You heard right, this Saturday, May 19th at 10pm CST will be the Substance TV MegaCast on Justin.tv! We’ll be at Shawn’s gaming pad playing all sorts of games from old to new, checking out his collection of console and arcade games, and chatting it up with you the viewers.

But besides getting the chance to get to know one of our newest contributors, we’ll be having a ton of giveways. You’ll have a chance to win multiple copies of Sin & Punishment Star Successor for the Nintendo Wii, Firefall beta keys, Diablo III guest passes, and a few extra special secret prizes.

So make sure you’re here at substancetv.net 10pm CST this Saturday for the Substance TV MegaCast!

Cell phone gaming has certainly changed over just the past five years. So the question begs to be asked, are cell phones a game console? This got my thinking which led me to make a little video expressing my thoughts on the matter. You might be surprised at the outcome.

What’s your opinion? Are cell phones a gaming console? Tell us in the comments.

While new games for the NES haven’t been completely uncommon lately, our good friends at Retrozone have helped Gradual Games bring their game Nomolos: Storming the Catsle to the Nintendo Entertainment system. The game, which seems heavily inspired by Castlevania, features fast action, tight controls, and fun bosses.

You can purchase a physical copy of the game $32, or if you are feeling cheeky, you can spend nine more bucks and grab a copy with a fantastic box in classic NES style. Even better the site promises that the cartridge is made from completely new parts so you can rest easy knowing no copies of Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom were harmed.

If you are on the fence, feel free to download a two stage demo and try it for yourself. You will need a NES emulator to play, and I am sure you kids know where to find one of those.

It seems like everyone has an idea of what the “ideal” dungeon crawler entails. With Diablo III just released, it may be a little hard to get hyped about another lootfest, but fledgling company Grinding Gear Games would like you to take a moment and see what they have to offer.

Last weekend they opened their beta up to everyone, and we got to take a look at what equated to about 5-7 hours of content. I did my best to complete all everything available, and I can honestly say I came away very impressed.

At it’s core it is a typical isometric dungeon crawler. Progression is loot-based and stat-focused, dungeons are dark and dreary, and longevity comes from finding ideal builds and doing boss runs. The main difference comes in its amazing skill system and its optimization of all the little things.

Being still in beta, many aspects are subject to change. So let’s take a look at the more concrete features that are confirmed to be available at launch. Mainly the skill system.

The first departure comes in the stats themselves. Instead of the usual assortment of stats, they have narrowed the focus down to three: Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina. As you gain new equipment and skills, your only requirements to use them are an appropriate level and progression in one of your three stats.

Gone are the days were each level requires you to plug points into each stat. Instead each level will grant you a passive skill point. You can plug these into a skill tree that seems very reminiscent to Final Fantasy X’s sphere grid. While no skill is out of reach, your starting position will help influence your progression in a way most appropriate for your build. These skills will augment everything from how high your stats are to your crit ratio. I can’t stress enough that this thing is massive. Build fanatics should find plenty of creativity when trying to create the perfect toon.

Active skills like Fireball or Cleave come to you in the form of gems that you can socket (and freely remove!) in your weapons. You will find these abilities as random drops of varying rarity. Each of these skills will receive 10% of your experience allowing them to level up and grow with you.

You will also find support gems that you can socket in tandem that will augment the effects of your abilities. Want fire zombies? You can have them. Wish that lighting bolt split in three and did splash damage? Go for it. The combinations are endless and makes experimenting incredibly rewarding.

All in all the game is a worthy addition to the genre, and its sandbox approach to character development provides a much needed contrast to Diablo III’s guided level system. We will take a closer look at the game when it releases on PC (for free) hopefully later this year.

Summer time is upon us, which for many means it’s time to be cut free of obligations and spend some much needed free time playing video games. The summer season has traditionally been a dead zone for major game releases, so a lot of people like myself spend their time catching up on some games from the last couple years, trying to cross a few off of the backlog. I’ve been working on my own personal summer pile of shame, hoping to tear through some games that have been looming over my head for the last few months. I missed a bunch of games last year, and I have a long summer ahead of me if I plan to tackle some of these longer PS2 JRPGs that I’ve let pile up. Read on after the jump to see what some of Substance TV’s writers are planning to play over the summer!

My own personal pile is a mess of Shin Megami Tensei titles, other long form JRPGs, and a smattering of games I’ve been meaning to play for a long time. I’ve been itching to play through Shadows of the Damned, and I’ve never finished Metal Gear Solid 2 or 3, and I’ve never played MGS4 at all. I’ve been saving Xenoblade Chronicles for just this moment, and some of these games I’ve already dedicated some time to. It’s just a matter of finishing them. I’ve clocked 30 hours into Persona 4, and about 15 hours into Persona 3. I’m ready to cross those off of my list by the end of the summer. My Steam pile is even worse, giving me a terrible hillock of games from last year that I’ve been waiting for the right time to get to. I’m currently playing Batman: Arkham City, and I’m hoping to have it and something else crossed off of this list by the end of the week.

- Brandon

How about the others? What’s in their summer shame piles?

SHAWN:

I have actually done okay keeping up with the must play games of the last year. Even my save in Red Dead Redemption is fairly close to the end. So I am instead focusing on those few must play titles that I have either missed or only played a little bit in. So my stack has a little bit of everything. I am trying to keep my goals realistic as I imagine most of my time will be taken up by Diablo III.

Sorry for the dark pic. The SNES game is E.V.O. which I am sure I have played through in the past, but I can’t remember the end of it for the life of me. The Famicom title is Konami Wai Wai World. I have played through the second one many times, but the first one is a metroid style game that will require a bit more patience. If only watching the Kacho beat it counted.

BRIAN:

I have to admit I’ve been pretty bad when it comes to my backlog of games. There’s just been too much good stuff coming out and too much old stuff I’ve wanted to play. I got into Zelda Skyward Sword about a good 12 hours, but as it always is other games came up and it got left in the dust which is sad as it’s one of the best games of last year. Though one of the games I am yet to even get past the intro movie and play is Final Fantasy XII. I have gotten the chance to play a few minutes of it at a friends house, but never actually played it myself on my own console. It’s a phenomenal game, but yet another game that’s fallen by the wayside.

Then there’s my most recent and shameful backlogged game, Xenoblade. A game I purchased because I knew I wanted to play it even though I had no time. There is sits on my shelf still in the shrink wrap. So not only have I not played it, it’s not even been unwrapped. Oh and the list goes on and on, but listing them all would merely be an exercise in futility. Thankfully with the release of new games slowing down in the next few months, I’ll have some time to catch up on my boat load of backlog.

We here at Substance TV want to know: What’s in your summer shame piles? We showed you ours, now show us yours!

There have been many fantastic Kickstarter projects as of late, but very few of them are centered around delivering an already finished game. Jason Rohrer, developer of some very clever PC indie titles, is looking to do just that.  His latest creation Diamond Trust of London (with a much longer title forced by Nintendo) is a relatively historical diamond smuggling game set for physical release on Nintendo DS.

This competitive game sees each player managing a diamond smuggling operation in Africa. You will spend your time planning flights, managing your cash surplus, and paying agents to carry out your operation. Meanwhile your opponent will be racing to do the same. The true challenge will come in finding ways to slow your opponent down, and that complexity lies in the strategic bribing system.

The loyalty of your agents will constantly be questioned as you can bribe your opponents agents into dishing out information on prices and trading routes. Watching their actions carefully will be key to finding out what kind of information they know and who has been compromised.

Right now putting $35 towards the kickstarter scores you a copy of the game. Spending a little more will land you a individually numbered collector’s edition which also contains actual unique historical objects from the time the game is based on. As a huge fan of these type of deception games, this title is an obvious no brainer. Not to mention this is surely to become an incredibly rare title. Watch the video below, or check out the kickstarter and see for yourself!

Soda Pop Miniatures announced the brand new expansion to their classic video game inspired adventure board game Super Dungeon Explore last month. Missing from the very scare details was a good idea of what an expansion might entail.

Today Soda Pop gave a much better response laying out what we can expect, and the different ways we can acquire it.

For those who haven’t heard of it, Super Dungeon Explore is a adventure RPG for up to 5 players (one of which will be the villain) in which a small group of heroes descend into a dungeon in hopes of clearing it’s depths of evil, and the game concludes with an epic confrontation with the dungeon’s boss. The unique direction this game takes is in its strong inspiration from classic JRPGs such as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. From the many characters all the way to the game’s terminology fans of classic gaming are sure to be in heaven while they play through each adventure.

As the heroes you will carefully craft a winning team selected from several classic types of heroes. Throughout the adventure you will receive all sorts of treasure and abilities that are sure to transform your character from greenhorn to face smasher. The fun isn’t just for the good guys either.

Taking on the role of the antagonist will find you balancing the defense of your Gauntlet-style spawn points with the relentless assault on the unsuspecting heroes. The Strategy involved is simple enough for a first time player, but complex enough that even the most experienced Dungeon Master should be finding new ability combinations and enemy placements for months to come.

