News
3 CommentsBlack Desert trailer flies you through the game's world
By Megan Farokhmanesh at 3:30p 04.21.14
A new trailer for massively multiplayer online role-playing game Black Desert takes viewers through a dizzying flying tour of the game's gigantic world.
Pearl Abyss, a developer based in South Korea, is working on the game, which will feature a sandbox-style world, weather system and detailed character creation. In the video above, Pearl Abyss provides look at the game's forests, foggy castles, towns, mountains and much more. Access to areas in the game will be seamless.
The video, which you can watch above, does not include all of the game's dungeons.
Black Desert's closed beta is expected to kick off April 22 in South Korea. A Western release has not been announced.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn on PS4 - Overview video
By Griffin McElroy on Apr 18, 2014 04.18.14
News
0 CommentsPixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD goes free on PS Plus April 22
By Samit Sarkar at 3:00p 04.21.14
PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD will become the latest PlayStation Vita game to join the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection tomorrow, April 22, Sony announced today.
Ultimate HD is Double Eleven's upgraded PS Vita port of Q-Games' PixelJunk Monsters; it was released last July. As one PS Vita title enters the Instant Game Collection, another is set to leave: Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which arrived in late March on PS Plus, will be available free only until April 29.
Mercenary Kings, Batman: Arkham City, Stealth Inc.: A Clone in the Dark and Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse have already become free on PS Plus this month. The only game left from Sony's list of free games for April is the PS Vita title Velocity Ultra.
News
3 CommentsMake everything look like candy with Minecraft Xbox 360's new texture pack
By Alexa Ray Corriea at 2:30p 04.21.14
Just in time for the post-Easter candy sales, a new texture pack that reskins all objects to look like candy is now available for Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition, according to a post on Play XBLA.
The Minecraft Candy Texture Pack costs $1 through the Xbox Games Store and includes a handful of textures for a variety of different materials. Players can now create objects like ice cream bushes, lollipop trees, soda rivers, cake stones, easter eggs, chocolate, candy golems and dozens of other sugar-coated things.
Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition recently added characters skins based on Marvel's Avengers, while the PlayStation 3 version received skins based on characters from a number of Sony franchises, including Uncharted, Killzone and Heavy Rain.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the...
News
6 CommentsChina's free trade zone regulations set, ready for video game console sales
By Alexa Ray Corriea at 1:30p 04.21.14
Regulations for China's free trade zone in Shanghai are now officially in place, opening the area for the sale and trade of video game consoles, reports People's Daily.
The ban on console sales in China — which lasted close to 14 years — lifted last September, when the country announced it would set up the FTZ in Shanghai. Since then, the government has been working to set up rules for how the trading zone will be governed and operated. Foreign companies, like Sony and Nintendo, can now being to operate in this zone, along with any domestic Chinese game development companies.
In June 2013, the Chinese government revealed it would end its ban on the production and sale of video game consoles, which was introduced in 2000. Foreign firms would be able to produce and sell their...
News
9 CommentsAssassin's Creed tops Ubisoft's best selling franchises with 73M copies worldwide
By Megan Farokhmanesh at 12:30p 04.21.14
A recent list of facts and figures posted on Ubisoft's website revealed that Assassin's Creed is the company's top-selling franchise worldwide with approximately 73 million games sold.
The first Assassin's Creed, which eventually launched for PlayStation 3, Windows PC and Xbox 360, debuted in 2007. The series has since spawned more than 15 games, with six released in the main series. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag launched in 2013 and is available for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
Two more games in the franchise are reportedly launching this year. "Assassin's Creed: Unity," the codename of an upcoming title, is said to take place in Paris.
Following Assassin's Creed sale numbers were Just Dance with 48 million, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell...
News
22 CommentsThe Last of Us lead artist leaves for The Unfinished Swan dev Giant Sparrow
By Alexa Ray Corriea at 11:30a 04.21.14
Nate Wells left Naughty Dog for an art director position at The Unfinished Swan developer Giant Sparrow, the developer announced in a tweet late yesterday.
Wells joined Naughty Dog in August 2012 following his departure from Irrational Games, where he spent 13 years and most recently served as art director on BioShock Infinite. Wells took up as lead artist on PlayStation 3 exclusive The Last of Us and, according to his tweet, left for Santa Monica-based indie developer Giant Sparrow in early April — shortly before the announcement of The Last of Us Remastered for PlayStation 4. Wells' Twitter profile notes the Giant Sparrow affiliation, but his LinkedIn remains unchanged, stating that he is "currently between careers" at the time of writing.
Hmmm....seem to be some threads...
My mother made me a gamer, and gave me the skills to deal with her death
By Jonathon Dornbush on Apr 18, 2014 04.18.14
News
1 CommentAbleGamers Foundation raised more than $33K at PAX East 2014
By Samit Sarkar at 11:00a 04.21.14
The AbleGamers Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for gamers with disabilities, raised $33,635.07 at PAX East 2014, the group announced today.
It was the organization's largest single instance of fundraising, more than doubling the total from PAX East 2013.
The funds include contributions from players of Pachinko for Charity, a gaming area that the AbleGamers Foundation had set up in the lobby of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Industry partners like Paradox Entertainment and Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos gave matching funds for the first $12,500, and other donors also pitched in. Over two dozen companies such as The Behemoth, Deep Silver, Electronic Arts and Uber Entertainment provided more than $42,000 in Pachinko for Charity prizes.
"PAX East never...
Good Game
1 CommentGames for Change goes mainstream with the help of Tribeca Film Festival
By Brian Crecente at 10:37a 04.21.14
The Games for Change Festival is changing thanks to a last-minute partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival. The more than decade-long annual game festival, seen by some as the Sundance of video games, is both narrowing the focus of its presentation and broadening the context of its content and in so doing, organizers hope, highlighting the ubiquity and importance of gaming in everything from education and health to science and entertainment."It definitely raised the bar," said Games for Change co-president Asi Burak. "It's putting a spotlight on everything this community is doing on the largest stage we've ever had."
This year's festival has been redesigned from the bottom up, with changes in everything from how the talks were selected, to the way the presentations will take place,...
News
19 CommentsHearthstone Fireside Gatherings will help players meet in the real world April 26
By Dave Tach at 10:00a 04.21.14
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft developer Blizzard Entertainment is encouraging players of the collectible card game to meet in the real world with Fireside Gathering events scheduled for April 26.
In Hearthstone, players gather around virtual tables for card battles. Fireside Gatherings invite players to assemble around real world tables to build decks, play tournaments and otherwise delve deep into the game. Those who do will unlock a special card back.
You can see a list of April 26 events being held from Alabama to Hawaii on Blizzard's official Fireside Gatherings page, where you'll also find information on how to host your own event.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is available on Mac, Windows PC and iPad with Android device and iPhone versions to come. For more on the game...
Top Games
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Spelunky
- Platforms: Win, XBLA, PS3, PS Vita, Win
- Publisher: Mossmouth
- Developer: Mossmouth
- Release Date: 07/04/2012
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Saints Row 4
- Platforms: Win, 360, PS3
- Publisher: Deep Silver
- Developer: Volition
- Release Date: 2013-08-20
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Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Publisher: PopCap Games
- Developer: PopCap Games
- Release Date: 08/15/2013
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Gone Home
- Platforms: Win, Mac, Linux
- Publisher: The Fullbright Company
- Developer: The Fullbright Company
- Release Date: 08/15/2013
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Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn
- Platforms: PS3, Win, PS4
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Developer: Square Enix
- Release Date: 2013-08-27
Wasteland 2 adds Linux support in major Early Access update
By Owen S. Good at 9:30a 04.21.14
Wasteland 2's Early Access release now supports Linux, delivering on its Kickstarter promise to support that platform, Mac OS and Windows PC. The support arrived in a major update to the beta, inXile Entertainment said.
In addition to Linux support, Wasteland 2 added another major area to its map, a new vendor screen, and about 400 other changes, all of which may be seen in these patch notes. Wasteland 2 added Mac OS support in late February
"With these major systems implemented, Wasteland 2 is in the final stages of development," inXile said, adding that the Early Access release now includes more than 40 percent of what is expected in the final game.
Wasteland 2 was one of the earliest major video game successes on Kickstarter, raising $2.9 million two years ago. A final release...
Video
8 CommentsThis is how you get a lightsaber in Disney Infinity
By Alexa Ray Corriea at 9:00a 04.21.14
There is a way to get Star Wars' iconic lightsaber in Disney Infinity — it just takes a bit of effort and a lot of cash.
In the video above, Stephen Alva Wood of YouTube channel Nerdflip runs down how to obtain the coveted item. By using all 29 NFC figurines within the game and raising all characters to level one, players can unlock a green lightsaber, a weapon used in the space epic by Jedi including Luke Skywalker and Yoda.
According to Wood, unlocking the lightsaber means players have spent at least $500 on Disney Infinity figurines at this point.
In late 2012, Disney purchased Lucasfilm — and the rights to the Star Wars franchise — in a $4 billion acquisition deal. More recently, the Disney Store Facebook page responded to a comment from a fan that there were no plans to...
News
14 CommentsPolitical-based strategy game ReignMaker now available for PC via Steam
By Megan Farokhmanesh at 3:00a 04.21.14
ReignMaker, a game built around political strategy and match-3 tower defense combat from indie developer Frogdice, is now available via Steam for Linux, Mac and Windows PC.
The game was Greenlit last month. In ReignMaker, players build and defend a city against would-be usurpers. It includes four culture spectrums, 10 different troop types and 50 towers spread across three continents. According to Frogdice, political decisions made throughout the game will affect the story and culture of each player's kingdom.
"As your capital city improves, you will have access to more powerful spells, mightier elite troops, and better battlefield gear and armaments," the game's description reads. "Along the way you will also earn achievements, complete quests, and fill your Bestiary with enemies."
...
News
11 CommentsMinecraft, Plants vs. Zombies, Street Fighter vets and more designing Magic 2015 cards
By Dave Tach at 2:00a 04.21.14
Several video game developers are creating cards for the upcoming 2015 edition of Magic: The Gathering, according to Wizards of the Coast.
