New Games |
- Angry Birds Space finally makes its way onto Steam
- What if EA made Solitaire in the style of SimCity?
- Outland is a runner-style game from the Super MNC team
- Sam Raimi on what went wrong with the Warcraft movie
- Legend of Zelda concert returning to San Francisco
- Google-like policy at Game Freak resulted in HarmoKnight
- Parthia is the newest faction in Total War: Rome II
- This is what Double Fine's Leap Motion game looks like
- Ranked: The five best city builders
- Live show: Insurgency with New World Interactive
- Sarkeesian's first Tropes vs Women in Video Games is out
- Review: The Bridge
- CD Projekt: Creative vision has to inform business policy
- Pterodactyls are invading Battlefield 3's End Game!
- Aliens: Colonial Marines update rolls out for Xbox 360
- PSA: Don't buy SimCity until EA fixes the servers
- Rayman Jungle Run makes its way to PC through Windows 8
- Here are 2,000 beta codes for the D&D MMO Neverwinter!
- F-Zero GX for GameCube has the arcade version in it too
- Jimquisition: Emotions, Polygons, and Ellen Page
- Dungeon RPG Hammerwatch now has a demo
- Sega takes to Facebook to ask you to support Miku for PS3
- Amazon has pulled SimCity from its store
- Painkiller Hell & Damnation gets Steam Workshop support
- Review: Kersploosh!
- Metal Slug X out now for Android and iOS
- Preview: Mage's Initiation channels Quest for Glory
- NVIDIA supporting PlayStation 4 with PhysX and APEX
- Reminder: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger still exists
- Too cute: Pokemon cosplaying as their final form
- Gears of War: Judgment launch trailer emerges
- Review: God of War: Ascension
- Dead or Alive 5 Plus demo coming shortly before release
- Nintendo Download: Kersploosh!, Wrecking Crew
- Age of Empires II HD is coming to Steam
- Namco Bandai reveals Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life
- Dead Space 3 DLC work began after main game was finished
- Fear Poseidon in this new God of War: Ascension trailer
- EA will be adding more SimCity servers over next two days
- To The Moon prequel A Bird Story announced
- Shigeru Miyamoto feels creatively satisfied
- Hotline Miami fan film is full of murder, and kids
- Funded: Delver's Drop to launch on Windows, Mac, & Linux
- Lara Croft time-lapse painting makes you feel empowered
- Dead Space 3: Awakened is a return to survival horror
- Hotline Miami publisher opens film subsidiary
- Nippon Ichi's Zillions of Enemy X looks pretty outlandish
- The Dude abides! The Big Lebowski has a chiptune album
- Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is Valve's 5th Linux game
- Catch endless runner Sonic Dash in motion
| Angry Birds Space finally makes its way onto Steam Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:00 PM PST Rovio has expanded their Angry Birds empire today, conquering the last foreseeable platform left with Angry Birds Space: Steam. It's weird to think about, but, yes, this is the very first time an Angry Birds title has made its way to the dominant digital PC platform. And, to celebrate its arrival, Steam is having a $1 off sale until March 14, leaving the sale price at $3.99. It's the same game you'd expect, only now toting Steam Leaderboards, Achievements, and Cloud functionality. Pretty cool for people who are into it. I don't dig the whole Angry Birds thing, but I can imagine that I'd like it a little better now using a mouse and keyboard instead of touch controls. Should I go for it? Angry Birds Space shoots onto Steam, $1 off for one week [Joystiq] |
| What if EA made Solitaire in the style of SimCity? Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:00 PM PST Sometimes, it's best to relieve frustration with laughter. This week has been full of server-related issues with the new SimCity and the light at the end of the tunnel isn't visible yet. For as universal as the game is, not everyone can sympathize with this feeling. That's where Electronic Arts' Solitaire comes in with its always-on connection requirement, Facebook- and Twitter-spamming score notifications, and tremendous game-expanding card deck DLC. Now damn near everyone can enjoy the social gaming revolution. I got bored while waiting for the SimCity servers and downloaded Solitare from EA [Reddit] |
| Outland is a runner-style game from the Super MNC team Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PST The guys behind Monday Night Combat have just put out a new iPhone and iPad game called Outland. I have yet to play it but based on the trailer it looks to echo games like Jetpack Joyride, Robot Unicorn Attack, and the like. You can give it a shot right now for $0.99, and the game is compatible with iPhone 4 or higher, iPod Touch fourth generation or higher, and iPad 2 or higher. You'll also need to be on at least iOS 5 for Outland to work. |
| Sam Raimi on what went wrong with the Warcraft movie Posted: 07 Mar 2013 12:30 PM PST Years ago, Sam Raimi was set to direct Legendary Pictures' film adaptation of World of Warcraft. He left the project quite some time ago, and more recently, Moon director Duncan Jones signed on to fill the vacancy. Speaking to Vulture, Raimi offered a rather candid explanation of what went wrong from his perspective: "First, [Legendary] asked me if I wanted to make it, and I said, 'Yes, I love World of Warcraft, and I think it would make a great picture.' So I read a screenplay they had that was written by the guys at [Warcraft developer] Blizzard, and it didn't quite work for me. I told them I wanted to make my own original story with Robert, so we pitched it to Legendary and they accepted it, and then we pitched it to Blizzard, and they had reservations, but they accepted it. "Then Robert wrote the screenplay," continued Raimi, "and only once he was done did we realize that Blizzard had veto power, and we didn't know that. And they had never quite approved the original story we pitched them. Those reservations were their way of saying, 'We don't approve this story, and we want to go a different way,' so after we had spent nine months working on this thing, we basically had to start over. "And Robert did start over, but it was taking too long for the people at Blizzard, and their patience ran out. Honestly, I think it was mismanagement on their behalf, not to explain to us that the first story was vetoed long ago. Why did they let us keep working on it? Were they afraid to tell me?" Sam Raimi on Oz, The Avengers, and Two Huge Movies He Never Made [Vulture] [Image] |
| Legend of Zelda concert returning to San Francisco Posted: 07 Mar 2013 12:00 PM PST "The Legend of Zelda: Symphony Of The Goddesses" tour will be making a return to San Francisco on June 10, 2013. The concert came through last year, and this time around fans will get to hear new material covering more music from the Zelda franchise. The concert will also retain the orchestrated four-movement symphony from before, which focused on Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and A Link to the Past. The concert is still touring around the world, with a stop planned next in Portland. Then the concert will be off to London, Paris, and Berlin before coming back to other cities in America and Canada. You can see the full schedule and purchase tickets over on the official website. I attended the concert held in San Francisco last year and it was just wonderful. I'm not as attached to the Zelda series as most folks, but it was still an amazing experience that any Zelda fan will love. |
| Google-like policy at Game Freak resulted in HarmoKnight Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:30 AM PST In a new Iwata Asks, Game Freak discusses how an internal policy not unlike Google's "20 percent time" program allowed the studio to come up with its latest original IP, HarmoKnight. "...we decided to change the internal structure of the company so that we could initiate new projects while still being able to give our all on Pokémon titles," said producer Junichi Masuda. "We have structured things so that if you come up with an idea for a game, you can write a proposal for it; if you can then get two other people to support it, you will be given three months to make it. "Anyone can work on developing a game, as long as you can find two other people prepared to come on board with the project. Then, after three months, we will check on the game’s progress." He continued: "And if we think it’s worth pursuing, we will give the team another three months to work on it. Then, six months after work begins on a game, the management will make a decision as to whether or not to turn it into a full-blown project. HarmoKnight is the first fruit of our company’s new system, which encourages people who have an idea to just give it a go." That comment got Nintendo president Satoru Iwata to reminisce: "Back when you and I began working in game development, that would very much be the attitude: 'Just give it a go!' That was how projects would get started." He even pulled a "back in my day..." by saying that, back then, "you were expected to come up with a new title every three months. It's unthinkable nowadays!" HarmoKnight [Iwata Asks via Tiny Cartridge] |
| Parthia is the newest faction in Total War: Rome II Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:00 AM PST It's time for another faction to be announced for Creative Assembly's upcoming strategy title Total War: Rome II. This time, it's the little-known Parthians that will be joining the fray. Formed from a confederation of tribes east of the Mediterranean, the Parthians were a blend of Persian and Hellenic peoples that challenged Rome, as well as the Greek/Macedonian armies. From the info on the Total War wiki, it seems like the Parthians will play in a style that fuses spearmen and cavalry. I've always liked a fast and mobile option in my strategy games, so the Parthians are appealing to me here. Hopefully there will be a firm release date announced along with the final faction reveal. |
| This is what Double Fine's Leap Motion game looks like Posted: 07 Mar 2013 10:30 AM PST Following the release schedule for the Leap Motion Controller and tease that Double Fine would have a game of its own for the device, more details have come out. This new title, "a music driven score challenge game" designed by folks who worked on Kinect Party, is called Dropchord. Set for release this year initially on Leap Motion's app store Airspace (Windows and Mac), Dropchord will also be available for iOS devices. In the meantime, there will be playable builds of the game at South by Southwest this Saturday and at Double Fine's PAX East booth. It's unclear exactly how this will play, as I've yet to come across any footage, but knowing that hands and fingers will be tracked gives me some ideas. |
| Ranked: The five best city builders Posted: 07 Mar 2013 10:00 AM PST I'm a bit of a mess, to be honest. A disheveled, disorganized, forgetful mess. Yet somehow, this all evaporates when I fire up a city builder. Obsessive? Definitely. Compulsive? Without a doubt. Everything needs to be just so, and if it isn't, well woe be anyone that stands in the way of my bulldozer. When it was first revealed, I squealed in delight at the prospect of playing a new iteration of the beloved SimCity franchise, and at first, SimCity seemed to be just what I wanted. The more information that came out about it, however, the less interested I became. The always online nonsense, the miniscule size of these, let's face it, towns, and the focus on the micro scale -- it just didn't appeal to me. I couldn't care less about the names of my Sims, I just care about their utopia or, when I'm feeling moody, their dystopia. If you're like me and have lost interest in SimCity, or you're just one of the many people who can't get into the game right now, I can offer a few alternatives. Not just alternatives, as it happens, these are my favorite city builders. There was some discussion amongst the Destructoid staff about what constitutes a city builder, but for the purposes of this piece, I'm taking it literally. No 4X titles, no "Theme" games, just the construction of cities, and one space station, because I'm inconsistent. |
