About John Laster

Believe it or not my favorite part about video games isn’t the games themselves but the way they bring people together. Arguably no show demonstrates this bond better than PAX. Thousands of likeminded individuals flooded Boston this past Easter weekend. It didn’t matter where you worked or what you did or what you had to do when you hit the ground again on Monday; for one glorious weekend everyone was an equal: a gamer. It didn’t matter if your weapon was a die, a mouse, a controller or one’s own body. Everyone at this show had a passion for games.

A few of us from XBLA Fans made the trip and had the honor of mingling and checking out some of the upcoming XBLA titles for 2012 and beyond. We were able to hear developers in their element talking to fans about their projects. It was an amazing experience. Our own Andrew Crews has already elaborated on this issue, but in the end you remember the little things. That being said, there were some amazing games. Check out our full breakdown below!

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When Ben Fisher and I started XBLA Fans we had no idea the idea would take off like it has. We’d begun planning the idea the fall of 2009 …
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Win one of the best shmups on XBLA.
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When you want the optimal gaming experience, it doesn’t matter how nice your TV is if the sound system can’t keep up. Games today place a high premium on audio whether it’s the haunting footsteps and echoes of Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, the upbeat pulsating rhythm of an XBLA classic like Geometry Wars Retro-Evolved or the dulcet tones of the narrator in Bastion. And with a rough economy it’s hard to throw down a large sum of money on a full surround sound system. Thankfully, that same quality level of audio comes in a head phone form for under $100 in the[easyazon-link asin=”B005T3GQLA” locale=”us”]Tritton Primer[/easyazon-link].

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With a licensed game it would be easy to slap a different render on the same character build and just pretend that makes them unique, especially with a property …
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Those of you with a keen eye might have noticed a certain limbo-esque feel to one of the Trials Evolution levels briefly shown in the Arcade Next promotion trailer. …
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When I arrived at Haunted Temple Studios, the cab driver gave me a smug look. I’d asked him to stop one door over from a strip club at what looked to be an abandoned construction area. The gears in his head were turning and his face read “this kid just doesn’t want to admit he’s going to Dreamgirls.” He continued to prod me about being in the wrong location, but my trusted iPhone assured me this was the address Jake Kazdal, founder of Haunted Temple had given me. I wandered into the construction area hoping this was the right location. The glitz and glamor of the neighbors distracting the average onlooker from the amazing gem inside an unmarked building next door made arguably the perfect metaphor for an indie studio’s plight in the industry. Inside this large open, warehouse of a building, Jake and his team were putting the finishing touches on Skulls of the Shogun, literally hours after rescuing the game from a flood.

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I’ve always had a soft spot for ambition; for the people out there who take risks, when the big money says play it safe. I’d rather watch and cheer for the Phil Mickelson’s of the world who would rather shoot over or through obstacles than lay up and take two shots; the Boise States who are willing to go for two on a trick play in overtime; the indie developer who spends their entire life savings on a dream. In a world dominated by discussion of monetization models and social metrics, I even have a soft spot for an established three hundred and fifty person studio that creates an IP department for prototyping and creating new ideas on the console space, while many companies are running the other direction. I had the opportunity to speak with Frima Games about their upcoming project, Lives and Death, at GDC this year, and what I saw, while still in the prototyping phase, is definitely ambitious. Read More

Last week, Zen Studios filled Game Informer in on the details to the newest Marvel Pinball tables for Pinball FX2; however we finally have a look at gameplay footage from each table. The newest four pack is comprised of The Avengers, Infinity Gauntlet, Fear Itself and World War Hulk. In our Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue review, we praised the production values but did question if the team had stopped taking risks. After Zen Studio’s most recent table, Epic Quest, which seamlessly integrated RPG mechanics into the pinball experience that fear has mostly been relieved.

We had the opportunity to speak briefly with Zen Studio’s VP of Marketing, Mel Kirk at GDC. He mentioned that the team was constantly working on ways to improve and mentioned players should be inline for more of a cinematic experience with these tables than past ones. Mel mentioned that Moon Knight was the first time they had brought this cinematic experience to Marvel Pinball and that it was something they truly felt worked well within the game.  We’re looking forward to getting more details on the tables, like an official date. Given the tie-in, it seems likely that it is planned to coincide or lead into the upcoming Avengers film. For now these screenshots will have to tide us over. One can’t help but notice the Avengers table is conspicuously missing…

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I told myself I would never play Minecraft as I have this incredibly easy ability to become quickly addicted to something. To put it in perspective, I’m the guy who watches entire series of TV shows straight through in a day, not just seasons. I’ll try and fail for hours at a game like Super Meat Boy or Trials HD until I can get through sections perfectly. When I started Skyrim, I had eighty hours put into the game before I even remembered to start the main quest. When I fell in love with XBLA games, I helped start this website. So it was no surprise when I finally picked up a controller to play Minecraft an hour passed by like nothing had even happened.

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