02/01/2018 - 03/01/2018

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

News:: Takayuki Yamada shapes up for Fist of the North Star in TV ad

PlayStation Japan's spokesdude Takayuki Yamada is back being a loon in another TV commercial. This time, Yamada-san is channeling his inner-Kenshiro in preparation for the release of Team Yakuza's Hokuto Ga Gotoku.

I'm not gonna do the tired YouTube-esque trope of spelling out the skit you've just watched/are about to watch, but I will add that the shirt featured in the 60-second ad is fantastic.

Hokuto Ga Gotoku launches in Japan on PS4 March 8. Sadly there has been no announcement of a Western release thus far.

Takayuki Yamada shapes up for Fist of the North Star in TV ad screenshot

News:: The 300 Week 8: Portman Kombat: Annihilation

Welcome back to The 300, a recurring feature that chronicles my attempt to see 300 movies in theaters in 2018. I’ll be watching new releases, classics, and hidden gems as a way to explore the wide world of cinema in all of its forms. Hopefully you’ll find something worth watching as well.

As always, there are three rules for The 300:

The movie must be at least 40 minutes long, meeting the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' definition of a feature film.
I must watch the movie at a movie theater, screening room, or outdoor screening venue.
While I can watch movies I've seen before 2018, I cannot count repeated viewings of the same film in 2018 multiple times.

I’m at 59 movies of 300 as of this writing. I’ll hit 60 by the end of tonight, which puts me slightly ahead of schedule by the end of February. That’s good, because I’ll have a slight slowdown soon because of travel and finishing a personal project.

Anyways, a little less conversation, a little more 300.

And so, onward.

The 300 Week 8: Portman Kombat: Annihilation screenshot

News:: Happy Birthdays is set for a June release on Switch

The peculiar ecosystem simulator Birthdays the Beginning is coming to Nintendo Switch as Happy Birthdays, and as announced today, the port will hit North America on June 5 and Europe on June 8.

The game is a slow burn and requires patience, but once you're hooked, there's no stopping it.

You'll tinker with a sandbox world, raising and lowering the elevation to give rise to new plants and animals who will -- over many years, and with the right conditions -- evolve and hopefully do well enough to flourish. It's so satisfying to check off everything on your giant evolutionary to-do list.

Happy Birthdays will have some enhancements over the original PlayStation 4 and PC game, including user-interface updates, new creatures, and a "Stars" system for unlocking items. I'm somewhat wary of how it'll run on Switch, but I'm not fooling anyone: I'm totally down to play this again.

Happy Birthdays is set for a June release on Switch screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/happy-birthdays-is-set-for-a-june-release-on-switch-492159.phtml

News:: The servers for Demon's Souls were shut down earlier today

Demon's Souls meant different things to different players. For me, it was all about the solo journey, uncovering secrets and besting bosses. For others, it was primarily about invading other games, PVP, and co-op. That latter dream ends today, as the game's servers were shut down entirely.

As a reminder, Atlus shared the news back in November that the servers would be shut down on February 28. This came after many delays that saw Demon's servers prospering for years on end; but this is the actual end, as we were able to verify that the game is fully offline. The actual deed was done at 1AM Pacific this morning.

Now we just need a remaster or remake! Maybe? Or do people want Bloodborne 2 first? Or Dark Souls IV? There are so many places the series could go from here.

The servers for Demon's Souls were shut down earlier today screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/the-servers-for-demon-s-souls-were-shut-down-earlier-today-492102.phtml

News:: Final Fantasy XV's PC port continues the wacky crossovers with Sims 4 costumes

Not content to simply port Final Fantasy XV to PC, Square Enix has announced that yet another wacky crossover is coming to the belated port when it releases next month. Users who buy the game from EA's Origin service before May 1 will be given a Sims 4 costume pack that features a Llama suit and Pumbob outfit. I have no idea what those are, but I really can't get over the floating crystal. This is just too good.

These costumes will be available in the multiplayer component as well as an option for Noctis in single-player. If you happen to own The Sims 4, you'll also receive a special crown prince outfit for Noctis to celebrate the launch of the game. That isn't all, though, as a Regalia decal pack will also be available for grabs.

Here is a quick trailer showing off some of the new digs.

