New Games |
- The Gift of Gaming: The world's greatest coping mechanism
- Capcom is delisting Marvel vs. Capcom Origins soon
- Dota 2 gets a 'Shifting Snows' winter update and a balance patch
- The game of life
- Contest: Win a limited edition copy of Retro City Rampage DX for the PS4!
- Outcast returns with an enhanced release on Steam and GOG.com
- Holy crap, this Hotline Miami 2 vinyl is cool
- Log in to Grand Theft Auto Online for holiday gifts
- Nominees for Destructoid's Best Narrative Design of 2014
- Come get your free game, Assassin's Creed Unity season pass owners
- GTA V debut coincides with weekly PS4 sales quadrupling in Japan
- Halfbrick makes some good games, and now all the iOS ones are free
- The Steam Holiday Sale is on: Ground Zeroes, Dark Souls II, and more
- Bloodborne's procedural Chalice Dungeons are full of horrors
- Hey remember that GTA V 'story DLC' that was promised? I guess it still exists
- Yacht Club updates us on Shovel Knight, state of Plague Knight DLC
- Mojang and Telltale announce Minecraft: Story Mode
- Duck Hunt zaps Wii U eShop on December 25
- Nintendo Download: Mega Man Zero
- Hearthstone is now available everywhere on Android
- Deception IV: Another Princess adds on a ton to the core game
- Angry Viking simulator Lords of the Fallen is coming to iOS and Android
- Mega Man Zero is up on the eShop right now
- Evolve launches open beta for Xbox One on January 15
- Evolve offers a refreshingly robust and devious co-op experience
| The Gift of Gaming: The world's greatest coping mechanism Posted: 18 Dec 2014 12:00 PM PST [Dtoid community member TheDustinThomas shares the story of how video games helped him cope with the loss of his best friend. This made me ache a bit and wish I could see Isabelle again. Want to see your own stuff appear on the front page? Go write something! --Occams Electric Toothbrush] I've never used videogames as a way to escape from the realities of life, I don't find that to be a healthy way of dealing with things, at least it isn't for me. I don't like to push things under the rug and pretend like they didn't happen, I instead choose to use videogames as a way to cope with loss, rather than to escape from it. I understand why some people would choose to do it this way, because I have friends and family that do, it's just not my style. Videogames and writing are the things that have always helped me to make peace with situations, that's why I wrote the blog about Muldoon the same day he passed away, I just needed to write about him and let everyone know how awesome he was. |
| Capcom is delisting Marvel vs. Capcom Origins soon Posted: 18 Dec 2014 11:00 AM PST It's a shame when companies delist digital-only games but it's even worse when they don't give a heads up. Capcom had the courtesy to let us know that Marvel vs. Capcom Origins is coming off PlayStation Network on December 23, 2014 and Xbox Live Arcade on December 31, 2014. Not much time left, then. Origins is a two-game compilation from Iron Galaxy Studios featuring Marvel Super Heroes (Infinity Gems!) and Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes. Wishing I had downloaded this in a sale given the current, presumably final $14.99 price tag. Last Days for MVCO on PSN and XBLA [Capcom-Unity] |
| Dota 2 gets a 'Shifting Snows' winter update and a balance patch Posted: 18 Dec 2014 10:30 AM PST Frostivus is not coming this year, but that doesn't mean Dota 2 goes stale! While there may not be a big gameplay event, we've got some big gameplay changes taking place. Lifestealer takes a lot of the focus in this update with his reworked Ultimate ability. Now, when Lifestealer uses Infest in a creep, he can take control of that creep and use its abilities! This adds a lot of dimension and makes Lifestealer much more appealing to me. Many characters received buffs this time around, which is generally how IceFrog, the creator, like to even things out. Bounty Hunter's Track ability is now way more effective, Enchantress is now as fast as a race car. Io now turns like a floating orb (no turn time!). Not everyone was so lucky, though. Ogre Magi, for example, got ran over by the nerf truck, with his Fireblast losing a huge chunk of range and damage. So no need to get bummed about the lack of an event, since us Dota 2 players got a wonderful gift from Valve in the form of update 6.83! Oh, and don't forget to Alt-click everything on the update page! Let me know what you think about the new update! |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2014 10:00 AM PST [Dtoid community member Gray Times talks about how video games offered him sanctuary when the waking world got too tough. I still remember losing myself in Final Fantasy VI to escape the Hell of P.E. Want to see your own stuff appear on the front page? Go write something! --Occams Electric Toothbrush] I normally try and provoke ideas more than talk from the heart when it comes to game blogging. Truth be told I’ve been suffering from writers block on how to follow up my last piece. Every good idea seemed so stupid after an hour or two, and try as I might I couldn’t think of something to put a new spin on. So rather than investigate something, poke fun at something, or give graphic descriptions of sex acts, I’m going to tell you a little story from my life regarding gaming…no more, no less. |
