HORIZON TEASER from POLYTRON on Vimeo.

Fez, a relaxing game released on the Xbox 360 and PC was in development hell for well over 5 years. It’s just been announced that this indie hit will be getting a sequel, aptly named Fez II. Here’s to multiple dimensions, hidden secrets, and cute little hats.

Fez II will be, and I quote “coming to ???? in ????”

Source – Polytron Corporation.

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Yoshi’s back in Yoshi’s New Island, a platformer releasing exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.  Suck up enemies, lay eggs, and collect coins in what looks to be a revolutionary addition to the genre. Cough cough.

The post E3 – Yoshi’s New Island Trailer Is Certainly New appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Earlier this year, it was announced that the classic SNES title The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past would be getting a sequel. Fans were weary, being the first direct sequel in the franchise, mainly being called A Link to the Past 2. It was announced in the trailer above that this new title will be called The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. This top-down action/adventure title will release exclusively for the 3DS.

The post E3 – Trailer Reveals The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for 3DS appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Announced as a Wii U exclusive, Bayonetta 2 features the same insane action Platinum Games is known for, except it’s more insane. With a new haircut, and some new powers, this new gameplay trailer boasts what looks to be one awesome action game. Look forward to playing Bayonetta 2 in 2014.

The post E3 – New Bayonetta 2 Trailer Features New Haircut appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It’s been a long time coming, but we’ll finally be seeing Rayman Legends releasing on all major consoles August 30, 2013. It features competitive multiplayer, over 120 levels, and is called “The Biggest Rayman ever.” We shall see! Stay tuned for more coverage.

The post E3 – New Trailer for Rayman Legends, Releases August 30 appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

In keeping with the new-consoles-equals-new-racing games, Ubisoft unveiled The Crew, an always-online single and multiplayer experience featuring heists, police chases, and more. Check above for the trailer, and below for 7 minutes of gameplay.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The post E3 – The Crew from Ubisoft’s Trailer Features Online Cooperative Racing, More appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It’s been 8 years since its last release, and through the salivation of fans, and leaking of alpha footage, the infamous Star Wars: Battlefront series will return. Very little was shown, but we can’t wait to learn more about this title, coming from DICE, and EA.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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In a surprising announcement, Minecraft will be seeing a release on the Xbox One. It’s still available on PC and Xbox 360, but it will apparently be touting bigger worlds, and more players in said worlds. That’s about all that’s been announced, about the game, so be sure to stay tuned for more coverage.

The post E3 – Minecraft: Xbox One Edition Headed to Xbox One appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

In this special episode of the TSFT Podcast, we talk about E3 2013. Will Microsoft redeem themselves, or will Sony blow them out of the water? What exactly will Nintendo show us at their ‘Nintendo Direct’? Listen in before tuning into the press conferences to get our up-to-the-minute predictions. Be sure to stay tuned to the site for more coverage, hands on previews, and interviews right from the show floor.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #72: Prophesying E3 2013 appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

This week everybody left myself and Justin alone, so we ran the show solo… or duolo? That isn’t a word. Justin finally plays Bioshock Infinite, I talk about Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, and we learn all about Justin’s nightmare of a weekend. Despite the small cast, it’s a great listen. Hope you enjoy it, and you better enjoy the coming week!

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #71: The Brett & Justin Show appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Call of Juarez is a name that’s been associated with mediocrity and, at least on my radar, has generally been overlooked. With the recent buzz, I knew I had to check out Call of Juarez: Gunslinger simply to see why this game has been recognized at all, knowing full well that the series was not necessarily top-notch. It’s fair to say that among the dime-a-dozen first person shooters, this game stands out, and is one of the more interesting Westerns that gaming has seen for some time.

Silas Greaves is a painter; an easel filled with crimson forms paintings in the sky crafted by his brushes, the six-shooters at his belt. A shot to the head leaves a stream of blood still in the air, and once the stillness fades, the slain and his lifeline both fall to the ground. Using his Concentration skill, time slows around him, highlighting his enemies in red. The better a shooter you are, the more points you score for each kill, granting you the most points for headshots, or creative kills, like shooting dynamite out of the sky. The faster you can kill them, the bigger combo you’ll get, and each successive kill grants you even more points. With these points you unlock skills that further increase your proficiency and abilities.

