Contest: Win Othercide for PS4, Xbox One, or Steam
In today's contest you can win horror-based tactical RPG Othercide for PS4, Xbox One, or Steam!
I know Halloween is still two months away, but that doesn't mean we can't start the spooks early! This horrific turn-based tactical RPG is a great way to get the creepy atmosphere started, so win your copy of Othercide now!
I'm something of a cheerleader for rail shooters. I feel the sub-genre has still gone largely untapped, and that it's a formula the indie market could really make work. Lost Wing is something like that. However, I'm also a huge snob, so it's going to take more than a bossy cameraman to impress me.
It attempts to bring a sense of speed and unpredictability to the mix while also focusing on its neon visuals and a synthetic soundtrack. It's like if you married Star Fox and Tron and they had a child named Audiosurf, but then they had another child and that's what Lost Wing is metaphorically; it's Audiosurf's little brother. It's similar but they probably wouldn't agree on anything.
Fall Guys has a sweet Hotline Miami outfit and I shouldn't have wasted my crowns
A few days after launch, I've learned a valuable lesson in Fall Guys: don't let crowns burn a hole in your pocket. Resist. If you waste your hard-earned currency on filler items, you might miss a cool outfit.
Look who just appeared in the in-game store!
— Fall Guys ðŸ'' (@FallGuysGame) August 7, 2020
You can trade in your hard-earned dubs for JACKET!
ðŸ''ðŸ''ðŸ''ðŸ''ðŸ''
In collab with @HotlineMiami ðŸ'Œ pic.twitter.com/FkDzXiqgdC
There's no way I'll be able to score ten wins – five for the rooster-headed top, five for the bottom – in time to afford this sweet Hotline Miami Jacket outfit. I've gotten five wins total across all of my Fall Guys exploits, and lately, I've been on a real losing streak. Y'all are getting better. My days are numbered.
That, and the servers are struggling this afternoon. I'm expecting a rocky first weekend.
If you haven't peeked at the Season 1 rewards yet, heads up: you can earn three crowns without ever winning a game. And if you feel like you're never going to outplay your competition, hang in there – you never know when every single player in front of you is gonna botch the final jump in Fall Mountain.
I'm sure the Jacket costume will return to the shop eventually, to say nothing of countless crossover items that are likely in Fall Guys' future, but dang. I should get the Guy Fieri-esque Hotrod Flames pattern to make myself feel better. Crowns can be elusive, but kudos come pretty fast, win or lose.
While we're talking Devolver team-ups, I'd like to formally request an Enter the Gungeon costume.
Remedy's next game will take place in the same universe as Alan Wake and Control
Remedy has linked the events in Alan Wake to the events in Control. That was a nice little easter egg to discover a year ago, an adoring wink at all the longtime Remedy fans. And, as we've known for a while now, that was the origin of a dedicated Alan Wake-themed DLC in Control, which is due out at the end of this month.
That's not the end. It's just the start. This is deeper than a lake, it's an ocean.
Remedy creative director Sam Lake has given an update about the direction of the studio's future games, introducing a concept called the Remedy Connected Universe. Basically, Remedy has been connecting the dots all these years, finding ways to write its stories into one another. "Each game is a standalone experience, but each game is also a doorway into a larger universe with exciting opportunities for crossover events," Lake says.
The upcoming AWE expansion is the first official crossover. After that, it seems as though Lake wants all of the developer's singleplayer narratives to coexist. Remedy is already working on the next game (which is reported to be a smaller project) that will fit into the Remedy Connected Universe framework.
So, we're going to see more Control and more Alan Wake and maybe even more Quantum Break popping up in future Remedy games. Max Payne is probably a no-go since Rockstar owns it. But it's fantastic to hear that we'll get more lore from the stories we love while Remedy is also free to craft new characters and narratives.
AWE: The first Remedy Connected Universe crossover event [Remedy Games]
Apple is doing what it can to keep Xbox's Project xCloud off iOS devices
Next month, Project xCloud is bringing more than 100 games to Android-using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. However, iPhone users shouldn't expect Xbox's game streaming service to hit their devices anytime soon.
In a statement to Business Insider, Apple confirms that its notoriously draconian App Store policies are inflexible in a way that prevents Project xCloud (or, Google Stadia for that matter) from reasonably existing on iOS devices. Apple requires that every single title available on Project xCloud be submitted and reviewed individually. The Project xCloud app, which serves as a gateway to launch more than 100 games, is in violation of that.
An Apple spokesperson says "Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers." This exact ecosystem is a standard that only gaming is really held to. Services like Netflix don't run into the same problems, which Apple pins on "[different] consumer expectations baked into the App Store related to gaming."
However, Apple doesn't have a lot of incentive to bend the rules for a direct competitor. Last fall, Apple launched Apple Arcade, a subscription service for playing games on iOS devices. It's more or less exactly what Project xCloud is doing.
That doesn't mean Project xCloud on iOS is dead in the water. Apple insists that "gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search." It's a lot of hoops to jump through and Apple knows that.
