Last Week, we reviewed Elmo’s Monster Maker, a toddler game for iPhone. If you are looking for some more great iPhone games for toddlers, here’s a list of six that I put together for 40tech.com.

Shapes by Toddler Teasers – Awesome free toddler game for iPhone that teaches your child to recognize basic and advanced shapes, as well as motor control and critical thinking.

Giraffe’s Matching Zoo – Super fun and free match game for toddlers with cartoony wildlife.

First Words: At Home – This app by Learning Touch costs $1.99 but is a very good way to teach your child letter and word recognition, as well as basic reading skills and hand-eye coordination. So worth it!

Dial-A-Phone – A free mock phone dialer that will let your child feel like they are calling people (without actually calling your contacts…) and will teach them numbers as well.

Colourful Aquarium Lite – Create your own free aquarium in your iPhone and your toddler can tap the glass, feed them, clean the tanks, etc. All the fun of a fish tank without the captivity, mess or expense.

Chuggington – A simple, fun and free game with trains from the popular kids show, Chuggington. This is strictly a hand-eye coordination game that involves touching the trains as they come out of their garages to hear them toot their horns. Miss three and start again, or keep going until the timer runs out and get to watch a snippet of the show!

Have a favourite toddler game for iPhone? Let us know in the comments!

Check out the full review on 40tech.com.

If you have little kids and an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, you know that you’ll be spending time fending them away from your precious device. Don’t. Your toy is also a seriously cool and fun learning tool for your toddler that will teach them everything from hand-eye coordination to numbers, letters (even reading), shapes and imagination. It also is a great way for you to either play with your kid or keep them blissfully occupied for a little while. These are cherished stolen moments that will allow you a time of peace, relaxation, and the ability to get something done. There are tons of games for your kids on the iTunes App Store, some free, some not – Elmo’s Monster Maker is one of the few paid games out there that is definitely worth the $3.99.

Elmo’s Monster Maker

I hummed and hawed over this for a bit before I bought it for my iPhone – I’m cheap when it comes to software, and $4.99 is a steep price for an iPhone app. I read a few reviews, checked some screenshots, and then bit the bullet and decided to try it out. It was actually very cool, I thought, but the real test was whether my kid would like it. I needn’t have worried…

When my then one-and-a-half-year-old daughter sat down with this game and I showed her how to play, she was absolutely delighted to see all of the funny Sesame Street style monsters she could interact with. She poked one she liked and then Elmo asked her to give it eyes and a nose. You can cycle through many combinations, with hats too, and create your own monsters that will play with Elmo. Once the new monster is finished, your child can just watch it and wait, poke it to make it laugh and such, or do one of Elmo’s suggestions, which ask the child to touch one of the buttons on the bottom of the screen (camera, Elmo, music notes). Your toddler can go back to the monster maker screen at any time to redesign the monster or pick a whole new one and start from scratch.

The Camera Button brings Elmo out to take a picture of the monster, which will show up in the iPhone’s camera roll for later viewing, complete with fun frames and backgrounds.

The Music Notes Button, when pressed will put the monster on different backgrounds and with different music from country to polka, and the child’s monster will get down and boogie. Your toddler can then poke the monster and drag him about the screen, as well.

The Elmo Button is the most fun! It will bring Elmo out to play with the monster, doing random things like pretending to ride a roller coaster, head-bumping a soccer ball back and forth (my kid love’s that one!), ducking a rubber chicken, tickling, and more. Different monster-types do different things, though many overlap, so the fun is an interchangeable delight for your little one.

My daughter, just now a two year old, has been having a blast with Elmo’s Monster Maker for months. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a toddler from one+ to four or five years old. Every time my daughter plays the game, her look of delight and engagement makes me think it is one of the expenditures of four bucks I have ever committed to. As mentioned, Elmo’s Monster Maker is also available for the iPad and iPod Touch. Try it out!

rating: 10 for Kid Awesome

What are your favourite iPhone games for toddlers? Let us know in the comments!

At the risk of sounding like an old curmudgeon, I’ll say this: games today don’t have the same magic that the games of years ago possessed. Before anyone gets all up in arms, let me explain myself.  I’m not talking about whether older games are “better” or “worse” than games of today.  Instead, I’m talking about the “magic” of games today.  Do you remember sitting down in front of a computer as a child or teenager, being absolutely captivated by a game?  Not just fun, not just “stay up till 4 a.m.” engrossed, but actually captivated?  Let’s talk about whether today’s games are less magical than games of old.

