New Games |
- Lollipop Chainsaw pornography is a thing that's happening
- There is now a 'Fake Nerd Girl Detector'
- Review: NiGHTS into Dreams...
- Goodbye, Destructoid
- Grand Theft Auto V's character Switch system is nuts
- Last call! Win a Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360!
- Review: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
- Dad alters text in Wind Waker to turn Link into a girl
- F-bombs in the Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie trailer
- Escape from Helghan with Killzone: Intercept fan film
- The Daily Hotness: Blood and Chrome
Lollipop Chainsaw pornography is a thing that's happening Posted: 10 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST
I suppose this was inevitable. I mean, this is a game featuring an eighteen-year-old zombie hunting cheerleader we're talking about here. And nothing about Japan should surprise me anymore. But I'm still a bit stunned to announce that Grasshopper Manfacture's Lollipop Chainsaw has been adapted into an adult film. According to Kotaku, after being highly requested by fans, Tia's Geek Cosplay F*CK! is set for a release sometime next week. The film looks to include several of Juliette Starling's alternative outfits. And yeah, I really shouldn't be fazed by this. It was only a matter of time, but damn... |
There is now a 'Fake Nerd Girl Detector' Posted: 10 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST
Game developer and Sup, Holmes guest Zoe Quinn has a new quiz game out, and it may be relevant to your interests. As someone who thinks that the concept of "gamer cred" is awful, and the idea that we have to separate the "hardcore" from the "casual" is some of the worst stuff going in videogame culture, my ears perked right up when I heard about the project. It's effects on certain corners of the internet have been equally interesting, but I'll leave you to discover them on your own. I've probably said too much already. Check it out here, then read Zoe's comments on the project below.
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Posted: 10 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST
Full disclosure: I missed out on NiGHTS when it was originally released on the Saturn. I had the demo disc, but never played it, and the PlayStation 2 release never hit North America. Now that it's available via download on console, I figured I'd take a crack at it and see what all the hype was about back in the day. I was not prepared for this game. NiGHTS into Dreams (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade [reviewed]) If you were to ask me what NiGHTS was about (without me having read the plot already) I would tell you that I couldn't answer that question -- as I haven't done nearly enough LSD. The game's lack of voice acting or text crawls leave much of the story to your imagination, and I'm fairly certain that your first playthrough will leave you wondering if you may already be on hallucinogens. Thankfully, an in-game menu explains that two children, Claris & Elliot, have been transported to the dream world of Nightopia, and had their ideas -- sorry, Ideyas -- stolen from them. They then enter a temple at the top of a hill and turn into the character NiGHTS in order to fly around the dreamscape and gather orbs. Gather 20 orbs and fly into the capture point to complete that level's "loop"; each level has four loops and then a boss battle. There is a time limit in which you must gather the orbs and enter the capture point: if time runs out, you turn back into one of the children and must clumsily run back to the temple to once again become NiGHTS. Playing the game in an exercise in patience. There's not really any danger when flying around as enemies are few, they don't really cause you damage, and they are easily dispatched by looping around them or even flying into them at speed. There's also the "loops," or courses, of the levels themselves. At first, I figured I had full three dimensional control and could fly into the background where I saw orbs just waiting to be collected. Alas, I had to follow the linear path of that particular level's course. It's not as if the levels are on rails -- far from it. You can fly forward, backwards, and up and down. However, each "loop" of the level has a set path which you must follow until 20 orbs are gathered. Once that is done, and you return to the capture point with them, the path changes for the next loops and you can pick up the next 20 orbs along each different path. If I hadn't (eventually) read the in-game manual, however, I never would have known this. I spent several times running through the levels, grabbing orbs only to run out of time, turn into a kid, and run back to the temple to do it all again. When I finally made it to the capture point and advanced to the next loop, it was purely by accident. Not exactly a game you can just jump in and play, as the game itself tells you nothing of what's going on. After four "loops", the level is essentially done. The actual act of gathering the orbs presents no challenge. The real trick is to do it fast enough to outrun the timer, though other than a bit of backtracking along the path to find orbs, nothing too difficult. The challenge, then, lies with the boss "battle" at the end. Each boss character is different, and the trick to defeating each is never explained. For example, one boss has you grasping the enemy and chucking it repeatedly towards the end of the level (something you can also do with foes should you get tired of looping around them). Another has