Game of the Year contenders 2013

As is always the case we hit the end of a year and people start proclaiming what was the best those twelve months had to offer. When I started this post I was in a bit of pickle, I was convinced I'd not played that many games this year. The latter half of the year I've not touched that many of this years' releases from a personal standpoint and most of my recent purchases has gone on the great games from the last few years that I missed. I'm got Dishonored for Christmas, which says a lot.

BeefJack: FTL: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

My interview with with Subset Games, the developers of FTL: Advanced edition, as well as guest writer Chris Avellone, is now up at BeefJack. I bloody loved FTL and can't wait for this free expansion.

I'm sort of surprised at the title. Originally the Editor had Faster, Better, Harder, Stronger. An obvious play on the Daft Punk song with the F going first for FTL, which I promptly ribbed him about getting it wrong because I'm like that and suggested Faster, Tougher, Longer. But this was all in the run up to Christmas so obviously things got lost/forgotten.

Also right in the middle of writing they announced The Lanius, a new robotic alien life form, which caused a bit of a rewrite the exorcision of them "No Comment"ing my speculation that more was coming.

FTL: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Time of the Doctor: Goodbye Matt Smith

The Clock has struck Twelve. Matt Smith has handed in his bowtie and sonic screwdriver. Peter Capaldi is now in the driving seat of the TARDIS. Unfortunately, the handover episode, Time of the Doctor was not all that great. After the epic that was Day of the Doctor, this was a bit of a let down.

After the extremely successful, and awesome to watch, 50th Anniversary, this always had a lot to live up to, made even harder for being at Christmas, where it's not just new fans that are watching but all their sozzled and stuffed relatives. But I thinking Time may have been a bit too dense and over reaching for its own good.

Doctor Who is 50: The Return

Because it's Christmas, and I don't have anything actually ready, I'm going back to the well of the Doctor Who 50th marathon I did. Below you'll find the original Matt Smith entry I wrote, on the The Impossible Astronaut, Day of the Moon and The Wedding of River Song. It got dropped early on because after watching Asylum of the Daleks and Name of the Doctor I just had to go with them because Matt Smith is outstanding there. Oh, and Clara. So I apologise as it is a little rough.

Besides, lets not pretend that the end of the week's entry isn't going to my thoughts on Matt Smith's swansong.

Broken Sword 5: The Double Fine Curse

I backed it. Of course I backed it. After Monkey Island, Broken Sword is my most favourite point and click series. I was probably more excited that Charles Cecil had set the Kickstarter for The Serpent's Curse going than I was with Double Fine Adventure (Which was a more a 'holy fuck' than 'YES YES YES!').

I'm no idiot though. I understand that Tim Schafer's success is what spurred other creators of long out of fashion game mechanics to head to crowd funding and Cecil is certainly one of them. Yet despite the timing, we have Broken Sword before we have Broken Age. Unfortunately, Cecil and Revolution took one more lesson from Schafer that I really wish they hadn't.

Karl Urban is Almost Human

Near-future Sci-fi, cops and robots. It's one of those concepts that's just about a perfect fit for me. Throw in Karl Urban as the main protagonist and J. J. Abram's latest TV series definitely seems like we're onto a winner.

It's no secret I hold Fringe in very high regard. I bloody loved that show. So if some of the people from that had a new idea I was always going to be on-board. The fact the premise is so suited to my interests is an extra bonus.

Strategy Informer: Contrast Review

Sorry it's been a while since I updated here. Lot of videogame work recently, the first of which I can share with you now with a review of Contrast at Strategy Informer. Mostly known for being a free game on PSN for PlayStation 4 users, I played it on PC because I've yet to jump into next-gen consoles. Mainly because there isn't a single game that has convinced I should yet. Anyway, Contrast is pretty fun, if short.

Contrast Review

Doctor Who turns 50: The After Party

Not that terrible BBC 3 show they did. That was a bloody shambles. This is my look back at my own celebration.

Now I've watched one serial for every Doctor, and every meet-up of multiple Doctors. I was a bit of a fan before this started. Nothing too drastic. Genesis of the Daleks was something I watched because a friend owned it. Now, I think I'm full blown Whovian.