Friday, July 26, 2013

MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News


Heroes War Coming Soon, Pre-Registration Begins

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Heroes War Coming Soon, Pre-Registration Begins


If you are seeking for a new turn-based RPG well, don't miss out Heroes War, which is coming to iOS and Android, Register in Advance! July 25th ~ July 31st

Firefall Unveiled New Trailer to Unlock The Melding at Gamescom

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Firefall Unveiled New Trailer to Unlock The Melding at Gamescom


A cool new Firefall gameplay trailer is released by Red 5 Studio announcing that fans can join the Red 5 tribe at Gamescom 2013 in Cologne, Germany, where they'll reveal Firefall's new milestone and events.

Terra Monsters, A Pokemon-style Adventure Game, Coming Soon

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Terra Monsters, A Pokemon-style Adventure Game, Coming Soon


Solve the mysteries of the vast open world of Terrarium with the upcoming Pokemon-style adventure Terra Monsters, which is coming to iOS and Android in July

ChinaJoy 2013: Dragon Nest Assassin and His Girlfriend Cosplay

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ChinaJoy 2013: Dragon Nest Assassin and His Girlfriend Cosplay


The imagse are from ChinaJoy 2013. Dragon Nest new class Assassin and his girlfriend cosplay show.

Eudemons: Dawn of Romance to Arrive on July 31st!

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Eudemons: Dawn of Romance to Arrive on July 31st!


Everything has an end, but Eudemons will never stop bringing the fans brand-new adventures! This summer, Eudemons Online is set to release a new expansion called the `Dawn of Romance`, in order to surprise the people who have fought with their friends, legion, and family members over these long 7 years!

Zereca's Plot: Land of Wailing Update Is Coming to AIKA Online

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Zereca's Plot: Land of Wailing Update Is Coming to AIKA Online


The upcoming patch update: Zereca's Plot: Land of Wailing is coming to AIKA Online this August, players have brand new content and features to explore and enjoy. Now check out the update content below.

By Women, For Women - Everlove Coming in August

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By Women, For Women - Everlove Coming in August


Everlove will release for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Android in August with versions for PC and Mac to follow, With a focus on storytelling, character interaction, and lite HOG elements

Difference between NEXMOON and the Competitors

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Difference between NEXMOON and the Competitors


NEXMOON Inc. had the official kick-off of its global marketing services specialized in the game industry, with the headquarter in Seoul, South Korea.

Golem Arcana Coming to Kickstarter Early August

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Golem Arcana Coming to Kickstarter Early August


Harebrained Schemes is preparing to launch a Kickstarter for its next big thing – Golem Arcana, which is a tabletop tactics title, but it uses tablets paired with a wand and smart miniatures to partially automate the game via software

League of Legends Olaf Rework: Another Big Update

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League of Legends Olaf Rework: Another Big Update


It has been sometime since Riot revealed Olaf Changes v1.0 last time. Some may doubt if Riot has forgotten Olaf stuffs and is busy working on something else? The answer is no. Today, Riot's SmashGizmo releases Olaf Changes v1.1 for us

Conquer Online Launches Jiang Hu: The Chaotic Age Expansion

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Conquer Online Launches Jiang Hu: The Chaotic Age Expansion


The eagerly awaited expansion for 2013, "Jiang Hu: The Chaotic Age", is finally making its debut on July 25th. As the biggest expansion this year for Conquer Online, it brings several new concepts that is sure to raise eyebrows in the F2P world.

CN WoW Special: Real Mists of Pandaria Mooncake?

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CN WoW Special: Real Mists of Pandaria Mooncake?


Since Chinese traditional festival Mid-Autumn Festival is on the way, maybe for showing how World of Warcraft has blended in with the Chinese culture, CN official decided to release one more special product - Mooncake to players after they launched Mists of Pandaria Mahjong in this May.

ChinaJoy 2013: Dungeon Striker Gameplay Demo

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ChinaJoy 2013: Dungeon Striker Gameplay Demo


ChinaJoy 2013 is now in full swing, lots of amazing new games are showing off their game demos. Here we find a live demo of the 3D Korean MMORPG Dungeon Striker from Shanda Games which provides the 3-minute demo from the nine classes.

LoL PBE Patch for July 24: Vayne and Lucian Nerfed

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LoL PBE Patch for July 24: Vayne and Lucian Nerfed


Vayne is one the most powerful AD in the latest version. And Lucian's ultimate is also op with tons of ap damage. So Riot is gonna nerf them.

ChinaJoy 2013 Live: Showgirl Episode One

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ChinaJoy 2013 Live: Showgirl Episode One


I guess you guys have ChinaJoy 2013 Live: Showgirl in White, but it is only a tip of the iceberg.

ChinaJoy 2013 Live: Showgirl in White

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ChinaJoy 2013 Live: Showgirl in White


ChinaJoy is now being carried out in full swing in Shanghai, China. Heads up: I was there to witness the first day of this grand game festival, and I have to point out that I saw hundreds of showgirls. Words are enough, and it is showgirl time.

ChinaJoy 2013: Eye-Catching Show Girls from Youzu.com

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ChinaJoy 2013: Eye-Catching Show Girls from Youzu.com


Today the annual game festival ChinaJoy opens grandly at Shanghai New International Expo Center. When the exhibition just started, 45 charming and eye-catching showgirls from Youzu.com appeared on the stage with a crowd of gamers screaming. Enjoy the show below~

ArcheAge Impressive Fan-made Video "The Black Storm Empire"

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ArcheAge Impressive Fan-made Video


ArcheAge Korean guild recently unveiled an amazing fan-made expedition video named The Black Storm Empire, it is as cool as the game trailer, enjoy the show!

Top 5 things I like about TERA

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Top 5 things I like about TERA


This is pretty much a given for the best thing about TERA. The action style combat puts skill directly into the hands of the player. Everything that you do, wether it be a failure or success, entirely depends on your timing, your positioning and most especially your awareness.

MMORPG Reviews

MMORPG Reviews


New Firefall Gameplay Trailer

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 09:38 AM PDT

Red 5 Studios has just announced that Firefall will be featured at Gamescom 2013 in Cologne, Germany. Accompanying this announcement, a brand new gameplay trailer has been released, revealing dynamic events, combat rewards and more. “Firefall has come a long way since Gamescom 2012, and we are excited for our fans and new players to [...]

The post New Firefall Gameplay Trailer appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

Conquer Online receives expansion: Jiang Hu – The Chaotic Age

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 09:18 AM PDT

Netdragon has just made the newest expansion of Conquer Online available for download. “Jiang Hu: The Chaotic Age” brings new PvP gameplay and the unique Skill Soul system. With this expansion, players can aprticipate in a brand new PK mode that has been introduced. “Jiang Hu Mode” provides a structure that classifies players by their [...]

The post Conquer Online receives expansion: Jiang Hu – The Chaotic Age appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

RF Online receives Big Summer Update

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 08:14 AM PDT

OnNet Europe GmbH has just announced the Big Summer Update for its fantasy MMO RF Online 1.5. To celebrate the update, several in-game events are held, including rewards for new and returning players, a Cash Shop Lottery, and a 20% discount on all items from the RF Online Cash Shop. While the war between the three [...]

The post RF Online receives Big Summer Update appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

New Horror Shooter MMO announced: F.E.A.R. Online

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 06:27 AM PDT

Aeria Games has just announced the distribution of F.E.A.R. Online, a brand-new installment in the popular horror FPS series developed by Korean company Inplay Interactive. The upcoming free-to-play title is preparing for closed beta testing for which players can alreday sign up. F.E.A.R. Online promises to deliver hardcore multiplayer shooting action while driving forward the dark and ominous [...]

The post New Horror Shooter MMO announced: F.E.A.R. Online appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

MapleStory Offers a New Job

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 03:53 AM PDT

Nexon has announced the addition of the fierce Demon Avenger to its famous 2D side-scrolling MMORPG, MapleStory. A branch job of the Demon Slayer, the Demon Avenger wields his Desperado Sword to deal serious damage while warding off enemies with his Demon Aegis Shield. MapleStory players may now experience the ferocity of the Demon Avenger's [...]

The post MapleStory Offers a New Job appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

New Weapon for Vindictus

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 02:59 AM PDT

Nexon continues its summer updates for its action-packed MMO Vindictus by adding an all-new weapon for Vella: the Twin Chain Blades. Available from Level 8 onwards, this fierce new armament combines the razor-sharp edge of a sword with the range of a projectile and the fluidity of a whip. The Chain Blades are perfect for incapacitating [...]

The post New Weapon for Vindictus appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

Giveaway: Gift Packs for Conquer Online

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 02:00 AM PDT

Today, we’re teaming up with NetDragon, publisher of Conquer Online, to celebrate the release of the game’s latest expansion “Jing Hu” and offer you exclusive gift packs. With the new expansion Jiang Hu now available, players may now join a new PVP world and experience a unique chaotic age in Conquer Online. The game has a straightforward [...]

The post Giveaway: Gift Packs for Conquer Online appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

MMORPG Videos

MMORPG Videos


Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn: Dungeon Crawl, Part 1

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 08:01 PM PDT

From the dark recesses of Tam-Tara Deepcroft to the wilds of Brayflox's Longstop, take a tour of the lower level dungeons found in FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn.

MapleStory: Demon Avenger

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 04:42 AM PDT

The Demon Avenger is the latest playable character class to be released in MapleStory. To celebrate the character's release, the team has sent out a new video to show off hwo the Demon Avenger wields his Desperado Sword and Demon Aegis Shield to ward off enemies and deal serious damage.

