Tag: Bioshock

PAX West 2018: I Can’t Wait To Abandon My Friends In ‘The Blackout Club’

by Derek Kraneveldt

PAX West was filled with so many incredible, unforgettable games, coming from giant AAA developers with singular booths that were visible from across the show floor, to a dude and his wife showing off their wacky, unique cooperative game from a single corner table.

I played so many titles, and wrote down so many more that I simply cannot wait to check out (I’m allergic to cats, but Meow Wars looked hilarious, for one), but one of the most memorable, unique experiences that I had this year was playing (and observing) the co-operative magic that was The Blackout Club, from Question Games.

Question Games is a tiny developer with some not-so-tiny talent. The company was founded a few years back by Bioshock series veterans Stephen Alexander and Jordan Thomas and has since grown to six developers. The company released their first game, The Magic Circle, a hilarious-sounding dark comedy about game development, back in 2015, and earlier this year announced the multiplayer, tense, atmospheric The Blackout Club.

Mikaela and I had an opportunity to chat with company cofounder Stephen Alexander, which will be released in audio form on the Geekscape Games feed in the coming days (I also gushed about the game during our Day 3 coverage of PAX here), but I simply couldn’t wait to share how excited I am for this game.

Here’s the synopsis to get you started:

 You are a teenager from a small, modern town. Each morning, you awaken covered in mud or scratches, with no memory of the night before. You’ve heard of sleepwalking – but this is different. Sometimes you lose entire days.

There are others like you. Your new group of friends bonded over this shared secret, forming a club to investigate the cause of these BLACKOUTS. Together, you discovered a network of bizarre underground tunnels, hidden just beneath the surface of your quiet community. An uncanny, disorienting music beckoned from below.

You hesitated. But last night, your best friend vanished – and now, a mysterious group of adults wants to eliminate you. You must strike back, capture their activities on camera and expose them to the world.

The game feels realistic in that the kids (you and your group play as 14-17 year olds) are observant, know that something seriously wrong is happening in town, and the adults just don’t believe them. For some reason the town is an internet dead zone, so the kids make a plan to capture undeniable evidence, commandeer a vehicle, and bring it somewhere they can share it with the world.

Prior to jumping into the game’s multiplayer, I had an opportunity to play through a short single player introduction / tutorial that introduced you to the world, and the unseen, horrific creature that lives within it. The game launches in 2019 and is currently testing in beta, but artistically the game already looks and feels extremely stylized and impressive. The introduction had my character at home awaiting their parents return, and as I explored the house, the game’s impressive lighting system, and the detail put into often throwaway objects like furniture or even the texture of the spackling on the wall became immediately obvious.

In the introduction, the sun begins to set and then things begin to get weird. Objects flash and words show up where they weren’t before, and shortly thereafter it’s time to find a place to hide from ‘The Shape’, a physical creature that you can only see when your eyes are closed. Yep, the controller has a dedicated, easy to reach button that exists only to close your character’s eyes, because The Shape is a huge (and hugely unsettling) part of The Blackout Club. More on that later.

Once introduced to the world and some basic mechanics, I spent some time observing multiplayer matches before joining one of my own. In the world of The Blackout Club, the adults not only don’t believe you that something is wrong with the town, they also literally become your enemy after the sun sets. Once they go to sleep, the adults become ‘Sleepers’, enemies that can’t see (except in certain cases), but can hear very well (be conscious of where you’re walking, as different ground materials make different amounts of sounds), and basically exist to try to take you down, and once weak enough, drag you to where The Shape can get you.

This mechanic is super interesting to me, and almost gives certain elements of the game an I Am Legend feel. Some of these enemies are literally your parents, or your neighbours – people that you wave to as you walk by, people whose BBQ’s you’d attend in the Summertime. You don’t want to hurt them, and you absolutely can’t kill them. Stealth and avoidance are your best weapons, but you’ll also don items meant to distract, like firecrackers, which when thrown will attract Sleepers to wherever they land, or tranquilizer darts (which I’m not sure how these kids are finding) which will put a sleeper to… sleep, meaning one less enemy to worry about. A friend can also pin a Sleeper down in order to allow others to escape, but that same Sleeper will get up just a few seconds after being let go. Before rolling out on a mission, each player can also choose a ‘hero’ item, like a grappling hook to make climbing easier, a crossbow to shoot tranquilizer darts from afar, or a taser to easily incapacitate a Sleeper who may grab them.

In the PAX demo, players saw one section of the neighbourhood (where the missions happen), which is a set locale that has procedurally generated elements like enemy or consumables, or even open gates, garages, or windows. The demo gave two objectives, which were also procedurally generated, but from what I saw/played consisted of either collecting evidence or cleaning up after a previous botched mission, and then heading into the spooky underground mazes (think the sewers in Derry from IT) to find a missing member of the club.

In the matches that I saw, things seemed to go decently well. Most of the people in the room didn’t know each other, and started off a little uncomfortable, but it became pretty clear pretty early that things would be rough unless they communicated. People snuck around, revealing positions of Sleepers or which house the group needed to enter, or keeping watch while someone closed their eyes to locate The Shape, which is attracted to mischief or sin, or the player who was causing the most ruckus. If the shape gets you, you become an AI controlled Sleeper yourself. Other players can go up to you to snap you out of it, but if you’re put under three times, it’s game over for you, and the mission is failed if all players are put under at the same time. You also probably don’t want to stray too far from your group for a couple of reasons – if something finds you, you’re pretty much screwed if you’re alone, and if the group stays together you get a ‘circle of friendship’ buff which makes your stamina regenerate faster. Stamina, which is used for things like sprinting and climbing, is pretty important, so the more of it you can retain, the easier a time you’ll have. Both groups I watched mostly stayed together, and one group even made it through the missions with all of its members still awake.

The game gets very tense very quickly, and one thing that was hilarious and terrifying is just how much teamwork goes out the window when the players are surprised by The Shape, or overrun with Sleepers. In both missions that I watched, The Shape didn’t seem to pop up until about halfway through – during one session, nobody knew until one player screamed out “HOLY SHIT THE SHAPE IS FUCKING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME EVERYBODY RUN.” As instructed, everyone ran, loudly and in different directions, and in a Live together, Die alone moment, once everyone was split up The Shape made fairly easy work picking players off. It seemed to disappear for a time before popping up at another opportune moment, and because teamwork had been all but abandoned by that point, it wasn’t too long before each player had been put to sleep.

