Real-time strategy games often struggle to find success on consoles. These games have so much going on as the chaos of war breaks out across sprawling maps that developers often utilize much of the keyboard in order to enable the player to control the chaos. Dropping the mouse and keyboard for the controller means a…
EVE developer CCP announced late in August 2016 that their flagship MMORPG will receive a new free-to-play tier. As of last week, the update is live and anyone can join the world of New Eden. Players will start the game as an “Alpha Clone”, which is EVE’s title for F2P players. Alpha Clones have complete access…
When it comes to creating a character within a video game, it’s often a layered process. First, there’s the initial creation of the character, but that’s only the first step. After creating a character in the narrative it’s then time for the concept team to tackle it. What should a character look like that fully…
Some games come and go but others remain constant within the games industry. Originally starting in 2003 as a competitor to EA’s Medal of Honor, Call of Duty was a WWII genre alternative for players. In 2007 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare arrived and changed the landscape forever. The impact of Modern Warfare’s design shifts…
Going on the open road can be a liberating experience. Being able to go fast and let one’s mind roam as the scenery changes allow a moment of self-reflection. Even more liberating is going on the road and unloading a barrage of missiles and bullets at another car. While some folks wish they could do…
This Path Began A Long Time Ago… Bioware’s last entry in the Mass Effect series came out in 2012, almost five years ago. Mass Effect 3 brought Commander Shepard’s exhilarating story to a close (disappointingly for some fans) and concluded the trilogy-long battle with the Reapers. Over the three games, players followed the adventures of the…
It’s a sad reality that arcade sports games are a dying breed. While genres come and go within the industry, it’s odd that arcade sports are almost extinct rather than continuing to thrive. Sport sims such as NBA 2K17 may satisfy players at the moment, but others yearn for over-the-top action. Players looking for some fresh…
During the 1980s heyday of gaming, arcade games were king. The appeal of arcades came to an end as the industry bubble burst due to over-saturation. The arrival of home consoles didn’t help things either. Over the past decade arcade games have seen a resurgence thanks to designers like Chicago-based company Raw Thrills‘ Eugene Jarvis and…
Developer: SIE Japan Studio, GenDesign Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Release Date: December 6, 2016 Platform: PlayStation 4 Playtime: 9 hours Acquisition: Publisher-provided Review Copy For a long time, it seemed as if The Last Guardian would never make it into gamers’ hands. After releasing Shadow of the Colossus, Team Ico began working a follow-up all the way back in 2007. Sadly, after debuting…
Realism is pretty relative when it comes to video games. Most game developers that strive for a more realistic approach to storytelling usually do it in a limited way. That’s why We Are Chicago, a narrative-focused game by Culture Shock Games, is so refreshing. It uses reality as the foundation to tell the stories of everyday people, in…
