Hype is a dangerous thing. Setting the bar too high assures that success is impossible. When Curt Schilling, a man that was never known for a lack of confidence, set out to make an RPG, he treated it like an All-Star Game. He brought the most high profile talent he could grab. Fantasy powerhouse R.A. Salvatore, comic visionary Todd McFarlane, and Elder Scrolls luminary Ken Rolston make the design team read like a who’s who list rather than the credits of a fantasy RPG. With such a high caliber of talent and experience, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning had a lot to live up to, and just like most All-Star games, parts are exhilarating,  but the end product ends up a bit of a letdown. Read the full story

Over the weekend, Ubisoft released a new trailer for their upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. This new trailer, titled Inside Recon: Cover & Animation, spends a couple of minutes giving you a sneak peek at some of the features that are currently being worked up for the game. This “first issue,” as it’s referred to in the trailer, takes a look at the cover mechanic and character animations. The trailer does a good job at impressing upon you just how much time and effort was spent in capturing realistic movement for the game characters and building a smooth and functional cover/movement mechanic. Read the full story

I turn 30 this year. While most people look at 30 as the day they finally get old, I look at 30 as a new adventure. I really think I’m going to enjoy this upcoming decade of my life. One of the first things I’ll be able to enjoy as an official adult (I always imagined “adulthood” starting at 30) is putting myself back into Desmond’s shoes as he submerges himself into a new ancestor in Assassin’s Creed III. Read the full story

Binary Domain, SEGA’s squad based shooter for 360 and PS3, will be arriving at the end of this month. For those of you who want to get an early look at how the game will play and what you can expect from it, the demo will be made available this week for you to get your hands dirty. Playstation 3 users can expect the demo to be available tomorrow, while Xbox 360 users will have to wait an extra agonizing 24 hours for the demo to be available (that means Wednesday). Read the full story

I LOVE STAR TREK. I love Star Wars, but I LOVE STAR TREK. I love Firefly, but I LOVE STAR TREK. I love Stargate, but I LOVE STAR TREK. When I discovered that the Paramount appointment my darling wife Lindsey had on her schedule for last year’s E3 was primarily for a new Star Trek game, I traded her any of my appointments that she wanted to get my ass in that chair. I can’t recall which appointment I gave up to go see Star Trek, but I’ll tell you this: whatever it was, it was absolutely worth it. Do you know why? BECAUSE I LOVE STAR TREK. Read the full story

Limited to a run of 25,000 numbered units, Calibur11 is perhaps unwittingly responsible for what future Internet historians will refer to as “The Great Nerd Rage of 2012,” a major topic of discussion and consternation in future-students Early 21st Century Formative Events history classes. I can only hope against hope that those future-people will be excellent to each other, in much the same way that the Calibur11 Mass Effect 3 Collector’s Edition Vault looks to be shaping up into a very nice package (that’s what she said). Read the full story

Tropico 4, the latest offering in the series from Kalypso, launched a few months ago and has taken the simulation community by storm. After reading the review for the 360 version here on Marooners’ Rock, I knew I had to snag a copy since it sounded like a game I could easily spend hours upon hours playing. While my assumption was correct it did seem like there were a few things lacking, especially when we’ve been spoiled in the past by such games like Civilization and Sim City.

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The best advice I can give you if you’re planning on playing NeverDead is not to take it too seriously. Sure, the subject matter may have some heavier elements to it…the burden of immortality, loss, demons, love…but in much the same way that you wouldn’t take Army of Darkness or Plan 9 from Outer Space seriously, I reiterate: NeverDead is not a game to take seriously, because I honestly believe it is a game that doesn’t take itself seriously. If this is not the first review you have read for NeverDead, then I am sure you have seen quite a lot of negative criticism, and quite a few low scores. Part of the criticism is valid, but part of it stems from the reviewers doing the one thing they absolutely should not have done when approaching NeverDead: they took it seriously. You may feel that I’m becoming redundant, but it’s a very important point and it should be thoroughly impressed upon you before you continue. Read the full story

Since its humble beginnings on the NES, Final Fantasy has left an indelible mark in gaming, and that legacy has held strong for generations. Recently, the mantle of Final Fantasy has suffered from fan disappointment and a development strategy that can’t seem to decide between tradition and innovation. Although I was a tremendous fan of Final Fantasy XIII, the criticisms over linearity and overwrought story were absolutely justified. Final Fantasy XIII-2, only the second direct sequel in the series’ long history, is Square Enix’s apology to fans for the failures of the last game. With a far more open world, towns, and a story line that lets you hop all over at your discretion, Final Fantasy XIII-2 has a lot of changes, but still manages to feel like an incomplete game. Read the full story

Earlier this week Kotaku reported on as of yet unconfirmed rumors that the next Xbox console will lock-out used games. For many, this seemed like a dramatic and, ultimately, unfair gesture that will hamper many people’s enthusiasm and support for the next generation. Read the full story