New Games |
- SOMA might be better with this mod that pacifies the creatures of the deep
- Longest Night is a nice little tease for Night in the Woods
- The adorable Slime Rancher might be the next big indie hit
- Local man stunned to learn virtual reality requiring high end PCs is a niche luxury
- Psychonauts 2 has reached its funding goal
- These Disney platformer speedruns bring back fond memories
- Jed Whitaker's dank picks for Game of the Year 2015
- Castle Vidcons comes out of semi-retirement with a haunting vision
- Podtoid records today, ask us questions!
- amiibo as butt plugs, ranked
- Could Aurai be competition for Oculus Rift?
- [Extremely Simpsons voice] Assassin's Creed Chronicles is going to India!
- These are the 2016 Independent Games Festival finalists
- Review: Hardware: Rivals
- A Boxboy sequel is out now in Japan
- Hate Badge Arcade on 3DS? Build this machine to cheese it
- Awesome: Goku's voice actress is playing Wukong for Japan's League of Legends server
- Oculus Rift up for pre-order right now, costs $599.99, out in March
- Did Target just leak Homefront: The Revolution's release date?
- This Mortal Kombat X cosplay is pretty insane
- Bungie's approach to Destiny in a nutshell
- Nintendo World Store in New York to close for 'massive makeover'
- Analyst thinks the Nintendo NX will 'cannibalize' 3DS and Wii U sales
- Sony trademarks mystery game project 'Days Gone'
- New Just Cause 3 patch coming 'later' this month
- This ridiculously powerful gaming PC probably costs more than your car
- The bans given to CS:GO match-fixers last year are permanent
| SOMA might be better with this mod that pacifies the creatures of the deep Posted: 06 Jan 2016 03:00 PM PST The lovely lads and ladies over at Rock Paper Shotgun spotted a nice mod for SOMA that prevents the deep denizens from trying to attack you. It's called The Wuss Mode: Monsters Won't Attack so you can enjoy a sense of shame for not being able to handle Frictional Games' latest creation. I finished the game last week and sort of wish I had known about this beforehand, since the various pursuers that you encounter throughout feel like distractions from the thoroughly entertaining science fiction narrative. I quite like the idea of shambling horrors that make distorted comments as you pass by as opposed to shoehorned, arbitrary games of death tag. The creator of the mod, known as The Dreamer, has a workshop page for the mod here. If you're not sold on the idea, here's a video: Sea Change: SOMA Mod Makes All Entities Non-Violent [Rock Paper Shotgun] |
| Longest Night is a nice little tease for Night in the Woods Posted: 06 Jan 2016 12:15 PM PST While combing through the wasteland that is my pre-holiday-break email, I happened upon a link to Infinite Fall and Finji's Longest Night from our beloved gift-giver Jonathan Holmes. I'm glad I did! This is a short lead-in for the upcoming PC/Mac/PS4 adventure Night in the Woods, which you might recall as being "about the inevitability of death... and pizza parties." There aren't any deep dishes here, but you will get to trace the constellations and learn about a fire-breathing pope. Does that sound familiar? It might! Longest Night debuted in December 2013 "a mere month after the successful Kickstarter when the team were learning how to make things together and first building the world of Night in the Woods." This updated version of the supplemental game has "lots of new (canon) writing ahead of Night in the Woods' 2016 release." It's being sold for however much you're willing to pay, even if that's nothing at all. Special shout-out to the graphics quality presets. Given the choice between "dire," "tolerable," "good," "rad," "super rad," and "ride th'chariot," you know I had to go with the latter option. I also decided to wear slippers while playing Longest Night, which is highly recommended. You might consider trying the other supplemental title, Lost Constellation, as well. It's fabulous. |
| The adorable Slime Rancher might be the next big indie hit Posted: 06 Jan 2016 10:00 AM PST After seeing some brief gameplay of Slime Rancher, I instantly thought, "I feel like this is going to be the next big thing and I need to get my hands on it stat." I'm very excited to tell you that I believe I was right. After a few hours with the pre-alpha version, I'm extremely anxious for more content to be released for this so-cute-it-hurts first-person ranching simulator, and I don't even typically like this kind of game! |
| Local man stunned to learn virtual reality requiring high end PCs is a niche luxury Posted: 06 Jan 2016 09:30 AM PST Facebook-owned Oculus stopped playing coy today and announced the price and release date for its Oculus Rift "virtual reality" headset. At $600, the barrier to entry is steep, and that's if you already have a powerful personal computer -- a good $1,000 purchase on its own. Fremont, California resident Arturo Villanueva was stunned today at the Oculus price point announcement. "Who would've thought new, superfluous technology that requires existing high end technology to function would end up being a niche, luxury item?" Villanueva asked. "I feel like the internet, media, they've spent a few years now getting me excited for virtual reality, but it's launching at the same price that many people laughed the PS3 out of the building for?" It's true, in 2006 Sony, with a head of steam following the PlayStation 2, figured it had the loyal user base to sell the incredibly complicated PlayStation 3 at $600 -- and that's for an established brand with guaranteed software following one of the most successful console releases ever. For its hubris, Sony took years to overtake the cheaper Xbox 360. Learning from its mistake, the company launched the successful PlayStation 4 at $400. When asked if he still planned on picking up the Rift virtual reality headset, Villanueva said, "That's almost an entire month's rent, man. I don't think so." |
| Psychonauts 2 has reached its funding goal Posted: 06 Jan 2016 09:00 AM PST Double Fine's Fig-funded Psychonauts 2 has reached its funding goal of $3.3 million with five days to spare. Fig is of course the new kid on the crowdfunding block with a system that allows for both regular Kickstarter-style backing from contributors and for larger investment backing that will result in a financial return (assuming the game is a success). Interestingly enough, the funds raised for Psychonauts 2 came almost equally from both types of backing -- $1.69 million in investments, and $1.60 million from backers. Neat. There has been a bit of skepticism about Fig's system since it was introduced, but it seems to be catching on. It will be interesting to see how the game does long-term and if investors in the project see a significant return on their money. Me? I'm just kind of hoping that the success of this campaign with encourage them to try for a Brutal Legend 2 campaign. Stupid metal jokes are something I'm always ready to invest in. |
| These Disney platformer speedruns bring back fond memories Posted: 06 Jan 2016 08:30 AM PST Some of my favorite video games as a kid were based on Disney properties. You didn't even need to like the source material to appreciate them -- they were just plain good games. Tough, too. Back then, a typical rental often wouldn't cut it. I'd need more time to get good enough to reach the credits. Decades later, some of the 16-bit Disney titles still give me trouble. I can't think about that dreaded Cave of Wonders escape in Aladdin without getting stressed out. It's a joy, then, to see people fly through these games for the livestreaming charity marathon Awesome Games Done Quick 2016. This block of the schedule features Super Star Wars (skip to 12:50 in the video), The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (58:00), and Aladdin (1:32:00). |
| Jed Whitaker's dank picks for Game of the Year 2015 Posted: 06 Jan 2016 08:00 AM PST I've heard a lot of people say 2015 was one of the best years they can remember, gaming-wise, but I can't say I agree. AAA titles last year were mostly more of the same, and most indie titles just didn't click with me. 2015 was the year games launched as a shell with rest of the content held ransom behind ever more expensive season passes (even in one game on my list), microtransactions became increasingly prevalent in full-priced titles, sequels flooded the market, and too many remasters released. But I'm not here to talk about what I didn't like or didn't play. I'm here to show some love to games I enjoyed over the year that I feel deserve recognition. So sit back, unzip, and get ready to be pleased by my list of the dankest games of 2015ish. |
| Castle Vidcons comes out of semi-retirement with a haunting vision Posted: 06 Jan 2016 07:00 AM PST It takes a great disturbance to stir Castle Vidcons out of its torpor these days, but the high price point of the Oculus Rift seemed to strike a nerve with creator Tyler Rhodes. I suppose a $599 price tag is enough to give anyone nightmares, even Lord PC. |
