Saturday, March 23, 2013

News::Firefall, New Stuff You Need to Know: PAX East 2013

Weve covered Firefall at several PAX events now, so when developer Red 5 sent out invites to a massive press event, we scratched our heads. For three years, Red 5s free-to-play FPS MMO has had a presence at conventions.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215613/firefall-new-stuff-you-need-to-know-pax-east-2013

News::Getting to the guts of Dead Island: Riptide | AWESOMEoutof10

Despite some very, very shaky code and questionable design choices, the first Dead Island was actually a ton of fun in co-op. Writer Darik Kirschman had the chance to play the sequel, Riptide, on the PAX East show floor and dropped his impressions into an article.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215886/getting-to-the-guts-of-dead-island-riptide-awesomeoutof10

News::GryOnline- StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review

GRO:Heart of the Swarm is a true, full-blown classic addition.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215864/gryonline-starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-review

News::PAX: Dust: An Elysian Tail announced for Steam


As revealed this weekend at PAX East, Dust: An Elysian Tail is coming soon to Steam. The hope is for a release in April, though we do know for sure that this version will not use Games for Windows. That's a win. To coincide with the news, there's also an announcement trailer full of some rather glowing (but deserved) quotes about the action game.


For as long as Dust was in development, it's so wonderful to hear that it's shedding exclusivity for a financially viable platform like Steam. I don't know how well it performed on Xbox Live Arcade -- presumably well enough -- but surely this news is a sign of even better things to come.


[Via NeoGAF]


PAX: Dust: An Elysian Tail announced for Steam screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/pax-dust-an-elysian-tail-announced-for-steam-249490.phtml

News::GryOnline- Tomb Raider Review

GRO:Adventures of Lara Croft has never been as exciting as the new Tomb Raider. Young adept archeology goes true survival school in one of the Japanese islands hiding secrets of an ancient civilization.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215868/gryonline-tomb-raider-review

News::GryOnline- Crysis 3 Review

GRO:The game tells the story of Laurence Barnes, also known as the Prophet, returning to the game thanks to the efforts of Psycho, a former colleague from the department, the closer we got to know in Crysis: Warhead.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215869/gryonline-crysis-3-review

News::Hands-on: Rosewill Throne Crazy PC Case Mod - PAX East 2013

GamersNexus: "Last years PAX East visit to Rosewill saw the excitement of a dual-PSU, dual-CPU Black Hawk Ultra system decked-out with a killer black-and-red custom paintjob; with the ante now officially upped, Rosewill has once again returned to the showfloor of PAX East, intent to reclaim the throne for most souped-up PC of the show."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215564/hands-on-rosewill-throne-crazy-pc-case-mod-pax-east-2013

News::Shaiya: Level 70 Beginning Quests in Pantanasa - Walkthrough

Detailed guide on Level 70 Beginning Quests in Pantanasa. A complete Walkthrough



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215558/shaiya-level-70-beginning-quests-in-pantanasa-walkthrough

News::Tomb Raider Review | VGMMDI

Tony from Video Games Made Me Do It reviews Tomb Raider



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215917/tomb-raider-review-vgmmdi

News::PAX East 2013: Dead Island Riptide Hands-on | VGRevolution

VGR: As a fan of the Dead Island series, I was excited to hear that Deep Silver would visit PAX. I was a huge fan of the first game and was interested to see what the company would work on to improve the sequel, Dead Island Riptide. The time allowed on the four-player co-op demo I got to play with my friends was fifteen minutes, but in an island full of zombies with countless weapons, fifteen minutes can be plenty.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215916/pax-east-2013-dead-island-riptide-hands-on-vgrevolution

News::PAX East 2013: Splinter Cell Black List Impressions | VGRevolution

VGR: After being on the run in the most part of Splinter Cell: Conviction it appears the Sam Fisher has taken more of a classic route this time around and it is very welcomed. Mr. Fisher takes the role of the head of the Third Echelon and runs a small team. You base your operations out of a small HQ with a few unique characters that add personality to the story and help push it along.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215910/pax-east-2013-splinter-cell-black-list-impressions-vgrevolution

News::Mass Effect 3 Stats Infographic

An infographic was released on the Mass Effect Twitter, detailing the choices of all Mass Effect players world wide. It is quite interesting to compare ones playthroughs with the general populace, and knowing just how wrong they are.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215866/mass-effect-3-stats-infographic

News::NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Launching on 26th March Fast Enough To Tackle Radeon HD 7850

