Wednesday, March 11, 2015

New Games

New Games


Did Social Justice Warriors Win PAX East?

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 04:00 PM PDT

Mere seconds ago, I discovered that I am on the original list that inspired the development of a game called Social Justice Warriors. There is even an attack in the game based on some of the specific wording found on that list. Weirdly enough, when I wrote about the list last year, my goal was to encourage people to stop feeling guilty about what games they like and to save their feelings remorse for instances where they may have treated other people poorly. That sentiment seemed to annoy a lot of people for some reason.

I still feel that way though. If more videogame people stopped worrying so much about if they're on the right side of whatever "philosophy on games" is in discussion at the moment, and to worried more about doing the right thing when engaging with other people in those discussions, we'd all be a lot better off. As it turns out, that's pretty much what Social Justice Warriors (the game) is all about. 

Do you agree with my philosophy on how people should treat each other? If so, does that mean you think that Social Justice Warriors is the winner of PAX East, or is the Food Court still more deserving of that title? How about Dad by the Sword? Pick your side carefully, because this is videogames we're talking about. If people find out that you like (or don't like) the right (or wrong) game for the right (or wrong) reasons, you may end up on a list yourself someday. Oh the humanity!

Did Social Justice Warriors Win PAX East? screenshot

The Vagrant Kickstarter shows us how to use a belt

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:00 PM PDT

Two bearkin, a mad hatter, and a vagrant with a belt covering her nipples go into a dungeon -- no, it's not a Tumblr joke but a new beat-'em-up on Kickstarter called The Vagrant.

I imagine if Dragon's Crown and Muramasa: The Demon Blade maker Vanillaware, put a game up on Kickstarter, this would be it. The Vagrant is a colorful beat-'em-up with a great art style, but I'm really more interested in that belt on Vivian, the vagrant herself.

The Vagrant Kickstarter shows us how to use a belt screenshot

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Oh my god, yes! Modders are remaking Warcraft III

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 02:00 PM PDT

"Off I go then!" "Yes, m'lord!" "Job's done!"

These soundbites send my mind back to all of those magical summers spent obsessively playing Warcraft III as a teenager. The creators of Warcraft: Armies of Azeroth, a remake of the game being built in StarCraft II, shared new footage of the Alliance in action today. Looking good so far!

According to the developers, the project "adds some new gameplay features but saves original balance and graphical design," which is exactly the type of thing I was hoping to see come out of Blizzard releasing those Warcraft III assets for the public to tinker with in the StarCraft II editor.

Not to jinx it, but I'll be real sad if Armies of Azeroth is never completed. That's always the fear.

Oh my god, yes! Modders are remaking Warcraft III screenshot

The best thing I saw at PAX was not on the show floor

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:00 PM PDT

Let me set the scene: Day 1 of PAX has come to a close, or at least the show floor has. My friends and I have just finished dinner and are on our way back into the convention center to check out the Super Smash Bros. tournament. As we're about to enter through the Westin skybridge, I spot some people playing Crossfire. Oh man, Crossfire is great! I hope I don't get caught in it!

So I say to my buddy I say:

"Hey buddy, those guys are playing Crossfire!"

To which he replies:

"Oh my god, they're not just playing Crossfire...."

What I saw next blew my fucking mind.

The best thing I saw at PAX was not on the show floor screenshot

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Adventure RPG Unraveled journeys through a child's imagination

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 12:30 PM PDT

Indie developer RosePortal Games has been working on an adorable adventure RPG called Unraveled, about a young girl with a wild imagination searching for her lost parents. The story is based on real events, inspired by a documentary about ship breaking yards in India called The Wire Nest. It's not something we hear about everyday, so it's cool to see games tackling such ideas.

There's a lengthy demo available on their Kickstarter page. It seems as though the game is already coming along nicely. It feels a lot like Chrono Trigger meets Papo y Yo. The developer's incentive for using Kickstarter is mainly to bring the game to more platforms and to hire on additional help, but even if they don't reach their goal, they still plan to release the game on Windows at the very least.

However, some of their stretch goals are quite interesting. At $40K, they can get Destructoid's old corgi-loving Editor-in-Chief, Dale North, to compose a full-length score! They have even arranged for Hiroki Kikuta, composer of Secret of Mana and Shining Hearts, to help them out at $50K. At this point, these goals are looking unlikely, but it's an exciting prospect at least.

