Monday, March 18, 2013

News::Bungie not worried about Destiny server issues

"Developer says it will be prepared for "anxious mobs of players," teases gamers can play as aliens in upcoming shooter."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212205/bungie-not-worried-about-destiny-server-issues

News::Gaming Is Cool But Gamers Are (Still) Not

Quote: "A few years ago I read an opinion column in a local gaming magazine in which the writer drew a very unnerving picture about the gaming scene; where it has come from and where it is going in the future. In a nutshell he asserted that as gaming slowly but surely reaches the mainstream, it becomes more popular and receives more widespread positive appeal but those of us who have always been around and can actually call ourselves gamers will not suddenly become the cool kids. The jocks will effectively still remain the jocks and, unfortunately, we will still remain the nerdy / geeky dweebs who creep everyone out and essentially, are social outcasts. "



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212342/gaming-is-cool-but-gamers-are-still-not

News::10 Best Cricket Games for Windows PC in 2013

Nerdsmagazine- Cricket is counted as one of the best sports games which is popular all over the world with lots of fans. Even people from every age group love to play this game, but due to some reason youre not able to play this game on the field or youre in between games and looking for some Top Cricket Games for PC. Then dont miss to read this article, because in this article Im going to cover some of the best Cricket Games for PC. So you can take your pick, lets us starts with



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212183/10-best-cricket-games-for-windows-pc-in-2013

News::Indie Arcade #4: Blue Bombing The Street

This week on Indie Arcade youll see a familiar blue bomber fighting a street fighter (or 8), a spaceship sim, and more!



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212340/indie-arcade-4-blue-bombing-the-street

News::Free To Play Could Save This Hidden Treasure

"A downloadable multiplayer-only game titled The Showdown Effect came out with solid gameplay mechanics for a party fighting game, and to its misfortune the online gaming community for it is already dying." - FirstDropShow.com



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212329/free-to-play-could-save-this-hidden-treasure

News::For the Love of Gaming Podcast Episode 135: Samsung Mario Galaxy HD

This weeks episode of For the Love of Gaming Podcast features Tomb Raider, Dead Space 3, SSX, and The Legend of Zelda. Ten Minute Topic: Playstation 4 Reactions. Is Gearbox guilty of embezzlement with Aliens Colonial Marines? EA screws up the launch of Sim City. Nintendo promises Wii U OS improvements this year. Rare once again says they are hiring for a mind blowing kinect game.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212428/for-the-love-of-gaming-podcast-episode-135-samsung-mario-galaxy-hd

News::What Went Wrong: Tomb Raider

I cannot be too clear on this point: Tomb Raider is in no way a bad game. Over the course of its exceptional campaign, youll inhabit a newly-imagined Lara Croft, one who inhabits a wide range of vulnerabilities: crepuscular scavenger, torture porn survivor, hibiscus assassin. Considering that our previous Croft could only be described by a handful of termsall of which involved some number of mammary glandsthis range of character seems especially pertinent.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212407/what-went-wrong-tomb-raider

News::The Ethics of Releasing a Buggy Game

PixlBit | "Something that has become commonplace in gamings new world is the infamous day one patch. Because development cycles are so incredibly tight games often have to go to the production line in an incomplete state, leaving the developer in a position to complete the bug fixing post-production, but pre-release. In many instances, the day one patch still isnt enough to shore up the various bugs, leaving players with a game that may not even work properly on their machines. This begs the question is it ethical to put a game on the production line thats incomplete?"



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212371/the-ethics-of-releasing-a-buggy-game

News::Will Diablo III Make an Easy Transition From PC To PlayStation 3/4?

Prima Games explores the game's transition from PC hit to console release.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212500/will-diablo-iii-make-an-easy-transition-from-pc-to-playstation-3-4

News::Dungeon Defenders 2 Isnt Planned on Current Gen Consoles, Might be on Next Gen if They fit the Bill

As a big fan of the first Dungeon Defenders (todays the last day to get it free on PlayStation Plus), I was really excited to hear that a sequel, titled Dungeon Defenders II, was announced today. -PSLS



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212522/dungeon-defenders-2-isnt-planned-on-current-gen-consoles-might-be-on-next-gen-if-they-fit-the-bill

News::EA to Recompense SimCity Owners

Ah, EA, always the gracious overlords. They provided us with Christmas Sales to rival even the almighty Steam, with a whopping 10% off major titles. Wow! But sarcasm aside, the multi-million dollar corporation and publisher Electronic Arts had pulled one out of the bag to repay gamers worldwide. So long as youve activated your copy of SimCity by March 25th and have chosen your free game (via EAs Origin client) by the 31st, you can enjoy a new piece of digital media to apologise for the disastrous launch of the fifth title in the series.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212519/ea-to-recompense-simcity-owners

