11.13.2019

Infected Shelter: Short Review: An Oddly Fun Zombeat-em-up (Available NOW!)

     Sometimes you find a game that looks kind of silly, and kind of dumb, but you go and give it a shot anyway.  And sometimes those games turn out to be truly unexpected gems.  Developer Dark Blue Games' Infected Shelter happens to be exactly that type of game.


     Infected Shelter is a simple at first glance a randomly generated, post-apocalyptic, beat-em-up, rogue-lite.  I say simple at first glance because playing it somehow sucks you in.  There's something special at the core of the game that just clicks.  It hits the right buttons for fans of the previously mentioned genres.

     The graphics have their own style- they're a cartoony, almost paper cut-out style- and there's a threadbare story, but the music and gameplay are absolutely intuitive and on point.  Controls are easy to grasp and quite fluid (though the really early access version had a small lag at some points, the full release version feels much tighter and responsive).  I'd highly recommend using a controller over a mouse and keyboard, but once you are dropped into the action things become truly fun.

     The game lets you choose whether or not you want to begin with a short tutorial or not, with one of four selectable characters- a one-legged soldier, a guitarist, a builder, and my personal and hilarious favorite a girl that swings her wheelchair-bound grandfather around as a weapon.  Characters can do special move finishers that made me laugh every time, and now with the full release players can jump in with up to 3 other players via co-op to share in the zombie-slaughtering amusement.
     The difficulty curve starts out a bit steep, but turns around relatively fast as you collect new items, new clothes (which alter how the characters special stats change, like the nurse costume adds healing, and so on), and blueprints for a ton of new weapons.  Sure, players will be dying a lot, but in this game it never feels like a bad thing, because you can easily mow through waves and hordes of zombies over and over again after obtaining new items.  That may seem monotonous, but Infected Shelter has a certain allure that kept drawing me back in for another try, so it never reached that point.

     It's not often I find games like Infected Shelter that I can hop on and enjoy for 5 minutes or 5 hours at a time.  The game is filled with a gloriously gory hilarity.  Infected Shelter is for fans of things like Castle Crashers or Dead Cells.  It may not have the depth of many triple A games, but it has more than enough heart to make up for it.  In a way Infected Shelter is the equivalent of a video game candy bar, sugary-sweet entertainment, while the major triple A titles would be nutritious full meals that take a lot of time to eat and digest.  It may not be for everybody, but it can damn well hit the right spot when the craving hits, and I highly recommend it.  On the whole, Infected Shelter is a simple and engaging rogue-lite beat-em-up to occupy fans of either genre for hours on end.

     Infected Shelter on [ Steam ] for $9.99, but is 10% off until Nov. 18th.

*An early access review copy was provided by the developer. Thank you!

9.16.2019

Slaughter 3: The Rebels Has Arrived on Mobile!

     Long time readers will know I've been a fan of the wonderful mobile 3rd person shooter game Slaughter since it launched.  I gave it a glowing review over at Droidgamers, and when the sequel hit- I was equally hyped and impressed as I was with the first game- and a while after that I even did a small interview with the developer Ray "Venomized Art" Spark.
     Over the last year, I've been eagerly following the small updates of the game's status on the official Facebook page, and watching all the developer Youtube videos


     The game is available right now, and Mr. Spark has once again outdone himself on every front.  The game is bigger, has more weapons, larger levels, improved visuals and controls, and a much, MUCH more expanded story.  If you like mobile 3rd person action games, this is another genuine treat to play and I highly recommend it.

     For more information and to follow the developer [ Venomized Art ]

     Slaughter 3: The Rebels is $2.99 on [ Google Play ] and $1.99 on [ iOS ]

     The original Slaughter is $2.49 on [ Google Play ] and $0.99 on [ iOS ]

     Slaughter 2: Prison Assault is $2.49 on [ Google Play ] and $0.99 on [ iOS ]

    For transparency's sake, I have to say I've been helping a little with translation and localization for the game (which will be completed and added in a future update patch).  I've received no pay or benefits and I bought my own copy of the game.  I support it because it is good, not for any kind of compensation.

6.05.2019

Borderlands 3: NEW DLC for Borderlands 2: Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary

     As has been speculated for the last year or so, it looks as if there will be an absolutely new story DLC for Borderlands 2 coming.  It's been almost 7 years since the game originally launched and this appears to be a bridge between the last game and its highly anticipated sequel.


