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Gamespot's Site MashupBraum The Heart of Freljord - League of Legends Champion SpotlightEA taking a huge amount of multiplayer games offline next monthXbox original shows either "only on Xbox or best on Xbox"Report: Battlefield 4 Dragon's Teeth DLC details leakedFly like a bird with this epic Oculus Rift contraptionSunset Overdrive exclusive to Xbox One because Microsoft allowed Insomniac to own the rights to its creationSuper Time Force, BattleBlock Theater on PC, Minecraft and Borderlands 2 in Stores - New ReleasesCould Nintendo's NFC figurines and Pokemon save the Wii U?Capcom recognizes importance of diversity, promotes female employees to executive positions$100 Homeworld Remastered Collector's Edition now available to preorder from AmazonDark Souls 2 Review - A Newcomer in DrangleicA sneak peek at Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha SapphireStreet Fighter: Assassin's Fist debuts May 23Titanfall DLC, updates land on Xbox 360 only after Xbox One, PCThe Sims 4 gets adults only rating in Russia because it depicts same-sex relationships

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 11 May 2014 22:27:01 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/braum-the-heart-of-freljord-league-of-legends-cham/2300-6418751/ Meet Braum a new champion in League of Legends, who helps shields your allies and stuns your foes. Learn more about Braum in this League of Legends champion spotlight. Sun, 11 May 2014 20:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/braum-the-heart-of-freljord-league-of-legends-cham/2300-6418751/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-taking-a-huge-amount-of-multiplayer-games-offline-next-month/1100-6419562/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527458-0474251914-95791.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527458" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527458-0474251914-95791.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527458"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2527458-0474251914-95791.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts' <a href="http://www.ea.com/1/service-updates" rel="nofollow">Online Services Updates page</a> has added a long list of games that will lose online functionality come June 30.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some of the notable games on the list include Battlefield 2 (PC), Battlefield 1942 (PC, Mac), Battlefield 2142 (PC, Mac), Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PC, Mac), Crysis 2 (PC), Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (PC), Neverwinter Nights 2 (PC, Mac), and Star Wars: Battlefront II (PC and PlayStation 2).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to EA, the games are losing online functionality on June 30, a full month after the GameSpy shutdown. Crytek, for example, already confirmed that both <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-and-crysis-2-pc-multiplayer-going-offline-at-the-end-of-the-month/1100-6419002/">Crysis and Crysis 2 will go offline May 31</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Since GameSpy's announcement, our teams have been working to evaluate options to keep services up and running," <a href="http://www.ea.com/news/update-on-ea-titles-hosted-on-gamespy" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">EA said on its website</a>. "Unfortunately, due to technical challenges and concerns about the player experience, we do not have a solution at this time. Online services for EA games on the GameSpy platform will be closed down at the end of June.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We know some of these games are still fan favorites, including Battlefield 2, Battlefield 1942, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and Command & Conquer games. We are still investigating community-supported options to preserve online functionality for these titles, such as multiplayer. Significant technical hurdles remain, and at this time we don't have anything to announce."</p><p style=""><a href="https://twitter.com/OriginInsider/statuses/453955565182783488" rel="nofollow">EA's official Origin Twitter account</a> also previously said that it was working on transitioning Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, and Battlefield Bad Company 2 to a different solution, but that there were still hurdles ahead. Bad Company 2 is not on the list of games losing online services.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other companies affected by the May 31 GameSpy shutdown, like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-ps3-going-offline-next-month/1100-6419135/">2K</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-unaffected-by-gamespy-shutdown-some-rockstar-games-not-so-lucky/1100-6419301/">Rockstar</a>, have said which games they're transitioning to a different solution and which will go offline. Some games, like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-1-pc-s-online-multiplayer-will-survive-despite-gamespy-shutdown/1100-6419388/">Halo: Combat Evolved</a> for the PC, Star Wars: Battlefront II, and Battlefield 1942 will live on thanks to <a href="http://www.gameranger.com/" rel="nofollow">GameRanger</a>, which allows gamers to host their own servers for a wide range of computer games, including some being affected by the GameSpy shutdown.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Here's the full list of EA games losing Online Services on June 30:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Battlefield 1942 for PC and Mac (including The Road to Rome and Secret Weapons of WW2 expansions)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Battlefield 2 for PC (including Special Forces expansion)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Battlefield 2: Modern Combat for PlayStation 2</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Battlefield 2142 for PC and Mac (including Northern Strike expansion)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Battlefield Vietnam for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Bejeweled (r) 2 for the Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Bulletstorm for PlayStation 3</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars for PC and Mac (including Kane's Wrath expansion)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Command & Conquer: Generals for PC and Mac (including Zero Hour expansion)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 for PC and Mac</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Crysis 2 for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Crysis for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Crysis Wars for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Dracula - Undead Awakening for the Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Dragon Sakura for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">EA Sports 06 for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">F1 2002 for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">FIFA Soccer 08 (KOR) for the Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">FIFA Soccer 08 for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">FIFA Soccer 09 for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">FIFA Soccer 10 for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">FIFA Street 3 for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers for PlayStation 2</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Global Operations for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">GREEN DAY: ROCK BAND for the Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">James Bond: Nightfire for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Madden NFL 08 for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Madden NFL 09 for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Master of Orion III for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for PC and Mac (including Breakthrough and Spearhead expansions)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">MySims Party for Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">MySims Racing for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">MySims SkyHeroes for the Wii and DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">NASCAR Sim Racing for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">NASCAR Thunder 2003 for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">NASCAR Thunder 2004 for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 for PC</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Need for Speed: ProStreet for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Need for Speed: Undercover for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC and Mac</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Neverwinter Nights for PC, Mac and Linux (including Hordes of the Underdark and Shadows of Undrentide expansions)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">SimCity Creator for Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Skate It for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Sneezies for the Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Spore Creatures for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Spore Hero Arena for Nintendo DS</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Star Wars: Battlefront for PC and PlayStation 2</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">Star Wars: Battlefront II for PC and PlayStation 2</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="">THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND for the Wii</p></li><li dir="ltr">Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 for Nintendo DS</li></ul><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-taking-a-huge-amount-of-multiplayer-games-offline-next-month/1100-6419562/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-original-shows-either-only-on-xbox-or-best-on-xbox/1100-6419561/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6408665" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6408665/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Xbox Entertainment Studios president Nancy Tellem said that Microsoft is hoping Xbox Originals, its slate of original TV programming for the console, can reach viewers on other platforms, but that the shows will always be either "only on Xbox or best on Xbox."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're talking to studios and production companies about windowing," Tellem told <a href="http://www.alistdaily.com/news/nancy-tellem-talks-xbox-originals" rel="nofollow">[a]list daily</a>, meaning releasing a product at different times on different platforms or markets. "To limit access to great content and great creators is a disservice. We hope we can go off our platform to introduce Xbox Originals to people not aware of Xbox."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tellem's comments support recent reports that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-trying-to-bring-halo-tv-series-to-showtime/1100-6419409/">Microsoft was in negotiations to bring the Halo live-action TV show to premium cable channel Showtime</a>. The plan, supposedly, was to have each episode air on Showtime first, then on Xbox, but with added interactive elements.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to time-shifted comments and other social interactions that Microsoft has mentioned before, Tellem gave an example for the kind of interactive viewing that Xbox makes possible.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Imagine watching a horror show where the Kinect sees you cover your eyes so the volume goes up or they say, 'Put your hands down.'" she said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last week, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-reveals-programs-for-xbox-original-tv-programming/1100-6419255/">Microsoft revealed the new lineup of Xbox Originals content</a>.</p><p style=""><em>Disclosure: Showtime Networks is a division of CBS, which is GameSpot's parent company.</em></p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 14:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-original-shows-either-only-on-xbox-or-best-on-xbox/1100-6419561/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-battlefield-4-dragon-s-teeth-dlc-details-leaked/1100-6419560/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcNziT0mfn8" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FFcNziT0mfn8%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFcNziT0mfn8&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FFcNziT0mfn8%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">A number of images and a video that have surfaced online reveal new weapons and other additions coming to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-4/">Battlefield 4</a> in its Dragon's Teeth DLC.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Users on the <a href="http://forum.symthic.com/battlefield-4-general-discussion/7695-dragon-s-teeth-weapons-and-gadgets/" rel="nofollow">Symthic forums</a> and <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/battlefield_4/comments/255p0v/the_ballistic_shield/" rel="nofollow">Reddit</a> combed through files that were recently added to the PC version of the game and found models for the following weapons:</p><ul><li dir="ltr">Desert Eagle (handgun)</li><li dir="ltr">Unica 6 Magnum (handgun)</li><li dir="ltr">SIG MPX (submachine gun)</li><li dir="ltr">SRSS Bulldog 762 (assault rifle)</li><li dir="ltr">McMillan CS5 (sniper rifle)</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="">The video above by YouTube user <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/DANNYonPCin720p" rel="nofollow">DANNYonPC</a> also shows off a ballistic shield DICE already confirmed would be added in the Dragon's Teeth DLC, and a remote control robot equipped with a machine gun and grenade launcher.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other details leaked online suggest that Dragon's Teeth will raise the rank cap from 120 to 130, and that its new maps will be called Marketplace, Propaganda, Urban Garden, and Waterfront.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">DICE recently announced that it plans to launch a new "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-dev-turns-to-fans-for-help-testing-new-improvements/1100-6419516/">Community Test Environment</a>" that will enable it to test new improvements and changes with the help of PC players.</p><p style="">The Dragon's teeth DLC is set to launch this summer. For more on Battlefield 4, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-4/">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 11:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-battlefield-4-dragon-s-teeth-dlc-details-leaked/1100-6419560/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fly-like-a-bird-with-this-epic-oculus-rift-contraption/1100-6419559/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://vimeo.com/91069214" data-width="1280" data-height="720"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.vimeo.com%2Fvideo%2F91069214&wmode=opaque&src_secure=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F91069214&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F470978314_1280.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=vimeo" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">A team at the Institute for Design Research at the Zurich University of the Arts have created a project called Birdly, a contraption that uses the Oculus Rift to simulate the experience of flying like a bird.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the video, it's a pretty involved piece of machinery. You control the simulator by flapping your hands and arms, which correlate to the wings of a bird. The Oculus Rift renders the environment of forests and rolling hills, and a fan in the front doesn't only simulate the appropriate headwind depending on the bird's speed, but also dispenses smells that correspond to the environment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Birdly was created in collaboration with the Swiss Association for the Protection of Birds (<a href="http://www.birdlife.ch/neeracherried" rel="nofollow">BirdLife-Naturzentrum Neeracherried</a>). The team behind it told <a href="http://www.theriftarcade.com/birdly-simulates-flight-with-oculus-rift-and-body-suit/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">The Rift Arcade</a> that it's organizing two exhibitions for the project in San Francisco and Vancouver later this summer, but that neither is final.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 11:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fly-like-a-bird-with-this-epic-oculus-rift-contraption/1100-6419559/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sunset-overdrive-exclusive-to-xbox-one-because-microsoft-allowed-insomniac-to-own-the-rights-to-its-creation/1100-6419558/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418709" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418709/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a> became an Xbox One exclusive because Microsoft allowed Insomniac to retain the rights to the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Prior to Sunset Overdrive and <a href="/fuse-2013/" data-ref-id="false">Fuse</a>, which was a multi-platform game, Insomniac worked exclusively with Sony, where it created hugely popular franchises like <a href="/spyro-the-dragon/" data-ref-id="false">Spyro the Dragon</a>, <a href="/ratchet-and-clank/" data-ref-id="false">Ratchet & Clank</a>, and <a href="/resistance-3/" data-ref-id="false">Resistance</a>. Though Insomniac was instrumental to their success, it does not own the rights to them.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When Microsoft told Insomniac it could retain the rights to Sunset Overdrive, the companies were on their way to signing a deal.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We pitched it a few different places, and it was really important to [Insomniac CEO] Ted [Price] that we own the IP, so some of the conversations broke down over that," Sunset Overdrive co-creator Marcus Smith told <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/09/how-sunset-overdrive-became-an-xbox-one-exclusive" rel="nofollow">IGN</a> in an interview. "With Microsoft, they just came in very energetic and excited to work with Insomniac, period."</p><p style="">Last week Insomniac finally released the first gameplay trailer and details for Sunset Overdrive. For more on the game, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-xbox-one-exclusive-sunset-overdrive-energy-drinks-are-evil/1100-6419496/">GameSpot's recently published preview</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/sunset-overdrive/">previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 10:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sunset-overdrive-exclusive-to-xbox-one-because-microsoft-allowed-insomniac-to-own-the-rights-to-its-creation/1100-6419558/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/super-time-force-battleblock-theater-on-pc-minecra/2300-6418750/ This week we get to save dinosaurs with Super Time Force! BattleBlock Theatre comes to PC and Linux, and we get retail copies of Minecraft for PS3 and Borderlands 2 for PS Vita Sun, 11 May 2014 10:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/super-time-force-battleblock-theater-on-pc-minecra/2300-6418750/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/could-nintendo-s-nfc-figurines-and-pokemon-save-the-wii-u/1100-6419544/ <p style="">Amidst <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">Nintendo's troubled quarterly financial report</a>, the company revealed that they have something new in the works: t<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-nintendo-to-integrate-skylanders-like-figurines-with-wii-u-and-3ds/1100-6419497/" data-ref-id="1100-6419497">he Nintendo Figurine Platform (NFP)</a>. Taking advantage of NFC technology built-into the Wii U, the system will encompass multiple titles and will also work on 3DS.</p><p style="">We'll be seeing exactly what Nintendo has in store for the tech at next month's E3, but is this enough to save the beleaguered Wii U? GameSpot's editors sound-off.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527320-1237816720-34l.j.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527320" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527320-1237816720-34l.j.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527320"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2527320-1237816720-34l.j.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3>Eddie Makuch - Not first, but that doesn't mean last</h3><p style="">Nintendo's recently announced plans to release physical toys that tie into its games could be a lucrative move for the beleaguered game giant. Though we're still in the dark about how specifically it will work, the success of <a href="/skylanders-swap-force/" data-ref-id="false">Skylanders</a> (<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-of-warcraft-subscriptions-on-the-rise-ended-2013-at-7-8-million/1100-6417575/" data-ref-id="1100-6417575">$2 billion in total revenue so far</a>) and <a href="/disney-infinity/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity</a> (<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-infinity-2-0-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-update/1100-6419323/" data-ref-id="1100-6419323">$500 million in total revenue so far</a>) shows us that the "toys to life" market--which didn't even exist five years ago--is a major area of opportunity.</p><p style="">Though Nintendo won't have a first-mover advantage in the market, the company's portfolio of beloved franchises like Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong is one of the strongest in the game business. You can argue that Disney's lineup is stronger overall, but Pokemon is proving to a definite force to be reckoned with. Collectible toys tied to a game would only fuel the Pokemon craze further.</p><p style="">Nintendo promises to tell us more at E3, but an entrance in the toys-to-life market was only one component of Nintendo's NFC news this week. President Satoru Iwata reiterated his plans to allow Wii U owners to pay for digital items using e-money transfers through the GamePad's NFC technology. When this rolls out this summer (first in Japan), the Wii U will become the first game console ever to support such payment functionality. When buying digital items becomes as easy as waving a card over the GamePad, I'd be surprised if publishers don't line up to create new ways to do business on the platform.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527319-4043041121-25256.