New Games |
- DC Universe Online goes free-to-play starting Tuesday
- Natasha brings the firepower to Rusty Hearts
- Biffman brings vigilante justice to Retro City Rampage
- Becoming Dead Space's Isaac Clarke, one step at a time
- Deal North: Target's Buy Two, Get One deal and more
- Modern Warfare 3 developers talk revamped progression
- JAWS: Ultimate Predator looks suitably ridiculous
- Just Cause dev Avalanche 'not releasing any game in 2012'
- Namco Bandai's 50% off sale for iOS and Android games
- It Came from Japan! Shadow Tower Abyss
- Magicka: The Stars are Left takes on Cthulhu
- Halloween Steam sale includes Trains vs Zombies
- PS Vita 'First Edition' drops a week earlier than Vita
- Review: The Adventures of Tintin
- Nightwing fries some goons in Arkham City DLC trailer
- My amazing adventures at BlizzCon 2011
- Board game Apples to Apples becomes a videogame
- THQ, Capcom, Warner Bros. signed up to EA's Origin
- New Forza 4 trailer and November Speed Pack DLC
| DC Universe Online goes free-to-play starting Tuesday Posted: 27 Oct 2011 02:30 PM PDT As we learned last month, DC Universe Online is adopting the free-to-play model that's becoming more and more popular in the MMO genre. During a live webcast earlier today, it was announced that the transition is coming this Tuesday, November 1st. If you want to hear all of the juicy details for yourself, you can view the archived webcast here. There will be three levels of subscription, each with varying access to the game's content. The Legendary status is for those who still pay the standard fifteen dollars a month to play DCUO and grants you all of the DLC for no extra cost. The next step down, Premium membership, is granted after you spend at least five dollars on the in-game store and never expires once attained. Then, of course, the completely free-to-play player status has the most restrictions on just about every aspect of the game, including chat functions. You can see the complete layout of the varying membership levels here. If you have any further questions it wouldn't hurt to check out the free-to-play FAQ. |
| Natasha brings the firepower to Rusty Hearts Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:30 PM PDT
I've been enjoying Rusty Hearts greatly since it launched as an open beta. It's a bit repetitive, but I have been finding it to be lots of fun regardless. My biggest concern was the lack of content at launch, and the frequency at which new content would roll out. Thankfully, the future of the game seems good, with a second content update this month. It doesn't bring anything new in terms of dungeons, but instead adds a new character to the fold. Natasha has actually been known about since the closed beta, and fans have been wondering about her for a while. Originally scheduled to launch on Wednesday, she officially is playable as of today. She offers a new play style, which the developers have graciously decided to detail in a video. In addition to this, Rusty Hearts now has integrated Steam Achievements. You can read more about Natasha here, as well as register a Perfect World account if you want to check out the game. |
| Biffman brings vigilante justice to Retro City Rampage Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT
Vblank Entertainment dropped off a new trailer for Retro City Rampage, arriving early next year on Xbox Live Arcade and WiiWare. When The Player discovers the secret lair of Theftropolis' greatest vigilante, Biffman, he takes the opportunity to do a little crime fighting of his own (and eliminate some of the competition). I've said it before and I'll say it again. My body is ready. |
| Becoming Dead Space's Isaac Clarke, one step at a time Posted: 27 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT As far as Halloween costumes go, I imagine many of us in recent times have wanted to dress up like Isaac Clarke of Dead Space fame, or either member of Daft Punk. A guy by the name of Shawn Thorsson recently got serious about the former option. He's kindly shared a bunch of photos detailing the process of crafting Isaac's RIG on his blog. As time-consuming as this must have been, the payoff for seeing the project through looks to be worth it. Love the final shot of the presumed friend playing a Necromorph. Shawn Thorsson’s “Dead Space 2″ Getup [MAKE via Super Punch] |
