New Games |
- Call of Duty: Ghosts receiving eSports focused update
- Shaq promises that Shaq Fu 2 is 'coming soon'
- Classic Amiga title Midwinter set for a remake
- Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper hits iOS today
- 10 things you need to know about PlayStation Now
- You should be able to preload Reaper of Souls this month
- Get retro with the Destructoid shirt and hoodie!
- This new iOS controller from Signal looks familiar
- Muramasa Rebirth gets a trailer for its second DLC
- A new piece of Halo 5 concept art has surfaced
- Keiji Inafune, Rami Ismail to speak at D.I.C.E. Summit
- Get Even, Grand Theft Child Abuse & Senran Cook-gera
- Valve aiming to make Dota 2 viable with Steam Controller
- Ex-Destiny writer Joe Staten returns to Microsoft
- Live show: Dungeon of the Endless with Amplitude Studios
- Uh, the Writers Guild Award game nominees are weird
- LittleBigPlanet gets DC Comics level pack trailer
- This gaming subwoofer is the bomb
- Resolution cap on Metal Gear Revengeance circumvented
- Soccer punched: PES 2015 only confirmed for PS4
- Steam rolls out parental controls for all users
- TowerFall Ascension is shaping up to be one kickass port
- BloodNet emerges from the shadows onto GOG.com
- Skateboarding title OlliOlli hits PS Vita this month
- Videogame Clubhouse: Climbing atop the Nuclear Throne!
- Nintendo Download: Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder
- New missions added to Hitman: Absolution 'Contracts' mode
- Forced perspective is the new 'whoa' puzzle mechanic
- Review: Joe Danger Infinity
- Nintendo obtains IA Labs' patents in sheriff's sale
- Europe is getting a much better Far Cry bundle
- Next Level Games to work exclusively with Nintendo
- Wowzers! Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn running at 4K
- Amazon is selling Crystal White PlayStation Vitas
- GDC Awards led by The Last of Us, Tearaway, and Gone Home
- Swinging game Energy Hook slated for PS4, PS Vita
- More info arises for Turtle Rock's upcoming Evolve
- Something's off about this SpyParty video
- Guild 01's missing Weapon Shop game getting localized
- Twitch streaming from Xbox One is still a few months away
- WWE announces WWE Network, coming to consoles
- The first Xbox One update will focus on social features
- No plans for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 on next-gen
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is bold and uncompromising
- Pizza Hut made $1M in four months through the Xbox 360
- A young man discovers love and heartbreak on the Miiverse
- The best PC desktop speakers we found at CES 2014
- Eyes-on with Gunnar's Intercept Color collection
- Seconded: Another thumbs up for SteelSeries' H Wireless
- Here's a picture of a horse dressed as Mario
| Call of Duty: Ghosts receiving eSports focused update Posted: 09 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST Call of Duty: Ghosts latest updates is all eSports focused. An upcoming update will restrict Ghillie suits, tracker sights, danger close, and disable third-person spectating in competitive rules. They will also add a kill feed to Broadcaster mode, and address the broadcaster mode stability. There's several other fixes coming detailed on the Call of Duty forums, but the main highlight is the note that Infinity Ward is investigating the addition of Xbox One LAN support. Which leads us right to the next announcement: the next Call of Duty Championships have been announced. The second annual tournament will see 32 Call of Duty teams from around the world competing for $1 million. The tournament takes place in Los Angeles March 28-30, and this time participants will be playing on the Xbox One. The tournament will be streamed on Xbox Live and on MLG.tv. |
| Shaq promises that Shaq Fu 2 is 'coming soon' Posted: 09 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST Shaquille O'Neal is at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, which makes me happy. What makes me even happier, however, is that when jokingly asked by GamerFitNation if we'd ever get to see a sequel to 1994's Shaq Fu, he said yes. And that it's "coming soon." Even though I'd love for this to be true -- to be able to witness what a modern-day Shaq Fu would look like -- it's unclear if Shaq was being genuine in the interview. That said, a trademark for "SHAQFIGHTER" was filed earlier this year. Crazy as it all sounds, this is not completely outside the realm of possibility. CES 2014: Shaq Confirms Shaq Fu 2 "Coming Soon" [GamerFitNation] |
| Classic Amiga title Midwinter set for a remake Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST Back in the late '80s a game arrived on the Commodor Amiga that I think few played but was way ahead of the times. Midwinter was a survival, turn-based strategy title and a stealth-based, first-person RPG and Eurogamer is reporting that a Kickstarter is incoming to revive the title. I missed creative lead Dan Whitehead's retrospective from 2010 but reading it now really hits home how much of a unique title this was. Set on a small island in a future where ice covers the earth, John Stark is leading a campaign of guerrilla warfare against the despotic General Masters (again, great videogame names there). I think I liked the skiing most of all (and the crashing) but then again, I was nine when the game came out. I never owned an Amiga, so I watched my friend James play brief chunks of Midwinter but it was one of the first games I saw use a first-person perspective, apart from something like Elite which had you control a space ship. At the time I only had access to the Amiga's older brother, the Commodore 64 and games like Booty and Hover Bovver. It's kind of mind blowing how games like Rust and Day Z have elements that Midwinter introduced in the late 1980s. I do wonder how a reboot/remake due in 2015 will do when games cross genres all the time and Midwinter's innovations are now commonplace. Wintry survival sim Midwinter is getting a remake in 2015 [Eurogamer] |
| Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper hits iOS today Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure was released on the 3DS in 2012, and I absolutely loved it. It's not perfect by any means and has a few glaring flaws, but it's filled to the brim with charm and I loved the anime style presentation. Today it's been ported to the iOS, but please note that this is not the same version as the 3DS game. It's basically an abridged port, with added social features (good ones, like the ability to pick up new crew members for stat bonuses), and new mini-games. The story is also pared down, and of course, the controls are touch oriented. As an aside, it appears as if the game needs an online connection to be played, so if you're absolutely against this limitation, don't pick it up. Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper [Apple] |
| 10 things you need to know about PlayStation Now Posted: 09 Jan 2014 01:30 PM PST Sony delivered details on its Gaikai-based game streaming service, PlayStation Now, at CES. This PlayStation Access overview sums up the most useful tidbits we know about the service at this time, According to Dale, it already works well, albeit in the controlled CES environment. Some takeaways: Sony is starting PlayStation Now on PS3 and PS4, with Vita and select Sony Bravia access to follow. Ultimately, we will see PlayStation streaming to tablets and phones, including non-Sony devices. PS Now will also include the option to rent specific titles, as well as a "Netflix-like subscription models covering multiple games." The service is starting with a focus on PS3 titles, which makes sense. They would still look visually impressive to new PS4 users. While there is talk of PS2 and PS1 expansion, there's no mention of Vita and PSP games. Perhaps because Sony doesn't want to undercut the Vita TV? Still, while the ability to rent PS3 games might be novel, a lot of those games could easily be tracked down physically. How about capitalizing on nostalgia? What PS1 and PS2 games do you want to see made available to stream? Forgotten classics? PS1 PSN snubs? Every Final Fantasy game, again, because you don't own them in enough forms? Bushido Blade? |
| You should be able to preload Reaper of Souls this month Posted: 09 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST I enjoyed my time with the Diablo III: Reaper of Souls beta, but we still have over two months to go until its release. In an interesting turn of events, Blizzard may let users preload nearly all of the content at the end of this month, so when the actual launch hits, it'll just unlock. The reasoning towards this move is that when the game finally does come out it won't put a strain on their servers. It makes perfect sense, and should help solve a lot of the connection problems that plagued the original launch. If you're still playing vanilla Diablo III, you should get all of the content updates as they come, along with the removal of the Auction House, which is coming up. I don't understand how to pre-download [Blizzard via PCGamesN] |
| Get retro with the Destructoid shirt and hoodie! Posted: 09 Jan 2014 12:30 PM PST It's about time we did something like this! The Destructoid Videogame News System captures the retro Nintendo Entertainment System box covers with an 8-bit Destructoid. The new design was created by the talented Drew Wise, and you can grab one in either t-shirt or hoodie form. As always, shirts go for $19.95 $17.95, hoodies for $34.95 $24.95, and you'll receive free shipping worldwide when you spend over $60 on anything in our store! |
| This new iOS controller from Signal looks familiar Posted: 09 Jan 2014 12:00 PM PST So far there have been three iOS controllers -- the MOGA Ace Power, the Logitech Powershell, and the SteelSeries Stratus. All three of them have their own advantages, but one common flaw -- they're all $99. Competition is always great, and the good news is, there's a fourth option coming -- the "RP One" from Signal. The bad news? It's still $99. This controller is functionally similar to the Stratus in that it's Bluetooth based (wireless), but it's considerably larger to provide a "full scale" iOS console experience. In short, it basically looks like an Xbox controller mixed with Sony's placement of the Dualshock analog sticks. If we can get our hands on one at launch, expect a full write-up! Signal announces 'RP One' full-size Bluetooth game controller for Apple's iOS devices [Apple Insider] |
| Muramasa Rebirth gets a trailer for its second DLC Posted: 09 Jan 2014 11:30 AM PST Muramasa Rebirth was re-released on the PlayStation Vita, and not only does it look great, but it plays great as well. Four DLCs await us in turn with new characters and tales, the second of which can be previewed above by way of a new trailer. It's titled "Uprising of the Oone Resistance," and tells the story of a group of farmers who are rebelling against a Daimyo -- interesting! Vanillware has revealed that you do not need to complete Muramasa's campaign to play any of the DLC, which is great news. All four DLC stories are coming to the US at some point in 2014. |
| A new piece of Halo 5 concept art has surfaced Posted: 09 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST Hey look, Halo 5 news! Well, not news about Halo 5 itself, but more so on what's going on behind-the-scenes at 343 Industries. First, Tim Longo joined the team as creative director. His past work included Tomb Raider, Star Wars: Republic Commando, and the unreleased Star Wars: First Assault. That new hire has moved Josh Holmes up to executive producer, while Kiki Wolfkill is still at the studio working on something that is "really cool." Art Director Kenneth Scott has stepped down and is now visual design consultant, while Nicolas Bouvier is stepping up as art director. The Halo Waypoint update notes that Ken and Nic worked closely together, spending the last five years "to define the visual language for 343's Halo." As for Halo 5 or whatever they are going to call it, Josh teased this image of Sparth which shows off a new location that "features prominently in a little game project we're tinkering with." |
