News:: Nep nep nep nep nep nep nep this winter

It has been several months since the last game in the Neptunia franchise hit western shores and something about that is just wrong. Usually, we’re drowning in releases, but it’s been barren since October’s crossover with the Sega Hard Girls franchise. Luckily, hope is on the horizon.

Idea Factory International announced today Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online will release in North American and in the EU this winter. Coming to PS4 and Steam, Cyberdimension Neptunia features Neptune, Vert, Blanc, Noire and more teaming up to defeat the Demon King in the game-within-a-game known as 4 Goddesses Online. The title will feature 4 player co-op and online play.

After watching the trailer below, I call dibs on my bae Nepgear.

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News:: John Carmack sues ZeniMax for unpaid acquisition money

Oculus CTO John Carmack has personally joined the litigation war between his company and ZeniMax. He has just filed a lawsuit against the media firm for refusing to pay the rest of what it owes him for id Software's $150 million acquisition in 2009. Carmack co-founded id Software in 1991, and it's best known for developing the Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake video game franchises. The CTO says ZeniMax still hasn't paid the last $22.5 million of the price they agreed upon. It also sounds like the company has no intention of paying up.

Source: UploadVR

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News:: Save with these Mass Effect Andromeda pre-order deals

March 27 marks the release of BioWare's Mass Effect Andromeda in North America. Will the fourth installment in the series live up to expectations? We don't know that, but we do know it's on sale prior to release.

On PC you have two good options: Green Man Gaming and Dell. GMG is offering its signature 20% off discount, cutting prices to $47.99 for a digital download Origin key. Dell has an arguably better deal on the physical disc, charging full price but also tacking on a bonus $25 eGift Card bonus.

Mass Effect Andromeda Pre-Order Deals

• Mass Effect Andromeda (Origin Key) — $47.99 at GMG  (list price $60)
• Mass Effect Andromeda + $25 eGift Card (Xbox One, Origin, PS4) — $59.98 at Dell
• Mass Effect Andromeda (Xbox One, PS4) — $47.99 at Best Buy  (requires GCU)
• Mass Effect Andromeda (Xbox One, PS4) — $47.99 at Amazon  (requires Prime)

The eGift Card bonus at Dell is relatively huge and makes up 42% of the $60 game's value. Of course Dell is also extending that offer to both Xbox One and PS4 versions of Mass Effect Andromeda, making it potentially the best place to snag a console copy. No special membership is required to get this deal.

Snagging discounts on the consoles is possible, but you might as well stick a little asterisk by the price point. That's because console discounts require paid memberships to either Best Buy's Gamers Club Unlocked program or Amazon Prime. Both get you 20% off pre-order and recently released titles, but maybe not worth it for just Andromeda. 

If you spot more deals (for other regions too) on the latest in the Mass Effect universe, let us know and we'll add them to the roundup above. With the game's impending release later this month fast approaching, we suspect a few other retailers may join in on the fray to capitalize on the triple-A.

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News:: Thumper will take Xbox One players on a trip this spring

Drool's rhythmic space-beetle adventure Thumper is coming to Xbox One this spring.

Play it yet? You should, some day, if you're partial to on-rails rhythm games. Here's a quick thought from my eight-out-of-ten review for the PlayStation 4 version: "It's intense. Genuinely intense. I don't mean in a typical 'Thank eff I made it through that hard part!' way. It's more like 'Holy shit, after that, I couldn't play another level even if I wanted to. I'm just drained. And now I'm going to bed.'"

Aside from the existing console and PC versions of Thumper, there's also an in-the-works Nintendo Switch port -- similarly due out this spring -- with the promise of "Rumble Violence."

Thumper's Blend of Rhythm Violence is Coming to Xbox One This Spring [Xbox]

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News:: 'Gran Turismo Sport' closed beta kicks off March 17th

Like seemingly every Polyphony Digital game, Gran Turismo Sport has been a long time in coming... but you might not have to wait much longer to give it a spin. Polyphony has announced a Gran Turismo Sport closed beta that will start March 17th for PS4 owners in the US, with other countries following later. Just which cars, races and tracks you'll get will "vary" throughout the test, but you'll definitely get a taste for how your Driver Profile (which accounts for your on-track behavior and performance) matches you up with similarly skilled online rivals.

