Games

Free-to-Pay, a Revolution in Game Sales & Player Investment

The era of the sixty-dollar shooter desperately needs an end. Modern game distribution exists in a broken system. As a recent Gamasutra article has detailed, recent NPD data shows a noticeable decline in both hardware and software sales. The Wii U, the first next-gen console to hit the market, has shown us a dreadful, if not silent, first three months. Developers continue to pump out online passes and DLC, while piracy has become as commonplace a habit as wearing skinny jeans. In the long term, Microsoft and Sony could be poised to turn the tables by restricting the use of…

Game Diary, News & Features

Games Portal Premium Service Offers Mobile Social Gaming on Verizon Android

Games Portal will be preloaded on millions of Verizon Android devices beginning in the second quarter of 2013. PlayPhone has announced a major new tier-one carrier partnership with Verizon for its mobile social gaming platform. Verizon did not disclose which device(s) would be first to come with Games Portal pre-installed. In 2010, Verizon launches their own V Cast Apps store, which closed about a year later. Games Portal continues Playphone’s cross platform social game service with the latest free and premium games. Games Portal also includes various activities including achievements, friend invites, leaderboards, real-time updates, and recommendations. Friends lists can…

Game Diary, News & Features

XCOM Enemy Unknown Coming to iOS Devices This Summer

Last October I reviewed the excellent PC game XCOM Enemy Unknown, noting that the game offered an incredible depth of gameplay and strategic options. So I am thrilled to learn that XCOM Enemy Unknown coming to iOS devices this summer. In an article at Polygon, lead developer Jake Solomon talks about how the game released for PC and consoles makes a perfect fit for iOS devices – and in particular the iPad. You will also be able to play on your iPhone and iPod Touch, though I am sure there will be limits to which generations of devices will be…

Game Diary, Reviews

Psychic Chasms Games Review

Deep within the murky depths of alternative medicine lies the field of dream interpretation, the discipline of assigning poignant meaning to our subconscious, slumbering thoughts. Not only do professionals exist in this area, they claim grounding in Freudian psychology. A main tenet held by such specialists (as verified on LinkedIn), is that dreams, while often confusing and disparate, hold coherent meaning within their surreal borders. Analgesic Productions’ latest work, Anodyne, explores the nature of dreams in a similar way, but often forgets that abstraction isn’t as simple as ambiguity. At its humblest, Anodyne draws heavily from the top-down Zelda era of the nineties. The creators…

Game Diary

Wii U TVii Service for March Madness Basketball!

March Madness on the Wii U TVii Service is a brand new experience based from the Sports section. The recently released TVii service, exclusive to the Nintendo Wii U, allows access via the GamePad to a television and other entertainment content, was not originally available at Nintendo Wii U ‘s November launch, but it’s here just in time for March Madness. This free TVii service comes pre-loaded into the Wii U does not require any extra equipment and functions like a web browser. User can browse and perform familiar actions on the GamePad touch screen while watching other programs on…

Crowdfunding, Game Diary

Mage’s Initiation Brings a Classic Sierra-style Adventure Game to Kickstarter!

There are various reasons to back a Kickstarter project: you might directly want to experience the product, or perhaps like the idea and want it to happen, or maybe the project is in an area you feel is underserved, or maybe the project is funded and you see benefits to the ‘stretch goals’. Whatever the reason, it is important to keep up with new projects as they come along … because there is some great stuff happening and you don’t want something to go unfunded because you forgot to check in for a month! I had heard about this when…

Crowdfunding, Game Diary

Sinister Design Re-Launches Telepath Tactics Kickstarter!