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527319" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527319-4043041121-25256.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527319"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1534/15343359/2527319-4043041121-25256.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3>Randolph Ramsay - It's super effective!</h3><p style="">This is it, my friends. This is it. Done right, moving into Skylanders/Disney Infinity territory with the whole "toys to life" strategy could be the very thing that pulls the Wii U out of the sales holes it finds itself in. With the right games and the right implementation, these little toys could very well save Nintendo.</p><p style="">The success of the Skylanders and Disney Infinity franchises have proven there's a strong appetite for games with a toy tie-in, and Nintendo is the only games company out there with the character depth to even attempt entering this tightening field. Of course, they're at a disadvantage against the established Skylanders franchise and the growing might of Disney Infinity, but the roster of mascots Nintendo has its disposal, along with the strong nostalgia many gamers carry for these same characters, makes Nintendo a serious competitor in this genre.</p><p style="">Imagine a toy tie-in with the next Pokemon title, for example, or toys that help activate special bonuses in a game like Smash Bros. Nintendo may be in trouble financially, but what they're not in short supply of is goodwill.Very few game characters have the widespread recognition and appeal of Mario or Pikachu. Look at it this way--when parents looking to buy a toys-to-life game see a figurine of Spyro, Captain America, or Mario side-by-side in a store, which one will they gravitate to?</p><p style="">It will, of course, take time to build up to anything like the success of Skylanders. After all, that franchise has incumbency, and the fact that every new game introduced in the series is compatible with old toys means its less attractive for existing customers to try new, competing products. But little by little (coupled with the right games and strategy), Nintendo should be able to make headway into this billion dollar section of the games industry. And Nintendo could sure use that billion dollars.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527318-7480592951-20424.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527318" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527318-7480592951-20424.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527318"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2527318-7480592951-20424.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3>Peter Brown - Great for 3DS, but not enough for Wii U</h3><p style="">Nintendo is late to the figurine-party, and its Nintendo Figurine Platform will not "save" the Wii U. Skylanders and Disney Infinity are selling so well, in part, because they are attached to consoles that consumers already own. If you had to buy a multi hundred dollar console to play Skylanders, there's no chance it would be selling as well as it currently is. Wisely, Nintendo understands this, and sees that the Wii U isn't the most viable platform for the NFP given its minuscule user base:</p><blockquote><p style=""><i>"</i><i>I understand that some of you may be worried that the market for NFP, a platform that will work with a number of software titles, will not grow large enough when it is compatible only with Wii U. </i><i>If we can make a good use of Nintendo 3DS, which has already sold over 43 million units, however, this assumption will greatly change."</i></p></blockquote><p style="">Indeed, the smart move is to focus on the 3DS. There are 43 million 3DS owners and roughly 6 million Wii U owners, and I don't believe for a second that the number of customers needed to save the Wii U will buy one just to use Mario and Link figurines, even if the associated games are given away for free. I'm willing to bet Nintendo sees that, too. Nintendo has to make a profit, and the only way to do that is to target the platform that is a proven success, not hope and pray that their IPs are so strong that consumers will shrug off the cost of a new console. Consumers aren't going to buy a Wii U for NFP if they already own a 3DS, and Nintendo isn't going to walk away from a smart business decision that's right under their noses in order to protect its pride. At this point, it can't afford to.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527324-6288618984-Pokem.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527324" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2527324-6288618984-Pokem.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527324"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1534/15343359/2527324-6288618984-Pokem.jpg"></a></figure><h3>Justin Haywald - The Waiting Game</h3><p style="">It feels a little late to get into the crowded figurine market, but if any company can do something new and interesting with the tech, it's Nintendo. Looking at their track record, they're a company that's always been about refinement: Super Mario 64 didn't invent the 3D platformer, but that's the game that showed how to do it right. The Wii wasn't the first motion controller, but it's the one that almost everyone had in their homes. And now Nintendo is bringing that innovation into the Skylanders/Disney Infinity space.</p><p style="">Nintendo may be slower to react sometimes, but they know how to make even old ideas feel new and fun.</p><p style="">That doesn't mean this will turn around the ailing fortunes of the Wii U, but it could be a good stop-gap that helps tide the company over while we wait for the "next big thing." And tying NFP directly into the next Pokemon game would be huge for the franchise as a whole. The primary game will undoubtedly be on 3DS, but you can't underestimate the appeal of an expanded Pokemon experience on Wii U. It might not be a game changer immediately, but it would be enough for now.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><em>You've read what we think about Nintendo's NFP, but what about you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!</em></p> Sun, 11 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/could-nintendo-s-nfc-figurines-and-pokemon-save-the-wii-u/1100-6419544/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/capcom-recognizes-importance-of-diversity-promotes-female-employees-to-executive-positions/1100-6419557/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527338-3807139155-23691.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527338" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527338-3807139155-23691.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527338"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2527338-3807139155-23691.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Capcom is promoting its female workers to executive positions as part of an effort to encourage diversity in the workplace, the company announced in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-rising-3-and-monster-hunter-4-lead-capcom-to-profit/1100-6419505/">its recent earnings report</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Capcom is fully recognizing the importance of diversity of human resources in recent years while actively utilizing female workers and making evaluations according to performance and not based on gender, age and such," the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of these efforts, Capcom said it's promoting executive positions of female employees, and so far already has two female corporate officers and 20 female employees in management positions such as general managers and senior managers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Capcom's earnings report also revealed that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dead-rising-3/">Dead Rising 3</a> has sold 1.2 million copies, but that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/monster-hunter-4/">Monster Hunter 4</a> was its big earner, selling 4.1 copies on 3DS since it was released in Japan last September.