Racing games pre-date first-person shooters by years, with Pole Position appearing decades before Wolfenstein and Doom ever even entered into the franchise picture. Yet here we are, surrounded by FPS action, with racing titles appearing only sporadically to remind us of our collective need for speed. The challenge with the latest round of racing games is to create a fresh experience within a genre that’s frankly seen it all. With Need for Speed: Most Wanted, that challenge is even greater, as Criterion Games had to … [Read more...]
Dragon Age 3: Inquisition Coming in Late 2013; Next-Gen Console Launch Title?
EA and BioWare today unleashed news that's bound to set the next-gen console debates in full swing: Dragon Age 3: Inquisition is coming in "late 2013." The platforms were unannounced, but the timing of the release date implies it will be a launch title for Microsoft's and Sony's next-gen systems. The next chapter in the award-winning role-playing game (RPG) franchise is in development at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Montreal. The game's being built on a brand-new RPG game engine underpinned by the Frostbite 2 … [Read more...]
Insomniac Games’ Fuse: Hands-On Preview
I don’t officially know whether Ted Price, founder and president of Insomniac Games, is a member of the NRA. I've never actually asked him, nor have I inquired with anyone else at Insomniac. But for as much as Insomniac has focused on guns, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a relationship there. Whether you're talking about Ratchet and Clank or Resistance, Insomniac’s gameplay lives and dies by guns and their various modes of fire. But if you think you've seen the epitome of gun-focused gameplay from Insomniac, think … [Read more...]
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Gets Teeth of Naros DLC Today
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has a new round of downloadable content (DLC) available today, as EA announced that Teeth of Naros, the second DLC pack for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, has launched on the Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows PC. In Teeth of Naros, players can explore the city of Idylla, which magically floats in the sky above the Teeth of Naros; encounter new enemies; adventure through new dungeons; and gather three new Twists of Fate. In this new journey players will encounter the Kollossae, a devout race of … [Read more...]
Mass Effect 3 Invades Retailers in North America, Hits Europe on March 9
It's not even the end of Q1 yet, and one of 2012's most anticipated games has shipped to retail: Mass Effect 3 has landed in North American stores for Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows PC. As we said in our hands-on preview, Mass Effect 3 for Xbox 360 supports voice commands via the Xbox Kinect hardware. It's the only platform to support voice controls. The first round of Mass Effect 3 DLC has also gone live today. Mass Effect 3 will launch in Europe on March 9. Mass Effect 3 thrusts players into an all-out galactic war … [Read more...]
First Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning DLC Coming on March 20
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is about to get its first round of story-based DLC, EA has announced, with "The Legend of Dead Kel" slated to release on Xbox 360, PS3, and Window PC (via Origin and Steam) on March 20. Featuring a mysterious tale of intrigue, danger and dark magic on the island of Gallows End, the DLC will have players encountering shadowy characters and new enemies, as well as a host of new side quests, treacherous battles and new challenges. The Legend of Dead Kel gives players access to Gallows End, … [Read more...]
Mass Effect 3 Launches into Space … Really
From the "what the hell?" desk today comes word that EA is sending copies of Mass Effect 3 into space -- literally -- as a sort of interplanetary space hunt. Whoever finds the game when it hits Earth again will win a full retail version of the game before it hits retail. The promotion has got to be the first of its kind in the game industry, and the whole program seems a bit forced, but we'll let EA's announcement speak for itself: Starting on February 23 (today), EA and BioWare will be making history by launching … [Read more...]
Mass Effect 3 Demo Available on Xbox 360, PS3 — With Multiplayer Support
The Mass Effect 3 demo we mentioned in our Mass Effect 3 voice commands preview is finally here, and it's available on three different platforms: Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows PC. The Xbox 360 version is the only one featuring voice commands, but other than that, all three demos are identical. Oh, and they all include a taste of the multiplayer component. Yep, we thought that'd get your interest. Mass Effect 3 is one of the most anticipated games of 2012, blending combat, customization cinematic storytelling and action … [Read more...]
Need for Speed: The Run Review
I’ve been a fan of the Need for Speed series since the Xbox 360 launch, when the console’s launch-window entry taught us all how fun evading the cops could be at ridiculously high speeds. The Need for Speed series has undergone some changes in the past five years, flipping between arcade- and sim-style racing and hopping between cop-evasion and race-driven gameplay. The latest entry, Need for Speed: The Run, evolves the series yet again, with players occasionally getting out of their car to race, jump and … [Read more...]
New FIFA Street Game Modes Video
David Beckham's Super Bowl ad caused a bit of a stir, bringing football/soccer right up to the top of folks' awareness at a time it might otherwise not be. EA has another reason to get you thinking about soccer, though, releasing today an all-new video for FIFA Street in which the developers discuss the various game modes. FIFA Street brings an urban, somewhat-grungy feel to the refined sport of soccer, which may ultimately make the game more appealing to gamers who wouldn't otherwise pay attention. You can watch the … [Read more...]