One of last year’s best indie games has final made its way onto the PC, LIMBO is now available to purchase on Steam for $9.99. This PC version is also the only game that runs at a full 60fps. Released with much critical acclaim in its initial release on to Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network in 2010, LIMBO quickly won fans over with its unique black and white art style, hand drawn visuals and ambiguous plot. LIMBO is the success story of independent game development studio Playdead, with more than 500,000 units sold on Xbox Live Arcade alone.
LIMBO is available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and now the PC via Steam
Diablo 3 set to come out later this year is going to have its own auction house like eBay of sorts, which is planned to let players use real money to purchase in game items. Blizzard isn’t putting anything up themselves, leaving it as nothing more than an player based auction house similar to how the WoW house is operated.
The big thing here is that it’s for real world money, so if I were to find a rare drop I could go and put it onto the auction house at a price and if it sells I would then receive that money in my paypal account after the cut that Blizzard take off, of course. The plan is to later introduce gold and even characters up for sale in this auction house. This sort of thing has been going on for a long time now with online MMO’s which refer to it as as “Gold Farming” but wasn’t normally looked upon by the company’s as something they could implement.
I can see where Blizzard is coming from with this as some people that do purchase things from “Gold Farmers” sometimes never receive the items they paid for and end up out of pocket, so this is a way to make it alot safer to stop money theft. When it comes down to it I’m not sure this is the best idea for a game that’s based off random loot drops and giving people an easy way to make money off of in-game good. I don’t believe this is a good idea from Blizzard.
What are you thoughts on these new auction house methods that Blizzard are intending on implementing, leave your comments and suggestions below.
Ikari Warriors released in the arcades in 1986, inspired by the popular Rambo films which were out at the time. The player(s) take control of commandos Ralf and Clark, who’s plane has been shot down and are stuck behind enemy lines left only with the choice to head towards the village of Ikari.
Non-stop gunfire and grenade loops ensue as the player moves up the screen hoping to find a tank to give them an edge. Throwing another player in helps as you both storm up the screen shooting down everyone in your path.
Gameplay
Consisting mainly of dodging enemy gunfire and shooting and throw grenades, one would expect a smooth and fluid control system to help maneuver your character through incoming enemy bullets, however moving your character feels like you’re driving a tank, but the funny thing is when you get inside one it maneuvers smoother than when your on foot and can take multiple hits before it blows up.
In certain stages the action can get to chaotic and seeing as you can die upon one hit, this can lead to sheer frustration for the player. All of the levels are quites long which can lead to racking up a hefty death count before you finally complete each one. Thankfully a supply of grenade somewhat eases the intense difficulty making each stage a less of a chore.
Graphics & Sound
Ikari Warriors visuals haven’t aged well this is a game in need of a graphical overhaul if it ever had a reboot, its an old game so its understandable but it still just seems to be lacking that extra “something” to make it stand in today’s saturated market of retro ports. As you progress through the levels, they recycle a lot of the same background continually but that’s a given for a game of this age.
However, the animations of the grenades and tanks are impressive and add a little more excitement to the overall experience of the game. While it was just a minor touch I personal enjoyed seeing the the smoke and fire coming from the tank just before it blew up. The soundtrack to Ikari Warriors is very repetitive and rather forgettable, some of the sound effects of the weaponry and explosions do their job well enough, but never exceed anything above average.
Verdict
Back in the day Ikari Warriors was a pretty good arcade game but it’s just one of those ones classic that has not aged as gracefully as some of the others from the same era. With the slow moving commandos and the amount of enemies that move towards you a death every 5-30 steps is inevitable, replaying the same section over and over can grow very tiresome, the looped soundtrack music gets old fast.
If you can find someone to play with it can still be fun for a little bit but the repetitive game-play wont have you staying around for long. Ikari Warriors gets
This “premium pass” trend is continuing to grow on consoles, and EA have now launched their very own pass as of today which will let players enjoy several activities while paying a 2000 Microsoft Points ($25) annual fee in the process. I know most of you are giving a collective sigh at the moment, but I can admit a couple features listed are quite intriguing.
Starting with this month’s release of Madden 12, those who purchase the “Season Pass” will be able to download the full retail versions of upcoming EA Sports titles three days before the launch date. After the three days passes, the game will then be deleted, but achievements will still be carried over when the user purchases the full retail version. Franchises that will implement this system include Madden NFL Football, NHL hockey, EA Sports Fifa and Tiger Woods PGA Tour.