</p><p style="">For more on Capcom's sales numbers, check out our previous <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-rising-3-and-monster-hunter-4-lead-capcom-to-profit/1100-6419505/">coverage of its earnings report</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 07:58:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/capcom-recognizes-importance-of-diversity-promotes-female-employees-to-executive-positions/1100-6419557/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/100-homeworld-remastered-collector-s-edition-now-available-to-preorder-from-amazon/1100-6419556/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527331-6804743081-41wiX.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527331" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527331-6804743081-41wiX.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527331"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2527331-6804743081-41wiX.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">The Homeworld remastered Collector's edition is now available to preorder from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K6ZUOQE?tag=viglink129408-20" rel="nofollow">Amazon</a> for $100.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Buying the special edition will get you a voucher to download the game, which includes remastered editions of the real-time strategy classics, a 13-inch tall replica of the Pride of Hiigara Mothership, a revised Historical Briefings and Artwork book, and a die-cast Angel Moon Homeworld keychain.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The details listed on Amazon are slightly different than previous mock-ups we've seen so far. Gearbox Software, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gearbox-working-on-hd-remake-of-homeworld-series/1100-6411798/">announced its plans to relaunch the games after acquiring the rights last year</a>, first asked fans to choose between a six and 12-inch hand decorated Mothership replica. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/homeworld-hd-collector-s-edition-includes-foot-tall-mothership-will-be-extremely-limited/1100-6418964/">At PAX East</a>, Gearbox revealed that the collector's edition will be extremely limited, with only a few thousand units produced, and that it would include the 12-inch model.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The product on Amazon comes with a 13-inch model and a new Guidestone Replica base that you can see in the image above, though it's not final. The Amazon listing also tells us that the Historical Briefings book, which was fantastic in the original release, will include new details from the game's creators and a new collection of original concept art by Rob Cunningham and Aaron Kambeitz.</p><p style="">The Homeworld Remastered Collection will include the original Homeworld and Homeworld 2, updated with modern high-res textures and models, new graphical effects, and support for HD, UHD, and 4K resolutions.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 11 May 2014 07:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/100-homeworld-remastered-collector-s-edition-now-available-to-preorder-from-amazon/1100-6419556/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dark-souls-2-review-a-newcomer-in-drangleic/1900-6415748/ <p style="">From Software's Souls games have been near the top of my games-I-should-play list for quite a while. I can't recall ever talking with someone who's spent time with <a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/demons-souls/">Demon's Souls</a>, <a href="/dark-souls/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/dark-souls/">Dark Souls</a>, or <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/dark-souls-ii/">Dark Souls II </a>without hearing them gush over the series, and though the games have a reputation for brutal, unforgiving difficulty, I jumped at the chance to finally experience what makes this series so special. I'd heard a lot about the games over the years and seen <a href="http://cdn.memearcade.com/2013/10/30/01702cc44dd14cafeb6536dcc9e77d0a.gif" rel="nofollow" data-mce-href="http://cdn.memearcade.com/2013/10/30/01702cc44dd14cafeb6536dcc9e77d0a.gif">countless gifs</a> <a href="http://cfile22.uf.tistory.com/original/2403825051F0F29D310692" rel="nofollow" data-mce-href="http://cfile22.uf.tistory.com/original/2403825051F0F29D310692">friends have shared</a> with me of the game in action, so I felt prepared for the endless deaths and bleak setting. For their third entry, I figured developer From Software should have a streamlined system for getting players into their game (and dying) as efficiently as possible.</p><p style="">After spending over 20 hours with it, clearing out No Man's Wharf, and getting my character to level 65, it's clear that Dark Souls II has the seeds of what could be a fantastic game. But an adherence to only pleasing its most hardcore fans at the expense of approachability makes for an unapologetically obtuse experience. It's a game that too often sacrifices fun, replaces it with tedium, and tries to defend that choice by calling it a challenge.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526718-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526718" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526718-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526718"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2526718-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Oh my God--how many of them are there?</figcaption></figure><p style="">A steep learning curve is one of the first obstacles that discourages newcomers. I dutifully went through the in-game tutorials, but I avoided using any guides or outside help at first. I wanted an unadulterated experience, the kind I'd have if I were actually reviewing the game or playing it when it first came out.</p><p style="">That ended up being a horrible mistake.</p><p style="">My progress early on as a sword- and shield-wielding knight was slow but steady. As expected, I died a lot as I got used to the combat and the idea that this is not a game made for taking on groups of enemies, at least not for a beginner. Where other action games have trained you to tear through the hordes of sword-fodder minions with reckless abandon, Dark Souls II demands a steady, patient rhythm. And it punishes you frequently with spectacular failure when you try to overextend your abilities. But that's also Dark Souls II's greatest strength: no matter how far you progress, those initial creatures still take skill and patience to dispatch. I never got to a point where I could roam thoughtlessly past any foe or just button-mash my way through combat. Whether it's against a boss or a dagger-wielding grunt, every battle is a thoughtful, life-and-death fight.