New Games |
- Nintendo: '100K signatures doesn't mean 100K sales'
- The UI and difficulty levels in Thief are moddable
- Riot censors what pro players can stream via contracts
- Review: Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers
- Live show: Viscera Cleanup Detail: Shadow Warrior
- This new batch of Steam Greenlight titles goes on and on
- What was your favorite song or soundtrack of 2013?
- Review: FORCED
- Future Battlefield 4 DLC on hold until issues get fixed
- Zen Pinball 2 comes to PS4 this month with a free table
- Um, yes please: Interstellaria looks fantastic
- Review: Feenix 2014 Nascita Gaming Mouse & Dimora Pad
- Avalanche visits a jungle for upcoming open-world games
- Here are some of the indies developing for Xbox One
- Join us live for a recording of our new podcast Hardline
- ExtremeCap U3 captures uncompressed 1080p at 60fps
- Starbound beta takes off with release of new trailer
- Ridge Racer Slipstream to hit mobile devices this month
- Path of Exile has over 250,000 players online every day
- Pokemon X and Y 2DS bundles coming December 6
- Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin' cast comes to Saints Row IV
- Blacklight: Retribution is live in Europe today on PS4
- Elder Scrolls Online trailer explains character building
- Bravely Default is getting a sequel called Bravely Second
- Apotheon gets a new gameplay trailer
- Super Mario 3D World is a great speedrunning opportunity
- Assassin's Creed IV's story DLC is dropping this month
| Nintendo: '100K signatures doesn't mean 100K sales' Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST It's hard not to look at "successful" fan campaigns like Operation Rainfall or petitions like the one for Dark Souls' PC port and feel some sense of pride at gamers' ability to come together for a common cause. Speaking candidly in an interview with Siliconera, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said this sort of thing "doesn't affect what we do." Continuing, he explained "We certainly look at it, and we're certainly aware of it, but it doesn't necessarily affect what we do. I'll give you an example. I mentioned earlier that our head of product development had a bet on X versus Y -- we also had a bet around localizing Xenoblade. I wanted to bring Xenoblade here. The deal was, how much of a localization effort is it? How many units are we going to sell, are we going to make money? "We were literally having this debate while Operation Rainfall was happening, and we were aware that there was interest for the game, but we had to make sure that it was a strong financial proposition. I'm paid to make sure that we're driving the business forward -- so we're aware of what's happening, but in the end we've got to do what's best for the company. The thing we know [about petitions] is that 100,000 signatures doesn't mean 100,000 sales." That final line is a harsh truth, one that extends to game boycotts just as well. Nintendo’s Reggie Talks Wii U, Western Development And Operation Rainfall [Siliconera] |
| The UI and difficulty levels in Thief are moddable Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Some of the worries about the new Thief title from Eidos Montreal come from how a studio can make a big-budget stealth game that will appeal to a mass audience. Hardcore fans of the series worry that the game will watered down but in a new community podcast, lead game designer Alexandre Breault revealed a huge amount of customization options both in the user interface and difficulty levels. The player can seemingly remove all of the UI elements, including navigation and interaction prompts, health meter, and hints. Some of the options can be set to either on/off or fade when they're not active. You can also remove prompts for loot which is going to make things interesting. Of course the temptation is to turn off all the UI to show how "hardcore" you are but I'd imagine it'll be a case of turning off what you don't really need. Then there's the difficulty settings which are moddable too: starting with a base level of easy, medium or hard, you will be able to disable things like the use of takedowns, autosaves, and aiming reticles. However there is a crazy set of presets to make an Ultimate Thief mod; you'll fail a mission if you are detected or kill/knockout an enemy; non-critical upgrades are disabled, and if you are killed during a mission, you will have to restart the game! Wow, that is an ironman mode if ever I heard one. As much as I'm a sucker for punishment I think I might just wuss out when it comes to some of the harder stuff here. These are all a good decisions by Eidos Montreal because it means the more seasoned players can adjust Thief to their liking and that's a welcome move. |
| Riot censors what pro players can stream via contracts Posted: 04 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Riot Games, the company behind the super-popular MOBA League of Legends, apparently doesn't like competition. Contract details uncovered by onGamers show an explicit list of games that players participating in Season 4 of the LCS tournament are not allowed to stream at all while the contract is active. As you'd expect, it prevents the streaming of all popular and semi-popular MOBAs: Dota 2, Heroes of Newerth, SMITE, Awesomenauts, Demigod, Monday Night Combat, and Fat Princess. Wait, what?! Fat Princess? You've got to be pretty paranoid to even think about including Fat Princess on that list. You can check out the entire list here and you can complain to Riot's Twitter account here. I guess helping the eSports scene move forward has dropped from the priority list. Riot has now commented on the issue, stating that "you probably wouldn’t see an NFL player promoting Arena Football or a Nike-sponsored player wearing Reebok on camera." That second part makes sense, but raises the question as to whether or not games and eSports are "brands" like Adidas. Players have always had sponsors, as they tap away on their Razer keyboards and chug down an unhealthy amount of Monster, but is Riot now considered a sponsor for their own game? There are some grey lines here that are natural considering that the scene is still in relative infancy, and at the very least, I'm glad they're now being raised. Riot Season 4 LCS contracts stipulate players cannot stream Dota 2, Blizzard games [onGamers] |
| Review: Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers Posted: 04 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST I’ve never seen as much tragedy in a fighting game before I played Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers. Maybe I should have been more prepared with a fighting game based on the lore of the classic anime, but as a casual partaker in Japanese animation and newcomer to the series it was hard not to become interested in the game’s narrative, as I punched the crap out of every foe that stood in my way, because someone always ended up dying. Well sort of dying, since nothing is ever permanent in anime.
