Monday, October 31, 2016

News:: '70s-style sci-fi horror game Routine is in the home stretch

It's been long enough since we last covered Routine that I had to go back and learn from myself what it was about. It's a sci-fi horror game set on a moon base "designed around a 70's vision of the future," and developer Lunar Software has at last settled on a release date: March 2017.

"If you follow us on Twitter, you may have noticed that we were hinting towards a late 2016 release. We have been working like crazy to try and hit that mark without compromising the quality of the game and at this rate, we would be releasing way too close to the Steam Christmas Sales (which would be devastating for us). In the end we felt like it was best to just not rush things at this final hurdle. We hope you enjoy the trailer and that it can make the final months until release a little easier, we can't thank you all enough for being so patient and supportive over these years. It's incredibly motivating to read your kind messages even when development has took so much longer than expected."

This trailer rekindled my interest in Routine, so job well done there. Just a few more months.

'70s-style sci-fi horror game Routine is in the home stretch screenshot

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News:: Name Of Next Tomb Raider Leaks Because Guy Had It Open On Subway

Some advice for professional game developers and marketers: Don’t open up confidential information in public. Especially don’t do it a on a crowded subway.

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News:: Nintendo Switch "can't say no" to VR but don't expect it anytime soon

It's easy to imagine Nintendo Switch sliding into a virtual reality headset accessory - just like a Samsung Gear VR but with a dedicated gaming system instead of a phone

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News:: A Zero Escape double pack is coming to Vita and PS4 early next year

Fans of the Zero Escape series have a lot to be happy about today; recently announced through the PlayStation Blog was Zero Escape: The Nonary Games, a two-pack that will compile 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Virtue's Last Reward into one package for the PS4 and PS Vita. I'm surprised they didn't go for a trilogy on PS4, but this is still great!

999 will be a full remake with new HD visuals along with English and Japanese audio tracks. Virtue's Last Reward will remain the same version it was on Vita, though nothing was mentioned about the PS4 port. I'm guessing higher resolutions as the Vita version already offered English and Japanese VOs.

Some fans have been questioning whether 999 will be offered as a standalone release for fans who already own Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Time Dilemma, but nothing has been stated. Strange that the final game isn't being offered for PS4, but then these two don't seem to be coming to PC.

Fight for Survival in Zero Escape: The Nonary Games, Out Next Year on PS4, PS Vita [PlayStation Blog]

A Zero Escape double pack is coming to Vita and PS4 early next year screenshot



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News:: Guy's Pokémon Go Costume Wins Halloween

Why settle for being a video game character for Halloween when you can be an entire video game? Matt Borgelt’s Pokémon Go costume, posted to his Instagram account yesterday, is not only detailed and ambitious, it allows you to play a truncated version of the game to boot.

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News:: The Concourse I Asked The World’s Foremost Ethicist If It’s Okay To Have A Revolution | The Slot Don

The Concourse I Asked The World’s Foremost Ethicist If It’s Okay To Have A Revolution | The Slot Donna Brazile Resigns From CNN After Leaked Emails Show Her Giving Clinton Debate Questions in Advance | Gizmodo The Venom From This Snake Will Make Your Life a Living Hell | Jezebel Harvard Women’s Soccer Team Responds to the Men Who Wrote a ‘Report’ on Their Hotness |

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News:: Always wanted to tidy up murder scenes? Try Serial Cleaner

Though Agony may have won our Poznan Game Arena Best of Show Award, there's another game that Brett and I couldn't stop talking about all weekend: Serial Cleaner. It's no secret that playing most games, regardless of genre, is somewhat akin to digital cleaning. Whether mopping up ones and zeroes in the form of shooting monsters, organizing spaces, or achieving 100% of whatever goal, there's something immensely satisfying about this act of tidying up. iFun4all's Serial Cleaner takes that one step further and tasks you with actually cleaning up after a murderer.

The protagonist is the Cleaner, the guy that killers call when they need freshly-spilled evidence cleaned up. Like a backwards Hotline Miami, players have to remove bodies, murder weapons, and even vacuum up blood all while sneaking past doughnut-eating cops. Each level has loop to it: grab each body, toss it into your station wagon, avoid the simple paths of the police, and remove most of the blood and other evidence. If one of the cops sees you, hiding in a dumpster is enough to thwart them (they won't even check inside), giving you a chance to run out as soon as they turn their backs.

It's a simple premise, but each level through in enough of a wrinkle to keep me on my toes. The first few areas didn't even bother with the vacuum, instead letting me acclimate to snatching bodies and stowing them. Officers are on set paths, allowing you to watch from afar and formulate a plan before trying to navigate the crime scene. As soon as they see you though, their path is altered, complicating endeavors. 

Always wanted to tidy up murder scenes? Try Serial Cleaner screenshot

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News:: Hitman's final episode means you can visit Japan with Agent 47 today

It's October 31, and you know what that means: that's right, it's time to jet to Japan for the season finale of Hitman

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News:: Shadow Warrior 2 gets a neat collector's edition that's limited to 5,000 copies

Lo Wang's classin' things up right now. Well, relatively speaking, of course. His name's still Lo Wang and he's still the protagonist of a game about a million dick jokes

Shadow Warrior 2 is getting what its calling a Special Reserve Collector's Edition. The title seems pretty accurate, as this version's limited to 5,000 copies. Along with the game, this collector's edition includes Shadow Warrior classic, the 2013 Shadow Warrior remake, soundtracks, stickers, a 96-page artbook, and some DLC (like a solid gold ninja).

Even though this is limited, it's not quite "only 5,000" limited. These look to be the same physical editions that were sold at retail in Poland (and, to this point, only in Poland). The only discernible difference seems to be that, you know, these ones aren't in Polish.

But, as for the English language boxes where the Steam keys will actually work, yeah, just 5,000 of them. Going to Devolver Digital's online store is the only way to nab one. They ship sometime in November, but all the digital wares are available to download immediately. The Special Reserve Collector's Edition runs $60 which is $20 more than Shadow Warrior 2's launch price. That's the premium you pay for having the most prestigious and rare avenue to Lo Wang's dick jokes.

Shadow Warrior 2 Special Reserve Collector's Edition [Devolver Digital]

Shadow Warrior 2 gets a neat collector's edition that's limited to 5,000 copies screenshot

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News:: Fill Up Your Steam Library With Humble's Newest Bundle

Humble’s new Day of the Devs bundle is a doozy, with popular titles like Grim Fandango, Broken Age, and Massive Chalice on sale for the price of your choice. Plus, if you pay $9 or more, and are attending Double Fine’s Day of the Devs event in San Francisco on Saturday, you’ll get early entry, a line-skipping fast pass, and 20% off merch.

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News:: The Most Nightmarish Peanuts Special Ever Made

The first time I watched the 1978 Peanuts special What A Nightmare, Charlie Brown, I was eight and a little scared. The cartoon made a significant impression on me. It was unnerving to see Snoopy whipped, starved, pelted with produce, and drowned. Dream sequence or not, that’s heavy shit.

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News:: Review: Halloween Forever

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

"Halloween, Halloween, Halloween forever!" - James Franco said in my unpublished Halloween-themed Springbreakers fan fiction, and boy was he ever right.

Review: Halloween Forever screenshot

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News:: Here's What Happens to Your Body When You Die

Welcome to Pipette, a recurring video series that explores big science by women.

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News:: Answering Your Best Final Fantasy XV Questions

I have played 10 hours of Final Fantasy XV, a video game about how One Direction spends their days off, and I’m pleased to report that so far, it’s good. Very good. Maybe even excellent.

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News:: Edge of Tomorrow 2 is a prequel AND will "revolutionize" how sequels are made

You know what's better than a sequel? A sequel that's ALSO a prequel

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News:: Shadow of the Tomb Raider might be the next Tomb Raider game

I'll let you know up-front that this really isn't as juicy as it might seem. We may have the name of the next Tomb Raider game, but that's it. It's just a new name in a series where we were essentially guaranteed to have more installments. And even what we do know might be wrong.

Rumors are going around today that Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the title of the next Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider game. That leak comes via a Montreal subway rider who allegedly snapped a picture of someone working on a presentation. If that's true, it's probably a Square Enix marketing or PR type.

Before you laugh at the ridiculousness of this type of leak, remember that it has happened before. This is the exact way that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was unofficially revealed in early 2013. There's precedent.

What makes this all the more believable and also all the more unspectacular is that Crystal Dynamics recently signed a new director for the Tomb Raider games. That's not a hire you make if there won't be any more Tomb Raider games. 

So, Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Sounds about right. What we don't know is the timeline, the broad story, what platforms it'll comes to -- basically everything surrounding it. But, we have a name. Probably.

