spawn622
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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 Challenge, it was given a full XBLA release. The game was basically designed by one man, Dean Dodrill, from the ground up. It was originally set for a 2011 release, but was later added as the anchor game for the Summer of Arcade of 2012. With its release, it will take its rightful place in the upper echelon of not only Xbox Live Arcade games, but of all the latest Xbox 360 games in general. Let's dive deeper in to the world of Dust and see if it can live up to my super high expectations. Sneak preview guys . . . It totally does. The story centers on Dust, a somewhat cloaked figure that is woken up in the forest by a mystical talking sword called Ahrah and a flying sidekick named Fidget. As Dust awakens, he steps in to a world that is being overrun by monsters and runs across a village that needs to be saved from an impending monster horde. From there, the story of Dust's past and a war between races unfolds. With Fidget and Ahrah in tow, Dust sets out on his quest to regain his memories and determine what is going on in the world. I don’t want to go too much in to the story and ruin it, but suffice to say, it is an amazing ride and one of the better stories I’ve played through in a long while in gaming. One of The first thing you're going to notice about the game is how absolutely beautiful everything is. The game evokes a Studio Ghibli or old-school Disney feel with animations and overall art style. Everything is so amazingly well done and detailed; it is almost hard to put in to words. Dean's influences seem to stem from various different places within the game. You can see Eyvind Earle and many other great animators in his art style. The character animations of Dust, Fidget, all the enemies and NPCs are fluid and detailed. The environments almost become a character of their own, as well. Each new area is different enough to feel new, but cohesive enough to feel like one fantastical world. The new enemy designs fit right in with the new areas as well. It really is the most beautiful game on Xbox Live Arcade to date. Also, in the menus, you have the ability to customize the size of your HUD. A small touch, but not unwelcomed by this reviewer. Controls for Dust are just as good as the animation. A fairly deep combo system is in place for you to switch between your various sword attacks and add in Fidget's attacks for screen spanning supers. Aerial combos are also added in to the mix. The combat feels a lot like a fighting game, more akin to a Marvel Vs. Capcom game and Dust's combos are just as deep as any of the characters in one of those games. Being a Metroidvania style game, you gain new abilities as you play through the game as well. Wall jumps, dodges, and more abilities are given as you progress. The RPG elements of the game are implemented extremely well. You upgrade your abilities with gems after each level. Abilities include the standard Health, Defense, and Luck. You can also upgrade Fidget’s abilities in the same manner, making her attacks stronger. Item upgrades that modify your different abilities are also implemented quite well. You get different armors for defense. Rings and necklaces are used for luck and attack. There is also a special abilities section of items that is good for a multitude of upgrades. The items can be found in the world, but they can also be crafted in Dust's crafting aspect. Throughout the game, you will find different blueprints and materials that can be used to create a good number of the different items in the game. This was really unexpected for me and is an addition layer in an already deep game. I really enjoyed seeking out the materials and deciding which items would do the most good to upgrade my abilities. I generally dislike the tedium of RPGs but somehow Dean has infused so much in the game that I quickly changed my mind. Along with all this, there are numerous main quests to be completed throughout the game to progress the story. Also, as you meet NPCs in the game and talk with them, they will give you various side missions to complete. One particular mission had you helping a character that you saved at the very beginning of the game find his lost pocket watch he lost during his scuffle with the monsters towards the beginning of the game. Coincidentally enough, the characters name is ‘Geehan’. One can only assume this character (Chris Geehan of Hyperduck-Love you Chris) and quite a few others are based on real life counterparts. There are also special appearances by other indie game characters that will give you permanent stat upgrades. These types of things only add to the charm of Dust. The sound is another stellar aspect of the game. The sound effects are spot on for everything, right down to the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Voice acting was something I didn’t expect in the game. Every main character and NPC is very well voice acted and fit right in to the beautiful graphics. Fidget is funny and has a sheepish sensibility that works well with Dust’s brash attitude. Ahrah is the mentor like voice or reason throughout and the various other characters are just as well done. The soundtrack is one of the strongest I’ve heard in gaming to date. Now I may be partial to their work, but Hyperduck Soundworks really hits a homerun with this one. Nothing is ever overbearing and everything meshes together so well, it’s truly amazing. I can’t say enough good things about the guy’s work and we look forward to being able to say ‘We knew these guys when…”. Don’t forget about us guys. Overall the game is very, very good. The story will hold your interest at every turn and even surprise you in how good it is at points. The graphics are better than almost any game I’ve played in recent memory. Just knowing the game was animated by one man really makes things all the more impressive. Controls are spot on and give a good Symphony of the Night feel as you play through the game. The Castlevania nods can’t be overlooked and shouldn’t be. As I said above, the deep combo system and crafting of items is a very welcome and unexpected addition in the game. Sound effects and voiceovers go a long way in immersing you further in to the world of Dust. Hyperducks score is sweeping and engaging. I found myself wanting to just stand around and listen to the soundtrack. I can’t wait for it to release for purchase. In summation, if you enjoy beautiful and well crafted gaming on a Metroidvania level, go spend your 1200 Microsoft points on this game right now. It won’t disappoint you in the least and is my new favorite game of the year hands down. Click here to view the article
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Konami announced HD remakes of both Zone of the Enders, as well as a pack of Silent Hill games coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime next year. They also announced a pack of HD remakes (a la the God of War pack) of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and the recent PSP title Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Both packs will have upgraded graphics, new interfaces, and new 2D art. Also, Kojima announced the new "Transfarring" technology that will allow easier game save transfers between PS3 and PSP versions of games. We'll have to wait for more details on this one, but hopefully it will make things less cumbersome. And on a final note from Konami, for now, a fireball crisscrossed the screen and this was shown: That's right, a NEW CONTRA GAME IS COMING!! I, for one, can not wait for a new game. The recent Nintendo DS iterations have been great. We will have more info as it becomes available. Click here to view the article
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June 22nd, 2011 - Austin, TX - Embattled socialite Ms. Splosion Man has been roundly condemned by authorities for her destruction of property and abundant manslaughter charges, but nevertheless remains hugely popular in the hearts of the people. They call her a free-spirit and the meat-bringer but Big Science insists she is a dangerous element getting special treatment only because of her abundant celebrity. Everything will come to a head on July 13th, when the highly anticipated followup from 2009’s Summer of Arcade hit title Splosion Man splodes her way onto the Xbox LIVE® Arcade marketplace. Boasting improvements to nearly every aspect of its gameplay, Ms. Splosion Man is a true successor to her illustrious forebearer. Players can look forward to a host of new gameplay mechanics, varying environments posing new unique challenges, totally revamped network support, epic boss battles, original music, and plenty of the humor and charm that people have come to expect from Twisted Pixel. Tons of unlockables throughout the game give players a complete behind-the-scenes look at the game’s creation. “We are incredibly proud of Ms. Splosion Man and feel like it is our best game to date. We are very excited to launch it this summer on XBLA,” says Twisted Pixel CEO, Mike Wilford. Featuring 50 all new single player levels, a 50 level multiplayer campaign and a bunch of surprises to come, Ms. Splosion Man debuts this summer on Xbox LIVE Arcade, July 13th, 2011. Click here to view the article
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Yo can add my kids and I to your list of people PK. Xmas morning, we worked together to cook the bacon and then put it in a pancake. It was, in a word, AMAZING!
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But, there isn't any long beautiful hair that makes Johnny Bravo jealous...
