http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 13 Jul 2014 22:38:24 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-entire-plot-for-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phan/1100-6421093/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2592300-mgs+pp.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592300" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2592300-mgs+pp.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592300"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2592300-mgs+pp.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><em>UPDATE: Kenichiro Imaizumi, senior producer at Kojima Productions, has confirmed with GameSpot that the leak is false. </em></p><p style=""><em>The original story follows below.</em></p><p style=""><span>According to the site </span><a href="http://gamingwithclass.co.uk/2014/07/metal-gear-solid-5-phantom-pain-possible-leak/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Gentlemen Gaming</a><span>, an anonymous source has revealed the entire plot synopsis for </span><a href="/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain</a><span>. The source is unverified, so the information should be taken with a grain of salt.</span></p><p style="">If the information is correct however, several important plot points have been revealed, including the unexpected return of major characters. The synopsis also details Big Boss' transformation into a villain, and hints at what the next Metal Gear games in the pipeline could be. Read the 3,000-word synopsis at your own risk.</p><p style="">Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is currently in development for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Publisher Konami has not yet announced a release date for the game. According to director Hideo Kojima, the game's world is about<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-metal-gear-solid-5-is-200x-bigger-than-ground-zeroes/1100-6420131/" data-ref-id="1100-6420131"> 200 times bigger than that of predecessor Ground Zeroes</a>, which launched in March for past- and current-generation consoles.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><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></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 18:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-entire-plot-for-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phan/1100-6421093/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fps-deadfall-adventures-hunts-for-treasure-on-ps3-/1100-6421092/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420170" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420170/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Previously released on the PC and Xbox 360, first-person shooter Deadfall Adventures is headed to Sony's PlayStation 3 this summer as <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/deadfall-adventures-heart-of-atlantis/">Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Polish developer The Farm 51, which also developed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/phoenix-cms/reviews/form?id=6399002/">Painkiller: Hell & Damnation</a>, says the PS3 version of the game will feature exclusive content and significant gameplay improvements like upgraded graphics, new locations, and two additional maps for its survival/cooperative mode. The PS3 version will also add new boss fights, improved cut-scenes, and a better leveling system.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the game, you play as James Lee Quatermain, a roguish treasure hunter not unlike Indiana Jones or Nathan Drake, who travels from Egypt to the Arctic and other exotic locales across the globe in search of an ancient artifact called The Heart of Atlantis.</p><p style="">The Farm 51 is also currently working on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-xbox-one-and-ps4-shooter-aims-to-blur-line-between-single-and-multiplayer/1100-6417009/">Get Even</a>, a near "photo-realistic" shooter that aims to blur the lines between single player and multiplayer. Get Even is scheduled to launch in 2015.</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> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fps-deadfall-adventures-hunts-for-treasure-on-ps3-/1100-6421092/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-says-counter-strike-could-get-a-tournament-e/1100-6421091/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592249-6388103285-18968.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592249" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592249-6388103285-18968.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592249"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592249-6388103285-18968.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">With <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-will-explain-dota-2-to-newcomers-in-a-dedica/1100-6420927/">fans raising $10.7 million</a> in prizes for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/">Dota 2</a>'s world championship tournament The International and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-sells-out-10-000-tickets-for-dota-2-championship-event-in-an-hour/1100-6418794/">10,000 tickets to attend it in person selling out in an hour</a>, there is no doubt Valve's eSports event is immensely popular. But could Valve put on a similar event for another one of its games?</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A recent interview with Valve's Erik Johnson suggests that the company might try it with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/counter-strike-global-offensive/">Counter-Strike: Global Offensive</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I don't know if it would be called The International, but the guys working on Counter-Strike made a lot of progress on supporting the professional community around that game," Johnson told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGj1rtwKR9I&feature=player_detailpage#t=146" rel="nofollow">Prodota.ru</a>. "We all work at the same company and share a lot of ideas, and given how successful this tournament [The International] has become I don't see any reason why a lot of the same things couldn't be applied directly to Counter-Strike."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Johnson added that Valve doesn't have anything to announce right now, but that data it has showing how well the community responded to The International is "something that's going to be pretty difficult to ignore for any game team."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last month, Valve's digital gaming platform Steam reached a milestone of <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/stats/" rel="nofollow">8,020,700 concurrent users.</a> Dota 2 was by far the most popular game, followed by Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and then <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/team-fortress-2/">Team Fortress 2</a>. Johnson said that he worked on Counter-Strike for 14 years and that it's now bigger than ever.</p><p style=""><em>What games would you like to see in a huge, competitive eSports event? Let us know in the comments below.</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, 13 Jul 2014 15:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-says-counter-strike-could-get-a-tournament-e/1100-6421091/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-games-deactivating-league-of-legends-skin-cod/1100-6421090/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592208-1215783116-24160.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592208" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592208-1215783116-24160.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592208"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592208-1215783116-24160.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/league-of-legends/">League of Legends</a> developer Riot Games has announced that it's deactivating all previously issued skin codes in order to minimize third-party sites where players have been scammed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">League of Legends is a free-to-play game, and one of the way Riot monetizes it is by selling skins, which customize the color and appearance of the playable heroes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The third-party sites in question promise players limited edition skins, but in reality the codes they're selling are acquired illegitimately and exploit players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"They charge excessive prices (we found one skin for over $1,000!) and sometimes take payment and never provide the content," Riot said in a post to <a href="http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=1805611" rel="nofollow">the game's official forums</a>. "You can't predict the outcome, and no purchase is ever guaranteed regardless of what the seller says. To make matters worse these services typically use bots. Bots are lame to play with and chew up additional server bandwidth, negatively impacting everyone."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to deactivating skin codes, Riot said it's recommending to multiple payment processors to not process fraudulent payments from these sites.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If you have a legitimate skin code, you have until July 23 to send a request to <a href="https://support.leagueoflegends.com/anonymous_requests/new" rel="nofollow">Player Support</a> along with proof of ownership and Riot will redeem the code for you. Riot will not retroactively remove content redeemed prior to its announcement, but after that deadline it will no longer redeem codes for any reason.</p><p style="">You can find more information on the issue on Riot's <a href="https://support.leagueoflegends.com/entries/46095810" rel="nofollow">code cards FAQ</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, 13 Jul 2014 13:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-games-deactivating-league-of-legends-skin-cod/1100-6421090/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-valve-vr-contractor-explains-why-vr-is-bad-/1100-6421089/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592206-7444699237-24878.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592206" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592206-7444699237-24878.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592206"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592206-7444699237-24878.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Fabian Giesen, a Valve contractor who contributed to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-holding-steam-dev-days-conference/1100-6415524/">Valve's VR room</a> project, has explained his statement that made the rounds recently that "VR is bad news."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Giesen worked for Valve as a programmer for nine months during 2012, and then for another three months ending in April this year. According to <a href="https://gist.github.com/rygorous/251b945aef2046ac7cee#file-vr_urgh-txt-L144" rel="nofollow">Giesen's post to GitHub</a>, Valve was developing both AR (augmented reality) and VR technology, and he decided to end his 2012 contract when the company decided to pursue the latter.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"[VR] seems to be fundamentally anti-social, completing the sad trajectory of entertainment moving further and further away from shared social experiences," Giesen said in a letter to a colleague at the time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Giesen admits that he's not a fan of online gaming in general, and thinks "VR is bad news" since it's currently focused on creating a "gateway to the ultimate MMORPG," which offers only basic social interaction (compared to in-person interaction).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to Giesen, the fact that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/">Facebook acquired Oculus VR</a> for $2 billion complicates things further.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Imagine a shared universe MMORPG, expressly operated by a company that *already knows all your friends*, that's trying to maximize your engagement ('hey, all your friends are playing right now, don't you want to join too?'), selling your attention to advertisers, and by the way, also building a detailed profile on everything you do so they can do all of this even better in the future. It's okay, go on doing whatever you want, we just want to watch! (Through your own eyeballs if possible)."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Giesen explained that this is not Facebook's fault specifically, but rather the result of the current state of the tech business, where the standard is to offer a service for free and support it with ads.</p><p style="">"That's a very cyberpunk future all right, but one I'd prefer not to live in."</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, 13 Jul 2014 12:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-valve-vr-contractor-explains-why-vr-is-bad-/1100-6421089/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-7-announced-will-use-unreal-engine-4-report/1100-6421088/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592124-tekken71.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592124" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592124-tekken71.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592124"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592124-tekken71.