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Avatar Kinect Out “Later This Spring”
Originally pegged for a May 27 release, Microsoft’s official statement on the release of Avatar Kinect simply states that the new technology/social program (for up to eight people at a time) will be out “later this Spring”. [Microsoft Press Release]
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
InMomentum is All About the Joys of Movement
If you’ve been yearning for more games in the vein of Mirror’s Edge—or, as you’ll soon appreciate, its surreal DLC—then you should probably check out inMomentum. Like, now It’s a first-person platformer (also described by its developers as a “racing” game), which consists of nothing more than basic geometric shapes which you have to navigate,…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
NBA Jam’s Creator Really Did Set Stuff On Fire
You hopefully already know this, but a lot of the truly interesting stuff about games development (and game developers) comes not from the PR-managed machine of an upcoming title, but by scouring the medium’s past. Example: the following story about NBA Jam creator Mark Turmell. In a great piece over on Kill Screen, Turmell gets…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
China Has Its Own America’s Army
Sadly, it’s not called Capitalist Running Lackey Pig Dog Army. Nor is it called China’s Army. It’s called Mission of Honor, which for fans of Chinese rip-off naming conventions is still pretty great. It’s been in development for two years, and it has been created in conjunction with the People’s Liberation Army, who see the…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
The Official LEGO Inspired By Gradius
A new, official LEGO set called “Earth Defense HQ” may look at first glance to be just another space-based LEGO set. Upon closer examination, though, it not only pays tribute to classic shooter Gradius, but something more important. Last year, custom LEGO builder and community member Nate “nnenn” Nielson tragically passed away in an automobile…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
These Video Games Aren’t Just Art, They’re Masterpieces
Guillaume Colomb has taken ten classic works of art and made them a little more current, dropping the likes of Mario, Pac-Man and Princess Peach into the paintings. Some may be a little inappropriate, but that Goya-meets-Shadow of the Colossus piece looks like it’s always been that way. Video Games Get Arty [Guillaume Colomb via…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
Why, Exactly, Do People Enjoy Watching StarCraft Games?
Most people just aren’t interested in watching video games. They’d rather be playing them. So why is strategy juggernaut StarCraft such an exception to the rule? Information Science phd students Gifford Cheung and Jeff Huang sought to answer this in their paper Starcraft from the Stands: Understanding the Game Spectator, which looks at what makes…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
Here’s What Civilization On Facebook Looks Like
We gave you a brief rundown on how Civilization World, the upcoming Facebook version of the classic PC strategy series, worked the other day. Now you can see for yourself in this trailer. Those expecting the same game, only running in a browser with a Facebook logo on the top, will be sorely disappointed. Those…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Atari Games That Became Comic Book Heroes
While we normally associate multimedia cash-ins as a recent phenomenon, the practice of spinning games off into other mediums dates back decades. One of the earliest examples of this is the Atari Force line of comic books. While most adaptations of games are expected to be based on the events or characters in the actual…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 17, 2011 -
When Monsters Hunt Kids In Costume, Pokemon Simply Sit & Watch
Well, if it isn’t Kirin from Monster Hunter. Who says the series isn’t popular in the West. It’s popular enough for somebody to dress up as a Monster Hunter character! Other notable mentions from this week’s cosplay roundup include a convincing Ezio from Assassin’s Creed, double the Devil May Cry and a dark, very furry…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
One of the Oldest Video Games Makes a Comeback
Lunar Lander is about as old as video games get. You’d nearly all have played a variation of the game at one point or another, but soon you’ll be able to play one that’s a little fresher Indie developer Sean Edwards is working on a PC game called Lunar Flight, which is a modern take…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
Where Studio Ghibli Meets Minecraft
The modders at Oz Workshop have achieved something remarkable: recreated something in Minecraft that is not mildly amusing, but genuinely awe-inspiring. They’ve produced in block form the most famous locations (and in some cases characters) from Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli films, like Castle in the Sky, Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle While it helps if…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
Male + Male Relationships Finally Available in Mass Effect 3 [Update]
Up until now, Mass Effect has been about shooting bad guys and sowing your wild oats. In the series’ third game, however, your oats will be planted in more familiar ground. BioWare has told PC Gamer that there are no new romance options in Mass Effect 3, the emphasis in the final game being on…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
Your First Look at Pro Evolution Soccer 2012
Here’s the first footage from PES2012, Konami’s latest attempt to wrestle back the top spot in the world of football games. And it looks…well, sadly, at this early stage as stilted and wooden as the last few versions. Fans of the series or hardcore football fans will still want to check out the clip, though,…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
An Idea on How to Fix iPhone Gaming
While it can do some game genres well, boy, for others the iPod can be a nightmare to use. Yet those nightmares could easily be sweet dreams with an add-on like Alan Li’s Iphone Gaming Pod. His design, while sadly just a concept at this stage, is for a sleek, clip-on pair of attachments for…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
The Right Way to do Japanese Box Art
The same smart people at Nintendo Europe who thought it was a good idea to localise Wii RPG Xenoblade also know how important box art can be for such a localisation. So they’re letting the game’s fans vote. While the front cover – which we’ll assume is the same as that found in Japan –…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
Valve’s Novel Idea: Charge Popular People Less
In an interview with Develop, Valve boss Gabe Newell says that his company is more interested in “looking into what Valve can do with payment services than engine services”. What that means is some crazy ideas on how to take your money. “The industry has this broken model, which is one price for everyone”, he…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Beautiful Art of Arcade Video Games
Since for most of arcade gaming’s heyday graphics weren’t exactly easy on the eye, to lure customers in companies often had to rely on artwork to make a sale. The biggest, grandest works were reserved for the side of the cabinet, but since they usually weren’t seen (with machines stacked side-by-side), it was the “marquee”…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 16, 2011 -
The Guns, Vehicles and Even Bigger Guns of Section 8: Prejudice
Online shooter Section 8: Prejudice had a very low-key release a few weeks ago, which may be down to the fact the original game wasn’t exactly a big hit. Still, the release of the sequel gives us a chance to ogle more guns from the future! This concept art for the Prejudice was penned by…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 13, 2011
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