     According to a post on ResetEra, Twitter user @RobotBrush had spotted the Steam page leak.  Some of the details included things like a level cap raise to 80, new enemies, vehicle skins, rainbow rarity weapons, a major new villain, and a wonderful little fact that it'll be 100% free.  The Steam page has since been taken down but not before having things been screencapped, saved, and noted.

     The leaked description reads:
     "Return to the award winning shooter-looter for a new adventure that sets the stage for the upcoming Borderlands 3. Sanctuary is under siege, the Vault's map has been stolen and a toxic gas is poisoning Pandora. Fight new bosses, explore new zones, get new loot (including an entirely new tier beyond Legendary) and join up with Lilith and the Crimson Raiders to take on a deranged villain hell-bent on ruling the planet. 
     Returning players can pursue an increased level cap of 80, while newcomers can automatically boost to level 30 and dive straight into the action."
     With the HD remasters, new Borderlands 2 DLC, and Borderlands 3 all hitting this year- it's truly the year of the Borderlands.  Now we can only wait and see what other goodies Gearbox might be cooking up for fans.  Personally I hope we get a mobile tie in game, and a plethora of entertainment merchandise like comics and toys.

     And probably the best part of the leak is that...

       ...it claims that Commander Lilith & The Fight for Sanctuary drops June 9th!

     Proof of Steam redaction [ Here ]

     Borderlands 3 launches on Sept. 13th.

     Related posts [ Borderlands ]

5.30.2019

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Coming Later this Year!

     #JoinTheGhostbusters!

     It looks like Ghostbusters fans are in for quite a treat.  This year marks both the 35th anniversary of the franchise and the 10th anniversary of The Video Game itself.
     In recent years there's been a plethora of Ghostbusters mobile games and a few console games, but none of them have truly captured the spirit of the franchise so special in the first place, and this fact is made so much more obvious as when playing Ghostbusters: The Video Game.


     According to the official Saber Interactive announcement:
     Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered delivers a unique story from Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis that captures the supernatural comedic fun and fright fans love from the franchise, which celebrates the 35th anniversary of Ghostbusters this year. 
     As the new rookie on the Ghostbusters crew, you’ll team up with your favorite characters from the films, reunited by the voices of Aykroyd, Ramis, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson as Stantz, Spengler, Venkman and Zeddemore, alongside Annie Potts, Brian Doyle-Murray, William Atherton, and Max von Sydow. Manhattan is overrun once more by ghosts, demons, and other paranormal creatures unleashed by a mysterious force, and only the Ghostbusters can drive this evil back to whatever dimension it crawled from and save the Big Apple. 
     Hunt, fight and trap a variety of new and familiar ghouls and phantasms, all remastered in HD resolution. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered equips you with cool gadgets and upgradeable weapons to play with in huge boss fights and destructible environments. Scan and analyze targets with the P.K.E. Meter and Paragoggles, then strap on your Proton Pack to wear ghosts down with the blast stream before wrangling them with the capture stream.
     There's a reason many fans consider The Video Game as third film despite it being removed from official canon.  It plays well, it's got a great story, and it was made by the original crew.
     The 2016 Ghostbusters game was a mere reskin of 2011's Sanctum of Slime, the Ghostbusters: Lego Dimensions game is the standard LEGO game kind of fun, there's a generic puzzle game Ghostbusters: Puzzle Fighter, for a time the small side-scrolling, gem of a platformer titled Little Ghostbusters was available, and a low key kids game PLAYMOBIL Ghostbusters, then there was the mediocre Ghostbusters: Slime City, as well as the strange augmented reality game Ghostbusters: Paranormal Blast which was essentially remade by a better company into Ghostbusters World.  There's even an augmented reality VR game by Sony Interactive called Ghostbusters: Now Hiring, which is yet another mundane game for mobile devices.  In addition there was a bunch of content added to the Respawnables from the Ghostbusters franchise that was surprisingly well done.

     Sadly, the best game the franchise has ever produced was Ghostbusters: The Video Game, and now we get it as a wonderful remaster by Saber Interactive.  We can only hope that as we close in on Jason Reitman's new Ghostbusters film (slated to release on July 10th, 2020) we might see some new games, mobile or otherwise, that are up to the high quality of The Video Game.

Good news Ray, the Remaster is staring right at me.
     Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is coming to PS4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Game Store later this year.