Both missions that I observed were about 20-30 minutes long, and when I finally sat down to try the multiplayer mode (as opposed to the single player introduction that I’d played earlier) things went much, much worse. My team did not accept my attempts to communicate, was totally silent the entire match, and things ended about seven minutes after we’d started as The Shape already had us all (and probably caused each of us to nearly jump out of our seats more than once). It was an embarrassing attempt, and I’m pretty sure I saw the employee explaining the demo chuckling at our deserved misfortune.

Of course, through multiplayer you’ll be able to customize your kid (there were a bunch of clothing and colour options, even in this early demo), and missions will give you experience that you’ll be able to use to make your kid better at stuff like cardio and technology (a certain perk tree gives you access to things like drones, meaning you can scope out an area from afar), among other things. Perks are in the form of a card system, and you can swap out your load before attempting each mission.

I was so, so into The Blackout Club. The game looks beautiful, and the world feels as though there are so many interesting stories that could be told here. It feels like a crazy mix of Left 4 Dead and Stranger Things and IT and I Am Legend (novella) all in one, and I simply can’t wait to learn more about The Shape and the mythos of the world, while probably failing miserably and having fun (and being terrified) doing it.

The Blackout Club is one to watch, and it releases in 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘Perception’

by Derek Kraneveldt

It’s finally here!

It’s no secret that I’ve been beyond excited for Perception since its original announcement all the way back in May of 2015.

I’ve hung onto every word from The Deep End Games — boring listeners of Geekscape Games with my limitless excitement for the mysterious project, and flooding Geekscape’s front page with each image, trailer, and tidbit of information that the developers trickled down the pipeline. Perception has had one of the most detailed, involved Kickstarter campaigns that I’ve ever seen, and it’s been an absolute joy to follow in its development.

The game is the very first release from The Deep End Games, a team compromised largely of ex Irrational Games developers, who just happened to create what may be my favourite video game series ever, BioShock. 

Rather than attempting to craft something similar to that famed series after Irrational’s untimely closure, Perception tries to do something that I’ve never seen before. It’s not underwater (or in the sky), and you don’t have a variety of guns, cool powers, or weird creepy bodily enhancements. In fact, the character you play as can’t even see. 


Yep, you’ll play as Cassie, who’s been blind since birth, and has decided to finally solve the mystery of the hauntingly real, recurring nightmares that she’s been experiencing. 

This blindness makes for some of the most interesting visuals in a video game that I’ve seen in quite some time. As you explore the mammoth residence at Echo Bluff, the world you see will be predominantly pitch black. Cassie uses a form of echolocation to temporarily see her surroundings — walking will moderately light up the area right around her, while tapping her cane to make a louder noise will briefly show you more of your immediate surroundings. Things like doors will be marked in a different color (to give you an idea of where you could go next) and there’s even a button to force your perspective to the next objective, making it a little tougher to get too, too lost in the darkness. 

The visuals reminded me of the incredible documentary Notes on Blindness (which should be experienced in VR, if at all possible) in which a sighted author and theologian, John Hull, recorded his experiences and changing perception of the world as he slowly lost his sight. In the documentary, as in Perception, the world around you all but disappears unless audio is being produced. In the game this could be a squeaky pipe, a dripping tap, or an open window down the hall, or more menacingly, a door swinging open or slamming shut, or footsteps that aren’t yours when you’re supposed to be the only one in the house. There are also creepy whispers all the time and I just want them to stop.

Naturally, in a game that can often feature pretty minimal visuals, audio is incredibly important. Every piece of audio in Perception, from Angela Morris’ performance as Cassie, to composer Jim Bonney’s haunting score, to the makes-me-jump-every-single-time sounds that the old mansion makes adds to the game’s impressive presentation. In a game that can’t overly rely on jump scares (it certainly contains some, but they’re pretty minimal as you often wouldn’t be able to see what’s jumping out at you), more often than not it was what I was hearing that was making me uncomfortable, rather than what I was seeing.


Did I mention how scary this game can be? I feel like I’m usually moderately good at being able to handle horror titles, but Perception is a game that really invokes the feeling that what you can’t see is often scarier than what you can, and this led me to taking a tension break much more frequently than I’d care to admit.

Perception takes place over four chapters, each during a separate era in the Echo Bluff mansion’s existence. The house itself feels markedly different between chapters, and through each section of the game you’ll learn about the sordid lives of the home’s previous inhabitants. Sure, at some points the game can feel like a very dark walking simulator (think Gone Home), but it’s in the exploration of the house and in learning about its past inhabitants that Perception truly shines. The tales told in each of the chapters are incredibly interesting, and at the game’s closure I simply wanted to know what other tales the Echo Bluff mansion had to tell.

The name of the game is exploration and discovery (and an interesting as hell plot that I would definitely watch a movie based on), but you wouldn’t truly be able to label Perception as a horror title if there wasn’t some sort of threat. The threat here is simply known as The Presence; a dark, hooded, clawed figure that is not happy that you’re exploring the house, and that will simply kill you if it’s able to locate you. You’ll alert The Presence by making too much noise, like sprinting too much, or tapping your cane too frequently. This makes for an interesting mechanic – do you tap your cane in order to better ‘see’ your surroundings? Or do you wander around in the ‘dark’ in order to keep The Presence away?

You’ll get through Perception in about four or five hours. Over this time, you’ll get to know the house, its previous inhabitants (and their often terrible fates), and most importantly, Cassie. The Deep End Games has created a truly memorable character in its sightless heroine, and as striking as the rest of the game can be, learning about her thoughts and feelings, friends and family (Cassie has a surprisingly full phone full of messages for you to explore) is by and large the very best part of this memorable journey.
Perception scores a creepy 4/5, and is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

tl;dr

+ Amazing presentation

+ Extremly interesting plot

+ Cassie

– Sometimes I got lost

– Not challenging enough

Kickstarter-Funded ‘Perception’ Gets A Release Date!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Yes!

I’ve had my eyes on The Deep End’s upcoming first title, Perception, since its Kickstarter campaign first went live back in 2015.

The team has been filling hungry gamers in on all of the titles’ development news since the Kickstarter was successfully funded, and even revealed a very welcomed console version of the game back in January.

Today, we welcome the best Perception news of all – the game’s extremely close release date.The title will hit Steam, Xbox One, and PS4 on May 30th.

Perception is a first-person narrative horror adventure that tells the story of Cassie, a blind heroine who uses her extraordinary hearing and razor-sharp wits to unravel the mysteries of an abandoned estate that haunts her dreams.

The game looks extremely original, and from a team that consists largely of ex Irrational Games developers, we’re bound to be in for quite the adventure.

Take a look at the release date trailer below, and be sure to let us know if you’re excited for this one!

