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Gamespot's Site MashupSpace sim Elite: Dangerous enters last Alpha phase, multiplayer Beta starts May 30Persona 4 Arena Ultimax coming to North America this fall for $60Hackers attack online fundraiser supplying games to U.S. troops abroadPS4, Xbox One are energy hogs, add up to "several power plants of electricity," new report findsPS Vita Borderlands 2 adding cross-save feature next weekDust to Dust: The History of Counter-StrikeStar Citizen launches Arena Commander mode this monthMore games released on Steam in 2014 already than during all of 2013Get Titanfall PC for 40% discount in Origin Flash SaleGaming Highlights From 1994Blade Symphony ReviewXbox One getting Master Chief Halo collection, games 1-4 -- reportGS News Top 5 - $399 Xbox One; Watch Dogs and Far Cry 4 Details!Play open-world shooter Arma 3 for free on Steam this weekendBlack Gold Online Beta Giveaway

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sat, 17 May 2014 22:34:38 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/space-sim-elite-dangerous-enters-last-alpha-phase-multiplayer-beta-starts-may-30/1100-6419713/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534268-8669970012-24320.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534268" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534268-8669970012-24320.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534268"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534268-8669970012-24320.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/elite-dangerous/">Elite: Dangerous</a> has launched its fourth and final Alpha phase and is preparing to enter Beta on May 30, developer <a href="http://elite.frontier.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Frontier Developments has announced</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Alpha 4 significantly expands the single player portion of the game. It's set within a "200 cubic light-year volume" containing five star systems in contested space centred around "the Boötes constellation," with "spectacular sights such as an unusual quaternary star system and ringed gas giants."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Alpha 4 also allows you to choose between five ships, different weaponry, and introduces trading to the game for the first time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If you buy into the Premium Beta for the steep price $150, you'll also get access to the multiplayer, which goes live on May 30, as well as all future updates including the full game when it's released.</p><p style="">The most recent update also adds two new methods of travel: super-cruise for accelerated within-system travel and hyperspace jumps for travel between systems. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/reality-check-space-travel-how-not-to-die/2300-6418823/">The latest episode of Reality Check</a>, which includes an interview with Elite creator David Braben, explains that those are just tiny bit more difficult to pull off in reality than they are in a video game.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418823" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418823/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </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, 17 May 2014 15:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/space-sim-elite-dangerous-enters-last-alpha-phase-multiplayer-beta-starts-may-30/1100-6419713/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/persona-4-arena-ultimax-coming-to-north-america-this-fall-for-60/1100-6419712/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417385" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417385/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/persona-4-the-ultimax-ultra-suplex-hold/">Persona 4 Arena Ultimax</a> will release in North America on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this fall for $60, publisher and developer Atlus has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is the sequel to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/persona-4-arena/">Persona 4 Arena</a>, which is itself a 2D fighting game sequel to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4/">Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4</a> role-playing game. It features a new story mode that continues the plot of the original game, adds new fighting modes, and also includes Persona 4 characters like Junpei lori and Yukari Takeba. New to the series is the "mysterious, scarred, red-headed Sho Minazuki," Atlus <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/persona-5-coming-to-ps3-in-north-america-in-2015/1100-6417962/">teased back in February</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can find which retailers you can preorder Persona 4 Arena Ultimax from on <a href="http://www.atlus.com/p4au/purchase.html" rel="nofollow">the game's official site</a>. Preorders will come with "bonus items," which Atlus hinted we'll learn more about at E3.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Atlus is also currently working on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/persona-5/">Persona 5</a>, which will launch in North America sometime in 2015 for the PlayStation 3.</p><p style="">If you're curious about Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/persona-4-arena-review/1900-6390685/">GameSpot's review of Persona 4 Arena</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, 17 May 2014 14:22:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/persona-4-arena-ultimax-coming-to-north-america-this-fall-for-60/1100-6419712/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hackers-attack-online-fundraiser-supplying-games-to-u-s-troops-abroad/1100-6419711/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534252-7976022442-CRIMS.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534252" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534252-7976022442-CRIMS.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534252"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534252-7976022442-CRIMS.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Operation Supply Drop, an organization that provides games to U.S. troops serving abroad, says that it came under a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack shortly after starting its third annual 8-Bit Salute event this morning.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Yes, 27-minutes after the official 0800 CST start time of the 3rd Annual 8-Bit Salute, some nefarious creatures took our site down with a DDoS attack," the organization said in a statement. "Odds are this will happen again over the next 24 hours."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At the time of writing, <a href="http://operationsupplydrop.org" rel="nofollow">the organization's official site</a> was still down. However, you can still contribute by sending donations to DONATIONS@operationsupplydrop.org through PayPal, or by buying a poster from <a href="http://roosterteeth.com/rtsalute/" rel="nofollow">Rooster Teeth</a>, which will only be available during its <a href="http://roosterteeth.com/rtsalute/" rel="nofollow">8-Bit Salute stream</a>. All proceeds from the poster will go directly to Operation Supply Drop.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can also buy a $20 8-bit shirt from <a href="http://www.store.silencerco.com/" rel="nofollow">SilencerCo</a>, $5 of which will go to Operation Supply Drop.