Before my time with the game, my familiarity with the anime/manga was limited at best. Sure I’d heard of it -- thanks in part to a former co-worker of mine constantly telling me how awesome the show was as each new volume hit our store’s shelves -- but there was always something unexplainable that rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was all the gorgeous hair or the muscled sexy dudes rocking the cover that bothered me... but really, I have no clue. Well it’s been about a decade since I last had to think about Saint Seiya, and a lot in my life has changed. My anime palette has matured, while my appreciation for the past and the finer things in life has increased; basically I’m just getting old. But even with all my sentiment towards nostalgia, something there’s trove of in this fighter, does the rest of the game offer a solid experience for those looking to bust some heads with all the flavor and flash of a '90s anime? |
| Live show: Viscera Cleanup Detail: Shadow Warrior Posted: 04 Dec 2013 09:30 AM PST [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.] The theme for Wednesday nights on Mash Tactics honestly needs no introduction, but allow me to give you the rundown just in case you haven't seen it in action before. Each and every week, we get together and celebrate the obscure, the silly, the broken, and the purely insane side of gaming during a weekly segment appropriately titled, 'WTF Wednesday.' If you're looking for something a bit different, and completely off the wall, then this is the show for you. Join us at Dtoid.TV this evening, as we check out Viscera Cleanup Detail: Shadow Warrior, and hop into the shoes of the poor unfortunate janitor that has been tasked with cleaning up Lo Wang's mess from Shadow Warrior. I have a feeling that this will be no easy task, and that much elbow grease will need to be applied, as Shadow Warrior got pretty sloppy pretty quick, and gore piled up by the boatload. If you ever wanted to know exactly who cleans up after your violent video game shenanigans, and how they do it, you won't want to miss tonight's show. QotD: What is the worst thing you've ever had to clean up? |
| This new batch of Steam Greenlight titles goes on and on Posted: 04 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST In truth, I've been unable to keep up with Steam Greenlight as of the last few batches, but that's never been more evident than today's list of titles approved for release on the platform. There are so many unfamiliar titles in here. And TowerClimb, which has seemingly been greenlit a second time (???). Yeah, I don't know what's going on any more. The full list is viewable at the link below, as there are far too many names to cram into this post. Some that stood out to me were: Aqua Kitty, Full Bore, High Strangeness, Light, Mansion Lord, Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae, Pixel Piracy, Potatoman Seeks the Troof, Red Baron, Saturday Morning RPG, Stasis, and the dynamic lighting tool for 2D art, Sprite Lamp. It's now gotten to the point where just about every new standout independently-made game that makes the rounds will inevitably end up on the next Greenlight list. December 4th Batch of Greenlight Titles [Steam] |
| What was your favorite song or soundtrack of 2013? Posted: 04 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST [All week long we'll be asking for your thoughts on certain topics related to the year in gaming! Miss a previous post? Click here to sound off on your favorite and least favorite new characters!] Gaming is graced with some amazing original songs and scores every year, and 2013 was no exception. From The Last of Us to Tomb Raider, Ni No Kuni to Super Mario 3D World, and everything in between, our ears were just as blessed as our eyes and fingers this year, and I'm not even sure I could pick my favorite if I tried! What about you? Have a favorite song or soundtrack from 2013? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below! Or, if you find yourself getting long-winded, write a blog! (Be sure to share the link below.) We'll be pulling in quotes from the community for a special recap post later this week, so take some time to think about your responses. Have fun! |
| Posted: 04 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST At first glance, FORCED looks like a typical action role-playing game, cut from the same cloth as Diablo III or Path of Exile. It's a bit like that, but it also has elements of a puzzler and a dual-stick shooter. But at the end of the day, I would call it an arcade role-playing game -- one that is clearly meant to be played with friends. FORCED's design revolves around cooperation. When played with a friend, the game is highly entertaining. Alone, it's dull. And when played with strangers, it's frustrating. The fact that co-op is required to enjoy this game doesn't make it bad, but it is something you should know beforehand. |
