Why There Are Two Playable Characters in ‘Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’

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In the wake left by E3 2014, Ubisoft found itself under fire for a lack of female assassins in Assassin’s Creed Unity .

. After claiming that the gender posed a challenge for developers to add to the game, there was an ample amount of heat on the company and those behind the development of the blockbuster franchise’s next installment. This scenario is something that the publisher is hoping to avoid this time around in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate .

With the option of suiting up as either Jacob or his twin sister Evie Frye, that hot-button issue has affectively been squashed, but apparently the decision to add the playable female protagonist didn’t stem from the controversy surrounding.

During an interview with Assassin’s Creed Syndicate ‘s executive director Francois Pelland, we asked about the decision to include two playable characters this time around in lieu of one central assassin. According to Pelland, the decision to have male and female twin assassins was to incorporate a modern story that best fit the team’s narrative – hence why Ubisoft started building it roughly two and a half years ago.

“For us, two and a half years ago, we said let’s talk about a modern story. Right from the start, we knew we wanted to have Jacob and Evie in as twins. They come into London at that time, so they explore London during the same time that the player is going to do. So for us it’s not like we were trying to do anything special with it, we were just saying that this is the best way for us to have the greatest story, for the period, for the game.”

So while the implementation of two central characters is one of the more interesting developments in Syndicate , many fans are likely curious to know how it works. Pelland was quick to address this by stating that users can simply switch to their preferred Frye on the fly during free-roam sessions, but will have to saddle up as one or the other for a number of different story missions.

“So the player will choose between Evie and Jacob and the narrative will switch between the two depending on the missions and depending on the storyline. So, it’s more the duality between the two where we feel like with Jacob and Evie we exploit the two sides of the English culture – or English personality, I should say.”

Despite both looking equally kick-butt in their dark assassins robes, both Jacob and Evie will have very distinct personalities. Jacob, for example, is brash and strong-headed which one could foresee getting him into a whole heap of trouble. Based on the gameplay footage Ubisoft was kind enough to show me behind closed doors, it would appear as if Evie is more calculated and precise where her brother lacks that foresight.

Together the pair should have a very interesting dynamic and it’ll be interesting to see how their unique approaches to any given situation will differ from one another. Still, giving players some options in terms of whom they can play as for the bulk of the campaign is a very progressive step forward for the Assassin’s Creed franchise and it’s something that longtime fans are sure to appreciate.

What do you think of the dual protagonist addition? Will you play through the bulk of Syndicate as Jacob or Evie Frye?

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will be arriving for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 23, 2015.

ARK: Survival Evolved Added to Humble Monthly

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The Humble Monthly subscription service from Humble Bundle adds the popular online multiplayer dinosaur survival game ARK: Survival Evolved to its lineup.

At this point, it’s safe to say that ARK: Survival Evolved is one of the most successful Early Access titles in history. And now PC gamers are able to see what all the fuss is about without having to spend $30 on an unfinished game, ashas been added to the Humble Monthly subscription service.

For the uninitiated, Humble Monthly is a PC subscription service from Humble Bundle akin to PlayStation Plus or the Xbox Live Games with Gold program. Consumers pay a price of $12 a month, and in exchange, receive a new set of free games.

The Humble Monthly subscription may cost more than PS Plus or Xbox Live Gold, but it has additional benefits that make it worth the price. The games so far have been relatively impressive titles, with a decent combination of indie games as well as big budget releases. Furthermore, players don’t have to stay subscribed to Humble Monthly to play the games they’ve downloaded, unlike Games with Gold and PS Plus.

What this means is that anyone interested in playing ARK: Survival Evolved can pick up the game for $12 instead of its usual $30 asking price. Simply subscribe to Humble Monthly by March 4th, download ARK , and then cancel the subscription.

This may convince those that have held out on ARK due to its status as an Early Access title to take the plunge. While purchasing any Early Access game is a risk, ARK is actually a very well put-together game, and has consistently received free updates from Studio Wildcard that have greatly expand its content. In the past month alone, ARK players have joined the addition of a grappling hookas well as new dinosaurs, like the three-seat Gallimimus creature.

Considering the amount of content in ARK and the quality of that content, it’s honestly a steal to get the game at just $12. Players will even be upgraded to the full version for free once that releases later this summer, making it an even more enticing proposition.

Hopefully the addition of ARK: Survival Evolved to Humble Monthly increases awareness for both the game and the subscription service. Both are quality products, and even though ARK has sold over 1 million copiesalready, it’s still a game that is not as well known thanks to its status as an Early Access title. Perhaps even more gamers will discover and get hooked on ARK now that it is available for a mere $12, which is more than 50% off its usual asking price.

ARK: Survival Evolved ‘s full release is scheduled for this coming June on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Cities: Skylines’ Review

‘Cities: Skylines’ Review
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Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order have an unexpected hit on their hands, with Cities: Skylines garnering over 250,000 sales in its first day on the market this week.

garnering over 250,000 sales in its first day on the market this week. The game was labelled as one of the best city-building experiences to date, and the debut trailercertainly made the game look gorgeous, massive and entertaining. Read on to find out whether Cities: Skylines delivers on all of its promises.

We questioned whether Cities: Skylines could succeed where SimCity ultimately failed, and the question is answered with a resounding yes. Where SimCity faltered in terms of map size, controversial always-online requirementsand a lack of mod support, Cities: Skylines allows gamers to have a much larger map, no online requirement, and works with the Steam Workshopto allow players to create their own assets, visuals and mods within the game.

As soon as players enter the game, they’ll see an interface that will be familiar to all city simulator fans: roads, power lines, pipeworks, zoning types and specialized city buildings are immediately available to select. Though users can only place zoning 3 blocks wide along each road, as opposed to filling whole sections of area, it’s easy to adjust to the tighter spacing and design ethics this decision brings. As the population of a town grows, users will unlock new zoning types, city service buildings and unique structures – or, of course, they can just go full-on sandbox and enable the game’s own in-game money and unlock cheats, a handy tool for those just looking to create the most beautiful city they can.

Speaking of, this is the absolute highlight of Cities: Skylines – creating huge, gorgeous cities on a scope never before seen in a city builder. The game eclipses all other city builders in sheer land mass, allowing gamers to create a metropolis that looks about twenty times as large as SimCity ever did. Gamers can even download a modification to go beyond this limit, with the only functional downside being they might have some framerate issues.

Here, Colossal Order unabashedly borrows SimCity’s gorgeous-looking tilt-shift idea, and places it within the standard view mode for the game. Exploring cities is easy, and players will likely find themselves in awe watching commuters go about as firetrucks struggle with six lanes of traffic during a high-rise fire.

The game also adds new elements to mix, like one of my favorite new features that allows users to designate certain areas of the map into ‘Districts’ and subject them to special rules. This feature makes it easier for players to put more tax on a wealthy subdivision, pay to hand out smoke alarms and reduce the change of fires, or even designate that a certain industrial area ignore safety concerns to increase productivity. The Districts feature adds a unique element to areas of the city that might have been somewhat repetitive otherwise, and being able to label neighborhoods helps add to the personality of each city.

There’s also new city services which must be considered. All city simulators have healthcare, but Skylines introduces deathcare. Cities must have allocated graveyards, but those fill up, which prompts he use of crematoriums to service the city. The same goes for garbage collection, where landfill areas have limited space, but the pollution-pumping incinerators will help finally get rid of the garbage. For a price, mayors can use the district tool to enable a better focus on health or recycling, which help out and keep the game interesting with more areas to focus on and ensure the city has good coverage.

One of the only downsides to Cities: Skylines is that it ultimately fails to provide much of a challenge in just about anything. The hardest portion of the game is waiting for citizens to move in and keeping areas well patrolled in terms of city services like police, healthcare, deathcare, and fire control. Within about 9 or 10 hours of playing, we’d reached the end-game status with a city raking in millions of cash with low crime, high health and a happy populace. That said, the gameplay was consistently fun the entire time, and Cities: Skylines delivered an unexpectedly smooth and wonderful experience from start to finish.

The game also includes an Asset Editor, so players can start creating their own building designs and easily add them to their gameplay experience. The tools are relatively straightforward, and the Steam Workshop is already full of hundreds of pieces of user-made content. Custom maps can also be designed, so players can start planning their cities from the terrain up. From our own experience, topographically-extreme maps deliver the most fantastic, albeit challenging design experience. Though the gameplay itself features no online component, gamers likely won’t notice the absence of neighboring towns as they expand their own borders over and over.

