One of the most influential online console games of all time returns with Phantasy Star Online 2.

I will go ahead and admit this: I was addicted to the original  for the Dreamcast. And addicted in the way people are addicted to caffeine; more like it got to the point that if my friends wanted to stop by, they would call and if they heard a busy signal they would assume I was home playing Phantasy Star Online using my dial-up, then just come over. I played it fanatically. By today’s standards it was relatively simple, but it was still shockingly addictive and nurtured an obsessive amount of fan loyalty.

So when Sega announced that it was releasing a sequel here in North America (it is already out in Japan), and that the game will be free-to-play, I was intrigued. After seeing it, I am still intrigued, but somewhat surprised as well.

Phantasy Star Online 2 is going to instantly flair the nostalgic centers of brains of gamers that played the original. It actually feels as much like an update as a sequel, but that isn’t a bad thing.

For those that didn’t sacrifice small but significant chunks of their lives at the altar of PSO, the game was a combination of MMORPG and action game. The gameplay was third-person action that leaned toward hack-n-slash. Each character fell into one of three classes: hunters, who were adept at close to mid-range combat; force characters, your mage-like magic users magic; the third were the rangers who were best suited to long range attacks. Each class had had four species to choose from for customization, and each character carried a full assortment of weapons and armor.

The gameplay mapped attacks to one series of buttons while holding down a trigger button brought up other options, including magic that you could then switch out in the menu. It was simple enough, and yet it felt deep. The sequel uses something very similar.

Playing PSO2 was not just reminiscent of PSO because it brought back memories; it was reminiscent because the games are very similar fundamentally. They even share similar music.

The gameplay ofPSO2 offers a few more options, but it is very similar. You have three tiers of weapons and magic you can scroll between with the d-pad. Each new set gives you a new weapon to use and new magic options, and it plays like the original in the way you attack and move. You have a lock on as well, but beyond that the game plays the same. The first boss on display was even the fire dragon that was in the first game as the boss of the forest.

Of course, it looks better graphically speaking and there is now a jump, which may sound like nothing major but fans of the series will appreciate it, even though it means a sacrifice of an attack key.

Oddly there is no voice chat option, which makes it feel even more like the original game as the keyboard communication is key. But that raises the most important question which is still unanswered: what is the social side going to be like for North American users? How will the team hubs work? Will their be a bizarre form of soccer?

The original game was a solid action game, but it featured four areas that could be played through in a few hours, and yet people poured dozens, even hundreds of hours into the game. People came back because of the social aspects, that is what made the game memorable. We can see all the ins and outs of PSO2’s social plans, but until it is live and populated by real players, we can’t know for certain if it comes close to recapturing what made it special. We’ll find out soon enough.

Phantasy Star Online 2, which is out on PC in Japan and coming to North America early next year, will also be released on Android, iOS, and Vita.

HP finally does right by webOS, giving it a home as an open source platform.

Though it gave up on any plans to continue its Pre and TouchPad hardware collection, HP has managed to keep webOS alive. We’ve known for a while that HP wanted to introduce an open source version of webOS, but its recently made it official by finally releasing the beta version after keeping us waiting for eight months.

The news was released via a blog post on an Open webOS branded site. The website looks like it features the original webOS font (nice touch) and includes some documentation pertaining to the new software. If you’re interested in looking it over, the source code can be found on the site and on Github. An example of Open webOS beta can be seen above, running on a Ubuntu machine. The screenshot captures the trademark card view that made multitasking on webOS such a pleasure.

“It has taken a lot of hard work, long hours and weekend sacrifices by our engineering team to deliver on our promise and we have accomplished this goal,” the developers write in the post.

Open webOS comes with two different build environments: a desktop build and an OpenEmbedded build.

The desktop build provides a way for developers to play around with new features and technologies bundled with the OS on a Ubuntu PC. The OpenEmbedded build, on the other hand, allows webOS to be ported to “new and existing devices.” There are no specific devices named in the article, but hopefully this will be clarified sooner rather than later. However, it would make sense for Open webOS to play nice with Android — its open source peer — and perhaps even make it super simple to revamp Android apps to run on Open webOS. 

