A place to find out author interviews along with book reviews of thier works in the following genres:
science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, crime, horror, history, arts and crafts, hobby, true life, real life, autobiography, zombie, paranormal, demons, vampires, religion and spirituality, thriller, mystery, psychological thriller, spy tory, techno thriller, humour.
Hail Mighty Reader and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix and Eidos have contacted us, asking that we let you know that they're delaying the release of the latest title in the Deus Ex Frnachise and why. Here's what they had to say: "As you may have already seen by reading and watching the many previews for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, our aim is for it to be a worthy successor to Human Revolution, and to improve upon that game in every way possible. I know that expectations are extremely high, and we not only want to meet those expectations, but exceed them.
We’re confident and proud of the game so far. However, as we are now playing through the game in full we can see that it will require more time in post-production for tuning, iterations, and refinement to meet our high standards. In order to achieve this, we need to move the release of the game to August 23rd, 2016.
We are sorry to disappoint you with this news, and also thank you for all of your support and comments. This game is a huge part of our lives, and we don’t want to compromise on its quality.
So please be patient with us a little longer, and thanks as always for your passion and support – through thick and thin. It’s a huge responsibility to work on Deus Ex Mankind Divided - we know, but also a huge privilege. We’re determined to deliver the best game we can.
Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix have asked us to let you know about the collectors edition of the forthcoming Rise of the Tomb Raider (released 13th November 2015.) Its looking pretty sweet and to be honest with the chanc to own your own new modern Lara (12 Inch Figure) alongside quite a few other tasty features that we really can't live without it. Here's what Square Enix had to say:
Square Enix Inc. today announced a collector’s edition for Rise of the Tomb Raider® that is available exclusively from the Square Enix e-store and the Official Tomb Raider store.
The collector’s edition is packed with valuable memorabilia, including a 12 inch tall statue of Lara Croft that depicts her search for answers on her first tomb raiding expedition, a model of the jade necklace that was Lara’s first archeological discovery, and a collectible steel book case.
The exclusive Rise of the Tomb Raider Collector’s Edition (£109.99) is available for pre-order here. It includes:
Full Xbox One retail copy of Rise of the Tomb Raider 12 inch tall statue of Lara Croft Collectible steel case Replica of Lara’s leather in-game journal Model of Lara’s jade necklace All the best and see you in the forthcoming guerilla warfare battles, Gareth and Lady Eleanor
Hail Mighty Readers, Our friends at Square Enix have let us know about the new trailer for Just Casue 3 revealed at this years Gamescon. Its big, its brash and its defintiely over the top, however if like us you haven't played the first two titles in the series, theres even better news as the Xbox One copy includes JC 2. So its a twofer. Here's what they had to say: "The latest JUST CAUSE 3 trailer entitled ‘Burn It’ exploded onto the Xbox gamescom 2015 briefing stage where it was revealed that the Xbox One version of the game will come with a digital copy of JUST CAUSE 2 that will be added to players’ Xbox One and Xbox 360 game library. JUST CAUSE 3 will be released globally on December 1st, 2015 and the offer will be available for a limited time for anyone picking up a digital or physical version at pre-order or on the game’s release.
The new ‘Burn It’ trailer is available now and showcases an in-game mission for the very first time, revealing the variety of ways the player can tackle any given mission or objective. In the mission ‘Better Late than Never’, Dictator General Di Ravello instructs his forces to send an army of tanks to destroy the town of Costa Del Porto and take the rebels hostage. Enter Rico Rodriguez to put things right using his varied and unique explosive arsenal. Three new screenshots from the game are also available now."
Hail Mighty Reader and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix and Eidos have let us know about thier latest announcement, the next instalment of the franchise, heres what they've had to say: "Eidos-Montréal® a part of Square Enix Europe and the award-winning studio behind the critically acclaimed DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION™, today announced that DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED™, the next chapter in the legendary DEUS EX™
franchise, is in development for the PlayStation®4 computer
entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment
system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.
“For 15 years, Deus Ex has
been a point of conversation across the games industry and beyond,
whether the topic is the franchise’s unique gameplay or topical
narrative focused on advanced biotechnology and human augmentation,”
said David Anfossi, Head of Studio, Eidos-Montréal. “What began with
Deus Ex: Human Revolution goes to a whole new level in Deus Ex: Mankind
Divided, diving even deeper into this discussion and, in turn, offering
fans an all-encompassing experience, one which will challenge their
skills as players and emphasize decision-making based on real world
topics.”
"DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED takes place in 2029, two years after the events of HUMAN REVOLUTION
and the infamous ‘Aug Incident’ in Panchaea that resulted in the death
of millions at the hands of those who had installed augmentations. This
event has created a huge divide between those who have augmentations,
and those who do not. Amongst this emotional turmoil are various
factions looking to manipulate the public by twisting public opinion of
augmentation to further their own agenda and hide the truth of what
really happened.
As the social and political chaos reaches
boiling point, super-augmented anti-terrorist agent Adam Jensen
re-enters the fray. Empowered by brand new augmentations that bolster
his formidable, strategic arsenal, Jensen will visit multiple new
locations to uncover the truths that are hidden by a cloak of new
conspiracies. With more choice at the player’s disposal than ever
before, DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED is the ultimate DEUS EX experience.
DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED
marks a new era in Eidos-Montréal’s technology, utilising the advanced
visual and immersive capabilities of the DAWN ENGINE™, specifically
built for the recent generation of consoles and PC. Under the umbrella
of the Gaming Evolved program, AMD and Eidos-Montréal have been
collaborating on DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED, and the game will
feature Microsoft's DirectX® 12 support as well as AMD's TressFX™. These
features will not only raise the bar in game performance but bring
unrivalled visual fidelity to the Deus Ex franchise. "
Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, We've had some news on the forthcoming Lords of the Fallen from Square Enix and whilst it's been a game on our own personal radar for quite some time we always like to know when the title is coming out so that we can let our readers know. Lords of the Fallen will be released on 31st October 2014 for the following formats: PC, PS4 Xbox One. In Lords of the Fallen, you are Harkyn, the best of the worst of
humanity. A convicted criminal, Harkyn is given a chance for redemption.
But just as the rulers of the world get close to finding a way to
banish all evil from humans, an army of the long-ago defeated god
attacks the human realm. Released from prison, Harkyn and his mentor,
Kaslo, set out on a mission to stop the war.
And for your delectation here is the current trailer to whet your appetite:
As well as the stage demo from E3:
Hopefully we'll see you on the battlefield and hope to punish the Fallen God's army,
Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix have sent us the final trailer, the launch trailer for the forthcoming Murdered: Soul Suspect (released Friday 2nd June), which has been on our radar since the first trailer earlier in the year. This Video shows not only in game action but also some of the powers that you can unlock wihin. We hope to be playing it shortly so we can bring you our full report. So for now heres the trailer:
In addition to this, please remember that there is a Limited Edition that will include a copy of the journal used by Ronan and Joy to hunt down the killer and features written and visual clues about the murders terrorising Salem.
It will also include free access to an Interactive Digital Strategy Map. With the aid of the map, you will be able to seek out hundreds of collectibles, detect side quests and find all of Salem’s haunting landmarks. The map will be accessible via computer or tablet.
The Limited Edition will be available while stocks last. Please check with your local retailer to see if they're participating.
Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix have sent the latest trailer for the forthcoming Murdered: Soul Suspect, which has been on our radar since the first trailer earlier in the year. This Video shows not only in game action but also tempts the gamer with some of your powers available within. We can't wait to get our hands on it:
In addition to this, please remember that there is a Limited Edition coming out that will include a copy of the journal used by Ronan and Joy to hunt down the killer and features written and visual clues about the murders terrorising Salem. It will also include free access to an Interactive Digital Strategy Map. With the aid of the map, you will be able to seek out hundreds of collectibles, detect side quests and find all of Salem’s haunting landmarks.
The map will be accessible via computer or tablet. The Limited Edition will be available while stocks last. Please check with your local retailer to see if they're participating.
Murdered: Soul Suspect will be released on the following formats on 6th June 2014: PC Xbox One Xbox 360 PS4 PS3
Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix have sent the latest trailer for the forthcoming Murdered: Soul Suspect, which has been on our radar since the first trailer earlier in the year. It's no only atmospheric but definitely brings something new to the fore for gamers. We can't wait to get our hand on it.
In addition to this, please remember that there is a Limited Edition coming out that will include a copy of the journal used by Ronan and Joy to hunt down the killer and features written and visual clues about the murders terrorising Salem. It will also include free access to an Interactive Digital Strategy Map. With the aid of the map, you will be able to seek out hundreds of collectibles, detect side quests and find all of Salem’s haunting landmarks. The map will be accessible via computer or tablet.
The Limited Edition will be available while stocks last. Please check with your local retailer to see if they're participating.
Murdered: Soul Suspect will be released on the following formats on 6th June 2014: PC Xbox One Xbox 360 PS4 PS3
Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs, Our friends at Square Enix have let us know about the latest trailer to do with the forthcoming Murdered: Soul Suspect, which has been on our radar since the first trailer earlier in the year. Here they tell us about the limited edition of the game: "As Ronan digs deeper into the investigation of his own murder, both he
and Joy realize Salem has been hiding a secret far darker than they ever
anticipated. Watch the trailer to find out what lies buried in Salem
and see the newly announced Limited Edition version of Murdered: Soul
Suspect.
The Limited Edition will include a copy of the journal
used by Ronan and Joy to hunt down the killer and features written and
visual clues about the murders terrorising Salem. It will also include
free access to an Interactive Digital Strategy Map. With the aid of the
map, you will be able to seek out hundreds of collectibles, detect side
quests and find all of Salem’s haunting landmarks. The map will be
accessible via computer or tablet.
The Limited Edition will be available while stocks last. At participating retailers only. Please check with local retail."
Murdered: Soul Suspect will be released on the following formats on 6th June 2014: PC Xbox One Xbox 360 PS4 PS3
Release Date: 28/02/14 Publisher: Square Enix SYNOPSIS:
Garrett, the Master Thief, steps out of the shadows into the City. In this treacherous place, where the Baron's Watch spreads a rising tide of fear and oppression, his skills are the only things he can trust. Even the most cautious citizens and their best- guarded possessions are not safe from his reach.
As an uprising emerges, Garrett finds himself entangled in growing layers of conflict. Lead by Orion, the voice of the people, the tyrannized citizens will do everything they can to claim back the City from the Baron's grasp. The revolution is inevitable. If Garrett doesn't get involved, the streets will run red with blood and the City will tear itself apart.
REVIEW:
OK, yes I know that this review is running a little late, I know that the games been out for a couple of weeks and whilst I could have technically reviewed it a little earlier, I refused as not only was I lost to the dark back streets of The City where a terrible plague is holding the inhabitants at its mercy, but the sheer diversity of playing styles that are designed to please players who tackle this with their favoured play style.
This game has a lot of offer players and whilst there will be a lot of people who will just dive in, massacring their way through the City, for me, it’s a game about ghosting and when forced none lethal takedowns. I love the idea about not killing anyone and whilst this increased the difficulty factor, for me allowed the game to not only develop naturally but played to my strengths as a stealth player. I love the way that you have various arrows for different purposes and whilst they are limited they do force the player to consider multiple options before embarking upon a course of action.
That’s not to say that it is easy, far from it, but once you get the hang of where to hide, how to manipulate the City’s nooks and crannies to your own advantage it’s a game that really takes you to another level.
There are however, in my opinion, quite a few flaws within the title. My first and main bugbear was the combat system as every player will embark upon it at least once within the game. It’s pretty slow for the gamer, can be frustrating and I feel that it could have been tightened up for a more natural flow. Yes I understand that the guards are better trained with weaponry than you are, however when each strike from the blackjack feels like it takes an age to connect as well as leaving you wondering how he could be so good in so many area’s but ridiculously outclassed in others, really left a sour taste in my mouth. Likewise, I was more than a little upset that when you were above potential enemies, you couldn’t do a multiple takedowns. It just seemed a little ridiculous that he never had to do that in the past. For me, it’s something that should have been considered and figured out rather than what I feel largely ignored.
Finally add to the mix the limitations of the arrow numbers (and yes, you are heavily limited with them) each choice has to be carefully considered before embarking upon and whilst you do have some blunt arrows, I would have liked to have been able to knock enemies out with them rather than them having little to no effect.
All that considered though, it is a game that will have you on the edge of your seat as you discover what has occurred within the year that Garret has lost. It’s dark, it’s a major discovery and all round, it will leave you clamouring for more. I can’t wait to see what improvements they’ll make in the future and with the opportunity to play through a good few times, will give you something different each time you play.
Release Date: 25/02/14 Publisher: Titan SYNOPSIS:
The THIEF franchise is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers that defined the stealth genre and since the first release of Thief: The Dark Project in 1998 has influenced a wealth of titles. After years of silence, Garrett is coming out of the shadows. Developed by Eidos-Montréal , the studio behind the critically and commercially acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution, THIEF will be released on February the 25th in North America and on February the 28th in Europe and rest of the world.
Titan Books’ The Art of Thief will give fans and in-depth look at Square Enix’s enormously anticipated new game, featuring exclusive concept and development art, as well as detailed creator insights and commentary throughout. This book will showcase Garrett’s underworld in beautiful detail and truly show the art of the Master Thief.
REVIEW:
In the gaming industry perhaps there is no greater truth than “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It helps bring a flavour to the concept, it helps everyone get on the same page and it sparks not only an identity but also generates discussion on the various elements. This is one of the reasons that I love the Art of books from Titan.
The pieces within are not only breath-taking but allows the reader to see the development through from original concept to final process in glorious glossy images that really help bring not only the principle protagonist to life but also helps the reader get to grips with the world.