| Live show: Insurgency with New World Interactive Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:30 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.] If you missed our early access launch celebration of Insurgency last week, fret not as we're bringing it back to Mash Tactics tonight. Once again we'll be chatting with some of the fine folks from New World Interactive as we blast the night away in this tactical military shooter. As well, we'll be asking members of the live crowd to join in on the action, and may just have a few copies to give away during the show. Be sure to come by Dtoid.TV tonight and see if my practice has payed off, or if I'm going to once again be the community bullet sponge. QotD: What is your favorite weapon from any video game? |
| Sarkeesian's first Tropes vs Women in Video Games is out Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:15 AM PST Well, here's the moment you've all been waiting for: Anita Sarkeesian's first Tropes vs. Women in Video Games has been released, and I'm pleased to say, it's a much better effort than the factually inaccurate Bayonetta video. Anita takes a journey through media, showing examples of Damsels in Distress throughout history, including old films, cartoons, and television. This episode heavily focuses on Princess Peach, explaining the history of the character, and her role in the Mario franchise, as well as Princess Zelda. She posits that Zelda is sometimes stronger than Princess Peach, and doesn't always play the damsel role -- using the phrase "the helpful damsel" and calls her key role in Wind Waker's final boss fight a "refreshing change." It's nice to see Anita show at least one positive example of females in gaming, also explaining that the original version of Star Fox Adventures featured a strong positive role model before being converted into a damsel in distress in the final game. Comments have been disabled, most likely due to the abuse Anita has gotten in the past. It's a shame though, as it completely closes on the door on actual meaningful discourse. Here in the open comments, what did you think of the video? |
| Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:00 AM PST Indie puzzle platformers seem like they're a dime a dozen these days. Start with an art style, something unique or just simple pixels, add some cool gameplay hook, and then make some levels. It’s a standard formula that has proven successful in the past, but has also marched towards oversaturation. It is very impressive, then, that The Bridge is as captivating as it is. With clear inspirations taken from games like Braid and P.B. Winterbottom, The Bridge combines M.C. Escher-esque level design with a world-shifting mechanic to form one of the best puzzle games that I have played in years. |
| CD Projekt: Creative vision has to inform business policy Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:45 AM PST Chatting with GamesIndustry International about GOG.com and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt RED studio head Adam Badowski has shared his thoughts on the importance of independence, balancing creativity with financial realities, and why the company isn't jumping headfirst into free-to-play gaming. There's something about the company I could never put my finger on; maybe this is it. "We have always aimed for ambitious projects," he said. "I believe that if you want to succeed, creative vision has to inform business policy and not the other way around -- that's crucial for us. Sometimes business will decide a company's creative policy, that's very bad for a studio. "Financial and business concerns shouldn't decide which path we take or the creative aims of the company. For example right now we are not dealing in the free-to-play market and this is why -- the market is far from perfect yet, I think there's something strange and awkward in this business model. So we're not getting involved in it, even if everyone is excited by how much money can be made using this model. Maybe we'll change our minds in that regard, but not yet." Further on, Badowski talks about how "Independence is a crucial part of a our strategy. That means we need to be independent in both ways. First, financially and secondly creatively -- they're both crucial for us. So as a company we're listed publicly on the Warsaw stock exchange, which gave us financial independence and creatively we own all our IP so we're free to invest in our own business with total creative freedom. This gives us a fresh eye in the studio, so it's very important to us. Maybe we could get extra money or experience, but it wouldn't make us happy." CD Projekt: "Independence is a crucial part of a our strategy" [GamesIndustry International] |
| Pterodactyls are invading Battlefield 3's End Game! Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:30 AM PST DICE really loves dinosaurs. It's no more apparent than with their final downloadable content pack for Battlefield 3, End Game. Users have already found a number of Easter Eggs, such as the pterodactyl that's flying around on the Nebandan Flats map above. Other Easter Eggs include the dinosaur skull on the same map, snowmen on the Sabalan Pipeline map, and a little nod to Battlefield 2143 on Kharg Island. I wonder how many more Easter Eggs have yet to be discovered. |
| Aliens: Colonial Marines update rolls out for Xbox 360 Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:15 AM PST Gearbox Software has taken steps to make its awful game slightly less awful. The studio's second update for Aliens: Colonial Marines is rolling out on Xbox 360 right now. The update covers issues and bugs found throughout both the campaign and versus modes. Notable fixes include letting co-op players revive their partners, and preventing players from walking outside the map. Most of the issues addressed thus far seem to be relatively standard in terms of post-release support. PlayStation 3 and PC will also get the update, but Gearbox hasn't said exactly when it will be made available on those platforms. Xbox 360 Update Information [Gearbox Software] |
