PAX East 2014: Roundabout (No Goblin)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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 Gameplay:

 

Sure, the Indie Megabooth was full of solid Indie games, but if you looked a bit further around the showfloor you would have found equally entertaining Indie games, such as the crazy game Roundabout from developer No Goblin.  We were not able to play the game at the show due to time constraints, but we got a large gameplay video with some audio Q and A with Director Dan Teasdale for you to watch!

Roundabout takes place in 1977 and follows the rise of Georgio Manos, the world's best revolving chauffeur.  The game plays much like a combination of Crazy Taxi and the Japanese/European Nintendo puzzle game Kuru Kuru Kururin.  Players control a spinning limo from destination to destination across an open-world, racking up points and trying to gain pedigree around the world for being the best, all while trying not to crash it among the many obstacles throughout the city.  Throughout the adventure, the game shows humorous live-actions sequences which tell a love story among the people in the city of Roundabout.  If that sounds odd, it probably is, but the game is also looking to be loads of fun, too!

You can find out more and pre-order at Roundabout's official website!

PAX East 2014: Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Alex:

 

Gameplay (Single Player Demo and Multiplayer):

In the midst of PAX East's Indie Megabooth, developer Heart Machine was present to show off its latest playable build of its debut title, Hyper Light Drifter.  We got to speak with Alex, the head of the project, and we also got to film a full playthrough of the single-player and some multiplayer gameplay.  Unfortunately, we were pressed for time to play it, but it certainly looks like it will be a sweet game when it is completed.

For more on Hyper Light Drifter, check out the official site here.

PAX East 2014: A Hat in Time (Gears for Breakfast)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Jonas (Mecha the Slag):

Cooperative Gameplay Footage:

In the middle of the Indie Megabooth, developer Gears for Breakfast had a booth dedicated to its upcoming Kickstarted 3D platforming adventure A Hat in Time.  We got to discuss the game with Jonas, the head of the project, and we also got to try out some of the new Co-Op Mode which was at the showfloor.  Check out the videos and look at our impressions after the jump.

PAX East 2014: Woah Dave! (Robotube Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Gameplay Footage:

Alex:

Gaijin Games' sub-label Robotube Games was at PAX East's Indie Megabooth this year, and the newest title being shown is a callback to the arcade game worlds of yesteryear, Woah Dave!  We were able to get some hands-on the single player mode, and we also got to watch a Two-player match as well, and from what I have witnessed, Woah Dave is going to be just like arcade games of old: flashy, quick-to-learn, terribly difficult and swear-inducing, and at the same time very addictive.  Check out our full impressions after the jump.

PAX East 2014: Distance (Refract Studios)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Kyle:

Gameplay:

Alex:

In the middle of the Indie Megabooth, developer Refract Studios was present to show off the latest build of their high-speed futuristic driving game Distance, and we got to speak with Kyle Holdwick and get some hands-on time with the game.  Check out what we thought after the jump!

Animales de la Muerte Vive!

Developer High Voltage Software told IGN recently that its WiiWare title Animales de la Muerte is not dead but has, in fact, been switched to XBLA, PSN, and Steam releases.

Originally announced in 2008, Animales de la Muerte is an overhead shooter title in which players control little children in a Mexican zoo gone bananas. Animals are becoming dangerous zombies, and the old man running the zoo wants them put out of their misery. Alone or cooperatively, players are then thrust into the colorful zoo to kill off the zombies and save the ones not yet turned. It vanished shortly after the announcement, citing filesize issues as the cause of the project freeze.

Now, in an IGN interview, High Voltage stated that it was bringing Animales de la Muerte to other download systems, once Conduit 2 is completed. A WiiWare port could be made, but their previous efforts were not met with grand success.

It could very well be for WiiWare, as well. We did some WiiWare stuff ( Gyrostarr, High Voltage Hot Rod Show) and it did okay. We didn't lose money on any of that. But I would say it wasn't encouraging enough that we would be doing a ton of stuff [on WiiWare].

-Eric Nofsinger, Chief Creative Officer, High Voltage Software

No release date has been set for the newer version of the title, nor has any new screenshots or video been released. We can expect the game to be shown off at GDC, along with High Voltage Software's current 3DS offering. It's other major project, The Grinder, is still waiting for a publisher to pick it up.

OLD TRAILER

SOURCE: IGN

Yar's Revenge Back with a Vengeance

In a continuation of classic Atari franchises coming back in the new generation, Atari has announced that it is bringing out Yar's Revenge, developed by new developer Killspace Entertainment.

Yar's Revenge was originally a simple shooter in which players move a fly around a screen in an attempt to destroy the Qotile station on the other side. The station is surrounded by a shield which must be destroyed slowly in order for a large attack known as the Zorlon Cannon to be fired from outside the battlefield. However, the player must cross an attack-protecting barrier before being able to destroy the protective shield. Also, the dome fires off swirls periodically which can penetrate even the barrier that protects the character. It sounds more complicated than it really is.

This new adventure brings about a brand new twist to the game. Players assume the role of a Yar who was brainwashed by the Qotile Empire, but once she breaks free from it, she decides to go back and destroy what had taken her.

The game is designed in an anime style, and while no gameplay footage has been released, an interview from Big Download reveals that the game will be a fast-paced shooter which is apparently akin to Star Fox and Panzer Dragoon. Sounds like it could be a winner!

This comes as the second major retro-to-new project for Atari as of late. The company's first major announcement regarding reborn franchises was Haunted House, which released as a Wii Retail title and a game on XBLA in the Fall. Rumors have also spread on other games such as Centipede getting the rebirth treatment.

Yar's Revenge is expected for release on XBLA, PSN, and Steam in Spring 2011.

Killspace Entertainment was founded in early 2009 by members of a number of companies, including Obsidian Entertainment, Pandemic Studios, Red 5, and EA LA. Besides Yar's Revenge, the company is working on another large project with a large publisher, but no announcement has been made.

TEASER

SOURCE: Big Download

PAX: Telltale Games Announces Poker Night

Today, Telltale Games announced Poker Night at the Inventory, a Poker title that stars four famous game and Internet characters: Tycho from Penny-Arcade, Max from the Sam & Max series, Strong Bad from Homestar Runner (and Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People), and the Heavy from Team Fortress 2.

A week ago, Telltale Games showed a teaser image of the four character sillouetes, explaining that all four characters would be in a game together in some fashion. Those who looked hard enough might have noticed that the Heavy, usually touting a massive minigun, was holding a pair of cards.

Well, maybe not THAT hard.

The game appears to be the standard card game affair, but the choice of setting and characters suggest that banter between the players is what will ultimately become the game's biggest selling-point. The Telltale website currently explains the game as so:

In Poker Night at the Inventory, you'll deal with Penny Arcade's clever, cunning Tycho, Team Fortress 2's hulking Heavy, Homestar Runner's self-proclaimed "awesome icon" Strong Bad and the hyperkinetic "rabbity-thing" from Sam & Max. These characters come together in ways some never thought possible, in a setting few would have predicted. You'll experience a new style of poker, particularly when hands don't go the way of the other fiery competitors at the table.

Sounds like there might be more than the usual card game here! Tycho is missing from the screenshots because his model is not yet fully completed.

The game is currently slated for Steam only and is currently available for preorder at the company site.

SOURCE: Telltale Store