Final Fantasy XV's PC port continues the wacky crossovers with Sims 4 costumes screenshot

News:: Review: Where the Water Tastes Like Wine

America's backbone is built from stories shared over campfires. Every road is a vein, snaking and winding across state lines, paved by tall tales and folklore. This land isn't perfect, but it means something to its inhabitants. The stories they tell are an attempt to make sense of it all.

Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is a narrative-heavy game that explores how stories act as a culture's connective tissue. It's rooted in the oral tradition, encouraging players to travel across a patchwork representation of the United States to collect thoughtfully constructed tales. Where the Water Tastes Like Wine knows that simple truths and random events beget modern myths that shape the world around us. It recognizes the power of a good yarn, and that even the most basic tale can make everything seem better, even if it's just for one night.

Review: Where the Water Tastes Like Wine screenshot

News:: 'The Blackout Club' is a co-op horror game from 'BioShock' veterans

Many horror games are solitary affairs -- a little odd when horror movies are frequently shared experiences. Why not make games which play off the social side of fear? Question is trying just that. The group of BioShock and Dishonored alumni has unveiled The Blackout Club, a co-op horror title where survival depends on working as a team. You play as a group of teens who've uncovered a terrifying conspiracy in a small town, and they can only see the villains' central "boogeyman" by closing their eyes (part of the reason for the "blackout" in the name). If your group is going to live, everyone will need to keep watch -- you may save a friend who doesn't realize they're in danger.

Via: PC Gamer

Source: The Blackout Club, Question (YouTube)

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/28/the-blackout-club/

News:: Japan getting Neptune as DLC character for Peach Beach Splash

Publisher Marvelous have announced that Hyperdimension Neptunia superstar Neptune is coming to the Japanese release of arena-shooter Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash next month.

Nep-Nep is the latest in a selection of characters crossing over from other franchises to join in the wild fun of Senran Kagura's Splatoon-like shooter. Previous guest characters include Valkyrie Drive's Kagurazaka sisters and Dead or Alive's Ayane, Honoka and Marie-Rose.

Neptune will arrive with her own selection of accessories on March 8. So far no official announcement was made as to whether the Hyperdimension Neptunia content will head West, although previous DLC has made the leap over the ocean in the past.

Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash is available now on PS4 and launches on PC March 7.

Japan getting Neptune as DLC character for Peach Beach Splash screenshot

News:: Killer7 won't stay dead because of Let It Die

It's an improbable comeback but also a thematically-appropriate one. Two video games that directly reference death in their titles have combined to give some sort of new life to the elder one.

As a celebration of Grasshopper Manufacture's 20th anniversary, Killer7-themed content is going to get added to Let It Die. Killer7 is something of a cult classic -- Suda51's first mainstream game outside of Japan that wonderfully showcased his oddball style. Like most of Suda's games, it's very love-it-or-hate-it but it has definitely found its niche audience. And that audience has eagerly clamored for anything new from the 23-year-old game.

As for how substantial this Killer7 and Let It Die crossover actually is, well, that remains to be seen. It's being referred to as a "collaboration" rather than an event, and it has been announced months ahead of time. This collab is going down sometime in the spring, but publisher GungHo Entertainment hasn't put a firm date on it.

Another lingering mystery is whether this partnership between Grasshopper properties opens the door for a more substantial Killer7 revitalization somewhere down the road. A whole bunch of people would be awfully excited to hear that kind of news. For now, inclusion in PS4's free-to-play Let It Die is good enough.

Killer7 won't stay dead because of Let It Die screenshot

News:: Wild Guns: Reloaded will open fire on Nintendo Switch in April

Natsume's steampunk-western remake, Wild Guns: Reloaded, has been given a release window for its Nintendo Switch debut. The fast-paced gallery shooter will see both a physical and digital release in April, priced around $30.

Wild Guns: Reloaded is an updated edition of the classic SNES game, Wild Guns (naturally). Reloaded hosts additional features missing from the 1994 release, including new characters, weapons, modes and stages. It also supports four player co-op for those who wanna take a compadre into battle against the endless army of outlaws and robots.

Wild Guns: Reloaded launches on Nintendo Switch in April and is available right now on PS4 and PC.

Wild Guns: Reloaded will open fire on Nintendo Switch in April screenshot

News:: Discord bans a number of alt-right servers

The gaming chat service Discord has reportedly banned several alt-right groups. The move comes six months after the platform shut down racist accounts in the wake of the Charlottesville protests in order to 'take action against white supremacy, nazi ideology and all forms of hate.' But Discord backed away from calling out particular groups that it kicked off its service; Instead, it has removed a number of unnamed groups due to violations of the platform's terms and services, a spokesperson told Engadget in a statement.

Source: Polygon

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/28/discord-bans-a-number-of-alt-right-servers/

News:: Wreck-It Ralph wrecks things in first Ralph Breaks the Internet trailer

Wreck-It Ralph was a charming film crammed with gaming nostalgia, solid humor, and a surprisingly touching story. It also helped Disney Animation Studios step out of the shadow of Pixar as it was one of their early successes as they moved away from traditional musical films. It also also handled referential humor incredibly well, which is often truly challenging.

Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 looks to double down on this by thrusting Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz into the Internet to save Vanellope's video game by finding a missing piece of it. I was a bit worried that it would just be a meme fest this time around, losing the clever hat tips of the original, and this trailer doesn't do much to assuage that, but I'll admit that the jokes got me anyway. Meta Internet jokes are obviously nothing new, but hopefully the film can work its same magic as the first one did.

Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-Ralph 2 hits theaters on November 21, 2018.

Wreck-It Ralph wrecks things in first Ralph Breaks the Internet trailer screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/wreck-it-ralph-wrecks-things-in-first-ralph-breaks-the-internet-trailer-492117.phtml

News:: New update for Splatoon 2 includes changes to Salmon Run, Rank, weapons and more

Nintendo have delivered the latest update to their messy, messy shooter Splatoon 2. The new patch, which is live right now, features a huge amount of tweaks and fixes to various game modes, both single player and competitive.

Although many changes are designed to stamp out minor, irritating issues across the board, there has also been a slight rework of the game's ranking system, as well as changes to Splat Zones on certain maps and the behaviour and specifications of some of the game's ink-blasting arsenal of weapons.

The complete patch notes can be found right here on the official site. Just select the 2.3.0 drop-down menu. You might want to grab yourself a drink and snack before you settle in for the read. It's a doozy.

Splatoon 2 is available now on Nintendo Switch.

New update for Splatoon 2 includes changes to Salmon Run, Rank, weapons and more screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/new-update-for-splatoon-2-includes-changes-to-salmon-run-rank-weapons-and-more-492113.phtml

News:: Netflix will have 700 original movies and TV shows in 2018

My Netflix backlog is real. It's not quite as real as my gaming backlog, but with the news that Netflix will hit 700 new, original movies and TV shows this year alone it's about to get there. Of course I don't need to watch all these shows, and I'll doubt I'll want to, but with that many movies and shows coming out there's going to be a ton of good ones that are just going to get virtually stacked up against all those games waiting to be played.

The number comes from CFO David Wells, who said that the company is spending north of $8 billion to produce these shows for 2018, with really no end in site. Their theory, and it's proving correct, is that the more content they produce the more subscribers they'll get. Wells also said that they don't especially care where that content comes from so not everything needs to be in-house. That seems a little contradictory to my anecdotal evidence of less and less TV and movies from outside Netflix on the service, but they do still have plenty of non-Netflix shows.

You'll also be seeing a ton more ads for Netflix as the company is turning towards heavier marketing efforts to promote all this new content. An example of this was their Cloverfield Paradox coup in which they paid a ton of money to air an aid during the Super Bowl just to drop the film right then and there for everyone to watch. Even if the movie didn't turn out that great it was a fantastic bit of marketing on their part.

Netflix Eyeing Total of About 700 Original Series, Movies in 2018 [Variety]

Netflix will have 700 original movies and TV shows in 2018 screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/netflix-will-have-700-original-movies-and-tv-shows-in-2018-492104.phtml

News:: Good Smile open pre-orders on Persona Pixie Figma

Japanese toy manufacturer Good Smile Co. have opened pre-orders today on the latest Figma in their Persona range, and it's the instantly recognisable Pixie, star of multiple games in the JRPG series' long-running history.

The figure stands around 6.5 inches tall and, as expected, comes with multiple articulation points and a clear stand, allowing for all manner of gravity-defying poses. Pixie comes with interchangeable hands and face-plates, and features beautiful iridescent-coloured wings.

Pre-orders for this Figma are open until March 29, with a price tag of ¥5,300 (around $50) not including shipping or any customs charges that may be lurking at your local mail depot. Pixie is scheduled to ship around August of this year.

Persona Pixie Figma now available for pre-order [Good Smile Co]

Good Smile open pre-orders on Persona Pixie Figma screenshot

News:: PlayStation Plus won't include free PS3 and Vita games next year

Changes are afoot for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Starting next March, the smattering of monthly free (with subscription) Instant Game Collection offerings won't include titles for the PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita. It won't affect any games you downloaded previously, however, according to a post on the PS Blog. "Your game saves and other benefits of PS Plus will also remain the same -- the only change is that no new PS4 and PS Vita games will be added to the PS Plus monthly games lineup beyond March 8th, 2019."

Source: PS Blog

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/28/playstation-plus-ps3-vita-games/

News:: Play the new 'Overwatch' support hero on test servers right now

There was a time when the Overwatch team spent months dripping out information about a new hero for fans to obsess over. But now they're content to simply drop a new one out of nowhere like a dropped mic and revel in the game's overjoyed community. Today is one of those days: Brigitte, a new melee support hero, has joined the fray -- and you can play her right now on the game's PTR servers.

Source: Overwatch

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/28/play-the-new-overwatch-support-hero-on-test-servers-right-now/

News:: The next Overwatch hero is Torbjorn's daughter Brigitte

Midway through Blizzard's teases for the 27th hero in Overwatch, folks got it in their heads that the new character had to be Torbjörn's daughter. Despite some skepticism that it might all just be a ruse, those folks were totally right! Brigitte joins the game today on the PTR as a flail-wielding support.

Looking at her kit, I think Brigitte will win over Reinhardt fans who are at least somewhat open to change. She's primarily a support character, sure, but she's tank-y too. And, again, rocket flail.

Rocket Flail – Brigitte's melee weapon has an extended range, enabling her to strike multiple enemies with a single swing.
Repair Pack – Brigitte throws a Repair Pack that can heal an ally. Any healing over that ally's maximum health provides them with armor instead.
Whip Shot – Brigitte throws her flail a long distance, dealing damage and knocking an enemy away from her.
Barrier Shield – Brigitte deploys a frontal energy barrier to absorb a limited amount of damage.
Shield Bash – Once her Barrier Shield is deployed, Brigitte can dash forward to stun an enemy.
Inspire – When Brigitte hits enemies with her flail, she also heals nearby allies over time.
Rally – Brigitte moves faster and provides all nearby allies with armor that lasts until it's removed by damage.

Here's game director Jeff Kaplan for all your pronunciation needs:

"She counters a lot of heroes that are very powerful right now. We think she'll really mix up the way that the game's being played both casually and competitively at the highest levels."

The next Overwatch hero is Torbjorn's daughter Brigitte screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/the-next-overwatch-hero-is-torbjorn-s-daughter-brigitte-492149.phtml

News:: Twitch Prime's Devil May Cry HD offer has been delayed

A few weeks ago, Capcom and Twitch announced that the Devil May Cry HD Collection would be February's freebie for Twitch Prime (and Amazon Prime) subscribers starting on February 27. Well, the day came and went and no DMC was available, so what happened? Turns out the promotion has been delayed until March 6.

This came about due to some "unforeseen technical circumstances." While that certainly sucks, at least the offer hasn't been abandoned for something else. You'll be able to grab the collection through the Twitch app until April 3, 2018, so you'll have plenty of time once it lands.

Twitch Prime's Devil May Cry HD offer has been delayed screenshot

News:: Sony is winding down PlayStation Plus support for PS3 and Vita in 2019

Before you immediately glance down at the list of PlayStation Plus games for March and see that those maniacs are going to offer Bloodborne and Ratchet & Clank, there's something important to note first: Sony has announced plans to diminish PS Plus support on PlayStation 3 and Vita next year.

"Starting next year on March 8, 2019, the PS Plus monthly games lineup will focus on PS4 titles and no longer include PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita titles. This won't affect any games you've already downloaded, or will download, prior to March 8, 2019. Those games will still be part of your PS Plus games library as long as you remain a member. Your game saves and other benefits of PS Plus will also remain the same – the only change is that no new PS3 and PS Vita games will be added to the PS Plus monthly games lineup beyond March 8, 2019." (And here are instructions for turning off auto-renewal.)

With that date now committed to memory, here's the March lineup for PS Plus:

Bloodborne (PS4)
Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
Legend of Kay (PS3)
Mighty No. 9 (PS3, PS4)
Claire: Extended Cut (PS Vita, PS4)
Bombing Busters (PS Vita, PS4)

It's a damn fine month. If you've avoided Bloodborne, I implore you to embrace the hunt. I'm gonna have to start up a new character to get in on the influx of new players (as a friendly cooperator, of course!).

PS Plus: Games for March, Additional Service Changes [PlayStation Blog]

Sony is winding down PlayStation Plus support for PS3 and Vita in 2019 screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/sony-is-winding-down-playstation-plus-support-for-ps3-and-vita-in-2019-492143.phtml

News:: Nintendo says StreetPass Relay Stations are shutting down in Japan

Remember when Nintendo said they were going to support the 3DS and the Switch at the same time?

Like the elves at the end of the Third Age, the time of the 3DS is fading. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, use it, and hope Nintendo keeps the dream alive, but it's very clear where Nintendo and third parties' priorities lie when 90% of each Nintendo download's offerings are Switch related, and in rare occasions, the Wii/Wii U get more releases than the 3DS.

Nintendo themselves also seem to be backing up this wind of change, as they're shutting down StreetPass Relay Stations in Japan entirely next month on March 28 -- not winding it down, but closing them. For those who aren't aware, relay points allow 3DS owners to basically gather StreetPass instances en masse, by gathering them instantly at a single location.

Is it the beginning of the end? Reggie, say it ain't so!

StreetPass [Nintendo]

Nintendo says StreetPass Relay Stations are shutting down in Japan screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/nintendo-says-streetpass-relay-stations-are-shutting-down-in-japan-492099.phtml

News:: New Overwatch update sees Sombra, Doomfist and Mei pack a little more punch

Blizzard's popular online-shooter Overwatch has received a new update, boosting the skills of some of the game's heroes. This time around, the dice rolls in favour of Doomfist, Mei and Sombra, who each receive some buff-work.

Everybody's favourite wall-squisher, Doomfist, has had the recovery rate on his (literal) firearm increased. This is expected to enable his rate-of-fire to work in better tandem with his bone-breaking combo attacks.

Ice-princess Mei has had her Freeze ability duration increased from 1 second to 1.5 seconds, to help her slow down nimbler characters such as Tracer and Genji. Mei's alternate fire has also had an ammo cost reduction, allowing her to use it more often without fears of evaporating all of her Freeze potential.

Sombra has been the main beneficiary of the update, with the sneaky hacker seeing a bit of a rework. EMP can now travel through smaller objects, such as trees and road-signs. Hack has had its cast-time reduced from 0.8 to 0.65 seconds, it also affects some new abilities including Genji's Cyber-Agility, Hanzo's Wall-Climb, Parah's Hover-Jets, both of Lucio's boosts and Mercy's Angelic Descent.

On top of that, Sombra's aim has been tightened up, with her Uzi-spread reduced from 3 to 2.7. Best of all, Translocator duration has been increased by five seconds to 20 seconds. Finally her passive skill, Opportunist, now reveals enemy health bars once they dip beneath 100% (although they still cannot be located through obstacles until they drop beneath 50%. Quite right, too).

I love Sombra. I'm actually pretty good with her, but as any Sombra player will tell you, you can get so much shit at the start of a round for choosing her. Hopefully these new boosts will make people respect the wily diva a little more, or at least prevent them from kicking me at the character select screen.

In addition to the hero buffs, the Blizzard World map has had its health packs relocated and some sound bugs fixed. Full details on the new update can be found at the link below.

Overwatch receives update 1.20.0.3 [Official Site]

New Overwatch update sees Sombra, Doomfist and Mei pack a little more punch screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/new-overwatch-update-sees-sombra-doomfist-and-mei-pack-a-little-more-punch-492098.phtml

News:: TwitchCon returns to the Bay Area on October 26th

TwitchCon has been pinballing around California since it debuted in 2015 in San Francisco, shifting to San Diego and Long Beach in the following years. But in 2018, Twitch is bringing its convention back to the Bay Area, occupying the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA on October 26-28.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/28/twitchcon-2018-bay-area-october-26th/

News:: Nintendo already pulled user reviews for Switch games

Last week, Nintendo began allowing customers to leave reviews for Switch games on its site. Along with leaving comments, reviewers could list themselves as a Nintendo fan, core gamer, casual player or a parent and they could also tag their review with a number of descriptions such as kid appropriate, immersive or great characters. But, as Polygon reports, customer reviews have already been suspended and there's no word on when or if they might be back.

Via: Polygon

Source: Nintendo

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/28/nintendo-pulled-user-reviews-switch-games/

News:: The build limit for Dragon Quest Builders 2 will be three times the size of the original

While we wait to see how Dragon Quest Builders 2 fares, Square Enix has shared some new details with Famitsu, and most of it sounds good. Apparently the biggest change is that the build limit will be three times the size of the first game, allowing for higher tiers and bigger creations. Square says that higher builds was one of the most requested mechanics, as was "circulating water from high places."

The PS4 and Switch were chosen to ensure that legacy systems weren't holding them back, but you'll be able to import save data from the PS3 and Vita editions for the former -- and the Switch will have import capabilities as well. Another big alteration is multiplayer, but Square Enix is being pretty coy about what that entails at the moment. They want folks to be able to "play with others," an idea that might offer a special sandbox mode, but there isn't an explicit mention of a full multiplayer campaign.

Finally, the studio mentions that you won't be lost if you haven't played the first, and that since the development process is dealing with some "trial and error" with the engine upgrade, we might have to wait a bit longer for the sequel.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 [Famitsu via Gematsu]

The build limit for Dragon Quest Builders 2 will be three times the size of the original screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/the-build-limit-for-dragon-quest-builders-2-will-be-three-times-the-size-of-the-original-492100.phtml

News:: Dragon Ball FighterZ squishes bugs in February patch

Bandai Namco have released notes on the first major patch coming to their anime fighting title Dragon Ball FighterZ, which launched to public and critical acclaim last month but has suffered with some irritating online issues.

DBFZ producer Tomoko Hiroki released a video responding to the annoying problems concerning disconnects and and the game's "Ring Match" lobbies. Plans are to fix these ongoing issues in too patches, one this month and one scheduled for sometime in March.

The February patch, which is now live, also includes a list of minor fixes pertaining to animations, hit-boxes and general gameplay stability. These tweaks should all make for a smoother skull-caving experience for all, as well as tighten up the game's movement and audio/visual synchronicity. The full patch notes can be found at the Bandai Namco Facebook page.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is available now on PC PS4, and Xbox One.

Dragon Ball FighterZ squishes bugs in February patch screenshot

News:: Super Smash Bros. inspired Mega Man Arena fan game launches today

The Mega Man fan game scene has produced some wonderful work. From old school 8-bit inspired first-person shooters to original Mega Man titles that give the originals a run for their money, or in one special case, a project that was converted into an official release featuring Street Fighter characters.

Although there have been multiplayer Mega Man projects in the past and an official fighting mini-game in Mega Man 7, creator KishSquared has married the two and put a Smash Bros. spin on things with Mega Man Arena. Not only is the [free] fan game an arena brawler with nine characters and 27 stages "at launch," but there are also concessions for free-for-all and team modes, as well as boss rushes and record keeping.

Mega Man Arena is slated to be released at 5PM Eastern later today on its official website.

Arena [Mega Man Arena]

Super Smash Bros. inspired Mega Man Arena fan game launches today screenshot

News:: A bloody and explosive hands-on video impression with Ion Maiden

Over the weekend I got to play an early preview build of Ion Maiden, the latest retro-inspired FPS from 3D Realms and Voidpoint games. That's right, the same folks behind Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, and who helped birth the FPS genre by publishing Wolfenstein 3D.

Although, it almost feels wrong saying “retro-inspired” when it comes to Ion Maiden. Because I'd argue it isn't just “inspired” -- it's retro to its very core. It's running on the Build engine, the same engine that powered those original 3D Realms classics and also my personal favorite from Monolith Productions, Blood.

Ion Maiden aims to capture the brilliant and bloody run-and-gun action of '90s FPS games that made politicians fear for the sanity of children everywhere...and it does so with gusto!

A bloody and explosive hands-on video impression with Ion Maiden screenshot

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Wednesday, February 28, 2018