Tribeca Film Festival Adds Game Festival Featuring Metal Gear’s Hideo Kojima

by AllieHanley

Tribeca Film Festival has added a 2 day gaming event to their film festival schedule April 28-29. The event entitled “Tribeca Games” is partnering with Kill Screen to launch the inaugural Tribeca Games Festival in New York City which is featuring a keynote by respected Metal Gear creator, Hideo Kojima.

Tribeca Games Festival has set up a schedule and panels with topics that will explore the storytelling medium, examine game history past and future, as well as offer behind-the-scenes looks at some of the most fascinating games of the past year.

In addition to Kojima’s keynote, Tribeca Games Festival will also feature conversations with industry luminaries like Ken Levine (director/writer of the BioShock series) and Sam Lake (creator Max Payne, Alan Wake, Quantum Break) plus an extensive set of talks and programming.

The festival will also include a panel discussion on the Virtual Realty themed movie “The Lawnmower Man” which is celebrating it’s 25th Anniversary and host filmmaker Brett Leonard. Game panels set to include topics on the extremely popular “Overwatch” game as well as new games like “The Banner,” and lots more.

For more info and tickets: www.tribecafilm.com/games.

 

Kickstarter-Funded ‘Perception’ Is Headed To PS4!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Great news, everyone!

I’ve had my eyes on The Deep End’s upcoming first title, Perception, since its Kickstarter campaign first went live back in 2015.

The team has been filling hungry gamers in on all of the titles’ development news since the Kickstarter was successfully funded, and today revealed a very exciting expansion to the game’s please-be-soon release – a PS4 version.

The Deep End took to the Official Playstation Blog to announce the partnership with Feardemic, (a new publishing label focused on bringing players unique psychological horror games), who will be publishing the console version of the game.

Perception is a first-person narrative horror adventure that tells the story of Cassie, a blind heroine who uses her extraordinary hearing and razor-sharp wits to unravel the mysteries of an abandoned estate that haunts her dreams.

It’s probably a pipe dream, but I’d do almost anything to see a Playstation VR enabled version of this title. As a new Playstation VR owner, I was blown away by the first part of Notes on Blindness, and the very thought of being able to play a horror title as a blind protagonist is making me wet my pants already.

For now, you can take a look at Perception‘s trailer below, and let us know if you’re excited for the game!

All Three ‘Bioshock’ Titles Are Now Backwards Compatible On Xbox One!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: In case the recently launched (and awesome) Bioshock: The Collection isn’t quite your style, if you’re an Xbox One owner, you now have another option.

Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock Infinite are now all backwards compatible on Xbox One. This means that if you’ve got the games on your Microsoft account, or if you’ve got the discs laying around, you now have an opportunity to replay these classic titles.

Larry Hryb revealed the additions on his Twitter account earlier today, and as someone who hasn’t had an opportunity to pick up The Collection, but has the first game on my Microsoft account, I’m more than happy to be sharing this news.

Reminisce in the original Bioshock launch trailer below, and let us know if you plan to replay the titles!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 91 – ‘Geekscape Heroes’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Josh and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Hideo Kojima comments on Metal Gear: Survive.

Street Fighter V gets CPU update.

Sonic Mania Collectors Edition commercial is hilarious and chocked full of 90’s nostalgia.

Lego Batman The Movie gets added to Lego Dimensions. New packs announced.

Bioshock Remastered Collection PC release still retains bugs and errors from original release.

Blizzard is getting rid of Battle.net name.

Ubisoft CEO thinks the Nintendo NX is tre fab.

Bayonetta Amiibo announced.

New Pokemon Sun & Moon version exclusives announced.

New Pokemon transfer options available, and are confusing as hell.

Destiny: Rise of Iron.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions.

Don’t Starve Together.

Mission Objective:

“We are so alone”

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Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 90 – ‘Tokyo Drifting Release Dates’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Josh, Kenny, Pige and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Tokyo Game Show roundup!

Final Fantasy XV delayed.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 delayed.

The Last Guardian delayed.

New Death Stranding details, open world and coop.

Pokemon Sun & Moon Ultra Beasts revealed.

Final Fantasy XV PS4 announced.

New Battlefront Death Star DLC trailer.

Digital Homicide banned from Steam.

Battlefield 1 Beta.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions.

Bioshock.

Legends of Callasia.

Mission Objective:

“HI SLUGBOI!”

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Would You Kindly Watch The Launch Trailer For ‘Bioshock: The Collection’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: It’s finally here!

If you’ve missed out on the Bioshock series for this long, you’d be crazy not to pick up Bioshock: The Collection for your Xbox One or PS4.

Hell, I can’t wait to pick up the damned thing, and I’ve played through each game multiple times.

For the collection, each title (Bioshock, Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite) has been remastered in full 1080p (and they look pretty slick), and also include all of the single player DLC, and “a never-before-seen video series, “Director’s Commentary: Imagining BioShock.” You can even pick up golden reels in order to unlock the secrets behind Rapture.

The collection is available right now for PS4 and Xbox One, and PC players can pick it up this Thursday! Take a look at the nostalgic launch trailer below, and be sure to let us know if you plan to pick it up!

Get An Inside Look at Loot Crate’s September Gaming Crate!

by jake108

We’re back with Loot Crate’s latest gaming crate! If you’re just excited as we are to see just what’s inside, you’re in the right place! Let’s get started:

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First up on the list is a very cool Claptrap bottle opener. The bottle opener is brushed in chrome silver and has some weight to it. It’s much prettier in person. I promise.

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Second item in the crate is another Loot Crate exclusive. This Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Adam Jensen Figure is not only a mouthful, but is also a pretty neat exclusive for any Deus Ex fans out there. The figure also features a special QR code at the base!

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Next up is a home run for all the Destiny fans out there. This Loot Crate exclusive t-shirt features a Hunter, Titan, and a Warlock. The shirt is 100% cotton and is perfect to wear during a 10-hour raid with your inexperienced friends who desperately want in on all the raid action.

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Hey! Did you hear Cliffy B is working on a new game? Well now you do! Loot Crate is helping spread the word about Cliffy’s new game, Lawbreakers. This crate features a snapback hat made of twill and sports black and red.

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One of my favorite items in this month’s crate is this Bioshock patch, featuring – you guessed it! A Big Daddy! Now, aside from the fact that it’s a Big Daddy, the fact that the Big Daddy’s eyes were made using glow in the dark thread makes this patch even more awesome. Not all that great at sewing? Don’t worry! It’s an iron-on patch for all you novices out there! (For the record, I’m still too scared to apply it.)

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Last, but certainly not least, is the Mecha Pin. This pin is meant to represent “the moments when our sum was greater than our parts. It features a single hand, split into two. One half is machine, while the other is human. It is made of hand-polished iron, is 2 inches thick, and has a 1.25 diameter.

