Posted 3/3/11 6:40 pm EST by Russ Frushtick in Features
This year's GDC has a series of panels dedicated to classic games and the minds behind them. "Bejeweled" is the youngest of the bunch, at just 11 years old, but its impact on the industry is unquestioned. Jason Kapalka, one of the co-founders of PopCap Games, took the stage to talk about the creation of "Bejeweled" and to show the official (unofficial) drinking game for "Bejeweled Blitz."
Posted 2/25/11 7:11 pm EST by Russ Frushtick in Features, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
It's easy to write off "Bulletstorm" as a mindless shooter. It certainly doesn't take itself too seriously, what with the incessant and varied usage of the word "d**k" and the giant, robotic dinosaurs. But beneath that over-the-top exterior is an actual, living universe...one that People Can Fly went to great lengths to keep as authentic as possible. At the heart of all of that? Skill points.
Posted 2/24/11 5:31 pm EST by Russ Frushtick in Features, iPhone / iPad
The App Store is loaded with super simple games for just a buck, but those budget titles rarely stick out. The few that have made it offer a rare combination of spot-on presentation and gameplay. "Angry Birds" and "Cut the Rope" are two examples, and you can now add "Tiny Wings" to that list.
Posted 2/23/11 4:37 pm EST by Russ Frushtick in Features
The 2011 Academy Awards are scheduled for this Sunday, and people have plenty of opinions on where the big awards should go. In the category of Animated Short Film, however, people outside of the Academy probably have no clue about any of the nominees (unless they saw Pixar's effort, "Day & Night," at the beginning of "Toy Story 3"). I happened to attend a screening of all of the nominees in New York's IFC Center, and for fans of classic adventure games, there's one obvious stand-out in the pack.
Posted 2/16/11 2:00 pm EST by Jason Cipriano in Features, PS3, Xbox 360
Possibly the greatest thing about Capcom's Vs. series of games has always been the crossover aspect – seeing your favorite characters from one universe interacting with your favorite characters from another is a fanboy's dream come true. As the third game in the "Marvel Vs. Capcom" series, "MvC3" follows in this great tradition smashing Marvel and Capcom worlds together once again. However, in the game itself, there are only 36 characters to choose from, leaving hundreds of other characters, from both universes, out in the cold. Fear not, Marvel and Capcom were able to come up with a solution: cameos.
We've seen cameos before, but "Marvel Vs. Capcom 3" seems to take them to a new level of fan service. A variety of unexpected characters are actually in "Marvel Vs. Capcom 3," they just aren't playable characters. The endings for many of the fighters in the game not only wrap up what happens after Galactus is defeated, but they also play into the idea that the two worlds have collided. Check out a full list of cameos in "Marvel Vs. Capcom 3" to see just how crazy things get.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Posted 2/2/11 3:48 pm EST by Russ Frushtick in Features, Interviews, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Fans of the "Dead Space" franchise are undoubtedly familiar with Unitology, a fictional religion which plays a crucial, antagonistic role series. It was Unitologists who caused the chaos to unfold on the USG Ishimura in the first game, and have been part of every release since then.
As a religion, Unitology seems to bear a striking resemblance to Scientology. Both religions have science-fiction influences, vast payloads of wealth collected from their members, multiple "ranks" within the church which determine access to certain information, and a powerful collection of followers including CEOs and celebrities. The similarities seem to run throughout the games and are only strengthened by the events of "Dead Space 2."
Considering all this, I spoke with Wright Bagwell, the creative director on "Dead Space 2," to get the developer's take on how they view Unitology and whether it's supposed to be a parody of Scientology.
Posted 2/2/11 11:40 am EST by Jason Cipriano in Features, PS3, Xbox 360
After a ten year lapse, the "Marvel Vs. Capcom" franchise has returned with a new game, "Fate of Two Worlds," and a new lineup. Although "Marvel Vs. Capcom 3" only has about half of the characters that its predecessor had, there's still a lot of variety and newcomers on both the Marvel and Capcom sides, which means that there's a whole lot of new moves to learn.
To help you out, we've put together this handy move guide for the characters in "Marvel vs. Capcom 3," complete with all of their special moves and hyper combos. While things may not have changed too much for Chun-Li and Ryu, even veteran fans will have new moves to master (particularly the extensive combos for Dante and She-Hulk).
UPDATED: This is now a complete "Marvel Vs. Capcom 3" moves list, featuring all of the characters from the game. Jill Valentine and Shuma Gorath have now been added, check back for more DLC character move lists as they become available.
Posted 1/27/11 4:12 pm EST by Russ Frushtick in Features, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Like the original game, "Dead Space 2" is packed with gear to purchase and upgrade throughout the game. The sequel actually has a bit more to collect and boost, which means you might be torn on where to spend your hard-earned cash and power nodes. This guide should make things a little easier, as we'll be giving the rundown on all of the suits and weapons you can find in the game, as well as which are the best for making it through Zealot and even Hard Core mode.
NOTE: We'll be updating this feature as more gear is discovered, including any new content from the upcoming DLC pack.
Posted 1/26/11 12:00 pm EST by Jason Cipriano in Features, PS3
Arguably the best feature included in "LittleBigPlanet 2" is its insanely expansive community, which is supported by level-designer wannabes from around the globe. There's a never-ending supply of new levels to play, and because of that, weeding through everything can be a daunting task. To make things a bit easier, we've put together this handy little guide for "LBP" newbies who are looking to jump right in to some of the best, and most creative levels without having to endure anything less.
Posted 1/24/11 1:56 pm EST by Jason Cipriano in 3DS / DS, Features
Now that 3DS' full feature set has been announced it's time to take a look back and see where Nintendo has dabbled with some of the system's technology in the past. While many of the 3DS' features appear on or are upgrades to the original DS and DSi, the 3DS is like a digital toy box of new and fun things to do with a gaming handheld. It's pretty obvious that the 3DS isn't the first time that Nintendo has released a product that can play 3D games, but did you know that "new" features on the console could be traced back as far as 1987? Here's a breakdown of how the 3DS has evolved over the years: