Have you been ‘Spanked yet? No? Well, now is your chance, as we are giving away a Steam code pack featuring both titles in Hothead Games’ hilarious action-RPG adventure, DeathSpank!

Prize: Steam code pack for the PC versions of the original DeathSpank and its sequel, DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue. Both valued at $14.99.

How to enter: Do one of the following: leave a comment below (with valid email), follow us on Twitter @vgblogger and retweet this message, or email us at contests@vgblogger.com with the subject line “DeathSpank Steam Giveaway.”

Entry Period: Friday, December 3 – Monday, December 6 at 12:00 PM EST.

Trying to send up a game genre while also presenting a game that is worth playing on its own merits is challenging, but if anyone can manage it Ron Gilbert of Monkey Island fame is someone I would choose. DeathSpank is a multiplatform game that presents a unique visual style, an over-the-top hero, and a gameplay style that borrows heavily from the action-RPG genre. But how does it all work, and does it devolve into a mockery of itself?

The tale of DeathSpank is of a hero born and raised in pursuit of the coveted Artifact, his final quest! The game starts with him performing a series of simple tasks in order to get the ‘demon witch’ to help him find the artifact. Once he is ready to attain it, of course, stuff happens, and the main portion of the game gets rolling.

You are immediately struck by the visual style of the game. You are in a 3D world, but everything is drawn as 2D paper cut-outs with a very distinct visual style, as trees and outhouses and so on look like a slight breeze could blow them over.

DeathSpank could easily be subtitled ‘the quest for MacGuffins’, as Gilbert and crew elevate the useless fetch quests most games have you doing by having you perform similarly silly tasks but in a reasonably complex way. In one quest you need to get a character a Taco, but a very specific one. This means noting and remembering the exact order until you reach the traveling Taco salesperson (yes, I know), and then figuring out what is involved in completing the Taco since the Taco seller will absolutely not do one thing due to a prior lawsuit. Once you figure out what to do and gather the materials and complete the task, you can move along with the main quest.

If you read that last paragraph you will realize that the quests are actually more involved than in ArcaniA, for example. Yet the humor and general lightness keep it from ever feeling like a chore. You have a limited inventory, but also have a grinder that will convert your junk to cash. You can choose to have the game auto-equip the best armor, leaving you to just sort out your weapons. You get two sets to swap back and forth, with one weapon in each set mapped to the left and right mouse button.

Everything about DeathSpank works very well, but there are still some complaints: first off, in spite of all the wry dialogue and humor threaded throughout everything, there is little depth. You simply wisecrack your way through everything. Don’t get me wrong – there are many laugh-out-loud moments in the dialogue, but it is all about the quips. If you are looking for an engaging story, there isn’t much here – but if you are looking for well written light romp, it is here in spades!

Furthermore, this is a single player game that will last only about a dozen hours … and there is really never any reason to play again. There are no real choices that matter, nothing to change how the game plays or progresses. You just play through and can alter your inventory and some dialogue choices – but nothing with real impact.

That said, it is a budget game that is highly polished and a blast to play. For me it is a great value and highly recommended – just make sure you know what you are getting before you buy!

Pros:
+ Lots of fun to be found at every turn
+ Core game mechanics make playing fun
+ Witty dialogue

Cons:
– Everything is shallow
– Short game with limited replayability

Game Info:
Platform: Reviewed on PC, also available for PSN and XBLA
Publisher: EA Games
Developer: Hothead Games
Release Date: 10/26/2010
Genre: Action-RPG
ESRB Rating: Teen
Players: 1
Source: Review code provided by publisher

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EA’s downloadable duo of DeathSpank and Shank, already available for console gamers on PSN and XBLA, is now set to bring the goods to PC gamers. Both titles go on sale October 26th via Steam at $15 apiece — or $13.49 if you pre-purchase for a 10% discount. Additionally, in the spirit of Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton, Jr’s shake and bake catchphrase, a “Shank and ‘Spank” combo pack is available at a 15% pre-purchase discount, bringing the total price down to just over $25 and saving you an extra dollar and two quarters over reserving the two games individually.

That. Just. Happened!

Rejected DeathSpank Box Art [Hothead Games]

[Update] We’ve had so many entries that we’ve decided to bump the entry deadline up a few days — no point keeping so many eager gamers waiting, right? You now have through Monday, July 19 to enter. Drop a comment below or send us an email before it’s too late!

Hothead Games and EA’s action-RPG DeathSpank is this week’s headline console release, launching today on the PlayStation Network and tomorrow on Xbox Live Arcade, and we’d like to help you get in on the justice-dispensing, evil-vanquishing fun.

We have 1 PSN code and 1 XBLA code to give away, and starting today you can enter to win a copy of Ron Gilbert’s latest wacky adventure. To enter, simply email us at contests@vgblogger.com with the subject line “DeathSpank Giveaway” or leave a comment below (with valid email) stating your preferred platform. Entries are being accepted today through Monday, July 19. Then on the 20th we will hold a random drawing to pick the two lucky winners.

