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- Never say never to July's Dance Central 2 DLC
- Details of the final Guild Wars 2 beta weekend revealed
- This developer diary for Survarium sets the mood
- Sega and Random Encounters deliver a Rhythm Thief musical
- Assassin's Creed III playable at San Diego Comic-Con
- Rockstar Toronto getting a new place, Vancouver moving in
- 21st Games saving Techno Kitten franchise via Kickstarter
- The DTOID Show: Assassin's Creed Movie & Our SDCC Preview
- Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile DLC announced
- New Naruto SD game by the makers of Mega Man Zero
- I am in puppy love with this Okami cosplay
- Live show: Bellator: MMA Onslaught
- Edmund McMillen releasing Basement Collection in August
- Valve announces new project Steam Greenlight
- Resident Evil 6 to feature over four hours of cutscenes
- The truth about New Super Mario Bros.
| Never say never to July's Dance Central 2 DLC Posted: 09 Jul 2012 04:30 PM PDT This month Dance Central 2 is going teen scene. On July 10, you can download the Selena Gomez & The Scene single "Round & Round", followed by "La La Land" by Demo Lovato on July 17, and "Never Say Never" by Justin Bieber ft. Jaden Smith on July 24. Each song, as always, will set you back 240 Microsoft Points. Now may be a good time to remind everybody that you can request Dance Central 2 DLC songs in the forums over on the official site. No reason of course, just thought you should know. The Hottest Tracks From Selena Gomez & The Scene, Demi Lovato, And Justin Bieber Coming To Dance Central 2! [Dance Central Blog]
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| Details of the final Guild Wars 2 beta weekend revealed Posted: 09 Jul 2012 03:30 PM PDT With Guild Wars 2 set to be released at the end of August, developer ArenaNet has released the details of what you can expect to play in the last beta weekend before we can get our grubby little hands on the final game. For the first time, gamers will get the chance to play as the Asura and Sylvari, taking the number of playable races up to five in total. Each race has a unique starting area, complete with storyline options and identity. Guild Wars 2 intrigues me, as it's definitely stands out in the MMO market. I haven't played in any of the beta weekends so far, so what do you guys think? Is it shaping up to be something special or do you still have reservations about the game? |
| This developer diary for Survarium sets the mood Posted: 09 Jul 2012 02:30 PM PDT I'm not usually one for developer diaries, but this one was timed well. I've heard just enough about Vostok Games' Survarium to have this free-to-play MMOFPS on my radar with a mild amount of interest. The video kicks off with a few minutes of exposition, followed by a rundown of player progression and modes. While this might not be S.T.A.L.K.E.R. proper, it certainly seems like it'll appeal to fans of those games. The studio is made up of ex-GSC Game World employees, after all. Try not to be too distracted by that ... thing moving around in the background. Can't unsee! You Winarium Or You Diearium: Survarium [Rock, Paper, Shotgun] |
| Sega and Random Encounters deliver a Rhythm Thief musical Posted: 09 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT
Sega's 3DS rhythm game Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure is releasing in the US tomorrow, months after it appeared pretty much everywhere else. To be honest, the release date sorta surprised me. I had only just played the demo a couple days ago, in fact. Spoiler alert: it's really fun. Sega has been pretty chummy with musical troupe Random Encounters Entertainment ever since Needlemouse: The Musical was performed during the Sonic Boom party last E3. So it makes sense that the two would join forces again, appropriately for a little Rhythm Thief promotion. I hope it works out, because I'm absolutely loving the rhythm game love the 3DS has been receiving lately. Now, I wonder if Random Encounters will be performing at the Comic-Con Sonic Boom as well... Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure: The Musical [YouTube] |
| Assassin's Creed III playable at San Diego Comic-Con Posted: 09 Jul 2012 01:30 PM PDT American Corgi is proud of Ubisoft's lineup. Ubisoft will be in full force at San Diego Comic-Con this week with Assassin's Creed III (Booth #5345), The Expendables 2 Videogame (Booth #4035), Just Dance 4 (Marriott Hotel), and Marvel Avengers Battle For Earth (Booth #2329). Plus, fans that pre-order Assassin's Creed III at the Ubi booth will be given an exclusive t-shirt. On top of all the playable games, Ubi will have some presence at a couple of panels. On July 12 starting at 3:30 in Room 6BCF, Creative Director Alex Hutchinson will present a live demo of Assassin's Creed III. Marvel Avengers Battle For Earth will also make an appearance during the Marvel Video Games panel on July 14 in Room 6A. |
