Games

ArenaNet confirms it used invasive spyware in the Guild Wars 2 engine

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ArenaNet used an invasive technique to see what was running on your CPU.

ArenaNet has been found to spy on players in Guild Wars 2.

During March 6th to the 27th, there was a line of code in the software that affected all players who played Guild Wars 2. Based on a post on reddit, it was found that ArenaNet used spyware in order to ban cheaters and hackers from the game. IT was later confirmed that they used it to find “programs that allows players to cheat and gain unfair gameplay advantages.”

Sure, this is okay. It’s not the first time something like this has happened. Blizzard Entertainment uses a similar process called the Warden Client which looks for specific identifiers for cheating programs and then uses that to ban the player.

However, ArenaNet would look for all CPU processes and relay that info back to their servers. This is pretty much everything that players have available on their PC running at that current time. This is a shotgun approach and is unnecessarily invasive to privacy. Warden had some problems met by players as well. Cheating and hacking protection is one thing, but another problem is how much data is taken and sent back to their servers to analyze and ban players.

In the current build, ArenaNet has removed the code and doesn’t use the same process as before. How they use their software to detect hackers now is unspecified. Updates will ensue when a confirmed answer is available.

Sega classics are coming to the Nintendo Switch by Summer 2018 under Sega Ages

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Sonic is coming to the Switch!

Classic games from SEGA Genesis and Master System will be available for the Nintendo Switch during the Summer of 2018, according to an announcement at Sega Fest 2018.

Fans of the classic Sega games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star, Thunderforce 4, and more, will all be available on the Switch under the Sega Ages brand. There will be a total of 15 games available including the 3 above.

A company called M2 is behind the move and will be developing the games for emulation for the games. They’re specialists in game emulation for older titles and they’ve been doing this with Sega games for a while now- they ported games onto the Virtual Console on the DS, so they know what they’re doing. The Sega Ages label has been used by Sega since 1996 when they re-released games on their SEGA Saturn console.

As for now, we have no info about the other remaining games. We’ll post an update when we hear word about them.

Photo: Flickr.

Denuvo confirmed to be the cause of performance issues in Tekken 7

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Tekken 7's performance issues tied to Denuvo.

Denuvo is behind the performance and lag issues plaguing Tekken 7.

In a Tweet by Katsuhiro Harada, producer and director of Tekken, he addressed and confirmed that some attacks in the game cause lag and performance issues. But this isn’t because of the system’s hardware. It’s because of a third-party anti-tamper issue that’s in the process of getting fixed and updated. Later he confirmed it was Denuvo.

Denuvo is a middleware program that was made to prevent piracy and tampering. It’s got a history with many different games and has a strange controversy behind it. Denuvo is quiet about their solutions and doesn’t always address the public about what they’re doing. It’s a debated topic of “who to blame” since Denuvo causes issues with the game, but without it, games would easily be cracked and pirated.

This isn’t the first time either. There have already been reports that the program causes issues with the game. FF15 was a good example where Durante said it caused longer loading times. Another indie game called Rime had issues as well where Denuvo was found to be the culprit. Lords of the Fallen was the first game that used it and there have been rumors that it postbacks to their servers occasionally and this cases performance issues prevents users from playing the game.

Now, it’s about time that a pretty important person has finally admitted that it’s likely their fault. Regardless, Tekken 7 will be patched and updated soon. You’ll be able to use Akuma’s Shakunesu Hadouken without lag.

Photo:

Siegfried confirmed for Soulcalibur VI lineup

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Siegfried is the newest confirmed character.

Siegfried has been confirmed by Bandai Namco to be on the roster for Soulcaliber VI!

The rebellious blonde knight with the giant sword will be available among the cast of characters for the next Soulcalibur entry- the newest title for Project Soul’s popular fighter series.

He’s a badass knight who carries a huge German two-handed sword. He’s been a long-time protagonist background character in other games playing the double version of the character Nightmare. Nightmare was the primary bad guy for the first two Soulcalibur games and then split off into his own avatar. Nightmare carries his sword in the left hand whereas Siegfried carries it in his right.

Bandai Namco released some more info about his background story for the upcoming game. He awakens free from the sell of the Soul Edge and is swamped with memories of killing his father and all the things he’s done as Nightmare. Now he’s back to redeem himself from the corruption he’s caused under the influence of Soul Edge. Soul Edge can only be countered by Soul Calibur- a magical sword used to counter the dark magic. Siegfried fell in battle to as Nightmare to Kilik, so he’s left with a lot of regrets.

For hardcore fans, his entry has already been speculated on the roster since he’s already been in every single core title of the Soulcalibur games since the very beginning (the Soul Edge games). Although his confirmation is kinda late, he’ll be in the game nonetheless.

Alongside Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher, Siegfried is the latest addition to the lineup. The game will be out in sometime in 2018 and available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for the firs time which should be interesting to see how the controls work out on a keyboard/mouse combo instead of a controller. Check back for updates. I’ll keep you updated when more details roll out about the game in the future.

You can check out the trailer here.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle details confirmed- release date, price, and pre-order specials

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The game will include some special pre-order specials and bonuses for fans.

Arc System Works revealed some info about their new title- BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Collector’s Edition.

It’s an anime fighter which will be available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC via Steam on June 5, 2018. The game features a roster of characters all packed together into a single 2D fighting game from multiple universes like Persona 4 Ultimate Arena, BlazBlue, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH EXE: LATE, and RWBY. The game’s 2v2 combat with tag-team combat is exactly what fans want and what Arc System Works delivers. GameStop will also have demo stations located throughout North America at select locations if you want to try it out before you buy.

The game will come with a basic Standard Edition and a collector’s edition. It seems like more and more games nowadays include a ton of free stuff in their expensive offerings beyond just games.

