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Inside Mac Games has posted a new review of LEGO Batman: The Videogame from Feral Interactive. In the game players can explore an interactive LEGO Gotham City as Batman and Robin, capturing infamous villains, and even taking control of the villains themselves.

Here's an excerpt:

One of the ways in which this game attempts to differ from previous LEGO titles is through the extensive use of the new suit system. The weapons available are much like those in LEGO Indiana Jones, with Batman and Robin also gaining the use of a grappling hook. It worked similarly to its predecessor and is as functional as before. The suit system, on the other hand, was not used in previous games, and introduces a new type of gameplay to the mix. Throughout the levels in LEGO Batman there are stations where Batman or Robin can “change suits,” allowing them to gain new powers. Some new powers include the gliding suit for Batman and the magnetic suit for Robin, as well as many more. While this is something for LEGO game veterans to get used to, it is a welcome improvement from my perspective.

IMG Review: LEGO Batman The Videogame

Feral Interactive

LEGO Batman

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Inside Mac Games has posted a new review of Aspyr Media's Duke Nukem. Called out of retirement to once again save earth from an alien invasion, Duke unleashes his signature brand of butt kicking and wise cracking in this long awaited return to the first person shooter with an attitude.

If you played any of the previous games, you might recall that Duke fought the aliens as they tried to steal Earth’s women, wanting to use them to breed new aliens. He didn’t always do a good job saving the women, but he did a great job of defeating the aliens. As this game starts, Duke is a retired hero. He has used his status and fame to build a small empire of Duke related businesses such as restaurants, bars, hotels, and even a “Duke Nukem-land”. The aliens are back but this time, the leaders of our world are trying to negotiate with them. Duke has his own plans on how to deal with the aliens, and expects the negotiations are destined for failure. Not surprisingly efforts for peace do fail, and Duke quickly finds himself knee deep in dead aliens.

IMG Review: Duke Nukem

Aspyr Media

Duke Nukem Forever

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Bioware has announced the release of new story based DLC for its fantasy RPG sequel, Dragon Age II. Mark of the Assassin features a new assassin character named Tallis, new items, new enemies, new environments, and the return of stealth based gameplay. Tallis is voiced and modelled after actress Felicia Day.

“I’m a huge fan of Dragon Age and working with BioWare on Mark of the Assassin has been a dream come true,” said Felicia Day. “The colorful characters and deep story-telling of Dragon Age is what BioWare does best and the way the team brought Tallis into the fiction felt very natural. I was extremely excited to use their amazing world as my creative playground in developing her character.”

“We instantly recognized Felicia’s passion, expertise and inherent knowledge of the Dragon Age lore and knew it was something special,” said Mark Darrah, Executive Producer on Dragon Age. “Felicia is a really great fit for Tallis and incorporating such a passionate fan into our fiction was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.”

Surrounded by deception and intrigue, Hawke finds himself face-to-face with a cunning Rogue assassin named Tallis as she intervenes during a perilous ambush. In return for her aid in defeating a group of mercenaries, Tallis asks Hawke to help her steal a precious relic from an Orlesian Duke in his well-guarded estate outside of Kirkwall. In Dragon Age II: Mark of the Assassin, players will explore open, outdoor environments and dive deeper into the backstory of the Orlesian and Qunari races. Dragon Age II: Mark of the Assassin can be accessed from a safe house at any point in the Dragon Age II campaign.

In Dragon Age II, players step into the role of Hawke, a refugee who survives the destruction of his homeland to become the Champion of Kirkwall. Along the way, Hawke encounters many characters that undoubtedly shape his journey through his rise to power as their involvement in his story reveals his true allies or sworn enemies.

Today, the highly anticipated six-episode web series, Dragon Age: Redemption, will premiere on Machinima at www.youtube.com/Machinima. Felicia Day, creator of the popular web series “The Guild,” brought her team together to collaborate once more on Redemption, a series that Felicia wrote, produced and will be starring in. Felicia can be seen taking on the role of Tallis, an Elvin assassin, who will get one last chance at redemption as she sets off to capture a rogue Qunari Mage intent on wreaking havoc on the world.

