New Games |
- Free games, AOL discs and the afterlife with Ackk Studios
- Mech title Matador and others greenlit on Steam
- There are at least 13 Flappy Bird clones already
- The return of the Gentlemen's Club: Akiba's Trip edition
- Amazon acquires Double Helix Games
- Guide: How to use the Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter
- Retro City Rampage DX brings big changes to the 3DS
- A day in the life of Rain World's adorable slugcat
- King of Kong director slated to direct Uncharted movie
- Call of Duty's Onslaught DLC dated for PS3, PS4, and PC
- Deaf Resident Evil composer didn't write his own music
- New Moon Chronicles trailer teases lunar mysteries
- The Toymaker returns in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
- MinMax is going all out for Space Pirates and Zombies 2
- Live show: Horizon with L30 Interactive
- This Jazzpunk communist breakfast cereal is amazing
- Hawken is moving to Steam this month
- Drakengard 3 comes out on May 20 in North America
- How Paradox Interactive found success in a niche market
- Podtoid 281: Rescue The Landlord's Blood-Footed Cat
- Maybe Magikarp isn't as worthless as we all thought
- CCP erecting a real monument in Iceland for their fans
- Five R.E.M. songs added to Rocksmith 2014 as DLC
- Square Enix is no longer bleeding money
- There's a Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call 3DS XL
- The problem with Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes' price
- Headhunter Pack 4 hits Borderlands 2 next week
- Oculus VR to co-publish CCP's EVE: Valkyrie
- Here's how to get the free Celebi from the Pokemon Bank
- Pokemon.com gets a redesign and some new features
- Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry set for standalone release
- Pokemon Bank launches in North America
- Watch the 2014 D.I.C.E. Summit talks live
- Paradox on how to do free-to-play the right way
- Strider release date announced
- Dustforce feels right at home on the PS Vita and PS3
- Watch The Dungeoning get built from the ground up
- Lightning Returns gets a Tomb Raider crossover outfit
- Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea 2 will drop in March
- Xbox One's first major system update arrives February 11
- Indie mech shooter Gigantic Army descends on PC today
- Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is just a short bite
| Free games, AOL discs and the afterlife with Ackk Studios Posted: 05 Feb 2014 03:00 PM PST A week and a half ago on Sup Holmes (now on iTunes), we welcomed Brian and Andrew Allanson of Ackk Studios to the program. We talked about their breakout success Two Brothers, their start in making their own games (and Pokemon toys) before they were old enough to drive, the differences and similarities between using writing, coding, music, and visual art to convey ideas, and a lot more. I was taken aback by how creating games seems to be something that's hardwired into the Allanson brothers's DNA, though the idea that their games have the potential to be widely accepted and appreciated is still so new to them. They've made a lot of games over the years, some of which they would only consider releasing under assumed names, as they never intended for anyone outside of their small circle to ever experience them. Their excitement to finally share their games with the world at large seems to be taking precedent over their interest in getting big money, as their next game will be a free title for phones that will take a very different approach to life and death than Two Brothers. After that, it's the release of Project Y2K, a game where you use excess AOL start up discs (or their non-lawsuit friendly parody equivalents) to battle opponents, among other things. It's definitely one to look forward to. Thanks again to Brian and Andrew for being on the show. We're taking a break from live recording this weekend as Sinistar (our intrepid production manager and engineer) is moving to a new galaxy. Stay tuned for the rerun of our most recent episode with Jake Elliot (Kentucky Route Zero) and come on back on February 16th when we welcome Mike Kasprzak to the program. |
| Mech title Matador and others greenlit on Steam Posted: 05 Feb 2014 02:30 PM PST No, you're not suffering from amnesia -- this latest group of 50 titles approved for release on Steam by way of support on Greenlight is just not terribly recognizable. There are a few on here that ring a bell, namely Matador, that isometric mech game we only heard about the other day, and TUG, a sandbox survival RPG which had a successful Kickstarter campaign last year. It really does feel like Valve is trying to get everything through at this point before it opens up distribution on Steam and moves away from Greenlight. I mean, one of the games is literally called Not Another Zombie Defense. February 5th Batch of Greenlight Titles [Steam] |
