Smooth Town

Review: Paramore by Paramore

2013-04-24T23:40:00.002-05:00

Remember when Paramore was alive back in 2009? Neither do I but I needed a seguey that shows how irrelevant they were for the past four years. Well, I messed up this part of the sequey so I'll just continue, Paramore is back with their new self titled album and I gotta that it's really.... and I mean really... well, different. That's not to say that it's bad, it's actually really good and I recommend it to any Paramore fan. Meldal-Johnsen said it best; "the album [sounds] very visceral and a little bit less locked down and computerized, more 1981 than 2012, with a nod to 2016. "Well, let's not delay and do what I do best, make fun of people and still be awesome. Now, let's really get into the music.

You hear that? That's the sound of Fast In My Car, or specifically, the sound of electronics and good old fashioned Hayley Williams doing her Hayley Williams vocals. Ah, it's good to hear her voice again but in such a forgettable song. I mean, the song really shows off what you're getting into but you probably won't remember anything except the chorus.

Oh look, it's their first single Now. You may not know it, but there was a pun in there. Anyway, I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it, it reminds me a bit of Misery Business and Ignorance with the way Hayley Williams sings the verses and chorus. The instruments in the song are actually pretty trippy and that's not a bad thing. I admit, it takes a few listens to get use the song but you'll like it soon enough. They all do. Heheheh...

Grow Up sounds like something off of Bruno Mars' Unorthadox Jukebox (Note to self: Review that album in 2023 when Youtube goes back up or at least when someone gets that reference). As I was saying, Grow Up sounds a bit like something from The Police or Bruno Mars but with Paramore's own unique spin. I like this song, I honestly do but "for the most part" (it's a line from the song, get it?) it takes some time getting use to but soon enough you'll be humming that chorus to yourself.

If there's something about Paramore I like it would be the catchy choruses and Daydreaming isn't "the only exception" (I love it when you groan at my puns, it increases my power level). Daydreaming sounds really nice and smooth, almost as if it could be used for a movie soundtrack... Oh wait.

There are three interludes in this album, a bit overkill but they're about a minute long so whatever. Moving On is the first of these interludes and it's a change of pace from the beginning of the album. It's a short and simple song that is quite enjoyable. Now, let's "move on" to the next part of the album.

Yo dawg, I heard you like Paramore and the 1980's so they put some 1980's in Paramore to make Ain't It Fun. It's a nice song with a catchy guitar riff and Hayley William's voice sure sounds like something that came from the 1980's (that was a lie, I meant 2009).
Part II is a good song. No doubt about it, this is one of my favorites, I don't know if it's the odd guitar effects, Hayley's vocals, or the teenager inside of me stating that it understands the song. Or the angst.

Last Hope is forgettable minus the "let it happen" part. Next.

Now this is probably my number one song of the album, Still Into You has that right blend of teenage angst, feeling, and decent sounding instruments accompanied by a pretty catchy hook. Good thing this song is a single (place light-hearted happiness here).

Anklebiters is a pretty catchy song and it's really fun to listen to.

The next interlude is basically the same as Moving On. Holiday still has that ukulele/ Hayley solo thing going on; the interlude is pretty "meh".

Hate to See Your Heart Break is also pretty forgettable.

(One of Those) Pretty Girls is a pretty nice song, at least at first. This song's crescendo just doesn't work at that well, it's pretty distracting if anything but the rest of the song is pretty good.

Now for the last interlude, I'm Not Angry Anymore is probably the weakest of the interludes but it does it's job well; it's the last interlude and it's just there to mark the end.

Be Alone should have been placed somewhere else in the album but as a song, it's alright, I guess. After listening to Paramore for so long, I just start to lose interest. But when I do want to listen to Paramore, I make sure to put this song somewhere in a playlist if not for that hook.

Oh boy, Future is a doozy. For one, it's almost eight freaking minutes long which wouldn't be a bad thing but the song really overstays it's welcome even if it is the last song. The intro bores me and about three minutes in, I start to just waste away but it does start to pick up. The song just feels powerful, I'm not exactly sure how to word it but it feels like an epiphany for your ear... then you realize that it's just an annoying neighbor trying to tell you how it feels to chew an old piece of 5Gum.

Paramore's self titled is good... for the most part; the album could have done without a few songs while other songs really freaking over stay their welcome but when a song is good, it's really good. Although I do have to say that if you weren't a fan of Paramore before this album then it probably won't win you over but there are a few songs that might be worth a listen.

Review: DmC: Devil May Cry

2013-02-21T11:37:00.003-06:00

Devil May Cry, a series known for their cocky, sword swinging protagonist Dante is back. It's a whole new game and a complete reboot of the series. Instead of continuing the franchise with a sequel, Capcom decided to start completely fresh. With a new look for Dante, and a new campaign, DmC: Devil May Cry hopes to take hack and slash genre to a whole new level.

It was heard on the various gaming websites, before the game was officially released, that fans weren't too happy about the new visualization of Dante. Nostalgia perhaps (most definitely), but his style does somewhat fit his character. Dante's a man with a douche attitude at first, with no real regard for others. It's not really explained why during the game, but it's the same old personality that Dante in the original series had. He soon meets a girl with unnaturally big eyes, and later on, he meets his brother and old nemesis, Vergil. Well, old in the sense that he was in the older Devil May Cry series. There's a big baddie causing havoc in town, and it's up to them to stop the big baddie and save the world. It's a pretty generic story, with a generic twist and a predictable ending, but it is to be expected since it's a reboot. Devil May Cry is not for the faint of heart, as there will be f bombs dropped everywhere. It also doesn't help that the dialogue is corny as well. There are some moments where Dante just needs to shut up instead of spitting out his terrible one liners. Then there are other times where he does some amusing stuff. Some things just never change.

Dante does most of his fighting in Limbo, in Limbo City. The city is secretly run by vile demons, controlling the humans who populate the area. With the help of Kat, Dante fights his way through Limbo, slashing and cutting his way for the better of humanity. Dante has quite a bit of toys at his disposal, and it's where the game is really great. Dante can switch weapons on the fly. His sword behaves as his normal weapon, which is balanced by his demonic and angelic weapons. It's suits Dante's half-angel half-demon breed. These unique weapons can be used at any time, even while you're comboing with Dante's regular sword. The red, demon weapons are slow and powerful, while the blue weapons are quick and great for crowd control. The simple transition from one weapon to the next is beautiful. I've really come to love the big, open areas of the game, because you know demons will be about, and their heads just need to be smashed.

There's a simple score on the top right corner of the screen that notes how well you're doing in combat. It's dependent on how well you transition between your weapons, and rewards you for varying your attacks. The length of your combos also play a great factor to the score. The nice, satisfying bark of the announcer let's you know if you're keeping it stylish. If you want more of a challenge, you can find secret doors hidden intricately inside a level, as long as you find the key to the room. These rooms offer a variety of challenges. Some may involve killing enemies in a certain way, or under a time limit, while others are a race from one point to the other. DmC: Devil May Cry gradually adds new weapons for your arsenal as you play through the game. You can upgrade these weapons and add new combos during the start or end of each mission, or at statues during the break of combat. Although at first the upgrade list seems pretty long, if you you play the game well enough, you'll have more than enough upgrade points to spend on whatever you want. The red orbs collected off enemies, or from the lost souls gasping from the walls, are used for buying items, whether they be for health, or for a quick revival should you die in battle.

The campaign is quite short, at just under the 7 hour mark on the normal difficulty. As a result, there are a number of difficulty modes to extend the length of the game. There are also rewards for doing a number of achievements or tasks. They reward you with concept art. Completing the game on the normal difficulty unlocks new costumes and hairdos for Dante, as well as preserving your equipment and upgrades if you wish to complete the campaign again. For the first play through, it's kind of an annoyance not having these abilities available, because there are some items in certain levels that are unreachable. Not to mention, you may accidentally advance the story when you're exploring the area for secret gems, and will be unable to go back unless you redo the whole mission.

This has to be one of the most optimized games for the PC. Kudos to Ninja Theory and QLOC. The game can be run at frame per seconds well exceeding 60, even for the much lower end graphics cards. Fortunately, the game still looks great. Each setting in limbo is a demonic, demented depiction of something you would see in real life. The opening level, with Dante traversing through the haunted house in the carnival was awesome. And it only gets better. The boss fights, although a little too simple, with their easily recognizable patters, are still epic. The environment moves and shakes along with the demonic world, with the music rocking in the background, along with some of the most creative boss scenes. All around just a great experience technically wise.

I honestly didn't know if Capcom was going to pull this off. The doubts about rebooting the series with a completely new look for Dante was troubling, but Capcom and Ninja Theory pulled through. The story isn't that special, and the characters can be a little obnoxious, but the game shines where it's supposed to shine, during the combat. Slicing through enemies has never been easier or more satisfying, and Limbo invokes such a spooky yet intriguing platform to base the entire game on. As a result, DmC: Devil May Cry gets a 4/5 from me.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Is Coming To PCs & Next-Gen Consoles In 2014

2013-02-05T13:57:00.001-06:00

It's funny, still to this day, Game Informer's cover reveals outdo every online gaming website. Still.

This has been a pretty big month for news, huh? We finally learned GTA's release date, we get to see the PS4 in 15 days, we got The Last of Us gameplay videos and we're getting closer and closer to E3. Looks like this confirms that next-gen consoles will be revealed this year and most likely launching in the fall/winter.

But I digress, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final Witcher game and is the end of a trilogy. From the sound of it, CD Projekt RED is ending the series with a bang. Not only is the world 40 times larger than The Witcher 2; it's 20% larger than Skyrim (with no loading screens!), each land will have their own storyline and weather will play a big part in the game. The last part is something I'm interested about because very few titles have been able to incorporate weather into something more than a static effect.

One of the more interesting features is the ability to read up on enemies, learn their weak points and perform critical attacks on them. It finally gives notes, books, etc. more meaning than just expanding lore.

You can look for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt next year on whatever Sony/Microsoft decides to name their next systems and PC.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Came Out Today

2013-02-05T13:42:00.002-06:00

Because I'm sure very few of you remember.

Review: Warm Bodies

2013-02-02T11:44:00.000-06:00

I thought this was going to be "Twilight" but with zombies, boy, was I wrong. Sure, there are plot elements of love and all that mushy stuff but this movie is more than that. Warm Bodies is funny (funnier than most "comedies"), it's emotional, it's intense, and it's certainly worth paying full price to see.

It stars a zombie (we'll call him Rrrr to avoid spoilers and it's what most of the zombies say) that just wants to find his place in the world because zombies are capable of having at least a little bit of thought. It also stars a girl named Julie that goes off to find cures with her group of friends until they run into the undead. Rrrr suddenly likes Julie for some odd reason that isn't explained very well, and so the rest of the movie is what happens when Rrrr tries to form a relationship with Julie. The story gets so much better as the movie goes on but there are some elements like these evil zombie type creatures that don't really get much attention but that's alright because this movie is about Rrrr and Julie.

The CGI is cool, too bad they're not that important.

The characters themselves are great, Rrrr is a terrific zombie actor and Julie is alright, just alright. Yeah, some of the acting is odd but overall, it's not terrible. The supporting cast though, oh man, they're great. Rrrr's best zombie friend is genuinely funny and a great perfomer, the same can go for Julie's friends.

The sound track in Warm Bodies actually sets the mood perfectly even though the music mostly boils down to old love songs from the 80's. Although, some of the mixing is weird and it can even be distracting when some of the music gets louder than the characters.

Warm Bodies is a great movie with great characters, witty dialogue, and it knows what it wants to be. It never takes itself too seriously and new abilities given to the zombies makes for some great zombie lore. The movie is definitely worth watching.

Review: "good kid, m.A.A.d city" by Kendrick Lamar

2013-01-16T23:24:00.001-06:00

Ah, rap, my old friend, you have returned from your journey. Let's welcome Compton native, Kendrick Lamar's album, "good kid, m.A.A.d city". Released on the 22nd of October 2012, the album has received great reviews and is an album that can kinda bring you back to the 90s with some gangsta rap vibes. The two singles off the album are "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and "The Recipe" featuring legendary producer and rapper, Dr. Dre. So let's not waste anymore time talking about background, let's get into this album.

The album covers a variety of topics that most rappers would cover; girls, violence, and real world problems. The core to any rapper, but that isn't meant to be a slam against rappers, it's just a common thing. I guess I'm really going into this album blind, I've never listened much of Kendrick prior to this album, all of his mixtapes are just unheard by me.

One of the things I love about this album are the beats, a lot of the songs feature some catchy beats that will probably get stuck in your head for awhile. When I first heard Lamar about a year or so ago, I wasn't really crazy about him, which is why I never explored any of his mixtapes, and the main reason for that was that I didn't like his voice a whole lot. Listening through this album has changed my perspective of his voice and it really has grown on me a bit.

As for the songs themselves, there are a lot of hits on the album. Personally, my favorite might be "Backseat Freestyle" or "Swimming Pools." I've given this album a lot of playing time on Spotify and I wound up listening to it on repeat many times. The album has really grown on me over time and I truly enjoy it, something I can't say for a lot of newer rap albums nowadays. There are a few songs that I could do without on the album, but that is bound to happen with just about anything.The entire album really takes me back to 90s rap, I can't say that's gonna happen with everyone who listens to the album, but that's just how I feel about it.

Like I said in the previous paragraph, there are a few songs that don't really do it for me, but the good ones really outweigh the not-so-good ones. I do enjoy every track on the album, but there are the less memorable ones that get played less compared to others. Lamar really put out a solid album and I am pretty excited to see what else he can do. He's still young and has nothing, but time ahead of him. Personally, I'd love to see his stuff get played on the radio all the time compared to some of the other music that gets blasted on the radio. Kendrick's album seems like another big step forward in quality rap and I hope he can continue dropping tracks.

I'll say that this album may not be for everyone and I'd suggest at least giving the album a couple listens before you really judge it. If you truly like it, go out and buy the deluxe album, I promise you won't regret it. I'll leave you with my rating and I'll catch you guys later...

Review: FTL: Faster Than Light

2013-01-16T23:08:00.002-06:00

FTL: Faster Than Light is a spaceship RTS game developed by Subset Games that was released in September 2012. Faster Than Light is a magical game that starts out loving and fun then quickly jumps to making you want to rip apart your computer, start to burn it all while cursing the Mantis race. Now, the last portion of that sentence probably made no sense once so ever. You'd have to play the game to understand I suppose.

While the game can look very basic, I can reassure you, it isn't. It isn't a hard game to pick up, but it can be pretty difficult to play at times. Once you start to figure out how to play, the game truly becomes rewarding as you learn from your mistakes, jumping sector to sector. As you journey through space, you encounter different kind of people, some good, some bad, some completely horrible monsters that should never exist.

One of the most painful features in the game is that when you die, you die for good, there is no going back, no fixing your mistakes, just plain, simple death. If you make a jump thinking you're going to help people when really it's just an ambush, there's no going back from that, you have to fight your way out or die trying. Though, there are some encounters that will give you supplies such as fuel, missiles, scraps, droids, and other parts, sometimes even crew members.

As you progress through the game, you unlock various ships that have their own special abilities or crew members. If that isn't enough to make you keep playing, then the music will surely do that. The soundtrack for FTL is really one of the main reasons I keep playing. It's just perfectly chill and calm, it can pick up during your epic space battles, then go back down to really making you feel like you're in space. If you really think about it, it can be quite sad, to know you're basically alone in space, running from the Federation as you fight pirates and try to upgrade your ship for whatever onslaught awaits you.

I haven't really covered everything this game has to offer, but I feel that if I do, it will ruin some of the surprise and fun. That being said, I absolutely love this game, and I really wish I was smarter when I played it, but I make terrible mistakes over and over again that ends up getting everyone killed because I'm a bad space captain. Needless to say, I would recommend picking this game up, even if the idea doesn't appeal to you, at least give the soundtrack a listen. FTL ranks pretty high up in my favorite indie games and my favorite games of all time. If you're interested in buying this game, it's only $10 at the official website here and the same on Steam. The soundtrack is an extra 4 bucks on Steam and $5 on the artist's bandcamp here. After writing this, I feel like playing some FTL, but I don't feel like staying up till 5 am playing it...but I probably will. Until next time, I'll leave you guys with the rating

Diablo III patch 1.07 details revealed

2013-01-15T06:36:00.002-06:00

A preview for the 1.07 build of Blizzard's loot-driven RPG, Diablo III, have emerged on battle.net

While Blizzard confirmed Team Deathmatch mode had been scrapped a few weeks ago, a PvP mode is coming in 1.07 in the form of Duelling.

Dueling is a free-for-all battle system, currently supporting up to four players and taking place at 'The Scorched Chaple', a new area designed specifically for PvP. To enter the PvP arena, players must speak with Nek the Brawler at the inn in New Tristram where they'll be transported to the chaple. Blizzard claim they want the system to be "as simple and straightforward as possible", so there are no penalties (or rewards) for taking part. Death is not permanent (even for Hardcore characters) and you don't take any durability damage while there. Instead, Duelling is more about "kicking ass and taking names in a no-holds-barred sort of way".

It sounds to me like the lack of any real incentive to play might exclude all but those desperate to prove their might (read: those who've spent the most time in the auction house). But we'll have to wait and see.

There's no release date, though it can't be far away now the preview is up.

Head over to battle.net for all the details.

CDProjekt RED release Cyberpunk 2077 teaser

2013-01-11T10:44:00.001-06:00

CDProjekt RED, the team behind fantasy action RPG series 'The Witcher', have released a teaser for their upcoming new title 'Cyberpunk 2077'.

And what a teaser! Possibly one of the finest, most cinematic and most intriguing gaming teasers in years. Watch it now!

According to a hidden message within the trailer, Cyberpunk 2077 will be "a story-heavy, nonlinear, open world RPG based on the well known Cyberpunk pen&paper system and setting." Maybe it was hidden so Bioware couldn't read it...

There's also a reference to an announcement on February 5th. The Witcher 3, perhaps?

Based on a Polish book series of the same name, the Witcher and its sequel have found critical and commercial success thanks to its high attention to detail in terms of narrative and gameplay. Player choice is a recurring feature, offering significantly different outcomes depending on their decisions made.

Hopefully, Cyberpunk 2077 will feature the same deep characterisation that CDProjekt Red do best. I'd keep an eye on this one.

Review: Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers

2013-01-11T00:54:00.006-06:00

"You know what we need? More music reviews from Alink!" said no one, ever. Well anyways, I don't think the Red Hot Chili Peppers need any introduction besides that Stadium Arcadium came four years after their By the Way album (which is a pretty long time in the music business). Stadium Arcadium was certainly quite different from anything else the Peppers have released but that's not a bad thing. Well without further ado, let's get into the review.

CD 1 - Jupiter

To start off this double album, we have a classic, Dani California. This one song is basically a rundown of what you're gonna hear in this album; great vocals from Athony Kiedis, simple but catchy drums beats from Chad Smith, kick ass bass lines from Flea, and the superb guitar skills of John Frusciante (I almost ran out of synonyms for "good" there).

Oh look, it's that song that I'll never learn how to play perfectly on guitar, Snow (Hey Oh). Besides guitar that requires a lot of stamina, the song also shows John's and Anthony's vocal harmonies which goes without saying that the vocals are beautiful.

Charlie is another song that demonstrates the vocal duo of John and Anthony, the song also shows off Flea's epic basslines (especially in that final stanza).

Now for the song, Stadium Arcadium. Get it, cause Stadium Arcadium is the name of the album and- yeah. Anyway, this song isn't for everyone; some people might find it boring and such but it's a very pretty song. I'd suggest listening to it at least twice.

Hump de Bump baffles me as why it's a single, it's not a terrible song but there are much better ones. I honestly don't like this song that much but I wouldn't skip over it. It's just a weird song, the trumpets in the song seem a bit random and the vocals are just- odd.

She's Only 18 has a catchy bass and guitar track. That's pretty much it.

Slow Cheetah is another one of those songs that people might find boring but it's another beautiful song. The vocals, acoustic guitar, and bass really make this good. The ending is also one of the most beautiful instrumentals the Peppers have ever done.

Oh god how I love the bass line for Torture Me. The song itself is very energetic but the vocals could be better and the bridge is just out of place but other than that, the song is good especially that chorus.

Strip My Mind is another one of those "boring" songs but again, it's... not beautiful. I mean, it's alright, I guess. The song is forgettable. Next.

Especially in Michigan is also kind of forgettable. Kind of. The vocals just grab my attention and the guitar is really amazing in this song.

Warlocks is a pretty funky song; funk isn't my kind of music but I still kind of like this song. The bass is really poppy and the vocals are also pretty nice.

C'mon Girl is an awesome song, the bass and guitar tracks are just incredible together and the vocals just add that little something to make the song better.

Wet Sand is another beautiful song with acoustic guitar and amazing vocals from both John and Anthony. It's a beautiful song with real lyrical meaning.

Hey is a boring song to end the first disc on. Oh well.

CD 2 - Mars

Another slow song to start the next CD? Yes, except Desecration Smile is a good song. I guess you could say that Stadium Arcadium has a lot of "White guy with acoustic guitar" songs.

Tell Me Baby is my favorite out of the entire double album, the intro gives a short acoustic intro but then BAM, rap rock. The guitar solos in this song are pretty good and not to mention that eargasmic bass line. Anthony's vocals sound just a bit forced but it's not that bad.

Hard to Concentrate is another one of my favorites from this album. Yes, it's a slow song but it's a love song and a pretty unique one at that. The bass line is just so amazing, the guitar really adds to the ambiance, and Anthony's vocals are just perfect.

21st Century, She Looks to Me, Readymade, If, Make You Feel better, Animal Bar, and So Much I are alright songs. Just alright. Readymade and Animal Bar have some catchy riffs and catchy vocals but that's pretty much it. See, I just saved you a few minutes. You're welcome.

Storm in a Teacup is one of the weirdest songs I've ever heard. It's just really cheesy but upbeat, I smile every time I hear this song because of how odd it is.

We Believe and Turn It Again are other "just alright" songs.

Finally we have Death of a Martian, now this is a good finale to an album. The song is weird but it also has a good vibe going for it. The ending to the song is something I could only do in my dreams, everything in the song is great. Freaking awesome. And that's it.

So there we have it, Stadium Arcadium. Alright alright, I know I made more than half of the double album sound like they're not worth listening to but I'm telling you now, listen to at least one of the CD's in this double album; if you liked one CD then you'll love the other. Stadium Arcadium is very unique and it definitely is worth buying. Unless you like Blood on the Dancefloor. You monster.

Be sure to check out my band here.

Here's A Look At Tomb Raider's Multiplayer

2013-01-08T17:12:00.004-06:00

First behind the scenes look at Tomb Raider's, ~~oft-feared to be tacked on~~, multiplayer mode. While a lot of it does look like standard fare, the inclusion of traps and a vertical landscape might make this worthwhile. All in all, this doesn't look Bioshock 2 bad, but let's hope there are no multiplayer achievements.

Do we really need Half Life 3?

2013-01-07T15:18:00.000-06:00

Valve are a very smart company. Owning the biggest distribution platform in gaming and a number of platinum selling IPs, it's clear that, if nothing else, they know how to sell product.

I hesitate to say "they know how to please their fans" because arguably their most famous and critically lauded series, Half Life, has been awaiting a threequel for over 5 years now (8 if you don't count its episodic follow ups) and, despite countless rumors, it's yet to even be officially announced.

Indeed, there's nothing to say this game will ever even appear.

But Valve are a very smart company. I mean, if nothing else, they can sell product. And given the fan base Half Life already has, another entry will surely be in the works.

My personal longing for a sequel to one of my favorite games has brought me to question a number of aspects about the hopes and expectations we have for our beloved games series. What will it have to be to satisfy me? Will satisfying me be enough? Do I need to be wowed? Would I prefer a 'safer' game that won't create a blight on a great franchise, and by appropriation reduce the value of its predecessors, or something more daring?

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder?

To talk explicitly about Half Life 3 it seems, by this point, Valve are deep into Duke Nukem Forever territory, where no matter what they come up with it won't be worth the wait. Obviously, they were never going to please every single person. But expectations will be so high by time the finished product arrives that unless it's better than the best game ever (which is Commandos 2, I believe), many will be disappointed.

With that thought, would it be so bad if Half Life 3 never arrived?

Certainly, the remaining strands of the Half Life series would never be tied up and I expect this is what would pain most fans (being starved of a proper farewell to their beloved characters could create a cavernous wound). Also, for some, Half Life is the quintessential shooter experience, melding game play and storyline better than any other. Nobody wishes for a good thing to meet its end, not least their favorite thing. Why stem the progression of a series in its infancy, with so much untapped potential?

If we forget about Half Life for a moment and consider everything else Valve can offer, Half Life 3 seems like less of a necessity. If Valve only made Half Life games we never would have been introduced to the world of Portal or Left for Dead or Team Fortress or Counter Strike. For all we know, Half Life 3 could be holding Valve from creating more fantastic original ideas. Holding them from creating something that would make the Half Life series look like Sarah Jessica Parker (or something equally tragic). I'd rather have the disappointment of a game undelivered than a game which wasn't worth waiting for.

Here's a simplistic for and against:-

For:

We love Half Life and want to play more of it.

We've waited so long for it that if it never arrived we'd feel cheated.

We need to find out what happened after Eli was shot.

It would stimulate my pathetic, erotic desires?? (#nextgenalyxvance)

Against:

Revolution may be preferred over evolution (a new game series rather than a new game in a series)

The risk of disappointment.

Valve have already jerked us around for so long that if they released it now it would be an insult?

Aside from the Alyx Vance point, I can't really see that compelling an argument in the 'for' category...

Alright, alright. We need Half Life 3. But to address my earlier concern, what do we need it to be?

As developers of modern triple A titles are under such pressure to recoup the high production costs, they must deliver something that is going to appeal to the masses. The thorns of risk, originality and creativity, those which are quite necessary in the development of a beautiful flower, are cut away in the mass production process, fading scent and vibrancy with them.

What I mean is, EA couldn't mass market a game like, say, Hotline Miami, because the public would say "what is this?", "why is there blood in a baby's game?" and "I didn't know they still made Game Boy Color games?". If Valve don't market something that the public (fan or not) will accept, they won't make as much money. And what 'the people' want from a game is arguably not what 'the die-hard fan' wants from a game. To achieve the biggest revenue, Valve will have to try and straddle both audiences and I hope this doesn't come at the expense of the game's overall 'quality'.

Of course, there isn't any reason that Valve should produce a game like Hotline Miami, a game that looks and feels like an indie title. But an AAA game that cares nothing for what is popular and instead tries to be something with vitality, spark and integrity? Well, that could interesting. I don't want to come across as some sort of video game snob, I don't believe there is anything inherently wrong with the most commercial or successful games (indeed, Half Life 2 is one of them!). I just hope, for everybody's sake, that Valve release something truly inventive, and truly memorable, regardless of its 'marketability'.

Yes, I'd take Hotline Miami over many of last year's AAA titles. But I wouldn't take it over Half Life 2.

Half Life 2 was a real 'right game, right time' kind of deal for me. For all the double package of that and Counter Strike: Source left me dominating (or being owned in) the latter for a longer period, playing through the story of City 17's 'One Free Man' had a bigger impact on my impressionable, 15 year old mind. What is fascinating is how invested we can become, and how hurt we can be should a game fail us. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but to have waited so long for Half Life 3 for it never to arrive would be quite devastating to me.

Quite naturally, Valve will want to create the biggest and best Half Life game yet. And, quite naturally, this is what we expect to receive. So, if Half Life 3 is very much Half Life 2, with better graphics, AI, Story, and a new 'mechanic' to play with (firing those saw blades with the gravity gun in Ravenholm - good times), I'd be pleased with that. If Valve give me a great game that wouldn't be out of place on a next generation system (which is, incidentally, THE VERY FRIGGIN' LEAST I EXPECT!) I can be happy with that. Even if it isn't groundbreaking.

If it's another walk in Gordon Freeman's shoes, another chance to save the day. Something dramatic. Something heartfelt. I could live with that. I could live with that...

P.S. The reason for the lack of announcements is probably in no small part due to Gabe Newell's personal embarrassment over the whole "we're going to ship [Half Life 2] on September 30, 2003" declaration he made in March of that year. Half Life 2 was released on November 16th, 2004.

Review: Total Extreme Wrestling 2013 (PC)

2013-01-05T21:16:00.000-06:00

After Grey Dog Software announced the next entry in the Total Extreme Wrestling simulator franchise, I immediately sweated with excitement. Could the developers possibly top what was already a fantastic game in Total Extreme Wrestling -- also known as TEW -- 2010? How would the developer grow the series after working through other games such as World of Mixed Martial Arts 3 and Comic Book Hero?

The only sure way to find out was to load up TEW 2013 and experience every single aspect the game had to offer myself. Right off the bat, you find yourself able to jump into the updated Cornell-Verse, which is the fictional world of wrestling created by GDS with its own set of wrestlers, legends and promotions. Personally, I shy away from this built-in mod mainly because it's always tough for me to book shows with these custom wrestlers and expect long-term emotional investment. Instead, I tried out the game's ability to transfer previous mods and successfully carried over a real-world mod from TEW 2010 and started a new game with that data. Granted, this mod wouldn't necessarily capture everything TEW 2013 had to offer perfectly, but without any expansive and concrete real-world mod at the time of the review, it was a fairly minute impediment.

So, I had finally started up the mod -- changed a few things in the database to fix some loading errors -- and chose the WWE promotion to get myself familiar with the game mechanics as quickly as possible without worrying about booking some unfamiliar names. Already, the main internet screen is hugely improved with all of the wrestling headlines placed on the right side of the screen. Clicking on these numbered stories brings up an expanded story on the top left with the option to either click the story to read a show's result or a worker's image to get to his profile. Below this square is a quick results box that lists all of the wrestling programs that took place the day before with the results only two-clicks away. On the left side of the entire screen in a vertical format are: News Archive, World Diary, Company Wars, Power 500, End of Year Awards and Hall of Immortals. Not much difference from past TEW games except for the Power 500 which is basically like the Top 100 yearly ranking from the past, but with 400 more workers added in for good measure. Even better is that the Power 500 screen tells you the result of previous years either from a drop-down box or by clicking a worker's name and seeing where he or she placed any other year in a list format. GDS promised a friendly user interface with 2013 and thus far, they followed up big-time.

While booking a show, I found out the hard way that the game did indeed change the “Advance Booking” name to a more, stoic “Pre-Booking” label. It still functions the same way, but the use of this option is a little bit more unclear than what it probably should have been. Not only does the game not let you know that Pre-Booking could or could not affect television ratings (by trial and error, I found out that it does affect TV ratings), but when you pre-book a match or angle, you have to then go back into the option and add it in by clicking a button to erase it from the Pre-Booking screens. I mean, in a way this is pretty helpful as you don't have to open up a list of angles, find the angle you want, pick the workers, set the time, etc., but I'm human and sometimes I forget and even if I run the same match or angle I had already pre-booked, it will stay in the Pre-Booking option until I delete it myself. It was one of those rare moments where I felt like I was baby-sitting the game and forced it to pay attention to what I had wanted to do, instead of the game being functional enough to do these things by itself.

I could be here all day if I wanted to just going into depth with all the changes – a ridiculous amount at that --- GDS made for the latest, and greatest, iteration of the TEW series. However, make no bones about it, TEW 2013's changes are all improvements to either the flow of the game, ease of access or general look of it all. Speaking of which, as a TEW veteran, the “Your Office” screen was a bit of a headache to stare at the first couple of times I started passing through the days. I didn't know where to rest my eyes whether it was the top-right corner with the “Email” and “Decision” buttons, the middle portion with a ton of quick access reads such as “Recap Last Show”, “Quick Finance” or “Booker's Advice”, or the bottom layer with its own gaggle of different options. In the 2010 version, you had a simpler and cleaner Control Panel, but once you get the hang of this newer version, it can save you a lot of time elsewhere; this was just a fair warning.

If there was anything I felt TEW 2013 was missing, it may have been the lack of an online component to the game to help share your files with your friends. I mean, previous versions of the game ship with a multi-player aspect in mind but only if it's played in person on the same computer. Is it realistic to assume that the core audience of TEW all live in close enough proximity to share just one computer and take turns playing what already takes hours to play through with just one person? I mean, the only other alternative to play online with friends is to share files through Dropbox or create a message board and post shows there (or use the nifty official TEW '13 forums). As the game says: it's 2013. Creating an online infrastructure for TEW from such a small team may be asking a ton, but even including options to at least have a direct click to the GDS forums (such as, “Post Show Results To GDS Friends List”) would be a monumental step for this wrestling simulator series.

As it stands, Total Extreme Wrestling 2013 is by far the best entry in the long-standing TEW series and the best wrestling simulator to date. In fact, it may rival other sports simulators whether it be the built-in EA GM modes for their FIFA or NBA or Madden games or WWE's attempts at sims. Another fair bit of warning would come by way of the game's hefty price-tag; TEW 2013 will run you $35 USD. I have personally seen a plethora of users ask anyone who paid for the newer versions if the purchases were worth it, and the majority of the time those users said it was, but could it be time for the series to finally drop their standard prices to something more appealing? I get the developer is taking advantage financially of a game that is sure to be in high demand within its niche, but it's still a video-game that is in competition with other video-games that may sometimes be more worthy of that much money such as The Walking Dead (not online, but a Game of the Year worthy experience), Call of Duty (last year's used went for as much during the holidays), or even Minecraft which is huge online. With that being said, TEW 2010 dropped to a nicer $30 and various other GDS developed simulators have gone on sale with TEW 2005 being available for free.

Enough of my quibbling; if you were unsure about whether or not to give in to the price-tag of TEW 2013, let me tell you that TEW 2013 has provided me with the best wrestling sim experience I have ever had the pleasure of playing through and I expect it to for years to come. So, do yourself a favor and head over to the GDS Store and buy this game! Now, if only there were news about a World of Mixed Martial Arts 4 (thank to a reader for the catch)...

My Game of The Year

2013-01-01T18:52:00.002-06:00

The Walking Dead is not only my GOTY, it's also one of the best video games ever made. This is what Heavy Rain was supposed to be and this game affects me how Mass Effect should have. Besides for some choppy animations during cutscenes, The Walking Dead is flawless; Telltale Games have definitely surpassed themselves. When you first meet Clementine, you never expect to grow so attached. When you first meet Kenny, you never expect to go through some of the things you guys will go through.

tl;dr: I could talk for hours about why this game is great and deserves all the praise it's getting, but you should play it. Seriously.

Review: Far Cry 3

2012-12-28T15:22:00.001-06:00

If you ever wondered how it would feel to survive in the jungle, doing whatever you can just to get by, this game probably isn't your fit. It's too unrealistic, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Despite that, hunting down wildlife and taking doing enemy personal by whatever means necessary is good enough, and Far Cry 3 exceeds in that. With so many things to do, so many challenges to complete, and choosing any possible way of getting to your goal in a fun and rewarding matter, it goes to show that you too, can conquer the jungle.

This game is strictly in first person to give off that feeling of immersion. Here's some back story. You play as Jason Brody, a man out on vacation with friends, enjoying life, partying hard, until suddenly everything goes wrong. Your sky diving activity didn't go as planned, and now you and your buddies are captured by slavers, run by a psycho named Vaas. He's ruthless, unforgiving, and strangely interesting, with his insane rants about the psychotic nature of the mind, or your very existence. You barely make it out of the slaver camp alive. With the help of some new found allies, you train yourself to be a warrior so you can to rescue your friends and siblings. In order to do that though, you must first know the island. The Rakyat tribe have been long under the oppression of the slavers, so they raise you as their disciple, as long as you're willing to help them out as well.

Although the sometimes oddly closeups of the people you meet are interesting enough, the story isn't as consistent. Some cut-scenes are very intense and serious, while during other scenes, it seem as if the whole story-line is a joke. Fortunately, these scenes don't show up too often, and they don't hurt the pace of the story.

I grieve for their future

Of course, when you're killing slavers, you do it with a gun, or a knife if you're feeling especially sneaky. And thankfully, unlike Far Cry 2, the slavers don't have x-ray vision. You can rack up the kills without being spotted through thick layers of scenery. If you're about to be detected, the game is smart enough to have an indicator on the top of the screen, telling you where and when you're being spotted. This does not apply to the wildlife, and there is an abundance of them. Creatures roam the land either in packs or singles, and the most deadliest ones are known to surprise you when you least expect it. Quietly sneaking up on an prey with a bow and arrow on hand, in the dense jungle under the morning sun, is truly a wonderful feeling. The animals you slaughter can be skinned, and are used to upgrade quite a number of accessories. You can increase the number of weapons or ammo you can carry, or you can craft syringes with varying effects.

You're truly allowed the explore the entire island at your will. Loot chests are littered everywhere, and may contain money or odd junk that you can sell. The money obtained nets you the ability to purchase additional firearms with a decent amount of customization features. More guns will become free of charge for each radio tower you climb. Scaling these fragile things opens up the map, revealing some goodies to explore or caves to delve in. Far Cry 3 does a good job at distracting you from your main mission. Call of the Rakyat, special hunting missions, and short side missions are a small alternative of the island experience.

Where I think the game truly shines is by how these pieces fit together. Take for instance of you driving along the dusty trail, possibly looking for certain species to hunt. You soon come to find a camp crawling with slavers. As you climb the hill to tag personnel of interest, you suddenly scope out an approaching wild tiger, lurking in the vicinity. You now have a couple of choices. You can attempt to lure the tiger to the camp, and let it do the dirty work, which may cause the slavers to spot you, or you can kill it right there and then. The randomness of the island, along with the ability approach any situation however you want, with each choice being equally satisfying, is what makes Far Cry 3 outstanding.

XP everywhere

With the single player being a super awesome experience, the multiplayer doesn't compliment it as well. Some of the game types are interesting, but there's so few of them. As of right now, there are only 4 game types. Co-op may possibly be even worse. Stealth is completely taken out of the formula, and it feels like a generic shooter, even with the mini games at the end. Multiplayer takes obvious hints from other popular shooters, with the XP obnoxiously flashing on the screen. Seriously, what is up with that. Other than the typical way of earning new weapons by leveling up, for every match, there's a chance of picking up a decoding hardware. You can use these pieces of equipment to gain new customization features and upgrades, but it takes real time for the hardware to be decoded. Some may take up to 8 hours to fully decode. It's a somewhat honest way of keeping the multiplayer portion of the game alive, because like treasure chests, you never know what you're going to get. One small plus is the hilarious ending scenes after a match. Each player who leads their team in points is able to pick a way of either humiliating their opponents or showing respect. After a number of matches, I've come to realize that the community isn't such a good sport.

What more can be said of the graphics. The orange gleam of the rising sun, illuminating the leaves and trees, causing subtle shadows is a sight to behold. The colors do have a sort of unnatural, saturated look to it, but the graphics engine holds up well. It just takes a beast of a PC to run it well on max settings, but there's isn't much of a difference between the max and medium settings. One thing I noticed a lot was the instant thunderstorms when just a second ago there was a clear blue sky. The animals sound believable, and hearing the frightening growl of a leopard hidden in the bushes can pump the heart rate up.

Far Cry 3 delivers on its expectations. You're surrounded by a cast of interesting characters, a large island to explore, filled with wildlife, and an intriguing story to hold your attention. Although the multiplayer comes up a little short, it's not enough to detract Far Cry 3 from being a great game. I give it a 4/5.

Half Life 2 Gravity Gun Replica On Sale in 2013

2012-12-19T13:06:00.000-06:00

From the company that brought you the 1:1 iteration of the iconic Portal Gun, comes a life size replica of Half Life 2's Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator, the Gravity Gun.

Scheduled to be released in Spring 2013, manufacturer NECA have promised that the Gravity Gun will be 'limited', but, 'not as limited as the Portal replicas were'.

I think it's safe to assume the limitations apply to functionality as well as availability (damn you real life physics!) but still, it beats the crowbar I've been playing with since 2004.

Pre-orders will be available via their website soon. In the meantime, check out the sneak peak of the prototype model.

The Unfinished Swan on 12 Deals of Christmas?

2012-12-18T16:15:00.001-06:00

If my suspicions are correct, it looks like The Unfinished Swan could be discounted tomorrow as part of Sony Europe's '12 Deals of Christmas' countdown.

Throughout December a new offer has arrived in the Playstation Store every couple of days, giving consumers a 48 hour window to make their purchase. The artwork for each successive deal is thinly disguised in festive wrapping paper. So, unless Duck Hunt has been re-imagined (now that would be a Christmas miracle), this next swan shaped silhouette can only mean one thing...

The Unfinished Swan has been a huge hit since its release on the PSN in October receiving favorable reviews and achieving a respectable 79/100 score on Metacritic.

The avante garde indie puzzler is set in an entirely blank world where the player is tasked with revealing the surrounding environment by splashing paint upon the canvas. It's as beautiful as it is unique and another firm appeal in the 'video games as art' argument.

If you're yet to 'experience' it, check back at the Playstation store at on Wednesday 19th December to see if you can pick it up at bargain price (or to see if Duck Hunt 3D really has been released!).

P.S. Sorry to all the non-Europeans missing out!

Review: Dogs Eating Dogs by Blink-182

2012-12-17T21:50:00.000-06:00

Most of us must have been very good this year because Blink-182 delivers their newest EP, Dogs Eating Dogs in time for the holidays; and I must say, it's pretty damn good... If you liked Blink's Neighborhoods and Self-titled album. The EP blends together a bit of Tom DeLonge's other bands, Box Car Racer and Angels & Airwaves, and his new mature Blink style into one solid composition. I warn you though, Blink's mature style isn't for everyone and this EP sticks heavily to their new style.

The first track, When I Was Young, starts out with a slow piano intro, it doesn't last long though because here comes Tom's signature vocals. I really like the way Tom sings this song and Mark Hoppus' vocals aren't bad either. Although, their combined vocals sound a little awkward almost as if Mark's vocal part was an after thought. I still really like the verse.

Next is the song Dogs Eating Dogs. Mark's vocals are really great in this song, as are his bass parts. The chorus doesn't really seem to fit the tone all that much but Tom's verse makes the song even better. Travis Barker's drum tracks aren't that bad either. The bridge is also one of Blink's best.

Disaster starts with a pretty funky bass intro and drum intro. I personally don't like the effects, it makes the intro sound awkward and Mark's vocals just adds to the awkwardness. The drum track is also pretty killer if you really listen to it. Disaster is an alright song, at least it isn't a complete disaster of a song. See what I did there?

Now for one of the best songs on the EP, Boxing Day. The beginning of every verse sound like vocals in All-Star by Smash Mouth but that's not exactly a bad thing. The acoustic guitar in the song really makes the song amazing. The piano in the background makes the song sound full of life, the vocals are great, the lyrics are just beautiful.

The final song, Pretty Little Girl, is quite extraordinary clocking in at almost five minutes of awesomeness. Everything about this song is great, from Tom's distinct vocals to the beautiful piano to the amazing palm muted guitar. Until Yelawolf starts rapping. Yeah, Blink introduces a guest into the song and Yelawolf's part really doesn't fit the song, the lyrics are great no doubt about it, but something about Yelawolf just doesn't fit Blink's style.

Dogs Eating Dogs isn't a bad EP, I personally don't think the songs are as good as their self titled album's songs but you can tell that Blink put a lot of effort into this EP. I'd recommend buying this at full price because it's well worth it. Or listen to the EP on Youtube, that's cool too, I guess.

Also, be sure to check out Alink's band here.

Artistic Games: Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

2012-12-17T01:44:00.002-06:00

I freaking love Sonic 06. I don't like it because it's good, I like it because the story is laughable, the gameplay is atrocious, and everything from beginning to end is just awful. It's no secret that Sonic 06 is a terrible game but that doesn't mean that it can't be art. If a simple dark line on a canvas can be considered art then a bad video game can be considered art as well; think of Sonic 06 as an abstract work of art because it's just a mess a on the canvas of gaming.

People can use a base if they're just learning how to draw or someone can use a base if they can somehow make the drawing even better. Sonic 06 is a base on how not to make a video game and hopefully someone can fix the game so it can be better. If someone ever gets into programming to learn how to make a video game then that person should play Sonic 06 for at least ten minutes to learn the basic on how not to make a game. For example, some buttons are used for more than one action, attacking an enemy and following a trail is mapped to the same button and trails are often over bottemless gaps, combine that with terrible control and you get one one of the most annoying things in gaming. It's so beautiful how someone actually made a decision to map more than one action to the same button.

A video game writer could learn a thing or two about this game's plot. For example, the story relies too much on the romance between Sonic the Hedgehog and Princess Elise. A romance story could be great but Sonic is an animal and Elise is a human girl. I would definitely love a furry love story as much as the next guy but this one was just bad. There were so many plot holes that you could mistake the game for swiss cheese. But I digress, as bad as the story is, it's still beautiful to see how it all just falls apart in the end.

What else can make this mess of an artwork even more beautiful? The scenery of course. I just love the bland hub worlds with little to no NPCs and the use of gray, white, and brown blend together perfectly in this game. From the bland white plains of the White Acropolis to the bland beaches of Wave Ocean, the scenery is just beautiful. I also love how anyone could get lost easily in every single stage because of how everything in a stage looks exactly the same.

Just look at all that gray!

The characters are also as beautiful as the scenery considering they're all just pieces of cardboard with different colors.

You can totally tell it's Eggman. Just look at how fat he is.

Sarcasm aside, you can see what I'm getting at. Sonic 06 is a beautiful, artistic piece of art because of how terrible it is. A video game programmer just needs to play this game for ten minutes to know how to make his/her game better than this. Sonic 06 will forever be in gaming history as one of the worst games ever made along with Big Rigs, Avatar, and that one Van Gogh picture that somehow made it's way into New Super Mario Bros. U.

Smoothie Showcase: Adam Ryland/Grey Dog Software

2012-12-12T12:39:00.000-06:00

We're back with another edition of Smoothie Showcase. This week, we managed a quick opportunity to interview Adam Ryland of Grey Dog Software. GDS, as it's commonly known, developed the hit Total Extreme Wrestling simulator series as well as World of Mixed Martial Arts and Comic Book Hero.

Ryland very recently helped release the official demo for Total Extreme Wrestling 2013 which is due to release on the 16th of December this year.

---

Smooth Town: Thanks for joining us! So, let's get down to business. Total Extreme Wrestling 2013 is set to release within a week [Ed.: Four days to be exact!] The community is buzzing with excitement. The developer's journal was rife with details about the improvements made to the game. The demo was recently released this past Sunday. As a developer, do you feel that this game in particular is the best offering by Grey Dog Software to date? If so, what makes it that way?

Adam Ryland: I think it is the best game I've done, yes, simply on the grounds it's the the smoothest and most polished game to date, and which contains the most features. It's several steps ahead of any of the previous games.

ST: Have you ever been personally contacted by legitimate professional athletes who might play your simulators ranging from TEW to WMMA?

AR: No, I haven't.

ST: TEW is widely praised as a text-based simulator, but will you ever somehow build a 3D engine to simulate matches?

AR: I think that would probably be extremely costly for something which wouldn't add a great deal to a behind-the-scenes game. It might be cost-effective if I did an actual action game, but I wouldn't think that would be a good business move given that I'd then be competing directly with games like FirePro and the SmackDown series.

ST: Personally, I was hoping for TEW 2013 to ship with an online system despite my ignorance regarding the costs to build and maintain such an infrastructure. With that being said, have you or anyone else on the team considered implementing this feature?

AR: We have no current plans to do anything online based, no.

ST: Out of all the games you've made so far, which one would you say is your favorite?

AR: TEW2013 is my favourite in terms of quality. The one I would play most is [Wrestling Spirit 2], as it's a style of game I enjoy.

ST: With Comic Book Hero being a split away from the sports games, do you have any other non-sports related simulators in mind for the future?

AR: At this point in time I don't know what future games I do; I rarely plan more than one game ahead at a time. I am not against doing non-sports games.

ST: When was the deciding moment that you wanted to make professional wrestling/MMA simulators?

AR: I started wrestling simulators when I was about 12, as I was a huge wrestling fan then. I started MMA games with the original WMMA title a few years ago, again because I was enjoying the sport a great deal.

ST: How often do you watch wrestling nowadays, if at all?

AR: I don't watch it at all.

ST: Who would you say is your favorite character in the C-Verse?

AR: There are so many characters that I don't think it would be possible to pick a single favourite. As a group, the roster that ZEN have is the most fun to work with I think.

ST: When's WMMA 4 coming out?

AR: I don't know when that project might get started, I have not planned what my next game will be yet.

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Be sure to head on over to the official GDS website and grab the TEW 2013 demo and check out the latest games available for purchase in the store.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. License Acquired By bitComposer

2012-12-12T07:48:00.001-06:00

bitComposer issued a press release today regarding its acquisition of Boris Natanovich Strygatsky's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. brand.

The following is taken directly from the press release:

"The acquisition of the S.T.AL.K.E.R. license serves as an important cornerstone for the further international orientation of bitComposer Entertainment AG," says Stefan Weyl, member of the bitComposer Entertainment AG executive board. "For us, this brand represents a bridge to an important segment of triple-A products and a milestone in the history of the company. We would like to express our gratitude to Boris Natanovich Strygatsky."

bitComposer later goes on to state that they have "acquired the rights for future game adaptations of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. brand. All other rights remain with the Strugatsky brothers."

