New Games |
- Valve adds items, workshop support to free-to-play Dota 2
- Star Wars 1313 and Castlevania LoS2 on GTTV tonight
- Indie game StarForge looks too good to be true
- Out of the closet: EA admits to E3 Dead Space 3 reveal
- ROCCAT to unveil new Kone XTD mouse at E3
- Here's a convenient list of the Halo 4 pre-order bonuses
- So many cubes: Fez sells 100,000 copies
- A chiptune tribute to John Carpenter's synth movie scores
- Live show: GTA IV with mods on Mash Tactics
- Just one more day until the Max Payne 3 PC launch
- Review: Joy Ride Turbo
- West vs. Activision settlement reached over COD lawsuit
- Last call! Win an Xbox 360 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Mega64 suffers through the gamut of Diablo III errors
- Meet the monsters of Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
- Meat Boy goes stereoscopic in Retro City Rampage
| Valve adds items, workshop support to free-to-play Dota 2 Posted: 31 May 2012 03:00 PM PDT A new update just hit Dota 2, and first things first: you do not, and will not, have to pay to unlock any hero in the newly confirmed to be free-to-play Dota 2. If you want, however, you can spend your real-world money in order to unlock neat aesthetic pieces for your favorite heroes. Is Nature's Prophet's beard not awesome enough for you? Get a new one! Is Kunkka not enough pirate for your liking? Now he can be! You can mix and match various pieces of equipment to make each character your own. Battle Points and leveling up have also been added, and it looks like each time you level up you'll get a random item, similar to Team Fortress 2. Steam Workshop integration has also been added, so if you have the chops, you can design your very own items and they could be included in the game! I suppose it's only a matter of time now until trading is integrated, right? Some Ogre Magi and bot AI fixes are the only real gameplay changes to note as there is no new hero added in this update. There are, however, three silhouettes on the bottom of the update page. The Internet tells me that they are Mortred, Chaos Knight, and Gyrocopter (!!!). Oh man, I can't wait to play Gyrocopter. Official patch notes: GAMEPLAY
UI
VISUALS
DOTA 2 BOTS
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| Star Wars 1313 and Castlevania LoS2 on GTTV tonight Posted: 31 May 2012 02:30 PM PDT I simply adore the weeks leading up to E3. As we get closer to the big show, everyone blessed enough to have an exclusive reveal is getting it prepped and sometimes, if we're lucky, mistakes happen. Today's comes in the form of a Gametrailers splash page (captured by a Joystiq reader) with two previously unannounced titles. Star Wars 1313 and Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2, both found on Gametrailers earlier this evening, are set to be unveiled on GTTV later tonight. Castlevania is an obvious one. The first Lords of Shadow carried its weight and few would argue that it's deserving of a sequel. The Star Wars title, however, is a bit of a mystery. My de facto response when it comes to Star Wars is "It's not Battlefront 3," but almost any entry to the universe is welcome. Joystiq suggested that 1313 refers to Boba Fett and, with no logical alternative, I'm inclined to agree. It may not be Battlefront, but damn.. I love Boba Fett. GTTV goes live at 1:00am eastern. Star Wars 1313, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 titles leaked ahead of E3 announcements [Joystiq] |
| Indie game StarForge looks too good to be true Posted: 31 May 2012 02:00 PM PDT
Stop. Stop what you're doing right now and watch this trailer for StarForge. Watch it without sound if you have to, just watch it! There's a lot to take in during those six and a half minutes, but the bottom line is that StarForge looks to be a new "indie darling." It quickly hit the top of Reddit today and even got the Notch bump (two of the quickest ways to crash your server). Devoloped by two dudes, StarForge is making a lot of promises. Terrain deformation, base building, land-to-space travel (with no loading times!), procedural generation, and legit physics seem to be making the short list of features. The trailer demonstrates all of that, and you can even see for yourself by downloading a playable build of the game. Currently, the best way to download the game is through torrents, (found in the info box on YouTube) since their servers are being overloaded. The playable build isn't as expansive as the trailer, so don't get your hopes up just yet. Oh, and did I mention that it's going to be free-to-play? Well, it is! I've played the game for a bit, and I must say: I am very excited for the future of StarForge. The playable build starts off by throwing you into an open area surrounded by trees and some mountains. The developers have said that Minecraft is one of their influences, and it's pretty evident right from the start. You're able to spawn turrets, boxes, and spinning hammers of doom in conjunction with changing the terrain in order to create your very own base. You can also spawn a wave of enemies to test your defenses. Judging from the video, this seems to be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to StarForge. One of the things that struck me was the player physics after being hit. Try getting hit with a missile or one of the spinning hammers. Your character tumbles in such a way that feels really impactful. Each big hit made me yell "OOF!" as I tumbled dozens of yards away. It's still not perfect, as you occasionally get a glimpse of what's under the floor, but remember: this is a very early alpha build. Jumping/platforming doesn't feel quite right and it can be hard to build your base due to the clunkiness. I hope that CodeHatch continues to release playable builds of StarForge as they continue to add more elements, not unlike Minecraft or Overgrowth. Embracing your fanbase by using their feedback to fuel your development is a great business model for certain indie games, and I think StarForge is a perfect fit for it. You can discuss your impressions of the game over at the official forums and let the developers know what's awesome and what's not! For now I'll just sit and wait as these amazing guys work on a bigger and better game. |
