New Games |
- Mega64: Selling ONE PERSON on Scribblenauts Unlimited
- Get equipped with 'girl power' in Mega Man #19
- Contest: Win a Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360!
- The DTOID Show: Wii U, Halo 4, Uncharted & Curiosity
- Diablo III expansion happening, says Blizzard
- Preview: Europa Universalis IV
- This is how Wii-to-Wii U transfers are going down, son
- Live show: Hotline Miami giveaway
- Karateka came out today on Xbox 360
- Movies vs. videogames: Which did it better?
- Preview: March of the Eagles
- Q-Games explains why PixelJunk 1-6 is coming to PC
- Destructoid unboxes the Wii U
- Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable targeting February
- Friend Codes officially a thing of the past on Wii U
- The Question: Is Halo 4 living up to the hype?
| Mega64: Selling ONE PERSON on Scribblenauts Unlimited Posted: 07 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST
Judging from the opening, it looked like Shawn somehow already owned Scribblenauts Unlimited on 3DS, so 5th Cell co-founder and Scribblenauts creator Jeremiah Slaczka was just wasting his time. Either way, it's always fun to see industry folks get in on the Mega64 fun. Not that it shouldn't be too hard to sell folks on Scribblenauts in any of its forms. Seriously. C'mon. Mega64: SCRIBBLENAUTS UNLIMITED [YouTube] |
| Get equipped with 'girl power' in Mega Man #19 Posted: 07 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST After the the heart-wrenching Proto Man arc in the previous two issues, Archie's Mega Man shifts gears into bubblegum territory with a short tale all about the ladies. Roll takes center stage in issue #19, "Roll With It," also starring Kalinka Cossack, original comic character Tempo a.k.a. Quake Woman, and... Splash Woman!? As I've probably mentioned before, writer Ian Flynn is playing loose with the character introductions -- both Pharaoh Man and Concrete Man have already had some panel time before their official game appearances. This way, they can be properly fleshed out so that their eventual turn will have a greater impact on the comic universe. I like this arrangement because we potentially don't have to wait however many years it'll take until a particular game sequel is adapted in order to see our personal favorite bots in action. Anwyay, in this story, Roll takes her girlfriends to the beach, but a sudden storm threatens a cruise liner drifting a little too close to shore. With Mega Man undergoing an upgrade to receive the slide ability -- Dr. Light's line, "I just don't understand why it stops working at modes nine and ten," is subtlety at its finest -- it's up to the gals and Light's newest "water rescue unit" to save the day. Mega Man #19 will arrive in stores on November 14, but subscribers should already be getting the goods in the mail. |
| Contest: Win a Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360! Posted: 07 Nov 2012 12:00 PM 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! |
| The DTOID Show: Wii U, Halo 4, Uncharted & Curiosity Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:45 AM PST Speaking of Halo 4, that whole XBL sexism crackdown was apparently misinformation, so get back to your hatespeech, kids. The Wii U is getting unboxed across the web, and we finally have details about its online capabilities. There's an Uncharted casino game in the works, apparently, and Peter Molyneux's Curiosity: What's In The Cube? is now live, if you like tapping stuff. |
| Diablo III expansion happening, says Blizzard Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST For all of the complaining, there sure were a lot of us that got Diablo III. Speaking to investors during Activision's earnings call, CEO Bobby Kotick remarked that the game has sold more than 10 million copies, reports Joystiq. "Year-to-date, Diablo III is the top-selling game overall based on enough meta, digital and retail sales in North America and Europe," he said. While specifics weren't disclosed, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime expressed that more content is on the way in addition to what's been done post-launch with major patches. "We do have an expansion planned for Diablo [III], I don't have any timeline to talk about. I think the most important thing for us always comes down to the quality of the expansion and the gameplay, so that will be a big factor in terms of driving our schedule." Diablo 3 surpasses 10 million sold [Update: Expansion incoming, date unknown] [Joystiq] |
| Preview: Europa Universalis IV Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST If any grand strategy title is going to make me feel like a Machiavellian genius one minute, and a gibbering idiot who couldn't take care of a bank account -- let alone the economy of an entire nation -- the next, it's one of the Europa Universalis games. Just when I think I've got things under control, a vast army of rebels pops up, or a civil war begins, or three countries declare war on me in quick succession, or the worst possible thing happens: inflation. The latest installment in the series, Europa Universalis IV, promises the same level of complexity in a constantly changing facsimile of the world from the end of the Middle Ages and into the Modern Age, but with less obfuscation and a lot more context for political and military actions. It's still at a quite early stage, though it is playable, and appears to be coming along quite nicely.
