News:: Get a feel for Civilization VI with this 60-turn demo

How much can you get done in your first 60 turns of a Civilization campaign? If you're anything like me in Civ VI and are prone to oh-so-tempting barbarian distractions, not a whole heck of a lot.

Firaxis Games has a Windows-only Civilization VI demo on Steam, and it's exactly that: 60 turns with which to get things started for China as Qin Shi Huang. Crucially, there's also a tutorial. It won't be entirely sufficient for all-new Civ players, but this installment is relatively approachable.

As tends to be the way, the full version of the game is currently discounted.

Civilization VI [Steam]

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News:: Street Fighter IV and a few others join the Xbox One backward compatible list

I didn't leave out a word there! The Xbox 360 version of Street Fighter IV -- that's vanilla, not Super -- is now playable on Xbox One should you ever have the burning desire to open up that time capsule.

Oh, the memories. I peeked inside my game case just to make sure the disc was actually still in there (it is, and heavily scratched), and I also found an insert for a Street Fighter IV-branded Visa debit card.

Other recent backward-compatible additions include Poker Smash, Luxor 2, and Madballs in Babo: Invasion. Some or all of these names might sound like gibberish, but don't write everything off yet.

While Street Fighter IV is seemingly the headliner here, I'd like to point out that Poker Smash is -- or at least was, back when it first hit Xbox Live Arcade in 2008 -- a cool little tile-matching puzzle game. With backward compatibility, my Xbox One's ready-to-install list is full of these easily forgotten gems.

Major Nelson [Twitter]

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News:: Guerrilla Games is working on more Horizon Zero Dawn story content

Horizon Zero Dawn is doing well and there's more of it on the way.

That's according to Sony, who has sent word that the robot-hunting adventure has secured 2.6 million sales within its first two weeks of launch (retail sell-through and digital copies off PlayStation Network), and also Guerrilla Games, who says it's currently "hard at work on an expansion to the story."

In its announcement, Sony added that Horizon is the "best-selling new first-party IP launch on the PS4 system to date and [Killzone creator] Guerrilla's biggest debut ever."

I've not yet dug into it on account of the whole too-many-games thing and wanting to wait until I can truly get absorbed in its world without distractions, but even then it's still nice to know that it's selling as a new IP, and that when the time comes and should I want it, there will be more story to parse.

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News:: This year's modern Sonic game is called Sonic Forces

Sega plans to put out two Sonic games this year -- one retro, one modern. We know all about the former, Sonic Mania. The latter? It's less of a known quantity, but the details are coming into frame.

The game has shed its "Project Sonic 2017" working title in favor of a new name: Sonic Forces.

Along with the artwork above, Sega says it will upload "the first gameplay footage" tomorrow. For an off-screen glimpse at Sonic Forces because off course there's an off-screen capture, look no further.

World exclusive gameplay footage of SONIC FORCES at #SXSWGaming. Created on new "Hedgehog 2" game engine. #SonicAtSXSW http://pic.twitter.com/r0khJEGrvW

— Alyssa V. @ SXSW 🎥 (@instalyssa) March 16, 2017

Sonic the Hedgehog [Twitter]

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News:: Sega is holding Sonic Mania back until summer

Previously set for a spring 2017 release, throwback platformer Sonic Mania is now targeting a summer launch on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, Sega has confirmed.

Along with the disappointing but ultimately understandable schedule-slip news, the company dropped off a trailer with a look at Sonic Mania's take on Flying Battery Zone from Sonic & Knuckles.

The music cuts off just as it's heating up. If you'd like the full (original) tune stuck in your head, by all means.

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News:: New release deals: Styx: Shards of Darkness, Dead Rising 4 on Steam

NieR: Automata, Mass Effect Andromeda, Ghost Recon: Wildlands... if you toss aside these triple-A releases, March is also filled with plenty of other titles that may have been somewhat overshadowed. For PC gamers, we're looking at more than five relatively big titles just this week alone.

Yesterday's Styx: Shards of Darkness is now available at a big discount of $31.19 at GamersGate and is thus far well-received for those who enjoy the stealth genre (and previous Styx installments). Fans ofadventure game? Later tomorrow, Kona will also be up for grabs as an Early Access game. Check the list below for all the deals for this week's PC game releases.

