Saturday, January 4, 2014

News::2D Zelda-Like Adventure Midora is on Kickstarter

With the release of A Link Between Worlds, fans of the classic 2D Zelda style were given cause to celebrate, and with their 2D Zelda-esque action adventure Midora, indie studio Epic Minds is looking to give them another. Promising to let you explore a beautiful world and live out a legend, Midora is a "love letter to the classic 2D RPG adventures like The Legend of Zelda or Mana" with its own personal twists.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429409/2d-zelda-like-adventure-midora-is-on-kickstarter

News::Here's the latest from The Witch and the Hundred Knight


Here's our latest look at NIS America's The Witch and the Hundred Knight . There's a little over 30 seconds of new gameplay footage, and a handful of screens to check out in our gallery.


Like this one. Oh silly girl, you got fat from eating so much chocolate. How are you still alive scantily clad anime girl?! HAHAHAH someone please save me.


Look out for this one to release on the PlayStation 3 on March 21 in Europe, and March 25 in North America.


Here's the latest from The Witch and the Hundred Knight screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/here-s-the-latest-from-the-witch-and-the-hundred-knight-268407.phtml

News::Indie RPG The Meridian Shard launches Kickstarter

Canadian developer Ultimate Fantasy Studio has launched a Kickstarter campaign for their classic RPG project, The Meridian Shard.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429321/indie-rpg-the-meridian-shard-launches-kickstarter

News::CC Indie Spotlight Presents Delver

Philip Federico of Capsule Computers wrote : This episode features Delver, a first person action rogue-like dungeon crawl available on PC and Android with crunchy pixels developed by Chad Cuddigan. Take the role of an adventurer that tries their fate in the dark dungeons (and probably dies horribly).



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429434/cc-indie-spotlight-presents-delver

News::CoD Ghosts: Overview of Submachine Guns (SMGs)

Submachine guns are a staple in close quarters combat within Call of Duty: Ghosts. This article reveals the base stats, best attachments, and best strategies for each SMG available in CoD: Ghosts' multiplayer.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429330/cod-ghosts-overview-of-submachine-guns-smgs

News::5 Horror Games To Scare You In 2014

Die4Games puts together 5 horror games that'll scare the beejeezus out of you in 2014 along with why they're scary coupled with chilling trailers and a mystery honourable mention.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429424/5-horror-games-to-scare-you-in-2014

News::Eryi's Action Review | NoobFeed

From the review - Eryi's Action obviously sets out looking for its particular niche of players. Its difficult to recommend to any casual gamers or people that arent looking for high amounts of challenge. However, if youre extremely sadistic, or have a desire for wrecking your monitor or TV screen, this is quite possibly the game for you.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429379/eryis-action-review-noobfeed

News::EyeX lets you interact with games just by using your eyes


SteelSeries has partnered with Tobii Technology to create an eye-tracking peripheral set to come out mid-2014. The device will let gamers use their eyes to control certain aspects of games. The eye-tracking is used in conjunction with mouse and keyboard controls. So for instance you'll use your eyes to aim where your character needs to shoot, and then pull the trigger with your mouse button.


The Tobii EyeX dev kit is available for pre-order from Tobii for $95, and those attending CES this year will be able to try out the new tech.


Interesting idea, but all I care about in this general field is the Oculus Rift. I needs that.


EyeX lets you interact with games just by using your eyes screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/eyex-lets-you-interact-with-games-just-by-using-your-eyes-268406.phtml

News::Enhanced Steam: Store Features, Community Features, More

SteamFirst: How often do you browse the Steam store and wonder if a particular game is cheaper elsewhere, or maybe was on sale recently and you can hold off til it is again? If you use Chrome or Firefox, there is no reason to leave out the Enhanced Steam extension.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429411/enhanced-steam-store-features-community-features-more

News::How to politely rob someone in DayZ


You don't always have to be a giant dick towards other players in DayZ. I mean it's still pretty dickish to rob someone, but at least it was a nice robbery.