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-of-us/">The Last of Us</a> developer Naughty Dog is also promoting the cause today by playing <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/">Uncharted 3</a>'s multiplayer mode with fans. They've even reset the game's leaderboard in honor of the event and will be giving away Naughty Dog games, DLC, and other items to players who donate the most. You can read more about Naughty Dog's participations in the event on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/05/16/uncharted-3-patch-1-19-operation-supply-drops-8-bit-salute/" rel="nofollow">PlayStation Blog</a>.</p><p style="">"This is a battle," Operation Supply Drop said. "Let's show the world what happens when you mess with Gamers!"</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, 17 May 2014 13:14:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hackers-attack-online-fundraiser-supplying-games-to-u-s-troops-abroad/1100-6419711/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-xbox-one-are-energy-hogs-add-up-to-several-power-plants-of-electricity-new-report-finds/1100-6419710/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534227-energy.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534227" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534227-energy.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534227"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534227-energy.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consume much more energy than the previous generation of consoles, a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council finds.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We don't have a problem with people playing games. But the problem is the amount of energy used when not playing a game," NRDC's director of high-tech energy efficiency and author of the report <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/05/16/video-game-consoles-xbox-one-ps4-energy-use/9121491/?AID=10709313&PID=6149513&SID=nktdkox39abp" rel="nofollow">Pierre Delforge told USA Today</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The report explains that while all consoles have incorporated many energy efficiency features into their designs (like automatic power-down) since the last report in 2008, the increase in energy consumption comes from new features that rely on their standby or sleep modes. For example, the Xbox One uses 15 watts of continuous power in standby so you can turn it on with a voice command. A PC, by comparison, uses less than two watts when it's in sleep mode.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The NRDC projects that if all the previous-generation consoles are replaced with the Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U, they will use roughly 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, or the equivalent to the output of four large power plants.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Of the three, the Wii U is the only console to reduce its energy consumption from the last generation, down 8 percent despite offering more powerful hardware. It uses less than one watt in standby mode.</p><p style="">You can find <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/energy/game-consoles/files/video-game-consoles-IP.pdf" rel="nofollow">the full report on NRDC's website</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, 17 May 2014 11:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-xbox-one-are-energy-hogs-add-up-to-several-power-plants-of-electricity-new-report-finds/1100-6419710/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-vita-borderlands-2-adding-cross-save-feature-next-week/1100-6419709/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534211-6679414254-24367.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534211" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534211-6679414254-24367.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534211"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534211-6679414254-24367.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">President of Gearbox Software Randy Pitchford announced on Twitter that the PlayStation Vita version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/borderlands-2/">Borderlands 2</a> will get its cross-save functionality added via a PlayStation 3 patch this Tuesday, May 20.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">One of the most exciting features in the PS Vita version of Borderlands 2 is cross-save compatibility with the PlayStation 3, which allows you to continue playing the same save file on both devices.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If you bought the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/slimmer-200-playstation-vita-now-available-in-north-america/1100-6419457/">$200 Borderlands 2 PS Vita Slim bundle</a> just for that reason, you're probably a little upset that it isn't working yet, and you're not alone. Several fans took to <a href="http://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?p=4927956" rel="nofollow">Gearbox's forums</a> and Twitter to ask about the missing feature. On Wednesday, May 14, <a href="https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic/status/466643377543327745" rel="nofollow">Pitchford said</a> that he was told the PS3 update will happen on Friday, but that it was totally out of Gearbox's hands. Then, on Friday, <a href="https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic/status/467403493574057984" rel="nofollow">he said</a> he was told it will come on Tuesday. "The news felt more reliable/credible today than last time, [for what it's worth]," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Borderlands 2 for PS Vita is a collaborative effort between 2K, Sony, and Iron Galaxy Studios, the independent developer behind fighting game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/divekick/">Divekick</a>. It retains much of what players know and love about its console and PC versions, but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-vita-limited-to-two-player-online-multiplayer/1100-6419383/">only supports two-player online multiplayer</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gearbox is also currently co-developing <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/borderlands-the-pre-sequel/">Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel</a> with 2K Australia, as well as <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gearbox-working-on-two-new-ips-for-next-gen/1100-6413961/">two unannounced new franchises for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One</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, 17 May 2014 10:22:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-vita-borderlands-2-adding-cross-save-feature-next-week/1100-6419709/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dust-to-dust-the-history-of-counter-strike/1100-6419676/ <p style="">The<a href="/counter-strike/" data-ref-id="false"> Counter-Strike</a> series may consistently hit the top end on Steam's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-2532289/" data-ref-id="1300-2532289">chart of concurrent users today</a>, but this competitive multiplayer phenomenon began with humble origins. To commemorate the 15 years that have passed since Counter-Strike was first released, I spoke to co-creator Minh "Gooseman" Le for an insight into the creation of the original mod, and its evolution into a standalone game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At its core, Counter-Strike focuses on an ongoing multiplayer battle between two teams; the terrorists and the counter-terrorists. Both teams have objectives that need to be met in order to win a round and gain a point, which contributes to the larger goal of gaining enough points to secure overall victory. </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532293-halflife4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532293" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532293-halflife4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532293"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2532293-halflife4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Counter-Strike 1.6</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">For Le, the decision to create a game centered on the conflict between terrorist and counter-terrorist squads spawned from a personal interest in the subject. "There weren't a whole lot of games out there that dealt with that theme," Le said, although he did cite <a href="/tom-clancys-rainbow-six/" data-ref-id="false">Rainbow Six</a> as a sole example. "I thought it was kind of like a mysterious topic that hadn't been covered as well."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532284-halflife.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532284" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532284-halflife.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532284"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/280/2802776/2532284-halflife.jpg"></a><figcaption>Half-Life possessed the realistic setting Le sought.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Such a theme required a more realistic setting for the game he envisioned, which was the main reason why Le chose to mod Half-Life. At the time, <a href="/unreal-tournament/" data-ref-id="false">Unreal Tournament</a> and <a href="/quake/" data-ref-id="false">Quake </a>were also available, but lacked the inherent realism he sought to achieve and would have required more work. Despite the learning curve Half-Life's then-new engine presented, Le was passionate about making the game, working "about 30 or 40" hours per week on the project while studying at university.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I was really just hoping we would find a small player base to grow from--nothing too substantial," he said. When the mod first launched, the reaction from the community shocked Le, who was taken aback by the amount of popularity it quickly gained.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Feedback from the community was facilitated by Jess Cliffe, who ran the website where player discussion was held. Communication with fans was paramount to the development of the subsequent versions of Counter-Strike, with Le making alterations to the game according to feedback he received.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532294-css3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532294" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532294-css3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532294"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2532294-css3.jpg"></a><figcaption>Counter-Strike: Source.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Le described the process as an "open development" operation, due to the level of involvement the community had.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We didn't actually make any of the levels for Counter-Strike, all of the levels were made by the community. They would make levels and submit them to us, and we would review them. We would choose which ones we liked and include those in the next version we released. So basically that is how the game was developed. It was me, my partner Cliffe, and the community. It was kind of like crowd development." Le said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">His goal to create a shooter steeped in realism paid off, with Valve taking interest and acquiring the rights to re-release the game for PC in 2000. In a time when first-person shooters such as Unreal Tournament and Quake were popular, Counter-Strike stood out for its slower-paced combat and emphasis on teamwork. The success of the game impacted how the genre evolved over the next few years.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/8/0/5/2001805-639765_20120831_002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2001805" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/8/0/5/2001805-639765_20120831_002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2001805"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/1/8/0/5/2001805-639765_20120831_002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Counter-Strike places an emphasis on teamwork. </figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">"We started to see more games that emulated that style of gameplay," Le said. "They focused on realistic, slower paced fighting. After Counter-Strike became a hit, we saw games like <a href="/call-of-duty/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty</a> and <a href="/medal-of-honor/" data-ref-id="false">Medal of Honor</a>. Games that were steeped in realism started to become more popular."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It was Counter-Strikes stronger emphasis on realism and straightforward mechanics which Le believes helped to make the game more attractive for competitive play.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="medium"><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think there will always be a place for CS, because people appreciate that skill-based gameplay. They really want the game to focus more on what their skills are."</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"Counter-Strike is more something for the esports scene, and that's why it's distinctly different to Call of Duty and <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>. I think there will always be a place for CS, because people appreciate that skill-based gameplay. They really want the game to focus more on what their skills are."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Le went on to join Valve and worked on developing <a href="/counter-strike-source/" data-ref-id="false">Counter-Strike: Source</a>, a remake of the first game powered by <a href="/half-life-2/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life 2'</a>s Source engine. While the game retains a high number of concurrent players on Steam today, initial reactions from the community were divided. The backlash was surprising to Valve, whom Le described as having expected "everyone to jump over from the older version". To him, the differences between the games felt "very subtle".</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532287-cs1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532287" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532287-cs1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532287"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2532287-cs1.jpg"></a><figcaption>Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">For example, a number of Counter-Strike maps have remained fundamentally unchanged throughout the different versions of the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"But a lot of the hardcore players, they feel that it's a night and day difference." He said. Le described the issue as a point of frustration for Valve, who subsequently approached development of the follow-up game, <a href="/counter-strike-global-offensive/" data-ref-id="false">Counter-Strike: Global Offensive</a>, in a different light.