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Detroit: Become Human | Review


Posted on July 9, 2018 by Meghan Kass

David Cage is a name that doesn’t sit will with many Players, especially after allegations of a toxic work environment and workplace harassment that has occurred at Quantic Dream. To say his games are for a particular niche is an understatement. Critics have not panned his games, in fact many have praised them for their rich story and environment, but the average consumer might go as far as to say his games barely qualify as games. I was recently asked how to sell someone on a David Cage game, and my answer was simple:

“Have you ever watched a movie and wish you could do something different? Have you ever thought if you were in a particular scenario you could make better choices than the characters? Then a David Cage game could be worth a try”

Detroit: Become Human is definitely a David Cage game. The gameplay doesn’t differ much other Cage games. You go through a story, make your choices that will affect the story and characters and perform in quicktime events at pee-determined times.

I found navigating within Detroit’s world be a little cumbersome. There are some issues controlling the character and getting them to move in the exact direction I wanted to and I found they moved a little slow for my taste. The quick time events were standard for a Cage game. For the most part they worked for the story, felt fluid and didn’t ruin the immersion – in fact, some QTEs fit in really well with android perspective technology.

The real star of the show is the story and characters and is the probable reason anyone is going to play a David Cage game. Detroit: Become Human takes a stab at the age old sci-fi story of robots gaining sentience.As many have pointed out post-release, Detroit: Become Human‘s are an analogy for real world racism – right down to the game’s sentient machines being placed at the back of a train and being forced to stand, no sitting for robots in the world. Oh, and apparently the world of Detroit Become Human is one where racism doesn’t exist because machines have gained sentience.

The main story is that of androids beginning to gain self awareness and humanity. Now androids want the same rights as every other person and the player follows three particular characters and what they will do to make a better life for themselves and even others around them who are suffering as well and how the world reacts to such a change and events that occur.

Your first playable character and storyline is “Connor, the android sent from Cyberlife”. He is an android cop who’s one goal is to finish his investigation into an outbreak of rogue androids and murders caused by them.Partnered with the salty cop Hank Anderson, you can choose how to approach the investigation, if you let perpetrators go, if you build a relationship with Hank and what you will do about the rogue androids and your own inner conflict. I found his story offers some wonderful character moments, fun action sequences and interesting choices that drastically change the outcome of his story-line

The second you meet is Kara, an android purchased by a questionable man who is meant to be a maid for the house and child care taker of sorts to his neglected daughter. Kara simply wants to get the little girl to safety and to start a new life free of what is essentially slavery. I very much enjoyed Kara’s heartwarming love for the girl Alice and their journey was genuinely interesting with some moments I definitely did not predict, one involving a robot bear. If you’ve paid attention to Quantic Dream’s PlayStation tech demos over the years you might remember the 2012 “Kara” tech demo which asked a lot of interesting questions about what it would mean for machines to gain sentience. That 2012 demo formed as the inspiration for Detroit: Become Human but it is hard to say that it laid the foundation for the game.

Overall, Detroit: Become Human plays like a choose your own adventure Sci-Fi TV season with some gameplay elements throughout. If you are in the mood for somewhat cliche sci fi story with decent world building, interesting and enjoyable characters and aren’t turned off by David Cage games, definitely give it a try; if you aren’t a fan of his games though, this most likely won’t change your mind about them.

For further reading on the on-going issues with Quantic Dream as a developer and the problematic content found within Detroit: Become Human the following articles are recommended:

The Profound Quandary of Blackness In Detroit: Become Human [Via The Root]
Quantic Dream Accused of Being A Toxic Workplace [Via Kotaku]

Sony Computer Entertainment Canada provided a review copy to BrokenJoysticks for our consideration.


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E3 2018: Death Stranding’s Fourth Trailer Is Just As Confusing As The Rest


Posted on June 13, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

Kojima Production’s Death Stranding has been confusing viewers since its debut at E3 2016 and the previous 3 trailers gave us no reason to suspect that the first glimpse of gameplay would be any differed.  Coming in at just over 8 minutes in length, this latest look at the game confirms that Norman Reedus’ character is named ‘Sam Porter Bridges’ and that he makes deliveries. Throughout the nearly ten minute presentation we see Sam carry a number of boxes on his back, utilize motorized robots and other delivery related equipment. HOLY SHIT WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT DEATH STRANDING WAS JUST A ‘STACK STUFF ON YOURSELF SIMULATOR’..

Of course, this is Kojima and things aren’t that simple: What we do now know thanks to this trailer:

1) Parts of Sam’s name have appeared on the two different suits that he has worn in trailers 3 & 4. With ‘Bridges’ and ‘Porter’ respectively.
2) As revealed at the end of the trailer – eating one of the slug shaped creatures will ‘keep the Time Fall away’.
3) The time reversing rain that we’ve seen in trailer’s 2 and 3 is known as Time Fall and causes rapid aging.
4) Kojima has talked about how death will not be the end of the game in Death Stranding. Instead, Sam awakens in an alternate death dimension. This is referenced directly by a voice over Sam’s radio in Trailer 4.
5) The invisible ‘things’ that killed the work crew in trailer 3 can be sensed by Sam but not seen, while his new female companion can see them it seems.
6) If Sam is eaten by one of the invisible creatures he will come back back to live but a giant crator will be created, just like we saw in trailer 3.

