News:: Deal: HP 15t Power Laptop is a decent gaming machine for only $650

Thinking about picking up a new gaming laptop but can't shell out a cool thousand? HP is offering more of a selection these days for budget gamers, particularly now that the company has finalized its corporate split (long story short, the consumer computer arm has more freedom to innovate).

Released in 2017, HP's 15.6-inch Pavilion 15t Power Laptop was always meant to be a budget gaming device, but at the $850 list price, it had strong competition. Dell's Inspiron 15 line with a similar GTX 1050 graphics card matched it in list price (and when on sale is easily $100 cheaper), while Lenovo's Y700 series is comparable in cost and performance. Things are different this weekend with HP slashing prices by up to $200 on its Power Laptops.

Now priced at $650, we're fairly confident this is one of the cheapest 7th Gen Quad-Core Kaby Lake-equipped laptops on the market with a decent discrete GPU option along with a Full HD IPS panel. Paired with a GTX 10 Series GPU, you'll essentially be able rock almost all modern games at decent frame rates. Comparable 15-inch laptop deals for the week are priced at least $735 or more if you go with other manufacturers.

HP Pavilion Power Laptops Deals

• HP Pavilion 15t Power Laptop, i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050, 1080p IPS, 8GB — $649.99  (list price $850)
• HP Pavilion 17t Power Laptop, i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050, 8GB, 1TB HDD — $729.99  (list price $880)

If you need a slightly larger screen size, you can bump up to the 17.3-inch HP 17t Power Laptop. This machine is identical other than the screen size and expanded keyboard space allowing for a number pad. The price isn't as low, and comes in at $730, which is still cheaper than competing 15.6-inch gaming laptops with similar specs.

The savings on the HP 15t and 17t Power laptops have only a limited run. They go through this Saturday, March 18. While it's possible HP can extend the savings, we suspect it'll be reduced by $20-$50 when the sale is over.

As a reference point, we've rounded up six other gaming laptop deals being offered this week and you'll be able to see that in either of the HP machines, you're getting quite a bit of bang for your buck.

Other Gaming Laptops Deals This Week:

• Lenovo Y700-15 Touch i7-6700HQ, 16GB, 1TB HDD + 128GB SSD, GTX 960M — $986.99  (list price $1,300)
  Use Code: USPY7T0US39
• Alienware 13 i5-6300HQ, GTX 1060 6GB, FHD IPS, 8GB, 180GB SSD, Killer 1435 WiFi — $970.19  (list price $1,300)
  Use Code: EXCLUSIVE10
• Lenovo Legion Y520 80WK001LUS i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti, 8GB, 1TB HDD — $919.99  (list price $920)
• HP Omen 15t i7-7700HQ, GTX 1050, 8GB, 1TB HDD — $849.99  (list price $900)
• Dell Inspiron 15 7467 i5-7300HQ, 8GB, 256GB SSD, GTX 1050 Ti — $749.69  (list price $900)
  Use Code: EXCLUSIVE10
• Dell Inspiron 15 7567, i5-7300HQ, 8GB, 1TB Hybrid Drive, GTX 1050 — $734.99  (list price $800)
  Use Code: EXCLUSIVE50OFF499

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News:: People are using incredible tricks to skip Zelda: Breath of the Wild puzzles

So far, my favorite thing about the new Zelda is how people are taking the mechanics presented and figuring out clever things to do with them, like hurtling through the air via rock-travel. That and the fact that if you spin around in front of dogs, they'll mimic you. That's the good shit. A "pet" button would've also been good, but I'll let it slide.

Anyways, being able to launch yourself great distances rewards the cleverest among us with cool ways to skip portions of the game, as YouTube's Kitty shows in their channel full of cool-ass tricks.

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News:: New evidence points to an Evil Within sequel

Channeling The Evil Within's protagonist detective Sebastian Castellanos, internet sleuths have made good use of their magnifying glasses and keen attention to detail. A new clue has popped up to suggest that a sequel to The Evil Within is in the works.