The Collector’s Edition will retail at $99.99 and launches on the same day as the Standard Edition. It can be pre-ordered here starting May 4, 2018. It’ll include the following items:

  • Base game
  • 52-page art book
  • 15 track OST
  • 4 acrylic figures featuring BlazBlue’s Ragna, Persona‘s Yu, Under Night In-Birth‘s Hyde, and RWBY‘s Ruby.
  • Special collector’s box
  • Steel game case

If you decide that you don’t want to shell out $100 but you still want some bonuses, you can do that with the Standard Edition. If you pre-order it, you can get some nice little grabs like a mini soundtrack that features seven tracks from the game.

You can check out the trailer of the game here.

Photo: Wikipedia.

Banner Saga 3 set to release July 24 (US) and July 27 (UK)

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Banner Saga gets a release date.

Banner Saga 3 is set for release on July 24, 2018 for PC, Xbox, PC and Switch in the US. EU is on July 27, 2018.

Developer Stoic is also expecting the mobile version to launch later on in the year as well. Players will be able to play the final adventure in this story-driven narrative RPG. There will be character-building, storytelling, and tons of strategy just like fans of the series expect. This is the final game fo the trilogy which will finally reveal the hidden motives of the characters and the mysteries of the game.

Players will be able to take on the final journey beyond the Wall of Darkness with some special bonuses for pre-orders on PC. If you buy it early, you’ll get the base game plus the following bonuses items in game:

  • Dredge Stoneguard Character – Rank 10 Hero called Kivi
  • Unique Combat Ability: Tank
  • Unique Dredge Item – Sculptor’s Tools
  • Exclusive Dredge Heraldry
  • Unique Heroic Title: “Shield Cleaver’
  • Exclusive Banner Saga 3 Overture Track – by Grammy-nominated and two-time BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory

The PC version will be available on Steam and other distribution platforms. There’s a total of three versions (digital) on launch day. The Standard Edition will be $24.99. The Deluxe will be $29.99 (includes OST, wallpaper, world map, and “Gold Wasp” title. The Legendary Edition will be $39.99 and comes with everything in previous editions plus an exclusive legendary equip “Petrie Clan Ring” and a special title “Shadow Walker” and a digital novel “Gift of Hadrborg.”

For players who prefer to go physical, all three versions will be available in a complete bundle called The Banner Saga Trilogy: Bonus Edition for PS4 and Xbox One for $39.99. It includes Banner Saga 1, 2, 3, and a mini art book, limited OST, in-game items, and a poster. There will also be a PC Bonus Edition digitally as well.

Fans should get excited with all the goodies.

Photo: Banner Saga.

Daylight Studios’ Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?! coming out Summer 2018

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The next Holy Potatoes! game is coming soon.

Daylight Studios announced their next title- it’s a Holy Potatoes! game.

This time it’s Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?!. As weird as that name sounds (and even weirder trying to type it), it’s a game that has players running a spy agency in an attempt to exposure another spy corporation. If you’ve never played games from this series, they’re basically top-down strategy games with colorful graphics and a basic storyline. This game is no exception. It’s colorful, pretty, and offers a very humorous undertone throughout the whole adventure. It’s the fourth game in the series following Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! which was the previous entry.

You play as a duo of spies named Ren and Rexa who want to expose an evil corporation’s workings. It features plenty of funny dialog and lots of resource management. You’ll be going through many different missions and using your special abilities like stealth and strength to defeat the enemy and fulfill your objective.

You’ll be able to assign, build, and train your own team of potatoes in order to plan and execute missions. The game is largely a simulator game where you manage many different variables at once, but there’s a storyline thrown in as well. You can build stuff like spy boogers, invisibility cloaks, and special spy glasses to help your team. You can even genetically modify them with gene splicing.

Producer Faizan Abid states:

“We were really excited to start the development of Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?! We are all big fans of the 007 films and of course the spin-offs with Rowan Atkinson, Johnny English, so we have a lot of inspiration to draw from,”

The game is scheduled to be released on Steam in Summer 2018. The exact date is still unknown. You can check out the trailer for the game here.

Photo: Day-Light Studios.

Far Cry 5 shatters sales records in first week

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Far Cry 5 is the best-selling Far Cry game in the first week.

Far Cry 5 has shattered previous records and is now the “in” game.

Just a week after its launch on March 27th, it sold just about $310 million dollars worth of copies, with half coming from digital purchases. Far Cry 4 only sold about half of that amount during opening week. The Division sold about $330 million, which makes it best-selling Ubisoft game of all time in its first week.

Far Cry 5 has been very positively received and has made it was to the top of the ladder just based on controversy. The story has been criticized as incomplete and unsatisfying, but the core gameplay makes up for it with some of the most awesome gameplay maneuvers to date. The game has been criticized that it only made its way to the top because of the topic it covers- a heavily-armed religious cult in the USA. Press along has garnered this game a ton of exposure and this led to its huge publicity.

All publicity is good. No matter how bad.

Dan Hay, the Executive Producer, states:

“I’m proud that the culmination of years of passionate work from the team is paying off, and that Far Cry 5’s experience resonates with so many people.”

Far Cry 5 isn’t all bells and whistles even though the storytelling is pretty bad. The game has a Season Pass for upcoming paid DLC. But as for free content, there isn’t much going on there. So far, the game doesn’t have much in terms of weapon diversity and has gameplay balance issues.

Either way, we’ll have to be on the lookout for what’s next. They got the momentum, now they just need to keep it up and not let their fans down.

Photo: Ubisoft.

Papa Johns and FFXV partner up for an awesome pizza deal

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FFXV partners with Papa Johns for awesome pizza.

Papa Johns has teamed up with Final Fantasy XV.