‘Firewatch’ Is Coming To Xbox One, With New Modes In Tow!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Back in February, a gem of an independent title called Firewatch hit PS4 and PC.

The game boasted some of the most gorgeous graphics I’d ever seen, an intense, mysterious narrative that I could not stop thinking about, and as you can probably guess from the previous few sentences of this article, I absolutely fell in love with it.

You can read my full review of the game here, and if you haven’t played the game just yet, I’d seriously implore you to do so. I’m happy to say today however, that millions of gamers who have never had an opportunity to experience Firewatch soon will, as Campo Santo has revealed that the game will make the jump to Xbox One later this month.

It won’t just be a straight port either! The Xbox One version of the game will come equipped with two new modes (which will, naturally make it to the PS4 and PC versions of the game as well): Firewatch Audio Tour, which is still mysterious, but is being described as one part scavenger hunt, one part museum tour, and one part game dev workshop, mixed with a dash of inside Campo Santo goofs. The game will also come complete with a free-roam mode, where you’ll be able to live in the Shoshone with a full day/night cycle and explore with a few hidden secrets.

I’m about due for a replay of Firewatch, and you better believe that I’m excited to check out these new modes. Firewatch hits Xbox One on September 21st.

Have you played the game yet? What did you think? Be sure to sound out in the comments below!

Revisit Rapture In The Latest Trailer For ‘Bioshock: The Collection’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: It was rumoured forever before finally being made official back in June.

Today, 2K Games gives us another quick look at next month’s Bioshock: The Collection, which hits Xbox One, PS4, and PC on September 13th for a cool $59.99.

Each title (Bioshock, Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite) has been remastered in full 1080p (and they look pretty slick), and also include all of the single player DLC, and “a never-before-seen video series, “Director’s Commentary: Imagining BioShock.”

As a huge (yuge) fan of the series who would buy almost anything that has a Bioshock logo on it, you better believe I’m excited for this one. I haven’t played through Bioshock Infinite since it first released, and I think I’m about due to head through that campaign once again.

2K today debuted a brand new trailer for the title, which you can take a look at below. Again, be sure to let us know if you’ll be picking it up!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 82 – ‘That’s Why You Gotta Like Dick!’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Carlos, Josh, Kenny and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Final Splatoon Splatfest announced. Callie VS Marie.

We learn we almost got a Spider-Gwen Disney Infinity figure.

Check out the newest Pokemon from Sun & Moon.

Nintendo teams up with Yogurtland.

Bioshock Collection coming to PS4, PC and Xbox One.

Brock Lesnar is the face of WWE 2K17.

Wreck-It Ralph 2 confirmed.

Major Street Fighter V changes.

Tokido wins CEO fighting competition.

Mission Objective:

“What video game character would you have a sexual relationship with?”

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‘Bioshock: The Collection’ Leaks On 2K Games Website! UPDATE: Officially Announced!

by Derek Kraneveldt

UPDATE: 2K Games has officially announced Bioshock: The Collection for PS4, Xbox One, and PC!

The collection will release on September 13th, include Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock Infinite, plus all of the single player DLC, and “a never-before-seen video series, “Director’s Commentary: Imagining BioShock.”

All this, for a cool $59.99.

Briefly: It seems like there have been rumours of the Bioshock series making the jump to the Xbox One and PS4 since the current generation of consoles was released back in 2013.

After what feels like eons, the rumours appear to be rumours no more, as Bioshock: The Collection leaked briefly today on 2K Games’ own website (this follows an ESRB leak earlier this year).

While we still don’t know much about the collections, it is said that it will contain Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock Infinite.

You can take a first look at the game’s cover and key art below, and we’ll be sure to share more news when 2K makes it official!

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Playstation Now Adds 50 New Titles, Including Several 2K Gems!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: After numerous huge updates earlier this year (like this one and this one), Sony’s Playstation Now cloud gaming service is set for another massive expansion, along with a pretty slick deal for new subscribers.

Sony has revealed that Playstation Now will add 50 new titles tomorrow (50!?), including a slew of 2K gems like Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, The Darkness II, Spec Ops: The Line, and Duke Nukem Forever (okay… that last one is about as far away from a gem as you could get).

Aside from those few titles, the company hasn’t revealed the myriad of games that will hit the service tomorrow. They have, however, revealed a discounted subscription package that should ensure that you never set foot outside this Summer. From tomorrow through July 11th, players in US and Canada can pick up a 3-month Playstation Now subscription for just $29.99, which marks a 33% discount from the subscription’s usual $44.99 price tag.

Yeah, that’s a great deal, isn’t it?

I’m still impossibly far away from grabbing a subscription to Playstation Now, but at this point it’s certainly not for a lack of content. My PS4 and Wii U backlogs continue to grow, and I simply can’t add another generation of missed experiences to that list. In any case, at this point you’re certainly getting your twenty dollars worth with the myriad of titles at your disposal, and Sony often has some pretty great promotions on the service as well. At this point, if you’re looking at dollar per hour of content/fun, Playstation Now would be hard to beat.

Take a look at all of Playstation Now’s 2K titles via the trailer below, and be sure to let us know what you think of the service!

A Game Based on ‘The Twilight Zone’ Is In Development From ‘BioShock’ Creator Ken Levine

by Eric Francisco

You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Press A to continue.

You’re probably going to experience that in a new Twilight Zone video game/live-action series currently in development with direction by Ken Levine, behind the BioShock series from Irrational and 2K Games. The game, as WIRED describes it, will “explore the spaces between movies and games.” Unlike Quantum Break which hyped a similar premise, The Twilight Zone game is using technology from Interlude, known for the Dr. Pepper/Avengers Super Bowl commercial with Hulk and Ant-Man. The technology, according to WIRED, allows for “seamless move[ment] between multiple streams of video. So expect something pretty cutting edge, even for a not so triple-A video game.

For BioShock fans it must be exciting, but considering the nature of The Twilight Zone is he really the best call? Twilight Zone plays with light and dark themes to explore the gray areas, while BioShock is heavy-handed with its themes. (C’mon: Choosing to kill little girls, or be Superman Jesus? Not that hard there.)

The logo for the upcoming 'The Twilight Zone' video game/live-action series from Interlude.
The logo for the upcoming ‘The Twilight Zone’ video game/live-action series from Interlude.

In an interview with WIRED, Levine describes the primary function behind the game being “empathy through agency.” He describes thusly: “I think of it as the viewer’s angle in the chair. When you watch something, you’re sitting back in the chair. When you’re gaming, you’re leaning forward in the chair. This is an interesting place in between … your brain is forward in the chair.”

