A Look At Telltales The Wolf Among Us

After having huge success with The Walking Dead game last year, Telltale has a lot to live up to. In cooperation with DC Entertainment, their new game “The Wolf Among Us” will release later this summer on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360®, PlayStation®Network, PC and Mac from the Telltale Online Store and other digital distribution outlets. The game is based off of Bill Willinghams comic series ‘FABLES’, which was first published in 2002. Fables is a comic that follows various fairy tale characters who have been forced out of their home worlds to live in Fabletown in New York City. Fables brings new life to characters like Snow White, Mr. Toad, Beauty and The Beast and many more. Life isn’t easy when you’re trying to blend into a world you don’t belong in.

“Developing ‘The Wolf Among Us’ based on the ‘FABLES’ universe has allowed our studio to build upon all of the hallmarks of what makes our episodic series so engaging for players,” said Dan Connors, CEO and Co-Founder of Telltale Games . “Through an evolution of our approach to choice and consequence, we can further explore the complexity of each and every iconic character in a universe rich with untold history from the darkest sides of the storybooks.”

Set prior to the events seen in the first issue of the FABLES comic book series, The Wolf Among Us puts players in the role of Bigby Wolf, a man once more infamously known as The Big Bad Wolf.  Now the sheriff of a hidden community in New York City, exiled from the land of fairy tales, Bigby is tasked by the bureaucrat Snow White to keep order within a society of mythical creatures and characters trying to remain undetected in the world of the mundane.  From a chain-smoking member of ‘The Three Little Pigs,’ to a car-stealing Mr. Toad itching for his next wild ride, The Wolf Among Us examines the lives of beings straight from the pages of myth and lore, now trying to survive on the meanest and most run-down streets of New York City.

The Wolf Among Us looks to be a strange adventure with it’s own set of hard choices. An adventure I’m looking forward to!

Learn more at the main website, Facebook and Twitter.

Platform: Xbox 360 – XBLA
Launch Date: April 10, 2013
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Bongfish
Game Twitter: Bongfish Crew

In Motocross Madness the dirt will be flying high and so will your avatar with amazing jumps, stunts, and some crazy wild crashes!

With a Gamertag like moto grrl, you know that I would have to give the new Motocross Madness from Bongfish some serious ride time!

Overview:

Motocross Madness is back! Take your bike freeriding across massive environments, from the deserts of Egypt to the snows of Iceland. Drift, trick and turbo boost your way across 9 expansive offroad tracks in single player events, ghost challenges and 8-player multiplayer races. Combine stats with your friends in Bike Club to unlock rewards then compete across all events to reach the top of your club.

Features:

Motocross Madness offers several modes of play:

• Race
• Rivals
• Exploration – Free roam and the areas are huge!
• Trick Session

You can also race head to head with the split-screen option or race (in my case crash) against others on Xbox LIVE.

Other features include Avatar Famestar, Garage, Challenges, and the Bike Club.

Achievements:

• 30 Achievements.
• 400 Total Gamerscore.
• Overall, the achievements are not too difficult. I have unlocked a large majority just through natural progression which is always nice.
• There are two achievements that are currently un-obtainable, Golden Boy and Secret Achievement. However Bongfish has Tweeted that they are working on getting this fixed. Also, I believe these two achievements will prove to be the most difficult ones of the game.

Pros:

• The controls are intuitive and easy to learn despite having so many options later on in the game.
• Love how many things there are to unlock from new bikes, avatar outfits, to new tricks and abilities.
• Ability to upgrade all of the bikes to enhance performance.
• Tracks remain fresh and new even after playing them repeatedly due to tons of shortcuts and crazy fun jumps.
• The Bike Club automatically adds your friends so that you can easily jump in and complete Club Tasks together.
• Great variety of tracks and it is fun to drift on icy corners (something I would never ever do on a real motorcycle!)
• It is just fun to see your avatar do stuff! It is also satisfying to see your avatar throw an absolute fit after losing a race
• Oh wait! The game is fun! Does that matter?