It’s all familiar, but as with any great shooter, it shines in its executions of these similarities, and stands out for what it does differently. The slight black border around everything makes it look as slick as the shooter whose eyes you’re playing through, and shooting any of the eight fairly standard guns feels powerful and, for lack of a better word, awesome.

It’s hardly even the way that it plays that makes it so awesome, but the context of why you’re in a Western tale slaying a multitude of famous bandits and killers. The beginning of the game puts Silas Greaves in a bar, talking to a group of people who are curious about the bounty hunter’s past. He’s obviously a very well renowned Western hero in the bar, and the entire games is playing through his tale. All of the combat sequences, which is about 99% of the game, are narrated by Greaves in the bar, with banter from the other folks included. As he’s telling the story, it’s happening right in front of your eyes, quite literally putting you into the head of Greaves. Occasionally he’ll say a phrase someone happened to yell at him, and the synchronicity of hearing that particular person saying the line while Silas is also saying it is super clever, and strangely satisfying. Occasionally Silas’ memory doesn’t serve him well, and he’ll literally go back and rewind a certain scenario, making you play through the section again, just a different way. There’s also moments when certain things that weren’t clear to him at first will literally come out of nowhere, as though a supernatural entity is watching over him and helping him wade through his memories. His murderous tale is told in such a natural and believable fashion, not that it’s a believable story, but it’s a realistic telling of a story – exaggerations, fallacies, and inconsistencies are all included.

Additionally, a lot of its mechanics are unique to the genre. Standoffs present you with an enemy at a distance ready to pull his gun, and while steadying your hand over your gun to draw faster, and focusing in on your enemy to aim more efficiently, you enjoy one of the most classic Western traditions time and time again. They’re tough, an being honorable grants you not only respect, but more experience points. In order to have a respectable standoff, you must not draw your gun first. It’s an increased risk, yet a large reward. Another great addition is the “Sense of Death” mechanic. When this bar is filled, a shot that would normally be the death of you will come at you in slow motion, and you have the chance to dodge the bullet by leaning left or right, depending on which direction the bullet is coming from. It’s a neat little addition, and often gives you an ample amount of time to let your health regenerate.

Also included alongside the main story is an arcade mode, as well as a duel mode. In each of them, the main draw is gaining as many points as you can as you progress through the levels. The only difference is that in the duel mode, you will be taking out as many baddies as you can with five lives, each in a standoff, and arcade mode puts you in familiar levels mowing down as many people as you can, increasing your combos and reaping as many points as you can. Each of them use the online leaderboards, yet multiplayer is nowhere to be found in the package.

It’s true that this game has its problems, though. Each of the 8 episodes has at least one boss, usually that of a famous name from Westerns passed. It’s interesting to be fighting these familiar names, yet they’re mostly bullet sponges that pit you in an awful arena where cover is difficult to find. There was also a particular train segment that had a few problems, one being that I entered a door and it was completely black, yet I could still move around. I then fell off the train, slightly disappointed, because I thought it was some crazy supernatural dream sequence, but nope, just a glitch. Just some other moments like that happened, and they weren’t completely game breaking, but they did sort of ruin the flow of everything.

It’s rare to see a first person shooter not only do things different in terms of storytelling and execution, but to revitalize an entire franchise. This Western bar story told by Silas Greaves is a fantastic look into the old west, and while it’s not without its problems, it’s a joy ride through and through.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Unique storytelling][+Exciting, sleek shooting mechanics][+The familiar is done right][-Some bosses are bullet sponges][-Minor technical hiccups]

The post Call of Juarez: Gunslinger Review – Silas Grieves for Nobody appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Welcome to our podcast, sit down and enjoy. We talk about the Xbox One, and that’s about it! Great discussion, and we look forward to seeing what else the system has to offer. We also put new writer Alissa McAloon in the hot seat to learn more about her. See you next week, and game on.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #70: Don’t Call it the Xbone appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

