walking dead the game

RELEASE: 4/2012 (Episode 1) | DEVELOPER: TellTale Games | ESRB: M for Mature

Walking Dead The Game is the best point and click game I have ever played. As a fan of the comic book series and of the AMC TV show I felt duty-bound to play. However, I did have my reservations: I’m not super-into point and click style games and I’ve been burned by TellTale games before, see Jurassic Park or Back to the Future. This game has won tons of awards and has been reviewed by just about everyone but you came here for my two cents, so read on, in my spoiler free review below.

aliens infestation

RELEASE: 10/2011 | PUB: Sega | DEVELOPERS: WayForward & Gearbox | ESRB: T

It’s been a while since I picked up a Nintendo DS game or even the DS handheld system at all. However, Aliens Infestation was a must buy for me for two reasons: (1) it has a cover and in-game artwork was done by Chris Bachalo and (2) it’s Aliens. This little cartridge houses a 2D side-scrolling adventure game, in the vein of NES classics like Metroid, Castlevania and Bionic Commando. Play as a motley platoon of futuristic colonial marines in this all new chapter in the Aliens saga. Hit the jump to read my thoughts on the game, Aoo Rah.

sly cooper and the thievius raccoonus

RELEASE: 9/2002 | PUB: Sony | DEVELOPER: Sucker Punch | ESRB: E for Everyone

One game you might not see coming is the sneaky HD remaster of Sly Cooper and The Thievius Raccoonus. For a game released on the PS1 back in 2002 this game is still solid. I don’t have the nostalgic feelings for Sly that some of you readers might but it was a free PS Plus download and I was willing to give it a shot. As a fan of 3D platformers, particularly of the Insomniac variety this is quite an adventure. Originally released on the heels of some favorite platformers of the 90’s like Mario Bros., Sonic and Crash Bandicoot. Sly Cooper feels like “the missing link” in evolution. If evolution involved a Spyro game growing into a modern Ratchet & Clank game.

retro gaming ads | early marvel

Early video game ads didn't have the hot-shot graphics that we have today. Advertising for these games was nothing short of a marketing swindle with artwork that really had nothing to do with the game in question. None more-so-than early Marvel titles for the Atari, Gameboy and NES. Making use of some of the hottest comic talents around these ads steered the young consumer hearts straight to the stores; but when we got home that cover art was no where to be found in-game.

Even still, some the artwork produced for these games was fantastic; others are close to laughable. Take a gander of some of these early Marvel video game print ads from various comic books of the time. Presenting the return of the Retro Gaming Ads...

2 old 2 play update

In case you were unaware, I write regular posts for another gaming site called 2 Old 2 Play.com. A website community for gamer 25 and older. I try to avoid double posting the content here on Gamedae for the most part. I’ll continue to do these update posts with links to my articles over there. Quick and easy links for my readers and also myself. Picking up where I left off in my last 2 Old 2 Play update, I’ve been a busy blogger for the older gamers.

remote play

One of the big, new features of the Nintendo Wii U system is the ability to continue-the-game without using the TV. This independence from the television is rarely seen in the gaming world (one could argue that handhelds provide this). No need to wait for next gen consoles, this experience is available today through Playstation's Remote Play! Stealing the thunder right out from Nintendo this updated feature was first announced during Sony's E3 keynote but was brought to life with the latest System Updates for PS3 (4.21) and PS Vita (1.80).

back to the future the game

RELEASE: 02/2011 | PLATFORM: PS3 | DEV: Telltale Games | ESRB: T for Teen

It’s exciting to see when developers like Telltale Games play bring their unique take to some fun franchise licences. Their point-and-click style, adventure games remind me a lot of the Choose Your Own Adventure books I used to read, in which, players are presented with a decision and that decision decides the next direction the narrative will take. The story-focused game style adapts well to established books and movies. Previously, Telltale Games has adapted a Jurassic Park story set within the parameters of that movie. This game, based on the classic 80’s film Back to the Future is sure to be a hit with movie fans, just maybe not all gamers.

need for speed: the run

RELEASE: 11/2011 | PLATFORM: PS3 | DEV: Black Box | PUB: EA | ESRB: T for Teen

Need for Speed: The Run was developed by the franchise’s primary developer EA Black Box, who are responsible for six of the sixteen large Need for Speed (NFS) games. “The Run” for which this game is named is an underground street-racing spectacle. Jack Rourke, our main character, will join top racers heading from San Francisco to New York City with a $25,000,000 payout to whoever gets there first. I really like the idea of having a specific destination to race towards; thinking back, I can't remember a racing game quite like this. This race is more like an actual road trip rather than just getting through checkpoints or marked spots on a map. This is the first game in NFS history to feature quick time events, where the player actually exits their car and travels on foot.

E3 2012: the links

Traditionally run as a side bar for the blog during June and July, this is the list of links posted from E3 2012. Certainly not every game shown during the Expo but the ones that got our attention. Archived here for easy access, enjoy

E3 2012: eyes on the inside

Continuing the E3 coverage from last month. Our (semi-) secret agent is back with her photographic documentation from the show floor. Just what we needed for the Gamedae Couch Coverage this year. It even looks like she brought some lovely assistants with her. Thanks for the thinking of and representing Gamedae for the masses, girls. Bask in the memories as we take you through the aisles of the Expo.

Hit the jump for the full gallery:

mass effect 2

Traveling across galaxies trying to recruit a band of heroes for a “suicide mission” can be tough work. Commander Shepard, a trained human soldier, is on a mission to save the universe from the threats facing civilization. In Mass Effect 2 the latest threat is from the alien race known as the Reapers. The Reapers, working in conjunction with the mysterious Collectors, are causing human colonies along the fringe frontiers to disappear. In order to face the Reapers, Shepard and crew with have to use the the Omega-4 Relay to reach the Reavers part of space. It’s a suicide mission for one man alone; you will have to make valuable allies along the way both human and alien. Shepard will save the day, that is, before he dies. Because you basically start this action-oriented, role playing game floating in space, dead.
 
WARNING: Slight spoilers on an older game ahead

E3 2012: what we know now

Insights and opinions with Anotherdae, Verdeberg and Zoidberger:

ANOTHERDAE
Had to hold off and let E3 2012 sit in before starting a recap post for this year. My gut reaction (which you can find examples of on Twitter) was disappointment. I knew going in we weren’t getting any new consoles, that we hadn’t previously seen, so there was a lackluster ambiance to the whole event. You could almost see the strain in the G4 and Spike on air staff desperately looking for a story to latch onto that they could use as the headliner. Instead, we saw a lot of cool new games and a few new tech demos that are all very cool but either too expected or lackluster.

ps home: the casino

I’m pretty happy with all the upgrades Playstation Home released lately. PS Home is a 3D virtual social gaming network available only on the Playstation 3. It’s been completely overhauled since its launch back in December of 2008. There are hundreds of free “games” available now, including some RC Car racing action and a few First Person Shooters. As you may or may not know, the biggest gripe I had with PS Home was the loss of the EA Sports Complex dedicated space. In that space, between the obvious advertising for popular EA Sports games, were Texas Hold’em poker tables. These tables were pretty much the closest thing to console gambling you could get without spending real money. Well, time has passed, PS Home has improved and gambling is back on the menu! This time with some actual money involved, kinda.

E3 2012: nintendo all-access

It's day two of E3 coverage (the first day of the actual expo) at the Nokia Theater in LA, Nintendo is taking the stage with their (hopefully) game changing new system the Wii U.

Nintendo actually started this years E3 on Sunday night. With a surprise live feed straight from HQ in Japan, by Mr. Iwata, the President of Sony Japan. He went over the recently named "Wii U Gamepad" and "Miiverse" and more that we can expect from today's media briefing. This surprise was, of course, welcome with all the anticipation going into E3 this week. I have to wonder though, were the big wigs at Nintendo Japan worried about Reggie's ability to present the new system? There was a lot of confusion coming out of last years E3 Media Briefing.

Hit the jump for the full Media Briefing.

E3 2012: playstation keynote by verdeberg

Sony, where to begin! I was anticipating news regarding games such as God Of War Ascension and Naughty Dog's The Last Of Us but I got so much more!

Let me start at the beginning after the jump.

E3 2012: ubisoft

Ubisoft was once mainly known for Rayman, then they partnered with Tom Clancy and became one of the biggest game companies around with the Splinter Cell series. Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed and Just Dance are among their growing portfolio of games.