     The official site [ Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered ]

     Related Posts [ Ghostbusters ]

5.22.2019

Slaughter 3: Closing in on a Release Date

     The day of release for the third installment of the badass mobile 3rd person shooter game Slaughter is nearing.  I was a massive fan of the first game, and an even bigger fan over the sequel which introduced a number of drastic improvements over the first.  It had better graphics, better gameplay, an arena mode, and even a 1st person mode for those that might dislike the 3rd person version.
     Recently developer Ray Spark has posted more new images for the upcoming Slaughter 3 featuring a great leap in graphical quality and environmental details.  Check out the images below. 


     The chain link fence in the sewer looks amazing, the dusky sky and street light are phenomenal, and the texture work on the rubble ground is damned fine.  It should be noted that Spark says the icons are currently only placeholders, and there's currently a lot of "unnecessary elements in the levels."  Regardless, they look awesome so far.


     According to his Facebook page, the story is almost done and the game's final polishing will begin relatively soon.  I for one, am greatly anticipating Slaughter 3's release date when it arrives.  The exact date has not yet been officially announced.


     All I can say for now is go check out the first two Slaughter games, and give them a chance as they are fun as hell.  They've got action, humor, and a pretty damned decent story.

     For an interview with the developer I did back in Dec. 17 [ Link ]

     Slaughter is $2.49 on Google Play ] and $0.99 on [ iOS ]

     Slaughter 2: Prison Assault is $2.49 on [ Google Play ] and $0.99 on [ iOS ]

     Source [ Venomized Art ]

4.03.2019

Joker: Official Teaser Trailer & Quick Thoughts

     The first trailer for the Joaquin Phoenix Joker film has landed, and it's... different.  Not that it is necessarily a bad thing, we'll just have to wait and see.


     The Joker seems to take a completely different approach to other DC films in that it gives us the origin of the Dark Knight Detective's most famed villain and puts it center stage.  I'm cautiously optimistic as it does look good, but could revealing the Joker's true origin ruin some of the magic that made him so special?
     I'd previously written that Nolan handled him perfectly, he arrived on the scene and "had no fingerprints, no ID, nothing but 'knives and lint.'"  He arose from nothing, and in the end literally vanished.  But here, we get motivations and familial links- which can only serve to humanize him, making him more relatable and understandable, which in turn takes away the true wild card aspect of his being.

     I'm of the same position I was when first seeing Jared Leto's Joker from Suicide Squad for the first time- we have to wait to see it in action.  Granted, after seeing Leto in action I had to write:
     "I think they went a little too far into a Tony "Scarface" Montana look.  I mean, while he is the Clown Prince of Crime, they entirely left out the clown part.  When he makes Griggs kiss his hand I was totally expecting a water spout to splash out of the ring in the face, or have a flower on his coat do it, but it never happened.  Ayer completely left that aspect out.  They made him all bling and no sting." 
     Hopefully this team has learned the lesson of failure from Ayers and Leto.  In the mean time, I'll keep my fingers crossed that Joaquin Phoenix along with writer/director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver have done something much more in line with the iconic and beloved arch-rival to the legendary Batman himself.
     Seriously, this looks to either be a masterpiece, or something very, very terrible.  It's a risky film that DC is taking a massive chance with.

     The Joker waltzes into theaters October 4th.

Borderlands 3: Official Announce Trailer: Launch Day & Epic Games Exclusivity

     Well, today is a momentous occasion- we get both great news with the official launch date (Sept. 13th, 2019), alongside some pretty crap news.  We have official confirmation that Borderlands 3 will not launch on Steam, but instead will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store for 6 months.


     I don't like to be a naysayer, but this is not a move people like.  The Epic Game Store has been in some serious controversies (primarily the spyware potential and privacy policies/data protection problems- as seen in this wonderful explanation video by Yong Yea).  Steam having competition is a very good thing, but the way things are being handled are not.  Making this worse is the limited features of the store in general.


     I've been a Borderlands supporter since the original launched a decade ago, and this is the first time I will not be buying it on PC.  I will not support it on the Epic Game Store, I absolutely refuse to use it and will wait the 6 months of exclusivity to get it on Steam with my other Borderlands games.  That said, I'll still be purchasing it on Playstation 4 as that is my primary console (outside of PC).

     To read how displeased many, MANY fans are just scan through the responses on the official @Borderlands tweet.  And for even more, the link to the official trailer has a plethora of disapproval throughout the comments section.  It isn't the best idea to crap on Steam users.  Sorry 2K, but this was not a good decision at all.

     For related posts [ Borderlands ]

3.29.2019

Sex & Mortal Kombat: 100 Things In Common (Guest Post by @EricVBailey)

Sex and Mortal Kombat have a lot in common. 

