Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 157.5 – “Believe It Or Not, We’re Watching E3 – Part 2”

by Derek KraneveldtJune 15, 2018

Join Derek, Josh, and SPECIAL GUEST Shane as they discuss this week in video games.

THIS WEEK (again):

The E3 press conferences are in full swing! Derek, Josh, and Shane discuss what worked and what didn’t across the Square-Enix (yawn), Ubisoft, Sony, and Nintendo press conferences!

https://soundcloud.com/geekscape-games/level-1575-believe-it-or-not-were-watching-e3-2018-part-2

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Geekscape Games Theme Song: Winter Frosts – MmcM

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Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 116 – ‘Nostalgia Makes Money’

by Shane O'HareJune 28, 2017

Join Carlos, Courtney, Derek and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Nintendo Announces The Super Nintendo Classic console. The cast and crew dish all about it. PLUS! Dragon Ball Fighter Z and Ubisoft fighting off a hostile takeover.

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E3 2017: You All Owe ‘Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle’ An Apology

by Josh JacksonJune 24, 2017

When Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was leaked a few weeks ago, the reaction was about what we would expect. Why is this being made? Who asked for this? Who thought this was a good idea? This was the basic sentiment shared by many, only using much more colorful language. Yet while the Rabbids haven’t always been synonymous with quality gameplay, titles like the first two Raving Rabbids games and Rabbids Go Home were proof that these psychotic bunnies could put together a great game when they need to. With a collaboration as big as one with Mario for the Switch, I had little doubt that they would knock it out of the park. Based on what I played of Kingdom Battle on the show floor at E3, Ubisoft is on their way to doing just that.

The comparisons that have been made with Xcom since its initial reveal are apt on the surface, with this bizarre mishmash of characters coming together in a turn based strategy game that involves the Mushroom Kingdom’s finest and cosplaying Rabbids getting into gun fights with the bad guys. I found myself mapping routes, sliding into cover, (and enemies for extra damage), exchanging Mario’s iconic golden coins for better equipment mid battle, and whittling down enemy HP with each shot. When you can’t quite reach that perfect position to wipe out your enemies from, teamwork goes a long way when two units make contact. Once they do, the non-active unit will spring the character you’re moving into a far off spot, allowing you to get some extra distance before launching your attack. Special abilities eventually come into play, such s Mario’s ability to increase his attack strength for a certain amount of time, or the hilariously creepy Rabbid Peach being able to heal allies in her, (its?), vicinity. A variety of objectives led to victory, between eliminating the entire enemy squad to positioning your squad to claim a section of the map.

But outside of combat is where the mashup really comes together. Battles start when your team is ambushed on the world map, which you travel through in real time as if it were a typical Mario adventure. Scanning the environment led to finding bonus coins, extra items that you could take into battle, and bonus sections in the environment where you could observe the Rabbids as they interact with your favorite Mario environments in some hilarious ways, all while your annoyed narrator explains how truly obnoxious these things can be. That’s not to say that your references stop once the action starts. Maps become even more interesting when explosive crates, warp pipes and chain chomps all become strategic elements of this wacky war you find yourself caught in. Luring enemies into the Chomp while trying to avoid it myself was especially fun, knowing that this indiscriminate animal would attack whoever came near it. This was especially useful when the stronger units started to overwhelm us, forcing us to use our wits to get us out of some tough situations.

We were promised that the full game would have even more depth, so expect genre staples like terrain, additional hazards, and character growth for more strategic options. At the conclusion of the demo, I left feeling even more excited for what a full campaign would be able to produce, with local co-op expanding the possibilities of the game to an even wider scope. Many doubted this seemingly nonsensical combination of characters, but it’s safe to say that we all owe Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle an apology. It’s looking damn good.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on August August 29.

E3 2017: So There’s A Lap Dance Mini-Game In ‘South Park: The Fractured But Whole’

by Josh JacksonJune 16, 2017

As we all know, South Park is not a series that is willing to shy away from the offensive. Even in the video game realm, The Stick of Truth came with its own brand of controversy, leading it to be banned in certain countries. Even where it was allowed to see store shelves, we can never forget the anal probe scene where you played through your character having their colon scrambled, or adventuring through Mr. Slave’s ass as you approached the final battle. Not to be outdone, The Fractured But Whole had its own surprise in the form of a lap dance mini game, as witnessed at Ubisoft’s booth during E3.

Infiltrating a strip club as your custom character, (who’s serving as the sidekick for Scott Malkinson and his diabetes), the two fourth graders find their way into the VIP lounge where a pair of drunk businessmen are too wasted to tell the difference between the strippers and the kids. In order to manipulate them for their own means, Scott and your character do what strippers do in the VIP lounge. After being greeted by a friendly screen alerting you that a lap dance mini-game is actually about to start, you’ll rotate the left stick and tap buttons while the men comment on how your eight year old character is killing their boners. Just… watch the video below and see for yourself. Sorry for the lack of sound, but the demos were tied to headphones!

My jaw was on the floor for the entire sequence, and you know what? I’m even more excited to pick up The Fractured But Whole later this year! A slight hunch tells me that this will be one of many controversies that the game will face when it’s released, but would you want it any other way in a South Park game? The fact that it was in the public demo just shows that they’re doubling down on the outrageous humor, and it will be all the better for it.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is scheduled for an October 17th release on PS4, Xbox One and PC. You know, unless it’s delayed again.

Take a look at the video below, and let us know just how disgusted you are.

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 111 – ‘This Is My Load, Let Me Blow It!’

by Shane O'HareMay 24, 2017

Join Adam, Courtney, Derek and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

We talk about our wishes and predictions for E3 2017! Far Cry 5 info leaked with a teaser trailer. Mario and The Rabbids are teaming up in a strategy RPG? That and a whole bunch more!

