Dauntless, the debut effort from Phoenix Labs, has drawn many comparisons to Monster Hunter since it was unveiled at The Game Awards in 2016, and it's easy to see why. Like Capcom's monster-slaying series, the object in Dauntless is to team up with other players to take down colossal Behemoths and use the materials you gather to forge new weaponry and armor.
That's not to say Dauntless is simply a Monster Hunter clone, though. While its premise may be similar, the game sets itself apart from Capcom's series in a number of notable ways. Perhaps the most obvious is its free-to-play structure, which should make the game more welcoming for curious players to jump into. Dauntless also has more variety in terms of its weapons; in addition to the standard array of swords and shields, we got to try a set of kusarigama, which functioned both as a fast-paced melee weapon and allowed for long-range attacks.
One of the big draws of Dauntless is experimenting with different weapons and armor, each of which has unique properties that change the way you approach a hunt. We saw some of these in action in our previous hands-on time with the title, but Phoenix Labs has added plenty of new options and abilities since then. One major addition are Lanterns. You can equip a Lantern before a hunt, and each one endows you with a different, limited-use support ability; one, for instance, creates a restorative field around your avatar that allows players within your vicinity to regain health.
Like Monster Hunter, the Behemoths you're tasked with slaying are powerful and require different tactics to defeat. In our hands-on time at E3, we teamed up with developers from Phoenix Labs to hunt a giant, owl-like monster, which could bowl players over by swooping across the battlefield. This attack in particular caused a heavy amount of damage, and we had to roll out of the way in time to avoid it and follow up with our own attacks. You can catch a glimpse of the Behemoth, and learn more about the game, in the video above.
Dauntless is in development for PC and is currently in pre-alpha; however, Phoenix Labs has announced it will be launching the "Founder's Alpha" on August 18. This will be the first publicly available version of the game for players who purchased one of the Founder's Packs tiers on the Dauntless website. You can find more information about the Founder's Alpha on the developer's blog.
Sega's Yakuza series has been around for more than a decade, garnering both critical and commercial success in Japan since the release of its first entry in 2005. While the series consistently sold well in its native country thanks in part to its appeal to mature audiences and its portrayal of Japanese culture, its sales never managed to meet the same numbers in the West.
For a while, it seemed unlikely that western audiences would receive any more mainline Yakuza games after the series' fourth entry and zombie apocalypse spin-off, but in spite of poor sales, Yakuza accrued a devoted western fanbase. And it was their commitment that eventually inspired Sony's Third Party Productions group in 2014 to collaborate with Sega to bring over the series' fifth entry, which originally released in Japan in 2012. The strong reaction spurred Sega to bring over subsequent mainline entries to the West. With the release of the sixth core entry and a remake of the original game coming up, it seems the franchise is at its most stable and popular among western gamers in its 12-year history.
At the head of the Yakuza series is its creator, Toshihiro Nagoshi, a longtime Sega producer and designer notable for his work on classic games like Virtua Racing, Daytona USA, and Super Monkey Ball. His resilience during the series' early days and his leadership across the development of every subsequent entry played a large part in establishing Yakuza as one of Sega's flagship franchises, which is a major surprise given the company's previous focus on games aimed at younger audiences.
We recently caught up with Nagoshi at E3 to discuss Yakuza 6, the future of the series, and his thoughts on the recent resurgence of Japanese games in the West.
What are some of the new ways Yakuza 6 evolves the mechanics and storytelling from past games?
First of all, the main thing is Yakuza 6 is built from the ground up with an entirely new engine. We've taken the storytelling, battles, mini-games, and all the series' core underpinnings from previous games and have made the entire experience seamless. On top of that, there's a lot of stuff that's occurring in real-time, so there's more of a rhythm to everything happening in the world, so there are often surprise encounters or small details around every corner that you might not expect to see or run into.
Toshihiro Nagoshi
Yakuza 6 is set to be the final chapter of Kazuma Kiryu's saga. What fueled the creative decision to do this?
Back during Yakuza 4's development, we started to think, "How are we going to bring Kazuma Kiryu's story to a close?" Since the games are made to have all the characters age with each consecutive entry, we had to consider when to put an end cap on each character's story. Yakuza's story doesn't contain characters with superpowers who can use magic; this isn't fantasy. The game tells stories with real people and real drama. This has always been a major underpinning of the series, so we always knew that, at some point, Kiryu's story had to come to a close.
