Blog

What we are playing is a weekly column published on Sunday. Select members of the team talk about the games they’ve been playing over the past week and which they’re …
Read More

A new supposedly ‘leaked’ image suggests that the next Xbox will be named the Xbox Infinity. The image appeared on Reddit with The International Business Times claiming the console …
Read More

UPDATE: After checking with Andy Schatz, the game’s creator, the trial should be on its way soon.

Original post below:

After being delayed last-minute to fix a bug, Monaco …
Read More

If domain registrations are any indication, the follow-up to the Xbox 360 will be called Xbox Fusion.  A list, discovered and compiled by Fusible, shows …
Read More

In January at CES 2013, Eric Rudder, Microsoft’s chief technology strategy officer, unveiled the IllumiRoom—a new Kinect driven device for use with next generation gaming consoles. This proof-of-concept project being developed by Microsoft Research “augments the area surrounding a television screen with projected visualizations to enhance the traditional living room entertainment experience.”

Pairing a Kinect for Windows with a projector allows for enhanced gameplay experiences by extending the screen beyond the TV. Unlike previous technology, such as Focus+Context screens, the IllumiRoom can be used in any type of living room setup.

While sitting on a coffee table, the self-calibrating Kinect will map out the user’s living room by detecting the placement of the TV, stationary objects, and colors in the environment. This allows the projector to “change the appearance of the room, induce apparent motion, extend the field of view, and enable entirely new game experiences.” Microsoft Research released the video below to demonstrate what the IllumiRoom can do.

Read More

Max is your typical late-80s/early-90s video game or cartoon hero. He’s an adventurous young boy, colorfully drawn to life with a an oversized golden mane and a t-shirt that bearing a prominent reminder of the letter his first name begins with. He lives in a picturesque home in a neighborhood that is presumably full of residents who don’t know the meaning of the words “overcast” and “precipitation.” At the start of his adventure, a monster arm that’s more adorable than scary reaches out of his closet and nabs the little brother whom Max had just been fighting with. This event signals the beginning of an adventure that will see Max running through bright and varied environments and jumping over obstacles in his path.

But this isn’t the late ’80s. Nor is it the early ’90s. This is 2013. And in 2013, game and cartoon characters have guns. Usually big guns. Take, for example, one of XBLA’s most recent releases, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. Ubisoft’s ’80s love letter sealed with the blood of the titular dragons went so far as to give the player a minigun. Max: The Curse of the Brotherhood, however, does nothing of the sort.

“One of the things that is very appealing about this game is that Max isn’t armed with a minigun or a samurai sword, but he has this ability to control different kinds of materials that are in themselves not very dangerous,” says Mikkel Thorsted, studio director of Press Play, the developer behind Curse of the Brotherhood. “Basically he is armed with his imagination and wit, so basically when you encounter danger you have to outsmart the villainous henchmen. You have to outsmart them and lure them away, and stuff like that.”

Read More

Grab your tree stand and your camoflage vest, cuz’ we’re goin’ hunting. That’s right gang, with the first XBLA hunting game our favorite downloadable platform has now covered nearly every genre out there. Developed by Klytonn Entertainment and published by Big Ben Interactive, Hunter’s Trophy 2: America drops players into the wild, with just their rifle and hunting dog to take down their prey. Several areas serve up different hunting game, with locations ranging from Alaska to Kentucky. The game features tree stand hunting, general hunting for game, a shooting range and the ability to hunt with your good ole’ hound dog at your side. You can hunt ducks, but there’s no word yet on whether the dog can come along, nor whether he’ll laugh at you should you miss your prey.

The game releases May 17 for 800 MSP, which is a little over half of the PC release price of USD $18.99. Whether it’s worth a purchase remains to be seen, but at least we’ll have something other than other people to shoot at. In the meantime you can hit up the game’s official website for additional info, and hit the jump for more screenshots.

Read More

Fans of popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering will already be salivating at the recent news that Sliver creatures will return in the upcoming Magic 2014 core set; but the news for Xbox owners is even more exciting, as this years edition of Magic 2014 – Duels of the Planeswalkers will feature a Sealed Play format for the first time!

Read More

The shutdown of LucasArts by Disney early last month left many wondering about the fate of the Star Wars games. Disney had previously stated that their focus would be directed toward social games, and the with the demise of LucasArts fans wondered if all hope was lost. Who would save us from a sea of Star Wars Facebook and mobile games? Then an unlikely hero emerged. EA stepped in.

The announcement came yesterday to mixed reception. Some were optimistic, others were quick to point out EA’s reputation as the Consumerist’s Worst Company In America. On Twitter the #starwarsnextgen hash tag began to trend with ideas for new Star Wars titles, the majority coupling Star Wars Battlefront III with the Battlefield series engine, EA DICE at the helm. Others clamored for a new, non-MMO installment to the Knights of the Old Republic series.

Regardless of how you feel, it’s a very exciting time to be a Star Wars fan and a gamer. With LucasArts’ relatively poor showing the last 5-8 years there’s really only one direction Star Wars games can go. Up. So let’s take a few minutes to assess just why EA is a great choice for the franchise, and take a few more to note some potential caveats as well.

Read More

He may have left Microsoft-owned Lionhead Studios to form a new independent studio 22Cans, but Peter Molyneux still has a keen interest in the next Xbox. Speaking to IGN, …
Read More