Friday, November 8, 2013

News::BioWare teases new Mass Effect title

During the celebration of yesterday's Mass Effect holiday, N7 Day, BioWare developers surprised fans by tweeting some pictures of an upcoming and unannounced titles they're working on. During his tweet, BioWare producer Michael Gamble proudly proclaimed that "The next chapter of Mass Effect is upon us!!"


Following this, studio director Yanick Roy, level designer Gary Stewart, and gameplay designer Manveer Heir also posted pictures of their own. In addition to the teasers, they stated that the next game will have new worlds to explore, new enemies, and new characters to fall in love with.


Of course, many of the pictures are obscured and are pretty vague given the title's early stages in development -- but it's pretty admirable of BioWare to share its progress with the fans. And it certainly gives us something to look forward to after Dragon Age: Inquisition has shipped.


What about you, Mass Effect fans? Are you looking forward to seeing what BioWare has in store for the next title in the ME universe?


BioWare teases new Mass Effect title screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/bioware-teases-new-mass-effect-title-265200.phtml

News::The best ideas for the Call of Duty: Ghosts sequel

Yesterday, we learned Call of Duty: Ghosts ' follow up hasn't been written yet. In fact, Infinity Ward doesn't even know if there is one game or two games to go in its narrative arc.


I thought I'd help them out.


The best ideas for the Call of Duty: Ghosts sequel screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/the-best-ideas-for-the-call-of-duty-ghosts-sequel-265185.phtml

News::The Hori Gem Pad May Just Make You a Better Fighting Gamer

News::Yes, The Xbox One Has Silly Achievements For Watching Movies And TV

News::Here's What You Can Watch on the Xbox One In Between Games

News::The network isn't there yet for Xbox One cloud streaming

In late September, word got out that Microsoft was testing cloud streaming of Halo 4 to Windows Phone and PC. Speaking about this internal prototype with Polygon, Xbox senior director of product management and planning Albert Penello noted that this specific example "worked really awesome," but it's not necessarily a sign of things to come for those wanting backwards compatibility of Xbox or Xbox 360 titles on Xbox One.


"[Cloud streaming is] really cool and really problematic, all at the same time, insofar as it's really super cool if you happen to have the world's most awesome internet connection," Penello said. "It works way better than you'd expect it to. So managing quality of service, the tolerance people will have for it being crappy. Can you imagine, in this day and age, with the bad information around, and we can't control the quality of that experience and make sure it's good, or have to tell people they can't do it?


"It was a grand experiment, I know we did a lot of work behind it, and we said this is one of the things where the network just has to get better before we can do it," he said. "When that happens, you're going to have a really interesting conversation around that, can I actually run Xbox One games that way as well."


Speaking about the Sony's backwards-compatibility solution -- letting users stream PlayStation, PS2, and PS3 games from the cloud to PS4 -- Penello said that he'll "be really interested to see how our friends in the Bay Area deal with this problem. But I can tell you, it's totally possible. We like it, we're fans of the cloud. We're not shy about that."


Xbox 360 compatibility on Xbox One using cloud streaming too 'problematic' [Polygon]


The network isn't there yet for Xbox One cloud streaming screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/the-network-isn-t-there-yet-for-xbox-one-cloud-streaming-265206.phtml

News::Will there be a Homefront 2?

Back in 2011 THQ released Homefront which was a first person shooter set in the United States after an invasion from an all new super power deriving from North Korea. THQ have since sold the assets for Homefront 2, but the game is still in development.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389788/will-there-be-a-homefront-2

News::Review: Saints Row IV: Enter The Dominatrix - MKGaming

MKGaming - "Saints Row IVs Enter The Dominatrix pack is a strange piece of DLC, and its history can be a tad confusing for those not keeping track, so Ill try to lay it out simple. ETD was originally revealed as a piece of DLC for Saints Row III, with the reveal happening on April Fools day. This eventually turned into a whole new game, Saints Row IV, and the world was a better place when it was released. Then, ETD was re-announced as DLC for SRIV, and journalists around the world went huh?. Now, finally released, it acts as an amusing diversion from an already amusing game."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389821/review-saints-row-iv-enter-the-dominatrix-mkgaming

