Speaking of which, anyone watched Wrestle Kingdom? Another classic Tana vs Okada, and Nakamura vs Sakuraba and Suzuki vs Nagata were absolutely brutal.

The NOAH Global League final of KENTA vs Sugiura was also incredible. Very, very, very stiff.

SEGATA: Maybe I could point out the likes of this year's Dis4ya and Mainichi (which dealt with changing gender) or The Kite (domestic violence).

All three had different gameplay and presentation, yet all made their points across. Or even the games from Tale of Tales, so detached are they from genres and preconceived notions they're hard to classify and analyse.

Bottom line: Make it happen. Being an indie developer is hard as it is, but you must believe in the power of your vision. If you make something you're proud of, people will recognize its value. If back out of making it because you're afraid people won't understand it, well, at least give us the chance to. Plus, you know, marketing's half the battle (or more : P

Guilded Youth (2012)

http://i.imgur.com/uxNYp.png

This is a short and sweet text adventure. You're a kid who, with his BBS RPG guild pals, goes on a "real" adventure of their own in an abandoned mansion, in what is mainly a story about the follies and nostalgia of youth (if the retro look and feel weren't enough of a clue). Despite being a text adventure it does contain visual cues in the shape of your inventory and avatar. When you log in to the BBS, the display changes to a sort of Commodore-like presentation. The game, however, is extremely easy, making this on the level of little more than interactive fiction (there are very few commands, locations and objects). It does give you different endings depending on a final choice, allowing you to skip through to there, after you finish, so you can read the others. Nonetheless it is fairly entertaining and well-written, and well worth the time. It certainly has charisma and interesting characters. In all a well made short story.

http://i.imgur.com/3UVFd.png

It can be played here: http://nomediakings.org/guildedyouth/


The Kite (2012)

http://i.imgur.com/MHiXv.jpg

This is a short point & click made in Ukraine. It certainly feels distinctive, especially due to its original art style and very rough translation. As such, the dialogue is exceedingly broken. You can guess that perhaps the original version would be more graceful, but still, this is a game that tries to impose its message, that of domestic violence and its consequences on children, in the rawest fashion possible. As such you play a mother who (for the most part) searches for her son (whose kite, from the title, is his favourite toy). While the art style is fresh and original and the score (all "Ludwig van") is quite adequate, the gameplay just didn't seem to click. While some of the puzzles were certainly interesting from a visual perspective, mechanically they just felt tremendously silly or even embarrassing in such a dark story. Perhaps the intention was to drive home the point of utter desperation but for all the sense of urgency the mother seems to exhude in the need to find her child they end up feeling extremely mechanical and contrived, to what should have been a more emotional response. On the other hand, the game is very short, taking between half an hour to an hour to finish depending on how well you do at puzzle-solving. Worth it for trying to tackle something different, but could certainly use more polish.

http://i.imgur.com/yQACX.jpg

It can be played here: http://www.indiedb.com/games/the-kite/downloads/the-kite-english-v12e (Desura)


Bientôt l'été / It's Nearly Summer (2012)

http://i.imgur.com/u6iNg.jpg

The latest game from Tale of Tales is less of a game, like Vanitas and The Graveyard , and more of an exercise in reflexion. Right from the start its starting menu is a giveaway to how different this experience is, as you find yourself zooming through the stars and planets as a mysterious counter goes on and on. You get to decide the gender of your avatar (the man looking straight out of "Assassin's Creed" and the woman a "Laura" -lookalike) and you find yourself on a beach, looking out to sea. You're encouraged to walk along the seaside, and as you do, words, phrases pop out. The beach however, is not endless, and as you reach its matrix-like wall, you'll see the avatar of the opposite sex looking at you. Furthermore you can experience a sort of vision if you close your eyes facing one of the objects that might be in the beach (anything from a dead dog to a tennis court) and, when you tire of this, there's a cafe where you'll meet other players. Here, you'll use chess pieces (which you collect after each vision) to communicate. This is surely the best part of the game, as not only are you attempting to communicate with this other player using an avatar, but at the same time trying to understand more about the respective relationships. The meaning of this detachment and layering of communication is central to the unraveling of the mysteries in this game.
This is, in the end, a game about relationships (or a relationship), with, certainly, no straight answers, but rather an attempted dissection. The simulated reality, the communication-based chess game, and the necessary introspection are the basis of this experience. From here, one makes as one wilt. On this basis, it's probably the purest and most thought provoking multimedia art form I've encountered. (Meaning any sort of entertainment was chucked out the door!) Unfortunately, since it has hardly any engaging gameplay or narrative it's very hard to recommend if your mind is not set up for it. One way or another it's best experienced for just a couple of sessions at a time.
On the technical side, it is certainly a treat, with a glorious day and night cycle with great use of colour, changing tides and very realistic animations. The music, while minimalistic is spot-on, and is by Belgian composer Walter Hus .