(Guys if you haven’t noticed, that WIRED interview is stacked.)

As a nerd who errs more on Twilight Zone than BioShock, I’m excited! I’m so stoked over the prospect of interacting with the themes Twilight Zone haunted me with, but I just hope Levine eases up on his brick-heavy morals. Plus, as much as I’d like to “play out” classic episodes like “In the Eye of the Beholder” or “Time Enough at Last,” there’s really not much choice for interactivity there. What, are we gonna “Press X to unwrap bandage”? I do wish a studio like Telltale Games, reputable for their “interactive narrative” games based on licenses like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones would take a stab at Twilight Zone, but I’m sure Interlude are cooking up something good.

A release date and platform was not disclosed.

The First PS4 Patch For ‘Firewatch’ Offers A Huge Performance Boost!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: This is one piece of news that I’m absolutely ecstatic to learn about.

If you’re a regular around these parts (or listen to the Geekscape Games podcast), you’ll already know full well just how much we loved Campo Santo’s Firewatch, which hit Windows, OS X, Linux, and PS4 just a couple of weeks ago.

In my review, the main issue that I had with the title (aside from wishing that it were just a bit longer) were the constant performance problems that I experienced during my time with the PS4 version of the game. Frequent frame-rate drops, and even one full console lock-up had me noting that “I’m not talking about a lost frame here and a blip there, either; it seemed more like the title was struggling to run on this hardware at all.”

I also ushered hope that these issues could be resolved with a post-launch patch to the title, and that’s exactly what Campo Santo has done, as they announced yesterday on their official blog. The patch is live on PSN right now, and here’s what it features:

-Draw distance and shadow render distance have been improved, which should remove significant texture popping.

-Streaming loading and unloading has been significantly adjusted with extra safeties so you should no longer see loading happen right in front of you.

-We got Unity to fix a very rare hang that could occur when loading and unloading scenes.

-Many instances of unstable framerate have been improved.

-Auto-saves are now far less frequent, as they were causing the worst framerate hitches we have been seeing.

-Several places where people were escaping the world or getting stuck in collision have been refined. Also, if you are stuck in an endlessly falling state, the game will attempt to put you back, either through loading the last save or respawning Henry aboveground.

-Various cases where you were able to interrupt or break your current quest have been safeguarded.

These all sound like major improvements to the title, and I’m very excited that new players will be able to jump in and experience this great title in a much smoother fashion.

Campo Santo also notes that they’re not done supporting Firewatch yet, either, noting that they’re “currently working with Unity on further improving the game by upgrading to an upcoming version of their engine. We’re also planning to add subtitles for other languages to the PS4 version.”

You can read our review of the game here, and once you’ve played it, be sure to listed to Geekscape Games’ spoiler-filled discussion of Firewatch right here. Already play the game? Be sure to let us know what you thought of the title!

Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘Firewatch’

by Derek Kraneveldt

I could not have jumped into Firewatch with higher expectations.

The just-released mystery/drama/adventure game is the very first release from Campo Santo, a new studio founded by Jake Rodkin and Sean Vanaman, both longtime Telltale Games staffers and co-project leads on Telltale’s most celebrated release thus far, and one of my favourite games of all time, The Walking Dead (the studio was also founded by Mark of the Ninja lead designer Nels Anderson and artist Olly Moss).

The studio officially debuted the game back at PAX in 2014, and it would have been impossible not to instantly fall in love with the presentation of the sometimes humorous, sometimes stressful dialogue, the heavy mystery, and obviously the incredible Olly Moss-designed, cel-shaded visual style.

Coming from former Telltale Games writers and leads, I was certainly expecting a gripping, unforgettable tale, but I don’t know that I could have fully prepared myself for the heavy emotion I’d endure on my short trip back to 1989’s Wyoming.

In fact, tears were welling in my eyes within the first few moments of Firewatch, and I can’t think of a single other video game in my 25 years that’s had such an affect on me so quickly.

You’re Henry (voiced by Rich Sommer AKA Mad Men‘s Harry Crane), an emotionally-drained individual who chooses to spend the Summer as a fire lookout in Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest in order to escape/ignore/avoid the crumbling of your life back home. You’ll spend the duration of Firewatch isolated, confined to your watchtower and its surrounding area on a particularly hot Summer, essentially waiting for an inevitable forest fire to begin so that it can be reported and reacted to as soon as possible. Your only contact is Delilah (voiced by Cissy Jones, or The Walking Dead‘s Katjaa), a disembodied, attractive voice who pipes in exclusively through radio transmissions, quickly becomes your friend and confidant, and who you eventually begin spilling your emotional guts to.

At this point, that description almost sounds like the opening of a quirky, indie romantic comedy, but naturally it’s not too long before things get weird (and I’m not necessarily talking about your Bioshock Atlas-esque relationship with Delilah, though that can easily go off the rails as well); you’ll soon be questioning everything from life itself, the type of person you are (as Henry and as yourself), what exactly is happening in this serene, yet spooky forest, and much, much more. The plot is gripping from its opening moment, and really, all that you want at its conclusion is more.

Visually, Firewatch is absolutely spectacular. The game’s development actually began with a single painting from celebrated, insanely talented artist Olly Moss, and there’s nary a frame throughout that doesn’t look as though it could be a painting as well. Every moment, tense or otherwise is simply stunning to take in; this may be the first game I’ve ever played where I would actually traverse to each and every cliff that I could or corner of the map that was available to me, just to experience more of the tranquil ambiance. It’s also breathtaking to see just how that beauty changes over the course of the Summer (or even the course of a day). You enter the forest with blue skies above and green grass and shrubbery below, and as days and weeks and months go by, clarity disappears, the skies morph into a haunting, endless orange, and unflustered creeks and lakes become white with ash. As a British Columbia resident, this slow transformation seriously had me reminiscing about this past Summer, when gargantuan forest fires throughout the province turned our skies a deep orange and had me wiping thick ash from my car before driving to work. It was a sight I’d never seen before, and the team at Campo Santo (including former Double Fine environmental artist Jane Ng) took a weird, uncomfortable phenomenon and made it far more beautiful than I ever could have imagined.

The parallels between the tumultuous transformation of the forest and the progression of the plot itself is one that will resonate with me for some time, and didn’t actually dawn on me for hours after I’d finished the campaign. As the occurrences around you and your actions and reactions themselves become contentious, your eventual resolution as well as the physical path in front of you becomes less and less clear.