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It’s Real! ‘Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle’ Has Been Leaked!

by The_aczMay 23, 2017

After months of murmur, rumors, and re-tooling, it looks like the fabled Mario and Raving Rabbids crossover RPG is real.

That’s right, the heavily rumored strategy RPG crossover is real, and a bit confusing still. Art and info on the game leaked this morning from what looks like what was supposed to be an internal only presentation for investors. The game features only 8 playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, and Rabbid variations of those characters (a step down from the original rumored cast of Mario side characters). Another notable feature is that the weapons mostly consist of guns. Yeah, their themed too match the Mario universe, but it’s still weird talking about how a new Mario game has guns in it.

The title is currently being developed not by Nintendo, but Ubisoft Paris and Milan, and will contain a 20 hour single player mode, as well as 2 player local co-op. The game is set to be released in August or September, and will be playable on the E3 show floor. Are your expectations high or low, and will you even try it out? Tell us in the comments below!

‘The Division’s Year Two Content Is Coming… For Free!

by Derek KraneveldtMarch 8, 2017

Briefly: While I’ve only put a few hours into The Division at this point (after paying a cool $11 Canadian for it, which is like $0.50 in Freedom Dollars), I’ve been a big fan of what I experienced so far.

Shane’s also a huge fan of the game, and while we unfortunately play it on different consoles, I know that he’s going to be a YUGE fan of the news that Ubisoft has just revealed.

This week marks The Division‘s one year anniversary, and Ubisoft has revealed some interesting facts about the game’s first year, like just how surprised they were “to see how attached people were to The Division, citing an average playtime of multiple hours per day,” while also detailing some cool bonuses that players are in for this week.

You can get the gist of this week’s bonuses from the image below, but head just below that for the coolest reveal of all.

Creative Director at Massive Entertainment Julian Gerighty, went on to note that “The one-year anniversary is a celebration of everything we’ve done in the first year of the game’s release. But we also want to turn ahead and look at Year 2 and how we’re going to support the game for everyone, for free.”

Yep. New content over a year after the game’s release… for free.

Here are the content details that have been revealed thus far:

That free content for Year 2 is coming in the form of two separate expansions planned for release this year. The first unnamed expansion will be based on an event system that drives players to activities that feature modifiers, leaderboards, and unique vanity items that will only be available through these activities. In addition, Gerighty says the team has plans to include a loadout feature that will let players switch efficiently and quickly between their favorite gear combinations, as well as a system to mark a player’s feats. “[It] will reward players for different activities – long-term activities, short-term activities, and medium-term activities within the game,” Gerighty adds. “Basically, our Division achievements, if you will.”

The second expansion is still far enough away that the team doesn’t want to comment on it, and while Gerighty stresses that it will be “more content-focused”, new story missions won’t necessarily be a part of the package. “Story missions are tricky, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have narrative content,” he says. “We can’t really deliver story missions that will fit into the RPG aspects of the game in a simple way. So we’re not going to be doing the classic main mission type of thing, but narrative content is something that we are definitely looking at.”

I guess I need to get through the game’s vanilla content and year one expansions pretty quickly here. That’s going to be tough with the new Switch currently sitting on my shelf.

You can take a look at Ubisoft’s entire blog post here, but be sure to share your favourite The Division moment below!

Are you still playing the game? Will this bring you back for another run?

Geekscape Interviews: ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Author Christie Golden

by AllieHanleyDecember 19, 2016

The Assassin’s Creed universe will see a movie and several new books release this week. Ever wonder how someone works within an already established universe to add their own story and spin?

Christie Golden – author of more than 50 novels including stories within the Star Trek Universe, Star Wars, World of Warcraft, Halo, and Assassin’s Creed spoke exclusively to Geekscape about the challenges of working within already flushed out literary worlds.

Allie Hanley: The video game “Assassin’s Creed” has a worldwide following of loyal gamers and has achieved massive success for Ubisoft. It spawned upwards of nine game sequels as well as novels based off of the game’s story. And that in turn has now segued into a film version, “Assassin’s Creed,” starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard premiering this December 21 wide.

Alongside that, you have several books coinciding with the film, one of which is the film’s novelization, and another story that runs alongside the film’s story but is your own creation. Can you tell me about those?

Christie Golden: “Assassin’s Creed: Heresy” revolves around the new Templar Director of Abstergo’s Historical Research Division, Simon Hathaway. He thinks it’s important for high-ranking Templars to connect with their ancestors, and chooses to experience the memories of Gabriel Laxart, his own ancestor who fought alongside Joan of Arc. There are parallels between the events of history and the events taking place in the present day as Simon stumbles on an old secret and begins unraveling a mystery.

The novelization, while it is, obviously, the story of the movie, adds another element of being able to get inside the heads of the characters in a way a movie can’t. There are also other Assassins in the film in addition to Cal Lynch, played by Michael Fassbender, and there are four short stories about the ancestors of these characters at the end, as a cool bonus. “Heresy” takes place right before the events of the movie “Assassin’s Creed,” and since I was doing both I could set up a few things from the movie in the first, and refer to events of “Heresy” in the second. Kind of fun!

AH: In your new Assassin’s Creed novel, “Heresy,” you weave a fascinating fictional story that fits inside of the Assassin’s Creed universe of modern day but also incorporates the history of Joan of Arc. Can you talk a bit about the process of story building inside the constraints of history, especially such a well known figure as Joan of Arc?