Saw someone working on a presentation for "Shadow of the Tomb Raider" on the subway (Possible new game?) [reddit]

Shadow of the Tomb Raider might be the next Tomb Raider game screenshot

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News:: In Memory Of The Guy Who Gets Beheaded At The Beginning Of Skyrim

Patience is a virtue, people.

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News:: A hundred bucks worth of Borderlands for $18

If you have a free weekend and always wanted to try out the Borderlands series, a new Bundle Stars package might be worth a gander. Everything Borderlands (almost everything) has been slashed 82% in a Borderlands Bundle for $17.99.

The discount is valid for 14 days, so there is plenty time to decide on the bundle unless they go out of stock - a known trend on select Bundle Stars offers. The bundle contains the following Borderlands games and DLC:

  • Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
  • Borderlands 2
  • 9 Borderlands 2 DLC/Expansion packs
  • Borderlands 1

Since it's "almost everything Borderlands," you might be wondering what's missing?

Select DLC s are missing in action. The Borderlands Pre-Sequel Season Pass is missing as are the 4 expansion packs to the Borderlands original game, however everything is intact for Borderlands 2 that you'd find in the Game of the Year Edition. A few of the BL2 content bits that are missing are minor DLCs like the Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack 2 - which is a DLC not found in the GOTY Edition either.

Is the bundle worth picking up? If you own none of the Borderlands games and think you'll take the time to dabble, yes it's worth investigating (that's what... two drinks at a bar these days). At its one time historic low price Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel hit $8 and same with the Borderlands 2 GOTY. Now add in the original Borderlands this bundle essentially gets you all Borderlands content as if you bought it separately at historic low price levels. That's a pretty solid buy.

Note that the games come in one single Steam key, so if you have any of the titles in the bundle, this may not be worth picking up.

A hundred bucks worth of Borderlands for $18 screenshot



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News:: Deadly Premonition’s Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro is leaving Access Games after a year-long health break

Deadly Premonition’s Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro is leaving Access Games after a year-long health break. In a tweet, Swery told fans that, although his reactive hypoglycemia is getting better, he will be retiring after 12 years at the company:

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News:: I Want To Know More About Westworld’s VR Porn Tanks

HBO’s new Red Dead Redemption LARP Westworld has been teasing us with mysteries for weeks. Among them: why doesn’t everyone who pays all this money to visit Westworld just play video games instead?

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News:: An Early Look At  D&D’s Newest Monster Bible

Happy Halloween, geeks and freaks. Today, we have a special preview of the new Dungeons & Dragons monster supplement, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, to satisfy your beastly cravings.

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News:: If You Somehow Don't Own GTA V, It's Only $30 For Prime Members Today

GTA V’s campaign is great, and its online mode is still incredibly active, so its no wonder that the game has been relatively immune from downward price pressure, even years after release. Today though, Prime members can get a copy on PS4 or Xbox One for $30, the best deal we’ve seen.

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News:: Xen will be added to Black Mesa in summer 2017

Fan project Half-Life remake Black Mesa is mostly done at this point, but still on Steam Early Access. That's because it's missing the game's final chapter, the one that never went over well in the first place: Xen.

In an update on the Black Mesa Steam page, developer Crowbar Collective has announced that it's aiming to add Xen in summer of 2017. With this, it seems as if the Half-Life remake will be complete, approximately 13 years after it began.

Xen has always been a contentious setting, and Crowbar Collective is trying to reverse that mindset with a re-imagining. "We want to do Xen the justice it deserves, and have it be the definitive climax to the Half-Life 1 story. To do this we have completely redesigned and expanded the Xen levels to what we think Valve would have done without the limitations of the time," Crowbar said. It also noted that the levels will be "substantially bigger" and that there will be more of them.

It takes moxie to vastly expand Xen, especially when you know that the alien world is what most everyone never liked about the game in the first place. Either we'll get a much more bearable Xen, or much more of the same Xen (which would probably be a bummer). Still, Crowbar's going for it, and that's admirable.

As for the rest of the game -- the stuff that's generally beloved -- there's a decent opportunity to check it out. Steam has discounted the price of Black Mesa from $20 to $8 for a Halloween event. The biggest abomination, The Nihilanth, isn't in it quite yet, but there are still plenty of monsters for Freeman to shoot. And they look better now.