Europa Universalis IV (PC) Running off an upgraded version of the Clausewitz 2 engine from Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis IV has one of the pretties maps I've seen in a grand strategy title. Seasons change, altering the aesthetic of the landscape appropriately, even adding different color schemes for different times of year, water shimmers and reflects the constantly moving, tiny fleets and the flocks of seagulls above, and on the land, armies move across nations, fleeing or heading to battle. It's a lively map, but more importantly, it's one that presents information very well. For this demonstration, Sweden was chosen -- rather appropriate considering that Paradox is a Swedish developer and we were in the rain-soaked capital of Stockholm -- and things didn't look too good for the Scandinavian nation. It starts off subordinate to Denmark, the nation it's in a personal union with, and it's ruled by the Danish king, Christopher III. The Swedes, as one might expect, were less than pleased about their lack of independence, and at the start of the game, two groups of rebels were causing quite a bit of trouble. One of the subtle, yet very pervasive changes from EUIII to EUIV is how the game presents players with lots of potential goals, which all seem logical and organic. While grand strategy games are all about about making your own goals, in this case, the tools with which you construct your goals are that much clearer and more intuitive.
Take Sweden's situation, for instance. The kingdom is stuck in a union, has multiple rebel armies traipsing across the country, and lacks real military power. In previous games, players normally just had to wait for the union to dissolve before they could really get stuck in, but now they have much greater control and opportunities for interaction. Dealing with the rebels might seem like a first, natural step. Instead of rebels cropping up due to low stability or other slightly vague reasons, each rebel faction has some sort of goal. In the case of the two Swedish rebel forces, one was led by Karl Knutsson Bonde (later King Charles VIII of Sweden) and they sought independence, the other was a peasant revolt who were demanding lower taxes. Bringing up the new rebel menu reveals a plethora of information about the rabble-rousers, from their objectives, how close they are to victory, and how a leader might affect them. Increasing stability might slow them down or get rid of them, or in the case of the latter faction, lowering taxes might put an end to the revolt, entirely. There are many options available for any given situation, and crushing rebels under a steel boot is not the only way to resolve such a conflict. Peaceful tactics are just as legitimate. Knutsson's rebels were the greatest concern. Leaving them alone may allow them to successfully forge an independent Sweden, with the rebel leader as the new king; a king, I should add, with fantastic stats. Players might want to take this opportunity to free themselves from Danish rule, and get a very strong leader. However, the Danes wouldn't be happy at all, and would inevitably try to bring Sweden back into the fold. At this point in time, Sweden isn't really able to stand toe to toe with their power neighbor. Thus, it may be smarter to destroy the rebels, or hold them off at least until Denmark is otherwise engaged.
Wars are now much more objective oriented, just like rebellions. It's a bit like the war goals from Victoria, in fact. When declaring war on another power, players can choose an end goal for the war, like the dissolution of the union, or conquest of a specific province. It looks like it will give a lot more context to the conflicts that crop up all the time, as well as having nations progress along a rational path, instead of just getting into aimless fights. Of course, having a strong leader would be a huge boon. Leaders are considerably more fleshed out in EUIV, and there's clearly some inspiration from Crusader Kings II in the design of the monarch system. Monarch powers are tied into almost every aspect of the game -- in fact, almost all the systems that were demonstrated seemed to be extremely integrated. In the older titles, monarchs had points in military, diplomatic, and economic abilities, but it's been expanded significantly. Instead of merely getting bonuses to actions connected to these three abilities, they also generate power points that can be spent throughout the game. With these points, players can unlock new technologies, buy national ideas, assault besieged castles, and turn provinces into cores, integrating them into their nation. It's a resource that comes into play constantly. It also creates scenarios where you must weigh up risk and reward, deciding whether to save up points to unlock technological advances, or spend it now to increase the stability of your nation, in turn reducing the chance of revolts and generally making it more efficient.
This feature lends itself well to the organic nature of countries, as they rise and fall. You might start off with an impressive military monarch, inspiring you to invest in military technology and ideals, while expanding your armies and core provinces, but on his death bed, things could change entirely. Instead of a military leader, you might find yourself with a king who knows nothing of combat, but is a diplomatic savant. In that case, you might want to change your objectives, investing alliances with neighbors, or using diplomacy to undermine an enemy rather than force. The intent is to keep the game fresh, replayable, and fix the issue of nations becoming far too powerful long before the end of the game, which left players little to do beyond speeding the game up and watching victory loom ever closer. That is not to say that a diplomatic or economic focused leader can't rule a military power. Their abilities can be augmented by advisers, which have had an overhaul since the last game. Where once there were vast numbers of them who conferred upon a nation significant bonuses, there are now far fewer, and these bonuses are not nearly as large -- they are more for flavor. These wise fellows now have stats, much like monarchs, which augment the leader's own abilities. So a financial genius who hasn't even held a sword can still be a conqueror if he has the appropriate advisers. With the rebel armies making a mess out of the kingdom, and the Danes presenting a large threat, strengthening Sweden was of paramount importance. One of the ways in which a nation can be molded and improved is by unlocking advances, both technological and ideological. These systems should still be familiar to players of the previous installments, but now they are vastly more logical and connected.
