This Week In Games, September 7 - 13: A Little Game Called Destiny Gets Released, Plus NHL 15, Velocibiox, Teslagrad, Fable Anniversary, The Keep, Worlds of Magic and A Weird 90s Bible Game Called Uriel's Chasm

Written By: Tyler

Hello everybody and welcome to another addition of This Week In Games: a weekly feature I do where I tell you why "indie" is not a genre.

Every week I go onto Gamespot and find out what games are coming out this week. Then I do a little write-up about the ones of interest, and ta-da, I get lots of money (or none at all). All release dates are North American because that's where I'm from. Sorry rest of the world.


September 8

Velocibox

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Action
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/317710/

Strap yourself in for this game. It is supposed to be incredibly difficult and the gameplay, from what I understand, is essentially running through corridors, dodging things and collecting items. It is fast and it does look hard.


September 9

Destiny

Coming Out For: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4
Genre: Greatest Game Ever, MMORPG/FPS
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUHCO-qyA1A

There's this little game that finally sees a release this week: It's called Destiny, and it's developed by Bungie. You may know Bungie from their other small franchise, Halo. If you follow games I probably don't need to sell you on Destiny but that's kind of the point of this part, so here goes:

It's a first-person shooter/MMO/RPG hybrid, that is supposed to be epic in scope. You play as one of three different classes, and there is competitive multiplayer that goes along with the normal campaign. It feels nice to shoot, it looks gorgeous, and it's Bungie... they have a good track record. Just get Destiny.



NHL 15

Coming Out For: Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Sport
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbskn16gpQE

I haven't played an NHL game since '12, but hey... hockey games have come a long way since I started playing them. This looks more realistic, feels more realistic and I'm sure any hockey fan will be able to appreciate the depth of the experience. There was a time when hockey games didn't really feel like hockey games, but now you have to use the same kind of strategy that real players would use.


September 10

Nothing on this day.


September 11

Worlds of Magic

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=magRrO535gY

Worlds of Magic is hitting Steam Early Access on September 11. It is a 4X strategy game with randomly generated maps and big heroes. You have to kill enemies and expand your empire. There are over 300 spells as well!


Teslagrad

Coming Out For: Wii U
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYKEtHHyvgA

Teslagrad is a platformer coming to the Wii U. It was originally released on PC. The basic premise is that you have to explore a tower and you use things like a Teslastaff or Magnet Glove to solve the puzzles and defeat the enemies. It has a charming art style, and it looks like a lot of fun so if you're hankering for a game on Wii U -- which most Wii U owners are -- then maybe check this one out.


The Keep

Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: First-Person Dungeon Explorer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puDJWHvcpVQ

The Keep is a first-person dungeon crawler, and although the footage above is only Alpha, it gives you an idea of what the game has in store. It's influenced by the classic games in this genre. Explore and defeat enemies on your 3DS.


September 12

Fable Anniversary

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/288470/

Are you like me and missed out on Fable? Well, if you're a PC owner, here's your chance to catch up on the first installment in the series. Everything is upgraded here, so if you want a good RPG to play, I've heard good things about the first Fable.



Uriel's Chasm

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Platformer/Action/Adventure
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/292630/

So.

I guess there was an unlicensed Bible game released in the 90s that I've never heard of, and Uriel's Chasm is it. It's... something. In this game you go on a quest that features the metaphysics of the KJV Bible, and you explore what God and Death means. The game seems to blend a couple genres, and the gameplay that I linked above makes it look kind of terrible and awesome at the same time. It's surely one of those games that may not actually be good but it's so insane it might be entertaining. Without getting too religious here, the Bible is pretty twisted and weird, so it needs a twisted and weird game to properly represent it.


That's it for this week people. If there was a game I missed, and you are able to pull yourself away from Destiny, then make sure to let me know in the comments below or tweet me @ArtBathednCrime. Or you could just write in the comments and say hi because it gets lonely over here. Peace out.

Fuck You Nintendo. Here Are My Thoughts On The New 3DS

Written By: Tyler

Sometimes it's hard to be a Nintendo loyalist. The Wii U had a botched launch, and they confused the hell out of more casual gamers to the point that they thought the Wii U was a Wii accessory. We're still waiting for a steady flow of Wii U games. Nintendo innovates in some ways, but then are so behind the curve in other ways, such as online gaming. Or there's the fact that in a game like Hyrule Warriors, they screw up the co-op by making one person play on the Gamepad while the other gets to play on a big screen (oh yeah, with no online co-op). There have been plenty of Nintendo blunders, both minor and major, but you get the point: Nintendo does awesome things once in a while, and once in a while they screw up. For every triumph, there seems to be a failure.

And yet I am a Nintendo fan, probably until I die. I have a love for Ninty that has been a gigantic part of my life for almost my entire life. I spent my youth playing games developed for the NES. I played these games before I even really understood what I was doing. In the immortal words of Brokeback Mountain, " I wish I knew how to quit you [Nintendo]."

My first blog post was a half-defense of the Wii U... one I still stand by. I enjoy the Wii U, and it sits firmly as my secondary console. I love the Gamepad. I love the exclusive titles I will see on the Wii U. The Playstation may be my primary console these days, but I will not go a generation without having a Nintendo console as, at least, my secondary. While I may play more Playstation, they don't have the loyalty from me that Nintendo does. No gaming company does.

After I got out of a movie last night, I had a message on Facebook from my older brother. It was a link to an article about Nintendo: more specifically, one about a new 3DS. I clicked on it cautiously. It turns out that they are releasing a 3DS with more CPU power, better 3D, more buttons, a new design, and more. It's really quite a wonderful release, and definitely moves the 3DS ahead.

The only problem is, they should have done this from the beginning. This is where I start to get angry.

The 3DS is a monster. I got one last year, and there were at least three games released on it that were among my top ten favourite games of last year. Animal Crossing: New Leaf won game of the year from me. Shin Megami Tensei 4 and Fire Emblem were high up there as well. While it doesn't see a lot of games, it certainly sees its fair share of quality games, and perhaps it isn't good for certain genres due to the limitation of only having one stick, but for things like platformers, RPGs, simulators, etc... it is wonderful.

Luckily Nintendo has decided to fix certain problems, by adding a C-Stick (among other things). Great. Why wasn't this originally in the plan for the 3DS? Or was it and they shipped an incomplete product to us originally? I am all for these upgrades, but they should have been there since the 3DS first shipped. They were painfully behind the times when they decided to only have one stick, and now they've finally decided to add one when people have already bought a fucking 3DS or even a 2DS, which came out less than a year ago.

So now we're expected to buy a new one, or potentially miss out on great games. There's a remake for Xenoblade Chronicles coming, and while I don't need it because I still own a Wii copy like a boss, that's a huge release. What other games will come out?

This shouldn't have happened halfway through its life cycle. They should have just rode the 3DS train until it was time for a new handheld, then implemented a lot of these features because unless everyone is just more understanding than myself, this is bound to create resentment.

Before anybody declares me as some whiny cunt, I'm cool with the 2DS because that was smart: release a version of the handheld without the unnecessarily 3DS shit and charge less. I'm cool with larger versions of the handheld that end up being a little more expensive. What I'm not cool with is segregating the audience by adding things that should have been there from the get-go.

This isn't an article about the confusion that the name may cause, even if that's true. This isn't an article filled with me hating on the advancements of technology. This is simply me ranting about the timing of a release like this. It isn't a money issue, because while I don't have an amazing job, I do well with buying games and consoles. I'm not being cheap, but it's stupid to expect us to buy a new one when the old one has only been out a little over three years.

