“Tomb Raider” explores the origin of its central character, Lara Croft, taking players along her path to fame. Courtesy of Square Enix
By Brian Bowers
Published: January 26, 2013
Now that you’ve beaten all of those games that looked so cool under the twinkling Christmas lights, it’s time to start thinking about the next batch of digital wonders.
The next wave of video games starts rolling in next month, and it looks like gamers will be awash in adventure and conflict. From startling visions of the future to grim battles with extraterrestrial opponents, here’s a look at a few of the most anticipated titles.
By C.J. Lin and Sam Laney
Published: January 9, 2013
There's a quiet void between the end of the holidays and the pickup of the new year. News is slow, major gaming releases are few and far between, and endless barrage of gift giving and family time has probably left everyone in need of a little getaway.
Nestled in this holiday twilight, for those who make the trek, is MAGFest, a four-day music and gaming festival that celebrates everything geek. Rooms of board games, endless consoles, hundreds of free-play coin-ops, dozens of bands, and even game culture icons are all on full display.
"Dishonored" mixes the best elements of the parkour of “Assassin’s Creed” and the stealth combat of “Splinter Cell” and adds a host of interesting mystical abilities. Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks
By Brian Bowers and Sam Laney
Published: December 29, 2012
The past year has brought a bounty of terrific sequels, but it was a new name that turned out to be the best of the bunch.
The “Halo,” “Call of Duty,” “Mass Effect,” “Assassin’s Creed” and “Far Cry” series all came up with games that were exceptionally good — even by the high standards set by many of their predecessors. However, the game that delivered the best combination of gameplay, story and adventure was “Dishonored,” by Bethesda Softworks.
Life in a tropical paradise isnt exactly peaceful in Far Cry 3. Courtesy of Ubisoft
By Sam Laney
Published: December 19, 2012
The holiday season is a bittersweet time to be a gamer — and especially a game reviewer. Stars and Stripes gamers had their hands full with all of the AAA goodness we expect for this time of year, but no matter how much holiday cheer you can muster, there’s never enough time to play it all.
First up is “PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale,” a game so addictively good that it just “wouldn’t let go.” This Smash Bros.-style game got extra credit for its extensive cast of Sony favorites and special moves.
The choices you make determine the fate of a plague-torn world in “Dishonored.” Improvise and innovate to craft your own style. Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks
By Sam Laney
Published: November 10, 2012
October was another busy month for the joysticks of Stars and Stripes game reviewers. From the amount of wonder and amazment in reviewer Brian Bower's eyes, Betheseda's "Dishonored" has grabbed an early lead for Game of the Year contender.
Grant Okubo had high praise for the most recent Transformers, finding the fun parts were certainly no decepicon: “'Transformers: Fall of Cybertron' is hands down the best Transformers game I’ve had the pleasure of playing."
“Medal of Honor Warfighter” takes elite troops around the world on highly secretive missions. EA Games
By Brian Bowers
Published: November 9, 2012
Realism has been a double-edged sword for developers of the “Medal of Honor” video games.
The Navy recently handed seven U.S. Navy SEALs nonjudicial punishment for their roles advising developers of the most recent edition of “Medal of Honor Warfighter.” The Associated Press reported that they were reprimanded for failing to gain permission to work on the project and for showing game developers equipment that was specific to their unit.
This screenshot provided by Bohemia Interactive shows "DayZ," a post-apocalyptic survival game that takes place in the Russian countryside. Since its release earlier this year, the mod has garnered more than a million players. Courtesy of Bohemia Interactive
By Sam Laney
Published: November 3, 2012
You come to life on a deserted shore. No map, no gun — no scrap of anything that might tell you who you are or where you came from.
After wandering for a time, you might find a road. Should you follow it? There’s strange writing on the signs you pass — Russian, perhaps? You see a small village in the distance. Meandering shapes dither between the cottages, walking with little to no direction. As you walk a little closer, bleak, you hear rhythmic percussion. Now you can see faces — they look hungry, and they’re coming full-bore.
By Sam Laney
Published: July 7, 2012
Stars and Stripes gamers recently got their hands on Nintendo's latest console offering, the WiiU. Built as an update to the ever-so-popular Wii, the next console offers high definition graphics, backwards compatibility with Wii games and controllers, and the veritable Swiss army knife of touch-screen controllers.
That's all fine and good, but what about the games? And will grandma still like it? Head over to the Military Life/gaming coverage for our full impressions.
Courtesy of Gearbox Software
By Brian Bowers
Published: May 29, 2012
The folks at 2K Games recently gave me a peek inside Pandora’s box, and I liked what I saw.
This fall, gamers will be able to return to the planet Pandora with the first-person shooter “Borderlands 2.” Earlier this month, I got a preview of the game’s new characters, weapons and gameplay.
Its been 12 long years since the last time I told this girl scout I didnt want any cookies. Courtesy of Blizzard
By Sam Laney
Published: May 25, 2012
The Stripes gaming team had a fiendishly fun time with Diablo III this week. Because we have to rush through games quickly, and because of space limitations, there’s usually a fair bit left unsaid when the review hits the paper. This record-setting PC title, however, has had a bit more news than usual.
First off: The land of WhimsyShire tries its best to counter our argument that the game is rather drab and muted until the magic gets flying. Just look at all those rainbows!
