It is a bright, sunny day in the English countryside. You approach a village. A man is in the window of a house; he is hunched over the sill with arrows in his back. You use the wall for cover. An attacker comes around the corner. His sword hits your shield, and you retaliate. You are slammed against the wall. You swing, your sword hits a cart, and wood splinters. You are hit from behind, but your armor holds. You turn. Finally, your sword hits the mark, and your opponent falls.

This is just a sample of some of the action in War of the Roses, a new game from Fatshark and Paradox Interactive. The game is set in the 15^th century when there was a civil war in England. King Henry V died suddenly, leaving a young Henry VI in charge. During a period of madness, Henry’s advisors took control, leading to civil unrest. Henry was a member of the House of Lancaster, but the House of York wanted power. Both houses were descended from King Edward III, so both had reasonable claims to the throne. From 1455 to 1487, both houses waged war for control of the country. The name of the war comes from the symbols of the houses: the red rose for the House of Lancaster and the white rose for the House of York. Over the course of the war, power shifted from Henry VI to Edward IV of the House of York; Henry took the crown back for a few years, but Edward got it back. After brief stints from Edward V and Richard III (both York), King Henry VII ended all of the turmoil by starting the House of Tudor and taking control of England. This was a chaotic and difficult time for England, but it is a rich source of material for a video game.

War of the Roses takes its inspiration for scenery, combat, weapons and armor the from this time period. The developers researched the era and consulted experts to create an authentic experience. During the short single player campaign, you play as a soldier who fights at important battles. The focus of the single player is for players to become accustomed to the mechanics and the environment by participating in engaging scenarios. The techniques learned in single player are the same in multiplayer, which is the focus of the game.

The competitive multiplayer is team death match. Currently, the servers can handle 32 players without taxing the system, so two teams of 16 can fight for glory and honor. Friends can join the same server and form squads. Players can choose from six customizable classes; players are encouraged to play each in order to get a feel for the different fighting styles. The developers want players to have fun and be invested in their character, so basically every aspect of the characters is customizable with more perks and options becoming available as players level up. Players can select the method the metal of weapons is forged, complete with a blacksmith’s brand in the accurate location. There are different types of pummels for swords. Light, medium, and heavy armor are available and can be enhanced with visors to protect the face. Plumes in a variety of colors and coats of arms will complete the look of a character. With so many combinations possible, characters will be unique creations with distinct visual appearances.

The game has a learning curve, but is structured so players can learn from their mistakes and improve. The emphasis on physics forces players to try different tactics. Players truly interact with and impact the game’s environment. When you are in a corner, you will not be able to swing a large sword; well, you can try, but the sword will hit the wall and stop. Players will have primary and secondary weapons and a dagger, so strategy will always be needed. Weapons will break, but a visit to the blacksmith is unnecessary; instead, the weapon will regenerate while sheathed.

Paradox Interactive consistently delivers quality games centered on strategy, which is why I am very eager to play this medieval third person Call of Duty-esque game. With customizable characters and the opportunity to discover your style of combat, War of the Roses has great potential to be a competitive multiplayer many will want to play for a very long time.

When I hear that a game is a platformer, a list of expectations enters my mind, as though I know what the game will be before I play it. The game will be filled with jumping varying distances, shorter and shorter ledges, and having to time jumps to avoid obstacles. AVWW has the standard list of qualities found in a platformer, but the game is a lot more than many action platformers that consist of jumping and shooting in a linear manner. AVWW takes your expectations and elevates them by not being linear and varying the action during the game.

The game is an open world 2D side-scrolling action platformer. A cataclysm fractured time on the planet of Environ. There are few survivors; most live in a settlement. Only glyphbearers have any chance of surviving in the wilds of the world. Glyphbearers can wield magic, giving them the means to kill creatures and find resources. The more the player explores the world, the more resources can be found to help increase your civilization progress (CP). Higher CP means the settlement becomes more fortified, you get more allies, and better rewards become available.