We all knew the joke was going to be made, so now that giggles and chuckles are diminished, let’s talk TSFT. This week, we bring our newest member, video editor extraordinaire Tim Smith to the show. We talk some Star Trek, an iOS game about the Rock, and we end it with a rap battle. It’s a fantastic one, if you feel like getting to know us better, please listen to this. Next week, we’ll be talking about the Xbox One. Have a fantastic week, friends.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #69: The Head and Feet Meet and Greet appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Welcome back, folks! This week we bring two new writers to introduce to you all, Henry McMunn and Emily Payton! In getting to know them, we talk PAX East 2013 a bit, eSports drama, and Tyler talks about Sanctum 2. We’ll see you next week! Play lots of games.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #68: eSports Drama Bomb appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It might be easy to say all it takes to make a good game is a good idea. Magnetic by Nature: Awakening by Tripleslash Studios is a magnetism-based momentum platformer available through Xbox Live Indie Games, wherein you dodge saw blades, glide from magnetic conduit to another, reinforcing that it takes more than just an idea. This simple puzzle platformer clocks in at about an hour and a half, and while some moments are clever enough to surprise you, it is mostly a frustrating, unpolished game with slippery controls, bland level design, and a frustrating difficulty spike.

Throughout the entire game, you mainly use the L and R triggers. R will emit an orange glow, repelling you from all orange magnets in the world, and L will attract you to all blue magnets. Using these, you go from one end of the stage to the other using momentum, and quick timing. Eventually you run into constantly changing magnets, allowing you to both attract to and repel from them. Often, these magnets will be mobile, thus creating puzzles in which you bring them to certain destinations that unlock doors allowing you to progress. Saw blades become more prevalent, but other than that it doesn’t become much more clever, which is disappointing since there’s so much potential inside this creative idea. Most of the time, the visual cues indicating which trigger you should hold to change the magnetism pass by you so fast, it’s impossible to predict it without dying first, thus becoming more of a trial and error process. It quickly becomes more muscle memory than puzzle based.

Seeing as the focal point of this game is essentially platforming, it’s sad how poorly it’s done. The sprint mechanic is introduced in the tutorial, and there you have to jump a fairly large gap, but that’s literally the only time sprinting is necessary to complete a level. Most of the game won’t even involve walking, as the magnets are basically the only form of transportation you’ll need. Maybe for the better, since the platforming is, as I stated, quite slippery. Just the slightest nudge of the control stick will send your character walking swiftly in the direction, yet while mid jump, it’s difficult to move at all. This recipe of controls creates quite the awful mix, and trying to make some of the more demanding gaps later in the game is simply infuriating. It’s one thing when the controls are tight enough that you have only yourself to blame, but when the game is at fault, it becomes old quick.

The first two worlds are a walk in the park, featuring the same basic sections, mostly including squeezing through tight corridors, dodging saw blades, and lunging yourself atop high obstacles. The third world is no different, using the same basic sections, only there are more saw blades, tighter corridors, and higher obstacles. It doesn’t make the game anymore fun, and the challenge present is hindered from being fun due to the poor platforming. Not to mention the inconsistency of the magnetism controls make certain sections involving moving the magnets incredibly egregious. In these last worlds also exists a horrible drop in framerate, making some sections absolute torture to get through. It’s worth noting that some puzzles are quite interesting, and utilize the magnetism mechanic quite well.

The world is adorned in three different color schemes with silhouettes of futuristic metropolitan cities. The game isn’t exactly eye-candy, but it doesn’t look terrible. Most of the sounds are very harsh, most notably the sound the protagonist makes when he dies, who is just kind of robot-looking little guy with a single eye. There’s a “Gender” option in the menu, but it doesn’t seem to affect anything visually. It’s questionable why it was included, but hey, maybe that’s the point. The looping backtrack is pretty cool for a short stint, but hearing it loop constantly throughout the world becomes very annoying. It’s a shame more care didn’t go into sprucing the environments up a bit, but it would not have saved the gameplay.

