News

Exclusive: Fortress star Kelly Greyson has joined the cast of Mr-9, the Frank Grillo-starring spy action-thriller adapted from the James Bond-influenced Masud Rana novels.

Greyson will play Gia, lead henchwoman and mistress of villain Roman Ross, who is being played by Captain America star Grillo.

Greyson has just starred in Fortress and Fortress 2 alongside the likes of Bruce Willis and Chad Michael Murray. Past credits include Mike Burns’ Out of Death, in which she also co-starred with Willis, Guy Pearce-starring action thriller Disturbing the Peace and Broken Memories.

Deadline revealed Mr-9 from writer-director Asif Akbar last month, with shooting kicking off in the U.S. and Bangladesh.

Adapted from the Rana novels written by late novelist Qazi Anwar Hussain, Grillo plays the nemesis of secret agent Rana — code name Mr-9 — of the Bangladesh Counter Intelligence Agency. Plot is mostly being kept under wraps.

The film is adapted...

On April 29, Bruce Willis’ storied filmography adds another credit with the release of “Fortress: Sniper’s Eye.”

The action-thriller starring Willis, Jesse Metcalfe and Chad Michael Murray is a sequel to 2021’s “Fortress” and is set to be released in select theaters, as well as on digital platforms and VOD. It’s just one of about 10 tough-guy titles still outstanding as Willis’ acting career comes to a close.

The actor’s family announced Wednesday that the superstar will step away from acting after being recently diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder caused by brain damage the affects a person’s ability to communicate. Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis and their daughters Mabel and Evelyn, along with his ex-wife Demi Moore and their daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah revealed the diagnosis in a statement posted to social media. After “much consideration,” they wrote, Willis made the decision to step away from “the...

Bruce Willis is all tied up in this exclusive first-look photo from upcoming action thriller Fortress 2.

The film — the second in the Fortress trilogy and coming quick on the heels of the yet-to-be-released first — follows the story about a top-secret resort for retired U.S. intelligent officers. In the first, a group of criminals led by Balzary (Chad Michael Murray) breach the resort compound, hellbent on revenge on Robert (Willis), forcing the retired officer and his son (Jesse Metcalfe) to save the day. Murray and Metcalfe reprise their roles in the sequel.

Highland Film Group is handling international sales and has been ...

Bruce Willis is all tied up in this exclusive first-look photo from upcoming action thriller Fortress 2.

The film — the second in the Fortress trilogy and coming quick on the heels of the yet-to-be-released first — follows the story about a top-secret resort for retired U.S. intelligent officers. In the first, a group of criminals led by Balzary (Chad Michael Murray) breach the resort compound, hellbent on revenge on Robert (Willis), forcing the retired officer and his son (Jesse Metcalfe) to save the day. Murray and Metcalfe reprise their roles in the sequel.

Highland Film Group is handling international sales and has been ...

Exclusive: Rising actors Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) and Ajani Russell (Betty) have been set for the title roles in crime feature Johnny & Clyde, also starring Megan Fox (Transformers) and Tyson Ritter (Preacher).

Currently in production, the movie is a spin on the iconic Bonnie and Clyde story and follows two serial killers who are madly in love and on a shocking crime spree. They ultimately set their sights on robbing a prosperous casino run by crime boss, Alana (Fox), and her head of security, Guy (Ritter).

As we previously revealed, also starring are Vanessa Angel (Kingpin), Bai Ling (The Crow), Robert Lasardo (The Mule), Armen Garo (The Departed), Sean Ringgold (American Gangster), Nick Principe (Vault), Brett Azar (Young Rock) and Sydney Jenkins (Don’t Look Up).

Written by Tom DeNucci and Nick Principe, DeNucci (Vault) will direct. Chad A. Verdi (Bleed For This) is producing along with Michelle Verdi, Chad A.

Jack Beresford Jan 7, 2020

We take a look at the movie sequels that attempted to up the ante by heading out of this world…

When it comes to the world of franchise moviemaking, space really is the final frontier. Boldly going where no previous entry has gone before represents an easy win for a studio looking to enliven a particular film property. The Fast and Furious franchise is the latest to be weighing up one giant leap for mankind with Chris Morgan, the writer of Hobbs & Shaw, open to taking Dominic Toretto et al into space.

"I would never shoot down space," Morgan told Entertainment Weekly. "Never, never. I would literally never shoot down anything, as long as it hits the parameters: 'Is it badass? is it awesome? Will the audience love it? And will it not break faith with the audience as they're watching it?' I'm down for whatever.