An early download isn’t all that users of the Season Ticket program will receive, as other goodies such as discounted DLC and “premium web content”. Check out the full list of features below:
Early Full-Game Digital Access: Three days before a game’s scheduled release, fans will be able to download and play the full version of all four participating titles on Xbox 360. After three days, the digitally downloaded game will time out and consumers have the option to purchase the same full game on disc at retail. EA SPORTS Season Ticket subscribers can transfer all achievements earned during the three-day download period to the purchased disc, resulting in an early edge over the competition.
Discounted Downloadable Content: Subscribers will get a 20-percent discount on all available downloadable content for participating EA SPORTS titles. Downloadable content, which enhances and refreshes the core game experience, includes such items as Ultimate Team packs, accelerator packs and gear upgrades.
Free Premium Web Content: Premium web content extends the game experience beyond the console to a web browser. All participating titles will feature premium web content that will be free to EA SPORTS Season Ticket members beginning with the premium Creation Centre packs for FIFA 12. These packs provide a deeper set of customization tools and abilities within Creation Centre to build your own teams and tournaments, and will be available to the consumer until the membership to the program has expired.
Membership Recognition: Subscribers are easily identifiable with an exclusive membership recognition badge displayed both in-game and on their EASPORTS.com profile.
While I must say the thought of having a retail game a few days early is certainly an innovative incentive, I still think the $25 price point is a bit steep considering that only 5-6 EA Sports titles are released each year and 20% off DLC isn’t too much of a deal as most sports title’s extra content come low priced as it is.
However, I am sure there will be some hardcore Fifa/Madden fans that will love this bundled package, and if you are one of those, I say go for it. I am now going to hope that something like this is incorporated for EA’s other titles such as Mass Effect 3, which I would saw off my arm to play early.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Snowblind Studios have announced today that The Lord of the Rings: War in the North will launch in November this year for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Games for Windows PC. This comes as a relief as nothing had been heard regarding its release date, despite it being scheduled loosely for 2011. The game’s Collector’s Edition will also launch in November and features behind-the-scenes looks at the game development, a specially crafted art book, digital download content and more.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, rating pending as BBFC 18, transports players to unknown lands, unexplored by the films, as they journey to the Northern lands of Middle-earth. Intertwining the characters and storyline of the novel and films, the game takes place in parallel with the well-known Ring Bearer’s quest, but in the equally harsh and contested lands to the North, as the battle for Middle-earth’s survival rages.
Fantastic News Everyone, The BBC of UK have created a Doctor Who Application that allows you to watch select episodes of the series. However, there is a catch. The catch is that each episode will cost you Facebook credits and that you will only have access to the episode for 48 hours after purchasing, after which, you will have to purchase the episode again if you choose to watch it again.
Presently, the stories are 15 facebook credits each, which equates to about $1.50 US. You can buy Facebook credits through Paypal or Credit Cards.
Be sure to check out the Facebook Page to view these classics of the series.
Coming live to RIFT is 1.4, Legacy of the Fallen. This update brings a tide of Abyssal and the fury of the Aelfwar as their cults cower in fear over the loss of their dragon gods, Akylios and Greenscale.
The event coming with the update brings many new content additions, such as a world spanning quest, a new 10-man raid, and a riftchase that pits players against rifts of both life and water. The looking for group system also becomes enhances as it allows players to search for groups across shards. The game is also gaining the addition of PvP rifts and an alternate warfront mission.
Legacy of the Fallen Summary
– PvP Rifts: More open-world PvP goodness!
– Cross-Shard LFG
– Water Saga: Quest line that lets you earn epic loot and a vicious crocodile mount
– Planar Menace: Stop House Aelfwar and the Abyssal from claiming the Dragon Motes
– Drowned Halls: A new 10-player raid sliver
– Quest Item Keyring: Save space in your inventory with an extra bag to hold your quest items
– New Rare Materials
–New tier of epic materials for each harvesting profession
– New Crafted Item Sets
– Eight new crafted item sets for dungeon and raid players
– Player Crafted Augments
– Apothecaries can salvage planar essences to craft powerful item augments!
Little Dreamer Developer: Althi Inc. Publisher: Althi Inc. Platform: iPhone (Reviewed), iPad Release: July 28th, 2011 Price: $1.99 (Buy Here)
Overview:
Often a game comes along, full of so much vibrance and life, that one can only wonder; is this from Japan? A large majority of the time, the answer is yes. Little Dreamer is one of these games. It is a vibrant lively game and it is from Japan. But is it only for the Japanese? Does it hold up for Western players?