In short, Cities: Skyline s achieves everything we wanted in SimCity with ease. Coming in with the affordable price of $29.99, this is one game we fully recommend to any gamer looking to enjoy a city building game that not only allows them to generate gigantic metropolises, but design each element from the buildings themselves to the ground they’re built on. There’s currently no better game on the market when it comes to delivering the ultimate city building experience, and developer Colossal Ordernow seems aptly named, as their next game will have some big shoes to fill.

Cities: Skylines is available right now on PC, Mac and Linux. Game Rant was provided a PC code for this revie

Review: ‘ScreamRide’ Offers Fun Thrills & Variety in Bite-Sized Form

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Imagine if Trials Evolution , Roller Coaster Tycoon , and Angry Birds had a baby – that’s ScreamRide .

. The latest release from Frontier Developments ( Zoo Tycoon , Coaster Crazy , Kinectimals ) borrows heavily from the arcade-style games that came before, but tries to chart a new patch, or in this case a roller coaster track, with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility and a proclivity for over-the-top intensity.

While ScreamRide may bear some similarities to games like Trials and Roller Coaster Tycoon , it’s hard to confine the title to just one genre. Its creation tools give players the freedom to make any thrilling roller coaster they like, from the tame to the extreme, and it’s pick-up-and-play pre-made levels feed that high score-hungry drive, but that’s only a small part of the larger picture.

At its core, ScreamRide offers three different modes structured around extreme theme park coasters or thrill rides. The Scream Rider mode is the game’s signature option and asks players to try to manage speed, excitement, and a score multiplier while also giving the AI riders a scream they won’t soon forget. Players can rack up speed boosts by timing button presses during certain lengths of track and at times increase their score by keeping the coaster on two wheels across turns. It’s the roller coaster ride from hell, and only the player who can toe the delicate line between excitement and danger will succeed.

At first, Scream Rider is fairly inconspicuous – players hold down the accelerate button and guide the coaster from beginning to end with no derails. But eventually the game introduces new obstacles like single track portions that require riding on two wheels or sharp turns that force brake management. By the time players reach the sixth and final area, Scream Rider becomes its own, Trials Evolution -esque challenge, wherein the player’s ability to control the speed of the coaster and their reflexes will be tested. So, while at first Scream Rider might seem fairly uninvolved, it becomes a true challenge to get through an entire track without derailing. And even after that, there’s always the draw to go back for a higher score.

The only real drawback to Scream Rider is that a lot of the obstacles are obscured by the camera and therefore it becomes less about reaction time and more about memorization. There were plenty of times when a portion that required the coaster lean up on two wheels came out of nowhere and ended any shot at a perfect run. Sure, you can always restart the track, which is extremely fast on Xbox One, but that diminishes some of the fun of ScreamRide .

While Scream Rider is focused exclusively on keeping the car on the track, the Demolition mode is the complete opposite. In this mode, players will be sending riders flying into buildings in the hopes of triggering catastrophic collapses. Think of it like a somewhat sadistic version of Angry Birds, where players are flinging tiny spherical “coasters” at the weak points of futuristic buildings. At first, the goal is mostly just to get the right trajectory and speed, which can be adjusted both before and after launch, but eventually the mode unlocks different types of coasters, some that break apart mid-air for more destructive capabilities and others that have a post-launch boost for added distance.

It may not be very original, but Demolition is engaging enough and offers enough replay value that it’s a nice accompaniment to Scream Rider. Watching these massive buildings topple or collapse is always satisfying, and there’s always the feeling that you can do slightly better the next time and hopefully reach a higher score.

The final pre-packaged mode for ScreamRide is Engineer, which comes in two different flavors. One gives players a set of track and asks them to connect the pieces while also fulfilling some specific requirements (include a loop, keep nausea low, etc.). The other presents players a short length of track and asks that they add enough additional track to launch the coaster into buildings, almost like a free form Demolition.

While the first option does give players their first taste of the game’s creation tools it puts too many restrictions on creativity. With a blank canvas, players will want to let their imagination run wild, but each level only allots a certain length of track. The UI is intuitive enough that it’s easy to go back and delete track, but the mode itself feels a little restrictive. It’s a fine idea to try and get players to satisfy a checklist in a given area, but the limitations lessen the fun.

The destruction-focused Engineer option, however, is gleefully silly and the perfect distraction. Where past roller coaster games discouraged crashes or missing track, these levels relish the destruction, while playfully dismissing the death. It may be a little twisted, but levels like these are a perfect opportunity to unwind.

Across those three modes, which offer 6 areas and roughly three levels per, ScreamRide delivers enough variety and clever, easily repeatable gameplay to be engaging on many levels. But, its longevity will come from its creation and level sharing tools, which allow gamers to make their own Scream Rider, Demolition, or Engineer levels for any to download. Here is where that Roller Coaster Tycoon connection really shines, giving players the chance to let their wildest coaster-building fantasies free.

The only real downside to the creation tools is their lack of precision and fine-tuning. Because the game uses a controller, it can be difficult get the trajectory or angle of a piece of track just right. Placing and deleting track is easy and the tools come with a lot of pre-fabricated loops, twists, and other special pieces, but getting your coaster just the way you want it can sometimes be frustrating. It’s certainly possible to get the track close enough, but when any jarring shifts can send riders flying it would have been nice to be precise but quick in track placement.

Overall, though, ScreamRide is an easy recommendation for fans of the arcade-y, high score obsessed crowd. Its use of roller coasters to create a Trials -esque series of levels is refreshing and addictive, while the Demolition and Engineer modes offer playful but engaging offshoots from that concept. Each mode has a few flaws, but they are easy to get past with a little patience. However, ScreamRide’s long-term legacy will likely be determined by its community and whether they can continue to create new levels for players to enjoy.

That being said, at $39.99 for the Xbox One version ScreamRide may be a tough proposition for some. It’s far more substantial than a downloadable offering and is by no means a one-trick pony, but some may feel the price tag is a little too steep. For our part, ScreamRide is an enjoyable, pick-up-and-play title with a great sense of humor, soaked in creativity. There really is no game like it and that alone should make it worth checking out.

What do you think of ScreamRide ? Does the game’s unique concepts interest you?

ScreamRide releases March 2, 2015 for Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Game Rant was provided an Xbox One code for this review.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number’ Review

‘Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number’ Review
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Sequels can be a difficult thing to get right.

Sequels can be a difficult thing to get right. The follow-up to any hit game typically has some large shoes to fill, especially when the original is as critically successful as Hotline Miami was back in 2012. However, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number does an admirable job of preserving what made its predecessor so great, while simultaneously expanding the game’s scope in some very interesting ways.

In terms of gameplay, anyone familiar with Hotline Miami will be right at home with Wrong Number . It’s a frenzied action game played from a top-down perspective, where players are tasked with traveling to a variety of locations to clear out thugs with a variety of guns and melee weapons. It’s also hard as nails — the player character isn’t particularly resilient, and they can die very quickly if the gamer doesn’t pay attention. It’s a simple matter of movement, weaponry and using the environment; once the player masters all three, they will be almost unstoppable.

However, there are a few new twists on the gameplay present in Wrong Number . Levels seem larger and more open, in a stark contrast to the typically claustrophobic environments of the original. This makes it more difficult to get a read on where foes are hiding, and seems to encourage a ‘stop-and-pop’ style of play rather than the free-flowing combat of the original. On the whole, it’s just a case of being different rather than worse, although some levels do border on frustrating thanks to the prevalence of off-screen enemies spraying bullets around.

Graphically, the game might not be a technical showcase — but its art direction is a real treat. Anyone who grew up in the ’80s or ’90s will get a kick out of the game’s dedication to the tropes of that era, with the crackle of VHS tape and the grime of an independent video rental store being obvious influences on its style. While the range of locales in Wrong Number are far more varied than the first game, the same level of detail is thankfully present. Despite having the immediate appearance of the crudely-drawn titles of a bygone age of video games, each stage is beautifully realized. Filth and mess have rarely been so lovingly, or accurately, depicted in video games as they are here.

That sense of grunge in the game’s visual style perfectly compliments its narrative efforts. The storyline of the original Hotline Miami has been analyzed endlessly, with its approach to the disconnect between the fun of a video game and the prevalence of violence in the medium being widely praised. It would have been easy for Wrong Number to retread the same ground, and to an extent it does — but the way that it’s done keeps things fresh as well as completely engrossing.

Jumping between characters, settings and time periods, Wrong Number plays out more like a television series than most episodic games manage to. Every completed stage seems to uncover a little bit more of the broader storyline, not just through the pre- and post-level cutscenes, but through the player’s actions. The game’s excellent soundtrackcomplements this rather nicely, giving every level a distinct feel and personality.

