By Anonymous on Jul 08, 2015 12:15 am
Star Wars: Uprising, the upcoming mobile game that will bridge that gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, has gotten its first gameplay trailer. The new RPG was announced early last month, but was accompanied only by a CG trailer and a small screenshot that resembled a Diablo-style action game. Based on today's new gameplay video, that appears to be a somewhat fair comparison. While the details are still sparse, it does look to be an isometric action game where you'll be able to outfit your character with a variety of weapons (including blasters and melee weapons) and items. Despite being an iOS and Android game, Uprising offers real-time cooperative play for what appears to be up to at least three players. Uprising "introduce[s] a new chapter of the Star Wars universe that will illuminate dramatic events in the Anoat Sector, inclusive of Hoth and Cloud City, following the Battle of Endor and the death of the Emperor." It's in the works at Kabam, a mobile studio also responsible for games based on franchises like The Hobbit and The Godfather. A specific release date for Uprising has still not been announced; we only know it's coming in September. You can pre-register to play on the official website, which will entitle you to in-game rewards like a Stormtrooper helmet upon release. Meanwhile, other new Star Wars games are also on the way, including a 1313-esque project from Visceral and DICE's Star Wars Battlefront.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 11:35 pm
The string of recent PlayStation Network issues continues again today, as the service is again experiencing problems, at least for PlayStation 4 users. Following reports of issues with specific games, Sony's official PSN status page has been updated to reflect today's problems. As of this writing, two specific areas of PSN on PS4 are impacted: gaming/social and the PlayStation Store.  In the case of the former, you may have issues launching or playing certain games. We've seen complaints of this related to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Driveclub, and the newly launched Rocket League, though other games may be affected as well. As for the PlayStation Store, Sony lists only the PS4 as being affected. As today is a Tuesday, the PlayStation Store is--barring any continued issues--set to get its weekly content update today, which will bring with it the new PlayStation Plus games for July. The service alerts were published at 10:30 AM PDT, though complaints seem to have been circulating all morning. Last week, the problems were more widespread, impacting more systems and services. It's unclear what's causing today's problems, but Sony has said previously that the service is attacked daily. In a tweet this morning, Sony said, "Engineers are investigating issues with the PSN connectivity; thanks for your patience." We'll keep this story updated with the latest on PSN's status.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 11:26 pm
Responding to "immense popular demand," Capcom has created a wearable Mega Man helmet that will let you become the Blue Bomber himself. Companies other than Capcom have made replica Mega Man helmets before, but this is the first full-size official headgear based on the iconic gaming franchise. It's made of "high quality" ABS plastic, featuring a polish finish and authentic proportions. It also has working LED lights. Getting your head into the helmet should be made easier through its clamshell hinge that allows the front and back half to open. The inside of the helmet is outfitted with soft padding.  The Mega Man helmet will be on display at San Diego Comic-Con this week. We don't know what kind of batteries it takes, and It's not yet available for sale. But Capcom encourages eager shoppers to keep an eye on its website for preorder information. Pricing was not announced, but the helmet certainly doesn't sound cheap. If you already bought Think Geek's officially licensed life-size Mega Man Buster, the helmet should be a nice addition to your collection for Halloween, cosplaying opportunities, or just for fun. For more on Capcom's Comic-Con memorabilia offerings, which include Ryu statues and comfy-looking Monster Hunter onesies, check out this blog post. Comic-Con officially kicks off this Thursday. Though the show is mostly focused on movies and TV, video games will play a role in the event. Capcom plans to talk more about Street Fighter V during the event, while Ubisoft is bringing Assassin's Creed: Syndicate to the show. Activision will also attend the event to reveal Call of Duty: Black Ops III's Zombies mode and more, and Microsoft will host a handful of Xbox panels and let people play unreleased Xbox One games. 
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 11:14 pm
An enhanced version of the reimagined Gauntlet released for PCs last year is coming to the PlayStation 4 this summer, developer Arrowhead Game Studios announced today. Known as Gauntlet: Slayer Edition, this sounds as if it's still essentially the same game as what came out last year: a modern take on Gauntlet, the 1985 arcade classic. It's an action-RPG--a "dungeon brawler," as Arrowhead puts it--where you play as one of four classes while teaming up with friends locally or online. We already knew that Arrowhead had plans to improve upon last year's game with a free update that would more closely bring it in line with the developer's vision. Game director Emil Englund offers some details about this in a note on Arrowhead's website today, saying Slayer Edition will be "a stronger, cooler, and more slayer-y version of the one we released on the PC. We've been shaping up a lot of the assets in the game, both characters and environments, as well as improving on the game mechanics. "This time around, we wanted to explore the heroes and their abilities more in-depth giving them a bigger toolset for players to explore, as well as a new game mode in which to exercise their rights as self-proclaimed monster slayers."     The equipment you choose to use is now more important than before, and as such, all four players can now choose to alter their loadout at the same time. Englund also promised great variation in monster encounters and the visuals of the environments. More details on the improvements--which will be included in the PS4 version from launch and are coming to the PC version in a free update--will be revealed over the next few weeks. Slayer Edition is slated for launch as a digital game on PS4 in August for $20. Preordering gets you some bonus items (Mordok's Screaming Hammer and Reaper's Visage Helm for the Warrior). Once today's PlayStation Store update goes live, you'll be able to do so here. Gauntlet marks Arrowhead's second PS4 game this year following Helldivers.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 10:25 pm
Bungie has announced a new Destiny emblem that will be given only to the most dedicated players. Players who achieve all of Destiny's "Moments of Triumph" before September 9, 2015 (the game's first birthday) will receive the emblem you see below. After that date, the emblem will be unattainable.  There are ten Moments of Triumph, some of which you'll need Destiny's expansions to unlock. You can see all ten of the challenges below, with descriptions courtesy of Bungie. - Crucible Gladiator -- Win 100 Crucible matches
- Chest Hunter -- Find all golden chests
- Public Servant -- Complete 50 Public Events
- Apprentice of Light -- Achieve maximum character level
- Light of the Guardian -- Defeat the dark heart of the Black Garden
- Light in the Dark -- Prevent the summoning of Crota's Soul
- Light of the Reef -- Capture Skolas in the Vex Citadel
- Bane of Skolas -- Defeat Prison of Elders on Hard Difficulty
- Bane of Atheon -- Defeat Atheon on Hard Difficulty
- Bane of Crota -- Defeat Crota on Hard Difficulty
You can track your progress against these goals through this special Bungie.net page. If you complete all challenges by September 9, you'll receive the emblem when The Taken King launches on September 15. How close are you to unlocking the emblem? Let us know in the comments below. This special Destiny emblem was just one of the announcements Bungie made today, July 7, which the developer celebrates annually as Bungie Day. Bungie announced a special Destiny year one art contest and added new avatars to the Bungie.net forums. In addition, the developer has launched a new website called The Armory, which players can use to select an ideal loadout before heading into battle. In addition, it may not come as much of a surprise, but Bungie ended its Bungie Day blog post today by proclaiming that it has "more adventures in store for Destiny in the months and years to come." You can expect Bungie to continue to support Destiny for a long time, considering Bungie signed a ten-year publishing deal with Activision back in 2010. Separately, Sony today announced a gorgeous-looking PlayStation 4 system bundle that will launch in September alongside the release of The Taken King. For more on all the Bungie Day announcements, check out this post.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 10:14 pm
Coinciding with the release of Destiny's third expansion, The Taken King, Sony will release a special Destiny-branded PS4 system bundle in September. The bundle includes a white system adorned with a galaxy map, a Guardian's crest, and the Destiny logo on the top. The console is equipped with the standard 500 GB hard drive, rather than the 1 TB drive that Sony is bringing to Europe. We're guessing the white controller the system comes with won't have its face buttons and d-pad swapped, as in the picture below. Check out more photos (without that gaffe) in our gallery.       In addition to the system, the bundle includes Destiny: The Taken King's Legendary Edition, the version of the game that consists of all content available to date. That includes the base game and all three expansions, as well as some digital bonuses, like armor shaders and emotes. Keep in mind this is not the same as the Collector's Edition of The Taken King, which also comes with some physical items. The Taken King is a major expansion (hence its $40 price tag), with Bungie describing it as "more than DLC--it's a game." The developer recently outlined its contents, which includes everything from new story missions to new Crucible multiplayer maps. Players on PlayStation systems will also get exclusive content (that will come to Xbox later), such as an additional Strike mission and multiplayer map. A price for the bundle was not announced, but we do know it'll be out on the same day as The Taken King: September 15.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 09:30 pm
With Fallout 4 moving its setting to a post-apocalyptic Boston, Massachusetts, it's expected that the game's plot will incorporate some of the city's most famous landmarks. In the trailers, we've seen footage of the USS Constitution, the Paul Revere Monument, the Bunker Hill Monument, and Fenway Park. But one landmark we haven't seen yet is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known simply in the Fallout universe as "The Institute". The Institute has become a highly secretive organisation since the bombs fell, but it has been referenced a couple of times in prior Fallout games. By way of his obituary, it is revealed that Mr House, the primary antagonist of Fallout: New Vegas, once studied at The Institute. But the more significant reference comes in the form of a Fallout 3 quest called "The Replicated Man". The quest begins when you encounter a character named Dr. Zimmer. He is employed by The Institute, and is searching the Capitol Wasteland for an android, Harkness, that has escaped from his employers. Part of The Institute's secrecy concerns the highly advanced technology it houses; technology advanced enough to create androids like Harkness which are almost indistinguishable from humans. These androids are used as slaves by The Institute, but some of them develop sentience of their own, and subsequently desire to escape their life of servitude. If they do escape, the androids are hunted down by a group of law enforcement personnel known as the Synth Retention Bureau. The whole quest is an homage to Blade Runner, in which "replicants"-- androids also virtually indistinguishable from humans--are hunted down and killed by a police force specifically trained to do so. As in Blade Runner, some of the members of The Institute's Synth Retention Bureau are androids themselves. In opposition to The Institute and the Synth Retention Bureau is an underground movement calling itself The Railroad. This is a group of people who assist androids in escaping slavery and in finding a new life--sometimes going so far as to give them a complete facial reconstruction and erasing their memory to adjust to their new lives. In The Replicated Man quest, you must decide to side with either The Railroad or the Synth Retention Bureau by determining whether Harkness remains free, or turning him over to Dr. Zimmer. It's highly likely that The Institute, The Railroad, and the conflict between androids and humans, will play a major part in Fallout 4's plot, given that we'll actually be exploring Boston. But how these factions' goals and objectives will play into those of the Brotherhood of Steel and Boston's other surviving groups remains to be seen.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 09:18 pm
Mighty No. 9, the Mega Man-style platformer from Keiji Inafune, is expanding into new territory.  Legendary Digital Media, the offshoot of Godzilla and Warcraft film company Legendary Pictures, will develop a Mighty No. 9 live-action movie with Dead Rising: Watchtower company Contradiction Films. Fans may also be happy to learn that Inafune's own Comcept Inc. is working alongside both film companies. Inafune also created the Dead Rising game universe, so--barring any setbacks--Mighty No. 9 will become his second project to be spun into a movie. "This collaboration will give our creation the ability to reach people all over the world," Inafune said of the film deal. "Thanks to all of your support, we have fulfilled another one of our dreams." The Mighty No. 9 movie, like Dead Rising: Watchtower, will skip a theatrical release. Instead, it is being produced exclusively for digital platforms, though these were not named outright. Watchtower was first released through Sony's streaming service Crackle before coming to video-on-demand sites. Mighty No. 9, which was funded through Kickstarter, follows the story of a robot named Beck. There was no mention today of an actor to play that role, or any others for the upcoming movie. GameSpot recently spoke with Inafune about Mighty No. 9, crowdfunding, and the Japanese game development scene. You can read our full interview here.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 08:52 pm
Ubisoft has announced Rayman Adventures, an all-new platformer coming soon to smartphones and tablets, not console. Adventures sees players venturing into an enchanted forest to reclaim ancient eggs that sustain the life of a "sacred tree." These eggs were stolen by some jerk, of course. You'll visit haunted medieval castles along with the mythical worlds of Olympus. Rayman is the star of the game, but he's joined by Barbara, his Viking companion. The game's announcement trailer shows off some very gorgeous visuals that don't look all that different from the most recent console games, Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends. Adventures is not the first Rayman game for mobile devices. Ubisoft previously released two endless runners based on the franchise: Rayman Jungle Run and Rayman Fiesta Run. Ubisoft did not announce specific platforms for Adventures, but iOS and Android are safe bets. We also don't know yet if Adventures is a free-to-play or paid game. We'll have more information on the game as it becomes available.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 04:06 pm
 Join Snake as he takes on a Spetsnaz commander in this official gameplay demo of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 12:30 pm
 God of War comes to the PlayStation 4 in the form of this high-definition remastering of 2010's God of War 3. Danny and Aaron investigate by fighting some gods in this GameSpot Plays.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 04:30 am
 Fallout 4 will benefit from Skyrim's bugs says Bethesda, PewDiePie made a TON of money last year, and find out what's inside the fancy new PS4 model!