| Podtoid records today, ask us questions! Posted: 06 Jan 2016 06:30 AM PST Here's a little peek behind the curtain: there's a good chance you don't listen to Podtoids on Wednesday, unless that's the soonest day post release you can fit it into your schedule, but we mostly record them on Wednesdays. Just a little look into the process. We can talk about Darren's substance abuse and other behind-the-music bits some other time, but, man, Wednesdays. What a hoot. Anyways! Brett's feewing a wittle sick today. He says his brains fuzzy and he's in a different state, which has me more concerned that he's been kidnapped, but the show must go on. Thankfully Darren, Kyle, and I will be Podtoiding today. So ask us some questions, don't tell me no lies, and you might be able to steer the discussion of the show, like some sort of...interactive entertainment. |
| Posted: 06 Jan 2016 06:00 AM PST This world is full of objects you could put in your butt if you are so ambitious. Look around you. Almost anything within an arm's reach, you could try to carefully wedge inside your butt. That's just the cold, hard reality of life. Within the past 14 months, Nintendo has made dozens of toys that you could, in theory, place in your butt. Some would probably be easier than others. Some would be downright unsafe. Still it's your constitutional right to do it (unless you live somewhere that outlaws that sort of thing; don't get arrested). Of the 52 already-released amiibo in the Super Smash Bros. line, here's how we figure each of those toys would function as a butt plug, in descending order. That is, assuming that the base wouldn't break off, leaving you with a potentially embarrassing trip to the hospital. |
| Could Aurai be competition for Oculus Rift? Posted: 06 Jan 2016 05:30 AM PST Sure, Oculus is making big waves at CES right now, but some lower-profile tech is also on display. Making its debut today is Aurai, another device that fits on your face and reminds me of LeVar Burton's character from Star Trek. Let's break down the comparison.
Could this upstage Oculus on its big day? |
| [Extremely Simpsons voice] Assassin's Creed Chronicles is going to India! Posted: 06 Jan 2016 05:00 AM PST Ubisoft brought the Assassin's Creed Chronicles series back from the brink with recent confirmation for two new entries, India and Russia, that are coming in hot. The former is out next week, January 12, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One with a Vita release coming in April. Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India takes place in 1841, "at the height of British control while tensions were quickly escalating between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company." Lead assassin Arbaaz Mir is trying to, "stop a Master Templar from stealing the famed Koh-i-noor diamond and works to steal back a mysterious box that belonged to the Assassin Order." Each release is $10 or you can get them (including last year's iAssassin's Creed: China) in a lump for $30. |
| These are the 2016 Independent Games Festival finalists Posted: 06 Jan 2016 04:45 AM PST The 2016 Independent Games Festival has figured out its finalists. The Seumas McNally Grand Prize will go to either Darkest Dungeon, Her Story, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, Mini Metro, Superhot, or Undertale. If you're a regular reader, you're probably familiar with most if not all of those games by now. They come up a lot, and for good reason. But I'd push you to also look through the rest of the list -- particularly the honorable mentions, where there are lots of lesser-known gems to be found. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 16 in San Francisco. Capybara's Nathan Vella is hosting again. |
| Posted: 06 Jan 2016 04:00 AM PST Car combat is one of those genres that just doesn't get no respect these days. Even 2012's Twisted Metal couldn't revitalize the franchise, and for some time, the genre has been on life support mostly by way of indie developers. So when I heard about Hardware: Rivals, I had to jump in and see what the fuss was about. Unfortunately, I doubt this one will usher in a new era of glory. |
| A Boxboy sequel is out now in Japan Posted: 06 Jan 2016 03:30 AM PST HAL Laboratories released BOXBOY! on the eShop last year, and it seems like they were keen enough to create a sequel. The follow-up, BOXBOY! One More Box is out right now in Japan, by way of the 3DS eShop for 630 Yen. This is one of the few major releases I didn't get a chance to really dig into, but I think I may fix that in the near future. There's no word yet on a localization. |
