Prics Games

DICE Hasn't Abandoned Mirror's Edge

2011-07-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

Mirror's Edge 2 may or may not exist. Even EA doesn't seem to be sure, sometimes saying it's canceled and other times saying it's in the works. Whatever the state of the follow-up, developer DICE continues to assure fans that it hasn't forgotten about the franchise.

Speaking to GameStar in an interview at E3, DICE's Patrick Söderlund said the following when asked about Mirror's Edge 2: "We have not abandoned the franchise. And, you know, we are working on something – but I’m not willing to talk more about that.”

That doesn't necessarily mean Mirror's Edge 2 is fully underway, but at least we know that EA and DICE are aware that demand for a sequel exists.

(Source: GameStar via Destructoid)

Report: Spending On Games To Top $74 Billion In 2011

2011-07-06T12:24:00.001-07:00

We all know that gaming is big business, but a forecast from tech advisers Gartner Inc. drives that point home. According to the report, gamers will spend more than $74 billion on games in 2011, which is an increase of just over 10 percent from the $67 billion spent during 2010. The majority of that money will be spent on software, too.

The increase is at least due in part to the popularity of smartphones and tablets. As people buy these devices, they naturally look to download applications and games.

"Mobile games are the most downloaded application category across most application stores," says principal research analyst Tuong Nguyen. "For this reason, mobile gaming will continue to thrive as more consumers expand their use of new and innovative portable connected devices."

Online and social gaming was the least lucrative category that Gartner tracked, following hardware and software sales, but the firm expects that to change within the next few years. According to their predictions, online gaming will grow 27 percent annually from now until 2015. By the time 2015 rolls around, Gartner forecasts that people will spend $112 billion on games annually.

If you needed some numbers to make you feel validated about your hobby, these should definitely help. Otherwise, egad, that's a lot of scratch.

PlayStation Network Almost Restored In Japan

2011-07-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

You've probably been using the fully operational PlayStation Network since early June…unless you live in Japan. The country remains the only one without full access to PSN's offerings, but that changes tomorrow.

On July 6, Japan will finally have full PSN functionality restored, including the Qriocity Service (which I doubt anyone missed) and the PlayStation Store.

Why did Japan have to wait so much longer? Though Sony never issued a statement, rumors point to delayed restoration being tied to Sony meeting the security demands of the Japanese government.

Starting tomorrow, Sony can officially say the debacle is in the past.. though the company still has a long way to go in rebuilding good faith among gamers.

Terraria

2011-07-04T10:23:00.001-07:00

How I Became Addicted To Terraria

Okay, so maybe I’m not completely dependent on the the game, but I got way more into Terraria than I expected. Based off the game’s previous coverage the independent PC title just looked like 2D Minecraft. While the two sandbox titles share much in common, the world of Terraria delivers a uniquely addictive and rewarding experience that’s difficult to step away from.

By now you’ve probably heard of Minecraft. In that game players use axes, pickaxes, and other tools to harvest the world’s resources and mine into the earth. The same happens here, but the game’s 2D nature grants a broader perspective of the world. You can see where precious copper veins snake their way through the dirt, or enemies lurking beneath a thin layer of soil. The game also has a crafting system, day/night cycle, and tons of collectible items.

Like in Minecraft, deadly enemies attack at night so it’s important to build a shelter right away. After chopping down a few trees I constructed myself a humble hovel to ward off zombies and flying eyeballs. Over the course of my numerous hours with Terraria I joyfully expanded my home into a three story structure with plenty of chests for storage, crafting stations, doors, and even an opening into my own private mineshaft.

Mining is as simple as taking your pick axe to the soil and digging until you discover some precious metal or a cavernous opening. Monsters populate the underground, keeping players on their toes. The enemy variety is impressive, with bats, slimes, earth-digging worms, and skeletons populating the nether regions. Unlike Minecraft, treasure chests and destructible clay pots litter these underground areas, packing useful items and resources. I discovered immensely useful trinkets like double-jump boots, new weapons, and even permanent HP boosts. Thanks to the game’s random terrain generator, you never know what to expect.

Things get dark underground, so it’s a good idea to pack a bunch of torches to light the way. I even stumbled upon glowsticks in my adventure, which I used to illuminate bodies of water or gauge the depths of mysterious drop-offs. The rhythmic flow of digging, setting torches, and digging some more is comforting, and makes finding a gold or silver vein all the more rewarding. Using dirt or stone to craft stairs and ledges while mining is a snap, and players can even build a handy grappling hook to climb around underground like Spider-man.

EDF: Insect Armageddon Out Now

2011-07-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

This holiday weekend, you can do one of two things: watch a bunch of fireworks, or blast truck-sized insects into orbit. I think the choice it pretty clear.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon was set to launch next week, but retailers are selling it early. Did D3Publisher move the date to give people something to do over the extended weekend? Are retailers simply giving up? One thing's for sure: I personally strolled into a store an hour ago, plunked down $40, and grabbed a copy. You may want to call ahead before hopping into your car, but I am living proof that dreams do come true.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go do...something.

Some Amazing Deals Being Offered In Steam's Summer Sale

2011-07-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

Valve's download service Steam is celebrating summer with some hot deals on some of the industry's biggest games.

The Steam Summer Camp Sale runs from now until July 10th. The service will be featuring daily deals -- some of today's best offers include Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for a $7.50 andThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition for $6.80. [At the time of this writing you have approximately 15 hours to act on these daily deals]

Even better are some "catalog" sales which nab you every game by a certain publisher for one low price. For example, right now you can grab every id Software game for a paltry $29.99.

NBA 2K12

2011-07-01T06:20:00.001-07:00

First Screenshot Of NBA 2K12 Released

We may have seen the game in action at Sony's E3 press conference (with Kobe Bryant at the controls), but we haven't seen any official screens of NBA 2K12 until now. Above, you'll see that first shot, featuring Maverick Dirk Nowitzki going up for a shot against LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

There you have it. Sure looks...basketball-y, doesn't it?

ESA Spent Over $1 Million In Lobbying In First Quarter Of 2011

2011-06-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

The Entertainment Software Association is still basking in the glow of its landmark victory over the state of California in the Supreme Court, but the industry organization has not let up in its efforts to lobby on behalf of video games in Washington. In a recently released filing with the Office of the Clerk to the House of Representatives, the ESA spent $1,144,700 in lobbying during the first quarter of this year.

While the perception with the public is that the ESA largely concerns itself with combating attempts to censor or restrict the sale of video games, in actuality much of the money being spent on lobbying is on important, but less controversial issues like copyright law, piracy, trade issues, Internet regulation, and work visas.

While $1.1 million is certainly a nice chunk of change, it's actual down from $1.2 million spent during the same period last year.

Back to the Future Episode 5: Outatime

2011-06-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

Telltales ‘80s Ode Finishes Just In Time

It feels like it’s been a long road to the finish, but Telltale’s Back to The Future series is finally coming to a close. The episodic adventure series – which has taken us into three separate decades and what feels like an innumerable number of alternate timelines – was beginning to grow stale, but it finishes with a clever cliffhanger that ties the whole series back to the original film. While I’m happy to have followed Telltale down this wistful road, I can’t shake the feeling that there were a few missed opportunities along the way.

Episode recaps would have benefited this series greatly. It’s only been a month since the last episode, but my memory was a little fuzzy on some of the secondary plot points. For the record, after Marty travels back to the 1930s to rescue Doc Brown from false imprisonment, the duo becomes entangled in a complicated narrative that alters the future. In order to correct the time stream, Marty has to ensure that a young Emmett Brown’s science exhibit goes off without a hitch, reconcile the young scientist’s relationship with his father, and track down Emmett’s ex-girlfriend after she runs off with the DeLorean.

If you haven’t played some of the series’ earlier entries, you don’t want to start here. After all, it’s not like Telltale has altered any of the series’ mechanics or changed its formula in any significant way. Like in previous installments, Marty still blunders around the environment and many puzzles boil down to touching one of your inventory items to an object within the environment. Since your inventory usually only contains about three items anyway, these kinds of puzzles aren’t that hard to decipher.

Despite Back to the Future’s lack of diversity, Outatime still contains a few clever moments that made me smile. One moment in particular – a sequence in which Doc and Marty have to reenact a series of events for a delusional old woman – stands as one of my favorite moments in the series.