| Contest: Win a limited edition copy of Retro City Rampage DX for the PS4! Posted: 18 Dec 2014 09:00 AM PST The fine folks at Vblank Entertainment (Brian Provinciano to be exact) want to give one lucky Destructoid community member a limited edition copy of Retro City Rampage DX for the PS4. What makes this so special is that only 2,000 physical versions of the game will ever be made. I was lucky enough to buy a copy for myself before they sold out (less than 24 hours later). Let me tell you, this is definitely something you want for your collection! You're probably wondering, "But Bill, how can I win this super special, limited edition game?" Easy, all you have to do is leave a comment below! The winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, December 21st at 5:00 pm Pacific time. Limit one entry per person, and the contest is open to anyone with a US mailing address. Good luck! And remember our Huge Members get automatic entry into all contests (and double entries if you enter one manually), exclusive beta code giveaways for upcoming games, ad-free browsing, and more! And most of all, your $3's a month helps directly support the site you love. Try us out! |
| Outcast returns with an enhanced release on Steam and GOG.com Posted: 18 Dec 2014 08:30 AM PST Earlier this year, Fresh3D tried and failed to fund a high-definition remake of the 1999 action-adventure title Outcast on Kickstarter. Fans showed their support, but there simply weren't enough of them. The company is back with a roadmap that will "hopefully" lead to an eventual reboot. Step one of that plan, Outcast 1.1, is available now on Steam and GOG.com for $5.99. It's a new version of the game "improved to run smoothly on today's computers." Specifically, there's:
If you already own Outcast through GOG.com, look for a free 1.1 update. The studio plans to "keep working and updating the game in the future" and, with any luck, create a follow-up. Announcing Outcast 1.1 for Steam [Steam] |
| Holy crap, this Hotline Miami 2 vinyl is cool Posted: 18 Dec 2014 08:00 AM PST iam8bit has opened pre-orders for the Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Collector's Edition Vinyl ahead of its first quarter 2015 ship date. (Is that when the game is releasing? Hope so!) At $60, the three-record set features 28 tracks, Steam codes for both Hotline Miami 2 (Windows/Mac/Linux) and the digital soundtrack, and one badass tri-fold jacket. What a beauty. The store page promises "even more art in here that will be revealed soon!" |
| Log in to Grand Theft Auto Online for holiday gifts Posted: 18 Dec 2014 07:30 AM PST This image. This real, developer-made image for Grand Theft Auto Online. Love it. Rockstar is rolling out limited-time holiday content, like snowballs, festive clothing and masks, new vehicles, and presents. Depending on when you log in -- December 24, December 31, and January 1, to name a few dates -- you can score some fun goodies like a Firework Launcher. You'll want to read up on the update even if you're a total Scrooge. Most notably, there are new settings for Grand Theft Auto V's first-person mode including deadzone and acceleration sliders for more responsive aiming. Ahh, how did you know? |
| Nominees for Destructoid's Best Narrative Design of 2014 Posted: 18 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST [Image credit: Mike Lambert] It's impossible to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes for great narrative design. It's just something you know when you see. It's more than an outstanding story (although, that's certainly a requisite). It's the melding of game mechanics with narrative to create an experience that's elevated beyond those two parts individually. But, the thing is, there's no formula to ensure it'll work in perfect harmony. All too often, games that excel at telling a story fall somewhat flat with gameplay, or vice versa. It takes a special title to work hand-in-hand with itself to create that seamless whole. When that happens, it's a wondrous feeling. We're left with the games that can keep us on the edge of our seat in delight, or slouched as deep in the couch as possible, gutted with despair. We're left with the games that we can't stop playing, or that we can't stop thinking about when we're not playing. We're left with the titles that cement the idea that videogames are a transcendent medium. These are Destructoid's nominees for Best Narrative Design of 2014. |