CG: It was a bit intimidating, of course. I mean—Joan of Arc. She’s been very well-researched, and I read a lot of books, studied geography, visited certain websites, and so on. I was fortunate that, due to her two trials (her Trial of Condemnation and the Trial of Nullification, years after her death) so much of her life was recorded in her own words and those of people who knew her well. The more I learned about her, the better she seemed to fit into the world of Assassin’s Creed. It was uncanny and just perfect. I know that Ubisoft has a reputation for stellar treatment of history, and I’m a fan of history myself, so it was good to be able to do a solid job on the research. She was so amazing in real life, her story didn’t require much “tweaking.”

AH: You’ve written novels that take place in already created universes like “Star Trek” and “Star Wars;” How did you get the “rules” down for Assassin’s Creed and do you play the games?

CG: I don’t play the games, but I had a young friend who would cheerfully do “play-throughs” for me and Ubisoft was wonderful about providing references. I’d also done two previous projects with Ubisoft through Inside Editions, “Blackbeard: The Lost Journal” and “The Abstergo Employee Handbook.” And of course, part of the fun of “Heresy” was getting to break some of the rules, or at least challenging the line of thought that the Templars were always the bad guys and the Assassins always the good guys. In “Heresy,” everyone’s a little bit gray.

AH: What’s the biggest challenge you faced with creating the dialogue in “Heresy” for Joan of Arc?

CG: I love dialogue, I was in theater and I seem to have a real “ear” for it. So the challenge was getting the characters well-enough developed so that I could all but hear them speak. One thing that was a positive, -having so much of Joan’s own words to work with, and also it became a bit of a negative in that I was writing for today’s reader, and I had to make sure she spoke in ways that those readers could connect with. So some more formal language that sounded stilted to modern-day ears was adjusted here and there, but many lines are still verbatim as they were recorded.

AH: What kind of care goes into writing within a world such as “World of Warcraft” that has a massive following and what kind of response do you get from fans?

CG: I have a rule, and that is that I don’t take on any project that I don’t A) already know and love or B) believe I could get to know and love. Some of the most fun projects have come from franchises I knew nothing about initially. I would steep myself in the material, get all excited and geeky about it, then be able to produce something that (hopefully) both the creators and the fans would enjoy. Most of the reactions I have gotten have been overwhelmingly positive. A bit, not so much, of course. Some people don’t like my “voice”/style of writing. Others don’t like the topics I choose to cover. Fans invest a lot of themselves in these worlds, and you have to respect that, but you have to make writing a good book first. Warcraft was special in that (after my first book, “Lord of the Clans”) I was an avid player of the game. So I can put in things like a tree struck by lightning on the side of a path, and the player grins because they know exactly what tree I’m talking about.

AH: What books do you have on the horizon?

CG: I have several projects lined up, but most of them are NDA so I can’t talk about them yet! I can, however, say that I’ve just finished a novelization of Luc Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.”

AH: If fans want to reach out to you on social media or read up on your newest work, what’s the best place to do so?

CG: I do try to be responsive to my readers, because I appreciate that they support my work which puts food on my table! They can follow me on Twitter, @ChristieGolden, on Facebook as Christie Golden, read my blog at https://christiegolden.wordpress.com or visit my website which is really hard to remember…www.christiegolden.com. 🙂 I like to keep things easy!

AH: I’ve read that you attend events like New York Comic Con; what’s on your schedule for fans to meet you and get their books signed?

CG: This was a very exciting year travel-wise for me, I went to nine conventions, including one in Colombia! Thus far this year I’ve got nothing settled, but as soon as I know anything I’ll be posting it on all my various social media sites. I really do enjoy getting out to meet my readers. Writing is such a solitary business, it’s gratifying to thank folks in person and really connect as human beings and not just words on a screen.

Christie’s “Assassin’s Creed: Heresy” coincides with the film and can be read as a stand-alone or with the novelization. The thriller blends classic imaginative elements of science fictions with authentic historical details and is an original Assassin’s Creed story taking place partly in the modern day, and in the day of Joan of Arc.

You can currently pick a copy up at your local book store or online. The novelization debuts the same time as the film, Dec. 21.

The ‘Watch Dogs 2’ Launch Trailer Is Here, And It’s Bad-Ass!

by Derek KraneveldtNovember 9, 2016

Briefly: I hated the first Watch Dogs game.

Obviously, that first E3 trailer for the game sold me on it. It looked gorgeous, open, futuristic, with mechanics and opportunities that we’d never seen (or even thought of) in a game before. Watch Dogs was to truly be the first next-gen feeling title for PS4 and Xbox One.

Then Ubisoft released a buggy, ugly, boring Grand Theft Auto clone that I sunk about 10 hours into before realizing that I’d wasted nearly $100.

Watch Dogs became the brunt of a lot of jokes in the early days of the Geekscape Games podcast, and aside from the neat announcement trailer from this year’s E3, I’ve largely ignored its sequel.

Until now, that is. I’m starting to see ads all over the place (and a myriad of commercials for the title during last night’s election coverage. With just a week to go until the game’s launch, Ubisoft has officially debuted the Watch Dogs 2 launch trailer… and it looks super cool.

Our new protagonist actually sounds interesting, the story sounds far, far more affecting than that of the first game, and the hacking actually looks really cool. Not to mention how gorgeous San Francisco looks.

In any case, decide for yourself! Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know if you’ll be picking up Watch Dogs 2 when it releases on November 15th!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 91 – ‘Geekscape Heroes’

by GeekscapeStaffSeptember 23, 2016

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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Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Chastain To Star In ‘The Division’!

by Derek KraneveldtAugust 2, 2016

Briefly: The bad video game movie taste left in Jake Gyllenhaal’s mouth after Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has apparently, finally subsided.

