Monday, October 24, 2016

News:: Final Fantasy XIV's Halloween event is a perfect example of how to make holiday content

Final Fantasy XIV's "All Saints' Wake" event has kicked off again this year, but this time it's something different -- a fully re-purposed dungeon that operates as a fun as hell scavenger hunt.

The gist is that you'll talk to an NPC in Gridania, like any ol' event, but instead of doing a menial task or sitting through dialogue to get your themed cosmetic items, you'll net them by doing an instanced dungeon with three other players. You can head into it with a party of your choosing, but I highly recommend doing it with strangers and testing out your communication skills.

Players will go through the mansion filled with patrolling monsters and look for clues, which provide hints for locating treasure chests to complete each mission. The best approach is to split up and communicate with your team, providing them with tips as to what chests to open -- opening a wrong one or making contact with a monster will lower the group's sanity meter, so you have to work as a team or everyone fails.

It's a different, non-violent way to approach dungeons, and something I'd like to see more often in games like this. Since the XIV community is generally among the best I've ever seen, all of the groups I've played with so far have been having great time with it, cracking jokes and being helpful. And since it features Haukke Manor, a dungeon that launched in 2013 with the base game, it's a great example of how to bring back old content and make it relevant again.

You'll have to do it three times to get every item, but since the quests shuffle (and, as mentioned, it's awesome), I didn't mind it one bit. If you haven't logged in for a while go test it out -- you have until November 1!

Final Fantasy XIV's Halloween event is a perfect example of how to make holiday content screenshot



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News:: GameCenter DX takes an extended look at Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nintendo brought The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Japanese gaming show GameCenter DX, and that means plenty more footage of Link's tree chopping, boar hunting, raft sailing ways.

Comedian and actor Masaru Hamaguchi provides commentary as he plays (this is a "DX" episode, not "CX," so no Arino), but without subtitles, it's hard if not impossible to follow the humor aside from sight gags. Still, though -- it's an unreleased Zelda game! There's something to gain from watching it, even if this is a lot of retreading for folks who have kept up to date on Breath of the Wild in recent months.

The game footage starts at 2:00 in the video and picks up right at the opening. If you want to skip the basics, Hamaguchi ventures to some lesser-seen areas at around 26:20, before eventually working his way to the boss. By the time this is finally out next year, we'll be ready to rock the first few hours.

GameCenter DX takes an extended look at Zelda: Breath of the Wild screenshot



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News:: The (Possible) End Of Nintendo's Magnificent Two-Screen Gaming Era

The fact that Nintendo’s next video game machine, the Switch, is built for single-screen gaming is a dark lining on a silver cloud.

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News:: 'Dishonored 2's' live-action trailer is all about glorious revenge

Just as we saw with Fallout 4 last year, Bethesda is hoping to amp you up for Dishonored 2 by making it seem more real with a live-action trailer. The two-minute piece is narrated by Emily, the kidnapped princess you rescued in the first game, who lays out her drive for revenge like Game of Throne's Arya Stark. They killed her mother; took her kingdom; and framed her friend (Corvo, the bodyguard assassin who returns for another round of fun) for murder. Now she's back to take what's hers.



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News:: All the Best Movies Coming to and Leaving Netflix in November 2016

As winter starts to dig its way in, Netflix cycles through another set of movies. This time around, you’ll see the return of the Gilmore Girls, a couple of Stephen King classics, and more.

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News:: This Westworld Episode 5 teaser trailer will get under your skin

Still piecing together the events of Westworld episode 4 in your mind? You'd better get that cognitive dissonance all sorted out, because the teaser trailer for episode 5, "Contrapasso", is already here

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News:: Hacker Discovers A New Super Mario 64 Coin That Is Impossible To Collect

Some time ago, the “Impossible Coin” was discovered in Super Mario 64. It took 18 years to finally collect. Mario 64 guru Scott “pannenkoek2012" Buchanan recently discovered a new, unobtainable coin in Tall, Tall Mountain.

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News:: Lost Soul Aside still an impressive one-man effort, will be a timed PS4 exclusive

Bing Yang must have had a pretty surreal feeling wash over him when he unleashed his one-man project Lost Soul Aside into the world. As an Unreal Engine action game that looks like a true Devil May Cry or Otogi successor, his trailer blew up to two million views, and is now collectively on every action fan's radar.

