Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Meet the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025: Quake, GoldenEye 007, Defender, and Tamagotchi
- The BAFTA Games Awards Polled the Public and Shenmue is “The Most Influential Video Game of All Time”
- 2024 GOTY Scoreboard: Astro Bot, Balatro, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, More
- The Strong Museum of Play Acquires Prototypes and Development Documents from Volition’s 30-Year History
- Minecraft’s Volume Alpha Soundtrack Has Been Added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- Fight Club, The Game David Fincher Didn’t Want You To Play – Time Extension (2025)
- It’s beginning to feel like gaming isn’t for everyone – Digital Trends (2025)
- 22 years later, modders are keeping SimCity 4 alive – The Verge (2025)
- The B-movies of Paul W.S. Anderson double as acts of devotion to his muse, Milla Jovovich – The AV Club (2025)
- Breakout, Ripoff, Genre: How Fiction Outgrows Originality – Uncanny Magazine (2025)
Monthly Archives: October 2014
Insert Quarter: The History of Music Games
Insert Quarter is our showcase for some of the best and most interesting writing about video games on the Internet.
Almost 50 years ago, Paul and Art Garfunkel asked, “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?” in their hit song, “Mrs. Robinson.” DiMaggio would later tell Simon that he hadn’t gone anywhere, even though his playing days were long behind him. Likewise, today’s gamers have probably asked themselves, what happened to all the music games? The conventional wisdom says that they just don’t sell anymore, but who can turn down an invitation to rock out with your plastic guitar out?
IGN’s Chris Reed dug in to the history of the music from its humble roots (1996’s PaRappa the Rapper) all the way through the Guitar Here/Rock Band rivalry and into the future of the genre:
Music/rhythm games have run a surprisingly dynamic path through gaming history. Some genres drift into popularity and gradually fade out as technology and popular taste change. You might not even realize it’s happened until one day you look around and wonder, for instance, where all the 3D platformers went. Music games, on the other hand, moseyed along under the radar for the better part of a decade before taking off like a shot, attaining meteoric success before drying up nearly all at once.
You can read the rest of the article at IGN.
Black Tusk’s Studio Manager says Gears of War 4 needs to get back to franchise’s roots
Rod Fergusson, the Studio Manager at Gears of War 4 developer Black Tusk Studios, wants to reintroduce the Gears of War franchise to its roots. The developer relayed fears that the franchise has lost its way to Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft’s Xbox Division, who in turn discussed the future of the series with IGN on their Podcast Unlocked podcast:
The Head of Xbox told IGN that, in discussions with Rod Fergusson, who’s in charge of Gears of War at Black Tusk Studios, he’s talked about Gears of War becoming “a parody of itself” over time. “Not for any horrible reasons,” but because managing success over time is challenging.
Spencer and Fergusson have also discussed “getting back to something,” he continued. “I think [about] the story and the setting and what they’re going through as a band. Gears of War, the name really meant something to what that game was about. We need to get back to that.” He also reiterated that the next Gears of War is not a reboot.
If anyone understands the soul of the Gears of War franchise, its Fergusson. Before leaving Irrational late last year, the developer was employed by Epic and contributed to the first three Gears of War games.
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Gears of War 4
Daily Scoop: October 24, 2014 – Quiet Friday
Hey there, Internet! It’s quiet here in the video game deals/video game t-shirt world today. Not that I’m complaining: I have plenty of video games and t-shirts. But I am always happy to add more to my collection of both.
There are a few games for sale at the Humble Store. You can pick up Escape Dead Island for $33.99, Forced for $4.49, and Gunpoint for $1.99.
The Daily Deal at Steam is the Eidos Anthology. It’s 34 games and DLC for $51.99, which is 75% off the full price. There’s a huge list there, and you should at least give it a glance!
I’ve got three shirts for you today…
Posted in Daily Scoop
Xbox Store Today: Shadow Warrior, Voice Commander
Did you know that Microsoft runs an internal group for “hackers, makers, artists, tinkerers, musicians, and inventors” known as the Microsoft Garage? And that this “community” of interns and employees has been given free reign to turn their “wild ideas” into workable applications?
If you own an Xbox One, you definitely know all about Microsoft Garage now. Several members of the development team got together to produce Voice Commander, a group game that combines real-time strategy with overhead shooting as eight players man controllers while the rest of the crowd controls the action with voice commands. Best of all, it’s free to download.
Also available for the Xbox One today is Shadow Warrior, Flying Wild Hog’s reboot of 3D Realms’ wild first person shooter of the same name. Lo Wang is back and he’s going to use “a masterful combination of gun, blade, magic and wit” to combat a demonic invasion.
More information about both games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Shadow Warrior
Dead or Alive 5: Last Round will be released in February 2015
Koei Tecmo has announced that the third, and final, re-release of Dead or Alive 5 will be released in February. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round will be available on February 17 for the PS4 and Xbox One (as a digital download and a retail disc) and the PS3 and Xbox 360 (as a digital download only).
