A Lethal League Review -- If Only This Title Had As Much Creativity As This Game People Would Like Me

Written By: Tyler
Platform Played On: PC

Anybody who knows me knows that I appreciate innovative games, or at the very least games that take an old idea and re-imagine it in original ways. It could be a terrible game and I would still give it props for trying something new. A unique idea is grounds for at least a three or four out of ten, regardless of how crappy the rest of the game may be.

With Lethal League, we have a new multiplayer based game that is an intriguing mixture of Pong and fighting games, with a hip-hop paint job all over it. And luckily, it is not a terrible game.

You can play with up to four players, but you can't actually hit each other like you would in a normal fighting game. Instead, there is a ball and you have to hit your opponents with it like you're playing dodgeball. The ball will fly around the screen, getting faster and faster, until eventually it's basically just a blur. Your basic attack is a normal swing, a volly swing that hits it up in the air, and a smash.

The core mechanics may seem simple, but don't think that there isn't depth here. Each character has a special ability, and there are a couple moves -- like parrying -- that you may not even know exist unless you read a tutorial (like me). You can power up your swings, and using the variety of attacks is key to being successful. It has a lot in common with Super Smash Bros in the sense that it may seem like it's just chaos on screen, but don't confuse dynamic with confusion. This game isn't about button-mashing, and a skilled player who is aware of their surroundings and the trajectory of the ball will beat someone less familiar with how things work more often than not. But at the same time, there is always a chance you can win.

You're going to want a controller if you play it because I found the PC controls really awkward. I generally don't think they work with fighting games anyway, but maybe some strict PC gamers will be able to handle it more than I could.

Lethal League is a little light on content, but unlike a game like Titanfall, it is not a full-priced game either. You can choose between five characters, each with their own ability, look and feel, and there are different skins for each that you acquire as you level up.

There are only two match types; one-on-one and a free-for-all with up to four players. The four player mode is infinitely more fun because I appreciate the organized ridiculousness of it all. It gets fast and hectic in a hurry, and it's when Lethal League is at its best.

There's a challenge mode that acts as a story only there isn't really a story, so you just go through a series of different fights, against the characters in the form of singles competition or even handicap matches. I do have to admit, that the final boss was a nice touch, but ultimately you play this once and then there's no real need to play it again.

I'm more forgiving of the lack of content because they're an indie studio, it's a cheap game, and I love the premise so much, but unfortunately it already seems to suffer from the same thing a lot of online indie games do: a lack of community. There are people who play it, but I tried connecting to a game for two minutes today and couldn't. This will only get worse as time goes on because it is not Call of Duty and sustaining a fanbase will be difficult. It's a real problem, but it's not one that detracts from the talent of the team or the game itself... it's just the reality of popularity or lack thereof.

Lethal League oozes style, and is one of the best games of the year in that regard. The way it blends music and visuals is a sight to behold.

Firstly, the music is incredible. It's an awesome mash-up of 8-bit chiptune and hip-hop, and sounds much cooler than that may seem. Or maybe you're the kind of person who likes Nerdcore and that sounds great to you anyway. It's not like that, but it's legitimately awesome and some of the music -- such as a track that starts with, I think (but could be wrong) Bulgarian chants -- really gets you in the mood to fight. I don't know if there's even been a fighting game with a soundtrack this good. That could be hyperbole, so maybe I should pull it back a little: there hasn't been a fighting game with music this good in at least five years. Maybe ten. Regardless, the soundtrack is awesome.

The visuals follow suit, with a sort of graffiti tinged animation style, also helping with a hip-hop feel. If you haven't noticed, rap is clearly an influence here. This is even more evident when you look at the bottom of the screen and there is a boombox. The Lonely Island would be proud.

There is a lot of variety in the few stages that you fight in. Be it a street, or outside of a factory, there is a lot of detail put into the environments that you Pong each other to death in. Look into the background and you will see buildings, or a sunset, all drawn carefully and lovingly. The developers knew what they were doing with the visuals. Luckily, everything flows together well, and character animations are fluid.

