Gamercide News

Developed by: Cold Beam Games Published by: Cold Beam Games Platforms: PC, PS3 Players: 1-2, online and offline Rated E for Everyone by the ESRB Beat Hazard in itself was an extremely fun music visualizer slash space shooter often compared to Geometry Wars. Rightly so, as the basic gameplay is much the same, with the onslaughts of enemies coming at your omnidirectionally firing ship, equipped with devastating, screen clearing bombs. The twist is that the gameplay is powered by your music. Your firepower is immediately influenced by the intensity of a song, while enemy and boss spawn patterns are determined by various factors throughout the entire song. Every song g…

While the three in the title might lead some to believe this is the third game in the Bejeweled series, it is actually the fifth and the only direct sequel to Bejeweled 2.This fantasy themed variation on the same is a far cry from the original Bejeweled released ten years ago with only two modes of play. Bejeweled 3 provides players with 8 modes of play and 8 types of gems to swap. Bejeweled 3 brings back 4 traditional modes of play, as seen in Bejeweled 2, and adds 4 new modes. Returning on the platform are Classic mode, Zen mode, Lightning mode, and Quest mode. Classic mode is the basic Bejeweled game at its core. Players continuously swap gems until there are no more …

BloodRayne hasn’t had the best track record. A couple of lackluster action games from the last console generation probably doesn’t have many excited for this new iteration. Will the drastic departure from the original’s style be enough to win over new fans? Let’s delve in to this 2D blood fest and see what we get. When WayForward announced they were working on a Bloodrayne title for XBLA, it was a pretty big shock. Their last game, A Boy and His Blob was really. A button dedicated to sucking the blood out of your enemies is a HUGE departure from the dedicated button for hugging. I’ve never been a fan of the Bloodrayne series, but I think I’ve been converted after t…

Developed by: Techland Published by: Deep Silver Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3 Players: 1-4 Rated M for Mature by the ESRB It’s the zombie apocalypse and you’re trapped in paradise, or is it hell? Regardless, you must fend for yourself and meet up with other survivors to get through this calamity. Fortunately, you’ve brought some friends. Dead Island is a four player cooperative open world zombie role-playing game. That’s certainly a mouthful, but it makes for a surprisingly fresh concept considering how oversaturated the market for zombie games is. There are plenty of zombie games, and even more RPGs, but surprisingly few hybrids of the two, not counting RPGs t…

Developed by: Humble Hearts Published by: Microsoft Studios Platform: Xbox Live Arcade Players: 1 Dust: An Elysian Tail. Just the name brings great joy to the members of Gamercide and a lot of the gaming community. We’ve been looking forward to the game for a very long time now. Back in 2009 we hooked up for an interview with the awesome and amazingly talented guys of Hyperduck Soundworks and our excitement for Dust only grew stronger after talking with the guys. You can check out our follow-up interview with Chris and Dan from 2010 here. Dust: An Elysian Tail is an action RPG that was set for the Xbox Indie Games Channel, but after winning the 2009 Dream.Build.Play …

Cutting fruit. Sounds simple right? Well, when put in game form it becomes an astonishingly addictive concept. You are a ninja whose sole purpose is to cut fruit. Previously it was limited to the mobile market. Deft finger flicks would allow you to slice through fruit and avoid bombs. Can Halfbrick bring this same game play to Kinect? If you’ve played the mobile version, you know the deal here. Fruit is thrown up on the screen and you have to use your hands to slice it. Slicing multiple fruit at once gives you multipliers and you gain more points. Occasionally, game ending or point sapping bombs will be thrown across. Don’t slice those. “Slicing” may be a bit g…

Developer: Paradox Interactive Publisher: Paradox Interactive Platform: PC/Mac Players: 1/up to 32 Hearts of Iron 3, one of many titles made by grand strategy giants Paradox Interactive, is a grand strategy game set around the events of World War II. In it, players are able to take control of any historical country that existed between the period of 1936 – 1944, though the game can be played to 1948. With hundreds of historical provinces open for conquest, this is as massive as you can get, aside from managing a real country. It should be said that the game is not just a World War II game, but one that features all events in history during this period. Players choose …

Developed by: Paradox Interactive Published by: Paradox Interactive Platforms: PC/Mac Players: 1/up to 32 ESRB: E for Everyone Note: For the Motherland requires both Hearts of Iron 3 and Semper Fi. Hearts of Iron 3 and its expansion Semper Fi have previously reviewed by Gamercide here, so this review will only analyse features added by For the Motherland. For the Motherland is the second expansion pack for the grand strategy game Hearts of Iron 3. While it is an expansion pack, it does not bring with it a new story or time period, and does not bring new nations. It takes place in and around the events leading up to and including the Second World War. It brings with it m…

