Keeping Me Occupied At Work -- A Wayward Souls Review

Written By: Tyler
Platform Played On: Mobile (iOS)

Rating: 7.5/10
Verdict: Wayward Souls is a completely solid Roguelike RPG but it doesn't quite live up to the apparent hype that it's getting in other reviews. 


I don't often review mobile games, and that's mostly because I don't play that many. There is a lot of crap on the App Store, and it's hard to sift through that and find the gems. The other day I was looking for a good game to play on my phone at work (when I'm, ahem, on break), and Wayward Souls had just come out and was getting rave reviews. I thought, "Awesome, an RPG to sink my teeth into." After hours spent dying and restarting, clawing my way through the game, I've come to the conclusion that it's a very good Roguelike RPG, but I feel like I'm missing something.



I have a built-in dislike of touch screen controls, and that's the first thing a lot of iOS games have going against them right from the beginning. Perhaps that sounds unfair, but I just don't feel like certain genres are ideal for the platform. Games like Sword and Sworcery work fine, same with Year Walk, but any game with action is less than ideal (though I'm sure there are exceptions). Wayward Souls has a few hiccups in the way it controls, like sometimes when you're trying to do one thing and you do another. I rarely feel like touch screen controls are intuitive.

Aside from that though, there's a lot to enjoy about Wayward Souls. You spawn as one of three characters intially -- a Mage, Warrior and Rogue -- but you can unlock others as you progress through the game. It's a paid app, which a business model where the price increases with each update so grab it now, and there are no in-game purchases to unlock the characters... which is a relief. These characters play differently than one another, but not in any substantial, original way. They have generic names and handle in ways that we've seen before. The warrior is a tank who can block, the Rogue uses quickness and backstabbing and the mage blasts from afar -- these aren't innovations or anything, but they're solidly implemented. The variety is nice because when you die, you lose everything and being able to switch your play style up is refreshing.

As you progress through the stages, you collect money and items. The money sticks with you even when you die so you can purchase upgrades that you will always have. This is a welcome addition because even when you die you're still building your character, but I've been seeing this feature in Roguelikes these days anyway.

The items you collect are mostly there to give you special powers, but health potions do drop infrequently. The Warrior has an ability where health potions heal more but it's useless because you rarely get any anyway. The only real way to get health back is by completing each level -- each time you proceed to the next level you get a little health back.

There are checkpoints, but you have to defeat the boss in each area first. This is also a welcome addition because I have a hard time constantly replaying areas, so just to know that there is a light at the end of that tunnel is nice.

The combat can also be pretty intense, even if it is held back slightly by the touch screen controls. Like I said above, each character has a different set of strengths and weaknesses, and due to the random nature of both the enemies and the dungeons, things can get pretty hairy quickly and you never know what to expect. You could walk into a room and get swarmed, while something else throws giant rocks at you. Since they chucked the turn-based genre conventions in exchange for real time battles, the action makes you adapt on the fly and this is where it shines brighter than a lot of games within the same stratosphere.

The visuals and music combine to create a pretty forboding atmosphere as you travel to the depths of the multiple dungeons. They have put care into making the areas seem more populated than a lot of mobile games would. There are lamps and other objects all around, mostly just to create that sense of atmosphere, but you can break them for coins and whatnot. Where the game shines though is in the soundtrack. It's a joy to dungeon crawl because every track is quite good. There's a lot of polish in this, and RocketCat Games should be praised for that.

A lot of Roguelikes don't offer much in the way of story. It's not the appeal, generally, but RocketCat Games have gone the extra mile to rectify that. Scattered throughout the game are plot moments that try to flesh out the reasons why the characters are doing what they're doing. I'm not going to sit here and say it's the most memorable and well-told plot since The Last of Us, but I appreciate what they have done to try to add more substance to the tried, tested and true formula.

Wayward Souls is a very good game. I said it above and it was worth repeating, but I saw one reviewer state how this could be confused as a lost SNES era Square RPG. That's way too lofty a claim for this game, but it is a solid experience. It's possible that I should be judging this more on the fact that iOS doesn't have many games like this, but games like Year Walk, Sword and Sworcery or even Code Runner succeed as not just great mobile games... but great games in general. I'm not sure Wayward Souls can make that claim, but it's definitely worth buying.

Weekly News Round-Up, April 20 - 26: Happy Birthday Gameboy!

Written By: Tyler


Hey you! Welcome. This is the Weekly News Round-Up for April 20 - 26. If you are unfamiliar with what I do here, let me break it down for you. I go around a few different video game websites, steal some of their news, post it here as a "round-up" and then make snarky comments about the news. Though I do ultimately post the news, don't get offended by anything I say here because I make fun of everything... even stuff I love.



Let's Start This Off Right -- Suikoden 2 Coming To PSN?
http://kotaku.com/holy-crap-looks-like-suikoden-ii-is-finally-coming-to-1565978567

The ESRB has rated Suikoden 2, which is a good indication that it will hit the PSN eventually. Not a moment too soon, because last I heard, prices for a legit copy were at least five million dollars and wars have been raged over it.

Hopefully this does mean that people will be able to buy it for a reasonable price yet again.


And Then Let's Second Start This Off Right -- The Gameboy Turned 25 This Week
http://www.destructoid.com/happy-25th-anniversary-game-boy--273570.phtml#ext

On April 21st, the Gameboy became 25. This was before iPhones and Androids (except in Blade Runner), and we had to carry around this pretty bulky piece of brilliance in order to play our games that didn't even have a full palette of colours. Back then, things were simple, and it is that I say... happy belated birthday Gameboy. 


Some Deals On PSN Have Started, And They Go Until April 29
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-plus-brings-pixeljunk-monsters-to-vita-for-free-this-week/1100-6419112/

On Vita you can get Pixeljunk Monsters for free. Here are some other deals:

• Batman: Arkham Asylum - $12.59 (regular price: $13.99)
• Batman: Arkham Origins (PS3) - $25.19 (regular price $27.99)
• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (Vita) - $12.59 (regular price: $13.99)
• Cel Damage HD (PS4/PS3/Vita) - $8.99 (regular price: $9.99)
• Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (PS4/PS3) - $25.19 (regular price: $27.99)
• Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (Vita) - $12.59 (regular price: $13.99)
• Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS3/Vita) - $12.59 (regular price: $13.99)
• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe - $12.59 (regular price: $13.99)
• Octodad: Dadliest Catch - $11.99 (regular price: $14.99)

Naughty Dog News!

The Last Of Us Lead Artist Quits
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-lead-artist-quits-naughty-dog/1100-6419110/

Nate Wells left Naughty Dog and went to Giant Sparrow, who worked on The Unfinished Swan. Since both studios are based in Santa Monica, Wells walked out the door at Naughty Dog, walked across the street to Giant Sparrow, and now he has grown wings and can fly, fly like a... sparrow.


Uncharted 4 Actor Recast After 
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-actor-recast-after-following-naughty-dog-writer-to-ea/1100-6419118/

Todd Stashwick's role was recast, and he didn't really know why. What does this all mean? I don't know, who do you think I am, an insider? All I know is that a lot of people come and go, and things seem to change a lot, at Naughty Dog.


Uncharted 4 Gameplay May Be Revealed At E3
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-uncharted-4-gameplay-may-be-revealed-at-e3-what-do-you-hope-to-see/1100-6419126/

It is very possible that Uncharted 4 will be shown off at E3. Tidux tweeted that the game has been in the works for three years and that we will see it at E3. So I'm guessing we're going to see it at E3, but I have a screenshot of it:


Resident Evil 6 For Xbox 360 Dropped To $8.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/resident-evil-6-for-xbox-360-drops-to-8/1100-6419111/

Sony systems and the ol' PC haven't seen big price drops like this, so if you haven't played Resident Evil, the Xbox 360 version is the way to go at this point.


Sony Trademarks A Couple Names
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ahead-of-e3-ps4-company-sony-trademarks-kill-strain-and-entwined/1100-6419108

Sony has trademarked two names, Entwined and Kill Strain. There is no information on the games so far, but Kill Strain kinda has a cool name. I think. Or it's just incredibly cheesy, I'll come back later and let you know which it is.


Not To Be Outdone, Microsoft Trademarks... Eden Falls
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-studio-microsoft-trademarks-a-new-game-called-eden-falls/1100-6419109/


Microsoft has trademarked a name as well, Eden Falls. It's a game about Eden falling down the steps. Not really, but nowadays we have a game where a goat ragdolls around town hitting everything so imagine the fun we could have throwing Eden down the steps? And since Eden is both a guy and a girls name, there is no sexism in this joke so nobody can get mad!

Although I went with the gif of the little girl going down the steps... oops.

People Want Grand Theft Auto 5 On PC?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-pc-petition-approaching-700-000-signatures-it-s-been-216-days-since-the-console-version-arrived/1100-6419106/

Sega On Sonic Boom, Split-Screen Gameplay And CryEngine 3
http://www.destructoid.com/sega-opens-up-about-cryengine-3-on-wii-u-split-screen-for-sonic-boom-273539.phtml 

Sega has decided on CryEngine 3 for Sonic Boom, the unfortunately named new Sonic game. The Wii U version will in fact have split-screen gameplay, and since this isn't a standard thing with the engine, they are working really close with Crytek to make this happen.


No, Kill Strain Is A Silly Name
http://onthegamely.blogspot.com/2014/04/weekly-news-round-up-april-20-26-happy.html

It has been confirmed.


New Grid Announced, Not Coming To Xbox One Or PS4
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-authentic-grid-announced-here-s-why-it-s-not-coming-to-xbox-one-or-ps4/1100-6419124/

Grid Autosport is a thing now, but it's only coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Why is that you ask? Well I'll look into my crystal ball and tell you why, because the answer certainly isn't there in the link above.

Basically, they don't want to rush the game to next-gen and they feel like after Grid 2 they have something to prove. They want to give old-gen their all while they work on tech for next-gen. It's not an unreasonable explanation, but I can't wait until old-gen dies so I can finally play games on a system that I paid hundreds of dollars for on day one.


No More Banjo-Kazooie Anytime Soon
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/banjo-kazooie-spiritual-successor-falls-apart/1100-6419122/

Despite a character being drawn up and there being a "demo level type thing," the game has fallen apart because we gain one entry into the world -- Grid Autosport -- but lose another... multi-tasking. But seriously, people had other jobs to do so Banjo-Kazooie probably won't see a new game for a while.

Banjo-Kapooie.


New Fatal Frame For Wii U?
http://www.destructoid.com/new-fatal-frame-materializing-on-wii-u-273595.phtml

There appears to be a new Fatal Frame coming to Wii U. Before you get too excited, if you only speak English, then there is a good chance that they just don't bother localizing it because Nintendo gonna Nintendo. Here's hoping, though, because lord knows the Wii U needs games.


Fireside Gatherings And Leaving Your House
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-wants-you-to-leave-your-house-and-hang-out-with-real-people/1100-6419138/

Blizzard has a new initiative for Hearthstone called Fireside Gatherings that encourages you to leave your house and meet other players in exchange for benefits (nah not friends with benefits but I wish). So Blizzard wants me to go... outside?

Blizzcon Is Happening On November 7 and 8
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzcon-2014-dated-for-november-7-8-get-your-tickets-next-month-for-200/1100-6419139/

On May 7 and 10 you can throw $200 their way and get tickets. If you spend $750 you can have a pre-Blizzcon dinner for the Children's Hospital of Orange County.


Want SNES And GBA Remix To Happen? Demand It!
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/snes-and-gba-remix-could-happen-but-will-require-fan-demand/1100-6419165/

NES Remix 2 came out this week, and there's a possibility that Nintendo will make SNES and GBA Remix, if people demand it enough.

Koiichi Hayshida told IGN, "If we get a big enough cry for that, with a lot of people saying, 'Hey, we'd love to see more of these perhaps for the SNES, Game Boy, or Game Boy Advance,' then it would be something we can take a look at."

Because if there's anything Nintendo does well, it's listen to what the fans want.


Bungie Revamps Their Site For Destiny And Puts A Bunch Of Information About The Game On It Now
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-website-updated-with-new-information-about-classes-enemies/1100-6419155/

So Bungie revamped the Destiny website, and they put information on it such as introduction videos for the classes, information on the places you'll visit and the enemies you will blast. Make sure to check it out.


Ubisoft Teases A New Prince of Persia?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ahead-of-e3-ubisoft-teases-new-prince-of-persia-game/1100-6419153/

Drew James tweeted this picture, that clearly teases a new Prince of Persia. But that question mark is mysterious, ain't it? What's the next installment in the series going to be like? I think it's going to be about The Riddler.


The Monetization Of H1Z1
http://www.destructoid.com/soe-talks-early-monetization-plans-for-its-zombie-survival-mmo-h1z1-273688.phtml

Since H1Z1 is free-to-play, they dropped dime on a few possible ways that they're going to make money off of us:

• Wearables will be sold, but players can "find and craft a lot of stuff." If someone kills and loots another player's gear, they'll be able to wear it for a few deaths. "Station Cash wearables won't degrade at all."
• Guns, ammo, food, water, and boosts impacting these won't be sold.
• Extra emotes beyond "the basics," which will be free.
• Character slots.
• Crates containing "random cool stuff from the store" can be found in H1Z1. "We're considering letting you see what's in them before you buy a key (ala Dota 2.). This idea isn't fully locked yet."

It's really not a big deal. Free-to-play doesn't have to be a bad thing, and as of right now, there is nothing major here or anything that screams pay-to-win.



Pre-Order Bonuses For The Witcher 3 If You Buy It Off Of GOG? "Fucking Amazing"
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/preorder-bonuses-for-the-witcher-3-at-gog-will-be-f-ing-amazing/1100-6419142/

If When you pre-order The Witcher , get it from GOG. The developers promise that the pre-order bonuses will be, and I quote, "Fucking amazing." They wouldn't go into any more detail than that, but I feel like The Witcher 3 is one of those games where they don't really have to. People love The Witcher.



Borderlands For PS3 Is Going Offline On May 31, So Are Some Other Games
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-ps3-going-offline-next-month/1100-6419135/

They're looking into a feasible option to replace Gamespy for Borderlands, but if you only own it on PS3 you won't be able to play it online for a while. Here are the other games affected by the shutdown:

• Borderlands (PS3)*
• Civilization Revolution (PS3)*
• Close Combat First to Fight (PC / Mac)
• Jetfighter (PC)
• Jetfighter V: Homeland Protector (PC)
• Leadfoot (PC)
• Rune (PC)
• Stronghold 2 (PC)
• Stronghold Legends (PC)
• Top Spin (PS2 / PC)
• Top Spin 2 (PC / DS)
• Vietcong (PC)
• Vietcong Demo (PC)
• Vietcong Fist Alpha (PC)
• Vietcong 2 (PC)
• Vietcong 2 Demo (PC)
• MLB Fantasy All-Stars (DS)
• Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution (DS)
• Major League Baseball 2K9 Fantasy All-Stars (DS)
• NHL 2K10 (Wii)
• NBA 2K10 (Wii) (OH GOD NO!)

Anything but NBA 2K10 for the Wii!

Namco Bandai Announced "Rise Of Incarnates"
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-soulcalibur-creator-reveals-new-pc-fighting-game-rise-of-incarnates/1100-6419131/

The game launches in the second half of 2014, and players will be able to craft their own playstyles, have 2v2 games and fight in places where there are real-world backgrounds. Should be fun, let's do this.


Dragon Age: Inquisition Is Coming October 7
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dragon-age-inquisition-digital-deluxe-includes-soundtrack-mounts/1100-6419141/

The next installment in Dragon Age comes out October 7, and there is also a deluxe edition that costs $10 more that nabs you the soundtrack and "digital goodies."


Here's A 9 Minute Video Explaining The Watch Dogs Multiplayer
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-multiplayer-explained-in-9-minute-developer-walkthrough-video/1100-6419161/ 

In the link above there is a video that showcases what the multiplayer consists of. It's pretty ambitious and awesome, to say the least. In the video, they explain three different modes. Make sure to check the video out because up until now, Ubisoft hadn't really said anything about the multiplayer.


The Playstation 4 Will Get The Xbox MGS5: Ground Zeroes Mission And Vice Versa
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mgs-5-ground-zeroes-playstation-mission-will-be-coming-to-xbox-xbox-mission-coming-to-playstation/1100-6419174/

Looking for more gameplay from Ground Zeroes? Playstation 4 will be getting the Xbox Ground Zeroes mission and Xbox will be getting the Playstation Ground Zeroes mission... all of this insanity is taking place May 1 and it will be free.

This is great news, now Ground Zeroes will be thirty minutes long.


China Bans Games That Feature Drugs, Violence, Gambling Or Obscenity
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/china-reveals-censorship-rules-for-console-games-nothing-that-promotes-drug-use-or-violence-will-be-allowed/1100-6419151/

China revealed their censorship rules, and it's a doozy. They won't allow any games that have drug usage, violence, gambling or obscenity, which effectively eliminates 98% of all games.


But Don't Worry, Because There Was A Study
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/majority-of-parents-say-video-games-are-a-positive-part-of-their-child-s-life/1100-6419186/

The Entertainment Software Association released the latest installment of "Essential Facts," and people love video games!

Quoted from Gamespot:

Who Is Playing?:

• 59 percent of Americans play games.
• 181.3 million Americans play games.
• Average gamer age is 31.
• 51 percent of Americans own a dedicated game console, and those that do own an average of two.
• 52 percent of U.S. gamers are male, and 48 percent are female.
• Women aged 18 or over make up a much larger percentage of the gamer population (36 percent) than boys 18 or younger (17 percent).
• The average number of years gamers have been playing video games is 14.

Who Is Buying?:

• Average age of the most frequent game purchaser is 35.
• Of the most frequent game purchasers, 50 percent are male and 50 percent are female.
• 44 percent of gamers said video games give them the most value for their money, compared to DVDs, music, or going out to the movies.

At Play:

• 88 percent of parents whose children play games believe the ESRB rating system is either very or somewhat helpful in choosing games for their children.
• 85 percent of parents are aware of the ESRB system.
• 87 percent of parents believe that the parental controls available in video game consoles are useful. In addition, parents impose time usage limits on video games more than any other form of entertainment. 83 percent for games, 80 percent of Internet usage, 76 percent TV viewing, and 70 percent movie viewing.
• Of the games rated by the ESRB in 2013, 46 percent were rated E, 19 percent were rated E10+, 23 percent were rated T, and 12 percent were rated M.
• 91 percent of parents whose children play video games are present when games are purchased or rented.
• 82 percent of children ask for their parents' permission before purchasing or renting a game.
• 95 percent of parents say they pay attention to the content of the games their children play.
• 56 percent of parents say video games are a positive part of their child's life.

Bottom Line:

• The "action" category was the best-selling console video game genre in 2013, making up 31.9 percent of all games sold last year. The next closest category was the "shooter" category at 20 percent.
• For PC, strategy games took the lion's share, with 38.4 percent of all sales. The next closest category was "casual" at 28.3 percent.
• The best-selling console game of 2013 was Grand Theft Auto V, followed by Call of Duty: Ghosts.
• On PC, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm was the best-seller, followed by SimCity.
• In all, gamers spent $21.53 billion on all video game content in 2013.

Minecraft For PS4 And Vita Coming Soon
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-ps4-and-vita-expected-by-september/1100-6419199/

Continuing their pursuit to conquer the entire world with awkward, low-res Legos, Mojang have announced that the PS4 and Vita versions of their hit game Minecraft -- maybe you've heard of it? -- will hit between now and September. The PS3 version will be hitting May 16, and when asked about whether you have to pay for the PS4 version if you got the PS3 version, they said, We’re in the process of finalising cross-buy/upgrade/DLC things. More news soon."

You will also be able to use your Xbox 360 saves for the Xbone version.



Bear Simulator Got A Bunch Of Money
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/people-donated-100-571-to-pay-for-a-game-about-being-a-bear/1100-6419158/

Humans are simple beasts, but bears are awesome beasts. People donated $100,571 to the cause and now Bear Simulator will be better. The developer describes it as a mini-Skyrim, but as a bear. Did I mention that you play as a bear?


XCOM: Enemy Unknown Is Now On Android
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xcom-enemy-unknown-arrives-on-android/1100-6419200/

You can pick up the Android version of the excellent game, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, now for $9.99. More reasons not to do anything at work, like you needed any you lazy person, you.


A Wild Newly Registered Domain For Just Cause 3 Has Appeared
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/just-cause-3-news-may-be-incoming-as-new-domain-name-discovered/1100-6419196/

Are you looking forward to a new Just Cause? This doesn't mean that there will be a new one for sure, but a domain name was registered for Just Cause 3. When reached for comment by yours truly about why they did this, the developers of the series simply answered, "Just cause."

Okay they didn't, and that was a terrible joke. Can you believe I get paid to do this?

I don't. I don't get paid.


Here's An Image Of The New TITANFALL Map, War Games
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-s-first-dlc-map-shown-off-in-new-images/1100-6419190/

The Expedition DLC is coming next month, and Respawn have shown us an image of the new map, which is described as a "parkour playground." Looks different than any playground I ever played on.

But my question is, where's the next-gen zipline?



Koch Media Is Publishing A Boxed Version Of Goat Simulator In The UK
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-publisher-will-release-goat-simulator-as-a-boxed-product-in-the-uk/1100-6419188/

Koch Media owns Deep Silver, and they will surely own every gamers heart soon because they are publishing the massively entertaining game Goat Simulator in the UK! There are no prices or anything available, but we know there's a box and there's a goat. Somehow I'm not surprised by this news.


There's A Mario Kart 8 Bundle Coming In The UK
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-wii-u-bundles-confirmed-for-the-uk-but-what-about-the-us/1100-6419181/

It looks like the UK is getting a Mario Kart 8 bundle when it launches May 30. 

There's no talk yet that this will come to North America. Here's what it entails, from Gamespot:

The special bundles will sell for £299.99 ($500) and come in Red Mario and Green Luigi varieties, both of which you can see in the image above. Both bundles include a 32GB system, a racing wheel, GamePad protector, Mario or Luigi hat, Wii Remote Plus, and a Mario Kart 8 game guide.

You won this round UK.

Here Are The Free Playstation Plus Games For May
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-plus-free-games-of-may-for-ps4-ps3-and-vita-announced/1100-6419159/


PS3:
Puppeteer
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (US ONLY)
Skullgirls Encore (US ONLY)

Payday 2 (EU ONLY)

PS Vita:

Limbo (US ONLY)

Surge Deluxe (US ONLY)

Muramasa Rebirth (EU ONLY)

Everybody's Golf (EU ONLY)

PS4:
Stick it to the Man

Nice to see the PS4 getting a high-quality Triple-A title! Thank God we can finally play Limbo 32 years after it was released!

In all seriousness, some of these games are really sweet.


A Book About Eve Online Is Coming
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/read-all-about-eve-online-in-upcoming-book/1100-6419233/

If you're like me, you're interested in Eve Online but you may be too intimidated to actually play it. I enjoy hearing all the stories of war and politics, and now there is going to be a book that discusses the game from the moment it went online to now. It's sad that I'm probably more interested in reading about this fake world than I am the real world. The sadder thing is that you probably are too.

The book is going to be called A History of the Great Empires of Eve Online, and it has already reached its Kickstarter goal, with 29 days to go.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/twitch-beats-out-espn-wwe-and-mlb-as-largest-live-streaming-site-in-the-us/1100-6419226/

Battlefield 4 Is Still... Not Working
http://www.destructoid.com/dice-just-wanted-to-let-you-know-that-battlefield-4-is-still-broken-273786.phtml 

Seriously EA/DICE, just get this right. The game has been out for months and has seen multiple DLCs and it still doesn't work? I hope it works by the time Battlefield 5 comes out. That would be grand.


Let's End This On A Doozy -- Mad Max Is Delayed Until 2015
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/25/mad-max-delayed-to-2015?

I'm not sure if anybody actually cares, but I sure don't. Regardless, the game adaption of the classic movie series isn't seeing the light of day until 2015... unless the world ends.



That's this end for another week, guys, gals and Tralfamadorians. Hope this didn't pain you too much, and we will see you next week, unless you'd like to tweet me on that Twitter thing @ArtBathednCrime. Or you know, check out the blog on other days besides Saturdays.

Coming Through The Door Blasting Volume 1: "Fluff" Gameplay, Battlefield 4, Dark Souls 2

Written By: Tyler

In "Coming Through The Door Blasting," I will be taking aim at various video game issues, whether it's in the form of rants or confessionals... maybe a mixture of both. Consider it a series of video game related brain droppings (pixelated poops?). A lot of the opinions that I express in the "Coming Through The Door Blasting" saga (ha) will be reactions to what I've been reading around the net or hearing in person, so obviously there is a lot of generalization going on.

There's no rhyme or reason to when I will release each volume of this because I write them when I have some stuff I need to rant about and/or when the blog is low on content.


I Don't Think Dark Souls 2 Is For Me

I'll begin this with a full disclosure: I haven't played this game enough to feel like I can write a full review of it, and I probably never will. It's like a light version of a review-in-progress that will never bloom to a completed product. I would love to write a review of it, but I am just having an incredibly hard time getting into it, and some of that is on me and not the game, but I can't look at Dark Souls 2 as a masterpiece either.

I'm playing the PC version right now, and I've read that it's buggy in comparison to the console version, but since it's my point of entry on DS2, it's all I can talk about. The mouse lag is terrible and in a game of inches like this one, it's incredibly frustrating that you can't attack like you plan and intend to. The game is hard enough as is, this extra difficulty doesn't help because it's cheap. They also clearly want you to use a controller because the commands on the screen come up as, "Press A." My controller is broken, plus I'm playing on PC, so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect developers to optimize their PC games for the PC.

But that isn't why I can't really get into the game, that's just a port issue (I'm assuming) that doesn't exist in the console versions. This is going to put me at risk at receiving proclamations from people that I am a "casual gamer," but I think I'm past the point where ridiculously hard games appeal to me. I grew up with hard games, and I don't know if it's just because I'm getting older and feel like I've done my time with hard games, or if I just don't have the patience that I had when I was a kid and could only afford one game at a time -- thus making me play that same game for hours on end, regardless of how difficult it is. Or it could be that nowadays there are so many games to play that it's hard not to be pulled in a million directions, making me dedicate less time to games than I may have in my younger years. Maybe it's a mixture of all those things, but I don't like struggling my way through a point only to die and have to do it again. And again. And again. There's a death penalty where your life decreases whenever you die, though admittedly you can get a ring pretty early that helps with that by only allowing it to go down to 75%. I still don't like the idea of the death penalty. The game is hard, and each battle is difficult, and this was just unnecessary. Keep in mind, this is the point where I will concede that this whole paragraph is more of a personal problem than a game problem, except for the death penalty which I will defend as being pointless and stupid.

I don't actually think the game is this amazing accomplishment in game design either. I think it's a completely solid Action RPG, with some occasional thrilling moments and aspects I admire like the multiplayer (which I've enjoyed since Demon's Souls). I admit that when you finally complete an area and get to a bonfire it's a rewarding experience. The combat is difficult but I don't see anything awe-inspiring about it. Block/dodge, then attack. Sometimes there are multiple enemies which increases how stressful it is. I'm not saying the combat is easy, I'm just saying it's not really that in-depth.

I read somewhere that Dark Souls 2 puts its best material halfway through the game. If this is true, that doesn't actually excuse it. A game is different than a movie. Slogging through half an hour in a movie to get to the best part is different than slogging through a game for 20 hours.

Please keep in mind before you read the rest of this paragraph that this is literally just me asking questions and pondering out loud. These aren't concrete statements, they are hypothetical musings. I wonder if the game would be getting the accolades that it has been if it wasn't for the difficulty. If games back in the NES days had the same technical advancements that games of today do, would Dark Souls 2 really stand out? Or is this a moot point not even worth mentioning because the point of Dark Souls 2 is that it exists today and promises crushing difficulty and it's impossible and just plain dumb to compare it to games of yesteryear?

I know that if On The Gamely were a popular blog I'd start getting a lot of hateful comments here saying how I'm whining or crying, but if I were to give Dark Souls 2 a rating right now, I'd give it somewhere between a 7 and an 8. This is taking into consideration the fact that I believe a rating should consist of how "objectively" good the game is and your own personal taste. It is entirely possible to acknowledge a game is really good while also accepting the fact that it's just not for you. I am like that with Dark Souls 2, but I still see some problems with it. I'm glad there are a lot of people enjoying it though and I hope the series continues and makes a shit-ton of money because the variety of games is nice.


So I Took A Step Into The Realm Of Battlefield For The First Time This Past Week

I never played a Battlefield before because there are already too many shooters and another military shooter wasn't that appealing to me, despite the fact I'm in awe of the destructible environments and think it could add tremendously to the experience. I actually almost bought Battlefield 4 when it first came out but my computer couldn't run it. I consider myself lucky considering the difficulties the game has had since release.

Regardless, since it's currently on sale for $25 I reckon if I'm going to get it, I better get it now. And getted it I did. I really dig it. I'm iffy on vehicles in most competitive shooters, but depending on the game you're involved in, they can help create some truly exciting and memorable encounters. On the flip-side, it can lead to getting completely dominated in the most frustrating way possible, but my experience with BF4 has been mostly positive.

I don't want every FPS to have destructible environments, but holy crap it adds a lot. One of the first games I played, I ran into a building, the wall got blown up, so I ran into the next room and that wall got blown up. This level of destruction wouldn't be at home in certain shooters, but it's welcomed in Battlefield.

I like the game looks, feels and sounds, too. It doesn't pass my favourite shooter (Killzone), but the battles are chaotic and intense, with explosions and death everywhere you turn. Battlefield and Call of Duty compete directly with each other, despite offering different spins on the military shooter, but Battlefield stomps all over CoD.


Not Every Game Has To Be 200 Hours

I'll try to make this one quick because the article is already longer than I intended, but I don't think every game has to be long, non-linear or open-world. I don't need a million side-quests and I don't need a lot of replay value. Replay value used to come from it just being a great game that you want to experience again, though I'm not saying that another type of replay value isn't a positive thing because it is. I'm completely okay with a "short" game -- within reason -- so long as it's a memorable game.

If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 only had the campaign, that'd be a rip-off because even though I have turned my back on CoD, I still think the campaign was great though incredibly short. Two and a half hours is too short for a full-price game.

Ten hours really isn't too short. My favourite RPG of all-time, Parasite Eve, clocks in at rougly ten hours. Mind you, games were cheaper, but the economy was also different back then. I'd be completely fine with Parasite Eve being released today with the same length because the game was fantastic from beginning to end.

We, as gamers, demand more and more from a technical standpoint these days. Games are held up to different standards because the technology is so much more advanced and we pay for that. Unfortunately this means prices also increase due to various factors, so even though cheaper games would be welcomed, you just can't expect a AAA title to do that. At least we have indie games for an alternative.

That's not to say I'm going to bat for companies pumping out short games, and unleashing unfinished games and expecting us to buy DLC is definitely not on my agenda. Bravely Default had a pretty decent runtime, and I enjoyed the hell out of that (until the end, ugh), and games such as Watch Dogs will demand lots of hours from me. There are always going to be open-world/sandbox games and I welcome that, but there's also something to be said for a concise story. If a game can do all that at once, more power to it.

My problem with a lot of longer games is that the gameplay just gets boring at some point and I end up ignoring side-quests and just doing the story. Someone could argue that since these side-quests are just extra material that you don't have to do them, but in some games you could miss out on a bunch by not doing them. I can't put the amount of time that some people do into MMOs because there's a lot of "fluff" gameplay that is just trying to extend the playtime, like stupid level/world design that makes you walk farther than you should have to. Making long-ass hallways just to make the game longer isn't appealing. Doing a million repetitive side-quests is only fun for so long most of the time.

There are exceptions to this rule, and I can be hypocritical, like with my love for Diablo-style Action RPGs. It's not an exact science. I guess my main point is that developers shouldn't stretch out the game if it doesn't make sense to do so, because it actually has the adverse effect and detracts from the overall product.



The point of these articles is to encourage discussion, so please, comment in the comment box below or tweet me @ArtBathednCrime. Let's... get this party started?

What Better Way To Celebrate Easter Than A Trip Through Hell! A Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls Review

Written By: Tyler

Rating: 9.5/10
Verdict: Despite the necessarily and decent tweaks, the leveling system still leaves a little to be desired. Outside of that though? With Loot 2.0, Act 5, the Crusader and other little additions, Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls is a drastic improvement on all fronts and has asserted itself as one of the best games in the Action RPG genre. Yes, I went there.


When Diablo 3 came out a couple years ago, it was the return of one of the most beloved franchises of all time. Players waited twelve years for the sequel to Diablo 2, though to be fair it seems like people just kept playing Diablo 2 up until the third came out anyway. But something stragic happened -- a lot of players didn't enjoy it that much. A lot of hyperbole was thrown out, as Diablo fans proclaimed it as the worst game ever, and the Battle.net forums were hard to read as people bitched and complained constantly, though I still read them anyway because I'm a boss and forums were my thing.

Diablo 3 was streamlined in a lot of ways, and lost some of the elements in Diablo 2 that fans enjoyed. I'm not a Diablo fanboy, I don't have those memories with Diablo 2 that a lot of gamers have, but even I can admit that it left a little to be desired. Not that it was a bad game, and I defended it at the time, but I will concede that it does some things better but some things worse. In retrospect I probably thought higher of it than I should have at the time, but that was because I put over a hundred hours into it with my brother and did enjoy my time.

Looking back at it now though, I'd still say Diablo 3 wasn't the disaster that a lot of fans declared it as... but Reaper of Souls stomps all over it. Seriously, the changes made with this expansion and the pre-expansion update are monumental.Very few games can make me put a hundred hours in and then rope me back in for what could be a hundred more at some point.

I am going to get on with the actual review now, but just know that I probably won't remember to tackle every single little detail of the expansion, but I am going to hit on the major points at the very least. This is mostly a full review, though I am well aware that items and whatnot may pop up that I have never seen before, but I felt confident that I could give it a final score regardless.


The first thing I have to talk about is Loot 2.0. Though it was released as a pre-expansion update that anybody can acquire, it is a massive upgrade. I don't think anybody could deny that a big selling point of Diablo and most ARPGs is the copious amounts of loot you will find during your adventure. With Diablo 3, legendary drops were few and far between so you'd have to replay Acts over and over again just to try to find a good weapon so you can proceed. Or you'd just get a bunch of crap you couldn't even use because while getting a lot of loot is great, getting quality loot is the most important thing.

With Loot 2.0, they dropped the "quantity over quality" mantra and reversed it. You may get less loot, allegedly, but you still get tons. Yet what you get is often better. Play it on the Normal difficulty and you'll find legendary items. I got more legendary items in the first few hours this time around than I did in my entire initial playthrough. I didn't even realize just how much the Auction House was holding everything back until it was gone -- now the loot flows freely.

On top of that, items can have different types of characteristics now. My brother has an item that summons a little guy that collects equipment for them and at a certain point has the chance of creating/dropping a legendary item. There's more variety to the loot, and you'll find better stuff more often.

They also changed how potions work. Gone are the multiple types, and now you only have one. Why any game has more than one type of health potion is beyond me, because it's often just confusing and unnecessary.  You can also get different items for crafting.

Loot 2.0 is a victory on all fronts and it drastically alters how fun the game is. There is no more slogging without reward... there is only reward.


I expect three things from an ARPG: an in-depth leveling system (such as Path of Exile of Sacred 2), massive amounts of enemies to murder, and tons of loot to satisfy my greed. I already talked about Loot 2.0, there were always lots of enemies to murder, and now I'll talk about how you level up.

The leveling system in Diablo 3 was a significant point of contention with me, and probably a lot of others as well. I am all for change. I praised a game like Killzone: Shadow Fall for bucking the trend and going their own route with how level progression was handled, but sometimes -- and this is the case with Diablo 3 -- traveling your own path is detrimental to the experience as a whole.

You couldn't upgrade your stats at all, which even Diablo 2 had twelve years before it and most games of this ilk include as well. All you could do is shift around the runes and skills that the game gave you each level. While creating a great build is appealing in some aspects, just allow me to put points into my base attributes and give me a skill tree so I can unlock whatever skills I want. Or give me a system like Path of Exile. Allow me control over my character. I'm less forgiving of this in the ARPG than I am in other RPGs, because to me, the stories in these games are never great or memorable.

They can't fix this problem without a complete overhaul of the game, but they've done just about as much as they can to try.

The level cap was upped from 60 to 70, and with it came more skills and runes, along with another slot for passive skills. You still just mix and match your skills and runes until you';re the best ass-kicker that you can be, but with Paragon Levels at least you have some control once you reach 70. I know Paragon Levels existed before, but they've been revamped a bit to the point that there are no limits to how many there are. In a nice touch,  you don't just level up your base attributes... there are four different categories with multiple statistics in each. This actually gives you a great amount of control, ultimately, but you still have to max level and deal with having all your skills and runes forced down your throat when the game wants you to. As a system, it is a little sub-par, but they made strides to fix it and I commend them for that.


Before I touch on the meat and potatoes of the expansion like the new Act, character class and the different modes, there are a few little aspects of the game I want to talk about -- the Mystic, the difficulty and the wave-based events.

The Mystic is a neat little addition to the game. She offers two different services, which are enchanting your items and Transmogrification. She allows you to re-roll certain magical properties of existing items, allowing you to ultimately gear your, er, gear more to your liking, while Transmogrification allows you to change how you look. It's a small thing, but I know cosmetics are important to some people because let's face it... looking like a badass is part of the appeal.

The enemies now level up with you, and the difficulty sliders just affect how hard the enemies are beyond that. I think this is a better system all around, so props again to Blizzard for that.

Events are a blast in this game because they drop a lot of stuff and you get a lot of experience. They've added events called "Cursed Chests" and "Cursed Shrines" which are essentially wave-based events where you try to kill all the waves in the time allotted. It can get chaotic and the benefits are worth it.


Now onto Act 5 and the other completely new features added within the Reaper of Souls expansion.

Act 5 is a blast. The basic story is that Death appears and you have to go kill Death. Like I said above, I actually don't think plot is that important in this sub-genre of the role-playing game, but it does a good enough job. I mean, you have to go bring death to Death. That sells itself.

There are a lot of events, lots of enemies to kill and loot to collect... but I really love the music especially. As I write this I'm listening to it, and I never listened to the initial Diablo 3 soundtrack because the music didn't overly stick out. However, the music seems to be perfectly placed in Act 5. When you're walking around in a dank, gloomy area, the music is appropriate and does a good job of making you feel that dread. Or when enemies appear, the music will get big and loud, making you actually want to fight. The music adds a lot to the atmosphere and mood of everything going on.

I never understood the complaints about how some of the other Acts looked, because I enjoyed traveling to different areas. I don't need every place I visit to be dark, full of decay, rotting trees, skeletons, zombies and other stereotypically evil beings. I know a lot of people did, but they can rest assured that Act 5 is dark. It is Diablo as they remember it.

After you complete Act 5, a whole new method to loot up is presented to you in the form of the Adventure Mode. While playing this particular mode, you do bounties, which are randomized missions that give you different objectives. You might have to kill a big nasty, or kill 100 enemies on a single map. There is variety, and when you win you obviously get equipment, but along with that you get blood shards -- which are used to buy specialty items -- and Rift Key Fragments.

Rift Key Fragments are where it's at, because they allow you to open Nephalem Rifts. The Rifts are where Adventure Mode shines, because you go in, fill up a bar by killing enemies and than a big boss appears. When the boss appears it is awe-inspiring, full of lots of colours flashing on screen. They actually feel like a big event. You kill them and get a ton of loot. I'm not sure if farming on a higher difficulty in the story mode is more beneficial than Rifts or not, but Rifts give a lot of cool stuff.

Adventure Mode offers a lot of replay value for those who don't just want to do the story.

The Crusader is the new character, and he specializes in defensive tactics while having a good array of offensive moves as well. I don't know if I'd use him if I were playing by myself, but as a support character he is pretty awesome. He has "Laws" that permanently offer him and his companions boosts in things like damage, he has a healing spell, a skill that allows him to revive if he dies (awesome!) but he can use skills like Bombardment that drop death on enemies. You could run him as basically a buffer, which I did for a bit, or you could transform him into a more deadly force. I play as a mixture.

Because of him, there are specialized crusader shields and a new weapon type -- flails. I've always been more of a giant sword type of guy, but it's cool that they added a new weapon type for him. All-in-all I think the Crusader was a worthwhile addition to the roster.


I love Reaper of Souls. I could just be high on the game since I've been playing it currently, but it brought me back into Diablo 3 in a big, bad way. With that said, because of the leveling system not being up to snuff, I give this game a "light" 9.5. What I mean by this is, I think the game deserves better than a 9, but I operate on a .5 system so I'll up it to a 9.5. It's basically everything I could want from the genre, except for that one nagging issue (which would have made me drop the rating more had they not tweaked it a bit), so if you were turned off by the initial release, you should give Reaper of Souls a go because Blizzard changed a hell of a lot.

Ye Indie Game Corner Volume 3 - The Impossible Cave, Asylum, 2 Souls And Infiltration

Written By: Tyler

Welcome to the Indie Game Corner Volume 3! If you are unfamiliar with what I do here, I'll give you a quick rundown. Every so often I go to a site like Gamejolt and I download/play a few random indie games. I go in blind, and I experience what it has to offer, then I give a quick review of these games. This time I got lucky so there are no terrible reviews, but Volume 2 had one of the worst games I've ever played.



The Impossible Cave
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/action/the-impossible-cave/23753/

The Impossible Cave is a simple premise -- you guide something through a cave. The game speeds up as you go deeper into it, and the cave shifts and changes. With the combination of speed and the unknown, The Impossible Cave is a game you want to keep playing just so you can beat your high score. It also helps that the song that plays (Push It Remake by Jeremy Allred) is, well, bomb. Seriously, it really adds to the experience.

Rating: 8/10



Asylum
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/adventure/asylum/25127/

In Asylum you start in... an Asylum. You have no weapons, it's dark, and everybody wants to kill you. All you can do is run through the halls, trying frantically to open each and every door as psychotic, messed up inmates chase you.

I enjoyed Asylum for what it is, but the fear left by a certain point. At first I ran for my life, but then after some glitches/bad AI where the inmates walked downstairs and got stuck, it became more tedious than anything as I searched for the place to go. It's a pretty scary game at first, but Amnesia it is not.

Rating: 6.5/10


2 Souls
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/platformer/2-souls/25206/

In 2 Souls you guide little robots across platforms. If you play it by yourself, you control one with WASD and the other with your mouse. I imagine playing with someone else would be more fun, and easier when it comes to the challenges, but it's a decent game regardless.

Rating: 6.5/10


Infiltration
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/action/infiltration/25205/

In Infiltration you hack terminals to open doors so you can get to the end of the level. In your way are turrets placed in various positions. You can shoot them, or you can use your brain to avoid that altogether. Meanwhile, there are different messages with each level that become more menacing as the game goes on.

I think Infiltration is the highlight of this adventure for me. I love The Impossible Cave for its style, addictive gameplay and music, but I like Infiltration just a bit more. It's fairly long for a freeware game, unless you're really good at it, and it can be a little bit challenging. It reminds me a little of Hotline Miami in the way it plays, but it's not Hotline Miami. My only problem is the shooting is difficult because of the way it handles. Outside of that, it's a wonderful little game.

Rating: 8/10



So that's it for Volume 3... I hope you enjoyed it. If you want to tell me how much I suck, or even have a game that you want me to play, tweet me on that Twitterbird thing @ArtBathednCrime, or leave a comment below.

Weekly News Round-Up, April 6 - 12: PAX East Is Here, And So Was A Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct

Written By: Tyler

The Weekly News Round-Up is a weekly (duh?) thing I do where I swipe news from other, better websites and I regurgitate them with about 10% humour and 90% trying too hard to be funny. Regardless, I do cover a lot of the video game news of the past week so why not come back here every Saturday to see what I have to say?

This week is quite a long post because from April 11 - 13 we are going to be knee deep in PAX East. At the bottom of this article is an area designated for all PAX East news that is of interest to me. Unfortunately I'm not actually there to play or see anything so what I post is only what has been posted on other sites.


TAPOUT In EA Sports UFC June 17
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-sports-ufc-coming-june-17/1100-6418803/

You like sweaty men rolling all over each other but feel like pro-wrestling isn't your thing? Welcome to MMA. If you're like me and can't actually fight in real life but take an interest in the sport, you may want to pick up EA Sports UFC on June 17.

If you pre-order it, you get the "father of mixed martial arts," who is apparently Bruce Lee and not someone from the Pankration days. Turns out you can also get it once you complete the career mode.

But don't go away yet, because I have more EA Sports UFC news! Here's the cover:

We can gather a few things from this cover. Jon Jones gives birth to logos and, well, okay... so maybe it wasn't a few things. In related news, here is the cover that they were going to use until they picked this masterpiece:

Guess What? There's Also Going To Be A Demo For EA Sports UFC
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/yes-there-will-be-a-ea-sports-ufc-demo/1100-6418838/

You'll be able to try out the game before you buy it! Thanks EA! I'll probably never say that again.


Here Are The Specs For Middle-Earth: Shadow of Awesome
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/can-your-pc-run-this-fall-s-lord-of-the-rings-game/1100-6418828/

Minimum:

• OS: 64-bit: Vista, Win 7, Win 8
• Processor: Intel Core i5-750, 2.67 GHz | AMD Phenom II X4 965, 3.4 GHz
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 | AMD Radeon HD 6950
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 25 GB available space

Recommended:

• OS: 64-bit: Win 7, Win 8
• Processor: Intel Core i7-3770, 3.4 GHz | AMD FX-8350, 4.0 GHz
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 | AMD Radeon HD 7970
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 40 GB available space

Can your computer run it? Do you need me to buy you a new one? Let me know in the comments below.


The Future In Controllers?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/stanford-researchers-create-controller-that-they-say-can-read-your-mind/1100-6418825/

Engineers at Stanford University have made a prototype controller -- a modified Xbox 360 controller -- that reads brain activities. What this means is obviously mind control, but also the potential, eventually, to have a controller that modifies difficulty based on how you're feeling.

The only problem is, nobody who plays games actually thinks. Ba-zing!


Goat Simulator Is About To Get More... Goat Simulatorer
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-s-dumbest-game-goat-simulator-gets-a-shrek-mod-splitscreen-mode-and-new-map-on-the-way/1100-6418824/

There's a Shrek mod out there for Goat Simulator, and in May, patch 1.1 is going to be released. The patch includes a new map, more goats and achievements and splitscreen gameplay. This game is going to be the game that keeps on giving.


By The Time You Read This, There Will Be A Lot Of Crappy Xbox One Youtube Videos
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/you-can-upload-xbox-one-gameplay-directly-to-youtube-starting-tomorrow/1100-6418823/

If you want to upload your awesome, or not so awesome, video game footage to Youtube and you own an Xbox One, that is now possible. They have a dedicated Youtube app that will easily put gameplay videos up on that independent, obscure video website.

Thanks Microsoft, now we can see footage of all those games that don't exist on Xbox One.

(I'm just sad that the PS4 doesn't have this yet)


Peter Molyneux Once Again Is Talking
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-s-kinect-is-unnecessary-and-a-joke-molyneux-says/1100-6418839/

Here's something a lot of us can get behind.

"I actually wish Kinect wasn't a requirement. It feels like an unnecessary add-on to me. Maybe it's because we're in England, and it doesn't really use the TV stuff, but it feels more and more like a joke."

First of all:

But also, Peter, jokes are meant to be funny. That's why I don't call the Weekly News Round-Up a joke because no laughs are had.



Not Borderlands 3... Just A Borderlands "Pre-Sequel"
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rumor-borderlands-pre-sequel-coming-to-xbox-360-ps3-pc/1100-6418809/

When I eat snacks right before I eat supper, I call it "pre-chow." This new Borderlands game that has been announced for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC is something like that. It isn't Borderlands 3, it just comes after Borderlands 2. Check this quote out but keep in mind that regardless of how much specific information is here, it's just a rumor:

"As for the game's rumored story, GamesPointsNow.com says the title will revolve around a younger Handsome Jack and let you play as one of his four lieutenants: Athena The Gladiator, Wilhelm The Enforcer, Nisha The Lawbringer, and Fragtrap--said to be a "militarized Claptrap."

The game is reportedly set on the moon of Elpis and Hyperion's iconic H-shaped base from Borderlands 2. The title is said to offer a "bazillion weapons" to choose from, including a Cryo class of guns which will allow you to freeze and blast your enemies.

The rumored Borderlands title also will feature jetpacks, according to the report, and oxygen is said to play a "huge role" in the game. The oxygen resources will reportedly be lootable and you'll need to manage your O2 levels to survive, the report claims."

UPDATE: OH BUT HERE WE GO BOYS AND GIRLS, BECAUSE I GOT MORE INFO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjGgtbTgCXI

That video is an IGN preview, and it will go into more detail about what we know, but I have some of the basics. It has four new character classes (thank God), one of which being Claptrap and low gravity which will allow more aerial combat. It will have more content than Borderlands 1 but less than 2, but this is great. I can't wait to play this in Fall of this year.


Phil Spencer Talks, And If He Keeps Talking I'm Going To Have To Give Him His Own Corner Soon
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gaming-can-revitalize-microsoft-like-music-did-for-apple-new-xbox-boss-says/1100-6418818/

Phil Spencer thinks that gaming can revitalize Microsoft like music did for Apple.


Phil Spencer Was Hurt By the Xbox One DRM Online Controversy
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-drm-online-controversy-hurt-me-personally-says-phil-spencer/1100-6418817/

Ol' Phil was hurt by the controversy because he thinks they build Xboxes for all the right reasons, and he felt that they didn't communicate certain things well enough. Nope, no doublespeak here... just trying to screw consumers originally.

#PhilSpencerHasVerbalDiarrhea


The First ID@Xbox Game Has Arrived
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ushers-in-a-new-era-as-first-id-xbox-game-arrives/1100-6418842/

Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut is here! It came out this week and is the first ever game to be released under the ID@Xbox program. So, congrats!



Nintendo Possibly Working On A New IP?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-working-on-an-alien-themed-game/1100-6418815/

Read that headline? Yes? I'll give you a second to digest it because not only did the Undertaker lose at Wrestlemania this week... but Nintendo could possibly have a new IP in the works. They trademarked "Code name: S.T.E.A.M. Strike Team Eliminating The Alien Menace."

But don't get too excited because we know how Nintendo does things. They'll probably tie their classic characters into it somehow. Here are some On the Gamely suggestions:

Speaking of Nintendo... Here's The Best News From The Nintendo Direct Held This Week!

The 3DS Version And The Wii U Version Have Different Release Dates
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/08/super-smash-bros-3ds-wii-u-release-windows-revealed

The 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. is set for release in Summer of this year. Yes, that's 2014! This is no surprise though because the 3DS actually gets games at a pretty decent pace.

The Wii U version is set for release in Winter of this year. But it'll really come out in 2021.


Here's How The Multiplayer Works
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/08/how-multiplayer-works-in-super-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds

Both versions have multiplayer. There is a "For Fun" mode which only records wins and has all items to use. The "For Glory" mode records wins and losses while stripping the game of items entirely. The 3DS version also has a mode called "Smash Run" which basically sets players in a level where they rush to get power-ups and then after five minutes they fight each other.

In the local or friend-only multiplayer, you can of course customize as you see fit.

No More Transformations
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/08/character-transformations-removed-from-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds

Any character that changed in previous games no longer does that. Instead, Sheik and Zero Suit Samus are their own characters with enhanced move sets.


Yoshi Returns
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/08/yoshi-returns-in-super-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds

Not only that, but he stands upright! The insanity!

Greninja And Charizard Join The Fight
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/08/two-playable-pokemon-announced-for-super-smash-bros

Yes that's right. You can play as these two Pokemon if you want to. No Pokemon trainer necessary. Good, because he's a knob.

There's Going To Be Some Sort-Of Wii U/3DS Connectivity...

...And a different type of ranking system, and ways to make the online element smooth, friendly and fun for all.


They Talked A Bit About How Characters Would Control

Just watch the whole Direct to get all the details, but they did talk a little bit about changes with some of the characters, and how the new ones would go. Of interest was Little Mac, who is a complete monster when he's on the ground but is terrible anywhere else.


The Nintendo Direct Was So Japan-y!

Yes reader-san, once again the Nintendo Direct had that special Japanese flair to it. They're just so pleasant.

/end Nintendo Direct



More Nintendo -- A New Mario?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-confirms-work-has-begun-on-the-next-core-mario-game-but-won-t-say-if-it-s-for-wii-u-or-3ds/1100-6418850/

In news that is surprising to exactly no one, Nintendo has a new core Mario in the works. Is it for 3DS or Wii U? Only Nintendo knows, but if it's for Wii U it is supposedly going to make more use of the Gamepad, which would make it the first game ever to actually use it.


Notch Is Confused About His Feelings
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-simpsons-do-a-minecraft-couch-gag-notch-doesn-t-know-how-to-feel-about-it/1100-6418811/

When Notch went to visit his psychiatrist this week, he heard about how the Simpsons did a Minecraft couch gag. Instead of telling his psychiatrist to his face how he felt, he went to Twitter and then his psychiatrist read it. The tweet said:

I STILL feel a bit like it's just this small game I made at home. It's so weird to have all these things happen. <3

I am aware that this has been used so much on the net, but this is the perfect time to break out this meme so fuck it, I'm going for it.

Microsoft Trademarks "Snap Attack"
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-trademarks-a-new-game-called-snap-attack/1100-6418843/

Microsoft trademarked "Snap Attack." If I had to guess, I'd say it's based on Snap Chat.

Or it's an online computer game. Whatever.


Hotline Miami 2 Trailer!
http://www.gamespot.com/videos/hotline-miami-2-wrong-number-dial-tone-trailer/2300-6418192/

In the Hotline Miami 2 trailer (in the link above), there's a lot of blood. I'm talking enough blood that would make the elevator scene in The Shining happy.


Watch Dogs Requires Uplay... Even If You Get It Off Of Steam
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/alongside-its-hefty-system-specs-watch-dogs-on-pc-will-require-uplay/1100-6418836/

It turns out that Watch Dogs will require Uplay, which isn't a surprise. But the fact that it will require it even with Steam is kind of weird. It's not a huge deal, but it seems pointless to me. Or is it? Maybe there's a grand scheme to all of this. Dun dun duuuuun.



The Crew Is Going To Have The Microtransactions
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-s-xbox-one-ps4-pc-racing-game-the-crew-launching-this-fall-has-microtransactions-runs-in-1080p/1100-6418853/

Yes The Million Dollar Man is a gag I've used before (just last week!). Get used to it because it'll probably be reoccurring.

Ubisoft is making a racing game called The Crew, and it's going to be out this fall. A lot of us knew of The Crew, but who knew about The Microtransactions? Well, now we do, because if you're a busy gamer you can buy stuff to progress. Ubisoft insists that you can unlock everything in-game though, so don't whine yet.


Microsoft Planning Backwards Compatibility
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-is-thinking-through-its-xbox-360-emulator-for-xbox-one/1100-6418806/

It turns out that Microsoft may eventually add backwards compatibility to the Xbox One, meaning you may get to play Xbox 360 games on it. But as of now they're just plans.

"There are [plans], but we’re not done thinking them through yet, unfortunately."

Think it through 'Soft, think it through. You don't want another "Xbone-At-E3" do you?


Here's The Griffin From The Witcher 3
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-s-griffin-is-a-menacing-mix-of-ferocious-cat-and-giant-bird/1100-6418875/

Rawr.

The Last Of Us For PS4 Is Officially Confirmed
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-confirmed-for-ps4-by-sony/1100-6418860/

So there's that.

Here's some more info, quoted from Gamespot:

• Runs in 1080p
• Has higher resolution character models, improved shadows and lighting, and upgraded textures
• Has director's commentary featuring creative director Neil Druckmann, as well as voice actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie)
• Includes expansions Left Behind (single-player) and the Abandoned Territories and Reclaimed Territories expansions

 If You Pre-Order The Game:

• 100 Supply Points (XP) for use in Factions mode
• Two special bonus skins for Joel and Ellie which will be unlocked after your complete the single player campaign
• Increased Crafting Speed for use in the Single Player Campaign
• Increased Healing Speed for use in the Single Player Campaign
• 9mm Reload Speed Increase Upgrade for use in the Single Player Campaign
• Rifle Clip Capacity Increase Upgrade for use in the Single Player Campaign

If you preoder a digital copy of The Last of Us for PS4 from the PlayStation Store, you'll receive extra bonuses for the game's multiplayer component.

• Early Access to the Brawler Survival Skill in Factions Mode
• Early Access to additional Loadout Points for use in Factions mode
• Early Access to the Jeep Cap and Surgical Mask for use in Factions mode

So get ready to Last Of Us... Again! By the way, here's a picture of the remastered version, which is in the trailer.

Nah just kidding, here's a real picture:

You Can Now Create Your Own Capture Jobs In GTA 5 Online
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/create-your-own-gta-5-capture-the-flag-mode-this-friday-what-will-you-make/1100-6418866/

If you care about this news you probably already have GTA 5, but yesterday the Creator Tool went live and you can now create your own Capture Jobs. Like you need more reasons to play GTA 5.


Secret Ponchos Also Coming To PC
http://www.destructoid.com/wild-west-ps4-multiplayer-game-secret-ponchos-also-headed-to-pc-273070.phtml

It appears that not only PS4 owners will get a little taste of multiplayer Wild West action, because the PC (yes, on Steam) will be seeing this bad boy as well. Secret Ponchos is an awesome name and the game looks like a lot of fun.


Never Fear, Atlus Is Here!
http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/9/5599032/citizens-of-earth-indie-rpg-eden-industries-atlus

Citizens of Earth failed to reach its goal on Kickstarter, but Atlus swooped in there this week and now the game will be released on time. I had never heard of Citizens Of Earth but any game influenced by Earthbound should see the light of day.


HOLD UP! TRANSISTOR DROPS IN MAY!
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bastion-developer-s-next-game-transistor-is-coming-to-pc-and-ps4-in-may/1100-6418899/

The new game by the developers of Bastion are releasing a game named Transistor... in May! On PS4 and PC! For $20! For me! For you!


A Wild Watch Dogs Trailer Has Appeared
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-watch-dogs-pc-trailer-shows-off-the-open-world-game-at-its-best/1100-6418902/

There's a new trailer for Watch Dogs in the link above that is meant to show off some of the graphics. Mostly, it's just the main character standing still in random parts of the city, emoting all over the place. But it looks cool.


Something I Never Thought I'd See -- Metal Gear Solid 5 Has Fewer Cutscenes
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/metal-gear-solid-5-the-phantom-pain-to-reduce-cutscenes-in-favour-of-pure-game-storytelling/1100-6418805/ 

Well damn. Yes, say damn in Snake's voice.

It appears that they will be telling their story in Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain with fewer cutscenes. Normally I'd be more than okay with this but I actually love the cutscenes in the series because Kojima is legitimately talented as a director and sets up great, movie-like shots.


Phil Spencer Wants Microsoft To Build Products That Change The World!
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/head-of-xbox-microsoft-wants-to-build-products-that-change-the-world/1100-6418889/


Phil Spencer likes Microsoft. He thinks that they are awesome and can do all kinds of neat stuff. "Fundamentally, [Microsoft] is a company that wants to do things that change the world. And they have the resources and the ambition to do that," he said in a new interview.

Whoa, hold on. Releasing a product that changes the world isn't always great. Case in point:

Making teenagers even more annoying since 2007.

Oh Yeah, It's PAX East

I Can't Be There To Play It, But Y2K Sounds And Looks Awesome
http://operationrainfall.com/pax-east-y2k/

I can't seem to find any videos or whatnot of the game in action, but the new game from AckkStudios -- Y2k -- looks incredibly interesting. You may ask yourself, why has Tyler chosen this one random indie game over the others? Why is he not talking about Below (which by the way, sounds awesome)?

Because I have been bought.

No, not really, but AckkStudios has shown me some love and I am returning the favour. I legitimately enjoyed Two Brothers, and from what I can tell, this is completely different and it looks awesome. They showed it off at PAX and people seem to be digging it.

Snow news?

Blizzard Announced 4 New Heroes In Heroes Of The Storm
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/11/pax-east-blizzard-announces-4-new-heroes-of-the-storm-characters

From IGN:

• LiLi - "Lili is a new support hero with an ability set that helps her to very effectively aid her teammates throughout the game."

• Brightwing - "Brightwing is a versatile support hero capable of teleporting from ally to ally, healing them and providing them with the help they need to succeed in battle."

• Zagara - "Zagara has map-wide components to her design; she can drop Creep Tumors to spread Zerg Creep, which helps speed up her movement speed, as well as the speed of her summons."

• Murky - "Murky is going to die A LOT, but he’s a hero who eventually overwhelms enemies across multiple battles. He doesn’t need to win every fight; he just needs to win once."

Hearthstone Gets A Single-Player Mode
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-single-player-adventure-curse-of-naxxramas-announced-and-you-can-play-without-spending-a-penny/1100-6418919/

I know absolutely nothing about Hearthstone outside of the fact there are cards and that everyone wants me to play it, so I'll just let quotations from Gamespot handle this one:

The Curse of Naxxramas expansion is scheduled for release sometime this summer, and finally introduces a single-player mode to Hearthstone. Players will need to play through five different sections or “wings” in the dungeon, with one wing to be released each week. The first wing to be released will be the Arachnid Quarter, and each wing will feature new bosses to defeat and new cards to earn. Only the first wing will be free--players will have to buy access to the others using in-game gold or real world money.

Wildstar Launches June 3
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-mmo-wildstar-from-former-blizzard-devs-goes-gold-launches-in-full-june-3/1100-6418925/

Hungry for an MMORPG? Want a game with a name that makes you wonder how a star can be wild? Boy I got some news for you. Wildstar -- developed by former Blizzard designers so HA, I can still include this in the Blizzard News kinda -- is coming out June 3 of this year.

The bad news is that it's yet another MMO with a monthly subscription fee, but you get 30 days free if you buy the standard edition. If you buy the deluxe version you get a few extra things obviously, including a limited edition Eldan dye set!


The Behemoth Is Making A New Game... Called Game 4
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/11/the-behemoth-is-working-on-its-next-game-for-xbox-one

Indie developer The Behemoth is making a new game for Xbox One. It will be playable later this year at a PAX and that's all we know about it. Except this:

Mom??

Harmonix Is Going To Bring Back Rock Band And Dance Central
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/11/pax-east-harmonix-has-grand-plans-for-rock-band-dance-central

In news that is great for people like me who can't play guitar, dance or seemingly do anything well, Harmonix announced that they have "grand plans" to bring Rock Band And Dance Central back. Get prepared to ROCK!

At some point...


This Free-To-Play Game Costs $150 If You Want To Play The Alpha
http://www.gameinformer.com/games/orcs_must_die_unchained/b/pc/archive/2014/04/11/the-orcs-must-die-moba-is-fun-but-150-for-early-access-is-steep.aspx

Do you like Orcs Must Die! Well, this third one is going to be free-to-play but if you want to play the Alpha you can buy The Master Founder's Pack for $150 dollars. You get a bunch of stuff but it hardly seems worth it considering it's more than twice the price of a regular game. Even the Million Dollar Man can't justify this.


Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth Was Announced
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/2k-announces-new-sid-meier-s-civilization-game-beyond-earth-channels-alpha-centauri/1100-6418936/

Since his name is always in the title of games, I feel like I should plaster his face on my blog.

The next Civilization is going to the stars. In a completely unbelievable plot, mankind has made great advances in technology but also ruined the world, and now they have to get out of Earth and colonize another poor planet.

I love this idea, and I can't wait until it releases in Fall.


PAX South Is Coming
http://www.destructoid.com/penny-arcade-announces-pax-south-273188.phtml

The Overlords of Penny Arcade have announced PAX South, which will be held in San Antonio, Texas. The first event will take place on January 2015.



Well, that's it for another week of news. I hope you come back next week because I require validation like Elf needs food (badly, they might say), but until then, I will see you later!

P.S. Tweet me your harassment on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime