Tomb Raider 2013

March is apparently The Month of Way Too Many Game Releases, and while I don't normally buy brand new games (because I'm cheap), there are three coming out this month that I don't want to miss: Tomb Raider, Gears of War: Judgement, and BioShock Infinite, in that order. Yep, sadly no new IP's in that list. But Gears and BioShock are in the handful of series that I'm absolutely loyal to, and I've been super curious about the Tomb Raider reboot. Fortunately I have an elaborate plan to get me through the month. Thanks to a Gamestop +50% special on trade-ins, I had enough used games to give me exactly $60 in store credit. I put all of that towards a Tomb Raider preorder, which-- having completed the campaign-- I have already traded in towards BioShock. And when I'm done with that game, I will trade it towards Gears, which I'm hoping will have lowered in price by that time. (Competitive shooters like Gears, CoD, and Halo always seem to drop faster). With any luck I'll only have to spend $20-30 on all three games. Crafty like a poverty-stricken fox!

Anyways, I sped through Tomb Raider in record time, completing the campaign in just over a week. I intentionally sped through the game as quickly as possible to maximize trade-in value, but honestly I would have finished it that quickly anyways-- I could not put the controller down from start to finish. It's a damn good game, and a welcome return for gaming's most recognizable female lead.

Voiding Warranties: Refurbishing the NES

Ah, the NES! Who in our generation doesn't have fond memories of the fabled grey box? I was fortunate enough to have an ex-coworker give me and old NES she found in her attic (thanks Donna!). Of course I was super excited. But who doesn't also have memories of cajoling said grey box to work properly? Power flashes, blue screens, grey screens, a mesh of pixels...The old gal could be finicky. When I tried plugging it into my TV, I got this:

Halo 4: The Haloiest Halo Yet

It's no surprise that I'm something of a Halo fanboy. So when the news came that not only would there be a Halo 4, but that it would be made by a brand new studio, I was (justifiably) suspicious. Fortunately the new studio, 343 Industries, made up largely of ex-Bungie employees and industry veterans, did a fine job in moving the series forward.

How to Pair Games and Cocktails

I didn't ask for this much vermouth.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution -- Manhattan

There is no question that Deus Ex is a noir game. And for a noir film, we need a noir drink, something that says cynicism and melodrama all at once. Enter the Manhattan: favored drink of washed-out private detectives and smoldering ingenues everywhere. (Of course, the game has several it's own cocktails, but I'm not about to sully good sake by mixing it with cough syrup.)

2 oz. whiskey
½ oz. sweet vermouth
a dash or two of Angostura bitters
maraschino cherry, to garnish

Combine the first three ingredients into a mixing glass and stir well. (Never, ever shake.) Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice (or better yet, whiskey stones), garnish with the cherry, and sip broodingly as you stare out the rain-slick window into the cold, uncaring night.

A classic drink dating back as far as the 1860s, the Manhattan is traditionally made with rye whiskey. But personally, I prefer bourbon above any other kind of whiskey, with Knob Creek as my current reigning fave. If you use Scotch call it a Rob Roy, or substitute tequila and call it an Anejo Manhattan. And feel free to substitute dry vermouth for the sweet, or use equal parts of both for a "perfect" Manhattan.

A note on vermouth: Keep in mind that vermouth is wine, and it will start to go downhill as soon as you open the bottle. Refrigerating it may help it last a little longer, but the older it gets the more stale it's going to taste, so replace your bottle if it's starting to look a little dusty. And as with any wine, different brands have different flavors, so experiment around until you find one you like.

Alternates: Gibson, Singapore Sling

 

More after the jump...

This Week in Games - 9/21

Ugh. Long week working a convention means that I didn't have much time to keep up with gaming news. A few interesting items this week, though.

FTL: Faster Than Light released this week to near universal applause. I may have to get this one soon. Or sooner than soon. I may be downloading it right now...

This, this here actually sounds like a great concept. I really hope the modding community latches onto it. Anyone remember playing CounterStrike and Day of Defeat in Dorchester?

There is a new Humble Indie Bundle out this week. If you're not familiar with this deal, it's basically a package of 5-6 well-regarded indie games available for a price of your choosing. You can even choose how much of the money goes to the developers and how much to charity. Hard to find a better bang for your buck.

This Week In Games - 9/14



Please drop what you're doing and play this right now.
NOW.

I finished up Driver: San Francisco. A short game, but fun all the way through. One of my favorites of the year. I also picked up the latest Mortal Kombat, which is a total hoot, and am still enjoying the lovely Sine Mora.

Slow news week this week. Although I will say, when Ben Kuchera tells you that Mark of the Ninja is not optional, he isn't kidding. Download that demo right now.

This is pretty hilarious. Is this a regular bit? I might actually start watching Conan now.

Your weekly dose of nostalgia. Makes me want to dust off my trusty Maverick.

Driver: San Francisco

I'm several hours into Driver: San Francisco, and it is a weird, wild, and off-beat little game. It's also an incredible amount of fun.

The original Driver was way ahead of its time, and was one of my absolute favorite games on the original PlayStation. Two years before Grand Theft Auto III revolutionized open-world gaming, Driver gave you a wide-open city (four, in fact) to just cruise around in as stuntman-turned-undercover officer John Tanner, picking up missions at will or just seeing how long you could evade the police. That seems old hat now, but in 1999 it was a revelation. It also had an incredible "Film Director" mode, that allowed you to record your car chases from different angles and even edit clips together. I don't remember seeing a feature like that on consoles again until Halo 3. Like I said, ahead of its time. Subsequent entries in the series didn't fare quite as well, aping the more complex GTA series with some ill-advised on-foot sequences, but the original still shines like a beacon in my memory.