Last fall Sinister Design, creators of the excellent ‘Telepath RPG: Servants of God’, launched a Kickstarter for its ever-expanding game Telepath Tactics that would allow Craig Stern to properly complete the game with all of the desired features. That effort failed to gain proper support, but Stern he had learned from the attempt and knew what to do going forward. Now he is back as Sinister Design Re-Launches Telepath Tactics Kickstarter! For a while now developer Craig Stern has been talking up the progress on his turn-based game Telepath Tactics – and now he has launched a Kickstarter effort in…

Game Diary, Reviews

Super Stickman Golf 2 for iOS and Android Review – Download it Now and Thank Me Later

Did you download it yet? What are you waiting for? Fine, I’ll tell you a little bit about the game, first. Super Stickman Golf 2 for iOS is the highly anticipated sequel to the extremely popular, award-winning title of the same name from developers Noodlecake Studios. The series, on the surface, plays like a golf game where the goal is to hit a golf ball into a cup on a putting green in the fewest amount of strokes possible. However, deep down, the game is truly a 2-dimensional physics puzzle game where you must figure out the shortest possible path…

Game Diary, Reviews

Old Clockmakers Riddle for Mac Review

I admit that when I first tried the iPad version of Old Clockmakers Riddle, I was expecting it to be a standard story-based Hidden Object game. But after I started reading the description I was thrilled to see the Match-3 gameplay tied to an interesting story. You find a letter that leads you to a dead down that has utterly stopped, and you need to find gems and clock hands hidden in the houses of town to ‘restart’ them and get to the point of fixing the clock and restarting the town. Type of app: Match-3 Puzzle game Platform/where to…

Game Diary, Reviews

Cognition Brings Chilling Adventure to iOS, Review and Giveaway!

If you are like myself or most other PC game fans, you track the ‘indie bundle’ sites regularly and grab all of the great games these creative developers publish. A couple of months ago I grabbed Cognition Episode 1 from IndieGameStand on the Mac, but never finished playing. Now it is available for the iPad, so before I could get a review code from the publisher I bought the game and played it. I say that Cognition brings chilling adventure to iOS, read on to find out why! Oh, and the publisher came through with a review code as well…

Game Diary, Reviews

Tomb Raider Review for PlayStation 3

In Tomb Raider, adventuress/archeologist Lara Croft returns in her ninth video game…the first in four years. Was it worth the wait? Definitely. Developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix push current consoles to their limit with this impressive reboot. The Hype A Survivor is Born When the first ever Tomb Raider game launched in 1996 it was a revolution. Outstanding in terms of graphics, gameplay, and storyline, it changed the way that video games were played and developed forever. Fronting the games assault on the world was the central character, Lara Croft. Lara was also to have an incredible impact,…

Game Diary, Reviews

Fate of the Pharaoh for Android Review

Over the past few years working with G5 games as they have grown into one of the more successful casual games publishers on smartphones, I have seen a fairly standard formula: they publish for iOS first, then Android and finally for the Mac (and occasionally PC). But with Fate of the Pharaoh we get a first – G5 is releasing an Android game before the iOS version! How does it play? Let’s take a look! Type of app: City-Building game Platform/where to buy: Available for Android systems (including Nook and Kindle Fire tablets); available from Amazon AppStore, Google Play, or…

Game Diary, Reviews

Epic Adventures Cursed Onboard for Mac Review

I reviewed the original Epic Adventures: La Jangada here, which was based on the Jules Verne’s story ‘The Raft’ (direct translation of La Jangada). My opinion of the original was that it was an interesting story but hampered by glacial pacing and a dreary palette. Does the sequel Epic Adventures Cursed Onboard deliver where the original failed? Read on and find out! Type of app: Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game Platform/where to buy: Mac; available in the Mac App Store Developer: Urchin Games / G5 Entertainment Description: Here are some of the features: 25 Eery locations 10 Unique mini-games…

Game Diary, Reviews

Spirit Walkers Curse of the Cypress Witch for Mac Review

Type of app: Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game Platform/where to buy: iPad; available in the Mac App Store Developer: Orchid Games / G5 Entertainment Despite weekly releases of hidden object, strategy and adventure games G5 continues to put out amazing quality games as well as a great quantity.When I reviewed Spirit Walkers Curse of the Cypress Witch for the iPad, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Now they have ported it to the Mac, and it looks to be a great translation of this significant and interesting plot wrapped around a hidden object adventure. Let’s take a look! Description: Here are…