| Deal North: Target's Buy Two, Get One deal and more Posted: 27 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT It is the season for deals, and it's only going to get better as the year goes on. Deal North is on the job! Target is coming out swinging with a buy two, get one free deal, good on any videogame, including PC games. Being new game season, I'm sure there's more than one or two games you're wanting. Just need accessories? PS3 accessories are 20 percent off at Target. Or going bigger and need an Xbox 360 with Kinect? Get a $50 gift card with a 4GB Xbox Kinect Bundle for $299.99, which includes the Kinect Adventures game, 4GB Xbox 360 game system, Kinect sensor and a controller. Speaking of retailers and gift cards, Walmart will give you a $20 card if you buy Battlefield 3. That's a nice little bonus! And speaking of store credit and Kinect, Amazon is giving a $50 credit with the purchase of an Xbox 360 Kinect bundle. |
| Modern Warfare 3 developers talk revamped progression Posted: 27 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT
This developer diary for Modern Warfare 3 discusses the changes that have been made to the progression system. Leveling now extends to individual weapons, and going a step further, players can further customize their firearms with proficiencies that can alter kickback, melee speed, and more. Internet-based discussion can only be civil in this post-Battlefield 3, pre-Modern Warfare 3 period. If I say that phrase three times in front of a mirror, maybe it will come true. If not, my backup plan is to call upon the Candyman. |
| JAWS: Ultimate Predator looks suitably ridiculous Posted: 27 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT
An M-rated JAWS game on 3DS; I don't know who has been asking for such a product, but here you go. JAWS: Ultimate Predator is also getting a Wii version as well, though the embedded trailer is for the aforementioned handheld game. In it, you bite swimmers until they turn into an explosion of blood. Those stock screams really are something. Both versions of Ultimate Predator are due out at the end of November, if you're desperate for more Jaws. |
| Just Cause dev Avalanche 'not releasing any game in 2012' Posted: 27 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT Briefly responding to recent rumors of Just Cause 3 hitting as early as next year, Avalanche Studios has told Eurogamer "we're not releasing any game in 2012." So, how does 2013 sound? A minor bump in absurdity is all that I require of the next Just Cause, assuming such a project ever comes to fruition. Avalanche hasn't officially announced the game yet, even if it does seem increasingly likely. What's on your list of requests? Avalanche scotches Just Cause 3 rumour [Eurogamer] |
| Namco Bandai's 50% off sale for iOS and Android games Posted: 27 Oct 2011 09:30 AM PDT Halloween is the perfect excuse to have a game sale. I'm not complaining! Namco Bandai has one this week for Halloween, and with it comes 50 percent discounts on Android and iOS titles. The sale officially started this morning, and it ends on midnight on October 31 (scary!), so don't wait to get in on the discounts. There's some good stuff in here. Everything Pac-Man is included. Puzzle Quest 2 is also in there. A lot of it is just a couple of bucks -- better than stale Tootsie Rolls, that's for sure! [Header image comes from this adorable video from YouTube user SiroWan.] |
| It Came from Japan! Shadow Tower Abyss Posted: 27 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT [It Came from Japan! is a series where I seek out and review the weirdest, most original and enjoyable titles that never left the Land of the Rising Sun.] Along with churros and KFC, dungeon crawlers are one of those random Western creations that Japan seems to like a lot more than Americans. Although the more traditional, stat-heavy brand of dungeon crawler (Wizardy, Etrian Odyssey) has had the most influence overseas, From Software (Dark Souls) carried the genre torch by bringing it into 3D with the atmospheric King's Field series. In between King's Field entries, the Japanese developer put out an overlooked dungeon crawler by the name of Shadow Tower in 1998. It would come to the States a year later with little fanfare, which is too bad because it paved the way for its superior Japan-exclusive sequel. Shadow Tower Abyss (PlayStation 2) Fan translation: No, and this guide is a must. Shadow Tower Abyss was the last of its kind -- a Gothic dungeon crawler in which the player travels deeper and deeper into the darkness by every hour. Survival is based as much on skill in combat as it is on being resourceful and daring in exploration. The original Shadow Tower felt like a spin-off of the King's Field series but with a psychological horror twist (think Silent Hill's surreal, dark world). The enemies were stranger, the plot was more obtuse, and the game placed an emphasis on exploration. Very cautious exploration -- remember, these are the guys who made Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. In fact, Shadow Tower is the bridge between King's Field and Demon's Souls in that it shares many elements of both.
