Saturday, June 21, 2014

News::The Forest: Russell's Survival Journal

KaboomShark's Russell Troxel sees how well he can survive in the upcoming PC game The Forest.



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News::The WildStar Diaries: Part Three - Home Sweet Home

In this instalment of The WildStar Diaries, Ben from StickTwiddlers finally meets up with Alan and is given a guided tour of the player housing mechanic.



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News::Retrospective: Manhunt


Manhunt arrived in a manner as sudden and brutal as any of the game’s own encounters. Minimal early noise and scant preview coverage saw it slip from the shadows and lead an impact on players that felt largely unspoiled, in a manner that feels rare among the modern gaming scene’s increasingly industrious PR machine and always-on, always-connected observers. Its shocks were many, not just of the tabloid kind but subsequent commentary and word of mouth, filled with both blessings and curses, carrying it on to a status of both infamy and high esteem.


Many games revel in the entertainment power of violence, but few are so starkly honest and frank about it. There is no murky morality here, no murder for the sake of a higher cause, no justification borrowed straight from Hollywood’s own excuses for homicidal sprees. Death-row convict James Earl Cash is roused after a mock lethal-injection procedure, a freshly purchased pawn involuntarily plunged into the sickly savage world of snuff director Lionel Starkweather. From here on in, Manhunt is a game about a killer, forced to kill killers in a harrowing gauntlet overseen by a bloodthirsty psychopath.


Aside from the bit-part presence of a reporter out to expose Starkweather’s deranged circus, staged within districts of the fictional Carcer City, there is simply no ambiguity here. The Hunter gangs that stalk Cash throughout the game’s first half, the corrupt police and SWAT teams, the Cerberus mercenaries that act as Starkweather’s closest guards – every direct casualty of Cash’s unforeseeably effective starring role in this horrific setup is a culpable part of it. And while the game ends with the predictable toppling of Starkweather’s grisly regime, it’s never in the name of justice, only survival. No lessons are learned, no air is punched, no innocence preserved; the greatest questions to be asked are of yourself, and why you’d ever push through such a doomed, remorseless and exhausting marathon in the first place.



Our Manhunt review from 2003 makes for interesting reading today, and gives a sense of the controversy that surrounded the game at release.



It’s the tension, of course. There’s vicious entertainment and voluntary discomfort to be had in other media, but here there’s no pillow to hide behind or paragraphs to skip – you have to end it yourself. Manhunt’s course is strung tighter than an Achilles tendon, never stopping for breath, rarely halting to expound. Cash treads one downtrodden urban killing field after another, his every move and assassination recorded by Starkweather, from filthy streets to a deserted zoo, from dilapidated shopping mall to trainyard, from jail complex through to a nerve-splitting showdown against the elite troops that defend the grounds of Starkweather’s home. And it’s all framed by Rockstar’s sturdy eye for attention to detail, from the difficulty settings (fetish or hardcore) to an instruction manual posing as a catalogue for Valiant Video Enterprises, the underground distribution label for Starkweather’s messy death flicks.


There are other reasons why it would leave some frayed – those who saw its cruelty and GBH purely as petty exploitation, those who see relentlessness as repetition, or those left the wrong kind of cold by its trim but reliably precise stealth mechanics. Its toe-to-toe combat system was nearly useless, as much down to Cash’s vulnerability as its simplicity – standing off against more than one assailant would often, quite plausibly, result in death. So, the wealth of Cash’s bodycount came via Manhunt’s snuff cam, death sequences enacted upon unwary Hunters as they were trailed, CCTV camera cuts that made the player’s own actions coincidental with the sadism and suffering requested by Starkweather. While this fetishistic voyeurism could begin to wane, Manhunt had a surprise reinvention up its sleeve, several levels in. Or, rather, tucked into the back of its trousers – the introduction of gunplay, and a twitch-headshot technique, turned confrontations on a sixpence – shootouts decided in a sudden, desperate flashpoint of gore instead of ambling ambushes.


If Manhunt is a ’70s-grade splatterfest spin on The Running Man, then its only one-liners come from the unnerving showbiz mouth of Starkweather himself – both goading and encouraging, direct to Cash’s earpiece via the splendidly cast voice of Brian Cox. It’s a game suffocated by a blitzkrieg of a synth-led soundtrack, warmly malevolent during more peaceful moments but revving up into a serrated thrash as Cash steps from being undetected into line-of-sight exposure. And, in a neat touch, the sound design could literally involve the player via a headset, into which Starkweather’s commentary and instructions would be fed, with the mouthpiece allowing a shout to distract Hunters, or even attract their unwanted attention with an accidental cough or overly deep breath. Combine this functionality with Manhunt’s sole boss encounter – the memorable Piggsy, an obese maniac whose lair is stumbled upon en route to Starkweather’s stronghold – and be left in no doubt of Manhunt’s capacity for overwhelming dread and bleak horror.


The post Retrospective: Manhunt appeared first on Edge Online.






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News::Murdered: Soul Suspect Review. Gaming Worm

Do you believe in Ghosts?Did you know that even after death the Dead still lives?Did you know that they keep searching for justice when something wrong brings them death?What If I told you that they do? I didn't believe in the above mentioned things and thought that as a rubbish.Life goes on as it does and it was always the same but now it is not.June 6th was the date when one of my favourite game companies Square Enix came up with a new game which brought something really new and impressive to industry.I think many of you have already understood what I am talking about.



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News::Best of Kotaku, The Week of June 16

Best of Kotaku, The Week of June 16


E3 as an event might be over, but it's not over in our hearts, because we keep writing about all the things we saw at the show. You can go read those things, and other good things from us, over at Kotaku Selects.


Read more...




















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News::Oculus Rift Shipping Details Coming July 1st

The Rift Arcade - Thats according to a post in the Oculus Share forum by Cybereality (Team Oculus), who stated earlier today: "We plan to send out a mass email soon with more details. I'd say you can expect an update on July 1st or before." Its likely those that have pre-ordered the DK2 can expect to hear more details about the shipping date, or at best receive an actual shipping confirmation email.



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News::Space Engineers Preview (Invision Game Community)

Space Engineers is the new Voxel-Based sandbox game developed by Keen Software House, a company who has only made Miner Wars beforehand. Heading into the genre and scene of Minecraft and Cube World where you explore the world and can chip away at the surrounding areas and build up buildings or equipment using blocks



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News::5 games that you must play this week

From Moto GP 14 to Xenonauts, here are the picks of this weeks new game releases



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News::The Top 5 Potential Suspects for the Arkham Knight

"At the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Rocksteady Games and Warner Bros. Interactive provided a more in-depth look at the upcoming, highly anticipated sequel Batman: Arkham Knight. This included more footage of the new villain Arkham Knight, including hearing his voice for the first time" | Explosion.com



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News::ANTVR Hires Stanford Professor Shoucheng Zhang

ANTVR has today announced that renowned Stanford University professor Shoucheng Zhang has joined the development team. The award-winning physicist joins ANTVR as chief scientist.



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News::Battlefield 4 Dragons Teeth Complete Details Here

DICE has detailed the next Battlefield 4 DLC pack, Dragons Teeth, which is scheduled for release this summer. New DLC will feature New maps, weapons, gadgets and game mode.



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News::Space Run Review | Super Clash Gaming

Space Run is a new game from Focus Home Interactive and PassTech Games that features tower defense in space, mixed with real-time strategy. Its side scrolling features give it an old-school feel, with some decent graphics and mechanics to accompany it. Lets see if it gets lost in space.



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News::Why Im Excited For The Evil Within

Augustus Bel of RealGamerNewz writes: "As a huge fan of the survival horror theme, I am truly excited to immerse in this game. From trailers daring you to be brave enough and gameplay of high intensity, The Evil Within has definitely made my list. As expected from the genre, it is ripe with bloody and tortured gore, but even more captivating is the psychological aspect."



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News::10 Fixes for MotoGP 14 Crashes, D3D Error, Resolution, Graphics, Textures, Can't Save, Fail Validate

MotoGP 14 has just been released on Steam and instances of crashes, errors, and bugs have been reported by gamers worldwide. Here are the best fixes.



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News::Steam and Its Crazy Sales Explained

Airaka Galley of Gamer Attitude explains what Steam and its crazy sales is



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News::[Continue Play] Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms Review

Continue Play's Jenna Fraser takes a look at Game Farm's ARPG sequel to Kult: Heretic Kingdoms.



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News::Top 10 Best Game Mods

While console-loyal gamers get all the attention from big budget developers and big name celebrities to lend their voices and likenesses to their exclusives, PC gamers have a leg up on the competition - mods.



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News::Next Phase of Heroes of The Storm Tech Alpha Will Invite Multi-Country Gamers

Early day, Blizzard announced that the next phase of the Heroes of the Storm Technical Alpha will begin in the coming weeks, and this time, they will invite multi-country opted-in players to join the testing, include North America, Europe, Latin America, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. So, plz check your Battle.net account has been opted in to HotS



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News::E3 2014: A look at Flyhunter Origins for PS Vita

News10's Barry White chats with Steel Wool Games co-founder Andrew Dayton about 'Flyhunter Origins', an indie game coming soon to PlayStation Vita, PC, iOS, and Android.



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News::Visual Novel 'World End Economica' Launches on Steam

Whereas many visual novels focus on fantasy and romance, World End Economica sticks to themes of economics and the stock market. World End Economica Episode 1 initially hit Steam as an Early Access title but is finally ready for full launch.



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News::Dota 2s Latest June 18th Update Detailed

SteamFirst: Dota 2 has just received its latest update with a handful of changes and fixes. Below is the full list straight from the Steam page.



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News::Building the Nexus: The Voice of Gazlowe

Blizzard Entertainment interviewed voice actor Travis Willingham to discuss his experience at the studio when recording some lines of Gazlowe for Heroes of the Storm.



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News::The Arkania Bundle offers Retro RPGs for $2.25

SteamFirst: The Arkania Bundle offers retro and modern RPGs for $2.25. You get Arkania classics along with their modern remakes!



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News::The Steam Summer Sale - Sure to Cause Bankruptcy

The Steam Summer Sale has begun! How long until pc gamers everywhere go bankrupt?



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News::MotoGP '14 First Look Gameplay

VVV: "PS4 players pining for a serious racing game experience are in for a treat this week, as MotoGP '14 launches off the line."



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News::Five Ways to Survive the Steam Summer Sale

Its here: the moment your wallets been dreading. Steams Summer Sale is officially live, and no matter how hard you try, you will be spending money. But how do you prevent bankruptcy, and ensure you get the best bang for your buck? Here are five tips on how to survive a Steam Sale.



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News::1985FM Previews Gauntlet [Hands-on]

"The original Gauntlet was tough as nails, and in a weird way I enjoyed the bleak chance of success. Sadistically, the game funneled you through a series of corridors, battling through endless waves of reanimated skeletons, inching closer to your inevitable death. Im not certain if that experience speak to me as much now, as finite time comes less interest in beating your head against a wall. But just as my tastes changed over the years, Gauntlet is being re-introduced to old and new adventurers alike."



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News::Frostfire Ridge Rare Elites Guide

Blizzplanet put together a guide where to find the rare elite mobs scattered throughout Frostfire Ridge in World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor. The guide includes screenshots and videos.



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News::Tony Plays State of Decay Lifeline DLC

Check out some video footage of Tony playing the DLC for State of Decay called Lifelife.



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News::Indie Royale The Debut 14 Bundle

Indie Royale The Debut 14 Bundle is live!



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News::Garrison Buildings Guide

Blizzplanet shares a look into the Garrison buildings and specializations available in the current version of World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor Friends & Family Alpha testing. Most of the features are incomplete, and testing is disabled beyond level 92.



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News::Entertainment Buddha-cast: Ep. 7 EBs E3 Recap Pt. 1 The Big 3

EB's Matt Heywood writes, "In this episode of the Buddha-cast the team discusses the Big 3, and how the companies performed at E3 2014. The conversation starts with Microsoft, then transitions to Sony, and finally we wrap the episode with Nintendo. For each of the gaming companies we discuss the press conferences they held, as well as what they showed off on the E3 expo hall floor."



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News::Ears-on Impressions of Astros A38 Headset From E3 2014 | Entertainment Buddha

EB's Matt Heywood writes, "While at E3 I stopped by Astros booth to test the A38 out, and based on the demo I think Astro has another hit on its hands for gamers on the go, or for non-gamers looking for a great pair of wireless, noise canceling headphones. The A38 truly is a thing of beauty thanks to its functional design, and ultra-comfortable ear pads that dont sit over the ear, but rather fill it with plushy foam to create an air tight bond between your ear and the speaker. This design really accentuates the noise canceling feature of the A38, which works marvelously when the headset is worn and powered up. I had a hard time hearing casual conversation coming from people that were only 2 ft. away from me without even listening to music, so the A38 is on par with other high-end noise canceling headsets such as Boses line."



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News::SOE on what makes H1Z1 different from other zombie survival games

GameZone: "Despite 432 Call of Duty games, 523 Battlefield games, and countless other generic first-person shooters, it's the zombie-survival genre that's oversaturated, according to many gamers. After all, we already have DayZ. Isn't that the end-all, be-all of zombie-themed games? You'd think so based on some of the comments I've seen about H1Z1. Gamers want to know what makes SOE's upcoming game different. So while I was getting a hands-off look at H1Z1, I asked senior designer Jimmy Whisenhunt exactly that -- what makes H1Z1 stand apart from DayZ or Rust."



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News::Black Gold Online Open Beta Begins

Snail Games USA today announced that the highly anticipated free-to-play MMORPG game, supported by a unique steampunk backdrop, has now entered open beta - giving gamers the opportunity to sample the action-filled world of Black Gold Online.



