New Games |
- Halloween comes early to The Secret World
- The Iconoclasts is back with another alpha, new trailer
- Study finds that 85% quit social games after one day
- Nihilistic Software is done with full retail games
- Borderlands 2 DLC has an absolutely amazing Easter egg
- Indie Royale Fall Bundle includes To the Moon
- Orchestral rhythm title Symphonica out for iOS
- Join our 48-hour Extra Life marathon on Dtoid.TV!
- Nice: Live-action Need for Speed Most Wanted commercial
- New Assassin's Creed III: Liberation video is all stabby
- You can also help crowdfund Star Citizen on Kickstarter
- It Came from Japan! Laplace's Demon
- Interplay has massive 'pay what you want' sale on GOG.com
- GOG.com: Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 2 for Mac, modding
- The Wii is blatantly better than Barack Obama
- GOG.com announces games for Mac plus three new titles
| Halloween comes early to The Secret World Posted: 18 Oct 2012 04:00 PM PDT Are you still playing The Secret World? Now would be a good time to log back in, as Funcom has pushed out some Halloween-centric content by way of the new update, Issue #3: The Cat God. It wouldn't be an MMO without nods to real-world holidays; at least this one fits, thematically. In the video, game director Joel Bylos talks us through the new storyline, which involves a creepy new foe and, yes, more puzzles to solve. Other additions to The Secret World include costumes and pets, including a ghost cat. Halloween or no Halloween, I hope players rock the ghost cat. |
| The Iconoclasts is back with another alpha, new trailer Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT I had given up hope on The Iconoclasts, the remarkable action-adventure game being developed by Konjak, thinking that it was too ambitious. In addition to having some rather lush pixel artwork, it showed quite a bit of promise with an alpha build released publicly last year. Now, armed with a new trailer and yet another playable build, Konjak is back to report that the game is far from dead. "I released the first alpha version when I was losing some motivation on it and have since decided to come back to it," he writes, "and I'm giving my best. That version is already quite inferior to what I have now, and you can check out the 2012 alpha for more up-to-date quality, and help me out by telling me if you have problems with that one! Keep in mind, the newer alpha is a bit shorter." Having now played both -- this second one is worth a look, even if you're familiar with The Iconoclasts -- I'm convinced that the game, should it ever get finished, will be an instant classic. This is one of those genres I'll never grow tired of, so I hope that day isn't too far off. |
| Study finds that 85% quit social games after one day Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:00 PM PDT I just learned the term churn from our recent article on social game makers and how they track players. The term came up again today in a Gamasutra article on a new report from social game analysis firm Playnomics. This firm found that, during their study period this summer, 85 percent of all new players quit social games after only one day of play. Sounds about right to me! The study also found that 95 percent of players that started at the beginning of the quarter were out forever by the end of that quarter. Those left were the most likely to stick around for a bit longer. Non-churners (those that don't quit) were found to play about twice as long on that first day. On average, players churn after about four days. The full results of the study are a fun read. There's some weird factoids in there, like that Oregon has the most social game players in the country. An engagement map shows that some states in the southeast do not give a crap about social games. |
| Nihilistic Software is done with full retail games Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:30 PM PDT On its Facebook page, Call of Duty: Black Ops - Declassified and Conan developer Nihilistic Software stated that it will be transitioning away from working on retail games and instead focus on downloadable and mobile games going forward. "Everyone knows retail sales are down, publishers are hurting, independent developers are suffering, blah blah blah. With this in mind," reads the post, "Nihilistic is announcing today that (OMG!) we are re-organizing our company after 14 years of working with retail boxed game development, and re-forming as nStigate Games, a new company focused on downloadable, on-line, and mobile games." The studio say it has no layoffs planned but that it will eventually become a learner company as some folks find positions elsewhere in the industry. While Nihilistic isn't known for its top-quality software, it's never fun for something like this to happen when it isn't on your own terms. At least here, it sounds like the damage is about as minimal as one could hope for. Nihilistic Software ditch retail games to focus on downloadable and mobile products [VG247] |
| Borderlands 2 DLC has an absolutely amazing Easter egg Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT
Borderlands 2's first DLC, Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, extends the original game's love for having as many Easter eggs as possible. The latest (I'd argue greatest), discovery is that there is a Big Daddy named Mr. Bubbles. If you're somehow not in the know, this is of course a reference to what the Little Sisters call the Big Daddies in BioShock. Yes, there are some people who don't know this. Speaking of Little Sisters, Mr. Bubbles has a a friend with him named "Lil' Sis" that you can kill or converse with to receive a special weapon. Even more interesting is that these Big Daddies apparently appear all over the place, with the uploader of this video saying that he's "seen them spawn in three areas." I wonder what they'd do if you just followed them around and didn't kill them? Like, what exactly is their goal/reason for being there? There probably is none, but it's still awesome either way. This Might Be My Favorite Borderlands 2 Easter Egg Yet, Courtesy Of The New DLC [Kotaku] |