That’s right. An American pizza chain has partnered with Square Enix’s flagship title and posted about it on Twitter. If you take a look at the linked ad, you’ll see Ignis saying “That’s It! I’ve come up with a new discount!” and there’s also a headline that says “Eat in it the game… then eat it in real life!” As crazy and whacky as this sounds, it’s pretty funny.

The promotion allows you get any pizza at regular menu price using the special code “PIZZAGG” at checkout. This is just a publicity stunt and will probably spread like crazy all over the ‘net. This will get them tons of exposure and publicity, just like what you’re reading now. It’ll work out in their favor. I can tell just by the craziness of this deal.

This partnership isn’t really anything beyond just slapping some FF characters on a Papa John’s ad. You can’t cook Papa John’s in FFXV nor can you go the other way around- however that works. Whether you approve of this or not, it’s working for the pizza chain by getting them tons of publicity. And that’s probably all they’re after.

Well done, Papa. Well done.

Image: revholics.

Nintendo releases requirements for third-party USB cables

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Switch units have been bricked in the recent firmware upgrade.

Nintendo decided that it won’t be using proprietary charging ports on the Nintendo Switch. This is old news, but favorable, since many gamers prefer to use cheaper, third-party chargers instead of the “OEM” parts for USB-C cables.

Sadly, the reason behind this in previous systems isn’t just to make a profit- it’s to also ensure quality.

When you make a system that allows any manufacturer to make an accessory for it, you unleash the slew of crappy parts that could very well damage the system itself such as slow charging times or fried hardware. Nintendo is starting become aware of this and is probably second-guessing their decision. They warn (it’s in Japanese, so translate it)that the USB-C cables should only be used with 56K Ohm resistors to be safely used and prevent any damage with the Switch.

If charging from a USB source with the USB-A type outputs, Nintendo suggests only to use the official cable (HAC-010) that are included with the Pro Controller or Joy-Con Charging Crip. However, you can only get this Japan. If you’re in the US, you won’t be able to buy it by itself and must get it bundled.

A Nintendo support mod stated that:

“any USB cable that supports a USB Type C port should work just as well”

So this means any third-party cable should work, right? Using USB cables that don’t fit the bill could seriously damage the Switch’s internals or charge it super slowly. It could even fry it in slow motion or charge it so slow that it won’t carry the full amps required.

Where did all this news come from? It appears that a bunch of Switch consoles turned into Switch Bricks after the 5.x firmware update with consoles using the third-party docks from Nyko.

If you don’t want to take any risks, go with OEM parts. If you want to save some cash, do your research first before buying.

Photo: https://nyko.com/products/portable-docking-kit-for-nintendo-switchNyko

What’s new in Overwatch Retribution

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Overwatch Retribution is now live and available for download!

The Overwatch Archives event is now live and the new PvE game mode Retribution is out!

Let’s take a look at what’s new in this patch.

The new mode puts characters McCree, Moira, Reaper, and Genji against Talon operatives in Venice, Itlay. Rialto is a district located in Venice. This new map was shown during the last broadcast on Wednesday of Overwatch League. The map would be used for Retribution PvE and also as an Escort map later on. Fans were expecting a new map anyway, so it’s no surprise. It’s available right now for play.

Last years Uprising event is also back and so has Blackwatch. These events have four different difficulty levels with a plethora of achievements to unlock by finishing them. They also allow players to go through a campaign-like mode and an alternative mode that allows them to play as any hero of their choosing.

Overwatch Archives also offers tons of new skins and cosmetics to drain your wallet like no other. Eight new Legendary Skins are available along with three highlight intros and six unique victor poses. Uprising content is also back at normal prices for a limited time. You’ll also get a free loot box when you first log in as well. There’s also a new “Avoid as teammate” feature to ban two players from your team when queuing for a period of seven days. This is useful to avoid certain people you just can’t work with. Players who get banned will get a message on their dash telling them that they’ve been singled out.

A few bug fixes have been implemented as usual, and game balance as well. Here are some notable changes in the patch:

  • Blizzard World has also been changed. Point B has been shifted back 10 meters to the opposite side of the archway to balance out spawn points.
  • D. Va’s Micro Missiles got nerfed from 6 to 4 points and impact damage from has also been reduced 15 points.
  • Mei’s Endothermic Blaster can now pierce enemies and also freeze them.
  • Reaper’s Ultimate will reload his guns after use and his Wraith Form has increased move speed by to 50% bonus and he can cancel Wraith Form at any time by firing or pressing Shift.
  • Moira’s Biotic Grasp, Fade, and Coalescence Ultimates have new transparency settings to reduce clutter.
  • Zenyatta’s RoF on his secondary attack has also been reduced slightly.

It’s all looking good for Overwatch fans, but some have reported that download speeds are slower. However, this is intentionally done according to a post by Developer Bill Warnecke as new files are installing after they’re downloaded. It’s a huge patch also, so hopefully you have some fast DL speeds.

While you’re waiting for your download, here’s a video you can check out about the Retribution event.

Photo: https://playoverwatch.com/

Metal Gear Survive’s “The Encounter 1964” includes some epic unlockable goodies

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The new event includes some classic items from MGS: Snake Eater like the Croc Cap.

Metal Gear Survive is getting an all-new Metal Gear Solid 3 event starting next week starting on April 10th and running for two weeks straight. It’s a Snake Eater event.

Metal Gear Survive is a survival game themed in the MGS world. You build bases, gather resources, craft items, get loot, conquer objectives, etc. It’s not really an MGS game, but rather, MGS with a survival twist that’ set in a parallel universe that takes classic characters, event, items, and history from the series. Soldiers that were protecting Mother Base are sucked into a giant wormhole and end up in a different world with crazy weather and zombies.

https://youtu.be/ML5oFv2o5N8

Konami tweeted about it and confirmed the event.