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think Valve got to the point where they were like, 'Yeah, it's impossible to please everybody'." Le said. "So they just focused on making CS: GO as good as a product as they can for whoever chooses to play it."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Counter-Strike: Global Offensive went on to be released in 2012, 13 years after the launch of the original mod. The suitability of the game for competitive play has contributed to its longevity in the esports scene, with it featured most recently in this year's Electronic Sports League (ESL) Intel Extreme Masters Grand Finals held in Katowice. The event saw the best Counter-Strike teams in the world compete for a $250,000 prize pool as <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-1-million-concurrent-viewers-watch-500-000-esports-championship/1100-6418570/" data-ref-id="1100-6418570">a record number of viewers spectated</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Le did not foresee that the series would possess such a long life. "Even five years ago I thought it was going to die out," he admitted. "It's just amazing how much longevity it's shown. But I think all of it is attributed to Valve's involvement in the franchise."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532289-cs_stats.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532289" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2532289-cs_stats.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2532289"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2532289-cs_stats.jpg"></a><figcaption>Three iterations of Counter-Strike make it into the top 20 of Valve's current player chart.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Although many of the fundamentals of the Counter-Strike games throughout the years, the landscape of the genre has evolved significantly since the game was first released. In comparison to the Call of Duty and Battlefield games, Le dubs Counter-Strike "a simple game".</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Speaking about the future of the genre, Le expressed a desire for change in player movement. To him, introducing dynamic movement seemed the most appropriate way for shooters to evolve.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2451774-titanfall+screen+5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2451774" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2451774-titanfall+screen+5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2451774"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1365/13658182/2451774-titanfall+screen+5.jpg"></a><figcaption>Titanfall exhibits dynamic movement which Le believes will feature in future FPS games.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">"<a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall </a>for example, it pushes the boundaries in how the player can move and by doing that it allows more diversity in gameplay. I think that's something we'll see more in future games." Le said. Such mechanics have already been explored in the likes of other games such as <a href="/warface/" data-ref-id="false">Warface</a> and <a href="/brink/" data-ref-id="false">Brink</a>.</p><p style="">Fifteen years after the first version of the mod was released, the Counter-Strike series has sold over 25 million copies, spawned several different successful iterations, and established itself as a core title in competitive gaming. While the first-person shooter genre has shifted dramatically away from what it was 15 years ago, Counter-Strike still retains a strong user base--a testament to the timeless relevance of the game.</p> Sat, 17 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dust-to-dust-the-history-of-counter-strike/1100-6419676/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-launches-arena-commander-mode-this-month/1100-6419708/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534187-2928812043-20133.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534187" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534187-2928812043-20133.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534187"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534187-2928812043-20133.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The many fans that have backed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/star-citizen/">Star Citizen</a> will soon have their first taste of the upcoming space sim from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wing-commander/">Wing Commander</a> creator Chris Roberts.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Roberts announced that the game's Arena Commander dogfighting mode will release on May 29. The small, multiplayer-focused piece of the game will give players a feel for how it looks and controls, but in no way represents the full scope of Star Citizen's grand ambitions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The plan is to let every backer access the single player "Free Flight" and "Vanduul Swarm" modes on May 29, and the first batch of testers will get access to the multiplayer game modes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We will scale up the multiplayer as quickly as possible starting on that date, increasing the number of players as it is stable and stopping to fix bugs where needed," Roberts said on <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13883-Arena-Commander-Weekly-Report-May-12-16" rel="nofollow">the developer's official site</a>. "Sometimes (in fact, more often than not) things go wrong and these forecasts change: bugs we don't foresee appear, features we didn't realize we needed become necessary and so on. This is why we haven't had a solid release date yet; it's not to better schedule marketing or because we want to keep you out of the cockpit… it's because game development is a complex beast, and there are few games more complex than Star Citizen! At this point, we're close enough that we feel fairly confident in this date… but the next two weeks will be a march!"</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-s-dogfighting-mode-looks-epic-even-in-pre-alpha/1100-6418939/">Star Citizen first revealed the Arena Commander mode at PAX East 2014</a>. It was an impressive demonstration, and to say that it was received enthusiastically by the crowd of fans at the event would be an understatement.</p><p style="">Star Citizen is the most successful crowdfunded project--of any kind--in history. Its crowdfunding campaign originally began in October 2012 and to date, gamers have backed the project to the tune of <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/" rel="nofollow">$43.6 million</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, 17 May 2014 08:34:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-launches-arena-commander-mode-this-month/1100-6419708/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/more-games-released-on-steam-in-2014-already-than-during-all-of-2013/1100-6419707/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534175-4872459848-23614.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534175" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534175-4872459848-23614.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534175"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534175-4872459848-23614.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">More games have been released on Steam just 20 weeks into 2014 than have been during all of 2013.