News::Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag Preview The Annual Franchise Sails Again

Assassins Creed is a bit of a divisive franchise. To some the name will evoke fond images of free running and compelling time travel conspiracy tales, to others images of disappointment and another overly milked cash cow. Its been two years since the initial spinoff title Brotherhoods release and now an annual Assassins Creed game, like a new COD or FIFA has become a bit of a given. This meant that absolutely no one was surprised when an invitation for an Assassins Creed reveal event appeared in the hands of the press last week. What was unexpected however, was that the event would actually be the announcement of a full blown numbered Assassins Creed sequel and a completely open world sequel at that.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212499/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-preview-the-annual-franchise-sails-again

News::The Time Tribe Review | GameDynamo

GameDynamo - "The Time Tribe takes place in upstate New York with a small staff of workers. The player begins by meeting two children named Will and Iris... but, there is more than meets the eye. You'll travel with them and their wild bird Kismet to find the other characters, and your journey begins to the distant past."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212527/the-time-tribe-review-gamedynamo

News::It's time for Luigi to shine with this Club Nintendo sale

Club Nintendo is celebrating the release of Dark Moon with a sale that will run for the next three days, appropriately titled "Luigi's 72 Hour Sale."


Not everything is Luigi-centric though, so be sure and check everything on the site before you ignore him (poor Luigi!).


On a related note, my Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon review will be going up on Thursday, so be sure and tune in then to see what I thought. You can also catch the green goon later this year in his own version of New Super Mario Bros. U.


Luigi's 72 Hour Sale [Club Nintendo]


It's time for Luigi to shine with this Club Nintendo sale screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/it-s-time-for-luigi-to-shine-with-this-club-nintendo-sale-249015.phtml

News::BioShock Infinite is clearly a WoW clone


Someone has finally found a way to make YouTube comments useful. Almost.


[Via @DrewHolmes]


BioShock Infinite is clearly a WoW clone screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/bioshock-infinite-is-clearly-a-wow-clone-249013.phtml

News::CitiesXL Platinum gets a Dubstep Trailer

CitiesXL Platinum gets a release trailer with buildings being build to the sound of dubstep music.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212369/citiesxl-platinum-gets-a-dubstep-trailer

News::PCGamer- Rising Storm Preview

PCG:Rising Storm isnt simply RO2 recast into the Pacific. We have something started and created by a mod team, but polished to perfection by a group of professional developers, says John Gibson, Tripwires president. Whats immediately impressive about the expansion is the way it embraces the asymmetries inherent to the American and Japanese infantry at the end of the war. Its a seemingly uncrackable balancing problem, for example, that the Japanese mainly used bolt-action rifles while Americans carried the semi-automatic M1 Carbine and Garand, the Thompson, and the fully automatic BAR.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212437/pcgamer-rising-storm-preview

News::StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review | Machinima

Machinima: "Before playing Heart of the Swarm, Id wondered how difficult it would be to speak to the audience that would be interested in the game. Turns out thats not a problem, because its everyone. With a surprisingly long campaign, infinitely replayable multiplayer, improved spectating and community tools, and access to hundreds of user-made game modes, Heart of the Swarm is an absurd value and a complete necessity for anyone that enjoyed any aspect of StarCraft II. Unless you just hate using your mouse in video games, buy Heart of the Swarm."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212480/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-review-machinima

News::Review: SimCity (This Is My Joystick)

There has been a disappointing lack of quality, accessible simulation titles over the last few years. Like many long-time PC gamers I have fond memories of Theme Park, Theme Hospital, Rollercoaster Tycoon and, of course, SimCity. These were well-loved franchises that struck the rare and difficult balance of appealing to both hardcore and casual gamers. Now that SimCitys mostly working, you start by creating your own region of cities or jumping into someone elses. The latter option makes much more sense as you can enter into an already-established community, but the implementation is poor.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212512/review-simcity-this-is-my-joystick

News::Riccitiello to step down as EA CEO


John Riccitiello will leave his position at EA as CEO and member of the board of directors effective March 30th.


EA has appointed Larry Probst as executive chairman “to ensure a smooth transition and to lead EA’s executive team while the board conducts a search for a permanent CEO,” EA said in a note to investors.