Cons:

• Not as many tracks as I would prefer but the 800 Microsoft Points pricing makes up for that and the tracks don’t feel repetitive.
• Even though this is a motocross game, sometimes it comes off too clean and not gritty enough. It probably has something to do with the more cartoony direction the game has taken.
• The game froze a couple of times but I heard on Twitter they are working on a fix already.

Wish List:

• I wish there were a few more paint job options with each bike or the ability to individually paint parts myself. I always like to make my cars and bikes look super awesome!
• Can we get faster load times on the avatar outfits? I like to change my avatar’s clothes a lot!

Final Verdict:

I will admit that I was excited and hesitant to play Motocross Madness. I have been following updates on this game for about a year and I had such high expectations. I feared that I would only be let down. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised with a game that only gets better the more you play it.

One thing that does not translate well if you tried the demo, is that the game allows you to unlock more tricks and abilities as you progress. So, when you try the demo you just get a taste of the real game. Also, there are more bikes that can help you race faster or trick better that can be purchased later on. Of course I enjoy all of the outfits that you unlock along the way. I spend way too much time changing out my clothes.

Overall, the game is a lot of fun! For 800 MSP this is a game that will provide a lot of fun and it is deceptively more involved than you think. The different modes combined with Challenges to beat your friends best scores makes for a lot of playtime. The Bike Club allows you to tackle Tasks as a team and don’t forget there are Avatar Famestar challenges to be completed as well!

I know a lot of gamers are concerned about the number of tracks but I honestly ended up feeling completely satisfied with the number. Each track has many optional routes and I find myself playing the tracks trying to perfect the best routes that either satisfy my desire for the fastest route or best jumps.

What do I know though? Just try out the demo and see for yourself!

BattleBlock Theater

Release Date: April 3, 2013
Genre: Platformer
Publisher: The Behemoth
Developer: The Behemoth
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Website

BattleBlock Theater is a platform based videogame developed by Behemoth. Behemoth is the team behind Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid. The story begins with you being shipwrecked on an island, betrayed by your best friend, and captured by the evil cats. The story mode can be played solo or in 2 player co-op. After being captured by evil cat’s and becoming a prisoner you’re forced to become entertainment for the evil little kitties and navigate through over 450 levels of certain death. Your goal is not only to survive, but to collect gems and balls of yarn. You can trade in these items for new weapons or to free one of the 300 prisoners. How come the little dudes you free from the prison can escape and you can’t is a little puzzling, but I guess maybe you don’t mind hanging out with a bunch of crazy cats and a best friend that’s lost his marbles

The game design is colorful and a joy to look at. BattleBlock Theater has an entertaining 12 year old boyish humor, which I found hilarious. The multiple, and hilarious ways you can die, had me leaping to my doom, just see what would happen.

The controls are simple: jump, double-jump, wall-jump, shoot, and an added toss option for co-op. The 400+ levels vary enough to keep the game interesting. Navigating the levels is fun, but taking down evil cats is boring and consist of button mashing. You would think punching and kicking evil kittys would be entertaining, but not so much.

The story-mode is about 7 hours long, but there’s a ton more hours to be had in the multi-player Arena mode.

• Soul Snatcher: Steal enemy souls and run away. Capture and hold the enemies souls to gain points. Kill a soul-carrier to release their souls to roam the level.

• Muckle: Beat and kill the enemy team to earn your team points.

• Challenge: Score the best time on a given level.

• King Of The Hill: Stand on the crown blocks to gain your team points.

• Color The World: Color more blocks than the other team.

• Grab The Gold: Grab more gold from the floating whale than the other team and deposit it in the floating safe to score points for your team.

• Ball Game: Get the ball in the basket.

• Capture The Horse: Ride the opposing teams horse to your stables to gain points for your team.

Behemoth tossed in a level editor were you can let your creativity go wild. Playing solo was fun, but the game was 100% more enjoyable with a friend by your side. BattleBlock Theater was a game that brought me back to the basics and is well worth the $15.00 price tag.

