Ho Ho Ho! Here comes the first poster and some still images from the upcoming, highly-anticipated dark comedy, Bad Santa 2. Bad Santa 2 stars Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Kathy Bates, and Christina Hendricks and will be released on November 23, 2016.
Here’s an extended look at many of the new zones, dungeons, bosses, and features coming to World of Warcraft. Everyone who pre-orders World of Warcraft: Legion will be able to play the new Demon Hunter class on Tuesday, August 9, ahead of the game’s release on Tuesday, August 30.
BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 1, 2016 – Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. announced today that ten new songs will be added to the Rock Band™ DLC music library this month. The first two songs will be available on both Xbox One and PlayStation®4 Tuesday, August 2 for $1.99 per track:
The remaining artists set to join Rock Band in August are listed below, with specific tracks to be announced and made available throughout the month:
Last month, Harmonix opened pre-orders for Rock Band Rivals, a new expansion pack available in a new suite of retail bundles for Rock Band 4 at http://www.rockband4.com/. Players who pre-order will receive a ten-song bonus DLC pack for free at launch. Pre-order bonus songs* include:
Additional pre-order bonuses, including additional bonus songs and custom guitar controllers, are available at select retailers. Visit http://www.rockband4.com/ for details.
*All pre-order bonus songs will eventually be available for purchase as DLC
I’ve been playing side-scrolling shooters since the first side-scrolling shooters came out in arcades and then on the first home game consoles. If I didn’t own it my cousins did and, if by some freak of financial windfall, the three of us didn’t then the local video store knew not to expect their copy back for a while. Of course, Contra held a place more nearer and dearer to our hearts than some family members but friends and family who challenged us and felt the frustration of getting their butts kicked by kids time and time again understood the excitement and fun of the video gauntlet thrown down each time. Fast forward 29 years… OMG HAS IT REALLY BEEN THAT LONG!!! *deep gasping breaths* sorry just give me a moment… let’s just say fast forward a lot and here we are still playing the side-scrollers with the same love as yesteryear this time with a flair that Disney would probably appreciate.
Game On:
The Disney-like part and the aspect that makes the game different from other side-scrollers is in the name MilitAnts. You play a sole soldier of the ant army who must defend the approach into the colony by a huge swarm of bugs lead by deadly and really, really hard bosses, all on a 2.5D.
First off to describe the horde you face. You fight over 30 different kinds of enemies including an army of different termites and an air force of wasps, all willing to put their differences aside to come try to kill you and your kind off. Talk about making someone angry. Boss battles are frustratingly hard, luckily the save/restart point is right before so you don’t have to travel far but dying happens aplenty.
One of the best things about being a soldier ant: you may use 2 legs to stand but that leaves 4 legs for weapons. At first this means next to nothing because it starts you off with the same two weapons (pistols) in your upper hands and the same type of weapons in the two lower arms which are blades. Not sure why you have to have 2 blades instead a choice to have one gun and one blade, maybe one of the hands are underdeveloped and can’t hold more than a Swiss Army pocket knife.
So you start with two energy pistols that wear down fast and you want to buy some better gear. To do this you beat down they enemies with combos so that they drop pieces of crystals which you then turn into crystals and buy stuff with. You REALLY want to have some upgrades in place by the time you hit the second boss or you will find your time filled with cursing in more languages that your realized you knew (for me it was Chinese I think thanks to Firefly). Adding to the challenge of getting that weapon upgrade is 2.5D. In case you haven’t experience it it is when the game is given depth and there is a level deep. So besides side scrolling and shooting those in front and behind you you also need to shoot them beside you. The only way it ever works really well is with very few enemies back there which MilitAnt doesn’t do or with an amazing target system which begins the problems with the game.
