By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 11:32 pm
Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford invested $10 million of his own money into Aliens: Colonial Marines and lost it all. Pitchford revealed the figure today as part of a heated Twitter debate. He defended Colonial Marines and said the claims made in the game's high-profile lawsuit were "hurtful and unhelpful."  First, some background. Following the release of Colonial Marines in February 2013, sources told GameSpot that publisher Sega was concerned that Gearbox was not investing enough effort into the game. Later, complaints were filed that claimed trailers for the game published pre-launch were misrepresentative of the final game. Sega later admitted that the videos could have been misleading, and the matter went to court. In May 2015, the next chapter of the case unfolded when Gearbox was dropped from the lawsuit, something it had been trying to achieve for a year. The case against Gearbox was dismissed with prejudice under the condition that Gearbox wouldn't seek legal fees. The case could still proceed in court, however, but not as a class-action lawsuit, a judge ruled at the time. Now, Pitchford has shed new light on the development of Colonial Marines and the nature of Gearbox's relationship with Sega. Among other things, he says the game needed to sell 3 million copies to break even, but it ended up only shipping 1.3 million, meaning it was a "commercial failure." Check out more of Pitchford's thoughts on Colonial Marines through the tweets below. You can also visit his Twitter page to see everything he had to say--and there is lots.
 
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 11:32 pm
 Aaron and Ryan discuss how PlanetSide 2's open world could make the Battlefield franchise new again.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 11:24 pm
The Roster That Keeps Growing
One of the most exciting things about following a new Street Fighter game is the anticipation of whose going to be in it. So come and check out this list of all the confirmed characters in Street Fighter V so far.
Ryu
Ryu is back once again to join the roster of Street Fighter V. Having been in every game in the series since its arcade debut in 1987, Ryu is considered Street Fighter's most recognizable character. He is a practitioner of Shotokan-style Karate and mostly spends his life alone wandering from town to town looking for challenging opponents to fight. Ryu's primary ambition in life is to become the strongest fighter he can possibly be.
Ken
Ken, the best friend, rival, and former sparring partner of Ryu, is coming back in Street Fighter V. Alongside Ryu, Ken is a longtime series character who has also appeared in every single major Street Fighter game. Despite being trained under the same master as Ryu, Ken differs from him in his more fiery and rambunctious personality. But like Ryu, Ken also wants to find a challenging opponent to help him become stronger. However, he often grapples with this desire because he doesn't want to jeopardize the safety of his family.
M. Bison
A visibly older version of the treacherous Street Fighter antagonist M. Bison is set to appear in the roster of Street Fighter V. M. Bison has been a playable character in nearly every single game in the series with the exception of the first and third games. He is the leader of a crime syndicate known as Shadaloo and is the wielder of an evil energy known as Psycho Power. Being the evil man that he is, M. Bison is the instigator of several grudges from many characters in the series, such as Chun-Li, Guile, and Cammy. His main goal is to rule the world at any cost for his own selfish benefits.
Cammy
Cammy first debuted as a playable character in Super Street Fighter II and has since appeared in both Street Fighter Alpha and Street Fighter IV. She used to work for Shadaloo as one of M. Bison's brainwashed servants. However, after successfully breaking free, she was stricken with amnesia. Slowly regaining her memories ever since, Cammy now works an operative of Delta Red, a counter-terrorism task force for MI6.
Charlie
Charlie is a fighter who has been very much a part of the Street Fighter lore for quite some time. He was central to Guile's backstory in Street Fighter II, but never appeared in the game. However, he eventually made an official appearance as a playable fighter in Street Fighter Alpha. As Guile's military comrade, Charlie has many of the same techniques, such as the "Sonic Boom" and "Flash Kick." As lore would have it, Charlie suffered an early death during the end of Street Fighter Alpha, although the official canon explanation of how he died is unclear.
Chun-Li
Street Fighter's iconic fighter Chun-Li will be coming back once more in its fifth entry. As a constantly recurring series character, Chun-Li has appeared in all of its games except Street Fighter and the first two editions of Street Fighter III. She is a master of Chinese martial arts and has a longstanding career in law enforcement. Having a strong sense of justice and honor, she always seeks to eliminate the injustices of M. Bison and those associated with him.