A private Japanese job listing for Psycho Break 2 (The Evil Within's series name in Japan) was leaked and posted to NeoGAF. The listing is specifically for translation and quality assurance positions. Of course, this is a full-on rumor as nothing has been confirmed by either publisher Bethesda or developer Tango Gameworks.

But, this also feels like a particularly plausible rumor. The framework for a sequel is certainly there and it probably feels like a safer investment now that the property is somewhat established. Still, it should be noted that the first Evil Within was an extremely divisive game. It's likely that Shinji Mikami, the master of survival horror, is getting a second chance to invite people to see his twisted intentions for The Evil Within.

RUMOR: Evil Within 2 / Psycho Break 2 in production [NeoGAF]

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News:: Catching up on 2017's Pokemon Go related deaths

I've been off the Pokemon Go beat this year, even with Legendary Pokemon incoming, but the global smash hit that brought us Pokemon Go teens flashed by laser-wielding, pig-masked sex couple and Russia fears Pokemon Go is a CIA psyop to destabilize country and Pokemon Go will get you booted from the Cambodian genocide museum still has its dark side intact as well, the same side that brought us stories last year of kids finding dead bodies while playing.

Earlier this month, a 67-year-old man and avid player in Singapore had just gone out and caught a rare Lapras (as well as a Granbull) moments before having a heart attack.

Last month, a woman in Peoria, Arizona was shot in the face while playing Pokemon Go at 2:30AM at the Peoria City Complex, "a hot bed for the game." Three men approached the 63-year-old in her parked car, asking for directions. Then one pulled out a gun and demanded she get out of her car. She tried to drive away and was shot in the face, though she was able to drive a few blocks away and call 911. She survived her injuries.

On January 26 in Chesapeake, Virginia, 60-year-old retired grandfather Jiansheng Chen went out in his van around 10:30PM to play Pokemon Go, which he played, "as a way to engage with his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren," according to the family's attorney Greg Sandler. He was sitting in his van, playing the game outside of the River Walk Clubhouse where there is a Pokemon Go gym when a security guard, "standing in front of the van," according to Sandler, "fired somewhere between five and 10 shots directly through the driver's front windshield of the van," killing Chen "instantly." Attorneys representing the security company say the guard opened fire in self defense because Chen drove his van towards him. The River Walk Community Association told News3 they, "have a contract for unarmed roving patrol services." The security firm did not respond to request for comment at the time as to why the guard was armed.

Man died of heart attack moments after catching rare Pokemon Lapras [Metro]
Peoria police release 911 call of woman shot in face during attempted carjacking [AZ Central]
60-Year-Old Grandfather Killed by Security Guard While Playing Pokemon Go [NBC News]

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News:: Headmaster adds Party Mode and PS4 Pro support

Strange sports game Headmaster has a new update that's worth a look for PlayStation VR owners.

Most notable is Party Mode, shown above. It's a rework of the turn-taking local multiplayer component with nine mini-games, ranging from Non-Alcoholic Pong to Darts to "See if you can dislodge Robert from the toilet." There's also an initials prompt for leaderboards, and PlayStation 4 Pro functionality: "2x supersampling with MSAA," or, "like you’re wearing a new set of eyeglasses."

I also like the sound of certain levels getting another pass on difficulty, as the game can prove unnecessarily challenging at times. Frame Interactive has "gone through and eased up some of the tougher levels" such as Lesson 31, which "in particular was tripping many players up."

This all sounds like reason enough to return to Headmaster if you've been neglecting it for other PSVR games, or to look into it further (hey here's my review) if it fell through the cracks back at launch.

Headmaster Party Mode Update Adds 9 Multiplayer Levels Today [PlayStation Blog]

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News:: The Surge is doing its sci-fi action-RPG thing in May

"The Surge" isn't just something you'll find in a stuck-in-time pizza joint's soda fountain -- it's also an upcoming sci-fi action-RPG from Deck13. Has the studio learned some hard lessons from its 2014 release Lords of the Fallen? I'd sure hope so. I've wanted to see this style of game in this type of setting for a while, and in fact Zack and I regularly daydream about From Software leaning in that direction.