“We thank John for his contributions to EA since he was appointed CEO in 2007, especially the passion, dedication and energy he brought to the company every single day,” said Probst. “John has worked hard to lead the company through challenging transitions in our industry, and was instrumental in driving our very significant growth in digital revenues. We appreciate John’s leadership and the many important strategic initiatives he has driven for the company. We have mutually agreed that this is the right time for a leadership transition.”


Riccitiello added: “EA is an outstanding company with creative and talented employees, and it has been an honor to serve as the Company’s CEO. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and after six years I feel it is the right time for me pass the baton and let new leadership take the Company into its next phase of innovation and growth. I remain very optimistic about EA’s future — there is a world class team driving the Company’s transition to the next generation of game consoles.”


The investor note added that “EA expects that its revenues and earnings per share for the current quarter will be at the low end of, or slightly below previously issued guidance provided in its press release dated January 30, 2013.” EA will announce its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013 results on May 7th.


The post Riccitiello to step down as EA CEO appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/riccitiello-to-step-down-as-ea-ceo/

News::PAX East Preview | Gamereactor UK

GR-UK writes: "The end of this week (March 22-24) sees gamers take over Boston as PAX East descends on the city. Gamereactor will be on the scene to cover the biggest stories and meet up with a sea of independent developers. Here's a brief overview of what's in store..."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212385/pax-east-preview-gamereactor-uk

News::SimCity Review | ENE3

ENE3: "There are 8 initial locations to choose between peninsular or more inland zones, each with different amounts of fossil fuels and natural resources"



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212404/simcity-review-ene3

News::The Sims 3: University Life Review (With Video Review) - Twinfinite

Yamilia from Twinfinite writes: "With The Sims 1 & 2 expansion packs, you had to decide whether the minor updates were worth the high cost. Save for the Stuff packs with The Sims 3, though, EA has managed to release some really great expansion packs that add a lot more than their parallels did with the past games. The Sims 3: University Life adds a whole new university town and the benefits of pursuing higher education, but should you even bother enrolling or choose to drop out of this one? God, Im so lame."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212504/the-sims-3-university-life-review-with-video-review-twinfinite

News::Review: Tomb Raider (with Video Review) - Twinfinite

"The latest effort from Crystal Dynamics left me nothing short of impressed. Its a cinematic, puzzle filled, gruesome, adventurous tale of one of the most incredible female protagonists Ive had the pleasure of playing as. Read on to find out what makes this one of the best games of the year thus far." - Twinfinite.net



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212492/review-tomb-raider-with-video-review-twinfinite

News::Jimquisition: Innovation - Gaming's Snake Oil


There's nothing wrong with a game that innovates. There's everything wrong with a game that goes out of its way to innovate without reason.


Like any tool, innovation is neither good nor bad, and it has its specific uses. However, some developers bang on about it like it's a magical cure for every ill in the industry. It doesn't matter if the game's good or not, to hear some of them speak, only that it innovates. What rot.


Jimquisition: Innovation - Gaming's Snake Oil screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/jimquisition-innovation-gaming-s-snake-oil-248999.phtml

News::Is EAs SimCity consolation a fair deal?

EA has finally announced its list of free games for customers of their latest installment in the SimCity franchise. However, are the games that are available to choose from really a fair deal?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212466/is-eas-simcity-consolation-a-fair-deal

News::SimCity sells 1.1 million copies, biggest SimCity launch of all time

GC: "EA has announced that SimCity has sold 1.1 million copies."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212395/simcity-sells-1-1-million-copies-biggest-simcity-launch-of-all-time

News::Dead Space 3: 5 Ways To Improve The Sequel

"Dead Space 3 has been a bit of hit and miss with gamers. While it does maintain some identity in relation to the old games, steadily the Dead Space series has been moving away from its initial survival horror roots" | Explosion.com



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212397/dead-space-3-5-ways-to-improve-the-sequel

News::5 Things Wrong with Saints Row IV

This article is dedicated to the true fans of the Saints Row series; the fans that have played the game since the beginning and the fans that realize how dramatic of a change the series took from who they were. This article is for those of you who would never dare call Saints Row a knock off of Grand Theft Auto and for the fans that are now feeling betrayed by the game they once dedicated themselves to. If this does not describe you and you jumped on the band wagon after Saints Row: The Third advertisements this article will more likely offend you than anything; so there is no need for you to keep reading. Volition sided with their new fans to gain profit. That was not a stupid choice for the company just a deceiving move to those of you that helped the company get to where they are today. For all of the fans that this does apply to; we are sorry for your loss. Also beware that this article will contain spoilers for Saints Row (1), Saints Row 2 and Saints Row: The Third.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212427/5-things-wrong-with-saints-row-iv

