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SXSW08: GameTap party lets the free games flow
Augmenting their usual Internet-based strategy of giving people free games to lure them into a subscription service, GameTap treated SXSW attendees to a party at Austin's Parkside restaurant Saturday night. Along with the laptops set up for free play of a selection of classics, partygoers were treated to fancy hors d'oeuvres (ceviche, croquettes, uh, tiny hamburgers), drinks, and excellent DJ-provided music. Also, projected logos that only shone directly into my eyes a couple of times.It should be noted that these pictures were taken soon after the beginning of the party. It was already picking up as I left. There were still plenty of people in Parkside enjoying the crowd, the food, the beer, and the Metal Slug. If more parties had Metal Slug stations, well, I'd go to parties.%Gallery-17995%
GameTap Thursday: Batman Returns with Aces of the Pacific (now landing in Port Royale)
Port Royale 2 joins the GameTap buffet this week for those looking to channel their inner accountant during the era of pirates on the high seas. It's hard to be an accessible economics simulator, but Port Royale 2 does it with ease (especially compared to its predecessor). GameTap also goes back to 1992 and brings us the Batman and one of the great flight combat simulators of the time. Aces of the Pacific (DOS) - It's like Wing Commander, just without space, lasers and evil space kitties. Batman Returns (Genesis) - Sorry, just keep flashing back to renting this game from the local video store as a kid. Local video stores without the words Blockbuster or Hollywood in the title, remember those? Port Royale 2 (Windows) - Arrrrrrrr, dominate your enemies by shoving doubloons down their throats! After the break please find GameTap's list of free games with new additions bolded for easy reference. Neo-Geo title Football Frenzy joins the cash-friendly line-up if anybody is looking for something a little more Tecmo Bowl and a little less Madden.
GameTap tells the tale of Grimm's gameplay
GameTap posted a preview of Grimm, its upcoming 24-part episodic adventure taking the cheery Disney-fied fairy tales we all know and bringing them back closer to the source material. Each episode will release weekly and have approximately 30 minutes of gameplay focusing on one fairy tale. The episode will start with the "contemporary perspective" of the fairy tale told in puppet show form, narrated by the main character Grimm (seen above). After Grimm goes out into the world and does his thing, the end of each episode will have another puppet show telling the story a little closer to the original version with a little bit of McGee's touch.The gameplay involves Grimm running around and turning the bright cheery landscape into a macabre world, basically the opposite of De Blob. After a majority of the level is transformed Grimm can move on to other challenges, which include platform gameplay, secret areas, hidden items and more. What we still don't know is if the difficulty will curve up in each weekly episode or if it will get progressively harder as it goes along (meaning by episode 20 it could take hours to finish due to restarts instead of 30 minutes). Grimm begins telling tales in July on GameTap.%Gallery-9426%
GameTap Thursday: I of the Dragon watches a Shadowgrounds Survivor while sipping Surakarta
It's still a while before Grimm shows up on GameTap this summer, so it's time to get back to checking the weekly updates and seeing what can keep those with ADGD (attention deficit gaming disorder) in check. This week GameTap adds a dragon game, the sequel to one of the better-than-you'd-think games on the service and a random board game. I of the Dragon (Windows) - OK, so this dragon game may not be good, but it still scored better than Lair on MetaCritic. Shadowgrounds Survivor (Windows) - The first Shadowgrounds is competent, but the sequel is much better. Just a twitch game that does everything simple and right. Surakarta (Windows) - A checker-ish game from Java. Time to free your mind and get abstract. After the break you'll find GameTap's list of free games with new additions bolded for easy reference. Thief: Deadly Shadows joins the list this week to stalk his next victim. The free list now sports 104 games and there are plenty of good ones in there for freeloaders.
GameTap Thursday: The Blood Ties of Largo Winch's Ball 7
An evolution of Breakout and a game based on a Canadian vampire show join GameTap this week. With all the GDC coverage though, let's get this out of the way and get back to everything that's going on. Also, in case you missed it, check out the screenshots for Grimm, which starts on GameTap this summer. Ball 7 (Windows) - Bounce the ball, break the bricks. The evolution of a tried and true classic gaming formula. Blood Ties (Windows) - Join Vicki Nelson and her vampire partner in this game based on the Canadian television series. Largo Winch: Empire Under Threat (Windows) - An adventure game where you play as a billionaire 26-year-old. Not a celebutant simulator. After the break you'll find GameTap's list of free games with new additions bolded for easy reference. Joining the ranks this week is Rogue Trooper, a good game ... especially for free. Don't forget, the death clock ticks on for Myst Online: Uru Live -- it will die in 43 days.