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The story centers on Dust, a somewhat cloaked figure that is woken up in the forest by a mystical talking sword called Ahrah and a flying sidekick named Fidget. As Dust awakens, he steps in to a world that is being overrun by monsters and runs across a village that needs to be saved from an impending monster horde. From there, the story of Dust's past and a war between races unfolds. With Fidget and Ahrah in tow, Dust sets out on his quest to regain his memories and determine what is going on in the world. I don’t want to go too much in to the story and ruin it, but suffice to say, it is an amazing ride and one of the better stories I’ve played through in a long while in gaming. One of The first thing you're going to notice about the game is how absolutely beautiful everything is. The game evokes a Studio Ghibli or old-school Disney feel with animations and overall art style. Everything is so amazingly well done and detailed; it is almost hard to put in to words. Dean's influences seem to stem from various different places within the game. You can see Eyvind Earle and many other great animators in his art style. The character animations of Dust, Fidget, all the enemies and NPCs are fluid and detailed. The environments almost become a character of their own, as well. Each new area is different enough to feel new, but cohesive enough to feel like one fantastical world. The new enemy designs fit right in with the new areas as well. It really is the most beautiful game on Xbox Live Arcade to date. Also, in the menus, you have the ability to customize the size of your HUD. A small touch, but not unwelcomed by this reviewer. Controls for Dust are just as good as the animation. A fairly deep combo system is in place for you to switch between your various sword attacks and add in Fidget's attacks for screen spanning supers. Aerial combos are also added in to the mix. The combat feels a lot like a fighting game, more akin to a Marvel Vs. Capcom game and Dust's combos are just as deep as any of the characters in one of those games. Being a Metroidvania style game, you gain new abilities as you play through the game as well. Wall jumps, dodges, and more abilities are given as you progress. The RPG elements of the game are implemented extremely well. You upgrade your abilities with gems after each level. Abilities include the standard Health, Defense, and Luck. You can also upgrade Fidget’s abilities in the same manner, making her attacks stronger. Item upgrades that modify your different abilities are also implemented quite well. You get different armors for defense. Rings and necklaces are used for luck and attack. There is also a special abilities section of items that is good for a multitude of upgrades. The items can be found in the world, but they can also be crafted in Dust's crafting aspect. Throughout the game, you will find different blueprints and materials that can be used to create a good number of the different items in the game. This was really unexpected for me and is an addition layer in an already deep game. I really enjoyed seeking out the materials and deciding which items would do the most good to upgrade my abilities. I generally dislike the tedium of RPGs but somehow Dean has infused so much in the game that I quickly changed my mind. Along with all this, there are numerous main quests to be completed throughout the game to progress the story. Also, as you meet NPCs in the game and talk with them, they will give you various side missions to complete. One particular mission had you helping a character that you saved at the very beginning of the game find his lost pocket watch he lost during his scuffle with the monsters towards the beginning of the game. Coincidentally enough, the characters name is ‘Geehan’. One can only assume this character (Chris Geehan of Hyperduck-Love you Chris) and quite a few others are based on real life counterparts. There are also special appearances by other indie game characters that will give you permanent stat upgrades. These types of things only add to the charm of Dust. The sound is another stellar aspect of the game. The sound effects are spot on for everything, right down to the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Voice acting was something I didn’t expect in the game. Every main character and NPC is very well voice acted and fit right in to the beautiful graphics. Fidget is funny and has a sheepish sensibility that works well with Dust’s brash attitude. Ahrah is the mentor like voice or reason throughout and the various other characters are just as well done. The soundtrack is one of the strongest I’ve heard in gaming to date. Now I may be partial to their work, but Hyperduck Soundworks really hits a homerun with this one. Nothing is ever overbearing and everything meshes together so well, it’s truly amazing. I can’t say enough good things about the guy’s work and we look forward to being able to say ‘We knew these guys when…”. Don’t forget about us guys. Overall the game is very, very good. The story will hold your interest at every turn and even surprise you in how good it is at points. The graphics are better than almost any game I’ve played in recent memory. Just knowing the game was animated by one man really makes things all the more impressive. Controls are spot on and give a good Symphony of the Night feel as you play through the game. The Castlevania nods can’t be overlooked and shouldn’t be. As I said above, the deep combo system and crafting of items is a very welcome and unexpected addition in the game. Sound effects and voiceovers go a long way in immersing you further in to the world of Dust. Hyperducks score is sweeping and engaging. I found myself wanting to just stand around and listen to the soundtrack. I can’t wait for it to release for purchase. In summation, if you enjoy beautiful and well crafted gaming on a Metroidvania level, go spend your 1200 Microsoft points on this game right now. It won’t disappoint you in the least and is my new favorite game of the year hands down. -
Best thing I've read in a while. Love hearing more about our members. Dunno how interesting anything like this would be about me...