| Out of the closet: EA admits to E3 Dead Space 3 reveal Posted: 31 May 2012 01:00 PM PDT One of the worst kept secrets in gaming, Dead Space 3 is now officially official and no longer the stuff of rumors. Electronic Arts confirmed to IGN that the next entry in their spook house in space series will be revealed during the publisher's press conference next week on June 4th. It seems the third installment is looking to change things up considerably, trading the cramped corridors of the USG Ishimura and the Sprawl for the more open environments of a necromorph infected ice planet. Not only that, but the rumors of the Dead Space 3 featuring co-op is looking more likely after the recent reveal of new character Sergeant John Carver. Which reminds me, I still have a nearly-finished copy of Dead Space 2 sitting on the shelf just waiting to be played. And look, the sun's going down. What timing. Well folks, sorry to leave you hanging but I have space zombies to kill. Look for more news straight from the Los Angeles Convention Center here next week. |
| ROCCAT to unveil new Kone XTD mouse at E3 Posted: 31 May 2012 12:30 PM PDT ROCCAT Studios have always produced flashy, eye-catching PC peripherals but it looks like they're going all out with their new mouse, the successor to the Kone[+] called the Kone XTD (or its full title, the Kone XTD Max Customization Gaming Mouse). Built on the existing Kone[+] framework, the XTD now boasts 8200 DPI laser sensor, an in-built, 32-bit ARM processor, and what ROCCAT are calling "the most advanced Tracking & Distance Control Unit." The makers are also promising a tougher and more precise mouse wheel on the XTD which is a big improvement. Can't stand a mouse wheel that's too loose. The thing I look for most in a mouse is comfort; if I'm going to be using it for hours, then it better fit nicely in my hand. Things like extra buttons and adjustable sensitivity are all handy to have but we'll see in September whether the Kone XTD can really make use of all its impressive technology to improve our gaming experiences. |
| Here's a convenient list of the Halo 4 pre-order bonuses Posted: 31 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT 343 Industries has announced all the pre-order bonuses for Halo 4. The thing is, you're going to have to wait for the retailers themselves to announce which ones they have in the coming days. These are the known retailers to have announced their pre-orders so far, as compiled on the 343 Industries forums:
Worth noting is that the armor associated with the skins are not what comes in the pre-order, you get the skin associated with the armor. The colors on the skin can be customized to your liking. To see what they all look like, check out the gallery below. |
| So many cubes: Fez sells 100,000 copies Posted: 31 May 2012 11:30 AM PDT As announced by developer Polytron, Fez has surpassed 100,000 sales on Xbox Live Arcade. A respectable figure, in my opinion, but let's just say I hope this is only the beginning. Despite the high expectations some of us built up during the lengthy development cycle, I still firmly believe the game is worth playing to completion and expect that to hold true for years to come. And if you find yourself unable to buy Fez for whatever reason, you ought to seek out the game's soundtrack if absolutely nothing else. It's become my standard time-to-get-sh*t-done music that gets left to loop endlessly. How many of you are still trying to hunt down those cubes? Fez sells 100k on XBLA [Polytron Corporation] |
| A chiptune tribute to John Carpenter's synth movie scores Posted: 31 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Sometimes it pays to stalk people on Twitter. For example, I was peeping in on Max Scoville's feed when he dropped word of a John Carpenter chiptune tribute album. Naturally, my interest was piqued. Famed film director John Carpenter not only made memorable movies like They Live and Big Trouble in Little China, he also scored most of them himself. His lo-fi synthesized soundtracks were able to express so much through so little, a lot like how 8-bit era game composers were able to create memorable melodies with limited resources. To celebrate Carpenter's creative vision, the videogame net label Pterodactyl Squad published It's All In The Reflexes, covering various Carpenter film themes. If you want to hear chiptune arrangements of Escape from New York, Assault on Precinct 13, and of course Halloween, give the free album a download. C'mon! Don't be a formaldehyde face! It's All In The Reflexes - A John Carpenter Tribute [Pterodactyl Squad] |
| Live show: GTA IV with mods on Mash Tactics Posted: 31 May 2012 10:30 AM PDT King Foom is getting criminal today on Mash Tactics! He's booting up Grand Theft Auto IV for the PC. Foom can't just leave well enough alone, he'll be stacking on the modifications. Tune in and maybe join in for some multiplayer mayhem. Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Dtoid.TV. 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.
