The Count Lucanor: Creepy Retro Adventure Will Get Under Your Skin

  

Don't let the Japanese voiceover and "hey, it's from an anime!" looks fool you one bit. The Count Lucanor is a great and creepy little indie game from developer Baroque Decay that's completely in English and one of the more unsettling games I've played recently. A full review is going up on the more updated (newer!) DAF, but I'm just giving the heads up to you folks still poking around here that you should boogie on over to the Count's Steam page and give the game a look-see. That is all. Have a happy (and windy) March!  

 

Albino Lullaby: A Nice, Creepy Pre-Halloween Surprise

I'll just leave this here because you need something freaky for Halloween:

  It's out NOW on Steam. Go grab it and prepare for a total freak show of a psychological horror game. And if you're actually reading this, you should be clicking HERE for more (and more updated) posts, grrr!

Help FOTONICA Go Steam Greenlight!

 

One of the coolest indie games I've played is looking to get even more love from gamers worldwide. While you can indeed (and SHOULD indeed) grab FOTONICA (and its fantastic soundtrack) for five bucks from the Santa Ragione site, the developer also want to get the game on Steam Greenlight. I say help them out if you're a Steam user and nominate them! 

Psychonauts Arrives On The Mac (Finally!) And Double Fine Rolls With It

Hey, Tim! Next time, send these releases out to everyone! Or actually, maybe I need to update my contact info with Double Fine, huh? Anyway, I missed this Psychonauts press release, but thanks to a few "Did you see this?" emails pointing to Bitmob, you can check out the pretty funny press release about the Mac version of Double Fine's rather awesome and funny (and classic) platformer. Yes, the PC version over Steam has gotten some cool enhancements as well. I actually haven't played the PC version (it's on my to-do list), but I do have both console versions here (the Xbox version is the better of the two). I'd gather the chances of seeing the game get an HD upgrade for PS3 and Xbox 360 are slim to none, but hey - if I had a few million bucks laying around, I'd wave some of it under the noses of a few games companies to tempt them into committing to doing at least ONE run of discs and selling them directly to gamers rather than going through the retail chain hell...

Valve Offers PC. Mac Versions Of Portal Free (As An Educational Tool)

Valve is always doing some rather fun stuff with their older games, and now they're giving educators a chance to share one of the coolest puzzle games ever with their classes without paying a dime for it. Even better, it's supposed to be for purely "educational" purposes, meaning it would be awesome if some clever teacher out there actually downloaded this for a class and used it in a lesson plan. All you need is a Steam account and a PC or MAC capable of running the game and boom, you're in. This offer expires on September 20, 2011, so act fast. Hopefully Valve will extend this deal a bit longer. Click on over to Learn With Portals and prepare to be schooled in more ways than one.

Mass Luminosity Wants YOU to WIN Deus Ex: Human Revoloution (I'd Take Them Up On That Offer)

Usually, one of ML's giveaways involves Facebook or Twitter sign-ups, which can be annoying if one doesn't want to go to the trouble of setting up an account at either social networking site. For this new giveaway, the company is running a more simplified method of entry that allows nearly anyone to grab a chance of winning one of 15 Steam downloads of Eidos Montreal's amazing RPG. Just click on over to the contest site, sign up and that's that. One winner will also win a SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon 6950 graphics card along with a copy of DX:HR and DiRT 3 as a bonus. Go sign up NOW and keep your fingers crossed!

Gamecom 2011: Counter Strike: Global Offensive Announced For 2012

Boom! It looks live Valve has done it again, stealing the thunder from an important games trade show with a big announcement. "What big announcement?", you say (ignoring the headline) Oh, a BIG announcement like the return of one of the seminal multiplayer online shooters (and greatest game mods) ever created. Awesome news, but I still have to add a "Hmmmmmm..." here. That's all fine and dandy... but I really, REALLY want to see Left 4 Dead hit the PS3. As in on a disc with BOTH games and all the additional DLC along for the ride plus some cool fill up a Blu-Ray disc bonuses. Maybe one day... I'll wait.

For now, I'll just practice my screaming like an upset toddler because I completely stink at Counter-Strike... "Waaaaaaaah!!!" press release below the jump, by the way.

Portal 2 VGA Co-op Trailer (+ a gentle reminder...)

Rumor had it that the PS3 version of Portal was to have Move support. Valve has officially gone on record to say nope, it does NOT. Heck, according to the company line, it's already the best version of the game, so packing anything else into it would probably make the game disc rupture and your PS3 very unhappy. HOWEVER, you can still attempt to balance that retail copy on your Move wand and take a photo or record the act in progress (feel free to send Valve a pic or post the video on YouTube), thus "supporting" the PS3 version with your Move controller.

Oh - That gentle reminder? Go pre-order the game already.

A Little Gifting Idea From Valve...

Er, Happy Valventine's Day (har har), Some hints from Valve on what and how. BTW, pre-orders for Portal 2 have started up all over the world (Yikes). Time to add your names to the list, I'd say...

