Monday, April 30, 2012

The Walking Dead Ep.1: "A Point & Click Comic Book Adventure"

When it comes to video games I rarely ever see one that takes place in the state I live in. My state, Georgia has really scored big recently with both the television, and video game series of "The Walking Dead". In fact some of you may not be aware of this, but one or two of the television episodes were filmed here in Georgia. It's definitely cool that the state I live in is getting the spotlight from such an amazing series. While I have never read one comic book in the series, or even watched the television show I've only heard great things about it. I was glad to find out that 'Telltale Games (The Developer)' decided to go along with the comic book series. I don't think copying the tv series would have been a smart move.

I know I've been promising you this review for a long time, and I apologize for the delay. I was able to do my playthrough of the first episode in one sitting today though, so now I'll be able to finally deliver on that promise. I will tell you now that I will give away no spoilers. I will just give you the basics of the story since I don't want to spoil the game for anyone. It's definitely a game that's best experienced hands-on. I'll also give you insight on the quality of the game as I usually do. Without further adieu ladies & gentlemen lets get this thing rollin'!

Zen Pinball iOS/Android Sale!!! Limited Time Only!!!

I just got an email from 'Zen Studios' concerning a sale they currently have going on for iOS/Android gamers. I will post that email below. Be sure to take advantage of the sale while you can ...

Zen Studios is Having a Mobile Sale in Honor of The Avengers Movie!
To celebrate the release of Marvel Entertainment’s The Avengers, all of Zen Studio’s Marvel themed mobile pinball tables on sale, and are now priced at just $0.99! Captain America, Wolverine and Thor on iOS, and Fantastic Four, Wolverine and Thor on Android have been reduced from $1.99 to $0.99! The sale ends Monday, May 7, so be sure to download Marvel Pinball on your mobile device!
Zen Pinball is a free platform on iTunes and Google Play.


Zen Studios Media,
Mel Kirk

Friday, April 27, 2012

Site Update April 27, 2012

In my previous post I let you know that I was busy with dvd reviews, and that will continue for a little while longer. The good news though is that I'm currently working on a 'Bloodforge' playthrough/review for my friend over at www.xblaratings.com. I will tweet a link to that review once I've posted it. As far as content for my site goes I recently got a review code for the new 'The Walking Dead Ep.1' game which I'll take on after 'Bloodforge'. I'm supposed to be getting a review copy of 'Phantom Breaker (Xbox 360)' if everything goes according to plan. I also put in a request for a review copy of the upcoming 'Dragon's Dogma (Xbox 360)'. I've not really had much luck when it comes to requesting games from Capcom, but perhaps my luck will turn around. The PR said she added me to the request list, so that is at least something. Well, that's the news for now. I appreciate your patience, and hope to get back on track with my game reviews very soon.

-Brad (OtakuDante)-

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

"Don't Worry I Haven't Quit Game Reviews ..."

By now most of my readers have likely noticed that my Xbox 360 reviews have slowed down significantly. There's no reason to be alarmed about this though. I actually work on two separate blogs, and it is hard to post all of the content by myself. While game reviews are my highest priority, the dvd reviews I do still need my attention from time to time. I'm hoping to find a nice balance between the two blogs soon. When I begin managing my time better you'll see a steady release of reviews on both sites, but for now it's a sort of see-saw situation. If you are a developer who's interested in me doing a review for you I can still make the time to do so, so there's no reason to worry about that either. I greatly appreciate my readers for both blogs, and hope to continue to keep you up to date on the latest releases. Thanks for your support!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat (Xbox 360)

I was extremely excited about getting "Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat" for review. It marked a significant milestone for my blog. It meant I was literally stepping up my game from doing reviews on XBLIG, and XBLA titles to doing retail game reviews. Ben PerLee of (Reverb Inc.) was the guy who made this happen for me, and I'm very appreciative of that. The sad news is that not long after getting the game I experienced some significant issues with the game that kept me from completing my playthrough. I went back, and forth with Ben trying to figure out what was wrong, but every explanation he offered did not help in sorting out the unfortunate situation. In the end I think the fault lies with the game's unorthodox presentation. The fact that it didn't not load like regular retail (disc based) games is likely the reason for the complications. Keeping this in mind I have decided to go ahead with my review as best as I can. While I may not be able to provide every detail of the game I will do my best to explain it to you. I will also briefly go over the issue that plagues the game in it's current state.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Boot Hill Heroes - Kickstarter