Birdie
Birdie is a classic series character who has only appeared in the original Street Fighter and the Street Fighter Alpha games. His fighting style traditionally consisted of charging attacks and long distance grapples, but it appears he now has access to additional moves in Street Fighter V involving throwing food at his opponents and spewing fire from his mouth. Birdie is most notably characterized as an antagonist in the series due to his history working as an agent of Shadaloo.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 10:59 pm
 Watch extended gameplay footage from Rocket League featuring the Giant Bomb crew.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 10:32 pm
Ubisoft Toronto, developer of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, is working on an all new game property, according to a job listing found on the company's careers page. The job listing was posted on Twitter by Heather Holmes, who is team lead talent specialist at the studio. "New senior game designer with 3Cs [character, controls, camera] expertise on a new IP here at Ubisoft Toronoto. Must have AAA game experience," reads her tweet. The job listing doesn't provide much insight into what the project may be, only that the successful candidate will "be responsible for developing game systems, controls and interfaces (as well as the other interactive elements of his/her project) in order to bring the vision of the Producer into a playable experience." After shipping Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Ubisoft Toronto collaborated with the Montreal studio to work on Assassin's Creed Unity and Far Cry 4. In March 2014, studio boss Jade Raymond said Ubisoft Toronto has five unannounced projects in development. The studio's development pipeline was said to include "two new IP" and a "new Splinter Cell." Raymond has since left Ubisoft Toronto, and recently announced she has founded a new EA studio called Motive. Raymond and Motive will "work in close quarters with the BioWare team," suggesting the studio may have some hand in developing Mass Effect: Andromeda. It will also be incubating "entirely new IP and taking on some amazing projects." The studio's first project is working on the Star Wars game from former Uncharted writer Amy Hennig, which is also being developed by Dead Space studio Visceral.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 10:23 pm
Announced just a few months ago, Sony's God of War III Remastered, an updated version of the 2010 PlayStation 3 game, launched Tuesday for PlayStation 4. It's the first God of War game for PS4. The game runs at 1080p/60fps, but how is it holding up with critics? To help you decide if it's worth a purchase, we've rounded up some editor opinions and review scores below. - Game: God of War III Remastered
- Developer: Sony
- Platforms: PlayStation 4
- Release Date: July 14
- Price: $40
IMAGE GALLERY:          GameSpot -- 8/10"60 frames per second and 1080p resolution aren't game-changers for Kratos' adventure, though they are certainly nice attributes to have; God of War III Remastered is simply another chance to admire a game that we admired five years ago. At a $40 retail price, however, it doesn't make a strong enough argument for buying a game you've already bought, particularly when the lower-resolution pre-rendered cutscenes stand out all the more next to the in-game visuals." - Kevin VanOrd [Full review] IGN -- 8.8/10"God of War III was an impressive feat for its day, and it still impresses today in God of War III Remastered. Its beautiful graphics are prettier than ever, and a higher frame rate adds more fluidity to the action. The story will be confusing to newcomers, as it picks up right in the middle of the saga, but the exciting combat and epic set pieces hold up exceptionally well." - Meghan Sullivan [Full review] Game Informer -- 9/10"If you were planning on playing (or replaying) God of War III regardless, you can't go wrong with this version. It's the same game that earned so much acclaim five years ago. With that being said, God of War III Remastered does nothing to entice old players to return; apart from photo mode, you won't find any new options or tweaks to inject novelty into the adventure. You even need to beat the game before you can use the handful of included DLC costumes. God of War III is still a fantastic experience, and a significant beat in gaming history, but this remaster doesn't build on its legacy." - Joe Juba [Full review]  Hardcore Gamer -- 4/5"God of War III has aged surprisingly gracefully. Although it's over five years old, somebody inexperienced with the series could easily mistake Remastered for an original PS4 game. In that sense, the release is a resounding success." - Steve Hannley [Full review] PlayStation Universe -- 9/10"As far as Remasters go God of War III is a welcome but an unnecessary one. The single addition of the Photo Mode and updated graphics are something I feel just aren't worth paying $40 for a five year old game." - Garri Bagdasarov [Full review] Shacknews -- 7/10"While God of War III Remastered may scratch the nostalgia itch we all have for Kratos-related mayhem, it doesn't offer anything more than a good-looking trip down memory lane. If you have yet to play the original God of War III, this would be a great opportunity to do so, but those who don't want to have their memories tarnished due to a lack of bonus material may want to steer clear of God of War III Remastered." - Daniel Perez [Full review]
