New Games |
- Wha' Happened: National Everything You Know Is Wrong Day
- Nintendo Download: The Kid Icarus anime shorts begin
- Ratchet & Clank Collection arrives this fall
- Razer launches Razer Academy for eSports fans
- Indie Royale unveil the St. Patrick's Day Bundle
- Bethesda may be taking Elder Scrolls into the MMO space
- Dead or Alive 5 trailer full of jiggle physics
- Play Dungeon Defenders for free this weekend
- Sega brings Monster World IV to XBLA in a bundle
- Nintendo reveals Pokémon Black and White 2 box art
- Live show: Retro mech combat on Mash Tactics
- Baldur's Gate I & II revived in new enhanced editions
- Preview: Trying to make sense of Datura
- Win Ninja Gaiden & Dynasty Warriors PS Vita games!
- The ten best bars in videogames
- Skyrim Beta update 1.5 adds new cinematic kills
- Preview: Reinventing the MMO with The Secret World
- SoulCalibur V to receive worldwide update
- Review: Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass
| Wha' Happened: National Everything You Know Is Wrong Day Posted: 15 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT I'm not making these holidays up. According to Hallmark, the people who make holidays up professionally, every holiday I put here is totally real. Of course since today is National Everything You Know is Wrong Day and you now know this I suppose for today it is wrong. Luckily today is almost over and you can go back to be right all the time tomorrow. There are a few things that aren't wrong today, though. Those things are the posts below. Read them, they're the only thing that's right today. Flixist Review: The FP. Settle all your fights with DDR. Tomopop Hobbes (of Calvin & Hobbes fame) made out of comics. Japanator Japanator Recommends: Final Fantasy XIII-2. |
| Nintendo Download: The Kid Icarus anime shorts begin Posted: 15 Mar 2012 03:30 PM PDT Nintendo is officially in full Kid Icarus: Uprising mode! The Kid Icarus anime shorts kick off this week, starting with "Thanatos Rising" by Production I.G. This roughly eight-and-a-half-minute CGI cartoon is split across three parts, all available on Nintendo Video right now. It looks like it uses the same art assets as the game itself, which is disappointing considering the studio's accomplishments in digital animation. Elsewhere, Game Gear games have arrived -- Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble, Shinobi, and Dragon Crystal. If you have been sitting anxiously for any last morsel of goodness out of the Wii's Virtual Console, Samurai Shodown IV is at your service. Finally, there's Pirates Assault for DSiWare, but who gives a flip. |
| Ratchet & Clank Collection arrives this fall Posted: 15 Mar 2012 03:00 PM PDT Ratchet & Clank turns ten years old this year, and Sony is celebrating in style by confirming the impending arrival of Ratchet & Clank Collection for PlayStation 3 in the autumnal quarter of this year. The collection will include the original trilogy of Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, all featuring the compulsory HD remastering we've come to expect from these re-releases to a 1080p resolution as well as support for stereoscopic 3D (at 720p). And they're even throwing in the original online multiplayer mode found in Up Your Arsenal, which I'm sure a lot of people missed out on in the PS2 release. The grunt work is being done by Idol Minds, who are said to be working closely with Insomniac. I'm excited because, for once, this is an HD remastering which consists entirely of games I never played at all, having not become entranced by the series until the Ratchet & Clank Future trilogy. Happy day! You can check out the first few screens released by Sony in our gallery. |
| Razer launches Razer Academy for eSports fans Posted: 15 Mar 2012 02:30 PM PDT
eSports? e-Sports? Competitive gaming? Well whatever you call it, the PC hardware company Razer is ready to educate you on its happenings. Razer Academy has compiled a list of well-known names from the scene (like Latif!) with a promise to bring us "gaming shows, guides, game analysis, commentary, articles, interviews and documentaries." They cover StarCraft II to MOBA games to the fighting scene, though I find it odd that the only first-person shooter on there is Quake. Many of the staff members have introductions up on the site already, and Toby Dawson (TobiWanKenobi) even has a Dota 2 video up (shown above). Imaginatively titled "LearnDOTA," he commentates on a match and explains what and why they do what they do. I must say, as a Dota 2 newbie, I actually took valid information away from his video. It's not as entry-level as I may have liked, but it serves its purpose nonetheless. Razer has always been a supporter of the competitive scene, and it seems like they just took it to the next level. I look forward to Razer Academy's growth, especially whatever the "gaming shows" end up being. Why don't we have a SportsCenter for eSports yet? Get on that, Razer Academy! |
