Each season of Game of Thrones has one episode written by AsoIaF author George R.R. Martin, and while we didn’t get the pyrotechnics of “Blackwater” or the surprise appearance of White Walkers as we did in “The Pointy End,” there were still plenty of memorable moments this hour.

And a ton of quotes that will have new meaning once the season’s over.

[Bear!]

Last month, we witnessed the end of one of gaming’s most iconic studios, LucasArts, at the hands of Disney. This move left the status of the developer’s Star Wars franchise as an unknown. Well, no longer. This week, EA announced their acquisition of the Star Wars license and assured fans that the future of the franchise in gaming is safe. As to whether this is good or bad news... well, that depends on your perception of EA.

[“Don’t underestimate the Force.”]

When all was said and done, this week’s episode of Game of Thrones felt like cresting the top of a huge rollercoaster. You get one moment to catch your breath and then it’s all quickly downhill to the season finale from here.

Jon Snow finally climbs the Wall, Ygritte gets a little too intense, Arya gets a lesson in archery and vigilantism, and Sansa gets some bad news. There were some interesting deviations from the books and some pointed parallels drawn between characters that became clear when the episode came round full circle. It might not have been the most exciting hour this season, but there were definitely some exciting scenes.

Note: Book spoilers are mostly avoided in the review, but are fair game in the comments. Proceed with caution.

[Chaos Theory according to Littlefinger...]

This week saw the release of three new trailers for Rockstar’s latest offering—Grand Theft Auto V. As the veteran developers begin to ramp up the release of information in the months leading up to GTA V’s September launch, they’ve allowed fans to progressively learn a little more about the game’s three protagonists, each of whom is featured in their own new trailer. Meet Michael, Franklin, and Trevor—Rockstar’s latest cast of miscreants in the GTA franchise.

[“I think you need a new therapist.”]

This week on Game of Thrones, Westeros burns with desire, vengeance, fever, holy fire, and questions. Plots beget counter-plots and counter-counter plots. And the seeds are planted for some very big events.

Oh, and Jon Snow knows something, after all....

Note: Show spoilers after the cut, book spoilers likely in the comments. Proceed with caution.

[Read more...]

Bethesda finally drew back the curtain on their latest project this week, and fans of the survival horror genre should be very, very happy. Shinji Makami, creator of the Resident Evil and Dino Crisis franchises, is returning to his survival horror roots with his new game, The Evil Within, in hopes of steering a genre he sees as slightly off-course back in the right direction.

[The gore-averse need not apply...]

NYC-area science fiction fans had a wealth of literary events to choose from this past Friday night. Singularity & Co. hosted the latest “I, Reader,” curated by Tor.com’s own Ryan Britt. In Manhattan, Neil Gaiman stepped in to moderate a Q&A with musician (and spouse) Amanda Palmer at the EMP Pop Conference. Uptown, the venerable NY Public Library opened its doors for William Gibson and a sold out crowd. The “LIVE at NYPL” series has hosted luminaries such as Lou Reed, Joan Didion, Werner Herzog, Patti Smith, and Salman Rushdie, but the genre offerings have been slim. Making the night even more of a rarity was the fact that Gibson made a public appearance without a new book to promote. Guided by popular moderator Paul Holdengräber, the author shared insights on his formative years, his writing, and the time’s ability to transform technology from magical to ubiquitous.

He also shared the first few pages from his work-in progress “probably called” The Peripheral.

[Burroughs, Bowie, and Blade Runner...]

The last ten minutes of last night’s Game of Thrones episode proved that one show’s fourth episode is another show’s season finale. It was one fiery hell of a capper to an hour largely about secret dealings, betrayals, and some big slices of humble pie served to Lannisters.

Show spoilers after the cut, book spoilers likely in the comments. Proceed with caution.

[“Dracarys.”]

Most fans of 90s gaming are well acquainted with developer LucasArts’ (technically known as Lucasfilm Games at the time) early adventure gaming classics: The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. This week, Ron Gilbert, creator of the Monkey Island-verse, opened up on his blog, Grumpy Gamer, about what he would like to do if he were ever to make another Monkey Island game—mandatory reading for gamers pining for the company of Guybrush Threepwood and the Ghost Pirate LeChuck.

[“Look behind you... a three headed monkey!”]

For an episode called “Walk of Punishment,” we thankfully got a lot less walking on last night’s Game of Thrones compared to “Dark Wings, Dark Words.” Guess they couldn’t make the whole hour about Rast having to keep Samwell alive on the march to Craster’s Keep. All of the players are starting to move around the board and it was really exciting. And tense. And funny. And mysterious.

