Double Fine's Stacking Reviewed 27 Feb, 2011 / 18 comments
The review contains many pleasant passages to be read or sung.
If you like what you read, you may buy the game on your Playstation Machine or X Box Contraption, for around $15 (American money).
According to one of the Face Books, the game will shortly be enhanced with Downloadable Content.
Nightlight Shines Again 27 Feb, 2011 / 1 comment
More episodes will be coming soon -- and in an e-mail we were teased that "next month's Nightlight offering will involve a dog and rabbit..."
Watch Ron Gilbert's talk at Game Forum Germany 26 Feb, 2011 / 4 comments
I must say, though, that I deeply admire the dubbing in those videos. It doesn't look like they're actually speaking German - the native language of 90% of the world's adventure gamers - at all!
Sesame Street is the third Amnesia Fortnight game 23 Feb, 2011 / 6 comments
Nathan's original pitch to the company had a lot of Jim Henson in it. It referenced Sesame Street and The Muppets and how much they meant to us and how much they were an inspiration for these characters.
As we talked about the game, it just came up with more and more people, "Have you thought about this as a Sesame Street game?" And it seemed like such a natural fit. You know, Double Fine doesn't really "do" licensed properties. So we kind of laughed it off the first time. But the more we thought about it, the more it actually made sense, and seemed to kind of fit naturally.
Oh snap. The rest is an interesting and informative read as well, and well worth your time.
And on Purcell's other blog... 23 Feb, 2011 / 0 comments
I don't see this one online right now. It was painted for The Adventurer, LucasArts game fan newsletter. When we drew the screen art for Secret of Monkey Island we had only a handful of ghastly colors to pick from, hence the blue green Monkey Idol in the game. For that reason as well as the tiny characters it was always fun, when I had a chance, to draw Monkey Island concepts the way I thought they should look.
Freelance Police title sequence storyboard 23 Feb, 2011 / 2 comments
Here is a story board for a possible title sequence for a defunct Sam & Max game. This was only to try to explore Sam & Max's acting and how the background elements might play against them.
The idea was that there would be colored flats moving in the background depicting various threatening villains. The little rappelling figures are like anonymous silhouetted henchmen for Sam & Max to pick off. The little shaggy rectangle in the last frame indicates a title just in case there was some possible way you didn't already figure that out.
There are some color concepts that go with this which I'll go hunt for at some point which convey a widescreen version of the idea.
Sean Howard interviewed by Mojo! 21 Feb, 2011 / 7 comments
Sean Howard worked as dialogue writer on DeathSpank and its sequel Thongs of Virtue. He also makes web comics for his web site over here.
Join us as the writer of DeathSpank's puns shares his views on the video game industry, franchises, how he got involved with DeathSpank, and what he's up to now.
Update by Kroms: I thought I'd get a word in here and thank Sean. The interview was originally supposed to happen in October but, due to circumstances outside of my control, got delayed. I neglected to inform him of this change, and kept him waiting, so to speak, for the questions. So, a heartfelt thanks for his patience and for his answers.
Deathspank writer Sean Howard weighs in on Telltale 19 Feb, 2011 / 32 comments
I think Telltale is capable are far more than they are putting out. I don't hate them. I can't hate them. I'm disappointed. They've got so much talent behind their walls, and this is the best they can do? I don't believe that for a second. They SHOULD be the next Lucasarts. They could be BETTER than the next Lucasarts! The could be, but they aren't. And what frustrates me so very much about Telltale is that it seems like they aren't even trying. Puzzle Agent is the only one that seemed like they bothered, and even that didn't go far enough. They are announcing new games based on old properties, and there's very little evidence that they are making better games because of it.
What do you guys think? Is Telltale not fully living up to its potential? And if so, what do you, as outsiders to this development process, think is to blame? Post 'em in the comments section.
As a quick note, Mojo interviewed Sean Howard yesterday before he posted these remarks. The interview should be up soonish!
Telltale courts Scott Pilgrim, doesn't get any 19 Feb, 2011 / 8 comments
Telltale wanted to do Scott Pilgrim but I said no. I couldn't see it as an adventure game. All respect to them, though
See Jurassic Park in action 19 Feb, 2011 / 5 comments
Read up on/watch these new Telltale games! 19 Feb, 2011 / 12 comments
Jurassic Park got a hands-on preview from 1UP, which details how the game has character-switching, QTEs and dying. Which IGN are totally on board with: "Dinosaur-caused deaths are a wonder to behold," they say. They go on to decribe it as "refreshing". Death in video games is refreshing now, don't you know. Anyways, there is a gameplay video in the second link. And GiantBomb posted a "Quick Look" video of the game. Thanks to AlfredJ for that link!
Onto The Walking Dead: Jake Rodkin and Sean Vanaman (head writer) were interviewed asked about this particular adaptation by Comic Book Resources. And CEO Dan Connors was asked all about Fables. We should totally interview that guy. Then, Graham Annable was asked about Puzzle Agent 2. All in the same link! How do they make it all fit in the same link? Like some voodoo magic or some such.
Busy year for Telltale. Here's hoping these games arrive more fully de-bugged.
Telltale announces all five games 18 Feb, 2011 / 25 comments
Apart from Fables and The Walking Dead we first have King's Quest - yeah, that one. The classic [sic] series from 1980s and 1990s Sierra returns as a "reboot", though it's unknown if the benevolent hand of series creator Roberta Williams will be involved. Expect more details at E3.
Then we have Nelson Tethers, Puzzle Agent, returning in Puzzle Agent 2. No idea if it's a full series, but Dan Connors has mentioned, in the past, that the formula of the gameplay will change. Thanks to all you people in the comments. This will be a single episode that continues the story of the first. Here's a trailer!
Finally, Hector: Badge of Carnage - an independent episodic game with an episode (not by Telltale) already out - will see two more episodes added to its rooster.
Eat this, Roger Ebert 18 Feb, 2011 / 5 comments
The exhibition will feature eighty games through still images and multimedia elements, and five playable games—Pac-Man, Super Mario Brothers, The Secret of Monkey Island, Myst, and World of Warcraft. In addition, the galleries will include video interviews with developers and artists, large prints of in-game screen shots, and historic game consoles. Visitors will be able to connect with the content of the show across generations, from those who remember the classics such as Pitfall! to those playing contemporary games like Flower.
You can also vote on what other games will be shown in the exhibit (though, not playable).
Now, let's all ask the most important question: What version of the game will they have on display?
Tidbits on the Walking Dead 18 Feb, 2011 / 4 comments
Read more at IGN where they talk to Robert Kirkman, the comic book writer responsible for the franchise.
To editorialize: Hopefully TTG can keep the art style of the comics intact as well as the nerve of the TV series. And then write brand new dialogue. Because lord knows that's needed.
Jurassic Park teaser trailer now roaring in 18 Feb, 2011 / 14 comments
The story starts apparently right in the middle of the first film, with the guy who was supposed to be meeting Nedry at the dock (doesn't that dock look a lot like the one in Grim Fandango's Rubacava?).
Furthermore, the trailer announces that the season will start April 2011 for PC and Mac and is available to preorder here for $29.99 ($5 cheaper than usual). Please don't announce Monkey Island right now Telltale, or I'll seriously hyperventilate.
Five minus four Telltale projects to be revealed today 17 Feb, 2011 / 17 comments
The plan is you'll get to find out what one of the announcements is this evening (Pacific Time) at IGN. The rest of the announcements will come in the following day(s) since there are embargoes on the information from the event.
And as all Peep Show aficionados know, there's no reason not to trust Alan Johnson.
If Internets rumors are anything to go by -- and Wikipedia has told me they are -- today's announcement could likely be The Walking Dead game(s) based on the hit AMC TV show which again was based on the graphic novels.
In other words, Monkey Island 6 and Maniac Mansion 3: Day of the Tentacle 2 might still be a few days away. Telltale's embargos make Apple seem downright friendly.
Update: Two titles are confirmed by All Things Digital: Walking Dead and Fables, based on the DC comics.
Back To The Future Episode 2 now out, unless it gets erased by some careless teenager 17 Feb, 2011 / 12 comments
There's also a trailer, which I haven't watched because I own the game and I'm not a freakin' moron.
While I'm immensely excited as I loved the first episode, I'm a little perplexed about the sudden surprise release. There wasn't a press release and Telltale don't even have a blog up about it yet.
Combine your biggest loves: your children and Double Fine 15 Feb, 2011 / 34 comments
The game is being developed exclusively for Kinect, Microsoft's creepy body-reading device for the Xbox 360, which means you get to not only enjoy the exquisite experience of playing a Double Fine game with your children — or by yourself should you be particularly into The Muppets — but you also get to look like a dong get fit while doing so!
On a slightly more forward-thinking note, hopefully Double Fine getting more well-known licenses under its belt will give it the funds and clout it requires to develop more of the kind of games we've all been gagging for the studio to develop (Psychonauts 2).
Whether or not this game is part of the infamous 'Amnesia Fortnight' collection is unclear. Considering Ron Gilbert's experience with children's games it's very much possible he's leading this project, meaning we could still see the promised four games in addition to Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster.
Maybe I could make some kind of pun on "Petty?" 12 Feb, 2011 / 7 comments
Read the five page spread to get all of Tim and Lee Petty's thoughts on Stacking, Costume Quest, the downloadable space, the very active legacy of adventure games, and a bit, if not nearly enough, about farting's importance in puzzle mechanics.
Is it ever really enough, though?
Telltale and new Monkey Island season speculation reaches dubious levels 11 Feb, 2011 / 6 comments
A reader who shall remain anonymous points out that Dom's usually timely Top Chef postings were recently delayed because of "work." The last time this happened? Apparently a while before the Tales of Monkey Island announcement. Dam dam dam!
I suppose we'll find out next week if this is true or not.
Or maybe it's just part of...

Guybrush Vs LeChuck, in Audio Form 11 Feb, 2011 / 8 comments
Why does that interest us, other than being frickin' awesome? Well, Monkey Island is one of the games remixed. Guybrush can be downloaded here and LeChuck can be got at here.
I won't spoil either, as they are both utterly excellent. You'll have a fangasm once you realize what they're singing behind the Monkey Island theme in Guybrush's mix. LeChuck's mix isn't quite as adventurous at first, then goes very cool fast. Check them out all out here.
Stacking is out today 08 Feb, 2011 / 11 comments
Back To The Future Episode 1 out on PS3, iPad this month 05 Feb, 2011 / 1 comment
Steve Purcell teases, shows some leg 04 Feb, 2011 / 0 comments
Mister Purcell has of coursed blogged a bunch of awesome stuff over the past few years, and yesterday he showed off some panels from the aforementioned comic.
To editorialize, it looks sweet and I don't know why you're even reading this when you should be reading this instead. Here's hoping this story will be completed.
Zombies Ate My Neighbours movie planned. Seriously. 04 Feb, 2011 / 5 comments
A script has been written by newcomer John Darko, and is described as "Superbad + Zombieland + Home Alone". It's a coming-of-age comedy, with zombies. And yes, protagonists Zeke and Julie still feature.
While the film's producers are still seeking both finances and the rights from Konami, apparently "things are going well and it's coming together". Wonder if it'll have tentacles in it? Hell, I'd pay just to see the giant baby.
Get Stacking For Free on PS3 04 Feb, 2011 / 1 comment
If you don't know it, Playstation Plus is Sony's recently introduced paid online subscription service - similar to Xbox Live Gold. To entice people to pay a premium for a service that's otherwise free, they offer a monthly free downloadable game. Stacking is this month's free game, which will be given the same day as release.
Great if you're already on the service, but the best thing about it is that it's official support from a console manufacturer, so should hopefully bring Double Fine to a much bigger crowd - and that's a very good thing indeed.
IGN draws swords with Lego Pirates of the Caribbean 02 Feb, 2011 / 2 comments
Probably the most interesting bit of information is that the game will cover all four POTC films, including this summer's On Stranger Tides. The game is due to coincide approximately with that film (like Lego Indy did with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and will release on all platforms - although strangely absent from the release list is a 3DS version, especially after all the trouble TT Games went through to get Lego Clone Wars on the system.
Germans interview Ron - in English! 02 Feb, 2011 / 0 comments
The interviewers are informed and ask good questions, so I would definitely watch the interview. Attempts are made, unsuccessfully, to get some details on whatever Ron is developing at Double Fine; also discussed is how much he'd like to see and/or partake in a Maniac Mansion remake, some miscellaneous adventure game breeze-shooting, and the inevitable mention of the "real" Monkey Island 3 among other [double] fine topics.
Seriously, get going!
Chuck the Plant Game Philosopher 02 Feb, 2011 / 2 comments
Begin on March 25th, the Lego Clone Wars will 01 Feb, 2011 / 5 comments
I personally think that it's more than coincidence that this new release date coincides with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo's brand new handheld console. Being one of the only good games in a short launch line-up for an inevitably popular console will mean that people will flock to it (I know I will), but not if they've already bought it on other systems.
The game will be on every platform barring the dead PS2 (so PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, Wii, DS and 3DS), and I'm still waiting for them to notice that an iPhone version would be incredibly popular too. We'll try to have a review up around then.
Stacking dolls, getcher Doubleyfine Stacking dolls right 'ere! 01 Feb, 2011 / 4 comments
Just be warned though: they're VERY LIMITED QUANTITY (emphasis theirs, not mine). It's also a back order, so they won't ship until March at least. Still, cool!