Take these jobs and... discuss them.
A downloadable demo for the highly anticipated 3DS RPG, Bravely Default, hit the eShop last week and Travis, JD, and Julian put some hours into it before convening to discuss what they thought. Find out how we felt about the demo and what we now expect out of the full game in our roundtable discussion.
Why you shouldn't be too worried about the Caped Crusader's origin story.
The Arkham-verse has become its own thing after the resounding success of Arkham Asylum and City. Rocksteady laid a superb foundation for the Batman series and though the latest game is being handled by WB Montreal, there’s not much to worry about. The fundamentals of the series hold up, and if anything much has been added to the gameplay. Whether these additions will prove beneficial is yet to be determined, but based on some story tidbits and my brief hands on I remain excited to see what the full game has to offer.
Wii U's sultry seductress.
This should come as a surprise to no one, but Bayonetta 2 is ridiculous. I fought on a Jet Plane, jumped across crumbling buildings, and created a gigantic dog monster to devour a boss within my ten minute demo. I loved every second of it.
Not perfect, but very promising.
I’ve been reading mixed things about Batman’s first handheld outing. I had some hands on time with the game and found it to be a much better representation of its console counterparts than I initially expected. The game is a 2.5D action platformer in the vein of games like Metroid. While the gameplay is primarily in 2D, the game does boast full 3D graphics and environments (with the Vita version having the slight edge visually). Batman controls very much like he does in the other Arkham games, with most of the controls remaining on the same buttons, particularly during combat.
Early adopters looking to get in on the ground floor of something possibly amazing might want to check out this intriguing alpha by Blackpowder Games.
Like it or not, the Age of the Alpha Release is here. Whether it’s Steam Early Access, or more humble releases like Sir, You Are Being Hunted, and Cube World, or even Bohemia’s Arma 3, alpha releases are everywhere these days. It’s a controversial subject - some are complaining that companies are charging for incomplete products they may or may not finish, while others believe the process helps fund games that otherwise might never be developed. It’s hard for me to find a suitable metaphor for this complex matter other than likening it to buying a fruit and waiting for it ripen.
Nintendo is getting a taste of the Bat.
Last year's amazing Arkham City is now making its way to the new Wii U in the form of the Armored Edition. Along with the console's new controller, a slew of new features are making its way into the port and Nintendo is hoping fans find that this new edition is the definitive edition.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Beyond: Two Souls is worth a million.
Going by the old proverb ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, Quantic Dream’s newest title Beyond: Two Souls must be worth a million. After showcasing their impressive “Kara tech demo” back at GDC, it was obvious that Quantic’s next title would be a visual splendor and this game does not disappoint. Using the same sophisticated capture technology as James Cameron’s Avatar, Beyond: Two Souls is able to depict the uncanny life like mannerisms of its actors, which is welcomed considering award winning actress Ellen Page will be playing the lead.
My love for you is like a truck, Gunzerker!
With Borderlands being the critical and commercial success that it was, I didn’t think we’d see much deviation in Borderlands 2. However, after getting a chance to play the game for myself I can safely say that Borderlands 2 looks to add a lot more than new equipment – though they’re sure to add a staggering amount of that as well. Focused on character design and strategy, Borderlands 2 offers a stronger dynamic between weapon and class choices. You can still expect the same hectic, loot-filled gameplay that the series has become known for, but the experience is refined this time around. As Jeramy Cooke Gearbox’s Art Director told me, “This is definitely Borderlands 2.0, not 1.5.”
Calling back to genres near forgotten, Birds of Steel seeks to soar.
The video game industry, much like any entertainment provider, has gone through many different trends and phases. Genres spike in popularity and then peter down, sometimes even fading into obscurity and out of the communities conscious. There was a time when flight sims were all the rage, now most retailers would look at you funny if you asked their opinion on which flight stick you should buy. At times an arcade-style flight game like Ace Combat rears its head to remind the masses that the genre still exists, but we all know that the pure sim has been relegated to niche for quite some time. Just don’t tell Konami that.
The robotic uprising draws nigh.
We’ve all heard the story before. Man creates machines, machines become self aware, machines rise up against man, and Keanu Reeves saves the day. This is the basic stuff that sci-fi horror and technological apocalypse stories are made of, but as we draw closer and closer to reaching the singularity, these hypothetical doomsday scenarios creep deeper into the collective consciousness.
