Lionhead Studios Is No More

I think we all saw this coming. A little over a month ago, I detailed an article about the cancellation of Fable Legends and the uncertain fate of its developer and creator of the Fable franchise, Lionhead Studios. On March 7th, Microsoft declared that they would enter into a six week period mandated by British law to discuss the “proposed closure” of Lionhead Studios. This gives the employees time to consider their options if the company shutters its doors.

Unfortunately, that time has arrived and Microsoft has made it official: Lionhead Studios will cease to exist. In an article from Kotaku,  a Microsoft representative noted that “We have nothing but heart-felt thanks for the team at Lionhead for their significant contributions to Xbox and the games industry.” Obviously official corporate jargon, the representative does make a point. Fable made a significant impact with the original Xbox community and spawned the relatively well received Fable trilogy along with the unimpressive Fable: The Journey and an HD remake of the original Fable.

Lionhead’s work extends beyond just the Fable franchise. Creators of the intriguing Black and White series that let players become the god of their realm and the less well known title called The Movies, Microsoft’s representative doesn’t do Lionhead’s memory justice. While all studios have setbacks, make poor decisions, and sometimes disappoint their fans, every game leaves an impression upon us and the society of gaming. I will forever remember my first experience with Fable and playing it countless times to experience both the extreme good and horrid evil an individual could embody. While each game beyond the first didn’t have the same “magic” of my first Fable experience, they still left their mark and inspired me to play more RPGs and incorporate more choices and consequences in my own Pathfinder campaigns. After Fable, I became readily aware of the decisions I made in every game. Do you remember the original tagline of the first game? It feels all the more poignant now…

“For every choice, a consequence.”

Rest in peace, Lionhead. We at Skatronixxx wish your former employees the best of luck.

-Valiant

New Console Coming From Nintendo!

There has been a lot of talk about a new console, Nintendo NX, launching in March 2017. The specifics are still a mystery but we will get more information later this year. Oddly enough though, Nintendo won’t be introducing it’s newest creation at the E3, their focus at the event is going to be on the upcoming Legend of Zelda game, which they said will be released for both Nintendo NX and WiiU. Another game that is going to be released for NX is Dragon Quest XI, but so far these are the only known games planned for NX at the moment. There have been rumors that WiiU’s production will be stopped in 2018 so it seems Nintendo has high hopes for the next console, WiiU being their worst selling console yet.

One imaginary alternative for how the NX console would look like.

What’s more, Nintendo has stated that the Nintendo NX will not be a new version of Wii or WiiU but a whole new, unique experience. There has been talk about the NX being a sort of a hybrid of a “home” console and a mobile part that you can take with you, not a bad idea since Nintendo’s handheld consoles have been quite successfull! The operating system for the NX is still not known, although there have been guesses of Android based system or something similar to the other newer console’s systems. There has been a rumor that NX would work with Playstation 4, Android and PC, I have not heard of any confirmation yet though but this would be a really big bonus for the consumers. Also the NX is rumored to be backwards compatible with Wii/WiiU games, and there has been some mention of an online service and access to online gaming that resembles those of playstation and Xbox.

An analyst Michael Patcher has given a heavy view of the new console, thinking that Nintendo will probably use “backwards looking technology” like before, and that the console is in serious danger of not being that good. One decision that  may have affected this conclusion is that the NX will support 4K/60 fps video streaming BUT that the  gameplay will only run at 900p, which is not that bad, but it is without a doubt a bit outdated since the  other consoles have done it already. So the hardware is a few years old, this is pretty much what they did with Wii. But what does it mean? Well for one, that the visuals are going to be a lot improved from Wii and WiiU, but they won’t be anyhing that hasn’t been done before. This of course doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be very exited for the Nintendo’s newest family member. I for one can’t wait for more information about this new reportedly unique gaming system!

