Randal B. on LinkedIn: New Post: <div>‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’ review: An equally… (2024)

Bakeru – A Love Letter to Japan with a Hint of DisappointmentWhenever I play the Ganbare Goemon series, I feel like I’m absorbing the quirky charm and unique "nutrients" that make it so special. With new fan translations still coming, it's a delight to revisit. Naturally, I thought Bakeru might be a spiritual successor, promising to deliver that same dose of excitement and humor. Unfortunately, it falls short in key areas.Bakeru, developed by Good-Feel, the studio behind Kirby’s Epic Yarn and Yoshi’s Woolly World, checks some initial boxes: a blue-haired protagonist, a surreal version of Japan, and a villain enslaving people through a never-ending festival. However, while the foundation is reminiscent of Goemon, the differences soon become clear—and not always in a positive way.The combat is one of the highlights at first. You use taiko drumsticks to fight, alternating between the left and right bumpers. It adds a bit more involvement than simply smacking enemies with a pipe, but after a dozen levels or so, I found myself losing interest. The levels, while strange and colorful, often feel like wide, flat corridors with repetitive enemy encounters. Even though the game improves after the first act, the excitement never fully takes off.Where Bakeru stumbles most is in its world-building. Unlike Ganbare Goemon, which was filled with lively NPCs, towns, hot springs, and quirky side activities, Bakeru feels empty. There are over 50 levels, but no towns, no places to rest, and no characters to interact with, aside from the small circle of friends the protagonist gathers. It leaves the world feeling desolate, lacking the charm and oddball interactions that made Goemon’s universe feel alive.The gameplay itself is polished—clean visuals, responsive combat, and tight controls. Yet, this polish comes at a cost. It feels overly smooth, lacking the ambition or playful roughness that can make a game truly memorable. The transformations you unlock are underwhelming, and while the level design becomes more playful later on, it never quite hits the highs of the series it's clearly inspired by.Ultimately, Bakeru is a solid but forgettable experience. It’s a love letter to Japan, and the attention to detail in representing its regions is impressive. However, it never fully immerses you in its world. You’re left visiting Japan’s surface, unable to dive deeper into its heart. As polished as it is, Bakeru sands down too much of the charm, leaving you with an experience that, while enjoyable, doesn’t leave a lasting impression.If you enjoyed this review and want more gaming insights, be sure to follow me on Twitter at @IntelGamehub where I post regular updates, news, and hot takes on the latest games! 🎮 Big thanks to everyone who hits that follow button – I appreciate the support! #GamingCommunity #GameReviews #IntelGamehub

Redesign Series: SpidermanThe designs were made for a side series of my indie game, Pax Pandemonium:The world is normally plagued by ruptures in space and time, thus it brings in characters from various popular culture and alternate reality. These three, along with numerous other spider themed heroes and villains make travel to this world a regular thing. Peter Parker/Spiderman:This Peter Parker, although still in his prime, suffers from an injury to his spine that robbed him of most of his dexterity and agility. Having to fully rely on this mech suit, he makes the most of what he’s given. Combining the construction of the Spider Mobile and SP//DER from Peni Parker’s Universe, the rig is equipped with many spider gadgets including but limited to: webshooters, flight, spider signal, electronic spider sense, and numerous other spider gadgets. Gwen Stacy/Ghost Spider:Canon to her universe, Gwen Stacy, due to the loss of her powers, wears a suit made up of Symbiote Spiders. During her voyage to the PaxPan universe, the frequencies of Earth 751263 entangled with her wormhole, mutating her suits molecular structure. Granting her the ability of Slime Mimicry similar to the Venom and Carnage of that Earth. However, this means she cannot be separated from her suit for long periods of time without fatal repercussions. Miles Morales:Not much has changed for the Miles who crossed over into PaxPan’s universe. Aside from his new suit, the only thing that has really changed for him is the variety of his Venom Shock abilities. Thanks to the mystical and primordial energies of the planet, Miles now has access to the entire chromatic spectrum of lightning powers, granting him different colors of Venom with a multitude of effects. The Spidermen of this world will always do their best to live up to their code: With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility. Regardless of the planet they call home, these heroes will continue to fight the good fight.

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🚨 New AI builds Indie-to-AAA props and characters 🚨 See the demo : https://bit.ly/m/Kaedim What Makes the “Survival” of Survival Horror: What Makes the “Survival” of Survival Horror Josh Bycer josh@game-wisdom.comTheSilent Hill 2remake is in the news following the Sony state of play, and while people are either gushing over details about the world, yelling about character redesigns, or just ignoring it and playingResident Evil 4, …The post What Makes the “Survival” of Survival Horror appeared first on Game Wisdom. ⭐ The world's best game studios ship 7x faster | Learn more at 🚨 New AI builds AAA characters 🚨 See the demo : https://bit.ly/m/Kaedim - try it today to turn sketches into game assets in minutes. #gdc #gdc2024 #a16z #GameDevelopment #IndieGames #Games #BuildingBetterGames #VideoGameDevelopment

I can't play horror games, that's a fact. The ONLY horror game I played even though I jumped multiple times was Alan Wake II. I played it for the sake of two factors, one of which is that I've been waiting for the sequel for a relatively long time, and two being the fact that my favorite band, Poets of the Fall, was in the game again. I can't say I didn't enjoy the game, it was phenomenal. I will give it another go soon for New Game+. I enjoy watching games that have horror elements in them, whether it be zombies, creatures, aliens, and/or entities. However, when it comes to horror sub-genres, analog horror is the one I can't watch for very long. I don't exactly know why, but even this still image makes me feel rather uneasy. I discovered this first after watching the Mandela Catalogue series on YouTube.The music suddenly stops, the screen goes dark and a distorted figure with relatively pixelated details emerges out of nowhere looking at your soul menacingly... Creepy.And this feeling is different than that of games which have, like, jumpscares. I kind of feel the uneasiness and the fear building inside of me. After watching the Mandela Catalogue, I went ahead and watched Us, by Jordan Peele. Well, let's just say it didn't make things better for me haha.Have you ever heard of analog horror before? If so, what are your ideas of this genre?Some may find this genre rather childish but in my opinion, it's making the player/audience feel more by doing/showing less. As in, instead of trying to make the most detailed creature to scare the players/audience, why not let their imagination run wild with images/sounds? (e.g. the backrooms concept)