The game is a port, it doesn’t really hide the fact and the interesting thing is playing on the keyboard and mouse then PC with a game controller there were certain things better in each. Using keyboard and mouse seems a little bit better at targeting though maybe a little bit slower going between targets. When it comes to jumping however the controller wins hands down and holds its better in pretty much everything else. That might be why in the PC online manual for it has controller directions only. Personally I kinda wished they had just stayed with controller controls and not done the .5 part of the 2.5D. It made a game I enjoyed whenever there was no creature back there frustrating when it would pop up and I would have to try to target it.
One thing I have to note is that the game is very beautiful, which a lot of players don’t care about but I think adds to the Disney way about it even more.
Last Thought:
I was really excited for MilitAnt which might also explain a bit of my frustration with it. It is a decent side-scroller with the 2.5D gameplay and a bit of the Disney flair. I think I might go take a break from gaming and watch one of the insect flix until I get angry at one of the bad guys and replay a boss or two.
[easyreview title=”MilitAnt Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”3″ ]
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Leicester, UK, 1st August, 2016 – Kasedo Games and SomaSim are pleased to reveal the brand new gameplay trailer for building management sim, Project Highrise.
Project Highrise gives you the power to be the manager, the landlord and downright architectural god for whatever building you want to construct and run. Build offices, restaurants, retail stores and apartments and make your high-rise the most famous and most profitable in town – just make sure to keep your tenants happy.
The new trailer shows players what to expect from many aspects of the game which is quickly building a fan-base on YouTube as a ‘modern day Sim Tower’ with player excitement growing for its September 2016 release.
The trailer comes after the release of video series ‘Project Highrise in 20 Seconds’. Fans have already seen how to build and place units and more short videos will be coming on Kasedo Games’ social media channels @KasedoGames & /KasedoGames so follow and like to keep up-to-date with all things Project Highrise.
Features
About Project Highrise
Your job as the architect and developer is to build world-famous skyscrapers that will be the envy of the entire city, masterpieces of art and engineering. But a skyscraper is more than just steel and glass, it’s an intricate ecosystem, full of people that live and work in the building. They become a complex machine that needs your steady hand to keep it running smoothly and efficiently.
As the architect you must coordinate the construction of everything – every wall and wire, every office and apartment. As the building owner you must keep your tenants happy – and paying rent on time. As a savvy developer you must keep an eye on the bottom line and invest in the future. Succeed and you will reap the rewards of a prestigious address where everyone will clamour to live and work. Fail and you will watch tenants leave in disgust, taking their business elsewhere and leaving your reputation in tatters.
Will you create an exclusive office highrise that attracts business leaders from around the world? Will you construct luxury apartments in the sky, penthouses for the elite and playgrounds for the famous? Perhaps greed will get the better of you and you’ll build a tenement building that trades tenant happiness for loads of cash? All these choices and more are yours. Success is entirely in your hands.
The first annual Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival has concluded and it was a wallop of a hauntingly good fun. We braved mini-haunt experiences from the likes of Perdition Home, Spooky Hollows, DeadZone 805, and several others. We took in various panels from haunted attraction professionals such as John Murdy from Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. We walked the floor of the Long Beach Convention Center, sorting through a variety of vendors selling hauntingly fun items. And even though it took a good two days of our time to see everything, it feels like it was over in a flash. Midsummer Scream was a terrific time and I look forward to attending the event’s second annual showing next year!
Kerbal Space Program is the very first game produced by Squad, an interactive entertainment company based in Mexico City. Kerbal Space Program (KSP) is the dream of Felipe Falanghe, who was prepared to quit Squad to work on this game. Adrian Goya and Ezequiel Ayarza, owners of Squad, told Felipe that he could keep his job and work on this game once his assignment was completed. The final product is probably the nerdiest game I have ever had the pleasure of playing, allowing me to toy with both the science of space flight and the insignificant lives of the little green Kerbals that foolishly volunteered for my space program.