Technologies, which can provide bonuses to tax, combat abilities, and even new forms of government, are attached to specific national ideas. Players can see how they interact with each other, and on the menu, they can quickly figure out what advantages they have from tech at the moment, as well as what bonuses they will receive from any new advances. In the national idea screen, unique cultural ideas now exist. In Sweden's case, they have an idea called Swedish Steel, for instance, which ties into the discipline of the Swedish army at that point in history. There's another called Hakkapeliitta, which was a type of hardy Finnish cavalry during the Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648). So the idea screen is tied into history, adding more character to the different nations. These ideas might provide new units, tactics, or be concepts that provide passive bonuses. Instead of choosing from a massive list of ideas, you unlock idea groups. So, you choose a focus or a goal, rather than just picking different individual ideas. Once you unlock a group, you can spend points on the ideas within that group. Completing a group confers extra bonuses. If your goal is to exploit and colonize the new world, you might want to focus on the exploration idea group. Maxing out the ideas in that particular group will provide the nation with more colonists, which are imperative for taking over the new world, and are also not nearly as easy to get as they were in previous games. Getting a new envoy (colonist, merchant, diplomat) is now a much bigger deal, and has a far greater impact. The wealth of the Baltic was laid out beneath Sweden, promising income and a potential monopoly. Trade and economics have always been an important facet in grand strategy games, and Europa Universalis isn't any different in that respect, however, the way it has been implemented in EUIV is far more hands-on. Rather than merely sending merchants to trade centers to compete with other merchants for influence, it has been expanded into three systems.
Trade routes spread across the world like veins, with the direction of the flow of trade shown clearly. Players can interact with this network in a variety of ways. Merchants can be positioned in trade nodes, where they can direct the flow of trade in a particular way, potentially increasing the monarch's coffers. Controlling provinces with these nodes will give players more control over them, emphasizing the connection between war and economics. Naval and expansionist powers can also dominate trade through different means. A fleet can be placed on a trade route, again allowing the direction of trade to be manipulated, or for money to be skimmed off. Bases along trade routes -- for instance, along wealthy coasts -- will also allow players to do the same. It's very easy to see where trade is coming from and where it's going, which makes it easier to choose trade objectives and plan accordingly. Fighting with other nations over trade and economically strong provinces will be inevitable, adding another facet to warfare. It's simple to get into, but opens up a wide array of new options, so it still retains the complexity the genre is known for. Declaring war on other nations -- whether it be for economic reasons or otherwise -- used to have a massive impact on your reputation with other countries. After annexing a few kingdoms, the whole world would dislike you, from people close by, to the distant orient. In keeping with the theme of having everything make logical sense, this system has been scrapped, and has been replaced with a relationship mechanic similar to Crusader Kings II. Instead of having a reputation that goes up or down based on your conquests, states exist which inform the AI on how to react to you.
So, if Sweden annexed Norway, the nations close by would feel threatened, and those who are of the same religion would get rather miffed, fundamentalist style. However, distant lands won't have a clue that you've done this, while rivals of Norway will be rather pleased. Rivalry is an important new feature which allows players to alter their relationships with foreign powers by becoming rivals with others. It's a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The aforementioned religious aspects of the series have also seen quite a few changes. Right now, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Islam all have unique mechanics that set them apart from each other. Extra additions like Protestantism may be featured, by at this point it's still just being discussed. Catholic powers can play cardinal-maker by using papal influence to vote for new cardinals, as well as attempting to get these religious gents in their pocket. Orthodox nations have a mechanic called patriarchal authority, which, when high, can hinder a nation, but it can also help it and confer bonuses. Similarly, Islamic states have piety, which provides bonuses like stronger fighting units and fundamentalist warriors, but may shrink should the player adopt new ideas and technologies that the clerics don't like. Other features, like polygamy, also have an impact on a country. Muslim lands might be more stable due to all the potential heirs, but it's also more likely that you will get a string of terrible leaders that are hard to get rid off. It's clear that the core philosophy behind Europa Universalis IV is giving players the tools to create their own goals and make important decisions. There are an absolutely mind-boggling amount of options, but there's a lot of subtle guidance provided by the clear choices players are compelled to make. From the hour of gameplay I got to experience, it seems even more immersive and expansive than the previous iterations, and the streamlining hasn't negatively impacted the large amount of content. There are still about eight months of development left, and there were features that were not ready to be showcased, so I merely got a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg. Regardless, it was enough to make me rather excited about the finished product, and I look forward to getting some hands-on time with it in the future. |
| This is how Wii-to-Wii U transfers are going down, son Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST Feel that gnawing sensation at the base of your spine? That uncomfortable shiver that creeps along your extremities and makes your hair stand on end? That's called "fear," and it's probably what you experienced every time you downloaded a game on the Wii. With the Wii U on the horizon, that fear is likely back in full force as you nervously pace about, wondering if Nintendo will hold to its promise of offering a means of transferring Wii data to the new console. Well, tell fear to go f*ck itself, because Nintendo's got this sh*t under control. In the Wii U instruction manual, the transfer is lined out step by step:
With this method, you'll be able to move over all Wii saves, WiiWare and Virtual Console data and saves, add-on content, leftover Wii Points, Wii Shop activity, and your Miis. Does that satisfy you? See! Nothing to worry about! Nintendo outlines Wii to Wii U data transfer process [Polygon] |
| Live show: Hotline Miami giveaway Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:45 AM PST [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.] Join us on Mash Tactics this evening as we dive into the highly stylized, and highly violent Hotline Miami. This game seems to be getting a lot of great hype, and I've been dying to try it out. After watching a ton of live streams, tonight, I finally get to give it a go myself. Also, we have a special treat in the form of steam codes for Hotline Miami to give away to a few lucky viewers! Get there and get you some! QotD: What's the best indie game you've played this year? |
| Karateka came out today on Xbox 360 Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST
The re-make of Jordan Mechner's classic martial arts game, Karateka, is now available for purchase on Xbox Live Arcade and will be arriving later in the month on PS3. A launch trailer was released but this is the much funnier, director's cut of that video, which has made me giggle no less than half a dozen times. I'm down with the visual look of Kareteka, the music and the idea of expanding it out to three playable characters. And, having just given the demo a run through, it seems to be faithful to the original, although I don't remember the controls being this responsive on the Apple II release. I think this might have turned out alright. |
| Movies vs. videogames: Which did it better? Posted: 07 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST The relationship between movies and videogames is quite the interesting one. Although they are separate entities, both movies and videogames have profoundly influenced each other over the years. Outside of the obvious adaptations of movies into videogames (and vice versa), or series like Uncharted that revel in their love of classic cinematic experiences, there have been many more connections between the two pieces of popular entertainment. Take specific scenes, for example. There are many near-identical scenes and sequences that are featured in both videogames and movies. While the focus of these scenes may be the same, the mechanics and aesthetics of how each scene is presented are sometimes very different. In these scenarios, which handles the scenes in question better? Movies or videogames? I decided to take a handful of these similar scenes -- each featured in both a movie and a videogame -- and put them to the test. Let the battle begin!
Believe it or not, there are two scenes in a movie and a videogame that feature main characters climbing into refrigerators right before they are shot into the air over a very long distance. Seriously. The more famous of these dual scenes is in the fourth Indiana Jones movie (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). In this scene, Indiana Jones is trapped in an abandoned nuclear test city right before an atomic bomb is about to be detonated. To escape, he climbs in a refrigerator to protect himself from the deadly blast. When the bomb explodes, Indy and the refrigerator are blown to safety. This scene has become legendary, mostly because people think it is when the Indiana Jones movies officially jumped the shark. (Or, in this case, "nuked the fridge.") Many fans use this scene as an example of why they didn't like Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Strangely enough, a similar refrigerator scene is also found in classic role-playing game Mother 3 (released a couple years earlier). As they are leaving Snowcap Mountain, main character Lucas and friends hop into a refrigerator at the top of the highest peak, ride it down the side of the mountain, and launch themselves into the air like a ski jumper before safely landing in the middle of a graveyard.
The winner: Mother 3. While I am one of the few people that doesn't hate the refrigerator scene in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I still have to give the nod to Mother 3 on this one. First off, it's Mother 3, so it wins by default alone for being one of the greatest videogames ever made. But looking past that, the refrigerator sequence is just so awesome ... and weird ... and random! WHY IS THAT REFRIGERATOR EVEN UP THERE?! I love you, Mother 3. Movies: 0
Critically-acclaimed 1995 film Apollo 13 and original PlayStation masterpiece Final Fantasy VII both feature epic rocket launches as major story points. In Apollo 13, this is an obvious inclusion, as the movie would never be able to happen if the astronauts featured in this harrowing true story did not journey to space in the first place. I mean, how else are they going to get there? Catapult? (Okay, that needs to happen in a Director's Cut.) The movie scene truly is a master class in great editing, awesome special effects, and stellar direction (under the detailed eye of Ron Howard). As the scene plays out, you really feel like you are there watching it happen. You can almost feel the heat from the fire as the rocket launches into space.
The rocket launch in Final Fantasy VII is surprisingly similar in the way it is shot -- the camera angles and editing share much in common. The main difference is, as the rocket launch of Apollo 13 supports its main story, the rocket in Final Fantasy VII is part of a smaller story that doesn’t have as much to do with the main narrative.
The winner: Apollo 13. As much as I love the unexpected space sequence in Final Fantasy VII, the rocket launch feels dated all these years later. The graphics are a little past their prime, and the actual launch doesn’t feel very intense. The rocket launch in Apollo 13, on the other hand, still holds up after all these years. It is exhilarating, exciting, and expertly put together. While there are many other classic scenes in Final Fantasy VII that overshadow the rocket launch, the launch is the centerpiece of Apollo 13. And rightfully so! Movies: 1
One of my favorite boss battles of all time is with The End in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. It is an epic sniper battle, set in a lush jungle, that can potentially last for hours, depending on how you choose to play. When I saw the Oscar-winning 2009 film The Hurt Locker, I was equally blown away by one of the movie's featured set pieces: a sniper standoff that bares many similarities to the one in Metal Gear Solid 3. But which one is better? On the one hand, you have this scene from The Hurt Locker -- an emotionally gripping sequence that is unnerving in its intensity.
