PixlBit

Only YOU can prevent mediocrity.

The only thing worse than knowing about an import game you’ll never get to play is receiving the inferior sequel that you do get to play. Such is the case with The Firemen 2: Pete & Danny. Originally released in Japan in 1995 on the PlayStation, the game was recently re-released as an import download on PSN, courtesy of MonkeyPaw Games. In a nutshell, the game is more or less an overhead shoot ‘em up that focuses on fighting fires instead blowing up aliens. It’s a novel idea to be sure, but one that wasn’t executed nearly as well as it was in the previous game on the Super Famicom (aka: Super Nintendo).

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Throwing punches like a boneless girl.

Sometimes in the sea of dazzling high profile games and personally expressive indie hits, we forget that 99% of everything is crap. Luckily, there are titles like Vivid Games’ Real Boxing, for the Vita, to remind us of the larger ocean of mediocrity.  While it’s a cheap, downloadable experience rather than a full retail game – and should be judged as such – overall it’s not very fun after the initial novelty becomes an unpleasant chore. 

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Early adopters looking to get in on the ground floor of something possibly amazing might want to check out this intriguing alpha by Blackpowder Games.

Like it or not, the Age of the Alpha Release is here.  Whether it’s Steam Early Access, or more humble releases like Sir, You Are Being Hunted, and Cube World, or even Bohemia’s Arma 3, alpha releases are everywhere these days.  It’s a controversial subject - some are complaining that companies are charging for incomplete products they may or may not finish, while others believe the process helps fund games that otherwise might never be developed.  It’s hard for me to find a suitable metaphor for this complex matter other than likening it to buying a fruit and waiting for it ripen. 

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