This is a seriously great trailer for “Far Cry 3,” and I suggest you watch it just to have the experience, but it doesn’t alter my shrugging indifference to the game overall. Ubisoft air-balled big time on “Far Cry 2,” from network problems to surprisingly repetitive and un-fun gameplay, and I’m still cynical about them coming around for another shot. Crytek’s original was not perfect, nor are their “Crysis” games, but they demonstrate real genius at designing balls-to-the-wall action FPSes with a dollop of stealth. It’s a tricky recipe, and I don’t entirely fault Ubi Montreal for burning it to…
Author: Andrew Allen
Most people agree that “Ghost Recon: Future Soldier” is a pretty good game. I think this is incorrect: “Ghost Recon: Future Soldier” is, in fact, a masterpiece, and one of the best games of its generation. You’re probably thinking, “Eeeh, I’m sure it’s fine, but ‘masterpiece’ is a bit much. I’ll grab it used at some point.” Wrong. You need to buy it now. Put down “Diablo III” for a second and give this stunning, aerodynamic piece of game engineering the respect it deserves. Hit the jump and let me drop truth bombs on you that will prove you must…
The folks over at LA Times recently got their hands on the publishing contract signed by Activision and Bungie, released due to ongoing legal troubles between the Big A and its former golden gooses Jason West and Vincent Zampella. It reveals a breathtaking amount about Activision/Bungie’s plans for the next few years. The complete work-up is here, and it’s absolutely fascinating, but in case you don’t feel like reading all of that, hit the jump for some bullet points.
This is one of the hardest reviews I’ve ever had to write. “Max Payne 3” may be the most polished and thoughtfully executed entry the franchise has yet had, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best. Rockstar Vancouver clearly set out to modernize Max, to put a fresh coat of paint on him and bring him up to speed with current gaming trends, and they succeeded with military precision. But they also changed the focus of the series, and perhaps not always for the better. Hit the jump and decide for yourself.
Very few sequels have ever changed so little, yet come so far. “Prototype 2” looks and feels much like its ancestor, and yet where the original was frustratingly incomplete, the sequel is the real deal. It’s not perfect, but its victories overpower its weaknesses, resulting in one of the best sandbox mayhem machines ever built. Hit the jump, and let’s get down to it.
I didn’t really like the original “Prototype,” it was better in theory than reality, but “Prototype 2” kicks all kind of tail. I am very impressed. It’s not the prettiest or most polished game in the world, but the combat has taken a huge step forward, and it finally feels like the experience they’re advertising on the box. My memory’s a little foggy on the original “Prototype,” but I’m pretty sure the ability to dodge is new to this one, and man does it make a big difference. Ditto for the streamlined melee system that cleverly assigns quick attacks to a…
You ever have one of those games you’re really excited about before you buy, then when it’s finally yours you just can’t get into it? That’s me and “The Witcher 2” right now. I’ve been rubbing my hands together in anticipation of this one for a couple of months, but now that it’s mine, it’s not sinking in. I play it, sure, because I force myself to, but I’m secretly longing to boot up “Twisted Metal” the whole time. What the hell is up with this? There’s nothing really wrong with the game, mind you, but something isn’t clicking. I…
November will see the next release from two of the biggest franchises in modern gaming: “Halo” and “Call of Duty.” And even though I can’t believe I’m saying this, I’m way more excited for the latter. While “Halo 4” continues to chug along indifferently, offering us nothing more than tepid assurances that it plays like all the other ones, “Black Ops II” is absolutely bringing the pain. We’ve got a brand-new setting for the franchise, all the new gameplay possibilities that implies, the introduction of branching storylines thanks to Strike Force missions, and (wait for it) a Zombie campaign! Did…
Dishonored is the new first person action/stealth title from Arkane Studios, published by Bethesda. It’s got a very “Thief: The Dark Project” vibe, with some touches of Valve in those daddy long-leg things. So far, they’re only getting shrugging interest out of me, in no small part because Bethesda’s track record as a publisher for younger companies isn’t really stellar, but what do I know? Anyway, here’s some new screens. So don’t I say I never did anything for you.
