Review of 'Forza Horizon 2' for Xbox One

Forza Horizon 2 gives you so much freedom that it's the things you can't do which you'll notice. Speeding 174 miles per hour down the highway blasting the 1812 Overture, I hydroplaned my Lamborghini and crashed into the rail-guard. I should have careened through the pouring night sky and sailed over the edge into the Mediterranean Ocean. Instead, I bounced off of the impenetrable wall and the race continued as if nothing happened.

Hands on 'Exposure'

Exposure. Photo courtesy of The Sheep's Meow, used with permission.

We caught up with Brian Chung from The Sheep's Meow for a first hand look at their upcoming video game Exposure. This indie title is a game of deception, and you'll need to keep hidden in order to stay alive.

Hands on 'Alien Makeout Simulator' at Boston FIG

Photo courtesy of alienmakeout.com, used with permission.

She looked breathtaking, wearing a stunning red dress which showed every voluptuous curve of her body. Our eyes connected, and for a moment I forgot what lay beneath them. The long night had culminated to this moment. It was now or never.

Review of 'Monochroma' for PC

Photo courtesy of Nowhere Studios, used with permission.

Nowhere Studios' upcoming indie game Monochroma leads with an incredible start, immediately grabbing your attention with its unique art style and gorgeous presentation: Grayscale with red highlights. Running through a playground with your red scarf rippling behind in the wind as if it were the cape of a superhero, you're chasing after your younger brother who's flying a red kite through the cornfields in the background.

Review of 'Crowman & Wolfboy' for iOS

Crowman & Wolfboy.
Photo courtesy of Wither Studios, used with permission.

Crowman & Wolfboy is a highly stylistic post apocalyptic platform runner. Wither Studios sent us an iOS copy to review of the game's first part, World One, and the first thing we noticed about this unique game is its art style.

Interview with award-winning video game composer Peter McConnell

We caught up with the award-winning composer Peter McConnell to discuss his recent work on the Broken Age soundtrack. McConnell has been creating video game music for decades, with previous notable scores including Double Fine'sBrutal Legend and Psychonauts, along with the classic LucasArts titles Grim Fandango and Monkey Island.

Hands on 'Fenix Furia'

Buried among the myriad of indie games at PAX East was a hidden gem: "Fenix Furia" (this game was previously known as "Fenix Rage"_by Green Lava Studios. This addictive fast-paced platformer is one part "Super Meat Boy" meets both "Flappy Bird" and "Sonic the Hedgehog."

Review: 'Undressing the Art of Playing Dress Up' a titilizing compilation

Schiffer Books' latest publication, "Undressing the Art of Playing Dress Up," features more than 360 photos editorially picked from the growing subscription-based adult website Cosplay Deviants.

Review: 'Pokémon Visual Companion' impresses

It's hard to believe that "Pokémon" red version came out for the Nintendo Game Boy back in 1998. It's been 15 years since the animated series made its television debut in North America, and it has lasted longer than most other shows with the exception of "The Simpsons" and "Dr. Who." Did you know that through all that time Ash Ketchum has only worn four different pairs of pants?

Wash yourself clean with these classic Super Nintendo and Game Boy soap bars

Do you love videogames so much that you wish you could take them into the shower with you? Firebox.com is now selling soap bars shaped like classic retro videogames from the Super Nintendo and the Nintendo Game Boy. You'll be able to scrub yourself clean with "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" after a long day of adventure or just wash your hands with "Pokemon Red" before dinner.

Review: 'The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses Second Quest' astounds

Last year "The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses” concert series helped celebrate the 26th anniversary of one of the most beloved video game franchises of all time. This year's tour, appropriately subtitled "Second Quest," somehow manages to surpass expectations, delivering a masterful journey of sight and sound through the rich 27 year history of "Zelda" games.

Review of 'BandFuse: Rock Legends'

Realta Entertainment Group's newest music video game "BandFuse: Rock Legends" teaches players how to use a real guitar, bass, and microphone, along with how to read authentic tablature. It's a fantastic learning aid for those who're willing to put in the time and effort, and there's several unique features that definitely make this title worth picking up.

Review: 'The Bridge' for Xbox LIVE Arcade will twist your perception of reality

"The Bridge" is a mind-bending Xbox LIVE puzzler published by Midnight City with jaw-dropping art in the style of M.C. Escher, who's known for creating impossible designs. In "The Bridge" you must "unlearn what you have learned" as Yoda from "Star Wars" would say, because you'll have to figure out how to transverse through inconceivable problems.

The 'Rocksmith' 60-day challenge

According to Ubisoft you "can now learn to play guitar in just 60 days" with "Rocksmith 2014 Edition" by spending just one hour a day with it. Examiner's David Leavitt is putting that claim to the test over the next couple of months. Bookmark this page and check back often to follow his progress.