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The game starts in a very familiar way, but with some subtle differences. Einstein is loaded in to the DeLoreon and sent 1 minute in to the future. This is where things that you thought you knew, go off the rails. Once you take control of Marty you are put in Doc's lab to get a feel for how things will play. The controls handle well for an adventure game. Using the left control stick you will guide Marty around in the lab and run in to a few familiar characters. You'll also recognize quite a few of Doc's inventions and items from the movies around his lab. As you search for clues to determine Doc's whereabouts, you will use some simple dialogue trees to talk with familiar and new faces around Hill Valley. Combine the bits of dialogue with different environmental elements and you get the main portion of the gameplay. These play out like puzzles. Taking the cues from the conversations and actions that characters take, you use different things in the area to solve these puzzles. It really does make for a good combination and you rarely feel stuck, which is big in a game like this. Controls are a bit hit and miss here. They work well enough but a get awkward every once in a while with certain camera angles and environmental elements getting in the way. It's not a game breaker but a little more refinement would have been good. Graphically the game looks good. All the characters are easily identifiable from a glance and they really fit in with the overall aesthetic of the game. It's when the characters start to talk that the game really shines. The voice acting is truly top notch. Bringing in Christopher Lloyd was the greatest idea and A.J. LoCascio does an amazing job as Marty. There are times that even the biggest fan of Back to the Future would be hard pressed to identify whether it was really Michael J. Fox or A.J. The game is broken in to 5 episodes and as you play through they get progressively better. The game stays very true to the series and is a very welcome addition for fans. The disc based version of the games on PS3 are the exact same as the PSN versions (All the episodes are available on PS3, PSN, PC, and iOS devices.) and that's really my only major problem with the games. It would have been really nice to get a few extras on the disc. Maybe a version with commentary by the voice actors and designers or even have Bob Gale come in for commentary. Small quibbles aside, any fan of Back to the Future should pick up every episode and play through them and relish every moment of the continued story. So, don't be a slacker like the McFly's and go pick this up.
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Jurassic Park fans are one earth-shaking footstep closer to sinking their teeth into the anticipated release of Jurassic Park: The Game, as Telltale Games, the leading independent digital publisher and developer of episodic interactive entertainment, today announced that Jurassic Park: The Game has gone gold. The game is set to launch on November 15 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft; PlayStation®Network for PlayStation®3, Windows PC and Mac. An iPad version of the game is also in development and will release shortly after November 15th via the iTunes AppStore. Jurassic Park: The Game breaks new ground for Telltale Games as it is the first-ever simultaneous, multi-platform launch in company history, as well as its first retail Xbox 360 product. These milestones result from Telltale’s long-term growth strategy to add a retail component to its global digital distribution acumen, as well as broaden its development capabilities across all popular gaming platforms. “Jurassic Park: The Game continues a series of ‘firsts’ for the company and highlights the strategic transformation we’ve undergone to become a multi-platform publisher,” says Telltale’s co-Founder and CEO, Dan Connors. “This holiday, millions of consumers will be able to experience this all new Jurassic Park adventure no matter what their platform of choice is.” Jurassic Park: The Game is a cinematic adventure that takes players back to Isla Nublar - the site of Jurassic Park - during the events of the first movie. It allows them to experience Jurassic Park as they never have before in an interactive format. In addition to locations and creatures familiar to fans of the movie, the game offers new areas to explore and new prehistoric beasts to survive in a game that combines fast-paced action, exploration and puzzle-solving. Fans can benefit from the following exclusive pre-order offers before November 15th: Pre-order the Xbox 360 version from Gamestop to receive a T-Rex avatar pet. Pre-order the PC/Mac version from the Telltale Online Store (www.telltalegames.com) to qualify for $10 off the Deluxe Edition of the game ($39.99, regularly $49.99). Jurassic Park: The Game is rated T for Teen. For more details and information, please visit http://www.telltalegames.com/jurassicpark.