Similar to the way the 007 series hires new leads to keep the franchise going, we intend to have different protagonists appear in the Yakuza games in order to keep the series alive. When Sean Connery passed on the James Bond torch, a lot of people complained, but eventually people grew accustomed to the new actors. Each actor put their own flair to the 007 character, so in the same way, we believe that the different protagonists we'll end up using will ultimately be able to carry the torch for Kiryu.
Yakuza continues to have an incredibly devoted fan base in the West. Why do you think the series resonates so much with western audiences?
Yakuza's asian setting makes it different than the typical places gamers get to explore. And in that same way, the human drama surrounding the series heavily differs from the more Hollywood-esque storytelling you see in western games. People recognize [the Yakuza games] as different, so I think people are attracted to them because it's new and fresh.
Would you equate that interest to the way someone enjoys watching a foreign film?
Yeah, I'd say that's a possible equivalent--maybe like a Japanese person watching a Korean film or an American watching a Swedish film. But the one difference I see in Yakuza is, for example, Korean films often end on very dark or sad notes. I don't really enjoy these sorts of endings, and it's one of the reasons why Yakuza ends on more uplifting notes, which is more of a quality you see in Hollywood-style film narrative.
Japanese games have been making a comeback these days with western audiences, with quality games like Resident Evil 7, Nier: Automata, Persona 5, and of course, Yakuza 0. Why do you think Japanese games have finally returned to the limelight in the West? What would you attribute this phenomenon to on your side as a Japanese developer?
I don't really have a strong opinion about this nor do I know the true answer myself, but when I'm here at E3 and see games like Call of Duty: WWII or God of War, I can't help but notice each game's incredible standard of quality and how they're likely set to make a lot of money. That said, it's not always about the sales--of course, the Yakuza series does sell a lot in Japan--but I believe there's starting to be people here in the West who are looking for games they've never played before or have never touched. I think these people are starting to look at games, like Persona 5 and Yakuza 0, to discover something completely new.
One of the things that fans love about the series is its juxtaposition between its relatively serious main story and the absurd comedy of its sub-stories and side-activities. Why do you feel humor is such a necessary element to the Yakuza series? Is it tough balancing these tones to work together, given how they're essentially polar opposites?
Having humor alongside more serious subject matter is absolutely necessary because when you have too much of one over the other, people often grow tired of it. There's no variety. That's always a fear for us, so we always add a little humor on the side to mix things up.
Another aspect to our reasoning for adding humor into Yakuza is that in the real world, there's a lot of serious issues and unfortunate events, but if you sit down and pull at the strings long enough, you'll notice at its core, there's always something really stupid and hilarious about it. That realization that humor is at the core of everything is what makes up the seriousness and over-the-top comical moments you see in Yakuza games.
You've been involved with the Yakuza series since the beginning. Do you think there will ever come a day where you might move on from Yakuza? Or is the series too close to your heart for that to ever happen?
It's difficult to discuss things too far in the future for me, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't feel like everything is finished for Yakuza. Of course, Yakuza 6 is the end of Kiryu's story, but that doesn't mean the series is done or that we don't have any more ideas for it, so stay tuned.
Kiryu is a super-cool and masculine guy, but since he's a well-established character with a specific personality, there are things that he would and wouldn't do. That's why I believe having a new character with different caps and limitations opens the doors for all sorts of different kinds of narrative explorations. I want to leave the door open for possibility for the Yakuza series.
Can we expect a Yakuza Kiwami-like remake for Yakuza 2 someday? Or better yet, could we maybe expect Yakuza 2-5 on PS4 or PC?
Unfortunately, I can't really comment on that at this time, but I do understand and am aware that there are a lot of people asking about that.
GungHo Online Entertainment, the publisher of Suda51's hack-and-slash game Let It Die and the Puzzle & Dragons series, has a game in development for Nintendo Switch. While the company couldn't reveal much information about the project, it did confirm the title will be an "original action game."
"This has been in the works, for about four to five years, and we've been kind of thinking what to do with it," explained GungHo CEO Kazuki Morishita via an interpreter. "And then when the Switch was announced, we decided with the kinds abilities the Switch brings to the market for different ways of playing, we felt that it would be a good fit."
