VGW: Read Beyond the Headline
I’ve played about seven hours of SimCity since launch. A lot of that was on launch day, or the day after. I’ve started three cities in two different regions (Russburg, Russport, and Russtempolis), pushed two of their industries into the high-tech range, and reached populations of over 50,000. I’ve upgraded roads, fixed sewage issues, and [...]
There’s been a common thread running through all the Borderlands 2 content released by Gearbox Software: larger-than-life characters. In the main game it’s Handsome Jack, voted Villain of the Year by just about everyone (us included). Then it was the new playable character Gaige, followed by Captain Scarlett and her pirate’s booty, and the bombastic [...]
Yet again, we’re faced with a franchise reboot derided by seemingly overprotective fans. DmC marks a new beginning for Capcom’s Devil May Cry franchise- not only is it a completely new, non-numbered title, but it’s also been developed by an entirely new studio. Ninja Theory, the UK studio of Heavenly Sword and Enslaved fame, set [...]
SWARM! feels like it’s made up of equal parts Crash Bandicoot and Sonic the Hedgehog. The racer has players tearing through the city of Ball-timore (and other ball-friendly locales), collecting coins, avoiding enemies, and racing to the exit… all using motion controls. In a game this quick-moving, and with the still-not-quite-familiar-to-everyone gyroscopic tilting capabilities of the iPad, the ability [...]
The very concept of the Hitman franchise is one that capitalizes on the perceived dark side that we all like to entertain from time to time. Professional assassins aren’t necessarily the most likeable of people, but somehow, IO Interactive has had players coming back for more of Agent 47 since he debuted in 2000′s Hitman: [...]
Drox Operative is an intriguing action RPG from Soldak Entertainment, an indie developer with a handful of other ARPGs under their belt. This one takes you into space, where you act as the agent of the enigmatic Drox Guild, working with or against the other races of the galaxy as you seek supremacy for yourself, [...]
If there is one thing the self-proclaimed “master race” (aka PC gamers) still has over console gamers, it is the beloved genre known as MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena). Games like the popular League of Legends still remain woefully out of reach of we console plebes, which is why it was exciting when Warner Bros. [...]
Back in 2010, Aksys Games took a chance and localized a visual novel by the name of 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. Text-heavy games are generally frowned upon in the west, but 999’s gripping story and integrated puzzle sequences caused the title to receive both critical praise and an ample cult following. Fast [...]
When Beamdog’s Overhaul Games division set out to redo the classic RPG Baldur’s Gate for the current generation’s hardware, they approached it the same way as the artists who restored the Sistine Chapel: “enhance without changing what made it great.” To that end, Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition is a success. There are some nice improvements [...]
The Far Cry series has always had that of a devout yet cult following, perhaps both because the first installment was PC-exclusive and because each game features a unique location and story. That is to say there is no common, uniting element beyond that of you needing to kill your way out of a difficult [...]
Back in July, a little budget-priced puzzle platformer by the name of Dokuro quietly made its way onto the Japanese PSN. Perhaps it was due to Japan’s aversion to download-only games, or perhaps they feared that the lower price meant it was a subpar title, but whatever the reason, Dokuro came and went with little fanfare. Though [...]
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Nintendo should be absolutely giddy at the moment. Between Sony’s PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale and SEGA’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, some of Nintendo’s most iconic franchises have seen their basic formulas utilized to create new yet familiar experiences that prove just how ingenious and enduring the original [...]
Attention Spartan! Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to watch an approximately five minute long cut scene before barreling through five missions every week. It’s all for the greater good… and easy experience points. I’m talking about Spartan Ops, 343 Industries’ episodic co-op series for Halo 4. On Monday, we reached the [...]