Source: PlayStation Blog

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News:: Capy teams up with Cartoon Network for OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes

Besides the ever-out-of-reach Below, Capy Games is also busy adapting a new Cartoon Network series from Ian Jones-Quartey called OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes into a "brawler-meets-RPG."

The collaboration makes total sense given Capy's history of designing great games with other people's licenses, as well as the premise for this show, which has its characters literally leveling up to beat down their foes in Lakewood Plaza, "a mall for heroes." Here's a tease ahead of the summer premiere:

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News:: Bloggers Wanted: Let's Do Launch

In case you've been living under a rock or just waiting on NieR: Automata (thanks for the delay Amazon!), Nintendo just launched its newest console. Whether it's a success or a failure remains to be seen, but many people have bought themselves this shiny new console for their home. It's been a while since we've seen this sheer amount of excitement over a console, and a Nintendo one, no less, considering the amount of goodwill they probably have since the Wii U.

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News:: Telltale's 'Guardians of the Galaxy' game premieres this spring

Telltale Games announced it's working with Marvel on a Guardians of the Galaxy game last year. Now, we're getting a sneak peek at the episodic adventure, along with details about its launch date and voice cast.

Via: Polygon

Source: Telltale Games

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News:: Look out for Steven Universe: Save the Light this summer

Another Steven Universe game from Grumpyface Studios? That's sure to make some of you happy.

Steven Universe: Save the Light is an upcoming sequel to Grumpyface's well-regarded mobile RPG Attack the Light. This time, though, they're targeting consoles, not phones. Love when they do that!

Aside from the platform shift, fans can expect "an updated battle system with fully customizable character selection, more emphasis on exploration and puzzle-solving in 3D environments, and an all-new story from the brilliant Rebecca Sugar and her Steven Universe show team."

More details to come at this weekend's PAX East. If you'll be in town for the convention (bundle up!), consider swinging by the Cartoon Network Games panel on Saturday, March 11 at 10:00am in the Dragonfly Theater. We're told attendees will get a code for Attack the Light on iOS and Android.

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News:: The Wild Eight has a long journey ahead in Early Access

The Wild Eight sounds great on paper: an eight-player co-op survival game with narrative-based progression, set against a bleak yet entirely natural landscape. Even in a fairly oversaturated market, it has the potential to set itself apart from the pack.

But much like its shabby group of survivors, it has a long way to go before it makes its way out of the development woods and into the loving arms of the public. I'm not one for Early Access gaming, admittedly, but The Wild Eight is one game I'll make an exception for because it's a great idea currently in need of a fresh set of eyes.

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News:: 'Uncharted 4' leads this year's BAFTA game nominations

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a big Naughty Dog fan, apparently. It announced the nominees for this year's video game awards, and Uncharted 4 leads the way with eight nominations, including Best Game, Music and Narrative. The AAA blockbuster makes up half the total nominations in the Performer category alone, with Nolan North (Nathan Drake), Troy Baker (Sam Drake) and Emily Rose (Elena Fisher) all receiving nods.

Via: Gamasutra

Source: BAFTA (press release)

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News:: Legendary Pokemon are coming to Pokemon Go this year

Pokemon Go will let you catch Legendary Pokemon this year, according to a Wired Germany interview with Niantic CEO John Hanke. While someone accidentally ended up with an Articuno last year (Niantic quickly removed it from their roster), the augmented-reality Pokemon simulator has not, up to this point, truly allowed you to "catch 'em all."

"I can safely say we'll see more of it this year," Hanke said of Legendary Pokemon becoming available for capture in the game. The Gold and Silver generation of monsters most recently became available, but the only Legendary monsters Hanke specifically name-checked are Mew, Mew-Two, and the first generation legendary birds, Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno.