When Blizzard senior vice president Chris Metzen took the stage for the opening ceremony of BlizzCon 2014, he showcased a flurry of emotions. He seemed alternately terrified and elated, and his relief after playing the first trailer for Overwatch was palpable. At the time, the cynic in me wondered if his display was genuine or if he was just hamming it up for the crowd. Now that I’ve played the game for myself, the truth is clear: he must have known he was unveiling something truly special to the world.

Overwatch is Blizzard’s first attempt at the shooter genre, and their first new property in nearly two decades. Taking objective elements from games like Team Fortress 2 and the idea of heroes and abilities from MOBAs, the game attempts a new fusion that the creators are calling a “hero shooter.” At its core, the game gives you 21 characters in...

It is a bit strange that two games under development by two very different studios end up being extremely similar and release in the same month. Of course I’m talking about Battleborn by Gearbox and Overwatch by Blizzard. A lot of the similarities end when you really dive into each game, and if you are stuck on a fence trying to decide which game to dump your money into, we got you covered.

First the Basics

Both games are being compared because they both do two things great. First they are both lively colored games filled with humor, and both decided to avoid the “realistic” zone most modern games go down. It’s a breath of fresh air and both games do this great. The second thing is the fact both games offer a roster full of unique characters. Both games have over 20 unique characters, and both have a...

Richard Rouse III (The Suffering, Homefront) has a new project in the works, and it’s not what you’d expect. Titled The Church in the Darkness, it’s a top-down action-infiltration game in which the player must infiltrate and seemingly put an end to the devious practices of a South American cult. Part artistic experience and part 1970s cult movement inspired narrative, it’s an interesting-looking effort.

In The Church in the Darkness, gamers will take on the role of a former law enforcement officer who must stealthily make his way into South America’s Freedom Town cult, in an effort to check on his sister’s son. Of course, Freedom Town is not as it purports to be, which is something that is normally the case when it comes to such congregations.

What’s notable here is that things will change with each playthrough, including the town’s layout,...

If your forgot what a large and great monster the superheroes in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice are going to be facing, this aught to jog your memory. Robin Downes, the actor who plays Doomsday, revealed that fact on Twitter today, letting us all know he played a part in bringing the character to life.

Very proud to release that I helped bring #Doomsday to life in the upcoming @BatmanvSuperman #Dreamgigs

— Robin Atkin Downes (@Robin_A_Downes) February 26, 2016

This is also a confirmation for the people out there who assumed that it wasn't Doomsday we saw in the third Batman v Superman trailer. Several zealous fans threw around ideas like Bizzaro and some new villain from the new 52 as potential candidates for who we saw in that trailer. But no, now we know for a fact that Doomsday is Doomsday and not some other character.

If you aren't familiar with the name Robin Downes,...

Overwatch, the upcoming team based shooter from Blizzard Entertainment will in fact be coming to Playstation 4 and Xbox One, in addition to the PC. Blizzard confirmed the arrival to console today, with a version titled Overwatch: Origins Edition appearing in a pre-order promotion on Battle.net. Its currently slated to arrive next spring.

It’s not clear on what this Origins Edition title means. The console announcement was somewhat leaked by GameStop yesterday, so it looks like Blizzard have had to reveal the title early ahead of BlizzCon 2015, which kicks off today, Friday November 6. GameStop had posted that they were now accepting pre-orders for a console version of the shooter. It was listed at $60. Gaming outlets Kotaku and IGN followed up with local GameStop stores, who confirmed that the retailer was accepting pre-orders for the title. The name was listed internally as Overwatch: Origin Edition which at the time had not been confirmed by Blizzard.

Eric, The Fathergamer has been sick with mono for a few weeks now so we apologize for the lack of New episodes. That being said, here is another retrospective episode exclusive to Cinelinx.com and Soundcloud.

Warning: This Episode May Contain Explicit Content

In this retrospective of Episode 2 we have Eric, Melo, Ago and Mantia.

What’s in Your System:

Ocarina of Time (3Ds)

Donkey Kong 94 (3Ds Virtual Console)

Terreria

Team Fortress 2

Torch Light

League of Legends

Tiny Tower

Global Resistance

From Dust

Captain America

Kinect Fun Lab

General Discussion:

Free-To-Play

Humble Bundle

3Ds Virtual Console games

Iwata 5% pay cut

Ps Vita original launch discussion

Wii U original launch discussion

Disappointment in Capcom

Games they haven’t played but want to

Note: The website and email address at the end of this episode is no longer valid. You can now reach us on Facebook and Twitter or by emailing us at pr@fathergamerproductions.

