Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst review [Reviewed on Xbox One] It’s easy to lose faith in an open world, especially one as sterile as The City Of Glass, as obstinately gorgeous as it may be. There is an essential banality to Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst’s core design, the structure of its space at continuous odds with its gameplay ambitions. Developer DICE may look to reaffirm the belief that allowing the player
Resist and Refuse – Retro Revolt
Video games are quickly becoming as important, if not more important, to many communities which enjoy both making and consuming art as anything else.
Video games are quickly becoming as important, if not more important, to many communities which enjoy both making and consuming art as anything else. As a result, there are more and more games that address serious issues.
Resist and Refuse is a game from Brazilian developer Viole(n)t Blue that showcases the problems that many Brazilians are facing today. In the game, you play a Game and Watch-style protester who is trying to avoid a helicopter dropping tear gas grenades. The Game and Watch aesthetic is what the entire game is based around, with a static image for the background, a lack of music, and sharp, electronic sounds all bringing to mind the old Nintendo series of games.
Resist and Refuse is specifically aimed at raising awareness about the police brutality that crops up whenever Brazilian citizens try to protest something negative. In this case, Viole(n)t Blue is referencing the nation-wide protests of 2013, but it is also aimed in part at the smaller protests during 2014’s World Cup. In both cases, the police were unnecessarily brutal in dealing with the citizens, which of course only caused further problems.
In addition to Resist and Refuse , Viole(n)t Blue intends to make more games in the same vein, but addressing different issues that Brazilians face, such as poor health and education services.
Anyone interested in Resist and Refuse can see more about it on the game’s Desura page, and can read a bit more about the developer on their dev Desura page. The game is currently available for a measly $2.00 USD, so if it interests you at all, it might be worth the impulse buy. Resist and Refuse is currently available only for Windows PCs.
Why an E3 event that celebrates the PC is long overdue
For the past few Junes, right before one of the busiest gaming weeks of the year, we’ve taken a moment to imagine the E3 press conference that PC Gamers deserve .
. It’s become one of our tiny traditions (along with Chris’ questionable behavior in survival games). Mostly it’s an excuse for us to publish something entirely detached from reality before we fly to Los Angeles and publish every scrap of gaming news and opinion that our bodies will allow. It’s therapeutic to daydream about Gabe Newell materializing atop a unicorn through a fog of theater-grade dry ice to announce Half-Life 3.
We get valuable stories, videos, and interviews out of E3—you can imagine how handy it is to have almost every game-maker gathered under one roof for a few days. But it’s no secret that the PC doesn’t have a formal, organized presence during E3. Generally speaking it’s the time of year when Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo jostle for position about who can create the most buzz. Despite being a mostly exciting few days of announcements, E3 has never given the biggest gaming platform in the world an equal place at the table.
That’s our collective fault, not E3’s. One of our hobby’s greatest strengths is the fact that there isn’t a single owner. The PC has no marketing arm, no legal department, no CEO to dictate what should be announced or advertised. And thank Zeus for that. The fundamentally open nature of our hobby is what allows for GOG, Origin, Steam, and others to compete for our benefit, for the variety of technologies and experiences we have access to—everything from netbook gaming to 8K flight simulation to VR.
Everyone involved in PC gaming has shared ownership over its identity. One of the few downsides of that, though, is that there isn’t really a single time and place for PC gaming to get together and hang out. We love BlizzCon, QuakeCon, DreamHack, Extra Life, The International, and the ever-increasing number of PAXes. But there’s something special about the pageantry of E3 week, its over-the-top showmanship, its surprises, its proximity to Hollywood. And each June, even as we’ve jokingly painted a picture of PC game developers locking arms in a musical number, we’ve wanted something wholly by, for, and about PC gaming.
Well, hell, let’s do it.
For the past few months we’ve been organizing the first ever live event for PC gaming during E3, The PC Gaming Show. Tune into our Twitchchannel on Tuesday, June 16 on 5 PM and you’ll see a spectrum of PC gaming represented on stage: a showcase of conversations, announcements, hardware, trailers, and other stuff that makes PC gaming great. We’ve been talking to everyone we know, big and small—if there’s a game or developer you want to see—tell us! So far, Blizzard, AMD, Bohemia Interactive, Boss Key Productions, Paradox, Dean Hall, Tripwire, and more have signed up to be a part of this inaugural PC gaming potluck (Paradox has promised to bring nachos), and we’ll be announcing more participants as we lead up to June 16. And hey, the endlessly friendly Day[9]is hosting. We love that guy.
We’re sincerely, stupidly excited about this. The PC gaming renaissance we’re all living in deserves a moment of recognition during the biggest gaming expo of the year—it’s about time! Listen in on Twitterand on our Facebook pageas we share more details leading up to June.
Planet Coaster hurtling towards Steam release
Frontier is making a theme park sim, in case you hadn't noticed: a spiritual successor to its RollerCoaster Tycoon series.
Frontier is making a theme park sim, in case you hadn't noticed: a spiritual successor to its RollerCoaster Tycoon series. Andy got his hands on the early access version back in March, and reckoned that it was "shaping up nicely"; you may have your own opinion, as it's currently possible to buy your way into that early access via the official site.
Wait, it's not on Steam? Not yet! But Frontier has emailed fansto reassure them/warn them that a Steam version is on the way. And that everyone who's bought the alpha version, or pre-ordered the full game, will get a Steam key.
But you'll be able to continue playing outside of Steam, right? Nope! In an FAQ, Frontier reveals that "Planet Coaster Alpha 3 will build on Steam Workshop features and so requires access to Steam to play. You will not be able to use the Frontier Launchpad to play Planet Coaster from Alpha 3 onwards".
Alpha 3 is scheduled to arrive on August 23, and if you want access you'll need a Steam account, although it won't be possible to BUY Planet Coaster on Steam until the beta. You can continue playing Alpha 2 with the Frontier Launchpad until shortly before that beta appears, at which point the old version will no longer be supported.
Furthermore, Frontier will be stopping new purchases of the game through its store on August 25. If you miss that window, you'll have to wait until it crops up on Steam.
The beta version of Planet Coaster will start at some point after that (the dates haven't been announced yet).
Assassin's Creed: Rogue is out now with day-one patch
Assassin's Creed: Rogue tells the tale of Shay Patric Cormac, a young initiate of the Assassin Brotherhood who grows disillusioned with his new gang when he realizes that they're not quite the stand-up guys he thought they were.
As promised, and pleasantly on schedule, Assassin's Creed: Rogueis now out for the PC—and so too is the day-one patch.
Assassin's Creed: Rogue tells the tale of Shay Patric Cormac, a young initiate of the Assassin Brotherhood who grows disillusioned with his new gang when he realizes that they're not quite the stand-up guys he thought they were. It all comes to a head in a spot of unpleasantness that leads Cormac to switch sides, and much of the game is actually played as a Templar, the sworn enemies of the Assassins. I suppose that's technically a spoiler, but given that the twist has been the focal point of the game's entire marketing campaign (like the launch trailerthat came out last month), I feel safe tossing it out.
And with the launch of the game comes the release of the launch day patch, which as Gameranxnotes is a lighter list of fixes than might be expected. The 1.1.0 patch includes:
Minor Fix – UI Minor Fix – Graphics Minor Fix – Uplay Actions/Rewards Minor Fix – various Resolution issuesFrom where I sit, that means one of two things: Either Assassin's Creed: Rogue went out the door in unexpectedlygood shape, or this is going to be a very ugly week for Ubisoft. Since Rogue is on an older engine than Unity, let's hope it's the former.
Don’t Drop That! – Minimalist Arcade Game Released
Gripati Digital Entertainment recently published Don’t Drop That!
, a game developed and programmed by Abdullah Söylemez. The game was released to the App Store for iOS devices, and the dev is working on an Android version to follow.
Don’t Drop That! is a skill-based game that promises challenging and unforgiving gameplay. Random shapes start to drop into the magma pool bubbling below, rising towards the player controlling the ultimate stick. The player must use the stick to catch these random shapes and hold on to them long enough to disintegrate and add points to the player’s score. Apparently, it’s to save all of humanity.
Shapes that eventually drop into the magma pool will add its mass to it, making it grow closer to the stick, and a Game Over. The game provides no limits to gameplay, such as energy or timers. Players can test their skills for as long as they want, while listening to the dubsteb soundtrack in the background and competing against other players globally for the high score.