Two games immediately come to mind as the best way for me to explain what I mean by “magic.” The first is Zork, which was a completely text-based adventure/roleplaying game.  I remember being introducted to Zork by my older cousin, and sitting in front of his computer for hours, mesmerized by what seemed like this huge canvas of a world.  In hindsight, it was a rather closed world by today’s standards, but it sure didn’t feel that way.  I was in awe.

When I think of games that captivated me, the other game that I think of is one of the Ultima games.  It’s been so long ago now, that I don’t even remember which Ultima game I played, but I’m pretty sure it was Ultima 2, on my very first computer, an Apple IIe.  If Zork blew my mind, then Ultima 2 obliterated my mind, my senses, and everything else.  Ultima 2 felt like a real living, breathing world, and I became lost in it.  It also felt HUGE, with continents and even planets (if my memory serves me right) to explore.

Recently, I looked online at screenshots for Ultima 2.  What was my reaction?  WHAT?!?  That’s not the game I remembered at all.  In my memories, the game looked MUCH better than the screenshots showed it to be.

Those memories, compared with reality, give a tipoff to a couple of reasons why older games seem more magical:

Novelty

Zork and Ultima 2 were completely new experiences for me.  Zork was the first computer game that I ever played, and Ultima 2 may have been the first graphical computer game that I ever played.  So, it is only natural that I’d be in awe of them.  So, “magic” might not have anything to do with the age of a game at all. My reaction to Zork might be the same reaction that a child today has to Dragon Age, if that were the first game that he played (well, if that child’s parent is letting him or her play an M-rated game).

Nostalgia

Does anyone out there not yearn for things from his or her past? Look at how music from past decades comes back into vogue, almost like clockwork, after a certain number of years have passed.  Be it games, music, television, or movies, we often think that media from our past is better than media from today.  It often isn’t, but our yearnings for the comforts of childhood are human nature.

Is it possible though, that games of yesteryear actually did have qualities that contributed to that magic, aside from our own subjective points of view?  There are a few reasons that this might be the case, all of which center around a central theme:

We loved the rough edges

I think that many games of the past were less “slick” than today’s games.  They had warts and particular nuances, which required us to invest our time in them, so that they felt like “ours.”

More creativity and risk taking

Developers in years past also did not have the same constraints that many of today’s developers have.  Today, the reason we see so many sequels in the game industry is because publishers are loath to invest millions of dollars in any game that they don’t see as a sure moneymaker.  As a result, there are fewer niche games today, and fewer games that take risks.  Perhaps that is why games of old had a spirit of excitement and novelty around them, that is often missing from newer games.

More personality

Similarly, that creativity and risk taking allowed developers of old more freedom to express themselves.  At times, modern games almost feel polished to the point that they lose their personality.  This trend can be seen when comparing two relatively modern games, Morrowind and Oblivion.  Oblivion was certainly the slicker and more polished of the two, but, to me at least, Morrowind had much more personality.

So, which is it? My gut tells me that games today are no less magical than games of old, while my heart is telling me the opposite.  What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Still jonesing for some retro-gaming action? There are several avenues that you can take to scratch that classic games itch, including Xbox Live Arcade, the Playstation Store, Nintendo Wii’s classic console downloads, or emulation (shhhhh…). But what if you want to play some of those old school gaming favourites for free – and play them right now – no fuss, no consoles, and no software? You know, just you and your (flash and/or javascript capable) browser; say, during a much needed break from your regular grind. A while back, on 40Tech.com, I covered six kick ass ‘play classic video games online’ sites that will help you get down with some old school arcade and console action right now. Immediately.

Hit the jump for the list!

The list is basically the same as the one on 40Tech, but with an addition to make up for the recent absence of Getback.com. Hopefully they’ll be back soon with some more good classic games!

Classic Games Arcade is awesome, just like the post title says. It has all kinds from Pac-Man, to Street Fighter 2, to Sonic the Hedgehog, to Contra and Final Fight (Final Fight!). You can easily share games with your social networks (though it seems you can no longer put them on your own site – which is a good thing. Copyright infringement is a problem best avoided when you are just trying to have a good time, yes?