Meet moto grrl (Jen)

It’s the interview you’ve all been waiting for. Time to meet Geeks Respawn Co-Founder, Writer and all around achievement whore moto grrl aka Jen. I managed to tear her away from her latest Kinect conquest for 5 minutes to answer a few of my questions.

She’s one of NyX Grrl’s oldest members (heh) and will team kill the ass off you in Black Ops 2 if you dare to make her jump. If not playing on her Xbox moto can usually be found with a Surface or Windows Phone in her hand. Good luck keeping up with her achievement score!

Cast your mind back to the dawn of time … What got you into gaming?

The dawn of time! How old do you think I am woman? Well, my first gaming experiences were down at the bowling alley. My dad would drop me in the arcade while he bowled with his team. I got a stack of quarters from my dad and I would play Pinball, Pac Man, Galaga, and Pole Position the most. My uncle would often stop by and sneak me extra quarters which always made me super happy.

After that, the Atari 2600 came out and I had to have it! I was about nine years old (okay I am sorta old-ish) and I explained to my parents about how buying me the system would save them money in the arcade.   I still went to the arcade even after I got the 2600. Suckers!

What games have you been playing lately?

Lately I have been bouncing around a bit trying to play all the games that came out last fall. Right now I am pretty focused on Fable: The Journey. I always find time for some COD: Black Ops 2 and Halo 4 Multiplayer. I have just gotten distracted with a few newer games like Walking Dead Survival Instinct, Gears of War Judgment, and Bioshock Infinite. I have not had a chance to play Tomb Raider yet! Not enough hours in the day!

Are you sorry you asked this question? I could go on and on!

Also, I have been spending quite a lot of time playing Windows 8 Xbox games on my Surface RT, not to mention I play a lot on my Windows Phone 8 too!

I know you’re a big Halo fan. Out of all the games which would you say is your favourite?

Well, that is tricky. Halo: Combat Evolved…I literally played the entire campaign at least 15-20 times on my original Xbox. It was what switched me from being a Sony fangirl to Xbox. My friend Shawn would have huge lan-parties and it was such a blast even though I was surrounded by like 15 boys in a relatively confined space. LOL

Halo 2 brought together the Girl Tribe clan (now NyX Grrls) and we had such a great time. So, I guess I would pick those two as my favorite but not ones I would be playing now really! I like the new ones too!

If you could only play one game for the rest of your life what would it be?

Well, that depends on if I am allowed to play online or not!

Online: I would choose whichever Halo the majority of my friends would be playing or a COD: Modern Warfare NOT Black Ops!

Offline: Probably something  like Rock Band 3 that I can play over and over! Forever is a long ass time! My instruments would break!

Is there a story behind your gamertag?

Not really and yes, I have a history of changing gamertags (not all my fault). I had just started riding a motorcycle thanks to SupaGrrl and I needed a new tag around that time and I thought of moto and I wanted grrl because it is sort of a Girl Tribe / NyX Grrls tradition.

Previously, I was Supergyrl (all the better spelling options were taken) but when I started playing online with SupaGrrl it became confusing and weird.

Since I love Superman…RockIt Grrl came up with the idea of Grrl of Steel. Well, everyone started calling me Grill of Steel. Also no one knew what to call me on my team…girl…steel…nothing sounded right while playing on LIVE. They requested a Gamertag change!

Then I decided to change to Cylon Grrl because of my Battlestar Galactica fandom. Of course I chose that name when the song Cyclone by Baby Bash was popular and I was forever being called Cyclone Girl…so that is what prompted me to change to moto grrl and I am just sticking with it!

If you could live in one gaming universe which one would it be?

Mass Effect as long as I get a cool uniform and special abilities!

Who would you say is the sexiest character in gaming? *coughs* Liara?

LOL. Liara is nice but I would probably go with either Morrigan from Dragon Age or my FemShep from Mass Effect 3.

You’re down to your last $50. You’re running low on food and Halo 5 has just been released…What do you do?

I pick up Halo 5 on sale and eat cheap! It has to be on sale because new games are $60 in the US.

