News:: 'Inside' team teases its next project following company turmoil

It's been quite the week for Playdead fans. First came some explanation for why the typically lock-jawed studio behind Limbo and Inside lost one of its cofounders last July. Then, the team tweeted out a teaser image for its next project. Absolutely nothing is known about the game other than it might have something to do with a comet and that its protagonist might be an astronaut of sorts. Oh, and it's using a subdued color palette and stylized visual motif. Par for the course here, really.

Source: Playdead (Twitter)

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News:: Oh wow, XCOM 2's Long War 2 overhaul is out now

And here I was, about to write up a bit of late news about how Pavonis Interactive (née Long War Studios) planned "Long War 2" mega-mod for XCOM 2 would include some new types of missions, when the damn thing just up and drops onto the Steam Workshop, free for all comers.

XCOM 2 owners on PC can pick it up right now, and some are already wallowing happily in the many changes wrought by the mod. New character classes, enhanced difficulty, new tiers of weaponry, and a top-to-bottom refresh of the game's structure are in store for those who opt to take the plunge. I haven't tried the mod yet, but Pavonis' other work with the first Long War mod for XCOM: Enemy Unknown is very well-regarded, even by the folks at Firaxis itself. 

Just note that at the moment Long War 2 will break a whole bunch of other mods, so Commanders that want in are encouraged to clear their configuration files and try to start as cleanly as possible so as to avoid unsightly compatibility issues. 

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News:: It will require a heat action to open the Yakuza 0 Business Edition

I think a little part of me died when I saw John Hardin, Sega's PR manager, smash the box of Yakuza 0 The Business Edition with a hammer. It was hysterical, but all I could think of was how damaged the game would be. You shouldn't damage Yakuza 0; the game is fucking incredible!

That being said, this quirky little video shows you exactly what a copy of this "special edition" will come with. It is a bit underwhelming, all things considering, but I do love the business card holder. I'm also a fan of bulkier boxes; it looks like the graphic design department put a lot of effort into this.

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News:: Comments of the Week 05: All is Calm

Congratulations, you are now through the slowest part of the gaming year. Nothing major ever happens at the very end of December through the first week of January. But can you hear that in the distance? It's the sound of hype. For, lo, the Nintendo Swtich event cometh with news out the wazoo! For now, though, let's enjoy this quiet moment together and look though some comments.

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News:: Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns hitting 3DS on February 28

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns, otherwise known as the upcoming Bokujō Monogatari series entry with a pet capybara, is coming to 3DS in North America on February 28, 2017.

Apart from the fast-approaching release date and $40 price point, publisher Xseed has also shared details about the farming sim's Super Mario Bros. crossover costumes. Dressing up like Mario boosts your running speed, Luigi's outfit enhances your fishing luck, Peach's dress makes you better friends with others, and Toad's lil costume recharges your stamina as you go about your day.

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News:: Friday Night Fights: And we're back

[Friday Night Fights is a long-running Destructoid tradition that seems to rise and fall with the tide. Now SuperMonk4Ever is taking the reins. We hope you all will join in to play some video games with your favorite e-buddies. ~ Shade]

Welcome back to what has always been, and what always will be, known as Friday Night Fights! That's right, after a small hiatus, we are rearing the weekly FNF posts back into gear.

Now, nothing has changed and we intend to continue with the familiar schedule and workabouts. So if you are looking for that Tank to get on the payload in Overwatch or just looking for a group to crack up with; Friday Night Fights is here to help.

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News:: South Korean 'World of Warcraft' cooking show goes live tonight

The seminal MMORPG World of Warcraft may have dwindled from its peak of 12 million players back in 2010, but Blizzard's still supporting the 12-year-old game with content and events. To celebrate the latest expansion, Legion, the studio built an elaborate cafe at Germany's Gamescom convention that served themed food and cocktails. But for everyone who couldn't fly out to Europe for some nerd cuisine, they've lined up the next best thing: A cooking show debuting tonight hosted by Choi Hyun-seok, a famous chef known for appearances on South Korean television.

Via: Kotaku

Source: GameAbout

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News:: Go behind the scenes of that live-action Gravity Rush 2 video

Happy Gravity Rush 2 day!

Before you dive in (or while you wait for the install), you should watch this making-of video for the game's live-action ad. How'd they bring Gravity Rush to life? With a fancy rolling room, of course!

Aside from showing the fascinating rig used to create the gravity-bending sequence, there's also some cute moments with the kitten in this video. Practical effects and a cat? That's a win-win.

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News:: Trump at 2AM: The new Oval Office in virtual reality

Donald Trump stands before me with a grim look on his face, lightly leaning against the Oval Office's Resolute desk. Moonlight pours in through the office's rear windows as a phone quietly rings. It's 2am, and something has happened -- and a new President holds the weight of the world on his shoulders. I'm looking at this surreal, frozen scene through the lens of an HTC Vive. It's a free virtual reality experience called "Wide Awake," and it tells a simple, concise story: no matter who Donald Trump was before or what you may have thought of him, he's now the guy who answers the phone when shit hits the fan.

Source: Macinnes Scott, VivePort

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News:: Arms is beautiful and fun, but not the next big eSport

There are times when I feel like I'm not playing a game to its max potential, that there is some high skill ceiling I'm not quite reaching. That often comes when playing fighting games, but not just fighting games. Games like Crysis and Vanquish just ooze this mysterious feeling that you can do cool shit in them. That feeling did not come to me in Arms. Conversely, I felt like I had run the course of what is possible. 

That is not to say I can't get better, but the game is relatively simple compared to even the most casual-friendly fighters. When the advertised way to play is holding the Joy-Con facing inward (playing on a Grip or Pro Controller is also possible), using only motion and the four shoulder buttons, it has to be. 

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News:: There's an 'Under $5' PlayStation Network Flash Sale

At first glance, this weekend's North American PlayStation Network Flash Sale might seem lackluster. Admittedly, some of these games are showing their age. But as far as pricing, everything's $5 and under, so unlike some of the recent sales, no one title is going to break the bank here.

Even though getting into the PlayStation 4 re-release of Dark Cloud 2 right now is a bad idea for me in terms of timing (I don't just want to "add it to the pile" and forget about it), that's what I'm eying.

If you're at all into story-driven adventure games, you may want to consider Asemblance. It fell short of my expectations, but it pulls off some cool things and is much easier to recommend at this price. Otherwise, the list is a whole lotta games you're probably well aware of, so take your pick.

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News:: Inside developer shares first image of its next game

Playdead's up to something. The developer that's renowned for its mastery of moody and artistic puzzle-platformers is probably making another moody and artistic puzzle-platformer. It's hard to say, though. Playdead isn't a studio that likes to say much.

What we have is this single image shared on Twitter:

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News:: Here is some actual gameplay of Ghost Recon Wildlands

The previous trailer released for Ghost Recon Wildlands didn't fill me with a lot of confidence. It looked like Ubisoft was taking a beloved series and shifting its style for mainstream appeal. While this extended gameplay trailer doesn't really reassure me that the company is handling the Tom Clancy name correctly, it doesn't come off nearly as bad as the previous attempt at humor.

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News:: Nearly two years later, Cities: Skylines is almost ready on Xbox One

Back in August 2015, Paradox revealed that Cities: Skylines was in the works for Xbox One -- its console debut. But we've barely heard a peep out of them since then, while the PC edition rolls on from expansion to expansion, now currently on their third DLC. Until now, that is.

Paradox has informed Destructoid that the Xbox One build will be playable at GDC next month, among a fourth expansion for Skylines, and an add-on for Stellaris, as well as a new RTS game project. Although the wait has been lengthy, if Skylines ships with all [now] four expansions at launch on one disc, it'll have been worth it.

I've only been middling with it myself, so the Xbox One version is a perfect opportunity to dive into it in earnest.

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News:: Strafe is gunning for a March release date

Strafe, the retro-themed throwback shooter and my personal most anticipated game of 2017, is going to be available on March 28. Along with that information also comes absolute confirmation that the game is, indeed, procedurally generated. That kind of dampens my enthusiasm, but I do love old-school shooters.

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News:: Double Dragon IV will have three modes, playable boss characters

I've been heavily preparing for Double Dragon IV by playing previous games in the series, and at the moment I've just completed the trilogy. While some say that it looks uninspired or even "lazy," I'm jazzed to try it out having spent hundreds of hours of beating up Black Warrior clan members the past 20 years.

Set to release later this month on the year of the 30th anniversary, the official website just opened up, and we have a few more details as we head into launch. For one, it'll have the token story mode, as well as a two player duel mode with a big character select screen, a challenge tower, and share play support for "up to one hour" to make up for no online play.

Double Dragon IV [Arc System Works]

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News:: NVIDIA's new Shield TV is more of the same, with a better gamepad

We expected NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang to introduce a revamped Shield TV at CES; what we didn't expect was for the new device to practically be a carbon copy of the original. Sure, it's a lot smaller, but inside it's running all of the same hardware we saw in 2015. And yet, NVIDIA claims it's still much more powerful than any other set-top box. That's a testament to how robust the company's X1 chip is, but it's disappointment new for anyone who was hoping for something fresh. On the bright side, the new $200 Shield comes with a new controller that's light years ahead of the last one. It's not revolutionary, but you can think of it as a refined spin on NVIDIA's original set-top box concept.