Now that you are up to speed on what the game is, here is a look at what you can expect in the expansion entitled “Caverns of Roxor”

The scheduled level release is broken out in to two small waves:

Wave 1) Caverns of Roxor Box – This box is where you get ROXOR the new level boss, a new mini boss, (3) new heroes, new item cards and loot, as well as a full (3) summoning stones worth of all the new models for the release… so, a full Rocktop Gang (2 summoning markers) and a Fireflow Denizens mob (1, summoning stones worth) – this is for the collector who wants everything!

Wave 2) Boosts! – These mob boxes allow you to add on to your collection, allowing you to theme-out your new dungeon.

The Rocktop Gang, adds a further (2) summoning stones worth of Rocktop minions to your collection, allowing you to fill your dungeon with these pesky critters – as well as all the cards and a unique magic item for your loot pile.

The Fireflow Denizens, adds a further (1) summoning stones worth of Fireflow minions to your collection, a savvy player will quickly see the opportunities to really start mixing up your game strategies with so many new monsters to add into your dungeon… I will be doing an ALL FIREFLOW DENIZENS dungeon, simply because I luvvvvvv flaming gels! (*it wouldn’t be cool if we weren’t also super nerdy for our own stuff right>?)

*SPECIAL –> each level release will also have a special collectible anti-hero for your games of Super Dungeon Explore. This wave introduces the Herald of Vulcanis, a powerful champion of Vulcanis’ army, who is played like a mini boss in your games of SDE, but has the look and feel of a proper hero.

Again,
All pieces will be sold fully assembled, with our super awesome hard plastic, and great details to work on for all you hobbyists!

Share this around – we are happy for all the support we can get in the run up to launch.

thx-

While this expansion has no price or release date, it is nice to see that you will be able to buy many of the pieces individually if you are a little strapped for cash, but are looking to add a bit more variety to your dungeon adventures.

For now, head on over to the Soda Pop main page and pre-order a copy of the second release of the base set that has remained in high demand, and limited circulation. It is worth every penny.

Tell us about your favorite dungeon adventures in the comments below.

In the last few years the collecting of rare and uncirculated games has reached a fever pitch. It doesn’t take many classic games selling for tens of thousands of dollars for families to go scouring through their attics to see if they too might have a title that is capable of paying off their second mortgage. Unfortunately this has also led to the creation of several fake, or bootleg copies entering the mix forcing each new discovery to be heavily scrutinized for its authenticity.

Today’s diamond in the rough is brought to you by an unnamed person on the Sacramento Craigslist. The ad titled “NES Ninja Gaiden I Prototype Game – 1987 EPROM Rare!” tells a story of an individual receiving the game from a family member who passed it on to them in the late 80′s. The game remained in storage until rediscovered, and examined to be an extremely rare “prototype” of Ninja Gaiden for the NES.

This particular “prototype” has several things going for it as the game’s innards contain a PCB that is similar to many other prototype games which were unused in the commercial production of the original game. Conversely the exterior is a plain NTSC NES cart with the word ninja written in sharpie on it. While many prototypes do not bare a illustrated label, they typically contain some sort of  semi-official looking markings beyond part of the title scribbled on the cart.

At this time, the owner is looking for 500 bucks and seems very reluctant to ship the cart unless very specific (and unclarified) terms are met. If you would like to scour the details, and help join the cause to properly identify this cart, you can investigate the ad here. If we hear of any outcome we will be sure to let you all know.

Do you think this is a legit prototype? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The passing of Beastie Boys founding member Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch marks a sad day for the music community. Although he is gone, his spirit will live on in the music he created these past few decades. As the Beastie Boys were masters of the remix, YouTuber DJYuzonboy creates a fitting mashup of Beastie Boys ‘Intergalactic’ and Sonic CD’s ‘Collision Chaos’. Whether your a fan of music or video games, this song testifies to the enduring nature and legacy Adam Yauch left behind.

When it comes to video game music, Yuzo Koshiro is one of my personal favorites. For those of you who don’t know who this titan of tunes is, he’s responsible for creating the music of some of our favorite video games, most notably the Street of Rage series. Now his music always had that 90′s dance and hip hop flare, but you’d be surprised to find out just how much he was influenced by other artists of the time.

DJYuzoboy has done us all a favor and matched up a a selection of tracks that may have influenced Yuzo Koshiro during the early 90′s when he composed the Streets of Rage soundtrack. Some songs have faint similarities while others are eerily similar. Listen for yourself.

Do you think this is influence or a straight copy of the music? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

With Diablo III’s release just around the corner, now is a great time to try to bring yourself up to speed on the Diablo Universe. If you are anything like me, then even after doing more Meph runs than I can remember, I may have forgotten some of the finer details of the Diablo story. So the guys at Force Strategy Gaming have put together this excellent crash course on the entire story leading up to the events of Diablo III.

So stop watching those beta content speed runs and take a look!

Next we take a look as the story continues in the first Diablo.

And finally we see how the story expands in Diablo II.

So there you have it folks. You should be ready to take on Diablo’s minions and at the very least know what the heck everyone is talking about. Now if you don’t mind, I am going to get back to figuring out this Horadric Cube. I hear that I have quite a treasure in it.

It all started innocently enough. A fine gentleman by the name of Ryan owns a video game store in Northwest Ohio called GAMER. Recently he was approached by a friend who had a couple arcade machines from a local college that needed moved. Arcade machines that ended up in Ryan’s shop. So his friend asked if he could keep them in his store and share the profit. It seemed like a fair enough proposition. Over the next few weeks machines came trickling in.

This all sparked Ryan’s interest in the arcade game scene. And so he purchased a Street Fighter II machine from a local seller and put it in what was becoming a makeshift arcade. Even with zero advertising and only word of mouth, the machines were doing surprisingly well. This left him curious. Could or should he take things to the next level and start an actual full blown arcade?

The consensus among most was the arcade scene in America was dead and starting one in this era in this economy would be a waste of time. Undaunted he moved forward with plans. He bought more machines and mocked up blueprints for a better space to house his arcade aspirations. And to the surprise of many, it showed signs of promise. They put on their first free play all event and a good crowd turned out. $10 got you in the door to play arcade games to your hearts content. Even better a local radio station DJ who just so happens to be a huge gamer began promoting and plugging the arcade.

That brings us to today as the arcade pushes forward defying those naysayers and economic advice of others. People drive hours away just to join in and reacquaint themselves with these machines. They’ve just recently created a Facebook page with pictures of the arcade in progress. Check out their Facebook page and make sure you give them a like/follow. I’m personally glad to see an arcade thriving in this era of gaming. Here’s hoping for the best! If I’m ever passing through Ohio, I know where I’m going.

- Brian

FOX has announced today that after much speculation and rumor, Fringe will be returning in the fall for a 13 episode season to finish out the series and give it a proper ending. Rumors of cancellation has permeated the sci-fi series for a while now, but FOX executives love the show, and want to do right by the fans (One could argue it’s an apology for Firefly). Being one of my favorite series currently running on TV, I am very excited at this announcement, as I was very worried the show was going to have to end without a proper conclusion.

Check out the full announcement after the break.

FOX BOOKS “FRINGE” FOR A FIFTH AND FINAL CHAPTER

13 Episodes Ordered for 2012-2013 Season

FOX has picked up FRINGE for a fifth and final 13-episode season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company.

“FRINGE is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas. Bringing it back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve,” said Reilly “The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”  

FRINGE co-creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams added, “We are thrilled and beyond grateful that FOX – and our fans – have made the impossible possible: FRINGE will continue into a fifth season that will allow the series to conclude in a wild and thrilling way. All of us at Bad Robot are forever indebted to our viewers and the amazingly supportive FOX network for allowing the adventures of Fringe Division to not only continue, but to resolve in a way that perfectly fits the show.”

“This pickup means the world (both of them) to us, because we love sharing these stories with our enthusiastic fans,” added FRINGE showrunners and executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman. “On behalf of the cast and crew, we applaud our fans and FOX for allowing us to imagine the impossibilities together for so long. Season Five is going to be a conclusive thrill ride for all of us.”

 FRINGE’s compelling fourth season concludes with three all-new FRINGE Friday episodes in a row, counting down to the two-part season finale on Friday, May 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Friday, May 11 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). In “Worlds Apart,” airing Friday, April 27(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), team members on both sides, including Olivia (Anna Torv) and Peter (Joshua Jackson), continue to fight for a common cause, and there are shocking developments tied to the Cortexiphan children.

 Created by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, FRINGE is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Joe Chappelle serve as executive producers, while Kurtzman, Orci and Akiva Goldsman are consulting producers. Additionally, Pinkner and Wyman serve as the series’ showrunners. “Like” FRINGE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fringe. Follow the series on Twitter @fringeonfox and join the conversation at #Fringe.

I really couldn’t be more excited about this. I got hooked on the show early last season, and if you’ve never watched it, I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who ever loved The X-Files in its prime.

Source: facebook.com/fringe

- Brandon

Ubisoft announced today via Facebook that they are planning a new entry in the Silent Hunter series. The game, called Silent Hunter Online will be available for PC and will be joining Ghost Recon in Ubi’s latest attempt to bring their popular franchises to the PC with a Free to Play model.

Not too much is known yet about this title, but they did include a pre-rendered teaser which you can check out right now

I have always been a bit of a sucker for naval combat, so I just might have to give this one a shot. As a matter of fact, Ubisoft has begun taking requests for the beta, so head on over to the game’s main page and leave your email. If you get in, you will have to tell us what you think!

Jasper Byrne, creator of the fantastic Space Station Silicon Valley Demake Soul Brother has just released his new survivor horror title Lone Survivor on Steam.

In this part graphic adventure, part Silent Hill-esque shockfest you, the player, fight your way through a plagued city searching for answers and trying your best to differentiate between the horrible abominations that cross your path and your slow spiral into insanity.

This game oozes with style, and despite its Lo-Fi presentation, it is sure to give you the kind of chills you would expect from the best Cronenberg-Lynch collaboration. This game consumed most of my time last week, and I can’t recommend supporting this guy enough! If you need to see more, check out this trailer.

If you STILL aren’t convinced, you can try the demo here. Otherwise shamble on over to Steam and grab yourself a copy today!

As a musician I’m always fascinated with new forms of musical expression. So when I saw the aptly titled “Dub Cadet”, I was intrigued. Simply put, the Dub Cadet is a handheld, motion activated musical ball.

Think of it as interpretative dance for music rolled up into a ball. It contains a Hi-Fi speaker and a computerized musical brain to transform any kind of rotation into an immersive, uniquely created jingle. Any turn, spin, or wiggle triggers a new chord based on the unique way you have moved the instrument. Plus it offers several ways to sculpt the sound through fun, highly reactive buttons.

This little ball-o-sound is still in the prototype phase. You can visit their Kickstarter page if you’re interested in supporting this venture of spherical sound.

Superior Attack is Substance TV’s feature covering strategies and guides for games. This week we feature Mass Effect 3?s multiplayer mode. How to get more cash, experience, and stay alive.

These past few weeks we’ve been delving deep into the strategies of our personal favorite classes in the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer mode. This week we’ll show you how to put those strategies into practice. In this special video edition of Superior Attack, we’re going to show you how to beat the dreaded gold difficulty in the Mass Effect 3 mutilplayer. Learn the strategies to getting through each wave alive and maximize your experience and credits. I’ve easily gotten over 70,000 credits and over 100,000 points in under 30 minutes!

Enjoy and happy killing!

BTW: If you missed it, here’s the guide to building the Quarian Infiltrator used in this walkthrough.

Freelance artist Bill Mudron has put together an absolute must buy representation of the entire mushroom kingdom (warning this picture is huge) as it stands circa 1996. The attention to detail is absolutely amazing.

The best part is that the fantastic art doesn’t end there. It appears Bill has been hard at work making great pop culture art that really deserves a spotlight. Here is a commissioned piece he did for the late Hudson of America.

You can see the rest of his portfolio here. As for as the Mushroom Kingdom piece, you can preorder your copy to be shipped May 1st, or pick up his version of the land of Hyrule done in the same style right now here.

Makes me wish it came with a set of Colorforms I could stick all over them, and make my own little adventures. One can dream…

I am going to let this one sink in for a second. There is a tabletop RPG drinking game called Drinking Quest. Like with dice and character sheets, but with lots of drinking. In what can only be a match made in heaven the appropriately named company Wiseman Innovation has put together what looks to be a fantastic time for sure. Here is what they have to say about it.

“Drinking Quest is a Sword & Sorcery game like no other. It’s a light RPG but a complex drinking game, perfect for an off kilter Game Night with the gang. You’ll be slaying monsters and earning Experience Points but also downing your drink when you run out of Hit Points! Not a big drinker? That’s okay, Drinking Quest is full of enough dry wit and internet memes to entertain even the most sober of guests.”

The game is on sale on their site for 25 of those Canadian dollars, which seems to be more than worth it as the game comes with multiple adventures and all sorts fun an quirky cards. Not to mention such brilliance is surely worth the price of admission. Expect a review as soon as our copy makes it here from our northern brothers.

If you have gotten a chance to try this one out let us know in the comments below.

The word “Spin” may soon become a part of our modern tech lexicon with the likes of “Tweet” and “Liked”. That is if Jason Lawrence and Abhi Shelat have anything to say about it. They’ve developed a new app for the iPhone called Arqball Spin 3D.

What is a “Spin”? Spins are interactive visualizations of a 3D object you can zoom in, zoom out, and spin around. It mimics the experience of touching the real physical object on your mobile, tablet, or laptop. The program takes pictures at set intervals as the object spins around. Though what it spins on is the issue. To achieve a high-quality visualization requires some form of motion control. Hence the need for a standardized platform from which to create a “spin”

It’s a very cool piece of tech that has a lot of viable applications. Here’s hoping they get the funding to move forward with this project. You can find out more by visiting their Kickstarter page.

Coming fresh off the best Silent Hill in years (spoilers for my review),  Director Michael J Bassett, announced on his blog today that that the second feature length Silent Hill movie will be hitting the theaters October 26th of this year.

The movie appears to be a loose remake of Silent Hill 3, and judging by the screenshots looks at the very least get the location correct (again). I know there were a lot of haters of Hollywood’s first foray into the series, but I for one applaud their attempt at trying to take such an abstract story and do it justice.

Personally I hope they take a page from Clue and have different endings based on the location it is screened. Dog ending anyone?

Two bits of great news. First, there is a brand new 13 episode series for Lupin the III chronicling the early untold story of Lupin and his fated meeting with the dangerous but irresistible Fujiko. Second, you can watch it right now thanks to Funimation.

The series, entitled Lupin the Third: A Woman Called Fujiko Mine, began airing in Japan in early April and features all the characters you’ve grown to love, but with a little different tone than usual… Sensuality. When looking for a clip of the intro to show it became increasingly hard to find anything I would deem even remotely kosher. So instead I give you the teaser which shows off the excellent classic inspired art style.

As I eluded to before, be a bit careful watching this one with the younguns…it can be a little adult themed.

The first two episodes are available here with new episodes expected weekly, and within 48 hours of their original air date. With subtitles no less! Not too shabby Funimation! You DO have to register for the site, but we will let that slide.

What classic anime would you like to see given another shot? Let us know in the comments below.

Bethesda released a brand new trailer for their new game: Dishonored. The game, which appears to be a first person stealth assassin game is being developed by France based company Arkane Studios.  Their previous titles include Xbox game Arx Fetalis, and Dark Messiah: Might and Magic.

You assume the role of ex prisoner Corvo who is blessed by a mysterious benefactor with an amazing gift which gives him a slew of powers he will use to take down the corrupt government who seem to be oppressing the people and refusing to help with a wide spread disease that plagues the city’s commoners. The game also appears to have a dystopian steampunk aesthetic which is always a plus.

While the idea of a first person game that is heavy on platforming brings back some horrible memories, I am interested to see what this game has to offer.

Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think.

While the name Jane Jensen may not mean much to you, I am sure you have heard of one of her many amazing adventure titles that helped shape the adventure genre during the early 90′s. Her most popular series is undoubtedly the Gabriel Knight,  a three part adventure series in which main character Gabriel (Voiced by Tim Curry!) who is both a writer and supernatural investigator discovers he is destined to help protect the world from evil as a member of the Shadow Hunters. The games, rich in historical references, find Gabriel entangled in complex stories involving things such as the Holy Grail, and the Temple of Solomon.

Taking a cue from all of these classic game creators, she has turned to Kickstarter to help gain funding to helm what will be the spiritual successor to Gabriel Knight for the PC. Between this, and the new Double Fine Adventure graphic adventures are definitely seeing a resurgence. What makes her idea even more interesting, is that depending on your donation you will also be entitled to however many adventure are created for each “Season” of development. Sound confusing? Check out her Pitch can be viewed below.

Sounds like an interesting prospect, and judging from how far the funding has come in only a few days, it sounds like gamers are on board too. We will let you know as this project develops. In the mean time… Tell us your favorite adventure game memories in the comments below!

-ChuckyB

It’s that time again folks. Late last week this update was posted to the Penny Arcade Expo main page. Showing that PAX tickets should be going on sale any time now.

“We’ve gotten a lot of emails from people afraid we had sold out of PAX Prime 2012 badges…have no fear, we haven’t yet opened registration for Prime 2012. Expect that by the end of the month.”

If you have ever been interested in PAX, then I am sure you are aware just how fast these tickets can sell out. According to the same page, 3 day tickets took less than one month to sell out last year driving prices from $60 to upwards of $200 and beyond as the date drew closer. Failure to jump on them ASAP can leave you high and dry for sure, and as a visitor of the event several years now I can tell you that the event is unforgettable.

Unlike many other game conventions such as GDC or E3 this event is tailored completely to the users. Everyone who is anyone will be there to show gamers the latest and greatest they have to offer, panels will allow you to see a different side of the industry, and special concerts and events of extravagance will help round out your evenings. Do not miss out!

Why else should you be there? Well for us of course! You can count on Substance TV to be there reporting on all the latest for those of you who can’t scrounge the dough to make it. Perhaps a Substance TV meet-up is in order? Sake Bombs on me!

Stay tuned right here for news leading up to PAX including the day you can claim a pass for yourself!