Gameplay and narrative are brought together quite seamlessly throughout Wrong Number , but its methods never seem pretentious and they don’t distract from its well-refined mechanics. It’s very easy to get caught up in the gameplay, killing enemies quite brutally to get towards the end of a level — only to be floored by the solemn walk back through the carnage that ends each mission. Wrong Number uses its gameplay to ask pertinent questions of the player, and that’s not a common thing in the world of video games.

Similarly uncommon is the way the overarching plot is delivered. Nothing is spoon-fed; instead it demands the complete attention of the player, as every line of dialogue and visual might help to piece together what’s actually going on. It’s reminiscent of a television series — the excellent True Detective is perhaps an apt comparison — and it’s a superb way of keeping the game’s plot ticking over throughout its taut running time.

For all this, the game isn’t perfect. It’s a shame that the ability-granting masks from the first title are downplayed somewhat, and the level design isn’t quite as on point as it was last time around. The game’s difficulty also bears repeating; this is a tough, unforgiving experience. It might not be quite as difficult as its predecessor, but it’s not too far off. This is a game that challenges players to learn its mechanics and become completely in tune with its central gameplay loop, but it’s simultaneously a wholly novel storytelling experience. Wrong Number is yet another title that demonstrates just how much freedom an independent studio has to follow up on its ideas.

Of all the sequels set to release in 2015, there won’t be many that expand upon their predecessor quite as much as Wrong Number does. It’s a bigger, bolder game than the first — and while that doesn’t mean it’s better in every respect, it’s very satisfying to see a developer push the boundaries of their own creation. Fans of the first game would have been satisfied with more of the same, but this game goes beyond the remit of a simple expansion pack. It’s a supremely confident return to the ideas that made Hotline Miami so great, and a potent demonstration of a studio that’s on the rise.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is available now for PC, Linux, Mac OS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. Game Rant reviewed the PC version.

Borderlands 2’ Handsome Jack Trailer, Mechromancer Details, & ‘Girlfriend’ Controversy

‘Borderlands 2’ Handsome Jack Trailer, Mechromancer Details, & ‘Girlfriend’ Controversy
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With just over a month until launch, 2K has been ramping up marketing for Borderlands 2 , including a new trailer and a more specific release date for the Mechromancer DLC.

including a new trailer and a more specific release date for the Mechromancer DLC. Oh, and in related news,  people are upset about the inclusion of a “girlfriend mode.”

Titled “Come and Get Me”, the latest trailer forthrusts the spotlight onto main antagonist Handsome Jack. Much like pastbaddies, Handsome Jack doesn’t quite care for vault hunters; however, this trailer suggests Jack will be a more compelling villain than the cardboard characters in the original game.

If that trailer wasn’t enough to interest you, lets us remind you that those who pre-order Borderlands 2 will be granted access to the Premiere Club, enabling the Mechromancer DLCat launch. We reported earlier that the DLC will take between 60-90 days to reach regular consumersbut a 2K Games rep has now clarified the release date to VG247, narrowing the window to 60 days – which suggests a November launch.

Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for the team at Gearbox Software, as the studio has recently been called out for making reference to a “girlfriend mode.” Borderlands 2 lead designer John Hemingway, revealed that the studio is working on a “BFF skill tree,” which will make the game easier for players unaccustomed to first person shooters.

However, after referring to it as “girlfriend mode”, some gamers are upset by Hemingway’s terminology – because it suggests “girls can’t play video games.” Gearbox co-founder, Randy Pitchford, took to Twitter to defend Hemingway, stating that “ Borderlands 2 does NOT have a girlfriend mode,” and that “there is no universe where Hemingway is a sexist.”

You can read Hemingway’s description of the BFF skill tree below:

“The design team was looking at the concept art and thought, you know what, this is actually the cutest character we’ve ever had. I want to make, for the lack of a better term, the girlfriend skill tree. This is, I love Borderlands and I want to share it with someone, but they suck at first-person shooters. Can we make a skill tree that actually allows them to understand the game and to play the game? That’s what our attempt with the Best Friends Forever skill tree is.”

While it may have been a poor choice of words, it’s definitely a stretch to think that Hemingway was being dismissive of all girl-gamers. The BFF skill tree is meant to help out coop partners who just aren’t as experienced with shooter titles. No doubt, there are plenty of girlfriends who can rack up killstreaks better than boys in the online arena and pigeonholing everyone into “girlfriend mode” was an error of judgment but, for the time being, we’re going to take Pitchford at his word and chalk this one up to foot-in-mouth disease.

Borderlands 2 releases September 18th, 2012 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Follow me on Twitter @ AnthonyMole.

Source: Eurogamer& VG247

Broken Age: Act 2 Is Finally Coming Early 2015

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It’s hard to believe that developer and indie publisher Double Fine began their Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for a retro point-and-click adventure game in early 2012, bringing in millions of dollars and help pushing Kickstarter into the spotlight for indie devs around the world.

It’s hard to believe that developer and indie publisher Double Fine began their Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for a retro point-and-click adventure game in early 2012, bringing in millions of dollars and help pushing Kickstarter into the spotlight for indie devs around the world. The at-the-time-untitled project was one of the first games to become a super success story on Kickstarter, and the platform (and reputation of industry veteran Tim Schafer) helped greenlight the development of an old school style game that normal triple-A publishers would never have backed.

That adventure game was eventually titled Broken Age , telling the story of two teenagers from very different worlds trying to break free, and after a hefty amount of delays and financial issues, the second half of it (or Act 2) will finally release three years after the crowdfunding campaign began. That’s pretty crazy for what was initially a simple, small game that was promised to be delivered in October of 2012.

To help bring in a extra financing during delays, Double Fine decided to release Broken Age in two parts, the first of which released in January to positive reviews (read our Broken Age review). The critical acclaim for the loveletter to point-and-click adventure games of old helped Act 1 – despite being only half a game – earn a nomination for best indie title a The Game Awards. The event takes place this week, December 5th, in Las Vegas and seems to be replacing the annual Spike Video Game Awards/VGX show.

Last week on the Double Fine forums, producer Greg Rice, posted an update and offered some good news for Broken Age backers and fans.

The team has been steadily growing in size over the past month and progress is being made really rapidly now. The key milestone being that just last week we hit Alpha on both Shay and Vella’s halves of Act 2, leaving just the big finale section until we can say the entirety of Act 2 is at Alpha!

He continues, explaining that the entirety of Act 2 will take players 8-12 hours to complete and offer a “good level of challenge,” hopefully more so than Act 1. There’s apparently nothing that needs any major changes. Right now, they’re working on the voiceover work, finishing up the beta for Shay’s voice and animation (Elijah Wood’s character) as they prepare to finish recording for Vella (Masasa Moyo’s character).

The goal is is to get Broken Age: Act 2 into alpha by the end of 2014 for a full release potentially in “early” 2015.

Follow Rob on Twitter @ rob_keyes.

Sources: Double Fine, Kickstarter

The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1’ Review

‘The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1’ Review
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There’s no understating just how important the success of Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead was to the company’s future.

was to the company’s future. Emphasizing story and gameplay truly shaped by the player’s decisions, the point-and-click adventure game was a hit with fans and critics alike, catapulting both the adventure game genre and Telltale into the mainstream.

So when the studio announced their next project, The Wolf Among Us – an adaptation of Bill Willingham’s “Fables” comic series – the industry wondered if TWD was a one-time phenomenon, or if Telltale‘s unique style of storytelling was here to stay. Now that the first episode of the ongoing series, entitled “Faith” has arrived, and many of those questions can be answered.

From the first screenshots, the similarities between the art style of The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us were clear, and the majority of game systems are entirely adopted from one series to the other. That being said, the animation style seems to have been noticeably refined, with characters far more capable of subtle emotions. On the same note, those who felt that the adopted art style was too far from the “Fables” comic to seem faithful, the writers have managed to capture much of the same grit and mature toneof the source material.

Similarities aside, it’s important for players to recognize that Telltale is trying their hand at a very different genre of storytelling with The Wolf Among Us . By placing their story in a zombie apocalypse, and centering the action on a man’s need to protect a young girl, Telltale let much of TWD ‘s drama and tension stem from the environment itself. But in their follow-up adaptation, a survival tale has been swapped for a classic detective story, with the plot and core mystery trusted to advance the episode, and keep players invested.

That means that a majority of the series’ success or failure will be placed on the shoulder’s of its leading man: Bigby Wolf. As the Sheriff of Fabletown – the name given to the community of fairy tale characters living, in secret, in New York City – the former ‘Big Bad Wolf’ turned lawman is charged with protecting the immortal figures from one another, and from being discovered by the outside world. The game (like the comic) lets that responsibility shape Bigby into a rough, world-weary man simply trying to keep the precarious balance from falling into outright chaos.

