The folks over at CineFix, who specialize in reimagining your favorite movies and television shows as 8-bit and 16-bit games, have done it again. This time, they turned their attention to The Fast and The Furious, the first movie in the street racing franchise starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker.
As always, CineFix created something that looks like it could have been an actual game back in the day, but a little better.
If you haven't seen their work before, make sure you check out their treatments for Scarfaceand The Walking Dead.
If you need more Fast and Furious in your games, you still have time to grab Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious for free. It's a standalone game, so it won't require Forza Horizon 2. It will be free until April 10 in a bid to promote the release of Furious 7, the latest entry in the blockbuster movie franchise that hits theaters on April 3.
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Developer NeocoreGames has announced The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III for PC. The game will be the final episode in the Van Helsin trilogy, and will be released sometime in the second quarter of this year via Steam.
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III takes place in Borgovia after the civil war has concluded. The city is beset with warring factions, criminals, and a cult which prophesizes that the end is nigh. The game follows titular protagonist Van Helsing in his quest to hunt down a "former ally turned into fearful archvillain" and unearth "the darkest secret about the birth of the modern Borgovia." The game will also explore the past of Lady Katarina. Like its predecessor, Van Helsing III will include tower-defense mini-game sequences.
The game is a sequel to 2014's The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 2, which was also developed by NeocoreGames. The game was well-received in GameSpot's review, earning an eight out of ten for its dense environment and quick, rewarding combat.
GameSpot has already published two Dark Souls II reviews, one triumphant and effusive, and one disheartened and defeated. And neither one of them is wrong. This is the Souls series--as well as its cousin Bloodborne--encapsulated: grand trials by fire in which other games, with their boundless forgiveness, their comprehensive tutorials, and hand-holding linearity may be lifted and praised for their mercy or condemned for their patronization, qualities we have never received from the Souls games and likely never will. These games are brilliant, tedious, exhilarating, soul-crushing monsters, all.
With that in mind, the Scholar of the First Sin Edition is what it looks like when that monster puts on its best, smiling face, and tries its absolute best to be warm and welcoming to one and all. That's a welcome extended to the folks who've sunk hundreds of hours into the game who think they know what they're getting with this version. It's a welcome extended to complete newcomers who've never played a Souls game. It's a welcome extended to the people who've been mired in Bloodborne these past few weeks. And it's a welcome extended to me, someone's who's gone into each of these games determined to slay the beast, and found myself cowed each and every time. This version is meant to entice, a Cheshire smile shared between From Software and all players, old and new, that can't hide its newly sharpened teeth.
The new edition entices the way many predators do: with the utmost sweetness and light. In previous iterations, the world of Drangleic where Dark Souls II takes place felt like a ruined, half-faded memory of a beautiful place, whose washed out, dismal details gave the sense that the world itself was quietly eroding into the dirt. Even the PC version, running at its highest settings, in its most grand environments, had this feeling of dulled luster.
Stepping out of the first cave into hub world Majula this time inspires the sense of grandeur it was always meant to have. There's a new warmth and vibrancy to the place, a clarity that feels fully realized at last, serving to suggest the beauty that once was instead of accentuating the wreckage that it is. The graphical uptick has that effect on the whole game, offering a feeling of rejuvenation, that Drangleic is still alive.
It is alive, and crawling with the undead like never before.
From Software's version of "Welcome to Drangleic" is a higher fidelity to the visual than ever before, but its version of "Welcome back to Drangleic," for veterans, is about walking into the Forest of Fallen Giants for the first time, turning a corner, and running right into one of those massive hippo/cyclops creatures. It's about trying to go to the Cathedral of Blue, and the Ring of Binding at its entrance, and finding it guarded by a fire-breathing wyvern instead of a single knight, and that's if you kill the sped-up spear-wielding white knights swarming in the Heide Tower of Flame area, and that's if, when you first get there, you get past the sleeping ones who no longer lay dormant if your level is high enough. It's finding out that The Pursuer is almost as common as the giant knights at the Tower of Flame, and there are no handy giant crossbows to make their appearance any easier. A new relentless Hollow NPC assassin, The Forlorn, now lurks among the hordes when you least expect and never want it.