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News::The Half-Life 3 effect: Where are these games?

GameZone: "Valve isn't the only studio on the block keeping a sequel away from fans for one of their most beloved franchises. It looks as though other major studios, including Nintendo and Sony, have games that they perhaps once promised and never delivered on, or outright fail to support. Are they trying to emulate Valve's mysticism, and perhaps wait long enough until hype is at an all time high, or are these games and franchises shelved indefinitely?"



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News::South Park: The Stick Of Truth Discounted On GamersGate

South Park: The Stick Of Truth is now available for a reduced price on GamersGate



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News::For Your Amusement: Watch_Dogs on PC being Broken

Colm Ahern: "The biggest video game to be released this year so far, Watch Dogs has been out for close to a month and it runs beautifully on PCit doesnt. Thats sarcasm."



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News::Hands On With Far Cry 4 | Paste Magazine

Based on the E3 demo, Far Cry 4 could match the uproarious action of Far Cry 3, but it's too early to tell if it'll improve on Far Cry 3's horrible story.



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News::Blockstorm Preview (PC) | CriticalIndieGamer

(CriticalIndieGameR)There have been a few voxel-type shooters recently, all of which took a bite out of Minecraft when it came to aesthetics. Ace of Spades and Guncraft each tried to carve out a niche for themselves -to varying degrees of success. Guncraft never did catch on much, and its servers are pretty bare these days, and after Jagex took on Ace of Spades interest in it all but died out. So why should Blockstorm be any different from past attempts at the voxel FPS?



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News::WildStar First Impressions - Part 2 | Zero1Gaming

In the second half of his two-part article for Zero1Gaming, Chris' attitudes towards WildStar have changed quite significantly over the last few days.



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News::Rainbow Six Siege Preview: Slow and Steady Wins The Race - Pulp 365

Rainbow Six returns in Siege, and it's a return to form for the franchise. Pulp 365's hands-on preview from E3 2014.



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News::E3 2014: A look at Bethesda's upcoming BattleCry game

Rich Vogel, Executive Producer on the multiplayer battle arena game 'BattleCry', chats about the in-development computer game with News10 during E3 2014.



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News::Ubisoft Explains Why There Is No Competitive Multiplayer In Assassins Creed Unity

"For the first time ever an Assassin's Creed game will have four player co-op hence giving a shared experience to the user. But was there any specific reason why Ubisoft decided not to include any competitive multiplayer modes as well?"



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News::Steam Summer Sale Day 1 19/06/2014

So, steam summer sales are now online, it is the first day sales which will be available until 21st June, 2014. Everything looks great when its 80% OFF, but before you start filling up your library, here are our favorite picks of day one.



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News::TGG: The Pen Is Mightier Ep. 7: Stop Sparklin Feat. Nosgoth

Yellowpen of The Gentleman Gamer writes: "Welcome back everyone to The Pen Is Mightier, in this installment well discuss some pretty serious questions plaguing the gaming community: WILL a title ever come around that redeems what tabletop games like Masquerade and crappy Young Adult fiction have done to the Vampire? CAN SquareEnix still make fun and interesting games, or did that pretty much crap the bed with Final Fantasy X? IS there a model for shooter design that wont leave Yellowpen with a vile and terrible taste in his mouth? HAS this column become incredibly too pretentious?!?!"



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News::Dizzel First Beta Test Has Begun

OGPlanet today announced that the first beta test for Dizzel, a new hardcore, action free-to-play online shooter created by Neowiz Games and NS studio. The beta test is set to begin on June 20th.



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News::How to survive the Steam summer sale

Its here. The summer sale has arrived. Batten down the hatches, grab a torch and learn how to survive the Steam summer sale.



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News::E3 2014: Running Around in the Dark with Dying Light | Hardcore Gamer

HG: While the big zombie related news at E3 this year was Dead Island 2, its the developers who worked on the first that really had the best showing. We were able to get our hands on two distinctly different demos for Dying Light: one near the beginning of the game when the protagonist barely has any weapons, and one much later on where he has a more diverse arsenal. Theres nothing like smashing a bat to the side of a zombies head while setting another ablaze with some sort of fiery knife.



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News::Gravity Badgers Review - NWR

NWR: "Badgers are flung into space in an unpolished, uninspired clone of a game we all know. Looking at the cartoon styled badgers in space suits accompanied by a beefy theme song on the title screen of Gravity Badgers, gave me hope for his title. It looked like an action cartoon from the eighties, the ones that ran on Saturday morning. This feeling quickly went away when the actual game started. "



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