games |
- Kirby Super Star can ruin friendships
- No Metal Gear Rising on Wii U until Konami sees demand
- PC Port Report: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
- Resident Evil producer revises opinion on gameplay shift
- Literally shoot fish in a barrel in CoD of Duty
- Monolith Soft also working on a 3DS game?
- Review: Omerta: City of Gangsters
- This is how Mega Man would sound on Sega Genesis
- Binding of Isaac Piano Arrangement is sweet sorrow
- Storm's Adventure with New Super Mario Bros U
- Sup Holmes gets cut by Mark of the Ninja's Nels Anderson
- Review: Tokyo Crash Mobs
- Valve sued over Steam's inability to sell pre-owned games
- This is what happens when SRPGs and Football combine
- No, the 49ers will win the Super Bowl due to these games
- Microsoft abandoning XNA Game Studio
- The Ravens will win the Super Bowl because of these games
- Dreamcast lives on thanks to a pair of new games
- Eggman and Wily built new foes for our blue heroes
| Kirby Super Star can ruin friendships Posted: 03 Feb 2013 03:00 PM PST Kirby Super Star. That was the game where we first saw Egoraptor and JonTron's friendship almost DISSOLVE RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES. The comedy duo usually gets along pretty well for the most part in all the games they play, but there are a handful of titles that test their resolve. And as bad as Kirby Super Star got, it doesn't even compare to how much sh*t was lost in the first VS episode for Nickelodeon Guts. |
| No Metal Gear Rising on Wii U until Konami sees demand Posted: 03 Feb 2013 01:00 PM PST Remember when Kojima Productions' Yuji Korekado said that Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance wasn't coming to the Wii U because the GamePad is some mystical artifact whose secrets the gods themselves can't unlock? Well, a recent comment from PlatinumGames writer / translator JP Kellam has shifted the possibility of a Wii U port from "no chance" to "fat chance." In a response to a fan's query about a Wii U version, Kellam said, "[Konami] would have to see demand for it and bring us the request to port." To me, that sounds like Platinum is quite willing to bring Rising on over -- it's already working on two Wii U exclusives after all -- but Konami has the final say on if and when that happens. The only way the publisher will reconsider its position is if fans beg on their hands and knees for scraps from the royal banquet hall. What is Konami waiting for? Of course the user base is small; the damn machine just came out in November! Now is the time to cultivate demand by actually announcing games. How the hell do you think any brand new console builds an audience if not with concerted efforts from studios who want to establish an early presence in the hopes of being rewarded for their investment, if not right away then after a year or so once the platform has taken root? Is anyone else sensing a repeat of the general attitude towards the Wii? Remember all those ass-backwards "tests" that companies like Capcom would do -- releasing a low-budget spin-off from a fifth-string studio with no marketing whatsoever and using its success to determine whether to develop another low-budget spin-off from a fifth-string studio with no marketing whatsoever? It seems like now they're just skipping the "test" phase entirely and praying that all the work gets done for them. Because who has time and money to think more than a couple of weeks ahead? I am sick of this halfhearted attitude regarding Nintendo platforms. If this is the kind of bullshit we can expect going forward, you can bet that the Wii U will be a third-party wasteland on a scale grander than the Wii. Grow some balls, people. JP Kellams [Twitter, via NeoGAF] |
| PC Port Report: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Posted: 03 Feb 2013 12:00 PM PST [Want to know how a developer handled the PC version of a multiplatform game? Check out the PC Port Report for the full scoop.] With all of the delays, all signs pointed to an issue with the PC version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. To my surprise, this is pretty much a no-nonsense solid conversion with some slight upgrades along the way. Provided you don't have an affinity towards five-player local racing and exclusive GamePad-centric mini-games found on the Wii U, this is the definitive version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PC) You'll notice right off the bat that the PC port contends with the console version in terms of visual output, and often times, depending on your rig, it can exceed it. The gorgeous HD levels that were already great looking to begin with on consoles really pop, and even on the lowest settings possible, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed still looks great. Standard visual tweaks apply, such as the ability to toggle anti-aliasing, motion blur, v-sync, and tweak the texture quality of nearly every asset in the game. You don't need an expensive PC to top out these visuals, as nearly anyone can run the fairly humble requirements. Online play works flawlessly -- even better than my experience with the Xbox 360 and Wii U versions, in fact. All you have to do is choose your game type and bam, you're in a lobby via Steamworks, with a sizable community. To my surprise, there's full local couch co-op available for up to four players on the same screen, which is especially useful for people who have four controllers and a TV-out solution available. Although the keyboard controls are fully customizable, you'll want to use a controller for this one. Everything translates 1:1 with the console versions, and there's even plug-and-play controller support so other players can jump right in. The only hangup is that if you want to reconfigure your controls, you'll have to do it out of the game in the separate configuration tool. Thankfully, although the menus have distinct console feel to them, you can navigate them with a mouse, keyboard, and gamepad. In terms of new content, the only thing the PC port adds are three new characters, which, depending on your perspective, may not be enough to double-dip. The Team Fortress 2 character additions are actually only one racer, which was really confusing at first. The TF2 kart is the Pyro on land, the Heavy in water, and the Spy in the sky. All three models fit the cartoony nature of the game so well, it's almost like they were created in the Sega universe. It's a really cool extra that adds a lot of character to the game, and should placate PC fans who aren't the biggest Sonic or Sega fans. The Shogun from Shogun: Total War also has a ton of character, as his kart transforms into a fearsome flying dragon and a goofy-looking koi fish. Sadly, the Football Manager from, well, the Football Manager franchise, is a really lame addition that, like Danica Patrick, feels too realistic juxtaposed to the other cast members. Still, it's nice to have more characters in the mix in general to keep the cycle of fresh faces going race by race. While the extra characters are nice, and rooted within the PC realm of Sega's universe, it would have been nice if there was at least one Valve or PC-inspired track. As a fan of the original, I know this would have easily put me over the edge, and other Valve fans would have sprung at the opportunity to ride through some classic, cartoony Team Fortress 2 maps. Oh well. After extensive testing of both the Wii U and PC versions in tandem, I can't find anything wrong with this version. If you already have the game, a few extra characters, Steamworks support, and slightly enhanced visuals may not be enough to sway you (especially since it doesn't include the Wii U's extra features). But if you haven't picked up the game yet and PC is your only option, you can't go wrong for the price -- it's one of the best kart racer games I've ever played, on any platform. |
| Resident Evil producer revises opinion on gameplay shift Posted: 03 Feb 2013 11:00 AM PST Resident Evil producer Masachika Kawata said he has slightly altered his opinion on shifting the series to more action-oriented gameplay after reviewing fan response to its recent releases. "Looking at user feedback from the last couple of games, I've started to slightly revise my opinion on that matter," Kawata said to VideoGamer in regards to Resident Evil 6 and Operation Raccoon City. "I still think it's important for us to challenge ourselves to include new elements in the games to keep them fresh and keep them relevant," he added, stating that horror and fear will still be the main pillar for the series, even if added atop the action-based gameplay found in releases like Operation Raccoon City. "I think there could be potential in taking the base of that game and if we were - hypothetically - to develop a sequel to that, then start bringing back horror into that base that we started with. That could be a way to start bringing the elements that we think we need together in one game." Last week, Kawata entertained the idea of a possible reboot of the series, and that releasing Revelations on consoles will determine the future of Resident Evil. Kawata says he's 'revised his opinion' on action-focused Resident Evil [VideoGamer] |
| Literally shoot fish in a barrel in CoD of Duty Posted: 03 Feb 2013 10:00 AM PST As part of the "1 Game a Month" initiative, developer Ryan Evans created a funny little game that is a 15 minute play on the phrase "it's like shooting fish in a barrel." That game is CoD of Duty. Ryan says that the game is a joke based on how he feels about modern day FPS games, and how their campaigns have devolved into mush. I don't want to spoil anything for you, but it's only 15 minutes long, and definitely worth playing. Interestingly enough, due to constraints, co-op and controller support had to be cut -- this joke was pretty well thought out! You can download the game at the landing page here, or play it directly in your browser. CoD of Duty [Ryan Makes Stuff via Rock Paper Shotgun] |
| Monolith Soft also working on a 3DS game? Posted: 03 Feb 2013 09:32 AM PST After the announcement of an upcoming Xeno-series game from Monolith Soft for the Wii U last month, I had everything I needed from them for this year. But today a surprise pops up -- another potential Monolith Soft game for 3DS. On their Facebook page, a post asking applicants for 3D CG designers and other talent for their Kyoto studio included the above image. This studio created the fantastic Baten Kaitos games, and now it seems like they're looking for help for a new game. We do not have a name or any other information for the above concept image, but it's something! And it's pretty. And it has big-nosed trees. |
| Review: Omerta: City of Gangsters Posted: 03 Feb 2013 09:00 AM PST When a Don asks you a favor, you can't refuse 'em. No matter what, you have to take what's on the table, and one day, somewhere down the line, he'll return that favor. Omerta: City of Gangsters asked me to buy into the idea that it would show me a meaningful series of events, moral choices, and a complex combat system. It promised me an enjoyable experience. Halfway in, I found out that I was the victim of a fix. A setup, you see. Because Omerta wasn't the Don it claimed to be. By the end, I just wanted to whack him and get it over with. Omerta: City of Gangsters (PC [reviewed], Xbox 360) As a second-generation Italian American, I grew up infatuated with mob films and the romanticism of organized crime. Even in college, I studied Criminology for one of my majors, and my thesis was on the motivations of modern day Robin Hoods of the 1920s and beyond. I chose the dude who looked like a young Alec Baldwin -- my nickname is "The Earful," I grew up as a stonemason, and my weapon of choice is a pistol. The game began, and a generic voiceover came on over top of a series of still images, explaining my motivations for power. All of this pre-game fluff is fugazi (fake), fellas -- it's to trick you into thinking your choices really matter. More on that later. Once you're actually ready to take on Atlantic City circa 1920, you get a full overview of the town, which is yours for the taking. On the world map, which is set up like a smaller version of Sim City, you can manage the structures you own, and look at new ones to take over. In order to gain resources at first, all you have to do is send out your henchmen to do menial tasks like rob neighborhoods, wait for the money to roll in, buy establishments to earn more cash, and repeat. Hiring new thugs helps you earn more actions (and units in combat), and each thug can be simplistically kitted out in case there's a combat situation. And that's the game, basically. You send people on jobs, you wait, and you do some more jobs until there's occasionally RTS style combat. If you've ever played a free-to-play Farmville style game, you'll know what I mean, as it feels like a basic resource farming game. There's only a few resources to manage -- money (split into clean and dirty cash) beer, liquor, and firearms, and you won't run out of any of them, so long as you're willing to wait for more cash to get them. It doesn't matter if the structure you choose to create for money making purposes is a boxing club or a speakeasy; it all either earns you dough, or resources that you can trade for dough. They progress at a set interval, as you wait to progress to the next linear, scripted mission. The game tries to mix things up, but everything blurs into one giant resource. Soup Kitchens can increase your "likability" while other buildings, such as pizza joints, increase your "fear" rating. These ratings are supposed to allow you to perform different actions like gaining the ability to kick people out of their houses through fear, but it all comes back to the same one goal: get more money. Activities such as robbing buildings or butting heads with other rival gangsters is, in theory, a way to decrease your "like" rating and give you trouble. The problem is, I never really noticed any changes on a consistent basis, as you can eventually get everything you want so long as you have the patience to click on enough buildings and wait. One actual negative consequence you can get by clicking with reckless abandon is a high "heat" level, that will unceremoniously bring up a screen saying "unless you choose one of these options, you lose the game". Generally, your choices are to bribe the police, blame someone else, or fight them to "destroy the evidence." The funny thing is that by enabling actions to raise the heat and reach this impasse, you were in turn doing actions that let you obtain a ton of cash to more than pay off the heat level. Once your heat rating indicator gets high, all you have to do is wait, get enough cash, and then raise your heat one more time and pay them off. Presto: then the cycle begins anew. By the time the heat level raises incrementally to a relatively high amount of cash, the mission will be finished, and you'll start another one completely fresh. Nothing really matters big picture wise. Once conflict arises on scripted occasions, Omerta will switch to the game's asynchronous RTS style battle mode. Omerta allows you to choose perks and respec for a cost, but all of the game's perk options are basically "increase this stat," so you don't have to spend hours deliberating on what to pick -- everything starts to blend together. Combat dialogue is even worse than the core game's, consisting of constant sound bites like "I'm way better than you!" and "See me and you die!" If you lose a fight, it usually means game over, but you can just load an autosave (which always saves right before combat) or a manual save up and try again. Some battles even give you the option of automatically simulating the fight (think forcing locks in Fallout or Elder Scrolls). For the sake of testing, I tried re-loading an autosave over and over before a battle, and seeing if the "auto-battle" option would work if I spammed it. It did. Unlike XCOM: Enemy Unknown or a number of other RTS games, the outcomes are not predetermined every time to prevent an exploitation like reloading -- so you can in essence, game the system. All of this is a shame, because one of the best parts of the game is the beautiful period setting and the pitch-perfect soundtrack. Like Boardwalk Empire, the developer does a great job encapsulating the 1920s feel to a tee. Although the story and characters are woefully generic, they really nailed the theme. Once you're done with the samey campaign, you can replay it again on one of its three difficulties, tackle the game's coop and competitive multiplayer, or play sandbox mode. The problem with multiplayer is that it plays into the same trappings as the single player's RTS portion of the game. In order to really enjoy it, you really should get with another person over voice chat who's willing to suffer through all of the problems listed above. Unless the developer adds some serious free DLC and content updates to make your choices more meaningful, you probably aren't going to want to play it again. If you're really into mafia movies and other cosa nostra flavored dealings, you might get some pure novelty enjoyment out of it on a Steam sale, provided you can put up with the repetitive nature of the game. For everyone else, it's probably best to "forgettaboutit". |
| This is how Mega Man would sound on Sega Genesis Posted: 03 Feb 2013 08:00 AM PST I've professed my love for the Sega Genesis' music capabilities numerous times, but people still look at me like I'm taking crazy pills. I am dead serious! I love the grungy, metallic sound of FM synth! It was the dressing that gave Sega the harder edge in comparison to Nintendo way back in the day. So obviously I enjoy good FM arrangements of non-Sega games. London-based MixerProductions has spent the last few months reworking the soundtracks for all the numbered Mega Man games in the Sega synth style. He's currently working on MM8, and I'm guessing he'll eventually tackle Mega Man & Bass, 9, and 10 as well. And yeah, I know that Genesis music for MM1-3 already exists in the form of The Wily Wars, but like RushJet1's MM3 tribute, I am fascinated by a fan's take on preexisting material. These were produced back-to-back beginning in November, so some tracks may not be as strong as others. That's not say there aren't standouts, like the Mega Man 7 opening stage theme above. In other tracks, Mixer has added classic Sega sound bites, like the Ninja Turtle's "Cowabunga" at the start of Dive Man's theme! All in all, I'm mightily impressed! MixerProductions [YouTube via The Mega Man Network] |
| Binding of Isaac Piano Arrangement is sweet sorrow Posted: 03 Feb 2013 07:00 AM PST When The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth was announced, I was puzzled by some of the folks were annoyed with the new graphics, deeming them "pointless." They seemed to think that because they liked the original game's visuals that there was no reason to ever do anything new with them ever. That's a difficult perspective for me to relate with. It's one thing to say you don't like the new graphics because they don't appeal to you, but to say that they shouldn't exist just because they are different feels goofy. Maybe if they think of Rebirth's new graphics as visual equivalent to a piano arrangement, they'll feel less sore about the whole thing. When a piano arrangement is done well, it can allow you to enjoy music you already love in a whole new way. Just get a load of this new Binding of Isaac piano arrangement by Brent Kennedy for instance. It's a delight. Perfect Super Bowl music, guys. |
| Storm's Adventure with New Super Mario Bros U Posted: 03 Feb 2013 07:00 AM PST The Nintendo Love continues, as does the "Paying Catch Up to the Catch Up". New Super Mario Bros. U is the first New Super Mario Bros. game I've actually owned and played comprehensively, so the concept is still, well, New. I found myself comparing my fun factor to Super Mario World. Yes, I liked the game. And don't worry, I never say it is better than Super Mario World. What's old is obviously better than anything subsequent. Obviously. Also, Hello, Hello! |