Lights dim at the LA Theater and the show begins with your keynote standard ESRB warning on screen. Hit the lights and it's a Flo Rida performance with Just Dance 3 advertised in the background! Aisha Tyler is our host tonight, it seems she's been mentioning her "lady wood" on G4. She is known for being a self proclaimed "gamer" and is a video game voice actress, also a voice on Archer. She is joined via webcam with backstage correspondent Toby Turner.

Read on below the jump for the series of ups and downs from the show.

E3 2012: electronic arts the download

Live at the Orpheum Theatre on South Broadway in LA. Speculation time is over this event is streaming live around the world and airing on Spike and sister networks. Kicking it off is logo montage of the big EA titles we are going to see. Cheers and claps for the fan favorites.

Join us below the jump for the rest of the keynote.

E3 2012: microsoft keynoteby zoidberger

This could very well be the final E3 before Microsoft's next generation console is unveiled to start the third generation of console wars. This allows Microsoft to release an amazing slate of Triple A titles in the coming year. One title that will be front and center this year will be Halo 4. After receiving a teaser trailer at last years E3 there is little doubt of a playable demo this year. An annual release of the newest installment of the Call of Duty series is also immanent.

Apart from the games will also be the extension of more Kinect services on the Xbox. The interesting part will be how many new titles will be announced with the limited time left on these current consoles.

Hit the jump for E3 play by play.

E3 2012: home viewing guide

Once again, it's that time of year to gaze upon the oracle of gaming-to-come, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). My NeverEnding Story of trying to get inside is still being written. The gatekeepers to the kingdom of gaming (the E3 committee Sphinxes') have thwarted even my most “Atreyuian” moves towards the gates.

Nevertheless, E3 2012 is happening June 5-7th with major keynote addresses starting on Monday, June 4th. You're viewing choices have grown (slightly) this year over last, with more network choices and dedicated streams over the Internet. Televised on Spike TV and sister Viacom Media Networks, including MTV2; MTVU; VH1; Tr3s: Música y Másand will all air the coverage simultaneously. Check your local listings for their correct channels. The Microsoft keynote will be airing for the first time on XBox Live through an app called: Playbook 360. I’m starting to wonder if by attending E3 you actually risk not seeing everything; and the best move may be getting all the information in one massive media download.

It's interesting to ponder what's in store and its affect on how the industry is fairing. E3 has high expectations associated with it, namely first look at new consoles. While I personally don’t think we will be seeing any new hardware besides the Wii U, there are some highly anticipated games we can expect to hear about.

The Gamedae E3 2012: Home Viewing Guide is below.

the new chinatown fair

Back where it always was, is the newly opened Chinatown Fair. I have known about this niche arcade since I moved to New York City, though I almost never visited. Having an arcade in town didn’t strike me as being all that novel, almost like, “of course” there is an arcade in town. When it abruptly closed last year was when I started paying attention. I was pretty shocked as it is, all but, a landmark in Chinatown.

Well it’s open again, a lot cleaner and brighter than before just a little light on the games. The new focus on younger, more casual players is evident by the layout of the arcade. There is a large touch screen Fruit Ninja machine as you enter. Following that is the service counter and many carnival-esque games like Hoops, Skeeball and the Drop-A-Quarter games. There are kids running around with streams of tickets in their hands hoping to trade in for candy. Almost hidden, in the way back, are a handful of common arcade fighters. I would say the highlight of the arcade is either the full sized dance machines or the air hockey table.

Pictures from the inside after the jump. Chinatown Fair is located at 8 Mott Street in Manhattan.

netflix instant queue top picks

I think I get more out of my disk based Netflix subscription than my streaming service. Mostly I've been using it to re-watch whole series of random TV shows. I finally finished the entire Robotech series which I started back in 2010. Currently, I'm working through the Voyager series and the wife talks about starting a Battlestar Galactica re-watch (image above). Funny how I would rather watch this stuff than any of the great series I have purchased on DVD. More of my recent picks below.

