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.

Link rides a motorcycle in Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Champions Ballad DLC… which is now available to download

Posted on December 8, 2017 by John Scalzo

The Champions Ballad, the second expansion from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘s Expansion Pass, is now available to download from the Nintendo eShop on the Switch and Wii U. Nintendo surprise-launched the DLC during last night’s Game Awards, while also introducing Link’s motorcycle in a new trailer:

In this second of two DLC packs that are part of the game’s Expansion Pass, players are granted access to a large new adventure featuring a never-before-seen dungeon, new insights into the background of the game’s four Champions, as well as a new high-mobility means of transportation. Once players complete the adventure, they will have the opportunity to traverse the enormous world of Hyrule on top of a motorcycle called Master Cycle Zero. The DLC will also grant access to nine new armor items for players to find, as well as the Ancient Saddle and Bridle items.

The Expansion Pass, which includes The Champion Ballad, as well as The Trial of the Sword, is now available to purchase for $19.99.

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Bayonetta 3 officially announced at 2017 Game Awards; Bayonetta 1 and 2 coming to Switch

Posted on December 8, 2017 by John Scalzo

It looks like Nintendo and Platinum Games will be continuing their witchy partnership after the unveiling of Bayonetta 3 during last night’s Game Awards ceremony. Aside from the teaser trailer embedded above, we didn’t learn much else about Bayonetta’s first original adventure on the Switch.

However, Switch owners won’t have to wait long to play a Bayonetta game on the go, as Nintendo and Platinum Games also confirmed that Bayonetta 2 will be released for the console on February 16. The game, which was first released as a Wii U-exclusive back in 2014, will also include a download code for the original Bayonetta. Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 will also both be available to download through the Nintendo eShop.

You can find the first trailer for Bayonetta 2’s Switch debut after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged , ,

Hideo Kojima delivered another look at Death Stranding at The Game Awards 2017

Posted on December 8, 2017 by John Scalzo

Hideo Kojima has now released three trailers for Death Stranding, and the game’s post-apocalyptic plotline is no clearer today than it was 18 months ago. And that’s especially true after watching the extended bit of video that premiered during last night’s Game Awards.

Norman Reedus is wearing some kind of hazmat suit… and he’s got some kind of sensor on his back… and then an oil monster emerges from the muck (oh no!). There’s a fight… then there’s no gravity… and then a bright light… and we possibly get a look at Norman Reedus’s soul (which is visualized as a baby living in his throat).

I admit it, I have no idea what’s going on. But Death Stranding is in development for the PC and PS4, and presumably we’ll learn more about it soon (but with Kojima in charge, I’m not sure “learning” is the right word).

Posted in News, PC, PS4 | Tagged ,

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild wins “Game of the Year” at the 2017 Game Awards

Posted on December 8, 2017 by John Scalzo

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Cuphead, and Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice dominated this year’s Game Awards, which were hosted by Geoff Keighley last night in Los Angeles.

Breath of the Wild kickstarted the launch of the Nintendo Switch in a big way this past March, so it’s not surprising that it also won “Game of the Year” at the Game Awards. Link’s latest adventure also claimed victory in two additional categories last night, “Best Game Direction” and “Best Action/Adventure Game.”

Studio MDHR’s Cuphead was released to quite a bit of fanfare earlier this Fall, and the side-scrolling shooter delivered at the Game Awards with wins for “Best Art Direction” (thanks to its beautiful 1930s-inspired animation) “Best Independent Game,” and the fan-voted “Best Debut Indie Game.”

Finally, Ninja Theory has been touting Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice as their “AAA Indie,” and the game lived up to that billing with victories for “Best Audio Design,” “Games For Impact” (for a storyline that dealt with mental illness), and “Best Performance” for Melina Juergens’s voicework as Senua.

Congratulations to the development teams responsible for all this year’s nominees, and you can find a full list of the winners after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS4, Wii U, Xbox One | Tagged ,

Devil May Cry HD Collection coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One on March 13

Posted on December 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

I’m not sure, but we may have just reached “Peak Remaster.”

