Sunday, March 31, 2013

Don't Starve: PAX East 2013




From the creators of Shank and Mark of the Ninja, Klei Entertainment takes a new route and take a more open-world sandbox approach to their next title: Don’t Starve. As the title implies, the entire premise of the game is to survive as long as you can while not starving. Don't Starve has as simple an interface as it does a premise. It’s up to the player to figure out how to progress and increase their chances of survival. While the basic items do show what components are needed to create them, it’s not always clear how to obtain those components. Some of the most basic items that are first crafted are the Axe and Pickaxe. From there wood can be gathered to build fire, rocks can be smashed to create a firepit and logs can be added to extend the life of the flames.




Saturday, March 30, 2013

Cosplay Photo Gallery: PAX East 2013



Whatever their reason, many people attend conventions not as themselves, but as characters from their favorite entertainment. Some dress to show their love for a particular character, some dress for the attention and still others find cosplay as an artistic outlet of expression. Those who attended PAX East 2013 in Boston, MA recently were no exception. As you’d expect from a gaming convention, many of those who decided to dress up choose to do so as characters from their favorite gaming titles.

Cosplay Contests = Great Pictures
There are as many different levels of cosplaying as there are characters. From the simple act of tossing on a hat to spending months on a single costume there are some who standout even among those who standout. Even if you’d never do it yourself it can be impressive to see some walk in and not only look the part of their favorite character, but embody them as well. Some cosplayers have been given a bad name, but you can tell who is out for attention and who really worked to deserve that attention. It’s for those who put their hearts into their costumes, costing hours, days or months to show their dedication that we want to share their work with you.

Please go to the below link to see the full 70+ pictures for the gallery, as Blogger doesn't do galleries very well. Thanks!


Full Article and Cosplay Photo Gallery: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/29/cosplay-photo-gallery-pax-east-2013/

D&D and NeverWinter Party - PAX East 2013


The floor show is not the only place that PAX East action takes place. Some of the best places to meet people, play games and socialize are the parties that take place after the Expo Hall closes. Some are large loud affairs akin to the raves or clubs, while others - which I prefer - are more intimate affairs that allow actual conversations while still having a great fun vibe to them.


One of these more subdued parties was the D&D and Neverwinter Party. Taking place in a a private room of a popular local Boston restaurant the party had everything: MMO game demos, D&D creators and even the famous writer R.A. Salvatore.

MMORPG - Neverwinter Saga Demo
While the lines at the Neverwinter Sage Demo on the PAX East show floor stretched around the booth for much of the weekend, here we had easy access to two laptops. Each one had a different character model - one was a warrior the other was a mage. Now, I'm normally not a MMO player, but I was immediately struck with the easy of accessibility that Neverwinter Saga presented. There are the standards for MMOs present, such as cool-downs and abilities that were beautifully rendered and smooth. What really stood out to me was the little tweaks to the formula: gone is the endless comparing of loot to decide if the tiniest of differences will give you one more damage per second (DPS). In Saga these numbers are still there, but there is also a simple summary under the two items that breaks down the differences in an easy to see and quickly decide format. Being at the Neverwinter Party also offered me the opportunity to talk with the CEO of Cryptic Studios to discuss all the features and direction that their game hoped bring. Again, I'm not a MMO player, but seriously, even after playing as the Warrior for nearly an hour I really just wanted to hop back in and re-roll as the Mage.


Dungeons and Dragons

I'll probably get some flack for this, but again, I'm not a huge TableTop gamer either. Still, the impact and influence that Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) has had on the RPG genre can not be denied. Here at the D&D and Neverwinter Party people had the chance to sit down with two of the creators of the D&D Tabletop game and discuss the next iteration of the game. The most stand-out feature of the next rule-set was when they told me that in a unique twist, players will have the chance to submit the rules THEY want in the game. This is exciting and daunting at the same time. Some of these fans have been playing for decades and truly invested in the stories, camaraderie that ensues and adaptive nature of a tabletop RPG. There are also those who are not as invested. It's an interesting experiment that is sure to shape the future iterations of D&D for better or worse.

R.A. Salvatore

Of course, as the creative writer and mastermind behind the lore of the Neverwinter series, R.A. Salvatore was present at the party. This offered the unique opportunity to meet one of the most well-known writers of the fantasy genre. I don't know how many other times the chance to sit down and chat with Salvatore for hours would present itself. As an avid reader, especially of the fantasy and sci-fi genre, this was a great moment.


As you can see, events such as the D&D and Neverwinter Party offer something not found on the PAX East Expo Hall floor. While this event was invite-only, they often keep a few extra spots for fans from the show floor. So remember, it's HIGHLY recommended that if you see something great on the show floor ask if they are having a party. I really enjoyed this party and the intimate atmosphere allowed me to really enjoy everything offered - something a more crowded and loud event would not be able to do. It was also a great place to meet new people and make friends. The people at D&D and Neverwinter have just made a constant attendee of their future parties and I can't wait for another one, hopefully next year at PAX East 2014.