you just speeding into them with a trigger press in order to deplete an invisible health meter. NiGHTS apparently likes to keep you in the dark as much as possible. Again, patience pays off, as I found myself getting frustrated with the game's total lack of communication with the player, but found my way through each boss encounter after much trial and error. All that said, though, it's still an interesting game. It is clearly just all about perpetual motion; the need to keep moving, but not really existing as a "race" game. In fact, it's hard to describe exactly what NiGHTS is. Item collection, flight, and boss battles seem like standard fare for most titles, but here the presentation differentiates it from all others. It's a very chill title, one that doesn't stress the player out with extreme difficulty, but rather it gives you a chance to fly loops, spin through hoops and just generally float on until it's boss time. Despite the lack of dimensional depth, the game controls very well, and trick maneuvers such as speed boosts and loop-de-loops are all easy to pull off, with only the occasional frustration of being stuck on the linear path on autopilot in certain sections (like when flying through tunnels or the like). For some, this is what makes the title so appealing. For me, however, the initial frustration of not knowing what the hell was going on made me quick to want to write the game off as garbage. I didn't know what the point of each level was, and therefore, I wasn't having fun. And even once I did figure it out, I approached it like every other game, which given the game's unique flow, also wasn't right. I didn't have fun when I didn't understand the game, and I didn't allow myself to enjoy the game once I finally did. Graphically, it's bright and the details pop a bit, especially with the HD coat of paint. Cartoonish character designs and garish costumes offset the twists and turns of each level's layout. The look is definitely dated, though -- when on the ground as one of the children, the static, almost robotic movement of walking shows the game's age. Apparently, this is also a port of the PS2 re-release, as there are options for the original Saturn version of the game, and the Christmas NiGHTS game is featured as an unlock bonus, as well as galleries, artwork, and interviews. The music may tend to grate on the nerves, however, as the menus feature a circus-like series of tunes to match the look of the game. In some levels it's tolerable, but I found myself putting on my own music when playing. I must admit, the first time I played NiGHTS, I hated it. I had no idea what I was doing, what was going on, or why I should care. Even now, after knowing this, it's still gets a raised eyebrow from me. However, I'm starting to respect that this is just a unique title that kind of defies description. Once I knew what I was doing, I actually found myself enjoying it slightly. Granted, not enough to play it for a very long stretch, but it's certainly eye-opening when compared to everything else available, and a title worth playing at least once just to see what everyone was going on about when the game debuted in 1996. |
Posted: 10 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST
As some of you may or may not have heard, this is officially my last day with Destructoid. Man ... I can barely type that without getting upset. I am starting a new job next week at GolinHarris as a writer for Nintendo. It is an absolute dream come true, but also means that I have to leave a place I love. This website. Destructoid has completely changed my life for the better. Every single person involved with this site has made me a better person. I am going to miss each and every one of you. My first idea for this post was to make a top ten list about my favorite moments with Destructoid. From The Memory Card to RetroforceGO!; from making E3 predictions to "Cut that shit!" (ask me about this amazing story at PAX). There have been so many great moments, that listing ten would have been easy. But when I thought about it: if I really sat down and made a list of my favorite moments with Destructoid, it would only include one item: EVERY GODDAMN SECOND It's true. Every single second I was with Destructoid for the last six years has been perfect. I can't think of a single moment that didn't make me the happiest I have ever been. Every time I got to write an article and share it with the world I was happy. Every time I got to work with my fellow editors I was happy. Every time I got to hang out with some of the most incredible community members this world has ever known I was happy. Heck, just saying I was lucky enough to have been a part of this amazing site for all these years makes me the happiest person of all time. AND SO RIDICULOUSLY PROUD! I am honored to have been here. I am honored to see my name alongside all the other editors, contributors, and community members that have ever been a part of Destructoid. I am not kidding when I say this place changed my life. I am a better person because of all of you. So thank you for that. Thank you for everything. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can genuinely say I love Destructoid more than dolphins. Seriously. More than dolphins. I love you all. Thank you for making these last six years the best of my life. Aaaaand ... now I am crying. I love you, Destructoid. I will never forget you. <3 |
Grand Theft Auto V's character Switch system is nuts Posted: 10 Nov 2012 07:30 AM PST
Earlier this week, we learned that Grand Theft Auto V will feature three playable protagonists. Knowing Rockstar, things couldn't just be that simple. GTAV will feature a Switch system that gives each character his own AI routine and the player the ability to interrupt it and jump into each character at designated times. When you are roaming the Meth-addled lowlands of Blaine County as gruff, mentally troubled Trevor, you may decide to jump into the role of the posh, weathered Michael. The camera will zoom out, presenting a Google Earth-style overview of the city, and then seamlessly go into the role of the other character. Depending on your timing, you may find Michael in the midst of a police chase or daily walk around his Rockford Hills mansion. In missions, your role is restricted but there will be opportunities to switch roles. For example, the extraction mission detailed in this month's Game Informer begins with a helicopter ride and ends with a helicopter chase. Michael is piloting, Trevor is dumping his assault rifle into agents in a skyscraper below, and Franklin -- a 20-something 'hustler' -- is taking potshots at enemies from a highrise across the street. You can switch into any character in this specific moment, but each mission will be a bit different. Rockstar suggests that these heist missions, which are the main focus of the game's plot, will contain flexibility in character swapping. "When you are only one character, it means they always have to be driving when the driving is fun, shooting when the shooting is fun, flying when the flying is fun, and parachuting when the parachuting is fun. It can lead to things being a little ridiculous -- having a lot of free time spent climbing ladders, or a lot of segues from moment to moment that can end up being slightly contrived," series producer Dan Houser told Game Infromer. "With [multiple simultaneous protagonists] we can get past that and also cut out a lot of the transition moments to just always put you in the action" I'd be happy with another GTAIV, but it seems Rockstar is taking my favorite elements of that game (the DLC's multiple perspective storytelling, the bank heist mission) and making the studio's most stupidly ambitious game yet. I still worry about the gun play and the game's frame rate on consoles, but we'll find out in due time how these elements stack up to the game's crazy narrative structure. In Rockstar we trust! [via Game Informer] |
Last call! Win a Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360! Posted: 10 Nov 2012 07:00 AM PST
Halo 4 is out this week and to celebrate we're giving away the Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360! The system retails for $399.99, and comes with a copy of Halo 4, a 320GB harddrive, two controllers, and headset. The system and controllers are all decked out with Forerunner-like imagery, and parts of the console are see-through! To win this bundle, you just need to leave a comment below telling us why you like the Halo series so much. We'll be picking a winner at random after the contest closes on November 10 at 11:59PM CST. Contest is open to US residents only. Good luck! |
Review: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward Posted: 10 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PST
I cannot express enough how much I love 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. A cross between escape-the-room puzzler and visual novel, it sits as a shining example of how powerful and engaging videogame narratives can be. Not only is 999 my favorite game of 2010, it's also one of my favorite games ever. Period. According to 999 director / writer Kotaro Uchikoshi, the title's positive reception in the West was what kick-started development of a sequel. When I heard this news, I was filled with a mix of elation and apprehension. I couldn't wait to dive into the next chapter of the Zero Escape saga, but I was worried that it would fall into the trap of trying so desperately to surpass its predecessor that it loses the essence of what made the original fresh and exciting. In most respects, Virtue's Last Reward is a far superior game. And while it doesn't quite exceed 999's overall quality, it comes very, very, very, very, very damn close. Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (3DS [reviewed], PlayStation Vita) The most important question is, can you play VLR without having played 999? Yes, although you'll only be spoiling one of the greatest videogame tales ever told -- VLR recaps all the major plot details of the first game. Plus, certain developments will only resonate if you had personally experienced the previous game's events. Do yourself a favor and play 999 if you haven't already. You'll thank me later. Anyway, the general setup here is identical to that of its predecessor. Nine abductees have been locked inside a strange installation and forced to play the "Nonary Game." At first it appears they have nothing in common, but each has been specifically chosen for an unknown purpose. It's up to them to find a way out, determine the identity of their masked captor known only as "Zero," and uncover Zero's true goal. Each participant has been fitted with a bracelet that displays a point value and a color. Teams of three -- consisting of a pair of a one color and a solo of another -- must enter "Chromatic Doors" by forming the appropriate additive color combinations. For example, red and blue bracelets are needed to enter the magenta door, blue and green for the cyan door, and so on. Each team must then solve the puzzles behind those doors before they can progress further.
