Gamestop.com:
Pre-order Twisted Metal with GameStop and receive a code for $10 orders of 39.99 or more on 1800Flowers.com!
In for two.
Best Video Game Preorder Bonus Ever
– Posted on February 1, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Video Games Archive
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Vita Games Discounted For Digital Distribution
– Posted on January 31, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Andrew Yoon for Shacknews:
A Sony representative has confirmed the discount. “I can confirm that there will be a discount on the downloadable PS Vita titles from PSN. Exact details have not yet been revealed, but be on the lookout for an announcement in the very near future.”
The discount will apparently be 10% off the retail price for the equivalent retail boxed version of the game. It’s an interesting first step in the transition to a completely digital consumer experience for the games industry.
I’m not sure if 10% is enough, given that many retailers routinely offer 20% or greater discounts/promotions for new game releases. (Anyone who’s pre-ordered new video games from Amazon in the last two years is fond of their $10-$20 promotional credit offers) But the fact that Sony is willing to discount the digital version is at least acknowledgement that charging full retail price for it is folly.
If you’re able to delete and re-download games for free at will, it might actually give consumers an interesting purchasing decision to make assuming they have a decent sized memory card. One of the most annoying things about carrying multiple games on trips is physically carrying those games. Being able to load several games onto your memory card would cut down on travel weight significantly.
Now if Sony would only get rid of their comically overpriced proprietary Vita memory cards…
via Shacknews.com.
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Insomniac Won’t Be Making Any More Resistance Games
– Posted on January 26, 2012Posted in: Video Games
“We won’t be making any more Resistances,” Insomniac CEO Ted Price told VG247 during an interview at Southern Methodist University’s Game::Business::Law Summit today. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Guess Insomniac finally came to the conclusion that Resistance… was futile.
Seriously, though, the Resistance games were among the best shooters available on the PlayStation 3. I’m a little wistful that they won’t be continuing the franchise, but happy to see that Insomniac isn’t content with just making sequels. Here’s to bigger and better new IP’s from one of the best studios in the game right now.
via Insomniac: “We won’t be making any more Resistances” | VG247.
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Steam Releases Mobile App
– Posted on January 26, 2012Posted in: Mobile, Video Games
Well, well well, Steam. Look who’s decided to join the mobile apps party.
I suppose it was only a matter of time before Valve jumped into mobile. Right now the features list looks pretty basic, offering only friend status updates, chatting, and access to the Steam store. While good for impulse buys or checking up on deals, I was actually hoping for at least an achievement viewer. There’s nothing I like doing more when I’m away from my computer than wistfully reflecting on all of my gaming accomplishments.
Obviously, the mobile app’s functionality will only grow from here. After all, Steam itself started off as a pretty basic client, too. It’ll be interesting to see if Steam expands its tendrils into the mobile gaming distribution arena, given that both Android and iOS already have exclusive channels for that. Perhaps Steam will become more of a content curator? There’s certainly a lot of trash to wade through in those marketplaces.
Though the app is still in an invite-only beta mode right now, you can still download it and poke around the offline mode. If you’ve used the iOS Gmail app, the Steam app UI looks very similar.
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Review: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
– Posted on January 25, 2012Posted in: Features, Reviews, Video Games
Last fall, Microsoft and 343 Studios released a “remastered” version of the original Halo with online coop play, achievements, a smattering of Kinect-enabled voice commands, and a complete graphical overhaul. It’s somewhat of a transition title for the franchise as the baton of Halo development has been passed from Bungie to 343 Studios starting with the upcoming Halo 4. As a longtime Halo fan, I hope that this “Anniversary” edition of Halo isn’t any indicator of what the future of the franchise will be like because it’s an absolute turd bomb.
Why? Because the online co-op is completely broken. Here are three reasons why:
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The Resident Evil 6 Reveal Trailer
– Posted on January 20, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Yes! A Resident Evil set in a dense modern urban environment! President Zombie!
I don’t care that it’s looking more like Gears of Evil 6 than a “true” survival horror game. Resident Evil has never truly been terrifying to begin with and I, for one, welcome a franchise that’s willing to change its formula for the sake of gameplay.
Plus, did you see that part in the game where Leon slides like he was a skinny Steven Seagal and kneecaps some zombies? Tell me that’s something you don’t want to be a part of.