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to an Analysis from <a href="http://gamasutra.com/view/news/217675/More_games_have_released_on_Steam_so_far_in_2014_than_all_of_last_year.php" rel="nofollow">Gamasutra</a>, the influx of new releases is thanks in part to Steam Greenlight, which has been adding as much as <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/games/765/announcements/detail/1261317709896536643" rel="nofollow">75 games</a> to Steam at a time recently.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Since Valve's co-founder and managing director Gabe Newell previously said that the company's goal is to "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-looking-to-discontinue-steam-greenlight-and-steam-os-may-have-exclusives/1100-6417155/">make Greenlight go away</a>" and make Steam more of a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-gives-users-tool-to-report-steam-products-for-pornography-hate-speech-legal-violation-other-reasons/1100-6418338/">self-publishing platform</a>, it's likely that we'll only see the number of releases increase in the future.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's nice to have a huge selection of games to choose from, of course, but it also makes it hard for games from smaller developers to get noticed, and discovering the games you're particularly interested in.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We can already see Valve trying to mitigate this problem with several crowdsourcing tools like user reviews, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-introduces-tagging-system-for-games-and-software/1100-6417705/">ability to tag games</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-gives-users-tool-to-report-steam-products-for-pornography-hate-speech-legal-violation-other-reasons/1100-6418338/">report them for offensive content</a>. Steam's front page now also defaults to the "Top Sellers" tab instead of the "New Releases" tab, which turns over very quickly these days.</p><p style="">Do you think Steam has a problem of offering too many games? Let us know in the comments below.</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, 17 May 2014 07:35:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/more-games-released-on-steam-in-2014-already-than-during-all-of-2013/1100-6419707/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-titanfall-pc-for-40-discount-in-origin-flash-sale/1100-6419706/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534164-2257838387-24517.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534164" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2534164-2257838387-24517.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534164"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2534164-2257838387-24517.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">If you're not one of the people who already bought <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/titanfall/">Titanfall</a> and helped it become <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-outsells-xbox-one-in-us-during-april-titanfall-remains-top-seller/1100-6419672/">the top selling game for the second month in a row</a>, you can now get the PC version of the game from Origin for a 40 percent discount, bringing its price down from the normal $60 to $36.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Flash Sale, which ends on Sunday, May 18 at 12 p.m. PDT, also offers Battlefield 4 Digital Deluxe Edition for $36, SimCity Digital Deluxe Edition for $24, Need for Speed Rivals for $30, and many more. You can find the full list of all the games that are currently on sale on <a href="https://www.origin.com/en-us/store/deals/sale/flashsale?utm_campaign=origin-social-us-socom-fb-flashsaleannouncefb-prev-conv&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&sourceid=origin-social-us-socom-fb-flashsaleannouncefb-prev-conv&cid=21672&ts=1400271378704" rel="nofollow">Origin's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The discounted version of Titanfall will not include the game's first DLC pack, Expedition, which was released earlier this week. You can, however, take advantage of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-live-mini-map-now-available-on-your-phone-or-tablet-as-you-play/1100-6419695/">the game's companion app</a>, which was released for free, also earlier this week.</p><p style="">If you're still on the fence about Titanfall, be sure to check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/titanfall-review/1900-6415690/">GameSpot's review</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/titanfall/">previous coverage</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417583" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417583/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </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, 17 May 2014 06:46:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-titanfall-pc-for-40-discount-in-origin-flash-sale/1100-6419706/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gaming-highlights-from-1994/1100-6419705/ <p style="">At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a decade after its console debut in North America, Nintendo dubbed 1994 the Year of the Cartridge. While there were many memorable cartridge-based hits that year, 1994 was also the stage for other trends. Numerous now-classic PC games made their debut, and Sega unleashed a wave of new hardware, which, in hindsight, may have put the company at significant financial risk.</p><p style="">Here's a look at the major events in video gaming that took place 20 years ago.</p><h3><b>The Nintendo 64 Begins to Take Shape</b></h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2533968-ultra641.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533968" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2533968-ultra641.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533968"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1406/14063904/2533968-ultra641.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">When Nintendo first began to talk to the media about the Nintendo 64 in 1993, the system was referred to as "Project Reality." The 64-bit system was being designed by Silicon Graphics, which was best known for its involvement with the special effects in <i>Terminator 2</i> and <i>Jurassic Park</i>. In May of '94, Nintendo and Silicon Graphics revealed that Project Reality would be a cartridge-based system, a decision they claimed was made in order to accommodate complex 3D games, which they believed would be too taxing for the speed of CD drives of the day. Later that year, Nintendo unveiled the physical design of Project Reality and gave it a new name, which it would also ultimately replace: "Ultra 64." It also revealed the first pair of games for the system: <a href="/killer-instinct/" data-ref-id="false">Killer Instinct</a> and <a href="/cruisn-usa/" data-ref-id="false">Cruis'n USA</a>.</p><h3><b>Sony Releases the Sony PlayStation in Japan</b></h3><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2533977-psx3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533977" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2533977-psx3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533977"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1406/14063904/2533977-psx3.