New Games |
- The Daily Hotness: Steambox baby mama drama
- Apollo Justice confirmed for Ace Attorney 5
- GungHo releasing a half dozen PSone Imports on PSN today
- New ESRB rule means we could see less age-gated trailers
- Xi3 CEO says Valve asked him to build the Piston console
- Mod tools are next for Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
- The DTOID Show: Bros Before Hos, PS4, & Dishonored DLC!
- Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge demo out now for 360/PS3
- Sleeping Dog's 'Year of the Snake' DLC has a trailer
- 10000000 is out this week on Android and Linux
- Contest: Win a last-minute PAX East badge from Paradox!
- PC Port Report: Tomb Raider
- Live show: God of War: Ascension
- Review: Super House of Dead Ninjas
- Chrono Trigger + Jay-Z = Chrono Jigga, and it's great
- We need to stop letting hate define us
- PAX's Indie Megabooth contains more than 62 games
- Team Fortress 2sdays: SimCity joke!
- Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams planned for Wii U
- Mass Effect 3: Citadel soundtrack free for Origin users
- Don't Starve releasing on Steam April 23
- Prepare for pain with the Monster Hunter Beginner's Guide
- Assassin Creed III's invisible wolves are terrifying
- Review: Naruto Powerful Shippuden
- A Machine for Pigs has become more like Dark Descent
- Former GameStop VP in prison for stealing $1.7 million
- Square Enix holds a massive Xbox Live sale
- Sound Shapes gets vehicles and six new albums via DLC
- Pick five games from GOG.com and save 80 percent
- Ken Levine killed BioShock film due to Watchmen's failure
- Terraria console devs 'looking into' Vita port
- Here's how Hades' faction works in God of War: Ascension
- Valve distances itself from Xi3 and the Piston
- The Mac version of Hotline Miami is still in progress
- Review: Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk
- Rift developer increases MMO retention through rewards
- Get hyped for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate with new trailers
- Jon Blow: PS4 games to run faster than PC
- LEGO City Undercover shows off its vehicles and disguises
- Microtransactions coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Zynga: Copying games is no big deal, don't worry about it
- Ron Gilbert announces departure from Double Fine
- The Chrono TRIGGER main theme goes acoustic
- The Daily Hotness: 'Bros before Hos'
| The Daily Hotness: Steambox baby mama drama Posted: 12 Mar 2013 04:59 PM PDT So first everyone was all like, "Look, first Valve-supported Steambox," the surprisingly pricey $1,000 Piston by Xi3. Then Valve was all like, Eh, this ain't really our bag, daddy-o, distancing itself from Xi3's Piston and saying there isn't currently any open collaboration between the two companies. But then Xi3 CEO Jason Sullivan fired back, stating Valve had asked them to make the Piston and that that directive came, of course, from his Gabe-ness himself, and that while the Piston is not the official Steambox, there may be joint doings in the future. Snap. |
| Apollo Justice confirmed for Ace Attorney 5 Posted: 12 Mar 2013 04:30 PM PDT Though they come few and far between, some say that Ace Attorney 4 is their favorite game in the series. These fans were rightfully disappointed to see Phoenix Wright return to the starring role in Ace Attorney 5. What could have possibly happened to bring this outcast, bad hat wearing, former legal dynamo back to the bench, and what happened to the promising, spiky haired up and comer Apollo? Regardless of if you're on Team Wright or Team Justice, these are the questions you want answered. It looks like Ace Attorney 5 will make good on those answers, as Apollo has been confirmed to appear in the game, now with some big collar action, arms wrapped up like Sagat, and what looks like an eye wound. More on this breaking news as it comes in! Ace Attorney 5 sees appearance from Apollo Justice [Gonintendo] |
| GungHo releasing a half dozen PSone Imports on PSN today Posted: 12 Mar 2013 03:30 PM PDT GungHo Online has returned with another set of PlayStation Classics that never made it out of Japan. The Grasshopper Manufacture parent company has announced six titles for release via PlayStation Network as a part of this week's store update. Highlights include visual novel Sentimental Graffiti, strategy role-playing game First Queen IV, dating sim/RPG Favorite Dear: Enkan no Monogatari, and Rung Rung: Oz no Mahou Tsukai - Another World, an action-adventure title based off The Wizard of Oz. Card game Trump Shiyouyo! Fukkoku-ban and Mahjong Uranai Fortuna: Tsuki no Megami Tachi will probably be the most understandable titles in the bunch, as the rest are fairly text-heavy and PSone Imports are released without localization work. Each of the six games will be priced at $5.99. |