Xen Timeline [Steam]

Xen will be added to Black Mesa in summer 2017 screenshot



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News:: Alien: Covenant stars two Fassbender androids, and their names are an homage to the original movie

The David model android we met in Prometheus won't be the only artificial person showing up in Alien: Covenant

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News:: 7 Stranger Things costumes that turn Halloween upside down

You might have noticed an influx of immigrants from Hawkins, Indiana at Halloween parties and out trick or treating this year, thanks to the global phenomenon that is Stranger Things

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News:: Review: BlazBlue: Central Fiction

It's been tough for me to get into BlazBlue.

My first ever Arc System Works fighter was the original Guilty Gear, and I've been a believer ever since. When BlazBlue rolled around 10 years later a lot of my crew was already invested in Sol and their crew, and didn't have days to spend in the lab learning the ins and outs of his kinda-sorta counterpart, Ragna.

But ever since Central Fiction was announced, I vowed to give it a real shot and fully immerse myself in its world -- replaying each story and learning the basics of every character. It paid off, because Fiction really is a big sendoff for fans.

Review: BlazBlue: Central Fiction screenshot

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News:: Battlefield Account Posts Dumbass Tweets, Deletes Them

Earlier this morning, the official Battlefield 1 Twitter account posted a number of tweets using the ridiculous hashtag #justWWIThings. Met with negative feedback, the account soon deleted the tweets.

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News:: Square Enix is considering more DLC for Final Fantasy XV beyond the mountain they've planned already

Final Fantasy XV is getting ready to launch in under a month, and what is Square Enix planning next? DLC!

There are not only a heap of pre-order items planned (including a whole downloadable game), but there's also three additional DLC episodes, an online co-op mode, and as it turns out by way of an interview with JeuxVideo, more add-ons. Producer Haruyoshi Sawatari noted that we may get to play as Luna, but only "if the demand is there," since they aren't actively developing a story for her yet. 

Square Enix has the opportunity to go overboard here like they did with FFXIII-2, providing snapshots of just about every supporting cast member. One one hand it's a neat way to flesh out the gigantic world they spent a decade creating -- on the other, it's paid DLC that's added on top of a retail purchase, and if it gets to be too much, there's no way they can justify a $100 pricepoint for everything.

Notre interview de Sawatari Haru Yoshi au sujet des DLC [JeuxVideo via Siliconera]

Square Enix is considering more DLC for Final Fantasy XV beyond the mountain they've planned already screenshot



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News:: Pokémon's Creepy Lavender Town Myth, Explained

Pokémon may be famously cheery, but the series has its share of dark, spooky myths. The most famous of those have got to be the ones about Lavender Town.

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News:: Star Wars: Rogue One is gonna be SO gritty it will include actors sustaining actual injuries

The realism of a Star Wars movie is.... not a sentence that anyone should write, ever. Well, like it ...

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News:: Happy Halloween, here's Castlevania remade in Unreal

The weekend may be over and the long week just starting, but today is Halloween and that means there's still plenty of reasons to celebrate

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News:: Latest Sword Art Online Game Lets Twitter ‘Raise’ A Character

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, to be released November 8th, is asking fans for help “raising” one of its protagonists. Premiere, who was an NPC in the previous SAO game, will scan and mine Twitter feeds for personality traits and mold her in-game persona in our image, Crunchyroll reports.

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News:: Slain: Back From Hell likely won't make it to Wii U because of 'weak sales on that platform'

Developers pulling out of the Wii at the tail end of its lifecycle and the Wii U during pretty much any point of its cycle is nothing new -- they usually just end up going to PC or PS4 and all is well. But seeing it happen now, when the Wii U is basically a defunct console given that the Nintendo Switch is officially a thing and there's very little left to be released, still stings.

Speaking on NeoGAF after showing off some new artwork for Slain 2 (yes, a sequel is in the works to the game that bombed at launch, then turned things around with a massive overhaul), developer Wolf Brew Games confirmed that even though they said a Wii U port was in the works to go along with the PS4 and Xbox One editions, that's likely no longer the case. The developer cites that "sales on that platform are just too weak to justify the port," but leaves some wriggle room that they may one day be convinced.

It's a shame to see Metroid and Castlevania inspired games not on a Nintendo system, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Slain [NeoGAF]

Slain: Back From Hell likely won't make it to Wii U because of 'weak sales on that platform' screenshot



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