Although there is one piece of hardware that’s definitely able to run the beta software. The webOS-Ports team have come together to make Open webOS simple to install on the short-lived TouchPad using Preware software. If you’re still using a TouchPad and for some reason don’t want it to run Android, the update may be worth it you. Apparently the beta version includes a bunch of new features, gestures, and card-based functions.

According to the blog, the beta release of Open webOS comes with 54 components and totals over 450,000 lines of code. It all falls under the Apache 2.0 license, which the developers call “one of the most liberal and accepted in the open source community.”

All in all, Open webOS may breathe new life into the ailing platform. Just don’t expect to see it be picked up with the same ferocity as Android once was. Sadly, those days are well behind us.

It's only a rumor at this point, but Apple may be bundling a brand new set of earbuds with the upcoming iPhone 5.

Apple has a lot of great hardware offerings, built and designed with attention and care. In comparison, its ill-fitting, flimsy, and awful-sounding earbuds currently being packed alongside the iPhone 4S are a bit of a nightmare. And while you’re probably sick of hearing about the iPhone 5, we think you’ll be happy to hear Apple might, possibly, probably not, but maybe have a new set of earbuds to accompany its latest iOS device.

Vietnamese site, Tinhte.vn recently posted a video claiming to feature the redesigned headphones in all their glory. Tinhte even compares the alleged new version to the old in case you don’t have your own pair lying around. After taking a listen to the new buds, Tinhte said the sound quality is superior to Apple’s previous offering with more powerful bass, though the overall volume has been reduced. Apparently they are much more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.

It’s impossible to tell if these are the real thing, but Apple’s unibody signature seems to be present. Plus, there’s the following phrase printed on the cord: “Designed by Apple in California Assembled in Vietnam”. Tinhte claims the buds feel like a cohesive unity with no parts in danger of detaching or falling apart. They’ve also been made more compact, with oval tips replacing the large, round tips that barely funnel sound into your ear. The earphones are cut at an angle so they can slide more easily into the canal and focus their sound. Fabricated wire and other quality finishing materials certainly have Tinhte convinced they’re the real deal. Tinhte also has a proven track record of gaining access to pre-release and prototype Apple devices.

But despite the large number of evidence pointing to the contrary, these rumored earbud replacements could easily be the work of a clever imitator. A lack of in-line microphone and volume control is probably the most compelling evidence against their authenticity, but there’s no way to tell whether the mic has been embedded into the buds somehow. Also, removing a feature that’s been such an integral and useful part of Apple’s original earbuds is like taking a step backward, which doesn’t ring true for Apple.

If they do end up being more than wishful thinking, Apple will finally resolve a glaring flaw in its otherwise well-built products. But as with most rumors, be prepared for all of this to be a distant memory once the truth emerges. It won’t be a long wait at least, with the iPhone 5 announcement rumored to be less than two weeks away.

The gaming world gets its own Pride Parade in GaymerCon: a special convention just for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community.

Gamers who’ve been ignored at best or persecuted at worst will finally have a chance to let their colors fly; GaymerCon, the first gaming and geek culture convention for LGBT gamers, is officially happening. Thanks in part to vocal support from Microsoft, GaymerCon’s Kickstarter has brought in $86,000 — more than three times its original goal.  GaymerCon co-founder Jack DeVries has already recorded a sweet thank-you message to all the event’s supporters, and has now announced an official time and location for the event: August 2013, in sunny and welcoming San Francisco.

The GaymerCon Kickstarter page promised that $35k would pay for a concert and a “night of drinking, dancing, and socializing,” $50k would make possible a free “brunchfast” for those who contributed more than $100, and $60k would pay for “a celebrity boss of honor.”  With all those targets hit and surpassed, the only question is which celebrities and bands will have the honor of appearing at what promises to be a major event.