| Hate Badge Arcade on 3DS? Build this machine to cheese it Posted: 06 Jan 2016 03:00 AM PST I really dig Badge Arcade for what it is, as I haven't paid a cent yet for it and I've gotten a ton of icons and badges to decorate my 3DS -- a privileged I would have to pay for on nearly every other platform. But some haven't taken very well to the means in which it pushes its microtransactions, guilting folks into spending money by way of a cute rabbit (just like the StreetPass Plaza games). In that case, you can build this handy machine to cheese it. So you're probably confused -- what does this do? Well, in-game, by switching between levels, you can get badges to shift in place. In a lot of cases said badges will just fall into the score area on their own, even without any player manipulation. [via Tiny Cartridge] |
| Awesome: Goku's voice actress is playing Wukong for Japan's League of Legends server Posted: 06 Jan 2016 02:30 AM PST Riot Games seems to really be pulling out all the stops for the Japanese version of League of Legends, getting top-notch talent from the anime sector to provide voiceovers. That includes actress Masako Nozawa, who is legendary for voicing Goku (among others, like his sons!) in the Dragon Ball series. She plays Wukong in League, who is actually linked with Goku by the Journey to the West legend. Whoa. Get a taste of her work below. League of Legends – Son Goku voice actress is Wukong in Japan server [MMO Culture] |
| Oculus Rift up for pre-order right now, costs $599.99, out in March Posted: 06 Jan 2016 02:00 AM PST [Update: All initial "day one" stock has been claimed, apparently selling out in 14 minutes. Further units for sale are now pushed back to May 2016.] This week, Oculus had a few announcements up its sleeve, including the fact that dev kit backers are getting a free finalized Rift, and that platformer Lucky's Tale will come packaged free along with EVE: Valkyrie. Now, the foreplay is over, and Rift pre-orders are finally live (barring technical difficulties of course). First wave pre-orders will lock in a "spot" to potentially get the Touch controllers. They have confirmed that the Rift will be selling at a loss to entice people into the platform, which is a common practice. As for the price, they're going for $599.99 with an expected ship date of March 2016. May God have mercy on your wallet. Oh, and since Nvidia recently confirmed that VR games can require up to "seven times" the power of normal PC games, you might need to upgrade your rig as well. Rift [Oculus] |
| Did Target just leak Homefront: The Revolution's release date? Posted: 06 Jan 2016 01:09 AM PST Well this is interesting. GameWatcher has apparently found a $1 pre-order card at Target for Homefront: Revolution, which states that the game has a May 17, 2016 release date. Right now it's merely slated for a "Quarter 1/2" window, but this likely gives us a good idea of what to expect. Deep Silver did not comment on the discovery. I'll give it a fair shake, but I don't think there's any AAA release I'm less excited for this year than this one. Homefront: The Revolution set to be released on 17th May, 2016? [GameWatcher] |
| This Mortal Kombat X cosplay is pretty insane Posted: 06 Jan 2016 01:00 AM PST I don't do cosplay updates often, but when I do, it's because I'm pretty jazzed about the amount of effort that went into it. That's the case for this Kotal Khan (Mortal Kombat X) cosplay by Yeliz, with photography done by SLDixon. In terms of what's in the pipeline for Mortal Kombat X, and I'm not all that impressed, despite how good it is as a whole. I mean, Bo Rai Cho? A Xenomorph that looks more like a person in a suit than a real alien? The only upcoming fighter that seems cool is Tri-borg, as I need more cyborg's in my life. |
| Bungie's approach to Destiny in a nutshell Posted: 06 Jan 2016 12:45 AM PST Destiny has undergone a lot of changes since its inception -- some for the better, but a lot of it was altered for the worse in "Year 2" of the game. For starters, there's a massive gap between leveling weapons and armor (to the point where you need an ungodly amount of experience to level-up raid armor), microtransactions have been introduced, weapon balance is all over the place, DLC is no longer a priority in favor of fleeting "events," and PlayStation exclusivity has carried over to the second year of the game, dividing the fanbase. I could go on, but the Destiny subreddit did a great job of summing it up itself. As for me, I still log on Tuesdays to complete raid challenges and hang out with friends, but a lot of people have been dropping off as of late since the Sparrow racing event ended. I seriously doubt Bungie can sustain the game throughout the entire year with no substantial amount of DLC or raids. I mean, all it'd have to do is add in challenges for older raids and hardcore players would be logging in every week for unique items, and make Nightfalls better (and add back legacy Strikes to boot). For now, Destiny is stagnant, and everyone seems to know it. Bungie almost needs to go back to the drawing board entirely for Destiny 2. It made a good shooter -- the rest kind of just exists around it. No fan base should be this jaded and salty after only a year, but it's true [reddit] |
