The Week in Review – Game, Set, Nukem

On this week’s edition, Duke Nukem Forever solidifies from the ether, and Valve’s Gabe Newell teases some big announcements.

Nukem Comes Out at PAX

It’s the biggest news of the day, and possibly the week too: Duke Nuke Forever has been confirmed as real, and is actually coming out. Apparently, when 3D Realms finally expired in 2009, Gearbox Software took over the reins and finally finished the game. It’s a little sad that we won’t get to make Duke Nukem jokes any more, but look at it this way: We’re not losing a long-running meme, we’re gaining a game that – through no fault of Gearbox’s – is almost guaranteed to be disappointing. (link)

How Big Is Your Diablo?

Diablo 3 is going to be big. How big, you ask? Well, according to the game’s director Jay Wilson, it’s going to be roughly the same size as Diablo 2, but with more variety in its outdoor areas and a lot of the irritating elements ironed out. Wilson also said that it was impossible to make a broken character in Diablo 3, something that long-standing fans of the series will no doubt be pleased to hear. (link)

Valve Has Three Surprises For Us

When one of the best-loved developers around tells its fans that it has something special to announce, it’s pretty exciting. When that same developer has three special announcements to make, the excitement goes off the charts. The developer in question is Valve, and as for the secret announcements, well, we can only speculate – although hopefully they will include something about the long-awaited Episode 3. (link)

Fan Builds One Blizzard Game Inside Another

The StarCraft 2 Galaxy Editor is a pretty robust piece of software. It’s not just limited to making SC2 maps and go-kart games, it can also be used to make some pretty spectacular looking environments. Exhibit A is a recreation of a World of Warcraft-style landscape, complete with trees, flowers and crystal-filled caves. It’s incredibly impressive, even if it is a little bit choppy at times.
Hit the link for a video. (link)

Mario Exhibits Remarkable Aerial Prowess

Sometimes things are fun because they work really well, other times it’s because they’re wonderfully broken, and very occasionally, it’s a little bit of both. The seminal Super Mario World has a ton of weird glitches and quirks you were probably never aware of, and a fan has put together a computer-assisted video showing off some of the best over a custom level. Did you know that Mario can phase through walls given the right circumstances? Hit the link for a video. (link)