The International House of Mojo

Angry Birds Star Wars is out now for 99 cents on iPhone, $2.99 on iPad, in HD format on Android for $2.99, on regular format for Android for free (with ads), on Windows for $4.99 (including Windows 8), on Mac for $4.99, on Kindle Tablet for $2.99, and on Windows Phone 8 for 99 cents.

According to Nokia, Angry Birds Star Wars will also be available for Windows Phone 7.5 once Rovio and Nokia "make sure everything works as well as it can".

I just played through the Tatooine level, and it's actually pretty fun. It's essentially a blend of Angry Birds and Angry Birds Space with lightsabers, blasters, and the force, but the latter are implemented well and make for an entertaining experience.

The Macheist 4 Bundle is on, giving you 12 applications and games for Mac, for only $29 USD. There are 3 more games and apps that will unlock at a point when a certain amount of bundles are sold.

Three Telltale games are included in the bundle: Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, and Jurassic Park: The Game, all of which are through Steam.

The other games and applications in the bundle are: Artboard, Bejeweled 3 (through Steam), Courier, DiscTools Pro, Evernote, HDRtist, Radium, and Scriviner. Additionally, Firetask will unlock for all bundle owners after 25,000 bundles are sold, and Bioshock 2 and Painter Lite will unlock after an unrevealed amount of bundles are sold.

The release dates for The Walking Dead episode 4: Around Every Corner have been announced. It's coming out in North America on PSN later today. Then, tomorrow, it will be coming out on North American XBLA, and on PC and Mac worldwide.

Release dates for the European market have not yet been announced, nor have release dates for episode 3 or episode 4 for iPad. Not much is known about episode 5 either at this point, but since the entire series is coming out on retail in North America on the 4th of December, the fifth episode will be out sometime before that.

Update: The fourth episode is now out on PC, Mac, and XBLA. Early reports say this is the episode where your previous choices come into play, meaning that the big choice in episode one is no longer the only choice that meaningfully effects gameplay. This is also the episode where the winner of the contest has a character modeled after them who dies and later becomes one of the undead. The runner-up winners are members of the zombie hoarde. So if you won, keep an eye out for yourself. :)

The Double Fine Mega Action Mega Sale is going on now. Every game by Double Fine is on sale for one week in celebration of October, or Rocktober as it was called during Brütal Legend's release.

Costume Quest is discounted by 50 percent, Brütal Legend is discounted between 69-81 percent (depending on platform), Psychonauts is discounted by 50 percent, Stacking is discounted by 50%, Iron Brigade is discounted by 33-50 percent, Double Fine Happy Action Theatre is discounted by 50 percent, and Once Upon a Monster is discounted by 15 percent.

ScummVM, the Sentimental Community Undertaking Maintaining Marvelous Visionary Masterpieces, is now at 1.5.0 with the release of "Picnic Basket".

Along with the 2D LucasArts adventure games, most 2D Humongous Entertainment games, and countless others, the new release supports another Humongous Entertainment game: Backyard Baseball 2003.

It also has new support for other games that don't fall under the Mojo banner: Blue Force, Dreamweb, Geisha, Soltys (including an English translation for the first time), and the children's games Gregory and the Hot Air Balloon, Magic Tales: Liam Finds a Story, Sleeping Cub's Test of Courage, and The Princess and the Crab.

The Escapist has a preview from E3 of the next episode of The Walking Dead. They got to see the first twenty minutes of the episode, so beware that it is full of spoilers. It does show that the choices in the first episode effects this one and that there are even more choices in this episode, so The Walking Dead's branching storyline continues to branch, leaving even more possibilities and reasons to play through the game multiple times.

Source: The Escapist

Sam Suede in Undercover Exposure, a comedy adventure game by Wisecrack Games and coded by Wizarbox (Grey Matter and So Blonde), is now on Kickstarter. It has a game design that was created by Al Lowe (creator of Leisure Suit Larry) and Ken Wegrzyn of Wisecrack Games in 2006, and still remains in tact. Al Lowe is no longer involved in the project, and he stresses that his comedy writing is not present, but his game design is still present.