(Via Reddit)


How to politely rob someone in DayZ screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/how-to-politely-rob-someone-in-dayz-268405.phtml

News::Continue? Brings Existentialism to Steam

Hardcore Gamer: Although gaming has long since been considered a "fun" hobby, there's no doubt that more and more games have challenged this concept. Titles like Papers, Please were certainly games - but was it fun to deprive innocent people entry to a country? A title by the name of Continue?9876543210 seeks to continue the trend of games that make you think, rather than simply entertain.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429162/continue-brings-existentialism-to-steam

News::Citizen Game Ashes Special Fifth Test - International Cricket Captain 2001: Ashes Edition

All Australian hope is lost. Nothing but pride is on the line. The ashes have already been won. For the fifth and final ashes test the final match will be contested in International Cricket Captain 2001: Ashes Edition from Empire interactive entertainment.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429163/citizen-game-ashes-special-fifth-test-international-cricket-captain-2001-ashes-edition

News::The Friendliest DayZ Robbery I've Ever Seen

Kotaku - Getting robbed by another player in the online survival game DayZ usually means being kidnapped, likely humiliated and possibly forced into a cage match against a fellow prisoner, all before being killed and having your corpse looted. But must it be that way?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429242/the-friendliest-dayz-robbery-ive-ever-seen

News::Will You Miss Companionship In The Elder Scrolls Online?

Weve known for some time that The Elder Scrolls Online will not feature the traditional companion system seen in previous Elder Scrolls titles, but how much will that impact your experience? The Elder Scrolls has become a famous franchise for its immersive single-player experience but that hasnt always meant exploring Tamriel alone. Various Elder Scrolls titles have implemented features that allow the brave adventurer to recruit allies to aid in the challenges lay ahead but in many situations, they become more than just allies.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429322/will-you-miss-companionship-in-the-elder-scrolls-online

News::Broken Sword 5: The Serpents Curse Episode One | The Vita Lounge

A complex story with subtle humour does a good job of masking what is potentially a watered down yet very solid adventure game. Fans of the series will welcome this with open arms, and newcomers with any interest in murder mystery ought to give this one a shot. Terramax joins The Vita Lounge as a guest reviewer once more, taking on the recent PlayStation Vita release of Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse - Episode One.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429376/broken-sword-5-the-serpents-curse-episode-one-the-vita-lounge

News::No mod tools for Titanfall at launch on PC

Titanfall on PC won't offer any sort of modding tools when the game launches on March 11, 2014. Co-founder Vince Zampella confirmed this on Twitter when a fan asked him, but he did add that the studio "will have to evaluate after launch" for the need of mods.


I've never been big into the modding scene, so this doesn't really bother me. What I do want to know is what they're going to do about the server situation. After SimCity and now Battlefield 4 , I'm concerned with how the game will handle especially with its heavy dependance on servers.


No mod tools for Titanfall at launch on PC screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/no-mod-tools-for-titanfall-at-launch-on-pc-268404.phtml

News::Unearthed is the First Commercial Saudi Arabian Game on Steam

Hardcore Gamer: When thinking of hotspots of game development in the world, many tend to focus on Japan, Europe, and the United States.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429339/unearthed-is-the-first-commercial-saudi-arabian-game-on-steam

News::CES 2014: Expectations from Steam and Valve

SteamFirst: Gamers and industry followers are frothing at the mouth to hear the latest news coming by way of both Steam and Valve at CES this year. With mention of the Steam Box, new controller systems and rumor of Half-Life 3 (?) Steam diehards are on the edge of their seats. Below you will find some of my personal Steam related expectations from this years CES.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429302/ces-2014-expectations-from-steam-and-valve

News::FIFA 14: 6 Players Bought By A Guy Who Doesnt Know Football

WC - When the Playstation 4 dropped a little over a month ago, I was left with a real dilemma. Watch Dogs had been delayed and I havent been interested in a Madden NFL game in ten years, but I felt that I needed two games to get things started on the right foot.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429289/fifa-14-6-players-bought-by-a-guy-who-doesnt-know-football

News::Predicting The Biggest Video Game Disaster Of 2014: The Elder Scrolls Online

Forbes - As we head into 2014, its an exciting year for gaming with a number of huge, potentially fantastic titles on the horizon from Titanfall to Destiny to Watch Dogs to The Division and many, many more. But I have a bad feeling about one upcoming title, one thats never really made sense to me from the start: The Elder Scrolls Online.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429259/predicting-the-biggest-video-game-disaster-of-2014-the-elder-scrolls-online

News::New Star Control to include alternate timeline and series creator's input

According to Stardock CEO Brad Wardell, the development team behind the upcoming game Star Control is receiving input directly from the creators of the original series,



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429188/new-star-control-to-include-alternate-timeline-and-series-creators-input

News::CoD Ghosts: Overview of Assault Rifles

Trying to figure out what assault rifle would be best to use on a class setup in Call of Duty: Ghosts? This article reveals the base stats, pros, cons, and recommended attachments for every assault rifle in the game. Find out what AR will be best for you in CoD: Ghosts.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429286/cod-ghosts-overview-of-assault-rifles

News::Gaming Bus's Games of the Year for 2013

Gaming Bus: "Welcome to our - OK, my - picks for the best games of 2013! This was Gaming Bus's first year as a simple blog instead of a semi-serious journalism site, and while I wrote much, MUCH less, I played a lot more than I had been. Therefore, I had a lot of great games to choose from this year."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429288/gaming-buss-games-of-the-year-for-2013

News::Beware a trojan targeting World of Warcraft accounts

Blizzard has identified malware that's been targeting World of Warcraft users recently which was able to steal account info and the authenticator password. The trojan is a fake version the Curse Client, the add-on management program for the game. Users have been coming across this on a fake version of the Curse website as they search for "curse client" on major search engines.


The Battle.net support site suggests those affected to remove the trojan by deleting the fake Curse Client and running scans from an updated Malwarebytes. Most security programs should be able to identify the threat now, and those compromised can get in touch with Blizzard.


Beware a trojan targeting World of Warcraft accounts screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/beware-a-trojan-targeting-world-of-warcraft-accounts-268360.phtml

News::The Walking Dead Game Season 2: 5 Reasons Why Its Still Great

WC - The quality of the absolutely stellar first season of Telltale Games The Walking Dead hardly needs a mention. In the proclaimed award-winning Game Of The Year, we follow Lee for a ten hour, episodic adventure that takes the characters from Hershels farm to Savanna, Georgia with his new surrogate daughter, Clementine. But with Lee now dead and gone and 400 Days over, we now focus on a growing Clementine as she works her way through the remains of a world gone mad.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429283/the-walking-dead-game-season-2-5-reasons-why-its-still-great

News::Games you may have overlooked last generation

Lead Example write "I havent quite grasped the concept that the next generation is now the current generation, probably because I havent crossed that line yet for many reasons. But currently, the PS3 and Xbox 360 are still king of my household. But, as always, Im a bit behind with gaming technology and wont update until I see that there is something on offer that really grabs me."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429140/games-you-may-have-overlooked-last-generation

News::The Walking Dead Season 2: Episode 2 A House Divided Preview

A House Divided is the second episode of Telltale Games The Walking Dead Season 2 and its expected to be released on February. At the end of episode one, All That Remains, a small trailer is shown predicting some of the upcoming events. As the title expresses itself, the cabin group will be divided about something and in my opinion, theyll have different positions about leaving or staying in the cabin. The danger is imminent; however the source reasons remain unknown.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429078/the-walking-dead-season-2-episode-2-a-house-divided-preview

News::Gravity Badgers PJ review

PJ: "Gravity Badgers is yet another Angry Birds clone, this one in the vein of the space version where players work with/against gravity. It boasts good graphics and a killer soundtrack, but does it have the chops to contend?"



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429285/gravity-badgers-pj-review

News::Sanctum 2: The Last Stand DLC Review | Metal Arcade

Metal Arcade: JJ Evangelista writes: The end has finally come for the Sanctum 2 saga. In this final chapter, the war against the Lumes reaches its climax. In the last DLC, the Titan was destroyed, and the war with the alien horde seemed like it was nearly won. Or so it seemed. As this final DLC Sanctum 2: The Last Stand opens, the world is still under siege, and the government is poised to evacuate the planet. Its up to our five heroes to stay the Lume tide, in order to allow everyone to escape. That means some will be left to die. Brightholme, Tsygans city, is left to perish in the aftermath. And in one final blaze of chaos, bullets, and fading hope, they take on the overwhelming Lume threat. However, this isnt a battle that can be won.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429150/sanctum-2-the-last-stand-dlc-review-metal-arcade