Adventure RPG Unraveled journeys through a child's imagination screenshot

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Doom 4 and the 10 unholy commandments

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 12:00 PM PDT

[El Dango loves himself some Doom, which might explain his apprehension towards the upcoming tentatively titled Doom. I like his reasoning on what could avoid a potentially disastrous release but what do you think? Start a blog today and maybe offer your own ideas! -Striderhoang]

Doom 4 is a thing that's happening, whether you like it or not. You should like it, of course, but sadly, you may have plenty of reasons not to. After all, is there anything worse than a disappointing sequel?

Doom 4 and the 10 unholy commandments screenshot

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[NSFW] Beard View: Onechanbara Z2: Chaos

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:30 AM PDT

Onechanbara holds a special place in my heart (you know, that thing that throbs and fills with blood). The series has only had two games released stateside, one for the Wii and its prequel for the Xbox 360 a month beforehand, though it has been around since 2004 in Japan and has had releases on various consoles since. 

When I recorded this titular Beard View, it wasn't yet announced that the game will be coming to North America and Europe, and considering it is a direct sequel to Onechanbara Z: Kagura, it still makes little sense for it to come out here. I mean, if you play Onechanbara Z2: Chaos you'll all be missing out on at least two large handfuls of story building up to the big, messy climax. 

I was so sure it would never come out here too. I guess I should start making other "never going to happen" predictions, just to see how they turn out. There will never be a sequel to The Order: 1886. The classic series Adventure Island, Joe & Mac, and Bubble Bobble will never see a comeback. There won't be a mature parody of Splatoon called Spunküm. I'm sure a booth will never be on display at a convention where you have to put your head into a window in a giant boob to play Onechanbara...oh wait.

[NSFW] Beard View: Onechanbara Z2: Chaos screenshot

Dad by the Sword features limp, floppy swords

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:00 AM PDT

Dad by the Sword is iOS developer Rocketcat Games' first entry into the PC market and boy howdy, is it a doozy. Part sword-fighting simulator, part long-running dad joke, all demented loveliness.

Rocketcat's design experiment-turned-videogame is well into production with a delightful, if slightly challenging, demonstration that was featured in the Indie Minibooth at PAX East this year.

Have a look below at some of the candid footage our intrepid Beard on the Street, Jed Whitaker, took while on the show floor. The gentleman Jed's talking to in the video is Kepe Auwae, designer and businessperson at Rocketcat Games. An amazing person to talk to, and one of nicest exhibitors that I met at PAX East this year.

From what I can gather, Dad by the Sword is a jocular take on Treyarch's 1998 sword-fighting game, Die by the Sword, except that the protagonist is your dad. Well, perhaps not your dad specifically, but all of the dads. All of them, including your own. Yes, yours.

Dad by the Sword features limp, floppy swords screenshot

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Did you know the ESRB can reclassify games after they're released?

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 10:30 AM PDT

The rating that the ESRB gives a game prior to release isn't the one that it'll necessarily have forever. No Goblin found this out recently when Roundabout was reclassified from Teen to Mature.

As No Goblin detailed on the game's site, the bump in rating came from the "volume of blood" found in Roundabout. The developer cheekily noted that it is obviously a more violent title than Dark Souls II, which has a Teen rating. However, No Goblin also noted that the ESRB tagged the game with a "use of drugs" descriptor. While the intention is there, the developer justifies it saying there's a series of jokes leading up to the protagonist obviously consuming candy dots.

It's not unprecedented for the ESRB to change a game's rating. Both Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion suffered the same fate when previously inaccessible content was made accessible with third-party mods. When this came to the ESRB's attention, the organization held play sessions with the new content and adjusted the ratings. However, Roundabout is the only recent example that comes to mind that's been reclassified based on the same content that was originally submitted.

An update about Roundabout's ESRB rating [Roundabout via Polygon]

Did you know the ESRB can reclassify games after they're released? screenshot

The Just Cause 3 collector's edition is open to a vote

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 10:00 AM PDT

It's rare that I buy collector's editions any more, but I'm also not above laughing at "9 inch Rico," so here we are. It's one of the items that, based on your vote, might end up in the Just Cause 3 CE.

