Friday, November 18, 2016

News:: The System Shock remake won't launch until 2018

It looks like Shodan won't be returning to torment us for a little while. According to a recent Kickstarter update from Night Dive Studios, the release date for System Shock Remastered is now Q2 2018. The original estimate was December 2017, but Q2 2018 isn't too far behind that. A simultaneous release on all platforms is also not guaranteed, though Night Dive is trying its best.

Along with information of a delay, Night Dive Studios shared some new concept art and detailed the work being done on a "vertical slice" demo of the game. This new VS, as they've dubbed it, will illustrate how long it takes to create content, what the final visuals should look like, and how the gameplay should feel. I'm having flashbacks to Aliens: Colonial Marines, but at least Night Dive is being upfront about the development of this game.

I have some pretty high expectations for this remaster. I only recently played the original game this year via the Enhanced Edition port that Night Dive released. I was surprised at how many mechanics were pioneered within the game, especially considering the age. Obviously the control scheme is what hampered the original release, but the Steam and GOG ports improve the playability to an immense degree.

If you can get around "outdated" graphics, I'd wholeheartedly recommend checking it out. The atmosphere and emphasis on player discovery is almost unparalleled among its peers. The game is also thoroughly captivating, getting me to nearly finish it in a single session.

System Shock Remake's Release Date Pushed Back [GameSpot]

The System Shock remake won't launch until 2018 screenshot

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News:: Rocket League's next update is for those who want to master Rocket League

Rocket League, like any game of sport, is a situational one. More specifically, it's many many situations stitched together to make up a five-minute match. It's easy enough to train for isolated incidents, but it's tough to prepare for what might actually happen in a game. Developer Psyonix is focused on alleviating that disconnect.

The next update to Rocket League will include custom training. Players will have the option to set up specific shots that they want to work on. They can place the car, place the ball, and fine-tune the speed and direction of the ball. A preview mode makes it so they can easily identify what's not quite right and tweak it.

Psyonix goes into great detail on the Rocket League site. An important note is that each platform will show the 50 most-downloaded training sequences. However, each saved scenario will have a unique code that will make it easy to share with others. Cross-platform sharing won't be implemented at launch, but Psyonix is working on getting the green light from platform-holders.

It may seem sort of granular but this is a big deal for competitive Rocket League players. The PC crowd already modded the game to include this feature. Now they'll have an official version of it to perfect their impressive aerials. Those who aren't competitive, well, this just means that we're likely to get more insane Rocket League videos. That's always a good thing.

Customize Your Training Soon [Rocket League]

Rocket League's next update is for those who want to master Rocket League screenshot



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News:: Hideo Kojima to accept Industry Icon Award at 2016 Game Awards

Hideo Kojima wasn't able to accept any of the awards that Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain earned at the 2015 Game Awards, but he'll be able to make up for lost time this year

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News:: Overwatch and Pokemon mash up better than you might think

Header image by ElStrawFedora on Deviantart.

Pokémon Sun and Moon released today, and the word is no matter which version you choose, they're both excellent. Pokémon and Overwatch have been in the news a lot recently since they both had a huge game launch earlier this year. Last week, Overwatch players got a giant patch that introduced a new character and lots of other modes. This week, Pokémon players will finally get to explore the Alola region and check out some new characters of their own. Coincidentally, today marks the beginning of a free weekend in Overwatch, so those who'd like to check out the new features can do so even if they haven't bought the game.

Back in late May when Pokémon GO and Overwatch were just starting out, I started a series of articles looking into what might happen if these two franchises were to cross over. What Pokémon would the Overwatch agents use against one another? One of Overwatch's strengths is that you can tell a lot about the attitude and background of its heroes just by looking at them. Overwatch and Pokémon have a lot in common, with large pools of diverse, iconic characters. They even form into groups of six to battle other teams!


Source.

