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Power Button Presents Kombo Breaker - Episode 59: Mass Effect 2 Special with Alexander Sliwinski

With the release of Mass Effect 3 rapidly approaching, it seemed only proper to revisit Episode 59 of Kombo Breaker in which Joey Davidson, Brad Hilderbrand, and I welcome Joystiq's Alexander Sliwinski to discuss Mass Effect 2.  This installment originally aired on February 1, 2010 and includes mostly spoiler-free discussion regarding combat, mining (oh, how Brad loves mining planets until they're hollow shells), characterization, and so much more.  Mass Effect fans will want to set aside the hour and twenty minutes required to take it all in.  Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, or subscribe via iTunes, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach all three of us via , you can leave a message on the Power Button hotline by calling (720) 722-2781, and you can even follow all of us on Twitter at @PressTheButtons, @aubradley84, and @JoeyDavidson or for just podcast updates, @ThePowerButton.

Power Button Presents Kombo Breaker - Episode 59: Mass Effect 2 Special with Alexander Sliwinski

Free Shank Comic Slashes Your Way

Klei Entertainment and Electronic Arts recently released the sequel to 2010's slashing platformer, Shank, for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and PC.  I've been working my way through Shank 2 over the past few days and while I'm enjoying it so far, one of my criticisms is that I have no idea what is going on with the story.  The original Shank ended with the protagonist completing his roaring rampage of revenge against his former partners in crime, while the sequel opens with him becoming embroiled in some sort of rebellion.  How does it all fit together?  What happened between the two titles?  Thankfully, Klei has come to the rescue with answers in the form of a free downloadable Shank comic that bridges the gap between the two games.  In the span of just a few pages, Jeff Agala and Vangelis Christou explain what happened after Shank slaughtered his enemies and just how he wound up on a bus in the middle of nowhere.  It's a quick read and worth your time if you're a fan of the series, but be aware that like the Shank games, it is rather gory.  Head on over to the official Shank website to catch up on your Shank lore.

Next Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode Looks Really Good

Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace website has some surprisingly impressive screenshots of Sega's upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II that are leaps and bounds above the comparatively simple visual style of 2009's Episode I.  Perhaps the creative team behind these downloadable releases has been paying attention to constructive criticism after all because some of what I see here looks like it's on par with last year's Sonic Generations in places.  Check out the the detailed character models!  Marvel at the lighting!  Swoon at the the textured objects!  This looks downright gorgeous and probably explains why a Nintendo Wii release isn't happening for this installment (every other current platform will see it though; it's coming to Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, and PC).  Episode II is expected later this year, but if the game plays as well as it looks, then its release can't come soon enough.

Power Button Presents Kombo Breaker - Episode 25: Controlled Response

This week's classic episode of Kombo Breaker dates back to April 24, 2009 and features a clearing of the air as Dan Johnson, Joey Davidson, Brad Hilderbrand, and I settle a few issues that had been building up over the previous weeks.  The heart of the first segment revolves around a debate on control stick placement on video game controllers, but there's also time for Brad to share in the pain of Lux-Pain as I shake my head in disappointment at Sonic Unleashed's extra downloadable content challenges. Peggle addiction shows itself once again and Joey revisits Outrun and explores Killzone 2, too.  Oh, and I also brag about getting tickets to see the then-upcoming The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien while in Los Angeles for E3 that year.  After the break we come back to discuss Stephen Totilo's jump from MTV Multiplayer to Kotaku that was big news in the game journalism business that week. Will that work out well for him?  Yes, I think it will.  Then before all is said and done we beg Harmonix to add a keyboard to Rock Band.  That also worked out well in the end.  Join us for eighty minutes of flashback fun.  Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, or subscribe via iTunes, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach all three of us via , you can leave a message on the Power Button hotline by calling (720) 722-2781, and you can even follow all of us on Twitter at @PressTheButtons, @aubradley84, and @JoeyDavidson or for just podcast updates, @ThePowerButton.

Power Button Presents Kombo Breaker - Episode 25: Controlled Response

And All That Jazz

Before Epic Games became a household development name in the Microsoft Xbox 360 era with its Gears of War titles, the company hit it big in PC development with cartoonish side-scrolling titles that march straight in the other direction from Marcus Fenix and friends.  The most memorable of Epic's output from that time has to be the Jazz Jackrabbit series in which the eponymous hero fights the forces of the evil Devan Shell and his turtle army in order to rescue the lovely Eva Earlong.  Spanning two major releases, two shareware special holiday editions, one expansion pack, and a poor attempt to reboot the franchise for the Game Boy Advance, Jazz Jackrabbit is worth exploring.  Hardcore Gaming 101 takes you down the rabbit hole.

In early 1994, the Sonic the Hedehog series was a worldwide phenomenon, especially with its recently released third game. Even before then, pretty much every major game company was making their own Sonic rip-off for every console at the time, some with more success than others. But the one system that never had its own Sonic-style game was the PC. Sure, there were a lot of great side-scrollers at the time, such as Duke Nukem, but nothing that could match up to the speed of Sega's series.