GungHo rose to prominence thanks to its Puzzle & Dragons series, a match-three puzzle game for mobile devices that was a phenomenal success in Japan. The series made its 3DS debut in the West with Puzzle & Dragons Z, which was also bundled together with the crossover Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition. The studio seems to have similar global ambitions for its Switch project. "We're developing it to be a global-centric title," Morishita said. "We're making it for a global audience."
As for Let It Die, there's new content in store for the game. At E3, GungHo unveiled the Tower of Barbs, a new area that players will have to battle their way through. Along with new gear and enemies, the reveal trailer also gives fans a quick glimpse at the next Four Forcemen. You can get a peak at the Tower of Barbs in the video above.
Let It Die is available free-to-play exclusively for PlayStation 4. GungHo hasn't announced a release date for the Tower of Barbs content.
Update: A new update for OpenIV has now been released, seemingly with Rockstar's blessing. It's unclear what exactly about it has changed to abide by the rules outlined by Rockstar and Take-Two below, but this appears to be a positive move for the modding community.
Original Story: The recent legal shutdown of Grand Theft Auto V mod tool OpenIV angered fans, to say the least. Developer Rockstar Games has now released a new statement addressing its stance on mods, and while there is some good news, it still likely isn't what many people are hoping for.
In a post on its website, Rockstar reveals that it's spoken with its parent company, Take-Two, and convinced it to avoid pursuing legal action against certain types of mods. "Rockstar Games believes in reasonable fan creativity, and, in particular, wants creators to showcase their passion for our games," the statement reads. "After discussions with Take-Two, Take-Two has agreed that it generally will not take legal action against third-party projects involving Rockstar's PC games that are single-player, non-commercial, and respect the intellectual property (IP) rights of third parties."
There are, of course, other restrictions as well: "This does not apply to (i) multiplayer or online services; (ii) tools, files, libraries, or functions that could be used to impact multiplayer or online services, or (iii) use or importation of other IP (including other Rockstar IP) in the project," the statement continues. "This is not a license, and it does not constitute endorsement, approval, or authorization of any third-party project. Take-Two reserves the right to object to any third-party project, or to revise, revoke and/or withdraw this statement at any time in their own discretion. This statement does not constitute a waiver of any rights that Take-Two may have with respect to third-party projects."
All of this started when Take-Two issued a cease-and-desist to the developers of OpenIV, which is a tool that is used to power numerous GTA V mods. Take-Two and Rockstar subsequently explained that this wasn't intended to specifically target single-player mods and that "malicious mods that allow harassment of players and interfere with the GTA Online experience for everybody" were the real problem. The companies also said they were investigating how to "continue to support the creative community without negatively impacting our players." Despite this, there was an outcry from fans, who sunk the game's average user review score on Steam. Additionally, a petition calling for OpenIV to be left alone has attracted nearly 77,000 signatures as of this writing.
Today's statement doesn't totally clarify what the future of GTA V mods looks like. OpenIV would seemingly still be disallowed by these rules, despite not directly targeting GTA Online. Rockstar told Motherboard that it's spoken with OpenIV's developer about allowing it to continue, but at this point, it remains unclear where things go from here.
A new Overwatch PTR update is out today, and it includes a big new patch that's currently in development. It focuses on overhauling the Loot Box and Highlights systems, but it also includes some other quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes.
One of the biggest changes that arrives in the update is to Loot Boxes, which should now produce considerably fewer duplicate items. This means, of course, that you'll not be getting Credits as compensation for duplicate items as frequently; Blizzard anticipated this and is increasing the amount of Credits given out as Loot Box rewards.
In addition, the Highlights system has been reworked to allow players to save the videos permanently. The current top five setup for Highlights is retained, but they'll be kept for 24 hours, instead of disappearing if you exit from a match. There's also now a Recently Captured section, which lets you manually tag moments during a match to be saved as Highlights.
Blizzard talked a lot more about these changes this week, and you can read all about it here. The full patch notes for today's update are below, as shared on Blizzard's blog. The patch is available on PC in the PTR right now. As always with these PTR updates, many of these features will be released for everyone on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in the time ahead.
General
Custom Games and Game Browser
Clarified the text on the "Flag Carrier" options under the Capture the Flag settings for Custom Games
Removed the "Projectile Speed" and "Projectile Gravity" options for heroes who do not have projectile weapons
User Interface
Added ability to create customized reticles
Reticle options can be found under the "Controls" tab in the "Options" menu (click the "Advanced" expander under the "Reticle" heading)
Bug Fixes
General
Fixed a bug that could cause the user interface to incorrectly indicate that an enemy player has been hit when colliding with them
Fixed a bug that could allow projectiles that would normally pierce shields (i.e. Reinhardt's Fire Strike) to pass through other surfaces
Heroes
Fixed a bug that could cause eliminations from Junkrat's Total Mayhem to be mislabeled in the kill feed
Fixed a bug that allowed Roadhog's Chain Hook to latch on to Orisa's Supercharger
Fixed a bug that allowed Sombra to take damage after activating her Translocator
Maps
Fixed a bug that caused AI-controlled players to perpetually move toward the objective on the Gardens point in Oasis
Fixed a bug that prevented Training Bots from facing the right direction and returning to their original location after being moved by player interactions on the Practice Range
Fixed a bug that could cause D.Va to fall through the floor while boosting into the ground in a specific area on Volskaya Industries
User Interface
Fixed a bug that caused the Heroes of the Storm promotional portraits to appear locked, even after being unlocked
Fixed a bug that could cause an error message in chat if you attempted to spectate a new player while already spectating another player
Fixed a bug that could cause the chat window to be placed too high on the main menu, blocking menu options
Fixed a bug that prevented text from wrapping in the Report Player text box
Today, SpaceX launched a rocket that had already been used once before, becoming only the second rocket ever to fly twice. Even more impressively, the rocket successfully landed again, after withstanding much higher heat than the first rocket.
According to CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk, this particular mission required an unusually high amount of thrust, meaning that the rocket was going fast. The first stage--the booster stage, and the part of the rocket that lands and is launched again--had to carry a satellite into geostationary transfer orbit, which required almost all of its fuel on the initial takeoff. Then, it had to flip over and navigate down onto a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida.
The view from the droneship after the rocket's successful landing.
Upon re-entry into the atmosphere, this rocket underwent the highest force and heat ever during a SpaceX landing attempt. It landed hard on the deck of the droneship, which used up most of its emergency crush core system--the structural system designed to withstand landing shock. But it was nonetheless successfully recovered, and Musk said that the core could be replaced in a couple of hours.
For the short history of spaceflight, it's been normal for rockets to be used once and then lost. Certain parts of rockets, like solid fuel boosters and capsules, have been recovered, but to relaunch an entire rocket was unthinkable only a few years ago. SpaceX achieved the first-ever relaunch of an orbital-class rocket last month, which you can watch here.
Injustice 2's next character is just a few weeks away. Mortal Kombat mainstay Sub-Zero will be playable in the superhero fighting game in July.
Creative director Ed Boon announced this on Twitter, revealing that Sub-Zero is due out on July 11. He shared the news with a reference to Game of Thrones (Season 7 of which also debuts in July), saying, "Winter is coming...in July."
Sub-Zero was first revealed as a DLC character back in May alongside two other characters: Red Hood and Starfire. Red Hood was released earlier this month for $6. All three characters are included as part of the $20 Fighter Pack 1 DLC, which bundles them with the Gods shader pack and a Power Girl Premiere skin. Those who purchased the Deluxe or Ultimate editions of the game get these three characters for free.
During E3, we got our first real look at Sub-Zero in action. You can see a gameplay video of him above, but if you're familiar with the character, you'll know what to expect: He freezes opponents, creates weapons out of ice, and generally does Sub-Zero things.
Developer NetherRealm Studios hasn't yet said exactly when Starfire will be released. Given the schedule for the other two Fighter Pack 1 characters, you can likely expect her in August. A total of at least nine characters, including these three, will be released as DLC for Injustice 2.
We got a look at Super Mario Odyssey last week at E3 2017, and one of the biggest reveals was that Mario will be able to throw his hat at creatures and objects to possess them. For instance, you can take control of a Goomba, which will subsequently grow a mustache and wear Mario's hat. But one coder decided that, because they can't get a Switch and Odyssey is still a long way off, they would mod the ability into Super Mario 64.
User Kaze Emanuar somehow managed to put together a working mod for the game only a few days after the E3 reveal. You can see one of the first versions running in the video here; from this look, it seems to do everything you'd expect. It even lets you possess birds and fly around the castle.
