Active game-buyers of the 2006-2007 era would likely recognize Dreamfall’s box art immediately, whether or not they played it; Zoë’s pink tank-top and contrasting dark hair made for perhaps one of the only game boxes of the period to present a female character in, y’know, clothes. The game received critical acclaim for its narrative-driven approach to play, and although it did have some scrutinized combat and stealth mechanics, it was always about the story. Players were left hanging at the end of the game, eagerly awaiting the continuation of the story in what would become Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey.

But then all went silent.

After the typically groggy-Monday start, San Francisco’s Game Developers Conference enjoyed its most bustling day on Tuesday, March 18th. We met with Paradox, Obsidian, and Sony Online Entertainment for the day, with SOE stealing the show on the topic of their impending EverQuest Next and EverQuest Next: Landmark titles.

The original EverQuest from 99 had impressive concept art. It is also home to my favorite game soundtrack of all time.

I previously posted a quick EQNL specifications and requirements article, but aside from that, our coverage of Landmark has been pretty thin. This post should very quickly get you up to speed on the basics and provide some interesting developer commentary for existing fans. In taking with Dave Georgeson, Director of Development for the EQ Franchise at SOE, we covered several fan-requested topics within EverQuest Next: Landmark (EQNL) and the far-future EverQuest Next (EQN) launch.

A couple key discussion points addressed in the video interview below include client-server I/O optimization, modding support, water and accompanying static vs. dynamic physics, griefing countermeasures, the future of EQNL, NPCs, and a bit more.

You should also check back on Thursday for another EQNL article from us.

EverQuest was my first real MMO, so I see hope for the industry whenever a new EQ is in development. EQ2 wasn't particularly thrilling and WoW was just getting going around its launch, so we've been waiting many years for the franchise's successor. After several scrapped initial attempts, SOE eventually decided to drive the game toward player-created content and player-fueled micro-transactions. This is similar to what Valve has done with TF2 and DOTA2, and given its success there, has some merit.

SOE's impending EverQuest Next: Landmark utility just had its minimum & recommended system requirements detailed, along with potential to support VR tech like Oculus Rift. Here's what we know:

I've been jazzed to play Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us since first demoing it at PAX Prime. Telltale Games has released the first of the game's five chapters, Faith, and has already set up a series of disturbing-but-beautiful episodes I'm excited to play through. In this The Wolf Among Us - Episode 1: Faith review, we'll look at the unique dialogue tree, action sequences, and gameplay elements within Telltale Games' newest gaming adventure.

I reveal the game's early plot, but I don't get into spoilers that will affect anyone's gameplay experience (per our revised review guidelines).

Every indie game or developer has a fascinating story behind its upbringing. Some developers move from large studios to have more control over their work, and sometimes a pair of college roommates team up to do something constructive with the time they spent cutting class.

For Alix Stolzer and Calvin Goble, games were clearly a part of their lives, and they decided to do whatever it took to turn their passion into a product -- even if it meant living in a treehouse.

That’s right.