Project xCloud is already on iOS devices in a very limited capacity. It was opened to 10,000 beta testers who only had access to Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Microsoft hasn't built upon that at all. It'll likely stay that way for the foreseeable future. Project xCloud merges with Xbox Game Pass on Android devices on September 15; iOS users are left out, probably until Apple changes its App Store policies.
When Microsoft's ambitious 'Netflix of gaming' service launches in September, it won't arrive on Apple devices – here's why [Business Insider]
This is the first look at Doom Eternal's multi-part story DLC
Everyone has to die in Doom, those are the rules. In Doom Eternal's story expansion, you'll have some divine direction for all that bloodshed.
Titled The Ancient Gods, the Doom Slayer has a mandate from, umm, The Ancient Gods to restore order to their world. It's angels and demons, but not in the way Dan Brown envisioned it.
For the first day of the at-home QuakeCon, Bethesda shared this Ancient Gods teaser trailer. Notably, it's designated as "Part One," meaning that this is a multi-part DLC. Think of it like The Divine Comedy which similarly started out in Hell before getting Purgatory and Paradise DLC.
Honestly, all this middleman action between Heaven and Hell reminds me of Darksiders. The proper reveal is coming at gamescom's One Night Live stream at the end of August.
Killer, the Massacre Soldier, is stalking One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4
Not content with already having a huge roster of scurvy dawgs, Bandai Namco has announced another new DLC character, who is headed to its brawler RPG One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4.
Spoilers for the One Piece manga follow
As revealed in the latest issue of Weekly Jump, masked muscleman Killer will be one of a trinity of characters arriving in-game as part of Pirate Warriors 4's second character pass. In the One Piece universe, Killer is a pirate of the South Blue, as well as one of the 12 feared members that make up "The Worst Generation."
Don't forget to pet the pooch in Ghostwire: Tokyo
Shinji Mikami shared a short update on Ghostwire: Tokyo during today's QuakeCon at Home stream.
The city might be missing most of its residents, but dogs are still roaming the streets – and you can totally pet them. Even if the bit is kind of played out, it comes from a genuine place. I must embrace it.
On a more existential note, Mikami commented on the "challenging times" we're in. He's wondered "why it's been feeling so tough lately, then I realized that I've been in this industry for 30 years. I'd rather not become a fossil in the game industry so I'll do my best to be a living, breathing fossil."
For better or worse, Tango Gameworks' supernatural action-adventure game is such a wildcard for me. The premise, setting, and unexpected first-person framing stand out and have great potential, but I'm struggling to grasp Ghostwire: Tokyo as a whole. I wonder if it'll completely click pre-release – there's plenty of time before the PS5 and PC launch in 2021 – or if we'll need to have it in our hands.
Mikami says they're striving to make it "more cool and unique."
Bethesda is giving away free in-game Fallout 76 stuff for QuakeCon
In case you missed it, things are pretty hectic right now and it's very hard to keep track of every "at home" convention. Comic-Con at Home learned this the hard way.
That's why I was surprised to hear that QuakeCon isn't just "coming soon," it starts today! And to celebrate, Bethesda is giving away free stuff for Fallout 76. Don't get too excited: it's in-game stuff, and there's plenty of that (either free or premium) to go around in Fallout 76, which is very much defined by cosmetics these days thanks to the new season pass system.
In short, all you need to do is claim the Beelzebilly Outfit and the Mr. Demonic Backpack (in the gallery below) on the shop from now through August 10. QuakeCon at Home will host a weekend of streams, "including a cooking show, a cosplay interview, a Fallout-themed variety show, and even a run-through of the new 'A Colossal Problem' event with folks from the dev team."
So if you're still a Fallout fan, you might be in for a decent weekend of stuff to watch. For everyone else: carry on.
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
Neo Geo Pocket classics King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 now available on Switch
Today will see two more classic Neo Geo Pocket Color titles make a grand comeback on the Nintendo Switch platform. As announced by publisher SNK, both The King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 will be made available to download from the eShop, priced at around $8 each.
Originally released back in 1999, The King of Fighters R-2 is an excellent conversion of SNK's iconic team-fighting series, and sees Kyo, Iori, Leona, Mai, Terry and friends shrink down for pint-sized pugilism. This is no Game Boy Street Fighter II - the NGPC fighting games are neat experiences, which feature cute, pleasing visuals, smooth controls, and offer a solid dose of fun on the run.
The newest Paper Mario: Origami King patch fixes multiple progress-related bugs
Paper Mario: The Origami King has been out in the wild for a bit: enough time for folks to spot some progress-hindering bugs.
While a few of them are hard to trigger they do in fact exist; and can gate your progress on the critical path or toward a 100% completion rating, which will unlock a secret ending. As of patch 1.0.1, which was released this week, a few of those have been squashed.
The "main" one that's been making the rounds involves a location where, if certain conditions were met, you wouldn't be able to re-enter the area. As of patch 1.0.1, you can "proceed normally" even if you've already encountered the bug. Another popular callout involved the game's inability to register a special enemy as "defeated" in your log book if a party member (AI) finished it off. That's also been fixed.
Finally, some broken hidden Toad locations have been fixed, amid a few rarer progression-halting bugs. I'm keeping things fairly vague, because the patch notes below outright spoil a few minor secrets and locations.