Niantic-Gründer John Hanke: So geht es 2017 mit Pokémon Go weiter [Wired Germany]

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News:: Trippy rhythm-action game 'Thumper' is coming to Xbox One

No matter what platform you own, you'll be able to play last year's excellent rhythm game, Thumper. Developer Drool writes on Xbox Wire that the equally trippy and violent music game will make its way to Xbox One sometime this spring, teasing that more details will soon follow. And, in related news, if you want something to play on your shiny new Nintendo Switch, Thumper will make its way there as well in the same vague time period. Who said you needed VR to enjoy what the game has to offer, anyhow?

Source: Xbox Wire

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News:: For lovers and fighters: Mass Effect Andromeda's full trophy list revealed

Mass Effect Andromeda's complete list of achievements/trophies has recently leaked and things look slightly askew. Of the game's 56 singled-out accomplishments, 16 are for specific combat scenarios and only 1 of them is for humping. This is how intergalactic wars are started.

And to even get that one trophy, you'll have to do three times the humping that you had to in other games. The "Matchmaker" trophy is for completing three romances across any number of playthroughs (although it's not clear how many partners you can romance in a single play). Ryder's gonna be busy gettin' busy.

For those sensitive to spoilers, now's probably the time to look away as the whole list is below. One of the more commendable things about this set is the way that some of the tougher trophies are hedged by giving equivalent single- and multiplayer options. Not everyone has friends to play with (and they'll have trouble getting that Matchmaker trophy).

The full list of Mass Effect Andromeda trophies is below:

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News:: 'Elder Scrolls' digital card game launches after year-long beta

Elder Scrolls Legends, a digital card game set in publisher Bethesda's fantasy universe, has just come out of a year-long beta period. The strategy title is ready to play on PC right now, and is coming to iPad on March 23rd. Android tablet support is slated for April, while MacOS gamers can expect a version in May, and if you want to play on your phone, you can look forward to an early summer release date. If you're playing on PC now, all of your game gear will transfer to the upcoming platforms, so you don't have to worry about starting over.

Via: TouchArcade

Source: Bethesda

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News:: Harmonix details Rock Band VR's story mode, unveils more tracks

With Rock Band VR fast approaching, it looks like Harmonix is keen to detail exactly what you'll be doing when the novelty of VR runs out. In addition to the classic style of slamming keys in sync with a scrolling fretboard, you'll also have a "story" mode to work through in the Oculus exclusive game.

The producer and writer for the game, Katie Naka, writes over on the Harmonix blog, "Since our goal with VR gameplay was to provide the player with as authentic an experience as possible, we wanted to do the same with our narrative. I can tell you that our first draft of the story probably contained enough material for a full length animated film."

"The final result shows your bandmates (Derek, Maddy, and Wes) as unique characters with relationships to each other and you that are revealed over the course of your band Autoblaster's journey from playing dirty local bars to decadent theater." Could this be similar to absolute classic film This is Spinal Tap? Hopefully the game goes to 11!

Along with that short description comes a reveal of an additional 20 songs in the game. We now know 41 of the 60 songs that will be present in the final product. You'll notice a few repeats from past Rock Band titles:

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News:: Holy shit this is the coolest way to get around in Zelda: Breath of the Wild

A glimpse into the future of BotW speedruns. http://pic.twitter.com/2a7dFRaXEN

— Venick (@Venick409) March 8, 2017

While my Switch-less self is living a Zelda-free existence, seeing things like this gives credence to everyone talking about how cool the new Legend of Zelda is. The climbing mechanic in Breath of the Wild is cool on its own, but being able to use it for experimentation in self-catapulting is exactly the kind of thing that makes my heart flutter. That's how you play a game. And speedrunners are going to have a blast with it, I'm sure.

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News:: Here's a first look at Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy

We've known about Telltale's take on Guardians of the Galaxy for so long now that it seems crazy that we're just now getting an actual glimpse at it. It's true though! Four months ago, we got this Walkman floating through space, and it has been radio silence ever since.

Just one day away from PAX East, Telltale's speaking up. The developer released these four screens that are in the gallery below. Not exactly a stunning revelation, but it's something. It's more than a Walkman.

Also revealed are the people who are going to be playing these titular Guardians. The voice cast is as follows: Scott Porter (Star-Lord), Emily O'Brien (Gamora), Nolan North (Rocket), Brandon Paul Eells (Drax), and Adam Harrington (Groot).