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">It looks like 3D Fighting game Tekken 7 is currently in development.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will probably be announced officially later today at the EVO 2014 fighting game event taking place in Las Vegas this weekend, but news leaked early. First, when a Tekken 7 logo flashed on one of the projection monitors at the event, and then with <a href="http://www.aol.com/video/tekken-7-announced/518316459/" rel="nofollow">a video report from IGN posted to AOL.com</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to the video, Tekken 7 will use Unreal Engine 4. Series Executive Producer and Game Director Katsuhiro Harada is quoted as saying that "with Unreal Engine 4, we can rapidly achieve visual quality expected on next-gen platforms and go beyond it. Not only is Unreal Engine 4 powerful and easy to use, it allows us to immediately bring Tekken 7 to any platform we desire."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tekken publisher Bandai Namco has yet to announced a release date and for what platforms Tekken 7 is being developed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier this year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-boss-looking-to-announce-2-or-3-new-games-in-2014/1100-6416889/">Harada said he's working on multiple new projects</a>, and that he hopes to unveil two or three of them in 2014.</p><p style="">"Tekken is one of my life's works," he said. "And while I can't say much here, together with the titles we were going to announce this year, I'm also working on several other titles simultaneously with Tekken. From there, I'd like to announce at least two of those titles in 2014, and I feel that it's something I must do."</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, 13 Jul 2014 10:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-7-announced-will-use-unreal-engine-4-report/1100-6421088/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-future-is-now-robocraft/2300-6420172/ It's called Robocraft, and you're already missing out on this free-to-play MMO vehicle shooter. Sun, 13 Jul 2014 09:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-future-is-now-robocraft/2300-6420172/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestops-involvement-in-development-is-another-bl/1100-6421040/ <p style="">There are people sitting around a conference table determining how best to monetize fun. It's been obvious for years that games are often consumer products that exist as a way to separate us from our hard-earned money, and we accepted this relationship because we place such a premium on our own entertainment. However, there comes a point when a line is crossed and those idealistic dreams we hold dear--that games are more than cash vacuums--are dashed. GameStop, the corporation that serves as the gatekeeper for so much of the retail sector, has disclosed plans to invest in the development of games. Those pre-order bonuses that dangle precious content above our heads like a carrot taunting a hungry donkey may be influenced by GameStop if their goal is realized.</p><p style="">GameStop CEO <a href="http://time.com/2969160/gamestop/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Paul Raines spoke to Time</a> about their plans in a recent interview. "I do foresee a world where we can help facilitate create [sic] great content," Raines admitted. Pre-order bonuses have been used as an incentive to rope in those who crave an undiluted experience for some time, although the origin of such content has never been fully revealed. There was no way to know if the development team was behind such practices, or the marketers who control the outward message. We just knew that certain content was being held hostage unless we ponied up our money before a game was even completed, and had to stomach this questionable practice if we desired a complete game. Any illusion about who controls the strings has been dashed with this revelation from Raines. It's GameStop that not only wants said bonuses, but is willing to facilitate their creation.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2590400" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590400-gamestop_store_ypsilanti.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590400-gamestop_store_ypsilanti.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590400"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/725/7253563/2590400-gamestop_store_ypsilanti.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This is a troubling truth to swallow. Regardless of the warning signs that the biggest, most heavily marketed games were birthed from a place of greed, I still had hopes that labeling them as consumer products was cynical. A game is a work of art, so much more personal than a washing machine or dustbuster, that I refused to believe what was staring me right in the face. Those pre-order bonuses that separate a game into so many pieces that it's nearly impossible to get everything out there could have been created for any number of reasons. Granted, I can't think of any altruistic reason why <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a> would be sliced into so many bits, but it was at least possible that such things were designed with the best interests of players in mind. Well, it's safe to wave goodbye to that state of mind. If GameStop is influencing development, there's no happy explanation for what this portends.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">Any illusion about who controls the strings has been dashed with this revelation.</p></blockquote><p style="">I should note that GameStop isn't going to force those who man the register to try their hands at coding. Said Raines, "We will not be involved in the artistic or creative process." That's a mild relief, considering GameStop is in the business of, well, business rather than creation, but that doesn't change what's going on behind the scenes. We know that GameStop wants to be involved in pre-order bonuses, wrestling control away from those who have devoted their lives to developing games and putting it in the hands of those who just sell them. "When you think about the business of gaming and the cost of developing games, we think there's an opportunity to put capital at risk with publishers and developers in exchange for exclusive content that would be distributed through our online platforms, in stores, our download business, et cetera." said Raines.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2590402" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590402-original.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590402-original.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590402"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2590402-original.jpg"></a><figcaption>Did GameStop have a hand in this Watch Dogs' fiasco?</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's clear how GameStop would benefit from this practice; people would spend their money at the specialty retailer rather than elsewhere, giving them money in advance of release to secure a copy the day it comes out. And, as Raines said, the developers would win in this deal as well. "The upside for developers will be much stronger guarantees around distribution and audience with our loyalty program and so forth." That sounds good, right? Except for that part of guaranteeing distribution. If a developer doesn't agree to work with GameStop to create DLC, would that put the distribution of their game at risk? I have no idea if that's what Raines meant or not, but the implication is certainly there, and limiting distribution unless developers churn out pre-order content sounds like a terrible situation for those who design our games.</p><p style="">Furthermore, you may notice that one part of the pillar is completely ignored in this scenario. What do consumers get from GameStop meddling with our games? If we shop at another store, or decide to buy a game after release rather than blindly plunking down money before we know if it's any good, we miss out on aspects of the game. Sure, there are certain situations when pre-order bonuses are offered later on for everyone if they're willing to shell out more money, but that's a poor solution to the problem. Games are expensive. When your choice for all of these bits and pieces is to either shell out money before a game is released or spend even more money for downloadable content, it's much easier (and cheaper) to look elsewhere. There are so many excellent games for less than $20, that aren't designed to drain every dollar bill from our wallets, that it's hard to stomach supporting such business practices.</p><p style="">But it's easier for me to say we should ignore such distasteful ideas than to convince others to follow suit. Like I said earlier, we are being held hostage by these corporations. Even though the industry is more diverse and exciting than it's ever been, smaller developers can't replicate what their bigger competitors are churning out. And when <a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false">Evolve</a>, <a href="/alien-isolation/" data-ref-id="false">Alien: Isolation</a>, <a href="/companies/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a>, every UbiSoft game, and countless other projects are in the habit of nickel-and-diming us, we either have to find our entertainment elsewhere or swallow what they're serving. It's a bad situation, and with GameStop's open involvement in securing exclusive content, it's only going to get worse in the future. I can't force others to follow my lead in how to deal with this problem. However, there comes a point when we have to take a look at how we're being treated. And if we decide we deserve better, only then can we enact change.</p><p style=""> </p> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestops-involvement-in-development-is-another-bl/1100-6421040/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grab-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-35-payday-2-for-9-and/1100-6421087/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592029-1742495243-23691.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592029" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592029-1742495243-23691.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592029"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592029-1742495243-23691.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Day 6 of the Xbox 360 "<a href="http://majornelson.com/2014/07/07/this-weeks-deals-with-gold-xbox-360-ultimate-games-sale/" rel="nofollow">Ultimate Games Sale</a>" adds great deals on Call of Duty: Ghosts, Payday 2, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and others. The deals highlighted below are valid until the end of today, July 13. You can click the links for GameSpot's review and the "download" link to queue up the game.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-review/1900-6415523/">Call of Duty: Ghosts</a> - $35.99 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Call-of-Duty-Ghosts/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802415608fc?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/payday-2-review/1900-6413620/">Payday 2</a> - $8.79 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/PAYDAY-2/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802464f0800?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dead-rising-2-off-the-record-review/1900-6339834/">Dead Rising 2: Off the Record</a> - $6.79 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/DEAD-RISING-2-OFF-THE-RECORD/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024343081f?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid=majornelson" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-review/1900-6261837/">Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands</a> - $4.99 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Prince-of-Persia-The-Forgotten-Sands/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8025553083e?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-bridge-review/1900-6404664/">The Bridge</a> - $4.99 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/The-Bridge/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258411414?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="">Today's special deals are in addition to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-40-on-xbox-one-skyrim-10-fallout-3-5-and/1100-6420981/">week-long discounts Microsoft is offering</a> for games like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/titanfall/">Titanfall</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/">The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</a>, and many more.</p><p style=""><em>Let us know what games you're picking up this weekend in the comments below.</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, 13 Jul 2014 08:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grab-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-35-payday-2-for-9-and/1100-6421087/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-hasn-t-closed-the-door-on-reviving-your-favor/1100-6421086/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592025-3402574706-16802.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592025" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592025-3402574706-16802.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592025"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592025-3402574706-16802.