There are a few developers who have driven indie RPG development for the past several years – Spiderweb Software, Soldak Entertainment and Basilisk Games. Basilisk released the stunning Eschalon Book I in 2007, and followed up with Book II. Now they are back with the finale, available on GoG.com, Steam and Basilisk.
Titanfall’s developer, Respawn, held a media event last week in London, but there was an embargo on all video and impressions that expired yesterday. You can guess what happened yesterday as TONS of videos and commentary showing footage from this weekend’s beta build flooded the interwebs. Past the break, you’ll find a few choice links for your viewing pleasure.
Respawn has just opened up Titanfall Beta testing signups on the PC and Xbox One; apologies to those with an Xbox 360. Titanfall’s website says that seats in the Beta are limited and if chosen, you’ll be emailed with further information “no later than 11:59 PM PST on Feb 17th.” Sign up at Titanfall’s website for a chance to play!
In 1998 I got Thief as a birthday present. It presented a morally ambiguous first-person world with choices and freedom, and the ability to sneak around the world in a way no game had ever done before. The sequels were excellent. Now we get a ‘reboot’ of the series – and a trailer to tell us what to expect.
Are you excited for Titanfall to be released on Xbox One and PC on March 11th? So am I! I cannot legally say whether or not I took part in the Alpha test, but there is a Beta test on the way! Respawn tweeted today that Beta test details will be announced sometime early next week, so stay tuned!
One of my favorite indie developers is Soldak Entertainment, and perhaps my favorite game (I actually like all four) is Depths of Peril. DoP is a game where your choices have consequences, and the rest of the world continues even if you ignore your quests. This ‘indie classic’ Depths of Peril is now available DRM-Free on GOG.com for only $9.99!
I’ve loved video game trading site Goozex for more than 7 years since it launched in 2006. Initially it grew quickly as an alternative to paltry trade-ins handed out by GameStop or the cumbersome trade mechanics of early trade-site GameTZ. Goozex acted as middleman on millions of trades, but industry shifts doomed trading and now Goozex appears closed for good.
Has it REALLY been FIVE years since GoG.com opened up to the public? Actually it’s been longer – it was mid-November 2008 when I bought Fallout 1 & 2 and fully embraced the site and its model and began amassing what has become a 200+ game collection on the site. Because they have great games, fair prices, and no DRM. Here is what I said back then: (they) wanted to make a site that would charge a reasonable amount and give gamers older games that were out of circulation in a convenient, DRM-free package that you can download forever. I…
I reviewed a bunch of freemium games including Quake Live back in 2010, noting the value of the game compared to good old Quake III was that it ran seamlessly in a web browser across platforms. Last month it was announced that Quake Live was ending the web-browser play model and moving to standalone client – on Windows only. The reason for moving to a stand-alone mode is because of diminished browser support for plug-ins. “Over the past few years, browser support for plugins such as Quake Live have dropped off significantly, causing problems for plugins to operate in a…
I remember when Doom came out in late 1993, because I’d already gotten hooked into the first person genre with Castle Wolfenstein 3D the previous year. But no one was expecting what came next – during 1994 suddenly the game was everywhere being played by anyone with a powerful enough computer. This week the landmark game turns 20 years old.
Launching an online fantasy RPG is far from a sure thing. Some have an initial spark but quickly fizzle, others never register much at all with fans. Path of Exile from Grinding Gear Games drew loads of attention from a self-hosted crowdfunding campaign, and since launching just over a month ago has seen huge success as an actual game.
While I never reviewed Eschalon Book II beyond my first impressions, the series remains one of my favorites of the last several years. I declared Book I ‘Indie RPG of the Year’ for 2007 at another site, and have been anticipating Book III for quite a while. Now Eschalon Book III has a release date: Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2014. The game will be simultaneously released on Windows, Macintosh and Linux platforms – and based on past releases all are native code and perform equally well. Here is some info from the official site: On February 14th the game will…
If you have been gaming for long enough, chances are you have come across a game that wouldn’t install or that you couldn’t keep running for more than a few seconds without a crash. You used all the tricks you know, consulted support and forums, and ultimately had to face the reality that the game would never work for you.
For fans of traditional computer role-playing games (cRPG), there has been a bit of a drought of games the last couple of years. There have been some really good games, but they have been few and far between. Now there’s a Kickstarter for a new RPG that is something RPG fans can get excited about called Deathfire: Ruins of Nethermore! Note: Deathfire is down to the final 3 days of funding! Here is the basic description: “Deathfire: Ruins of Nethermore” is a party-based computer role-playing game with turn-based combat that hearkens back to the Golden Era of fantasy cRPGs. Built…
Every year Steam offers up huge savings on PC download games, and this year is no exception. They have games on sale all weekend, 24-hour sales, and quick ‘flash’ sales. All of the deals are good, and it is definitely worth checking the deals out every day! Right now they have System Shock 2 for 75% off!
SteelSeries, the leading gaming headphone manufacturer, recently introduced a set of headphones that will really turn heads. The SteelSeries Siberia Elite pack some serious specs including Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound and Dolby ProLogic IIx for an even more immersive soundscape. The Siberia Elite cans also feature a retractable noise-cancelling microphone; they retail for $199.99.
Drox Operative is a starship action RPG featuring warring alien races, fierce space battles, as well as dynamic, evolving galaxy, and co-op multiplayer for Windows and Mac. It is fantastic indie RPG that breaks from the standard fantasy RPG genres. Today Soldak games launched the first expansion, Invasion of the Ancients, with loads of new features.
Jeff Vogel’s Spiderweb Software has been putting out some of the best indie role-playing games for 20 years. The Avernum and Geneforge franchises rank up there with some of the best commercial games made through the years. Back in 2011 they broke new ground with the Avadon franchise; now the sequel arrives, improving on the original in every way.
In deep strategic combat simulation PC games such as the X series, complexity is a way of life. Since 1999 the X franchise has expanded the scope of its universe, the complexity of systems, and pretty much everything else. Riding on this history, X: Rebirth launches on November 15th to bring you an entirely new look for a classic franchise.
When you think of the classics of adventure gaming, you think of LucasArts and Jane Jensen, of Maniac Mansion and Gabriel Knight. We have seen many LucasArts game brought back through TellTale Games, and now Jane Jensen herself has returned to revamp Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers for a 20th anniversary release in mid-2014.
Updating an absolute classic of gaming, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition combines both Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. The Enhanced Edition includes four new characters with their own quests. Beamdog announced November 15th launch date for the game on Mac & PC with a $24.99 pre-order, iOS and Android versions to follow.