Weekly News Round-Up, March 23 - 29: Facebook Buys Oculus Rift! Oh The Horror!

Written By: Tyler

We have seen a lot happen this week. EA happened some more, Minecraft did stuff, and games were played. I know you're busy because you have a life, so I have taken it upon myself to update you with all the most -- or at least some of it -- interesting video game news of the past week.

This week I've decided to make it a Dean Ambrose/Jon Moxley theme, because that guy is weird and I love him. His facial expressions and reactions are great for everything.

Let's Start This Week Off Right -- EA CEO Talks Getting Things "A Little Bit" Wrong
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-ceo-when-we-get-it-a-little-bit-wrong-we-do-our-best-to-fix-it/1100-6418484/

I'll start this bad boy off with a direct quote that's in that link above:

“For whatever reason, whether it was because they were pushing the boundaries of innovation and they pushed a little hard and things didn't go so well," Wilson told Fortune, referring the SimCity offline debacle, endless Battlefield 4 issues, and problems with NBA Live 14. "We won't always get everything right, but my hope is that we're seen as a company that tries to do amazing things. When we get it a little bit wrong, we do our best to fix it."

The internet does not like you, EA.
EA Voted Worst Company In America AGAIN


Speaking Of EA Being A Crappy Company -- They Won't Win "Worst Company In America" A Third Time
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-won-t-be-named-worst-company-in-america-this-year/1100-6418513/

Time Warner Cable narrowly edged out EA so EA won't be able to complete the hat trick.

Denied!

 I haven't trusted Time Warner since they sold World Championship Wrestling anyway.


EA Delays Battlefield 4 DLC Until Whenever Because Of A "Hiccup"
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-hiccup-causes-pc-delay/1100-6418518/

Battlefield 4: Naval Strike won't not be released for a bit as they hammer out a problem with the PC version. It still has shown up on consoles, but you're trying to tell me that the PC version of Battlefield 4 has problems?

At this point I'm so glad that the computer I was using before my new one couldn't run Battlefield 4.


EA Planning To Make The Star Wars Games Like The Batman: Arkham Games
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/25/ea-plans-to-model-star-wars-games-on-batman-arkham-series

EA is taking influence from the Batman: Arkham series in the sense that the Star Wars games aren't going to be tied to any existing Star Wars movies. Taking ideas from other companies concerning their own games? I thought they were too busy innovating.


Origin Isn't Going To Sell Physical Copy Of Games Starting April 4
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-s-origin-service-will-stop-selling-disc-based-games-next-week/1100-6418630/

That's right! Nobody likes Origin but here's a story for you all. It will be a digital-only service come April 4th.


But Wait, You Can Get Dead Space For Free On Origin Now
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/

You can now get Dead Space for free on Origin as part of their "On The House" program. Why is EA doing this? Because they feel bad for screwing with gamers all these years Because they are gamers too, stating, "We appreciate you making Origin your gaming home...and besides, who doesn't like free stuff?"

No I'm not making fun of homeless people.

Saint's Row Developer Was Making A Post-Apocalyptic Western Open-World Game
http://www.destructoid.com/volition-was-making-a-post-apocalyptic-western-272402.phtml

And now they aren't because it would have taken too long. Dammit! I feel screwed.


Escape Goat 2 Has Arrived... But Check Out This Awesome Trailer
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-introduces-escape-goat-2-with-second-funniest-trailer-of-the-year-so-far/1100-6418515/

In the link above there is a trailer to the new game Escape Goat 2, which you can now buy. Admittedly, the trailer doesn't show a lot of gameplay (but there are other trailers available) and is entertaining because it's just funny.

Escape Goat 2 comes out this year, and then there is Goat Simulator. Could it be that including goats in games is the new trend and making open-world games is out? Only time will tell.

Pick up Escape Goat 2 NOW! I made it! No I didn't...


Marc Whitten May Be Leaving Microsoft, But He Praises The Xbox One Future
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/25/marc-whitten-promises-xbox-one-is-just-beginning

Even though he's peacing out of Microsoft, he has said that Microsoft is on their way to reaching what they want the Xbox One to be.

Yeah.

The New Mario Kart Still Has The Same Release Date, Even Though There Was Some Confusion
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/25/nintendo-refutes-mario-kart-8as-early-release-date

Nintendo cleared that stuff up like it was acne. The game is still coming out May 30, not a couple weeks before.


Here's When You Can Start Ignoring Your Family
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/elder-scrolls-online-announces-exact-launch-times/1100-6418485/

You want to know when Elder Scrolls Online officially launches? So does everyone else. Here are the times for the launch:

• North America (East): 7:00 PM EDT, Thursday, April 3
• UK/IE: 12:00 AM WEST, Thursday, April 4
• Central Europe: 1:00 AM CEST, Thursday, April 4
• Sydney, Australia: 10:00 AM AEDT, Thursday, April 4
• Singapore: 7:00 AM SGT, Thursday, April 4

Also in that link are the times for the three day early access and five day early access. Somewhere also in that link is a link that takes you to a page made by the uncle of your best friend's mother that tells you the secret of the Universe.


Minecraft On The PS3 And 360 Get A Big Update 
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-ps3-xbox-360-versions-getting-major-update/1100-6418483/

Not sick of playing Minecraft on last-gen consoles? Well, they got your back. A big update is rolling out that offers new terrain generation options, new potions, blocks, and even a carrot on a stick special item that allows you to ride pigs.

Yes, this is happening. By the way, that's a carrot on a stick in case you can't tell.

TITANFALL Gets A Balancing Update
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-update-fixes-bugs-adjusts-balancing-makes-the-smart-pistol-less-lethal/1100-6418482/

In the link above (god I love just being able to link things... it makes my work so much easier) there is a huge list of the balancing updates that have hit indie game TITANFALL. Most noticeably, the Smart Pistol has been nerfed which makes me go:

Luftrausers Took 2 And A Half Years To Develop, Already Makes A Profit
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/indie-game-luftrausers-took-2-5-years-to-make-becomes-profitable-in-72-hours/1100-6418508/

Luftrausers only took 72 hours to make a profit, which is great news for the indie developers. Take that Minecraft, you gigantic money making bastard!


Nintendo And Sony Not Going To PAX East
http://www.destructoid.com/microsoft-will-be-at-pax-east-sony-and-nintendo-won-t-272409.phtml

Don't worry, Microsoft will be at PAX East, but Nintendo and Sony won't. In the link above there is a list of the people/companies/groups that will be attending. Some other companies that won't be showing up are "Nintendo, Sony, EA Games, Capcom, Sega, Warner Bros Interactive, Twisted Pixel and Deep Silver." (I'm a real journalist and I stole that from Destructoid so I quote it... how professional)

Those are some big names not showing up. I'm too much of a wrestling fan to not be skeptical though, and I think this is a work. I think they're just plotting something behind the scenes and what we're seeing is the 2014 game version of the:

Or if you wanna be more topical and not stuck in the 90s... the companies are working a CM Punk angle.

Don't worry, they'll be there. They're going to invade PAX East brothers.


Sony Gets Rid Of "Numerous" Employees In Guerilla Cambridge, SCE London And Evolution
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/25/sony-layoffs-hit-evolution-guerilla-and-sce-london

I never make fun of layoffs in the Weekly News Round-Up because this is always sad to hear.


Microsoft Is Implementing The Major League Gaming App For The Xbox 360
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mlg-app-comes-to-xbox-360-lets-you-watch-live-broadcasts/1100-6418498/

If you have Xbox Live Gold, then you'll also be able to watch Major League Gaming on your 360. Major League Gaming isn't to be confused with Major League Baseball -- if you're like me and you originally just skimmed through the article and thought it said MLB -- because I wouldn't want anybody to confuse a fake sport with a real sport.

Just kidding eSports, you know I love you.


Don't Expect Toki Tori 3
http://www.destructoid.com/don-t-expect-toki-tori-3-anytime-soon-272419.phtml

Apparently there isn't an audience for it, so fans of the series shouldn't expect a third entry any time soon. Don't worry I won't!

Toki Tori is actually a series I've meant to play but haven't yet. So it's my fault guys, sorry.


Remember The Ouya?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-of-ouya-s-games-have-free-trials-but-that-s-going-to-change/1100-6418500/

Yeah, me neither.

The Ouya is going to have slightly different policies. From what I can understand, originally developers had to create a demo for the console which cut into actually making the game. But now, instead of forcing developers to do that, they can now choose to have a free-to-try or paid model. So now, Ouya is getting rid of demos and implementing a system where Ouya will have demos.


Ubisoft Vice President Of Creative Lionel Raynaud Makes A Statement... Gets Bluff Called
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/virtual-reality-devices-need-to-sell-1-million-units-before-ubisoft-gets-interested-update/1100-6418392/

Lionel Raynaud is excited about Virtual Reality systems like Project Morpheus, Oculus Rift or actually going outside and experiencing life... but said that they would need major numbers sold in order for Ubisoft to use the new technology. He said VR would need to sell a million units.

Then, someone else from Ubisoft came out and was basically like, "nah, 1 million isn't actually what it would take dudez." That's a direct quote, obviously.


Blizzard Says Diablo 3 Is In Development For Xbox One
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-in-development-for-xbox-one-but-blizzard-not-sure-if-it-will-ever-launch/1100-6418494/

...but says they don't know if it'll be released, due to contracts and whatnot.

So they're developing a game that they know may not be released?

In unrelated news, I traveled to the future and in a year Blizzard lays off employees.


Rich And Don't Know What To Do With Yourself?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/white-xbox-ones-appear-on-ebay-can-be-yours-for-1500-and-up/1100-6418493/

The way I see it is that if you're rich you have two options.  You can either send me money or you can buy this white Xbox One for $1500 and up.

Super Mario Bros. 3 Hits The Wii U And 3DS Virtual Console April 17th
http://www.destructoid.com/super-mario-bros-3-is-finally-hitting-the-virtual-console-on-april-17th-272465.phtml

In a shocking turn of events, Nintendo is finally putting a Mario game on one of their systems!

If you want to play arguably the greatest Mario of all time, make sure to pick it up. There are other games coming soon too like Metroid Fusion, Golden Sun and more.


Ubisoft Going Hard On PAX East
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/26/ubisoft-to-demo-watch-dogs-trials-fusion-and-more-at-pax-east

Ubisoft is going to demo Trials Fusion, Child of Light, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Phantoms, and The Mighty Quest For Epic Loot... along with Watch Dogs. Sounds great, but who's going to watch, uh, play, play the... Watch the Watch Dogs? I give up. This was messed from the beginning. I'm sorry.


Lorne Lanning Has Anger Issues
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/26/oddworld-creator-lashes-ea-talks-abeas-oddysee-remake 

Lorne Lanning in his Black Metal band.

The Oddworld creator had a little bit to say about EA and Oddworld:

On Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty

“We still see press calling it an HD remake, and it’s not a f--king HD remake."

On EA
“F--k that business. I don’t want to play with that business, because it was a losing business. I just don’t want to go back and play the old [publisher] game. I’d rather not make games than go f--king be a slave for public companies who care more about their shareholders than they do about their customers."

“Why did Battlefield 4 ship? You know that team was crying. You know that team knew that game wasn’t ready to go. You know that team f--king spent a lot of sleepless nights building that s--t out to look as good and play as good, when it was able to be experienced, being played as they were intending it to be played. Someone made a decision that the shareholders are more important than the customer. And we see a lot of that. How do you blow that? How do you take that f--king jewel and ship it with dirt all over it?”

I like this guy. He should write the Weekly News Round-Up.


Guild Wars 2 Is Going To Be Prettier In The April Patch
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/26/guild-wars-2-features-getting-revamped-and-enhanced-in-april

Guild Wars 2 is going to have a patch, but it's mostly just to enhance the game, rather than add new story.


Peter Molyneux Is Still Jaw Jackin'... Verbally
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/molyneux-the-indie-golden-age-won-t-last/1100-6418524/
 
Peter Molyneux recently said to enjoy this whole indie game thing while it lasts because it goes in cycles. He cited the music business, saying punk is popular for five years, then we get everything being manufactured.

Peter, we've had the same mainstream crap in North America for like 15 years. Or more.



Stop The Presses - Facebook Buys The Oculus Rift
http://kotaku.com/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-for-2-billion-1551487939 

This will probably be the biggest news of the week. Facebook bought the Oculus Rift for 2 billion dollars.

Mark Suckerberg (Oh I'm so edgy) says:

"Now Facebook runs the entire world. We bought the Oculus Rift, we're about to buy North America, and the surely we will conquer everything. We're so popular that God constantly updates his status."

Or he actually said:
"Mobile is the platform of today, and now we're also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow," Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate."

I'm sure the gaming aspect of the Oculus Rift will not be tampered with, and I'm looking forward to being able to hang out with the people I don't want to talk to in real life in a virtual world.


Oculus Rift Will Eventually Be Redesigned With Facebook Logo And Inferface
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-will-eventually-be-redesigned-with-facebook-branding-report/1100-6418548/

Geez. Facebook has to slap their logo on everything. Luckily this blog will never see that.

In related news, the Kickstarter backers of the Oculus Rift are pissed. I can't possibly understand why.

Update: Facebook says (because it's a physical person now) it won't redesign shit.


Palmer Luckey Shoots Off About The Oculus Rift And Facebook
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-creator-we-promise-we-won-t-change-following-facebook-buyout/1100-6418562/

Palmer Luckey did what anybody would do when having to answer questions -- he went to Reddit. In the link above he talks about a bunch of different things concerning the acquisition of the Oculus Rift by the tyrant Facebook. But I'm not posting it here because that will take up a lot of space. What? You actually expected me to? What is this, Communism?

In short though: Things will get better, indie development will increase, it will be more open, they'll have more money for new hardware and better people, and you won't have to log-in to Facebook and see all the annoying posts everyone makes (including myself) in order to use the Rift.


The Deal Only Took 72 Hours! 
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/some-deals-take-months-but-facebook-completed-its-purchase-of-oculus-vr-in-72-hours/1100-6418566/

Facebook moves fast, and sure enough they moved fast again. It only took 72 hours to make the Oculus deal. That's pretty impressive.

In related news, Mark Zuckerberg is actually Sonic.

Michael Abrash Leaves Valve, Joins Oculus
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-vr-hires-another-valve-virtual-reality-veteran/1100-6418627/

Michael left Valve, and had this to say: "Facebook's acquisition of Oculus means that VR is going to happen in all its glory. The resources and long-term commitment that Facebook brings gives Oculus the runway it needs to solve the hard problems of VR--and some of them are hard indeed. I now fully expect to spend the rest of my career pushing VR as far ahead as I can."

My, what a brash man. Get it? GET IT? Please accept me.

Dat Facebook money.

Oh Yeah, This Is Happening -- Goat Simulator Dead Island Trailer


Do you remember the Dead Island trailer that was so emotional it made the entire universe cry? It was one of the best video game trailers of all time and it made Dead Island look like it was going to hit you right in the heart.

Well the creators of Goat Simulator paid homage/parodied it with this. You should have watched it before you read what I had to say about it, but if you haven't, clicky-clicky that video above because it is so worth it.


Bioshock: Infinite's Final DLC Hit This Week
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/say-goodbye-to-bioshock-infinite-as-its-final-dlc-is-out-today/1100-6418526/

Burial At Sea - Episode 2 hit the week, so if you're a fan of Bioshock: Infinite, make sure to pick up the DLC. And if you understand the ending of the original game, contact me and explain it to me. Thanks!


Microsoft Believes Now Is The Time For Something That Should Have Been There From The Original Plans
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-on-loaning-and-gifting-digital-xbox-one-games-we-totally-believe-in-that-future/1100-6418534/

If you're a gamer you probably remember Microsoft at E3. I shouldn't even have to tell you which one. They came out, said a bunch of things that annoyed everyone and now have reversed their policies. Well, now, they're fine with a loaning and gifting digital game service.


Did You Cheat In TITANFALL? Welcome To Alcatraz
http://www.destructoid.com/titanfall-cheaters-can-only-play-with-other-cheaters-now-272499.phtml

If you cheated in TITANFALL and got banned, you can still plan... but only with other cheaters.

TITANFALL New Modes Will Be Free... DLC Will Be 10 Bucks
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-titanfall-modes-won-t-be-locked-behind-a-paygate/1100-6418551/

You won't have to pay for the new modes in TITANFALL, but there is DLC in the works that you will have to pay for.


Sony Can't Keep Employees

The Driveclub director has left to be indie.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-s-ps4-racing-game-driveclub-loses-its-director/1100-6418552/

Don't you know it works in cycles! Molyneux said so! Get out of there Col Rodgers!

But Driveclub is still making good progress and a release date is coming soon.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-racing-game-driveclub-making-spectacular-progress-release-date-coming-soon/1100-6418567/

Seth Killian has also left the God Of War developer to do his own thing.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/yet-another-playstation-designer-leaves-sony/1100-6418554/

 I'm sure whatever he chooses to do, he's going to kill it. Get it?

Torchlight Co-Founders Peace Out And Start A New Studio
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/torchlight-co-founders-leave-runic-games-to-start-new-studio/1100-6418577/

Travis Baldree and Erich Schaefer left Runic Games and are now starting up their own studio named Double Damage Games. I for one trust any company named Double Damage.


You Want The Last Of Us On PS4? Nah. Well, Maybe
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-the-last-of-us-coming-to-ps4-as-physical-and-digital-release/1100-6418573/

A Sony representative from Turkey (yum) has said that the Ellen Page game The Last of Us may be coming to PS4. But nobody knows if it's true or not at this point, and since The Last of Us is going to be a Playstation Now (not now, but later) game... it seems a little wonky. 


Here We Go Again -- Video Games Make Kids Violent
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/study-violent-video-games-could-be-linked-to-aggressive-behavior/1100-6418556/

I had hoped that we were past this point, but I guess in my heart I knew that a new study would pop up eventually, just like a new villain will inevitably pop up in Gotham.

There's been a recent study that basically stated that kids who play a lot of video games are more violent than kids that don't. Of course, like any study, there was controversy and someone else basically said that it's a stupid study.

Well said.

But Hey, Gamers Aren't Loners Either
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamers-are-not-anti-social-basement-dwellers-study-finds/1100-6418624/

A new study has said that gamers aren't the anti-social dickholes that pop culture makes them out to be. In fact, according to this study, loners in the gaming community are the exception to the rule and not the norm. Gamers are actually incredibly social. Unless you're me... in which case you just sit at home by yourself, playing your MMORPGs with just your older brother because you don't want to deal with other people. But I'm not anti-social.


Notch Comes Through The Door Blastin' On Cliffy B
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-creator-responds-to-cliff-bleszinski-calling-him-a-pouty-kid/1100-6418609/

Cliffy B called Notch (the maker of Minecraft in case you've been living under a rock or you know, don't give a crap about Minecraft) a "pouty kid" when Notch announced that he was cancelling development for the Oculus Rift once it was acquired by Facebook.

Notch replied by saying, "I'm a man driven by principles, not capitalism, so I guess I'll just have to get used to the occasional name calling." Of course, this was all said on Twitter because real life what?

Am I the only one who finds a beef between two game developers funny? We're not exactly known for being tough guys... but hey, I don't have a study to back that up.

PS4 Getting Over 100 Games In 2014, There's A List Of Them In That Link Below
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-getting-over-100-games-in-2014-here-s-the-full-list/1100-6418569/

Do you want games? We all do! PS4 is supposedly going to have over 100 by the time 2014 ends. And I'm going to play every single one of them.

 

Microsoft Won't Allow PC And Xbox One Crass Platform Play... Well, Maybe A Little
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-won-t-allow-xbox-one-pc-cross-platform-play-says-war-thunder-dev/1100-6418587/ 

Microsoft said it won't completely allow cross platform play, however, they will work closely with developers when they have to or need it. But they actually will allow it sometimes, so god damn it, this isn't news at all.


But Microsoft Thinks That There Will Be "An Army Of Huge Franchises" Coming To E3

Phil Spencer says, "If you look at attach rate on the consoles right now, people investing in the great new AAA IP, it's great. I think at this year's E3 between us and EA and Activision, Sony, and Nintendo, you're going to see another army of huge franchises coming."

Well I hope so since E3 is the biggest gaming event of the year.
 

Microsoft Is Releasing Halo: Spartan Assault On Steam April 4th...
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-has-no-plans-to-release-more-halo-games-on-steam/1100-6418613/

...But doesn't have plans for any real Halo games to show up on Steam. So I guess, pick it up or whatever.


Phil Spencer Also Talks About Japan
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/console-gaming-not-dead-in-japan-microsoft-says/1100-6418629/

Oh hey, it's just Phil Spencer talking again. Soon I'm going to have to give him and Peter Molyneux their own "EA Corner" type thing. This time he said, "It's critical for us in the industry that we continue to invest [in Japan] and see great games come out," as he doesn't think that the gaming population has gone down in Japan.




Justin Richmond Says Bye To Naughty Dog, Joins Riot
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-director-leaves-naughty-dog-for-riot/1100-6418600/

Justin Richmond, the Uncharted 4 director, has left Naughty Dog in order to join the company that we can blame for League of Legends. There are no hard feelings, and Uncharted 4 will not be impacted at all, except for the fact it now takes place in space and involves Nathan Drake mating with aliens. No major changes though.

And seriously, Riot? There's no money in League of Legends.

...


3D Realms Is Still Fighting Gearbox
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-gearbox-3d-realms-legal-battle-over-duke-nukem-is-heating-up/1100-6418586/

3D Realms says that they have the rights to make a new Duke Nukem game, and they also own the trademark still.

Well, that's settled.

Warface Beta Is Open Now For Xbox Live Gold Subscribers On the Xbox 360
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-developer-s-warface-hits-open-beta-on-xbox-360/1100-6418585/

If you want to torture yourself with a mediocre game, feel free to get in on the Warface beta if you're an owner of the Xbox 360. But I recommend not.


Devil's Third Has A New Logo
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ninja-gaiden-dev-s-action-game-devil-s-third-gets-a-new-logo-2014-reveal-teased/1100-6418583/

Tomonobu Itagaki's new action game has a new logo, and it's new, so check it out while it's new.

Third what?

Is The Newest Deus Ex Game Called Mankind Divided?
http://www.destructoid.com/square-enix-trademarks-deus-ex-mankind-divided-272600.phtml

According to this article it is. Apparently Square Enix trademarked "Deus Ex: Mankind Divided" in the UK so that could possibly be the title of the next Deus Ex.

They could call it Deus Ex: On The Gamely Sucks Hard and I wouldn't even care... I just want another Deus Ex. In fact, do that. Right now.


Wanna Be A Chef In A Post-Apocalyptic World? DayZ's Got You Covered
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/28/day-z-survival-update-adds-cooking-weapons

When "the moment [they] are confident [they] have a suitable build to release" a new update for DayZ will appear. This will include an improved AKM weapons model, new locations and... cooking! That's right, you can get your Master Chef on in this game whenever the update comes out, because really that's why we go to a game like DayZ to begin with.

"Boy, I hope they're making roast beef in there."

"Hey, got any roast beef in there?"

"Sir I don't see any roast beef anywhere."

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Weekly News Round-Up. Hate me and my news? Tell me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime.

Make sure to tune in again next Saturday, and every day because you never know when I'm going to post an article, and I'll leave you with one final Dean Ambrose gif:

On The Podcast Episode 7 - Zombies! And Oh Yeah, Games Too

Jacob and Tyler are back... and they're talking about stuff because that's apparently what you do on a Podcast. They talk shop about a bunch of games that have come out like Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls, Infamous: Second Son, Cloudbuilt, but also older games like Minecraft and Halo: Reach. They talk a little bit about TV shows like Brooklyn Nine Nine and The Walking Dead, while also talking about how overdone zombies are (but we still like 'em). Plus, much much more!

Follow Tyler on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime

Gabe made the theme song and you can check him out at www.soundcloud.com/gabriel-vinylz, www.facebook.com/thedungeonstudio or on Twitter @DungeonStudioNY

Listen On Youtube: http://youtu.be/sn_5NMbYxwk

Listen Here: Download MP3: https://archive.org/details/onthepodcast7

Tagging My Way Back Into Your Heart - An Infamous: Second Son Review

Written By: Tyler
Platform Played On: PS4

Rating: 8/10
Verdict: While it "tweaks" more than it "innovates," the Infamous series is solid and Second Son is an improvement in some ways while being a step-down in others. I don't feel that the story is as good as the first Infamous, but the characters are an improvement and the fact you can use different types of powers instead of just electricity is appealing to me.


When the first Infamous came out, I bought it over Prototype originally, though I ended up getting Prototype eventually anyway. My reasoning for this was because Infamous looked like a less flashy game with better pacing. Prototype seemed like it would be fun for a shorter period of time. I was correct in this assessment, as Infamous was just a better game in the long run. Though a person could criticize Cole, I felt the story in the first game was pretty awesome, with a great plot twist. Infamous 2 improved the series gameplay-wise, but I felt the story was lacking.

Now there's Infamous: Second Son, the third entry in a really solid Playstation exclusive series.

In Second Son, you play as Delsin Rowe, a rebellious graffiti artist who wears a beanie that has a tendency to annoy his straight-faced cop brother Reggie. He does this by constantly being up to little petty crimes (such as tagging) where Reggie has to arrest him... again. Delsin is a member of a tribe, and of course before you know it, things take a turn for the worst when Augustine shows up. Brooke Augustine is the main villain of the game and is a member of the Department of Unified Protection -- a group that is out to imprison all "Conduits" (or Bioterrorists) because they have powers and normal people obviously do not.

So far, so X-Men, basically. Can humans and mutants Conduits co-exist?

Where Infamous had a bigger story, Second Son strips it down and tries to focus on the characters. Because of this, the characters are more developed and interesting but I felt the game lacked the sense of intrigue that the original game did. Some people have praised this move because they disliked Cole so much, but I felt that Infamous felt different because of the direction they went. By the time the end came I was in awe of how the story turned out, but Second Son lacks that for me. It's not that Second Son has a bad story, but it's more predictable and despite their best efforts to create interesting characters, they're basically all just cliches. Delsin is carefree, with his pins and his damn beanie, whereas there's a character who is a typical punk rocker chick, and there's a nerdy gamer. Oh, and of course Delsin's cop brother who only wants what's best for him. You can learn their backstories when you gain their abilities (more on that in a bit), and that helps flesh them out a little in regards to their motivations.

The interactions between the characters are fine, but it doesn't inspire to be anything more than a lot of games. I had a hard time getting invested in any of the characters, but Delsin is an improvement over Cole... and even helps present a few genuinely funny moments throughout the game that made me chuckle a bit. Augustine had an understandable motive, but I feel like I've seen it a million times before. It wasn't told badly, it was just pretty average.

What I do like though is that the game is paced well. This applies to every aspect of the game, whether it's gaining abilities or the plot. The game never overstays its welcome, and this has been something that Sucker Punch has done really well throughout the entire series. Sucker Punch gives you new abilities at a good pace, so you're always getting something. You start with Smoke powers, but before you know it you have Neon, and the game goes on from there. It doesn't flood you with abilities like Prototype does, so it's hard to get bored of it.

I figure a point of contention with people would be how long the game is. You can complete it quite fast, especially if you don't 100% it. The story goes by quickly, but to be fair, there's a "good and bad" morality system -- like in the previous games -- so you can always go through and play the game differently. As far as I know, people react differently to you but the overall game doesn't change much outside of the ending.

The moral system isn't anything special, and I can't help but think of a game like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic that seems ancient at this point but does this kind of thing exceptionally well. I know, I know, they're two different genres but why can't we expect a little more at this point? Is the moral system a good addition to a game? Almost always that's a yes, but Infamous: Second Son -- like its predecessors -- doesn't do anything memorable with it. It works, but I would have liked to see them do more, especially since this is the third game.

If you choose to 100% the game, you will get more hours out of it, obviously, but it's still not very long. I don't care because there are tons of games I want to play and I don't need every game to be a hundred hours, but this seems to bother some people. Let me repeat: it's not a short game, but it's not as long as a lot of sandbox games are. None of the Infamous games have been long though, and I think it's a blessing because a) Sucker Punch doesn't just milk the game to the point of boredom and b) the side-missions and whatnot are repetitive (hell, by default in the genre they usually are).

I'm not a huge fan of what I call "fluff gameplay." What I mean by that is I don't really think making you walk long distances over and over again (looking at you MMOs) and doing the same repetitive tasks over and over again (looking at you most sandbox games) is necessarily a good trait for a game to have. The side-missions are decent, allowing you to tag walls (by making you turn your controller on its side and press R2 to spray paint the holes of your stencil), find a secret agent in a crowd, and a few other different things, but the game doesn't overload you with them. I actually think this is a strength, because I end up skipping most side-missions after a certain point anyway because they get exhausting. In Second Son, I don't feel like I'm missing as much. I don't generally take points off of games for sandbox games having repetitive side-missions because I am aware it's what makes the genre what it is, though there are some games that are terrible in this regard.

The most interesting side-mission though is the Paper Trail. It is a mixture of typical Second Son side-missions and actually going on the internet to solve a crime. There are going to be six episodes, updated each week (for free), so I can't say how it all ends, but it's a novel idea and stands out.

The game looks good and shows off the power of the PS4. I'll be honest... since I'm not really a graphics whore, I generally have nothing terrible to say about graphics, but I can still appreciate when a game does them well. The character models are detailed to the point that they actually have some real emotion on their faces, and the city looks great too when you're looking down over it.

Seattle is also designed well. Gone are the days of having to grab ledges and slowly jump up buildings (thank God), because now there are ways to get up quickly and efficiently. For example, with the beginning Smoke power, there are vents that send you shooting up. These vents are frequent and welcomed. The other abilities allow you to run up, or fly up, and I can't stress enough how fluid this makes the game feel.

As a whole, from a gameplay perspective, Second Son is the best in the series, but like most of the game, it also feels incredibly familiar. Sucker Punch merely tweaked certain aspects of the game rather than innovate them. This is fine, but it's hard not to feel it all becomes a little "been there, done that" at this point.

However, it's still fun and the enemies are intelligent and dangerous so you're never just going through the motions. They present a challenge, even if there are only a couple of them shooting you. You can die if you're not careful, but if you're smart you can do a lot of damage quick.

The different powers you get are still basically like the powers that Cole gets, which is kind of a disappointment, but there are a few different ones. Still, it seems like each type of power follows a similar template to one another. Neon doesn't feel a whole lot different than Smoke, but there are little changes here and there. They vary slightly, but you will always have a movement ability, a missile ability and a normal shooting ability.

You can make these abilities more powerful by collecting shards. Shards, like most things, show up on the map -- which streamlines the experience as a whole and makes it better since you aren't just wandering around aimlessly trying to find things -- and they act as points. You've done this before... get so many points, put them into whatever power you like most, or unlock upgrades to them. The only thing that holds you back is karma, which is the moral system. If you aren't a certain karma level, you won't be able to progress your skills. That's why it pays to go all-in, whichever side you choose.

This isn't a spoiler unless for some reason knowing what song plays in the credits is a spoiler to you, but I thought it was a nice touch to have a cover for Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana. It's not as good as the original, but how often do you hear a Nirvana song in games?

If I sounded so negative that you're questioning the score I gave it, let me explain. I enjoyed my time with Infamous: Second Son. Even though it's more of the same, it's a good more of the same because the series is great. I'd probably give the first Infamous a 9 because I loved the story, and I knocked Second Son down a point because despite the story being more personal, I didn't get emotionally invested in it. I also think at this point the developers should consider going a different route with the series. Don't completely change anything and keep the core gameplay, but add more to the experience.

If You Throw In Curse Words, The Game Becomes Cool - A Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z Review

Written By: Tyler
Platform Played On: PC

Rating: 4.5/10
Verdict: Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is not a good game. It's also not terrible. It's a generic, button mashing hack and slash game with an interesting artstyle. But if you play this, be prepared for some of the most cringeworthy dialogue ever recorded in a game.


Ninja Gaiden returns after an underwhelming but not entirely bad entry in Ninja Gaiden 3. In Ninja Gaiden 3 the combat was dumbed down for a wider audience, but I still would have rated it a 6 out of 10 because I'm not actually opposed to simplified, button-mashing combat. In Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z they go left-field with the series a bit in the sense that they employed a comic book art style and a zombie plague.

Before I go on, I have to make note of a few things. The first is that I'm not a huge Ninja Gaiden fan. I have enjoyed the series from the NES days and actually appreciate how rewarding the combat is. I said in my Cloudbuilt review that I don't get off on really hard games like some people do, but I can still appreciate them. I appreciate Ninja Gaiden.

I'm also not opposed to taking a series and going a different direction with it. Case in point: I'm a big Yakuza fan and even though Yakuza: Dead Souls wasn't nearly as good as the core series, I still didn't mind where they went with it.

The last point before I get on with it already is that a game getting a 4 or a 4.5 out of 10 does not mean it's terrible. It just means it's not especially good and I don't recommend playing it. This is important because while Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is not a good game, or even decent, it is also not the worst game ever created like some people have been throwing out. It is pretty bad but not without a few moments of excitement.

You play as Yaiba Kamikaze, who ends up killing his own clan and then fighting Ryu Hayabusa. Surprised when Ryu almost kills him, he has his body reassembled by a group and agrees to help them stop the zombie outbreak while trying to get revenge on Ryu. Not that it matters really because the story isn't especially enthralling. I'm not against putting zombies in a game even though it's overdone because cutting up zombies is usually pretty fun.

What I learned from a crappy game like Rogue Warrior is that excessive swearing does not a good game make. Okay, I already knew this, but it's like Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z wanted me to relive the pain of Rogue Warrior. Ninja Gaiden Z was probably written on an elementary school playground because the kids aren't allowed to swear at home and wanted to feel edgy. It's almost embarrassing playing the game because if someone walked in and saw me they'd hear some of the most immature crap ever put in a video game. I can deal with potty mouth, but there are games that do it well and make it enjoyable. Hell, one of them -- South Park -- was just released this year.

Once you get past all that you get a game that takes the Dynasty Warriors approach. You have a couple different weapons you can use, and you can pick up zombies and throw them. Mostly though, you just chain together combos by button mashing and alternating between punching, slicing and using your flail. It's not complex, but I'm forgiving of it because I actually enjoy Dynasty Warriors and I am a Suda51 apologist (going so far as to claim Lollipop Chainsaw as a Top 25 game of all time). Even though this is Ninja Gaiden and smart combat should be expected, I don't mind how simple it is as much as fanboys do.

There's an elemental feature to the combat and solving the mild puzzles, but it's more of a hassle than anything else. It's just poorly designed and shouldn't have even been in the game. A for effort though, I guess.

You also gain life back by defeating enemies by using your execution technique. For the most part it works but it can be extremely unreliable at times, which adds to the difficulty in a bullshit way.

The visuals are actually a lot of fun, but I enjoy comic books. I enjoy the look and feel of the game. I like seeing the gore splatter, zombies get cut in half and I like Grindhouse-esque extremities of violence. However, I feel like they think it's cooler than it is. They bank way too much on the fact that people will think the excessive blood is cool.

You can also upgrade your abilities and combos, but the way it does it is so commonplace we've seen it a million times. This is more of an observation than a criticism, because it doesn't make the game any better or worse. It's just kind of there.

The worst part of the game is just how much the camera hates you. It is honestly never where you want it to be. Do you like fighting enemies you can't see? Well, now you don't just have to fight the demons in your head, because Ninja Gaiden Z's camera is so bad you'll often get hit by enemies that aren't even in your vision yet. Do you like a camera being oddly placed, making it hard to sometimes perform the most mundane of activities? Yaiba got yo back. It's a terrible fixed camera system and I don't know why, at this point, developers do something like this. It's not my fault you were shoved into this game camera, so why are you taking it out on me? I wanted to be friends.

Even though Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z isn't entirely functional in a bunch of ways, there are still moments to enjoy here. Sometimes the battles go on way too long, and the difficulty is more cheap than clever, but moments when you're platforming are fun and fast-paced. The grappling and running across walls is fluid but at this point a lot of games get things like that right. There are some interesting battles here and there as well, but most of the time it's just a mindless hack and slash.

I think anybody who thinks this is the worst game ever hasn't played a truly terrible game, but it's also not a game you need to bother with. It's generic in a lot of ways, and some elements are just downright awful, but if you just want to slaughter hordes upon hordes of zombies in a Dynasty Warrior manner, then there are worse out there than this. And hey, at least there is a girl with large breasts telling you what to do, and that's cool... right?

Top Ten Tuesday - 10 Best Action RPGs (Hack n' Slash Yo) Of All Time

Written By: Tyler

Because the Diablo 3 expansion Reaper of Souls has been released today, I figured it was fitting (and topical, go me!) to share my Top Ten ARPGs with the entire world. If you are unsure of what I mean, I am talking a sub-genre of the RPG that focuses a lot on demolishing hordes upon hordes of enemies while getting copious amounts of loot.

One last thing... I tend to only pick one game from a series when doing these lists so I don't take up a bunch of spots if there's a few good games in a series. The only time I pick multiple games from the same series is if I feel they are different enough from one another to warrant being their own separate entity.

So let's do this.



10: Torchlight 2

There's a lot of wonkiness on this list, even though I feel I include a lot of the choices other people would. Torchlight 2 should be higher in a lot of people's mind, as many feel it is the true Diablo 2 successor (not Diablo 3). Some people were more excited for this sequel than Diablo 3.

I enjoy Torchlight 2, and I like that the character classes break away from what we expect. I wasn't a huge fan of the artstyle, but the main reason it isn't higher is simply because I didn't play it enough to put it higher. Had I sunk a bunch of hours in to truly experience it, it may have gotten higher.


9: Realm of the Mad God

Which is why a game like Realm of The Mad God is probably a contentious choice. Some would say it's not even in the genre, but with its focus on loot and fast-paced combat, I would say that it has enough in common with the genre to be included here. I don't care. It's my list. I do what I want.

Realm of the Mad God has a great name, but it's on here because underneath the simple graphics, it is an intense ARPG/MMO Shooter. There's usually a lot going on and when you raid the castle of the Mad God it's thrilling. Okay, so it's probably more MMORPG than ARPG, kind of the reverse of Marvel Heroes which is more ARPG than MMORPG. But still.


8: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2

It's just an action RPG with superheroes. It doesn't do anything special with the genre but it's a solid experience that gets more points with me because playing as Deadpool makes me happy.


7: Champions: Return To Arms

Champions: Return To Arms is just another solid Fantasy ARPG. The leveling up system is fine, the classes are interesting but not altogether different from other games within the genre... but what matters most is that the game is designed and balanced well on all fronts.

6: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2

It's very probable that Champions is better than this, but I spent so much time with this one and have so many memories that I have to put it higher. Much like Champions, it's not that it does anything incredibly different, but this was also on PS2 and was top of its class.


5: Borderlands 2

Of course, there's always going to be some argument when it comes to genres, but I think Borderlands is more acceptable than Realm of The Mad God. Hear me out: Borderlands is basically Diablo with guns. Copious amounts of loot (weapons in this case)? Check. A bunch of enemies to fight? Sure, though not as many as in Diablo. Spiritually I think the game is similar. Okay, so maybe I stretch it a bit to include it, but I stand by Borderlands being on this list.


4: Titan Quest

Described as a Diablo clone, it also does it incredibly well. It had some of the problems that Diablo 2 had (yes, there are problems with that game... look below), but it also did some really interesting things with the genre in the sense that you can actually choose a main class and a sub-class. That was really great to me. Outside of that, it's just solid hack n' slash RPG action.



3: Diablo 2/3

I took the easy way out on this one, because I'm constantly conflicted. This will be the longest entry, but I have a lot to say about it.

I think Diablo 2 is a better game... I think. In case you didn't realize it, I think.

I actually only came to Diablo with Diablo 3, which is blasphemy in some circles. I didn't have the loyalty to the second one so I just played it as it is. I also played it with my brother which makes games significantly better and makes me think highly of the game. I put over a hundred hours into Diablo 3.

So I went back to Diablo 2 and tried it out since it's cheap. I also played it with my brother, who has been playing Diablo for a long time. The game has not aged as well as it could have, and I know, I know, that's not overly fair to the game since it is influential and old. Obviously some things will improve. In a bunch of ways, Diablo 2 is better than the third. I am also aware of mods that will improve the issues that I don't like about the second, and I guess the ability to mod should be considered when choosing a game. But the problems in the original, unmodded D2 still exist.

Diablo 3 isn't a perfect game, but I do really enjoy it. It was a little bit different than some of the other games in the genre, in regards to how it handles leveling up, but some of the criticisms (like the visuals) are just dumb in my eyes.

But still, I'll give Diablo 2 the nod over 3.


2: Path of Exile

Path of Exile has a good argument for being the greatest game in this genre, and I would give it that distinction had I spent more time with it. Whether people want to admit it or not, the time spent with a game can get you more emotionally invested and make you think the game is better than it may actually be. But I love Path of Exile. It just ended up getting lost in the shuffle.

Why do I love it? The leveling up system is basically the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy X, which is one of my favourite leveling systems of all time. It also breaks from the norm and instead of having money it operates on a barter system. The way you get skills is by putting gems into your weapons and armor. It just does a bunch of things different and it's really refreshing.

Best of all, it's free.

1: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel

I give Sacred 2 the slight nod over Path of Exile for now, even if it is a little more normal than PoE. I do really enjoy the leveling up system though, and for a while it was my favourite in the genre. I like the sense of humour the game has and how massive it is. There are lots of enemies to kill, lots of loot to gather, and even has a dog with a cannon on his arm. After all, isn't that what we want from the genre?

A Cloudbuilt Review - I Try To Wall Run, I Fall, I Die... Rinse, Repeat

Written By: Tyler
Platform Played On: PC

Rating: 7.5/10
Verdict: Cloudbuilt is at its best when it's letting you do the crazy platforming that it promises. There are little issues that keep me from enjoying it more, but anybody who likes hard games and Mirror's Edge inspired parkour should check it out.


Cloudbuilt was born into existence whilst promising two things: it was going to be hard with crazy, fast and clever platforming. The good news is that Cloudbuilt basically delivers on its premise. The bad news is, sometimes it's not in the best way.

In Cloudbuilt you play as a female -- and to the games credit, it's like Remember Me in the sense that you're a girl but ultimately you're just a person -- who doesn't know why her body is in a room. Every time you press the E key while standing above her body, you are transported to a new level and that's where the game gets intense.

The game is described as Sonic meets Mirror's Edge by every preview I've ever seen and that's an apt description. Take the speed from Sonic and the parkour elements from Mirror's Edge, throw in a healthy dosage of Dark Souls difficulty, and you have Cloudbuilt. You run fast and can run across walls, you have a jetpack that allows you to jump more than once, and you have a gun. You get planted at the beginning of the level and due to clever level design, you can pick one of a few different ways to get to the end of the level.

The fast-paced runner-style platforming is intriguing and is usually a lot of fun. Running up a wall, jumping to another wall and running up that is invigorating and thrilling... it's an event that gets the blood pumping. Running and then doing a massive jump, using your jetpack, is a good time. There are a lot of things you can do in this game that make it a game worth playing, and since the levels offer you different ways to reach your destination, it pays to experiment on what path works the best for you. I imagine seeing people who are great at this game will be an experience in itself because it's one of those types of games that give you a genuine feeling of satisfaction when you reach the end of each stage.

A big part of that is because the game is really hard. Unless you're a natural at this kind of thing -- and even then -- you will die a lot. You will fall to your death, only to start again... trying to perfect that perfect run through a level. Once I finally finished a level, I was left feeling like I actually accomplished something, which is an element that a lot of games lack because most games are fairly easy (on Normal). The normal in this game is frustration.

Some people love this kind of thing. People play Dark Souls for a reason, though I'd argue -- in my limited experience with that series -- that Dark Souls is better designed. I'm going to be honest here, but I don't actually love really hard games. I don't know if it's because I grew up in the NES era where a lot of games were hard and I feel like I already "did my time," or if it's just because I like to complete a game and see the story and whatnot. Maybe it's a mixture of both. Since reviews are a personal opinion, this accounts for why I didn't give the game a slightly higher score. I enjoy the game quite a bit, but I had to throw this out there because I did drop the score a teensy-weensy bit because of it.

However, the game isn't without flaws. As fun as the parkour elements are, it also suffers from the same thing that Mirror's Edge did (though I'd also argue that Mirror's Edge is a better game). I don't know why the game had guns. Most of the time the gunplay in this is just an annoyance and it actually badly affects the flow of the game. Cloudbuilt is supposed to be fast, and when you get something right, progressing through a stage is a fluid, beautiful act. Including a gun and enemies that actually corrupt that flow was a bad move. The emphasis should be on the platforming, and for the most part it is, but this issue exists.

For example, guns can shoot you from across the stage. I'm not kidding. You're not supposed to look back in this game because the genre itself is forward forward forward, but you could be standing there planning your next move and you get shot from a gun that you passed a while back. Some may argue that it keeps you on your toes, I say it's just cheap difficulty. The game is hard enough without these tricks. That's just one example, but there are aspects of the game that take you out of it. When Mirror's Edge slows the game down, it cheapens the experience. The same can be said about Cloudbuilt. I'm not against enemies being in the game, but they weren't always implemented correctly.

There are other issues too. Sometimes the game doesn't do what I want it to do, meaning I may try to jump across to another wall and it doesn't do it. I hit the wall then fall to my death. It doesn't happen a lot but it did happen a few times. It wouldn't even be worth mentioning if it weren't for the fact that the checkpoints are so few and far between that dying is traumatic. It's frustrating to be on a good run, hit the wall and not have it register and just fall to your death... only to start from the beginning because there wasn't a checkpoint anywhere near where you are. At the beginning of the game it seemed to have a good amount of checkpoints but as it went on they became more scarce. Dying because I suck is one thing, dying because the game doesn't work is another.

Don't look for any upgrade systems here, because Cloudbuilt gives you all the tools you need to succeed right from the beginning. This was an interesting move in this day and age because so many games base their accomplishments on upgrade systems. The upgrade here is the skills that you develop as you play the game.

The game is pretty. I have to give props because they do the cell-shaded thing well. This particular style is not one we see a lot of, even today despite the popularity of games like Borderlands, so it's always refreshing to see it done well. The environments are detailed, whether it's the way the rain beats down on you or looking off into the distance and seeing the rest of the level. I don't know if it'll be a nominee for Best Visuals when I do my awards at the end of the year, but I'll definitely consider it.

The music is also pretty, particularly when you're in the main room in between missions. I would sit there and listen to it for a few minutes once in a while. The music has a retro feel, and when done well (like in Cloudbuilt) that can be really appealing.


The story is vague and a mystery, and slowly unfolds in between missions. I don't think just standing in a small room and listening to someone monologue is the best way to present a plot, but this is a problem with games as a whole. I've criticized games like Haze for this kind of thing because it's really just not that entertaining standing in place while people talk all the time. A little bit is fine, but some games go overboard. Luckily Cloudbuilt has an interesting story, so it's easy to forgive it.

But really, you come here for the platforming, and like I've said, Cloudbuilt succeeds for the most part. It's interesting that we've gotten a game like this and TITANFALL in quick succession. Is this an indication of where games are going?

Cloudbuilt is a fun game. It's flawed, but that feeling you get when you finally beat a level you've been attempting for an hour is worth the price of admission alone. The small team that developed this should be proud of themselves, and anybody who wants a challenge should try this out.

Weekly News Round-Up, March 16 - 22: Peter Molyneux Has Lots To Say And TITANFALL Is Still Talked About Too Much

Written By: Tyler

If you haven't, Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is out this week (review here: ), sut if you haven't played it, you should be playing it. Go, it's okay, I'll forgive you.


Unless You're Australia And New Zealand, Because Yeah
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/metal-gear-solid-v-ground-zeroes-release-is-delayed-in-australia-report/1100-6418345/

If you live in Ausland and New Zealand, Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes comes out a week later so you have to wait until March 27th. Sorry, I contacted Konami (I didn't) and I couldn't do anything to help you out.

check to see if its retail or digital as well


And Phantom Pain Doesn't Come Out To Early 2015
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/17/metal-gear-solid-5-the-phantom-pain-may-release-early-2015

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain was originally going to be released later this year, but now it seems like it may release early next year. That doesn't do me any good, I could be dead next year!




TITANFALL Anti-Cheating Measures Are In Place But Not Activated
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/17/titanfall-anti-cheat-measures-coming-soon

There is cheating going on in TITANFALL, even though it's hard to imagine a world where people cheat, especially in online games. Respawn has the technology to stop it, but they just haven't activated them yet. They've caught a bunch of cheaters, but just haven't punished them yet.

So there's cheating huh? Well that must be why I die so much.

Watch Dogs Will Take At Least 100 Hours To Fully Complete
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/17/watch-dogs-takes-40-hours-to-complete-on-average

The story will take around forty hours, whereas the full game will take more than double that. The game is allegedly going to drop in May, so once May comes, Watch Dogs will take over the world (along with Mario Kart).


Ultra Street Fighter 4 Gets The Final Character Reveal
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/capcom-saves-the-least-exciting-ultra-street-fighter-iv-character-reveal-for-last/1100-6418349/

The last character to be revealed is a disappointment to fans, because a lot of them are mad that it seems like Capcom just reskinned Cammy. Her name is Decapre and she is based on charge attacks.

Am I the only one who thinks that the world is only balanced when Capcom keeps re-releasing the same Street Fighter games over and over again? I can't even hate, I kept playing every version of Street Fighter 2 back in the day. Damn you Capcom.


TITANFALL Sells Xbox Ones
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-launch-sees-xbox-one-sales-almost-double-in-the-uk/1100-6418348/

In news that surprises exactly no one, TITANFALL was a system seller. It also has the biggest launch week of the year, with Dark Souls 2 (WHY ARE PEOPLE SUCH MASOCHISTS?) coming in second.


Pikachu Is the Japanese Soccer/Football Team Mascot
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pikachu-is-japan-s-awesome-mascot-for-fifa-world-cup-2014/1100-6418347/

Sweet! Pikachu is the mascot for Japan. The Pokemon Squad will include Meowth, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Chespin, Froakie, Fennekin, Pancham, Helioptile, and Litleo.


Rare Says The Kinect Is Awesome, Basically
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-kinect-less-xbox-one-would-be-a-real-shame-says-rare/1100-6418350/

Rare has said that it would be a "real shame" if the Xbox One came without the Kinect. Danny Isaac, producer of Kinect Sports Rivals, said that it makes game development much more diverse.

Kinect Sports Rivals... Rare's the company that made games like Blast Corps, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Killer Instinct, Battletoads, and many more. Now they focus mostly on Kinect Sports Rivals and other Kinect Sports games.

How the mighty have fallen.

"Plot Is Highly Overrated"
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/17/gdc-plot-is-highly-overrated-in-games-says-devs

No, your face is overrated!

Way to keep it classy Tyler.

At GDC there was a speech called 'Death To The Three Act-Structure" where Riot Games’ Tom Abernathy and Microsoft Game Studios’ Richard Rouse III talked about how plot doesn't matter... but characters do.

They basically stated that research informed them that when people are asked about the plot of a movie, they will go on at great lengths about it. With video games... not so much. They said that people do remember the characters, though not so much in context of the plot.

Speak for yourself, when I'm asked about the plot in anything I can't remember because I can't remember five minutes ago.

Now what was I saying?


There's An Xbox One April Update Coming
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/18/xbox-one-april-update-to-improve-friend-notifications-dvr-and-more

What the title says... just click that linky-link above and all the details will be there. I think the update involves transforming your Xbox One into a helicopter, solving world hunger and effectively collapsing Capitalism, but I'm not really sure.


Home Is Coming To PS4 And Vita
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/18/indie-horror-game-home-coming-to-ps4-ps-vita

Indie horror game Home is coming... into... your... home....

Developer Benjamin Rivers has this to say about his own game. "It’s a game that’s meant to be played alone, in the darkest room (or alley, or barn, or deep, dank forest) you can find." That's what strangers used to tell me when I was a child.

Expect it sometime later this year.


CD Projeckt Red Is Making A Mobile Game
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/18/witcher-dev-cd-projekt-red-making-mobile-game

There's no information on it yet, just that it's happening. Should be more powerful than The Witcher 3.


New Brawler Named Aztez Looks Great And Is Even Coming To The Wii U
http://www.destructoid.com/brawler-aztez-is-like-patapon-x-madworld-coming-to-all-consoles-272075.phtml

After it gets released on Steam first, it will see a release on Xbox One, PS4, Vita and even the Wii U! And as far as we know it won't be missing features once it arrives on the Wii U!

It looks awesome. You'll see it mentioned a lot, but the comparisons to Madworld (a game I've meant to buy at least five thousand times) seem fitting.


A Bunch of AAA Developers Are Forming Like Voltron And Making Their Own Game
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-call-of-duty-tomb-raider-devs-jumping-aaa-ship-to-make-their-own-next-gen-title/1100-6418326/

In a move that we've been seeing more often as of late, a bunch of developers known for games like Call of Duty, Tomb Raider and that new Ninja Gaiden game people are concerned over, are coming together for the common good and creating their own game. The working title is Daedalus, and it's described as "an existential horror trip into a surreal, half-forgotten dream."

Crap, that's my life.

Ghost Recon Online Is Now Called And Has Gotten A Makeover
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ghost-recon-online-gets-a-new-name-and-a-makeover/1100-6418360/

The free-to-play (HEY DON'T LEAVE) game Ghost Recon Online is going to be released on April 10 on PC. However, it will be called Ghost Recon Phantoms and has officially gotten a...

Only problem with gifs is the lack of sound.

Guess What? Diablo 3 Auction House Has Officially Shut Down
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/18/diablo-3-auction-house-shuts-down-for-good

Except it's still up. Don't get mad because it seems like they're just waiting for the current auctions to time-out. This is one small step for gamers, and a giant leap for Anti-Bullshitism.



Do You Need Food Badly? No, You Need A New Gauntlet
http://www.destructoid.com/a-new-gauntlet-game-is-coming-from-the-makers-of-magicka-272042.phtml

It's looking like the developers of Magicka are doing us a solid and are creating a new Gauntlet for SteamOS and PC. So... thanks for that.


Sacred 3 Is Comin' In August
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/19/sacred-3-gets-release-date-and-gameplay-footage

Sacred 3 is going to blow my mind August 26th. That's the North American release date... if you live in Europe you get it on the 22nd. Damn you Europe! I thought North America was the best place ever!


We're Just Going To Go Ahead And Jam More Assassin's Creed Into Your Eyeballs
http://www.destructoid.com/screenshots-of-next-assassin-s-creed-game-leak-272178.phtml

Leaked Assassin's Creed images have shown up online. Allegedly there's going to be two released this year... one for last-gen, one for next-gen (what's current-gen! I can't take this!).

In one of the images, it shows the main character looking over the city. It's important to note that it's still an early screenshot. Here's the picture:

The real image is in the link above, but I think it's pretty close.

Look in the link for the images.

So if you're not tired of Assassin's Creed, I think it's safe to say you will be.


Mojang Is Poor!
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-maker-mojang-made-a-whopping-326m-last-year/1100-6418397/

Mojang only made $326m last year. You can donate to them on their website to help them out.


Geoffry Zatkin Predicts That This Gen Of Hardware Will Be The Last
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ps4-wii-u-could-be-the-last-generation-of-gaming-hardware-says-research-firm/1100-6418410/

It seems to happen every year, and this year it's Geoffry Zatkin doing it. During GDC, during a panel titled "Awesome Video Game Data," he made the claim. Is the future in services rather than hardware?

I can't wait until the day I can't do anything because the internet went down.


Wanna Make The Best Games Ever?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-opens-up-their-unreal-development-tools-to-everyone-with-a-19-subscription-service/1100-6418407/

For as little as $19 a month, you can gain access to the Unreal engine and start making your masterpieces. No longer do you have to keep your unoriginal game ideas to yourself!


Or You Could Pay $10 For Crytek
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crytek-undercuts-unreal-engine-4-with-10-cryengine-subscription/1100-6418427/

Yes! You can buy all of Crytek for 10 dollars a month. No, but you can get their engine for that much. Plus, unlike the Unreal engine, you don't have to give Crytek royalties.


A PS4 Firmware Update Is Coming And You Are Not Ready
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/future-ps4-firmware-update-will-let-you-dim-dualshock-4-s-lightbar/1100-6418436/

You can dim the lightbar on the controller! Holy crap!


Speaking Of Sony, They're Making A TV Show Called Powers
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/following-xbox-sony-announces-first-original-tv-show-for-playstation/1100-6418431/

They're creating a TV show called Powers that is part police procedural, part crime noir, and part "holy crap that guy has superpowers." It is going to be on Playstation only, so if you want to watch it, you'll have to pick one up.

Or download it. If that's your thing. You know. Yeah. Whatever.


EA Could Be The Worst Company In America... 3 Years In A Row
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/electronic-arts-is-again-in-the-running-for-worst-company-in-america/1100-6418386/

EA is in the running again for that title, and I certainly hope it gets it. It'd be an accomplishment. It's always funny how a gaming company wins this over companies that have probably done worse. But screw it, I'm all for it.


EA Secures Rights To TITANFALL 2
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-ea-secures-rights-to-titanfall-2/1100-6418404/

Just when I thought that maybe I could stop talking about TITANFALL in the Weekly News Round-Up, this drops on me. Sure, it's only been reported, but we all knew it was coming anyway. I guess people bought TITANFALL. Who knew?


Speaking of TITANFALL... The 360 Version Is Delayed Until April 8
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/19/titanfall-delayed-on-xbox-360-to-april

To those with the Xbox 360, you're crap outta luck again. If you wanted to play TITANFALL -- the same game everyone else is playing -- then you have to wait until April 8.

TITANFALL 2 Won't Be Exclusive To Microsoft Platforms
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-titanfall-2-won-t-be-exclusive-to-microsoft-platforms/1100-6418429/

Sources -- hey don't look at me, I don't know anything -- have stated that TITANFALL 2 will be for multiple platforms. Well then, that's one less reason to buy an Xbox One.

Peter Molyneux Says Stuff (Shocking) About Nintendo
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/peter-molyneux-never-underestimate-nintendo/1100-6418434/

Legendary and outspoken game dev Peter Molyneux says that while he's not a fan of the "clunky" design of the Wii U, the people at Nintendo are super smart people.

He also said "never underestimate Nintendo" even if they have "lost their way a bit." Yeah! I can get behind all of this, and I will because I actually paid money for the Wii U. This was the plan all along... it's a slow build like Daniel Bryan winning the title in WWE. Nintendo definitely knows what it's doing, that's why they've announced a new Metroid. And Zelda.


He Also Said That EA Is Not An Evil Empire
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-is-not-an-evil-empire-peter-molyneux-says/1100-6418442/

Well that's just crazy talk.

He also said that they've done a lot for the video game industry. In all honesty, it's hard to deny the impact that they've had on the industry, but that isn't going to stop me from making jokes at their expense... and it shouldn't stop you either. I'd even go so far as to say it's your civic duty to tease and belittle EA.


He Also Stroked Himself Concerning Godus
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fate-of-god-game-genre-depends-on-success-of-godus-molyneux-says/1100-6418462/

Molyneux said that the "God" genre depends upon Godus, and said that Godus will give us something nobody has seen before. Just like God himself! Zing!

What are you talking about? I'm right here.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf Had An Equal Amount Of Women And Men Developing It
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/animal-crossing-new-leaf-was-developed-by-an-even-mix-of-men-and-women/1100-6418423/

Like the headline states, the development was 50/50 on the sex front. If another man or woman tried to upset the balance by being bastards and trying to get hired, they were taken out to a dark alley and shot... all in the name of fair.

The Year Of Luigi Ended On March 18
http://www.destructoid.com/the-year-of-luigi-has-ended-272261.phtml

It's official... Nintendo will no longer include Luigi in anything and are going to come out with new IPs.

What? That's not what it means? Oh, they just aren't going to focus on Luigi anymore, but you know you'll see him again.

That's A Good Boooooy
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/20/gdc-xbox-live-members-may-be-rewarded-for-good-behaviour

Microsoft is trying to make the world a better place... and they're doing this by actively encouraging people to be good. They're working on a way to reward Xbox Live players for not being disrespectful douchebags.


Epic Games Not Working On A New Unreal Because That's What People Want
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/20/gdc-epic-games-not-working-on-new-unreal-tournament-title

They simply stated that there isn't a new Unreal being made. I made up the reason why because I'm snarky.

There Are New Screens For Batman: Arkham Knight That Show Some Of The Villains
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/21/batman-arkham-knight-screens-reveal-riddler-penguin-and-two-face

I'll just leave this here.
Game Informer has others: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/03/19/inside-batman-arkham-knight-s-rogue-s-gallery.aspx


Obsidian Wants To Try A New Genre -- The MMORPG
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/21/obsidian-announces-involvement-in-new-mmo-skyforge

Obsidian is helping Allods Team develop Skyforge, a Sci Fi/Fantasy MMORPG that already has beta sign-ups. They also are making a tank game, because why not go from South Park to a tank game. They're so similar!


Bulletstorm Disappears From Steam
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/21/bulletstorm-vanishes-from-steam

Bulletstorm has disappeared from Steam but it's speculated that it's just because of patching for the Games For Windows Live shutdown.

But what if it isn't? What if it's been a conspiracy all along to keep Bulletstorm down?

 #BulletstormMovement


Sony Having Problems Keeping Up With PS4s and The PS4 Camera
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/03/20/ps4-demand-to-outstrip-supply-until-the-summer

People want the PS4s and they're having a hard time keeping them stocked. Same with the PS4 camera, but that boggles my mind. Anyway, I have some advice for anybody who wants a PS4 and can't get one. Just wait... there aren't any games for it yet. That's what we call The Wii U Problem.


Sony Wants To Compete With The Oculus Rift
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-announces-ps4-virtual-reality-initiative-project-morpheus/1100-6418391/

At GDC Sony announced Project Morpheus, a virtual reality device that is being developed. There is more info about it in the link above, but that's the gist of it.


Microsoft Doesn't Know What "Literally" Means -- Talks Selling Xbox Ones And TITANFALL
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-discusses-the-xbox-one-sales-marathon/1100-6418451/

Phil Harrison has said that the console race is a "marathon, not a sprint." Which is true, and has been said before by Microsoft. Then he went on to say that TITANFALL is blowing the doors off both literally and figuratively.

If you buy TITANFALL, this can happen to you.

I'm not so sure that's how it works, Phil.


Sledgehammer Games Says The 2014 Call of Duty Is Ambitious And Creative
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/

"Ambitious" and "creative" are two words that shouldn't be used to describe Call of Duty (anymore), but that didn't stop Sledgehammer Games from using them. But you know what? I'll believe them when they say that the 2014 CoD is going to be awesome... because after all, being the creator of a famous blog has afforded me certain opportunities. I actually know what's going to make it so amazing, and it may or may not be having two dogs instead of one.


This Just In -- The Internet Is Hateful
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ex-microsoft-creative-director-discusses-the-internet-hate-phenomenon/1100-6418465/

Adam Orth -- the guy who told the internet to #dealwithit before Bootista even got the idea -- opened up at GDC about the toxicity of the internet and all the bad things people say. To anybody who has spent even five minutes on the internet, this isn't big news, but I'll just save the internet some time and do what they're inevitably going to do anything... post a meme:

Microsoft Says That They Won't Have Many Execs At E3 Because It Should Be All About The Games
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-e3-presentation-this-year-won-t-feature-many-execs/1100-6418463/

Microsoft isn't going to have many execs at E3 because they feel that E3 should be all about the games. They also apparently have way too much content to show off and have had to cut some things out of their 90 minute presentation.

It's sad that something like this has to be news, but props to Microsoft for doing exactly the opposite of what they did last year. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?


There Are Rumors That Far Cry 4 Will Allow You To Ride Elephants
http://www.destructoid.com/ridable-elephants-in-the-himalayas-rumored-for-far-cry-4-272297.phtml

It's been reported that Far Cry 4 will allow you to ride elephants. That's it, that's the news.

We've had home video game consoles that can be connected to a TV since 1972, but finally we can ride elephants.

Spend Some Time With Your Family Now Because You Won't Have Them After March 26th
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/everquest-next-landmark-closed-beta-starts-march-26/1100-6418476/

Why are you going to be alone after March 26th? Because the Everquest Next beta starts then... and if history has told us anything, Everquest ruins lives. As of the day this article was published, you have four days to make love to your wife and play with your kids, because after those four days the only love you will be getting is from Brutus the Ogre.


At Walmart, Bests Buy and Amazon... The TITANFALL Bundle Is $450
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-titanfall-bundle-drops-to-450-at-wal-mart-best-buy/1100-6418457/

What the headline says... go there now and you can get a deal on the TITANFALL Xbox One bundle. If you're getting it from Amazon, make sure to type in X1AMAZON to get the deal. And while you're at Amazon, make sure to check out my Wish List and buy me stuff that I don't need!


Koji Igarashi Leaves Konami
http://www.destructoid.com/legendary-castlevania-developer-koji-igarashi-leaves-konami-272052.phtml

Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi has left Konami to make the kinds of games that he wants to make.


Marc Whitten Leaves Microsoft
http://www.destructoid.com/14-year-xbox-veteran-marc-whitten-leaves-microsoft-272082.phtml

He came, he saw, he conquered. He helped create the original Xbox, Xbox Live, the Xbox 360 and now the Xbox One-Three... now he left to do something else. As long as it's not Zynga, he should be okay.


I Leave On The Gamely
Well guys, I'm out. Cya.