After you leave the settlement, you enter the map view. The map shows the world, and you move the character from square to square. Missions are marked on the map, but if you enter the other areas, sometimes a secret mission will appear. Areas you have visited are labeled, but new missions can spawn in those areas. There is an evil overlord to defeat, but the main thrust of the game is exploration. Not only does the settlement and world improve, you also find gems, stones, scrolls, and other items that can develop your character and shape the way the play. Stones that improve health, mana, and power stats must be spent wisely because when you die, the stats do not transfer to the new character. The spells and equipment are available to the new character, but if you don’t have any stones to upgrade stats, then you will have to be careful and search for more.

You cannot change the look of a character, but you can customize each character by using enchantments that will equip certain spells, alter the way the character jumps, and allow you to hone how the character fights. The more you explore, the more you will find for your character, and you will become tempted to invest everything into a character. However, you will die. You have to accept that you will die. Once a character dies, you select from the five remaining characters. Characters have different health, power, and mana levels, so you will have to plan accordingly. Permanent death is not common in games now, so getting attached to your first character and sinking all of your upgrades stones into him or her will devastate you when the character dies and spend time getting used to a new character. Although you still have the spells and equipment, if you want to customize your new character quickly, I suggest you keep a few upgrade stones in reserve. After you die, the previous character can come back as a vengeful spirit that will attack you if it finds you, so make sure your death is glorious.

How fast you die depends on your skill and the difficulty settings. You can set the difficulty settings in two different categories, platforming and combat. This feature enables players to customize the game according to preference. There are seven combat difficulties: featherweight, apprentice, adept, skilled, hero, master hero, and the chosen one. Players have six platforming difficulties to choose from: I have no desire to be the guy, I am afraid of heights, I can jump thank you, I get mistaken for a certain plumber, I am not the guy but I am close, and I am already the guy. I started many games with different combinations of difficulty, and there was a difference each time. In the hardest combat level, there are more enemies that can kill you in less than five hits; in the hardest platforming level, there are few platforms, the platforms are smaller, and you take a lot of damage if you fall too far, so a fall can kill you. In addition to the separate difficulty categories, you can pick what type of start you want. The normal start will take you through the tutorial first, the advance start skips the tutorial, and if you are daring, you can skip to the second continent by selecting the expert start. This ability to customize the game to your style of play is the best feature of the game. AVWW can be enjoyed by those who like platformers but don’t want a lot of combat and by those who don’t like platformers but want challenging combat. Being able to set the style of the game I wanted encouraged me to find the right settings for me.

The tutorial teaches the basics of the game well. If you need more information, the game has a tip guide and big encyclopedia available in the game. The screen has a map in the upper left corner, spells and stats are displayed in the lower left, and the lower right displays how much of the area you have explored. The jumping is precise, and certain characters can jump high and far, so time is needed to get used to how each character moves. New characters spawn in the settlement, so changing your character during a fight is not an option.

Environ is vast. There a many types of areas including desert, a frozen plain, and forests. Weather impacts your ability to navigate and jump through an area. While the scenery changes, there is a lack of variation in the enemies and the buildings. I don’t mind fighting the same enemies in an area, but when I move to a new area, from forest to desert for example, I expect new enemies. Some new enemies did appear, but most of the time I battled against the same ones. In each area you can explore buildings so you can find resources, but the interiors of many of the buildings look the same and had similar layouts. With a game this big, the repetition becomes noticeable because of how many hours you spend playing.

A Valley Without Wind is the first open world 2D side-scrolling sci-fi/fantasy action platformer with multiplayer (LAN or online) I have ever played. There is a story, but it is not developed well, and the characters don’t have distinct personalities, but story and character are not why I recommend this game. Although there is a lack of variation among the enemies and building interiors, the gameplay is not monotonous. As you get deeper into the game, it becomes more than a platformer. Missions include stealth, assassinations, helping allies kill a creature, and strategy. You are encouraged to explore and make the game your own. With so many ways to shape the game to your style, AVWW is welcoming to a variety of playing styles. After I learned the controls and found the right settings, AVWW became intuitive, comfortable, and fun to play. AVWW is the game I wish was available during my high school years. I couldn’t afford to play many games, but I know I could have found $15 and played for months because there are many spells to discover, many places to explore, and many evils to destroy. Unfortunately, I have to leave the planet of Environ, but my inner teenager is completely in love with this game.