News::IGN- The Showdown Effect Review

IGN:The Showdown Effect isn't all style and no substance, but it's definitely weighed disproportionately in favor of the former. On the upside, that means heaps of enticing potential, but it also leaves plenty of room for improvement. As is, Showdown Effect feels rough and unfinished. It's certainly playable, and you'll find quite a few flashes of fun, but just keep in mind that they'll be sadly short-lived.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212460/ign-the-showdown-effect-review

News::Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review | Geek Revolt

GR's Bryan Allbright writes: Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm continues Blizzards Starcraft II storyline after the completion of Wings of Liberty. This expansion focuses on Sarah Kerrigan, who after being turned human again at the end of Wings of Liberty, is now out for revenge against the man who allowed her to be turned Zerg, Arcturus Mengsk. Kerrigan will stop at nothing to destroy Mengsk even if that means becoming the Queen of Blades again and reinserting herself into the Zerg hive mind.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212464/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-review-geek-revolt

News::Max: The Curse of Brotherhood looks surprisingly great


I can't say I've ever bothered to play Max and the Magic Marker , but with a completely different art style, this Xbox Live Arcade-exclusive spiritual successor looks hard to resist. If you're into games like Trine, you should feel similarly. Check out this trailer to see what I mean.


According to developer Press Play, the puzzles this time around will be "less cluttered" and "more about knowing Max' powers and abilities." The team has also cited The Goonies and the children's book The Brothers Lionheart as inspiration. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood will launch this spring for 1200 Microsoft Points.


Max: The Curse of Brotherhood looks surprisingly great screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/max-the-curse-of-brotherhood-looks-surprisingly-great-248996.phtml

News::StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review | GameDynamo

GameDynamo - "with StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, Blizzards expansion streak comes to an end. Yes, I know that World of Warcraft had tons of them, but that is just one game. Heart of the Swarm does not turn the game upside down, but it makes StarCraft II feel more complete."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212461/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-review-gamedynamo

News::Top 5 Best Video Game Duos

Whats a hero without a sidekick? In almost every video game the main character has some kind of supporting character to help them along their way. Rather that supporting character be someone who is stuck to the other character the whole game or someone who pops up in a time of need. These character are some of the reasons why we fall in love with certain games. Throughout gaming there have been a lot of characters that have grown near and dear to our hearts; not only for who they are but for who is there next to them providing support every step of the way. Dynamic duos are not uncommon in gaming. Out of all the great choices, what can we consider the top 5 best duos in gaming?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212420/top-5-best-video-game-duos

News::Epic Mickey 2 coming to the PlayStation Vita

The Disney Movies UK Twitter account revealed that Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two will be heading to the PlayStation Vita sometime this year. No other info was revealed, but we've reached out to Disney and will have more for you as soon as we know.


Quite peculiar that Epic Mickey 2 is getting a Vita release. The game didn't review all that well, leading to very poor sales, and the inevitable shutdown of developer Junction Point.


Epic Mickey 2 coming to the PlayStation Vita screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/epic-mickey-2-coming-to-the-playstation-vita-248991.phtml

News::If StarCrafts Kerrigan had a dating site profile

The Queen of Blades makes a profile on GamesBeat's dating site for gaming characters, Extra Hearts.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212414/if-starcrafts-kerrigan-had-a-dating-site-profile

News::Heart of the Swarm brings lack of imagination to a well-designed StarCraft II | GamesBeat review

Even with a new Zerg campaign and seven additional units for multiplayer, this expansion feels like retreading similar -- albeit well-designed -- ground.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212412/heart-of-the-swarm-brings-lack-of-imagination-to-a-well-designed-starcraft-ii-gamesbeat-review

News::Torment: Tides of Numenera First Impressions | GameDynamo

GameDynamo - "First and foremost, Torment: Tides of Numenera is going to be an intensely narrative-driven experience, in the spirit of the original title. Set billions of years in the future, the world of Numenera spans multiple dimensions and realities."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212390/torment-tides-of-numenera-first-impressions-gamedynamo

News::The Keepers: The Order's Last Secret Review | Casual Game Guides

Journey to Spain in The Keepers: The Order's Last Secret to investigate the death of archaeologist Pedro Alvarez and the mystery behind the ancient box he unearthed but beware the evil forces also unleashed! Can you help his sister Carmen ward off this ancient evil and discover the secret behind this mysterious box? Find out in this exciting addition to The Keeper's franchise.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212322/the-keepers-the-orders-last-secret-review-casual-game-guides

