Yesterday we took a look at the latest Halo 5 trailer. Today, we take a peek at a new headset featuring Halo: Spartan Strike.
Month in Review - April
Looks like it’s that time of the month again! See everything that we've been up to and catch up on anything you may have missed.
This was a HUGE month for fans of Bandai Namco. A release window for Tales of Zesteria that a good amount of us are fans of has come to light and that time frame cannot honestly come fast enough. I am personally quite excited for the new One Piece Pirate Warriors game with is much more imminent. While I have yet to watch the anime, I'm a huge fan of the manga. Seriously. One Piece and Warriors! We've also gotten the first look at Project X Zone 2 and a look at the upcoming SuperNova.
>br />
Into the more hardware of categories Turtle Beach had a few announcements for new hardware.
And as usual (if twice now can be considered as such) our Reviews and Previews for the month can be found below. Enjoy!
Pierre-Yves
This was a HUGE month for fans of Bandai Namco. A release window for Tales of Zesteria that a good amount of us are fans of has come to light and that time frame cannot honestly come fast enough. I am personally quite excited for the new One Piece Pirate Warriors game with is much more imminent. While I have yet to watch the anime, I'm a huge fan of the manga. Seriously. One Piece and Warriors! We've also gotten the first look at Project X Zone 2 and a look at the upcoming SuperNova.
The first set can be caught up on here, while the second can be found here. Though because some of these trailers were just that awesome, they can be found right below!
>br />
Into the more hardware of categories Turtle Beach had a few announcements for new hardware.
And as usual (if twice now can be considered as such) our Reviews and Previews for the month can be found below. Enjoy!
Sony PlayStation 4
Bloodborne
Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin
Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin
Final Fantasy XV (Preview)
Sony PlayStation Vita
Tabletop
Hardware / Software
Nekro - PC Preview
Nekro, by darkForge games, is a birds eye view action RPG game that is presently in Early Access status on Steam. Back in 2013, Nekro achieved their Kickstarter goals and began development, and have dedicated what seems to be a rather baffling amount of time and effort on this work of love.
Another look at the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians
Not much to say here - we stumbled onto this Gamestop exclusive Halo 5 trailer and thought we would share with the rest of the class.
Dungeons & Dragons - Elemental Evil: Princes of the Apocalypse - Tabletop and Board Games Review
It has been a little while since our last Dungeons & Dragons review. We have covered just about everything from the Next/5th age set that has been released, including even the DM screen. It looks like this will be a busy year for the team at Wizards of the Coast, but this particular release has been among the items I have been most excited by. Best of all? It has lived up to my expectations.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 - Retro Reflections
The city of Baldur’s Gate is in peril again and you decide to defend it. You become member of the Harpers, a secret organization that protects the Realms, and face the Zentarim, a wealthy, ambitious group with supernatural allies. Your final opponent is a vampire, who schemes patiently in his keep. The story is unoriginal and unexciting and lacks a decent ending but the rest of the game is great.
Fallen: A2P Protocol - PC Preview
When I first saw Fallen: A2P Protocol I was immediately interested in the title. After all it is an isometric, 3D squad-based tactical strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max-style world so what is there not to like? Leading your caravan through the decrepit wasteland, you will embark on a quest for revenge which will reveal the deep and dark secret of how the world ended up in the state that it is in. We were able to get our hands on Fallen: A2P Protocol in Early Access and here is our first impressions.
Albedo: Eyes from Outer Space - PC Review
I really had no idea what to expect from this title, with its B themed science fiction cover image to the bright neon glow throughout much of the title screen. This unusual title merges puzzle solving with shooting mechanics in a way that should appeal to science fiction fans, but it might not be for everyone.
Idea Factory has a lot to talk about soon
Idea Factory has been turning out some of my favorite games of late, and their upcoming slate of games is promising sounding!
Legends of Eisenwald - PC Preview
Legends of Eisenwald looks to strike that balance between RPG titles and strategy ones that previous games such as King's Bounty managed so successfully. In fact, this is probably the strongest comparison I can make to an existing franchise, but seeing as the King's Bounty series is among my favorite games on PC, I consider this to be high praise.
Sony Vegas Pro 13 - PC Review
Video game recording has become a popular process for gamers in recent years. With tools like the recently reviewed, and excellent, AverMedia ExtremeCap U3 CV710, Fraps, OBS and XSplit, gamers have more tools than ever to record their content. However not every recording will be perfect so editing is needed and this is where things can become a bit more difficult, after all, it is pretty easy to start up a recording application and play a game.
Spiders and Focus Home Interactive announces The Technomancer
This new RPG set in a cyberpunk environment certainly sounds like it could prove interesting.
Sovereignty: Crown of Kings - PC Preview
Slitherine publishes a lot of war games, but Sovereignty: Crown of Kings feels different for several reasons. The most notable is the rich fantasy setting it uses to excellent effect. I dig a nice war or science-fiction strategy title, but nothing gets me quite as interested in as good high fantasy setting. However, the setting would not mean much of the mechanics did not back up the strategic elements. Thankfully, even in Early Access, things are looking really good.
Game of Thrones: Episode Three - The Sword in the Darkness - Xbox 360 Review
Choice. Or at least the illusion of choice. That’s the core gameplay element of the episodic adventure games by Telltale Games. Great storytelling and strong characters make up the rest of the experience. Both seasons of their Walking Dead series featured dozens of great characters and tons of choices along the way. The story pretty much got to the same point by the end, but what was really interesting were those “important” moments, the ones that you worried about making the wrong decision. One of the coolest features of the series is the recap at the end of the episode that showed what you chose for a handful of key decisions and compared it to others who also played the episode.
Kholat adds more than just great narration to their project
Previously we have shown screens from the upcoming game Kholat and talked about how Sean Bean is lending his voice to the narration. Now the team at IMGN.PRO has another announcement to make.
Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin - PS4 Review
When From Software first released Dark Souls II for the PC and last-gen consoles we here at Chalgyr's Game Room absolutely loved it. A near-perfect blend between action, brutally challenging gameplay, and traditional roleplaying elements, Dark Souls II was a strong contender for our Game of the Year awards, as well as being one of the titles that a few of us were quite thankful for in our 2014 Thanksgiving article. When we got wind of the remaster that was scheduled for release in April of this year for current-gen systems, and that it would contain the three DLC packs as well as some new content, we just had to get our hands on it and now that we have spent countless hours smiting hollows and dying (a lot), here is our review.
PDP Mortal Kombat X Fight Pad (Xbox 360/Xbox One) - Hardware Review
Over the last year or so we have reviewed a number of PDP products, mostly their headsets, and they have all been received quite favorably, both by our reviewers as well as the general public. While we have used some of the PDP controllers, the PDP Mortal Kombat X Fight Pad is the first specialized controller that we have managed to get our hands on and today we have the Xbox One / Xbox 360 fight pad that we will be reviewing.
Blood Bowl 2 receives a new trailer and more images
We have been following Blood Bowl 2 for some time now (because football is a personal favorite sport of mine, so adding fantasy? Sign me up!), and this latest reveal gives us a better look at what the upcoming title has to offer.
Omega Quintet - PS4 Review
The Sony consoles have long been a solid destination point for JRPGs. While the genre gets represented on the Microsoft and Nintendo systems as well as PCs, many of the more niche titles just seem more at home on Sony. As such, I have been personally waiting for some solid JRPGs to find their way to the PlayStation 4, and am happy to say that Omega Quintet not only fills that need, but does so very, very well.
Bloodsports.TV - PC Review
Bloodsports.TV caught me off guard. I had gone in armed with three others seasoned players expecting to personally be demolished by another team. This is honestly my general sentiment based solely on how good (or bad) “I” am at MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena). Checking out the classes and the characters and discussing who would be taking care of which role, the four of us checked into the game only to find out there was no other team. Confused? Slightly. Relieved? That too.
Dimension Drive looks like all kinds of shoot-'em-up fun
I love a good shooter, and this game with its graphic style and mechanics looks like it does enough to interest fans of the genre while bringing enough new to the table to keep Dimension Drive from growing stale. Here it is on Kickstarter with still a few weeks to go.
Victor Vran - PC Preview
Victor Vran is a Hack and Slash RPG, currently enjoying its Early Access stage on Steam with plenty of its own quirks to make it work. Using multiple features varying from different weapons to equipping cards for stat bonuses and runes for special abilities, players are given expansive areas to explore and dungeons to crawl. What makes these areas worth exploring is that each one comes with their specific challenges to complete in order to get better loot and experience instead of just indiscriminate wanton destruction.
Mortal Kombat X - PS4 Review
Mortal Kombat 9 took some major chances when it came out several years ago, but those chances paid off in spades as the team at NetherRealm Studios managed to breathe new life into the fighting series. Mortal Kombat X does not stray terribly far from that formula, but it does refine it in making the best Mortal Kombat game to date.
Sega announced more 3DS Classics
Recently Sega announced that they were expanding their line of 3DS classics for the 3DS. Personally I love this move, but as someone who plays his 3DS in the 3D mode pretty much all of the time, this has always felt like a great spin on playing classic games.
Chez Geek: House Party Edition - Tabletop and Board Games Review
I have to say that the Steve Jackson Games are quickly becoming some of my favorites. There is an irreverent humor to them whether it is in Muchkin Deluxe or their take on Zombies with the Munchkin series, but clearly the designers are not a one trick pony because Chez Geek provides ample laughs built around solid mechanics that work beautifully together.
DeadFellas - Tabletop and Board Games Review
Board and card games have been popular in recent years, likely due to crowd-funding sites like KickStarter. The board/card game world has re-emerged as a huge market for in-home social entertainment. One of the companies providing gamers and families with fantastic games is Ninja Division, the folks behind all manner of games, notably Dead Fellas. Dead Fellas is a fast-paced competitive card game that is about knocking off your opponents using undead mobsters and a wide variety of weapons. To be honest, we had such a blast playing Dead Fellas that it has become a regular part of our bi-weekly gaming routine, so read on to discover what it is that really makes Dead Fellas special.
Turtle Beach shows off their new lineup of PC gaming accessories
Best known for their console headsets, Turtle Beach is ready to introduce a new line of PC gaming accessories that should appeal to a whole new market.
Takoashi University: Karate Fight! - Tabletop and Board Games Review
Ninja Division has published some excellent card and board games; from the wonderful wargaming title Relic Knights to DeadFellas, a hilarious card game based on "whacking mooks" that just happen to be zombies. We have had a chance to play another Ninja Division card game, this one called Takoashi University: Karate Fight! that pits players against one another in a blend of classic card games like Spoons and War (and even throwing in some good ol' fashioned Rocks, Paper, Scissors!). With other card and board games being wildly entertaining, does Takoashi University fit in with their other successful titles?
Toshiba 2TB Canvio Basics USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive - Hardware Review
Recently I wrote about the need to expand on my storage space on the PlayStation 4. This was hardly an issue exclusive to the Sony platform, as the Microsoft Xbox One also only shipped with a 500 gigabyte hard drive. The end result? More games than I had space for within the first year. While the process of getting a PlayStation 4 upgraded was a bit more work, the solution for the Xbox One is simple and elegant.
Even more Bandai Namco game announcements - Tales of Zestiria, Godzilla, J-Stars and much more
Earlier this week we talked about the recent announcements of Project X Zone 2 and Saint Seiya: Soldier's Soul as well as new assets for the upcoming Naruto and Supernova titles. Well now Bandai Namco has thrown a lot more content our way with the announcement of Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo as well as a plethora of new images, video and press releases regarding Godzilla, F1 2015, J-Stars Victory VS+, One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 and more.
Blue Estate The Game - PC Review
Based on the Eisner Award nominated graphic novel, Viktor Kalvachev, Blue Estate is a fast paced, dark humored, on rails shooter that had me splitting a gut and nailing head shots with automatic rifles. With smooth movement, over the top characters and a ridiculous story line this game is the first shooter I have ever truly enjoyed.
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD - PS4 Review
A lot of people have found themselves being shocked at the brutality that we've seen in this iteration of Final Fantasy which is a really impressive HD port from a PSP game. By now everyone has seen the dying chocobo and his rider but compare it to the simple brutality of war from Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy VI’s slaughter of the Rebels to the Magitek Empire, or even Sin’s destruction in Final Fantasy X and honestly this game is pretty much for par on that note.
Hex announces a major update
Hex was an interesting title that came out of Kickstarter last year well above their gathering goals and the new video and information is a good way to hype the title up.
Son of Nor - PC Review
Son of Nor is an interesting Indie that originated from Kickstarter and recently found itself in full release after being in Early Access on Steam for some time. Players will find themselves part of a Human Tribe that has been secluded for more than four centuries. After having lived alone and in peace for so long, the tribe members now find themselves once again thrust into conflict by a race that would subjugate or eliminate them. Armed with magical abilities to manipulate anything related to the element of Earth, the player sets out on their adventure.
Bloodborne - PS4 Review
Bloodborne is the gory love child between From Software’ Demon’s & Dark Souls ventures and Sony's game division. Players find themselves in a world that is falling apart (instead of has, for those familiar with the Souls series) on the eve of the “hunt” and must find a way to survive this nightmare by any means necessary. Not quite understanding what is going on is just par for the course as that is the name of the game. Why are you here? What is going on? Venture forth from the clinic in which you awaken and find out the answers. If you can.
Bandai Namco announces some new titles, offers assets to others too
Bandai Namco always seems to have something in the works - but now they have several somethings with plenty of assets to boot! My personal favorite? The announcement about Project X Zone 2. I really enjoyed the original, so this is one I will be looking forward to. However, Saint Seiya: Soldier's Soul and more to look at for both Naruto and Supernova gives fans plenty to look forward to. We have press releases, trailers and screenshots galore!
Damascus Gear: Operation Tokyo - PS Vita Review
I’m not quite sure what it is with giant robotic suits of armor that I find so appealing, but the idea of flying around in a giant mech is just really cool. Damascus Gear takes a page out of From Software’s Armored Core series with a crazy amount of parts to customize your giant robot in this isometric third person shooter. Get ready to let bullets, missiles, and lasers fly against substantial amounts of enemies because there is no shortage of them!
StarDrive 2 - PC Review
There are some games out there that just make you go “wow”.
Combining elements from the 4X and real-time/turn-based strategy genres honestly had the potential to be amazing or to become a recipe for disaster. With how different each style can be from one another however, Star Drive 2 creates a something that feels fresh with the masterful merging of these styles. The end result is a surprisingly smooth experience that should appeal to the fans of each.
Combining elements from the 4X and real-time/turn-based strategy genres honestly had the potential to be amazing or to become a recipe for disaster. With how different each style can be from one another however, Star Drive 2 creates a something that feels fresh with the masterful merging of these styles. The end result is a surprisingly smooth experience that should appeal to the fans of each.
Turtle Beach Elite 800x is now available for pre-order
One of the biggest names in video gaming headsets has a new product on the way, and for those looking to give it a go - pre-orders will be avaiable.
Tentacle Bento - Tabletop and Board Games Review
Tentacle Bento (in case the name did not give it away) is not really meant for kids, but it does take the basics of a well-known card game and adds some variation to the mix to create a lightweight game that can prove to be a good deal of fun.
Flame Over - PS Vita Review
I’ve played a lot of hard games. Now while a game like Dark Souls is considered “Hard”, in a lot of ways it is still borderline fluffy when compared to gruelingly difficult classic games like the NES Battletoads. I've also played a lot of roguelikes such as the Mystery Dungeons series (Shiren), Rogue Legacy, and Chocobo Dungeon 2 (still a favorite). Flame Over made me rethink how good I really was at this genre, because I have never felt so under-skilled as I did while playing this absolutely intense twin-stick shooter.
Gameplay trailer for The Witcher 3 is out now
One of the biggest releases of 2015 is drawing near, and there is a new gameplay trailer for it today.
Asteroids: Outpost - PC Preview
Asteroids: Outpost certainly has some interesting ideas and it feels as though the development team has their heart in the right place. Unfortunately at this stage of the game, there is a considerable lack of material and plenty of rough edges to work around. Games on Early Access can be a great idea, and it looks like the development team is actively watching for feedback. At the same time, this feels like a title that has hit Early Access a bit too soon for its own good.
Satellite Reign - PC Preview
Cyperpunk settings have always held a special place in my heart and frankly there are far to few games set in this dark and gritty sci-fi setting. Fortunately though, the recent success of titles like Shadowrun or the older Deus Ex titles, have kept gamers sated these last few years by having some excellent releases. Enter in the development studio 5 Lives Studios, a small studio (talking less than 10 people) that had a fantastic Kickstarter campaign back in 2013.
Lone Wolf Development Announces New Pathfinder Adventure
I have a personal interest in almost anything as it relates to Pathfinder, and this latest announcement was an interesting one.
RIVE - PC Preview
RIVE, the metal wrecking, 2D, twin stick shooter, action platformer, is a wild ride! This old school style game would not normally be my thing but, I have to say: I was very sad when the demo ended.
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD - Xbox One Review
The Final Fantasy franchise is long and storied, with titles ranging from near-perfect Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy X to the much-lamented Final Fantasy Mystic Knights and Final Fantasy: All the Bravest. Some of gaming's most memorable scenes come from a Final Fantasy game, from "the" scene with Aerith and Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII to the Opera scene in Final Fantasy VI. While the franchise has been a fan-favorite since the 80's, in recent years Square has seemingly come under attack after titles like All the Bravest, which is a microtransaction-happy bore-fest, to the utterly broken original Final Fantasy XIV as they felt like betrayals to their fans. More so than anything Square Enix needed a Final Fantasy release in the West that showed that they were still in the JRPG business and they are banking on the re-release of the PSP original, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD.
An early peek at F1 2015
We have a handful of screens and some press information for the upcoming F1 2015 title right here.
My Style Studio: Notebook - Wii U Review
My Style Studio: Notebook is not a game in the traditional sense. There are no bosses, no levels or really any kind of structure to it at all. It is more of an application, but it is the type of program that feels like a perfect fit for the Wii U.