The even is an MGS3-themed special that offers a new co-op experience and it’ll be called The Encounter 1964. That’s pretty much all the details about it other than the rewards, which include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Accessory: Crocodile Cap
  • Accessory: Fatigues – Naked Snake
  • Accessory: Jumpsuit – EVA
  • Accessory: Ocelot Unit Beret
  • Accessory: Ocelot Unit Beret with Balaclava
  • Avatar Face paint: Black
  • Avatar Face paint: Green
  • Avatar Face paint: Oyama
  • Avatar Face paint: Splitter
  • Avatar Face paint: Woodland
  • Cassette Tape: “Takin’ On The Shagohod”
  • Gesture: “You’re pretty good.”
  • Nameplate FOX
  • Nameplate PATRIOT
  • Nameplate Shagohod

Out of all these items, fans of the MGS series should be thrilled to snag some of these accessories. The Crocodile Cap and EVA Jumpsuit are both iconic items from MSS3, alongside the PATRIOT nameplate. The Naked Snake Fatigue is also classic Snake Eater. You can also get the theme music for Takin’ on the Shagohod as a cassette tape, which is actually pretty cool. Fans of the series should be all over it. All this comes from a blog post on Konami’s site.

The MS3 event will be a nice little kickback to the classic game, reminding players of where Metal Gear Survive came from. Players will earn Battle Points throughout the event which will let them snag some new items exclusive to the event.

Metal Gear Survive is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The PS4 version is $20. The Xbox One version is $25. And the Windows version is $40. They’re all different in price but the game is essentially the same. The Encounter 1964 looks pretty promising and will be free for all players when it comes out. That’s solid.

Photo: Flickr.

World of Tanks’ new “Spoils of War” trilogy is completely free content (and it’s awesome)

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WoT gets a new content update for consoles only.

World of Tanks is offering console players a whole new experience.

If you’ve never heard of the game, it’s a free-to-play tank simulator warfare game where you pilot over 660 tanks in huge 15v15 multiplayer matchups online.

WoT released a new gameplay experience focused on PvE called the “Spoils of War” War Stories trilogy which gives players a new set of missions that explore an alternate universe where WWII never ended. Players will get to test the perspective from German, Soviet, and American soldiers on the field.

The trilogy starts off with a chapter called Sieben Ritter where you play as Captain Staupe and you need to choose between duty or morals as you battle your own decisions to make the final stand in Berlin or forget your orders and do what’s right for the people in the small town on the German-Polish border.

The second chapter is called The Connoisseur where you play as an American Sergeant named Frank Martines and he has to destroy a stolen art crate. You’re competing with German soldiers as well because this crate contains some historical relics worth a lot of cash. You need to hunt it down and take it from the Germans who intend to “preserve” it for as long as possible.

The final part of the new trilogy is called Potemkin which takes place on the battlefields of Soviet-Germany. You play as Captain Anatoly Petrov and you suspect that a fellow commander has defied Soviet command by offering to sell food on eh blank market in order to prevent starvation. You play bout your morals or duties once again and it depicts the internal struggles of a captain.

Players of the console editions are in for a treat. Alongside the epic online battles, World of Tanks now has some nice campaign-focused missions in this new trilogy of PvE-focused gameplay. For those who like the WoT experience but want something more for solo play, this is it. It’s completely free and has already rolled out on April 3rd, 2018. It offers over 15 hours of gameplay. It’s available for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PS4 platforms. What a nice treat, huh?

Image via WoT Forums.

Steam Machine removed from Steam – Is Valve killing their PC console?

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Steam Machine has been discontinued?

Valve, the developer of the omnipresent Steam DRM platform, has gone ahead and removed the sales section for Steam Machines.

It was two years ago when it first launched. Now, less than 500,000 units later, Steam has removed its console competitor.

It was supposed to be a unit that competes against pricey consoles. They’re basically pre-built PC gaming consoles run by SteamOS, which is a customized version of Linux OS. It gave gamers an alternative console experience for computer games instead of buying an expensive gaming computer.

However, if you look at Steam’s sales pages now, all you’ll see are the Steam Controller, Steam Link, and HTC Vive. Only the hardware accessories pages can be reached at this point- and only if you’re in the USA or UK. Anyone else will get nothing but a 404. You can still buy a Steam Machine, but it’s not a part of the DRM anymore. Well, not connected like how it used to be.

Valve’s idea was met with praise from many gamers when it was announced back in 2013. However, it quickly went to shreds when it was delayed again and again. Even after launch, SteamOS had many issues and also has rumors that it sold customer data. Even with constant updates to it, it still wasn’t enough to get gamers to buy it.

Now, Valve is giving up on the Steam Machine and looking to promote the Steam Link instead. The Link allows players to connect their PC to a TV using Wi-Fi. Although this is nothing new, it’s a way for Steam to get their proprietary product out there and get a piece of the action. This will be their new product going forward.

 

Pathfinder: Kingmaker trailer reveals some neat features

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pathfinder-kingmaker-header-1024x576

Pathfinder: Kingmaker just got a new trailer and it looks freakin’ amazing.

It’s being developed by Owlcat Games and published by My.com. The first teaser trailer just rolled out and fills in some details about the anticipated tabletop RPG-based isometric game. We covered the announcement of this series earlier.

The trailer shows off some of the game’s lore, companions, and features. You can watch it here:

 

There’s a whole team of veterans in the RPG industry that have previously worked on huge AAA titles like Silent Storm, Heroes of Might and Magic V, Skyforge, Etherlods, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, and many other games. Chris Avellone is the narrative designer of the game and he’s a pretty important person in the field given his amazing work on the Fallout series.