Aside from the breathtaking visuals, the world of Firewatch is simply a joy to explore. Objects are detailed to the point where you can read the synopsis on the back of a book. Locked supply caches around the map help to broaden this domain by introducing lookouts from year’s past through notes written back and forth to each-other. This exposition helps you feel slightly less isolated and as though this universe existed far before you ever came into it. After awhile, you’ll actually find yourself seeking out caches, caring about these sub-characters that you never see nor hear, and you truly wonder what came of them, their relationships, and their time in the forest.

Delilah will do a great job filling you in as you find notes, caches, and new areas of the map, and really, as beautiful as Firewatch‘s Wyoming wilderness is, it’s the budding relationship between the two of you that is the highlight of the game. Conversation starts out rather stunted; you’re uncomfortable, you don’t know what you’re doing (and possibly even regret taking this job), and you have no idea who this woman is. Time progresses, and whether it’s true interest, isolation, or simply human need, the two of you open up to each other. These moments are when Firewatch truly shines, as what you choose to say (yep, just like in Telltale games, you’ll have full control over Henry’s dialogue) will make Delilah laugh, or flirt, or expand her thoughts and feelings, tell you a story, or make her so angry that she turns the radio off. Every line of the game is memorable, and countless times throughout the title’s duration I found myself laughing out loud or swearing under my breath.

As you can probably guess, I was a sucker for the game’s dialogue. As such, one element of the dialogue system that’s notable and that I truly appreciated is that during all conversations, once I’d selected a response, the game would actually wait for Delilah to finish speaking before allowing Henry say a word. Too many games seem to perform in the opposite manner, and have your character speak the instant that you choose a dialogue option. It’s actually one of the things that I noticed while thinking back on last month’s Oxenfree (funnily enough, also a conversation-based adventure title crafted by a studio of former Telltale Games’ developers), and in comparison I truly enjoyed being able to witness each and every complete thought in Firewatch, while the constant interruptions in Oxenfree often left me wondering what was left to be heard. That said, you could look at these differences from the perspective of adults speaking vs. teenagers speaking, or the fact that in Firewatch you converse using radios, and that only one of you would be able to speak at a time anyways (because that’s simply how radios work).

The game sounds almost as good as it looks, and I’d definitely advise you to play Firewatch using a headset if at all possible. Sure, things sounded just fine through my soundbar, but it wasn’t until I donned my surround headset that I truly entered this calm, peaceful (well, and sometimes spooky) soundscape. Close your eyes with one of these headsets on, and it legitimately sounds like you’re in the middle of the forest, or by a lake, or by a fire, or by… well, you get the idea. The sound team at Campo Santo did a stellar job with the ambient audio in the game, and paired with Cissy Jones’ and Rich Sommer’s phenomenal voicework, the overall presentation of Firewatch is simply marvelous.

That is, aside from the performance issues. Unforunately, with all of the game’s fantastic elements put aside, Campo Santo borrowed some of the technical problems that have plagued Telltale Games titles for as long as I can remember. I played through the Playstation 4 version of the game, and as such can’t speak technically for the desktop edition, but I was met with constant stuttering throughout my time with Firewatch, to the point where in one instance the console even locked up and needed to be restarted. I’m not talking about a lost frame here and a blip there, either; it seemed more like the title was struggling to run on this hardware at all. Sure, it’s one of (if not the) most breathtaking games on the PS4, but it’s also possibly the most inconsistent title performance-wise that I’ve played on the console thus far.

I’m a fan of short games (I’ve expressed it numerous times on the Geekscape Games podcast) as I don’t typically have a ton of gaming time each week month. That said, Firewatch felt simply too short, even for my liking. Yes, I was enamored with this world, and I was absolutely invested in these characters (and could have spent hours upon hours longer learning more about them, where they came from, and where they’re going), but I was actually pretty shocked to find myself at the game’s conclusion so quickly. As every day of a fire lookout’s life can’t be all that interesting (and, well, is probably pretty boring the majority of the time), you’ll actually jump ahead in time on numerous occurences through the duration of Firewatch. While I appreciated this in game (and obviously visually based on my thoughts above), once things concluded I felt as though I would have actually enjoyed some of those boring, lazy fire lookout days. The added exposition of continued conversations with Delilah would have deepened my attachment to these two characters, and the added duration, whether or not it held major importance in the overarching story, would have certainly been valued at the game’s conclusion. Yes, I loved almost everything that Firewatch presented me, but once it was all over it was hard not to wish that it didn’t present me with more.

Now, I’m writing this before the game’s release, and as such haven’t read a single other opinion, review, or analysis on the title. That said, I believe that, as with many adventure, mystery, and narrative games before it, the ending of Firewatch is going to be divisive as hell. It’s really impossible to dig into without giving away major spoilers (which I’m not willing to do here), but at the time that I reached the game’s conclusion, I wasn’t a big fan of how things turned out. It wasn’t until hours later, until I found time to think about everything that Henry, Delilah and I had gone through, and time to determine what facets of Firewatch resonated with me most that the ending began to grow on me. Now, days later I think that I actually prefer everything that transpired to whatever expectations I had in my head.

In any case, I’m looking forward to reading other’s thoughts on the title, as even though the game is rather short, there is plenty to talk about.

Firewatch is freaking beautiful. Its world feels deep and expansive and whole, and its characters are two of the most memorable video game beings that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in recent memory. The game marks a phenomenal first outing for Campo Santo, and its stunning visual style is completely unforgettable. It’s not perfect; the game feels short and I wish Firewatch was launching on the PS4 without the frequent performance issues mentioned above, but I’m beyond ecstatic that I was able to spend any amount of time in this original world.

Sadly, we’ll probably never see a continuation of this tale, as Campo Santo’s Sean Vanaman notes that “this story is done.” Irregardless, this is a team to watch out for, and I can’t wait to be enveloped in whatever they come up with next.

Firewatch scores a too-hot-to-handle 4/5.

tl;dr

+Absolutely breathtaking visuals (and stellar audio to boot)
+Some of the most memorable video game dialogue in recent memory
+Impossible not to fall in love with its characters
+Conversation system lets you listen to every word
+Just look at it

-Too short
-Constant performance issues on Playstation 4

Firewatch is available for PS4, Windows, OS X, and Linux.

‘System Shock 3’ Has Been Revealed!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: This we did not see coming.

After years and years of fans begging desperately for another entry in the venerable System Shock series (plus years and years of rights issues preventing a new entry from happening), System Shock 3 is finally about to be announced.

Otherside Entertainment has posted a countdown teaser on this page, which currently displays two ‘S’es, and timer with 5 days remaining in its runtime. I’d imagine a 3rd ‘S’ will reveal itself over time. At this point, it looks completely separate from developer Night Dive’s incoming remake of the original title.

They may have jumped the gun however, as this page with a full System Shock 3 logo has also gone live.