Boss Key Productions announced today that they will officially be partnering up with Epic Games for their upcoming free-to-play game Project Bluestreak. Jump in after the cut to learn more about the game and how Epic Games is going to have an impact!

As always, there is a ton of news to come from Pax! On Tuesday, March 10th the founders of Boss Key Productions, industry veterans Cliff Bleszinski and Arjan Brussee, revealed that Epic Game’s Unreal Engine 4 will be used to power Project Bluestreak.

“We considered several options regarding what technology we’d use to build ‘Project BlueStreak’. Ultimately, we found ourselves coming full circle to my friends at Epic Games and the elegant solution for rapid and quality game development that is Unreal Engine 4,” said Cliff Bleszinski. “We look forward to making a top-tier product through this partnership.”

Project Bluestreak is a free-to-play first person Fps grounded...

Blizzard Entertainment has unwittingly found itself in the midst of an IP dispute after its trademark application for Overwatch, the studio’s recently announced objective-based shooter, was suspended courtesy of a smartphone app of the same name that had been submitted two months prior.

As a result, this “conflict of likelihood” may force Blizzard’s hand into changing the name of Overwatch in order to comply with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. First unearthed by NeoGaf, the documents reveal that the authority has withheld Blizzard’s application for the team-based shooter until further notice and as of the time of writing, the company is yet to respond to Innovis Labs, Inc’s claim. All things considered, it’s safe to assume that Blizzard will opt to change the branding of the game so as to avoid any legal action.

Overwatch was initially revealed during the company’s annual BlizzCon event in November,...

Valve's Steam service broke a concurrent user record over the holiday with a whopping 8,156,455 users online at one time, specifically at 9am Us-pst this past Saturday says NeoGaf. That's impressive figures for a service with approximately 75 million registered users.

The service lists what games are being played. At the peak time it was "Dota 2" which ruled the roost and peaked at 873,114 players, easily ahead of "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" in second place with 349,626 players.

Both were far ahead of the rest of the competition which were in the five-figure range. Scoring high were "Team Fortress 2," "Football Manager 2015," "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," "Sid Meier's Civilisation V," "Garry's Mod," "Counter-Strike," "Payday 2," "Warfare," "Arma 3," "Terraria," "Day Z, "Total War: Rome II - Emperor Edition" and "Counter-Strike Source".

Source: The Koalition...

Valve's Steam service broke a concurrent user record over the holiday with a whopping 8,156,455 users online at one time, specifically at 9am Us-pst this past Saturday says NeoGaf. That's impressive figures for a service with approximately 75 million registered users.

The service lists what games are being played. At the peak time it was "Dota 2" which ruled the roost and peaked at 873,114 players, easily ahead of "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" in second place with 349,626 players.

Both were far ahead of the rest of the competition which were in the five-figure range. Scoring high were "Team Fortress 2," "Football Manager 2015," "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," "Sid Meier's Civilisation V," "Garry's Mod," "Counter-Strike," "Payday 2," "Warfare," "Arma 3," "Terraria," "Day Z, "Total War: Rome II - Emperor Edition" and "Counter-Strike Source".

Source: The Koalition...

During today’s BlizzCon 2014 festivities, Blizzard Entertainment officially unveiled Overwatch, their first new franchise in close to 17 years. While a release date has not been confirmed as of now, the studio did announce than an open beta for the game will start up in 2015.

Rather than stick to their bread and butter, Overwatch represents a brand new direction for the team at Blizzard. Taking a cue from the likes of Team Fortress 2, the game is a squad-based multiplayer shooter. Grouped into two teams of six, players will be tasked with either defending or attacking either a payload or a base.

At the start of each round, players will be able to choose a hero to play as from a wide and varied roster. Each available hero can be classified into one of four categories: Offense, Defense, Tank and Support. You can find clips of each hero over on the official Overwatch website,...

Overwatch is Blizzard's first completely new game unattached to a previous title in 17 years. Overwatch seems to follow the same template as Team Fortress 2's multiplayer fun fest. Character types follow into categories like fighters, defenders, tanks, and support, each balanced against each other in a kind rock-paper-scissors dynamic.

The designs and the worlds look really amazing. As I was not at BlizzCon to test it, I've gauged reactions to the game on Twitter. Warcraft movie director Duncan Jones got a little hands on time with the game and tweeted the following:

Shaking with adrenalin... Not about going on stage. Been playing Overwatch. :)

— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) November 7, 2014

The gameplay does look really fast paced and should please a lot of you Fps fans. Blizzard has focused on accessibility allowing the less hardcore gamer to still have fun. Blizzard released a six minute cinematic trailer that is a must watch,...