News::Top 10 Downloadable Games This Generation

VGU lists the top 10 downloadable games for this generation.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389818/top-10-downloadable-games-this-generation

News::MMORPG Center : Firefall - Review

MMORPG Center: "Red 5 Studios have been making a fair bit of noise with their highly anticipated MMO shooter Firefall that is currently being enjoyed by many in its beta form. Firefall is an incredibly hard game to talk about and not just for us gamers, but for the guys at Red 5 Studios as well."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389797/mmorpg-center-firefall-review

News::Earn Xbox One Achievements by watching TV

With such a strong focus on television viewing, it's predictable to hear that Microsoft will allow Achievements that are earned through watching media, as shown in the image above. "We're going to have more achievements for media experiences in general," Xbox chief marketing officer Yusuf Mehdi told Shacknews. "You're going to see more of in a lot of different places."


Before you start thinking that this will taint Gamerscores, heaven forbid, there's something to point out here. In a ridiculously long post about Achievements for the new console, Xbox's Major Nelson clarifies that only games will give players Gamerscore. Which now has me wondering who if anyone at all will go to the trouble of earning these Achievements.


Yes, you can get achievements for watching TV on Xbox One [Shacknews]


Earn Xbox One Achievements by watching TV screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/earn-xbox-one-achievements-by-watching-tv-265203.phtml

News::PC Port Report: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has finally made its way to the PC after years of hanging out exclusively on home consoles. It's always been a beautiful and enjoyable game so I was excited to jump back into it on the computer. Unfortunately, what I found was a horrifically non-optimized port of a wonderful game.


I can't imagine that any less effort could have been put forth towards porting this game while still having it mostly playable. That being said, not all hope is lost.


PC Port Report: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West screenshot


Read more...



via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/pc-port-report-enslaved-odyssey-to-the-west-265149.phtml

News::VooFoo, the indie bringing age-old games to new consoles


The growth of Birmingham-based developer VooFoo has been a slow burn to say the least. It started out with just three men and a dream to make indie games. It’s since grown to seven employees in six years, and shows no sign – or intention – of speeding up. How fitting, then, that the games VooFoo meticulously labours over in its cosy abode reward slow, careful and strategic locomotion themselves.


Pool and chess may not be the sexiest choices for videogame subject matter, but the small outfit drew in a cult following with Hustle Kings and Pure Chess on PSN, proving that there’s an audience for games that hark back to the very roots of competitive gaming in the real world, even in the age of instant-gratification mini-games and on-the-go apps.


“It’s been difficult in the past, up to this point, to get any real grasp on the telemetry of our players’ demographics,” explains technology director Mark Williams in a suitably slow, quiet drawl. “I personally see it being people just like us [at the studio], people who maybe grew up hanging out in pool halls but now perhaps don’t have the time or the facilities aren’t around to support that. So we’re offering it on consoles and I think the popularity of our games is also showing that the new generation are happy to be discovering these older games, if you want to call them that, for the first time, at home. A long time ago you’d play chess in school and that was it, you’d never play it again, with something like Pure Chess we extend that, we open it up so you can make it your hobby regardless of age or where you are.”


Transferring games with established and long-standing rules to consoles may sound like a light workload, but VooFoo’s slow and steady approach is reflective of the deceptively high demand such a ‘porting job’ places on a developer, with the team keen to capture the look and feel of the real games they’re based on while subtly adding their own design flair and flourishes.



“These are games close to peoples’ hearts,” adds Williams, “we have to get it right. The feel, sound, look – that’s why we go to such lengths in polishing and detailing these games; it has to feel right and a lot of that comes down to the style.”


The team’s latest project, Backgammon, aims to continue and add to the studio’s design tradition with the added brunt of next-gen tech. There’s cross-play on offer for Vita, PS3 and PS4 users and with the launch on PS4 next month VooFoo’s hoping to offer the equivalent go-to strategy experience that Solitaire did for the desktop PC crowd back in the day.


