New Games |
- Guild Wars 2 gets 4-disc soundtrack signed by composer
- RTX: Hands-on with millions of guns in Loadout
- 15 minutes of Injustice gameplay footage: Poor Flash!
- Real-life Assassin's Creed tomahawk replica for sale
- WizKids releasing a set of Portal 2 sentry turret figures
- Sup Holmes: Embrace the hate with Christine Love
- RTX: Halo 4 multiplayer gets a serious upgrade
- MY EYES!! Wallpaper crammed with 13,000 SNES JRPG sprites
- EVO 2012: Day Three
- RTX: Killing orcs with a buddy in Orcs Must Die! 2
- Behold 'Medium,' from the fine makers of 'Sadness'
| Guild Wars 2 gets 4-disc soundtrack signed by composer Posted: 08 Jul 2012 03:00 PM PDT Those itching to get their hands on the single-disc Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition Soundtrack that is shipping with the game's collector's edition in late August will likely be surprised by the posting today on DirectSong, which hosts many of composer Jeremy Soule's soundtrack releases. [via VGMdb] |
| RTX: Hands-on with millions of guns in Loadout Posted: 08 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT [This weekend Destructoid is reporting live from RTX in Austin, Texas, the community based gaming expo for Rooster Teeth fans and everyone else.] At a glance onlookers might characterize Loadout as yet another emulous shooter looking to wedge its way into a market that's already bursting at the seams with them. And perhaps it is. But for a developer that's spent the last decade and a half working on licensed games, ports and sequels, Edge of Reality is finally stretching its wings with a project of its own. Hanging its hat on an extensive weapon crafting feature, Loadout takes a page out of the Borderlands handbook by offering an absolutely crazy amount of weapon variety. The Austin-based developer promises upwards of a million different combinations to help fell your competition across the third-person shooter's variety of gameplay modes.
Loadout (PC) Given Loadout's cartoonish aesthetics, comparisons to Super Monday Night Combat or Team Fortress 2 seem inevitable here. True enough, it's a free-to-play competitive online shooter with a variety of objective-based modes that you've probably come to expect of the genre over the course of the last decade. And if you have yet to yawn and move on with your day, there's a surprising amount of depth on offer here in terms of combat. As mentioned earlier there are millions of different weapon combinations thanks to Loadout's weapon crafting system. Each gun has a multitude of parts which include scopes, ammunition, triggers, stocks and barrel-types. True to its name, players are given an impressive amount of options when choosing exactly what kind of gear they wish to bring with them into battle. A bit daunting at first, I spent several minutes playing around with the different types of weapons I could create. Whether its a shotgun with incendiary rounds that deal damage over time or a healing weapon that shoots syringes to aid your teammates, I think players will be pretty impressed when they're given the dilemma of what type of gun they want to use. After making a less than menacing weapon my first time around, one of the developers gave me a taste of one of their most powerful creations to date, an energy weapon that seemed to absolutely flay anything caught in my cross-hairs but had a nasty habit of overheating. That armament really evened the odds and helped my team claim victory in the capture and hold mode that was on display. Shifting gears a bit, I'm pretty skeptical of free-to-play as a general rule but Loadout definitely looks like something that I could see a lot of people enjoying. When I voiced my concerns, asking about how they planned to monetize the game whilst maintaining a level playing field, a representative said that any content available for purchase could also be earned in-game free of charge. They seem acutely aware just the mention of FTP raises a red flag in the minds of gamers and desperately want to avoid a pay-to-win scenario. I suppose we'll know more in the coming months when Loadout transitions from its current state of closed testing to an open beta later this summer. |
| 15 minutes of Injustice gameplay footage: Poor Flash! Posted: 08 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT Watch Flash get his ass beat by Superman, in this lengthy EVO gameplay demo of NetherRealm's upcoming DC superhero fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us. This demo is very similar to the one I saw at E3. However, I actually got hands-on with the game so be sure to check out that preview for more details on how it feels. I imagine this demo wouldn't have done well at EVO last year, but now that the competitive fighting scene has warmed up to NetherRealm, the EVO crowd seem pretty receptive. Maybe the developer will be able to appeal to casual and competitive players once again, when the game hits stores next year. |