RWBY from Rooster Teeth Interview: PAX East 2013



Probably best known for their work on the original machinima title Red vs. BlueRooster Teeth Productions has been creating content for over a decade now. With their headline title reaching the tenth season they have since created much more content such as their Podcast and other webseries. Their latest work though garnered a lot of attention for its unique style and action-packed fluid animations. RWBY – pronounced Ruby – is an Anime-inspired machinima from the creative mind of Monty Oum and team.



Full Article: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/30/rwby-from-rooster-teeth-pax-east-2013/

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Comic Station Issue #13 - March 27th 2013


This issue of Comic Station brings a lot of great New Releases, with one outshining the rest as our hands-down must-buy recommendation.

New Releases: The biggest KNOWN issue coming out today on Comic Station is Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy #1. We reviewed Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 on Comic Station Issue #10, and are glad to report this first true book continues the good work setup in the precursor. A favorite of ours, Injustice: Gods Among Us #3 proves yet again that this series is probably one of the best Superhero books currently available – right up against the big names. Vertigo released an anthology, with nine mini-issues called Timewarp that features some great art and big names like Gail Simone. The real surprise came in the form of Image Comic’s new series, East of West #1. We at Comic Station can’t say enough good things about this book. If you haven’t read this, go get it now before your store sells out – and they will.
Review: Continuing our love of the merging video games and comics genres we take a look at Dragon Age: Until We Sleep #1 on this issue of Comic Station. Until We Sleep takes place after the events of Dragon Age II and features the return of Allistar. Chaz King, the author of our review, wrote
“If you are interested in the characters or the fiction of the Dragon Age universe, you should give a thought to picking up Dragon Age: Until We Sleep, if only to keep an eye on Varric.”
Recommendation: We at Comic Station loved East of West so much that Scott wanted to go into a more detail of why we recommend it hands-down as a must-buy.
Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to, a list can be found below the video.

Full Article: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/27/comic-station-issue-13-march-27th-2013/

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Transistor: Interview with Greg Kasavin - PAX East 2013



Not many developers could announce a game two days before PAX East and become arguably the most talked about title, but that’s just happened with Supergiant Games’ Transistor. After their success with their first title it’s not It’s not surprising that the developer of Bastion would garner such attention after their.  After their announcement of Transistor the accompanying trailer showed off the uniquely Supergiant Games art-style and amazing music that made Bastion so popular.
The Transistor booth at PAX East 2013 first on the agenda for many attendees, often completely circling their booth within minutes of the doors being opened. It’s not hard to see why, as not only was Transistor announced, but there was the chance to be one of the first ever to experience the playable demo.


State of Decay: Gameplay Interview - PAX East 2013


Since their first announcement at E3 in 2012 State of Decay from Undead Labs has managed to pique the interest of a community not satisfied with the current video game offerings for the zombie survival genre. Ears perked at the mention of a realistic sandbox zombie survival game. With everything mentioned and the promise of more to come the most head-turning announcement wasn’t the real-time building, realistic degradation of materials and social interactions, but that this impressive vision was coming to the Xbox Live Arcade.
For any developer, console or PC, the list of features in State of Decay would be daunting. Starting off with the barest of supplies – literally a branch to defend yourself – you’re set loose to survive. How to survive is completely up to you as you meet new characters and explore the world. Each new member might bring with them unique and useful attributes, as a doctor or mechanic, but they’re also a mouth to feed.




Full Article: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/25/state-of-decay-pax-east-2013/

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Comic Station Issue #12 - March 20th 2013


This issue of Comic Station brings some great New Releases as well as our first day-one comic book review.
New Releases: We had some technical difficulties on this issue of Comic Station, but that didn't stop us from bringing you the New Releases. First off is IDW's Memorial: Imaginary Friends. Beautifully drawn and all-ages appropriate story make this an interesting read, though maybe not a top seller. Marvel has two New Releases with X-Termination Part One taking place in the multi-verse timeline and brings together three X-Men teams against a new foe, while Deadpool #6 continues the irreverent and zany antics that have made this series a favorite on Comic Station. DC Comics gets their two in with Constantine #1, a fantastic introductory issue that doesn't waste time before jumping right into the action, and Justice League of America #2 which has a mediocre store sandwiched between two interesting mystery portions.
Review: The reviews this week on Comic Station come from our newest addition to our staff, Chaz King. Avatar The Last Airbender: The Search continues the story of Aang and brings back the old team. Chaz even brings a second review with the collection, The Massive Vol. 1: Black Pacific, a hot title that even has a movie deal in the works coming out.
Recommendation: Scott follows up with Dead Man's Party #2 from last week's Comic Station with yet more great things to say.
See the video here: http://youtu.be/yZe9j-LhTXU

Monday, March 18, 2013

Comic Station Issue #11 – March 13th 2013


This issue of Comic Station brings some great New Releases as and a special St. Patrick’s Day Review.
New Releases: Two new Wolverine comics from Marvel Comics on this Comic Station make me a very happy reader!Ultimate Wolverine #1 and Wolverine #1 take two very different routes. Aliens vs. Parker #1 from BOOM! Publishers makes a surprising splash as with witty humor. We also return to a few favorites, Katana #2 and Star Wars #3, to see how they’ve been progressing since they were last on Comic Station.
Review: For a special St. Patrick’s Day review, we take a look at Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tale: St. Patrick’s Day Oneshot Special. All about the immorality of Greed and the curse of a leprechaun.
Recommendation: Scott shows off Dead Man’s Party, a photo-realistic black-and-white comic that looks fantastic. We look forward to seeing the writers of this comic on a future Comic Station Oneshot Interview.
Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to, a list can be found below the video.