| Keiji Inafune, Rami Ismail to speak at D.I.C.E. Summit Posted: 09 Jan 2014 10:30 AM PST While many of us non-attendees give the awards component of D.I.C.E. the most attention, there's also the presentations to consider. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has added five extra speakers who will join previously-announced presenters like Journey composer Austin Wintory and Unity's David Helgason at the 2014 D.I.C.E. Summit:
The Summit takes place at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on February 4 - 6, 2014. You can bet your bottom dollar that Dale will be in attendance, living it up as always. |
| Get Even, Grand Theft Child Abuse & Senran Cook-gera Posted: 09 Jan 2014 10:15 AM PST
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| Valve aiming to make Dota 2 viable with Steam Controller Posted: 09 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST When Valve introduced their Steam Controller, we knew that their ultimate goal was to have it work with nearly every game in the Steam library -- which includes Dota 2 -- a hardcore MOBA that traditionally is played with a mouse and keyboard. Valve is hopeful though, speaking to Polygon recently on the design process and how they're going to try to mix things up with the pad. Jeff Bellinghausen of Valve stated, "[Dota 2] is a really complex game that uses a good half of the keyboard. And it's a real challenge, but would also be really exciting. To be able to play Dota from the couch is a really neat opportunity...We're thinking we'll get 90 percent of the way there." Valve outright notes that you will probably not be able to compete against a high level pro player with a controller, but it's nice to know the option is there. That's what I appreciate about the Steam Controller -- it's an option. I'm personally a fan of the mouse and keyboard setup for most games outside of platformers, fighting games and action titles, but there are those of you out there would prefer a controller, and you should definitely have that choice. Valve working to get Dota 2 playable on Steam Controller [Polygon] |
| Ex-Destiny writer Joe Staten returns to Microsoft Posted: 09 Jan 2014 09:45 AM PST Microsoft studio manager Mike Ybarra has announced that Joe Staten is back at Microsoft Studios. Joe was formerly with Bungie where he worked on Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 3: ODST. He also wrote Halo: Contact Harvest, and contributed to other various Halo projects including the troubled Halo movie. He continued with Bungie after they left the Halo franchise in 343 Industries hands, and his next project would see him as writer and design director on Destiny. Then on September 24 last year, Bungie announced that Staten had left the company to pursue new creative challenges. Joe is now at Microsoft Studios as senior creative director, but he's "not working directly on the next Halo title" a Microsoft spokesperson has told Destructoid. Joe "will help create the world’s best entertainment on Xbox, as well as help shape our franchise strategy for some Microsoft Studios titles. He’ll also be one of our leading ambassadors to the game development community, building on his many years of experience and relationships with developers and fans. We’re excited to share more about Joseph’s role in the future.” Joe has played a huge part in the development of the Halo franchise and Destiny, so I'm looking forward to seeing what exactly he'll be lending his talents on. |
| Live show: Dungeon of the Endless with Amplitude Studios Posted: 09 Jan 2014 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.] Join us for Mash Tactics this evening, as we sit down with Amplitude Studios, and showcase their upcoming roguelike dungeon defense game, Dungeon of the Endless. To say that I've been hooked on roguelikes and similar genres lately would be an insane understatement. I'm a complete sucker for loot, permadeath, and just 'one more run'. While Dungeon of the Endless is still in early access, and I've only gotten to play a small amount of the game, I can safely say that it scratches all of my roguelike itches and then some. Check it out for yourself, and ask some questions tonight as we play through the first few hours at Dtoid.TV! QotD: We have five copies of this game to giveaway, want one? Cool. Then what you need to do is tell me how you would survive being stranded in space, in the comments below. I'll pick my five favorites after the show, and message the winners the codes here on Destructoid. |
| Uh, the Writers Guild Award game nominees are weird Posted: 09 Jan 2014 09:15 AM PST The Writers Guild Awards has been giving games writing awards for a number of years now. I'm always confused. Past winners include Dead Head Fred, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Uncharted 3, and Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation. Only two of those sort of make sense to me. This year's nominees, the winner of which will be announced February 1, are: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Perhaps these lists end up odd because of prerequisites for WGA nomination. Potentially nominated writers have to apply to the "WGA Videogame Writers Caucus at the time scripts were submitted," for example. Anyways, it's quite clear only one game in this bizarre list of nominees actually deserves to be praised for its writing. Lost Planet 3. |