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| Just one more day until the Max Payne 3 PC launch Posted: 31 May 2012 10:15 AM PDT
Max Payne 3 is out tomorrow for the PC, and with the release comes the launch trailer showing off just how sexy the game looks on PC. This version, as any respectable PC release of a game should have, includes advanced graphics options, scalable high-resolution textures, DirectX11 features, 3D, LAN, and multi-monitor support too. I've been playing Max Payne 3 on the Xbox 360 this past week and am blown away by how great the game is. Check out our official review to hold you over until tomorrow. |
| Posted: 31 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT The kart racing genre is a staple of gaming that each console generation experiences. While Mario Kart may have broken the original mold, several hundred others xeroxed it before the concept broke. But like every copy of a copy, it loses quality as each new version is thrust upon the unsuspecting game-buying populace. Last year, to usher in the new control of the Kinect, Microsoft Studios showcased a then free-to-play, micro-transaction-funded kart racer, which was eventually scrapped for a retail version called Kinect Joy Ride. Much like those who played it, the game flailed. Now, the company has ditched the motion controls and slapped a "sequel" onto Xbox Live Arcade in the form of Joy Ride Turbo. And I played it. You're welcome. Joy Ride Turbo (Xbox Live Arcade) While kart racers can be fun diversions and are often entertaining multiplayer experiences, Joy Ride Turbo is as lackluster as they come. It isn't that it's an incompetent game, rather, it's just not a very fun one. Gameplay is split up into three modes: Championship Series, Stunt Track, and Single Race, with each having further separation of 100, 200, and 300cc classes. These class separations seem to make no noticeable difference in course or race difficultly, other than how much the racer AI rubber bands on the final race. In Championship mode, there is further separation for muscle, truck, and sport car series, with three races for each car. The fourth race set allows the player select any car class and race in the final three-race tournament. As you race, you have your standard set of power-ups that you'll collect from crates along the course. Missiles, dynamite, and gas canisters used to increase boost can all be found. Boost plays a big part here, as drifting or doing tricks off jumps (with the analog sticks) builds up a small meter at the bottom of the screen, and boosting helps you power through the course off ramps and hidden shortcuts. In addition, there are also car-part crates hidden around the tracks which, when gathered, unlock more cars to race with. Sadly, this is the first of many problems with the game. You start with one car of each type already unlocked for races, with four others in each type visible. However, to unlock these, you must gather three different crate types to unlock the car. Then, once unlocked, you must purchase it with coins, earned either from winning races, or gathered along the Stunt Track, which I'll get to later. Further confusing matters, there are also variations on the car types, unlocked in the same manner. What makes this annoying, however, is that even if you gather all the crates from all ten races (a minimum of four in each) you still may not have the right parts to unlock one full car. You've gathered the wheels from one, but not the shocks or engine. You'll have the shocks and engine for another car, but be missing the wheels. I went through each of the ten races in single-race mode and just drove along and gathered up all the crates in each race, and only unlocked six cars (out of the 45 possible). Then there's the races themselves. Despite each having various shortcuts and twists and surprises along the way, there is just an overall blandness to each race. The other drivers are innocuous, inoffensive nobodies who don't really pose much threat, even at the higher race difficulties. Thankfully, there's four-player split screen and eight-player online modes to present an actual challenge, but with only ten courses in total, repetition becomes tiresome and there's not enough variety in the courses to warrant more than a few runs per race. Thankfully, there is the Stunt Track, which is the saving grace of this game. Here, you're allowed to tool around a giant course with ramps and jumps winding through valleys littered with coins. While this mode is also strangely separated into 100, 200 and 300cc classes, the course remains the same and it's not really a "race" even. You're not competing against anyone, just gathering items and exploring. And that may be why it works so well. Unfortunately, even this is short lived, as there are only two stunt courses. The rest of the gameplay is rounded out with the same boring races from championship mode in "battle," "pro," or time-trial single races. I really have no idea what separates battle mode from pro race, as they appear and function exactly the same, but there they are listed as separate features. While Joy Ride Turbo isn't a good game, it's not a bad game, either. It's a competent racer that could have benefited from better race and track design to make the experience a bit more enjoyable. Bland tracks, similar variations on popular power-ups, and no real sense of accomplishment for unlocks makes for a very boring racer indeed, and the lack of development into the game's one truly fun mode is a crime. Perhaps they'll release more stunt courses as DLC, but by the time they do, I'm fairly certain no one will care. |
