Monday, April 4, 2016

New Games

New Games


The Last of Us movie is in 'development hell'

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:00 PM PDT

Almost a year and a half ago The Last of Us writer Neil Druckmann, who was penning the script for the film, was explaining how it would be "pretty faithful" despite "some big changes," which is fun.

But speaking to IGN, Druckmann explains, "I know I said in an interview a while back we had a table read, got the script to a good place and it kind of entered development hell like these things tend to do.

"There hasn't been any work done on it in over a year and a half."

As for the Uncharted movie, which is planned for a June 30, 2017 release, Druckmann says Naughty Dog is only "somewhat involved."

"Every once in a while [Sony will] come in and they'll present to us: here's the script, here's what we're thinking. We'll tell them what we think works, what we think doesn't work. That's where we're at. Last I heard is they got a new screenwriter, but we haven't seen anything in a while." It seems like Naughty Dog and Druckmann's consultations offer consistent advice: focus on the relationship between Nate, Elena, and Sully.

"If you don't get that right, I don't think the film's going to work," Druckmann said. "If you get that core right, there's a chance it could work."

Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann Offers Updates on Uncharted, Last of Us Movies [IGN]

The Last of Us movie is in 'development hell' screenshot

Comments of the Week: You're not seeing double!

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:00 PM PDT

Hey, everyone, it's your boy, Dreamweaver, back again with yet another edition of Comments of the Week! And I didn't even need to take a Viagra!

If you don't know what Comments of the Week is, this is the community showcase where I collect comments from funny Dtoiders, such as yourselves, and feature them right here for everyone to look at! I hope you liked what you're wearing that day, because everyone's going to get to see it! Whether you've been here for the festivities, or you're simply catching the after-party, then this is for you. As always, comments are placed into three — count them — three categories:

TRUTH: you could actually become taller in space since gravity isn't pushing you down!

LOL: does the same thing apply to penises?

WUT?: I'll finally be three inches fully erect!

If you didn't catch the Comments of the Week posted earlier today — it was early in the morning, or really late at night, depending on how you look at it then head on over to this link to see what went down the week before before you check out what happened last week!

 40649-194573-Truth1jpg-620x.jpg

From WOULD YOU SPEND A WHOLE PAYCHECK ON A MORTAL KOMBAT STATUE?



Dreamweaver: Now we just need to find out what he actually does for a living, and how he still manages to game all the damn time!

From I PLAYED VR FOR 10 HOURS STRAIGHT, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED



Dreamweaver: This is better than the stupid Turing Test!

From REVIEW: SLAIN!



Dreamweaver: That's so plain, you should've moonwalked out of here.

From STAR OCEAN DEVS ALTER COSTUME IN ANTICIPATION OF 'WESTERN CRITICISM'



Dreamweaver: Can the panties have guns too?

Dreamweaver: I hope you like his face, because you're going to see a LOT more of it!

From THAT CONTRA REBOOT GAME JUST LOOKS...UGH



Dreamweaver: When you hit "no", it charges you anyway.

From REVIEW: ANGRY VIDEO GAME NERD II: ASSIMILATION


Dreamweaver: Okay, how long?

From NOW I'M A BELIEVER: RV IS THE FUTURE OF GAMING


Dreamweaver: Unlike my penis, which is still micro in space.

From HA! NINTENDO TEASES PHYSICAL SPLATOON ARCADE FOR APRIL FOOLS'


Dreamweaver: I know, right! Just like when girls send me love letters.

I should've known love letters in this day and age would've been suspicious.

From GOOD TO KNOW: MY NINTENDO POINTS EXPIRE AFTER SIX MONTHS


Dreamweaver: Funny, money from my wallet always disappears after I sleep with a hooker, even when I pay upfront.

40649-194573-Lol1jpg-620x.jpg

From BLIZZARD CUTS OVERWATCH VICTORY POSE AT FAN'S REQUEST (UPDATE)



Dreamweaver: What about "Faps"?

Dreamweaver: I feel like "Tickle Me Elmo" would've been more appropriate.

Girls are supposed to laugh when you have sex with them, right?

From TOKYO 42 IS A DAMN COOL TAKE ON SYNDICATE AND CLASSIC GTA


Dreamweaver: I'll wait for the Tokyo 420: Blaze It edition.

From THE MY NINTENDO ACCOUNT SYSTEM IS NOW LIVE IN THE US (UPDATE: MIITOMO TOO!)



Dreamweaver: Try wooden pencils. They got lead in them.

From JAPANESE SJWS ARE CARPET BOMBING DEAD OR ALIVE XTREME 3 USER REVIEWS


Dreamweaver: How could you tell if the skeletons are Japanese?

Dreamweaver: Amen to that!

Dreamweaver: What all the women I slept with say.

From ESPER 2 HAS SHAUN OF THE DEAD'S NICK FROST AND IS OUT TODAY


Dreamweaver: A girl told me to eat her pussy once. She never invited me back to her place.

From NIS NAMES NEW VITA GAME AFTER SEX WITH ME



Dreamweaver: That's why he's my role model.

From THE SECOND EPISODE OF HITMAN HAS BEEN DATED


Dreamweaver: It's never to late to eat dates.

Am I talking about the fruit?

From GET READY FOR ALSO COCKS, THE PREMIER PORN EXPERIENCE FOR DESTRUCTOID COCKEYES



Dreamweaver: I would've went with "dick-loving cocksucker" myself.

From FINAL FANTASY XV'S WHIMSICAL PLATINUM DEMO REMINDS ME EVEN MORE OF KINGDOM HEARTS



Dreamweaver: And now your humiliation is now permanent featured on Comments of the Week!

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From WE'RE ONE DAY AWAY FROM THE CLOSEST TO STARCRAFT: GHOST WE'RE GOING TO GET


Dreamweaver: No, not the stick!

From Metroid Prime: Federation Force sure has a lot of walking


Dreamweaver: Now that's a game where I wouldn't mind doing too much walking.

And I'll provide my own shooting. Sperm.

Dreamweaver: What are we, a musical?

Hey, that's actually not a bad idea for the next April Fools... Ben Davis, I know you read these every week! You better pitch that idea!

From ANAMANAGUCHI LEAKS ITS OWN GAME AFTER STRAINED DEVELOPER RELATIONS



Dreamweaver: If Google doesn't even know who you are, that's when you know you suck.

Please don't Google my name.

From NINTENDO IS SHUTTING DOWN THE DSI SHOP



Dreamweaver: ...That's not sweat.

Dreamweaver: As a cow, *whatever your mom says*.

From NOT APRIL FOOLS': CAPCOM IS 'AGGRESSIVELY' DOUBLING DOWN ON MOBILE, MEGA MAN CITED


Dreamweaver: He has to be lying... right?

From ARC SYSTEM WORKS OVERHAULS WEBSITE, IS NOW A 'WEDDING PLANNER'

Dreamweaver: What's... what's happening?

From CPSC BLASTS COCKEYES VR AS MOST DANGEROUS PRODUCT EVER

Dreamweaver: No, no, tell me it isn't true!

From MOJANG TEASES A 'TRENDY' COSTUME UPDATE FOR APRIL FOOLS'

Dreamweaver: This is some scary stuff right here!

From SUPER CARMEN MIRANDA RPG JUSTIFIES COCKEYES VR'S DESIGN

Dreamweaver: Do I dare open the comment?

Dreamweaver: I instantly regret it!

From SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT RENAMED SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Dreamweaver: The robots are taking over!

From HERE'S A RECAP OF THIS YEAR'S APRIL FOOLS' GAGS

Dreamweaver: Huh, this is somehow sadder than the end of Terminator 2.

And that's it for this edition, folks! Your boy, Dreamweaver, has finally caught up with Comments of the Week! Now we just have to hope that I don't miss next week's, or we'll be back to square one! Which is, like, the third worst square to be on!

Comments of the Week: You're not seeing double! screenshot

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Death in Stardew Valley's mines isn't quite so punishing now

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT

Few games have me more excited to dig through patch notes than Stardew Valley. Left to my own devices, free of responsibilities, I'd be playing the hell out of it right now. I left off about a week ago trying to decide if I should get goats or become a slime farmer, and I'm still undecided.

Besides numerous bug fixes, today's update takes another crack at improving the marriage side of the game with more unique dialogue for spouses during festivals as well as in-laws. There's some undisclosed new "unique effect" for fruit trees struck by lightning that I'm curious about, and I am thrilled to hear death is now less punishing in the mines. Also, thank goodness, the charcoal kiln only needs 10 wood (half of the previous requirement) to produce a piece of coal. I've been running low.

Here's the full list of gameplay changes:

  • Spouses now say unique dialogues during festivals (most of the time), rather than the generic handful of dialogues
  • Spouse stands next to you at the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies
  • In-law dialogue... when you marry someone, their parents/relatives dialogues will change slightly to account for the change
  • Sam, Sebastian, and Abigail now go to the saloon on fridays after you marry them.
  • Spouses won't leave on rainy days, unless they have to go to work.
  • Fruit trees produce higher quality fruit as they age. (once per year, up to gold star)
  • Fruit tree harvesting now involves shaking the tree to drop the fruit
  • Lightning strikes now have a unique effect on fruit trees
  • Lightning is more likely to strike trees and crops, but lightning rods now have a very good chance of intercepting lightning strikes (if they aren't already processing a lightning bolt)
  • Charcoal Kiln now requires 10 wood to produce 1 coal, down from 20
  • Maxed-out friendship levels will no longer decay
  • Added another digit to the shipping menu money counters.
  • Dying in mines is less harsh: money lost caps at 5000g, rate of item loss reduced, can't lose rings or the
  • Your assigned movement keys are now used within Journey Of The Prairie King
  • You can now retrieve powerups and coins that drop on the edge of the map in Journey Of The Prairie King
  • The last two hearts are now greyed-out for marriage candidates until you give them the bouquet
  • Willy now likes most fish dishes
  • Adventurer's Guild now sells monster slayer rewards after you've unlocked them (you still get the free reward)
  • Hardware mouse cursor option

And those bug fixes:

  • Tools left in chests within farm buildings won't count as "missing"
  • Poppy properly consumed in poppyseed muffin recipe
  • Can no longer incorrectly "consume" trap bobbers (click to make them disappear with strange sound)
  • Agriculturist profession no longer causes an extra 25% growth rate when speed-gro isn't present. Speed increase effects should now properly apply to very slow-growing crops.
  • Fixed sunflower seed price at JojaMart
  • Chests should no longer appear on top of you in bed after upgrading your house.
  • Item placement with the gamepad improved, and there is now an option to show an item placement indicator
  • Snow yams shouldn't appear in the desert anymore
  • Sea Cucumber should properly appear in the fishing tab of the Shipping menu
  • Farm animals should no longer get stuck on fences placed directly to the right of the barn door.
  • Various minor bug fixes.
  • Minor changes/fixes to dialogue

New Build -- 1.07 [Steam]

Death in Stardew Valley's mines isn't quite so punishing now screenshot

See Dark Souls' giant-ass Great Sword of Artorias in real life

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:00 PM PDT

We are somehow still one week away from Dark Souls 3/my birthday, which is good; you have time to buy me something still. Please collaborate amongst yourselves to avoid double-gifting.

It is weird, though, with the game effectively out for ages via Xbox One Japanese account tricks and our own review since dropped. How does it feel, for those of you still well within anticipation's clutches for this, the fifth Souls game?

Are you steeled for the next eight days, long trained in the art of hype avoidance, or are you jonesing for a hit so bad that you'll gladly lap up a video that Bandai Namco paid some blacksmiths to make? Prepare to die!

See Dark Souls' giant-ass Great Sword of Artorias in real life screenshot

Review: Star Wars Battlefront: Outer Rim

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 01:30 PM PDT

Outer Rim is a better beginning to the Star Wars Battlefront season pass than I thought it'd be.

The DLC adds Nien Nunb and Greedo as hero and villain characters, respectively; four smaller-scale maps spread across Tattooine and Sullust; a few weapons and Star Cards; and an escort-the-cart mode called Extraction. While the content might not sound great as bullet points, especially when you consider the vast lore DICE could theoretically pull from, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

I'm not sure how long it'll last, but I'm back into Battlefront.

Review: Star Wars Battlefront: Outer Rim screenshot

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Street Fighter boss would love to see 'Nintendo vs. Capcom'

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 01:00 PM PDT

StreetPass UK managed to catch up with Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono, and among other things, chatted up the possibility of another crossover game. When asked about a mashup, Ono excitedly stated that he'd love to see a "Nintendo vs. Capcom" one day, even calling it his "dream project." Where have we seen this before?