Developed by: Straandlooper, Telltale Games Published by: Telltale Games Platforms: PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad Players: 1 Rated M for Mature by the ESRB It’s the final act and once again Detective Inspector Hector finds himself stuck in a small room without any pants. After confronting and subsequently being captured by the terrorist in the finale of the second episode, Hector once again starts out in a perilous situation where one wrong move and he’s up a certain creek – though this time quite literally. All the usual gameplay elements are still here and essentially the same. This time around, after escaping from a septic tank out in the countryside and getting back…

Developed by: Straandlooper, Telltale Games Published by: Telltale Games Platforms: PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad Players: 1 Rated M for Mature by the ESRB After the cliffhanger of an ending from the first game, Detective Inspector Hector is back at it again. Going in to confront the terrorist, Hector finds himself staring down the barrel of an automated sniper rifle connected to a laptop, from which the terrorist’s voice is coming. The terrorist was never there to begin with. Now Hector has to find a way out of his precarious situation and track him down. Hector: Badge of Carnage – Episode 2: Senseless Acts of Justice has Hector once again trying to figure out just what…

Developed by: Straandlooper, Telltale Games Published by: Telltale Games Platforms: PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad Players: 1 Rated M for Mature by the ESRB After the cliffhanger of an ending from the first game, Detective Inspector Hector is back at it again. Going in to confront the terrorist, Hector finds himself staring down the barrel of an automated sniper rifle connected to a laptop, from which the terrorist's voice is coming. The terrorist was never there to begin with. Now Hector has to find a way out of his precarious situation and track him down. Hector: Badge of Carnage - Episode 2: Senseless Acts of Justice has Hector once again trying to figure out just what's going …

Developed by: Neocore Published by: Paradox Interactive Players: 1 Platforms: PC King Arthur: Fallen Champions, the latest addition to the King Arthur strategy roleplaying franchise by Neocore fills the gap between King Arthur I and II. It is, however, very accessible to new players as well. One might assume from the name that this is a strategy based in reality, but this is not so. Along the journey, players will come across many fantasy elements as well. Set in a fictional land in ancient Britannia, players will fight knights, twilight creatures, tribals, and other fantasy creatures The game follows the stories of three heroes on their respective paths. Players take o…

Developed by: Arrowhead Game Studios Published by: Paradox Interactive Platforms: PC Players: 1-4 Rated T (Teen) by the ESRB What happens when you combine the style and humor of Castle Crashers with gameplay reminiscent of Diablo? Magic happens. Or rather Magicka happens, to be more precise. That's not to say that Magicka is very much like either of those games, rather it has a very distinct style of its own. But like Castle Crashers it is a stylish, humorous, and fun experience that can be played and enjoyed with friends, and like Diablo the game has very smooth, isometric gameplay where you can run around slaughtering hordes of monsters and fiends to your hearts content…

Developed by: Arrowhead Game Studios Published by: Paradox Interactive Platforms: PC Players: 1-4 Magicka has come a long way with all of the new updates and DLCs, but aside from the Magicka: Vietnam DLC, they’ve only been robes, items, and levels for the arena and versus modes. Now finally a true addition to the Adventure mode has been released. This isn’t a quick, challenging little map like Magicka: Vietnam either. There are three full chapters with checkpoints, bosses, and cutscenes. All the signature humor is there, with various areas, new and old, to explore. You start with none of your spellbook spells from the main adventure, but a few new ones await, such a…

Developed by: Uglysoft Platforms: PC Rated: Not rated by the ESRB (but would probably be rated M for its messed up and disturbing content in general) How many games let you slaughter kittens? Not many. Not that it's a good thing, but they are good for easy experience points. Kitten slaughter aside, Mark Leung: Revenge of the Bitch contains all manner of hilarious and disturbing content. From getting farted on by b*tchmonkeys, to using jellyfish penises to revive your fallen comrades, this is one very... different RPG. Mark Leung: Revenge of the Bitch plays like a fairly traditional RPG, with some of the niceties of newer ones like being able to see and avoid monsters in t…

Ms Splosion Man Developed by: Twisted Pixel Games Published by: Microsoft Games Studios Platforms: Xbox 360 (XBLA) Players: Single and Multiplayer With a spray of champagne and a stray celebratory bow, Ms. Splosion Man opens with the accidental creation of the Ms. while the scientist are carelessly celebrating their successful capture of her male counterpart. The second game in the Splosion Series created by Twisted Pixel, Ms. Splosion Man runs on the famous Beard engine, making it quick to pick up for fans of the original and easy to learn for newcomers. Ms. Splosion Man pays homage to classic arcade and console games such as Sonic, Mega Man, Super Mario Bros. 3, and …