Don’t Drop That is available on iTunesfor free with advertisements that players can remove by paying $1.99. Gamers can learn more about Gripati Digital Entertainment and their other lineup of published games by visiting their site.
RealMyst: Masterpiece Edition materializes on Steam with added features
This isn't the first time one of the grandfathers of adventure games was brought into modern gaming.
This isn't the first time one of the grandfathers of adventure games was brought into modern gaming. The first version of realMystreleased in 2000 as a fully 3D remake of the titular island, its cleverly designed puzzles, and the dramatic bicker-war between two trapped brothers. Developer Cyan Worlds has now given the remake a remake with the Steam release of realMyst: Masterpiece Editionwhich improves compatibility for modern PCs and adds a few navigation aids.
For $18 (discounted by 33 percent for owners of the original realMyst), the Masterpiece Edition further enhances the island's visuals and adds a flashlight for poking around in dark corners or during nighttime. Every environment is fully explorable as before, but the Masterpiece Edition also brings the option to revert to point-and-click navigation for that old-school feel. A Zip mode function speeds up walking by holding down the forward key, and pressing shift shows a comparison between classic and updated graphics at any time—an ability mostly added for fluff and a means for Cyan to exhibit its efforts as it moves on to its next adventure, Obduction.
Content-wise, the Masterpiece Edition adheres to its 1993 originator of exploration and puzzle-solving on the island itself and its branching ages—Selenitic, Stoneship, Mechanical, Channelwood, and the added Rime—as someone who gets unexpectedly yanked through a portal in the worn Myst tome (libraries are deadly like that). Books and the worlds they weave are Myst's themes, and Cyan's deep and interesting lore—particularly on the lost D'ni civilization—form a rich part of the experience.
Still, I would like to see Cyan one day focus on truly reworking Myst for today's audience. As PC technology has vastly improved since Myst's first appearance, so too has adventure games deepened in complexity and scope, with excellent titles such as The Stanley Parableor Gone Homeproviding far more nuanced examples of the genre. Myst was one of the first to start it all, sure, but there's plenty untapped aspects of its lore to delve into. I'd like to see a prequel adventure set during the zenith of the D'ni culture and its vast cave civilization, for instance.
Head to Steamto check out realMyst: Masterpiece Edition.
Total War: Warhammer gets pile of free DLC
Total War: Warhammer is getting minotaurs courtesy of its Call of the Beastmen expansion , but what about all the loyal customers that don't want to shell out money for the DLC - don't they deserve some extra stuff too?
, but what about all the loyal customers that don't want to shell out money for the DLC - don't they deserve some extra stuff too? No, not really, but it's nice of developer Creative Assembly to provide some anyway. To accompany the release of the expansion, all players (whether they own the DLC or not) will be getting a new hero and mount, new multiplayer features and maps, an "unlockable lord" for custom or multiplayer battles, and a new A.I.-controlled opposition race.
As the wikiexplains, that new mount is a big old griffon: a "beautiful jade green griffon, with unique Amber College armour", exclusive to the game's new Empire hero, the Amber Wizard. Ol' Amber Eyes is "renowned for their savage appearance", and can summon a ruddy great manticore at will. So you might want to cross to the other side of the street if you see one coming.
Meanwhile, four new maps are coming to Total Warhammer's multiplayer mode, during which you'll soon be able to customise your lords and heroes. Which is nice.
All this free stuff will be yours this coming Thursday.
Assassin's Creed: Rogue system requirements and release date revealed
Assassins are dangerous dudes.
Assassins are dangerous dudes. If you're going to hunt them, you need the right equipment. A sword. A gun. A hidden blade strapped to the inside of your wrist. And a PC. Specifically, this PC.
OS: Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8/8.1 (64 bit versions only) CPU: Intel Core2Quad Q6600 @ 2.4GHz or AMD Athlon II X4 620 @ 2.6 GHz RAM: 2GB Video card: nVidia GeForce GTS450 or AMD Radeon HD5670 (1024MB VRAM) or Intel HD4600 DirectX: DirectX June 2010 Redistributable Hard disk: 11.4 GB Sound card: DirectX-compatible sound card with latest driver Supported peripherals: Xbox 360 controller, Tobii EyeX Controller, SteelSeries Sentry Supported video cards at launch: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 or better, GeForce 500, 600, 700, 900 series, AMD Radeon HD 5670 or better, Radeon HD 6000, 7000, R7, R9 seriesIntel HD4600, HD5200 (Note: Laptop versions of these cards may work but are NOT officially supported.)
As noted, that's the minimum system requirement. We don't have a recommended spec as of yet, so I'll make a recommendation myself: Don't try and play it with minimum-spec hardware. Sure, it might run, but it probably won't run very well. Save yourself the hassle and the heartache, and save your money for some upgrades.
And as promised, the launch date: Assuming no unfortunate delays (and I will leave it up to you to decide if that assumption is safe), Assassin's Creed: Rogue will be out on March 10.
Behold The Dark Glory Of This New ‘Sugar Kid’ Gameplay Trailer
Sugar Kid , which is coming to iOS later this year, is one of those titles that has a split personality.
, which is coming to iOS later this year, is one of those titles that has a split personality. On the outside, it’s a cute and camp platformer done in the style of games like Cut The Rope . Beneath its candy coated exterior, however, Sugar Kid is as bloody and brutal as any Game of Thrones episode, which makes the game almost as fun to look at as it looks to play. The game has been in development for some time but this new gameplay trailer gives us our first real look at the upcoming title.
Splinter Cell Blacklist Spies vs. Mercs reveal trailer
Ubisoft has released the debut trailer for Splinter Cell Blacklist ’s multiplayer offering, showing off the latest update to the fan favourite Spies vs. Mercs mode. It sees the stealthy, agile and deadly-in-the-shadows spies tasked with hacking data, while the heavily armoured, powerful and lethal-in-the-light mercs attempt to protect it. Ubisoft recently announced a Wii U version of Splinter Cell
Alienation review
Alienation review The mad scientists of development are always finding new ways to splice genres and create freakish new hybrids, but the results are always impossible to predict. More often than not, there’s a colourful puff of smoke as disparate elements are combined, revealing some ill-advised abomination as it dissipates. But occasionally, the forces of good science prevail. The likes of rhythm
Assassin's Creed: Rogue announced for PC
You play as Shay Patrick Cormac on a revenge spree in the frozen north atlantic.
Assassin's Creed: Rogue is coming to PC in early 2015, as confirmed to IGNtoday.
You play as Shay Patrick Cormac on a revenge spree in the frozen north atlantic. We'll have a chance to catch up with (read: stab) some familiar characters, including Haytham, Assassin's Creed 3's sole source of charisma, and Adéwalé from Assassin's Creed 4. It looks like the boat vs. boat action of AC4 will feature heavily, and locations will reach beyond the icy northern regions to more tropical climes.
Assassin's Creed: Unity, set during the French revolution, has been grabbing all the limelight ahead of its November launch, but Rogue offers the enticing opportunity to play as a Templar. According to the new story trailer, that means an instant upgrade to a much cooler coat.
It's due out in November for PS3 and Xbox 360. Will the PC version be an upgraded version released alongside PS4 and Xbox One editions? For now Ubisoft are saying the delay is "primarily for production reasons."
IGM Let’s Try – Maldita Castilla
It’s time to Play!
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Maldita Castilla!
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The best RimWorld mods
RimWorld , the indie space colony construction and management simulation, has finally touched down on Steam Early Access .
. Though it's still in alpha, and has been for several years, a passionate player community has sprung up around it. And wherever you find passionate players, you also find inventive modders.
Below you'll find our list of the best RimWorld mods. We expect we'll be updating this list regularly in the days ahead, both with new mods as well as older ones that haven't yet been updated to support the current RimWorld v14 alpha.
Fluffy's ModsModder Fluffy has created a number of highly useful mods for RimWorld. You may wind up wanting all of them, but below are a few you should definitely try.
Blueprints
Fluffy has created a nice tool for your building projects that means you won't have to start from scratch every time you begin construction. You can create a blueprint by dragging a box over existing constructions (only yours—you can't create a blueprint from a building you don't own) and plop it elsewhere to more easily build an exact copy. Blueprints copy not only walls but doors and furniture too, making building less of a repetitive task. You can even export your blueprints for use in different saved games.
Relations TabAs your colony's population grows, you'll have to keep an eye on your colonists' relationships to one another, as well as the relationships between factions. This isn't particularly easy due to RimWorld's somewhat clunky social tab. Fluffy has come up with a much more intuitive system, letting you view your colonists in an interactive and dynamic graph you can see in the video above. At a glance you can tell who likes who, who hates who, and why. It's really neat.
Animals Tab
You're going to be doing some terrible things to some animals in RimWorld and you're going to be treating others as cherished pets. Either way, this improvement to the default animals tab helps you keep track of the details of all of your animals. Gender and lifestage (useful for farm animals like chickens), butchery designation and body size (for meal planning), and other attributes can be easily sorted and scanned. Some of this mod has been incorporated into the game, but Fluffy's version is still more useful, and allows for the renaming of pets.
Colony ManagerManaging a growing and bustling colony is no easy feat, but Fluffy's Colony Manager mod makes it, well, more manageable. With it, you can automate a lot of your colonists' work by setting up production lines that will lead from raw resources to completed products. This includes everything from forestry to hunting to livestock, and a colonist with the 'manager' skill will oversee the production and make changes if there's a problem.
Gameplay modsHave you built a few thriving colonies and found yourself looking to change things up a bit in your next game? The following mods add a little spice to the formula.
Zombie Apocalypse
Zombies are the cilantro of video games: they get added to everything these days, whether they're needed or not. While zombie mods can be hit or miss, the idea of an infection spreading through your RimWorld colony, turning settlers into zombies capable of infecting more settlers, is a fun one. Plus, if a settler is bitten, there’s still a chance to save them: just cut off the diseased limb before they turn. There are plenty of crises in RimWorld already, but this is a fun addition.
Glitter Tech
Just because you're marooned on a desolate planet doesn't mean you can't have nice things. It's the future, after all, and Glitter Tech ups the ante, giving you access to energy weapons and armor, advanced power generators, and defenses like more powerful turrets, auto-mortars, and blast doors. Thing is, this tech is highly attractive to corporate factions, and they just might come calling to acquire your fancy new toys. Be prepared.
NPC modsNaturally, a great deal of your time and focus will be on the various NPCs inhabiting and interacting with your colony. These mods make a few interesting changes to those tiny little people scuttling around below.
Expanded Prosthetics and Organ Engineering
While playing RimWorld you'll quickly become invested in the lives and problems of your colonists. This mod lets you become more involved in their limbs and organs as well. You'll be able to research and craft prostheses and bionic body parts and synthetic organs, either to help them recover from injuries or to enhance their abilities. With access to hook hands, brain implants, bionic eyes, and synthetic stomachs, you'll be able to turn each colonist into your own little science project. It even adds a new material called Vancidium which you can use for upgrades.
Orion's Hospitality
As you build your colony you'll sometimes receive visitors (of the non-hostile variety). Orion's Hospitality mod gives you more options besides simply trading with the wandering faction members. Now you can entertain your visitors and spend time with them to make them happy. You can provide them with rooms and guest beds, and if they like the accommodations they may even leave you some silver or other items as a thank you (they may even buy a few of the items you leave in their rooms). If you gain their trust, and have high marks in social skills, you can also convince them to join your colony for good.
Xeva's Rimhair
While the term 'Rimhair' personally makes me cringe, this mod does what it says on the tin. Want more hairstyles for your settlers? Here they are. You might also check out the Spoon's RimWorld Hair modfor some additional 'dos.
Klei games are free on Steam this weekend
Klei Entertainment is offering its catalogue free on Steam this weekend, with substantial discounts on most titles.
Klei Entertainment is offering its catalogue free on Steam this weekend, with substantial discounts on most titles. That means Don't Starve, Invisible Inc, Shank, Crypt of the NecroDancer and Mark of the Ninja can be had without paying anything, but only for a limited time. If you want to keep playing come Monday, up to 85 percent off is available on some titles.
You can't really go wrong with Klei's back catalogue, but Crypt of the NecroDancer reviewed especially well, as did modern stealth classicMark of the Ninja, which is a piddling $3.59. Best of all, a Klei Weekend Bundle featuring Don't Starve, Invisible Inc, Mark of the Ninja and all associated extras is going for a measly $29.99.
Check out the sale's landing page over here.
Indie Intermission – ‘They Came From The Sea’ A Great Little Arcade Game
They Came From The Sea is a well put together mini game that reminds me greatly of the early Nintendo Gameboy games such as Pokemon and Zelda .
This game however has you protecting a bunch of eggs from strange creatures that are coming from the sea, with your only task to prevent the eggs getting eaten by these creatures.
The game starts out quite easy with you just having to protect the eggs from a few of these sea creatures. However it is not long before you must protect the eggs from all manner of creatures that are coming from the sea.
The game mechanics are quite simple as you just have the arrow keys, space, and S which give you all the utility you need to defend these eggs. Space will use your sword to slash at these creatures and help you protect the eggs from these sea creatures, but don’t let them get too close or else your HP will take a beating.
Average play time – 10 minutes
They Came From The Sea is a fantastically simple game with some great retro graphics and great music. Everything comes together well in this fantastic little arcade game.
They Came From The Sea was created by Omaromeir and can be played now on Newgrounds.
If you are a developer with A fun indie game that can be played over a coffee break, we want to hear from you! Private message us on twitter @IndieGameMag or shoot us an email at editors@indiegamemag.com with the subject “Indie Intermission” and you could be our indie intermission pick of the day!
Get Involved With The ‘Knytt Underground’ Infinity Hype DLC
Here’s a cool opportunity to be a part of the popular hit Knytt Underground and all it will cost you is a moment of your time.
No, we’re not talking about another Kickstarter campaign or anything similar. Starting today at 21:00 UTC (look it up if you’re not sure … I know I had to!), Nifflas’ Games will be hosting an official ‘ask us anything’ Reddit, in which you can ask creator Nicklas Nygren and a number of other people involved with Knytt’s creation any question you like.
Here’s where it gets cool. You can also ask the characters in the game questions too. Why? Because your questions will determine what the upcoming Infinity Hope update will include. The upcoming extra content will feature upwards of 2100 new rooms to explore, with its story based upon the answers Nygren and those involved provide.
If you can’t make the q&a session don’t panic, there’s the promise of other ways to get involved later on down the track, though there hasn’t been any official confirmation of what that may entail just yet. When the time does tick over, head on in to the official websitefor the latest and links to the live chat as it happens.
Jet Set Knights Releases on Steam Early Access
Jet Set Knights is a retro-styled indie game that promises a challenging mash-up of tower defense, role playing, and platforming.
Jet Set Knights is trying to emulate the best of yesteryear with its sprite art and soundtrack. Still in development, developer FobTi Interactive has a lot of plans for the game, including a multiplayer mode, more characters and more challenging levels.
FobTi is no newbie to Steam, having launched their previous gamein summer, 2014. Despite pitching their game as Smash TV meets RPG, Obludia doesn’t seem to have amazed Steam’s user reviewers. At the time of writing Obludia sits at 58% positive of the fifty-three user reviews. Hopefully FobTi’s latest project is more successful once it leaves Early Access.
Jet Set Knights looks like a lot of fun for people who enjoy these sorts of challenging platformers, and we’re excited to hear more about it in the future. Interested readers can buy the game on Steamnow.
Invisible, Inc. reveals May launch date
A "deliberately vague" list on Steam breaks down what the team has been working on since the previous update in January.
Klei Entertainment, the developer of Mark of the Ninjaand Don't Starve, has announced that the turn-based tactical espionage game Invisible, Inc., will leave Early Access and go into full release on May 12.
breaks down what the team has been working on since the previous update in January. Highlights include a fully-realized story and game world, more than 1000 lines of new voiceover, three new starting programs, four new agents, a demonic new enemy, and The Final Mission—dun dun dun!
The downside to finally knowing the launch date is that, as promised, Early Access sales have been halted, although anyone who already owns it can continue to play. "We want everyone to experience the game in its fully realized version when it launches," the studio said.
I really dig the visual style of the new screens and launch trailer, and our Early Access reviewfrom last year was quite positive too, saying, "Invisible, Inc. borrows from X-COM wisely while adding enough of its own flavor to make it more than just a copycat. It's not as big or as accessible of a game, but the stealth and turn-based strategy mashup is new, and highlights what's most fun about both genres." Find out more at invisibleincgame.com.