Version 1.0.1 [Nintendo]
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD videos spotlight a menagerie of demons
Publisher Atlus has released a three-part video series pertaining to its upcoming JRPG revisit Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster, which was revealed back in July during the most recent Nintendo Direct Mini broadcast.
The "Demonic Compendium" gives would-be familiar collectors a catalogue of weird, curious, and downright dangerous demons that can be gathered in the SMT III: Nocturne universe, giving players a healthy advantage when in battle against the nightmare creatures that wait within the dungeons of the Vortex World.
Showcased in the video series are veteran SMT species such as Fallen, Foul, Dragon God, Genma, Fury, Herald, Yoma, and Fairy, among many others. Pick and choose the best elements to give your party the perfect balance of attack, support, and defence, and you'll be ready to face whatever ghastly abominations are thrown at you. Who's in your squad?
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD launches in Japan on PS4 and Nintendo Switch October 29, before heading west in the spring of 2021.
Nintendo just fixed hacked Animal Crossing: New Horizons trees
Nintendo has been busy patching Animal Crossing: New Horizons these past few months.
The flood gates opened when a large number of community members made use of a get-rich-quick duplicate exploit far ahead of a patch that removed it; and Nintendo continues to battle hackers every few weeks.
Fresh off of a patch that introduced a limited form of save backups to the game, as well as efforts to combat hacked dream worlds, Nintendo is stamping out another hack: special trees. As a recap, folks have been using hacked trees as a way to grow and showcase rare items like Star Fragments: now, they'll be reverted to money trees post-update. This has been a long time coming as tree hacks have been rampant. They were even for sale on eBay!
Patch 1.4.1 squashes that, as well as a bug that eliminates shiny soil after using the dream mechanic and an issue that involved hitting rocks with a shovel in a specific way.
Version 1.4.1 [Nintendo]
Death Come True brings its time-hopping mystery to PS4 in October
Izanagi Games has announced that its realm-defying mystery Death Come True will launch on PS4 October 15, following on from its earlier release on PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices.
Directed by Danganronpa creator Kazutaka Kodaka, Death Come True is an interactive FMV title about a young man who awakens in an opulent hotel suite, wanted for a string of brutal murders and with the police hot on his heels. With no recollection of who he is, how he got here, or why there is an unconscious woman lying in his bathtub, our hero must stay one step ahead of his pursuers if he is to get to the bottom of this weird, time-bending mystery.
Crysis Remastered on Switch just opened up gyro control options and fixed a nasty bug
In an odd twist of fate, we're still rolling with just the Switch version of Crysis Remastered, while every other edition is lying in wait. We don't even have a date for those yet, but the Switch is getting patches already.
As of this week, patch 1.3.0 is live, which fixes a few major issues with the Switch port, namely gyro controls. While some folks have reported that their gyro controls are more fiddly than others (Pro Controller is the best gyro aiming experience I've had thus far), we should have a middle-ground now, as everyone can adjust the gyro aim sensitivity. Or, you can opt for inverted gyro aim controls.
Another huge bug has been fixed, which has been the ire of the Crysis Remastered Switch community since launch. Hilariously and annoyingly, if your username contained a special character, your game could crash. Since a lot of folks didn't want to change their name for one game, they either opted to create a new profile just for Crysis or wait until a fix. Their day has come.
Crysis [Twitter]
Final Fantasy VII Remake 'ships and digitally sells' over five million copies as of today
Success is relative, and amid Animal Crossing: New Horizons selling over 22 million copies in just a few months, Square Enix seems immensely proud of the fact that Final Fantasy VII Remake "shipped and digitally sold" five million copies worldwide since its April 10, 2020 launch.
Taking to Twitter to share the news, the company says that this is "the highest selling digital release on the PlayStation platform in Square Enix history." By comparison, the last major Final Fantasy release, Final Fantasy XV, "shipped and digitally sold" (Square Enix likes to use this phrasing a lot) five million copies in 24 hours across its two launch consoles: PS4 and Xbox One.
Of course, these numbers could get a boost once Final Fantasy VII Remake hits other platforms. Also, more "parts" are coming, so in a very slithery way, Square Enix will probably add up how each part sold into some grand total tweet...years from now.
Man I wonder when this whole project will be fully, actually done? Like, "all the DLC in the bag" done? In a decade?
Final Fantasy VII Remake [Twitter]
GTA Online is getting a huge 'Los Santos Summer Special' update soon
I'm in constant awe at the staying power of GTA Online.
I remember when it was in its infancy: barely an online mode, and a lot of folks thought it was destined to fail. But I held out for the heists, and the rest is history. GTA Online has become a mainstay of both Rockstar and 2K in general, who are opting to port GTA V over to the next generation almost solely due to the proliferation of the GTA Online marketplace.
That very marketplace is getting a huge update on August 11, titled "The Lost Santos Summer Special." As usual it'll come with a bevy of new activities, as well as extra co-op missions, a few of which involve the Diamond Casino and Resort.
Rockstar is also teasing new vehicle and cosmetic options, as well as more Open Wheel Races and the ability to creator your own Open Wheel circuits. In true GTA Online decadent fashion, Galaxy Super Yacht owners can also trigger their own series of new missions "along with up to three shipmates." That includes deep-sea diving scenarios.
Rockstar has basically thought of it all, and expanded the GTA universe in ways no game before it has attempted. The full patch notes are coming later, but for now you can peruse all of the teases Rockstar has sent over in the gallery below.
Los Santos Summer Special Coming August 11th [Rockstar]
Suicide Squad game to be revealed by Rocksteady August 22
It looks like all of the rumours, teasers, and guesswork can finally be put to rest. Developer Rocksteady - renown for its fantastic Batman: Arkham series - has revealed that it will be formally announcing a new game on August 22, centered DC Comics' Suicide Squad.
Rocksteady tweeted out a stark poster featuring what appears to be The Man of Steel, Superman, with a Suicide Squad-themed crosshair emblazoned on the back of his head. (But note the sinister eyes... Bizarro?) As DC fans are aware, the Suicide Squad are a reckless band of incarcerated villains, weaponised by the government to perform dirty, under-the-table operations in exchange for special favours or reduced sentences.
A Suicide Squad game has likely been on the cards at Rocksteady for some time, given hints laid out in the post-credits sequence of Rocksteady Montreal's 2013 release Batman: Arkham Origins. The Canadian sister studio is currently said to be working on its own DC Comics game, Gotham Knights.
More information will be released on August 22, as a part of the "DC Fandome" event - an online celebration of the legendary publisher's wide and varied universe. In the meantime, you can follow the Suicide Squad project over on its brand new Twitter account.
Dingodile returns as a playable character in Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
During yesterday's State of Play presentation, PlayStation fans got to hear a few new tidbits regarding Toys 4 Bob's upcoming platforming adventure Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. While the info was fairly scant, we did find out that classic villain Dingodile will be joining Crash and Coco on the sequel's roster of playable characters.
Dingodile first made an appearance in the Crash Bandicoot series back in 1998's Crash Bandicoot: Warped. As his name would suggest, Dingodile is part dingo, part crocodile, not unlike the characters in Disney's forgotten series, The Wuzzles. Very unlike The Wuzzles, however, is Dingodile's penchant for torching everything and everyone with his trusty flamethrower.
Contest: Win a Switch controller and headset bundle, courtesy of Gioteck
In today's contest you can win a Switch Gioteck bundle featuring the JC-20 Cubes Joy-Con Controller and a HC2 Decal Edition Stereo Gaming Headset!
Destructoid is known for giving away tons of free stuff, because we love our community. Gioteck is know for great gaming products, because they love our community. So we decided to make love to the community together by giving some stuff away!
We've got a bundle featuring a Gioteck Switch JC-20 Cubes Joy-Con Controller and HC2 Decal Edition Stereo Gaming Headset to give away so you can play your Switch in style.
Lifepaths are a focus for next week's Cyberpunk 2077 stream
Let's go back to where it all began. No, really -- that's what we're doing with next week's Cyberpunk 2077 Night Wire City stream. We're getting context for the roles we play.
CD Projekt Red has Episode 2 of Night Wire City set for next week, and Cyberpunk 2077's Lifepaths are one of the focuses. A Lifepath in an RPG is a backstory where history and decisions culminate in a character's archetype In Cyberpunk 2077, the three Lifepaths are StreetKid, Corporate, and Nomad.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is giving out more Butterfinger DLC items for free
That lovely PS4 Tifa theme was the highest-profile reward for laying a finger on some Butterfingers, but it wasn't the only digital goodie up for grabs, and it's not the only one to get an eventual free release on the PlayStation Store. Square Enix is now giving out five minor DLC items in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Just follow those store links, add 'em to your cart, and download away. No candy needed.
If you've already been there and done that in Final Fantasy VII Remake, these armor pieces won't do you much good, but it's nice to have them just to have them. We like our stuff. If you're just getting into it – speaking of: the game is $40 digitally and physically – these items can give your crew a headstart.
I'm bummed I haven't had time to dig into Hard Mode yet. It's an end-of-the-year goal for sure.
@FinalFantasyVII [Twitter]
Review: Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Launch-day disconnects aside, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout turned out so much better than I expected.
The premise – a cartoonish 60-player competition made up of semi-randomly selected obstacle courses, bumbling team games, and stressful survival challenges – is fantastic. The whole vibe is silly and charming, especially once you learn to accept that luck can play a significant role and that's okay.
Fall Guys is a video game rendition of Takeshi's Castle (Most Extreme Elimination Challenge) and it rules.
I thought I'd burn out, but after a hundred-plus rounds in the live game (to say nothing of several hours spent with the beta), I'm still in it to win it. It's hard to break out of the perpetual cycle of re-queuing.
Apex Legends Season 6 trailer has hints about the new legend, Rampart
Apex Legends Season 5 is winding down, with this week being the last to provide challenges for those who still need to fill out their battle passes. Next week, there will be a limited-time mode wherein the ring never stops shrinking and players start matches with an evo shield and a Mozambique. But that's just a little bit of tiding over for the new season launch, which is set to happen on August 18.
