Author: John Scalzo

John Scalzo is Warp Zoned's Editor-In-Chief and resident retro gaming expert. You can email him at john AT warpzoned DOT com.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes coming to Switch, Xbox One, PS4 this Summer

Posted on June 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

Steel Crate Games’s absolutely incredible bomb squad simulator, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, will make its way to the PS4 (without the PlayStation VR requirement), Switch, and Xbox One this Summer.

In Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, one player takes over as the Defuser, and becomes the poor soul who has to sit in front of a bomb as it ticks down to zero. The other players are Experts, and they have to decipher a bomb defusal manual (usually printed on actual paper, but also available on the game’s official website) to discover the correct sequence of button presses to disable the bomb.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a tense and exciting experience, and I’m thrilled that console players will finally get the chance to try it out.

Posted in News, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged

Microsoft delays Crackdown 3 to February… but it will make an appearance at E3 2018

Posted on June 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

It looks like Crackdown 3 won’t be released for the PC and Xbox One this Fall as originally planned. Earlier today, a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central that the game will now launch in February 2019, giving the team at Sumo Digital more time to polish the “signature antics and explosive gameplay” the franchise is known for:

Our fans’ response to the signature antics and explosive gameplay of “Crackdown 3” has been incredible. To ensure we deliver the experience they deserve, “Crackdown 3” will be launching in Feb 2019.

However, it also looks like we won’t have to wait long to learn more about the game, as Microsoft’s spokesman confirmed that Crackdown 3 will make an appearance at the consolemaker’s E3 press conference this weekend. Fans can tune in to the Xbox E3 Briefing on Sunday, June 10, at 1:00 PM (Pacific Time).

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One | Tagged ,

Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, The Banner Saga 2, more coming to Nintendo eShop this week

Posted on June 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

Bright and colorful battles will make their way to the Nintendo eShop this week…

Leading things off is Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, a head-to-head puzzler from Nintendo for the 3DS and Switch. In Sushi Striker, players must defeat enemies and bosses by devouring a meal of matching plates and sushi types. If that sounds too wild, Switch owners can also now download BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, a crossover fighter that mashes together characters from Arc System Works’s BlazBlue, Atlus’s Persona, French Bread’s Under Night In-Birth, and Rooster Teeth’s RWBY web series.

For RPG fans, Versus Evil and Stoic will bring The Banner Saga 2 to the Switch this week. And Switch owners who enjoy side-scrolling brawlers will get the chance to try out Saber Interactive’s Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn this week as well.

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the Nintendo eShop (including Iro Hero, Milanoir, Operation Hardcore, and more) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch | Tagged ,

GalaxyTrail’s Freedom Planet is officially coming to the Switch this Fall

Posted on June 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

GalaxyTrail originally released Freedom Planet, their homage to Sonic the Hedgehog’s side-scrolling adventures, all the way back in 2014. The game eventually made its way to the Wii U a year later and the PS4 in 2017. And now, XSEED Games has promised it’ll race onto the Switch this Fall:

Freedom Planet is a fast-paced combat-driven platform adventure that pits a spunky dragon girl and her friends against hostile foreign powers and alien attack forces. There’s trouble around every turn, from insects to giant robots to sheer explosive destruction, but players will have a variety of special fighting abilities at their disposal to blast through more than a dozen massive, nonlinear stages. The campaign may be played through as Lilac, Carol, or the unlockable Milla, each of whom has completely unique gameplay mechanics, an altered story mode in which the selected character takes the lead, and even a few of her own unique stages.

GalaxyTrail is also hard at work on Freedom Planet 2, and hopefully we’ll more about the sequel in the coming months. But if you’re heading to next week’s E3 Expo, the Switch version of Freedom Planet will be playable at XSEED’s booth (West Hall, Booth #4700) on the show floor.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged ,

WB Games and IO Interactive will release Hitman 2 on November 13

Posted on June 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

Confirming rumors we started hearing earlier this month, WB Games and IO Interactive have announced that Hitman 2 will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 13. The seventh game in the franchise will serve as a direct sequel to 2016’s Hitman, however, it won’t feature the episodic release schedule of its predecessor.

But not to worry, Hitman 2 will still take Agent 47 to various locales around the world, including a mission that takes place at a racetrack in Miami:

Hitman 2 takes players on a global adventure across a mix of bustling international locations, including a vibrant Miami setting with the colorful ambience of an in-progress motorsport race bringing a new backdrop to the series. From sun-drenched streets to dark and dangerous rainforests, each intricate location provides multiple paths to discover and unparalleled game depth.

Continuing the ultimate spy thriller story, Hitman 2 allows players to take on the role of the masterful Agent 47 and embark on a mission to hunt the elusive Shadow Client and unravel his militia once and for all. However, when 47 learns the hidden truth about his past, nothing will ever be the same.

The Miami mission is on full display in the E3 Trailer embedded above, but WB Games and IO Interactive also confirmed that Hitman 2 will feature a cooperative mode for the first time:

Hitman 2 introduces new ways to play with the Sniper Assassin mode, a standalone feature that brings a co-op experience to the Hitman series for the first time, allowing two players to work together online to take down their targets. Sniper Assassin can also be enjoyed in a single player mode for those who want to play as Agent 47.

Players who pre-order Hitman 2 will receive early access to Sniper Assassin mode beginning today. And you can find a second trailer, with a closer look at the cooperative mode, after the break.

But speaking of pre-order offers, four different purchasing options will be available for Hitman 2. The Standard Edition ($59.99) will contain just the game, while a digital-only Silver Edition ($79.99) will also include access to the game’s first expansion. A second expansion, and other in-game goodies, will be included with the Gold Edition ($99.99).

Fans who opt for the Collector’s Edition ($149.99), which will be sold exclusively through GameStop, will receive the game, both expansions, several other in-game bonuses, a rubber ducky, a bullet-shaped keychain, and a Signature Coin, all packaged in a replica of Agent 47’s gun case. Details on all four purchasing options can be found at the game’s official website.

We’ll likely learn more about Hitman 2 during next week’s E3 Expo. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged ,

Days Gone will make its PS4 debut on February 22

Posted on June 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

Sony continued their E3 countdown earlier this morning with a launch date announcement for Days Gone. According to the PlayStation Blog, the open world zombie game from Bend Studio will be released exclusively for the PS4 on February 22.

To go along with this announcement, Sony also unveiled a new trailer for Days Gone, and also gave Creative Director John Garvin the opportunity to talk a bit about the backstory behind the game’s apocalypse:

In addition to revealing the release date, the trailer introduces two new animal threats: mountain lions, or cougars, and infected ravens – called Criers in our world. We see another ambush event as Marauders torch an old vehicle and roll it onto the highway trying to knock Deacon from his bike. And the video ends with Deacon running out of gas out in the middle of nowhere – a quiet moment, perhaps, but maybe the deadliest of all.

Most important, we introduce a new enemy human faction: Rest In Peace, or R.I.P., is a cult that worships the Freakers. Rippers, as they’re known, dress like Freakers – and kill anyone who isn’t a Ripper. While they’re important to the story, Rippers are also an important part of the in-game Freaker ecology: when you get a chance to take down a Ripper camp, try bringing in a Swarm and see what happens – Rippers refuse to kill Freakers, and the results can be very entertaining.

To close out his post, Garvin also promised that more gameplay images from Days Gone would be revealed during next week’s E3 Expo.

Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged ,

Vampyr, Onrush, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, more coming to Xbox Store this week

Posted on June 6, 2018 by John Scalzo

Monster, motorsports, and a new expansion for Bethesda’s MMO highlight this week’s Xbox Games Store update…

Focus Home Interactive and Dontnod will bring Vampyr to the Xbox One this week. The moody action RPG takes place in Victorian London and tasks players with curing the influenza epidemic before they succumb to their vampiric urges. Also available to download for the Xbox One this week is Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, a retro-styled prequel to the upcoming Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night from Koji “IGA” Igarashi and developer Inti Creates.

If you’d rather drive like a speed demon, two new racing games will launch for the Xbox One this week. And in the case of Codemasters’s Onrush, I do mean LAUNCH, as racers will regularly drive off cliffs in the unique racing title. Also available this week is MotoGP 18, the latest motorcycle racing sim from Milestone and Square Enix.

Finally this week, Bethesda will expand The Elder Scrolls Online once again with the new Summerset expansion. Players will save the world (naturally) by unraveling “a dark conspiracy that threatens the world’s existence.”

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the Xbox Games Store (including Aragami: Shadow Edition and Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr) after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox One | Tagged , ,

Tetris Effect is a psychedelic Tetris game from Tetsuya Mizuguchi

Posted on June 6, 2018 by John Scalzo

Sony and The Tetris Company have tapped Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s Enhance studio to develop Tetris Effect, a psychedelic new entry in the popular puzzle series. Named after the real-life scientific phenomenon, Tetris Effect will be available for the PS4 this Fall with support for PlayStation VR and PS4 Pro:

Named after a real-world phenomenon where players’ brains are so engrossed that images of the iconic falling Tetrimino blocks (i.e. the Tetris playing pieces) linger in their vision, thoughts, and even dreams, Tetris Effect amplifies this magical feeling of total immersion by surrounding you with fantastic, fully three-dimensional worlds that react and evolve based on how you play. Music, backgrounds, sounds, special effects—everything, down to the Tetris pieces themselves, pulse, dance, shimmer, and explode in perfect sync with how you’re playing.

During the game’s pre-E3 announcements, Sony also assured players that they’ll be able to get in “The Zone” as they play Tetris Effect, which will also include classic modes like Marathon, Sprint, and Ultra:

Features

  • Includes the all-new “Zone” mechanic, where players can stop time (and Tetriminos falling) by entering “The Zone” and either get out of a sticky situation that could otherwise lead to Game Over, or rack up extra line clears for bonus rewards.
  • Over 30 different stages, each with its own music, sound effects, graphical style and background that all evolve and change as you play through them.
  • Fully playable on either a standard display (up to 4K and 60fps on a PS4 Pro), or optionally in mind-blowing 3D on PS VR.
  • Fan-favorite modes like Marathon, Sprint, and Ultra, with more all-new modes and other features to be revealed before launch.
  • A player grading and leveling system as well as variable difficulty to encourage and reward replayability.

Tetris Effect’s first trailer has been embedded above, and be sure to watch closely… you can can really see the influence of Mizuguchi’s Lumines and Rez in the short clip.

Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged ,