Steampunk blog Brass Goggles has recently been on a mad search for steampunk video games, a subject dear to my own heart. They recently stumbled on a UT2004 total conversion mod called Air Buccaneers that looks so insanely cool that I'm downloading it now.

AirBuccaneers is a modification for UnrealTournament 2004. It contains a new multiplayer game type with airships, cannons, airmines and various other pseudo ancient gadgets. The game is a compelling combination of graceful air ballet, fierce pirate-like action and 3D tactical manoeuvring.

Yes it's a few years old, but you cannot deny the awesome. Hit the jump for the official trailer and a gameplay video.

Official trailer:

Gameplay:

Eliza "Gauggles" Gauger

More Here [Brass Goggles]
AirBucanneers Official Site

Last night I finally was able to grab Rule of Rose. I made Lady Grey tea with lots of cream and sugar, put my hair in pigtails and didn't leave the couch for the next two hours. I haven't gotten too far in, instead taking my time skulking and listening and psyching myself out. I have a lot more planned for tonight.

My initial reaction is simple: I like it.

My buddy Sizzlepig asked me how it was going once I finally quit for the night.

sizzlepig: how is the game?
eliza: I poked a ragbaby with a dessert fork.
eliza: And ran like the dickens.
sizzlepig: good.
eliza: My only friend is a bucket.
eliza: And everything talks, even scissors.

The game has a very solid world to it, an almost perfect immersion. Imagine that Lord of the Flies was written by Lewis Carroll, adapted for stage by Jules Verne, scored by Paul Mercer and performed aboard the Hindenburg, and you're starting to catch on.

My favorite aspect of the game is that I have absolutely no theories about where the story is going or what's going to happen next. I'm kind of hoping there is no pat little plot, no wrap-up. That it just continues in an insane fashion until a gruesome end.

One thing that surprised me about the game is the age difference between Jennifer, the player character, and the rest of the children. They're about half Jennifer's size, and Jennifer appears to be in her late teens at the youngest.

This underscores the niggling little voice I always endure while playing games of this type, you know the one. The voice demands to know why Jennifer doesn't just grab the little brats and get some real answers, instead of whimpering and skulking and looking for butterflies. This little voice is going to get louder once the really bad bullying starts.

Speaking of which, where's the protests against this game, huh? Jamming a rat on a stick into my face is okay, but recovering lost character sheets for Nerds isn't?

But I can't complain too much. That ragbaby spooked me proper, dessert fork or no. Eliza Gauger

There's some new Rule of Rose stuff over on MTV's game site, Overdrive (which runs like complete crap on OSX Firefox), and it's completely without context. Who's talking in the clip with the broom goblins? The subtitles don't seem to correspond with anything. The music is pretty, but extremely repetitive. A lot of it is inappropriate for the variety of scenes it's laid over.

Basic gameplay doesn't seem all that great, or at least not much of an improvement. It could be that combat is not a big part of the game so what we're seeing here is a rare event.

Do pay heed to the character animations in the cutscenes, which look fairly good. I especially liked the way the villain's fingers fluttered when she put her hand on the fat girl's head.

Although it looks like once again, the main character is the blandest in the game. Her expressions are very toned down, and her face and posture are extremely restrained. I'm guessing that player characters are the ones subjected to the greatest amount of committee review, and have all their edges worn smooth by the time they're put onscreen. What a shame.

I believe Rule of Rose comes out next week, and I'll definitely be picking it up. After all, I'm in this for the steampunk lolitas and the fishblimp, not the broom goblins. Or the dog. Eliza Gauger

New Rule of Rose stuff on MTV Overdrive [MTV, thanks GayGamer]

On an extremely slow news day, I give you this bouncing little McDonald's commercial featuring Mario and Mario toys. I bet you can find as many "acrobatic little goombas" on eBay as you could possibly want. Thanks, Siliconera.

In continuing Mario-in-league-with-fatness news, Kotaku Scout Lyle sends in the following heads-up:

Hey, I just got my little sister a happy meal from McDonald's when she informed me that the next line of happy meal toys was going to be "Mario and Friends." I asked her where she saw this and she showed me the bottom of the little happy meal box, thought people would want to know, thanks!

No, Lyle. Thank you. Eliza Gauger

Demian sent this in and I'm very pleased with them. This is the newest Rule of Rose trailer, appropriately titled "Creepy Kids" over on GameVideos.

Lots of sadism, short skirts, and spooky smiles. And my special friend, the fishblimp, makes another spectacular showing at the very end.

This video is completely nonsensical but I couldn't look away. Eliza Gauger