Outatime is also significant as it is the first entry in which Michael J. Fox joins the cast, jumping into the role of one of Marty’s ancestors. While I found Fox’s involvement exciting, the actor’s character seemed out of place during these sequences (as if the role was written late just so Telltale could slide him in), and Fox himself uses a goofy southern accent that does little to disguise his aging voice. It’s sad, but the most authentic sounding McFly in the game is a Michael J. Fox impersonator.

Like this voice acting oddity, everything great about Telltale’s Back to the Future series seems to have some accompanying disappointment. The series’ narrative offers a fun, lighthearted adventure, but at this point it has more holes in it than a Siberian mud road. Telltale’s environments are ripe with in-jokes and Back to the Future references, but when you’re not sure what to do next, jumping straight to the hints system is often more entertaining than exploring the world. Sadly, you can’t recreate the phenomenon that the original trilogy sparked, but that doesn’t mean someone shouldn’t try. For all its faults, Telltale’s Back to the Future series was a noble attempt to capture the magic of the films.

Report: Microsoft Pursuing Free To Play 360 Games

2011-06-28T11:08:00.001-07:00

Recent rumors suggest that Microsoft might support the model with microtransactions.

Develop posted a story late last week that offers up some interesting tidbits about upcoming Microsoft plans. Specifically, the report claims that 360 may soon be getting free-to-play games. The article goes on to describe a system where free-to-play games get money back through in-game items sales or premium upgrade options.

Would you be open to exploring free-to-play games on your Xbox 360? How about paying small amounts for incremental upgrades to the experience?

Former Marvel Studios Head Taking Control Of Angry Birds' Slingshot

2011-06-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Rovio's ubiquitous Angry Birds has infiltrated the iPhone, Android devices, the PSN, and evenbrowser windows. The next stop on its tour of world domination is films, and the indie studio has enlisted a veteran producer to help with navigation.

Former executive VP at Marvel Studios David Maisel has joined Rovio, where he'll continue in a similar capacity. As Gamesindustry.biz reports, Maisel helped to develop the studio and was a key player in Marvel Studios' eventual sale to Disney.

"Rovio has already had amazing success and established a great brand with Angry Birds," he said. "The business model, intellectual properties, and the franchise potential of Angry Birds give Rovio the most exciting prospects I have seen in the entertainment business since Marvel in 2003."

Angry Birds is definitely a fun little game about throwing birds at towers and watching them fall. Will that translate to success as a movie? Rovio and Maisel sure seem confident. Personally, I can't wait to learn more about the black bird who explodes when he's touched. Where did he come from? Where does he go after each detonation? Are his explosives a way to protect a heart that's been hurt one too many times?

Microsoft Releases Summer Of Arcade Schedule

2011-06-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Summer may be painfully barren when it comes to the triple-A retail games, but Xbox Live Arcade is bursting at the seams with promising titles. Here is the release schedule for the official Summer of Arcade lineup.

Bastion
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Supergiant Games
Release Date: July 20
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points

From Dust
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Release Date: July 27
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Fuelcell
Release Date: August 3
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points

Fruit Ninja Kinect
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Halfbrick
Release Date: August 10
Price: 800 Microsoft Points

Toy Soldiers: Cold War
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Signal Studios
Release Date: August 17
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points

If you buy all five games, Microsoft is throwing in a free copy of Crimson Alliance, the Gauntlet-meets-Diablo hack 'n slasher that won over several GI editors at E3.

EMA Releases Statement On Supreme Court Decision

2011-06-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

This morning, the Supreme Court struck down California's law that restricted the sale of violent video games to minors under the First Amendment (in the case of Brown v. EMA), and the EMA has commented on the situation.

Bo Andersen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Merchants Association released the following statement:

“EMA welcomes today’s Supreme Court ruling that let stand the Court of Appeals’ decision finding the California video game restriction law to be unconstitutional. We are gratified that our position that the law violates the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of expression has been vindicated and there now can be no argument whether video games are entitled to the same protection as books, movies, music, and other expressive entertainment."

While Andersen and the EMA took their victory lap, he isn't oblivious to the core reason for the law in the first place – the need for parents to be informed so they can monitor what their children play.

“While we appreciate this victory in the court of law, it does not obviate the concern that parents may have about the appropriateness of some video games for their children. But, as the Court noted, the ESRB rating system for video games ‘does much to ensure that minors cannot purchase seriously violent games on their own, and that parents who care about the matter can readily evaluate the games their children bring home.’”

“Video game retailers understand that they have a responsibility to help parents make informed decisions about the video games they buy for their children and to ensure that children are not able to purchase Mature-rated games without their parents’ permission. EMA-member retailers have a high level of ratings education and enforcement and, in fact, in an undercover shopper investigation released in April of this year, the Federal Trade Commission found that video game retailers turned down minors that attempted to purchase Mature-rated video games 87% of the time. Video game retailers remain committed to maintaining what the Federal Trade Commission termed their 'vigorous' enforcement of the video game ratings."

Final Fantasy VII And VIII Nearly Released On Steam

2011-06-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

True story: My first playthrough of Final Fantasy VII was entirely done on PC. Square Enix isn't known for having a great PC support for its Japanese releases, but FF VII and VIII both received somewhat rough but workable PC versions. Since I had a suitable gaming PC at the time but no PlayStation, that's what I went with. As it turns out, I could have relived those memories on Steam, but it looks like the stars might be crossed for that particular dream.

RPG Site reports the surprising news that Final Fantasy VII and VIII have apparently been uploaded onto Steam's servers and ready to go "for months." This comes via the Steam Registry Toolkit, which allows users to view a Content Description Record listing every game and file available on Valve's Steam servers.

With some more digging, RPG Site was able to figure out that Square has been tinkering with launch code for the two notoriously unstable PC ports. Unfortunately, the last time that they updated anything was back in 2010, so it looks like brief hopes for nice, playable versions of FF VII and VIII on PC are probably not worth holding onto. RPG Site speculates that Square probably will not release the current, shoddy versions of the game at all.

Star Wars Galaxies Shutting Down In December

2011-06-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

After eight years of fighting for survival, the troubled first attempt at a Star Wars MMO will finally go offline this year in December.

Gamasutra reports on this news, which publisher Sony Online Entertainment described as a "mutual business decision" between itself and LucasArts. With a newer, shinier Star Wars MMO, BioWare's The Old Republic, set for release some time this year, it makes sense that LucasArts would be interested in clearing Galaxies off the shelves and limiting any consumer confusion as to which is the "correct" Star Wars MMO to purchase.

SOE president John Smedley is adamant that the decision is not related to declining subscription numbers. Likewise, he says there will be no layoffs, with team members from Galaxies being transferred to a new project, but it's worth remembering that SOE already had a huge round of layoffs a few months ago. Whatever layoffs might have resulted from this decision could have already happened then.

If you are still playing Galaxies or want to restart an account and jump in, you can look forward to various game-ending events that SOE is planning for the lead-up to server shutdown. May the Force be with you, etc.

Lawsuit Alleges Sony Security Staff Fired Before Network Hack

2011-06-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

A recently filed class action lawsuit against Sony claims that prior to the PlayStation Network hacking, the company laid off a significant number of the network security team.

Gamasutra obtained a copy of the complaint and posted several of its key allegations.

"Sony sought to cut its costs at the expense of its customers by terminating a significant number of employees immediately prior to the security breach, including personnel responsible for maintaining the security of the network," reads the complaint.

The lawsuit cites several confidential witnesses, one of which says that Sony "spent lavishly" to protect its own PS DevNetwork development server "but recklessly declined to provide adequate protections for its customers' personal information."

Check out more info on the lawsuit in Gamasutra's analysis.

Valve: Team Fortress 2 To Be Free-To-Play

2011-06-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

In a surprising move, Valve has revealed that its popular online shooter Team Fortress 2 switching to a free-to-play, microtransaction-driven business model. The news came in an interview by Develop with Valve's Robin Walker.

We've been toying with the idea ever since the Mann-conomy update, where we added the in-game Team Fortress 2 store. Over the years we've done a bunch of price experimentations with the game, going all the way down to $2.49 in our random one-hour Halloween sales," said Walker. "The more we've experimented, the more we've learned there are fundamentally different kinds of customers, each with their own way of valuing the product. Now that we're shipping it, it feels like a fairly straightforward next step along the 'Games as Services' path we've been walking down for a while now."
From here on out, the game will be free to download, and Valve will attempt to make money solely on sales of items sold in the game's store.
This is big news.

While free-to-play has been an increasingly popular business model in recent years, this is perhaps one of the most popular and most critically acclaimed game to adopt the structure to date.
For more read the full interview at Develop.

Download Team Fortress 2 here.

Dungeon Siege III

2011-06-21T11:13:00.001-07:00

Old-School Action With A Few New Twists

With Dungeon Siege III, developer Obsidian Entertainment brings the hack-and-slash RPG series to consoles for the first time. The game is firmly entrenched in old-school tropes, but it does add a few more contemporary enhancements.

The story is set in the kingdom of Ehb, though you don’t have to be a Dungeon Siege wonk to get what’s going on. The 10th Legion has been routed, and it’s up to you and your party to remobilize it and prevent Jeyne Kassynder from killing its descendents. Dialogue is handled through a Mass Effect-like conversation wheel, though players are largely guided through preset conversations rather than having multiple choices during verbal encounters. You make decisions in a few key moments – and can see the effects of those choices – but I never felt I was making significant waves in the world. Considering how generic the overall conflict felt, I’m perfectly satisfied with that.

Fortunately, the action feels more immediate and engaging than typical games in the genre thanks to Obsidian’s approach to combat. Rather than merely hammering on the attack button and waiting for a spirit gauge or mana bar to replenish automatically, you have to be an active participant in battles to pull off flashy moves. As you attack enemies, a will meter fills with each successful blow. That meter is tied to all of your character’s abilities. In a typical encounter with my archon character, Anjali, I’d pick away at enemies with ranged fire blasts, and then summon my fire jackal when I had scraped together enough will. As it baited and attacked my foes, I was free to scorch them with pillars of flame or area effect infernos. When I got hurt, I couldn’t rely on a few quaffs from a potion to cure my wounds instantly, either. Each of the four characters has some form of healing ability, though they replenish health over time rather than in one instant chunk.

As a gamer who appreciates the action part of action/RPGs, I enjoyed how Dungeon Siege III kept me involved in battles. You don’t reap any benefits from hanging away from combat, so I had to reexamine my usual caster strategy of nuking groups of bad guys, running away, and then turtling as I waited in seclusion for a mana bar to max out again. Instead, I often found myself weaving in and out of groups of enemies, dodging and blocking their attacks as I got my lumps. Each character has two stances, which affect their offensive and defensive abilities. For example, Anjali’s fire form lets her use those powerful flame-based attacks, while her human form focuses more on staff-based physical damage.

Character customization is satisfyingly deep, and players can tweak each character’s abilities through proficiencies. For instance, Anjali’s fire jackal can be tweaked to do more damage or have a bigger pool of hit points. Each ability has five slots for proficiencies, so you have to make some tough decisions. Beyond that, talents offer ability neutral buffs to characters, such as improved healing or additional damage.

In the single-player campaign you fight side-by-side with an AI companion. I found that having Legion swordsman Lucas Montbarron at my side made life significantly easier, thanks to his tanking abilities that complemented my more mage-like skillset. I didn’t have any direct control over Lucas, though I got to upgrade his abilities and equipment. I was surprised (and impressed) by the amount of autonomy he displayed. He used his various abilities effectively, waiting for enemies to cluster together before attacking groups with his special sword slashes, or making sure that the area was clear before attempting to revive me if I was down. He even picked up gold on his own at the end of skirmishes, though he left the loot on the ground.

Alas, loot management is a major weak spot, which is a problem for a game that showers players with all manner of weapons, armor, and goodies. Weapons are ranked in a variety of attribute-enhancing categories, but optimizing between piles of gear can quickly become a headache. You can compare items against what you have equipped, but you can’t sort your gear according to different bonuses, which would have been a tremendous help. After a few hours, I stopped looking forward to incrementally better gear, which is a problem when nearly every chest or enemy encounter fills your sack with more. If you like playing with a spreadsheet in your lap, however, more power to you.