The game will have a fully dynamic world complete with living, breathing environments such as a day/night cycle, weather patterns, and even season cycles. It’ll also have character customization and allow players to choose from seven core races and fourteen classes with up to three different archetypes. All this combination allows for many different playstyles and strategies and gives players the freedom to be what they want and fulfill their desired role.

There will also be eleven different companions available as well with unique stories and backgrounds. Players can influence the kingdom they live in and change how the people see you. It gives you a lot of freedom to fulfill and choose your own destiny, which is a pretty cool feature to have in a game based on a tabletop game.

Pathfinder has its roots as a tabletop game and is being transformed into an isometric computer game, so the transition needs to be smooth and monitored closely to keep the game’s original intent without too much of a drastic change. I’m pretty sure fans of the game will appreciate it. The dev team is working under Paizo’s supervision- the creators of the franchise and original owners. The game is based on Paizon’s Kingmaker adventure path for the original Pathfinder RPG. Players build a kingdom in the Stolen Lands and defend it against many different threats.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker will release in Summer 2018 for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Paizo has also announced the second edition of Pathfinder tabletop which will release next year in August. Stick around for updates on this upcoming title.

PlayStation 4’s TV and Video section gets a makeover in latest update

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PS4's TV and Video gets a makeover and update for an easier and centralized experience.

PlayStation has recently gotten a new makeover in the TV and Video section according to a post on their official blog.

As you probably know, the PS4 allows you to watch shows and TV through the menus using the system’s OS. The TV and Video portion have been in need of some major updates for a while now, as it was dragging behind the Xbox One.

The major update is the condensing of the video content all within a central location. All you need to do is launch the TV and Video app and you can manage everything in one screen without having to jump through different apps just to watch some videos. However, some players are used to this so the developers still let you do it the old-fashioned way if you’re used to it.

The new Featured section contains highlights from across all the video platforms. The Spotlight section does the same thing but only groups videos around a central theme- similar to what Xbox One is currently doing. For example, if the theme is action, the Spotlight may group a whole bunch of action shows and movies in one place. And the PS Vue section shows you live broadcasts that are popular in your current location in real-time. These are trending channels that you may be interested in.

You also get direct app access to the stuff you use most and a full list of available video platforms along with your PS Store video library.

The update also allows for a personalized experience on YouTube. You can tie your Google Account to your PlayStation and see suggestions on your menu based on your video tastes. Plans to do the same for other video platforms in the works.

If you use your PlayStation as a media center, you’ll be glad to know that Netflix, Hulu, and other on-demand media also have some minor adjustments to make the experience easier and smoother overall. The update should already be live for all PS4 owners.

You can get the full scoop on the PS blog.

Image via PS Blog.

Build your dream Jurassic Park in Jurassic World Evolution (news and release date)

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Jurassic World Evolution will be coming out for consoles and PC on June 12, 2018.

Jurassic World Evolution has just gotten its release date.

It’s a game being developed by Frontier Development, which you may have already heard of. They’re taking the name and making into an awesome theme park simulator akin to Rollercoaster Tycoon or Sim Theme Park. The game has been announced to release on June 12th, 2018 as shown in a teaser trailer which you can see at the end of this article.

Just by watching the trailer, you can see that the game will have lots of different buildings, dinosaurs, and attractions to get the most profit from each patron. As a theme park owner, it’s your job to balance customer happiness with tons and tons of cash! If you’ve pretty much played any theme park sim before, you’ll know how it goes.

You’ll have to build rides, structures, food stalls, attractions, facilities, manage resources, hire staff, and even control the dinosaurs when they break out of some faulty fences or a natural disaster hits and your park has dinosaurs running amok!

The graphics take on a realistic and detailed format, unlike your traditional theme park builder. This makes it a lot more fitting tot he genre. It takes facilities and tech from the 2015 film Jurassic World as you can see from the train rides and ball rides in the trailer preview.

Jurassic World Evolution was announced during Gamescom 2017 and revealed that players can breed new dinosaurs by bio-engineering them. You can see raptors, triceratops, and t-rex dinosaurs all in the preview trailer. The game also has narration by Dr. Ian Malcolm himself, which is awesome and should please a lot of fans. He’ll be your alert system, tutorial system, and tip generator as you build and expand your theme park. The game also takes on a consequence system where your decision will make sure there are consequences that result. Basically, what you do matters. It feels like a real park.

The game will be released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One- possibly because it’s same time when Fallen Kingdom comes out on July 22nd, 2018. It’s likely done to match up with the release of their next major movie.

Aftercharge will have cross-platform play on Xbox One, Switch, and PC

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Aftercharge will be available for console release soon and supports cross-platform play.

Chainawesome Games announced that their new game Aftercharge will be released on Xbox One, PC, and Switch with full support for cross-platform play between all three platforms.

If you haven’t heard of Aftercharge, it’s basically a 3v3 arena shooter. The game features attackers and defenders on maps with power nodes which are basically capture points. One team has to defend them while the other needs to destroy them. Defenders are incinvible and are equipped with weapons that recharge from the node points. This makes it so that if you’re a defender, you need to stay close to the objective points. The attackers use stealth technology that enables them to sneak around the defenders and destroy the nodes.

The game is currently in early access on Steam and is planned to get a full release soon. The cross-platform play will be awesome and ensure a larger playerbase over a diverse number of individuals who’ve mastered the game using their console of choice. Nintendo’s Switch doesn’t have many titles that offer this feature, so it’s nice to see Aftercharge added to the limited list of cross-platform Siwtch games.

Image via Chainawesomegames.

Far Cry 3 Classic Edition release date announced

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Far Cry 3 will be released on June 26th for consoles.

Ubisoft has confirmed the release date of Far Cry 3 Classic Edition in a forum post.

