News::'Hutt Cartel' expansion hits The Old Republic in April

BioWare has plans to release the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic on April 14, 2013 in all territories, the studio announced today. Pricing for the new content is $9.99 for paying subscribers and $19.99 for free-to-play users.

This expansion bumps the level cap up to 55 and opens access to the planet Makeb, among other things. There's five-day early access in it for those players who pre-ordered by January 7, though if you missed out on that offer, current pre-orders still include extra incentives: the "Scourge of the Hutts" title, a Makrin Seedling Mini-Pet, and the Dr. Oggurobb Hutt Holostatue.

via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/-hutt-cartel-expansion-hits-the-old-republic-in-april-249620.phtml

News::Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag gameplay footage was from the PC version

The first gameplay footage from Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag was from the PC version, Pixel Enemy has learned.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216993/assassins-creed-4-black-flag-gameplay-footage-was-from-the-pc-version

News::15 Things You Should Know About Dishonored's New DLC

Kotaku - We haven't talked a lot about Dishonored since it came out last October, which is really too bad, because I think Dishonored is a fantastic game.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216986/15-things-you-should-know-about-dishonoreds-new-dlc

News::Call of Duty: Ghosts 10 Reasons Next-Gen Will Save The Franchise

WC - Rumours began to surface over the weekend that Infinity Wards latest entry into the Call of Duty series which they are no doubt already hard at work on is going to be called Ghosts, breaking away from the long-held Modern Warfare sub-title for something that, if all the rumours can be believed, would make for a rather different FPS experience indeed.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216991/call-of-duty-ghosts-10-reasons-next-gen-will-save-the-franchise

News::Shattered Haven Review (Invision Game Community)

The story is zombies are in the world, zombies have killed a lot of people, you play as a survivor trying to find/rescue his and her parents, so basically the storyline to anything zombie related since Dawn of the Dead.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216992/shattered-haven-review-invision-game-community

News::Games That Could Have Been Great: Episode IV- Aliens: Colonial Marines

Released back in February, Aliens: Colonial Marines saw a long development cycle thanks in part to frequent delays and Gearbox working on other titles. The end result was a dull experience that could have been a lot better



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216987/games-that-could-have-been-great-episode-iv-aliens-colonial-marines

News::Get PopCaps Peggle Free For A Limited Time Only

Gamesta.com is always ready to share some awesome deals for its readers. Right now, PopCap Games has a promotional site up for PAX East where they're giving away Peggle for free, where it otherwise has a $20 value. More deals are available for Plants Vs Zombies and such.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216952/get-popcaps-peggle-free-for-a-limited-time-only

News::RealGamerNewz Tomb Raider Review

A survivor is born......or is it?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216983/realgamernewz-tomb-raider-review

News::This Is My Joystick Podcast: Will The Real Slim TIMJ Please Stand Up

Podcast regulars Neil Hickton and Andy Buick are joined this month by Slimgamer.coms community manager, Mike Smith. Neil also interviews two indie developers: Team Pesky and Falchion Games. Theres also a TIMJ podcast first, courtesy of Slimgamer.com, you could win one of three DOTA 2 full-game codes to download from Steam! Listen to the podcast for the Name the Game segment and simply email your answer and your name to us.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216949/this-is-my-joystick-podcast-will-the-real-slim-timj-please-stand-up

News::JIG: Monster Loves You Review

JIG: Monster Loves You! It's not just the latest title from Dejobaan Games, it's the truth, and this fanged-yet-fuzzy indie story-based choose-your-own-adventure style simulation is icky, weird, funny, and even sweet in the best possible ways. You are a monster growing up in the village of Omen, resentful and maybe even a little afraid of the Humans who killed your parents and continue to grow closer and closer to your home. Whether you grow up to be feared and reviled or loved and respected by either community is entirely up to you as your actions shape the world around you. Or you could just devote your time to gobbling frogs, becoming a neurosurgeon, and eating lichen.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216968/jig-monster-loves-you-review

News::Sims 3 University Life Review (Invision Game Community)

The first thing youll notice is the University Welcome Kit, delivered by the enigmatic and obviously Jock Mascot. As weird as a gift from a man dressed as a Llama is, its an interesting (if repetitive) way to introduce University to your sims.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216976/sims-3-university-life-review-invision-game-community

News::JIG: Hallowed Legends: Ship of Bones Review

JIG: Alright, so maybe your plane crashed on an island, but it wasn't really your fault since the weather forecast didn't say anything about flaming ghostly skulls. Then again, I'm fairly certain I've never seen a nature special about talking ravens who wear cute spectacles either unless Attenborough has been holding out on us.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216975/jig-hallowed-legends-ship-of-bones-review

News::JIG: The Secret Order: Masked Intent Review

JIG: Being a member of a secret society is not the easiest gig, let me tell you. When they're not being accused of harboring Jack the Ripper or fending off a demon invasion, some secret societies appear to be dealing with the ever-present threat of one of their own suddenly going all Dirty Harry on them in a personal quest for power or vengeance or whatever comes to mind. Do cool robes, snazzy secret handshakes, and a kicking snack bar make up for all the trouble? Well, the latest adventure hybrid from Sunward Games, The Secret Order: Masked Intent... doesn't really aim to answer those questions. Sorry.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216974/jig-the-secret-order-masked-intent-review

News::JIG: Gardens Inc.: From Rakes to Riches Review

JIG: Straight from Nitreal Games comes a spring-rific take on the building time management genre in Gardens Inc.: From Rakes to Riches. Play as a young college graduate intent on helping her grandparents keep their villa from the clutches of the local evil entrepreneur. (How they've come to owe him $1,000,000, you're never quite sure.) As Jill, you've got a hearty green thumb and an eye for detail, which is just what the town needs. Water logged pathways, overgrown weeds, burglars and ravens! Nothing can stop you from fighting back, not to mentioned how great it is to just spruce up your grandparent's abode with the extra money you earn.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216970/jig-gardens-inc-from-rakes-to-riches-review

News::JIG: The Plan Review

JIG: The Plan is a short experimental game that tells the story of a helpless, little fly at the bottom of a vast forest. Navigate with the [WASD] or [arrow] keys and, well, that's it. A side project by Krillbite Studio as they work on Among the Sleep, it's a simple idea at its surface buzz about between branches and soak in the serene environment. Scripted events like a wayward breeze as well as other, more physical, obstacles occasionally interrupt your progress, but are fitting enough with the overall concept that they don't disrupt the flow of the gameplay.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216977/jig-the-plan-review

News::JIG: Secrets of the Dark: Mystery of the Ancestral Estate Review

JIG: A young woman named Dayona calls you to her sprawling Mediterranean estate. She's got a problem with things going bump in the night and she thinks maybe, just maybe, it might be related to the crypt built into her foyer that constantly emits eerie howling, beams of light, and sickly green faces while making the whole room shake. Bless her little heart. Of course, I can't make fun of her too much, since your bright idea when you find the shaking, moaning, be-demoned coffin causing a ruckus down there is to immediately open it, letting loose the ancient evil inside that carries Dayona off and sparks the start of an ancient prophecy.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216980/jig-secrets-of-the-dark-mystery-of-the-ancestral-estate-review

News::PAX East: 'Sanctum 2' making tower defense fun again | StickSkills

StickSkills said, "New ground isnt broken solely by professionals with dozens of years of industry experience. Sometimes, it takes a spark of independent creativity to introduce a fresh ingredient into a genre, and thats exactly what happened in 2011 when Coffee Stain Studios released Sanctum on PC. A student project that melded first-person shooting and tower defense, Sanctum managed to inspire future strategy games by mixing two genres not often associated with one another. The sequel, Sanctum 2, may not bring about a revolution in game design, but with the help of a bigger budget and further development time, Coffee Stain Studios has polished its formula to a beautiful shine."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216960/pax-east-sanctum-2-making-tower-defense-fun-again-stickskills

News::GTA V: 5 Great Previous Missions

"With each passing day, we get closer to the release of 2013s biggest game, Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA V). Lots of information has trickled out about the game, with the sheer size and scope of the game something somewhat unbelievable." | Explosion.com



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216928/gta-v-5-great-previous-missions

News::PAX East 2013: Swapper Hands-On

VGR: This game has been in development for the past four years by a development team consisting of two independent contractors and two full-time developers. They are called Facepalm Games and they hail from Finland, and they brought a game that lets you navigate through puzzles letting you create clones to help your way through it.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216801/pax-east-2013-swapper-hands-on

News::High-res Battlefield 4 logo and artwork

High resolution, transparent Battlefield 4 logo in PNG, and other high-res artwork.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216955/high-res-battlefield-4-logo-and-artwork

News::Six Reviewers Find Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Eerily Charming

Mario is king, no doubt ‒ but not in this game. In Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon , Mario's brother Luigi is the star. And while he might not have the strength and speed of Mario, he sure managed to convince these reviewers that he's really got what it takes.

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/VqMmkahYYt0/story01.htm

News::Taco Bell Cool Ranch Doritos Tacos: The Snacktaku Review

Oh taco, sweet taco — in terms of pure convenience there is no finer food. Savory meat, vegetables and spice wrapped lovingly in corn or flour, the taco's greatest strength is the edible container you hold in your hand. From the finest restaurants, the shadiest street vendor or a fast food chain that's been bastardizing Mexican cuisine for decades, tacos have traditionally been about what's inside the shell. With the Doritos Locos Tacos and now the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos, Taco Bell wants us to think outside the shell.

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/zT3tu9jlApo/story01.htm

News::Metro: Last Light Is At Its Best As A Stealth Game

I got to play about an hour and a half of Metro: Last Light at PAX East this weekend. What I played felt like two different games.

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/TVPY2e4xU-k/story01.htm

News::The First Free-to-Play Pac-Man Arrives With a Tournament Twist

Realizing that while we'll always hold the original in the highest regard, no one wants to buy plain-old Pac-Man anymore, Namco Bandai has set the original arcade game free on Android, with a competitive way to get players to pay a little extra.

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/aExGiAGUZSA/story01.htm

News::Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 Review | Gamereactor UK

GR-UK writes: "The opening mission in the Philippines plays out quite well. The mechanics are introduced through some interesting gameplay, and clearing areas is initially quite enjoyable despite a lack of freedom in how to approach objectives. Patience is rewarded, while diving headlong into battle is likely to result in being riddled with bullets by the merciless AI, making stealth a necessity. The locations, while linear and buggy, provide plenty of opportunity for sneaking around to find the perfect sniper point. Unfortunately nothing ever really evolves from the promising intro and Sniper 2 rapidly descends downhill. Throughout the game Anderson is constantly taking orders. He's told when to move and when to stop, when and where to shoot, what equipment to use and when to use it. The result is a game that removes choice from the player. Sniper 2 should encourage smart strategic and tactical thinking, but instead leads the player through a linear campaign firmly by the hand."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216951/sniper-ghost-warrior-2-review-gamereactor-uk

News::SimCity review | SG Gaming Info

Maxis SimCity makes a return to the PC, five years after the release of SimCity Societies and ten years since the last Maxis developed SimCity game, SimCity 4. Now lets take a look at the new SimCity.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216888/simcity-review-sg-gaming-info

News::Multiplayer- BioShock Infinite Review

MP:BioShock Infinite towers over the rest of the competition in terms of history, involvement in the narrative coherence of what is shown on screen and especially the incredible artistic choices that have allowed Columbia to be built.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216662/multiplayer-bioshock-infinite-review

News::Oddworld Inhabitants: PS4 [is] incredibly easy to develop for...

"PS4 seems like a fantastic system, weve had kits for a while, and it is as people say, incredibly easy to develop for, as it is a lot closer to a PC system than ever before. Some of the ideas Sony have for the way it all works are truly inspiring and we are happy to be working with them again."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216799/oddworld-inhabitants-ps4-is-incredibly-easy-to-develop-for

News::PAX East: Metro: Last Light is a shooter with a message | StickSkills

StickSkills said, "Theres no shortage of first-person shooters to blast through these days, but its rare to find a member of the genre that values narrative excellence over mechanical precision. 4A Games 2010 release of Metro 2033 was a rare case of a shooter with more brain than brawn, and the forthcoming Metro: Last Light seems to be continuing that trend by placing its desolate world and human drama at the forefront. The games new publisher, Deep Silver, brought a substantial demo for the press to see at this years show, and Im happy to report that theres plenty to love in this continuation of Artyoms bleak journey."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216834/pax-east-metro-last-light-is-a-shooter-with-a-message-stickskills

News::StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review | Awesome Games

Vince from Awesome Games writes: 'Almost three years after the acclaimed sequel StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Blizzard have graced the world of competitive Real Time Strategy games with the second of three instalments, Heart of the Swarm. For the first time since 1998s StarCraft: Brood War, those slimy Zerg take centre stage, raining destruction upon the hostile Terran and Protoss races.'



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216918/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-review-awesome-games

News::Out of the Park Baseball 14 gets 15th April release date

Out of the Park Developments has announced that its premiere baseball simulation, Out of the Park Baseball 14, will be arriving on the 15th April. According to the developer, gamers who preorder the game will get early access on the 12th April.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216929/out-of-the-park-baseball-14-gets-15th-april-release-date

News::100% Series Retrospective: Mega Man X

[Read on for a description of every main series Mega Man X game ever released in the US, and my completion of them all in 2013. Header image credit - Cepillo16.]

2013 is going to be an exciting year. Now that I know you guys enjoy reading my Quests, I'm going to make an effort to do even more of them from here on out.

I hope that you have learned a bit about the franchises I've covered so far, as my plan is to inspire others to share their thoughts and feelings with the series of their choice as well (which many of you have done!).

Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/100-series-retrospective-mega-man-x-249600.phtml

News::Jimquisition: The Creepy Cull of Female Protagonists

The Escapist : Jimquisition : The Creepy Cull of Female Protagonists

The game industry doesn't want female characters. That is allegedly the message publishers have been sending to developers.

As female characters get hidden from the front covers of games and projects with leading ladies are passed over in favor of more Gun Bros being bros with their guns, it might be time to admit, even if you don't want to, that videogames has some issues with women. Like, a lot of them. Creepy ones, in fact.

via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/jimquisition-the-creepy-cull-of-female-protagonists-249597.phtml

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

GIZORAMA - The decision to split StarCraft II into three games caused quite a bit of an uproar when it was announced years ago. Fears of a less than full experience raged in the community. When the first game, Wings Of Liberty, came out, fears were somewhat quelled. Wings of Liberty was a full fledged campaign and paid the deepest homages possible to the gameplay of its predecessor. Three years later the second game in the trilogy, Heart of the Swarm, is finally out and it brings new units to multiplayer, a 20+ mission campaign, and tweaks to the UI (most of which are patched into Wings of Liberty without need of Heart of the Swarm). It is actually kind of nice to get added content in the form of old school pc expansion packs rather than the piecemeal DLC this consoles generation has shoved down our throats.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216894/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-review-gizorama

News::Magicka: Wizard Wars Announced

This game will be the first title developed by Paradox North, a new studio within Paradox Interactive comprised of industry veterans with extensive experience in game creation and wizard staff repair. The development team at Paradox North is composed of former members of reputable Stockholm-based development studios both AAA and indie, and they all look really nice in robes.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216903/magicka-wizard-wars-announced

News::Let's Play Bioshock Infinite | StickTwiddlers

Al heads to the Bioshock Infinite sky-city of Columbia to visit the sad locals, creepy clowns, Westboro Baptist Church and more in this Lets Play video.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216900/lets-play-bioshock-infinite-sticktwiddlers

News::What Went Right: Far Cry 3

New Gamer Nation - For frame of reference, Ill have just been gushing over the pre-ejaculate clack of Far Cry 3 protagonist Jason Brodys recurve bow snapping up. This at the very moment of his boots firm-catching solid footing, at which point he vanishes from view into the sunset-gilded oil grass, whereto a pirate urinates. Its right then that youll say it, that word that misses the point, that gets me right in the Meh:



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216881/what-went-right-far-cry-3

News::Battlefield 4 Air Teaser

EA has just released the AIR teaser for Battlefield 4, Check it out



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216493/battlefield-4-air-teaser

News::'BioShock Infinite' opens with highest reviews of the year

Irrational Games' true successor to 2007's enchanting BioShock will finally arrive tomorrow in the form of Infinite, and according to the swath of reviews that just hit the internet, it's lived up to all the hype.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216654/bioshock-infinite-opens-with-highest-reviews-of-the-year

News::eShop developers no longer need a separate office

In an interview with Gamasutra, Nintendo's Dan Adelman says that the company has dropped its office requirement for developers, which was devised to help keep confidential materials secure.

In Adelman's own words: "...more and more people are working from home, and we recognize that developers are forming virtual teams around the world. I know we've shied away from talking about these things publicly in the past, so I'm glad that I can officially confirm that the office requirement is a thing of the past."

Elsewhere in the interview, Adelman teases plans to introduce new tools "for developers to use HTML5 and JavaScript to make games. The thing I'm most excited about for this is how easy it is to prototype new game ideas to find the fun quickly and easily."

The full conversation is particularly worth reading for would-be eShop developers. It's taken some time to get the ball rolling, but I think we're starting to see the company's new approach pay off.

Nintendo's indies guy tells you how to get your games approved [Gamasutra -- Thanks, Jordan]

via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/eshop-developers-no-longer-need-a-separate-office-249609.phtml

News::BioShock Infinite Video Review | Rev3Games

Adam Sessler of Rev3Games reviews BioShock Infinite



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216817/bioshock-infinite-video-review-rev3games

News::Star Wars: The old republic Rise of the Hutt Cartel to release April 9 (early access)

Its official! Star Wars: The old Republic Rise of the Hutt Cartel is to be released on April 9



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216868/star-wars-the-old-republic-rise-of-the-hutt-cartel-to-release-april-9-early-access

News::Diablo 3 lead designer explains console offline mode, delivers inadvertent pop at next-gen Xbox

Josh Mosqueira has explained that Blizzard and Sony identified the significant amount of consoles not connected to the internet as their reasoning for including offline play in Diablo 3.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1216880/diablo-3-lead-designer-explains-console-offline-mode-delivers-inadvertent-pop-at-next-gen-xbox

News::Here's A Video Of That 15-Minute Transistor Demo I Played At PAX East

In all its Supergiant Games glory, here is that 15-minute PAX East demo, thanks to TotalHalibut. Listen to that music, listen to that awesome voice acting. And take in all the art.

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/42A7x-n4Jfg/story01.htm

News::The Moneysaver: Free Peggle Deluxe

In honor of PAX East, PopCap is giving away the popular and painfully addictive Peggle Deluxe for free. Peggle runs on both PC and Mac, and the code you'll receive receive in your e-mail is good for 5 activations. The pinball-meets-pachinko mix of happy accidents and total chaos allows you to take credit for events you couldn't possibly have planned, then turn around and blame the game when you miss an easy shot by a few degrees. This will almost certainly be the cheeriest header image we ever have, enjoy. [PopCap]

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/tWnZVJITU1Y/story01.htm

News::Tips For Playing Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

The paranormal puzzle-fest Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon came out yesterday for the 3DS. Patricia gave the game a good review, and I've spent the past couple of weeks playing it as well. Now that it's out in the wild, I thought I'd gather some tips for those who are just starting out.

Read more...

via Kotaku http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/Z4kn3G1Bfek/story01.htm