Gamescom 2014, Day 1: News, Impressions And Other Junk

Written By: Tyler

During Gamescom I'm going to try to put up an article near the end of each day where I talk about some of the miscellaneous news that I read/watch or the video game demos that I watch. Tomorrow will have more of a focus on what I think of gameplay because IGN will start streaming and I'm going to try to watch what I can. Also, some of this news may have not actually been released at Gamescom, but it's still stuff of interest during the day.



Meta Knight Is In Smash Bros.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/super-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds-meta-knight-confirmed-s/1100-6421699/

I liked Meta Knight in the last one so this is good news.



Rise of the Tomb Raider Is  Not Actually An Xbox Exclusive... Forever
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-admits-xboxs-rise-of-the-tomb-raider-exc/1100-6421700/

Phil Spencer said, "Yes, the deal has a duration. I didn't buy it. I don't own the franchise." So there you have it, it's only a timed exclusive so everybody can stop being so pissed off.



The Crew Is Also Coming To Xbox 360
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ambitious-racing-game-the-crew-announced-for-xbox-/1100-6421687/

The Crew is being ported to last-gen consoles while being on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Well... not PS3. And it's still not showing up on Wii U because nothing does.



Overkill Is Making A Walking Dead Co-Op FPS
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/walking-dead-co-op-fps-from-payday-2-developer-ann/1100-6421706/

The makers of Payday 2, Overkill Software, are making a co-op shooter based on the hit TV show/comic series The Walking Dead. There are really no other details at this point.



Play The New Unreal Tournament In Early Alpha Stage Now
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/08/13/you-can-play-unreal-tournament-2014-right-now

That's right, you can now play the new Unreal Tournament in a really early version by downloading it from https://ut.rushbase.net/raxxy/Builds, assuming you can get into a server. I haven't tried it as of writing this but people are having problems connecting due to the sheer volume of gamers trying to get in. Because y'know, it's Unreal Tournament.



Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain Is Coming To PC/Steam
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/metal-gear-solid-5-pc-versions-revealed-at-gamesco/1100-6421707/

Before I continue, I must say that I really really wanted to see the 60 minute preview of the game... but I was unable to watch it live and as of writing this I can't find a replay. So with that said; Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is coming to PC via Steam, so all you kids in the master race can pick it up.

Fun fact, instead of a replay going up here where it says the livestream was, I got to see some dudes playing Suikoden. Not quite what I wanted but Suikoden is the bomb.

E3 Day 3: This Is The End, My Friend

Written By: Tyler

It's the third, and final day of E3, so like the previous days, I will be giving my impressions and reporting news -- that I ripped from other sites of course -- about the games that I see today. I try my best not to repeat games, but at this point, after so many hours, it's hard to remember what exactly I've already seen. If I see new footage of games though, I will be sure to let you all know, because I know you all flock to an obscure blog for your E3 information.


Final Fantasy Explorers Is Coming Out For 3DS
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/12/final-fantasy-explorers-announced-for-3ds

Final Fantasy Explorers is a multiplayer Final Fantasy where players search for Crystals while murdering Summons. You can choose from a variety of job classes. It sounds a little bit like Crystal Chronicles, and that's not bad because I played the first one and enjoyed it, despite the fact I never got to play it multiplayer because I didn't have a Game Boy (Advance, I think?) and it required that.



Fantasy Life -- Fantasy Life is the new Action-RPG/Life Simulator for the 3DS and it looks charming. There seems to be a bunch of choice in this game, as there are a bunch of different classes you can choose such as Paladin or Woodcutter, along with the numerous quests. You get a house eventually, and customization seems like a big deal... it seems like you can customize a lot of things, such as what you wear, to your house, to upgrading your bag so you can carry more stuff. For those who are really into co-op, they're saying that you can fully explore the world with a friend, which is a huge bonus for me. I already had this pre-ordered before I actually saw it, but after seeing some video and hearing more about it, I am definitely excited for this.


Road Not Taken --  A puzzle-Roguelike, where you play as a Ranger who has to rescue kids in the forest. Oh good, there's finally a game about my life. The Ranger can only pick up things and throw said things, and the limitation is... interesting. As you carry things, you lose energy so throwing them instantly is the most efficient way of doing things. Enemies react in different ways, such as a wolf who won't harm you unless you corner it, and enemies move when you do. Even though everything is procedural, they do have custom rooms that are littered throughout the thing that are more complex puzzles to solve. I'm not in love with Roguelikes, though there are certainly some I love, but Road Not Taken looks like a pretty refreshing take on it.


Codename S.T.E.A.M. -- It's a combination of American comic books, Steampunk, shooter and turn-based RPG. Instead of a top-down view, it is a third-person view so exploration on the battlefield is important since you can't just see everything. You have multiple characters with you, and the game operates on steam. With each action your steam reduces until your turn ends, or if you manage your steam and don't use it all, you can attack an enemy during their turn if they come into view. It looks extremely promising.


Not A Hero -- Not A Hero is a side-scrolling cover-based shooter with a ridiculous story that they literally only put in there because they felt they needed so so they made it silly. You basically just pick one of a few different characters and move from room to room, shooting things, but each level has a primary challenge and three optional challenges. Some levels involve you being in a building and it gets assaulted and you have to escape, to go along with the levels where you're doing the assaulting. You have a slide mechanic that when used allows you to take cover. I think Not A Hero could be fun, and if there's a lull in games when it comes out in January or February of next year I will give it a whirl, but it's not a must-play.


 Hyrule Warriors -- There's something really cool about being on a battlefield with massive hordes of enemies and beating them down as the Zelda theme plays. The gameplay will probably get criticized if it's like Dynasty Warriors -- it certainly looks like it -- because button-mashing gets frowned upon these days, but I dig it once in a while. They put elements of Zelda in there like treasure chests, and the co-op is local: one person uses the screen on the Gamepad and one person uses the TV screen. As the game progresses you can open up new combos and whatnot, and there are huge boss battles, where the bosses just appear and "go crazy," and you will have to find their weak points. Basically, the game looks pretty awesome for fans of Dynasty Warriors. Fans of Zelda will also flock to it I'm sure, but since the core gameplay is Dynasty Warriors I reckon it's more for them.


EA UFC -- Okay, I already have this pre-ordered and I was going to get it regardless because I love MMA and every so often I just like to binge game combat sports games. I've played the demo, and I have to say this: I'm a little worried about this game and I'm really hoping for a good career mode. The moves are way too flashy for everybody that they've shown, which comes off as more of a "what non-MMA fans think it is" opposed to what it really is. The game looks gorgeous, and there are elements of it that are beautiful, but the AI in all the videos is terrible, and I'm not sure if I'm sold on the ground yet. I guess I really just have to get it, put hours upon hours into it, and then do a review. I do enjoy the free roster update idea, though. I'm extremely cautious with this one.


#IDARB -- #IDARB is an interactive sports game. Basically, two teams try to shoot on the opposing goal in a side-scrolling environment. Sounds simple? Yeah, in theory, but this game allows players to manipulate the playing area by hashtagging certain things. They can Rick Roll you, turn out the lights, get rid of all the white platforms and a bunch of other things. The only thing that I saw that pisses me off is the monster because a monster flashes up on screen and that's all you see for a split second, and that's more annoying than amusing. From what I am understanding, the players that you play as are actually created by people like you and they make it in the game. #IDARB makes me forget about my dislike of hashtags, and I'm really excited for this.


Project Spark -- I enjoy that we're at the point now in gaming where developers can give us these game creation tools and they actually look pretty sweet. I remember playing RPG Maker on Playstation 1 and while it amazed me at the time, it was a really bad version of a game that was fairly deep on PC. Project Spark looks great: so great in fact, that I was going to go get the beta for PC but then realized that it's only for Windows 8. 


Hitman: Sniper -- The free mobile Hitman game comes out in Fall of this year. I'm conflicted about it,  because this really isn't what I want from a Hitman game, but at the same time, it's free and there does appear to be different ways to kill someone... within the context of you being a sniper. I might get it since it's free and I can pick it up and play at work or something, but I don't really care about this at all.


Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham -- When the video started, all I could think is Resogun. They seem to be doing interesting things with the next incarnation of the hit series. I haven't played a Lego game in quite some time, so it's nice seeing where it was and where it is now.


The Crew -- What makes The Crew interesting to me is the focus on teamwork. As the developer said countless times during the presentation I saw, it's less about individual performance and more about working together. You don't often see that in a racing game, and it's a welcome diversion from the usual same ol' same ol'. Another example of this is, if you are playing alone, the game will send out invites to everybody who is playing the area you're in, and they can choose to accept. After the race, the game will ask if you want to make friends with the people. The game looks pretty and the driving mechanics are fine as well so it's another racing game to look forward to. Look for it November 11 of this year.


Habitat -- Want to know what everything is going to be like in 11000? Forget 2050 or something in the near future like most games, we're moving ahead milleniums and Robbie Williams ain't coming. In the future, we will be floating through space, using "space junk" to build space habitats. You choose want to want to add to your habitat, and then it's there. But watch out because there are exterior threats like enemy habitats and the nanomachines that pop up (I guess Solid Snake failed). You have to be smart about what you build though, because survival isn't easy in the vast universe. It's a fun premise, and it looks like it has a sense of humour as well, so I look forward to it. The guy representing the game also was one of the more lively developers that showcased their game, so he probably pumped me up more than I would originally have been. Seriously, I enjoyed listening to him talk.

P.S. There's a space dog who is, and I quote, "a real dog, he's just out for a walk right now."


Aztez - This is a game I was curious about and I saw a little bit of the combat in action and the beat 'em up aspects look like they function well. You can jump through the air and do some crazy moves, and it all seems fluid, even now. The art style is black and white but the blood is red, which works quite well. There's a strategy aspect to the game but I don't entirely understand it right now but it's a game to keep your eye on.


Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime -- It's a co-op game where you have to run to different stations and defend your ship. I'm always all for co-op, and it appears that it's truly co-op in the sense that you're always going to be something. It looks like you don't die individually, but you die as a team. I love that mechanic. Like Aztez, this is an indie game for ID@Xbox that is definitely worth paying attention to.


Elegy For A Dead World -- You are a writer, and you explore a bunch of worlds inspired by British romantic poets and you... write about it?  At first you just fill in the blanks, but you can actually just delete everything and write whatever the hell you want. There is also a mode apparently where there are no prompts to write and you just scribble notes down wherever you want. Your notes are visible to other players. It's a pretty game with a neat synopsis and gameplay concept, but even as a (wannabe) writer myself, I'm not sure if I want to play it, which is really strange because the game is literally blending together the two things I'm most into -- games and writing. I think it's a novel exercise and I can see how it'd encourage creativity though, so I'm going to keep an eye on it and see how this unfolds.


Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- First of all, I love listening to Japanese people talk Japanese when discussing Metal Gear because it's funny hearing "Snake-uh" in the middle of it. Aside from that, I wasn't really told much else today and I didn't see anymore gameplay. This is my most anticipated game because I'm a huge Metal Gear fan, so I felt it necessary to at least mention it on the final day of E3. It looks awesome and it will be awesome.



E3 is over now. The wrap-up shows have commenced, the Nintendo Tree House is over, and I am going to click the pretty publish button and be on my way... to write one more post about E3. Yes, that's right. Check back in a while if you're reading this as soon as it was published, because I'm going to do an awards post for E3.

E3 Day 0 (Part 2) -- The EA and Ubisoft Press Conferences

Written By: Tyler

Image from: http://e3expo.com

Welcome back. With this post, I will be giving a mostly live rundown of the EA and Ubisoft press conferences. What I mean by "mostly live" is that, outside of any point where I have to leave my PC, I will be writing this post as I watch the press conference so that's why it will seem very "in the moment."


EA Press Conference

Star Wars: Battlefront 3. After that popped up, EA dropped the mic and left the stage. No, but they did start it off by talking about Star Wars, showingvery brief in-game footage and then ending it by saying that the new Battlefront will show up in Spring of next year.

Unfortunately at this point I had to leave my PC so from this point on I just had to go through articles and get my news. I take it I missed a game demo of Dragon Age: Inquisition and they teased a new Mass Effect that will take place in *gasp* space, and a new IP that will tell "contemporary" stories.

I came back during the new Sims, in which personality is supposed to play a big role in the stories of the Sims. The concept is "smarter sims" and Sims 4 is supposed to be deeper in that regard. For example, one old woman annoyed a guy in the footage we were shown, and the next day at the gym the guy worked out harder because he was frustrated. Then they threw him a party to cheer him up... and he laughed to death. Whether this will work as they intended remains to be seen.

Next up is EA UFC. It started with Bruce Lee... no really, the video did. The MMA fighters talked about how Bruce Lee was the father to MMA, and then we were told we can be Bruce Lee. Next came the video game footage... the 5th round between BJ Penn and Bruce Lee. Having played the demo, I found that the AI brawled way too much on the feet, and this video was no different. I won't dissect all the gameplay, but this video hasn't really done anything to calm my nerves concerning the full game.

Onto a new sport now -- hockey. NHL '15 is on its way to the surprise of absolutely nobody, and apparently everything is supposed to change. So the pucks will be cannon balls and knives are allowed. Just kidding, but it's the typical spiel about how it's going to be more realistic. Then an emotional video of hockey players played in which we got to see a cinematic of the great Canadian game.

Then we were showed an extremely early example of the new Criterion Games game, in which they have expanded beyond cars... we will now be able to play with helicopters, jet skis, cars, etc in a first-person view. 

Frostbite 3 is coming to EA Sports PGA Tour. So get hyped for the... most... exciting... sport on earth.

With Madden '15, they're working hard on defense since defense is apparently "nearly" half the game. Well, I'd say it's exactly half, but I'm not nitpicking.

Dawngate is an upcoming moba that is supposed to build on existing mobas, not just clone them.

As the show starts to wind-down, Mirror's Edge 2 is shown off. This is one of my more anticipated games, so of course I got excited. They talk about Faith, attitude and the style of Mirror's Edge and we see footage of the conceptual prototype. Turns out, Mirror's Edge 2 is going to be heavy on parkour. Who woulda thunk it? I don't think they expanded as much on the reveal from last year as they should have.

And next is Fifa '15, and once again we're told how Fifa is going to be more realistic with man to man battles, more agility, authentic atmosphere and visuals. Nothing out of the ordinary, but something that is sure to be a lot of fun if you're a soccer fan.

Then Battlefield: Hardline shows up to the party. It's time for cops and criminals this time. The plot is supposed to be more like a great cop TV show, but the focus is obviously going to be on multiplayer.
They showed us footage of a heist in-game from multiple perspectives -- the cops and the criminals. It looks and feels like Battlefield, but I have to admit that taking it away from the military based gameplay to this intrigues me. The game looked incredibly exciting and dynamic, like a Battlefield game should. I was already sold, but after I watched the crane come down and be the catalyst of a ton of destruction... give it to me right now. October 21 can't come soon enough.

After that awesome footage, they launched the beta of Battlefield: Hardline.


Closing Statement: I wasn't terribly impressed with the EA Press Conference but it had its moments. It looks like they're doing something neat with Sims, and ending it with Battlefield was a great thing because that game looks astonishing, but mostly we just get some updates on sports games. I also think that Battlefront should have gotten more than it did, because while it's exciting enough that it exists, we've been waiting so long for it that some real game play would have been welcome. Same with Mirror's Edge.



Ubisoft Press Conference

The Ubisoft press conference starts with a pretty shot of a mountain. Aww. What this mountain means is Far Cry 4. After a lengthy cinematic, Dan Hay shows up on stage, saying that it's the first five minutes of the game. 

Then we apparently get some stand-up comedy. I got to give it to them, putting Aisha Tyler up there every year now is probably a good idea because she's entertaining. What's next? Just Dance 2015. Yay?

We get to hear Happy for the millionth time in the last 24 hours, and it shows off footage of the game. I'm not excited at all, but I can't even slow dance so what do I know? The big news is, now you can play it on your phone! Sweet! I'm going to do that...

After talking about how dancing makes people happy, Aisha does a nice transition to relate that to post-apocalyptic New York. Here comes The Division. All they did was show a movie of it, so how the online aspects tie-in are still a mystery to me, which sucks because that's all I wanted to know.

Next up we have The Crew. In the video, the car is going F-Zero fast while a moody song plays in the background. There are two one-hour missions in the game. There are co-op missions, open-world driving... basically The Crew sounds like a pretty inventive racing game. You can get the "beeta" on the Crew website, and the game is coming out November 11 on Xbone, PS4 and PC.

 It was only a matter of time, so here comes Assassin's Creed Unity... a game that actually impressed me during the Microsoft press conference. There's another cinematic with more moody music
but no actual gameplay. It's a really cool video, though. Afterward we're told that the core experience has been changed. Then the gameplay comes and it looks like a lot of open-world fun, with a neat ending where the other players show up. 

So what did we all want? A fitness game. Thanks Ubisoft for bringing us Shape Up. Instead of doing boring stuff, we will jump on trains and shit. We see a video of the presenter stepping on piano keys against himself, and it doesn't actually look terrible. Then we get to see push-ups! This party doesn't stop! This is an S Club party! I believe Shape Up is a fitness game I can get behind.

From fitness to World War 1, we have the puzzle game Valiant Hearts. The game has a pretty artstyle and revolves around a dog and the letters that soldiers wrote back in WW1. It was an incredibly touching trailer but I'm not really sure what the game play will be like, nor will it be any good. What I do think is we'll get an emotional game that sticks with you, even if it isn't the most fun to play. 

How do we end it? With pre-alpha footage of Rainbow Six: Siege. I'm beyond excited for some tactical shooter gameplay, such as blowing up the floor in order to ambush your opponent and rescue the hostage. I cannot wait for this game to come out, because even in pre-alpha it looks like a beast (not graphically, but just gameplay wise).


Closing Statement: Ubisoft tends to have really theatrical press conferences, which is a double-edged sword for me. On one side, it makes for an extremely entertaining, lively and comical presentation, but on the other side, sometimes it goes on way too long when you just want to see games. They are definitely the "least corporate" of the companies presenting, in the sense that they seem to have more fun with the whole ordeal, and right now they're tied for the best presentation of the show... with Microsoft, who played it more bland but gave us a ton of great games.

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