Instead of whittling your life away with The Division's free weekend, why not check out Rocket League on PC? For starters, the game is actually good! Secondly, its also free this weekend! That is pretty awesome. Rocket League has cross-platform multiplayer, too, so you'll definitely be able to find someone you can play with.
In addition to being free until Monday, Rocket League is also currently 30% off on Steam. That brings the price down to $13.99 and you can even get the "Game of the Year" edition (which includes a few cosmetic DLC packs) for $17.49. You honestly can't beat that. Maybe I'll finally take the plunge and buy the game instead of just mooching off my PS Plus freebie. Wait, didn't I say that a few months ago?
If we've learned anything from experiments like Twitch Plays Pokemon, it's that a large part of the streaming site's success lies on the enthusiasm of its community. Twitch viewers don't just watch streams, they participate by flooding their favorite streamers chatbox with memes, emoji and a never-ending march of inside jokes. When the company launched the Twitch Uploads beta, the company encountered a problem: there's no chatroom for pre-recorded videos. Today, Twitch is taking steps to fix that, introducing a chat mode for uploaded content that locks messages to specific moments in the video.
One of the projects in the works at Klei Entertainment is Hot Lava, a clever video game take on the real-world children's game about not touching the fiery floor. That's a known quantity for me. But the studio's other new game, Oxygen Not Included? Much less so. While I haven't tried it yet, it's a space colony sim (yes!) from these good folks (double yes!), so there's probably something there.
Oxygen Not Included has been playable with a paid alpha build, and soon enough it'll be on Steam Early Access proper. That version releases in two weeks, on May 18, and it's going to cost $25. If you own one of the studio's current titles, though, you'll save 20 percent thanks to a loyalty discount.
This trailer for the recent Thermal Upgrade update shows where the game is at:
The next major patch, the Agricultural Upgrade, is planned alongside the Early Access launch.
Hinterland's beautiful exploration-survival title The Long Dark is inching closer to its full "1.0 launch," and that's probably when I'll swoop in (and promptly succumb to the harsh Canadian wilderness).
PC and Xbox One players have had access to the free-form Sandbox/Survival mode for some time now, but with the upcoming 1.0 launch on August 1, 2017, the game's long-awaited story content will debut -- well, part of it. That's also the day The Long Dark will finally come to PlayStation 4.
The developers are taking an episodic approach, for better or worse. On August 1, the first two of five story episodes will go live, with the remaining installments of "Wintermute" (that's the name of Season One) arriving "over the course of the remainder of 2017, and part of 2018." That initial pair will represent between six to ten hours of gameplay, according to Hinterland.
"There will be one more 'story foundation' Sandbox update prior to the August 1 launch, the Test Branch of which will open later this month. We're calling this update FAITHFUL CARTOGRAPHER, and it prepares various aspects of the game for launch, including modifications to the game world, environment art updates across the entire world, an entirely new UI, several new gameplay mechanics, and general refinements to existing mechanics, as well as optimizations and hundreds of bug fixes."
With all of these sweeping changes (to say nothing of The Long Dark's multi-year run on Steam Early Access up until now), the game is raising its price. It'll go from $20 to $35 this month.
After years of development as a crowdfunded project and, later, a pre-alpha build on Xbox One and Steam, wilderness survival RPG The Long Dark from Hinterland Studios finally has a release date of August 1st. Better yet, the studio announced on Wednesday that the game will be be making the jump to PS4 on that date and all three platforms will gain access to the first two chapters of a new five-part story mode dubbed "Wintermute".
It was pretty touch and go there for a minute, but Microsoft is finally committed to a remaster of 2004's Phantom Dust. Or, a re-release as Microsoft calls it. Actually, maybe it's more of a remake? This situation isn't as clear cut as most ports usually are.
In an exclusive interview with Polygon, creative director Adam Isgreen shared the above-embedded gameplay video that serves as our first real look at Phantom Dust. It's a sizable offering, especially considering the extent of our exposure to this point has been a single screenshot from Xbox head Phil Spencer.
Apart from finally seeing what Phantom Dust actually looks like, Isgreen gave some context for what's new in this version. "The biggest thing is moving [Phantom Dust] to 16:9 and moving to native resolution," he said. "So what that basically means is that if you're playing on Xbox One, you're running at 1080p so the game is going to render at 1080p; if you're on a PC and you're playing at 4K resolution, the game will render its assets at 4K."
The reason for the confusion in the remaster/remake/re-release terminology is because Isgreen says it was up in the air for a long time as to what the developer would actually be able to use. He explains "The biggest challenge that we faced in bringing Phantom Dust back was when we recovered the archives from Japan for the original project, there was no final source code. So everything that we've been able to do in this version of Phantom Dust has been through reverse-engineering the binaries, and actually hacking and cracking the code back open again in order to make the improvements and changes that we have."
Isgreen says that's why there was so little information upon reveal -- because the studio didn't actually know what was possible. Isgreen elaborates "This is one of the reasons why, when we started talking about Phantom Dust and people were like 'What's the resolution of the game? Is it 16:9? Is it 4:3?' the reason was ... we didn’t actually know what we were gonna be able to do because we didn’t have the source."
Apart from the clarifications on the visuals, Isgreen also mentioned the other big change: Easing up on the single-player progression. Now, failing a mission three times triggers the option to skip it while still earning its rewards. Incentives like achievements might keep some players from taking advantage of that, but the choice is there. Isgreen added that no progression-type stuff has been altered to steer the player toward purchasing DLC that might help them.
Despite us really not knowing much (this development is a considerable amount more information than we had before), Microsoft says Phantom Dust is still slated for a 2017 release. It just took a bunch of hacking and reverse engineering to make it happen.
May the fourth be with you! Ha-ha, just a little joke on today, May the 4th -- Star Wars day, to the uninitiated. It's perhaps our most American holiday: no day off from work and in tribute to consumption of a multi-billion dollar entertainment product.
And in honor of this most American of holidays, I thought it would be prudent to rank the very best and very worst of Star Wars video games (that I've played). It's a crowded field. Star Wars has been around about as long as games and there have been a lot of Star Wars games, many with confusing names like Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader that all bleed together.
Be sure to name your favorites in the comments, and may the force be with you!
I'm not a big Call of Duty fan, admittedly, but I have fond memories of Black Ops 2's Zombies mode. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. The shambling undead have been a popular part of the franchise for many years. Now, Treyarch is tapping into that nostalgia with its next DLC for Black Ops 3. Zombies Chronicles will feature eight remastered versions of classic Zombies mode maps, co-studio head Jason Blundell announced today in an interview with YouTuber JCbackfire.
We somehow missed the news last week, but Rain Games announced that the Wii U port of World to the West would be delayed by a few weeks to work on optimization. While they could have released the title and did a post-launch patch, they felt it was better for Wii U owner's first impressions to be of a stable and working title instead of something that barely functions.
"We’ve chosen to delay the Wii U release of the game for a few weeks," Rain Games' statement reads, "until we can deliver the game in its best possible state. We’re not happy to keep the Wii U users waiting, but we figured it’s better to release the game in a smooth state rather than releasing a patch later on and giving early adopters a less polished experience." Why more triple A developers don't follow this mantra is beyond me, but at least someone is running a decent business. You can read the full statement below:
As part of the ACA NeoGeo line that's been hitting Switch lately, classic fighter Garou: Mark of the Wolves is coming to the very same platform. It'll drop on May 11 for $7.99, but you should definitely look into grabbing it on PS4/Vita instead (it's on PC too, but has issues).
For one, since this is an ACA joint, it won't have online play -- whereas the other aforementioned platforms have been reworked to accommodate. That can be circumvented by bringing the Switch tablet on the go and playing with friends locally of course, it's just something to be aware of. Another thing to be aware of is that there's still no official arcade stick for the Switch. Hori is supposedly making one but it hasn't been dated or priced.
If you can get over all that I'd get Garou regardless. It's one of my favorite fighters that I still play to this day.
We've seen procedurally generated worlds and weapons in video games before, but piecing together believable animations from a pool of variables is pretty tough. Previous attempts at it have looked janky and disjointed. It's okay in something like Ubisoft's experimental and quirky Grow Home, but big-budget AAA blockbusters akin to Uncharted 4 carry a different set of expectations. New research out of the University of Edinburgh is a bit different, and might help video games get away from one-size-fits-most pre-scripted animations, though.
Drool is bringing its rhythm-action game Thumper to Switch on May 18, 2017. That gives you just two weeks to cram in an intensive training regimen to get your reflexes in tip-top shape. I believe in you!
The Switch version supports HD Rumble and runs at 60 frames per second whether you're docked or on the go. In handheld mode, the resolution will be 720p, but in TV mode, it'll bump up to 1080p.
For anyone who's been holding out, this is gonna be extra good as a handheld game.
Are any of you playing Dragon Quest Heroes II? I haven't seen much buzz, and even though I'm enjoying the sequel and find it to be a big step up from the original, that lack of noise is understandable. There's only so much time in a day, and higher-profile games are surely keeping y'all busy.
If you are hacking and slashing your way through the endless monster hordes, Square Enix is beginning its month of free content updates today on PC and PlayStation 4. Here's the schedule:
Monster Medal Battle: Play online multiplayer competitively against players from around the world.
I think I'm something like 40 hours into the game, and I'm currently crawling my way through the many post-game distractions. More side quests will be nice enough, but I'm really looking forward to having Yangus in multiplayer (he was my bestie in Dragon Quest Heroes) and those boss maps.
Late last year, PC and PS4 gamers were treated to an surreal rhythm experience when Thumper asked them to pilot a metallic scarab down a highway of intimidating, abstract set pieces. The game is as bizarre as it is intense -- but timing movements to the game's fast-paced soundtrack and be incredibly satisfying, too. Soon, you'll be able to attain that satisfaction on the go: the game's developer has announced that the Nintendo Switch version will be available on the eShop in just two weeks.
Dedicated Call of Duty players are getting a treat in the near future. Some classic beloved content is being remastered and re-released, affording them the opportunity to relive those memories. But, it's all coming to a game that they've probably stopped playing.
On May 16, Treyarch is releasing Zombies Chronicles, which is made up of eight classic Zombies maps remastered for Black Ops 3. Studio co-head Jason Blundell announced this in the video embedded above that was posted to YouTuber JCbackfire's channel. Blundell explains that this is a "loving fan service piece" for players who haven't been around since Zombies' inception in 2008's World at War.
The maps included in Zombies Chronicles are: Nacht der Untoten, Verruckt, and Shi No Numa from World at War; Kino Der Toten, Ascension, Shangri-la, and Moon from the original Black Ops; and Origins from Black Ops 2. Treyarch hasn't named a price for this add-on, but it's hosting a live stream on May 8 that will likely divulge all details. However, it was noted that it's coming to PlayStaton 4 first on May 16, with other platforms presumably following sometime later.
I figured with Microsoft already adding two games to the backward compatible list this week that we wouldn't see more. Not only have they added one of the best Contra games in a long time, but they also decided to include four other games. Granted, Hard Corps: Uprising is easily the best of the bunch, but I'm sure there are fans of the other games.
This update includes Harm's Way (a free Dorito's sponsored game), Band of Bugs, Bullet Soul (which released just last year on the 360!) and Bullet Soul -Infinite Burst- (which is an updated version of the previous game). I'm mostly surprised a free advergame was included in the list. I thought nobody cared about Harm's Way, but I guess I was wrong.
Now we just need Yaris and all will be well in the world...
Blizzard is at it again with some reasonable changes for your favorite Overwatch characters -- especially if you're a Genji or Hanzo main. The brothers have had their wall climbing abilities buffed, so they can immediately attack after their climb. Hanzo also got some tweaks to his bow, with a 10% increased charge speed. It's a simple alteration to buff climbing but it's one of my favorites to date as it fits their fast-paced gameplay style.
In other news Reaper now reloads instantly after using Wraith Form (!), an awesome change that makes the ability more viable when chasing. Orisa had her fusion driver damage reduced by 15% and her Protective Barrier cooldown reduced to eight seconds, Soldier: 76 had his bullet damage decreased from 20 to 19, and Reinhardt's Earthshatter ultimate is now less powerful across the board (mainly they nerfed its ability to get vertical).
All good changes in my opinion! I just hope Sombra gets some love soon, as she has bar none the lowest winrate in the game across all modes (especially competitive).
Hey, this is still happening! In this installment of Destructoid Wrestling, we crown the inaugural Destructoid Champion. The Bye Bye Man faces off against the Editor-in-Beef Jordan Devore, while Myles Cox handles the Mangling Editor Brett Makedonski.
Who will win?! Who will walk away as the inaugural Destructoid Champion? Tune in right here, marks.
I have a few Hanafuda decks on hand, but if you don't have any yet you may want to think about grabbing these Mario themed ones at the Nintendo store in New York City. As per the official Twitter account they're in stock for $20, which is about the same price you'd pay if you imported them -- you just don't have to wait weeks for free international shipping.
Whenever someone wants to learn how to play a Hanafuda game, I always point them to the same spot -- this wonderfully designed website that's a little dated, but gets the job done. It'll teach you how to play Koi Koi, one of the most popular variants, with an easy to read explainer and an interactive flash version.
At some point in your life consider ordering a pack (Nintendo or non-Nintendo related) and watching this short video doc, if only to learn a bit of Japanese culture.
How about this for a nice deal alert? The first deal has been spotted on PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, the wildly popular free-for-all battle royale FPS title on Steam. Judging from our tracking since the title's March release, we hadn't spotted or expected any public deals to become available in the near future.
That changed early this morning as a coupon surfaced on a Slickdeals thread. We spotted the thread previously but assumed incorrectly it referenced unique, single-use coupon codes. Turns out as of writing anyone should be able to take advantage of the discount at GMG and score 25% off PUB.
If you've been enjoying what you're seeing of the game on Twitch and elsewhere during its big May 4 charity drive for Gamers Outreach, this is probably as good of a deal as we'll see on the game in the near future.
No expiration date is known for this discount, but we suspect it may end as early as tomorrow morning when GMG catches wind the code is populating out in the wild. The code should work on all accounts, new or old, but if it doesn't, let us know in the comments.
If you can't get the code to work on Battlegrounds, we suggest signing up for a GMG account anyway and subscribing to GMG's newsletter (look for the opt-in in your account profile page), where you'll be able to get occasional unique and hot promotions such as this.
Game deals from the crew at Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.
Streaming on Twitch might look easy, but it really isn't. Between the various technical hoops you have to jump through (oh hi, OBS) and the pressure of people watching your every move -- or, on the flip-side, streaming to an audience of zero people -- you also need to be entertaining. In that spirit, the next wayTwitch is investing in its community is with workshops that aim to help folks get better at hosting and interviewing. It's a little like what YouTube has done before with its Creator Spaces.
When Aksys games had announced the Nonary Games compilation for PS4, PC and Vita, I wondered why they left out the final game in the trilogy, Zero Time Dilemma. While it made sense on Vita and PC (seeing as how the third game was already available), PS4 didn't have a port of the series closer. If that was your platform of choice, you had no way to finish the story.
Soon, PS4 users won't have to wonder how the series ends as Aksys is finally porting the finale to Sony's console. There isn't much info to go, other than a Fall release and physical and digital versions being available. No price is mentioned, but it can't be more than what the game launched at ($40). What does suck is that this seems to be limited to North America, but that may change in the future. Either way, its about time.
Over the past year I've really enjoyed playing a similarly flawed game, Street Fighter V. It's a fantastic fighter that's held back by some puzzling decisions from Capcom, including the choice to constantly introduce costume DLC instead of actually fixing the game.
At this point after knowing what we know about the project's lower than anticipated sales, it can only be described as disappointing.
A few months ago a developer named Climax Studios introduced their newest project, Riftstar Raiders to the world. As a four player shoot 'em up I figured it would get more buzz, but I haven't really seen anyone talking about it.
That may change as of this week though, as they've also confirmed that it's coming to the Switch. That completes the circle as it was previously slated for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, so now it's hitting nearly every major platform.
Based on the trailer it doesn't look particularly unique, but if the co-op angle is right, I could get really into this one. With no release date in sight for any system, we're still in wait and see mode.
On May 9 you'll be able to pick up NBA Playgrounds on Switch, which hopes to be the next generation of NBA Jam after the semi-recent On Fire Edition. Also on Switch is a Blaster Master Zero demo version (and free DLC).
Wii U is still trucking somehow with a Bonk's Revenge Virtual Console release on top of WinKings, Fifteen, and Citadale - The Legends Trilogy. The 3DS is also getting its own Blaster Master Zero demo and Infinite Golf.
Once again Sony will be holding its official E3 press conference in the evening, at 6PM PT, 9PM ET. It'll probably run to midnight with a special surprise saved for last, and you can expect to see more footage of stuff that was merely teased last year, like the new God of War.
I love that we're getting some breathing room between conferences now, as Microsoft has shifted their briefing to June 11 at 2PM PT, 5PM ET. Nintendo also isn't even holding an official conference for the second year in a row, and will instead share their info by way of streams and Treehouse Presents segments.
In all E3 seems to slow down year after year, so it's perfectly reasonable why the ESA would want to admit the public.
Nintendo is not giving up on the 3DS. Well, "giving up" isn't the perfect turn of phrase as it's been quite successful over the years, but rather than focus fully on the Switch they chose to just kill off the Wii U instead and keep creating content for their portable line.
They've also invested heavily in the hardware itself, creating countless lines that top even the occasional Game Boy Micro-esque jaunt. We have the 3DS XL, the 2DS, the New 3DS, the New 3DS XL, and now, the New 2DS XL. There might be more by the time Nintendo shuts the book on the 3DS.
When do you think that will happen though? How successful does the Switch need to get, and how low does the 3DS need to sink to before that happens? There's also a number of other questions -- will Nintendo even release another portable, or will they move all of their efforts to the Switch and the mobile realm?
I think they'll continue their legacy of Game Boys (Nintendo even says it's the "gateway system for a younger crowd"), it just won't be in 3D. They've been phasing this gimmick out for a while, it was very rare for them to even try to incorporate this feature in any meaningful way (the few that did, including Super Mario 3D World, were excellent). As for when that next generation of portables will happen, I'd surmise no later than three years from now.
The National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York 
