Wednesday, March 2, 2016

New Games

New Games


Capcom trademarks Monster Hunter Generations in Europe

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST

Nintendo is holding a Direct presentation for 3DS and Wii U games tomorrow afternoon, and from the sound of it, Monster Hunter fans are going to want to tune in. As spotted by NerdLeaks, a representative of Capcom has filed a trademark for "Monster Hunter Generations" in Europe.

That name, Javier Ungría López, has appeared on past Capcom trademark filings.

There is also talk of a bigger leak -- one that shows alleged folders related to the Direct, including ones for Generations and Super Nintendo games on 3DS -- but it's less convincing.

In the likely event that Monster Hunter makes an appearance during tomorrow's show (streaming starts at 2:00pm Pacific), we can all just do what Jeff Goldblum does on his birthday: act surprised. Nintendo Direct viewers should be mighty familiar with that routine by now.

Monster Hunter Generations Will Be Announced By Nintendo Tomorrow [NerdLeaks]

Capcom trademarks Monster Hunter Generations in Europe screenshot

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Van Damme meets The Matrix in Clustertruck

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 01:30 PM PST

Have you ever dreamed you were Neo from The Matrix or Jean-Claude Van Damme doing some epic splits? Well if you combined those two things you'd have Clustertruck, the hot new truck-hopping game taking the Internet by storm.

The concept is simple: you're on top of a speeding semi truck surrounded by other trucks, and you've got to hop between them as they weave, smash into each other, and crash on your way to the goal. You jump superhuman distances and can slow down time to assist in your task, but mostly you'll need a whole lot of luck and quick reflexes.

Van Damme meets The Matrix in Clustertruck screenshot

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The second Awesomenauts expansion is out now on Steam

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 12:00 PM PST

I never could have predicted Ronimo would be able to keep Awesomenauts going for this long. It's impressive! Today, the studio released another major update for the 2D MOBA as well as the second paid expansion, Overdrive, which adds three characters to the roster.

All players are getting a new matchmaking system; touched-up visuals for special effects, user-interface elements, and even characters (Lonestar looks so much better); and a free 'naut, Ix the Interloper. He was the winning entry from last year's "Design-Your-Naut 2" contest.

As for Overdrive itself, the expansion is $8.99 and includes the robo dino-summoning Professor Milton Yoolip, the biker bounty hunter Chucho Krokk, and the twins Jimmy, Amy, and their Lux-5000 Toddletron mech (all one character). As usual, the artwork is great.

Since I last played Awesomenauts, Ronimo rolled out a new progression system for leveling up. That stuff might be new for you, too. There's also a map from the Starstorm expansion currently playable in a pre-alpha state in custom matches ahead of its final release later this year.

Enough to get me back in? Probably not, if Heroes of the Storm has anything to say about it.

Overdrive [Awesomenauts]

The second Awesomenauts expansion is out now on Steam screenshot

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New Valve program drops Steam bundle prices to account for already-owned games

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 11:30 AM PST

A new Valve initiative will allow consumers to take advantage of the savings that game bundles offer without possibly necessitating the purchase of duplicate licenses. This program introduces flexible pricing -- a system that changes the cost of a bundle based on how many of the bundle's games you already own.

According to PCGamesN, it has obtained a memo sent from Valve to developers and publishers. It states in part "With Steam Bundles, if a customer already [owns] some items in the Bundle, they will pay for and receive only the items not already in their account. This allows the best fans of your series or franchise to 'complete the set' and get a deal on the remaining items in the Bundle."

The note continues "Past Complete Packs were sometimes a bad deal for customers that already [owned] one or more of the products in the pack. Either it made bad economic sense for those customers to purchase the pack, or they just felt bad about doing so since it [looked] like they were paying for products they already [had]. The new Steam Bundles system addresses this."

Valve has already implemented this for its own games. For instance, the regular price of The Complete Valve Pack is $92.70; however, owning any number of those games causes the price to be proportionally dropped.