Capcom previously released the Devil May Cry HD Collection in 2012, which brought the first three games in the franchise to the PS3 and Xbox 360. Today, the publisher confirmed plans to re-release the re-release in 2018… for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Set to launch on March 13, 2018 for a wallet-friendly price of $29.99, the Devil May Cry HD Collection will once again repackage the first three games in the series in one compilation:

Devil May Cry (2001)
This is the one that started it all, starring a mature and subdued Dante, which matched the mood and tempo of the game’s sense of isolation during the exploration sequences and tough-as-nails boss battles. It’s also the game that inspired my favorite TV game ad of all time:

Devil May Cry 2 (2003)
Taking place after the events of the first Devil May Cry, this sequel strives for a more cinematic look and feel to combat, changing things up in how the camera behaves, but also taking extreme care to make the animations more natural and fluid. Plus, you can unlock and play as Trish, featuring her own unique weapons and move set.

Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition (2006)
Focusing on the origins of our favorite demon hunter, this prequel features a much younger and more rambunctious Dante who cares very little about how much damage he’s doing to even his own shop as long as he can chew his pizza and kick some butt. And he runs out of pizza.

Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition quickly took the spotlight as a fan favorite with the addition of combat Styles that significantly change the way you slay demons. These Styles can be selected and upgraded between each mission. This game also put a spotlight on Dante’s relationship with his twin brother Vergil, who is an unlockable character with his own move set and gameplay.

You can read more about the Devil May Cry HD Collection at the Capcom-Unity blog.

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WWE 2K18, The End Is Nigh, Floor Kids, more coming to Nintendo eShop this week

Posted on December 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

This week’s Nintendo eShop is here, and once again, a huge number of new games are now available to download for the Nintendo Switch.

Leading things off is 2K’s WWE 2K18. The wrestling sim makes its first appearance on a Nintendo console in several years, and fans will be able to compete in eight-man matches with “a new grapple carry system, new weight detection, thousands of new animations, and a massive backstage area.”

Also available to download today is The End Is Nigh, an “adventure platformer” from Edmund McMillen, and a spiritual successor to Super Meat Boy. Also this week, get down and get funky with Floor Kids, “a unique breakdance game featuring dance battles, freestyle gameplay, and funky beats.”

Switch owners will also find nearly 20 more new titles on the Nintendo eShop, including scrolling shooters (Dimension Drive and Gunbird), racing games (Riptide GP: Renegade), platformers (Slain: Back From Hell and Embers of Mirrim), mystery games (The Sexy Brutale), and more.

You can learn more about all of this week’s additions to the Nintendo eShop (including a few 3DS and Wii U games) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U | Tagged

Ubisoft delays Far Cry 5 and The Crew 2

Posted on December 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

Bad news for Ubisoft fans looking forward to Far Cry 5 and The Crew 2… the publisher has announced that both games have been delayed.

Far Cry 5 was expected to launch for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 27, but it’s been pushed back exactly four weeks (to March 27) so the team at Ubisoft Montreal can add a bit more polish to the game. In the more immediate future, Ubisoft will release a new trailer for Far Cry 5 on Saturday, December 9, at 1:00 AM (Eastern Time):

For Far Cry 5, the extra time will allow the team at Ubisoft Montreal to make some additional improvements that will bring the best, most ambitious Far Cry experience in line with the team’s original vision.

The Crew 2 is also in the works for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and it was originally scheduled to launch in Early 2018. But now it’s release date has been rescheduled for sometime in Spring/Summer 2018:

Meanwhile, The Crew 2 development team at Ivory Tower will use the next several months to perform additional playtests, gather player feedback, and continue working towards delivering an ambitious open-world racing experience that meets the team’s and our players’ expectations.

You can find Ubisoft’s full statement about both delays on the UbiBlog.

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

Square Enix officially confirms that a new Tomb Raider game is in development

Posted on December 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

Last Summer, Crystal Dynamics hired Ian Milham as their Franchise Director for Tomb Raider, effectively confirming that a third game in the rebooted adventures of Lara Croft was in the works.

Today, Square Enix officially announced the game with a short tweet, and said we’ll hear more about it during a major 2018 event:

Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to learn more about the next Tomb Raider game, but eagle-eyed readers might have already spotted something neat about this message. If you take the first letter from each sentence, they spell out the word “Shadow.” And wouldn’t you know it, rumor has it the next Tomb Raider game will be known as Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Of course, there’s also the possibility that someone in Square Enix’s PR department is just messing with us and the game will be titled something else entirely.

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