| Real-life Assassin's Creed tomahawk replica for sale Posted: 08 Jul 2012 12:30 PM PDT Excited to get your hands on Assassin's Creed III? Yeah, so are we. Well, now you don't have to wait! I mean, you can't play the game yet, but you can now buy the hatchet and act it out! Just don't seriously hurt anyone, because something like this might happen. This thing is made out of actual steel, so there's that. Available at Deals Only Web Store, the 17.5" replica actually looks pretty awesome. The craftsmanship of the wood and blade part is spot-on, and at $39.99 I suppose this really is a steal. I'm just confused why anyone would buy this thing. What are people going to think when they see a tomahawk in your place? Seriously, why would you need this? [Thanks Elliott!] |
| WizKids releasing a set of Portal 2 sentry turret figures Posted: 08 Jul 2012 10:30 AM PDT Out of all the memorable characters in the Portal universe, a personal favorite for most people has to be those lovable turrets that try to shoot your face off whenever you walk into the room. You almost feel bad about knocking them over, causing them to go into a self-destructive frenzy. Wouldn't it be great to own your very own Portal turret? Well, one that can't shoot you, of course. WizKids has just the thing. Scheduled to launch this October, WizKids has a set of ten different (open and closed) 3" tall Portal turrets. One of the designs can be voted on over at Portal's Facebook page. Out of the lightning, "Mom" tattoo, Hawaiian shirt, and wood panel designs, I'm really digging the wood panel. That also happens to be the one winning. So, who among you is going to collect all ten to protect your desk while you're away? |
| Sup Holmes: Embrace the hate with Christine Love Posted: 08 Jul 2012 06:15 AM PDT [Destructoid's Director of Communications Hamza Aziz asked Jonathan Holmes to make a show called 'Sup, Holmes?' so that Destructoid could later sell a t-shirt that says 'Sup, Holmes?' on it. This is that show. Subscribe to the podcast feed and find more episodes here.] Today on Sup, Holmes? we have Christine Love, developer of Analogue: A Hate Story, Digital: A Love Story, the very EVO appropriate text-based fighting game Lake City Rumble II:The New Challengers, and many others. Christine designed a text-adventure which has become an underdog hit on Steam -- quite an achievement in today's graphics focused culture. I'd love to know how she pulled that off, and what her plans are for her next game. She's also a big fighting game fan, so we're sure to be talking about EVO, the FGC, and how the language of text adventures and fighters overlap. You'll get all that more on today's live recording of Sup, Holmes?. The show starts at 1pm PST/4pm EST, so please join us in the chat, ask some questions, and help us to make this the best episode of anything ever made for all time.
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| RTX: Halo 4 multiplayer gets a serious upgrade Posted: 08 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT [This weekend Destructoid is reporting live from RTX in Austin, Texas, the community based gaming expo for Rooster Teeth fans and everyone else.] A month ago at E3, Hamza saw, conquered, and approved of Halo 4. But, why wouldn’t he? He’s like the biggest Halo fan on staff! I, on the other hand, have lukewarm feelings toward the series. I played all but Halo 2 to completion and enjoyed them (ODST the most), but have never been profoundly impressed by the games. I am speaking mostly about the single-player, which I have yet to touch in Halo 4. Multiplayer has been the draw of the series for me, but even that has lost me over time. I had fun with Halo 3 but didn’t bother much with the following games online. I didn’t think Halo 4 would change my opinion, but it did. There is something about Halo 4 that feels new, while retaining the flow and vibrant palette of the franchise. I’m not a Halo fan, but even I have to take an optimistic standpoint on 343 Industries' new direction for the series. Halo 4 (Xbox 360) The first thing that struck me about Halo 4 is how much the loadout changes the pace and style of play, especially from a team-based strategic standpoint. With the shield, you can brute force your way into enemy territory and slowly back out with the shield preventing damage for a temporary amount of time. Paired with the assault or storm rifle, you can deal a lot of damage this way. For most of the demo, I focused on using the battle rifle with either the Vision augment (see through walls) or Thruster (boosts player forward). Comparing this style of play to the one above is night and day. Smartly using your augments is crucial in Halo 4 and they give it a unique feel unlike any other multiplayer shooter, including its predecessors. I played Reach a fair bit but never felt this way about its armor abilities. There is something different about Halo 4 that I just can’t put my finger on. For one thing, the game has a weight to it that comes across in its sound design, art direction, and control. One important thing to note is that the game doesn’t feel or look like Call of Duty, despite the addition of loadouts and a run button. The developer compared the loadout system to Gradius and I have to agree that’s a closer comparison. You aren’t being bombarded with unlocks and medals as you play or constantly upgrading gear. One key difference to the game is the emphasis on teamplay. The audition of the augments and close-quarters-focused level design make teamplay feel perfect and normal deathmatch a bit awkward. This is a shame since it tarnishes Halo’s legacy in multiplayer gaming, but it also builds something new in its place. Deathmatch isn’t gone, but it just doesn’t feel the same with the augments. I’m open to this change since I enjoy Halo 4 so much, but I can see some loyal fans having a hard time adjusting to the change of pace and more cerebral approach to combat. Accuracy will still get you far, but it’s not the only valuable skill in this game. Halo has always had great weapons and 343 Industries have brought a couple soon-to-be favorites to the series. The Scattershot is one of the most satisfying shotguns I’ve controlled in a game, mostly due to the deafening sound it makes. Another great one is the Sticky Detonater which projects a sticky grenade in an arch and then pops open a screen displaying information on enemy proximity to the grenade, letting you know the opportune time to trigger it. The weapon really highlights the care going into animation and visual design. It’s not the most practical weapon but it’s stunning to see in action. My time with the game was split between team deathmatch and a solo deathmatch variant called Regicide, where the current best player in the room has a bounty on his head. Even worse, everyone can see where he is on the map. I found this mode stressful and not all that fun. This had a lot to do with the claustrophobic map, but even then the mode seemed counter-intuitive to using the game’s augments. Since you never have the safety of teammates, using augments is a much greater risk that leaves you vulnerable in this mode. It also slows you down when you need to always be moving forward. Walking away from this demo, I’m convinced this is the Halo reboot many have been waiting for. It’s also the reboot that will alienate some longtime fans. The pace and feel of the game has changed on a fundamental level. It’s neither Halo 3 all over again or a Call of Duty clone. It’s something new, fresh, and inviting. Though solo deathmatch may not be the same with augments, these additions open up so many possibilities. More importantly, they feel unique and intuitive in a way that Reach’s armor abilities didn’t. Though I think the initial flash of Halo 4’s audio and visual design won’t wear off anytime soon, I’m happy to know there is a rich, strategic shooter to be had beyond it. |
| MY EYES!! Wallpaper crammed with 13,000 SNES JRPG sprites Posted: 08 Jul 2012 05:00 AM PDT If you value your eyesight, please do not gaze upon the full version of this unholy beast. But since I know none of you will heed my warning, at least bring some eye drops along on your journey. For reasons beyond mortal comprehension, reddit user adremeaux decided to make the world's most devious game of "Where's Waldo?" On this wallpaper are 13,000 individual sprites from various Super Nintendo JRPGs. Some stick out more than others, while others blend into a mass of pixels. And if you stare through the image long enough, you'll see a unicorn. 13000 SNES JRPG sprites compiled into a single gigantic wallpaper [reddit] |
| Posted: 08 Jul 2012 04:45 AM PDT Does you back hurt from being hunched over your computer all weekend? Have been you drunk since Friday afternoon? Are you ready top-tier MODOK play? If you answered "yes" to all three, then you can only be in the right place. Welcome to the final and best day of EVO: The one day of the year where we see the best players of every relevant fighting game come together to entertain and pour salt on open wounds. But, not literally. I'm sure that counts as assault or something. Live Streams Watch live video from srkevo1 on www.twitch.tv Join us in the Dtoid EVO 2012 chat, as we watch!
Day 2 Results I Wanna Be the Guy: Gaiden to melt brains at EVO 2012 PlayStation All-Stars release date, pre-order bonuses Heihachi and Sony mascot added to PlayStation All-Stars 12 new characters hitting Street Fighter X Tekken July 31 |
| RTX: Killing orcs with a buddy in Orcs Must Die! 2 Posted: 08 Jul 2012 03:00 AM PDT [This weekend Destructoid is reporting live from RTX in Austin, Texas, the community based gaming expo for Rooster Teeth fans and everyone else.] Sometimes the right game comes at the wrong time in your life. For me that was Orcs Must Die! which, against my better judgement, I installed and obsessively played during finals week last fall. The game’s blend of tower defense and third-person combat hooked me in a way few other games did in 2011. Though I find it hard to play a game for more than an hour at a time, this came easy with Orcs Must Die! As a result, I’ve had little interest in checking out Orcs Must Die! 2 before release. I know what it is and I know I want it bad. I couldn’t just ignore it on RTX’s show floor, however, so I checked it out. Though I’m not surprised to find the high quality Robot Entertainment brought before intact, I did get to see what’s new with OMD. I also had my concerns with co-op assuaged. Somewhat.