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Telltale is proud to announce that their acclaimed Back to the Future: The Game is now available at retail for PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Available for the incredible price of only $19.99, Telltale Game’s acclaimed extension of the blockbuster movie trilogy has arrived on store shelves just in time for the holidays. So strap in, power up the flux capacitor and put the continued time traveling journeys of Doc Brown and Marty McFly at the top of your gift list. If the Back to the Future fan on your shopping list has yet to experience the game that made Joystiq.com say “…managed to make me feel eight years old again” or IGN.com happily report that the game is “...a welcome surprise - it's a movie-inspired game that doesn't suck”, then now is your chance to give them the perfect holiday gift of Marty and Doc’s continued time spanning adventures, all on one disc! In Back to the Future: The Game, players will travel through time as Marty McFly and play in a cinematic adventure true to the films. Back to the Future: The Game features a new storyline by original film series co-creator, screenwriter and producer Bob Gale along with the vocal talents of original movie cast members Christopher Lloyd (‘Doc’ Brown) and Claudia Wells (Jennifer Parker), with special cameo appearances by the one and only Michael J. Fox. It also introduces the spookily-accurate voice talent of A.J. LoCascio as Marty McFly.
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is slated for release worldwide on November 11, 2011. Learn more about Skyrim at http://elderscrolls.com and at The Elder Council, the official Facebook page of The Elder Scrolls https://facebook.com/TheElderScrolls
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Telltale Games’ Jurassic Park: The Game is stomping toward its anticipated November 15, 2011 release date with the speed of a hungry T-Rex pursuing a herd of tasty Gallimimus. Telltale has partnered with GameStop and GameStop.com on an exclusive pre-order for the Xbox 360 version of the game. Anyone who pre-orders between now and the November 15 launch date will receive a codeat the time of purchase (online customers will receive their code via email within 2 days of their game shipping) to unlock an official Jurassic Park T-Rex avatar pet on Xbox LIVE! It’s a dino-mite incentive as the Jurassic Park T-Rex avatar pet is authentically modeled on the design used in the Jurassic Park movie, delighting the most ardent Jurassic Park fan. You can distract your Tyrannosaurus Rex with a flare just like Dr. Alan Grant or watch her roar and stomp as she inspires awe & terror with her pint sized ferocity! So “hold on to your butts” and head over to GameStop now to secure your Jurassic Park: The Game pre-order and adopt the fiercest avatar pet ever to be resurrected from ancient extinction. The Tyrannosaurus Rex avatar pet - created by meemo, leading developers of virtual goods - will be available to buy on Xbox LIVE, along with a whole range of other amazing officially-licensed Jurassic Park creatures and virtual items from November 15th.
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The table has a ton of rail chutes and ramps that are integral to the different table missions. With spinning towers and magical trees, your ball is sent literally all around the table and with practice you'll rack up millions of points and complete each mission. Collecting the obsidian throughout will eventually lead you to the final showdown with the Sorcerer. Also, be sure to note the 4 flippers on the table. The flipper at the very top left of the table can be obscured in some views, but once you know it's there, it really becomes one of the most important aspects of the table to complete the challenges and different locations. Speaking of challenges, there are tons included in the table. Creepy Cellar, Freaky Forest, Tower Crawler, Stairway Hurry Up, Whisper Hideout and Gates to the Void all bring a huge variety of things to do on this table. One challenge has you playing a game within the game almost by using Jake's slingshot to shoot spiders on a miniature table. As with the other tables, the challenges ramp up the replay value very well. All in all Zen Studios has become the "go to" studio if you want a great tie-in pinball table, but this latest release shows that a tie-in IP is not necessary for them to make a great pinball table. 3 new achievements to go after, tons of different challenges, and the overall low cost (240 MSP or $3) really should entice even the non-pinball fans out there. It may take a bit of practice to get good at any of the tables, but once you do you will get hooked.
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A young PK shows us how it's done.....
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Today NBA 2K12 Producer, Erick Boenisch and Senior Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang took time out of their busy schedules to get on a conference call to answer a ton of questions about the upcoming release of the next game in the franchise. With over 5 million copies sold, NBA 2K11 is considered by may to be one of the greatest basketball games of all time, they give insight on how they plan to top it with this latest release. Take a listen and be sure to let us know what you think.