| PSA: Don't buy SimCity until EA fixes the servers Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:00 AM PST Our review for SimCity is coming, but server issues are making the game unplayable. I'm sure you're already aware of the need to always be online to play, but it goes a lot deeper than just a DRM issue. Data isn't stored locally, so server issues can destroy save games and potentially cause the loss of dozens of hours of gameplay. Amazon has even pulled the game from their digital store. SimCity has a big focus on region gameplay, where cities can be connected with up to fourteen other cities. This concept is interesting and has some promise, but it just fails to work correctly with the way the servers are right now. Basically, the game is broken, and not worth buying at all right now. |
| Rayman Jungle Run makes its way to PC through Windows 8 Posted: 07 Mar 2013 07:45 AM PST Ever looked at those silly mobile devices, scoffed, and returned to your monstrous PC gaming rig that's now running the wimpy Windows 8 (secretly becoming jealous of all the sweet bite-sized titles they get)? Well, you now have the opportunity to play some of those fantastic games originally thought to only make it to Android and iOS. One such game is none other than Rayman Jungle Run, winner of the iTunes App Store's Game of the Year and a nominee of our very own "Best of Portable 2012" award. Yeah, this game is good -- great, even -- and it's available today on the Windows 8 store for a measly $2.99. It's the same exact game that's on the other two platforms, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that: this is the best $3 you'll ever spend, seriously. It's in my personal list of top ten games of last year, and I don't think I'm alone in that by a long shot. As long as Ubisoft keeps porting this title, I'll keep buying it again and again. Especially since I want to see just how pretty it is on my giant monitor. |
| Here are 2,000 beta codes for the D&D MMO Neverwinter! Posted: 07 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PST [Update: They're gone! Boy, that was fast. Follow us on Twitter, we might get more.] Destructoid has partnered with our friends at Perfect World to bring you 2,000 codes for this weekend's leg of the Neverwinter beta! Set in The Forgotten Realms campaign for Dungeons & Dragons, this free-to-play action-MMO sees players exploring the ruins of the great city of Neverwinter in search of delicious treasure. (Check out our full preview from last month for more details!) The beta begins tomorrow, March 8, at 12 PM Pacific, and lasts until March 10 at 11:59 PM Pacific. To claim your code from Dtoid, just head on over to our beta giveaways page and push the big red button! For redemption instructions, read on! |
| F-Zero GX for GameCube has the arcade version in it too Posted: 07 Mar 2013 07:15 AM PST Remember F-Zero GX for the GameCube? Fun game, and as it turns out, it's been hiding the arcade version in it this whole time. F-Zero AX was developed at the same time as GX, and both versions are essentially the same. Arcade players were given exclusive race tracks, which GameCube players would be able to gain access to after inserting their memory cards into the arcade units. Easier said than done, as it was hard to find the cabinet at arcades. Now a decade later, some hackers found out that the entire arcade version is actually hidden away on the GameCube disc. Even better, they've created a way for players to access the arcade version. You just need an Action Replay or Gameshark, and a PAL or NTSC version of F-Zero GX to access the arcade game. Retro Collection lists the codes you'll need in order to access the hidden content for those of you that still have your GameCube collection. I still have mine! Hackers Find F-Zero AX Arcade Game Hidden In Nintendo Gamecube's F-Zero GX [Retro Collection] |
| Jimquisition: Emotions, Polygons, and Ellen Page Posted: 07 Mar 2013 07:00 AM PST This week, Father of Dreams and visionary game director David Cage hosts the show and tells us all about emotion. Emotion. Emotion. What is it like to feel? What can videogames learn from film? How well does David know Ellen Page? Watch this soul-scorching video and prepare to be impressed. Emotion. |
| Dungeon RPG Hammerwatch now has a demo Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:45 AM PST Hammerwatch, the indie cooperative dungeon crawler with a sweet Gauntlet vibe and mod support, has just released a public demo of the game. The demo consists of the entirety of Act 1, 3 of the 4 classes, and multiplayer. Oh, by the way, that multiplayer is playable locally, over LAN, and online! So, what are you waiting for? Head over to the game's Steam Greenlight page, download the demo, and try it out for yourself. Hammerwatch is one of our indie games to look out for this year, so I can only hope that it lives up to its awesome potential. If you do in fact like it, don't forget to give it a good ole thumbs up on Steam Greenlight. |
| Sega takes to Facebook to ask you to support Miku for PS3 Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:30 AM PST If you're at all familiar with the Hatsune Miku phenomenon, you'll know that her Japanese creators and handlers have long been interested in marketing their virtual idol overseas, the better to let foreigners know of her crowdsourced joys. From Toyota commercials to Mikunopolis, to an actual presence of her PS Vita game at E3 2012, Crypton Future Media and Sega have sent feeler after feeler. And now they've made their most overt probe yet: a Facebook campaign. Sega's Facebook page posted the above photo, with the rather clear message: "Like and Share [this photo] if you want Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F for PS3 in the west!" And that's pretty much it. To paraphrase the artist livetune's popular Miku song, if you want it, Tell Your World. As of this writing the photo has garnered a shade under 3,000 likes. |