Since its first release, Kaze Emanuar has continued updating it. In the latest version, Mario can control basically anything, including power-up blocks and environmental objects. It's even more absurd than the first version, and it's pretty awesome. The latest version's trailer is embedded above.
Always be cautious about downloading user-created content, but you can grab the mod here; you'll need a Super Mario 64 emulator to install it. It's a pretty cool implementation of the ability, although I'm guessing Nintendo's not thrilled that it was hacked into one of its old games that quickly.
It might seem a little unusual to announce a video game adaptation of a cartoon that hasn't even premiered yet, but it's fitting in the case of OK K.O. The upcoming Cartoon Network series draws much of its inspiration from video games, and the game spun off from it, OK K.O.: Let's Play Heroes, was developed in tandem with the cartoon and had direct input from series creator Ian Jones-Quartey, who worked on other Cartoon Network shows such as Adventure Time and Steven Universe.
OK K.O. revolves around the eponymous K.O., the newest employee of Gar's Bodega, a convenience store for superheroes. K.O. dreams of becoming a superhero himself, and both the cartoon and game follow his adventures to be immortalized in his own POW card (collectible cards for each of the town's heroes). Despite its ties to the show, however, Let's Play Heroes isn't an adaptation in a traditional sense; Jones-Quarty considers the game to be its "own canon" that explores the series and its characters from a different angle.
Fittingly, where the OK K.O. television series draws inspiration from video games, Let's Play Heroes takes many of its ideas and elements from cartoons. Players can freely explore the town of Lakewood Plaza, but the transitions between each area resemble "cuts" to a different scene, and dialogue between characters is framed as an over-the-shoulder shot/reverse-shot. It's a unique effect that certainly makes the game feel like an interactive cartoon.
The game plays out like a traditional, side-scrolling beat-'em-up with light RPG elements. Players take on quests that typically involve battling Shannons (the robotic minions of the series' antagonist, Boxmore). You unleash different combos depending upon the directional input of your attacks; for instance, players can juggle an enemy by uppercutting them into the air or knock them to the ground by holding down on the control stick while attacking. It's a simple but surprisingly flexible battle system, allowing young players to approach the game while still providing depth for older players to explore.
A further layer of depth comes from the aforementioned POW cards, which serve as the basis of the entire adventure. Your main objective is to collect POW cards and restore their powers because all of them have been reset to zero by Boxmore. After completing a quest for a certain character, you'll restore power to their POW card, which in turn allows you to equip it and summon their skills during a battle. Much of the fun of the game stems from trying out different combinations of POW cards; in our hands-on time with the game, we used K.O.'s friend Rad to run over foes with him van and summoned the hulking Mr. Gar while they were in the air to swoop in and spike them. Developer Capy Games says there will be many kinds of POW cards, each with unique abilities, giving players a lot of freedom in how they approach the game.
OK K.O. premiers on Cartoon Network this August, and it'll be followed by Let's Play Heroes this fall. The title is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. For a closer look at Let's Play Heroes, be sure to check out our almost 20-minute playthrough of the game's demo at the top of this story.
Developer Ready at Dawn's next game, Echo Arena, aims to be one of the first real sports games in virtual reality--and this weekend, you can check it out for free.
Echo Arena's open beta started today, and it's available to anyone who has an Oculus Rift headset. You can download it here. The game consists of four vs. four matches of a sport that's essentially a mix of ultimate frisbee and rugby in zero gravity. You have hand jets and a boost that let you move around the arena, and you can also grab objects and throw yourself over them.
Your goal is to pick up a disc and throw it into the other team's goal. However, players also have the ability to punch enemies, which locks their armor and forces them to drop the disc if they're carrying it.
I was able to play a match last week at E3 2017, and I came away very impressed with how it felt like a real, physical sport. It was exciting to race around the arena and take swings at other players. If you're interested in learning more about it, read my preview here.
Echo Arena officially launches on July 20 for Oculus Rift, and the full game will be free. If you can't play it this weekend, the developer promises that there'll be more open betas before its full release. It's a standalone spinoff of another Ready at Dawn-developed VR game, called Lone Echo, which is a single-player, narrative adventure game. Lone Echo also launches on July 20, and it'll cost $35.