The news states that the game will be released on consoles on June 26th, 2018. For players who have the Far Cry 5 Season Pass, they’ll be able to get it on May 29th instead- a whole month earlier.

Far Cry 3 is probably their most successful game in the entire series. It utilizes mechanics of the previous games in the lineup and that’s probably why it was chosen to be the game to get the honor of being remastered. Far Cry 5 seems to be a whopping success, so Ubisoft continues the celebration with Far Cry 3 Classic Edition for raving fans and new players to the series. It’s probably my favorite of the bunch, but I can’t make that statement yet as I have yet to complete Far Cry 5.

Far Cry 5‘s Season Pass not only includes access to early grabs on Far Cry 3 Classic Edition, but also tons of DLC content like Hours of Darkness, Dead Living Zombies, and Lost on Mars. These add-ons are an integral part of the game as they show off the chaos of the game.

The Classic Edition is basically a remastered edition of the game. It’s a mashup of the game’s original content with newer graphics that can be compared to “high” settings on the PC edition. The multiplayer and co-op content won’t be included, however.

Players rave Far Cry 3 because it connects all the game’s mechanics with freedom of exploration and diverse gameplay. The character building and storyline is also superb. If you just got into Far Cry and missed out on this game, you need to play it. If you have the Season Pass already, then good job. You’re in for a treat.

Image via Ubisoft forums.

An indie title that tackles bullying; The Path of Motus is coming Summer 2018

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The Path of Motus is a game about bullying where words literally hurt.

The Path of Motus is a game that aims to depict the effect of hurtful words.

Before you dismiss it as some anti-bullying campaign, it’s actually a very well-done and unique little concept that’s pretty awesome. It’s designed by Michael Hicks and Goncalo Antunes- two indie developers who want to make a game that tackles the subject of bullying. Although it’s not the first game to showcase the trauma and ongoing effects of bullying in the world, it’s a unique way to represent it.

In the world of The Path of Motus, words literally hurt. The game has you playing as Motus, a kid who wants to build and escape out of a fantasy city inhabited by goblins by building bridges. Bullies are ever-present int he game and need to be dealt with accordingly. The city is full of bullies who aren’t too nice to one another, and it’s up to you to find out why the city is this way.

The bridges built in the game are done by solving a bunch of puzzles which range from simple to complex. Motus ages throughout the game and progresses from a small child to an adult. The game has many different characters to interact with that uncover the story behind the city.  There’s a whole cast of NPCs to help you uncover the story and dive deep into the background and lore of the situation.

Hicks mentioned in a post on the official site:

“Motus has big dreams of building bridges through the forest; using an art brush passed down to him from his dad, he can connect groups of nodes together to design bridges! He can also use his brush to solve “Thought Door” puzzles. Thought Doors appear throughout the game, and were designed as an emotional language to convey what Motus is thinking or feeling. While they look and behave like normal puzzles, the ideas behind how they’re solved is the key to how this works!”

The game seems to be a nice little indie adventure game that brings the subject of bullying to light. It’s like one of those educational games where you need to solve puzzles to progress while teaching you about an education subject at the same time. Typically, these types of games only focus on the teaching part which makes them tedious to play. The Path of Motus is similar, but from what I’ve seen, it actually does the game part well and has a good balance between the two subjects.

The Path of Motus will be released in Summer 2018 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Check out the trailer:

Image via official site.

System Shock remake by Nightdive Studios is back in action

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System Shock is getting a remake by Nightdive Studios.

System Shock was undergoing a remake when they went on a hiatus for quite some time.

Nightdive Studios, the dev team behind the remake, has reported that they’re back in action and continuing the game. The remake has been dormant after a successful funding on Kickstarter because they needed to figure out how to best develop the game with the limited resources they garnered.

Now, they’ve figured it out and the game is ready to continue development. The remake’s hiatus was mainly due to the team looking for ways to improve the game over such a long timespan- feature creep, as some like to call it. Planning this out took many days and ate up a lot of cash raised during the campaign. Thus, days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Development was then stagnant and people had to be laid off to manage the leftover funds. This required some major planning on a ticking budget.

Hopefully, the game will still be a success even on limited funds. We’ll have to see how it plays out.

CEO Stephen Kick of Nightdive Studios states:

“Our intention is to ship exactly the game that was promised, with as much of the features that were promised as we can, in a timeframe that will get it out as fast as we can.”

So far, the game looks like it’ll be released in about two years from now in 2020. The game has been pushed back and may not be good news for backers, but at least the game will be completed the right way and not rushed. Nightdive has also been collecting income from other projects, so a new campaign won’t be needed as well. A teaser version of the game will be released next month to calm the waves of backers who are eager to get some System Shock action.

The original System Shock was released back in 1994 and was a huge success at the time. It’s widely regarded as a classic game where you play as a hacker who fights a computer AI dubbed “SHODAN.” System Shock 2 was later released in 1999.

New “open-world” Star Wars game in the works based on a job posting

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New Star Wars game in the works. Perhaps an MMORPG?

EA is working a new open-world Star Wars game based on a job listing posting for their studio in Vancouver.

The job position first appeared on March 20th, 2018 and is looking for a “Lead Online Engineer” that fulfills the task of leading a “team to delivery Online features for a Star Wars Open World project. To keep this discreet, no other details about the game were given. EA probably already knows that the only people looking at their job boards are probably fans of their games. It’s likely that someone will see this post and then post it elsewhere which will leak that a new Star Wars franchise underway. However, they’re mum about the details of the game.

EA also has not commented on the news as well.

Based on their previous titles, it’s only lukewarm in terms of what to expect. If they learned anything over the Battlefront II conversely about loot crates and microtransactions, they should not make the same mistake this time around. After they pulled the microtransactions and introduced their new level progression system, the fans released some of the bitter feelings toward their greed. The new progression system only allows players to win by experience and not wallet size.

