. Based on Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series, The Walking Dead is about a world devastated by an undead apocalypse and the horrifying choices you’re forced to make to survive. The Walking Dead is a five-part game series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series. Play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. With corpses returning to life and survivors stopping at nothing to maintain their own safety, protecting an orphaned girl named Clementine may offer him redemption in a world gone to hell. The zombies are here! What can you do after the dead become the undead, and start eating everyone that still has a pulse? Well, if you’re Lee Everett you rescue a little girl that has been left all alone after her parents leave her with a babysitter that has gone missing. Oh, and you also try to save yourself. A dead Lee is of no use to little Clementine! You must be very careful about what you say or how you react to any given situation, because everyone remembers how your choices and your verbal outbursts. This changes their dialog, as well as your dialog options and action choices. This is the main element of The Walking Dead game, and it is supossed to play a big part on how everything moves along during each episode, thus increasing replay value for subsequent full plays. How deep is the rabit hole? Telltale Games has this to say: Is there anything unique about this game versus other Telltale games? Yes. For the first time, the decisions that the player makes will drive a “tailored” game-play experience. A decision that you make or something that you say will have repercussions not only in the episode that you’re playing, but also in future episodes of the game. Decisions will range from relatively innocuous (do I lie here and if so, how should I lie?) though to world-changing (I can only save one person here, who will it be?). Furthermore, you’ll come under pressure to make decisions quickly. You won’t be able to stand around deciding which option to choose during a conversation. The undead won’t stand by and politely let you figure out your next move. On top of that, you have to Keep track of all people the you meet. Be sure total to them, ask them questions about their life before the zombie outbreak, show them that you care, and definitely learn what makes them tick. You never know when you might need their help, and if they don’t trust you… There aren’t many puzzles in A New Day, and the ones that are there won’t take you long to figure out. They help to move along the story, which is the star of the show, without being too intrusive or asking you to think outside of the box. Adventure games fans might think this is blasphemy, but for me the game finds a great balance between exploration, puzzles, character exposition and zombies, zombies, zombies. As for the game itself, you can pick between two display styles (which can be changed again at any time from the Help and Options menu): Standard is what you would expect from a videogame since you get access to a help system that points you in the right direction, notifying you about the choices you’ve made and their immediate impact Choosing the Minimal display style will turn of all hints and choice notifications, making for a cleaner interface and a more “pure” experience. Unlike previous PSN releases from Telltale Games, this Season includes a Platinum trophy AND all trophies are story based, which is great news for all trophy hunters! I was able to enjoy the game from start to finish without having to worry about a missable trophy, or for having to make a specific dialog choice in order to get all trophies. Sure, not all of you care about trophies, but for those of us that like to see that progress bar fill completely, it is indeed something to be happy about! The Walking Dead Episode 1 – A New Day, brings us a great game that amalgamates all the best elements from all past Telltale Games releases while, at the same time, letting us see how much the company has improved over the years. If you’re a fan of the comic book, you have to buy this game right now because I definitely want a Season 2 to be approved ASAP. Review Pros Cons Very polished game Runs parallel to the Comic Book Episode ends right as things heat up Rating 93% Cost – $4.99 for a single Episode/$19.99 for the whole Season (you get an Episode for free) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 3 hours. This review is based on a PS3copy of Idiot Squad provided by Hydravision.

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[PSN Review] The Walking Dead: The Game Episode 1 – A New Day

Farmer Ben is angry! His ewes were finally ready for the village’s annual competition, but the Chuck brothers stole them last night to make sure he has no chance of winning. Ben is determined to get them back. He has formed a special commando to enter enemy territory and exfiltrate the kidnapped ewes. He has trained his best sheep to be simply the best: The American football player destroys all obstacles The ninja jumps over obstacles The gunner is equipped with a cannon But sheep, even if perfectly trained, will always be sheep: too stupid for words. They need someone with a brain to command them. Why not you? Idiot Squad is a puzzle game in which you head a commando of sheep. Make sure to prepare your missions well to recover the kidnapped sheep throughout 50 levels. Farmer Ben is counting on you! All done watching the trailer with the animated intro for the game? Good, good. It does a great job at setting up the story (as little as there is), and gives us a glimpse into what to expect from the game itself. Since Idiot Squad is a puzzle game, we are eased into the game one step at a time. We are you’re shown how everything works during several “tutorial” levels on Worlds 1 and 2, in order to understand how each sheep and each tile really works. Including the tutorial levels, there is 50 puzzles in total that you need to solve. You can only progress to the next world as long as you clear the set of 5 of your current world, but if you’re having trouble with a particular puzzle, you can select another one from the set. It is easy to slowly test out possible solutions to each level, since you can hit the Square button to make the sheep start their journey and, should you fail, everything will still be in place, thus allowing you to make a quick change here and there in order to succeed. Things get a bit difficult when you are required to control more than one sheep of the same color, especially when color specific tiles are added to the mix. For example, a Green Sheep won’t care about a Red Tile, but you have to be careful about that Red Tile if you have more than one Red Sheep that must use it, since herding them towards a specific path could require you to be very creative with your tile setting. In order for the level to be considered as complete, you HAVE to pick all Ewes before all Idiot Squad members enter the barn or you won’t be able to clear the level. This becomes particularly tricky when more obstacles and enemies (that shoot at you!) are brought into play, but it is not impossible. Also, you must know that you do not need to use all available blocks on the later levels, but that it is a must during the first 5 worlds). There is no music in the game. Only ambient sounds play (birds chirpong, cows moowing, other farm animal sounds), which some might find is a bat thing but, for me, it is definitely a good thing since it allowed me to focus on the screen while trying to solve a puzzle, as I wasn’t distracted by any music at all. Idiot Squad is an excellent choice for all PSP/PS3/Vita owners, since it brings us an entertaining and smart game that you can enjoy at home or on the go. Sure, the story isn’t really anything to write home about but, when have we really asked about a story for our puzzle games? Review Pros Cons Very addictive game Several puzzles to enjoy High difficulty increase in the last 3 sets Rating 94% Cost – £3.19 / 3,99€ / $4.99. Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 8 hours. This review is based on a PSP/PS3/Vita copy of Idiot Squad provided by Hydravision.

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[minis Review] Idiot Squad

In Jurassic Park: The Game – Episode 3, the group looks for escape through the dark maintenance tunnels that connect the park, while being hunted by relentless pursuers. Uneasy partnerships teeter on the brink until simmering tensions explode and the survivors turn on each other. Be sure to read the review for Jurassic Park: The Game Episode 1 to learn about the basics on how to control the game, as well as how the grading system works! You should also check the review for Episode 2 to make sure you remember what has happened so far. I always wonder why people continue to use helicopters in movies and games when we all know they will eventually end up crashing down, probably killing, maiming or hurting someone in the process. Weird, right? After the chopper crashes, Nima, Yoder and Oscar must find a new way to transport all survivors back to safety before the dinosaurs can get the best of them. We come to realize that Oscar is a badass mercenary, instead of your vanilla, plain mercenary. How so? Oscar decides he should STALK SOME VELOCIRAPTORS, waiting for the right time to get the jump on the fast, little buggers. Yes, you read that right. He is using stealth to beat the Velociraptors at their own game, savoring the tension of the hunt. Crazy, right? Well, just wait until you see what happens when he catches up to them! The tension rises as Jurassic Park: The Game – The Depths brings us closer to the final conclusion of our journey. Will everyone make it out alive? Will someone fall prey to the Velociraptors, the T-Rex or another one of the predators that call Isla Nublar home? The characters have grown on us. The story draws to an end, and the dinosaurs are only getting hungrier! Review Pros Cons More action, less interaction Slowdown here and there Rating 81% Published by Telltale Games Cost – $29.99 (Full Season) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 2 hours This review is based on a copy of Jurassic Park: The Game provided by Telltale Game

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[PSN Review] Jurassic Park: The Game Episode 3

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PSN Exclusive Dyad – Music Is Control

Darksiders II is now scheduled to release globally in August 2012, rather than June as previously announced. The official announcement added that, “this is great news for the team at Vigil, because it allows additional time for polish and to ensure that all aspects of Darksiders II meet the high-quality bar the team is targeting. In game development, more time is always a good thing for quality and the Vigil team is dedicated to providing the definitive Darksiders experience.” Source: PRess Release

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Darsiders II Delayed till August

Another week, another time with not many releases for our Sony Console and Portables. The PS3 gets one retail release that packages two games in a single disc, the PSN gets 2 formerly retail only games available as digital releases… and the circle of life carries on. Vita gets the most releases this week with Disgaea 3 (both at retail and on PSN), and Star Drone Extreme, a Vita version of the PSN game I reviewed here , and that has been improved thanks to feedback from gamers, as well as having new levels you can enjoy on your shinny new portable! Full list of releases, after you click! PS3 Retail Releases You Can Buy Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat Right Here! VITA Releases You Can Buy Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention Right Here! PSN Releases You Can Buy NHL 12 Right Here! You Can Buy Dead Rising 2: Off The Record Right Here!

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Releases for the Week (April 16th-22nd)

Following the events of the game’s first episode, park veterinarian Gerry Harding, his daughter Jess, and a mysterious visitor to the park must fight to survive the deadly beasts that inhabit Jurassic Park. Episode 2 introduces some new characters and puts you face to face with dinosaurs never before seen in the Jurassic Park films! Be sure to read the review for Jurassic Park: The Game Episode 1 to learn about the basics on how to control the game, as well as how the grading system works! After what happened during the last episode, Jess, Gerry and Nima are stranded at Isla Nublar with hungry dinosaurs all around them. InGen decides to send a group of mercenaries to rescue them, and Dr. Sorkin and her assistant, before it is too late. As one can imagine, some of the mercenaries had no idea what they would be up against, and one of the rescue teams needs to be rescued after they confidently walked into a dinosaur filled Visitor’s center! And speaking of the dinosaurs, I have to say that Telltale Games did a great job when creating them for this digital release. The texture work on the T-Rex and on the Velociraptors really shines, and it shows us how they’ve gotten better and better with each new release (which is great news considering they will soon launch their take on The Walking Dead). For some reason, I had a bit of a problem with the icons this time around, and I had to play closer to the screen to tell which button I had to press. Maybe it’s an age thing, but bigger prompt buttons would have been welcomed. The new characters that are introduced during this episode (and that actually make it to the end), bring a new perspective to the series, since we had only seen things from Gerry and Jess’s perspective (dinosaurs are awesome and I’m so happy to be here!), as well as from Nima (another “hired-gun” with a more human agenda, but someone that despises what InGen has done to the island). Can’t really refer to the mercenaries that will live (as to not spoil things), but I especially liked having one of them around during this episode. Episode 2 picks up the pace and provides us with a tense and exciting adventure. It is more action packed than Episode 1, and gives us a glimpse of what to expect from the next two installments. The darker environments, new characters, and the constant peril at hand make for a very entertaining game. Review Pros Cons Great sound design Interesting cast of characters Some icons meld into the background, making it harder to quickly react Rating 82% Published by Telltale Games Cost – $29.99 (Full Season) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 2.5 hours This review is based on a copy of Jurassic Park: The Game provided by Telltale Games.

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[PSN Review] Jurassic Park: The Game Episode 2

This morning was just like every other morning. Then, it happened. No one knows where they came from, or what they are. But we all know that nothing will ever be the same. Now, your only chance for survival is to outrun the destruction of your city… with just one button. Run for your life! Canabalt PlayStation minis trailer from Beatshapers on Vimeo . When you wake up to a robot invation, you can only do two things: run, and run faster! Canabalt hails from the year 2009 (yes, that does sound like a long time ago), and it was the start of the auto runner craze. What is an auto runner? It is a game on which your character runs automatically (get it?) without any outside input. You usually only have control over him with a single button that allows him/her to jump. Other games have added a double jump, or even another button to allow you to fire ( heeeellooo One Epic Game! ), but the basic concept is still there. Canabalt is all about running until you die, always hoping to escape the madness that is brought by GiantKillerRobotsTm, when they decide to invade somewhere. You will need to jump from building top to building top while avoiding any obstacles that might make you sit down for a cup of coffee with the Grim Reaper. The more time that your character spends running, the faster he will continue to run. This is great when you want to outrun an off-screen menace, but it is not that great when you’re trying to make a precise jump over then void that is imminent dead. By hitting small obstacles, you can slow down a bit, but you must be careful to not slow down too much, or else you won’t be able to make the next jump. A bit of a Catch-22 since you can’t see how big the next jump is if you’re going to slow, but going too fast means you could jump OVER the whole building, falling down to the far, far away land of concrete floor. You must also avoid “death from above” objects, that are either missiles or discarded arms from the GiantKillerRobotsTm. Hitting those will bring you to a halt, and your game will be over in a flash. Why? Because you’re crashing into a very hot piece of metal that is bigger than you, and when you combine human flesh with hot, smoldering metal… Some buildings are just waiting for you to set foot on top of them to start crumbling down. Guess all the pigeons on the rooftop were not heavy enough to destroy the whole thing. But the pigeons sure look nice when they fly away, trying to avoid you at all cost. Canabalt is a small and minimalistic game that you should definitely add to your collection. The Auto runner extraordinaire is still fun after all these years, and you can now enjoy it on your PS3, your PSP or your Vita. How far can you run before you just can’t run anymore? Review Pros Cons Great art and music One button controls Random levels are not for everyone Rating 80% Cost – $2.99 Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 3 hours. This review is based on a PS3/PSP copy of Canabalt obtained from Beatshapers.

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[minis review] Canabalt

When April comes around, retail releases tend to go away for a bit. Since April is now in full swing, guess what? Retail releases have gone away! Shocking, right? The PS3 does get a digital release of the two great formerly retail-only ga…. what? We’re not even getting any of those this weeks? Mmm, are we at least getting a PSOne Classic? No? Mmm… oh, wait, three new PSN releases will be made available, as well as one PS2 Classic game. And there is a special surprise for Vita owners: A free game! Treasures of Montezuma Blitz will be released tomorrow and ALL VITA OWNERS can download it for free. As in, no money down, no monthly payments. Full list of releases, after you click to read more! PS3 Retail Releases NOTHING VITA Releases PSN Releases PS2 Classics

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Releases for the Week (April 9th-15th)

Toki Tori for PSN is Based on the critically acclaimed Game Boy Color game, this update improves the original on every front. Sporting a new look, updated content and a completely overhauled control scheme, the game offers players of all ages a classic gaming experience while making the most out of the Wii console. The gameplay in Toki Tori is a blend of two genres. While it looks like a platform game, it’s a puzzle game by heart. Players will have to look and plan ahead carefully while using a variety of items, such as the Telewarp, Freeze-o-Matic and InstantRock™ to name but a few. Toki Tori has been improved over the other available versions (Wii and Steam, to name a few), and some wrinkles have been ironed for it’s HD showcase. The game is now fully playable with the PS Move controller (pointer controls really help since you just point at the exact spot were you want to move, and click. Same goes for selecting tools and using them in the level), and full 3D display support is available, making this a very surreal experience. You will easily find the solution for the first set of levels, since they allow you to get used to the controls and mechanics for the game… but once you start to play in the later levels you’ll soon realize you’re not as smart as you think you are. I recommend that you start playing the game on Easy mode since it features a different set of levels from the main game, and it will slowly introduce you to all enemies, elements and items you can use. In case you run into a level you cannot complete, you have the option of using a Wildcard to skip the level in order to try your best at beating the one right after it. You only get one Wildcard and, in order to use it in another level, you must first complete the level you initially skipped. It’s a great idea that allows you to retry past levels with a new focus, but without allowing you to right out skip until the last level. In case you make a mistake and use an item in the wrong spot, or fall down a hole with no way of teleporting out, the game allows you to use a rewind feature that takes you as far back as you want (from a couple of seconds to aaaaaall the way to the start of the level), making it easier to try several solutions without having to restart the whole level if you accidentally placed a cube half a step in the wrong place. Should you run into an enemy, the game will present to you with the option of restarting the level, or of rewinding time to a bit before you were sent the way of the Dodo. Now, if you’re just finding the solutions to all levels with ease, and you think you are the master after completing the last level, I’ve got news for you: Toki Tori does not only have 48 levels, split into 4 themed worlds… it also features HARD levels for each of the 4 themes AND even harder bonus levels if you’re feeling extremely confident. These additional levels will stump you more than once, but the Toki Tori is a very fun puzzle game that brings back an old classic for a whole new generation to enjoy. The puzzle variety, the huge amount of content, and the responsive controls make this a great purchase. You’ll enjoy the game for many, many hours, always playing just to complete “one more level”. Review Pros Cons Great update to the interface and graphics. Huge amount of content thanks to extra levels you can unlock Some slowdown in a couple of levels Rating 90% Cost – £6.29/€7.99 (Only available in Europe at the time) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 8 hours. Game was completed, and all trophies were obtained before writing this review. This review is based on a PS3 copy of Toki Tori provided by Two Tribes

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[PSN Review] Toki Tori