Mark of the Ninja Teases, Pleases

Klei Entertainment, the smartypantses behind Shank and Shank 2, are at it again. Today they've released a teaser for Mark of the Ninja - a stylish, 2D ninja stealth action title. See for yourself here. It's a cool little text adventure that rewards a teaser for those who think and play as a ninja truly would. You may be asking why have I not embedded that trailer here for ease? Because the text adventure is half of the hotness. Play it, then revel in the brief awesomeness that ensues. 

I like Klei. And though I was a little let down with Shank 2 (review coming soon), I'm stoked for Mark of the Ninja. Because ninjas, god dammit. Also because Klei's art and animation is tops. With an aggressive release date of Summer 2012, we will all be marked very soon.

Mark of the Ninja (Text Adventure)

Retro City Rampaging Across All Formats!

Well, almost all formats.

Remember that update that Retro City Rampage creator Brian Provinciano promised us last week? It came today, and it is a good one. No longer will you be confined to experiencing the throwback madness on XBLA and WiiWare, but now also on PlayStation Vita, PlayStation Network, and of course Steam. How's that for a doozy? And the Steam version is chock full of bonus goodies that will make any multi-console owner lean toward picking up that PC copy. Feel the burn, iOS/Android gamers!

So sit back, relax, watch this latest trailer - which is another frantic ode to the 80s that RCR has just about mastered - and wait for the spring release date. Preorder that bitch right here! 

Shank 2: A Probable Get

In case you may not have heard, Shank 2 has released! As I toil away here at work, I am imagining what it would be like to put on the bandana (and chainsaw, and machete, and shotgun, and pistols, etc) again. Just the thought is making me glow like a New Jersian guido.

The original Shank was a wild romp of blood, weaponry, and style; three things that rank highly on my food chart of consumable dopeness. Look for a review up here very soon, but in the mean time you should probably play it yourself. With better visuals, more ridiculous scenarios, outrageous costumes, and tightened gameplay, I think Shank 2 will be worth your $10. 

Renegade Ops: Micro Machine Guns

Avalanche Studios have a certain inclination for over-the-top action and destruction. The very first time I played Just Cause, though unrefined, I knew the Swedish developers were very capable. Their idea of ludicrous action, massive explosions, and stunt driving came to fruition in the Godlike comedic action of Just Cause 2. So here is Renegade Ops, a vehicular combat title that tries to capture the beautiful destruction of the Just Cause games while scaling down to the size of Micro Machines. John Moschitta Jr. not included.

Click to read more ...

No Kidding, Stranger! Bastion is Almost Flawless

I was raised in an age where games didn't need hyper-realistic graphics, bathtubs full of blood, or the London Philharmonic Orchestra to make an impact. Gameplay trumps all. Bastion is a neat little digitally distributed title that is rooted deep in this old-school-of-thought, providing classic 32-bit action, with a helping of beautiful hand drawn art and a quite literal take on the narrative.

Click to read more ...

REVIEW: Fruit Ninja Kinect

Before you even begin to read this review, I want to tell you right up front that it is a severely half-assed piece of work. Transparency is where it's at, homey. The reason is simple: there was never supposed to be a Fruit Ninja Kinect review. A downloadable throwaway of 800 Microsoft Points, meant to do nothing but kill a few hours, turned into something far more engrossing than I expected.

Click to read more ...

REVIEW: Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

Oh, how I love non-linear side-scrollers. Super Metroid, Metroidvania, and everything in between. If it features action, adventure, exploration, upgrades, backtracking, slick 2D visuals, and a map that is ready to be explored to 102%, I am all over it. It's no surprise then, that I was so excited to get my hands on Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, a downloadable title that features all of the above with one stipulation: you have full 360-degree control of a spaceship and its weaponry!

Click to read more ...

REVIEW: From Dust

I must admit, titles where the player is given the powers of a God and asked to shape the world how he or she sees fit were never compelling to me, regardless of how incredible the premise sounds. In what feels like the first game in which I play the part of the Almighty since I've become a mature gamer, I decided to give From Dust a Godly go of it. Does its foundation hold up to the heavy expectations heaped upon it, or is this one wiped away by a tsunami?

Click to read more ...

Renegade Ops: Things That Make You Go Boom!

What happens when you take a bucket full of Micro Machines and strap them full of high-powered armaments? Renegade Ops, the action-packed vehicle shooter that isn't nearly as mundane as its name. Created by Avalanche Studios, the boys behind the Just Cause series who know quite a bit about wanton destruction, this game knows exactly what we want: explosion porn!

Renegade Ops is not what anyone was expecting as the follow-up to the open-world antics of Just Cause 2. This title is very much inspired by the Strike series of vehicle shooters: isometric military shooting action. Every moment of the game is dripping with bullets and explosions; pewpewbangboomaction, yeah! The sights and sounds of exploding buildings and splattered soldiers in a jungle setting was very pleasing to the eyes and ears.

Controlling the little bugger took some getting used to, as the off-road jeep I was at the helm of must have been in a slippery mood. There wasn't much traction on the jungle dirt, as I imagine would be the case in real life, so battles with the more fortified enemies consisted of a lot of donuts and a lot of machine gun rounds. At the moments when I was able to sacrifice mobility for firepower, the alternate firing function planted some tripod legs into the jungle floor and let blast a thunderous single-shot cannon. Things that make you go boom!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to take any of the co-op modes for a spin, but the short single player session I had was a blast. The final product looks to span across a multitude of locations and vehicles, to keep everyone happy. As downloadable games go, Renegade Ops has as much promise as the best of them, and twice as many explosions. What else would you expect from the Just Cause devs?

Waiting in Line for Online: Street Fighter III: Third Strike Hands On

Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition is pegged for an August 23 release, and as such the build on display seemed almost final. Of course, much of the retail release's allure lies in some of it's secondary attributes such as GGPO-enabled (see: no lag) online battles, replay sharing, and countless adjustable options, which I wasn't able to play with. I just got to fight, and it was good.

It was just like the old days where I sucked at parrying and couldn't remember any non-Shoto moves. Aw yeah, memories! I got to play a few matches in full HD and a few with the original sprites, complete in 4:3 display mode. Of note was the Trial Mode side bars which took up some of the unused screen real estate, and tallied numbers for both myself and my opponent. Things like particular attacks used, parries, combos completed and so on. Not sure what all these numbers will net at the end - probably points to spend in the game's shop - but I can confirm their existence!

Do you foresee yourself dropping the required $15 entry fee for a throwback to yesteryear?