This year, Konami will be kicking off the E3 festivities by broadcasting their press event online on Sunday night. Monday is a jam packed day with 4 press events on the slate, followed by Nintendo closing out the media briefings on Tuesday morning. Below is a list of times for all of the events so you can plan accordingly.

Sunday June 3rd/4th

Konami – 9 pm pst (1 am est) Streaming online only at Konami

Monday June 4th

Microsoft – 9:30 am pst (12:3o pm est) Spike TV, Xbox Live, IGN and Gamespot

Electronic Arts – 1 pm pst (4 pm est) G4, IGN, and Gamespot

Ubisoft – 3 pm pst (6pm est) G4, IGN, and Gamespot

Sony – 6 pm pst (9pm est) G4, IGN, and Gamespot

Tuesday June 5th

Nintendo – 9:30 am pst (12:30  est) G4, IGN, Gamespot, and Nintendo

We are also pleased to announce that Groovy Gamer will be doing Podcasts all week during E3, each and every night. We will be bringing you the news of the day, commentary and special guests.

There is only a little more than two weeks to go, we look forward to sharing the experience with you the listeners. if you have any questions for the show, send them to podcast@groovygamer.net

This week Ron, Michelle and Jared return to talk about the passing of MCA, Baseball cards, and video cards. We also talk about games of course, such as: Minecraft for 360, Modern Warfare 3, Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Botanicula, Black Ops, and The Witcher 2. The podcast goes off the rails at the end as we talk about super hero and sci fi movies.

Join us every Wednesday for more video game and off topic discussion.

Please subscribe to the show in iTunes. Leave us a review or rating, and tell your friends.

As always, check out our friends at Midnite Mausoleum and Haunted Hotsauce as well.

This week the gang returns to break Ron’s balls for turning 40. We also flip the show around and talk about a whole heck of a lot of news upfront, including Black Ops 2 and the our friend Adam’s move to SCEA. We cover a bunch of games as well, such as The Walking Dead, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Dragons Dogma, Silent Hill Downpour, Kings Corners, Fertang, Kairo, A Valley Without Wind, Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Prototype 2, The Witcher 2, Trials Evolution and Black Ops.

Join us every Wednesday for more gaming news and discussion and other nonsense.

Please subscribe to the show on iTunes, leave us a review or rating….and tell your friends!

Don’t forget to check out Midnite Mausoleum and Haunted Hotsauce as well.

To check out or purchase the iOS games I discussed this week, here are the links for:

Kings Corners

Fertang

This week Ron, Michelle, and Jared return to talk about E3, the NFL Draft, playoff hockey, pulled pork, crock pots, pedophile vampires, clearing your browser history, birthdays, Ok Cupid, nuclear war, and some news. The games we cover this week are, The Witcher 2, Pinball Arcade, Fez, Trials Evolution, Diablo 3, Prototype 2, The Walking dead, Airmech, and Lone Survivor.

Join us every Wednesday for our brand of game discussion and other nonsense.

Please subscribe to the show on iTunes, leave us a review or rating, and tell your friends.

Don’t forget to check out Midnite Mausoleum and Haunted Hotsauce too.

VESSEL

The movement of liquids is one of the most difficult animations to master, and Vessel by Strange Loop Games has some of the best fluid mechanics I have ever seen in a game. M. Arkwright’s inventions, the Fluro workers, are animated liquid creatures that are employed in various different occupations. Expected to be simple and obedient workers, the Fluros are adapting to the environment; they are evolving, and Arkwright navigates the world in order to try to understand what is happening to his creations. Some of the Fluros are helpful, but many hinder his progress. The game has a steampunk aesthetic. The fluid Fluros contrast with the harsh machines surrounding them. Players manipulate Fluros to solve puzzles in this ingenious and charming game.

Vessel is available now on the developer’s website and Steam; Strange Loop Games has plans to port the game to XBLA and PSN in the future.

GUACAMELEE!

Video games can tell rich, meaningful stories with morally ambiguous characters and a dark tone. But sometimes a game can be fun—just pure, unadulterated fun. Guacamelee is set to be a game that is a blast to play from when you press start. The game is a brawler platformer set in a Mexican-inspired world. The ruler of the world of the dead wants to merge the world of the dead with the world of the living. You play as a luchador, male or female, who fights to stop the two worlds from merging. The art is bright and angular, like an updated Hanna-Barbera style. The game has a zany sense of humor, which is becoming a trademark of the developer, Drinkbox Studios. The action is quick, and I could tell the developer is spending a lot of time getting the mechanics right—the game has some of the best wall jumping I’ve experienced in a while. Along with punching and kicking, the luchador has wrestling moves, so players can body slam, pile drive, and throw enemies. The game has a Metroid feel, but instead of turning into a ball, the luchador turns into a chicken. A chicken! To get to the ruler of the world of the dead, players have to switch between the worlds. At the beginning, players have to use portals, but about halfway through the game, players will unlock the ability to switch between the worlds at will. The game has a single player mode, and two player local co-op. I got to play co-op, and being next to the other player is important when the switching can happen at any time because either of you can switch between worlds, so you can cause the other player to fall or become trapped in a certain section, so communication is important. Wacky, vibrant, and action-packed, Guacamelee is a game I’m highly anticipating.

Drinkbox Studios is still working on the game; they hope to be finished by the end of the year. 

MARK OF THE NINJA

Stealth games can get boring fast because sneaking up behind a NPC and hitting a button to execute a kill move can become rote and dull, but Mark of the Ninja promises to be an entertaining and engaging stealth game. Klei Entertainment’s newest game is about a ninja who needs to protect his clan. The game is predominantly black; characters have a faint outline to distinguish them from the dark. What makes this game promising is that the field of vision of the NPCs and the width of light beams are clearly defined. The sounds your characters make are visually depicted, so you will know if the ninja is being too loud. The ninja uses darts to take down lights and enemies, and the animation is quick and smooth; the ninja moves how players expect a ninja to move. I’ve never played a good stealth game, so Mark of the Ninja could possibly fill a void many of us don’t realize we have.

Mark of the Ninja will be released on XBLA sometime this summer.

Other notable upcoming platformers include Snapshot from Retro Affect. In Snapshot, you play as a robot that searches for his origins; players take pictures of objects in the game in order to solve puzzles or defeat enemies. Runner 2 is the sequel to the Runner, and Gaijin Games promises to satisfy fans as well as make the game friendly to newcomers by allowing players to select the difficulty level. Runner 2 is fast so players do not have time to stop and think about their next move; players have to get a feel for the rhythm of the game in order to complete the 100 challenging levels. The Showdown Effect is from the minds that brought us Magicka (Arrowhead Game Studios), which has me sold. The game, published by Paradox Interactive, is a multiplayer action platformer. Players select from action heroes inspired by characters popular in 80s and 90s Hollywood blockbusters. The goal of the game is to be the last one standing; two to eight players find weapons and try to kill each other. The mayhem that could result in eight players trying to destroy each other is the main draw for this outrageous game.

These games show that the platformer is alive and well.

SUPERBROTHERS: SWORD & SWORCERY EP

With “Sworcery” in the title, one should know that the game has an odd sense of humor, and the game does not disappoint. Sword & Sworcery is about a warrior monk, the Scythian, on a “woeful errand.” There are battles and puzzles, but the reasons to play this game are for how it turns expectations around and the music. The soundtrack by Jim Guthrie is otherworldly. This game really is a different way to experience how music is used in a game.

Sword & Sworcery first came out for iOS devices and has been recently been made available on Steam.

MONACO     

When you attend PAX, you expect to see people in various outfits, but a suit might not be one you think you will see. Andy Schatz, owner of Pocketwatch Games, was dressed in a suit, a fine, well-made suit, while showing off a demo of his new game, Monaco. While his suit earns him the award for Best Dressed at PAX East 2012, his appearance his not why I enjoyed Monaco. The game is a top down heist romp inspired by the mini-map in Hitman. Schatz wanted to play the entirety of Hitman in the mini-map, so he took that desire and created Monaco. The game can be played alone or with up to four players. Four characters are available at first; players unlock four more as the game progresses. The main difference between the two modes is how death is handled. When players die in single player, they can respawn as a different character; in multiplayer, teammates have to revive each other. The goal is to steal stuff. To do so successfully, players will need to survive. Ammo is earned by collecting coins; every ten coins equals one more round, so solo players just have to worry about enemies while players in multiplayer have to determine how greedy they will be. This cross between Hitman and Gauntlet has two major campaigns, PvP arenas, and a single player survival mode. Also, players will be able to create levels and share them. I asked Schatz why he would encourage players to create levels, he responded, without any hesitation, that giving that option to players is “awesome.”