| LittleBigPlanet gets DC Comics level pack trailer Posted: 09 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST LittleBigPlanet is still chugging, and Media Molecule still has some add-ons to sell you. Coming soon is part two of the DC Comics Premium level pack, which you can get a taste of in the trailer above. In addition to new costumes and levels you'll also net new trophies, as well as new materials to build levels with. The entire theme features "The Memoriser" (a tool that saves mid-level progress), a wall jumping ability, and the Hero Cape, which allows you to glide around. This DLC set has a Season Pass, which allows you grab both level packs and a bunch of costumes. All together, it'll net you 20 costumes if you grab all three pieces of DLC. |
| This gaming subwoofer is the bomb Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:45 AM PST This is the bomb, son! No, really. You are looking at the subwoofer of the Energy XStream M-21 speaker system. That bass be blowin' up, son! This is a 2.1 speaker system designed for gaming, with both the speakers and sub looking like bombs. The sub actually says "armed" in a window when you turn it on. Yeah. Despite being hideous and all-plastic, this set gets crazy loud. I tried a bit of Battlefield 4 out on an Xbox One and it was blowing me away and getting me stink eyes from other CES attendees at only one quarter of the volume knob. Again, surprisingly clean and loud. It's also Bluetooth compatible so you can stream sound from other devices. This set will be released later this year, but I can't imagine anyone but kids digging the design. |
| Resolution cap on Metal Gear Revengeance circumvented Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:45 AM PST The clever coder "Durante" who has been "fixing" the available resolutions of games like Dark Souls and Deadly Premonition following their release, has now turned his attention to the recent PC port of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Posting to NeoGAF, Durante claims to have worked around the 1080p resolution cap the game presently features, including a 4k resolution screenshot of the title screen. The fix has not been released to the public yet, and Durante suggests that he may not bother to develop it to a release-ready state, as he expects Konami may patch the game themselves to allow for resolutions above 1080p. |
| Soccer punched: PES 2015 only confirmed for PS4 Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:30 AM PST Xbox One, the console of sports, sports, sports, seems to be having a hiccup delivering sports games. Sony-exclusive MLB 14 The Show will be the only next-gen baseball game. Yesterday, the official Pro Evolution Soccer Twitter confirmed that PES 2014 would not be on next gen, but that PES 2015 would be coming to PS4. When asked about an Xbox One or Wii U release, the response was, "We don´t really have any information about it at the moment, but we´ll keep you informed." PES 2015 confirmed for PS4... but not Xbox One [MCV] |
| Steam rolls out parental controls for all users Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:15 AM PST For a second there, I got all pumped to hear Steam Family Options had gone live for all users after previously being restricted to beta participants. Then I realized this isn't the same thing as Steam Family Sharing -- rather, it's a set of parental controls. Still important, admittedly. To enable this feature, head into Steam's Settings menu, which will have a listing for Family Options under the Family tab (or, if you're in Big Picture Mode, simply hit the Family Options button). From here, you'll be able to set up a PIN that can restrict access to the storefront, specific games, community functionality, and Steam Friends. Once you know where these options are located, the process is fairly self-explanatory, but Valve has included further instructions at the link below just in case. The company's example of preventing "kiddos [from] going crazy with the credit card" is all-too real. Steam Family Options are now available to all users [Steam] |
| TowerFall Ascension is shaping up to be one kickass port Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST In 2013, the highly anticipated TowerFall hit the Ouya platform -- and so began the thousands of voices clamoring for a port to any other platform. As of late last year creator Matt Thorson reported that he had only sold around 5,000 copies of the game on Ouya, due in part to the Ouya's low install base and even lower propensity to actually buy anything on it. Now it's 2014, and the Ouya exclusivity deal has expired. It's time to see what TowerFall can really do with the souped-up re-release on PC and PS4, appropriately called TowerFall Ascension. If the preview build I've been playing is any indication, it's going to be one of the strongest games of the year. |
| BloodNet emerges from the shadows onto GOG.com Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:45 AM PST I've got to hand it to GOG.com, they're really reaching back to bring some these old PC games kicking and screaming into 2014. I'll freely admit I hadn't heard of BloodNet, an RPG/adventure game from Micropose that was released in 1993 but then again, I was 13 at the time and the only PC I had access to was my dad's work laptop which was mainly used to play the shareware version of Doom. Ah, the memories... However as a dyed-in-the-wool cyberpunk fan, BloodNet seems right up my alley, despite the main conceit being, well rather silly. It's the year 2094 and you control Ransom Stark (because only people in videogames have names that cool) who is a former corporate hacker who is bitten by a vampire. So not only will you face off against corporations and cyberpunks, you'll be facing off against the undead too. It sounds pretty kooky and most likely plays that way too. I'm not too fussed. I'm such a fan of the cyberpunk genre, despite its tropes and clichés, that I'll often watch or read films and books that aren't very good to get my fix of future noir. Heck, a few weeks ago I watched Nemesis and that's some hot garbage right there. BloodNet is out on GOG.com right now for just $5.99 and might be worth a shot if you're a fan of the genre. If you've played the game when it came out, leave a comment as I'm curious as to how well regarded this is. |