For the first time in 17 years, Blizzard has announced brand new IP in Overwatch, giving fans at BlizzCon the first trailer, gameplay footage, and details on the all new team-based shooter! Come inside to check it all out and learn more!

The game seems to be inspired by Team Fortress 2, and who's complaining? It features shooting, and classes, and awesomeness! According to Blizzard, a beta will be out in 2015 so at least we can rest knowing we won't be waiting forever to see the game! Sources are claiming the title is actually what was once known as "Titan" that was rumored to be cancelled earlier this year. Check out the full press release below (plus a nifty gameplay trailer too) for more information on the heroes and game:

In front of a live crowd of more than 25,000 BlizzCon® attendees and an expected online audience numbering in the millions, Blizzard Entertainment...

Our non-interactive letters page is back, with more of your missives. And some of our answers...

And we're back! You've sent in lots more letters and we have carefully and cunningly put together answers for them. Considering we didn't expect this letters page to take off, we might just be lumbered with it now.

Details of how you can get involved are down at the bottom. In the meantime, here's the latest postbag....

Underappreciated Sequels

I have just watched 28 Weeks Later, and I was wondering if there were any other underappreciated sequels. Especially ones with random future stars in e.g. Jeremy Renner and Walt's dad from Lost.

Thanks

Jonathan.

Simon writes: John Locke from Lost was blown up by a vending machine in the original X-Files movie. Does that count?

Further underappreciated sequels? I'd go for A Very Brady Sequel (one of the best comedies of the 1990s full stop), My Girl 2 (genuinely!

It’s rare that we see palpable steps forward with display technology. Sure, we get better panels, higher resolution, and all sorts of advances with specs such as G-Sync/adaptive sync, but we haven’t seen a fundamental change in quite some time. An entire decade has passed since monitors jumped onto the 16:9 display ratio bandwagon, and we really haven’t looked back since. Today, LG seems to be single-handedly leading the charge towards the new 21:9 cinematic aspect ratio with their new flagship monitor, the 34UM95. We’ve spent a few weeks with it now to really get a feel for it, and I think it’s safe to say that the future is here.

LG’s 34UM95 is absolutely impossible to ignore. The massive monitor packs a 3440 X 1440 resolution into a 34 inch diagonal panel. Calling it massive is, quite frankly, an understatement. I had cleared a large...

From Super Mario Bros to Devil May Cry, we delve into the past to pick out 7 games that changed considerably as they were developed...

Odd List

The complex process of making a game requires the coordination of programmers, artists, designers, musicians and accountants. It's little surprise, then, that things can change drastically over the course of the months or even years it takes to make a game, and history is littered with examples of this.

Take, for example, Team Fortress 2, a shooter that went through multiple iterations and even changes in art style before the final version became a popular success. There are far, far too many other examples to list here, so what we've done is whittle our selection down to the ones we either found the most interesting or the most significant from a historical point of view.

It's fair to say that, without most of the...

This morning, Valve, the creators of the influential Half-Life series – as well as the digital distribution software Steam - have unveiled a cryptic teaser on their Team Fortress 2 website.

It features a large television screen tuned to an emergency channel and a countdown clock which will strike zero at 5 p.m. Pdt/8 p.m. Edt. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. The URL of the site even contains the word “suspense,” just to keep us all on tenterhooks.

Already the internet is filling up with speculation as to what’s going to be revealed. Of course, most people are hopeful for Half-Life 3, but I can’t see that happening. Then again, this is Valve we’re talking about, so you never know. They’ve surprised us before and I wouldn’t put it past them to drop a bombshell like that on us tonight.

Tell us, what...

Steven Seagal is planning and writing a third Under Siege movie - and he won't make an Expendables sequel...

News

The first Under Siege movie proved both a springboard for Steven Seagal's career, and also one for director Andrew Davis (who would go on to make The Fugitive). The second Under Siege movie, which switched the action from a boat to a train, did not. We've a soft spot for Under Siege 2, but the 1995 follow-up, directed by Geoff Murphy (Fortress 2, Young Guns II) did not ignite in the same way as the first. And, over time, Steven Seagal and cinema releases were mentioned less and less in the same sentence.

However, Seagal - whose top 25 movies we counted down in, er, some detail here - is keen to make a third instalment of the Under Siege series. Chatting to The Big Issue, he revealed that he'd want the...

Earlier today I was able to attend a presentation from Bethesda games and Battlecry Studios for their recently announced upcoming game, BattleCry. A lot of info involving the game’s aesthetics, character classes, and gameplay elements were revealed, and those interested in team-based multiplayer games like Team Fortress 2 may find a lot to like here.