It's seemingly a program that developers and publishers can decide to opt into. When looking at The Telltale Games Collection, the price shows $174.99 for me despite owning several of the titles. So, Telltale is obviously one company that has not yet applied this dynamic pricing choice.

Although, that might be because Telltale doesn't even have the option of doing this yet. Valve hasn't officially announced this new program, instead just emailing its business partners. A few examples are up and running, but it's unclear if everyone who wishes to can move to dynamic prices. It's all very hush-hush for now. When this does eventually become more forward-facing, it'll be to the consumer's benefit, and that's always a good thing.

Steam bundle prices will now drop based on how many of the games in them you own [PCGamesN]

New Valve program drops Steam bundle prices to account for already-owned games screenshot

Giveaway: Gunscape w/ Elite Xbox One!

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 11:00 AM PST

The fine folks at Blowfish studios (Facebook, Youtube and Twitter), have given you folks an awesome opportunity to win a copy of their game, Gunscape AND an Elite Xbox One (1TB console w/ that fancy Elite controller)!

What is Gunscape? Well, it is a first-person shooter world building hybrid that has come to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Giveaway: Gunscape w/ Elite Xbox One!  screenshot

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I thought I was tired of roguelike platformers, but GoNNER suggests otherwise

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 10:30 AM PST

As much as I don't think I need another super-tough platformer with roguelike elements in my life, maybe I do! I dig the unusual art and clickety-clackety sound design of GoNNER.

Screenshots don't do the aesthetic much justice. This trailer is where it's at:

While the hopping off walls and monster shooting would be sufficiently cool on its own, there is a story buried in here somewhere, and it's pretty strange. You play as the "altruistic" Ikk while he's on an adventure to find a trinket for his only friend, "a giant landbound whale named Sally."

"With Death as his mentor, supplying both a multitude of abilities and arsenal for Ikk to use, Ikk traverses an ever-changing land full of unwieldy creatures who don't appreciate his trespassing or his friend Sally. Several different environments, arduous bosses, hidden secrets, multiple endings, and more await Ikk on his journey to make one person happy even if it kills him—which it certainly will."

So, yes, that part in the video where Ikk lost his head and the grim reaper tossed him a new one? For once, you weren't seeing things. That happened.

GoNNER is supposed to release this summer for Windows and Mac via Steam. Steven says he's booked to try it out in a couple of weeks at the Game Developers Conference, and if we're on our best behavior until then, maybe he'll bring us back some gifs.

I thought I was tired of roguelike platformers, but GoNNER suggests otherwise screenshot

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Hindsight part II: Unreleased games of the past

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 10:00 AM PST

Last summer, I wrote a blog about looking back at old video game magazines with the added benefit of hindsight. Flipping through the pages of Nintendo Power issues from nearly twenty years ago, it was so interesting to find articles about games in development and the hype surrounding games and systems which had only been announced, such as Zelda 64, Project Reality, and the AGB. One area I found particularly interesting was the articles and pictures taken from games which were never released and of which there is precious little information about. Of course, at the time, who knew whether a previewed game was bound for multi-million seller status, or if it would be quietly cancelled with little fanfare?

Hindsight part II: Unreleased games of the past screenshot

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We're getting a Forza announcement at E3

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 09:30 AM PST

Despite the three months between now and E3, Microsoft wants to talk about E3. More specifically, it wants to tease E3. Via press release, Microsoft says that it will reveal a new Forza title at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June.

Even though we don't have a game yet, we have a cover car. The Lamborghini Centenario will adorn the mystery Forza's box art; it's the very shiny and expensive-looking vehicle at the bottom of this post. Altimas don't sell video games.

Unless Microsoft is taking the series in a new direction, the smart money would probably be on Forza Horizon 3. It seems like it's trying to establish a pattern of yearly trade-offs between Horizon and Motorsport. Also, and this is maybe reading too far into it, Horizon 2 was the only Forza title to feature a Lamborghini on the cover until now. We'll have to wait until June to see if this theory holds water.