Respawn released a launch trailer for Season 6 today, and it has some interesting details in it. The long-rumored Rampart character shows up ready to kick ass and chew bubble gum (and she appears to have plenty of bubble gum). She is seen in the trailer operating a mounted machine gun, raining fire on the other legends in a stylish, reversed-time showing.
Activision sent out Call of Duty crates that can't be opened 'til Monday
We're no strangers to teasers taking up mental storage space until their proper reveal at a later date. Rarely, though, is there a physical manifestation of those teasers taking up physical storage space.
Activision is countering that trend. Today, Call of Duty media and influencers received a care package in the form of a locked crate. Here's what it looks like:
Time to Wake Up: Control's AWE expansion is set for the end of August
Control's first add-on was a table-setter, a fine-enough piece of content that bridged the gap between the base game and the expansion everyone was eagerly awaiting. The wait's almost over.
As part of today's State of Play stream, Remedy and 505 announced that the AWE add-on will be available on August 27. It's unclear if there's any timed-exclusive stuff going on this time, or if all platforms will get it simultaneously.
The release date trailer ends with a quick shot of a scruffy-bearded man. Hmm, WHO COULD IT BE? Remedy fans: It's our time to shine.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends is a PS5 medieval stealth game
There are enough blades through necks in Hood: Outlaws and Legends that you'll probably get some Assassin's Creed vibes. It's not the only inspiration you'll find though.
Sumo Digital and Focus Home Interactive are creating a new property called Hood: Outlaws and Legends. The moody reveal trailer makes it look like a stealthy medieval game with some brutal combat.
There aren't all that many details about Hood yet, but the recently-launched site has a beta signup. Go check that out if you're interested in seeing this game in action sooner rather than later.
Hood is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X next year. It seems like a good one to keep an eye on.
Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series hits PlayStation VR on August 25
Sony promised PlayStation VR showings during today's State of Play and that could only mean one thing: an update on the summer-bound PlayStation VR port of Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series.
PSVR owners can slash droids to their heart's content on August 25, 2020. Make Chris proud!
All three episodes of Vader Immortal will hit PS4 at once, so you won't be strung along. The PlayStation VR port was developed at ILMxLAB with assistance from Black Shamrock.
You can't resist this new Bugsnax trailer
Bugsnax has taken the world by storm. Bugsnax is all anyone cares about. Bugsnax is cute and Bugsnax is life.
That's why you're going to watch this new Bugsnax trailer. You're going to smile and you're going feel wholesome. You're going to get a load of Hotdog Fingers.
Spelunky 2 is out on September 15 and it looks beefy
Spelunky 2 is launching on September 15 for PlayStation 4. It's almost time!
The dungeon-delving roguelike platformer is designed to be "more rich and dynamic" and feel "a lot more full," according to creator Derek Yu, who has the unenviable task of topping the first game. I felt that density in the latest footage shown during the State of Play broadcast. It looks wonderful.
We got to peek at branching level exits, a clone gun (which was used to multiply pugs), the home base, and online multiplayer. Spelunky is best shared on the same couch, but I appreciate the option.
"The Steam version of Spelunky 2 will come out shortly after PS4," said Yu. "We'll need a little extra time to iron out online multiplayer on PC. Release date for that soon! After Steam, we'll look into other platforms. We are excited for as many people to play as possible."
Spelunky 2 day will be a holiday in this household.
Jonathan Blow's next project is Braid: Anniversary Edition
My eyes just about popped out of my head when I realized this obscure trailer was slowly turning into Braid. That is, just without hyperbole, about the last thing I expected.
It's not a sequel though; it's a revisiting of 2008's indie standout hit. Jonathan Blow and David Hellmen repainted the whole game and added extra animations. Braid: Anniversary Edition is a modernization in look and feel only. Blow is quick to say that this doesn't get the "Greedo shoots first" treatment where things are changed.
Maybe the most significant feature is a commentary track that Blow calls one of the most in-depth developer commentaries in the history of games. He specifically says that this is something you should listen to if you want to learn how games are made.
Braid: Anniversary Edition launches in early 2021 on [deep breath] PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Mac, and Linux.
Braid, Anniversary Edition [Braid]
Hitman 3 has a first-person mode for PlayStation VR
How do you feel about getting up close and personal in Hitman?
As announced on the State of Play stream, next year's Hitman 3 will have a first-person VR mode at launch. In fact, you'll be able to "play the entire world of assassination trilogy in VR." Wait, what?
IO Interactive reminded us that players – VR or otherwise – can import locations from Hitman and Hitman 2 into Hitman 3, "essentially putting all 20+ locations from the entire trilogy in one place."
"We're working to finalize the specifics for how PSVR owners can enjoy Hitman in VR, and we'll have more details to share in the months ahead," the studio said in a PlayStation Blog post.
I'm a little worried about this mode on a technical level – PSVR is showing its age – but I love the idea. A frying pan can be used to deflect bullets, Superhot style, and that's just music to my ears.
It's time to watch today's 40-minute State of Play stream
It's about time for another State of Play. The PlayStation news stream starts at 1:00 p.m. Pacific.
This latest show is all about upcoming PS4 and PlayStation VR games – Sony has gone out of its way to temper expectations with a "no big PS5 announcements" disclaimer – so keep that in mind. New trailers, confirmed release dates, maybe some ports from PC VR... that's where my head is at.
Another word of warning: "There will be no PlayStation Studios updates in this episode, or any updates around hardware, business, pre-orders, or dates." They know people are thirsty for PS5 launch info.
Start a fresh pot, grab a crunchy snack, throw on an old hoodie – do whatever you need to do to get comfy. You can catch the State of Play live on PlayStation's YouTube and Twitch channels.
[Update: Here's a recap of what was shown in order of appearance: Crash Bandicoot 4, Hitman 3's VR mode, Braid: Anniversary Edition, The Pathless, Spelunky 2, Genshin Impact, Aeon Must Die, Anno: Mutationem, Bugsnax, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series, Control's AWE expansion, Auto Chess, The Pedestrian, Hood: Outlaws & Legends, Temtem PS5, and Godfall. Scrub through the footage as needed.]
Epic's newest free game, 3 Out of 10, puts you to work at a bad video game studio
There has been no shortage of video game development horror stories over the past decade, as plenty of studios have been exposed for their soul-crushing and awful work conditions. That's miserable, but what if you put up with that work environment only to make games that were universally hated?
That's the idea behind 3 Out of 10, a name that kinda tells you everything you need to know. Set at the fictional Shovelworks Studios, this interactive sitcom is an irreverent Adult Swim-like take on bad game development.
The bad news: Only the first episode of 3 Out of 10 is free this week. The good news: The remaining four episodes in Season 1 are free in subsequent weeks. Epic paid for the entirety of the five-episode run of 3 Out of 10 to make it an exclusive launch on the Epic Games Store; part of the logic behind that decision is because developer Terrible Posture found a way to create the show entirely within Unreal Engine without switching to third-party software, as Engadget details.
The second Epic freebie dabbles in career-change escapism too. Amazon fulfillment simulator Wilmot's Warehouse is up for grabs this week. Wilmot's Warehouse is a clever cooperative sorting game that rewards creative organization. Jordan lavished praise upon the Switch version late last year. In our Slack DMs this morning (all work conversations are subject to being turned into #content), he said it's "a GOTY for me in co-op" and that "as a puzzle fiend, [I] would love it."
Next week, Epic is back to stuff you (probably) can't get in real life. Souls-like-but-with-guns action looter shooter Remnant: From the Ashes is the high-profile free game next week. Indie, artsy scenic snowboarder The Alto Collection makes up the other half.
3 Out of 10, Wilmot's Warehouse [Epic Games Store]
Serious Sam 4 is now coming to Steam on September 24
This is how you delay a Serious Sam game: a silly little in-engine gag that someone threw together.
Forget everything you know about August – at least as it pertains to long-time-coming shooter sequels. Croteam delayed the Steam and Stadia release of Serious Sam 4 until September 24, 2020. The circle-strafing, horde-slaying chaos will have to wait. Don't forget to tell your co-op buddies.
In case you missed it, the console versions aren't arriving until next year. Screw the skeletons.
PC port pushes Detroit: Become Human past five million sales
Quantic Dream has announced that its melodramatic android adventure Detroit: Become Human has passed five million total sales. The milestone was reached exactly one month after the cinematic sci-fi release made the leap to the Steam platform.
"Launching Detroit: Become Human on Steam has been a delightful experience for us," said Quantic Dream co-CEO Guillaume de Fondaumiere in a press statement. "The response we're seeing has been incredibly positive, in particular in Asian markets. We are also thrilled by the response garnered by the concomitant release of our Community Play extension for streamers and viewers on Twitch, which elevated a fundamentally single-player game into a social experience."
Fairy Tail already has over $150 worth of DLC available
Koei Tecmo's anime RPG Fairy Tail may have only just launched a week ago, but the publisher has already released an expensive season pass, which will bring new characters and content to the anime adaptation just weeks after the base game's arrival.
For the sum of around $60 USD, the Fairy Tail season pass will add four new characters to the adventure, along with an extreme difficulty option, and one new dungeon. Lyon Vastia and Levy McGarden will arrive on August 20, followed by Lisanna and Elfman Strauss on September 3. An additional dungeon, "A Rift in Time and Space," will round out the content on September 17.
In addition, multiple $40 costume sets - which are not included in the season pass - have also hit the Steam store. This takes the grand total of Fairy Tail's base game, season pass, and costume sets to somewhere in the region of $240. Of course, people are entitled to spend their money however they please, but it's yet another example of Dead or Alive syndrome, where dedicated fans - having already stumped up 60 bucks to buy the initial product - are squeezed tighter still before their game is barely out of its wrapping.
Fairy Tail is available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
GreedFall hits one million sales milestone
Focus Home Interactive has announced that its dark colonial RPG GreedFall has passed a new milestone, having garnered one million global sales since its launch on PS4, PC, and Xbox One back in September 2019.