That said, Steve Ince (formerly of Revolution Software (he was director of the first three games in the Broken Sword series), and creator of Mr. Smoozles Goes Nutso and So Blonde) is involved, so the comedy factor should be handled very well. He also did the art design of the games he worked on, and was the art designer of Beneath a Steel Sky. So, the game is in capable hands.

Like the other adventure projects on Kickstarter, there are multiple tiers to choose from, each with their own goodies, including a physical copy of the game at $125, along with the game bible and an art book. So, if you like comedy adventure games, choose a pledge tier at the Sam Suede kickstarter

Since we've been posting about the SpaceVenture Kickstarter, I thought I'd update with news that a playable prototype demo has been released which already contains a lot of the humor that the Space Quest series is known for. The Guys from Andromeda (the creators of SpaceVenture, and the creators of the Space Quest series) plan to release a new prototype demo each time a $100,000US goal is met. It's currently just above $270,000US (54% funded) with less than two weeks left to go.

Also, The Space Quest Collection is today's daily deal on Steam. For 9 more hours, you can pick up all 6 Space Quest games for only $5US.

The Space Quest games play just like SpaceVenture, so if you enjoy those games, pick a pledge tier and support SpaceVenture.

The Walking Dead: Episode 1: A New Day is out now on Steam and PSN.

For those on the fence, the reviews so far say that it's a return to Telltale's usual form of making the best use of the license. The game's method of using dialog choices to influence the outcome of future events in the game is particularly praised, as is the story (as par-for-the course for a Telltale title). It should be noted that there are a lot of action sequences, and that it lacks traditional inventory-based puzzles found in most of Telltale's adventure games, but it's a huge improvement over the gameplay found in Jurassic Park.

The game is not out on Telltale's site yet or on XBLA. It will be out on Telltale's site later today, and on XBLA soon.

Update: Telltale found a server issue that only concerns the build that was intended to be uploaded to the Telltale website. They've been trying to fix the issue all day, but it doesn't appear that they'll be able to fix it tonight. Thankfully, they posted news on their forums that everyone who pre-ordered the game from Telltale's site will be sent Steam codes to their e-mail addresses so they can play the game via Steam (and get the extras like Steam Achievements that go with it).

Update 2 (April 27): It was released yesterday at Telltale's site. It's out now on XBLA as well (and of course, PSN and Steam).

In a surprise move, Telltale's website actually mentioned their newest Law & Order release. Law & Order: Legacies has now concluded it's 7 episode run on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Now iOS players can discover the link that ties the season's cases together, as Episode 7: Resolution is now available to purchase (or to play immediately if you own the multi-pack bundle) from within the universal Law & Order: Legacies application.

There is no news on when the last two episodes will be available for PC and Mac.

Update: Telltale hasn't updated their blog with the news, but episodes 6 and 7 are now out on PC and Mac as well. So now all supported platforms have access to the complete Law & Order: Legacies series.

Telltale hasn't updated their blog yet, but it seems Law & Order: Legacies episode 4: Nobody's Child and episode 5: Ear Witness for PC and Mac got a surprise weekend release. People who purchased the season package from the Telltale store can open Law & Order: Legacies on their computer and select the episodes right now from within the program itself.

This brings the computer releases up to date with the iOS releases. There's still two more episodes left in the series, which will be released in the upcoming months.

DeathSpank has finally landed on Steam for the Mac. And now I can finally be DeathSpankified.

Also, check out the awesome Mac category icon! At least I don't recall seeing it since Mojo X launched.

PC fans may have got no love with the announcement of Double Fine's new game Stacking, but fortunately at least one previously console-only game is coming, as DeathSpank: Thongs Of Virtue is coming to PC on December 1st.

As a slight apology for taking so long, the Snowy Mountain Dungeon DLC will be included free. As a further bonus, Mac games will also get both DeathSpank episodes on 14th December. It's available to purchase now on Steam with a 10% preorder discount.

I guess DeathSpank is doing pretty well on PC after all. Who'd have thought that a Diablo/Torchlight-style action-RPG from the creator of The Secret of Monkey Island would be successful on the platform that made both popular, eh?

Source: Eurogamer

Coming hot on the heels of the recently-released first screenshots, Telltale has announced that Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse Episode 4, Beyond the Alley of the Dolls, will be released on Tuesday, July 20.

July 20, that is, for PC, Mac, and US PlayStation Network users. If all goes as planned, European PSN users should be able to play it on Wednesday, July 21.

I hope you don't have anything scheduled for that date, because otherwise the zombie-Sam-dolls apocalypse is going to put a real crimp in your plans. And possibly a hole in your skull, as the zombies suck out your sweet, sweet brains.

Source: Telltale's blog

When I heard the astonishing news that Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse episode 3, They Stole Max's Brain!, was available to play on Mac and PC, I couldn't believe my ears. I had to make certain.

"Well? Is it out yet? Talk, or I'll pump you so full of lead that you could serve as an X-ray apron in a dentist's office!" I yelled at a specimen of the local human refuse, punctuating my point with a few well-timed open-hand slaps.

The poor sap was so afraid of me he spontaneously developed a stutter. He also sang better than a trained canary. "I-i-it's out! R-r-r-right n-now, in fact! J-just visit T-t-t-Telltale's website, w-w-w-where you can get it! F-f-for Mac and PC! J-just p-p-please don't hurt me!"

I let him be after that. I had more important cases to solve, after all. Like finding a missing lagomorph brain.

Why should Wii owners get all the pirate fun? Telltale has just announced that Tales of Monkey Island will at last become available for the PlayStation 3. It'll be selling in Sony's American online store starting on June 15, priced at $19.99. The European PlayStation Store will receive the game at a later, as-yet-undetermined date.

On another note, Telltale is currently having a sale on all 5 episodes of Tales, which are available in a bundle for PC and Macintosh at the low price of $19.95 through the rest of June. Taking advantage of this sale also nets you a free copy of Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse Episode 1, The Penal Zone.

Yeah, we at Mojo may be shills, but these games are things I for one am happy to be shilling.

Source: Telltale's blog

Telltale is making it easier than ever to purchase all three seasons of Sam and Max: Season 1 (Save the World), Season 2 (Beyond Time and Space), and the currently ongoing season, The Devil's Playhouse.

They've already offered a Complete Collection bundle of the three seasons in their online store (priced at $49.95 until June 2), but it gets better. If you've bought an episode of Sam and Max at some point in the past, check your email now--you should find a coupon from Telltale, allowing you to purchase the Collection for just $29.95.

Again, if you have a partial collection of Sam and Max episodes, this email coupon is the offer for you. And if you're unlucky enough not to have bought any episodes in the series (how could you?!) the price difference will be only an extra $10 $20. Both discounts are only valid until June 2, however, so act fast.

Telltale is now selling a new adventure game bundle: the Sam and Max Complete Collection, which includes all three game seasons produced so far (Save the World, Beyond Time and Space, and the currently-ongoing The Devil's Playhouse).

The bundle is selling at $49.95 until midnight PDT on June 2, when its price will go up, likely to $95. So if you haven't played a single episode of Sam and Max (you crazy person), be sure to remedy this deficiency right now while you have the chance to save a good chunk of change.

Source: Telltale's blog

Mac users rejoice! The Macintosh port of Sam and Max Season Two, AKA Sam and Max Beyond Time and Space, is now available for download from Telltale's website. If you've already purchased the PC version, the Mac port is free, and if not, it'll cost you $29.95, for which you get both the PC and Mac releases.

When you head over to Telltale, don't forget to take advantage of their pre-order offer on Puzzle Agent, if you haven't already: buying it in advance will save you 50% off the price of just about everything else in the store, including Beyond Time and Space.

That's right. If you happen to be a seasoned adventurer (or a novice one, either will do) seeking to test your swashbuckling mettle against a new and perilous challenge, ask yourself: Do you have the stomach to enter the legendary long-lost Tomb of Sammun-Mak? Do you dare risk the curse of the ancient Pharaohs? Do you possess the sheer courage and nerves of steel required to plumb its deadly horrors and reach the fabled treasure within?

Well wonder no more! Now you can find out what you're made of, as Telltale have just released Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse episode 2, The Tomb of Sammun-Mak, now available for PC and Mac! Grab it here.

Here's the obligatory second link. Don't let the ancient mummy's curse befall you in your mad dash to the download page.