Each month we rake through the internet and compile a few articles that have caught our eye and believe are worth a bit of a read. So here is a taste of what we considered a good read so far this year. Some are old, some are new and I’m sure there may be some others out there if the Internet is lucky enough.
This is by no means a complete list, I hope you would be able to share with us below any others you have come across in your journey of procrastination.
Howdy-hey readers; human, extra-terrestrial and otherwise. I’m Chazz, which has a far snazzier (the key is the z’s) ring to it than Charles and stands in place for my many MMO toons. It is my pleasure to be the latest gamer-cum-journalist to join Non-Fiction Gaming and have the opportunity to excite, entrance and enrage you with my self glorified ramblings. Continue reading “Meet Chazz”
By day an unassuming, law-abiding, tax-paying citizen and by night the most hardcore Night Elf Druid roaming Azeroth. I am referring to the life sucking game that is World of Warcraft (WoW). I am also referring to, Bill*, who after one too many beverages one night confided in me that he plays a female night elf.
Some drunken arguments may need to be put on hold for a while as parts of the Internet are set to shut down on Wednesday and ‘reliable’ facts may not be available to settle the beer-fuelled debates.
The protest begins on the 18th of January in an effort to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). Wikipedia and hundreds of other sites are ‘going dark’ in protest over SOPA and PIPA, which are now making their way into the American Congress. Continue reading “Internet Goes Dark Over SOPA”
Hey guys, MrPort here aka The ManBeast, and today we are talking about the fiendish Dark Souls. First up, I’d like to point out that I’m writing this as I’ve been playing and whilst I believe I’m getting it all right, I can’t guarantee it. Now let the frustation and crying begin!
My eyes are heavy, my arms fatigued from holding my phone and it’s late, but; must…have…one…more…turn. It has been a while since I’ve had this mantra ringing in my ears when I play a game (Civ 4 to be exact) and it has popped up again in this simulation app called “Game Dev Story”.
Now while Game Dev Story isn’t quite the full scale bonanza that Civ 4 was, it does posses the same dangerous addiction that Civ 4 carried. Hardcore gamers may laugh at this simple simulation app,but I care not. This game is all about creating video games.
You are the head honcho of your very own game development studio and in a 20 year life span you must generate as many video game sales as you can. It’s a game that reflects the industry in a jovial and light-hearted manner. You begin by training up staff that can specialise in eight professions such as writing, music and sound.
Games take shape as you name them, choose what genre they are and what console they will adhere to. There are bonuses for getting the combo right which helps when you’re trying to create the next big hit. It gets expensive purchasing the rights to the consoles so choose wisely, or else check the trending graphs frequently.
As you progress and sales steadily climb there’s the opportunity to set up shop at trade shows with booth babes or mascots to reel in potential customers. This all boils down to making that perfect game that will dazzle its way into the hall of fame. There is also a glitzy awards night in which smaller awards are presented. It’s fun choosing how to market the game, whether you opt for radio ads or go all out and put your name on a a racing car or even a blimp. The build up to the release of a game is just as entertaining and you know records will be broken if there are crowds lining up for it.
The game doesn’t take itself seriously as you will find yourself hiring staff with silly names such as Ann Deroid, Walt Sidney and Stephen Jobson. Consoles released are similar such as the Sonny PlayStatus2 or the Intrendo Whoops.
There are few minor flaws to speak of, but one worth mentioning is the way you are thrown into the game with no real tutorial or instructions. It is almost impossible to figure out how to create your own console without some form of googling. I also wish it lasted a little longer than the 20 year span. You can keep going but no sales will count towards the high score. Things just always seem to be ramping up for me and then it comes to an abrupt halt. But as I mentioned this is a fairly minor inconvenience for a game that boasts a fair amount of replayability for just a mobile app.
Overall, the cycle of creating your video game and seeing how well it sells is genius. To break it down; you create a game and once it is released you begin to make another one. But while you do this you want to make sure that the game you just made is selling well, and hence you are stuck in an eternal loop in which you can simply not stop playing. Have I lost you yet?
Verdict
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Trust me, Kairosoft, the brains behind this gem are no strangers to simulation games as this is just another game that they have added to their lengthy sim portfolio. So if you are someone that spends a lot of time on your phone or want a nice distraction at work, Game Dev Story is definitely an app that is worth paying for. Although this game does come with a severe addiction warning; you can be sure you will get your money’s worth and then some!
What’s happening guys? Steve here, aka MrPort, just wanting to finally greet you all and let you know a little of what I’m about.
I’ve been gaming for something like 23 years now and I’ve tried all the consoles, all the genres and never said no to anything, no matter how insane it looked at first premise. Now that I’m more seasoned and matured in my gaming (you can laugh at that too; I know I did), I’ve refined my tastes somewhat.
Primarily, I like RPGs, even some of those fiendishly hard JRPGs, the Shin Megami Tensei games come to mind there. Topping my list of preferences are Shooters, first or third person doesn’t worry me either way, my only beef is that I’m very much over the whole one-man wrecking crew shooters. What’s the point of having allies if you don’t ever need them? Survival games would probably cap out my top three. I very much enjoy the atmosphere and tense pressure they constantly put you in, especially when the game is driven by an amazing story –
Segue into a fantasy about Silent Hill
Just before I go back and introduce some more zombies to the business end of my shotgun, I wanted to clarify, I’m easy going and laid-back; don’t let my angry demeanor fool you, it’s just a façade (+1 to fancy words). I’m more than happy to help people out, providing you don’t act like a complete <choose your favourite insult>.
Stay tuned for my upcoming: Darksouls: ‘Things you should know, but never get told.’
There is a powerhouse line-up of major franchises and popular characters set to debut in 2012. As we mentioned before, 2011 was one of the best years for gaming, 2012 has a lot to live up to. I think we can be confident of having a good year with games like these on the way. Here is a list of some of the most anticipated games of this year.
Bioshock: Infinite has been exciting gamers since its announcement in 2010. Taking place in 1912, the player controls Booker a former detective for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. His/your first task is to infiltrate the floating city Columbia to find Elizabeth who has been held there for the last 12 years. The steam punk floating cities that stage the next chapter in the BioShock series have already won a few awards at last years E3 including, “Best in Show” and “Best Original Game”. Taking the action from underwater to the skies, creator Ken Levine is hoping fans will embrace the new direction and explore the new setting.
Diablo III
Some old friends will be returning in Diablo III and more than 10 years after Diablo II, players will get to battle the forces of evil with new destructible environments and 5 classes to play. It will be interesting to see how the player auction house will work with real world money for digital items. From all accounts the Beta was received well but left players wanting more after the short time spent casting spells, collecting loot and talking to npcs. Blizzard know what they are doing, lets just hope there aren’t too many Blizzard delays.
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Final Fantasy XIII-2 returns players to Cocoon in search of Lightning, the hero from Final Fantasy XIII. The game was released in mid-December in Japan to perfect scores, selling more than 524,000 copies for the PlayStation 3 version alone. Some changes to Paradigm Shift system and the monster encounter process including the new Mog Clock. Square Enix, developer of the game, is expecting a great launch for the rest of the world in 2012.
Halo 4 is the next blockbuster instalment in an iconic franchise that has helped define a generation of gaming. From Machinima to Online etiquette and recharging health the Halo franchise has taken a gravity hammer to the way we used to play games. In the next game Master Chief returns to face an ancient evil that (suprise) threatens the entire universe. Designed in a three game story arc set after the events of Halo 3, Master Chief and Cortana will have to battle their way through new enemies. Expect the developers to delve into the connection between everyone’s favourite Spartan and his AI counterpart. More story twists and information about the Forerunners and the technologies they have left behind.
Mass Effect 3
Speaking of saving the universe from ancient evils, Mass Effect 3 brings back Commander Shepard to resume the battle against the machine race of Reapers. The story is expected to flow directly from the ending of Mass Effect 2 and will also offer a female version of Commander Shepard for the first time. Players who have save files of Mass Effect 1 and 2 will be able to bring them forward and depending on decisions made in the previous games will ripple through in this final chapter. There is even word of a multiplayer Co-Op mode of up to four players, specific non campaign missions that if completed will have an effect on the single player mode.
More than I can count
Other titles, like Resident Evil Revelations, Street Fighter X Tekken, Max Payne 3, Borderlands 2 and Grand Theft Auto V will also have our eyes on them and may be must-play games this year.
Fire Emblem 3DS, Paper Mario, Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney
Myself and other gamers I know are still to be convinced on the power of 3-D as more than a novelty. Nintendo announced the other week that the 3DS has sold 4 million units in the U.S alone. — an impressive but hardly spectacular number for a device that was intended to be the future of portable gaming. Fire Emblem sees a new story, not just a remake of previous titles. A return of Paper Mario and turn based combat may be just what the 3DS needs in it’s 2012 line up. It will be interesting to see if the paper world comes across well in 3D.
Future of Casual and mobile gaming
But as is becoming increasingly clear, gaming is not just for consoles, and consoles are not just for gaming. Smartphones and tablets are continuing their march into the gaming genre with more choices from Atari, Zynga, Electronic Arts and other well-known gaming developers on the way.
As mobile devices become more powerful, social and casual gaming is expected to define a new and growing base of folks as “gamers.” Some research shows that demographic is morphing into nearly an even split between males and females, as well as the average age of the gamer keeps increasing.
Likewise, consoles are broadening their entertainment scope beyond just gaming, into live sporting events, movies and music. Hulu, Netflix and ESPN have already made inroads that other providers are sure to be exploring in the coming year. Look for that trend to continue as content producers look to capture audiences wherever they are.