SMITE: God Reveal - Chang'e, Faerie of The Moon

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 02:50 PM PDT

SMITE is an online battleground between gods that is free-to-play and currently in Beta. You can play today by downloading the game from: http://www.smitegame.com SMITE is similar to DoTA gameplay but instead of being above the action you are IN the action. Close third-person camera instead of RTS view. Move with WASD instead of clicking on a map. Detailed graphics and visual effects. ACTION combat, dodging, and aiming. Everything is a skill-shot. Free-to-Play but not pay-to-win.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

New Games

New Games


Sony handing out PS4 dev kit loaners 'like candy'

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT

Sony has been making phenomenal inroads with the indie community in recent years, supporting all sorts of small, neat games. With the indie focus at E3, from announcing free PS4 indie games via PlayStation Plus along with DriveClub, to the prominent Hohokum set ups in the PS4 section of Sony's booth, the company is courting indie developers as strongly as ever by making the process as easy as possible. 

According to Polygon, talking to various development sources, a PS4 development kit costs about $2,500. However, Sony isn't selling them; rather, it is loaning them out, as noted on Sony's simple "Become a Registered Developer" website. "All the indies I know got them for free," one developer said. "Sony has been amazing about kits and development thus far." Another developer said, "They are handing them out like candy."

Meanwhile, Microsoft recently flip-flopped again and is wisely allowing self-publishing on the Xbox One. Speaking to Polygon, one developer said their would be a fee for self-publishing on the One, but Microsoft has yet to reveal details about the process, saving them for its gamescom presentation. Of course, there was the reveal that any Xbox One could be used as a dev kit, but we're still awaiting details on how that happens, as well as when.

Seems Sony still has the lead on indie developers supporting its new system with games while Micrsoft keeps reversing policies to play catch up. Of course the support Sony has given small developers in recent years also helps the relationships while more and more teams swear off Xbox Live Arcade. Hopefully Microsoft is learning from the bridges its burnt.

So how much does it cost to develop for PlayStation 4? [Polygon]

Sony handing out PS4 dev kit loaners 'like candy' screenshot

Why does it have to be about race?

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 03:00 PM PDT

[Dtoid community blogger BrothaDom shares some thoughts on race in videogames and videogame culture. Want to see your own words appear on the front page? Go write something! --Mr Andy Dixon]

The other morning, I woke up to a group of tweets from Phil Fish, a French Canadian game designer. (He made Fez; it's pretty popular.) It shocked me at first, because I don't know much about his views on anything, other than that he is outspoken. He started out with commenting on the Zimmerman trial. Whatever, everyone has an opinion on that, but it's always cool to see guys like Phil Fish talking about non-gaming issues. (At least to me.) But then it took a turn that I hadn't expected.

"Name one famous black game developer GO." It was a simple tweet, but one that carried some intention that I hadn't expected from Mr. Fish. The replies were rather predictable I'd say. A couple names were brought up, but the consensus was Derek Smart. I'd personally never heard of him, but maybe that should be a "shame on me" sort of thing. Auriea Harvey came up as well when it was questioned if any black women were well-known. Again, a "shame on me"-type thing for not knowing. But the predictability continued with a few jokes, nothing offensive, but the eventual "race, gender, skin color, etc. shouldn't matter, only the quality of games should matter" type comment came up.

Why does it have to be about race? screenshot

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Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII OST on four discs

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 02:00 PM PDT

Square Enix is super serious about the Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack. I've never seen so much activity in terms of pre-releasing singles from a game as they've done three times now with "The Savior," "Crimson Blitz," and "Lightning Returns," which are all available on iTunes, with streaming samples via the soundtrack's official website.

We now have a release date for the physical four-disc soundtrack in Japan: November 21, 2013 for 3,800 Yen ($38). It's available for pre-order at CD Japan, with first-press editions coming with a code for an in-game item (not sure if it'll work outside of Japan).

Final Fantasy XIII-2 had an amazing soundtrack (my favorite of 2011), so I'm greatly looking forward to what Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Mitsuto Suzuki are able to put out this time around.

Any fellow fans of the Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2 soundtracks out there looking forward to this one? 

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII OST on four discs screenshot

Spike Chunsoft pops out new Conception 2 trailer

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 01:30 PM PDT

Spike Chunsoft has given birth to a lengthy new trailer for its upcoming role-playing game, Conception 2. The footage showcases the title's fundamental systems and in addition to portions of its animated opening.

The dungeon crawler also has a new demo on the horizon. A second trial version of the game is coming to PlayStation Network and the Nintendo eShop in Japan on August 8. Conception 2 will release shortly thereafter for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita on August 22. Spike Chunsoft has yet to announce plans for an international release at this time.

Spike Chunsoft pops out new Conception 2 trailer screenshot

You can now watch Indie Game: The Movie Special Edition

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 01:00 PM PDT

The special edition of Indie Game: The Movie came out this week. A follow-up to the documentary about the work that went into Fez, Braid, and Super Meat Boy, this package includes over 100 minutes of additional footage in the form of epilogues and other one-off videos. Digitally, it's 14.99, or $4.99 to upgrade if you're an existing customer.

