It’s Valentine’s Day, and even for gamers, love is in the air. Even if it’s just on screen, the digital world has seen its fair share of couples and love-based storylines. To honor this heart-shaped candy focused day, we thought we’d count down the Top 10 gaming couples. We’ve done something like this before, but since we’re a Mac-centric blog this time it will of course skew towards relationships that Mac gamers can enjoy (though there are a few non-Mac relationships just too good to leave out!). Grab a box of chocolates and enjoy our tribute to an affectionate bond that can occur between two people. (more…)

Welcome back readers! Now that we’ve gotten the worst out of the way, let’s take time to celebrate the best Batman-related adventures the gaming world has to offer. We all know where this is leading but c’mon, humor me for a moment and let’s talk about how we got there. It seems like each gaming generation has had at least one halfway decent if not downright enjoyable Batman game to offer, even if they didn’t offer the full Batman experience. Only with the advancement of technology and innovative gameplay mechanics have we been able to get an experience that fully embodies the experiences of the Dark Knight.

Without further ado, here are the 5 best Batman games in history.

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Ever since the advent of video games there have been games about superheroes. Short of your own imagination after reading comic books, where else could someone put themselves into the fantastical shoes of these caped crusaders and fight crime? Unfortunately the limitations of the medium have made for some severely gimped superhero games that can’t hope to do the amazing feats of these characters justice.

Few heroes have as many games bearing his name than the Dark Knight himself, Batman. With release of The Dark Knight Rises this Friday, it seemed like a good time to reflect on the best and worst Bat-titles the gaming world has seen up until this point.

Today we bring you the dregs of his gaming appearances—games so lame they don’t even deserve the mantle of the bat.

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It’s an eye-rolling trope to some younger people, but the Internet revolutionized communication, technology and business in ways that are still unfolding today. Thanks to cheaper, easier access to equipment and software, burgeoning musicians and filmmakers are able to create like never before. With the help of sites like YouTube they can share their creations with the entire world—from their bedroom to yours. Through comments and blog posts artists now have a more direct line of communication with their audiences than in any previous time. This means entertainment industries that were controlled by an elite few in the past are increasingly shaped by their once-passive proletariat audience. It’s all quite remarkable if you stop and think about it.

Unfortunately, gamers haven’t quite seen the same sort of proliferation in the gaming industry the way other forms of entertainment have. Certainly it’s helped socialize gaming with more multiplayer gaming experiences than ever before, whether it be a Call of Duty deathmatch or as simple as a Draw Something sketch. But the creatives that design the games haven’t undergone similar democratized results that film and music have. Game development costs soar into the millions for most titles, making underdog low budget stories like Angry Birds or Temple Run more akin to winning the lottery than an industry norm. That’s all rapidly changing once again thanks to the power of Internet and the concept of crowdfunding.

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Welcome back everyone! We’re continuing our Independence Day celebration with Part 2 of our ‘Top 10 Video Game Patriots.’ On the day commemorating the birth of America we bring you the final five in our list. Did your favorites make this list? Read below to find out! (more…)

Bring out your flags, put some hotdogs on the grill and light up a few sparklers! In honor of the 4^th of July and in celebration of all things ‘Merican this week, we bring you a list of the Top 10 most patriotic video game characters.

10. Duke Nukem

His latest adventure, Duke Nukem Forever, begins with ole Duke standing in front of an American flag. That alone deserves an honorable mention, but he also saved the world from aliens and all sorts of troubles multiple times. Just look at him and listen to his quotes. He’s an amalgamation of many iconic American action heroes: John Wayne, Charles Bronson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sly Stallone, Bruce Willis and Bruce Campbell. He sounds like Dirty Harry to boot. Love him or hate him, Duke’s definitely a poster boy for the stereotypical American badass image.

9. Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer & Lance “Scorpion” Bean (Contra series)

Many of us older games spent plenty of time with these two Americans, armed with rifles and unlimited ammo. The original Japanese version had the two taking on a terrorist cell, but when it arrived at our shores it was changed to an evil alien entity known as Red Falcon. Mad Dog and Scorpion blasted their way through 10 areas of side-scrolling and 3D mazes on both the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and in arcades.

It was one of the few games at the time to feature cooperative gameplay. And what could be more American than taking gaming and putting it into the hands of the many instead of a single (dictator of a) player?

8. Mike Haggar (Final Fight series)

This guy has such an impressive resume: professional wrestler, mayor of a major metropolitan U.S. city, and most famously, a freedom fighter. When his city was overrun by the evil criminal gang/organization Mad Gear, he took to the streets with Guy and Cody to take his city back.

So let’s see, he’s done his civic duty as a public servant, fought street crime AND maintains an impressive moustache? Sounds like a Grade A American to me. Plus, this quote proves even his moustache is a patriot: “My ‘stache quivers for justice!”

7. Bill Taylor (Call of Duty 2)

While lacking in backstory and personality, Call of Duty 2‘s Bill Taylor is a one-man WWII army thanks to the skills game players everywhere. As a Corporal in the 2^nd Ranger Battalion Bill helps storm the shores of Normandy on D-Day, helps in the assault of Pointe du Hoc, Hill 400 and crosses the Rhine River into enemy Germany.  This guy is Real American Hero material. If Bill Taylor were real, the number of medals he’d be wearing would be enough to make a rapper jealous of his bling.

6. Guile (Street Fighter series)

Aside from the guys in Contra, Guile of Street Fighter fame is one of my first memories of a patriot and proud American in gaming. He’s a U.S. special forces operative and his fighting stage was on a U.S. airbase. Since 1991 he’s fought warriors the world over, all in the name of justice and vengeance.