That was when Epic Megagames, who had previously created DOS hits like Epic Pinball and Jill of the Jungle, started work on the first attempt to make a high-speed platformer for the PC. Their attempt was Jazz Jackrabbit, and while it couldn't really stand up to the games it was inspired by, it ended up becoming a pretty big hit on the PC, and for good reason.

The evil turtle terrorist Devan Shell has kidnapped the princess of the planet Carrotus, and starts trying to conquer the rest of the galaxy, as well. It's up to the rabbit mercenary Jazz Jackrabbit to travel the galaxy, destroy Devan's forces, and eventually rescue the princess. Not really the most creative plot, but it sure beats an environmental message. The manual includes a small comic explaining the plot, where it admits that yes, it is completely and utterly ripping off Sonic the Hedgehog. At least they're honest.

I always enjoyed the shareware episodes of Jazz back in the old days and while I did want to buy the full game, I could never find it for sale anywhere.  Such a shame.  Jazz's opening theme song is just as catchy as anything that Nintendo or Sega were creating at the time, and while many of the Jazz titles did copy/imitate wholesale from Epic's console competition, the series still managed to find its own path.  A planned Jazz Jackrabbit 3 (a 3D platformer) wasn't meant to be, and now that Epic has found massive success with Gears of War, I don't see a Jazz revival waiting in the wings.  That's a lost opportunity if I've ever seen one.

Search For These Lost Gaming Gems

Retro gaming is all the rage in this era of digital distribution, but while famous games such as Super Mario Bros., Mega Man 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog have popped up in several places in different forms once again, there are some video games that are doomed to remain in the vault for complicated copyright or licensing issues.  GamesRadar offers up a list of ten games worth your time that are hard to find and explains why you'll probably never see fun titles such as Uniracers ever again.

Before Rockstar North was known primarily for the Grand Theft Auto series, it went by another name: DMA Design. It was already making awesome games, though. Uniracers, for example, is by far the best side-scrolling racing and stunt game featuring unicycles ever to be released for the Super Nintendo.  The game already feels pretty fast, but doing tricks in midair gives you a speed boost if you land them, so you’re constantly encouraged to flip like a madman (or madunicycle). This can get really tricky when the tracks are throwing you crazy loops and constantly changing which direction you’re supposed to be going. You could play split-screen with a second player or even set up an eight-player tournament, making it a fast and fun party game.

So why aren’t we still playing Uniracers every day? Because back in 1987, Pixar released a four-minute-long short film called Red’s Dream, which starred an autonomous, computer-generated unicycle. Apparently this gave Pixar the idea that any later appearance of a rider-less CG unicycle was stealing its concept, and it sued DMA Design shortly after Uniracers was released. Unfortunately, the court sided with Pixar, forcing Nintendo to stop production on copies of the game and ensuring we’ll never see it again. So next time you’re thanking John Lasseter for directing Toy Story, take a moment to curse him for indirectly taking Uniracers out of the world.

Other games of interest on the list include perennial fan favorites such as Mega Man Legends and EarthBound.  The stunning thing about all of this is that most of the games in the spotlight here have been rereleased in Japan where apparently copyright laws are weaker, lawyers are smarter, or sales expectations are more realistic.  Mega Man Legends and EarthBound have both been brought back there in recent years (for the Sony PlayStation Portable and Game Boy Advance respectively), as has NiGHTS: Into Dreams (as a PlayStation 2 port).  None of those saw the light of day elsewhere.  If that's not a shameable offense, then it really should be.

Fans Finance Next Double Fine Adventure Game

Are you a fan of The Secret of Monkey Island?  How about Maniac Mansion?  Day of the Tentacle?  Would you like to see a new adventure game crafted in the same style as those classics by the same top talent who created them all in the first place?  Fans of Tim Schafer should take note, as the duo are working on a new PC game in the familar point-and-click style at Double Fine Productions.  The intriguing part (if you aren't intrigued already) is that the team is using crowd-sourced financing hub Kickstarter to fund the project.  What we have here is a game from a famous major developer funded by fans. 

Big games cost big money. Even something as "simple" as an Xbox LIVE Arcade title can cost upwards of two or three million dollars. For disc-based games, it can be over ten times that amount. To finance the production, promotion, and distribution of these massive undertakings, companies like Double Fine have to rely on external sources like publishers, investment firms, or loans. And while they fulfill an important role in the process, their involvement also comes with significant strings attached that can pull the game in the wrong directions or even cancel its production altogether. Thankfully, viable alternatives have emerged and gained momentum in recent years.

Crowd-sourced fundraising sites like Kickstarter have been an incredible boon to the independent development community. They democratize the process by allowing consumers to support the games they want to see developed and give the developers the freedom to experiment, take risks, and design without anyone else compromising their vision. It's the kind of creative luxury that most major, established studios simply can't afford. At least, not until now.

