Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Following on from their splendid covers, Game Informer have put a selection of information from their Bioshock Infinite coverage online. Everyone’s picking over the full set of propaganda posters and nosing at the screens, but the real interesting new information is actually about the factions who are tearing Columbia apart. The nationalistic, conservative Powers That Be versus the Vox Populi anarchist front, who apparently draw from 1970s German terrorists like the Red Army Faction (i.e. Baader Meinhof).

So – Bioshock Infinite features the Powers That Be. And what do you have to do to the powers that be, Chuck?
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We call this one “Express Elevator to Hell”.

This instalment of Mine The Gap is brought to you by dokus’ RPG texture pack. Find the collected Mine The Gap right here.
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This article is the first in an ongoing safari through a range of free-to-play games of all genres.

Relax. It’s ok. There’s nothing to worry about. Just take a seat, get acclimatised, perhaps browse the store for a little bit, we’ve got this. We’ll take care of everything, and the thing you’ve got to bear in mind is that this is about you; we’re here to make your life easier in every way, because hey, you’re the one playing the game, after all.

That’s League of Legends’ UI, talking to me in the sultry tones of an air stewardess that’s been in the job enough to learn how to get you comfortable, but not long enough to stop caring and grow embittered and cruel. More legroom, sir? Indeed. Except League of Legends, despite being Free to Play, isn’t the Easy Jet or Ryanair of DOTA clones. This is the premium service, right here, and it starts from the moment you first load the game up. All of the superfluous garbage has been torn away and rolled up into a ball, before being tossed into an bin, leaving you with a stripped down, super efficient experience that lets you just get on with playing the game.
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More on Alice: Madness Returns from the Tokyo Game Show. It’s been quiet since its announcement, but the there’s new “stuff” including a genuinely somewhat messed up trailer, which you’ll find below. And since it’s been ages since I’ve done one, I’ve written a second-by-second analysis of the trailer for your delectation. Also, linked to someone doing Alice Make-up. And the Sisters’ of Mercy, because I just can’t stop myself…
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The BBC mention the possibility that the remains of APB may be purchased by Epic. This actually squares with the reports from Gamesindustry.biz where Les Able of Begbies Traynor said that despite 300 parties having interest, none of the shortlist of six were “comfortable with buying it as a live operation.” So, APB is dead and there’s certainly six places on that list for Epic. Some more information, speculation and thoughts on the APB close follows…
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The latest in the Evochron freeform space flight series has just been launched. Entitled Evochron Mercenary, it adds a bunch of new features to the existing universe. Here’s one of the most exciting elements of the new game:

The new multiplayer system offers in-game voice chat and supports group territory control, letting players join together to conquer solar systems for profit. The in-game quadrant map provides real-time territory control data and credit is given for each Clan-vs-Clan kill and completed cooperative contract. Controlling clans must defend their territory from other clans who can take the systems for themselves. Players can construct stations in newly discovered systems to expand their empires and introduce new trade locations, AI pathways, and resources to expand the game’s universe.

You can grab the demo from here, and I’ve posted the most recent trailer below.
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More news hot outta Tokyo Game Show! Careful you don’t burn yourself. Sega’s announced Phantasy Star Online 2 is hitting the PC in 2011.

No footage as yet, and not even any details, which is definitely cutting it a bit fine for a game that’s only a year away but nevermind. If you don’t know about Phantasy Star Online, it made its debut on the Dreamcast and pioneered online RPG shenanigans on consoles. The original game has since gone on to spawn a strange collection of half-sequels and has developed a fanbase that I will now politely describe as “friendly and rigid”.

Course, this TGS I was hoping for an entirely different Japanese online-focused console game to be announced for the PC. Click through to find out which one.
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News that Pirates Of The Burning Sea has just released its first free expansion – the previously mentioned Whale-bone-ship-featuring Power & Prestige – has been somewhat shadowed by the simultaneous announcement that it’s joining Everquest 2 and Lord of the Rings Online and going free-to-play. When? Fall. That’s soon, isn’t it, Ameri-chums? Relatively soon, anyway. The model seems to be payments for “premium” content and items, or an alternative “Captain’s Club” subs model – though what this means for currents subs hasn’t been confirmed yet. In the mean time, Power & Prestige’s changes to the game, in terms of port management are available to everyone who’s playing and… oh, let’s just show that whale-ship-stuff again.
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We ignored the first Blocks with Letters on. We ignored the second Blocks with Letters on. We tried ignoring the third, but we just couldn’t manage it. Blocks With Letters On 3 continues Martin Sears’ anagram block game where you have to both i) identify the word you have to spell ii) knowing the word, work out how you can manoeuvre the blocks to spell the aforementioned word. Frankly, my brain is sleepy gruel today and I just collapsed on the keyboard weeping over even the tutorial ones, with even the cute interstitial images and Solder-esque voice-acting not being enough to make me continue. Still, anyone who’s at all akin to John Walker should give this a shot. Also available on pocket-haircut-PC. And – er – a related video follows…
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Perma-troubled MMO APB is preparing to see its last cop shoot its last robber. While bankrupted developer Realtime Worlds’ second project, the social game Project: My World looks to have been rescued by a mystery US firm that may or may not be headed up by former RTW bossmen, All Points Bulletin has not been granted a similar second wind. Its impending closure has just been officially announced.
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Competition time again, this time via DigitalMindSoft and Men Of War: Assault Squad. While both RUSE and Starcraft 2 have made us rather merry recently, it’s actually the newly returning star of Men of War that has made me, personally, most happy. I’ve raved about it. Twice. Now though Men of War: Assault Squad’s beta testing phase, which has kept me amused for countless hours across the past couple of months, is recruiting a select few extra people. We have twenty beta accounts to give away. What you need to do is to mail us via this link, keeping the subject line “Tiny Hero, Big Pockets” and tell us what you have in your inventory. The most amusing or poignant entries, as judged by the RPS compo-corporal, will receive details on how to claim their beta account. Closing date Monday 20th. But there’s more! If the MOWAS Steam group hits 10,000 people it will go into an open beta. Frankly, we all want that. Join the MOWAS Steam group here.

Standard compo rules apply. Enter! Win!