In a thoughtful interview at 1UP, the organizers made clear that GaymerCon would be about inclusion, not exclusion. “GaymerCon is about adding MORE gamer space, not taking people away from established gamer spaces,” said public relations director Benjamin Williams. “I think gaming culture has grown to the point where subcultures appearing within it is a natural and healthy progression. We are not separating from gaming culture — we are growing it in our own unique way.”

Speaking to GayGamer.com, event founder Matt Conn also talked about how he has been active for years in creating space for “gay geeks,” feeling like the nerd scene was often openly homophobic, while the gay scene didn’t always have room for his love of anime, video games, and similar subcultural pursuits. 

Conn recently spoke to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), stressing the importance of the event as a tool for improving the visibility of LGBT gamers within the industry. “Historically, there has been very little content with [LGBT] themes or options in video games and other geek media,” he said. “We hope to show the world that that this audience not only exists, but is flourishing.” Many game companies justify their uniformity of content by saying that most of their customers are young, white, straight males, and a big showing at GaymerCon could go a long way to changing that belief.

As in many other aspects of American life, LGBT gamers have been making their presence felt in the gaming industry.  The Mass Effect trilogy went from explicitly refusing to include gay content to putting serious thought into how to implement same-sex romance that was respectful and smart.  The Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO was so gay-friendly that professional hater Tony Perkins condemned it on the radio.  And even the notoriously narrow-minded Street Fighter community now has a celebrated champion who cheerfully describes himself as a “fierce bitch.”  We may not have jet packs or laser pistols (yet)… but the future is definitely here.

WBIE and Traveller’s Tales returns with its next Lego offering, a Lego-ized look at the Lord of the Rings movies.

If you are familiar with any of the Lego games from Traveller’s Tales, then you probably have a good idea of what to expect from The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game. The game is based on the three Peter Jackson movies rather than Tolkien’s books, and it translates a property that is well known, instantly recognizable, and adored by millions. The Lego formula is simple and tested: take beloved properties and translate them into a Lego world, then add humor, and this game is no different.

But of all the properties that the TT games Lego-ized, none feature material quite as violent as that of The Lord of the Rings. Sure, The Lord of the Rings isn’t exactly horrific when it comes to the brutality and gore, but compared to other Lego adapted properties like Batman and Star Wars, Lord of the Rings is positively bloody. It is also a fantastic story, filled with colorful moments that are ripe for a Lego treatment.

The game combines all three movies into one package and translates them using the traditional Lego style. You move around familiar locations in teams that allow you to either jump between characters with the touch of a button, or play co-op with a friend. Destroying enemies and objects releases bolts, the currency in the Lego-verse, and you will also stumble across the odd structure that you can put together to in order to complete an objective or progress. In terms of gameplay it is the same style that you are familiar with if you know the Lego brand. If not, it is a straightforward action game with a hack-n-slash slant that gamers of all age will appreciate.

In the demo the TT Games is currently showing off, the Battle of Helm’s Deep was recreated. In the film The Two Towers, this was an intense battle that saw a lot of death and destruction. In the the game, at one point a Lego-tized Peter Jackson, who is acting as a defender just as he did in the film during a cameo, looks for things to throw and decides that his Oscar would make a decent weapon. At another moment, a Lego uruk-hai begins a slow-mo run towards the explosives-filled gap at the base of the wall, and it will probably have you laughing out loud.

The game also features voice work that could change for the final release, but it appears that TT Games will continue with actual voice actors, something that was just introduced in the recent Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Regardless, the demo seemed to stick close to the script. The actions, however, were out right funny. Lego Aragorn and Lego King Theoden riding out into an unsuspecting horde of Uruk-hai was priceless.  

The game will appeal to fans, but the only downside is that it retains the same style that has been used for Lego games for years now. It is simple and easy, which makes it accessible, but it also feels a bit stale and in need of an upgrade sooner or later. 