Multiplayer is a big draw for Dungeon Siege III, and it’s handled fairly well. Players are tethered to one another, whether in the two-player local co-op or through four-player online matches. Because of the small size of some of the areas, it can feel constraining at times – especially when there isn’t consensus on which direction to explore next. It’s also easy to lose your character amid the various spell effects and trap displays. It doesn’t help matters when the targeting system occasionally has a mind of its own; in a few battles I aimed at where I thought the enemies were and hoped for the best.

The story didn’t bowl me over, but I enjoyed the setting and characters. Obsidian brings a neat steampunk vibe to the proceedings, with automatons, firearms, and graphical embellishments that make the world feel unique without being self-conscious about it. You can check most of the usual fantasy settings off your list, too, such as a haunted forest, frozen wasteland, and murky swamp, but there are enough little touches to keep it interesting. For instance, as you make your way across a mountain pass, enemy cannons are firing on you, striking your party and causing the occasional rockslide. It makes the world feel more dynamic, which is great.

I recommend Dungeon Siege III to anyone who wants to connect with friends and kill a whole mess of monsters together. Thanks to the strong AI, even the single-player campaign is worth a look if you can’t wrangle up a party. It’s one of the best hack-and-slash options out there for consoles, and it’s no slouch on the PC front, either.

Link Invades Minecraft In Zelda Adventure

2011-06-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

We've posted a ton of Minecraft mods since the remarkable game's inception, but this is the first that really resembles a game. Minecraft modder Gary520 has crafted a world inspired by The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past, complete with memorable locations, weapons, and of course, Link.

Gary520 says we can expect over 10 hours of gameplay, 8 dungeons, and tons of secrets. Check out the trailer below:

New Portal 2 Levels Available With $140 PC Peripheral

2011-06-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Are you a diehard Portal 2 fan who also loves crazy new gaming controllers? Ten brand new PC levels of the critically adored puzzler are being included with Razer’s $140 Hydra peripheral, a spherical motion-sensing controller.

The new levels have been crafted by Sixense Studios to take advantage of the Hydra’s unique control methods. Rock, Paper, Shotgun doesn’t believe this is the previously mentioned free DLC Valve announced for this Summer, but it’s still new Portal 2, and that’s something. Anybody with some spare dough thinking of picking up this pricey new toy?

Report: PlayStation Vita To Use Skype

2011-06-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Microsoft may have just bought Skype, but Kinect might not be the only device using the Internet voice-communication service. Could PlayStation Vita also use Skype?

GameGeneration took the above photo showing the Skype logo shown in conjunction with Vita during a Brazilian PlayStation conference. We're not really sure of the context of the slide, but we're sure that the logo being there isn't a coincidence, either.

The PSP supports Skype, and before visions of cats and dogs getting married runs through your head, it's not far-fetched to see the Microsoft-owned Skype continue its current relationships – even if it's with a Microsoft competitor like Sony. After all, why not take Sony's money?

Shadows of the Damned

2011-06-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

This Goofy Thrill Ride To The Depths Of Hell Plays Like Heaven

Shadows of the Damned is not shy about its inspirations. Early in the game protagonist Garcia Hotspur proclaims that he and his traveling skull companion Johnson are making “our very own road movie.” Like the grindhouse films that it pays homage to, Shadows of the Damned is vulgar, violent, over-the-top, and way more fun than it should be. This is Resident Evil 4 rewritten by a 12-year-old obsessed with d--- jokes. As it turns out, that’s a good thing.

In the opening moments of Shadows of the Damned, Garcia’s apartment is invaded by demonic forces that drag away his girlfriend, Paula. The tattoo-covered hero swears vengeance and jumps through a portal to Hell. Garcia’s journey takes him through multiple colorful regions of the underworld, from a Mexican marketplace to a racy red light district.

Throughout the eight-hour adventure, Garcia and his buddy trade boneheaded one-liners that would have had me groaning if they weren’t presented with such straight-faced glee. Despite being the hero, Garcia is a dimwit who chuckles at his own horrible jokes and stumbles into enemy traps constantly. Plenty of games with dumb writing use self-awareness as an excuse, but Shadows of the Damned isn’t just aware of its stupidity, it embraces immaturity with an abandon that I can’t help but respect. It doesn’t seem like Grasshopper considered any situation too outrageous or any line of dialogue too goofy to include.