| Indie Royale unveil the St. Patrick's Day Bundle Posted: 15 Mar 2012 02:00 PM PDT Ah, St. Patrick's Day: when most of the Western world gets steaming drunk on green beer thanks to every single persons' temporary Irish heritage. If you all can put down your Guinness for a few minutes then you can purchase a pretty great bundle of PC games for the next four days. Indie Royale have unveiled their latest bundle in time St. Patrick's Day which includes the old school PC shooter Hard Reset, point and click adventure game Jolly Rover, math puzzler Vertex Dispenser and the satirical DLC Quest. As always, the price for the bundle is pay what you want with a current minimum of £3.18 but as always the sooner you buy, the cheaper the bundle is. I know there's been a slight backlash on bundles like these after a swathe of them towards the end of last year but they still offer great value for money. Just over £3 for Hard Reset is a bargain on its own. |
| Bethesda may be taking Elder Scrolls into the MMO space Posted: 15 Mar 2012 01:00 PM PDT One of the biggest fantasy role-playing series of all time may be about to get a whole lot bigger. Tom's Guide has reported that sources close to Bethesda have leaked details regarding an Elder Scrolls MMO project currently in the works. A surprising amount of information comes along with the leak, including that the game will take place hundreds of years prior to the events of any game previously released in the franchise. Players will be able to join one of three factions, represented by animals including a lion, a dragon and some bird of prey. A formal announcement of the game is expected to arrive this May. Not all that surprising a revelation. Rumors have been circulating for some time regarding Bethesda taking the leap into massively multiplayer gaming and Elder Scrolls is the most logical franchise for it, considering the legal wrangling only recently resolved between Interplay and Bethesda over a potential Fallout MMO. That said, huge news for fans of the series who are no doubt drowning in puddles of saliva over the prospect. Exclusive: Bethesda to Announce Elder Scrolls MMO in May [Tom's Guide] |
| Dead or Alive 5 trailer full of jiggle physics Posted: 15 Mar 2012 12:30 PM PDT
It would appear that Dead or Alive 5 is coming along nicely. I mean, Team Ninja did get the most important feature of any DoA game in there already. You know, the jiggle physics. Ayane and Hitomi are here to show off the full force of the jiggle. Just look at Ayane as she stands up in her intro. There they are jiggling like crazy, because why the hell not? Okay, DoA was never just about the bouncy lady bits. It's a solid fighting game too! And DoA5 is looking like fine entry to the series. Team Ninja decided to show off the same construction stage we've seen time and time again, but seeing all the crazy interactive environment stuff never gets old to me. Especially when Ayane kicks Hitomi in front of a car flying through the stage. It's looking absolutely ridiculous, and that's why I've always loved the Dead or Alive series. Can't wait for this one. |
| Play Dungeon Defenders for free this weekend Posted: 15 Mar 2012 12:00 PM PDT To celebrate the release of the second installment of The Lost Shards of Eternia, developer Trendy Entertainment is letting you play Dungeon Defenders for free up until Sunday lunchtime. Not only is the game free this weekend, but there' 50% off Dungeon Defenders and most of its DLC. If you haven't played it before, Dungeon Defenders is a mix of tower defense, action RPG and addictive Diablo-esque loot drops ... oh my Lord, the loot! Taking control of one of five classes, including the recently released Barbarian, you'll find yourself slicing and dicing through hordes of enemies along with placing crafty traps. There's a ton of DLC for the game that ranges from various holiday themed levels to new character skins. If you're still in two minds, check my co-op buddy Maurice Tan's pro guide to Dungeon Defenders and make sure you check the prices before you buy; The Lost Shards of Eternia parts 1 and 2 are not half price during this sale, and neither is the full game plus all DLC bundle, either. |
| Sega brings Monster World IV to XBLA in a bundle Posted: 15 Mar 2012 11:30 AM PDT [As originally published on Japanator] Sega and Westone's Wonder Boy series was really strange when it came to naming conventions. Wonder Boy started visiting Monster Land and Monster World, and before you know it, Sega put out a Genesis game with the unwieldy Japanese title of Wonder Boy 5: Monster World 3. (For a good overview of the confusing series, I highly recommend Hardcore Gaming 101.) My point in explaining this is that the last game in the Wonder Boy series was the more-concisely-titled Monster World IV, a game which was supposedly excellent but never made it out of Japan. Almost a year ago, Sega announced that they were bringing a localized version of Monster World IV to XBLA and Virtual Console, but we haven't heard anything since then. What luck, then, that XBLA Fans have spotted an Xbox Live Marketplace listing for Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World. The bundle will include Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Wonder Boy in Monster World, and the newly-localizedMonster World IV. The listing, since removed, gave a release date of April 25, 2012, though it could be a placeholder date. There's no explanation of why Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap, which is essentially "Monster World 2," is not included. Maybe it's because it's missing any mention of monsters in its English title. Marketplace listing outs Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World [XBLA Fans] |
