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.

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