Archive for the ‘Games’ Category
Posted by Jonathan in Games, Latest News on March 16th, 2010
Hate waking up not knowing where you are? Well, so does Daniel. But unfortunately for him, an easy answer like “tequila shots the night before” won’t explain the fact that he awakens in a desolate castle with few memories of his past.
Soon PC and MAC users (hooray, more games for OS X!) will be able to jump into Daniel’s shoes in Amnesia: The Dark Descent, an upcoming survival horror game developed by Frictional Games. Left with only your wits, gamers will explore the eerie pathways of the castle’s chambers, tackling demons on the outside as well as inside Daniel’s trouble memories. So far the game kind of looks like Myst on caffeine.
For those of you not familiar, Frictional Games previously developed the Penumbra series, an intended trilogy of adventure/horror survival games. On February 5 it was announced The Dark Descent had reached the alpha stage of development for all platforms, and it set for release August 2010.
Below is an actual gameplay teaser — pretty scary stuff!
Posted by Jesse in Games, Latest News, Reviews on March 11th, 2010
By K2
Ever wanted to step behind Predator’s mask or into the Alien’s tough exo-skeleton? Well now you can. In Rebellion’s new game Aliens vs. Predator, you can truly see how it feels to be two of the universe’s most deadly creatures.
The game takes place after Alien 3,where a group of scientists on planet BG-386 begin to breed xenomorphs for war. When a Predator war party discovers these experiments, they decide they need to eradicate them before there is an infestation throughout the universe.
The game features three single player modes which all have various feels, so it’s almost as if playing three games at once. The marine campaign begins with you alone trying to reconnect with the rest of your landing squad. The marine gameplay has an enjoyable horror survivor feel that makes up for the game’s slight graphical inadequacies. Aiming is a little tough before you get used to it, and seeing only as far as your flashlight can make you want to throw a flare every two seconds, but its general eeriness is perfect for fans
of any horror sci-fi. Though the campaign does have a dash of repetitiveness, who doesn’t like being locked in a room with a bunch of aliens trying to kill you, right?
The Alien’s gameplay is a worthy challenge. While you can imagine that walking on walls would make your stalking easier, it actually tends to pose a problem in practice. When trying to just get closer to wall, at times you end up directly on top of it, which isn’t ideal. However, after a while - if you manage to get used to the controls – it’s a rewarding gameplay experience.
Predator is, by far, this humble reviewer’s favorite portion of the game. With auto targeting for both long range attacks as well as hand to hand combat, it’s one of the easiest to get used to. The emphasis on silent stalking rather than “run and destroy it,” is a little disappointing, as you are not able to use the weapon’s full capabilities.
Multiplayer is a lot of fun, giving brand new challenges after you have mastered the controls. The games are not too big, and provide just the right space to get a feel for what your favorite species can do.
Overall the game is extremely enjoyable, and those of you with a love of the genre and characters will get an extra kick out of it. I give the game a 7.5 out of 10. Unless you love AVP, it is definitely a rent before you buy title.
Play on.
Posted by Ashleigh in Games, Latest News on March 5th, 2010
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: zombies make everything better; they’re like the bacon of the horror genre.
Apparently someone over at Epicenter Games agrees with me, because they’re trotting out their brand-new game Rock of the Dead this summer for the Wii. The game, which was influenced by Sega’s ’90s hit Typing of the Dead, will utilize a standard Rock Band or Guitar Hero guitar controller to allow players to rock the faces off an approaching undead horde.
Each monster will have a set of notes attached that players must play on their controllers in order to destroy the brain muncher. The commercial hits found in popular rhythm games like Guitar Hero won’t be found here; instead expect to be belting out rock-ified versions of classical music. The game will feature an offline co-op mode which will allow players to work with, and compete against, friends.
Neil Patrick Harris will provide the voice of a trailer park rocker who — after a mysterious meteor with the ability to reanimate the dead crash lands to Earth — must use the power of rock to vanquish the zombies in order to find his TV reporter girlfriend, voiced by Felicia Day.
Campy? Oh hell yes; but in a good way.
Click here for a complete first look at the zombie-tastic game.
Posted by Bryan in Events, Games, Latest News, Movies, Television & Web Series on March 1st, 2010
James Cameron is having a good year. After hearing rumblings about the innovative special effects in his new film, Avatar, for years leading up to its 2009 release, audiences rewarded Cameron’s pioneering with unprecedented box office. With awards season now in full swing, several film academies and organizations have begun lining up to dole out some more praise for the film’s achievements. The latest ceremony, Sunday night’s Visual Effects Society Awards, provided the Avatar crew with six more pieces of hardware, making them the big winners on the night.
The film’s winnings included the society’s most prestigious award — Outstanding VFX in a VFX-Driven Motion Picture, and the Best Single Visual Effect of the Year, for the “Neytiri Drinking” scene.
The Visual Effects society advertises themselves as “the entertainment industry’s only organization representing the full breadth of visual effects practitioners including artists, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and producers in all areas of entertainment from film, television and commercials to music videos and games.”
These were the first nominations and wins for Cameron, who hasn’t made another film since the awards’ inception eight years ago. However, his past work was also commemorated at the ceremony with a lifetime achievement award for his work on past films such as Titanic and Aliens. In accepting his award, Cameron cited several influences on his work dating back to seeing Ray Harryhausen’s films as a small boy, and then later 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars.
Cameron also showed graciousness to the late Stan Winston, who participated in the lengthy development of Avatar before passing away prior to completion. Cameron shared an anecdotal conversation he shared with Winston prior to his passing, in which Cameron shared his plans to experiment with 3D on a small movie first.
“Stan said ‘No, you do the biggest thing you’re going to do with this, you do your Star Wars with this.’ Stan was like that. So we decided to make Avatar. I owe that to him,” Cameron said.
Cameron began his career as an f/x technician, before catching a break and ascending to one of the most powerful directors in Hollywood. He talked some about the digital age supplanting the techniques he once learned.
“But it doesn’t matter,” said Cameron. “Because it’s the artists and imaginations and the pioneering spirit that makes visual effects.” He then coyly added, “I’m deeply honored to be a member of this brotherhood of warlocks and magicians.”
The six trophies matched the second-most ever held by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and was only one behind the all-time best seven taken home by The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Pixar was the other big winner of the night, as Up took home three prizes in the animation categories, and Pixar’s Ed Catmull received the George Melies Award for his work on computer graphics, digital filmmaking and CG animation. But Catmull admitted he never felt like a pioneer in his field.
“I was just trying to have an impact, solve interesting problems with good friends and good colleagues,” said Catmull. “The greatest honor was to have worked with you all these years.”
In television, Battlestar Galactica won for vfx in a broadcast series, and CSI also took home a pair of awards.
In videogames, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Gulag Extraction won for real time visuals, and Halo 3: ODST – The Life won for best vfx trailer.
Find the complete list of winners at the VES website.
Posted by Jonathan in Games on February 25th, 2010
Gameblog.fr recently got their hands on 5 minute video of Alan Wake gameplay!
Developed by Remedy Entertainment and scheduled to be released worldwide in May 2010, Alan Wake follows a bestselling writer with a horrific case of writer’s block. He is advised by his wife to visit a small town to regain his creative flow, but after arriving, the nice town of Bright Falls turns into a surreal place only imagined in nightmares. Wake finds himself trapped in a world separated by lightness and darkness, playing out a novel he can’t remember writing, word by word, as it all develops before his eyes.
The gameplay so far looks graphically beautiful and utterly intriguing. Wake is armed with only a pistol and flashlight but still manages to ward off crowds of shadowed soldiers, who seem to evaporate upon being exposed to light. Although the full story remains ambiguous and quite mysterious, after watching these five minutes of Alan Wake, I think it’s safe to say it will be a psychological thriller to look forward to.
Here’s a link to the video.
Posted by Jonathan in Games on February 21st, 2010
With the August 31 release date for Dead Rising 2 set and feeling a bit too far in the future, fans can now rest assured knowing their zombie killing will come sooner than expected.
As announced at Microsoft’s X10 media event, Capcom will release Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, a downloadable standalone prologue, which will give gamers a brief introduction to gameplay and protagonist Chuck Greene. Case Zero will also link the events of the original Dead Rising to the mania that will occur in Dead Rising 2, which should at least temporarily satisfy the players who feel August 31 just can’t come soon enough.
Attending media at the X10 event were able to experience the latest demo of Dead Rising 2, getting a first glance and introduction to Dead Rising’s new feature: improvised weapon combination. That’s right, players will now be able to combine two weapons of their choosing in order to create zombie destruction tools from your imagination. Awesome!
Details about pricing and the release date will be announced soon.
Here’s the trailer – be sure to watch long enough to see the two chainsaws attached to the ends of a paddle!
Posted by Buckley in Games, Reviews on February 19th, 2010
Who knew that going to hell would look so good… and be fun!
Even with its similarities Sony’s God of War, Dante’s Inferno does enough to separate itself from its counterpart. To be fair, for the first third of the game I was making internal comparisons to God of War, but soon after I stopped doing so and let Dante’s Inferno stand on its own merit. You might remember our initial coverage of the game from Comic Con 09, previewed by our hostess Seena. Most of the artwork for the monsters in the game have remained the same with the exception of a few changes.
The biggest hurdle I had going into the game was how Visceral Games changed the story to make it fit into the context of a videogame; for example, instead of being a poet in the Middle Ages, Dante is now a veteran of the third crusade which puts his birth some 200 years before the actual birth of the real Dante Alighieri. He’s also given a wife named Beatrice who, historically, was not the name of Alighieri’s wife, though she was the subject of many of his poems.
Instead of writing a poem that is basically one giant complaint about those who wronged him in his life, he is a real dirt bag that commits atrocities while on the crusade. Throughout the course of the game he must save Beatrice, because she made a wager with Lucifer that Dante would become a better person while he was away, and lost — thereby forfeiting her soul to the devil. While the story seems like a lot to swallow on paper, in the context of the game it works quite well.
Some elements of the poem are retained in the game’s story, such as the character of Virgil, who still acts as a guide to Dante during his journey to save his wife Beatrice. All 10 levels of hell are translated into game levels as well. From the city of Acre to the Ninth circle of Treachery, every level follows the progression of the poem which is a nice touch.
In terms of gameplay, it basically is a God of War clone. From the action with the scythe to the quick time segments, a lot of the same mechanics were lifted and placed into Dante’s Inferno. But that’s not a bad thing. In fact it’s a good thing. If you’re going to make a third person action game, why not try and emulate one of the best? There 
are a couple of things that “Dante’s Inferno” does to separate it such as the Punish/Absolve mechanic. Choosing to Punish or Absolve foes gives you experience for either a Holy or Unholy side. Gaining more experience unlocks new levels (seven in all) which allow you to buy new upgrades and combinations. Both sides mostly offer completely different upgrades with a couple exceptions being Health and Mana upgrades. The Unholy side offers more weapon combinations while the Holy side offers more magic and holy cross upgrades.
Graphically, the game looks pretty good, but could have looked better if it didn’t have to run at 60 frames per second, necessary for an action game of this magnitude. Each level of Hell looks like it was pulled from a heavy metal cover or your worst nightmare. The game also has a unique twist with its cinematics. During flashback sequences, each movie is animated to what seemed like a ’70s style of animation that really made it stand out. For real time cinematics, the game uses the more traditional CG animation which looks incredible.
The most serious complaint I had with the game would be that even on a normal mode setting the game is unforgiving at times, and often made me consider lowering the difficulty. The other would be the uneven use of checkpoints. There would be segments in the game where about 10 minutes would pass and I would die only to have to redo the entire sequence again, which created a good amount of frustration.
Dante’s Inferno offers a fantastic experience worth playing. Those who own a PS3 can wait till next month for God of War 3. For those who can’t wait, or who have never played God of War nor owned a PS3, Dante’s Inferno is a great substitute for that experience.
Dante’s Inferno has been rated M by the ESRB and is available for the PS3, XBox 360 and PSP platforms.
Posted by Jesse in Games, Latest News, Movies on January 12th, 2010
Oh god if only it were real…
Thanks to our friends at G4 TV for this!
Posted by sean in Games, Latest News on October 26th, 2009
Halloween is almost upon us and if you’re looking for zombie-killing action look no further than your fingertips! Paramount has just released a spooky iPhone video game perfect for the frightful season upon us – Pet Sematary, inspired by the classic horror film. If you’re not already planning a Halloween video games feature, how about a round-up on this season’s scariest games? Please consider the upcoming launch of Paramount’s spookiest video game:
Pet Sematary, a top-down, tap-to-kill arcade game inspired by the classic horror film “Pet Sematary,” is coming to the iPhone and iPod touch this month. In Pet Sematary, a grief-stricken father buries his son in an ancient animal burial ground where, it is said, everything buried will come back to life. But the burial ground is for animals only; when the animals and his son rise from the grave – they have a new hunger for human flesh. Perched on the rooftops, players will shoot down undead animals by tapping them one to four times as they race across the screen to feast on innocent townspeople.
Utilizing the touch screen, players are tasked to eliminate the zombie children, dogs, cats and birds by tapping them one to four times as they dart down the streets. Players will need to pay close attention to friend or foe, as health is diminished if innocents are accidentally killed or when an undead creature escapes or eats a townsperson. Tapping the lower left corner reloads the player’s ammo. Each level lasts one minute, and increases in difficultly as the game progresses, eventually unleashing a frenzy of attacks upon the unlucky townspeople wandering the street. In-game pickups help to score bonus points, replenish health, and provide a temporary weapon upgrade.
Posted by Barrett in Games on October 19th, 2009
Get pumped gamers, your last days have begun! THQ Inc. has announced that their highly anticipated action adventure title, Darksiders, will be released on January 5th, 2010 for both the Playstation 360 and Xbox 360 systems. The game will also be released in Europe and Asia Pacific on January 7th and 8th, respectively.
The game features the art of legendary comic book artist Joe Madureira as Darksiders puts players in the role of War, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Gamers will explore Earth set 100 years after the biblical Apocalypse, traveling through expansive dungeons, battling demons and angels and striking deals with unsavory characters in an epic quest to restore the balance between Heaven and Hell.
And now, since that tiny synopsis probably wasn’t enough for you, we have an interview with Clint over at THQ for your viewing pleasure:
Lastly, THQ is re-launching the Darksiders website, where news, screenshots, video and other special features will be coming online within the week.
Posted by sean in Games, Latest News on October 16th, 2009
From ghosts, goblins and creepy cobwebs to candy corn costumes, Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) gears up for its biggest virtual Halloween event of the season. Today, the hit online game Free Realms™ introduces its latest game update, Super Spooktacular, featuring decorations, daily trick-or-treating, mummifying minigames, 14 new quests, 2 new trading card game Quest Packs and more than 35 new costumes for players and their pets.
“We are celebrating the first Halloween in Free Realms, with weeks of spooky activities and festive live events,” said Andy Sites, senior producer at Sony Online Entertainment. “After a night of trick-or-treating the fun doesn’t have to end. Dressed as a chicken, mummy, witch or any of the other crazy costumes available, kids can explore virtual neighborhoods with millions of friends from the safety of their own home.”
Super Spooktacular is scheduled to run from October 14th through November 11th. For detailed information on Super Spooktacular, please visit www.FreeRealms.com.
Along with Free Realms, SOE’s online titles, EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Legends of Norrath® and Star Wars™ Galaxies are also scheduled to host a variety of in-game Halloween events:
EverQuest: Hungry halflings, wandering vampires and necromancers unite! Harvester’s Haunt has arrived with brand new quests and holiday-themed rewards. Players can track down the gravedigger, Edmund Strangeways in the Plane of Knowledge who’s been asking the brave to venture into Norrath and dig up corpses. Adventurers who seek more fun can try making candy apples or see a holiday merchant for costumes and special treats. Harvester’s Haunt is scheduled to run from October 24th through November 7th. For detailed information, please visit www.eqplayers.com.
EverQuest II: Nights of the Dead returns to EverQuest II with an all new Haunted Hedgemaze zone in Nektulos Forest which also includes a new holiday collection! Get lost in the Haunted Mansion in Loping Planes, trick-or-treat in the big cities and enjoy decorations and haunted homes in both Qeynos and Freeport. Players can buy a costume illusion from holiday merchants and reap great rewards from Nights of the Dead events, including Ponchy’s quest line in Antonica. Experience the midnight banquets and groovy ghoulies that wander the streets during Nights of the Dead. You may get more than you bargained for! Nights of the Dead is scheduled to run from October 16th through November 9th. For detailed information, please visit www.eq2players.com.
Legends of Norrath: Save the Halfling citizens of Rivervale from an invasion of brain-eating zombies. Anticipated to run between October 15th and November 11th, players will face a horde of zombies and their leader, Eater of Brains, in an all-new Legends of Norrath scenario, Brraaaaaainss!, created just for Halloween. New and existing players alike are invited to bring their best decks and try this free scenario that rewards with Halloween treats. Players who successfully keep the Halflings alive and destroy their opponent’s avatar or who complete the four quests to win the game will receive powerful promo cards and helpful loot cards for EverQuest or EverQuest II. For detailed information, please visit www.legendsofnorrath.com.
Star Wars Galaxies: When the crypt goes creak and the tombstones outside the cantina quake, you’ll know it’s time for the Galactic Moon Festival! Scheduled to begin on October 20, residents of Star Wars Galaxies can take a shuttle to Moenia and Mos Eisley and celebrate the Galactic Moon Festival in style…if you dare. That’s right fright fans, the Festival has returned! We have added several new costumes this year including Salacius Crum, Gamorrean Guard and that’s right – by popular request the Burning Ewok costume! For detailed information, please visit http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com.
All throughout the month of October, Halloween-themed events are scheduled to take place in the virtual worlds of your favorite SOE games. Exact dates vary by title. Please log on to respective game sites for more information.
Posted by sean in Games, Latest News on October 16th, 2009
Abandon Interactive Entertainment announced today the release of their bone-chilling exclusive Halloween items for the family-friendly MMO, Freaky Creatures, only in the month of October. Premium members will also be able to participate in a Spooky Design Contest where they are encouraged to decorate their creepy Creature’s lair with a variety of Halloween items. Hair raising prizes will be awarded to the first and second place winners, and all premium players will have the chance to win a special Halloween pet during tournament play.
During the creepiest month of the year, players will have the opportunity to get their hands on a variety of limited edition Halloween parts, food, toys and more for their Freaky Creatures. Themed items include Candy Corn, a Trappern Jack O’ Lantern, a Cyclopor Skull and an eerie Ghost Toy. For an added interactive Halloween gaming experience, select game masters’ will have Creatures wearing witch hats during battle, giving players the chance to earn the hats by defeating them. Additionally, a mysterious Black Purriz pet will be awarded to players who win select tournaments in October.
Premium members are also encouraged to partake in the Spooky Design contest to showcase their creativity and progression in the game. The contest allows players to utilize their artistic flair, along with the array of items and objects available in Freaky Creatures, to design the scariest lair and open it to the judges. One lucky first place winner will receive 1,500 Creature Credits, a code for a prize pack of in-game items, and a mystery box of real world prizes. The second place winner will receive 750 Creature Credits and a code for a prize pack of in-game items. Judging will take place Wednesday, October 21 through Friday, October 23 and winners will be announced the morning of Friday, October 30, 2009.
For more information about Abandon Interactive Entertainment and
Freaky Creatures, please visit the
Freaky Creatures Web site at:
http://www.FreakyCreatures.com.
