Building is only half the battle in Brick-Force.

Brick-Force brings together brutality and blocks, which personally takes me back to my halcyon days of Lego and action figures locked in eternal elaborate combat. Brick Force builds on the many blocky shooters that have gone before to give us a cube filled cross platform sand-box gaming environment like no other. I say “no other”, but it would be easy to throw around phrases like Minecraft meets Modern Warfare with players constructing their own unique worlds to conquer. Berlin based games publisher Infernum Games have created a title that combines the free roaming combat of traditional FPS titles and a community construction spirit, loaded with as much charm as it has violence. What also sets this free-to-play title apart is its cross platform credentials, with plans currently under-way for the title to run across desktop, tablet, smartphone and social network platforms. Built via the Unity 3D engine players can access the comic visuals through a variety of browsers, making it what’s sure to be one of the most accessible madcap mobile multi-player FPS’. The current in game trailer shows a range of various game modes such as the classic ‘Capture the Flag’ and ‘Deathmatch’ styles or the ‘Defusion’ mode. ‘Defusion’ is a spin on a ‘King of the Hill’ mode in which bombs are planted, defused, and defended bringing explosive entertainment into the user-generated maps.
Even before release there is a concerted effort to build Brick Force as a community focused build, share and destroy title where one player can go it alone or build and dominate as part of a team in frantic battles across a colourful world of unique levels. “Brick-Force will provide gamers with a varied and comprehensive game experience across multiple platforms such as PCs, tablets and smart-phones” CEO and Founder of Infernum Games, Andreas Weidenhaupt explains “We are building a strong community ahead of the closed beta launch – and we can’t wait for the beta to start and to see the first maps of the fans.” If you consider yourself enticed already, you can register for a chance to play the online beta  by signing up at Brick-force.com. Those who register early can look forward to unlocking a free and exclusive in-game item, credited to their account when the beta begins. Avid fans who recommend over 3 friends will also receive the “B Hammer” game item. The online beta is set to become available on the 28th of February.

Gotham City Impostors.

Once again the beta gates open for the console testing of Gotham City Impostors. While the public were plenty impressed by their last peek at the DC Comics franchise inspired street skirmish title, the studio has set about tweaking, fine tuning and balancing the madcap mechanics of this unconventional multi-player game. Any patched alterations aside, the game offers up to twelve players to go head to head in team based combat, as they attempt to save or destroy the city of Gotham in equal measure by emulating their idols. Players are split into teams of either Bats or the Jokerz who then take to the streets to fight and unlock a wide range of costume, movement and weapon customisation options. Today Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment announced that the Gotham City Impostors public console beta is now available in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and on the Playstation Network. This eagerly awaited download only title is once again available for fans to try the multitudes of weaponry and character customisation options at hand. Players wishing to try their hand at the Xbox version can request a code by signing up at GothamCityImpostors.com/beta while Playstation users can access the title via PSN without the need for a code. There are no further details regarding the full release of the game, though this current beta test runs from January 26th to February 6th. So get your skates on, grab a grappling hook and set the city aflame as a copycat killer or wannabe superhero today.

In Lollipop Chainsaw hearts sparkles and heavy machinery kill.

Politely nagging away despite my better judgement is a morbid curiosity in the upcoming Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 title Lollipop Chainsaw. Every bit as bitter-sweet and bloody as its title this slice em up, school-girl, grindhouse spectacle fighter comes from the brilliantly twisted minds of Suda51 (No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned, Killer7), James Gunn (Super, Slither, Dawn of the Dead, Tromeo & Juliet) and Grasshopper Manufacture to tell the tale of one cheerleader who takes a stand against the creeping dead. Juliet Starling is the latest in a long line of zombie hunters and just so happens to be in the right school at the right time.

Swan is the dead eyed Devil himself.

That school is San Romero High, and whether being on the receiving end of a zombie outbreak can ever be regarded as the right time for anything other than hacking and slashing your way through former class mates is debatable. Bearing heavy shades of fellow sexy spectacle fighter Bayonetta and paying tribute to iconic slayer Buffy herself, Lollipop Chainsaw slices through hordes of gorey enemies and still manages to stay hot. While striving to solve the mystery of the zombie outbreak you’ll come against a mass of enemies including the misanthropic Gothic geek Swan, who seeks revenge on the world that rejected him. Looking like the puppet from Saw in tailored suit, you’re bound to get a whole lot of grief off of this blood soaked and frankly, ugly, bastard in the course of the game. Waves and waves of enemies assaulted with just the right measures of candy coated violence, salty language and titillating fan service will be heading to consoles everywhere later this year. From what we’ve seen so far there’s enough sass and sauciness here to make it past being this years guilty pleasure.