Pocketwatch Games plans to release the game this year on PC/Mac and at least one console.

RETRO/GRADE and ROCK BAND BLITZ

The big boss is dead. The credits roll. Game over, right? Not in the case of Retro/Grade, the game played in reverse. To repair the damage in the time-space continuum, you have to match all of the shots you fired while dodging enemy fire, the attacks that did not injure you the first time around. If you don’t match the actions exactly, then a paradox will happen. If the paradox is not repaired, then the mission fails. Players can rewind the game a short time if they have enough retro fuel for the retro rocket. The game can be played with a regular controller or a guitar controller used for Guitar Hero or Rock Band.

Rock Band Blitz is Rock Band without all of the instruments. Players can switch between the different instruments from going from one track to another and match the beats by pressing two buttons on the controller. The game comes with 25 songs, and the entire Rock Band library will be available to play.

I never had the money or the space for all of the equipment needed for Guitar Hero and Rock Band, so I always had to go to a friend’s house to play. Retro/Grade and Rock Band Blitz are for players who want a rhythm game without the necessity of all the paraphernalia.

Retro/Grade is the very inventive game from 24 Caret Games; the game should be released on PSN sometime this year. Harmonix’s Rock Band Blitz will be released on XBLA and PSN later this year.

Left: Retro/Grade; Right: Rock Band Blitz

SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN

Skulls of the Shogun is an action turn-based strategy game from Haunted Temple Studios. The aim of the developer is to remove the clunkiness that can plague some RTS games. There is no menu to select moves from and no grid; it is meant to be a turn-based fighting game with physics, so you can shove an enemy off a cliff if the opportunity presents itself. You play as a general who has been betrayed on the battlefield and dies only to face the one who betrayed him in the afterlife. The general persuades others to join his cause, and he plans on clearing his name and getting revenge even though he is dead. This campy Japanese-esque ghost story with an art style inspired by 1960s anime has single player and multiplayer. The multiplayer is local or online; two to four players have to kill the opposing general. If there are more than two players, then alliances can be formed and broken.

Skulls of the Shogun will be available when Windows 8 is released on XBLA, Windows phone, and Windows 8.    

Other notable games include AirMech from Carbon Games. This action free-to-play RTS is available now in the Chrome store (there are plans to bring the game to Steam later this year); players have control of a jet that can turn into a robot. The goal is to defend your territory against invaders. Go Home Dinosaurs is a tower defense game for all ages; players must protect the BBQ from very hungry dinosaurs. The game, from Fire Hose Games, has a cartoony art style without being too cute. A nice twist to the game is that the towers are shaped like Tetris pieces, so you have to plan carefully before you place your defenses. Also, the avatar throws projectiles; when coconuts are not needed, the avatar becomes a tower as well. Go Home Dinosaurs will be available in the Chrome web store this summer.

This is a small taste of the many excellent games at PAX East 2012. Considering how many I did not get to play, it looks like there are many games coming our way in 2012.

After playing games for years, one comes to learn the when the game is bad and when the player is bad at the game. This game is difficult, and it repeatedly handed me my ass; however, I was always having a good time playing. The game has numerous features and a variety of missions. Single player has three modes: campaign, single mission and tutorial. The NATO missions begin with the tutorial missions, so you don’t have to play the tutorial by itself to learn the mechanics. Missions can be played individually or in order in the campaign; there are 12 NATO and 11 Russian missions. During the Russian missions, you play the same story from the other side. The Russian missions are more difficult than the NATO missions, so I suggest playing NATO first. There are six stand-alone missions, including the Battle of Jutland, which is a reenactment of the 1916 battle using modern naval forces. Each mission can be played on one of three difficulty settings: easy, normal and hard.

Objectives and rules vary from mission to mission. Missions include escort, destroy a certain amount of enemy forces, seize a resource, stop an invasion, attack spy ships, and defend a base, a ship, or a country. Some missions require the condition of not firing on an enemy unless fired on first, so you have to change the rule in the settings, which is by the small map in the lower left corner. Players can set the conditions to manual, fire on cleared targets, or fire in self-defense. There is an option to treat all detected objects as hostiles, but if you do, you could end up firing on a neutral or civilian vessel, putting the mission in jeopardy or failing it completely.