Normally I'm not someone who is willing to promote something I know little about, and 'Kickstarter' definitely applies to that. With that being said I received a very nice email from 'Dave Welch' of (Experimental Gamer) concerning his upcoming release of 'Boot Hill Heroes (XBLIG)'. He complimented my site, and my support for the indie game market which I greatly appreciated. I thought it was very kind of him to let me know how he felt about my blog, and my reviews. I thought I'd share the actual email that Dave sent me with you guys, and gals. It has some links to their website, their kickstarter, and even a link to their youtube promotion video.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

SkullGirls (XBLA): "The Review"

As I promised earlier in my "Rant" I'm here to deliver to you my "Review" of the new fighting game 'Skullgirls'. If you haven't read my rant yet I suggest you do that either before, or after reading this review. It tells some things that really bothered me about the game as well as some significant issues that plague the game in it's current state. While my rant is a little on the rough side I believe it properly conveys how frustrated I was with the game when I played it. I will not be as blunt, or straight forward with my review though. This review is mainly here to let you know about the characters, modes, controls, graphics, and other features that the game has to offer. I hope both my rant, and review gives you enough insight into 'Skullgirls' to allow you to make an educated decision if you choose to buy the game. Without further adieu lets get this show on the road!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Skullgirls (XBLA): "The Rant"

After thinking long, and hard on how I was going to approach my review of 'Skullgirls' I decided on dividing it into two separate posts. The first post, which is the one you are about to, is appropriately titled "The Rant". This post will be where I lay down my opinions on the game. The second post will be titled "The Review", and will come later giving you all the details of the game without my opinions cluttering up the post. I feel this separation of review, and rant is necessary. It allows me to give my opinion in it's purest form while not having to give the details of the game. This is opposite to the "The Review" which will give you details about the game without you having to hear me complain about the issues that plague it. Without further adieu I think it's time to get the show on the road!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Deadliest Warrior Battle of the Week: Final Round


Final Round: Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat’s “Battle of the Week” Closes with a Bloody Prince and an Ancient Commander

Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat Battle of the Week Part 5: Vlad the Impaler vs Hannibal

It is the final week before the launch of Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat, the retail compilation of Deadliest Warrior: The Game and Deadliest Warrior: Legends.  Two of history’s greatest men are dueling to the death, and in this final week it’s the bloody inspiration for Dracula, the Prince of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler, set in opposition to the famed classical commander of North Africa, Hannibal. Both of these men battled against strong opposing forces, but what will happen when they oppose each other?
 

It’s a battle of sinister brutality versus composed and defined warfare. It’s up to the players to decide who will leave the arena with their arms, legs, and even head still attached!

Fred's Fridays Ep.7: "Desolation & Despair"


"... Mom!? Dad!?"

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Septipus: Tentacle Apocalypse (XBLIG): "An Epic Game With An Unusually Sinister Villain & Equally Unusual Hero"

Very rarely have I had the chance to review an indie game, or video game that has such a great production value as 'Septipus: Tentacle Apocalypse' has. Everything about this game was delivered in an epic way. The developer, 'Soulfire Software' definitely put a lot of effort into their release of this game. Everything from the game design to the music involved shows that the developer really wanted to deliver a quality product. I actually played through the game early this morning, and enjoyed every single minute of it despite the sometimes gut wrenching difficulty that was presented. After doing my playthrough I actually rated 'Septipus: Tentacle Apocalypse' through the XBL dashboard giving it a full five stars. This alone lets you know what I think about the game. It's not often that I take the time to give a game any ratings let alone a five star rating. Before I ramble on too much I will proceed with my review.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Hop and Pop (XBLIG): "Classic Puzzle Gaming With a Twist"

I'm a gamer who enjoys all kinds of games. I definitely have my favorite genres, but I'm always open to new gaming experiences. This is what sets me apart from a lot of gamers, and reviewers out there. The main reason I brought this up as my introductory paragraph is that 'Geex Games' wasn't sure if I'd be interested in reviewing their action/puzzle game 'Hop and Pop', because of the info within my bio description. They didn't hesitate in giving me the review code, but I could tell they were a little worried if I would be able to give the game a fair review. To clear things up I always give every game I review a fair chance no matter what genre it may be. I always go into a game with an unbiased opinion, and only develop my opinion/s after playing it. I also try not to tear a game apart in a rude manner unless I pay a significant amount of money for it only to realize that it was a waste. These are good things to keep in mind when I ask you (the developer) for a review code, or when you request that I do a review for you.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Gamestop Power Up Rewards: "BlazBlue Jubei Plushie"

I thought I would share some pictures of my latest Gamestop Power Up Reward. I thought it was a cool little item especially since it was a character from the BlazBlue fighting games. The plushie is of a character named Jubei from 'BlazBlue: Continuum Shift'. He's not a playable character in the game which is kind of unfortunate. In the game he basically mentors 'Ragna the Bloodedge' in the ways of combat, and teaches him about his replacement arm, the Azure Grimoire via the story mode. I hope you enjoy the look at this fairly cool, and kawaii little plushie! ...

Friday, April 6, 2012

Fred's Fridays Ep.6: "Q & A Sessions with the Developer & Programmer"

Today for "Fred's Fridays" I thought it would be nice to do a little "Q & A" session. I came up with some questions that covered the more personal aspect of the developer's (Adam), and the programmer's (Jamie) lifestyles. I also included some questions about their XBLIG projects, 'Dawn of the Fred', and 'Night of the Fred'. I felt this 'Q & A' session was a necessary step to better connect you (the readers/gamers) with the developer, and programmer. I always find it interesting to be able to know a developer on a more personal level, and I hope you feel the same way. I hope you enjoy this look at the more personal side of the developer, and programmer behind @StickyDPadGames. Without further adieu I present to you "Fred's Fridays Ep.6"!!!

Racedrome Offroad (XBLIG): "Decent Offroad Karting For Only 80 msp!!!"

If I remember correctly I have reviewed a couple XBLIG racing titles in the past here on my blog. I can't honestly recall what they were though ... I used to be into racing games back in the Playstation, and Xbox days. I even spent some time on some Nintendo console (GC, SNES, NES ...) racing games. As time has passed I have lost almost all interest in the genre, but games like 'Racedrome Offroad' kind of rekindle that lost flame. I'm definitely glad that 'Rendercode Games' didn't give up on allowing me to review their game. I had Initially got behind in reviews, and had to turn them down. This is something I definitely don't like doing since I have great respect for XBLIG developers, and their review requests. The good news is that I've been caught up with reviews, and now I'm able to deliver to you my review of 'Racedrome Offroad'. I hope you enjoy the insight I offer on this XBLIG racing title.

One Finger Death Punch (XBLIG): "Update From Developer Jon Flook of Silver Dollar Games"

Some of you may have realized over the course of last year that I was partial to Silver Dollar Games' XBLIG releases. Unlike some reviewers out there I find that 'Silver Dollar Games' produces some of the most impressive, yet simple titles. I have enjoyed playing games made by them such as 'The Jump Hero', and even 'Sins of the Flesh'. Both Jonathan, and David Flook have managed to develop some of the most intriguing indie games out there. Their release of 'Homeless' showed that they could also produce a functioning game with a true-to-life message. It has been a true privilege to be able to review Jon, and David Flook's creations. I always look forward to what they are going to release next. With that being said some of you may have been wondering exactly what the developers have been up to, and the answer to that is they are making a Kung Fu game that caters to all their fans. I wanted to take the time to share with you this email that Jon sent me today. It will give you some insight on their current project, 'One Finger Death Punch' ...

Deadliest Warrior Battle of the Week Round 4

Round 4: Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat’s “Battle of the Week” Brings Chinese Strategist and African Warlord Together

Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat Battle of the Week Part 4: Sun Tzu vs Shaka

We inch ever closer to the impending launch of Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat, the retail compilation of Deadliest Warrior: The Game and Deadliest Warrior: Legends, a franchise with more than 700,000 copies sold. It’s week four of 345 Games’ ongoing “Battle of the Week” for Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat, and probably the most distinct of them all. Let’s find out who would win, legendary Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, or the impressive Zulu leader, Shaka.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Spoids (XBLIG): "Low-Budget Tower Defense With A High-Budget Quality"

Reviews have really picked up for me in the past month. I have gotten several requests from various XBLIG developers, and it has been quite a nice surprise. I'm sincerely honored to get such requests, because my website was made as successful as it is today due to the fact that a couple of indie game developers gave me the chance to prove myself. 'AirWave Games' was among the developers that recently contacted me. While they weren't the ones who made "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno" possible, they are just as important to me. Initially I knew nothing about 'AirWave Games', or their indie game called 'Spoids'. I'm definitely glad I got the chance to review their game though. It's not often that I get to review an XBLIG title that does everything right, and presents the game in a near XBLA quality. Hopefully I can express what I experienced during my playthrough without making a mess out of things. There's a lot involve in 'Spoids' which means there's a lot of things I need to cover.

MICRO REVIEW: "Pinball Arcade (Xbox 360)"

I have decided to make a review sub-category called "MICRO REVIEW" in which I'll give straight to the point reviews about games, and DLC that I have purchased with my own money/msp. I will show no mercy to the titles that truly suck, but will still give praise to games that truly deserve it. To start off this new category of reviews I will be giving you the inside scoop on an XBLA I purchased this morning titled "Pinball Arcade" ...