Heads up that we’ve got an abbreviated Roundup this week (namely, no general Apple news), but we’ll be back with a full slate next week!

Mac Gaming News

• Rome: Total War – Gold Edition Receives Long-Awaited Patch
• Mac Gamer HQ picks their 2012 Game of the Year: Borderlands 2
• Feral Games and the Mac Game Store tease a $20 6-game bundle
• MacLife looks at the 10 Best iPhone Tower Defense Games
• VG 24/7 takes a look and learns more about the upcoming Shadowrun Returns
• Is this Game of Thrones or Sims 3? EA launching Sims 3: Dragon Valley on May 30

Our Posts

• Music Monday: Borderlands 2
• Borderlands 2’s Krieg the Psycho Goes on a Mac Rampage

Roll Call: New on GameAgent

Borderlands 2 – Psycho Pack

What slices, dices, breathes fire and blows himself up? Introducing the newest Vault Hunter and 6th character class in Borderlands 2, Krieg!  Take a peek at Pandora from behind the menacing eyes of Krieg, the Psycho Bandit, an all-new character and the 6th playable class in Borderlands 2.  You’ve fought against them as enemies, now use that aggressive energy on the vault hunter’s side.  Slice, dice, light yourself on fire and blow things up – taking damage was never so rewarding – or so much fun!

Learn more…

Ravensword: Shadowlands

Ravensword brings unprecedented visuals to the role playing and adventure genre. Explore a vast and richly detailed world, gather powerful weapons, collect hundreds of items, increase your skills, and follow a deep storyline to solve the mysteries of the Kingdom of Tyreas.

Learn more…

Quicksave

Holy Mac discounts, Batman! There are many top-tier games on sale this week at can’t miss prices. See below for our top picks, but be sure to check out the Best Mac Deals page on GameAgent.com for the full list!

Borderlands 2 $39.99 $13.60

Civilization V $29.99 $19.99

Arkham City $39.99 $19.99

Sims 3: University $39.99 $19.99

Assassin’s Creed $29.99 $7.49

Tomb Raider $24.99 $12.49

The Walking Dead $24.99 $9.99

LEGO Batman 2 $29.99 $14.99

The post Weekly Round-Up: May 17, 2013 appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

Vault Hunters! Please welcome the newest member of your ranks, Krieg the Psycho Bandit! Part of the Psycho Pack, which is available for purchase on the Mac today for $9.99, Krieg is looking to make some new friends after a rather less-than-pleasant experience at the hands of Hyperion and the bandits of Pandora.

Bringing completely new skill trees and playstyle to Borderlands 2, Krieg is unlike any Vault Hunter before him. Players can focus on the bonus-stacking Bloodlust tree, the melee and explosive damage-friendly Mania tree, the fire-breathing Hellborn tree, or a mixture of all three. Regardless of what skill path players choose, Krieg is also unique in that taking damage reduces the cooldown of his action skill, the Buzz Axe Rampage, which features a 500% melee boost and instant health regeneration for each kill! Think of him as a a fireball-spewing, TNT-throwing, Buzz Axe-slashing badass version of Brick.

As noted, the Psycho Pack is now available for download for $9.99 and can be found at the GameAgent Store, directly through Steam, and via other participating online retailers. Grab it today and start exploring Pandora for some FRESH MEAT!

The post Borderlands 2’s Krieg the Psycho Goes on a Mac Rampage appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

It’s about time isn’t it? We’ve wanted to discuss the music to Borderlands 2 for quite a while, but were waiting for it to become available on Spotify or some other music-focused website that could be embedded here for your listening pleasure. That never happened, but thanks to fans on YouTube, you can listen to the entire thing. If you’ve been playing this game constantly for the past few months like we have, then most of this music is pretty familiar to you, but let’s take a step back and give it a listen on its own, without the frenzied action that usually accompanies hearing it. What you’ll find is an incredibly diverse and satisfying mixture of sounds and genres that create a textured and dynamic sonic experience. Give it a listen right here:

This aurally arresting mixture of sounds is brought to us by Jesper Kyd, a renowned game composer known for his work on Assassin’s Creed, Soul Calibre V, Darksiders II, and of course the first Borderlands game. There’s a little something for everybody: haunting ambient tracks like “Ascent,” thumping electronic beats (“Glacial,” “Bandit Slaughter”), and even some beautiful guitar work (“Main Menu,” “Interlude Ambient,” “Caverns”). Every one of these pieces has a sense of urgency and at the same time, each piece breathes. Kyd doesn’t just beat you over the head with thumping beats to match gunfire; he excels at the quiet moments amidst the storm, knowing that not only could multiple events happen over the course of one piece of music, but also that these moments add delicious tension. Despite the rampant humor throughout the game, these tracks make the journey through Pandora feel that much more serious and epic thanks to such skillfully crafted music. 

As a bonus, this playlist also includes music from the DLC packs, including Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt. However, what’s not included in this playlist or official soundtrack is the music that plays while you’re in the open world of Pandora, exploring. It’s subtle, compelling, and worth tracking down. After some research, the song is called  ”Ice” and is available to listen to on Jesper Kyd’s official website. Kotaku Australia also posted a great article about what’s so great about the song and it’s worth a read.

The official soundtrack can be purchased digitally through iTunes or Amazon.

And let’s not forget the fantastic song “Short Change Hero” by The Heavy! It’s a great song that deserves a mention when talking about the soundtrack:

What are your favorite tracks from the Borderlands 2 soundtrack? Is there another game’s music that deserves the spotlight too? Let us know in the comments!

The post Music Monday: Borderlands 2 appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

Mac Gaming News

• EA announces ‘The Sims 4′ coming to Macs in 2014.
• In other EA news, they now have the exclusive rights to make Star Wars games. How this impacts Mac gamers is uncertain at this time.
• ‘The Showdown’ have released new FREE DLC for the game. Here’s a trailer detailing it.
• Want a first-person horror game for the Mac where you play through the eyes of a child? Support ‘Among the Sleep’ on Kickstarter!
• ‘The Banner Saga’ now has its own Wiki, so never let any question go unanswered.
• ‘Plants vs. Zombies 2′ gets a teaser trailer and summer launch, with a PvZ FPS in the works too?!
• TechnologyTell discusses Mac games at E3.
• An iOS WWII strategy game that uses toy soldiers? ‘Toy Defense 2′ is now available in the App Store.
• Size Five Games announces ‘Gun_Monkeys.’
• Multiplayer, Co-op, AND hack-and-slash dungeon crawling? Yes please! Check out ‘Rampage Knights’ now in development for Mac.
• Game Informer gives a look inside TellTale’s next adventure based on the incredible Fables comics.
• Humble Bundle returns with a pack of excellent games from Double Fine!
• CNET discusses how to connect various controllers to your Mac.
• Check out Mac Scene’s updates regarding various game emulators for the Mac.
• Games dominate Apple’s ‘All-Time Top Paid Apps’ list.

Apple News

• Some analysts says Apple will announce the ‘iPad mini 2′ at WWDC sans retina display. Others disagree.
• Apple could potentially miss out on global phones sales due to high demands from carriers.
• Too some it seems Apple is losing its edge in accessories.
• Apple has moved up the ranks of the “Fortune 500.”
• Adobe announces there will be no Creative Suite 7, moving instead to cloud-based programs.
• Adobe unveiled a cool iPad-compatible stylus and digital ruler.
• The crackdown on discovery apps in the App Store continues.
• Gmail for iOS updates to use Google ecosystem of Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome.
• Paypal hopes the iPhone 5S introduces fingerprint security.
• Apple puts police on wait list to decrypt iPhones.
• One analyst thinks you should hold off on buying a laptop because awesome things are coming later this year.
• A 14-year old discovered that magnets in iPads could disrupt implanted defibrillators…for a science fair project!
• Want to get rid of Notification Center all together on your Mac? Cult of Mac explains how.

