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.

The Flock will live as long as its players do this Summer

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

The Flock is a “first-person asymmetrical multiplayer horror game” from Dutch developer Vogelsap (it literally means “Bird Juice) scheduled for release this Summer. Players will be divided into two groups, The Flock and The Carrier, as they battle for control of the Light Artifact…

The Flock is a first person asymmetrical multiplayer thriller game for three-to-five players. All player start out as monsters, called the Flock. When the coveted Light Artifact is grabbed by one of the players that player transforms into the Carrier, and the hunt begins.

The Carrier is slower, smaller and more vulnerable. It has to protect itself from the Flock that try to gain the Artifact for themselves, using the intense light that is emitted from the Artifact. The Flock are vulnerable to the light, and will burn to death if they don’t stand still when shined upon. If a Flock stands still, it will turn into stone and be safe from the light.

If one of the Flock succeeds in attacking the Carrier, that player will turn into the new Carrier, and the attacked player returns as one of the Flock. The player that can stay being the Carrier long enough wins the game. The gameplay in combination with the dark and ghastly atmosphere makes for a thrilling psychological experience.

However, Vogelsap has an interesting plan to turn The Flock’s PC launch (via Steam) into a limited-time event this Summer. Each time a player dies, their lost life from be subtracted from The Flock’s total population. When the game’s population reaches zero, the game will permanently go offline and, though players who have already purchased it will get to participate in a “climactic finale.” This could take years… or it could take days.

“A multiplayer game can take players to incredible heights, but at some point gamers will start to play less, get disinterested and stop playing altogether,” said Jeroen Van Hasselt, the Creative Director of Vogelsap. “In opposition to other multiplayer games, we want The Flock’s experience to inspire a sense of awe, to keep players eagerly anticipating what is coming next and to end with a memorable climax.”

The Flock will be playable at this Summer’s Gamescom expo as part of the Indie Arena Booth.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

Nintendo Download: Tiny Galaxy, Blaster Master, Airport Hero Narita, more

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Six titles were added to the Nintendo eShop today. In no particular order, they are…

  • Tiny Galaxy (Wii U) is a side-scrolling platformer that takes place on a variety of planets of different size, each with its own gravity and rotation.
  • Blaster Master (Wii U) is a beloved NES side-scroller that is now available on the Wii U’s Virtual Console for the first time.
  • Airport Hero Narita: I Am An Air Traffic Controller (3DS) is an air traffic controller sim.
  • I Love My Dogs (3DS) is a pet ownership sim.
  • G.G. Series: Score Attacker (DSi) is a vertically-scrolling space shooter.
  • G.G. Series: Vector (DSi) is a falling block puzzler.

More information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)

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

The Elder Scrolls Online’s Imperial City expansion will be available soon

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

Bethesda has announced that the first downloadable expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online will be available next month. The Elder Scrolls Online: Imperial City will be released for the PC on August 31 (a PS4 and Xbox One release will follow on September 15), and it’ll be a free download for all ESO Plus members. Everyone will be able to purchase the add-on through the Crown Store for 2,500 Crowns.

Here’s what players can expect to find in the Imperial City:

Description
The Imperial City, the heart of the Cyrodiilic Empire, has fallen to Daedric Prince Molag Bal and now all three alliances must battle not only against the Daedric forces, but each other. Imperial City, the first DLC game pack for The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, adds hours of additional gameplay featuring new areas, quests, enemies, and exclusive items for those adventuring on their own, in small groups, or with hundreds of others.

Features

  • New PVE and PVP Content: Featuring six distinct Imperial Districts, battle against the forces of Molag Bal as well as the other Alliances.
  • Additional Dungeons: The extensive Imperial Sewers network offers new PVP and PVE challenges for small groups of adventurers, while White-Gold Tower and Imperial Prison challenge PVE adventurers with Normal and Veteran versions.
  • New Quests, Enemies, and Characters: Whether participating in massive PVP battles in the Imperial Districts, or adventuring in one of the new dungeons, players will be introduced to new quests and enemies, including the Xivkyn.
  • Addition of New Currency, Weapons, and Armor: Fight the forces of Molag Bal to plunder Tel Var Stones, a new form of currency you can use for exclusive Veteran Rank 16 weapons and armor, or search for new Treasure Vaults containing other rare finds.
  • Imperial City-Exclusive Collectibles and Items: Exploring Imperial City or visiting the Crown Store will reward the player with a host of new collectibles including pets, mounts, costumes, and polymorphs!

The first trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online: Imperial City has been embedded above.