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Following Sony's fallout with Nintendo after the two companies failed to bring a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to market, Sony used its research and the resulting technology to create its own console, forever changing the game industry. Its first console, the PlayStation, launched in December of '94 in Japan with eight games, including one that would go on to become one of the most recognizable series in gaming: <a href="/ridge-racer/" data-ref-id="false">Ridge Racer</a>.</p><h3><b>Nintendo Debuts the Super Game Boy Add-On for the SNES</b></h3><p style="">Nintendo gave people an opportunity to enjoy Game Boy games on their TVs when it released the Super Game Boy, which was a cartridge-based add-on for the SNES that let you play regular Game Boy games and certain Game Boy Color games via a pass-through slot. Since the games were mostly monochrome, Nintendo implemented a system that let you overlay different color schemes onto the black and white video of original Game Boy games, and apply borders around the screen to account for the difference between native resolutions of the Game Boy and Super Nintendo. It repeated this feat in 2003 with the Game Boy Player for the GameCube, which added support for Game Boy Advance games.</p><h3><b>Sega Releases the Sega Saturn in Japan and the 32X and Sega Channel Service in North America</b></h3><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2533980-sega.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533980" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2533980-sega.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533980"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1406/14063904/2533980-sega.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sega put all of its cards on the table in 1994, releasing a slew of new hardware across the world in an effort to topple Nintendo. The first of these efforts was the Sega Channel, which, by the summer of 1994, allowed subscribers to any of 21 different cable companies to download games directly to their Sega Genesis. It was an affordable service at roughly $15 per month and lasted until July 1998, just over a year before Sega released the Sega Dreamcast, a system that was two console generations beyond the Sega Genesis.</p><p style="">In November of '94, Sega released a 32-bit add-on for the Genesis in North America, which extended the capabilities of the aging system. Oddly enough, a day after the debut of the 32X in North America, the 32-bit Sega Saturn was released in Japan. Not wanting to overshadow the release of its latest and greatest 32-bit hardware, Sega delayed the release of the 32X in Japan until December.</p><h3><b>Console Gaming Highlights</b></h3><p style=""><strong>Nintendo:</strong> When it comes to games, 1994 was a banner year for Nintendo. It released the final game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America, <a href="/warios-woods/" data-ref-id="false">Wario Woods</a>, and reaped the benefits of a series of great games that were released for the SNES: <a href="/super-metroid/" data-ref-id="false">Super Metroid</a>, <a href="/donkey-kong-country/" data-ref-id="false">Donkey Kong Country</a>, <a href="/final-fantasy-iii-1994/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy III</a>, and <a href="/killer-instinct/" data-ref-id="false">Killer Instinct</a>.</p><p style=""><strong>Sega:</strong> Sega advanced the <a href="/sonic-the-hedgehog/" data-ref-id="false">Sonic the Hedgehog</a> series with the release of <a href="/sonic-the-hedgehog-3/" data-ref-id="false">Sonic the Hedgehog 3</a>, but followed it up with <a href="/sonic-and-knuckles/" data-ref-id="false">Sonic & Knuckles</a>, an original game in the Sonic series that let you control the latest addition to the cast: an echidna named Knuckles. Players who owned Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and <a href="/sonic-the-hedgehog-2/" data-ref-id="false">Sonic the Hedgehog 2</a> could insert their cartridges into the top of the Sonic & Knuckles cart in order to replay those games as Knuckles, too.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2534004-wc.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534004" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2534004-wc.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2534004"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1406/14063904/2534004-wc.jpg"></a></figure><h3><b>PC Gaming Highlights</b></h3><p style="">1994 was an interesting year for console gaming, but the PC also saw its fair share of new games, many of which would go on to become classics in the eyes of the industry at large.</p><p style="">- Silicon & Synapse changed its name to Blizzard Entertainment and released the first game in the Warcraft series, <a href="/warcraft-orcs-and-humans/" data-ref-id="false">Warcraft: Orcs & Humans</a>.</p><p style="">- LucasArts published the follow-up to its successful space flight simulator, <a href="/x-wing-collectors-series/" data-ref-id="false">X-Wing</a>, titled <a href="/star-wars-tie-fighter-collectors-cd-rom/" data-ref-id="false">Tie Fighter</a>, which put you on the opposite side of the conflict between the Imperial and Rebel forces in the Star Wars universe.</p><p style="">- 1994 also saw two new games from <a href="/doom/" data-ref-id="false">Doom</a> developer Id Software, including the renowned sequel, <a href="/doom-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Doom II</a>: Hell on Earth, and <a href="/heretic/" data-ref-id="false">Heretic</a>, the first game developed by an external studio (Raven Software) for Id.</p><h4><em>What are your favorite gaming memories from 1994? Let us know in the comments below.</em></h4> Fri, 16 May 2014 16:42:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gaming-highlights-from-1994/1100-6419705/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/blade-symphony-review/1900-6415764/ <p style="">"Nice to meet you. Now let's kill each other!" It's a rather unsettling way to greet someone, but in essence, that's exactly how Blade Symphony's frenzied duels to the death begin. This is murder of the most courteous sort. Bowing is optional, though the vast majority of opponents you cross swords with afford you this sign of respect before they try to slice you in twain in this multiplayer dueling fest. It yields a far more personal kind of combat encounter, which adds an air of excitement and unpredictability to a multiplayer experience that's a bit too frayed at the edges to fully enjoy.</p><p style="">Blade Symphony's take on the fighting genre focuses on skillful swordfights, placing a heavy emphasis on intense one-on-one duels. Multi-round battles play out in a third-person perspective that brings recent melee-centric brawlers like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/chivalry/" data-ref-id="false">Chivalry</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/war-of-the-roses/" data-ref-id="false">War of the Roses</a> to mind, though the swordplay is far more fluid and elegant in this game's pressure-cooker matches. With a bevy of distinct acrobatic maneuvers and fancy flourishes to accompany their unique fighting styles, the four playable characters are nimble and capable of pulling off some badass attacks. Looking cool while you're whittling down an opponent's life gauge isn't everything though.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2533953" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2533953-image0001.png" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2533953-image0001.png" data-ref-id="1300-2533953"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2533953-image0001.png"></a><figcaption>Forget fighting; it's time for shopping!