The new footage covers Phil Fish and his infamous comment about modern Japanese game design, what Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes have come to learn about the Internet, a behind-the-scenes look at the art of Braid with David Hellman, an explanation of Spelunky's procedurally-generated levels, and more. In short, it's a bunch of smaller pieces that go beyond the movie's core cast while also giving closure for that group. Spoiler: things turned out okay.

If you've not yet seen the documentary itself, I'd say that's definitely worth the purchase -- or at least the time investment required, if you have a Netflix account. As for the special edition, at five bucks, I'm happy with the purchase. But then again, I loved Indie Game. Personally, this was money well spent for the new Team Meat commentary alone. Yes, there's another one!

You can now watch Indie Game: The Movie Special Edition screenshot

More details on the Mega Man Legends 3 cancellation

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 12:45 PM PDT

It was a little more than two years ago now that grumblings turned to reality with the cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3. The reasons for the game's abrupt demise were never fully explained, but now that the dust has sort of settled, Capcom-Unity's GregaMan has a "recap of things we've already expressed in one form or another" regarding what went into the game's cancellation. He says it's all old information and perspectives, but a lot of it was new to me. Here area  few highlights.

"Remember that Legends 3 was essentially a 10-year-late sequel to a sequel to a spin-off, that had middling success even back when it was one of the only games of its kind--before 3D Action-Adventure was an established genre, if you can even remember that far back. And consider its place within the greater Mega Man brand.

If you thought DmC was a deviation from the Devil May Cry brand, remember that MML (MmL?) changed virtually everything you could possibly change about Mega Man. Even I remember scoffing at the sight of it until I got my hands on it and realized it stood on its own merits. Then consider that the game was destined for a platform that didn't even exist yet in the wild. All that isn't to say MML3 was a "bad" project--it was just weird. But MML has always been a passion project, not a cash cow. Hence the Devroom angle."

Pretty honest and insightful stuff, an there's a lot more where that came from. Read on for more selected quotes an a short rebuttal to follow.

Capcom further explains why Mega Man Legends 3 was canned [Gonintendo, via Capcom-Unity]

More details on the Mega Man Legends 3 cancellation screenshot

Read more...

Fight cancer with giant mechs

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 12:30 PM PDT

MechWarrior Online, the delightfully complex competitive mech pilot sim, is currently selling "Sarah's Mech." The mech is named in honor of five-year-old Sarah Marie Alida Parries who played MechWarrior Online with her father and recently died following a battle with cancer.

Sarah's Mech is a custom Jenner, Sarah's favorite mech. So far, according to the ticker on the website, $49,130 has been raised for the Canadian Cancer Society, which receives 100% of the proceeds. 

President of Infinite Game Publishing Kelly Zmak said, "Sarah touched the hearts of everyone at IGP. We’re extremely grateful for the opportunity to do something in her honor. Thank you to the Parries for working with us to make this a possibility, and our utmost gratitude to our community for supporting this endeavor."

Sarah's Mech will be available for purchase until August 20.

Fight cancer with giant mechs screenshot

Ridiculous Fishing update: Custom music option, new items

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT

Vlambeer has rolled out a new version of Ridiculous Fishing for iPhone and iPad, and I think you're going to love one of the changes in particular: the newly-introduced knife lets you cut your line, meaning you can restart an attempt if things don't look promising. Total time saver!

Also included in the update are bug fixes, new patterns and fish for the Maelstrom -- including Friend Fishes that are tied into Game Center and will show up at depths your friends have reached in their game -- and the option to use custom music. I'll not even bother asking why you'd want to turn off the soundtrack. Good changes all around, though.

Ridiculous Fishing update: Custom music option, new items screenshot

Cat stunts! The secret sauce in Video Game High School 2

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 11:30 AM PDT

In May 2011, independent film studio Rocket Jump launched Video Game High School, a web series about a talented FPS player and his struggle to fit in the videogame equivalent to Harry Potter's Hogwarts. Now with over 55 million total views under its belt, the show enters its second season with increased fervor.

Season 1 was an experiment for the creative team, who had up until then had been more accustomed to shooting bite-sized YouTube videos. The movie-like pacing meant that the show kept a narrow focus on the exploits of protagonist Brian D and his FPS matches. Thanks some fresh new ideas, a larger budget, a stable of pre-established characters, Season 2 will hopefully address all those hiccups and realize the series' full potential.

To commemorate the start of the new season, I'd like to share some insight into its development. I was recently able to hang out with a roomful of cast and crew, including Freddie Wong (VGHS co-creator), Josh Blaylock (BrianD), Johanna Braddy (Jenny Matrix), Ellary Porterfield (Ki Swan), Jimmy Wong (Ted Wong), Benji Dolly (Games Dean), and Chase Williamson (Shane Pizza). We discussed the show's ambitions, the new changes for the season, and stunts cats.

Cat stunts! The secret sauce in Video Game High School 2 screenshot

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I spy some Super Mario Bros. world 1-1 in Disney Infinity

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 11:00 AM PDT

The Toy Box is one of the coolest things about Disney Infinity. That may sound like kids stuff, but you'll turn into a kid yourself when you see how powerful the creation tools are. In Toy Box, you'll have access to all the characters, settings, and props you'd ever need, and you can use them to create your own games within the game. The logic tools are simple but powerful, and they let you make games like the ones you'll see in this video.

There's everything from football to racing in here. Check out 0:53 in the video and you'll see Infinity's version of Super Mario Bros. world 1-1 in action. It's kind of cheating to reach the top of the flagpole as Buzz Lightyear, though. At 1:15 you'll see something that reminds me of Pilotwings. Runners, top-down racers, shooters -- just about anything you can think up.

Does Toy Box seem like something you'd like to play with?

I spy some Super Mario Bros. world 1-1 in Disney Infinity screenshot

Rad Show and Gentlemen's Club are teaming up on Dtoid.tv

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 10:37 AM PDT

Instead of your usual Mash Tactics show, two of our craziest shows on Dtoid.tv are uniting for a once in a lifetime crossover event. In an event that has been compared to the Jetsons meet the Flintstones Johnny Luchador and his delightful wife Mrs. Luchador will be on location with the hosts of the Gentlemen's Club, Phil and me.

Things are going to be insane so get over to Dtoid.tv and catch the action!

Rad Show and Gentlemen's Club are teaming up on Dtoid.tv screenshot

Review: Face Noir

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT

I was on my second whisky when she walked into my office. With legs that went up to her neck, and ruby-red lips that were completely out of sync with her voice, I knew she'd be trouble. She wanted me to review her, and I was just about drunk enough to take her up on that offer. Her name was Face Noir.

Okay, so I'm not going to be the next Raymond Chandler. But the pulpy depression-era detective yarn spun in Face Noir is such an earnest attempt to recreate the tales of Chandler's Philip Marlowe and Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade that it's hard not get caught up in the world of the hardboiled private detective. 

An unrepentant love letter to the genre, Italian studio Mad Orange's sepia-toned point-and-click adventure game revels in its status as an homage, and it immediately draws comparisons to the fiction that it apes. Lamentably, it's hampered by a poorly-implemented engine, hideous character models, questionable design decisions, and a slew of translation problems. So why, with all these frustrating issues, do I still find myself a wee bit enamoured with it?

Review: Face Noir screenshot

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Shadow of the Eternals returns with David Hayter

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 09:30 AM PDT

Precursor Games is trying to crowdfund Shadow of the Eternals once again following a failed Kickstarter campaign earlier this year. With a lower budget, a refined pitch, and Solid Snake himself David Hayter lending his voice, will it be enough? That's for people like you to decide.

Most notably, this is an eight- to ten-hour "complete experience" for PC and Wii U as opposed to a series of episodic releases. That alone makes this project much easier to get behind. Precursor is also taking community-created content really seriously which, sure, that's neat for folks who want to get involved. If the studio is able to rake in more money than the current target, a PlayStation 4 release of Shadow of the Eternals will be on the cards. Business as usual.

Shadow of the Eternals returns with David Hayter screenshot

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Summer Games Done Quick is back with more speedruns

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 09:00 AM PDT

Speed Demos Archive puts on some great livestreams of speedruns, as I came to realize far too late into the last marathon. I'm heading into the latest event, Summer Games Done Quick 2013, bright and early -- you should join me! It's for a good cause, too: the five-day stream is raising money for Doctors Without Borders, a very worthy organization.

Beyond playing through a bunch of different games ranging from absolute classics to more modern favorites in ways that will have you rethinking everything you know and love, there's often quality commentary to keep you in the loop on whatever insanity is happening on-screen. If you've ever wondered how some of us could possibly enjoy watching other folks play games, speedruns might be the missing link for you. The full schedule can be found over here.

Summer Games Done Quick is back with more speedruns screenshot

PlayStation Vita gains momentum with European devs

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 08:30 AM PDT

Buyer's remorse is a term I often hear associated with the PlayStation Vita, and while I may not necessarily share that feeling, it seems prevalent enough to note, and rightfully so. Since its launch, the platform has faced struggling sales, strong competition and a surprisingly slow adoption rate among major developers. Despite this, Sony has pledged to continue support for their latest handheld, and following the results of a recent GDC survey, that support may have paid off.

With GDC Europe right around the corner, conference officials conducted a survey of over 300 industry professionals in an attempt to gauge the state of the European games industry. While the survey revealed its fair share of interesting tidbits, a few statistics caught our eye. Only 2% of European developers have released a game for the PlayStation Vita however, 6% are currently working on a title and 9% have expressed interest.

