Gear Diary » Games & Gaming http://www.geardiary.com Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:00:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 La Plata Time Rings are a Low-Tech Puzzle for these High-Tech Timeshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/la-plata-time-rings-are-a-low-tech-puzzle-for-these-high-tech-times/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/la-plata-time-rings-are-a-low-tech-puzzle-for-these-high-tech-times/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:30:18 +0000 Judie Stanford http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183642

You can only sling so many angry birds at chortling pigs before your mind goes numb and you want something ... different. Sometimes the simplest things can captivate the imagination; a case in point would be this lovely low-tech and natural puzzle made from a slice of cypress.
The puzzle is made from the wood of Cypress trees, that died naturally and it does keep me wondering about the history of the tree and its surroundings. Unfortunately I didn’t find this object too near to the region of the Patagonian Andes lakes, where it actually comes from. I simply never been there, although it is said to be an incredible area. I came across the ‘Time Rings’ puzzle while switching planes in La Plata, Buenos Aires, almost 1000 miles up north.
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/la-plata-time-rings-are-a-low-tech-puzzle-for-these-high-tech-times/feed/ 0 G5 Games Gives Us ‘Fix It Up World Tour’ as a Valentine’s Day Gift!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/g5-games-gives-us-fix-it-up-world-tour-as-a-valentines-day-gift/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/g5-games-gives-us-fix-it-up-world-tour-as-a-valentines-day-gift/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:15:51 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183616

Is there any better way to show someone you love them than with a free time management game for the iPhone and iPad? OK, so there are many, but that doesn't mean that this isn't awesome! Today only G5 is giving away the fun Fix It Up World Tour for both iPhone and iPad! Here is the description:
Go global in this fantastic strategy adventure! In this sequel to “Fix-it-up: Kate’s Adventure”, you must help Kate expand her car-repair empire around the world! Build car-repair shops anywhere from snowy Canada to steaming African jungles. Buy cars, fix them and paint them to make your business prosperous. Earn your fortune in
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/g5-games-gives-us-fix-it-up-world-tour-as-a-valentines-day-gift/feed/ 0 Gear Games February 12 – 18, Featuring Jagged Alliance Back in Actionhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-games-february-12-18-featuring-jagged-alliance-back-in-action/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-games-february-12-18-featuring-jagged-alliance-back-in-action/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:45:58 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183556

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! After a few weeks off as the holidays more or less killed releases, we are starting to see a few new games. The three big games this week are Jagged Alliance - Back in Action and ... oh yeah, that Playstation Vita thing. This week brings the special early adopters bundle, and a bunch of games are hitting stores as well. Early looks are no surprise - great hardware, extremely locked down transfer options, and pretty crappy PSP game compatibility. Jagged Alliance is one of the great franchises, and although it is also getting a re-make as a shooter, strategy fans are more excited for this great looking strategy game reboot. We might not be getting a true turn-based game - this is the classic 'Real-Time with Pause', but it is still a fun addition to the franchise and much better than many feared. There are a few others worth checking this week - read on to find out! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-games-february-12-18-featuring-jagged-alliance-back-in-action/feed/ 0 Depth Hunter Game for PCshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/depth-hunter-game-for-pcs/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/depth-hunter-game-for-pcs/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:15:14 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183437 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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/depth-hunter-game-for-pcs/feed/ 0 Virtual City for the Kindle Fire Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/virtual-city-for-the-kindle-fire-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/virtual-city-for-the-kindle-fire-review/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:00:37 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182543

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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/virtual-city-for-the-kindle-fire-review/feed/ 0 Tiny Bang Story HD for iPadhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/tiny-bang-story-hd-for-ipad/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/tiny-bang-story-hd-for-ipad/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:45:06 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183386 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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/tiny-bang-story-hd-for-ipad/feed/ 0 Star Trek Game Releasing Near Movie Sequel in Q1 2013http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-star-trek-game-releasing-near-movie-sequel-in-q1-2013/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-star-trek-game-releasing-near-movie-sequel-in-q1-2013/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:00:21 +0000 Michael Siebenaler http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183309 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-star-trek-game-releasing-near-movie-sequel-in-q1-2013/feed/ 0 Demo for Indie-RPG Driftmoon Released!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/demo-for-indie-rpg-driftmoon-released/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/demo-for-indie-rpg-driftmoon-released/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:30:40 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183379

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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/demo-for-indie-rpg-driftmoon-released/feed/ 0 Grab Back to the Future Episode 1 HD for FREE on iTunes App Store!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/grab-back-to-the-future-episode-1-hd-for-free-on-itunes-app-store/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/grab-back-to-the-future-episode-1-hd-for-free-on-itunes-app-store/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:30:54 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183311

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
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/grab-back-to-the-future-episode-1-hd-for-free-on-itunes-app-store/feed/ 0 February 10th – 12th Weekend Round-Up of PC Download Game Dealshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/february-10th-12th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/february-10th-12th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:15:33 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183116

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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/february-10th-12th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/feed/ 0 REMINDER: Last Day to Enter to Win a FREE Copy of The Darkness for XBOX360!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/reminder-last-day-to-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/reminder-last-day-to-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:35:21 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183210

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!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Head to Embrace the Darkness for more details! So Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/reminder-last-day-to-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/feed/ 0 Special Enquity Detail – The Hand that Feeds for Kindle Fire Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/special-enquity-detail-the-hand-that-feeds-for-kindle-fire-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/special-enquity-detail-the-hand-that-feeds-for-kindle-fire-review/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:00:41 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182548

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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/special-enquity-detail-the-hand-that-feeds-for-kindle-fire-review/feed/ 0 Gakai Allows You To Check Out The Darkness II or Other Games from Your PC NOW!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/gakai-allows-you-to-check-out-the-darkness-ii-or-other-games-from-your-pc-now/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/gakai-allows-you-to-check-out-the-darkness-ii-or-other-games-from-your-pc-now/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:30:17 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182956

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™
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/gakai-allows-you-to-check-out-the-darkness-ii-or-other-games-from-your-pc-now/feed/ 2 Pocket Legends and Star Legends Pass 100 Million Play Sessions!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/pocket-legends-and-star-legends-pass-100-million-play-sessions/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/pocket-legends-and-star-legends-pass-100-million-play-sessions/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:15:55 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183059

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 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/pocket-legends-and-star-legends-pass-100-million-play-sessions/feed/ 0 Checking Out Windows Phone Speed, Apps, Camera, Music Player and Gameshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/checking-out-windows-phone-speed-apps-camera-music-player-and-games/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/checking-out-windows-phone-speed-apps-camera-music-player-and-games/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:00:51 +0000 Judie Stanford http://www.geardiary.com/?p=179112

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! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/checking-out-windows-phone-speed-apps-camera-music-player-and-games/feed/ 14 Sony Finds One Last Way to Screw US PSP Ownershttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/sony-finds-one-last-way-to-screw-us-psp-owners/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/sony-finds-one-last-way-to-screw-us-psp-owners/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:52 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182895

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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/sony-finds-one-last-way-to-screw-us-psp-owners/feed/ 0 Supermarket Mania 2 for the Kindle Fire Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/supermarket-mania-2-for-the-kindle-fire-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/supermarket-mania-2-for-the-kindle-fire-review/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:43 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182542

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 ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/09/supermarket-mania-2-for-the-kindle-fire-review/feed/ 0 Infographic Tells How Long It Will Take to Enjoy That Game!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/infographic-tells-how-long-it-will-take-to-enjoy-that-game/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/infographic-tells-how-long-it-will-take-to-enjoy-that-game/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:30:49 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182911

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 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/infographic-tells-how-long-it-will-take-to-enjoy-that-game/feed/ 2 Mystery of the Crystal Portal for the Kindle Fire Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/mystery-of-the-crystal-portal-for-the-kindle-fire-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/mystery-of-the-crystal-portal-for-the-kindle-fire-review/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:00:42 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182768

I had bought and enjoyed Mystery of the Crystal Portal for my iPad and also loved the PSP version in spite of some issues with having to pan around the scene, so I was excited to try out the Kindle Fire version. It had been a while since I played, so it felt fresh as I had forgotten most of the game. Let's take a loot at hwo the experience translates to the Kindle Fire! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/mystery-of-the-crystal-portal-for-the-kindle-fire-review/feed/ 0 Gaming Future and Obsoletenesshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/gaming-future-and-obsoleteness/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/gaming-future-and-obsoleteness/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:47 +0000 Michael Siebenaler http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182584 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/08/gaming-future-and-obsoleteness/feed/ 0 XIII Lost Identity iPad Game Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/07/xiii-lost-identity-ipad-game-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/07/xiii-lost-identity-ipad-game-review/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:00:34 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182447