     So I wrote a list.


1) You can choose whether you’ll have sweat or you’ll have blood.

2) You might go two or three rounds.

3) Successive impacts may elicit heightened vocal response.

4) Skill with hands is good but some may prefer skill with feet.

5) There might be costumes involved.

6) You might sneak in a match at your buddy’s house.

7) Your parents aren’t entirely comfortable with your participation.

8) You aren’t entirely comfortable with your parents’ participation.

9) You went through a phase of ‘researching’ more information online.

10) Years ago, you would’ve had to rely on magazines for this ‘research.’


11) You may stick with a main for a while but try to switch it up sometimes.

12) Some of your friends have no clue about it.

13) Remember that period in high school when everyone was talking about it?

14) Every new release still feels like a big deal.

15) The acting in the films is not the greatest.

16) The films also lend unrealistic expectations with inaccurate portrayals.

17) Still, many have their favorite movie on the topic.

18) Some may worry about their children being exposed to the subject prematurely.

19) Politicians occasionally take fanatical positions concerning it.

20) Some prefer the men, some prefer the ladies.


21) Thousands of people are enjoying it right now, at this moment.

22) Some people don’t even like it.

23) There is plenty of amateur art online, and a lot of it is inappropriate.

24) People have written entire books about it.

25) Be careful -- overdoing it can exhaust you.

26) It might cost you some money.

27) There are some spectacular finishing moves out there.

28) Apparently there are YouTube tutorials to help improve your skills.

29) Typically, men are lauded for playing the game but women are met with disrespect.

30) Fists play a part.


31) You may see some unusual or extreme anatomy featured.

32) It has a long history, generations’ worth.

33) You can match up with a partner online.

34) Might make for an interesting first date.

35) Some married couples don’t even bother with it anymore.

36) You don’t see it play out in public much. But you might.

37) You can play by yourself but it’s not as fun.

38) You probably won’t make much money writing about it.

39) You can enjoy it in the bedroom, or maybe on the living room sofa; the kitchen, more rarely.

40) You used to see it at the arcades a lot more.


41) If you could go at it for five hours straight I’d be impressed.

42) I understand if you’ve never tried it, but it’s harder to believe you’ve never heard of it at all.

43) If you keep getting kicked in the face, maybe you’re not doing so well.

44) If you do it a certain way, you end up with a baby.

45) If you do it another way, you end up as friends.

46) And if you really screw it up, you might have your spine torn out of your body.

47) It’s rare to have more than two players at once.

48) The setting doesn’t really make a huge difference, honestly.

49) Often, one player is going to have a much better time than the other.

50) Typically, a “nothing but roundhouse kicks” strategy is frowned upon.


51) There are very few friends of whom I’d be comfortable asking about their performance.

52) You’d probably get in trouble if you were caught doing it at work.

53) “Excessive jumping” is totally a thing.

54) I understand Nintendo is reluctant to release this kind of content.

55) I’d prefer to not have someone watching over my shoulder while I’m going at it.

56) Some people are more vocal than others while it’s going on.

57) C’mon, don’t make fun of people who are new to it.

58) I think the Bible has some relevant commentary.

59) Juggling at the same time would be rather difficult.

60) The right soundtrack can help set the mood.


61) There are oh-so-saintly prudes out there who probably take pride in never trying it.

62) I see chatter on Twitter about it occasionally.

63) It’s the sort of content that gets an “R” or “M” rating.

64) Sometimes you just have to growl “Get over here!”

65) If your doctor says you’re not healthy enough for it, please listen to them.

66) The 3D modeling has really advanced over the years.

67) It’s all about who’s in control.

68) There are firm boundaries, and it is good to know them.

69) Leave your grandmother out of it.

70) The classic debate: Should you try everyone, or stick to one main selection?


71) You might have luck finding it on Craigslist.

72) The motion-capture work is always interesting.

73) If you record yourself doing it, someone out there would probably watch.

74) Let’s be honest: Sometimes it’s gross.

75) Mileena is either the best or the worst, depending on how you look at her.

76) You might have your heart ripped right out of your chest.

77) Personally, I don’t like involving food, I think it gets messy, but hey, you do you I guess.

78) Have I ever paid $60 for it? No. Has someone else? Yeah. I bet a lot of people have.

79) Has it gotten worse as you’ve aged? That may depend on who you ask.

80) You have to know how to push the right buttons.