The player is given the chance to inject Bigby with as much of a soft side as they wish, but much of the “choice and consequences” which Telltale claims will be shaping the experience on a player-to-player basis comes from Bigby’s actions, not necessarily his words. When a grisly murder takes place in Bigby’s jurisdiction – and seems designed to send him a message in the process – the Sheriff is on the case, with his trusted colleague Snow White at his side.

The less said about the story the better, but the famous faces and surreal twists on investigation and reality made possible given the elements of fantasy are well conceived, and well-implemented. And although detective stories can tend to be somewhat played out in both film and video games, The Wolf Among Us starts in a manner that the best hard-boiled detective story writers would heartily approve of, and the action is brilliantly paced from then on.

Mixing the slower paced investigation and exploration seen in every Telltale adventure game with the frantic (and occasionally frustrating) action-based scenes of The Walking Dead , the constant tension resulting from the looming threat of a zombie attack is no longer present, letting players enjoy each location and cut-scene that much more. Again, that’s due in large part to the polished writing quickly becoming Telltale’s signature – getting the job done quickly, with subtlety favored over spectacle.

For his part, Bigby is as strong and nuanced a character as TWD ‘s Lee Everett; a true accomplishment considering the number of pitfalls involved when writing a ‘grisly detective.’ The temptation of remaining in human form or giving into the savage wolf antics of his past is alluded to in the first episode, with the ultimate choice looking to be left to the player. Even without it, Bigby looks to be a sympathetic and interesting enough leading man to carry the series.

Of course, the most difficult part of matching the critical success of The Walking Dead is replicating the profound relationship players developed between Lee and Clementine; entrusted to protect the latter at their own peril. The Wolf Among Us is at an immediate disadvantage in that regard, with the only core relationship explored being that between Bigby and Snow White. There is enough history between the two hinted at to build off of, but the plot itself makes it unclear if there will be time to fully explore it.

That being said, the detective story itself makes human relationships come second to the mystery’s twists and turns, and even unique suspects and villains. The Wolf Among Us is essentially a mystery tale, interwoven with the faces and fiction of the “Fables” series – and from the first chapter, it looks to be a damn good one. And credit where it’s due: the writers may have little room to work with, but produce a few emotional twists on par with many that The Walking Dead produced.

The first episode, “Faith” plants many seeds that we expect to see return in later installments, but so far, the new episodic series is off to an impressive start. Offering an experience that new Telltale fans are sure to eat up, an adaptation of “Fables” that the comic’s fans will approve of, and a story sure to scratch the itch of mystery fans, The Wolf Among Us has already put The Walking Dead in good company.

The Wolf Among Us: Episode One , titled “Faith,” is available now for PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PS3. The episode costs $4.99, with the full season order costing just $19.99.

Follow Andrew on Twitter @ andrew_dyce.

Sony Posts a Crash Bandicoot Tease

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Fans speculate as PlayStation Middle East posts a Crash Bandicoot tease, but is a new Crash Bandicoot game on the way or is it just a remaster?

While Sackboy, Nathan Drake and God of War’s Kratos may be PlayStation’s best known characters these days, when the brand was starting out, Crash Bandicoot was the unofficial mascot. The first game in the franchise, Crash Bandicoot , sold over 6 million copies making it one of the best-selling games in PlayStation history and making the original PlayStation console a must-have.

The immense popularity of the series, which has switched developers and publishers over a dozen times, has also remained high. Despite a new game not being released since 2008, fans are still hoping for a reboot. Those fans now have something to go giddy over as Sony has posted atease.

أكثر شخص مطلوب... أين أنت يا كراش؟ pic.twitter.com/aj85Ap018v— PlayStation Mid East (@PlayStation_ME) February 6, 2016

A tweet from PlayStation Middle East was posted early Saturday morning. It features an image of the famous orange protagonist, along with a message that roughly translates to ‘Most Wanted: Where are you Crash?’. Naturally, people have begun to speculate whether this is an all new Crash Bandicoot game or whether its just a re-release of an old CB title.

Supporting the re-release theory is the fact that Sony recently launched its PS2 to PS4 emulation tech. Already, PS4 players have been able to get their mitts on a variety of classic titles, from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to PS2 launch title FantaVision, and Sony has promised to keep up a regular schedule of re-releases. Many have said that the Crash Bandicoot franchise is one that they’d like to see remastered, so Sony could be filling one of the most highly requested demands from fans.

Supporting the ‘new Crash Bandicoot game’ theory, on the other hand, is the fact that rumors about a reboot have been circling for years. In 2013, a source with ties to Naughty Dog (the original developer of the series) stated that a new Crash Bandicoot game is “definitely in production”, and in the same year, series co-creator Andy Gavin also discussed his ideas for a “total reboot”.

It has also been suggested that Sony has reacquired the Crash Bandicoot brand as Activision shut down the official CB website in 2013, which coincided with the franchise being removed from the list of Activision-owned properties on Wikipedia. More recently, SCEA president Shawn Layden wore a Crash Bandicoot t-shirt at PlayStation Experience 2015.

If a new CB game is in the works at Naughty Dog, then many will be hoping for a return to the series’ roots. Others, however, may fear that this could somehow contribute to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End being delayed again. The PS4 blockbuster was already delayed until April and the developer is still doing mo-cap recording despite the fine margins so if Naughty Dog really is splitting its resources between the two titles, it will have to make sure that fans of its main franchise aren’t losing out.

Source: PlayStation Middle East

Crash Bandicoot Reboot Mentioned By NECA Toys

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During a recent interview with NECA Toys’ Randy Falk, the director of product development casually mentions that Sony is bringing back the beloved Crash Bandicoot series.

It’s hard to believe it, but Crash Bandicoot turns 20 years old this year. The beloved platforming mascot that helped launch the original PlayStation has cemented himself as a fan-favorite amongst gamers, but it has been almost eight years since the series last saw a core installment. That’s why fans have been clamoring for a return to form for the iconic character, and it seems like he’ll be receiving just that given recent events.

The latest suggestion of such a return came from PlayStation itself in a recent tweet, and before that fans began speculating in the wake of SCEA’s president Shawn Layden’s t-shirt at PSX 2015. Now, during an interview between YouTuber PixelDan Eardleyand NECA Toys’ director of product development, Randy Falk, the toy rep mentioned the lineup of PlayStation-related action figures that NECA has en route. Then he said something interesting about…

“Looking at some of their other titles, I see they’re bringing Crash Bandicoot back which is really cool.”

It’s obvious that someone in Falk’s position has some knowledge about pending deals for NECA – in fact he references just such insight leading up to his comments regarding the orange bandicoot – so there could be some insider knowledge pertaining to Sony’s plans with the franchise. That said, he may have simply been referencing recent and very public teases about Crash’s resurrection, in which case he could have been speculating that perhaps NECA could have a hand in creating toys for the series.

At this point, however, Crash Bandicoot really isn’t Sony’s to bring back. At last check, the IP still belongs to Activision, and the publisher has already said that it’s continuing to “explore ways in which we could bring the beloved series back to life.”Those comments were made over two years ago and nothing has come of them, but recent events seem to suggest that something is occurring with the franchise.

Hopefully gamers won’t be waiting too long to find out one way or the other, as we firmly feel like Crash Bandicoot needs to come back as soon as possibleif it’s to find appropriate success. Activision partnering with Sony, or even selling it to PlayStation’s parent company, seems like a solid route for both parties, as it makes for a very enticing exclusive on the platform. Of course, this is all speculation, but Falk’s comments do seem encouraging.

Do you want a new Crash Bandicoot game? Would you pick up an action figure of Crash from NECA Toys? Get at us in the comments.

Source: PixelDan Eardley(via NeoGAF)

Telltale Reveals First ‘Game of Thrones’ Story & Character Details

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Since first receiving widespread attention and acclaim for the first season of The Walking Dead in 2012, Telltale Games has been working on building up a strong catalogue of episodes choice and consequence games.

in 2012, Telltale Games has been working on building up a strong catalogue of episodes choice and consequence games. Upcoming titles include Game of Thrones , Borderlands tie-in Tales from the Borderlands , and (at some point) a third season of The Walking Dead .

Game of Thrones is set for release later this year and will break the current tradition of Telltale’s games by having six episodes instead of five, and by putting players in the shoes of five different playable characters rather than a single protagonist. Details about the story and how it will fit into the canon of George R.R. Martin’s world have largely remained a mystery, but now Telltale has offered the first big information drop regarding the game’s setting and characters.