What are you watching or streaming on tv right now?

Lost Girl, Being Human (US), Arrow, Grimm, Revolution, Walking Dead, Powerpuff Girls, Justice League, and many more!

You, your Xbox, a power supply and five celebrities on a desert island…Who would they be?

Jillian Michaels, Eliza Dushku, Ellen Degeneres, Katie Sackoff, and Martin Gore.

What do you like to munch on while you’re gaming?

Nothing! Makes too much noise in the mic and I can’t play and eat at the same time! I usually sip on yummy water though!

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

Probably super speed so I can get the chores and errands done in a few seconds.

Marcus Fenix vs Commander Shepard vs Master Chief. Who would win? Yes there’s only one correct answer to that question.

Well, I don’t know how capable the male Shepard is but I know FemShep would definitely win! Or maybe Shepard and Master Chief team up to take on Fenix then I make my Shepard be bad (as always) and off MC.

Feel free to hit moto grrl up on Twitter @moto_grrl!

If you are of geeky-origin and would like to be interviewed then send us a message!

Defiance

April 2, 2013

Ninja Gaiden III: Razor’s Edge

April 2, 2013

BattleBlock Theater XBLA

April 3, 2013

Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons XBLA

April 5, 2013

Motocross Madness XBLA

April 10th, 2013

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation

April 15, 2013

Injustice: Gods Among Us

April 16, 2013

Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall DLC

April 16, 2013

Dead Island Riptide

April 23, 2013

Star Trek: The Game

April 23, 2013

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen Xbox 360

April 23, 2013

Meet lostsoul619!

Today I have a short interview with the entertaining and elusive lostsoul619! Somehow I convinced her to stop getting achievements long enough to answer some questions. It was actually part of my evil master plan to keep her busy while I got ahead of her in Gamerscore!

She is our most recent NyX Grrl member.  Also, lostsoul619 frequently educates my US self in UK terminology and culture which can be hilarious.

How long have you been a gamer now?

Well I remember my Dad buying me a NES when it first came out in the UK so…I’ll let you and Wikipedia figure that one out.

So, assuming you got it right away, the NES was released in Europe in 1986.

I know that you are a huge Pinball FX2 fan? What is your favorite pinball table to date?

Well funny you should ask. Anything with lots of missions before the wizard mode is always good. I like the X-Men and Thor tables for that.

What games have you been playing lately and why?

Mass Effect 2. I’ve just finished the Citadel DLC for ME3 and not wanting to let go of the series just yet. I’ve gone back to catch up with Liara in the Shadow Broker DLC.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I have a 10 month old, there’s no such thing as free time!

Name your all-time favorite video game character!

You’re expecting me to say Shepard aren’t you? LOL. I’m actually a big Zelda and Kingdom Hearts fan so I’d have a tough choice between Link and Sora.

Favorite junk food? We all have at least one!

Jaffa cakes (look it up).

I looked them up!

Any story behind your Gamertag?

Hmm…well I used to use the tag lostsoul21 on websites forums etc., then I got my Xbox and being well past 21 I had to think of something else. LOL. I watch a fair amount of WWE when I get chance and Rey Mysterio being a legend around the time, gave me the 619 (his signature move).

Any celebrity crushes?

Gillian Anderson, Hayden Panettiere (save the cheerleader), Lena Headey, Jaime Murray, and Kaley Cuoco.

What are you watching or streaming on TV right now?

Big Bang Theory. Also, I am really liking Warehouse 13 and Once Upon A Time.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

Invisibility…not just for perving!

Marcus Fenix VS Commander Shepard who would win?

You already have my answer for that, woman.

I assume this who you would choose? Seems pretty obvious…

Thanks lostsoul619 for taking time to answer my random questions!

Twitter: @lostsoul619

If you are of geeky-origin and would like to be interviewed then send us a message!