| Nintendo reveals Pokémon Black and White 2 box art Posted: 15 Mar 2012 11:00 AM PDT You've seen the mock ups and the blurry scans, but now, it's for real! Nintendo has released the official cover art for the upcoming Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, showcasing White Kyurem and Black Kyurem in all their glory. The games are set to release in Japan this June, with a NA and EU release to follow in the fall. I like these a lot better than the original covers, which now seem drab by comparison. I also want to join the chorus of speculation on the significance of all this red and blue (that's not Ruby and Sapphire behind the title...right?), but for now will keep my rumor hole shut. Pokemon Black and White 2 box art - first official pictures [Official Nintendo Magazine] |
| Live show: Retro mech combat on Mash Tactics Posted: 15 Mar 2012 10:30 AM PDT Gear up for a mechanized "Throwback Thursday" on today's Mash Tactics. King Foom is blasting into two old school mech games. First up is Metal Storm for the NES, a side-scrolling platformer from the minds behind R-Type. After that is Cybernator for the SNES. Brought to the States by Konami, this game is a run and gun adventure, and not an online intimacy simulator as the title may suggest. Tune in and worship our colossal robot heroes. Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Destructoid's Twitch TV channel. Watch King Foom play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you can be as much a part of the show as anything else.
|
| Baldur's Gate I & II revived in new enhanced editions Posted: 15 Mar 2012 10:15 AM PDT If you were one of the many who flooded camped out on the Baldur's Gate site to watch the clock count down on their big announcement...you probably saw a lot of the above image today. Now that the digital dust has cleared, I can inform you that Baldur's Gate is back! In a post on the official site, Overhaul Games reveals they've brought together a team to bring us enhanced editions of both Baldur's Gate I and II. These releases will be more than just a remake, they'll also include new content alongside the old, both crafted in a "reforged version of the Infinity Engine" with a promised variety of improvements. The development team also includes members who worked on the original games, thus ensuring the new content has a solid chance at fitting right into the Baldur's Gate universe. The butt kicking for goodness begins again when Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition debuts this summer. Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition will come at a later, though no time frame has been given. |
| Preview: Trying to make sense of Datura Posted: 15 Mar 2012 10:00 AM PDT Datura is one of those games that compels you to share your in-game experience with friends as if you're telling a grand story about some meaningful feat you accomplished. For me personally, it tends to be exploration-centric games like Fallout: New Vegas that evoke such a response. While Plastic Studios' latest project for PlayStation 3 is no open-world game in that sense, it does allow the player to walk around freely while trying to understand their unsettling surroundings. I suppose you could call this a modern adventure game, or something to that effect. One thing is for sure: Datura is f*cking weird. Datura (PlayStation Network) The centerpiece of the playable build shown off at the 2012 Game Developers Conference was a gloomy, leaf-filled forest. After a quick interactive scene in which you are strapped into the back of an ambulance and attempt to get your bearings, you are sent to this wooded area for reasons not yet made clear. It's very possible that Datura will never fully explain itself, because it very much seems to be one of those open-to-interpretation games. I have nothing against them, but if you do, consider this your first and only warning. The world is presented to you from a first-person perspective, hence my desire to lump this in with adventure games. Datura can be played with a standard gamepad, but its main emphasis is placed on the PlayStation Move. It allows you to more accurately control a floating on-screen hand to interact with objects in the environment, like a notebook fastened to a tree with a pen. In some ways, using the Move was almost too precise, and in the process of getting used to the control scheme, there were some unintentionally hilarious moments in which my rogue hand went haywire. While this game doesn't beat you over the head with what to do or where to go, there are small prompts to show you how to pull off specific Move actions needed for the given situation. I appreciated that. It's hard to say what the puzzles in Datura will be like in the full game. The ones presented to me were based more on interaction with something abstract rather than "solving" anything per se, but then again, this was presumably the very beginning and it's entirely possible they'll get increasingly complex. The stand-out moment involved waking up an out-of-reach pig. There was a pile of potatoes nearby, so I started chucking them in the creature's general direction until one finally connected. This prompted the pig to start walking around the forest, eventually making its way to a tunnel guarded by overgrown roots. I already knew something wasn't quite right with this animal, but when it cleared the path by nonchalantly walking through these roots, that pretty much confirmed my suspicions. Naturally, I crawled along the now-accessible path and then found myself driving a car. So, I did what any reasonable person would do and attempted to avoid rubbing up against the guard rails until the aforementioned pig appeared in the middle of the road. Believe me when I say I tried my best to hit it, but somehow, I missed. And that was the end of the demo. I was told that hitting the pig would've flipped my car over. Needless to say, I'm really bummed out now. Confused by all of this? Join the club. I was able to watch other people play Datura and they encountered different objects in the forest that I had totally overlooked, raising even more questions. I'm eager to play more and hopefully get answers. If you're not completely averse to artsy games, you should be too. |
| Win Ninja Gaiden & Dynasty Warriors PS Vita games! Posted: 15 Mar 2012 09:30 AM PDT Take pictures of yourself in the best costume you can make of: A) a ninja or B) a Dynasty Warrior. Email them to Cookies@Destructoid.com by this Sunday, March 18th, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Now, let me clarify that we're not looking for a super-accurate homemade replica of Ryu Hayabusa's outfit, or anything like that. Have fun with it, get silly. Put on a bathrobe and a scarf and make some epic poses with a broom or wrap a teeshirt around your head and make some tinfoil shurikens. Common sense would dictate that if you want Ninja Gaiden, dress like a ninja, and if you want Dynasty Warriors, dress like whatever the hell Dynasty Warriors are. Mongol lampshade wizards or whatever. Winners will be picked based on creativity and originality, and bonus points will be awarded if you're holding a PS Vita. That way we know you're not just gonna trade in the game and buy Poképark 2 or something. Once again, it pains me to say that this contest is US ONLY. If you have access to a US address, that works too. (I seriously feel like a jerk every time we do a US only contest, because I know you guys are scattered all over the world. It's not because I don't love you. There's some legal/tax BS, and we honestly don't have the budget for shipping or a matter-teleporter.) |
| The ten best bars in videogames Posted: 15 Mar 2012 09:00 AM PDT St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend, and, with that, comes a wonderful celebration of the patron saints and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. Oh, who am I kidding? It’s St. Patrick’s Day: an excuse to wear green, pinch people, and drink lots and lots of beer. But going to a bar on this holiday is one of the worst decisions you could ever make. Lines of people; overpriced drinks; people wearing obnoxious “Kiss Me I’m Irish!” buttons even though they aren’t Irish (and most likely couldn’t even point to Ireland on a map). All of this stuff does not add up to a fun night. But I am here to help! Since I would never advocate excessive drinking (especially to the underage readers of our site), instead of heading to a real-life bar this St. Patty’s Day, how about you spend the day in some of the best digital drinking holes in the world of videogames? It’s safe, free, and you won’t wake up feeling horrible in the morning! So in celebration of this most drunken of holidays, pull up a stool, start singing “Danny Boy,” and let’s visit the ten best in-game bars ... EVER! After crash landing on desert planet Kerona, space janitor/hero Roger Wilco eventually makes his way to a bar in the small town of Ulence Flats. Inspired by the Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars, the Rocket Bar is an oasis filled with a wide variety of drunken aliens and lethal drinks. The highlight of the bar, though, is the slot machine in the corner of the dirty, sparse establishment. One of the most addictive parts of the game, the deadly slot machine minigame in Space Quest is an easy (and fun!) way to make a ton of money to buy a sleek new cruiser from the neighboring used spaceship emporium. Sure, three skull and crossbones will instantly kill you, but that is part of the fun! What’s a good St. Patty’s Day without a few near-death experiences?
