Microsoft's E3 2015 briefing next month will be 90 minutes long, about the standard runtime for the company's yearly event, Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently .
It's tempting to launch into a "fans of the genre" preamble when it comes to Stretchmo, the latest in a series of block-pulling puzzle games for the 3DS. However, that would be selling it short. There's little risk that players who enjoyed
As for the level packs, the game encourages you to complete them in order as they increase in difficulty, but because each pack starts with a refresher on some of the most basic Stretchmo strategies, there's no reason for a confident player not to stray. Whether or not you're a veteran of the series, however, you’ll ultimately find twists that appeal to you. For example, while the Mallo's Playtime Plaza level pack is very simple and straightforward, in Corin's Fortress of Fun, the gadgets you encounter primarily release enemies who are used to climb to the goal and that can attack you and send you back to the start of the level. It's much more action-oriented than the other areas of the game, and it provides a good challenge, not to mention a good change of pace.
When you run out of puzzles, you always have the option to create a few levels of their own or scan QR codes to load user-made levels. The downside of this system can be finding those QR codes in the first place--especially if you don't feel like wading through Miiverse comment after Miiverse comment about Stretchmo's pricing to find them. The lack of an online level gallery certainly doesn't help, especially given the fact that the WiiU's Pushmo World had one. It's a firm step backward in a game otherwise full of small (but respectable) steps forward.
Stretchmo is as solid and endearing as the games that have come before it in the series; it's cute, colorful, and the perfect puzzle game to keep on your 3DS for dull commutes. It inherits all the best parts of Pushmo and Crashmo and bundles them up in a package (or rather, a series of packages) that is well suited to anyone, regardless of their series experience. Although it may not offer a groundbreaking change in the series, it distinguishes itself enough to be joyful in its own right.
When the going gets tough, the tough sometimes take a fishing pole and start fishing in a bloody Jacuzzi stuffed with a mutilated body. That's, at least, the lesson you learn in Technobabylon, a point-and-click adventure that's set in 2087 in a city where a powerful AI controls and observes all. It's a cyberpunk quest with ideas that elevate it above cliché, using clever and (mostly) logical puzzles to keep you entertained for hours.
This kind of material usually runs the risk of slipping into tired homages to Neuromancer seasoned with a dash of Blade Runner, but Technobabylon rejuvenates the formula by shifting the focus. Here, you spend much of your time in the guise of Doctor Regis, a member of the Central AI's police force that's sent out to handle all the things that need an actual body. He may have a penchant for covering monitoring cameras in his office, and he may dislike contemporary technology, but he's very much a part of the system. Still, the genre's tendencies toward loners and outsiders reveals itself here as well, although it's largely limited to Latha Sesame, who spends her sad days wired to a Matrix-like "Trance" while her crummy apartment and recycled paper clothes rot around her.
Bigs are rare enough that Technobabylon can safely poke fun at them elsewhere.
Much as in Game of Thrones, the story benefits from shifts in perspective between these and other characters. Knowing the truth about how a particular event played out, for instance, makes it all the more difficult to control the actions of a character who places the blame and motives elsewhere.
This is heavy stuff, and Technobabylon has the good sense not to take itself too seriously. The splashes of humor tend to appear in some of the game's toughest (or at least most time-consuming) puzzles, where they serve as a nice chaser to the frustration that comes with matching incorrect inventory items or not knowing what to do with that goo that's in your pocket. The script smartly recalls past secondary references and repurposes them for new and often humorous effects, and at one point, a character's grating silliness actually becomes a clue.
I should use this line with Comcast sometime.
As a result, Technobabylon feels like a real world, mixed with as much mirth as menace. Even the dystopia isn't as bleak as what you'll find in the likes of Shadowrun; for better or worse, it presents a generally believable picture of what life would be like toward the end of the century. True to the zeitgeist, Technobabylon even sneaks in exploratory conversations regarding sexuality and spirituality, but they're never heavy-handed or superfluous. Like so much of Technobabylon, it simply is. These elements come together to make the few choices encountered feel more meaningful, although the events reach the same basic outcomes regardless of the means it took to get there.
The game depicts these events so capably that I find myself half-forgetting that developer Wadjet Eye drenched the whole project in a pixelated aesthetic that seems better suited to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past than the futuristic landscape where the action takes place. The strong voice acting generally helps, as do the expressive conversation windows. (However, as a Texan, I laughed when two characters claimed they could recognize each others' Texas accents. Doctor Regis sounds more like Regis Philbin than anyone I've ever met in my neck of the brush.) It's a simple and increasingly outworn style, but there are stunning shots here nonetheless, such as when the camera rushes up the side of a skyscraper to peek through a hole in a shattered window. People and objects are well-crafted but just blurry enough to make the imagination do the right amount of legwork, and sound effects often pull the weight for what the visuals can't achieve.
Technobabylon sometimes shakes up the rhythm by making you pilot things remotely.
It's worth mentioning that, strictly speaking, Technobabylon isn't an entirely new game--its DNA reveals the vestiges of shorter freeware episodes released earlier in the decade. The art style has improved, however, and the mini-games from that era are mercifully gone, but the basic puzzling remains much the same, even if it serves different purposes for the new storyline. This is generally a good thing, as it's given Wadjet Eye the time to clean up cumbersome elements. Some of the associated problems with pointing and clicking remain, however, such as in a room where I had to grab a table's edges and pull it across the room. Minutes passed before I realized that something so simple as the table's edges existed, and then I had to endure the mildly tedious chore of searching for just the right pixels to grab them.
Fortunately, the puzzles themselves tend to find a sweet spot that delivers the right degree of challenge, and the character commentary that pops up when clicking on an item in your inventory or the world wisely makes up for the absence of a hint option. (Or, at least, I don't think there's one. It seemed like there might be hints in the developer commentary, but it repeatedly crashed the entire window every time Wadget Eye CEO Dave Gilbert finished his introduction.) While Technobabylon places a heavy emphasis on picking up objects and using them on something else, it never floods you with items. Many of the game's best ah-ha moments happen when you stop clicking on items in the world and play with matching items in your inventory, which suddenly opens solutions where there previously seemed to be none.
The doctor...is out.
That's not to say that I didn't get stuck. Quite the contrary--I can recall at least four incidents when I couldn't progress for an hour or more, but to the game's credit, it usually sprang from some mistake of my own. I once wasted 30 minutes thinking that I was supposed to throw a sheet over a camera, for instance, and (in a slightly more UI-blameworthy mistake), I didn't realize that a certain object wasn't working in my inventory because I hadn't right-clicked on it. Up until then, left-clicking had sufficed for inventory-related items.
Regardless, I consistently enjoyed Technobabylon. The puzzles are always meaningful, and the story proves that you can teach the aging dog of cyberpunk some new tricks. At times, I found myself genuinely surprised by story developments; at others, I marveled that it kept me smiling through rough patches when another game might have had me switching it off and playing Skyrim out of spite. And when a game can explore issues of sexuality and government surveillance while giving you a plausible reason to use a fishing pole at a crime scene, that's pretty all right.
The massive multiplayer online game market is such an incredibly huge and diverse one. With so many titles to choose from, an MMO absolutely has to do something new or interesting if it hopes to catch the attention of any gamers. For the Korean action MMO
But how Blade & Soul will compare to the popularity of other MMOs largely depends on how well it can transition to a Western audience. Typically, Asian MMOs get a bad rap for having way more grinding than Western MMOs, but NCsoft has addressed that they will be reducing this element so players can focus on Blade & Soul’s quest and side-quest content. Additionally, the game's free-to-play model could also be a big issue depending on what content you'll have to pay for.
With its epic Wuxia inspired world and unique combat system, Blade & Soul looks to have a lot to offer players when it launches this winter. While its too early to tell if it can overcome the struggles of transitioning to the West, there is no denying that what's at its base is quite special.
There was a time when good Batman games were rare commodities, but the past few years have blessed us with a range of excellent options. When Batman: Arkham Asylum first arrived no one knew what to expect. Once players dug into its intricate world and discovered the robust stealth and combat systems, they discovered an all-time classic.
2. Batman: Arkham City
After the surprise success of Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady Studios followed up with a massive open world for Batman to explore. In addition to being a near perfect Batman game, Arkham City also features a playable Catwoman. It's the most fun you'll ever have controlling the devious cat burglar.
3. Injustice: Gods Among Us
The creators of Mortal Kombat clearly have a soft spot for DC Comics superheroes. Injustice feels like it was made with a lot of love, and the Batman characters are the best of the roster, including the Joker, Harley Quinn, Bane, Solomon Grundy, Catwoman, and the Caped Crusader himself.
4. LEGO Batman: The Videogame
There are a few great LEGO Batman games to choose from, but the first one in the series gets the edge for its classic feel. The world may be a little smaller than in the sequels, but it feels more personal because of it, and the humor is spot on. Holy Collectathon, Batman!
5. Batman Returns
Some people swear that the Batman games were a barren wasteland until Arkham Asylum appeared, but there are certainly some early gems awaiting the dedicated crime fighter. This SNES brawler had astounding graphics for its era, and it played like a fun spinoff of Streets of Rage or Final Fight.
6. The Adventures of Batman & Robin
The Sega Genesis got some Batman love too with The Adventures of Batman & Robin. The Sega title was distinct from the Konami game of the same name for the SNES, with a separate story focusing on Mr. Freeze, Mad Hatter, and Harley Quinn. The Genesis version is still appreciated today for its beautiful visuals and intense challenge.
7. Batman: The Video Game
It's hard to overstate how big of a hit Tim Burton's first Batman movie was. When the NES received a tie-in game to accompany the film, everyone went wild for it. It's a great game to revisit, and its cool wall jump mechanic feels straight out of Ninja Gaiden, a perfect fit for a masked fighter who hides in the shadows.
8. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
There's no reason Marvel vs. Capcom should have all the fun. Pitting Mortal Kombat characters against Batman and Superman felt like a playground argument come to life. While the finishing moves were a bit tame, it still felt deviously awesome to impale Batman with Scorpion's spear.
9. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
LEGO Batman 2 is simply one of the best LEGO games you can play, but because its expanded universe includes other DC characters, it loses some of its Batman-centric focus. If you don't mind Batman sharing the spotlight, though, this game's still a top-notch adventure.
10. Batman: Return of the Joker
This early game for the NES feels like Contra re-skinned with Batman characters. It may be a bit strange to play as a Batman that's constantly spraying (probably) non-lethal projectiles, but if you can jump that mental hurdle, this classic title holds up quite well.
11. Gotham City Impostors
If the disheveled, off-brand Batmen above didn't give it away, Gotham City Impostors doesn't feature the genuine, real-deal Batman. But this fun multiplayer homage does feature a frantic cast of Batman and Joker look-alikes who descend into all-out gang warfare. It's a fun, atmosphere-drenched diversion.
12. Batman: Arkham Origins
After the incredible high provided by the first two Arkham games, most players felt let down by the lack of originality in Arkham Origins. The prequel serves as an extension of Arkham City, though, so "more of the same" is pretty light criticism when "the same" is pretty stellar to begin with.
13. DC Universe Online
It's not quite a premium-level MMO like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV, but DC Universe Online does have a surprisingly robust set of features for a console-based online multiplayer game. It's worth a look just to take a stroll through a living, breathing, digital Gotham City.
14. Batman: The Brave and the Bold - The Videogame
If you've got young kids in the house, this game works perfectly as a "My First Batman Game." Released on both Nintendo DS and Wii, it has an excellent sense of humor, and the side-scrolling brawler gameplay has a gentle difficulty curve, allowing anyone to jump in and have fun.
15. Batman: The Video Game
This was one of the first games available for Nintendo's revolutionary Game Boy handheld. It isn't mentioned frequently these days, but its tight controls, stiff platforming challenges, and surprising Batwing shooter levels made it an exciting showcase for the new system.
If only the "Experimental" graphics settings you can see below actually existed in the cops-and-criminals-themed first-person shooter , called Criminal Activity.
Unfortunately, Visceral did not share any new details about Hardline's Bounty Hunter mode. In addition, the only image of Criminal Activity released so far is the one embedded here.
Below is a roundup of everything included with Criminal Activity, courtesy of Visceral. The expansion launches in June across all platforms, while Battlefield Premium ($50) members will get to play first.
Criminal Activity includes:
Four fast-paced new maps: Backwoods, Code Blue, The Beat, and Black Friday
Two new rides
Two new ammunition types for specific weapons
A new gadget
Three new weapons
A nailgun battle pickup
New Bounty Hunter game mode
Six new masks: two animal masks, and four new police headgear options
Three additional Hardline expansions will follow: Robbery (summer), Getaway (fall), and Betrayal (early 2016). Pricing has not been announced for people who buy Hardline's expansions outside of the Premium offering. However, history suggests that they will go for $15 each.
Summon the strength of your inner-caped crusader with the latest Batman: Arkham Knight trailer.
We ran The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on our triple SLI GTX 980s to get some 1080p60 gameplay of the White Orchard area. Enjoy.
Danny and Andy try to keep their car in one piece in this realistic and unforgiving racing simulator.
Limited edition white Xbox One Halo bundle coming to US, Windows 10 Xbox One integration gets a delay, and EA teases new Need for Speed!
After ploughing through The Witcher 3's opening hours, Lucy rounds up some essential tips to help you tackle the beasts of Temeria.
Check out the new Kold War Skin pack which includes skins for Revolution Kano, Motherland Sonya, and Tundra Sub Zero.