This Week's PC Release Deals

• 03/14: Styx: Shards of Darkness (Steam) — $31.19 at GamersGate  (list price $40)
• 03/14: Dead Rising 4 (Steam) — $47.99 at GamersGate  (list price $60)
• 03/14: Dead Rising 4 Deluxe Edition (Steam) — $63.98 at GamersGate  (list price $80)
• 03/16: Train Sim World: CSX Heavy Haul (Steam) — $26.99 at GamersGate  (list $40)
• 03/17: KONA (Steam) — $15.29 at GMG  (list price $18)
• 03/17: NieR: Automata Day One Edition (Steam) — $49.29 at GMG  (list price $60)

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News:: YouTube kills annotations to make way for mobile-friendly features

If you've ever had a grey box pop-up in the middle of a YouTube video to correct spelling, add in some extra information or link you out to another video, you've encountered a YouTube annotation. The feature let creators add content to their video after it had already gone live, but it had its drawbacks -- annotation boxes weren't dynamic, and the only worked on the desktop version of the site. Soon, they won't work at all. Today, YouTube announce that the feature is being retired. Instead, it encourages creators to use its Cards and End Screens features, which work equally well on desktop and mobile devices.

Source: YouTube

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News:: Switch's core feature lets you bypass parental control

One of the advertised features of the Nintendo Switch's parental controls is to allow parents to monitor when their kids are playing and for how long. Well, Nintendo Life has found that by merely going offline, something you're going to do when you take the Switch out somewhere as advertised, the system stops tracking playtime.

If one wanted to avoid the automatic shut-down upon reaching a certain play time or just wanted to keep their playing habits a secret, they just need to utilize the main feature of the console: portability. 

Read more...

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News:: 'Sorry, my face is tired': Internet clowns on goofy Mass Effect: Andromeda animations

More like Mass Effect: Androids because

YOOOOOO http://pic.twitter.com/K4JdhQ5dcc

— Nibel (@Nibellion) March 16, 2017

With Mass Effect: Andromeda less than a week away and some tempered preliminary impressions coming in from reviewers (at least with respect to the first few hours of BioWare's anticipated follow-up), one thing that's getting extra attention is Andromeda's plastic-y skin and We Happy Few-contorted faces.

this is the 12th gif ive made of this mess http://pic.twitter.com/nSKcwM5zQ7

— Nathan Ranney (@RatCasket) March 16, 2017

In a a dialogue-driven game, these weird facial ticks that don't jive with dialogue are bound to stand out more (though there are also some hilarious waddling run animations and NPCs appearing and disappearing), unfortunately undermining the dramatic import of a lot of these scenes. Here's a compilation.

Of course, this is a long game, and a few goofy moments probably won't ruin the entire experience. Here are some more GIFs if you want them. The alien holding and shooting a gun backwards is pretty good, as well as all the people whose lips protrude like duck bills when they talk.

I am very excited for the full game to release.

And this is why I'll keep my Andromeda preorder

I need to see ALL of it http://pic.twitter.com/tsD8EZ5Jak

— Nibel (@Nibellion) March 16, 2017

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News:: Based on Yooka-Laylee's Trophy list, there will be plenty of collectibles

Just what are completionists getting themselves into with Yooka-Laylee?

As far as collectibles go, are we talking more of the Banjo-Kazooie approach, or Donkey Kong 64, what with its reviled character-coded pick-ups? I'm not expecting the latter case again, but I'm committed to finding all of Yooka-Laylee's trinkets either way. April 11 really can't get here soon enough. We've got some hints about what's in store thanks to the game's Trophy list, viewable in full right here.

Yooka-Laylee has 145 Pagies (the main collectible) to wrangle, 1,010 Quills (the common "currency" collectible) to comb for, numerous character upgrades to unlock, mine-cart challenges to best (I'm having terrible flashbacks), and even a few super-secret treasure items to track down. Some of these details might not be new to you, but the accompanying thumbnails should be.

All in all, the list seems fairly straightforward, but I just know that earning some of these collectibles won't be. I solemnly vow not to look up solutions.

Yooka-Laylee Trophies [PSN Profiles]

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News:: I sort of went to the NieR: Automata cafe in Tokyo

I was planning to do a front page thing, showing off the NieR: Automata cafe in Akihabara, but I couldn't eat so I made this a blog. Then Niero said I should put on the front page. Here we are!

Ending tomorrow,  NieR: Automata is the current theme for the Square Enix cafe that's nestled in the corner of Yodobashi Camera near Akihabara Station. Since I didn't get a chance to actually sit down and eat (booked throughout the day), I can't comment on the food or table presentation but ultimately what I did see matched my opinions of other themed cafes like the Gundam cafes: meh.

When you theme something, I expect a little more than some posters and character art on the menu. The coolest thing is that Taro ball thing, but my curiosity to see if it turned out like the image or like a Sonic ice cream bar will remain un-satiated. The rest of the cafe shows some imagery related to Square Enix and its various franchises, including a small gift section, but ultimately it just felt like a regular cafe that isn't worth the price or hassle of getting a reservation and going there before the promotion ends.

Read more...

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News:: Let's chat

We're recording Podtoid today. Now's your chance at immortality. Ask a question in the comments (or email us at podtoid[at]destructoid.com) and get us hemming and hawing. And you won't even know if we've addressed your question until the episode goes live. It's like waiting for a package, or blood test results. That's free excitement, baby!

The last episode was spicy. Catch it like feelings here.

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News:: Nidhogg 2 might look strange, but it plays like a dream

Nidhogg 2 makes a funny first impression. The game's new look is a bit brutish compared the sleek minimalism of its predecessor, and the expanded arsenal -- which includes a dagger, bow, and broadsword -- steers away from the elegance of rapier duels. Compared to the original's simplicity, Nidhogg 2 seems like sensory overload.

I know I'm not the only one to balk at it, either. While checking the game out at PAX East 2017, I overheard a conventiongoer remark that the gangly-armed characters made it seem like a "weird Nidhogg clone." It's not a clone, of course, but rather a full-on sequel. And after stabbing my way through one grueling match, it's clear that Messhof's second game plays much like the first.

Read more...

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News:: 'Lawbreakers' prepares to take on 'Overwatch' with closed beta

Lawbreakers, the new team-based shooter from Gears of War developer Cliff Bleszinski and Boss Key Productions, is inching closer to launch. Its first closed beta starts today and runs through March 19th.

Source: Boss Key Productions

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News:: Super Sonico and DOA's Ayane join Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash

Ayane joins Marie Rose and Honoka from Dead or Alive in the water-gun third-person shooter Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash via DLC. Super Sonico was also just announced in a stream.

Images on the three Dead or Alive characters are now available along with character details such as their blood-type, favorite food, measurements, and hobbies. Each will sell for 700 yen ($6) individually, and the set of all three will be 1800 yen ($16). Additional outfits range from 150 yen ($1.30) to 350 yen ($3). A package of all the Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 content is bundled for 3000 yen ($26).

Read more...

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News:: Bundle Stars PC Spring Sale leads with cheapest Civilization VI Deluxe

The Northeast, Midwest, ... heck even DC is covered in snow, but that will not stop the spring PC gaming sales. Bundle Stars just fired up its sale earlier this week with new daily offers and discounts galore.

The biggest deal during the sales event cropped up earlier this morning with a 24-hour-only discount on Civilization VI Deluxe Edition, with a historic low price of $49.99 -- that's pretty damn good considering the included DLC packs aren't exactly worth the money as a separate purchase.

Other decent deals in the sale includes titles like Urban Empire, Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II Grand Master Collection, Postal Redux, LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens, and many more picks. You'll also find decent discounts on popular games like Mad Max, Middle-earth Shadow of Mordor, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Borderlands 2 GOTY Edition.

Use Coupon: SPRING10 for all deals below during checkout. Note: code won't work on the daily Star Deals such as Civ VI.

Top Deals:

• Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Digital Deluxe (Steam) — $49.99  (list price $80)
• Urban Empire (Steam) — $28.79  (list price $40)
• Blitzkrieg 3 (Steam) — $18.89  (list price $30)
• The Jackbox Combo Pack (Steam) — $16.19  (list price $50)
• The Secret World: Ultimate Edition (Steam) — $16.19  (list price $60)
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II Grand Master Collection (Steam) — $14.39  (list $80)
• The Jackbox Party 3 (Steam) — $13.49  (list price $25)
• Aragami (Steam) — $12.59  (list price $20)
• Tropico 5: Complete Collection (Steam) — $8.99  (list price $40)
• Tabletop Simulator (Steam) — $8.99  (list price $20)
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Bundle (Steam) — $4.99  (list price $20)
• The Park (Steam) — $4.67  (list price $13)
• Mad Max (Steam) — $4.49  (list price $20)
• Stronghold Crusader 2 (Steam) — $4.49  (list price $50)
• Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team (Steam) — $2.24  (list price $10)
• Postal Redux (Steam) — $0.89  (list price $9)