Anyone out there excited for the future of this franchise? New ownership getting you nervous? Let us know in the comments below!

Review: ¡Tré! by Green Day

2012-12-11T22:36:00.001-06:00

¡Uno! was an alright album, not great but certainly not terrible. ¡Dos! was a better album with better songs and an all around better vibe. ¡Tré! however, is just... bad. Yes, Green Day made a bad album that isn't called 21st Century Breakdown. ¡Tré! just seems like leftovers. It was as if all the songs on this album didn't fit in the other two albums so Green Day just stuck the remaining songs on ¡Tré! saying that it would be like American Idiot. ¡Tré! is nowhere near as good as American Idiot and never will be.

Brutal Love starts the album off and it annoys me. It annoys me more than Oh Love from ¡Uno! and that's quite the accomplishment. Brutal Love just drags out and Billie Joe's vocals seem dead. Nothing about this song is memorable except for this really annoying note that Billie Joe sings for a few seconds.

Missing You could have been on ¡Uno! but that doesn't mean it's good. It's just meh, the only thing I like about Missing You is the bass track and the drum solo, which isn't as good as you think.

8th Avenue Serenade is the best song on the album, but that doesn't mean it's the best song ever, it just doesn't make me push that "next track" button. I admit, I actually enjoy this song. Too bad it sounds like it should of been in ¡Dos!

I'm not sure what was going through Billie Joe's mind when he wrote Drama Queen. It really doesn't sound it should be in any of these albums. It's certainly not terrible, persay, but it's just odd. I mean, how much more "white guy with a guitar" songs do we need? The little piano track during the verse is a nice touch, though and I'd probably want to learn that little guitar solo.

X-Kid is bland, you probably won't remember it after you finish hearing it the first time.

Sex, Drugs, and Violence is as memorable as X-Kid. The only thing you'll remember is Mike Dirnt's singing. I don't mean you'll remember what he say, you'll just remember that he actually sang for like, five seconds.

A Little Boy named Train is bland.

Amanda is actually a pretty decent song, there's just something about the instruments that makes me want to listen to the song a few more times.

The only catchy thing about Walk Away is it's chorus but only because the chorus repeats so many times.

I admit Dirty Rotten Bastards is a good song, the "yeah" part of the song is really catchy and the song sounds like a medley of other songs. Dirty Rotten Bastards isn't bad, listen to it a few times, you'll really enjoy the bass and guitar solos.

99 Revolutions just seems like a rehash of Lazy Bones from ¡Tré! and that isn't much of a bad thing. 99 Revolutions is a pretty good song.

The Forgotten can be called a "white girl playing piano" kind of song except the girl is Billie Joe, which isn't too far off. It's just forgettable.

¡Tré! is, without a doubt, the worst of the trilogy. 9 out of the 12 songs are forgettable and you can just hear Billie Joe's voice in the background saying "I'm growing too old for this shit."

Come at me bro.

Be sure to check out Alink's page here.

And The New Square Enix Game Is...

2012-12-11T21:27:00.000-06:00

...Terribly disappointing.

When the countdown first sprouted, rumors circulated all over the internet; the most prevalent one was about a Star Ocean iOS game or port. Sadly, it's this. Star Galaxy is a flash based browser game, presumably, it's a card game... hopefully, it's not just a card game. But this CCG most likely won't be localized, so there's that.

At least there's Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII...

10 Underrated Games of 2012

2012-12-10T08:37:00.002-06:00

As we look back on another year full of highs and lows in the gaming industry, we tend to make a mental bee-line for all the big-name releases such as Mass Effect 3, Borderlands 2, Halo 4, etc.

Well, I suggest we take a moment to reflect on some of the games that didn't receive as much hype as the bigger releases did, but were good -- if not, better -- than most of those blockbuster titles. If you haven't played or bought any of the games mentioned below, you really need to do that.

#10 - TOKYO JUNGLE (PSN)

Let's start with a PSN downloadable game released only for the PlayStation 3 this past September (in Europe and the US).

The overall landscape of the game isn't anything new as it takes place in Tokyo but far into the future. Except in this universe, there are no humans -- just animals. It sounds silly at first, but words honestly cannot describe the charm and bizarre gameplay Tokyo Jungle brandishes to anyone caring enough to toss a glance its way.

It boasts 80 different types of animals to control with 50 different breeds. We're talking Pomeranians, chickens, chimpanzees and even Dilophosauruses. This game goes there. The core gameplay is a derivative of the "hack-n-slash" style, but it plays well. Even better, European PSN users are able to snag Tokyo Jungle for almost half-off during the current Christmas sales going on right now.

#9 - KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RECKONING (360, PS3, PC)

Despite modest sales, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning left quite an impact on gamers who actually bought the darn thing by delivering solid gameplay, fantastic visuals and a thoroughly enjoyable story.

It carried some unfortunate bugs in some places and glitches elsewhere, but if this game had been left in the oven for just a little bit longer, then Kingdoms of Amalur would have been far better off quality-wise and pushed more units out the door.

As it stands, it's been forgotten and left in the first portion of 2012 and that's a real shame because this game totally deserves better than that. How often have you found yourself clamoring for big publishers and developers to make a sequel to that game you always liked? You know, that game that was actually really good, but because it wasn't a sales juggernaut nobody decided to pick it up.

Well, that's the story of this game and its future looked concrete with the closure of 38 Games and subsequently, Big Huge Games. Will it be picked up by another publisher? Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but let's hope it gets another shot at delivering some more fantasy-epic goodness. On the plus side (and I do apologize if it's in poor taste), but the game can be found for around $40 new at GameStop, so at the very least give those hard-working developers a smile by playing their lovingly-crafted game.

#8 - SYNDICATE (360, PS3, PC)

The re-boot to the 90s isometric tactical series was released in February this year to hushed anticipation, but it's more of an underrated gem than anyone could have expected.

The game brings with it a cyber-future landscape that's neither inventive nor innovative, but it's all so neatly detailed and crafted that you will probably find yourself caught up in the overall design and architecture of the game. Most people today would draw some pretty obvious comparisons from this game to Deus Ex: Human Revolution and deride Syndicate for its linear gameplay, but it never had the intention to achieve that "open-world" style to begin with and succeeds in what it does offer.

One of the best features this game has is its excellent co-op mode. Team up with three other friends (or random people roaming the internet) to take on missions inspired by Syndicate's campaign. Even better is that you don't need to have an annoying online pass to activate to play this game's online co-op. Just join up and play. If you want a solid single-player game that's different enough from other shooters on the market right now (Halo 4, Black Ops II, etc.), then get Syndicate for the holidays this year.

#7 - THE DARKNESS II (360, PS3, PC, Mac)

Speaking of different types of shooters, The Darkness first released in 2007 to a positive reaction, but not overly so. The first game in the series was praised for the campaign, graphics and unique setting and gameplay, but the game was riddled with some annoying AI and physics engine problem. It wasn't a killer and the positives definitely outshone the negatives, but four-plus years later The Darkness II released under a new development team.

While it did a better job fixing some of the issues plaguing the first release, it still never quite caught on with critics the world over, but does it really matter when the sequel is way more fun than the first one? Isn't that what sequels -- especially video games sequels, for that matter -- should be about? Look at Just Cause 2 compared to Just Cause 1, not only was it an overall improvement in just about every aspect, but it ended up being a blast to play compared to the original.

Come into this game with an open mind and you'll get one of the most underrated gaming experiences out there for 2012.

#6 - CRUSADER KINGS II (PC, Mac)

Looking for another "Risk-esque" game to play on the computer? Civilization V already running on fumes for you? Well, look no further than the underrated strategy game, Crusader Kings II. It might not be the prettiest game out there, but the gameplay is so sound and overall depth of the game astounding that it embodies what video-games should be about. An enjoyable distraction from your everyday life.

Quick note: this game has a very steep learning curve. There's no way to sugar-coat that, but if you have experience in playing any of the past Civilization games, then you should know what to expect as this game pulls no punches. Once you do get the hang of the game, Crusader Kings II turns into an addiction, but the good "no need for an intervention" kind. Throw in a ton of DLC and expansions and you'll have this game installed for a very long time.