Gameplay: Little Dreamer is a simple game underneath all of the shiny colours and cutesy characters on screen. It is a platforming game in the vein of Doodle Jump or Icy Tower. You have to climb or bounce your way through the world to reach a goal. This is a game type that works perfectly on iOS.
The controls are easy to grasp, taking little time to become second nature. They are perfectly responsive and incredibly simple. You control the entire game with the simple slide of a finger. These are the type of games that should be on the iOS, simple pick up and play games, that don’t require mastering a complex control system that tries to do too much with the touch technology.
This game is simply a master class in what iOS gameplay should be – simple and fun. This is where Little Dreamer ultimately succeeds. It can be played by anyone and anywhere at anytime. That is the essence of iOS gaming.
Storywise, Little Gamer has a story you’d come to expect from the crazy folk in Japan. It tells the tale of a little girl named Amy, whose Teddy Bear is bearnapped by a Demonic Cyclops Bat from the Nightmare Realm. Amy decides to reclaim her Teddy Bear by flying into the world of dreams with her magical pillow. It is a story that doesn’t really matter to the game, but it’s a story full of quirky charm.
Charm is something that this game embodies. It is perhaps the most charming game on the iOS platform and for that alone is worth a look at. The gameplay is also charming in it’s own right and overall is just a game that is fun no matter how many times you pick it up.
Visuals: The graphics are well designed and very cute (or as the japanese say ‘kawaii’). You can tell a great deal of love and care was put into the games design and although it at times can be a little cluttered on screen, it never becomes a problem. Instead it becomes part of the games limitless charm.
In general Althi Inc. have done a great job with the visuals of this game, creating a memorable heroine and appearance of the game overall. For this memorable and visually pleasing imagery, Althi Inc. should be applauded. Not since Angry Birds and Tiny Wings has such a memorable character and world design hit the iOS. It’s simply a huge achievement.
Audio:
The music and sound effects of Little Dreamer are of incredibly high quality for an iOS game. They are well produced and set a perfect mood for the game. Whether it is a peaceful bounce through the dream world or a terrifying dash out of the nightmare world, there is a track waiting to encapsulate the right atmosphere and feel for what it is occuring on screen.
The sound effects are equally as good, with Amy’s gleeful squeals as she soars through the air being easily memorable alongside the Demonic Cyclops Bats dark cackle at Amy’s attempts to reclaim her precious Teddy. It is all so well done, like the visuals. Althi Inc. has invested a great deal of effort into this game and it really shines through brightly through-out the game.
Conclusion:
In closing, Little Dreamer is one of the best games available on the iOS with little to fault it upon. Althi Inc. have done an amazing job here, bringing a very Japanese styled game to Western audiences. I can safely say that Little Dreamer is worth every cent and is indeed a must have for the iOS.
Last week, Nintendo announced half their supreme line-up that will be rewarded to “Nintendo Ambassadors” that purchased the 3DS before the incoming price drop. While no new NES titles have been listed, Nintendo World Report recently got the scoop on two more Game Boy Advance titles that will be made exclusively available as part of the ambassador program.
Joining the likes of Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Yoshi’s Island, Metroid Fusion, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$, and Mario vs Donkey Kong will be Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 and Kirby & the Amazing Mirror. While the date for the GBA portion of the ambassador gifts is still set at an unknown date in 2011, I can easily say that this list is getting sweeter and sweeter. Stay tuned, as once more titles begin to leak out for you 3DS owners, we will be sure to keep you updated.
505 Games, curators of the upcoming official tie-in game for this year’s Rugby World Cup, Rugby World Cup 2011, have revealed that the game with feature three separate teams of commentators, accounting for different regions. They have said that the Sky Sports commentators Miles Harrison and Stuart Barnes are joining Philippe Sella and Eric Bayle, and Greg Clark and Sean Fitzpatrick in the pundit line-up who will be doing voice work for the game.
Naturally, Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison head up the UK team given their familarity with the British. Then, as well as the French partnership of Philippe Sella and Eric Bayle, those in the Southern hemisphere with get a taste of wisdom courtesy of Greg Clark and Sean Fitzpatrick, a respected sports-journalist and ex-All Black respectively.