From French gaming studio Spiders, GreedFall is an action-adventure that follows a group of explorers who travel to the uncharted waters of Teer Fradee, hoping to discover the cure for a noxious plague that is engulfing the rest of the world. Players explore the mysterious new land, (which is mired in a violent civil uprising), breaking and forging alliances with the locals, while fending off threats from invading parties and strange, undiscovered creatures.
GreedFall launched to modest scores, praised by critics and fans for its unique storyline and environment, as well as its solid combat and character building, but lamented for its cumbersome skill tree and "rough around the edges" visual design. Overall, however, GreedFall is considered a solid mid-tier experience.
Spiders is currently at work on the recently revealed SteelRising, a robotic take on the French Revolution, which I'm very excited to see more of. GreedFall is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. It was also recently added to the PlayStation Now service.
The Arcade1Up Marvel vs. Capcom cabinets are now available for preorder
One of the most exciting announcements to come out of this wretched summer was Arcade1Up's reveal of its Marvel Vs. Capcom and X-Men Vs. Street Fighter arcade cabinets. I've been salivating over the latter one for weeks now, and today I can finally put my money where my mouth is because both cabinets are now available for preorder. As a reminder, here are the games that come with each unit:
It's a wacky week for the Nintendo eShop, as we're getting with a "reasonable" 27-ish games debuting over the next several days: which is typically considered a light load when 30-40 games battle each other for sales.
Swimsanity is probably the oddest standout, which is a "multiplayer underwater shooter" with co-op and versus modes: with support for online and local play. It also boasts "150 challenges and eight modes" and is simultaneously releasing on multiple platforms tomorrow, including Steam.
Banner of the Maid is also out today (a turn-based strategy game based on an alt-history French Revolution), as well as a Dr. Mario World 2.0 update on mobile devices. That's about it!
City Connection seems to be teasing a Zombie Nation comeback
Retro game enthusiast City Connection has opened a mysterious website teasing the publisher's next project. While absolutely no information has been offered on the creepy webpage, eagle-eyed viewers have spotted that the background image has been pulled from the intro sequence of obscure 1990 NES title Zombie Nation.
Originally released in Japan as Abarenbou Tengu, Zombie Nation is a very odd horizontally scrolling shmup in which players guide a samurai's disembodied head, (or a floating Tengu mask in the original Japanese release), as it attempts to rid the United States of invading alien forces, which have come to Earth to enslave the populace through mind control - hence "Zombie Nation."
You can check out the weirdness below, courtesy of YouTuber Nintendo Complete.
A few times a year, Nintendo updates their top-selling title list and it's kind of a treat to wake up to.
The Switch is one of the best-selling pieces of hardware in recent years and first-party Nintendo titles are extremely popular: so it's very insightful to get cold hard data and see how they all stack up against each other. Would you have guessed that Animal Crossing would have beaten out multiple Mario franchises, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, several Pokemon games and Splatoon 2? You win a cookie!
Nintendo reported today that as of June 30, 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is now the second-best selling Switch game in history: clocking in at 22.40 million units. That puts it squarely above its third place rival, Super Sash Bros. Ultimate, which has managed to push 19.99 million units. Note that Smash Ultimate came out in December of 2018, while New Horizons launched just a few months ago. Still towering in first is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at 26.74 million units: I bet Nintendo was happy they ported it from Wii U. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition also hit 1.32 million units since May and Clubhouse Games reached 1.03 units just in the month of June.
So why was New Horizons such a success? The pandemic definitely helped its prospects as folks looked for a way to connect in a simple, delightful way. It arrived at the perfect time to become part of the zeitgeist, as several other big-name titles pushed their release date further into 2020.
Sword and Shield isn't a slouch either, as the 18.22 million units it managed to muster also puts it ahead of Diamond and Pearl's 17.76 units, making Sword and Shield the third-best selling Pokemon game ever behind Gold and Silver and Red/Blue/Green. It's a good year for Nintendo.
Top Selling Title Sales Units [Nintendo]
Doom Eternal and Elder Scrolls Online will get free upgrades on PS5 and Xbox Series X
A bit of good news today: two more big-name games are going to get free upgrades for the next generation.
Bethesda announced this morning that both Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online were coming to Xbox Series X and PS5, and that they would be eligible for free upgrades. As a reminder, Microsoft has its SmartDelivery system ready to go to make that all pretty easy for everyone, while Sony has some sort of mystery program we don't really know about yet. Bethesda says that it will share release windows and "a list of enhancements" in the coming weeks, but for now we know that the upgrades will be free, and that they will in fact come with "enhancements" of some kind (likely framerate and visual-related).
Additionally, the publisher states that they are "working hard to ensure both titles will support backward compatibility when the new consoles launch." And what about future Bethesda games? It's looking good, it seems: "we can confirm we are committed to offer free upgrades for current generation console owners of existing Bethesda titles we bring forward into the next generation of consoles."
It sure looks like a lot of games early on in the next generation are going to be "lite remasters!" At least a lot of them are free.
Bethesda Next-Gen Console Upgrades [Bethesda.net]
I've been covering the Switch eShop for a long time. A long time.
