Tag: video games

E3 2015: Nindies@Home Lets Gamers Test Drive Nintendo’s Top Indy Titles For A Limited Time!

by Josh Jackson

Did you want to play the games featured during E3, but weren’t in Los Angeles, or didn’t win one of the hundreds of raffles giving away badges this year? Well, Nintendo hopes to alleviate some of that disappointment by bringing E3 to you! Aside from their Best Buy events that have let the general public demo their biggest games at select stores for the past few years, this time, the company is releasing demos of their nine most talked about indy titles for the week of E3!

Until June 22nd at 8:59 Pacific, the Nindies@Home program will offer the following titles to try before you buy:

• Extreme Exorcism from Ripstone: In this paranormal Wii U platformer, every move players make comes back to haunt them. After each round players survive, a ghost will appear to mimic their every move from the round before. The longer a player survives, the more extreme the game becomes. The game offers 20 ghostbusting weapons, 50 challenges and co-op or deathmatch battles for up to four friends. The full game is scheduled to launch in Q3.
• forma.8 from Mixed Bag: In a distant future, the small exploration probe forma.8 is stranded alone on the surface of an alien planet. Players must explore a huge open world to help the probe acquire 10 different power-ups and recover a powerful energy source deep under the surface. The game includes an area exclusive to the Wii U version. The full game is scheduled to launch this fall.
• Freedom Planet from GalaxyTrail: Players fight their way across the celestial world of Avalice, where cats are green, motorcycles drive up walls and monster girls do most of the butt kicking. This cartoony, combat-based platform Wii U adventure pits a spunky dragonoid and her friends against an alien attack force. The full game is scheduled to launch in August.
• Lovely Planet from tinybuild and QUICKTEQUILA: This first-person shooter gun ballet for Wii U is set in a cutesy abstract world. Players jump and shoot their way through five worlds full of treacherous enemies with your trusty semi-automatic. The game offers 100 levels to master and five worlds to discover, with multiple secrets hidden deep within each world. The full game is scheduled to launch in December.
• Mutant Mudds Super Challenge from Renegade Kid: This platformer picks up right where the original Mutant Mudds left off. The game, which is exclusive to the Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, includes 40 new dimension-bending levels and epic boss fights designed for super players. The full game is scheduled to launch this summer.
• RIVE from Two Tribes: This metal-wrecking, robot-hacking Wii U shooter combines old-school gaming values in a new-school execution. With intense 360-degree shooting and platforming action, players learn to alter the behavior of their robotic enemies by collecting and uploading hacks. The full game is scheduled to launch in November.
• Runbow from 13AM Games: Up to nine players can join in the colorful chaos in this Nintendo eShop exclusive. The world transforms before players’ eyes with each swipe of color, so think fast to stay alive. Go head to head in Run, Arena and King of the Hill, or play as the ColorMaster and manipulate the environment on the Wii U GamePad controller. Players can take on challenges alone or with friends in Runbow’s Adventure Mode. The full game also features guest characters from other Nintendo eShop titles. The full game is scheduled to launch in Q3.
• Soul Axiom from Wales Interactive: Soul Axiom is a haunting cyber-thriller, combining elements of exploration and puzzle solving with a compelling storyline. In first-person, the player will explore more than 40 unique locations, using powers to interact with cryptic logic puzzles and making psychological decisions to unlock the secrets of your identity, your story, your mystery. The full game is scheduled to launch in December.
• Typoman from Headup Games and Brainseed Factory: Change Words, Change Worlds! Typoman is a two-dimensional puzzle platformer distinguished by a unique game world. Be the HERO and set out on the journey to become whole and gain the powers you need to defeat the giant evil demon that rules the world you are trapped in. The full game is scheduled to launch exclusively on Wii U in Q3

If you like what you play, each demo downloaded will result in a 15% discount if the full game is purchased within its first month of release. Do any of these games catch your eye, or are there any you’ve already played that you would recommend? Give us your thoughts, and keep coming back for more E3 coverage!

The First North American ‘Splatoon’ Splatfest Has Been Postponed Due To Matchmaking Issues!

by Josh Jackson

Seems like we’re going to have to wait a little longer to find out if dogs or cats are the superior pets.

Based on a message from the official Splatoon Tumblr page, the first North American Splatfest, which was supposed to take place during the weekend of June 20th, has been postponed due to matchmaking issues that made finding games during the Japanese event unreliable.

The official post reads:

Unfortunately, a matchmaking issue was discovered in the first Japanese Splatfest that resulted in long wait times and players unable to join matches. We have been working on a solution but will need a little more time to resolve the issue. In order to ensure that fans have the best possible experience and can enjoy the fun they’ve come to expect from Splatoon, we have decided to postpone the first North American Splatfest. We’ll have details on a new date soon!

Who knows, maybe this is for the best? After all, we’re still recovering from E3, and Father’s Day is the same weekend. I mean, I’m sure your father would have loved to watch you pretend to vandalize public spaces with infinite amounts of ink in the pursuit of pet superiority while he’s neglected on his special day, but maybe this could be a great opportunity to actually bond with the guy!

Still, the news is disappointing to say the least. Who knows, maybe we’ll get a few free Sea Snails out of it? We’ll be sure to let you know when the event is rescheduled, but let’s hope it won’t be long before we get to partake in our overdue Splatfest with strangers across the continent.

E3 2015: MGS5 ‘Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain’

by Megan Haley

Konami seems to be the center of consistent controversy in the gaming world over the last few years. Fans were shocked when the news broke all the way back in 2013 of the creative decision to pick Keifer Sutherland as the new voice of Big Boss over the classic Snake/Big Boss actor since the debut of the Solid series, David Hayter. Along with the announcement and whirlwind cancellation of the highly anticipated Silent Hills coupled with Hideo Kojima’s abrupt release from the production company, hardcore fans’ confidence on the future of their beloved Konami franchises have been shaken. What does the future hold for the beloved franchise with creator Hideo Kojima off of future projects? Well, we didn’t get a hands on at the show with what seems to be his final game with Konami, but from what we saw of the live gameplay demo, things are actually looking pretty “solid.”

If you weren’t a big fan of Ground Zeroes, you are in for some disappointment, unfortunately. Even the presenter during the live demo confirmed it will be much of the same. There is a main base referred to as the ACC, or Arial Command Center, where you prepare for a number of different assignments. From here, you can customize your weapons to a minute amount of detail with “practically limitless” possibilities. You can also look at pictures of your teammate, Quiet, (among other things), which are pinned to the wall, or look through your missions and collected arsenal. The game is an open world map with mission-based objectives which can be completed in any order. One new feature of the game is to bring along a side-kick character. We were introduced to D-Horse and D-Dog which could be taken onto the field to assist Boss with completing his mission objectives. You also have the choice of a vehicle to bring with you. We were shown a tank and a jeep, the latter of which was ultimately chosen alongside the D-dog and a morning drop.

Metal Gear Solid V E3 2015 Image 2

Speaking of, when you set off for a mission, you will have the option of a drop time. You can choose to be dropped right that moment in in-game time, a morning drop, or a night drop, which will ultimately affect your mission. While you are out on the field, realistic weather conditions, including sandstorms, can limit visibility while altering the way you will play at random and in real-time.

When Boss was shown driving in the jeep, it was seamless and smooth. The landscape had gorgeous detail and you could really feel the heat of the desert area where the player was dropped. Once the mission target was reached, there was some dialogue that occurred on how to best complete the mission objective for that location. Verbal cues would trigger when objectives were met and advice was given from your base as the mission progressed. D-Dog had the ability to locate enemies from a distance and attack and stun enemies without alerting them to Boss’ presence. Combining this with the extremely dynamic combat, the audio and visual qualities and the return of the classic “CQC” take-down ability makes defeating enemies a truly satisfying experience.

Metal Gear Solid V E3 2015 Image 1

The Fulton Device originally introduced in MGS: Peace Walker also makes a return. In the demo that was shown, the player was tasked with capturing a Russian interpreter to be taken back to base and tasked with translation of enemy conversations. Mission objectives and targets of interest will be mapped and marked by your HUD as they are discovered. Occasionally, you might come across a friendly in peril, and you have the option to rescue them and Fulton them out of harms way and back to base.