PAX Prime will be located in Seattle WA, and is currently scheduled for Aug 31st-Sept 2nd

When it comes to video game music composers, Chris Huelsbeck is at the top of my list. If you don’t know who this fine gent is, he’s responsible for creating the infectious tunes of Turrican.

Now almost 20 years since he released the Turrican Soundtrack, he wants to create a brand new extensive edition with all new recordings. Here’s a short rundown of this project from the man himself:

“I’d like to create a Turrican Soundtrack Anthology Limited Edition Box Set, with nearly all of the music from the Turrican Series of Games. At least 3 CDs will contain these brand new, pristine studio recordings. Even music pieces that were featured on the 1993 Turrican Soundtrack CD will be newly recorded and arranged to update their sound. Highlights will include for the first time: the whole ‘Turrican 2 Title’, ‘Credits’ (all versions), ‘Metal Stars’, ‘Tower of Morgul’, ‘Unidirectional Flight’, ‘Concerto for Laser and Enemies’ and ‘Hall of Heroes’ – all as full length recordings/arrangements.”

I’ve already put down $50 to support this project and ensure I get myself a one of these sweet signed limited edition CD box sets. Go check out all the details yourself by visiting the Kickstarter page and donate for the cause of epic music goodness!

- Brian

Superior Attack is Substance TV’s feature covering strategies and guides for games. This week we feature Mass Effect 3′s multiplayer mode. How to get more cash, experience, and stay alive.

A few weeks ago we looked at the Quarian Infiltrator and build designed to turn the Geth into a heap of molten metal. This week we’ll take a more balanced approach to the Infiltrator class with the Salrian Infiltrator.

Goal
The goal of the Salarian Infiltrator is two-fold. First provide long range sniper fire while using Energy Drain to suck enemies dry of their precious shields/barriers. Second, cloak to activate terminals and data points. The Infiltrator’s role as a support class can mean the difference between winning and losing a round. This is especially true in silver and gold difficulties.

Weapons
The weapon of choice for the Salrian Infiltrator is the sniper rifle. Mix its’ already high damage rate with the Infiltrators cloak damage modifier for a one two punch o’ death. Now most snipers swear by the Black Widow. It’s not only powerful but has a three round clip instead of the Widow’s one shot per clip. But in my opinion, the standard Mantis is by far one of the best sniper rifles. It’s available from the get go and is cheap to level up. When maxed out it’s almost as powerful as a Widow but is 64% lighter allowing your powers to recharge more quickly. The easiest route to leveling the Mantis is by purchasing recruit packs. At 5,000 points each, you can level up a Mantis in no time flat where as leveling up the Black Widow all the way will take some luck, time, and a lot of money.

Leveling
Now that we’ve gone over some of the basics, here’s a quick overview of where you’ll want to allocate points for the Salrian Infiltrator:

Tactical Cloak
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Duration
Rank 5: Recharge Speed
Rank 6: Bonus Power

Energy Drain
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Radius
Rank 5: Drain
Rank 6: Armor Boost

Salarian Operative
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Weapon Damage
Rank 5: Headshot
Rank 6: Sniper Rifles

Fitness
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Durability
Rank 5: Shield Recharge
Rank 6: Fitness Expert

Leveling
As far as order of leveling, start with Tactical Cloak as it’s arguably your most important power. Bring it up to level 3 then start leveling up Energy Drain, Salarian Operative, and Fitness to level 3 as evenly as possible. After that bring both Tactical Cloak and Energy Drain to level 6 followed by Fitness and Salarian Operative. You’ll notice there were zero point allocated to Proximity Mine. While it is a powerful attack, I found the Infiltrator’s long range tactics and support ability does not work well with mines. Plus you’re better off using those point to upgrade other powers.

Strategy
As mentioned before this build is geared towards fighting a wide variety of enemies. While this not as effective against the Geth as the Quarian Infiltrator, it can still pack a punch with the Salarian’s Energy Drain. Using Energy Drain against Hunters temporarily stuns them and disabled their cloak. It’s a quick way to regain shields while doing damage to the enemy. When facing the Cerebrus or Reapers focus your Energy Drain against enemies with shields/barriers. The energy drain is also helpful as it stuns enemies in place to give you a clean head shot.

The Infiltrator is also responsible for picking up fallen teammates and hacking hard to reach locations. This is where your Tactical Cloak comes in handy. An Infiltrator with a fully upgraded Tactical Cloak can secure a data terminal in one fell swoop. So while your teammates are focused on the enemy, you can activate posts without being detected. Though be careful not to get too close to enemies as they’ll spot you even when cloaked.

With Bonus Power selected, you can now use one other power while cloaked allowing you to use a power like Energy Drain and maintain your cloak. This comes in handy as your shields will not recharge when cloaked. Stay in cover and use your sniper rifle to pick off enemies from afar. If things get too hectic, use Tactical Cloak to fall back and find a new position. As they say in Gradius “SHOOT IT IN THE HEAD!” Head shots are the most effective use of your sniper fire.

Parting Notes
Of course this goes without saying, stay close to your team. You’ll need your teammates to help fend of some of the enemies who get too close for comfort or if things get dicey. Your job is to help revive your fallen teammates, not the other way around. Stay far out of enemy fire and rain down sweet death upon your enemies. This build is easy to use and works on bronze, silver, and gold difficulties.

Well that should do it for this edition of Superior Attack. Come back next week when we take an in depth look at the…well you’ll just have to come back and find out now won’t you? ^_^

You think you’ve got a better Infiltrator build? Tell us about your build in the comments below!

As I trudge my way through the maze-like dungeons of Legends of Grimrock, one thing becomes painfully clear to me, there is no such thing as archaic gameplay mechanics. If you were to make a list of all of the classic gaming tropes I am sure that this game would contain many of them. Brutal difficulty, lack of communication, unrestricted character builds, and demanding gameplay elements such as hunger meters all find there way into this new PC game by Almost Human. Even then, I simply cannot put this game down. Legend of Grimrock proves that with proper balance any aspect can enrich gameplay and engross the player. Between this and the new Lone Wolf RPG it is a good time to be a classic PC gamer.

I am not even close to finishing this game yet, but I thought it would be nice to do a small walkthrough of some of the many features that Legend of Grimrock has to offer. Watch as I quickly drop myself in way over my head and see if my rag tag group of heroes make it out alive!

Legend of Grimrock is available now through several PC direct download outlets and is currently on sale for $13.49

-ChuckyB

This week marks the launch of Fez on XBLA, a title that has been highly anticipated for years. Game creator Phil Fish hasn’t been afraid to talk about how he feels about the gaming industry lately, and now it is time for him to put his money where his mouth is. Personally I could care less how a creator acts, and history has shown just how strange the artistic community can be. However a discussion about the “rebel” indie world is a conversation for another time. We are here to talk about Fez, and talking about Fez we shall.

Fez is a story about a little guy doing something…

The story of Fez initially appears to be a very shallow one. You are a little dude named Gomez who lives a simple life along with a small community of other little dudes on a floating island. One day one of the village elders requests your presence, and before you know it you are gifted a little fez hat with a powerful ability from a large floating cube. This hat gives you the ability to rotate your dimension. It is at that moment that something goes horribly wrong, and the large golden cube breaks apart sending your universe into utter turmoil.It is up to our little buddy to travel the world and recollect these fragments in hopes of saving the day.

I wish I could be more specific, but without doing some major reading between the lines, that is literally everything you can gather from the story. I may not have been the most perceptive as I traveled through the first half of the game, but unless you challenge yourself with deciphering the written language in this game you will find yourself stumped really quickly. Which leads me to the next point

Fez is a game that is much smarter than you.

It took me a little while to realize it, but there is a heck of a lot more going on here than first meets the eye. When you are first introduced to your power to rotate your perspective/world you expect most, if not all of the puzzles to adhere to a more dexterous nature of moving platforms or making crazy jumps, but that is certainly not the case. While the game can be completed (as in you can make it to the ending credits) with this style as the focus, it will take all of your wits to truly unlock what Fez has to offer. Not too far in you are introduced to Anticubes. They are rewards for much harder puzzles that will require you to decipher riddles represented by tiny pixel details, and reverse engineering an entire written language and number system. As exciting as that my sound, when this reality hit me I got dang near angry about it.

While I am a huge fan of a game that just sets you loose, this world is huge, and the few great tools you can use to help you figure these details are scattered all over this nonlinear world. A room I missed early on required you to recognize a physical representation of an old panagram which is crucial for you to even realize such depth even exists. Many puzzles left me simply assuming later I would acquire an ability that would help me solve the problem leaving me to retrace my footsteps entirely. Again though you can finish the game without much of this, you will be missing out on nearly half of the content the game has to offer. Most importantly once you have “finished” the game you are then introduced to an all new ability that blows the doors wide open.

Fez is a great game, but definitely not for everyone

If you have read this far then the statement above shouldn’t come as a shock. The hurdles you will have to climb will come to many as a huge waste of time, but they do not come without their own rewards. Solving one of the super tough puzzles on your own is as incredibly rewarding as one would expect, and both the audio and visuals are an amazing treat. Everything is fluid and adorable. The music is spacy and the sounds are full of bleeps and bloops that are sure you make you smile. Conversely being an indie title has left this game without the serious need of debugging it very much needs. My game froze no less than three times during my seven-ish hour adventure, and glitches (the unintentional ones) are common enough they should have been more than able to be isolated and fixed.

