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!

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.

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 Co-Op Trailer (Yes... and Yes)

Yes, it's the PAX 2010 trailer (I wasn't at PAX, so I'm seeing this for the first time) and Yes, Valve wants you to buy the game because they're working on it harder than you think. Hell, they've got my money as long as i can walk into a game shop and buy it on a disc.

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.

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: 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 4 Dead 2 TV Spot #2

Nice. 10 million zombies, huh? Given the pace of the recently released demo, it sure feels like it! November 17 is zooming up faster than you think...

Games On TV: Left 4 Dead 2 Gamestop Baseball Bat Premium TV Ad

Hilarious L4D2 promo spot featuring the American Baseball Bat GS promo - check it out:

Valve News: L4D2 Pre-Orders Pre-Loaded, Aussie Version Neutered

In Valve news, good and not so good:

LEFT 4 DEAD 2 DEMO PRE-LOADING NOW

Those who have pre-purchased Left 4 Dead 2 via Steam may now pre-load the game demo, which is due to launch for early access on Tuesday, October 27. Early access to the L4D2 demo is available for both retail (360, PC) and Steam (PC) customers. Those who pre-ordered via participating retailers should be able to pick up their early access codes this weekend and be ready to play on Tuesday when the demo launches.

As for the ratings deal Down Under... well, it looks as if Australian gamers wanting their zombie killing unaltered will be out of luck as:

“In the review board’s opinion, Left 4 Dead 2 could not be accommodated within the MA 15+ classification,” it said. “The computer game contains a level of violence which is high in impact, prolonged, repeated frequently and realistic within the context of the game.”

Well, duh... But I guess the board has to protect the folks over 18 who want to buy the game from themselves and any potential bad behavior seeing exploding zombie heads will cause. Ah well... EA and Valve appealed the rating after presenting a 'sanitized' version of the game to the review board, but the board stood fast. Soooo, Down Under gets the game... but it's going to be a lot less gory than what's hitting here.

I'm guessing the US PC version may be the way to go for you guys, unless it's been banned from import into the country...

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...)

Left 4 Dead 2 Pre-Order Details (or: If You've Got Braaaaains, You'd Better Be Pre-Ordering...)

And I bet some of you thought there wouldn't be any cool stuff with this sequel... HA! Valve proves you wrong yet again... but in the nicest of ways (and without having to fly you out to Seattle at their expense). Now, be a good zombie killer and click on over to Steam or boogie on down to that favorite game emporium.

And er, you may want to hurry it up a bit, hedgehog - there's something chasing you y'know... and DON'T startle the damn witch, please... (Shhhh!)

LEFT 4 DEAD 2 PRE-ORDER ON NOW
Special Pre-order incentives offered at participating retailers and via Steam

Oct 2, 2009 - Valve today announced pre-order details for its upcoming action thriller, Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2). Starting now, those who pre-order L4D2 from participating retailers (PC, Xbox 360) or via Steam (PC) will receive early access to the Left 4 Dead 2 demo (currently targeted for October 27) plus an exclusive in-game item - the American baseball bat, one of the 10 new melee weapons included in the game.

In addition, Steam and participating retailers are offering a 10% savings to those who pre-order. Check steamgames.com or your favorite retail outlet for more details.

About Left 4 Dead 2

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 chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more.

Introducing 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.

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

Valve's Game Newell Gets Free Trip Down Under From Modder

No, Valve didn't kick Gabe to the curb, kids - Next week, he's off to see a Wizard of Oz named "Joe W-A" who actually raised 3 grand to fly Newell all the way Down Under, which is really cool. Hell, maybe I should start boycotting stuff and see what happens. Knowing me, not much will transpire other than I'd go without a LOT of games and other important stuff...

Ah well - press release, ahoy!

GABE NEWELL DOWN UNDER

Software Studio President Flown to Australia By Gaming Community

October 1, 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 its studio co-founder and president, Gabe Newell, will be visiting Australia next week to meet local game designer Joe W-A, who raised over $3000 for Newell's visit through the gaming community.

The fundraising began after Joe heard that Newell had recently flown the leaders of a gaming community group boycotting Valve's upcoming Left 4 Dead 2 to Valve's Seattle, WA headquarters. Joe emailed to ask if Newell would fly him to Seattle so Joe could show him his "mod" (a PC gaming term for modifying an existing game into something new).

Newell playfully replied that he wouldn't fly Joe to Seattle because he was "boycotting" Joe's mod. The Australian-based game designer appealed to the game community for $3,000-the funds necessary to fly Newell halfway around the world-and raised the money in less than 48 hours.

"The power of the gaming community and their ability to rally around a cause - be it serious or fun in nature - is amazing," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "In 2003, the community helped the FBI and European law enforcement officials find the people who stole the Half-Life 2 source code. This year, the community is putting me on a plane to the other side of the world to meet Joe W-A and see his MOD. It's going to be a fun trip."

Newell and Joe will meet in Australia next week. Reports of the trip will be posted on L4D.com's blog section by Valve employee Erik Johnson, who will be traveling with Newell down under.