On the other hand, you have the boss battle with The End. Both share one main thing in common: they involve people stalking each other with deadly and precise sniper rifles. In both clips, the high-energy action is replaced with eerily quiet and focused standoffs, resulting in only one side making it out alive. Crazy stuff! For comparison, here is the sniper battle in Metal Gear Solid 3.
The winner: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The sniper scene in The Hurt Locker is great (really great!), but it had some tough competition. Nothing -- and I mean nothing -- can beat the sniper battle with The End in Metal Gear Solid 3. Having full control of what is happening makes everything that much more effective. It is one of my favorite sequences in entertainment history. Movies: 1
There have been a lot of train crashes in both movies and videogames over the years. But two in particular are extremely memorable, both in their magnitude and in their execution. One is in the 1993 chase film The Fugitive, and involves Harrison Ford's character Richard Kimble as he tries to escape from the bus that is taking him to prison. After being (spoiler: falsely) accused of murdering his wife, Kimble is placed on a bus to transport him to jail. Needless to say, things go wrong. The bus rolls off the edge of a cliff, lands on its side on a train track, and a train just so happens to be approaching ... and fast. Will Richard Kimble make it off the bus in time? Take a look!
Intense, right? Just as intense is another classic train crash. This one occurs in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for the PlayStation 3. Main character Nathan Drake, shot by an enemy and trapped in the passenger car of a fast moving train, shoots a group of explosive barrels as a last resort. The explosion causes the giant train to derail, sending Nathan and the crumbling cars rolling down the side of a snowy mountain
The winner: The Fugitive. This one is really close. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of best produced videogames ever made, and each set piece in the game -- including the train crash -- is remarkable. Had this been about the entire train scene, Uncharted 2 would most definitely win. The entire sequence -- from riding and shooting on the back of the train, to climbing it as it hangs over a cliff -- is exhilarating. But this is about the train crash specifically, and, for that, The Fugitive is a little bit better. When I saw The Fugitive in the theater when it was first released, I almost jumped out of my seat as the train was headed towards the crashed bus. I was screaming for Harrison Ford to just “JUMP!” and get out of the way of the oncoming train. It was ridiculously suspenseful. Watching the movie again all these years later, the train crash sequence still gives me that same nail-biting feeling of exhilaration. Movies: 2
Trying to portray flashbacks in a movie or videogame is tough. You can usually go the easy route and just cut to a new scene with the typical "Ten years ago" subtitle on the bottom of the screen, but what if the story presents more of a challenge than that? This is the case with both Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Final Fantasy VII. Both stories call for multiple flashback scenes, but ask for much more than a simple cut and subtitle combo. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- in both the book and movie it was based on -- Harry and his wizard mentor Dumbledore must travel through a pensieve together, a magical device used to visit old memories. Because of this, the filmmakers had to seamlessly transition from the real world to the memories of the past by way of the pensieve. They do so brilliantly.
Similarly with Final Fantasy VII, when Cloud is trying to regain consciousness after submerging himself in the Lifestream, his ally Tifa must journey into his mind and find a way to bring him back. Instead of just showing a traditional flashback (as the game does earlier in locations like Nibelheim), this sequence has Tifa exploring different parts of Cloud's life, doing whatever she can to help him find out who he really is. Just like the pensieve scenes in Half-Blood Prince, the characters in Final Fantasy VII physically journey in and out of memories in creative and visually striking ways.
The winner: Final Fantasy VII. While I still don't think I have seen flashbacks handled with more style than in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, having control of Tifa as she wanders the memories in Cloud's mind in Final Fantasy VII is a much more powerful experience. Also, I really love Tifa. Movies: 2
I have never been in a sandstorm (fingers crossed!), but there is nothing more terrifying than a giant wall of death sand approaching from miles away. I mean, has there even been a sandstorm that isn't hundreds of feet tall and looks exactly like the Nothing in The NeverEnding Story? YOU SAW WHAT THE NOTHING DID TO POOR FANTASIA, RIGHT?! Anyway, sorry. I am just as surprised by my sudden, crippling fear of sandstorms as you. While scary (SEE ABOVE!), there have been two sandstorms featured in movies and videogames that are pretty darn impressive. First up is last year's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, in a scene that finds Tom Cruise chasing an enemy through a whirling, violent sandstorm in Dubai. It's pretty rad.
We also have another sequence set in a sandstorm, this one during the “Return to Sender” mission in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. After arriving at an enemy compound, playable character Yuri is engulfed by a giant sandstorm. Once the sandstorm fully hits, the rest of the level must be played with almost zero visibility.