This is very exciting. I haven’t actually had an opportunity to play the System Shock series, and in fact only learned about its importance once the first Bioshock released back in 2007. I can’t even imagine how fans are feeling right now, especially as Otherside Entertainment is composed of several Looking Glass Studios alum.

In any case, there’s not really anything to say about the title at this point aside from the fact that it’s finally happening, so be sure to check back in 5 days for all of the details on the System Shock 3 reveal!

Playstation Now Gets Far More Handsome With The Addition Of ‘Borderlands’ and ‘Bioshock’ Titles!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Playstation Now has always seemed like a bit of an odd duck to me.

I’m totally down with Cloud-based gaming, and had a fantastic time with Onlive’s Playpass a number of years back, but Playstation Now, while an incredible idea, always seemed sort of lackluster in its offerings.

Today, the offerings improve, and the Playstation Now library becomes a little more handsome with the addition of Gearbox’s incredibly fun (as long as you’re playing with other people) Borderlands and Borderlands 2.

Even better (at least in my opinion), Irrational Games’ genre-defining Bioshock and Bioshock 2 have joined the already available Bioshock Infinite, making for a pretty incredible million hours of gaming if you’ve somehow missed out on these titles.

I’m still impossibly far away from grabbing a subscription to Playstation Now, but at this point it’s certainly not for a lack of content. My PS4 and Wii U backlogs continue to grow, and I simply can’t add another generation of missed experiences to that list. In any case, at this point you’re certainly getting your twenty dollars worth with the myriad of titles at your disposal.

Are you a Playstation Now subscriber? What have you thought of the service thus far? Are you excited for these new additions? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

https://youtu.be/bLHW78X1XeE

‘Perception’ Is Coming, And It Looks Phenomenal!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: I am so excited.

Last month, we featured a unique-as-hell looking game called Perception in our ‘Crowdfund This’ column. I also talked about the game extensively on Geekscape Games (probably more than once), and I’m happy to say that the game finished its Kickstarter campaign with $168,041 of its $150,000 goal.

That means the game is funded, and will definitely be released. Aw yiss.

Crafted by new studio The Deep End Games, which it turns out is made up of a lot of ex-Bioshock dev Irrational Games employees, the game is “a first-person narrative horror adventure that tells the story of Cassie, a blind heroine who uses her extraordinary hearing and razor-sharp wits to unravel the mysteries of an abandoned estate that haunts her dreams. The gameplay has Cassie using echolocation to see, which amounts to some extremely original mechanics, and potential for some absolutely gut-wrenching scares.”

The game’s campaign just finished, and the developers released the following thank-you note:

We are completely overwhelmed, overjoyed and humbled at the reception our game has received. This has been the most exciting, exhilarating month and we have you to thank.

 

We are so proud to be able to make this game thanks to you. Words cannot express the level of gratitude and sheer joy this has brought us, and we can’t wait to make this game and put it in your hands!

 

Moving forward, we will keep you all posted regarding what’s going on with Perception. We can’t wait to show you more footage, screen shots, excerpts and more.

A few weeks back, the developer announced that acclaimed comic writer Joshua Fialkov (check out my Emerald City Comic-Con interview with him here) was joining the team, which skyrocketed my already astronomical excitement for the title. Two new modes for the game have also just been revealed, ‘Silent Night’, and ‘Mode 7’. You can take a look at footage from each below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the game!

Former ‘Bioshock’ Devs Reveal ‘Perception’, And It Looks Amazing!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: This looks incredibly original, and I sure hope that it receives the funding that it’s looking for.

We’ve seen some pretty incredible gaming successes on Kickstarter over the past month. Yooka-Laylee surpassed each and every one of its stretch goals in under 24 hours, and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night flew beyond its goal in just a day.

Perception, an insanely original premise by a new studio (which contains a ton of ex-Irrational Games devs) called The Deep End Games just hit Kickstarter, and while it hasn’t yet received the same success as the previously mentioned titles, in less than a day its reached over $30,000 of its $150,000 goal.

Perception is a first-person narrative horror adventure that tells the story of Cassie, a blind heroine who uses her extraordinary hearing and razor-sharp wits to unravel the mysteries of an abandoned estate that haunts her dreams. The gameplay has Cassie using echolocation to see, which amounts to some extremely original mechanics, and potential for some absolutely gut-wrenching scares.

As always, there are some incredible rewards available for backers, but I’m mostly excited for the potential of this insanely ambitious looking game. Plus, it’s a horror title, and we all know that I’m a sucker for those.

Take a look at the campaign trailer for Perception below, and let us know if you’ll be backing the project. Be sure to visit the campaign page for all the info about the title.

Geekscape Mobile: 2K Games Welcomes iOS Devices To Rapture With ‘Bioshock’

by MoreLikeAndy

Just announced today, 2K Games are bringing Bioshock to iOS devices sometime this year. Even with the game being scaled down for mobile devices, you will still need to have a fairly recent iOS device in order to experience Rapture again. There is also support for third-party controllers via bluetooth if using virtual analog sticks are not your thing.

The team behind this port is also the same team that brought us XCom: Enemy Unknown for iOS devices. Even though 2K China did an excellent job with the XCom port, I can’t see Bioshock doing as well in terms of sales. Touch controls are fine with turn-based strategy games but are rarely adequate for first-person shooters. Although you can use a bluetooth controller, it is less than ideal to carry a extra device with your phone or tablet just to play one game.

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Source: Polygon.com

Nintendo Purchases Irrational Games: Next ‘Bioshock’ To Be A Wii U Exclusive!

by Josh Jackson

Gamers were shocked last month when Bioshock developer Irrational Games was essentially shut down, reducing itself to a single digit team to focus on smaller titles. As the team dissolved, so did our hopes of ever seeing a return to the world Ken Levine and his team had created.

Until now, that is, as the news coming out of Japan today, is that Nintendo has decided to buy the studio. After tense negotiations, the Japanese game company has also secured the rights to the Bioshock franchise from former holder 2K, under the conditions that they “take Duke Nukem with it.”

Normally composed and professional, even Levine himself couldn’t hold back his excitement to be back in the AAA game business. When asked for comment, he stated:

“F— yes! You didn’t think I wanted to be stuck making mobile games for the rest of my career, did you!? I’m back, bitches!”

Sadly, early reception seems to be poor, as gamers seem to reject the idea of the franchise coming to a Nintendo console. We spoke to one gamer who said, “This is the worst thing that could have happened. Bioshock doesn’t belong on a kiddy console! It would have been better off dead!”

When asked if this news will push him towards buying a Wii U, he told us, “I won’t buy a system with no games.” as he cradled his PS4.