That was back in July, but Yang has been providing some updates on his progress, with one major tidbit over the weekend -- it will not only be a timed exclusive on PS4, but it's also expected to drop in 2018. Unlike a Kickstarter project with a team behind it, this one is being worked on by one dude in South Korea, so I think we can wait.

yagnbing [Twitter]

Lost Soul Aside still an impressive one-man effort, will be a timed PS4 exclusive screenshot

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News:: What's Your Favorite Wi-Fi Router?

If you’re still rocking an old 802.11n or (gasp) even an 802.11g wireless router at home, it’s past time to upgrade to the latest and greatest. But with so many models on sale from a dizzying array of vendors, shopping for a router can turn your brain into a dead zone. So we want to hear from our readers: Which router should power your home network?

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News:: YouTubers Clash With Visual Novel Developers Over Spoiler Videos

“The Prince of Play” Solon Scott is a YouTuber who plays through visual novels, mostly Japanese dating simulators. It’s his art medium. In his videos, Scott acts out characters’ voices, explains literary devices and offers sharp commentary on visual novels’ plot. He sees himself as a performer and his videos as, in his words, “his work.”

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News:: Titanfall 2 will be skipping EA/Origin Access

If you're a fan of EA's newer games, one of the neatest benefits of owning an Xbox One is having access to EA Access, a service that (typically) lets you play new EA releases a few days early. It also gives you a selection of older titles for a small monthly fee, almost like a Netflix style service on consoles.

That service also exists on PC and is dubbed Origin Access. While the collection of titles isn't shared between both platforms, the same type of amenities exist; you get early access to newer launches and a collection of older titles for a small monthly fee.

Sadly, Titanfall 2 won't be offered on the service in either early access form or as a playable title. Titanfall's developer, Respawn Entertainment, mentioned to website GameReactor that the game may come to the service in the future, but will be skipping launch this week.

I can't say I see the benefit to leaving this game off of the service. While this may be to increase profit from any sales of the game, with Infinite Warfare launching the following week, I've got a feeling that most players aren't even going to bother with Titanfall 2.

Reception to the beta was fairly tepid and Call of Duty still commands a lot of attention, even if diehard fans are tired of all of its gimmicks. I think EA is looking at this wrong, but then again, PS4 players don't even have a choice; they either buy it or don't.

PSA: Titanfall 2 Excluded From EA/Origin Access [GameSpot]

Titanfall 2 will be skipping EA/Origin Access screenshot



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News:: Titanfall 2 isn't native 4K on PS4 Pro and it doesn't sound like many games will be

Titanfall 2 will be one of the first games to take advantage of the increased power of the PS4 Pro, both of which are launching within the next three weeks

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News:: 'Pokémon Go' offering spooky bonuses for Halloween

If there's one thing our (fictional) mom always told us, it's that we shouldn't go out walking at night with our smartphone on show. The folks at Niantic Labs feel differently, and think that poorly lit Fall nights around Halloween are the perfect time for everyone to catch some pocket monsters. The company is launching a "global in-game event" to encourage Pokémon Go players to go out and catch some spooky 'mons.

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News:: It's officially the best time to buy an Xbox One S thanks to these new bonuses

These next few weeks will be the best time yet to buy an Xbox One S, thanks to some pre-holiday-shopping incentives from Microsoft

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News:: Hyrule Warriors' A Link Between Worlds DLC is coming next week

A Link Between Worlds is creepin' into Hyrule Warriors (yes that game is not done with DLC yet over two years later and one 3DS re-release in) on October 31 in Japan (and presumably the rest of the world), Koei Tecmo has announced.

It's quite simply titled the "Link Between Worlds" pack, and will feature merchant Ravio and villain Yuga for $6.99 on consoles, with the 3DS edition netting 15 My Fairy costume pieces 17 costumes, and a new Adventure map. Yes, the Wii U version gets the short end of the stick again -- which would be fine if it were just My Fairy stuff, but missing out on a map really sucks as it's arguably the best part of the game.

You can find great hands-on coverage for every previous DLC character here from our own CJ Andriessen.

Zelda [Game City via Gematsu]

Hyrule Warriors' A Link Between Worlds DLC is coming next week screenshot

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News:: Many Voice Actors Have No Clue What Game They're Working On

Last week, members of the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike against key game companies. Per Motherboard, we’re getting a closer look at one of the guild’s complaints.

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News:: Drum & bass producer SleepingEggs sampled the dulcet tones of Hyper Light Drifter for this wicke

Drum & bass producer SleepingEggs sampled the dulcet tones of Hyper Light Drifter for this wicked EDM track.