Magnetic by Nature: Awakening is quite an interesting idea, yet just shy of successful. It’s fun for a little while, but when you realize all you’re really doing is holding a trigger and a direction on your stick, relying on either luck or a quicker-than-possible reaction time. I just think a well designed game will make you feel in control. They are currently holding a Kickstarter campaign for an enhanced version for PC, Mac, and Linux, but for now, your dollar may be spent better elsewhere.

[+Clever idea][-Very inconsistent physics][-Drastic framerate drop towards the end][-Bland environments][-Lacks variation]

The post Magnetic by Nature: Awakening Review – Not So Attractive appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Without reaching beyond the surface, Thomas Was Alone is simply a minimalistic puzzle platformer. Originally released in July 2011 on the PC and Mac, Mike Bithell along with Bossa Studios have brought this indie hit to the PS3 and the PS Vita, featuring the “Cross-Buy” feature. In Thomas Was Alone, as with any platformer, the mantra is ‘up and to the right’. It’s such a simple concept, but with the help of a multitude of polygonal friends, and narrator Danny Wallace, this minimalist approach to your run of the mill platformer becomes a thought-provoking, life affirming, wonderful lesson on friendship, love, and trust.

You begin the game playing as Thomas. Thomas is a small, orange colored rectangle who is able to jump a reasonable height, and loves to explore the world around him. He is indeed alone, but not for long. Soon after, another four-sided cohort joins the mix. Chris, a small yellow square, is a bit on the broader side, and can’t jump quite as high as Thomas. Meeting every one of the seven-or-so squares and rectangles in this tale are truly what made it so special for me. They all have their own special abilities, thus making each of them an asset to solving puzzles and persevering through levels. Some of them express their insecurities, yet quickly realize that they are needed by their friends. The goal of each level is to fill the white outline at the end of each level with the appropriate dimensions. So as to not spoil, I’m refraining from introducing you to any other characters — it needs to be experienced on a more personal level, not through a review.

Some of the main themes in this game are teamwork, and dependence. There are cases when Thomas simply can’t make a jump, yet with Chris’s help, Thomas is able to climb on Chris, helping him get just a small amount higher, thus reaching his goal. You can play as up to seven of these squares simultaneously, cycling them with the L1 and R1 buttons, becoming somewhat of a singular cooperative experience. Occasionally certain polygons must reach their goals first, as others won’t be able to fit trying to pass them, or won’t be able to jump high enough to leap over them. Sometimes, you’ll have to time it just right so that everyone is in the white outlines at the same time. No matter what, there isn’t one case where any shape will not help, or be helped by another to finish the level successfully. It’s such a simple concept, but this constant theme is a beautiful reinforcement of how we, in life, need others to survive. Sometimes we will be able to get through situations on our own, as Thomas was able to at the beginning of the game, but there are moments when the ones closest to you are who you need the most to reach your goals.

All of this takes place in a computer mainframe, warranting a very simple, and of course, minimalistic design. The platforms are lines, and the backgrounds are normally one color, adorning a few polygonal and graphical flashes. The soundtrack is a wonderfully put together accompaniment to the story by David Housden. The production as a whole is very minimalistic, but it works well, creating a sleek, and welcoming environment.

The entire experience clocks in at about 3 hours, but I don’t think any experience as special as Thomas Was Alone should be quantified by time. The emotional fulfillment and beautiful message you will attain from playing this game far outweighs a 30 hour experience with another “grindy” RPG or online first person shooter. For $10, it’s well worth the loss of your wallet’s girth. You get the PS3 and PS Vita version, plus commentary from Mike Bithell while you play, if you so choose. It’s a complete package at a fair price. I will say, though, the ending left me a bit bewildered, as it was a bit abrupt.

In Thomas Was Alone, the simple concept of up and to the right becomes so much more. Learning more about each of these squares and rectangles featured in the game will keep you playing through to the end, smiling ear to ear the whole way there. In playing, you’ll probably think of the ones in your life who help you reach your own white outline, and get you where you need to be. If you’ve read up until now, it should go without saying, you need to play Thomas Was Alone.

[+Intricate singularly cooperative puzzles][+Great Characters][+Excellent narration][+Minimalist design is sleek, and effective][-Ending is a bit abrupt]

The post Thomas Was Alone LTTP Review – I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

This week we talk about the Deadly Premonition: Director’s Cut, as well as introducing one of our newest writers, Claudia Lorenzo. We also share stories from times passed, and talk about video games sort of. Enjoy this… interesting podcast. It’s funny.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #67: What a Shit Show appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

A recent Kickstarted campaign featured an interesting idea – a controller for your feet. “The Stinky Footboard” allows players to map keys to four points on the footboard, and along with the control, shift, and alt keys, you are able to map 16 different strokes to your foot. Using Kickstarter, they garnered nearly $80,000 in funds, surpassing their $75,000 goal.

Advertising it as giving an advantage to eSports players, mapping moves for MMO players, and simplifying controls for beginners, this looks to be a promising add-on to your PC setup. This controller will be available in June for $119. Let’s hope it doesn’t ship too stinky.

The post “The Stinky Footboard” PC Controller Funded, Slated for June Release appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Gaming has been a bit dry on the news front, so this week we talked about Dunkaroos, Keith avoiding hot tubs, and the absence of a press conference from Nintendo at E3. Hopefully something more exciting will happen next week! Enjoy it, though. We have a load of fun.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #66: Dunkaroos and Stickers appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Welcome back everyone! This week we brought back our old pals Sean Hogan and Jonathan Kittaka, the creative minds behind the indie hit Anodyne. We talk about the process of being greenlit on Steam, how community has impacted the game, the Pirate Bay, and their next project! You can watch the video above, or listen to the .mp3 on iTunes or your favorite podcast catcher. We’ll see you next week!

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #65: Anodyne Revisited appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Hi. Glad you joined us this week on another exciting episode of the TSFT Podcast. Mourning the absence of Keith, we talked about Dark Souls II, not knowing what to do in Terraria, and getting nowhere in Spelunky, among other shenanigans. Hope you enjoy the listen, and we’ll see you next Sunday, hopefully live!

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #64: Gone Spelunking appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

We’re all done with Bioshock Infinite, and we felt the need to dedicate a Sunday night just to this vast game. In case it’s not obvious from the title of this podcast, do NOT listen to this if you do not want Bioshock Infinite spoiled for you. Next week we will be back for our regularly scheduled program, but until then, have a great week, and stay happy.

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #63: Bioshock Infinite Spoilercast Edition! appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

We’re back from Boston, and we have returned to the standard TSFT broadcast. My cohost and well-known patient gamer Keith Chima has finally finished Mass Effect 3, so we delve right into it. We also touch on Bioshock Infinite, but mainly Mass Effect, and predicting Bioware’s plan on the next entry in the series.

After 43:25, Mass Effect 3 spoilers end!

NOTE: We will be streaming our podcast recordings LIVE from our twitch.tv channel! (Sundays, 10 pm EST)

The post TSFT Episode #62: The Last Time We Will Talk About Mass Effect 3 appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

I had the opportunity to stand up again and talk to Greg Kasavin, Creative Director behind Supergiant Games, about their latest work, Transistor. Being such a critical and commercial hit, it was a wonder how Supergiant Games would top Bastion, but from their progress so far, it’s looking like we will have another groundbreaking experience to look forward to in early 2014. Hit the jump for some gameplay straight from Supergiant’s booth. Alternatively, click here for Trey’s full written preview.

The post [PAX] Video: Transistor Interview with Greg Kasavin appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Hello folks, I am Ian Bretchford reporting in live from the Twinfinite headquarters to tell you how the people at PAX are doing, what they’re playing, and just having a good time. It was a good time seeing all the nice people, and we hope you’ll join us at the next convention. Please stay tuned for more video coverage from me, Ian!

Note: Body description edited by Brett McLeod.

The post [PAX] Ian Bretchford’s Adventure on the PAX Show Floor appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..