WRAL Tech Wire

 Writing the tale: Getting the back story on new Gears

Writer Rob Auten takes WRALTechWire inside the new "Gears of War: Judgment," which launches Tuesday. Epic Games turned to new writers for the fourth title in its $1 billion franchise, and one of them tells his side of the "Judgment" story.

"Baird" in new Gears

 Going into battle with new 'Gears of War: Judgment'

Epic Games is pushing the single player experience forward with "Gears of War: Judgment," a prequel set 15 years before the original game. The latest title in the $1 billion franchise for the Cary-based company hits stores March 19. WRALTechWire gets an inside look.

New "Gears" coming in March

 As new PlayStation nears, videogame industry sales still suffer

Tech Wire Gamer: Sales of video games, related hardware and software increased in January - but only because of a five-week sales period. Plus: Sony looks to regain its edge with new PlayStation this week.

 Halo 4: An ancient evil awakens to much disappointment

Review: Halo 4 is fun, but compared to the scope and drama of the best titles in the franchise, the campaign just doesn't have that ability to awe. Furthermore, as the story unfolds, it seemed to me it was more of a skeleton or outline than an actual story, there was no meat to it.

 R.A. Salvatore's 'Kingdoms of Amalur' an epic - but easy - game

Tech Wire Gamer: From striking visuals to a great story, sound and stunning weapons, Amalur has all the ingredients to be a classic game. Unfortunately, the combat is horrendously easy.

 Red Storm Stays in the Game with Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 Patriots

Red Storm Entertainment showed a first look at its latest Tom Clancy game during the recent Spike TV "Video Game Awards" ("VGAs") with FORTnITE.

 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review

Combat is an absolute joy in Skyrim, but it becomes the major selling point of the game.

 'Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim' first impressions: The game is incredible

TechWireGamer: The story, the world, the character designs, which are about as impressive as I have seen in a game to date, the superb score and world class voice acting all combine to make "Skyrim" a remarkable playing experience.

 In striking 'Battlefield 3,' combat is so vivid it's almost real

TechWireGamer: The missions are incredibly fun, the gun variety is stellar and the graphics are just unbelievably amazing. Despite some technical flaws, this game scores 9 on a scale of 10.

 'Batman Arkham City:' The Dark Knight returns with a compelling story, brilliant game

TechWireGamer: The story, the gameplay, the voice acting all combined with the absolute stunning visuals courtesy of Epic Game's Unreal Engine 3, "Arkham City" is a pleasure to the senses.

Holy fistfight - Batman brawls in Arkahm City

  Amazing, exceptional - First impressions of 'Batman: Arkham City'

TechWireGamer: In the first couple hours of Arkham City, players encounter a richer, fuller Batman experience, even smoother stealth and exploration mechanics (such as free running and climbing up obstacles) and great combat.

 Fantasy and horror in 'Dark Souls' - I was prepared to die

TechWireGamer: This is a wonderfully fantastic experience that, although challenging, is only unfair when the game's technical flaws show their ugly faces. Multiplayer is innovative and something I didn't even know how much I wanted from a game.

Players appear outside your world as ghosts.

 'Dark Souls' first impressions: Into the labyrinth of death

TechWireGamer: From Software's dark fantasy role playing game showed looks to be a worthy successor to "Demon's Souls," which showed that inherently difficult games can still be successful in an industry that aims to reach the masses while also revolutionizing multiplayer gameplay for RPGs and games in general. Plus: Gears 3 players encounter a glitch.

 'Battlefield 3' beta first impressions: Fun with guns

TechWireGamer: The first thing that strikes this player about the game is how fabulously splendid the graphics are. This is one of the most visually attractive games I have ever played, with the Frostbite 2 engine pushing modern graphics to their utmost.

 Perfect 10: 'Gears 3' simply a masterful ending to an epic saga

TechWireGamer: My expectations were high for the conclusion of Gears' highly cinematic and enjoyable campaign, but also for the final chapter of multiplayer as well. I was not disappointed. Epic hired novelist Karen Traviss, who had written the Gears of War novels, to write the campaign's story, and she really turned it into a dramatic masterpiece.

One on one, man vs. beast

 The stars shine in upcoming Skyrim, in more ways than one

Game-maker Bethesda has announced some Academy Award-quality talent for the voicing in its "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."

 Just in time for Christmas: 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' debuts Dec. 20

TechWireGamer: Expectations for this game are insanely high. Bioware is renowned in the gaming world for its quality of single player role playing games, which are some of the most critically acclaimed of all time. This is, however, Bioware's first attempt at a massively multiplayer online RPG but not its first dealing with the Star Wars universe.

 Inside Joystick Labs - Will the next Epic emerge from the Underground?

TechWireGamer: The startup accelerator in the American Underground showcases three studios - Lab Rats, WeFiends, Buckle Up - heading to market with promising mobile games.

 Gears 3 hits world stage with multiplayer action feast

Epic Games' latest in the 13-million copy, award-winning Gears of War franchise is finally on sale. And its multiplayer features are a major reason.

The Horde in Gears 3 - Ready to rumble?

 Grand Theft Auto delivers 114 million copies sold, but how good is the franchise?

TechWireGamer: The latest version, a very lauded GTA IV, hits 22 million in sales. But for this player, shallow storylines with cliché characters , repetitive mission types and atrocious side missions the games are not a formula for artistic success.

Action fills Grand Theft Auto IV