Other choices include a miniature art book, a map, diecast vehicles, a backpack, a replica of Rico's wrist-mounted grapple hook, a remote-control helicopter, a steelbook case, various dioramas, and a "destructible" statue / 3D puzzle of an oppressive general. Decisions, decisions.

If it helps, that last one comes with a lil magnetic satchel charge.

The Just Cause 3 collector's edition is open to a vote screenshot

Dying Light just made surviving the zombie apocalypse a whole lot tougher

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:30 AM PDT

When it comes to zombie outbreaks, it'd be foolish to go looking for a challenge. The easier you have it, the better. Why make a mockery of fate and scream "Come at me, bro?"

It may be ill-advised, but Techland's giving those very fools a quicker trip to the great beyond with a new hard mode for Dying Light. The jump in difficulty comes as part of a free patch which also includes gameplay tweaks, and new outfits and weapons.

This addition is just one example of Techland's dedication to continue supporting and evolving Dying Light through regular updates. Other features that have been teased are dune buggies to run over zombies, a bow and arrow, and a time trial mode -- the former two might help greatly when dealing with this patch's spike in difficulty.

Dying Light just made surviving the zombie apocalypse a whole lot tougher screenshot

Fanboys rejoice: Official PlayStation Gear Store is open for business

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:00 AM PDT

For those not content to display their brand or game allegiance in just words and online propaganda, Sony has unveiled the PlayStation Gear Store to up your real life game.

And it's not just clothing either; they got all kinds of useless crap that you'll have to throw away in a few years. Things such as this plush brick for the low price of $25! Sounds like a bargain to me!

There are some actual cool items in the store (no amiibo, sorry), so take a look if you feel like you have too much cash on hand.

Fanboys rejoice: Official PlayStation Gear Store is open for business screenshot

Amber's Unboxing Series: Loot Crate for February

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 08:30 AM PDT

At the end of February, I finally received my long-awaited Loot Crate in the mail!

If you're not familiar with what exactly a Loot Crate is, it's a monthly subscription box full of nerdy toys and items. Each one has a variety of things to sort through including figures, coupon codes, and sometimes t-shirts. Once a month they even give away a huge box of goodies called a Mega Crate, which is usually filled with top-notch gadgets and consoles.

One day, I hope I win one of them. For now, let's talk about all the stuff I got in this month's box!

Amber's Unboxing Series: Loot Crate for February  screenshot

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Cosmochoria is a perfect blend of serenity and chaos

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 08:00 AM PDT

Cosmochoria is a Kickstarter success story that is now about to see the light of day. It's a mix of exploration and tower defense all wrapped up in a warming, yet occasionally stressful package. There's a strong sense of wonderment to the randomly generated universe, and the art style is totally cute.

My time with Cosmochoria at PAX East brought a huge smile to my face, and if it wasn't for an upcoming appointment, I would have played for probably an entire hour or so!

Cosmochoria is a perfect blend of serenity and chaos screenshot

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Sega brings back OutRun with style for the 3D Classics Series

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 07:30 AM PDT

One of the great things about Sega's ongoing 3DS Classics series is that it allows retro games from the publisher's past to find a new audience. And given its rich and diverse history of quirky and fan-favorite titles, there's plenty to remaster for quite some time.

One of the upcoming remasters is Sega's legendary racing title OutRun. Though it was already released overseas last year, western audiences are finally able to get their hands on the title on March 12 (that's tomorrow!).

But before you do, why don't you take a minute to learn just what went into this port. I managed to get some hands-on time with the remaster, along with a quick chat with Sega producer Yosuke Okunari, who had quite a lot to say about its transition to new hardware.

Sega brings back OutRun with style for the 3D Classics Series screenshot

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Titanfall turns one year old, gives away all DLC for free

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 07:00 AM PDT

Titanfall celebrates the first anniversary of its launch today. There might not be a grand showcase dedicated to everything that's happened to the game over the year, but EA and Respawn haven't forgotten about it altogether. They're quietly handing out gift bags to anyone who still wants to party.

All of Titanfall's add-ons across all three platforms -- Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC -- have been made free. Users can simply queue up the season pass on their preferred system. It's currently unknown how long this freebie will last, so it's best to pick it up now instead of waiting.

