Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- BAFTA Games Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
- Boss Fight Books to Get a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
- GDC Awards: All the Winners from 1996 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- We Pitched a Museum a 1993 Game Hint Line (And They Actually Said Yes) – Yarn Spinner (2026)
- The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread – A Critical Hit (2025)
- Creator of Hit Game Shovel Knight Is at a ‘Make or Break’ Moment – Bloomberg (2025)
- Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history – Design Room (2025)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Author: John Scalzo
SteamWorld Heist’s PS4/Vita launch has been delayed by a week
Image & Form has some bad news this morning… SteamWorld Heist‘s PS4 and Vita debut has been delayed. Originally scheduled to launch on May 31, the game will now be available a week later, on June 7. According to the developer’s Community Manager, Julius Guldbog, the delay is due to a few bugs they found at the last minute:
The reasons for the delay are related to publishing, localisation and quality assurance. We basically encountered a few scattered problems with the PlayStation versions that we have to fix before releasing the game. The extra week will hopefully give us enough time to fix these issues.
Image & Form is working with Sony to get the bugs ironed out as quickly as possible, but to fill the next seven days, they suggest taking a shot at the SteamWorld Dig speedrun record, which is an astounding 22 minutes and 57 seconds.
Posted in News, PS4, Vita
Tagged SteamWorld Heist
Theatrical “swamp noir” Knee Deep will be released for PS4 and Xbox One this Summer
Prologue Games closed the book on their Florida-set episodic adventure, Knee Deep, earlier this Spring. But PS4 and Xbox One owners who missed out on it will get their own chance to try it out when Knee Deep launches for the consoles this Summer
Currently available for the PC through Steam, Knee Deep is classified as a “swamp noir” by the developer, who also looked at David Lynch’s surreal TV production, Twin Peaks, for inspiration. But rather than re-explore the rainy corners of the Pacific Northwest, Knee Deep drags three different characters into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a washed-up actor in the Sunshine State:
When a washed-up actor hangs himself on location, a spotlight is cast on the backwater Florida town of Cypress Knee. Your screen becomes a stage on which you investigate this mysterious suicide as three distinct characters: cheeky blogger Romana Teague, down-and-out local reporter Jack Bellet, and cynical private investigator K.C. Gaddis.
With a story that unfolds like a three-act play, Knee Deep’s characters are transported between scenes as if they were delivering their lines from the world’s largest stage. You can see just how big the game’s world gets in the trailer embedded above.
Nintendo Download: StarTropics, StarTropics II, Dragon Fantasy: The Black Tome of Ice, more
Two NES classics, and an RPG that just looks like an NES classic, are now available to download through the Nintendo eShop.
When fans reminisce about Nintendo’s great franchises, they often leave the StarTropics series off the list. But I’m quite fond of these NES action RPGs and they’re both now available to download for the Wii U. StarTropics and Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II both star adventurer Mike Jones, who has come to the tropics to save his missing uncle. But the action moves far beyond blue water and palm trees after the aliens show up.
Also available to download this week for the Wii U and 3DS is Dragon Fantasy: The Black Tome of Ice, a game built from the ground up to honor the JRPGs that were popular in the 80s and 90s (Captain a pirate ship! Battle giant bosses! No random encounters!).
More information on all of these games (as well as a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Hitman Episode 3: Marrakesh will be available on May 31
IO Interactive’s episodic Hitman adventure will continue next week with a trip to Morocco. In Episode 3, Agent 47 will be heading to the mysterious city of Marrakesh in search of two new targets:
The mission, titled “A Gilded Cage,” enlists Agent 47 to take out two targets, private investment banker Claus Strandberg and Army General Reza Zaydan.
In a city teaming with life on the brink of a full-scale riot, these are the moments before a coup d’état, where the visible military presence exacerbates a situation where tensions are running high. Bustling Berber markets, alleyways crammed with stalls and shops, a clinical Swedish consulate and shaded rooftop terraces are just some of the areas that players can explore in Marrakesh.
IO is also planning more live content for Hitman, and the Marrakesh map will serve as the location for future Escalation Contracts and Elusive Targets. But for now, fans can scope out three screenshots from Hitman: Episode 3 at the game’s official website, alongside a few details about the episode’s new Challenges and Opportunities. As always, Episode 3 will be a free download for owners of Hitman’s Full Experience Pack, or it can be purchased individually for $10.
Agent 47 will star in three additional episodes of Hitman, which will all be released by the end of the year. The assassination will next travel to Thailand, before heading to the United States and Japan later in 2016.
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Season Pass includes 3 Level Packs and more than 50 new characters
WB Games has announced a Season Pass for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens that’ll include three Level Packs and more than 50 new playable characters.
Priced at $9.99 (packs can also be downloaded individually for $2.99 apiece), the Season Pass will feature 15 playable characters and three never-before-seen scenes from The Force Awakens, including Poe Damerson’s journey back from Jakku, Kylo Ren’s assault on Maz Kanata’s castle, and the Resistance escape from Starkiller Base. The Season Pass will also include five Character Packs, which will add 40 additional playable characters to the game.