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🚨 New AI builds Indie-to-AAA props and characters 🚨 See the demo : https://lnkd.in/dU8Mv8Uy Makes the “Survival” of Survival Horror Josh Bycer josh@game-wisdom.comTheSilent Hill 2remake is in the news following the Sony state of play, and while people are either gushing over details about the world, yelling about character redesigns, or just ignoring it and playingResident Evil 4, …The post What Makes the “Survival” of Survival Horror appeared first on Game Wisdom. ⭐ The world's best game studios ship 7x faster | Learn more at 🚨 New AI builds AAA characters 🚨 See the demo : https://bit.ly/m/Kaedim - try it today to turn sketches into game assets in minutes. #gdc #gdc2024 #a16z #Gaming #MobileGame #MobileGames #VideoGames #GamingUpdates

Embarking on my journey through the "Darkest Dungeon" series has been an unforgettable experience, a blend of gothic horror, challenging gameplay, and intricate storytelling. Now, with the release of the first DLC for "Darkest Dungeon II," titled "The Binding Blade," my excitement has reached new heights, and I am eager to share my impressions."The Binding Blade" adds a thrilling dimension to the already rich world of "Darkest Dungeon II." It introduces two new heroes: the Duelist and the Crusader. The Duelist, a brand new addition to the series, is a versatile and intricate character. Her unique “stances” mechanic allows for a dynamic playstyle, adaptable to aggressive or defensive strategies, fitting seamlessly into various team compositions. The Crusader, on the other hand, makes a triumphant return, fueled by the community’s enduring affection for this character. His backstory is woven deeply into the fabric of the DLC, with a unique in-game experience celebrating his return. Both characters come with their own trinkets, signature items, and fully voiced backstories, including playable flashback encounters that add layers of depth to their narratives.Accompanying these heroes is a wandering mini-boss, The Warlord, adding an extra layer of challenge and excitement. The Warlord promises to be a formidable opponent, further enhancing the game's already rich tactical complexity. This expansion not only enriches the game’s universe but also demonstrates Red Hook Studios' commitment to their fan base and the continued evolution of their game.Additionally, the DLC is accompanied by free additions to the base game. Players will encounter new obstacles like military barricades, remnants of an invading force, adding to the game's lore and strategic depth. The update also includes community-requested quality of life improvements and the highly anticipated feature of saving and restoring favorite party and hero loadouts at the Crossroads.Looking forward, Red Hook Studios has laid out an exciting roadmap for 2024, promising further content including hero tuning, path updates, mod support, and more surprises.In conclusion, "The Binding Blade" is not DLC; it's a significant enhancement to the "Darkest Dungeon II" experience. It adds new layers of strategic depth, narrative intrigue, and emotional engagement. As a fan of the series, I am deeply impressed by the dedication of Red Hook Studios to their creation and their community and I am eagerly looking forward to exploring every dark corner it has to offer. Thank you, Red Hook Studios, for continuing to support and expand this incredible series and game with such panache!

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It's been a busy couple of weeks here, so I've completely forgotten to share some of the highlights. Starting off, thanks to the fine folks at Behaviour Interactive and Supermassive Games Ltd, I had the chance to dive into the world of Frank Stone and left rather impressed with my first foray into this type of game. You can read my review below: https://bit.ly/4dXWvUv

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https://lnkd.in/ekeG__9A. hi this is Steven Moore the children and the kids cannot play the superhero game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage in 1994 that's why the computer game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is Rated MA-13 because that's why the computer game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage it has a bunch of violence in it and they hit people face that's why the computer game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is Rated MA-13 for Sega Genesis that's why the children and the kids cannot play the computer game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage because that's why the computer game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage has a lots of violence in it and they hit people body and face that's why the computer game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is Rated MA-13 for Sega Genesis from Steven Moore

New Post: Fan recreates record-breaking ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ trailer in ‘Minecraft’ - https://lnkd.in/gjbkPwyU - A fan-led project has carefully recreated the record-breaking first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 in Minecraft – check it out below.READ MORE: 10 years on, ‘Minecraft’’s crafting system remains unmatchedThe first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 was released December 2023, giving fans their first taste of the Vice City-inspired world. Now, Boranium Art have created a shot-for-shot remake of the trailer within Minecraft.The 105-second clip features in-jokes, a number of herobrines and a whole lot of neon ambience – check it out below.Speaking to PCGamer, Boranium Art’s Ray Escobar confirmed he created the trailer alongside three collaborators over a six-week period. He also called the mash-up a “no-brainer”. Assets were built in Minecraft before being exported to Unreal Engine 5, where Escopar then spent “hours” adjusting the lighting while characters were animated in Autodesk Maya.Set in the state of Leonida and Vice City – fictional stand-ins for Florida and Miami City – GTA6 will be the “most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet,” according to Rockstar Games.Grand Theft Auto 6 is due for release in 2025. While publisher Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that the game will be launching on both PS5 and Xbox Series X

A wrote an article about Norse Mythology, Videogames, & the Creation of a Universe. For anyone interested in world-building, this is for you:https://lnkd.in/gpBiYt-3

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