Almost two years ago I did a review of the 2003 PC game called 'XIII', which took a French intrigue-filled graphic novel and brought it to life in a unique graphical style. Late last year the game made the jump to the iOS platform as a hidden object adventure. Let's see how it did! The Hype: Imagine waking up to discover you’ve led several different lives. Based on the comic book series by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance. A man suffering from amnesia is found washed up on a beach by an elderly couple. He has to unravel who he is and where he has come from, the only clue to his identity being the numerals “XIII” tattooed on his neck. You are XIII, a man with a host of enemies and who faces danger at every turn as he goes in search of his past. Pursued by mysterious strangers and wanted for the assassination of the President of the United States of America, his life becomes a whirl of conspiracy and intrigue. Pay close attention to everything around you, because it will no doubt be your only chance to piece together XIII’s enigmatic past. Use your inventory to escape from the most hazardous of situations. Are you ready for an adventure unfolding at breakneck speed? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/07/xiii-lost-identity-ipad-game-review/feed/ 1 DONKEY.BAS Game Review and Giveaway, the Granddaddy of PC Games Comes to iOShttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/07/donkey-bas-game-review-and-giveaway-the-granddaddy-of-pc-games-comes-to-ios/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/07/donkey-bas-game-review-and-giveaway-the-granddaddy-of-pc-games-comes-to-ios/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:00:02 +0000 Bryan Eley http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182529

Well, it could be "grandmother of PC games" for all I know.  My biology background didn't include methodology for determining software sex identity and their gender bits look the same to me. XVision has released DONKEY.BAS for iOS 5.0+ mobile devices, based on one of the original IBM PC DOS games written by Bill Gates and Neil Konzen. Yes, that Bill Gates. The concept is simple:  The player is driving down the road in what appears to be a late 1940s race car, destination unknown.  Suddenly, up ahead, a donkey appears in your lane.  What to do!? Change lanes before it's too late!  Read on to see my review of the game plus a chance for a reader to win a copy of the game! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/07/donkey-bas-game-review-and-giveaway-the-granddaddy-of-pc-games-comes-to-ios/feed/ 0 Get Psyched for The Darkness II by WINNING a FREE COPY of The Darkness for XBOX360!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/06/get-psyched-for-the-darkness-ii-by-winning-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/06/get-psyched-for-the-darkness-ii-by-winning-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:00:23 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182469

The great folks at 2k Games are releasing 'The Darkness 2' this week, and to help you get even MORE geared up they are doing two things. First, they have a new launch trailer, which you can view at the end of the post. Second - they have given us TWO FULL GAME CODES for the XBOX360 version of the original Darkness game! This has become my son's favorite game recently, so we are already amped up for this week's release! TO WIN: simply comment below confirming you have a XBOX360 with a XBOX Live account so you can use the code. That is it! The contest will run Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/06/get-psyched-for-the-darkness-ii-by-winning-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/feed/ 11 Gear Games February 5 – 11, Featuring Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (Again)http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/06/gear-games-february-5-11-featuring-kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-again/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/06/gear-games-february-5-11-featuring-kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-again/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:00:24 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182464

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! After a few weeks off as the holidays more or less killed releases, we are starting to see a few new games. The three big games this week are The Darkness II , Jagged Alliance - Back in Action and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning . The original Darkness game was a bit of a sleeper, getting solid reviews but not immediately gaining the commercial success it deserved. Since then it has become a definite fave for many gamers, making the arrival of the sequel even more exciting. Jagged Alliance is one of the great franchises, and although it is also getting a re-make as a shooter, strategy fans are more excited for this great looking strategy game reboot. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is the highly anticipated first title from 38 Studios, headed by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. The demo met with decidedly mixed reviews, with fairly negative feedback particularly from PC gamers. Schilling has been on the forums touting the changes and advances from the demo to the release (and spouting off on just about everything, apparently), so hopefully the troubles with the demo will be rectified. There are a few others worth checking this week - read on to find out! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/06/gear-games-february-5-11-featuring-kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-again/feed/ 2 Server Maintenance Reminds Us Why Ubisoft’s ‘Always On’ DRM is Stupidhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/05/server-maintenance-reminds-us-why-ubisofts-always-on-drm-is-stupid/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/05/server-maintenance-reminds-us-why-ubisofts-always-on-drm-is-stupid/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:30:36 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182186

It has been nearly two years since I reviewed 'The Settlers 7: Path to a Kingdom', in which I trashed the always-on DRM for the single-player, offline strategy title, saying:
As for the DRM … it is intolerable and unacceptable. The DRM is this: you need to go through all of the normal serial number and online activation hoops, but beyond that you also need to have a constant internet connection to Ubisoft’s servers. If that connection drops – ON EITHER END – you are booted out of your game. Originally the boot-out would lose all progress from the prior checkpoint, but an update made it so the game state was saved at the moment of connection loss…which was at least a step in the right direction. It was reported that the new DRM system was cracked on the day of release for both Assassin’s Creed II and this game, which was made worse the following week when Ubisoft’s servers experienced issues and many folks were unable to connect and therefore unable to play. I was amongst those who tried to play the game and while my internet connection was fine, I couldn’t even get started.
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/05/server-maintenance-reminds-us-why-ubisofts-always-on-drm-is-stupid/feed/ 0 Hands on With G5 Games Navigator for Kindle Fire!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/hands-on-with-g5-games-navigator-for-kindle-fire/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/hands-on-with-g5-games-navigator-for-kindle-fire/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:00:19 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182174

Late last year G5 Games released a 'Game Navigator' for iPhone and iPad, and has since integrated part of it into all of their games. That familiar interface where you see a number of recommended games, the most recent release, and the game you are starting all at once, has become an integral part of every G5 game - which is a testament to how well this app works. Let's take a look! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/hands-on-with-g5-games-navigator-for-kindle-fire/feed/ 0 Indie Gala 2 Brings Games AND Music to ‘Pay What You Want’!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/indie-gala-2-brings-games-and-music-to-pay-what-you-want/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/indie-gala-2-brings-games-and-music-to-pay-what-you-want/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:44:42 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182241

Back in December I wrote about the first Indie Gala bundle, which offered a great deal on games. Now they are back and tackling games AND music! Here is the new great bundle from the folks at Indie Gala! Here is the description:
We are proud to announce you the second Indiegala sale! With 5 brand new games not featured before in any promotion and 6 games from the old indiegala1, and 7 cool independent music albums the new bundle strikes back! Gifts for everyone! If you want to do a gift to your friends you can check the "is a gift" button and will receive
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/indie-gala-2-brings-games-and-music-to-pay-what-you-want/feed/ 0 February 3rd – 5th Weekend Round-Up of PC Download Game Dealshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/february-3rd-5th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/february-3rd-5th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:30:39 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182168

Welcome back to another weekend of game deals for you to enjoy! You might notice that this week is a bit slower than previous weeks ... but there are still some great deals! 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! TOP WEEKEND DEALS! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/04/february-3rd-5th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/feed/ 0 Royal Trouble: Hidden Adventure iPad Game Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/03/royal-trouble-hidden-adventure-ipad-game-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/03/royal-trouble-hidden-adventure-ipad-game-review/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=181923

Even after reading the description of Royal Trouble I wasn't sure exactly what to expect in terms of gameplay - and frankly I was nervous that I was getting burnt out on hidden object games after Spirit of Wandering (though 'Letters from Nowhere 2' tells me otherwise). Fortunately this is an entirely different sort of casual adventure game - and an absolute blast that you simply MUST try! Let's take a look! The Hype: In this critically acclaimed adventure quest, help two charming royal heirs escape from a secluded island! Princess Loreen and Prince Nathaniel find themselves locked in a dungeon without any idea of how they got there. She is bright Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/03/royal-trouble-hidden-adventure-ipad-game-review/feed/ 0 New Humble Bundle Arrives … for ANDROID!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/31/new-humble-bundle-arrives-for-android/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/31/new-humble-bundle-arrives-for-android/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:00:06 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=181731

There's a new Humble Bundle in town ... but this one has a twist! Instead of just Mac and PC versions of games ... now you get Android copies as well! This makes an awesome deal even better - and check out the great games: Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/31/new-humble-bundle-arrives-for-android/feed/ 0