| Amazon has pulled SimCity from its store Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:18 AM PST The Amazon page for SimCity will no longer allow customers to purchase the game, citing server issues as the reason for pulling it. People all over the Internet are complaining about their inability to play SimCity due to its DRM that forces the player to always be connected to EA's servers. Here is Amazon's statement from their store page: "Many customers are having issues connecting to the 'SimCity' servers. EA is actively working to resolve these issues, but at this time we do not know when the issue will be fixed. Please visit https://help.ea.com/en/simcity/simcity for more information." EA has been attempting to fix its servers as quick as possible, even pulling certain features from the game in order to help provide more stability. The download is the only version affected, as the physical copy can still be bought from Amazon. Kudos to Amazon for looking out for the consumer. |
| Painkiller Hell & Damnation gets Steam Workshop support Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:15 AM PST Painkiller Hell & Damnation is an absolutely ridiculous game. Gigantic bosses, bunny hopping, and wicked weapons are the highlights of a bygone era that live on in Painkiller HD. Now, beginning with a beta in April, mod tools will be released for the game and Steam Workshop integration will be included. Weapons, maps, player skins, and items will all be fair game, and I personally can't wait to see what insane items players will come up with. Modding tools are perfect for extending a game's life while at the same time attracting a wider audience. If you're interested in joining in on the beta, head over to this thread on the forums. |
| Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:00 AM PST This is going to sound really weird, but when I was younger, I had a dream about my perfect game. It was basically an open-world version of Mirror's Edge without gunplay. It was more of a whimsical experience like Jumping Flash, taking you on a dream-like journey through a world, with an emphasis on free-falling. Kersploosh! is basically a bite-sized realization of that game -- albeit a very brief, fleeting, yet enjoyable experience. It's a bit one-sided at times, but ultimately, it gives you exactly what it advertises: the ability to drop objects into a well and have fun falling down it. |
| Metal Slug X out now for Android and iOS Posted: 07 Mar 2013 05:45 AM PST It was only last month that Metal Slug 2 completed its journey to iOS and Android devices. As promised, SNK Playmore USA is back with a similar release for Metal Slug X, the updated version of the aforementioned game. It's available as of today for $3.99 on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Once again, this is being referred to as a "perfect port of the original NEOGEO game." While I do realize what they mean by that phrase, it still feels disingenuous given the nature of how these games are played with touch controls. I don't want my thumb to be the protagonist! For a certain group of people, it's not really an issue. I'm jealous of them. |
| Preview: Mage's Initiation channels Quest for Glory Posted: 07 Mar 2013 05:30 AM PST The adventure/roleplaying game is one of my favorite hybrids, next to the Liger, and undoubtedly the first series that the mind conjures up when thinking of this genre is Sierra's Quest for Glory titles (other than the fifth game, an action RPG). Puzzles and puns mixed with classes and combat, the two genres made excellent bedfellows. Lamentably, neither the franchise or the genre really made it out of the '90s, and publishers weren't exactly keen to support anything with lots of pointing and clicking. That's why we have Kickstarter now, right? Himalaya Studios, the team behind several Sierra remakes, is working on a brand spanking new adventure in the vein of Quest for Glory, called Mage's Initiation. I recently got to take the alpha demo for a spin -- a very, very short spin -- with one of the classes, and I've come away with the desire to play more, if only because the press demo was absolutely tiny. |
| NVIDIA supporting PlayStation 4 with PhysX and APEX Posted: 07 Mar 2013 05:15 AM PST NVIDIA will be supporting PlayStation 4 with PhysX and APEX, it was announced today. Many of you will recognize the former physics technology by name, while the latter was not instantly recognizable to me. According to the company, APEX "lets artists create intricate physics-enabled environments. They can expand the quantity and visual quality of destructible objects; make smoke and other particle-based fluids integral to game play; and create life-like clothing that interacts with the character’s body to achieve more realism in their games." My last memorable experience with PhysX was playing Borderlands 2. Every time there was a leaking pipe, I would always have to stop and watch the water (or sewage, or whatever) spray out. Sometimes, these effects can almost look out of place compared to everything else in the game. |
| Reminder: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger still exists Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:45 AM PST Ubisoft has been slow to roll out media for Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, and that's not changing much from the looks of it. This new teaser trailer is exactly that -- a teaser, with a date and everything, for another video. At least this time, we're being shown in-engine footage. Action? That'll have to wait. Gunslinger recounts the exploits of notable figures like Jesse James and Butch Cassidy while you, the player, are a bounty hunter by the name of Silas Greaves. Say what you will about everything else, but that's one fitting name. A more fleshed-out trailer should be arriving on March 14. |