In a post on the official Telltale blog, the developer explains that Game of Thrones will be based on the TV show rather than directly on the book series, and that the events of the game will begin towards the end of the TV show’s third season and conclude just before the start of season five. The video game will, however, focus on a family that hasn’t yet been seen in the TV show: House Forrester.

House Forrester is a noble house from the Wolfswood in the north of Westeros. Bannermen to House Glover, they have always offered unswerving loyalty to the ruling great house of the North – the Starks. The Forresters are seated at Ironrath, an imposing stronghold surrounded by towering ironwood trees. Built over fifteen hundred years ago by Cedric Forrester and his triplet sons, Ironrath is a testament to the strength and endurance of Ironwood. The Forrester house words are ‘Iron from Ice’, which echoes their belief that – like the ironwood itself – the adverse conditions and unforgiving landscape of the North only makes them stronger.

Ironrath sits on the edge of the largest ironwood forest in Westeros, which has proven to be a strategic advantage for the House. The trees are a valuable commodity; many of the best weapons, ships, and defensive structures include the use of ironwood. House Forrester controls the majority of the ironwood forests in the Wolfswood, much to the chagrin of their bitter rivals, House Whitehill.

Locations that will be visited in the game include King’s Landing and the Wall, as well as Ironrath itself. Each of the five playable characters is a member of House Forrester, whether part of the family or simply in their service, and decisions made while playing as one character will ripple out to affect the stories of the others.

Basing the game specifically on the TV show is a good way to draw in Game of Thrones fans who perhaps don’t normally play video games (the season four finale drew 7.1 million viewers), and since Telltale’s gameplay tends to be pretty accessible this could in turn introduce more people to the studio’s other titles. The other side of that, of course, is that the game could end up being confusing for those who aren’t familiar with the books or TV show, but hopefully Telltale will find a way to prevent Game of Thrones from being too baffling for newcomers.

Game of Thrones Episode One, ‘Iron From Ice,’ will be available on PC/Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and iOS (with additional platforms to be announced) in 2014.

Source: Telltale Games

Crash Bandicoot is NOT Making a Comeback Quite Yet

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After NECA’s director of product development suggested that Crash Bandicoot is coming back, a representative for the toy company says his comments were “misunderstood”.

Over the past week, the Internet has been in a frenzy concerning rumors of a Crash Bandicoot reboot. When PlayStation Middle East posted a teaser on social media, recognizing that the iconic platformer is a ‘most wanted’ character, fans were convinced that news of a new game would soon follow. The hype was only increased even more when Randy Falk, the director of product development at NECA, told one publication at the New York Toy Fair that “ they’re bringing Crash Bandicoot back“.

Unfortunately, it now appears that Crash Bandicoot may not be making a comeback after all. Speaking about the reboot claims, a representative for NECA toldthat “it’s not the case” and that someone simply “misunderstood” a comment that Falk made. What actually happened, said the rep, is that “Randy saw a faked fan-made image right before he came to the show and said that if the game were coming back, we’d love to do figures”.

On the one hand, it’s easy to see how Falk may have been fooled by a fan-made image. There are certainly some talented fans out there and as speculation surrounding a reboot continues, it stands to reason that more mockups are being published online. Some fans aren’t convinced by NECA’s statement however, suggesting that as NECA has worked with Sony on several occasions (including Uncharted 4 , LittleBigPlanet and God of War ), the toy making company may be privy to certain information and may have let the cat out of the bag here.

This could all just be wishful thinking on the fans’ part, of course, but it’s hard to blame them. On top of the aforementioned Sony tease and the NECA slip-up, Shawn Layden, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, wore a Crash Bandicoot t-shirt at the PlayStation Experience event in December. There are plenty of rumors that Sony now owns the Crash Bandicoot license (Activision took down the Crash Bandicoot website and the franchise was removed form the publisher’s Wikipedia page) but officially, it still belongs to Activision and so many saw Layden’s attire as a sign.

Moreover, 2016 is Crash Bandicoot ‘s 20th anniversary. Sony has been known to commemorate that milestone, as shown by the limited edition PS4 with PS1 colors, and an announcement could be a good way to celebrate. Plus, the PS4 is now able to play PS2 games and some see that as a way for Sony to remind people of what made the series great before the company announces a reboot. This is all speculation for now, though, so fans will just have to wait and see.

Source: GameSpot

Hideo Kojima Also Met With JJ Abrams to Talk New Studio

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Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima meets up with Star Wars: Episode 7 – The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams to discuss plans for his new studio.

One of the stops in the journeys in Hideo Kojima’s and PS4 architect Mark Cerny’s recent tech tourhad the Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain director spending some time in Los Angeles with J.J. Abrams, co-screenwriter and director of the blockbuster, The Force Awakens , for a chat about the former’s new studio. Kojima took to his Twitter account to document the occasion, by posting a picture of himself and Abrams.

While the meeting of the minds between the Kojima Productions studiofounder and the CEO of Bad Robot Productions is definitely worthy of even the slightest bit of excitement, there’s no official word as to what was actually discussed. Since Kojima is apparently on the search for the best “high-end technology” that the world has to offer, it’s possible that the two talked about the type of special effects equipment Abrams is fond of lately, or where the future of said hardware is headed.

Back to LA. Meeting up with JJ to inform him about my new studio. pic.twitter.com/po6ScoDW1X— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) January 20, 2016

Although Abrams just recently finished the latest entry in the Star Wars franchise, the Hollywood director has been staying busy by dabbling in the video games industry as well. As it happens, along with his production company, Bad Robot, J.J. Abrams and Infinity Blade developer ChAIR Entertainment are making a gameentitled Spyjinx , which is set to be an action-strategy release for PC. Taking that into consideration, it’s feasible that Abrams and Kojima traded notes on game development while visiting with one another.

This isn’t the first time Kojima has touched base with Hollywood powerhouses for the sake of a project. As many gamers are aware, the Metal Gear Solid creator enlisted the help of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro to develop ideas for the ill-fated Silent Hills , which was cancelled with a “scorched earth approach”by Konami. And even though the franchise reboot met an untimely demise at the hands of its publisher, there’s still potential for something to come about between Kojima and del Toro, as the two have mentioned a plan for a new horror gamein the past.

With Kojima having only shared a tweet and a brief message confirming the existence of a meeting between him and Abrams, it’s really anyone’s guess as to what their conversation was about. However, due to the nature of Kojima’s “world tour” and the fact that Abrams utilized the planet’s most well-known visual effects company — Industrial Light & Magic, that is — for The Force Awakens , their discussion probably pertained to technology.

What do you think Hideo Kojima’s and J.J. Abrams’ meeting was about? Do you think it was a simple get-together, or do you believe the directors have the intention to collaborate on a production in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Hideo Kojima’s next title has yet to be announced, but it’s been confirmed as a release for PC and PlayStation 4.

Source: Hideo Kojima – Twitter

Is It Time for Crash Bandicoot to Return?

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After SCEA’s president, Shawn Layden, walked out on the stage of PSX wearing a Crash Bandicoot t-shirt, we began wondering if it’s time the mascot made a comeback.

It’s easy to reflect upon some of our fondest gaming memories with a sense of admiration, but lately companies have been cashing in on these warm and fuzzy reflections with updated takes on long dormant franchises. Some of the biggest examples of this newfound nineties nostalgia are best represented in the forthcoming Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Banjo-Kazooie spiritual successor, which has us wondering if old school mascots from games like Crash Bandicoot have a shot at making a comeback.

After SCEA president Shawn Layden pranced onto the stage of 2015’s PlayStation Experience conference wearing a shirt with the iconic, orange mascot on it, gamers have been wondering if it is indeed time to see the platforming mascot’s return to form. After thinking it over, I’ve come to the conclusion that if Sony and other IP holders want to bringback, then they simply can’t afford to hold off any longer.

First and foremost, it should be said that nostalgia is a fickle beast. There are fond memories of playing a ton games from everyone’s past, and that holds true for titles that have failed to age well. While we often find ourselves wondering when long-forgotten mascots will return – if ever – Crash Bandicoot has been lurking in the shadows just waiting to be resurrected. Evidently, fans seem to agree.

What were you up to with this stunt, Sony?

Following the aforementioned Crash shirt’s appearance on-stage at PSX, fans immediately began to generate buzz about the piece of clothing. In the wake of rumors that Sony was hoping to purchase the dormant series, gamers have understandably been in awe of what could happen next for the beloved bandicoot. With Naughty Dog wrapping up work on Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End next year, it’s entirely possible that the two-game studio may want to take a shot at the franchise that gave it its first big start in the industry.