In that traditional dastardly way of theirs, From Software has revamped layout for NPCs, enemies, and items virtually throughout the entire game. Much of the game feels familiar, but you can hear the evil cackling of the developers trying their best to throw a wrench into any sense of comfort or routine in this new run. Enemies have been placed and replaced for maximum surprise factor--and unlike a new-game-plus, you may not have enemies performing new attacks, or have backup during boss fights, but you're also not starting with all your gear so you can deal with new problems when they arise. It changes the options for exploration in much the same way, where an area that was once accessible to everyone--well, as accessible as anything in Dark Souls can be--now has a bloody and brutal price of admission. Moments of respite at bonfires have either been moved, or now have an obstacle to surmount first.
It doesn't necessarily make for a brand new game, but it does give it a different flow. Death still comes in Dark Souls with all the ferocity of its reputation, but its tone and timbre has been altered, for the grudgingly, frustratingly better.
That said, if there's one thing that experts have always driven home about Dark Souls II, it's that it has a rhythm. There's a pace and structure to everything. Dark Souls as a musical genre is prog rock. It's insanely dense and intricate, and while it might not be everyone's favorite tempo, it is still there to be appreciated. And for what it's worth, something about this new tempo finally struck the right note. By the game's count, 67 hours have gone into this particular run through, and 22 of the game's bosses have died by my hand. Where I am now feels like a urgent, furious push into the unknown, a never-ending series of fights for my life. Even with a giant sword that destroys most anything in my way, and a tower shield that barely budges, there's the feeling that missing my cue will still cost me my life. I feel like I've passed some threshold and met the core of Dark Souls, where I no longer fear every interaction, but anticipate whatever new devilry wants to test my mettle. It's an ongoing supply of new revelations, characters adding their particular dysfunction to the experience, and equippable items all with their own tales to tell. It's a time where the simple act of opening a chest feels like I'm gambling with my life.
That said, it is, as of this moment, an incomplete experience, as the multiplayer servers on the PlayStation 4 remain closed, and the eponymous Scholar of the First Sin battle is explicitly tied to the endgame. I can't wait to meet him. I can't wait to look this ugly sucker in whatever passes for his eye and introduce him to my greatsword. I can't wait to collect up a horde of phantoms to lay waste to the demons in my wake like never before.
Upcoming action game Batman: Arkham Knight will have a series of content "exclusive" to the PlayStation 4 version of the game. As it turns out, this content--comprising extra missions and skins--will come to other platforms later, according to an Amazon advertisement for the extras.
A line from the ad reads: "Bonus content exclusive until at least fall 2015."
This content will be available to PS4 players when Arkham Knight launches on June 23. However, it's unclear when exactly it will launch and what it will cost when it finally arrives for Xbox One and PC.
The exclusive content is not the first example of Sony and Warner Bros. working together to give Arkham Knight PlayStation fans special treatment. Sony will also release a two special Arkham Knight-branded PS4 consoles for the game's launch this summer.
This isn't the first time Sony has secured a time-exclusive DLC arrangement for a major multiplatform game. The company did the same thing with Activision's Destiny, offering extra content first on PlayStation platforms. This content was later released for Xbox.
DeNA, the mobile game partner Nintendo chose to help bring the company's franchises to mobile devices, is expecting big things in terms of revenue. The Japanese company said Wednesday, in an interview with Reuters, that it's hopeful that its Nintendo games can generate over ¥3 billion ($25 million) per month.
"We want to create games that will be played by hundreds of millions of people," DeNA chief executive Isao Moriyasu told Reuters. Previously, DeNA said it was hoping to topple Candy Crush and generate more than 100 million daily active players for its Nintendo games.
To do this, Moriyasu said DeNA will create a catalog of highly compelling Nintendo games. "We want to create multiple hit games rather than aiming to succeed with just one powerful IP element," he said.
Regarding the $25 million figure, Moriyasu admitted that he hadn't discussed financial targets yet with Nintendo. All the same, he's hopeful that DeNA's Nintendo games will be big business for both firms.
"We haven't talked to Nintendo about targets, but at DeNA, our best-selling game brought in ¥3 billion yen a month, and we want to surpass that," he said, referencing the smartphone game Kaito Royale. This game has since been spun into a TV series, Reuters notes.
Nintendo and DeNA have not disclosed revenue sharing details for the upcoming smartphone games. However, analysts told Reuters that Nintendo is likely to make around 70 percent of all proceeds.
Nintendo's big move into the smartphone market has been received positively by investors, as shares of the company skyrocketed by more than 30 percent. The company also announced that it had started work on a new system, known internally as the "NX." This system, which Nintendo says it won't start talking about officially until 2016, aims to surprise and innovate.