It may be hard to gather from this review, but I seriously was a fan of playing this game. Many of the problems expressed here would be more than possible to fix with minor tweaks. Fundamentally the game succeeds at what it sets out to accomplish, and it is very obvious why such a complex title took as long as it did. Give it shot, just make sure to have a pen and paper ready.

-ChuckyB

Fez was released for XBLA April 13th for 800 MSP

Internet star Brentalfloss began taking preorders today for his latest album Bits of Me. You may know him from his popular Youtube series “What if ____ had Lyrics?”. His previous album, which I was a bit of a fan of, “What If” featured more complete versions of his popular songs, some accompanied by other video game cover bands such as The Megas. That entire album is available to stream on Spotify if you would like to check it out. As for the new album, check out the teaser down below.

Preorders for the album start at $12.99 and are slated to begin shipping in early May. The album is set to include 18 songs, four of which are brand new.

How do you feel about Brentalfloss? Let us know in the comments below!

The domain Supermario4.com appears to have been registered by Nintendo. Going to the site merely redirects you to the Nintendo main page currently, however this could be an early indication of a new Mario announcement on the horizon. If you are anything like me though you probably still have a ways to go in getting 100% in Super Mario 3D Land.

What I want to know is what would you like to see in a new Mario game, and what console would you like to see it on? I am still waiting for Mario Paint on 3DS… One can dream.

Also check out this great Gamasutra interview with Super Mario 3D Land Director Koichi Hayashida.

- ChuckyB

Popular internet nerd Sega fanboy dancer Nathan Barnatt appears to have secured a deal with Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. At this point it appears to be rather preliminary, but that hasn’t stopped Nathan from posting these remarks via twitter earlier this year.

“We finally closed on a script deal with Adult Swim! Seth, Paul and I start writing a script for a Keith Apicary show next week!!”

While many people may have mixed feelings about Nathan and his brand of Comedy, I am a huge fan, and I am in strong support of his Kaufman-esque brand of trolling. As I am sure you have already seen, his latest video has seen 2.5 million views as of this posting showing that Keith has made quite a splash on “teh internets”.

How do you feel about Keith? Let us know in the comments below.

Ubisoft has re-elaborated via Facebook on what it will take to secure yourself a spot in the Ghost Recon : Future Soldier beta today. The beta is set to launch in NA on April 19 and for the rest of the details, here are their exact words.

SPLINTER CELL OWNERS: You will have automatic access to the beta from your Splinter Cell disc on the 19th – no keys needed. However, you’ll be receiving an email from us starting on April 19th with three Xbox beta access keys that you can share with friends to build your squad!

XBOX GAMESTOP PREORDERS: You will receive your beta key plus three Xbox buddy keys for you to share with friends to build your squad. Keys will be emailed to you starting on the 19th.

PLAYSTATION PLUS MEMBERS: all PlayStation Plus members will have immediate access to the beta on April 19th.

PC GAMERS: While there are no plans for a PC beta as of now, our devs are working hard to build an amazing Ghost Recon: Future Soldier experience for you on PC. We’ll keep you posted if anything changes.”

For clarification they aforementioned Splinter Cell is Splinter Cell: Conviction so if you are like I am and want to try before you buy go snag a copy of conviction ad be prepared for the run and gun action today!

Any thoughts on Ghost Recon? Share in the comments below.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is scheduled for release on May 22 in NA and is rated M for Mature.

- ChuckyB

When I was in high school, some friends of mine had the good fortune to hack the school network. As a way to pass time in programming class, they had resorted to using macros in Microsoft Access to run applications they didn’t have access to. The programming instructor had no idea this was even going on, though I would argue that he was even oblivious to his own existence.  When this became boring, they eventually moved onto running Quake III Arena and Starsiege: Tribes on the school network. That is where my experience with the series began.

Jump ahead a decade: I am a lapsed Tribes player, having not played the game or its sequel in years. Word started spreading around the internet of a new Tribes game, made by a new team. A lot of people were hesitant, worried that the new developer wouldn’t be able to nail the physics or feel of the original Tribes or even Tribes 2. First person shooters have slowed down, and are no longer the twitch oriented games they used to be. We live in the age of Call of Duty and Halo, and while those are great games in their own right, there is something missing: skiing.

“Skiing”, as it came to be called, started as a glitch in the original Tribes. It was left unpatched, and later became touted as a unique feature to the series. Skiing allows  the player to fly down a hill to generate momentum, and with use of their jetpack, they can use it to soar across the map. It wasn’t uncommon in CTF matches to spawn, fly down a hill, jetpack across the map, steal the enemy team’s flag, and fly right back. It added to the fast pace of the game, and transformed an already great team-based first person shooter into something really special.

Tribes: Ascend, which officially releases today, is developed by Hi-Rez Studios. It runs on a modified version of the Unreal Engine 3, and is free to play. Hi-Rez nailed the physics, and managed to make skiing into something every player can learn with ease. I was able to jump right in, and within a couple minutes I was soaring across the map. It has been in open beta for a while now, and after spending a couple dozen hours with it, I can safely say it is an excellent addition to a series that has been long since dormant.

Download the game here: Tribes: Ascend

Among video game fanbases, I’m finding the Sonic the Hedgehog fans to be among the most damaged, but determined. Sure, there is a ton of awful DeviantArt fanart and horrifying Sonic / Robotnik slash-fiction, but when you get beyond that, you find a dedicated group of fans doing some very cool things. Most recently there has been the fan remake of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in HD. The new hotness is taking assets and levels from the console exclusive Sonic Unleashed and dropping them into Sonic Generations.

Sonic Generations, having been fairly well received, is proving to be an excellent stomping ground for these sorts of mods. Unleashed was released to mixed reviews, with fans really enjoying the Sonic stages, while completely abhorring the “werehog” stages. By porting these levels into Generations, it gives the good parts of this game a chance to shine.

Beyond getting the actual levels themselves into Generations, the group responsible has made progress with destructible surfaces and objects, getting ever closer to turning Sonic Generations into something bigger than it might have been intended to be. I can only hope that content from Sonic Colors will receive the same treatment.

Check it out here: Sonic Retro

-Brandon

I loves me some pinball, but a gentleman who goes by the handle ARTbyTROY has taken it to the next level. In something I’ve never seen attempted he is building the ultimate LCD pinball machine. You heard right, in place of an actual pinball playfield will be a 40″ 1080p LCD monitor. Oh but it doesn’t stop there. Taking the place of your standard scoreboard and backglass is, you guessed it, two more LCD monitors.

You can check out all the details and pictures of the construction currently in process. I’m looking forward to seeing this monster in action once it’s finished.

Troy’s Ultimate Pinball Machine Build Thread

Do you ever get that feeling that the zombie apocalypse is right around the corner? Well if so, here is your ticket to lasting out more than your neighbors. Map of the Dead helps you chart out your escape route or find items to help fortify your bunker. This web app highlights key locations to assist you in surviving should the living dead coming knocking at your doorstep such as gun store, gas stations, and grocery stores in your immediate area.

If we have learned anything from the plethora of zombie films and games (and let me tell you, there are a ton) it’s that you need to get access to supplies fast and unless you already have these materials with you Map of the Dead makes it quick and easy to gain the supplies you are lacking. Be sure to hover over the map key for some clever and useful information about the places you might visit. This will be accompanied by the game “Mutiplayer Zombies” of which I don’t have much information on yet, more on that later once it is released! Special thanks to my friend Garrick E. for the pro-tip.

Are you prepared?

Namco Bandai just announced via Facebook their plans to bring One Piece: Pirate Warriors to North America as a PSN exclusive in November of this year. This is the latest title in the Dynasty Warriors crossover games created for Playstation 3.

Unlike many other similar titles this game focuses around the first 500 episodes of the One Piece anime. In addition to the typical Dynasty Warriors gameplay this title also has platforming sequences and detailed cutscenes.

We will keep you up to date at more details are discovered. For now, here is the latest Japanese trailer.

One Piece: Musou released March 1 for PS3 in Japan.

Update: press release can be seen after the jump.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES ACTION ADVENTURE
ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS FOR PLAYSTATION®3 SYSTEM

The Number One Best-selling Manga of All Time, ONE PIECE, Embarks on its Maiden Voyage Aboard the PlayStation®3 system

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, (April 11, 2012) – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS exclusively available as a digital title on the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS is developed by Omega Force / TECMO KOEI GAMES CO., LTD., and brings together the world’s most popular manga franchise with non-stop action of the DYNASTY WARRIORS franchise to create a ONE PIECE perfect storm. ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS will be available in North America in 2012.

The first nautical outing for the ONE PIECE series on the PlayStation 3 system, ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS will immerse players in the Straw Hat Pirates’ grand voyage around the globe, letting them face hordes of pirate and Marine enemies as well as experience all the great moments from the anime from Orange Town through Marineford. Faithful to the original ONE PIECE manga by Eiichiro Oda, players will relive their favorite scenes controlling many of the beloved Straw Hat Pirates including; Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and others, each with their signature moves, including Luffy’s Gum-Gum attacks.

ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS will invite players to do battle with a massive amount of opponents using the simple controls from the DYNASTY WARRIORS series to wreak havoc on the battlefield. The story mode will drop players right into the heart of the rich ONE PIECE universe filled with treasured characters, powerful enemies, touching moments and memorable scenes.

ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS for the PlayStation 3 system will be welcoming ONE PIECE fans on board in 2012. For more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. and ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS please visit http://www.namcobandaigames.com, and http://www.facebook.com/namco.

ONE PIECE the animated series is available for purchase on the PlayStation®Store. For more information about the animated series please visit http://www.onepieceofficial.com.

- Chuckyb

Superior Attack is Substance TV’s feature covering strategies and guides for games. This week we feature Mass Effect 3′s multiplayer mode. How to get more cash, experience, and stay alive.

Out of all the new races announced in the Ressurgance Pack for Mass Effect 3′s multiplayer, personally the Krogan Battlemaster was by far the most anticipated addition. It seemed like a match made in heaven. It combines the Krogan’s blood thirsty mentality with the Vanguard’s up close and personal play style. Plus with Biotic Charge we finally have a Krogan with some speed.

His play style does differ from the Human Vanguard we covered earlier. Of course like all Vanguards he has the trademark Biotic Charge ability which slams you into a targeted opponent. Though unlike the Human Vanguard, Nova has been replaced with Carnage. Personally I’m not sure what BioWare was thinking with giving the Krogan Battlemaster Carnage. I don’t find Carnage to be particularly effective with the Krogan Battlemaster. It works wonders for my Battlefield 3 Solider, but in the heat of battle using precious recharge time for Carnage instead of Biotic Charge is not a sound tactic.

Barrier on the other hand is a welcome ability turning the already tank-like Krogan into an almost unstoppable juggernaut! This does come at a price. While the Barrier enhances the Krogan’s already stalwart defenses, it does increase the cooldown time of your other powers.

Now let’s get right into the ability list. If you’ve been playing Vanguard much you’ve hopefully got the class to a decent level and can start upgrading the Krogan Battlemaster immediately. I’d recommend getting Biotic Charge upgraded first followed by Barrier/Rage and even it our with Krogan Battlemaster. Note the first three power ups in each ability are not marked as there is no choice.

Biotic Charge:
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Force & Damage
Rank 5: Melee
Rank 6: Barrier

Barrier:
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Barrier Strength
Rank 5: Power Synergy
Rank 6: Barrier Strength

Krogan Battlemaster:
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Damage/Capacity
Rank 5: Power Damage
Rank 6: Weapon Damage

Rage:
Rank 1: -
Rank 2: -
Rank 3: -
Rank 4: Durability
Rank 5: Shield Recharge
Rank 6: Pure Rage

Using this build is simple but requires proper execution. Start the round by activating Barrier. Like all Vanguards Biotic Charge is your main mode of transportation, but since you don’t have Nova, use the Krogan’s melee attack to start a chain reaction. Your goal is to kill smaller enemies with melee attacks. Killing three enemies with melee attacks within 30 seconds fuels the Krogan’s rage to increase melee damage and reduce all damage for thirty seconds. By this time your Biotic Charge should be close to full if not already. If not you can always pepper your foes with a few well placed shotgun rounds for good measure. Rinse and repeat this process.

Now the Barrier isn’t just for physical protection. It also has a secondary affect. While activated you’re immune to stagger. This means you are literally a walking tank. Your attacks can’t be interrupted and this allows you to put the hurt on without a care. Add to that the ability to Biotic Charge and you’ve got a unstoppable warp speed death machine. You can also detonate your Barrier if in a pinch, but I’d recommend using it only when necessary.

As with the Human Vanguard, the only other enemies you need to be wary of are the Atlas, Phantom, and Banshee. These enemies have the ability to kill you in one hit. In the case of the Krogan Battlemaster this is made even worse since he does not have the ability to roll making up close combat a gamble.

When it comes to weapons, stick with something light like a Katana shotgun or a Carnifex pistol. Attaching a mod to enhance your melee damage is advisable unless you want to go for more weapon damage.

I’ve really enjoyed my time with the Kragon Battlemaster. I miss the Human Vanguard’s Nova, but the Krogan’s melee attack with Rage is a fair trade off. Just make sure before you go barreling head first into a group of enemies, you know what you’re getting into. Nothing sucks more than charging a measly Husk to find two Banshees around the corner ready to greet you with that creepy face. Just make sure you stick fairly close to your teammates. I’ve found a good strategy is to act as an escort/bouncer. While you’re busy taking fire and clearing a path your corhorts can light up the enemy with you as a handy distraction.

That’s about it. Good luck and may you fight with honor for Tuchanka!

What’s you’re Krogan Battlemaster build like? Tell us about your build in the comments below!

Here is Galileo for the iPhone. This is an already funded Kickstarter project that I think most would be interested in, whether you are an amateur photographer, professional photographer, videographer, or just a person who likes cool shit.

So what is Galileo? Basically it is an iPhone dock/charging unit that can be remotely rotated to any angle via another iOS device (i.e. an iPad or another iPhone). What is so great about this product is its multiple uses from recording video, time-lapse photography, video conferencing, baby monitoring and more! It also features a standard tri-pod mount for easy incorporation with the things you already own. If you are interested now is the time to buy. Before the project funding date ends (10 days from now) you can pick it up for $85, or if you wait till general sale it will be $130. You can gets yours by visiting their Kickstarter page and backing their project to at least $85. Check out the video to see more!

Do you plan on backing this project? Have a use for it? Let us know in the comments!

At first glance Caine Monroy seems like your normal 9 year old boy. During summer break he would spend his days at his father’s used auto parts store. Then one day a magic mixture of boredom, cardboard, and imagination spawned a simple yet grand idea: a cardboard arcade machine. As time went on, one machine turned an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto parts store.

But Caine dreamed of sharing his emporium of pressed board with others. So he spent countless hours working on his arcade hoping the day would come when lots of customers would visit his arcade. His father’s auto parts store didn’t get much foot traffic. This made Caine’s hope of having an arcade full of patrons seem unlikely. Though like any good entrepreneur he pressed on. The video below is a documentary about Caine’s corrugated journey. As a father and long time lover of arcade, this was inspiring. The American arcade may be dead, but this video prove its’ spirit and social impact is still relevant today.

I’ve reached that awful point in the year where I decide that it’s time to renew my membership in the “Glorious PC Gaming Master Race” by upgrading individual components of my gaming rig. I’ve needed a new keyboard for a while now, so I spent a few weeks considering my options and looking around to see what is out there.

I decided pretty early on that it was time to make the switch to a mechanical keyboard, so at that point it was a matter of narrowing down my options. A lot of people don’t really understand the difference, stating that a “keyboard is a keyboard”, but there are a lot of things to consider. Most keyboards found on the market are “rubber dome” keyboards, which use a rubber sheet between the keys and an incomplete circuit. When the keys are depressed, they complete the circuit and the result is user input.

Mechanical keyboards operate differently, using mechanical switches for each individual key. Beyond that, things start getting a little more complicated. I’m not going to bore you with keyboard lore and lingo, or try and explain why one type of switches is better than another. That being said, let me tell you about this keyboard.

This is the DAS Model S Ultimate keyboard. It is a fully mechanical keyboard, using Cherry MX Blue switches, which provide a nice, loud clicky sound, along with accurate tactile response. Admittedly, I bought the blank one for aesthetic reasons, though they offer a version with labeled keys. I’m familiar enough with a keyboard that it wasn’t an issue, so I took the dive and jumped into the world of mechanicals.

I’ve had this keyboard for a couple weeks now, and all I can say is that i wonder how I survived so long without it. It was a little on the expensive side, but almost immediately I didn’t care. Adding to that, I instantly noticed an increase in my typing speed and accuracy. I’m finding joy in the simple act of typing. I don’t know how to explain that, but just sitting around, hacking away at code has become an enjoyable process. It is very quick to respond, a sharp contrast from the almost “oatmeal” feeling of the typical rubber dome keyboard. This keyboard really is amazing for typing.

While it is excellent for typing, I feel I should definitely make a case for its performance as a gaming keyboard. The MX Blue switches aren’t exactly the best mechanical switches for FPS style games. That being said, I’ve had absolutely no problems playing Team Fortress 2 or Tribes: Ascend with it. Where this keyboard really excels, however, is in an RTS setting. I’ve spent a few hours playing Starcraft 2 with it as I work my way back through the single player campaign, trying my best to use as many of the keyboard shortcuts as I can to speed up my game and become a better player. I can already say that the difference is very noticeable. I know that good hardware doesn’t always equal better player performance, but sometimes it really helps. This is one of those cases.

