PC gamers

The Making of Karateka – The Interactive Documentary Coming Soon From Digital Eclipse

July 14, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Before The Last Express… before Prince of Persia… there was Karateka

Famed game designer Jordan Mechner was an 18-year-old college student when he started making the martial arts adventure that would become one of the most influential games of the Apple II era.

Four decades later, the story behind this groundbreaking game has been meticulously reconstructed into an innovative interactive documentary by Digital Eclipse, the team behind acclaimed collections including the Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection.

Unveiled minutes ago during Microsoft’s ID@Xbox showcase, The Making of Karateka will be available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S as well as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam, GOG, and Epic Store). A simultaneous release on all platforms is expected later this northern hemisphere summer.

MORE DETAILS:

Official website: www.digitaleclipse.com/games/karateka
Jordan Mechner’s announcement blog: https://www.jordanmechner.com/en/latest-news/#karateka
Xbox Wire post by Chris Kohler of Digital Eclipse: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/07/11/making-of-karateka-gold-master-series/
Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1163060/The_Making_of_Karateka (you can wishlist it now!)

FREE Video Games in May on Prime Gaming!

April 28, 2023 By ausretrogamer

This is more of a PSA (that’s Public Service Announcement) for PC gamers (with an Amazon Prime sub) out there!

The list of free titles during the awesome month of May reads like a who’s who of video games – from STAR WARS™: Rogue Squadron 3D (on May the 4th!), to the retro gaming splendour of NEO GEO titles like Last Resort, Super Sidekicks, King of the Monsters 2 and Robo Army to name just a few!

Better clear your diary, as you’ll be playing video games quite a bit.

List of free games on Prime Gaming during the month of May:

May 4: STAR WARS™: Rogue Squadron 3D — Save the Rebel Alliance from imperial onslaught in this thrilling flight simulation game where players take on the role of Luke Skywalker and assemble their Rogue Squadron team to fly into battle, engage in intense, fast-paced space and planetary missions to continue the fight for freedom.
May 4: Super Sidekicks — Dribble, pass and use a variety of techniques to compete against the best teams from around the world as players battle for the SNK Cup.
May 4: Samurai Shodown IV — Test your samurai skills using powerful attacks to wage intense battles and defeat Amakusa before he conquers the modern world.
May 11: Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition — Explore the planes, survive dangerous combat scenarios and solve mysterious puzzles in this story-rich, tactical role playing game set in the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse.
May 11: Lake — Take on the role of Meredith Weiss and take a break from the big city to decide how you want to experience the beautiful Providence Oaks, featuring its iconic lake and scenery.
May 11: Robo Army — Take on high-powered collisions in this beat ’em up title as players crush and destroy their enemies to restore peace from the robot corps known as Hell Jeed.
May 11: Last Resort — Save humanity’s first hotel on Mars by taking down hordes of aliens in this small co-op shooter game.
May 18: Kardboard Kings — Own the best card shop in town by earning a reputation with customers, beating your shop goals, unlocking new decorations and more!
May 18: The Almost Gone — Unlock intricate dioramas to experience the plethora of connections of your life in this narrative puzzle game about death, loss and mental health.
May 18: 3 Count Bout — Become the world’s strongest wrestler by learning the moves and winning hard fought battles to take the champion’s throne for yourself.
May 18: Alpha Mission 2 — Recapture the universe from the seven star alliance by utilizing 11 types of various power armor in this vertical scrolling arcade game.
May 25: Lila’s Sky Ark — Protect a psychedelic world from bizarre beasts and punishing bosses in this poetic mystery filled with secrets, puzzles and music.
May 25: Agatha Knife — Embark on a whimsically twisted adventure with Agatha, as players join her in exploring her love for eating meat and her friendships with animals.
May 25: King of the Monsters 2 — Become the undisputed king of the monsters as players take on earthshaking battles against a plethora of behemoths.
May 25: Kizuna Encounter — Engage in intense battles as players use both weapons and fists alike to win in single-round sudden death tag-team matches.

Renzo Racer – Steam Review

May 21, 2019 By Mat Panek

Zooming its way onto Steam is Renzo Racer, a fast and frantic kart racer with a lot of personality.

Who doesn’t love a good cart racer game from time to time, especially with friends! Renzo Racer is, as one would expect, a fairly cookie cutter style racing game. Choose from one of 16 different racers and around 20 tracks and prove your racing prowess against friends or the computer. Characters are full of charm and personality and the tracks are all interesting and diverse but the racing itself is a mixed bag. There are plenty of obstacles and hazards thrown into the tracks which add to the fun but weird AI can be a hassle when playing alone.

The physics model feels very realistic which is a little strange for a kart racing game and because of this everything feels a bit mismatched. While it does feel like a deliberate choice for the game it will throw off players thinking of a traditional kart racer. There is no easy way to slide into corners which means a more realistic driving approach needs to be taken and proper apex turns are required. Another issue is the barriers which are properly modelled not just invisible walls. Hitting a barrier at speed can cause your racer to flip or get stuck, leaving you spinning tyres for a few seconds until you eventually reset. Characters and tracks are unlocked very slowly by placing first in single race or Grand Prix modes, while a slow drip of content is nice only one character and track is available from the start.

It’s not all negatives though, the physics model definitely adds to the experience and getting used to it can reveal some nice tricks. Placing the bomb item down as a person is right behind you will give you a nice impromptu boost forwards and hitting a ramp just right can have you soar right over the competition. The character designs are all well done and it’s easy to start picking favourites depending on the kart shape and stats. There is a real charm to the whole feel of the game but it is often easy to see where other kart games have influenced Renzo Racer in its style.

A good game to try with a few friends for a good laugh as you knock each other about but single player can be a bit frustrating from time to time. From the wacky cast to the cute tracks, Renzo Racer is a game that definitely stands out from other Kart clone racers but not always in the best way.

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Mat Panek
Retromancer – Collector, repairer & fan of retro games & tech. Atari to Amiga, Nintendo to Sega! LD, Zip, Beta and a proud dad! One half of the TiredParents on Twitch.