Max Payne 3 preview
This article originally appeared in PC Gamer UK 233.
Mull this over: it’s been eight years since we last saw Max rip a raw, bloody wound through the New York criminal underbelly. Eight years. That is old (staff writer Rich was 17 when Max Payne 2 came out). But no one has managed to take his place. Kane & Lynch tried, and they’re still trying, but for grumpy, hyperviolent third-person action, we really need some more Max.
Despite a new haircut and the sunnier setting of Sao Paulo, as I’m shown the new game in Rockstar’s offices it’s clear they’re sticking to the well-worn path that Max sourly trod before. In fact, we’re in New York. Brazil does feature a lot, but this wouldn’t be the same game without a dingy, Big Apple corridor to tear up.
Team Fortress 2 Spy Guide
Team Fortress 2 is now free, so everyone with a Steam account owns it. If you haven’t played before, it can be an intimidating, hat-riddled game. Previously we gave you a handle on the basics, items and classes, now we’re going in depth on each class.
We’ve covered the Heavy, Medic, Sniper, Scout and Soldier. Today’s lesson is in Team Fortress 2′s most unusual class, the elusive Spy.
The future of indie
Just look at Hawken. If ever there was a game that undermined the notion of what an independently developed project can achieve, it’s Adhesive Games’ mech shooter. Every bone in my body tells me a small studio should not be able to pull off such a gorgeous, robot-stomping shooter, but there it is, megabots hanging in the air, spitting rockets at each other across maps that look like they’ve come out of Epic or Valve.
But I’m getting used to indie games surprising me: freedom to create without interference from the men in suits is the reason their developers go into this murky, unfunded realm, trading security for the chance to follow their own path. Every developer in this list has taken the opportunity to make exactly what they want to make, using that freedom to create some startlingly original games that simply wouldn’t be made if they had a deadline to hit and had to justify every decision.
These games only exist because someone passionately wanted to bring them into the world, and it really, really shows.
Team Fortress 2 – PC Gamer UK’s Online Game Of The Year
Their dedication to the Team Fortress 2 community makes Valve’s online shooter a blast.
Online shooters don’t evolve. They land on your hard drive, and if there’s a bug, or a new map, or a new gun, the developers or publishers might stick out an update. But they are as is, and they’ll eventually tire me out.
This was how I expected it to be when Team Fortress 2 launched in October 2007. And back then, at first glance, it was just a brilliant shooter. A few maps, nine classes, lots of fun, and I’d be done with it in six months. Even as I was enjoying playing the Spy, the invisible weakling capable of terrorising teams only when their backs were turned, I was wondering what game was next.
Forum Dramatis: The World of Warcraft Authenticator Caper
It was a normal day in the PC Gamer office: Craig was reading forum threads that he could recreate for his stage show: “Craig Pearson’s Dramatic Forum Recreations, Vol II”.
“Oh my god, guys! Come see this!”, he shouted. As everyone gathered around he handsomely and dramatically relayed the tale of World of Warcraft forum user, Preliatus. The quotes are directly taken from the thread: “Help. I swallowed my authenticator.”, and to protect his anonymity, Preliatus is portrayed by Daytime Emmy runner-up, Mr Tom Francis.
Community heroes: Dave Johnston, for de_dust
This week on the site, we want to celebrate some of the heroes of the PC gaming community. People who’ve devoted huge amounts of their free time to making something awesome for the rest of us to enjoy. Today we’re talking to Dave Johnston, creator of the most popular Counter-Strike map and therefore one of the most popular multiplayer maps in the history of gaming: de_dust.
New Valve game announced: Alien Swarm
Wow, here’s a Friday surprise. Valve just announced that it’s releasing a full version of Alien Swarm, a co-operative shooter based on an old Unreal Tournament 2004 mod, next week. And it’s free.
Tim Schafer held game jam to save company
Tim Schafer’s company Double Fine have only made two games, Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, but they’ve had four publishers. Both were cancelled once before finding a new home. At Schafer’s Develop conference keynote, he explained how his company turned their turbulent game development process into a new beginning for the company.
Dr Who downloads “made the BBC sit up”
At the Develop panel detailing the making of Dr Who: The Adventure game, announced in PC Gamer 213, the BBC have revealed that 1.2 million episodes have been downloaded, a figure that was beyond the BBC’s “wildest dreams”.
The secret of Bioware’s success: being nice
Bioware’s keynote speech at Develop surprised me. The talk, given by Dr Greg (Dr Ray was supposed to appear, but he’s made it to day 5 of the World Poker Tour), focussed on how Bioware don’t take any chances with their development culture. For a company that makes games built on dice rolls, it was a bit of a shock.
One copy of Bejewelled sold every four seconds
I knew sitting in on the Pop Cap talk at the Develop conference was a good idea. Pop Cap’s Dave Bishop just dropped some amazing Pop Cap fact bombs.
Developers who ignore FarmVille face “disaster”
Games will need to be “discoverable, direct, shareable, and free”, according to Louis Castle, former founder of Westwood and current CEO of Instant Action.
Lie to survive in Trouble in Terrorist Town
The round begins and I’m designated “Traitor”. This is it: from now on, it’s my job to act naturally, gain confidence, kill everyone and hide the evidence. Oh god, this must be how those Russian Spies felt. The pressure is enormous.
Project Dust: Ubisoft’s world-sculpting game
Ubisoft have unveiled ‘Project Dust’ at E3, a strategy game where you protect your tribe of people by re-moulding the Earth.
Get one of 20,000 APB beta keys just by signing up
Welcome to the PC Gamer community: your first task is to click that Register button on the top right. Do it soon enough, and registering with us will not only let you add your voice to the smartest, wittiest, gaming-est PC games site on the internet, but also access to the APB beta.
20,000 community members will each receive a key for the APB beta, granting free access to the online car-crunching cops and robbers game until June 19. Download the client from APB.com and create your character; we’ll start sending keys out daily on June 14 until our supply is exhausted.
Update! The beta has now ended.