The keyboard is USB, and requires two USB slots for use. I was a little confused by this until I noticed it has two USB inputs on the keyboard itself, so that quickly becomes a non issue. It also included a PS/2 to USB adaptor which adds full rollover to the keyboard to the USB amount of six. No, it isn’t likely that you’ll be needing to press over six keys at the same time, but it’s nice to have it should the situation arise. Additionally, the keyboard is actually fairly heavy. I don’t mind this at all. It feels well built, and judging by the weight, it is well built, and it won’t slide around your desk.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG2fqsbryCQ[/youtube]

The biggest problem I really have with it, and I wouldn’t even consider it a problem, is the volume. Being a mechanical keyboard, it is a little bit on the loud end of the spectrum, especially if you’re used to standard rubber dome keyboards. Some people find the noise to be incredibly annoying. I’m not one of those people, so it doesn’t bother me one bit. I actually find it to be somewhat soothing in my own weird sort of way. There’s just something nice about pressing a key and getting a good, resounding click sound out of it in response.

The DAS Model S Ultimate Keyboard retails online for $129, but if you send DAS an e-mail, you can get a student discount which helps knock the price down a little bit. If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer, especially if you’re a programmer of any kind, I can’t recommend this keyboard enough.

- Brandon

In 2010 the indie game Super Meat Boy burst onto the scene and became a massive hit. Now imagine mixing the plaforming time trials of Super Meat Boy with the baby Moses levels from Bible Adventures. What do you get? A little game known as Offspring Fling. Offspring Fling is a video game about a poor forest creature that has misplaced all of her children. It’s your job to find them all while solving progressively difficult levels. If that isn’t hard enough, you’re also judged by how quick you finish a level so time is of the essence.

Offspring Fling was created by Kyle Pulver and soundtrack by Alec Holowka. I’ve been watching MAN of MANvsGAME stream it live and it’s looks amazing. Of course since I’m a sucker for pixel art this is a no brainer for me. On top of that the game can be purchased for a paltry $8. That’s $8 for over 100 levels of action platforming goodness.

When we asked Kyle about the possibility of a level editor, he was tight lipped but did hint a level editor is in the works along with some other features. If, or more likely when a level editor is released it will be free as all updates are included with your $8 purchase. Go to http://retroaffect.com/offspringfling/ and download it today. The cute furry forest creatures must be saved! Or if this article hasn’t convinced you, watch this tasty little video.

Offspring Fling is available for PC & Mac and was released March 30th, 2012.

On the Horizon is a feature that looks at new upcoming projects which have particularly caught the interest of Substance TV and deserve a bit of attention. Today we will be talking about Monaco.

Andy Schatz is a name that has been popping up more and more lately. Most recently he played MC at the GDC: Independent Games Festival 2012. He has also spent the better part of 2 years working on what is easily one of my most anticipated games, Monaco.

Two years ago, mere months into development, Andy brought his new game to that very same convention. It was there that he took home not only the award for Excellence in Design, but also the Grand Prize for Best in Show. His unique take on stealth gameplay combined with simple controls and 4 player Co-op wowed judges and it wasn’t long before Monaco became the game to watch.

So here we are two years later, and Monaco has come a long ways. Having played the title at both previous PAX Prime events, I have seen the game evolve and can promise this is one game that will not disappoint.

Before you take a peek at the gameplay, I think a little explanation is in order.

Monaco is a four player, online capable Co-op heist game where the objective is to infiltrate an area and recover sensitive materials while dodging guards and collecting goodies. You will play as one of many different classes with unique abilities. Familiarizing yourself with your abilities and ideal paths of execution make this title a game about dexterity and conflict awareness unseen since classic arcade titles such as Pac-Man.

The control scheme is rather interesting in itself. Nearly every task you need to complete can be done by simply pushing the analog stick towards whatever you are trying to do be it hacking a computer to shut down cameras, or picking a lock on a door to sneak in the back.

With these things in mind take a look and watch one of the earlier stages taken on by Schatz, and his level editor Andy Nguyen. I recommend full-screening the video, and focusing on one character in particular so you can see how the previously mentioned mechanics work.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtpLP4_losA&list=UUJCCp54kYdZxhi4D2gkIT2A&index=2&feature=plcp[/youtube]

One of the best things about this game is there are dozens of ways of handling every stage, and finding the fastest route while still collecting the most points will add endless replay value to an already amazing game. Combine that with an extensive level editor shown here, and a promised 50+ (!) levels already packed in and you have a game that will be talked about for years to come.

Monaco has no release date, however the game is moving along rather quickly lately (wink wink). It is currently planned for PC/Mac and at least one console.

- ChuckyB

Superior Attack is Substance TV’s feature covering strategies and guides for games. This week we feature Mass Effect 3′s multiplayer mode. How to get more cash, experience, and stay alive.

Last week we talked about the Vanguard class. While the Vanguard relies heavily on up close brute force, the Infiltrator is the exact opposite relying on stealth and long distance sniping to complete objectives. More specifically we’ll be looking at the Quarian race. This specific build was created for one purpose: kill Geth.

Goal
The goal of the Quarian Infiltrator is two-fold. First provide long range sniper fire while using Sabotage to hack key enemy Geth targets. Second, cloak to activate terminals and data points. The Infiltrator’s role as a support class can mean the difference between winning and losing a round. This is especially true in silver and gold difficulties.

Weapons
The weapon of choice for the Quarian Infiltrator is the sniper rifle. Mix its’ already high damage rate with the Infiltrators cloak damage modifier for a one two punch o’ death. Now most snipers swear by the Black Widow. It’s not only powerful but has a three round clip instead of the Widow’s one shot per clip. But in my opinion, the standard Mantis is by far one of the best sniper rifles. It’s available from the get go and is cheap to level up. When maxed out it’s almost as powerful as a Widow but is 64% lighter allowing your powers to recharge more quickly. The easiest route to leveling the Mantis is by purchasing recruit packs. At 5,000 points each, you can level up a Mantis in no time flat where as leveling up the Black Widow all the way will take some luck, time, and a lot of money.

Leveling
Now that we’ve gone over some of the basics, here’s a quick overview of where you’ll want to allocate points for the Quarian Infiltrator:

Tactical Cloak
Rank 1: Tactical Cloak
Rank 2: Recharge Speed
Rank 3: Duration
Rank 4: Damage
Rank 5: Recharge Speed
Rank 6: Sniper Damage

Sabotage
Rank 1: Sabotage
Rank 2: Recharge Speed
Rank 3: Radius
Rank 4: Duration
Rank 5: Explosive Hack
Rank 6: Berserk

Quarian Defender
Rank 1: Quarian Defender
Rank 2: Weapon Damage
Rank 3: Power Damage
Rank 4: Damage & Capacity
Rank 5: Headshot
Rank 6: Weapon Damage

Fitness
Rank 1: Fitness
Rank 2: Durability
Rank 3: Melee Damage
Rank 4: Durability
Rank 5: Shield Recharge
Rank 6: Fitness Expert

Leveling
As far as order of leveling, start with Sabotage as it’s your most important power. Bring it up to level 3 then start leveling up Tactical Cloak, Quarian Defender, and Fitness to level 3 as evenly as possible. After that bring both Tactical Cloak and Sabotage to level 6 followed by Fitness and Quarian Defender. You’ll notice there were zero point allocated to sticky grenade. While it is a powerful attack, I found the Infiltrator’s long range tactics didn’t jive with throwing grenades. You’re better off leveling up your other powers.

Strategy
As mentioned earlier, the Infiltrator is responsible for using Sabotage as much as possible. But remember to always cloak first BEFORE using Sabotage. This shortens the cool down time of both powers. Sabotage serves a secondary purpose in that any controlled Geth will momentarily stop dead in their tracks giving you a nice clear head shot. Make sure to focus on the more powerful enemies such as Pyros or Primes to maximize the damage dealt by your Sabotage. If other Infiltrators are present, keep a watchful eye on what other Geth are already being controlled. There’s nothing worse than wasting a perfectly good Sabotage on an already controlled unit. Also don’t forget the effects of Sabotage becomes less and less effective the more times you repeatedly use it on the same enemy. Occasionally your Sabotage will not work. Don’t worry, just keep trying until you get them under your control.

The second and most important responsibility of the Infiltrator is to pick up fallen teammates and hack hard to reach locations. This is where your Tactical Cloak comes in handy. An Infiltrator with a fully upgraded Tactical Cloak can secure a data terminal in one fell swoop. So while your teammates are focused on the enemy, you can activate posts without being detected. Though be careful not to get too close to enemies as they’ll spot you.

Parting Notes
Of course this goes without saying, stay close to your team. You’ll need your teammates to help fend of some of the enemies who get too close for comfort or if things get dicey. Your job is to help revive your fallen teammates, not the other way around. Stay far out of enemy fire and rain down sweet death upon your enemies. This build is easy to use and works on bronze, silver, and gold difficulties.

Well that should do it for this edition of Superior Attack. Come back next week when we take an in depth look at the Salarian Infiltrator.

You think you’ve got a better Infiltrator build? Tell us about your build in the comments below!

It seems like it has been quite a while since there has been a JRPG that worth talking about. The latest attempt at bringing the classic formula to a modern console comes from Monolith soft in the form of Xenoblade: Chronicles for the Nintendo Wii. Xenoblade is a title that needs no introduction, Operation Rainfall did a dang good job of that. The fight to bring the title stateside succeeded and here we are with another RPG to play, but is it any good? The short answer is absolutely. However, if you have a bit more time I would like to explain to you why.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm3deGWKe08[/youtube]

Xenoblade is aware of what makes RPGs suck.

Right from the outset Xenoblade is a game that works to fight typical RPG tropes while embracing everything fans of the genre have grown to love. Gone are random battles, or surprise fights against monsters way out of your league. As soon as you see an enemy, his level and name are shown allowing you to pick and choose your battles. Hell, if you happen to get taken down, you will find yourself at the beginning of the area wiser and ready to fight. Xenoblade is a title that is all about testing your capabilities. In less than an hour you will see humongous creatures wandering the map begging for a fight. There are even whole areas you will find yourself coming back to 20+ hours later.

The combat system itself is sort of a hybrid of a real time system where your movement is not restricted and attacks will have a cool down, but position and comboing will lead to more damage or improved status effects. The system is efficient, and I seldom found it boring. Range can also play a key part in how attacks go off, and it can get annoying as you only control one character at a time. The AI does a great job with most of the characters, however the main offensive magic user is best controlled personally.

The game is also aware of how painful backtracking can be. It has implemented a fantastic fast travel system. Combine that with quick loading times and you will find areas traversed and quests completed at a nice clip. That isn’t to say the game will move by too quickly. There is always something to do, and you will often find yourself overwhelmed with optional quests. They are just that though, optional. My play-through of the title clocked around 100 hours, and I still had plenty to do. If you are only interested in the main story I believe you could experience that in around 40 hours of playtime.

Another satisfying aspect lies in the equipment system. Every piece of your equipment has a unique visual appearance that renders on your character and will even appear during cut-scenes. It is also a small incentive to finish the side quests in an area as they ofter lead to another matching piece in a specific set. Each armor piece and weapon also come with sockets which can be outfitted with gems of varying attributes created in their own little alchemy mini-game.

Xenoblade tells an acceptable story, but nothing unheard of.

It is hard to talk about the story of Xenoblade at any length as nearly anything would be a spoiler. Needless to say if you have ever played a Xeno game you are very familiar with the conventions. The majority of the adventure takes place on the bodies of two humongous entities who are engaged in an enormous war which ended with both dealing a fatal blow to each other. The living creatures that inhabit the bodies seem to have continued their master’s war. Long gone are the motives, and all that is left are grudges fought out on the battlefield.

The story opens as war hero Dunban and his friends engage in the final charge in an important battle against the enemy forces. It appears the humans are also in possession of a mighty sword called the Monado. While the attack is considered a success, effectively ending the war, merely using the sword deals serious injuries to Dunban and questions rise about how they would defend against another attack. That is where the main character comes in. Shulk is a boy with a mysterious past who hopes to one day wield the Monado and protect his friends from the incoming threat. The story does eventually take some interesting turns, however I did find the ending to be a little too convoluted and “out there”.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is the soundtrack. Even though the game have several different composers (including one track by the legendary Mitsuda), the album still holds together well. Seldom is there an OST that excels in nearly every area. I found myself returning to areas simply to catch a tune again. Below is a clip of an overworld theme appearing early in the game that I found particularly stunning.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NLrE2R-5eo[/youtube]

Xenoblade is a quality RPG unlike anything seen in a long time.

Even with all the praise, Xenoblade is not infallible. The one liners that characters fire off are few and repetitive. There is also one large detour late in the game that unfortunately comes after some large plot development. However, these problems are so incredibly minute that only the extremely critical will have a hard time getting over it. The graphics are very impressive, the story is fun, and the combat is fast and clever.This is one of the few games that lives up to the hype completely.

Go out, grab it, and check it out for yourself!

- ChuckyB

As a lover of chiptune music combining itself with other genres that make very little sense, I was really excited when I found out about The Depreciation Guild. I was then immediately saddened when I found out that they had disbanded early last year, with their second album having come out mid-2010. The Depreciation Guild started out as a chiptune shoegaze band, mixing elements of My Bloody Valentine texture with the chirps and beeps of a Game Boy. By the time their second album was released, the chiptune element had been reduced to some melodies here and there, mostly for texture to blend with the My Bloody Valentine-style guitar.

For the uninformed, shoegaze is a musical genre built around the idea of using fuzzy guitars as texture. Vocals are often a bit lower in the mix, and the result is usually a wall of noise that you can just get lost inside of. Truthfully, it’s usually a love-it-or-hate-it kind of genre, and for that I can understand people not being into it. That being said, The Depreciation Guild was a band that sounded like Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine and Bobby Wratten of The Field Mice / Trembling Blue Stars got together to play video games. If that means anything to you, you’re in for a treat. If you love spacey guitar and 8-bit bleep bloops, you’re also in for something special.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ShwvRYAbcw[/youtube]

My friends know that I am a huge fan of shoegaze music, and it has been a major influence on my own guitar playing, so finding a band that mixes that style of playing with chiptunes is something I could get really into. The two main members of the band, Kurt Feldman and Christoph Hochheim later went on to play in fuzzy indie pop band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and some similarities are definitely apparent between the two. I really like this band, and like I said, if you like some spacey guitar and bleep bloops, I think you’ll like it too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXFj94qr0R0[/youtube]

You can find their original debut EP for download over at 8bitpeoples for free, and you can find mp3 downloads of both of their full length albums available on Amazon for under ten dollars each.

- Brandon

If you have ever put any time into a Nintendo title the name Koji Kondo is one I am sure you are familiar with. As Nintendo’s star composor he has helped score some of the most prolific titles Nintendo has ever created including nearly all of the Mario and Zelda titles. His style is very identifiable and upon hearing any of his more popular songs instantly creates nostalgia.

Today, however, we are going to talk about my favorite Nintendo Composer; the ever-talented Kazumi Totaka. While the name may not immediately ring a bell you have probably found yourself bobbing along with some of his awesome soundtracks.

His compositions are very unique featuring a more diverse and unconventional set of instruments. His sound also has an almost elevator music quality which is probably why they got him to do many of the themes for the Wii and 3DS menus as well.

The more interesting story of Totaka lies in his signature in nearly all of his games. Hiding somewhere, sometimes deep within his games, is a 19 note song known as “Kazumi Totaka’s Song”. Usually after waiting a predetermined amount of time during a specific song the music will fade and the little jingle will start. We will now take a moment to highlight some of the more common occurrences of the song. First up is Mario Paint.

Mario Paint was a painting, animating, and music composing “game” for the SNES that utilized the mouse as a controller. It also featured one of the coolest title screens. When you clicked on a letter in the title each letter would yield some sort of fun animation or effect. For the sake of the trick we will be focusing on the O. When pressed, a small fuse would come out exposing the O as a bomb! When it exploded the screen would jumble and fly around, but most importantly you would have your first taste of the Totaka song.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruFzO2X-h8w[/youtube]

The next game on our list is Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins for the Gameboy. For this one all you have to do is die… that’s it. When you are greeted with the game over screen sit tight for a few minutes and the music will fade into, you guessed it, Totaka’s Song. In the below video the song will begin at 2:42

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js7y-KOO7Gg[/youtube]

The final games we will focus on is Animal Crossing: City Folk for Wii and Animal Crossing on Gamecube. There is a character within the game named K.K Slider, he will be our target for our next rendition of the song. Every Saturday around 8pm he can be found in the bar on the Wii version or by the train station in the Gamecube version. He takes requests for songs and if you ask for “K.K. Song” you will not only have him play Totaka’s song, but he will also send you away with a copy you can play at your house. An interesting side note, the character K.K. was actually based on Totaka, or rather his nickname given by fans “Totakeke”.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGzwpnRbnYQ[/youtube]

These are just a few of the many places you can find the elusive song. Even to this day there are still titles scoured in hopes of hearing that odd little jingle. Perhaps you can help join the search. If you have ever found this Easter egg yourself spill the beans in the comments below!

-ChuckyB

Living in an age of crappy movie remakes is enough to make anyone nervous. So when they announced a reimagining of the 90′s cyber punk hit Total Recall, I was certainly one of the first in a long line of skeptics. Last week saw the release of an all new trailer that has actually received positive reception, and while I find it entirely too soon to remake this franchise, even I found trailer to be pretty dang cool.

The Total Recall story follows the story of Douglas Quaid(Collin Farrel),  a blue collar worker looking for a little excitement. When he discovers the company Rekall has developed a method of artificially implanting memories, he visits them with hopes of spicing up his life. After what appears to be a horribly botched job, Douglas finds himself rapped up in an incredible story all the while trying to piece together what is real and what is not.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA-18LuLDEQ[/youtube]

Tell us how you feel about the new trailer, or remakes in general in the comments below!

-ChuckyB

Total Recall starring Collin Farrel, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, and Bryan Cranston is set to release August 3 2012

We start this issue off with a little news of our own. Substance TV is proud to welcome Shawn Murphy and Brandon Dickerson to the crew and we answer your questions about these fine lads.

In our main topic we address the dark side of video game reviews. From accusations of reviewers being fired for not giving a game a positive score, publishers bribing reviewers to give better scores, or developer’s pay determined by Metacritic scores, we look at what happens when video game reviews go bad.