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News:: Gal Gun Double Peace has been banned in New Zealand

Gal Gun Double Peace has been deemed "objectionable" by the Film and Video Labeling Body of New Zealand, which in other words means it is no longer available for purchase or consumption through legal means in the country. They found the content too sexual with regard to rape and underage female students. The game takes place in a Japanese high school where students are typically aged 16-18.

A work is deemed "objectionable" in the event that it "describes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good."

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News:: The Flame in the Flood's PS4 port is a Southern Gothic treat

I bought The Flame in the Flood when it released on Steam last year. And while I only played for an hour or two, The Molasses Flood’s debut resonated with me thanks to its melancholy vision of a post-societal America.

It’s a new year, though, and The Flame in the Flood is on a new console. As such, I’ve spent the better part of my week navigating the uncertain waters of The Flame in the Flood’s PlayStation 4 port in hopes of uncovering its secrets.

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News:: Konami is bringing Pasukaru Sensei Perfect Paint to the 3DS

Over in Japan Konami is still shambling along, releasing the occasional game and Pachislot machine. While a new Bomberman and Metal Gear spinoff are confirmed for the US (as well as any PES-related shenanigans), they also have another upcoming release to add to their Japanese lineup -- 100% Pasukaru Sensei Perfect Paint.

It's slated to come to the 3DS this summer, and it originates from a puzzler that was sold on Android and iOS in the east. There's no word on if it'll include incorporate the existing microtransactions or physical playing card element. Going off the "dislikes" in the trailer people are still mad at Konami.

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News:: The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup canceled for Wii U, planned for Switch

Usually, console transitions are rather smooth. Developers and consumers alike know when a current generation is scheduled to die, and the former typically develop for the current and future consoles as needed -- you only need to look at the cavalcade of PS3 and PS4 games to take note.

But with the Wii U, Nintendo kind of just pulled the plug without telling a lot of people. When they stopped manufacturing the console altogether before the Switch was even properly revealed, I spoke to many indie developers that basically had no idea it was happening until the news was reported. Naturally, they've been struggling with whether or not to cancel all their Wii U plans and move to Switch, and the next domino just fell -- The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup.

Speaking to Nintendo Life, creator Chris Seaver explained that while the PC version is still the focus, followed by 3DS, the Wii U edition is done. If they get Switch dev kits (which they still don't have), they'll pursue that route as well. Seaver goes on to call the Wii U a "dead system," and hopes that the switch will reinvigorate Nintendo's home console market.

Unlikely Legend Of Rusty Pup Confirmed For Switch, Wii U Version Canned [Nintendo Life]

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News:: Destiny won't have a Crimson Days Valentine's event this year because they're working on 'something else'

Destiny has been in a rut for sometime. Nearly everyone I know has called it quits again after farming the Wrath of the Machine challenges, and the Winter update, while a nice gesture, essentially amounts to an extra Strike and a new scoreboard. So what else do we have to look forward to until Destiny 2 hits? Not a whole lot, apparently.

Bungie explains that they will not be hosting a Crimson Days Valentine's event this year, because they're "too busy" working on something else for an upcoming update in the spring. I won't miss Crimson as it was crudely copied and pasted on and billed as content in an effort to sell microtransactions -- like most events -- but the game needs something to keep people interested before spring/summer.

With all of the millions that Destiny earned since launch you'd think they'd be able to hire more hands, but this has been the Bungie way. Maybe they shifted a lot of folks to Destiny 2, where the real long term plans lie? If so, that will only solidify Destiny's original release as a beta/proving ground.

This Week At Bungie – 01/19/2017 [Bungie.net]

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News:: 'Dear Angelica' from Oculus shows the power of VR illustration

Illustration is an unusual choice for a virtual reality experience. After all, when you can build and render fully-realized 3D worlds, relying on drawings alone almost feels like a step back. But that didn't stop Oculus from pursuing a bold new animated style for its next short, Dear Angelica. In fact, the company had to build a new VR tool (Quill, its VR drawing software) to make the film. The end result is a truly unique short -- one that shows that virtual reality can be immersive even when you're basically looking at static images. It's premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and will be made freely available to Rift owners today.

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News:: 1-2-Switch is not the next Wii Sports

When the Wii launched over 10 years ago (10 years!?), people were still unsure about the concept of motion control in video games. "What is this TV remote-looking thing? How will anyone play games with this?" The innovative console turned out to be a monumental success for Nintendo.

