spawn622

Assassin's Creed is a great example of sequels being released that are the same thing. I've played all of them and they are good fun (Except 3 which is maddening and made me swear off the series, different story though), but they are all the same. They try adding in new things and people complain about the new stuff (Save for 3's naval battles, which are pure ass to me). Only difference here is, Ass Creed changes the location and Riptide did not. Not playing the first Dead Island, I think, was a good thing for me. It allowed me to be fully objective about this one. I'll say this, with me liking this one, I may go back and snag the first one. I think Techland's plan was "Over 5 million copies of Dead Island sold...Why would we fix something that isn't broken. People obviously like the formula."

Developed by: Techland Published by: Deep Silver Distributed by: Square Enix Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3 Release Date: April 23, 2013 Available on Steam for $39.99 Physical Copy Available for $49.99 Dead Island Riptide is the follow up to the 2011 game Dead Island. The original was fairly well received and sold very well. That said I’ve never touched the original game. Will this be a hindrance or a blessing for Riptide? Read on and find out if I had as much fun bashing zombies around as most or if I put down my machete and walked away disappointed. As I said, I have never touched a Dead Island game before and I was worried I wouldn’t be the right person to review its follow-up, however after playing the game; I think my fears were unwarranted. While the game isn’t great, it’s not terrible by any means. The visceral feeling of dismembering zombies with all sorts of weapons really works, especially in co-op. There are tons of quests, environments, weapons, and zombie types to keep things fresh throughout. Also, the character progression system is much like other games of the type and gives you the “One More Level” feeling that any good game should. You will find yourself up to the wee hours of the morning before you know it. The game features, as expected, 4 player co-op and this is where the game really shines. I was only able to test it out with 2 players, but what I can imagine 4 players would only enhance the experience greatly. The character classes complement each other so well. I chose Sam B. and my co-op partner was Xian. Where Xian would work to sneak behind the zombies to use her bladed weapons with sneak attacks, I would face them head on and bash their heads in with mainly blunt weapons. The co-op is also great because no matter your level, you will always be fighting zombies at your same level. While your partner, who may be at a lower/higher level than you, will be fighting zombies at their same level. I’ve read this was patched in to the original game later and really is a good feature. This allows you to play with your buddies and keeps you from managing multiple characters at various levels. Now, you may have noticed I have yet to mention anything about the story in Dead Island Riptide. This is for good reason and brings me to my first issue with the game. The story is useless here and very much seems like an afterthought. Almost as if the game and environment were created and the story was tacked on later. Picking up where the first game left off and moving the survivors (And a new survivor apparently) to a new island full of rampaging zombies just isn’t inventive or taking any type of story leap. The cut scenes move the story along fairly well. Voice acting is mixed here. Some are quite good, others are just awful. A useless story isn’t always a bad thing though. In this case, strategizing before heading out on a mission can be done at almost any time without worrying about missing anything in a cut scene or during dialogue. Speaking of cut scenes, this brings me to my next semi-gripe with the game. It’s not pretty. Screen tearing, texture pop in/out, frame drop issues, etc all plague the game. It doesn’t ever become a real problem, but in today’s gaming world, these things shouldn’t ever be an issue. Reports online show that the PS3 shows the most problems and the PC is the most solid overall. Playing on the Xbox 360 did show some of these issues but I’ve not run in to anything game breaking. Being an RPG, Riptide succeeds in keeping you busy. Story missions, side quests, team missions, and just general exploration keeps you from ever getting bored while on the island. All these things keep the game fun and help you to ignore its shortcomings. I think if these weren’t there the game would fare much worse. The only stumble the game makes in this area is not giving you an open world to explore after you complete the game. Be sure to get your missions done prior to making the push to the end. Overall Dead Island Riptide is a solid RPG. Never playing the first game doesn’t pose any problems and honestly may help some to overlook some of the issues. Graphically the game isn’t a stunner, which is extremely disappointing in today’s gaming climate. Also, the story really needs to be looked at for any more sequels. Hopefully it can be salvaged down the line. However, the game play actually saves the day. Dismembering zombies with buddies and having an overflowing quest log of things to do is great fun. In summation, Dead Island Riptide is a decent game. If you’re looking for something fun to play with friends or are a fan of the first game, I’d recommend picking this one up. Click here to view the article

Solid gameplay, but overall the story was not that engaging for me. Haven't completed it yet and not sure if I'd be interested in the DLC at all. I've found as I get older that story has become more important to me than anything else in games.

I rarely, if ever post in here. Can't do Youtube clips at work, so I'll link to the band's website: http://www.alestorm.net Also, this:

Just like Duke Nukem and Borderlands 2 (DLC and all), I'll buy this and love every minute of it I'm sure. Reviewers suck at their jobs nowadays, plain and simple. So, 'eff them.

Telltale Games has dropped a few details about the Back to the Future game that was announced in June. Very little is known about the game currently but below are a few tidbits from the press release and other sources: The game will include the likenesses of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as the characters Marty McFly and Doc Brown (Seen in the concept art above). Christopher Lloyd will also provide his voice for the games. Other characters from the series will make appearances, although who knows if the actors will provide their likenesses or voices. Back to the Future series screenwriter Bob Gale is working on the story. 5 Episodes are planned. It will be set in the fictional California setting of Hill Valley, and will explore 1985 and additional time periods. Hopefully we'll hear more from Telltale soon on a tentative release and more details. For those that are wondering who Telltale is, they are responsible for the stellar versions of the latest Monkey Island and Sam and Max revival. Be sure to check out the entire press release after the break and stay tuned for more information as it comes in. At 88 miles per hour, Back to the Future took millions of spellbound viewers on a high-flying voyage across the space-time continuum in a trio of wildly inventive tales that broke box-office records around the world. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning cinematic franchise that generated nearly $1 billion worldwide, Telltale Games will release a new game series this winter as part of the milestone soon after the Blu-ray debut and DVD release of the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy on October 26, featuring all-new restorations of the classic films.Telltale today announced that the highly anticipated Back to the Future games will feature the likenesses of the original stars that made the characters of Marty McFly and Doc Brown legendary: Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Lloyd is voicing Doc Brown for the full game series, which Telltale will deliver in five monthly episodes. The first images showing the game depictions of Marty and Doc are now available at: www.backtothefuturegame.com. The game series is developed through a licensing agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “Creating cinematic adventures true to the source is a top mission for Telltale,” says Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “Securing Marty and Doc for the games, and presenting the experience that fans know and love, has been top on our list since we initiated development.” Co-creator and writer Bob Gale’s involvement further strengthens the links to the original series. Gale is consulting with Telltale on the characterizations and storyline for the game, ensuring it will be true to the spirit and adventure of the films. Gale elaborates: “Twenty-five years ago when I wrote Doc Brown’s line about ‘seeing the future,’ little did I realize that I would be traveling with him to work on this game. Collaborating with Telltale is an amazing opportunity to continue the adventures of Doc and Marty.” Telltale is also pleased to announce that the games will feature the DeLorean Time Machine, and to celebrate the historic vehicle’s return, it will make a guest appearance at the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle Washington September 3 through 5. Fans attending this increasingly popular gaming and culture event can re-create the iconic pose from the movie posters and capture their photos with this authentic replica of the famous vehicle in the Convention Center’s South Hall. Click here to view the article

NinjaBee games brings us the follow-up to their 2008 XBLA hit, A Kingdom for Keflings. Slated for release during "winter" of this year A World of Keflings will be shown in greater detail at PAX. Take a look at the trailer below and a quick synopsis of the upcoming game: Build a robot, rescue the princess, make friends with a dragon and help a creepy witch get even creepier. Take your Xbox LIVE Avatar on a journey through exotic lands while you help the tiny Keflings build and customize their kingdoms! Play with a friend on the same console or with three friends over Xbox LIVE in this story-based, kingdom-building adventure. Click here to view the article

If Halo can do it, why can't Metroid. Watch as Samus walks through a war zone in the Zero suit and explains a little about the games plot that Team Ninja is putting together in their upcoming game for the Wii. I hope to get a better copy of the commercial later today, but this will have to do for now. Enjoy! Click here to view the article

