Have You Played? is an endless stream of game retrospectives. One a day, every day of the year, perhaps for all time.>

I really, really liked it. Could never understood why there was so much moaning about the trees not growing. … [visit site to read more]

Unsurprising but sad news: what prevented the recently-closed, much-missed Britsoft studio Lionhead from finding a new home under another owner was, allegedly, Microsoft’s refusal to let the Fable IP go with it. … [visit site to read more]

Sad news, mostly because a studio with some serious heritage looks set to be closed down, but partly because said studio never had a chance to set out its own identity following the departure of founder Peter Molyneux. Lionhead was what the co-creator of Populous, Theme Park, Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper did after Bullfrog (with the help of dozens of talented colleagues), and while it was always a divisive studio the ambition and exuberance it showed in the Black & White and Fable games will be sorely missed.

Microsoft today announced the studio’s next (and first post-Molyneux) title, Fable Legends, has been cancelled, and that it is “in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios in the UK.” … [visit site to read more]

Since the dawn of RPGs, two things have remained constant: heroes require armour, and players will always want to find out what happens if they strip it all off and run around. Some would call it a secret test of a game’s devotion to world simulation – that if characters react, it says good things about the developers’ devotion to detail. Others just think it’s really funny. (To be clear, it’s very rarely even close to sexy.)

This week then, a random sample will answer the question the world has been waiting to realise it should have asked – objectively speaking, which RPG is the best? Specifically, if they all forgot their PE kits and had to go quest in their pants.

… [visit site to read more]