New Games |
- The definitive Dark Souls trailer is fan-made
- Mighty Switch Force! 2 will burn up Wii U soon
- Game reviews delivered while eating habaneros
- Chivalry: Medieval Warfare clears 1.2 million copies sold
- Wily and Mega Man team up in Mega Man #32
- Contest: Win a bundle of Doujin games and more!
- Live show: Legend of Dungeon beta gameplay
- Oh really? Xbox One will function without Kinect, says MS
- Ghost trains! Pac-Man CE DX+ headed to Steam
- Play Game & Watch and other LCD games in your browser
- Risen, The Bridge, and Gothic are your daily deals
- Jimquisition: Neutered
- Sony continues Japanese Vita games sale next week on PSN
- See the first set of Mega Pokemon in action
- Don't miss the Indie Arena at gamescom this year
- Watch the final Dota 2 match of The International 3
- What's new with the Xbox One controller
- Iwata: Wii U doesn't need a price cut, it needs games
- Blacklight: Retribution gets level cap increase, Dropzone
- Download this free Remember Me remix album
- Click here for a Skullgirls PC beta code [UPDATE]
- Q-Games launches a new PS3 music visualizer
- Amplitude Studios teases their gamescom new game reveal
- Like sands through the hourglass: PlayStation Plus deals
- Indie fighter Yatagarasu raises $118,000 via crowdfunding
- RunBot has this Mirror's Edge/Tron vibe going on
- Xbox One boss Phil Spencer to give gamescom keynote
- '30 Years of Wrestlemania' announced for WWE 2K14
- Microsoft Studios' head on Xbox One & the future of TV
- Unique snowflakes: Wasteland 2 NPC consider player gender
- Dropping yen: Sony's PS4 profits may struggle early
- The Weekend Hotness: Flaming shark in AVGN Adventures
| The definitive Dark Souls trailer is fan-made Posted: 12 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT The story of Dark Souls can be glossed over if you aren't actively seeking it out. And even then, there's a lot of effort required on the part of players -- a lot of piecing together of seemingly disparate in-game text snippets. If you've ever searched YouTube hoping to find answers, you might have encountered VaatiVidya's videos, which cover the game's characters in great detail. A number of you sent in this new video, "Prepare to Cry: Dark Souls." It's described as a short film but you can also think of it almost as a trailer for the game; the trailer that should have been. Another impressive piece of work from a community that continues to impress. Just when you think you can't like Dark Souls any more, we're reminded of its greatness again. [Thanks, Esmail and Ron] |
| Mighty Switch Force! 2 will burn up Wii U soon Posted: 12 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT ["Rescue Girl" by ronnieraccoon] WayForward's Mighty Switch Force! 2, released back in June, will be creeping onto the Wii U eShop in the not-so-distant future. WayForward confirmed the news with Nintendo Everything and hopes to make an official statement within the next few weeks. I only just got around to playing through MSF2 the last few days, and despite its feeling more or less a level pack for the first game, I had a blast and a half. I was especially blown away by the ending theme song -- if you haven't heard it yet, believe me when I say you're not ready! Anyway, I would gladly double dip for a Hyper Drive version. Kicking babies in HD sounds like the perfect guilty pleasure. Mighty Switch Force! 2 confirmed for Wii U [Nintendo Everything] |
| Game reviews delivered while eating habaneros Posted: 12 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT A new videogame reviews YouTube show popped up last month. What's so special about that, you ask? The hook with this particular show is that the reviewers must eat an entire habanero pepper first before delivering their critique. I just learned about Hot Pepper Game Reviews a couple hours ago when Egoraptor mentioned on Twitter that he contributed a Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate review to the channel. After that, I just had to check the other vids. Anyone can write a decent review and deliver it in a coherent fashion, but it's not so easy when the heat is on! I've embedded the reviews for Deadpool and Rogue Legacy below for further viewing. There are only six videos on the channel so far, but the potential to make celebrity guests suffer the flames of a thousand suns is enormous. |
| Chivalry: Medieval Warfare clears 1.2 million copies sold Posted: 12 Aug 2013 01:00 PM PDT All good multiplayer games need a bustling community, and from the sound of it, the PC combat title Chivalry: Medieval Warfare has its fair share of players. Upwards of 1.2 million copies have been sold in its first nine months, according to developer Torn Banner Studios. There's even an infographic breaking sales down by region. On that note, a relevant update for the game on Steam adds character customization and a number of other changes/fixes, should you want to stand out above the crowd (even if you gotta shout out loud). There's a full list of what's new in Content Update 2 below. I'm not a Chivalry player myself -- that last Steam sale was this close to pulling me in -- but I do respect the hell out of Torn Banner. Well-deserved success, as far as I'm concerned. |