This is a well known problem that the Wii U has faced since launch, with BioShock joining other non games like Super Mario 3D World, New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, Lego City Undercover, Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, Nintendoland, ZombiU, The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze and the upcoming Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros, X and Bayonetta 2, the latter going through similar controversy when Nintendo revived the sequel a few years ago.

Regardless, the reformed Irrational Games seems to be in high spirits and are eager to get back to work. One team member was overheard saying,

“This will be great as long as they don’t force Big Daddy into Smash Bros or something… Big Daddy in a fighting game? What a stupid idea.”

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‘Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea’ Concludes Today, Watch The Launch Trailer!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea is finally set to conclude today, and Irrational Games has just debuted the launch trailer for the anticipated DLC.

Sadly, it’s also the final release that we’ll see from the now-closed developer. Ken Levine announced back in February that the studio would be shutting down, making today bittersweet day, as the studio was responsible for some of the best games of this generation.

Take a look at the launch trailer below, and let us know if you’ll be playing today. The DLC will be available as soon as the respectable stores are updated.

Elizabeth Looking Battered, Bloody In Latest ‘Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea’ Screenshots!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We’re just five days away from the anticipated release of Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea‘s second chapter, and Irrational Games has release a trio of new screenshots for the DLC.

In the shots, we see more of Rapture’s innate beauty, and also Elizabeth, looking extremely battered and bloody.

Take a look at the new screenshots below, and let us know what you hope to see in the DLC! Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 2 releases on March 25th!

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New ‘Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea’ Promo Has Irrational Team Members Sharing Their Favourite Moments

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Ken Levine surprised all of us last month when he announced the closure of the acclaimed Irrational Games.

Irrational’s last project, the closing chapter to the Bioshock Infinite story DLC, Burial at Sea, will launch on March 25th (and I’m really looking forward to it). Irrational today launched a new promo for the chapter, which has (now ex) team members sharing their favourite moments of working on the DLC.

It’s a touching video, and many of the developers look truly heartbroken to be participating in what is basically a ‘looking for work’ ad. I sure hope that each and every one of them finds a new home soon.

Take a look at the promo below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the DLC.

‘Bioshock Infinite’ Developer Irrational Games Is Shutting Down

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Irrational Games is no more.

Studio head Ken Levine is sticking with 2K, along with 15 other Irrational employees, but unfortunately everyone else will be in need of work. It seems crazy to shut down a team responsible for creating some of the best games this generation, but alas, it’s happening.

Here’s the full release, straight from Ken Levine:

When Jon Chey, Rob Fermier and I founded Irrational Games seventeen years ago, our mission was to make visually unique worlds and populate them with singular characters.

 

We built Rapture and Columbia, the Von Braun and The Rickenbacker, the Freedom Fortress and some of the nastiest basements a SWAT team ever set foot into. We created Booker and Elizabeth, the Big Daddy and the Little Sister, MidWives and ManBot. In that time, Irrational has grown larger and more successful than we could have conceived when we began our three-person studio in a living room in Cambridge, MA. It’s been the defining project of my professional life.

 

Now Irrational Games is about to roll out the last DLC for BioShock Infinite and people are understandably asking: What’s next?

 

Seventeen years is a long time to do any job, even the best one. And working with the incredible team at Irrational Games is indeed the best job I’ve ever had. While I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together, my passion has turned to making a different kind of game than we’ve done before. To meet the challenge ahead, I need to refocus my energy on a smaller team with a flatter structure and a more direct relationship with gamers. In many ways, it will be a return to how we started: a small team making games for the core gaming audience.

 

I am winding down Irrational Games as you know it. I’ll be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor at Take-Two. That is going to mean parting ways with all but about fifteen members of the Irrational team. There’s no great way to lay people off, and our first concern is to make sure that the people who are leaving have as much support as we can give them during this transition.

 

Besides financial support, the staff will have access to the studio for a period of time to say their goodbyes and put together their portfolios. Other Take-Two studios will be on hand to discuss opportunities within the company, and we’ll be hosting a recruiting day where we’ll be giving 3rd party studios and publishers a chance to hold interviews with departing Irrational staff.*

 

What’s next?

 

In time we will announce a new endeavor with a new goal: To make narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable. To foster the most direct relationship with our fans possible, we will focus exclusively on content delivered digitally.

 

When I first contemplated what I wanted to do, it became very clear to me that we were going to need a long period of design. Initially, I thought the only way to build this venture was with a classical startup model, a risk I was prepared to take. But when I talked to Take-Two about the idea, they convinced me that there was no better place to pursue this new chapter than within their walls. After all, they’re the ones who believed in and supported BioShock in the first place.

 

Thanks to Irrational and 2K’s passion in developing the games, and the fans who believe in it, BioShock has generated retail revenues of over a half billion dollars and secured an iconic place in gaming. I’m handing the reins of our creation, the BioShock universe, to 2K so our new venture can focus entirely on replayable narrative. If we’re lucky, we’ll build something half as memorable as BioShock.

 

We will do our best to update an FAQ in this space as questions come in.

 

-Ken Levine
@iglevine

 

*If you’re a 3rd party interested in interviewing some of the best game developers in the world, please contact chris.bigelow@2k.com

Let us know what you think of the news, and we certainly hope that the team can swiftly find a new home.

http://youtu.be/1WDQ4FhslSk

‘Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea’ To Conclude On March 25th, Be Substantially Longer Than The First Chapter!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Today, Irrational Games revealed just when we’ll finally be able to play the second and concluding chapter of Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea.

The episode will launch globally on Steam, PS3, and Xbox 360 on March 25th. As before, the DLC will cost $14.99 on all platforms (but you should have just purchased the $19.99 season pass instead.

The main criticism that players had with Burial at Sea‘s first chapter was that it was simply too short. The campaign could be completed in around two hours (which many stated did not warrant a $14.99 purchase). Ken Levine revealed on twitter yesterday that the next episode will be significantly longer:

 

So, did you enjoy the first chapter? Are you looking forward to the second? Did you watch the first three minutes of what happens next? Sound out below!

Episode2

Take A First Look At ‘Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea – Episode 2’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Again, the video below definitely contains spoilers for the first episode of Burial at Sea. If you haven’t played, don’t watch!

Irrational Games has just debuted a first look at episode two of their Bioshock Infinite DLC, Buried at Sea. We already knew that episode two would have us playing as Elizabeth, but after the end of episode one, we were all left wondering just how things were going to work out.

It’s hard to say more without getting too spoilery, so just take a look at the video below, and let us know what you think. Burial at Sea – Episode Two is still without a release date, but as the video says, it’s ‘Coming Soon’, and you know that we can’t wait for it.