Instant Action gaming portal to gain Mac support

Garage Games' Instant Action portal should soon open to Mac gamers, according to the company. Instant Action is a web-based gaming service, but one which concentrates less on casual puzzlers, and more on the action games PC and console users are familiar with. Titles use a modern 3D engine, and include games like Marble Blast Online and the futur...

Hardcore gift ideas for hardcore Mac gamers

Section: Software + Apps, Games, Mac + Computers, Peripherals, Keyboards, Software, Features, Gift Guide The Macintosh is not a gaming machine. I understand that. I’ve been fighting the good fight for over a decade now, but it’s a losing battle. Mac users will never get as many games as PC owners, we’ll never see the innovation, and simultaneous releases continue to elude us even today. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t great games to be played. With the right software and hardware, it’s pretty easy to fool your Macintosh into thinking it’s an Xbox 360, if even for a little while. So, if you know a Mac gamer in need of some gifts this Christmas season, or if you’re getting a new Mac and want to see what it can do, here are a couple of suggestions to get you started (provided your system can handle them). Games Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Nothing says modern gaming better than modern warfare, and Call of Duty 4 is one of the hardest of the hardcore first-person shooters. It’s violent, it’s brutal, and it’s amazingly fun. If you’re using a high-end iMac, the game will look and play like a dream. Anything else, and…well, get yourself a high-end iMac (actually a good MacBook Pro will do the trick, too). The game offers a good single player option, but it’s the multiplayer action that’ll keep you coming back for more, including fights against PC users. Take the battle online and represent the Mac faithful. Battlestations: Midway - More war, more great gaming action. This one is equal parts strategy and action as you take the fight back to World War II and duke it out in the air, above the water, and below the water. In Battlestations: Midway, you control entire fleets of naval vessels and planes, but you don’t just push them around on a map. You control the strategy, but can then enter the vessels themselves to make the fight much more personal. The huge variety of missions combined with the multiple ways to play give this game a rather steep learning curve, but it’s one that’ll keep gamers entertained for quite some time. Neverwinter Nights 2 - Not quite as epic or involving as its predecessor, Neverwinter Nights 2 is still a fantastic game in its own right. Hardcore role-playing gamers will love the full range of character control and customization, and those looking for some action are going to find plenty of it. The game can be quite difficult, but it’s so great looking (again, if your system can handle it) that you’ll never feel completely frustrated or removed from its universe. However, if your system is at the low end of the requirements spectrum, you may want to give this one a pass; it’s incredibly frustrating if the graphics are slowing down the game, and they will. ToCA Race Driver 3 - I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a racing game since “Bump ‘n’ Jump” on the Intellivision, but that’s because I’m not a racing fan. For those of you who are, you can’t do any better on the Mac than ToCA Race Driver. This game will allow you to race virtually every professional racing circuit in the history of the sport. If you’re more about the car than the tracks, no worries; ToCA will allow you to customize your car for all kinds of things I don’t understand. The graphics feel a bit dated at this point, but that just means it’ll work on more Macs, and it doesn’t detract from the power of the game. Racing fans, you will again believe in the Macintosh. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King - If your Mac owner is any type of gamer at all, he already owns World of Warcraft. The game has been around since 2004, and has been a dominant force in Mac/PC gaming ever since. Wrath of the Lich King is the latest expansion pack, and is pretty much a must-own for WoW gamers. I can’t vouch for the expansion itself, as I haven’t played it, but seeing that it “... adds a host of epic content to the existing game world” and allows players to achieve new levels of power with their characters, it’s sure to please any WoW gamer. Hardware Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard - For many games, the computer keyboard + mouse combo is still the way to go for precise control and multiple commands. But the system can be improved, as evidenced by the Logitech G13. This device provides a naturally contoured fit for gaming comfort, and more conveniently places the keys a gamer will need to effectively play a game. There’s even an LCD screen to provide game stats, system info, player communication, and more. It’s handy for iMac owners, but is a complete must for MacBook/MacBook Pro owners who don’t have full-sized arrow keys or a number pad. Even if the recipient never uses it, just having this sitting on his desk greatly increases his hardcore cred. Other Ideas There’s no reason to stop short with this list. Gamers need plenty more than games, after all. Speakers and headphones are always welcome, but don’t go cheap. Low-end models often can’t handle the deep bass requirements of games, so I recommend going no lower than $50 for headphones or $80-$100 for speakers. You can also consider gamepads. There are still some joysticks available, but very few games call for them anymore, so stick with the gamepad. Logitech has a couple that are Mac compatible, but you’ll be able to find others. Just make sure the model you pick is compatible with the latest Mac OS X updates. So, there you go. These are just a few of the great games/products out there for the Mac this holiday season. If you have some of your own suggestions, offer them in the comments area. Christmas will come and go, after all, but Mac gaming is here to stay. I hope. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell Review - Fable: The Lost Chapters for Macintosh