| Skateboarding title OlliOlli hits PS Vita this month Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:30 AM PST We've talked about Roll7's OlliOlli on a few occasions and since I can only say "It's going to be cool" so many times before feeling self-conscious, I'm looking forward to PlayStation Vita owners finally getting the opportunity to play the 2D skateboarding game for themselves. It's been dated for January 21 in North America, and January 22 in Europe. This trailer does an adequate job of showing what OlliOlli's all about, so I'll only add that this is one of those games where you'll feel compelled to continue replaying levels again and again until you nail that coveted "perfect run." And, oh look, it only took me 27 minutes. |
| Videogame Clubhouse: Climbing atop the Nuclear Throne! Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:15 AM PST Forget that year of Luigi nonsense, the real thing you should be celebrating is Indie Month on the Videogame Clubhouse. We're keeping the hype train a-rollin' with the fantastic Nuclear Throne. If you're not all up in this business already you can expect to see fish dudes murdering a whole bunch of baddies. It's also one of the best games I played at PAX last year. Additionally, the guys behind the game are the raddest. Want to know more all about the hypest post-apocalyptic game this side of Fallout? We're going live at 2pm PST over on Dtoid.tv! Huzzah! |
| Nintendo Download: Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST On the Wii U this week you can grab Gradius and Cocoto Magic Circus 2. That's it. Seriously, that's it! Yet again, Super Mario Bros. 3 is missing. It's not a lost cause though, as Gradius may not be the best classic shoot 'em up out there, but it's still pretty solid, and I'd recommend it to any shmup fan. The 3DS side is a bit more interesting with the introduction of Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder. This original game is a camera-centric hidden object game, and was revealed late last year. It kind of came out of nowhere but it may interest a few of you who are looking for a quirky title to play. On the 3DS eShop there's also Jump Trials Supreme (demo), and Aqua Moto Racing 3D, Darts Up 3D, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, and Code of Princess all have discounts. |
| New missions added to Hitman: Absolution 'Contracts' mode Posted: 09 Jan 2014 06:45 AM PST Though Hitman: Absolution has been out for over a year, new missions for the title have been added to the game's "Contracts" mode with seemingly no warning whatsoever. New missions have launched on all three platforms the game is available for. PC players will skulk through a haunted house, the Xbox 360 version has a donut shop to kill in, and on PS3 there's something to do with a pyromaniac ice cream seller, which seems like an odd combination of career choice and psychological disorder. Good on IO Interactive for continuing to provide free content for the game, especially this far out from release. There seems to be little benefit beyond good will toward the folks who enjoyed Hitman: Absolution and it's always nice when that's enough of a reason to release content. Brand new Featured Contracts for Hitman Absolution [Facebook -- Thanks, Darren!] |
| Forced perspective is the new 'whoa' puzzle mechanic Posted: 09 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST Forced perspective is typically used as a camera trick for twenty-year-olds backpacking across Europe when they cleverly think about using an optical illusion to make it look like they are holding the Leaning Tower of Pisa up. Apparently, it can also be used as a slick game mechanic that evokes memories of Portal in its initial impressiveness. Somewhat akin to SCALE, Museum of Simulation Technology revolves around changing the size of environmental objects, though the means through which it is accomplished is quite different. Admittedly, the idea starts off simple enough, but as the video progresses, it really seems like it could have legs for a full game. Currently, Museum of Simulation Technology is not much more than a tech demo, although it does look like could be on its way to being a proper game. After watching the video above, I wouldn't be surprised to hear about Valve hiring developer Albert Shih and seeing something like this show up in a hypothetical Portal 3. [Thanks, Morty] |
| Posted: 09 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST Joe Danger is a pretty massive hit for Hello Games. We loved the first game, we enjoyed the sequel, and in 2013 they brought the franchise to iOS. Now, Joe rides yet again on the mobile platform, but this time, he's shrunk down to Toy Story size and placed in a series of mini themed levels and races. It's more of the same, but that should be enough for Joe fans. |
| Nintendo obtains IA Labs' patents in sheriff's sale Posted: 09 Jan 2014 05:30 AM PST Nintendo acquired the entire patent portfolio of IA Labs in a sheriff's sale this week in Montgomery County, Maryland. The transaction came about as the result of unsuccessful litigation on the part of IA Labs. In 2010, IA Labs filed a lawsuit in 2010 which alleged that Nintendo infringed upon its patents by developing Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. When Nintendo successfully defended this allegation at court, IA Labs appealed. The trial court's original ruling was upheld in June 2013. As a result, IA Labs was required to pay attorney's fees and costs to Nintendo. Subsequently, Nintendo arranged the sheriff's sale as partial payment for litigating the case. Nintendo's vice president commented "(Our) track record demonstrates that we vigorously defend patent lawsuits, like the IA Labs lawsuit, when we believe we have not infringed another party’s patent. This includes holding those who sue Nintendo responsible for the costs and expenses incurred in patent litigation." |
