CastleStorm review: More like CastleParty, eh...I'm not funny

CastleStorm is the latest game from Zen Studios, the studio behind many great pinball games—like Pinball FX2, Zen Pinball 2, Marvel Pinball, and most recently, Star Wars Pinball—but CastleStorm is not a pinball game, it is a real-time action strategy game and a refreshing change from the pinnacle pinball studio. But change can be tricky, so, is this change a good thing?

Yes. CastleStorm is a fun blend of action and strategy, mixing Angry Birds and more casual MOBA-esque games, giving players multiple ways of defeating their enemies. The object of the main game is twofold: either destroy the enemy's castle or steal their flag (and occasionally more specific objectives). Destroying a castle is where the comparison to Angry Birds comes in as you use a combination of different projectiles in order to topple enemy castles—like exploding apples, battering sheep, and bundles of trash—but if destroying the castle isn't your style, you can steal the enemy's flag instead by sending various troops, who cost food,  to break through the castle doors, steal the flag and return it to your castle without dying—you can even get down and dirty yourself, dropping into the action as one of a few different heroes. It may sound simple and easy, but it's not so easy because the enemy can do the same things to you.

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Can Knockdown 3 review: still fun knocking down cans

Can Knockdown 3 is a game where you...knock down cans. It may sound simple and straightforward--because it is in many ways--but Can Knockdown 3 adds quite a few variations throughout the course of the game, keeping it fresh and interesting.

I have played all three games in the series--it is a bit weird realizing there is a series about knocking down cans--and the biggest change in Can Knockdown 3 is the change in format from a focus on arcadey, get as far as you can, leaderboard-chasing simplicity, to a level-based, puzzle-esque format. The 'Endless ' mode that was the focus of the previous games is still hidden within, but only becomes available for a specific area when said area is 100% completed. It is a design choice that makes little sense as I see no reason to initially lock the mode that was the main focus of the previous games. That said, the levels aren't particularly difficult, so unlocking 'Endless' mode for each area shouldn't take too long.

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Star Trek: The Game is ridiculous

And this is just one, creepy example of why it is just so damn ridiculous. Is any part of the game good? No, not really. I guess one could say the voice acting is alright as it's coming from the actors themselves, but even that leaves me disappointed (and I'm not even the biggest Trek fan). Anyway, feel free to watch this video and "enjoy" a little Spock/Kirk creepiness.

Free Meat Friday - Sanctum (Steam)

The "free meat" prize today is a copy of Sanctum on Steam. I talked about Sanctum 2 on the latest episode of Pixelated Radio--check it out here--and while you can't play that game yet, the original game is still a solid experience and an enjoyable FPS/tower defense hybrid and, best of all, is a Steamplay title, working for both PC and Mac (sorry Linux users, you're still shit out of luck).

All you have to do to enter is click THIS and then click "Retweet." -- Make sure you follow me, @Kush3, so I can DM you with details if a winner is you. Otherwise, a winner is who? Seriously though, a failure to follow simple instructions can turn a potential winner into one of many "losers." And if you'd like two extra/alternate entrees, increasing your chances of winning, subscribe to the site's YouTube page for a second entree; then, comment on any video, including the hashtag #FMF5313, but not only the hashtag, for a third entree. You-all have until Sunday (05/05/13) at 12PM CST to enter and the winner will be contacted soon after.

ENTREE PERIOD IS OVER. WINNERS IN PROCESS OF BEING SELECTED.

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Strike Suit Infinity review: suit up for a fun, arcadey ride

When I first launched Strike Suit Infinity, I didn't know what I was in for--I worried the controls might be too complicated, among other things--but I was pleasantly surprised to find a space combat game with easy-to-learn controls and fast gameplay that dives headfirst into the action, instead waiting for layers upon layers of customization and strategy before the game even starts.

Strike Suit Infinity is a very simple game: you take control of a spaceship capable of transforming into a mech and battle against a variety of ships through a seemingly endless amount of waves and rounds. That's all there is to the game and likely the reason for the easy-to-digest price--you can pick up Infinity right now on Steam for $6.99--but the simplicity is a good thing, it made the game easy to jump into and I found myself wanting to start over and try again whenever I died because I wanted to beat my high score and the amount of setup needed is miniscule. And you will die a lot.

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I predicted the future: GameFly hates me

Did you listen to the latest episode of Pixelated Radio yet--do so right now if you haven't--well, if you did, you know I talked about GameFly and how they have never sent me a game in the top 5 of my Q, not once. I also predicted the next game they would send me: My #10, Power Rangers Super Samurai. Well, call me psychic, incredible, the "one," or all three, because I was right; Power Rangers Super Samurai is on its way to my humble abode and I cannot wait to play such an amazing (?) game. (Seriously, why does GameFly hate me so much?)

Proof of GameFly's hatred towards me with a little clickage. (It's a tad big.)

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"Ship" your pants at Kmart

Does this have anything to do with video games or comics or movies or anything at all that usually graces the site? No, but this is the first good thing to come out of Kmart since I don't know when and it made me giggle like a little whippersnapper and you may just giggle a little too. You may want to bring some spare pants too.

Nimble Quest review: gathering a party into a snake

Do you like old school Snake gameplay? If you said yes, keep reading, if not, you might as well find something else to read. Nimble Quest is a free-to-play RPG/action hybrid that mixes the gameplay of Snake with the real-time action of hack 'n' slash-esque games.

You start off the game with one hero--the selection is limited at first, but new heroes are unlocked as stages are beaten--walking around a small square grid, auto-attacking enemies that randomly populate the screen. As enemies die, they drop anything from power-ups to gems and tokens to heroes in order to increase the size of your party, a.k.a., your snake. The gameplay is simple, using only swipe controls, no need to worry about pressing a button to attack, and gradually becomes more difficult as new enemies emerge and more enemies pop up on screen at once.

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This is The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

Nothing more needs to be said; this is The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. (No, it's not good.)

Saints Rows IV officially announced and insane

I love the path Saints Row has taken, getting crazier and crazier with each new game. Saints Row IV has just been officially announced and looks to keep the streak going with ridiculousness upon ridiculousness upon ridiculousness; also, dicks too. As I watch the announcement trailer, I can't help but think, "This is exactly what Postal always wanted to be." It's a damn fine trailer and most surprising of all, the game has a release date of August 20th, 2013 for North America (the 23rd for everywhere else), meaning Saints Row IV will be out before Grand Theft Auto V. I think that, my friends, is the craziest thing of all. Anyway, why are you still reading this? Just watch the damn trailer below already (and enjoy the utter insanity of it all)!