In each puzzle room is a set of key cards needed to play the Ambidex Game, a mini-game under the umbrella of the Nonary Game. In the Ambidex Game, or AB Game, the pair and solo team members enter separate booths and must vote to either "ally" or "betray" their teammates. It's an application of the prisoner's dilemma, in which points are added to or subtracted from the current bracelet value based on the parties' willingness to cooperate or serve their own interests. This is the true challenge of the Nonary Game. Only by accumulating 9 BP (Bracelet Points) can a participant open the Number 9 door that leads to freedom, but the door can only be opened once and then never again. On the other end, if a participant's BP drops to 0, needles within the bracelet will administer a lethal injection. Salvation is only assured if everyone trusts one another, but the nature of their ordeal makes trust a rare commodity. VLR is first and foremost a visual novel, which means the bulk of "play" time will be spent scrolling through dialog for many hours at a time with only a few instances of direct input. However, these few moments of interaction open up a wealth of narrative possibilities, coloring you perception of characters and events depending on the decisions you make. Ultimately, every player will reach the same conclusion, but their journeys will be vastly different. Apart from the Novel sections are the Escape sequences -- the aforementioned puzzle rooms. Here you'll have complete control of the action as you navigate the space and solve various puzzles in a fashion quite similar to escape-the-room Flash games. You can use either the analog stick and buttons or the touch interface to move about, but I find that touch controls are more fluid and precise, especially when you have to examine objects that occupy a tiny area on the screen. Point-and-click adventure fans should be in familiar waters, acquiring and combining items in order to open locked drawers and reveal secret panels. Each room also houses a handful of more complex puzzles, which require you to slide blocks within a certain number of moves or target regions of a dart board in a specific order. Solutions often can't be derived through intuition alone, prompting you to search for clues in the immediate vicinity. These puzzles can be quite maddening; you might even find yourself stuck for an hour without any flash of insight. If you are willing to swallow your pride, you can reduce the room's difficulty level at any time, prompting your team members to chime in with more frequent hints. The Escape sections are enjoyable and rewarding, but the main draw of the game is the incredible story and the colorful characters sharing your plight. You of course are in the role of Sigma, a college student who was snatched away just outside of campus early Christmas morning. Joining Sigma are Tenmyouji, a crotchety old grump wearing a sweet bolo tie; Quark, a 10-year-old with a hat that looks like it's fitted with stereo speakers; Dio, an impatient man with a circus ringleader's attire; Luna, a soft-spoken gal who just wants everyone to get along; Clover, a familiar face from the previous Nonary Game; Alice, a woman so comfortable in her manner of dress that the only article covering her enormous bosom is an oversized necklace; and K, the token amnesiac whose appearance is concealed by full-body armor. Most mysterious of all is Phi, the first person Sigma is paired with. Her general demeanor is a curiosity -- she can be stern and aloof one minute only to let a spark of emotion through the next. She is extremely intelligent and assertive, typically taking charge of group planning, but every so often she cracks a deadpan joke or non sequitur, which only adds to her endearing social awkwardness. Then there's her spooky habit of reciting information that she couldn't possibly be privy to, only to brush off Sigma's inquiries as to how she can be so knowledgeable. Each character has a secret to tell, a clue towards solving Zero's mystery, so it's up to Sigma to gain their trust and obtain those clues. Unfortunately, the constantly shifting balance of trust makes it impossible to form a close bond with more than one or two people at a time. But Sigma has an ace up his sleeve, a technique that he didn't know he possessed until the Nonary Game began -- the ability to send his consciousness through time. Somehow, Sigma can venture back and forth through the time stream and pass data gleaned in one timeline to the next. In a sense, VLR doesn't actually have branching paths and 24 different endings; every possibility is a quantum state that exists simultaneously with one another. There may be a "true" ending, but every outcome is true in its own way. Exploring new story paths has been streamlined since 999. In the original, you were kicked back to the beginning every time you reached one of the endings. Though you could fast-forward through previously read dialog, the