Borderlands

• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (Steam) — $11.87  (list price $40)
• Borderlands 2: Game of the Year Edition (Steam) — $8.99  (list price $40)
• Borderlands Game of the Year Edition (Steam) — $6.74  (list price $30)

Batman Arkham Series

• Batman: Arkham Origins Complete Pack (Steam) — $8.99  (list price $48)
• Batman: Arkham Knight (Steam) — $5.39  (list price $20)
• Batman: Arkham Knight Season Pass (Steam) — $5.39  (list price $20)
• Batman: Arkham City GOTY Edition (Steam) — $4.49  (list price $20)
• Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY (Steam) — $4.49  (list price $20)

LEGO

• Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Deluxe Edition (Steam) — $13.49  (list price $50)
• LEGO Batman Trilogy (Steam) — $11.24  (list price $50)
• Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Steam) — $10.79  (list price $40)
• LEGO Harry Potter Combo Pack (Steam) — $8.09  (list price $40)
• Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Season Pass (Steam) — $2.69  (list price $10)

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News:: Pre-order Akiba's Beat in Europe, get neat gift

You may not be ripping clothes off of demons, but Akiba's Beat still looks like one of the better role-playing experiences in that mid/low-development budget range. Whereas many games, including Akiba's Trip, just give you a soundtrack or keychain for pre-ordering, European buyers will receive a "Pinkun Plushie."

I had to do a triple-take before remembering that Pinkun (Pin-kun) is the mascot character of the game, and that they weren't trying to give out pin cushions. Though, no one will stop you if you want to store your pins in Pinkuns head.

Read more...

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News:: Telltale's Batman series could be coming to Switch

Telltale games can be found on toasters and refrigerators these days, so to hear that they're expanding Batman out into the Nintendo Switch isn't surprising at all.

It's not a sure thing, but Russian retailer Game Buy and European retailer Ozgameshop have provided listings for the game, noting a June 30 release date. It's either a placeholder or a possible "post-E3 excitement it's coming soon" type of thing.

What is a sure thing is that you can always bet on Batman, and that the Switch is very hot right now, and could always use more games to fill its library. If Telltale does strike soon, it'll probably sell enough copies to justify its development.

Batman [Game Buy via Reddit]

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News:: Have $20,000? Buy the life-sized Summer Lesson statue

Who needs virtual reality when you can have life-sized dolls? Oh wait, that's a thing that exists...Anyways! If you have fallen in love with Summer Lesson's Hikari Miyamoto, you can get an ordinary figure of her for 9,500 yen (~$83 US) just like any ordinary game. But your love isn't ordinary, your love is pure. You want the "human size" statue that costs nearly $23,000.

Hikari stands at 5'3 (165cm), can be posed in multiple ways, and has realistic hair, clothing, skin texture. The statue will also come with both a letter and 10-15 minute CD featuring a recorded voice message from Hikari to you, where she calls you by your name. Also included is a code to download a bikini DLC outfit for Hikari in-game, which is also included when purchasing the $83 1/8 scale figure. The normal sized figure does not include the CD or letter.

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News:: Documentary to explore what went wrong with 'Tony Hawk' games

Back in the late '90s, the video games bearing the name of legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk weren't awful. Publisher Activision wasn't a monolith pushing out uninspired, annual sequels across all its franchises either, and in general, it was a happier time in the world. That's where documentary Pretending I'm a Superman: The Tony Hawk Game Story begins. Or, it will begin if it can raise $75,000 on IndieGogo.

Source: IndieGogo

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News:: Iconoclasts dev on finally finishing the game: 'I feel nothing'

Iconoclasts has been in development in one form or another for ten years now. Back in 2007, it was called Ivory Springs. That version of the game was never finished, but you can download it as a work in progress over on the developer's website. 

Then in 2011, work started on a "remake" of Ivory Springs called Iconoclasts. The basic story and scenario were the same, but the graphics were totally overhauled, as were many of the game's mechanics, I use the term mechanics literally here, as Robin, the star of Iconoclasts, uses a giant wrench as both a tool and a weapon. You should also note that she has a wrench-shaped bun in her hair that looks just like the wrench she carries. It makes sense, seeing as Konjak, her game's sole developer, has been retooling this adventure for about 1/3 of his life. 

It also makes sense that he doesn't feel a lot about his creative process at this point. When asked how he feels about finally being done with making Iconoclasts, he said "I feel nothing. It's not really done until it's out there and people are playing it. This time now is just waiting. Nothing exciting about that." I think when this waiting period is over, Konjak will be very happy. People are going to love this game. 

Read more...

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News:: Shenmue III progress update shows QTE testing

Remember "QTE Expert" from the You Arcade in Shenmue? You did play Shenmue didn't you? Not only did the game basically invent and focus on QTE's, but it even had a mini-game in the arcade that was about as literal a QTE as you can get, pressing whatever button flashes on screen over a black background.

That very mini-game is shown off in QTE test footage in the latest monthly update for the long-awaited sequel (but not necessarily final game) in the Shenmue series. I don't know if sticking to the old format is what the series needs, but hey that freedom is what crowdfunding is for right?

Read more...

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News:: Happy 11th Birthday, Destructoid Community!

Is Destructoid really eleven years old? Yee*. 

*I apologize if that came off as anti-Cretaceous.

I'd like to thank my momma, Jordan, Chris, Brett, Steven, Zack, Stephen, Holmes, Darren, Jed, Alissa, Caitlin, Josh, Matthew, Peter, Nic, Patrick, Occams, Cosi, Mike, Beccy, Panda, Strider, Pixie, CJ, Dennis, Myles, Cory, Kevin, Tianxiao, Red, Christian, Salvador, Ray, Wes, Nick, Geoff, Shade,  Dealzon and everyone else that make this place weird and interesting to read everyday. It's my pride and joy that Destructoid continues to attract so many high-quality people over the years. For those here and gone: shine on, you crazy diamonds. As a tall handsome bastard once said, Destructoid has become like the Rebel Alliance with members at every outpost.  

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News:: Outlast 2 banned in Australia for rape scene

Human or not, Australia's Classification Board has decided Outlast 2 is too obscene for sale even with an R18+ rating, thus making the game impossible to sell in its current, unedited form. The scene in question suggests, but doesn't explicitly show, the main character being sexually violated off-screen by a female monster while he objects.

The Board says the game "depicts, expresses or otherwise deals with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified."

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News:: Nintendo Download: The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+

It's another exciting week for the Switch, as a ton of indies are coming to it. They might be ports, and some of them might be hella old, but hey, several of them are real good ones. That list includes The Binding of Issac Afterbirth+, Human Resource Machine, Little Inferno, King of Fighters '94 and World of Goo.

Picross 3D is also hitting the Wii U Virtual Console, as well as Double Breakout II, ACE, VROG, Sky Force Anniversary, and Sudoku Party. The 3DS has Double Breakout, Sudoku Party, and a demo of Fairune 2.

Read more...

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News:: Konosuba game announced via panty quiz

Recently I thought about applying to write for an anime website, but the application involved writing about a currently airing anime. I shuffled through some, including Konosuba, and ultimately realized I didn't have anything to say about them. Much like Sword Art Online, Konosuba is based in a virtual game world, and like SAO it will now be adapted into a video game by 5pb.

The announcement comes via a video that features a pair of women's underwear and asks the viewer who they belong to. In other words, who isn't wearing underwear? Fans of the show will be able to guess pretty quickly. 

Read more...

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News:: Injustice 2 has in-game currency you can pay real money for

If you've been on the fence about Injustice 2, its premium currency might help you with your decision. Source Crystals, announced by NetherRealm forum administrator GypsyWB, is an in-game currency that's purchasable with real world money to use toward cosmetics and faster leveling in certain cases. 

Not to be confused with Injustice 2's gear system (which unlocks new moves, better stats, etc. through gameplay), Source Crystals "aren’t required to progress or advance in the game and can’t be used to purchase Gear or an advantage in gameplay" according to GypsyWB. They're a currency meant for differing outfit and gear colors. Though you can use them to level up your characters as well, however:

After you’ve leveled a character up to the max level of 20, you can use Source Crystals to take another character of your choosing to level 20. This can only be done if you already have a character at level 20.

If levels are anything like the first Injustice, it's mainly a way to unlock more character specific items. I've never been a fan of "premium" currency in games, but I'm sure it'll be possible to avoid it altogether in this case. It really depends on how difficult it is to unlock the cosmetic accoutrements, and whether or not it becomes so grind heavy that paying money to speed up the process seems like a good option.

Honestly the gear system seems more iffy to me, but we won't know for sure how any of this has been handled until Injustice 2's May 16th release. 

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