“We’re hoping it’ll fill that void, that gap, for people between those big blockbuster experiences,” says Williams. Big, blockbuster experiences are something VooFoo’s seventh member knows something about. Shaun Read, the studio’s creative producer of five weeks long, left Rare after 18 years working on everything from Bond to Kong. “The thing I’ve been really shocked, really amazed by, is how much work you can actually get done in a small team,” he says of the experience so far. “In many ways you can do as much as a twenty-man team here with under ten.”


When pressed if VooFoo is scared of scaling up – it does, after all, have a string of digital titles under its belt and no doubt the means to move beyond its humble surroundings – Read chips in with his own observations. “Can you grow too big? I mean at Rare we got to about 230 but I don’t think it was a major problem. Now can you grow too quickly? I think that’s the question. You see a lot of teams bite off more than they can chew after a couple of successes and end up having to shed staff when it doesn’t go to plan down the road.”



VooFoo’s Hustle Kings.



VooFoo’s small but economical and well-oiled workflow is something that’s been crucial to its favouritism with publishers and producers thus far. One such producer, Rob Karp, helped guide the team through the high-powered waters of working with Sony for the first time on Hustle Kings. “The thing that impressed me was always the streamlined nature of their productions – nothing was ever wasted,” he says. “And it’s been great to see the team carefully creep towards something a little more gutsy and arcadey with Backgammon.”


Backgammon may sound like business as usual for the studio – an established, some might say ‘plain’ boardgame – but it’s actually the team’s first overt move into more arcade gameplay, dramatically changing the underlying mechanics of the age-old rules and potentially a sign of things to come. “We’re testing the water a bit with this one,” says Williams, reminding that the team trades in caution and care not frivolity or frills. “The Blitz mode is where we’ve really sort of let the leash off – there were hints of it in Hustle Kings but we’re moving closer to that sort of experience now.”


Backgammon and the rest of the VooFoo canon may at first sight appear to be back-to-basics, but Williams is adamant that the new wave of Sony’s tactile tech will serve its humble aims well. “We’re definitely excited about the next-gen tech,” says Williams, “and we’re doing some interesting things with the trackpad on DualShock 4 to really give a sense of involvement.”


As the next generation of consoles dawns on us, it’s refreshing to find a studio built on patience and craftsmanship rather than headline-grabbing risk. But with Read onboard, the future for VooFoo may be injected with a little more gusto and ambition: “We’re carefully pushing into new waters with Backgammon,” says Read, “and if it works out for us, it could well be a sign of things to come. I’m certainly very excited to be on board now.”


The post VooFoo, the indie bringing age-old games to new consoles appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/features/voofoo-the-indie-bringing-age-old-games-to-new-consoles/

News::Activision Admits 'Call of Duty: Ghosts' Didn't Outsell 'Black Ops 2' At Launch

It seemed like Call of Dutys day-one sales record streak would come to an end when they were forced to premiere their new game, Ghosts, across six different platforms not all available at the same time. It was all but confirmed when the numbers Activision released the next day boasted of a billion dollars worth of units shipped, not sold. But now, theyre finally saying it out loud.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389803/activision-admits-call-of-duty-ghosts-didnt-outsell-black-ops-2-at-launch

News::VGU's Friday Night Magic | Episode 1, Heroic Struggle (1/2)

Welcome to VGU's Friday Night Magic, the weekly show that takes us on an adventure through the world of Magic the Gathering. Whether its Online matches, Campaign brawls or Sealed play, Friday nights will always be Magic Nights. In the first episode, we start things off journeying through the expansion of M14. We challenge Elspeth to a heroic duel and face a foe with an endless army of troops. How will the fight go?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389735/vgus-friday-night-magic-episode-1-heroic-struggle-1-2

News::Super Motherload - Live Action Trailer

Live action trailer from XGen Studios.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389702/super-motherload-live-action-trailer

News::Lunar Silver Star Story Touch gets a major update

Lunar: Silver Star Story is one of my favorite RPGs of all time -- heck, favorite videogames of all time. Although it got an equally stellar sequel, a set of ports and a pretty bad portable game have sealed the franchise's fate, relegating it to "classic" status rather than continued success.