Story
Kerbal Space Program does not have a story line in the conventional sense, but it does have a narrative depending on the game type you pick. KSP has three game modes: Career, Scientific, and Free Flight. In Career, you have to manage everything for your space program, from funding to reputation to research and development. This mode is the most story like, since you have to research new items and run the risk of ruining your space program. Scientific mode does not have the funding or the reputation stakes that Career mode has, but you will still need to have successful launches in order to earn points to unlock more items for your space crafts. Free Flight mode is just that, everything is unlocked and there are no stakes. Just build your ship and let it fly.
I am usually one that feels when a game is lacking in story, the game is lesser for it. KSP does not have a story line, nor any type of character development or plot, but I never once missed it. I was so focused on keeping the reputation of my space program up, while developing space craft that would not burst into flames the second I hit the launch button. The lack of a story here will not impede your joy with KSP, that is, as long as you get a kick out of playing as a rocket scientist.
Game Play
Kerbal Space Program is one of those games that is easy to get into, but hard to master. There is some deep mathematics and physics going on here, but it never feels academic. The tutorials do a great job in getting even the worst of us into understanding orbit and escape velocity. Starting off in Free Flight mode allows you to really mess with the different ways you can build a space craft, and the ways it all can go wrong. You will have access to quite a number of different options, from hull designs to engines to fuel storage and wings. You can build the classic rocket or a shuttle type craft that can use a landing strip to launch and land.
I spent most of my time in Career mode, where you begin with a small amount of items based on an entry level space program and develop from there. Building your first rocket is easy. KSP gives you a cabin, parachute, and engine. As long as the engine and the parachute fire off on different stages, then there really isn’t a way you can kill your first Kerbal. A safe landing increases your science points for more items, and your reputation to keep the facility open. On my second try, I was able to get my Kerbal into orbit, which really impressed me. Then it hit me, how do I get him down? Well, that particular Kerbal may still be orbiting the planet to this day, but the knowledge I learned from that flight was vital. Being able to reset a flight immediately without penalty helps to, especially for the weak at heart who can’t stand to see their little Kerbals fall back to the planet.
Just escaping the planet is a task, but when you factor in the many planets and moons you can launch your Kerbal to, or what your Kerbal can do during a E.V.A., you will be busy for hours. KSP is like having a Lego set that will occasionally explode into a fireball of debris and little green people. For me, either Career mode or Free Flight mode are the way to go. Science mode felt pretty much useless to me, and didn’t offer anything that the other two modes didn’t.
Aesthetic
Kerbal Space Program will not win any awards for aesthetic, sound design, or voice acting. The graphics and visuals are basic, but do the job that they are intended to do. Sound design is exactly the same, you get the sound of the engines but I wouldn’t expect much more. Voice acting is all but non-existent. Beyond a few grunts or groans, the Kerbals are mute. I couldn’t even get one to scream as the rocket plummeted head first into the mountain ranges that surround the space facility. None of these lack of visual or audio polish should deter you from playing Kerbal Space Program. The game is solid and fun to play, even without cutting edge graphics or a Hollywood celebrity voicing the Kerbals.
Final Thoughts
Kerbal Space Program is a blast to play. Period. It is a challenging, scientific, space simulator that feels just about right and realistic, without pushing it too far. The physics in KSP behaves almost perfectly without being frustrating. The sense of accomplishment one gets from a successful launch and recovery, will only push you and your Kerbals to expand your space empire further and further. Having the three different modes means you will find a mode that is perfect for the type of game you are looking for. Kerbal Space Program is a great game for those that are looking for a challenge and to be able to see if their creations can fly. This one is a must own for anyone interested in a challenge. Kerbal Space Program is available now for the Xbox One.
[easyreview title=”Product Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]
London, UK 29th July 2016 – Today, Green Man Gaming Publishing and Codalyn are pleased to announce Stable Orbit, a realistic and challenging simulation game that allows players to build and run their own Space Station. The game is being developed by Codalyn’s Jim Offerman, the lead PC programmer of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Tomb Raider, and will be coming to Early Access in October.