It's slow growth, but growth nonetheless, and while these numbers may seem low -- because really, they are -- what may surprise you more is that the Nintendo 3DS polled even lower in each category. Keep in mind that these results don't reflect the state of industry for North America, or Asia for that matter.

PlayStation Vita gains momentum with European devs screenshot

Warner Bros. is publishing The Witcher 3 in North America

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT

The Witcher series has had its fair share of publishers, with Atari, Namco Bandai, and Spike Chunsoft handling distribution in various regions. For The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment took on that responsibility in Australia. The publisher has now secured The Witcher 3 for North America and will handle distribution and promotion of the anticipated open-world RPG.

Calling Warner Bros. "an extremely valuable partner for us because of their experience and established position on the American market," CD Projekt president Adam Kicinski said that the partnership was "crucial to CD Projekt's further rapid development." Seems like they made the right choice; there are certainly far worse publishers out there.

Warner Bros. is publishing The Witcher 3 in North America screenshot

Xbox One's Achievements designed to evolve with games

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 07:30 AM PDT

One of the biggest changes to the Achievement system in the transition from Xbox 360 to Xbox One is the ability for developers to add Achievements whenever they feel fit. Microsoft has already said that there will be restrictions in place to keep developers from breaking Gamerscore, but more information has come out regarding the positive intent of the system.

When speaking to Official Xbox Magazine, Xbox Live program manager Chad Gibson stated "the corollary is that with a lot of games today, three updates later it's a nice evolution of that game -- it's a different game that's been modified and adjusted, based on what people are enjoying and having fun with. And we think that Achievements should match that."

Gibson continued: "if a game's been on the market for a while, and they have the opportunity to add all these new Achievements -- if you start playing a game a year after it ships, there's probably 2000 Gamerscore to get for that game or more. And so, for the completionists, they're going to have more work to do."

Sadly, it's increasingly true that a game isn't necessarily "complete" when it releases, so it does make sense to allow some wiggle-room so that Achievements can evolve alongside it. An alternative would be for developers to actually have finished their games by the time they release. I'll quit with the crazy talk now.

Microsoft won't let developers "overwhelm" Xbox One games with post-release Achievements [Official Xbox Magazine]

Xbox One's Achievements designed to evolve with games screenshot

Podtoid 262: Thems Is Quality Testicles

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT

On this week's Podtoid, we're forced to talk about videogames because Jim didn't come up with any half-baked ideas. Nevertheless, we still get to enjoy Jonathan's new Kickstarter idea in which our intrepid hosts will bump their bare butts together for an egregious sum of money. Also, brain parties! 

Earthbound gets talked about, as does Mercenary Kings. We chat about the feud between Phil Fish and Kevin Dent, while also basking in the glow that is Tonetta. Yay Podtoid!

As ever, you can subscribe to us on iTunes and RSSbuy our Android App or download directly!

Podtoid 262: Thems Is Quality Testicles  screenshot

Treyarch is porting Call of Duty: Ghosts to Wii U

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 06:30 AM PDT

One of the silliest stories of late comes to a satisfying conclusion today. After Call of Duty: Ghosts was confirmed for Wii U (though the details were "mysterious"), the game's producer said that, actually, he couldn't be certain about the port, and then Official Nintendo Magazine stepped in to report that Treyarch would be taking care of the Wii U version. Yep, that's it -- that last one.

Providing an update on Facebook, Nintendo says that Ghosts will hit the Wii U on November 5, 2013 "with an all-new world, story, and powerful next-gen engine." While Infinity Ward is handling development elsewhere, Treyarch will indeed be tasked with the port.

For those of you genuinely curious about it, Wii Remote and second-screen GamePad support are confirmed. Knowing how the DLC situation for Black Ops II on Wii U has gone down -- it hasn't, basically -- I'd be wary of Ghosts for the time being. There's also the whole lackluster-player-base issue, for that matter.

Treyarch is porting Call of Duty: Ghosts to Wii U screenshot

Smash Bros. lacks cutscenes because they'll end up online

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT

Anyone eager to see their favorite Nintendo characters interact with one another in a cinematic capacity in the new Super Smash Bros. should begin preparing for disappointment right now. CG cutscenes won't be included in either the Wii U or 3DS versions of the game.

Creator Masahiro Sakurai wrote in his column on Famitsu that because the Super Smash Bros. Brawl cutscenes ended up being uploaded to the Internet, they wouldn't be included in the newest iteration. "You can only truly wow a player the first time he sees [a cutscene]. I felt if players saw the cutscenes outside of the game, they would no longer serve as rewards for playing the game, so I've decided against having them," Sakurai commented.

The omission of cutscenes doesn't equate to a lack of single-player campaign, however. Nintendo has already confirmed that Super Smash Bros. will have a single-player campaign, but it'll be different than Brawl's Subspace Emissary, without cinematics tying together the entire experience.

In a way, it's kind of admirable that Sakurai's sticking to his guns with his beliefs regarding the cutscenes. However, it'll be probably be 2014 by the time his game comes out. Concern that video from his widely distributed media will end up on the Internet is something that he should've accepted about a decade ago.

ファミ通.com [ファミ通.com via Kotaku]

Smash Bros. lacks cutscenes because they'll end up online screenshot

DICE is enhancing Battlelog for Battlefield 4

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 05:30 AM PDT

DICE continues to upgrade its social service Battlelog in preparation for Battlefield 4's release later this year, and here's our look at what exactly is in the pipeline. For folks who literally can't get enough Battlefield in their life and usually have a smartphone or tablet handy, there's some cool functionality present like real-time loadout adjustments and location-based leaderboards. I can see the latter feature getting real creepy, real fast.

Above all else, having your tablet set up as a dedicated minimap sounds like a terrific convenience. Using Battlelog to constantly think about Battlefield, even when you aren't playing it, on the other hand? Okay, you lost me a bit, guys. I understand the appeal, but those days of obsession are behind me, for the most part. Or so I think.

DICE is enhancing Battlelog for Battlefield 4 screenshot

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Free-to-play F.E.A.R. Online is coming to the West

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT

Aeria Games has announced its plans to bring the Inplay Interactive-developed F.E.A.R. Online outside of Korea. My initial reaction was "So it's come to this," but, perhaps I'm discounting the game too early -- the main series' multiplayer is remembered fondly by some players. Truth be told, I never really bothered with anything other than single-player myself.

The free-to-play title has a range of modes, from co-op scenarios to the typical team-based competitive stuff to Soul King, where you get to possess your foes. A little something for everything, from the sound of it. If you were expecting a beta for F.E.A.R. Online, well, you'd be right to do so -- sign up for it over here.

Free-to-play F.E.A.R. Online is coming to the West screenshot

Rayman Legends is coming to PC hooraaaaay!

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 04:30 AM PDT

Ubisoft has announced that Rayman Legends will be coming to PC on September 3 in North America, joining its sister versions on Wii U, PS3, Xbox 360, and PS Vita. Anybody preordering the digital version on PC will also get Rayman Origins for free. 

The game's multiplatform status and resulting delay was quite the controversy, upsetting Wii U fans as it did. At least today's announcement can come without a similar nasty surprise. 

Good news for PC lovers. Legends will hopefully be pretty terrific. Enjoy some PC screenshots in our gallery to celebrate.

Rayman Legends is coming to PC hooraaaaay! screenshot

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Nintendo Download: Kid Icarus NES

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT

After a rather explosive Nintendo Download last week, there isn't a whole lot to nab this week on both the Wii U and 3DS. The Wii U will be getting Kid Icarus on the Virtual Console, and that's literally it. Since the 3D Classic has already been available on the 3DS for some time, this may be a pass from many of you.

The 3DS is getting a bit more, with Picross e2, Chain Blaster (with a demo), Angler's Club: Ultimate Bass Fishing 3D, Cute Witch! runner, and Witches!. Yep, that's literally it.

Nintendo Download: Kid Icarus NES screenshot

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Torchlight II reaches two million copies sold

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 02:30 AM PDT

Runic CEO Max Schafer has announced today that Torchlight II has reached two million sales -- nice! In addition to a few celebratory comments on sales, Shafer adds, "I'd just like to say a big thank you to all the players who offered their suggestions on what we could improve, and who stuck with us and supported us during development. It wouldn't have been possible without you, and we're humbled and grateful at your response."

For reference, the original Torchlight sold one million copies in its first two years -- a number Torchlight II surpassed in 10 months. Because I'm capable of playing more than one game in any given genre, I enjoyed my time with both Torchlight II and Diablo III (remember how there was a huge war where people disparaged either game?), and it seems like proportionally, they were both successes -- which is great news for dungeon crawler fans.

Torchlight II reaches two million copies sold screenshot

Now Bloody Playing: Aliens: Stasis Interrupted

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 02:00 AM PDT

I woke up slightly before 5am this morning and thought to myself, "You know what the world needs? Another man with an annoying voice talking to himself while playing videogames on the Internet." So it is that I sold out and attempted a "Let's Play" thing.

Of course, there is a special reason, because you get to watch me face my old nemesis, Aliens: Colonial Marines. I'll be taking you on an adventure with the Stasis Interrupted DLC over the next few days, suffering a galaxy of bad animations and clipping so you don't have to. 

Enjoy!

Now Bloody Playing: Aliens: Stasis Interrupted screenshot

Nintendo PR actively promoting playable female characters

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 01:00 AM PDT

Nintendo is generally thought to exist in its own fancy little bubble, protected from the outside world and faintly out of touch with the rest of us. However, Nintendo of America's marketing department may be a bit more savvy than we thought, and seems to have an ear to the ground when it comes to hot topics.

Take, for instance, the thorny issue of female protagonists. E3 in particular was a hotbed of complaints that almost all game leads were burly men being manly and burly, with only Nintendo really offering us something different. Having heard that praise, Nintendo is now actively promoting playable female characters as a selling point, starting with Pikmin 3

Jon Wahlgren uploaded a photo of a Nintendo press release, one boasting of Pikmin 3's new co-protagonist, Brittany. 

"In the game players take command of three new characters," explains the promotional fluff. "Alph, Charlie, and in a first for the series, female explorer Brittany. Brittany is one of the many playable female characters in upcoming Wii U games."

Nintendo PR actively promoting playable female characters screenshot

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Dragon's Crown is Vanillaware's most expensive game yet

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 12:30 AM PDT

In an announcement today on Twitter, Vanillware's George Kamitani celebrated the Japanese launch of Dragon's Crown with some art, and an interesting factoid -- Dragon's Crown is Vanillware's most expensive project to date. Specifically, Kamitani states, "Dragon's Crown is actually the first title our company has developed that has gone over the 100 million yen wall in costs. I'm very thankful to have met the release date without problems."

I can certaintly believe that, as art has recently surfaced for Dragon's Crown from when it was a Dreamcast game! A lot of the thanks should probably go to Atlus, who saved the game from going into the developmental void after problems at former publisher UTV. As for the game itself, I have a preview up now that covers the first 10 hours, with tons of answered reader questions in the comments -- so odds are, if you want to know something about the game, it's covered there.

While Japan may be getting the game today, the US will have to wait until August 6th, with the EU release coming sometime this Fall.

Dragon's Crown [All Games Beta]

Dragon's Crown is Vanillaware's most expensive game yet screenshot

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Hot damn: Total War's Legend of Zelda mod Hyrules

Posted: 24 Jul 2013 08:00 PM PDT

I'm not the biggest Legend of Zelda fan, I'm not the biggest Medieval II: Total War fan, but I want to play this mod. That trailer sold me. Too bad I am terrible at any strategy that isn't turn-based. The mod, downloadable here, has been around for a while. We posted a trailer of its first iteration a couple years ago, and it was pretty good, but this recent trailer released for the work-in-progress' 3.0 version is even more impressive.

Though Zelda's tears as she hoists the saggy weight of a presumably dead Link is sort of hilarious and undermining because it looks intentionally overwrought, like the insultingly joking sad face you might give a mate you were schooling in Total War as they wined about losing.

So, Legends of Zelda fans, what's the verdict? Where do you ally in the mod's revisionist Hylian history? Which series faction will you hoist to power? I'm team Lady Ganondorf, personally.

Zelda Total War Mod Hits 3.0, Unleashes Amazing Trailer [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

Hot damn: Total War's Legend of Zelda mod Hyrules  screenshot

Kanye journeys west in Kanye Quest 3030

Posted: 24 Jul 2013 06:00 PM PDT

Kanye Quest 3030 is a Japanese-style RPG from indie game developer Phenix, starring voice of his generation Kanye West. Let me give you a minute. Are you good? Okay. 

In January 2010, as rapper and producer Kanye West is taking the garbage out one day, he suddenly travels through a wormhole. Emerging on the other side, Kanye finds himself in the year 3030. In a dystopian city filled with clones of hip-hop musicians and under the control of a god-like dictator, can Kanye get back home?

Kanye will travel through dystopic San Francisco battling clones of rap/hip-hop idols, like Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G, as well as the possible final boss, BasedGod, the Lil B clone. Another video on the game's website shows Kanye taking on the BasedGod clone with 2Pac, RZA, and MF Doom in his party. Taking along party members seems a somewhat un-Kanye move, but one of his skills is Interruption. Low hanging fruit, but appropriate, I suppose. Plus 2Pac can use a hologram.

Let's hope this can live up to Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden and gets an equally long-named sequel Kickstarter. But why hope passively when you can find out for yourself (and for me). You can download Kanye Quest 3030 right here, right now. Tell me how it is, or just be thankful I didn't cram an ill-fitting Jonny Quest joke in here. I mean, "journeys west" kind of looks like and sounds like "Johnny Quest," and that's what I was going for, but I bet you didn't even notice.

Kanye journeys west in Kanye Quest 3030 screenshot

The Daily Hotness: Game Of All The Years

Posted: 24 Jul 2013 04:59 PM PDT

Dale informed us of this title, set to be the Goaty (or Game Of All The Years). I am excite. Or something.

Okay, maybe not. But it's a thing that exists, apparently.

A couple of other things of note happened today, including Jayson's interview with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2's Dave Cox from ComicCon, Chris' preview of Dragon's Crown, and Patrick's review of Dota 2.

Destructoid Originals:
Digging deeper into Lords of Shadow 2 with Dave Cox
Live show: Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer

Community:
Community blogs of 7/24
Forum thread of the day: Dragon's Crown

Reviews:
Review: Dota 2

Previews:
The first 10 hours of Dragon's Crown are action packed

The Daily Hotness: Game Of All The Years screenshot

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