| Indie Royale Fall Bundle includes To the Moon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:30 PM PDT The folks behind Indie Royale have put together another solid bundle, this time centered around the acclaimed RPG To the Moon, the point-and-click adventure Blackwell Deception, strategy title Oil Rush, and more. Those are the titles you're likely familiar with. The "and more" here also looks promising, however. There's AVSEQ, an audio-visual sequencer puzzle game (huh?), and Reprisal, a rad-looking real-time strategy title that's self-described as an homage to Populus. These games can be yours for just over five bucks at the time of writing. Optionally paying $8 for the bundle also includes Makeup and Vanity Set's 88:88. |
| Orchestral rhythm title Symphonica out for iOS Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Square Enix music game Symphonica is out now for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. This is a fun take on rhythm gaming that has you heading up a crappy orchestra and working toward becoming the world's greatest conductor. His ultimate goal? To acquire the fabled Zero Score, which is reserved for the best of the best. Given the setting and theme, the soundtrack is orchestral, based on classical music. Think Theatrhythm, but with classical music, and a bit more challenge. Symphonica is a free download, but that only gets you the first three chapters. You can buy additional chapters at $2.99 a piece, but I'd say that if you're digging it you might as well put up the $14.99 for all 12 chapters plus bonus episodes. $15 is a lot for a mobile game, but you know how Square Enix rolls. As a musician, I'm digging the conductor-like tap-and-swipe gameplay. It's quite challenging. The world, story, and characters are goofy enough to have won me over already. |
| Join our 48-hour Extra Life marathon on Dtoid.TV! Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:30 AM PDT Beginning tomorrow at 1 PM Eastern, Destructoid is hosting a weekend-long Extra Life charity event on our Twitch.TV channel! Join King Foom and our other awesome Dtoid.TV streamers as they play games to raise money for sick kids! We've got a celebrity-filled lineup in store for your viewing pleasure, including appearances and giveaways from:
Additionally, our community webcast site Streamtoid will be holding a 24-hour marathon of its own! Tune in to both channels all weekend long to be a part of the action, and please help us in our effort to raise $10,000 for sick kids by donating to our Extra Life page! 100% of the proceeds go to charity! Thanks so much, and have fun! |
| Nice: Live-action Need for Speed Most Wanted commercial Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT
They've done a really nice job with this live-action Need for Speed Most Wanted television commercial. It really captures the feeling of the game with its high-flying middle finger. You'll see what I mean. There's some incredible driving here, too. And I'd love to hear what the total value of all the cars in this commercial comes out to. Probably bazillions. I'm currently playing Most Wanted for our official review. I can't wait to run some of you off the road. |
| New Assassin's Creed III: Liberation video is all stabby Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT
Have you and Aveline been properly introduced? If not, this newest trailer for Assassin's Creed III: Liberation will take care of just that. In it, she'll tell you a bit about herself, why she decided to do what she does, and proceed to stab a bunch of baddies. I had a tally of about nineteen just in that two-minute-long trailer. I presume there's a ton more where that came from. If you can get past more fake accents than you can shake a dead cat at, you'll also notice Liberation is looking really nice. I couldn't see a difference from the engine that Ubisoft has running on consoles and the one that they're using here for the Vita. I can't get over it. Either it's a sign of how outdated the tech in consoles are, or just how far we've come in portable computing technology. Color me impressed. Also, now I have a reason to turn on my Vita, and that's always occasionally something to get excited about. |
| You can also help crowdfund Star Citizen on Kickstarter Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT Star Citizen has raised over $1 million in contributions so far, an impressive number considering that the site where payments are made hasn't been especially stable. While that option will remain as is, Cloud Imperium has also started a Kickstarter campaign as another way for would-be fans to contribute. Beyond the convenience factor, it's also just nice to see everything about the game laid out in an easily readable format. If you haven't been keeping up, this is a good way to quickly see why so many of us are anticipating Star Citizen. "It is all about giving our fans the opportunity to choose the platform and payment provider they feel the most comfortable with," says designer Chris Roberts. "We asked whether they wanted Kickstarter as an option and they spoke! Between Kickstarter and the original site, which supports Paypal and major credit cards, I believe we have the tools in place to make everyone feel comfortable in backing this game."
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| It Came from Japan! Laplace's Demon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT [It Came from Japan! is a series where I seek out and review the weirdest, most original and enjoyable titles that never left the Land of the Rising Sun.] There are some games that live up to the hype, but then there are a few that far exceed it. Sweet Home turned out to be one of those games for me. I played it for this feature series last year out of curiosity, not expecting to take to it as strongly as I did. It’s now a game I list as my favorite for the original Nintendo -- or Famicom, rather, since it was a Japan exclusive, after all. Sweet Home is said to be the birth of survival horror, but it’s much more than that. It’s a one-of-a-kind gem that splices various genres to create a game unlike any other, or so I thought. But then readers reached out to me here and on Twitter with game recommendations. One that kept coming up was Laplace’s Demon. From a distance, it looks like a spiritual successor to Sweet Home. I knew I had to cover the game for the series, so here I am, hoping I strike RPG-horror gold again.
Zombies, vampires, werewolves. No thanks. For me, haunted houses have always been my horror trope of choice. From The House on Haunted Hill to Resident Evil, there is something so special about the false sense of security that comes from exploring a haunted estate. Evil lurks around the corner, but there is a feeling of comfort that exists until you do. A haunted house, unique character classes, and incredible atmosphere. These are the things that made Sweet Home such a memorable horror adventure. Laplace also takes place in a mansion, albeit one with a portal to an even larger castle. The game has a decidedly quirky combat system, and it evokes unsettling horror elements rarely seen on consoles at the time. Though Laplace resembles Sweet Home, it doesn’t come close to approaching the genius of Capcom’s classic. Despite this unflattering comparison, there are some things I enjoyed about this more familiar approach to role-playing.
Sweet Home was a narrative tour de force of its era, packing its story with twists, subtle background information, and memorable characters. Laplace is focused more on leveling and exploration. It plays Dragon Quest to Sweet Home’s Final Fantasy. Laplace starts with a brief introduction to the game’s story which involves the murders of two boys and a missing girl in a Boston mansion. You then pick your character, assemble a team, and grind through the mansion. Laplace resembles Phantasy Star and Diablo, in that you are making constant trips back to town in order to restock items, talk to locals, and level your characters. The original PC release even presented the mansion through a first-person view. Given the context and 1920s Boston setting of LaPlace, the game provides inspired alternatives to genre staples that wouldn't generally make sense outside a fantasy setting. For example, a gun-toting detective takes the place of a warrior and a psychic plays the role of a mage. Things get more interesting with the Sweet Home-inspired journalist who takes photos of enemies. These photos can be sold at the inn at town for money -- you know, because journalists make more money than any other profession. It’s a strange concept, but having to sacrifice dealing extra damage for more money is a pretty neat mechanic. You’ll rarely come across money in the mansion, so taking photos becomes important as you progress.