Starseed Pilgrim’ – A Walkthrough Guide And Tips For The Lost And Weary
‘Starseed Pilgrim’ – A Walkthrough Guide And Tips For The Lost And Weary
There are a lot of players out there who would argue that the best part of Starseed Pilgrim is the fact that you have to literally learn the game, before you can even start progressing.
is the fact that you have to literally learn the game, before you can even start progressing. Without knowing what the heck you’re doing, players are forced into a trial-and-error dance that some find extremely rewarding…and I can completely understand why. However, if you’re like me, and gaming time is limited, you don’t really want to spend the hour-plus it tales (took me a little over an hour, and I don’t mean to brag but, I’m pretty damn smart) to figure out the game mechanics, before the game actually becomes “fun”. Trial-and-error enthusiast, note the quotation marks, —save the hate.
The first half of this article is spoiler-free, and is just a handful of tips for time-limited gamers, looking to get into the actual game that Starseed Pilgrim is built around. The second half functions as a walkthrough to get the Pilgrim-weary on their feet, providing them with a firm grasp of the game’s mechanics. Quite honestly, telling someone how to play the game shouldn’t even be considered a spoiler…but the game as a whole (as of 3ish hours in) is simplistic enough that actually learning the controls have been about a quarter of the full experience. So bear that in mind as you continue on reading.
Some Spoiler-Free Tips For Starseed Pilgrim –
You take no fall damage. However, if you fall off of the screen, you will die even if there is a platform somewhere below you. Essentially, if it’s not on the screen, it doesn’t exist . There are two ways around this: 1.) The screen adjusts a bit as you move in any general direction, so if there is a lower ledge nearby try to get to that so the screen will drop down a bit and potentially reveal the lower area you are trying to reach, and 2.) If you are in the “shadow void” and have an extra seed to spare, holding “Spacebar” will bubble the little dude, allowing him to slowly float down, safely. There are no penalties for dying, besides simply wasting your time and having to start again. Each seed/block has their own purpose. Some help you expand and others provide utilities. Experiment, and have a notepad handy to help keep track of what you find out. Just getting to the stars will trap you, and you’ll have to reset by holding the “h” key. Make sure you grow a path that allows you to escape. Keep in mind that some plants leave helpful remnants when the “shadow void” is triggered. A smart player will carefully place these plants, to be along the exit route.Time-Saving Starseed Pilgrim Beginner’s Walkthrough –
Ok, so essentially the premise of Starseed Pilgrim is to collect seeds inside each “level” and then escape the level to return to the main-hub area to plant the seeds and expand to the other levels scattered randomly throughout the endless white background. The “levels” in the main-hub are on gray, floating platforms. To enter each level the player simply walks to the entrance (a uniquely marked tile), hits the down arrow, and they drop into the level.
Once you drop into the level, you’ll immediately notice an ominous looking void at the bottom of the platform you’re on top of. This void slowly gnaws away at the tiles, so you have to act relatively quickly, to plant the seeds and expand in search of a star. Pressing Spacebar will drop a seed into the tile your character is standing ontop of, and depending on what kind of seed it is, a number of things will happen:
Pink seeds grow pink heart cubes, which slowly grow up. These cubes can be destroyed and will drop a random type of seed.
Green seeds grow green plant-like cubes which occasionally contain small heart-fruit. These fruit come in handy a bit later, I’ll come back to them.
Orange seeds sprout fast growing shoots that grow either left, up, or right, depending on where they are placed. If planted next to an edge, they will grow out the side, if planted into a tile that is sandwiched between two other tiles, the shoot will grow upwards.
Snot-Green seeds grow sticky vines that will grow horizontally and drape off ledges, forming upside-down crosses where they freely hang. The vines are sticky, so when standing on them, your jump ability is limited.
Light Blue seeds are quick-growing ice-crystal things, that simple pop up into a “+” shape.
Dark Blue seeds grow a dark blue block that when standing on, greatly increases the character’s jumping ability.
Purple seeds grow in like a castle wall-shape and have the ability to temporarily slow down the encroaching void.
Players must simply plant the seeds they are given, and construct a pathway to a star cube. The star cubes are randomly placed, so players must branch outward and explore. When a star cube is found, take care not to jump into it or touch it, as it will trigger the shadow void and invert the level’s platforms (your plants become empty space, and the white space turns to solid black space for the player to walk on. So in short, players plant a path, and then activate the shadow void, grab the star (which turns into a key) and then make it to the exit.
When the void mode is engaged, all of the heart fruit spawned from the green plants, will turn into heart seeds, that the player can collect on their way out of the level. Upon exiting the void mode, players are dropped back into the hub world, where they are then free to plant the seeds they just collected, and attempt to spread out to other levels. Each level features a different starseed pilgrim (at least that’s what I call them), that offers a different ability or a slight mechanic tweak.
Starseed Pilgrim takes patience to learn, but once you figure out what is to be done…it is a pretty challenging pick-up-and-play game. Expect a full review, soon.
Starseed Pilgrim is now available on Steam.
Another Round: ‘Defender Chronicles II’ Coming This Month To iOS
Gimka Entertainment have announced a follow-up to its acclaimed iOS tower defense game, Defender Chronicles: Legend of the Desert King .
Going under the guise of Defender Chronicles II: Heroes of Athelia , the game will launch on iOS devices on May 24th. Like its predecessor, Defender Chronicles II will feature side-scrolling tower defense gameplay in a fantasy setting, although this sequel will inject a host of new heroes into the fray for more varied gameplay sessions. With four playable characters, the game promises to sport plenty of replayability and tactical variety as players experiment with new play styles and strategic mindsets during Defender Chronicles II ‘s substantial single-player campaign.
Also new to the Defender Chronicles franchise is the new version’s level system, which allows players to upgrade their characters with new skill sets and attribute trees. Of course, all the loot from the original is back in force, along with plenty of new additions to keep hardcore series devotees occupied. A tower defense game with RPG and dungeon crawler elements, then? Seems so.
To receive updates on Defender Chronicles ‘ ongoing development, check out its Facebook page. Avid fans can also discuss matters in more depth over on the game’s official forum.
Bring Death Under the Neon Lights in Neon Chrome
To see the future in neon light, that’d be something pleasant.
To see the future in neon light, that’d be something pleasant. However, in 10tons Ltd’s newest top-down rogue-like shooter, Neon Chrome, it’s going to be a little bit rough as the current Overseer wants players dead.
Players will blast their way through the walls of arcology, a super massive mega structure. They’ll be doing said blasting with guns and cybernetic abilities. Cybernetic abilities range from giving a player the ability to remain undetected by sentry turrets if they stay still, or giving them faster movement speed. Their goal is to take out the Overseer before the Overseer take’s them out with his droves of assault drones and cyborgs. Players can choose from one of three randomized characters called assets. Each one is a bit different but they all have a unique combination of role, weapon and ability. Players will die, and die a lot, and each time they’re reborn they’ll travel a completely new path. For those not wishing to go it alone, the game offers local co-op so players can bring their friends along for the fight.
Neon Chrome will be available on April 28 on Steamfor Windows PC. To learn more about the game visit the official website. To learn more about the developer 10tons Ltd, visit their website, “like” on Facebook, and follow on Twitter.
Incognita opens for alpha access, trailer shows turn-based espionage in action
I'm starting to worry about Klei, you guys.
I'm starting to worry about Klei, you guys. Between new Mark of the Ninja DLC, continued developmenton Don't Starve, and now the turn-based spy-'em-up Incongnita, they're pumping out an incredible number of games. Has anyone checked to make sure their office isn't full of developers chained to computers; forced to code strategic espionage-based interactions and draw gorgeously stylistic art? They've just opened Incognita for pre-order purchase, giving buyers instant alpha access to the game. Maybe they need to raise funds for some thicker restraints?
It looks like a great twist on the X-Com formula, substituting all-out alien war for a cool, stealth-focused campaign of hacking and heists. Klei say that they currently have the core mechanics in place, but that many of the features are still to be implemented. Right now, backers will get a single randomly generated level, a few agents, but little in the way of character progression. For a more detailed look, check out the recent 40 minute livestream.
"Because the game is still in the early stages, we're expecting the game to change significantly as we test and iterate on major features," writes technical designer James Lantz. "We're also expecting major bugs to pop up during the development, as much as we try to avoid them."
As is now standard with alpha funding, buying now will give you access to all current and future builds, including a final copy of the game. The standard priceis currently $16.99, and comes with two copies.
The "Full Game" version of Incognita is due out next year.