The last revelation is when we can expect the first episode. Well, sort of. Telltale broadly says that the first episode of Guardians of the Galaxy will be available this spring. After that, it's anyone's guess. Telltale moves on its own schedule.

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News:: Dark Souls III will also have a Design Works art book

The intricate and grotesquely beautiful Dark Souls games make for some damn fine art books. Following the path paved by Dark Souls and Dark Souls II, there will in fact be a Design Works book for Dark Souls III, and knowing some of the effed-up creatures found in that game, I'm especially interested.

As before, this art book will be available in Japan first -- it's up on Amazon.co.jp with a March 31, 2017 release date, if you're so inclined -- and it's said to also cover the chilly Ashes of Ariandel and upcoming The Ringed City DLC. I wasn't too keen on the former add-on, but it did bring some enthralling lore to the surface, so that'll be fun to explore here on top of all the main-game materials.

Let's hope the wait isn't too long for the English-language adaptation of this Design Works.

[Thanks, Victor]

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News:: Gran Turismo Sport is holding a closed beta this month

Polyphony Digital is prepping a closed beta for this year's Gran Turismo Sport and if that sounds like something you'd like to spend time with, let's get right into it.

The multi-phase beta begins on March 17. Phase one is US PlayStation Network users (sign-ups here), while phase two will open up to European users (click away!). Be sure to check your PSN messages.

Folks who get in will be able to "choose from a select rotation of cars and tracks each day" and delve into the Driver Profile to see their Sportsmanship Rating (on-track manners) and Driver Rating (overall speed and performance). Here's an example of what that stuff looks like in-game:

Unlike the last attempt at a beta, which was canceled as a time-saving measure only for GT Sport to be delayed anyway, it seems like this one will for sure happen. Feels like a long road to release, doesn't it?

Gran Turismo Sport Closed BETA Announcement [Gran Turismo]

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News:: A jailed worm and a blood puddle define Quake Champions' newest map

Bethesda will have a pretty big presence at PAX East this weekend. The Maryland-based publisher is going to Boston with Prey, Quake Champions, The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, and The Elder Scrolls: Legends. Only one of those titles will have convention-goers fragging each other, though.

Ahead of the show's start, Bethesda shared a walkthrough of a new Quake Champions map that PAX East players will get to go hands-on with. It's called "Blood Covenant" and it seems to be some sort of ancient cathedral. The stained glass windows are a good indication of that.

But, the scary jail worm in the basement is a counter-argument to this being a normal church. So is the vat of blood in the middle of the map. And the hollowed-out carcass hanging in the corner.

Some people are comparing this to Quake Live's "Campgrounds," which seems like an apt parallel upon first glance. It's tough to tell with the quick cuts in the trailer but a lot of similar elements are there. Albeit, there are modifications. We don't know the exact placement of everything, and the pentagram appears to have turned into the aforesaid blood pool.

We'll know more about "Blood Covenant" this weekend. We have boots on the ground in Boston, and one pair of those boots is going to see how Quake Champions is shaping up. 

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News:: Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash adds some voluptuous DLC characters

I've tried my best (and failed) to keep clear of the Senran Kagura series, but it's always been a secret shame of mine. Although it won't play like other games in the series, Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash features the same , uh, "quality" of design for its characters. 

That also extends to its DLC additions, characters featuring forms unlocked through hidden ultimate ninpos, Ice King Yumi, Abyss Miyabi, Deep Shadow Asuka, and my personal favorite, Crimson Lotus Homura. They'll be available for purchase alongside the March 16th Japanese release. 

There's a Western release planned at a later date, so I hope it includes Homura...I mean, all of the DLC characters. 

Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash details Awakened Yumi, Miyabi, Asuka, and Homura DLC characters [Gematsu]

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News:: Ubisoft reveals year two 'The Division' expansions and gifts

Ubisoft has unveiled its roadmap for The Division year two expansions and is throwing in some gifts for the game's first anniversary. Judging by the details it revealed, you're not going to get a big updates à la one of the game's main rivals, Destiny. However, it's free, and Ubisoft is keeping the game ticking along until it's able to release a sequel.

