10/03/2010

INTERVIEW – In Conversation With Steve Ince, Video Game Writer & Designer

By Marty Mulrooney

Steve Ince is that rare breed of game designer that embraces the gaming community wholeheartedly. He has been involved in the creation of some of the biggest adventure games of all time, including Beneath A Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. Over the years, I have seen him chatting with gamers in various forums, discussing not only his own work but other games within the adventure genre as well. He is as much a fan as a creator and this enthusiasm always shines through.

Nothing has ever been quite as surreal as popping Broken Sword: The Director’s Cut into my Wii a few months ago whilst twittering with Steve about the series: like many of the old Revolution Software crowd, Mr Ince is always a pleasure to talk to. Hopefully, I can now pass this pleasure onto Alternative Magazine Online’s readers as well. Without further ado, I am delighted to present a recent conversation between myself and Mr Steve Ince…

08/03/2010

GAME REVIEW – Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Wii)

By Marty Mulrooney

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Those who know me well will attest to the following: I am a big wuss when it comes to scary films and video games. Which is actually quite odd, as I was reading Stephen King’s The Shining at age 10 without even thinking twice. I love horror novels, but scary games are often played for a while and then left on a shelf gathering dust where they can’t hurt me. Yet having recently bitten the horror gaming bullet by playing both Dead Space and Resident Evil 5 on PS3 despite my low scare threshold, I decided Silent Hill: Shattered Memories would be my next tentative step into the world of interactive horror…

04/03/2010

Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis Review (ACG)

By Marty Mulrooney

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My latest review for adventureclassicgaming.com is now live!

Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis is the long awaited sequel to 2006’s Secret Files: Tunguska on PC. Once more players take control of Nina and Max as they globetrot around the world, uncovering conspiracy at every turn. I was actually quite fond of the original game (the graphics and interface showed off some amazingly high production values) so I was keen to get my hands on the sequel and see how it held up to its predecessor…

03/03/2010

TV REVIEW – Dexter (Seasons 1 – 4)

By Matt Armstrong

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Jeff Lindsay’s novella character, Dexter, comes to life in your living room, probably on your giant high definition TV. And what better way to sit back and enjoy Showtime’s award-winning show? Dexter is the on-going tale of a serial killer who lives in Miami and works for… the police department! After the completion of the intriguing fourth season I had to take a deep breath and digest what I’d just watched, before asking myself… would Dexter, which has been one of my personal favourite shows of the last few years, continue to Season 5? And if it did, then what dangerous ground would the writers tread upon next?

Keep reading →

27/02/2010

GAME REVIEW – Heavy Rain (PS3)

By Marty Mulrooney

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Expectations for Quantic Dream’s new PlayStation 3 game Heavy Rain have been incredibly high for several months now: I cannot personally remember the last time I have so consciously anticipated a game leading up to release day. My mind has been practically salivating at the prospect of experiencing something that could potentially change how interactive stories in videogames are told forever. There have also been worries and doubts: as always, anything with this much anticipation placed upon its shoulders is playing Russian roulette with the critics even before release. But now it’s finally here and I can hopefully convey the extent that Heavy Rain has succeeded, or indeed failed, to Alternative Magazine Online’s readers.