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Rockstar have announced that the official release date for GTA 5 will be September 17th. That's a fairly significant delay over the previous, albeit vague, launch window of Spring 2013. Of course, so far the game has only been officially announced for consoles. That means the PC version, if one is even being planned, will likely arrive many months after that date – probably sometime in 2014. A statement from Rockstar explains the delay. "We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require." "To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience." Still no word on the game's PC arrival then. Despite a popular petition (currently on 148,620 signatures), the last official statement we heard was Dan Houser claiming that PC support was merely "up for consideration". That said, the fact that every other GTA has eventually smashed its way through our Windows – usually 6-12 months after the console release – is a pretty strong hint that we will, eventually, get our hands on the game. 
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joi, 31 ianuarie 2013
Grand Theft Auto V’s release date announced, Rockstar’s lips still sealed over PC g21
Matul Remrit: the illustrated Dwarf Fortress story comes to an end g21
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Breathing life into the diary of an entirely text-based game must be a difficult prospect. For Kevin Snow's Dwarf Fortress playthrough it meant an ambitious collaboration, bringing together a well told character-driven (and emergent) narrative, original art, music and an isometric visualiser. The result was Matul Remrit, a detailed and inventive telling of a tale that began in 2010. That story has now come to end, finishing the series with a six part chapter of videos, comics and diary entries. The full project is dramatic, sombre, surprising and funny. It's also huge, experimentally told from the perspective of the featured dwarves – "a band of dregs who struggle to build their It's well worth taking the time to work your way through the epic undertaking. Here's a brief excerpt: "16th Slate 1051 Thanks, Kotaku. 
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Omerta: City of Gangsters review g21
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Sandy Beech, my latest gang boss, is a complicated capo. Before breakfast (mine not his) he torched a speakeasy and a casino, shot three men in the gut and two in the feet. After breakfast he set up a soup kitchen, built a clinic, and rescued a nightclub owner from the klutches of the Ku Klux Klan. I've no idea whether Sandy enjoyed his morning of slaughter and social work, but I know I did. Though Omerta lacks the humour and economic subtlety of Haemimont's Tropico 4 there's ample compensation in the engrossing campaign and cracking turn-based combat. Sometimes unavoidable story events, sometimes the result of a botched heist or drive-by, the Action Point-funded skirmishes provide lots of tactical chin scratching and memorable lead trading. Shotgun blasts shatter furniture and send clustered foes reeling. Molotov cocktails loop through windows. Hoodlums lean from cover cradling chattering Tommy guns.
A combination of distinctive weapons, solid AI, plausible friendly-fire risks, and interesting damage twists (concussion, panic, blood loss… ) mean Omerta can hold its head up in the company of XCOM, Jagged Alliance and Silent Storm. Most weapons boast several attack modes. At times it pays to trade accuracy for speed or spread, or to attempt to disable or discourage rather than dispatch. With a few extra outdoor maps, a less rigid cover system, and a 'dead means dead' difficulty setting (at present, defeated teams end up captured or convalescing) the violence would be almost unimpeachable. More Capone-calibre harshness wouldn't go amiss on the economic front either. At present, whether you're playing the pleasingly varied and deftly tale-flecked campaign or the not-especially-sandy sandbox mode, it's a bit too easy to go from struggling street punk to comfy crime-lord. Usually, once you've established a few businesses, hired a few hoods, and figured-out how to keep the law off your back, it's plain sailing. Rival gangs tend to be passive, watching from the wings while you muscle in on their rackets.
Those with prior tycoon experience may find the simplistic supply chains, limited upgrade opportunities, and lack of ledgers disappointing. Gazing down on the atmospheric maps with their beetling streetcars and cruising jalopies, it's sad to think that individual Omertians can't be selected, mind-read, or caught in crossfire. This isn't a game for avid anthill watchers. Or for anyone with a tin ear. The scandalously uncredited soundtrack is a brilliant melange of period jazz, ragtime and klezmer. While police sirens wail and Chicago pianos riff, clarinets and Steinways are often doing the same. Not as tough or as deep as it could be, Omerta is still a destination well worth a visit.
Expect to pay: £25 
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Battlefield 3 End Game’s Capture the Flag looks like ridiculous fun g21
| Watching this trailer for Battlefield 3′s final DLC pack, End Game, you can see why many online shooters have started to replace the flag part of Capture the Flag with Intelligence, Bombs – really anything that isn't a flag. It does seem a little bit silly when you think about it. General: Why are we retreating? I didn't give the order! But if the concept makes no sense, the execution looks to be some serious fun, as bullets and explosions chase the flag bearer across the giant maps of the game. End Game also adds the Air Superiority mode – previously relegated to the console exclusive Battlefield 1943 – as well as dirtbikes, dropships and four new maps. It's due out in March, and will release early for Battlefield 3 Premium subscribers. The Premium service has done rather well for EA. Joystiq report that the publisher's latest financial results show 2.9 million people have subscribed to the scheme, generating $108 million in sales across all platforms. Although, between the PC version's bigger maps and shinier graphics, and the occasional Origin sale on a Premium sub, I'd bet PC users make up a healthy portion of that figure. 
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State of Play show off Lumina City, the handcrafted sequel to their gorgeous Lume g21
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I haven't played Lume – the charming paper-and-cardboard-crafted adventure game – but the following video of its sequel, Lumina City, had me regretting that decision immediately. As with its predecessor, the game is being created with handmade characters and sets, giving it a beautiful, striking, diorama-esque visual style that's far more effective at suggesting a 3D space than a pair of dark glasses and an overpriced cinema ticket. Speaking to IndieGames, State of Play Games revealed that Lumina City will be several times larger than Lume, with the promise of better puzzles, and a "massive leap" in the fidelity of the handcrafted scenes, thanks to a number of technological advancements (including motors and laser-cutting). Lumina City should release in "late Spring" this year, on PC, Mac and Linux (with iOS versions coming later, presumably once they've squished the sets with a hammer so they can fit on the smaller screens). Head over to IndieGames to learn more about the creation process, but not before gawping at this stunning teaser trailer: 
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Bioshock Infinite’s City in the Sky trailer provides Comstock footage g21
| Here's a rather splendid new trailer for Bioshock Infinite; one that packs together grand vistas of the soaring city of Columbia, insight into its fire-and-brimstone ruler Zachary Comstock, and plenty of explosive combat against men and monstrosities. It's also likely to be the only trailer you'll see today that features a minigun-toting mechanical George Washington. He only makes a brief appearance, but Comstock seems set to be a great character. His zealous, patriotic fervour seems like a nice counterpoint to the grand idealism of Bioshock's Andrew Ryan. Also: a game trailer made entirely from footage of said game! What a novel idea. We approve. 
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Dirty Bomb enters closed alpha, get instant access – for a price g21
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Splash Damage's online FPS Dirty Bomb has started letting selected members of the public jump in to its London-based maps. Honestly, players are being allowed to run around unfinished versions of games earlier and earlier. Soon you'll be able to start shooting up wireframe walls with no skybox. You can get instant access to the alpha test right now, but it's not cheap. $120 not cheap, in fact. That's the price for the Legendary pack, which includes an immediate pass into the game, along with five Founder's Mercs, an artbook, soundtrack and T-shirt. "We have always believed that multiplayer is more thrilling than single player," reads the updated Dirty Bomb website. "We're dedicated to the perfection of team play. We are committed to developing games that our fans can enjoy for months and years." "We've taken the unprecedented step of opening up Dirty Bomb's alpha for private testing by fans. Sign up now to help shape Dirty Bomb!" Buyers of the cheaper Elite ($60) and Veteran ($30) packs still get "Priority Access" to the beta, although won't be allowed in right away. Other purchasing options include the Contributor Pack ($240) and VIP Founder ($320!), which both come with instant access to the developer's IRC channel, along with a selection of other bonuses and the Legendary benefits. Splash Damage say the reason they're able to offer access so early is their new Echo tech. "Developed by the talented chaps over at Fireteam, Echo basically collects and visualises detailed data from all of Dirty Bomb's multiplayer servers, allowing us to balance and optimise the game in ways we couldn't before." They've put together a video showing how the tool helps them develop the game. Clearly the price is aimed at those who really want to support the game, especially as all signs point to Dirty Bomb being free-to-play. Anyone tempted? Thanks, PCGamesN. 
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