Sponsored Video: Darksiders 2 Trailer

There's lots of sequels this year I've been looking forward to: Guild Wars 2, Torchlight 2,  Bioshock Infinite. The most underrated perhaps is Darksiders 2.

The first installment received its fair share of (perhaps deserved) criticism. Mostly due to it borrowing so many game mechanics and styles from other games (Zelda, God of war, Portal)
The end result though was still a visually stunning masterpiece thanks to Joe Madueira's visual art-direction and the crisp look of Vigil's graphics engine.

The second game will now focus on another iconic Rider of the Apocalypse: Death
There's a trailer that quite poignantly depicts him throughout our history by hiding him in many of our paintings and murals. The paintings illustrate many of our revolutions and wars detailing each of Death's many roles: Solider, Executioner, ...
His ghostly mask leaving his mark throughout humanity's history.


You can watch it here:






And speaking of masks. After the disappointing Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition (more on that later this week) I'm seriously getting this one.
Check the life-sized mask!










This article has been sponsored by THQ, although all my thoughts are my own

Sponsored Video: Angry Birds with Lazers

It's an understatement to say that the Angry Birds franchise is perhaps the most successful flagship of today's casual gaming generation and the game is nothing less than an icon of how simple gameplay can be addictive and refreshing. Not to even mention the awesome viral content like this and this.
I've also spent like a hundred pounds of change to just try and get of these plushy things in my local arcade.

It's no surprise then that there have already been sequels in the franchise, and we are two days away from the release of the newest Angry Birds game called Angry Birds Space which is set in spaaaaaaaaaaace.

The game on the Samsung Note device will feature a unique level and also all-new Angry Birds Space characters. One of these is aptly called Lazer Bird.
The Samsung Note itself makes for an almost paradoxical device since its bigger screen makes it more in-line with handheld consoles but its focus on a stylus makes it a deviate among other platforms.

You can watch a trailer from Samsung here to see how the Lazer Bird "reflects the personality of Samsung GALAXY Note"



This article has been sponsored by Samsung to Pew Pew.

PS VITA Review

It's been a few weeks since the launch of the PS Vita and this merits a quick look at the device and some of its games to see if it lives up to the hype!

The PS VITA is a really powerful console with graphics and detail that is currently the best on the handheld market. The device also packs a great amount of potential by offering motion sensoring, dual analog sticks and a touchscreen both in the front and back of the console.
According to Sony it's the perfect device for innovative games based on the game's peripherals but I have as of yet not really seen any proof of that. Nonetheless here are a few of the games I have tested so far:


Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins is a great old-school platform game with a great level design that takes you on an adventuring journey from dense jungles to a polar world filled with fruit and ice cubes. Its art is absolutely amazing and outlandish as you can see in the screenshot below:

The gameplay is fun and varied with a lot of collectibles and locked areas to come back later. Unfortunately the game only takes use of the Vitas front touch screen and analog sticks so there could have been much more potential here.
But aside from that it's a great and addictive game which lends great for a casual game while traveling etc...

 Mutant Blobs Attack!

Mutant Blobs Attack is one of the cheapest games the PS Vita has to offer and is in my opinion of the best.
It's a great little platformer with tongue-in-cheek references to Facebook, Angry Birds and many more.

Apart from using the analog sticks, there are a few little minigames that require the PS Vita's motion sensor and where you navigate the ridiculously grumpy yet cute blob by rolling it.



The PS Vita is a great console, but unfortunately with its ludicrous price-tag may not be entirely merited if you already have a DS or PSP.

Sponsored video: Last Story

With the dusk of the recent consoles finally setting in.  Nintendo seems to have decided to make their Wii's swansong a strong and compelling one.
Frst there was Skyward Sword, which was perhaps the first game where the Wii's real power of motion sensoring was first (and last?) showcased.

Their recent game which is hybrid of actiongaming and RPG's is called Last Story and is a game from the famous game creator: Hironobu Sakaguchi (think Final Fantasy). The game has already gathered much critical acclaim for its story and combat mechanics.

Amazingly the game offers a 6(!) co-operative mode where people can control a henchman with their own unique story and powers/abilities. The game's spiritual predecessor Final Fantasy is never far away. But that said, the game looks like it managed to create its own unique impression in the Japanese RPG world with a brilliant and innovative combat design and a rich enthralling game setting.

You can watch the trailer where the characters are poignantly introduced here:







This article has been sponsored by Nintendo.

Darkness II Review

The Darkness 2 is what happens when you take a genre that's been submerged in cliches and infuse it with new gameplay elements, a change of graphics and a strong narrative.
As dark, violent and obscene the game is, as much of a blast of fresh air it is in reality.



Gameplay-wise the Darkness continues the same gameplay as seen as in the previous game. Although you have a decent delection of guns at your disposal, those will not be your main weapons. You are inhibited by an ancient evil phantom called the Darkness, which grants you two snake-like tentacle arms extending from your shoulders. These are able to swipe or grapple foes, and also allow you to regenerate health by devouring the hearts of your foes. They also perform finisher moves with an obsene cruelty I have not seen much in videogames.











Graphically I can imagine the game is a hit and miss for people. The developers obviously wanted to stray true to the game's graphic novel roots by giving it a feel of a polished cellshaded reflection.
Think Borderlands graphics but darker, and less rough.
This is where the game will either appeal to you for that unique visual style, or on the contrary just repel you.

Narratively the game has amazing strong. You are thrown into the sequel by means of a half flashback and the memory of your late beloved is what drives your personal quest forward. Although perhaps not everything is what it seems, as later you find yourself in an asylum where the game is hinting that perhaps this is just your imagination.  It almost feels postmodern in that effect and I had to admit I was rivetted by that and you ponder whch is reality and which insanity.
Unfortunately later on in the game starts to drag, perhaps not as much naratively as more gameplay-wise. This is a shame as the single-player game is rather short like so many other FS's nowadays.

All in all The darkness 2