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!

It's E3 Day 2 But I Need To Finish Day 1, So Here's Some More Before Day 2 Officially Starts

Written By: Tyler

If you've been following my coverage of E3 -- and I know you have, because IGN, Gamespot and Twitch are rookies -- then you know I went to bed pretty early last night. Because of this, there were some titles and some news that I may have missed that I am now catching up on today. Before coverage starts for today on sites like Gamespot and IGN, I think it's best to throw up a post to round up some of the stuff I missed because unfortunately I have a job.


Freedom Wars Looks Like An Incredible Vita Game
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/11/e3-2014-freedom-wars-vitaas-most-promising-new-exclusive

I don't own a Playstation Vita because at the time I was considering buying one, I was turned off by the fact that I had to buy a memory stick on top of buying the actual Vita itself. I then decided to just go back to Nintendo and get a 3DS. I don't regret this purchase at all, but as time goes on, I'm really wanting a Vita more and more. Freedom Wars has a great premise: People can be given a million years in jail time for small crimes, and in order to knock years off your sentence, you have to do things for the State. Damn you State!

Aside from the fact that it gives you a reason to do a bunch of quests, the action looks fast and exciting. There seems to be quite a bit going on on screen and there's a lot of creativity on display. Freedom Wars is definitely a game to lookout for.


Final Fantasy 14 Is Getting Gay Marriage And Two New Classes
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/11/e3-2014-final-fantasy-14-getting-two-new-classes-gay-marriage

Are you gay? Do you like Final Fantasy? This one is for you. When the next patch comes out you will be able to play as the Rogue, who dual wields weapons and uses enhanced movement skills and poisons. Then the Ninja can be unlocked afterward, who does all this but adds magical abilities. Whoa, magic in a Final Fantasy?

You will also be able to marry anybody. But not everybody, because that would be weird.



Impressions

Below -- I haven't gotten a chance to play Super Time Force, but I loved Sword and Sworcery and while these are completely different games, I have high hopes for Below. I don't love Roguelikes like the rest of the indie community seems to, but I enjoy them, and Below looks like an atmospheric, interesting take on the genre. I have faith that Below will be a nice mixture of visuals, music and gameplay. The choice to have the camera so far back on your character is neat, and the things said about the game in the demo I saw gives me faith that this will be special, such as the sense of exploration.

Helldivers -- This is interesting, a co-op game that kind of encourages you to be a dick, or at the very least lends itself to your friends being dicks. It's a top-down shooter (which we don't see enough of), and when you die, your friends have to call in a respawn. Oh yeah, there's also friendly fire. The action looks wonderful, and I'm a bit of a sucker for this type of game so I'm excited. I think the name is terrible, though.


Murasaki Baby -- I'm very impressed by this game. I feel like I heard of it before, maybe just that it was coming out, but I absolutely adore the hand-drawn, surrealist (I'm a big fan of surrealism) art style. It's disturbing and beautiful all at the same time. I'm also not usually a fan of touch-screen controls, but there are certain genres where it works well. Murasaki Baby looks like a game that will benefit from the touch-screen controls rather than succeed despite them. This is one of the games of the show I have been most invested in, and it's yet another reason I need a Playstation Vita.


No Man's Sky -- I have loved what I've seen so far, but I just listened to the developer joyfully discuss the story, multiplayer and -- most importantly -- the gameplay. Even though I have been positive and excited since I saw the reveal of the game, I would say there's a bit of cautious optimism because I was scared that the game wouldn't be that fun to play. The developer has soothed these fears for me because he explained how if you're a fan of combat, there can be a lot of it, or if you just want to explore there's certainly a lot of that, or maybe you just want to focus on building your suit. There seems to be a lot of variety, and the idea that we start on the outside of the universe really adds to the mystique of... what is at the center of the universe?


 Well that's pretty much it for me. It's a little late, but Day 1 is done for me. Bring on Day 2!

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.

Becoming a Star Wars Fan One Step At A Time -- A Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 Review

Written By: Tyler Selig

                HEY EVERYBODY! There’s a new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and I’m reviewing it! Of course, you knew instantly that I was kidding because if you’re a KOTOR fan, there’s no way they slip a sequel by you without you knowing.

                I haven’t written anything here in a long time. Indeed, I was strongly considering shutting this down – a feeling that I admittedly have way too often. However, until I finally decide to pull the plug, I do have some ideas for articles. I also have plans to review new games once 2014 games start actually hitting stores. Until then, I’m mostly dealing in retro games (if the 2000s can be considered retro in this case), and other various articles. I am also considering doing a review in a month or more for Final Fantasy: A Realm Reborn because I just broke down and bought it after much argument… with myself.

                So with that said, now you know where I’ve been all this time which is absolutely nowhere in particular, and we can continue on with a review for a game that I actually had never played until now, despite hearing its praises over and over. I’m ashamed, you don’t have to tell me that I suck.

                Of course, I’m talking about Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 – The Sith Lords.

               

Rating: 8.5/10

Verdict: The sequel to the overwhelmingly loved Knights of the Old Republic is an accomplishment in role-playing games, but it does have some flaws (that are apparently fixed by installing certain mods). Whether you like Star Wars or not, there is a lot to love here due to the control you have over what takes place and the in-depth game play.

               

I feel like I’m in therapy because there are some more confessions I need to make. Firstly, I am not really a Star Wars guy and that probably a large reason why I haven’t played this game until now. I don’t hate Star Wars, I’m just indifferent despite actually admiring a few aspects of it. I have pledged to make 2014 the year that I get into it. The second confession is that I haven’t played the first Knights of the Old Republic, which most people will agree is the better of the two.

                Whew, now that that’s over with, let’s get on with the review. It’s important to note that I beat the game once, apparently missed a few neat things, and I played as an evil prick.

                I want to start with the bad to get it over with, and there are some problems that keep me from rating it a 9 out of 10. Before anybody says it, I am aware that there are mods out there, but I didn’t use them so I don’t know what they entail. I also believe that a reviewer should review the game as it was put out. Steam gave me this, so this is what I review.

                What I’m trying to say is that the game is buggy. There were plenty of times that my game glitched and I wouldn’t attack, or the character did something stupid like walk the long way around to get to an enemy. I got stuck on pieces of the environment that weren’t there. There were just a fair amount of times that my game did things that it wasn’t really supposed to do. My understanding is that people have been critical because the game “isn’t finished” and is “unpolished.” I can see both of these things being true, but it’s not a game breaker by any means.

                Sometimes weird things happened, such as awkward transitions to the next event. I also found that the cutscenes were for the most part pretty poor. I am aware it’s not a cinematic RPG like Final Fantasy tends to be. I also take into account that the game was made in 2004, but even by those standards some of the scenes were just painful to watch. There were very few that I thought were pleasant to my eyes, and most of those were near the end.

                The beginning area is incredibly long and uneventful. My brother, who bought me the game and adores the series, even admits to this. He knows everything because he’s my blood and he is also from the Dark Side. The base should have been shortened, because there really wasn’t a lot going on of interest and it almost took me out of the game entirely. I hate bad beginnings.

                When the game opens up, it’s worthy of the celebration it gets. The game is non-linear, meaning you can go to any of the planets and complete it as you see fit. The game doesn’t hold your hand, but sometimes events didn’t take place as they should so I’d be confused about where to go next. It was rare but it happened. Still, being able to hop from world to world at my own leisure (except for periods in the story where one was off limits) was a joy. Doing the quests that each world presented were fun as well. It’s not ground breaking in its own right, but it’s a solid RPG experience in that regard.

                Where the game excels most is the story. Even today there are very few games where your decisions matter. Mass Effect – made by the same company – does this (don’t tell me about the ME3 ending!), and KOTOR is where they planted the seeds for that. Every conversation matters because each NPC with a name that you meet could mean something to you. Answering a question could reflect greatly or poorly on you. If you’re going for the Dark Side, you could answer a question a little nicer than you wanted and you get Light Side points. The game does a good job of grouping “good” and “bad” answers together, and it also does a wonderful job of giving you a sense of real morality, whether you choose to be a complete badass like me, or choose to be a pansy and uh, help people. These choices impact the story in various ways, and it’s a real treat to see how this detailed – and as much as I’m indifferent to Star Wars at this point, I can admit that there is a lot of great material to mine for a Sci-Fi story – plays out, all the way to the end. And oh, wasn’t the end glorious, me walking around as a complete beast Force Storming my way back into their hearts.

                On top of that you build relationships with your character. Admittedly, like real life nobody liked me that much, and it wasn’t until after I had beaten the game that I was told that you can turn your characters into Jedis if they like you enough. Damn. Regardless, it does make you care about the people in your life.

                You play with up to three characters at a time, and they have different skills that they excel in. If your main character is lacking in something, like Repair, then put someone in your team that can do it. Bao-Dur was pretty much a God to me because he was great at everything I was not. On a side note I hated the Handmaiden because she was also pissing on my parade. Fuck you I want to murder that person!

                The UI for everything is easy to maneuver, with everything just being a click away to access, so I have no complaints with how the game looks and feels in that regard. You can easily get to your melee attacks (in which there are different options) or your spells. Your light and dark powers are even in different sections. Also included in the hotbars are things like grenades, your different stances, abilities and items to use. It’s very easy to get into for someone who hasn’t played the game before.

                Nothing about the game is complicated except for your moral choices if you’re actually a person with a conscience. Upgrading your equipment and creating items are easy, operating on a simplified system in which you get components or chemicals by finding them or breaking down items. Upgrading your equipment is a breeze as well.

                Leveling up has the right amount of complexity, but doesn’t confuse you. Basically there are four things you can level up, your attributes, skills, powers and feats, though you can’t always level all of them up. Everything is laid out in a nice fashion that keeps it from being a chore.

                I was given this advice and I will give it to anybody who hasn’t played the game yet – when beginning, decide whether you want to go Dark Side or Light Side and go all in. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a Light Side spell if you’re on the path to Sith, especially since the healing spell is on that spectrum. What I mean is that using the Light Side takes more force points when you’re on the Dark Side and vice versa. Don’t half-ass this.

                I know I’m late to the party but I’m glad I finally played it. It’s a lengthy campaign, being roughly thirty hours if you do the story and some of the side-quests, and I intend to do a playthrough on the Light Side at some point in my life. Knights of the Old Republic 2 deserves its place in the RPG canon and it should be a must-play for any RPG fan.