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News:: November's Games with Gold month has awesome Xbox 360 titles

Microsoft has been killing it in terms of game selection for their Games with Gold service. Last month may have been a bit of a drag, but November has two stellar Xbox 360 titles on offer. Subscribers to Live Gold will be getting The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (the latter which runs better on the Xbox One).

On the Xbox One side of things, gamers can look forward to Murdered: Soul Suspect and Super Dungeon Bros. That last title is brand new, so that could be pretty cool. Murdered I'd give a hard pass to, but I suppose free is free.

Super Dungeon Bros. and Monkey Island will be available from November 1st to the 15th. Murdered and Blood Dragon will become available on the 16th, though it seems Murdered will be offered until December 15th. I'm not sure why, but extra time is never a bad thing.

If you somehow have never played Monkey Island, do yourself a favor and change that. The game is an excellent example of LucasArts' domination of the adventure genre in the early '90s. The remake is also quite amazing, featuring fully recorded dialogue, incredibly lush artwork and a very generous hint system.

Free Xbox One/360 Games With Gold for November 2016 Revealed [GameSpot]

November's Games with Gold month has awesome Xbox 360 titles screenshot



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News:: Pokémon  Sun and Moon Fans Are Obsessing Over A Mysterious Old Man

News:: There's a new Nintendo Direct this week for Monster Hunter

Nintendo is pretty much all in for Monster Hunter. "Ninten' now does what Sony don't," and doubled down on the franchise in the past five years or so, helping to produce console and portable iterations as well as a healthy partnership with amiibo figures.

Expect to hear about all of that and more on October 27, as Nintendo has just announced a special Monster Hunter direct for that date in Japan. Let's recap everything in the world of MonHun. Set for Japan right now, Stories is coming to the 3DS (with six amiibo figures) in October, and Monster Hunter Frontier Z will be released on the Wii U in November. The new Monster Hunter Stories anime also debuted in Japan this month, and a Hollywood film adaptation is in the works.

Everything's coming up Milhouse for Capcom with this series at the moment. Now they just need a PS4 game so they can capitalize on that massive installbase.

Monster Hunter Direct [Nintendo]

There's a new Nintendo Direct this week for Monster Hunter screenshot



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News:: A Beginner's Guide To Battlefield 1's Multiplayer

Battlefield 1's multiplayer is very intense. While the game teaches you some basics during the campaign, it doesn’t do much to explain what’s going on in the multiplayer. Don’t worry, doughboys and gals: I’m here to help!

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News:: How much better does Skyrim: Special Edition look on current-gen? This much better.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a game that will not die

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News:: Today's Best Deals: LifeStraws, CyberPower UPS, Cordless Hoover Vacuum, and More

CyberPower backup power supplies, a $120 smartphone, and a cordless Hoover vacuum lead off Monday’s best deals.

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News:: Dark Souls III's first DLC is out a day early on PC thanks to an Xbox snafu

So last Friday, a number of you may have noticed that the new Dark Souls III DLC, Ashes of Ariandel, made its way on the Xbox One storefront. I know a few of you snagged it up quick, but Bandai Namco pulled the plug on that operation later that day.

Clearing up an error would normally be fine, but with a game like Souls that can be ruined so readily, it makes sense to just release the damn thing. The company is doing just that, because instead of its existing October 25 launch, it's now set for October 24 on PC, when it will arrive at 3PM PT on Steam. Consoles on the other hand will basically still have to wait, as it will hit at 9PM PT on consoles.

As a reminder, it'll probably take you five hours (or less) to complete this entirety of this DLC, making it one of the shortest add-ons in the series' history.

Dark Souls 3 DLC [GameSpot]

Dark Souls III's first DLC is out a day early on PC thanks to an Xbox snafu screenshot



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News:: Star Wars 8 will reveal who Rey's parents are

The mystery of Rey's parentage in Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be at an end in Star Wars 8, according to her actress Daisy Ridley

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News:: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Monkey Island Headline November's Xbox Games With Gold

Paying subscribers to Xbox Live can grab four games for “free” in November. The two games for the Xbox 360 are backward compatible, so you can play them on your Xbox One as well. Remember, these are only free if you have an Xbox Live Gold subscription.

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News:: Which Xbox Games With Gold games are free in November?