Happy Anniversary Titanfall [Titanfall]

Titanfall turns one year old, gives away all DLC for free screenshot

D&D meets bullet-hell shooter in Enter the Gungeon

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:30 AM PDT

During my time on the show floor at PAX East 2015, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dodge Roll Games to get a hands-on demo of its new gun-fighting dungeon crawler, Enter the Gungeon. When you think gun-centric games, Gearbox’s Borderlands series might be one of the first that comes to mind. That’s the point of AAA marketing campaigns, isn’t it?

The Borderlands titles may have a metric shit-ton of guns, but save for a handful (talking guns, etc.), most of them felt pretty much the same to me after a while. Instead of 10 bazillion procedurally generated variants of the same weapon types, Dodge Roll only needed 200 to fill out its game. That might not seem like many by comparison, but the weapons that do appear in Gungeon are all individually hand-crafted down to the very last pixel.

Each one features its own unique reloading animations, and it’s also worth noting that certain weapons will have their own specific effects on the environment. For example, crossbow bolts will stick into walls or other objects and the living fish shot from the Fish Gun are programmed to flop around on the ground until they eventually asphyxiate. That's attention to detail, people.

D&D meets bullet-hell shooter in Enter the Gungeon screenshot

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Tumblestone is the most intelligent 'match three' game I've ever played

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:00 AM PDT

The first impression of a game matters a lot at PAX. If people aren't intrigued almost immediately, they may never play the game at all. My first impression of Tumblestone was "oh cool another match-three game." I don't play many of them, so I barely had any interest.

However, knowing that Tumblestone and The Bridge, a brilliant indie puzzle game, share the same developer, I just had to give it a chance. Thank goodness I did, too, because it was easily the most intelligent game on the show floor.

Tumblestone is the most intelligent 'match three' game I've ever played screenshot

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Sega and Game Freak join forces for Tembo the Badass Elephant

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:30 AM PDT

Game Freak (Pokémon, Drill Dozer) and Sega (Sonic Runners, Sonic Boom) are collaborating on Tembo the Badass Elephant, a side-scrolling action game about a commando elephant who will seemingly level entire cities on his quest to stop the evil forces of Phantom.

How does he sleep at night? On top of a pile of peanuts, probably. Tembo is slated for a summer release on three platforms that aren't the Wii U: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Odd.

I like the part where the helicopters are shaped like peanuts. Actually, I like just about everything shown in this debut trailer. Makes me wish Game Freak would branch out more often.

Sega and Game Freak join forces for Tembo the Badass Elephant screenshot

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Review: Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:00 AM PDT

Nintendo has created some of the most bizarre intellectual properties in the medium, but the latest strategy game from Intelligent Systems (the studio behind Fire Emblem and Advance Wars) may be among the strangest. The adventure follows Abraham Lincoln and a crack team of agents conscripted from American folklore and classic literature on a mission to repel an alien invasion.

What's more, the Nintendo 3DS game is set in a steampunk universe. Meanwhile the art direction draws inspiration from the Golden Age of Comics. It's an extraordinary pastiche, to say the least. However, despite its originality of the concept, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. never quite lives up to the intrigue one might expect, given the project's pedigree and fascinating pool of influences.

Review: Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. screenshot

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Atlus, NISA team to publish Shin Megami Tensei-inspired PS3/Vita tactical RPG Lost Dimension

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 04:35 AM PDT

Lancarse's Lost Dimension (PS Vita, PS3) is coming to North America and Europe courtesy of Atlus and NISA, respectively, this summer.

The tactical RPG came out in Japan last year. There's a lot of pedigree behind it, too. Lancarse helped with development on Etrian Odyssey and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, while Lost Dimension shares a writer with the Persona 3 films.

A group of 11 capable warriors is tasked with stopping The End, a supreme being seeking to bring about the end (get it?) of the world. Standard stuff. One fun wrinkle, though, is that the protagonist can read the minds of the other ten special folks and has to doom potential traitors to non-existence between missions after some brain snooping. And if you accuse innocent ones, your party for the final battle will be filled with double agents who will turn on you, making for a more difficult fight. Which characters are traitors changes randomly between playthroughs, too.

I'm digging the tactics tilt (versus padded dungeon crawling) and the idea of erasing my colleagues from existence. Uh, in the game, I mean.

Atlus, NISA team to publish Shin Megami Tensei-inspired PS3/Vita tactical RPG Lost Dimension screenshot

Samus wants to be in Shovel Knight

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 04:30 AM PDT

When we last checked in with Samus, she was trying to score an interview with Tim Rogers, co-creator of Videoball. Despite the fact that she's been appearing in videogames for over 25 years, he still didn't know who she was. That wouldn't have bothered her at all under normal circumstances, but life hasn't been too good to Samus lately. Nintendo stopped celebrating her birthdays. She hasn't had a game of her own since 2010. Kids today don't know why she can't crawl. It's gotten so bad that she's been forced to share a house with a washed up former last boss and a deceased painting instructor from public television

It makes sense that she would turn to Sean Velasco, co-creator of Shovel Knight, for aid in this time of crisis. He and the team at Yacht Club Games recently announced plans to help Battletoads hop back into the spotlight, after having been shunned by their makers for even longer than Samus has. On top of that, plenty of fans have been asking Sean and company to allow Samus to be a special guest character in Shovel Knight on Nintendo consoles, and Yacht Club is known for making its fans happy.

While he knew that the fans wanted Samus in Shovel Knight, I don't think Sean expected to have the real live Samus Aran approach him about a cameo, but who better to represent Metroid fans than the star of the series herself? After watching this video a few times, I'm still not sure if Sean went for the idea or not. The only thing I know for sure is, Sean has some pretty awesome ideas on how a Shovel Knight Vs. Tingle boss fight would work. He told me all about it after Samus cleared out. As much as I love Samus, I think Tingle might be the right choice on this one, assuming that Shovel Knight ever ends up with guest Nintendo character at all. 

Samus wants to be in Shovel Knight screenshot

Xbox to indie devs: There's a place for your game on Windows 10, no matter the size

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 04:00 AM PDT

Microsoft announced last week at GDC in San Francisco that it was introducing cross-play between Xbox One and Windows 10 devices. That opens a world of possibility in ways for developers to deliver games to their audience. Some will likely take full advantage; others will be more reserved. But, the option's there, nevertheless.

Following Xbox boss Phil Spencer's talk, I sat down with ID@Xbox program director Chris Charla to discuss what this new ecosystem meant for independent developers. There was a lot of ebb and flow to the conversation, but the main takeaway was "There's a place for [indie devs] -- no matter what size or scale the game is -- on Windows 10."

Charla was the man that was brought aboard by Microsoft almost two years ago to try to keep Xbox in the never-ending arms race to court independent developers. The Xbox 360 generation saw Microsoft use up a lot of goodwill in that department, and it needed to re-establish its name. That's what ID@Xbox was built for: to recruit developers that bring a different flair to the Xbox stable of games.

Xbox to indie devs: There's a place for your game on Windows 10, no matter the size screenshot

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Xbox One's March update is out, and brings screenshot capability

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:30 AM PDT

The biggest update is the screenshot feature, which according to Microsoft, was "one of the most requested features." You can now say "Xbox take a screenshot" and you're good to go, or use an Xbox button double-tap and Y button press.

Party chat is now better, as new icons now distinguish when your Kinect or headset microphones are on separately. You'll also have the ability to report spam messages in a much easier manner with a new drop-down menu option. Tile transparency is in should you choose, as is a "suggested friends" feature that allows you to find people you may know.

Just like the PS4 is slowly gaining more useful updates over time, the Xbox One is becoming a pretty useful machine -- a far cry from the lack of functionality it had at launch.

Xbox One's March update is out, and brings screenshot capability screenshot

Naughty Dog: Uncharted 4 delayed until spring 2016

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:15 AM PDT

The plan was to release Uncharted 4: A Thief's End later this year, but that's no longer in the cards. Naughty Dog has resolved to delay the highly anticipated title's arrival until spring 2016.

"Since we showed you our first gameplay reveal of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, more of the game and story have come together, and it’s become clear to us that this game is much more ambitious than we originally envisioned," Director Neil Druckmann revealed today via the PlayStation Blog.

"After spending so many years with Nathan Drake, he means a lot to the team, and telling the climactic chapter of his adventures is a task we don’t take lightly," he continued. "This game deserves every bit of the attention to detail, precise pacing, and nuanced storytelling Naughty Dog is known for. So we’ve made the difficult choice of pushing the game’s release date."