The Winner: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. You look great Modern Warfare 3, and your lovely set pieces will always be appreciated. But you had no chance against the awesome Ghost Protocol. I seriously love every second of that movie. One of the best action films of the last few years. No contest. Brad Bird 4 life! Movies: 3
Here we have two scenes that are similar in description, but could not be more different in execution. They both involve two men riding under moving missiles. In one corner you have James Cameron's amazing True Lies. At the end of the over-the-top, action-filled film, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s main character Harry Tasker fights with bad guy Salim Abu Aziz on a hovering Harrier jet. At one point, Aziz is knocked off and his backpack gets caught on one of the Harrier’s missile. And then this happens: In one of the best/worst movie lines in history, Schwarzenegger puts his thumb on the missile-firing trigger and says the phrase “You’re fired” before shooting the missile into an enemy helicopter. It is beyond amazing.
In the other corner is Super Nintendo classic Contra III: The Alien Wars. During the boss battle of Stage 4, players are tasked with fighting a giant flying fortress, all the while hanging on the bottom of a series of missiles being shot from a friendly helicopter. The entire boss fight is completely unique ... and completely out of control. It really is one of the best boss battle ever featured in a videogame. I know I am always overdramatic about things like this, but this boss fight is seriously good. See for yourself!
The winner: Contra III: The Alien Wars. This one should have been an easy choice, as Contra III is one of my favorite action games ever. But the missile scene in True Lies grows on me every time I see it. It is so unapologetically ridiculous that I can't help but love it. I mean, Arnold Schwarzenegger says "You're fired" before firing a missile with an enemy attached to it. If that isn't amazing, I don't know what is. But Contra III is the better scene in the end. Fighting the boss while leaping from one moving missile to another is creative, fun, and surprisingly easy to control! Movies: 3
----- What do you think? Do you think that the right picks won? Are there any choices that you think should have gone the other way? What other similar scenes exist between both movies and videogames? And which ones do you like better? Sound off in the comments! |
| Posted: 07 Nov 2012 07:00 AM PST There was a time when a great many nations rightly feared the French. They feared the spread of rebellion and revolution, and after that, they feared an angry Corsican fellow who would become Emperor of France. Napoleon and his empire worried the rest of Europe so much that a series of wars kicked off, lasting over a decade. The Napoleonic Wars are the subject of Paradox Development Studio's latest strategy outing. Covering 1805-1815, it's a rather focused affair, one that has something of a military bent as one might expect for that period. I got to terrorize Europe with the Grande Armée for 45 minutes, and after I got over my initial feelings of guilt, I found myself becoming quite the would-be conqueror.
March of the Eagles (PC) There's something a bit special about the first turn of a grand strategy title, especially if you just dive in and don't muck about with tutorials or manuals. One is faced with the vast map -- in this case, an extremely familiar one -- filled with cities, armies, fleets, and the promise of war. Hidden menus reveal more information than you can shake a stick at, and a plethora of complex systems are there to be explored. Nations start with a few options; for instance, the French can go west and start the Peninsular War, or they can look to the east and plan an assault against the lumbering behemoth that is Russia. These gambits are an important feature of March of the Eagles, adding context, multiple routes to victory, and tying actual history and the history you want to make together rather well. As always, I spent my first turn clicking on things to see what I could gleam from the various menus, statistics, and historical flavor, as Chris King, lead designer, pointed out items of interest and gave me much needed strategic assistance.
I was playing as France, but that's far from the only nation available. Nations are split into two tiers, the super powers like France, Great Britain, Prussia and so on, and, as Chris described them, "the rest." The larger powers have unique victory conditions that must be met by the end of the wars, whereas the smaller countries win by being on the victorious side. It makes sense from both a historical perspective -- it was an age of coalitions -- and a gameplay one. A minor state has no chance of going toe to toe against a force like the Grande Armée, but it wouldn't be much fun if they couldn't get involved in the massive conflicts. It inspired alliances and working together with multiple nations, and even playing as France, I found myself needing to use my foreign chums quite a bit. Coalitions are an intriguing feature, and much more involved than the straightforward alliances. These coalitions are made up of multiple states and directed against the naval- and land-dominant powers. Only two coalitions can exist, one to oppose each of the dominant nations, and the game starts with the French Coalition and the British Coalition. These loose alliances of convenience are usually led by one of the dominant powers the other coalition is fighting against. France starts the game land dominant, and quickly I was able to check what important provinces I needed to secure for victory. However, winning isn't a matter of just grabbing provinces -- one also needs to end the dominance of their enemies. First and foremost was Blighty.
Great Britain was throwing its weight around in the Channel, flaunting that massive fleet like a trophy bride. I may have been in control of a vast force of men, horses, and artillery, but it was the British who ruled the narrow stretch of sea separating our two warring nations. I attempted to rile them up by sending in the bulk of my ships to attack a smaller fleet, only for more enemies to appear on the map almost instantly. A quick scrap later and I'd scarpered, sending my ships back to the protective bosom of the port, which was immediately locked down by my foes. Bloody blockades. Despite the large changes that militaries went through in the post-revolution world, in little over a decade, there wasn't a vast amount of technological advancement. So, instead of researching large numbers of technologies, players can invest in national ideas, something anyone who has played Europa Universalis should be familiar with. They provide bonuses for all manner of things, from increasing the number of troops that can fire at once, to increasing unit movement speed. After my embarrassing naval battle with Britain, I was keen to make some improvements to my navy. Initially I thought about improving my ships' speed, however, such decisions are not be made in haste. Provinces provide a range of different bonuses, increasing the effectiveness of the various facets of your military. While Britain had an edge at sea right now, if I captured specific provinces I would be able to catch up quickly. A few Prussian provinces would make me a much more formidable opponent on the high seas. So, instead of directly improving my fleet with a national idea, I opted to improve my land forces, which would in turn allow me to take more enemy provinces, and eventually have more naval dominance without wasting points on the naval-based options.
With my aquatic ambitions in the north cut short, I brought up the list of my settlements and selected a port in the sunny Mediterranean, setting about building up a new fleet there. My coastal target was heavily fortified Gibraltar, unassailable without navies and armies working in tandem. Taking the province would end Britain's naval superiority as well as a lot of income. Unfortunately, I had no troops anywhere close to the fort, and my ships would take some time to finish being constructed. In the mean time, there were whole countries that weren't at war with my rival, Great Britain -- this was not acceptable. While I had a few states helping me against the Brits, my ally, Spain, had not joined the fray. Luckily, the Spanish were keen to jump in, and swiftly accepted my invitation to war. Not fans of Britain, to say the least. Conveniently, my allies were right next to Gibraltar. With a Spanish land invasion and a French naval one, that fortress was sure to fall. The fates conspired against me, and no sooner than I had set my sights on the British stronghold, half a dozen enemy fleets appeared. I had no chance. A stalemate occurred, with the Spanish invaders hammering uselessly at the massive walls, and the British fleet incapable of doing anything other than make sure I couldn't aid my allies. My hopes were dashed. During this time, I had also been buddying up with Denmark, a potential ally against Britain in the north. The Danes agreed to an alliance, but I had to wait for my diplomat to recover with some fine wine and cheeses before I could send him off to encourage my new friends to join in the war effort. As I waited, a significant British force was preparing to invade northern France. Little did they know that I had several incredibly huge armies -- all positioned to crush any invader. Appropriately, these marshals all sported magnificent sideburns.
Little old Brunswick decided to send a pitiful army against me as I waited for the British to appear. I had an army close by, so I sent them forward for a bit of light exercise. Armies can have three leaders, two for the flanks and one for the center, and can be filled from a large pool of historical generals. Each has bonuses and and statistics that need to be taken into account when assigning them commands. Experience in battle confers upon them new traits, which gives them more character and distinctiveness, and may go on to inform the player's decision on which army to put them in charge of. The slowest speed setting goes by in hours, allowing players to make quick changes or hastily send in more troops during battle. In the midst of conflict, one can see how it's all playing out, showing the strength of the different forces and the status of the flanks, and once it ends, a little flavor is added by a battle narrative. I have no doubt that I'll spend a considerable amount of time reading these little battle tales, which colorfully describe the scene and the twists and turns of a large battle that, for the player, goes by in a matter of seconds. With Brunswick soundly trounced, I was able to dictate the terms of their surrender. Instead of annexing the nation, outright, I opted to make them a loyal vassal, denying my hated nemesis another continental ally. Portugal got a bit bored and thought they could handle a war with yours truly. For a moment, I considered letting the Spanish deal with their neighbor alone, but Chris reminded me that Lisbon was one of my victory provinces; so it would be worth my time to get stuck in. Right, I thought, time to bring out the big guns. I found Napoleon himself, and promptly sent him all the way across France and Spain, straight to my new foes, the Portuguese. This would take a while, so I took the time to throw my money around.
Prussia, who I was inevitably going to go to war with, was hassling poor little Mecklenberg -- I'm no fan of bullies. Well, not unless I'm the one doing the bullying. I wasn't quite ready to commit forces against the Prussians, so I sent Mecklenberg money, hoping that it would go towards killing lots of the super power's forces. All the while, the dastardly British were fighting me, countless soldiers falling against my indomitable armies. Unfortunately, my navies weren't doing nearly as well. Regardless, I'd gained a vassal, and had lost no provinces at all, and no land battles. Napoleon was still making his way to Portugal, the Spanish were knee-deep in Portuguese blood, and even the Pope was making his way to crush them. It was going to be quite the party. I had positioned a rather large army on the Prussian border, watching their fight with Mecklenberg. Despite my aid, the smaller state was utterly destroyed. Prussia was solidifying its position. Fine then, I thought, there are other German states which I can support or take over to weaken my potential future foe. With my blood up, I selected my next target: Baden. Expanding west seemed like a lovely idea. I gave command of my invading forces to Étienne MacDonald, son of a Scot -- yes, I was trying to get a sort of Scottish victory before I finished playing. The make-up of an army is of great importance, and with different units, varying special tactics are made available to players. I had a back-up force made up exclusively of cavalry, just in case the soldiers of Baden decided to flee.