One feature includes collectible music recordings that you may find throughout the open world. During the demo, one such cassette was found after using a stealth take down on an enemy soldier and nabbing it from his radio. A la GTA, you can play the tunes you discover at will during your mission. From what we have been shown, they include a few fairly well-known songs.

The wait is almost over, Metal Gear fans. The game will be available for retail release worldwide on September 1st, 2015. Likely being the last “true” Metal Gear game, it’s one that fans won’t want to miss out on.

E3 2015: Hands On With ‘Yoshi’s Woolly World’

by Megan Haley

Despite what many deemed a lackluster E3 conference, Nintendo still has a solid lineup for 2015.  One of their best titles at the show this year is Yoshi’s Woolly World. Developed by Good-Feel, the same company that brought us Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Wario Land: Shake It!, and the Streetpass games Mii Force and Battleground: Z, Woolly World brings the same family-friendly story, gorgeously creative visuals and adorable characters we’ve come to expect from a Yoshi title, along with solid platforming, exploration and collecting.

One of this game’s most fun features is it’s multi-player aspect (1-2 players). I’m always looking for games with a solid local multi-player with a good challenge such as Donkey Kong: Country Returns or Donkey Kong:Tropical Freeze. That being said, this game definitely fits the bill, with some surprisingly difficult stages to enjoy with a friend, (or a Yoshi amiibo if human interaction isn’t your thing, but more on that later.)

Yoshi Wooly World E3 Screen 1

I was able to run through a stage of coop with our very own Josh Jackson. Fans familiar with previous games featuring Yoshi will recognize the feel of the control scheme right off the bat. You have your usual tongue abilities; eating enemies and throwing them or creating balls of yarn that vary in size and strength (like the eggs in previous games), throwing said balls of yarn, and the ever-useful flutter jump and ground-pound abilities. One of the main aspects of the game is to create the world around you by gathering yarn from blocks and by eating enemies and using them to fill in the gaps in the stage to create platforms and discover secrets. You have the ability to eat some of the world around you to uncover more coins, lives and secrets.

The stage we played was pretty straight forward, classic platforming. You can throw the yarn balls at blank outlines to fill them in and create the stage around you to progress. You also have the ability to use your teammate as an impromptu projectile by eating them and making them into an egg to hit far-off buttons and such. If you enjoy playing as fast-paced as we like to, some of the most fun bits will come from near falls and saves using your yarn on the fly. However, keep in mind that friendly fire is on, so watch where you shoot! Also, if you leave each other behind, the slower teammate will be teleported to the other, which makes active team work an important piece of effective gameplay. Flutter-jump mastery is also the key to finding secrets that may be out of reach and maneuvering around the woolly world efficiently.

Yoshi Wooly World E3 Screen 2

On top of the game’s very own woven, plush amiibo, there will be an array of amiibo support for characters from other games. The Yoshi amiibo create a CPU controlled partner for coop stages. In addition, Nintendo has teased that you can use all of your other amiibo besides the Pokemon to outfit your Yoshi with different patterns based on the chosen amiibo.

Yoshi’s Woolly World will be available on the Wii U October 16th in America. Feel free to check out our preview of last year’s demo, and make sure to check out the trailer below!

 

E3 2015: ‘Shenmue 3’ Reaches $2 Million Goal In Less Than 9 Hours; Adds New Stretch Goals!

by Josh Jackson

During a night of shocking announcements, arguably the most surprising one of all was the sudden reveal of the long lost Shenmue 3 during Sony’s E3 press conference. Disappointingly attached to the condition that it be funded through Kickstarter, fans answered the call, leading the crowdfunding campaign to break through its $2 million goal in about nine hours, becoming the fastest video game to reach $1 million, clocking in at 1 hour and 42 minutes according to Guinness World Records. From this goal being met in record time, to someone ALREADY claiming the Ryo replica jacket and all three slots for dinner with Yu Suzuki for contributing $10,000 proves how passionate the fanbase is for this game. Or am I thinking crazy?

Either way, now that the initial goal has been met, the game has the potential to be expanded through a new set of stretch goals. Serving as what many consider the first true 3D open world title, Shenmue 3 is hoping to add three full cities to explore, a rapport system to help Ryo build relationships with the characters he meets, (sailors or otherwise,) and subtitles in multiple languages. The full list of goals is as follows, including the ones that have already been met:

Shenmue 3 Stretch Goals

Are you planning on backing this project? Is Shenmue 3 a dream come true for you, or is it too little too late? Let us know what you thought of the reveal below, and keep checking back for more E3 news, previews, and the fallout of the show in the coming days!

E3 2015: Here Are The Xbox 360 Games You Can Play On Xbox One RIGHT NOW!

by Josh Jackson

As far as my E3 hype goes, the announcement that I was most excited for was the Xbox One receiving backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games! Of course, there had to be a catch, this time being that it would only apply to certain games. Promising over 100 titles by year’s end, the first 21 have been revealed as playable right now!

Consisting of mostly Rare games, (that were likely emulated already to prepare for the upcoming Rare Replay,) or games everyone should have, (does anyone not own Hexic HD?), reclaiming your downloaded games will be as simple as finding them on the store! For physical discs, the process is a little different. Once the disc is put into the console, your Xbone will recognize the title and allow you to download it from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Since disc reading won’t be possible, it’s safe to say that you’ll do well to upgrade your hard drive, (assuming you haven’t already after Halo: The MCC and AC: Unity ate up half your memory.) Players will even have the choice to switch to the old 360 interface when accessing their past titles! Whether or not online functionality will still work as intended through the new console is unknown, but considering Shadowrun, an online only shooter was listed in the teaser image, I’d say it’s a safe bet. We’ll be sure to update you as soon as more information is released.

The current list is as follows:

A Kingdom for Keflings

A World of Keflings

Alien Hominid HD

Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Tooie

BattleBlock Theater

Defense Grid

Geometry Wars Evolved

Hexic HD

Jetpac Refuelled

Kameo

Mass Effect

N+

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark Zero

Small Arms

Super Meat Boy

Toy Soldiers

Toy Soldiers: Cold War

Viva Piñata

Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise

Zuma.

Is there a particular game you want added? Check the Xbox Dashboard for their user poll, which allows you to vote for what you want to become available next! After you vote, tell us what you chose in the comments!

‘E3 2015’ What The Hell Is Wrong With ‘Persona 4: Dancing All Night’!?

by Josh Jackson

Atlus struck gold when they released Persona 4 during the PS2’s final days. Building on the social aspects that made its predecessor such a hit and framing the dungeon crawling around a murder mystery, the series found mainstream success that continues to extend through enough spinoffs to make Mario jealous. With this in mind, the Persona team moved from the fighting game to first person RPG’s, so naturally, the next game would just HAVE to be a dancing game. I mean, right?

After playing Persona 4: Dancing All Night for myself, the game is just about as bizarre as you’d expect from a demon summoning RPG being transformed into a happy go lucky rhythm title. The demo let us choose from some of our favorite characters from the main game, including Yu Narukami, Yosuke Hanamura, Yukiko Amagi, Teddie and even Nanako Dojima, where each were attached to a specific song from the series’ excellent soundtrack. Mostly consisting of dance remixes, I went in with doubts that these background tunes would be able to carry a game of this nature. From what we’ve seen so far though, I felt the addictive nature of wanting to constantly replay the same songs for better scores.

Dancing3

However, this is easier said than done, thanks to the actual game play mechanics. Using the up, left and down buttons on the control pad and the triangle, circle and X buttons on the right side, this odd set up takes some getting used to. Once you’re used to what you need to push, it’s not too hard to tap, double tap and hold the proper notes, with progressively higher difficulty settings adding in more complex patterns. Much like other games in the genre however, the colorful backgrounds can often obscure your view, leaving me with a broken combo because I missed button prompts that I didn’t see. With the Vita screen being the size that it is, this shouldn’t be an issue, especially when song completion has less to do with making it to the end, and more with meeting a minimum score.