Oh, and just look at his arms…American flag tattoos on each!
The villain of the series, M. Bison killed his best friend and fellow soldier Charlie Nash. In his honor, Guile wears his dog tags alongside his own. In a fairly emotional scene, Guile’s ending in Street Fighter II shows his family dissuading him from killing M. Bison. American soldier, loyal friend and family man, Guile is an inspiration (as long as we forget about his portrayal by JCVD).

This concludes the bottom half of our Top 10! Check back later in the week as we count down the 5 most patriotic characters in video games. Agree/Disagree with our list so far? Who do you think will make the Top 5? Let us know in the comments!

It’s that time again dear readers, where we bring you a selection of reviews for a brand new Mac game. This time we bring you the world’s thoughts on Civilization V expansion Gods & Kings, released yesterday day and date along with the PC version. Thanks to this awesome simultaneous launch, there are already plenty of reviews out there to check out. Here are some of the best:

Current Ratings

As of 6/25/2012

• Inside Mac Games: 9 out of 10
• MacWorld UK: 4 out of 5 stars
• IGN: 9 out of 10
• 1up: A-
• Escapist: 4 1/2 out of 5
• Forbes: A

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Dust off your emperor’s robes and prepare to conquer the world all over again…

Civilization V: Gods and Kings is now available on the Mac!

This is the first full-fledged expansion to the 2011 Mac “Game of the Year” Civilization V and it’s filled to the brim with new and intriguing gameplay mechanics. Create a more complex and detailed play experience than ever before! This release is launched day and date with the PC version, so you’re getting brand new to the world content.

Features

• Expanded experience:  addition of new technologies, 27 new units, 13 new buildings, and 9 new Wonders, including including Neuschwanstein, the Great Mosque of Djenne, the Terracotta Army, the Great Firewall, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
• Religion: A righteous people will seek out Faith to found a Pantheon of the Gods. As your Faith becomes stronger, you can cultivate Great Prophets who build on these simple beliefs to create a religion that you can customize and enhance as desired. Beliefs can even unlock custom buildings that only people of your religion can construct.
• Enhanced Diplomacy and Espionage: Establish embassies at foreign courts for closer ties or send spies to steal information and technology!
• Naval Combat: Your navy is now split into two different ship types, melee and ranged. This means that no coastal city should be considered safe, and can now fall to a surprise naval attack.
• World Domination: Battles more dynamic than ever before with a reworked combat system and AI that puts more emphasis on a balanced army composition.

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The Diablo III release has been a long time coming and naturally, like most of the world, I had a pre-ordered copy waiting for me on the 15^th. Unfortunately, I had to work, so I didn’t really get to sit down and play until last Friday. Thus, Friday began my non-stop marathon of Diablo III and I have lived to tell the tale.  

I didn’t want to spoil my experience by reading much about the Diablo III gameplay beforehand. I played Diablo III in a sort of trial and error style to find my own way of successfully taking down Diablo. I have compiled a list of the best advice that I can give you to get the most out of Diablo III.

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We know you love annihilating your loved ones and friends (through video games of course). But just because one of you favors Mac over a PC doesn’t mean you should miss out on the epic battles that are waiting  for you.

There are an increasing number of games that feature cross-platform multiplayer, which means that you can use your Mac to play your friends who use a Mac or PC.  Below is a list of some of the best that cross-platform multiplayer has to offer.

• Published by Aspyr Media, Sid Meier’s Civilization V is a turn-based strategy title that lets players conquer surrounding territories with the hopes of becoming the ultimate and superior empire. Though the cross-platform multiplayer is currently on hiatus until the latest patch hits Macs in early February, Civ V is still a top-tier game that allows you to defeat your friends on both Mac and PC.

• Madballs in Babo: Invasion, which features up to 16 players in multiplayer, challenges you to make your way through a 3D environment, decimating your friends along the way. Madballs is published by Playbrains and is available on both Mac and PC through Steam.

• Published by Nimbly Games, Altitude is a unique, side-scrolling aerial combat title.  You’ll fly through obstacles in the sky while shooting down your enemies, and can play with your friends on Mac or PC using Steam.
• Killing Floor is a co-op survival horror FPS set in the devastated cities and countryside of England after a series of cloning experiments for the military goes horribly wrong.  The title, published by Tripwire Interactive, allows up to 6 players to battle through hordes of flesh-craving zombies and is available through Steam on PC and Mac.
• Guerrilla Bob, published by Angry Mob Games,  is a one-of-a-kind, fast-paced shooter with a cartoon art style that allows players to fight and loot enemies for weapon upgrades and power ups. Available on a variety of platforms (Mac, PC, iPhone, Android), friends can play together via a local Wi-Fi connection.

As founders of the Steam gaming platform, Valve Software naturally has made many of their games available for cross-platform gaming, too. Some of their titles include:

• Portal 2, which allows you to play as a robot in a futuristic environment, has players solving puzzles cooperatively to move through portals in this action-adventure title. Portal 2 is particularly unique in that the cross-platform multiplayer  is available for Macs, PCs and the PS3.
• Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, are survivor thriller first person shooter titles that challenge players to band together to fight off a zombie outbreak. L4D and L4D2 can be played on Mac, PC and Xbox, though the game is only cross-platform on Mac and PC.
• Team Fortress 2 is a free-to-play, team-based title in which teams battle it out against each other by customizing and upgrading their characters. Team Fortress 2 multiplayer is available for Mac and PC through Steam.
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