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 09:56 pm
 Ahead of his upcoming review, Danny sits down with Drew from Giant Bomb to play the latest game in Codemasters' Formula One series.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 09:40 pm
[Update] An official trailer has emerged indicating the Prototype Biohazard Bundle is out now on PS4, too. Activision have revealed the bundle will include "full HD visuals", as well as an improved frame rate and increased texture resolution. Finally, the publisher announced that Prototype and Prototype 2 will come to current gen individually on August 11 in North America. You can check out the trailer below. The original story is below. A bundle which includes action games Prototype and Prototype 2 is now available for purchase on the Xbox One, Microsoft announced today. Called the Prototype Biohazard Bundle, the announcement was detailed on the Major Nelson site. The bundle is priced at $49.99 on the US Xbox Store and includes downloadable content. Together the games are approximately a 17GB download. Prototype was first released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and follows the story of Alex Mercer, a man who possesses shape-shifting abilities and has lost his memory. The game was well-received in GameSpot's review, scoring eight-and-a-half out of ten. Reviewer Justin Calvert praised Prototype for its intriguing protagonist and storyline, as well as its ability to be challenging without becoming frustrating. A sequel, Prototype 2, was released in 2012 and carries on from the story of its predecessor through the eyes of a new character. The game was positively received in GameSpot's review, although it was criticized for not bringing anything particularly new or inventive to the series. Developer Radical Entertainment has since been downsized, with remaining staff allocated to various Activision Publishing sectors.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 09:38 pm
Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic adventure game The Last of Us was celebrated by critics upon its release in June 2013 for PlayStation 3. But some at developer Naughty Dog didn't think the studio had a hit on its hands until the game's development was wrapping up, key designers reveal as part of a new interview. "Quite the opposite," co-director Bruce Straley says in the latest Conversations With Creators video when asked if Naughty Dog anticipated the game's huge success. "We thought it was going to tank." Not only that, but Straley said he worried that if The Last of Us was poorly received, it would sully the name of Naughty Dog itself. "We thought we were going to ruin the name and image [of Naughty Dog] that's been so heartily built for years with blood, sweat, and tears," he explained. "We thought we were ruining Naughty Dog's image." Neil Druckmann, the other director for The Last of Us, added, "The joke we would say throughout production was that 'This game is the downfall of Naughty Dog.'" So what was wrong with The Last of Us? Lead designer Anthony Newman explains that some of the issues had to do with game mechanics. These problems were eventually overcome due to some "lucky breaks." "A big part of it was on the mechanical side; I thought, 'We'll be lucky to scrape by with an 85 Metacritic.' Just because it wasn't gelling," Newman said. "It wasn't coming together. So it was really a a set of really lucky breaks in terms of gameplay decisions we made that really made everything fall into place and turned it into a fun game." Not until the point when development on The Last of Us was wrapping up did Naughty Dog feel it had something special on its hands. Druckmann said he began to feel more positive about the game's outlook when people from outside of the studio played it and were blown away by the story and writing. Part of the reason why The Last of Us' story resonates so strongly is because it carries a powerful, universal theme. "The most intense love you can have is between a parent and a child," Druckmann said about the Joel and Ellie relationship. A remastered version of The Last of Us was released on PlayStation 4 last summer. According to voice actor Nolan North, Naughty Dog is working on The Last of Us 2.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 09:15 pm
Amazon has revealed some of the games that will be included in the upcoming Prime Day Sales. As previously announced, the sale is scheduled to take place on June 15 and, according to the online retailer, the discounts on offer will be bigger than those offered on Black Friday. The sale will be exclusive to Amazon Prime members in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, and Austria. Prime Day discounts will go live at midnight on July 15, with new offers coming online over the course of the day--some as frequently as every ten minutes. Some of the items that will be available can now be seen on the website. Amazon Prime costs $99 (£79) a year. Benefits include free two-day shipping, as well as access to the Amazon Instant Video Collection and the ad-free Amazon Music catalog. A free 30-day trial is also available.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 09:10 pm
 The Prototype Biohazard Bundle brings both entries in the series to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 09:02 pm
The rumored partnership between Electronic Arts and Comcast has now been confirmed. Comcast on Tuesday launched a new game platform called Xfinity Games, which is "powered by EA." It's a subscription-based game service that streams EA games to a supported Xfinity set-top box. You don't need any extra equipment or software--and your smartphone or tablet acts as a controller. Check out the video below for a quick look at how Xfinity Games works. As you can see, Xfinity Games supports EA's mobile games, not console titles. Some of the supported games include FIFA Soccer 13, Plants vs. Zombies, and NBA Jam. You can see the full lineup on the Xfinity Games website, which also warns that online multiplayer is not supported. Games are available in the Xfinity Games beta for free, but pricing has not yet been determined for the program's commercial launch. Existing Comcast users can opt-in to the Xfinity Games beta by navigating to the Apps menu, where they'll find the Xfinity Games app. Follow the on-screen instructions and you should be all set. For more on Xfinity Games, check out this detailed FAQ. Both EA and Comcast were previously in the running for the title of "Worst Company In America" from the affairs blog The Consumerist.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 08:33 pm
Sony has detailed the lineup of PlayStation 4 games that will be discounted as part of its annual Play Summer Event. Discounts will become active on July 14 when the games, Journey, N++, Galak-Z, and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, become available to preorder on the PlayStation Store. PlayStation Plus members that preorder any of the games will be given an 20 percent discount, according to Sony. The aforementioned titles will be released over the course of first weeks, starting with Journey on July 21, N++ on July 28, Galak-Z on August 4, and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture on August 11. Anyone that purchases two or more of the games between July 14 and August 18 will receive a coupon redeemable for a 10 percent in-card discount on eligible items on the PlayStation Store. Coupon codes will be delivered by September 1 and expire on September 30. - Journey: $14.99 (PS Plus preorder price: $11.99)
- N++: $19.99 (PS Plus preorder price: $15.99
- Galak-Z: $19.99 (PS Plus preorder price: $15:99)
- Everybody's Gone to the Rapture: $19.99 (PS Plus preorder price $15.99)
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 06:30 pm
 God of War as a series is renowned for its spectacularly epic opening sequences, but in light of God of War III: Remastered's release, Kevin deliberates the best intro of them all.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2015 12:30 pm
It's one of the most thrilling openings in all of video games. As warrior-turned-deity-killer Kratos, you climb the Titan Gaia, who functions as a colossal, moving level upon which you battle Poseidon, the god of the sea. Gaia herself is one of Kratos' few remaining allies; her cries of pain pierce the air as you swing your chained blades, launching ghoulish soldiers into the air and slicing away at Poseidon and his many-legged steed. It is all sound and fury, almost unparalleled in its sense of scale and its translation of a protagonist's anger into bloody, brutal interactions. When Kratos strikes his final blow, you see it not from his perspective, but from his victim's point of view, in the first person. It's a striking and vicious design choice that sets the tone for the game to follow. You are no longer conquering the Greek gods as an enraged antihero, but as a full-on villain. The question, then, is this: How could God of War III hope to top this sensational introduction? It doesn't, though it certainly tries, and allows God of War II to retain its position at the peak of this beloved series in the process. That's not to say that the game isn't terrific fun, only that its unimaginative final encounter has nothing on the phenomenal opener. Gaia casts a long shadow over the hours that follow, and even a similar battle upon Cronos' massive body can't escape it, though it, too, remains a technical marvel in this remastered edition. 60 frames per second and 1080p resolution aren't game-changers for Kratos' adventure, though they are certainly nice attributes to have; God of War III Remastered is simply another chance to admire a game that we admired five years ago. At a $40 retail price, however, it doesn't make a strong enough argument for buying a game you've already bought, particularly when the lower-resolution pre-rendered cutscenes stand out all the more next to the in-game visuals. Character skins and arenas released as downloadable content make appearances, as does a new photo mode that allows you to capture sumptuous moments and share them with friends, enemies, and mythical beasts, but where remasters are concerned, this one belongs in the "barebones" column. Taken on its own merits, however, God of War III maintains the high bar its predecessors set for combat. Kratos is responsive to every input, swinging the blades of Olympus and the claws of Hades with a slickness and strength befitting a protagonist whose muscles have muscles. Using light and heavy attacks, you hack away at a gorgon before flinging her into the air; once she is close to death, a prompt appears, and you perform a series of button presses while Kratos yanks her body towards him with his blades, pulls her head back, and decapitates her. Quick-time finishers cap each violent dance with a gruesome climax, and you then return to the mythical slaughter, all while the game finds new, gorgeous backdrops that remind you how enormous this world is, and how puny you are within it. Four melee weapons means four times the fun. Well, maybe not four times. But a lot of it, anyway!God of War III's greatness relies not just on its combat, however, but on the way it strings battles, puzzles, and traversal into an ever-varied chain of enjoyment. Sequences that might have felt like filler in a lesser game (see: Dante's Inferno) retain their sense of fun because you aren't just faced with another onslaught of warriors, minotaurs, and scorpions, but because clever level design, smart camera angles, and visual centerpieces hold monotony at bay. Pressing a stick forward to climb a lengthy chain is not, in and of itself, reason for celebration. But when the camera pulls back and a miniscule Kratos patiently scales upwards as you watch through an opening in the nearby cliffs, you feel awe. Each thrust upwards fills the cavern with metallic echoes; you both see and hear the chasm's enormity. Even the seemingly straightforward combat benefits from playful presentation and mechanical diversity. Cauldrons filled with flammable bramble explode when you fire flaming arrows at them, much to the dismay of nearby foes. Snarling dogs attack as an elevator rises, making it hard--but not impossible--to appreciate the beauty of the temple in which you fight. Then there are the puzzles, best represented by an extensive one in which shifting perspectives enables you to climb staircases and cross walkways that would not seem connected. It's the most thoughtful section of a game that requires more intuition than it does intellect, notable not just in its wit, but in the way it requires you to use the limp body of Kratos' high-profile victim as a weight.  Definitely not God of War III's biggest boss. Still big, though.This isn't the first time you use a corpse in such a way in the God of War series, but it's more striking in God of War III because Kratos has no shred of mercy remaining within him--not at this stage. Previous games allowed Kratos his humanity, Chains of Olympus' Elysium Fields sequence being an excellent example. While Kratos has never been a hero in the usual sense of the term, we have seen the source of his torment, and watched Athena refuse to set him free from his nightmares. Here, Kratos is a one-note killing machine, and we are left only with what we know from previous games to provide context. The smidgen of mercy Kratos shows towards a daughter figure in the final hours, and the accompanying message of hope, is not earned given how little development the character shows in God of War III up to that point--and reminds us that for Kratos, women are whores, wives, daughters, or paperweights. Full-on cruelty was always in the cards, but it makes Kratos difficult to root for, particularly if this is your first God of War experience. Then again, this is not a series known for its sophisticated storytelling. Kratos is the vessel for an instinctive kind of gameplay that is rarely this successful. Your rewards for following God of War III's linear trail are genre-defining combat, excellent pacing, and the innate joy of watching enemies spew forth clusters of glowing red orbs when they fall. It's the ever-compelling quest for shinies, accomplished by slamming your cestus into the ground, then gutting a centaur and watching its viscera spill onto the floor. Your reward is more power, which you use to earn more shinies and to see more entrails. That the game finds so many ways to stay consistently fresh within this traditional structure is a feat worthy of the gods.
Recent Articles: | 
No comments:
Post a Comment