The studio hopes a few extra months in the oven will help the project live up to the public's lofty expectations. Are you happy to wait a tad longer for a more polished product? It's just fine by me.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Coming Spring 2016 [PlayStation Blog]

Naughty Dog: Uncharted 4 delayed until spring 2016  screenshot

Review: White Night

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:00 AM PDT

When people look back upon the great horror games of this year, they're probably going to forget about White Night, and that's understandable. It doesn't break any ground, it isn't littered with jump scares to draw in the YouTube crowd, and its gameplay lacks depth.

It's also one of the better composed horror stories in games over the last few years, assuming you don't mind that being the only real reason to show up.

Review: White Night screenshot

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Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's Claptastic Voyage trailer shows glitch guns, confetti

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 02:30 AM PDT

Gearbox showed off the trailer for the upcoming Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel downloadable content to a select group of fans during its panel at PAX East, but it is now available for anybody to watch. Maybe even you? Yes, if you want.

Finishing off the four-piece Season Pass, Claptastic Voyage is the first piece of DLC for the Pre-Sequel that includes a significant story portion, where two others were the new playable characters Jack the Doppelganger and Aurelia the Baroness, and the third was an arena combat mode. In contrast, Claptastic Voyage is described as requiring "several hours" to play through, featuring new guns and enemies to fight.

The trailer above shows off a new feature: glitched weaponry. Since this mini story occurs inside Claptrap's digital mind, some of the equipment is glitched, giving it a unique look along with some interesting combat effects that often come at a price (like the cursed equipment found in the Captain Scarlett DLC for Borderlands 2). The trailer may be a little misleading highlighting skills; it will unlock additional levels to gain more skills, but it doesn't appear to add any new skills.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: Claptastic Voyage is set to release on March 24, coinciding with the launch of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's Claptastic Voyage trailer shows glitch guns, confetti screenshot

Review: Flame Over

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 02:00 AM PDT

Roguelikes suck. They don't suck as in they are horrible to play. They suck for me because they're so damn hard. But in this genre, that's part of the challenge. For whatever reason, our gamer brains desire to overcome the impossible odds roguelikes provide.

Flame Over for the PlayStation Vita is no different. As challenging as Spelunky, this latest offering from Laughing Jackal will have you crying as you attempt to overcome those initial upgrade hurdles that stand in your way of perfection.

Review: Flame Over screenshot

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Game News Haikus: Gigantic, Borderlands, sex, and more

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:00 AM PDT

This week's episode a little late, courtesy of PAX East. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Last week D. Takeshi Nakamura had a little accident, inserting a line with a deplorable six syllables in it, which some keeping track at home noticed is neither five nor seven. He has brought shame to his family and his name.

In this series, we take a look at the stories that gathered the most attention of the past week, and distill each one down to its essence. Here are the topics that the surly D. Takeshi Nakamura takes on this week:

Game News Haikus: Gigantic, Borderlands, sex, and more screenshot

The New 3DS XL charging cradle is up on the Nintendo online store

Posted: 11 Mar 2015 12:30 AM PDT

I've been waiting a long time for Nintendo to acknowledge that the New 3DS XL is getting a charging cradle in the US, and at long last, it's confirmed. Nintendo has put up a listing for the cradle on their official storefront, priced at $9.

The only catch is that it sold out over the course of a few days. You'll want to bookmark this page if you live in the US or Canada and keep checking in on stock. Personally, I use mine every single day for my "Old 3DS" and find it extremely convenient.

The New 3DS XL charging cradle is up on the Nintendo online store screenshot

Here's the deal with the Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae demo

Posted: 10 Mar 2015 10:30 PM PDT

[Update: I've obtained the disc, and can confirm that the XV demo is a pack-in code slip, not on the disc itself. Additionally, it goes active on 3/17/2015, and the expiration date to redeem the code is 3/17/2016.]

Anyone who knows me knows I'm big on marquee demos. I grew up with piles of PlayStation demo discs on-hand, I was a subscriber to PlayStation Underground, and some of my favorite gaming memories involve iconic demos like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Final Fantasy VIII.

The newest big-time demo release is Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae, set to arrive this month with copies of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD. Here are some facts to help you decide whether or not you want to buy the demo for $60 and get your "free copy of Type-0 HD."

Here's the deal with the Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae demo screenshot

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