And then... things took A Turn, as they often do in Westeros.

Please be aware that while I try to avoid book spoilers in the main post, the comments may contain spoilers for all books. The comments may also devolve into cries of MOAR PEEN, HBO. (I felt so uncomfortably accomplished about that last week.)

[What will become of The Kingslayer now? I’m stumped...]

A series of reports claiming that the next-gen Xbox, codenamed Durango, would have an always-online requirement recently made waves around the gaming world, prompting many gamers to outrage and frustration driven by lessons seemingly unlearned from the launch fiascos of always-online AAA titles such as SimCity and Diablo III. It has certainly been an eventful week for Microsoft, to say the least—ranging from initial reports, to outspoken employees, to a firing, and now to a conflicting report. Let’s take a look back.

[Check your internet connection, then click to continue....]

This week on Game of Thrones, we catch up with the other half of the considerable Dramatis Personae. The premiere was all about service, the second episode is all about... walking. Jaime Lannister is the chatty Donkey to Brienne’s Shrek, Bran and Arya meet strangers on the road, and Sam’s fallen and he can’t get up. Meanwhile, women in King’s Landing are either manipulated or manipulative or irrationally jealous, unless they’re old. Then they’re the only people who talk sense.

[Cave People are just the worst...]

LucasArts, one of the most influential and important development studios of gaming’s formative years, is no more, thanks to Disney. The studio was best known for its iconic and visionary games of the 90s and early 2000s, such as Grim Fandango (a personal favorite), the Monkey Island series, and of course, the Star Wars series, including such classics as Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II and Rogue Squadron.

[Click to learn the fate of 1313 and future Star Wars games....]

East Coast fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones who were patient and lucky enough to brave long lines and cold winds got a special treat when the network and Time Warner Cable brought a traveling exhibition to New York City for a very limited time.

After two attempts and over two hours, I got a chance to see an impressive (and free!) collection of props, costumes, and art direct from the land of Westeros.

[Pictures and impressions after the cut...]

Winter is over and Game of Thrones is here. How excited are you? Did you do anything to celebrate the season premiere? In fairness, the Wine of Courage was flowing very freely at my house. But it is my sworn duty to review these episodes no matter what.

[All men must serve...]

Jonathan Blow, the creator of wildly successful Xbox Live game Braid and one of today’s star indie game developers, threw his backing behind Sony this month, announcing that his new game, The Witness, will be available on the PlayStation 4 before becoming available for the next-gen Xbox. But he didn’t stop there: Blow went on to state that the new Xbox “is not strictly about games,” which is the main reason he threw his backing to Sony.

[More Braid and a PAX East roundup after the jump!]

Winter has come and gone, which means it’s time for the third season of HBO’s Game of Thrones. Fans of the books know how important food and drink are in giving life to the world of Westeros. So as you gather with friends to watch the season premiere on Sunday, March 31st, why not liven up your viewing party with a little authenticity (and Tyrion-approved amounts of spirits)? Click through for a new round of third season-inspired specialty cocktails and a few standout Westerosi recipes collected from around the web.

[Read more]

HBO’s blockbuster series Game of Thones is often recognized for its fantastic ensemble cast, from famed stage actors to fresh-faced newcomers. By now, most people will recognize cast members Sean Bean from The Fellowship of the Ring (and his impressive cinematic death reel), Lena Headey from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, or Osha/Tonks and Walder Frey/Filch from the Harry Potter series.

Now the third season approaches and with it comes a new crop of character actors with genre credibility and embarrassing YouTube videos dating back before their time in Westeros. Remember when the Queen of Thorns schooled Harry Potter on how to ask for his condom back? Or when Daario wooed Daenerys with his hip-hop flow? Or when Tywin Lannister trained acrobatic dogs? Here are only some classic clips from the series regulars that they surely wish had been left buried in their IMDB pages....

[An emperor, a traitor, and a rapper...]

Lost in the furor of Sony’s PS4 launch, Microsoft’s potential Xbox 720 launch, Valve entering the console market, and the long shadow of Apple looming over all, is speculation that next-gen console games may in fact come with a next-gen price, setting the standard video game launch pricepoint at $69.99—a hefty 17% hike over the current launch pricepoint of $59.99. Thus far, industry leaders have avoided discussing specifics in terms of pinpointing future prices, but this evasiveness may in and of itself be cause for concern.

[INSERT COIN... x 1000.]