</figcaption></figure><p style="">When most fighting games of this sort sport dozens of characters, having only four to pick from is painfully limiting. Blade Symphony instead goes in another direction, by offering a large range of swords and outfit customization options to unlock. While the outfit accoutrements are only cosmetic, the swords do add perks and penalties that play into combat. Unlocking these weapons and goodies, however, is a sluggish process of amassing "notes" by winning matches, and you have to rack up a lot of wins to earn enough points to afford even the lowest-tier items. What's vexing is that this process and how it works isn't explained, and the game also fails to mention that you accrue notes only from wins that you get while playing on specially marked servers. It's the first of many seemingly minor but impactful oversights that dull the shine of the game's finer elements. And Blade Symphony does indeed have its high moments.</p><p style="">Beyond looking awesome in action, the showy fighting styles on display are backed up by a combat system that packs a lot of depth into a streamlined control scheme. Three different stances let you deliver heavy, balanced, and light attacks. You can switch between these stances with a quick flick of the mousewheel to vary moves, throw off opponents, and break through their defenses. Each attack you deliver also plays into a combo chain that can be built up to unleash a wide range of unique dizzying assaults depending on the sequences you put in.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2533957" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2533957-image0006.png" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2533957-image0006.png" data-ref-id="1300-2533957"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/78/787590/2533957-image0006.png"></a><figcaption>I see your sword is as sharp as mine.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It sounds complex, but it's all fairly easy to track in mid-battle thanks to a chart that shows you where you're at in the current combo chain. Wall runs, feints, jump attacks, dodges and sidesteps, grabs, charge attacks, and missile throws all add further color to the fighting mechanics, as does a multitiered parry system that lets you block and push through enemy attacks if your timing and stance selection are right. There's no shortage of variety here when it comes to killer moves, and cutting down a worthy opponent with a gracefully executed maneuver is ultra satisfying. Ugly rag-doll physics, camera-inside-the-body glitches, and other rough patches sometimes break the spell of a match well fought, but they're fleeting issues.</p><p style="">The bulk of Blade Symphony's core fighting mechanics, duel mode stages, and quartet of characters are well designed in general, but this makes the numerous flaws and incomplete areas that pop up all the more glaring. The tutorial itself gets things off to a poor start. While doing a decent job of explaining the basics of combat, it isn't complete. The blasted thing stops midway through the trainings with a note that says more sessions will be added at some point "soon." </p><p style="">In contrast to the tight arena quarters and rigid structure of standard duel matches, Free for All mode is a nice change of pace, but it presents its own problems. You often spawn in the middle of nowhere in these sprawling free-roam stages, and it takes some fumbling around to find pockets of combatants battling it out. The levels themselves are less detailed than the arenas you battle in elsewhere, and everything from stairway running animation glitches to the camera getting caught on the scenery can muddle the fun. Rather than all-out brawl as the title suggests, this mode lets you attack people at random or offer a challenge for a private duel. The former seems frowned upon by the player community, which is accustomed to more civil one-on-one engagements.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2533958" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2533958-image0002.png" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2533958-image0002.png" data-ref-id="1300-2533958"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2533958-image0002.png"></a><figcaption>C'mon punk, make my day.</figcaption></figure><p style="">One thing I will say about Blade Symphony's player community is that it's a dedicated and intriguing bunch. Given the duel-focused nature of most matches, the human element they add to the equation also goes a long way toward keeping things interesting. People try out all kinds of weird tactics, like standing still until you approach and striking at the last possible second, or running at you without a weapon drawn and dancing around before finally attacking when your guard is down. You never know which opponents you'll face off against and what unusual strategies they'll roll out, which makes for plenty of humorous and interesting fights. Most of the foes I battled were quite cordial and polite too, which is something that can't be said for a lot of multiplayer communities.</p><p style="">Taken as a tightly cropped slice of the action, Blade Symphony's arena duels showcase some stunning character designs, downright poetic combat maneuvers, and exciting combat mechanics. But that's only a small piece of an unfinished and rather sloppy whole. This multiplayer fighter looks, feels, and actually is incomplete in spots, which puts a real damper on the few bright elements that make it almost worth the fuss.</p><p style=""> </p> Fri, 16 May 2014 16:10:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/blade-symphony-review/1900-6415764/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-master-chief-halo-collection-games-1-4-report/1100-6419703/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418852" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418852/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">We'd heard rumors before that Microsoft was working on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-responds-to-halo-2-anniversary-rumor-halo-2-is-a-good-game/1100-6417507/">an anniversary Edition of Halo 2,</a> but it looks like the scope of Master Chief's revival is going to be quite a bit larger on Xbox One. Sources report that HD versions of Halo 1 through Halo 4 are coming to Microsoft's latest console with a Master Chief Edition.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The collection is coming to "refresh audiences' memories" prior to the release of Halo 5, as reported by tech blog <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/16/halo-the-master-chief-collection/" rel="nofollow">Engadget</a>. No details were provided on whether the game would come out digitally or in a physical disc, nor what the expected frame-rate and resolution would be. However, it's unlikely that the game would also include side-stories like Halo: Reach and Halo: ODST.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The developer is also unconfirmed, but 343 Industries received help on the 2011 Anniversary Edtion of the original Halo from Saber Interactive. And <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-2-anniversary-on-xbox-one-would-need-fantastic-multiplayer-says-microsoft/1100-6418606/">in a previous story,</a> a Microsoft representative mentioned that in the "fictitious world where [Halo 2 Aniversary Edition] existed ... it has to be just the multiplayer experience that we all found in that first Halo 2 game."