When I was in College–back before the most recent ice age–computer graphics were juuuuust really getting started.  If you look at the graphics of “Project Genesis” in Star Trek II, you’ll see what was, for then, the top-of-the-line:  graphics that were programmed in UNIX on a big ol’ VAX, and then run out on a Cray SuperComputer.  I mean, that was smokin’ for 1982.  Really!

Nowadays?  Now, PC are powerful enough that you can render complicated underwater scenes . . . in games.  You young whippersnappers don’t know how good you have it!… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

A while agoI reviewed the iPhone and iPad versions of Virtual City, noting that my only real complaint was the lack of a sandbox mode – and the high initial price of the iPad version (which has been lowered). The game already took advantage of the high resolution Retina display which made it shine on the iPad, so my assumption was that there would be a minimal difference in the move to the Kindle Fire. Turns out I was right … and wrong. Read on to find out what I mean.

The Hype:
Build a city of your dream – a residential paradise or an industrial center. Build dwelling… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Puzzle games are some of my favorites, particularly puzzle games that have an anachronistic, steampunk, Myst-like sensibility.  Good ones are few and far between, unfortunately, and it’s not like Broderbund is  cranking out iOS ports of the various Myst sequels in HD anyway, if you know what I mean.  So when I see game in this category, it does intrigue me:… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Paramount Pictures and video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. will release their collaboration video game project in the first quarter of 2013 near the upcoming film sequel from J. J. Abrams hitting theaters on May 17, 2013. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

As I have said many times, while the mainstream gaming market seems largely bereft of creativity as they churn out sequel after sequel and pretty much every game becomes a cover shooter with a few RPG-lite skill trees, the indie game market is full of excellent games. One of the most highly anticipated games of 2012 for RPG fans is the indie game Driftmoon, and today they have released a demo for the game.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Back to the Future games for the iPad did a great job of delivering the experience of the movie and the original PC game from TellTale. Now this weekend you can grab the first Episode for FREE! That is $7 less than the regular price!

Here is the description:

Marty McFly & Doc Brown return in a brand new Back to the Future adventure!

In Episode 1, Marty McFly is just getting re-acquainted with the 1980′s when the DeLorean Time Machine he saw destroyed by a speeding train materializes before him. He finds out that Doc Brown is trapped somewhere in the past and that he must travel back in

Welcome back to another weekend of game deals for you to enjoy! Things seem to be cranking up again on the deals, headlined by the awesome 75% off sale on the Jedi Knight collection at Steam. Take my advice, skip Jar Jar in 3D and spend the weekend with Kyle Katarn and Mara Jade!

As a reminder, I have refocused on only those sites I feel bring great deals AND great customer experience to the table, including Amazon, Beamdog, Desura, DotEmu, GamersGate, Mac App Store and Steam. I have two ‘featured’ games from Get Games because they activate on Steam, so you avoid their silly install limits. Also, I am more tightly focusing on deals of 75% off or more, with occasional 50% sales, but in addition will also be trimming back to fewer than 25 deals per site to keep the list under control.

I am continuing my ‘top weekend deals’ section where I grab my favorite 5 or so deals of the week and provide direct links! For these games I select based on how good the game is as well as how sweet the deal – but each week there are great games at fantastic discounts! And as always thanks to the crew at Deals4Downloads for their help finding everything. This week I am also going to start properly alphabetizing my list by store!… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Just a reminder that the great folks at 2k Games have given us TWO FULL GAME CODES for the XBOX360 version of the original Darkness game!

TO WIN: simply comment here confirming you have a XBOX360 with a XBOX Live account so you can use the code. That is it!

The contest will run until TODAY Friday February 10th at 5PM, when winners will be picked from valid entries at random.

As a reminder, here is the launch trailer for the newly released Darkness II (I’m playing it now … and it is awesome!)

Head to Embrace the Darkness for more details!

So

Mix together a crime-drama mystery, puzzles, hidden objects, and tons of twists and turns and intrigue … and you have the makings of one of the most compelling casual games made this year. The name of that game is “Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand that Feeds” from G5 Entertainment, and I reviewed the iPad release earlier this year. Now it is available for Android! Let’s take a look and see how the port stands up to the original release!… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I have already written about The Darkness II which launched this week on PC and XBOX360, which I am already starting to play for review. But if you are looking to get a taste of the demo and only have a PC … you can head to Gakai to try it out!
Gakai is a cloud streaming game service – similar to OnLive. However, whereas to play OnLive you need a client and there are speed tests performed … with Gakai the game just plays. Here are some details:

Gaikai Inc., the innovative cloud gaming service, announced today that a free playable demo of 2K Games’ highly anticipated first-person shooter, The Darkness™

I have featured news from Space Time Studios, makers of several free-to-play MMORPG games, several times. Why? Two reasons – they seem to have loads of great giveaways and I love to feature those. And second but most importantly – their games are FUN, play through your browser and work on almost any computer!

The reason for the giveaways is clear – they want people to check out their games, because free-to-play games make money by drawing people in to play and get involved. But unless the game is good, people will play something else – which makes this new milestone an amazing success!

Pocket Legends and Star Legends: The Blackstar

Judie: Our saga began when Dan and I received HTC Titans at a Microsoft sponsored dinner while attending CES; it’s hard to believe that on the 11th it will have been one month ago. You can catch up on our previous posts before starting with this one by clicking the following links:

Considering the Move from an iPhone 4S to Windows Phone Titan

Comparing the iPhone 4s Hardware to the HTC Titan and Dipping into the Windows Phone User Interface

In that month, my iPhone has never left my gadget drawer. Although I can think of a few times I wished I had it – mainly when writing up a cool accessory I had just discovered that was ‘iPhone only’ or when feeling the absence of a favorite app — not once have I missed it enough to retrieve it from the drawer. That’s better than I can say for any other phone running any other operating system that I have tried in the past … but I’m not sure if I’m ready to list the 4S on eBay just yet!

They say that if you want to learn something about a person take a look at how they treat people they DON’T have to be nice to – you know, anyone from kids to animals to waiters and store clerks. If a person treats them poorly without reason they are, quite simply, a lousy person. And you can only expect to receive the same down the line. On the other hand, if they treat you AND others well, you have a partner you can count on.

I can hear you saying ‘what is it NOW, Anderson? What are you griping about this time?’ Well, I’m talking about Sony. Anyone who has a PSP Go remembers how, right up until the release of the Go, Sony was teasing the possibility of some form of ‘UMD transfer program’ that would allow users to get some value out of existing UMD games by trading them in or somehow ‘swapping’ them for a digital version. And, in fact, EU and Japanese gamers who had existing PSN accounts with registered PSPs got a set of three digital games. US gamers got … nuthin’.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I loved the PC version of SuperMarket Mania 2, and now that it is available for iPhone and iPad I wanted to take another look and see how it would work as a port! Read on and find out how they did!

The Hype:
Nikki and her friends are back in Supermarket Mania 2! Help her uncle Ross manage and run his chain of grocery stores on the other side of the country. Keep the supermarket shelves stocked up, floors clean and customers coming as you work on improving the stores and increasing profits. It’s not all peachy though, as the evil Assistant Torg and his robotic… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Yeah, as a huge fan of RPGs, adventures and shooters for decades and more recently casual games, I would say that gets it about right!

Source: NerdApproved via Uniblog, art by Loldwell