Brink Hands-ON: Splash Damage At The Top Of Their (& Your) Game

UK-based developer Splash Damage has every right to be chest-out, chin up proud of their upcoming shooter, Brink. The game is a total blast to play and everything from the deep character and weapons customization to the smartly paced addictiveness of the team-centered FPS gameplay is stellar stuff. I got to check the game out recently when Betheseda dropped into NYC with it (and InXile's fun RPG action/romp Hunted: The Demon's Forge) and yes, it's not only ridiculously impressive, it's designed so brilliantly that even non-FPS fans will want to pick up a controller and have a go. With its destroyed futuristic "Ark" setting and two groups pitted against each other in a race against time for what each sees as humanity's future, there's a solid sense of urgency under the trappings of what would be just another shooter du jour in less capable hands.

Hunted: The Demon's Forge Hands-On

Fans of tightly focused "old-school" hack & slash RPG's as well as anyone looking for a hefty challenge should absolutely stick inXile's upcoming PS3/Xbox 360 game on their to-do lists. At a recent Bethesda press event, I got to sit down with a final build of the game and was very impressed at the level of challenge in the game (and the presentation's not bad either). While inXile has noted previously that Hunted's cover-based gameplay is inspired by Epic's Gears of War series, the fantasy trappings and two tough yet likable leads should appeal to both male and female gamers alike. I got a taste of both the single player and co-op story modes (with a fellow editor) and yes, you should click on down to read the real deal on what's going to be a bit of a sleeper hit this June.

Gallery: Ar tonelico Qoga - Knell of Ar Ciel

With its March 15, 2011 release approaching, let's take a look at some nice screens and character illustrations from the final installment of Gust's rather intriguing mix of RPG and romance simulation, finally making it's PS3 debut. The first two games were pure 2D bliss packed with lovely hand-drawn art, parallax scrolling and limited 3D elements that gave them a nicely old-school feel. Qoga's shift to 3D battles and an all-new combat system does allow for more dynamic angles as you'll see, but it looks as if the game also uses some interesting hand-painted art in certain non-battle sections. I liked the first two games quite a lot (although the real-time combat system in part 2 was a bit too gimmicky) - fingers crossed that Qoga doesn't disappoint in any department.

More info about the game and screens below the jump.

Tiny & Big in: Up That Mountain - Black Pants' Instant (Even As A Work In Progress) Classic

I absolutely love independent games and this year's crop of IGF 2011 entrants and finalists just may be the most creative to date. From the super-popular and amazingly successful Minecraft or Super Meat Boy, innovative gems such as Desktop Dungeons, Amnesia: The Dark Descent and more, there's something for every taste (as well as plenty of games a non-gamer would try). A few of the nicer surprises have been the as yet unfinished projects that show off some amazing innovation in visuals as well as gameplay.

For me, the best example of this is the beta demo of Tiny and Big in: Up That Mountain, developer Black Pants Game Studio's wonderfully fresh and funny episodic 3D adventure/platformer (for PC, Mac and Linux) that features stunning comic-styled visuals and excellently implemented game mechanics that are simple to understand while allowing for a number of ways to tackle environment navigation. The current demo build is a bit raw and definitely needs more work, but what's here will make you crack a smile that lasts for as long as you're playing.

Mass Effect 2 PS3 Hands-On: BioWare, Beautiful & Brilliant

PS3 owners may have missed out on the original Mass Effect, but the stellar sequel plus four DLC chapters and a little something extra (plus a LOT of something extra under the hood) is headed your way in a great standard edition pack that's bound to fly off store shelves faster than the new Normandy hits light speed. I had the opportunity to play a demo version of Mass Effect 2 and was immediately floored by the visual upgrade (thanks to what was recently revealed as the Mass Effect 3 engine), the tweaked puzzles and a few other niceties BioWare has seen fit to add. I'd have to safely say this is going to be the definitive console version of the game and even if you've played the Xbox 360 version, you might want to snap up a copy of this one, provided you also have a PS3 in the house.

MotorStorm Apocalypse Will Make You Want to Save Up For That 3D TV...

Yeah, I'm also saying that about Killzone 3, The Sly Collection and that absolutely lovely Ico/Shadow of The Colossus twofer coming your way (and the more the merrier, right?). However, of all the first-party PS3 games I've seen that use 3D enhancements, Evolution Studio's upcoming racer truly takes the cake and even eats the damn candles in terms of total WOW factor. The game screams along at a solid 30fps with nothing stopping the onscreen chaos, except perhaps that building, opponent or gaping crevasse you'll crash into thanks to the overwhelming visuals. Sitting down, popping on a pair of Sony 3D glasses and watching Game Director Matt Southern play through normal and 3D enhanced modes was a quite a thrilling experience (to say the least).

Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll Screenshot Gallery

As promised, here's a look at some screens from Koei Tecmo's upcoming fantasy Action/RPG, set to hit the PS3 on February 8, 2011. There's a decidedly rustic look to these images that I like - not over-polished at all, but still intriguing enough to get me interested in playing the final product. Check them out for yourself below the jump.

Sony Sure Knows How To Throw A Holiday Party...

There was a lot of stuff to cover at the event, but some of the nicer surprises are embargoed for a few days. Nope, there wasn't a PSP2 or PSPhone to be seen (or heard about) at the event, but throw a stone and you'd hit a great game surprise or someone playing something pretty damn cool. Media Molecule, Guerrilla Games and Evolution Studios folks are great to chat with and make me think of setting up forums on the site just to get their input. For now, my creatively constructive to creatively cranky comments on the industry show up on a few industry news sites where other developers and journalists post so as not to have too many rabid debates here.

