Torchlight II announcements at PAX Prime

Man I wish I was at PAX. Runic Games announced this morning updates for Torchlight II. A game I cannot wait for after loving Torchlight so much. The title did have a delay from the spring and is set for a PC launch in 2011 (no exact date listed). Penny pinching gamers rejoice! Torchlight II will be sold for $19.99. The same price as the original. “It’s always been our goal to provide exceptional value for the price,” says Max Schaefer, CEO of Runic Games. “Everyone who wants to play Torchlight II will be able to comfortably afford to do so, and they’ll be able to play with their friend online or via a LAN, or play single player offline, all with no further purchases.”” The other announcement was about the fourth playable class, Embermage. The picture on the link looks like one pissed off Princess Jasmine! I hope everyone

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Ubisoft’s bringing a lot to PAX Prime…

I think Ubisoft’s bringing everything it’s got to PAX Prime for people to play. They’ll have four booths (632, 622, 612 and 832), so they definitely need a lot to fill them. They’ll have something there for pretty much any kind of gamer. Take a look at the lineup:   Assassin’s Creed Revelations From Dust Just Dance 3 Might & Magic Heroes VI Might & Magic Heroes Kingdoms Rayman Origins Rocksmith Shoot Many Robots Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier TrackManiaCanyon There will also be a panel on the development of the latest game in the Assassin’s Creed series: Assassin’s Creed Panel Main Theatre (Paramount at 911 Pine Street) Friday, August 26 from 6-7pm Conference attendees can join members of the Assassin’s Creed Revelations development team for a live on-stage demo of the thrilling fourth instalment in the critically acclaimed entertainment franchise. Fans will be

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Nintendo announces release date for ‘Kirby’s Return to Dream Land’, PAX lineup

At PAX this week, gamers will be able to get their hands on some very anticipated games from Nintendo for 3DS, Wii and DS: Nintendo 3DS Super Mario 3D Land Mario Kart 7 Kid Icarus: Uprising Star Fox 64 3D The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D Pokédex 3D Shinobi™ by SEGA® Sonic Generations by SEGA   Wii The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Rhythm Heaven (name not final) Fortune Street   Nintendo DS Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 Kirby Mass Attack Nintendo will also have a Nintendo Gaming Lounge in the North Galleria, which will be decorated to celebrate the launch of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land on October 24, as well as Kirby Mass Attack‘s release on September 19. You’ll be able to eat cotton candy in Kirby’s pink color (Uhhh), sit on Kirby beanbag chairs (I want one) and get special

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Square Enix and Airtight Games debuting new, ‘quirky’ title at PAX Prime

At PAX Prime, which is…this week (where has the time gone?), Square Enix and Airtight Games are revealing a brand-new project. This unveiling is actually part of a panel featuring the development team, which includes Kim Swift. (Who was in integral part of the development of Portal and the two Left 4 Dead titles, by the way.) They will apparently be discussing the process of “bringing an incredibly fascinating and quirky game to life.” I’m okay with that. The panel takes place on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Pegasus Room. Square Enix is also bringing Dead Island, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Heroes of Ruin and Wakfu to the convention.

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PAX 10 crowns the top 10 indie games

There were over 100 submissions, but this year’s PAX 10 have been announced. These games are, according to a group of industry professionals, the top ten of the bunch. They range from things you’ve probably heard of (Atom Zombie Smasher, Word Fighter, Fez) to others…well, you’ll know them in good time. My personal favorite of the bunch? Alexander Bruce’s Antichamber, which was once known as Hazard: The Journey of Life. All winners will be featured at PAX Prime in late August. The winning entries are: A Flipping Good Time (PC) – Digipen Institute of Technology – Players will have a flipping good time in this fast-paced free-flowing 2D platformer as they flip and fly through an expansive underground world using the fluid nature of gravity to avoid hazardous terrain.   Antichamber (PC) – Alexander Bruce -  Journey through the depths within a non-Euclidean labyrinth where geometry and space follow unfamiliar

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Can the Penny Arcade Expo get any better?

Most of the big video game companies in attendance?  Check Huge convention center to hold it all in? Check Best group of people you’ll ever hang out with? Check New and up-coming games from E3 and some PAX exclusives available to play?  Check Halo fest?  Chec…..WAIT WHAT?   Yes, if it was EVEN remotely possible PAX just got better-er-er-er-er.  During PAX Prime, Halo waypoint announced that a Halo Fest would be happening all 3 days from 10am to 6pm.  Bringing tournaments, panels and sweet prices.   So, if you are still reading and you haven’t passed out do to how exciting this is, I have one more thing to say….IT’S FREE WITH YOUR PAX PRIME PASS!!!   *passes out*  

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A new PAX? Yes, but only if you’re a developer

During the two days preceding PAX Prime (August 24 and 25), developers get to have their own fun — alone, at their very own PAX Dev in the Sheraton Seattle Hotel. What will they find there? Well, no press, for one. (Darn.) No great big exhibition hall. Just learning and debate with fellow developers with no distractions, only game development. That includes all games, from the video variety to pen and paper and collectable card games. “The idea started with friends in the game dev community asking us to host an event where they could really focus on exchanging ideas without any distractions,” said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade.  “There are events that are great for signing your next deal or promoting your current project, but that’s not PAX Dev.  We’re 100 percent focused on the craft of game development.” Early registration costs $249, with at-the-door pricing jumping up by

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Recommended Con Equipment: Or How I Learned to Love the Con

Convention season is about to start and it just occurred to me that some of us prepare for it like it is the end of the world while some of us don’t pack anything.  In here I am going to list few essentials to get you through a convention, how to be the cool person, and the hero of your convention raiding team. The ok guy/girl bag: Empty bag Black Sharpie The cool convention bag: Hand disinfectant Listen, after the PAX Prime H1N1 outbreak, there is no reason why we all shouldn’t make sure that we have our hands clean at all time. Remember that if you have to use hand disinfectant more than twice, you should go wash your hands. Tissues Notebook and a pen Your cell phone battery will need all the help it can get, between calling people and twittering that one awesome game that you just

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PAX East 2011: Checking out The Darkness 2

I played the original Darkness game, and felt that it was fun and had some good points to it but it felt a bit rough around the edges and could have been improved (from what I can remember). But before and during PAX East I heard a bit of a buzz around the fact that Darkness 2 was being shown on the show floor and some people seemed excited for it. So I made sure to stop by the booth and check it out, and I was very happy that I was able to get in for a preview! The only sad thing is that what I did get to see will most likely not be in the final game, but it at least could show us what to expect. It starts off with Jackie being nailed down to some wood planks while dark swirls look to be moving into

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PAX East 2011: Firefall Hands On

I remember seeing Firefall back at PAX Prime 2010 in Seattle and was very excited to get the chance to have a hands on look at the game at PAX East. I was highly impressed with an MMO that was also a shooter with an interesting story and my most favorite part: the dynamic events. Unlike the video they showed at PAX Prime, I was able to jump in to play was the multiplayer demo; basically a slayer match between two teams. The focus this time around was noticebly shifted towards the PvP aspect of the game so much so that I almost forgot about the MMO part. I was also seriously put to shame while trying to figure out which player class I liked while having a bunch of other players, who are seriously good at shooters, playing at the same time. I may have died (a lot) but

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