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 03:55 am
Whispering Willows is an adventure in archaeology with a supernatural perk: it lets you speak to the dead people who once owned the artifacts you discover. It twists the haunted house investigation premise by giving its heroine ghost transformational powers. This adequately serves both the narrative and the gameplay, the latter comprising some of the most simplistic and easy exploration puzzles in recent memory. This is a minimal detriment to the game overall, which is well-supported with touching themes of regret, lost love, and one's spiritual connection to nature. Protagonist Elena Elkhorn isn't above admiring the opulence of the Willows Estate, the game's setting. She is not a classic heroine, pre-destined for great things or exuding a profound sense of self. She simply wants to find her missing father, who is employed as a caretaker on the estate. Clearly an adolescent with a good heart, Elena's amiable interactions with many of the local spirits please her immensely, especially since they're helpful companions on this dark and grim journey. Like some of the ghosts in The Sixth Sense, Elena's spectral aides are in desperate need of closure. And yes, some of them don't know that they're dead. Every soul Elena successfully assists gives her immense solace. Yet as each ghost departs its state of purgatory, she suffers the loss of each brief friendship. As a teenager with metaphysical powers and few friends, Elena is relatable to Maxine Caulfield from Life is Strange. It wouldn't be a proper horror game without catacombs.Elena alters herself into an apparition with the aid of a spiritually loaded tear-shaped amulet. The practicality of this transformation is akin to Dracula turning into a rat who can travel through ventilation ducts in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. A vent in Whispering Willows almost always leads to a key item or a switch that only the ghostly version of Elena can access. As she is a protagonist of Native American descent, this ability adds mild depth to the narrative and gameplay. It's her means of speaking to the estate's ghosts who remain in limbo and an opportunity for her to learn about the nation who first settled on the land, the Kwantako tribe. Whispering Willows' adherence to the basic adventure game blueprint is so faithful that it lacks any sense of ingenuity. Tasks almost always involve finding a proverbial or literal key to open a proverbial or literal door. In Whispering Willows, it's a knife to cut vines or a love letter to appease a ghost. The estate boasts a greenhouse, an observatory, a garden maze, and a mansion, but many of these locales are initially inaccessible. There are almost always multiple paths to choose from, but figuring out the mainline route takes little to no time. Anyone who's explored a dungeon understands the deduction game of first picking the path that will lead to a dead end. In classic mansion game design, bathrooms are almost always dead ends and corridors with stairs and ladders are often the mainline path. Puzzles are seldom cryptic and clues to solve those riddles are often just a few paces away. There's never any ambiguity and you're never in a situation where you have to think obtusely like in so many similar adventure games. Whispering Willows serves as a reminder that not all adventures need to tease the brain. Lethal spiders are easier to avoid when you're a ghost.This makes for a predictable and predominantly linear playthrough, but it's seldom boring in Whispering Willows. Between the artifacts and notes that litter the estate, Elena learns about the land of her Native American ancestors and the settlers from the east who spilled blood in order to take over the territory. These documents are filled with pangs of regret from the carelessness of ambition, the trauma from killing under orders, and the varied emotions of maintaining a secret affair. These notes are no different from the optional collectibles found in other games, but given the limited exposition in Whispering Willows, they become all the more poignant. It's also probably that you will find all the notes on your first playthrough, making a return adventure all the less likely. Whispering Willows makes a positive case for the sparseness of scares. There are very few hostiles in and around the mansion, which heightens the impact of their sudden appearances. The mere sight of a demon head relief sculpture can raise the suspicion that a real demon is nearby. It's a nod to The Exorcist in the same way that a scene in a well echoes The Ring. Terrors can come from the ceiling or the walls; they're not approaching you continuously like Medusa heads from Castlevania. These few scares effectively break up the sense of routine as you item hunt and explore the Willows estate. Last, there's a handful of disturbing images that can only be seen when Elena turns into a ghost. One haunting example is a portrait where the unsuspecting subject is surrounded by demonic hands. It stands out because none of the other paintings in the estate changes when switching to the spectral plane. Like some of the ghosts in The Sixth Sense, Elena's spectral aides are in desperate need of closure.
 It is a minor miracle that Whispering Willows can induce the occasional bout of goosebumps. The crudely drawn cutscenes that frame the story leave a disconcerting first impression. At least this low-budget introduction is brief, transitioning to gameplay where the hand-drawn animation of Elena is well-conceived. The background art is even more effective, capturing the weathered nature of the wallpaper and antique furniture, which are accentuated by the dim lighting. This makes for a persistently spooky playthrough. Whispering Willows' reliance on the classic "Don't go in the barn" horror trope--the same premise of Alien: Isolation--speaks to the game's pervasive simplicity. For a game with few challenges, appreciating Whispering Willows means embracing the role of a tourist exploring this storied manor. While there are shades of Gone Home, the items in Whispering Willows aren't as loaded with meaning. Objects primarily serve as keys, figurative or otherwise, to the game's many barriers. Its history is more literal, found in the revealing notes left by the ghosts and Elena's own heartfelt diary. If you were to treat this as part of a weekend meal of horror games in old houses, Whispering Willows would be the amuse-bouche, White Night would be the appetizer, and Fatal Frame the entrée. That would make Luigi's Mansion the dessert.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 03:30 am
 NetherRealm Studios breaks down each of the variations of the Predator including: Hunter, Warrior and Hish-Qu-Ten during the Kombat Kast live stream.
By Anonymous on Jul 07, 2015 02:59 am
 Rob, Mary, Alex and Jeremy work together to attempt to survive life on a hostile alien planet while killing everything that stands in their way.
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