The Deer God
Despite What You May Have Heard, It Is Indeed 'The Circle of Liiiiiiiiiiiiiife'
I walk into an office today and am greeted by a huge deer head mounted on the wall. The owner of said "memorabilia" informs me that this magnificent creature was hunted by his great grandfather and is now almost 100 years old. I can't help but wonder if that deer that was shot was somehow reborn into a new baby deer; free to roam the forest and jump its little heart out. Read more »
“Kirby and the Rainbow Curse”
Claymation That Isn't Scary
Here we have Kirby. This adorable little pink marshmallow is the titular hero to his series. He’s also one of the most powerful and determinant beings to be conceived by mankind. Let’s say you are a villain for Kirby. You try to split him up into four or ten Kirbys? He’ll come back with said team and wipe the floor with you. You transform him into only a ball? He’ll use that form to clobber you right back. You transform him into yarn, taking away his inhaling powers? He’ll use your power of yarn bring you down. Don’t even get me started on what happens when someone steals a slice of Kirby’s cake. Read more »
Life is Strange
Episode 1: Chrysalis
Dontnod Entertainment and Square Enix have partnered up to bring us “Life is Strange,” “a five-part episodic game that sets out to revolutionize story-based choice-and-consequence games.” As of this writing the Steam User Reviews stand at “Overwhelmingly Positive” so, really, how could I resist? After this I just wanted something to redeem graphic adventures for me and “Life is Strange” did it. Read more »
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D”
The Darkest of Link's Adventures Is Back
What happens when Nintendo decides to take a giant step out of its comfort zone for one of its most loved franchises? Well, sometimes you get “Super Mario Sunshine,” a game that extremely good control and great ideas with platforming but also manhandled by ludicrous moments caught only in hindsight and tedium in collecting shine sprites. In “The Legend of Zelda’s” case, you get “Majora’s Mask,” one of the most thought-provoking and darkly beautiful games in “Zelda” history and arguably of all time.
Unfortunately, the original game on the Nintendo 64 suffered from some lower sales than anticipated. Despite some great improvements over “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” the game turned some away with the daunting three-day time limit and the slow start getting into the game. What followed was a giant cult following for “Majora’s Mask.” When “Ocarina of Time 3D” was announced and showed off, gamers collectively shouted for “Majora’s Mask” to follow suit and here we are with the remake. Does the game still hold up today on the 3DS? I say it absolutely does. Read more »
“Apotheon”
Of Greek Gods and Men
Guys, I’ll be honest, I was never a great student. I look back on university and lament those late nights rushing last-minute papers or skipping class for Smash Brothers marathons. That said, “Apotheon’s” foray into Greek mythology really makes me wonder how I slept through my ancient history classes. Developer Alien Trap’s latest title is a beautiful tour through epic tales of spiteful Gods, political treachery, and an exploration of human nature. Despite all the other issues I had with the game, it really conveys just how damn cool ancient history can be. Read more »
“Offworld Trading Company” (Early Access)
Early Access, Shmerly Access!
I know, I know, we are all getting tired of Steam Early Access games. Too often the developers release a game into this state to generate a cash flow while gaining an audience of (seemingly) devoted beta testers! Sometimes the games are just broken beyond belief, other times you wonder why they are in early access at all. This, thankfully, is the latter. Read more »
“Pixel Heroes - Byte & Magic”
A Journey Into Pixelated Adventure
We are stood in a pixelated tavern, a band not unlike the kind found in a certain mos eisley cantina play in the background. Before us stand eight heroes anxiously pacing back and forth waiting for the call to adventure and each one eager to prove their worth and survive in a world of random dungeons and random journeys. The pixel style is a popular one, a style that has a good following of fans with titles like “Gods Will Be Watching” and “Home” proving that you can have an engaging experience while retaining the charm of simple pixel animations. This style, chosen by The Bitfather, is one that aids what they have tried to capture in “Pixel Heroes – Byte & Magic” because it allows them to have fun with the game and show a lighter quirky side to dungeon delving. Read more »
“Game of Thrones: The Lost Lords”
One Small Step Towards Revenge
With the first episode of TellTale Games’ “Game of Thrones: Iron From Ice” being released several weeks ago (as of this writing), many people thought the first entry was a great beginning to a gripping story; us included. Personally I think it’s a great compromise to have other houses getting some attention while staying canon to the TV series (can’t say the same for the books though).
Now that the second episode, “The Lost Lords,” is out, how does this installment to the first season of TellTale Games’ “Game of Thrones” hold out? While I think certain elements shine and are really well done, this episode really doesn’t feel important to the grand scheme of things. Read more »
Cthulhu Wars
Its Your Turn To Bring About The Apocalypse
If you go into any board game store today, you can hardly turn your head without seeing a dozen Cthulhu or Lovecraft-inspired games. It is a very popular theme, and given the age of these stories and the literally indescribable horrors that populate them, its not hard to understand why. Read more »