But it appears as if fans can now rest easy when it comes to the iOS port, as iOS 7 bugfixes have been addressed, in addition to a tease for a major graphical overhaul for new devices, and full controller support. Although playing it on iOS may not be my preferred method, I'm for anything that introduces this incredible game to as many people as possible.


Lunar Silver Star Story Touch [iTunes]


Lunar Silver Star Story Touch gets a major update screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/lunar-silver-star-story-touch-gets-a-major-update-265180.phtml

News::Call Of Duty: Ghosts Multiplayer Review | TechRaptor

Just in time for the double XP weekend, we take a look at Infinity Wards newest part of the saga of Call of Duty. Will Ghosts keep people playing with latest and greatest, or will it fall into the relm of nothing but blandness and meh?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389779/call-of-duty-ghosts-multiplayer-review-techraptor

News::The Banner Saga From Ex-Bioware Staff to Release in January

SegmentNext - "Stoic Studios The Banner Saga finally has a release date. It will be out on PC on January 14, 2014".



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389771/the-banner-saga-from-ex-bioware-staff-to-release-in-january

News::Elias Toufexis Talks Deux Ex Its a Blessing and a Curse.

Canadian Journalist Brian Sharon spoke with Elias Toufexis about the success, and challenges that came with his memorable performance as Adam Jensen in Deux Ex: Human Revolution.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389760/elias-toufexis-talks-deux-ex-its-a-blessing-and-a-curse

News::nDreams Launch Charity Auction Campaign

nDreams Ltd. today announced a series of online charity auctions with the intention of raising money for a range of fantastic charities including Cancer Research UK, RLNI, Congo Action and Special Effect. The auctions will run from today, 7th November 2013, for ten days.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1388924/ndreams-launch-charity-auction-campaign

News::ExtraContinue Europa Universalis IV Giveaway

In celebration of ExtraContinue Version 3 being released, Paradox Interactive sent some free giveaway codes for Europa Universalis IV.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1388828/extracontinue-europa-universalis-iv-giveaway

News::Grand Theft Auto Vs protagonists are good antiheroes whether we like them or not | GamesBeat

From GamesBeat: The three protagonists of open-world action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto V are criminals. Theyre robbers and murderers who commit a myriad of vile acts. But aside from the joy of running around and experimenting to see how many different ways we can break the law in Los Santos (heres how you can wash your hands clean of all that sin), do we even like Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, or Franklin Clinton? We asked a couple of knowledgeable developers about whether antiheroes are just poorly designed heroes in disguise and whether they need to be likable. We also asked you over Twitter and Facebook for your thoughts on GTA Vs main cast. Heres what we learned.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389731/grand-theft-auto-vs-protagonists-are-good-antiheroes-whether-we-like-them-or-not-gamesbeat

News::The Top Ten Games of The Generation

Critically Sane concludes its top 50 with a look at the top ten games of the generation, and the selection of the game of the generation.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389761/the-top-ten-games-of-the-generation

News::VGU's Friday Night Magic | Episode 1, Heroic Struggle (2/2)

Welcome to VGU's Friday Night Magic, the weekly show that takes us on an adventure through the world of Magic the Gathering. Whether its Online matches, Campaign brawls or Sealed play, Friday nights will always be Magic Nights. In the first episode, we start things off journeying through the expansion of M14. We challenge Elspeth to a heroic duel and face a foe with an endless army of troops. How will the fight go?