Our Posts

• Borderlands 2 Mac Gets v1.5.0 Update on Steam
• Music Monday: The Star Wars Universe
• Are You a Star Wars Trivia Jedi Master?
• A History of “May the 4th Be With You”

Roll Call: New on GameAgent

 The Sims 3: University Life

Are your Sims ready for the time of their lives? Heading off to university opens up new opportunities, from social connections to career growth. From class activities to major-specific objects, your Sim will find new ways to learn! And university isn’t just about hitting the books. Join a protest, flirt at a bonfire party—there’s a lot to explore outside of lectures at the student union. With new locations like the bowling alley and SimBurger to visit, and new activities like juice pong and spray painting murals to enjoy, your Sims are sure to have the time of their lives!

Learn more…

Rochard

Grab a G-Lifter – your new best friend! Use it to change gravity at will, manipulate the environment, and throw huge crates at your enemies. Join the amazing exploits of astro-miner John Rochard and embark on a gravity-bending journey across the Solar System! Rochard is an award-winning side-scroller featuring hours of mind-blowing gravity gameplay, puzzle-solving and action. Narrated in a humorous cartoony style, Rochard tells a thrilling story of villains, a damsel in distress and a mysterious alien civilization.

Learn more…

Quicksave

Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition

In celebration of Skirmish Mode coming to Company of Heroes, you can get the game for 50% off on the Mac App Store! This sale starts today and goes through midnight on Sunday, May 12, 2013.  Here’s a brief description of the game for those unfamiliar:

Company of Heroes redefines real time strategy gaming by bringing the sacrifice of heroic soldiers, war-ravaged environments, and dynamic battlefields to life. Beginning with the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, players lead squads of Allied soldiers into battle against the German war machine through some of the most pivotal battles of WWII. Through a rich single player campaign, players experience the cinematic intensity and bravery of ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events.

Grab it here!

The post Weekly Round-Up: May 10, 2013 appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

Great news, Vault Hunters–Aspyr has just released the latest update for Borderlands 2 on Steam, bringing the Mac version back in sync with the PC version! The game should update next time you launch your Steam client.

Aspyr has released the update ahead of the upcoming Psycho Pack DLC which is scheduled to release on the Mac next week. The Psycho Pack will introduce a 6th playable character, Krieg the Psycho Bandit, with all new skills and playstyle.

In the meantime, head online and start exploring Pandora again with your PC buddies!

See below for the v1.5.0 patch notes. 

General

- Added support and compatibility for upcoming content, including character customizations unlocked by playing Poker Night 2. 

- Fixed an issue where bank and stash capacity could be exceeded. This change prevents additional items from being added to stash / bank until capacity is below the maximum — it does not forcibly remove or delete any items.

- Added a preview of available premium customizations when using a customization station so that players can see what a purchased head or skin would look like before buying.

- Fixed an exploit where players could become invincible occasionally through the Siren’s Res skill.

- Fixed an issue that prevented players from choosing a new customization from SHiFT when creating a character immediately after redeeming a customization code.

- Players are now able to type a “c” in their player name without causing the “load a character” overlay to appear while starting a New Game.

Missions

- Fixed issues with the following missions that could cause players to get stuck or not be able to complete them: 

- Fixed a bug that could cause the “Wildlife Preservation” mission boss to sometimes continue fighting after the encounter in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode. 

- (Captain Scarlett DLC) Fixed an issue that could cause Scarlett to not drop Scarlett’s Greed in the fight with Roscoe.

Equipment

- Fixed a bug that caused the player’s grenade count to not be saved properly if they were using a Grenadier class mod.

- Fixed a bug causing Seraph items of the day to incorrectly be capped at level 55.

- Rebalanced the Gunzerker’s Titan class mod to be more in line other Gunzerker class mods.

- Fixed an issue where the Evolution shield could incorrectly list a Recharge Delay of 0.00 seconds.

- Fixed audio from Impact shields not playing when connected to another player.

- Fixed an issue causing audio distortion in some cases when a transfusion projectile got stuck inside an object.