</p><p style="">We reached out to Microsoft for response, but the company does not comment on rumors and speculation.</p> Fri, 16 May 2014 16:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-master-chief-halo-collection-games-1-4-report/1100-6419703/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-top-5-399-xbox-one-watch-dogs-and-far-cry-/2300-6418837/ Watch Dogs' console resolution info lands, Far Cry 4 is announced, the Xbox One loses the Kinect, and Sony's E3 press conference is detailed! Fri, 16 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-top-5-399-xbox-one-watch-dogs-and-far-cry-/2300-6418837/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/play-open-world-shooter-arma-3-for-free-on-steam-this-weekend/1100-6419700/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2533029-arma+3+-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533029" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2533029-arma+3+-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2533029"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2533029-arma+3+-.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Developer Bohemia Interactive celebrates its 15-year anniversary this month, having been founded in May 1999. To celebrate, it's discounting the prices of many of its games on Steam, giving away the first game it developed, and allowing gamers to play one of its most recent titles for free for the next few days.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">From now until May 18, <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/107410/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a> users can download and play <a href="/arma-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Arma 3</a> for free. The open-world shooter was released as an Early Access game last year before being officially released in September. Since then, the game has received a great deal of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-arma-iii-campaign-episode-out-october-31/1100-6415507/" data-ref-id="1100-6415507">free</a> <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-arma-3-expansion-launches-january-21/1100-6416539/" data-ref-id="1100-6416539">downloadable</a> <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-arma-3-zeus-dlc-out-now/1100-6418965/" data-ref-id="1100-6418965">content</a>, as well as a wide variety of fan-made mods that can be accessed through the Steam Workshop. Bohemia announced earlier this month that a "major" expansion is in the works and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tactical-military-shooter-arma-3-getting-major-expansion-in-late-2015/1100-6419348/" data-ref-id="1100-6419348">will be out in late 2015</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Should Arma 3 not be of interest to you, or if you're simply looking for something to last longer than the weekend, Bohemia is giving away the first game it ever developed, <a href="/arma-cold-war-assault/" data-ref-id="false">Arma: Cold War Assault</a>, for free through <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/65790/?snr=1_614_615_bohemiasale_616_2" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>. When it was released back in 2001, it was known as <a href="/operation-flashpoint-cold-war-crisis/" data-ref-id="false">Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis</a>; after a 2011 re-release, it assumed the Cold War Assault name.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bohemia has also knocked down the prices of many of its games on Steam, including its Early Access games, which it doesn't ordinarily do. The standalone version of <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSmokingManX" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">DayZ</a> can currently be had for $25.49 (15% off the regular $30 price), while Arma 3's price has dropped to $35.99 (down from $60). The full list of deals can be found on the <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/sale/bohemia_sale" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam sale page</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Lastly, Bohemia is allowing anyone who has bought a non-Steam version of <a href="/arma-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Arma 2</a> or its expansions in the past to redeem their CD keys on Steam in order to gain access to the respective Steam versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed in any way to the amazing 15 years at Bohemia Interactive," said Bohemia CEO and co-founder Marek Spanel. "The journey so far has been exciting, often challenging, sometimes hard - but, ultimately, always rewarding. While the games industry has fundamentally changed since the early years, our community continues to stand at the heart of everything we do, and together we will continue to create incredible games."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSmokingManX" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Fri, 16 May 2014 14:14:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/play-open-world-shooter-arma-3-for-free-on-steam-this-weekend/1100-6419700/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-gold-online-beta-giveaway/1100-6419637/ <p style="">Snail Games invites you to join the MMORPG <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/black-gold-online/" data-ref-id="false">Black Gold Online</a>. Steampunk and fantasy are in a race to capture resources, and you need to duke it out in fast-paced action combat and shred each other to pieces with customized mechs or muscled dragon mounts.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Black Gold Online's closed beta just launched this week and GameSpot is giving away a ton of codes. There are no region restrictions for these codes, which means everyone can grab one! All you have to do is enter your email address in the module below to receive one while supplies last.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div id="woobox-root"> </div><script type="text/javascript">/* <![CDATA[ */ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//woobox.com/js/plugins/woo.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'woobox-sdk')); // ]]></script><div class="woobox-offer" data-offer="3bz8es"> </div></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""><ins><strong>How to Redeem Your Black Gold Online Beta Code</strong></ins></p><p style="">1. Go to <a href="http://bg.snailgame.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Black Gold Online site</a> and click "Sign Up Now."</p><p style="">2. Create a Snail account with a valid email address.</p><p style="">3. Redeem the code <a href="http://bg.snailgame.com/activation" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">here</a>.</p><p style="">4. Download the game client and you're all set.</p><p style="">Trouble downloading the game? <a href="http://bg.snailgame.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=900&sid=628b4a59aeac4fd660cce486215116c5" rel="nofollow">Here's some help</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksh5ZsaDTX0" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fksh5ZsaDTX0%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dksh5ZsaDTX0&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fksh5ZsaDTX0%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=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Fri, 16 May 2014 13:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-gold-online-beta-giveaway/1100-6419637/

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