PC Gaming

Cognition Episode 3 The Oracle Review – The Best Of This Chilling Series Yet!

After the first Cognition episode I praised the game but complained about the accents; the second episode had me spouting high praise for the game while still noting an issue with accents. But after completing the third episode all I can say is WHO CARES about the accents, this series is so good I just can’t wait for the conclusion! Type of app: Adventure Game Platform/where to buy: Mac or PC; full season pass with soundtracks available in the Phoenix Online Studios Store Developer: Phoenix Online Studios LLC Description: Here are some of the features: – Play as Erica Reed,…

Game Diary, Reviews

Avadon 2 Reminds Me of Bop-It 2; Do It The Same … but BETTER!

While my full review will have to wait for the release in November, I have been playing the preview of Avadon 2 from Spiderweb Software on the Mac, and now that the window has opened to release public preview impressions … I can tell you I am impressed. Everything good about Avadon remains good, and everything lacking is better. Type of app: Turn-Based Role Playing Game (RPG) Platforms: Mac & PC, with iPad version coming later. Developer: Spiderweb Software Overview: As a Hand of Avadon, the Black Fortress, you once held unlimited power. Your word was law. Your homeland was…

Game Diary, News

IndieGameStand Launches Dedicated Storefront for Indie Games!

IndieGameStand launched as a pay-what-you-want site that featured a new, hand-picked indie game every 96 hours. It remains a great concept, but today the site is expanding to feature a permanent store designed to make it simpler for indie developers to sell games without the hassles of other sites. Now developers can sell games directly and keep more money. To celebrate, the store is putting 14 indie games on sale through October 1, marked down 15% or more. You can read up on those games and the reasons IGS selected them for the launch sale here. The new site will…

Crowdfunding

Ballads of Reemus 2 Kicks Off Kickstarter Project!

The Ballads of Reemus was a fun adventure game that evoked the classic LucasArts era of gaming. It was fun and funny with plenty to do and discover. Now Reemus is back for another adventure – well, he will be if you back him on Kickstarter! Develop Zeebarf plans to use funding to bring the game out in June 2014. Here is a snip of what the game is all about: A 2D, hand drawn, comedy-fantasy point and click adventure game in the vein of such classics as “Day of the Tentacle” & “Monkey Island” for PC/Mac/Linux. With future ports…

Gear Bits

Underrail Launched on Steam Early Access for $9.99!

Most so-called hardcore RPG fans who have been around for more than a few years mark the Fallout games (1 & 2, anyway) as near the pinnacle of the genre, with only occasional post-apocalyptic fare like Arcanum being released to satisfy that itch. Now StygSoft’s intriguing Underrail has been released on Steam Early Access for $9.99. Underrail is a post-apocalyptic turn-based RPG that has been developed with loads of input from the community since it hit pre-Alpha. Now it is further along, and has been included in a couple of ‘indie bundles’ and on Desura and GamersGate. But the release…

Game Diary, Reviews

Exploring the World of Gothic II Gold – a Retro Romp Review

I was surprised I never did a netbook gamer review of Gothic II Gold. Why surprised? Because it is in my ‘Top 5’ games, and I have played yearly since 2003. It is a huge, open-world, story-based fantasy RPG full of Orcs, Goblins, Mages, dragons and an intriguing plot. The game remains amazing to play and one of my favorites. Type of app: Role-playing (RPG) game Platform/where to buy: PC; available in the GoG.com Store Developer: Piranha Bytes Description: What’s cool about it: – Includes Gothic II and the expansion pack Night of the Raven – A great variety of…

Game Diary, News

Legend of Dungeon Launches for Mac/PC/Linux on Steam Today!

I wrote about the Kickstarter and early development of Legend of Dungeon, noting the title made me roll my eyes – but the trailer made me smile! I called it “a classic, lo-fi dungeon-crawling, rogue-like, real-time, beat-em-up, co-op romp that doesn’t take itself too seriously?” I’ve played some and it is fun, and now it’s available on Steam for $9.99! Here is the basic description: As you journey deep into the dungeon, you will find weapons, items, and long forgotten magic.. ..if you’re lucky, it might help you to fight off the droves of mysterious creatures you will encounter. There…

Gear Bits

GoG.com Kicks Off 5th Birthday Celebration With ‘Pick 5 for 80% Off” Sale!

GoG.com is kicking off their 5th birthday celebration, and as always we get great deals on games! The first sale is ‘Pick 5 Games & Save 80%’. It is pretty simple – choose five games from a great list of 25 games, and you will have then all for around $10. What are you waiting for?!? Head to GoG.com now! Also, they have added System Shock 2 as their one-day ‘Gem Promo’ – so it is $2.49, which is a complete steal for one of the best games in the history of gaming!

Game Diary

Bloodlust Shadowhunter – Demo and Gameplay for New Action-RPG!

Action-RPG games are fairly rare, and ones about vampires are rarer still. Aside from Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption from 2000 and Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines from 2004, there is … not much. Enter Bloodlust: Shadowhunter, which has a new twist as you play a resurrected vampire hunter now a vampire – and must decide to embrace or destroy your destiny! The game hasn’t been released, but there is a playable demo with a tutorial and loads of resources to help you get through alive (or is it undead?). Check out the gameplay trailers below (more on their channel) and then…

Gear Bits

Avadon 2: The Corruption Gets Trailer and Release Window

In early 2011 I reviewed Avadon The Black Fortress, calling the opening of the new franchise a resounding success. Now we are in the final months of waiting for the sequel, as Avadon 2: The corruption is set to release this November with more intrigue, role-playing, plot twists and strategic combat the fueled the original. Here is the trailer!

Gear Bits

GoG.com Offers Amazing One-Day Wizardry 6-8 ‘Gem Promo’ Sale!

Every week GoG.com offers a ‘Gem Promo’. This week they feature the Dark Savant Trilogy – Wizardry 6+7 and Wizardry 8, an RPG epic from the golden age of PC dungeon crawling for 60% off. Pay $2.39 for one, and $3.99 for the other if you get both, or get one for 50% discount. Promo is for 8/26 only.

Game Diary, News

EA Offers ‘Great Game Guarantee’ Refund System on Origin

Imagine you bought the recent Realms of Arkania game, and within an hour you were horrified at the bugginess. Steam and GoG.com are good about refunds in these cases – but what if it was an acclaimed game like Skyrim, and you just couldn’t connect? Tougher sell for a refund – so now EA’s Origin has a ‘Great Game Guarantee’. The ‘Great Game Guarantee’ is fairly simple in theory: you can return EA full game downloads (PC or Mac) purchased on Origin for a full refund–within 24 hours after you first launch the game, within seven days from when you…

Gear Bits

Trailer for Hotly Anticipates Indie RPG ‘Eschalon Book III’ Arrives!

Back in 2007 I called Eschalon Book 1 the ‘Indie Game of the Year’. In 2010, Book II arrived and was even better, so the final chapter is hotly anticipated by RPG fans – and the trailer has arrived. Enjoy the video, knowing the game will launch in time for the holidays.

News

Plantronics Gaming Throws Down with Their New RIG Headset

Plantronics has a message to gamers: “If you’re into your games AND your mobile devices, we’ve got the headset for you!” The RIG headset and mixer audio system let you play interactive video games, take calls, and listen to music from your smartphone or tablet. It’s the first member of the RIG family of gaming devices, and it is coming this fall for $129.

Gear Bits

The Bureau XCOM Declassified

The XCOM universe expanded to include one of 2012’s best PC games and one of 2013’s best iPad games. This week it expands further with a cold war look at a secret agency in The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. The image shows it’s loaded up in Steam waiting for me to get started playing – look for my review next week! For now, check out the launch trailer!

Crowdfunding, Game Diary, News

Larian Studios Releases Launch Trailer for Dragon Commander

Once again, I have cool news about Larian Studios, the creators of one of my all-time favorite games — Divine Divinity. In early April I talked about the Divinity: Original Sin Kickstarter, and a couple of weeks later noted the addition of a tier that also gave you a digital copy of Larian’s RTS (real-time strategy) game Divinity Dragon Commander. Well, today is the release date for Divinity Dragon Commander, and Larian Studios has published a launch trailer. Rather than some bland cinematic, this trailer actually shows you the purpose of different elements of the game, how you play and…

Editorials, Game Diary, Reviews

Hands-On with the Realms of Arkania Remake – Just Say ‘Nein’!

Every now and then a game comes along that is so special that you just have to pre-order it, to offer up money to make sure it happens … and then when it arrives it is such a bug-filled and unfinished mess that it is hard to even contemplate how someone ‘released’ it. Such is the case with Realms of Arkania – not the original game, which is an absolute classic released by Sir-Tech in 1993 (translated from German). I am talking about the just-released remake. Here is the description: A legend reborn as Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny…

Game Diary, News

EA Games New Cash Cow? The iTunes App Store!

Electronic Arts (EA) launched the Origin content delivery service called Origin in 2011 to combat Steam in the exploding digital game delivery market. The big concern apparently wasn’t about games themselves as much as the highly profitable in-game DLC purchases. EA could deal with paying a chunk to market the main game – after all they’d been doing that with GameStop for ages. What they wouldn’t do was sacrifice any of the DLC profits – and that has proven to be a very strategic decision, only not related to Origin. In the most recent earnings call, Electronic Arts announced that…

Crowdfunding, Game Diary

Open World Fantasy RPG Balrum Launches Kickstarter Campaign!

I love the classic game Ultima VII, and it has inspired dozens of games since it was released in 1992. The most recent example is the Eschalon series from Basilisk games – another excellent set of games! Now I am reminded of the greatest Ultima game as I watch the Kickstarter video for Balrum. Project Title: Balrum Status: Active Closing Date for Funding: Thursday Aug 15, 3:32pm EDT. URL of the Project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/balconyteam/balrum From the developer: Here are some key features: An open world fantasy RPG with building, farming and crafting. For PC, Mac and Linux. The game is a…

Crowdfunding, Game Diary

Black Forest Games is Back with their Project Ravensdale Kickstarter

We are now getting to the point where we know we can trust developers we are seeing on Kickstarter – because they have delivered already! One such developer is Black Forest Games, who last year had a successful project with the multi-platform hit Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams. They have just launched a new Kickstarter project – Project Ravensdale, a side-scrolling platform shooter that looks simply amazing! Project Title: Project Ravensdale Status: Active Closing Date for Funding: Friday Aug 16, 7:59pm EDT. URL of the Project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/project-giana/project-ravensdale From the developer: Here are some key features: Ravensdale is based on classic arcade…

Game Diary, Reviews

Green Jelly Brings Gelatinous Gaming Goodness to the Mac!

When Green Jelly was released for the iPad and iPhone last December I enjoyed the physics-based game, and now it is available on the Mac! How does a very finger-friendly game translate? Let’s take a look! Type of app: Physics/Puzzle game Platform/where to buy: Mac; available in the Mac App Store Developer: MaxNick / G5 Entertainment Description: Green Jelly features include: ? 60 Levels in three locations: Cake, Chocolate and Waffles ? Over 10 types of objects for physics-based interaction ? 20 Funny achievements to share with friends ? Cute graphics and amusing sounds ? Updates with new levels to…

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