Pokemon players have another chance to snag a batch of Mega Stones in Pokemon Sun and Moon. The official Pokemon website has announced a free code that players around the world can use to get their hands on the rare items.
This new distribution code gives players five Mega Stones, including those for the starting trio from Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire--Sceptile, Blaziken, and Swampert. Additionally, players will receive Mega Stones for two other Hoenn-native monsters, Camerupt and Banette.
To receive the Mega Stones, select the "Mystery Gift" option from the games' menu screen and choose to get the gift with a code/password. When prompted, input the code "MATSUBUSA," then pick up the five Mega Stones from a deliveryman inside any Pokemon Center.
Mega Stones were introduced in Pokemon X and Y and allow their corresponding Pokemon to Mega Evolve during battle, changing their appearance and often altering their type and stats. The five Pokemon that can equip this most recent batch of Mega Stones can't be obtained within Pokemon Sun and Moon, but players can transfer them over from previous 3DS titles using Pokemon Bank.
After being one of the major new features introduced in X and Y, Mega Evolution was largely supplanted by Z-moves in Pokemon Sun and Moon. Players can still acquire certain Mega Stones within the games after clearing the main story, though many have only been available through Mystery Gift distributions and in-person events. Last month, Nintendo distributed four Mega Stones for Pidgeot, Heracross, Steelix, and Houndoom.
The best thing about the Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony demo is that it's not actually part of the full game. It's a teaser meant to introduce the concept without giving anything away, and for a game about solving murders, that's pretty important. Its non-canonical murder trial features the new, super-weird minigames and characters we'll see in the final game without spoiling anyone's fate, and it's just enough to know what to expect when the sequel comes West in September.
For the uninitiated, Danganronpa is a series of visual novels about students held captive by a malevolent robot bear--and the only way to escape is to kill a fellow student without being caught. In between murders, you can roam around whatever area you're trapped in and talk to your fellow students; once a body is discovered, it's your job to investigate the crime scene until the trial. Successfully finding someone guilty involves identifying contradictions and lies in their statements and playing a number of (totally bizarre) minigames to see the truth.
Danganronpa V3 is the third installment in the core series and stars a new set of "Ultimate" students with unique talents. Like the previous games, they vary from stuck-up genius types to borderline-scary yanderes. Kaede Akamatsu, the first female protagonist in the main series, is the hardworking and optimistic Ultimate Pianist. One notable student is Ultimate Tennis Pro Ryoma Hoshi, who was previously sentenced to death for using steel tennis balls to kill members of a crime syndicate. There are also students who mirror ones from previous games: Shuichi Saihara, who shares the Ultimate Detective title with the first game's Kyoko Kirigiri, and Rantaro Amami, who can't remember his talent, just like 2's protagonist, Hajime Hinata. To fans, that's very intriguing...and suspicious.
The demo only reveals bits and pieces about each character, but it does show off the new argument mechanics in trials, and one of the most exciting things is how the new features change the ways the students interact. For the first time ever, you can lie during a trial! You're doing it to suss out the truth, of course, but it adds another dimension to the game's debates. There's also a new kind of debate during which multiple characters will talk over each other, their words popping up on different parts of the screen, and you'll have to be very quick to find the contradictions in their statements.
During key parts of the trials--just after you find a contradiction or lie, for example--you'll be launched into a minigame to reveal answers. The standout new minigame from the demo is called Brain Drive, and it's appropriately weird: you have to drive along an '80s-inspired track collecting letters to form a question, and then you have to pick the lane with the correct answer, such as who the main suspect should be. You "pick up" an escort at the end of the street (by running into her with your car) to select the answer. It's pretty out there, even by Danganronpa standards.
Although the demo doesn't actually reveal anything about the game's story, it highlights the quirky, dark humor and colorful characters that make the series so special. And, as the first game in the series specifically developed for PS4 as opposed to PSP, it's also gorgeous and stylish in ways the Danganronpa games haven't yet been able to achieve. The demo will be available closer to the game's release, and it promises to have special rewards that will carry over when the full game launches on September 26.
A new Flash sale is now underway for the weekend on the PlayStation Store. It discounts a number of PS4, PS3, and Vita games, with a focus on co-op titles.
