Author: Simon

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Winning The Clone War: Saint’s Row 4 vs Grand Theft Auto 5

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*Wow*

This is a word you’ll use generously throughout your first journey into *Grand Theft Auto 5*, Rockstar’s latest and staggeringly expansive new virtual playground. *Wow* at the graphics; there has clearly been some voodoo magic employed in making hardware that’s moments away from being superceded maintain a world like this without loading screens. *Wow* at the acting; Rockstar’s Hollywood aspirations have never been clearer with a gritty crime saga split across three interwoven protagonists. *Wow* at the construction; the opening tutorial alone is probably the most perfect way to combine instruction with action. *Wow* at the design; the attention to detail is so granular that every street corner, every block, has real character and architecture and story. *Wow* at the animations; just run for cover into a car and watch in awe as the Police bullets shatter the vehicle piece by piece. I could go on; if your gaming preferences revolve around pure spectacle, this could be the best thing that’s ever happened.

The most prevalent *Wow*s, for me anyway, were the *Wow*s concerning the game’s content and narrative structure. These two *Wow*s rise out of Los Santos like glimmering skyscrapers: *Wow*, this is a mature game. And,*Wow*, why is he doing that?

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Valve Teases Announcement; Here Comes The Steam Box!

Steam

Well now, this is interesting. There have rumours circulating for a *long* time that *Half-Life* developers and operators of Steam, Valve, are preparing to shift into home console production with a TV box that would let you play all your Steam games from the comfort of your sofa. The hype train gained even more speed last week when owner Gabe Newall said that open-source operating system Linux was “the future of gaming” and they were working on a way to get it into people’s living rooms.

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Naya’s Quest: Don’t Believe Your Eyes

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The creator of my favourite game of 2012, *Super Hexagon*, has finally released his new project that, up to today, had simply been referred to as “Isothingy” – puzzle adventure story *Naya’s Quest*. What’s great about this – apart from the fact that it’s free and playable in-browser – is that it tells a story that could *only* be told in this style of video game.

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Superhot: The Free Time-Bending FPS That You Must Play

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Have you played *Braid*? It’s a beautifully designed platform game that uses a simple time mechanic to gently shift time forward and back in order to cross chasms and solve obstacles. Its gameplay requirements fit the genre perfectly; slow, steady and intellectual, it asks the player to take their time and think about the repercussions of every single movement.

Well, incredible as it may seem, there is now a First-Person Shooter that does the same.

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New Call Of Duty: Ghosts Trailer Looks Unashamedly Awesome

Call of Duty Ghosts

There’s much bad will towards *Call Of Duty*. Activision’s behemoth franchise has become the poster child for attracting the kind of stereotypical gamers that you’d rather leave under a rock, and while it may be true that navigating the dark corridors of its multiplayer mode could leave you hating gaming youth forever, the single player section is usually something to be savoured. It’s often criticised for being too short, shallow, bombastic and overly American – however, approach it like you would an 80’s Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, or chilli dog, and you’ll find yourself on a six hour thrill ride through multiple locations and ridiculous accents.

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So…Ben Affleck is Batman

ben-affleck-as-batmanHot on the heels that Warner are following up *Man Of Steel* with *Batman vs. Superman*, and that they were taking their story cues from the excellent *The Dark Knight Returns* graphic novel by Frank Miller, and that they were rumoured to be auditioning older actors to play a Dark Knight who would convey the deep hatred of Supes’ red, white and blue sensibilities, they announced today that they’ve decided to go with…Ben Affleck.

Yep.

He of *Daredevil* and *Gigli* fame, who by all accounts is a very nice man, will be donning the cowl and gravelly voice to follow in Christian Bale’s booted footsteps.

I’m kind of hoping it’s a ridiculously convoluted hoax at this point. There’s no denying that Affleck can shine with the right material, but I think casting him as Batman is a terrible decision. At least we know that Warner aren’t going to try and replicate the deep relationships between the two that was the whole backbone of *TDKR* – this is going to be an effects-heavy cashgrab with some kind of last-minute voodoo magic ensuring that Batman isn’t flicked into the sun within the first 8 milliseconds of their fight.

Come on, Warner. Prove me wrong. *Please*.

I’d even take Clooney back at this point.

Gah.

 

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Awesome: Bruce Willis Out Of Expendables 3 But Harrison Ford Is In!

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Yippie-ki-yay, mother lover. Sylvester Stallone confirmed today ([via Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheSlyStallone/status/364831174075486208), of course) that Bruce Willis is being exchanged wholesale for Harrison Ford in the upcoming *Expendables 3*. According to further tweets, there’s quite a spat forming between Stallone and Willis, with the former calling the latter “greedy and lazy”. Fighting talk indeed.

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Review: Attack Of The Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale (3DS)

Attack-of-the-Friday-Monsters-A-Tokyo-Tale

This game make me sad for so many reasons. Not because it’s bad – it’s really, really not – but more because it’s a real shame that so few people are going to experience a title that is one of the sweetest, most wonderful slices of gaming that I’ve experienced in a long time. I’ve seen so many dissenting voices on gaming forums immediate discount it – too short, too expensive, not actiony enough, too twee. I nearly passed it by myself, the filter of public opinion almost too persuasive to ignore, especially when gaming time is at such a premium. Also, eight dollars? I could buy a pint (plus tax plus tip) of terrible Canadian beer for that. The App Store dollar standard has certainly moved the download yardsticks. How ridiculous.

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Awesome: Batman vs Superman Is Happening

In his packed San Diego Comic Con panel, *Man Of Steel* director Zack Snider brought the house down this afternoon by announcing that the *MOS* sequel will feature Batman. Here’s the symbol that got the crowds going:

BatsSupes
As if that were not enough, he then brought out actor Harry Lennix to read out the following lines:

I want you to remember, Clark…in all the years to come…in your most private moments…I want you to remember…my hand…at your throat…I want…you to remember…the one man who beat you.

In Frank Miller’s amazing graphic novel *Dark Knight Returns*, Batman has an epic fight against Superman and the above speech is from the final moments. It’s considered one of the standout stories in both franchises, so this could be very exciting indeed.

*Via [io9](http://io9.com/theyre-doing-a-superman-batman-movie-but-thats-not-851711013)*