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389738/vgus-friday-night-magic-episode-1-heroic-struggle-2-2

News::Kill Streak Media - Rambo: The Video Game Preview

Rambo The Video Game will be the game for players to play as John Rambo himself in this action packed video game.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389723/kill-streak-media-rambo-the-video-game-preview

News::Saints Row IV: Enter the Dominatrix (PC) Review - A Comical Jog with the Saints | Entertainment Fuse

Entertainment Fuse: "Two months after the release of Saints Row IV, Deep Silver and Volition have delivered the first DLC installment of additional content with Enter the Dominatrix. The five mission alternative storyline caters a domineering twist to the alien invasion by Zinyak."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389749/saints-row-iv-enter-the-dominatrix-pc-review-a-comical-jog-with-the-saints-entertainment-fuse

News::ADG Short And Simple Review: KontrolFreek FPSFreek Phantom Stick | EGM

ADG reviews KontrolFreek's FPSFreek Phantom, inspired by the Call Of Duty Ghosts game.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389734/adg-short-and-simple-review-kontrolfreek-fpsfreek-phantom-stick-egm

News::Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion Stellar Phenomena DLC is out now new screens

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion Stellar Phenomena DLC is now available. Check out some new screenshots



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389718/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-stellar-phenomena-dlc-is-out-now-new-screens

News::Cat Mario

Cat Mario is the parody game of Super Mario Bros where the main character is the little white cat and your mission it to complete the six level. Your adventure is full of hidden traps and surprises.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1388798/cat-mario

News::73% of mobile gamers play with the volume on

Ever wonder what percentage of mobile gamers play with the sound on? According to website Appington, it's 73%, with 3% of those users using headphones. Evidently the United Kingdom weighs in with the least amount of sound users at 58%, with America in the middle at 78%, and China and Korea at 90%. According to this research, if you play with your sound on you'll tend to have longer gaming sessions than those who prefer it muted.


How was this study conducted and why is it important? Well, researchers claim that audio can have a major impact on the metrics of your game, since most people do tend to actually listen in. For those who are curious as to how this data was obtained, it's by way of a platform called "Amplify," which allows developers to pull metrics from users. Fascinating, and scary at the same time.


How Many Mobile Users Play with Sound On? (73%) [Appington]


73% of mobile gamers play with the volume on screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/73-of-mobile-gamers-play-with-the-volume-on-265181.phtml

News::The Typing of the Dead: Overkill Review - Twinfinite

Mike writes, "Let me be clear, The Typing of the Dead: Overkill looks like crap, consists of one mechanic for about 95% of the entire game, and has voice acting that makes early Resident Evil titles good in comparison. It is also easily one of the finest games of this year."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389733/the-typing-of-the-dead-overkill-review-twinfinite

News::Call Of Duty Ghosts App Guide

John Bedford (Modojo): It probably didn't escape your attention that Call of Duty Ghosts was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 earlier this week, and as is becoming more and more common, there's an iPhone and Android app to help you get even more from the game. Not sure where to start? Here's a quick Q&A for those getting to grips with this very handy tool.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389716/call-of-duty-ghosts-app-guide

News::Activision: "We Are Looking Into The 6GB RAM Lock Of Call of Duty: Ghosts"

DSOGaming writes: "When a fan asked Activision about the ridiculous 6GB RAM requirement of Call of Duty: Ghosts, the big publisher responded and confirmed that it is currently looking into this."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389714/activision-we-are-looking-into-the-6gb-ram-lock-of-call-of-duty-ghosts

News::Call Of Duty: Ghosts Review | Saving Content

Excerpt: "Throughout the campaign youll infiltrate enemy bases, swim international waters evading sharks, use your dog Riley to stealth through areas and gain information not otherwise attainable, and shoot, many, many men. The dog, Riley, for all its focus, is underutilized and utterly forgotten for most of the campaign. For as much of a roller-coaster / action movie feel the Call of Duty games get, nearly every mission ends with something exploding, followed by the ghosts running for the extraction point for pickup. Its rather exhausting to be honest, and uninspired as each and every time, the camera slows down as you take a leap of faith. But you always make it. Fortunately the five to six hour campaign doesnt take much time padding out anything it doesnt have to."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389717/call-of-duty-ghosts-review-saving-content

News::Blood of the Werewolf Review | GodisaGeek

GodisaGeek: "Blood of the Werewolf is a short ride and, ultimately, a forgettable one. Theres little to bring you back around for another pass unless online leaderboards are your thing, and although its selling for a bargain on Steam it just doesnt come highly recommended. There are some brief moments where it shines, but its mostly flat, uninspiring and lacking any real innovation. But the most important thing is that we finally answered the age old question of what to call female werewolves."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389641/blood-of-the-werewolf-review-godisageek

News::Classic review: Road Rash (3DO)






This review was first published in E13, September 1994.