Games With Gold is going back in time in November, with Super Dungeon Bros and Murdered: Soul Suspect charging forth on Xbox One, while The Secret of Monkey Island and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon give us a heavy dose of nostalgia on Xbox 360

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News:: The original Red Faction may be headed to PS4

THQ Nordic's recent announcement that Red Faction was removed from Germany's index of "damaging" games now makes a lot more sense. According to the European ratings group PEGI, the 2001 original will be releasing on PS4 via Sony's PS2 Classics line. The update will come with 1080p upscaling, Trophies, and Remote Play support.

While I'm all for preserving the past, I don't know that the first game represents the best that the series could be. Guerilla is an entirely different beast and really capitalizes on the Geo-Mod technology that Volition created. The first game was definitely mind blowing for a PS2 game, but blowing apart walls never amounted to more than another doorway.

Also, I wonder if this will be a direct port of the PS2 version or some amalgamation of the PC port. I had both as a teenager and, oddly enough, the PS2 version was a lot better. Apart from lacking mod support, it had sharper visuals and smoother performance (though that shouldn't be a problem 15 years later).

PS2 Classic Red Faction for PS4 Rated by PEGI Hinting to Impending Release [DualShockers]

The original Red Faction may be headed to PS4 screenshot



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News:: Pokemon Go's first ever event feels like an afterthought

In the first trailer for Pokemon Go, we saw a lot of cool shit. Battling on the spot, trading, and a fight with Mewtwo in Times Square. We all knew that the reality wasn't going to be nearly as enticing, but I don't think anyone could have predicted how badly Niantic has handled the game since launch.

It's been over three months since the game was released, and the only real step forward has been a better sense of server stability, partially due to the fact that so many people have quit. We're getting our first ever event from October 26 to November 1, but it's completely underwhelming.

During those dates, you'll get an enhanced chance to encounter Drowzee, Gastly, Gengar, Golbat, Haunter, Hypno, and Zubat. The PR that was sent out even refers to the latter as "yes, Zubat," indicating that this is some kind of cruel joke when even the most off the grid town has hundreds of low CP flying rats lying in wait at every corner. Beyond that, you'll get double candies for catching Pokemon, two for transferring to the Professor, and more Buddy candy, which puts it at about the rate that it should be anyway. That's literally the event. You can get an overview from the '90s Flash commercial that was put together below.

I'm teetering somewhere around level 30, when I can find people who still have love for the game and want to play. I adore the social aspect of it, but scientists will be studying Niantic's business strategy for years to come as an example of how not to handle a project post-launch.

Pokemon Go's first ever event feels like an afterthought screenshot

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News:: The Walking Dead's Season Premiere Wasn't Worth It

The Walking Dead had a major obstacle to overcome in last night’s season seven premiere. After leading up all of season six to the arrival of Negan and the promise of a main character’s death, the show decided to postpone the reveal of who died to season seven. Could the show possibly live up to its own hype and expectations? Short answer: No. How could it?

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News:: Would you want the Nintendo Switch to play Pokemon Go?

Well, we know what the NX is now, but Nintendo isn't saying much other than that.

What we do know is that it's a device that can be played at home or on the go, and features a tablet of sorts with removable controls. At home, it's essentially a slightly juiced up Wii U with Nvidia hardware. On the go -- its functionality remains to be seen.

Among the tidbits that we didn't get is how it'll work with any of Nintendo's mobile efforts or mobile umbrella, most notably Pokemon Go. Would you...want the Switch to work with all of this, effectively uniting the console, portable, and mobile arenas under one roof?

Because while a lot of you out there are probably clamoring for Nintendo give up their mobile partnership with DeNA completely, it would be beneficial long term to get its claws into any market it can in case their console efforts stagnate again. It feels like the same old song and dance of "we're in, fellow third parties!," before unceremoniously dropping out -- so I think the Switch needs something else to cover its basis. The entire machine seems to be designed around that theory.

It got me thinking though -- do you plan on using the Switch more at home, or out on the go?

Would you want the Nintendo Switch to play Pokemon Go? screenshot



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News:: Open-World Sonic The Hedgehog Game Being Made By One Fan

Sonic Utopia is a fan-made game that’s pretty much being made by one guy, The Great Lange, who wants to “expand on Sonic gameplay in an intuitive way in 3D”, while at the same time “capture the best of Sonic’s style and tie it together in a cohesive experience”.

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News:: Pokémon Go's Halloween Event Makes Ghosts Appear More Often

If you play Pokémon Go from October 26th to November 1st, you might notice an increase in spooky apparitions. That’s totally intentional!

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