Stable Orbit is a space station simulation game coming soon to PC. The realistic simulator is set in 2034 and allows players to assume the role of station commander and build the next space station five years after the International Space Station has been deorbited.
“I’m making Stable Orbit because I’m a huge fan of realistic science fiction, and I’ve always wanted to do something within that space,” said Codalyn developer Jim Offerman. “It’s the first game idea I’ve had in a very long time where I’m confident that I can build on my own without requiring an army of other developers. As I began researching how real space stations were built and operated, I just got more and more into it!”
“We’re delighted to be working with Codalyn and Jim on this deep and challenging space station simulator game, which we think will give players a realistic feel of what it’s like to build and maintain a space station. Stable Orbit will also help to educate players about the wonders and challenges of space exploration. We look forward to launching this beautifully crafted PC game in early access later this year,” said Paul Sulyok, Founder and CEO of Green Man Gaming.
THE YEAR IS 2034. It’s been five years since the International Space Station was deorbited. Space programs the world over have faltered. Against all odds, an unprecedented “All Nations Space Coalition” is formed around a shared desire to rebuild mankind’s permanent presence in space, and rekindle the space race. Who will lead this mission? You!
STABLE ORBIT is a space station simulation game coming soon to PC. Assume the role of station commander and build the next space station!
Features –
Master the most hostile environment – Space
A deep and challenging simulation
Build a realistic, fully functioning Space Station
Unlock 40+ space station modules
Manage a number of interdependent resources
GENRE: Simulation
DEVELOPER: Codalyn
PUBLISHER: Green Man Gaming Publishing
PLATFORM: PC
RELEASE: October 2016 (Early Access)
Stable Orbit will be available to play at Gamescom at Hall 3.2 Stand D018-C019 and we are taking interview requests now.
SHANGHAI, CHINA.—July 29, 2016—Equip your dancing shoes and make sure you’re properly attuned, because you’re invited to the hottest party in the Eastern Kingdoms! Blizzard Entertainment today revealed One Night in Karazhan™—a brand-new Hearthstone® Adventure that takes players inside Medivh’s tower, Karazhan, for a truly enchanted experience. As Azeroth’s most powerful mage, Medivh’s magical prowess is surpassed only by his love for extravagant shindigs, and he has spared no expense to entertain his cherished guests—lavish feasts, impeccable Opera performances, and more await you inside.
“One Night in Karazhan will give players the chance to party with Medivh while earning some great new cards for their collections,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment “We’re excited to reimagine one of Azeroth’s most beloved locations in Hearthstone, and we can’t wait to see players put their new decks to the test.”
Once you arrive at the party, you’ll find that Medivh has gone missing—and his collection of arcane objects is running amok throughout the castle. It’s up to you and Moroes, Medivh’s trusted butler, to keep the party under control and find your host, while still finding time to enjoy the amenities! With a lineup of iconic characters to encounter, everyone’s favorite enchanted chess board, and 45 groovy new cards to add to your collection, One Night in Karazhan promises to be an Adventure to remember.
The party starts August 11 on Windows® and Mac® PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android™ tablets; and iOS and Android mobile phones, and the four wings of One Night in Karazhan will open on a weekly basis (one per week). One Night in Karazhan will be available in the in-game shop in full for $19.99 USD, one wing at a time for 700 gold or $6.99 USD each, or in discounted bundles based on the number of individual wings already purchased. Upon release, all Hearthstone players will be able to play a prologue mission free and earn two of the Adventure’s new cards. In addition, players who purchase the full Adventure during the first week of its release will receive a special Karazhan-themed card back.
Check out the star-studded guest list and learn more about One Night in Karazhan at www.karazhan.com.
While at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, we got the chance to interview some of the cast of FX’s popular cartoon, Archer. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be able to talk much about Season 8 of the show, which looks to change things up quite a bit.