PS4 has by far the most games on sale in this promotion, which doesn't require a PlayStation Plus membership. Among the highlights are Resident Evil 5 and 6 for $8 each, Sportsfriends for $4.49, and Helldivers: Ultimate Edition for $16. Some other noteworthy PS4 deals:
PS3 deals include the first two Borderlands games for $4 each, Sportsfriends for $4.49, and Guilty Gear Xrd Sign for $12. Vita, meanwhile, has a fairly limited selection, although Helldivers ($16) and Nidhogg ($5) are also available on there, as is Earth Defense Force 2 for $6.
The Jackbox Party Pack
This Flash sale runs from now until 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET on Monday, June 26. You can see everything in the sale here. This all coincides with the ongoing weekly PSN sales, which include discounts on a bunch of Metal Gear Solid games.
The Steam Summer sale is upon us. Valve has reduced the stress of recent sales as compared to past ones--there's no more worrying about missing out on flash deals or need to check in multiple times a day, as discounts are available for the duration of the promotion.
But just as the number of Steam games released every day has grown, it's also become a challenge to find the best deals available on the service. Valve is continuing to refine the store to better help you discover the games you care about, but finding worthwhile deals over the next two weeks is no easy task.
While by no means a comprehensive list, we've rounded up a selection of our staff's favorite deals for you below--links in the bullet-point lists will take you to the game's Steam page. Separately, we've also rounded up the best anime game deals and pointed out that Steam Link can be had for a mere $15. Be sure to let us know what your picks are, as well as what you've decided to pick up during this sale, in the comments below.
With a sequel on the way, Danganronpa 1-2 Reload will get you caught up with the crazy murder-mystery story that's been told so far. Superhot offers a genuinely original take on first-person shooters, while Doom provides arguably the best single-player shooter campaign in years. Company of Heroes 2, while now getting up there in age, remains a killer strategy game--launching a barrage from rocket trucks and destroying some ice, causing enemies moving across it to sink never gets old. And now that Twin Peaks has returned after 26-plus years and is actually genuinely good, there's no better time to jump into Deadly Premonition, which is essentially a Twin Peaks game in all but name.
Many people may not have played the first Witcher game, but it holds a special place in my heart with its eclectic characters, twisting storyline, and morally ambiguous choices. Stories are an important part of games, which is why I also love Binary Domain, a third-person shooter that has you building relationships with your squadmates and seeing your hard work reflected in heartfelt cutscenes. But of course, good gameplay just can't be beat. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (an excellent first-person shooter with a fantastic narrator), OlliOlli2 (an incredible and unique take on skateboarding), and Rocket League (an intense soccer-fueled battle between rocket-powered cars) all keep me coming back for more, even after all these years.
There's no better way to kick off summer than a 100-plus hour RPG. For $25, you can get The Witcher 3 with all of its DLC. That alone could keep you occupied for the rest of summer. But if you're looking forward to Shadow of War and New Colossus, then you can pick up Shadow of Mordor and The New Order for $4 and $10, respectively. And if smaller experiences are more your thing then look no further than Abzu and Transistor, but make sure to get the soundtrack for Transistor because it's arguably the best part of the game.
One of the best parts of Steam sales is taking a chance on indie games in hopes of a pleasant surprise. Antichamber shares similarities to Portal but adds an MC Escher aesthetic to really screw with your perception of a 3D world. Knights of the Old Republic II is often overlooked since it released in a buggy, almost unfinished state. That's all been worked out now, even adding touches like controller support and a more complete ending. It's one of the deepest, darkest Star Wars stories.
I also love revisiting my favorites from past generations. Deus Ex is the greatest game of all time, and while it's old, its core tenets are timeless, and its influence still lives in games today. Hitman: Blood Money is arguably the series' best entry, even though I consider the latest Hitman my 2016 game of the year. The two classics can be had for less than a cup of coffee. Both Metro remasters are under $10, and they aren't your average shooters; their challenge and atmosphere are like no other FPS games. Last but not least, Dishonored 2 is only $20, and it's not even a year old. It captures so much of what I love about immersive sims.