Now fans get to start piecing together … wait these pieces don’t seem to fit together at all. *sigh* well, we might be back at square one with this. Are the invisible creators (called ‘ludens’ by fans) the souls of former people? Is Sam’s name actually a combination of his job ‘porter’ as in “a person employed to carry luggage and other loads, especially in a railroad station, airport, or hotel.” and ‘bridges’, a company? Why do the little worm things keep the Time Fall away? Do they spawn clones of the carriers?

AAAAAHHH my mind is broken for now. Death Stranding still has no solid release date but it is coming eventually for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.


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Sony Announces ‘Days of Play’ Promo Ahead of E3


Posted on May 29, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

With just two weeks until Sony’s E3 press conference the console manufacturer has announced the return of their Days of Play promotion, which will run from June 8th until June 18th. Over the ten days physical PlayStation first party titles, Console Bundles and PlayStation VR bundles will be discounted at participating retailers. A selection of digital games will also be discounted on the PlayStation Store as well. 

Limited Edition PS4 Console 

A special limited run blue PlayStation 4 Slim with a 1TB hard drive, shiny blue finish and Days of Play emblem will be available during the Days of Play promotion.  It will come with a matching blue Dualshock 4 controller and will retail for $379.99 CDN. 

 

Deals on VR 

Waiting to enter the world of VR? It’s somewhat of a passion for me, and PSVR honestly is probably the cheapest and easiest VR solution out there. It might not have sold enough to meet Sony’s lofty expectations in the two years since release but with its plug and play nature and vast library of titles it’s hard to pass up. 

PlayStation VR bundles  (unspecified as of press time) will be discounted to $249.99 CDN, which is the lowest price I’ve seen for Sony’s VR offerings. Also on sale will be a selection of physical first party games including this year’s God of War and last year’s excellent Horizon Zero Dawn. 

PS VR

Hardware and peripheral discounts throughout the 11 days include (all prices MSRP): 

  • Jet Black PS4 Pro – $349.99 USD / $449.99 CDN  
  • PlayStation VR bundles – starting at $199.99 USD / $249.99 CDN  
  • DualShock 4 wireless controller (all colors) – $39.99 USD / $49.99 CDN  
  • PlayStation Move motion controller (2 pack) – $79.99 USD / $99.99 CDN  
  • PlayStation VR Aim controller (US only) – $49.99 USD 
  • Catalog titles – check with your local retailer. 

Software discounts available at retail: 

  • God of War: $49.99 USD / $59.99 CDN 
  • Gran Turismo Sport: $19.99 USD / $29.99 CDN 
  • Horizon Zero Dawn: $19.99 USD / $29.99 CDN  
  • MLB The Show 18: $39.99 USD / $49.99 CDN 
  • Shadow of the Colossus: $19.99 USD / $29.99 CDN 
  • Bravo Team (PS VR): $29.99 USD / $39.99 CDN 
  • Farpoint (PS VR): $14.99 USD/ $19.99 CDN 
  • The Inpatient (PS VR): $14.99 USD / $19.99 CDN 

[Source]

 

 

 


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Off-Screen Dark Souls: Remastered Footage Comes Out of PAX West


Posted on April 8, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

With less than two months until the retail release of Dark Souls: Remastered a whole pile of off-screen footage has found its way onto YouTube and other channels.  Footage has ranged from direct-feed captures of the PlayStation 4 Pro version in 4K to extended looks at Dark Souls: Remastered running in handheld mode fimed off of the Nintendo Switch’s 7 inch 720p screen.

5 Minutes off-screen Docked on Nintendo Switch (From GameXplain)

20 Minutes of off-screen on Nintendo Switch In Handheld Mode (Also From GameXplain)

20+ Minutes of PlayStation Pro Footage in 4K (From PlayStation Underground)

Dark Souls: Remastered will be out on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (or PRO), Xbox One and Windows PC on  May 25th. Are you prepared to die (again)? Let us know in the comments section.


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Spike Chunsoft Announces 2018 Line-Up


Posted on April 2, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

Spike Chunsoft has revealed their full 2018 slate of games coming out for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. New entries in the Fire Pro Wrestling franchise, Pixeljunk Monsters series and the acclaimed visual novel 428: Shibuya scramble are all coming soon.

First up is a new entry in the Pixel Junk Monsters series:

Pixeljunk Monsters 2
Platform  PlayStation 4
Release Summer 2018

Features:

  • Local & Online Play – Maximize the fun by playing with your friends on the couch or online!
  • Close Encounters – Multiply the suspense by toggling your POV from top-down to an in-your-face view!
  • 3D Stop Motion Graphics – Immerse yourself in Gati Gati Island like never before as the animation takes full advantage of the power of the PS4™!