| Wily and Mega Man team up in Mega Man #32 Posted: 12 Aug 2013 12:00 PM PDT This month's Archie Mega Man issue ends with all technology on the planet shutting down. Planes in mid-flight plummet towards Earth, hospital monitoring equipment ceases to function -- we're talking an apocalyptic scenario here. The only Robot Masters still functioning are Wily's, which the alien supercomputer Ra Moon has chosen to spare to serve as his army from now on. Obviously, Light manages to reboot Mega Man somehow, because we wouldn't have a comic otherwise. I've shared the covers for the "Blackout: The Curse of Ra Moon" story arc up through issue #31 previously, and now I've got the art for #32 as well. As you can infer, Wily has decided to put his vendetta against the planet on hold to combat this greater threat. His Robot Master army now back under his command, he and Mega Man will take Ra Moon on in one final showdown. Issue #32 is quite a ways away -- December, in fact. Enjoy the standard and variant covers in the meantime, and check the full solicitation below. |
| Contest: Win a bundle of Doujin games and more! Posted: 12 Aug 2013 11:00 AM PDT Our friends at Groupees have given us 10 codes for their "Let's Build a Doujin Bundle" promotion to hand out to lucky Dtoiders! Included in this prize are all seven games available in the bundle (Cafe 0 ~The Drowned Mermaid, Yatagarasu, War of the Human Tanks, Yousei, Cherry Tree High Comedy Club, Croixleur, and Ether Vapor Remaster), as well as all the unlockable bonuses (four games, an OST, a visual novel, and more to come). Awesome! You can find out more about the bundle here and in the video above. To win one of these codes, just leave a comment below! Limit one entry per person, and the contest closes tomorrow, August 13, at 11:59 PM Pacific. Good luck! |
| Live show: Legend of Dungeon beta gameplay Posted: 12 Aug 2013 10:30 AM PDT [Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Dtoid.TV. Watch Rick 'King Foom' Olson 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.] Be sure to come by tonight and tune into Mash Tactics, as we kick off an epic week of live content starting with the beautifully stylized and randomized Legend of Dungeon. Join in on the conversation as I sit down with a special guest or two from Robot<3Kitty, and do my best to survive this amazingly addictive rogue-like beat-'em-up. As we chat, I'll be on a constant mission to snag a spot on the leaderboards, but in a world where certain doom lurks at the bottom of every staircase, my playthroughs will more than likely be short, sweet, and full of fail. However, I'll probably be a bit too mesmerized by the lighting, music, gameplay and atmosphere to have anything but a smile on my face as I embrace my thousands upon thousands of inevitable deaths. QotD: What is the most frustrating game that you still put up with and actually enjoy? |
| Oh really? Xbox One will function without Kinect, says MS Posted: 12 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT The first installment of the Microsoft's IGN-hosted Ask Me Anything about the Xbox One wasn't particularly eventful, but the real fun has started with this week's questions. Going off the assumption that Kinect is mandatory for the system to function, a reader asked what would happen if their Kinect broke. Chief platform architect Mark Whitten clarified that that's actually not the case. Well, in fairness, he spent the majority of his response talking about how great Kinect for Xbox One will be before finally dropping the bomb that, "like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in, although you won't be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor." Which could mean a lot of things, some not so good, but overall this is encouraging news for players who want to resist Microsoft's motion-controlled future as much as possible. In a follow-up question about how 'off' Kinect can be while the Xbox One is in use, Whitten said: "You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information. Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture or more won't work. "We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience (like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance), you'll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue." We'll still have to pay for the thing since it's bundled in, bu--actually, at this rate, maybe not. Ask Microsoft Anything About Xbox One [IGN] |
| Ghost trains! Pac-Man CE DX+ headed to Steam Posted: 12 Aug 2013 09:30 AM PDT Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ will arrive on Steam next month. It's a game some of us own already, but one I'll happily buy again now that most of my gaming happens on a PC these days. Really, I just can't be bothered to wait three minutes while my Xbox 360 loads a bunch of apps and ads. Those who pay the requisite $9.99 for DX+ before its September 25 launch on PC will also get an All You Can Eat add-on pack -- it's got Dig Dug skins, people. Enough said. In Nick Chester's review, he called the title "as timeless as the original, and while it probably won't reinvigorate Pac-Man as a cultural phenomenon, it's certainly an amazing step towards making the series relevant again." Our former editor-in-chief also quoted me describing it as "absolutely orgasmic" which sure sounds like some dumb thing I'd say. Oh, 2010 Jordan. |
| Play Game & Watch and other LCD games in your browser Posted: 12 Aug 2013 09:00 AM PDT Hey, 80s babies! Have fond memories of portable gaming in the days before Game Boy? Did your parents ever buy you those Tiger electronic handhelds for $10 a pop to shut you up on those long drives? Or were you born just a little too late and missed out on the LCD gaming boom? Polish graphic design team Hipopotam Studio has set up an interactive museum where you can play accurate recreations of those old-school delights. The site currently has 26 LCD units on display, from Game & Watch classics like Donkey Kong and Octopus to some rather obscure titles from Russia and Taiwan. Each is fully playable via keyboard, so you can once again experience the magic of limited animation frames atop a static background. As I've said in the past, these devices have not aged well. Like, at all. But if you've got a free block of time today, there are much worse ways to kill a few minutes. Pica Pic [Hipopotam Studio via Twitter] |
| Risen, The Bridge, and Gothic are your daily deals Posted: 12 Aug 2013 08:30 AM PDT Amazon.com has reductions on a range of Warner Bros. titles this week, the main attraction being the Immortal Action pack that contains Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition, Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection, and LOTOR: War in the North for just $21.99. Now that its summer sale has finally finished, GamersGate is back to the usual tricks with a daily deal on the Risen series -- up to 75% off the price -- and the Gothic Collection, which includes three games from the RPG series for just £4.99/$6.24. GOG.com has a pair of deals running right now: the mid-'90s dungeon crawler Anvil of Dawn is just $2.39 and the there's 50% off Silent Scope II and Etherlords and its sequel. Steam's daily deal is The Bridge which is 60% off at £4.79/$5.99. |
| Posted: 12 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT Why do gamers defend their favorite titles from criticism with such volatility? According to some, it's because they don't want to see their genitalia removed. Is inclusivity the enemy of creativity? Is restriction an inherent part of congeniality? The Jimquisition considers recent controversies against the fear of a game being "neutered" to "pander" to new audiences. |
| Sony continues Japanese Vita games sale next week on PSN Posted: 12 Aug 2013 07:30 AM PDT Over the next fortnight Sony is hosting a pair of massive sales on PlayStation Network in celebration of Japanese developers. We have already detailed this week's offerings, which include discounts on a myriad of fantastic PlayStation Vita games ranging from Soul Sacrifice to Touch My Katamari. Things look to get even better next week with reduced prices for lovely titles such as Muramasa Rebirth, New Little Kings Story, and Ragnarok Odyssey. Check out the full listing below for the scoop on all the hot deals commencing August 20. PS Vita Game Sale Celebrates Japanese Developers [PlayStation Blog] |
| See the first set of Mega Pokemon in action Posted: 12 Aug 2013 07:00 AM PDT The more I see of Mega Evolutions in Pokemon X and Y, the more I like 'em. As a quick refresher, these can only occur during battle through the use of Mega Stones, so the transformations aren't permanent. Which is probably for the best, depending on how crazy Game Freak gets with the existing Pokemon roster. This could get out of control, fast. Currently, there's Mega Lucario, Mega Blaziken, Mega Mewtwo, Mega Mawile, Mega Absol, Mega Ampharos, and Mega Kangaskhan. I was never the biggest fan of regular ol' Lucario, but damn if the new design doesn't appeal to my inner 12-year-old, Digimon-loving self. Got any specific Pokemon you'd like to see turn Mega? I'm itching for Feraligatr to go full on Godzilla. |
| Don't miss the Indie Arena at gamescom this year Posted: 12 Aug 2013 06:30 AM PDT We have seen the PAX 10 at PAX Prime, the Indie Megabooth at PAX East, and Indies Crash E3 at E3, so it seemed inevitable that something similar would pop up at the upcoming European videogame expo gamescom. The Indie Arena will fill that role, as the first multi-game booth put together by a group of independent developers to show up at gamescom. Ten games will be a part of the Indie Arena this year, from a wide array of genres. The Last Tinker is particularly eye-catching for being so colorful in a Viva Piñata-esque manner, and Beatbuddy is almost like a rhythm-based Aquaria. The full list of Indie Arena games, along with links to their websites, is shown below. |
| Watch the final Dota 2 match of The International 3 Posted: 12 Aug 2013 06:00 AM PDT The International 3 concluded last night after a tense fifth game in a best-of-five set between Na'Vi and Alliance. Were you among the hundreds of thousands of people who watched the Grand Championship unfold? This is it -- the final, ridiculous match that awarded one team $1.4 million in prize money thanks in part to the Dota 2 community. If you couldn't tell, I'm purposefully dancing around who the victor was, though many of you have undoubtedly heard by now. To those lucky few who haven't been spoiled and are about to watch, you're much better at pulling off blackouts than I'll ever be. Even as someone who doesn't play Dota 2, this was a thrilling event. How could it not be with such energy in the room? The International makes me want to learn, similar to how EVO rekindles my interest in fighting games each and every year. Not that I'd ever get to compete on that level, but the passion, the excitement, the sheer spectacle found in these events brings out my inquisitive nature. What if? |
| What's new with the Xbox One controller Posted: 12 Aug 2013 05:30 AM PDT From a distance, the Xbox One controller may not look all that different from its Xbox 360 predecessor (or perhaps I'm just rapidly losing my eyesight). Sleeker, yes, but not radically different. There are actually some 40 improvements to be found -- some big, some not so big. General Manager of the Xbox accessories group Zulfi Alam walks through what's new in this video and discusses the thought process that went into some of the changes. One of if not the biggest point of differentiation is the d-pad. Arguably the biggest flaw of the Xbox 360 controller, Microsoft has rightfully changed the design with its new gamepad. "Yes, the d-pad -- we received some feedback on," Alam attempted to say with a straight face. "Our core gamers were not terribly pleased with the height of the d-pad." The addition of force feedback to the gamepad's triggers also sounds promising. The example given was that gamers could feel the difference between firing a rifle and a bazooka, or their vehicle's breaks in a racing title. I'm not crazy about the gamepad's price -- $59.99, or $74.99 with a play-and-charge kit included -- but on the whole it sounds like a worthy successor. |
| Iwata: Wii U doesn't need a price cut, it needs games Posted: 12 Aug 2013 05:00 AM PDT Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has brushed aside suggestions that the Wii U requires an official price cut to compete with the forthcoming PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Speaking with CVG, the banana-wielding executive noted the hardware's premium version has outsold its cheaper counterpart, indicating price isn't the real issue. "The basic version should have sold a lot, but the fact of the matter is that people are buying more of the premium version," he said. "So the issue is not there." Instead, Iwata asserts a strong line-up of marquee games is key to success. "I understand that the real issue is the lack of software, and the only solution is to provide the mass-market with a number of quality software titles." Perhaps titles like Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, Wind Waker HD, and Super Mario 3D World will help reverse the struggling console's fortunes. Iwata: Wii U Basic model sales show price isn't the issue [CVG] |
| Blacklight: Retribution gets level cap increase, Dropzone Posted: 12 Aug 2013 04:30 AM PDT Fans of Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Retribution will be happy to hear that the free-to-play FPS has received a splendid little update, increasing the level cap as well as adding a new map that Tango Down players are sure to recognize. Zombie Studios has taken Dropzone, one of my all-time favourite maps from Tango Down, and dropped it (hah, right guys? Guys?) into Retribution. Along with the new map, the level cap has been raised from 40 to 50. Players will also be able to pick up new titles and camouflage as they level up. New gear, including melee weapons and the Infrared Protection Gear, have also been included in the update -- 7-day versions of said gear are available for purchase using GP. |
| Download this free Remember Me remix album Posted: 12 Aug 2013 04:00 AM PDT Earlier this summer, Capcom asked fans to remix Olivier Deriviere’s “Fragments” from the official soundtrack for the Remember Me. More than 100 entries were submitted, but two came out on top. The winner from total Soundcloud community votes was Connor Mills' chill version. The Capcom jury picked Nick Gonzalez's rock remix. Both are really good! Both winners will recieve a gaming console of their choice, a copy of Remember Me, and other assorted swag. The best prize for each is a vinyl LP with their remix pressed onto it, in a custom sleeve created by Remember Me's Art Director. Capcom has created a fully free best-of remix download album, available here (www.remembermeremix.com). |