| Sup Holmes gets cut by Mark of the Ninja's Nels Anderson Posted: 03 Feb 2013 06:30 AM PST [Destructoid's Director of Communications Hamza Aziz asked Jonathan Holmes to make a show called 'Sup, Holmes?' so that Destructoid could later sell a t-shirt that says 'Sup, Holmes?' on it. This is that show. Subscribe to the podcast feed and find more episodes here.] This week on Sup Holmes we welcome Nels Anderson, lead designer on Mark of the Ninja. 2D stealth action games about ninjas are not exactly what's hot with the kids right now, but that didn't stop Nels and his team at Klei entertainment (Shank, N+, Sugar Rush, Don't Starve) from creating one of the most critically acclaimed and compelling games of 2012. True to its name, the game struck silently from the shadows, and before we all knew it, all our throats were cut (metaphorically speaking). We'll be talking to Nels about Mark of the Ninja's sudden rise to critical and commercial success, what went into making a game that deeply impressed both game design scholars and casual players a like, and anything else he wants to talk about. Are you ready for some football? If not, tune in to the show at 1pm PST/4pm EST and join us in the fun. |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2013 06:00 AM PST In the mid 90's, games produced on "CD ROM" format became available to the mass market for a relatively low cost. With a vastly expanded capacity for storage to work with, developers jumped at the chance to integrate "Full Motion Video" into their projects at a record pace. When human beings suddenly can do something, they will do it, regardless if they should. That's why Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, and Cory Haim all threw in with some of the strangest, technically unsound narratives in the history of storytelling (in gaming or otherwise). It was a "look before you leap" time in development, one that yielded the kinds of games you just don't see much of anymore. Tokyo Crash Mobs marks the return of the kind of surrealistic FMV gaming that I thought was long gone. The developers at Mitchell Corp. were clearly excited to try their hand at crafting some live action 3D cut scenes, though it's not entirely clear that they had any sort of "plans" or "direction" before they started production. What they did have is a green screen, a few of models, some oversized business casual suits, and a Ninja costume. The end results are nothing short of magical. Oh, and they also made a pretty good puzzle game too.  Tokyo Crash Mobs (3DS eShop) Tokyo Crash Mobs is a match three puzzle game where you play as one or two young women who throw or roll human beings at other human beings wearing the same colored clothes. This makes the human beings form "cliques," then disintegrate. At first, the two women appear to have different motivations for taking action in this way. Grace wants to have a fun time at the club, but she's at the back of the line. Only the first ten people of the line will get in. Her solution to this problem is to kill everyone in front of her using her mysterious disintegration magic until she gets to the front. Savannah, the game's other protagonist, is in less aggressive of a position. She a sleepy college student who is either dreaming, hallucinating, or something else. The game's loading screens read with the text "Delusion Now." Does that mean the whole game is just a surreal trip into the subconscious? Regardless, poor Savannah isn't trying to get into any club. She's just trying to stop a group of soulless Scenesters from getting to a giant button. If they get to the button before she can evaporate them all, they'll send her into a cosmic limbo where she'll be presumably trapped forever. For Grace, it's all about the club. For Savannah, it's exterminate or be be exterminated.
Eventually, the two women meet in a scene that can only be described as "important." From there, they take on the important task of disintegrating colorful ninja clones. Unlike the Scenesters, these ninjas are not afraid to get violent. Savannah and Grace will have to dodge attacks and remember that offense if the best defense if they want to get out of this alive. It may sound pretty silly, but for the most part, these dialogue-free cut scenes don't appear to be played for laughs. Besides all the story based moments, there are plenty of shots of trees, and skyscrapers, and just ... stuff. Why these moments, or any of the games FMV moments exist, is anyone's guess. You'd be better off trying to figure out why Iwata was being so coy about those bananas. Regardless of what it all means, Tokyo Crash Mobs shows that Nintendo is willing to get weirder than ever. I couldn't be happier about that.  While the game's FMV portions are clearly the star of the show, the underlying game here offers an admirable attempt to make a relatively tired puzzle formula feel fresh and fun again. The actual game parts of Tokyo Crash Mobs are a riff on Mitchel Corps' 1999 puzzle game Puzz Loop (also known as Magnetica). The match three theme remains throughout, though there are plenty of variations on that theme. As the game progresses, Scenesters get more active and will jump and move out of the way of your attacks. Environmental obstacles show up that force you to rethink your shots. Scoring combos will help you get a gold medal. An exploding beachball may fuck up your shit. The ninja "boss fight" sections even offer some surprisingly fun (but optional) motion controlled segments.  In terms of replay value, the game has a relatively lengthy "story" mode (took me about two and a half hours to get through), an endless challenge mode, and an appropriately difficulty to navigate movie gallery mode. If you play just for the story, you may find the game's $8 price tag to be a bit hefty, but if you plan on playing challenge mode, you'll get your money's worth. So that's Tokyo Crash Mobs, a game that I truly did not see coming. Fans of surreal FMV and/or match three puzzle games should check it out. |
| Valve sued over Steam's inability to sell pre-owned games Posted: 03 Feb 2013 05:00 AM PST The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZVB) doesn't entertain the long-standing idea of digital games remaining bound to the customer. The consumer group is taking a stand and suing Valve over Steam's refusal to let users re-sell their games, something it believes should be a customer's right. Carola Elbrecht of the group believes Steam users only "partially" own their games, with Valve's terms of service slapping restrictions on purchasers after they've forked the money over. Valve has ignored the VZVB's complaint for a few months, leading it to initiate a legal complaint. It's also tried this before, failing in 2010 to get Valve punished for blocking the ability to transfer user accounts. This new case, however, may hold a bit more water. Last year, the European Supreme Court ruled in favor of the used game market, declaring consumers must be able to re-sell any software purchased, no matter what the product's TOS may be. Digital storefronts still cling to the belief that downloaded games don't belong to the downloaders, so it'll be interesting to see what, if anything, happens here. The VZBV has, in the past, also threatened Activision Blizzard over Diablo III's DRM. They don't take PC game tomfoolery lightly over there! "We are aware of the press release about the lawsuit filed by the VZBV, but we have not yet seen the actual complaint," Valve's Doug Lombardi told Gamasutra. "That said, we understand the complaint is somehow regarding the transferability of Steam accounts, despite the fact that this issue has already been ruled upon favorably to Valve in a prior case between Valve and the VZBV by the German supreme court. For now, we are continuing to extend the Steam services to gamers in Germany and around the world." Elbrecht's argument is a lot more simple and, in the mind of an idealist, hard to refute: "If I pay the full price for a game, then why am I not allowed to do with it what I want?" Fair statement. Very fair statement indeed. Unfortunately, it is an idealistic one. The reality, and the answer, is that publishers can basically do whatever they like in the Wild West of digital distribution. They continue to charge as much as physical media, because they can, and they continue to enforce shitty restrictions on their customers, because they can. Companies have dreamed of being able to still claim ownership over the games they sell for years, and with their dream so close to reality, one expects they'll fight tooth and nail to keep it. The ability to dominate every point of a game's sale, extending far beyond the actual transaction of cash and product, is a power few shall be willing to give up. Valve sued in Germany over game ownership [PC Advisor] |
| This is what happens when SRPGs and Football combine Posted: 03 Feb 2013 04:00 AM PST It's SuperBowl Sunday, making it the most appropriate time ever to talk about Footbrawl Quest, a free football SRPG with randomly generated maps. So if you don't care whether or not birds are better than gold hunters (they aren't), you can at least have some American football on this, the holiest of all holidays. It's similar to what I know of the Blood Bowl franchise, except way simpler and way more free. Download Footbrawl Quest here. Remember Pigskin 621 A.D.? No? What about by its Genesis port, Jerry Glanville's Pigskin Footbrawl? Well, it was one of my childhood favorites, and if I don't mention it now I feel like I won't ever get to. Maybe that's one reason I love Footbrawl Quest; I feel like it is upholding the Footbrawl name. A true successor to 1992's "arcade sports simulation game of the year." Okay, so maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but the fact still remains that Footbrawl Quest is a wonderful SRPG. The strategy elements are solid, but the football element is perhaps the most engaging. Unlike normal turn-based games of this nature, the goal isn't to kill everyone, it's to score a touchdown. One unit starts with the football which, for the super uninitiated, must be brought across the enemy's endzone in order to score a touchdown and win. If that unit gets tackled (attacked), they will fumble the ball for anyone to pick up. Let me just take this moment to express my love for the fumbling in this game. Although it's much slower paced than regular American football, the fumble still carries with it a feeling of intensity and suspense as if it were during the biggest game of the year. This is thanks to the wonderful randomness of where the football will land after a fumble, true to real fumbles and football physics. The carrying of the football makes for some really interesting moments while playing. You can pass the ball to another unit, but you better be sure that they are safe from fumbles for at least a turn. You can have the bigger, bulkier units carry the football, but chances are you'll want them on the front lines of each encounter, increasing the chances of a fumble. You can give it to the lighter, quicker units, but if they get hit even once you can bet they'll fumble it real quick. The added layer of strategy from a single gameplay element is absolutely beautiful. There are also treasure chests scattered throughout the random maps, containing some awesome powerups. Multiplayer is included, but you need to have the other player's IP address, so you'll need to plan ahead. Oh, and here are some random tips to help you out:
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| No, the 49ers will win the Super Bowl due to these games Posted: 03 Feb 2013 03:30 AM PST Despite Chris clamoring on about the Baltimore Ravens winning the Super Bowl, he's wrong. If you thought he was right, you should totally feel silly right now. I doesn't matter how many prayers Ray Lewis mutters or what Madden thinks, my boy Colin Kaepernick has the hottest hand in NFL right now, and it's all thanks to the following games. Mr. Kaepernick spends each night playing through these games in rotation, and today is the day it pays off.* Miner 2049er I don't know too much about Miner 2049er, so I brought in our resident Miner 2049er expert and mustache, Conrad Zimmerman: "The thing which most enraptured me with this odd game of futuristic mine exploration was the combination of Pac-Man's stage victory conditions with stage design and gameplay more reminiscent of Donkey Kong." Sounds pretty amazing if you ask me. Since it's now out on iOS, I bet Patrick Willis pregames by playing Miner 2049er for hours. Minecraft It's no coincidence that the biggest phenomenon of this generation has the player rushing to mine gold so they can get better equipment. Minecraft is a wonderful psychological study into that of the mind of a 49er. Almost as soon as I boot into a brand new Minecraft world, my first thought is to look for some stone and coal. Then, soon after, some iron. Then gold. Then diamonds. Then MORE I NEED MORE AND BETTER THINGS. Just like the 49ers. As soon as they stepped foot into Californ-i-a they got out their sifter and started siftin'. No time wasted. If they were lucky, they remembered to eat from time to time. Just like me when I play Minecraft. CatDog: Quest for the Golden Hydrant This game is a beautiful allegory of the 1849 California gold rush. Referring to California as a "Golden Hydrant" due to its ability to, at the time, make the gold flow like water is absolutely brilliant. The developer KnowWare, most known for their work on such titles as Smart Games Challenge #1 and Smart Games Puzzle Challenge 3, really knows how to pack deeper meaning into their stuff. Spelunky You know that moment in Spelunky when you're faced with either saving the princess and going through the door or sacrificing her in order to pick up that wonderful, shiny, beautiful golden idol? You know that moment in which you always pick the idol because gold is way better? Yeah, gold is way better than princesses and it's certainly better than stupid BIRDS. BIT.TRIP.RUNNER You may have thought that BIT.TRIP.RUNNER was all about not giving up, learning how to use the tools you're given, and becoming yourself. It's actually, in fact, about the gold rush of 1849. First of all, you collect gold in order to get a better score. That part is obvious. He's also in quite the rush to get to all these gold, isn't he? It also takes place in California. How do I know? Well, the protagonist has a flippin' rainbow following him. It must be California, otherwise that might be weird. Team Fortress 2 Many people, myself included, like to refer to Team Fortress 2 as the "Game of the Forever (GOTF). It's the gift that just keeps on giving. Plus with hundreds of hours logged in, I'm still nowhere close to being the Spy I want to be. How does this help the 49ers win? Easy: the map pl_goldrush. Goldrush is the only map that overwhelmingly favors the Red team in TF2. Thus, the 49ers (red team) will overwhelmingly beat the Ravens (pretty-much-blue team). *based off conjecture |
| Microsoft abandoning XNA Game Studio Posted: 03 Feb 2013 03:00 AM PST Those in the know have seen this day approaching for quite some time, but Microsoft has made it official. XNA Game Studio is effectively done. A leaked internal email revealed the company is prepared to retire the development toolset on April 1, 2014. While some believe this could spell the end for Xbox Live Indie Games, a Microsoft representative told Polygon the company wouldn't be discontinuing the service entirely. "XNA Game Studio remains a supported toolset for developing games for Xbox 360, Windows and Windows Phone," the representative said. "Many developers have found financial success creating Xbox Live Indie Games using XNA. However, there are no plans for future versions of the XNA product." While a CVG source notes "no-one wants to learn a dying technology," options do exist for those still developing with XNA. MonoGame is an open source implementation of the software designed to help developers to port their games to other platforms. Many prominent indie games, Skulls of the Shogun for example, have already used the program to do just that. Microsoft has 'no plans for future versions' of XNA software, will not phase out DirectX [Polygon] |