News::SimCity review - Tech Digest

"SimCity is great. SimCity is bad. SimCity is intelligent. SimCity is dumb. SimCity is social. SimCity is antisocial. SimCity is all of these things at once because SimCity is broken. I can't think of any game recently that's been just as able to fill me with joy as it has frustration which, as a reviewer, makes this a very tough game to critique."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212316/simcity-review-tech-digest

News::NinjaBee demoing new game Nutjitsu at PAX East

Indie developer NinjaBee has announced that it will be debuting a new game at PAX East later this week titled Nutjitsu. A playable "in-development build" will be demoed at the developer's booth. NinjaBee will also be hosting demo builds of the Windows 8 and Wii U versions of its popular city building game A World of Keflings. The developer will even give away a copy of the PC version of A Kingdom for Keflings for players who demo any of the games at their booth.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212313/ninjabee-demoing-new-game-nutjitsu-at-pax-east

News::Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag: A Promising Game From A Stumbling Series

VideoGamer - Black Flag looks like a return to form for the Assassin's Creed franchise. But then so did Assassin's Creed 3. With yearly sequels now standard, is the popularity of the franchise actually hurting it?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212287/assassins-creed-4-black-flag-a-promising-game-from-a-stumbling-series

News::Ubisoft drops XBLA/PSN title Thunder Wolves

Ubisoft has dropped Thunder Wolves, the XBLA/PSN/PC helicopter shooter announced by the publisher last year. The title will now be published by Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams publisher bitComposer Games in the second quarter of 2013.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212356/ubisoft-drops-xbla-psn-title-thunder-wolves

News::PopBucket Podcast Now With Added Enya (Episode 4)

In the latest PopBucket Podcast, Martyn, James, Michael and Zara discuss the game BAFTA awards and game to movie adaptations.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212259/popbucket-podcast-now-with-added-enya-episode-4

News::Doom 3 won't be ready for the Oculus Rift dev kit launch

Those who Kickstarted Oculus Rift were originally supposed to get a copy of Doom 3: BFG included with their order, but that is no longer the case. "Unfortunately, we've been informed that [the game] will not support the Rift development kit by the time we begin shipping," wrote the Oculus team. Specific reasons for the delay were not given.


Given this spot of disappointing news, replacements are being offered to those affected. You can either get a $20 Steam Wallet credit or a $25 Oculus Store credit. There's also the option for a full refund of your Kickstarter pledge. If no option is chosen via the Oculus Order Manager by April 5, the replacement will default to store credit. At least there's still Hawken.


Oculus Rift no longer shipping with Doom BFG [NeoGAF -- Thanks, M Gross]


Doom 3 won't be ready for the Oculus Rift dev kit launch screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/doom-3-won-t-be-ready-for-the-oculus-rift-dev-kit-launch-249000.phtml

News::Hang out with the new BioShock Infinite TV ad


BioShock Infinite is out next week and this new CG trailer shows off the two main heroes trying to survive another day in the flying city of Columbia. No gameplay is shown off, but rather the ad focuses on the intense action while fluffing it up with quotes and praise from various media outlets.


And that's totally fine. BioShock Infinite is already sold to the gamers that pay attention to the blogs and such. This ad is trying to reach everyone else that is only aware of the likes of other first-person shooters, and I think it does a rather effective job.


Hang out with the new BioShock Infinite TV ad screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/hang-out-with-the-new-bioshock-infinite-tv-ad-248989.phtml

News::The Phantom Pain: The Unifying Theory

Want to know the truth behind one of the most elaborate game unveilings in history? The Phantom Pain might be confusing, but its blurring of reality and fantasy is not only deliberate, but likely a key theme.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212378/the-phantom-pain-the-unifying-theory

News::The Humbling Experience of Starcraft Multiplayer

Starcraft multiplayer requires some very specific set of skills in order to be successful. Kris doesn't have them. Here are his thoughts on it anyway.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212189/the-humbling-experience-of-starcraft-multiplayer

News::Dead Space 3: The Awakened DLC Review | IRB GAMER

IRB Gamer: "Just over a month after the release of Dead Space 3 gamers get their first DLC, The Awakened. But is it too soon? And just like when Dead Space 3 released fans also seem to be taking the DLC with mixed feelings."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212312/dead-space-3-the-awakened-dlc-review-irb-gamer