Designers of the 14 cards and the games they're best known for include:
Isaiah Cartwright, lead game designer for Guild Wars 2
James Ernest, owner and lead designer for Cheapass Games, designer of Kill Doctor Lucky
George Fan, designer of Plants vs Zombies, whose "Genesis Hydra" card appears below
Brian Fargo, founder and CEO of InXile Entertainment, director of Bard's Tale, Wasteland, executive producer of Fallout
Richard "Lord British" Garriot, creator of the Ultima series
Justin Gary, designer of Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer and Solforge
Mike "Gabe" Krahulik and Jerry "Tycho" Holkins, creators of Penny Arcade
Stone...
News
5 CommentsPersona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth videos detail damage-dealing Boost system
By Alexa Ray Corriea at 1:00a 04.21.14
Atlus shared two new videos for upcoming Nintendo 3DS title Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth today detailing the game's combat system.
In battle, players will have access to the Boost System, a tool allowing players to deal higher amounts of damage. When in Boost mode, characters will be able to attack opponents at no cost to personal resources. The more characters there are in Boost mode, the higher a chance of being able to execute a powerful All-Out Attack. But like in previous Persona games, players are going to want to suss out their enemies' weak points before making their moves.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, a dungeon-crawler featuring the casts of Persona 3 and Persona 4, will launch for 3DS in Japan on June 5 and later this year in North America.
Why the makers of Guacamelee decided to make a touch game about a one-armed woman
By Brian Crecente at 12:00a 04.21.14
In Severed, players take on the role of a woman who wakes in a desert with a missing arm and perhaps missing memory.The game, which uses swipes with a finger on a screen in combat, has players on the hunt for body parts and the story of how this unnamed protagonist woke in a desert.
It's a compelling story coming from the creators of Guacamelee. It's also the first game in Drinkbox's history that won't be a platformer.
"We've been making platformers for six years and Guacamelee for three years," said Drinkbox co-founder Graham Smith. "We're going to try something new, something different."
So Drinkbox opened the floor to pitches from everyone at the studio to see what they could come up with.
"When we opened it up to the studio to pitch new ideas, this happened to be the one that...
News
13 CommentsPlay Mass Effect 3's ultimate space battle with this Homeworld 2 mod
By Owen S. Good on Apr 20, 2014 04.20.14
The climactic space battle between the Reapers and all others in the galaxy was largely played out through cutscenes in Mass Effect 3, a role-playing game and not a space combat simulator. Well, a team of modders have seen fit to recreate that showdown in Homeworld 2.
Mass Effect Reborn is the work of Phoenix Interactive; it released in a beta earlier this month and should make a full release by early May. The 429MB download is free, available through moddb.com. Mass Effect R works for Homeworld 2 on Linux, Mac OS and Windows PC.
Culture
21 CommentsA look back on Harvest Moon, the unlikely console farming simulator
By Owen S. Good on Apr 20, 2014 04.20.14
Long, long before there was FarmVille, there was Harvest Moon, which overcame a troubled development and skepticism of its appeal to become an enduring series, mostly on Nintendo platforms. Did You Know Gaming presents a comprehensive history of the origins of the series and what Yasuhiro Wada strove to create back in 1996.
Wada wished to create a nonviolent role-playing game that reminded him of childhood memories of the countryside, and felt that despite giving players approximations of real-world chores, he still could find a level of engagement that kept them interested and involved.
Evidently he did, as Harvest Moon's format spawned 17 successors, three of them on PlayStation platforms. Harvest Moon 64, launched in 1999, is said to be the closest to what Wada envisioned when he...
News
7 CommentsTwo more videos show off Ultra Street Fighter 4's characters, opening cinematic
By Owen S. Good on Apr 20, 2014 04.20.14
Two more videos for Ultra Street Fighter 4 reveal the update's new opening cinematic and another several minutes of game action (with Japanese subtitling).
Ultra Street Fighter 4 is a large-scale update to the five-year old title that will add new stages and characters on top of a layer of balances and gameplay changes. It will be offered for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in June, and for Windows PC in August. It will be released as a new retail game, but those who own the original may buy and download it the update online for $14.99
For more on Ultra Street Fighter 4, see Polygon's preview of Decapre, one of the new fighters this game will introduce.
Culture
1 CommentEaster eggs? Here are two in Garden Warfare — including the Slender Man
By Owen S. Good on Apr 20, 2014 04.20.14
In the spirit of today's holiday, here are a couple of Easter eggs in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, including a cameo by that loathsome ghoul Slender Man.
There also is an Easter egg, building on an earlier one discovered, that references Outset Island from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Slender Man is found on the Zomboss Estate map. This video, by YouTuber StrangeLuv, shows you how to find both.
Polygon scored Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare an 8.5 when it launched in late February, saying it "takes the best parts of PVZ to make an experimental shooter that feels freed from tired conventions or compromise." The game launched a free expansion, "Zomboss Down," last Tuesday.
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