| Come get your free game, Assassin's Creed Unity season pass owners Posted: 18 Dec 2014 06:45 AM PST Ubisoft's offer for a free game for Assassin's Creed Unity season pass owners is now live, and it's extremely simple. In fact, it only took a few clicks before I was the proud new owner of Far Cry 4. Here's how to do it. This URL gets you started. It'll ask you to link to your UPlay account (mine connected with a single click, rather than needing to type in credentials). Once validated, select from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Far Cry 4, The Crew, Watch Dogs, Rayman Legends, and Just Dance 2015. Go ahead and confirm, and then check your email for your free game token. Took me less than 30 seconds. Easy peasy. Season pass owners shouldn't feel the need to rush out and claim their free title immediately. The offer stands until March 15, 2015. But, playing games sooner than later is always a good thing. Just don't make any hasty decisions. ACU Free Game [Assassin's Creed] |
| GTA V debut coincides with weekly PS4 sales quadrupling in Japan Posted: 18 Dec 2014 06:30 AM PST While retailers in some countries have already committed to taking Grand Theft Auto V off shelves, Japan's just now getting the current-gen remake. For a country that has famously gotten away from console gaming, this game's performing pretty well. And, it's even moving some hardware in the process. According to the latest Media Create statistics, Grand Theft Auto V was the third best-selling game in Japan last week, selling more than 81,000 units. That put it one place ahead of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Yo-kai Watch 2: Shin Uchi, a 3DS title, was the top performer with over 1.2 million sales. Interestingly enough, Assassin's Creed Rogue debuted at tenth on the charts. GTA V's strong showing coincided with a surge in PS4 sales, as the Sony console more than quadrupled its figures over the past week. The release of the Dragon Quest Metal Slime PS4 likely contributed to the spike in sales. Predictably, the 3DS was again king of the moving hardware with more than 157,000 sold. Also, the Wii U improved slightly on its impressive performance last week. 「妖怪ウォッチ2 真打」が初週124万本のヒット。「グランド・セフト・オートV」や「シャイニング・レゾナンス」もランクインした「週間販売ランキング＋」 [4Gamer] |
| Halfbrick makes some good games, and now all the iOS ones are free Posted: 18 Dec 2014 06:00 AM PST Ah, the holiday season. That awkward time of year when you're expected to be in the same room as your extended family, talking to your great aunt that you barely remember about how no, you're not in school anymore; you graduated five years ago. The only source of reprieve is that tiny, rectangular computer in your pocket. As if Halfbrick understands your need for distraction in order to keep your sanity, it's offering its entire iOS catalog for free. Yeah, keep talking, everybody; we're totally paying attention. We're definitely not slicin' and dicin' fruit, and navigating Barry through a twisted science facility. Suckers. These are all the gratis games, available on iPhone or iPad, and they can be accessed through the developer's iTunes page. |
| The Steam Holiday Sale is on: Ground Zeroes, Dark Souls II, and more Posted: 18 Dec 2014 05:30 AM PST For some of us, the year-end Steam Holiday Sale is the one that matters. It's where I tend to buy most of my PC games for the year, which is a nasty habit considering how few of them end up in my library unplayed and unloved, but what are you going to do? Nothing, probably. Daily deals:
12-hour deals:
Be sure to stick with the rotating featured deals like the ones above until the last day. Otherwise, you run the risk of buying a game only for it to become featured at a much steeper discount. Ground Zeroes looks real nice, if your PC can handle it. Green Man Gaming has it for slightly less. |