Lethal League is the type of game you should definitely seek out. While it is low on content, it is still an enjoyable game and I hope the developers end up adding more at a later date. It's a special game, one that messes with genre conventions to present a slightly twisted, stylish, unique take on the games it was influenced by.


Rating: 8.5/10
Verdict: Low on content, but the gameplay, visuals and music are all outstanding and interesting. Unfortunately the strength lies within the online realm, and it's an indie game, so the community will not be big for very long... if you can even call it big now.

Weekly News Round-Up, March 30 - April 5: Did You Know Mario Kart 8 Is Coming Out Next Month?

Written By: Tyler

Welcome again to another Weekly News Round-Up with yours truly. In case you're a virgin to this, I go through numerous video game sites and steal their news and claim it as my own... while adding snarky comments and making fun of things (even things I like).

It's the week of April Fools' and there were plenty of jokes all around. As far as I know I didn't believe any of that crap, but hey, something could have snuck through.


Let's Start This Off With A Game I Slobbered Over -- Two Brothers (That Other Game With Brothers In The Title) Coming To Wii U
http://www.destructoid.com/two-brothers-is-still-being-ported-to-wii-u-developer-to-be-revealed-272652.phtml

A lot of people talked about Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons last year, and even when I tried to look for Two Brothers on Google I'd get a lot of links to that game, but Two Brothers snuck out of the woodwork and ended up being genuinely awesome.

AckkStudios has confirmed that the game is being ported to the Wii U "by another developer who is really good at Wii U ports."

Getting someone else to do your dirty work? Well played Ackk, well played. Anybody want to write for a blog who is really good at writing?


Square Enix Is Going To Stop Fucking Around And Are Going To Make Great Games Again
http://www.destructoid.com/bravely-default-s-success-has-square-refocusing-on-heavy-jrpgs-core-audience-272658.phtml

Yosuke Matsuda said that because of the success of Bravely Default, they've realized that they shouldn't be scared to make games for core gamers, instead of trying to make everything accessible which often diluted the product as a whole. 

I grew up with Square and the JRPG, so all I can think of is a return to the great days like Final Fantasy 3/6, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, etc. When I read this news I felt so empowered that I went out and did this:

Playstation Plus Free Games For April
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-gets-free-mercenary-kings-on-ps-plus-in-april-as-sony-announces-full-lineup/1100-6418621/

US

• Mercenary Kings (PS4)
• Batman: Arkham City (PS3)
• Stealth Inc. A Clone in the Dark (PS3)
• Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (PS3)
• Velocity Ultra (Vita)
• Pixeljunk Monsters Ultimate HD (Vita)

Europe

• Mercenary Kings (PS4)
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (PS3)
• Sly Cooper Thieves in Time (PS3/Vita)
• Hotline Miami (PS3/Vita)
• MotoGP 13 (Vita)

Xbox Live Gold Free Games For April
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-unveils-its-free-xbox-360-games-for-april/1100-6418671/


If you have an Xbox 360, for the first half of the month, you can nab Hitman: Absolution, and for some reason in the second half you can get Deadlight. I'm not sure why they did it this way, but hey, at least if you cancel your Xbox Live Gold subscription you can keep the games, unlike with Sony.


There Are Going To Be Over 80 Indie Games At PAX East
http://www.destructoid.com/over-80-games-on-display-at-the-indie-megabooth-at-pax-east-272670.phtml

That's right, screw you and your triple A titles!

In the link above there is a list to all the games that will be at the Indie Megabooth. Also, for the first time ever, there will be board games. Did you say board games? I want a new version of this one:

But we know that isn't happening. *Sigh*

I Think It's About Time That Ubisoft Gets Turned Into A Meme
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-not-abandoning-xbox-360-and-ps3-anytime-soon/1100-6418660/

Ubisoft is going to continue to make games for the PS3 and 360... years into the future. They won't quit the previous generation for a long time, they say.

Battlefield 4 DLC Hit This Week, But...
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-s-delayed-naval-strike-dlc-finally-out-for-pc/1100-6418664/

...Only if you have a Battlefield Premium Membership. The peasants have to wait another two weeks to play the DLC on PC.


