Archive
Resident Evil: Revelations Demo Coming Soon
Did you miss Resident Evil: Revelations when it released on the 3DS? Are you looking for a good action-horror game to play on your console? Maybe you’re like me and you just want to play the game again. Resident Evil: Revelations will be heading to consoles on May 21st. It will be available for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and PC. If you can’t wait to get your hands on it, or you just want to see what the game might have in store, you’ll get your chance soon as Capcom has announced there will be a demo coming to all platforms. No firm release date has been announced for the demo, but it will give you a taste of Revelations and its B.O.W.’s (ewww gross) in all its glory. I enjoyed the game on 3DS, you can read my review here. I’d be very interested in checking the game out on consoles and seeing how it’s evolved since it was first released.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Review (PS3)
If you are a kid of the 90’s, loved Sega and its hedgehog mascot Sonic, and enjoy racing games, then no doubt you are familiar with the Blue Blur’s original speedy offerings with Sonic Drift, as well as Sonic R. However, a few years ago Sumo Digital stepped in and created a racing game actually worthy of not only Sonic but Sega as well. The game was known as Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and it still remains to be the best kart racer of the generation in a fair number of gamers’ eyes — this writer included. Sumo has now followed that terrific karting experience with another one in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Does this sequel accelerate past its competition, or does the game need to take a pit stop?
What You Need to Know
The two main single-player modes within Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed are Grand Prix and World Tour. Grand Prix should not be a stranger to any kart racing fan. It is a series of four races where the all-star with the most points at the end of the series is deemed the victor. There are five cups in all, with the final cup being comprised of tracks from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, the game which preceded Racing Transformed.
World Tour is the star attraction to the game. It has you competing in various events for stars. The higher the challenge level you choose, the more stars it is worth. You can simply go through the World Tour selecting easy for every event. The AI will be less arduous to defeat, for timed events you are given a more generous helping of seconds to work with, and for races you need only finish in third place as opposed to first. However, World Tour has various locked gates that can only be opened through getting the required amount of stars. These locked gates house alternate paths with new challenges and new playable characters.
Such events include typical three lap races; knockout races, where after every time the clock hits zero the person in last place is eliminated; boost challenges, where the clock stops every time you come across a boost pad or pull off a drift boost; and Pursuit, which has you chasing after, dodging the attacks of, and taking on a tank within three unique stages. World Tour mode has a myriad of different event types to play through, each getting progressively harder than the last.
Cloudberry Kingdom Dev Diary
I just want to say that I really like this game. I was actually turned onto it by a member of the community (thanks, Brandon) who asked if I’d heard about the game. I hadn’t, so I checked out the Kickstarter page that the folks at Pwnee Studios had set up. I managed to snag a key to get into the Steam beta and was hooked almost instantly.
Cloudberry Kingdom, if you’re not familiar with it, is a procedurally generated platformer that theoretically would never end, provided you’re good enough to get through the insanely challenging levels you’re going to face. I’ve managed to get through about 75 levels so far. There will be all sorts of variables you’ll be able to control that will help make the game as easy or as difficult as you want.
Check out this video diary put together to showcase the development. We’ve talked to these guys on the podcast before and if all goes well they’ll be on again this weekend. If you have any questions you want me to ask them by all means pass them along. I like them, they’re good people.
Am I Going To Care About A Smurfs Game?
So I got this press release in my inbox today, from Ubisoft, announcing a game based on the upcoming Smurfs 2 movie. I thought the first movie was garbage and I was immediately ready to dismiss the email, toss into the trash and go on about my day. Unfortunately, I skimmed through the press release and found a word that piqued my interest, WayForward. Well crud, now I have to pay attention.
Sony, Ubisoft and WayForward are collaborating on a side-scrolling adventure game for the Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3 and DS (no mention of 3DS in the press release). According to the info, it will be an action-adventure platformer that takes place in environments like New York and Paris. It will also feature worlds exclusive to the game like the Arctic Tundra and the Lava Jungle. You’ll be able to control up to nine different smurfs that all have unique abilities in a four player co-operative experience. Unique to the Wii U will be a fifth playable character, Clockwork Smurf, controller by the GamePad.
You know my affinity for all things WayForward and the screenshots actually look pretty interesting. I might just have to care about a Smurfs game based on a movie that I have no desire to ever see. The game itself is set to come out in July. The DS version will be different from the console versions as it is an interactive storytelling book and a collection of mini-games.
I know one thing. This game better have Alchemist Smurf!!!!
Former Metroid Prime Leads Working on Batman
Armature Studios is working on a new Batman game for the 3DS and the Vita; Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. It’s a companion to the newly announced, courtesy of Game Informer, Batman: Arkham Origins which will be releasing later this year. Not much is known about the game other than it is a 2.5D Metroid-vania style action game that takes place in the Arkham universe. This will be the first original game for the studio since they were founded by three former Retro Studios employees in 2008.
The aforementioned console game, Batman: Arkham Origins, is set to release on October 25th for the Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. It takes place before the events of Arkham City and Arkham Asylum and shows Batman encountering some of his most famous enemies for the first time. It is being developed by WB Montreal who took over development of the series from the original developers Rocksteady Studios. Eric Holmes will serve as the creative director. His best known work previously was as the lead designer on Prototype and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.
Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2 Review (Wii U)
The WiiWare service was arguably a noble first attempt for Nintendo at bringing the gaming world a digital store. It was filled with a large variety of games of varying quality, but there were a few standout titles that were a cut above all the rest. One of those was a series by Gaijin Games called Bit.Trip. There were six games in the series that featured Atari/NES style visuals with high quality musical sound tracks. My favorite game in that series was Bit.Trip Runner, an auto scrolling rhythm platformer. It featured an amazing soundtrack (that would get stuck in my head for days) and was blisteringly difficult. It was also one of those games where you know anytime you screwed up it was your fault, not the game’s.
When Gaijin Games announced they were doing a sequel I was honestly a little hesitant at saying I wanted to play it. They were changing the visuals, making it multi-platform. I loved the first game so much I didn’t want to see it changed. Luckily, Runner 2 is as good, if not better than the previous game in the series and is worthy of the sequel treatment that it’s getting.
What You Need To Know
Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2 is, as was its predecessor, an auto-scrolling, rhythm platformer. You play as Commander Video, though there are about six other unlockable characters. Each level starts automatically and Commander Video just runs to the right. It’s up to you to make sure he avoids any of the obstacles in his way. To do that you use various button or analog stick inputs to slide, jump, block projectiles, spin around loops or kick obstacles out of the way. Each obstacle is set in time to music and will award you points based on how accurate you are with your inputs. Leaderboards show you how well you’re doing against your friends or other players around the world.
DuckTales Is Back!!!
In probably the most exciting news this week (that doesn’t involve the release of Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon) Capcom has announced DuckTales is coming back. This is a remake of the NES classic starring the feathery miser, but it’s got so much more. New areas, remixed versions of the classic tunes, a Duckburg museum to track your progress, voice acting from the original cast members of the cartoon and more.
DuckTales: Remastered will be released this Summer on the Wii U eShop, XBLA and PSN and will cost $14.99. According to the trailer released at today’s World of Capcom panel, the game will feature 2D hand drawn sprites on 3D backgrounds. Scrooge’s mansion will serve as a sort of hub world for the rest of the game.
The best part of this news is the developer. Wayforward Technologies is handling the development of the game. Yes, I’m excited. Yes I will buy it. Yes I’m going to play the NES game tonight to celebrate. Capcom + Disney + Wayforward = bliss.
Assassin’s Creed Details Emerge
Ahead of tomorrow’s Assassin’s Creed event from Ubisoft details about what we might here have begun to rise to the surface. The company has said in the past that Assassin’s Creed III was going to be the end of the Desmond story and that the next game would be set in a different time period with a different protagonist. If newest information is to be believed they’re right, from a certain point of view.
The game will star a new hero, Edward Kenway. If that name sounds familiar it should be. This is the father of Haytham Kenway who shared the spotlight with his son Connor is Assassin’s Creed III. It will take place in the Carribbean and will have you visiting islands like Jamaica, the Bahamas and Cuba. The sea going portions from the previous game will most likely see a return as the game is being called Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Edward is a known Privateer, Assassin and occasional pirate.
The details appear to be believable and the tie-ins to the previous entry would make sense, in terms of the story’s canon.
I’m nearly finished with Assassin’s Creed III and aside from some amazingly hilarious glitches the game has lived up to all of my expectations and the story has kept me engaged from beginning to end. I like the “stars” of the game and the way the relationship between them builds. I’m definitely interested to see what we’re going to find out tomorrow.
Photo courtesy of Kotaku
A Long Time Ago, On A Pinball Table Far, Far Away
Zen Studios has announced that their newest digital pinball release will be coming to various platforms next week. These three new tables are Star Wars themed and will see you playing on areas themed with the likes of Boba Fett, Han Solo, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.
The three tables are Star Wars: Episode V, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Boba Fett. The schedule for release and pricing is as follows:
Pinball FX2™ on Xbox LIVE® Arcade – February 27th for 800 MSP
Zen Pinball 2™ on PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 3 & PlayStation Vita with Cross Buy entitlement! Purchase once and play on both systems – February 26th in North America for $9.99, February 27th in Europe for €9.99
Zen Pinball 2 on the Mac®App Store – February 27th for $2.99/table
Zen Pinball on the Apple®App Store – February 27th for $1.99/table
Zen Pinball HD Google Play™ – February 27th for $1.99/table
They also said that the new Star Wars tables would be coming to “other platforms” at a later date.
Rayman Legends Delayed, No Longer Wii U Exclusive
Ubisoft has announced today that the Wii U version of Rayman Legends that was supposed to launch this month has been delayed. Now you’ll have to wait until September to get your hands on the game, which by all accounts looks pretty good. The company also announced that Wii U owners won’t be the only ones playing the game as it has been expanded to include the Xbox 360 and PS3 as well.
What does this mean for Ubisoft’s faith in Wii U? Who knows. The game had to have been nearly done if we’re this close to launch. Why not release it now for Wii U, give that system it’s exclusive for al ittle while and then release it on other platforms when those version are ready. It doesn’t seem good that a game that’s been touted as only available for Wii U and had many features that utilized the system’s unique controller is now coming to other, very old platforms. Now one game that could have gotten people to buy Nintendo’s newest console has been pushed back six months and can be bought on systems many of those players already have.
Name The Turtle!!!
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Wii U, 3DS)
Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (3DS)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS)
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PS3)
The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition (Wii U)
Find Us
Recent Comments