| Future Battlefield 4 DLC on hold until issues get fixed Posted: 04 Dec 2013 07:30 AM PST With this week's release of the China Rising expansion for Battlefield 4 Premium players amidst the game displaying varying degrees of brokenness depending on the platform, DICE is in something of a messy situation, to put it mildly. In a statement given to Polygon, a representative of Electronic Arts noted that the studio is committed to fixing these issues and won't be moving forward on future expansion packs until they are taken care of. "First, we want to thank the fans out there that are playing and supporting us with Battlefield 4," said the rep. "We know we still have a ways to go with fixing the game -- it is absolutely our No. 1 priority. The team at DICE is working non-stop to update the game. Since Battlefield 4 China Rising expansion pack was already in the final stages of development by the time issues began with Battlefield 4, we decided to fulfill our promise to deliver it this week, but we're not moving onto future projects or expansions until we sort out all the issues with Battlefield 4. We know many of our players are frustrated, and we feel their pain. We will not stop until this is right." While the possibility of technical issues like this isn't the only reason I tend to hold off on season passes for online games, that's always been one of the bigger concerns. EA halts Battlefield 4 expansions to 'sort out all the issues' [Polygon] |
| Zen Pinball 2 comes to PS4 this month with a free table Posted: 04 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Zen Studios is bringing Zen Pinball 2 to PlayStation 4 on December 17 in North America and Dec. 18 in Europe. If you've already bought into the platform on PS3, you'll be able to import a number of tables for this new version. Otherwise, tables will go for $2.99 a piece, or $9.99 when compiled in a table pack. Here's the list of PS4 content planned for launch:
There's also the upcoming Marvel's Doctor Strange, which will be ready in time for Zen Pinball 2's PS4 debut, and the Sorcerer's Lair table, a free download for all players. As much as I'd also like to see wholly new titles on a new console, games are games and it's especially nice to have an upgrade program like this in place. |
| Um, yes please: Interstellaria looks fantastic Posted: 04 Dec 2013 06:30 AM PST "Explore alien worlds." That's usually all it takes to get me a little bit interested. It's enough to get me to watch a Kickstarter video, and in the case of Interstellaria, I'm really glad I did. Go ahead; click the video above. Watch it. You'll be pleased that you did. Viewers are immediately hit with some nice, chunky pixel art and an energetic chiptune crescendo, care of Chipzel, of Super Hexagon fame. Then the gameplay is shown, which looks like half Metroid-style 2D exploration and half spaceship management simulation. I want this game now. Thankfully, Interstellaria has already reached its initial funding goal of $15,000, and with about two days left in the campaign, it looks likely that it will hit its first stretch goal at $27,500, adding more worlds to explore and more alien races to take on as crewmen. Unfortunately, the title isn't set to release for about a year; we pseudo-space explorers will have to tide ourselves over with Starbound until then. |
| Review: Feenix 2014 Nascita Gaming Mouse & Dimora Pad Posted: 04 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Once I find a mouse I like, I tend to stick to it for quite a while. Right now, I'm still using the Logitech G700s Rechargeable Gaming Mouse I picked up in April, and it doesn't look like I'm going to switch anytime soon. But I did come across a piece of hardware that I'll use for my extra machines, or in special cases given one of its neat tricks -- the Feenix 2014 Nascita Gaming Mouse. |
| Avalanche visits a jungle for upcoming open-world games Posted: 04 Dec 2013 05:30 AM PST Members of the team at Avalanche Studios visited Costa Rica's Braulio Carrillo National Park earlier this year to gather reference material. The trip was documented, which is neat to see in and of itself, but I'll also take this as an excuse to say that Just Cause 3 sure would hit the spot. "Just Cause 2 is used as an illustration throughout this video, but the reference material collected will prove useful in many of our upcoming open world games," reads the video's description. "In fact, some of the skies that we captured in Costa Rica will make it into Mad Max, which is currently in development at Avalanche Studios in Stockholm." Yes, yes -- Mad Max. We know. Oh, we know. |
| Here are some of the indies developing for Xbox One Posted: 04 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST We know that Microsoft's ID@Xbox program exists for developers wanting to self-publish Xbox One games, and thank goodness for that, but it's been unclear who all has signed on so far. In a blog post, the initiative's director Chris Charla has named names, giving us a rough idea of what kind of support the platform has right now. The partial list ID@Xbox participants includes: Behaviour, Bongfish, Born Ready, Capy, Comcept, Crytek, Definition 6 (Chris Hecker), Double Eleven, Double Fine, Drinkbox, Gaijin Games, Half-Brick, Happion Labs, Hidden Path, High Voltage Software, Inis, Iron Galaxy, Jackbox Games, Nicalis, Ninja Bee, Other Ocean, Panic Button, Signal Studios, Slightly Mad Studios, Team 17, Team Colorblind, The Men Who Wear Many Hats, The Odd Gentleman, Vlambeer, WayForward, Zeboyd Games, and Zen Studios. "We've shipped dev kits to more than 50 studios and, as we said at gamescom, this first wave of developers is just the start," wrote Charla. "We want to make Xbox One a great platform for developers of all scales and sizes for years to come." For a new console especially, it's going to be crucial that these teams get the ball rolling. With enough support from smaller teams, "game droughts" are essentially a thing of the past. Developers Sign On to ID@Xbox [Xbox] |