Cliffy B wants to 'fix' Resident Evil. Capcom says 'bring pizza'
Cliff Bleszinski, famous father of the Gears of War series, has been making quite a commotion since he left Epic games a couple of weeks ago. First he was cosying up with Naughty Dog (of Uncharted fame) and now he's boasting he can 'fix' the Resident Evil series. Look at this Twitter post: Capcom took a little while to reply (at least publicly - who knows what was said in private?), but responded in
Dying Light: The Following trailer shows off buggy customisation
It has to be said: Dying Light was one of the better supported games of 2015.
was one of the better supported games of 2015. In addition to regular updates, studio Techland provided some flexible modding tools, which the community has wielded in some impressive ways. The forthcoming expansion, The Following, is looking pretty meaty too. So meaty, that another studio might consider releasing it as a standalone.
In addition to a huge new rural area to explore, The Following will include buggies. Vehicles in open-world games tend to be pretty simple affairs, but judging by the new gameplay trailer below, the ones in The Following allow a lot of customisation. Not only aesthetically, but also to performance. In addition to upgrades, the brief snippets shown of the game's customisation menus show that quite a bit of tinkering will be allowed for.
Dying Light: The Following will release on February 9. Here's 16 minutes of gameplay footageif you still need convincing.
Good Soldiers Never Die, they Just Rewind Time in Rogue Continuum
Rogue Continuum is a rogue-like planet-crawler from developer Rocktastic Games.
is a rogue-like planet-crawler from developer Rocktastic Games. Set in the year 2890 AD, Earth has just been blown to pieces by an unknown alien force. Humanity’s only hope is an elite strike force of galactic super-soldiers who’ve managed to escape on a prototype spaceship that can travel back in time by 28 days.
Players can pick from 4 heroes: a wise-cracking space marine, an ice-cold sniper, a homicidal robot, or a chainsaw-wielding aristocrat. Each character has a set of weapons that only they can use and ability that only they can learn. While mowing down the alien threat, players will pick up credits and use them to purchase new gear, like bullets that will freeze enemies, or boots that will increase character movement. The game offers both online and local multiplayer, allowing up to three friends to join in. When a player dies, their ship will jump back in time allowing them to start over. However, when they restart they’ll be a little bit tougher, quicker, maybe even in possession of a new skill or a crafted weapon.
Rogue Continuum is in early access on Steamfor Windows PC, and Mac. The game is currently on sale for $7.99 USD, normally priced at $9.99 USD. When the game launches in 2016 it will also be available on Linux. To learn more about the game visit the official website, and follow on Twitter. To learn more about the developer, Rocktastic Games visit their website, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
Resident Evil 6: Capcom responds to PS3 crashes, offers short-term workaround (UPDATED)
Sony has now issued a follow-up statement via Twitter to say that the patch has now been fixed. Affected gamers should delete their downloaded copy, then redownload it and all should be fine. ***UPDATE ENDS*** Some PS3 owners have been suffering a crash bug at the start of Resident Evil 6 , rendering the game unplayable. The bug appears to be affecting those who bought the game as a digital download
This Witcher 3 mod brings Dark Souls difficulty to Novigrad
Winner of our Best Singleplayer of 2015 award , Andy once described The Witcher 3 as “one of the best RPGs” he’d ever played.
, Andy once described The Witcher 3 as “one of the best RPGs” he’d ever played. I’d struggle to argue with that, and its subsequent official expansions— Hearts of Stoneand Blood and Wine—have only served to improve upon an already fantastic game. An ever-expanding listof unofficial user-made mods has pushed the boundaries of what this game has to offer further still, the latest of which to catch our eye is Reaperrz’s Enhanced Edition overhaul.
While rumours of an official Enhanced Edition were quashed by CD Projekt Red back in January, the developer recently confirmed a Game of the Year iteration is in the works. The Enhanced Edition mod is independent of both, but alters things like the game's default stats and abilities, meditation and alchemy settings, equipment weight and durability, and talent caps and levelling, among a number of other things. The mod also makes significant changes to the game’s combat and damage systems and modifiers—a new “Hardcore Enemies” setting, for example, lifts foes 11 levels above the player. Yikes.
The list of changes the mod makes is pretty exhaustive—full details of which can be found via its Nexus page. If you're interested, you might also fancy checking out YouTube person Origier does Gaming’s extensive overview, which details everything from installation instructions to how said changes affect your game.
Thanks, VG24/7.
Dying Light: The Following 'nightmare mode' detailed
Dying Light: The Following launches early next month, and in addition to a whole new playable area, buggies and a bunch of silly (read: more brutal) weaponry, there's going to be a new difficulty mode.
launches early next month, and in addition to a whole new playable area, buggies and a bunch of silly (read: more brutal) weaponry, there's going to be a new difficulty mode. Predictably enough, the new difficulty mode will be very hard, so Techland have called it 'nightmare' mode.
The video above is designed to tell you all you need to know about 'nightmare mode', but the gist of it is this: night time lasts longer, you lose all accrued XP upon death and zombies hit harder. Meanwhile, active skills will deplete your stamina bar and certain 'easter egg' weapons designed to make the game a bit easier won't be available. The upside of all this is that you'll earn more XP while playing in nightmare mode.
The Following releases on February 9. If you don't already own the game, it'll be re-released in an Enhanced Edition featuring all of the DLC released thus far and some graphical tweaks.
IGM StreamTeam Spotlight – SqueakyB
IGM Presents… The StreamTeam Spotlight! In this weekly webseries, we invite members of our IGM GamePlay StreamTeam to come and join us while we get up to hijinx in our favorite indie game! Come watch (and “follow”) the show live on our hitbox channel every Thursday night at 9:00pm EDT: http://www.hitbox.tv/IndieGameMagazine
This week we met up with SqueakyB, one of our own authors and long time streamer to impart some of her pearls of wisdom when it comes to streaming, what she’s been up to lately, her upcoming charity live stream event and more!
If you’re interested in joining the StreamTeam make sure to come on over and check us out! http://gameplay.indiegamemag.com/join-the-streamteam/
This Segment: Portal 2 / Team Fortress 2 – Prop Hunt
Guest Streamer: SqueakyB
Original Air Date: May 8, 2014
Infectonator: Survivors Review – Deceptively Cute, Effectively Stressful
I’ve spent a number of late nights playing games on Armor and Kongregate, and was introduced to one of the first free Infectonator games by my sister.
games by my sister. It was a fun little game with the ultimate goal being to infect as many humans with a zombie virus as possible, while effectively destroying the world one country at a time. I thought perhaps Infectionator: Survivors was a simple variation on this theme, but then, it may still be a browser game if that was the case. Survivors is much more complicated, with elements of real-time strategy, time/supply management, and tower defense – and this time, you’re defending the world, not infecting it.
Having been Greenliton Steam in January, Infectonator is being officially released on April 14, 2014 as Early Accessby Toge Productions.
There are four main survivors that begin the game, traveling in a car toward a military holding point. The car runs out of gas, and the survivors are then forced to push forward on foot. This comprises the tutorial portion of the game (if you choose to use it, which I would, as this is not a game typical of any one genre), introducing you to the concept of utilizing characters to search for supplies, defend against waves of zombies, and set up battle points in a series of obstacle courses.
The default survivors.
The over-simplified description of how you play this game is that you point and click. There are hot keys (1, 2, 3, and 4 for character selection, A to toggle fullscreen, and R to reload weapons), but for the most part, your selections are made on-screen by clicking characters and then goals. Money is used to build turrets in certain spots, which increase your kill number and help to thin out the horde when times get tough. You also have the option of alerting the military by radio a total of 3 times, should you become overwhelmed.
Like any good tower defense game, placement is key. You have one melee character, and 3 characters with handguns. Seeking out the most effective placement for each, particularly with weapon upgrades, is only the beginning. You must also search items like boxes, shelves, and sleeping bags for supplies (these are noted on screen with yellow diamonds, as though they were sparkling), and those searches take time. One player must cover another during the search, else you end up inadvertently killing someone for the sake of a few coins.
I ended up killing two someones. Whoops.
Once you’re able to pass the first test, involving two fairly easy obstacles, you’re introduced to your safe house. Your car is there, and you must repair it and find supplies in order to continue and hopefully escape the zombie scourge, using a map and divvying your survivors up by those who will stay and make repairs, and those who will explore. This is where time management comes in, and where I honestly had the roughest time (I am impatient; strategy games are, admittedly, not my forte). Upgrades can be found or purchased, and include stronger guns like a rifle that can shoot through an entire row of zombies. As you progress, the difficulty ramps up, and decisions must be made faster and with fewer errors.