| Nintendo World Store in New York to close for 'massive makeover' Posted: 06 Jan 2016 12:00 AM PST Nintendo has just informed us that on January 19, the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Plaza, NYC, will temporarily close down. Set to re-open on February 19 (with a grand celebration including exclusive merch), it will sport a "new look and feel" (which you can preview below) when it comes back. There will be an updated interior, 3DS and Wii U demos, and a 15-foot gaming screen in tow. The new tagline for the location is "where everyone comes to play." Having been to the store before I was pretty happy with the old format, but updates are rarely a bad thing. Just keep this in mind if you're planning on visiting NYC anytime soon. |
| Analyst thinks the Nintendo NX will 'cannibalize' 3DS and Wii U sales Posted: 05 Jan 2016 10:50 PM PST For months after the confirmation of Nintendo's NX platform, many analysts (and Nintendo themselves) kind of just brushed it off as a "new thing" that wouldn't impact any part of Nintendo's business. But now, after learning that it's likely going to be a new console, they're worried that it will in fact eat into the sales of 3DS and Wii U units. According to analyst Junko Yamamura at Nomura Securities, Nintendo is aiming to make the NX available before the year's end, with a "concept unveiling" before E3, a reveal in June, and an October to November launch. Yamamura is concerned because 3DS sales "have been weakening" recently after it's been out for six years, and the climate is now harsher than it was before. I mean, it makes perfect sense. Nintendo is claiming that this will be something different and revolutionary and that you should still buy lots of Wii U and 3DS games because it makes business sense. If this is a true third Nintendo system with exclusives, I doubt a lot of people could afford all three. Nintendo Slips: NX To Eat Into 3DS, Wii U; Nomura Cuts Target [Barron's Asia] |
| Sony trademarks mystery game project 'Days Gone' Posted: 05 Jan 2016 09:00 PM PST In the days between Christmas and New Year, Sony quietly registered a new trademark for a new project entitled Days Gone. Filed under Classes 9 and 41 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, this identifies the item as video game software with some kind of online functionality. The file has since been removed (cue Streisand Effect), but the good people at DualShockers pinched a screencap before it went AWOL. Sony Files Trademark for Mystery Game ‘Days Gone’ [Bloody Disgusting] |
| New Just Cause 3 patch coming 'later' this month Posted: 05 Jan 2016 08:00 PM PST The first instalment of Just Cause 3's Air, Land and Sea Expansion Pass DLC - Sky Fortress - is almost complete. "Whilst one side of the studio is working on patches, fixes and optimisations for the game, which will continue to roll out over the coming weeks, the other side is busily bringing this additional content to life," an Avalanche rep wrote on the Just Cause 3 Steam page. "The first pack - ‘Sky Fortress’ which is the “Air” pack - is nearing completion, and will bring new missions, features and other exciting surprises to the skies of Medici. We’re play-testing this content right now so watch this space for more news on this very soon." |
| This ridiculously powerful gaming PC probably costs more than your car Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:00 PM PST I’m currently in that exciting rush of upgrading my gaming PC. I’ve picked out the parts, and I’m waiting for it to be delivered, and I’m super excited to have a PC strong enough to handle even the most intensive upcoming games. Seriously, it’s going to be rad. And then I see this $30k gaming PC, wonder why I bothered, and slink away to cry in a corner. Built as part of a sponsorship deal with Kingston, tech YouTuber LinusTechTips gave himself the challenge of making a PC that can simultaneously run seven versions of Windows, with games running on each monitor. Basically, a one-machine LAN party that runs any game thrown at it at a decent framerate and resolution. The result was probably the