I remember when it was in its infancy, struggling for relevance with games like Vroom in the Night Sky. Or when it started to finally gain momentum with hidden gems. Or when a Nintendo executive said that he wanted "30-40 games" to hit the eShop a week, without actually updating any curation tools or enhancing quality control.
A lot of eShop users are fed up with the massive amount of shovelware on the storefront, and as it turns out: developers are too.
Nintendo Switch console sales pass the 61 million mark
Nintendo has released its latest financial earnings report, which reveals that the Japanese publisher/developer sold 5.67 million Nintendo Switch units in the most recent quarter, taking lifetime sales of the hybrid console to an impressive 61.44 million units.
The original Nintendo Switch was responsible for 3.05 million of recent sales, with the other 2.62 contributed by the slightly cheaper Nintendo Switch Lite. These hardware sales represent a year-on-year increase of over 160%. In regards to software, 50.43 million titles were sold this quarter, taking lifetime software sales to just over 405 million. 2020's sales have driven by acclaimed titles such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Ring Fit Adventure, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Despite these overachieving numbers - as well as a reported boost in Switch production - Nintendo has not increased the totals noted in its previous forecast, and is still predicting a total of 19 million Switch console sales for the fiscal year April 2020 to March 2021.
Contest: Win Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout for Steam
In today's contest you can win Fall Guys for Steam!
Fall Guys has been on my radar for quite some time now -- how could it not?! It's a that perfect mix of MXC, Ninja Warrior, and pure spite that really just ticks off all my wants in a game. Hell, it's going to bring me out of my online multiplayer retirement! That's quite a feat.
I'll see ya around the arena after you've won a brand new Steam key for Fall Guys!
Madden 21 gets a new mode that's like NFL Street
Madden has taken itself too seriously for decades as the realistic-as-it-gets facsimile of NFL football. The next game is flipping its hat around and sitting backward on its chair, all to let you know that it has a cool side too.
EA Sports has revealed a new game mode for Madden NFL 21 called "The Yard." It's an arcade-style take on football, six players per side on playground fields. Behind-the-back passes, pitch after pitch after pitch, plenty of showboating -- you know the vibe.
The obvious analog is to the NFL Street games of the mid-2000s, but don't expect an authentic recreation of those. NFL Street had a lot of little touches that leaned even further away from realism. Style points for flashy play, a GameBreaker superplay meter, stats-altering equipment -- it was all so fun. Madden's The Yard looks to be somewhere between normal Madden and Street, like an itch half-scratched.
The first taste of The Yard is out today as part of the Madden NFL 21 Mobile launch. That's a free app meant to promote the official Madden 21 launch in late-August. It has a singleplayer version of The Yard. On PC and consoles, The Yard will have full online multiplayer functionality. However, progression carries over between mobile and the official Madden.
Or, for the authentic experience, bust out the PS2 and NFL Street.
The stakes couldn't be higher in Impostor Factory
Impostor Factory, the third game in a line of narrative adventures from Freebird Games, looks "categorically out of its mind" as creator Kan Gao previously teased. "Things get a little Lovecraftian."
The latest trailer promises "a wholesome celebration of the bloody end of a world."
That sure escalated! And if Gao is willing to share this apocalyptic turn pre-release – Impostor Factory is clinging to a late 2020 launch on Steam "but raccoons pooped in our office last night so I dunno" – then imagine where the story might take us. This isn't a simple murder mystery. Let the theories flow free.
Even if all three games can be enjoyed as standalone releases, it's never too late to play To the Moon and Finding Paradise – especially since the former is getting an animated film adaptation.
We fought off Grounded's monster spiders, but at what cost?
We built walls from blades of grass. The spiders tore them down. We constructed weapons and went to battle. The spiders defeated us with little effort. We fled to a new home. The spiders just followed us.
Honestly, the spiders in Grounded are straight-up assholes and as someone who already hates spiders to begin with, Obsidian Entertainment isn't changing that opinion anytime soon.
Justin and I spent the weekend sight-seeing and exploring the backyard of Grounded in online co-op for this Early Access impressions video. We saw everything from beautiful giant blueberry bushes and peaceful ladybugs, to even a gigantic Battletoads figure! There's plenty to see in Grounded, but you have to be vigilant while exploring because spiders are always down to ruin pretty much everything.
Eight-legged problems aside, I think Grounded has the potential to become my favorite survival game once they've added more to do around the backyard. But at the moment, the Early Access version is pretty bare-bones (much like our teenage protagonists' corpses after the spiders were done with us).
Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of Justin and myself sharing our first impressions so far!
Revisit Stranger of Sword City on Switch next year
One of the best Japanese developers of first-person dungeon crawlers is Experience Inc. For the past few years, it's been blessing players with that classic style of RPG with titles like Ray Gigant, Demon Gaze, and Operation Abyss. To me, its best game is still Stranger of Sword City, and in 2021, that classic is coming to Switch as part of a dungeon crawling two-pack.
NIS America has announced it is localizing Experience Inc's Saviors of Sapphire Wings for Nintendo Switch and PC. If you buy that game, you'll also get Stranger of Sword City Revisited, which includes new content not found in any previous version.