As you all may remember, we said in our reports that the AMDs HD 7790 Bonaire GPU would be the direct competitor of the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost however turns out to be that even with the new core, its performance would lack far behind the updated GK106 core from NVIDIA. We will detail the performance bit later in this article.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215881/nvidia-geforce-gtx-650-ti-boost-launching-on-26th-march-fast-enough-to-tackle-radeon-hd-7850

News::Elder Scrolls Online Hands On

When Bethesda announced that Elder Scrolls was being translated into an MMO with Elder Scrolls Online, we were all rightfully skeptical.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215614/elder-scrolls-online-hands-on

News::Release Date for Latest EVE Online Update Confirmed

Developers CCP Games have confirmed the release date for the next EVE Online expansion.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215838/release-date-for-latest-eve-online-update-confirmed

News::The not-quite-daily Steam spotlight 23/03 Mini Edition

It's the weekend! Time for some more sales from Steam!



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215865/the-not-quite-daily-steam-spotlight-23-03-mini-edition

News::Battlefield 4 Website Reveals Two Characters: Hanna and Unnamed Male Soldier

MP1st - EA and DICE reveal another two pieces of artwork on the recently launched official website for Battlefield 4 in preparation for the games official reveal this March 26th at 11pm PDT.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215759/battlefield-4-website-reveals-two-characters-hanna-and-unnamed-male-soldier

News::How Hard Is It To Get Into PC Gaming?

"There's a clear divide between those who get their gaming fix on their home console, and those who play on a beefy PC. With the recent announcement of the PlayStation 4, fans from both sides have been clashing in a war of words over the advantages and disadvantages of gaming on home consoles and PC's. I'm going to be honest, I'm not a big PC gamer, never have been, never will be. I've always been drawn to the ease of access of the home consoles, from the old SEGA MegaDrive right up to this generation with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a bit of Wii on the side. Consoles are relatively cheap and don't require a whole lot of technical knowledge. That was up until a few months ago." - TGC



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215880/how-hard-is-it-to-get-into-pc-gaming

News::PAX: Singin' and stompin' with Toki Tori 2

Being a fan of puzzle adventure games, I couldn't pass up the chance to play Toki Tori 2 on the PAX show floor. What's not to love about an adorable yellow bird tromping around a brightly animated forest? I got a hands-on with Two Tribe's second installment, yet first attempt at publishing a completely independent game, and was delightfully surprised!


Two Tribes launched the original Toki Tori over a decade ago for the Game Boy Color. I haven't played the first one for comparison, but the developers assured me that the mechanics of the second installment make for completely different gameplay regardless.


This time around, the cute yellow chicken (known as Toki Tori) uses his abilities to interact with the creatures around him to move forward in the level. This is a vastly different experience from the first game, where players were required to sort through an inventory management system to solve puzzles. I found myself enjoying the mechanics of this second installment -- as simple as it sounds on paper it's actually quite nice in practice.



PAX: Singin' and stompin' with Toki Tori 2 screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/pax-singin-and-stompin-with-toki-tori-2-249225.phtml

News::Metro Vancouver school is backdrop for violent video game

MSN - The use of a digital reproduction of a Vancouver-area high school as the backdrop for a violent first-person shooter video game has alarmed school administrators and teachers in Port Moody, B.C. The digital reproduction of Port Moody Secondary School was designed for Counter-Strike, a video game in which players use automatic assault rifles to shoot at enemy forces.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215550/metro-vancouver-school-is-backdrop-for-violent-video-game

News::PAX East: Hands On Heathstone: Heroes of Warcraft {Vagary.tv}

"PAX East: Hands On Heathstone: Heroes of Warcraft Published on March 23, 2013, by Chris Scott - Posted in Event Blogs, PAX East 2013, Previews 0 Comments and 0 Reactions Blizzard Entertainment, creators of StarCraft, Diablo and WarCraft, have unveiled their newest title and it is not what anyone was expecting. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a free-to-play strategy card game on Windows, Mac and the iPad. Set in the WarCraft universe, Hearthstone will see players duel against opponents with customized decks of virtual cards. If you are having trouble wrapping your head around that, picture Magic: The Gathering but with a WarCraft theme to it."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215841/pax-east-hands-on-heathstone-heroes-of-warcraft-vagary-tv