| New ESRB rule means we could see less age-gated trailers Posted: 12 Mar 2013 03:00 PM PDT With recent changes at the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, the amount of time we spend entering in our date of birth for Mature-rated game trailers (and then reentering it, because it never seems to keep) may diminish. Giant Bomb has gotten its hands on a document that covers new rules for publishers that are said to be effective immediately. Not unlike trailers for R-rated films, "A trailer, demo, or video (of any length) for a Mature-rated game that has been deemed suitable for a general audience through the ESRB pre-clearance process will not require an age-gate. Please note that pre-clearance of Mature-rated game trailers posted without an age-gate is mandatory and must be submitted to [the ESRB]." So while gore- and sex-filled trailers aren't likely to get such approval for a wider audience, this still feels like a step forward. The organization will also now approve the cross-promotion of M-rated titles in games rated below Mature on a case-by-case basis, and has loosened the requirement for demos to display the ESRB rating for four seconds before the game itself is accessible. ESRB Changes Rules for Marketing Mature-Rated Video Games [Giant Bomb] [Image] |
| Xi3 CEO says Valve asked him to build the Piston console Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:30 PM PDT Valve distanced themselves from Xi3's Piston via a public statement that came after an announcement that the Steam-ready console would cost $1,000. Now, Xi3's CEO says Valve asked him to build the Piston and that Gabe Newell requested that he keep details to himself on the project. According to Jason A. Sullivan, founder, president and CEO of Xi3 Corporation, in a statement given to Kotaku, Valve initiated the $1,000 console, invested in it, and showed it off at its booth at CES, this year. Valve marketing head Doug Lombardi's statement from earlier today conflicts with the above information: "Valve began some exploratory work with Xi3 last year, but currently has no involvement in any product of theirs." Maybe Lombardi forgot CES was this year? Or maybe, Valve is so desperately trying to give Xi3 the cold shoulder that they are being careless with the facts. Regardless, Sullivan tries to further separate the comparisons to Valve's official Steam Box and pitch it as console capable of much more than running Steam. Even at CES, Xi3 told Destructoid that it isn't a 'Steam Box'. |
| Mod tools are next for Chivalry: Medieval Warfare Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:30 PM PDT In a video Q&A, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare's lead game designer Steve Piggott mentioned that Chivalry's mod tools are currently "in the works" and that it shouldn't be too long before they're released to the public. He didn't give an exact date, since it is likely too early to pinpoint something at this time, and it's better to not have a date than to announce a date and miss it. Also announced is Steam Workshop integration, allowing greater access to custom maps. Releasing mod tools, especially with Steam Workshop, makes me so happy. I'm always brought back to the old days of adding random mods onto my buddy's Counter-Strike server like Ninja Rope, or playing custom maps like Clue and Hide N Seek. With such a loving and dedicated community, I have no doubt that Chivalry will get some insanely entertaining custom maps. Chivalry: Medieval Warfare mod tools are “one of the next big things you’ll see coming” [PCGamesN] |
| The DTOID Show: Bros Before Hos, PS4, & Dishonored DLC! Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:15 PM PDT Greetings! If you're watching today's show and wondering why Max happens to look so much like Adam Sessler, it's because he recently got a full-body makeover to look like Adam Sessler. Don't act like you wouldn't either, if given the chance. In any case, today Max and I have a hearty and spirited discussion about God of War: Ascension's "Bros Before Hos" achievement, Jon Blow's assertion that the PS4 is faster than PCs, Kojima's suggestion for fraying next-gen development costs, and Dishonored's next piece of DLC. Also, is Star Wars: First Assault a predecessor to Battlefront III? Will it even be released? |
| Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge demo out now for 360/PS3 Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PDT The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports of Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge are due out on April 2, but before full release, Team Ninja has put out a demo for this updated take on the action title. The demo itself features gameplay sections for Ryu and Ayane, and any Karma and Ninja Skills earned will be transferable to the full game. Despite passing on anything and everything Ninja Gaiden following Ninja Gaiden II, I feel oddly compelled to grab this demo in order to get a better perspective on Ryu's latest exploits. And even if it goes unused, the save transfer feature is reassuring. |
| Sleeping Dog's 'Year of the Snake' DLC has a trailer Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:30 PM PDT The DLC expansions keep coming for Square Enix's open-world crime thriller Sleeping Dogs. Next up for Wei Shen is Year of the Snake, which is out now on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. It's another standalone adventure that you'll access from the main menu, just like the previous expansion, Nightmare in Northpoint. After the conclusion of Sleeping Dog's main story has been completed, Year of the Snake finds Wei Shen back in the police force full time. He's been busted down to a lowly constable until he is fully trusted by the Hong Kong police, but a series of bombings by the mysterious Cult of the Snake puts him back in the action. I only played Sleeping Dogs a few months ago, so I able to enjoy the other DLC packs alongwith playing the main game. Having another standalone expansion seems seems a great excuse get back into the game for a few hours. |