Section: Software + Apps, Games, Mac + Computers, Software, Features, Review Genre: Action/RPG Format: DVD Developer: Lionhead Studios Macintosh Developer: Robosoft Technologies Publisher: Feral Interactive Minimum System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.4, 1.6GHz Intel Mac, 512MB RAM, 64MB video card, 3GB hard disk space, DVD ROM, mouse Review Computer: 2GHz 20” Intel Core Duo iMac, 1GB RAM, 256MB ATI Radeon X1600 Network Feature: No Processor Compatibility: Universal Price: $49.95 ESRB Rating: M Availability: Now Demo: No Official Website: www.lionhead.com/fabletlc/ It’s not long into Fable: The Lost Chapters before you realize you’re in for something different. As if the words “Action/RPG” aren’t already enough to warm the soul of Mac gamers everywhere (oh, we’ve tasted action and we’ve tasted RPGs, but we rarely have them served in the same meal), the dramatic conclusion to the otherwise light and cartoony introduction will let you know that maybe this game is special. And it is. First off, I’m not sure what’s “lost” about these chapters. The original version of Fable was for Xbox, and the original version of Fable: The Lost Chapters was for Xbox, so it appears as though this was basically the same game with some additional content thrown in. I only bring this up to let you know this isn’t a sequel. There’s nothing out there you need to play first to avoid being lost in The Lost Chapters. Now, Fable: The Lost Chapters comes to us via Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios, the guy and the company that also developed the over-hyped Black & White and the under-hyped The Movies, both of which found their way to the Mac. Fable is quite a different from both, and is quite a bit different from pretty much any other game available for the Macintosh. It plays more like a console game than Mac game; more like The Legend of Zelda than Tomb Raider: Whatever. Fable is very big in both gameplay and in the world it creates, and those who play it will find themselves immersed for quite some time. As with most role-playing games, you start out as a young lad completely unaware of who he is and what he’ll become. Indeed, your first quest is to buy your sister a birthday gift. How quaint. It’s not long, however, before destiny leads you to one of those Harry Potter schools so you can learn to fight and use magic and gather fruit. At this early stage, the game does unfortunately bog down a bit as it seems you’re just going through the motions to master the controls, your inventory system, etc. Pay attention, though; the relationships you form here, good and bad, play a part not only in the game’s plot, but in who your character will grow to be. What’s more impressive is that this customization of character not only happens naturally throughout the game, but is reflected in how your character looks. If you fight most of your battles with melee weapons, he’ll become muscular. If you prefer archery, he’ll remain slim and dress in brown. Focus on magic, and he’ll...grow old? I guess using magic is the fantasy equivalent of having kids. No worries, though; looking old doesn’t change your ability to fight or remain attractive to non-player characters (who don’t seem to age, by the way, while you do...which is a welcome design choice when you enter the brothels). Although it’s fun to watch your character grow, it’s purely cosmetic. Your decisions throughout the game, however, are cosmetic. Everything—from how to talk to/deal with people to what tattoos you wear to your haircut—affects how others react to you. Hell’s Angel, metrosexual, or anywhere in between, you pick the outfits (and obtain the scars) to play the part. Likewise, if you generally run around doing good, you’ll acquire a nice glow and people will dig you. Behave poorly, and you’ll grow some devil horns and get those shifty eyes that spell trouble. Would that real life worked the same way, we’d all know from whom to buy our cars. The dilemmas that affect all of this are presented to you almost immediately, and continue throughout. But that’s not the focus of the game. This isn’t The Sims, thank goodness, it’s an action game, and there’s plenty of fighting to be done. The control system for this, unfortunately, is awkward and quite rigid. You pretty much need a multi-button mouse if you want to be any good, and that’s not even enough, by default. The game maps your block maneuver to the click wheel of the mouse, which is all well and good, but I have my click wheel mapped to duplicate the “double-click” command of the side buttons, so it doesn’t work. Fable seems to base its commands on the button’s assigned function, not on the action of clicking the button, so you my find yourself facing some messy reprogramming to get the controls to work properly. For a game that was originally released for the Xbox, you’d think the controls would be much simpler to manage. Despite the epic feel of Fable (epic, in the RPG use of the word, meaning to grow from boy to man and exact some revenge along the way), there’s no real sense of urgency. With the wide availability of health and resurrection vials, dying is both avoidable and pointless. The main story is fine, if a bit tired, and the side quests seem to be there solely to extend the life of the game. This is all okay, though, because the real joy comes from watching your character grow and seeing how he interacts with others. It’s just as much fun to find a wife as it is to chop off some monster heads, as fun to explore new lands as it is to accomplish the quests when you get there. That’s what the RP in the G is all about, after all. And to top it off, the game looks fantastic. Again, as with Tomb Raider: Anniversary, the folks over at Robosoft Technologies have done a fantastic job of porting the game to the Mac, taking advantage of the Mac’s strengths. The animation is smooth and the environments are wonderfully detailed with great lighting effects, which is key in a game that wants you to buy into a mystical world. It may take a bit to get used to the cartoonish appearance of the characters, but it’ll happen. It doesn’t hurt that the ambient sounds are very natural sounding and effective, and the music score is the type you could listen to outside the game and still be impressed. Arriving late as it did (the PC version was released nearly three years ago), I’m glad Feral stuck with Fable: The Lost Chapters to bring it our way. I’m hard pressed to come up with a Mac equivalent, but there’s really no need to, considering how generally well this one was done. The story is a bit tired, the quests can get repetitive, there are some control issues, and character management gets burdensome, but the game’s atmosphere and the connection you’ll develop with your character and the world around him create an immersive gaming experience we haven’t had for quite some time. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait this long to experience it again. Appletell Rating: Buy Fable: The Lost Chapters Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

2008 in Review: The year in Mac gaming

Mobile gaming ruled the roost in 2008, as game makers focused on the iPhone. Chris Holt looks back at the past 12 months of highlights and lowlights in the Mac gaming market.

Freeverse announces iPhone games

Section: iPhone + Communications, iPhone SDK & AppsFreeverse, Inc. today revealed plans to release more than a dozen game titles for iPhone and iPod Touch. Available immediately with the opening of the iTunes App Store will be Wingnuts Moto Racer, Big Bang Sudoku and the infamous, Jared: Butcher of Song. Available by September will be Big Bang Chess and various Flick Sports and 3D card games. To add that touch of mystery and wonder, they also point out that they have “...several other unannounced games and applications in active development.” I would ponder their identity, but I’m stuck on how Jared: Butcher of Song will make use of the iPhone’s accelerometer. In Wingnuts Moto Racer, the player will chase evil cat-napping bikers through Andean mountains, desert highways and dangerous underground passages. Steer with the accelerometer and hit the “Punch!” button to fend-off the bad guys as the player races from checkpoint to checkpoint. As an original 3D racing game made specifically for the iPhone, (not a “port” from another platform), Moto Racer truly showcases the power of the iPhone. Moto Racer will be available from the iTunes App Store at launch for $9.99. Big Bang Sudoku is the first game in the wildly popular “Big Bang” series to come to the iPhone. Over 10,000 puzzles, 4 levels of difficulty and crazy pyrotechnics set Big Bang Sudoku apart. Developed by people who ride the NYC subway, Big Bang Sudoku has been designed for easy one-handed play, and will be available from the iTunes App Store at launch for only $4.99. Jared: Butcher of Song may have the distinction of being the only app to be available for Mac OS 7, 8, 9, OS X, the Apple Newton and now, the Apple iPhone! This poorly drawn smiley face sings off-key in the worst spanish ever recorded. He’s an affront to the senses, to good taste, perhaps to civilization itself, but he’s a Mac classic and kinda cute too. Jared: Butcher of Song will be available from the iTunes App Store at launch. And he’ll be free. Moto Racer and Big Bang Sudoku will be available localized in German, French, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese. Jared will be available in...whatever that language is he’s singing. Regarding September’s releases: Big Bang Chess - Winner of an Apple Design Award, this title will be familiar to many Mac users. Big Bang Chess has been re-imagined for iPhone with great graphics and support for Multiplayer (push) play. Flick Sports - Flick Baseball, Soccer, Bowling, and Golf make perfect use of the multi-touch capabilities unique to the iPhone, allowing you to experience these sports in a whole new way. 3D Card Games - Bridge, Spades, Hearts, Euchre, Pitch-Setback, and Crazy 8s: These classic card games come with fun characters, beautiful graphics and support for all of the most popular rule variations. These games will make real cards obsolete. Regarding the unannounced titles, we’ll just have to see what the future has in store. For more information about Freeverse’s iPhone titles, including conceptual art and videos, visit their website. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

World of Warcraft Preview: Up close with the Lich King

Blizzard has released its second full World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. Chris Holt talks to Blizzard’s Alex Afrasiabi about the state of the World of Warcraft.