Of course, this will all come down to whether or not Activision is willing to part with the rights to the character – or simply work with a team talented enough to breathe new life into the platforming icon. As a result of the well-marketted 20th anniversary of PlayStation, gamers have been looking back to the titles that they have fond memories tearing through in the earlier days of their hobby. It’s a smart move for companies to start selling to those that are still tickled pink by nostalgia, and even film studios have begun to do this – with the likes of Nickelodeon now banking on the resurrection of older content to appeal to its now grown audience.

If there’s one thing can be pulled from all of this, however, it’s that Sony/Activison need to make a move sooner rather than later. Demand will persist for Crash Bandicoot ‘s return as the years roll on, this much is true, but failing to execute on these plans at all will simply result in the decimation of the property. When it does finally happen though – and it will because those at Activision won’t let such a beloved property fall by the wayside when it could be bringing in revenue – it needs to be done properly.

I’d imagine that the folks at Naughty Dog would be the ones to do it and do it well, but the studio could very well be focussed on a number of other things already. Ranging fromto, there are several major properties that the teams could have their hands in at this moment in time. Keeping that in mind, it will only be worth seeing a return from Crash if it’s a high-quality romp. Otherwise, there will have been no reason in bringing him back to begin with – nor will gamers be likely to trust the brand going forward.

At the end of the day, Sony knew exactly what it was doing when Shawn Layden walked out in that t-shirt. It’s the same reason the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, did a similar thing with his Battletoads tee, and that was to simply generate excitement in the build up toas well as get gamers excited by the prospect of Rash joining the roster of Killer Instinct . It would be a rather crude move to wear a specifically branded tee just to generate momentary applause as well, but based on the reaction it had there’s no doubt that someone of importance was paying attention.

Oculus Rift In Action: ‘Skyrim’ and the Service of Mental Health

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Debuted last year during E3 2012 , the head-mounted hardware projects stereoscopic 3D gaming images across a field of vision stretching 110 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally.

The Oculus Riftvirtual reality headset may not have a release date or price just yet, but it does have the world’s attention.

, the head-mounted hardware projects stereoscopic 3D gaming images across a field of vision stretching 110 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally. Full motion support — replicating the turning and tilting of the head — follows.

Games and their platforms require special programming before they can be used the device, but with manufacturer Oculus VR churning out prototype developers kits since August of 2012, corresponding with a fundraising effort on Kickstarter, it was only a matter of time before a pair became synchronized with a current title on the market.

For one clever hack artist, apparently, no place befits an omnidirectional experience like the the frozen-over mountainsides of The Elder Scrolls V: S kyrim.

YouTube user chris galliziposted the two-minute clip of Skyrim gameplay above, capturing a mix of courier cavorting, sword fighting and horseback riding through the Oculus Rift’s stereoscopic lenses. Notice the subtle wobblings of the surrounding world from the player’s perspective, even while his arms and the HUD, remain level.

As revolutionary as the Oculus Rift might prove for gaming, however, the headsets are already breaking ground in a more serious avenue of life: mental health.

A new story from The Verge reveals Oculus Rift’s emerging role in virtual reality therapy, or VRT — essentially a form of exposure therapy that simulates virtual realities for patients with mental illness. According to Dr. Albert Rizzo, a research scientist at the University of California’s Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), Oculus Rift is a veritable “game changer for the work that we do.”

Rizzo should know. Considered to be one of the nation’s leading experts on VRT, he created Virtual Iraq in 2005 to treat returning veterans of the Iraq War suffering from PTSD. Today, Virtual Iraq is employed by several military medical facilities and 55 Veteran’s Affairs clinics nationwide while Rizzo, meanwhile, has extensively been testing an advanced shipment of Oculus Rift developers kits (Oculus creator Palmer Luckey, not coincidentally, is a former ICT lab technician) as the next phase of VRT therapy.

The video below demonstrates just one way in which Oculus Rift would conduct a simulation, giving patients the opportunity to “encounter their demons,” so to speak, within a safe environment. In this case, it’s a (hypothetical) soldier with PTSD returning to a traumatic war experience — but it could just as well be an alcoholic walking into a bar, a social anxiety patient mingling with a crowd or even someone afraid of heights standing on a balcony.

Rizzo believes that Oculus Rift provides two as-of-now-unparalleled benefits for VR therapy: affordability and realism. He’s in the process of recommending it to every military facility currently using Virtual Iraq , and sees no reason it shouldn’t become a staple in the public health sector:

“This has the capacity to turn virtual reality [therapy] into a mass market treatment. I’m sure anyone doing this kind of clinical work will agree with me.”

It appears as though he might be right. According to the same Verge story, Luckey claims to have shipped “several hundred” Oculus Rifts out to psychiatric specialists in “the military, as well as emergency response and medical training fields.”

While Oculus Rift has yet to make its mark on gaming — the consumer version, Luckey has stated previously, should be available by 2014 — its statement about its medium is undeniable: Ever more increasingly, virtual reality is becoming a driving force of our own.

Follow me on Twitter @ Brian_Sipple.

Sources: YouTube – Chris Gallizzi, The Verge

Kojima and PS4 Lead Architect Touring World for ‘High-End Technology’

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Hideo Kojima and PlayStation 4’s lead architect, Mark Cerny, travel the world together, embarking on what’s being called a “high-end technology tour”.

The PlayStation 4’s lead architect and Knack developer, Mark Cerny, has recently joined Twitter, and his first official tweet is a picture of him withdirector Hideo Kojima, with its text explaining that the two gaming industry veterans will be spending the next 10 days traveling with one another. Shortly after Cerny posted the message, the Kojima Productionsfounder published a similar one on his account saying that the trip is a “world tour” as they are “searching for the newest technology”.

A recent tweetfrom Kojima Productions producer Ken-ichiro Imaizumi also confirmed the journey, saying that the Metal Gear mastermind and the PS4 architect are scouting “high-end” tech. Based on several other tweets from Imaizumi, the excursion appears to be beginning in Los Angeles, but he did not disclose the exact purpose behind their expedition.

Spending the next ten days with THIS guy... #myfirsttweet pic.twitter.com/1Z1fJOUS2t— Mark Cerny (@cerny) January 19, 2016

Bound for 10-day trip searching for the newest technology with Mark-san ( @cerny). It will be a world tour! pic.twitter.com/B1XItIS8z4— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) January 19, 2016

It’s highly likely that Kojima and Cerny are looking for a fresh game engine to build with for Kojima Productions’ forthcoming title for PC and PS4. In the past, the Fox Engine was used for Metal Gear Solid releases, but now that Kojima’s Konami departure is official, his former company has retained the rights to the engine, leaving the world-renown game creator looking for other options.

Due to the fact that Kojima and Cerny have publicly proclaimed the search for cutting-edge technology, it seems as if pre-production for the former’s next title is now underway. Of course, there are very little details about the matter to go on, but after Kojima’s partnering with Sony for a PlayStation exclusive game, it’s obvious that the tech firm is set on willingly sharing all of its available resources with him. Taking that into consideration, it’s possible that we could eventually see a major push for virtual reality on the PS4, for not long ago, Hideo Kojima expressed interest in making a VR game.

Whatever Kojima and Cerny find in their travels only bodes well for gamers and the industry at large. With the two men having extensive knowledge and experience regarding the creation and development process, it’s undeniable that when they get their hands on the best technology possible, the end result will be something special, if not groundbreaking.

What do you think about Kojima and Cerny scouring the globe for the best technology it has to offer? What kind of creations could the two be cooking up together? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Although Hideo Kojima’s next project is still in a nebulous phase, it has been confirmed as a PC and PlayStation 4 release.

Source: Hideo Kojima – Twitter, Mark Cerny – Twitter, (via GameSpot)

Silent Hills: Guillermo del Toro Teases What Could Have Been

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Film director Guillermo del Toro discusses Silent Hills and the massive potential the game had prior to its cancellation by the developer and publisher Konami.

During Hideo Kojima’s and Guillermo del Toro’s special addressat this year’s D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas, the discussion’s moderator Geoff Keighley couldn’t resist bringing up the elephant in the room, which was, of course, Silent Hills . Obviously, as evidenced by the near-constant discussion of the now-defunct game nearly two years after its cancellation, many fans of Konami’s classic horror franchise had been excited at the prospect of the two luminaries working together on a reboot entry in the series with. That said, Kojima and del Toro reminiscing about the project was certainly interesting to say the least.