Hands on preview of 'Alteil: Horizons'

We caught up with Boston Mass. based video gaming start-up Apocoplay for a first hand look at their upcoming video game "Alteil: Horizons." Currently in the middle of a Kickstarter, "Horizons" blends the deck-building components of "Magic: The Gathering" with the strategy of grid-based units found in "Might and Magic: Duel of Champions," however there's several key differences that set this digital collectible card game apart from its competitors.

Gunnar glasses aren't just for gamers

We caught up with Curtis Silver, brand ambassador for Gunnar Advanced Computer Eyewear, to find out why Gunnar glasses aren't just for for gamers.

Review of 'Full House Poker' for Xbox LIVE Arcade

I've never been a huge poker fan. Sure, I've played Texas Hold 'Em a bunch of times with friends in college and I've also used the popular Facebook application to kill some spare time, however, the only "real" casinos that I've visited were in Fallout: New Vegas. Despite these facts, Full House Poker for Xbox LIVE Arcade has managed to win me over. The reason? Its highly addictive multiplayer.

Don't know how to play Texas Hold 'Em poker? That's A-OK. Full House Poker does a great job of teaching players the basics. In addition to a useful tutorial, at any time you can access a cheat sheet to see what hands beat each other. Full House Poker features several single player modes to choose from, such as single tables, tournaments, and "pro takedowns." While there's nothing preventing you from hopping directly into a ranked multiplayer match, you'll want to explore the single player options first in order to help build your experience points and more importantly - your bankroll.

One major aspect of Full House Poker is its high level of customization. Playing through the single player levels will unlock additional artwork for the back of poker decks, table tops, casinos to play in, and in-game clothing for your avatar. As you gain experience additional "chip tricks" will also become available for your Avatar to use during the game. Like every other game though, it is the multiplayer modes that make Full House Poker truly shine.

One of the best features of Full House Poker are the "Texas Heat" online tournaments that are featured at specific times during the week. Each "Texas Heat" tournament is open to anyone to play regardless of your level and is half an hour long. At several points throughout "Texas Heat" the table's highest chip leader will advance to the next table where there are bigger bets and pots to win. Playing a round of "Texas Heat" feels like playing 1 vs. 100- and as such, it is very easy to find yourself playing multiple rounds. This is exactly what happened to me when I started playing a "Texas Heat" at 9:30 at night and then looked up and discovered it was past 2:00 A.M.

Another thing that I enjoyed about Full House Poker is the pace of play. In the single player game pressing the X button will fast forward any hand that you fold from. While playing online a thirty second timer on each person helps to keep the game moving along. Because the game doesn't require lightning quick reflexes and only needs a single button pushed to check, raise, or fold every minute or so, Full House Poker is the perfect game for multi-tasking (such as folding laundry).

Die hard poker fans might be disappointed that there isn't any real money on the line. Unfortunately there's no option to wager with Microsoft Points - however that's probably for the best (though I'm secretly hoping for a title update or DLC that lets players do so).

An important thing about Full House Poker is that it works with your Windows Phone 7. Your bank role balance will transfer over from one to the other. We've seen this inter-connectivity before between Xbox 360 and a Windows Phone 7 with the Traitor's Keep DLC for Fable 3 and also with Crackdown 2's Deluge DLC. Please note that I didn't actually test this feature myself as I don't own a Windows Phone 7.

Full House Poker for Xbox LIVE Arcade rounds out the Xbox LIVE Arcade House Party in style. If you enjoy playing poker or are looking for a game that doesn't require too much attention and will allow you to do other things at the same time, Full House Poker is for you.

Full House Poker is one of those rare Xbox LIVE Arcade games that keeps you coming back for more like Limbo and Chime. As such, it is without question worth the purchase. Full House Poker is available for 800 Microsoft Points ($10) from the Xbox LIVE Arcade. Please note that this article was based on a free review copy provided by Microsoft Game Studios.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share it and subscribe for updates.

Review of 'Chime' for Xbox 360 LIVE Arcade

Developed by Zoë Mode, Chime is one of the most creative puzzle games available from the Xbox Live Arcade. In Chime players place Tetris-like blocks on a grid to create “quads” with the goal of obtaining 100% coverage of the map. The background music of Chime is indirectly controlled by the player.

Review of Hydro Thunder Hurricane for Xbox 360 LIVE Arcade

Hydro Thunder Hurricane for Xbox 360 LIVE Arcade was developed by Vector Unit and is the long awaited sequel to the classic arcade and Dreamcast smash hit Hydro Thunder. Hydro Thunder Hurricane is the second featured game in this year’s Summer of Arcade, following on the footsteps of Limbo, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Review of Doom II for Xbox 360 LIVE Arcade

Doom II, one of the most iconic video games of all time, has hit Xbox LIVE Arcade for a cool 800 Microsoft points. However, is a game that is almost two decades old worth $10? The answer is a resounding yes.