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Speaking of controls, this may be the only problem I have with the game. You control The Gunstringer’s movements with one of your hands (Depending on whether you’re left or right handed.) and with the other you control the guns, sword, or fist. Each level starts with you picking up The Gunstringer and getting started with the level. With your free hand you aim your “gun” as if you were a child playing cops and robbers. As you select up to six targets with the reticule, you jerk your hand back as if the gun has been fired and you are dealing with the recoil. Simple enough controls for the weapons and this work outstandingly well. I never had a problem with the gun controls in a standing or sitting position. Controlling The Gunstringer on the other hand can be a little tougher. Some of the finer movements can be bothersome and aren’t as precise as they should be for dodging and jumping sections in the game. There are also sections that have The Gunstringer behind cover, peeking out to get off a few rounds to take out enemies. Again, this can be bothersome due to the controls, but isn’t game breaking. I put this problem more on the Kinect than the game itself. Honestly, a patch may be able to help some. As it stands, the controls work quite well for the most part. Graphically, the game is done really well. The overall look and variety of locations and enemies is very well done. Also, as with most Twisted Pixel games, everything has enough variety and seems to be so lovingly crafted that you want to see more and more of each level. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t an on rails version of Red Dead Redemption, but everything looks great. Sound is also on par with the other Twisted Pixel releases. The narrator brings a lot to the game. Constantly giving commentary on what is going on with The Gunstringer or his surroundings. This isn’t commentary at the level of Bastion, but it is extremely close. Also, the soundtrack really is amazing here. As with the other XBLA releases, each tune for each level is catchy and you will seek out the soundtrack, if for nothing more than the ending song. The Gunstringer truly shapes up to be a top notch Kinect game. There is technically nothing here that couldn’t have been accomplished on the Wii or Playstation Move, but the character really does lend himself to being on Kinect. Twisted Pixel’s humor, wit, and presentation all add up to create one of the most unique and fun experiences I’ve had with Kinect. Before The Gunstringer, the Kinect really had become a fancy Netflix, video, and music controller. The Gunstringer really should be in any Kinect owner’s game library. Also, being Twisted Pixel’s first DVD based game, the full package is jam packed with extras. You get the first DLC, The Wavy Tubeman Chronicles (Which I will review soon), and a copy of another great Kinect title, Fruit Ninja Kinect (Which I reviewed here). So, to answer my previous questions: Will their first disc based game live up to the standards of their previous endeavors? This is a yes. Will The Gunstringer be the first “Must Buy” game for the Xbox Kinect add-on? Oh heck yes! If all this hasn’t convinced you to buy this game, then you should probably sell your Xbox and go buy a book. -
Gamercide and aTs Apologician will be giving away a copy of Gears of War 3 along with numerous other prizes during a live streaming of Gears of War 3 at 12:30AM CST on 9/20/2011. Stop by the live stream for a chance to win some great prizes. Take a look at aTs Apologician’s video below for the full details and good luck to everyone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g7PuwwkDJg
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RedLynx’s platform racer out now on the Wii Shop Channel September 15, 2011 (Helsinki, Finland) — RedLynx (redlynx.com) has released its eagerly-awaited platform racer MotoHeroz for Nintendo’s WiiWare™ service today. The game is available right now in Europe and the Americas for 1500 Wii Points™. “There’s no day like a launch day,” said Antti Ilvessuo, Creative Director of RedLynx. “It’s a culmination of lots of hard work and effort. It’s the day we finally deliver MotoHeroz to gamers and find out what they think about the game.” “Creating games for gamers is what we do,” said Tero Virtala, CEO of RedLynx. “And we feel that with MotoHeroz, we have delivered one of the most complete experiences available amongst downloadable console games, with a rich single player adventure, a frantic local multiplayer game, and compelling, online challenges. ”It’s been stunning to see so many comments from the press and gamers commenting on articles, saying things like ‘Day one purchase’ and ‘Must-buy’ game,” said Virtala. “And now we’re thrilled to finally let gamers get their hands on their games.” Key Features of MotoHeroz Single player story mode with rich characters and lush environments Two to four-player party mode that's easy for anyone to pick up and play Daily online competition based on Global and Friend-based Leader Boards Steady 60 FPS, widescreen support, and blazing fast load times Packed with content, including 100+ tracks and three game modes Simple but effective physics that deliver an addictive gameplay experience
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Publisher Deep Silver Working Quickly to Fill Restocking Orders LARKSPUR, Calif. – Sept. 13, 2011 - Deep Silver, the publisher of the summer’s biggest action horror blockbuster, Dead Island™ (www.deadisland.com), announced today that it has shipped more than 1 million retail copies of Dead Island in North America in the first few days of availability. In addition, Dead Island has held the #1 chart position in many global markets including the UK and France as well as on Steam, and will have sold 2 million units globally to retailers by the end of this week. Dead Island launched on September 6 in North America and has been lauded by U.S. critics: Game Informer Magazine said Dead Island “scratched an itch I didn’t even know I had” and awarded it an 8.5 out of 10, while IGN’s TeamXbox.com hails the Dead Island experience with a score of 9 out of 10 and an Editor’s Choice Award, "They do so much that hasn't been done, and do it so right.” Additionally, PC Gamer Magazine said of Dead Island that it’s “a wide-open tropical wonderland of loot-driven zombie slaughter” and tallied its score at an 8.3 out of 10 while MTV’s Gametrailers.com awarded Dead Island with an 8.5 out of 10 score. Developed by Techland, Dead Island combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customization of a vast array of weapons. The engaging survival-focused gameplay aspects are combined with a rich and immersive storyline in which a small group of people find themselves in a tropical paradise turned into total chaos and carnage after a mysterious zombie outbreak. Cut off from the rest of the world, the player’s only chance to survive is to fight to the death and find a way to escape from the island. “We’re thrilled at the retail reception Dead Island has achieved in its first few days,” said Geoff Mulligan, Chief Operating Officer at Deep Silver, “The critical ‘first week’ of game sales has been an enormous sales success for Deep Silver. We’re working quickly with our distribution partner in North America, Square Enix, to restock shelves as quickly as we can.” "With more than a million copies sold, I feel good knowing that the world is now more prepared than ever for what to do should a real zombie invasion ever threaten humanity." said Mike Fischer, president and CEO of Square Enix, Inc. Featuring four customizable, unique character classes and engrossing role-playing elements combined with an intense four player co-op experience, Dead Island stands out as one of the most comprehensive zombie experiences to date. Dead Island is available now for the suggested retail price of $59.99 for consoles and $49.99 PC. It is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. Official website: http://www.deadisland.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadislandgame Twitter: @deadislandgame
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What can I say? I love that man.
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Twisted Pixel’s 5th original IP, The Gunstringer Is Now In Stores Sept. 13th, 2011 - Austin, TX - Today is a red letter day for Twisted Pixel, as their first retail title, The Gunstringer, hits shelves nationwide. In The Gunstringer, you control the fiery gun-toting marionette through his adventures, combining solo platforming and shooting mechanics into fun, competitive action with a full suite of collectibles, unlockables, abilities, rewards and more. Our story begins with you buried alive and left for dead by your former posse. As a skeleton cowboy marionette you begin your journey of revenge, aided only by your gritty resolve and trusty pistol. Track your betrayers down, one by one, and bring justice upon them. They will pay a mean price on their own turf, from the plains of the high desert, to the swamps of the bayou, to the east Asian mountains, down to the depths of the undead underworld. Nothing can stand in your way, nothing will stop you on the vengeance trail. As a special bonus to celebrate the release of The Gunstringer, players can also download a free add-on pack for the game at launch called The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles which pits players against the time-traveling son of Wavy Tube Man, the first boss players battle in the game. As “The Stranger”, fight side by side with Wiley Wiggins as Future Buddy and Aisa Palomares as Future Vixen in this full live action epic. And let’s not forget the always unpredictable Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Films as Doc Lloyd as you aid him in reclaiming his stolen Time Traviz device. Along with the disc for The Gunstringer, the retail package will include a token code for the full downloadable version of Fruit Ninja Kinect via Xbox LIVE. Fruit Ninja Kinect is an amazing evolution of the slice-em-up genre created by Halfbrick, which brings the worldwide mobile gaming phenomenon to Kinect so you can use your arms as blades in an epic battle against the world’s most delicious produce. All this for $39.99 and in stores now!
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Graphically this is a stunning 2D sidescroller. The look of the game is very reminiscent of the latest Castlevania games. Backgrounds move independently from the foreground and enemies jump in and out from all directions. The game animations flow seamlessly between each other, much like Bayonetta. Enemies are extremely varied and are all just as well designed as Bloodrayne herself. The soundtrack is also another strong point for Bloodrayne Betrayal. From the title screen you get piano ballads worthy of being in any game music aficionado's collection. A mix of gothic rock and those same piano ballads are played throughout. Later they do become a little repetitive but overall it's a great soundtrack. There's even a hidden version of it that will make any 8-bit gamer smile. With one melee attack button and one shooting attack, there is a huge variety of moves to be done, which was surprising. By moving the analog stick you can change the variations. There is also a bite attack that you can suck the blood of your enemies to gain energy or infect your opponents and later detonate them like bombs. A little more exposition in the moves would have been nice, but discovering what Rayne can do is part of the charm. The main stumble here is in the platforming. Like most 2D action games it relies on platforming sections and platform puzzles for a large portion of the game play. However, Rayne doesn't control well enough to make these sections fun. Also, the game is pure old school NES era difficult. Lightweights need not apply here. Even some experienced gamers will fall prey to the occasional cheap death. All said and done, Bloodrayne Betrayal has a great old school feel with impressive new school graphics. From the start you will be drawn in by those graphics and the music will keep you around for a while. If you stick with the game you'll be rewarded with a deep fighting experience that gaming veterans will find enjoyable. If you're easily frustrated by harder games, I'd say give the demo a try and see if it's worth your money.
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As Sisyphus, you will roll your boulder through five different time periods. Each new level, you are given a castle and tasked with protecting your gate with towers, cows, dynamite barrels, and catapults. Here in lies the big problem with the game, the tower defense mechanic. While not completely bad, it truly is the weakest link in this chain of events. You are given a rather large play area to build your units that are used to protect your castle. As with most tower defense, you pay money for each unit. The bigger the unit the more it costs to build. While this sounds good in theory, the cursor for placing units is a little tough to control. Also, the AI is sometimes overpowering. Easily placing its units on the field with lightning speed while you are dealing with the unwieldy cursor. The mechanic gets some better as you get used to it, but never quite feels right. The Marble Madness portions of the game are where the real fun begins. Once your minions have constructed your boulder you are given the option to add armaments to it such as spikes, flames, etc. These will make it not only more powerful when it hits the enemy gate, but also more resilient to the enemies defenses. As you roll down the hill you will be smashing and jumping the defenses that your enemy has set up. Smashing enemy units will net you more cash to spend towards setting up your next round of units after you hit the enemy gate. When you are near the enemy gate you want to try and gain as much momentum as possible and hit that gate as hard as you can. If you are able to smash through the enemy gate before he gets through yours, he or she will scream in terror. Upon smashing the enemy leader you will continue to the next round. There are 2 modes of Split Screen or Xbox Live multiplayer. War is the exact same as the main story mode. SkeeBoulder has each player rolling down a hill smashing different items littered around to increase the score and then aiming at a target to gain multipliers. It is fun for the first few rounds but becomes extremely repetitive as it never changes. More options for SkeeBoulder really would extend the life of multiplayer. Instead we get a couple of modes that are good to goof around with but never fully develops in to something with staying power. Overall Rock of Ages is a fun game. The Monty Python visuals are a big draw for me and the Marble Madness-esque sections are a blast. Tower Defense and Multiplayer are lacking in polish but don't drag the game down all that much. ACE Team has come out very strong with their second game. With a little more time spent; I think this could have easily been a sleeper hit. I'd recommend giving the demo a try. I’m willing to bet you laugh more than once.
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Well, some of them are review copies that I've gotten. Quite a few actually. Went through and cleaned out all the demos and everything I had sitting there before posting. That number includes indie games too, so it's a little inflated. Still crazy. Some of them I haven't ever even started up. Purchased and they just sit there. Same way with Steam games. Then again, I'll never match your Steam total Dat. lol
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Correct, you have to buy the "Class Packs" to unlock the entire game to be able to play. You can get the All Class Pack for 1200 space bucks. However, if you purchased all 5 of the Summer of Arcade games, you will get the game for free. Guess I need to go ahead and pick up Bastion to complete out the SoA games. Just what I need another XBLA game. Will total 132 at that point. UGH!