Full Article: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/13/comic-station-issue-11-march-13th-2013/

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Review (PS3)


Few can boast as robust and diverse a catalog as Naruto Uzumaki. Spanning manga, anime and of course video games, the Naruto name has gripped countless fans. While video game adaptations of anime have often been as acclaimed as movie adaptations of games, CyberConnect2 has made a name for themselves doing just that. Of course, when Namco Bandai and CyberConnect2 teamed up to publish the first Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm entry in the series, hopes were high. After three titles – two numbered – the hopes have been met, and the expectations are mounting. One of the latest entries for one of the most faithful adaptations of the Naruto Shippuden anime series,Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 enters the Fourth Great Ninja War saga.

Full Review: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/17/naruto-shippuden-ultimate-ninja-storm-3-review-ps3-1/

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Comic Station Issue #10 – March 6th 2013


The Comic Station videos bring the latest in New Releases, Reviews and Recommendations each week in Comic Books.
New Releases: The Avengers and X-men get more time together in a dystopian and bleak future in Age of Ultron #1 issue from Marvel Comics. Image Comics knows sex sells and hope it’s true that SEX #1 will sell. This one is NOT FOR KIDS! More in line for all-ages and kids, DC Comics has Ame-Comi Girls #1 where the characters of the DC Universe are in an all-female cast, even the traditionally male characters.
Review: We mention the Guardians of the Galaxy review, which we featured as a New Release on Comic Station Issue #9 last week. This week on Comic Station we look at Oni Press and their a great new Viking mystic in Helheim #1. A beautiful and gripping story that takes it beyond the typical Viking book.
Recommendation: Scott gives Red She-Hulk some love on this issue of Comic Station!
Special One-Shot: We had a special Comic Station One-Shot Interview with Jimmie Robinson, who wrote, drew and lettered Five Weapons #1 which we reviewed last week.
Thank you and please leave comments here or on YouTube as we continue to evolve our coverage. For a listing of more New Releases we couldn’t get to, a list can be found below the video.

Full Article and List of New Releases: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/06/comic-station-issue-10-march-6th-2013/

Helheim #1: Review (Comic)


When a comic starts with a group of vikings running for their lives you know something is coming. Joelle Jone’s striking artwork the and Cullen Bunn’s writing make Helheim more than even its impressive start lets on. There’s a reason this book is named after the Norse version of Hell.
Having obviously suffered a recent staggering defeat, our hero Rikard and his band emerge from the forest fleeing their enemies. The emerge just in time to find their village gates closed. Cornered, the men turn to meet their pursuers. After cutting down the dogs and crazed savaged their enemies are routed. This pursuit and battle are conveyed beautifully through fully colored pages fluid and energetic images.


Full Review: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/06/helheim-1-review-comic/

Comic Station One-Shot: Jimmie Robinson creator of Five Weapons


For this special one-shot Comic Station video we had the opportunity to sit down with Image Comic’s own Jimmie Robinson. Robinson has been in the comics industry since self publishing Cyberzone and subsequently being picked up by Image Comics for the sequel, Amanda and Gunn. His early works found a home in the smaller independent publishers, mostly due to acceptance, but also because the subjects of the series were not the typical superhero works. Cyberzone itself featured a Amanda Shane, a cybernetically  enhanced African-American lesbian bounty hunter. While offering a bleak future, Jimmie Robinson managed to still offer a glimpse of humanity through all the grit.



Full article: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/04/comic-station-one-shot-jimmie-robinson-creator-of-five-weapons/

Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1: Review (Comic)


Following the massive success of the Avenger Movie it came as no surprise that Marvel hoped to continue their success. What did surprise many was when they announced their intentions to produce a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. In an effort to re-introduce the team originally created in 1969 Marvel has taken the necessary step of rebootingGuardians of the Galaxy in order to re-introduce this galactic police force to modern readers. Though there were a number of iterations in the evolution of this team, Marvel has chosen to continue with pre-existing Guardians.
Where better to start the the reintroduction of this team than its centerpiece, the leader, Star-Lord. As writer, Brian Michael Bendis has taken some of the basic background story and updated it for new readers. This new story has the same basics, but rather than the more controversial beginnings Peter Quill’s life has a more acceptable if still violent start. Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 begins with a the crashing husk of what was a spacecraft. Through the good nature and happenstance the occupant of the craft is saved. This is where J’Son of the royal bloodline of Spartax meets the earthling Meredith Quill.


Full Review: http://fronttowardsgamer.com/2013/03/04/guardians-of-the-galaxy-0-1-review-comic/