A free-to-play action game with support for up to 32 players at once, BattleCry will take place in an alternate timeline set around the early 20th century where gunpowder has been banned, leading to a more unique arsenal of weapons for its cast of characters to fight with. Some of the characters and environments were shown, and the game overall has a nice look with some slight stylized elements, such as a graphical filter akin to cel-shading that’s applied to the sun and clouds.

Players will be able to select from three factions: The Royal Marines,...

If you told me that PopCap was looking to branch out its Plants vs. Zombies franchise into other genres, I'd simply shrug at its inevitability.  If you told me that their first attempt at expansion was the class-based shooter Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, I'd raise my eyebrows quizzically.  If you told me that Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare was a genuinely good game, said eyebrows would lift right off of my head and soar into low orbit.

Yes, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a class-based, multiplayer shooter--an obvious attempt, given the popularity of Call of Duty and EA's own Battlefield franchise--and it's a surprisingly competent one that manages to work really well in spite of the legacy of its franchise.  Taking the previously strategic game and reworking it as a pseudo-Team Fortress 2 is a ballsy move, and in spite of a few missteps it's a worthy addition to the franchise.

Plants vs. Zombies has been a longtime favorite of mine. After first discovering the game back on the PC when it was released in 2009, I quickly fell in love with its quirky charm, surprisingly deep gameplay and overall addicting nature. So, when Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare was announced, of course I was a bit hesitant. Not only did developer PopCap Games plan to turn the series into a multiplayer only shooter, but they also took what was originally a top-down 2D game and instead switched it into the third person perspective.

It was a bold move, no doubt, and one that could have potentially backfired tremendously. Fortunately, however, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare turned out to be fairly enjoyable, with enough laughs, easy-to-grasp gameplay and creative design that it makes it easy to overlook the game’s shortcomings.

Essentially, you have two modes here and they come in the...

Loadout is an over-the-top arena shooter that delivers an impressive arsenal of firepower for you to lay waste upon your enemies with. It’s a simple concept, but it’s one that Edge of Reality has managed to construct as a solid beginning for their venture into the realm of free-to-play. The only question that remains is whether or not Loadout’s gory and comedic violence is enough to keep you coming back for more.

Before you start any free-to-play game, it’s important to distinguish the difference between what real world and in-game currency gets you. For many, this makes or breaks their decision to jump in with everything they’ve got. It’s hard to justify investing time into a game to earn the best equipment when you wind up facing off against someone that simply dropped a bill payment on a decked out weapon.

Loadout isn’t that game.

Tomorrow, a new Free-To-Play Fps takes the field to take on the king of the hill, Team Fortress 2. There are a lot of the same sensibilities and even certain aspects of the art style that can be seen in both Loadout and Team Fortress 2 but Loadout looks to deliver a much more over […]

The post ‘Loudout’ Gets an Expletive Filled Launch Trailer from Rooster Teeth appeared first on The Flickcast.

In this economy there are people who cannot afford the latest games. Gaming on the PC can be very expensive but there are some games that are free to play. Here is a look at some of the better games that you can be playing right now.

Online War

1) World of Tanks: If you loved watching old World War II movies then this is the game for you. Jump into a tank either for the Allies or Axis and engage in online battles with people from all over the world. You can upgrade your tank and also buy newer ones as they range from heavier tanks to even artillery. http://worldoftanks.com/

2) War Thunder: Also set in World War II this game gives the player a variety of roles to choose from. You can dominate your foes in the air, land or sea as you will fly planes, drive...

Gaming Heads, makers of statues based on Skyrim, Jak and Daxter, and Team Fortress 2, among others, have debuted their latest offering, which is none other than Square Enix’s survivor extraordinaire, Lara Croft. In this quite stunning ¼ scale (about 20’ inches tall) statue, Ms. Croft appears ready for anything with bow (or optional shotgun) in hand, though the shotgun is only included with the exclusive edition of the statue.

Both versions are based on art by Alejandro Pereira, and both versions are beautiful to the eyes. Tons of detail in the clothing and facial features as well as a pose that is all at once tender yet imposing make this a must have for any Tomb Raider fan.

The statue is part of a limited run of 500, and will run you about $340.00, so make sure to save some Christmas cash for your purchase.

By Miguel Concepcion

'Planetside 2' has done pretty well for itself since its launch eight months ago. I can't help but think that developer Sony Online Entertainment was doubly motivated by the accolades the game's received, most notably the award of the third best PC shooter of all time by PC Gamer, just behind 'Half-Life 2' and 'Team Fortress 2'. 13 game updates since launch is an impressive show of commitment to the game, from minor balance fixes to an expansion of the tutorial.

At this year's SoE Live, the announcement for 'Planetside 2' is the addition of the game's fourth continent, Hossin. Even if these areas are merely eight by eight square kilometers, these 'Planetside 2' continents are the equivalent of six to eight map packs in other shooters. In keeping with diversity, Hossin satisfies the game's need for a jungle environment, whereas the three previous lands were desert,...

I love stories. I read, I watch movies and TV shows, I listen to lyrical music, and I love playing story-driven video games. Don’t get me wrong, I do love mindless, plotless games as well, especially competitive shooters like Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike, and the occasional Call of Duty: Black Ops: Warfighter: Vietnam: Shootfest 13, but I would never list them as my favorite games because they are a temporary experience. You play them and enjoy them, but once you stop playing them, the fun stops, the memories fade, and you go back to doing whatever you were supposed to be doing with hardly a second thought. While I enjoy them, they are not my favorite games by any means. My favorite games, books, movies, or TV shows are the ones that your brain keeps going back to days or sometimes weeks later. This causes movies like V for Vendetta,...

Chicago – The term ‘serviceable’ gets kind of a bad wrap when it comes to console gaming. Unlike the more wallet-friendly PC or Mobile platform, you’re paying north of sixty dollars for pretty much any new console game. With so many major games being released every year, titles that are just ‘okay’ are generally disregarded. Couple that with a looming cycle of new console hardware, if a development studio isn’t releasing high-profile games like “The Last of Us”, “Grand Theft Auto” or “Call of Duty” they’re probably not gonna make a big enough splash to make any money. Which is a shame because I have mostly benevolent feelings toward “Fuse”, a completely serviceable 3rd person shooter from Insomniac games.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

The main draw of “Fuse” are the wild weapons. In addition to pistols, shotguns, rifles, SMGs, and Sniper Rifles, each member of your four person team...

Chicago – The term ‘serviceable’ gets kind of a bad wrap when it comes to console gaming. Unlike the more wallet-friendly PC or Mobile platform, you’re paying north of sixty dollars for pretty much any new console game. With so many major games being released every year, titles that are just ‘okay’ are generally disregarded. Couple that with a looming cycle of new console hardware, if a development studio isn’t releasing high-profile games like “The Last of Us”, “Grand Theft Auto” or “Call of Duty” they’re probably not gonna make a big enough splash to make any money. Which is a shame because I have mostly benevolent feelings toward “Fuse”, a completely serviceable 3rd person shooter from Insomniac games.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

The main draw of “Fuse” are the wild weapons. In addition to pistols, shotguns, rifles, SMGs, and Sniper Rifles, each member of your four person team...

E3, as usual, is flush with announcements, both expected and unexpected. Another Plants vs. Zombies game is no surprise, given the recent Facebook release of Plants vs. Zombies Adventures and the upcoming Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time. However, EA let one weird-ass bomb drop with Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.

According to Joystiq (from who I also snagged the trailer), PvZ:gw is a third-person action game powered by the Frostbite Engine, in which players have to control a platoon of plants who have to repel the zombie hordes using their floral firepower. Gameplay is “multiplayer and team-based” with units each wielding their own “unique arsenal.” I smell a Team Fortress 2 clone, folks.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare will first see release on the Xbox One, with a port for the Xbox 360 occurring at a later date. Neither version has a confirmed release date.

Plants vs Zombies:...

Yesterday Valve announced a new feature for their popular digital platform Steam, virtual trading cards. With this addition, people using the online game service soon can collect and trade cards featuring various illustrations from popular game titles. In addition, the implementation of these cards also coincide with various new features being added to Steam, such as allowing users to customize their community profiles and gain specific emoticons for the software’s chat system.

While the system is still in its beta, Valve is actively adding new participants every few days. The cards themselves are simply gained by playing games on Steam and are used to earn badges. Players who earn these badges are rewarded with various goodies such as profile backgrounds and coupons for other games.

Another big feature being added is the Steam level system. Profiles are now given a number based on how much the person has invested into the community.

In 2010 Telltale Games did the unthinkable, bringing a handful of random characters together to sit down at the same table, and play some poker. "Poker Night at the Inventory" had players face off against Tycho from Penny Arcade, Max from "Sam & Max," the Heavy Weapons Guy from "Team Fortress 2," and Strong Bad from Homestar Runner, in a PC only, Texas Hold 'Em tournament where poker was only half as interesting as the characters. "Poker Night 2" sends players back to The Inventory, and deals them in for another hand against some huge names from the worlds of video games, cartoons, and movies.