| The Ravens will win the Super Bowl because of these games Posted: 03 Feb 2013 02:00 AM PST Ever since the team's inception, I've been a member of the Ravens Nation. After a quick victory in Super Bowl XXXIV, we've been so close yet so far so many times. Now, we have another shot in 2013. I mean, we all know The Ravens are going to win today. Hell, even Madden knows it. But you want to know why? Because these videogames have inspired Ray Lewis and his boys more than any pre-game ritual could ever do. These are the videogames that are going to take them all the way. Metal Gear Solid Ray Lewis' dances have been likened to that of a shamanistic ritual. Of course, he learned from the best. The one, the only, Vulcan Raven -- grand master shaman of the Metal Gear Solid universe himself. Did you know that Vulcan Raven is an Olympian and sports enthusiast? Yep, just take it from the big man: "There is another event that I excel at. It is called the ear pull. It is an event where two contestants pull each others' ears while enduring the harsh cold." That's like, basically football, dudes. That's So Raven: Psychic On The Scene What's the only thing better than Raven-Symoné? Raven-Symoné with psychic powers. Based on the #1 hit TV show That's So Raven, this point and click adventure game for the DS doesn't take shit from anyone, as Raven and the gang stop the beloved Thompson theater from meeting an untimely end. Selfless acts of altruism? That's so Baltimore Ravens. Castlevania Sometimes the biggest winners come in the smallest packages. Crowned as one of the most annoying, most persistent enemies of all time, the Castlevania Raven's tenacity can't be topped. That's The Ravens D at gametime -- all up in San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick's business without fail. Kaepernick? More like Sackpernick. Tekken 5 Raven from the Tekken series has an X shaped scar on his face, mostly because he's pretty goddamn extreme. No one even knows how old he is or where he comes from (badass). He's an OG competitor that was rumored to be based on both Muay Thai Champion Michael McDonald and the now B-list actor Wesley Snipes. Wesley Snipes even thinks he's a vampire in real life! That's true warrior spirit right there. Earthbound [Image by tjg-12345] Earthbound's Spiteful Crow is one of the baddest birds in gaming. Billed as one of the toughest early-game mobs in all of RPG-dom, these dudes can swipe stuff from Ness and his crew faster than you can say "Randy Moss is washed up." Alright so the Spitful Crow is not quite a raven, but it's close enough. Probably. Raven Software Why pick one more individual game when I can pick like, a billion? Heretic, Hexen, X-Men Legends, Origins: Wolverine -- all badass games. And who made them? Raven Software. Just look at that badass bird logo -- look familiar? Yeah I thought so -- it's the winning flag, flying high in the sky in New Orleans. |
| Dreamcast lives on thanks to a pair of new games Posted: 03 Feb 2013 12:00 AM PST The Dreamcast has been dead for well over a decade, but the venerable console's library still grows to this day. Slowly but surely independent developers continue to release games the platform, such as Gunlord, hoping that its vocal community of supporters still care enough to support "brand new retro games." And it appears that they do. A shmup by the name of Redux: Dark Matters turned into a surprise success on Kickstarter last year. Hucast Games raised more than double its original $25,000 goal and is currently putting the finishing touches on the product. That's not the only thing that they have in the oven, however. The Ghost Blade is an arcade shooter said to feature an elaborate scoring system and several games modes. The title is due for release sometime later this year, but those interested in pre-ordering can reverse a copy directly from the developer starting tomorrow. |
| Eggman and Wily built new foes for our blue heroes Posted: 02 Feb 2013 08:00 PM PST HNNNNNNNNNNNNG! The Archie Sonic / Mega Man crossover series "When Worlds Collide" is two short months away! It's gonna be soooooo goooooood! We're keeping the hype train chugging along with art from across the 12-issue run that spans the Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe, and Mega Man comics. Chris Carter recently shared some variant covers for Parts 6 and 7, but let's take a step back to Part 5, which will appear in Sonic Universe #52. In this issue, our heroes enter the Skull Egg Zone only to be greeted by the Genesis Unit and all new Copy Robots of both Eggman and Wily tech. You can see three of them -- modeled after Amy Rose, Shadow, and Knuckles -- in the bottom left of the cover. And because I forgot when it was first revealed, I've also uploaded the "Evil Friends Forever" variant of Part 4, which features the villainous doctors riding a tandem bike while sipping champagne. If that isn't one of the most awesome images ever, I don't know what is. EXCLUSIVE: Sonic & Mega Man Tear Up "Sonic Universe" #52 [Comic Book Resources via The Mega Man Network] |
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