The full contents of the Season Pass (which is available for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One) can be found right here:
Poe’s Quest for Survival Level Pack
A whole new adventure following Poe Dameron’s journey back to the Resistance base. After his daring escape from the First Order that left him stranded on Jakku, Poe must search for BB-8 and locate a ship to escape the desert planet in an effort to find his way home.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Naka Lit, Ohn Gos, Poe Dameron (Jakku), Strus Clan Leader, Strus Clan Raider, Strus Clan Speeder (Full-Size Vehicle), Strus Clan Speeder (Microfighter Vehicle)First Order Siege of Takodana Level Pack
Experience the thrilling assault on Maz Kanata’s castle in a new way. Storm the shores of Takodana with Kylo Ren and the First Order in a quest to capture Rey and BB-8 to crush the Resistance forever.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Jashco Phurus, Rosser Weno, Strono “Cookie” Tuggs, Thromba, Laparo, Jakku Freighter (Full-Size Vehicle), Jakku Freighter (Microfighter Vehicle)Escape from Starkiller Base Level Pack
After crash landing on the surface of Starkiller Base, join the battle from the perspective of two Resistance pilots. With the help of a loyal astromech droid, outmaneuver the First Order to escape the planet before it explodes.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: C’ai Threnalli, Colonel Datoo, Lieutenant Rodinon, Lt Wright, R3-Z3, Assault Walker (Full-Size Vehicle), Assault Walker (Microfighter Vehicle)The Jedi Character Pack (Available June 28, 2016)
Features powerful members of the Jedi Order. Available exclusively to Season Pass owners.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Kit Fisto, Luminara Unduli, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Saesee Tiin, Shaak Ti, Jedi Interceptor (Full-Size Vehicle), Jedi Interceptor (Microfighter Vehicle)The Prequel Trilogy Character Pack
Play as select characters from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Anakin Skywalker (Damaged), Captain Panaka, Darth Maul, Jango Fett, Jar Jar Binks, Padmé Naberrie, Watto, Zam Wesell, Naboo Starfighter (Full-Size Vehicle), Naboo Starfighter (Microfighter Vehicle)The Freemaker Adventures Character Pack
Showcases the galaxy’s bravest family of scavengers from the upcoming Lego animated series, debuting June 20th on Disney XD.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Baash (Iktotchi), Graballa the Hutt, Kordi Freemaker, Naare, Raam (Iktotchi), Roger (Battle Droid), Rowan Freemaker, Zander Freemaker, Star Scavenger (Full-Size Vehicle), Star Scavenger (Microfighter Vehicle)Star Wars: Rebels Character Pack
Play as the crew of the Ghost from the popular Disney XD animated series.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Ahsoka Tano, Chopper, Ezra Bridger, Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren, Seventh Sister Inquisitor, Zeb Orrelios, Ghost (Full-Size Vehicle), Ghost (Microfighter Vehicle)The Clones Wars Character Pack
Exciting characters from the acclaimed animated series.
Playable Characters and Vehicles Include: Asajj Ventress, Aurra Sing, Barriss Offee, Cad Bane, Captain Rex, Commander Cody, Hondo Ohnaka, Savage Opress, Republic Gunship (Full-Size Vehicle), Republic Gunship (Microfighter Vehicle)
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released on June 28.
Xbox Store Today: Overwatch, TMNT Mutants in Manhattan, OlliOlli 2, Not A Hero
Strap on your cape, we’re going heroing in today’s Xbox Games Store update.
First up is Overwatch, Blizzard’s massive “Hero Shooter” that drops players into the arena as their chosen hero (there’s almost two dozen… though a few look pretty villainous to me). It’s now available to download for the Xbox One, and I’m sure plenty of you are already playing it.
Also available to download this week is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan, a beat ’em up from Platinum Games starring the beloved heroes in a half-shell. Featuring four-player online co-op on both the Xbox One and Xbox 360, Mutants in Manhattan will pit the Turtles against Shredder, Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady, and many others.
Switching gears slightly, Roll7 will release Not A Hero: Super Snazzy Edition for the Xbox One this week. Though it says “Not A Hero” on the tin, players will most definitely feel like heroes as they blast their way through a crime-ridden city in the very British side-scroller. Roll7 also released OlliOlli2: XL Edition, their side-scrolling skateboard sim, for the Xbox One this week. Both games can even be purchased together, and for a discounted price, as part of the “BunnyLord Pro Hater Pack.”
More details on all of these titles can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Overwatch, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan
Deep Silver continues their goofy advertising pitch for Mighty No. 9 with new “Masterclass” trailer
Prospective fans of Mighty No. 9 are understandably upset that the game has taken so long to go from Kickstarter campaign to finished product. But game development takes time, and creator Keiji Inafune started work on Mighty No. 9 with little more than an idea and a dream.
So here we are, less than a month away from its launch, and publisher Deep Silver has delivered a new “Masterclass” trailer that focuses on Beck’s many special abilities. Narrated by the same goofy announcer as last November’s “Features Trailer,” it has a similar retro vibe, and probably would have felt right at home on Nickelodeon in 1992.
Will this kind of advertising fly in 2016? It’s too soon to say, but we do know that Mighty No. 9 will be released for the PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on June 21. The game will also appear on the 3DS and Vita later this year.
Finn stars in the second Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Character Trailer
WB Games is back with a second “Character Vignette” from Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and this time they’ve focused on Finn, everyone’s favorite ex-Stormtrooper.
Watch as Finn helps Chewbacca stuff Captain Phasma down the garbage chute, and hear new dialogue recorded by John Boyega as Finn explains to Han Solo that everything’s going to be OK (grumpy Han Solo sounds less than convinced).
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released on June 28 for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.