| There are at least 13 Flappy Bird clones already Posted: 05 Feb 2014 02:00 PM PST Flappy Bird is still the top free downloaded game on Apple's App Store as of this writing. It's pretty horrible in a lot of ways, but this whole thing is also highlighting another plight that mobile gaming sees: Game cloning. Tumblr I Want a Clone is highlighting all of the clones that have come about trying to capitalize on the Flapp Bird craze. Flappy Penguin, Floppy Bird, Flappy Angry Bird, Flappy Bird - Fly Bunny, Flappy Bird Platinum -- and so it goes. Not only that, but look at all the requests from people offering to pay for clone creations. And now for the worst part: Flappy Bird is itself a clone. Piou Piou vs. cactus was originally released in 2011 for iOS and Android and shares quite the resemblance here. Piou Piou vs. cactus may even just be a clone of another just like it for all we know. This all just highlights how the mobile gaming industry can come across as a big Human Centipede experiment with everyone trampling each other to make some easy money. |
| The return of the Gentlemen's Club: Akiba's Trip edition Posted: 05 Feb 2014 01:30 PM PST Have you guys heard of Akiba's Trip 2? If you're not up on your crazy Japanese games I'll break it down for you: It's Yakuza but to defeat your vampire enemies you have to RIP OFF THEIR CLOTHES. That's right, it's like crazy strip Yakuza on the streets of Akihabara. Your interest piqued? Of course it is. Well, have we got the opportunity for you! Don't want to import the game just yet? Well, Phil and I are playing the game live tonight on the Gentlemen's Club! Starting at 8pm pst tonight you can check out all of the crazy stripping action over on our Twitch channel Dtoid.tv! Wait, is that not good enough for you? Well we've partnered with Play-Asia.com again to hook you up with more rad discounts! Want to import your own copy of the game? BOOM! Have 10% off! Not interested in naked vampires (seriously, why the hell not?) That code is good for pretty much anything in their store! Check it out! |
| Amazon acquires Double Helix Games Posted: 05 Feb 2014 01:15 PM PST It's been known that Amazon has had its eye on diversifying into the gaming space. Not just from a sales standpoint, but for publishing and producing its own unique titles. And now, the mega online retailer has made its first major move to that goal by purchasing independent developer Double Helix Games. In a statement just after the news broke, Amazon provided some insight into the deal: "Amazon has acquired Double Helix as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers." Founded in 2007, Double Helix Games has made some notable titles from a variety of different franchises -- such as Silent Hill: Homecoming, Front Mission Evolved, and most recently its work on the well-received Killer Instinct reboot. With Strider still on the way, its unclear what the future holds for Double Helix. Stay tuned to Destructoid for more information as it develops. Amazon Acquires Video Gaming Studio Double Helix Games [Tech Crunch] |
| Guide: How to use the Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter Posted: 05 Feb 2014 01:00 PM PST Originally set for release in North America in late December, the Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter apps have only today become available for download from the 3DS eShop. (Europe, Australia, and Japan have had their launches already). While heavy network traffic pushed back the release last year, that doesn't seem to be an issue now, thank goodness. We thought it would be useful to come up with a quick guide to the Bank and Transporter so you know what you're getting into, what with this technically being a paid service and all. The process of transferring your Pokemon collection into X and Y is quite a bit more convoluted than I was anticipating, and I was expecting a tedious process to begin with knowing Game Freak's history with these transfer tools. At least there are no minigames this time. |
| Retro City Rampage DX brings big changes to the 3DS Posted: 05 Feb 2014 12:30 PM PST Despite that it was coded by just one guy, Retro City Rampage was made available for just about every platform imaginable (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS Vita, PC), except for the 3DS. That's about to change tomorrow when the comedy action open world crime fantasy sees release on Nintendo's handheld under the moniker Retro City Rampage DX. I just downloaded the game and so far, it's my favorite rendition yet. The base game is the same, but the camera is zoomed in and dynamic, making for a very different feeling. NES Remix showed us how different it is to play 2D games like Balloon Fight and Mario Bros. with a zoomed out camera. It changes how much visual information you take in and when you absorb it, which can have a huge effect on your overall experience. Those of you who had a tough time getting into Retro City Rampage before might find that this enhanced 3DS port is just what you needed. If you've already got the game and love it as-is, then this port may be largely unnecessary for you, but it's the version I'll likely be recommending to people from here on out. |
| A day in the life of Rain World's adorable slugcat Posted: 05 Feb 2014 12:00 PM PST Rain World has met its Kickstarter funding goal and, with a week left, is close to its first stretch goal that would increase the likelihood of the game being ported to other platforms. Namely, Linux, but Wii U, Vita, and just about every other console are fair game. I need this on my Vita. In celebration of the successfully ongoing campaign, the developers released a new video showing off different areas in Rain World's, uh, rain world. It's great! |
| King of Kong director slated to direct Uncharted movie Posted: 05 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST Donkey Kong was a videogame and, as far as I know, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a videogame. Naturally, the guy who directed the documentary about Donkey Kong players, King of Kong, is a good fit to direct the upcoming Uncharted: Drake's Fortune film. Not to say that Seth Gordon is a bad choice. I mean, he directed an episode of Community as well, so he can't awful. He's also done comedic films, including the recent Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief, which fits half of Uncharted's style. Directing a supposed summer action tentpole flick, though? It's a weird choice. You know who would be a perfect choice? Shane Black. Robert Downey Jr. as Nathan Drake. It would be Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 3 (KKBB2 being Iron Man 3). Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (movie) scriptwriter David Guggenheim is also writing Bad Boys 3. They're making a Bad Boys 3, apparently! Anyway, never, ever, ever get your hopes up for a videogame movie. Seth Gordon To Helm Sony’s ‘Uncharted’ [Deadline] |
| Call of Duty's Onslaught DLC dated for PS3, PS4, and PC Posted: 05 Feb 2014 11:00 AM PST Call of Duty: Ghosts Onslaught DLC was released last month for the Xbox One and Xbox 360. And like clockwork, the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of the game will see the new content a month later. Specifically February 27. That's four new multiplayer maps, a new weapon, and a new episode for Extinction game mode. All this will be works for $14.99. Will it be worth it? Well we overall liked it in our review. |
| Deaf Resident Evil composer didn't write his own music Posted: 05 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST Here's a weird one. Mamoru Samuragochi, composer for Resident Evil: Director's Cut (1997) and Onimusha: Warlords (2001), was hailed as "Japan's Beethoven." Like the troublesome St. Bernard, Samuragochi lost his hearing completely at the age of 35 after suffering from ear trouble since age 17, but he claimed to still be able to compose anyway. However, Samuragochi has now admitted to hiring an unnamed ghost writer to write what would become his most famous pieces as early as 1996, The Guardian reports. He explained in a statement that he "had to ask the person to help [him] for more than half the work because the ear condition got worse." This includes his most famous piece, "Hiroshima Symphony No 1," a tribute to those killed in the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as well as the videogame pieces. I kind of have to feel bad for Samuragochi. To be really good at a thing and then not be able to do it because your body fails you, and then to live twenty years with the guilt of lying about it and not being able to do it? It's depressing, a bit. 'Japan's Beethoven' Samuragochi paid hearing composer to write music [The Guardian] |
| New Moon Chronicles trailer teases lunar mysteries Posted: 05 Feb 2014 10:15 AM PST Renegade Kid has released a new trailer for Moon Chronicles, recently announced for Nintendo 3DS. The remake of the 2009 first-person shooter released for the DS boasts improved graphics in full 3D and will be delivered in four episodic chapters starting this Spring, before continuing with a second "season" featuring all-new story content. The original Moon is one of the best FPS games released on the portable platform, and I'd expect that it will turn out just as well on the 3DS. I'm not thrilled at the idea of making people wait to play the whole thing in chunks, even if it means I get my hands on some of the game a little quicker, but I'm very interested to see what lies in store for that second season. |
| The Toymaker returns in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Posted: 05 Feb 2014 10:00 AM PST The Toymaker was first introduced in Mirror of Fate, and he returns for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. Dracula is looking for the Mirror of Fate, and when the Toymaker is about to present one clue pointing to the mirror he gets floor molested and turned into a big jerky boss fight. I'm actually really looking forward to Lords of Shadow 2, it's just something about this boss fight that kind of turned me off. I think it's the lack of music. What's up with that? Is Konami worried about getting flagged some weasel claimer? |
| MinMax is going all out for Space Pirates and Zombies 2 Posted: 05 Feb 2014 09:45 AM PST Well now, this is a pleasant surprise. Space Pirates and Zombies is getting a sequel and it's gone from a top-down view to a full 3D world while retaining many of the concepts that made its predecessor so alluring. As shown in this debut trailer, ships are made from modular parts which can be reconfigured in a matter of seconds, if you know what you're doing. Actually coming up with a build that functions properly will probably take some tinkering. One part of the game description from MinMax Games in particular has me celebrating: "Two hundred persistent Captains [are] able to do everything the player can, including forming dynamic factions, building structures, controlling territory, and going to War." Ship movement is on a 2D plane and combat is said to feel "like huge pirate ships battling on an ocean." So this is going to be a dream come true for some of us. Nice. |