The single largest reason why they were able to convince so many people, not just hardcore gamers, that motion controls could work is that Wii Sports and the later Wii Sports Resort utilized the Wii Mote and Nunchuk in a variety of simple games based on sports that many people were already familiar with. Working motion control would not have been enough to reel in the casual soccer mom audience, however. The games were fun and approachable in their own right. You wanted to come back to play them again and again.

Nintendo Land set out to do the same for Wii U, showcasing a variety of ways the second screen could be used to enhance gameplay. Neither the console or its bundled proof-of-concept game performed nearly as well as their predecessors, but the game was still received favorably for having fun, unique content in single player, co-operative multiplayer, and competitive multiplayer. All modes made use of the gamepad in a variety of interesting applications.

1-2-Switch looks to take on the proof-of-concept role for the Nintendo Switch this time around, featuring a number of competitive mini-games designed using the various input methods available on Switch including motion control, infrared sensors, and "HD rumble." Unlike its predecessors, 1-2-Switch will not be included when you buy a Switch.

It is sold separately for $50.

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News:: The Nintendo Switch won't have video/streaming platforms at launch, and that's okay

Back in the day, it was relatively important for a console to have access to some array of video streaming services. The Wii didn't play DVDs or Blu-Ray discs by default, but it did house the Netflix app, which many folks used. Microsoft also touted its new Xbox One as an "entertainment box" for a while, and is now the only console that can run Ultra HD Blu-Rays (the PS4 Pro can't).

But times have changed. Now everyone and their grandma own a Roku, Chromecast, or Fire TV stick/box, so it's not as imperative if a gaming system can run Crackle, FX Now, or HBO Go applications. That's the route Nintendo is going with for now with the Switch, anyway.

Speaking to Kotaku, a rep for Nintendo stated, "All of our efforts have gone toward making the Nintendo Switch system an amazing dedicated video game platform, so it will not support any video-streaming services at launch. However, support for video-streaming services is being considered for a future update."

"Considered?" Just like USB hard drive support, eh? Neither of those are a dealbreaker, just something to be aware of at launch. In other news, Miis will continue to exist, but there will be no "Mii Maker" on the Switch -- but rather, players will craft them in a buried System Settings option and they won't be required or heavily implemented unless a developer wants to.

Nintendo Answers (And Avoids) Our Switch Questions [Kotaku]

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News:: The Engadget Podcast Ep 25: Black Hole Sun

Senior editor Chris Velazco, reviews editor Cherlynn Low and Social Media Editor Mallory Johns join host Devindra Hardawar to chat about the biggest stories of the week, including HTC U Ultra phone, which may or may not save the company. Moving on, they dive into the Nintendo Switch's launch, and discuss President Obama's commutation of Chelsea Manning's prison sentence.

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News:: Final Fantasy XV's Moogle Chocobo Carnival temporarily transforms Altissia

Final Fantasy XV has more than enough stuff to do before you start to dive into the realm of DLC, but it's there, if you want it.

And thankfully there's some free DLC on the way in the form of the Moogle Chocobo Carnival, accompanied by a premium holiday item pack. All you have to do is download the "Holiday Pack," and either way, you'll be able to access the carnival starting on January 23 at 5PM PT.

If you spring for the premium edition you'll get a few extra items (five accessories, two AP boosting items, a second outfit, and photo frames). The free edition nets you an accessory that prevents leveling, an AP boosting item, and an outfit. Square Enix did confirm it would be a limited, seasonal event, and it'll run until February 19 at 4PM PT. More are on the way in the future beyond the previously announced campaign reworks and the paid DLC chapters.

Hopefully the paid DLC is actually good, and FFXV hits that 10 million sold mark, because it deserves it just based on the core game alone.

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News:: PlayStation VR now supports 360-degree YouTube videos

PSVR is still a young whippersnapper in the virtual reality world, striving for parity -- and in games, superiority -- with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Today it's taken another step forward with support for 360-degree videos on YouTube. That means you can boot up anything on the platform, including a New York Times 'Daily 360' video, and move your head to change the perspective. You're stuck in one place, of course, but the experience is still fairly immersive, especially in comparison to the desktop YouTube experience (dragging around with your cursor isn't much fun).

Source: PlayStation Blog

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News:: Nintendo's Switch won't have video streaming apps at launch

We've been up close with the Nintendo Switch, tried some of its games and heard the company's pitch for the system. But still, questions remain. Thankfully, the folks at Kotaku have managed to prise some new information out of the house of Mario. Namely that the system does support multiple users -- up to eight accounts can be registered on a single system -- and that Nintendo's colorful Miis will be making a return. "There is a Mii Maker on Nintendo Switch," a spokesperson confirmed. "Mii characters can be used to represent a user profile, but are not required. [They] can still be used in games if developers choose to include them."

Source: Kotaku

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