Game Diary

Tomb Raider Interview with Darrell Gallagher and Noah Hughes

I recently discussed the new Tomb Raider video game (releasing today, March 5) with Darrell Gallagher (Crystal Dynamics Studio Head) and Noah Hughes (Crystal Dynamics Creative Director). Crystal Dynamics developed this recently released reboot featuring the female adventurer hero Lara Croft, as well as the previous four Tomb Raider games. Publisher Square Enix purchased Eidos and took over this popular 16-year-old game franchise recognized as the “Most Successful Human Virtual Game Heroine” by the Guinness Book of World Records. The character development and gameplay elements expand in this installment along with a new multiplayer mode. Tomb Raider is also the…

Game Diary, Reviews

Dead Space 3 Limited Edition Review for PlayStation 3

In Dead Space 3, players can “uncover the past and embark on a thrilling expedition to save mankind”. The Hype Prepare yourself to scavenge the violent wilderness, build devastating weapons, and take down the terror together. Isaac Clarke and the hard-nosed soldier John Carver unite in the struggle against the Necromorph outbreak. Dead Space 3 brings Isaac Clarke and merciless soldier, John Carver, on a journey across space to discover the source of the Necromorph outbreak. Crash-landed on the frozen planet of Tau Volantis, the pair must comb the harsh environment for raw materials and scavenged parts. Isaac will then…

Game Diary

Sims 3 Interview – Ryan Vaughan, Lead Producer

The Sims 3 lead producer Ryan Vaughan recently discuss the amazing longevity of one of the best-selling game series and what’s in store for the future. The Sims 3 strategic life simulation game series debuted in June 2009 and still going strong on PC and Mac…plus consoles…and the Nintendo 3DS handheld console plus iPod Touch and iPhone. The Sims 3 Store has also provided immense purchasable download content for the series include the recently released Aurora Skies world/town (the 8th). Players have enjoyed several expansion packs and stuff packs including the upcoming University Life (March 5 – the 9th…

Game Diary, Reviews

Might & Magic Clash of Heroes for iPad Review

I remember when Might & Magic Clash of Heroes for the Nintendo DS arrived. It was an oddity of a game in that I was immediately prepared to hate – a new game for a new platform by a new developer in a totally unrelated genre with a familiar name; I was like most fans of the original feeling that it was likely someone was trying to cash in by attaching a familiar name to a mediocre game. So imagine my surprise when I called Might & Magic Clash of Heroes ‘one of the best DS games of 2009’ in a…

Game Diary

PlayStation 4 Specifications Answer Some Questions

The PlayStation 4 specifications have been released after the initial February 20 announcement from Sony. Still no backwards compatibility…for any PlayStation 3 game, but services will be available to stream PS1, PS2 and PS3 games. One of my biggest questions was answered – the disc drive. Game format will be downloadable and optical disc. The “cloud”-like downloading trend made me wonder if the PS4 would even have a disc drive. Another big one – No DualShock 3 controller support. The new DualShock 4 controller will have a special lightbar so the new PlayStation 4 camera can track the controller’s 3D…

Game Diary, News & Features

Avadon 2 The Corruption Prepares to Bring Epic Fantasy RPG Back to the iPad

Spiderweb Software brought us the first full-scale, hardcore RPG with Avadon: The Black Fortress, now Jeff Vogel with the announcement of Avadon 2 The Corruption prepares to bring epic fantasy RPG back to the iPad! The game is the middle of the planned Avadon Trilogy, and you return to the Black Fortress as a spy and warrior fighting those who are the enemies of Avadon. Your word is law and your power is great, but your foes are powerful as well and you will need to use all of your skill and cunning to thwart the threat. In Avadon 2:…

Game Diary, News & Features

Ultima Forever Quest for the Avatar Gets a First Video Preview

There are classics, and then there are CLASSICS … and Ultima IV is one of the absolute classics in all of gaming. I have played it several times through the years, but owing to age and technology changes it is a difficult game for younger gamers to really enjoy. Now it is coming back as Ultima Forever Quest for the Avatar, launching on iOS in the spring of 2013. We have known about the game for a while, but now we get some first looks and a video sneak peek! Much of the classic Ultima world is maintained, though now…

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