The rules I set for myself were as follows. Each of Overwatch's heroes will be assigned a group of three Pokémon based on their lore, their abilities, and their personality. No two agents can use the same Pokémon. None of the new Pokémon were available when this was written, so creatures like Mimikyuu won't be showing up on anyone's team just yet. I'll explain why the Overwatch character might select these Pokémon, provide analysis of the trainer's team including strengths and weaknesses, and then the characters will battle.

When I initially finished the series, two of the characters that are available now hadn't been released yet. Today I'll be taking a look at these new characters, Ana and Sombra. There's a complete set of these posts for all of the other heroes, including a battle royale that ended with a surprising victor. If you're interested in seeing more like this, you can check out the earlier entries below.

Part one: Genji, McCree, Pharah
Part two: Reaper, Soldier: 76, Tracer
Part three: Bastion, Hanzo, Junkrat
Part four: Mei, Torbjörn, Widowmaker
Part five: D. Va, Reinhardt, Roadhog
Part six: Winston, Zarya
Part seven: Lúcio, Mercy, Symmetra
Part eight: Zenyatta and remaining battles

I added quite a bit of crossover artwork I found at the end of the article, so if this subject matter interests you, take a look at the bottom of the page for some work by talented artists on the same topic.

Overwatch and Pokemon mash up better than you might think screenshot

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News:: What Are You Playing This Weekend?

It’s the last weekend before Thanksgiving, so if you are anything like me, you are realizing you haven’t exactly made holiday plans yet and are scrambling. That’s stressful, though, so—if you are anything like me—you’re going to deal with all that later and play video games instead!

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News:: Conan O'Brien does VR

At a recent visit to the YouTube Space in New York, funnyman Conan O'Brien demoed virtual reality games like Tilt Brush, Job Simulator, and The Thrill of the Fight. The results are, well, just look at that image! I certainly laughed. If you like Conan's sense of humor in general but are growing a little tired of those Clueless Gamer segments, this isn't one. It's more akin to his usual on-location bits.

While there's no way to perfectly capture what VR is like in-person without wearing a headset yourself, all things considered, this is a particularly good showcase for the technology. Conan is composited in such a way that we can see him inside these virtual spaces rather than watch him mess around from his own in-game first-person perspective. That makes for a much more entertaining watch.

He's got some, uh, interesting ideas for a futuristic sexcube.

Conan O'Brien does VR screenshot



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News:: Deadspin Report: Aaron Rodgers Hasn’t Talked To His Family In Two Years | Jezebel A 14-Year-Old’s Bo

Deadspin Report: Aaron Rodgers Hasn’t Talked To His Family In Two Years | Jezebel A 14-Year-Old’s Body Will Be Cryogenically Frozen Per Her Request | Gizmodo That Story of a Polar Bear Petting a Dog Just Took a Dark Turn | The Concourse “You Shitti Farty Dirty Nasty JUDE Bitch!”: Trump Voters Send Their Best |

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News:: Dishonored 2 will get New Game+ and customizable difficulty in a free December update

Have you already beaten Dishonored 2 and started experimenting with the various ways it lets you slink, sneak, and stab your way across Karnaca? Well first of all, congratulations

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News:: Dishonored 2’s First PC Patch Isn’t The One We’ve Been Waiting For

After a week-long wait, Bethesda released a beta PC patch for Dishonored 2 yesterday afternoon. It addresses a few of the game’s many issues, but is probably not going to be the fix you were hoping for.

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News:: Play Overwatch for free this weekend, and play it for cheap for eternity

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, two things are a certainty as far as video games go. Game of the year consideration is about to happen, and a lot of games are about to get really cheap.

There's some overlap today. Overwatch, a game that will most definitely be nominated for some (if not many) awards by most outlets, is almost half off on Amazon at $35. That sale applies to all platforms -- PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Take note that Battle.net, the PlayStation Store, and Xbox Live all have the same deal for digital versions. Also, anyone with a Best Buy GCU membership gets it further discounted to $28.

For those who are unsure, the sale perfectly coincides with a free Overwatch weekend. That's right -- you can jump in, see what all this Sombra and high noon nonsense is about, and then make an informed purchasing decision. If it's not your jam, you're no worse for the wear. If only car salesmen could be this chill.

Overwatch - Origins Edition [Amazon]

Play Overwatch for free this weekend, and play it for cheap for eternity screenshot



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News:: Outlast 2 is making official adult diapers in case you actually s#$t yourself in fear

When most folks talk about a scary game causing them to "shit their pants" they're just exaggerating - even for jump-scare-filled horror-fests like Outlast 2

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News:: Tips For Playing Pokémon Sun and Moon

Alola, fellow trainers. With many of you undergoing the island challenge today, I wanted to share some pointers on how to best make your way through an exciting new Pokémon adventure.

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News:: New Game+ will make it to Dishonored 2 next month

Arkane and Bethesda have passed along word that new custom difficulty settings and a New Game+ mode are in the works for Dishonored 2 next month. They'll arrive in an update, with the exact date TBA.

Not exactly a lot to go on here, but clearly these will be some much-appreciated features for an emergent game like this. And to not just leave it off at that, let's take this as an opportunity to watch some of the wild Dishonored 2 clips coming out of Gunpoint designer Tom Francis' Twitter feed:

New Game+ will make it to Dishonored 2 next month screenshot

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News:: Ask Dr. NerdLove: I’m Sick Of Being Her Side-Piece

Hello, all you delightful pornwolves of the Internet. Welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the Game Genie for your love life.

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News:: A full 'Pokemon' game could come to Nintendo's Switch

It sounds like a version of Pokemon Sun and Moon could be headed to Nintendo's upcoming Switch console. It'd be akin to Red and Blue's sibling Yellow or Pearl and Diamond's Platinum, according to Eurogamer's sources. Currently the codename is Stars. Now, for a bit of unpacking. Both Yellow and Pearl were similar to their generational predecessors, but offered new features like different legendary-class pocket monsters or starting with the adorable Pikachu at your side.

Source: Eurogamer



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News:: This Chimpanzee Wearing a VR Headset Should Make You Very Uncomfortable

This week, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, the founder of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species, posted an Instagram video of a chimpanzee wearing an HTC Vive virtual reality headset. There’s no sound, but the brief clip shows the chimpanzee sweeping its hands across the headset and reaching out to grab at the…

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News:: Early Black Friday price for Titanfall 2 now on PC too at 45% off

From $34.99 to $29.96 to $32.99... Titanfall 2 has been the discount king thus far this fall for pre-Black Friday season. Today only, Best Buy joins the fray and is putting down the price-smashing hammer on both the Standard and Deluxe Edition of Titanfall 2 across all platforms.

This is the first time the PC copy has been discounted (unlike previous sales where consoles got all the love).

Better yet, if you're a Gamers Club Unlocked member ($30 for two years), those prices will get even cheaper. Deluxe becomes $42.39 and Standard only $26.39 -- but that will require a $30 investment up front for a two-year subscription (which is worth it if you're buying more than two new games per year).

If the discount has you thinking about Deluxe, note that the only reason to get it is for a ton more customization options. Titan warpaints and nose arts galore for the hardcore.

These deals at Best Buy are only available for shipping. Store pickup has been disabled. The digital copies are full price, so not exactly an instant gratification discount.

Early Black Friday price for Titanfall 2 now on PC too at 45% off screenshot



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News:: 'Genital Jousting' brings a new level of silliness to Steam

As Goat Simulator and Surgery Simulator prove, many folks don't take their gaming too seriously. And what could possibly be less serious than dueling penises? That's pretty much the premise of Genital Jousting, a game where you control a "wiggly anus" and (flaccid) penis, complete with testicles. First conceived at a game jam, the title has finally got a full release, as it were, to Steam Early Access.

Source: Steam



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News:: Gifts For Lego Lovers Who Have All The Lego

The Lego lovers in your life probably aren’t wanting for little plastic bricks. While adding to the pile is a quick and easy method for marking them off your gift list, why not show off your own creativity by thinking outside of the blocks?

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News:: In Fandom, Sombra Is Overwatch's New Gay Explosion

After a long, tedious ARG, Sombra is finally in the wild. For some, the biggest question about Sombra is how she’ll change up Overwatch’s competitive play. For others, it’s “who is she gonna kiss?”

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News:: Someone told me Pokemon's Z-Ring was for kids, so I ordered one

Pokemon Sun and Moon is here today (it feels weird saying that), and you can order a whole lot of plastic junk to go along with it. It's not DLC like anything in the Skylanders series or even amiibo, mind, it's just a literal hunk of plastic that lights up every once in a while.

Yep, it's none other than the Pokemon Z-Ring, which takes after the in-game item of the same name. With it you can place different crystals inside the ring (you get two with the ring, but the rest are sold separately of course!), and after using a Z-Move in Sun or Moon, it'll flash.

As a reminder, Z-Moves have to be equipped by individual Pokemon, and can run from generic elemental abilities to creature-specific powers. They can only be used once per fight, even if you have every member of your party equipped with one. Dancing and doing the Super Sentai moves that your avatar does to trigger them is optional.

 

Someone told me Pokemon's Z-Ring was for kids, so I ordered one screenshot

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News:: Eddie Redmayne reveals the Fantastic Beasts sequel title format

It didn't come as a huge shock to learn that we'd be getting more Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movies

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News:: Take Your Pick of Two Popular Gaming Mice For $45 or Less

Whether you’re actually using them for gaming, or just to be more productive, these well-reviewed gaming mice are both marked down to all-time low prices on Amazon today.

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News:: There's an 8-player flaccid penis and wiggly anus game on Steam

I'm just going to leave this here: "Genital Jousting is an online and local multiplayer party game about flaccid penises and wiggly anuses for up to eight players at once. Players control a detached penis complete with testicles and an anus. Multiple game modes provide a stimulating orgy of objectives: penetrate and be penetrated as fast as possible or compete in absurd, silly and sexually suggestive games and challenges."

Videogames!

There's an 8-player flaccid penis and wiggly anus game on Steam screenshot



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News:: Warren Ellis Is Here to Talk About His New Book Normal, Gazing into the Abyss, and the Flaw in All Things

Warren Ellis has written loads of stories where characters peel back a thin veneer of comforting distraction to reckon with just how messed up the world really is. It can be uncomfortable, but you can’t stop reading because it feels so damn right.

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News:: Hideo Kojima to be awarded "Industry Icon" at next month's Game Awards

For the third consecutive year, Geoff Keighley's Game Awards will feature a segment dedicated to important "industry icons" who revolutionized gaming in one form or another. In 2014 the award went to Ken and Roberta Williams for their remarkable achievements in developing highly influential point-and-click adventure games such as King's Quest and Space Quest. Last year, Brett Sperry and Louis Castle of Westwood Games (Command and Conquer) were honored for their role in developing the real-time strategy genre.

While they were on stage, one Hideo Kojima was being instructed by Konami's lawyers not to attend. Keighley did the right thing announcing this on live TV, provoking a chorus of boos from the crowd directed at Konami. One year later, almost as if to make up for last year, Hideo Kojima will stand tall and proud on the stage of the Game Awards as this years "Industry Icon" recipient. Make no mistake: he is every bit deserving.

After working on some penguin games, Kojima was put in charge of a new game you might have heard of called Metal Gear. Inspired by The Great Escape, he decided to change the gameplay to focus on escaping as opposed to open combat like, say, Contra. This and his expansion of these evasive techniques in the sequel, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, were some of the earliest concepts that would come to be the stealth genre we know today. He will certainly be commended for his contributions in the birth of the stealth genre, but he will also likely be complimented for bringing narrative to games in a big way.

Aside from the story-heavy Metal Gear series which has had some amazing moments such as post-defeat boss monologues in Metal Gear Solid and the ending of Metal Gear Solid 3, he also developed Policenauts and Snatcher. These were not only well received games and stories in their own right, but being some of the earliest visual novels to be localized helped bring the concept to the west.

Kojima seems almost like too easy a choice for this award, but if this is going to be a yearly celebration then it's definitely worth giving him the credit he deserves. Another obvious choice, perhaps for next year, is Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo. Beyond that, it would be good to go further back in time and showcase some of the fathers of video games, such as Nolan Bushnell, who co-founded Atari.

He finally gets his trophy! [Geoff Keighley on Twitter]

Hideo Kojima to be awarded



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News:: US Game Deals: Get a 65" 4K TV for $1,300 less and grab Overwatch at a $25 discount

We're on the eve of Black Friday 2016 week (yes, it's a week now) but you won't even have to wait that long to get some nice savings on gaming goods and a sweet TV to play them on

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News:: Some Pokémon Players Are Spending Hours Restarting Sun and Moon For Better Monsters

Now that Pokémon Sun and Moon are officially out, you’d expect trainers everywhere to jump right into the world of Alola. Actually, though, veteran players with a lot of patience are opting to restart their games endlessly, up to hundreds of times, all in the name of gaming the system.

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News:: A Series of Unfortunate Events trailer looks like a Tim Burton TV show

Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events hits Netflix early next year

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News:: Wild Guns Reloaded hits Japan on December 13

In case you forgot, Wild Guns Reloaded is coming to the PS4, and while it stays true to its retro roots, it's bringing a few new bits along with it.

This newest trailer from Natsume shows off some of what's in store, including the previously revealed new characters and several of the extra levels. Is anyone else loving the soundtrack? Man, I wish more developers did stuff like this instead of trying to smooth over textures or simply release a port on the Virtual Console.

Wild Guns Reloaded is going to hit the Japanese PSN on December 13, so if you have a Japan-enabled account, you can grab it with the peace of mind that you'll likely have no problem navigating its menus. We've reached out to Natsume for western release information.

Wild Guns Reloaded hits Japan on December 13 screenshot

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News:: Play games like Halo Wars 2 and Tekken 7 first at the PC Gamer Weekender

The 2017 edition of the PC Gamer Weekender will have a whole new set of pre-release games for guests to get their hands on

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News:: Overwatch scoops 5 awards, Firewatch wins Best Indie Game: Here are all the Golden Joystick 2016 winners

It''s done! The 34th round of Golden Joystick Awards have been awarded to their rightful victors, largely through the voting power of the gaming public

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News:: Dark Souls 3 is your Golden Joystick Awards' Ultimate Game of the Year

We asked, you voted, and now it's official: Dark Souls 3 is the Ultimate Game of the Year for the 2016 Golden Joystick Awards

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News:: Watch the Tekken 7 trailer that just debuted at the Golden Joystick Awards, now with extra Akuma

Tekken 7's long-awaited home console release in early 2017 is drawing closer, and here's a new trailer to prove it

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News:: Dishonored 2 Players Are Already Beating The Game Without Getting Spotted Or Using Powers

Dishonored 2 is plenty challenging. Adding in special conditions makes things trickier. No kills, no detection. No abilities. Only a select number of players are pulling off these daring playthroughs.

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News:: Elusive Portal Character's Been Hiding In Lego Dimensions For Over A Year

Doug “Rat Man” Rattmann is one of the most important characters in Portal, though he didn’t appear in either game. The message-scrawling scientist made his video game debut in Lego DimensionsPortal level pack, though he’s so well hidden it took more than a year to find him.

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