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526720-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526720" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526720-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526720"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2526720-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>This isn't the time to rick the boat. </figcaption></figure><p style="">But eventually my progress stopped altogether. I was permanently at half health (a negative punishment for dying too often) and never found a place to get rid of the few thousand souls I'd racked up between deaths. I tried burning human effigies at bonfires to restore my humanity and get my health back, but it didn't seem to have any effect. And I really wanted to know when I'd learn to use the magic I'd bought from a merchant a while back.</p><p style="">It turned out that I'd completely missed talking to a character early on who increases your level and abilities in exchange for the game's currency, souls. Standing by a cliff at the edge of town, she was obvious once someone pointed out where to find her, but Dark Souls II didn't choose to highlight her in a notable way for our first meeting. After that, she always showed up right next to one of the first bonfires, but that's where I needed her to be in the first place.</p><p style="">And as for reversing the negative death effects, Dark Souls II seemed to be trying to purposefully mislead me. When the game writes that you should "use" an effigy to become human again, it means to use it as an item, despite making it something called an effigy and displaying it prominently as a thing you burn when you're sitting at a bonfire.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="medium"><p style="">It's a game that too often sacrifices fun, replaces it with tedium, and tries to defend that choice by calling it a challenge.</p></blockquote><p style="">Poring over information in guides and wikis and getting a much needed boost to my health and stamina from leveling up immediately made the game better. But that just makes it feel more nonsensical that so much information is left unexplained or unclear by the game itself. Items have colorful descriptions full of intriguing lore, and the game's stats page has an in-depth explanation of every minor facet of your character's abilities. But that sits in stark contrast to how the game explains how to summon other players and non-player characters to help out in your game, and you're left completely on your own in figuring out how to gain even a rudimentary spellcasting ability.</p><p style="">The game's simple stamina system makes sense, but it almost forces you to die to figure it out. Attacking, running, and pretty much every other action use some portion of stamina, but I expected that I'd be safe and able to recover while hiding behind my shield. Not only does defending make stamina refill more slowly, you also lose stamina when deflecting incoming blows. That's not a problem in itself, but it would've been more satisfying to have those facts clearly laid out instead of trying to figure out why I was still getting slaughtered by enemies despite having a sturdy shield to defend myself.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526721-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526721" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526721-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526721"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2526721-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>I, for one, do not welcome our skeletal overlords. </figcaption></figure><p style="">I never grew to love it, but I at least grew to respect the game's combat. However, contrary to what I'd have expected, leveling up in Dark Souls II only made me less inclined to continue. While I appreciate the care that goes into defining every minor stat you can change on your character, that amount of tedious detail also meant that, even after more than 20 hours in the game, I still needed to constantly review the in-game help menus to understand what most of the symbols meant. And even after reading them, I still don't quite understand the benefit of trying to get points in poise versus having higher agility. But more damning is that the further you get in the game, the more trivial and meaningless each incremental increase feels; gaining levels in Dark Souls II just doesn't carry the same satisfying weight that I get from other RPGs.</p><p style="">Part of that dissatisfaction comes from the feeling that I was only leveling up to be able to equip better equipment, which would be OK if the equipment itself felt like an upgrade. At one point early on, after finding some particularly powerful weapons and armor (thanks to the walkthroughs), I patiently dumped upgrades into strength and dexterity in order to use them. Except for health, each level lets you upgrade stats by only a couple of points at most, and leveling up lacks the immediate stat boost that you tend to get in other RPGs, so it's a process that requires patience with little gain in the short term. I didn't feel more powerful as I approached my goal ratings, but I knew that it would pay off with a more dramatic boost as soon as I equipped that shiny new sword and thicker armor.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526722-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526722" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526722-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526722"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2526722-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Time for a rest.</figcaption></figure><p style="">However, on donning all these new great accoutrements, I became a slow-moving rock who suddenly couldn't roll out of the way of attacks anymore. And I didn't notice any significant difference in how much damage I could take or deal out. Dozens of levels and significant equipment upgrades later, and the enemies who formerly took three blows to kill still took three blows to kill. And there is yet another stat that demands tribute in order for you to actually move around with the weapons and gear you collect. The Elder Scrolls games have a similar system that requires you to upgrade the amount of weight you can carry to be effective with heavier armor, but there it's binary: when you're holding too much, you either have to dump equipment and items, or you cannot move. In Dark Souls II, I couldn't even equip what seemed like mid-tier weapons and armor without taking a significant mobility hit. My compromise, since the armor didn't seem to have much effect at protecting me anyway, was to run around naked and carry a bigger sword until I earned enough points to level up. It didn't do much more damage than my other weapons, but even those few extra points in damage could mean the difference between life and death against a boss.</p><p style="">Still, it's frustrating to put so much game time into a goal (being able to equip better equipment) and not earn a noticeable boost. If I spend time leveling up to wear armor that both inhibits my ability to play and doesn't make a huge stat difference anyway, what's the point? When I dump points into strength, it doesn't seem illogical to want to be stronger, but it's disappointing when, 20 or 30 strength points later, you're still roughly in the same place.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">Dozens of levels and significant equipment upgrades later, and the enemies who formerly took three blows to kill still took three blows to kill.</p></blockquote><p style="">Since stat boosts are so incremental, it took me hours to make even minor character level progress. The initial areas go by quickly, and for a while, I didn't even consciously realize I was grinding; I finally got to the point where I could survive most encounters and generally improvise past new situations. But losing souls, especially when you drop them in an inescapable boss room, feels like a needlessly risky waste of resources. So I'd run through a level to right before the boss, leaving me with two unsatisfying choices: either walk back out of the stage, return to the game's hub world to level up, then work my way all the way back to the boss, or go into the boss room and get frustrated by losing all of my hard-earned souls as try to learn the bosses patterns and weakness. Invariably, I'd err on the side of caution, playing through a level over and over until the enemies stopped respawning or I didn't earn enough souls to feel like I'd be losing progress.</p><p style="">Eventually, the surprise and fun of discovering new nightmare creatures or finding some sun-drenched vista in the midst of ruin was replaced by fatigue. I'd run through a stage and perform the same actions on enemies waiting in the same places over and over again, either learning by dying over and over or leveling up to equip slightly better equipment. Dark Souls II, in that sense, feels like an old-school platforming game where you memorize the timing and button presses exactly to make it through to the boss at the end--an unfriendly cycle that demands nothing short of perfection if you want the reward of moving on to something potentially fun and new.</p><p style="">Despite the repetition, wanting to explore new areas for the first time drove me forward--an attempt to capture the tension and excitement of revealing the unknown. Trepidation that I would get placed up against some overpowered obstacle was eventually replaced with the confidence that I could overcome any situation through patience, caution, and sheer force of will. Enemies might not fall fast, but when I could corner them one-on-one, they all eventually fall.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526726-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526726" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526726-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526726"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2526726-0005.jpg"></a><figcaption>These walls could really use a coat of paint.</figcaption></figure><p style="">But exploration only takes you so far, I also want to know <i>why</i> I'm exploring this world, and there the game falls short. Dark Souls II uses excellent voice actors and creates wonderfully frightful enemies, but that feels wasted when the story lacks direction. What was I doing in this place and where was I going? All I was able to surmise about the story was: I'm dead--or kind of dead, since I can still die and bring myself back to human form--and I'm trying to cure that by slaughtering everything that doesn't talk to me. Also, I should find the king. As someone who actively seeks out the lore and and backstory in games, Dark Souls II offers almost nothing in game to explain what's going on.</p><p style="">Even combat, with its satisfying skill requirement, has curious hiccups, particularly with targeting. If an enemy is hiding, even if that hiding spot is in plain sight right around a corner, they're untargetable until you pass an invisible point where you're allowed to lock on. It's an annoyance when you want to carefully dispatch some creature without alerting and aggroing other nearby enemies. Or, since attacking also forces your character to step toward your target, not being able to lock on consistently can cause you to inadvertently plunge to your death in more treacherous areas. In one part of the game, you can clearly see some enemies hanging off the edge of a pier waiting to ambush you, and you can walk right up next to them without getting a reaction. But if you want to use a magic attack that doesn't allow for manual targeting to knock them off, you're out of luck; they're untargetable until you walk to some hidden trigger on the pier and the game arbitrarily decides the monsters are ready to get up and start attacking.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526727-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526727" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2526727-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2526727"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2526727-0006.jpg"></a><figcaption>Scales too dry? They make a cream for that.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Maybe some of my complaints would have been nullified if I'd started the game with a different class or had distributed my stats differently. It took me 20 hours to be able to branch out and use my first offensive spell, and almost as long to feel like any of my ranged attacks were remotely effective. Regardless, if I'd started over, I'd probably pick the same character class, but even being able to experiment with different abilities earlier on before committing so completely to a specific build would've made the process of leveling up more enjoyable. Is using ranged magic or a bow and arrow better? Rather than giving you quick and early access to lower level abilities, or making leveling up faster, you only have a long and tedious process of trial and error to figure out what works well and what's fun.</p><p style="">I haven't completely given up on Dark Souls II, but as someone who only tends to have time to play games a couple of hours a night, I expect it will be many, many months before I'm even close to finishing the game. And my curiosity is piqued for the earlier games in the series--will I feel more positive about them since I'll already have some level of understanding and skill going in? Dark Souls II seems like a brilliant idea, but the plodding pace of the esoteric narrative and the disappointing leveling system make it feel more like a chore to be overcome than a grand adventure to experience.</p><p style=""><br /></p> Sun, 11 May 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dark-souls-2-review-a-newcomer-in-drangleic/1900-6415748/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-sneak-peek-at-pokemon-omega-ruby-and-pokemon-alpha-sapphire/1100-6419555/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00DyEDmQ83s" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F00DyEDmQ83s%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D00DyEDmQ83s&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F00DyEDmQ83s%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00DyEDmQ83s" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">The Pokemon YouTube channel</a> just released a short teaser showing off the very first gameplay footage from Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The remakes of the Game Boy Advance originals will release worldwide in November 2014, only on 3DS.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Pokémon Company describes the games as a "fresh take" on the originals, which debuted more than a decade ago in 2003. "The new titles promise to take players through a dramatic story within a spectacular new world," the company said.