Against my absurdly large force, Baden didn't stand a chance. Infuriatingly, the Swiss decided to get involved, presumably hoping to pick clean the bones of my enemy. Baden's end came swiftly, with my troops assaulting the single fortress. Fortresses recapture provinces unless you take them, so it's important to get your soldiers inside and take them out of enemy control. Following this final assault, Baden was annihilated -- another glorious victory for my Grande Armée. With that heroic act, my time with the game came to an end. Despite being focused completely on warfare -- with economics, province improvements, and diplomacy all existing only to fund, aid, and start wars -- it feels just as complex and content rich as Paradox's other grand strategy offerings. In 45 minutes, I'd managed to conquer two nations, get into a significant number of fights with the Brits, and I'd started to work towards conquering victory provinces -- quite a bit for a brief glimpse. There is still some balancing and polishing needed, though it's completely playable at this point. With a release date somewhere around the first quarter of next year, there's still plenty of time left for that, one hopes. Much like with Crusader Kings II, Paradox appears to have made March of the Eagles a lot easier to get to grips with than their older titles, with an intuitive UI, and a lot of easily discernible information being available at the press of a button. Hopefully I'll be able to take a more in depth look as it gets closer to launch. I never did get to conquer Gibraltar. Bugger. |
| Q-Games explains why PixelJunk 1-6 is coming to PC Posted: 07 Nov 2012 06:30 AM PST It's still unclear what exactly PixelJunk 1-6 is, but it sure looks pretty. The game was announced for PC, which didn't sit well with some fans of Q-Games' prior work. "Given our history with Sony I think people are being rather hasty in thinking 'Q is jumping ship' or other such nonsense," president Dylan Cuthbert said to Eurogamer. "Steam gives us the freedom to open up our development process and be completely transparent approaching release," explained lead designer Rowan Parker. "PixelJunk 1-6 started like a gamejam with just a few of us, so a frank and honest dev blog is something we really wanted to carry through. We also want to rapidly iterate on the game following release, and Steam is probably the best platform around for this at the moment." While they can't please everyone here, Parker was willing to say that, unsurprisingly, "We're certainly not ruling out any platforms at this point." PixelJunk maker Q-Games isn't done with PSN, explains shift to Steam [Eurogamer] |
| Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:55 AM PST Nintendo today sent Wii U review units out to journalists, bloggers, 19th century grave robbers, and Destructoid (that is us!). As soon as the package was signed for, a camera was grabbed and a fat idiot's hands were recorded fumbling with boxes and bits of plastic. We do not have the first Wii U unboxing video online. We do not have the flashiest. We do, however, have the most clueless and pathetic one. The competition may be tough in that arena, but we are confident we beat it. Check out our official unboxing video for the Wii U. There's swearing in it! |
| Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable targeting February Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST Between the four-person multiplayer, seven new levels, and inclusion of Pale Wing, I am so ready to play through Earth Defense Force 2017 again on the PlayStation Vita. Mentally, that is -- I still don't have a Vita to play it on just yet. There's time, though. According to the latest from D3Publisher, the game isn't releasing in North America until February 2013. If you do have what it takes and are eagerly awaiting EDF 2017 Portable, hang in there. They did at least send out the box art, which looks surprisingly great. |
| Friend Codes officially a thing of the past on Wii U Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:25 AM PST Nintendo revealed today that multiple user IDs could be stored on the Wii U, allowing a household of gamers to have their own personal data on a single console. A bold step forward, but there's been some confusion as to what these IDs mean -- will they signal the end of friend codes? We went straight to the source, Nintendo (obviously), to get a straight and clear statement on the issue. Are friend codes a thing of the past? According to what we were told, it would appear so! "Our plan is replace Friend Codes with a much more user-friendly Account ID system," a spokesperson told us, "which employs user-created account names." There you have it, a definitive answer on the friend code situation. Ridiculous and unwarranted strings of numbers .... YOOOOOU'RE OUTTA HERE! |
| The Question: Is Halo 4 living up to the hype? Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:00 AM PST Today is sloooooow. It's the day after the US presidential elections, and the day after Halo 4 launched, so the game industry is busy sleeping off one heck of a late night. We're still here though, and today's the perfect time for another QUESTION. Those of you who were giddy with excitement over Halo 4 have undoubtedly picked it up and spent some time with DA CHIEF by now. There have been glowing reviews, fan frenzy, and more Mountain Dew promotions than you can shake a stick at, but the burning question is this -- has it been worth it? Has one of 2012's most hyped games lived up to your expectations? Did 343 Industries step comfortably into Bungie's big shoes? Was the story all you'd hoped for? Does the multiplayer still hold up? Does it actually matter that they didn't include iron-sights for the guns? Conversely, does it feel like it's too predictable? More of the same? Was it perhaps not quite the shining beacon of perfection you wanted? Either way, the question is yours to be answered. Not mine. I have no opinion on Halo 4. I wouldn't dare. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from destructoid To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