Technically, the Chaos Theater is more of a concert venue than a bar. And even though you can’t buy drinks in the game, we all know there has to be a bar somewhere, hiding just off-screen. But the lure of secret alcoholic beverages aside, the real draw of the Chaos Theater is the venue’s central (and only) musical act: the Runaway Five. Spending a night listening to EarthBound’s awesome, ridiculous, six-person (?) jazz band would guarantee one of the best St. Patrick’s Days ever.
The bar in 1983 arcade game Tapper has both a positive and a negative. On the positive side, non-stop beer! In the game, you play a bartender that must serve frosty mugs of beer to an endless barrage of thirsty customers. Seriously, the beer never ends! On the negative side ... that beer is Budweiser.
There are, like, a thousand different bars in the corrupt, futuristic world of underrated classic Blade Runner for the PC. Okay, “a thousand” might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are a lot. The most memorable of these is Taffy’s Bar, if only because it features a heinously bad stand-up comedy act in all its full, pre-rendered glory. But, seriously, if you haven’t played Blade Runner, play it. It is one of the best adventure games of all time.
It’s like my father always told me: A bar is never a real bar without a plethora of asari strippers. Thanks, dad!
To be honest, there is nothing really special about the bar/command center in the early hours of StarCraft II. It looks like most in-game bars. Outside of the alien head mounted on the wall, it looks like most of the dive bars I frequent in Los Angeles. What sets the bar apart is its inclusion of hardened (and hard drinkin’) Jim Raynor. Any place is made cooler with the inclusion of badass Jim Raynor. Heck, the command center of StarCraft II could have been set in a Ruby Tuesday and it someone would have felt awesome because of Jim Raynor.
Best name for a bar EVER! But they seriously need to fix the chandelier. That is a real safety hazard.
One of my favorite things about playing modern videogames -- especially ones with realistic art direction! -- is admiring some of the incredible in-game architecture. Quite possibly the coolest-looking bar/club in any videogame I have ever encountered is in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The Hive is so visually interesting and well-designed that I would love to see it exist in real-life. I could easily see myself being a regular there, traveling through ventilation shafts, hacking computers, and making scandalous deals with crime bosses -- all while looking really cool.
There are many reasons that 7th Heaven in Final Fantasy VII is one of the best videogame bars of all time. 1) It is owned by Tifa Lockhart, arguably the best character in Final Fantasy VII. 2) Access to the bar’s secret meeting room is triggered by a pinball machine. (And I love pinball.) 3) When Tifa joins the other main characters on a mission, party member Barret’s four-year-old daughter is put in charge of the bar. A FOUR-YEAR-OLD IS PUT IN CHARGE OF THE BAR! My God, I would love to see what a bar run by a four-year-old would be like. Beyond amazing.
Of all the in-game bars on this list, no other one is as seedy, shady, dirty, and just plain gross as Lefty’s in the original Leisure Suit Larry. And, for that, it is awesome. Seriously, what other in-game bar will let the player drink, steal a ring from a disgusting bathroom, sleep with a hooker, escape from a room by jumping in a trash bin, and observe nude paintings of women in glorious EGA graphics like Lefty’s? Good ol’ Lefty’s. I feel dirty even describing it.