The Scientist is another novel class that fills the role of a tank, while offering a lot of customization options. Since he uses a “machine” instead of sword or gun, the player can modify it with parts. Different combinations of parts offer different abilities, but you’ll only be able to have two abilities equipped at a time. This makes him the most flexible character in the game, since he can deal out the most damage or protect the team during a boss encounter. The last class, the Dilettante, is mostly useless. He’s a jack of all trades but master of none. I left him out of my party, unless the medical bills for my defeated members were too high to pay. You can always swap characters out by visiting the inn. Once you have your team assembled, it’s time to embark into the mansion. Getting your bearings can be a real pain at first, since there is no map provided. Even worse, you need to pay $200 (a lot in this game) for a compass that will display your position once you acquire a map. The mansion isn’t as intelligently laid out as Sweet Home’s, nor is it as well designed. Each floor is laid out with the same, dull textures that bring to mind RPG Maker.
Exploring the mansion, area-by-area is where Laplace most closely resembles Sweet Home and the horror games that would follow. At the start, you are locked out of most of the mansion, but you’ll start to acquire keys, holy objects, and other items that will let you explore the three floors of the estate. You’ll need to check every bookshelf, drawer, and corpse, though, which can be a pain. Occasionally, you’ll come across a body from a previous search-and-rescue team. These become very anticipated moments, since you’ll be rewarded with a lot of experience and money in town. Sweet Home scraped by on its role-playing elements. Maybe I was just really good or got lucky, but I always had the sense that the game could become a nightmare if I didn’t handle my party correctly. Laplace not only leans much more heavily on its role-playing mechanics, it also gets rid of the puzzle/adventure elements that made Sweet Home so unique. Laplace has some pretty great ideas, such as character-specific abilities unlocked through taking damage (à la Final Fantasy VII's limit breaks).
However, the game is horribly balanced. Some enemies are tough as nails, yet give hardly any experience. The opposite is true as well, which encourages players to ignore combat and grind specific types of enemies. You get more XP from moving forward in the story. It's not very fun. By the time I got to the castle and was up against tougher enemies. I gave up on Laplace. I felt I had seen everything the game had to offer. It's a neat horror-themed dungeon crawler but it's not the Sweet Home successor I wanted. Funny enough, Laplace received two much more obscure sequels, Demon Sword of Paracelsus and Masque of the Black Death. If nothing else, Laplace brought back some positive memories of Sweet Home and pushed me closer to checking out Koudelka. What other RPG-horror games can you list? Do you love haunted house stories? If so, why? Why in the hell haven't you played Sweet Home yet?!? |
| Interplay has massive 'pay what you want' sale on GOG.com Posted: 18 Oct 2012 08:30 AM PDT Interplay has followed Larian Studios to become the next company offering a "pay what you want" sale on GOG.com. If Larian's deals didn't get your attention, this most certainly shall. They've got an interesting little setup going on. Paying any amount of cash gets you eight games, including M.A.X, Jagged Alliance 2, and Shattered Steel. If you pay above the average price (currently $11.31), you get 20 games, including Messiah, Battle Chess, and Earthworm Jim 3D. However, if you go for the premium minimum price of $34.99, you get everything Interplay has. That's Fallout, MDK, Freespace 2, and loads more for a total of 32 games and a saving of more than $150. I personally couldn't resist this one. The deal will last another 14 days. |
| GOG.com: Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 2 for Mac, modding Posted: 18 Oct 2012 08:15 AM PDT Couple of bits of information coming out of today's CD Projeckt/GOG.com Fall Conference about The Witcher 2 and the studio's upcoming Cyberpunk title. Firstly, Cyberpunk 2077 is the official name for the new RPG with CD Projeckt saying the game will be more of a "sandbox" game compared to their previous titles. The Witcher 2 has now finally come to Mac and is available on GOG.com and Steam where you can get the game for 25% off its normal price. Best of all, if you already own the GOG.com edition for PC then you will get the Mac version free of charge. CD Projeckt also announced that a variety of modder teams would be receiving their REDkit modding suite soon, with the full toolkit being rolled out for free in the first half of 2013. It's going to be real interesting seeing what mod teams can come up with for a game like Witcher 2 -- it's a title that's begging for new content. |
| The Wii is blatantly better than Barack Obama Posted: 18 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT This year, two reigning incumbents are looking to win themselves a second term of power. I am, of course, talking about president-elect of the United States, Barack Obama, and president-man of the eighth console generation, the Wii home entertainment gaming family device. Really, the difference between the two situations is practically non-existent. Both became world leaders from humble and unlikely beginnings. Both have won praise and criticism for their unorthodox ways. Both have great marketing departments. Also, Obama said "videogames" once a few years ago, so he is totally videogame-related and that makes this post okay. Anyway, the point is, this upcoming election is not about Obama vs. Romney. It's clearly about Obama vs. the Wii U, and I urge you all to cast your vote for Nintendo this November. Why? Because the Wii's reign was blatantly better than Barack Obama's reign, and the Wii U shall logically run America better.
The Wii has a superior healthcare solution Sure, people like to talk about Obamacare like it's significant, but how many lives has it saved so far? How many diseases has it cured? I just did a Google search and it turns out both cancer and AIDS are still pretty much around, so thanks a lot, NobamaCOULDN'TcareLESS! Meanwhile, the healing properties of the Wii are documented and acknowledged by scientists who have been interviewed in newspapers. As you look at the mounting evidence, you find that Wii-habilitation has stopped elderly people from falling down stairs, eliminated fatness and old age, and made arthritis a thing of the past. There are no pictures of Obamacare saving some little bald kid's life. There are pictures of mad old duffers standing up and waving their hands around. Rejuvenation, for a healthsome America.
The Wii is a job creator It took Obama four years to lower the unemployment rates below 8% or whatever it was they said on CNN when I was flicking through channels looking for Adventure Time. Whatever. It took the Wii four weeks probably to become a household phenomenon, creating intense demand in retail stores, thus creating more work, thus logically creating jobs. Somebody had to make, package, and sell those Wiis. How many people had to make, package, and sell Obama? We don't know, because he won't show us his birth certificate, but we can assume not many! Under Obama, people have been so unemployed that they can't even get jobs writing shit like this. Meanwhile, Nintendo has been picking up the slack by hiring people to manufacture, then ultimately dismantle, millions of Wii Speak devices. Don't question me on this, just look at the facts I'm writing.
Stimulating the economy Talk about a stimulus package? I've got your stimulus package right here, Barry (I am talking about my testicles and penis when I say this, because "package" sometimes means testicles and penis, even though it doesn't in this case, but that is the joke of what I am saying). Barack Obama has done nothing to fix the economy, selling all our money to China, wasting it on education and science instead of giving it to Jesus to invest, and refusing to use his serpent's staff to banish the national debt to the Forbidden Realm of M'ak'Ta'Luao like we keep telling him to. Obama's stimulus package was a joke, especially when you consider the fact that the Wii basically is a little stimulus package in and of itself. In 2006, before Obama was even born, the Wii was responsible for so many people smashing their television sets with carelessly flung motion controllers, thus the electronics industry experienced a thriving boom. Just look at this graph:
The Wii sold basketfuls, driving profits for GameStop, Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and other stores that I don't go to. It sold dozens of extra peripherals, continuing to boost fiscal earnings and economic stability. Not to mention the 10 copies of Okami it shifted, which might've helped too. The Wii IS America's stimulus, and the Wii U will be as well. Vote Wii U!
Nintendo was a more progressive step forward for American culture Barack Obama made history by becoming the first African-American president of the United States of America. It was a massive accomplishment, a huge step forward for our culture, and it's something I absolutely, positively will not take away from the man. We should all be proud and give ourselves a pat on the back over how not-racist we are. Good for us and our victory, white folks of America. Good for us. However, as significant as Obama's presidency may be in the history of progressive attitudes, it's still but a speck on the gigantic radar of time, as compared to the huge, gelatinous splodge that is Nintendo. While Obama was soaking up the acclaim and making us all feel not-racist, Nintendo broke real ground by employing people who weren't even really human into positions of power. That Nintendo would promote Reggie Fils-Aime, the world's first executive to be made up of 75% chuck steak, is truly the achievement that human civilization will remember forever. As most folks know (mostly just by looking at him), Fils-Aime is only partially made up of homo sapien DNA, with most of his body mass constructed from bits off a butcher's slab. There's some pork in there and probably gravy for blood. He's a meaty, salty, oxtail president of Nintendo, something Obama, with all his petty humanity, could never hope to be. God willing, Nintendo will see meat-men in positions of power all over the globe. They can never die, you see, and need not sleep. America has been too prejudiced against homo savories for too long, and Nintendo's paving the way toward acceptance.
Wii did more for gay issues than Obama Obama has stood with his gay brethren, making a stand for same-sex marriage and pledging his support to a demographic that has, for too long, been downtrodden, dismissed, and ultimately despised by a large section of the voting public. However, Obama is only supporting gay marriage for political reasons, and politicians doing things for political reasons because of politics absolutely fucking disgust me. How DARE a politician be politically motivated? How DARE Electronic Arts support LGBT issues because of reasons? How DARE!? How DAAAAAARE!?!?!? Sorry to burst your little bubble, BaCRAP OBALMYSUMMEREVENING (Barack Obama), but I'm going to throw my support behind a company that's done far more for gay issues than you could ever hope. I'm throwing my lot in with the Wii, a system that broke gay boundaries with Muscle March.
Just watch the above video, and YOU tell ME what will ultimately be more beneficial for gay rights in America. Some silly bit of paper saying two guys or two gals are married? Or PURE. UNADULTERATED. MUSCLE!? You decide. I'm just dishing out the facts. Don't ever get me started on Captain Rainbow.
The Wii isn't single-handedly responsible for every bad thing in America The debt ceiling. Unemployment. The economy. Terrorism. Jeff Dunham. Crime. No freedom. Jeff Dunham. All the fault of one Barack INSANE (instead of Hussein) Obama. As everybody who has watched FOX News under a democratic government can wisely tell you, the president is 100% responsible for absolutely every single bad thing that's ever happened in the country (all good things, by the way, are thanks to Ronald Reagan). The president micromanages the country like he's playing Theme Hospital, and just like Theme Hospital, people keep dying because of bad health care and inflated heads (a metaphor for big government). Meanwhile, the Wii is NOT president, and thus is NOT responsible for every single bad thing that's ever happened in the United States. How about them apples? Vote Wii U for president, because it's not the president, therefore it's not bad.
The TROOPS Obama promised to bring THE TROOPS back home but didn't do so. He broke his promise and left THE TROOPS high and dry in Egypt, or wherever it is they are. One of them countries. While our boys are fighting his wars, Obamama's Boy is sitting at home, dodging the draft and laughing at all the people he's having killed, because he doesn't give a damn about our military and he is also big government. While Buttrack Buttbambutt merely promises, Nintendo's at least trying to get our TROOPS back on home soil. Only the Wii was brave enough to draw up a plan of action. Army Rescue, I haven't played it, but the name says all that needs to be said. The Wii has a living document that says it WILL rescue our army. Given half a chance, it'll do it before stupid 2014, too. TROOPS!
The Wii simply has THE better president Ladies and gentlemen, I give you President Cat:
I. Rest. My. God. Damn. Case. |
| GOG.com announces games for Mac plus three new titles Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:45 AM PDT GOG.com/CD Projeckt didn't disappoint with its Fall 2012 Conference this afternoon, not only announcing almost 30 games for Mac but brand new titles arriving on the digital distribution service within the next few weeks. There's a mix of classics like Sim City 2000, Syndicate, and Dungeon Keeper along with newer titles like FTL and Machinarium. Best of all, if you purchase a Mac title, you will get the PC version as well for no extra cost. This sounds like a great way to fill up a Macbook with some classic PC titles. Also announced for GOG.com are three new titles, the fluid puzzler Puddle, the retro 2D platformer Giana Sisters - Twisted Dreams, and the point-and-click adventure title Deponia 2: Choas on Deponia. You can pre-order these three titles for a special price on GOG.com for the next seven days. |
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