Random Wednesdays
Reviews continue to pour in for Overhaul Games’ HD re-release of Baldur’s Gate, and the scores and impressions seem to be that the game is still great, and that the update is a fairly competent one. A number of users reported technical issues — lagging, hanging, and other glitches — at launch, and the second of two updates has since been released for the game, hopefully correcting many of the problems that were being reported.
A housing guide was released for ArcheAge, XL Games’ upcoming sandbox MMORPG. Cryptic Studios, meanwhile, published some details on the lore and stats of the Drow race for their upcoming Neverwinter MMORPG.
And promising-looking open-world RPG Sui Generis just barely managed to reach its fundraising goal on Kickstarter. 2014 is starting to look very crowded for RPG fans!
The physical box for BioShock Infinite was unveiled last week, and everyone seems to hate it. Seriously, I haven’t seen this much haterade poured out about game box are in…well, I don’t think I ever have, really. Some of the criticisms seem petty, although the critics who are saying that the theme and aesthetic of the game box don’t comport with those of the game and the BioShock series do seem to have a bit of a point.
Still…it’s just a box, you know? And half the people who play the game are probably going to buy it digitally anyhow, so why the hate?
In happier news, however, some gameplay footage from BioShock Infinite was also released recently, and it looks awesome. There was also a neat story that broke this week about this cosplayer, whose incredibly accurate portrayal of Elizabeth — one of the game’s main characters — actually landed her a job at Irrational Games.
Also, for those of you with PlayStations and PlayStation Plus subscriptions, BioShock 2 is free this week…if you live in North America, at any rate. Also in PlayStation news, Epic Micket 2 hardware bundles can be purchased at Target…you know, in case you want to give Warren Spector’s latest game a go on something other than a Nintendo system.
And speaking of Warren Spector games, the HD “New Vision” mod for Deus Ex was released this week, and damn if it doesn’t make that game look all kinds of awesome.
Sui Generis definitely looks interesting. As a programmer, the stuff they’ve put into that engine looks awesome. Just saw this at the page you linked to:
“telling the story of a world beholden to a cloister of Thaumaturges that turned from their benevolent ways toward torture and cruelty. (Kind of an Ultima 8 vibe, for those of you familiar with that flawed-but-notable game.)”
I always loved the world and vibe of Ultima 8, even if there were some issues with gameplay. If they can do it right, this could be an awesome game.
(right… you wrote that article… hence why there are so many Ultima references 😛 )
It really is a stunning looking engine…
“The story unfolds in a hugely dynamic fashion and events will transpire even without your intervention. Your lack of involvement may lead to truly disastrous consequences for the world, the game will not end but the world may become a very inhospitable place. Even if you try your best you may not succeed, the game does not revolve around completing tasks and progressing stages of the plot.”
I’m yet to see (and would really love to see) a game that actually achieves this. I really do love the idea of playing in a world that doesn’t revolve around me.