News::NZ Gamer - SimCity Review

NZ Gamer - The sixth SimCity game (fifth, if you dont count Societies) was released earlier this month, amid much expectation and controversy. To say SimCity represents the pinnacle of gaming for some people is no understatement. Since its initial release in 1989 (based in part on a Stanislaw Lem short story), both Will Wright and Maxis have become household names. The Sims series, arguably the most popular game ever, was an offshoot of SimCity. SimCity is where it all began.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212265/nz-gamer-simcity-review

News::Incredipede Review | Greenlit Gaming

Pat of Greenlit Gaming writes: "The fine folks over at Northway Games sent along a review copy of Incredipede in anticipation of their impending Steam release. I can count the number of puzzle games in my life that have genuinely captured my attention without having to remove my right hand from the mouse. Incredipede not only captured my attention and held it, but it rewarded that attention with a polished puzzle experience that kept me playing until the end."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212274/incredipede-review-greenlit-gaming

News::Road Rash: 5 Reasons It Should Return

"A recent article on Eurogamer featured a piece with Dan Geisler, creator of the Road Rash series all those years ago. In it he talks about utilising Kickstarter to fund another Road Rash game, or at least, a spiritual successor. " | Explosion.com



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212267/road-rash-5-reasons-it-should-return

News::Sam Samwise Didier Discusses Everything Blizzard

Sam Samwise Didier has been an Art Director at Blizzard Entertainment since 1991 and is responsible for creating and directing the artwork for all franchises that the company has produced, including StarCraft, WarCraft and Diablo. He remains a popular figure in the video game industry and has a reputation with Blizzard fans as being a down-to-earth, approachable face of the company. Gaming Illustrated was granted some time with Samwise Didier hours before the launch of StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm to discuss topics such as his art style, what he looks for in an artist, advice for aspiring artists as well as touching on the StarCraft and Warcraft franchises.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212210/sam-samwise-didier-discusses-everything-blizzard

News::Battlefield 4 trailer tease: 'Prepare 4 Battle' on March 27

EA has teased the imminent reveal of Battlefield 4, telling fans to "Prepare 4 Battle" on March 27.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212192/battlefield-4-trailer-tease-prepare-4-battle-on-march-27

News::Hallelujah! Persona 4 Arena has a European release date

Persona 4 Arena is finally making its way to European Shores on May 10, Zen United has announced. Additionally, the publisher has unveiled a pair of pre-order incentives for the game: a soundtrack CD and collection of "exclusive" digital artwork.


Originally planned for release in August last year, the title's European localization became mired with delays before ultimately getting pushed back to 2013. Luckily, the hold-up is almost over and folks needn't wait too much longer to get their hands on this exquisite fighter.


Hallelujah! Persona 4 Arena has a European release date screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/hallelujah-persona-4-arena-has-a-european-release-date-248978.phtml

News::Tomb Raider - Review | AWESOMEoutof10

Reviewer Fraser Brown slips into a tank top and braves the wilderness of Yamatai, returning with a review of Tomb Raider. "Now, after pouring countless hours into exploring a long-lost Japanese island, unloading clip after clip, arrow after arrow, into the faces of a never-ending horde of psychopathic, shipwrecked men, I look back at my earlier worries and cant help but chuckle. Have the issues many had with Laras earlier incarnations had an impact? Undoubtedly. Has Uncharted left its mark on this much older franchise? It seems clear to me that it has. Is it any worse off for these things? No, this is the best Tomb Raider game you will play."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1209621/tomb-raider-review-awesomeoutof10

News::Why You Should Play - Star Wars: The Old Republic

The first title that Why You Should Play (WYSP) will be covering is Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR). Now a failed MMO turned Free-to-Play (F2P), SWTOR launched with a great many of promises and initially promised great success. Having peaked at around 2 million active subscribers according to EA back in February 2012, this number dropped sharply down to less than 1 million by July 2012 after most users free trials had run out. At this point EA announced they would be adding a F2P option.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1211952/why-you-should-play-star-wars-the-old-republic

News::More Evidence of Halo 3 PC Surfaces

The Halo 3 PC mystery has just gotten a little deeper. After Halo 3 (and its predecessors) turned up in the Steam registry, PC gamers were ready to jump at the chance to play some of the best rated FPS titles on their rigs. Microsoft shot down the idea, specifically saying that it wasn't going to happen. So why is there an entry for Halo 3 in the latest AMD beta drivers?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212039/more-evidence-of-halo-3-pc-surfaces

News::StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Easy Way to Play Campaign [Guide]