| 10000000 is out this week on Android and Linux Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:00 PM PDT Following the port to Steam (Windows/Mac), acclaimed mobile puzzle game 10000000 will soon be arriving on further platforms, including that one some of you have been patiently waiting for since the beginning. Yes, an Android version is on the way, as is a Linux version. Both are due out on Thursday, March 14. I've yet to personally try out 10000000 on anything other than an iPhone, but as an occasional time-waster for commutes, it's one of my favorites. If you're down with match-three gameplay, it's worth a few bucks. That soundtrack seems to make time fly. |
| Contest: Win a last-minute PAX East badge from Paradox! Posted: 12 Mar 2013 11:30 AM PDT In honor of their new 2.5D action-movie-inspired sidescrolling multiplayer extravaganza The Showdown Effect, our friends at Paradox Interactive have given us five PAX East badges to hand out to the Dtoid community! In The Showdown Effect, you play as one of several action hero archetypes -- the cop one day away from retirement, the kung fu master who owns a pawn shop, etc. -- so to win one of these badges we're asking you to come up with your own action hero! Give him or her a name and a back story and post your submissions in the comments below. After the deadline we'll award our three favorites with a weekend badge and two runners-up will get a Saturday badge! You have until this Friday, March 15 at 11:59 PM Pacific to enter, and the contest is open to anyone who can make the trek to Boston, so good luck! Oh, and while you're at PAX next weekend, be sure to check out the LAN section, where Magicka is playable on every machine! |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2013 11:00 AM PDT [Want to know how a developer handled the PC version of a multiplatform game? Check out the PC Port Report for the full scoop.] Over the weekend, I had a chance to play the magnificent Tomb Raider. It's every bit as good as Jim says in his review, and I am happy to report that the PC version is a robust and great-looking game with every feature you'd hope to find and decent performance. If you have a strong-enough computer, you can even enable TressFX, a high-powered hair rendering tool from AMD, to make Lara's locks into individual strands with lots of polygons and physics. It's an interesting technology, but it's a system killer especially for those of us running Nvidia cards. Turning this feature on caused my frame rate to drop by 40 fps. Other than this disposable extra, the rest of Tomb Raider is a fairly smooth experience. |
| Live show: God of War: Ascension Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:30 AM PDT [Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Dtoid.TV. Watch King Foom play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you can be as much a part of the show as anything else.] I really don't know how to feel about this latest installment to the God of War franchise. On one hand, I feel like the story has concluded, and there really isn't a need for yet another chapter. On the other, I'm a sucker for the brutality and visceral combat these games bring to the table. Regardless, I have a feeling even if the story elements are loose at best, I'll still enjoy the ride. Not that it means anything tonight, as we're sticking to the multiplayer side of things on Mash Tactics this evening. QotD: Is there a game with seemingly tacked-on multiplayer that you wound up liking anyway? |
| Review: Super House of Dead Ninjas Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:00 AM PDT After climbing down 350 floors of traps, monsters, and ninja ghosts, not to mention the extra levels seemingly without end, I've come to one conclusion: I should never become a ninja. Sure, I should have known that before I even started playing Super House of Dead Ninjas, but it's nice to have confirmation. I've died a lot. Countless times, really. Not enough to earn the achievement "Dedication," which one gets for dying a whooping 1000 times, but that achievement should tell you that this is a game about living for mere minutes. Thankfully, those minutes are filled with blood-soaked joy, certainly enough so that dusting one's self off and starting again isn't too great a chore. |
| Chrono Trigger + Jay-Z = Chrono Jigga, and it's great Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:30 AM PDT Ever since Wiz Khalifa shamelessly ripped "Schala's Theme" for the single "Never Been," I've been under the belief that a Chrono Trigger mash-up album would be gold. Chrono Jigga, a Chrono Trigger mash-up that throws Jay-Z's best cuts on top, proves my theory right. Hearing Jay-Z's coke-slinging, franchise-owning bravado from The Black Album and The Blueprint over classic Chrono Trigger loops and orchestra arrangements just works. "Ignorant Scene," "Wind Cry," and "Marle, Lucca, Schala" are my current favorites. Chrono Jigga is produced by Lexington artist 2 Mello. He says the project started as a joke, but soon became too good to ignore. |