A new TV spot for “Diablo III” hit the airwaves this Sunday during “Family Guy.” I enjoyed it, but at the same time, I think it’s only real purpose is to tell you when the game comes out; God knows it doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know. Still, the Blizzard cinematic team is the best in the business, and even a few tastes of their work is always a treat. May 15th, get here already.
When she says “now,” she means “when the Boss Wave is over.”
“The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings” is out on Xbox 360, and if you haven’t bought it already, you really should because it’s excellent (I know, I know, review forthcoming). But in spite of its greatness, the game has one problem: it has no idea how to teach you to play. The “tutorial” prologue is an odd, disconnected experience that rushes through the game’s complex web of potions, crafting, swordplay, and magic, flinging information at you and hoping it will stick. I’m not the only one who thinks this, either. Truth be told, in-game tutorials are hard. The challenge is…
Eat that, people who don’t believe in God. This morning we got an email from the folks at Bethesda confirming that “Prey 2” will come out after all, but has been delayed into 2013 at least. Here’s the email: “Development of Prey 2 has not been cancelled but the game will not be released in 2012 as planned. The delay is due to the fact that game development has not progressed satisfactorily this past year, and the game does not currently meet our quality standards. Prey 2 has shown great promise and we regret disappointing our fans. We have made…
Well, the mystery didn’t last long. After we wondered what Playstation’s Facebook page could possibly be referencing for all of twelve hours, Amazon leaked the trailer for “God of War: Ascension,” the next entry in Kratos’ endless quest to be the biggest dick humanly possible. The trailer tells us almost nothing, but it does seem like we’re dealing with a prequel here. No gameplay footage (of course), though, so we’re going to have to wait and see. The only other info is the Amazon listing, which reads: “Join Kratos as he seeks freedom, redemption, and the clarity to avenge his…
I wasn’t really a huge fan of “Prototype,” but it’s one of those games I could see benefitting from a more refined, precise sequel, so I’ve kept my eyes on the development of “Prototype 2.” Here’s an enticing video describing Pack Leaders, a fearsome-looking enemy.
Sony has this picture up on its Facebook page, promising some kind of reveal on 4.19.12, which by a crazy coincidence is tomorrow. So what the hell is this thing? I mean, I guess we’re going to find out, but here’s your chance to get “told you so” points. My guess is “God of War 4,” just by the font and the background. And after all, Microsoft is trotting out its big guns with “Halo 4” this November, and Sony can’t be seen to look slack. By the way, in case that is Kratos asking whether vengeance will bring…
Rumors abound that Valve is currently neck-deep in the design of some kind of hardware. Of course, besides an obnoxiously coy job posting, Newell and his merry band have been predictably tight-lipped on the subject. What are those tricksy hobbits up to, damn it? If you ask me, it’s almost certainly a console of some kind. I know some people are going with the biometric controller, but I don’t think that’s as plausible, and I’ll explain why. Why would Valve even bother with a console in the first place? Probably for the same reason they made Steam: they weren’t satisfied…
I keep waiting to see something about Ninja Theory’s “Devil May Cry” reboot that I don’t hate, but so far, no dice. This new trailer, which popped up on NeoGAF recently by way of the Penny Arcade and DMC forums, isn’t terrible, but it’s also not winning me over. There’s just no getting past Dante’s new look. Speaking as a white guy with short brown hair, I can say definitively that white guys with short brown hair don’t make for iconic, visually stimulating protagonists. What was wrong with the platinum locks, Ninja Theory? Was anyone crying out for them to…
A Consumerist poll recently ranked Electronic Arts as the “Worst Company in America,” beating out Bank of America in the final round. Looking past the obvious absurdity of giving a company whose fingerprints have been on every major Wall Street scandal a silver medal behind the guys who ripped you off with “Madden,” I think EA is being pinned to the wall unfairly here. Look I don’t love Electronic Arts, but we’re being unreasonable, people. Let me tell you why I think they are not only not the worst company in America, but not even the worst video game company in…
It is very, very difficult to prevent me from loving a “Resident Evil” title, so I must applaud Slant Six Games for pulling it off. I’m not going to say “i told you so” here, but I have been decrying this game’s existence for some time. Now that it’s out, and I’ve spent some time with it, my fears were confirmed. Here’s some reasons this game didn’t work.
Rumors abound that ZeniMax has put the kibosh on “Prey 2,” Human Heads’ promising upcoming first person shooter. I think this would be a colossal mistake, so I’ve decided to compile a list of amazing reasons that “Prey 2” can and should be allowed to come out. For the love of God, ZeniMax, read this article and reconsider.
The consequences of “Mass Effect 3” addiction run deep into real-life in this new video skit from the crew at Padinga.
(SPOILER ALERT: THIS ARTICLE WILL DISCUSS THE END OF “MASS EFFECT 3”) Yes, the ending of “Mass Effect 3” is bad. But it isn’t just bad, it actively calls out for explanation. Why did this happen? What were they thinking? I have several theories, and because you have nothing better to do with your life, you’re going to come read them. Let’s speculate, Dear Reader, and try to come to some kind of peace.
Those crazy old mugs at Rocksteady recently had a contest on Twitter, whereby eight lucky Twitter-people could have their likenesses scanned in as playable characters in “Max Payne 3.” The results are in, and now you can look at these avatars of people you don’t know to your heart’s content. Here’s a list of the winners: – Harald Fraenkel (@HaraldFraenkel) from Germany – Radio DJ Dave Wheeler (@Wheelerj28) from Winnipeg, Canada – Alexis “Lou” (@Alexisssx3) from Southern California – Elvis (@ElvisMarques) from Brazil – Artist Shohei (@hakuchitare) from Japan – Hamish (@SilentHamish) from Australia – Jaclyn (@jaclynejimenez) from NYC – Nick (@TwisBeats) from London It’s a clever idea, but…
Just when it was starting to feel like Microsoft would never give us another Xbox 360 semi-exclusive to care about, the upcoming port of “Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings” drops on us, promising no compromise in PC quality and even some new features. Take a look at this flat-out bangin trailer and gird your loins for the April release. Frankly, this is just the kind of exclusive the Xbox 360 needs right now, because it signals a commitment to the hardcore gaming crowd. It’s like a cool breeze as we wander the vast desert of “Kinectimals” and “Master Chief Goes Fishing”…
Bethesda is one of the best game developers in the world, but every time they try their hand at publishing, they fall flat. From “Rogue Warrior” (blegh) and “WET” (slightly better), to last year’s interesting-looking but ultimately unsatisfying “Brink,” they just can’t seem to bet on the right up-and-coming studio. And no, “Fallout: New Vegas” doesn’t count, since that was built on a game they developed. Now they’ve got a new one in the pipeline, Arkane Studios’ “Dishonored.” It appears to be something like a cross between “Thief” and “Bioshock,” where you play as a supernatural assassin in…
Dear Reader, Let’s not mince words: “Mass Effect 3” is a masterpiece, full of masterpiece-y goodness. All those trolls on Metacritic can suck it; they were right about “Dragon Age 2,” but they’re out of their gourd here. Perhaps the most unexpected element of ME3’s success is its surprisingly enjoyable multiplayer component; a feature no one really asked for, but works well. Still, it has some growing pains that are indicative of Bioware’s relative inexperience in this field, so I’ve compiled a few simple suggestions that I think will help this already-good mode become outstanding.
Dear Reader, “Twisted Metal” is a victory of game design and tone. The car combat is fun enough, but when married with the franchise’s signature carnival-ride-from-hell aesthetic, it achieves a weird kind of iconic transcendance. It may miss masterpiece status by a few inches, and I have serious moral issues with some aspects of the story, but “Twisted Metal” is nonetheless one of the most invigorating and successful reboots in recent memory. I feel the need to say this up front: I am not okay with playing as Sweet Tooth. I’ve tolerated a lot of amoral crap in video games,…
Dear Reader, “Mass Effect 3” has been out for precious few hours, but already Xbox 360 gamers around the globe are screaming bloody murder when they go to import their ME1/ME2 Shepard, and he/she looks nothing like himself/herself. There isn’t much solid information on this glitch yet, but some are arguing it only happens when you import a Shepard who has been in both ME1 and ME2. I myself ran head-first into this glitch, and to say I’m disappointed doesn’t even come close to expressing my frustration. I was really excited to carry my avatar all the way to the…