But when you do meet your goal, you’re greeted with one of the strangest things I’ve seen in a game this year. When your character wins, they summon their trademark Persona in an overdramatic scene where they rise from the ground and… Play a solo? There’s something odd about seeing the vicious looking Izanagi break out into a guitar solo, or the divine Konohana Sakuya pull out the saxophone to perform her best Bill Clinton impression. Couple this with your former party members shouting out words of encouragement throughout the song while the formerly vicious Shadows dance along with your sweet moves, this all led me to wonder what the hell was going on with this silly, over the top, and seemingly self-aware spinoff. But you know what? I can’t help but smile every time I think of how insane this all is.

Dancing2

Persona 4: Dancing All Night will launch this September for the PS Vita, with a standard and limited edition which both hold tons of goodies for the Persona faithful. Complete with a text heavy story mode, (that will justify all this strangeness,) quick play dances and DLC that expands on the included song list, the final build will seemingly have enough content to keep us boogieing the night away. Will you be tearing up the dance floor when this title finally arrives?

https://youtu.be/s2HnMKloFCc

E3 2015: ‘Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3: V Generation’ Delivers A Faster, Stronger CPU!

by Josh Jackson

It may have taken three games, but when Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory released in 2012, it’s safe to say that the series finally hit its stride. So much so, that the game play improvements introduced would carry into remakes of the original titles, both of which were great additions to the PS Vita library when we reviewed them over the last few months. While there was plenty to improve on, I went into Re;Birth 3 a little conflicted. At this point, I’m completely absorbed in anything the series can offer, but does the game that the remakes are based off of need its own remake? What can be changed for V Generation to feel different?

Hyperdimension Neptunia 3 E3 Screen 2

Based on the time I spent with the E3 build, this version looks to be aiming for the definitive way to experience Neptune’s most recent adventure. Taking place in an alternate Gamindustri that’s based on the console wars of the early 90’s, past characters will look and act different while new ones, namely this alternate Planeptune’s CPU, Plutia. From a game play standpoint, small tweaks have been added to change up the way the game is approached. The returning Remake System will allow the party to add an extra attack slot into their list of commands after finding the appropriate plan for each, while finding treasure through scanning  the environment is replaced by an invisible question mark that Nep hits with her head. Added cutscenes, new scenarios, items to help progress in the Stella Dungeon scouting mini game from Re;Birth 2, the return of Victory‘s stat boosts for performing certain actions and other surprises round out all the new features, while the turn based combat system remains intact.

But more than anything, what’s immediately noticeable is the improved frame rate, which never skipped a beat during battle. While the previous remakes would be  bogged down with some harsh dips when the flashiest attacks would take place, the comparible moves that I  tried in the demo had no such issue. In addition to an upgraded interface with colorful effects during attacks, reworked menus and a rewritten script, it’s clear that the presentation went through as much polishing as the game play, which I can’t wait to experience with the full game!

Hyperdimension Neptunia 3 E3 Screen 1

So if anything, Re;Birth 3 feels less like a remake and more like a remastered version, adding in what worked about its prequels while improving on what didn’t. With the trilogy nearly complete on both the Vita and PC through Steam, there’s no excuse for when the next main sequel is finally released. Luckily for us, the Vita release is right around the corner, coming on June 30th! Keep an eye out for our full review, and tell us what your favorite moments of the series have been in the comments below!

E3 2015: ‘Star Fox Zero’ Soars Through Familiar Territory In Our Hands-On Test Flight!

by Josh Jackson

We’ve asked, we’ve waited and now it’s almost here. After eight years without a new journey into the Lylat System, Star Fox Zero will get us reacquainted with Fox and his band of mercenaries. Stepping onto Nintendo’s show floor at E3 this year showed that this title was their main focus, with multiple demo kiosks, model Arwings hanging from above, and a cockpit set up for eager gamers to experience the demo in. As the title that I was most eager to check out, we made sure to jump in and catch up with the crew.

Consisting of two stages, Corneria and Area 3, each one provided a very different take on what piloting the Arwing would require. First, Corneria feels very familiar to the Star Fox 64 version of the stage, complete with sets of three to five enemies conveniently bundled up to fit in your charge shot’s blast range, bridges, arches and mountains to fly through on your way to the city itself, and giant red robots twirling girders in your way. Once in the city, the team switches from the on rails shooter style to All Range Mode, which allows us to dogfight in a 3D space. New enemies take advantage of new features, namely the walker mode for the Arwing, which allows it to battle and access hidden areas on the ground. Adapting to this change, some enemies can only be destroyed when damaged from above, so properly managing these two forms is a must if you expect to survive.

As expected from the series, the stage closes out with a giant boss fight, where Fox must damage certain weak points that are identified by the returning Peppy Hare. And when we say big, we really mean it, since this ship was large enough to run on with the land form, allowing us to attack from different perspectives. A new, third play style exclusive to this section fixes the camera in a more cinematic perspective on the TV, requiring you to focus on the Gamepad exclusive Cockpit Mode. Fixed in a first person perspective, these portions aim to put you in the fight, with each explosion, bogie and hit being as in your face as possible.

Moving on to Area 3, this stage looked to mirror the large scale All Range battles that some of Star Fox 64‘s best moments took place in. Here is where your maneuvering skills become key, and when the biggest changes in the control scheme comes into play. With no C-Buttons to press, most of those moves have been mapped to the right stick. Tilting up and down still boost and brake respectively, while flicking the sticks up and down or vice versa uses the summersault and U-turn moves, for when you need to outrun enemies on your tail. The lean and barrel roll functions have been moved from the shoulder buttons to the right stick as well, so holding the direction will lead to faster turns, while a double tap will deflect enemy fire. The biggest change however, comes with the Game Pad’s gyro functionality, where rotating the control will move your ship’s reticle. This ability to fine tune your aim is a welcomed one, since aiming no longer requires moving your whole ship. A controversial move to be sure, some might have problems with their aim getting thrown off. To me however, it worked like a dream, only improving the experience when trying to take out Star Wolf’s self-proclaimed ace pilot, Pigma.

IMG_3542.JPG

Not quite sequel and not quite prequel, Star Fox Zero feels like the reboot the series has desperately needed. By reuniting the old team and taking us to familiar locales, it was easy to see that the series is back in top form. There were a few small issues, namely getting used to the new control mapping, some camera rotation issues, and perspective problems on land, but nothing to take away with how amazing Star Fox is on such a larger scale. But with so many answers comes a few questions, namely, whether or not Krystal will make an appearance. All in due time, I suppose.

What say you, gamer? What do you hope to see from Star Fox Zero when it arrives this holiday season?

 

E3 2015: ‘Battleborn’ Revolutionizes The First Person Shooter Like Only Gearbox Can

by Josh Jackson

When Borderlands took the gaming world by storm, the developers at Gearbox showed that blending the tried and true FPS genre with the progression and growth of an RPG was a winning formula. Rather than be satisfied with the mega franchise that it’s become, the team is hoping to push the envelope even further with their latest title, Battleborn. As big fans of their previous work, we made sure to get some hands on time with it on the show floor and see if they could recreate the magic.

One of the first things that we noticed with Battleborn is how much character variety the title will offer. Promising up to about 50 characters to choose from with five player co-op, each character is so wildly different from each other that it’s likely to ensure that no two playthroughs will be the same. Sure, if you want to take the more traditional road, there are characters that specialize in automatic weapons, heavy artillery or sniper rifles. If you’re like me and want something with a little more class, maybe the rapier wielding Phoebe is more your style, who joins characters such as a dwarf in specializing in up close melee strikes. If swinging blades in a shooter sounds strange to you, that has nothing on the ninja mushroom that uses its head as a healing spore when he’s not throwing his deadly blades, or the four armed magic user who can speed in and out of the battlefield and away from danger.

If you were able to follow along with all of that, it’s clear that Battleborn is insane. To think that these are just a sample of the characters that will be available when the game launches at the end of the year makes it hard to imagine what else will be waiting for us. Either way, it’s fortunate that there are so many options, because as you and up to four other friends fight to extend the life of  the last star in the universe, you’re going to want to have multiple ways to achieve such a task. Just because the galaxy is about to come to an end doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, right?