| Live show: Horizon with L30 Interactive Posted: 05 Feb 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.] Lately, I've been more addicted to roguelikes, old-school dungeon crawlers, space combat sims, and 4X strategy games than anyone should probably admit. Hell, those genres alone probably take up a good 80% of my game time these days. With all the titles I already own in said genres, you might think that I'd be overwhelmed at this point, but I'm not, and am more than happy to add one more to the list this evening as I showcase Horizon, on Mash Tactics. Come hang out with us tonight as I sit down with one of the lead developers behind Horizon, Raffi Parsekhian, and talk about the games development, inspirations, and more while we try our best to dominate the universe. If you are a fan of games like Master of Orion, or anything similar, you should probably do yourself a favor and check out the show this evening, as this game kind of came out of nowhere, and deserves a bit more attention than it seems to be getting. QotD: What games are taking up your free time these days? |
| This Jazzpunk communist breakfast cereal is amazing Posted: 05 Feb 2014 09:00 AM PST One of the difficulties with comedy is that describing or paraphrasing a joke frequently makes it cease to be funny, so it's hard to convey Jazzpunk's charm without completely squashing its humor in the process. However, this promotional breakfast cereal that Adult Swim and Necrophone Games sent our way gives a good feel for what kind of gags you'll find in the game. They even included a copy of the game on a 5 1/4-inch flopp! Even if you're not prone to reading nutrition facts or ingredients on foodstuffs, you might want to make an exception. Jazzpunk will be hitting Steam on both PC and Mac this Friday. Expect our full review tomorrow! |
| Hawken is moving to Steam this month Posted: 05 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST Adhesive Games is in the process of transitioning its free-to-play mech game Hawken to Steam. Going forward, a Steam account will be required to access and play the title. New player accounts cannot be created currently and existing players are being moved to the platform this week before Hawken appears on the Steam storefront. Progress won't be lost in the move, so no need to worry about that. Most everything else is covered on this page, including how paid DLC will work under this new distribution plan. For me, Hawken has existed in the background, doing its own thing while I pay it little to no attention. That's not a mark against the game, mind you. I have played and enjoyed it. There's a good chance seeing it pop up on Steam will be encouragement enough for me to try again. HAWKEN on Steam: A New Battlefield Awaits! [Hawken] |
| Drakengard 3 comes out on May 20 in North America Posted: 05 Feb 2014 08:30 AM PST Square Enix has announced that Drakengard 3 will be arriving on May 20, 2014 in North America for the PlayStation 3. Along with the release date they've announced a really convoluted pre-order system. Pre-order between today to March 3 and you'll get the Japanese voiceover DLC, plus two unannounced bonuses. Pre-order between March 4 to April 8 and you'll get whatever those two unannounced bonuses are. And pre-ordering after April 9 will get you the final unannounced locked bonus. What the hell, Square Enix. Then there's the Collector's Edition, which is limited to 5,000 copies. It'll include all the tiered pre-order "incentives," the complete Novella, soundtrack CD sampler, prequel stage DLC, Caim costume DLC, the giant baby hat DLC for your dragon, and a collectible poster. The normal edition will run for $49.99 in retail and digital form, while the Collector's Edition will go for $79.99 available only through the Square Enix Online Store. |
| How Paradox Interactive found success in a niche market Posted: 05 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST Paradox Interactive is best known for their hardcore grand strategy titles on the PC market. Makers of such hits as Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Magicka, and many more games, the Sweden-based company celebrated 10 years of independence since splitting off from Paradox Entertainment last month in Miami, Florida. Made up of seven people in 2004, Paradox now has 120 people working across four different studios, with an additional 150 other people on contract making games externally. The company has blossomed, with continued revenue growth year after year, yet with all that success Paradox has managed to keep their indie spirit and continues to put their fans first when developing games. I sat down with Paradox Interactive CEO Fredrik Wester at their recent annual showcase to see how Paradox has found success in such a niche market, and where he sees the gaming industry heading towards. |
| Podtoid 281: Rescue The Landlord's Blood-Footed Cat Posted: 05 Feb 2014 07:45 AM PST This week on Podtoid, Jonathan Holmes, Conrad Zimmerman, Andy Dixon, and Caitlin Cooke discuss their latest gaming experiences, including Conrad playing Awesomenauts, Caitlin's obsession with The Price Is Right, Andy Dixon's daughter's shocking rudeness, and Jonathan Holmes' landlord's dying cat, and of course, dog maulings. Unfortunately, Max Scoville is MIA after heading south of the border to flee overdue child support payments. Here's your direct download, and the link to the iTunes page. |
| Maybe Magikarp isn't as worthless as we all thought Posted: 05 Feb 2014 07:30 AM PST Hands down, the most oft-cited example of a useless Pokemon is Magikarp. I mean, it's definitely not one of the more badass Pokemon. Stupid fish. All it does is splash around, right? Well, until it decides to splash right over the top of a friggin' mountain. Upon a bit of analysis from Youtuber VSauce3, Magikarp could certainly turn an unsuspecting victim into fish food. It has the ability to leap over a mountain, and with it weighing in at 22 pounds, that means immediate death for whomever it lands on. VSauce3 gets real sciencey with it, and eventually equates it to being strapped to the front of a cannon. Of course, going out by way of a cannon would be far less awkward for your loved ones to explain than getting fished to death. |
| CCP erecting a real monument in Iceland for their fans Posted: 05 Feb 2014 07:15 AM PST So wow, here's a crazy story. CCP is erecting a real goddamn monument dedicated to their entire player base in Reykjavik, Iceland. It will "honor those who have participated in establishing the massive virtual universe." The monument will stand atop a half a meter tall metal-plated concrete platform, and it will have the names of all the main characters of all active, and even deceased, EVE Online players captured on March 1 etched upon it. Along with the monument there will be a laptop buried under the monument that will serve as a time capsule containing videos of messages from the players and the development team. “Our intention is to immortalize the contributions of the millions of people of the EVE universe in a way that extends beyond their immortality in our games“, said Hilmar Veigar Petursson, CEO of CCP. “Honoring them as part of a timeless monument shows how virtual lives and adventures have reached a new level of meaning and impact that weaves into and enhances those that happen in this world. The monument will be unveiled on April 30, one day before Fanfest 2014. |
| Five R.E.M. songs added to Rocksmith 2014 as DLC Posted: 05 Feb 2014 07:00 AM PST Ubisoft has been releasing a consistent stream of Rocksmith 2014 Edition DLC packs over the past few months, and they show no signs of stopping any time soon as they've just released their latest pack containing five R.E.M. songs. They are as follows:
As always, these songs can either be purchased separately for $2.99 a pop, or as a bundle for $11.99 on Xbox LIVE, PSN and Steam. Good luck trying to play "Everybody Hurts" with all those tears in your eyes. |
| Square Enix is no longer bleeding money Posted: 05 Feb 2014 06:45 AM PST Square Enix is doing much better than it was exactly one year ago. That makes one of us. In the first three quarters of the company's 2014 fiscal year (the last nine months of 2013) it boasted net sales of 102.47 billion yen ($1.01 billion), according to its earnings report. This is actually a 0.3 percent dip for the same time last fiscal year, things are going much better. The operating income of 7.82 billion yen ($77.23 million) and a net income of 5.18 billion yen ($51.15 million) in this recent report are a dramatic turn around from the previous operating loss of 4.85 billion yen ($47.84M) and a net loss of 5.75 billion yen ($56.72M). That's a $100M swing in net income in one year. And Lightning Returns isn't even out (outside of Japan) yet. Similar to how it blamed the console market last year, Square attributed the good numbers to the console market, as well as the much more positively received reboot of Final Fantasy XIV. Now announce Final Fantasy XII HD already. Geez. Square Enix returning to profitability in 2014 fiscal year [Polygon] |
| There's a Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call 3DS XL Posted: 05 Feb 2014 06:30 AM PST Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is a thing that's happening, and as a fan of the first game, I couldn't be happier. It'll have 200 songs across the entire Final Fantasy series, and to celebrate, Japan is getting a limited edition 3DS XL adorned with characters from the franchise. Japanese fans can pick up the unit on April 24th, and it'll come pre-loaded with the game. I doubt this 3DS will make it outside of Japan, but for all you importers out there, this seems like a prime candidate. As a side note, the soundtrack from Lightning Returns is pretty great, so I hope Curtain Call has a decent amount of tracks from it. |
| The problem with Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes' price Posted: 05 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST I don't think I've ever complained a game was too short. Except Persona 4: Golden. I could have played that for another 400 hours. And I've always laughed at the ridiculous price per hour breakdown some Internet goers abide by. I found Thirty Flights of Loving to be more complete feeling in its 15 minute run time than many 15 hour games I've slogged through. But the wild world of variable pricing models, downloads, and paying for games that don't even exist yet has complicated my more generalized, "price doesn't matter," and "quality over quantity" stance. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes -- a short prologue to the full Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- will cost anywhere from $20 to $40. That's problematic. [Image] |
| Headhunter Pack 4 hits Borderlands 2 next week Posted: 05 Feb 2014 05:45 AM PST The fourth installment in the Borderlands 2 series of "Headhunter" DLC expansions will be releasing next week. Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre has been announced by 2K as arriving on February 11 for Steam, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, just in time for its tale of romance to coincide with Valentine's Day. I never made it through the original Season Pass DLC content, let alone spent real time with a Headhunter pack, mostly due to my primarily playing Borderlands 2 with my wife and simply not being able to get it together to play more than once in the last year. But I like the premise of small, bite-size adventure content as opposed to the larger content releases, which sometimes feel like they drag on longer than they're fun for. That's something I'd get behind for a Borderlands 3 if they opt to continue the format. |
| Oculus VR to co-publish CCP's EVE: Valkyrie Posted: 05 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST Oculus VR has announced they'll be co-publishing CCP's EVE: Valkyrie. The space flight dogfighter will be part of the launch lineup exclusively for the Oculus Rift whenever that's released. This marks the first game to be published by Oculus VR, and I suspect it won't be the last either. Check out our hands-on (face-on?) impression of EVE: Valkyrie to see why we called it the best thing we saw at gamescom. Along with this announcement Oculus VR released the Oculus Latency Tester as open source hardware in an effort to make the Oculus more transparent, thus accelerating improvements to the virtual reality tech. Neat. |
| Here's how to get the free Celebi from the Pokemon Bank Posted: 05 Feb 2014 05:05 AM PST As you may have heard, Nintendo has dropped the Pokemon Bank and Transporter Apps today on the North American eShop. These are two separate apps, but you'll only need to access the bank before September 30th, 2014 to get your free Celebi. So how do you do it? Well, log into the Bank App, tie in your Nintendo Network ID (you'll need to get one if you don't have one already), then select a "gift" from the menu, and place one Pokemon in a cloud box. Then, load up Pokemon X or Y, and go to the bottom option, "Pokemon Link." Redeem your prize, then go back to the Pokemon Bank and hit the "use bank" option. Finally, go back again to your X or Y game, hit "Pokemon Link" again -- Celebi will be waiting for you on the in-game PC. |
| Pokemon.com gets a redesign and some new features Posted: 05 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST Pokemon.com has updated recently, and with said update comes a few new features and a new look. There's a new "Explore Pokemon" section which essentially functions as a full Pokedex (up to the newest #718 listing), which is a great feature that is pretty much a no-brainer for the site. The Pokemon TV section has also been updated with a new look, and there's a "Pokemon Trainer Club" feature that allows you to sign in with your linked Pokemon X & Y account. The site has also been reworked to support mobile clients. Along with the release of the Pokemon Bank and Transfer App, it's a great time to be a Pokemon fan. See what's new on Pokemon.com [Pokemon] |
| Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry set for standalone release Posted: 05 Feb 2014 04:45 AM PST The release of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag seemed to have won back a number of fans of the series who felt burned by Assassin's Creed III. Taking the series to a pirate setting allowed for expanded exploration and naval combat, which many appreciated. In addition to this, Black Flag also saw a sizable DLC campaign in Freedom Cry, which Chris Carter thought was a lot of fun. Now, it looks like Ubisoft is taking some cues from Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and plans to make Freedom Cry available to fans as a standalone release. The standalone version of Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry launches February 18 for PS3 and PS4, along with a PC release on February 25, according to Ubisoft. Occurring some time after the events of ACIV, players take on the role of returning character Adewale, who must face his own past while freeing captured slaves throughout Haiti. Along the way, he'll acquire a ship of his own and build a crew to exact revenge on the slave owners. While Freedom Cry is already available for fans who have Black Flag, gamers who haven't taken the dive now have an another option. This is a pretty interesting approach to DLC that Ubisoft is doing. I think it's great that the publisher is allowing gamers to have access to special content without requiring them to purchase a $60 game first. However, I do find it disappointing that the same treatment won't be given to Xbox owners, as PlayStation has the console exclusive release for the standalone product. |
| Pokemon Bank launches in North America Posted: 05 Feb 2014 04:30 AM PST When Europe and Australia got their Pokemon Bank news yesterday, many of us feared the worst for the app's release in North America -- that silence meant it was still far off. It's finally here, though, just a day later. Go download it from the 3DS eShop. If you've somehow managed to avoid hearing about the Bank until now, the app can be used for free as part of a 30-day trial before March 14, 2014 and it allows the transfer of Pokemon from Black/White and Black 2/White 2 into X/Y, plus additional storage space. Super useful. It's been a long wait after those delays but this is just what I needed to get back into playing X again as someone who primarily plays for collecting purposes. I've avoided seeing what the previously-inaccessible Pokemon look like in 3D so it'll be a nice surprise. |
| Watch the 2014 D.I.C.E. Summit talks live Posted: 05 Feb 2014 04:15 AM PST The 2014 D.I.C.E. Summit is this week in Las Vegas and it's being streamed live this year on Twitch. Today is full of talks from folks like CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Petursson, Vlambeer's Rami Ismail, and Insomniac Games president Ted Price. The full schedule, viewable here, should give you an idea of the types of presentations that happen at D.I.C.E. If you're wondering about the awards ceremony, that's happening tomorrow night. Check back at 7:30pm Pacific! |
| Paradox on how to do free-to-play the right way Posted: 05 Feb 2014 04:00 AM PST Magicka: Wizard Wars is Paradox Interactive's take on the MOBA genre. While most companies have had trouble getting a foothold in the market thanks to how dominating League of Legends and Dota 2 are, Wizard Wars looks to have a better chance establishing itself with how it's offering more bite-sized MOBA battles. "It looks like we're jumping on the MOBA bandwagon as the same time as everyone else, which I see how it looks from the outside, CEO of Paradox Interactive, Fredrik Wester, told me at their annual showcase last month. "We discussed though building a bigger PvP version of Magicka because so many people were asking for it. Magicka is basically built for PvP, especially if you have friendly fire. I think that is one of the key selling points for us. You can't just go in like you do in League of Legends, I play a lot of League of Legends, and you go in there with everything that you have, and you don't have to care about your teammates. "Magicka you have to watch your teammates. If your teammate is low on health you can't just throw a fireball in his general direction because you're going to kill him. We are also focusing more on 10- to 20-minute matches. I never play classic League of Legends no more because some games can take an hour. I don't want to spend that in one competitive game. Even ARAM, which is their short game mode, takes 25 to 30 minutes to complete, if it's not like a total steamroll." |
| Strider release date announced Posted: 05 Feb 2014 03:30 AM PST The new Strider game from Capcom and Double Helix has been looking pretty good. With every screenshot and trailer sent out, I've been become more and more excited with getting my hands on it. And now, it looks we'll do just that sooner than we think. Capcom USA's Greg Moore just revealed on the Capcom-Unity blog that Strider will be released for the PS3/PS4 on February 18, and along with the PC and Xbox 360/Xbox One versions the following day. Priced at $14.99, it will be distributed on PSN, Xbox Live, and Steam. In addition to this news, we also saw the reveal of additional content that will come with the game. Along with the Story mode, which takes Strider through an enemy facility in 'Metroidvania' style, we'll also get a speed-run mode called Beacon Mode, and a Survival Mode where the ninja must battle waves of enemies without perishing. But wait, there's more. Strider will also come with a slew of customization options, such as color edit mode, and also twelve additional costumes to outfit the titular character with. One of which is the white costume of Strider Hien from Strider 2. This is all a pleasant surprise, much sooner than I expected. It's been a long time since Strider has had a game of his own, and he definitely looks as fast and fierce as ever. For more info and images of Strider swing by Capcom-Unity, and check back in the coming weeks with Destructoid for our review. |
| Dustforce feels right at home on the PS Vita and PS3 Posted: 05 Feb 2014 03:00 AM PST Believe it or not, it's been over two years since Dustforce originally hit the PC. Even more surprising is none other than Capcom helping the fine folks at Hitbox Team bring their dusting platformer to PlayStation 3 and PS Vita (as well as Xbox 360 at a later date). We already have a full review of the original PC release of Dustforce, so these are just quick impressions of the two new versions that released this week. Spoilers: they're super awesome. |
| Watch The Dungeoning get built from the ground up Posted: 05 Feb 2014 02:30 AM PST Game development can be a long process, and those on the outside of it rarely get to see what goes on at the very beginning other than concept art. The reason is typically that the early iterations of any game are generally ugly, buggy, and unpresentable. Indie developer Nick Donnelly does not mind showing the ugly beginnings of his project The Dungeoning. Wanting to document the entire process, he snapped more than 3,000 screenshots over the course of two years of the pixel art roguelike platformer, then stitched them together into the video above. The result is fascinating; what starts out as a hot mess gradually transitions into something that looks worth playing, with dynamic lighting on pixel backgrounds that give it an almost Legend of Dungeon look. Also, there is a funny death message that briefly replaces "You Died" at around the 3:38 mark of the video. The Dungeoning is currently on Steam Greenlight, hoping to release on PC, Mac, and Linux. |
| Lightning Returns gets a Tomb Raider crossover outfit Posted: 05 Feb 2014 02:00 AM PST It's so bizarre to see Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy under one roof, but here we are in 2014 with a Lightning Returns and Lara Croft crossover. Next week, you'll be able to pick up the special Tomb Raider costume for Lightning, complete with the outfit, a survivor's axe, and a riot shield (which funnily enough has the words "TOMB RAIDER" plastered on it). I don't want to spoil anything, but there are tombs in this game, so it makes sense on multiple levels. |
| Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea 2 will drop in March Posted: 05 Feb 2014 01:00 AM PST Yesterday, we got word that Bioshock Infinite's Burial at Sea Episode 2 would be a tad longer than the first, now we know the exact release date -- a worldwide release of March 25th for PC, PS3, and 360. The DLC is $15, but you can get the Season Pass which covers Episode 1 and the arena DLC for $20. For those who are keeping track, the final DLC release date is one day shy of a year since Bioshock Infinite's release -- which means it took about 12 months to finish up the Season Pass that went on sale the day Infinite dropped. Also, here's a spoiler heavy screenshot of what to expect from the new add-on. |
| Xbox One's first major system update arrives February 11 Posted: 05 Feb 2014 12:00 AM PST The first major system update for the Xbox One will arrive on February 11. It'll have a variety of feature improvements, a lot of which will be for behind-the-scenes stuff aimed at developers creating apps and games. For the consumers, we'll finally be able to see and manage our storage space. That, and download queues will be more manageable as games and apps will be put into separate lists allowing you to pick the order content loads. Additional updates include overall better stability, Kinect voice command improvements, we'll be able to see the battery power indicator for controllers now, and users will be able to connect USB keyboards. Microsoft also teased more features to be detailed in the coming week. Then on March 4, there will be another system update tied to the release of Titanfall. This update will primarily address improvements to the party and multiplayer systems of the Xbox One. |
| Indie mech shooter Gigantic Army descends on PC today Posted: 04 Feb 2014 11:00 PM PST Gigantic Army begins its assault on Windows PC today, courtesy of publisher Nyu Media and Japanese indie studio Astro Port. The mech-flavored side-scrolling shooter takes inspiration from 16-bit titles like Metal Warriors and Cybernator. Set in the near future, where mankind is entangled in a war with an alien race that's bent on stemming humanity's spread throughout the universe, players pilot a battle robot on the enemy homeworld across six action-packed levels where the clock poses as much of a threat as the enemy hordes. Should you wish to join the fight and combat the alien menace, Gigantic Army is available now for $5.99 via GiganticArmy.com, GamersGate, Desura, and Rice Digital. It could also probably use some love on Steam Greenlight. |
| Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is just a short bite Posted: 04 Feb 2014 05:00 PM PST We are getting a taste of Metal Gear Solid in 2014 -- next month, in fact -- in the form of Ground Zeroes. which will serve as a prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Game Informer has a huge MGSV cover story and in it we learned the "core story mission" can be completed in "less than two hours." This doesn't include sidequests, console-exclusive missions, or any other replayability scenarios -- apparently Game Informer played for four hours in total -- but it could be seen as a bit short for the money it costs. On PS3/360, Ground Zeroes is $20 or $30 for a digital or physical copy, respectively. On PS4 and Xbox One -- where you might want to play it because the saves commingle with Phantom Pain in some way -- it's $30 or $40. Avid Metal Gear fans are free to spend their money however they want. I just hope less informed consumers don't drop $40 on a prologue. Do you feel metal gear shorted by this prologue release or are you and Kojima still metal gear solid? I'm too busy being in love with that cover artwork. March Cover Revealed – Metal Gear Solid V [Game Informer] |
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