New Games |
- Emperor Palpatine wants you to play Angry Birds Star Wars
- FIFA 14 on Vita is a reskin of FIFA 13
- Grand Theft Yoga, Destiny's Sunsets & Elder Subscriptions
- Get your hardcore shmup on in Summer Carnival '92 Recca
- La Pucelle is invading Disgaea D2 in the form of DLC
- Blizzard isn't opposed to an eventual free-to-play WoW
- A 3D Steel Empire remake is coming to the 3DS
- I can't wait to do yoga in Grand Theft Auto V
- Review: Divekick!
- Contest: Win The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing!
- The DTOID Show is going live today!
- Here's what the Wii U Wind Waker HD bundle looks like
- Our top ten games of gamescom 2013
- Friday Night Fights: A new challenger approaches
- Persistent online experiences: The future of Square Enix?
- Ayano muses on Alex and Karin in Ultra Street Fighter IV
- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer retiring within 12 months
- The Crew seeks to redefine online racing
- Rare's kicking around ideas for its classic properties
- The future of Awesomenauts is looking pretty awesome
- Review: Madden 25
- A brief look at summoning in Dark Souls II
- Elder Scrolls Online will also have a cash shop
- FFXIV: A Realm Reborn drops 'Threats Unleashed' trailer
- Look at a set of battles side by side in SD and HD FFX
- Next-level art magic: The Super Mario Bros. 3 fresco
- The Dragonborn fights vampires and Necromancers
- David Cage will put you to sleep
- The sad, short tale of Mr. Greedy and Mr. Speedy
- The Daily Hotness: Welcome to the Young Scot
- Wind Waker HD's Hero Mode, fixed Triforce hunt, and more
| Emperor Palpatine wants you to play Angry Birds Star Wars Posted: 23 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars films), wants you to "Join the Pork Side" in Angry Birds Star Wars 2. Set to drop on September 19 for iOS, Android, and Windows Phones, it'll be a $0.99 app -- on Android, the game will launch with a free ad-filled version. Although someone is bound to nail McDiarmid for this, I'm pretty indifferent to it, as I'm sure he's having a bit of fun in the process. Yep, he still has that signature cackle laugh! |
| FIFA 14 on Vita is a reskin of FIFA 13 Posted: 23 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT Some may remember when it was discovered that FIFA 13 on the PlayStation Vita was a reskin of FIFA Soccer, the first soccer game to be released on the Vita. Well guess what?! FIFA 14 is going to be another reskin too. "There will be a Vita version, and it'll be the same great gameplay," EA Sports' David Rutter told Eurogamer. When asked for clarification if the new FIFA will be same as the debut experience, David restated that "it's the same great gameplay and new kits." When David was asked whether this will mean a lower price point, David said that he has nothing to do with prices, but added that "it's the same great gameplay." So hey, if you already own FIFA on the Vita, don't bother getting the new version since "it's the same great gameplay!" FIFA 14 on Vita is another reskin [Eurogamer] |
| Grand Theft Yoga, Destiny's Sunsets & Elder Subscriptions Posted: 23 Aug 2013 02:30 PM PDT Hey gang! Here's that darn Destructoid Show again! Hooray! The news: Steve Ballmer's gonna retire from Microsoft, Elder Scrolls Online has a subscription fee as well as a cash shop, there's some talk about exchanging your current-gen games for next-gen ones, Destiny is very pretty, a whole bunch of games just got release dates, and Grand Theft Auto V was clearly made by perverted teenage boys who have just no respect for Yoga. Hmph. |
| Get your hardcore shmup on in Summer Carnival '92 Recca Posted: 23 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT Nintendo has a new trailer up for Summer Carnival '92: Recca, an obscure shoot-'em-up that's already live in the European 3DS eShop, and set to release worldwide at a later date. The game has a unique history, in that it was developed in 1992 to push the NES to the best of its ability (mostly through an extremely large sprite count without framerate drops). But it was also extremely rare -- very few copies circulated in Japan. Shmup fans generally consider this not only a rare gem, but a good one at that, so check out the video if you want to get the gist of Recca, and keep your eyes open on your local eShop. |
| La Pucelle is invading Disgaea D2 in the form of DLC Posted: 23 Aug 2013 01:00 PM PDT Disgaea D2 is all set for a September release in Europe (October in North America), but it's already been out in Japan for quite some time, racking up a fair bit of DLC characters. The latest batch of units to join the battle are Priere (and her Demon form) and Eclair from the Nippon Ichi Software SRPG La Pucelle: Tactics. La Pucelle was one of NIS' first successes, and one of its first major SRPGs, following up the wonderful Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure. I'm loving all the cross-overs, and I hope Disgaea D2 can deliver in the end. |