Make no mistake, though, Shadow Tower Abyss is very much its own thing. Unlike Demon's Souls, the game takes place in one sprawling dungeon that becomes weirder the deeper you venture. I miss this aspect in modern games, including Demon's Souls. There is something unique about slowly traversing the layers of a mysterious dungeon, coming across traps, and discovering story details through random, discarded notes (not that I can read any of them in this particular case). As much as I loved Demon's Souls, its divided levels didn't capture the sense of danger and mystery you expect to find in a From Software dungeon crawler. Level hubs and checkpoints take away from the atmosphere and danger that a game like Abyss embodies. Unlike the PlayStation debut, Abyss has a decent amount of variety within its world. Through the swamp pits filled with poisonous clouds, a scenic cliff side, and the abstract neon glow of later areas, From Software provides an incentive to explore this dark, haunted world by virtue of its design and pacing. Whenever you start to grow tired of an area, you soon find yourself facing off against a boss or discovering a key to the exit. The action at the core of the game is repetitive, but that's to be expected of the genre. Whether you take to it or not will depend on how you feel about a good, old-fashioned dungeon crawl.
Despite the similarities shared with the King's Field series, From Software decided to give these games a different name for a reason. They are pretty peculiar, mechanically speaking. For starters, the unorthodox controls may be hard to adjust to for some players. Looking up and down is restricted to the back shoulder buttons, and strafing is left to the front shoulder buttons. This is because the right stick is used for attacking. Moving the stick side to side registers as a slash attack, up as an overhead slash, back as a back slash, and inward (R3) as a forward thrust. Different weapons are optimized for different attacks, which also deal more damage to certain enemies. The biggest difference between Abyss and other games lies in its leveling system -- rather, the lack of one. Not really. Your strength increases through exploring and collecting defeated enemies' souls (sound familiar?), but all your other stats are completely dependent on items and weapons. You'll occasionally come across an item, usually hidden away, that will let you upgrade dexterity, endurance, and all the other standard stats. For the most part, you'll be depending on weapons to give you better stats. This wouldn't be so nerve-wracking if the items weren't always on the cusp of breaking. Like Demon's Souls, the game feels like a survival horror title during its opening hour. You creep around in the dark with very little resources, terrified of any enemy encounter. Since the enemy A.I. is pretty dumb and easy to take advantage of, you'll soon find yourself breezing through areas. Nevertheless, combat remains fun due to the variety of weapons, which range from medieval pikes to assault rifles. You can only equip two weapons at time, so choosing the right combo will go a long way toward your survival. If you are a fan of dark, moody dungeon crawlers, Abyss is a unique game that shouldn't be missed. What it lacks in detail and polish, it makes up in atmosphere and art direction. I'd love to see another Shadow Tower sequel, but sadly, I don't think we'll ever get one. The modern crop of gamers like to have their games divided up for them and conveniently sprinkled with checkpoints. The design philosophy behind Shadow Tower, or any good traditional dungeon crawler, goes against what makes modern games popular and accessible.
It's too bad that Abyss was never brought to the West, despite being mostly localized. You can't blame publishers for not wanting to take a chance when similar From Software titles failed to find a market over here. Demon's Souls is a genius game for keeping many aspects of a dark, Gothic dungeon crawler intact while appealing to a wide audience. However, returning to Abyss shows that something was lost in that transition. There is something unique about being lost in the darkness of Abyss, searching for an ammo clip, that can't be replicated in modern titles. Sometimes you want to explore a game's world, and sometimes you just want to get lost and let the gloomy atmosphere consume you. In other words, dungeon crawlers are the post-punk of videogames, and I love my post-punks, dammit! --------------------------------------- What is your favorite dungeon crawler? Do you miss the days when it was possible it get lost in a large world? Would the addition of guns ruin the Demon's Souls series?