| We need to stop letting hate define us Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:00 AM PDT I was recently inspired by a blog entry from a member of Fall Out Boy. If you're already rolling your eyes and making snarky remarks in your head, then this article is targeted at you. Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy's lead singer, wrote about the environment of hate within pop culture. It's an interesting analysis of the way that we come together to belittle certain artists or people, almost as an entirely new form of entertainment for ourselves. Think about the common reaction anytime a band like Nickelback or Limp Bizkit is mentioned. It's never a simple "I don't care for them"; it's always a verbal barrage of all-encompassing hate. While Stump's words were aimed at the music scene, they ring true for our little corner of the world -- the videogame industry. Yes, we're just as guilty of buying into the sociocentric phenomenon as everyone else. This trend needs to change. |
| PAX's Indie Megabooth contains more than 62 games Posted: 12 Mar 2013 08:45 AM PDT It looks like I finally found out where I will be spending 100% of my time at PAX: the Indie Megabooth. Last year's Megabooth had over 20 games, which is now a relative pittance. What if you took that number, multiplied it by three, and then added a few more just for good measure? Well, then you'd the PAX East 2013 Indie Megabooth, with "62+" games from 50 developers. Some games that stick out from the overwhelming list are Don't Starve, Guacamelee, LUFTRAISERS, Quadrilateral Cowboy, and Ridiculous Fishing. Seems as if the challenge to play each and every game has begun, and I accept it as my duty. |
| Team Fortress 2sdays: SimCity joke! Posted: 12 Mar 2013 08:30 AM PDT Every Tuesday a bunch of us Dtoiders get together and hop online to play some Team Fortress 2 on the official Destructoid server! You should join us! Remember the good times when games came out and you played them? That glorious time all those days ago? Well SimCity is here to ensure those times are looked back upon fondly. Where there was once DRM that was inoffensive and didn't take away from the value of the game. Fortunately our kind overlords at EA have told us what we actually want. What we want is to never be able to play the games we pay for. What could be better? Anyway. Want to play a game that, you know, works? Tf2sdays has you covered. Hit the jump for details. |
| Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams planned for Wii U Posted: 12 Mar 2013 08:15 AM PDT Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a gorgeous and finely crafted platformer. It's so satisfying to switch back and forth between the sisters to pull off some intense maneuvers. The game was just announced for Xbox Live Arcade, along with a trailer for the team's celebratory live show, taking place on March 21 at 7:00pm CET. What is even more interesting is what transpired on the game's Facebook page after the video was posted. Some people expressed interest in a Wii U version and sure enough, the development team mentioned that "Wii U is also planned, one step at a time!" I'm really stoked that the game will be getting more exposure, and I will definitely pick this up again on the Wii U, assuming everything goes according to plan. |
| Mass Effect 3: Citadel soundtrack free for Origin users Posted: 12 Mar 2013 08:00 AM PDT To celebrate the release of the final piece of content in Commander Shepard's canon, BioWare has made the Mass Effect 3: Citadel soundtrack free to download. The only catch? You have to have an Origin account to get it. The Citadel soundtrack features 20 songs from the add-on. If this is up your alley, you can't really go wrong with giving it a listen. You never know, it might be perfect to play on a loop inside your creepy closet shrine to the Commander. |
| Don't Starve releasing on Steam April 23 Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:45 AM PDT I've been eyeing Don't Starve for a good while now, being the nearest release from one of my favorite small studios, Klei Entertainment (makers of Shank and Mark of the Ninja), and being so different from what we've seen them deliver prior to now. The dark game of wilderness survival now has an actual release date and will be launching on Steam April 23. Early builds of the game have been available to beta participants and pre-ordering consumers for some time now. But I've not played it since a brief session at PAX Prime and now that there's a specific day to wait for, I'm a little jealous of those with access. That's okay, though. Don't Starve looks great and seemed in pretty good shape even last year. I'll just be happy when I can play it. |
| Prepare for pain with the Monster Hunter Beginner's Guide Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PDT Culty has been ever so kind as to put together a neat little Beginner's Guide for the Monster Hunter series. It was written and designed by the hosts of the "My Fair Hunter Podcast," a fan podcast dedicated to the games. Since they are known for their wide breadth of system mechanics and deep combat, I would imagine that this guide will be a saving grace for new players. There is a digital version that works with "any portable reading device" for $9, or a print version for $25. If you're curious as to the quality of the guide, perhaps the four-page preview will give you a good idea. It looks really well done, and the digital version is cheap enough to make me very tempted to pick it up, as I'm a bit rusty on my Monster Hunter knowledge considering I haven't played since the PS2 days. Monster Hunter Beginner's Guide [We Love Culty via Tiny Cartridge] |
| Assassin Creed III's invisible wolves are terrifying Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:15 AM PDT The downloadable content for Assassin's Creed III has more than a despotic King Washington going for it. It also grants new abilities to Connor, and you can see probably the most terrifying of them in this new trailer. The "Power of the Wolf" is one thing, allowing Connor to become invisible, but Ubisoft took things too far with the "Wolf Pack" power. When activated, as you might expect from the name, this ability summons a pack of wolves which will attack enemies. What I didn't expect is that the wolves are invisible too. Great. I'm not going to sleep for weeks now thinking that there could be a pack of translucent wolves waiting around any corner to tear my throat out. Meanwhile, the next chapter of the Tyranny of King Washington DLC for Assassin's Creed III, releases on March 19. |
| Review: Naruto Powerful Shippuden Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:00 AM PDT Naruto fighting games tend to follow a specific formula. The console versions of the Shippuden series have been some of the best fighting games in the franchise, but the content hasn't really been super fresh, as it follows the familiar storyline of the television series. While the games are ever improving on the home consoles, the portable systems haven't been given as much love. Enter Powerful Shippuden, a unique take on the series that, for once, doesn't exactly focus on the titular hero, nor does it adapt to the standard fighting game form. And these are actually good things. |
| A Machine for Pigs has become more like Dark Descent Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:45 AM PDT In an interview, thechineseroom creative director Dan Pinchbeck told Rock, Paper, Shotgun that the upcoming horror title Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs has ended up becoming "more of a natural successor to Dark Descent than we ever thought it'd be. Originally, we thought it’d be this halfway point between Dark Descent and Esther, but in a lot of ways, it's much more like Dark Descent." Considering that's essentially what I had hoped this project was going to be all along, that sounds lovely. As lovely as a game with this subject matter can be, anyway. Pinchbeck also said that, as opposed to the studio's last game, this one "has definitely got a much more traditional game story to it. I was really keen to write something that was a bit more straightforward. "What I think we have in common with [Dark Descent developer] Frictional is that kind of emotional, psychological element of, like, what's real and madness, and what mind and personality are," he said. "What's true. What's not true. I think there's an awful lot of that in Dark Descent. I think we didn't want to move completely away from that, because we’re still really interested in that angle." TCR: Machine For Pigs Now ‘Much More’ Like Amnesia [Rock, Paper, Shotgun] |
| Former GameStop VP in prison for stealing $1.7 million Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:30 AM PDT Some may call GameStop employees crooks for giving customers pennies for their beloved Maddens, but only Frank Christopher Olivera, former VP of corporate communications and public affairs at GameStop Texas, has been sentenced to prison. Olivera stole over $1.7 million from GameStop, using fake invoices and a made-up employee, through a fictitious company called Cloud Communications LLC (sounds legit). Olivera redirected GameStop payments to his fraudulent company, located in Las Vegas and in Canada, and would then put the money from Cloud into his personal account. Olivera plead guilty to charges in November and, on Thursday, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. In addition, he must pay $134,651 in extra costs, though GamesIndustry reports he has returned "most of" the $1.7 mil to GameStop. In 2012, a study called GameStop the 10th worst place to work in America. With someone like Olivera running the show, I can see why. Former GameStop VP jailed for fraud [GamesIndustry] |
| Square Enix holds a massive Xbox Live sale Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:15 AM PDT Square Enix has kicked off a massive Xbox Live sale, discounting a ton of games at 50% off, some of which have discounted DLC. You'll find the list with links below, which consist of anything from Deus Ex: Human Revolution for $14.99, to Sleeping Dogs for $19.99 with DLC sales. If I may make some more obscure recommendations, Geon is a lovely little puzzler and is easily worth $4.99. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is also a nice diversion (get the Raziel and Kain pack and support that IP!), and although Mini Ninjas isn't quite worth $14.99, it's still a decent bit of weekend fun if you have kids. The great big Square Enix Xbox Live sale [Square Enix] |