Warface Hits 25 Million Registered Users
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-with-a-silly-name-warface-gets-25-million-registered-users/1100-6418673/

The free-to-play shooter by Crytek (a game I didn't like so much) hit a milestone this week -- it hit 25 million registered users. I'm conflicted about this... on one hand that's 25 million people who may not be playing Call of Duty, but that also means people support this mediocre game with a godawful name.

This is what a warface looks like, I guess.

Metro: 2033 and Metro: Last Light Are Coming To Get You On PS4 And Xbox One Eventually
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/metro-last-light-and-metro-2033-could-be-coming-to-ps4-and-xbox-one/1100-6418655/

There was a leaked image and instead of denying it, 4A Games came out and said that Metro: Redux is in fact a thing.


Phil Spencer Cares About the "Core" Gamer
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-xbox-one-boss-pledges-to-support-core-gamers/1100-6418674/

He says that the other non-gaming features of the Xbox One are important but not if they interfere with the actual, y'know, gaming. So we have another boss telling us stuff but not really going into any real detail about anything.


Ubisoft Won't Confirm If Watch Dogs Runs In 1080p On PS4 And Xbone
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-won-t-say-if-watch-dogs-runs-in-1080p-on-ps4-and-xbox-one/1100-6418692/

Ubisoft won't confirm what resolution Watch Dogs will run in, but they did say that the PS4 frame rate is constant. They also said some other stuff, and here is important stuff (quoted from Gamespot):

• "Normal" enemies will go down easily (2-3 bullets, or 1 in the case of a headshot).
• If you join invade someone else's game, chases can last for 20-30 minutes if both players are highly skilled.
• There won't be any microtransactions.
• Recommended PC specs are not yet finalized.
• Won't feature "unnecessary gore" for takedowns. "Blood spatter is in there, but don't expect heads blowing up."

Gamers all over the world are upset by this news because whether or not a game runs in 1080p is obviously all that is worth knowing. If I have to prioritize what's important in games, my list would go like this:

1: Resolution -- Does it run in 1080p? If yes to PS4 version and no Xbox One, mock Xbox One fanboys accordingly. If yes to Xbox One and no to PS4, that didn't happen.
2: How realistic the trees/grass/water/fish/guns/sky looks. I want to play the real world in my fictional worlds.
3: See above.
4: See above.
5: Tomatoes.
6: Gameplay.
7: Music.


Gearbox Is Taking Time Out Of Their Day To Probably Announce A New Xbone/PS4 Game Later This Year
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-dev-will-probably-announce-an-xbox-one-ps4-game-this-year/1100-6418698/

Though we won't see a Borderlands 3 for a long while, Gearbox has some stuff coming. We may even get to see a new Xbox One/PS4 game later this year.


Another Valve Employee Has Left For Oculus
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-loses-three-vr-veterans-in-three-weeks-to-oculus-vr/1100-6418697/

The Facebook conquest of the world is still going. Aaron Nicholls has left Valve for Oculus -- now owned by Facebook in case you were living under a rock last week -- and has apparently become a "Scientist." Sweet! I'm going to leave my job and become "Important."

Most Of The Games That Microsoft Is Taking To PAX East Are Games That Are Already Out
http://www.destructoid.com/most-of-the-games-microsoft-will-have-at-pax-east-are-already-out-272693.phtml

In news that baffles me and makes my head want to feature unnecessary gore and blow up, Microsoft has a few games that aren't currently purchasable that are going to PAX... but mostly you can wait in line to play games you may already own.

Awesome.

I thought this was an April Fools joke but then I saw the date it was posted.


Infamous: Second Son Patch Is Comin'
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infamous-second-son-ps4-patch-will-let-you-cap-the-game-at-30fps/1100-6418696/

An Infamous: Second Son patch is coming and it'll allow you to change between night and day once you beat the game, turn the HUD on and off and even cap the frame rate at 30! Whoa!

In related news, I keep saying Infamous instead of inFamous because that trips me out.


EA Puts Up April Fools Joke... EA Apologizes For April Fools Joke
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/01/ea-apologizes-for-unacceptable-stupid-nintendo-joke

For April Fools, @Frostbite put up a series of comments on Twitter mocking the underpowered Wii U.

Peter Moore took to Twitter and apologized personally, saying that the comments were unacceptable and stupid. He also said that they weren't condoned by EA.

So of course, I'll post the comments here too so I can help them live on forever.

Frostbite now runs on the #WiiU since it is the most powerful Gen4 platform, our renderer is now optimized for Mario and Zelda.

Frostbite will power #HalfLife3, coming out summer 2014! #WiiU exclusive.

Good news, we have finally fixed and optimized our 'netcode'. Uses quantum entanglement for Zero Latency connections. Exclusively on #WiiU.

I'm A Nintendo Guy In My Heart, So Let's Get Some Revenge -- Guess What? Battlefield 4 Still Not Working
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-promises-to-fix-battlefield-4-rubber-banding-woes/1100-6418705/

Guess what kids? Battlefield 4 still doesn't work. Now DICE is promising to fix the rubber band issues that have been plaguing the game since its release fifteen years ago. The next update will address this, and hopefully then people will get to enjoy the game they paid money for ages.

When reached for comment, EA had this to say:

On a serious note, come on. Goat Simulator is less buggy than this game.


Well Ain't That Some Shit -- Thief Save Files Corrupted...
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/april-fools-square-enix-investigating-save-corrupting-thief-bug/1100-6418709/

...On April Fools'. People reported that their save files were getting all kinds of messed up on the day that people do mean things for laughs. Square insists that it's not a prank, and I believe them, but talk about bad timing.


Ed Fries Lays It Down On How Xbox One Can Beat PS4
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-xbox-one-can-beat-ps4-according-to-xbox-co-creator/1100-6418708/

Chalk this up as a "news we already know" type of deal, but Ed Fries had this to say this past week:

"They need better exclusive games than PS4. They need to be more open to indie developers. They need to adopt free to play gaming more aggressively. They need to continue to move Xbox Live forward as the leading online service. They need to show people why they included the new Kinect on every machine by demonstrating a compelling use for it."

So the Xbox One needs better games and to use the Kinect -- a device forced upon the world -- for something.


Tyler on how to make On The Gamely successful: Stop having crappy content, and make good content. Hell, just don't be On The Gamely at all.


Persona 4 Could Hit The PS3
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/classic-cult-jrpg-persona-4-could-be-coming-to-ps3/1100-6418703/

I'm going to tell you all something because I know you care about my personal life. My PS3 broke, and so I'm left with only my PS4. This sucks because there are still games coming out for PS3 that I want to play. I've never played a Persona game. I want to play Persona 4. So when I hear that Persona 4 could possibly hit the PS3, all I can feel is:

Then there was that news a while back that Persona 5 will come over here... for the PS3, and I'm just like:

UPDATE: APRIL 8, 10 BUCKS, GET IT!!


The Developer Of Everquest Next Talks Everquest 1 and 2
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/02/everquest-next-dev-reveals-future-for-everquest-1-and-2

David Georgeson sat down with IGN and talked shop about Everquest 1 and 2, MMOs and business.

He basically stated that he wants Everquest 1 and 2 to live forever, but understands that sometimes Triple H and Stephanie McMahon come in and screw games because it's what's best for business business gets in the way. He also said that he loved City of Heroes and that people want MMOs to live forever because they put pieces of their souls into them.

Agreed. A little bit of my soul has gone into every MMO I've played. And it went straight to hell.


He Also Said That He's Interested In VR
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/02/soe-hugely-interested-in-ps4-virtual-reality-headset-for-everquest-next 

"But I mean, VR and AR are things that I personally am extremely excited about. I honestly think that’s the future of gaming. But we have a lot of miles to go before we sleep. So we need to build the game, and then we can talk about virtual reality and stuff beyond that.

"I will tell you this though: I’m hugely interested in Project Morpheus. So… we’ll see what happens."

"Hey hunny. Remember how I was going to ignore you anyway when this new MMORPG came out? Well now with virtual reality it's like I'm actually there. I'm just kidding about ignoring you... I want to break up."


Guess What He Also Said? F2P Rocks!
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/everquest-dev-gamers-should-want-all-mmos-to-be-free-to-play

"We’re effectively street performers: we go out there and sing and dance and if we do a good job, people throw coins into the hat. And I think that’s the way games should be, because paying $60 up front to take a gamble on whether the game is good or not? You don’t get that money back. So if you buy a turkey, you’ve just wasted your money. With free-to-play you get to go in, take a look at it and find out. It’s entirely our responsibility to make sure you’re entertained. That’s the way things should be in my opinion with free-to-play."

I'm totally cool with that logic, and if a F2P doesn't try to suck all money out of you then that's great... but be prepared to feel the wrath of the gamer community since they seem to hate free by default.


Phil Spencer Talks Shenmue 3
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-s-phil-spencer-biggest-request-i-get-is-to-bring-back-shenmue/1100-6418687/

Shenmue 3 is the most requested game, according to Phil Spencer. Only he said before that Sega owns it and they can't build it. So why am I telling you this non-news? Because I wanted to see you get excited.

Sorry.

Daylight Is Delayed Until April 29
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-pc-horror-game-daylight-delayed-to-make-it-scarier/1100-6418718/

If you were looking forward to playing Daylight, a new zombie horror game, then you'll have to wait a little longer. It is being delayed until April 29 so they can make it scarier.


Tropico 5 Release Date Announced
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tropico-5-launching-may-23-on-pc-comes-to-ps4-this-fall/1100-6418716/

Tropico 5 comes to you on PC May 23rd, on the 360 and Mac in summer and PS4 in the fall. Strangely, it hasn't been announced for Xbox One.


Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Gets A Release Date Too
http://www.destructoid.com/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor-set-for-release-on-october-7-272770.phtml

October 7th is the day that you can pick up this game, and you probably should because it looks awesome. Don't believe me? There's a new trailer in that link too.


Amazon Announced The Fire TV 
http://www.destructoid.com/amazon-announces-its-99-set-top-box-fire-tv-272769.phtml

You can now buy the Fire TV for $99. You can stream services, which is to be expected, but there is also game support here. There are over a hundred games currently supported and thousands more are promised.

But they also said, "This is absolutely not a game console." It just plays games.


Amazon Games Hires Portal And Far Cry 2 Designers
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/02/amazon-games-hires-portal-far-cry-2-designers

Amazon Games hired Far Cry 2 designer Clint Hocking and Portal designer Kim Swift. But it's not a game console.


Ouya CEO Criticizes The Fire TV
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ouya-responds-to-amazon-fire-tv-says-it-lacks-a-focus-on-games/1100-6418743/

In what I can only assume is an effort to sell an Ouya (still waiting for that first one!), CEO of Ouya Julie Uhrman said that games are a focus of the Ouya and they shouldn't just be an 'added bonus' like with the Fire TV.

Ouya and Amazon... Wrestlemania 30 is this weekend so maybe you can settle your differences then?



Like Mario Kart? If You Don't You Have No Soul -- Here's Some Info On Mario Kart 8
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/buckle-up-for-mario-kart-8-hands-on-impressions-videos-and-more

I went to bed with Mario Kart not really being in my head because it would excite me too much if I thought about it. I woke up and it had infected the entire world -- ending poverty, creating world peace, premiered the new Game of Thrones season early. Hell, it even made me a sandwich.

So here's some of the news and whatnot that appeared. There are videos and whatnot in the IGN link above but I'm better than IGN anyway.

- Cheep Cheep Beach, Donut Plains, DK Jungle and Rainbow Road are being remade.

- You can't design your own courses because level design in Mario Kart is hard and they don't think they can offer that in a rewarding way.

- There's a horn in the center of the Gamepad so now we can be obnoxious even when we're playing Mario Kart. Yay!

- The idea of two characters per kart is not something they've forgotten and they'll keep it in mind for future games.

Never forgotten.

- There are two unannounced items in the game yet to be... uh, announced.

-  Like Mario Kart 7, there will be item customization... only expanded! So now there are more options to choose how items in the races pan out.


More Mario Kart News!

From IGN:

• 12-player online competitive play
• 4-player local multiplayer
• A new Spin Boost feature for when you're racing upside down or on walls
• Returning characters like Metal Mario, Lakitu, and Shy Guy
• New items: Piranha Plant (attaches to your cart and chomps other players; also gives you speed boost), Boomerang Flower (can be thrown forward or backward at opponents to stun).
• New courses: Remixed classics include Moo Moo Meadows from Mario Kart Wii, Toad's Turnpike from Mario Kart 64, and Donut Plains from Super Mario Kart. The remade tracks include re-designed and re-imagined graphics and layouts.
• Live recorded music: For the first time in the history of the Mario Kart series, some courses in Mario Kart 8 will feature music recorded by live performers, though we don't know who.
• Control options: Wii U GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, the Wii WHeel, and the Wii Remote and Nunchuck. Also supports off-TV mode.

Remember How The Wii U Doesn't Have Games?
http://www.destructoid.com/the-wonderful-101-gets-a-digital-price-drop-on-the-wii-u-272752.phtml

While I won't deny there's definitely a shortage, there have been games released that people just didn't buy. Enter The Wonderful 101... a fantastic strategy-action game that was released last year. Why do I bring this up? Just give me a second, I'm not done shaming the people who didn't buy it yet!

So they missed out on a wonderful game... okay fine, there's a price drop and it's only $30 digitally. Pick it up, seriously.

You can also get Wario and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge cheaper, but I reckon the developers of Ninja Gaiden 3 should pay you to play that game.


Nobuo Uematsu Is Going To Do The Music For Defender's Quest 2
http://www.destructoid.com/composer-nobuo-uematsu-joins-defender-s-quest-ii-272734.phtml

Legendary composer Uematsu is signed on to help do the music for Defender's Quest 2, and this is great news for people who like music. Which... is almost everybody I would imagine.


There Apparently Was A Game-Breaking Bug In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-releases-fix-for-game-breaking-donkey-kong-country-tropical-freeze-3-3-bug/1100-6418737/

There was a bug in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze that sometimes affected games when they hit world 3-3... it was very possible you wouldn't be able to progress. Don't worry, Nintendo got this covered!

New "Gothic Psychological FPS" Is In The Works By Awesome People
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ex-witcher-silent-hill-f-e-a-r-devs-reveal-open-world-gothic-psychological-fps/1100-6418726/

Ex- Silent Hill, F.E.A.R. and Witcher devs are going to be making a new scary game. You can sign me up right now.


PAX East Will See A Playable Ultra Street Fighter IV
http://www.destructoid.com/ultra-street-fighter-iv-will-be-playable-at-pax-east-272810.phtml

So Ultra Street Fighter IV will be playable at PAX East. Want my prediction? I bet it's going to play a lot like Street Fighter IV. Just a guess.

People Get Let Go After Phil Spencer's Rise To Power
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-cuts-jobs-following-phil-spencer-s-promotion-to-head-of-xbox/1100-6418739/

Phil Spencer crawled over dead body after dead body to get to where he is, but now Microsoft has cut jobs because of this.

A Microsoft representative said, "At Xbox, our goal is to constantly create new fun, social, and interactive entertainment experiences. As part of our commitment to this goal, we are always evaluating our development priorities, and there are times when decisions need to be made to realign plans and refocus our efforts."

I did some sleuthing and I found out who this Microsoft representative is:

There's something fishy going on at Microsoft.

"Get Even" Has Great Name, Will Also Support VR
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-xbox-one-ps4-pc-shooter-will-use-oculus-rift-and-project-morpheus/1100-6418744/

The shooter Get Even will support Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus. With a name like Get Even, I'm also assuming that you'll settle all your debts and start fresh.

No?


GTA 5 Online Mode Is Going To Get Heists
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-s-online-mode-finally-gets-heists-later-this-spring/1100-6418724/

In the upcoming months, the online feature will be added, and Rockstar teased that the single-player DLC will be announced this year.


The New A Wolf Among Us Hits Next Week
http://www.destructoid.com/play-the-wolf-among-us-a-crooked-mile-next-week-272796.phtml

The new episode of A Wolf Among Us hits next week, so you can continue your happy and kid-friendly adventure through the fables we know and love.


Murdered: Soul Suspect Developer Sees Layoffs
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/02/murdered-soul-suspect-developer-airtight-games-suffers-layoffs

14 people have been let go from Airtight Games.


Ed Fries Said VR Is A "Fad," But Phil Spencer Says It's Not
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-says-virtual-reality-is-not-a-fad/1100-6418747/

What? This is a news article so I have to sensationalize everything.

Ladies and gentlemen, there's beef. Ed Fries said how Xbox could be better than PS4 but said that he didn't think virtual reality would hit the mainstream. Phil Spencer is having none of that. He harshly replied to Ed Fries by saying, "Ed's smart."

When it came to virtual reality, Phil Spencer unloaded with some comments that I don't think your children should see. "I don't believe VR is a fad," he said. Ouch.


Rest In Peace Masato Masuda
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fire-pro-wrestling-creator-masato-masuda-passes-away-at-48/1100-6418767/

The creator of the Fire Pro Wrestling series passed away this week at the age of 48. I have only played one Fire Pro Wrestling game and it's one of my favourite wrestling games of all time.

Suda51 confirmed this on Twitter, "The creator of Fire Pro-wrestling, Masato Masuda, has passed away. He was 48 years old, still young. I genuinely pray for his happiness in the next world. He was one of the greatest creators of video games and he was my direct teacher. Thank you for giving us our favorite Fire Pro-wrestling. You are the god of it"

I hope you get the championship belt in heaven.


Final Fantasy 14 (Screw Roman Numerals) Beta Open For Everyone On PS4 This Weekend
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ffxiv-beta-on-ps4-open-to-everyone-this-weekend/1100-6418769/

If you want to try out Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, and you happen to own a PS4, then you can try it out this weekend. Your character will even be transferred over to the full game when it launches.


Of All Things That Need To Rise From The Dead -- Boogerman Is Back
http://www.destructoid.com/some-weird-stuff-was-just-greenlit-on-steam-272857.phtml

Gaming companies are having troubles, the industry gets a new Call of Duty every year... Boogerman is here to save the day.

There's a list right here that shows all the games that Stream greenlit on April 3, and obviously due to the headline, the one that sticks out to me is Boogerman. I remember as a kid chuckling at the title but I never actually rented it. Nobody seems happy in the comment section on Destructoid because it apparently failed to get funded on Kickstarter, but let people have their booger flicking.

There are a bunch of other games that seem interesting, but as Destructoid pointed out, one of the games is already on Stream under a different name. GearGrinder is actually there as Sledgehammer.


Nintendo Direct Next Week -- Will Talk About Smash Bros.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-smash-bros-for-wii-u-and-3ds-info-coming-next-week/1100-6418764/

Make sure to tune into Nintendo Direct next week to find out more information on the much-anticipated brawler. Gaming websites are speculating that we'll finally see a release date. I'm expecting to be disappointed like I usually am after a Nintendo Direct (I still love you Nintendo).

TITANFALL For The Xbox 360 Will Run Above 30fps
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-xbox-360-runs-above-30fps-but-the-action-is-all-there-dev-says/1100-6418782/

The Xbox 360 version of monkey simulator TITANFALL will run above 30fps but not 60 like its Xbox One counterpart, for obvious reasons. But rest assured, because they're promising that the game will have all the action that we know and love. I have an exclusive image of the Xbox 360 version:

Can hardly tell a difference between 360 and PC/Xbox One.

Microsoft Is Giving A Free Week Of Xbox Live Gold
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/affected-by-recent-xbox-live-outage-microsoft-giving-you-free-week-of-gold/1100-6418778/

If you had issues on March 11, don't worry, because Microsoft will be giving you one whole week of Xbox Live Gold... for free! Yes!


A Kid Finds A Flaw In Xbox One... Gets Lots o' Stuff
http://www.destructoid.com/this-five-year-old-found-a-major-xbox-one-password-flaw-272888.phtml

I'm just going to copy/paste from Destructoid on this one:

See that adorable little kid? That's five-year-old Kristoffer Von Hassel, and he discovered a major Xbox One password flaw. Kristoffer's parents noticed that the young kid was playing games he wasn't supposed to be on his father's account. When asked how he did it, Kristoffer showed the process which simply involved him typing in space keys at the password verification screen, hitting enter, and then getting into his dad's account.

The family notified Microsoft of the bug, which they have since fixed and even acknowledged Kristopher on their website for the fix. They're also sending him four games, $50, and a year-long subscription to Xbox Live.

That's right, this kid is officially smarter than me. Hey don't laugh, he's probably smarter than you too.


The Shark In Battlefield 4
http://www.destructoid.com/there-is-a-giant-shark-in-battlefield-4-272900.phtml

Yes, there is a gigantic shark in Battlefield 4. There's a video of it in the link above, but if you're at work and can't watch videos, I'll show you a couple still images of it appearing. Ready? I sure am.

Yes this Battlefield 4 hate train just keeps on going. Don't mess with Nintendo!

If You Like Playing Resistance Online... Get On There Now
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-shuts-down-resistance-series-online-features-for-good-april-8/1100-6418790/

Sony is shutting down the online services for Resistance 1, 2 and 3 on April 8, so if you enjoy playing those games online... make sure to get in on that one last time.


Adam Orth Gets Inspired By Internet Hate, Makes "Gravity"
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-vr-game-from-former-microsoft-creative-director-adam-orth-finds-a-publisher/1100-6418791/

Obviously I'm not the first one to say this, as it's literally in the article above, but Adam Orth's game Adr1ft sounds an awful lot like Gravity -- that movie last year where Sandra Bullock floated around in space and imagined Space Clooney.

Seriously, here's the description from Gamespot:

"A first-person experience (FPX) that tells the story of an astronaut in peril. You’ll play as the only survivor of a destroyed space station with no memory and a damaged space suit. You’ll explore the wreckage in search of resources and a way to fix an emergency escape vehicle that can take you back home."

Mhm.

But want some real news? Adam Orth was inspired by internet hate to create this game, because I can see how going on the internet would feel like being trapped in space.


Watch Dogs Is Now Available For Pre-Order on Steam, And You Can Totally Run It
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-now-available-to-preorder-on-steam-recommended-system-requirements-revealed/1100-6418788/

Just kidding, no you can't.

The last news of this week's edition of The Weekly News Round-Up may upset some people with less than stellar computers because they may have to upgrade. I chose this news because I like to leave everyone feeling bad when I exit, so you're welcome.

Here are the specs:

• OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.)
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66Ghz or AMD Phenom II X4 940 @ 3.0Ghz
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 1 GB Video RAM - Nvidia Geforce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5770
• DirectX: Version 11
• Hard Drive: 25 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers

Recommended:

• OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.)
• Processor: Eight core - Intel Core i7-3770 @3.5 GHz or AMD FX-8350 X8 @ 4 GHz
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB Video RAM - Nvidia Geforce GTX 560 ti or AMD Radeon HD 7850
• DirectX: Version 11
• Hard Drive: 25 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers

Pretty beefy specs. But anyway, you can also pre-order the game on Steam now! So do it! And buy a new computer!



I hope you enjoyed the news round-up for this week, because I sure as hell didn't. Make sure to tune in next Saturday for more of the same shit. Also make sure to brush your teeth and check out the blog daily because you never know when I'm going to post something up.

If you're tired of my crap and want to tell me how bad I am, follow me or message me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime. I will respond and probably friend you even if you're hating on me.

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

Written By: Tyler

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Denied!

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


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

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

No I'm not making fun of homeless people.

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

Yeah.

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

Just kidding eSports, you know I love you.


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

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

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


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

Yeah, me neither.

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


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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

Lorne Lanning in his Black Metal band.

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

On Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

In related news, Mark Zuckerberg is actually Sonic.

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

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

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

Dat Facebook money.

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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


Sony Can't Keep Employees

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

Well said.

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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




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

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

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

...


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

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

Well, that's settled.

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

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


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

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

Third what?

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

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

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


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

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

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

"Hey, got any roast beef in there?"

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

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

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