Like the sweet Killzone 3 book? Sony was laser-burning whatever text attendees wanted into nice leather journals featuring some key 2011 titles and I chose Guerrilla's upcoming shooter as my pick for the DAF branding. Wish I had a dozen of each to give away on the site, but you'll have to do with ogling that photo for now.

Below the jump is a quick rundown* on what I can talk about images to come in a gallery update this weekend (*well, part one of a quick rundown, as I'm dead tired from a long day and am about to keel the hell over):

Gallery: Conduit 2

High Voltage Software's upcoming sequel to last year's ridiculously under-appreciated (critically, at least) high-quality Wii FPS is on the way and looking mighty amazing. At a recent Sega's press event here in NYC, Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinger and Art Director Matt Corso were on hand to show off the latest build of the game which was packed with all sorts of changes, many based on plenty of user feedback from the original. If you've ever thought that your favorite developers don't keep an ear to the ground when cooking up sequels, you'd definitely be proven wrong.

Disney Epic Mickey To Get Disney Epic Times Square Launch

All the game needs now is Mayor Mike Bloomberg proclaiming November 30th 2010 Disney Epic Mickey Day or something like that. This party's going to be huge, no doubt - hope the weather's nice and bright on launch day and there's some Disney Epic Coffee for those Disney Epic Tired Parental Units who've gotten their Disney Epic Kids out of bed and into the Disney Epic Spirit of things that early in the AM. Info below the jump.

DiRT 3 Developer Diary #1

Looking spectacular, Codemasters' upcoming rally game set for a Q2 2011 release gets this awesome Q & A video. Check it out and get ready for yet another driving experience that's going to rattle a few bones loose. I'm hoping the portable versions get as much love...

Disney Epic Mickey Intro (Complete Version)

If this doesn't get you completely psyched for the game, you're clearly in need of a pop culture injection, a glass of nostalgia juice and a brand new funny bone. I'd say this one's even worth buying a Wii for if you still haven't made the plunge...

Disney Epic Mickey Behind the Scenes Video: Oh, The Places You'll Go...

Here's another Epic Mickey video, this time showing off the twisted take on Disneyland found in the upcoming Wii exclusive.

TRON Evolution TV Trailer

It's almost here and looking pretty darn cool, that's for sure. Propaganda's got the chops, the gameplay is tight and thrilling and all it needs are a ton of fans who can appreciate all the hard work that's gone into the project to hop on board and enjoy the ride they've created. Back with more video in a bit...

Disney Epic Mickey Behind the Scenes Video: Characters!

Artistically, Junction Point is right on the money, as you'll see in this great Epic Mickey video preview. The Wii has a surefire winner this holiday season, that's for sure...

TRON Evolution - Beyond The Code (Or: A Little History Lesson...)

Whether you're a TRON fan since the original movie release (and the subsequent games of assorted quality) looking for more info or a total newcomer wondering why your dad, uncle and his balding buddies are acting all dorky about the upcoming film and game, this video should assist somewhat in learning you a few things about the series - enjoy!

TRON: Evolution Battle Grids Gameplay Trailer

While the Wii version of TRON: Evolution has a more cartoon-like look to its customizable character models, the multi-player focus should help this one garner it's own share of fans (provided the gameplay is as solid and addictive as this brief glimpse shows). I guess we shall see come December 7, 2010...

Duke Nukem Forever Hands-On

I knew it was going to be good, but the Duke Nukem Forever demo (short as it was) had me nearly falling out of my chair laughing at the in-jokes and wild Duke humor while feeling immediately comforted that the King is soon to be back on top where he belongs (Er, take that any way you wish). 2K rolled into NYC with the infamous PAX demo in tow and since I didn't get me ass to Boston this year, you'd better believe I made time for The Man Himself as soon as the invite landed in my inbox. I wasn't at all disappointed, by the way. In fact, if the demo is any indication of the final build, the King is Back... Long Live The King, Baby!

Update: Tron Evolution Hands-On (NYCC)

Wow. The last time I played a build of Tron Evolution, the game looked Ok, but definitely needed a bit more visual polish. In the time since, Propaganda Games has indeed buffed up the game to a super-shiny finish, adding reflective surfaces, tons of detail along with a bit of motion blur and depth of field effects. The light cycle portion I tried at NYCC from a good part into the game was fiercely challenging, but focused and very fun to play. Between the tons of stuff dropping from the skies and the many jumps and cures along the roadway, expect to feel that adrenaline pumping away as you try and make it to the next checkpoint.

Also tightened up were the parkour-based platform sections and the fast-paced combat. The same layer of visual shine exists in these stages and the already tight action areas feel even more fluid. Interestingly enough, Disney only had the game and Epic Mickey playable on one station each, making it the smallest game-related booth at NYCC. The rest of the Disney booth was set up for books and a few films, which was surprising 9well, at least to me). Both games definitely had crowds gathering around to ogle or try them out. Not as HUGE crowds as the Capcom, Square Enix, Rockstar or Sega booth, but still...

Overall, this is yet another licensed game that's going to surprise those who think ALL movie-based games stink. I say those ladies and germs that fall into that particularly negative camp just need to play more good licensed games. Anyway, short and sweet update this time. back later with more on the game shortly.

Lost In Shadow Hands-On

After looking at many Lost In Shadow screens and a few haunting gameplay movies since the game was announced, I finally had the great opportunity to get some hands-on time with the game at Hudson's New york Comic Con booth this past weekend. The game is not only visually striking, it's also highly innovative and absolutely recommended for gamers of all stripes thanks to the blend of platforming, adventure and later, combat against an assortment of shadow creatures. There's a good deal of depth here from the great use of the 2D plane in 3D environments to how well the visuals convey a certain emotional impact through light, color and yes, shadow usage.