most intensive gaming PC I’ve ever seen. Using two 14-core CPUs, a total of 256GB of RAM, and seven high-end video cards, this would be way overkill for regular gaming use. This is one of those things that someone builds just because they can. I want to see how it handles something like The Witcher 3 when all of its power is focused onto a single game. Plenty of games these days don’t handle multiple video cards or large amounts of RAM very well, so seeing how this machine scales down to running only one Windows at a time would be interesting. Linus doesn’t give a definitive price, probably because the parts were donated by their various manufacturers, so I’ve done a quick and rough price breakdown using the part list he released on his forums:
Total cost: $27,220.64 At last, there is finally a PC that could potentially run Arkham Knight at a playable framerate! |
| The bans given to CS:GO match-fixers last year are permanent Posted: 05 Jan 2016 06:00 PM PST Just over a year ago, Valve and eSports Entertainment Association shook the Counter-Strike scene by dishing out bans to a whole load of high-profile players who were caught match-fixing. Duc ‘cud’ Pham, Derek ‘dboorn’ Boorn, Casey Foster, Sam ‘Dazed’ Marine, Braxton ‘swag’ Pierce, Keven ‘AZK’ Larivière, and Joshua ‘Steel’ Nissan surprisingly weren’t banned for having daft usernames. Instead, they were all banned due to fixing a Cevo Season 5 match, with highly valuable in-game items being split amongst those involved. At the time, Valve didn’t say how long the ban would last, while the ESEA said the players would be barred from attending their tournaments for a whole year. The ESEA’s year-long ban expires this month, which in theory would’ve let the players return to the game. That would’ve been the case, had Valve not said in a new blog post that the bans they gave are actually permanent. This means that should any tournament want sponsorship from Valve (basically every event worth attending), they will have to uphold that ban. They also imply that the Cevo Season 5 match isn’t a unique case and that all players caught match-fixing will get the same punishment:
I just like the ruthlessness of this announcement. The ESEA were willing to forgive the players after a year, and then Valve rolls in on its tank of justice with a megaphone blaring “fuck you, it’s FOREVER” all while also waving a small flag of Gabe Newell giving them the middle finger. It’s pretty great. I guess the players ‘cud’ have been let to play again, but Valve’s got a ‘steel’y conviction and ‘swag’gered away after the bans, leaving all involved ‘dazed.’ A Follow Up to Integrity and Fair Play [Counter-Strike: Global Offensive] Just over a year ago, Valve and eSports Entertainment Association shook the Counter-Strike scene by dishing out bans to a whole load of high-profile players who were caught match-fixing. Duc ‘cud’ Pham, Derek ‘dboorn’ Boorn, Casey Foster, Sam ‘Dazed’ Marine, Braxton ‘swag’ Pierce, Keven ‘AZK’ Larivière, and Joshua ‘Steel’ Nissan surprisingly weren’t banned for having daft usernames. Instead, they were all banned due to fixing a Cevo Season 5 match, with highly valuable in-game items being split amongst those involved. At the time, Valve didn’t say how long the ban would last for, while the ESEA said the players would be barred from attending their tournaments for a whole year. The ESEA’s year-long ban expires this month, which in theory would’ve let the players return to the game. That would’ve been the case, had Valve not said in a new blog post that the bans they gave are actually permanent. This means that should any tournament want sponsorship from Valve (basically every event worth attending), they will have to uphold that ban. They also imply that the Cevo Season 5 match isn’t a unique case and that all players caught match-fixing will get the same punishment: Our decision was to ban these players indefinitely from involvement in Valve-sponsored events. To clarify, the bans for these players are permanent, and players proven to have taken part in match-fixing will be permanently banned. I just like the ruthlessness of this announcement. The ESEA were willing to forgive the players after a year, and then Valve rolls in on its tank of justice with a megaphone blaring “fuck you, it’s FOREVER” all while waving a small flag of Gabe Newell giving them the middle finger. It’s pretty great. I guess the players ‘cud’ have been let to play again, but Valve’s got a ‘steel’y conviction and ‘swag’gered away after the bans, leaving all involved ‘dazed’. |
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