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

Telltale will release Game of Thrones: Episode 5 on July 21

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

Things aren’t looking good for the Forrester family in this trailer for the fifth episode of Telltale’s Game of Thrones adaptation. Hopefully, things will turn out better once Game of Thrones: A Nest of Vipers is released next week:

In this penultimate episode, the actions of every Forrester are vital to the survival of the house. Rodrik’s alliance with House Glenmore, and his defiance of the Whitehills, has drawn the ire of an even greater threat: Ramsay Snow. Far across the Narrow Sea in Essos, with Meereen now a free city, Asher is close to securing the army he desperately needs to return home, and save his family. In King’s Landing, Mira’s activities at Tommen’s coronation have not escaped the attention of Margaery Tyrell, and Cersei has realized that the handmaiden may prove useful in her political games. Finally, beyond the Wall, Gared’s unlikely allies are reluctant to help in the search for the North Grove… but this far into the frozen wilds, Crows and Free Folk have a common enemy; and Winter is coming.

As usual, Game of Thrones: A Nest of Vipers will be available through a number of digital storefronts. Here’s the release schedule, courtesy of Telltale:

  • Tuesday, July 21: PC/Mac, PS3, PS4
  • Wednesday, July 22: Xbox One, Xbox 360
  • Thursday, July 23: iOS, Android

The final episode of the series, Game of Thrones: The Ice Dragon, will likely be released sometime this Fall.

Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged

Angry Birds 2 will be released on July 30

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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I know what you’re thinking… How can Rovio be announcing Angry Birds 2? Isn’t there already more than a dozen games in the Angry Birds series?

To that I say, you’re not wrong. Since the launch of the original Angry Birds in 2009, Rovio has released seven games in the main series and seven more spinoff titles. But that hasn’t stopped the Finnish developer from announcing that the first numbered sequel will be available for iOS and Android devices on July 30.

Rovio has promised (on their official blog) to reveal more about Angry Birds 2 “during the next couple weeks,” but I assume it’ll feature birds attacking pigs after being launched out of a slingshot. Call it a hunch.

Posted in Mobile, News | Tagged

First Shenmue III trailer revealed as Kickstarter campaign enters its final days

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

The Kickstarter campaign for Yu Suzuki’s Shenmue III is nearing its end. With less than 36 hours remaining, the project has already racked up more than $5.1 million in pledges. Right now, it trails only Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night on the list of most-funded video games. To celebrate these milestones, Suzuki and his team at Ys Net have released a short scene from the game:

Ryo and Shenhua arrive at the Lake of the Lantern Bugs after their long journey. Entranced, they watch the gentle flight of the lantern bugs upon the mirage-like oasis.

Shenmue III still has a long way to go, but this is certainly a start. If all goes according to plan, it’ll be released for the PC and PS4 in late 2017.

Posted in News, PC, PS4 | Tagged

Gearbox has done some concept work on Duke Nukem 5

Posted on July 15, 2015 by John Scalzo

duke-nukem-foreverGearbox CEO Randy Pitchford gave the opening keynote address at Develop Brighton, which began yesterday in the seaside city. Amid a discussion of Gearbox’s history, Pitchford revealed that his company has done some preliminary concept work on the next Duke Nukem game:

“I did not acquire the franchise merely so we could all experience Duke Nukem Forever. That was the toll to pay to give Duke a chance. That said, I liked that game,” he said. “I got to see it from a slightly different perspective and it was marvellous to me.”

“We’ve done some concept development [for a new game] and I think the challenges are there. Gearbox is very busy. I think the faster way is that a correct developer can become interested and we can work with them. I think it’s a challenging problem. But, I’ll tell you one thing. When it does happen, there’s no doubt that the whole industry will turn its head and look.”

In an ideal situation, Pitchford would like to hand off development duties for Duke Nukem 5 to another team. But if I had my way, I’d like it very much if Pitchford talked to MachineGames about this project, because their work on Wolfenstein: The New Order proves that they understand shooters from the 1990s.

Pitchford previously mentioned Duke Nukem 5 during the Gearbox Panel at PAX Prime 2011. This was just after the release of Duke Nukem Forever and Pitchford said that he would “soon” make an announcement about the next game in the series.

I guess when it takes 15 years to develop Duke Nukem Forever, four years for an announcement concerning Duke Nukem 5 could be considered “soon.”

[Source: IGN]

Posted in News | Tagged

Xbox Store Today: Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, Prototype 1+2, Guncraft, more

Posted on July 15, 2015 by John Scalzo

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A game or two has been added to the Xbox Games Store every day this week, and these five titles are sure to include something for everyone…

  • Rory McIlroy PGA Tour (Xbox One) marks the first time that a game in the PGA Tour series will be released for current-generation consoles. It also marks the first time in more than a decade that Tiger Woods isn’t on the cover.
  • Activision stealthily added the Prototype Biohazard Bundle (Xbox One) to the Xbox Games Store on Monday. No one knew a current-generation remake of the open-world duet was in development, but here it is.
  • Tachyon Project (Xbox One) is a twin-stick shooter that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Geometry Wars series.
  • The Fall (Xbox One) is an old-fashioned adventure yarn about the AI in a battle suit keeping its unconscious human operator alive.
  • And Guncraft: Blocked and Loaded (Xbox 360) combines the voxel-based “block building” of Minecraft with a modern shooter. I’m surprised it took this long for that combination to appear in a console game.

More information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , ,