March 7th, 2009

GameTap is going through some major changes, mostly for the better from what I’ve gleaned from these blog posts. The GameTap client can serve as something of a hurdle for people. The ability to use shortcuts or launch from a website will make things much more accessible.

As for the changes, the main link above will give you a high-level description of what will be happening. These supplementary links are to blog posts that give more specific information on how games will download and play, what will happen to your current save states, and new subscription plans. Pay special attention to the subscription post if you’re a current or potential subscriber. I recommend signing up, as I have, for the $60 annual billing so that you lock your account in before the deadline.

I’ve always been more of a Quake man, but I can definitely appreciate what Unreal Tournament has brought to the table. Partly due to its sub-par server browser and interface but mostly due to its lack of a playerbase, I haven’t been able to get into UT3. That all seems to be fixed with Patch 4 and the Titan Pack. They both fix, change, and add a ton of stuff — maybe even an ass-ton. Check the link and decide for yourself. Also check out the new Betrayal mode. It takes one of my favorite things in the world – Instagib – and puts a fun twist on it.

I’ve found that reading these novel tie-ins greatly enhances my experience with the video games. For example, reading Mass Effect: Revelation before playing Mass Effect made me very familiar with the races and key locations in the galaxy, as well as some backstory on the antagonist’s agenda. I also have a greater appreciation for the Halo universe since reading The Fall of Reach. For these reasons, and the reasons mentioned earlier this week, I’m excited to get this Dragon Age fiction into my hands and then into my brain.

It’s about time. For a while there it seemed like EA didn’t want my money, what with the way they didn’t put Burnout on Steam.

PseudoKnightMichael JT Smith
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March 5th, 2009

From accursedfarms.com (episode 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12)

March 3rd, 2009

Way back in April of 2008 I made a post talking about some of the games I was most looking forward to in 2008. Later, in November, I made another post reflecting on that list, what I’d actually gotten to play, and what I my impressions. Right now is that time of year just before games start getting announced en masse; GDC is just a few weeks away, and E3 has been moved to June this year, up from July last year. There are some PC games that we’ve known about for a while now which will probably be coming out this year, so I think I’m ready to share my list for 2009 right now.
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DoSu TeamDoSu Team
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February 28th, 2009

I’m very glad that Quake Live’s launch has gone relatively smoothly. Having a queue system in place from the get-go showed great foresight and probably prevented any major crashing. I’ve also been impressed with the frequent updates id has been giving on their status via Twitter, news posts and interviews like this one.

A few months ago I voiced my concern for De Blob’s retail success, despite glowing reviews, due to third party Wii games’ tendency to tank. It looks like De Blob is in the clear!

I’m always interested to read about the process of game design, especially when it relates to a game series that I love. The Myst III puzzle discussed within happens to be a favorite of mine.

February 27th, 2009

Broken Sword II Cover ArtBroken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror is a classic, point-and-click adventure game created by Revolution Software. As the 1997 sequel to the 1996 hit Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars (Circle of Blood in the US), Broken Sword II is the last of the series’ four games that would use 2D sprites.

Broken Sword II tasks players with guiding the series’ main character, patent lawyer George Stobbart, through his adventures with his journalist girlfriend, Nico Collard. Though almost twelve years have passed since the game’s original release, Broken Sword II is still one of the finest adventure games available today. This is due in no small part to its outstanding voice work, scripting, and direction coupled with plenty of humor, mystery, and intrigue throughout the story. Player frustration and bewilderment is kept to a minimum by way of accessible and satisfying puzzles. There are a few brain teasers and situations where players will need to think and act quickly lest they end up on the business end of a gun, but there’s nothing as obtuse as duct-taping cell phones to cats or quicktime events.
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February 26th, 2009

German Artists Rule

For the month of love we visit a place I love, Germany, and also a genre that I love, fantasy. So this month we have both in one with an illustrator I ran across one day: Florian Stitz. I’m gonna keep it short and sweet about this guy as I don’t know too much myself.

Bronzeback Titan by Fstitz

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February 20th, 2009

Don't call it an iFluid.The latest Steam Weekend Sale for February 20th through the 22nd is debuting a new indie game bundle for just $9.99. Inside the pack are several games that have been featured here at Downloadable Suicide including Eets, Trials 2 and the recently expanded Gravitron 2. Also included in the package are I-Fluid and the multiplayer version of the award-winning RTS Darwinia, Multiwinia. After the sale, the bundle (if it still exists) will cost $44.95.

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