| Rockstar Toronto getting a new place, Vancouver moving in Posted: 09 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT Things are a-changin' over in Rockstar Canada. Rockstar is moving their Toronto team into a much bigger studio, a part of which the Ontario government is footing the bill for (specifics of the financial details were not released). Part of this expansion plan will close the Vancouver studios and give the 35 employees there the choice to either join the Toronto team or any other Rockstar studio they want. Not bad. It's good to see Rockstar making moves to bring two of their studios together under one roof, as I always thought it was quite strange they're so split up. Especially considering that all these studios collaborate quite often. Wouldn't it just be easier to be in the same building? Maybe that's just me. At any rate, I wonder what Rockstar Toronto is going to work on once the dust settles. The Warriors 2 anyone? |
| 21st Games saving Techno Kitten franchise via Kickstarter Posted: 09 Jul 2012 12:30 PM PDT
I love Techno Kitten Adventure. I don't just love it, it's one of my favorite things ever and is among the few games I actually paid for on my Windows Phone without even trying out first. Techno Kitten Adventure is one of the most bizarre, hilarious, surreal, and rewarding experiences I've ever had in gaming. Yet it's so simple. And it may be the end of the Techno Kitten franchise forever, unless Super Techno Kitten Adventure can get funded on Kickstarter. 21st Street Games sent us an email earlier explaining the real story behind their Kickstarter. You see, the silly investors of 21st Games want the developers to ditch Techno Kitten in favor of boring, uncreative games that are more commercially viable (even though Techno Kitten Adventure has a total of over 700,000 unique downloads and they've made more money on that than any of their other projects combined). The investors simply will not fund the other projects 21st wants to do anymore. They may be asking for quite a bit for such a seemingly small title, but it's all much-needed cash to make Super Techno Kitten Adventure the best one yet. Super is promising to jump into 3D graphics, have even more amazing licensed music, Create-A-Kitteh, and so much more. Just look at the prototype footage in the video above, it's already shaping up to be amazing. The tiered rewards also look like they'll be some of the best rewards I've ever seen on Kickstarter. I absolutely need that rainbow vinyl. You not only get one, but you get two so you can keep one in its packaging! Simply brilliant. The Kickstarter for Super Techno Kitten Adventure has almost been up for a day, and it's already at $3,000 as of this writing. Let's make sure this one doesn't slip past us before time's up on August 7th, yeah? I absolutely need more Techno Kitten Adventure. Make it a point to watch the video at least, as it's sure to be some of the best four minutes of your life. |
| The DTOID Show: Assassin's Creed Movie & Our SDCC Preview Posted: 09 Jul 2012 12:15 PM PDT Today, we talk about how EVO happened, and how people won it. We talked about how Michael Fassbender loves Assassin's Creed so much he wants to marry it. Or, y'know, star in a movie of it. Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale is getting a couple new characters, and they're alright, I guess. If you played the first Borderlands, you'll get some bonus customization in the sequel. For the second half of the show, we're talking about what to expect at the San Diego Comic-Con which is happening this week. Nintendo and Sony are both showing stuff off, along with Epic Games, who are gonna have a whole panel about Fortnite. Marvel's got a panel devoted to video games, and Marvel Heroes and Hitmonkey will presumably make appearances. |
| Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile DLC announced Posted: 09 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT Serious Sam 3 is getting an expansion with three brand new campaign missions. Jewel of the Nile is scheduled to arrive in October, with a price that's yet to be determined. "Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile follows the legendary hero to the mysterious Temple of Isis on the island or Philae where a monstrous temple guardian lies in wait," states the sales pitch. "Set in the midst of the main Serious Sam 3: BFE storyline, gamers will battle through three new campaign missions against the unrelenting hordes of Mental’s forces including the re-introduction of two familiar monstrous faces. Sam’s arsenal of awesome expands as well as the two secret weapons from the main Serious Sam 3: BFE storyline -- the laser gun and sniper rifle -- make their way into the spotlight in Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile." Neat! More Sam is good Sam. |
| New Naruto SD game by the makers of Mega Man Zero Posted: 09 Jul 2012 11:30 AM PDT
I've only been half paying attention to the licensed anime titles coming out of Japan lately. I mean, after hearing about the 1000th Dragon Ball Z iteration, it's quite easy to lose interest. But this new Naruto game for 3DS has caught my eye for a number of reasons. Naruto SD: Powerful Shippuden is based on the look of the recent Naruto anime spin-off Naruto SD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden, which translates to "Rock Lee's Springtime of Youth Full Power Ninja Chronicles." As the name implies, the show stars the hot-blooded martial artist character Rock Lee, relegating Naruto to a supporting role. While the series proper is filled with the kind of action and drama you'd expect in your typical shonen series, Naruto SD is a purely comedic show with an adorable (yet sometimes creepy) super-deformed art style. Surprisingly, it's quite entertaining, at least for fans who appreciate the Narutoverse's inherent humor. Powerful Shippuden maintains the show's SD look via detailed sprites and fluid animation, which I think look much better than the slightly robotic graphics of the recent HD releases. On top of that is the knowledge that the game is being developed by Inti Creates, the company best known for the Mega Man Zero and ZX series as well as Mega Man 9 and 10. Put it all together and you've got at least one guy over here looking forward to some ninja brawling action with a bit of cross-dressing tossed in the mix. Naruto SD: Powerful Shippuden comes out this year in Japan. Hopefully, it finds its way out West. |
| I am in puppy love with this Okami cosplay Posted: 09 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT Okami? More like oh, cutey! This is the most adorable thing I've ever seen in my life. Sweet Sensation Photography and costume designer/pooch owner Volko-Dav paired up to create this photo op featuring Dante the dog in a hand made Amaterasu outfit. Do you see how happy he looks? Though if I looked that rockin' doing cosplay I'd be pretty ecstatic too. Check out the entire costume making process (and helpful tips on humanely cosplaying with your pet) over at Volkodav Cosplay. OKAMI : Happy Go Lucky [deviantART] |
| Live show: Bellator: MMA Onslaught Posted: 09 Jul 2012 10:30 AM PDT [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.] Tonight on Mash Tactics, we'll be rocking some faces in 345 Games new XBLA/PSN title, Bellator: MMA Onslaught. Special guest co-host, Bobby Venom, and myself will be chatting with the game's executive producer, Matt McEnerney, while playing some friendly matches against one another on Xbox Live. We'll also be giving away codes to unlock the game on PSN and XBLA to a few lucky viewers during the first couple hours of the show. Winners of the game codes will later be invited to come play against us, for the remainder of the evening. There is also a very good chance that some of the developers will join us online for a few fights, and what's better than getting to beat down a developer at their own game?! |
| Edmund McMillen releasing Basement Collection in August Posted: 09 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT By now you've likely delved into the mind of Edmund McMillen with his more recent fetus-laden indie hits. But today let's dig a little deeper into the dark recesses of his mind to discuss his seminal works with an array of flash games that spans everything from adventures across space and time to, you know, the kind of vile body functions we've come to expect of the developer. McMillen has announced The Basement Collection, a compilation of eight of his older and lesser known titles that will be available on Steam in late August for $4. This will include Time Fcuk, Aether, Spewer, Grey Matter, a flash prototype of Meat Boy, Triachnid, and a super secret surprise featuring updated content, soundtrack, difficulty modes, and achievements. Each title will come bundled with bonus content in one form or another and McMillen promises a soundtrack and "4 very large bonus unlockables that should make fans of [his] work quite happy." Of course, should you wish to skip on all the fan service and extras, all of the games are playable through Newgrounds. A new game has appeared in the basement! [EdmundM] |
| Valve announces new project Steam Greenlight Posted: 09 Jul 2012 09:45 AM PDT Valve has just announced a new project aimed at giving the community a voice in approving what games they will next release on Steam. Steam Greenlight will allow developers and publishers to post videos, screen shots, and descriptions of their games in an effort to win the approval of Steam users and have their title released. Says Valve's Anna Sweet:
Valve credits Steam Workshop's ratings system and easy submission process with opening up this new venue of games approval, and says Greenlight will be ready to use on August 30. Until then, check out the official page for more information. Valve Announces Steam Greenlight [Steam] |
| Resident Evil 6 to feature over four hours of cutscenes Posted: 09 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT Cutscene haters, prepare to summon bile from the depths of your interiors with a fervor unmatched by man or beast! It's been discovered that the multiple campaigns making up Resident Evil 6 narrative will boast over four hours of cutscenes. That's a lot of watching! The running time was outed by the British Board of Film Classification after it slapped an unsurprising 18-rating on the game. It clocked the total cutscene time to four hours, fifteen minutes. With three confirmed campaigns (and a rumored fourth), all of which allegedly provide fully realized stories, the volume of cutscene action is fairly understandable. Provided there's plenty of interactive action to break it up, it probably won't be so bad. Maybe. Possibly. Resident Evil 6 to Feature Over 4 Hours of Cutscenes [Electronic Theater] |
| The truth about New Super Mario Bros. Posted: 09 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT There’s a lot of hubbub around the two New Super Mario Bros. games coming out this year. Tony wrote an awesome piece on why he thinks their copy-and-paste design is a failure. Reggie has come out saying that the fans can’t be pleased even though the Wii U is launching with a Mario game. People love their Mario games, but these NSMB titles seem to have them a bit down. There’s a lot of angst over these suckers even though most of us readily admit that they’re probably going to be fun to play and well received on the whole. Here’s the problem: no one is right about the NSMB series. Well, to be more precise, the fans are treating them incorrectly and Reggie is being deceptive about them. You see, we’re coming at these games from the totally wrong angle. The fans are treating NSMB as main series Mario games, which is exactly what Nintendo wants us to believe. The trick is they aren’t. When NSMB first launched on the DS, it was easy to assume that it was a main series Mario game. After all, sidescrolling, platforming Mario is what the series was born with, so Mario returning to his roots shouldn’t be considered a spin-off game, it should be considered as a new installment of the series. Even when NSMB jumped to the Wii with NSMB Wii, one could argue that the series should still have been considered within the main run of Mario games despite how closely the two were released. A traditional Mario title on a home console is pretty much the definition of what a non-spin-off Mario is. But then you start to think about it. What other Mario games have iterations on both handhelds and consoles? Not the main series, unless you count ports of older games, which we won’t. It’s the Mario spin-offs that get this treatment. The likes of Mario Kart or Mario Party or Mario's sports games all double up on their console publication. Main-line Mario games hit one console that they’re usually designed specifically for. Once you consider this, it becomes pretty obvious that Nintendo isn’t treating NSMB as a hardcore Mario game, but as a spin-off that they can publish regularly while they work on the "actual" Mario games in the background. The evidence piles up once you look at the sequels coming out this year. First, there are two of them. Two true Mario games in one year? Doesn’t happen. However, you can easily point to a plethora of sequels and multi-platform releases when you look at the spin-offs. This also explains (excuses?) the cut-and-paste style of the games. Nailing down the gameplay to near perfection and then pumping out sequels with slight alterations remind you of anything else you’ve played with Mario in it? It’s not a tent-pole Mario game, I can tell you that. One of the reasons tent-pole Mario games are so popular is because of the fact that they are so different. Hell, the very fact that we talk about NSMB as a series in and of itself defines it as separate from Mario’s main exploits. Nintendo might point to New Super Mario Bros. 2 (that’s the one on the DS) to argue against this logic. After all, it is all about the coins (a decidedly old-school spin where things like high scores still matter). The problem is, as we’ve already shown, the design isn’t changing much with this iteration as the locales, graphics, and basic gameplay seem to be the same. The emphasis on coin collection is a new spin on the same formula. This would be akin to Mario Kart: Double Dash where an entirely new focus was put on the game, but the basics were still the same. These are major changes in a series, obviously, but they still function under the same rules and designs. Other easier-to-identify signals in NSMB are updated powers which are exactly the same thing as new weapons in Mario Kart or new spaces in Mario Party. It’s pretty easy to see that Nintendo considers NSMB a base for a Mario spin-off series not a standalone, core title.
Of course, as fans, we can do better as well. The reason that there are so many spin-offs that sell incredibly well is that most of them are good. Yes, it’s easy to be disappointed when you start thinking of NSMB games as spin-offs that will be produced in the same manner as other spin-offs, but in reality, what we’re going to most likely get is a lot of really good, old-school, 2D platforming games up to the usual quality of all of Mario’s exploits. I find it tough to complain about an influx of good games in a genre that’s horribly underrepresented even if they are spin-offs. Now, if you believe that the Mario spin-off games need to do more to innovate as well, then adjusting your perception of NSMB isn't going to do much. You may in fact be even more upset with the series. That's a personal call. |
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