| Click here for a Skullgirls PC beta code [UPDATE] Posted: 12 Aug 2013 03:45 AM PDT [Update 2: Believe it or not, the codes really are all gone :( Sorry everybody!] [Update: Either the codes are already gone or we're experience some technical difficulties. Hold tight while we double check!] Skullgirls may not release on Steam until August 22nd, but the beta is currently in full swing for those who already pre-ordered the game (and has been for even longer if you backed the Indiegogo project). But what are the rest of us to do? On that, Destructoid has you covered! The first 800 people to click the big red button on our beta giveaways page will receive a code good for entry into the Steam beta! For those who haven't been following, the PC version contains balancing fixes, as well as the first DLC character, Squigly, so this is definitely something you'll want to get it on. You can rock this beta all the way up until the full release on August 22nd. There's also an awesome Skullgirls tournament taking place between August 14th and the 21st, so be sure to check that out. Over $2,000 in prizes are being awarded to the winners, so it's sure to be a blast! That's it! Go click the button already! |
| Q-Games launches a new PS3 music visualizer Posted: 12 Aug 2013 03:30 AM PDT I love everything that Q-Games makes, even if they aren't really games sometimes. These are musical people, and as one myself I always connect to what they do. While musical visualizers might not normally be exciting enough to write home about, Q-Games' new Visualizer is a new PS3 application that draws on what they learned from their awesome not-a-game PixelJunk 4am. This new app, set to launch tomorrow in North America on PSN (Europe and Asia to follow soon), gives you an interactive background for your music. Q-Games suggests that it would make a good backdrop for parties, or a nice screensaver for your television. If this sounds like your kind of thing, the launch price will be set at $2.99 for two weeks only, with the price bumping up to $4.99 after that. |
| Amplitude Studios teases their gamescom new game reveal Posted: 12 Aug 2013 03:15 AM PDT This new teaser trailer was released this morning to tease Amplitude Studios' game reveal, set for next week at gamescom. What's behind the door? We'll see next week. |
| Like sands through the hourglass: PlayStation Plus deals Posted: 12 Aug 2013 03:00 AM PDT Do you not have enough games to play because you are a literal, oiled and titanium game playing machine (or our own Chris Carter)? Well, Sony's got your back this week, like every week, with a mad array of free and discounted games, particularly for those indoctrinated in the cult of PlayStation Plus. Has anyone else had to get their robes let out, what with all the sitting around and playing 'free' games? This Tuesday, the excellent and much loved Bit.Trip Presents Runner2 (regularly $14.99) will be made free for PS+ users. The Runner2 Good Friends character pack, normally $3, will run you $1.91. Game for zilch, less than a two dollar bill to play as characters from Super Meat Boy, Spelunky, Psychonauts, and more. Support Raz and Psychonauts, you skinflints. Or don't, I'm not in control of your finances. I just like Psychonauts. Also available is a Tomb Raider bundle which includes Quantum Conundrum, because apparently Lara raided that grave, am I right? (I'm sure the game is excellent; I got it for free via PS+ and haven't played it yet) Regularly $45, the pack is on sale for $22.49 for everyone, $20.24 for PS+ members. It includes Tomb Raider and a bunch of DLC, like Hitman: Absolution weapons and multiplayer costume packs and map. Lastly, a bunch of Japanese PS Vita games are going on sale over the next two weeks. Full list below. I should probably finally buy Katamari Vita at less than $4. Oh, and if you haven't played Gravity Rush yet, c'mon. It's superb. And free (for PlayStation Plus; on sale otherwise). Looking at picking anything up? |
| Indie fighter Yatagarasu raises $118,000 via crowdfunding Posted: 12 Aug 2013 02:30 AM PDT Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm has successfully concluded its crowdfunding campaign. The doujin fighting game raised $118,243 through Indiegogo, nearly doubling its original $68,000 goal. Publisher Nyu Media assert the additional funds will be used to incorporate lag-reducing GGPO middleware, commission new music, develop a third additional new character, and refine the existing cast. The project certainly warrants support, coming from PDW: Hotapen, a team of former SNK developers behind the King of Fighters series. Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm is planned for a February 2014 release on Windows PC. Until then, those anticipating the forthcoming title can train with its predecessor, Yatagarasu. Yatagarasu Attack on Catacaclysm [Indiegogo] |
| RunBot has this Mirror's Edge/Tron vibe going on Posted: 12 Aug 2013 02:00 AM PDT Marvelous Games, the European division of MarvelousAQL, has just announced their first game from their agreement with Bravo Game Studios (makers of Touch Nitro). It's called RunBot, and it's set to hit iOS this August 22. RunBot is a runner that adds a Parkour twist and some sweet visuals to the mix. You play as a walking weapon that unexpectedly develops an intelligence. As RunBot, you begin running from your creators in a 3D city. Expect swiping to avoid obstacles in a fancy parkour-ish way. Falling segments have you tilting your iOS device to have RunBot land safely. RunBot runs to iOS this August 22, with other formats to follow. Be sure to check out the screenshots in our gallery -- this game has a cool look. |
| Xbox One boss Phil Spencer to give gamescom keynote Posted: 12 Aug 2013 01:30 AM PDT It seems that Microsoft Studios' bossface Phil Spencer will be giving the opening keynote at gamescom 2013, set to kick off next week. This is the first I'm hearing of this. CVG says gamescom organizers have confirmed this with them, and that a statement has been released to German media so far. We're still holding for an exact date and time for the keynote. Spencer will likely talk about his new console, Xbox One, at the keynote. We spoke with the corporate vice president on the day of the Xbox One launch, but many things have changed since then. It will be interesting to hear what he has to say now. Spencer and other company boss types will host a pre-gamescom Xbox One showcase for press on August 20th. I'm on the list to attend. I expect that we'll hear some interesting things from this event as well. |
| '30 Years of Wrestlemania' announced for WWE 2K14 Posted: 12 Aug 2013 01:00 AM PDT Last week, I took part in a conference call with WWE 2K14 creative director Cory Ledesma and Triple H, which detailed a brand new mode for the game called "30 Years of Wrestlemania." This new solo story will span 45 matches in celebration of the WWE's 30th Wrestlemania event, which is going to be held next April at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The new mode itself will re-create authentic feel of classic matches, including attire, the look of the ring, and even the 80s and 90s visual quality. When asked, 2K didn't reveal whether or not the game would feature classic commentators, instead noting that more details will be coming soon. Specifically, the roster for "30 Years" will be revealed on August 17th, during the WWE SummerSlam event, but 2K did reveal that Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, and The Rock vs. John Cena would be featured. Triple H spoke a bit about the "exciting" partnership with 2K with WWE 2K14, which would pave the foundation for many fruitful years of collaboration, and "next generation" experiences. WWE 2K14 will launch on October 29th for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. |
| Microsoft Studios' head on Xbox One & the future of TV Posted: 12 Aug 2013 12:00 AM PDT Microsoft Studios' head Phil Spencer talked with Official Xbox Magazine about the Xbox One's upcoming library. On the subject of Forza, Spencer noted the first two titles had issues hitting release deadlines, but said having a racing game day one -- an analog to competitors' Gran Turismo (and I guess Drive Club) and Mario Kart -- was important to the launch. I guess that's why Forza 5 discs are going to ship unfinished. Spencer also talked at length about Quantum Break and painted a future of television built around interactivity and audience input. Text "methylaMEAN" to have Walter White shoot the train operator. "And one of its challenges is, how does that artform of storytelling actually get to the masses? Because how many people got to the end of Alan Wake?" Spencer asked. "Of course I hope everybody did, but not everybody did. How many people even looked at something like Max Payne, which from 30,000 feet is a cop shooter game, and realised there's a strong story underneath it?" Apparently the answer to these oddly posed questions, and the answer to getting videogame storytelling to the masses, is to make a literal live-action TV show. It seems a bit like making a movie of people playing Monopoly to prove to people how fun of a game Monopoly is. |
| Unique snowflakes: Wasteland 2 NPC consider player gender Posted: 11 Aug 2013 11:00 PM PDT A cool piece of news regarding the much anticipated Wasteland 2 comes courtesy of Rock, Paper, Shotgun. World building, exploration, and individual experience are pivotal to this style of role-playing game. It seems that Wasteland 2's NPCs will respond to things like party composition and other factors, rather than constantly addressing you as the default male Sim.
Beyond gender, Wasteland 2 has its own rich lore and history to pull from, in terms of discrimination. Plenty of fictional factionalism and the like, so you can be discriminated against in all manner of ways by shifty eyed wastelanders. Findley was also quick to note that inXile was watching to make sure these unique reactions didn't cause any balancing issues, noting, "there’s enough diversity in the characters that you deal with that no matter how it’s made up, there will be some advantages and some disadvantages." Plus, plenty of the unique reactions are non-gameplay affecting -- just slightly altered bits of dialogue. Little, divergent details like this are great for world-building and giving each player a more unique experience. Count me inTrigued. How Wasteland 2 Will Acknowledge Gender, Discrimination [Rock, Paper, Shotgun] |
| Dropping yen: Sony's PS4 profits may struggle early Posted: 11 Aug 2013 10:00 PM PDT Looks like the holiday season may fiscally scrooge Sony as it launches its PlayStation 4. As the yen rose in strength against the dollar from 2009 to 2011, "Sony relocated some console production to contractors in China and elsewhere in Asia," according to Bloomberg, and planned to pay in US currency as a cost-reducing measure. Now, the yen is plummeting compared to the dollar, which means Sony will be paying out more on those contracts. According to Sony, "game-unit earnings will 'deteriorate significantly.'" Of course, economics is a tricky game and "the weaker yen will boost total revenue at Sony, which gets almost 70 percent of sales overseas." The PS3 didn't begin turning a profit until 2011, but CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Andrew House was clear that the company, "[would] not generate anything like the losses [it] did for the PlayStation 3." So, Sony will be paying out a bit more in production costs than expected. I don't think it's the biggest issue, given how Sony was able to continue selling the PS3 at a loss for five years. Still, Sony's being aggressive with this launch in proving its value over the Xbox, part of which includes a lower price point, part of which includes not trying to enforce countless restrictive measures -- even if Microsoft has reneged on most of them. I'm fairly curious to see if Sony rides this wave of positivity to an early and possibly continued lead. Do you think the ire Microsoft raised with the One has since died off? Are 360 faithfuls going to buy off the brand name, or does it have a library to warrant purchase? Is Sony going to come blazing out of the gate, less-than-expected per console gains be damned? Will the Wii U pick up like the 3DS did? |
| The Weekend Hotness: Flaming shark in AVGN Adventures Posted: 11 Aug 2013 04:59 PM PDT James Rolfe got to play Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures for the first time at the recent ScrewAttack Gaming Convention, where he gave the game a ringing endorsement. His screen time in the video above was immediately followed by a new trailer in which, among other things, the Nerd rides a flaming shark over a river of lava. Catch anyone's attention yet? This weekend, Sup Holmes? welcomes WayForward singing sensation Jeff Luke, Dale North tours Ubisoft Singapore, we've got reviews for Divinity: Dragon Commander and Mikey Hooks, we dish out the schedule of our PAX Prime shenanigans, and an official DuckTales iOS third-person shooter exists. Destructoid Originals: Community: Reviews: Events: |
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