EpicBattleAxe » “TheAxeWielder”

BioShock Infinite’s 1999 Mode WIll Kick Your Ass

"TheAxeWielder" — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:49:02 +0000

I just posted over on Side Mission about the newly-announced 1999 Mode in BioShock Infinite which, in a nutshell, has been designed from the ground up to appeal to hardcore gamers (that’s you) while simultaneously kicking your ass. Here’s the description:

1999 Mode is a way of playing designed for gamers who long for the days of games that demanded more of the player. It will include tweaks and features that BioShock fans will not experience in a standard play-through of BioShock Infinite, no matter the difficulty level.

In addition to these permanent decisions, 1999 Mode will feature demanding weapon, power, and health management. The mode also takes a much harder stand on player respawning, sending the gamer directly to a “Game Over” screen if he or she lacks the resources to be brought back to life. It’s not for the faint of heart.

Sounds pretty good, eh?!?!

So, hit up the full post over on GT’s Side Mission right here for all of the details and then head back here to the comments section and share your thoughts on the new 1999 mode with the EBA Community in the comments section below.

It’s Kind of a King-dumb Question…

"TheAxeWielder" — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:26:05 +0000

I’m conflicted…and I need your help. I really, really REALLY want to get into The Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, but hot damn, I just don’t know if I have enough time to take on another RPG right now. I’m STILL trying to finish Skyrim and we all know that Mass Effect 3 is right around the corner at which point I will basically tune out EVERYTHING and Shepard my sheep through the looming Reaper invasion. So, what to do? Maybe I’ll play Reckoning on a Ustream or something so that you FORCE me to play with your questions and feedback – keeping my weary wings aloft on a current of comments and community-driven interaction. Or maybe I’ll skip it and wait until I finish ME3 (and about 10 other games I need to complete) while adding this one to the ole’ “to-do” list. Both sound like appealing options, but I need some help deciding what to do. I guess I’ll turn to the EBA Community for some insight – I reckon…

All-New Force Feedback Incoming! Leave Us Your Comments and Qs!

"TheAxeWielder" — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:33:19 +0000

Sup everyone? FYI, Tony, Brent and I will be recording a new edition of Force Feedback next Tuesday so I wanted to put up a post to start gathering your questions, comments, suggestions, salutations, etc., etc. Of course, we’ll do our best to answer as many as possible during the recording so feel free to let us know what’s on your mind! Nothing is off limits, so fire away and we’ll look forward to responding via the show, which will most likely go live next Tuesday night or Wednesday morning (January 10th or 11th).

Oh, and if you’re more of a 140-character kinda guy/girl, then just hit up the EBA account via Twitter with the hashtag #FF and we’ll look for comments and Qs on there as well!

Thanks gang!!!
DK

An Ocean of Fail

"TheAxeWielder" — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:25:26 +0000

Greetings EBAers, I hope everyone had an AWESOME holiday! So, listen – I just read through this entire freakin’ email chain between Ocean Marketing (the company in charge of distribution of the upcoming N-Control Avenger), a customer, and eventually Mike Krahulik, better known as “Gabe” from Penny Arcade.

Seriously, it’s a must read for any gamer who has ever been frustrated by craptastic customer support. I don’t want to skew your opinion of the emails and subsequent story that will emerge by interjecting my own, so I’m just gonna point your there and encourage you to not only read it ALL, but to sound off when and where you feel is appropriate.

It IS important to point out that, to my knowledge, the dude in the emails is simply representing the distribution of the product and not the design of the product, which is good to know when deciding where to focus any frustrations you may have after reading this. So, uh, there ya go…

Lord of the Rings Going Lego?

"TheAxeWielder" — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:46:47 +0000

Apparently, we’re one step closer to LEGO Lord of the Rings video games that are sure to set the world (and wallets) on fire! Get the details here and then let your fellow Axeheads know if this is something you want to see. Also, LEGO characters don’t have fingers, so I’m interested to see how this whole ring thing works out…

Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition = WTF?

"TheAxeWielder" — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:43:17 +0000

As Mr. Michael McWhertor, my colleague on the new blog Side Mission points out, Jigglypuff, Mewtwo and presumably dozens of other pocket monsters are transporting back in time to feudal Japan for a bout with Nobunaga’s Ambition. Gotta catch em’ all! – Crazy cross-overs that is…Full details here.