Orcs Must Die! 2 (PC) What you’ve heard is true: The orcs must die and your Apprentice (or Sorceress) is the body for the task. For those not so taken with the original OMD, it’s easy to write-off this sequel as DLC-grade fodder. I can’t say these naysayers are entirely wrong. In a previous age, this sequel would have been an expansion pack. In a previous age, that expansion would have cost as much or more than this downloadable sequel. So, let’s just get to the game. The biggest addition to the series is co-op play, which highlights the second biggest addition to the series: a playable Sorceress (yes, the villain of the first game). Having played a couple levels single-player and co-op, I can confirm that nothing is sacrificed in the transition. Single-player doesn’t feel nerfed and co-op doesn’t feel frustrating, assuming you choose the right partner. I had the benefit of playing beside my co-op buddy which may have made things easier, so consider that a disclaimer of sorts. Sadly, the game will not have local co-op. In addition to having most of the same traps as the Apprentice, the Sorceress has a her own set of traps, weapons, abilities, and trinkets (a new addition). Her larger mana resources make her ideal for long-distance play. Her default staff can send bolts rapid-fire or charged. Even better, the alternative fire coaxes enemies to attack their fellow orc, regardless of how advanced and large they may be. My favorite weapon, however, was this bone thing. I know, descriptive! While I didn’t get its name, I was in awe of the power it wields. Its primary fire summons a line of skeleton hands from the ground that grope enemies for massive damage. This is extremely useful for crowd control. The alternative fire summons a skeleton that fights alongside the player until defeated. The Sorceress’ specific traps were nothing all that special. I only played with one which temporarily froze enemies (her version of the Apprentice’s tar trap), so maybe the other three are more creative. Though the Sorceress is an exciting new addition, the Apprentice gets a fair amount of love in terms of upgrades in this sequel. No longer will you be forced to have the crossbow take up a slot. In its place will be numerous weapons to chose from, including a powerful shotgun. Regardless of which character you choose, you’ll be able to customize them in more ways than in the original. The player can now upgrade traps five to six times, changing their power and attributes. Weapons and trinkets (which give passive and resource-draining buffs in battle) will also be upgradeable, so you won’t need to constantly swap out your preferred arsenal if you don’t want to. Skulls were limited to player performance in OMD and capped at 290 skulls. Now, there are 1,700 skulls which can be acquired through rare enemy drops, fulfilling tasks (e.g. kill 1,000 orcs, perfect victory), and preventing orcs from reaching the rift. Co-op play works as you’d expect. There are more orcs and they are a bit tougher, which balances out the additional player. In response, players will need to use a greater variety of traps and have good communication in laying out a method of action. I can see things getting very frustrating, which makes me not want to play co-op. But, that’s just me: I’d rather not depend on others if I don’t have to. Though, it is fun to come to your buddy’s rescue and watch a plan play out as you imagined. One area I’m not impressed with is the level design and art direction. It’s as great as ever, it just isn’t very fresh. If you are just looking at screenshots, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s OMD and not its sequel. There is a greater focus on environmental elements, however, such as mine carts that can mow down enemies randomly. I’m not blown away by the additions Robot Entertainment have made to the series, but when I love the original as much as I do, I wouldn’t say that’s a problem. Orcs Must Die! was one of my favorite games of last year and after an extensive hands-on time I feel confident saying this sequel will be one of my favorites of this year. It takes a lot to ruin a winning formula and the developer has only improved it, despite how minor these changes may be. Due to original’s poor XBLA sales, this sequel will be released exclusively for PC on July 30. |
| Behold 'Medium,' from the fine makers of 'Sadness' Posted: 08 Jul 2012 01:00 AM PDT In the glorious pantheon of vaporware, Sadness stands at the tippy top. The hype behind the game -- if it ever truly existed in some playable capacity at any point in time -- was only matched by the curious insistence of its Polish developer Nibris to never share anything tangible aside from concept art or vague gameplay ideas. Having absolutely nothing to show for their years of silence, Nibris closed up shop in 2010, and nary a tear was shed. But the story doesn't end there! Members of Nibris were welcomed aboard Bloober Team, where they surprisingly succeeded in releasing a small handful of games. With confidence back in their stride, the children of Sadness sought to return to the realm of over-promising and under-delivering by quietly announcing Medium, a new IP unrelated to Sadness and scheduled for release on Wii U, PS Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android. and PC. One Twilight_Prince, who has been in contact with Bloober Team for the past month, was able to score the first "screen" from the soon-to-be ironically legendary Medium. The image tells us nothing other than that the game may take place in Japan and star a gravity-defying Niko Bellic, apparently wearing the red amulet from The Secret of NIMH. I could be wrong, though; the game could be released to critical acclaim and a mountain of apologies for ever doubting Bloober Team's ambition. I may also grow a second set of nuts and become a new Batman villain who calls himself "The Testicular Torsionist." I'm giddy with anticipation. |
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