Infectonator: Survivors includes multiple throwbacks to the internet crowd from whence it came, as well as an unlockable survivor group based off of the original four characters in Left 4 Dead . The music is very fitting for the game type (these pixelated sprites harken to Super Nintendo days), but isn’t cloying or overly dramatic. There are no emotional heartstrings being tugged, and characters are treated as resources. Given the type of game, however, this is more of a perk, as it allows you to make decisions based on calculations rather than feelings.
One of the first tutorial screens.
Every time you begin a new game, the obstacles you face in each combat screen are different. This keeps the game from becoming routine, and increases the replay value considerably. Coupled with the impressive combination of game genres contained within, I find it hard to imagine anyone with experience in tower defense or strategy games becoming bored. The price is not yet listed on Steam, but early estimates for price are at around $9.99, with further improvements beyond Early Access bringing a price increase for more features. Whether that price increase will be worth it remains to be seen, but at $10, this is a fun addition to for those who enjoy zombie games but aren’t fans of the usual FPS style.
For more information, contact Toge on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and check out their websitefor more games.
Much zombie. Very RTS. Wow.
Here's the first 16 minutes of Dying Light: The Following
Got 16 minutes of free time and a hankering to find out more about the upcoming Dying Light expansion The Following ?
? Then you might want to turn your attention this IGN video that follows the opening minutes of the game, complete with narration from Producer Tymon Smektata.
The Dying Light situation is getting worse in The Following, as more people are getting sick and there's not enough Antizin to go around. But the hero—that's you again—hears a story about a group of people with a natural immunity to the infection, and thus begins the new adventure across the more open, sprawling, dune buggy-friendlycountryside in which The Following takes place.
Dying Light: The Following will be out on February 9, and will go for $20, or $30 as part of the Dying Light season pass.
Play as a Demon God In That Which Sleeps
You are an Old One – an extremely powerful god-like-demon that has been sealed away from the world for generations.
Boston and Austin developers King Dinosaur Games, have launched a modest Kickstarterfor the promising and ambitious turn-based strategy god game – That Which Sleeps .
You are an Old One – an extremely powerful god-like-demon that has been sealed away from the world for generations. Upon awakening, you are weak, and must stay hidden in order to reign corruption and chaos into the world again. You’ll recruit agents, people of the world who will aid your commands while you stay hidden. These agents can be kings and heroes, who oversee armies and minions. Each agent you choose has unique skill traits, which add for interesting strategies.
With every choice you make, be it spreading a plague or infiltrating a kingdom, the world will be customized entirely on your choices. With only limited agents to use at a time, you are forced to make difficult decisions that will have stark outcomes. The choices you make with agents can have an affect on their fame and how the world sees them, which can be bad for the player if the world finds out the Old One has arisen, leading heroes to seek out and destroy it.
That Which Sleeps is a dense, meticulously designed game, with an elaborate and rich focus on lore, strategy, and the world itself. Developers King Dinosaur Games are looking to raise $12,000 on Kickstarter. Nearly half way there with 29 days still to go, That Which Sleep shows a lot of promise in the turn-based strategy game community.
Check out their websiteand follow them on Twitterfor more information and future updates.
Resident Evil 6 preview - Hands-on with the first hours of all three campaigns
Resident Evil 6 is one of the most anticipated sequels of the year, the next entry in one of the biggest franchises in gaming history. To date we’ve seen an incredible amount of RE6's settings and characters. We’ve met classic stars like Leon and Chris, old enemies like Ada Wong, and new characters like Jake and Helena. We’ve seen so much, yet so many questions remain about the massive game. Now we
Modder goes all-out for Dying Light map Harran The Ride
Tonally—and in a way that I find endearing—this is one conflicted trailer, but the mod that it's trailing is impressive to the point that Dying Light dev Techland is raving about it.
dev Techland is raving about it. Harran The Ride is a new map with a brief campaign created by Cabozzl using the Dying Light Dev Tools.
This Harran sports an abandoned theme park ride in which a handful of survivors are hiding and naturally besieged by infected. Cabozzl has single-handedly designed the map, new cutscenes and custom weapons. There's even voice work, although that's often a worrying prospect in a mod.
Harran can be downloaded from the Steam Workshop(where it's enjoying a hearty five-star rating), and while I don't want to spoil anything that its developer has intentionally blacked out, the full description is worth trawling for details on some delightful environmental threats.
Experience The Life Of A Stuntman In ‘Stunt Star: The Hollywood Years’
Ever wanted to live the life of a stunt man, but couldn’t afford the move to Hollywood?
Ever wanted to live the life of a stunt man, but couldn’t afford the move to Hollywood? Do you get a sense of fulfillment by completely totaling a beater, but can’t keep doing it anymore? Stunt Star: The Hollywood Years for iOS is here to satisfy your cravings for only.
In Stunt Star you will relive the life of a Hollywood stuntman, the good times, and the bad. You will crash, explode, crash, catch on fire, and do some more crashing until you finally complete your stunt. Not only will you be responsible for controlling the vehicles, but you’ll also have to build the ramps yourself.
Stunt Star: The Hollywood Years features 16 vehicles ranging from bikes to monster trucks, various add-ons for each vehicle such as nitrous oxide, ejector seats, and car parachutes, and 70 levels across three worlds.
Check back here at IGM soon when we give our hands-on impressions of the game. In the meantime, pick up Stunt Star on the App Storefor $2.99. To keep up with the developer, Three Phase Interactive, follow them on Twitterand Facebook. Check out the gallery and trailer embedded below for an even better look at Stunt Star: The Hollywood Years .
End the War to End all Wars in REDCON
Set in a future where the First World War never ended, humanity has all but forgotten what peace is, their memories only filled with the sights and sounds of war.
Set in a future where the First World War never ended, humanity has all but forgotten what peace is, their memories only filled with the sights and sounds of war. But there might be hope to end the conflict, players are tasked to spearhead an artillery offensive against the Traitor General Kranz in developer Hexage’s strategy game, REDCON .
Players are in command of a battle fortress, they’ll target their guns and command their soldiers simultaneously launching an offensive, putting out fires, and repairing damage . Players will have to grow their battle fortress if they wish to end this bloody conflict. They can do so by upgrading their weapons, utility facilities and placing them in the optimal positions.
REDCON is out now on Steamfor Windows PC, Mac, and Linux. The game is priced at $5.99 (USD). to learn more about the game and the developer Hexage visit their official website, “like” them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.
Dying Light mod tools extended to include PvP
What a long way Dying Light has come since Techland was accused of issuing takedown notices against mods.
against mods. It might not have been at fault, but free modding toolsare an excellent outcome of a nasty misunderstanding. Now the Dying Light Dev Tools have been updated to support co-op and PvP modifications.
Last week we reported on an ambitious fan-made thrill ride map, soon to be joined by a selection of custom deathmatches and particularly nasty cooperative challenges. The new tools went live alongside Rabid Squirrel's Don't Drown mod, set on an island aspiring to be the new Atlantis by way of The Hunger Games.
If you're new to Dying Light modding, Techland has a series of tutorialsyou can browse.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP’ Finally Headed For Japan
‘Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP’ Finally Headed For Japan
Since its release, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP has been universally loved and praised by players and critics alike.
has been universally loved and praised by players and critics alike. While the US has been able to enjoy the humorous, beautifully designed and even more beautifully composed package delivered in the game for over a year, those in the UK were only let in on the fun months ago. What’s more, Japan had been left out of the action altogether, but now Superbrothers and Capybara Entertainment have announced that they will be preparing the famous title for release in Japan on iOS as well as PC and Mac! With assistance from , the studios are currently working through the localization process for the title across all three platforms, slating a June 21st release date for all three this year.
On the back of this great news, more awesome things were announced for release on June 21st. A remix album featuring seven tracks by Jim Guthrie is marked for release as well. The album, which will be available online for 5 dollars, will feature notable japanese composers such as Michiru Yamane (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night), Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill), Baiyon (PixelJunk 4am), Mitsuto Suzuki (Final Fantasy XIII-2), chiptune artist Macotom3, and superhero Decasségui Hip.
For more info, check out Jim Guthrie’sand Superbrothers’homepages. You can find the iOS version at the App Storefor iPad and iPhone.
Li’l Smasher Brings Destructive Joy to iOS Devices
Does the prospect of breaking various objects into tiny little smithereens fill you with an unholy glee?