Screenshots: American McGee's Grimm ... and first trailer!
Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum! GameTap rolled out the first in-game shots of American McGee's Grimm today, along with a trailer (posted after the break), revealing the twisted tales' "vile," and still nameless protagonist, er, rather, 'antagonist.' The images and video suggest some kind of dual-world shenanigans -- from "cheery to eerie" -- but details are vague. Grimm will unfold over 24-weekly episodes, which are currently exclusive to GameTap, beginning in July.%Gallery-9426%
GameTap severs ties with Derek Smart's Galactic Command
Derek Smart. It's a name resigned by many to whispers in quiet corners for fear of incurring the vocal wrath of one of the most eccentric, dare we say manic game developers this side of a coke machine. The man behind such nefarious titles as Universal Combat and the Battlecruiser series has made a name for himself by beating up vending machines and releasing buggy, open world-style space titles, though Smart's latest endeavor, Galactic Command – Echo Squad, was poised to be his first take on the growing episodic game market. That is, however, if it is ever released.The game, first announced last year by GameTap, has been dropped by the would-be online publisher, as GameTap content VP Ricardo Sanchez told Gamasutra that the four-part space shooter "wouldn't resonate too strongly with our audience." He does compliment Galactic Command, however, calling it "one of Derek's strongest games," thought to be honest that's a bit like rating splinters based on depth and propensity to bleed. Smart has said that he's looking to bring the 16-player online shooter to Xbox Live as well, so we may someday see if Galactic Command lives up to Smart's existing triumphs, or if it's actually, you know, playable.
GameTap Thursday: Sam & Max cause Tuesday edition
Sam and Max have altered the space-time continuum and moved the GameTap Thursday update ahead by a couple of days this week. The dog detective and his insanely platonic life partner start their latest adventure, Night of the Raving Dead, today on GameTap and tomorrow on Telltale Games' website. Sam & Max Season Two: Episode 3 Night of the Raving Dead (Windows) - If you have any moderate love for the adventure genre and still haven't played Sam & Max ... well, we're just going to hope you've been off the grid for a couple years. Gondomania (Arcade) - A top-down vertical shooter from the late '80s where the protagonist rides a hover-bike and destroys everything in his path. Good times. After the break you'll find GameTap's list of free games for perusal. Aside from a few new additions this week (bolded), Myst Online: Uru Live still warrants a spin before it dies in 52 days.
GameTap gets interviewed on Myst Online's untimely demise
Recently, Ten Ton Hammer sat down with GameTap's Creative Director and VP of Content to discuss the death of Myst Online: Uru Live. The interview itself covers a lot of ground on the why and how of the game. Subjects like the reason GameTap originally picked up the title are covered, as well as how satisfied the publisher was with Cyan Worlds' first season of content. It's a fairly short interview, but there is some knowledge to be gleaned from it for anybody interested.It's not surprising to us that their biggest disappointment was a lack of subscriber interest. We have to wonder just how many people actually ended up playing the game, considering its alternative nature. Niche titles are loved by many of us here at Massively, so one thing we've been noticing is that some developers are still trying to figure out the exact cost-to-profit ratio when creating them. Hopefully GameTap learned something from this venture and doesn't shy away from other alternative MMOs in the future.
GameTap Thursday: Get down with your Bagh Chal self
GameTap's additions this week take us from the depths of the Atlantic to the mountains of Nepal, but before we get to those games let's visit the local dive bar. This week's new game worth checking out is Fastlane Pinball, if only for the sake of comparison to all the other competent pinball games we've seen over the last few years. 1914 Shells of Fury (Windows) - Sink those pesky battleships in this WWI German U-boat simulator. Better yet, rent Das Boot (yes, yes, well aware it's a different war). Bagh Chal (Windows) - A board game from Nepal whose title roughly translates to "Moving Tigers." Certainly worth learning if you ever accidentally end up in Nepal and are forced into a life or death game of Bagh Chal. Hey, it could happen. Fastlane Pinball (Windows) - Um, it's pinball and it's good. That is all. After the break is GameTap's list of free games, which adds eight new games this week including Robotron 2084. Also, be sure to check out Myst Online: Uru Live for free before it dies in 57 days.