We're getting a Forza announcement at E3 screenshot

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Doctor, doctor, give me the news: I've got a bad case of Podtoid questions!

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 09:15 AM PST

My friends, did you catch Podtoid 326: MAGFest, Devil Daggers, and PopoloCrois? It was a real hummdinger that one. And why, you ask? Well, in large part thanks to all of your fabulous questions of course!

But here is our eternal, weekly lot, you and I. You see, we need even more questions still. And we need them from you. It's a lot of responsibility to hoist upon a loose conglomerate of online pals, but I know you'll hit it out of the park. You always do.

Kyle MacGregor, Brett Makedonski, Darren Nakamura, and me, ya boy Steven Hansen, will be ready to field 'em from the bleachers.

Doctor, doctor, give me the news: I've got a bad case of Podtoid questions! screenshot

GTA doesn't look half bad in the Pokemon style

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 09:00 AM PST

Mashups are a dime a dozen, but people can really nail it sometimes. That's definitely the case here.

Content creator Hat-Loving Gamer crafted a loving homage to both the Grand Theft Auto and Pokemon series, and really, it meshes well. He goes through a ton of scenarios and scenes unique to both franchises, and the CJ bike riding is probably the most authentic of them all.

It's also not too big of a stretch as GTA started life as a top-down, retro-like series anyway. Man those were fun games, especially London.

GTA doesn't look half bad in the Pokemon style screenshot

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Star Wars Battlefront's Outer Rim DLC sounds decent

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 08:30 AM PST

As attentive fans predicted, Greedo (A New Hope) and Nien Nunb (Return of the Jedi) are indeed coming to Star Wars Battlefront as hero characters. This franchise sure loves its kooky names.

Greedo and Nien are part of this month's Outer Rim DLC which, among other things, introduces a mode called Extraction. Here's the setup: "Rebel forces have entered some of the most dangerous places in the Outer Rim in order to extract a valuable shipment of resources. Now they must bring the shipment to their transport ship before time runs out. The Empire has arrived to stop them from reaching the extraction point."

The expansion pack also adds gear -- the Relby V-10 rifle, DT-12 blaster pistol, Scatter Gun, Dioxis Grenade, and Adrenaline Stim -- plus a pair of maps. One is an industrial area on Sullust, while the other takes place around Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine.

I can't help but wish more of this stuff had been in the content-light game at or around launch. Maybe I'd still be playing it! Instead, Outer Rim is one of the four packs featured in the $49.99 season pass, which makes its otherwise decent-sounding additions a lot less appealing.

Outer Rim [Star Wars Battlefront]

Star Wars Battlefront's Outer Rim DLC sounds decent screenshot

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Hitman's launch trailer is flashy, shows off variety of scenarios

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 08:00 AM PST

Square Enix is keen to show off what will likely be the last trailer for Hitman until launch, and it does the trick. The sheer amount of different mission parameters are staggering, which won't all arrive at once due to its episodic model. It'll constantly keep the game in the headlines for sure throughout the year, especially if they're all good.

It'll launch on March 11. Until then, you can follow Patrick's antics with the PC version here.

Hitman's launch trailer is flashy, shows off variety of scenarios screenshot

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Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is great, also on sale for $20

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 07:30 AM PST

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth might have arrived in late 2014, but it's often fresh on my mind every time I think about the SMT or Persona franchises. It's a great little 3DS RPG that allows for both Persona 3 and 4 fans to come together and not argue over who has the best waifu for once. For that, it deserves some sort of award.

Anyway, the game is now on sale for $30 off, coming in at just $20 -- a far cry from its $50 launch price. You can net that deal on the eShop until March 14.

Persona Q [Nintendo] Thanks Steve!

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is great, also on sale for $20 screenshot

Review: Assassin's Creed Syndicate: The Last Maharaja

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 07:00 AM PST

With Ubisoft's confirmation that it won't be developing a core Assassin's Creed game in 2016, we're left with something of a lull. Sure, this year still has India, Russia, Initiates, and a movie, but that Assassin's Creed isn't the same kind of Assassin's Creed. For those who have an itch for a very particular type of gameplay, it'll go unscratched.

