Gamescom looms, Pokemon gets real, and CD-ROM facts get musical

Gamescom, the world’s biggest consumer gaming event of the year, kicks off this week. If you’re in Cologne, Germany for the madness, have fun and be kind. If not, have a look at what we can expect from Microsoft’s opening keynote.

Speaking of Msoft: Here’s E.m.m.a’s Lost Encarta Tapes mix of early work “inspired by the CD-Rom Microsoft Encyclopedia from the ’90s,” as well as tracks from her recently released Blue Gardens LP for Keysound.

The latest smogasbord of AAA blockbusters masquarading as indie titles has hit the Humble Bundle, this time from EA. Makes you feel dumb for paying upwards of $400 for Mirror’s Edge, Dead Space 1 and 3, Medal of Honor, Crysis 2, Burnout: Paradise, and Battlefield 3 when you can get ’em now for a fiver.

From the same minds behind Endless Space comes Dungeon of the Endless, another leap into the infinite unknown. This time, it’s all behind a door.

All you Pokémaniacs with Ash/Pikachu slash-fic in your notebooks, take heed. A new zine awaits your stories. Join the PokéStory brigade today.

Pure Chess is coming to 3DS and Wii U and players on either platform will be able to use “play-by-mail” multiplayer across both systems, in addition to mobile devices. No word yet on whether you can play with Old Man Chessmaster who sits in front of that Au Bon Pain coffee shop every day.

The Wall Street Journal catches the trend of games about alcholism, identity, and abuse. Otherwise known as “real life issues.”

The latest Kickstarter game project to catch our eye is Eyes Open, a top-down stealth horror roguelike. If you know what we mean.

Stay safe!