When asked about what the collaboration process for Silent Hills ‘ playable teaser (AKA) was like, del Toro’s face lit up, as he began recounting its inspirations and intentions, and the grandiose plans he and Kojima-san had for the final product. In fact, the filmmaker went on to say that PT wasn’t even close to the Metal Gear Solid creator fully flexing his creative muscles.

Interestingly enough, according to del Toro, by using lower resolutions and frame rates, PT was originally meant to throw people off and make them think that an unknown studio was behind the project, but once fans discovered it was a Kojima Productions joint, anticipation was through the roof. For those interested, fans can find a full quote on these matters from del Toro below, along with the complete video from the D.I.C.E. Summit keynote address.

“When we were looking at P.T. , [Kojima] said ‘we’re going to do this low tech. We’re going to do this so people don’t know it’s us until the ending. It’s going to be kinda a bit crappy…’ P.T. itself was meant to be a decoy. We were thinking people would take 10 days, two weeks to solve it and they solved it in like three days.

“We had great plans. We had great ideas I think that would have done fantastic stuff. It was fantastic, the results were amazing, and that was him not putting his foot full on the pedal.”

Although we’ll never know all of what Silent Hills could have been, there’s no reason to despair, as Kojima and del Toro still want to make a new game together, so a lot of the elements from the creators’ ideas on the last project might work their way into fresh collaborations. Not to mention, with Hideo Kojima inking a contract with Sony to make a PlayStation-exclusive game, the likelihood of the film director and renowned video game maker working together once more is quite high.

While Silent Hills being cancelled with a “scorched earth approach”and the whole debacle between Konami and Kojima were two of the lowest points for the gaming world in 2015, it seems like 2016 is shaping up to be a strong year for the industry, especially with del Toro and Kojima potentially joining forces once more. If what we saw from the two wasn’t even their “foot full on the pedal”, then we’re definitely in for something spectacular in the future.

Silent Hills is no more, but Kojima’s next enterprise is in the works.

Source: The TSG Network – YouTube(via GamesRadar)

Far Cry Primal Let Me Ride A Saber-Toothed Tiger And Insanity Ensued

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Yes, players are able to ride saber-toothed tigers in Far Cry Primal , and one editor elaborates on how insanity quickly follows during a recent play session.

Upon its unveiling, Far Cry Primal had many fans concerned. Sure, it provided a unique setting for casual and dedicated gamers alike, but the stone age isn’t exactly a time period that screams innovation. Quite the contrary, in fact, as such an environment meant the removal of modern amenities as guns and vehicles – both of which have played an ever-crucial role in every past iteration of Ubisoft’s Far Cry series. Not this time, however, as players were informed that they’d be surrendering their AK-47 for a wooden club.

While the initial shell shock has subsided for dedicated followers of the franchise, I’ve been fortunate enough to score ample hands-on time within all of its pre-release glory. As someone that’s been in the industry for over half a decade, Ubisoft was kind enough to invite me to its Toronto-based studio to play four hours of the game, which included campaign elements, side missions and the massive world of Oros to explore.

Scepticism was certainly present going into the endeavour following my initial hands-on play session, but I was quickly swept up in the beauty of the immense in-game world that the newly introduced protagonist Takkar finds himself calling home. Of course, the aforementioned Takkar isn’t the only thing that resides in Oros, as it’s a land crawling with creatures and cavemen alike. Fortunately, the former are hardly a problem for a titular character that’s affectionately referred to by others as “The Beast Master.” As I sat down to start the game, I was met with a recollection of watching the main character riding a saber-toothed tiger during the game’s second trailer. This would quickly become my sole mission.

As with any well-made game, the ability to ride a giant prehistoric cat isn’t something casually lobbed at the player from the get-go. No, this is a crowning achievement that must be earned through character levelling and story progression, which is exactly what four hours of sitting in a chair at Ubisoft Toronto allowed me to do. I have to admit that my intentions were selfish, as every decision being made or side mission accepted weren’t done with the hope or intent of bettering the lives of my tribe – they were simply stepping stones to my ultimate saber-toothed prize.

Establishing a camp, taking on rival tribes, and levelling up Takkar ensured that I captured territory on the expansive map of Oros and the appropriate skills to traverse it. Before too long I was able to tame some of the fiercest predators in the game, so I hopped on my brown bear (which I affectionately branded Baloo) and set off to tame Far Cry Primal ‘s flagship feline. I haplessly wandered towards a place where the developers told me I would find the cat, and as I swam across a river on the back of Baloo I saw it in all of its now-extinct glory. Also mauling a goat.

I abandoned my bear friend mid-float and began paddling through the water like Michael Phelps on an off day. At long last the end-game was in sight, and I knew it wouldn’t be much longer. I reached land and immediately got the attention of the tiger, lobbing a hunk of raw flesh at the cat’s feet as a peace offering. I was in luck, it took the bait, and I slowly approached it before being prompted to hold the ‘Square’ button to tame it. As the PlayStation 4 controller gave way to my input, I made eye contact with it. The reticle on-screen reached full circle and it was mine. I’d done it. I had tamed a saber-toothed tiger.

Approaching the beast, I walked up alongside it and was prompted to mount it. I climbed onto the back of the fierce form of transportation and began my journey across Oros, all in a bid to see what kind of trouble I could get in. I sprinted full force across the world before realizing that I had a mission that tasked me with hunting down some sort of poisonous berry that was killing local wildlife, and since my tribe needed animals to hunt in an attempt to stay alive this seemed like a high priority task. I figured with my saber-tooth in tow the mission would be a piece of cake, but I had underestimated the power of Primal ‘s wildlife – something that turned out to be a fatal undoing.

After tracking down the berries I realized that an entire herd of woolly rhinos had taken up camp in the area, and they loved those berries. Thinking it a good idea at the time, I lit a club on fire and hurled it at a nearby berry bush, and one of the bushes went up in flames with little effort – but then it started spreading uncontrollably. Understandably unimpressed with having their home engulfed in flames, the rhinos started to freak the hell out. And then it happened. One ventured too close to the flames and ignited itself. It then began running around the area, spreading fire everywhere. There are few things as soul-destroying as hearing the wails of a distressed rhino that happens to have been set ablaze, but apparently it attracted the attention of a cave bear which promptly came over and started pursuing myself and spooking the remaining woolly rhino clan into igniting themselves.

At this point I figured it was best to take an early bow and run from this horrifying situation, to which I quickly did so on the back of my fanged stallion. And as I turned around to watch Oros burn, I lost track of where it was I was going and stumbled off of a cliff. Evidently, falling from drastic heights akin to a mountain-side cliff can prove fatal, and they did. I hit the ground with a sickening thud, killing both my wildcat and Takkar in a rather gruesome fashion. I can’t help feeling that perhaps I deserved that, but my friend certainly didn’t.

At that point the demo time ended, and I forfeited my controller. I had achieved my goal with comedic results, but I was starting to realize that I wasn’t ready to leave the world of Far Cry Primal . My still unnamed saber-toothed companion and I still had much more to do in the harsh and unforgiving landscape of 10,000 BC, and I’m genuinely eager to throw on a pelt, grab a spear, and head back to the land of Oros. Fortunately, it won’t be much longer until I’ll be reunited with my pal, and I’ll try to get something special sorted out for when I see him again. Like a name.

Far Cry Primal will arrive for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 23, 2016. The PC version will arrive on March 1, 2016.

Nintendo Introduces Content Creators Program for Let’s Play Videos

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Although Nintendo wasn’t on-board with the Let’s Play community at first, the Wii U and 3DS publisher is slowly coming around.

and 3DS publisher is slowly coming around. In fact, the company this week announced a new contributor program that will give Let’s Play-ers the opportunity to profit off Nintendo game videos.

It’s only in beta right now, but the Nintendo Creators Program hopes to give Let’s Play-ers a way to gain ad revenue from videos of Nintendogames. However, by opting into the program, Let’s Play-ers agree to share the profits with Nintendo, not just keep everything for themselves. Currently, any Nintendo gameplay video that is posted to YouTubegenerates ad revenue directly for Nintendo, and the content creator gets nothing from YouTube. This program would then take some of that ad revenue and give it back to the creator.

Anyone who is interested can sign up for the Nintendo Creators Program on the beta site, where they will also see some basic rules and stipulations. Among them is an agreement to split ad revenue 70/30 (the 70% goes to the YouTuber) if the Let’s Play-er designates their entire channel as part of the program, or 60/40 if they want to pick individual videos.