| Europe is getting a much better Far Cry bundle Posted: 09 Jan 2014 05:15 AM PST Ubisoft's Far Cry Compilation for PlayStation 3 -- which includes Far Cry 2, Far Cry 3, and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon -- has been outdone by ... Ubisoft. Europe is getting a bundle of its own, dubbed Far Cry: The Wild Expedition, that includes an HD version of the original Far Cry. This is scheduled for February 14, 2014 on PS3, PC, and Xbox 360 for a fair £29.99. If it's merely the original game you want, that's also in the pipeline. Ubisoft plans to release Far Cry Classic on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network a couple days ahead of the compilation, on February 12 for £7.99. If there's a good reason for North America to get the short end of the stick here, I'm not seeing it. No one should have to! |
| Next Level Games to work exclusively with Nintendo Posted: 09 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST Outside of the occasional Wii port like Transformers: Cybertron Adventures, Next Level Games has been working with Nintendo quite a bit since their inception. Not only are they responsible for Super Mario Strikers, but the new Punch Out!! and most recently, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. They're not owned by Nintendo, but according to co-founder Jason Carr -- it's time to make their partnership official, and for right now, Next Level Games will develop exclusively for the Big N. Next Level Games consists of under 70 people, and given how great the relationship with Nintendo has been, they want to keep the good times rolling. Speaking on this, Carr states, "We have worked with a lot of other companies before, and we're super happy with our relationship with Nintendo. There's no reason to look anywhere else. They keep giving us better and better IP to work with, and as long as we do our job and make good games for them there's no reason for us to venture out." It makes sense to me! Next Level is a great developer, so I can't wait to see what they handle next. There's also no word on them actually getting acquired by Nintendo either, so they have a lot of leeway in the future. Next Level Games: Working with Nintendo, making a studio great for developers [Gamasutra] |
| Wowzers! Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn running at 4K Posted: 09 Jan 2014 04:50 AM PST Panasonic's CES booth has the Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn benchmark running at 4K. It's running butter smooth on this huge 50-something inch screen. Flawless. They can't tell me what specifically is running this other than Nvidia GTX GPUs. Titans are a safe bet, of course. It's... beautiful. I play this game on a laptop. Hmmph. |
| Amazon is selling Crystal White PlayStation Vitas Posted: 09 Jan 2014 04:45 AM PST Huh. Amazon is selling standalone Crystal White PlayStation Vitas for $199 right now. These are the same Wi-Fi models that are available in a bundle with Assassin's Creed III: Liberation which, say what you will about the game, not everyone wants the pack-ins. Having gone for the limited-edition Star Wars PlayStation Portable because it was white only to play the included Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron exactly once, I know how this goes. [Via @Wario64] |
| GDC Awards led by The Last of Us, Tearaway, and Gone Home Posted: 09 Jan 2014 04:30 AM PST The Game Developers Choice Awards, the gaming industry's premiere peer-based awards show, has revealed its nominees across the ceremony's ten categories. Leading the way with five nominations a piece are The Last of Us, Tearaway, and Gone Home. The GDC Awards has an open nomination process for industry professionals to determine the finalists. The winners are chosen by an invitation-only group of top game creators. The complete list, as seen below, is made up of everything from tiny indie projects to the biggest of triple-A games. The awards show, which is in its fourteenth year, will be held on March 19 at 9:30 p.m. during the 2014 Game Developers Conference. |
| Swinging game Energy Hook slated for PS4, PS Vita Posted: 09 Jan 2014 04:15 AM PST You might remember Energy Hook as the new game made by the guy who worked on the beloved swinging mechanic in Spider-Man 2, or possibly as the project with a $1 Kickstarter goal. I've been keeping an eye on this one for a while, knowing that it was coming to Steam. That is still the case, but as announced today, it will release first on PlayStation Vita and PS4. "PS Vita is my favorite handheld," wrote developer Jamie Fristrom on the PlayStation Blog. "There's no handheld like it. Nothing else comes with dual sticks, and Energy Hook wants those dual sticks! It's a very expressive game that wants precision controls. A touchscreen is not enough. I daresay it’s going to be the first, decent, 3D swinging game to hit a handheld." Something to look forward to this year, certainly. Swinging is tough to get right, but damn if it's not one of the most enjoyable videogame mechanics out there. Energy Hook Coming to PS4, PS Vita in 2014 [PlayStation Blog] |