Then you’re going to want to meet Gary.
Gary is the titular Li’l Smasher . This fuzzy red gremlin lives to destroy priceless objects. So when he finds himself in the aptly-named Museum of Priceless Stuff, it’s like a dream come true.
Unfortunately, many of these delicate valuables are protected by puzzles of varying difficulty, and Gary isn’t very smart. To his advantage, though, he has you to guide him. Armed only with a laser-sighted slingshot, you and Gary must find the solution to each puzzle, break the precious object it guards, and move forward.
With 21 levels rendered in brilliant 3D graphics, Li’l Smasher makes physics fun. Experiment with angles, utilize the forces of gravity and motion, and find a way to destroy every last treasure in the museum. No mess to clean up either!
Developer MooseMouse LLC, the solo-dev studio made up of Shawn McInerney and backed by Publisher BulkyPix, is proud to announce the release of Li’l Smasher for iOS devices. Free to play, you can download it from the Apple App Store. They promise more levels in future releases, so be sure to keep tabs on their Facebook pageand Twitter accountfor updates and special surprises.
Editor’s Note: We originally attributed the development of the game to BulkyPix, but they are in fact the game’s publisher. Li’l Smasher is developed by MooseMouse Games LLC.
The Sports Desk – Rating Madden 17's Offensive Stars, Gameplay Videos & NBA 2K17
Madden NFL 17 developer EA Tiburon has started to publish the ratings for some of the game's players, and you know what that means – it's time to complain!
Madden NFL 17 developer EA Tiburon has started to publish the ratings for some of the game's players, and you know what that means – it's time to complain! Seriously, though, I've brought in an expert to dissect what we know so far about some of the title's top offensive players. Also be sure to check out a collection of Madden 17 videos I've recorded showing off specific gameplay aspects, including a blocked punt!
I've brought in fantasy sports hall of famer, leaguesafe.comowner, Madden player, and host of KFAN's Video Games Weekly radio showPaul Charchian to poke and prod the ratings on some of this year's offensive players from a Madden, fantasy, and real-life NFL perspective.
Here are the top-rated Madden 17 players that have been released so far. Click on the links to get the full ratings rundown (Once there, click the "Share" link to sort all the ratings).
Top 5 QBs: Aaron Rodgers (96), Cam Newton (94), Tom Brady (94), Ben Roethlisberger (93), Russell Wilson (91) Top 5 RBs: Le'Veon Bell (94), Adrian Peterson (91), Doug Martin (90), Jamaal Charles (89), Lamar Miller (88) Top 5 WRs: Antonio Brown (97), Julio Jones (96), Odell Beckham Jr. (93), A.J. Green (93), Deandre Hopkins (93) Top 10 Rookies: Jalen Ramsey (82), Ezekiel Elliott (80), Ronnie Stanley (79), Roberto Aguayo (79), Joey Bosa (79), Jack Conklin (79), Laremy Tunsil (79), Corey Coleman (78), Hunter Henry (78), Deforest Buckner (78)Let's start with the quarterbacks – does Aaron Rodgers deserve to be number one? I think when you put Rodgers number one with the highest overall ranking, there's obviously some legacy built into that, because last year he certainly didn't play that way. You take one receiver out, and all of a sudden Aaron Rodgers is sitting on a pretty average season in a lot of ways last year.
Then you look at a guy like Tom Brady, who has never had a Jordy Nelson since Randy Moss left the team, and yet Tom Brady remains as vital as ever. The 99 he has on awareness is absolutely earned. He's as good as any quarterback in the history of the game. And then the crazy accuracy numbers...
I don't know that I would have put Rodgers there, and I just think from a Madden standpoint, it's a lot more fun to play as Cam Newton. I understand why Rodgers is there, but if I had my choice at quarterback, I would pick Cam Newton just to play with.
What about the rest of the top five QBs? The top five's got Roethlisberger in it, which I don't have a big problem with, but I think if you just wanted to get nit-picky you could say, "Well, what about Carson Palmer, what about Drew Brees? Maybe an Andrew Luck or even Tony Romo."
Roethlisberger – I think fantasy guys know this more than Madden players – his home/road splits are goofy. For example, over the last two years he's averaging three touchdowns at home and one on the road. We're talking about two full seasons of work. That's a trend, not a mirage.
Talking about Brady's consistency, Rodgers' falling apart without Jordy Nelson, and Roesthlisberger's success at home – are all of those things a matter of intangibles that ratings can't capture? That's a great point. You can only put numbers on so many things. They do a great job of getting a lot of things, like that Ben Roethlisberger is really hard to tackle. They can account for that. There are guys that have overcome adversity, there's leadership – those things are hard to quantify. Jay Cutler, for most of his career, has been a devastatingly bad leader, and that's not typically a thing you can throw a number on and be reflected in Madden-style gameplay.
These top-five running backs are all clearly excellent players. How do you differentiate them? A couple of different ways. You're going to differentiate on pass-catching ability, which is always a big factor. You have to know what style of offense you want to run and find somebody who can catch if you want to be able to run plays that use your running backs that way. I tend to like guys who have some elusiveness so I that don't have to carry all the burden for elusiveness, and the game's going to provide some of that for me [laughs].
I wasn't crazy about Doug Martin as the third-highest overall running back. He's not a bad back, but I will be stunned if Doug Martin ends up in reality as the third-best running back. He ended up with good stats last year – second in rushing yards overall – but there just weren't that many explosive plays, those things you go, "Wow, that's only a play that Doug Martin can make," but Le'Veon Bell makes those plays. How is Todd Gurley not ahead of Lamar Miller and Doug Martin? He succeeded last year despite some of the worst quarterbacking in memory.
Adrian Peterson's carry stat of 81: It seems a little high.... That's ridiculous. It does seem a little high. That should be a 61.
It's too bad you can't do it situationally. Give him an 81 for normal parts of game and then have it plummet when the game's on the line. It should plummet. Wouldn't that be fun if they could do it situationally? I was trying to think how they put Peterson on an 81, and I gotta believe that they may have only been looking at fumbles lost [laughs]. Maybe we as Vikings fans remember it because they always seem to be in such critical situations.
These top-five receivers are also a solid bunch. Any ratings numbers stick out for you? I think actually that's a pretty accurate stat for Julio Jones, at 97 for his release, because he's so good at getting physical that he crushes press coverage on a regular basis to the point that a lot of teams don't try anymore.
Antonio Brown has a 95 release, and to me that one's a little more peculiar, because Brown's so much a slighter built, and he's not known as a guy who just powers through defenders at the line of scrimmage.
Certainly glad to see Odell Beckham Jr. has the 99 spectacular catch, because his catches are as good as anything we've really seen in the history of the NFL. We've really never had a player that makes the catches he makes. And that's not hyperbole, that's just how good he is.
Do you have an opinion on DeAndre Hopkins on this list and his abilities in real life? I like that they put DeAndre Hopkins here. I like the fact that they really did numerically capture how good he is. Now, what struck me as a little bit interesting of all his ratings is his very modest elusiveness rating. DeAndre Hopkins is open a lot, and when he gets the ball he's able to do a fair amount with it. I was a little bit surprised to see an elusiveness rating at only 76 when his peers are largely in the 90s.
Would you take any of these guys in the first round of your fantasy football draft? I would take all of them in the first round. In fact, I would take these top five guys in the first seven picks. Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and Odell Beckham Jr. should be the first players taken in the fantasy draft. And then I would go Gronk, and then I'm looking at DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, and Dez Bryant. All those guys should be right there.
Looking at the rookies... Yeah, there were some really weird guys in here, I was very surprised.
People are certainly going to notice top QB picks Goff and Wentz not on this rookies list. Do they deserve to go on it? Well, they don't if you're only looking at it as a one year thing. Carson Wentz isn't going to play this year. He's solidly number three on the depth chart and will likely not see any time. Goff is going to start, but he's taking over the worst passing offense in the NFL.
The worst by far [of Madden's top ten rookies] – Hunter Henry! Yes, he was the best tight end in a weak, weak tight end class, but anybody who has followed this game closely knows that tight ends do nothing in their rookie year. That position takes three-ish years to start to develop.
With that spot you could have a wide variety of potentially high-impact players like Kenneth Dixon in Baltimore, where he could easily be the week-one starter – he's a special back. Derrick Henry, who went in the second round [to the Titans], he was the second running back taken. He could easily be in this list. And at the receiver position, what about [Vikings' WR] Laquan Treadwell? What about Michael Thomas [WR picked up by the Saints], what about Sterling Shepard [WR for Giants]? Josh Doctson [Washington WR]? They're going to splash in year one, and Hunter Henry is not going to.