Play with passion!

auburn.geek

Gamer’s Thoughts (And What I’ve Been Up To)

I haven’t got any game reviews or introductions in line right now, but i wanted to drop a few lines anyway so you know I’m still here. Remember how I told you in the first posts that my blog is going to be carefree? Well this is me trying to  keep it that way. So what have I been up to? Gaming, roleplaying and reading of course. You know how we got the awesome Dark Souls 3 collector’s edition a while ago? Well now we bought Assassins Creed Syndicate special edition box, I know we are super late on this game but since we are almost always pretty low on money we have to decide which games are holding the priority. But now we got it, and it’s been fun to play together! I can honestly say it’s the perfect game to play with your friend or significant other since there are two playable characters which you can switch almost at any time. The box included the game’s soundtrack, a cool map of London, an awesome artbook and of course the game with some add ons. Here’s a few unboxing pics

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s so much fun to get exited and enjoy gaming with the person you share your life with. I get a lot of comments on instagram about having such a “goals” relationship, because me and my husband always play and do lots of other cool stuff together. I am super happy about my situation, especially since it seems that many gamers really wish they had someone to share their life AND hobbies with(but they haven’t been lucky enough to find someone suitable). Completely understandable, I’ve heard so many stories about people being in a relationship where the other one doesn’t understand gaming at all and then the couple ends up fighting a lot about it. This of course can happen with any hobby your boy/girlfriend doesn’t like, but gaming seems to attract more heated debate than e.g. going to gym, watching sports or reading. I wonder why that is? Maybe because gaming is many times pretty solitary in nature?(doesn’t have to be!) Or because it takes a little more work to get into games if you’re a total noob? Or is it just attitude? I still hear from some adults how games are for adolescents and how childish a hobby gaming is(like F you too!). And how especially weird it is that anyone over 40 would play videogames or read comics or get exited about a superhero movie, it’s seen even as pathetic or scary! Interesting how they make so much R- rated games etc. then.. I don’t think gaming has an age limit(okay it does, but only for too young people not too old) but somehow it is stigmatized as an immature hobby. Funny thing is, many(not all, duh) gamers are actually more mature and have better education than some who think us stupid. Oh well. In conclusion, maybe being with someone who thinks your hobbies are immature(and that you should stop gaming) isn’t the right one after all. I really hope everyone finds someone nice.

Sorry for all the rambling! Hope you had at least some fun reading my chaos.

Play with passion!

auburn.geek

 

Dark Souls Is Getting A Board Game

Some of you may already know that my obsession with this series borders on fanatical. For any of you waiting for my Dark Souls 3 review, you’ll be pleased to know that I just finished the game nary 10 minutes ago after logging 40+ hours into Namco Bandai’s latest title. Before I begin working on that monster of a review, I wanted to share some interesting information with you all.

A UK-based company by the name of Steamforged Games, creators of the intriguing fantasy medieval football wargame Guild Ball, opened up a Kickstarter for a Dark Souls board game! Within days, this project has reached 2 million dollars (at the time of writing) and looks as though it won’t stop growing. It’s impressive to think that we could see one of the most intriguing and difficult titles of this generation become a working tabletop game with workable mechanics that pay homage to the video game and enemies/bosses directly from the series!

Praise the Sun!

A cautionary word: Kickstarter projects have produced some of the most spectacular content, but many have failed spectacularly. An inherent risk exists with any publicly funded campaign and the developers of such projects have failed to meet the standards set by themselves and their backers. This doesn’t always happen, but please realize this and make a decision to donate (or not donate) accordingly. Better yet, since the project has received beyond 100% funding you could simply wait until the retail version releases!

Steamforged Games have added an increasing pantheon of stretch goals as the numbers continue to climb. Playable by yourself or with a group of friends, Dark Souls the board game looks like it could deliver on the frustrating and powerfully epic experience the video games let us enjoy! Hopefully the Kickstarter goes well and the developers strive to achieve the most authentic and mechanically stable experience. I’ll keep my eyes on the campaign and let you know how it goes and if I can, I’ll try to snag a copy and do a playtest with my friends!

Happy gaming and PRAISE THE SUN!!

-Valiant

Mirror’s Edge Hype

I fell in love with the first Mirror’s Edge game in 2008 and I’ve played it through several times. Mirror’s Edge was quite a phenomenon when it was first released, and for a good reason. The game was pretty unique at the time since it’s main idea was to parkour through different levels, with it’s relatable and authentic female protagonist Faith who was a messenger (“runner”) of a sort fighting the power in a dystopian city where no one had true privacy anymore. So she ran through the corrupted city to deliver important messages and fought the law successfully. The idea of the game was simple but believable like that. The areas/levels in the game were fun to play and beautiful to look at. The simplicity in the city’s structure was well planned, even though it may not have been the most authentic way to depict the grimm future. Of course there were frustrating parts and some less than perfect level planning in the game too but all in all it was really good!