| More info arises for Turtle Rock's upcoming Evolve Posted: 09 Jan 2014 04:00 AM PST The cat is out of the bag, and Turtle Rock's next project is Evolve, a space themed game where four players face off against a player controlled creature. If you're intrigued by the concept and want to know more, OXM has dug up some more details, and it all sounds pretty interesting. Different planets will seemingly play host to new objectives, and in the case of the planet "Shear," humans have to eliminate a barrier before the alien downs all of the players at the same time. Should a human player die, they'll respawn in two minutes back on the map. Guns apparently have unlimited ammo but are restricted by a cool-down system, similar to first Mass Effect. Some of the class specific skills have been announced, like the hunter's "personal shield" and the ability to focus damage. The support class can (surprise) buff other players, and "The Trapper" can actually trap the monster somehow. Lastly, the medic can heal others with a gun, and sports a sniper rifle. The first alien is named "Goliath," and can grow 30 feet tall once it's fully evolved. As it "levels" up it can gain access to new skills like the ability to climb walls, breath fire, and throw rocks. At first it can use a more stealth approach as it moves towards its cocoon evolution, but once it busts out you basically can't miss the 30 foot hulking beast. It all sounds pretty ambitious for sure, and I can't wait to see what other aliens are going to be revealed. I'm still holding out for a 100+ foot tall Kaiju. |
| Something's off about this SpyParty video Posted: 09 Jan 2014 03:30 AM PST What is going on in this SpyParty video? I've never seen a murder, but is this what happens? Because it seems that the reactions of the witnesses would be more scarring than the murder itself. Or maybe this is just what it's like when a developer's willing to poke fun at its game's bugs. |
| Guild 01's missing Weapon Shop game getting localized Posted: 09 Jan 2014 03:00 AM PST America may have gotten the vast majority of Level-5's Guild 01 and Guild 02 collections, but it was missing one game -- Weapon Shop De Omasse. According to Level-5, the game would have taken far too long to localize given all the text, and that gamers outside of Japan likely won't get all of the cultural references for it to matter. But what's this? Siliconera is reporting that Level-5 is localizing the game after all, after a lengthy hiatus. Apparently the game was rated by Australia's Classification Board, which means a western release may be in the cards yet. Level-5 Is Localizing Missing Guild 01 Game Weapon Shop De Omasse [Siliconera] |
| Twitch streaming from Xbox One is still a few months away Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:30 AM PST One of the promised features of the Xbox One was the ability to broadcast games on Twitch from the console. Almost two months after its release, we unfortunately don't know what the status of this integration is. Twitch has vaguely indicated that it's just as in the dark as we are, with the onus being placed squarely on Microsoft's shoulders. In a recent tweet, Twitch stated that "There is no ETA at this time from Microsoft. Expect a few more months. If we know sooner, we'll update." Users have been able to watch content on Twitch since the Xbox One's launch, just not stream directly. It's hard to imagine that the streaming giant isn't upset about this delay, especially given that 20 percent of its broadcasts now come from PS4 owners. @TwitchTVSupport [Twitter] |
| WWE announces WWE Network, coming to consoles Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:00 AM PST For those of you who know me, you're probably aware that I'm a big legacy wrestling fan. It wasn't until around 2005 that I stopped watching frequently, outside of the occasional Pay Per View and Wrestlemania. But now that may change with the announcement of the WWE Network. Starting February 24th, the WWE will launch a 24/7 streaming channel including live shows as well as an on-demand library. For $9.99 a month (with a six month commitment to start), you'll also get access to all 12 yearly Pay-Per-View events, which would run you close to $700 a year alone (it's not a great value, but hey, most people usually chip in with friends!). You can stream the network on a Kindle Fire, Android and iOS devices, the Roku, and more importantly, the PS3, PS4, and Xbox 360. Eventually, the Xbox One will get the app sometime this year. To non-wrestling fans, this probably sounds like a rip off. But for those who do still watch, it's a pretty good deal if the legacy content really delivers. It's basically a full subscription to a TV channel and a Netflix-style digital library. CES: WWE Network Officially Announced for February 24th [IGN] |
| The first Xbox One update will focus on social features Posted: 09 Jan 2014 01:30 AM PST Xbox One jumped out the gate by moving three million units. That's impressive and all, but there's always room to improve. Microsoft plans on bettering the Xbox One in the near future with its first major update, and the primary focus will be addressing the social side of the Xbox Live platform. Speaking with Engadget, Xbox's Marc Whitten commented on the "Live experience" and where there are seams in the Xbox One's infrastructure. "The feedback we've gotten is pretty valid; some of the social stuff is hidden or harder to use than it was on the Xbox 360. So, you're gonna see us come out with an update where, well, we're going to fix those things," he said. "I take it pretty seriously when people say it's harder to get into a party, and the defaults aren't right. Let's take an update and really go through a big list of what we're hearing from customers, what we know is broken with the architecture, areas that we want to improve or complete," he continued. Whitten remarked that he thinks the update will roll out sooner rather than later, because that's Xbox's vision for revising the platform. Unsurprisingly, Xbox One was designed around the knowledge Microsoft had gleaned from working on the Xbox 360, including how to push more regular updates. "You're gonna see the box get better faster than you did in the past," Whitten concluded. Xbox One's first big update will address 'the Live experience," expect streaming before E3 [Engadget] |
| No plans for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 on next-gen Posted: 09 Jan 2014 01:00 AM PST During our session with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 back in December, we got the chance to sit down and talk with the game producer Dave Cox about the expansions and innovations the sequel has made over the original. We learned that MercurySteam created a brand new engine to tell their epic conclusion to the Lords of Shadow saga that pushes the power of the PS3 and Xbox 360 to their limits. Unfortunately, we also learned that Konami and the developers at MercurySteam are content with keeping the Lords of Shadow series away from next-gen. "We have no plans to release this game on next-gen," said Producer Dave Cox rather bluntly. |
| Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is bold and uncompromising Posted: 09 Jan 2014 12:00 AM PST In 2010, Konami took a chance on the obscure Spanish development studio MercurySteam to create a reboot for one of the most adored and quoted game series ever. While Castlevania: Lords of Shadow went on to become a popular seller and was admired for its storytelling and action, it was a also a polarizing entry among fans of the series. Now, the developers are back with their next and final title in the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series -- and they fully intend on leaving their mark on the franchise. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is daring, shows the clout that the developers earned from their previous outing, and also marks the first time we'll get to play as the infamous Dracula. Destructoid was invited out to play the first few hours of the game, where we also had some time to chat with game producer Dave Cox. We got to see firsthand what it took to bring this iconic character to life, and how the developers at MercurySteam plan to make the series relevant again. |
| Pizza Hut made $1M in four months through the Xbox 360 Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:00 PM PST Pizza Hut's director of public relations, Doug Terfehr, has told Polygon that they've sold $1 million in pizzas through the Xbox 360 in four months. Doug goes on to say that they're "not done in" the gaming space, and the company is having ongoing conversations with other potential gaming partners. I think you all know exactly how I feel about this news. |
| A young man discovers love and heartbreak on the Miiverse Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 PM PST Here's the tale of Allan and Nicole, two Miiverse users that fall in love. Watch as this relationship unfolds, from pure innocent intrigue to downright cringe inducing heartbreak. And it's all accompanied by bad grammar. |
| The best PC desktop speakers we found at CES 2014 Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:15 PM PST PC desktop speakers usually suck. Most of the ones you see in electronics stores center around a particle board subwoofer and satellite speakers that remind me (and sometimes sound like) the cups with string tied to them that you used to play 'telephone' with when you were a kid. As gamers, we have countless headsets to pick from, but pickings are slim when it comes to quality desktop speakers. In my own personal search for a quality set of PC desktop speakers, I made it a bit of a side quest here at CES to find the best sets on the floor. Here are the two that really stood out at CES 2014. They're both pricey, but you're getting sound that's far beyond your standard desktop speaker with each. |
| Eyes-on with Gunnar's Intercept Color collection Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:30 PM PST Hey, who is that cool-looking mothertrucker over there in the blue-framed glasses? Oh, that's me in a mirror, wearing Gunnar's new Intercept Color Collection gaming eyewear. I went eyes-on at with these at CES this week, slipping them on my face after a hideously long day of staring at my computer, mobile devices, and countless demos on the show floor. It was about 11:00 p.m. when I tried them on, so my eyes were as dry as the desert. But relief came soon with their glare-busting glass. I noticed that they instantly tamed the fluorescent show floor lights. I took a pair back with me to my hotel room and wore them while I worked well into the next morning. My eyeballs were happy that I did as they seemed to provide relief from eye strain. Is it a psychological effect kind of thing? Or is it the glass? I don't know. But they do something. The retro/hipster look is a bonus. The new colors (red, blue, purple, white, and green) are a lot of fun with their almost transparent look, but they're also quality frames that seem like they'd hold up. I'm pretty happy with the way the blue ones look, though I was also drawn to the purple pair. When I return from CES I'll put the Intercept to good use while gaming and putting on my dogs' faces. I'll try them out and see if they're worth your $70. For now I'll just keep trying to look cool. |
| Seconded: Another thumbs up for SteelSeries' H Wireless Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST I know that we brought you a full review of the SteelSeries H Wireless headset a few days back, but after trying them out at CES today I wanted to say a bit more about them. Chris did a fine job, but I liked these so much that I wanted to hit home a few more points. First, the fit and finish on these is top notch. These are built wonderfully, and they look like a premium audio product. Yes, they work wonderfully for gaming, but would be equally at home in a home theater, or for music listening. They're also crazy comfortable. They sound great, too. If you've read my audio product reviews on this site, you'll know that I'm a stickler for sound quality. A lot of the budget gaming headsets sound pretty bad with their low cost drivers and poor quality control. Hell, even some of the competition range stuff disappoints. SteelSeries usually does a pretty nice job with audio, and they killed it with these. Call of Duty: Ghosts in Dolby Surround blew me away. |
| Here's a picture of a horse dressed as Mario Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST |
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