There are tiers of rewards for different donations ($15 gets you a copy of the game on Steam when it releases in October, for instance).  Double Fine needs to raise $400,000 over the next thirty-three days in order for the game to start development, so you'd better hurry if you want to... oh, wait, sorry; after less than a day of collecting donations, the goal has already been met.  From here on, any additional donations will go towards making the game even better and porting it to other platforms.  I think this is a fascinating project and I'd love to see other developers follow with this model.  Fans have offered to kick in money to fund highly demanded sequels before (the sad tale of Mega Man Legends 3 comes to mind), but I can understand why the old guard of development and publishing may shy away from pursuing the Kickstarter model.  Allowing fans to preorder a game early enough in the process to actively fund development changes so much about the traditional way today's games are made.  Hopefully we see more of this in the future.  I know I'd kick in money to see Aero the Acro-Bat 3, Mega Man X9, or Plok 2 happen if the development teams' hearts were in the project.

Power Button - Episode 75: The Amazing Insanity of Saints Row: The Third

While you were busy with Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword last November, you missed a fantastic and amazingly insane title from THQ called Saints Row: The Third.  This week on Power Button, Joey Davidson, Brad Hilderbrand, and I discuss why you really need to circle back and explore the vibrant city of Steelport in order to experience the madness of Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax, the bizarre Tiger Escort mission, the amazing cameo from Burt Reynolds, the might of the Apoca-Fist, and all of the other crazy things that make the game so much fun to play.  We also touch on some of THQ's recent business problems and suggest ways that the company could turn itself around.  Join us for 80 minutes of good times and favorite moments about a franchise that has long since stepped out of Grand Theft Auto's shadow.  Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, or subscribe via iTunes, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach all three of us via , you can leave a message on the Power Button hotline by calling (720) 722-2781, and you can even follow all of us on Twitter at @PressTheButtons, @aubradley84, and @JoeyDavidson or for just podcast updates, @ThePowerButton.

Power Button - Episode 75: The Amazing Insanity of Saints Row: The Third

The Darkness II Is Lurking

The gothic horror story in 2007's The Darkness is about to continue in the upcoming and appropriately titled The Darkness II for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and PC.  Publisher 2K Games sent over this launch trailer which shows protagonist Jackie Estacado wielding the dark supernatural force known as (again, appropriately enough) The Darkness against those who would harm him.  I missed out on the original game and have never heard of the comic on which it's based, so now I'm playing catch-up regarding the events of that title and trying to find out what has led us to the events of the sequel.  Wikipedia offers a concise summation of the story so far.  Here's enough to get you started without thoroughly spoiling things:

The player takes the role of Jackie Estacado, with the story presented as a future-narrative on the present events observed by the player. On the eve of his 21st birthday, Jackie was targeted for assassination by the don of the New York mafia, "Uncle" Paulie Franchetti. While hiding in a cemetery bathroom, The Darkness, an ancient force that has inhabited his family for several generations, awakens within Jackie and slaughters the remaining mobsters, with the benefit of Jackie becoming the possessor of seemingly unholy demonic abilities that feed off the dark. Using these powers, Jackie is able to survive further assassination attempts and track down Paulie, but not before Paulie and the corrupt police chief, Eddie Shrote, kidnap Jackie's girlfriend, Jenny Ramano (voiced by Lauren Ambrose). They take her to the orphanage where Jackie and Jenny grew up, and then they murder her and escape while Jackie is unable to stop them or save Jenny due to The Darkness deliberately restraining him, forcing him to watch her die.

He commits suicide out of sheer emotional stress. He finds himself in the Otherworld, the realm of The Darkness with patchwork undead beings in World War I outfits fighting each other, and physical manifestations of The Four Horsemen.

Quite dark, yes?  This seems to skew a bit darker than I typically enjoy, but it does seem interesting.  Here's hoping that developer Digital Extremes can keep things moving and deliver a fitting continuation.  Those who would rather play the first game before embarking on the second and cannot find a used copy out there somewhere should watch for it on Xbox Live Marketplace in the near future.  Those who are up to speed on things or would rather just jump into the sequel can check out the demo now available for Xbox 360 and PS3.  The Darkness II hits stores on February 7, 2012. 

New Doctor Who Game Is Side-Scrolling Action Title

Ever since the announcement of Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock for the Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PC last year, we've all wondered what kind of game The Doctor will be starring in and when it will be released.  Today's new trailer answers both of those questions.  It's a side-scrolling action platformer and it's due out in March 2012.  Plus, we also have our first looks at in-motion River Song and a collection of enemies including the Silurians, the Cybermen, the Silence, and, of course, the Daleks.  Hopefully The Eternity Clock will live up to expectations, but for now you have to agree that it makes for an exciting trailer.  The PlayStation Blog has more information courtesy of Simon Harris of BBC Worldwide in which he discusses how the creative team at developer Supermassive Games chose which monsters it wanted to include in the story and how those monsters were tweaked slightly.  It sounds like the Doctor Who property is in good hands here and I'm optimistic about the final product.