Portal 2 On The PS3: Valve Makes More Than Good On That Promise...

Well, Portal 2 on the PS3 has moved on up from last year's intriguing "Is it EVEN possible?" E3 announcement to a "Holy Cats... they actually went and did it!" must-buy experience. PS3, PC and Mac cross-platform gameplay as well as Steam functionality over PSN and a REALLY (really) cool freebie for truly dedicated players? Looks as if Sony's console gets the best version after all.

Er, now about Left 4 Dead & L4D2 on the console... (just nod if they're coming - I won't tell a soul)...

Press release below the jump (and no, there's no cake at the end for reading the entire post... well, not for YOU at least).

Portal 2 Suffers Time Warp Delay, But This Is Actually Good News...

According to Valve and this nicely hilarious press release that pokes fun at the company's track record for its games slipping into the infamous release date triangle, Portal 2 is special for yet another reason:

VALVE ANNOUNCES SHORTEST DELAY IN VALVE HISTORY

Valve today announced that Portal 2 -- the sequel to the ground-breaking title that won over 30 game of the year awards, despite missing its original ship date -- will now be available the week of April 18th, 2011. This two month slip not only marks the shortest delay in Valve's proud tradition of delays, it represents the approaching convergence of Valve Time and Real Time. Though this convergence spells doom for humanity, it will not affect the new Portal 2 release date.

DreamCatcher Reveals Arcania - Gothic 4 Demo Date + Pre-Order PC Version Discounts

Well alright - I've been waiting for news on a Gothic 4 demo and here it is. Two hour PC and Xbox 360 trial versions will launch on September 24 in advance of the game's October 12, 2010 release date. Between the incredible looking Arcania and a certain other European-style RPG (Two Worlds II), I'm going to be in RPG nirvana. The Gothic series has always been great for plenty of challenging open-world thrills and quests galore (and hell, I liked the original Two Worlds, warts and all).

Anyway, press release and links below - click away!

Valve's "Three Big Titles in 12 Months" Gets Me Speculating...

Gabe Newell intrigues me. He's a nice guy when you meet him in person (as are other Valve staff I've come across - Hi Doug!), but he sure can say some stuff that gets my head spinning. That's a good thing mind you - my head is generally on too tightly these days, so you go, Gabe.

Gallery: Dungeon Defenders

To quote Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in Godfather III: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in again...".

Case in point, Trendy Games' spectacular-looking Dungeon Defenders, which promises to bring a blend of Tower Defense-style strategy and hack 'n slash Action/RPG combat bliss to PSN and XBLA this fall. I thought I was all done with Tower Defense games after the last dozen or so I played and here comes DD, winking and looking all sassy in that Unreal 3 engine-powered skirt. Damn...

Gallery: Portal 2

Hah! Game delays don't bother me at all, folks. In the case of Portal 2, it just means more time for Valve to make an even better game across every platform (so there!). Besides, it also gives me a good chance to actually add a nice all-in-one gallery to the site that features the E3 and more recent Gamescom screens, the brief tease-filled trailer and the hilariously unsubtle Infographics signage (each of which absolutely begs to be clicked on and read rather thoroughly).

So what are you waiting for? (click below)*

Left 2 Dead 2 Demo Info Revealed

Start exercising those trigger fingers and mice hands, folks... it's allllllllllllmost here (and it should shut the skeptics and boycotters up quite soundly, I'd imagine)...

LEFT 4 DEAD 2 DEMO DETAILS REVEALED
Pre-Order Now and Be the First To Play

Oct 15, 2009 - Valve today announced details and timing for the demo of its upcoming zombie thriller, Left 4 Dead 2.

The Left 4 Dead 2 demo will feature gameplay taken from "The Parish" campaign, set in the New Orleans French Quarter. Playable by 1 to 4 players over local or Internet connections on both the Xbox 360 and PC (with two-player split screen available on the Xbox 360), the demo features all the new boss infected zombies and all the new melee weapons included in the full product.

Those who pre-order the game (at participating retailers or via Steam) will obtain early access to the demo on October 27. The demo will then be made available to Xbox LIVE Gold members and all PC gamers on November 3. Then all Xbox LIVE members will obtain access to the demo on November 10.

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009's marquee titles. Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaws, frying pans, axes, baseball bats, and more.

With the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Adding new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original, featuring more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, new Survival maps, and the new competitive game mode, Scavenge, all available at launch.

L4D2 Scavenge Mode Revealed, Plus a Slight Aussie Update!

New details have emerged on Left 4 Dead 2's Scavenge Mode, one of the new features the zombie killing (and soon to be multimillion selling, soon to be masterpiece) PS and Xbox 360 exclusive packs in right out of the box. Check out the bit of press release and two screen grabs below. I'm going back to practicing my rolling off and under the couch move while I'm waiting for the game to ship...

VALVE ANNOUNCES L4D2 SCAVENGE MODE

Left 4 Dead 2's Fourth Game Mode Revealed

Oct 8, 2009 - Valve, creator of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced Scavenge, the fourth game mode to be included in its upcoming zombie thriller, Left 4 Dead 2.

Scavenge mode challenges players to compete in round-based games of up to 8 players (Survivors vs. Infected). The Survivors must battle both the Infected and the clock as they collect gas cans to refuel a generator located in each map. Every can the Survivors pour into the generator scores their team a point and adds time to the clock.

On defense, the Infected team plays as the boss Infected (including the new Spitter, Jockey, and Charger). They must keep the Survivors from fueling the generator by attacking them, destroying the gas cans, or running out the clock. During a round, each team gets an opportunity to play both sides, with the round going to whichever team successfully delivers the most cans.

Just like a Charger waiting to pounce, November 17th, 2009 is just around the corner... are you ready... or not?

P.S. Aussie L4D2 fans... I saw some innnnnteresting news about the game for you folks on another site, but just to be 100% sure I'll post more after Valve makes an official announcement... stay tuned!

Left 4 Dead 2 Gets $25M Ad Campaign

Well, I guess it's much, much cheaper (and much, much safer) than Valve infecting a bunch of random strangers with a pesky zombie virus and sending out wearing sandwich boards to go door to door and do promotion, huh?

Well, those L4D billboards were definitely pretty darn cool to see all over the NYC area, so it'll be interesting to see L4D2 pop up in even more places, that's for sure. Anyway, go pre-order the game before someone at Valve reads this and decides to use that sandwich board idea of mine...

VALVE ANNOUNCES $25 MIL LEFT 4 DEAD 2 AD CAMPAIGN
Zombie Blockbuster On Track To Top Valve's All Time Sales

Oct 5, 2009 - Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced a $25 Mil consumer advertising plan for its upcoming action thriller, Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2).
"Based on the strength of pre-orders, Left 4 Dead 2 will be the fastest-selling product in Valve's history," said Gabe Newell, president of Valve. "Left 4 Dead 2 has consistently run at 300% of Left 4 Dead's numbers."

Last year, Left 4 Dead was the top selling new property for both the Xbox 360 and PC. Sales were driven by strong word of mouth, top reviews, and a $10 million advertising campaign.

"We'll be supporting Left 4 Dead 2's launch with a $25 million campaign," said Doug Lombardi, Valve's vice-president of Marketing. "Left 4 Dead 2 has already set the record for greatest number of pre-orders in our company's history, and we're still over a month out from shipping."

In the USA, the campaign will include Monday Night Football and UFC television broadcasts, roadside billboards, and popular lifestyle and gaming sites.

This year's European plan is also more aggressive than last year's, with television advertising in all the major markets appearing during sports and lifestyle programming, plus strong outdoor investments in more cities, as well as online and print advertising.

"Left 4 Dead 2 is expected to once again exceed everyone's expectations and be an industry best title on PC and Xbox 360 for the year," said David DeMartini, General Manager of EA Partners. "With Left 4 Dead and now Left 4 Dead 2, Valve has created one of today's most compelling video game experiences and leading entertainment franchises."

Remember, folks... November 17, 2009. Feel free to call in sick (or perhaps even dead, if you feel a really bad case of the zombie flu coming on...)

Texas Cheat 'Em PC Giveaway Update! LAST ONE!!!

Hey you! Yes, YOU. I still have ONE FREE Texas Cheat 'Em download code left straight from D3Publisher waiting for takers. PC version, over Valve's STEAM broadband game download service. Really fun online poker action where you don't lose any REAL money. AND cheating is part of the game (a fun part, at that)!

Come and get it - don't be shy!

Texas Cheat 'Em PC Giveaway!

UPDATE: ONLY ONE FREE CODE LEFT!

Attention poker fans: we've got a really cool giveaway thanks to the fine folks at D3Publisher of America. They've given us FIVE download codes for the FULL PC version of Texas Cheat 'Em (a $9.99 value) over Valve's STEAM game service. (broadband digital distribution at its finest, folks!). What's the catch? Well, nothing! STEAM is absolutely FREE (go download it now, if you haven't already) - all you need to do is shoot me an e-mail at geelw2@gmail.com and you'll get your download code!

Heck, I could ask you to join up as a DAF follower using Google Friend Connect, but I'm keeping this giveaway as hands-off as possible. That's how I roll!

In case you haven't heard of the game yet, here's a quick description and screenshots:

There’s No Limit to the fast-paced, frenetic fun in Texas Cheat ‘Em from Wideload Shorts. This game is a new take on the classic Texas Hold ‘Em rules, turning an average online poker table upside down by layering party games and other gambling minigames on top of the basic rules, and allowing players to cheat to win. Cheating is FUNdamental in Texas Cheat ‘Em! Cheat attacks are earned by players through more than a dozen minigames, so time usually spent waiting for others to deal or bet in online poker is replaced with loads of fun as players hoodwink their opponents. The game offers single-player as well as multiplayer options for up to eight players for a truly unique and robust gameplay experience.

Screenshots:

Alrighty then! Drop me a line and nab your FREE download NOW!

ONLY ONE FREE CODE LEFT!!!