| Bloodborne's procedural Chalice Dungeons are full of horrors Posted: 18 Dec 2014 05:00 AM PST Procedurally-generated dungeons in Bloodborne, huh? I didn't catch the PlayStation Experience demo showing them until now. Not something I would have expected for the game given how good From Software's hand-crafted worlds can be, but as a single area, I'm interested. Underneath Yharnam, there are multi-level underground ruins called Chalice Dungeons. You'll need a holy chalice to enter them and their structure changes "every time a portal is opened." You can share dungeons you've encountered or find new ones online, according to Sony. There's creepy stuff down there, like "pale-skinned masters" who have never encountered daylight. If The Descent is any indication, we're screwed. "Despite their sunken, pitch-black eyes, be sure they will find you," says SCE Japan Studio producer Masaaki Yamagiwa. How unsettling. The Chalice Dungeons culminate in a fight with that fiery beast up there. Screwed, I tell you! New Details on Bloodborne Chalice Dungeons [PlayStation Blog] |
| Hey remember that GTA V 'story DLC' that was promised? I guess it still exists Posted: 18 Dec 2014 04:30 AM PST Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed Grand Theft Auto V. It was one of my favorite franchise entries in years, and I spent plenty of time roaming the streets and enjoying the sandbox. Does anyone else have turns where they obey the street signs and such? Love it. But the way Rockstar has handled communication has been extremely poor. First, the heists are delayed for weeks, then months, then over a year. We've come to accept it. Then, I suddenly recalled the promise for more story DLC, which was supposed to arrive in 2014. It also hasn't dropped yet. Thankfully Shawn Fonteno, the actor who plays Franklin in the game has confirmed that it still exists, and he is in fact working on the story DLC right now. Hopefully it won't take as long as the heists to actually come out. |
| Yacht Club updates us on Shovel Knight, state of Plague Knight DLC Posted: 18 Dec 2014 04:00 AM PST Shovel Knight was a great game at launch, but a lot of content is still in development. While the PS3, PS4, and Vita versions will be getting the Kratos boss, every platform still needs a ton of updates, including gender-swap mode, more characters, and the battle mode. Developer Yacht Club Games has announced that Plague Knight will be the first DLC, and that they are working "full time" on bringing everything over as soon as possible. Plague Knight in particular will feature a new relic system, a remixed campaign, and new characters. What a perfect excuse to play this near-perfect game again. Shovel Knight [Kickstarter] |
| Mojang and Telltale announce Minecraft: Story Mode Posted: 18 Dec 2014 03:45 AM PST Minecraft: Story Mode is a thing that's happening. Mojang has joined forces with Telltale Games, the team behind fine adventure games like The Walking Dead, to forge a narrative-driven episodic experience. Yes, they're working on an original story "set in the world of Minecraft." A story. Minecraft. Telltale. This is all so strange. Minecraft: Story Mode is expected to make its debut sometime next year on Xbox consoles, PC, Mac, and mobile devices. It's also coming to PlayStation systems, which makes a lot of sense until you remember Microsoft just purchased Mojang for a cool $2.5 billion. Microsoft's hot new property is coming to a rival platform? Uh, okay... Announcing Minecraft: Story Mode [Mojang, Telltale] |
| Duck Hunt zaps Wii U eShop on December 25 Posted: 18 Dec 2014 03:30 AM PST Three decades after its original release, Duck Hunt is making a return to consoles. The classic shooter is coming to Wii U on December 25, Nintendo of America announced today. Duck Hunt debuted in Japan in 1984 before launching in North America the next year alongside the NES. The experience centers on shooting ducks and clay pigeons out of the sky, which will now require Wii Remotes in lieu of NES Zappers. Those iconic light guns just don't work with modern televisions. Also, the old light bulb trick is probably a thing of the past as well. At least now when that damn laughing dog makes fun of your shooting skills, you can always boot up Super Smash Bros. and pummel that chuckling canine into the ground. |
| Nintendo Download: Mega Man Zero Posted: 18 Dec 2014 03:00 AM PST If you aren't into old games, this may be a pass week for you. On the Virtual Console for Wii U comes Natsume Championship Wrestling, and the always great Mega Man Zero. Also on the Wii you'll find 99Moves, Blok Drop X Twisted Fusion, Cake Ninja 3: The Legend Continues, Meme Run, Plenty of Fishies, and Toss N Go. Little Inferno is also 50% off for a limited time, and 10001 Spikes and VVVVVV are on sale. Asterix The Mansion of the Gods, Fairune, I Love My Horse, League of Heroes, Mes Comptines, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, Toys vs. Monsters. |