Registration Rules You can register single videos or entire channels. When you register a channel, you will be eligible to receive a share of advertising revenue from Nintendo for all videos included in that channel, regardless of their content. If you only want some videos to apply to this program, please register each video individually. You can only use channels or videos that contain copyrighted content related to game titles specified by Nintendo, and they must be your original creations. Be sure your videos do not contain copyrighted material from third parties or content from unconfirmed game titles. See herefor a list of Nintendo game titles specified for use with this program. It can regularly take up to three business days for your registered content to be reviewed and finalized. The advertisement revenue share is 70% for channels and 60% for videos.
(This rate may be changed arbitrarily. )

It’s important to point out, though, that the 70/30 split means that Nintendo collects revenue from your entire channel, even on non-Nintendo games. No matter how you shake it, Nintendo will be making some money off these videos, it just depends how big their cut is..

Obviously, it’s not an optimal solution for some Let’s Play-ers but it’s better than getting hit with a copyright noticeby Nintendo. It at least shows that the company is finally starting to see the value of Let’s Play videos, and is willing to support streamers in some capacity.

However, there are plenty of publishers out there who consider the free marketing suitable compensation and do not expect an additional cut off the top. Many publishers even send out review copies to high profile Let’s Play-ers in the hopes that the YouTuber might play their game and give it more attention. Someone like PewDiePie, for example, can ensure several million views regardless of the game, which in itself is a valuable marketing tool.

So, while Nintendo’s Creators Program may have some iffy stipulations, it does give gamers a way to profit off their Nintendo Let’s Play videos. This is also just a beta test, so if the reaction is strong enough there is still the possibility that Nintendo might change their approach when the program exits beta.

What do you think of the Nintendo Creators Program? Does it sound like something you would be interested in?

Source: Nintendo

Conan O’Brien Plays Fallout 4; Enters Post-Apocalyptic Boston

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After months and years of anticipation, Fallout 4 is now out in the wild — hear Conan O’Brien’s thoughts on the game in his latest Clueless Gamer skit.

In recent years, we’ve seen late night host Conan O’Brien continue to up his video game coverage, largely through his popular Clueless Gamer skits. However, last night saw O’Brien’s show pull out all the stops, with a blockbuster cold open to mark the much-anticipated release of Fallout 4 .

The clip depicts a situation that will be familiar to many players anticipating the game’s release; upon clocking out of work, O’Brien locks himself away from society to enjoy. However, he’s forced into doing so by the fact that society seems to crumble at a coincidentally appropriate moment in time.

Of course, O’Brien isn’t the first Fallout fan to build his own vault— but he’s perhaps the first to do so on national television. As you might imagine, his personal fallout shelter acts as the setting for the latest instalment of his amusing and informative review series Clueless Gamer.

Adding his thoughts to the bevy of critical response we’ve already seen flood in, O’Brien joins the conversation with his typical uninformed take. After taking a leap from a cliff and meeting his pet dog, the host takes a spin in a suit of power armour and turns some pesky raiders into small pools of blood.

O’Brien also gives his take on the Pip-Boy, referring to it as ‘Microsoft’s version of the Apple Watch’. Of course, he’s joking — any smartwatch made by Apple or Microsoft would likely be much easier to get your hands on than the strictly limited manufacturing runof this must-have wasteland gadget.

While this isn’t the most serious coverage that you’ll see of Fallout 4 , it’s certainly evidence of just how prominent the series is. It’s worth remembering that ahead of Fallout 3 , this franchise was nowhere near the mainstream behemoth that it is today.

Public interest has seen the mobile spin-off Fallout Shelter become a huge success, and Bethesda will be hoping that Fallout 4 will find similar popularity. Given the strong critical response to the game and the hype that’s been steadily growing all year, it seems likely that it will meet those expectations.

However, it remains to be seen whether fans will be satisfied by what the game has to offer. The most dedicated Fallout enthusiasts have very stringent standards, and it’ll be interesting to find out whether the raft of issues being reportedspoil the experience as a whole for those players.

Fallout 4 is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Former Panamanian Dictator Sues ‘Call of Duty’

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For years now Call of Duty has drawn the ire of gamers both young and old who believe the franchise has fallen into a creative rut since blowing the lid off the FPS genre with Modern Warfare 1 .

. As a result, many have criticized the franchise to no end; trying anything and everything in the hopes COD would return to its former glory.

However, some of Call of Duty ‘s biggest critics aren’t even gamers at all, some see the game in a different light — not as a disappointing retail product, but as an indictment of foreign politics in far off countries. One such critic that has popped up just this week is Manuel Noriega, noted Panamanian dictator during the ’80s. But while most Call of Duty detractors keep their criticism to strongly worded letters and comments, Noriega is taking things a step further and suing publisher Activisionfor using his likeness in Black Ops 2 .

For those who might not have played Black Ops 2 , Noriega plays a central role in the mission “Suffer With Me,” in which the Mason and Woods try and capture the dictator. Of course, things don’t go according to plan and Noriega ends up getting away. But the mission doesn’t hold back in painting a clear picture of Noriega, both recreating his likeness in the game and showcasing him as a ruthless individual.

So, obviously Noriega didn’t take too kindly to this representation and he considers it “blatant misuse, unlawful exploitation, and misappropriation for economic gain.” There’s no word on how much Noriega is seeking in damages, though.

While it’s unclear how much of a case Noriega has, he certainly has firmer ground to stand on than, say, Lindsay Lohan, who is suing developer Rockstar Gamesfor allegedly using her likeness in Grand Theft Auto 5 . And we emphasize the word allegedly, because the connections between the so-called Lohan parody and the actually actress are slight. Noriega, on the other hand, is most definitely in Black Ops 2 and his depiction is less than flattering, but he was a Panamanian dictator and he was sentenced to prison…twice.

Ultimately, given the cash cowthat is Call of Duty we suspect that Activision will settle this issue out of court, unless they feel this is a winnable case. We’ll keep you posted.

Source: Courthouse News(via Eurogamer)

Most Influential’ Celebs Among Teens Are YouTube Gamers

‘Most Influential’ Celebs Among Teens Are YouTube Gamers
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The way people share their love of video games is changing, and has been for some time.

The way people share their love of video games is changing, and has been for some time. Sites like YouTubeand Twitchhave allowed players and entertainers to record and live stream their gaming experiences. These Let’s Play channels have grown massively in popularity, and have influenced the decisions of major players in the video game industry — even the new generation of consoles is pushing footage-sharing functionality.

The popularity of YouTube stars is not just limited to the world of video games, however. Video celebrities come in all shapes and sizes, from Let’s Play-ers to vloggers, comedy acts and review shows. As it turns out, the popularity and influence of these personalities is even starting to dwarf those of the traditional media.

According to a recent survey commissioned by, American teenagers find YouTube celebrities more appealing than their non-internet counterparts. The survey polled 1500 US teens aged 13-18, and asked them to rate twenty personalities in terms of their authenticity, approachability, and general influence. Ten of those personalities were the English-speaking YouTube channels with the most subscribers and video views.

The results were surprising. All five of the top spots were YouTube celebrities, including comedy acts such as Smosh and Fine Bros. The YouTube personality coming in third, beating the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Seth Rogan, will be a familiar face for many gamers — Let’s Play sensation Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie.

Kjellberg made the news earlier in the year, when it was revealed that he earned $4 million from his YouTube gameplay videoslast year. The PewDiePie channel now has over 29 million subscribers, and that makes the 24-year old millions in ad revenue. Kjellberg has become so popular that he has even signed to Maker Studios, an online content producer owned by Disney.

So what makes these online celebrities so popular with the teen demographic? Jeetendr Sehdev, the brand strategist who carried out the survey, may have found an answer. According to Sehdev, the survey showed that teenagers find the YouTube personalities more engaging and relatable, providing more of an intimate experience.

Sehdev also warned these YouTube stars against aping their traditional media counterparts. “if YouTube stars are swallowed by Hollywood, they are in danger of becoming less authentic versions of themselves,” said Sehdev. “That could take away the one thing that makes YouTube stars so appealing.”

It seems as though the power of the YouTube gamer cannot be underestimated, and the industry itself is taking notice. Alongside the positive reinforcement of in-console streaming, Nintendo’s video affiliate systemand YouTube’s announcement of upcoming Fan Funding for creators, there have also been attempts to slow the growth of the phenomenon.mastermind Phil Fish has called for a “huge portion”of YouTube ad revenue to go to developers, whilst YouTube themselves had a massive copyright crackdownat the end of last year.

Amidst the serious discussion of the significance of gaming channels, at least the channels themselves can still have a sense of humor. After the “success” of Twitch Plays Pokémon , a follow up has been made — replacing the audience themselves with a live fish. Who knows, maybe that fish will make the most influential YouTuber list next year.

Source: Variety