Electronic Arts has clearly adopted a two-pronged strategy for the 3DO. As well as developing original titles for the machine – Twisted, Shock Wave and Monster Manor – it’s also using its capabilities to enhance proven products like John Madden Football, FIFA Soccer and Wing Commander. The company seems to be saying to gamers: ‘Try this and tell us what you think, but in the meantime here’s something we know you’re going to like.’


Road Rash falls into the latter category. A motorcycle racing game combining excellent graphics with exhilarating gameplay, it achieved phenomenal success on the Mega Drive a few years ago and remains one of the best games for the system. Given this track record, one would expect the 3DO conversion to be a solid, playable game. What no one could have predicted, though, is that it would be this good.


The 3DO version of Road Rash is more than a game; it’s a fully fledged cinematic production. The experience begins with a CinePak bike chase sequence, accompanied by the pulsating chords of the Road Rash theme song, Soundgarden’s ‘Rusty Cage’. (The front end also includes a couple of superb MTV-style grunge rock videos.) Slick it may be, but EA hasn’t made the classic mistake of lavishing more attention on the intro than on the action. It is, after all, only an intro, and is there simply to serve as an enticing prelude to the real event: the game itself.



Road Rash contains five separate tracks, each one different in terms of scenery, traffic volume, etc. There are also five selectable player levels which dictate the toughness of the opposition and the length of the tracks – the earliest track stretches only five miles, while the hardest is up to 17 miles long.


The game also incorporates two playing modes. ‘Thrash’ offers an immediate pick-up-and-play scenario that lets you select any combination of track and player level. But it’s the ‘Big Game Mode’ that constitutes the game’s main course. First you assume the character of one of the game’s eight resident riders. Then you select one of the five courses to race on – these range from the dizzy heights of the Peninsula to the hustle and bustle of the City. And then you hit the tarmac. The object is simply to finish among the first three contestants in any race, which allows you to move on to the next, more difficult, course.


One of the things that distinguishes Road Rash from other, more sedate, racing games (apart from the fact that you’re a pair of wheels short) is the attitude of your rivals. The other riders in the race conform to every biker stereotype in the book: they’re all chain-wielding maniacs who would sooner split your face than suffer the indignity of having you pass them, and who are prepared to do whatever it takes to stop you reaching the finish line first, even if it means cracking you over the head with a metal pole or kicking your bike out from underneath you. Thankfully, you can give as good as you get: there’s nothing more satisfying than exchanging heavy metal with a rival biker while dodging traffic in an urban landscape and then kicking him straight into the path of a speeding Porsche or sending him sprawling into the side of a building. (Although this is not to be recommended in real life, of course, as the ludicrously stuffy in-game caution advises.)



Such excitement is only possible because of the exemplary way in which Road Rash plays. Your bike is responsive and controllable and gives you the confidence to take risks. You soon find yourself pulling stunts like weaving between passing cars and playing chicken with oncoming vehicles, swerving aside at the last minute to avoid joining the flies on someone’s radiator grille.


Thankfully, your bike no longer exhibits a tendency to crash after hitting even the most minor obstacle – a problem that severely affected the pre-pro version Edge saw a few months ago (issue 8). Now, instead of tipping you head-first onto the tarmac every time you brush against a tree or a car, your machine just keeps going, subject only to a slight loss of speed. Of course, if you hit a huge truck head-on at 120mph the game isn’t so forgiving, but, luckily, you can buy a new bike from the money you get for finishing a race.


Road Rash’s graphical beauty is self-evident. In fact, the detail packed into the gloriously textured backgrounds is so appealing that they tend to distract you when you’re playing the game – you often find yourself admiring the scenery when you should be keeping your eyes on the road ahead. What can’t be conveyed by these static screenshots is the smooth 3D update (around 20fps) and the sheer thrill of pelting along undulating, winding roads at ridiculously high speeds.



This review was first published in E13, September 1994.



And, not content with making the backgrounds look stupendous, Electronic Arts has contrived to make them truly interactive. If you find yourself on the wrong side of a road barrier, for example, you can’t just ride through it, you have to wait until a gap appears. Similarly, if you fancy a break from the blacktop you’re allowed to venture a fair way into the roadside scenery – although that doesn’t stop the police from finding you if you’ve transgressed. There’s also a significant degree of artificial intelligence incorporated in the game: pedestrians hurry to avoid your speeding bike (usually in vain), cars stop at red lights, and the other bikers try to beat each other up.


Road Rash’s only potential flaw is its game structure. Giving the player access to all the levels from the outset in the Thrash mode detracts slightly from the ‘proper’ game – hacking through the levels knowing what lies in store is never quite as exciting as taking each level as it comes. Fortunately, though, the exhilarating action more than compensates for the lack of scenic surprises.


Electronic Arts has managed to blend the unadulterated exhilaration of a coin-op like Sega’s classic Super Hang On with deeper and more rewarding gameplay, and it’s this combination that makes 3DO Road Rash so enjoyable. With the exception of John Madden Football, Road Rash is arguably the best 3DO game currently available. It looks fabulous, it sounds fantastic (the music tracks are genuinely good enough to listen to on their own merit) and it’s heart-stoppingly playable. Road Rash gives 3DO owners a reason to feel proud.




The post Classic review: Road Rash (3DO) appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/review/classic-review-road-rash-3do/

News::Assassin's Creed 4 Review | SpawnFirst

"Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Tag-Team Review - Alice Irvin and Fox Jester take on Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, and talk about how much of an improvement this game is over AC3. Plus: pirates. They rock."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389299/assassins-creed-4-review-spawnfirst

News::Twinfinite: King Arthur's Gold Review - Castle Building Multiplayer Madness

King Arthurs Gold is a 2D multiplayer real-time action strategy game. Its apparently been kicking around for a few months but was just released on Steam this week. It combines cartoony aesthetics with physics-driven tile based building and good old fashioned medieval army combat (Terraria mixed with Worms and King Arthurs World).



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389701/twinfinite-king-arthurs-gold-review-castle-building-multiplayer-madness

News::Watch the Blizzcon opening ceremony for free at 11 AM PST

Blizzcon 2013 starts today, and you'll be able to watch the opening ceremony on Blizzard's live stream for free. The ceremony starts at 11:00 AM Pacific Standard Time, and you'll be able to watch it on the Blizzcon site.


The rest of Blizzcon will be streaming too, but you'll have to pay $39.99 to access it. If you don't want to pay to watch the main show, you'll still be able to stream all of the esports happening over the weekend for free.


We're expecting Blizzard to announce Warlords of Draenor as the next expansion for World of Warcraft, and they will be streaming their new game Heroes of the Storm .


Watch the BlizzCon 2013 opening ceremony and StarCraft II WCS Global Finals for free [PCGamesN]


Watch the Blizzcon opening ceremony for free at 11 AM PST screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/watch-the-blizzcon-opening-ceremony-for-free-at-11-am-pst-265192.phtml

News::Reset developer: "We really set your machine on fire"

The developer behind Reset, Theory Interactive, had a chat with PC Games Hardware about their soon to be crowdfunded puzzle game. They talk about technical stuff like engine and system specs but also about gameplay mechanics and their vision to stay independent from publishers.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389622/reset-developer-we-really-set-your-machine-on-fire

News::Blood of the Werewolf Review | Dealspwn | Bite The (Silver) Bullet

Dealspwn: "Theres a lot to be said for a good old-fashioned 2D platformer. Its been a mainstay of the industry for decades due to its simplicity and accessibility as a genre. But as such the plethora of games has made the genre a little stagnated in that almost everything that can be done has been done to it. The room for innovation is limited, but as such is celebrated when it is executed well. So now Scientifically Proven an indie developer have created Blood of the Werewolf, their offering in the world of 2D platforming, currently available on Steam for £7.99, but how does it compare to nearly 30 years of history?"



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389658/blood-of-the-werewolf-review-dealspwn-bite-the-silver-bullet

News::Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Review | Dealspwn

Dealspwn: "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a wonderfully harmonious game. It's enormous, packed with more things to see and do than ever before, but Ubisoft have managed to make every little thing mean something in tangible, impactful terms. Black Flag is a wonderful piratical romp that manages to revive the stealthy focus of earlier series instalments, whilst delivering an outstanding naval sandbox, an excellent setting and story, and lashings of swashbuckling action. Unmissable."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389661/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-review-dealspwn

News::BF4: DICE knows things have been rocky so far, to award Battlepacks to best forum posters per week

Battlefield 4: DICE knows things have been rocky so far, to award Battlepacks to best forum posters each week



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389564/bf4-dice-knows-things-have-been-rocky-so-far-to-award-battlepacks-to-best-forum-posters-per-week

News::Gamespot- Path of Exile Review

GS:The first leg of the journey is a familiar one: within moments of waking on a lonely beach, you are fending off the lurching undead, receiving only a few words of encouragement to help you find your bearings. And that's just fine. Clicking on monsters until they die is now a role-playing tradition, and Path of Exile trusts your instincts. It allows you to discover its world's mysteries without immediately overwhelming you with its complexities. And it all starts with the clicking, as it so often does.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389634/gamespot-path-of-exile-review

News::EA Claims Battlefield 4 Is "The Best FPS Out There, Period"

SegmentNext - "Even with less than impressive singleplayer campaign, EA claims Battlefield 4 is The Best FPS title".



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389612/ea-claims-battlefield-4-is-the-best-fps-out-there-period

News::Eurogamer - The Typing of the Dead: Overkill Review

EG:2013 may be the Year of Luigi, but 2009 was the Year of Tarantino-Inspired Games. I imagine the nervy film director playing the 2009 console game Wet, his trembling hand scrabbling for his small carved totem of Uma Thurman, the mantra 'this is forgettable this is forgettable this is forgettable' running around and around his head. Games haven't done Quentin Tarantino much of a service, really.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389600/eurogamer-the-typing-of-the-dead-overkill-review

News::Halo Franchise Getting More Episodic Storytelling, Will Probably Use the Power of the Cloud

343 Industries has been on a hiring spree lately, with six career opportunities advertised in less than a month for the Halo Franchise, and some include interesting elements that give us a glimpse on the future of the series.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389625/halo-franchise-getting-more-episodic-storytelling-will-probably-use-the-power-of-the-cloud

News::In-depth Review: The Wolf Among Us Episode 1: Faith - Electronic Theatre

Being contempt is the enemy of creativity, so they say, and Telltale Games could be forgiven for resting on their laurels. The Walking Dead series took the videogaming world by storm last year and is widely considered one of the most innovative videogamesavailable on current-generation hardware, including by your very own Electronic Theatre. With such an achievement already under their belt and seemingly few wishing to challenge them, Telltale Games follow-up could easily have been more of the same and still wowed both the critics and consumers alike, but if the first chapter is anything to go by The Wolf Among Us will be anything but derivative.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389538/in-depth-review-the-wolf-among-us-episode-1-faith-electronic-theatre

News::The Wachowskis Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Premium Edition Review | Laser Lemming

"Yet in spite of these most egregious of technical difficulties, I couldnt help but become enthralled by Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Loosely (to the point where one might consider the linking knot to be untied) based on Journey to the West, Enslaved follows Monkey and Tripitaka (Trip here) as they journey Westward (I presume that was the direction they were heading) across a post-apocalyptic America, starting in New York, and ending inmy American geography is not so good." - Writes Tom Towers.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1389581/the-wachowskis-enslaved-odyssey-to-the-west-premium-edition-review-laser-lemming