The post Borderlands 2 Mac Gets v1.5.0 Update on Steam appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

Are we still riding the high of an awesome Star Wars weekend? Absolutely! Is it cheating to include the music of Star Wars in a blanketed way without referring to a specific game? Yes, yes it is. But for the love of Yoda, we just don’t care! Besides, if you think about it, celebrating the music of Star Wars in a broad sense is the only truly fitting way it can be done right. John Williams’ incredible and timeless score for all six movies is the bedrock of music for any Star Wars-related game, whether its the quaint MIDI versions of these tunes in early games like Dark Forces or the more sweeping and orchestral renditions from modern games like The Force Unleashed. Take a listen to this unforgettable music and remind yourself just how much you love these tunes:

This is the orchestral music of multiple generations. Past centuries may have had Bach and Beethoven, but the 20th and 21st century has John Williams’ score ingrained in our minds. You could probably go up to any person on the street and ask them to hum the Star Wars main theme or the Imperial March (you might have to call it Vader’s theme) and most people probably could. There are few modern non-pop composers that have reached that level of ubiquity in our culture.

Let’s not forget all the lesser-known composers for Star Wars games that simply use some of Williams’ cues as a jumping off point to create their own stirring pieces of music. For The Force Unleashed, Mark Griskey used a great mix of both his original compositions and music from the both the prequel and original Star Wars movies. Since the events of the game happen between the trilogies, he wanted to offer some of both in an attempt to bridge the gap between the two. Others, such as famous game composer Jeremy Soule (Company of Heroes, Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights), use this music only as a reference point to explore their own unique take on the Star Wars universe, as he did in the soundtrack for Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. For a more detailed look into Star Wars music, check out this fairly detailed Wikipedia page. 

What’s your favorite piece of Star Wars music? Which Star Wars game do you think has the best music? Tell us in the comments and May the Force Be With You!

The post Music Monday: The Star Wars Universe appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

May the 4th is over, but why not keep the Star Wars love going all weekend? You’ve played the Star Wars games and celebrated May the 4th, so chances are you know plenty of fun facts about Star Wars. How about we put that knowledge to the test with some Star Wars trivia. Here’s questions of varying difficulty, with answers revealed if you highlight the black box. Remember, no peaking at holocubes for the answer!

General Questions for Scruffy-Looking Nerf Herders

What were the last words spoken in The Empire Strikes Back?

Answer:  “May the Force be with you.”

What animals did the visual effects crew study when designing the Imperial Walkers from The Empire Strikes Back?

Answer:  Elephants

Which country was the home base for principal photography on Revenge of the Sith?

Answer:  Australia

Which Star Wars movie was the first to be shot entirely with high-definition cameras, without using traditional 35-millimeter film?

Answer:  Attack of the Clones

What U.S. magazine declared Star Wars “the year’s best movie” in its May 30, 1977, issue?

Answer:  Time

Which star of Revenge of the Sith is the real-life nephew of Denis Lawson, who played Wedge in the first Star Wars Trilogy?

Answer:  Ewan McGregor

According to Star Wars legend, what substance powers lightsabers?

Answer:  Ilum crystals

How much does the Chewbacca costume weigh? 

Answer:  8 pounds

Yoda did not make an appearance in only one of the six Star Wars movies. Which one? 

Answer:  Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope

What famous scientist was the inspiration for creature designer Stuart Freeborn when creating Yoda’s eyes?

Answer:  Albert Einstein

Padmé Amidala is first queen of, and then the senator from, what peaceful planet?

Answer:  Naboo

Questions for Jedi Masters and Sith Lords

What Ewok medicine man presided over the attempt to make a roast of Han Solo in Return of the Jedi?

Answer:  Logray

Lando Clarissian’s operation on Cloud City mines what type of gas?

Answer:  Tibanna gas

The Empire attacked the Rebel base on Hoth with four-legged Imperial Walkers, or AT-ATs.  What does AT-AT stand for?

Answer:  All Terrain-Armored Transport

What planet is home to Chewbacca and the Wookiees?

Answer:  Kashyyyk

What is the species of the diminutive workers on Cloud City who helped freeze Han Solo in carbonite?

Answer:  Ugnaughts

What type of battle armor does Boba Fett wear?

