Denny Atkin just got back from witnessing history (pictured, in a photograph he took himself). He talks about it, as well as his technique for making Just Cause 2 a family-friendly game, in this episode of the Quarter to Three podcast.
(Apologies for the quality of my voice as the podcast progresses. Just pretend I’m some freaky robot. Rest assured that Denny, the guy saying the stuff that matters, comes through loud and clear throughout.)
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When we last left our heroes, the Dispensables were on their way to liberate the town of Drassen. It’s not far, but getting there turns out to be a bit more difficult than I expected. I very quickly spot one of Queen Deidranna’s patrols in the woods. Shouldn’t have stuck to the road, I guess.
The woods encounter has the potential to be a slaughter. My mercs don’t have nearly the weapons range to confidently take on a patrol in a relatively wide-open zone like these woods. Fortunately, the Dispensables sneak along the edge of the woods and make it to the next zone, a small farm on the road. No, it’s not particularly heroic, but don’t worry. We’ll be seeing this patrol again.
After the jump, a bloody harvest Continue reading →
I think I may have just played one of my all-time favorite levels in a platformer. And not because it did anything necessarily spectacular. It was more about the way the gameplay, tone, and a specific song came together (the song isn’t listed in the credits, which is a really odd oversight). I didn’t want the level to end. I just sat there at the exit letting the music play with the wind blowing softly under it. Since when did platformers get so wistful? Actually, I know the answer to that. Trace a sad lovely line from Ico to Flower to Braid. Keep following that line and you’ll come to Bastion, the game I’m currently playing. The level is Prosper Bluff. You’ll know it when you get there.
In a way, Bastion is “just” a platformer with RPG elements. But like Ico and Flower and Braid, it’s more than its genre. Bastion knits familiar gameplay into a neatly playable package, with the design acumen of something like Darksiders or some umteenth Ratchet & Clank; it makes the familiar feel fresh. The graphics are cheerfully colorful and tastefully lively, but there’s a sullen mood underneath it all, expressed mainly through writer Greg Kasavin’s story and actor Logan Cunningham’s gravelly basso narration. It has the economy of a children’s book and the poignancy of poetry. And I wish to heck I knew what song plays at Prosper Bluff, because it’s going to be floating in my head for at least several days. Probably longer.
Bastion is the creation of a teensy indie developer called Supergiant Games, but it’s published by Warner Brother Interactive. It’ll be out next week on Xbox Live, at which point I’ll have quite a bit more to say.
A dictatorial queen has an iron grip on a small island in…um…actually, I have no idea. Not that it matters. Let’s say it’s in South Ameurafricasia and leave it at that. What does matter is that I’ve been given a fat contract and 32 grand to go in there and take Queen Deidranna out of power so the people of Arulco can be free at last.
This is a job for…the Dispensables.
At their disposal is the Jagged Alliance 2 v.1.13 “patch,” a user-created mod that adds new features, new tactics, and new guns. Boy howdy, does it add new guns.
After the jump, meet the Dispensables Continue reading →
Since the alternative was Transformers 3D and since we thought Colin Farrell was pretty funny in In Brugge and Alexander, we decide to see Horrible Bosses this week. Find out how that turns out or skip ahead to this week’s 3×3 discussion at the 43-minute mark. We try to have an erudite discussion about great examples of production design, but we’re not entirely up to the erudite part.
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Panzer Corps comes out on Monday. You might think Panzer Corps is some serious hardcore wargame from Matrix Games. You’d be partly right. It is from Matrix Games. But it’s not serious, hardcore, or a wargame. It’s just an appropriately breezy remake of a 1994 beer-and-pretzels strategy/puzzle game called Panzer General. Which, yeah, was a classic back in the day. But now?
After the jump, why would you ever want to play a remake of a game from 1994? Continue reading →
Okay, it’s time to do some serious upgrading. Time to stock up on healing potions, grab a bed, and head back to the underground jungle. Time to explore the surface at night for fallen stars. Time to max out the health, get some mana going, and get some more great items. Because soon, it’s time to head to the Dungeon.
After the jump: it’s just a harmless old man, right? Continue reading →
After last week’s experience of finding the best level evar, I suppose a letdown was inevitable. But damn! Nuthin’ but mediocrity this week. That’s what I get for going back to “Cool Levels” in the hopes that lightning would strike a second time so soon. Next week it’s back to Mm Picks, those levels the folks at the developer, Media Molecule, have played and “deemed awesome.”
I don’t particularly recommend the level pictured above, Paradise Mountains. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s fine. Out of the other choices of okayness that included an inscrutable exploding penguin game, a strange FPS test, a somewhat broken zombie-killing exercise, and an almost inspired dash through what looks like a ruled-paper world, it stood out as most playable. And photogenic. The best thing about it was that I achieved the top score. Every time I played it. I was always number one.
Now that I think about it, I achieved the top score every time I played every one of these levels. How about that? Pretty cool huh? But then, why should I care about scores? I’ve evolved way beyond that.
After the jump, if you’re scoring at home, or even if you’re alone Continue reading →
Whew. For a while there, I was worried that Sims: Medieval was just going to be a one-off. Fortunately, Electronic Arts hasn’t forgotten about their wonderful fantasy-themed gameplay-infused iteration of The Sims.
…new exhilarating quests expand upon the original adventures like finding the fountain of youth or protecting the kingdom from an evil sorcerer. The war between Tredony and Aarbyville creates a new ambition and opportunity for players to suit up their kingdoms. Players can choose to be anyone from a king or queen to a knight or blacksmith, and with that, prepare for voyage accordingly. Treasure hunting is an exciting new gameplay feature in the pack with maps, shovels, rare treasures and surprising dangers, while challenging players to find hidden objects and search for desirable rewards that will benefit their Hero Sims. Other new items include birds that you can name and train, and interrogation chairs.
The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles has a range of pirate and nobility-themed items that players can use to revamp their creation of legendary swords or embellish their customized royal weddings with new fashion pieces. Bold new signature items can be used as rewards or punishments. As a treat, Hero Sims can now be accompanied by companions such as pet falcons or parrots. If Sims have been more naughty than nice, players can subject them to extreme punishments such as the interrogation chair.
After the jump, a few screenshots and useless observations. Continue reading →
This week, we bring you a very special internationally flavored episode of the Quarter to Three Games Podcast, which includes various non-videogaming pursuits like boardgaming, pinball, and iPhone games. Also, find out what indie game is well on its way to 100 million downloads, give or take. And naked battles!
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It’s time to experiment with potions! I have a fair number of herbs and flowers saved up from my travels. What’s more, I have some seeds. The list of potential potions in the wikiis enormous. If Sir Digsalot is going to have enough herbs to continue to make potions, he’ll need to work on his green thumb. So after turning clay blocks into pots and building a little ramshackle greenhouse, I’ve got a little herb garden going. I even put a glass roof on the house, just for kicks.
After the jump: welcome to the jungle Continue reading →
Rather than see the Transformers 3 this weekend, we decided to see a superhero movie that isn’t Green Lantern. Join us for a discussion of Super. Not Super 8. Just straight up Super. Spoiler: Tom Chick has already gone on record as being a big fan. The 3×3 of our favorite examples of comedic timing begins neatly at the 60-minute mark. How’s that for timing?
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Yesterday was the most disappointing games of the year so far. With all that negativity is behind us, it’s time to look at the best games of the year. Following are my ten picks for this year’s games that have made me the happiest.
After the jump, let the celebration begin! Continue reading →
First order of business in New Quarteria is to build a new base, and transfer all my loot from the old world. I think this time I’ll go for more of a tower design. It takes a few trips back and forth between New Quarteria and the old world, but I finally get my tower built. I’ve got a lot more storage room this time around. As the NPCs start to repopulate my world, I’ll do a little exploring. Sure, I could start digging a new tunnel downward. I could explore the surface. But no, Sir Digsalot has his sights set skyward.
After the jump: There’s plenty of air up there Continue reading →