| Hearthstone is now available everywhere on Android Posted: 18 Dec 2014 02:30 AM PST After a soft launch in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is now available worldwide. You'll need to sport a 6" (or larger) Android device to run it though, so don't try and squint on your smaller phones just yet. The best part is that all versions are Cross-Play, and will sync with your existing accounts across all devices, even PC. A full mobile version is coming sometime in 2015, and will arrive both on Android and Apple platforms. Hearthstone [Battle.net] |
| Deception IV: Another Princess adds on a ton to the core game Posted: 18 Dec 2014 02:00 AM PST Deception IV is a great game that really reminded me of good old-school design. On the surface everything is fairly easy to pick up, but there's a ton of secrets and hidden content with the core package that's -- gasp -- on the disc! Of course, that's not to say DLC wouldn't work well with the series, and an expansion-type deal is what's coming next. Koei Tecmo has announced the Another Princess expansion, which adds another playable character (Valgyrie), 100 quests, an editor, and more traps. Yep, I'm all about this. It's coming on existing platforms (PS3 and Vita) as well as the PS4. No word yet on a localization. Deception IV [Gematsu] |
| Angry Viking simulator Lords of the Fallen is coming to iOS and Android Posted: 18 Dec 2014 01:00 AM PST Well this is an interesting turn of events. Despite not having a version of the game out for the Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii U platforms, developer Deck13 Interactive will release Lords of the Fallen on iOS and Android devices next year. I'm not quite sure how the game will work out with touch controls, because while some games are fit for the scheme, this one requires twitch precision -- I wouldn't want to touch it without a controller. I also found the game to be a bit underwhelming personally. While I was compelled enough to play it, the game didn't really draw me in as much as action-RPGs usually do. Lords of the Fallen [Twitter] |
| Mega Man Zero is up on the eShop right now Posted: 18 Dec 2014 12:00 AM PST Well this is a nice surprise! Mega Man Zero is now available on the Wii U eShop, ahead of the regularly scheduled maintenance today. You can grab it right away, alongside of a Mega Man themed sale. Mega Man II, III, and IV are now $1.49 on 3DS, and 5, 6, and 7 are $2.49. The former are the Game Boy versions (denoted by roman numerals), and the latter are the NES iterations. Yep, it's all old stuff, but I still get excited to replay most of these games to this day. |
| Evolve launches open beta for Xbox One on January 15 Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:01 PM PST The first quarter of 2015 looks to be an exciting period for games. But one such title is looking to keep players satiated all the way till its release. After a successful closed alpha period, Evolve is gearing up for another round of public playtesting with the upcoming open beta set for January 15. For anyone who missed out on the closed alpha, now's your chance to get in on the action. Set for release on the Xbox One, the open beta will allow anyone with an Xbox Live Gold account to dive into the game's core features. In Hunt mode, players can choose from two different monsters (Goliath and Kraken) and eight hunters from across the four classes. Moreover, the new Evacuation mode will open up on January 17, which will give players a taste of the dynamic multiplayer campaign. |
| Evolve offers a refreshingly robust and devious co-op experience Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:00 PM PST There's been a lot of buzz surrounding Evolve, the new co-op shooter from Turtle Rock Studios. Helmed by the same developers of the original Left 4 Dead, fans have certainly been chomping at the bit for more information. After a successful closed alpha, the developers took a lot of notes on how players experienced the game to make a better title. Set on the colonized planet Shear, players take on the roles of hunters seeking to eliminate powerful alien creatures that are attacking the human colonists. If that sounds a little boring, then players can inversely control the malevolent beasts to wipe out the human invaders to reclaim the planet. Though it's often seen as a mash-up between Monster Hunter and Left 4 Dead, which is a totally fair and accurate description, Evolve certainly has unique traits of its own. At a special press event, we got the chance to get some hands on time the game, while learning more about some of its additions. |
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