[Dale North's favorite beverage + videogames = ???] |
| Magicka: The Stars are Left takes on Cthulhu Posted: 27 Oct 2011 08:30 AM PDT Arrowhead Studios is pushing out another Magicka expansion this winter. Magicka: The Stars are Left is seemingly more serious in nature than prior releases -- it's centered around "a horror-mystery inspired by the popular Cthulhu Mythos" -- though spoofs are to be expected. In a feel-good, customer-focused move, only the host of a co-op group needs to own this new content in order for everyone to play. Said content includes two challenge maps, two robes, two bosses, five achievements, seven enemies, and "considerable more than two new items and Magicks." "Also, we make fun of Minecraft this time." |
| Halloween Steam sale includes Trains vs Zombies Posted: 27 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT Pictured: sh*t getting real. Leading up to Halloween, Steam has a number of fitting games on sale, some of which even have new theme-specific add-on content, such as Rock of Ages. Of course, the true highlight of the promotion has to be Railworks 3: Train Simulator 2012. I've always tried to avoid publicly judging the people who are into the game and its absurd library of paid DLC out of fear that, one day, I might get pulled in. Enter Trains vs Zombies -- you'd be stupid not to. |
| PS Vita 'First Edition' drops a week earlier than Vita Posted: 27 Oct 2011 07:30 AM PDT PlayStation Vita is set to rock North America on February 22nd, 2012. But Sony's John Koller announced a way gamers can get their hands on the handheld a week earlier than that by scoring a pre-order for a "PS Vita First Edition" bundle. These bundles include a limited edition case, a 4GB PS Vita Memory Card and the game Little Deviants, which is great, but then there's an interesting regional quirk. See, there's a different bundle for the United States and Canada. The U.S. bundle features the PS Vita 3G + Wi-Fi model and runs $349.99 while the Canadian version features the more affordable Wi-Fi model at $299.99. Now I don't know if this is down to the 3G coverage in Canada that they aren't pushing the 3G version there as well, because I'm damn sure that's the model they want everybody adopting. Anyway, if you want Vita a week early (in the US, at least), you can pre-order the bundle from Amazon. PS Vita First Edition Bundle [PlayStation.com via PS Blog] |
| Review: The Adventures of Tintin Posted: 27 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT Ah yes, the movie games. For every G-Force there is a Thor. For every Rango you have a Megamind: Ultimate Showdown, and for every Captain America a James Cameron's Avatar: The Game. Like that last one, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is another Ubisoft licensed game based, for the most part, on the new Spielberg movie. But does it manage to offer a better time for players this time around? The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (PC, Xbox 360 [Reviewed], PS3, Wii, DS, 3DS) At its heart, Tintin is not so much a children's game as it is somewhat of a throwback to the old 2D Prince of Persia and Another World games. The vast majority of the game sees you controlling the boy reporter with his questionable fashion sense as he side-scrolls his way from room to room. The basic trappings of platforming are all here. Jump, climb up ledges and ladders, wall jump off conveniently placed walls, or even hit a baddy with a few punches. The platforming itself is a joy to play, with just the right mix of cartoon and realistic physics to make it feel like you're really in the world of Tintin. Combat often offers you the choice to go in as a brawler, or to sneak around enemies and instantly take them down from behind. Occasionally you'll come across enemies who shield themselves with an armor suit or an umbrella, requiring you to use throwable objects like beach balls and explosives or luring the enemy to a slippery section on the ground, making him go "wee-wee-wee-wee-boing!" If you just want to pummel enemies head on, then in most cases you can, but there's always the option to take a more elegant approach by using your surroundings and this adds a lot more fun for the more experienced players. The 2D sections use some clever 3D to give you access to hidden paths for collectible Golden Crabs and make it feel like the world has some more volume than it appears to have. Whether you're a kid or an adult, these sections are a blast and thankfully they'll have you occupied for most of the game. At other times you'll move out of a 2D section to follow a corridor in 3D, and this is where you notice that the game is much better off with its 2D gameplay. It's