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Hero Academy Is My New Favorite iOS Game
– Posted on January 18, 2012Posted in: Mobile, Video Games
The chaps over at Penny Arcade turned me on to a great new asynchronous turn-based strategy game for iOS called Hero Academy.
Tycho’s description:
There’s plenty of asynchronous tactics games available on mobile platforms, but this one hits the sweet spot in so many tradeoffs that each turn is like munching a little stack of Pringles. For example, the “playfield” is small, like a boardgame. It could be bigger, but it’s not; at the same time, it’s not so small that positioning is minimized. Each turn consists of five – and only five – actions, and you can play your turn over and over again locally until you’ve found the optimal investment of those actions. Maybe a single unit takes all of them. Maybe it’s a turn you use to equip for the countercharge. Turns are never onerous, they always consist of some scientifically optimized volume of input.
Simplifying the description of the game further, you might just call it “Tactics With Friends.” It plays like a very polished, welcoming version of your favorite turn based strategy game (Final Fantasy Tactics, Advance Wars, Jeanne d’Arc, Fire Emblem, etc.) combined with a little card game intrigue. See, in addition to commanding different kinds of units, you always have a “hand” that you can use to either deploy new units, equip them with bonuses, or play effects on the board. Some tricky schemes can be set into motion by playing out unseen resources.
It’s a free download and though it’s got some microtransaction upselling and interstitial ads, it’s never onerous. As if you needed another reason, the game’s developer, Robot Entertainment, consists of some of the people who made Age of Empires and Halo Wars from Ensemble Studios.
Give it a shot. Keep in mind that it’s a “multiplayer only” game, though. There’s no single player campaign, but random opponents have proved to be worthy adversaries.
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GLaDOS As Your Personal AI Assistant
– Posted on January 17, 2012Posted in: Technology, Video Games
You know that Siri assistant thing on the iPhone 4S that people keep talking about?
Forget her, she’s boring.
Wouldn’t you rather have GLaDOS from Portal as the voice of your electronic assistant instead?
That’s what I thought.
via dcoreythomas.com
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Firaxis’ X-Com Enemy Unknown ‘Reimagining’
– Posted on January 12, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Adam Blessener from Game Informer:
Is this going to be dumbed down for the “wider console audience”?
Firaxis is undeniably streamlining aspects of the game and removing no small amount of micromanagement, but from what I’ve seen I wouldn’t call it “dumbing down” the game so much as getting rid of tedium and uninteresting mechanics. Soldiers still die permanently, fog of war and line of sight are hugely important in combat, and you absolutely can lose the game if you screw up too badly.
X-Com was undeniably one of my favorite strategy game franchises growing up as a kid. It was pretty unforgiving, though, and I definitely remember lots of saving and reloading. I’m all for getting rid of tedium and injecting some modern day game design into this and any other “reimaginings.” We tend to look at old favorites with rose-colored glasses and this almost always leads to the inevitable internet outrage when developers announce these sort of tweaks.
via Game Informer
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Review: Judge Dredd Vs. Zombies (iOS)
– Posted on January 10, 2012Posted in: Comics, Reviews, Video Games
What could be a more fun iPhone game than shooting the crap out of zombies as a badass postapocalyptic British lawgiver? Turns out, there’s quite a bit of alternatives. I had the opportunity to review Judge Dredd Vs. Zombies for Comics Alliance late last year and while the core gameplay was competently fun, it was sucked dry by the hollow presentation and shameless difficulty due to a freemium model-friendly unlock system.
If you’re looking for an epic Judge Dredd gaming experience based on the comics, let’s stop right there. This is not the game for you. While the word “zombies” in the title could imply a tie in to Garth Ennis’ epic “Judgment Day” zombie storyline, Judge Dredd vs. Zombies involves nothing of the sort. The closest you get to a story is a single briefing screen telling you that Zombies have infested Mega City-One and that Judge Dredd is the “Solution.” In fact, other than scattered badges and the occasional logo in each level, the only sights you’re going to see are Judge Dredd, zombies, and generic looking building interiors. To be fair to the developer, though, it’s what was promised in the title and by golly that’s exactly what’s offered.
Read my full review on Comics Alliance here