Tag Archive

Jurassic World: Evolution Introduces A Couple More Dinosaurs


Posted on February 12, 2018 by Joshua Rust

Frontier Developments continues to expand its inhabitants in the upcoming Jurassic World: Evolution  strategy-simulation game. Previously they have given profiles for the Triceratops and Ceratosaurus. Today, they have released two new profiles to the dinosaur arsenal: Stegosaurus and the Ankylosaurus.

Jurassic World: Evolution is expected to release sometime this summer on Xbox One, Playstaion 4, and Steam. Which dinosaurs do you hope make it into the game?


0

The Silver Case: The 25th Ward By Suda 51 To Be Released In March 2018


Posted on February 9, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

For the first time in North America and Europe, Suda 51’s The Silver Case: The 25th Ward is coming to home console. On March 13th “The 25th Ward” will be released in North America on PlayStation 4 and globally on Steam with a European release to follow on March 16th.

Set 5 years after the events of The Silver Case, a woman is found murdered in the Bay Side Tower Land” apartment complex under mysterious circumstances. Now multiple protagonists, including Tokio Morishima from the first Silver Case game, must connect seemingly random events together to solver this woman’s murder.

Get ready to re-enter the “Kill The Universe” world created by Suda 51, as The 25th Ward offers up similar circumstances from three different perspectives in this unique sounding sequel.

Key Art

Logo


0

Platformer Celeste climbing onto Switch eShop on January 25th


Posted on January 14, 2018 by Jason Nason

Brave hundreds of hand-crafted challenges in this super-tight platformer, as you help Madeline survive her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain!

Action platformer Celeste is ready to climb onto the Nintendo eShop, as well as making its way onto the Xbox One, PS4, and Steam, later this month. The game is another beautiful retro inspired pixel game and looks visually amazing from the videos I’ve seen. Not only that but the music is also inspired and the game has more than two hours of original music.

In the game you’ll have to help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain. The game looks super-tight and tricky with pinpoint accuricy required with seemingly little room for error. The game is a hand-crafted platformer from the creators of multiplayer classic TowerFall Matt Makes Games Inc.

Celeste is a narrative-driven, single-player adventure, with a charming cast of characters and a touching story of self-discovery. The game features a massive mountain teeming with 600+ screens of hardcore platforming challenges and devious secrets, brutal B-side chapters to unlock, and looks to be built for only the bravest mountaineers.

The controls are said to be simple and accessible. You can jump, air-dash, and climb. There are layers of expressive depth to master, where every death is a lesson. Lightning-fast respawns keep you climbing as you uncover the mysteries of the mountain and brave its many perils.

Celeste will be released in the Nintendo eShop on January 25th and will retail for $25.51 CAD.

http://darkainartsgamers.tumblr.com/post/169713364665/more-at-httpgamersdarkainartscom


0

Blazblue Cross Tag Battle coming to the Americas on June 5th


Posted on January 13, 2018 by Jason Nason

Arc System Works announced today that their upcoming fighter Blazblue Cross Tag Battle will be released in Japan on May 31st with a release set for North America on June 5th.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle will feature a dream-team of characters that have never before been gathered in a single 2D fighting game. Featuring characters from BlazBlue, Persona 4 Ultimate Arena, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH, and RWBY, the 3D animated series, developed by the visionary creators at Rooster Teeth Productions.

Cross Tag Battle features the work of Arc System Works’ up-and-coming illustrator: Konomi Higuchi as the game’s lead character designer.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle will be release for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam 3 platforms.

https://youtu.be/rsqwErCYEhg
https://youtu.be/KGY-JDYidlY
https://youtu.be/ldK5ed0SXSA
https://youtu.be/b9JNFpRS0c8
https://youtu.be/3YvnAaWfDyY


0

Throwback World War II FPS Battalion 1944 Announces Beta


Posted on January 10, 2018 by Rae Michelle Richards

Indie developer Bulkhead Interactive confirmed that their ambitious WW2 shooter, Battalion 1944 will enter exclusive closed beta from January 19th thru the 22nd. Players who pre-purchased from the Humble Bundle Store or backed the game on Kickstarter will get guaranteed access. Everyone else is able to enter on the game’s official website for a chance to participate.