</p><p style="">More information about Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire will be shared in the lead-up to their arrival this November. The most recent entry in the main series was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-x-y-review/1900-6415303/">Pokémon X/Y</a>, which has now sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/">12.26 million units to date</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 10 May 2014 16:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-sneak-peek-at-pokemon-omega-ruby-and-pokemon-alpha-sapphire/1100-6419555/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/street-fighter-assassin-s-fist-debuts-may-23/1100-6419554/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99XiMYKsHl8" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F99XiMYKsHl8%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D99XiMYKsHl8&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F99XiMYKsHl8%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist, a live-action series based on Capcom's fighting game, will debut on May 23, <a href="http://www.capcom-unity.com/combofiend/blog/2014/05/09/street-fighter-assassins-fist-launches-may-23rd" rel="nofollow">Capcom has announced</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist depicts the formative years of iconic characters Ryu and Ken as they train in the ancient fighting style known as "Ansatsuken" (Assassin's Fist). The series follows them as they learn about the mysterious past of their master, Gōken, and the tragic legacy of the Ansatsuken style.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The show's creator, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1438275/#director" rel="nofollow">Joey Ansah</a>, will also play the role of Akuma. You might also remember him as one of the agents in <em>The Bourne Ultimatum</em>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The episodes will air on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/machinima" rel="nofollow">Machinima's YouTube channel</a>, and Content Media will later distribute it on TV, on-demand, and DVD and Blu-ray.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Machinima also distributed the live-action series based on the Mortal Kombat fighting games, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-legacy-hits-november-8/1100-6328269/">Mortal Kombat: Legacy</a>.</p><p style="">You can head over to <a href="http://www.streetfighteraf.com/" rel="nofollow">the series' official website</a> to watch the previously released trailers that introduced Ryu and Ken and Street Fighter: Legacy, the short film which preceded Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 10 May 2014 15:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/street-fighter-assassin-s-fist-debuts-may-23/1100-6419554/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-dlc-updates-land-on-xbox-360-only-after-xbox-one-pc/1100-6419553/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527148-9840385239-25248.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527148" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527148-9840385239-25248.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527148"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2527148-9840385239-25248.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Xbox 360 owners had to wait a little longer for <a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall</a>'s release, and they're going to have to wait longer for the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-s-first-dlc-is-called-expedition-2v2-last-titan-standing-mode-on-the-way/1100-6418954/">Expedition DLC</a> pack and free updates as well.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.titanfall.com/news/xbox-360-updates?sf26001826=1" rel="nofollow">A post to Titanfall's official website</a> said that Bluepoint, the developer that created the Xbox 360 version of the game, will also work on all future updates. It also explained why updates for the Xbox 360 version will follow behind similar updates for the PC and Xbox One version.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This timing difference is due to the same reasons that more time was needed to finish Titanfall for the Xbox 360," publisher Electronic Arts explains. "Respawn must first finish their additions and improvements for the Xbox One and PC, and afterwards Bluepoint can then grab the latest and update the Xbox 360 version."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At the moment, Bluepoint is working on bringing over the changes already made in the Xbox One and PC Content Update 2. Bluepoint will split the update into two parts, first tweaking the Gooser challenge (which was way too hard to complete in it's original form), then the rest.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In recent weeks, Respawn has been sharing details about the three maps it's adding to the game in the first DLC pack, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-s-first-dlc-map-shown-off-in-new-images/1100-6419190/">War Games</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-images-and-details-for-upcoming-dlc-map-runoff/1100-6419395/">Runoff</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-dlc-map-swampland-screenshots-and-details-released/1100-6419517/">Swampland</a>. The DLC will be priced at $10, but gamers planning on picking up all three planned DLC packs can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-season-pass-is-25-contains-3-packs/1100-6418133/">opt for a $25 season pass</a>. The Expedition DLC is set to launch later this month.</p><p style="">Electronic Arts also recently announced a new deal that will see it publish <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/more-titanfall-experiences-on-the-way-courtesy-of-ea/1100-6419467/">new "Titanfall experiences"</a> in the future.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com<br /></a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 10 May 2014 14:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-dlc-updates-land-on-xbox-360-only-after-xbox-one-pc/1100-6419553/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-4-gets-adults-only-rating-in-russia-because-it-depicts-same-sex-relationships/1100-6419552/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527136-4338269967-20514.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527136" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2527136-4338269967-20514.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527136"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2527136-4338269967-20514.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Russia has given <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-sims-4/">The Sims 4</a> an 18+ rating because it allows for same-sex relationships.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="https://twitter.com/thesimsrussia/status/463203214804803584" rel="nofollow">The Sims' Russian Twitter account</a> first announced the rating earlier this week. When a fan asked why The Sims 4 was given an 18+ rating while 2009's The Sims 3 did not, The Sims' Russian Twitter account explained that it was complying with Russian law number 436-FZ, "On Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In 2013, this law was amended to also make "propaganda" in support of "non-traditional sexual relationships" among minors a criminal offense. Since The Sims 4 can depict same-sex relationships, selling it to minors would be considered a crime in Russia.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You may be familiar with the law and Russia's anti-gay policies if you paid attention to the Sochi Winter Olympics, where the controversial issue came to the forefront.</p><p style="">The Sims 4 is set to release on PC and Mac this fall. For more on the game check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-sims-4/">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com<br /></a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 10 May 2014 14:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-4-gets-adults-only-rating-in-russia-because-it-depicts-same-sex-relationships/1100-6419552/

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