The brief time we spend in the campaign mode felt instantly familiar for anyone who played Borderlands. Each character has their own skill trees, that can be expanded on as each character levels up. Every team member gets equal EXP when anyone defeats an enemy, so even terrible team members will get stronger and hopefully improve… Right? As we fought through hordes of enemies in between abusing special abilities and hacking away at the huge foes, it became clear that the bright, cartoony art style hid a deceptively challenging game, with large areas that get full quick. If Borderlands felt like an RPG, then Battleborn feels like a hack and slash in the same vein as games past, with a more stage focused setup as opposed to the big, open world from before. It feels similar enough to know you’ll love it while being different enough to stand out on its own. What more can you ask for in a new IP?

Battleborn is one of my biggest surprises coming out of E3 so far. What are your thoughts on what could be the next big co-op shooter? Let us know in the comments, and take a guess as to who your character is going to be!

E3 2015: ‘Amnesia: Memories’ Brings Love To The Multiverse!

by Josh Jackson

If you’ve listened to the Geekscape Games podcast, (the number one gaming podcast on the Geekscape Network,) over the last few weeks, you know that the Vita has no shortage of games that involve a combination of dating, waifu bait, and/or uncomfortably rubbing the characters while strangers judge you on public transit. Amnesia: Memories from Idea Factory, is an Otome title, (which literally translates to “girl game”,) that has all of these features, but reverses the roles. As a woman who has lost her memories due to mysterious circumstances, she must piece together her past by building relationships with the five men who were closest to her, but with an interesting twist that will surely help Amnesia stand out amongst the sea of visual novels and Japanese inspired games on the Vita.

Guided by Orion, a strange spirit that helps you on your quest, each scenario starts with selecting which boy you want to pursue. Treated as a type of separate dimension or universe from the other choices, the world is flipped around depending on what you choose. For example, if you decide to chase after one boy in their scenario, one of the other characters might become a co worker as opposed to someone you date.

Amnesia E3 Screen 2

As the story unfolds, you’re tasked with balancing out three different meters that measure your relationships. By keeping affection and trust at a stable level, it will almost ensure that your hidden past will come to light through your interactions. However, if your responses to the text veer too far out of character, your husbando will grow suspicious, which can lead to them figuring out that you lost your memories. While most logical people would use that as an opportunity to fill the person in right then and there, this apparently throws off your guy to the point where he’ll stop helping you, leading to a bad ending. Why this happens will vary from scenario to scenario, but if I was her, I would want to get amnesia too if it meant forgetting my poor choice in men.

All joking aside, the concept of bringing a multiverse into the dating sim genre is one that’s new to me. Then again, my experience in the genre is limited to what came to the West, and while I can woo a pigeon for days, men are something I have yet to conquer. Regardless, the concept of piecing together your past and learning alongside this character by combining the experiences of each scenario is one that I find very intriguing, especially when you consider that Amnesia promises more than 20 endings. I hope you grow attached, because at an estimated 3 hours per scenario, there will be lots of game to uncover here.

Amnesia E3 Screen 1

If all that text starts to wear you out, Amnesia also has a set of touch screen mini games to play with your beaus, the two of which featured were air hockey and rock paper scissors. Air hockey accurately recreates the real date experience, where either the boy lets the girl win, or he’s too drunk to have anything that resembles coordination. The CPU constantly scored on themselves when reacting to a well placed shot, but their defense is usually on point before you manage to get the puck passed them. Rock Paper Scissors on the other hand, manages to be slightly less straightforward in its approach by adding an attack and defend mechanic. If you win or lose the initial throw down, the first person to tap either attack or defend depending on the result gets rewarded. If successful, the attacker gets their point while the defender blocks their score and lives to fight another day. It’s an adorable distraction, but if you want to get down to business, you can just go into the viewer and rub each guy’s shirtless body while he tells you about it! This feature wasn’t available to try, but I was promised that it would be more romantic and less lewd than something you’d find in other titles of this nature. Not sure if the businessmen on the train will notice the difference though.

All in all, I’m always excited for when a developer can bring some new concepts to genres that remain relatively stagnant, so the multiverse mechanic of Amnesia leaves me wanting more. How did the girl lose her memories? Where does Orion come from? Why do the guys refuse to help her if they learn of her memory loss? There are so many questions and not enough answers, which is why I can’t wait to see how it unfolds when August rolls around. Who knows? Maybe this year’s top waifu won’t be a woman at all!

E3 2015: We Climb The Totem With ‘The Legend Of Zelda: Triforce Heroes’

by Josh Jackson

One of the few surprise announcements from Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event was The Legend Of Zelda: Triforce Heroes. As a semi revival of the Four Swords series of multiplayer Zelda games based on the Link Between Worlds engine, this 3DS title promised to give us a more fleshed out experience, focusing more on cooperation rather than competition. When I got the chance to pick up Link’s latest adventure with two complete strangers, we put this notion to the test.

First off, each dungeon starts off with various costumes that Link can choose to wear, each of which give him different advantages in the game. From the standard tunic, to a samurai inspired spin attack outfit, and even Zelda’s dress, how your link will play can have a huge effect on being able to progress, especially if the dungeon being explored needs certain tools to advance with.

From there, the three of us had to constantly work together to conquer the challenges of the Kokiri Forest, primarily through the new totem mechanic. In order to reach tall enemies or higher paths, the three Links can pick each other up, being able to stack all three on top of each other. Whichever hero is on top is responsible for attacking, while the bottom one controls movement, so without proper communication between the two, it’s really easy to struggle against enemies. If you get stuck as the one in the middle, it sucks to be you. As of now, he couldn’t do anything. Which might be better off  since the wrong move can lead to the death of the team, considering that all three of you share the same health bar. Oh yes, I can see friendships being destroyed.

After solving a small set of puzzles in each room, the team can only advance by standing on one piece of the Triforce, which greets players at the end of the area. Side weapons such as the bow and bombs have to be discovered in the dungeon you’re in, but ammo never becomes a problem since this game borrow’s LBW’s meter system. From the little that we played, it teased our brains quite a bit trying to figure out how to solve certain puzzles, leading to the final boss that required us to stack the right amount of characters to reach its changing weak point. Oh, and when you win, don’t forget to tap your cheering emoticon on your list of reactions on the bottom screen! It does nothing except look adorable, but what else do you need?

Triforce Heroes may be short the fourth sword, but it’s shaping up to be another solid co-op effort from Nintendo. Featuring both local and online multiplayer, would-be heroes will be able to team up from all around the world when it releases this fall. What are your impressions from what you’ve seen so far?

E3 2015: ‘Horizon: Zero Dawn’ Brings A Gorgeous New IP To The PS4

by Josh Jackson

During their E3 press conference, Guerrilla Games, (of Killzone fame,) took the stage to reveal their first project since debuting Playstation’s flagship FPS.

Horizon: Zero Dawn places players in a lush, colorful field, (the complete opposite of Killzone,) where its protagonist, (who shares a resemblance with Heavenly Sword‘s Nariko,) uses a variety of traps to take down towering, mecha inspired monsters that look like they were ripped straight out of an episode of Beast Wars. After doing her best Snow Speeder impression and tethering it down with wires, the impressive demo ends with a long range shot with her high tech rifle, which strikes the exposed weakpoint, delivering massive damage. And it was all in engine, too!

In a sea of remake and sequel hype, it was great to see something that looks as ambitious as Horizon. Whether or not this new IP will live up to the platform it was given to debut on is unknown, but we’ll be sure to report back from the E3 show floor and keep you all informed.

E3 2015: Reggie Fils-Amie Gets Destroyed; Humiliated At The Nintendo World Championships During A ‘Smash Bros’ Showdown!

by Josh Jackson

The challenge was issued last year when Nintendo of America COO, Reggie Fils-Amie, famously told pro Jigglypuff player, Hungrybox, that he would “kick his ass,” at Smash Bros. After so much time has passed, it gave the Reginator enough time to practice to a point where he could hold his own against someone so prominent in the Smash community.