I am the first person to admit making a mistake. When I posted this list earlier today, many people called me out for not including the incredibly awesome SCUMM bar from The Secret of Monkey Island. I was shocked I forgot it. The bar made the short list, but, for some strange reason -- it must have been the work of LeChuck! -- it did not make the final cut. I slapped myself on the wrist and told myself I was an idiot for making such a stupid mistake. But then I saw this tweet. One of my gaming heroes, Ron Gilbert himself, noticed the exclusion. After my first reaction of "OMG RON GILBERT READ MY POST!" I immediately thought, "Oh my God, Ron Gilbert read my post. Uh oh." I knew I had to remedy the error. So, the SCUMM bar gets an honorable mention. I adore The Secret of Monkey Island and feel it deserves at least that. Sorry, Ron (and everyone!). (UPDATE: Ron Gilbert has forgiven me. Whew! I won't have to cry myself to sleep tonight.)
----- What do you think? Do you know any other videogame bars that you would love to have a drink in? What are your plans for St. Patricks’ Day? Are you going to get drunk (again, not advocating)? Are you drunk right now? Heck, am I drunk right now? |
| Skyrim Beta update 1.5 adds new cinematic kills Posted: 15 Mar 2012 08:30 AM PDT
I'm not sure what the greater gift is here, a Skyrim update or this beautiful montage of new kill moves. Today Bethesda has announced via their blog that Skyrim Beta update 1.5 is now live on Steam. With it comes a number of bug fixes and new features, including all new kill moves and animations for melee weapons and new cinematic kill cameras for projectile weapons and spells. Among the better bug fixes: several quest-crashing issues have been resolved, the weapon racks in Proudspire Manor are working, followers will sneak properly, and Lydia will have now a marriage dialogue option option after purchasing Breezehome. Tumbler fanfiction tells me many of you will be very pleased by that last bit of news. Me, I'm sticking with Mjoll (because she can't be killed and I have to). NEW FEATURES
BUG FIXES
|
| Preview: Reinventing the MMO with The Secret World Posted: 15 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PDT The MMO space has been steadily filling up since people realized just how much money Blizzard is actually making. Many have tried to break into that space, but most have failed. Funcom has a pretty consistent history of bringing solid titles to market -- nothing necessarily groundbreaking, but they work. When The Secret World was announced, though, people got legitimately excited. Here, we had an MMO taking place not in space or some generic fantasy land but in the modern day, with a story running parallel to our own world. Here are a few of my initial thoughts on the The Secret World. The Secret World (PC) Like World of Warcraft and The Old Republic, The Secret World is based on interfactional warfare. There are the Templars based out of London who want to restore and maintain order, the Dragons based out of Seoul who are the embodiment of chaos, and the Illuminati based out of New York who are comparatively moderate. Each of these factions is contending with transdimensional foes, and there are a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of figures vying for power. Everyone will have a recruitment mission to get them set up with one of the groups, but there is no typical class selection here. Funcom has decided upon Skyrim-style class selection -- pick what you want, do what you want, and find a role for yourself. There are more than 500 abilities and nine classes of weapons (though some of those are magic), and as you gain experience, you get skill points to distribute into any category to shape your character however you want. Each player is also limited to seven active abilities and seven passive abilities, so careful selection and strategy plays into deciding what you use. It's a really intriguing system that is elegantly implemented with a stunningly beautiful, semi-minimal interface. Taking cues from TOR, the majority of the game is voiced, though the player character is a silent protagonist. It's a much more engaging way of conveying stories and doling out quests, and it represents another area where Blizzard is starting to fall behind. Quests themselves are more organic than in other MMOs, and the story is told more through the perspective of gathering information and lore to piece together what is going on rather than through the traditional fetch quest. "Quest givers," if they can be called that, will often actively mislead you either intentionally or unintentionally, and they represent an interesting break with the established tropes of the genre. I had a good 30 minutes to play the game after a presentation by Funcom staff showing off some new content. I wasn't able to get too far into the real meat of the game, but I got to pick up a few weapons, tool around with some basic abilities, and run around London for a bit. The overworld is rich and lively, and for once, there's a game which does not seem to have the utterly impractical architecture of other MMOs (i.e. buildings that are so utterly gargantuan as to be ridiculous). Combat is smooth, and everything takes place in real time. The player can move while casting, charging, shooting, etc., so battles feel more like an action RPG than anything else -- faster and more frantic without ever losing complete control. It's a fun and refreshing mix that I can't say I have seen replicated anywhere else. The Secret World is due out June 19th, which is good because I've been looking forward to this since I first saw it at PAX '09. I'm still a bit concerned as to the longevity of the title, but a lot of work has gone into "reinventing the wheel," as it were, and it definitely shows. |
