Of course, it’s no secret that Fable is a great game, so the most important aspects of this release is if it’s aged well (read above) and the quality of the port. Simply put, the result is leaps and bounds above the original. Fidelity, special effects and lighting have all improved and it’s clear to see the differences in almost every area. Upgrades to characters and building exteriors are the most noticeable, with faces seeming more realistic and less pixelated and buildings revealing never-before-seen nuances. Even trees in the backgrounds and leaves on the pathways of villages are more detailed. Everything has a smooth look which gives it a nice overall aesthetic comparable to other Xbox 360 games. The only flaw in the new look is that sometimes things can be a bit too smoothed over and come across a little smeary. Sometimes the sharp edges of the original helped to keep objects separated, something that can sometimes be a problem here. The other continually noticeable boost is the lighting, with plenty of new shadow effects and nuances between different lighting situations, where as before things were basically light or dark. Overall, while it’s not perfect and hampered by the fact that practically every Xbox 360 game now looks long in the tooth, it’s certainly the preferable way to experience the game — nostalgia or not.
We know that a new Smash Bros. is inevitable, but the real question is will it be on the Wii 2 or 3DS, or both? Hopefully this question will be revealed in the coming weeks, but in the meantime hardcore fanboys of the franchise, such as myself have Brawl to keep us entertained while we wait for more new on Smash Bros.
The scariest part of Big Boo’s Haunt is when players approach the seemingly normal piano on the first floor, only for it to spring to life and try eat Mario with its sharp fangs, resulting in one of the only jump scares in Super Mario series history. Now that a fan game lets fans play Super Mario 64 in co-op , though, perhaps Big Boo’s Haunt won’t seem quite as sc
There are, however, a few third-party titles that Microsoft has included as part of their press conferences in past years, that should be front and center once again — chiefly among them Modern Warfare 3 . With the map exclusivity deal between Microsoft and Call of Duty comes an assumption that Microsoft will be the company to show off the first demo of the g
If there’s one thing that gamers everywhere seem to hold their breath for, it’s Halo . Since Bungie parted ways with the property after completing development on Halo: Reach , the reins of the series has been handed over to the more than capable minds at 343 Industries. While the idea of a Halo 4 is just too good to imagine, industry rumors have been pointing to a game not only being under development, but even scheduled for a holiday release. The latest industry rumors point to the next game not being the continuation of Master Chief’s story, but rather an HD remake of Halo: Combat Evolv
Fable Anniversary is a port of ten year old game released on eight year old hardware after we’ve witnessed the power of next-gen. Yet even with so much stacked against it, it manages to impress. There’s not much of a “wow-factor” because of its ill-timed release, but with the exception of completely rebuilding the game for Xbox One, there simply isn’t much else that could be done that isn’t accomplished here. Sound, functionality and graphics are all substantially improved and breath new life into a game that has aged remarkably well. Even after two sequels and console generations, Fable has the uncanny ability to suck you into its adventure through the world of Albion. Anniversary is more of a preservation if anything, ensuring that the entire franchise can now be played in the same manner on the same console. As a museum piece, it’s a wonderful effort that ensures the game will remain relevant for a new generation of players. As a game, it’s the definitive edition of a superb title that has a lot to offer even in 2014.
Whereas most of Half-Life 2 is a straightforward sci-fi Adventure Games Money Guide, the city of Ravenholm is where the game ventures into horror territory and provides the franchise’s scariest moments. Gordan Freeman reaches Ravenholm shortly after acquiring the Gravity Gun, which comes in handy when fighting off the headcrabs and zombies that are swarming the pl
When it comes to Fable 4 though, there are a lot of qualities from previous games in the series that we hope to see return. Combat has always been one of the most exciting elements, as well as the game’s ability to tell a story that feels as if it is the definition of epic. Where the games tend to go wrong is more in the subtle details, like last year’s ‘Road to Rule’ mechanics — namely the handholding and the third act decision-focused parts of the g
What’s most likely is that a big Half-Life 3 reveal will come when Valve is ready to unveil a brand new game engine to the masses in the same way that they did with Half-Life 2 and their Source engine. But will that be at this E3? It doesn’t seem likely , but we’re still keeping our fingers crossed as Half-Life 3 remains the most elusive PC game of the last half decade, and is pushing for a much bigger gap than that between Half-Life and Half-Life 2 . We still want to know what happens to our world, just who the G-Man is, and just how humanity is going to survive the continued Combine thr