Ono specifically says that he doesn't want to see Street Fighter take the forefront though, and would like to see more general Capcom characters in the mix. Stranger things have happened (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom), and given the good relationship both companies seem to have based on the newest Smash, this could happen eventually.

Maybe on the NX?

Street Fighter boss would love to see 'Nintendo vs. Capcom' screenshot

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The Ace Attorney anime is now on Crunchyroll

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 12:00 PM PDT

More Ace Attorney is never a bad thing, especially since we see so little of it in the west in terms of physical game releases.

Thankfully Capcom has gotten wise over the years though and has made some of it more accessible, including the anime series that is now officially available outside of Japan. It's streaming on the Crunchyroll service, and the inaugural episode is live now.

Future episodes will air at 7AM ET on Saturdays. I haven't seen the show yet but now that anime is as easy as ever to watch, I don't have an excuse!

Ace Attorney [Capcom Unity]

The Ace Attorney anime is now on Crunchyroll screenshot

Enter the Gungeon has a cute animated trailer

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 11:30 AM PDT

Enter the Gungeon is a title I've been keeping an eye on. Any game that name checks Binding of Isaac and Nuclear Throne is going to pique my interest, but Gungeon has enough of its own style to step out of the shadow of its inspirations and stand on its own. While Isaac is a stomach turning black comedy, and Nuclear Throne alternates between absurdity and melancholy, Gungeon is just... goofy. 

In a good way.

Enter the Gungeon has a cute animated trailer screenshot

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Initiation station: Is this real life or is this just Phantasy Star Online?

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 11:00 AM PDT

[From humble beginnings, David Jenkins managed to start a successful guild where nobody knew their organization was being led by children. ~Strider]

Man, looking up photos for this blog post hit me with all kinds of feels and nostalgia. Above all else, man... Phantasy Star Online (Episode I and II) was a great-ass game. Maybe that's just ten-year-old David talking, but who knows. I just know I have such vivid and happy memories of PSO that I'll never soon forget. When I saw this month's topic for the cblogs, I knew I had to bring up PSO. I discovered Phantasy Star at an extremely pivotal moment in my life. I didn't have a lot of friends growing up and didn't care much for talking to people unless it was about Pokémon. As a kid, I always wanted to be someone else. I wanted to be someone cooler... someone who other people saw as an inspiration.

Initiation station: Is this real life or is this just Phantasy Star Online? screenshot

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Heihachi looks ridiculous in his new Tekken 7 outfit

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 10:30 AM PDT

The Tekken series is still alive and well with the seventh iteration in Japanese arcades, alongside of the upcoming Fated Retribution update that will bring in some new content in addition to the obvious party crashing by Akuma.

News is starting to trickle in regarding just what Retribution will entail, and that includes tis silly feudal-inspired costume for the Mishima patriarch Heihachi. Get a look at the outfit in the gallery below, which also provides a few extra screens of Akuma.

Tekken 7: Fated Retribution will come to the PS4 at some point this year, but it currently does not have a set release date.

Tekken [Tekken Official via Shoryuken]

Heihachi looks ridiculous in his new Tekken 7 outfit screenshot

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Here are 16 minutes of Nathan Drake climbing, collecting, and killing in Uncharted 4

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 10:00 AM PDT

Nathan Drake is a man who knows what he likes. Or, at least, he knows what he's good at. Among the ranks of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft as The World's Most Interesting Archaeologists, Drake climbs and kills in order to collect.

So, it should come as a given that in Uncharted 4, Drake won't shake things up too much. We see that in this 16-minute video. There's some off-roading and on-topic banter, but that eventually subsides in favor of climbing, killing, and collecting.

Sometimes Drake climbs to collect; sometimes he climbs to kill. When Uncharted 4 releases on May 10, remember the ABCs of Drake: Always Be Climbin'.

Here are 16 minutes of Nathan Drake climbing, collecting, and killing in Uncharted 4 screenshot

Nioh is getting a demo this month on PS4

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 09:30 AM PDT

Nioh might still be months away, but Koei Tecmo is helping to curb the wait with an "Alpha Demo," that will arrive this month that, much like the game, will be exclusive to PS4. The demo itself will only be live from April 26 to May 5, and developer Team Ninja will use the feedback given to shape the final version, and will hold an online survey for players to participate in.

Tipping off the "Alpha" moniker right away is a good idea, that way they can deflect from a lot of the criticisms it may get as a rough build. Either way I'm looking forward to seeing if they nail the atmosphere, since this is one of the first times (if the very first) that Nioh is playable by the general public and the press alike.

Nioh Launching 2016 on PS4, Demo Out This Month [PlayStation Blog]

Nioh is getting a demo this month on PS4 screenshot

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Would you spend over 12 hours trying to beat a Mario level?

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 09:00 AM PDT

I like difficult games as much as the next guy, but I draw the line at trying to best every "insane!" Super Mario Maker level known to man.

But given the massive sales it's seen, there's always going to be at least one person in the entire world that answers the call, and that's just what ReflectvistFox did with a 0% completion level titled "POWer Shell," created by imthe666st.

Fox notes that they spent somewhere in the neighborhood of "over 12 hours" beating the level. More power to you, Fox!

Would you spend over 12 hours trying to beat a Mario level? screenshot

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Review: Hyper Light Drifter

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 08:30 AM PDT

The post-apocalypse is the new WWII -- the overused, thoroughly played-out, exhausted setting that too many games and movies muck around in. We've seen it all: zombies, mutants, raiders, and hell, even dinosaurs. It's hard to make the end of the world interesting again. But, Hyper Light Drifter manages to find a way.

Set on just the wrong side of an apocalyptic event, it brings beauty, style, and mood to the end of the world. A longing vision of the end times through the lens of idealized 8- and 16-bit games. A kind of heartbreaking sting that is at once nostalgic and completely new. The end of Hyper Light Drifter's world is more than interesting, it's downright captivating.

Review: Hyper Light Drifter screenshot

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Podtoid 332: Quantum Break Special

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 08:00 AM PDT

Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or download it here.

It's the eve of the release of Remedy's new action shooter Quantum Break. That's important for two reasons. First, Remedy notably takes its time with its projects, meaning that there's usually a long wait between games. But, more excitingly, Quantum Break is a very good game.

Our review went up last Friday, and I scored it an 8.5. However, I wasn't the only one on staff playing. Jordan and Steven did too, so we got together to record a special edition of Podtoid -- one dedicated entirely to Quantum Break.

Round up the family and gather 'round the fireplace. Tune your internet radio knobs to Podtoid, and listen as we regale you with thoughts about why Quantum Break is worth your time.

Podtoid 332: Quantum Break Special screenshot

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Quantum Pilot should be called 'Stop Hitting Yourself: The Game'

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 07:30 AM PDT

I love all of the quirky, experimental games being released on itch.io these days. Quantum Pilot looks like a simplistic shmup in the style of Galaga and other classics, but instead of shooting down waves of alien buzz-bombers, you're up against past versions of yourself that stack on top of each other. What starts as a few stray shots soon becomes a bullet-hell nightmare as your previous runs overlap and wind around themselves.  

Quantum Pilot should be called 'Stop Hitting Yourself: The Game' screenshot

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Doom's multiplayer is good, but it could be great

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 07:00 AM PDT

I was completely disinterested in the upcoming Doom reboot until that trailer came out showcasing some of the new modes, at which point I got hyped. Over the weekend, I finally got to get some time with multiplayer beta on the Xbox One version of the game and now I'm left with mixed feelings as Doom's multiplayer is good, but it could be great.

Doom's multiplayer is good, but it could be great screenshot

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Donald Trump tweeted a weird Mass Effect campaign video, because Donald Trump will tweet anything

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 06:45 AM PDT

Donald Trump, American politician and Very Rich Man, is either highly esteemed or vehemently hated depending on what corners of the internet you frequent. Some people like the man who birds love; others fancy The Zodiac Killer. But, the Trumpet has garnered ever-increasing support, and it's not so crazy to think that he may wind up as the next POTUS.

Regardless of anyone's personal opinion of him, it's well-known by now that Trump has an inclination to tweet anything that he perceives as an endorsement. That's how Gawker got Trump to tweet a quote from Benito Mussolini. He's not so discerning in his social media ways.

What does this have to do with video games? Not much! This morning, however, Trump tweeted a video that uses music and quotes from Mass Effect. It's called "The Trump Effect." Two things tenuously tied together to no real impressive effect. That time someone mashed It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's "Dayman" onto the Batman v Superman trailer was way better.

But, Hillary's a dog! HAAAA!

Donald Trump tweeted a weird Mass Effect campaign video, because Donald Trump will tweet anything screenshot

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Breaking: There are butts in Dark Souls III

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 06:30 AM PDT

I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to spoil Dark Souls III for myself. But some things are just too exciting to ignore, and this is one of them.

There are butts in Dark Souls III.

Breaking: There are butts in Dark Souls III screenshot

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Pokken Tournament update tunes down Shadow Mewtwo

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 06:00 AM PDT

Pokkén Tournament is a pretty fun little fighter, but Bandai Namco is keen on tweaking it a bit based on player feedback, as evidenced by a new upcoming patch.

For starters, Shadow Mewtwo will be toned down, mostly removing his infinite combos. "Various bugs" are also going to be addressed, and Reshiram, one of the most commonly complained about supports, will be altered.

No DLC is planned for the game, and if it doesn't sell like gangbusters there likely won't even be a chance for it.

Pokken Tournament [Serebii]

Pokken Tournament update tunes down Shadow Mewtwo screenshot

European Amazon's got a huge PC gaming sale going on this week

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 05:30 AM PDT

Were you looking at upgrading your gaming setup? If you were, this week might be the perfect week to do it, because Amazon Europe is running a huge sale on various bits of gaming tech, starting today (April 4) and ending on April 10.

Computers, controllers, monitors, mice, keyboards, soundcards, and all sorts of PC components are on pretty hefty discounts at the moment. There’s even “gaming snacks”, whatever they hell they are... Space Raiders, I guess?

You can find the sale over on Amazon’s hub page. There’s a quite a lot of stuff we’ve reviewed in there as well, so be sure to give them a peruse before you decide to grab anything!

European Amazon's got a huge PC gaming sale going on this week screenshot

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Review: the Sequence

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 05:00 AM PDT

Computer programming is a lot like a puzzle. An individual program has a main goal to accomplish, and getting there requires a set of pieces executed in a particular order. It takes a certain part of the brain to think ahead, put everything into place, and have it work as intended.

That's the kind of thing the Sequence does. A handful of modules with simple effects replace the if-then statements and for loops, but the thinking is the same. Don't just get the ball to its hole; build a machine that will move it and every subsequent ball to the goal for as long as the program runs.

Review: the Sequence screenshot

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Wario Land: Shake It! is coming to the Wii U this week

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:30 AM PDT

Wario Land: Shake It! is a really underrated game that doesn't get talked about nearly enough. Hell, you could probably levy that same complaint against the Wario series as a whole, but I digress.

For those of you who enjoy great platforming experiences with a beautiful art style to boot, Shake It! is heading to Wii U this week in Europe under its localized moniker Shake it! Wario Land: The Shake Dimension.

We've reached out to see if Nintendo of America has similar plans, but I sincerely hope that's the case.

Nintendo of Europe [Twitter]

Wario Land: Shake It! is coming to the Wii U this week screenshot

Rumor: Nintendo DS carts going out of production worldwide

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:00 AM PDT

[Update: The tweet has since been removed, but this lines up with the announcement from Nintendo that the original DS model will no longer be serviced starting April 30.]

The Nintendo DS came out in 2004 do you feel old yet?, and Nintendo has been pumping out DS carts ever since. Until now, that is, according to retailer Video Games Plus.

A recent tweet from the company claims that Nintendo has "discontinued production of DS carts worldwide," quickly noting that they have "exclusive restocks" coming soon. While this could easily just be a marketing ploy for a surge in sales, we reached out to Nintendo directly to see what the deal is.

I mean, it makes perfect sense, especially if sales for original DS hardware and software have bottomed out due to the mobile industry over the years. The next era of Nintendo portables is likely already in production anyway.

VGP [Twitter] 

Rumor: Nintendo DS carts going out of production worldwide screenshot

Learn why Raiden was an effective lead in Metal Gear Solid 2

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:30 AM PDT

Did You Know Gaming's newest video deals with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and hot damn is it an interesting one. It goes over everything from the commitment to realism, to the ending, to the soundtrack, to content that ended up on the cutting room floor.

Sons of Liberty got some undue hate from fans at the time because "you did not always play as Snake," but it was a fantastic, trendsetting release that still resonates with me this day. This video perfectly encapsulates why that is.

Learn why Raiden was an effective lead in Metal Gear Solid 2 screenshot

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Square Enix 'might' make more Final Fantasy XV Ultimate Editions

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:00 AM PDT

After a decade of waiting since its unveiling as Final Fantasy Versus XIII in 2006, we actually got a ton of news relating to Final Fantasy XV last week. There's going to be an anime series and film, there's a second demo out right now, a pinball spinoff exists, and the game is coming in September.

But sadly, those who wanted an Ultimate Collector's Edition of the game were basically left in the wind, as it sold out mere minutes after going on sale. The game's director Hajime Tabata has some news on that front, saying that he is "truly grateful" for this fans, and that although the pre-orders "vanished in a flash," that the publisher would try to "somehow" increase production, with an official announcement to be made if there's any progress.

It's weird to see Square Enix in such demand given that Nintendo is usually the one with the "sold out in minutes" merchandise, but then again, that's what you get when you make fans wait 10 years for something -- they're going to want it!

Final Fantasy [Twitter via Siliconera]

Square Enix 'might' make more Final Fantasy XV Ultimate Editions screenshot

Review: Tilt Brush

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:00 AM PDT

I have never had any artistic ability; I am more of a wordsmith than a visual creator. Something about taking in 3D data with my eyes, processing that down to a 2D image, then getting my hands to replicate that onto a screen or sheet of paper just doesn't work well.

Tilt Brush, a 3D art program that releases for free with the HTC Vive this week, made me feel like I could finally create art. Sculpting in three dimensions, altering my view, and getting up close and personal allowed me to make some beautiful creations.

It's just a shame I looked like a crazy person while I did it.

Review: Tilt Brush screenshot

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Review: Virtual Desktop VR

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 01:00 AM PDT

Without a doubt, this non-gaming software has been the killer app for me during the launch of the VR revolution.

Virtual Desktop (not to be confused with the identically named Windows utility) is a Steam (and Oculus Home) app that takes your standard Windows desktop and fully drops it into VR. From emulated home theatre setups to giant floating curved monitors in space, Virtual Desktop has become a huge part of my day-to-day VR usage.

That's partially due to the fact that I wrote this whole review while atop a mountain at sunrise. The fact I could not see my physical keyboard didn't stop me from being able to work efficiently from within VR.

Review: Virtual Desktop VR screenshot

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Review: HTC Vive

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 12:00 AM PDT

[While a retail HTC Vive headset was due to be provided by HTC for testing, this unfortunately did not arrive before the retail launch of the device. Our review is based on extensive time with a Vive Pre, the development version of the headset, loaned by a third party in order to ensure our review was timely. I additionally put eight hours of use into a retail headset in the week before launch, but this access was not provided by HTC. This review is based on a combination of Pre and Retail hardware acess.]

The first time I tried out the HTC Vive back at EGX 2015, I was absolutely blown away by the leap in gaming technology it presented. I spent half an hour painting in thin air, helping land aircraft safely, reeling back from stunningly high drops and not caring that I looked like an idiot to the rest of the world. I lost track of where and when I was, instead focusing on a new kind of immersive gaming experience.

The first shock came when I had to take the headset off and remind myself everything had been virtual. The second shock came when I tried to imagine making this work in my own home.

Six months later, I finally have an HTC Vive in the Destructoid UK offices. While I maintain that the Vive presents a huge leap forward in gaming and general PC usage, the truth remains that space is going to be a big factor at play for many gamers. If you've got limited space to play, you're going to notice some of the most interesting Vive experiences being held tantalisingly just out of your reach.

Review: HTC Vive screenshot

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Review: Dark Souls III

Posted: 03 Apr 2016 11:00 PM PDT

It's safe to say that some people have been experiencing Souls fatigue. I mean, in the last two years, if you count a remake, there have been three retail Souls games (Dark Souls II, Scholar, and Bloodborne), on top of four DLC packs, and a mobile cash-in.

Watching this craze unfold as a King's Field fan, when the general public barely knew what From Software even was, has been quite a ride. It may have something to do with the fact that Dark Souls III might be the last game in the series, but Bandai Namco is also going overboard with promotion, restricting press from streaming certain sections of the game, while allowing popular streamers to show everything -- leading to spoilers almost a month before the retail release.

Against the odds, From Software has pulled through and delivered another masterpiece, despite some over-reliance on nostalgia.

Review: Dark Souls III screenshot

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