process was fairly time-consuming, and you were still forced to replay certain Escape sequences. In VLR, you can access a flow chart at a moment's notice and instantly jump to any major Novel or Escape section you've previously cleared. By returning to a moment just before a Chromatic Door pairing or AB Game voting, you can make a different choice then navigate the new path. And should there be any repeated dialog in this alternate branch, you can fast-forward just as you would in 999. By frequently shifting into different timelines, you are customizing an otherwise linear narrative. Depending on which branch you take in the beginning, you'll be more suspicious of one character than would a player who picked an alternate path. You'll gather clues in wildly different orders, making discoveries that paint actions in a new light compared to how you would have seen them otherwise. In juggling so many plot threads and outcomes, you get lost in a mental web, unable to immediately remember what events led you to that particular moment. You become the traveler lost in time, seeing everything and nothing all at once, overwhelmed by your own power. When you aren't cheating Father Time, you are engrossed in a drama of turmoil, betrayal, friendship, and heartbreak. You get to know these characters inside and out, and you feel responsible for hurting them. Voting "ally" or "betray" becomes a very difficult decision, because even though you can change the outcome at the drop of a hat, you realize that there will always exist a dimension in which you sold out your friends for your own selfish gain. Part of that bond is due to the stellar voice acting. Even though you can choose to play with Japanese dialog, I found myself far more attached to the English cast. Everyone has their moment to shine, to deliver a powerful performance that mere text couldn't hope to convey. The only character whose acting I felt was weak was Quark, but that's because I feel a strange disconnect whenever adults voice children in animation and games. The character who benefits the most from the voice acting is Zero III, the rabbit-looking AI construct who serves as the Nonary Game's moderator. Manic yet playful with a heavy undercurrent of sadism, he behaves as though everyone ought to be having fun and even assigns pet nicknames to each of the participants. The levity in his speech is in stark contrast with the reality of the game, making him all the more frightening. I honestly believe Zero III is a strong contender for videogame antagonist of the year. Kudos to Aksys as well for the translation as well as the minor additions that add a healthy dose of good-natured humor. There are a few corny bits sprinkled throughout the script -- I could probably do without Sigma's painful cat puns -- but many provide hearty laughs. One particular Tenacious D reference caught me off guard, but it might be my favorite line in the game. All that said, there are a couple of dark clouds that dot an otherwise clear sky. Even though the in-game assets imply that development led on the 3DS, the whole package appears to be optimized for the Vita. I've previously discussed a nasty save-corrupting bug that only plagues the 3DS build and which carried over from the original Japanese release. On top of that, there are instances of text being cut off the bottom of the screen and scenes where the 3D effect completely breaks, neither of which the Vita version has to worry about. Vita brings it all home with three separate save file slots versus a measly one on the 3DS. VLR on Vita sounds like the way to go. Even so, I've heard second-hand reports of the Vita version locking up the system when you go to shut down. I can't confirm this myself, but it doesn't sound as serious as what the 3DS has. But aside from the save glitch, which can be easily avoided by not saving during any Escape sequence, the 3DS problems are more cosmetic than anything else. It does make the overall package feel a tinge sloppy, however. The other major area where the game falters is in its resolution. The ending to 999 is simply perfect, with one of the most mind-blowing twists in any videogame ever. The twist made use of the design of the DS hardware to great effect, so I was hoping a similar hook would be employed in the sequel. Since VLR is multi-platform, it obviously can't rely on hardware-specific tricks to such a degree. Disappointing but perfectly understandable. The true disappointment comes from how overwrought the closing chapter actually is. I guess the only way Uchikoshi thought he could top the last game's big revelation was to hit players with several bombs all at once. Suspension of disbelief is to be expected in a series like this, but VLR expects just a little too much. I guarantee that at least one of the multiple revelations will legitimately shock you, but the rest are so out in left field that you'll be more dazed than surprised. The ending makes it quite clear that there will be another sequel, so hopefully the conflicting emotions I feel now will be properly addressed by the time Zero Escape 3 rolls around. I spent over 30 hours with Sigma and company, and I'll be damned if a bizarre final act will spoil an otherwise fine adventure. Through our shared struggles, I connected with these characters. By skating the time stream, I charted my own narrative. I want to share my experience with other players and have them share their own stories in turn. To be able to compare how our individual tales unfolded is a gift that few other story-driven games can provide. Virtue's Last Reward is a worthy follow-up in the Zero Escape series. You need to play it. Just, you know, play 999 first. |
