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Jim Squires is the Editor-in-Chief of Gamezebo. Everything you see passes his eyes first, so we like to think of him as "the gatekeeper of cool stuff." He likes good games, great writing, and just can't say no to a hamburger. Also, he is not a bear.
  • The Banner Saga Review
    Reviews
    • iOS
    • PC
    The Banner Saga Review

    By

    The word 'epic' gets thrown around a lot these days, and it's starting to undermine what that word really means. Your Cheetos are not epic. That skateboarding porcupine, while adorable, is not epic. 'Epic' is a literary term used to describe a certain kind of story. One that takes us on a journey into a richly detailed universe; one that's existed long before we got there. And more often than not, the fate of the world is hanging in the balance.The Lord of the Rings is an epic. Star Wars is an epic. And this first chapter of The Banner Saga kicks off one of the finest interactive epics I've ever known."Set in a world of varls, humans and dredge, The Banner Saga can best be summed up as Tolkien by way of Scandinavia (if it were adapted by Don Bluth and Intelligent Systems). The developers at Stoic Studio have managed to blend these seemingly disparate influences together into something wonderfully original, creating a world that's even better than its gameplay.
  • Nidhogg Review
    Reviews
    • PC
    Nidhogg Review

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    I had first heard about Nidhogg back in 2011 when it was the recipient of the very first Nuovo Award. Every year at the Independent Games Festival, one title manages to rise above the rest and win the Nuovo for being the best abstract, shortform, or unconventional game presented to the judges that year. With a medal like that hanging around its neck, you'd better believe that I had to get my hands on it.…only I couldn't.Years passed, and as much as I wanted to try Nidhogg, the game remained an exhibition piece only. Friends and colleagues would go hands on at events and tell me how fantastic it was. I'd read articles that threw around terms like "perfect game." But at the end of the day, it seemed like Nidhogg and I just weren't meant to be.That all changed today when developer Messhof unshackled their game from its exhibition-only chains, launching Nidhogg on Steam for the masses. And yes - it was very much worth the wait.
  • This Week in China: Everybody loves a summit
    News
    • Android
    • iOS
    This Week in China: Everybody loves a summit

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    Whether it's GDC, Casual Connect, or even MIGS, who doesn't love a good gaming conference? It's no different in China, where they recently held the first China Mobile Gaming Annual Summit. As you can probably guess, announcements were made both in and out of the conference this week, and as always, we're ready to serve them up hot and fresh and ready to order.Once again we'd like to thank our friends at Laohu.com, the Beijing-based website that gratefully gathers up China's top stories for Gamezebo to share with their readers each week. If you're looking for even more Chinese news than this, be sure to give Laohu.com a visit.
  • The LEGO Gamer Bundle for Mac
    News
    • iOS
    The LEGO Gamer Bundle for Mac

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    Do you like adventure? How about stepping on little plastic bricks that your kids leave around the house? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, and own a Mac, then the latest offering on Gamezebo Deals is for you!Bundled together for the first time on Gamezebo Deals, you can get the Mac versions of LEGO Batman, LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, and LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues.Individually purchased, these games would normally run you $110 - but in our bundle, you can snag the whole lot for $39.99! Don't hesitate LEGO-loving Mac gamers - unlike LEGO, this deal won't be around forever.
  • You’re not going crazy, you didn’t really click that ad
    News
    • Android
    • iOS
    You’re not going crazy, you didn’t really click that ad

    By

    Tell me if this sounds familiar: you're browsing your favorite website on your phone, and without realizing it you've clicked on an ad. Oops! Guess your finger slipped, and that's why you're now in the App Store being told to download Candy Crush Saga (even though as a Gamezebo reader, you probably already have it).Maybe your finger slipped… but maybe it didn't.Sites all around the web this week (like Digiday, TechCrunch and Valleywag) have been reporting on a strange and somewhat sleazy phenomenon: ad networks that are automatically sending you to the App Store to download the game they're pitching. Games that have been mentioned as part of this scheme include Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans and Game of War - Fire Age.In other words, the three top grossing games on the App Store.
  • Toki Tori 2 killed Two Tribes
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    • iOS
    • PC
    Toki Tori 2 killed Two Tribes

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    Game development is a tough business, and it's one where the models are always changing. For example, the old model of "delay a game to get it right" can only work for so long until your costs drastically start to outstrip your earnings potential. Such was the case for Toki Tori 2.Originally slated for a Spring 2012 release, the game didn't see the light of day for another year; first on the Wii U in April 2013, and then on Steam in July. This delay, combined with lackluster sales, has forced Two Tribes to close shop on its existing development company, Two Tribes B.V."When Toki Tori 2 ended up taking way longer than expected and not achieving the sales we needed, it basically took the company down with it," reads a blog post on the company's website. "There's a lot to learn from what went wrong and what we could have done better."
  • 19 Games to Survive the Polar Vortex
    News
    • Android
    • iOS
    • PC
    19 Games to Survive the Polar Vortex

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    Have you stepped outside today? GOOD GOD, WHY?!?! It's terribly cold outside, and there are plenty of things you could be doing to pass the time indoors. For example: play video games that remind you of just how bitterly cold it is out there.Grab a cup of hot cocoa, run some hot water so your pipes don't freeze, and grab a controller. Nothing beats the bad weather quite like a handful of great video games.
  • The Tribez goes medieval in The Tribez & Castlez
    News
    • Android
    • iOS
    The Tribez goes medieval in The Tribez & Castlez

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    Love The Tribez, but wish you had more of it? Consider your wish granted. Game Insight has just announced The Tribez & Castlez, the first spin-off from The Tribez which will send Aurora and the Professor to another world full of magic and medieval wonder in early 2014.The game will still embrace The Tribez city-building ways, but with a fantasy theme rather than a prehistoric one. Dinosaurs are all well and good, but you can expect both dungeons and dragons this time around. And that's not all - Game Insight has told us that players can expect everything from werewolves to Trollums (which I'm assuming is Tribez-speak for trolls OR a delicious nougat-filled candy).No specific release date has been confirmed yet, but when The Tribez & Castlez does come out you can expect to play it on iOS, Android and Facebook.