Aside from this new mood-setting CGI trailer, there's now a release date for The Surge. It'll hit PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 16, 2016, according to publisher Focus Home Interactive.

You can get a light sense of the game's ruined-world theme in the video, but here's a proper plot summary to work from, too: "Megacorporation CREO works to reverse the devastating effects of climate change, but the facility is hit by a mysterious, catastrophic event. After awakening from a blackout caused by this disaster, Warren is thrust into a deadly new world. Robots gone haywire, insane augmented co-workers and rogue AI - it seems like everything wants him dead."

I'm more intrigued by (but not necessarily in love with) the idea of crafting modular pieces for an exo-suit. Hope that's not the slog that it totally could be in the wrong hands. There's also melee combat targeting that lets you to hone in on specific limbs, which you can then dismember, leading directly into a loot system. Again, could be cool. There's lots of potential here if the execution is up to snuff.

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News:: Death isn't the end in Super Rude Bear Resurrection

I'm standing on the PAX East convention center floor with a controller in my hand. On the screen in front of me is a pissed-off bear wearing nothing but a backward, purple hat. He seems poised and ready for me to guide him through a room full of swinging axes and deadly spikes. The bear's angry scowl should convey confidence, but I'm still hesitant. Super Rude Bear Resurrection's first level is rather intimidating.

As I fiddle with the controls for a moment and get a feel for how the game plays, developer Alex Rose encourages me to move forward and leap onto the looming axe. Even though he already mentioned that Super Rude Bear Resurrection is an "insanely challenging platformer," I can't help but feel like his suggestion is a half-joke. How would intentionally killing myself, on the game's first obstacle, illustrate just how hard it is?

Read more...

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News:: Focus is key to blending virtual objects with the real world

You might remember Avegant for its unusual take on the video headset. The Glyph looked like (and doubled up as) headphone cans but worked pretty well. We called it "a wearable cinema for serious movie fans." Now, the startup is taking on a bigger challenge with Light Field, its "mixed reality platform" that can visualize objects "at multiple focal planes". That means that it can offer variably focused virtual objects in the real world. Until now, the inability to change focus has meant virtual objects appear out of place in the real world. Take a look at the image above: The Mars Rover in the hand is in the same position (and focus) as the hand, while Mars and the corridor behind are out of focus until that focus shifts. (Milanese Apple Watch band optional. We hope.)

Source: Avegant (1), (2)

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News:: The internet picked a T. rex as one of the new 'Monopoly' tokens

Tasking the internet to pick something for you can go horribly awry. Just ask Boaty McBoatface. When board-game maker Hasbro asked for suggestions to update the Monopoly game pieces, it likely didn't expect that the hivemind would pick a trio of, well, rather tame new tokens to update the capitalism training simulator.

Via: Associated Press

Source: Hasbro

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News:: Three NieR: Automata deals available for the PC release

NieR: Automata has arrived finally on the PC and the fanfare looks to be justified as early reception is positive and Plantium Games as of writing has been quick to address PC port issues (such as a 4K support issue that cropped up earlier today). The game is also now sitting pretty on the #1 top-selling slot at many digital retailers. Anyone interested in NieR: Automata is in luck as there are now three deals available for release week.

NieR: Automata PC Release Week Deals

• Green Man Gaming (Steam Key) — $49.29  (list price $60)
• DLGamer (Steam Key) — $49.99  (list price $60)
• GamesPlanet (Steam Key) — £42.99 (~$53.15)

Where previously we had spotted only one deal available at one retailer, you now have the option of three digital retailers for your Steam key. Smell that? That's the sweet smell of consumer choice.

If you go by pure discount, GMG wins out at 18% off given the game is discounted to $49.29. DLGamer has the game at a slightly lower 17% off to $49.99, and finally GamesPlanet is priced at £42.99, which converts to be about $53.15.