Ubisoft has just revealed that Gyllenhaal, along with Crimson Peak star Jessica Chastain, will star in the in-development adaptation of Tom Clancy’s The Division.

Nine Stories Productions and Freckle Films are developing the film with Ubisoft. In the game, “in the wake of a devastating pandemic that sweeps through New York City, basic services fail one by one, and without access to food or water, the city quickly descends into chaos. As an agent of The Division, you’ll specialize, modify, and level up your gear, weapons, and skills to take back New York on your own terms.”

“We are excited to collaborate with Jessica and Jake, two of Hollywood’s most talented actors and perfect creative collaborators to help bring Tom Clancy’s The Division™ to the big screen,” said Gerard Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer, Ubisoft Motion Pictures. “Attaching Jake and Jessica is part of our development philosophy of working closely with top talent from the earliest stages to collaborate on a high quality film,” added Matt Phelps, Vice President, Ubisoft Motion Pictures.

Is this something you’ll be buying a ticket for? Or have too many video game movies simply left a bad taste in your mouth?

E3 2016: We Cross Swords With The ‘For Honor’ Demo!

by Matt RodriguezJune 24, 2016

At the Ubisoft Lounge during this year’s E3, I had the opportunity to play a short demo from the company’s new working title, For Honor! For Honor is a game where the central gameplay focuses on a battles between Knights, Samurai, and Vikings in a war-torn world.

The demo jumps you right in the middle of the action where you’re trying to protect a fortress from oncoming invaders. The demo is tutorial based, so everything happens as is necessary to learn the essential functions of the game. The focus in particular is placed on movement, and combat.

First, you will find that movement feels really heavy. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing–considering the soldiers are full clad in body armor, it almost seems appropriate for them to have a heavy feel. You start as a higher ranked knight, and you can truly tell the difference between your character and the armies that surround you–you almost tower over the lower ranked knights.

One of the first fights places you in a sparring match with an enemy knight of the same rank. The combat system is based on blocking and counterattacking–by mimicking your opponent’s stances, you can block their attacks and then follow up with attacks of your own. There are buttons you can press to break their guard as well. Some of the combat is reminiscent of the sword battles in Assassin’s Creed 2, before they started giving you extra tools of the trade to make combat easier. It requires a lot of focus–at times you may stand there for even a minute straight, waiting for your opponent to make the first move.

You won’t always have to be forced into this one on one combat system, as the “small fry”, or lesser enemy soldiers, can be felled by one quick swipe of your sword. It can feel exhilarating taking out a horde of smaller enemy soldiers as they rush towards you. It’s also worth noting that environmental hazards can change the combat, such as taking damage by trying to walk through fire. And like most other games, you can replenish health by grabbing and using the items as well.

The graphics are great, but may be defined based on the platform. I believe I was playing it on PC using a controller similar to an Xbox One’s (I’m about 90% sure of that). I never noticed any slowdown when many enemy soldiers were coming towards me, the graphics and texture of the bricks and stones on the fort showed great detail on age and weather, and even the battle scarred armor was pristine in its presentation.

For Honor looks like it’s shaping up to be an interesting swords combat and war game! And I’m sure it’ll be even more interesting when we’re able to freely try each of the factions against each other, with contrasting swordplay styles!

E3 2016: Ubisoft Unveils ‘Just Dance 2017’

by jake108June 14, 2016

If you’ve been itching to show off some dance moves to your friends, you can toss out that old DDR mat and get ready for Just Dance 2017.

The franchise seems to have dropped the standardized numerical sequel titles and has opted to go with [Insert Sports Game here] 2017. However, that’s not all the franchise dropped. Just Dance 2017 will not just hold a single track list that will belong to this title alone. Along with the game’s announcement, their service, aptly named Just Dance Unlimited, promises to expand and give gamers access to over 200 songs.

The first tracks revealed at E3 include:

“Sorry” – Justin Bieber
“DADDY” – Psy Ft. CL of 2NE1
“Cheap Thrills” – Sia Ft. Sean Paul
“Lean On” – Major Lazer Ft. MØ & DJ Snake
“Worth It” – Fifth Harmony Ft. Kid Ink
“Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen
“PoPiPo” – Hatsune Miku
“Radical” – Dyro & Dannic
“El Tiki” – Maluma
“September” – Equinox Stars

You can read more about Just Dance 2017 right here:

“Our goal has always been to make the entire world dance. With 60 million copies sold to date, more than 118 million dancers worldwide, and Just Dance 2017 on the way, we’re closer than ever to achieving that goal,” said Marine de La Seiglière, Executive Producer. “We’re proud of finding ways of adapting the Just Dance experience to fit the devices our players already own and the ways that they naturally consume content today, whether it’s on their phones or through on-demand services.”

Six game modes will be available for players including the all new Just Dance Machine, exclusive to current-gen consoles and PC, a fun and frantic dance experience that will have players testing their skills through a variety of dance types including flamenco, ballet and the cancan. Fan-favorite Sweat + Playlists mode, which helps players customize workouts with their favorite tracks is back, along with classic modes including Just Dance Quest and Just Dance TV, the in-game video channel. The World Dance Floor is also back to the game.

Both the Just Dance Unlimited service and the Just Dance^® Controller App will see additional content and features with the launch of Just Dance 2017. Since its successful launch last year, the Just Dance Unlimited service has seen its catalog expand each month with new content. The subscription streaming service, available for current-gen consoles owners and PC players, will be enriched with more exclusive tracks, offering a catalog of more than 200 songs at the launch of Just Dance 2017 and easy-to-navigate curated playlists to help players set the mood for any Just Dance party.

