GameTwonk II: The Rebirth
Big news: GameTwonk has moved away from free, WordPress blog-hosting to a paid host. This is to enable more CSS freedom and general control of options. The domain remains the same. It does mean that anyone subscribed to this version will need to subscribe to GameTwonk II. Got it? Good. Hopefully, I’ll get time to write the many reviews I have planned now. See ya on the other side.
*BIG NEWS* Valve and Xi3 To Unveil Steam Box At CES 2013
PC hardware technolords Xi3 have announced the development of a nerdgasmic system designed to host Valve’s Steam service and its Big Picture mode. Xi3 also revealed that Gabe has invested an undisclosed amount in Xi3 to produce the system.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Xi3,” said Jason A. Sullivan , founder, President and CEO of Xi3. “This new development stage product will allow users to take full-advantage of their large high-definition TV displays for an amazing computer game experience. As a result, this new system could provide access to thousands of gaming titles through an integrated system that exceeds the capabilities of leading game consoles, but can fit in the palm of your hand.”
Personally, I like to sit at my desk, twelve inches away from the big screen, with a keyboard and mouse at-hand. Boom!
The Xi3 Modular Computer
Source: xi3.com
Best of 2012
Game Of The Year – Far Cry 3
This compelling, thoroughly entertaining open-world shooter places you in the heart of a modern nightmare. Kidnapped on a tropical island by slave traders, you must overcome immense odds to rescue your friends from a psychopathic warlord and his crack-addicted army. Far Cry 3 blew me away with it’s high quality from start to finish. It looks stunning, plays flawlessly and thoroughly entertains. The voice-acting is of the best I have ever heard in a videogame; Michael Mando, who plays unstable henchman, Vaas, is absolutely outstanding. Far Cry 3 manages to create a living, evolving world to immerse in. This truly is an ‘open-world’, where one can simply sit back and witness wild animals fight to maintain the food-chain, whilst natives battle slave traders for dominance. The vast, beautifully crafted tropical island is packed with missions, challenges and treasures to unearth.
I have been aching for a really good open-world, stealth-shooter for a while and Far Cry 3 vastly exceeds my expectations.
Shooter Of The Year – Far Cry 3
See above.
Action Game Of The Year – Sleeping Dogs
Gritty, dark and violent, this stylish thriller immersed me into a world of Chinese street-gangs and undercover cops with ease. The open-world, Hong kong cityscape provides an exciting backdrop to play good or bad cop, as you embed ever-deeper into sleazy gang-life. A wide range of missions, races, collectables and DLC make a potentially huge game. If only it had multiplayer PvP Kung-Fu tournaments.
Adventure Game Of The Year – The Walking Dead
Enter an apocalyptic world, besieged by zombies, in this emotional adventure that is guaranteed to pull your heart-strings.
Role Playing Game of The Year – Mass Effect 3
The third episode of the popular science-fiction series was met with mixed feelings from fans but it’s still the best space-based RPG out there.
Strategy Game Of The Year – XCOM: Enemy Unknown
This reboot of the classic strategy series provided countless hours of extra-terrestrial based fun.
Arcade Racing Game Of The Year – Need For Speed: Most Wanted 2012
Race cars, escape cops and smash through your own face at high speed.
Simulation Racing Game Of The Year – F1 2012
The only sim-racing game that I have the patience to play.
Sports Game Of The Year – FIFA 13
The only sports game I have any inclination to play.
Platformer Of The Year - Thomas Was Alone
Beautiful, ethereal and enchanting. Wonderful narration by Danny Wallace and superb ambient soundtrack by David and Paul Housden.
Free To Play Game Of The Year – Planetside 2
Science-fiction, class-based, multiplayer, open-world gorgeousness. Now even the poor can have masses of fun online.
Indie Game Of The Year – Hotline Miami
This trippy journey into drugs and violence comes with a side-order of psychotic. Brilliant.
Massive Multiplayer Online Game Of The Year – Guild Wars 2
Was there ever any doubt this would be awesome? No, there was not.
Casual Games Of The Year – English Country Tune / Amp Watts and Circuit
Dreamy, ambient and mind-crunchingly challenging puzzler with a brilliant soundtrack. Have your herbal tea ready.
This quirky puzzler featuring three snazzy robots certainly pressed my buttons this year.
Simulation Game Of The Year – Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
Simulating chopping people’s heads off has never been so much fun.
Sine Mora Review
What the world needs right now is a decent horizontal shoot’em up. A shmup that stands out from the crowd of recent homogeneous franchise pap released into an underwhelmed market. Forget Call of Doody, Shitman Dilution and 007 Letdowns. Sine Mora is here to save the day. (more…)
Guns of Icarus Online Review
Being a grown, adult, and completely unfashionable male man, I have at most, a rudimentary knowledge of the popular culture commonly known as steam-punk. As far as I’m aware, it has something to do with the steam combustion engine and the punk-rock movement. Together, these two world-changing ideas have conceived a fashion enjoyed by goggle-loving, gloomy teenagers worldwide. Or something like that. Other notable aspects of the steam-punk concept are science-fiction type gadgets, crafted entirely from brass and wood. I had a wooden car once. It had wooden wheels, wooden seats and a wooden engine. Trouble was it wooden go. That is clearly a great joke, but is Guns of Icarus Online a great game? (more…)