 428: Shibuya Scramble
Platform PS4 | Windows PC
Release 2008 (originally), Summer 2018 (N.A / Europe localization)
Originally released in 2008 this murder mystery is finally being localized for North America & Europe. Tasking players with investigating the lives of 5 unique protagonists during a 10 hour time-frame this intriguing title boasts over 5 different endings a weird mix of live-action video, text and still image narration.

Features

  • A Mosaic of Mediums – Unlike traditional visual novels, the narrative is presented with a palette of different mediums, combining text, live action stills, and video sequences.
  • Non-linear Storytelling – Five Protagonists. 10 Hours. Decisions made in one character’s story can affect the story of another character in unforeseen ways, culminating in a total of up to 50 different endings!
  • Famitsu Fresh – One of the very few titles to ever receive a perfect score (40/40) from Japanese video game magazine Famitsu Weekly!

Fire Pro Wrestling World
Platform PlayStation 4
Release Summer 2018

Last on our tour of Spike Chunsoft’s 2018 line-up is another entry in the decades old Fire Pro Wrestling series of games. Fire Pro Wrestling World is set to feature a story mode that will allow players to customize every facet of their matches. Different sets of rules will also be available ranging from deathmatch, to steel cage matches to even a set based upon the popular MMA style of fighting.

Features:

  • Play Online – Organize exhibition matches, tournaments, leagues, championship bouts and battle royals with players from around the world.
  • Mix Up the Rules – Modes include Deathmatch (steel cage, barbed wire or landmines), MMA rules and no-holds barred Gruesome Fighting.
  • Unlimited Customization – Create your dream wrestler from over a thousand devastating moves and even more body parts to battle for custom championship belts. Personalize the ring, mat logos and even the referee!
  • Realistic Simulation – Give your creations personalities with a robust CPU logic system that defines their every action. Does your wrestler play to the crowd, or play dirty? You provide actors for the ringside drama.

[Source: Spike Chunsoft PR]


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Here’s A Look At All of The Elaborate Booths of GDC 2018


Posted on March 28, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

The 2018 edition of the Games Developer Conference has come to a close but there is still a lot more for us to show including gameplay videos, developer interviews and exclusive hands-on with several AAA and indie titles.

In this post I’d like to take a quick jaunt through some of the cooler booths on display at this year’s show. By “cooler” I don’t necessarily mean “elaborate” or “expensive” but visually impressive or booths that offered attendees a unique experience.

Epic Games Booth

A booth with a ride-able Fortnite llama in place of the traditional riding bull is a win in my book. This tough looking llama was a draw for the entire conference, sadly I didn’t get a chance to go for a ride.

Above said conquerable llama was a large screen that showcased the Fortnite live-stream that Epic had going during the entirety of show-floor hour.

Folks check out the PlayStation 4 Pro version of Fortnite Battle Royale.

Not to be left out, the mobile version of Fortnite was fully playable on a large TV.

Day of the Devs

Double Fine’s indie focused Day of the Devs event took place off-site as per usual but this elaborate skull themed display greeted attendees when taking the escalator down from the South Hall. In addition to playable demo stations you could also catch some of the developers behind featured games like Exo One, Minit and Knights & Bikes.

IGF Pavilion

The 2018 Independent Games Festival awards took place alongside the Game Developer Choice Awards on the Wednesday of GDC week. Throughout the show-floor days (Wednesday – Friday) all of the nominees could be played at a single station in this circular configuration. Games like Night in The Woods, Baba is You, Cuphead and Shenzen I/O were playable by attendees. In years past it wasn’t uncommon to actually meet the developers behind these games while playing them at the IGF booth – sadly I didn’t get to meet anyone from the excellent Night In The Woods team this year ☹.

Train Jam 2018 Booth

Over 80 independently created games & experiments were playable over at the Train Jam booth. I was lucky enough to take part in this year’s 52 hour game jam and our game Emotional Support Cat Girl was also playable at this booth as well. Creators from the Train Jam are also GDC Attendees for the most part so it wasn’t uncommon for creators to hang out at the booth and walk folks through their creations.

I didn’t have much time to go  1 on 1 with folks to show them Emotional Support Catgirl in person but I will have an exhaustive blog post outlining our amazing cross-America journey later on in the week.

Microsoft Azure Services Booth

A large Azure Services booth greeted attendees when taking one of the two main elevators down to the expo show-floor. Microsoft had a large floor presence this year aimed squarely at game developers and the cloud based development services that can help devs collaborate, test and deploy their upcoming projects.

Services like Azure Application Monitoring– which gives developers real-time reports on the use of their games and applications, Visual Studio Enterprise – Microsoft’s premium integrated development environment and the Xbox Live Creators program – which allows independent developers to publish on the Xbox One platform – were all on display.