2 old 2 play update

The past few months the majority of my writing has gone to 2Old2Play.com. Being part of the writing team there is going really well. It is nice being critiqued by your peers and they have me playing some games I might not have played otherwise. After the jump is a list of the posts I have running on the 2O2P front page. Take a gander and see if anything strikes your interest. While your there, why not join the community? There are game giveaways and forum topics on just about everything you might be interested in.

rayman origins

PLATFORM: PS VITA

RELEASE DATE: 02/2012
DEVELOPER: Ubisoft

ESRB: E10+

I didn’t expect to like this game. I bought two launch games for the PS VITA and this was my second choice. Rayman Origins (Feb 2012), originally out on consoles but I’ve picked up the PS Vita version. This game stands apart from other Ubisoft titles like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry — by being nothing like them. This is a platformer, in-fact a great platformer.

state of the blog 2012

CELEBRATING 102 POSTS AND THE SECOND COMPLETE YEAR OF GAMEDAE

Welcome to the second, annual Gamedae State of the Blog address. Recapping the highlights and stats of 2011 and the plans for the site’s future. We will explore some of the more popular posts and where some of the site’s content is going (and why it isn’t on the blog.) Without further adieu, let's get into what happened in 2011.

journey

PLATFORM: PS3

RELEASE DATE: 03/2012

PUBLISHER: Sony

RATING: E for Everyone

More along the lines of an art concept about wonder and discovery than a video game. From the makers of Flower and Flow comes the enchanting downloadable game Journey. Available exclusively on the Playstation Network. The designers at ThatGameCompany have crafted an innocent, little adventure in a world filled with blockbuster style shooter games. 



Journey takes place in a beautifully rendered world, though not detail oriented but with a highly polished focus on texture. The sand of the sparkling desert seems to move with a life of its own; reacting to the wind and light and of course yourself. Compare it to stepping deep into a patch of snow for the first time or disrupting a perfectly combed beach. The landscape seems to go as far as the eye can see, an almost flawless trick of good coding.



sideway: ny

Sideway: NY (2011) is a truly unique, 2D platformer experience with a 3D twist to it. Enter a world of graffiti with fun graphics, great tunes and hours of replay value. I first saw this game at a New York Comic Con booth, I didn’t even bother to wait in line, I knew it was an essential purchase. You could say, love at first sight. Pick it up as a downloadable title on PSN or for PC. Details below...

kirby cake

Gamedae supporter Corrie recently sent in some pictures from her daughter's birthday cake that I have to share. This is one of the biggest pink balls of cake I've surely seen. Thanks for sharing, Corrie, we love to see stuff like this. See the making of pictures and story below.

grand theft auto III 10th anniversary edition

PLATFORM: iPad

RELEASE DATE: 12/2011

PUBLISHER: Rockstar Games

RATING: 17+

One of the best selling games of all time, re-released for iPad for only $4.99, what a steal! Without hesitation I had to pick this up, if only to see how they translated the PS2's controls over to the touch screen of the iPad.

temple run

PLATFORM: iPhone

RELEASE DATE: 12/2011

PUBLISHER: Imangi Studios

RATING: 9+

Highest Score: 242,144 (as of posting)

I’m not going to break any news with this post. Sadly, I discovered this game after seeing dozens of fellow straphangers playing it on their phones. It was a 10(ish) year-old kid that I just had to ask. “What game is that?” Temple Run he said. Soon as I came up from the subway I downloaded it and started playing. Quickly, I discovered the secret to this game app’s addictive popularity: It’s free.

netflix instant queue top picks

During my recent hiatus from the blog I (finally) found enough Netflix recommendations to warrant a post. I'm happy to see newer movies joining the Netflix arsenal sooner. However last year also brings the end to the Starz movies. Luckily that sad information has nothing to do with the movies I've selected for your viewing. Below you'll find my usual recommended dosage of monsters, jokes and even the occasional slayer sighting. Go, stream, now.

fara

PLATFORM: iPHONE

RELEASE DATE: 10/2011
PUBLISHER: Pixel and Texel
RATING: 12+
Progress: Halfway

This app is a witty, little role playing game (RPG) game I picked up during a promotional free download. Fara is just the kind of light-hearted easy to play game I was looking for on my iPhone. The story in this RPG doesn't require franchise knowledge and a deep imagination, in fact, it doesn't take itself too seriously at all and even jokes about the user; breaking that forth wall in some comedic ways.