News::Civilization V: Brave New World gets playable XCOM squad

Some big XCOM news dropped at PAX East 2013, but it wasnt actually about XCOM. Civilization V: Brave New World will include an XCOM squad unit, as Firaxis combine their games in a very tongue-in-cheek way.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215858/civilization-v-brave-new-world-gets-playable-xcom-squad

News::The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Review | NowGamer

NowGamer: "Maybe no one was expecting greatness on the level of TellTales episodic game from The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, but there are brief fleeting moments when Terminal Realitys game shows that there was a real vision for something good. The vision didnt hold though, and players are instead left with a listless shambling husk of what the game could have been."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215820/the-walking-dead-survival-instinct-review-nowgamer

News::PAX: UDON releasing updated Mega Man art book

Hyrule Historia is pretty awesome. The History of Sonic The Hedgehog is not bad either. But for me, the best game series bible is Mega Man Official Complete Works. Released to celebrate the franchise's 20th anniversary, it contained production art and behind-the-scenes nuggets for every mainline entry and most spin-offs in the Classic and X sub-series. The Japanese original was a single volume, but UDON chose to split it in two for the Western release. Unfortunately, both are now out of print and command exorbitant secondhand prices.


UDON has just announced at PAX a bunch of new Capcom art collections for the second half of 2013. There are books for Asura's Wrath, Dragon's Dogma, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter, but my eyeballs are squarely directly at the fifth item: MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works . Released in Japan late last year, this updated edition includes Mega Man 9 and 10 coverage plus new art and interviews. It also sounds like there will be additional material not found in the Japanese release, such as covers from the Archie comic series.


Of the five books, MM25 is first on the production schedule. It'll be released as a single volume this time, so it ought to cost less than what the original two books cost together. If you missed out on the first run, I urge you to get your wallets ready when MM25 arrives later this summer... hopefully. We all know how UDON is with keeping to a release schedule.


UDON ANNOUNCES 5 NEW CAPCOM ART BOOKS [UDON Entertainment via The Mega Man Network]


PAX: UDON releasing updated Mega Man art book screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/pax-udon-releasing-updated-mega-man-art-book-249462.phtml

News::SimCity Review | GamePlanet

GamePlanet: "SimCity looks and sounds beautiful, and contains many great development ideas, but the always-online requirement has hurt the game. It also needs some patching."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215807/simcity-review-gameplanet

News::PAX: Mercenary Kings has four player split-screen co-op | Destructoid

Destructoid: "Tribute Games, the developers of Wizorb, showed off a playable build of their Metal Slug-esque Mercenary Kings at PAX East this weekend. Does it look familiar? Yeah, it's that awesome retro-looking side-scrolling shooter from part of the team that designed Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215824/pax-mercenary-kings-has-four-player-split-screen-co-op-destructoid

News::PAX: Transistor: A two-hour wait for an indie game?

Supergiant Games told me it has been like this all day. Yesterday too. Their next game after Bastion, titled Transistor, is easily worth the wait. Our preview from yesterday spells it out, but I'm here to tell you that if you haven't tried this beautiful game out and are here at PAX East, get in line now.



I'm already head over heels from a ten-minute demo.

PAX: Transistor: A two-hour wait for an indie game? screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/pax-transistor-a-two-hour-wait-for-an-indie-game--249479.phtml

News::Neverwinter Beta Weekend Now Live

Perfect World Entertainment Inc. and Cryptic Studios have today launched the Beta Weekend 3 for the highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), Neverwinter. Live now, players with early access to Neverwinters Beta Weekend 3 can experience a wealth of new content, including the first opportunity to check out the player versus player (PvP) system and the chance to explore the Pirates Skyhold and Icespire Peak Adventure Zones.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215529/neverwinter-beta-weekend-now-live

News::Anomaly 2 Preview | Machinima

Machinima: "When almost any game can be pigeonholed into a three-word genre, Anomaly: Warzone Earth confused everyone in 2011 with its sort-of-but-not-quite tower defense gameplay. Dubbed 'Tower Offense,' the game tasked you with protecting a column of tanks as they rolled through a path skirted by all manner of turrets. From my time with Anomaly 2, the sequel looks like the best kind you could hope for: one that expands and adds to the gameplay of the original without losing what made the game unique."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215802/anomaly-2-preview-machinima

News::Did Blizzard Just Use Diablo III PC Screenshots To Advertise the PS3 Version?

Yesterday Blizzard Entertainment opened a new page dedicated to the PS3 version of Diablo 3 showing, between the other things, six screenshots allegedly coming from the console port. Turns out that at least for two of those screenshots this isn't the case.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215798/did-blizzard-just-use-diablo-iii-pc-screenshots-to-advertise-the-ps3-version

News::Gamesradar- Transistor Preview

GR:Supergiant Games upcoming title Transistor blends Bastions dynamic storytelling techniques and colorful art style to create a new experience full of wonder and intrigue. While both games look similar, Transistor offers a different combat system and gameplay elements that distinguish it from Bastion. We only got to play a short demo of the game, but its clear that Transistor is shaping up to be just as impressive as its predecessor. Transistor tells the story of a songstress named Red that has gone mute after a group known as the Process tries to kill her. She soon stumbles upon the sentient sword Transistor, who becomes both her companion and weapon on a journey to find her assailants. The game takes place in a futuristic city that has been overrun by robots, so while Bastions isometric viewpoint and rich color palette is present, youll definitely feel like youre exploring a new world with a friend by your side.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215787/gamesradar-transistor-preview

News::BeefJack Podcast Episode 28

James, Anthony, and Jamie laugh it up discussing Saints Row 4 and the new Walking Dead, John Riccitiello resignation, and the 4GB Aliens: Colonial Marines patch. And of course, what theyve been playing.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215726/beefjack-podcast-episode-28

News::Crysis 3 Review | Player Effort

Can Crysis 3 live up to it's predecessors?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215782/crysis-3-review-player-effort

News::Dead Island Riptide - 9 things you need to know

GamesRadar - Dead Island Riptide is a massive, massive game. We sat down with a near-final preview version ahead of the game's release date of April 23 and, after hours of hacking limbs and removing undead heads, we were only a measly 10% through the game. However, we got a great sense of what to expect from the finished version, and if we were to sum it up in a sentence it would be: more of the same.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215709/dead-island-riptide-9-things-you-need-to-know

News::The Walking Dead Season 2: 5 Improvements Needed

"TellTale have already announced that a second season of their hit game, The Walking Dead, will be releasing some time in the future. This shouldnt be a surprise to anyone, given the amount of popularity the game garnered from critics and gamers alike. " | Explosion.com



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215749/the-walking-dead-season-2-5-improvements-needed

News::Jak and Daxter Collection might come to PS Vita

The original Jak and Daxter was a charming little platformer if not a bit derivative. The two sequels were... err... something else, for lack of a better phrase. I enjoyed them nonetheless, and I'm disappointed that Naughty Dog doesn't want to give us a proper follow-up. Blame Uncharted.


But at least PS3 owners got the Jak and Daxter Collection ! Three of the best 3D platform games on the PlayStation 2 updated with that HD spit shine? Sounds golden to me! Know what would be even better? Being able to take those games on the road whenever you please.


A new ESRB entry suggests that the Jak and Daxter Collection will receive a Vita port in the near future. It'll contain the same three titles as the PS3 version, thoughI hope Naughty Dog will consider putting at least Daxter or The Lost Frontier as well for completion's sake. I doubt Vita owners would mind a little extra somethin'-somethin' either.


Jak and Daxter Collection [ESRB via NeoGAF]


Jak and Daxter Collection might come to PS Vita screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/jak-and-daxter-collection-might-come-to-ps-vita-249459.phtml

News::Easy PC 2 - Graphics Cards

Now that he's got your CPU, motherboard and RAM sorted, join Chris as he picks a graphics card to go with them.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215324/easy-pc-2-graphics-cards

News::Review: March of the Eagles (This Is My Joystick)

March of the Eagles (MOTE) doesnt really have much of a story, although it seems to roughly follow historical situations. These situations are only really ever used as jumping-off points for the games various missions though, each one taking you a step closer to your goal. The idea is that you can reshape history as you see fit, leading the tiny Persia to European dominance or starting an unprecedented allegiance between France and Britain to take over Russia. While the game allows you to play fast and loose with actual history, in essence its extremely accurate. Down to the way troops are recruited and commanded, each battalion, fleet and division is typical of the type found in that country in that time period. It seems much effort has gone into impressing history buffs and the air of authenticity present is palpable.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215704/review-march-of-the-eagles-this-is-my-joystick

News::IGN - Saints Row 4: Eyes On Impression

IGN - Daemon gives us his first impressions of his experience playing Saints Row 4.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215701/ign-saints-row-4-eyes-on-impression

News::Embrace the Crazy of Saints Row 4

A hands on look of Saints Row 4 from PaxEast. Lots of cool stuff in the game, including the Dubstep Gun, which apparently melts your face. Video included.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215742/embrace-the-crazy-of-saints-row-4

News::Next Mass Effect game will be 'fresh and new'

GS:BioWare executive producer Casey Hudson says next game in series will offer new ideas; feature film with Legendary remains in production.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215775/next-mass-effect-game-will-be-fresh-and-new

News::FEZ creator thinks DS and 3DS are bullsh*t

Indie game developers are certainly an outspoken lot, aren't they?