The action primarily takes place on a 2D map. Your forces are green outlines; enemies are red, and yellow is the color for neutral and unknown forces. You can switch to the view in a small screen in the center of the bottom. When the 2D map is up, the small screen has a 3D picture of a unit. When the view is switched, the map goes to the smaller screen; orders cannot be issued in this view. In the 3D view, whether it is your unit or the enemy, you can watch your ship sink, but you do not see any missiles hit the craft. Each unit is distinct and resembles its real-world counterpart, but the omission of some of the action animations makes the 3D rendering feel incomplete. The top of the screen displays the weather conditions and the time compression bar. The time compression bar lets players speed up the action. The right side of the screen is dedicated to issuing orders.

After you are given the objectives of the mission, you start formulating your strategy. Players can have units act automatically or adjust what type of weapons units use, the speed, and the altitude. Aircraft can be deployed individually or in groups of two or more. Units can be ordered to patrol, engage in surveillance, and directly attack enemies. Courses and orders can be changed throughout the mission. Players have to remember that aircraft have limited amounts of weapons and fuel, so if you send out all of the planes at the same time, then they will have to return to base about the same time. I learned the hard way when I saw many of my green planes turn around simultaneously and return to base because they used all of their bingo fuel.

A lot happens in this game, which is its strength, but a stronger tutorial would have helped me get into the game faster. There is a manual online, but it would have been better if it was included in the game. Also, a description of all of the aircraft, submarines, ships, and weapons would help players understand what they are fighting with and against. The manual has basic descriptions; a detailed codex with the strengths and weaknesses of the naval forces would have not made formulating strategy more effective. In a game this deep and complex, the more information a player has the better. There is a tutorial video by the game developer online, but a lot of that information should have been available in the game.

The sound effects in the game help bring the battle to life. The hum of a carrier, the blades of a helicopter, the ping of a sonar contact, and the explosions make the game more than pieces moving on a map. While the sound effects are good, the soundtrack is lackluster. There are two tracks, one for the menu and one for battle. Each track is about four to five notes over and over and over and over. Fortunately, the music can be turned down in the options section of the menu. Once I turned the music all the way down, the game improved.

Multiplayer has the same mechanics and layout as single player. Players can join or create a game. To create a game, select a scenario and enter the game lobby. The game begins after another player has joined (only two can play) and each player chooses a side. Chat is available, but it is not clear how to enable chat. The other player informed me how to start chat (press “t” to talk). This is another example of the game not providing information to players to make the game readily accessible. There wasn’t a chat window; instead, the text appeared in the middle of the map. Playing against an unpredictable human was different, which made the multiplayer engaging, but I could not play as much as I wanted because I kept getting disconnected from the server.

The most fascinating aspect of the game was playing the same war from both sides. When you are NATO, the Russians are overreacting to Norway’s right to fish in the North Atlantic. When you are Russian, the fishing vessels are disguised spy ships that must be dealt with accordingly. Everyone wants access to the trade routes, fishing, and reserves of oil and natural gas, so it is interesting seeing the same events from different perspectives. Of course, once you play one side, you do know how the war ends, but it was intriguing defending the retreating Russian forces after trying to destroy them when I played the NATO missions.

Naval War: Arctic Circle is not for the timid; you must be patient and willing to dive into the game, giving it your full attention. All of the options and ways to complete missions make a player’s brain spin, which is what a good RTS battle sim is supposed to do. Whether you set everything on auto or manually give orders and adjust every unit, the game is one you should expect to spend hours involved in serious gameplay.

This week the crew returns to talk about Skyrim, World Gone Sour, Pinball Arcade, Fez, The Splatters, Witcher 2, Sword and Sorcery, Naval Warfare: Arctic Circle, Legends of Grimrock and some iOS games. We catch up on what’s going on the past week, talk about Law and Order as well as other nonsense.

Join us every Wednesday night for more game and off topic discussion.

Please subscribe to the show on iTunes, rate and review us, and above all else….tell your friends.