After almost 3 years in development, Imago Games has released its first game with a throwback to the old school strategy RPG games of the 8/16-bit era with Partia: The Broken Lineage. Inspired by classic series’ such as Fire Emblem and Tear Ring Saga, Partia certainly looks to follow in the footsteps in terms of gameplay, as well as art. After such a long development, players can finally get their hands on this new fantasy story and setting from the iOS App Store now.
Players should be sure to check out the gallery of screenshots below and/or see some of the gameplay in action from the official trailer embedded below that. Players can check out Imago on Facebook HERE, but those interested in playing Partia: The Broken Lineage need look no further than HERE to find it for iPad or iPhone for only $3.99.
For those that have been patiently – impatiently – waiting to play the newly enhanced version of the Baldur’s Gate series, pre-loading of the title can now commence says game provider Beamdog. On November 28th the title will be unleashed to the public, and how better to experience it than to already have it downloaded?
Players have two options to pre-load the title:
Option 1 Download the stand-alone installer (HERE).
Option 2 Download and install through the Beamdog client (HERE).
If you haven’t purchased the game yet, go to Beamdog.com and do it pronto! Then check out the Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition gameplay video below.
*At the moment the pre-loading speeds are very slow, but Beamdog is working on the issue.*
Guild Wars 2 is not done dishing out the Black Friday Deals. Move over Black Lion Trading Company because now the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game is available at the Digital Edition’s pricing. Originally priced at $79.99, the Digital Deluxe Edition has been reduced in price by $20 while giving extra content to a new subscriber for free! Here is a list of the extra content found in the Digital Deluxe Edition:
Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill
Miniature Rytlock
Golem Banker
Chalice of Glory
Tome of Influence
Grab your discounted copy of Guild Wars 2 “Digital Deluxe Edition” for $59.99 (HERE). Hurry and catch this offer before it ends at 12:00 PM PST on November 26! Check out the video below to glimpse at some of the Digital Deluxe extras (Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill & Miniature Rytlock).
Celebrate Black Friday with G5’s amazing sale on over 20 games for iPhone, iPad, Google Play, Kindle and Nook with discounts of up to 40% off. Here’s a list of the games with reduced prices. There is certainly something for everyone here so make sure you pick up a deal before it’s too late!
An online free-to-play shooter by Crytek, Warface is set in the not-so-distant future where battles occur daily and wars that span some of the hottest locations in the world are in full effect. With localisation for other countries currently in the process of occurring, Russia has blitzed the numbers itself and single handily racked up a total of over 5 million registered users.
“Reaching the five million registered users mark speaks volumes about the quality and appeal of Warface,” said Vladimir Nikolsky, the Vice President of the Mail.Ru Group Game Division. “With a combination of first-class visuals and gameplay that is second to none, Warface stands out from the crowd and promises to attract even more attention from players in the future.”
Warface focuses more on what a player can do for their team rather than what a team can do for the player. Delivering fast-paced combat (think a mix between CoD and Crysis) and fairly stunning visuals, the game has also received an award for “Outstanding Achievement by Companies in the field of IT and Digital Communications”; the Runet Prize.
Soon players from Western Europe and North America will be able to join the fight as the game is localised for that region. Running on CryEngine 3 and showing off exactly what Crytek can do in the realm of competitive online shooters given the freedom, Warface looks set to make a similar impression across the globe as it has so far in Russia.
The game is out now and is available on the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and the Wii U when it releases inAustralia. Epic Mickey: “The Power of Two” revolves around the story of Mickey Mouse as the player takes control of him in a distorted world of Disney, with over 80 years worth of characters and theme rides. Helping him in this quest is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who is equipped with a remote control to manipulate electricity, while Mickey himself wields his signature paint brush and thinner, taking and giving colour throughout the world.
“Mickey Mouse is one of the most beloved characters of all time,” said Warren Spector, vice president and creative director, Disney Interactive’s Junction Point. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to once again help craft his latest journey and at the same time bring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back in such an amazing and innovative way, by allowing this once forgotten silent cartoon star to get a voice for the first time in history.”
Epic Mickey 2’s co-op gameplay focuses around the “PlayStyle Matters” concept, which basically translates into each player using their own abilities separately and in conjunction with each other to explore all possibilities and storylines. With an intensely unique soundtrack created by Emmy winner, Jim Dooley and songwriter Mike Himelstein the game sets out to create the “first-ever video game musical”. Also co-written by Marv Wolfman, an award winning comic-book writer, Epic Mickey 2 attempts to draw the player in with both appeals to our emotions and our minds.
“We continually strive to develop interactive content that resonates across Disney’s broad fan base,” said John Pleasants, co-president, Disney Interactive. “Our goal was to capture the nostalgic feeling that makes the Disney experience so magical, and it is clear that we’ve accomplished that with ‘Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two’ exceptionally well.”
Disney Epic Mickey 2: “The Power of Two” is available now for both Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and on the Wii U on December 13th 2012, at $69.95. While the Nintendo Wii version is priced at $49.95 and is also out alongside the Xbox and Playstation versions. The 3DS edition titled Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion has also now seen the light of day, retailing at $59.95 and focusing on the “Castle of Illusion” being taken over by evil witches. But never fear, because Epic Mickey is on his way to win the day again in this title as he works to save the local Toon inhabitants from sure destruction. Compelling stuff.
Today Sega released the opening video for their upcoming adventure RPG Shining Ark. Interestingly enough, there are apparently going to be multiple opening videos since this one is currently labeled “Version A.” Considering the game’s release date is February 28th in Japan we are likely to see another version sometime in the next few months.
As for the video itself you can check it out below and listen to a rather beautiful song called which is called Melodia Miracle. As for a localization of Shining Ark, there is likely no chance of the game making it over to the West as not only is it a PSP title, but no other games in the franchise have been localized up to this point.
Madden NFL 13 Developer: EA Sports Publisher: EA Platform: Nintendo Wii U Release Date: November 18, 2012 Price: $59.99 – BUY NOW
Overview
Madden is one of the oldest franchises in the industry, spanning nearly 20 years of releases on a large variety of consoles. Madden NFL 13 is now out on the Wii U, catering a sure to be solid launch title for fans of the pigskin, while incorporating the Gamepad into the control scheme. Yes, it’s a port and most should know what to expect, but does this Madden’s new tricks warrant a look, or is it just one franchise’s attempt to cash in on a new console? Well, grab your pork rinds and Gamepads as we look into Madden 13 for the Wii U.
Gameplay
Madden 13 for the Wii U at it’s core is essentially the same title that released back in August for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Even though the Gamepad is involved, controls are mapped out to the face and shoulder buttons, and those new analog sticks work well to get your player down the field. Players can also choose to use the Nunchuck and WiiMote combo as well as the Pro Controller, but the Gamepad is the ideal way of traversing this grassy lot. The Gamepad could have been an afterthought for EA, but surprisingly, this controller was used effectively for the game and adds a great deal of convenience to the user.
When using the Gamepad with the television (as there is a standard detached mode), the playbook is literally in your hands and it has never been easier to shuffle through plays, with all mapped out onto the touchscreen menu. After a play is chosen – there is also an option to take control of a player and move them to a new area with the touch of a finger. Want to sack a quaterback? Well, that is an option as you can set specific players to target anyone on the field for a quick blitz. Want to just run in circles? Well, there is an option for that, too as players can draw a line for their offensive player to run and then watch as the play takes place on the field. It’s a well thought out mechanic that benefits the gameplay greatly, and adds a lot of fresh life the archaic yet solid formula of Madden.
The downside of the Gamepad comes in the form of local multiplayer. Say you have a friend who is taking control of a team on the pro controller. While you gleefully skip through your touchscreen menus, they will be stuck with the old playbook controls of the past, which is a bit inconvenient to say the least. There was a bit of balancing implemented that completely eliminates the audible play features for the touchscreen to make things fair however, so it was nice to see a little attention provided for the particular element. It’s not really the developers to fault for this due to the single touchscreen controller, but with a game like Madden, things need to be completely equal for all involved or else the envy will come out against the unlucky one holding that fancy controller.
The RPG-esque Connected Careers mode is also included, letting players recruit a team of 32 players from the past and present using several different personas – such as even John Madden himself. Connected Careers Mode is one of the most expansive features within the game, as it allows the player to either participate as a coach, or an actual NFL player. This player option is pretty standard fare for the most part, as one will be able to create their own legacy by writing their own history when it comes to draft decisions for teams, and then gather experience points by playing games and drills that is used to bulk up your characters abilities.
The player will then continue up the ranks until they hit the Hall of Fame or retire, and even then the option to restart is readily available, offering further replay value with this portion of the mode. Coaching is a bit more advanced, as the player has more options and can play as any position during a game, as well as recruit, trade, and manage their overall team. Experience points are used in this area to exchange for perks and new coaching abilities, assisting in getting your team up the ranks.
With every plus comes a minus sadly, and some features that were in other versions have been left out entirely for the Wii U. Madden Ultimate Team has been scrapped entirely, and the Infinity Engine’s removal makes this version the lesser of the three due to how revolutionary it was for the series. With that said, Madden NFL 13 is still a solid experience that holds up gameplay-wise to it’s other console kin – even under those conditions, but the loss of those features harm the online greatly, leaving us to wonder why cuts were made for a port that was placed on an equally powerful console.
Visuals and Audio
As far as the visuals go, things are a bit of a mixed bag. With the lack of the Infinity Engine, animations are a bit sub-par compared to other versions and feel dated as a result. The multi-vector lighting however keeps the field looking authentic, with the sun brightly gleaming down on the field and shadows taking full effect to make the game feel as authentic as the real deal. The player models are well done for the most part, but I did notice that the faces, skin and hair – oddly enough seem to have a heavy downgrade in quality compared to the rest of the player, and at times the comparison is almost cartoonish. This wouldn’t be a big deal if the camera didn’t zoom in after plays, but the lack of quality sticks out like a sore thumb and overshadows a good portion of the fine details that were applied to other portions of the presentation.
When it comes to audio, nothing misses a beat. The subtle music in the background is just that, while the loaded amount of commentary is nothing short as impressive as players listen to Jim Nantz and Phil Simmons call the action as it happens – that is when they call the plays correctly as there were moments of inaccurate calls during my time spent with the game. Other real quarterbacks have also lent their voices to the game for a bit more authenticity, only furthering the production behind yet another solid Madden title.
Overall
Madden NFL 13 for the Wii U is not the definitive version of the game to own, but still offers the best – and currently only football sim one have on their new Nintendo console. The Gamepad features were implemented greatly, and are sure to be only further improved upon during future installments, while the heart of the experience is still alive and well – despite the gimped modes. Even though the graphics are a bit of a miss, the audio is still on track and this is still one nice football game to glare at as a whole, making it feel as if you were at an actual event, looking down at players with low quality skin tones. Is Madden 13 a cash grab for the Wii U? Yes, but one that fans of the sport should still give a whirl due to the new experience one lone Gamepad can provide.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II Developer:Treyarch Publisher:Activision Platforms:PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (Reviewed) Release Date: November 13, 2012 Price: $59.99 – Available Here
Overview: The Call of Duty franchise is something that has become synonymous with the holiday season as over the last few years a game in the series has been released annually. However fans will argue that the series has continued to grow and be better with every iteration, regardless of whether it was developed by Infinity Ward or Treyarch. This year we have Treyarch behind the reigns of Call of Duty: Black Ops II and with it come a slew of enhancements and new features. Is it just as great as fans have come to expect or have their hopes been dashed?
Story: In the year 2025 the world is teetering on the brink of a war so devastating it could cost billions of lives. Interestingly enough, the story of Black Ops II unfolds between two different eras, with players interacting with the likes of Alex Mason and Frank Woods back in the 1980’s or as Mason’s son David in the year 2025. Rather than simply jumping around the time-line in an awkward manner, the missions that occur in the ‘80s are actually told in a flashback style as Mason’s son talks with a now elderly Frank Woods.
Regardless of what era you are playing, the big bad guy this time around is the same man… Raul Menendez. You see, Menendez is hell bent on committing terrorist acts in 2025 and seems to have it out for Mason’s son, but why? That is what players will be able to find out as they experience the missions as Alex and Frank in the ‘80s.
One of the biggest gripes that gamers have with the first person shooter genre is that their storylines are not only simplistic, but offer little in the way of originality or actual player choice. However Black Ops II is the game that will silence those critics for at least a few minutes. Of course the game’s storyline is still outlandish at times and absolutely crazy at others with events occurring that are simply unbelievable at times. However it all works thanks to two things in Black Ops II single player, one of which many people never would have thought would appear in a Call of Duty game.
First there is Menendez himself. This man may be the bad guy that is about to sink the world into war and the man you must kill, but he is also very well written. His seemingly unending need for revenge drives him forward; players will find it hard to dislike this man despite his horrible plans. Whether this is thanks to great writing, an amazing storytelling pace or both, he is a very memorable villain.
Now the second major inclusion is player choice. These choices can be simple things or they could drastically alter the events that will follow your decision. What makes the choices intriguing is the fact that while there are some very obvious decisions in the game which are made simply by pressing one button or the other, there are others that will unfold during actual gameplay. A few of these actions may only reveal an extra tid-bit of the story while others can even allow certain characters to either live through a harrowing situation or die.
To make things even more interesting there are a few different endings in Black Ops II and thanks to the various actions you will have to take during gameplay at times, it is difficult to simply walk a straight line right to the ending you want. In fact, despite Black Ops II being a shooter, the game’s storyline is something that no one should pass up even if they feel like jumping into Zombies or Multiplayer first. Treyarch has masterfully crafted an interesting storyline packed with action, drama and intrigue that will have players thinking before simply blasting their way through a level.
Visuals & Audio: Black Ops II is, at times, a very stunning visual experience with massive set pieces that can leave you temporarily speechless. That being said, the game’s visuals have become rather mundane and unfortunately it feels like the game’s textures and overall appearance are something from a few years ago.
Despite the sub-standard visuals, Treyarch has mixed things up a bit with the areas that players will be fighting in and the title manages to pull of some rather large scale battles without any slowdown. Iit is worth noting that one thing that has made a jump in quality is the way the game handles the faces of the characters you come across within the game as they have seen significant improvement over past games in the series.
As far as the game’s sound effects and background music goes, Black Ops II goes above and beyond the… ahem… call of duty in most regards. The game’s explosions and gun shots are glorious and realistic sounding and the title also features some impressive background music at times, including a nice little surprise for some players.
Gameplay: Interestingly enough, in the game’s single player story mode players will be able to select and customize a load out that they want to enter into a level with, allowing for a higher level of customization than ever before. It is also worth noting that there are a number of bonus toys that can be found within some levels such as a cloaking suit and more.
As for the single player combat, the action still follows a linear path but Treyarch has alleviated this feeling by making sure that these areas don’t simply feel like you are moving from corridor to corridor shooting enemies. Most levels feature large open areas where players can face off against anything from standard soldiers to flying Quad Drones and even stealth cloaked soldiers.
Alongside the basic story mode, there are optional Strikeforce missions that the player can take part of. These Strikeforce missions actually can have a direct impact on the game’s main storyline which means if you choose to ignore all of them or happen to fail them, you can face dire storyline consequences thanks to your failure. Also if you are thinking that you can simply re-load a Strikeforce mission to try it again if you fail, think again because the game will continue on as normal and your results will be saved into the story.
As for how Strikeforce plays, it is very different from the campaign mode. Players are given control over the battlefield which is made up of a number of units which can be controlled from above with orders or directly. If your squads are wiped out, you can fail a mission however success comes from completing a number of various objectives such as defending a point, rescuing someone or destroying things. It is worth noting that the Strike Force ally AI is sometimes faulty and will not listen to your commands and stand still multiple times, which can be a major issue with some missions which require quick action.
These Strikeforce missions can quickly become very hectic as enemies will literally begin coming out of the woodwork to defeat you and with the player having the ability to call in CLAWs, Drones and other weapons and directly control them, the battlefields are very intense and this makes a hard fought victory a rewarding experience.
Now onto the part that many people care about and many of you may only play once you get your hands on Black Ops II, the game’s competitive multiplayer mode. Perhaps the biggest change that Treyarch has made for this game is the new pick-10 system which has taken the rigid create-a-class system of past games and added more options than ever before.
You see, there are now ten “equipment” slots available for use in any class and you have free reign over what you want to use. Want to have six perks running at the same time? Go right ahead, but you will be left with only one barebone gun and a knife, hell you can even run around with only a knife if you really feel like it. Now while this has done wonders for players that want to create a class exactly how they play, there are a number of limitations which may irritate players.
As before, weapons are unlocked by leveling up through XP but they also require the use of “unlock tokens” which are provided every few level ups, which means you may unlock a vital piece of equipment and be unable to use it until your next level up. Also the “Pro” versions of perks have been removed which means all perks immediately at their best when unlocked. Also Ghost has been modified so that it only hides the player from UAVs when they are in motion, so campers have been given less of an advantage this time around much the joy of everyone. Still, it is worth noting though that a Treyarch has failed to balance some segments of the game’s multoplayer, including the game’s sniping system which sees terrible abuse online with quick-scoping snipers making use of the pick-10 system or shotguns that can fire halfway across the map like a rifle.
It is also worth noting that killstreaks have been replaced with something slightly different called Scorestreaks. These scorestreaks work very similar to how killstreaks used to work and if you are playing a standard deathmatch game then you will barely notice a difference. Scorestreaks mean that you’re various bonuses will not unlock after a certain amount of kills, but a certain number of points, such as 400 points for a UAV etc. These points can be earned by doing many things, most obviously from killing people or assisting others with their kills but can also be obtained from destroying enemy equipment, capturing flags or other points in objective-based modes.
This means that players are not punished for playing a more supportive roll and can sometimes even benefit greatly from this system if they choose to hang back and support their allies. However there are a few balancing issues with these Scorestreaks, especially when it comes to objective based matches as some low-level streaks are capable of wiping out a large area with no warning and while the company has tried to balance this by making it so kills with Scorestreak bonuses do not provide the full 100 points of a standard kill, it still can create a one-sided match very quickly.
It is worth noting that the full Emblem customization has returned in Black Ops II but unfortunately Treyarch has made it more limited than before. The requirements to unlock the newly named “Calling Card” backgrounds have been raised and most of them require the player to prestige before even revealing their requirements and also a number of Emblems customization symbols have been locked behind levels and challenges, which means if you have an emblem you desperately want to create but don’t have the pieces, you have some fancy killing to do.
As for the maps you are playing on there are fourteen maps in total and there seems to be a nice balance between small, large and medium sized maps for players to battle it out in. While there are plenty of areas for players to still try and camp, there are also just as many ways in and out of a place which means that you’ll always be on your toes because you may never know where the next bullet will be coming from.
As far as the illustrious zombie mode goes, Treyarch has decided to try something a little different this time around. Players can now enter into a “Grief” match where two teams of four are created and try to outlive one another by stealing items or interrupting crucial moments which may cause them to be killed by the zombies and the standard wave based survival has returned but there is now a more campaign-like option to play in the form of Tranzit.
In Tranzit, players build various power sources and access an automated tour bus which will take them to various locations while they try to survive against the zombie threat. The bus moves at a pre-set pace which means players have a limited time in each area to try and find items, but this also means that it is very easy to either be left without any ammunition or proper upgrades as the tour bus ventures on. That being said, this is a nice breath of fresh air to this mode full of the walking dead and players will appreciate the fact they will no longer be cramped within one area the whole time.
Overall: While some fans of the series may pick up Call of Duty: Black Ops II for one of the three main game modes provided, they would be doing themselves a great disservice. Black Ops II’s single-player campaign is surprisingly well-written and hard hitting and the game’s zombie mode has been given a nice boost in the arm. As far as the game’s multiplayer is concerned, pick-10 has added a few new improvements but also a slew of other problems which may leave an online player frustrated. Treyarch has managed to pull off a relatively stellar game where it’s strongest mode may just be something that no one would have expected, the story mode.
Pushmo is one of the eShop’s best titles. There really isn’t any denying how addictive the 3D puzzler is, but now, fans can go back for more as the sequel is now out on the eShop. Crashmo keeps the same push/pull type gameplay, but now features a new mechanic of dropping blocks, which crash down to give a whole new spin on the experience. There is also a bit more story this time around as well, with Mallo encountering a new female friend in a hot air balloon that will be dropping those blocks from the sky. You can download Crashmo on the eShop for $8.99 as of today.
If you weren’t an ambassador, you will be happy to know that Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is also available for just $4.99. This is a hate or love Zelda game, with a difficulty that is sure to nag even the toughest of players.
If Pokemon had a baby with Spirit Camera, the augmented reality titles Spirit Hunters Light and Spirit Hunters Shadow would be their ghostly spawn. Each one of these games has the same premise of hunting for ghosts in the real world, with several “rare” deities that can be battled and captured as you level up as a Spirit Hunter. Each title can be purchased for the DSi or 3DS for $7.99. 3D MahJongg is a pretty nice looking version of the classic, and it can be purchased now as well on the eShop for the 3DS for $4.99.
Wii U owners…well, you guys have a lot to snag up, as all of the full retail versions of some of the most popular titles can be bought at full price – as well as the 5 eShop titles that debuted with the system and a good number of apps.