The inclusion of 60 or so characters, all with multiple weapons, should have both fans of the Lego games and fans of The Lord of the Rings paying attention when this game is released in October for Nintendo DS, 3DS, PC, PS3, PS Vita, Wii, Xbox 360, and possibly even Atari and ColecoVision just to complete the set.

Arkane Studios and Bethesda Softworks have a winner on their hands with first-person assassin’s tale, Dishonored.

If there has ever been a good argument for developers to continue supporting E3, it is Behtesda and Arkane Studios’ Dishonored. Before the convention earlier this year, Dishonored was a curiosity. It was the second most interesting sounding title of what many considered a relatively weak Bethesda offering compared to previous years. Prey 2 was AWOL, Skyrim and Rage had both released, there was no Fallout news, and the highest profile title was The Elder Scrolls Online which is still a long way from release. 

It isn’t a franchise title, Arkane Studios is not a well-known developer, and the game itself had only been seen a handful of times. But then came E3 and everything changed. The previously unknown game was suddenly a game of the year contender and it won several Best of Show honors (including ours). The most often comparison was BioShock, which seems obvious since Arkane helped out with BioShock 2 and both games use a similar ability and weapon offensive combination. But it was more than just a similarity in the gameplay, it was a feeling that you were seeing something special. Both games featured a rich and original world and both offered a mysterious and compelling story, but beyond that they both offered choice.

How you approach the world is entirely up to you. If you want to go stealth, you have several tools at your disposal. If you want to take on the world, you can do that too. If you want to be a prick to the citizens of the fictional town of Dunwall, you can get incredibly creative and then ruin their evenings. The choice is yours.

In the demo that Bethesda is currently showing off, you are tasked with entering an exclusive party and assassinating an aristocratic matriarch named Lady Boyle — there’s a catch though. The target and her daughters are all wearing similar outfits that include masks. The game randomizes which of the three ladies is the actual target, which means you have to approach the mission creatively and put in the legwork. You could always try to kill everyone, but that be somewhat like ordering a steak from a fine restaurant and then covering it in A1.

Almost immediately I noticed that my game was progressing differently from that of the people playing around me. My game took me through the courtyard of the estate where the party was held, and an optional sidequest offered me the chance to fight a duel with pistols. Throughout the game there will be optional events within main missions, which shouldn’t come as a surprise for this type of game.

Even entering the house can be completed in multiple ways. Assuming you take the main door, you then have options. If you wander around and explore there are other side-missions to partake in, or you can focus on optional objectives that will help with the main quest.

I chose to complete the secondary objectives to help with the main quest. This sent me to the second floor to explore while dodging guards. It would be easy enough to take out the guards one at a time, but there is always the risk that the bodies could be discovered. So I decided to get creative.

The gameplay uses both weapons and powers, and you can bring these up on a selection wheel. From there you can map the weapon or ability to one of the d-pad directions. Using the ability to see through walls, I stopped time as a guard approached, then teleported behind him and went on to find a note that said who the target was. There were several areas to explore after that, and some were accessible through unusual means like possession of a rat that could then navigate the heating ducts to get to the basement. But that was for another quest, and I had an appointment to keep.

Due to my limited time, subtlety took a backseat to speed. I found the target and eliminated her with prejudice, then had to run for it. Once outside it took a moment for the confusion to settle and the guards to mobilize. As bullets ripped by, I froze time to escape the grounds. I sprinted to the sewers and slid into a covered escape route, but came out and was facing tallboys, guards walking on mechanized stilts. These guards can quickly ruin your day, so I laid a trap on a nearby bridge, summoned rats to attack another guard, and threw a sticky grenade into a crowd to even the odds. The tallboy then came at me via the bridge and walked right into my trap. As guards closed in, I possessed a fish and swam to my escape route, a waiting boat.

I immediately wanted to replay the section since I thought of at least five different ways to complete the mission that I wanted to try. When I eventually have the chance, I will be sure to do just that. And then I will probably do it another way, and then try another and another. And that alone justifies making Dishonored not just a game to watch, but possibly the game to watch this year.