The Just Dance Controller App makes the game more accessible for current-gen owners and PC with its phone scoring technology that allows players to dance without additional accessories like cameras. With Just Dance 2017 the app will become a hub for players’ activities and a way to access exclusive content from Just Dance TV as well as a way for players to apply fun filters to their best Just Dance photos and share them with their friends.

Along with the standard version of the game, a Gold Edition, which includes all of the Just Dance 2017 tracks along with three months access to Just Dance Unlimited, is now available for pre-order.

Just Dance 2017 will be available on all motion-control gaming platforms, including Nintendo’s Wii™, Wii U™ and NX systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system, and PlayStation^® 4 computer entertainment system. For the first time in the history of the franchise, the game will also be launched digitally on Windows PC.

About Just Dance Controller App

The free Just Dance Controller App enables players to use their smartphone to play the game without any peripherals or added console cameras.

The app transforms the player’s smartphone into a motion sensor that tracks the for the latest information on Just Dance 2017, the Just Dance Controller app, or Just Dance Unlimited, please visit:www.justdancegame.com. Follow Just Dance on Twitter @JustDanceGame and use hashtag #JustDance2017.

Just Dance 2017 is set to release this October!

E3 2016: Ubisoft Announces Open World Action Sports Game ‘Steep’

by jake108June 14, 2016

Continuing on with our E3 stories, what may have been lost in the crowd is Steep. It’s a game that belongs to a seemingly unique genre. I mean, have you heard of an Open World Action Sports Game before this?

Steep is one of those titles that will appeal to people who go into GTA with friends and spend the night racing golf carts, airplanes, and everything in between. I imagine this game to be wildly fun with friends. I especially got this feeling when watching Ubisoft’s walkthrough of the game.

If the video is too long for you, at least fast forward to 2:46 for a good laugh. Am I a bad person?

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft® announced the development of Steep, an action sports game set in the open world of the Alps. Steep is scheduled to be released December 2016 on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

With development led by Ubisoft Annecy,* Steep drops players onto the peaks of mountains, with exhilarating experiences that include skiing, wingsuiting, snowboarding, and paragliding. These sports establish an incredible level of freedom to explore the game’s open world, allowing players to choose the way they travel and play. Steep’s vast playground offers a wide range of activities that give players the opportunity to discover, compete, pull off crazy stunts, and more. Players can meet with friends from all over the world to create unique and memorable moments.

In Steep, players can use the innovative trail feature to relive their most inspiring rides and trailblazing achievements, and share them on social networks with friends. Along with sharing ride replays, players can also use this feature to challenge friends to outrace them on a shared path, create epic stunts or set out to discover the massive mountain playground.

“Along with Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Kiev, we used our significant online and multiplayer expertise to create a game that captures the excitement and adrenaline we feel when we explore the snowy mountains surrounding us,” said Rebecka Coutaz, studio manager at Ubisoft Annecy.

“We love seeing videos of adventures and stunts that riders from all over the world share on social media,” added Igor Manceau, Creative Director at Ubisoft. “Steep’s open-world and wealth of multiplayer activities were built to inspire this type of creativity. We can’t wait to see what players will discover and share when they first experience Steep.”
In addition to exploring the Alps, Steep riders will be able to travel across the world and traverse the majestic slopes of Alaska, available as a free update after launch.

To have a chance to play first during upcoming live periods, please register at http://www.steepgame.com
For more information about Steep, please visit http://www.ubisoft.com, follow us on http://www.facebook.com/steepgame or http://www.twitter.com/Steep_Game and join the conversation by using #SteepGame.

Steep is set to release this Winter!

E3 2016: ‘Eagle Flight’ Justifies VR With Fireball Shooting Eagles

by Josh JacksonJune 13, 2016

When tuning in to Ubisoft’s E3 2016 press conference, the last thing I was expecting to wow me was a VR game about the eagles of Paris. Yet, that’s exactly what happened when the company announced Eagle Flight, a VR exclusive dog fighting (?) game where you play as one of four eagles who are competing for territory during a time where humans have long become extinct.

Taking advantage of the unique perspective provided by VR platforms, Eagle Flight promises intuitive gameplay that will have you soaring through the skies and between obstacles with ease. By putting a unique spin on typical multiplayer modes like Capture the Flag and replacing it with being the first to sink your claws into a rabbit, the lighthearted premise is only topped by the absurdity of the whole thing. Because when these eagles need to gain an advantage over their opponents, they can turn the tide by shooting anyone in front of them with fireballs. Wait, they can do that? Maybe we’re on the right track by driving them to near extinction before they become advanced enough to kill us all.

I’m kidding, but what’s not a joke is how fun this game looks. Watch the trailer below and see for yourself, then check back with us throughout E3 week for our full hands on impressions once we’re able to check it out for ourselves.

‘Watch Dogs 2’ Finally, Officially Revealed, Coming This November!

by Derek KraneveldtJune 8, 2016

Briefly: I hated the first Watch Dogs game.

Then Ubisoft released a buggy, ugly, boring Grand Theft Auto clone that I sunk about 10 hours into before realizing that I’d wasted $100.

Watch Dogs became the brunt of a lot of jokes in the early days of the Geekscape Games podcast, and while it’s unlikely that gamers will truly trust Ubisoft’s early looks at any point in the future, the publisher just debuted the very first look at Watch Dogs 2 which is set to take San Francisco (and the world) by storm when it releases on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 15th.

Seriously, I’m not going to be putting down any pre-order dollars on this one, but it sounds as though Ubisoft has certainly learned from the mistakes that they made with the first game, and are ready to fix them this time around. Take a look at the first trailer below, and be sure to let us know what you think!

Jake Gyllenhaal Signs On for ‘The Division’ Movie!

by J.C. MarquezJune 2, 2016

Jake Gyllenhaal is teaming up with Ubisoft once again to bring one of the best-selling games of 2016 to the big screen.

According to Variety, Gyllenhaal is set to star and produce a feature film based on Ubisoft’s ‘The Division‘ video game–a title that has been on the market for two months, but has set record sales for Ubisoft.

A script has yet to develop, but the film will more than likely follow the exploits of the Strategic Homeland Division who are trying to reestablish themselves after a smallpox outbreak decimates most of the country–leaving modern society vulnerable to criminal activity.

This will be Gyllenhaal’s second out starring as an Ubisoft hero. In 2010, the actor portrayed Prince Dastan in Disney’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which (believe it or not) is the highest-grossing video game film of all time.

Seriously. It grossed over $335 million dollars world-wide.

The Division is now Ubisoft’s fastest-selling product at the tune of $330 million in its first five days of release, and one can surely bet that Ubisoft is looking for the same result at the box office. With an Assassin’s Creed movie already on its way, this could be an incredibly successful year for the French-based company.

The ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Movie Trailer is Here!

by J.C. MarquezMay 12, 2016

It’s no secret that the Geekscape Games Podcast crew is just a bit critical of UbiSoft, and by ‘just a bit’ I mean ‘extremely’. While their business decisions in the past few years have made us collectively scratch our heads in bewilderment, today is one of those rare occasions in which we are thoroughly overjoyed by them.

Nearly ten years after its debut on XBOX 360 and PS3, the Assassin’s Creed franchise is taking the next step (or leap of faith) onto the big screen–and judging from the trailer which made its worldwide debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live–it looks absolutely fantastic!

The film features an original story as well as a brand new assassin by the name of Callum Lynch/Aguilar played by Michael Fastbender (X-Men: Age of Apocalypse). In addition, the film will star Jeremy Irons (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Brendan Gleeson (Edge of Tomorrow), and Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises).

Fans will get to see the live-action adaptation of the popular game franchise later this year on December 21.

What say you, Geekscapists? Does the trailer underwhelm, meet , or exceed your expectations? You can bet the Geekscape Games Podcast crew will have plenty to say about the trailer, and we would love to share your thoughts so sound off in the comment section below!

Geekscape Mobile: Celebrate Rayman’s 20th Anniversary With ‘Rayman Classic’!

by Derek KraneveldtFebruary 18, 2016

Briefly: It’s been a long time, Rayman.

No, not since I’ve played a Rayman game, as there are plenty of recent titles in the series that are worth checking out.

Ubisoft is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the character, however, which just made me realize that Rayman debuted when I was just five years old.

Moments ago, Ubisoft debuted Rayman Classic on the iOS App Store (no word of an Android version just yet), noting that you can now embark on epic adventures with Rayman in one of the most influent platform game of all times and relive the experience of playing the original version of the 1995 hit’.

The title costs a cool $4.99 on the Canadian App Store, is a universal purchase including both iPad and iPhone versions of the game, and even (thankfully) includes full gamepad support. I only hope that it’s updated in the future to include an Apple TV binary as well!

Forget what a platformer this old is all about? In Rayman Classic, you’ll:

-EMBODY Rayman, your favorite hero born in 1995
-REDISCOVER the fantasy cartoon worlds of the original game: The Dream Forest, The Band Lands, The Blue Mountains, The Candy Castle…
-RUN, dodge, jump, punch your way through the various levels of this classic platform game.
-UNLEASH Rayman’s special powers from the telescopic fist to the helicopter and defeat hostile creatures.
-SEEK OUT & FREE the Electoons to complete each level and restore the cosmic balance.
-HELP iconic and funny side characters in each world: The fairy Betilla, Tarayzan, Joe the extraterrestrial.
-DEFEAT each and every boss (Moskito, Mister Sax, Mr Dark…) in epic showdowns to free your friends.
-BEAT the Hardcore mode with one single life or choose the Casual mode for infinite tries.

Take a look at the Rayman Classic trailer below, and let us know if you’ll be picking it up!

Ubisoft Announces They Are NOT Releasing An ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Game In 2016; Re-Examining The Franchise

by Shane O'HareFebruary 11, 2016

Today Ubisoft that there will be no Assassin’s Creed titles coming out in 2016.

In a very short, and albeit to the point, blog post the French game publisher said in so many words that they know the games have faltered.

Since the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity, we’ve learned a lot based on your feedback.

Those are the words of a studio that knows where they went wrong, and hopefully how to fix the problems.

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate was a much improved experience over the prior years Unity. Most likely Syndicate was already too far into development to push back when the buggy as hell Unity hit store shelves. If you don’t recall, or don’t listen to Geekscape Games, Unity was full of problems. It remained unfixed for a few months.

The backlash from the community on the shoddy product that was Unity obviously made Ubisoft step back and refocus on what they were doing. It will be refreshing to see what a year off will do for what is my favorite game franchise. Hopefully they bring back the “modern” timeline. Check out the full press release below:

It’s an exciting time for Assassin’s Creed.

We’re only a few months removed from the debut of Jacob and Evie Frye, the stars of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. We’re proud of the talented team in Quebec City, and all of our studios around that world that took part in bringing the Victorian London adventures of our twin Assassins to life. We truly hope you enjoy playing Assassin’s Creed Syndicate as much as our studios enjoyed making it.

Also, we recently unveiled the first images of Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender in action as our lead Assassin in the upcoming Assassin’s Creed movie that hits theaters on December 21, 2016. Having already visited the set, we can’t begin to describe how surreal and exciting it is to walk the real-world halls of Abstergo, or see the intricate replicas of Assassin weaponry. We have an outstanding cast and crew that want to honor the rich lore of Assassin’s Creed and bring a fresh perspective to the ongoing battle between Assassins and Templars that’s fit for the big screen.

This year, we also are stepping back and re-examining the Assassin’s Creed franchise. As a result, we’ve decided that there will not be a new Assassin’s Creed game in 2016. Since the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity, we’ve learned a lot based on your feedback. We’ve also updated our development processes and recommitted to making Assassin’s Creed a premier open-world franchise. We’re taking this year to evolve the game mechanics and to make sure we’re delivering on the promise of Assassin’s Creed offering unique and memorable gameplay experiences that make history everyone’s playground.

We’ll have more to share on all of the above soon. In the meantime, we want to say thank you to our millions of fans around the world for your continued support.

Rumor: Next ‘Assassin’s Creed’ In 2017. ‘Watch Dogs 2’ In 2016?

by The_aczJanuary 4, 2016

It seems as though Kotaku may have found some new info regarding the next instalments of the Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs franchises.

According to their sources, the new Assassin’s Creed game will take place in Egypt with the current codename being Empire, which is being planned for a 2017 release. This would mark the first time since 2009 that the franchise would skip a year.

On the Watch Dogs side, the game is expected to take place in San Francisco this time around, with a possible release date of this very year.

Do you think this can help Ubisoft get back on track?

Source

The Launch Trailer For Ubisoft’s ‘Rainbow Six Siege’ Is Damned Cool!

by Derek KraneveldtNovember 29, 2015

Briefly: Damned this is cool.

After an unfortunate delay earlier this year, Ubisoft has just debuted the official launch trailer for Rainbow Six Siege, which finally hits Xbox One, PS4, and PC on December 1st.

The game marks an ‘exciting, new approach to the first-person shooter experience that puts tactical combat and masterful destruction at the center of the action.’ In the game, you’ll ‘lead your team of unique Rainbow operators through tense and thrilling combat scenarios, and achieve victory through smart preparation and strategic improvisation.’

I’m all for a great first person shooter, and the tactical aspects of Siege certainly raise my interest for the title. I have no idea how the game slipped under my radar for so long, but I definitely want to check it out come December 1st.

Take a look at the Shakespearian trailer below, and let us know what you think!

http://youtu.be/cU0qPyf989o

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 54 – ‘Let’s Hurry This Up And Get Back To Jessica Jones’

by GeekscapeStaffNovember 20, 2015

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

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This Week:

Heavy Rain & Beyond Two Souls coming to the PS4.

Sony developing PS2 backwards compatability for PS4.

Kotaku whines like little babys about being blacklisted by Bethesda and Ubisoft.

The Game Awards nominees announced & our predictions.

PS4 & Xbox One $299 Black Friday specials.

Fallout 4.

Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer.

Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival.

Yo-Kai Watch.

Xenoblade: Chronicles

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Geekscape Giveaways:

Tweet @geekscapegames that you want Tales From The Borderlands, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the game on Steam!

Listener Mission Objective:

With the ‘Tomb Raider’ reboot getting a director, who would you like to see as our new Lara Croft?

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Geekscape TV: Watch Shane Run The ‘Assassin’s Creed Experience’ At SDCC!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 22, 2015

Briefly: Back at San Diego Comic-Con, Ubisoft offered fans the amazing opporuntity to run an obstacle course based on the now-just-released Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (watch last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Unity run here).

The parkour-styled (for babies like us of course) obstacle course was designed to let attendees experience some of the moves from the Assassin’s Creed series, without having to find their own Animus and become an actual assassin.

The whole thing was extremely safe, aside from the one lady who didn’t listen to instructions and broke her leg right before it was Shane’s turn to run.

As you can see in the video below, the actual obstacle course itself wasn’t too hard (except for the ropes, which are a lot harder than they look). Participants could request to compete for top time of the day to win some cool prizes, and of course, bragging rights for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

You can take a look at Shane’s run below, watch the Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate launch trailer here, and let us know what you think!

Watch The Launch Trailer For ‘Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate’!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 22, 2015

Briefly: As much of a mess as last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Unity turned out to be, the just-released trailer for Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate… actually looks pretty cool.

I mean, none of the characters look to be losing their faces, or falling through the city, or <insert bug here>, so that’s already a marked improvement over last year’s game.

Plus, a London setting? Way cooler than last year.

In any case, you can take a look at the bloody launch trailer below, and let us know if you plan to give this year’s Assassin’s Creed a chance? Me? I’ve got about 100 games in my backlog right now, but I’m definitely itching for some of that parkour action.

You can also take a look at the ‘Gangs 101’ video below, in which director Scott Phillips takes us through the new gang and influence system in Syndicate.

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate hits Xbox One, PS4, and PC tomorrow!

First Official Images From The ‘Assassin’s Creed Movie’ Released

by Shane O'HareOctober 13, 2015

Principle filming is underway on the Assassin’s Creed movie, we are starting to get some photos from the set! Two images of a cold and ominous Abstergo facility. Photos compliments of Azaïzia Aymar, head of AC content at Ubisoft Montreal.

Abstergo logo.

These photos instill hope in me! The Assassin’s Creed games are one of my favorite franchises, despite the travesty that was Unity. Seeing the set is making me excited! These set photos are hot on the heels of the films star, Michael Fassbender, in his Assassin costume

If done right, the Assassin’s Creed movie can probably be one of the best video game adaptations yet. The story, gameplay and concept are so cinematic already, that translating them to the big screen is an easy feat.

The Assassin’s Creed movie is set to hit theaters December 21st 2016 and is starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons.

‘Far Cry Primal’ Announced With An Incredible Trailer

by Shane O'HareOctober 6, 2015

The last 24 hours have been interesting. Ubisoft started a mysterious live stream on their YouTube channel. A static shot of of some cave paintings, rhythmic chanting and the crackle of a fire. Then, the now suspended Twitter account for IGN Turkey let loose with the news that Far Cry Primal was the next in store for the franchise. Still, the live stream ran for almost 24 hours. And then we got ourselves THIS trailer.

The award-winning Far Cry franchise that stormed the tropics and the Himalayas now enters the original fight for humanity’s survival with its innovative open-world sandbox gameplay, bringing together massive beasts, breathtaking environments, and unpredictable savage encounters.

Welcome to the Stone Age, a time of extreme danger and limitless adventure, when giant mammoths and sabretooth tigers ruled the Earth, and humanity is at the bottom of the food chain. As the last survivor of your hunting group, you will learn to craft a deadly arsenal, fend off fierce predators, and outsmart enemy tribes to conquer the land of Oros and become the Apex Predator.

Key Features:

– RISE ABOVE EXTINCTION
You will play as Takkar, a seasoned hunter and the last surviving member of your group. You have one goal: survival in a world where you are the prey.

– STONE AGE BY FAR CRY
This isn’t the Stone Age you thought you knew. This is the Stone Age with irreverence and mayhem. This is the Stone Age by Far Cry.

– A WORLD RULED BY GIANT BEASTS
After the last Ice Age, the glaciers retreated to leave behind a land blooming with nature and resources where humans and animals alike can thrive – provided they have what it takes to prove their dominance.

This is an interesting departure from the previous three titles. The player is sent back in time, to ancient time. I definitely got vibes of The Forrest, Ark and other survival games in a similar ilk.

With Far Cry Primal and Horizon Zero Dawn, the hunting pack motif is going to be really strong in the next couple of years.

You can catch your own copy of Far Cry Primal February 23 2016 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

‘Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate’ First DLC Trailer Is Here! Check Out ‘Jack The Ripper’

by Shane O'HareSeptember 15, 2015

The first trailer, for the first DLC being offered in the Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate season pass is here. And it looks…pretty damn fun! Check out Jack The Ripper!

Jack the Ripper begins his reign of terror in an all-new campaign, available in the Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Gold Edition.

One of the most appealing things of the Assassin’s Creed series is the integration of fiction with actual historical facts. The Ezio trilogy had the perfect combination of fictional story telling, blended with text book accurate retelling of historical events. Brotherhood was my favorite in the series for this reason, probably due to the fact that I am a HUGE geek for the Renaissance time period. I flipped my shit when I ran into the Medici!

Seeing Ubisoft take the well known tale of Jack The Ripper really has me excited. Reminds me of the Black Dahlia Murders from LA Noire, putting a fictional ending to the unknown.

You can get the Jack The Ripper DLC in the Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate season pass. Syndicate hits store shelves October 23rd on PC, PS4 and Xbox One

Take Your First Look At Michael Fassbender In The ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Movie!

by Derek KraneveldtAugust 27, 2015

Briefly: We’re still well over a year away from its release, but Yahoo! Movies has just debuted our very first look at Michael Fassbender in the anticipated Assassin’s Creed film.

It’s hard to tell from just an image, but he looks to make a much better assassin than he does computer company CEO.

His character’s name is Callum Lynch, and Yahoo! notes that “Lynch discovers he is a descendant of the secret Assassins society through unlocked genetic memories that allow him to relive the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. After gaining incredible knowledge and skills he’s poised to take on the oppressive Knights Templar in the present day.”

So basically the plot sounds about as convoluted as it is in the game.

But we’re still excited anyways.

In any case, take a look at the image below, and let us know what you think! Assassin’s Creed hits theatres on December 21st, 2016!

‘Rainbow Six Siege’ Is The Latest AAA Title To Be Delayed!

by Derek KraneveldtAugust 19, 2015

Briefly: Sorry Shane O’Hare.

Our very own Brony, along with many of you readers, were eagerly anticipating the release of Rainbow Six Siege this October. Unfortunately, it looks like you’ll be waiting a little longer to take down those terrorists, as the game has been pushed from October 13th to December 1st.

Here’s what Ubisoft said about the delay:

“Whether it’s been through playtests in our studios, the closed alpha, or recent hands-on demos at events like E3 or Gamescom, player feedback has been essential to the development of Rainbow Six Siege. Getting the game in people’s hands and listening to what they have to say helps us understand how we can improve their experience, and we’d like to thank everyone who’s taken part in the process so far.’

“With that in mind, we’ve decided to push the release date of Rainbow Six Siege to December 1, 2015 for all regions. This wasn’t an easy decision, but based on the feedback we’ve received, and based on our own internal tests, we felt there are adjustments and improvements we can make, including improving the co-op experience across all game modes, weapon and gadget balancing, as well as menu and interface navigation. We’re taking a little more time to make these changes, and we think it’s the right call.’

“The closed beta for Rainbow Six Siege will still start on September 24, 2015 as planned, and the additional time will allow us to further test things like infrastructure and matchmaking. That extra testing and added polish will make for a higher-quality experience at launch.”

What will you be playing from October-December instead? As long as the game is better in the end, I’m okay with a delay like this, and it’s only a couple of months at least, right?

Me? I was probably never going to play this one, and instead transition right from Metal Gear Solid V to Fallout 4.