What exactly is the incentive for a studio to bring another free-to-play MMO to the West?

Even among fans of these here grind-machines, the approval-rating of MMOs rises and falls with a steadiness usually reserved for politicians. But somehow NCsoft have managed to keep a stable of these games in their portfolio for years. The publishers have announced today that they’re localizing Blade And Soul [official site], its three-year-old free-to-play MMO, for North America and Europe this year, making this the fifth title from the company to launch in Asia before it releases in the West. We decided to take a closer look.>

… [visit site to read more]

Richard is handling opinions on The Witcher 3 [official site] (including tech issues and similar fun), but as a man without 200-odd hours to spare on questing, quaffing, sexing and beard-growing, I shall instead run a (mostly) in-character diary series covering my adventures in, presumably, just the earlier stages of CDP’s saucy roleplayer. But for the record, it runs OK if I turn Fancy Hair off but it has crashed twice so far. … [visit site to read more]

There is, I know for a fact, a special drum in the Blizzard offices. This drum is chained in a dark oubliette “lest it awake”. Carved from glimmering red-flecked obsidian, its five-metre span is topped with a skin that feels eerily familiar. Some swear they’ve seen obscene glyphs tattooed into the skin, dark marks which vanished upon blinking. It is Blizzard’s launch trailer drum. Crows rising from the trees this morning to pelt themselves at my window mean the drum has been sounded.

Heroes of the Storm [official site] has launched into open beta, and the drum booms mightily in its launch trailer.

… [visit site to read more]

You Must Build A Boat [official site] is the sequel to 10,000,000, the 14th best puzzle game of all time. 10,000,000 combined match-3 mechanics with a fantasy fighting endless runner and YMBAB adds more layers to the confection, in the form of a monster recruitment system, and the construction and management of the Necessary Vessel. I loved 10,000,000 and the sequel should fix my two main complaints by adding a more meaningful sense of progression and having a title that isn’t Google-proof (the title isn’t Google-proof – ed). Release date is June 4th and you can see the sea in the trailer below.

… [visit site to read more]

At this point, most Street Fighter V [official site] character reveals are met with more relief than surprise as fans confirm the existence of their favourite fighters in the latest version of the game. M. Bison has been in practically every new edition since Street Fighter II and yet here we are, watching his addition to the roster be unvealed in a new trailer, as if it wasn t already a sure thing. I mean, we re not even 100% certain Ken will be invited to the fight this time. He will be though. Right? Right

… [visit site to read more]

Streets of Fury [official site] is a clever name if you think about it, because of how it s so similar to Streets of Rage. Remember Streets of Rage? That was a great game. Maybe Streets of Fury will be a – oh, I see what they ve done there. That’s not the game’s only throwback to the 90s either.

You only have to take a look at one screenshot before you’re blasted in the face with digitised characters and environments. If that doesn’t pluck at your nostalgia strings, I don’t know what will.

… [visit site to read more]

Hello youse!

We’re off the back of a string of five reviews, so it’s time for a NEWS UPDATE. Let’s call this the NEWS UPDATE OF MAY, or the MAY NEWS UPDATE. Of board games, obviously. And you might be thinking – Well, Rab, you just did a news update last month, called the April News Update or something. Is there even more news about daft board games already? And I’m all like that – Well, yes.

… [visit site to read more]

Do you remember when you first watched Robot Wars and every time the announcer called the contestants ‘Roboteers’ you couldn’t help but picture robots with giant ears sticking out of their face? What do you mean, “What s Robot Wars?” How old are you? Do your parents know you’re using the Internet?

For anyone who does remember, you may have a similar experience with Machineers [official site], a new episodic adventure game that wants to teach you to think like a programmer.

… [visit site to read more]

The ’90s revival is in full swing. Teenagers are wearing Nirvana t-shirts over denim over flannel over denim over denim, Kickstarters are reviving faded video game genres, Sleater-Kinney and Babes in Toyland have reformed, and Dale Winton has somehow been here all along. I suppose it was inevitable that someone would bring back Clippit. What utter gits Rad Sandwich Studios are.

Their short, free game RadOS [official site] offers the nightmare scenario of trying to save your work before your computer restarts to install updates, hindered by the comments and directions of a cartoon character who wants to assist you but is a total bastard and will make you lose hours of work OH MY GOSH YOU ARE THE WORST HELPER.

… [visit site to read more]

Ideally, you’d be looking at the review right now. Unfortunately, due to code not showing up til Sunday and then problems getting it to run, I’m only just digging into The Witcher 3 [official site] myself. The full verdict will be with you as soon as possible, though it’s a big game and I don’t want to do it or you the disservice of rushing through it just to throw words at the screen. However, here’s a few thoughts from my first few hours of witching, on the opening hours, on the controversial graphics, and my displeasure that it features hair technology that hasn’t been named “TrissFX.” Such a wasted opportunity.

… [visit site to read more]