meant to switch the perspective around a bit and keep things varied, but none of these sections ever add anything other than the obligatory "run from danger towards the camera" bit. While the swap to playing Snowy can be fun to play here and there, it feels more like he just had to be put into the game in some fashion -- sniffing paths and exploring sections Tintin doesn't fit in -- than that he's an integral character. Likewise, there are some plane flying levels where you'll evade obstacles and occasionally shoot at rocks or enemies. These levels sadly never offer anything that is solid in gameplay, expands upon the story or the world of Tintin, and quite frankly the flying was done a lot better in the Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole game. A few simple swashbuckling sections can take a little bit to figure out how to work the controls, as the analog stick suddenly moves your sword while your character is on rails. Slightly more entertaining are the various driving missions where you'll alternate between driving your bike and shooting at vicious Arabs/Berbers from the bike's sidecar. None of it is terrible to play, but neither will it blow you or your child's mind. It's just there to spice things up from the platforming and break the inevitable repetition, and at least it does that well enough. Still, the entire journey through the game's "Tintin" mode, in which you play through the movie's events, is an enjoyable and very family-friendly one. There's no drinking, no blood, and defeating enemies with retarded AI will just make them lie on the ground with their butt up in the air. Beyond the "Tintin" story mode, there's a challenge mode where you can play some more of the plane, swashbuckling, and sidecar sections. This mode also lets you use Kinect if you have the Xbox 360 version of the game, which offers some good family fun. Swashbuckling lets your inner child get its due, with on-screen prompts for where to hold your arm to block an incoming blow and flapping your arms around to slash at pirates in different directions. The sidecar and plane challenges are controlled by holding your arms out as if you're holding the handle bars or a steering wheel, respectively. The plane's shooting challenge is brilliant, though, since you can shoot down enemy planes by moving both your hands back and forth. The Kinect functionality doesn't offer enough to buy it for this alone, but if you're wondering which version to pick and you have Kinect, the Xbox 360 version is definitely the one to get. Tintin also has a very expansive co-op mode where Ubisoft Montpellier seems to have gone all out with the craziness. After the conclusion of the movie's story, Thompson and Thomson accidentally hit Captain Haddock in the head and this cues a wonderfully bizarre dream state for the drunken captain. Here you'll unlock level by level by playing through weird alternate versions of the game's locations, in which enemies make reflective remarks on being inside a dream. These co-op levels are of the 2D platforming kind and you'll have access to some new attacks like Tintin's hookshot that never appears in the story mode. You can choose to play it solo if you want, but to get all the collectibles you'll sometimes need a different character or a co-op partner, plus it's more fun to play it cooperatively. You'll also get a chance to play some of the side characters who each have their own special ability. Although you can probably breeze through Tintin's main story mode and spend an hour or two completing all the challenges, the co-op mode will offer at least a bunch of hours worth of extra content whether you play it by yourself or not. Moreover, the game does a great job at giving you that Tintin vibe and atmosphere of boyish adventure, despite the graphics reflecting that somewhat creepy look the characters have in 3D. It should be noted that Tintin can also be a bit of a dick in this game, though. He'll just barge into places without permission and steal other people's property without so much as a blink of an eye. If a servant is just there to protect his master's property he'll only get a black eye for his trouble. Or worse, be set on fire. I also don't really understand this obsession with having Tintin and enemies end up with their butt in the air when they are knocked out -- in various positions -- but c'est la vie. Putting that aside, there's a lot to enjoy in this game. The Adventures of Tintin may not be a fantastic game, but as licensed games go it's far more than decent. The different modes and variety in gameplay do not always reach the same level of quality, but the majority of it is a lot of fun to play for kids and adults alike. |
| Nightwing fries some goons in Arkham City DLC trailer Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:30 AM PDT
For those that still want more from Batman: Arkham City, the Dark Knight's ex-sidekick, Nightwing, is getting some DLC. From November 1 you'll have the opportunity to take on the challenge rooms as Batman's protege. Nightwing has his own unique gadgets and moves, he's a little lighter on his feet than the Caped Crusader and sports a pair of Eskrima fighting sticks. He also uses electricity rather liberally and probably has to get used to the smell of singed flesh. Also included in the DLC are two new challenge rooms -- Wayne Manor and Main Hall -- and a bonus skin for Nightwing based on the Batman: The Animated Series version of the character. It will go live on November 1 on XBL Marketplace for 560 MS points and on PSN for $6.99. Additionally, the preorder bonus Robin DLC will go live for everyone on November 22 for the same price. |
| My amazing adventures at BlizzCon 2011 Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT
I only had a few hours to spend at BlizzCon 2011 this past weekend, and I wanted to do as much fun stuff as possible in that very limited amount of time. I had already played StarCraft II and Diablo III (and don't regularly play World of WarCraft), so I decided to partake in all the other stuff there was to do at the awesome fan convention. What else is there to do besides play games, you ask? Surprisingly, a lot! In the above video -- shot and edited by the talented Taylor Boatright -- I record some voices for a cutscene in WoW, get a (temporary) tattoo, play some retro games, and take part in a green screen-tastic photo shoot. To say this is all humiliating would be an understatement. I hate watching myself on video (seriously, I look and sound like that?!), but BlizzCon was really fun and I am nothing if not a guy willing to embarrass himself. So ... enjoy?! Oh, and as a bonus, you can view the final photo shoot pictures in the gallery. I look pretty goddamn manly on that chicken, right? |
| Board game Apples to Apples becomes a videogame Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:45 AM PDT Super-fun comparison board game Apples to Apples will become a PSN and XBLA game this holiday season. THQ is adding social and online connectivity in the videogame version, which will allow for connected play, anywhere and at any time. The game feature single, local and six-player online play. The release mentions Golden Apple cards, which can be used to change the rules. There's also Facebook support, which lets you brag about your comparisons. Also expect DLC: cards, backgrounds and more. THQ says that the game will later expand to Facebook and mobile devices. Apples to Apples will be priced at 800 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360, or $9.99 on PS3. |
| THQ, Capcom, Warner Bros. signed up to EA's Origin Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:30 AM PDT Electronic Arts has announced that games from three major publishers -- THQ, Warner Brothers and Capcom -- will soon be made available via EA's Origin service. This is the first major step toward Origin becoming a full-fledged digital distribution marketplace. Batman: Arkham City and Saints Row: The Third have been confirmed for Origin releases, and EA makes it quite clear that it has plans to include more publishers in future. "Since launch, we’ve had overwhelming support from both publishers and developers across the gaming industry, recognizing Origin as an opportunity to deliver more of their great content straight to consumers across the globe," said Origin senior VP David DeMartini. "We’re excited to welcome Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, THQ and Capcom as the first publishers to offer their games via Origin." So ... when are we getting Call of Duty up this grill? |
| New Forza 4 trailer and November Speed Pack DLC Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:15 AM PDT
There's a new trailer/commercial for Forza Motorsport 4, which you'll find above. In it you'll see that they gave a nod to Destructoid's 10/10 review score. You'll also see all the nice things others had to say about the latest Xbox 360 racer. Speaking of nice things, new DLC is coming to Forza 4 this November. In the November Speed Pack, launching on the first of the month, you'll get 10 new cars for 560 Microsoft Points. The highlight of the group is probably the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, though the 2012 Aston Martin Virage is no slouch. You'll find full details on all cars after the jump.
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