| West vs. Activision settlement reached over COD lawsuit Posted: 31 May 2012 09:30 AM PDT In one of the nastiest legal battles within the past couple years of the gaming industry, things were set to officially go to court tomorrow. It's now known that Activision has reached an agreement with Jason West and Vince Zampella, according to an attorney representing the former Infinity Ward heads. He has stated that the terms are highly confidential and that he cannot say what exactly they are. My guess would be a sh*t-ton of money. West and Zampella were suing Activision because they were claiming they had been wrongly terminated from their own studio, and Activision counter-sued claiming the studio heads were planning to take huge talent from Infinity Ward and taking them over to EA with them. The case had $1 billion hanging in the air. We'll keep you posted as we hear more. Settlement reached in Call of Duty's billion dollar West v. Activision lawsuit [Polygon] |
| Last call! Win an Xbox 360 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II Posted: 31 May 2012 08:45 AM PDT GameStop has a whole series of goodies tied around Black Ops II, starting with the limited edition two-sided poster you can get for pre-ordering the game. Once you've received your poster, GameStop wants you to take a shot of yourself with it and share it on Twitter using the hashtag: #GSFIRSTWAVE. GameStop will then share the image with the fans on their Facebook page. The poster is just one of four extras pre-order customers will be given, with the additional extras to be revealed as we get closer to the launch of Black Ops II. Plus, pre-order customers will be given a Prestige Token for use in Modern Warfare 3. On top of all these extras, GameStop has given us a 250GB Xbox 360 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II* to giveaway to one of you! In order to win the bundle, leave a comment below telling us what you would like to see Treyarch do differently in Black Ops II. Our preview mentioned a lot of big changes happening to the series, what else would you like to see get changed? You have until May 31 at 11:59PM PST to enter and contest is open to anyone with a US based shipping address the prizes can be shipped to. We'll be picking the best comment to give the prizes to so make your entries count! *Note that the winner will receive Black Ops II after it's released on November 13. |
| Mega64 suffers through the gamut of Diablo III errors Posted: 31 May 2012 08:30 AM PDT
The extent of Blizzard's lack of bug-checking for Diablo III is unknowable. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. At least, that's what happened when the Mega64 crew sat down for a friendly co-op game. Oh, and I could have gone the rest of my life without knowing what poopsocking was. God dammit, Rocco. Since E3 is just around the corner, I'm also sharing the boys' latest E3 predictions video from a couple weeks back, embedded after the jump. What secrets will E3 hold? Time travel will reveal all! Mega64: Diablo III: Night of 1000 Errors [GameTrailers]
Mega64: E3 2012 Predictions [GameTrailers] |
| Meet the monsters of Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit Posted: 31 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT
I'm pretty stoked to check out Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit next week. The game looks absolutely balls-mental and this new trailer does little to dissuade me. It showcases some of the hundred monsters that saw Hell's ruler taking a lovely bath with a rubber duck -- the monsters that said ruler will need to destroy. Yeah, I'm all for this game. Check out the video, see if it excites your senses. |
| Meat Boy goes stereoscopic in Retro City Rampage Posted: 31 May 2012 07:30 AM PDT
Today is May 31... HEY! Wasn't Retro City Rampage supposed to come out this month? Briiiiiiaaaaaan! You've got some 'splainin' to doooooooooooo! In all seriousness, the game is finished and running through a final bug check. Unfortunately, it's going to miss its scheduled release month. Perhaps the above trailer for the previously unseen "Virtual Meat Boy" minigame will satisfy your cravings for a while. Playing like Rad Racer or 3-D WorldRunner, "Virtual Meat Boy" is an auto-scrolling runner starring Team Meat's undercooked hero. As the title implies, the minigame is rendered in the Virtual Boy's eye-searing red-and-black color scheme, but with the flick of a switch, it can be played in stereoscopic 3D! Still have those cardboard glasses lying around? "Virtual Meat Boy" is the second crossover minigame, following the 'Splosion Man tie-in. A third minigame starring CommanderVideo from the BIT.TRIP series will be playable at E3 next week, so stay tuned for that! |
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