News::First Homestuck Adventure Game Details Prototyped

Andrew Hussie has finally released some juicy details on the adventure game based off his internet phenomenon webcomic Homestuck.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429331/first-homestuck-adventure-game-details-prototyped

News::A Brief Look At Whats To Come In 2014 | Gamespresso

Theres no doubt that 2013 was a big year for gaming. With releases such as The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, Grand Theft Auto V, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Assassinss Creed IV: Black Flag, alongside the release of the new consoles from Microsoft and Sony. Whats in store for gamers in 2014?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429199/a-brief-look-at-whats-to-come-in-2014-gamespresso

News::UPlay Is Awesome, And Everyone Should Rip It Off

Gameinformer shares their experience with Ubisoft's UPlay. They are specially thrilled with its functionality.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429200/uplay-is-awesome-and-everyone-should-rip-it-off

News::Daniels Top Ten of 2013

(CriticalIndieGamer) 2013 has come and gone, here are Danny's top 10 games from last year!



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429201/daniels-top-ten-of-2013

News::Alex M.'s Favourite Music of Last-Gen

"I wont make a painfully long intro describing just how much a good soundtrack can change a game, you know this, Im sure of it. But Im a big music fan, I listen to it while I travel, work, and play games. So lets get into the meat of this and go over my favorite music of the last generation."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429225/alex-m-s-favourite-music-of-last-gen

News::Combo Caster's Games of the Year 2013

The story of Ellie and Joel marked the gaming landscape this year, a narrative with all the requirements of a good movie with all the care of a cinematic experience makes us feel something for these two characters, while never loses sense of identity. As if the trip was not good enough, Naughty Dog gives us a decent ending that improves with time. All locations where we have something to add to the story, not just the story of Joel and Ellie but also the world in which they live and the misfortunes that happened to him. Get through the emotions so that The Last of Us is not common in video games, even those who try to do.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429230/combo-casters-games-of-the-year-2013

News::We're Buying More PC Games Than We Can Play

Kotaku - As another Steam Holiday Sale comes to a close, I have spent roughly $100 to purchase 22 games. In the past 2 months I have picked up 3 Humble Bundles. Not a month ago I spent around $50 on 11 games in the Steam Fall Sale. By the time the next Steam Holiday Sale rolls into town I will be lucky if I have played half of these games. I have a problem. I am a Compulsive Collector. And after 1,400 gamers took my recent survey on their game-buying habits, I know that I am not alone.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429238/were-buying-more-pc-games-than-we-can-play

News::Gabe Newell on what makes Valve tick

Washington Post - Valve is one of the most successful video game companies in the world. The firm's online game distribution and multi-player platform Steam has 65 million users. At next week's CES conference, the company will announce hardware partners for one of its most ambitious undertakings so far: a line of gaming console alternatives running on the company's linux-based Steam OS.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429240/gabe-newell-on-what-makes-valve-tick

News::Why Wouldn't You Use A Jeep To Capture A Skyscraper?

Kotaku - Stun_Gravy and the Action Bastards aren't content to just launch jeeps onto the skyscraper in Battlefield 4, they have to do it during a match and capture the flag with it.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429241/why-wouldnt-you-use-a-jeep-to-capture-a-skyscraper

News::NBA 2K14 Roster Update Details and Server Status

It appears that the 2K server for current-gen NBA 2K14 is now back and we can finally use the online features including 2K Share. The latest roster features updated team lineups and rotations, accurate as of January 3rd, 2014. J.R.'s brother Chris Smith has been waived from the New York Knicks roster in favor of Jeremy Tyler. Lou Amundson has been waived as well opening up one spot for the Pelicans. Andre Miller's suspension didn't make it in today's update and remains activated in the Nuggets roster.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429244/nba-2k14-roster-update-details-and-server-status

News::Incredible Graphics- Which Engine Did This?

Can you tell what engine is running a game by just playing it? Watch the outstanding graphics in this video then complete the very quick survey. Based on initial votes coming in the outcome may be very surprising. Results will be posted on January 6, 2014.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429274/incredible-graphics-which-engine-did-this

News::Andrews Top 3 Anticipated Games of 2014

Andrew from Gamers Association gives us his top 3 anticipated games he hopes to play this year.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429314/andrews-top-3-anticipated-games-of-2014

News::How to Build a Gaming Computer: DIY Gaming PC Step-By-Step Tutorial

GamersNexus: "In this 'how to build a gaming PC' tutorial, we'll walk through the process of grounding yourself (ESD-free), installing the CPU, RAM, power supply, storage, video card, and all the cabling (and other components), as well as basic testing options."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429065/how-to-build-a-gaming-computer-diy-gaming-pc-step-by-step-tutorial

News::Is ChuaN really coming back, and with a dream team?

Whenever the new year rolls around, people often reflect on what happened in the past one and look forward a better year ahead. It looks like ChuaN is doing the same.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429025/is-chuan-really-coming-back-and-with-a-dream-team

News::Star Citizen: Forever Changing The Way Video Games Will Be Played

Chris Roberts and Cloud Imperium Games are looking to satisfy the space explorer hidden inside all of us.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1428997/star-citizen-forever-changing-the-way-video-games-will-be-played

News::Chriss Top 5 2013

2013 was an interesting year. Alot of great movies and games were released as well as new consoles, but ultimately what Chris remembered about the year is the new tech that he grabbed. He purchased a new Alienware laptop, a new Xbox One and have been enjoying watching Blu Rays in 3D. But probably the most shocking thing to him was how much he has enjoyed his new Nintendo 2DS. There are a lot of very good games on the handheld that he would have never known about if it werent for his brother Chuck looking out for him. From Pokemon to Animal Crossing, Shin Megami to Monster Hunter and Fire Emblem to Donkey kong; the Nintendo 2DS came out of nowhere and changed from something he only had a mild interest in to something he could take with mim everywhere and can play at anytime.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1428901/chriss-top-5-2013

News::Murdered: Soul Suspect Concept Art Reveals New Area

Hardcore Gamer: This recently released concept art is titled "Graveyard Pathway Mood Samara," and immediately conjures images of horror stories. If you recall, Samara is the name of the long-haired demon girl from The Ring who crawls out of a television. The name perfectly fits the pale glowing figure from the image.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429223/murdered-soul-suspect-concept-art-reveals-new-area

News::Pre-Order Thief: Master Thief Edition Less Than $50 On Steam

Dylan Z of iGR reports: "If youre planning on Purchasing Square Enixs upcoming stealth, action title Thief, youd do well to do it on PC; Steam specifically, and heres why. Come February 25th, the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions will all sell for the price tag of $59.99. Thats whether you decide to go physical or digital, it makes no difference."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429192/pre-order-thief-master-thief-edition-less-than-50-on-steam

News::Best free to play PC games

VideoGames.Net.In show you some of the best free to play games out there.They are not 100 % but some micro transactions can improve your experience & gameplay giving you some extra features.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429361/best-free-to-play-pc-games

News::You Won't Believe How Gloriously Amazing Skyrim Can Look

DSOGaming writes: "Skyrim was released two years (plus a couple of months) ago, and I seriously cant believe how amazing its modded version looks. Its not stretch to say that Skyrim modded puts to shame a lot of recently released titles, something that further proves the huge potential of Skyrim and how Bethesda did not take advantage of it."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1429329/you-wont-believe-how-gloriously-amazing-skyrim-can-look

News::Retrospective: Project Gotham Racing 2


This article was first published in Edge Presents: The 100 Best Videogames in July 2007.



The racing line can be a difficult concept to come to terms with. It’s one thing to accept that there is a theoretically perfect route around every corner – an exact angle of approach, an optimum window for deceleration and acceleration – that dictates exactly how fast it’s possible to go around this bend in that car. But then comes the realisation that this immutable science of cornering goes against everything you associate with the glamour of speed: smoking tyres, squealing skids, tail-twitching brinkmanship. If it looks fast and daring, it probably slows you down. That contradiction has traditionally split racing games into serious simulations on one side and wish-fulfilling drift rides on the other. But one series has succeeded in finding a thrilling synthesis of the two: Bizarre Creations’ Project Gotham Racing.


Since its birth as Metropolis Street Racer on the Dreamcast, the series has often been perceived as drier than it is, thanks to its painstakingly recreated catalogues of cars and cities, and the need both Sega and Microsoft have felt to pitch it against Sony’s Gran Turismo. But though its head adheres rigidly to the principles of real racing, its heart has always belonged somewhere else entirely. The most obvious outward sign of this is the Kudos meter, the scoring system that rewards stylish manoeuvres and offers combo bonuses in a crescendo of escalating risk and reward that is pure arcade. In the Kudos-focused Cone Challenges, players dance their cars around the track in a tyre-smoking ballet that demands both precision and seat-of-the-pants flair.


Naturally, the showboating Kudos system is often at loggerheads with the more sober demands of pure speed in racing and (especially) time trials, a tension Bizarre has been happy to leave at the heart of its game. It’s better integrated in PGR2 than in other games in the series, thanks largely to the award of Kudos points for a ‘good line’ and the close tie between Kudos and game’s virtual currency. But mostly it remains a contradiction to savour, to use to play games with yourself and others: taunting your opponents and daring yourself with long, slow, Kudos-racking slides after building up a lead.



When you’re tired of tearing around tarmac, don’t forget that the original Geometry Wars is tucked away in Project Gotham Racing 2.



Gotham’s wild side never resided in the Kudos points alone, however. It’s the handling, above all else, that makes this a driving game with soul. Over the course of the first three games, Bizarre’s engineers refined an exquisitely supple model that toes the finest of lines between physical realism and absurdly, fabulously sustainable slides. Superb tactile feedback and fine calibration of the analogue triggers lets players take up almost permanent residence on the knife-edge – the moment at which traction breaks and the tyres begin to skim the surface of the road – but seldom punishes them by whipping away grip entirely. It takes liberties with the laws of physics that Gran Turismo wouldn’t dare, but without losing an ounce of credibility; the result is something that feels more real than the real thing, that feels like driving fast does in your imagination.


PGR3’s perfection of this model continued, but in the ostensibly rational decision to drop seldom-used slower cars from the roster, it lost something vital: context. The progressive depth of the handling model, and Bizarre’s romantic passion for the motor car, can only be fully appreciated across a broad spectrum of vehicles, and PGR2’s connoisseurish selection is by far the series’ best. The World Series classes of lightweight roadsters, lumbering SUVs and roaring classics are all just as memorable as the supercar climax, and the Car Challenge time trials – a set track and time to beat for every car in the game – is an irresistible and bottomless diversion, especially when competing for best times with friends. Even the elitist online racing community celebrated PGR2’s diversity by creating the game of cat and mouse, bringing the game’s iconic bookends – the Mini Cooper and Ferrari Enzo – together in a comically brilliant example of emergent, co-operative play.


However, the cars were never the only stars in Gotham. The city streets you race down always gave the series a huge advantage over its rivals in terms of eye candy and atmospherics, and here again PGR2 stands head and shoulders above its brothers. It may lack the big tourist hotspots, but it has far more variety and character across its 11 locations, far more opportunity for Bizarre’s designers to dig tests of skill and guts out of the street maps that no real track architect would consider. Edinburgh’s bone-rattling, stomach-churning cobbled twists; Moscow’s bewilderingly vast aprons of tarmac; Hong Kong’s terrifyingly narrow overpasses; Florence’s wide parabolas and tight right-angles: they all make PGR3’s tracks look pedestrian.


PGR2’s masterstroke, though – and one of the most widely copied moves in modern gaming – was the inclusion of Gotham’s first real racing track, the mighty Nordschleife Nürburging. This 14-mile ribbon of treacherous mountain road was not only an awe-inspiring challenge requiring a very different style of driving from most tarmac racers, it was also an expansive rural lounge where the game’s online community could catch a breath, chat, cruise the open road, invent its own diversions. It’s where this brilliant racing game finally came alive, became more than the sum of its parts; where PGR put the self-imposed restriction of its city-bound USP behind it and became probably the best all-round driving game there’s ever been.


The post Retrospective: Project Gotham Racing 2 appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/features/retrospective-project-gotham-racing-2/