| Blizzard isn't opposed to an eventual free-to-play WoW Posted: 23 Aug 2013 11:30 AM PDT Although World of Warcraft's subscriber base is on the decline, the monolithic MMORPG isn't going anywhere. And if it eventually gets to that point, there's always the free-to-play option. "For Blizzard it makes sense [to go free-to-play] at some point," lead designer Tom Chilton told Polygon. "But a lot of the risk is in making that transition. "You hear stories about developers going free-to-play and getting double the number of players, but you don't always know it works out that way and how long it stays that way," he said. "We really don't know what the rate is before people drop off and lose interest." That strikes me as something a developer like Blizzard ought to know -- if not for WoW, then for Titan. The market has changed. Restructuring a game as big as World of Warcraft away from the subscription model would be a significant undertaking but not an impossible one. We've seen successful transitions time and time again from its contemporaries and one can only imagine what kind of numbers Blizzard would pull with free-to-play. It's good to hear the studio at least acknowledge that as a possible future. World of Warcraft would be 'in bad shape' without embracing the casual revolution [Polygon] |
| A 3D Steel Empire remake is coming to the 3DS Posted: 23 Aug 2013 11:00 AM PDT If you're a long-time shmup fan, you may remember a largely forgotten Genesis classic called Steel Empire that dropped in 1992. Well it appears as if said classic was fondly recalled by someone, as it's heading to the 3DS in the form of a remake. Alongside stereoscopic 3D support, the remake will sport improved visuals, as well as a rebalanced difficulty level, presumably to ease in newer shmup fans on the 3DS. It's set to arrive in Japan this December, and if we're lucky, it may be announced in the near future for an international release -- one can hope! Steel Empire, A Steampunk Shooter For Genesis, Is Getting A Makeover For 3DS [Siliconera] |
| I can't wait to do yoga in Grand Theft Auto V Posted: 23 Aug 2013 10:30 AM PDT So, Grand Theft Auto V has yoga. It's, um, wow. That's certainly some interesting yoga moves there. The move on the left is called the Downward Facing Camel, the one in the middle is the Punching Starfish, and the third one is called Lucky Triangle. Lucky indeed. Yogo is just one of the new things added to the visitor's travelogue over on the official website. You can learn a little more about the country clubs and the tattoo shops. That, and there's eight new screenshots for you to check out in the gallery below. |
| Posted: 23 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT People once thought they knew what they liked about fighting games -- big rosters, big violence, big complex combat systems. The more that a fighting game had, the more it was valued. This caused developers to pack more and more of those traits onto their fighters until they looked like pizzas with a foot of toppings packed on them. Toppings are great, but too much of a great thing can be overstimulating, numbing, and gross. This glut caused the populace at large to lose their taste for fighters for a while. Sadly, the "too many toppings" formula is already starting to take its toll again, with Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken both selling below expectation. When you've had so much of a great thing that you can't taste it any more, what you need is a palate cleanser, something like thin crust pizza. Divekick works to be that pizza, offering fewer ingredients overall, but blending them together in a way that tastes amazing. Sprinkle a dash of salt on top, and you have the fighting game event of the summer. |
| Contest: Win The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing! Posted: 23 Aug 2013 09:30 AM PDT Our friends over at NeocoreGames have given us 20 codes for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing on Steam! This action RPG allows you and up to three co-op partners to hack and slash monsters with the usual Van Helsing flair, and it can be yours right now for free! To win, you'll need to head on over to today's Friday Night Fights post and answer Bill's question in the comments of that article. It's that simple! And who knows, you may even decide to stick around for a bit and play a game or two with your fellow Dtoiders after you're done! You have until tomorrow night at 11:59 PM Pacific to enter, and this contest is open to anyone in the world. I'll hand out codes to 20 random entrants by the end of the weekend. Good luck, and have fun! |
| The DTOID Show is going live today! Posted: 23 Aug 2013 09:15 AM PDT Greetings, internet! Just dropping a quick note to let you know that your favorite video game news show starring Max & Tara will be going LIVE today at 3:30pm PDT over on youtube.com/DTOID. We'll be discussing Steve Ballmer, GTA V, yoga, and much more - so finish up your work and hop in the chat with us! |
| Here's what the Wii U Wind Waker HD bundle looks like Posted: 23 Aug 2013 09:07 AM PDT This past week Destructoid was the first to bring you news on an upcoming Wii U bundle that would be bundled with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. Today Nintendo released a new trailer for the upcoming game showing off Hero Mode, but then quickly pulled the video down. Why? Because the special edition Wii U bundle was featured in the video before it's been officially announced by Nintendo. Oops! The video was caught by NeoGAF user D-e-f, and has since been reuploaded for all to see. It will probably be pulled again, so here's a screencap showing off the Wii U featuring special Zelda-themed artwork like the Triforce. No further details were revealed in the trailer, such as price or release date. We expect this bundle to be out this Octoer with the release of the game, and that the bundle will go for $349.99. (Via NeoGAF) |
| Our top ten games of gamescom 2013 Posted: 23 Aug 2013 09:00 AM PDT gamescom is a huge show for both the press and consumers alike. It's at least four times the size of E3, and you'll be breathless by the time you've explored every inch of the show floor. There's just so much to see and do! We've been bringing you non-stop coverage of gamescom from Cologne, Germany all week long. After checking out everything we could, we've picked our top ten games of gamescom 2013:
No particular order here, just ten exceptional games we were super impressed with. Of course there were a ton of great games, and it's always hard to narrow down games like this. Check out all our coverage from gamescom 2013 to see what else we liked. |
| Friday Night Fights: A new challenger approaches Posted: 23 Aug 2013 08:30 AM PDT [Quite possibly the greatest slot machine ever. Also, pic unrelated.] Ha ha! Gotcha! This has absolutely nothing to do with Street Fighter or fighting games in general! Or does it? No. No it does not. Possibly. We are literally right around the corner from the yearly onslaught of videogames for the fall and winter seasons. Not only that, we are also a few short months away from two brand new, next-gen consoles with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both hitting the market this holiday season. Knowing this, I have a question for everyone here: what's going to be your go-to multiplayer game this year? Will it be the new Call of Duty: Ghosts? Perhaps Battlefield 4? Neither of those tickle your fancy? How about Grand Theft Auto V or Killzone: Mercenary? As someone who would love to see our community-driven playdates grow, I am absolutely dying to know what all of you will be playing in the next few months. Let me know what you'll be playing in the comments below! Who knows, you may just be rewarded for answering... |
| Persistent online experiences: The future of Square Enix? Posted: 23 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT Industry change is the topic of a candid Gamasutra blog post by Darrell Gallagher, the former Crystal Dynamics studio head and current head of studios at Square Enix. "Overall as a games business -- studios and publishing -- we have walked away too early from some of the worlds that we have invested so much time and energy in," he wrote. "If we were to ask people that loved our games whether they would enjoy new content or deeper experiences in these digital playgrounds the answer would overwhelmingly be 'yes.'" Gallagher cites two specific examples: Just Cause 2 and Sleeping Dogs. Both titles continue to attract over half a million players per month despite their age. The latter, he says, has gone on to become profitable. Square Enix wants to capitalize on this knowledge. "We see the opportunity for some of our games continuing beyond a traditional beginning, middle, and end," continued Gallagher. "We can have them become extendable and more persistent -- with an opportunity to build and grow across games. To design in a way to keep our games alive for years instead of weeks. "I'm not talking about an MMORPG -- although the concept is similar -- I'm talking about creating persistent online experiences built on the foundations of the games we are well known for. Now, this doesn't apply to every game, there is no one solution that works in every case, but as a wider goal it's certainly something which some of our franchises are incredibly well suited to and something I want to explore further." Much of what he's saying here sounds reasonable, but, so much of this grand vision for games as services is going to come down to the execution. And that has me feeling skeptical. As for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light selling one million copies, and Tomb Raider clearing four million copies sold? That's great to hear. I'm only concerned because I care. How do you tackle industry change? [Gamasutra] |
| Ayano muses on Alex and Karin in Ultra Street Fighter IV Posted: 23 Aug 2013 07:30 AM PDT Recently in a blog post from Capcom producer Tomoaki Ayano, a number of Ultra Street Fighter IV-related questions were touched upon in addition to the re-iteration of the absence of "effect taunts." (Say goodbye to a possible Rolento grenade taunt.) Most notably, the lack of support for two very popular franchise characters, Alex and Karin, was brought up. When asked why Alex wasn't added to the Ultra roster (although he is rumored to be), Ayano stated, "Being the main character of Street Fighter 3 and all, Alex sure is popular, isn't he? Having both strong normal attacks and good throws, he certainly seems like he'd be a strong character." Karin was also mentioned, to which Ayano responded curiously, "She got 1st place in the national popularity poll, didn't she? Personally, there are a lot of character I'd want to add to Ultra Street Fighter 4, but please look forward to further announcements!" While this isn't confirmation, it's nice to see that anything is being considered, and with major fan input being considered for all things Ultra related, a character as popular as Karin could easily make it into the game at some point. Perhaps he's saving them for an Ultra Street Fighter IV Turbo on PS4 and Xbox One? Street Fighter IV [Saikyo Blog via Event Hubs] |
| Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer retiring within 12 months Posted: 23 Aug 2013 07:00 AM PDT After more than a decade as CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer has disclosed his plan to retire within the next 12 months. "There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time," he wrote in a message to employees. He'll be out once a replacement is found, and that process has already been initiated. A committee which includes Bill Gates has been appointed to find Ballmer's successor. "The board is committed to the effective transformation of Microsoft to a successful devices and services company," said board member John Thompson. "As this work continues, we are focused on selecting a new CEO to work with the company's senior leadership team to chart the company's course and execute on it in a highly competitive industry." I was starting to think Ballmer would never leave Microsoft. It's been time for a while now. Moving Forward [Microsoft -- Thanks, Captain 'Merica] [Image source] |
| The Crew seeks to redefine online racing Posted: 23 Aug 2013 06:30 AM PDT Making its debut at E3 2013, The Crew is Ubisoft's attempt to create a new and fast-paced racer for the next-gen consoles. Although the publisher has definitely got some stiff competition from other racing titles, what separates it from the rest is its ambitious take on open-world racing with competitive and cooperative gameplay. |
| Rare's kicking around ideas for its classic properties Posted: 23 Aug 2013 06:00 AM PDT It doesn't seem to matter what Rare is working on these days. (For the record, currently, it's Kinect Sports Rivals.) If it's not one of the studio's beloved properties, there's going to be pushback from fans who have been waiting years for their return. There's a desire to work on these franchises internally as well, creative director Simon Woodroffe tells OXM. "We've got an idea for [Perfect Dark]," he said. "It would be controller plus Kinect. We've got ideas for most older Rare IP, you won't be surprised to hear. There's quite a lot of desire to do that, and Viva Pinata, Conker... Banjo's very popular internally, a lot of people want to do stuff with Banjo." The studio's drive, Woodroffe says, is to give people new types of experiences by leveraging technology in creative ways. "We want to find that thing that nobody's ever done before and make a game out of it. We should be inventing new genres, inventing new ways to play. And this sensor gives us new opportunities to do it, with the fidelity it has now. "When we launched Kinect obviously there was a big focus on 'everything must be Kinect.' Now it's in the box [with Xbox One], use it where it make sense, don't where it doesn't. It can be used in some really -- not gimmicky ways, which is what I think you'll see a fair amount of -- but ways that actually really enhance the game." A proper Viva Pinata sure would hit the spot, Rare. Rare: we've got ideas for Kinect in Perfect Dark, Banjo, Viva Pinata [OXM] |
| The future of Awesomenauts is looking pretty awesome Posted: 23 Aug 2013 05:30 AM PDT It's common knowledge that it's tough to be an indie studio -- especially if you're running a competitive online multiplayer title. Despite the fact that your game may have across-the-board rave reviews, maintaining a community, constantly developing new content, and figuring out ways to monetize is incredibly hard. Ronimo Games is going through that with Awesomenauts right now. To help Ronimo stay independent, they've launched a Kickstarter that at the time of this writing is doing quite well, nearly breaking $100,000 in just a few days. But the studio has a lot of work to do starting with the PlayStation 4 version of their game -- a version that's now launching with the console, by the way! |
| Posted: 23 Aug 2013 05:00 AM PDT Take my review of last year's Madden 13. Give it a roster update. Associate any players I named who've been swapped around like pogs with whatever their new team is. Axe a missed dangling participle or two. Tighten up the mechanics of writing. Maybe there was a misused em dash. Replace it in a way that is (probably) grammatically correct. Add some flourishes here and there. Some new puns, maybe. You now have my review of Madden 25. |
| A brief look at summoning in Dark Souls II Posted: 23 Aug 2013 04:30 AM PDT In this interview video, Dark Souls II director Yui Tanimura discusses the core of the series, trying to innovate while staying true to what made the last game so successful from a design perspective, and challenges faced during development. Toward the end, talk of the game's closed beta is brought up and with it, a snippet of footage showing messages, bloodstains, summons, and invasions. Notice the White Phantom's health bar on the left-hand side of the screen, which comes in addition to the one located over the player character's head? Nice. Very nice.
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| Elder Scrolls Online will also have a cash shop Posted: 23 Aug 2013 03:00 AM PDT The German website ESOHUB had a chance to interview Matt Firor, lead developer for the upcoming subscription-based MMO Elder Scrolls Online and uncovered some interesting and even startling news: Elder Scrolls Online will have a cash shop. When asked if the game had anything "extra" beyond a subscription, Mr. Firor said: "There won't be anything like 'bonus points' but we'll have a shop to buy kinda fun stuff and services too, like name changes and things like that. But it's not part of the core game, anything in the core game is included in the subscription price." What "fun stuff" means was not detailed, but I would imagine it would be things like aesthetic changes or maybe even goofy dances. Regardless, this means that each player must buy the game, pay monthly, and face an optional cash shop when playing the game. Most people already can't stand the subscription model, so I can't imagine that they are winning any hearts by asking for even more money, even if it is for "fun stuff." ESO-Interview: Abomodell, Itemshop & Entwicklung [ESOHUB.de] (video interview is in English)
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| FFXIV: A Realm Reborn drops 'Threats Unleashed' trailer Posted: 23 Aug 2013 02:00 AM PDT My favorite single aspect of MMOs is the opportunity to engage in giant team fights with formidable creatures, and that's what this new Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn trailer is all about. Titled "Threats Unleashed," you'll get a good look at a number of intense fights that await you in the upcoming game, and a few amazing cutscenes that I can't wait to dig into. Remember -- early access starts tomorrow, with the game officially launching next Tuesday. A number of us are going to be playing it in the months to come, including Patrick, Dale, and I, so expect tons of coverage going forward including full impressions from Patrick! |
| Look at a set of battles side by side in SD and HD FFX Posted: 23 Aug 2013 01:00 AM PDT A new taste of Final Fantasy X HD is in the wild, and this time we get a taste of the arranged music, as well as a bit of battle gameplay. You'll be able to hear the slight differences between the old and new tunes, as well as the new HD visuals with two battle scenes played out in the exact same way. If you're curious, the SD version runs from 0:00 to 1:40, and the HD version runs the rest of the video. Personally I think the HD version looks gorgeous, and considering X is one of my favorite Final Fantasy games in the series, I can't wait to play it all over again with the International content. |
| Next-level art magic: The Super Mario Bros. 3 fresco Posted: 23 Aug 2013 12:00 AM PDT Last month, digital artist Mikaël "Orioto" Aguirre made this happen. Now this is happening. Orioto is a classy fellow, and a classy game deserves to be treated like a classy lady. His Super Mario Bros. 3 fresco gives you a snapshot of all eight worlds of the NES classic. There are even stage curtains lining the corners because... well... we all should know that story by now. As with his Final Fantasy VI fresco, which will remain on sale until September 2, the SMB3 spread will be available in poster form for a limited time. You've got until September 30 before this ship has sailed. Don't be left behind on the docks. Super Mario Bros 3 Fresco [deviantART] |
| The Dragonborn fights vampires and Necromancers Posted: 22 Aug 2013 11:00 PM PDT Remember that awesome live-action Fallout movie from Machinima Prime? It was the start of a series of live-action takes on videogames, and the latest one has finally arrived. This one is based on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and sees the Dragonborn has been weakened by a vampire's curse. The Dark Brotherhood captures him, and offer to cure hi if he rescues another vamprie from the Necromancers. |
| David Cage will put you to sleep Posted: 22 Aug 2013 09:00 PM PDT Jetlag can be a total bitch, especially when traveling overseas. Combine that with having to hear David Cage talk and it's totally understandable that the head of Sony's Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, would fall asleep during a panel. Sweet dreams, Mr. Yoshida. [Via NeoGAF] |
| The sad, short tale of Mr. Greedy and Mr. Speedy Posted: 22 Aug 2013 07:00 PM PDT In today's installment of The Daily Spelunk, Jordan and I both succumb to the worst parts of our nature and seal our fate quickly. Of course, nobody was feeling particularly hopeful at the outset. I had been playing ridiculously poor in the few warm-up rounds I had time for, while Jordan made it all the way to Olmec only to bite it mere seconds before we started recording and I think it really shattered his confidence. None of this should be construed as an excuse for what you are about to witness here. |
| The Daily Hotness: Welcome to the Young Scot Posted: 22 Aug 2013 04:59 PM PDT A new video series debuted today, and it's made by a guy who has been around as part of the community for as long as I could remember. Watch as Jamie McGinn sets an absurd goal for himself in Team Fortress 2 in the opening episode. If you like it, give him some suggestions for the future! Otherwise, Conrad and Jordan continued their Daily Spelunks, the Podtoid crew released another episode, Jim did some more playing of Gone Home, the staff in Office Chat talked about gamescom, and all the while Dale has been bringing us a ton of coverage of the European event. Destructoid Original: |
| Wind Waker HD's Hero Mode, fixed Triforce hunt, and more Posted: 22 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD won't arrive in the States and Europe until October -- along with a new Wii U bundle to boot -- but we have yet to learn all of what has been updated since its former life on the GameCube. We know that Link can acquire a new sail that speeds up his boating, and the end-game Triforce hunt has been tweaked in some fashion, but that's about it. However, a recent IGN hands-on elaborated on past revelations while offering many new ones. Wind Waker HD will have a Hero Mode like in Skyward Sword, which makes enemies deal more damage and prevents health restoration from anything other than potions. Hero Mode will actually be available right from the very beginning, and you can toggle between it and normal mode in the file select screen. In the original, you had to collect eight Triforce shards by translating sea charts then fishing the baubles out of the water in order to enter the final area. This time, five of the shards can be found directly on land, while only three require a fishing expedition. As for the Swift Sail that speeds up ocean travel and even allows you to sail against the wind, it's a completely optional acquisition from Windfall Island's auction house after you clear the first dungeon. |
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