Answer:  Mandalorian

Han Solo upgraded his beloved Millennium Falcon from which stock starship?

Answer:  The YT-1300 stock light freighter

What color is Yoda’s lightsaber in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith?

Answer:  Green

Complete this line from A New Hope: “The ____________ Wastes are not to be traveled lightly.”

Answer:  Jundland

Who preceded Senator Palpatine as Chancellor of the Galactic Senate?

Answer:  Chancellor Valorum

How many engines are on an X-Wing fighter?

Answer:  4

Bail Organa is Princess Leia’s adoptive father. What is her adoptive mother’s name?

Answer:  Queen Breha Organa

Whew! It’s over! How did you do? Did you know many answers or was it a learning experience? Try some of these questions on your friends, see if they know the answer. Let us know how you did in the comments.

The post Are You a Star Wars Trivia Jedi Master? appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

Today is Star Wars day for millions of people the world over and GameAgent is no exception. We love the Star Wars series and look forward to any chance to celebrate one of the most influential pieces of entertainment from the 20th century. But you may be wondering, just how did this day become associated with Star Wars? Thanks to the good folks and Lucasfilm and Disney, we’re going to provide with a history of a day that is sure to cause a disturbance in The Force.

Why is May the 4th Called Star Wars Day?

Say “May the 4th Be With You” out loud and you’ll hear the pun that Star Wars fans worldwide have turned into a rallying cry to proclaim their love of the saga. It’s the worldwide day to say “May the Force be with you” to all, and celebrate the beloved Star Wars story that binds our galaxy together.

One of the earliest known records of “May the 4th” used in popular culture is in 1979, as described here by author Alan Arnold while he was chronicling the making of The Empire Strikes Back for Lucasfilm:

Friday, May 4th

Margaret Thatcher has won the election and become Britain’s first woman prime minister. To celebrate their victory her party took a half page of advertising space in the London Evening News. This message, referring to the day of victory, was “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations,” further proof of the extent to which Star Wars has influenced us all.

Once the Internet allowed Star Wars fans around the world to connect with one another, May the 4th soon became a grassroots tradition each year, with fans online and offline proclaiming it “Star Wars Day.”

While the idea of May the 4th did not start with Lucasfilm, the film company that created Star Wars has fully embraced the spirit of fandom that makes the day so special. The official blog at StarWars.com as well as the official Star Wars social media channels on Twitter (@starwars #MayThe4thBeWithYou) and Facebook (facebook.com/starwars) help spread the word and showcase fan activity. More and more official partners have offered sales, giveaways and exclusives, and have hosted parties and other activities to mark the day.

May the 4th kicks off a season of celebration, particularly since the month of May has always been important to Star Wars fans. The six live-action movies of the Star Wars saga debuted in May (starting with the original Star Wars on May 25th, 1977) and this year, May 25th marks the 30th anniversary of Return of the Jedi. The month of May includes George Lucas’s birthday (May 14, 1944), and has been the traditional start date of the popular Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World Resort (this year, the fun begins on May 14th).

With the exciting launch of a new trilogy of movies beginning with Star Wars: Episode VII coming in the near future, this day to celebrate the saga and its amazing fans is certain to become even bigger each year. 

Have a happy Star Wars Day and May the 4th be with you! How are you celebrating Star Wars Day today? Tell us about it in the comments!

The post A History of “May the 4th Be With You” appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

Mac Gaming News

• You wanted to play cards with Claptrap right? Telltale’s ‘Poker Night 2′ is now available. Check out the launch trailer here.
• Apple was recently granted a patent for multiplayer gaming with chat capabilities. 
• If you love the EVE series, rejoice! There’s a massive box set coming out called ‘EVE: The Second Decade – Collector’s Edition.’
• Leviathan: Warships has what might be the GREATEST VIDEO GAME TRAILER EVAR.
• Anomaly 2 is now available for pre-order with some sweet discounts.
• Guns of Icarus Online releases free 1.2 update.
• Shadowrun Returns developers Harebrained have posted a new development video.
• A new video from the upcoming The Elder Scrolls Online has been released.
• Spiderweb Software has released screenshots of Avadon 2: The Corruption.
• Check out this cool preview of upcoming additions to World of Warcraft.
• Our friends at iGame Radio have a Beta of their new site and would love some feedback. Visit and let them know.

Apple News

• Last week tickets to Apple’s WWDC sold out in THREE MINUTES.
• For those that didn’t get WWDC tickets there’s a new “AltWWDC” happening at the same time down the road, for FREE.
• Consumer Reports indicate Apple take the top honors in computer tech support.
• The App Store will soon reach an impressive 50 BILLION downloads!
• Apple Maps is coming to cars.
• Siri competitor ‘Google Now’ is now available for iOS.
• iOS 7 will allegedly see a June preview with full September launch.
• Mac gamers have another place to purchase Mac games thanks to Download Buyer.
• Speculation increases that Apple will release a low cost iPhone this year.
• The Department of Defense might soon switch to Apple devices.
• Here’s a great human interest story about Apple bring tech into classrooms to improve learning and test scores.
• Just for fun, check out this comparison between Apple devices and the tech depicted in ’2001: A Space Odyssey’

Our Posts

• 2 Easy Steps to Celebrate Star Wars Day with Aspyr and GameAgent
• Skirmish Mode for Company of Heroes Arrives Today
• Who Else Wants an Amazing DOOM 4?
• Music Monday: Bit.Trip Runner

Roll Call: New on GameAgent

BIT.TRIP VOID

BIT.TRIP VOID is the third installment in the retro-arcade BIT.TRIP saga.

BIT.TRIP VOID is a synesthetic exploration of rhythm and music as they pertain to our everyday lives and moods. In a control scheme brand new to the series, yet wholly familiar to gamers, the player is given complete freedom to move about the screen wherever they desire, interacting with the music in brand new ways. The classic gameplay aesthetic remains, as color—and the absence of color—are explored to the fullest.

Trip out and see if you can survive the onslaught of Beats and further your own BIT.TRIP.

Learn more…

Pirates of Black Cove

Set in the golden age of pirates, this is your chance to become pirate king and conquer the Caribbean.

Join, champion, and unite the three pirate factions: Pirates, Corsairs and Buccaneers. You must ultimately leverage this unity in all out war against the evil Pirates of Black Cove.

Unite the three Pirate factions to gain access to their hero units and ultimately take down the Pirates of Black Cove and become King of all the pirates. If you have what it takes that is.

Learn More…

Quicksave: Star Wars Galore, Plus More!

As you may have seen on the blog yesterday, there are countless deals on Star Wars titles across the web! Aspyr’s Star Wars games are now available for incredibly cheap, so don’t miss out!

Here’s another great deal happening this weekend: Tropico 3 Gold Edition is 50% off this weekend only!

The post Weekly Round-Up: May 3, 2013 appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.

A short time from now, in a galaxy not so far away… 

We’ll be celebrating the greatest space opera ever told–Star Wars! Yes, tomorrow, May 4, is Star Wars Day, and Aspyr Media and GameAgent have put together a fantastic way to celebrate for Mac gamers the galaxy over.

1. For one, all of Aspyr’s Star Wars games are 66% off through the weekend, starting TODAY! You’ll be able to grab top rated Star Wars games like Knights of the Old Republic, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, and The Force Unleashed. You can check out the full collection HERE.
2. In addition to the sale, both Aspyr and GameAgent will be giving away coupon codes for free Star Wars games all day long on Star Wars Day! You’ll need to follow Aspyr and GameAgent on Twitter to get in on the action. Unlike our Indie Week and Strategy Week giveaways, we’ll simply post some codes publicly for all to see–the first person to redeem the code will the lucky winner, so you’ll need to be faster than Han Solo in the Kessel Run!

It should be a great weekend for Star Wars fans everywhere. Good luck to all, and May the 4th Be With You!

The post 2 Easy Steps to Celebrate Star Wars Day with Aspyr and GameAgent appeared first on The GameAgent Blog!.