Tomb Raider

Release Date: March 5, 2013
Genre: Action
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Crystal Dynamics, Inc.
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Website

The first time I played Tomb Raider was on the PS1 in 1996. Lara quickly became one of my favorite video game characters, even though at the time she looked like a duel wielding Barbie doll. She was smart, strong, beautiful and a force to be reckoned with. I was skeptical after reading the reboot was going to be the story about her origins. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see Lara as a scared and weak young tomb raider. After the first 30 minutes, all of my concerns had been lost in the games terrific storyline, and awesome gameplay. The story shows a human side of Lara that was easy to relate to. Lara is still strong, smart, and one heck of a force to be reckoned with, but she also questions herself, and is driven by fear. It doesn’t take long until Lara is getting perfect head shots with a bow, wielding shotguns, and leaping her way across cliffs. All the moments of bravery are perfectly balanced with moments of fear and uncertainty.

Lara is shipwrecked on a mysterious rebel island. Her mission is to save her friends and escape the island. In the open world gameplay you can fast travel to discovered base camps throughout the island. Along with the main storyline there are optional tombs, and the land is packed with tons of discoverable items,  all of which give the game plenty of replayable hours. The game still brings the classic Tomb Raider puzzles, but in a way that it doesn’t scream I’m a puzzle, solve me! Crystal Dynamics also did a wonderful job with the combat.  When you come up against multiple enemies you can go for a stealth approach or guns blazing. The different camera angles add a great element to the gameplay. At times it feels like you’re watching a cut scene versus playing. The game also does an amazing job flowing cut scenes into gameplay. The island itself is beautifully detailed, traversing the island is an adventure all on it’s own. Lara will be scaling sides of cliffs with her climbing axe and zip-lining off mountain sides.

After finishing the game the map opens up and you’re free to roam, collect items, and discover tombs across the island.  It’s hard to find any huge negatives in this game. Besides the multi-player, which I don’t plan on spending  any more time playing. This game is well worth picking up, whether you’re a Tomb Raider fan, or just looking for an adventure.

Pros:

• Storyline
• Variety in gameplay
• Re-playable within solo campaign
• Voice acting

Cons:

• If you really need a con the sound of the injured deer is terrible
• Multi-player

Major League Baseball 2K13

March 5,2013
Website

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3

March 5,2013
Website

Tomb Raider

March 5,2013
Website

Dollar Dash

March 6,2013
Website

WRC Powerslide

March 12,2013
Website

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

March 12,2013
Website

Darkstalkers Resurrection

March 13,2013

Gears of War: Judgment

March 19, 2013
Website

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14

March 26, 2013
Website

Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel

March 26, 2013
Website

BioShock Infinite

March 26, 2013
Website

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

March 26, 2013
Website

Platform: Xbox 360 – Xbox LIVE Arcade

Launch Date: February 27, 2013
Publisher: Zen Studios
Developer: Zen Studios
Game Twitter: @zen_studios

Overview:

Star Wars Pinball is a set of three tables from Zen Studios. The tables included in this package: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett and The Clone Wars.

Eventually there will be a total of 10 Star Wars themed pinball tables to get your force pinball action on with.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

The Empire Strike Back is most definitely my favorite of all the Star Wars films so I had to try this table out first! The Empire Strikes Back table visually captures the look and feel of the movie so well that I became an overly excited super geek. Pair that up with memorable sound clips and very cool 3D renders of the characters and you have near perfect pinball experience.

Words and screenshots do not do this table justice. Below is a trailer for the Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back table so be sure to check it out. Even better just go play it now!

Boba Fett

Everyone loves badass Boba Fett so of course he gets his very own pinball table complete with Jaba the Hutt, lots of sand, and even a cute Han Solo frozen in carbonite spinner (which I love to hit over and over).

The Boba Fett table is very interesting because my first impression of the table was not that favorable. It felt too narrow and hard to see due to some of the color scheme. However, I think I was transitioning over from my Empire Strikes Back high! After I had a chance to get a feel for the table, I began to notice all the intricate details that this table has to offer. The more I play this one the more I love it!

I have to admit that once I got playing I had an uncontrollable urge to go get my Boba Fett and Jango Fett dolls to help me out! I sold all my action figures but I could not part with these two guys!

