Dead Lantern » Video Games

Starcraft 2 is out today.

Jeff — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:41:01 +0000

I’m not even going to play this game, but I understand that Starcraft 2‘s release today is a big deal for lots of folks. We were talking about the trailer in the chat the other day, and how it looks way more interesting and exciting than some movies’ trailers (Avatar, cough cough).

Another Steam Sale

Explodey Jo — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:00:05 +0000

I don’t work for Valve, honest. But they are having yet another awesome sale, which includes a lot of great cheap horror games. Recently Steam has been made available on the Mac, should any gamers actually own one.

Sale currently includes Left 4 Dead 2 at £6.80 (about $10), and Killing Floor at £7.49 ($11), both for PC (always looking for humans to play these with). Deals are changing each day so check out the latest at http://store.steampowered.com/ . Sale goes on until 4th July

Human Centipede: The Video Game

Jeff — Tue, 25 May 2010 23:26:06 +0000

Hat-tip to Wave on the forum for posting a link to Human Centipede: The Video Game.

The Humble Indie Bundle

Explodey Jo — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:40:53 +0000

Not horror related in the slightest, but I thought I would share a fantastic deal for PC gamers. The Humble Indie Bundle is 5 PC games (good ones too! World of Goo and Gish are excellent), and you can pay as much or as little as you like. Profits are donated to charity. There are 7 days left to take advantage.

Check it out

Roger Ebert on games as art (again)

Jeff — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:09:38 +0000

Via Joystiq. Kind of interesting to think about, as far as completely unimportant topics go.

In the “Games as art” debate that seems to never end, the number one opponent of our industry’s medium of choice being considered art (at least “high art“) has been renowned film critic Roger Ebert. Since he made his initial declaratory statements about video games many years ago, folks have piped up on both sides of the argument. Ebert’s latest volley in the long-running discussion is a piece published on the Chicago Sun-Times website in response to thatgamecompany prez Kellee Santiago’s TED talk at USC last summer.

While he allows Santiago many pleasantries and compliments throughout the piece, he argues that, regardless of her various points, games “can never be art.” At the very least, he says, “No video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form.” He contests that games consist of “rules, points, objectives, and an outcome,” which stands in contrast to his somewhat ambiguous definition of what, exactly, art is. In a moment of seeming clarity at the end of his piece, he asks: “Why are gamers so intensely concerned, anyway, that games be defined as art? Bobby Fischer, Michael Jordan and Dick Butkus never said they thought their games were an art form.” And while we might not agree with all of Mr. Ebert’s points, we can certainly find common ground with his wondering why the debate over games as art is still such a topic of concern among gamers (ourselves included).

Oregon Kombat

Jeff — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:05:04 +0000

Design a Kill for Dead Space 2

Explodey Jo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:17:05 +0000

EA are running a cool competition, whereby you can design an awesome kill for the upcoming Dead Space 2. The winner will be dismembered in the game!

Details are on the EA web site, and Dead Space facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/deadspace?v=app_4949752878

http://deadspace.ea.com

New Fist of the North Star game hitting Japan

Jeff — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:29:43 +0000

I love Fist of the North Star so I hope this game gets released outside of Japan (it comes out there this month). I did a quick search but couldn’t find a confirmation of any American release.

It reminds me of seeing a cool trailer for a PS2 Berserk game a few years ago. Berserk is another of my favorite anime/manga properties and, sadly, I don’t believe the PS2 game has ever been localized for us gaijin. I suppose I could import a Japanese copy and fight through the foreign menus and text but that doesn’t sound very appealing.

Phantasmagoria article at Hardcore Gaming 101

Jeff — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:24:48 +0000

Hardcore Gaming 101 is a really nifty site that I check every once in a while. Their design is incredibly lo-fi but the content is stellar. I just noticed that they’ve done an article on Phantasmagoria and its sequel. You might have heard us mention recently that Phantasmagoria is now available from GOG.com and that it was a game that really flipped our lids when we were younger. In truth, the game is pretty middling but it’s fun to reminisce.

Lulz: Watch a movie with Rob Zombie on Xbox Live

Jeff — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:35:34 +0000

I just signed in to Xbox Live – I’m fighting through the alien spaceship on Fallout 3 – and when I saw an advert for this pop up on my dashboard, I had to run back to my PC and make a smartalecky post about it.

You’ve participated in our Game with Fames, now try our first-ever Film with Fame with Rob Zombie, director of the classic horror thriller The Devil’s Rejects. He’ll be online watching the movie with Xbox LIVE® Gold Members providing a live director’s commentary on the film! If you’re a Gold Member (if you’re not a Member, upgrade now!) join us Friday, February 19 starting at 8:00 P.M. ET for the event.

I’ve always gone to bat for Mr. Z’s first two films. They’re just fun to me, what can I say? But I can’t help but chuckle at this idea. Do people really want to sign on to Xbox and watch a movie with Rob Zombie? Or any other celebrity for that matter?

It just sounds stupid and weird to me.