Enter now!

Ron Gilbert’s humor-filled, loot-happy action-RPG DeathSpank officially has a launch date. EA and Hothead games confirmed today that the game will launch for PSN on July 13th and for XBLA the next day on July 14th. It will cost $14.99 / 1200 Microsoft Points.

DeathSpank is the new action-RPG from The Secret of Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert, combining the charm and wit of the Monkey Island series with the addictive loot harvesting and monster slashing of Diablo. Sure sounds like a winning combo to me!

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EA AND HOTHEAD GAMES DELIVER DEATHSPANK DIRECT TO GAMERS ON JULY 13TH

(Quite Possibly) The Funniest RPG Ever Made Serves up A Healthy Heaping of Humor this Summer

Redwood City, CA. – June 22, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and leading independent developer Hothead Games announced today that the upcoming downloadable action-RPG, DeathSpank, will be released on July 13th for PlayStation®Network and July 14th for Xbox LIVE® Arcade. Gain quests from a colorful cast of characters, and vanquish evil with fast and furious action as DeathSpank scours the world for a mystical artifact. Developed under the direction of The Secret of Monkey Island creator and industry icon Ron Gilbert, DeathSpank combines Gilbert’s unique humor and wit with fast, addictive action-RPG gameplay, making for a hilarious and massive epic quest for justice.

The game puts players in the mighty boots of DeathSpank, the “Dispenser of Justice”, “Vanquisher of Evil” and “Hero to the Downtrodden”. His life-long destiny is to embark on an epic journey in search of a mysterious artifact known only as, “The Artifact”. DeathSpank will feature local co-op gameplay, allowing friends to team up on the same console as both DeathSpank and his trusty sidekick, Sparkles the Wizard. Sparkles’ abilities are magical, serving as the perfect complement to DeathSpank’s weapons-based attacks as the duo battle against the intolerant minions of injustice.

Along the way DeathSpank and Sparkles will rescue some orphans, defeat a local tyrant, help an aging adventurer, and dive headlong into an even deeper mystery in an epic action-RPG that includes collecting loot, solving crazy puzzles, witty dialogue, collecting loot, a ton of weapons, fun and accessible action, and of course, collecting loot.

DeathSpank will be available for download beginning July 13, 2010 on the PlayStation Network for $14.99, and July 14, 2010 on Xbox LIVE Arcade for 1200 Microsoft Points. DeathSpank is rated “T” for teen by the ESRB. For more information on DeathSpank, please visit, www.deathspank.com.

Shank and DeathSpank aren’t just the first two downloadable indie titles to be published by EA Partners, they also just so happen to rhyme beautifully. Not that it really matters.

But anyway… Yes, EA Partners has entered into partnerships with Klei Entertainment and Hothead Games to publish their respective digital download hits-to-be, Shank and DeathSpank.

Described as an “evocative cinematic brawler,” Shank is a 2D side-scrolling action game with with a thirst for blood and a gorgeous graphic novel art style. In fact, it’s up for an “Excellence in Visual Art” award at the Independent Games Festival. Shank will be out this summer for PC, PSN and XBLA.

“Our mission at EA Partners is to work with the best talent across the game industry, and we are thrilled to extend our expertise to the leading creative developers in downloadable indie games,” said Jamil Moledina, Outreach Director, Business Development at EA Partners. “The team at Klei Entertainment is among the best in the world at developing fun and engaging titles for digital distribution platforms, and Shank is an amazing experience.”

“As an independent development studio, we always focus on creating great, authentic experiences for players. Working with EA Partners expands our distribution and allows us to bring Shank to a much wider audience,” said Jamie Cheng, CEO of Klei Entertainment. “They have been a fantastic partner and their understanding of the space is incredibly exciting.”

DeathSpank is perhaps an even more exciting production considering it is the latest brainchild of The Secret of Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert. DeathSpank is a “Monkey Island meets Diablo” combo of witty, humorous adventuring and addictive action-RPG hack ‘n slashing and loot collecting. A time frame for release has yet to be announced, but you will see DeathSpank on PSN and XBLA before 2010 lets out. A PC version would also make sense, but I guess that’s something Hothead would have to consider self-publishing since EA’s announcement only confirms console versions.

“The team at Hothead Games is a perfect fit for EA Partners. They are a great example of how the EA Partners program continues to emphasize the importance of building strong relationships with the world’s top indie developers,” said Jamil Moledina, Outreach Director, Business Development at EA Partners. “DeathSpank is an engrossingly fun and hysterically funny experience, and we are all excited to have the opportunity to help introduce DeathSpank to gamers across the world.”

“We are proud of our independence, but are very excited to be working with EA Partners on a title as big as DeathSpank,” added Ian Wilkinson, CEO of Hothead Games. “With EA Partners handling distribution and marketing, Hothead can continue to focus on what we do best, making great games.”