I’ve never seen as much tragedy in a fighting game before I played Saint Saiya: Brave Soldiers. Maybe I should have been more prepared with a fighting game based on the lore of the classic anime, but as a casual partaker in Japanese animation and newcomer to the series it was hard not to become interested in the game’s narrative, as I punched the crap out of every foe that stood in my way, because someone always ended up dying. Well sort of dying, since nothing is ever permanent in anime.
Before my time with the game, my familiarity with the anime/manga was limited at best. Sure I’d heard of it -- thanks in part to a former co-worker of mine constantly telling me how awesome the show was as each new volume hit our store’s shelves -- but there was always something unexplainable that rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was all the gorgeous hair or the muscled sexy dudes rocking the cover that bothered me... but really, I have no clue.
Well it’s been about a decade since I last had to think about Saint Sieya, and a lot in my life has changed. My anime palette has matured, while my appreciation for the past and the finer things in life has increased; basically I’m just getting old. But even with all my sentiment towards nostalgia, something there’s trove of in this fighter, does the rest of the game offer a solid experience for those looking to bust some heads with all the flavor and flash of a '90s anime?
In truth, I've been unable to keep up with Steam Greenlight as of the last few batches, but that's never been more evident than today's list of titles approved for release on the platform. There are so many unfamiliar titles in here. And TowerClimb, which has seemingly been greenlit a second time (???). Yeah, I don't know what's going on any more.
The full list is viewable at the link below, as there are far too many names to cram into this post. Some that stood out to me were: Aqua Kitty, Full Bore, High Strangeness, Light, Mansion Lord, Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae, Pixel Piracy, Potatoman Seeks the Troof, Red Baron, Saturday Morning RPG, Stasis, and the dynamic lighting tool for 2D art, Sprite Lamp.
It's now gotten to the point where just about every new standout independently-made game that makes the rounds will inevitably end up on the next Greenlight list.
December 4th Batch of Greenlight Titles [Steam]
[All week long we'll be asking for your thoughts on certain topics related to the year in gaming! Miss a previous post? Click here to sound off on your favorite and least favorite new characters!]
Gaming is graced with some amazing original songs and scores every year, and 2013 was no exception. From The Last of Us to Tomb Raider, Ni No Kuni to Super Mario 3D World, and everything in between, our ears were just as blessed as our eyes and fingers this year, and I'm not even sure I could pick my favorite if I tried!
What about you? Have a favorite song or soundtrack from 2013? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below! Or, if you find yourself getting long-winded, write a blog! (Be sure to share the link below.) We'll be pulling in quotes from the community for a special recap post later this week, so take some time to think about your responses.
Have fun!
At first glance, FORCED looks like a typical action role-playing game, cut from the same cloth as Diablo III or Path of Exile. It's a bit like that, but it also has elements of a puzzler and a dual-stick shooter. But at the end of the day, I would call it an arcade role-playing game -- one that is clearly meant to be played with friends.
FORCED's design revolves around cooperation. When played with a friend, the game is highly entertaining. Alone, it's dull. And when played with strangers, it's frustrating. The fact that co-op is required to enjoy this game doesn't make it bad, but it is something you should know beforehand.
With this week's release of the China Rising expansion for Battlefield 4 Premium players amidst the game displaying varying degrees of brokenness depending on the platform, DICE is in something of a messy situation, to put it mildly. In a statement given to Polygon, a representative of Electronic Arts noted that the studio is committed to fixing these issues and won't be moving forward on future expansion packs until they are taken care of.
"First, we want to thank the fans out there that are playing and supporting us with Battlefield 4," said the rep. "We know we still have a ways to go with fixing the game -- it is absolutely our No. 1 priority. The team at DICE is working non-stop to update the game. Since Battlefield 4 China Rising expansion pack was already in the final stages of development by the time issues began with Battlefield 4, we decided to fulfill our promise to deliver it this week, but we're not moving onto future projects or expansions until we sort out all the issues with Battlefield 4. We know many of our players are frustrated, and we feel their pain. We will not stop until this is right."
While the possibility of technical issues like this isn't the only reason I tend to hold off on season passes for online games, that's always been one of the bigger concerns.
EA halts Battlefield 4 expansions to 'sort out all the issues' [Polygon]
Zen Studios is bringing Zen Pinball 2 to PlayStation 4 on December 17 in North America and Dec. 18 in Europe. If you've already bought into the platform on PS3, you'll be able to import a number of tables for this new version. Otherwise, tables will go for $2.99 a piece, or $9.99 when compiled in a table pack. Here's the list of PS4 content planned for launch:
There's also the upcoming Marvel's Doctor Strange, which will be ready in time for Zen Pinball 2's PS4 debut, and the Sorcerer's Lair table, a free download for all players. As much as I'd also like to see wholly new titles on a new console, games are games and it's especially nice to have an upgrade program like this in place.