Faith became one of my favorite female characters because she is a woman but she wasn’t sexed up like so many other female characters have been. She is credible and the game focuses on her skills, mission and personality rather than her cleavage. Most importantly she is depicted as a human. This is something we don’t see enough in games, and characters like Faith give a really good picture of how to make a woman real.

So now that the sequel Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is finally coming i am pretty excited, there’s so much to look forward to! The art looks really beautiful and the levels seem to be more versatile than in the first game. There are also more content in the world, we will see  different factions like the runners, the gonglomerates(basically the corporations) and even a terrorist group called Black November. We will also learn more about Faith and the cause which she follows, and if I’m understanding correctly we’ll know more about the city as well. I don’t yet know when i will be able to tell you more since I’m not sure I can afford the game on the release day, but if i get my hands on it on time I’ll report what it’s like.

Play with passion!

auburn.geek

Dark Souls 3 The First Glance

So we just got the collector’s edition of Dark Souls 3 and it’s pretty awesome. I live in Finland so we had to wait a bit longer to get this, but finally it’s here!

As a long time fan of the game series I love it so far. I have to make it clear though that although i have indeed played the earlier games(plus Bloodborne!), i have used even more time watching my husband play them. So my knowledge of the game is more profound than my concrete gaming skills which are of course at least okay too. I can’t give you a lot of details of the game, but thus far the game seems to be a perfect combination of the best features of the older games. The fighting is made much more efficient and fun; something has been learned from bloodborne and so the fighting is less passive than in the earlier games. Don’t fear though, the good old shield&sword tactic works still as well. Also there are new techniques to use in battle which cosume fp(the blue gauge). The enemies feel more intelligent and capable in fight too. They have also finally been able to make the long desired slime/liquid like enemy!

The graphics(and art allover) are totally brilliant, frame rate is smooth and you can see the enemies in the distance much better than e.g. in Dark Souls 2. And right from the start the game’s style and ambiance  have been epic and the plot and the lore  interesting. I can’t wait to learn more and more as the game progresses further. I’ve got nothing bad to say yet. I will of course give an update on that opinion if there is any reason to change it.

Play with passion!

auburn.geek

Jurassic Park Is Back!

 

Look, it’s another Lego Game. Destroy everything in sight to get money! What a great lesson for young children.

It’s the same old thing, really. Funny dialogue, easy puzzles and open world free play.

So then why do I keep buying into Lego?

Simple. Because it’s awesome. Because there are dinosaurs. Because you get to PLAY as the dinosaurs.

Honestly, I think it’s my favourite Lego game to date. Not only has it reignited my love of dinosaurs and fear of birds (the modern day dinosaurs), but it’s a chance to sit down with family and friends and work together as a team to smash absolutely everything in sight.

Not only can you unlock characters like Jimmy Fallon and Mr. DNA, but you can ride in a gyrosphere, play as a raptor and journey through all four hit movies. (Yes, even the infamously terrible third installment…which hey, I didn’t think was THAT bad).

Special abilities include digging through dinosaur’s excrement, camouflage and throwing T-Rex urine on those pesky mini dinosaurs.

I highly recommend playing on the Wii U. Instead of using a split screen, one member can have the TV to themselves while the other uses the Wii U handheld.

Why the Wii U got such a bad review when it first came out, I’ll never know. I think it’s pretty rocking. But that’s coming from the girl who wrote Nintendo Love Song. Basically, Nintendo is and forever will be the greatest, especially now that you can play Lego on its newest console.

P.S. Just try to get the Jurassic Park theme song out of your head once you start playing. Just try.

 

 

 

 

Endless Legend Is Still Spectacular

I’m going to preface this article by saying that I am hopelessly addicted to Endless Legend. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please go investigate this game. Do you like Civilization? Do you like beautifully detailed fantasy worlds? Do you like strategy games? This very well might be the game for you.

Set in a mystical fantasy world called Auriga, Endless Legend put you in control of one of several different factions all with their own abilities and features. Your goal is to explore the world, build cities, colonize the world’s many regions, and ultimately strive toward whatever type of victory you wish to achieve (of which there are many). Do you like fighting your way to the top? Go for it! Do you prefer to reason and negotiate with your fellow empires? High five! Like Civilization, Endless Legend gives its players the opportunity to play according to a style that befits him or her. Even better, each faction has its own unique quest line that details why Auriga’s winters have become incredibly harsh and how this could mean the end for this once verdant world.