| Too cute: Pokemon cosplaying as their final form Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:30 AM PST Artists Birdy Chu took some base level Pokemon like Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander, Eevee and more, and gave them little outfits to cosplay as their final forms. The drawings were done with pen and colored pencil on paper, and you can purchase prints of all the designs over on Birdy's Tumblr. These drawings are disgustingly cute. Look at them in their little onesies and little shoes! Bonus: Birdy even did a drawing of the new Sylveon Eevee evolution from the upcoming Pokemon X/Y. Birdy Chu Art [Tumblr, via Geekologie] |
| Gears of War: Judgment launch trailer emerges Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:15 AM PST "Heroes make it up as they go along," as this new Gears of War: Judgment trailer boldly suggests. Judging by the video, "make it up" is some sort of military code phrase for "kill everything." Featuring the song "Shooting the Moon" by Mona, this trailer plays out like a checklist of classic Gears of War elements. Dualing chainsaws? Check. Executions? Check. Rolling under a giant spider? Ch-- Wait, what? |
| Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:00 AM PST How do you top something that was already considered over-the-top? Especially when this particular brand of over-the-top has become pretty familiar since in past eight years? We all know that God of War's protagonist, Kratos, is an angry, super powerful killing machine that takes down even the biggest gods and monsters without even a hint of ever breaking his hardened scowl. So even more of that in yet another series game would be ... well, it would be fine, really. More God of War is never a bad thing, right? But how about some emotion for a change? How about a backstory? How about some motivation that goes beyond simple anger? As I see it, the God of War franchise could have progressed in one of two ways. Either go bigger, or go deeper. Thankfully, God of War: Ascension does both. |
| Dead or Alive 5 Plus demo coming shortly before release Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:45 AM PST Dead or Alive 5 Plus for the PlayStation Vita will have a demo avaialble shortly before the official release on March 19. Players will be able to have Cross-Play battles with current players of Dead or Alive 5 on the PlayStation 3, transfer progress from the demo to full game, and fight on eight stages. Additionally, the demo will offer some single-player matches in Touch Fight, unlockable costumes, and all your save data from the demo can be transferred into the full game once you've picked it up. Really wish more demos did what Plus is doing here. Get actual rewards that can transfer over, thus making a player more inclined to purchase the full game. Great idea! |
| Nintendo Download: Kersploosh!, Wrecking Crew Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:30 AM PST It's a 3DS kind of day, as basically every update in today's edition of Nintendo Download is eShop related. First off there's the brand new Kersploosh!, which I'll have a review for later today. The rest of the offerings are Wrecking Crew (3DS VC), which was a former ambassador program only game, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (3DS eShop), ATV Wild Ride 3D (3DS eShop), Nano Assault EX (3DS eShop), and Monster High: Skultimate Roller Maze. Besides the new offerings, you're getting a Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity demo (3DS eShop) and a price drop for Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (3DS eShop), which has been cut to $4.99. Outside of the 3DS, King of Fighters '98 has hit the Wii Virtual Console. There are no Wii U related happenings today, sadly. |
| Age of Empires II HD is coming to Steam Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:15 AM PST Age of Empires II, the 1999 strategy game from Ensemble Studios, is getting an HD remastering and coming to Steam. Age of Empires II HD Edition will hit Steam on April 9, a mere month away. This HD-ified title will also include The Conquerers expansion pack, and is being developed by Hidden Path Entertainment, since Ensemble Studios no longer exists. Steam Workshop integration and multiplayer lobbies will also be included, turning this into one of the most desirable HD releases in recent memory. There is information on the official website, as well as a link to a Steam store page, which shows the price at $19.99, temporarily cut to $17.99. Age of Empires II HD arriving April 9 [GameSpot] |
| Namco Bandai reveals Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:15 AM PST Have you ever wanted to hear Disney characters speak Japanese? Well, provided you haven't seen a Kingdom Hearts trailer before, here's your chance! Namco Bandai has revealed Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life with a new trailer, which showcases some Mii-based gameplay. It's set for release on July 11 in Japan, and it'll come with a new Disney themed 3DS bundle. I doubt most of you are eager to jump on board, but if done right, this game will be a massive hit for a large portion of the 3DS fanbase. |
| Dead Space 3 DLC work began after main game was finished Posted: 07 Mar 2013 03:00 AM PST Dead Space 3's Awakened downloadable content was announced the week the main game was released in stores. DLC announcements made early on in production -- or even right around a game's launch -- typically draw fan rage by the truckloads. The question on everyone's mind when it comes to any sort of downloadable content is always, "Why wasn't this just part of the main game?" Of course, DLC isn't going anywhere. Ever since horse armor, it's become a way of life for the gaming industry. While we don't know what the practice is like at every studio, Visceral Games at least doesn't start work on its extra content until the main product has been completed. I spoke with Dead Space producer John Calhiun who informed me that "Dead Space 3 is finished months before it's actually sold, 'cause you have to go through manufacturing, certification, and all that stuff. So in that time we a have team with nothing to do. "We actually launch and treat our DLC like mini-games. They have their own teams, they're not part of the same budget, they're not part of the same crew. It's a way to keep our guys busy and working, and to support the game after we launch." |
| Fear Poseidon in this new God of War: Ascension trailer Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:45 AM PST Like it or not, God of War: Ascension will have multiplayer. As you may know from the beta, your character can pledge allegiance to a certain god -- this new video from Sony showcases Poseidon, "a god to be reckoned with." Of course, we all know from God of War III that he was a huge loser that Kratos bashed into oblivion in seconds. So ... you probably shouldn't have anything to do with him if you want to kick some serious ass. Stay tuned for our God of War: Ascension review will be out today! |
| EA will be adding more SimCity servers over next two days Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:30 AM PST The SimCity launch has been pretty disastrous to say the least. My Twitter feed has been a constant stream of players experiencing connection issues, servers that won't save their cities, long queue times to get into a server, and just complete frustration at would should have otherwise been a pleasant experience. Electronic Arts looks to be attempting to addressing these problems and issued a statement late list night saying they'll be adding more servers soon. "What we are doing is deploying more servers over the coming two days which will alleviate many of the ongoing issues. We are also paying close attention to all the bug reports we are receiving from our fans. We’ve already pushed several updates in the last few days. Our live ops team is working 24/7 to resolve issues and ensure that bug fixes roll into the game as quickly as possible." EA added that "This is, obviously, not the situation we wanted for our launch week and we want you to know that we are putting everything we have at resolving these issues." Additionally, EA is currently deploying hotfixes to all servers that will include a variety of improvements and temporally disable "a few non-critical gameplay features" such as leaderboards, achievements, and region filters in order to alleviate server issues. Will these servers be enough? I really hope so, as SimCity is a fun game. But more than that, people paid $60 for a product that is just plain broken. Yeah, it will be fixed eventually but it's really not fair at all for the early adopters. Look for our Destructoid official review to arrive soon. |
| To The Moon prequel A Bird Story announced Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:15 AM PST To The Moon is easily one of the most memorable videogame experiences available. It's sad yet beautiful, and has splendid writing all throughout. Freebird Games has announced the title of their next project, A Bird Story, about a boy and a bird with a broken wing. A Bird Story will take place in the same universe as To The Moon, and the boy in A Bird Story will eventually grow up to be the patient in the yet to be released episode 2. There will be almost no dialogue throughout the game, but it will still remain a very story-driven game. A Bird Story will be released this summer, but for now you can head over to the official site for the game to check out some music and artwork. |
| Shigeru Miyamoto feels creatively satisfied Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:00 AM PST Perennial star child Shigeru Miyamoto has had an illustrious career, no doubt about that. From creating Donkey Kong to busting on stage with Link's sword and shield equipped, he has cemented himself as one of the most influential figures in all of gaming. So even though it appears that most of the projects he's involved in lately are rooted in established Nintendo franchises, he still finds opportunities to flex his creativity. In an interview with GameSpot, the Nintendo EAD manager discusses his happiness in addition to the upcoming games lineup. He's quite candid in some of his responses, especially concerning the Pikmin 3's use of Wii U functions: "When I create a game, I don't necessarily always try to approach it from the idea of leveraging every feature or every ability of that new piece of hardware. In the case of Pikmin in particular, the approach that we took was really less of an approach of how can we [...] take advantage of what the Wii U is doing, per se, and instead how can we take what was that Pikmin experience and really make it a deeper experience for players." That right there ought to be drilled into the heads of any developer hoping to work on Nintendo hardware. Miyamoto himself says you shouldn't feel forced to use every little gadget or doodad available to you, rather only using them to enhance an already conceived gameplay idea. You'd think that would be common knowledge by now. |
| Hotline Miami fan film is full of murder, and kids Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:30 AM PST I quite enjoy fan films, and was really digging this one for Hotline Miami. Then I started to notice the actors here all look very ... young. And then that child gets brutality shot up near the end. Kids these days! Still, bravo for the editing and effects. [Via @HotlineMiami] |