No Country for Old Arcades locates 'Keystone II'
The second installment of GameTap's No Country for Old Arcade series (presented by Joystiq expatriate Jared Rea) looked at a more private "arcade," although a better description would be somehow related to Fight Club. At San Jose's Keystone II (precise location kept secret), the crowds are intimate, the competition is fierce, and the secretive nature of the arcade is enough to inspire intrigue.The inaugural No Country for Old Arcade series ventured into SVGL. We're looking forward to see where Mr. Rea goes next -- perhaps he can come by Joystiq HQ and partake in our extensive collection of arcade golf machines.
GameTap turning off Myst Online in 60 days
A little over a year after being reborn on GameTap, Myst Online: Uru Live will be unplugged. GameTap's VP of Content and Creative Director Ricardo Sanchez writes on the GameTap forums that the decision was made for "business reasons" rather than any design or vision issues with developer Cyan Worlds. The game will remain live for another 60 days and then it's over, but MystOnline.com will stay active.Sanchez went on to say that GameTap looked at a "wide variety of possibilities for maintaining the game," and in a later forum post writes the company "isn't a bunch of evil corporate types who do nothing but count pennies and wear Brooks Brothers suits." Taking a sip from the "glass is half-full" perspective: At least GameTap gave Myst Online a chance for a year.[Thanks to all who sent this in]
Myst Online: Uru Live Tap-ped out again
Ricardo Sanchez, VP of Content and Creative Director for GameTap, has officially announced that they'll no longer be carrying Myst Online: Uru Live and its final day of operation will be 60 days from today, either April the 5th, or April the 7th, depending on whether they'll end it over the weekend or not.This will doubtless hit many fans in the heart, and it's not stated exactly why GameTap's discontinuing service, but if I had to guess, I'd say they looked at the subscriber numbers vs the maintenance costs and made their fateful decision. Historically, this marks the second time this title's been canceled -- the first time, of course, being in 2004 when Ubioft gave it the axe. Our condolences to all fans of the wondrous Myst universe, and we'll wait to hear if Cyan Worlds has any final thoughts.[Thanks, Veotax!]
Gametap Thursday: Tube-It on the Futoshiki Shadowgrounds ... or something
GameTap delivers a sprinkle of random titles this week for subscribers. The two puzzle offerings, Futoshiki and Tube-it, are there if you need them, but the most enjoyment will probably come from Shadowgrounds. The basic gameplay of Shadowgrounds consists of running around and shooting things like Gauntlet in space -- and there ain't nothing wrong with that. Futoshiki (Windows) - Another Japanese number filling game like Sudoku or Kakuro. Yes, yes, both those games were originally American, but you get the point. Shadowgrounds (Windows) - A competent action game that has you blasting some aliens and generally having a good time. Tube-It (Arcade) - The forefather to the BioShock hacking game. Connect the colors through tubes from one side of the screen to the other. After the break is GameTap's list of free games, with Commandos 3: Destination Berlin being this week's new offering. With the money you save, you could do something in honor of Berlin ... like buying a currywurst. If you can't find one, make it yourself.
GameTap Thursday: Starscaping the galaxy one ship at a time
GameTap delivers with another indie favorite created by the company that built us Mr. Robot. This week Moonpod's Starscape joins the subscription lineup, bringing the frenetic action of a shoot-'em-up together with resource collection RPG upgrading elements. Ancient Wars: Sparta (Windows) - THIS IS SPAR ... actually, it's more like an Age of Empires wannabe. If you really need a sword and strategy fix GameTap also offers Stronghold: Crusader. Ingenious (Windows) - If you can't find the board game then this might make for an alternative. Starscape (Windows) - Shoot everything -- upgrade -- shoot everything again! Stays smart by combining different elements into the pseudo-2D top-down space shooter. Definitely also check out Moonpod's Mr. Robot. After the break we have GameTap's list of free games, this week soccer gets rational with Sensible Soccer. Wonder why they never expanded the franchise to Reasonable Racing, Balanced Baseball and Commonsensical Cricket?
GameTap's No Country for Old Arcades: SVGL
Joystiq buddy Jared Rea is exploring some of the greatest arcades in the US in a new feature on GameTap.com called "No Country for Old Arcades." The first stop on his tour is none other than the legendary SVGL, Sunnyvale Golfland, right in the heart of Silicon Valley. Though still a hotspot for the latest and greatest arcade games, that distinction is hardly the draw it used to be, when manufacturers like Midway and Atari brought "raw machines" in to gather feedback from a crowd of eager players. Stop over, read about the arcade, and check out some additional pics they took of SVGL at Flickr. Where to next, Jared?
GameTap Thursday: Gumboy rolls into town
This week GameTap serves up a little bit of whimsy and some decent puzzle action. Granted, this week's addition of D.N.A. to the service can't hold a candle to the crackpipe of Peggle, but it's still a good casual fix. GameTap also serves up indie title Gumboy Crazy Adventures. Somewhere between Kirby and LocoRoco lies Gumboy, check it out for something a little different. D.N.A. (Windows) - Combine proteins to keep your casual game addiction in check. Drop Team (Windows) - Boy was it tough finding info on this game we'd never heard of. Even Metacritic only has two disparate reviews. Gumboy Crazy Adventures (Windows) - Familiar to those who've played LocoRoco, but if you like your acid trips a little less cheery its worth checking out. After the break we have GameTap's list of free games, this week 1942 gets added to the lineup -- but make sure to first play 1941, the plots lead into each other.
GameTap Thursday: A new Sam & Max, what Moai could you ask for?
The dog detective and his rabbity-thing companion are back for "Moai" adventure in Sam & Max: Moai Better Blues. This time they hop over to Easter Island for some R&R, only to discover things are about to get explosive with a volcano eruption. That's the fine wine GameTap is serving up this week -- the service's other offering is a bit more vinegar. Sam & Max Season Two Episode 2 Moai Better Blues (Windows) - The second episode in the second season of Sam & Max's second coming. Jewelcraft (Windows) - You can find better color matching games on GameTap here, here, here, here and here. After the break we have GameTap's list of free games, including this week's addition, Black Tiger. Still haven't played any Sam & Max yet? Be sure to check out Episode 4 Abe Lincoln Must Die! in the free section to get your paws wet with punny humor.
GameTap previews Sam & Max Moai Better Blues
The gang over at GameTap (how did they ever manage to get this exclusive?) have a new preview on the second episode of Sam & Max Season Two, entitled Moai Better Blues. What's important to know is that the changes seen in the first episode Ice Station Santa are here to stay - for those who didn't play it, that means more organic, less illogical puzzles and "slightly racier themes, references and language."This season will feature more of a cohesive, multi-episode story arc, according to Telltale Games' Emily Morganti. "Our goal is present a game that tells a story more like a TV show, like Lost, where those who pay attention to the whole series will be rewarded," she said. Moai Better Blues is coming to GameTap next Thursday, January 10; new gameplay footage for the episode (here's the old one) after the break.
GameTap Thursday: No, not that Vanguard
It's time to get back into the swing of normality after the holidays. GameTap is doing their stretches this week -- making sure not to pull a muscle with anything too exciting -- and offers subscribers a bunch of games from the Reagan administration. So put your hair in a scrunchie, get some snap bracelets, and enjoy GameTap's '80s offerings on your PC and Mac. B-Wings (Arcade) - A vertical shooter that we're sure will remind you of an intense game of Ikaruga -- OK, that's a lie. Express Raider (Arcade) - Can't remember ever seeing this in the arcades. Be a wild west desperado and relieve people of their cash. Vanguard (Arcade) - No, not Sony Online's flop. This is a horizontal space shooter from 1981. After the break we have GameTap's list of free games. The new cash-friendly titles this week are Puzzled, Art of Fighting and Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle. If you don't feel like stretching on those games before starting your workout to shed those extra holiday hand pounds, then go straight for Psychonauts or Tomb Raider: Legend.