http://i.imgur.com/QNdJw.jpg

http://tale-of-tales.com/bientotlete/

Wish I could find a bigger pic of The Scheme

Next time I play through the Assassin's Creed series, I'm gonna make it a challenge... Stealth only. If I get caught, I restart. Unless it's completely unavoidable. Still, I was lied to by the press and the public that it's a stealth game, so I'm gonna force it into one. Because I'm just that awesome.

That's what disappointed me the most, at first, about the game. That and platforming, both of which are so casual they really irritated me, as there was so much potential with it. It was only later that I learned to appreciate the series for what it was rather than for what it wasn't.

Will 2013 be the year of the microconsole?
- interesting article

I'm sure someone must have posted this here before but I'd only seen it now. Hilarious.

So... this exists.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek0uvGtG7YY[/youtube]

Four Lions

Funnier and better than I thought it'd be. Can't wait for the next Chris Morris project

http://i.imgur.com/LcVod.jpg http://i.imgur.com/2nj6k.jpg

Looks kind of like the gang from Jet Set are fans of Shenmue.

http://i.imgur.com/nDwPm.jpg http://i.imgur.com/XNCW9.jpg

More:
http://i.imgur.com/Gythw.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dPsoa.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gFpO0.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ClwL4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vrYcY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vYO9O.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AfaJY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/PUVgG.jpg

^Xevious and Druaga are great to explore with a guide. They're just packed with little things

Got this for 5 (disc version, mind...):
http://i.imgur.com/N4x0O.png

and the Snowstorm bundle for 4 (of which I only really wanted Resonance, which alone costs $10)
http://i.imgur.com/ac3fB.png

These bundles are great, but I always feel like I'm doing the gamemakers a disservice by paying under price...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD8NjVVKvuE[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOM43yySv9M[/youtube]

over an over

Forgot to show this but Low Ki (Kaval during his short run on the WWE) dressed up as Hitman for Wrestle Kingdom

http://i.imgur.com/pMzEZ.jpg

He had the barcode on the back of his head and everything. And he fought with suit and tie the whole match, he only took out the jacket with about 3 minutes to go, despite jumping and kicking all over the place.

Since Tana and Okada could look out of a Final Fantasy game, I hope this is an encouragement for more videogame characters. Who wouldn't want to see a Sonic The Hedgehulk?

As coaches, definitely not at a big stage at least...

As players there are plenty of examples of brothers playing with or against each other in important matches.

But overall, it is pretty rare, although I don't think you can compare both since in Europe the teams have, in general, many nationalities (including the manager), plus there are a whole lot more of teams also, than the NFL alone.

But anyway, found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_families

Unmanned (2012)
http://i.imgur.com/0MDWuaa.png
Unmanned is the latest interactive piece by Molleindustria (of Every Day the Same Dream fame). Written by Jim Munroe ( Guilded Youth ), you play a father, husband and drone pilot. Gameplay consists of different episodes: one has you shaving your face, another playing FPS games with your son, and just choosing answers through the various conversations. After each episode you'll be awarded with badges depending on your performance. As with all of Molleindustria's games, though, what you get is a very intimate experience regarding what choices (by gameplay) you make. There is definitely something of the provocative here, and it certainly won't leave anyone unaffected.
A single game might turn out for just 5 to 10 minutes, but repeated playthroughs are needed to see everything. The game is well made with a distinctive art-style (something out of the Frederick Raynal book) and presentation. Hard not to recommend as a very intriguing and thought provoking experience.
http://i.imgur.com/vD9fNy3.jpg
Avaiable for play online or download here: http://unmanned.molleindustria.org/

