Fez: A Twisted Puzzle-Platform Experience

Fez had been just a few weeks from release for well over 5 years by a development team that a Middle Eastern thief could count on one hand. The man behind Fez has built quite a bit of hype for his labor of love, from an appearance in Indie Game: The Movie, to questionable comments made regarding the Japanese game industry and gamers in general - Phil Fish has created some press for himself and his creation. What I think of the man is of little concern at this point, so let me tell you about his game! Fez has you control Gomez, a cutesy StayPuft looking creature who has come of age and inherited a timeless knowledge and power from his village elder. It's all summarized like so: reality is perception. Perception is subjective. It's Gomez time!

Click to read more ...

The Witcher is Metal on Your Xbox 360

One of the best PC exclusive series is finally making its way to consoles. On April 17, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition releases for Xbox 360 and PC, bringing extra content to last year's cult hit by CD Projekt Red. While it's been said you need not play The Witcher to understand the plot of this sequel, we all know that's a crock; to take the most out of any decent sequel you need to be hip to the happenings of the first. Consider yourself covered, with this summary of The Witcher.

It's a hell of a lot of information to process, but if you watch it two or three times, I'm sure some of it will stick. This is required watching for a brand new audience of gamers now that Micro$oft has shelled out the cash to bring the latest entry in the series to its box o' hugs. I've been trying to find reasons to play The Witcher 2, but not without knowing the story which precedes it. Well, now I have no excuse to take control of Gerelt and behead the living life out of some fools.

Side Note: I've never really been a fan of the whole motion comic deal, but CD Projekt Red is doing it right with this here joint. Very nicely put together. I couldn't watch it without thinking of an epic metal accompaniment, so I went ahead and did all the work for you. You're welcome.

Fez Launches amidst Black Cats, Serial Killers, and Complaints

Fez creator Phil Fish has come under a rain of fire recently for some comments which sensitive gamers call unsavory. I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fish, and he's a bit of a douche bag, though no more than his hipster brethren. Living in the rotten Apple, I see hundreds of people a day with their heads lodged deeper between their cheeks than Mr. Fish, and none of them have created something that looks as mind-bending as Fez, so you know what? Phil is okay in my book. 

If the interwebz is any indication, many people will be avoiding Fez solely due to Phil Fish's dispostion. Present company excluded, of course. Come April 13, I will be playing this title that I have been looking forward to for ages, and I don't care if Fish hand delivers it and then punches me in my face. 

Fez Friday the 13th

Sine Mora: A Shooter Darkly

Shoot 'em ups are one of the most tried and true genres in the gaming world, tracing their roots back to a period that I can hardly even remember, and I ain't no youngin'. These games, as simplistic as they tend to be, oft times offer intense action and demand hand-eye coordination that few other genres do. One of the reasons why I'm still a loyalist, and why rare gems like Sine Mora have a chance to exist.

Click to read more ...

Shank 2: A Cut Below the First

Last year, Shank crept up on me as a wicked little downloadable title about a revenge fueled killer with a penchant for style. A year later, the understandable success of the original has spawned Shank 2, a delicious yet familiar romp around a lovely, stylized 2D world. Are there enough additions to set the sequel apart from the first?

Click to read more ...

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)

Hacking Xbox LIVE: My Experience

As powerful as the players in the gaming console market are, they ain't bulletproof. Sony discovered this last year, when their entire system was breached, leaving millions of users to face unexpected downtime while security was tightened on their network. Though all other security infringements seem trivial in comparison, Microsoft has a bit of a problem of its own. Two weeks ago, I experienced it first hand.

Click to read more ...

Borderlands 2, How You Doin'?

Borderlands 2 is making some noise with not only a release date, but a trailer to celebrate the release date. It doesn't have to make sense, if it's awesome. And this is most definitely awesome. 

I was pretty late to the party with Borderlands, not playing until mid-2011 (judge all you want,) but after finally experiencing the dopeness I'm thinking Borderlands 2 is going to be a day 1 get. Dual wielding heavy machine guns? Fat woman cleavage? Ninja? A robot doing the robot? BAZILLIONDIER? Sold.

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! 

Akuma Comes to Street Fighter X Tekken in a Big Way

It ain't hard to tell. I excel, then prevail. It also ain't hard to tell that I have fallen out of love with Capcom recently, mostly due to their business practices rather than the games they develop and publish. After having told myself I would swear off any purchases of new Capcom games in 2012 (used games are fair play), they had to go and release this Street Fighter X Tekken trailer - in which Akuma goes bat-shit. Also M. Bison, Ogre, etc, etc.

Seriously, this finishing move takes all of Akuma's prior super moves and drops a hot load on them. I liked Street Fighter X Tekken, but I didn't want to buy it new out of principle. But damn, this just done changed my mind. Good job Capcom. I will buy even though you'll release Hyper Super Street Fighter X Tekken Arcade Edition before 2013 rolls around.

Let's see Tokido pull this one off at the next EVO.