Phil Fish, creator of the dimension-flipping XBLA platformer FEZ , finally decided to hop on the Monster Hunter train starting with Ultimate for 3DS. He thinks the game itself is fine, but he's having difficulty playing without a second stick. So he did what anybody else would do and took to Twitter to vent.


"started playing my first monster hunter game last night. on 3DS. it's not exactly playable without that circle pad pro atrocity...i don't understand. why would you even release a game like that on a platform like that? why is it not out on let's say... vita? you know, the one where you could control the camera. it's too bad because MH looks like it's basically phantasy star online but not in space. and i love me some PSO. [sic]" Funny he should say that, considering that our review notes the unwieldiness of the Circle Pad Pro in most situations and how the L is more ideal, but whatevs. Different strokes and all.


FEZ creator thinks DS and 3DS are bullsh*t screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/fez-creator-thinks-ds-and-3ds-are-bullsh-t-249467.phtml

News::Grepolis Celebrates Third Anniversary With New Video

InnoGames have just announced the release of a brand new video celebrating the third birthday of their hugely popular Ancient Greece MMORTS game, Grepolis. Accompanying the new video was an announcement declaring that the game has reached the massive milestone of 20 million registered players worldwide.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215298/grepolis-celebrates-third-anniversary-with-new-video

News::PAX East - Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Press Kit

Blizzplanet got the press kit Blizzard Entertainment provided to the fansites invited to their PAX East announcement event. The press kit contains all the documentation including Fact Sheet, a FAQ page more elaborate than the one seen at the official website, launch details, technical stuff, game mechanics, and beta details. It also contains High-resolution artwork, art of minion cards and heroe cards, and three HD videos including the video trailer, and the fireside duel.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215280/pax-east-hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft-press-kit

News::Easter Events Announced For Dino Storm

Splitscreen Games have just revealed the exciting lineup for the Easter Events in their uniquely themed free-to-play MMORPG, Dino Storm. The unique MMO combines the Old West with lasers and dinosaurs to provide players with a truly innovative experience, but the Easter Event returns to tradition to offer players some exciting rewards.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215260/easter-events-announced-for-dino-storm

News::Final Defiance Beta Now Live

Defiance, the highly anticipated online open-world shooter from Trion Worlds, has today entered its third and final PC beta phase, ending on 25th March at 4am GMT. For the first time, on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, console gamers will get the chance to experience a taste of the massive co-operative boss battles and fierce multiplayer gameplay that takes place across this evolving sci-fi universe, with specific details for the beta phase on each platform included in official invitations that are currently being distributed.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215235/final-defiance-beta-now-live

News::Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 - SweetFX vs Vanilla Comparison

DSOGaming: "As we've said in our Performance Analysis, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 is not a great looking game. Thankfully, though, PC gamers can improve the game's visuals with the SweetFX mod. Since we love this tool - created by Guru3D's member "CeeJay.dk" - we gave it a go and created three settings for all of you that significantly improve the image quality."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215672/sniper-ghost-warrior-2-sweetfx-vs-vanilla-comparison

News::5 Upcoming Indie Horror Games Set to Keep the Genre Alive

GP writer Marcus Estrada discusses 5 upcoming indie games that are set to keep horror games alive.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215527/5-upcoming-indie-horror-games-set-to-keep-the-genre-alive

News::Discipline Naughty Players In Lords of Football

Gamesta.com gets the latest news for Lords of Football. In its latest clip, we get to see life beyond the football club, as team members head out into the nightlife. Those that fail their duties, however, will be punished for their misdeeds.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215622/discipline-naughty-players-in-lords-of-football

News::Nvidia Slam PS4, But Is Power Everything?

Vibox delve into Nvidia's recent outlandish statements about the PS4, question rhe next generation's impact on the future of PC gaming and wonder if it really is all about numbers and spec sheets.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1215227/nvidia-slam-ps4-but-is-power-everything