Paradox Interactive is always churning out strategy games on the PC market, but they really hit a goldmine with the Crusader Kings franchise. If you need an added incentive to buy this game, then consider the amazing Game of Thrones mod garnering the positive reaction of gamers and critics everywhere. Seriously, just buy this already.

#5 - CHAOS ON DEPONIA (PC)

The point-and-click adventure genre is usually one of the most underrated genres in today's world of gaming. It might not be intentional, but look at some of the biggest releases to have come out in the past, present and and soon to come in the near future: Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Halo 4, Black Ops II, Bioshock: Infinite. Point-and-click games are merely a blip on the majority of gamers' radars, but that's why you're reading this article. To find some games out there which either you never thought about trying or want more of in a genre.

Chaos on Deponia is actually the second entry in the larger Deponia trilogy, but both Chaos on Deponia and Deponia were well-received by gamers around the world making the third and final installment that much more anticipated. Even so, that game will only get a tiny fraction of the hype that The Last of Us will get next year. That's not to say that you shouldn't slap down those pre-orders for The Last of Us -- because goddammit I certainly did. But take a break from the norm and try out a PC game that won't cost you an arm or a leg. Just $19.99 USD.

Chaos on Deponia is beautifully animated with a humorous and self-aware dialogue. It's that game that comes along under the nose of the world of gaming, but delivers a completely serviceable experience with a universe worth exploring. If you're aching for a new LucasArts-style game, then give Chaos on Deponia a try.

#4 - UFC UNDISPUTED 3 (360, PS3)

Games for the UFC will now be published and developed by EA, but THQ's last self-published UFC game should not be immediately forgotten even in the midst of THQ's financial troubles. It's the latest and greatest entry into the Undisputed franchise bringing with it the great fighting mechanics the series established with some improvements in presentation, Career Mode and Create a Fighter Mode with revamped focus on the Online gameplay.

The bigger, more noticeable change would also be the inclusion of PRIDE complete with the Saitama Super Arena, PRIDE rules, announcers, even that crazy announcer chick! The presentation is top-notch and if Yuke's could accomplish this level of polish with the UFC games, I cannot wait for what EA comes out with. That said, if you're looking for a good MMA game to dive into right this instant, pick up Undisputed 3. The roster is absolutely huge and the appeal of the game still hasn't worn off for me even as we enter 2013. Throw THQ a bone and buy the game new if possible.

#3 - LEGEND OF GRIMROCK (PC, Mac)

Releasing in April this year, Legend of Grimrock was the first game developed by the newly created four-man development team Almost Human. You honestly could not have gotten a more impressive debut by a team of that size as they dipped their hands in the old-school first-person tile-based RPG well and scooped out a real gem.

Legend of Grimrock revolves around a pretty amazing plot of prisoners being cast into Mount Grimrock in order to be pardoned, but no prisoner has ever lived to enjoy their new-found freedom. Instead, your party begins hearing a voice luring you guys to a potential escape from the dungeons. I can't get any more in depth with that in fear of spoiling a very important aspect of the story, but it's a finely put together plot that strings together some really addictive and simple RPG combat that's dripping with nostalgia.

If you're looking to get the game, you can always find it on Steam for $14.99 only on the PC, but be on the look-out for some great deals during this Winter Steam Sale as Grimrock is usually one of those indie games to go on sale with big discounts.

#2 - THE LAST STORY (Wii)

If you're one of those people still clinging onto their Nintendo Wii consoles and cannot find a game to play to close out the year, then take a gander at former Final Fantasy executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi's latest RPG epic, The Last Story.

The story in The Last Story (go ahead and chuckle) revolves around mercenaries seeking work in new territory while also figuring out the apocalyptic scenario surrounding the world's lifespan. That is to say, it will be ending soon. It doesn't sound like a whole lot on the surface, but believe me the game does a very good job at pulling the players into the story with captivating writing and seemless progression. It's not only one of the better Wii releases of all-time, but an undeniable top game for all consoles in 2012.

Also, don't worry about using waggle controls or aiming at the screen, The Last Story is mainly played with the buttons provided on either the Wii Remote and Nunchuck or the Classic Controller. I guess there's something to be said that despite the Wii's innovation in motion controls, The Last Story released in the console's last year used a more conventional control method. For the better, too. Also, Nobuo Uematsu took control of the game's composition. There really isn't much else to say about that besides the fact that music is exceptional when it comes to video-game music at large.

It took a long time to get The Last Story localized for North American gamers -- may even have felt like an eternity -- and its arrival was spared no hype by RPG enthusiasts and Wii owners across the three continents. It delivered and sits on top of the Wii library as a definite must-play.

#1 - RESONANCE (PC)

I'll keep this short since you can always check out our review, but Resonance is one of the best gaming experiences I had in 2012. It's a point-and-click game by the guys who brought you Gemini Rue and the Blackwell games (and more recently, Primordia), but don't let the genre turn you off. Resonance is sensational. From the start of the overall adventure to the final twist at the end, no other game on this list is more underrated in its value to gaming history than Resonance.

The game gives you control of four playable characters taking you into each person's life carrying a role in the picture at large. The characters are well voiced, the animations look great, the music is memorable for the most part and the story is really one of the best out of any studio this year.

Again, you can just read our review to get a better sense of what this game does right or does wrong, but you can guarantee that Resonance is one of those games that come along once in awhile and completely takes you by storm. It's really that good and I'll be damned if it remains tucked away in the corner of gaming history! It's only $9.99 USD which is an absolute bargain and is available only on the PC.

5 Games That Desperately Need A Sequel

2012-12-09T14:04:00.000-06:00

With no introduction, let's start this list off with one of my favorite games:

#5: Crackdown

Yes, I know, I know. Crackdown has a sequel, you tell me. It was a good game, you tell me. But what Crackdown needs is a true sequel, not one that is basically the same game with added co-op. I want old abilities and new ones, 4 player co-op, new story, new cars, new weapons, etc. Crackdown 2 did have most of this, but it just felt like the same old game. If Microsoft loves me, they will work on Crackdown 3.

#4: Deathrow

Have you ever played a sport and thought, "Hm, this would be a lot better if I could beat people up"? If so, Deathrow is the game for you. In Deathrow, there are two teams where you have to throw a metal disc into a futuristic goal, blahblahblah. While the gameplay was surprisingly solid and you could win games without knocking out anyone, there's no fun in that. Several games were won by beating everyone up or leaving one guy left and just throwing the disc into the goal several times. The game is backwards compatible, so you should pick it up immediately, but a sequel on the 360/720/Nextbox would be a dream come true.

#3: Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

Okay, Psi-Ops is one of the greatest games ever made. No if's, and's or but's. Before I go any further, Psi-Ops is available as freeware, so go find and download t. No other game has ever made telekinesis so fun (looking at you Second Sight). Sadly, to my knowledge, nobody has any idea what happened to the series now that Midway's dead. If someone did manage to pick it up, I would die if a sequel came out. I would love added multiplayer, new physics (possibly using the Euphoria engine), and everything else a sequel consists of. If this does somehow happen, please no Kinect or Move support.

#2: Mirror's Edge

I know, how surprising, but the world desperately needs a new Mirror's Edge. Mirror's Edge is a beautiful, unique game with its blinding white environment and contrasting red painting the levels. It's an amazing experience and an amazing game. The free running is great, the combat (which I avoided for the most part) is great and it's the one of the few times I've seen the ending of a game without shooting anyone. Supposedly, EA is working on a sequel and it's going to run on the Frostbite 2 engine, but besides for a recent easter egg in Battlefield 3, there's been no talk of a sequel.

#1: The Warriors

The Warriors, The Warriors, The Warriors. Rockstar, if you only release GTA V and a remake/upscaled version of The Warriors, I would die of happiness. I don't need an RDR 3 or Bully 2. The Warriors is an overlooked Rockstar title. Some might have been wary because it was a licensed game or whatever, but this game is perfection. There was nothing better than playing co-op with a buddy, breaking into jewelery stores, robbing people on the street, stealing car radios, spraying painting on rival turf, and tons of other stuff. I don't even need a direct sequel, if Rockstar came out with a spiritual successor, I would be satisfied. All I need is 4 player co-op, split screen co-op, online king of the hill matches, online battle royale and tons of other modes. I do know that Rockstar was planning a spiritual successor that was supposed to take place during the Mods vs. Rockers brawl, but my tears have effectively erased my memories.