81) But timing is crucial. Timing is the difference between success and disappointment.

82) However, pressure is important too. You have to know when to go hard and when to lay off.

83) Your first time is going to be an awkward disaster.

84) Sometimes it leaves a big mess.

85) You might stay up too late doing it.

86) Can you play in VR yet? I’m not even sure.

87) Try moving your thumb in gentler circles. Flick back at just the right moment.

88) You can face one way or the other way.

89) Some of the most innocent-looking people have far more experience than you’d think.

90) Be respectful of your neighbors, try not to be too loud.


91) I bet there are people who are absolutely obsessed.

92) No, I’m not interested in your podcast about it.

93) Make sure you’re properly hydrated beforehand.

94) You may experience sweaty palms for the duration.

95) You may have to compete with killer instinct.

96) Never pick a guy named Stryker.

97) There’s a chance your play will involve some electric shock.

98) It’s the shape-shifting warlock you have to worry about.

99) Use that block button to help prevent unwanted advances.

100) Your opening move might be the most important.

     And have a bonus round:

101) Whoever gets the first blow doesn’t always win.


Eric Bailey likes Nintendo games and writing about Nintendo games. You can follow him on Twitter @EricVBailey, check out his minimalist YouTube series, support him on Patreon, or ignore him altogether.

     Previous Guest Posts by Eric Bailey:

     [ Who Can Eat More: Yoshi vs Kirby ]

     [ Tribute: Link's Awakening ]

     [ You’re All Idiots, Everything's On Fire, and Nothing Ever Changes: Yet Another Critique of Gaming Culture

     [ Easy-Mode Players Are The Real Gamers ]

3.28.2019

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection: Ultimate HD Upgrade Pack is Free on April 3rd!

     Today is a good day.  First there was the official reveal trailer for Borderlands 3, then they announced a Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition HD for the modern generation of systems, and now, we are also getting a Handsome Collection (including Borderlands 2, The Pre-Sequel, and all DLC) 4K ultra high definition upgrade for free.*


     The Handsome Collection UHD Pack arrives April 3rd for PS4, X Box One, and Steam.

     For related posts [ Borderlands ]

*Presuming you already own the game.

Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition HD Remaster Arrives April 3rd!

     Not only did we finally get the highly anticipated official Borderlands 3 reveal trailer, but we also get a complete remaster of the original game for current gen systems.  It looks to be one hell of a visual upgrade to ultra high definition.


     This Game of the Year Edition includes all 4 DLC packs, along with some quality of life improvements, as well as what looks to be a few currently unannounced extras- just take a look at the differing character heads towards the end of the trailer which were not in the original game.

     This is definitely the Year of the Borderlands, marking Gearbox's triumphant return as a developer after the poorly received Battleborn, and the whole Aliens: Colonial Marines fiasco.

     Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition drops April 3rd on PS4, XBox One, and Steam.

     For related content [ Borderlands ]

Borderlands 3: The Official Reveal Trailer has Arrived

     Hot on the heels of yesterday's teaser we get the official reveal trailer for he unimaginably anticipated next installment of the Borderlands franchise, and it is everything we could've hoped for.


     It's got guns, bad guys, heroes, explosions, a plethora of wonderful looking new locations, and an absolute wealth of returning characters, including a few from Tales from the Borderlands.  I honestly don't have to really say anything, as the trailer speaks for itself.

     The hype is real, and the end gives us the news that more will be revealed on April 3rd.

     For related posts [ Borderlands ]

3.12.2019

Borderlands 3: Possible PAX East Reveal: Randy Pitchford May Have Given Us the First Teaser

     It's been a long time since I've posted here, and even longer since I posted Borderlands related material- but there's some possibly huge news that just came in the form of a wonderful teaser from Gearbox head Randy Pitchford.

     He's posted a Tweet that looks very remeniscent of something out of the beloved Borderlands franchise, pointing towards an announcement of something at PAX East:
     Could we finally see the long awaited announcement and release of the third core installment in the franchise?  I believe so.  There's been a slew of update activity on Steam, countless small leaks, and even this wonderful April Fool's teaser from a year ago:


     My hype for the game and blogging has returned.  I look forward to updating and discussing news of Borderlands 3 as it comes.  A Borderlands review was one of my very earliest blog posts (though it corrupted and I lost the page), and Borderlands 2 provided years of content, so the third game can only offer a large amount of content for me to provide- so I hope to hear from many of you fans again in the coming months.

For related posts [ Borderlands ]