This could be anything from an AAA MMORPG to just a mobile game. Who knows?

Regardless, this is an interesting move to put out another Star Wars title so soon. We’ll keep you updated.

Image via EA.

Nintendo Switch’s best indie games of 2018 revealed

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Nindies games.

Nintendo just released their top 10 list of the best-selling indie games on the Switch.

This list is the best of the best. If you like indie games, you gotta check out these titles if you haven’t already. The games were revealed at a Nindies convention at GDC. It’s based on sales up to March 5th, 2018.

Here’s the list:

  1. Steamworld Dig 2
  2. Stardew Valley
  3. Kamiko
  4. Celeste
  5. Fast RMX
  6. Golf Story
  7. Enter the Gungeon
  8. Overcooked: Special Edition
  9. NBA Playground
  10. Shovel Knight – Treasure Trove

This list is the best so far.

Nintendo also decided to give independent developers a showcase of their own at Indies Direct.

Some games that were impressive were Mark of the Ninja Remastered, Fantasy Strike, Just Shapes and Beats, Garage, Pool Panic, Bomb Chicken!, and Lummies Remastered. Stay tuned for more details.

ARK: Survival Evolved comes to Nintendo Switch

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The popular dino MMO is coming to Switch.

ARK: Survival Evolved is going to be released on the Nintendo Switch.

As infamous as the game’s optimization issues are concerned, Studio Wildcard has already confirmed it for a Switch release at GDC 2018 today. They stated it during the State of Unreal presentation where they showed off the Switch handling the game just fine.

Jeremey Stieglitz, the lead of ARK, stated that the Switch is a good console for the game. He said that players can “go directly from hunting and taming while sitting on the couch, to forming online tribes and searching out new conquests when on the bus, waiting in line, or wherever they happen to be.”

This is exciting news for fans of the Switch who are into survival MMOs. ARK: Survival Evolved is the leading fantasy dinosaur survival game where you can craft hundreds of items, tame dozens of mounts, gather resources, form tribes, and build shelters.

The Switch version will be developed with Abstraction Games, their partner studio who previously worked on the PS4 port of it. War Drum Studios, the creators of the mobile version of ARK, also has invited players to start the beta testing of the game on phones.

It’ll be released this Fall in both digital and physical formats. Studio Wildcard posted a Tweet showing off the game on Switch. You can watch it here.

The game was previously only available on Windows after being in early access on Steam for a while. Now it’s available on Xbox One, PS4, mobile, and soon Nintendo Switch.

Target leaks details for the new Spyro game – it’s called “Spyro Treasure Trilogy”

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New Spyro is confirmed to be called Spyro Treasure Trilogy by Target.

Target has accidentally leaked some details about the new Spyro Treasure Trilogy game by answering a question about pre-orders.

A user asked target when the “new Spyro be ready for preorder” and responded that they “don’t currently have any information about when this game will be available for pre-order.” This confirms that the game is indeed coming out and the name of the game.

Spryo Treasure Trilogy is a remaster of the Spyro games. It was planned to be announced sometime in March, but no date was confirmed other than Q3 in 2018. It would be an exclusive PlayStation game as well. Activision also stated that they plan on releasing more remastered versions of classic games, like Crash Bandicoot recently.

Spyro originally came out as a PlayStation platform mascot with Crash Bandicoot. The first game was released in 1998 and was a 3D platformer where you’d explore huge worlds with lots of shiny objects to collect. Later on, many other titles followed Spryo 2: Ripto’s Rage! and Spyro: Year of the Dragon in 1999 and 2000.

Recently, the name has only been used in the Skylanders series, but it doesn’t seem like it’s taking off. Perhaps this remaster will bring it back like Crash Bandicoot’s N-Sane Trilogy. We’ll have to wait and see for little purple dragon friend’s arrival. Sit tight, Spyro fans.

Image via BagoGames on Flickr.

Make Sail coming to Steam Early Access March 30th

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Make Sail allows players to explore a procedurally-generated world and build a custom boat.

Make Sail is a game coming into Steam Early Access on March 30th.

It’s a game developed by Popcannibal and focuses on boat exploration on the high seas. It’s a procedurally-generated world so it’s always unique and different every time you sail. The game has an in-depth boat crafting system so you can create a boat to suit your imagination and play style.

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Via makesailgame.com

You can build everything from a simple castaway raft to a full-out pirate ship. Players will use ship parts they find to upgrade and rebuild their ships. They essentially get rewarded for exploring in the form of better parts and more gear.

Make Sail features boats that are “wild horses of your own design” and “rooted in real physics” according to dev Ziba Scott.

The boats can also break apart and sink as well. It’s probably the most realistic boat simulator in recent years and seems like a lot of fun because of the simplicity of it. It combines exploration, upgrading your boat, and sailing the seas all into one game with a nice crafting system that lets you build your own designs which offers a lot of creative freedom to the player.

You’ll be exploring a variety of islands and creatures as well. These are procedurally placed and completely handcrafted by the dev team. The sea is always unique and the game is always offering something new. You’ll come across new lands, animals, and boat pieces while under the forces of gravity, lift, draft, wind, shape, and weight. The game has a real physics system with water and wind effects that play out to what you’d expect in real life.

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Via makesailgame.com

Want to make a boat U-turn? Go for it? Got some tailwind? Embrace it. Choppy waters? Fare it. It’s all governed by a universal physics system that works in real-time. It combines a fantasy sea with real physics that can power your ship’s sailing method of choice- whether it be square sails, lateen sails, propellers, jets, and even energy-fields.

Make Sail has a new teaser trailer out that shows off the impressive visuals and supermodular building system. You can witness a player getting off their ship and exploring a newfound island on foot.