Steam sales might make you weep for your soon-to-be empty wallet, but at least practically every genre is represented. One dollar for one of the most important games ever? You don't need to play Half-Life 2 to appreciate gaming history because it's an immensely timeless shooter. Mark of the Ninja is worth double its sale price for being one of the few side-scrolling adventure games that effectively captures what it means to be a ninja: stealthy and resourceful. If you're looking for a series that consistently emulates the older installments of The Legend of Zelda, Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a solid place to start. Lots of games in this Steam sale ooze in style, but you'd be hard pressed to find a game with a cast of slick vandals like the crew of Jet Set Radio (with a killer soundtrack to match). And just to make sure your growing library isn't all fun and games, The Typing of the Dead: Overkill will prove educational while you lay waste to zombies.
One of the best things about Steam sales is that there's something for everyone, but if you have a wide range of gaming tastes, that can make it hard to pick what to buy. These games are all some of my favorites in recent years, they're all steals, and they cover a wide range of genres. Stardew Valley is the new standard for farm sims with a rich world and even some dungeon crawling; Hotline Miami is a fantastic action game with an outstanding soundtrack; Doom is a love letter to the original game that helped pave the way for shooters; and $19 for both The WitnessandBraid is a great value for two phenomenal, inventive puzzle games. You can also get one of my favorite series of all time, Danganronpa, in an affordable bundle so you can play both of the murder-mystery visual novels before the third comes out in September.
The best Steam deals are the ones in the "impulse purchase" range. Games that are both so cheap and so good, it doesn't make sense to not buy them. The list of games above are all games that i've also owned on console, but that I ended up buying a second time on PC because you never know when you might absolutely need to get in a quick round of Castle Crashers or L4D2. And if you haven't played the Portal series or Shadow of Mordor, you're about to have a really, really good weekend.
Every single game I've recommended is under $10 and marked off by at least 60%. They're all great, too. Fallout: New Vegas, which is arguably better than the amazing Fallout 3, is a steal at $2.49. The rest of the three games that I recommend here make excellent party games. SpeedRunners is the 2D platformer racing game that Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing should have been. Broforce is a great four-player homage to Contra and action movies of the '80s and '90s. And I still often fire up The Jackbox Party Pack today. Finally, because I'm the resident hardware guy and VR nut, I'm recommending the HTC Vive, which is currently on sale for $50 off and comes with a $50 Steam gift card.
$12.49 for Hyper Light Drifter and its incredible soundtrack is basically highway robbery. I cannot recommend this game enough; from its beautiful art style, to its challenging combat and drifting mechanics, to its subtle but entrancing narrative, Hyper Light Drifter is one of my favorite games of the last few years. It's a fantastic game to get lost in while you hide from the heat, but if you need more and somehow haven't picked it up yet, Civilization V and all its DLC is a sure bet to take 100 or more hours of your life--and it's also $12 right now. Papers, Please, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Firewatch are three more beautiful, narrative-driven games that are absolute steals at their sale prices and should not be passed up.
I'm always eager to recommend some of my favorite obscure or forgotten games on Steam. And with the summer sale going on, most of them are on the cheap. The WWII-themed real-time tactics game series, Commandos, was the highlight of my young PC gaming days, challenging me to think outside the box to sabotage Nazis. The classic Broken Sword series stole my heart with its pulpy Indiana Jones-esque style and complex puzzles. In contrast, Dropsy is well worth playing for how it manages to stand apart from point-and-click adventure classics thanks to its offbeat narrative and open puzzle design. I like to think that my remaining choices--Max Payne 3 and Deadly Premonition--also follow in that mold. Both ooze a strong sense of style narratively and mechanically, making them each distinct from the games and media they pull inspiration from.
My picks are perhaps on the pricier side, but the majority of them offer a whole lot of bang for your buck. The first season of Hitman remains one of the finest examples of how to do episodic content, with developer IO Interactive making the most of each of the game's many locations by filling them with numerous challenges, objectives, and gameplay opportunities. Dead Cells is still in Early Access but feels polished and, as a combination of ideas from Castlevania, Metroid, and Rogue Legacy, is both compelling and compulsive. Similarly, the simple, serene gameplay of Stardew Valley will keep you coming back to tend to your garden, spend some time with quirky citizens, and maybe even crawl through a few dungeons. On the opposite end of the spectrum is This War of Mine, a brutal, punishing survival game that asks you to make difficult decisions to ensure you and the people you hold dear can make it through a war happening on your doorstep. Finally, What Remains of Edith Finch is a story about a woman rediscovering her roots and delving into the misfortune of her family, which is told through a number of charming gameplay vignettes; it's a breezy, memorable experience.
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