| SoulCalibur V to receive worldwide update Posted: 15 Mar 2012 07:30 AM PDT Today Namco Bandai has announced an update for SoulCalibur V, set for release later this month. The update will make some gameplay tweaks and character balance adjustments per community feedback, as well as add "online ranked game search optimization" (whee?). Users can download the update on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 starting March 21, 2012. More DLC, in the form of additional costumes for the Creation Mode, is set to debut April 3 on Xbox 360 and April 4 on PlayStation 3. |
| Review: Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass Posted: 15 Mar 2012 07:00 AM PDT They say the first impression is always a lasting one. The main loading screen in Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass has a guy with his hand stuck in a toaster. "Great," I thought, "is this going to be some low brow, cash-in?" Actually, Da New Guys is almost entirely a one-man show developed by Chris Burton (aka Icebox Games). Is his vision enough to make the game stand out among more notable point-and-click adventures? Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass (PC) Despite its title and loading screen, Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass isn't really low brow or trashy at all but does attempt an absurd and fairly lighthearted story. Da New Guys are a three-man wrestling faction, plying their trade in the city's infamous Wrestlezone. When the intellectually challenged (and ironically named) Brain somehow wins the Wrestlezone championship belt, he's mercilessly hounded by jealous wrestlers. After managing to escape their clutches, Brain is kidnapped and it's up to his teammates Simon and The Defender to rescue him. The story may be about professional wrestling, but Da New Guys bears no real resemblance to pro wrestling's soap opera-esque brawling. What you will find is a drunk CEO, ten-year-old criminal mastermind, a prison break, and more than one vehicle pursuit. If anything -- aside from the occasional mild swear word -- Da New Guys' humor is fairly tame, which stems from controlling the good-natured and easy going Defender for a large portion of the game.
The first thing that will make an impression are the graphics; I'm not one to knock anyone's level of artistic talent, so I will simply say the graphics are rudimentary and functional. While they're pretty plain and lo-fi, I didn't feel the art distracted from the experience. I did find myself just not figuring out that some on-screen items could be interacted with, however. This wasn't the same problem as what I encountered in The Book of the Unwritten Tales where the backgrounds were so rich with detail that objects never stood out; rather, it was me not realizing that an L-shaped object in a corner was a vital sock I needed to pick up. Then there's the voice acting. Again, I'm not going to knock an indie developer for voicing a big chunk of the game's cast. That said, the only member of Da New Guys not to start wearing thin by the end of the game was Simon. Brain's dopey American accent and Defender's insistence on referring to almost every character as "my friend" really started to grate as I progressed. Aside from these issues, Da New Guys is solid point-and-click fun. Da New Guys is a classic-style adventure game through and through but there are some deviations to keep things interesting, such as a few chase sequences and even a top-down stealth section. The game only really lags in the latter third where you can control two characters and you're working in various locations trying to find three parts of a puzzle. That was the most frustrating section I encountered (aside from a single reaction-based part towards the end), mainly as it was tricky to keep track of what I was still needing to do. A quest log or even just a simple checklist would have been really handy for that section of the game. Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass is solid but unspectacular. Though the game never outstays its welcome, the puzzles never felt truly inspired at any point, especially later on. Most of them felt like a setup for a pleasant gag but nothing more. The latter half of the game sags a bit, particularly after the kidnapping and prison break storylines are resolved. There's much to admire about Chris Burston's game; it's got a decent length, the locations are varied, and the voice acting isn't bad at all. If you're desperately looking for a traditional point-and-click game, then Da New Guys will scratch that itch. It's just hard to recommend it over other recent titles like The Book of Unwritten Tales, Gemini Rue, and the upcoming Yesterday. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Destructoid To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