Though this is a little late, this absolutely stunning and addictive 4x strategy game  recently received a new expansion on April 7th. Called “Shifters”, this expansion adds a new faction known as the Allayi (a faction whose abilities change with the seasons) as well as revamps some of the winter effects such as granting the ability to cross frozen streams and lakes. In addition, the development team at Amplitude Studios added a new and powerful resource to the game; called “Pearls”, these items can be collected after the first winter and can power bonuses through a new building called the “Altar of Auriga.”

Until the 14th of April, the entire Endless franchise including Amplitude’s other games Endless Space and Dungeons of the Endless have significantly dropped in price!

The Allayi have a fascinating aesthetic and desire balance for Auriga.

Released on September 18, 2014 for PC and Mac OSX, Endless Legend continues to capture my love and attention. Just last night my friends and I played a game until 5 in the morning because we couldn’t stop hitting that “End Turn” button. The gorgeous artwork and stunningly creative world of Auriga draws me in every time, yet it’s the mystery of the setting and the dynamic story behind the main and side quests that beg me to discover everything that I may. From the design of the units to the awe-inspiring anomalies you can find while playing on the procedurally generated map, I feel as though Endless Legend manages to mix the best of the fantasy and 4x genres and improve upon both. If you have any spare time and want to examine the game for yourself, definitely observe some live streams or watch YouTube videos of the game in action.

If this seems like your kind of game, definitely pick it up and let me know what you think! I’m always happy to share interesting and well crafted titles with you all and if any of you happen to know of other great games currently out there, leave a comment below!

Happy gaming!

-Valiant

Remember ‘Theme Hospital’? We do!

Remember Theme Hospital?

Probably not. It’s one of those epic 90’s Nostalgia games that were huge for a while, before quietly fading into oblivion.

19 years later and I’m still hooked, despite the pixelated graphics.

Build your hospital, make money and cure patients. It sounds simple. Simple it is not. Weird, it certainly is.

Your myriad clinics include the inflation room to deflate swollen heads, the slack tongue clinic to slice off long tongues, decontamination for radioactive patients, the jelly vat for those born without skeletons and a pharmacy for the invisible.

Choose between intelligent employees who have mental breakdowns and the frustratingly slow doctors who list “fart-surfing” on their resume.

No. I’m not exaggerating.

With stressful epidemics, staff harassing you when the boiler breaks and handymen constantly wanting raises, this is an addictive classic you do not want to miss out on!

Make sure to check it out at GOG.com !

Superb Playstation Employee Helps Gamer With Cerebral Palsy

Good people exist in this world.

It’s easy to fall into the mindset that the world constantly works against us and its myriad of inhabitants sometimes join in on making our lives more difficult. Thankfully, stories like these remind me (and hopefully anyone who reads this) that life isn’t always bad and that wonderful human beings still stand up for doing the right thing.

I recently found an article on Gamespot that absolutely floored me. Tamoor Hussain reported that a man named Peter Byrne contacted Sony after he expressed difficulty using the PlayStation 4‘s DualShock 4 controller. Byrne explained that “When I use the PlayStation 4 controller my game constantly pauses because my left hand hits the touchpad which is frustrating for me.” He decided to request aid from Sony and waited for their response. Suffering from cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that can appear in infancy or early childhood and can severely affect body movement, muscle coordination, and other physical factors (source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), Byrne has an understandably difficult time playing his favorite video games. Unfortunately incurable, many people with cerebral palsy live very normal and productive lives.

Sony employee Alex Nawabi answered Byrne and assured him that Sony would accomplish something. While Nawabi wrote that his assurance was a bit of a “white lie,” he eventually explained that Mr. Byrne’s situation “struck a chord within” and he built the gamer a custom controller that disabled the touchpad and replaced it with a button on the back of the controller, thus enabling Alex the ability to play his video games unhindered.

Stating that this is “the first time I’ve ever done something like this,” Nawabi wants to build Peter a second controller in case the first one breaks, but not until he gets some feedback from Peter first. Both Peter and his family are incredibly touched by Mr. Nawabi’s efforts and praise continues to pour in for the PlayStation retail marketing operator. A humble man, he kindly thanked everyone for their support but pointed to Sony’s R&D department and their efforts to design consoles and controllers with the maximum amount of accessibility for all.

If you would like to read the letter Mr. Nawabi sent to Mr. Byrne, click this link. It’s stories like this and passionate people like Alex Nawabi that make me adore the gaming community. Hats off to you Mr. Nawabi and to everyone who helps make someone’s life a little easier.

Happy gaming!

-Valiant