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">PlayStation has had a few famous characters associated with its consoles: <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/spyro-the-dragon/">Spyro</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/crash-bandicoot/">Crash Bandicoot</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/jak-and-daxter-collection/">Jak and Daxter</a>, and others we remember fondly and haven't seen in years. But Sony might be ready to bring some of them back.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"In concept, it is something we've been thinking about and discussing, and this is a shift for us,"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony Computer Entertainment president and group CEO Andrew House told <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/playstation/10962258/Bring-back-Crash-Bandicoot-I-definitely-wouldnt-close-the-door-on-that.html" rel="nofollow">The Telegraph</a> when asked if we'll ever see Sony revive Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon. "We've started to say that maybe there isn't anything wrong with going back and looking at characters that people still talk about, that were a big part of either their childhood or their youth. I definitely wouldn't close the door on that."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's great to hear to Sony is willing to look back and see which of its characters are worth revisiting, but a new Crash Bandicoot of Spyro game specifically is not something that's up to Sony alone. Activision owns the rights for both series. Spyro is still a huge earner for the company in the form of spin-off Skylanders, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-exploring-ways-to-resurrect-crash-bandicoot-series/1100-6416377/">last year Activision indicated that it's still interested in bringing Crash Bandicoot back to life</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So it's not as if all Sony has to do is ask nicely. In fact, Activision is guarding the Crash Bandicoot license so closely, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/07/08/naughty-dog-30th-anniversary-fan-art-design-contest/" rel="nofollow">it won't even allow it to be part of a fan art design contest Naughty Dog is running in celebration of its 30th Anniversary art book</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Jak and Daxter on the other hand is still owned by Sony, and with the exception of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/playstation-move-heroes/">PlayStation Move Heroes</a>, we haven't seen a new game starring those characters since 2009.</p><p style=""><em>Which PlayStation and PlayStation 2 characters would you like to see in a new game on the PlayStation 4? Let us know in the comments below.</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, 13 Jul 2014 08:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-hasn-t-closed-the-door-on-reviving-your-favor/1100-6421086/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/homefront-the-revolution-director-leaves-crytek-uk/1100-6421085/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592011-3625805164-25472.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592011" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592011-3625805164-25472.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592011"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592011-3625805164-25472.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/homefront-the-revolution/">Homefront: The Revolution</a> game director Hasit Zala is said to have left his position at developer Crytek UK.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to a report from <a href="http://kotaku.com/sources-crytek-still-facing-issues-as-homefront-direct-1603582673?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow" rel="nofollow">Kotaku</a> citing sources familiar with the studio, its Development Manager Ben Harris has also left the company earlier this month. Harris' departure is reflected by his Linkedin page, but Zala's Linkedin says that he's still with Crytek, though it could simply be outdated.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The news follows <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-30-staff-have-left-crytek-uk-since-2011-morale-is-low/1100-6420697/">previous</a> <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-dev-crytek-denies-claims-that-it-s-in-financial-trouble/1100-6420676/">reports</a> that 30 or more employees left Crytek UK since development on Homefront: The Revolution began in 2011, and that morale at the Nottingham-based studio is "low." One source said that the high turnover at Crytek UK is the result of staff not being paid on time on multiple occasions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In June, Crytek also denied a report from German magazine GameStar, which claimed Crytek was close to bankruptcy.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Crytek, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thq-dissolved/1100-6402838/">purchased the Homefront series during THQ's bankruptcy auction in January 2013 for $544,000</a>, officially announced Homefront: The Revolution leading up to E3 2014. The game is an open-world shooter set in a Philadelphia occupied by the North Korean military, and is scheduled to release in 2015 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.</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, 13 Jul 2014 07:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/homefront-the-revolution-director-leaves-crytek-uk/1100-6421085/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/ <p style="">It's been a little over a year now since The Last of Us was released. Part of the last hurrah of AAA releases before the dawn of a new console generation, the game had tremendous expectations to live up to. Now that the dust has had some time to settle, and with the game's PlayStation 4 release just a few weeks off, join us as we take a look back at what The Last of Us represented at the time of its release, and as we look forward to what it might contribute to gaming's future.</p><h3>Pre-release: Venturing Away from Uncharted</h3><p style="">It was December of 2011. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 3</a> had come out the previous month, and though the reviews were glowing and the game was a huge hit, the level of excitement around it didn't reach the spectacular heights that accompanied the release of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-2-among-thieves/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 2</a>. As successful as the exploits of Nathan Drake had been for Naughty Dog, there was a risk that the studio would be seen as falling into a rut if the next announcement from them revealed yet another swashbuckling adventure for the treasure hunter and his friends. It was time for something different.</p><p style="">The Last of Us looked different.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6347442" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6347442/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Revealed at the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, the announcement of The Last of Us was accompanied by a trailer that introduced us to Joel and Ellie's struggle for survival in a world where society has collapsed and horrifying infected humans threaten those who survive. Another Uncharted game, this was not.</p><p style="">It would be 18 months before the game was released, but over that time, Naughty Dog kept interest in the game high with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-last-of-us-surviving-the-end-of-the-world-demo/2300-6380479/" data-ref-id="2300-6380479">an intense E3 stage demo</a> in 2012, and by slowly doling out information in the months that followed about things like the cause of society's collapse and the nature of the relationship between Joel and Ellie, who many initially assumed were father and daughter. Given Naughty Dog's pedigree with the Uncharted games and Sony's smartly understated handling of PR, by the time The Last of Us was finally released in June of 2013, it had become one of the most anticipated console releases of the year.</p><h3>Release: The Reception</h3><p style="">The Last of Us was met with near-universal critical acclaim. It has <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/the-last-of-us/critic-reviews" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">a 95 rating on Metacritic</a>, and earned the highest possible review score from a huge number of outlets, with critics particularly praising the game's narrative and atmosphere. Some critics felt that the game was so excellent that it breathed new life into the sometimes-predictable action adventure genre. Awarding the game a 10 out of 10, Oli Welsh of Eurogamer <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-05-the-last-of-us-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2013-06">wrote</a>, "At a time when blockbuster action games are sinking into a mire of desperate overproduction, shallow gameplay and broken narrative logic, The Last of Us is a deeply impressive demonstration of how it can and should be done. It starts out safe but ends brave; it has heart and grit, and it hangs together beautifully. And it's a real video game, too. An elegy for a dying world, The Last of Us is also a beacon of hope for its genre." Edge Magazine similarly felt that the game had more soul than you typically find in a big-budget mainstream release, saying in <a href="http://www.edge-online.com/review/the-last-of-us-review/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">their review</a>, " At times it's easy to feel like big-budget development has too much on the line to allow stubbornly artful ideas to flourish, but then a game like The Last Of Us emerges through the crumbled blacktop like a climbing vine, green as a burnished emerald."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/0/8/1990708-652686_20120814_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990708" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/0/8/1990708-652686_20120814_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990708"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/0/7/0/8/1990708-652686_20120814_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Other critics, however, felt that the game reflected the limits of its genre. In his ongoing video series <a href="http://youtu.be/bAzqDgKYfiM" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Errant Signal</a>, critic Chris Franklin said that the game is "very driven by the traditional complete-a-gameplay-section-and-be-rewarded-with-story-chunks mentality that games have been trying to move away from for years" and that it "pushes the... formula to its breaking point, taking it perhaps as far as you possibly can, but in the process showing its fundamental limitations." Polygon's Philip Kollar also felt that the game was compromised by its adherence to genre conventions, <a href="http://www.polygon.com/game/the-last-of-us/3040" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">saying</a> that it "achieves incredible emotional high points about as often as it bumps up against tired scenario design that doesn't fit its world."</p><p style="">The combat at the heart of The Last of Us owes a debt to the gunplay of the Uncharted games, but while those games went for a freewheeling, summer action movie vibe, the action in The Last of Us was meant to put you on edge, encouraging you to be sneaky and make the most of your limited resources to survive. Many critics felt the combat was intense and harrowing. In his review for IGN, Colin Moriarty <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/05/the-last-of-us-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">wrote</a>, "The beauty of stealth in The Last of Us is the incredible, uncomfortable realism you're forced to witness each and every time you execute a silent kill. Watching a survivor fruitlessly swat at Joel's arms as he strangles him to death is disturbing, as is quickly shiving a man in his neck and listening to him gurgle some parting breaths as he collapses to the ground. The Last of Us does a phenomenal job of making each and every enemy feel human. Every life taken has weight and each target feels unique and alive."</p><blockquote data-size="medium"><p style="">In the wake of The Last of Us, the real question seemed to be whether or not the conventions of its genre, which had developed over much of the previous console generation, represented an approach to game design that could stay relevant as we moved into the next generation.</p></blockquote><p style="">For some, however, the game's attempts to foster a sense of dread were undercut by its unwillingness to make death meaningful. In his review for GameSpot, Tom Mc Shea <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-last-of-us-review/1900-6409197/" data-ref-id="1900-6409197">wrote</a>, "The Last of Us refuses to punish failure in a manner befitting the harshness of its world. Become overwhelmed and you quickly perish, but with checkpoints only a few seconds apart, the danger of expiring never dissuades you from recklessness."</p><p style="">In the end, however, while some admired the skill with which The Last of Us employed common elements of its genre and some felt that the game was limited by its adherence to those elements, most agreed that there had rarely been a more well-crafted, more narratively engaging example of the traditional action-adventure game. And the game was adored by players as well. It currently has an average score of 9.1 from <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/the-last-of-us/user-reviews" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Metacritic users</a>, and an average rating of 9 from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-of-us/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot readers</a>. In the wake of The Last of Us, the real question seemed to be whether or not the conventions of its genre, which had developed over much of the previous console generation, represented an approach to game design that could stay relevant as we moved into the next generation.</p><h3>The Impact of Left Behind</h3><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2590419-photo+booth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590419" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2590419-photo+booth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590419"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/78/787590/2590419-photo+booth.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">If The Last of Us was hemmed in by genre conventions, then its add-on chapter, Left Behind, found a way to push up against those conventions, both narratively and mechanically. While some, like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/arts/video-games/in-the-video-game-the-last-of-us-survival-favors-the-man.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Chris Suellentrop in the New York Times</a> and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2013/jul/01/last-of-us-bioshock-infinite-male-view" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Keith Stuart in The Guardian</a>, had lamented that The Last of Us, for all of its narrative ambitions, was yet another game that was somewhat predictable in the ways that it was about men and violence, Left Behind focuses on Ellie, and uses its gameplay mechanics and its narrative to foster a real sense of connection between her and her friend Riley.</p><p style="">In his feature <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/coming-of-age-in-the-last-of-us-left-behind/1100-6417768/" data-ref-id="1100-6417768">Coming of Age in The Last of Us: Left Behind</a>, GameSpot's Tom Mc Shea wrote admiringly about the way that Left Behind lets us feel like a participant in many of the moments that bond Ellie and Riley together. "Though some of her personality building stems from the quiet cinematics where I was just an interested observer," he writes, "Left Behind doesn't end her development there. What really caught my attention was how the core of her change occurs while we're in control of her. It's the combat, exploration, and bonding activities she shares with her friend Riley that establish who she is, and who she'll ultimately become."</p><p style="">And in her piece for Wired entitled <a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/02/left-behind-women-video-games/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">The Videogame That Finally Made Me Feel Like a Human Being</a>, Laura Hudson praised Left Behind's characterization of Ellie, writing that she "got to be both vulnerable and dangerous, scared and brave, weak and strong. She got to be human."</p><h3>Where The Last of Us Belongs</h3><p style="">From a gameplay perspective, The Last of Us took a kitchen sink approach, cramming in zombie-like enemies, stealth action, cover shooting, quick-time events, simple environmental puzzles, and numerous other elements that had previously surfaced in any number of similar games. It truly was, as Chris Franklin astutely observed, "a greatest hits tour through the last decade of AAA action adventure game design by major studios." But as familiar as these numerous elements are and as many times as we've experienced them before, the care with which the story and the characters of The Last of Us were crafted elevated the game, making it something that, for many players, transcended the typical action-adventure game experience. The Last of Us took its place as the pinnacle of the genre. For all its excellence, though, it felt like the end of an arc, the crowning achievement in trends that had been building up for a long time, and not something that spoke to where games might go in the future.</p><p style="">With Left Behind, though, the legacy of The Last of Us has shifted somewhat. It is now a game that speaks to how the action adventure genre can evolve, how it can tell different kinds of stories from the kind the genre has typically told, and how, rather than treating story and gameplay as two alternating components, it can effectively fuse narrative and gameplay to strengthen our sense of connection to the characters. Because of this, it's immensely fitting that The Last of Us will be not just a late PlayStation 3 release, but also, come July 29th, an early PlayStation 4 release. It's a game that borrows shamelessly from so many games that came before, but it may also have much to offer the games that are yet to come.</p> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-s-inafune-says-player-feedback-is-appr/1100-6421083/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591850-9659325352-22370.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591850" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591850-9659325352-22370.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591850"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2591850-9659325352-22370.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Last week, Comcept founder and former Mega Man producer Keiji Inafune made the surprising announcement that his next game, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mighty-no-9/" data-ref-id="false">Mighty No. 9</a>, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mega-man-creators-mighty-no-9-coming-to-consoles/1100-6414555/">successfully Kickstrarted</a> last year with $3,845,170, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-launches-another-crowdfunding-campaign/1100-6420929/">will continue to accept funding from fans directly on its website</a>. Some comments Inafune made at Barcelona's Gamelab conference late last month that have surfaced recently help explain the thinking behind the decision.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The only difficulty I've been facing is, as we make the game, we're constantly talking to the backers and we get new feedback every day," Inafune told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-07-11-keiji-inafune-from-capcom-to-kickstarter" rel="nofollow">GamesIndustry International</a>. "We try our best to incorporate the ideas, but sometimes that feedback goes beyond what I expected. In that case, it can be difficult to explain that, while the feedback is appreciated, certain ideas would require us to ask for extra budget. That's a difficulty, because I never experienced that at Capcom."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When we reported on Inafune's second round of crowdfunding last week, the first stretch goal was at $100,000, in order to add English voice acting to the game. That stretch goal has since been upped to $200,000, in order to add English <em>and</em> Japanese voice acting. So far, Comcept raised $9,309 from 238 new or returning backers toward that goal.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can fund the project by pre-ordering the "Funding" tier copies of the game via PayPal on <a href="http://mightyno9.com/en/support" rel="nofollow">its website.</a> $50 will get you the final game and some "digital rewards" like a retro manual, art book, and more, and $80 will get you Steam Early Access as well. You can also just pre-order the game now for as low as $23 without contributing to the new crowdfunding effort.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Unrelated to the new funding campaign, Comcept also announced at the 2014 Anime Expo in Los Angeles last week that it's partnering with Japanese animation company Digital Frontier to produce the Mighty No. 9: The Animated TV Series.</p><p style="">None of the money Comcept is raising will be used for the animated series.</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, 12 Jul 2014 17:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-s-inafune-says-player-feedback-is-appr/1100-6421083/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-the-sopranos-opening-credits-sequence-meticu/1100-6421082/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgYwsM5UkXs" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FWgYwsM5UkXs%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWgYwsM5UkXs&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FWgYwsM5UkXs%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 group of machinima creators called 8-Bit Bastard have recreated HBO's The Sopranos opening credits by capturing footage from Rockstar Games' <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grand-theft-auto-v/">Grand Theft Auto V</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see by comparing the video above to the original below, it's a meticulous, close to shot-for-shot remake, and it's especially impressive since it was made with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grand-theft-auto-v/">Grand Theft Auto V</a>. That game takes place in the Los Angeles-inspired Los Santos, as opposed to The Sopranos-appropriate New York and New Jersey-inspired Liberty City from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grand-theft-auto-iv/">Grand Theft Auto IV</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's all made with footage captured in-game, but with the help of at least one special effect. "Recreating The Sopranos intro in GTAV was pretty time-consuming, but a lot of fun," 8-Bit Bastard said in the video's description. "It was also our first experience using green screen (you can't smoke in the car while it's moving)!"</p><p style="">You can watch the rest of 8-Bit Bastards creations, including their own version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-james-bond-train-scene-recreated-in-gta-5/1100-6418065/"><em>Skyfall</em>'s train scene</a> on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6VstowOKOfvGOhw8hJVXg" rel="nofollow">their YouTube channel</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiDoBYu-S04" data-width="640" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FRiDoBYu-S04%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DRiDoBYu-S04&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FRiDoBYu-S04%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><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, 12 Jul 2014 16:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-the-sopranos-opening-credits-sequence-meticu/1100-6421082/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/originally-designed-for-vita-controls-rogue-legacy/1100-6421081/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591830-9672925271-20455.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591830" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591830-9672925271-20455.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591830"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2591830-9672925271-20455.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Cellar Door Games' 2D platformer with roguelike elements <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/rogue-legacy/">Rogue Legacy</a> will release on all PlayStation Platforms July 29, according to the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/07/09/rogue-legacy-coming-july-29th-to-ps4-ps3-ps-vita/" rel="nofollow">PlayStation Blog</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Cellar Door said that the PlayStation version of the game includes "101% Content," meaning you'll get all the extra bonus zones, traits, and boss remixes from the PC version, and "just a little bit more," but Cellar Door didn't specify what.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">More importantly, Vita owners will be happy to learn that the game will work well with the handheld's control scheme. "When we originally made Rogue Legacy, we made it with the PS Vita buttons in mind. No joke," Cellar Door's Teddy Lee said. "We gambled that if it did well, we wouldn't want the Vita version being nerfed in the control department, so we made sure to not use too many buttons. That crazy gamble we made over a year ago paid off, and that means the Vita version plays perfectly!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation version of the game comes with Sony's Cross Buy feature, so buying the game for one platform will let you play on all of them. It also features Cross Save, so your progress is consistent across all platforms.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Currently exclusive to the PC, Cellar Door describes Rogue Legacy as a "rogue-lite." You try to defeat a number of bosses in a magical, randomly generated castle. When you die, you play as the dead hero's child, who has his own unique set of abilities. The money you collect passes on to the next generation, so each attempt can get easier as you buy better gear.</p><p style="">The game earned an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rogue-legacy-review/1900-6411102/">8.5 in GameSpot's review</a>, and made it to many GameSpot Editors' Top 10 Games for 2013 lists, which you can find <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/rogue-legacy/news/">here</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, 12 Jul 2014 15:58:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/originally-designed-for-vita-controls-rogue-legacy/1100-6421081/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 13 Jul 2014 22:38:24 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-entire-plot-for-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phan/1100-6421093/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2592300-mgs+pp.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592300" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2592300-mgs+pp.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592300"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2592300-mgs+pp.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><em>UPDATE: Kenichiro Imaizumi, senior producer at Kojima Productions, has confirmed with GameSpot that the leak is false. </em></p><p style=""><em>The original story follows below.</em></p><p style=""><span>According to the site </span><a href="http://gamingwithclass.co.uk/2014/07/metal-gear-solid-5-phantom-pain-possible-leak/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Gentlemen Gaming</a><span>, an anonymous source has revealed the entire plot synopsis for </span><a href="/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain</a><span>. The source is unverified, so the information should be taken with a grain of salt.</span></p><p style="">If the information is correct however, several important plot points have been revealed, including the unexpected return of major characters. The synopsis also details Big Boss' transformation into a villain, and hints at what the next Metal Gear games in the pipeline could be. Read the 3,000-word synopsis at your own risk.</p><p style="">Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is currently in development for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Publisher Konami has not yet announced a release date for the game. According to director Hideo Kojima, the game's world is about<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-metal-gear-solid-5-is-200x-bigger-than-ground-zeroes/1100-6420131/" data-ref-id="1100-6420131"> 200 times bigger than that of predecessor Ground Zeroes</a>, which launched in March for past- and current-generation consoles.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><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></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 18:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-entire-plot-for-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phan/1100-6421093/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fps-deadfall-adventures-hunts-for-treasure-on-ps3-/1100-6421092/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420170" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420170/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Previously released on the PC and Xbox 360, first-person shooter Deadfall Adventures is headed to Sony's PlayStation 3 this summer as <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/deadfall-adventures-heart-of-atlantis/">Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Polish developer The Farm 51, which also developed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/phoenix-cms/reviews/form?id=6399002/">Painkiller: Hell & Damnation</a>, says the PS3 version of the game will feature exclusive content and significant gameplay improvements like upgraded graphics, new locations, and two additional maps for its survival/cooperative mode. The PS3 version will also add new boss fights, improved cut-scenes, and a better leveling system.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the game, you play as James Lee Quatermain, a roguish treasure hunter not unlike Indiana Jones or Nathan Drake, who travels from Egypt to the Arctic and other exotic locales across the globe in search of an ancient artifact called The Heart of Atlantis.</p><p style="">The Farm 51 is also currently working on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-xbox-one-and-ps4-shooter-aims-to-blur-line-between-single-and-multiplayer/1100-6417009/">Get Even</a>, a near "photo-realistic" shooter that aims to blur the lines between single player and multiplayer. Get Even is scheduled to launch in 2015.</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> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fps-deadfall-adventures-hunts-for-treasure-on-ps3-/1100-6421092/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-says-counter-strike-could-get-a-tournament-e/1100-6421091/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592249-6388103285-18968.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592249" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592249-6388103285-18968.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592249"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592249-6388103285-18968.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">With <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-will-explain-dota-2-to-newcomers-in-a-dedica/1100-6420927/">fans raising $10.7 million</a> in prizes for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/">Dota 2</a>'s world championship tournament The International and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-sells-out-10-000-tickets-for-dota-2-championship-event-in-an-hour/1100-6418794/">10,000 tickets to attend it in person selling out in an hour</a>, there is no doubt Valve's eSports event is immensely popular. But could Valve put on a similar event for another one of its games?</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A recent interview with Valve's Erik Johnson suggests that the company might try it with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/counter-strike-global-offensive/">Counter-Strike: Global Offensive</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I don't know if it would be called The International, but the guys working on Counter-Strike made a lot of progress on supporting the professional community around that game," Johnson told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGj1rtwKR9I&feature=player_detailpage#t=146" rel="nofollow">Prodota.ru</a>. "We all work at the same company and share a lot of ideas, and given how successful this tournament [The International] has become I don't see any reason why a lot of the same things couldn't be applied directly to Counter-Strike."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Johnson added that Valve doesn't have anything to announce right now, but that data it has showing how well the community responded to The International is "something that's going to be pretty difficult to ignore for any game team."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last month, Valve's digital gaming platform Steam reached a milestone of <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/stats/" rel="nofollow">8,020,700 concurrent users.</a> Dota 2 was by far the most popular game, followed by Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and then <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/team-fortress-2/">Team Fortress 2</a>. Johnson said that he worked on Counter-Strike for 14 years and that it's now bigger than ever.</p><p style=""><em>What games would you like to see in a huge, competitive eSports event? Let us know in the comments below.</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, 13 Jul 2014 15:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-says-counter-strike-could-get-a-tournament-e/1100-6421091/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-games-deactivating-league-of-legends-skin-cod/1100-6421090/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592208-1215783116-24160.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592208" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592208-1215783116-24160.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592208"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592208-1215783116-24160.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/league-of-legends/">League of Legends</a> developer Riot Games has announced that it's deactivating all previously issued skin codes in order to minimize third-party sites where players have been scammed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">League of Legends is a free-to-play game, and one of the way Riot monetizes it is by selling skins, which customize the color and appearance of the playable heroes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The third-party sites in question promise players limited edition skins, but in reality the codes they're selling are acquired illegitimately and exploit players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"They charge excessive prices (we found one skin for over $1,000!) and sometimes take payment and never provide the content," Riot said in a post to <a href="http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=1805611" rel="nofollow">the game's official forums</a>. "You can't predict the outcome, and no purchase is ever guaranteed regardless of what the seller says. To make matters worse these services typically use bots. Bots are lame to play with and chew up additional server bandwidth, negatively impacting everyone."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to deactivating skin codes, Riot said it's recommending to multiple payment processors to not process fraudulent payments from these sites.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If you have a legitimate skin code, you have until July 23 to send a request to <a href="https://support.leagueoflegends.com/anonymous_requests/new" rel="nofollow">Player Support</a> along with proof of ownership and Riot will redeem the code for you. Riot will not retroactively remove content redeemed prior to its announcement, but after that deadline it will no longer redeem codes for any reason.</p><p style="">You can find more information on the issue on Riot's <a href="https://support.leagueoflegends.com/entries/46095810" rel="nofollow">code cards FAQ</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, 13 Jul 2014 13:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-games-deactivating-league-of-legends-skin-cod/1100-6421090/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-valve-vr-contractor-explains-why-vr-is-bad-/1100-6421089/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592206-7444699237-24878.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592206" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592206-7444699237-24878.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592206"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592206-7444699237-24878.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Fabian Giesen, a Valve contractor who contributed to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-holding-steam-dev-days-conference/1100-6415524/">Valve's VR room</a> project, has explained his statement that made the rounds recently that "VR is bad news."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Giesen worked for Valve as a programmer for nine months during 2012, and then for another three months ending in April this year. According to <a href="https://gist.github.com/rygorous/251b945aef2046ac7cee#file-vr_urgh-txt-L144" rel="nofollow">Giesen's post to GitHub</a>, Valve was developing both AR (augmented reality) and VR technology, and he decided to end his 2012 contract when the company decided to pursue the latter.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"[VR] seems to be fundamentally anti-social, completing the sad trajectory of entertainment moving further and further away from shared social experiences," Giesen said in a letter to a colleague at the time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Giesen admits that he's not a fan of online gaming in general, and thinks "VR is bad news" since it's currently focused on creating a "gateway to the ultimate MMORPG," which offers only basic social interaction (compared to in-person interaction).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to Giesen, the fact that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/">Facebook acquired Oculus VR</a> for $2 billion complicates things further.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Imagine a shared universe MMORPG, expressly operated by a company that *already knows all your friends*, that's trying to maximize your engagement ('hey, all your friends are playing right now, don't you want to join too?'), selling your attention to advertisers, and by the way, also building a detailed profile on everything you do so they can do all of this even better in the future. It's okay, go on doing whatever you want, we just want to watch! (Through your own eyeballs if possible)."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Giesen explained that this is not Facebook's fault specifically, but rather the result of the current state of the tech business, where the standard is to offer a service for free and support it with ads.</p><p style="">"That's a very cyberpunk future all right, but one I'd prefer not to live in."</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, 13 Jul 2014 12:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-valve-vr-contractor-explains-why-vr-is-bad-/1100-6421089/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-7-announced-will-use-unreal-engine-4-report/1100-6421088/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592124-tekken71.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592124" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592124-tekken71.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592124"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592124-tekken71.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">It looks like 3D Fighting game Tekken 7 is currently in development.