Developed by: Robot Entertainment Published by: Microsoft Studios Platforms: PC and Xbox LIVE Arcade Players: 1 Rated T for Teen by the ESRB Darwinism be damned, those crafty orcs have evolved adaptations that make them march straight into battle, directly through deadly traps and into incoming crossbow fire. It’s pure science, orcs must die. Orcs Must Die! isn’t so much a tower defense game, as it is a strategic third-person action game wherein you must defend your base with the traps and weapons at your disposal. Sure you plan out where to place the spike traps, arrow walls, and such to maim as many passing orcs as possible, but you actually get to be in the fray as …

Developed by: Nitro Games Published by: Paradox Interactive Platforms: PC ESRB: T for Teen Pirates of Black Cove is difficult to classify. Players sail around the Caribbean gathering and completing missions on both land and sea, in an aim to gain access to a Forgotten Isle and defeat the Pirates of Black Cove. Part role playing, part strategy, this game is a casual one. When first starting a game, players can choose one of three playable characters. These characters, each with different stats, level up though the game and earn abilities. The character you choose is playable on land, where they can command up to three other units hired from a stronghold. Along the way,…

Developed by: AGEOD Published by: Paradox Interactive Platforms: PC ESRB: T for Teen Pride of Nations is a turn based grand strategy game from AGEOD that tackles the period of history between 1850-1920. It is a very detailed historical game, and as such is a very in-depth game for the player. Players can start the game at different times, setting up different scenarios for play. So far, the scenarios include the grand campaign, the Indian Mutiny, Risorgimento, the Second Boer War and the Russo-Japanese War. The Spanish-American War has also been added by downloadable content. Each scenario has different objectives, and are of different lengths. These range from 10 turns i…

Red Dead Redemption Developed by: Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar North Published by: Rockstar Games Players: 1 offline, 2-16 player online multiplayer Rated M (Mature) by the ESRB The Breakdown Rockstar is known for making massive, open, driving and shooting games. But what happens when they turn back the clock and make a game set in the early 1900s, when the West was still untamed, and the automobile had barely been invented? Was this bold move a good idea, or should Rockstar stick to making games set in the modern era? Find out in the rest of this review. The Important Stuff Red Dead Redemption is an absolutely massive free roaming game set in the old frontier days of the…

Ever wanted to crush Napoleon with a giant boulder? How about Marie Antoinette, Louie XIV, or Leonidas? In Rock of Ages, that’s just what you’ll get the chance to do, if you can smash through their castle door before they smash yours. Part tower defense and part Marble Madness, with a Monty Python sense of humor is what is on tap here. Read on to find out if the game rolls to victory or gets smashed with a resounding fart. From any other developer the concept of Rock of Ages would just be odd, however ACE Team is known for Zeno Clash. Rock of Ages is a 3rd person/1st person fighting action-adventure game. So combining genres is nothing new for them. You play the ma…

Developed by: Paradox Interactive Published by: Paradox Interactive Platforms: PC Players: 1/Multi Sengoku is a grand strategy game based on the “Sengoku Jidai” or “Warring-States” period of Japanese history by Paradox Interactive. Players can take control of the leader of a clan, the leader of a state within a clan, or the leader of a smaller area within those states, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the current shogun and retaining that power. There are many historical clans, daimyos and smaller characters to play as in Sengoku. In fact, it is quite overwhelming. When choosing who to play as, players are greeted with a full map of Japan, with different view mo…

Developed by: Iridium Studios Platforms: PC and Xbox LIVE indie games Players: 1 Puzzle Quest proved that adding RPG elements to a tried and true game design like a match three puzzle can turn a game into absolute crack. But what happens when you add RPG elements to a rhythm game? Sequence is a bit of an odd mix. It’s a rhythm game with RPG elements such as item drops, equipment and leveling, but it requires just as much skill progression on the player’s end as it does for developing your character’s level. In the game you must fight a series of monsters and a boss on each of the seven floors of a tower, with your ultimate goal being to reach the top and escape. Thre…

Zen Studios has had a steady stream of new tables for their really great pinball simulator Pinball FX2. As all my other table reviews has shown, even someone who isn’t a huge fan of pinball and have a blast with these tables. Will Sorcerer’s Apprentice keep this trend rolling? Here’s the rundown of the table’s story. Jake and Amanda come face to face with an Evil Sorcerer in his citadel. The kids have no choice other than to fight the Sorcerer and his summoned creatures by using their pinball prowess and a specter named Whisper. A fairly simple premise but once you get down to the pinball, things get really interesting. The table has a ton of rail chutes and ramps …

Developed by: ReLogic Published by: Jeremy Guerrete Platforms: PC Players: 1/up to 8 Terraria is an 2D open ended world builder game, where players are free to create what they like. The game supports both single and multiplayer modes. Players enter the world with naught but the clothes on their back and some copper equipment, and are left alone to make a world for themselves. Players first create a character and are able to modify the colour of each of the basic components of their character. This character and its inventory stay persistent across all worlds, both single and multiplayer. The playing area, a “world”, can than be generated completely at random. Up to five …