Okay, maybe not so much.

After saying that he would give H-Box a job if he wins, last year’s champion arrogantly stated that he is an engineer and didn’t want his job. From there, it was clear that Reggie’s body wasn’t ready for what was about to happen. After diving off the stage within the first few seconds as the recently released Ryu, (a character that’s more complicated to use compared to the rest of the cast,) what took place on stage could only be described as a massacre, showing that just because you run a company that promotes games doesn’t mean you’re good at them.

Reggie Smash Image 1

In the end, it was all in good fun, and it was great seeing a COO put himself in a position like that. Sure, he bit off more than he could chew, but it was a great moment for an eventful night. Too bad he didn’t showcase Ryu too well, which I’m guessing was the intention of choosing him.

What were your Nintendo World Championship highlights? Sound off below!

E3 2015: ‘Blastball’ At The Nintendo World Championships!

by Josh Jackson

The Nintendo World Championships promised to test the skills of gamers from across the country at games that spanned generations. But what happens when they are forced to play a game that no one’s played before?

Blastball filled this role, with teams of three going at it in a futuristic sport that combines the style and first person shooting mechanics reminiscent of Metroid Prime Hunters within the confines of soccer. Players can shoot opponents, shoot the ball into opponents, and shoot the ball into the goal. Each score made causes that team’s goal to shrink, making it harder to tally subsequent points. Throw in power ups, an increasingly dangerous ball as time goes on, and an opposing team who looks to undercut you with every shot, the game felt like it had a ton of potential to be a great 3DS multiplayer title.

As it was mentioned during the show, it seems like mixing guns with soccer is the only way to get Americans to care! No details have been mentioned about a release, price or features for Blastball, but we’ll keep an eye out on the show floor as E3 week continues!

E3 2015: ‘Earthbound Beginnings’ Brings The Original ‘Mother’ Title To The Wii U!

by Josh Jackson

Fans have begged for it for years, and Nintendo has heard us. After what felt like forever, it seems like the company has finally acknowledged our pleas for a Western release of Mother 3. That’s right! Following their recent trend of surprise releases, a trip to the eShop shows that we’ll finally be able to play the game we’ve been waiting for! It’s…

Mother 1!?

That’s right, the EarthBound game that no one asked for is now available on the Wii U eShop! Following Ninten, a boy with psychic powers, he’s tasked with traveling the world in search for the hidden melodies that will help fight off an alien threat. Originally released for the NES exclusively in Japan, the newly dubbed EarthBound Beginnings gives us the chance to experience the game that started the cult favorite for the first time!

I said it before, but it’s worth saying again. Between this announcement and the Smash DLC shown off earlier in the day, if this is Nintendo’s pre-E3 showing, what could they possibly have in store for the actual show? Could Mother 3 actually make an appearance!?

Let the speculation continue! Tell us what you hope to see, and if you plan on giving this title a chance, crushing difficulty and all! Until then, keep checking back with us for all your E3 news!

E3 2015: Roy and Ryu Available Now As Surprise ‘Smash Bros’ Announcement Kicks Off E3 Week!

by Josh Jackson

Turns out the leaks were real!

During the special Smash Bros Nintendo Direct presentation, in addition to the reveal of a new set of amiibo, and the confirmation of yesterday’s leaks with Ryu and Roy’s character reveals, the news that stole the show was that the new DLC was available immediately after the presentation closed!

Including the rumored Mii Fighter costumes, the Kirby stage from Smash 64, Roy, Ryu and the previously announced Lucas, the entire package will set you back just under $30 for both versions. If you don’t want everything the set has to offer, the bundle costs the same as if you bought each item individually. Standard characters costs $4 for one version and $5 for both Wii U and 3DS access. Ryu comes with a $7 and $8 price tag, which includes his Street Fighter II inspired stage, three versions of both his and Ken’s themes, and the character himself, who rewards players with extra damage for actually inputting his attacks with the same commands as his native game. When you top these off with the $2/$3 Kirby stage and the costumes, (including Tekken, Mega Man, Animal Crossing and Virtua Fighter inspired gear,) at under $1/$2, there’s plenty of content to bring players back into the arena.

Of course, the eShop was having trouble keeping up with the traffic, but keep trying! Let us know what you think of the new characters, and share your Nintendo ID’s so we can get some games going!

[RUMOR] Former Smash Bro, Roy, And Ryu From ‘Street Fighter’ Are The Next DLC Characters For ‘Super Smash Bros’!

by Josh Jackson

Aww, you were just a day away from keeping it a surprise, Nintendo.

If two allegedly leaked YouTube videos are to be believed, then it looks like Fire Emblem‘s Roy is making his grand return alongside Ryu, the face of the Street Fighter series. The two reels show what appears to be their arcade mode ending sequences, showing off small glimpses of what they have in store for their opponents once their release date comes.

From what we can tell, Roy still has similarities to Marth, the character his move set was cloned from in Melee. Still, a closer look at his animations, (namely his Up-B attack,) seem to have some slight differences compared to his past attacks. Is there a chance that Roy will be more of his own character, especially when Lucina already fills the role of a Math clone?

Ryu on the other hand, looks like he’s bringing something completely new to the Smash Bros arena. Coming equipped with his focus attacks, hadoukens, shoryukens and hurricane kicks, (feel free to spell out the Japanese name, because I’m not doing it,) most telling is the legendary fighter’s apparent ability to perform legitimate combos, something which isn’t normally possible outside of high level play. Will this change the way players approach the game? I can’t wait to find out!

Alongside these leaks, further rumors suggest new trophies for the Inkling and Ryu’s best friend, Ken, a new Dreamland 64 stage, Ryu’s iconic Street Fighter II Dojo stage, and Mii Fighter costumes, including Zero from Mega Man X, Mega Man .EXE, Akira and Jacky from Virtua Fighter, Animal Crossing‘s Isabelle and Heihachi from Tekken. At this point, we’re almost guaranteed to get the official word from Nintendo during E3 week, but it seems like the cat’s out of the bag.

While not terribly surprising for those who knew that sound files for Roy and Ryu were part of the Mewtwo update, it’s still surreal to see the biggest fighting game icon make an appearance in Nintendo’s all star brawler as the first, true original character as part of Smash’s DLC line up. Roy is a little more expected, since I felt his inclusion was an inevitability once DLC was announced, but I’m hoping more unique characters see their returns soon, (especially Wolf, Snake and Ice Climbers, although the last two probably aren’t possible.) Speaking of Snake, if copyright is an issue, can we at least slap his move set on the Mach Rider guy or something?

What’s your reaction to the news, and who would you like to see next?

We Are Never, Ever, Ever, Getting ‘Street Fighter 5’ On Xbox One

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Back in December of last year, Capcom unveiled the highly anticipated Street Fighter V… as a PC and PS4 exclusive.

Now, fans (and non-PS4 owners) everywhere have simply assumed that this was a timed exclusive, and that Xbox players would surely see the game on their console of choice soon after launch.

Apparently, this is not the case. Speaking with Gamespot, a Capcom representative confirmed that Street Fighter 5 is never leaving the Playstation console:

One comment we see a lot is that something like a Super Street Fighter 5 is going to come out on Xbox, but the reality is that this is a real partnership. We are console exclusive for this franchise for this numbered run.

 

We’re not talking about how we’re handling post-launch content, but I can say the relationship with Sony does open doors for things we haven’t been able to do in the past.

 

The relationship serves a gameplay and development purpose, and not just a marketing value.

Fighting fans, does this news make you more likely to pick up a PS4? Or skip out on SFV entirely? Me? I’m still bummed out that Rise of the Tomb Raider is only headed to Xbox One.

A New ‘Super Smash Bros.’ Direct Set Just Ahead Of E3!

by Josh Jackson

June 14th is turning out to be an eventful day! Between the Nintendo World Championships, the release of Lucas, a new stage, and character costumes for Super Smash Bros., and our very own Geekscape picnic, it’s not as if we needed more plans for that day! But when it comes to new Smash news, I’m sure we’ll find a way to spare 20 minutes.

Starting at 7:40 AM Pacific, Nintendo will broadcast a new Nintendo Direct, hosted by Masahiro Sakurai himself. The only thing being promised at this point is new content, so while I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high out of fear that the previously announced DLC will be all that is discussed, I can’t help but feel that something big is coming, especially just outside of E3. And if new characters are announced separately from the main E3 Direct, how amazing will Nintendo’s presentation be on the 16th if Smash of all things got bumped?

Will we see Roy return? Or will the rumored Ryu be confirmed? Will Chibi Robo get in in light of its newly announced game!? Let the speculation begin! Tell us who you want to see, then come back and compare your predictions after the Direct wraps up!

Paint The Town With The New Ink Brush In ‘Splatoon”

by Josh Jackson

Following its first content update, which added an NES Zapper, ranked battles and a new stage to the online combat, Splatoon has received yet another addition in the form of the Ink Brush.

As part of the Ink Roller class of weapons, the Ink Brush is primarily focused on short range combat, allowing Inklings to paint the floors in front of them while splashing bursts of ink in front of them. Yet, in order to be effective with this newest tool, you’ll have to rethink the way a roller should be played.

Typically, rollers cover large amounts of ground when charging forward, whereas the short burst shots cover a short distance in front of them with a concentrated splash, (similar to a shotgun in other shooters.) With the Ink Brush, its width is greatly reduced, making painting the ground less viable for coverage, but gains heightened running speed in return. However, when firing, the splash it creates is much wider, covering huge areas with the mashing of the trigger while holding off would-be foes. Throw in the sprinkler sub weapon for sustained painting, and the Ink Strike special weapon to rain terror on the enemy from above, and you’re left with an exciting, fast paced weapon. Maybe Bob Ross was on to something!

Having fun with Splatoon so far? Tell us about your greatest battles, favorite weapons and overall impressions below!

Geekscape Roundtable: What We’re Looking Forward To At E3 2015!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Another year has passed, and another E3 fast approaches. What an interesting and frustrating year it’s been. Sure, we saw some phenomenal titles released over the last 12 months (The Witcher 3 has already become one of my favourite games of all time), but we also saw some titles that looked so promising release without much content (Destiny), more delays than we can count (Zelda, Batman, everything else), and nearly two years into their life-cycles, both the PS4 and Xbox One are plagued with remastered versions of last-gen titles instead of all new experiences.

But E3 is where everything (hopefully) changes. We’ll see a myriad of new announcements, promising titles from indie devs and AAA studios alike, a ton of VR, and hopefully some things that we haven’t even imagined to this point. With one of our most anticipated titles being announced the week before the expo, it’s going to take some big reveals to top Bethesda showing off Fallout 4.

It’s been awhile since we’ve done a roundtable piece here at Geekscape, and with most of our writers being gamers as well, what better way to bring the roundtable back than by asking everyone what they’re most looking forward to at E3 (or what they predict we’ll see).

Check back with Geekscape for E3 news as it happens, and be sure to listen to the Geekscape Games podcast, where Shane, Juan, Josh, and Derek chat video games and more each and every week.

Jonathan London

For the first time in years, I’m not attending E3. Repeatedly, while Xbox and Sony beat each other up in a race to announce the next exclusive or HD next-gen remake of a last-gen game, the excitement on the floor has centered on the indie marketplace games coming to Steam, PSN, Xbox Live and Nintendo’s eShop. It’s where I find the most exciting and risk driven titles each year. Or maybe just the most hilarious like last year’s Bro Force and Cloudberry Kingdom from two years ago. As I get busier, the number of giant Triple-A titles I can consume each year shrinks and I find myself able to play more titles like Guacamelee or Pokémon Shuffle for 15 minutes at a time than anything else. Not to say I’m not looking forward to Arkham Knight, but the urgency is no longer there.

That is, unless we’re talking about Zelda for the Wii U. If the rumors are true, this E3 will be all about Star Fox for Nintendo, and for sure I’m looking forward to it. But as one of my top 3 franchises in all of gaming, and after that long gameplay trailer we saw a few months ago, I couldn’t be more excited for Zelda’s arrival to the world of HD (I’m not counting Windwaker HD!). Zelda Skyrim, as many of us are calling it, shows all the promise of the best Zelda game yet and hopefully we don’t end up with another fetch-quest based game like Skyward Sword. Still, I’m getting my hopes up. As much as I’d love some more news on Zelda Wii U, I’ll be patient and realistic. The game has been delayed in order to implement more ideas and will probably barely get a mention from our friend Reggie. I’ll let Starfox tie me over this year and look forward for a big return to Hyrule in 2016. I just hope it’s not buried by the coming of the NX, or whatever Nintendo’s next mystery console ends up being.

Megan Haley

I’m really excited to see all the new HD remastered versions of games that I played last year. I mean, who wouldn’t be excited for Knack: Remastered! Hopefully they would remake it into a something that resembles entertainment this time around.

Seriously though, I’m excited to see what Vicarious Visions is doing with the latest Skylanders game. I always felt that the series had more potential as a game than what Activision has ran with so far. The original Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure for 3DS was amazing gameplay-wise, and I’m hoping that with VV back at the helm that they can bring back some of the same stellar gameplay from the first DS incarnation.

I’m also looking forward to what new tech they’ll show for VR hardware. I’ve had a few hands-on with Oculus Rift before and the future of VR technology is super exciting.

Eric Francisco

I’m absolutely conflicted about E3 this year. On one hand, I’m jaded. The current console generation in its entirety hasn’t captivated me enough to want to stay plugged in. Believe it or not, I’m still playing on my Xbox 360 taking care of unfinished business — achievements I could still go after and games I hadn’t completed.

Neither the Xbox One or the PS4 have too many incentives to pick one or the other. The only reason I have an Xbox One is because I took advantage of a retail promotion. If it weren’t for that I wouldn’t have one at all.

On the other hand, this might be the year the generation finally matters to me. Arkham Knight is out in just a few short weeks, Halo 5 is on the horizon, and Final Fantasy XV is somewhere around the corner.

I could bother to mention more games that might make me glad I’ve joined the current gen, but there is only one, and ONLY one game that will make or break E3 for me: Mass Effect 4. I want to know as much about that game as possible, and if they happen to announce a 2016 release date I may immediately suffer a heart attack.

Jake Lopez

A Summer hallmark among my circle, E3 continually provides cheers, empty promises, and, if we’re being honest, sadness. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about E3 2015 is the lack of major leaks before the show kicks off. Anyone who’s really in tune with leaks will be able to find them through a few minutes of google searches, but I believe presenters have a few tricks left up their sleeves. Hopefully we can actually be surprised this year.

One thing that worries me is the potential for remastered collections of past video games. Up until now, gamers were treated to upgraded versions of GTA: V, Halo, Last of Us, and Tomb Raider. It won’t stop there. In fact, I’m sure we can expect a couple of remasters on both the Microsoft and Sony platforms. I’m all for remasters, but lets just hope they’re not the center of attention in this year’s keynotes.

Now, for some wild predictions:

  • Nintendo announces a new console
  • An announcement from Activision/Bungie for a new Destiny title
  • Microsoft announces a few cross-platform titles that will group console gamers with PC gamers
  • Rockstar announces a new Red Dead title

RedDead2

Juan Carlos Marquez

It should come as no surprise that Nintendo’s E3 presentation is the one I’m looking most forward to.

With the announcement of Zelda Wii U being pushed back to 2016, I’m curious what Nintendo plans to release this holiday season–especially when they are going up against Halo 5 and Star Wars: Battlefront. Star Fox Wii U is still on track to be out this year, but I don’t know if Nintendo would place the weight of their holiday sales hopes on the shoulders of Fox McCloud and company. Unless Star Fox Wii U ends up blowing us all away at E3 with incredible game mechanics and multiplayer modes which made StarFox 64 a commercial success, Nintendo needs to show off a new Metroid or Super Mario Galaxy game. Devil’s Thirds, Mario Maker, and DLC for Smash Bros. and Splatoon will undoubtedly get Nintendo fans hyped up for the remainder of 2015, but what will attract those who have yet to purchase a Wii U?

Of course, this wouldn’t be E3 without some Smash Bros. talk, so let’s get right to it. With Mewtwo making his long-overdue return and Lucas arriving June 14, I’m willing to be Sakurai makes an announcement concerning the addition of at least two more DLC characters. Will it actually be Ryu and Roy as rumored back in April, or will it be two new fighters from the Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot? (Shovel Knight, please). Hopefully we also get an update on the online tournament mode. That feature alone would keep the online community satiated for years.

And while we won’t get to purchase a new Zelda game this year, I’m sure we will get an update on what Aonuma and his team have developed thus far with the extra time alloted. Another teaser trailer wouldn’t be too much to ask, right?

My mind is just flooding with possibilities and wild hopes, and I know Nintendo will have a slew of titles that will keep many Nintendo fans like myself happy, but one thing is for sure—I won’t be hoping for any news of The Last Guardian. I’m done waiting in that pumpkin patch.

https://youtu.be/7jZKDfh1xhs

Shane O’Hare

E3 2015. I am so incredibly torn on this years conference. Last year my favorite developer, Ubisoft, really lost my faith. The entire AC: Unity debacle (and their dubious decisions with Tetris) made me question their sanity.

That being said, like a domestic abuse victim, I couldn’t be more hype for their press conference. Rainbow Six Siege, The Division, the new Assassins Creed and any new original IPs they come out with (thought I honestly think this year won’t be the year of anything brand new from the Frenchies) will get me going.

I pray that there will be more Battlefront info, maybe a playable demo or beta invites?

I have a feeling that this year may be the year Sony announces a new handheld to compete with the New 3DS, at the least they’re going to announce and even SLIMMER Vita!

I expect the DOOM reboot to have some serious in game content at the Bethesda conference.

My biggest wish would be some new, first party games from Valve. A huge expansion to Global Offensive? More info on Source 2? Half Life 3? Half Life 2 HD Remake?

Derek Kraneveldt

Whatever happens at this year’s expo, I’m already a happy camper: one of the games that I’ve been waiting for for years was announced last week (instead of stealing the freaking show). Fallout 3 is one of my favourite games ever, and I didn’t love New Vegas, which means I’m more than ready to see Bethesda Softworks at the helm of this one. Seriously, it looks so good.

Really, the stuff that I want to see announced, well, never gets announced. So maybe this year, if I don’t think about The Last Guardian or Half Life 3, they’ll actually happen? A watched pot never boils, right? Right.

Some of the games I’m most looking forward to seeing this year are new iterations of games I played when I was younger. I put countless hours into Need for Speed Underground and Need For Speed Underground 2, and EA’s newly announced title (so far) looks like a spiritual successor. Awesome. Plus, Tony Hawk is coming back, and if it’s even a little better than the last seven or eight Tony Hawk titles, it should be pretty alright.

Had things gone a little differently, I’d probably go off about how freaking excited I am to see more from Konami and Silent Hills. The clever announcement of that game coming from Hideo Kojima, Guillermo Del Toro, and Norman Reedus, may have been the most excited I’ve ever been for a game. Silent Hill is my favourite game series, and it’s a series that fell from greatness, became absolute trash, and apparently can’t get back up. Damn. On the horror front, I hope that The Deep End Games is on the floor with Perception, because that game looks insane, as does Frictional Games’ Amnesia follow-up, SOMA.

One last thought. Please, Nintendo, hold back on the Amiibo announcements. You’re already making me broke, and I’m living in constant fear that I’ll miss a pre-order because your company has no freaking idea how to keep stores even semi-adequately stocked.

There’s just a week until showtime, so be sure to let us know what you’re hoping to see at this year’s E3!

‘Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection’ Fills The ‘Uncharted 4’ Void This Fall

by Josh Jackson

After an apparent leak late last week, Sony has confirmed that Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection will release for the Playstation 4 on October 7th, just in time for players to catch up before the 2016 release of Uncharted 4.

Delivering the single player campaigns of the critically acclaimed Uncharted games for the PS3, this remastered collection will launch around the time that U4 was expected to release before its dreaded delay. Remastered by Bluepoint Games, (the team behind the Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and God of War remasters amongst others,) the package is promising to deliver Nathan Drake’s past adventures in full 1080P at 60 FPS.

Those who purchase the game will receive access to the Uncharted 4 online beta, which is scheduled to launch by the end of the year, in addition to bonus weapons and skins for a physical pre-order, and a dynamic theme for your PS4 start up screen if you pre-order digitally.

I’m waiting for more information on this one before I pass full judgement, but my knee jerk reaction is that these HD remasters are getting a little out of control. With the online modes removed from 2 and 3 and only new trophies and The Last Of Us Remastered‘s famed camera mode to replace them, I’m struggling to find the value here. When you consider that the PS3 copies go for $5 each these days with their full feature set, I can’t imagine anyone needing this unless they completely passed on the previous Playstation generation. Hopefully the underrated Vita entry gets added to the set, or it launches at a budget price to make it more worth it, but hey! Maybe that’s just me.

Still, these are three excellent games that are worth checking out if you haven’t before. What are your thoughts on yet another HD remaster?

Drake

‘Splatoon’ Receives First Content Pack, Adding A New Stage And Weapon

by Josh Jackson

As Nintendo’s first full forray into the competitive shooter genre, the title has been receiving praise across the board for its creative take on the squad based combat. Yet, the one consistant complaint that keeps popping up is its lack of content, launching in a somewhat barebones state. Nintendo was open about this fact, detailing how the game would be slowly expanded throughout the summer until it receives a huge content update in August. This week, the first bit of content trickled into the confines of Inkopolis in the form of a new weapon and stage.

First, the N-Zap 85 Rapid Shooter should look familiar to anyone who grew up playing Duck Hunt as a kid instead of going outside. Featuring a familiar design, this gun shoots at a heightened pace with greater ink efficiency at the expense of power. Even then, with the Echolocator special weapon and splat bombs as its secondary, Inklings equiped with this set will be able to cover ground quickly while identifying enemies on the map and bombing them with instant detonation.

In addition, Port Mackerel is the latest map to make its way into the online turf war, bringing the total up to six. For those who have reached level 10 and beyond, ranked matches in the form of Splat Zones can now be accessed as well. Ranked plays different from Turf War, with the goal is to capture certain spots on the map as opposed to filling the arena with paint. This more traditional mode makes frags more viable with a different set of strategies required to win. Think you can adapt?

While still light on the content, this is a good first step in what is sure to be a Splatoon filled summer. What are your thoughts on the game so far? Be heard in the comments, and make sure to look out for our full review very soon!

https://youtu.be/-vMDMimtxDY

‘Project Treasure’ Brings Couch Co-Op Back To The Wii U

by Josh Jackson

When not busy cosplaying his own characters, Katsuhiro Harada usually spends his time making some amazing games. Known as the man behind the long running Tekken series as well as having his hand in Soul Calibur, his reputation as a solid gaming mind has grown with each successful release. This is why gamers attention piqued when he mentioned his next project; a four player co-op title exclusively for Wii U, known only as Project Treasure. Details were scarce until now, but with the release of its first preview trailer, the game is looking like it could be one to watch.

Featuring four different characters, each of which wield different weapons as they raid temples for loot. Using twin katanas, a giant hammer, pistols and heavy artillery to tear through hordes of monsters, each character looks like they would fulfill a unique role on the team. As expected from the history of the development team, these features are further highlighted by some great looking character models and color coded attacks. The idea of pairing up with three other friends and raiding dungeons in this manner feels both nostalgic and fresh, which might just be what they’re going for!

Based on the little we’ve seen, I can’t wait to find out more about what Project Treasure has in store. With E3 around the corner, we’ll be sure to uncover what we can on Harada’s latest project! Let us know what your impressions are below, and check back with us as more information is released.

‘Monster Hunter X’ Is Heading To Japan In 2015!

by Josh Jackson

Talk about surprise announcements!

If you thought it was safe to put down your Great Sword, you might want to think again. During the latest Japanese Nintendo Direct, it was revealed that Monster Hunter X is not only a thing that exists, but it’s headed to the 3DS in Winter 2015 for Japanese owners!

Hot off the heels of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate‘s international success, X, (or Cross,) looks to carry that same momentum into a brand new title. Now taking place in a more lush, rainforest-esque hub world, hunters will travel across a variety of locales while attempting to defeat monsters new and old. Using fan favorite weapons such as the Insect Glaive, Charge Axe, Heavy Bow and Gunlance to name a few, each weapon comes with a new twist. New, over the top super attacks give us all new tools to tame the strongest beasts we come across, devistating our potential prey. Still, the question must be asked; if the hunters are so much stronger, what about the monsters? Either way, you haven’t lived until you’ve vaulted off of a monster’s back.

X may be around the corner for our friends in the East, but it might be awhile before we get our hands on the newest entry in the now lucrative franchise. Still, now that it’s a proven seller around the world, will we get the 4 treatment and be passed over until the inevitable “Ultimate” edition is released? Or will we have the chance to be “upgraded” too? From what we’ve seen, I don’t want to wait longer than we have to. I mean, come on! You can pet alpacas!

Check out the trailer below and find yourself in shock and awe like we were, and check back with Geekscape in the coming weeks as we learn more details during E3 week and beyond!

‘Chibi Robo: Zip Lash’ And The Chibi Robo Amiibo Are Set To Clean Up The West!

by Josh Jackson

Welcome back, Chibi!

In a surprise Nintendo Direct that was full of exciting announcements on both the Western and Eastern front, the return of an old cleaning buddy might have been the most welcomed of all. The company officially announced that Chibi Robo: Zip Lash, the latest title in the quirky series about a toy robot and its outrageous adventures, is headed to the West, complete with its own Amiibo!

Trying to explain this franchise to those who never played these games is a challenge in itself when almost all of the games in the series have been so drastically different. Zip Lash is no excepton, taking Chibi out of family homes and trading in its Nostaljunk for platforms and swings. What oddly enough, looks like a happy, colorful version of Castlevania, Chibi’s next game is a 2D platformer, using his trademark plug as a whip to be used for attacking, climbing and making difficult jumps.

In addition to a physical and digital release, special editions will come bundled with an adorable Chibi Robo Amiibo, which can be used to level up the little guy to the point where he can become Super Chibi Robo! What does this mean? I have no idea, but I know that this guy might be a hot commodity when it hits shelves in October. Considering the figure will only be available through this bundle, hunters and Chibi fans alike would  do well to get those refresh buttons ready!

I’ll be honest, after the second game got a severely limited, Walmart exclusive run, the third never got localized and the fourth was relegated to digital only as more of a mini game collection, I didn’t have much hope for a return to grace for this unsung Nintendo franchise. Suddenly, with Zip Lash on the horizon, things aren’t looking so bad! Sure, taking Chibi out of the open world environments and putting him into a platformer might seem odd to an extent, but between receiving a full retail release for the first time since the Gamecube days, coming bundled with an Amiibo, (which I hear sell pretty well,) and switching over to a genre Nintendo is known for with a Castlevania twist, and this just might be the series revevival we thought would never come! I have faith that the tiny robot can pull it off. If it can save broken marriages, restore the environment and pull items from space-time, this should be a cakewalk!

Watch the robo in action in the trailer below. Will you pick up Zip Lash for your 3DS this October? What do you think of the direction the franchise is taking? Let us know in the comments!

https://youtu.be/W4OVgGyYG_E

‘LBX: Little Battlers eXperience’ Builds Its Way Onto The Nintendo 3DS

by Josh Jackson

The return of Chibi Robo wasn’t the only Nintendo news involving pocket sized machines. As one of the few announcements separate from what was revealed in the weekend’s Japanese Nintendo Direct, it was revealed that LBX: Little Battlers eXperience was headed to the West this summer!

Based on the anime and manga of the same name, LBX features customizable battle robots using over 130 models and 4000 parts. After making your robo your own, you can pit it against your friends in six player local skirmishes, battling it out for machine supremecy.

If the concept sounds a lot like Nintendo’s own Custom Robo franchise, you’re not the only one who spots the resemblence. While Chibi is getting its chance in the spotlight again, LBX sounds like it could be a suitable stand-in for Ray and the rest of the customs. However, considering that it’s developed by Level-5, (of Professor Layton, Fantasy Life and Ni No Kuni fame,) and based around a popular, multi property franshise in Japan, it’s safe to say that LBX just might deliver.

What are your impressions so far? Would you rather have a Custom Robo title, or are you just as excited to give the new game a shot? Sound off below and tell us what you think!

LBX launches on August 21st.

‘Yoshi’s Wooly World’ Uses Amiibo In The Most Adorable Way

by Josh Jackson

Starting to feel the fatigue of all that Amiibo hunting? Maybe Yoshi’s Wooly World will bring some purpose back to the twelve hour campouts and online refresh fests.

In the latest trailer from UK Nintendo, the Yarn Yoshi’s get a bit of a makeover! In addition to the AI controlled partner that unlocks when one of the plush Yoshi Amiibo are tapped into the game, tapping seemingly every Amiibo up to this point will unlock a special knit pattern based on the character you tapped. Want a Mario themed Yoshi? How about Donkey Kong, or Kirby? If you didn’t before, the trailer below will likely change your mind.

A specific list of which Amiibo will be compatible has not yet been released, but the trailer looks promising. Imagine a Sonic, Mega Man, or even a Fire Emblem themed character in a full fledged Nintendo platformer? I’m definitely getting a LittleBigPlanet vibe from these, but considering how its costumes was one of the game’s highlights, who could complain?

Yoshi’s Wooly World will launch in late June with a green Yoshi bundle, alongside the blue and pink versions… in Europe. No release date or bundles have been shown for the West, but we can’t imagine our turn will be far off.

Which costume are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!

We Slay Monsters And Stomp Goombas In ‘Puzzle And Dragons Z/Super Mario Edition’

by Josh Jackson

Nintendo had a large presence at this year’s Wondercon, with numerous games on display. Some of which had yet to be released, offering gamers their first chance to try out these upcoming titles. One such game was Puzzle and Dragons, the mobile game turned 3DS crossover, featuring both an original game mode, and a Super Mario Bros. themed campaign that trades mystical monsters for Goombas and Koopa Troopas. We tried out both modes to get the scoop on whether or not the Big N’s latest collaboration is worth checking out, and so far, we see reason to be excited.

Starting off by jumping into what I’m familiar with, the Super Mario Bros. mode was fairly straightforward. In both versions, the player must create a party that consists of different elements, then tackle dungeons while trying to line up matching colored gems to trigger attacks. If you have a teammate who’s color matches the gems, then they fire off an attack. Fail to finish off your opponent, and they get a chance to drain your ally’s HP. The key to success was to trigger combos, that caused falling gems to line up after your move, helping multiply your damage while allowing multiple party members to attack at once! It was a sight to see classic Mario enemies get taken down with a swarm of magic, but I rarely felt like I was in control. I couldn’t see what gems were above my stack, so these combos often felt completely random, taking away from any skill involved.

Surprisingly, the Mario mode felt pretty plain. With the demo consisting of nothing but selecting a level, (based on classic Mario stages,) beating the enemies and eventually winning, it felt like nothing more than a bonus mode. The standard mode however, felt much more fleshed out. Treated as a full RPG, complete with towns to explore, NPC’s to bother, and dungeons to crawl through, I felt myself wanting to discover more about this world. Replacing the familiar Mushroom Kingdom enemies with more mythical based creatures breathed new life into the exploration aspect, leaving me with a need to get deeper into the story, and witness how this puzzle turned RPG experience would turn out.

But alas, it wasn’t to be. It was a demo, after all! Needless to say, while I wish I felt like I had more control over the outcome of my battles, I’m excited about what the final product will offer. Thinking about picking up Puzzle and Dragons Z/Super Mario Edition on May 22nd? Let us know in the comments!