Last Round will also be available on the PS4 and Xbox One as a free-to-play version known as the “Core Fighters” edition. “Core Fighters” on the PS4 will launch with four fighters freely unlocked (Ayane, Hayate, Kasumi, and Ryu Hayabusa) with additional fighters, modes, and other features available as paid add-ons. The Xbox One edition will be expandable in the same way, but first players must purchase an extended character pack (including Hitomi, Tina, Jann Lee, and Bass) priced at $4.99.
For those looking to pre-purchase the entire game, Koei Tecmo will offer three pre-order packs through GameStop, Amazon, and Best Buy. GameStop will offer buyers the “Ninja Costume Pack” (for Ayane, Hayabusa, Hayate, and Kasumi) and the “Aloha Costume Pack” (for Ayane, Hitomi, Kasumi, and Mila). Amazon will give purchasers access to the “Showstopper Costume Pack” (for Christie, Helena, Lisa, and Tina) while Best Buy will offer the “Beach Party Costume Pack” (for Kokoro, Leifang, Momiji, and Rachel).
Dead or Alive 5: Last Round will be priced at $29.99 on the PS3 and Xbox 360 and $39.99 on the PS4 and Xbox One.
Outlast 2 announced by Red Barrels
Speaking to Bloody Disgusting, Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin confirmed that the development company is hard at work on Outlast 2.
Outlast 2 won’t return to the Mount Massive Asylum featured in Outlast, nor will it bring back that game’s star, Miles Upshur. Instead, Morin confirmed it will have “different characters and a different setting,” though it will be set in the same universe:
The game will be a survival horror experience and it will take place in the same universe as Outlast, but it will have different characters and a different setting. We might go back to Mount Massive Asylum one day, but for now we have new ideas and themes we’d like to explore and we think we’re cooking up something special.
It’s currently unknown what platforms it’ll be available for or when it’ll be released, but Morin says it might be a while: “We’re still a small indie studio (12 people), so we’ll need a little bit of time to ship our next game, but hopefully it will be worth it.”
UPDATE: VG247 is reporting that whenever Outlast 2 is released, it’ll be released simultaneously for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
GTA: San Andreas with Achievements, 720p visuals to be released for Xbox 360 next week
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas used to be available through the Xbox Games Store as part of Microsoft’s Xbox Originals initiative. When asked about its delisting, Rockstar revealed that it was removed because an Xbox 360-native version of San Andreas will be released on October 26.
This new version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, released to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the game’s PS2 debut, will include a 720p graphical upgrade, enhanced draw distance, and a full range of Achievements. However, owners of the Xbox Originals version of San Andreas will be chagrined to learn that their save file will not be compatible with the brand new Xbox 360 edition.
It’s currently unknown if Rockstar plans to bring this new version of San Andreas to the PS3.
I’m not sure, but this might be the most low-key game announcement ever. You can get a look at the full list of Achievements after the break and hopefully Rockstar will follow it up with enhanced re-releases of Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Super Smash Bros. Wii U will include 8-player battles; Mewtwo DLC available in Spring 2015
Nintendo uploaded a new Nintendo Direct video earlier today all about Super Smash Bros. For Wii U. Nintendo’s “50-Fact Extravaganza” video revealed a ton of new details about the game including confirmation of a special 8-player battle mode. The unimaginatively titled “8-Player Smash” will allow up to eight players to battle it out in special larger arenas for the first time. For obvious reasons, this mode is only available locally, so I hope you can cram eight people onto your couch, because it sounds awesome.
Other “Facts” revealed today include:
Amiibo Figures: When a player touches an Amiibo figure to the Wii U GamePad, the character joins as a “figure player.” The Amiibo figures can gain levels to become stronger and add equipment as they gain experience through battling. Players can have Amiibo fight one another, and Amiibo will bring you presents from the battles they fight in.
Custom Stage Creation: The touch screen of the Wii U GamePad makes it easier than ever for players to build their own stages and eventually share them with friends and other players around the world using broadband Internet access.
Smash Tour: World Smash is a fighting party game that looks like a board game. Players use items, spin a wheel and advance around the map. Up to four players can compete at once as they navigate the board and gain fighters and power-ups they can use in a final battle.
Ridley. Yes, Ridley: Fans have been clamoring for Ridley to appear in a Super Smash Bros. game for a while, and now they’re getting their wish. But true to form, Ridley appears in an unexpected way. Players will find him in the Metroid series-inspired Pyrosphere stage, but he does more than just hassle players. If one player attacks Ridley enough, Ridley will join that fighter’s side and attack others. Players (including the one on Ridley’s side) can KO Ridley to earn a point toward the match result total. And if Ridley consumes enough energy, he will become Meta Ridley and all the more vicious.
Special Soundtrack Offer: Everyone who buys both the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U versions of Super Smash Bros. and registers both games on Club Nintendo by January 13 will receive a two-disc soundtrack of music from the games.
Finally, Nintendo confirmed today that Super Smash Bros. For Wii U’s roster will be expanded with downloadable fighters at a later date. The first character to be available will be Mewtwo, who will be available as a free download in Spring 2015 for players who purchase Smash Bros. Wii U and Super Smash Bros. For 3DS.
You can learn even more new “Facts” by watching the complete Nintendo Direct video, which is embedded above. And don’t forget, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U will be released on November 21.
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Super Smash Bros. For 3DS, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U