1980 Games is exactly what it says it is: games from the 80’s man (and some early 90’s too)! Donkey Kong, KungFu, Double Dragon, Frogger, 1942, Commando, Mario Bros – a large, large, large selection of the classic and the retro for your gaming pleasure! I have been getting my Double Dragon fix here regularly. So very cool! Watch out for the occasional pop-up though.

Play NES Flash Games has a ton of classic NES games converted to flash. Tons – including Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, Final Fantasy, and, if you missed the Playstation Store’s sale on TMNT: Turtles in Time (Re-Shelled), and are wanting some half-shelled hero action, you can hit up this site for the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the original Nintendo Entertainment System! Cool, yes?

c64s.com is the home of truly classic, classic gaming. After all, the Commodore 64 is only a few generations from Pong… Like old school, PC-style gaming? Like text-based RPG video games? How about Paperboy? This is your new home! There are also some good links in the footer to other classic gaming sites for NES, Gameboy, Sega Master System, and DOS games.

Not a lot of games on Atari.com (no longer called Atari Play, it appears), but there are a good selection of classic Atari Arcade games that are rotated through. Currently, you can play Adventure, Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Lunar Lander, and Yar’s Revenge. Yar’s Revenge is a game I remember – that giant bug is awesome!

Play.VG is a decent site to replace the now under construction Getback.com. there are a lot of good classic games here, including a very playable version of DOOM. The main issue I had with this site, is that it doesn’t give a lot of guidance (none, in fact) in gameplay controls. You pretty much are left to fend for yourself. Still – good selection and worth the surf!

Get on these sites whenever you feel the urge to kill a bit of time and scratch the itch to play some awesome classic video games. Do it sooner than later – you never know when a publisher may jump on them for infringement of copyrights, forcing them to remove the games you love but just can’t find anymore.

Do you have a favourite retro-gaming site? Let us know in the comments!

Recently, I’ve been jonesing for some retro-game action, but with the multitude of games awesome I’ve experienced over the years, I had no idea where I should start. I went to Twitter and was directed at Paperboy and Sonic 2 by @liloart, Punch Out by @SuzieWarCry, Pitfall and Space Invaders by @40Tech, and reminded myself of Zaxxon and Bubsy and a few other greats from the 80’s and early 90’s. I couldn’t choose and, as I was just about to settle in and just some Dragon Age: Origins on PS3, the Playstation Store nabbed me with an ad for the High Definition remaster of TMNT: Turtles in Time – one of the greatest, action-packed, beat-the-crap-out-of-the-bad-guys side-scrollers since Double Dragon – and it was on sale for $4.99.

I have to say, I’m normally not into Playstation Store games, but who can complain about a fully realized 3D version of some original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Not me! Not much anyway. I mean, it would have been cool if the characters were cell-shaded so they looked more cartoony, but aside from that, TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled is just as fun as (if not more than) the original SNES (Super Nintendo)  and Arcade classic.

The game was released for Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network back in August of 2009, and was hit hard by the critics – but mostly because it was grossly overpriced at $9.99 on PSN and 800 Points for Xbox Live. I remember it back then and I, too, laughed at that price. TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled is on sale now, though, for PS3, at the much more reasonable price of $4.99 (sorry Xbox 360 peoples, it’s still 800 points for you, which is around $11-$12). This is a “limited time offer”, though, so jump on it while you can!

Features:

• New graphics and sound
• Attack in full 3D – eight directions
• Play Online with up to 4 Players in Co-Op Mode
• Survival Mode and QuickPlay Mode
• Multiple Difficulty levels
• Achievement/Trophy support for you trophy hounds
• Awesome smart-ass vocals re-recorded by the original cast of the 2003 cartoon!

A Couple of Misses:

For you folks looking to relive the SNES version of TMNT (IV): Turtles in TIme, this game is based off of the original arcade version and so is missing the extra stages and enemy characters you might be used to.

As mentioned earlier, the new graphics are cool, but a little cell shading would have gone a long way to keep the original cartoon feel.

If you’re looking for some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fun, to scratch that nostalgia itch, some low-cost action on your Playstation 3, or all of the above, I highly recommend this game!

