PAX PRIME 2014: Galak-Z: The Dimensional - Interview with Jake Kazdal

o far, I really dig Galak-Z: The Dimensional. Between its procedurally generated everything and its slick visual styling, this awesome new shooting game is one to look forward to, not just for STG enthusiasts but gamers in general.

There is quite a bit of nifty technological wizardry that has been infused into Galak-Z's retro-anime, physics-based gameplay, but how did it come to be in the first place? What were the challenges of making such a game? What is the creator's favorite retro system?

All of this and more was answered as I caught up with 17-Bit founder Jake Kazdal for some good old-fashioned post-hands-on Q&A on one of this years most intriguing shooting games.

Click to read more ...

PAX PRIME 2014: Surviving the creep show of Alien Isolation

hether it was on the show, editorial, video, social media, or whatever—I’ve gone on record ad nauseam about how the horror genre is dead in the water when it comes to modern game design. Over the last couple of weeks, titles like PT and Five Nights at Freddy’s have rightfully earned my foot an invite straight into my mouth, but one game in particular, managed to send chills down my spine.

Sega decided to dish out the scares several weeks before Halloween with Alien Isolation, an experience that was so effective at startling me, that it got the point across in an a show-floor environment, surrounded by a bunch of other people playing the very same game. People who were also relatively feeling some sort of anxiety of their own from the demo as well.

Click to read more ...

PAX Prime 2014: Getting intimate with Far Cry 4

hen Far Cry 3 first hit the scene, it was the sequel that few were excited for, and the surprise experience that no one ever expected when it eventually became a sleeper hit. Ubisoft Montreal was quick to chase the lucky break of possibly striking lightning twice, by ostensibly amplifying the all too familiar ingredients of its predecessor to a level that further pushes technical limits, and any remaining suspension of disbelief left in the brand to boot.

Click to read more ...

PAX PRIME 2014: Hands-On with Super Smash Bros. Brawl for 3DS

t's no secret that Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. is eagerly being awaited by legions of Nintendo faithful, both on 3DS and Wii U. Every new announcement is followed with a fury of excited tweets, forum exchanges and general giddiness, and Nintendo is giving the gamers the goods with the debut of a new game mode: Smash Run. We got a chance to go hands-on with the very latest in the Smash lineup with Super Smash Bros. for 3DS here at PAX 2014 to get a closer look at this new mode of play.

Click to read more ...

PAX PRIME 2014: Getting hands-on with The Order: 1886

here’s been plenty of buzz aimed at Ready At Dawn’s upcoming PS4 exclusive, The Order: 1886, and considering the debut it made last year, the hype is more than understandable. However, hype is one thing though, and impressions are another—so color me impressed; The Order: 1886 is geared in the right direction, and has all the makings to reset the standard for third-person shooting for the better.

Click to read more ...

Press Pause Radio Meet Up at PAX Prime 2014!

nother year, another trip to some far off, mystical, big city that’s playing host to one of the most anticipated events in video games today; PAX Prime. We’ll be doing the usual coverage and sorts sure, but this year, after we’re with working hard—we want to play hard.

Shit, no, wait…

That sounded weird didn’t it? Whatever, don’t make a case out of it or anything!

Anyway, after all the bouts of scrambling from appointment to appointment, rendering video, and all of the other nonsense, Ser and I are going to saddle up at the Gameworks down the street with some friends, and we’re inviting YOU to join us!

The address is 1511 7th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, and the time is 8:30 PM, Saturday night. We’ll be drinking, laughing, playing arcade games, and any tabletop games any of you want to bring, along with a sneak peak at Shark & Shark’s Kickstarter project, Flocks and Flyways (you guys should totally back it too!)

We’re looking forward to seeing you guys there! Stay tuned to the site for our coverage too, because, we’ll be doing it, and stuff.

Click to read more ...