| Funded: Delver's Drop to launch on Windows, Mac, & Linux Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:00 AM PST It's pleasant to find out that a cool-looking game like the 2D action-adventure Delver's Drop does, in fact, look cool to other people as well. With less than a week to go, this title has safely secured enough money for funding and has since moved into stretch goals. Break out the party hats, but don't have too much to drink or get confetti everywhere just yet. Some of the optional goals include day-and-date Linux support (already funded), a four-person deathmatch like "Smash Bros. meets Zelda: Four Swords," zone and class expansions, a 100-room puzzle mode, and also a two-person co-op "companion mode" where one player is a mystical pet that acts as a sidekick. See the full list on the Kickstarter page. Of course, it's that last stretch goal I'm interested in -- the one that grants us a port to consoles. At the current rate contributions are coming in, the necessary $240,000 is far from guaranteed. |
| Lara Croft time-lapse painting makes you feel empowered Posted: 07 Mar 2013 12:30 AM PST Our speed-painter pal Josh Summana is back with another lovely, lovely sippy cup of art juice. This time, he has set his sights on Lara Croft from the new Tomb Raider. It's definitely a lot more tasteful than the sick filth he's tried to pass off in the past! Josh created this piece as part of the Tomb Raider Reborn contest on deviantART. I wish him the best of luck, but looking at the competition, I think he has this one locked down. "Lara Croft" by Josh Summana [deviantART] |
| Dead Space 3: Awakened is a return to survival horror Posted: 07 Mar 2013 12:00 AM PST Overall, I really enjoyed Dead Space 3. There were points that it dragged on, but a lot of the stuff near the end in those last few levels made it up for me. Still, Dead Space 2 is my favorite of the franchise largely because of the dementia and horror focus of the game. So I'm actually quite thrilled with the upcoming downloadable content, Awakened. I played the DLC at a recent EA studio visit and, for better or worse, I was more freaked out in the twenty minutes that I got to check out than the entirety of Dead Space 3. |
| Hotline Miami publisher opens film subsidiary Posted: 06 Mar 2013 11:00 PM PST Devolver Digital, publisher of indie hits Serious Sam 3 and Hotline Miami, will be promoting indie films through its new arm Devolver Digital Films, starting with a documentary in May. With partners in London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, this new film subsidiary will focus on bringing indie films onto games-first digital platforms (though, not any announced at this time). At the forefront of this partnership is veteran game designer, co-founder and partner of Devolver Digital Mike Wilson, who produced and starred in stoner comedy Austin High in 2011. He is joined by VP of acquisitions Andie Grace (pictured above), who previously overlooked film and television projects at Burning Man festival. "It’s not enough to just put your film on cable and other digital outlets if nobody knows it’s there," Wilson said in a press release. "We hope to be that much needed second or third wind to truly find an audience for the film at the home stretch and finish line.” |
| Nippon Ichi's Zillions of Enemy X looks pretty outlandish Posted: 06 Mar 2013 10:00 PM PST Zillions of Enemy X is Nippon Ichi Software's next role-playing game and thanks to All Games Beta we have our first look at the title. Part of a mixed media project, Z/X is based off the trading card game, manga, and anime series of the same name. And from the looks of things it's pretty strange. Anthropomorphic deer, sexy nuns, fairies, mechs, dudes with giant afros, this game seems to have just about everything short of the kitchen sink. Zillions of Enemy X comes to PlayStation 3 on May 23 in Japan. We'll be sure to keep an eye on it as it nears closer to release. Nippon Ichi's Zillions of Enemy X card game RPG for PS3, First Screens & Concept Art [All Games Beta] |
| The Dude abides! The Big Lebowski has a chiptune album Posted: 06 Mar 2013 09:00 PM PST You ought to know by now if you dig the Coen brothers' classic The Big Lebowski. If you haven't seen it, you probably should. If you have and didn't enjoy it, that's just, like, your opinion, man. The Big Lebowski celebrated its 15th anniversary yesterday, so in honor of its legacy, musician Chipocrite decided to release a short chiptune album that covers six songs off the film's soundtrack. Using his trusty Game Boy, Chipocrite gave his own 8-bit spin on the music of artists like Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Kenny Rogers. Pretty unusual, no? 8-Bit Lebowski: 100% Electronic can be yours for $5. Don't be a nihilist and not give a sh*t. 8-Bit Lebowski: 100% Electronic [Bandcamp] |
| Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is Valve's 5th Linux game Posted: 06 Mar 2013 08:00 PM PST Following last month's beta release of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero for Steam on Linux, the game has officially launched -- for real. Not the most thrilling news of the day, I'll agree to that, however the brief announcement also mentions that there's plenty more where Condition Zero came from: "More Valve titles are heading to Linux in the coming weeks and months." Slowly but surely, a tipping point will be reached where enough worthwhile games are available for Linux via Steam that switching over -- whether it be for Valve's living-room PCs or any other reason -- won't seem like a big deal. That is the hope, anyway. |
| Catch endless runner Sonic Dash in motion Posted: 06 Mar 2013 07:00 PM PST After seeing what Ubisoft and pastagames were able to do with Rayman Jungle Run, I foolishly got my hopes up for Sonic Dash. This new endless runner, developed by Hardlight for iOS, should be up on the App Store in most regions by the time you read this. Before buying, become an informed consumer by arming yourself with a video demonstration. The description given in the announcement was not inaccurate, but the end result is also not what I was picturing. That's not to say Sonic Dash is bad or that it will sell badly, for that matter -- more like, "Huh. They sure are playing it safe." Little bit disappointing. |
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