For the GamesPlanet "deal" the £42.99 price tag is actually just the list price for gamers in the UK, so you're not exactly getting a discount but more so saving money on currency conversion. With how third-party retailers are discounting titles lately, we suspect this is one such title that won't receive heavy discounts post-release. So if you're planning to play anywhere near launch, you may want to consider any one of these deals depending on your choice in retailer.

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News:: Review: Poi

What if I told you there is a game you can play right now that combines some of the best mechanics of 3D Mario games with a bunch of cute original characters, locations, and enemies? And what if I told you that very game also failed to be crowdfunded on Kickstarter, yet still released and is quite good?

Poi is that game. Obviously.

Read more...

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News:: The PlayStation 3 is still in production in Japan, but not for long

As one is born, another dies. After 11 long years, Sony has announced that they are ending the production of the PS3 in Japan. Following a "soon" tease, further efforts to locate a date hint that it will end sometime this month.

The PS3 was no PS2, I'll tell you that much, and it was hell to work with according to many developers, but it had a good run (for reference, the Xbox 360 was discontinued roughly one year ago in April 2016). I mean, Demon's Souls, the black sheep of the Souls family (and the best one) was, and still is a PS3 exclusive. While we typically only get one Zelda game per system (with exceptions), Uncharted 1, 2, and 3 were all PS3 games. I mean, the third game wasn't very good, but I need it to illustrate my point that it had a ton of support.

Rambling aside, if you want an extra PS3 or one to replace your dead unit (two of mine died, compared to my one dead PS4), you might want to do it soon before you're at the mercy of re-sellers. It's region-free, with only two exceptions.

PlayStation 3 [Sony via Gematsu]

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News:: Review: Ghost Recon Wildlands

_{[Spoilers for the ending of Ghost Recon Wildlands, because it's so bad that I have to talk about it.]}

I take back every nice thing I ever wrote about this game.

Yes, Thomas Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands (an Ubisoft Game) certainly makes a strong first impression. Isn't that, like, the first rule of running a good con? You get the mark to trust you over the first couple hours, to believe that your open-world will be exciting and diverse. That's when you pull the rug out, instead forcing your mark to suffer through dozens upon dozens of hours worth of endlessly repetitive missions, a story so bad that it should be illegal, and a series of irritating glitches and bugs.

The fact that I've wasted a portion of my life getting to the end credits of this awful, awful game is bad enough -- if I had paid full price for Ghost Recon Wildlands, I would be furious.

Read more...

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News:: Super Bomberman R's input lag and smooth online update is out

Super Bomberman R could use some fundamental improvements when it comes to its campaign and multiplayer arena selection, but for now, you'll have to settle with some performance tweaks. Konami has announced that version 1.2 is now live, which includes more stability for online play, and input lag enhancements for all modes.

Hopefully at some point we get some free DLC. I mean it's Konami, so in the back of my mind I was kind of assuming this patch would even cost money, but a man can dream. Some crossover/guest characters would be pretty great, as would some new levels, or even nostalgia DLC from past games.

They could also capitalize quite a bit on the speedrunning community if they cleaned up the story mode a bit and added in a special mode to cater to runs, like many retro-centric games have in recent years. Free ideas, Konami!

Version 1.2 [Konami]

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News:: Modern Sonic will, unsurprisingly, go fast in Sonic Forces

The new Sonic game got its name yesterday -- Sonic Forces -- and a first look at Modern Sonic this morning (or last night, if you caught the off-screen recordings). As you can see, Forces forgoes the Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice style shakeup of the formula and is much more in line with Sonic Generations (Classic Sonic showed up in the debut trailer as well) and Sonic Colors.

So there he is, rail-thin, early-aughts-cool Modern Sonic replete with familiar boost, homing, and stomp attacks an racing forward through a burning city. A colorful, quaint European-looking joint, quasi realistic to boot despite looking like the outskirts are videogame-ass-looking plain green plains. Well, got to put that Hedgehog Engine 2 to work. Brett and I caught Sonic Forces at GDC this year -- hands-off, same with Sonic Mania -- and we'll have more from Forces in the future, but until then, enjoy your new old new hedgehog.

Read more...

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News:: Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 hits PS3 and PS4 in May

One of the most prevalent fighters on the scene currently, in its most recent incarnation, is coming west. While some games have been kicked out of EVO or haven't been updated in a while, Arc System Works continue to build upon the foundation of Guilty Gear Xrd with their second expansion/semi-sequel, Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, which they've just dated for the west.

It'll hit on May 26 on both PS3 and PS4, but only the latter is getting a physical edition. For folks who already own the original Revelator, you can pay a $20 upgrade fee to get the two new characters (newcomer Answer and classic fighter and Kenshin cosplayer Baiken), as well as new levels, a bigger story, and balance changes.

The whole shebang will be $40 from scratch, and I highly suggest getting in on it when Rev 2 hits if you've been on the fence. It's a great game, I just wish the online community was a little more active.

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News:: Report: Nintendo to double the production of the Switch

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, as of April 1, Nintendo will be doubling its efforts to produce Nintendo Switch systems. Initially they were planning on producing eight million, but now that number is allegedly closer to 16 million. They already confirmed that they wanted to play it safe after the Wii U debacle to ensure that they didn't have warehouses full of these things, but now they can take the gloves off.

Hell, if they produce and at least ship all 16 million of the lot, it will have already set itself up to outsell the Wii U's 13 million units in total. This increase in production will reportedly happen until March 31, 2018, and could easily ramp up yet again if it continues to sell.

So if you can't easily find a Switch now, you won't have to wait much longer for stores to keep it consistently in stock.

Nintendo to Double Production of Switch Console [WSJ]

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News:: How does Sonic Forces' main theme measure up to past games?

The main theme for Sonic Forces has been revealed, and it shows a surprising amount of restraint. It brings back touches of the rock era that dominated 3D Sonic games, but isn't over-the-top, and doesn't have any vocals to back it...yet.

Let's take this opportunity to dive into a few choice tracks from Sonic's past, and feel free to post your favorites!

Read more...

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News:: The Morning After: Friday, March 17 2017

It's the end of the week and we have talked to Buzz Aldrin about VR and Mars, tried to fund a documentary about what happened to the Tony Hawk game series, all while attempting to ignore Google Home's Beauty and the Beast ads. Ignoring ads from an internet company? It's a tale as old as time.

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News:: WSJ: Nintendo is selling way more Switches than it expected

We already knew that the Switch was Nintendo's fastest-selling console ever, but we now have an idea as to how many units it's pushing out. The WSJ says Nintendo plans to double production from 8 million units to 16 million for its 2017 fiscal year (starting in April) in order to keep up with higher-than-expected sales.

Source: WSJ

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News:: The 'Candy Crush' TV show debuts on CBS July 9th

For whatever reason, Candy Crush is making the jump from addictive game to primetime TV game show, and CBS has revealed it will premiere July 9th. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it's a little too late to get cast as one of the two-person teams that will play the game. You and a partner are missing out on the opportunity to "use their wits and physical agility to compete on enormous, interactive game boards featuring next generation technology to conquer Candy Crush and be crowned the champions." That's the kind of action that will be available to you on Sunday nights this summer -- choose wisely, and remember Game of Thrones doesn't come back until July 16th.

Source: CBS

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News:: Sony will soon stop PS3 production and shipments in Japan

Sony is ready to lay the PlayStation 3 to rest, a little over 10 years after the first model was released. Gematsu and Japanese website Gamestalk have discovered that the company will "soon" stop the PS3's production in its home country. Sony made the revelation on the 500GB black PS3's product page, which is the only remaining model still in production in Japan. The tech and gaming giant didn't mention specific dates, but a game shop in Kurume, Fukuoka tweeted that it received a notification that production will end this month. Once all the remaining units are gone, shipments will also stop -- anybody who wants the console will have to look in the second-hand market.

Source: Gematsu, Sony Japan, Gamestalk

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