The Heart of the Swarm singleplayer campaign is pretty fun to play. Theres about 12 hours of gameplay in it, with different features that give players the experience of being Kerrigan and the Swarm. For those who are a bit intimidated by StarCraft IIs gameplay, yet still want to fully experience the HotS campaign, then heres an easy way to play it.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212155/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-easy-way-to-play-campaign-guide

News::Nvidia gave AMD the PS4 because console margins are terrible

Nvidias original Xbox win was a sizable windfall for the company in 2002-2003 and the GPU designs of the Xbox 360 and PS3 (built by AMD and Nvidia respectively) were topics of intense discussion when those consoles were new and exciting. Given these upsides, it might seem odd that Nvidia apparently walked away from the negotiating table with Sony on the PS4.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212154/nvidia-gave-amd-the-ps4-because-console-margins-are-terrible

News::Gaming 365 days a year

With all the big block-buster games coming out this year; with all the budgets going into modern titles, it would make good sense to stagger releases more, to maximize sales. MWEB GameZone looks into how games' releases could be scheduled better.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1212125/gaming-365-days-a-year

News::After Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition, meet Zelda Starring Zelda


Last week we reported on a father hacking a Donkey Kong ROM so that his daughter could rescue Mario playing as Pauline. This week brings us news of another retro Nintendo gender swap.


Hobbyist animator Kenna W and her developer boyfriend have hacked The Legend Of Zelda to replace Link with Princess Zelda. You can watch the video below, and read Kenna’s blog on the hack here.



The post After Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition, meet Zelda Starring Zelda appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/after-donkey-kong-pauline-edition-meet-zelda-starring-zelda/

News::SimCity: explore Maxis’ city-builder here

News::SimCity review


Having spent the past five years coming to terms with DLC, microtransactions and F2P, the next five look to be about always-online games. Publishers claim it’s the natural extension of games as services. Players counter that it’s intrusive DRM, an assault on their rights and it stops them playing their games on the train. To some, SimCity just became the equivalent of Bethesda’s horse armour: an exemplar of everything they fear the future holds. Given what SimCity used to represent, and the game that’s still at its core, that’s a shame.


Let’s list the mistakes. First, it wasn’t possible to pre-load the game before the minute of release. That led to Origin’s servers being overwhelmed in the hours after launch. When players did have the game installed and ready to play, they found the servers unable to cope with demand, being either down or sticking them in lengthy queues. And once they did finally connect, they were likely to be disconnected shortly thereafter, sometimes losing progress.


EA scrambled to respond, adding more servers, reworking its infrastructure, and temporarily dropping some of the functionality used to justify the always-online requirement in the first place. At the time of writing, some features – including the fastest game speed – are still unavailable.


The result is that people bought a game that didn’t work at all or didn’t work as advertised, and it’s tempting to write the game off here. Please don’t, because there are good reasons to drive into the heart of SimCity, both to discover sights worth seeing and to discover how deep its problems run.


Released in 1989, the original SimCity was a revelation. It was a sandbox game about building a functioning city, but its simulation was balanced such that the challenges stacked: you might solve your power shortage with more power plants, but you risked meltdown and brownouts; you could provide more jobs by zoning for cheap industry, but the pollution would cause citizens to get sick. There were specific scenarios, but you didn’t need them. SimCity’s clockwork simulation was the game.



The new SimCity understands this. You begin as before, placing down roads and then zoning for three types of building: residential areas for your population to build houses in, commercial areas where they’ll do their shopping, and industry where they’ll work. Pop down a water pump, a power plant, and a sewage filtration plant, and the simulation hums to life. Construction trucks stream into town, buildings sprout from the ground, followed by moving vans delivering residents. Open one of the new data layers and you can see the heart of the simulation beating underneath. Water can be watched as it flows to each building, sewage can be seen being flushed away, and in time, you can see the creeping impact of your town’s industry as pollution spreads through the ground.


From here, the process of developing your cities is almost identical to previous games. You place health clinics, police and fire stations, and schools. These services cost money, so you need more taxpayers. You zone more residential, and upgrade the roads so your original neighbourhoods switch from small houses to apartment blocks. Traffic slows to a crawl, so you build a mass transit system. Then you might place parks, which attract wealthier inhabitants, who in turn require a higher class of shop and industry, and a better education system.


While previous games were always punishingly difficult, it’s relatively easy to build a functioning, profitable city in less than an hour. This brings two changes to SimCity’s long game. The first is the specialisations system. Each city can be focused on a single purpose. Cities that specialise in tourism can become a miniature Las Vegas, littered with casinos. A mining or drilling town built on a large supply of ore, coal or oil will deliver huge profits, but produce a similarly grand amount of pollution. There’s also trade, electronics, culture and education.


