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The Tour de France deserves a better video game
The Tour de France is one of the toughest and -- in my opinion -- most exciting sporting events in the world. Every year, close to 200 riders saddle up and race across a 21-stage course that spans over 2,000 miles. Aside from the occasional rest day, it's a non-stop marathon that pushes competitors and their carbon bicycles to the limit. Lung-busting mountain climbs are punctuated with deadly descents and hard-fought sprints. Riders frequently crash, breaking bones and bending bike frames in the process. Only the fittest, smartest and luckiest athletes stand a chance of winning the tour's ultimate prize: the yellow jersey. With this year's race in full swing, I recently decided to try the official video game. My hope was that titles based on so-called "niche" sports -- anything that EA or 2K doesn't publish, essentially -- had improved since the original PlayStation era. As an adolescent, I spent many afternoons sinking hours into terrible cricket and rugby games. (I stand by Jonah Lomu Rugby, however.) By now, surely the industry had moved forward and figured out a way, both economically and technically, to do these smaller sports justice? Not in the case of the Tour de France, unfortunately.
'Vampyr' is more about who you kill than how you do it
Developer Dontnod has taken a sharp turn from its previous games Life Is Strange and Remember Me with Vampyr, but there's more to think about than just another angle on gender politics. We stopped by the booth and got a guided tour throughout a few sections of the game that showed us more about how combat works and what kind of choices your character will have to make. Going beyond mere moody lurking in the shadows, we watched the player's character, Dr. Jonathan Reed, struggle between his role as a doctor in Spanish flu-stricken 1918 London and the reality of being a recently turned vampire who kills humans to survive.
Take a peek at 'Life is Strange' studio's next game, 'Vampyr'
Gaze into the darkness long enough and a reluctant British vampire will gaze back at you. Sure, that's not quite what Nietzsche said, but it's the angle Dontnod is taking with its latest game, Vampyr. Set in London in 1918, Vampyr stars Jonathan Reid, a military doctor who specialized in blood research during World War I. He's also a vampire, though he doesn't enjoy killing; he dedicated his life to healing, after all. The Spanish Flu is ravaging Europe and as Reid stalks London's foggy streets, he must balance his bloodlust with his still-intact moral compass.
'Vampyr' casts you as a creature of the night with a conscience
Since we last heard about developer Dontnod's vampire role-playing game, Vampyr, set against the first World War, the studio released and wrapped the excellent episodic Life is Strange. But seeing as how that project has wrapped for now it's time to focus on the post-World-War-I tale of the macabre once more. Turns out that it's an action role-playing game focusing on makeshift weapons and the protagonist's newfound vampiric ways.
Pro Cycling Manager gives gamers "something different"
Focus Home Interactive and Cyanide revealed a new game today, offering "something different" for PSP gamers. Pro Cycling/Tour de France 2007 is heading to both PC and PSP, and will offer players all the fun of ... bicycling. Yes. From the press release:"The PSP™ version is being specifically designed to take advantage of the features of Sony's® PlayStation Portable handheld system. The real-time simulation aspect of the game is enhanced and the game sets a faster pace than its PC brother. With careers lasting up to five seasons, unique gameplay modes which include time trials, sprints and optimized race lengths, Pro Cycling/Tour de France 2007 on PSP is a lean, mean portable dream. Players and cycling fans will love the 20 official teams and their star cyclists, and will experience the most thrilling Tour de France ever, available for the first time on PSP!"While I can't personally say I'm excited, it certainly does provide something different for PSP players.