With a Holiday 2010 planned release, Warren Spector's Disney project has an opening cinematic that explains some of the story and shows just how devious Mickey used to be. Take a look and let us know what you think in the comments. Click here to view the article

The first webcomic for Crackdown 2 has been released and it gives a little backstory in to the world of Crackdown 2. Take a look at the video embedded below: Click here to view the article

With each and every “Gabbin’ with Gamercide” we will look to bring you many interviews with members of the gaming world, from not only the console world, but the mobile gaming market as well. We try to give a “behind the scenes” look at what makes each company do the things that they do. In this interview, we get to know the CEO and Founder of one of the premier mobile gaming developers in the market today Kiloo. Teaming with Manomio, Kiloo worked to release one of the very first retro gaming emulators for the iPhone, C64. C64 as I’m sure you can guess is a Commodore 64 emulator that lets you relive those awesome 80s games on the go. This did not come without its hiccups, but they guys powered on and continue to work out the kinks of the Apple App Store submission process. Kiloo has also worked with some of the most well known IPs among various industries in the LEGO and Happy Tree Friends brands. Please help me give a very warm welcome to Jacob Møller from Kiloo. Q: Let's get things kicked off with a quick introduction. Tell us who you are and give us a little background about what you guys do at Kiloo. Jacob: Hi Shawn! The whole idea of Kiloo started out more than 10 years ago, when a few of us was fiddling with computer graphics and games in our sparetime. Like a lot of other startups, this story began in my apartment with long nights, lack of funding and learning by doing. Luckily, we’ve improved a lot on those points since! With a strong foundation in developing for Java-enabled phones for a number of years, we’re right now looking to publish on the newer markets with iPhone, Android and Nintendo DS development. But we certainly won’t rule out other platforms as long as digital publishing is possible. Q: What sparked your interested in working in the mobile gaming market? Jacob: It came quite natural – we were keen gamers and we loved our mobile phones. When we saw that the phones started providing more datapower than the computers we had when we were kids, that was really the Heureka moment for us, and we’ve never looked back since. Q: Most people working in any field in the games industry have a story as to how their love affair with games evolved. What games or type of games do you play most often and how long have you been in to gaming? If you can, throw out a couple of games that inspired you to get where you are today. Jacob: We play alot of games at the office. From the newest iPhone titles over Wii Tennis and Geometry Wars to Metal Gear Solid. Even the fussball table is used quite often. But we’ve always been very passionate about retrotitles, you know all the games we played as kids. There’s something wonderful about the simplicity of these games. The value of quality gameplay at its core. Q: What was the driving force behind choosing the Commodore 64 as the basis for one of, if not THE first officialy released iPhone emulators? Jacob: It might sound like a terrible cliché, but there’s just so much emotion connected to the C64 that we instantly fell in love with the idea when presented to us. Just the thought of combining a really state-of-the-art machine like the iPhone with something as cool as the most popular personal computer of all times was too fantastic to let pass. Q: Kiloo and the team over at Manomio seemed to have some trouble getting the app through Apple's app review process. How did you guys work with Apple to finally overcome these problems? Jacob: We’ve been very happy working with Apple along the way. We have the biggest respect for the hard work guys at Apple put into this whole project to make it overcome the bumps on the road we’ve encountered. Q: Any idea as to when we might expect the add-ons for the C64 emulator? Jacob: We’re not quite ready to reveal that yet – but I can assure you that everyone are working hard on making sure that we get as many titles as possible for that platform. We are going to be releasing new content quite frequently though. Q: The LEGO franchise seems like it would be a blast to work with. Did you play with LEGO bricks as a kid? If so, does this help in creating games for them? Jacob: Oh yeah – our house was full of LEGO when I grew up. It’s only natural to be inspired by that when we had the good fortune to work with that great brand. Q: The guys over at Mondo Media seem like really great guys, with a HUGE imagination. What's it like working with those guys and their Happy Tree Friends? Jacob: Yeah what can I say? They’re great guys and girls, never afraid of pushing the limits. Everyone at Kiloo love their shows. It’s just so whacky that you have to laugh even though cute animals die in horrible ways. Q: The one thing I haven't seen is a Happy Tree Friends game for the iPhone. Anything going on we can expect from the Happy Tree Friends for Apple's platform? Jacob: I’m afraid we can’t say anything about that at this point. Q: With some of the more edgy content, is there any series or type of game that you would absolutely refuse to work on? Jacob: Yeah speaking of Happy Tree Friends - we’re very open minded people, but I’d say that Happy Tree Friends is a good example of that edgy content. We probably wouldn’t go much further in terms of gore and blood and those things – but given that it’s cartoon violence with animals for a mature audience that was just one of the most fun projects to work with for me personally. We set a very high standard of integrity in everything we do, and if something feels like it would threaten that integrity we wouldn’t pursue those projects. Q: Every company has those "super secret" projects. Can you give me a little nugget of something you may have upcoming that you may not have announced yet? Jacob: If we started chatting around about our secrets, it wouldn’t be secrets anymore would it Shawn? I’d like to extend a huge thanks to Jacob for taking time out of his busy schedule to work with me on bringing this interview to everyone. With mobile gaming’s skyrocketing popularity due to the likes of the iPhone and the Palm Pre, I’m sure we will be hearing more and more from Kiloo and Jacob in the future. The release of their latest game, Mattel’s Whac-a-Mole, just really goes to show how big of a player these guys are. You really should go check it out if you have an iPhone. Also, keep an eye out for even more from them in the future. I’m sure they have TONS of stuff in the pipeline, even if they wouldn’t tell me about it first. Click here to view the article

Eric Ruth games has just released their de-make of one of the most popular Valve games to date, in Left 4 Dead. This 8-bit de-make is available for download over at Eric Ruth Games. Here's the description from Eric: Weighing in at only 21MB, this one is a quick download and looks like a lot of fun. If you check it out, be sure to leave some comments on your thoughts. Check out the trailer after the break. Click here to view the article

From all of us here at Gamercide I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Click here to view the article

Gamercide and aTs Apologician will be giving away a copy of Gears of War 3 along with numerous other prizes during a live streaming of Gears of War 3 at 12:30AM CST on 9/20/2011. Stop by the live stream for a chance to win some great prizes. Take a look at aTs Apologician’s video below for the full details and good luck to everyone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g7PuwwkDJg Click here to view the article

The fine folks at Zen Studios are holding a tournament for fabulous prize packs going to the top 3 scorers on the new Mars table for Pinball FX2. There will also be random entrants for prizes like Mars candy bars, DVDs, and game codes. Take a look at the full press release below and go check out the new table. Be sure to let us know what you think of the table in the forums. Also, be on the lookout for our forthcoming reviews of Zen Studios games. Pinball FX2 Mars Tournament April 29 – May 13 Finding life a little lonely on Mars? The Red Planet is about to get invaded by pinball wizards seeking a SuperScoreRocketBoost and Martian themed prizes. Download the Mars table now on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for your chance to compete over the next two weeks to determine the Mars pinball champion. There will be official prize packs for the top three scores, and prizes for random entrees such as MARS candy bars, DVD’s, and game codes. 1st Place 4,000 MS Points Choice of Mars Attacks!, Martian Chronicles, or Total Recall Special Edition Codes to future games from ZEN Studios 2nd & 3rd Place 1600 MS Points Choice of Mars Attacks!, Martian Chronicles, or Total Recall Special Edition Codes to future games from ZEN Studios The tournament will run April 29 – May 13, 2011. Winners will be notified via private message following the conclusion of the tournament. To participate in the tournament, select the tournament icons in the Pinball FX2 menu bars. Choose Mars, and your score will automatically register upon game completion. Stay in touch! Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Click here to view the article

RedLynx’s platform racer out now on the Wii Shop Channel September 15, 2011 (Helsinki, Finland) — RedLynx (redlynx.com) has released its eagerly-awaited platform racer MotoHeroz for Nintendo’s WiiWare™ service today. The game is available right now in Europe and the Americas for 1500 Wii Points™. “There’s no day like a launch day,” said Antti Ilvessuo, Creative Director of RedLynx. “It’s a culmination of lots of hard work and effort. It’s the day we finally deliver MotoHeroz to gamers and find out what they think about the game.” “Creating games for gamers is what we do,” said Tero Virtala, CEO of RedLynx. “And we feel that with MotoHeroz, we have delivered one of the most complete experiences available amongst downloadable console games, with a rich single player adventure, a frantic local multiplayer game, and compelling, online challenges. ”It’s been stunning to see so many comments from the press and gamers commenting on articles, saying things like ‘Day one purchase’ and ‘Must-buy’ game,” said Virtala. “And now we’re thrilled to finally let gamers get their hands on their games.” Key Features of MotoHeroz Single player story mode with rich characters and lush environments Two to four-player party mode that's easy for anyone to pick up and play Daily online competition based on Global and Friend-based Leader Boards Steady 60 FPS, widescreen support, and blazing fast load times Packed with content, including 100+ tracks and three game modes Simple but effective physics that deliver an addictive gameplay experience Click here to view the article

OnLive has announced that Duke Nukem Forever will be launching on their game streaming platform coinciding with the games US launch on June 14th. Partnering with Gearbox Software and 2K Games, they have also announced that with each pre-order, you will receive either a free game or the OnLive Micro Console. This deal is very similar to things they have done in the past with high profile game releases. John Spinale, OnLive VP of Games and Media had this to say: If you have ever wanted to try OnLive's Micro Console and plan on picking up Duke Nukem, this may be the way to go. Duke Nukem Forever lists for $44.99 for pre-order on the OnLive website. Head over to http://www.onlive.com/go/duke and jump on this deal. Click here to view the article

Publisher Deep Silver Working Quickly to Fill Restocking Orders LARKSPUR, Calif. – Sept. 13, 2011 - Deep Silver, the publisher of the summer’s biggest action horror blockbuster, Dead Island™ (www.deadisland.com), announced today that it has shipped more than 1 million retail copies of Dead Island in North America in the first few days of availability. In addition, Dead Island has held the #1 chart position in many global markets including the UK and France as well as on Steam, and will have sold 2 million units globally to retailers by the end of this week. Dead Island launched on September 6 in North America and has been lauded by U.S. critics: Game Informer Magazine said Dead Island “scratched an itch I didn’t even know I had” and awarded it an 8.5 out of 10, while IGN’s TeamXbox.com hails the Dead Island experience with a score of 9 out of 10 and an Editor’s Choice Award, "They do so much that hasn't been done, and do it so right.” Additionally, PC Gamer Magazine said of Dead Island that it’s “a wide-open tropical wonderland of loot-driven zombie slaughter” and tallied its score at an 8.3 out of 10 while MTV’s Gametrailers.com awarded Dead Island with an 8.5 out of 10 score. Developed by Techland, Dead Island combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customization of a vast array of weapons. The engaging survival-focused gameplay aspects are combined with a rich and immersive storyline in which a small group of people find themselves in a tropical paradise turned into total chaos and carnage after a mysterious zombie outbreak. Cut off from the rest of the world, the player’s only chance to survive is to fight to the death and find a way to escape from the island. “We’re thrilled at the retail reception Dead Island has achieved in its first few days,” said Geoff Mulligan, Chief Operating Officer at Deep Silver, “The critical ‘first week’ of game sales has been an enormous sales success for Deep Silver. We’re working quickly with our distribution partner in North America, Square Enix, to restock shelves as quickly as we can.” "With more than a million copies sold, I feel good knowing that the world is now more prepared than ever for what to do should a real zombie invasion ever threaten humanity." said Mike Fischer, president and CEO of Square Enix, Inc. Featuring four customizable, unique character classes and engrossing role-playing elements combined with an intense four player co-op experience, Dead Island stands out as one of the most comprehensive zombie experiences to date. Dead Island is available now for the suggested retail price of $59.99 for consoles and $49.99 PC. It is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. Official website: http://www.deadisland.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadislandgame Twitter: @deadislandgame Click here to view the article

Telltale is proud to announce that their acclaimed Back to the Future: The Game is now available at retail for PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Available for the incredible price of only $19.99, Telltale Game’s acclaimed extension of the blockbuster movie trilogy has arrived on store shelves just in time for the holidays. So strap in, power up the flux capacitor and put the continued time traveling journeys of Doc Brown and Marty McFly at the top of your gift list. If the Back to the Future fan on your shopping list has yet to experience the game that made Joystiq.com say “…managed to make me feel eight years old again” or IGN.com happily report that the game is “...a welcome surprise - it's a movie-inspired game that doesn't suck”, then now is your chance to give them the perfect holiday gift of Marty and Doc’s continued time spanning adventures, all on one disc! In Back to the Future: The Game, players will travel through time as Marty McFly and play in a cinematic adventure true to the films. Back to the Future: The Game features a new storyline by original film series co-creator, screenwriter and producer Bob Gale along with the vocal talents of original movie cast members Christopher Lloyd (‘Doc’ Brown) and Claudia Wells (Jennifer Parker), with special cameo appearances by the one and only Michael J. Fox. It also introduces the spookily-accurate voice talent of A.J. LoCascio as Marty McFly. Click here to view the article

Back to the Future – Episode 3: Citizen Brown is Now Available on iPad Telltale’s Hit Time Traveling Adventure Generates 1.21 Gigawatts and hits the AppStore So far the Back to the Future game series has prompted players to search for a missing Doc Brown and save Marty from the notorious 1930’s mobster Kid Tannen. Now, in Back to the Future Ep 3 HD, Marty returns to the 1980s to find Hill Valley is not the way he left it. Only he can save the town from the dystopia created by the mysterious ‘First Citizen Brown.’ Back to the Future Ep 3 HD can now be purchased on iPad for $6.99. Back to the Future: The Game is also available on the PC, Mac and PlayStation®Network. Click here to view the article

Episode 1 FREE (for now); Episodes 2-5 Available for Purchase Tomorrow!!! Telltale Games’ award-winning Monkey Island Tales HD series is back on iPad with more swashbucklin’ adventure than you can shake a wooden leg at! And Telltale Games is offering iPad owners some serious booty! As of today the first episode of Monkey Island Tales HD is available for free on iPad until July 22nd! It’s available and ready to plunder as you read this – so get to plundering! And here be another bit of news…starting tomorrow (June 23rd) Monkey Island Tales HD Episodes 2-5 are available for $6.99 per episode on the AppStore. That’s right mateys, the remainder of the entire Monkey Island Tales HD season - in four salty doses of high seas humor - will be available all at once for your downloading pleasure. Telltale’s trademark humor and adventure gameplay will delight Monkey Island fans old and new as the entire five-episode saga unfolds on iPad for the very first time. So be it high or low tide, weigh anchor, hoist the mizzen and head over to the AppStore to get the best game series featuring the unlikely combination of an ancient tool and a clamshell to come to iPad! Click here to view the article

Gearbox just announced their 3rd DLC for Borderlands. No release date or price just yet, but the level cap will be raised and looking at the screens we'll get new vehicles and new enemies. Gearbox Software and 2K Games are excited to announce the largest DLC for Borderlands to date: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (coming to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC)! Get ready to face off with brutal, never-before-seen enemies in a huge new environment complete with tons of brand new missions. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to get guns (even more guns) to give you the firepower you’ll need as you discover entirely new weapons and items! This DLC extends the Borderlands experience, providing new challenges and opportunities for growth for characters from around level 34 to level 50. Growth for characters at 50? Yeah, that’s right, we’ve raised the level cap; even players who think they’ve seen it all have tons more to do! The Secret Armory of General Knoxx offers hours of thrilling shooting and looting for Borderlands players! Images Via: http://www.wouldyoukindly.com/ Click here to view the article

We here at Gamercide would like to wish our very own head writer Siren the best birthday EVER!!! Click here to view the article

What was speculation has now been confirmed by Major Nelson. Hulu Plus will launch tomorrow on Xbox 360 and for one week (Through May 6th), it will be free for all US Xbox Live users. That's right, thanks to Jack's Links beef jerky, everyone (Gold and Silver) will get to try it out for free. Now go mess with Sasquatch while watching SNL and The Simpsons. Source: Major Nelson's Blog Click here to view the article