The game was funded back in November of 2016 on Fig successfully and will be released on Steam later this month. You can check out more details on their page as well. If you like sailing and exploration, set your sails to Make Sail!

Featured image via official site.

 

Garage, a top-down zombie slasher, coming to Nintendo Switch as an exclusive

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Garage will be a Switch exclusive.

Garage is a top-down action shooter developed by Zombie Dynamics.

The game is inspired by old-school VHS tapes and B movies. You’re a ex-drug-dealer dubbed “Butch” who’s on a mission to kill tons upon tons of zombies all over the city. Zombies aren’t the only thing trying to kill you through- the military ain’t on your side either.

It’s a pretty unique take on the genre. There are zombie games. And there are top-down Gauntlet-style games. Garage combines both into one game. It’s like Contra with zombies or something in a top-down perspective.

The game takes place in a pretty big underground parking lot that brings Butch to a hidden world infested with gory, violent zombies. The combat system has you mainly using your melee weapon with limited bullets for your guns. There are tons of mutants to fight and each one requires a special way of taking them down. You can’t just hack and slash everything without taking some damage.

 

 

Garage is a mix of survival, resource management, hack and slash, shooting, and even some minigames like racing. Every single level has tons of hidden gems that’ll greatly help you out if you explore it. And there are some pretty difficult boss fights as well.

It’ll be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch and releases on May 10, 2018. It’s nice to see the support for more “mature” titles on the Switch unlike its predecessor consoles- just like rumor had it. Good work.

Check out more info here.

Image via Nintendo.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 will use new Dragon Engine and feature a steelbook for early purchases

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Yakuza Kiwami 2 is coming out to Western players with all-new features.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 will be released on August 28th, 2018.

Sega made the announcement that the game has been confirmed for a release date in the West. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of the original Yakuza 2 using the Dragon Engine. The new engine will have a bunch of performance improvements like limited loading times, no transition periods between entering and leaving buildings, and faster combat transitions. Sega has rebuilt the localization and voice-overs for the original game and added new stuff like minigames.

It follows the life of Kazuma Kiryu after the first game. He’s again in a clan full of conflicts and must engage peace between the characters. It takes place in Kamurocho and Osaka districts.

You get an extra story that depicts the life of Goro Majima and what he did between Yakuza Kiwami and Kiwami 2 and more revelations about what happened in Yakuza 0. you also get a new minigame called Golf Bingo and the Sega Toylet games as well.

The game will be released in a special steelbook for pre-orders or purchases at launch for no extra charge. This is a nice favor from Sega- probably to build up some good reception for the game so it can do better in the West.

It’ll be available for $49.99 in the US. Even if you’ve played Yakuza 2, this remake will be a drastic improvement just by looking at the screenshots. It’s rolling out quickly after the JP release for Western fans. Although not as popular in the US, it’s still an awesome game that’s worth checking out.

Stay tuned for more game news.

HTC Vive Pro will be the world’s most powerful VR headset

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HTC Vive Pro set to release next month and priced at $799.99.

HTC announced the pricing and details about the new HTC Vive Pro, which is set to roll out on April 5th, 2018.

It was originally announced at CES 2018.

It’ll cost $799 and because of this, it brings down the price of the original HTC Vive- which is now down to just $499.99. The company releases some details about the new and standard models of the Vive on their blog. If you buy it before June 3rd, you’ll get a free trial subscription to Viveport which allows you to play up to 5 games per month from a huge library of more than 400 games available.

The Vive Pro has some notable new features. It comes with dual-OLED displays with a resolution of 2880 x 1600 pixels, which is a huge 78% increase over the standard Vive HMD. It also features integrated headphones with an amplifier that allows users to get totally immersed in the experience via nose-cancellation abilities. All this is built-in and won’t cost you by forcing you to buy additional upgrades.

Current owners can easily upgrade and still use their current stations and controllers since it supports both SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0 for easy integration.

This makes it literally the most powerful VR headset you can buy- it’s more advanced than the current Oculus Rift and may be the new standard after its release.

Daniel O’Brien, the GM for HTC Vive, explains:

“Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available and to drive adoption for VR, by lowering the price of the current Vive, we are making VR more accessible while expanding the potential market for developers. Whether you’re a VR enthusiast or new to the platform, there’s never been a better time to join the most complete VR platform available.”

 

Image via HTC blog.

LEGO The Incredibles 2 and LEGO DC Villains coming out in 2018 by TT Games

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LEGO The Incredibles 2 and LEGO DC Villains coming out in 2018 by TT Games 1

The Incredibles 2 is coming out later this year in theaters, and there’s new that a game will also come out with it.

There was an ad on the back of an instructor manual for a LEGO Juniors Incredibles 2 set that has yet to be released. In the ad, it shows the promo image with LEGO versions of the family and has a 2018 release date. The giveaway is the platforms- PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. And the “LEGO GAMES” logo as well. It’s pretty obvious that we’ll be getting another LEGO game.

Incredibles 2 LEGO
Promo on the back of a manual in a LEGO Juniors set. (Via brickfan.com.)

The game was leaked back in January and Eurogamer reported that other Pixar properties will be released as well. A LEGO DC Villains game was also leaked at the same time as this game, with Comicbook.com stating that the game would feature characters like Lex Luthor, Joker, and Harley Quinn. TT Games usually roll out two games a year, so both of these games are probably the two titles for this year.

This is the first time that a property owned by Pixar has gotten its own game. Since this is the second movie, it’s likely that the game will take place between both Incredibles movies. Disney doesn’t develop their games in-house anymore and other studios do it for them, like TT Games for this situation. They’ve already worked on other LEGO games like LEGO Marvel Superheroes and LEGO The Force Awakens.

Stay tuned for more details.