Tunsil shouldn't be here either. They're already talking about him moving to guard. The hope was if you're going to take a pick that high you're going to get help at tackle, which is a much tougher spot to pick.
Beyond this list as a snapshot of these players as rookies, do you think any of these guys will turn out to be flat-out busts in the long run? Tunsil's got bust [potential] to him for sure. Corey Coleman may never develop because he doesn't have the requisite quarterbacking to develop. He's fast, but what we've figured out over the last 10 years especially is that speed is only one component. Just because you're able to run through college defenses doesn't mean you're a well-rounded player. And then again, Hunter Henry it's just going to take time, and who knows. It's a massive question mark for him.
We didn't talk tight ends, but it will be interesting to see what the drop off is between Gronk and the next-closest tight end. Because in real life, it's a huge drop off.
Jalen Ramsey and Ezekiel Elliot at the top, does that seem right? Yeah, I have no problem with that. Ramsey is a freakish all-around athlete, and I love him. Ezekial Elliot is my number one running back for fantasy football purposes. It basically never happens where you get a combination of a rookie running back this good falling into a team that is ideally suited, not just for him, but for his running style. And the fact that he's a third-down back means he'll never come off the field.
MADDEN 17 GAMEPLAY VIDEOS GALORE
Madden developer EA Tiburon has talked a lot about how this year's title has a lot going for it on the gameplay front, and sometimes seeing is believing. I've compiled this group of videos to showcase some of the concepts and changes advertised for this year's game. This is from an early build, and things could change before release, but I think it's a good look at some of what the title has to offer.
Thanks to our video intern Leo Vader ( leovader.com) for the fine editing work on these vids!
Note: These videos were taken from an early build of the game. Also, the commentary track on these videos has been disabled. Rest assured it will be in the final game.
AGGRESSIVE CATCHES NOT SO STRONG Toning down the aggressive catch was a focus, and I think it's working. Not even Odell Beckham Jr. is catching some of these.
IMPROVED LINE PLAY The running game feels better, and not just for the offense. The first clip shows a nice backside hole opening up, and you can see the optional running assist icon (those blue dashed lines showing which direction you're facing). Later clips show one defensive player setting an edge and getting a shoulder upfield while a teammate cleans up.
NEW BALL PHYSICS IN ACTION The ball now reacts as its own collision object, so we should see more realistic ball swats and deflections (check out the beauty at the end of the clip). Also check out the fumble mechanic – including fumbles when the QB's arm is back. I like the Wentz fumble, because it shows him snatching the ball off the ground while it's in front of him, something we see QBs in real life.
PUNT BLOCK! This was taken from the instant replay feature, which is why there's no sound. I was actually stunned when it happened, that's why my punter just stands there.
A NICE THROW BY CAM NEWTON ON THE RUN
RUNNING WILD
DEFENSIVE ZONES ARE HARDER TO THROW AGAINST Here you see linebackers and defensive backs drop back into some different zones to make good plays on the ball.
GOFF & WENTZ IN ACTION Some nice throws by the rookies. My favorite is the strong out route thrown by Goff. That felt good.
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THE NBA 2K17 WISHLIST
Matt Bertz has compiled a big wish listof things for this year's installment, including:
A better spectator mode Fixing the injury system Revamping the progression in MyCareer modeTHE TICKER A quick rundown of some of the sports news from the week.
How Techland's tribute to a young cancer victim helped his family heal
A story posted on Kotaku UK today about 17-year-old David Acott, an endearingly enthusiastic Dying Light fan who died of cancer earlier this year, is heartbreaking by any measure.
today about 17-year-old David Acott, an endearingly enthusiastic Dying Light fan who died of cancer earlier this year, is heartbreaking by any measure. But it's also uplifting, and even important, for what it says about the power of videogames to help people heal.
Alcott revealedthat he had cancer on February 20, on his YouTube channel Bad Wolf Gaming. Less than two weeks later, he reportedthat his cancer had not responded to chemotherapy as expected, and that he would have to start taking stronger doses, which would keep him from making videos for awhile. He's obviously downcast and worried through the first half of the video, but he absolutely lights up around the midway point when he starts talking about Dying Light, a game he'd unboxedwith great enthusiasm just a few days before.
That positivity in the face of such dreadful adversity led friends of his younger brother Howard to send a copy of the video to Techland in April, the month after David's death. The studio decided that it wanted to do something to honor David, but not before speaking to his parents. That led to contact with his mother, Janet, and ultimately the creation of a muralthat was added to the game in May.
That was expected to be the end of it, but the response to the tribute was so strong that Janet and Howard took a trip to Poland to thank the people at Techland personally for their efforts, which proved to be a very positive experience for both of them. "I really feel for Howard," his mother said. "The whole dynamic of the house has changed. This has given him something, he feels part of that community. He’s now an only child. He’s lost his best friend, his big brother. But this has given him something."
It's a tremendously sad story, and watching Acott's final video, in which he expresses hope for a private room (so he can play Dying Light) and talks about his plans for a "zombie kill montage" video, is incredibly tough to watch. But it's also proof of what games can do, and even more, what a community can do. By any measure, that's an important point of light in a very dark time.
Read David's story in full at Kotaku UK.
Nintendogs + Cats review
Nintendogs + Cats review What would a modern Nintendo handheld launch be without Nintendogs? Considerably easier to swallow, for one, but here it is anyway. So what’s new with Nintendo’s premium virtual pet? For a start, it actually looks pretty incredible. Used at the DS’s launch as a triumphant showcase of the machine’s ability to render a small amount of things exceptionally well, the 3DS carries
Swords & Soldiers’ Headed To The 3DS
‘Swords & Soldiers’ Headed To The 3DS
The side scrolling strategy game Swords & Soldiers will be getting the 3D treatment for the Nintendo 3DS later this year.
Originally created by Ronimo Games (the team behind last years hit Awesomenauts ), this new 3D edition will be handled by Hong Kong studio Circle Entertainment , themselves a long time supporter of original DSi and eShop software.
Swords & Soldiers combines a quirky 2D side scroller with an element of real time strategy, involving vikings, aztecs and the occasional humorous joke. On the left hand side you’ll have your base, where you create an assortment of character classes who then scroll across to the right towards the deadly enemy or whatever trap may be lying in wait. The title was originally well received when it debuted on the Nintendo Wii and has since gone on to make appearances on PC, Apple iPad, Android and Sony PlayStation products among others
There is the possibility of exclusive content for the 3DS, according to initial words from Circle Entertainment themselves, although it must be said that nothing has been officially announced as yet. Likewise there’s no info on what to actually expect with this port, whether the entire original game and previous DLC and updates will be included or whether multiplayer modes will be supported. Here’s hoping all of that makes the cut.
No doubt we’ll have more on that when the news breaks, but in the meantime you can visit the official website via the link right here.
Top 10 level editors
Top 10 level editors User-generated content has graduated in recent years from a finicky niche pastime to an alluring mainstream marketing tool for publishers to slap on the back of a plastic box. But even before the likes of LittleBigPlanet, Trials Evolution and its ilk opened the floodgates of abstract expression to the layman, communities had embraced track editors, modding kits and other creation
Dying Light: The Following and season pass prices are going up
The upcoming Dying Light DLC The Following is apparently quite big: Big enough, according to developer Techland, to be a standalone game in its own right.
is apparently quite big: Big enough, according to developer Techland, to be a standalone game in its own right. It won't be, though, because doing so would force a delay in its launch—but the "increased scale" of the expansion has led the studio to decide that it needs to jack the price up a bit, along with that of the season pass.
"As promised back in August, our expansion will still be free for all Dying Light Season Pass holders," Techland said in a statement. "However since the Season Pass will now include this bigger-than-anticipated addition, we needed to adjust the price accordingly."
That means Dying Light: The Following will sell for $20, not $15 as originally announced, while the Dying Light season pass, which includes The Following, is going from from $20 to $30. The good news is that the increases won't take effect until December 8, because Techland "didn't want this to come as a surprise," so as long as you grab it before then, you'll still get it at the lower price. Those with a cynical bent might see an element of sharp marketing to it, but if the price is going up anyway, a little heads-up is a good thing, no?
There's still no release date for Dying Light: The Following, but Techland said that more information about the game will be revealed "really soon."