Another thing that bothers me is that they are fixing something that isn't really broken. While it's true that it could benefit from a a C-Stick, more buttons, stronger technology, whatever, the 3DS is fine the way it is now. Nintendo should be focusing on the Wii U at this point, because they've already performed a magic trick with the 3DS and turned it around. It's time to concentrate on the console that has been a massive failure financially and critically.

Nintendo has not lost my loyalty. I'll get one of these when they're released in North America because I love games and am weak, but I will do so begrudgingly, because at the end of the day I feel like I'm being nickel and dimed. Not that it matters how much resentment I have when I buy it, because they will still be getting my money... but that doesn't make it morally right.

This Week In Games, August 10 - 16, 2014: Hohokum, Risen 3, Disgaea 4 and Some Weird Japanese Stripping

Written By: Tyler

Greetings friends, and welcome to another addition of "This Week In Games," the weekly article that I write where I discuss the finer points of surrealist art.

Each week I go on Gamespot -- you may have heard of it -- and I look at the new games that are coming out. I then write about them because this is a blog after all. I don't choose every game because to be honest, not every game is worth mentioning, but I pick some of the more interesting ones, whether it's good or bad, and I pick the bigger releases. Just because I say there isn't anything really coming out on a day, doesn't mean there isn't. It just means that there isn't anything that fantastic or worth checking out. That may sound harsh but there are so many games out these days that you have to pick and choose.

I also only talk about North American releases because that's where I'm from.



August 10

Nothing! It's Sunday after all.


August 11

It looks like there's nothing here according to Gamespot.


August 12


Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten 

Coming Out For: PS Vita
Genre: Strategy - RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1vN2TGKwns
 
It was released in 2011 on PS3 but now you can pick it up on the Vita. It's enhanced and expanded, including apparently 50 pieces of DLC. The Disgaea series is one of the few RPG series that have gotten a really good following that I haven't ever tried, and I know that's criminal, but fans of the series should check this out.


Hohokum
 

Coming Out For: PS3, PS4, PS Vita
Genre: Adventure
Gameplay: http://ca.ign.com/videos/2014/07/23/hohokum-launch-trailer

It's kind of hard to explain Hohokum but it is my most anticipated release of the week. It looks gorgeous, and I'm sure the soundtrack will compliment the visuals exceptionally well. From a gameplay perspective it's a bit of an oddball... even the creators try to avoid describing what it actually is, choosing to just let them play it instead. In an article on Mashable, I saw the idea of flying a kite mentioned a lot and that seems appropriate. In it you just fly around in a colourful and active world and things happen. I can't sell you on it; if you look at that screenshot and it looks like something that might pique your interest, then make sure to watch that I linked above and see what it looks like in action.


Risen 3: Titan Lords

Coming Out On: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vU42VAFzoE

Risen 3: Titan Lords is a medieval RPG that is promising a "classic RPG" experience, with a large, breathing world with a ton of side-quests and places to explore. It is played in a third-person view and you level up your character, use points to up your attributes and unlock skills, and do battle with various baddies using a combination of magic or melee. Use quick or hard attacks, mix them up, throw in some magic, be on your way to victory.

If this sounds like every other RPG you see, then you're probably right. Obviously I won't know until I actually play it, if I get around to it, but from the gameplay videos I've seen, it honestly doesn't look like anything that fantastic. It looks fairly generic. The visuals aren't exactly stunning, the battle animations don't look fluid (and some are laughable like what appears to be stabbing with a mace), and there's nothing here that screams "must-play." However, it doesn't look terrible either. I can't see Risen 3 standing up to the best in the genre, but it could serve you decently well as an RPG to tide you over until a better one comes... especially since, if you're like me, Sacred 3 has let you down (review on that coming). I imagine this ends up being a 6 out of 10 or maybe a 7, and people seem to forget that those scores aren't actually bad.



Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed 

Ima just leave this here and I'll be right back.

Coming Out For: PS Vita, PS3
Genre: Adventur/Action-RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btW9_L8d48U

Akiba's Trip is a game where basically demon creatures have taken over Akihabara. There is a conspiracy that you will unravel, but more importantly you have to strip the clothes off of demons and expose them to light. I imagine that line is going to either make you want to play it or avoid it at all costs. You have to appreciate Japan and their willingness to do stuff like this.



Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition

Coming Out For: PS4
Genre: Simulation (Of Sorts...)
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLPHa-4sUs

Ah yes, here we are, with a port of the wildly popular and comical Surgeon Simulator... this time for PS4. Fumble your way through a variety of operations this week, along with an exclusive PS4 mode that nobody seems to know anything about. Have fun and happy surgeoning!



August 13

Just a release of Hohokum in other places.


August 14

Gaiabreaker

Coming Out For: Wii U
Genre: Shoot 'Em Up
Gameplay: http://www.destructoid.com/the-wii-u-is-getting-one-shmup-richer-soon-with-gaiabreaker-273733.phtml

The Wii U hasn't had a lot going on since it was released, but this week there's a vertical shmup being released in the eShop. It doesn't do much that we haven't seen before, but since these games aren't as common as they were back in the 90s, it's still nice to see one. It could be a nice little game to play while you wait for something bigger to be released, like Hyrule Warriors or Bayonetta 2.


August 15

Another day where there isn't really a whole lot going on.



That's it for this week folks. Make sure to comment in the little box below (is it still there? Who knows?), or follow me on Twitter by clicking here here here. See you next time.

Hyrule Warriors Nintendo Direct And My Hyrule Warriors Impressions

Written By: Tyler

Watch here: http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/08-04-2014/#/video-ndirect

Today Nintendo hit us up with another Nintendo Direct. If you know me in person or follow this blog, you may be aware that while the Playstation has been my primary system since the first one, I'm a Nintendo fanboy in my heart and always treat their systems as my secondary console. Nintendo gives us games that no other platform will -- quite literally because they own and develop their most legendary IPs -- and they're just damn good. I also respect the fact that Nintendo goes off and does their own thing, even if it isn't always for the best. I actually love the Wii U and love the Gamepad.

They may be horribly out of touch in some aspects of their business model and plan, but in others they innovate. I always look forward to Nintendo Directs -- they're an event for me. They're usually about half an hour of showcasing new footage and breaking news. The only problem with the Directs is that they quite often disappoint. I, like many others, hope for certain things that we never get. Some of it is our own fault, but some of the blame rests on Nintendo.

This one focuses on Hyrule Warriors, which is a game I am looking forward to but it's not one of the big games of the year for me. I quite enjoy Dynasty Warriors but don't follow it religiously and I'm not a fan of Zelda at all outside of a few games that I mildly enjoy. So how did the Hyrule Warriors Direct fare? Read on for the news that matters.

Hyrule Warriors is looking like a good time with just enough change on the Dynasty Warriors formula to make it fresh. Don't get confused though, because this is still more of a Dynasty Warriors game with a Zelda skin than the other way around, but I'm okay with it.

The boss battles should be of interest in this. Though it will lack the legendary Lu Bu, it will have bosses from other Zelda games, and it will require the items that you find throughout the maps in order to defeat them. This should keep battles relatively unique and inject some strategy into the button mashing formula that Destiny Warriors is known for.

You will also need to use the items to open up different areas much like in Zelda. 

There are tons of things from the Zelda series brought in, such as the Cucco. They will come after you if you hit them and you'll see them mingling with the enemies on occasion. However, in some situations you can actually make them your allies. Other characters such as the Bombchu or even the Moon from Majora's Mask will also be included. It's safe to say that there will be plenty of fan service involved but it's interesting how they incorporate some of these. For example, you can hookshot the Moon to have it fall on enemies.

You'll have things like grass cutting, which seems silly, but it is part of the Zelda charm. Apparently they were going to have a stage that consisted solely of grass cutting but they didn't include it. I think that might be a good thing because I can't really see that being enjoyable. Sometimes Nintendo makes a bigger deal out of certain aspects of their IPs than they deserve, and I reckon the grass cutting is one of them.

These are the characters that they talked about in the Direct: Link, Zelda, Impa, Sheik, Ruto, Darunia, Midna, Agitha, Zant, Fi, Ghirahim, plus some new characters like Lana. They will all have their own attributes and weapons, such as a sword, a giant hammer, etc. This is typical Dynasty Warriors fare.

This isn't really news, but expect to see a bunch of stages based on places that you know and love within the Zelda universe, such as Skyloft, Lake Hylia and Twilight Field.

You can fill a bar by defeating enemies that will power-up your character when used. It is called "Focus Spirit."

In terms of character progression, it's light but it exists. Your characters level up as you slaughter your foes, and some materials drop in battle that you can use to craft badges that enhance your stats. You can also acquire weapons that enemies drop... some of these also have skills in them or if they have an empty slot you can fuse your own skills in it, such as more attack damage or a better chance of finding hearts.

There's a mode called "Adventure Mode," which basically slaps you on a NES-inspired map and you can move around to the different stages and play them. Each stage will have its own victory conditions and once you achieve them the level will end and more spaces on the grid will open up around you so you can progress to the next stage. It's not mind-blowing, but it's something.

Like any Destiny Warriors game, the core gameplay consists of spamming attacks until hundreds of enemies fall to your might. You can take over bases in the middle of combat to help turn the tides of battle, but mostly it'll just involve you laying waste to enemies yourself.

One sore spot for me is the lack of online co-op, and how they handle the local co-op. I don't know why but for as forward thinking as Nintendo is in a lot of ways, they have some problems with minor issues. Instead of playing on the same screen, which is completely acceptable in local co-op, especially since most people have bigger TVs these days, one person will use the Gamepad screen and the other will use the TV and Wiimotes. Not only that, but the screen resolution will go down when playing in local co-op. I don't know why they felt the need to do this to use, but it's a bit of a downer. I normally play Dynasty Warriors with a friend but I'll be playing this one solo.

As the Direct ends, we are shown Ganondorf. Of course he is badass, and of course you will want to play as him. If you're a Nintendo Club member then you can get the Demon King costume set, and like most games, there are pre-order bonuses from select retailers.


I think the variety and whatnot of the enemies, mixed with the Zelda characters and atmosphere, will make it a little more exciting than just a normal Dynasty Warriors. I enjoy this idea as a one-off, but if it became a series I think the novelty would wear off. After seeing the Hyrule Warriors direct, I don't know if I'm more excited for it or not, but most of my fears have been put to rest, and the problems I had with the game I already knew (such as the co-op).

This Week In Games, July 20 - 26, 2014

Written By: Tyler

Welcome to another edition of "This Week In Games," a weekly feature where I discuss the finer points of wine. We'll get right down to it, but I have to make a few quick points as I do every week.

I don't include every game that is being released that week. I go down some of the more interesting ones and give a quick rundown on them. I don't always put Early Access games, but sometimes I do, and I try to limit it to games that are seeing their first retail release, though I will sometimes put ports. I try not to put games that were released on PC and then released on places like Steam later because Steam and PC are the same thing... but occasionally I will if I don't realize that a game was already released before. The release dates are also for North America because that's where I live. Sorry to those who live in other parts of the world.


July 20

Nothing! Enjoy the day of rest and relaxation.



July 21

Shadow Blade: Reload

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEkfFaEPuCA

This is an early access game, so because of that, you shouldn't expect a full game. It's also an enhanced version of Shadow Blade. However, it looks really cool. Since it's a 2D side-scrolling platformer where you play as a ninja, it should be a lot of fun. The mechanics look solid, and they're going to try to implement a level editor, local co-op and a variety of other features.



July 22

Ollie Ollie

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Runner/Sport/Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJczWSgfCU

Ollie Ollie is a 2D runner where you are on a skateboard and you have to perform fancy tricks while not landing on your face. It was a Vita-exclusive so I never got to play it. Since it's coming out for PC this week, I may give it a try. It looks simplistic but I suppose the beauty of a game like this is that it is simplistic looking. It does look like it's going to be a bit of a challenge, though, so it should make for a good time.



July 23

Unrest

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Adventure/RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajqi1C13LE

Set in Ancient India, we are going to be given a setting that we don't often see. You play as four different characters, and the idea of Unrest is choice, apparently. Much like a game like Planescape: Torment, the developers say that you can go the entire game without fighting anybody if you're smart. If you do fight, it may have consequences that won't help you. Battles will be few and far between. If your character dies, the game continues on. The obvious concern here is that the choices you make won't be balanced or logical, but that's something we won't know until we play it. As it stands now, Unrest looks like a pretty decent romp through an uncommon setting.




The Wizard

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy/RPG
Gameplay: http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-wizard-teaser-trailer/2300-6420154/

First of all, the teaser trailer that I linked above is very funny. Secondly, The Wizard is about a Wizard without a face and the Thief who stole his face. At the very least, it's a unique storyline. The gameplay involves you chasing him down through dungeons, not unlike a Roguelike, where you can upgrade your spells. It looks like the game is going to have a sense of humour, and if the trailer is any indication then it'll do it well. I don't think the game will having mindblowing gameplay, but it looks like it'll be an entertaining 16-bit adventure. Let's get our attractiveness back!



July 24

Gods Will Be Watching

I believe this is an image from the version that was at Ludum Dare, but it's still a cool pic and the game looks similar.

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Adventure
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QliEVf1ZSzU

Here we go; this is the game of the week for me. Sporting a retro look (like many indie games), Gods Will Be Watching is a point-and-click adventure game but with a huge twist. It's not about solving puzzles in the way that we are accustomed to in the genre, so instead the game aims to place you in intense situations where you have to make choices on the fly and your decisions will affect the outcome of the world surrounding you. I'm ridiculously excited for this game and I hope that it makes me feel as uncomfortable as it's supposed to.



July 25

The Fifth Day

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Survival/Action/FPS
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG80z5EmkIU

This is an early access game. In The Fifth Day, you are a robot and you have to survive to the Fifth Day. At first I thought it was just another DayZ and Rust and I was going to rant about how we have so many games like this in Alpha that it's ridiculous. It does resemble those games in some way but the focus here is more on playing by yourself or with your friends in order to just survive a few days. You build stuff, hack AI from "the old world," and kill enemies. I may give it a spin. I'm not that excited for it but it seems relatively polished already and since the concept is more focused/less huge than games that are similar it may actually come out someday!


Wii Sports Club

Coming Out For: Wii U

Genre: Sports
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gklSuWQFXk

Wii Sports Club is getting its full retail release on July 25th. The game consists of HD remakes of the games from the original Wii Sports, with an online component added. I'm of a mixed mind concerning this. On one hand, Wii Sports was a great game to package with the original Wii when it came out, but on the other hand, I feel like time has passed this by. It could hit huge with casual gamers, but I don't even feel like the Wii U is the system for it. Yes, you can hook up your Wiimotes and play it, but I think they should have focused on something else. There's no doubt it'd still be fun because the original was fun, but I won't be picking it up.



July 26

There's nothing going on today either. Go out and have fun!



This week was heavy for PC releases, but there are some interesting picks here. Did I miss a game that you're looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime.

This Week In Games, July 6 - July 12, 2014

Written By: Tyler

Welcome again to another edition of the cleverly titled, "This Week In Games." If you can't tell by the title, each week I tell you what movies are coming out. I check the release dates according to Gamespot and the "video games in 2014" page on Wikipedia to get my games, so blame them if the dates are wrong. I refuse to take any accountability for my actions.

These are only North American release dates because that's where I'm from and I try to keep it to new releases as opposed to games that are just getting ported, unless I feel they're a big game. I have rules that I probably consistently break, but oh well.

A final note is that it's not every game released in North America: it's only games that I think are of interest, whether that's because they're a huge release (even if I don't care) or if they're games I'm interested in myself. Let's get to it.


July 8

The Wolf Among Us Episode 5 - Cry Wolf

Coming Out For: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (July 9), iOS (July 10)
Genre: Adventure
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umw8QPW5tiw

I actually forgot to play Episode 4 so I have to catch up, but I will say this... from my experience this has been an excellent series with a great story. I always criticize the lack of gameplay because I'm not real into these games where you mostly watch, but to its credit, it does allow you to make quite a few choices in conversation and when you're fighting someone. But anybody who is into this type of thing, this is a must-play because really, it has been a suspenseful thrill ride so far.



One Piece: Unlimited World Red

Coming Out For: 3DS, Vita, PS3, Wii U
Genre: Action-RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uohkYxCcgvQ

Truthfully I'm probably not the best one to sell you on this, because I know zilch about the One Piece manga and anime, but I will try purely from a game-fan perspective. This is an action-RPG from the looks of things where you have real-time battles and you can catch bugs and go fishing. It looks like there's some decent freedom when you're walking around too, since you can grapple hook your way up to places and whatnot. It doesn't look like anything original, but it looks like a nice blend of some cool things, and if I didn't have Episodes 4 and 5 of the Wolf Among Us to go through, while also being knee deep in Divinity: Original Sin (review coming at some point), then I'd probably give this a go.



Mousecraft

Coming Out For: PS4, PS3, PC, PS Vita, Linux, Mac
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay: http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/d4lal6/mousecraft-debut-trailer

Want something cheesy? This may be the game for you. Basically what you do is help your mice get cheese by moving blocks to allow them to proceed. The game is described as Tetris meets Lemmings, and that sounds about right.



July 9

The Escapists

Coming Out For: PC

Genre: Action/Adventure

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpF3LFlXgSc#t=25

Unfortunately this is only hitting Early Access July 9, and I don't think I'll make a habit out of including Early Access games in this feature (because I don't like including unfinished games), but The Escapists looks fascinating, and when I know there's a really interesting game hitting Early Access I'll include it. Think of all the great prison-break movies that you've seen... now think about playing in them, only with pixel graphics and no Morgan Freeman. The Escapists sets you in a prison and you have to escape. There's a reputation system where the cons will react differently to you depending on what you do, a crafting system because every game needs one since Minecraft (just a joke), light RPG elements and apparently gang warfare. Count me in, honestly, because this game seems neat.






July 10


The Red Solstice

Coming Out For: PC

Genre: Action/Shooter

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt1c8AayNhY

The Red Solstice is a top-down shooter where you choose from 8 different classes and fight hordes of monsters, whether in a single-player story mode or with 7 friends in the co-op mode. The levels are randomized and resources aren't unlimited, so each playthrough will be different and you have to manage your ammunition or y'know, you will die. I'm always up for a top-down shooter because we don't get AAA versions of these types of games anymore and they're one of the genres I grew up with.




July 11


Terraria

  Coming Out For: PS3

Genre: Action/Adventure/Platformer/Builder

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGo7iMUcxLc

I guess Terraria isn't out for every system yet? Like Minecraft, it appears that we get a port every few weeks. That isn't a criticism because it's a good thing. I played it on PC and it's a great game with a little more focus on combat and exploration than Minecraft. If you are into mining and building things, then this is the game for you because it is seriously awesome.

On a final note regarding Terraria, it has a perfect main theme. It's so dinky but makes me want to explore and dig for hours.



Any games coming this week that I missed that you are into? Yell at me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime or just leave a comment in the comment box below. Thanks for reading!

This Week In Games, June 29 - July 5, 2014

Written By: Tyler

Hello and welcome to another edition of "This Week In Games," a weekly feature where every Sunday or Monday I give a quick preview of some of the games releasing this week that are of interest to me in a good or bad way.


June 30

Divinity: Original Sin

Coming Out For: Windows, Linux
Genre: Role-playing
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDaYWfqJD3g

This is the big release of the week for me, and it's strange because I didn't know anything about it and I only played Divine Divinity briefly years ago... so I'm not a series fan. However, this prequel to that looks incredible.

It looks like a dense (as the gameplay video says) RPG, with a neat robbery system that actually affects your reputation if you get caught. You can cause a distraction with one character by talking to somebody and then use another to steal. The crafting seems simplistic but it appears that there are a lot of things you can craft. The combat is turn-based but I like the idea of your action points carrying over to the next turn so you can have a big turn. It looks like there's a lot of variety in your attacks.

The leveling system looks like it has depth, with the different perks you can put points into and all the other things that you can level up, and there's a lot of story to read and things to do. My only complaint from what I know is that there isn't a marker telling you where to go so questing will be extremely difficult. NPCs will tell you, but then you have to remember. There is a dialogue diary but it looks like it's hard to filter through.

If you're playing co-op, you can make decisions together and depending on how you interact with your partner your stats will be affected.

There's also an RPG kit to make your own adventures! The game isn't even full-priced but looks huge. $40 on Steam.


July 1

Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition 

Coming Out For: PS4 (July 1), Xbox 360 (July 2), Xbone (July 2), Wii U (July 2)
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVQbAtAQzj8

Guacamelee! sees its debut on the systems listed above in an enhanced edition. I'm not really sure why I never played the game because I love luchador wrestling, and the game is zany and colourful. I reckon now is probably a good time to try it out, and if you have Xbox Live Gold it is the free Games With Gold for July, so pick it up.



Child Of Light

Coming Out For: PS Vita
Genre: Role-playing
Gameplay: http://ca.ign.com/videos/2014/05/20/child-of-light-psvita-trailer

I really enjoyed Child of Light because JRPGs are where my heart is. They're my roots.

You can fly around in this game, which is different, and the turn-based combat has a spin on it with the fact you can use your companion to slow down enemies and just generally interact with things. The story is told entirely in rhyme, and the visual style is gorgeous. It looks like the Vita version hasn't suffered so if you haven't played Child of Light, here is another chance to do so.



Sniper Elite 3

Coming Out For: PS3, PS4, X360, XboneGenre: Third-Person Shooter

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1yg9jffjxI

It's already out on PC, but it sees its console release. Here's what I said about the PC version.

This one doesn't interest me at all, and since I don't get paid to do reviews I'm not sure if I'll get around to this one or not. It's not that it looks terrible, but it doesn't look like it brings anything to the table that we can't get a million other places. The kill-cam idea doesn't really make me feel like I'm seeing the damage I'm doing, it just seems annoying, and the action looks okay but there are so many shooters it just doesn't stand out.

Resisting The Urge To Dig Myself A Grave With A Shovel Joke (Dammit) -- A Shovel Knight Review

Written By: Tyler
Platforms Available On: PC, Wii U, 3DS
Platform Played On: Wii U

The first of many badass encounters.

Rating: 9/10
Verdict: A love letter to the past, but also a game that forges its own identity, Shovel Knight is an 8-bit inspired platformer that reaches beyond its humble roots and gives us a game that mentions the past but doesn't rely or get lost in it.


Releasing games inspired by the classics of the 8-bit era isn't anything new within the indie community. The indie scene is flooded with nostalgia, and you can't go five seconds without tripping over something that harkens back to the past. Shovel Knight is no different in that regard, being a game that is very much entrenched in the days of yore, but not trapped in them.

Let's just get this out of the way, because this is what you're here for: Shovel Knight is awesome. There will probably be very few games this year that bring me greater joy than this unassuming little platformer about a knight with a shovel who is trying to save Shield Knight from the evil Enchantress. Mario, yes, but that's not where it ends. The levels look like Mega Man, you can use your shovel and bounce off enemies and objects like in Duck Hunt. The world map is ripped right from Mario 3. The references are numerous, but like I said in the first paragraph... Shovel Knight owes to them but isn't defined by them.

Despite how obvious the influences are, the game forges its own path ultimately, and that's something a lot of indie games lack when calling to the past. It's one thing to make us go "aha" when we spot a reference, but that overstays its welcome. The better route is to make us go "aha" but then follow that up with making us go "wow" because the game has its own identity.

Shovel Knight has simplistic controls. Use a button to jump and another to swing your shovel. Press down while you're in the air and you can use it as a pogo stick. Press up and the attack button and you use your spell. If you're playing on Wii U you can either press a button to call up your inventory or use the screen on the gamepad, which is what I do. That's about it, but the game doesn't need anymore because the foundation is so solid, the levels so well-designed, that what might appear as a limitation these days is a strength. You don't get bogged down at any point.

All games need clever world/level/stage design, but platformers need it more than most genres, and Shovel Knight has it in spades. Every level has its own motif, whether it's something a little more trippy, or it being dark with only lightning lighting the way, or a level that uses air in interesting and dynamic ways, the game is always throwing something new at you.

Enemies are placed in interesting areas, and if you're not careful you might jump over to a ledge only to get hit off because that particular enemy is placed for that sole reason... the game assumes you'll get careless and make that jump without thinking, and a lot of people probably will. There are times that your platforming skills are truly tested, as the game consistently throws new types of jumps at you. The game is hard, but -- to the dismay of some retro-gamers -- it's not impossibly hard, which I'm completely fine with. I had a nice challenge throughout the whole thing.

Each stage ends with a boss, of course, and like the rest of the game there's a lot of variety to them. Since all the characters are knights with different specialties, such as the Tinker Knight, Specter Knight, Polar Knight, etc, they all have their own method of attacking and you have to adapt to that. The battles are fast, and if you sit back they will probably eat you up. I tended to lose on the first fight but won on the second more often than not. 

I have a confession, and yes I've chosen until the middle of the review to say this: I actually am glad we've moved on from the past in a few ways. Namely, I hate redoing levels over and over just because I died. I welcome checkpoints. I did my time, so now once I beat a section I beat it and I don't want to go back until my next playthrough. Shovel Knight has a bunch of checkpoints throughout each level, and each time you die you lose money where you died and you can go back and collect it. This is an interesting play on what we know and love.

Part of the identity of the levels is the excellent soundtrack. Each level has its own, and the soundtrack itself has 48 songs. All of which are great. As I write this review I am listening to it, and each song fits the mood of the stage, transporting you into that world with its usage of chiptune. Yeah, it's another homage to the 8-bit era, but it's extremely well composed with a variety of different moods and atmosphere. Some of it is victorious, some of it is darker, some of it sounds incredibly urgent.

You don't level up in the game, but you can buy different spells such as a fireball, a green orb that bounces around, a powerful blast, and much more. There's a good variety of spells in Shovel Knight, especially when you consider that it's not an incredibly long game. More on that in a second.

You can also spend your money on giving yourself more life, upgrading your shovel with a few different abilities like an homage to Zelda where your shovel shoots something across the ground when you have full life. There are also a bunch of armor upgrades, all of which with their pros and cons, except for the gold armor which I don't think really changes your stats but makes you do a flip when you jump. Plus you look stylish and that's all I really want.

As of writing this review, the game is $15 and I feel like I got every penny nickel worth. I completed the game in roughly five and a half hours but I didn't get everything. Besides the main stages, there are side stages and side boss battles, along with the many dream sequences in which you fight enemies until the Shield Knight drops and you catch her. I don't know why I love this so much, but I think the numerous campfire scenes add to the experience. It's a nice touch. There's also a new game plus after you beat the game, which allows you to keep your old equipment but ups the difficulty.

Shovel Knight is special. It's one of the best platformers of the last ten years, at least, and it's a good price. If you're looking for a retro-inspired game that offers more than just nostalgia, then pick up Shovel Knight because while it does have the novelty of you playing as a knight with a shovel, it has an abundance of excellent level-design, lovable characters, great boss battles and amazing music.

This Week In Games: June 22 - 28, 2014

Written By: Tyler

Every Sunday or Monday I'm going to try to give a quick preview of some of the interesting upcoming games for the week. These will often be games that people should be excited for, even if I'm not, but sometimes I will throw in terrible games that you should avoid.

These release dates are based in North America because that's where I'm from, unless noted otherwise. If I get any of these dates wrong I apologize, because sometimes games are released in different regions on different dates and I don't realize it because when I'm looking for upcoming games it only says one date. This was the case for Sniper Elite 3, but I noticed it right at the last second.

June 24

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare  

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Third-Person Shooter/Tower Defense

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gin3uYn95QU

I've never actually played Plants vs Zombies, but people really dig it. This is actually already out on console but it's coming out for PC. It actually looks like a fun blend of third-person shooting and tower defense, which is a mash-up I've been a big fan of since Dungeon Defenders. It looks to have a sense of humour, a colourful art-style, and it should be worth your time if you haven't played the console version. The developers also said that it's not just a port and it's been reworked to function well on PC.


Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

Coming Out For: PC, X360, Xbone, PS4, PS3, WiiU, 3DS
Genre: Third-Person Shooter/Strategy-RPG

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxCy0Uo72p0

This is an interesting one. On consoles, it is a third-person shooter much like the other games in this series. You can choose between being the Autobots or the Decepticons, or play the online mode where up to four players fend of hordes of enemies. The online mode is not a part of the Wii U or 3DS versions. Honestly, I haven't played any of the games in this series but I've been told by someone that I trust that they're a lot of fun because they make it feel awesome to be a Transformer. I reckon if you're a fan of the series, you're already excited.

The reason this release is interesting is because the 3DS version is a strategy-RPG with turn-based combat. I understand why they'd do that because I don't find action games to be that great on the 3DS, but it also gives you a reason to buy the game twice.



June 25   

Another World (20th Anniversary Edition)

Coming Out For: PS4, PS Vita, PS3
Genre: Platformer/Adventure

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHqS35B_aV4 (PC version because I couldn't find much video-wise)

The classic game is back, and even though other systems have gotten it, it hits the Sony systems this week. If you missed out on this before, and you have a Playstation, now is a good time to pick it up.


Valiant Hearts: The Great War 

Coming Out For: PC, X360, Xbone, PS4, PS3
Genre: Puzzle/Adventure

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEMv0ia6cSM

I think that the gameplay/puzzle elements will be solid, but I don't actually think that's where this game will shine. If the E3 presentation was any indication, then this game is going to pull on my heart strings. The artwork is beautiful, so I imagine this will go down the same road as Child of Light: a completely solid, pretty game. I enjoy that Ubisoft does these smaller games in between bigger releases.



June 26

Shovel Knight  

Coming Out For: WiiU, 3DS, PC, Mac, Lin
Genre: Platformer

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-uuawy9Ok


This is the big release of the week for me, and not because I'm some retro-nut that just flocks towards everything retro. I do love me some retro, as I grew up in it, but if a game isn't bringing interesting mechanics and is just milking nostalgia then I'm usually not interested. The pitch of Shovel Knight is obvious -- you're a knight with the most badass shovel imaginable. You can use it to jump on enemies (ala Duck Tales), reflect enemy attacks back at them, open chests, and of course... smash and dig things like a shovel should do. It's a novel concept, and you know the game is going to be silly in a good way. It helps that the game legitimately looks fun to play and from the video that I posted above, it looks like the developers have taken great care to craft a game with interesting level design and awesome 8-bit inspired music.


June 27

Sniper Elite III (Releases in Europe on this date)    

Coming Out For: PC, PS3, PS4, X360, Xbone
Genre: Third-Person Shooter

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1yg9jffjxI

This one doesn't interest me at all, and since I don't get paid to do reviews I'm not sure if I'll get around to this one or not. It's not that it looks terrible, but it doesn't look like it brings anything to the table that we can't get a million other places. The kill-cam idea doesn't really make me feel like I'm seeing the damage I'm doing, it just seems annoying, and the action looks okay but there are so many shooters it just doesn't stand out.

Weekly News Round-Up, May 4 - 10: New Unreal Tournament! Call of Duty Is Game Of Thrones! The Shaq-Fu 2 Apocalypse! The Gameboy Is Still Direct Competition! Exclamation Marks!

Written By: Tyler


Remember That Call of Duty Series? Here Are Some Details On The New Game, Advanced Warfare
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/

Try not to pass out from this news, but it appears that there's a new Call of Duty coming. I know, I know... craziness.

Here are some details about the new game, stolen from Gamespot:

• In development at Sledgehammer Games for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. A separate studio to be named later is working on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. There's no word on Wii U.
• The game runs on a new and unspecified game engine.
• The story opens with a catastrophic event that Sledgehammer Games cofounder Michael Condrey describes as "like a global 9/11." There's little more to go on, but major cities on multiple continents are affected by some kind of terrorism perpetrated by a terrorist organization called KVA.
• It is set in 2054.
• You play a character named Private Mitchell, who is voiced by prolific voice actor Troy Baker. You may know Baker for his recent roles in The Last of Us (Joel), BioShock Infinite (Booker), and Batman: Arkham Origins (The Joker). Mitchell only speaks during cutscenes; never during gameplay.
• Mitchell starts Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare as a Marine, who is squadmates with Will Irons, the son of Private Military Company Atlas Corporation CEO Jonathan Irons (played by Kevin Spacey). After their tour of duty is done, the elder Irons asks Mitchell if he wants to leave the Marines to join his company. Mitchell says yes and is outfitted with an "EXO" suit for his new job.
• Unlike past Call of Duty games, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has only one protagonist.
• Kevin Spacey says he was "very excited" about joining the game when he was originally approached.
• You'll earn points every mission that can be used to upgrade your EXO suit. Using the EXO suit, you can climb walls with magnetic gloves, boost-dodge toward cover, perform super-jumps that let you get to higher ground, use optic camouflage for cloaking, and hover in mid-air.
• Your arsenal includes "variable grenades," which can be switched from concussion to threat detection while they cook. The threat detection grenade reveals enemy locations and makes this information available via an augmented reality system visible in your visor.
• Some of your guns are energy-based, and do not use traditional ammunition.
• There is a rideable vehicle called a Pitbull, which is based on the real world Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.
• There's no official word on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare multiplayer yet, but Condrey teases, "You can probably imagine the possibilities of a lot of the stuff you saw in single-player and how it would apply online." Activision also says it is "absolutely committed" to supporting eSports.
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will have some kind of co-op mode.
• Veteran Metal Gear Solid composer Harry Gregson-Williams is working on the game's soundtrack. Audio director Don Veca says, "I think Advanced Warfare is going to be the best-sounding and certainly the best-mixed game ever."
• In an effort to create a believable world, Activision consulted with "experts from production design in movies to experts in the military to scientists and futurists," according to Sledgehammer cofounder Glen Schofield.

Somebody took some influence from TITANFALL.


Guns Up! And Everything's Game Trademarked By Sony
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-sony-trademarks-discovered-before-e3-include-guns-up/1100-6419427/

Continuing their pursuit of trademarking stupid and silly names, Sony recently trademarked Guns Up! and Everything's Game. I can only assume that Guns Up! includes guns.


The Best Kept Secret Since Area 51 -- What Is The Dualshock 4 Light Bar Really For?
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/05/08/dualshock-4-light-bar-created-for-project-morpheus

What is the Dualshock 4 light bar for? When did it come here? Is it friendly or foe? Does it prove the existence of life outside of Earth? Is it alien technology? Does it make sandwiches?

I can answer one of those questions. The Dualshock 4 has annoyed a lot of people apparently, and they released an update that allowed you to dim it. But why is it here? Well... it is on the controller because it has to do with the construction of Project Morpheus, the VR system that Sony is working on.

http://thepsdualshock4disclosureproject.com/notarealurl.html


Phil Spencer Is Talking Again
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-promises-new-ip-and-sequel-announcements-at-e3/1100-6419419/

Phil Spencer recently said that there will be new IPs and sequel announcements at E3, but he also said some other stuff. Again, from Gamespot:

• Microsoft is focusing on hardcore gamers for the show.
• Some announcements will be made in May, ahead of E3. "Yea, you'll get a couple of things before. May should be a good month for news. Took me a month to get plans set," Spencer said.
• Microsoft will announce new studios it's working with.
• Spencer is not allowed to talk about anything related to what Halo studio 343 Industries is working on.
• Microsoft's overall goal for 2014: "I feel like what we will show this year is stuff we are committed to, from top studios, for this year and future."
• Don't expect a Microsoft-made gaming handheld anytime soon. "I don't think we'll do a dedicated handheld gaming device, rather just focus on [Windows Phone], tablets, maybe with controller support someday," Spencer said.
• Spencer wants Microsoft's E3 2014 showing to be more "fan focused."
• Microsoft thought about using the voice of Cortana for their E3 show, but Spencer did not like this. Asked if the Cortana voice search functionality could come to Xbox One someday, Spencer said, "I like [Windows Phone] feature but don't want to overdo it."
• Gamers won't need to wait until the Tokyo Game Show (September) to learn about new Japanese Xbox One games.
• Microsoft is close to finalizing a release date for the Xbox One version of Minecraft.
• The Lost Odyssey rights are "a bit complicated," but Spencer would like to see the 2008 role-playing game come to Games on Demand some day.
• Details about external storage support for Xbox One are coming later.
• Why there hasn't been a Battletoads sequel: "Just time, lot's of things we want to build, all the teams are full right now and a long list of what they'd want to do next. You want to spend time because you want things to be as good as they can be, I don't want to do cheap ports," Spencer said.

Their E3 presentation will be titled "Xbox: Game On" and it will take place Monday, June 9 at  9:30 a.m. PDT.


First Screenshot From Tales From The Borderlands Has Shown Up
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-images-of-walking-dead-developer-s-borderlands-game-emerge-what-do-you-think/1100-6419425/

The game is told from the perspective of Rhys and Fiona, and is told through flashbacks. The loot that you can collect will be usable in other games in the Borderlands universe. 



NHL '15 Announced, Nobody Is Surprised
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nhl-15-announced-for-xbox-360-xbox-one-ps3-and-ps4-check-out-a-teaser-trailer/1100-6419423/

If you thought a new Call of Duty was a big surprise, then I have a whopper -- not to be confused with the delicious burger -- for you: there's a new NHL game from EA. There's a teaser trailer in the link above, but I can tell you exactly what it'll look like. I bet there's going to be two teams full of people with bad hockey hair, hitting each other and pucks. I know, I'm psychic. 


Mortal Kombat Will Not Show Up On The Wii U Virtual Konsole
http://www.destructoid.com/ed-boon-shuts-down-possibility-of-mortal-kombat-wii-u-virtual-console-releases-274268.phtml

It's important to know that this was called, "If video games were real."

Ed Boon said that the first few Mortal Kombat games will not show up on the Wii U Virtual Console. That's it, seriously. That's pretty much all he said.


Marek Okan Is A Tease
http://www.destructoid.com/the-last-of-us-concept-artist-teases-something-with-artwork-274281.phtml

He posted this picture and said, ""let me tease you something... Its coming."

It looks like a grown-up version of Ellie from The Last Of Us. After he realized people gave a crap, he said this:

Lol. This is how you know you are teasing your stuff the right way
So before its gonna get blown out of proportions - its gonna be strictly personal image.
Is it about TLOU2? Not really... Maybe... Its classified ;P
But seriously its gonna be just a fan art ;]

Oops I did it again, I played with your heart...

From Software Has A New Game?
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/05/05/from-softwares-rumored-to-be-working-on-project-beast

There are images in the link above, and if it is true, the game is titled "Project Beast" as of right now. Is this legit or is it fake? I don't know, but I will call From Software tomorrow.



People Are Going To Jail For Stealing In-Game Items
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thieves-going-to-jail-for-stealing-in-game-items/1100-6419443/

Two people realized that they could make money by taking in-game items and selling them for real money in the game Dungeon Fighter Online. They were unemployed and dedicated so they got someones login information and cleaned him. And now they're going to jail.



The Danish Government Created The Entire Country In Minecraft
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/danish-government-creates-entire-country-in-minecraft-users-promptly-blow-it-up-and-plant-american-flag/1100-6419412/

The Danish Geodata Agency created the entire country on a 1:1 scale as a teaching tool. Then, because they forgot to disable the minecart with dynamite item, users started blowing stuff up... replacing things with American flags and tanks.

Ah yes, just like the good ol' days.


Microsoft Released Its Second ID@Xbox Game: Nutjitsu
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-s-first-sub-10-game-launching-this-week/1100-6419461/

On May 8th, Nutjitsu was released. This is big news because it's the second game released under the ID@Xbox program, but it's also the first Xbox One game to be under $10. $6.49 to be exact.



Get In On The WildStar Open Beta Between May 8 - 18
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/upcoming-pc-mmo-wildstar-gets-an-open-beta-this-week/1100-6419450/

Go to this linky right here in order to request a key so you can play the open beta of WildStar. If you are unaware of what the game is, it's an MMO because the market is getting a little shallow in MMOs right now. In the beta, you can advance to level 30.


The Shaq-Fu Sequel Has Reached Its Funding Goal
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/shaq-is-back-new-shaq-fu-fighting-game-reaches-funding-goal/1100-6419447/

Activision Is Giving Bungie $500 Million For Destiny
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-investing-500-million-for-bungie-s-destiny/1100-6419444/

It appears that it is their destiny (I'm sorry) to get lots of money, as Activision is giving Bungie $500 million to make Destiny. This is just pocket change to me, but I'll let Activision handle this one.



Here Comes The Doom And Gloom Again -- Nintendo Posted A $457 Million Loss
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/

Speaking of pocket change, Nintendo posted a loss of $457 million. Here's the article in a nutshell: The Wii U isn't selling (shocking), but the 3DS is doing better. Nintendo is still expecting to post a profit though.

If you want specific numbers of sales and whatnot, they're in the link above.


EA Will Announce 6 Games At E3, 1 Will Work At Launch
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-will-announce-a-major-frostbite-3-game-at-e3-what-do-you-think-it-is/1100-6419476/

EA's presentation at E3 is going to be called "EA World Premiere: E3 2014 Preview," and it takes place June 9 at 12 p.m. PDT. They are expected to show off six games and announce a "major" Frostbite 3 game. 


Nintendo Is Low On Money... Re-Releasing Pokemon Ruby And Sapphire In November
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-remakes-coming-to-3ds-this-year/1100-6419483/

3DS owners will see the re-release of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire this November. They will be titled Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and they will make a lot of money.


Don't Start Is Going To Have Multiplayer
http://www.destructoid.com/multiplayer-is-coming-to-don-t-starve-274469.phtml

Entitled "Don't Starve Together," Don't Starve will be receiving multiplayer in alpha form in summer of this year. I look forward to maybe eating my friends. I also look forward to playing Don't Starve Together.


The Second Towns Developer Has Left... And You Probably Shouldn't Pay Attention To This Game Anymore
http://www.destructoid.com/towns-left-in-limbo-as-second-developer-quits-the-project-274462.phtml

"I'm putting this whole fucking town in my rear view."

Florian Frankenberger is making like Ben Affleck in The Town and putting Towns in his rear view. After the original developer left, he tried to do what he could, but he's not making money and has bills to pay and people to feed so he's out. And you should be out of Towns. Go to a nice village or something, avoid the city.


Stephan Frost Says That WildStar Is One Of The Most Feature-Complete MMO In The Last 10 Years
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/upcoming-pc-game-wildstar-is-one-of-the-most-feature-complete-mmos-of-the-past-10-years/1100-6419508/

From Gamespot:

"We decided to go with the subscription fee because we are a triple-A game," Frost said. "We are one of the most feature-complete MMOs to be coming out in the past 10 years. HBO, for example, is premium content. It has great shows like Game of Thrones and True Detective. They don't charge extra for those things, they're just charging that sub fee and people gladly pay it because it's good. If it wasn't good, they wouldn’t pay for it."

Except HBO is a channel that offers TV shows of various types... you're a single game that offers the same experiences all the time, because you're just one game. But besides that, yeah, you're right.



The Elder Scrolls Online Delayed For Consoles
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/elder-scrolls-online-xbox-one-ps4-delay-confirmed-bethesda-explains-why-it-was-necessary/1100-6419504/

If you're a console gamer and are waiting to be bored like the rest of us, you'll have to wait. It looks like The Elder Scrolls Online is delayed for consoles. They cited "unique problems," but they're trying to make us a deal: if you buy the game on PC now, you can transfer your characters from PC to Xbone/PS4 and get the game for consoles for $20. Why not... buy it twice?

Go PC Master Race!


Activision Is Comparing Call Of Duty To Game Of Thrones... Nobody Buys It
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-wants-call-of-duty-to-be-talked-about-as-much-as-game-of-thrones/1100-6419503/

Yup, another masterpiece by yours truly.

They want CoD to be discussed like people do with Game of Thrones. They are planning to make Advanced Warfare story heavy, hoping to hit emotional moments that resonate with players for years to come.

But people do talk about Call of Duty. It just... usually isn't nice anymore, it seems.


Nintendo Abandons The Wii U To Develop "New Consoles" In Other Markets
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-to-launch-new-console-not-the-wii-u-or-3ds-in-emerging-markets/1100-6419501/

I'm just kidding... Nintendo didn't abandon the Wii U. But they are developing different consoles for countries like China in order to get their foot in the door.


Nintendo Explains Why Mario Won't Be On iPhones Anytime Soon
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-explains-why-you-won-t-play-mario-on-your-iphone-anytime-soon/1100-6419502/

The President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, said, "Our games such as Mario and Zelda are designed for our game machines so if we transfer them into smartphones as they are, customers won't be satisfied. If customers aren't satisfied with the experience, it will decrease the value of our content."

To be fair, I won't be satisfied with the experience just because touch screen controls are the devil.


Nintendo Feels Responsible For Their Problems
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-i-feel-deeply-responsible-for-poor-performance/1100-6419499/

Satoru Iwata also said, "Posting an operating loss for the fourth fiscal year running is something unacceptable. I feel deeply responsible for this and I need to fulfill my responsibility by recovering the momentum of our business."

I guess the first step is admitting you have a problem.


Nintendo To Get Into Figurine Games
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-nintendo-to-integrate-skylanders-like-figurines-with-wii-u-and-3ds/1100-6419497/

Like Skylanders, Nintendo is looking to integrate figurines into their games. They're going to call it NFP-nfc. They also announced Mario Kart TV, which will tie into Mario Kart 8 and let you watch Nintendo videos, replays and see rankings.


Nintendo Plans To Quit Hardware Business At The End of 2015 And Focus Solely On Making Games For Microsoft


Gimme Gimme Gimme -- Monolith Soft's X Is Destined For 2014
http://www.destructoid.com/monolith-s-x-is-still-on-track-for-2014-for-both-japan-and-the-west-274523.phtml

X is going to rule the world. Seriously, after Xenoblade: Chronicles I have so much faith in them that I'd buy Farmville if they were making it. Good news for fans who are looking forward to X, because it should be released in Japan and North America in 2014.

They also gave a brief list of some other games and their release dates:

• Bayonetta 2 -- 2014
• Hyrule Warriors (temp.) -- 2014
• Yarn Yoshi (temp.) -- TBD
• Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem (temp.) -- TBD
• The Legend of Zelda (temp.) -- TBD

Dying Light Is Delayed Until February 2015
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/05/08/hopes-of-dying-light-in-2014-flicker-out-as-title-is-delayed.aspx

Techland said this week that Dying Light will be delayed until February 2015, so they don't have to compromise on any of their ideas. This is good news for quality, I'm sure, but I wanted to play it!


Here's A Doozy -- Epic Games Revealed The Free Unreal Tournament
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/05/08/epic-games-reveals-free-to-play-unreal-tournament

The next Unreal Tournament is coming in the not-so-near future, but it's going to be free and co-developed with the community so their mods and whatnot will be important post-launch. Free Unreal Tournament, and they stress it's "not free to play, just free."
 

Oh Yes, Sunset Overdrive Gets Its First In-Game Footage
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/462820/video-watch-sunset-overdrives-first-in-game-footage/

Ladies and gentlemen, our cherries have been popped, because we got some footage for Sunset Overdrive, that you can find in the link above. I'd post the video here but blogger is stupid and sometimes it just deletes the videos I post.

If you can't watch the video, basically it's crazy. It's an open world game but you can run across walls and movement seems to be really fluid. There are a lot of crazy guns because it's Insomniac Games, and it just looks like it's going to be ridiculous.

Anybody want to start funding my Xbox One purchase?


Harmonix Released The Free-To-Play Rhythm Runner "Record Run"
http://www.destructoid.com/harmonix-releases-free-to-play-record-run-for-ios-devices-274557.phtml

If you got an apple device, you can grab the new Harmonix game for free now. It's a rhythm runner where you avoid obstacles and whatnot, and you can import your own playlist. So finally you can use that grindcore-laptop-death-pop-jazz fusion-jelly-fishcake-thrash-rap song that you really like.

It's going to be coming to Android as well.



Believe In The Shield Because Portal Is Coming To The Nvidia Shield Next Week
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-s-beloved-portal-comes-to-nvidia-shield-next-week/1100-6419520/

On May 12, you can pick up Portal on the Nvidia Shield. So... do that.


Oculus VR To Create The Largest MMO Ever?
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-vr-aspires-to-create-an-mmo-world-with-1-billion-people-in-it/1100-6419518/

The Oculus CEO stated this week that he wants to create the largest MMO ever, using the Oculus Rift. He is planning on a billion people. He also had this to say, which I want to make fun of:

"Do we want to be Game Boy, or do we want to be iPhone or Android? I think Game Boy is an awesome platform, but I think you'll see that handheld gaming device largely disrupted by the mobile market. For VR, where we want to go, connecting a billion people, do you want to be building a platform that has a billion users on it, or 10 or 20 or 50 million?"

Released last century, still on competition today... apparently.

 It's fun that he mentioned the Game Boy since we're at the Nintendo 3DS. I know this is just semantics, but like I said I want to make fun of him. For someone so forward thinking, it's great that he chose such an old handheld.


Games I Kind Of Wish I Could Stop "Reporting" On -- TITANFALL and Battlefield 4

New TITANFALL DLC Is Called Swampland, Here's A Picture Of It
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-dlc-map-swampland-screenshots-and-details-released/1100-6419517/

DICE Give Up, Turn To The Community
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-dev-turns-to-fans-for-help-testing-new-improvements/1100-6419516/

It appears that DICE themselves realize that they can't fix Battlefield 4, because they have created the "Community Test Environment" that allows PC users to help them test out things.

You've spent your money on it, now you can help fix it. That seems... fair.

I kid Battlefield 4, I kid. I actually enjoy you.


GLAAD Is  Not ?Glaad? That Tomodachi Life Doesn't Have Same-Sex Relationships
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-responds-to-criticism-regarding-same-sex-relationships-in-tomodachi-life-update/1100-6419530/

It appears that GLAAD -- the LGBT group -- is not happy about Nintendo not including same-sex relationships in their odd, life simulator (that doesn't fully simulate life) game Tomodachi Life.

Wilson Cruz cruz'd to a criticism of Nintendo, stating, "In purposefully limiting players' relationship options, Nintendo is not only sending a hurtful message to many of its fans and consumers by excluding them, but also setting itself way behind the times."

The Big N had this to say in response, "We apologize for disappointing many people by failing to include same-sex relationships in Tomodachi Life. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to change this game’s design, and such a significant development change can’t be accomplished with a post-ship patch. At Nintendo, dedication has always meant going beyond the games to promote a sense of community, and to share a spirit of fun and joy. We are committed to advancing our longtime company values of fun and entertainment for everyone. We pledge that if we create a next installment in the Tomodachi series, we will strive to design a game-play experience from the ground up that is more inclusive, and better represents all players."

In my humble opinion, it would have been nice if Nintendo had included homosexuality in Tomodachi Life so I could finally come out of the closet in a safe environment (with myself?), but it's likely that a lot of people will just see this as silly, thus hurting GLAAD's crusade.

Can't we all just get along? #Ihatehashtags


Sony's E3 Press Conference Is June 9 At 6 p.m. PDT
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-playstation-e3-2014-press-conference-dated-for-june-9-6pm/1100-6419546/

Sony last year.

On June 9 at 6 p.m. PDT, Sony will be doing their press conference. If you remember, which if you're a gamer you probably do, Sony came in like a wrecking ball last E3. Will they do what they did last year and become the Heavyweight Champion of the World while they slap down the competition? Or will it be more normal? I can't wait to find out.




Well folks, that is it for the Weekly News Round-Up. We've had United States terrorism/imperialism, free Unreal Tournaments, DICE throwing in the towel, and lots of Nintendo saying things. We've had some good times, we've had some bad times, we've had some grey times because LIFE ISN'T BLACK AND WHITE MAN. Until next week -- or whenever I write another article that you will subsequently ignore -- I am Tyler, and you can tell me what you think on my pretentious Twitter account @ArtBathednCrime or in the comments below. You can even send a carrier pigeon to my house if that's what tickles your fancy. See ya!