Source: Ubisoft

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News:: Review: Just Dance 2017

Time and time again we've seen third party publishers pledge their loyalty to a new system, only to pull out at the first sign of danger. Perhaps the most egregious case in recent memory deals with EA and the Wii U.  They vowed to support the system with heavy-hitters, put Mass Effect 3 on it, then called it a day.

Some stuck around longer, like Ubisoft, but eventually gave up on it. I hope they end up putting out more than Just Dance 2017 (a game with "2017" in the title that was released in 2016, and is now being re-released in 2017) and a few other ports this time around on the Switch.

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News:: Green Arrow and Green Lantern return in new Injustice 2 story trailer

While I may not particularly be fond of Injustice 2's roster so far (did we really need so many Batman characters again), the main reason I've been drawn to the sequel is the new story. NetherRealm's single player content has always knocked it out of the park, and if Injustice 2 continues that tradition I'm sold. 

This newest story trailer is the second part of the "Shattered Alliances" trailer featuring Superman a few weeks back. This time the focus is all on Batman and his group of misfits. Heavily featured in this trailer are Green Lantern and Green Arrow, who haven't been confirmed until now, and brief looks at Bane and the Professor Zoom outfit (coupled with the Deluxe Edition as DLC) in motion. Also, there's some more Dr. Fate (who thankfully seems much different than the rest of the cast) and one super brief look at Captain Cold tucked away in a corner. You can see his Injustice 2 look if you pause it when Gorilla Grodd says some things. 

We're getting closer to Injustice 2's May 16th release, so I imagine the roster will be finalized pretty soon. 

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News:: Nintendo Download: Blaster Master Zero

The time has come to shift these updates in a different direction. On any given week you might see a lack of Wii U or 3DS releases now that the Switch has come into play. Nintendo even expects it to outsell the Wii U in just one year! Sad days are ahead for those of you who are holding off on upgrading.

On the Switch, folks are getting a Snipperclips demo, alongside of Blaster Master Zero (which launched in Japan with the system), Nam-1975, King of Fighters '98, Waku Waku 7, Metal Slug 3, World Heroes Perfect, Shock Troopers, and Voez. In other words, the US Switch eShop just caught up with Europe, and most of Japan's offerings. On the 3DS you'll find Frontier Days, Pink Dot Blue Dot, Blaster Master Zero, Mini Sports Collection, Candy Hoarder, and Blue-Collar Astronaut (that last title is intriguing to me).

The Wii U is just getting Bomberman 64 on the virtual console.

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News:: Persona 5's swimsuit DLC will be free, rest of add-ons scheduled

So Atlus has decided to share the DLC schedule for the western release of Persona 5, and you know what? It's pretty tame by recent JRPG standards rife with extra scenarios and characters and the like -- basically everything is cosmetic.

The first round of DLC will include Persona 3 and 4 costumes on April 11, shuffled in with Persona alterations. Then it'll be delivered weekly until May 2, with a free Persona 5 Swimsuit DLC peppered in on April 25. Other than that it's pretty standard -- Picaro sets will cost $2.99, and costume and BGM sets are $6.99.

Given how packed the game is all of this doesn't seem necessary.

DLC [Persona 5]

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News:: The strange life of video game voice actor Ashly Burch

It took two years for Ashly Burch to record all of Aloy's dialogue in Horizon Zero Dawn.

This was after about a year of auditioning for a mysterious new project from the creators of the Killzone series -- Burch had no idea what this new game was or even which role she was auditioning for. She had no idea it was the beginning of a new mainstream, multi-million dollar franchise from Sony Interactive Entertainment, and she didn't even realize she was reading for the lead role.

"I think I'm just extremely lucky," Burch says. "I had no idea what Life is Strange was going to be when I auditioned. I had no idea what Horizon was going to be when I auditioned."

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News:: World to the West gets a release date, new trailer

Developer Rain Games has announced that World to the West (a title I previewed just last week) will be releasing on May 5 for PC, PS4, Xbox One and Wii U for $19.99. With that news comes a new trailer and some information on different language options (the game will be available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Chinese, Dutch, Arab and Polish).

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