Dad alters text in Wind Waker to turn Link into a girl Posted: 10 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST
Mike Hoye loves playing videogames and sharing his pastime with his three-year-old daughter Maya. Their game of choice is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Mike likes to read the text aloud so Maya can follow along. But there is one major change to the in-game dialog -- Link is referred to as a girl. There's nothing wrong with Wind Waker as is, Mike admits, but he understands that males are often given preferential treament. During her crucial development period, Mike doesn't want his daughter to start thinking girls can't play the hero. He's been reading "she" instead of "he" whenever it pops up in the text, but he wanted to streamline the process even further. Taking the game's disc image, he fired up a hex editor and started altering all references to Link's gender. This wasn't as easy as it sounds, as he had to preserve the byte value of each string -- in other words, whole sentences would have to be rewritten so that the character count remained unchanged. His two weeks of work yielded a patch, which can be downloaded here but requires the Dolphin emulator to use. Was all this necessary? Maybe, maybe not. But either way, Mike's actions are a testament to how far a father will go for the sake of his child. I think that's simply beautiful. Also, how coincidental is it that the dude's name is Mike Hoye? Hoye, as in, "Hoy, small fry!" Get it? "I am no man": For Zelda-playing daughter, dad gives Link a sex change [Ars Technica via NeoGAF] |
F-bombs in the Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie trailer Posted: 10 Nov 2012 04:00 AM PST
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie is still a thing that is happening. As proof, the official trailer just went live. You can watch it. So... do that. We've known previously that the film will follow the Nerd and a group of friends as they seek the infamous E.T. Atari 2600 landfill in New Mexico. From the trailer, it appears they'll also be hounded by the military, which mistakenly believes they are investigating the Roswell conspiracy. I've been cautiously anticipating the AVGN movie, knowing that it could potentially fall flat on its face. The trailer gives me mixed feelings, but I still hold out hope that it'll come together once I see the whole thing. At least the Bear McCreary soundtrack unquestionably kicks ass. Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie - Official Trailer (HD) [YouTube] |
Escape from Helghan with Killzone: Intercept fan film Posted: 10 Nov 2012 02:30 AM PST
As a fan of Killzone, this live-action short is just about the greatest thing ever. Set between the events of the second and third game, the story follows a small team of Vektan soldiers on a mission to head off a Helghast battalion, thereby securing their ISA comrades' retreat. While watching Killzone: Intercept the cinematography triggered a memory of Beyond Black Mesa, a comperable Half-Life project that released early last year. But as it turns out the similarity between the two films was more than mere coincidence. Both pieces were created by Infectious Designer, a group of aspiring filmmakers that burst on the scene in 2008 with this excellent parking lot lightsaber duel. With folks like director Brian Curtin and his team out there producing such exemplary work on finite budgets, one has to wonder why Hollywood even bothers. Killzone: Intercept Creator Interview [Killzone Blog] |
The Daily Hotness: Blood and Chrome Posted: 09 Nov 2012 03:59 PM PST
Fans of evil death robots and people who say "frak" when they are not talking about various techniques for mining natural gas rejoiced today, as the webseries Blood and Chrome debuted today. As a prequel to the Battlestar Galactica series, it follows a young William Adama. Perhaps we'll find out how he got such a terrible callsign as "Husker." Tara and Max took the DTOID Show live today, Dale brought photos (mostly of booth models) from Korea's G-Star 2012, and Jordan learned a little bit about frogs and fractions on this fine Friday. Destructoid Original: Community: Events: News: Media: |
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