Process (2012)
http://i.imgur.com/5HuMXHL.jpg
This is a first-person horror point & click made in Russia. You see yourself on a moving train and must uncover its secrets before the inevitability of a countdown dwindles down. While there are no easy frights, there's a great deal of atmosphere due to a successful use of lighting and sound. Even though the game is mostly static (although you can swirl around 360º, while rooted to the same spot), there is a sense of urgency brought about by the countdown. The gameplay itself, while not exactly being a "pixel"-hunter, is simple but, due to the dark atmosphere, makes some objects difficult to see. Even though, to be fair, that's probably the point, it does make you pretty much click everywhere in a panic to see what works and otherwise not fully appreciate the environment.
The game has very few locations and takes at most 20 minutes to beat in a single playthrough (any more and the game is over). There really isn't much text and what is there communicates well, which is seldom true in eastern europe-developed games. The game also exhudes a very clean, polished, feel which is quite surprising in a free game. In all, a well made short experience that should appeal to adventure and horror enthusiasts.
http://i.imgur.com/EJO4v95.jpg
Get it free at: http://www.indiedb.com/games/process/downloads/process-english (Desura)

subAtomic (2012)
http://i.imgur.com/lgIMzbG.png
subAtomic is a game made in 72 hours for a Ludum Dare competition. As such it's quite short and simple, yet full of charm. Most of this comes from its brilliantly anarchic writing, resembling something like a crazy brainstorm of ideas that somehow gets made into a game.
There aren't really any puzzles, and interactions are kept to a minimum. While the backgrounds are quite simplistic, the characters are reasonably well animated.
Definitely an inspirational and entertaining piece, well worth playing.
http://i.imgur.com/zFtrmCL.png
Get it free here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-23/?uid=7835

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG8taUBeKQY[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC2c-hyoRq8[/youtube]

^its music's mad catchy

Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortal (PC, 2008)
http://i.imgur.com/asohGaa.jpg
This is a first person point & click adventure, where you advance through static screens, although you can rotate the camera in 360º. Despite this ancient structure the games does attempt to do a few things different. The game is divided through sort of episodes, relating to areas. These can feel quite confined and disjointed, and are a bit of a hindrance regarding the "megapolis" backdrop where the story is set. The main character is a rebel of sorts against the futuristic dictatorship cliché. There is, however a weird subplot as a mysterious pyramid hovers over Paris (where the game is set) and you discover that your father who you thought had died, lives. All through this, you'll meet egyptian gods who are a bit of the "Stargate" variety. As this description shows, the story is a mess and the script doesn't aid one bit. Alcide Nikopol, the main character, has no distinguishing features to speak of and barely meets other characters directly. The thought of a futuristic game set in Paris is promising, but here, with the very limited locales, and all in-doors, it's a dead miss. The game is an adaptation of renowned French comic book writer Enki Bilal's Nikopol trilogy, which I haven't read so I can't say how faithful it is. The graphic novel heritage is mostly displayed during the cutscenes that link the episodes of gameplay together, but otherwise it's hard to see.
The gameplay, while classic, does present some clever and enjoyable puzzles (although at times illogical), also including some more action-oriented sequences that work quite well, and add a novel sense of urgency and adrenaline that one seldom gets in an adventure game, like stealth-y sequences, sniping, etc.
In all, it's an interesting experience that does just about different to warrant interest. I certainly was expecting something worse, so I am quite happy with it.
http://i.imgur.com/MhvY9x4.jpg

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fktwPGCR7Yw[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuMwSLinQB0[/youtube]

Absentia wrote:
It's about time I got me one of these!!

I'll throw down the gauntlet:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8EDpJ-aIM8[/youtube]

I've waited almost 20 years to play this... Hope it's worth it.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (the man's a bleeding master), Mid-Morning Matters (with Alan Partridge), The Saint (a show with over 100 episodes and never bores - what more can I ask?), Bob's Burgers.

And tonight, the new season of Archer begins! oooo I can't wait.

It's not. Just gets more and more ridiculous as you go on. Don't be expecting a good payoff.

IDK... thought it was alright. Rather different, at least, and good animation on the game models (cutscenes not so much).

Also finally played through Loom. Also liked it, although it felt a bit like... it was too easy. Plus the main character's design was just lazy, wasn't it?

Just found out these exist:




God bless Germany.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (the man's a bleeding master), Mid-Morning Matters (with Alan Partridge)
http://i.imgur.com/71q8uxV.gif

Love Steward Lee and I'm Alan Partridge is one of my favourite shows.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (the man's a bleeding master
Stewart Lee is excellent. If you haven't already seen it, "If You Want a Milder Comedian Please Ask For One" is one of the funniest things I've seen for ages. And he really rips into Top Gear.

Was pissing myself at The Keiser Report on Friday as per usual.

Yeah. With Stewart Lee, sometimes he's a little bit too british for me, because I obviously am not exposed as much to the sort of TV celebrities, and presenters he goes on about, but the style of his performance and his mastery of the audience is incredible. He's a real artist.

And yeah, love Alan Partridge, ever since The Day Today. I'm Alan Partridge is the best show, but MMM is interesting in the way how he can make a whole show, just sitting inside that booth. Quite good, really. KMKYWAP was a bit too exhausting and hit or miss, at times.

Lost Odyssey


UK Amiga (and DOS) classic.

Robota: Lost beta (PC, 2012)
http://i.imgur.com/jZpXkyy.jpg
Robota is an exploration game. Like in Jetpac you're marooned in an alien world and must collect fuel to get the hell out of there. Apart from a few words at the beggining and at the ending, though, nothing else is spoken. What is left then, is a Dear Esther sort of game where, though, a certain number of things made it, imo, a superior experience. While the game is, neither technologically nor artistically as beautiful as DE, it is much more stylized. There's a visual filter that simulates the view from inside your helmet that gives a superb sense of otherworldliness that is taken to incredible heights by the absolutely perfect soundtrack.
The fact that you have the possibility to wander freely around the planet might make it less photogenic than DE's tunnel-vision, but the gift of freedom, pacing and finding small details yourself, instead of being taken there by a corridor is much more satisfying. Apart from this, the fact that there is an objective in finding the 4 cans of fuel (even if it's "stupid" from a logical standpoint), does give the minimal challenge to make this a "proper" game.
http://i.imgur.com/lOoWzbY.jpg
The game is still in beta stage, but can be tried out here: http://www.indiedb.com/games/robota-lost


Balloon Diaspora (PC, 2011)
http://i.imgur.com/cRaBUMw.png
Balloon Diaspora is a short adventure game, with a very strong taste of the whimsical and ethereal.
You play a traveller in a weird land where this sort of stick figures live. The "game" has absolutely no challenge, as all the interaction you can do is talking to the various characters. After having talked to everyone about everything, you have nothing else to do. This, however, is missing the point completely. While it's far from being a masterpiece, it does succeed in taking the player to a foreign world and explore the weird culture of these stick-people. The game sports 4 different locations, and travelling between them you get a skippable sequence where you can ride the balloon. There is always darkness with a shred of light, giving presence to the world.
Above all, this is an experience in immersion, which it surprisingly succeds in a game with no character animation. It just establishes the game-rules so well, that you're really immersed beautifully in it for this short ride.
http://i.imgur.com/HdH4s2N.jpg
Download free here: http://cardboardcomputer.com/games/balloon-diaspora/


Black Box (browser, 2012)
http://i.imgur.com/lcDzjbD.jpg
Black Box is a short puzzle game in the vein of Windosill where you explore the titular box. While the concept is certainly clear and simple, it never ceases to feel inventive and endearing. The "action" takes place in a single screen as you watch your actions take place in progressive transformations. It can be quite challenging, but the fact that everything you need is there makes it impossible to feel cheated.
Impossible not to recommend as it's kawaii art-style really makes it a very lovely puzzle you'll definitely want to explore.
http://i.imgur.com/CkTcm84.jpg
The game isn't free to play until the end but you can get a taste of it here: http://www.fr.eyezmaze.com/2012/07/black-box.html

YOU ALL SUCK (except Rakim)

^I was going here to post it... Just don't know what to say really.

Another genius passes away young. He constantly wrestled with the medium and you always felt he hadn't quite delivered his masterpiece yet, but now we'll never know how far he'd have gone.