Within this title are studies of various elements from the principle character through to the practicality of his tools/weapons taking design changes throughout that helps bring it to life. Add to the mix a whole host of supporting cast members, each with their own individual look, multiple points of view alongside options of world points of view all round gives you something pretty unique.
Back this up with script that helps explaint he world in greater detail and all round I was a more than happy reader. Great stuff.
Release Date: 05/03/13 Publisher: SYNOPSIS:
Tomb Raider is an Action-Adventure game that introduces players to the origin of one of the most identifiable video games icons of all-time, Lara Croft. The game features a blend of survival, stealth, melee and ranged combat, and exploration gameplay as a young Lara Croft is forced to push herself past her know limits to survive and unravel the dark history of a forgotten island. In the process she will unlock the adventurer within her. Additional game features include: weapons both familiar and new, upgradable items, a variety of play environments, and human and animal enemies.
A Survivor is Born
When the first ever Tomb Raider game launched in 1996 it was a revolution. Outstanding in terms of graphics, gameplay, and storyline, it changed the way that video games were played and developed forever. Fronting the games assault on the world was the central character, Lara Croft. Lara was also to have an incredible impact, quickly becoming the most recognized and celebrated female action heroine and an icon for the video games industry.
This newest rendition of Tomb Raider explores the intense and gritty origin story of Lara Croft and her ascent from a frightened young woman to the hardened survivor that she would become known as. Armed only with raw instincts and the ability to push beyond the limits of human endurance, Lara must fight to unravel the dark history of a forgotten island to escape its relentless hold.
Key Game Features
Tomb Raider Rebooted - The new version of Tomb Raider is designed to reboot the game series for both the new generation of gamers, as well as longtime fans.
The Origins of Lara Croft - Set before even the earliest of classic games in the series, Tomb Raider serves as an origin story for Lara Croft, detailing her metamorphosis from an unsure young woman, to a superstar adventurer.
Diverse Gameplay - The game incorporates a variety of gameplay genres, including survival, stealth, melee and ranged combat, exploration, and more
Weapons - Utilize a variety of weapons, including bow and arrow, an ice ax, and pistol.
REVIEW:
I remember the original Tomb Raider on the Playstation way back in the last century (hey it was 1996) and to be honest with the puzzles and the third person shooter point of view, Lara was a constant friend with each successive outing. Yet having taken a break for a number of years, this reboot would have to do something to not only bring the old fans back but to generate a need within the new gamer to play.
What this title does is take you back to the beginning of Lara’s career when she is sceptical, young as well as unsure of herself, all to discover that she’s shipwrecked on an island facing a zealous cult lead by Brother Mathias set to return the Sun Queen to a mortal incarnation.
Whilst there will be some who won’t like this new Lara, I have to say that I loved it. The game is story driven with the fans getting to see a vulnerable Lara, help mould her to her future and with solid voice acting really works well, add to the mix the ability to adapt the game to suit your playing style (I played through with the bow more than anything else) alongside the option to duck and cover, really gives you some heart stopping moments as Lara faces one hell of a fire fight. Yet that’s not all, the game designers allow the player to gather salvage to upgrade equipment as well as the upgrading to learn survival skills to help you throughout.
Add to this cracking cinematic cut sequences, some great twists, destructible scenery alongside the obligatory tombs to explore, all round make this a game that I had a lot of fun playing.
That said, whilst I enjoyed this, a lot of the supporting cast did feel quite weak, barely 2d cut outs more there to aid/save Lara than feel fleshed out into real characters that you could care about and for me, one of the weakest parts of the story was the quickness in which Lara gets over her ability to kill. Don’t get me wrong, I understand having to move through it, but when one minute she feels inconsolable and the next she’s a hardened killer, there should have been some transition where she learns to accept the necessity for survival.
All in I had a lot of fun with this game, and with the ability to upgrade and revisit locations as well as finding additional quests all round gave me a good number of hours completing them and to be honest I’m really looking forward to embarking with this new Lara on her next mission.
Lady Eleanor is Falcata Times Mistress of Mayhem, be it in the Horror Genre or on the console, she gives it her all and loves to blow the hell out of anyone who gets in her way. You can often find her perusing the game sites to get the latest gossip on what’s arriving next or checking out the latest movie/book releases to see what grabs her attention.
In addition to this Lady Eleanor is a lifelong fan of pin up and in particular the Fetish Queen of the 50’s Bettie Page and whilst the name is an alias, its due more to her love of a song by the same title by the group Lindisfarne rather than her dominating presence when she lays down the law. (Artwork by Isis Sousa for Falcata Times)