We're expecting even more Nintendo news during tonight's Nintendo Direct briefing, which starts at 3 PM PDT / 6 PM EDT. Check back then for all the news as it happens.
Driveclub developer Evolution Studios is celebrating April Fools' Day with free DLC. Available now in the PlayStation 4 racing game is a special Wombat Typhoon buggy from the developer's other major racing series, MotorStorm.
"It's April 1st; drive like a fool in Driveclub," Evolution wrote on Twitter. Watch the trailer above to see the new vehicle in action.
This is not much of a surprise, as images and gameplay videos we've seen so far have looked gorgeous.
The Xbox One edition's resolution, however, remains unconfirmed. We've reached out to Warner Bros. for clarification. Meanwhile, the system requirements for the PC version of the Caped Crusader game have not yet been announced.
In other recent Arkham Knight news, Sony just yesterday announced a new PS4 bundle themed around the game. Included in the $450 package is a steel-grey PS4 console featuring a Batman faceplate. Sony will also offer a $400 Arkham Knight bundle that comes with a standard, jet-black PS4.
The eight-week Spring Fever event spotlights "unique" games, with Sony releasing a new PlayStation game every week through April 21.
Last week's new release was Metal Slug 3, while this week's is the Metroid-style Axiom Verge ($20). The game is available now on PS4, with the PS Vita edition to come later featuring Cross-Buy support.
In addition, Sony has marked down numerous Warner Bros. games, including a handful of Batman titles and more. A variety of Batman movies are also on sale this week. All deals are good through April 6, and PlayStation Plus members can save 10 percent.
The full list of Spring Fever deals are listed below. Don't see anything you like? Check back next week (and the two weeks after that) to see even more Spring Fever deals when they're announced.
Looking for more deals? April's free PlayStation Plus games have also been announced; they go on sale next week.
How much have you spent on Star Citizen? I'd be willing to be that it's not more than 39-year-old IT professional Wulf Knight. As revealed in an excellent, wide-ranging Wired story about Star Citizen, Knight says that his total investment in the in-development PC space game so far is $22,501.
Knight has purchased a variety of Star Citizen ships, and was one of the 200 people who bought a $2,500 Javelin Destroyer. He also spent $10,000 on the Wing Commander package, a special bundle that comes with 44 ships and access to Star Citizen's in-game "1 Million Mile High Club" VIP lounge.
According to Wired, the average Star Citizen supporter has contributed $96 to the game.
Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games has extended special perks to Knight for his incredible investment, including the chance to play the game with its creator, Chris Roberts. However, Knight has always declined. "He has better things to do," Knight said.
You might think that Knight would be feeling some level of buyer's remorse over spending so much on virtual items. But he has no regrets.
"I'm a professional, I'm married to a professional, and I have no debts, so I have resources to put into my hobby," he said. "You could spend this much restoring a car. I know people who have $3,000 paintball markers."
Also in the story, Knight reveals that Roberts' most famous game, Wing Commander, was a formative experience for him, teaching him important professional skills.
"Chris Roberts launched so many IT careers, it isn't even funny," Knight remarked. "And now, after 10 years, he's making another space sim? It's like Tolkien coming back from the dead!"
This is no April Fools' Day prank. After six years, Sony's online virtual world--PlayStation Home--is now officially closed. The virtual destination opened in 2008 and ceased operation on March 31.
The official shutdown is not a surprise, as Sony announced in September 2014 that the PlayStation 3 service would close on that date in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
PlayStation Home was first revealed at GDC in 2007. Pitched as a free, Second Life-style virtual world where you'd create a virtual version of yourself that could have an apartment, meet up with friends, socialize, and watch movies or play games, Home never met the full potential of what was originally outlined.
Although it attracted millions of users following its launch in 2008, numerous overhauls--including a relaunch in 2011 and the addition of game-themed content--never turned Home into what Sony hoped it would become.
Do you have any particularly noteworthy memories of PlayStation Home? Share them with us, if you'd like, in the comments below!
Sunset Overdrive, the Xbox One exclusive from Microsoft and Insomniac Games, is now available at retailers across the US for $40. The permanent price drop went into effect today, Microsoft announced.
The game launched in late October. Insomniac Games, of course, is perhaps best known for its PlayStation-exclusive franchises such as Ratchet & Clank and Resistance.
In other Sunset Overdrive news, Insomniac Games has released the game's latest DLC, called "Dawn of the Rise of the Fallen Machines." The add-on is included with the game's season pass or can be purchased separately for $10. It comes with new weapons, traps, amps, enemies, and outfits.
On top of that, Dawn of the Rise of the Fallen Machines includes a "new giant Energy Ball that only you--the hero--can control," Microsoft says. Check out a trailer for the expansion above.
Finally, to celebrate April Fools' Day, Insomniac Games has released a new Xbox One achievement for Sunset Overdrive. Unlock the "Worst Job in the Kingdom" by replaying and completing the "Floating Garbage" mission in under 15 minutes to earn the achievement.
The "Worst Job in the Kingdom" achievement brings Sunset Overdrive's total gamerscore point total to 1,925, which is almost double the number included with the base game, Insomniac Games notes.
It's April 1, which means--apart from being April Fools' Day--that there are a variety of new free games to download on Xbox Live if you're an Xbox Live Gold member. Microsoft is going big this month, offering double the number of free games to subscribers now through April 30.
Sony is getting into the April Fools' Day spirit. The company on Wednesday released a bogus product announcement video for "PlayStation Flow," the game-maker's latest PlayStation 4 wearable device designed to help you play games underwater.
"We're taking gaming out of the living room and into the swimming pool," a Sony spokesperson says.
PlayStation Flow comes with goggles, arm bands, and even a special body dryer. Best of all, you don't even need to be in a pool to use PlayStation Flow. Make sure you watch through to the end for the big finish.
The video is really well-made and might be the April Fools' Day gaming prank to beat so far.
Check out GameSpot's roundup of April Fools' Day video game-themed gaming pranks here.
In a fascinating new interview with GamesIndustry International, Oddworld creator and industry veteran Lorne Lanning reveals that Microsoft considered offering the original Xbox for free back in 2001.
This move, Lanning said, was an attempt to reach "casual" gamers, which he claimed Microsoft saw--at least during one stage of development--as they key demographic for the console.
"At the time, Xbox thought that the core market was going to be casual," Lanning said. They were going to be the casual gamers' machine. Now, that's why they approached us because they said 'we think you've got something that competes in that Mario space and we think Mario's the thing to kill ... We see that space. We want that audience. We love Oddworld so why don't you get on this bandwagon? And we might give the box away,'" Lanning explained.
"So now you're like, 'Look, if you're going to give the box away, you're going to win. If you're going to win, we want to be on board.'"
Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley is also featured in the report. He said conversations about the direction the original Xbox should go were shooting in all directions, including offering it for free. Of course, Microsoft did not end up going down this path, launching the console as a paid device in November 2001.
"In the early days of Xbox, especially before we had figured out how to get greenlit for the project as a pure game console, everybody and their brother who saw the new project starting tried to come in and say it should be free, say it should be forced to run Windows after some period of time," Blackley said.
Other ideas floated inside of Microsoft were wild to think about now. According to the report, some said the Xbox should be a console focused on playing movies or that all games would need to be developed by Microsoft. Others even suggested that Microsoft should make a dramatic move and buy Nintendo.
"Just name it, name a bad idea and it was something we had to deal with," Blackley said.
Of course, the Xbox has gone on to become a juggernaut brand in gaming. The original Xbox helped popularize the console FPS with Halo and its online infrastructure, Xbox Live, was revolutionary.
"Our research indicates that there are virtual gaming options out there for almost every demographic. But one has gone untapped: dogs."
That's the pitch for "Pawculus Rift," a new--and totally bogus--virtual reality headset that aims to "revolutionize the dog gaming industry, mainly because there isn't one."
Pawculus Rift represents "the future of fetch," developers say in the announcement video above.
Check out the full video via the Vimeo embed. It was made by Boston-based marketing studio Cramer.
Looking for April Fools' Day coverage? Check out GameSpot's roundup of video game-themed gaming pranks here.
Battlefield developer DICE's upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront multiplayer shooter is making "so much progress," according to one of its developers. Battlefront designer Viktor Lundberg shared a new status update for the game recently on Twitter, adding that he's looking forward to time off for the Easter holidays.
"So much progress over the last couple of weeks," Lundberg said. "Looking forward to us all getting Thursday-Monday off."
Those who attend the Star Wars Celebration "will have a chance to see gameplay behind closed doors during the show at our official booth along with a few other activities starting that Friday," according to EA.
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