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will probably be announced officially later today at the EVO 2014 fighting game event taking place in Las Vegas this weekend, but news leaked early. First, when a Tekken 7 logo flashed on one of the projection monitors at the event, and then with <a href="http://www.aol.com/video/tekken-7-announced/518316459/" rel="nofollow">a video report from IGN posted to AOL.com</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to the video, Tekken 7 will use Unreal Engine 4. Series Executive Producer and Game Director Katsuhiro Harada is quoted as saying that "with Unreal Engine 4, we can rapidly achieve visual quality expected on next-gen platforms and go beyond it. Not only is Unreal Engine 4 powerful and easy to use, it allows us to immediately bring Tekken 7 to any platform we desire."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tekken publisher Bandai Namco has yet to announced a release date and for what platforms Tekken 7 is being developed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier this year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-boss-looking-to-announce-2-or-3-new-games-in-2014/1100-6416889/">Harada said he's working on multiple new projects</a>, and that he hopes to unveil two or three of them in 2014.</p><p style="">"Tekken is one of my life's works," he said. "And while I can't say much here, together with the titles we were going to announce this year, I'm also working on several other titles simultaneously with Tekken. From there, I'd like to announce at least two of those titles in 2014, and I feel that it's something I must do."</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, 13 Jul 2014 10:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-7-announced-will-use-unreal-engine-4-report/1100-6421088/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-future-is-now-robocraft/2300-6420172/ It's called Robocraft, and you're already missing out on this free-to-play MMO vehicle shooter. Sun, 13 Jul 2014 09:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-future-is-now-robocraft/2300-6420172/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestops-involvement-in-development-is-another-bl/1100-6421040/ <p style="">There are people sitting around a conference table determining how best to monetize fun. It's been obvious for years that games are often consumer products that exist as a way to separate us from our hard-earned money, and we accepted this relationship because we place such a premium on our own entertainment. However, there comes a point when a line is crossed and those idealistic dreams we hold dear--that games are more than cash vacuums--are dashed. GameStop, the corporation that serves as the gatekeeper for so much of the retail sector, has disclosed plans to invest in the development of games. Those pre-order bonuses that dangle precious content above our heads like a carrot taunting a hungry donkey may be influenced by GameStop if their goal is realized.</p><p style="">GameStop CEO <a href="http://time.com/2969160/gamestop/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Paul Raines spoke to Time</a> about their plans in a recent interview. "I do foresee a world where we can help facilitate create [sic] great content," Raines admitted. Pre-order bonuses have been used as an incentive to rope in those who crave an undiluted experience for some time, although the origin of such content has never been fully revealed. There was no way to know if the development team was behind such practices, or the marketers who control the outward message. We just knew that certain content was being held hostage unless we ponied up our money before a game was even completed, and had to stomach this questionable practice if we desired a complete game. Any illusion about who controls the strings has been dashed with this revelation from Raines. It's GameStop that not only wants said bonuses, but is willing to facilitate their creation.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2590400" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590400-gamestop_store_ypsilanti.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590400-gamestop_store_ypsilanti.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590400"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/725/7253563/2590400-gamestop_store_ypsilanti.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This is a troubling truth to swallow. Regardless of the warning signs that the biggest, most heavily marketed games were birthed from a place of greed, I still had hopes that labeling them as consumer products was cynical. A game is a work of art, so much more personal than a washing machine or dustbuster, that I refused to believe what was staring me right in the face. Those pre-order bonuses that separate a game into so many pieces that it's nearly impossible to get everything out there could have been created for any number of reasons. Granted, I can't think of any altruistic reason why <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a> would be sliced into so many bits, but it was at least possible that such things were designed with the best interests of players in mind. Well, it's safe to wave goodbye to that state of mind. If GameStop is influencing development, there's no happy explanation for what this portends.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">Any illusion about who controls the strings has been dashed with this revelation.</p></blockquote><p style="">I should note that GameStop isn't going to force those who man the register to try their hands at coding. Said Raines, "We will not be involved in the artistic or creative process." That's a mild relief, considering GameStop is in the business of, well, business rather than creation, but that doesn't change what's going on behind the scenes. We know that GameStop wants to be involved in pre-order bonuses, wrestling control away from those who have devoted their lives to developing games and putting it in the hands of those who just sell them. "When you think about the business of gaming and the cost of developing games, we think there's an opportunity to put capital at risk with publishers and developers in exchange for exclusive content that would be distributed through our online platforms, in stores, our download business, et cetera." said Raines.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2590402" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590402-original.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2590402-original.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590402"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2590402-original.jpg"></a><figcaption>Did GameStop have a hand in this Watch Dogs' fiasco?</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's clear how GameStop would benefit from this practice; people would spend their money at the specialty retailer rather than elsewhere, giving them money in advance of release to secure a copy the day it comes out. And, as Raines said, the developers would win in this deal as well. "The upside for developers will be much stronger guarantees around distribution and audience with our loyalty program and so forth." That sounds good, right? Except for that part of guaranteeing distribution. If a developer doesn't agree to work with GameStop to create DLC, would that put the distribution of their game at risk? I have no idea if that's what Raines meant or not, but the implication is certainly there, and limiting distribution unless developers churn out pre-order content sounds like a terrible situation for those who design our games.</p><p style="">Furthermore, you may notice that one part of the pillar is completely ignored in this scenario. What do consumers get from GameStop meddling with our games? If we shop at another store, or decide to buy a game after release rather than blindly plunking down money before we know if it's any good, we miss out on aspects of the game. Sure, there are certain situations when pre-order bonuses are offered later on for everyone if they're willing to shell out more money, but that's a poor solution to the problem. Games are expensive. When your choice for all of these bits and pieces is to either shell out money before a game is released or spend even more money for downloadable content, it's much easier (and cheaper) to look elsewhere. There are so many excellent games for less than $20, that aren't designed to drain every dollar bill from our wallets, that it's hard to stomach supporting such business practices.</p><p style="">But it's easier for me to say we should ignore such distasteful ideas than to convince others to follow suit. Like I said earlier, we are being held hostage by these corporations. Even though the industry is more diverse and exciting than it's ever been, smaller developers can't replicate what their bigger competitors are churning out. And when <a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false">Evolve</a>, <a href="/alien-isolation/" data-ref-id="false">Alien: Isolation</a>, <a href="/companies/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a>, every UbiSoft game, and countless other projects are in the habit of nickel-and-diming us, we either have to find our entertainment elsewhere or swallow what they're serving. It's a bad situation, and with GameStop's open involvement in securing exclusive content, it's only going to get worse in the future. I can't force others to follow my lead in how to deal with this problem. However, there comes a point when we have to take a look at how we're being treated. And if we decide we deserve better, only then can we enact change.</p><p style=""> </p> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestops-involvement-in-development-is-another-bl/1100-6421040/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grab-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-35-payday-2-for-9-and/1100-6421087/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592029-1742495243-23691.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592029" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592029-1742495243-23691.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592029"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592029-1742495243-23691.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Day 6 of the Xbox 360 "<a href="http://majornelson.com/2014/07/07/this-weeks-deals-with-gold-xbox-360-ultimate-games-sale/" rel="nofollow">Ultimate Games Sale</a>" adds great deals on Call of Duty: Ghosts, Payday 2, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and others. The deals highlighted below are valid until the end of today, July 13. You can click the links for GameSpot's review and the "download" link to queue up the game.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-review/1900-6415523/">Call of Duty: Ghosts</a> - $35.99 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Call-of-Duty-Ghosts/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802415608fc?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/payday-2-review/1900-6413620/">Payday 2</a> - $8.79 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/PAYDAY-2/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802464f0800?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dead-rising-2-off-the-record-review/1900-6339834/">Dead Rising 2: Off the Record</a> - $6.79 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/DEAD-RISING-2-OFF-THE-RECORD/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024343081f?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid=majornelson" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-review/1900-6261837/">Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands</a> - $4.99 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Prince-of-Persia-The-Forgotten-Sands/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8025553083e?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?cid" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-bridge-review/1900-6404664/">The Bridge</a> - $4.99 [<a href="http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/The-Bridge/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258411414?nosplash=1&DownloadType=Game#LiveZone?" rel="nofollow">download</a>]</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="">Today's special deals are in addition to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-40-on-xbox-one-skyrim-10-fallout-3-5-and/1100-6420981/">week-long discounts Microsoft is offering</a> for games like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/titanfall/">Titanfall</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/">The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</a>, and many more.</p><p style=""><em>Let us know what games you're picking up this weekend in the comments below.</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, 13 Jul 2014 08:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grab-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-35-payday-2-for-9-and/1100-6421087/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-hasn-t-closed-the-door-on-reviving-your-favor/1100-6421086/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592025-3402574706-16802.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592025" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592025-3402574706-16802.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592025"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592025-3402574706-16802.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">PlayStation has had a few famous characters associated with its consoles: <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/spyro-the-dragon/">Spyro</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/crash-bandicoot/">Crash Bandicoot</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/jak-and-daxter-collection/">Jak and Daxter</a>, and others we remember fondly and haven't seen in years. But Sony might be ready to bring some of them back.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"In concept, it is something we've been thinking about and discussing, and this is a shift for us,"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony Computer Entertainment president and group CEO Andrew House told <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/playstation/10962258/Bring-back-Crash-Bandicoot-I-definitely-wouldnt-close-the-door-on-that.html" rel="nofollow">The Telegraph</a> when asked if we'll ever see Sony revive Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon. "We've started to say that maybe there isn't anything wrong with going back and looking at characters that people still talk about, that were a big part of either their childhood or their youth. I definitely wouldn't close the door on that."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's great to hear to Sony is willing to look back and see which of its characters are worth revisiting, but a new Crash Bandicoot of Spyro game specifically is not something that's up to Sony alone. Activision owns the rights for both series. Spyro is still a huge earner for the company in the form of spin-off Skylanders, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-exploring-ways-to-resurrect-crash-bandicoot-series/1100-6416377/">last year Activision indicated that it's still interested in bringing Crash Bandicoot back to life</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So it's not as if all Sony has to do is ask nicely. In fact, Activision is guarding the Crash Bandicoot license so closely, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/07/08/naughty-dog-30th-anniversary-fan-art-design-contest/" rel="nofollow">it won't even allow it to be part of a fan art design contest Naughty Dog is running in celebration of its 30th Anniversary art book</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Jak and Daxter on the other hand is still owned by Sony, and with the exception of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/playstation-move-heroes/">PlayStation Move Heroes</a>, we haven't seen a new game starring those characters since 2009.</p><p style=""><em>Which PlayStation and PlayStation 2 characters would you like to see in a new game on the PlayStation 4? Let us know in the comments below.</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, 13 Jul 2014 08:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-hasn-t-closed-the-door-on-reviving-your-favor/1100-6421086/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/homefront-the-revolution-director-leaves-crytek-uk/1100-6421085/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592011-3625805164-25472.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592011" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2592011-3625805164-25472.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2592011"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2592011-3625805164-25472.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/homefront-the-revolution/">Homefront: The Revolution</a> game director Hasit Zala is said to have left his position at developer Crytek UK.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to a report from <a href="http://kotaku.com/sources-crytek-still-facing-issues-as-homefront-direct-1603582673?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow" rel="nofollow">Kotaku</a> citing sources familiar with the studio, its Development Manager Ben Harris has also left the company earlier this month. Harris' departure is reflected by his Linkedin page, but Zala's Linkedin says that he's still with Crytek, though it could simply be outdated.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The news follows <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-30-staff-have-left-crytek-uk-since-2011-morale-is-low/1100-6420697/">previous</a> <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-dev-crytek-denies-claims-that-it-s-in-financial-trouble/1100-6420676/">reports</a> that 30 or more employees left Crytek UK since development on Homefront: The Revolution began in 2011, and that morale at the Nottingham-based studio is "low." One source said that the high turnover at Crytek UK is the result of staff not being paid on time on multiple occasions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In June, Crytek also denied a report from German magazine GameStar, which claimed Crytek was close to bankruptcy.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Crytek, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thq-dissolved/1100-6402838/">purchased the Homefront series during THQ's bankruptcy auction in January 2013 for $544,000</a>, officially announced Homefront: The Revolution leading up to E3 2014. The game is an open-world shooter set in a Philadelphia occupied by the North Korean military, and is scheduled to release in 2015 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.</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, 13 Jul 2014 07:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/homefront-the-revolution-director-leaves-crytek-uk/1100-6421085/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/ <p style="">It's been a little over a year now since The Last of Us was released. Part of the last hurrah of AAA releases before the dawn of a new console generation, the game had tremendous expectations to live up to. Now that the dust has had some time to settle, and with the game's PlayStation 4 release just a few weeks off, join us as we take a look back at what The Last of Us represented at the time of its release, and as we look forward to what it might contribute to gaming's future.</p><h3>Pre-release: Venturing Away from Uncharted</h3><p style="">It was December of 2011. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 3</a> had come out the previous month, and though the reviews were glowing and the game was a huge hit, the level of excitement around it didn't reach the spectacular heights that accompanied the release of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-2-among-thieves/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 2</a>. As successful as the exploits of Nathan Drake had been for Naughty Dog, there was a risk that the studio would be seen as falling into a rut if the next announcement from them revealed yet another swashbuckling adventure for the treasure hunter and his friends. It was time for something different.</p><p style="">The Last of Us looked different.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6347442" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6347442/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Revealed at the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, the announcement of The Last of Us was accompanied by a trailer that introduced us to Joel and Ellie's struggle for survival in a world where society has collapsed and horrifying infected humans threaten those who survive. Another Uncharted game, this was not.</p><p style="">It would be 18 months before the game was released, but over that time, Naughty Dog kept interest in the game high with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-last-of-us-surviving-the-end-of-the-world-demo/2300-6380479/" data-ref-id="2300-6380479">an intense E3 stage demo</a> in 2012, and by slowly doling out information in the months that followed about things like the cause of society's collapse and the nature of the relationship between Joel and Ellie, who many initially assumed were father and daughter. Given Naughty Dog's pedigree with the Uncharted games and Sony's smartly understated handling of PR, by the time The Last of Us was finally released in June of 2013, it had become one of the most anticipated console releases of the year.</p><h3>Release: The Reception</h3><p style="">The Last of Us was met with near-universal critical acclaim. It has <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/the-last-of-us/critic-reviews" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">a 95 rating on Metacritic</a>, and earned the highest possible review score from a huge number of outlets, with critics particularly praising the game's narrative and atmosphere. Some critics felt that the game was so excellent that it breathed new life into the sometimes-predictable action adventure genre. Awarding the game a 10 out of 10, Oli Welsh of Eurogamer <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-05-the-last-of-us-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2013-06">wrote</a>, "At a time when blockbuster action games are sinking into a mire of desperate overproduction, shallow gameplay and broken narrative logic, The Last of Us is a deeply impressive demonstration of how it can and should be done. It starts out safe but ends brave; it has heart and grit, and it hangs together beautifully. And it's a real video game, too. An elegy for a dying world, The Last of Us is also a beacon of hope for its genre." Edge Magazine similarly felt that the game had more soul than you typically find in a big-budget mainstream release, saying in <a href="http://www.edge-online.com/review/the-last-of-us-review/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">their review</a>, " At times it's easy to feel like big-budget development has too much on the line to allow stubbornly artful ideas to flourish, but then a game like The Last Of Us emerges through the crumbled blacktop like a climbing vine, green as a burnished emerald."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/0/8/1990708-652686_20120814_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990708" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/0/8/1990708-652686_20120814_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990708"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/0/7/0/8/1990708-652686_20120814_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Other critics, however, felt that the game reflected the limits of its genre. In his ongoing video series <a href="http://youtu.be/bAzqDgKYfiM" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Errant Signal</a>, critic Chris Franklin said that the game is "very driven by the traditional complete-a-gameplay-section-and-be-rewarded-with-story-chunks mentality that games have been trying to move away from for years" and that it "pushes the... formula to its breaking point, taking it perhaps as far as you possibly can, but in the process showing its fundamental limitations." Polygon's Philip Kollar also felt that the game was compromised by its adherence to genre conventions, <a href="http://www.polygon.com/game/the-last-of-us/3040" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">saying</a> that it "achieves incredible emotional high points about as often as it bumps up against tired scenario design that doesn't fit its world."</p><p style="">The combat at the heart of The Last of Us owes a debt to the gunplay of the Uncharted games, but while those games went for a freewheeling, summer action movie vibe, the action in The Last of Us was meant to put you on edge, encouraging you to be sneaky and make the most of your limited resources to survive. Many critics felt the combat was intense and harrowing. In his review for IGN, Colin Moriarty <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/05/the-last-of-us-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">wrote</a>, "The beauty of stealth in The Last of Us is the incredible, uncomfortable realism you're forced to witness each and every time you execute a silent kill. Watching a survivor fruitlessly swat at Joel's arms as he strangles him to death is disturbing, as is quickly shiving a man in his neck and listening to him gurgle some parting breaths as he collapses to the ground. The Last of Us does a phenomenal job of making each and every enemy feel human. Every life taken has weight and each target feels unique and alive."</p><blockquote data-size="medium"><p style="">In the wake of The Last of Us, the real question seemed to be whether or not the conventions of its genre, which had developed over much of the previous console generation, represented an approach to game design that could stay relevant as we moved into the next generation.</p></blockquote><p style="">For some, however, the game's attempts to foster a sense of dread were undercut by its unwillingness to make death meaningful. In his review for GameSpot, Tom Mc Shea <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-last-of-us-review/1900-6409197/" data-ref-id="1900-6409197">wrote</a>, "The Last of Us refuses to punish failure in a manner befitting the harshness of its world. Become overwhelmed and you quickly perish, but with checkpoints only a few seconds apart, the danger of expiring never dissuades you from recklessness."</p><p style="">In the end, however, while some admired the skill with which The Last of Us employed common elements of its genre and some felt that the game was limited by its adherence to those elements, most agreed that there had rarely been a more well-crafted, more narratively engaging example of the traditional action-adventure game. And the game was adored by players as well. It currently has an average score of 9.1 from <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/the-last-of-us/user-reviews" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Metacritic users</a>, and an average rating of 9 from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-of-us/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot readers</a>. In the wake of The Last of Us, the real question seemed to be whether or not the conventions of its genre, which had developed over much of the previous console generation, represented an approach to game design that could stay relevant as we moved into the next generation.</p><h3>The Impact of Left Behind</h3><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2590419-photo+booth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590419" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2590419-photo+booth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2590419"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/78/787590/2590419-photo+booth.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">If The Last of Us was hemmed in by genre conventions, then its add-on chapter, Left Behind, found a way to push up against those conventions, both narratively and mechanically. While some, like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/arts/video-games/in-the-video-game-the-last-of-us-survival-favors-the-man.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Chris Suellentrop in the New York Times</a> and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2013/jul/01/last-of-us-bioshock-infinite-male-view" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Keith Stuart in The Guardian</a>, had lamented that The Last of Us, for all of its narrative ambitions, was yet another game that was somewhat predictable in the ways that it was about men and violence, Left Behind focuses on Ellie, and uses its gameplay mechanics and its narrative to foster a real sense of connection between her and her friend Riley.</p><p style="">In his feature <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/coming-of-age-in-the-last-of-us-left-behind/1100-6417768/" data-ref-id="1100-6417768">Coming of Age in The Last of Us: Left Behind</a>, GameSpot's Tom Mc Shea wrote admiringly about the way that Left Behind lets us feel like a participant in many of the moments that bond Ellie and Riley together. "Though some of her personality building stems from the quiet cinematics where I was just an interested observer," he writes, "Left Behind doesn't end her development there. What really caught my attention was how the core of her change occurs while we're in control of her. It's the combat, exploration, and bonding activities she shares with her friend Riley that establish who she is, and who she'll ultimately become."</p><p style="">And in her piece for Wired entitled <a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/02/left-behind-women-video-games/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">The Videogame That Finally Made Me Feel Like a Human Being</a>, Laura Hudson praised Left Behind's characterization of Ellie, writing that she "got to be both vulnerable and dangerous, scared and brave, weak and strong. She got to be human."</p><h3>Where The Last of Us Belongs</h3><p style="">From a gameplay perspective, The Last of Us took a kitchen sink approach, cramming in zombie-like enemies, stealth action, cover shooting, quick-time events, simple environmental puzzles, and numerous other elements that had previously surfaced in any number of similar games. It truly was, as Chris Franklin astutely observed, "a greatest hits tour through the last decade of AAA action adventure game design by major studios." But as familiar as these numerous elements are and as many times as we've experienced them before, the care with which the story and the characters of The Last of Us were crafted elevated the game, making it something that, for many players, transcended the typical action-adventure game experience. The Last of Us took its place as the pinnacle of the genre. For all its excellence, though, it felt like the end of an arc, the crowning achievement in trends that had been building up for a long time, and not something that spoke to where games might go in the future.</p><p style="">With Left Behind, though, the legacy of The Last of Us has shifted somewhat. It is now a game that speaks to how the action adventure genre can evolve, how it can tell different kinds of stories from the kind the genre has typically told, and how, rather than treating story and gameplay as two alternating components, it can effectively fuse narrative and gameplay to strengthen our sense of connection to the characters. Because of this, it's immensely fitting that The Last of Us will be not just a late PlayStation 3 release, but also, come July 29th, an early PlayStation 4 release. It's a game that borrows shamelessly from so many games that came before, but it may also have much to offer the games that are yet to come.</p> Sun, 13 Jul 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-s-inafune-says-player-feedback-is-appr/1100-6421083/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591850-9659325352-22370.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591850" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591850-9659325352-22370.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591850"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2591850-9659325352-22370.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Last week, Comcept founder and former Mega Man producer Keiji Inafune made the surprising announcement that his next game, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mighty-no-9/" data-ref-id="false">Mighty No. 9</a>, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mega-man-creators-mighty-no-9-coming-to-consoles/1100-6414555/">successfully Kickstrarted</a> last year with $3,845,170, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-launches-another-crowdfunding-campaign/1100-6420929/">will continue to accept funding from fans directly on its website</a>. Some comments Inafune made at Barcelona's Gamelab conference late last month that have surfaced recently help explain the thinking behind the decision.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The only difficulty I've been facing is, as we make the game, we're constantly talking to the backers and we get new feedback every day," Inafune told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-07-11-keiji-inafune-from-capcom-to-kickstarter" rel="nofollow">GamesIndustry International</a>. "We try our best to incorporate the ideas, but sometimes that feedback goes beyond what I expected. In that case, it can be difficult to explain that, while the feedback is appreciated, certain ideas would require us to ask for extra budget. That's a difficulty, because I never experienced that at Capcom."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When we reported on Inafune's second round of crowdfunding last week, the first stretch goal was at $100,000, in order to add English voice acting to the game. That stretch goal has since been upped to $200,000, in order to add English <em>and</em> Japanese voice acting. So far, Comcept raised $9,309 from 238 new or returning backers toward that goal.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can fund the project by pre-ordering the "Funding" tier copies of the game via PayPal on <a href="http://mightyno9.com/en/support" rel="nofollow">its website.</a> $50 will get you the final game and some "digital rewards" like a retro manual, art book, and more, and $80 will get you Steam Early Access as well. You can also just pre-order the game now for as low as $23 without contributing to the new crowdfunding effort.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Unrelated to the new funding campaign, Comcept also announced at the 2014 Anime Expo in Los Angeles last week that it's partnering with Japanese animation company Digital Frontier to produce the Mighty No. 9: The Animated TV Series.</p><p style="">None of the money Comcept is raising will be used for the animated series.</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, 12 Jul 2014 17:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-s-inafune-says-player-feedback-is-appr/1100-6421083/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-the-sopranos-opening-credits-sequence-meticu/1100-6421082/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgYwsM5UkXs" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FWgYwsM5UkXs%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWgYwsM5UkXs&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FWgYwsM5UkXs%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 group of machinima creators called 8-Bit Bastard have recreated HBO's The Sopranos opening credits by capturing footage from Rockstar Games' <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grand-theft-auto-v/">Grand Theft Auto V</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see by comparing the video above to the original below, it's a meticulous, close to shot-for-shot remake, and it's especially impressive since it was made with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grand-theft-auto-v/">Grand Theft Auto V</a>. That game takes place in the Los Angeles-inspired Los Santos, as opposed to The Sopranos-appropriate New York and New Jersey-inspired Liberty City from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grand-theft-auto-iv/">Grand Theft Auto IV</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's all made with footage captured in-game, but with the help of at least one special effect. "Recreating The Sopranos intro in GTAV was pretty time-consuming, but a lot of fun," 8-Bit Bastard said in the video's description. "It was also our first experience using green screen (you can't smoke in the car while it's moving)!"</p><p style="">You can watch the rest of 8-Bit Bastards creations, including their own version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-james-bond-train-scene-recreated-in-gta-5/1100-6418065/"><em>Skyfall</em>'s train scene</a> on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6VstowOKOfvGOhw8hJVXg" rel="nofollow">their YouTube channel</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiDoBYu-S04" data-width="640" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FRiDoBYu-S04%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DRiDoBYu-S04&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FRiDoBYu-S04%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><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, 12 Jul 2014 16:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-the-sopranos-opening-credits-sequence-meticu/1100-6421082/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/originally-designed-for-vita-controls-rogue-legacy/1100-6421081/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591830-9672925271-20455.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591830" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2591830-9672925271-20455.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2591830"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2591830-9672925271-20455.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Cellar Door Games' 2D platformer with roguelike elements <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/rogue-legacy/">Rogue Legacy</a> will release on all PlayStation Platforms July 29, according to the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/07/09/rogue-legacy-coming-july-29th-to-ps4-ps3-ps-vita/" rel="nofollow">PlayStation Blog</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Cellar Door said that the PlayStation version of the game includes "101% Content," meaning you'll get all the extra bonus zones, traits, and boss remixes from the PC version, and "just a little bit more," but Cellar Door didn't specify what.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">More importantly, Vita owners will be happy to learn that the game will work well with the handheld's control scheme. "When we originally made Rogue Legacy, we made it with the PS Vita buttons in mind. No joke," Cellar Door's Teddy Lee said. "We gambled that if it did well, we wouldn't want the Vita version being nerfed in the control department, so we made sure to not use too many buttons. That crazy gamble we made over a year ago paid off, and that means the Vita version plays perfectly!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation version of the game comes with Sony's Cross Buy feature, so buying the game for one platform will let you play on all of them. It also features Cross Save, so your progress is consistent across all platforms.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Currently exclusive to the PC, Cellar Door describes Rogue Legacy as a "rogue-lite." You try to defeat a number of bosses in a magical, randomly generated castle. When you die, you play as the dead hero's child, who has his own unique set of abilities. The money you collect passes on to the next generation, so each attempt can get easier as you buy better gear.</p><p style="">The game earned an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rogue-legacy-review/1900-6411102/">8.5 in GameSpot's review</a>, and made it to many GameSpot Editors' Top 10 Games for 2013 lists, which you can find <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/rogue-legacy/news/">here</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, 12 Jul 2014 15:58:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/originally-designed-for-vita-controls-rogue-legacy/1100-6421081/
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