"Poker Night 2" isn't your average poker video game - unless you're idea of "average" consists of playing against a homicidal maniac, the cursed holder of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, a talking dog in a suit, and a wisecracking robot. While that may sound like a pretty solid lineup for a cartoon from the 1980s,...

Developer Telltale Games is best known for titles that fit into the classic point-and-click graphic adventure genre, such as Sam & Max, Tales of Monkey Island, and most recently the acclaimed episodic Walking Dead game. However, there was one title that was decidedly outside of their typical gameplay model, that being the 2010 title Poker Night at the Inventory. Taking the basic rules of Texas Hold’Em poker and having players compete against a colorful cast of characters from several different franchises, the game was quite a fun diversion.

Now, two and a half years later, players have been given a chance to return to the secret club known as The Inventory, and meet with a new group of familiar faces in Poker Night 2. The sequel, while mostly identical in actual gameplay, has been beefed up with a new and more accessible unlock system, another type of poker to play, and more goodies to obtain,...

The recent announcement of Telltale’s Poker Night 2, the follow-up to their 2010 downloadable PC & Mac game, dished out such details as the cast of characters that players can expect to compete against. This includes Brock Samson from The Venture Bros., Ash from the original Evil Dead, Sam from Sam & Max, and Claptrap from Borderlands. It also revealed plans to also release the game on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Now, a new trailer offers further details on what players can expect to find in terms of unlockables, depending on their system of choice.

The game will offer several rewards that can be used in other games and in system components. All three versions of Poker Night 2 will offer various Borderlands 2 skins based around the franchises represented in the game. PC & Mac gamers who run the game on Steam will be able to unlock accessories for Team Fortress 2 and Xbox 360 owners...

Reddit pulled off a ridiculous, Team Fortress 2-themed April Fools' Day joke, and Vlogbrother John Green made sure he was part of the fun. The Fault In Our Stars author took to the site's IamA subreddit to answer questions and pick up a few of the site's new hats. As with the last YouTuber to do an IamA, Green's most upvoted question was a snarky remark from his brother, as he and Hank engaged in a sibling rivalry which John won by having more Reddit hats. As for actual questions, the most interesting note in Green's IamA (the third one he's presented on Reddit) dealt with Crash Course, which is apparently suffering from some financial hardships. "I'm very interested in economics and personal finance (I sometimes post at r/personalfinance) and literature and philosophy and anthropology and the list goes on and on..." answered Green to a question about...

In an unexpected (but certainly not unwelcome) announcement, Telltale Games, fresh off of the success of their episodic adventure game series based on The Walking Dead, has announced a sequel to their 2010 downloadable crossover title, Poker Night at the Inventory. Appropriately titled Poker Night 2, the game will once again have players facing off against AI-controlled familiar faces in friendly games of poker.

The original title already had a diverse lineup, consisting of The Heavy from Team Fortress 2, Strong Bad from the Homestar Runner web cartoons and games, Max from the Sam & Max franchise, and Tycho from the iconic gaming webcomic Penny Arcade. If anything, Poker Night 2 looks to make things even more diverse, with a lineup extending beyond games to also incorporate film and television characters. This time around, players can expect to run into Sam from Sam & Max, Claptrap from Borderlands, Ash Williams from the original Evil Dead trilogy,...

By Kevin Kelly

You know it’s a treat when you get to hear the somewhat reclusive Gabe Newell talk two days in a row, and while he was J.J. Abrams-less for his second D.I.C.E. keynote, Newell decided not to focus on talking about sales-oriented things, or announcing new products (damn!). Instead, he talked about two tenets:

• The PC ecosystem is going to expand into the living room. Obviously this is what Valve has been moving towards with their Steam Box system that will attach a gaming PC to your television.

• He thinks there is going to be a fairly significant sea change in what we think a game is. This will expand throughout the video game ecosystem, and will wind up in your living room, and will incorporate people who don’t tend to think of themselves as “gamers.”

“A lot of people have an...

Welcome to Screen Rant’s “Geek Picks,” where we collect the finest movie-related geekery from around the Web for you. Today you’ll find a micro documentary on Minecraft; a Kirby/Team Fortress 2 mashup; Morgan Freeman Dressed as Gordan Freeman in Grand Theft Auto IV; a creepy Joker gif; and some great noir superhero posters. All that and more on this edition of Sr’s Geek Picks!

To kick things off today, EW has Best and Worst Commercials from the 2013 Super Bowl.

