Strategy

02.02.12

Is there anything that PopCap Games creates that ISN'T addicting?  Seriously.  We must've sat around for hours on end playing the holy hell out of Bejeweled 3 and mastering every bounce we possibly could out of Peggle.  But that's not enough, is it?  No, we have to unleash a full-scale war between plant life and the undead with the incredible strategy game Plants vs. Zombies.  Damn you, PopCap, I had stuff to do today!  But anyway, if you're not drawn in enough with the versions that are out there, they're releasing one that you can take anywhere with you on your PS Vita later this month.

02.01.12

Consoles and PC's have had a slow month interms of new AAA quality games arriving for your respected platform. While January got off to a slow start, it quickly recovered to bring us high quality tittles through digital distribution. Plenty of great downloadable arcade tittles were made available through XBLA, PSN and Steam, giving us many hidden gems on the digital marketplace. Let's look back at the games we reviewed over the past month.  

02.01.12

Every Tuesday, Sony brings its PlayStation faithful new content, add-ons for your favorite games, Themes and avatars for your PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. Again another standard week of PSN goods you can get, but for the most part the main draw are going to be demos. Twisted Metal is finally going to hit store shelves and the fans of  the series will be eager to get their hands on the multiplayer demo now available.  

01.30.12

One of the first genre’s I ever got addicted to was tower defense games, but for awhile now tower defense games have long been stale. For a long time now, the genre hasn’t seen any dramatic changes, but still provided quality games for its fans. Recently, the genre has escalated to new heights thanks to advancements in smart phone technology and the integration of app marketplace. Developed by Futuremark Games Studio, Unstoppable Gorg attempts to reinvent the genre, but costly design choices ruin a potential hit.

01.26.12

When UTV Ignition introduced Quarrel to the App Store a few months back, it brought a successful -- and somewhat addictive -- mix of Risk and Scrabble, with folks putting together words in a limited amount of time and dominating pieces of a map to eventually overcome their opponent.  Pleased with how the game turned out, they then opted to introduce it to a different market, this time on Xbox Live Marketplace.  And the war of words continues to play out as expected, despite some hitches.

01.25.12

Ever since it was released in 2005, Lumines has remained one of Q Entertainment's popular games.  A puzzle/strategy game that combines addictive gameplay with a refreshing presentation (involving some rather creative musical choices), Lumines has gone on to success on a number of platforms, including as a downloadable game through Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, and on the mobile front.  Now the series is making a return in its biggest game to date, scheduled to arrive next month as part of the PlayStation Vita's launch line-up.

01.20.12

Trion Worlds, a leading publisher and developer of premium games for the connected era, has completed an $85 million round of strategic growth equity financing, led by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Teachers’), one of the world's leading pension funds focused on direct investments in both public and private equities. Also participating was current Trion investor Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company. Trion will utilize the financing to further grow its worldwide premium online games business. The game maker is currently working on End of Nations, which can be seen in the exclusive video interview below.

01.07.12

2K Games is bringing back the XCOM franchise in a big way. After showcasing a first-person shooter XCOM game from 2K Marin at E3 last year, now the game publisher has revealed a second game. Firaxis Games, the creative team behind the iconic Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise, is developing XCOM: Enemy Unknown for 2012. The action strategy title should be instantly recognizable to fans of the original X-COM, while breaking new ground in strategy games for today’s console and Windows PC gamers. With equal emphasis on deep strategy and intense tactical combat, XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place players in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, players will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The game will feature a variety of alien enemy types as well as a new base setup.

01.04.12

Every Tuesday, Sony brings its Playstation faithful new content, add-ons for your favorite games, Themes and avatars for your PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. For those who have the Playstation Plus, you can now get telltale's Back to The Future game for free. Ever wanted to find out what happened and wanted to continue your adventures with Marty Mcfly and Doc? Now is your chance, as you get all the six episodic for free. Another game you can get thanks to your PSN Plus membership is Sword & Soldiers. It's an enjoyable 2D sidescrolling strategy game that is highly replayable with a group of friends.

12.10.11

In a world left without political leaders, only the generals remain. Suring the SpikeTV “Video Game Awards”, BioWare, a Label of Electronic Arts, announced the studio’s newest project, Command & Conquer Generals 2. Powered by Frostbite 2, Generals 2 will feature cutting-edge visuals, sound, and destruction that will bring a new level of fidelity to strategy games.

11.22.11

With Black Friday around the corner, Blizzard Entertainment  is offering gamers who haven’t yet engaged in the real-time strategy experience of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty a chance to get in for a breeze. For a limited time, the fastest-selling strategy game of all time and one of the bestselling PC games of 2011 is available from the online Blizzard Store for a just $29.99 -- that’s half off the suggested retail price. This deal is only good through Cyber Monday, November 28. The developer talks about the new game’s expansion, Heart of the Swarm, in this exclusive video interview below.

10.24.11

Minecraft...it's an addiction in itself.  The retro-flavored action game has addicted millions of people thus far, and is even holding its own event, Minecon, next month in Las Vegas, Nevada.  But now it looks like it's going to cross over to a new platform, and a whole new level of addiction, as the game is set to hit the Xbox 360 early next year.  And those of you attending Minecon will get a chance to see what it's like.

10.23.11

ANAHEIM -- Blizzard Entertainment enlisted actor Jay Mohr to host its annual cosplay costume contest. Fans dressed in elaborate costumes from hit games like Diablo III, StarCraft II and World of Warcraft Cataclysm. Amidst news surrounding the free Diablo III to all WoW gamers and a brand new expansion pack, Mists of Pandaria, fans celebrating gaming all around. Check out some of the sexy sirens of BlizzCon in this cosplay gallery below.

10.10.11

The 2011 MLG Pro Circuit season has been record breaking with the largest prize purse to date, the most epic crowds, and millions tuning in from around the globe to watch the competition Live online.  The competition continues this weekend as top pro players, aspiring amateurs, and thousands of video game fans return to the sunshine state for the Major League Gaming (MLG) Orlando Pro Circuit, marking the seventh time MLG has held an event in Orlando, Florida.  October 14-16, competitors from around the globe will battle in the last Pro Circuit before the 2011 championship for more than $120,000 in prizes playing Blizzard Entertainment’s blockbuster real-time strategy game, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty on PC, the record-setting Call of Duty: Black Ops on PlayStation 3, and the popular Halo: Reach on Xbox 360.