Kojima Tweets Pic of “New Title”

"TheAxeWielder" — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:43:53 +0000

Looking out upon the city, Hideo Kojima recently took a break from whatever it was that he was doing and promptly uploaded the photo evidence to prove it. That’s cool, but that’s not why you’re here. Roughly an hour after said break, the legendary game designer uploaded another image of the FOX engine in action, citing the above photo as a screen from a “New Title”. Also, a pic showcasing “one of the key features about FOX Engine” was delivered, in which the transparent technique is, well, made apparent via the below image of see-through underwear.

Nice.

Really, that’s about it, but the game pic sure does look “Metal Gear-y” and the transparent technique pic certainly looks strapping.

We’ve reached out to Kojima for more info, but he’s apparently back on break…

What do you think about the pics? FOXY, eh?

Skyrim Ships 10 Million, DLC to be “Exciting”!

"TheAxeWielder" — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:37:38 +0000

If you’ve put down your copy of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim long enough to read this story, you might not be surprised to hear that ZeniMax today announced that 10 million units of Bethesda’s epic RPG have been shipped across the 360, PS3, and PC, representing approximately $650 million in retail sales since its release on November 11.

That’s a lot of arrows to the knee…

According to the rather triumphant press release (can you blame them?), the PC version of Skyrim in North America outsold all other PC games by a factor of over three to one in the month of its release. Nice. Of course, the game has already garnered over two dozen ‘Game of the Year’ awards from major outlets worldwide, including winning the top honor of Game of the Year at the 2011 Video Game Awards, so it’s safe to say that all of these purchases are justified.

“We are gratified that Skyrim continues to garner high review scores and accolades around the world,” said Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. “We are most grateful to our fans for their support and enthusiasm for the game, and their love of the hundreds of hours of gameplay it offers. We continue to strive to deliver the highest quality entertainment experience for everyone. 2012 will be another huge year for our fans, with the release of the Creation Kit, as well as exciting DLC which will add to the richness of this epic adventure.”

Whoa! Did he just say the DLC is going to be “exciting”??? I’m in!

Anyway, you can check out a ton of media on the game by visiting the Skyrim page here on GT. We’ll do our best to bring you any updates we receive regarding the so-called “exciting” DLC as soon as we can.

Syndicate’s Agent Tech Detailed

"TheAxeWielder" — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:33:48 +0000

If you’ve been curious about the DART 6 bio-chip technology featured in the upcoming Syndicate don’t worry – you’re not alone. Fortunately, EA has delivered a new trailer and several new screens outlining the feature that will allow players to see through walls, breach the world around them, and dilate down time for what is being referred (internally) as “the ultimate sci-fi FPS experience”.

So, check out this “Deep-Dive: Agent Tech Trailer” and then sneak a peak at these new screens before sounding off below with your thoughts on the game.

The Starbreeze-developed, EA-published Syndicate is scheduled to dart into retailers in February 2012. For more media on the game, head here.

Anomaly Warzone Earth Coming to XBLA in 2012

"TheAxeWielder" — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:28:47 +0000

ANOMALY DETECTED! – 11 bit studios has sent word that come Spring 2012, the company will bring their award-winning Anomaly Warzone Earth to Xbox 360 via Xbox LIVE Arcade. This after the game was released earlier this year for PC, Mac and iOS devices. XBLA fans can look forward to exclusive content including all new Tactical Trials levels that have been designed to “test your puzzle-solving skills in the Anomaly world”.

In case you’re new to the title, here’s an official description and listing of features:

The ultimate Tower Offense strategy game tasks you with saving near-future Earth from an alien onslaught. The unwelcome invaders have captured the world’s major cities, building huge turrets that destroy everything in their path. It’s up to you to lead an armored squad through the streets of cities like Baghdad and Tokyo. By putting you on the attack, Anomaly Warzone Earth turns tower defense on its head and presents an extraordinary mixture of action and real-time strategy perfectly suited to the Xbox 360.

• Enjoy innovative Tower Offense gameplay – you’re the attacking side!
• Experience a new approach to strategy games on consoles – a strategy game designed to be played with a gamepad.
• Dive into six Xbox-exclusive Tactical Trials levels that will test your puzzle-solving skills in the Anomaly world.
• Play for hours on end in the engaging story campaign, as well as the two exciting Squad Assault Modes.
• Immerse yourself in the game with great visuals and atmospheric audio.

No specific details regarding pricing or release date were released, but we’ll of course keep you posted as we learn more.

For more info, hit up the game’s official website right here.