| Join us live for a recording of our new podcast Hardline Posted: 04 Dec 2013 04:45 AM PST It's been a rather slow news week as we move into the holiday season, but that's not about to stop us from continuing our new podcast, Hardline, which we've only just started. While I've managed to scrounge up some topics to discuss with Conrad Zimmerman and Steven Hansen on today's episode, we'd love for you to drop by and participate as we record. We'll be streaming on Twitch.tv from approximately 11:00am Pacific to noon, so head into chat and yell things at us, if you'd like. |
| ExtremeCap U3 captures uncompressed 1080p at 60fps Posted: 04 Dec 2013 04:30 AM PST Do you need a badass capture box? AVerMedia's ExtremeCap U3 looks to fit the bill with its uncompressed 1080p 60fps video capture. They sent over info on their new USB 3.0 box that lets you not only capture, but also stream at 1080p 60fps via HDMI or component. I wants it. If you're into producing video from your gameplay, know that the U3 comes with plug-ins for Premiere Pro CS6 and Sony Vegas. There's even a USB 3.0 Diagnosis Tool to ensure top performance. Check out their product page here. I don't know that it works for Mac, though. We're working to find that out. We're also checking on availability. What do you use for capture? |
| Starbound beta takes off with release of new trailer Posted: 04 Dec 2013 04:00 AM PST Last night, on the eve of the Starbound beta's release, the developers at Chucklefish put out a new trailer commemorating the early access of this unique and ambitious title. For the uninitiated, Starbound is a randomly generated 2D action RPG title in the vein of Terraria, but features a sci-fi setting and a deeper level of customization for players to delve into. The trailer does well to show off much the game's potential, as the element of randomization will continue to keep the game fresh for some time to come. As an early access title, this beta period will give fans a taste for what's to come, while also helping out the developers find bugs and other issues with the title. Beta keys for those who preordered should be going out right now. For more information on Starbound, check out the official website for more trailers and plans for future updates. |
| Ridge Racer Slipstream to hit mobile devices this month Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:30 AM PST It's not the next-gen Ridge Racer I wanted, but we'll take what we can get. Namco Bandai has announced that mobile racer Ridge Racer Slipstream will come to the App Store and Google Play this month. Expect a full Career Mode as well as a few different types of Arcade modes. Crashing into both mobile and tablet devices, Slipstream brings 20 tracks and new music, as well as vehicle mods. Namco Bandai says that a mutiplayer mode is coming in an update soon. Check out the new trailer. I think the car models look nice and HD, but let's hope that the final framerate will look a bit better than what the video shows. It's downright scary in some parts of this video. Look, Namco Bandai. I'll check this out if you promise that a console version is coming. Deal? |
| Path of Exile has over 250,000 players online every day Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:00 AM PST Path of Exile has been out for about a month now and is already proving to be quite the hit, with the development team behind the game revealing some rather interesting figures. Grinding Gear Games has announced that its free-to-play action RPG currently has over four million registered users, with more than 250,000 users playing every day. The developer also signified that it had managed to sell close to 5,000 supporter pack bundles (said bundles range from $50-$900) during the Thanksgiving weekend alone. Anyone out there been playing Path of Exile lately? |
| Pokemon X and Y 2DS bundles coming December 6 Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:30 AM PST Nintendo sends word that two new 2DS bundles are coming our way on December 6. Both Pokemon X and Pokemon Y get paired with red and blue 2DS systems, with the combo priced at $149.99. The game will be pre-installed on a SD card in each bundle. The coloring also points to which retailer will stock each bundle, with Target getting the red one, and Toys R Us selling the blue one. |
| Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin' cast comes to Saints Row IV Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:15 AM PST Anthony and Ashly Burch have come a long way from their humble beginnings as creators of a weird Internet show to where they are now (creators of a marginally popular weird Internet show, among other things). Now they can add one more thing to their résumés: they have been added as downloadable homies in Saints Row IV with the Hey Ash Whatcha Playin Pack. In addition to the Burch siblings, the true star of the show is included: Papa Burch. He sports the "Would You Kindry?" shirt featuring Ash's face, while Ash wears the Papa Burch shirt. Anthony is wearing his signature jacket and tie, though it looks to me that Volition has taken some liberties with his character model's broadness. We can't have scrawny homies, apparently. The Hey Ash Whatcha Playin Pack is available now on Steam, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. |
| Blacklight: Retribution is live in Europe today on PS4 Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:00 AM PST After launching without a hitch in other regions, the free-to-play PS4 shooter Blacklight Retribution will be hitting the European PSN later today. It suffered a last minute delay for unknown reasons, but now it's back on track. Like many other free-to-play games on Sony's new console, you won't need PlayStation Plus to access online play, so feel free to grab it regardless of your subscription. Blacklight: Retribution launches on PS4 in Europe today after short delay [Eurogamer] |
| Elder Scrolls Online trailer explains character building Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:00 AM PST Like past Elder Scrolls games, Elder Scrolls Online will feature a first-person viewpoint, in addition to your typical elements of character progression. This new video explains a bit how that process works, from leveling up your character in general to the customization of your skills, to your typical questlines like the Fighters or Mage's Guild. I'm pretty excited to try ESO, especially with the addition of the classic FPS-like view of the series. It'll be interesting to see how the game fares with a subscription based model as well, and how it does on consoles. |
| Bravely Default is getting a sequel called Bravely Second Posted: 03 Dec 2013 11:50 PM PST Although US gamers have yet to obtain the first Bravely Default (it's coming in February), a full follow-up game has been announced, titled Bravely Second. This isn't an expansion mind you like For the Sequel -- this is a brand new game. According to the preliminary information that's been collected, the sequel will take place in the same world as the first, but with a new character named Magnolia. It's also slated for the 3DS, and it currently has no release date or target. 【速報】ブレイブリーデフォルト新作『ブレイブリーセカンド』3DSで発売決定！！ : はちま起稿 [Esuteru] |
| Apotheon gets a new gameplay trailer Posted: 03 Dec 2013 11:00 PM PST Apotheon is an action platformer that looks like a Greek-themed Mark of the Ninja -- and that's a good thing. In this new gameplay trailer we'll get a decent look at combat and a few sticky platforming situations that look really fun -- to the point where I just want to play the game already. In addition to featuring a full campaign, Apotheon will also have an online multiplayer component with deathmatch and team modes. You can now pre-order the game for 33% off ($9.99) on the developer's website, which will provide you with a Steam key at launch, and a free copy of the studio's previous game, Capsized. |
| Super Mario 3D World is a great speedrunning opportunity Posted: 03 Dec 2013 10:45 PM PST While playing Super Mario 3D World last week to uncover its final secrets, I realized something -- it's perfect for speedrunning. Not only is the map compact enough to make it work, but the levels themselves are built for it -- especially the vertical stages that are created around the Cat Suit. But then I started to think outside the box. Given the multiplayer element, 3D World also has a unique "team" speedrunning opportunity. When playing it with my good friend who also happens to be a Mario fan, we found that playing in tandem with one another was very conducive to some fast completion times. With four players running about it can get a bit hectic, but two seems "just right" for completing a level without a fuss. |
| Assassin's Creed IV's story DLC is dropping this month Posted: 03 Dec 2013 10:00 PM PST Assassin's Creed IV's Freedom Cry DLC, which deals with first mate Adewale's mission to free as many slaves as he can, will drop on December 17th. Taking place a few years after the core story, Freedom Cry is a mini-campaign that will host "over four hours" of content according to Ubisoft. At first, I was skeptical of the DLC given the relatively underwhelming King Washington add-on chapters for Assassin's Creed III. But after actually playing Black Flag I came around to the idea, especially considering the fact that I loved Adewale's character. With the right story, this could actually be a really neat series of DLC -- let's hope they don't screw it up. Expect some impressions closer to launch. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Freedom Cry DLC gets a release date [OXM] |
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