Gamesugar

January 21, 2012

Cats, Unicorns, and Other Games of Interest

Filed under: News Feed — Tags: , , , — Jamie Love @ 12:07 am

The Difference Engine
Back in December I was fortunate enough to attend the Women in Film, Games and New Media Conference at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. Along with a keynote from journalist Leigh Alexander and an afternoon of talks on media, technology, and the gaming space, the event also featured games from the second round of the Difference Engine Initiative.

The DEI brought together women from different disciplinary backgrounds for a series of sessions that saw each produce their own games, and I’ve recently been informed that these projects are now available online, you can find them right here in fact.

On that note, I’d like to give two thumbs up to TypeCat, a game that uses cat memes to teach players how to spell like an Internet champion, and Unicorn Justice Fighter / Unicorn Robber Baron, a game I believe merges my love of both Unicorns and Tron – those two games have certainly succeeded in robbing me of time this week.

Definitely consider taking some time to check out all the projects, once again by clicking right here.

You can also watch video from the conference, including Leigh’s keynote, by means of this handy link right here.

January 20, 2012

Demo Report – Resident Evil: Revelations

Demo Report Resident Evil Revelations
Waking up in the cabin section of a derelict ocean liner, Jill Valentine expresses a feeling of déjà vu, which I certainly share in as the opening of the Revelations’ demo feels very much like a homecoming, stirring some equally pleasant and terrifying memories. The gloom of ruined rooms is occasionally broken by the shimmer of essential supplies, and also the continual arrival of humanoid biohazards that are largely featureless, save for the spiky limbs slapping out at players before these creatures close in for a more intimate attempt at feasting on Jill’s blood.

Clutching the 3DS and lurching forward through the ship is a very intimate experience, bringing back unnerving sensations and a slower pace of traditional horror the mainline series has largely moved away from in the pursuit of high-grade action. Entering a dining hall where food is rotting on tables and a strange vapor hugs the floor finds me several shades hesitant about the prospect of moving forward any further, and it’s rather terrific being gripped by that feeling of apprehension again.

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Review – VVVVVV

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 8:46 am

Review VVVVVV
There’s something very heartwarming about indie games on Nintendo hardware. Seeing Cave Story across several Nintendo platforms was like an endorsement from gaming royalty for instance – a nod from the company that built those first pixilated worlds out of thin air and inspired so many to follow in that pursuit.

As such, Terry Cavanagh’s PC indie title, VVVVVV, is a welcome sight on the 3DS’ eShop, but I wouldn’t want any idea of indie fan-service to undermine the move, given that the game’s level of polish and play earn placement on the list of eShop offerings worth the investment of player’s time and money regardless of how many people worked on the title.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with why, let’s fill in some blanks below.

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January 19, 2012

Review – Zen Pinball 3D

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 9:02 am

Review Zen Pinball 3D
Zen Studios has long been offering a digital distribution plan that even the most curmudgeonly anti-dlc advocate would have a hard time complaining about – still, I won’t say it’s impossible for such a person to exist. Available on both Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network for some time now, Zen Pinball offers a package that can be added to as players see fit. Anytime you find yourself board with the tables you own, you can browse, sample, and purchase additional tables at your leisure. I approve of a system by which there’s always the means to refresh the experience while only parting with a few dollars rather than buying an entirely new game.

Said tables vary in theme and license, ranging from generic space opera motifs to tables based on Marvel franchises, and the majority of these offer a wide range of point objectives and shiny neon Vegas styling to seduce the senses. The key ingredient in my continuing addiction is the way the game consistently ranks you against others, urging you to play just a little bit longer to defeat friends and strangers alike.

Zen Pinball 3D carries this exact experience over to Nintendo’s handheld, which would seem to leave little to discuss here. Still, I’m sure we can find something to talk about, so please do read on.

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January 18, 2012

Demo Report – The Darkness II

Demo Report The Darkness II 2
If you recall my lengthy diatribe on the matter of The Darkness, and the urgency with which it demands to be played, you might guess that The Darkness II is a subject in which I am greatly invested. I very much need for this title to deliver, and for that reason the question of whether Digital Extremes is equipped to succeed Starbreeze is a puzzle I have been pondering since the day of this title’s announcement.

The demo sets up the premise of the sequel and offers little else in the way of narrative—it provides a capable teaser, and then moves directly along to the matter of vicious tentacle murder.

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January 17, 2012

Q&A – Gaijin Games Talks Runner2

QandA Runner2 Gaijin Games
With the BIT.TRIP series wrapped up on WiiWare and recieving a retail release on both the Wii and 3DS last year, Gaijin Games has been working away on Runner2, which intends to extend the familiar feet of Commandervideo to digital release on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network later this year. As a spiritual extension, or perhaps deviation on BIT.TRIP RUNNER, fans of the series likely have a good idea of what to expect when the game releases. And yet, following updates on the Runner2 blog and wondering what Gaijin might bring to the Xbox 360 and PS3 has left me with plenty to ponder.

Since I like to get my answers straight from the horse’s mouth whenever possible, I took some questions about Runner2 to the nearest horse available, only to find it rather stubbornly silent on the subject. Fortunately, Gaijin’s Alex Neuse happened to be standing next to the horse at the time and generously agreed to help me out.

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January 16, 2012

Review – Choplifter HD

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 9:06 am

Review Choplifter HD
Given the number of vintage games that return year after year, I suppose Choplifter was overdue for a revisit in an era that loves adding HD to the end of game titles. The last time I laid eyes on that particular classic, the visuals crackled through a Commodore monitor and writing videogames as two separate words wasn’t yet something I considered a crime. My eyes were also crusted and red from spending hours flying to one end of the screen to pickup hostages and then flying back to the other end to drop them off – rinsing and repeating in an obsessive way that seemed normal during my childhood.

InXile Entertainment’s HD revival doesn’t detour from this core formula that made the most of technical limitations, offering a sidescroller that asks you to travel from one end of the screen and back again, again, and again. Despite what I consider a premium price point for the privilege, Choplifter HD is also a game of cheap and immediate thrills that doesn’t beg for more than a minimal time commitment, satisfied with whatever little bit of time you have to spare here and there. But aside from the explosions and burst play style, it’s not so easily written off either.

Plus, trying to squish people hoping to be saved is still a guilty bit of fun.

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