| Sound Shapes gets vehicles and six new albums via DLC Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:00 AM PDT On the PlayStation Blog, we're told about some new content for Sound Shapes that you're going to want to take a look at. Namely, the game has gotten vehicles (!!!) with a $1.99 Car Mini-Album & Creator Pack that is a bit crazy -- but in a good way. If the game's slower pace bothered you, this add-on might be more your speed. Additionally, there's a free update that introduces six hand-picked albums created by the Sound Shapes community. Can't argue with that price. The game has also been given an Offline Play option, which is always nice to see. I was able to snag a copy of Sound Shapes during a sale, and although the purchase was easily worth it for the Beck album alone, it was difficult not to be left wanting more content, even with the community-made levels. So, yes, this new stuff is relevant to my interests. |
| Pick five games from GOG.com and save 80 percent Posted: 12 Mar 2013 05:45 AM PDT This week, GOG.com is offering a discount of 80 percent on select games when you purchase five of them together. Depending on the gaps in your PC library, this is a rather great little deal. For instance, Legend of Grimrock ($3), Defender's Quest ($3), Pid ($2), Alan Wake ($5), King's Bounty: Crossworlds GOTY ($5), and Divinity II: Developer's Cut ($4) could be worth a look, especially at those prices. I'm almost tempted to try Lucius for a laugh, but something tells me that is probably a poor choice which will end in regret. |
| Ken Levine killed BioShock film due to Watchmen's failure Posted: 12 Mar 2013 05:30 AM PDT Ken Levine has come out about the BioShock film, first announced in 2008 with Pirates of Caribbean director Gore Verbinski attached, admitting to personally cancelling the film. After the poor box office reception to The Watchmen, Universal got cold feet about funding a $200 million R-rated BioShock adaptation. Universal gave the project two options: Ditch the R-rating or accept a budget of $80 mil. Verbinski wasn't happy with either and soon left the project. "They brought another director in, and I didn't really see the match there," Ken Levine said at BAFTA talk, "and 2K's one of these companies that puts a lot of creative trust in people. So they said if you want to kill it, kill it. And I killed it." |
| Terraria console devs 'looking into' Vita port Posted: 12 Mar 2013 05:15 AM PDT In an interview on TechnologyTell, David Welch of 505 games discusses some of the challenges and successes that the studio has encountered while bringing Terraria to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Interestingly, some of the new content to be included in the console ports was directly inspired by tools and programs that the PC version's modding community produced. "The in-game world map in particular was very inspired by some of the existing tools," said Welch. "And our redesigned crafting system was approached with the philosophy that console players can’t easily access the online wikis the same way that PC players can." Toward the end of the interview, Welch admits that the touch-screen interface of the PlayStation Vita "could be a very natural fit" for another port, and that the studio is "looking into it." While that is far from any sort of official confirmation, it's pleasing to hear about the possibility of Terraria reaching a wider audience. Interview: Making the Terraria experience work on consoles [TechnologyTell] |
| Here's how Hades' faction works in God of War: Ascension Posted: 12 Mar 2013 05:00 AM PDT Recently, we got word of how Poseidon's crew would roll in God of War: Ascension, and now we have some info on Hades' posse. Evidently, followers of Hades don't particularly excel at offense or defense, but through spells like curse, drain life, and invisibility, they can coast into various roles. So his faction poses a challenge to players to overcome statistical deficiencies, and offers them interesting abilities? Yeah, I'm rolling Hades later. \ The blog also highlights the game's "a substantial DLC plan," which is included in the $79.99 Collector's Edition Season Pass. Future plans will be revealed at God of War's website. Is anyone else digging into this game today? Stay tuned tomorrow for my Carter's Quest on the whole series. God of War Ascension [PlayStation Blog] |
| Valve distances itself from Xi3 and the Piston Posted: 12 Mar 2013 04:45 AM PDT On the heels of the recent news that Xi3's Piston would cost $1,000, Valve has taken measures to disassociate itself from the unofficial Steam Box manufacturer. In a statement to Eurogamer, Doug Lombardi, the company's marketing director, emphasized that Valve is no longer affiliated with Xi3. "Valve began some exploratory work with Xi3 last year, but currently has no involvement in any product of theirs," Lombardi said. It was common belief that Valve had backed or supported the Piston, though to what extent was unknown. After the uproar over the grapefruit-sized PC's price, Valve was probably wise to sever ties entirely. Valve-backed Xi3 Piston console starts at $1000 [Eurogamer] |
| The Mac version of Hotline Miami is still in progress Posted: 12 Mar 2013 04:30 AM PDT Sometimes, the sting of a smaller indie team can hurt. Evidenced by how many sleepless nights Team Meat had to put in to patch the PC versions of Super Meat Boy and Binding of Isaac, occasionally, fixing an indie game can take nearly as long as making one. Such is the case for Hotline Miami's development team when porting the game to the Mac platform. Evidently the project has been in development for months, and now more than a few Mac fans are anxious to play the game on their platform of choice. Today, the developers responded to the cavalcade of fans who want some sort of timeline: "Since then we have updated on the ongoing issues with porting the game and are still working on it every single day. Hoping that we get it done soon but want it to be right, not rushed." Well, there you have it. Although they've been working on it for quite a while, they'd rather release a finished working product rather than a rushed buggy mess. Makes sense! I just hope Mac fans get to experience this great game sooner than later. Hotline Miami [Twitter] |
| Review: Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk Posted: 12 Mar 2013 04:00 AM PDT It’s a well-known fact that the gaming industry is sorely lacking in strong female leads, with the game shelf at the local Best Buy sometimes looking like a page torn from “Who’s Who Among Expressionless White Guys.” Thing is, developers are definitely taking some steps in the right direction, with the March 5th release of Square Enix’s Tomb Raider showing that women in games can be portrayed as more than a pair of boobs carrying a gun. Still, it’s worth noting that another female-led game dropped on the exact same day, one which, though perhaps less progressive than the adventures of Miss Lara Croft, is still a fine example of female protagonists done right. |
| Rift developer increases MMO retention through rewards Posted: 12 Mar 2013 03:30 AM PDT Retention rates for subscription based MMOs are a really hard thing to regulate. After all, why do you think so many of them drop their fee to go free-to-play? Trion Worlds has somehow managed to survive the switch, and is still offering subscriptions. Due to a little imagination on their part, they've managed to increase the daily active user count by 470 percent by offering simple in-game rewards through the website Raptr. The developer saw results in as little as a few weeks. One of the biggest ways they got people into the game is by offering a free copy of Rift with a one month subscription for reaching an "Experienced" rank playing other RPG games like Torchlight II. There's also an entirely different tiered system once you start playing Rift itself, that will net you free items. I played Rift off and on for nearly two years now, and it's a great game. I haven't resubscribed in a while because I've moved on to many other MMOs, but every once and a while I enjoy going back and seeing what Trion Worlds has to offer. Case Study [Raptr] |
| Get hyped for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate with new trailers Posted: 12 Mar 2013 03:00 AM PDT Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is nearly here for the Wii U and 3DS, and Capcom has a pair of trailers to celebrate the occasion. The video above contains the intro to the game, which shows off Monster Hunter's unique ability to go from "cute" to "terrifying" at the drop of a hat. Below, you'll find a recap of the features that will be present predominantly in the Wii U version, like the ability to play online with voice chat. Did you get a chance to play the demo? Gated with single player, I thought it was a pretty poor representation of the real Monster Hunter experience -- but we'll find out soon enough if Ultimate delivers on March 19th. |
| Jon Blow: PS4 games to run faster than PC Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:30 AM PDT Cheerful game developer Jonathan Blow has been chatting up the PlayStation 4's potential, and like Avalanche Studios, is keen to tout the console's benefits over PC. According to the man behind The Witness, equivalent games will run faster on PS4 than PC. "For The Witness we're mostly interested in the base machine and how fast it is -- the fact it has faster RAM than a PC, which really helps in shuttling graphics resources around, and since it's not running a heavyweight operating system like Windows that gets in the way of your graphics," he told Edge. "Rendering stuff through Windows has an impact on performance. Since a console is just about games, that doesn't happen, and the equivalent game will run faster. And if you can target to specific hardware you can make it run faster, too." Blow's not wrong, really. PCs need their memory to do all sorts of things, while a console is a dedicated machine, and if your game is being targeted to a specific platform, it'll naturally run better. The PlayStation 3 knows all about that, famously acquiring rubbish ports of games like Modern Warfare 2 and Skyrim. If anything, the PS4 should mark an age where at least Bethesda can get it right. That'll be nice. |
| LEGO City Undercover shows off its vehicles and disguises Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:00 AM PDT It's been a while since I've had a new full retail game to play on my Wii U, so I'm excited to check out what LEGO City Undercover has to offer. Nintendo seems to have it covered here, with footage of all the wacky vehicles and disguises you'll be running with. It looks like the whole spectrum is covered, with planes, boats, and animals galore. |
| Microtransactions coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops II Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:00 AM PDT If you were worried fee-to-pay microtransactions were going to become the norm ... prepare to be justified. Activision has announced it'll be jumping aboard the bandwagon tomorrow, introducing incremental buy-me-ups for Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The publisher promises its "Micro Items" won't affect gameplay and, in fairness, this appears to be true for the most part. Here are the three things players will be able to purchase as of tomorrow:
The "Micro Items" will be coming to the Xbox 360, with a release on other systems unconfirmed. |
| Zynga: Copying games is no big deal, don't worry about it Posted: 11 Mar 2013 11:00 PM PDT "Zynga is often accused of copying games, which is mostly true." Those were the words spoken by Dan Porter, General Manager of Zynga New York. It's no secret to anyone with the capacity for rational thought that the social gaming madhouse has no shame in building a portfolio based entirely on the creative endeavors of others. But to hear the head of an entire division speak so bluntly about the company's modus operandi makes it sound like no one in upper management gives a toss they are seen as dirty, dirty rats. Porter quickly realized that he stepped -- nay, leaped -- across a very dangerous line, so he sent out a company-wide memo hoping to clarify what he believed to be a misrepresentation of his words by the media. What he actually meant to say was, "[A]ll games are derived from other games, that this has been happening long before Zynga, and that the debate about originality in games is vastly overblown and misses the mark." His justification is that peer pressure is too overwhelming? What is this, middle school? The real point of his original speech was to congratulate Zynga on effectively running games as a "service," therefore "the debate over copying games is a distraction if you are trying to figure out the future of social games." That's right, kids! No need to worry about finer details like integrity as long as you can achieve success. Because we all know that providing a "service" is always in the end-user's best interest. A Note from Dan Porter [Zynga via The Verge] |
| Ron Gilbert announces departure from Double Fine Posted: 11 Mar 2013 09:00 PM PDT In 1990, Ron Gilbert made the genre-defining Secret of Monkey Island with Tim Schafer. Two decades later, Gilbert joined Schafer's studio, Double Fine Productions. And now, after releasing his latest adventure, The Cave, Gilbert is leaving Schafer again. True love just doesn't last, does it? In December, Gilbert told Eurogamer that he wanted to talk to Disney, which currently owns the rights to the Monkey Island franchise, about doing a game. The Eurogamer interview ends with Gilbert saying he would make the Monkey Island sequel at Double Fine unless Schafer fires him. Oh, the irony. Gilbert isn't ready to announce his next move, but one can assume it's a game: "So many games left to be designed," he wrote in his blog. In the meantime, fans can look forward to an iOS collaboration with Clayton Kauzlaric (DeathSpank) called Scurvy Scallywags in The Voyage to Discover the Ultimate Sea Shanty: A Musical Match-3 Pirate RPG. Such a catchy title. Do I smell the next Angry Birds? |
| The Chrono TRIGGER main theme goes acoustic Posted: 11 Mar 2013 07:00 PM PDT Despite the name of the damn game being plastered all over the video page, I mistakenly attributed Super Guitar Bros.' cover of "Time Scar" to Chrono Trigger rather than its sequel Chrono Cross. Well, now they actually released a TRIGGER video -- I double, triple, and quadruple checked just to be safe! This cover of the SNES RPG's main theme is more sweet acoustic loveliness for your ear holes. And I especially liked how they recreated the sound of pendulum from the intro by knocking against the body of the guitar. Very nice! Chrono Trigger - Main Theme [YouTube] |
| The Daily Hotness: 'Bros before Hos' Posted: 11 Mar 2013 04:59 PM PDT Well, I don't think I can ever recall a controversy surrounding the tasteless title of a trophy or Achievement before, but it had to happen sooner rather than later. Jim even got in on the conversation. It's probably a smart decision to have the trophy name patched out. Hopefully we've all learned a lesson here, and we can move on gracefully. Speaking of moving on, today we asked if DRM factored into your game purchases, Taylor told us why Lara Croft is more than a survivor, Tony reviewed Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, we're giving away a copy of Etrian Odyssey IV, and many more amazing, wonderful things happened on 3/11/2013. Destructoid Originals: Community: Contests: Reviews: |
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