Buzzfeed has The Creepiest Commercials Of Super Bowl Xlvii

-

The Avengers/Breakfast Club Trailer Mashup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5cKBuKb-hs

A brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal in 2012′s superhero blockbuster.

-

Minecraft is Fun

The story of two kids, a brother and sister, who bond through the fun they have playing a ...

Click to continue reading Sr...

Every developer has the aim to be financially stable, whilst still maintaining their creative essence, but in reality, the business orientation of gaming has forced studios to compromise on various aspects to survive. Companies like Electronic Arts and Activision live and die by their profit margins, which given the high stakes – sometimes amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars – reduces the likelihood of boldness in game design.

Valve on the other hand, is the very pinnacle every studio should aim to be; they are a private entity, answering to no one but themselves. Well funded by Steam and microtransactions, they can choose to take the time to develop their games and explore groundbreaking ideas, and as a result they can go years without releasing a game. Their financial stability is among the reasons they can choose to release free to play games like Dota 2 or continually add content to games like Team Fortress 2,...

Although they're a smaller developer - and haven't got the triple A titles like the big guns have, Jagex are certainly building something pretty big; something that deserves...nay, demands...your attention. At this point I'm willing to bet that a number of you have at least heard of Minecraft - heavens knows there's at least one Yogscast Minecraft video on Youtube's front page each day. I'm also quite confident that you've played at least one class based shooter in your life, and if you live on the internet as much as I do, then it's bound to be Team Fortress 2. Now, imagine combining the mining and building structures in Minecraft with that totally crazy, fine crafted and massively re-playable joy of Team Fortress 2, and you'll be some way towards understanding what Ace of Spades is about.

From the time you load up your first map the first...

By Joseph Leray

In a statement on Steam's Grand Theft Auto forums, Rockstar Games have confirmed that GTA: Vice City has been pulled from digital stores, including Steam, "due to some music licensing issues."

The game's disappearance was noted in late October, but copies of the game that have already been bought and downloaded will not be affected. ""We'll make it available again as soon as possible," the statement continues.

Rockstar reps also told Game Informer that Vice City's upcoming iOS and Android debut, in conjunction with the seminal title's 10th anniversary, will move forward as planned.

CinemaBlend is reporting that the song in question is Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something," which plays on Vice City's Fever 105 radio station. Sony Music Entertainment and Warner/Chappel Music have allegedly blocked the content on copyright grounds.

It's unclear why this brouhaha is flaring up now -- Vice City was released...

The Entertainment Weekly article announcing that director Scott Derrickson would be at the helm of a "Deus Ex" adaptation for CBS Films asks if video game movies are headed for a comeback. That questions starts from a false premise since the majority of video game movies have been consistently awful, most of them lurching to the screen after years of protracted development. What we're in the midst of now is a rush by studios to capitalize on gaming after seeing how much money the comic industry has been able to rake in with its properties over the last few years.

Gaming hasn't really had it's big budget, worldwide phenomenon a la "The Avengers," but that's not stopping the people with the money from throwing big name actors and available directors at these properties until something sticks.

So we have "Sinister" director Scott Derrickson re-teaming with that film's writer, C. Robert Cargill,...

By Joseph Leray

Members of SteamRep -- "a non-profit site that partners with community administrators to improve the safety of game-related trading" -- have uncovered what they believe to be organized fraud in "Team Fortress 2", Valve Software's massively popular, team-based Fps.

After conducting lengthy and detailed research, user base64 alleges that a group of Russian gamers are using stolen credit card numbers to buy and trade in-game items, and then selling those virtual items for real-world cash, often at a loss.

Here's a simplified breakdown: in-game keys are used to unlock crates, which hold new weapons and customization options for Team Fortress 2 players. These keys can be traded for other in-game items, including earbuds. Earbuds were a promotional item given to players who launched TF2 from a Mac, but the promotion ended in 2010, and their market value remains high because they're no longer available.

These earbuds are so rare,...

The gaming industry has undergone a few major developments in the past few years: the popularization of digital distribution platforms such as VALVe’s Steam, EA’s Origin, Apple’s App Store, and Google’s Play, the widespread proliferation of highly-capable, internet connected mobile gaming platforms, a.k.a. smartphones, newer, faster hardware, and even new kinds of gameplay. This has resulted in a lot of change going on for consumers.

Some will come and go, but these four trends are here to stay.

4. Free-to-Play

It seems like every big iOS game these days is free-to-play–rather than charging to download the title, these games rely on in-app purchases to make money. Zynga (and other Facebook) games work the same way–play for free, but bring your credit card just in case you want to buy some coins, money, or even donuts (in the case of The Simpsons: Tapped Out) to prolong the fun.