Luckily, I found some help with @zen_studios Star Wars Pinball! @geeksrespawn review is out tomorrow & on XBLA Wed! twitter.com/moto_grrl/stat…

— Jen (@moto_grrl) February 25, 2013

The Clone Wars

As a fan of the cartoon I was glad to see this table in the collection. The Clone Wars table is set between the events of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

The Clone Wars table is just pure fast-paced pinball fun. The ramps are easy to hit and make for fun combos and enjoyable missions (because I actually can hit all the ramps easily). Zen Studios as usual, captured the visual essence of the cartoon series and translated it into a brilliantly colorful pinball table. The Yoda voice clips do start to get a bit annoying after being repeated a few times but that is just Yoda!

Achievements:

• Each table has one Achievement worth 50 Gamerscore, for a total for 150 GS.
• You may have to work a little for these but it will happen! I say that and I have none of them yet but I got close on 2 of the 3!

 Pros:

• Great art design means that tables look fresh and new even though this is a franchise most of us all know very well! Each table has its own theme and artistic design style.
• I can’t decide which one I like the best. I just want to play all three!

Cons:

• The Boba Fett table seemed a little too long and narrow at first. I have found that it just takes a little time for my eyes to adjust if I have been playing another table for a while.

Final Verdict:

When I heard the announcement that there were going to be new Star Wars themed tables I was instantly excited. I thought about all the time I spent in arcades playing those pinball machine thingies. I used to play a few machines regularly and one of them was Star Wars so for a moment I was worried that my expectations would not be achievable.

I should learn not to fear with Zen Studios. They have proven many times that they know how to make pinball fun. The Star Wars Pinball pack is by far the most I have enjoyed Pinball FX2 to date! I am sure it helps that I am a Star Wars fan but they truly put a lot of passion and research into creating these uniquely fun tables. What I love most is that even though we have seen a billion Star Wars themed games over the years these tables bring something new to the franchise.

If you are not sure I always recommend at least trying out the free trial on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

You can also play Star Wars Pinball as DLC on:

• Zen Pinball 2 on PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita as Cross-Buy entitled content.
• Zen Pinball 2 on the Mac App Store.
• Zen Pinball on the Apple App Store.
• Zen Pinball HD on Google Play.
• Star Wars Pinball is also available on the Apple App Store, Google Play as standalone games.

Pester

XBLIG: Release date: 1/25/2013
Developer: Flump Studios
Facebook
Cost: 80 Microsoft Points ($1)
Download

Pester is a new indie game released on Xbox Live.  It’s a vertical space shooter that will bring back memories of several classic arcade games. The controls and objective are simple. You have the ability to customize  the game play screen, background, music, and disable the scan lines overlay. It includes several game modes: Classic, Survival, Asteroid Belt, Boss Mode and Tempus.

Classic: 3 lives, power ups, and battle bosses.
Survival: One life
Asteroid Belt: You gain speed all while dodging asteroids
Boss Mode: Is well, boss battles
Tempus Mode: Kill enemies and collect clocks to gain time. Run out of time and it’s game over.

When playing this game, you’re going to have to resist the urge to blink.  It’s one heck of a fast paced shooting frenzy. You’ll be shooting and dodging a never ending field of enemy ships and gun fire. After you survive several intense waves of enemies, then comes a boss battle. Along the way, you can pick up power ups that upgrade your gun and bombs. Collecting coins builds up your hyper meter, once full you’ll be able to do some damage to all of those enemy ships heading your way.  Pester is a hard game, it had me cursing at the TV and bashing buttons to retry. They weren’t joking when they say “welcome to bullet heaven”.  Even though I died countless numbers of times, I truly enjoyed this game.  I was hooked on making it to the next wave and filling the Hyper meter. The difficulty level made it just that much more rewarding when I made it through the first boss.

Pester is a simple to understand, yet challenging shooter that even offers a decent techno soundtrack. If you love retro vertical shooters, and are up for a challenge, I suggest buying Pester for 80 points ($1) on Live.