At the right price, I think TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled is awesome! What do you think?

rating: 8.0 Awesome Nostalgia -Cheap

4-Player Gameplay vid from Gametrailers.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

O.Z. refers to the ONLINE ZONE, one woman’s travels through the vast array of MMOs truly seeking to say, “Oh…there’s no place like home.”

On so many different levels, I liken my journey through MMO cyberspace to the movie “The Wizard of Oz”. I am Dorothy and have suddenly been whisked away to bright shiny new spaces in time with so many new, different and, at times, weird things assaulting my senses at every turn. I wander the virtual Yellow Brick Road seeking an online domicile for my wandering gamer’s (gamr’s?) heart, because there is NO place like home, after all.

But how do I find home? How do I find the time to find home? Every day there is another MMO release, another game clamoring for my attention, and in my position as a reviewer and journalist at the WarCry Network, I am asked to play all of them; to write of my impressions. Yet all I truly want to do is find ‘home’, a game that will capture my attention for a long while; a game that will transport me to that place complete with friends and safety. So I play. I look. I experience. I seek….and I write. This column will be my avenue to share my travels down the Yellow Brick Road.

But before I can jump into the inner workings of different games, the cast of characters for any title must be introduced: Community managers, development teams, fellow reviewers, fanbois/disgruntled complainers, and wandering vagabonds. Like the players in “The Wizard of Oz”, each has his or her place in the continuum of online gaming:

Community Managers: Yes, these are cheerleaders of the gaming universe. They are effervescent souls and are forever enthusiastically championing “their” game to the world. They look in askance at us when we inquire as to whether or not they know the true path ‘home’; whether or not this is the game to end all games. Rather, they simply pat us on our cyber backs and scoot us along the road to what they believe is ‘home’ – home only in the confines of their game.

Developers: These are the whiz kids of the industry, the geniuses behind the games we play, the literal “men (and women) behind the curtain”. Their zeal is infectious. They set their masterpieces before the world. They are tough on the outside, oozy gooey with passion about their games on the inside. Developers are rare beasts to be sure, carefully shepherded through the miasma of online journalism by the community managers.

Gaming Reviewers: I don’t know how anyone can honestly write a review, or at least write a scathing review of a game. After all, one man’s 2.0/10.00 is another man’s 9.0/10.00. Some reviewers take great delight in shredding games or leaving enough doubt about its ‘worthiness’ to cause hemorrhaging and long term death… but more on that in a bit.

Fanbois & Disgruntled Complainers: I’m sure these two groups would be horrified to find themselves lumped together but they are, after all, two sides of the same coin. Both groups tear into one another like the Flying Monkeys. One side rips the game as “the suXXor” while the other is “Care Bear” in their adoration. Both could, perhaps, benefit from a more balanced view of… life?

Fellow Gamers & Wandering Vagabonds: Yes, we’re there. In every game I’ve played, I’ve found kindred souls eventually, those perpetually LFG, stymied by embarrassment at not being an expert at a particular game, terrified of being called n00bs. We are all those who are seeking a ‘home’ in the gaming world, a time sink to fill the (small amounts) of time that we have to devote to gaming. We are the CASUAL GAMERS!

I have every intention of using this new column to look at the astounding variety of MMOs on the market today, both Free to Play and otherwise, and giving readers MY opinion of the game. I will never insinuate that everyone will feel as I do about one thing or another and I will always encourage folks to try for themselves. As I said, one (wo)man’s 2.0 is another (wo)man’s 9.0, right?

To that end, I leave you with my review concept. Stealing from another so-called kids’ movie, Ratatouille, I give you the words of the food critic Anton Ego. He says it ever so much better than I ever could:

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.

But there are times when a critic truly risks something and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.

Check back with us regularly – I’ve got my own link in the category toolbar (bottom left)! *winks*

Heavy Rain is awesome.

Created by the same folk as the equally moody Indigo Prophecy (aka Fahrenheit to the unedited world outside of North America), Heavy Rain is a deeply granular and immersive dramatic thriller surrounding the mystery of the Origami Killer; a serial murderer who uses bouts of exceedingly heavy rainfall to drown his victims. This game draws you in deep, with a  story that plays out like a movie – but a movie in which your choices and your skill are in control, leading you seamlessly to one of 22 possible endings.

Twitter Friend @liloart says: “It’s soooooo good! …the music, loading screens, and the 22 different possible endings are some of my personal highlights.”

follow @liloart on Twitter!

Story

You play four characters in the story:

Ethan Mars: A father who is trying to save his son from being the next victim

Madison Paige: Investigative journalist

Norman Jayden: FBI Profiler

Scott Shelby: A Private Detective hired to track down clues to the Origami Killer’s identity

The characters are well rounded people, each with their own difficult choices to make, but it’s the story and their place in it that will keep you coming back for more. Not to mention the story’s flow. It is dark and engaging and truly interactive — main characters can die, man! And everything just rolls out as if it were all a part of the grand scheme of the story. The 22 different endings are, once again, completely dependent on the choices you make and how well you play the game – but you don’t need to play through every possible combination to get the full effect. It definitely makes for a bit of long term replayability, though, if you’re into it.

Gameplay

The controls for Heavy rain are, thankfully, much better than Indigo Prophecy. The predecessor of Heavy Rain was often so frustrating that you could lose sense of the story or will to play, but the folk at Quantic Dream made terrific use of the Playstation 3 control scheme. The game tells you what control combinations you need to enter in order to accomplish objectives from climbing, to fighting, to conversing, to using your asthma inhaler before you die (that’s what I meant by granular), but they don’t generally detract from the mood or flow of the story. In fact, even if you fail at something or pick the wrong conversation element by accident, the story branches off so seamlessly into new direction that you may think it was supposed to happen that way.

It should be noted though, for the more impatient gamers out there, that while the granular nature of the character control is pretty cool, there are times when you would probably rather that the game would just move on (as opposed to making you do special combinations just to walk up a flight of stairs or something).

Is It Worth My Money?

Hells, yes!

rating: 9.7 Innovative & Immersive

Heavy Rain Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out a more in depth review on IGN here.

On April 1st, 2010, Sony released the 3.21 firmware update which removes all access to the OtherOS functionality for the original PS3 — and it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke, either. Whether you like it or not, the ability to install Linux on the PS3 has gone bye bye. If you haven’t updated to 3.21 yet, however, it is a fairly simple process to backup your PS3, format your drive, and then restore your Playstation 3 with all save files, personal files, and system settings intact.

If you have applied the update already, without previously removing your Linux partition, you may find yourself suddenly with much less space on your PS3 drive and seemingly no way to get it back.

The update comes with an outcry from the PS3 community who use OtherOS, and have found that they have basically been forced to apply it (no access to the Playstation Network, Playstation Store, or any games or Blu-Ray movies that require 3.21 firmware or later to play), even though Sony claims it is optional. Sony claims this update is for “security reasons” though many speculate it is for the security of their own system and track record of being un-crackable (in January, it was announced that the PS3 had been officially and finally hacked after  three years).

Over at 40Tech.com (whom I also write for), we have put together a guide to help you save yourself from the update before it is installed, with some tips and links to help you out if you were unfortunate enough to install PS3 Firmware 3.21 before getting rid of the OtherOS partition.

If you are not using the OtherOS functionality of the first generation Playstation 3, or if you have a PS3 Slim, the 3.21 update will not affect you.

What are your thoughts on the 3.21 update? Fair, unfair? Will it keep the PS3 hacker and piracy free for another 3 years? Let us know in the comments!

If you’ve been caught up in the hype around Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening (the first expansion for the Dragon Age: Origins game series), or the release of the Dragon Age comic book, but have yet to purchase and play the awesome that is DA:O; then harken to what is said here, friends, as it will help you to make that most difficult of choices: “What platform do I buy the game for?“

Ultimately, the choice you make will be one of taste, price and other personal callings — and any choice you make with this game will be a good one. However, if you are torn, then there are a few fundamental differences you will need to consider before you drop your hard-earned cash (or credit) on the table.

Available Platforms:

PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Price Comparison:

PC: $40-50, PS3: $40-70, Xbox 360: $40-70 — Prices vary depending on country, and whether you purchase at a brick & mortar store or an online vendor like Amazon. Collector’s Editions are in the $65-120+ range and include such things as a cloth map of the DA:O world, a bonus DVD, cool case, etc.

Gameplay and Graphics:

All - All platforms give you beautiful scenery and a deep and gritty storyline that involves intricate party relationships. No restrictive morality-in-a-can, just reactions to your actions by your party members — and the reactions aren’t canned either, they are based on the individual characters and their likes and dislikes. A little tip in this regard: Morrigan is not easy to please. Don’t worry about it. Just play the game as you think your character would act. As for the graphics, well, in general they are a bit lower grade than expected, but you get over it quickly as you become engrossed in the storyline.

PC pros - Better potential graphics and a more granular gaming experience (more point and click menus and better camera control). Plays well enough on systems with low-end graphics cards (like non-gaming laptop GPUs for example).

PC cons - You have to spend a bit of time configuring everything to get the game to the perfect settings for your machine.

Playstation 3 & Xbox 360 pros – Well done controls and custom console interface (these are not messy PC ports — they are fully customized game builds for each console), and a somewhat faster-paced feel to battles. Play right out of the box.

Playstation 3 & Xbox 360 cons - There are some reports of laggy load-times with Dragon Age: Origins on consoles. You may also discover some lower quality textures to help fix that problem (especially on the Xbox 360 version, which is also prone to some graphical tearing issues) — this only barely impacts the pretty of the game overall, though.  There is no possibility to zoom out to top down view on consoles either, though this can make exploring tougher areas a bit more… exciting.

Any of the platforms should play Dragon Age: Origins (and Awakening) well enough for you to be thoroughly entertained and become deeply involved in the storyline and character relationships. If you’re a fan of dark and gritty fantasy, and of Bioware-style game design in general (Star Wars Knights of the Old Repbulic, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect one and two), you will love, love, love the Dragon Age series, which is shaping up to become a long term, epic universe of stories and games. Definitely worth the buy.

Have you played the Awesome that is Dragon Age: Origins yet? What do you think of the game, the books, the comic? Let us know in the comments.

rating: 10 for pure, total Awesome!

Looking for more details?

Check out this PC vs Console comparison review of DA:O on 40Tech.com.

Bioware and EA continue their quest to keep the Dragon Age series, considered by many to be the best fantasy RPG in 10 years, at the forefront of the minds of both new and locked-in fans. Their latest foray into expanding the Dragon Age universe (aside from the just released expansion Awakening), is the addition of the Dragon Age comic series, published by comics veterans IDW Publishing (Transformers, Doctor Who, G.I. Joe, Star Trek — the A-Team).

The new series, which will is now available in comics stores everywhere, is co-written by acclaimed fantasy and science fiction writer Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game, Hidden Empire).

Hit the jump for a quick review of the first issue.

How well does it fit in with the rest of the series?

Readers are greeted immediately by the familiar locale of the Circle Tower in Ferelden and find the pages soon graced by  the equally familiar character of Gregoir, leader of the Tower’s Templars. This somewhat younger version of the taciturn head mage-watchdog is, if it can be imagined, much less nice — and a sight more prejudiced as well. It is likely that Gregoir will be the first of many such character cameos and references in the issues to come, as they help connect and engage DA:O fans.

How’s the story? Is it good? What about the art?

So far, the story is both engaging and fun, keeping with the dark and gritty tone, turmoil and emotional intrigues set by the game. The art in the comic is a bit cartoony in nature, however, and may be a bit distracting for those who are more used to the realistic graphics style of Dragon Age: Origins and Awakening. Have no fear, though! The theme has been well translated into the modern comics genre, with no shying away from the less kid-friendly aspects of the original game.

All in all the series’ release, which was surrounded by false rumours of delays, should match up to its anticipation quite well. The first book, at least, is a good and quick read that sets the scene well for a larger saga; sparking both satisfaction for those wishing to remain engrossed in Bioware’s new world, and curiousity for where the next chapters will lead.

A Dragon Age Comic Book? Seriously??

If you still aren’t sure if it’s for you, you can check out a sneak peak .pdf of the first six pages here, or you can pick it up now for your iPhone or iPod Touch on the iTunes app store for $1.99 (the paper publication will set you back $3.99). The book is also available digitally on the PSP for the same price as on iTunes.

Issue two is due out in June, though, so get yourself prepared for a bit of a wait to see what happens next.

Will you pick up the new dragon age comic? What’s your favourite part of the dragon age expanded universe? Let us know in the comments.