Dragon Age II: Mark Of The Assassin

TransGaming

BioWare

Dragon Age 2

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MoaCube has announced the Mac OS X debut of MAGI, an indie strategy game focused on wizard duels. In order to win players must make use of their available spells, character skills, and careful strategic plans. The Mac release offers "several improvements over the original PC version."

MAGI is a proof that indie game developers can produce quirky and amazingly creative games that would make big studio shareholders and marketing departments squirm in terror. It's an unique strategy game, where the player takes their chosen wizard through a series of magic battles, in order to gain more power and spells to devise a winning tactic for the inevitable final battle with the Death. Essentially, it's the odd lovechild of a fighting game and RPG battle system, described by the developer as: "what would you get if you mixed Mortal Kombat and Magic: the Gathering".

Instead of relying on cutting-edge 3d graphics and hours of cutscenes, MAGI uses simple and focused design, careful balance, and more than a pinch of good old challenge. The game is hard. In order to win, players need to make the best use of the available spells, character skills and their strategic wit. The final battle with the Death is particularly hard, and if you haven't gained enough power in the preceding duels, it might be nigh impossible to win. It's harsh, but it also makes MAGI an intense and very addictive experience, with that certain "just one more battle" factor to it.

MAGI was originally released for the PC in 2007 by the lone Polish indie developer Tom Grochowiak, who now heads his own small studio MoaCube. It quickly became an indie darling with small-but-dedicated fan base among the lovers of quirky and challenging games. PC Zone described it as "a bold stab at innovation that moves away from the copycat norm." A sequel - ArcMagi - is currently in development, albeit the release date is still unknown. More information and screenshots are available at the MoaCube's webpage.

MAGI

MoaCube

Electronic Arts has released information about new Karma Powers and a collection of screenshots for The Sims 3 Pets, a new expansion scheduled to be available on October 18. On its way to Mac courtesy of TransGaming, the game will give players the chance to design custom pets for their Sims and then enjoy a variety of new activities and social interactions with the new creatures.

Returning by popular demand to The Sims 3 Pets are Karma Powers. This unique feature makes it easier than ever to bestow good things upon your Sims’ lives or create mischief all around them. New to The Sims 3 Pets, you can now use more Karma Points than you have, but beware what possible consequences will find you if you over spend your points!

Below are the new Karma Powers for The Sims 3 Pets.

A Little Sunshine – Give a quick boost with no interruption.
Transmogrify – Transform a Sim, cat or dog into a different species.
Solar Flare – Unleash a rogue solar flare.
Meteor Strike – Drop space rocks from the sky.
Feral Possession – Trigger pets to become furry terrors!
The Sickness – Release a wave of illness over Sims.

Worthplaying: The Sims 3 Pets Karma Powers

Electronic Arts

TransGaming

The Sims 3

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Macgamestore.com has announced the addition of Anuman Interactive's Amerzone to its growing list of digital download products. The unique point-and-click adventure title is adapted from Benoît Sokal's comic book adventure, an Inspector Canardo mystery. Amerzone features HD graphics, a variety of puzzles to crack, and 360° vision.

Before dying, the explorer Emile Valembois tells you about the most amazing expedition of his career. This expedition was dedicated to the crazy "white bird" mystery. He confides to the young journalist that you are, the odd mission of returning to Amerzone in order to bring back an egg that was robbed 50 years earlier…

Legend has it that strange white birds are born and die in mid-flight, without ever landing. To bring this species back to life, you'll travel through enchanting landscapes, from Brittany to tropical forest. You'll have to solve the mystery of these famous white birds...

You are suddenly transformed from journalist to explorer setting out for the Amerzone, chasing down any clues that Alexandre Valembois left you in his lighthouse.

THE GAME
This Point and Click adventure uses 360° vision.
The story has been freely adapted from a Benoît Sokal's comic book adventure, an Inspector Canardo mystery, published by Casterman.

Features:

• The first adventure from the author of Syberia and Syberia 2, Benoît Sokal
  
• The fascinating treasure trail laid out in Valembois' notebooks
  
• High-definition graphics and cinematics
  
• Numerous enigmas to solve
  
• The varied and bewitching music and ambient sounds

Amerzone

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Replay Games has announced it has secured the worldwide rights to the Leisure Suit Larry franchise, and is planning to release revamped and reimagined editions of the series starting with the first: Leisure Suit Larry In The Land of the Lounge Lizards. Coming to a variety of platorms including Mac and Windows PCs, the adult adventure title will feature HD graphics and the input of series creator Al Lowe.

The world’s least successful lover, but highly successful adventure game hero, is back with a bang. A BIG HD BANG. Leisure Suit Larry is heading to the new generation of game platforms, a new generation of gamers, and – just maybe – a whole new series of adventures, thanks to Replay Games and Larry’s original creator, Al Lowe.

Replay Games has secured the worldwide rights to the entire Leisure Suit Larry franchise. For ALL platforms. Yep, all. PC, MAC, XBLA, PSN, iOS, Android, Steam, On-Live, Gaikai, and all major affiliate portals. Plus anything else which comes out in the near future that rocks!

Working with Al Lowe, the mastermind behind Larry’s original adventures, Replay Games can now bring back all of the Leisure Suit Larry games, reimagined and redesigned for the future!

Or create entirely new ones.

Yeah, that’s right. New ones. Yes, we’re excited, too!

Larry’s original classic adventure, Leisure Suit Larry In The Land Of The Lounge Lizards is the first title Al and the Replay team will revisit, resuscitate and rejuvenate. Plus, an all-new high-def game is in the pipeline with a release date of Q4 2012 or "as soon as it’s suitably awesome!"

Mr. Al Lowe will be working closely with the Replay Games team to ensure that the games stay faithful (unlike their lead character!) to the Leisure Suit Larry brand. No "knock offs," no pseudo-relatives, these are the real deal.

When asked to comment, Al screamed, "Get outta here!” But after he flushed and washed his hands, he explained, “I'm totally jazzed to work with long-term friend and Sierra buddy, Paul Trowe. He's worked tirelessly for years to get the Larry rights and return them to the hands of the Sierra ‘family.’ Working with Paul's team ensures that the world’s favorite leisure suit-wearer remains the same guy we all learned to love a quarter-century ago. I'll oversee the entire production of these games to ensure the highest standards and some amazing new adventures for my pal, Larry. It's great to see my creation released from his digital dungeon!"

Paul Trowe, founder and CEO of Replay Games, agrees vehemently. "I'm honored to work with game designer-extraordinaire and total legend, Al Lowe, on one of the most best-loved and successful adventure games in history. I've been working to acquire the original Sierra properties for over 10 years. I can’t even begin to explain how thrilled I am to announce we’re letting Larry breathe the fresh air of freedom once more and releasing him from the clutches of corporate America. Al and I are working very closely on this, to make sure every Larry game is the best. The remake of the original Leisure Suit Larry is going to kick so much ass, the entire world will have to play it standing up. And buy new pants. And a cushion. Seriously, we’re really excited about this.”

Replay Games

Larry Concept Art

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Hooked Gamers has posted a new review of Uncanny Games' OIO. Based on concepts from mythology and fairy tales, the game puts players in the role of a small wooden man awakened from petrified sleep. Hooked Gamers gave OIO a score of 8 out of 10.

The unknown is an interesting way to start a game. OIO begins by displaying its beautiful hand-drawn environments. This provides a fitting papery aesthetic, since the characters and large parts of the setting are made of wood. The twisting forms and watery bogs shaping the surroundings bear a resemblance to what one would imagine to be the bowels of Wonderland. Inhabiting these vast spaces are plenty of wooden characters, yet none of them show signs of life. A stray beam of sunlight penetrates this subterranean underbelly and causes one of these vacant characters to become animate. Thrust into this world without a clue and amongst such expressionist architecture causes the player to be wary of each step they take. Vulnerability and fear come hand-in-hand.

Hooked Gamers: OIO Review

OIO

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