By visiting four of the available demo stations developers were able to score both $2500 USD worth of Azure Credits for virtual machine testing and a free Xbox One controller. Disclosure: as a member of the Microsoft Developer Network and Bizspark Program I was not the intended audience for these workshops, I already have access to all of these services. The free controller will definitely be useful for my development work, however.

Google Booth

Google uses its presence in the mobile space with Android and its real-world presence in Silicon Valley to attract Android developers to GDC.  Not only do they host a keynote focused on the future of their mobile platform but also full day workshops for developers on pre-launch and post-launch support of their mobile games.

Aside from the giant G logo and familiar Google Employees in blue shirts there wasn’t much on display at their booth to speak of. At GDC Google did announce the interesting “instant app” addition to the Play Store which allows customers to download a small 10MB trial version of a game and play it within seconds without needing to install anything on their device. Given the size of some Android Games 10MB could be as small as a 30 second sample of the gameplay, while other smaller games have the chance to offer players a much more feature complete experience within those confines.

PlayStation Booth

Sony always has a huge display at conventions like PAX East, E3 and PAX West but did the development focus of GDC stop them from bringing some of the latest creation on their platform? Of course not!

Playable games at the PlayStation Booth included the recently released Shadow of the Colossus remake, Monster Hunter: World, Gran Turismo Sport and Ni No Kuni: Revenant Kingdom.

Sony also held a number of developer talks and workshops across the five days of GDC focusing on the visual arts achievements that Sony has made on the PlayStation 4, how devs can help fight fraud in an online gaming space and a Final Fantasy Collaboration focused workshop.

Unity

Unity has quickly become the darling of indie creators and the engine that powers some of the most notable AAA releases as well.  Upcoming titles like Escape From Tarkov, In the Valley of the Gods, Praey For the Gods and Hollow Knight all use the suite of tools made available for free by Unity Technologies.

While Unity might not offer the complete beginner friendly experience of something like Game Maker or Clickteam Fusion but it does offer a great gateway to full fledged game development. Alongside a whole range of professional grade 3D, 2D and lighting tools – developers also get access to some of the most exhaustive documentation systems around. Also the Unity community has probably answered almost every question asked about the engine at this point.

I’m not trying to come off as a paid Unity shill or that this section of the post is an advertisement – it’s not. But I’ve been personally making games in Unity for the past 2 years as my full time gig and it has been such a rewarding experience. What you lose in easy prototype-ability you gain in coding experience, game making fundamentals and probably the most beneficial to me personally – learning how to properly debug a game from conception through to post launch support.

In terms of what was on offer for newly budding developers and experienced veterans – Unity offered a quiet lounge space for Unity devs to hang out, grab a coke and just relax from the high stress environment. This space wasn’t entirely ultrisitic however – staffers from the engine developer were also on hand to inform visitors about upcoming Unity focused events like their Rendering Bootcamp, Keynote, Work Flow workshop and also to recruit for Unity Europe. Also on the floor of the West Hall (where most GDC panels take place) was a large “Made With Unity 3D” booth which gave folks the chance to check out multiple games made in Unity 5.

Ark: Survival Evolved Mobile

Lastly I’d like to highlight something I spotted at Unreal’s massive booth. Sandwiched in-between all of the Fortnite chaos, live engine demonstrations and AAA games was the mobile version of ARK Survival Evolved that had just been announced days prior. I didn’t get a chance to snag any off-screen video of the game running (tho I wish I had) but I did manage to snag a few interesting stills that I’ll post in the coming days. Suffice to say that the upcoming mobile conversion for ARK looks and plays rather faithful to the original – oh and there’s also the upcoming Nintendo Switch port of ARK, which was not on the show floor.


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New Alternate Costumes Announced For SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy


Posted on February 9, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

Nippon Ichi Software USA announced today that each of the playable characters in their upcoming fighting title SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy will have three alternate costumes that players will be able to unlock. By using an in-game only currency players will be able to unlock either the Heroines Costume, the Classic Costume or the Alternate costume for their favorite fighter. A range of additional accessories and customization options can also be unlocked to further personalize the in-game characters.

SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy is a 2 vs 2 fighting game with a roster of female characters from SNK’s various fighting franchises. Matches don’t end once your opponent’s health reaches zero, instead a winning point must be sealed by performing a special Dream Finish attack.

You’ll be able to get your hands on SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 sometime this summer. It will be available physically in both standard and limited editions, with the standard edition being available on your console’s respective digital store front. SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy will offer Japanese audio only with text options in English, Japanese, Mexican Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

Below are 10 brand new screenshots from NIS America and a new trailer.

Logo

New Screenshots

Key Art

 


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Superbeat: Xonic Ex | Nintendo Switch Review


Posted on December 15, 2017 by Meghan Kass

Superbeat: Xonic Ex is a rhythm game, developed by Nurijoy and PM Studios and published by Sony Music (Available on the PS4, Xbox One  and the Nintendo Switch. With all the numerous rhythm game options to choose from on these various platforms, is there a place for this game?  is it worth the $40.00 USD price tag? and most importantly (for this review) is it a good fit for the Switch console? After spending some time with this game on the Switch console, I believe I have the answers to these questions.

The problem with Superbeat: Xonic EX is that it really doesn’t much more than the average for a rhythm game in any category. It is fine – It has decent music, average gameplay and an average anime aethestic to it. It does not have the uniqueness or cult classic appeal that the Hatsune Miku games have had. For anyone who plays rhythm games regularly, you probably already have similar games on other platforms that were cheaper. There are games, for instance, on the IOS such as Cytus, Voez and Deemo that are $1.99 or lower that can satisfy a rhythm game craving as opposed to the $40.00 that Superbeat asks for. (Editor’s Note: Voez and its DLC are also available on Nintendo Switch)

As a matter of fact, Superbeat: Xonic EX can play very much like a mobile tapping rhythm game. You have the choice to either follow the songs using the Switch JoyCon buttons or just using the touch screen to tap the correct area with your finger, if you are playing with the portable mode of the Switch. I recommended playing with the touch screen option for the best accuracy. The buttons on the Switch are a little awkward for a fast paced rhythm game, especially when you need to use the joysticks as well. Once you get used to it, the JoyCons are tolerable, but not optimal.

There are other modes you can play with depending on how difficult you want to make the game. The “4 trak” focuses on only 4 areas of the screen that notes will flock to and the 6 trak has 6 areas. You can also choose more difficult songs that will send you more cues and beats to follow and you can tweak the speed of the songs and even change the sound you make when you hit a beat. The harder the song, the faster the notes fly out at you. There are also unlockable DJs and icons you can collect to extend your game experience with giving you some bonuses as you play.

Really what this game offers is a slightly different genre of songs than other popular rhythm games. The soundtrack is heavy in the EDM (electronic dance music) genre, which is not the norm for most rhythm games. There is also some pop and even a few classical songs  mixed in.  My favorite song in the collection was Miami Style, which reminded me of some old Katy Perry songs. It is definitely a little different and if you are tired of the normal J-Pop filled rhythm games or want some options that aren’t from a mainstream selection of songs like Guitar Hero or Rock Band, this may be worth your time.

Overall, this is there is just not enough substance here, especially for the asking price. The controls are fairly basic and at times awkward, especially when using the JoyCons. The theme and aesthetic are not the most inspired, but still colorful, beautiful and everything about the game is just feels average. If you want a soundtrack that is a bit unusual for a rhythm game or you just need a new rhythm game in your life, maybe wait until this game goes on sale. It is not a waste of time or a bad game, just not worth the asking price. I wanted to enjoy this game a lot more, but maybe this game will tickle another player’s fancy.


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How Death Stranding Subverts a Common Gameplay Mechanic


Posted on December 14, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

There once was an explosion within a trailer that ignited a thousand online debates. There once was an explosion within a trailer that confused the hell out of us. The next explosion is brief details about how Death Stranding will play and how the game subverts a very common gameplay mechanic – death itself. 

In a recent interview with IGN.com Hideo Kojima detailed the place that protagonist Sam visits after the large explosion in the latest trailer for Death Stranding is actually a sort of purgatory.  In this world of beaches and water Sam will explore purgatory in a first-person perspective until it is time for him to return to his body. We don’t know how this dimensional travel is possible (is it the babies?? I bet it’s the babies!) but we do know it is due to a “special ability” that Sam possess. 

Kojima contrasted this mechanic with the arcades of the past, where death was a means to suck another quarter from the player: 

“Games started over 40 years ago with arcades. When the player dies, it’s game over. You continue, and time goes back to before you die. You can die as many times as you want, but you always go back to a little bit before you die. That was a mechanic made specifically for putting in coins, and it hasn’t changed since then.”

Aside from digitized versions of Norman Reedus, Guillermo Del Toro, and Mads Mikkelsen, the spotlight has been fixed on the various babies we’ve seen in each of the three trailers. During the interview with IGN, Hideo Kojima confirmed that the baby that washes up on the shores in trailer 1, the baby held by Del Toro in trailer 2 and the baby pointing finger guns in Reedus’ esophagus are one in the same. We also now know that the babies will tie into the purgatory mechanic somehow.’ 

Still no definitive answers about the mysteries of Death Stranding but certainly now we have a lot more pieces of the puzzles. We know that the game takes place in the near future and that the rapid aging rain and the monsters that attacked the corpse disposal crew are common knowledge. We know a little bit more about the babies. We also know that gameplay will be split between third-person open world action while Sam is alive and that death does not mean “game over” but will affect the overall game world. 

Perhaps we will see actually Death Stranding gameplay at next June’s E3 or perhaps Kojima will make a surprise appearance at GDC 2018, like he did at GDC 2013 to promote The Phantom Pain. Rumor has it that Death Stranding is currently targeting a Q4 2018 release window, so the hype should just keep building. 

Oh and all of our internet theories about the baby being a clone of Sam, Mads being the real protagonist or Del Toro being the game’s villain? Kojima eats that shit up and loves every second of it. 

“I think it’s fun, I really think it’s fun. It’s one of the unique things about games, that you can start having fun with people before you release the game. There are things I intentionally put there so that I can start this back and forth process with players, because I think it’s fun for everyone.” 

[Source]


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Overwatch’s Doomfist Arrives And You Can Try Him Out Right Now


Posted on July 6, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

After teasing the existence of the third Doomfist since the original cinematic reveal trailer back in 2014, one of the leaders of Talon has finally come to the world of Overwatch in playable form. Today’s reveal comes alongside the release of a developer update featuring game Director Jeff Kaplan, an animated anime short featuring Overwatch Vs. Doomfist and the availability of the mighty fisted fighter on the Public Test Region!

Let’s get the bad news for dedicated followers of Overwatch out of the way – for whatever reason (be it character related, overall direction, perhaps they never considered him for the role) – Terry Crews does not worse Doomfist. Blizzard chose to go with the talent of Sahr Ngaujah – who is known for roles in 2007’s The Signal & Stomp The Yard, as well as last year’s Money Monster.

Jeff Kaplan outlines Doomfist’s key abilities, including his colossus of an ultimate, and goes on to explain that Doomfist is designed as a front line brawler who excels at taking on one or two enemy heroes. He is able to launch heroes into the ground and any time Doomfist gets some air he can slam down dealing damage. Players who are successful at mitigating damage and dealing blows will be rewarded with a temporary shield, extending their survivability, thanks to Doomfist’s passive trait.

Jeff Kaplan outlines Doomfist’s key abilities, including his colossus of an ultimate, and goes on to explain that Doomfist is designed as a front line brawler who excels at taking on one or two enemy heroes. He is able to launch heroes into the ground and any time Doomfist gets some air he can slam down dealing damage. Players who are successful at mitigating damage and dealing blows will be rewarded with a temporary shield, extending their survivability, thanks to Doomfist’s passive trait.


Here are Doomfist’s abilities:

Hand Cannon – Fires short ranged projectile from the knuckles of his smaller hand. Ammunition is automatically regenerated over time.

Seismic Slam – Doomfist leaps forward into the air and smashes down to the ground affecting any foes below him.

Rising Uppercut – Launches enemies that are in front of Doomfist into the air.’

Rocket Punch – A powerful charge forward that completes with a massive blow from Doomfist’s mechanical arm.

Meteor Strike (Ultimate) – Leap into the sky and then come crashing down to deal damage and stun opponents.

The Best Defense (Passive – Gain a temporary shield when dealing ability damage to opponents.

If you are a fan of Blizzard’s origin shorts – such as The Last Bastion or Infiltration (Sombra) then be prepared for a massive treat – OVERWATCH IN ANIME!!! – poor Tracer gets absolutely clobbered by our newest villain however.

So what do you think of Doomfist and his almost fighting game-like ability to send opponents flying upwards and then crashing them into the ground? For me, it brought back memories of infinite air combos from Magneto in MVC2 and I couldn’t help but be reminded of Sentinel after hearing that one of his abilities was called “Rocket Punch”. If you want to have a go as Doomfist he is currently available on PTR, no word yet on when we can expect a release on the non-test version but this usually happens within a week or two.

Great job Blizzard, thanks for not dragging this reveal out for months!


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The Wins & Fails of E3 2017


Posted on June 17, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Another E3 has come and gone and now all of the developers and publishers have packed up from the LA Convention Centre for another year. After a week of impressions, live streaming videos and major announcements – what games & announcements can we can put in the ‘win’ column and which left a sour taste in viewers’ mouths?  Here are three of the biggest wins and fails of E3 2017. Let us know your pick the for win and fail of E3 in the comments section!

Win

Michel Ancel Finally Gets To Debut Beyond Good & Evil 2

BG&2 has become somewhat of a running vaporware joke at this point, with 13 years separating us from the original’s release it is no surprise fans have let this one go. Ubisoft shocked everyone when Michel Ancel took the stage after a CG trailer that introduced us to a brand new rag-tag group of bounty hunters. Instead of the sequel, starring Jade, that everyone was expecting – we’re getting an expansive game with a diverse cast of characters like Knox the chimpanzee. In the most tear jerking moment of E3 2017 – Ancel was joined by the entire BG&E 2 team who were at E3 after the trailer rolled, for an on-stage embrace that will be remembered for some time to come.

Samus Returns, Not Once But Twice

Metroid fans have waited a long time for their heroin to return to her space bounty hunting ways on a Nintendo platform. After missing the Wii U generation entirely, Samas Aran is coming back to Nintendo’s consoles in two big ways: The unexpected announcement of a Metroid II: The Return of Samus remake for 3DS due out this Fall and the news that development of Metroid Prime 4 has begun with the help of an unnamed development studio that is not Retro Studios. Here’s hoping that Prime 4 brings the excellent atmospheric First Person Adventuring that we’ve come to expect from the series. With more than a decade of anticipation behind it, Prime 4 is going to have some big boots to fill when it arrives sometime in the future.

The Force Is Strong With Battlefront II

A gameplay reveal for Star Wars Battlefront II could have been a by the numbers amalgamation of pre-recorded gameplay footage combined with fake e-sports commentators but EA went all on one of this Fall’s biggest shooters. By bringing together 32 of e-sports most talented players and live commentators EA created a sense of authenticity and excitement for Star Wars Battlefront II’s first time in the spotlight.  Sure there were some cheesy moments like a commentator announcing “this is why people play Star Wars games” as two ships circle each other in a dogfight that contained absolutely zeros shooting but the smiles on player’s faces and the on-screen action told a different story: that Star Wars BattleFront 2 is a blast to play and even as a pre-alpha early E3 build.

Fail

We’ve Seen Sony’s E3 2017 Line-up Before

Sony’s E3 2017 press conference almost felt like the greatest hits of games they’ve already revealed in years past. Sure the Shadow of the Colossus complete remake is pretty cool, but that game has been available on two generations of Sony hardware already. God of War and Detroit both got new gameplay demos, but those titles won’t be out until at least the 1st quarter of next year if not later. The only true surprise was the extended gameplay demo of Spider-Man but that doesn’t have a release date except for a vague ‘2018’. It wasn’t so much that Sony put on a bad show, it’s just that outside of a few smaller reveals and the wow of Spider-Man we’ve seen these titles before in extended on-stage demos. They do get a number of points from me for putting PlayStation VR up and center in a concise and easy to understand way. Shame they didn’t speak the word, PS Vita, even once, perhaps the time has passed for the 5-year-old handheld.

Destiny 2 Was Missing In Action

I’ve already shared most of my thoughts on Bungie’s next FPS being absent from major coverage despite being playable on the show floor. It seems that the content that Bungie brought to E3 this year was the same sing-player mission and strike that we saw raw gameplay of during last month’s reveal. The only new pieces of Destiny 2 information we got through the course of this year’s show was a month and a half delay for the PC version and the expected reveal of PlayStation exclusive content. Sony and Bungie could have done so much more here.

X Doesn’t Mark The Spot For The Xbox One X

Microsoft’s job at their E3 2017 press conference was to convince both existing Xbox One owners and those of us who haven’t picked one up that the Xbox One X (formerly Project Scorpio) would be worth the cash. Thankfully they spent a good amount of time prior to E3 2017 detailing the hardware specs and capabilities of Xbox One X with Digital Foundry. Rather than dedicate a good chunk of time going over numbers that didn’t mean anything (6 tera-flops anyone?) – Microsoft had to focus on games that would convince viewers that Xbox One was worth the wait. What they delivered was… well… I doubt Forza 7 and the promise of Bioware’s Anthem in 2018 are going to convince people that they should pick up an Xbox one right now.  Microsoft showed a lot of games, but nothing really screamed “you MUST play this in 4K” – and considering the Xbox One X is $100 USD more than the comparable PS4 Pro without demonstrable difference between the two – it feels like Microsoft kinda blew it with the Xbox One X reveal.


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Assassin’s Creed Origins Coming October 27th


Posted on June 11, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Rumors about the Assassin’s Creed franchise making the trip to ancient Egypt with a pair of Assassin’s Creed: Origins videos unveiled at Microsoft’s E3 press conference this morning.  Players will witness the birth of the order of Assassins featuring the first person to ever don the hood of the order who oppose the Templars. The game’s protagonist is an “Egyptian Sheriff” of sorts according to the game’s Creative Director.

It will be out on October 27th, check out both the cinematic trailer and five-minute gameplay demo below.


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EVE Valkyrie Wormhole Update Now Live


Posted on February 16, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

CCP Games has rolled out a new major update to EVE: Valkyrie on both Windows PC and PlayStation VR that introduces Wormholes to the multiplayer space dog fighting title. Wormholes are essentially weekly challenges that will introduce players to advanced encounters and gameplay types that will test their piloting ability.  Each wormhole encounter will feature a different rotation of available ships, visuals that will help differentiate them from one another and special Wormhole only loot that may be available for a limited time.

Here is how CCP described Wormholes on their developer blog:

“Each wormhole also comes with its own pre-selected set of Ship Loadouts, which will automatically be assigned to your Launchtubes when you enter. Everyone gets the same set of Loadouts, fully upgraded, whether they normally have access to them or not. This provides an excellent opportunity for pilots to try out Loadouts that they might not currently have access to, or rarely fly, but also gives each wormhole its own distinct feel – its own little meta-microcosm.”

Wormholes are available in a separate matchmaking queue and these limited time events do not affect a pilot’s overall standings such as leaderboard rank, kill-death-ratio or other stats but players will still earn XP while participating in Wormhole events.

Also newly available is the Leagues Alpha system – Valkyrie’s answer to ladder matchmaking where players are placed in a specific pool. No longer constrained by your pilot rating players will find themselves assigned the rank of Emerald at the beginning of their League Alpha career and have a chance to ascend through the aptly named Sapphire, Ruby and Diamond ranks. CCP also wrote a blog about the basics of the League Alpha feature on their official Valkyrie league.

Here is a basic primer on the League Alpha feature provided by CCP and how it will work in regards to planned seasons:

“Seasons work in three key ways:

  • They give players more opportunities to be promoted within the Leagues
  • Seasons provide definitive end points where rewards can be given
  • Most importantly, Seasons can offer a clean slate so that cumulative data is not a governing factor in measuring our best pilots

In many ways, the alpha release of the Valkyrie League can be regarded as a Season in itself. Once the alpha is underway, we can see how the systems are holding up and then more accurately plan our first true Valkyrie Season.”


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The Last Guardian | Review


Posted on December 30, 2016 by Meghan Kass

At long last, The Last Guardian has arrived at us after a long, patient wait. This game – brought to us by genDESIGN and SCI Japan Studio has faced many challenges in getting to the public, but thanks to the consultation of members of Team Ico, even after leaving Sony, the game that was assumed to never be reaching store shelves has become a reality. As a fan of Team Ico’s work, I was highly excited for this game and even counted down the days until I could play it. I braced myself for the artistic beauty, heart-wrenching story and atmosphere to spare and a style that only Team Ico could create. Now that I have thoroughly played through the game, the question is, was it worth the ten-year wait?

The Last Guardian transports you into the narrative of a man looking back on his time with the unique beast, Trico and his relationship with him and the bond they shared during their time together. The unnamed young boy wakes to find himself covered in tattoos that were not carved into him before, in any unknown castle type building and on top of that, with a large, injured beast he calls Trico. He gains the beasts trust by helping heal his wounds and feeding him to help him gain strength. As Trico begins to trust the young boy, the two of them join together to escape their captivity and form the most unlikely of friendships. Trico will eventually learn to listen to your commands, help you out with tough enemies and you will even help him get out of a few tight spaces too. It is this bond and this adventure that will make you fall in love with this game, especially if you already loved Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. This bond is very reminiscent of the bond formed with Yorda in Ico or Argo in Shadow of the Colossus and that makes the story all the more emotional and enchanting. This adventure and love between the boy and Trico will keep you invested and entranced despite the game’s shortcomings.

Even when you love a piece of media, it is important to still acknowledge and accept imperfections and flaws. While this game is stunning and emotional and artistic, it definitely shows a ten year age. My problems personally were with the camera and commands for Trico. The camera often would swing wildly and zoom in on the young boy far too often when I was trying to navigate and in general, I found it too tightly focused on him and the camera would often twitch or jerk when I would climb Trico to get on his back. I found it hard to get the boy to go from clinging to something to jumping. He was desperate to hang on, as if scared to make the leap I was trying to make, While that was almost interesting, as I could imagine a young boy being afraid to be told “Hey, jump from Trico’s head to this high ledge that is clearly dangerous”, it was more frustrating because I was trying to make it to the next area. Trico would also cause me frustrating moments, as much like a real animal, it was almost a gamble to give him a command as sometimes he would listen, sometimes he would just sit there and give me a whine. I also found Trico slow to complete commands, making me give an audible sign on more than one occasion. As much as I loved Trico as a character, as an aid in gameplay, I felt he was unpolished and clunky to control.

Overall, if you can overlook some major flaws in this game, it was very much worth the wait. The story and atmosphere more than makeup for the mechanical problems and the characters are completely charming and the story emotional and engrossing. I was hypnotized despite my frustrations and would recommend this to any Team Ico fan or someone who loves emotional stories of friendship and overcoming the odds.


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Shantae Half Genie Hero Coming To Vita, PS4 and Wii U Next Week


Posted on December 11, 2016 by Rae Michelle Richards

WayForward’s long running Shantae series gets a brand new entry with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is coming to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Wii U on December 20th in both digital and physical flavors.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is WayForward’s fourth entry featuring their purple haired protagonist. For the first time in the series history Half-Genie Hero features HD graphics while maintaining the color art-style that helped previous games stand out. If you’ve come to love Shantae’s particular flavor of transformation enhanced action combat this latest title looks like it will be worth the wait.

Gameplay wise Half-Genie Hero retains the transformation enhanced combat seen in other titles with eight different forms available at our heroine’s disposal. Her basic attack, the hair-whip, is also still in-tact but this time with an HD coat of paint. WayForward gives the completionist in all of us a reason to explore levels that have already been completed – thanks to the 8 different forms that Shantae can use, levels hold a number of unlockable items, secrets and easter-eggs that can’t be found on the first play through. Levels finish off with large boss encounters that will hopefully test the reflexes and pattern recognition ability of players of all skill levels.

Want to see the game in action? Check out four PlayStation 4 launch screenshots below, an image of the physical Wii U version and launch trailer for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.

Launch Trailer

Wii U Pack Shot

shantaehalf-geniehero_riskybeatsedition_wiiu

New PlayStation 4 Screenshots


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