Visceral Games, probably best known for their work on the fantastic Dead Space, released the poetry inspired beat-em-up Dante’s Inferno this week, earning themselves a wide range of reviews.

While a hack ‘n slash based on medieval poetry sounds unlikely, we happen to think that Visceral have stumbled onto an untapped market here.  There is a wealth of gaming inspiration to be found in early literature, and it’s all royalty free!  Here’s where we suggest they begin on their next project:

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With the recent release of Dragon Age: Origins (which I’ve still yet to get my hands on, stupid poverty!), everyone is once again enjoying the splendid quality that BioWare brings to their RPG titles.

But where do they go from here?  Mass Effect 2 is due out next year, but I think BioWare should consider teaming up with HBO to create a few choice TV show crossovers.  And I think I’ve got just the place to begin:

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After a month and a bit hiatus, due to Bone’s drunken hijinks, comic number 3 is finally here!

Assassin’s Creed 2 is out next month, and everyone here at Armchair Diplomat is looking forward to playing it this weekend at the eGames Expo.

But after hearing a little while ago that Leonardo DaVinci acts as Ezio’s gadget savvy “Q” in game, it put me to pondering: What gadgets is the renaissance genius going to break out?  Here’s what I thought was the most obvious choice:

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If anyone is wondering why last month’s Armchair Diplomat Comic is running so late, here’s the skinny:

Due to an unfortunate, alcohol related mishap (that we’re assured was as hilarious as it was disappointing), our drunkendashing artist Bone managed to lose his sketch book with all of last month’s art in it.  At the moment it’s lost, presumed wedged behind a couch somewhere in a bar inside Melbourne’s central buisness district.  Anyone finding it is advised not to look at pages 13 through to 35, which are “purely works of fiction, nothing more”.  Disturbing.

To this end, we’ll probably have a new comic up this week, but it won’t be in full colour.  Let’s just hope that my Eisner Award winning satire works alright with the magic of simple pen and ink.  If it fits the bill, we may just move the entire comic to black and white to lessen the creation time.

Here’s comic number 2, so fresh off the Photoshop that the pixels haven’t even had time to dry yet. This month’s comic is all about a game that everyone here at Armchair Diplomat is looking forward to: Mass Effect 2!

So for a while now BioWare have been teasing their Twitter followers with cryptic updates on ME2‘s development. I figured “Why wait for them to tell us about it, when we all know what it’s going to be?” Read on, for the comic!

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I told you I have one surprise left up my sleeve, content-wise, and today’s the day to show it off.  Say hello to “Armchair Diplomat Comics“, a series of webcomics written by me and Mark, and created by the reprobate Rembrandt behind out beautiful avatars, T-Bone (or Tristan, if you want to get technical).  We’re looking to publish one of these a month, so I hope you enjoy the first.  Just click “Read More” to check it out!

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