Yesterday's launch of The Last Maharaja, an add-on to Assassin's Creed Syndicate, may be the last opportunity for a quick, firm scratch. It's Syndicate's final announced DLC pack, meaning that it's likely the last piece of content before an extended period of Assassin's Creed-lessness. If that's the case, it's a perfectly fine and mostly unremarkable way to go out.

Review: Assassin's Creed Syndicate: The Last Maharaja screenshot

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Blade & Soul is getting the Warlock class this week

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 06:30 AM PST

Whenever I play an MMO, I tend to gravitate towards pet-based classes. I like the idea of being able to solo content at all times, just in case I feel like doing some questing without friends available. Over the years more and more games have allowed the option to solo for just about any job, increasing their accessibility, but my love for the playstyle remains.

Blade & Soul is getting that very class this week in the form of Warlocks. Promised as an addition before launch, you can now boot the game up and start one up, which is described as a "medium-ranged" caster who uses Talismans to buff or debuff enemies.

Even if you don't play the game it's worth watching the rundown video below just to see the art design involved -- man this game looks good.

Blade & Soul is getting the Warlock class this week screenshot

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Review: Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 06:00 AM PST

A few years back, Razer released the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2013 Elite, a mechanical keyboard that was well-received for its responsiveness, design, and functionality. With the newly released Tournament Edition Chroma, the company has essentially shopped a chunk off of the 2013 elite, made it a bit more portable, and tied it into its Chroma suite.

It's a very good, if overly compact, keyboard.

Review: Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma screenshot

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Killing Floor 2 sends you to prison with a sexy lever action rifle

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 05:45 AM PST

The Sharpshooter perk/class in the first Killing Floor was a fan favorite for many reasons. The two most important are that it made taking down big Zeds like Fleshpounds and Scrakes easier, and that the Lever Action Rifle was so damn fun to use. Killing Floor 2's Early Access launch didn't include Sharpshooter, and almost a year later, it still isn't in the game. It's been a long, painful wait, but Tripwire Interactive is starting to show off renders of the new Lever Action Rifle.

Here's what it looks like now:

I'll miss the ring sight from the first game, but otherwise the Winchester 1894 looks hawt. That wood grain. That knurling on the metal plate. Mmm. The crossbow is also in the works, but the render isn't finalized yet. I can't wait to see what the rest of the weapons look like. Whenever this update comes out, we'll be testing out these weapons in a new Prison map. I'll have Tripwire set the scene for you: "Now also coming with these two weapons is a new map we’ve been working on. Imagine yourself rushing to escape the dark as the freezing cold and the zeds approach. A walled and fortified looking structure offers perceived safety. But how long can you survive in this old Soviet era relic? Welcome to the Prison."

If there's not a guard tower that I can snipe from, I'm quitting my floor-killing career (no I'm not).

Killing Floor 2 sends you to prison with a sexy lever action rifle screenshot

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Late Blizzard artist Kevin Kanai Griffith honored in special Diablo III cow level

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 05:30 AM PST

Blizzard is doing a heroic job of honoring the late Kevin Kanai Griffith, a talented character artist that helped develop Diablo III -- he has his own bonus cow level named after him. Simply find the throne in the Ruins of Sescheron (one of the game's brand new zones) and you're good to go.

Kevin actually passed away in 2014, and the level was implemented in patch 2.4.0, but players will only be able to access it in March, which is Kevin's birth month. Fun fact: the Kanai Cube is actually named after him.

You can see the tribute in the video below, compliments of MadTom.

Late Blizzard artist Kevin Kanai Griffith honored in special Diablo III cow level screenshot

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Jotun: Valhalla Edition is stomping to PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U this summer

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 05:15 AM PST

In Jotun, you play as a Viking named Thora who died and needs to prove herself to the Gods to enter Valhalla. To do this, she must battle giant enemies. Are you done applauding that sub-header yet? What, I'm the only one who thinks it's super clever? Oh. Well.

M'man Jed loved him some Jotun when he reviewed it a couple months ago. If the only thing holding you back from trying it was its PC-exclusive status, the Thunder Lotus team heard your cries of despair (shouldn't you reserve despair for events that are comparatively more horrible? Shame on you). Jotun: Valhalla Edition adds a new Boss Rush mode to the hand-drawn action game, and it'll be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U. The new mode will be free on the PC version once it comes out later this Summer.

And you know what? You're doing great today. I don't know exactly what you did. Maybe you saved a kitten from a tree. Maybe you made a life-altering decision that will forever make ripples in the water of your life. Maybe you're just playing a game and drinking your morning coffee. No matter what it is, good job. I'm rewarding you with this praise, and a trailer for Jotun. Keep it up.

Jotun: Valhalla Edition is stomping to PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U this summer screenshot

Enter the Gungeon shoots into existence on April 5

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 05:00 AM PST

While at Indiecade last year, I played Dodge Roll's Enter The Gungeon for all of two minutes. You might think that I'm dismissing it and saying that it wasn't worth my full attention, to which I'd respond, "That's a really negative perception you have of me. You should get to know me, here, I'll buy you a drink." And then we'd be best friends/co-op partners in Enter the Gungeon, the game that I only briefly played because I had a horrible case of the stomach flu. The two minutes that I did play seemed like a great game for me and my new drinking buddy (you) to play together while our elbows are interlocked.

And we won't have to wait too long to find out! A new trailer gameplay trailer arrived this morning to let the world know Enter the Gungeon will be released on April 5 for PlayStation 4, PC, Mac, and Linux. Rob liked it a bunch, calling it "D&D meets bullet-hell." I like both of those things very much, and a stew of them sounds pretty good right about now.

Enter the Gungeon shoots into existence on April 5 screenshot

Where is our review for The Division? It won't come until after launch

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 04:30 AM PST

Ubisoft is taking a cue from other recent "persistent" online shooters like Destiny, and will hold off from doling out review codes until launch. At midnight on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), the switches will flip to "on" and the game will go live. Everyone in the world will experience launch at the same time.

Naturally, our review won't be ready until after that point. We'll aim to have some thoughts on the retail build up as soon as possible, and a full assessment after we've played enough.

For now, you can read Zack's detailed hands-on here, and Joe's thoughts on the PC port here.

The Division Reviews - What to Expect on Launch Day [Ubisoft]

Where is our review for The Division? It won't come until after launch screenshot

Review: Pokemon Blue

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 04:00 AM PST

Growing up, Pokémon wasn't just a game. It was also a way of life.

I didn't have a Game Boy in time for Red, Blue, or even Yellow, but that didn't stop me from succumbing to Pokémania like every other kid in the '90s. Our poor parents! When my friends and I weren't carefully consulting a classmate's laminated poster with a list of "all 150 Pokémon" at recess, we were at home watching the television show, swapping cards, trading tall tales, or, yes, taking turns playing the few copies of the games we had between us.

Those fond memories are mostly a blur now, but I'll always treasure them.

Review: Pokemon Blue screenshot

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Man dates body pillow in official Senran Kagura: Estival Versus ad

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 03:45 AM PST

Haha Marvelous, you geniuses.

To promote the newest release of the Senran Kagura series, Estival Versus, the publisher has cooked up a ridiculous promo that involves a massive fan swiping through tinder to find the waifu of his dreams. It just happens to be the body pillow that you get for pre-ordering the UK edition.

The actual game will hit the PS4 and Vita on March 15 in the US. It launched nearly a year ago in Japan, and Europe is March 18.

Man dates body pillow in official Senran Kagura: Estival Versus ad screenshot

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This is why you always take a support in Overwatch

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 03:30 AM PST

Ha, I've had this happen a few times.

Jonathan Larsson happened to be playing Overwatch, and made a really badass multi-kill as Tracer, the teleporting hellion, that sealed the match. Well, it would have sealed it if he wasn't fighting Mercy, the sole survivor of the onslaught, a support character that has the ability to resurrect nearby players.

So... the whole enemy team came back and won the game. That's rough! But the class based systems that so many titles are adapting these days help make things interesting. Plus, there are counters to double-down on stuff like this that hardcore players will figure out down the line, like focus-firing Mercy.

Teams who generally don't take supports learned a valuable lesson today:

This is why you always take a support in Overwatch screenshot

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Xbox One could be getting hardware upgrades

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 03:15 AM PST

Last week Microsoft held its Xbox Spring Showcase and the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, dropped some hints about the Xbox One's future.

"You'll actually see us come out with new hardware capability during a generation allowing the same games to run backward and forward compatible because we have a Universal Windows Application running on top of the Universal Windows Platform that allows us to focus more and more on hardware innovation without invalidating the games that run on that platform," Spencer said, insinuating that the Xbox One will have some kind of hardware upgradability -- please not Kinect 3.

You'll actually see us come out with new hardware capability during a generation allowing the same games to run backward and forward compatible because we have a Universal Windows Application running on top of the Universal Windows Platform that allows us to focus more and more on hardware innovation without invalidating the games that run on that platform.

Xbox One could be getting hardware upgrades screenshot

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Marvel announces 'Women of Power' campaign this month

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 03:00 AM PST

Marvel is kicking off a new campaign starting tomorrow, which will honor the women of the comic book world. It's called "Women of Power," and will span LEGO Marvel's Avengers, Marvel Contest of Champions, Avengers Academy, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Marvel Future Fight, Spider-Man Unlimited, and Marvel Heroes.

Basically, iconic characters will be added to their stable of games over the course of March, from Captain Marvel, to Silk, to Rescue (the latter, if you aren't aware, is Virginia "Pepper" Potts). The festivities will extent outside of games too. It's a pretty cool promotion however you look at it, as most of the content seems to be free.

Marvel announces 'Women of Power' campaign this month screenshot

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See Wolf Link and Midna in action in Super Mario Maker

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 AM PST

The Wolf Link amiibo that's bundled with Twilight Princess HD comes with an unexpected bonus -- functionality in Super Mario Maker!

Using the toy will morph in an 8-bit version for use, which comes with some cute animations and sound effects. There's no event course yet that indicates a way to unlock the character without actually buying the bundle.

See Wolf Link and Midna in action in Super Mario Maker screenshot

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Catching up with the new ToeJam and Earl game

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:00 AM PST

Human Nature Studios, the developer of the upcoming ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, has released new screenshots and audio samples from the Kickstarted title, and boy do they have me excited.

The art style reminds me of one of my favorite childhood cartoons, Rocko's Modern Life, and both of the songs released hit me right in the childhood. I can picture a young Jed, sitting in front of his Sega Genesis wearing a bright yellow hat with a rat tail coming out the back, smiling from ear to ear playing the classic games; I hope to have that feeling again -- minus the rat tail -- when ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove releases this fall for PC.

Catching up with the new ToeJam and Earl game screenshot

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Resident Evil's 20th anniversary month kicks off with PSN sale

Posted: 02 Mar 2016 01:00 AM PST

Resident Evil first arrived on March 22, 1996, and Capcom is commemorating that 20th anniversary this month with a franchise sale on the PSN. The discounted prices will run until March 8, and range all the way from recent titles (like the HD remakes for the original and Zero), games from the last generation, and PSN Classics. All pertinent DLC is on sale too.

Out of everything, I highly recommend picking up the original, as well as Resident Evil 4, which is required reading at this point. Though the latter is coming to PS4 and Xbox One later in 2016.

Resident Evil [PSN]

Resident Evil's 20th anniversary month kicks off with PSN sale screenshot

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