Communications market researcher TMNG expects the global gaming business to reach $40 billion in revenues by the end of 2012.
I’m still getting thoroughly enjoying two massive games that came out in 2011 – Battfield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. So it’s hard to think ahead and of more games I will have to divide my time up for, but here goes.
On the Xbox 360, I am really looking forward to Minecraft, Soulcalibur V, Diablo III, Aliens: Colonial Marines and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. A very special heads up goes to Halo 4; a fantastic franchise that I will always make time for.
Isn’t He Dreamy
I currently own a DS, but with Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 coming out, I am very tempted to make the switch.
I don’t play World of Warcraft anymore, since Wrath of the Lich Kings but now, Mists of Pandaria coming in 2012, I am finding it harder and harder to resist. Fallout Online sounds thrilling, as does The Secret World. I may have to invest in a new laptop.
Donations kindly welcome!
Emma K:
2011 will be a year to remember with so many massive triple A titles and coverage for the Indie scene continuing to grow I’m a little concerned 2012 will be a little like a New Years Day hangover, wrought with ruminations and regrets of the games we loved and didn’t have time to play. The start of 2012 is looking like I’ll be playing catch up for a while.
Alas, the gaming world will not stop for me so there are a number of titles I’m psyched for including one of which was expected for release this year…Torchlight 2! Can’t go wrong with a hack n slash with lots of phat loots, plus the addition of co-op! Also looking forward to the next release of Starcraft II; Heart of the Swarm. And if anyone can get this Banelings song out of my head please help!
A few other title’s I will definitely be getting my hands on are; Professor Layton vs Pheonix Wright, any Sims 3 expansions that come out (don’t judge we all have our secret gaming indulgences), and anything that involves bundles with lots and lots of game in them. But like any hangover the only real cure is to get back into it, so I’m pumping myself up with a few pre’s like Dungeon Defenders to get me warmed up for the new year.
Sheriff Dan:
With the possibility of getting a tablet this year increased, 2012 may see a rise in the number of games I indulge on from the Android market. Most notably tower defences and resource management sims. I can’t really bring myself to give away my free time to Angry Birds 3 or whatever.
Playing Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 lately has drawn out a desire for this years “Street Fighter X Tekken” and the following “Tekken X Street Fighter.” I enjoy the fast paced Capcom style of hyper combo gameplay with super powered hadoukens. Having said that, Namco brings an interesting fluid style of fighting, one cannot just mash buttons to victory unless playing Eddy Gordo. I’ll just have to try both and get back to you on with a verdict.
Kazuya Uses Electric Shoryuken, It Was Super Effective
I’ve already signed my soul away to Diablo III with great anticipation. Blizzard have a knack for making great games filled with flashy cinematics and engaging story. Can you blame me for wanting to hear the wisdom of Deckard Cain again. Of course Heart Of The Swarm is on my 2012 wish list for a similar reason, even if it means losing to Blueonblue with all new multiplayer mechanics.
Monster Hunter is set to come to the 3DS some time this year, while I spent hours grinding through it on the Wii, I may get sucked back in for some portable monster slaying fun. Being drip fed the translated Professor Layton games will tide me over this year until I get get some more information about the Phoenix Wright and Professor Layton team up game.
Mr Port:
Lord have mercy, what a thrilling conclusion we’ve had to 2011 in gaming, what with AC: Revs, Gears3, BF3 and Skyrim, just to name a few.
But wait theres more! 2012 looks to be the big year of nostalgia and it’s looking to be a doozy. It’s hard to know what to get more excited about, whether it be the upcoming new releases of old favourites of Diablo3 or the next expansion in the highly popular, and rightly so Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm. If I had to choose however, I would be taking a trip down memory lane, and it seems that I’d be siding with my old favourites, born again. The upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2 & 3 in HD looks to be amazing, not to forget about Metal Gear Solid 2, 3, but lastly, my pick above all others, would have to be Colonial Marine. 4 player survival horro co-op? Set in the style of the Aliens movie? With everyone having their own role to fulfil?
Class Chosen: Dinner
The return of those dread inspiring motion trackers that really don’t well so well, just like in the movie?! I have never thought face-hugging would be so highly anticipated.
BlueonBlue:
Right now I’m playing Star Wars: The Old Republic and Batman: Arkham City but having just finished Bastion I have space for a few more exciting, grade A titles in 2012.
On my to play list are Diablo 3, Torchlight 2, Star Craft: Heart of the Swarm and Mass Effect 3. I’m also looking forward to seeing how Final Fantasy XIII-2, Borderlands 2, Guild Wars 2, The Darkness 2, Prototype 2, Fallout Online and Street Fighter x Tekken shape up. Wow! It’s going to be a big year.