Built upon the technology of Unreal Engine 4, Battalion 1944 is focused on “skill based gameplay” – meaning that pay to win mechanics and some of the comforts we’ve come to expect like auto-aim and movement assists aren’t present. The game features era-accurate weapons and is focused primarily on infantry combat – so you won’t be hoping into a tank and blowing up entire enemy teams, sorry. One of the more unique aspects is the ability for individual players to form teams (called Battalions, of course) – where they can collectively work together based up their skill and progression to unlock rewards. Battalion 1944 also features both LAN and clan support, something they a lot of modern FPS games have done away with as they move towards Games As A Service.

Howard Philpott, Creative Producer on the game had this to say:

“the action in a Battalion 1944 encounter is as feverish as it is credible. We’ve looked to bed the play down in maps that are both competitive and authentic, for which our trips to Normandy proved immensely useful”.

After the closed beta weekend Battalion 1944 will enter Steam Early Access for $11.99 USD and will include six as of yet unannounced gameplay modes.


0

Dying Light Is Getting a Stand-Alone PVP Expansion In 2018, Technical Test Sign-Ups Open


Posted on December 7, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Battle Royale games have been front and center this year when it comes to the discussion of online multiplayer titles. Perhaps then it is no surprise that Techland, the developers behind the Dying Light franchise, will be bringing their own unique spin on the genre with the reveal of the stand-alone Dying Light: Bad Blood expansion.  

Bad Blood‘s official website promises that Techland’s approach to BR will set itself apart from the competition by incorporating P.V.E elements into a traditionally P.V.P only genre. Not only will players have to fight against each other but also A.I controlled zombies and in some instances powerful boss monsters that could turn the tide of battle. The inclusion of P.V.E elements means that players will be encouraged to form temporary alliances to overcome these challenging foes but they’ll also have to watch their backs. In order to escape from the horrors of Bad Blood players will need to buy their way onto to an evacuation helicopter at the end of a round using collected samples. Since every player purchases their one-way escape ticket separately, alliances are sure to be broken. 

A closed technical test will take place during the last few weeks of this month via Valve’s Steam service with more players being invited over time. Additional platforms for Dying Light: Bad Blood are expected to be revealed later on in 2018 and there has been no word if a console release is planned. It is also not known how Dying Light: Bad Blood will be monetized – whether free to play, free to existing Dying Light owners or buy to play. 

Expect more news and media from Bad Blood in the coming weeks as the technical test has no embargo or media capture restrictions. If you want to sign-up yourself you can do so here. 

 


0

World of Final Fantasy Coming To Steam This November


Posted on November 1, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Chibi versions of some of our favorite Final Fantasy characters will migrate onto a brand new platform, Windows PC, with the re-release of World of Final Fantasy on Steam later this month. 

Exploring the world of Grymoire as twins Reynn & Lann as they aim to capture classic FF monsters is an enjoyable and light-hearted romp, in my experience.  While I have yet to finish World of Final Fantasy on either PS4 or PS Vita yet, the time I did spend with the game was not only enjoyable but the writing (and generous amount of puns) left me with a smile on my face.  

Players who purchase the Day One edition on November 21st will get access to an exclusive soundtrack sampler, a digital wallpaper and the chance to catch a number of previously unavailable mirages. These exclusive monsters include: 

  • Sephiroth summon 
  • White Chocobo  
  • Glow Moogle  
  • Red Bonnetberry 
  • Sky Dragon  
  • Kaguya Flan  
  • Nidhogg  
  • 2P Serafie  
  • Iris  
  • Dark Behemoth  
  • Astraea  
  • Kobold Mimic  
  • Topaz Carbuncle  
  • 2P Tama 
  • Balthier 
  • Boko 

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 

MINIMUM: 

OS: Windows 7 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i3 2.0GHz or above
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 1GB or higher, Radeon HD 5770 1GB or higher
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 15 GB available space
Sound Card: Sound device that supports DirectX 11 

RECOMMENDED: 

OS: Windows 8/8.1 64bit and Windows 10 64 bit
Processor: Intel Core i3 2.4GHz or above
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB or higher, Radeon HD 7850 2GB or higher
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 15 GB available space
Sound Card: Sound device that supports DirectX 11 

 


0

Nioh: Complete Edition Coming To PC On November 7th


Posted on October 2, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja will unleash their brutal samurai action title Nioh on PC this fall with the release of Nioh: Complete Edition on November 7th. Taking the role of a lone samurai players must fight their way through challenging enemies and supernatural Yokai in order to complete their quest. After a lengthy development process that lasted for 13 years Nioh finally saw release on PS4 this past February. 

Nioh: Complete Edition will include the base game along with 3 already released DLC expansions: Dragon of the North, Defiant Honor and Bloodshed’s End. Here is a description of each expansion DLC as detailed on the game’s Steam page: 

Dragon of the North
This expansion opens up the Tohoku region, where the “one-eyed dragon” Date Masamune is secretly gathering spirit stones.

Defiant Honor
Fight your way through the Siege of Osaka’s winter campaign as you follow the story of one of Japan’s greatest generals from the Warring States period, the brave Sanada Yukimura.

Bloodshed’s End
Join the summer campaign of the Siege of Osaka as the Warring States period draws to a close in this, the final chapter of William’s tale. 

A special steam exclusive “Dharmachakra Kabuto” helmet is also included in the Steam release of the Complete Edition.

Nioh: Complete Editions minimum requirements aren’t too strenuous – with the 4 generations old i5 4770 being the recommended processor. The same goes with graphics cards: with the 4 year old Geforce 780 being the minimum to run the game. That 3GB Vram recommendation might be a challenge for someone who has one of the many 2GB Radeon cards that would otherwise meet the requirements.

MINIMUM:
OS: Windows® 10 64bit, Windows® 8.1 64bit, Windows® 7 64bit
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 3550 or over
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 780 VRAM 3GB or over AMD Radeon™ R9 280 VRAM 3GB or over
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 100 GB available space
Sound Card: 16 bit stereo, 48KHz WAVE file can be played

RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows® 10 64bit, Windows® 8.1 64bit, Windows® 7 64bit
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 4770K or over
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 VRAM 6GB or over AMD Radeon™ R9 380X VRAM 4GB or over
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 100 GB available space
Sound Card: 16 bit stereo, 48KHz WAVE file can be played

 


0

‘The Architect’ Update For Osiris: New Dawn Released With 33% Off Sale


Posted on September 11, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Multiplayer space survival title Osiris: New Dawn received the substantial ‘Architect’ update today alongside a 33% discount on Steam for the next week. To celebrate the release developer Fenix Fire released a brand-new trailer, a list of major features for this update and a screenshot gallery. 

In the new ‘Creative Mode’ players are not constrained by the need for building materials, the bodily needs for survival or filling out tech trees. Gameplay sliders allow the host of a game session to adjust individual values like Structure Decay, Fall Duration, and many others. The introduction of Stackable Habitable Spaces provides fledgling architects with new dwellings to add to their favorite base designs. 

Here is a full feature list provided by Fenix Fire’s PR representatives: 

  • Creative Mode – Players can now enjoy a near-limitless sandbox game mode to build all sorts of amazing structures. Huge highways, large walled buildings, and massive landmarks are just some of the custom structures that can be made. 
  • New Base Defenses and Utilities – Gamers can make use of different wall materials to reinforce their base of operations and take advantage of new electric fences, sling turrets, and electro-dome defenses. 
  • Stackable Habitat Structures – Increase the colony’s livable space with stackable habitat structures connected with automated elevators. 
  • Better Starting Equipment – A new beginning point as well as better starting equipment will ease new space adventurers into the harsh alien environment. 
  • New Weapon: Bolt Rifle – The update introduces the powerful Bolt Rifle, a higher-powered, single shot weapon with tremendous range. 
  • Batch Crafting and Auto Mining – Automate multiple crafting needs with Batch Crafting and never worry about searching for excavated minerals with the new Auto Mining option. 
  • Rebalanced Skill Trees – Skill trees for every class have been rebalanced for better overall player progression. 
  • New Gameplay Sliders – Customize the game with a huge assortment of slider options including Structure Decay Speed, Hover Duration, Fall Damage and much more. 

If you’d like to check out the trailer here it is:

Osiris New Dawn launched in Steam Early Access almost a year ago in September 2016. It holds an overall “Mostly Positive” rating according to Steam User Reviews and received the “Best New Survival” award at the 2016 Penny Arcade Expo West. Until September 18th it is available for the discounted price of $18.75 CDN. 

New Screenshots:

 

This post contains images and copy-text that were provided by either this game’s developer or PR agency, editorial comments by our staff are not the viewers of the game’s developers and vice versa. 

 


0

Nights of Azure 2 heads to PS4, Switch in October


Posted on August 8, 2017 by Jason Nason

Koei Tecmo America recently revealed that the standalone sequel to the gothic fairy tale action RPG from developer GUST Studios, Nights of Azure, is headed to western shores. The game will be titled Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon and will be released on October 24th, 2017. Nights of Azure 2 marks the publisher’s western debut on Nintendo Switch, with simultaneous releases planned for the PlayStation 4 and Steam.

Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon takes place in a fictional, demon-ridden Western European city towards the end of the 19th century. The story focuses on a knight protector named Alushe and her two childhood friends – Liliana, a kind-hearted priestess, and Ruhenheid, a holy knight of the Lourdes Order. While guarding Liliana, Alushe is ambushed and killed only to later awaken as an artificial half-demon at the hands of the New Curia, a religious organization with dark ties. In the company of a variety of unlikely allies with their own pasts and agendas, Alushe’s strong desire to save Liliana gives her the strength to scatter the shadows shrouding the world and motivation to uncover the shocking truth behind the mysterious Queen of the Moon.

Read More


0

Steam’s Latest Free To Play Darling, Black Squad, Has Attracted Thousands of Concurrent Players


Posted on July 29, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

The world of free to play games can be daunting with the amount of sheer choice available and if you’re not careful you might end up choosing a game that is more advertisement for the in-game cash shop than a proper video game.

Thousands of Steam users – almost 8,000 concurrently at the moment of the writing of this article – have decided to download and try out this previously under the radar free to play shooter. On a weekend where Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is free to play for everyone, what could this imported and 3-year-old FPS from Korea offer players that Activision isn’t?

Black Squad’s gameplay feels like a throwback to the shooters of the 90s- eschewing recent staples like vertical movement, wall-running or peaking behind cover. In their place are the identical hit boxes for every player, fast movement / res-pawn time and a limited selection of weapons. As quickly as players die in TDM they respawn and are thrown back into the fray. Combine all of this with some trappings from Counter Strike: the previously mentioned role based selection of weapons, running animations featuring a knife and a loud announcer and you’ve got a recipe for a nostalgic throwback of a game that doesn’t really care for the current trends in the genre.

In terms of modes, there is the standard Free for All and Team Death Match (where I spent the majority of my three hours with the game last night). Also offered are two objective modes where special abilities can be used based upon the amount of experience you’ve accrued throughout the match.  These range from the mundane: placing down a sentry turret or ammo packs for your team-mates; to the spectacular: calling in a devastating airstrike that rains hellfire from above. XP rewards aren’t nearly as flashy or differentiated as the Kill Streaks in Call of Duty but in a game like this, they don’t really have to be.

With the gameplay being provided for free there has to be some form of monetization. Black Squad comes with the requisite cash shop and multiple forms of currency (one earned through completing matches, another purchased with real dollars and yet a third “medal” currency awarded for weekly challenges). Despite the onslaught of currencies available Black Squad doesn’t feel pay to win. Each gun has a number of different stats that are tweaked depending on what other options the gun offers – silencer, scope, laser sight etc. – but it all feels balanced enough. This isn’t a game where someone can put down $20 on the table and buy a super powered sniper rifle and one shot everyone. The minor difference in stats & armor don’t appear to give paying players any sizeable advantage; instead, the developers hope to earn cash through limited edition skins and weapon models sold through loot crates. It is great to see them prioritizing balance & fun factor for all players versus taking the easy route of offering a $99.99 USD Golden Gun that could kill anyone.

Who knows if the sizeable community that has formed around Black Squad will stick around for the long term. Steam fads have a tendency to come and go with the whims of the players- who is still playing The Culling? The thousands of people who flocked to the revamped Battleborn have all but left, leaving that game with similar to numbers to before the Free to Play transition. Then again, some thought (myself included) that Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds was going to be a flash in the pan next to H1Z1: King of the Kill and PUBG has had considerable staying power – enough so that it has spawned imitators like Last Man Standing.


0

The Final Station | REVIEW


Posted on July 28, 2017 by Meghan Kass

The Final Station is the base game coming to you from development team Do Our Best games and publishers Tinybuild Games . This game is quickly gaining fans and it is easy to see why; with a story that is full of intrigue, interesting game play that challenges you and plenty of content it’s hard to not see why so many are enjoying this game and why it is starting to get add ons and DLC to add to the experience. Do Our Best has definitely delivered something special and the team is definitely passionate about this project. After watching the trailer, the game definitely grabbed my attention and I am happy it did not disappoint.

The Only Station throws you right in the middle of the scene. You are conducting a train in the middle of what appears to be some sort of illness or epidemic going around. In the beginning it is simply your job to keep passengers  safe and healthy and of course to find the key code for the next train to continue. This could entail something as easy as asking a coworker for the code, to having to travel and perform a favor for it or find it hidden somewhere. As the game progresses, the mystery begins to reveal itself. There are monsters and an  illness and you caught in the middle just trying to get passengers to safety. You may have to fight your way through hordes of enemies, but you are on your mission to get that train to its next stop and find the next code that keeps the train running. You can choose to continue saving these passengers or you can let them die and loot their bodies for money and supplies. As for the deeper nuances of the story, you can explore and read fan theories and speculate, but some parts are left a purposeful mystery to add to the fun.

The aesthetic of this game is entirely pixelated retro style. Everything is very blocky without much detail in the design, but that can work to the game’s advantage. I found the silhouetted enemies to be quite alarming at times along with the survival aspect of the game. You need to budget your ammo and tactically plan your way around the world and not waste your resources. I found it took some getting used to when it came to aiming your gun to shoot down your enemies, as when you are moving your arm to aim your gun, it can be slightly sensitive and make it more difficult to aim and hit your mark and it can make you waste bullets. If you can get past the less than perfect combat and hordes of enemies, what you have is truly something special. Discovering this world, finding secrets and unraveling the mysteries of this game are what really make this game worth playing. It is clear the team behind this spent a lot of time weaving this story for their audience with care, making sure to carefully place all the hints, easter eggs and answers deliberately.

Overall, The Final Station base game is truly something special. It is an indie gem that deserves the following and attention it has gotten and then some. I look forward to playing the DLC and continuing the story and learning more about this dystopian world and what it has to offer. You can play it now on Steam or XBox One. If you enjoy eerie atmosphere, mystery and pixel art, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Each level is short enough for those who don’t have long periods of time to play games or you can binge the game, it’s up to you. All aboard and enjoy the ride of the Final Station.

 


0

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Multiplayer Free This Weekend


Posted on July 27, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

If you haven’t tried the latest Call of Duty – set in the futuristic wars of space, then perhaps it is time to hop in for free this weekend. Activision is giving Steam users the chance to download the game’s multiplayer client for free and frag their way to prestige until Sunday at 1PM PST. If you hurry it isn’t too late to get 36 hours of free game time in, as long as you don’t mind the substantial 62GB download (and that’s just for Multiplayer, the single player adds an additional 30+ GB).

As of writing Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is sitting at 1,300 players online. According to Steam Charts this is a substantial jump as the game pulled in just an average of 926 players at any given time during the month of June.  Multiplayer for 2015’s Call of Duty: Black Ops III appears to be a lot healthier with an average of 1,600 players during June and 3,178 players online at press time.

Alongside the free weekend, Activision also discounted the standard version of Infinite Warfare by 50% and the Digital Legacy Edition that includes Modern Warfare Remastered.

 


0

Quake Champions Will Be Live On Steam ‘Soon’


Posted on July 26, 2017 by Rae Michelle Richards

Sabre Interactive and id Software’s reimagining of the Quake franchise, Quake Champions will be pushed to Steam ‘soon’ according to a community post made by Community Manager Iker_A. Quake Champions has been in an all but in name only Open Beta since the announcement of beta keys on the games’ official website during E3.

In a thread titled “ The thing that will kill this game” Iker_A gives the community an update on why matchmaking wait times are so long – low server populations. In addition, it has been revealed that major patches are coming down the pike and that a second advertisement blitz should accompany Quake Champions’ emergence onto Steam.

“Hello,

One of the main reasons of matchmaking problems now is the limited player base. The game is in Beta and the devs are making progress to improve the game as much as possible before going really big, that’s one of the main reasons of this testing period. The game will be pushed to Steam soon and we have big plans to promote it, so this issue will be improved drastically in the future. Thanks for your patience!”

It has been a while since I wrote about Quake Champions – for a rundown on the basics of the game make sure to check out my preview from this past April during the Closed Beta. Sadly since Champions became publically available a number of issues have persisted with the game including upload times being tied to frame rate, persistent lag and the god-like ability for any player to take rockets to the face like a champ; because rockets currently do zero damage.

Here’s hoping things can be cleaned up before thousands of people descend upon Bethesda’s servers due to the soon to come Steam release.


0

Get the latest articles and news from BrokenJoysticks and a selection of excellent articles from other sources.

Simply fill out the form below and you’ll be on your way to getting our upcoming newsletter.