Grasshopper Manufacture scored a major victory by getting help from Resident Evil mastermind Shinji Mikami. Unlike previous Suda51-developed games, polished, rarely frustrating gameplay backs up the off-the-wall insanity. Mikami’s classic, over-the-shoulder third-person shooter style is present, but now you can move at the same time. Whether you’re fighting a giant Frankenstein creature with a huge spotlight on its head or a tiny demon wearing spike-covered armor that rolls toward you as a ball, Garcia has enough grace and speed to survive any situation.

Despite his bravado, this demon hunter doesn’t spend all his time shooting up the legions of Hell. Each level contains a handful of interesting puzzles, most of which involve manipulating light and dark. If a room is enveloped in shadow, Garcia’s health will slowly drain until he leaves that region or fills the room with light by shooting a goat head. Other brain-teasers involve moving platforms around a room to form paths and hunting down keys in the form of brains that you feed to demon babies. It only takes a couple of minutes to solve these problems, but enough of them are spread throughout the game to provide a change of pace when you tire of shooting.

Both the puzzles and the combat are aided by an ever-growing arsenal of new weapons and tools. For example, halfway through the game, Garcia receives the ability to place light mines with his pistol. In combat, he can stick mines on an enemy and then shoot them for an explosion that damages both the unlucky demon and any surrounding baddies. In exploration, the mines can be detonated on certain walls and rocks to discover hidden areas. Each upgrade provides similarly inventive new approaches to combat and tactics for dealing with the oversized boss encounters.

The only major flaws in Shadows of the Damned come in a few frustrating late-game scenarios where you’re put in arena fights against an absurd number of opponents, and a handful of chase sequences where Garcia is instantly killed if caught by a pursuer. I was also saddened to discover that there’s no new game-plus option. Given the huge number of upgrades, I wanted to restart the game as a powered-up *** on a higher difficulty.

Shadows of the Damned is unapologetically adolescent, but instead of trying to be cutely ironic and wink at players, the humor comes off as genuine, playful, and fun. Even if you don’t find the idea of a sniper rifle called “the Big Boner” funny, you should still enjoy the solidly designed shooting and bit of thought required to play the game. Grasshopper has finally come into its own, and I hope it carries this momentum (and Mikami) forward to whatever project is next.

Screenshots:

Report: Valve Planning Free-To-Play Title

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last week Valve announced that its Steam service would be hosting its first free-to-play games, and now there's a report that the company is preparing its own free-to-play project.

In an interview with French site Barre De Vie, Doug Lombardi, vice president of marketing for Valve, said simple, "Yes" when asked whether Valve was working on its own free-to-play project.

Lombardi could be referring to Valve's own Dota 2. While Valve certainly hasn't stated that Dota 2 would or wouldn't be free-to-play, you would have to think that the company knows that League of Legends has been successful as a F2P title. League of Legends is developed by one of the original DotA: Allstars creators, Steve "Guinsoo" Feak, at Riot Games.

Dota 2 is set to release sometime this year.

West And Zampella's Activision Lawsuit Likely Headed To Trial

2011-06-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

When former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella left Activision a number of lawsuits were thrown around from both parties. West and Zampella claimed that Activision's alleged wrongful termination cost the duo more than $125 million in royalties. Activision presented a countersuit accusing them of being "self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain." According to The Hollywood Reporter, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled that the Infinity Ward co-founders have sufficient claims and the lawsuit may be taken to court.

A settlement is still possible, however if neither party is willing to step down a trial could be forthcoming.

Insomniac Chooses Winners For All 4 One Skin Design Contest

2011-06-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Insomniac has selected the winners of its skin design contest for Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One. The four-player co-op title is due out on October 18.

Taking first place is Alejandro David Gonzalez from Texas, who skinned the creature for his skin design. This and all the other winners will appear in All 4 One this fall as a free download.

Check out the other winners on the PlayStation Blog. You can also find the honorable mentions gallery here.