Each of these goals gives more structure to SimCity’s open play, with targets – make 800,000 Simoleons in oil profits in a day, say – gating access to buildings and upgrades. Thankfully, it never overwhelms the core sandbox. Specialisations instead force you to make extreme decisions in crafting a city, and push you towards the kinds of infrastructure problems that are fun to try to solve.


The second change is the game’s shift from micro- to macro-management. Old games of SimCity used to begin with not just the placing of roads, but the careful construction of a network of sewer pipes, water pipes and power cables. Now your roads are more than just the backbone of your traffic system: everything automatically flows down them, at least as long as there’s the appropriate sewage treatment centre or nuclear plant placed somewhere en route.


Continue >>


The post SimCity review appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/review/simcity-review/

News::LEGO City Undercover 3DS builds an April release date


If you're itching to explore the open world of LEGO City Undercover and don't have a Wii U, there's hope yet, as the prequel, titled Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins is headed to to the 3DS on April 26th.


This is an entirely different game set before the events of the console version of Undercover, and deals with Chase McCain and his rookie years, before he became legendary.


I've been playing Undercover for about a week now, and although it still retains the same charm as the LEGO games you know and love, I feel like a lot of it is a wasted opportunity.


Whereas LEGO Batman 2 pushed the envelope in multiple ways, Undercover doesn't feel like quite a leap, amidst some fairly generic story missions.


LEGO City Undercover 3DS builds an April release date screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/lego-city-undercover-3ds-builds-an-april-release-date-248981.phtml

News::Pixar artists form Steel Wool Games


Five Pixar artists who have worked on movies including Brave, The Incredibles and Toy Story have formed a new studio, Steel Wool Games.


Co-founders Sequoia Blankenship, Andrew Dayton, Jonathan Hoffman, Joshua Qualtieri and Jason Topolski have over 60 years of experience at Pixar Animation experience combined.


Steel Wool’s first title, Flyhunter, will be released in summer this year and will be published by Ripstone.


Andrew Dayton said of the studio’s approach to game art: “We have an internal phrase that we use to describe our style: ‘Grimsical’. It’s our fundamental principle as a company. We create worlds that are funny and whimsical but dipped in gritty tones.”


The post Pixar artists form Steel Wool Games appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/pixar-artists-form-steel-wool-games/

News::UK charts: three new entries, but Tomb Raider hangs on at number one


Tomb Raider is this week’s UK number one despite a 72% week-on-week drop in sales and a strong challenge from Sony Santa Monica’s God Of War Ascension, the highest new entry this week at number two.


Ascension has posted the series’ second biggest week one sales behind God Of War III, which sold more than double when it arrived at number one back in 2010.


StarCraft II: Heart Of The Swarm and Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 are also new this week at three and four respectively.


The Ukie all formats top ten for the week ending March 16th, compiled by ChartTrack, is as follows, with week-on-week sales differences in brackets where given.


1. Tomb Raider (-72%)

2. God Of War Ascension

3. StarCraft II: Heart Of The Swarm

4. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

5. SimCity (-50%)

6. FIFA 13 (-14%)

7. Far Cry 3 (-3%)

8. Crysis 3 (-42%)

9. Call Of Duty: Black Ops II (-14%)

10. The Sims 3: University Life (-57%)


The post UK charts: three new entries, but Tomb Raider hangs on at number one appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/uk-charts-three-new-entries-but-tomb-raider-hangs-on-at-number-one/

News::Castlevania's Simon Belmont has killed ALL the vampires


After playing through Mirror of Fate and placing the finishing touches on my Castlevania article for the upcoming issue of Nintendo Force *shameless plug*, I find myself still on a Castlevania kick. Thankfully, Doug "Nostalgia Critic" Walker was able to momentarily sate my hunger with the latest episode of Video Game Confessions -- think HBO's Taxicab Confessions but with videogame stars.


Simon Belmont doesn't have any particularly nasty secrets to share, but he is disappointed that the vampire-hunting business has dried up for him. After killing Dracula, he was hired to assassinate various other notable vampires. One day, he suddenly realized that he had killed them all. He killed all the vampires. What to do now?


While we're on the subject, did you guys know I was actually in an episode of Video Game Conventions years ago? Yeah! Check it out here! You'll recognize me as the guy who's not funny!


Video Game Confessions - Simon Belmont [That Guy with the Glasses]


Castlevania's Simon Belmont has killed ALL the vampires screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/castlevania-s-simon-belmont-has-killed-all-the-vampires-248968.phtml