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.

Game of Thrones: Episode 2, Apotheon, Criminal Girls, more added to PS Store

Posted on February 4, 2015 by John Scalzo

gameofthronestelltale-header

Another week, another PlayStation Store update. Ready? Here we go…

  • Game of Thrones: The Lost Lords (PS3, PS4) is the second episode of Telltale’s Game of Thrones adaptation. With four more episodes planned, there’s going to be a lot more story to come.
  • Apotheon (PS4) is a side-scrolling platformer with a Greek mythology motif.
  • Risk (PS4) is a console rendition of the popular game of “Global Domination.”
  • Criminal Girls: Invite Only (Vita) is a wacky JRPG that asks players to save a group of teenage girls from a life of eternal damnation by “punishing” them to increase their fighting skills.
  • Kick & Fennick (Vita) is a platformer starring Kick, “a little boy with a very big gun,” and Fennick, “a small flying robot.” Sounds like fun.

More information on all of these games (and a few others) can be found after the break. And as always, this week’s new game add-ons and discounts can be found at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, PS4, Vita | Tagged ,

Mortal Kombat X is getting four different special editions and Kombat Pack Season Pass

Posted on February 3, 2015 by John Scalzo

Fatality (On Your Wallet)!

WB Games and NetherRealm Studios have announced that four different special editions of Mortal Kombat X will be released this April, though there’s a lot of overlap between each package. But first, the publisher and developer also confirmed that Mortal Kombat X will receive a Season Pass known as the “Kombat Pack,” which will include access to four add-on characters. It’s unknown if any new characters will make the cut, but both “Klassic Kombatants” and “Iconic Guest Characters” will be part of the Kombat Pack.

With that out of the way, here’s what each Mortal Kombat X special edition will include:

Kollector’s Edition By Coarse (PS4, Xbox One)

  • Price: $149.99
  • Exclusive Scorpion Figurine and Certificate of Authenticity.
  • Gold Scorpion Skin, inspired by the Coarse figurine
  • The Kombat Pack

Kollector’s Edition Imported From Europe (PS4, Xbox One)

  • Price: $179.99, available for pre-order exclusively on Amazon.com
  • Scorpion Statue
  • Exclusive Steel Pack and Steel Card
  • Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties Volume 1 Comic Book
  • Gold Scorpion Skin
  • The Kombat Pack

Limited Edition (PS4, Xbox One)

  • Price: $99.99, available for pre-order exclusively at GameStop
  • Cold War Scorpion Skin, this skin design is a collaboration between NetherRealm Studios and a fan artist from the MKKollective.com.
  • The Kombat Pack

Premium Edition (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

  • Price: $89.99, available only as a digital download
  • The Kombat Pack

Presumably, the Kombat Pack will be available to everyone after the game is released, though no announcement has been made at this time. And don’t forget, everyone who pre-orders the game will receive an additional playable character: Goro.

Mortal Kombat X will be released on April 14.

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

Here’s the launch trailer for Game of Thrones: The Lost Lords… because it launches today

Posted on February 3, 2015 by John Scalzo

The second episode of Telltale’s Game of Thrones adaptation, Game of Thrones: The Lost Lords, is all set to be released this week on the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and mobile platforms. So naturally, Telltale has released a brand new launch trailer for the game. In case you need to be caught up, here’s what players can expect from The Lost Lords:

House Forrester is in disarray. Their liege lord and his heir are dead, and Ironrath is occupied by Whitehill soldiers. The survival of the family depends upon those who are left.

Placed at King’s Landing, the epicenter of intrigue, Mira Forrester must weigh her loyalty to Margaery Tyrell against the needs of her family, while choosing how to play the political games of Tyrion Lannister. One misstep could spell doom for Mira and her entire family. To the far north, Gared Tuttle finds that the wall and its crows hold little love for a squire from the Wolfswood, but finds kinship in the bastard son of Ned Stark.

Gared must prove worthy of becoming a ranger in order to carry out the mission given him; one that is vital to the future of those he serves. To the east, Asher Forrester, the exiled son, is called back to Westeros to aid his family, but how can one man help when the Boltons rule the north with an iron fist? Meanwhile, an unexpected source of hope returns to the Forresters, but Ironrath is no place for the weak.

Telltale has planned a staggered release schedule for Game of Thrones: The Lost Lords. PC, PS3, and PS4 players will be able to play it beginning today while Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners will have to wait until tomorrow. Finally, Android and iOS will get a crack at The Lost Lords on Thursday.

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

Sony sells SOE to investment firm; New company hints at Xbox development

Posted on February 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

sonyonlineentertainment

Columbus Nova, an investment management firm, has announced that they’ve acquired Sony Online Entertainment lock, stock, and barrel. The deal includes all of SOE’s development studios as well as the rights to their entire game portfolio including EverQuest, EverQuest II, PlanetSide 2, DC Universe Online, H1Z1, Landmark, and the upcoming EverQuest Next.

A new name comes with the new owners and SOE will be known as Daybreak Game Company from now on. A non-Sony owner also means that some of SOE’s biggest titles will make their way to the Xbox One and mobile platforms in the not-so-distant future.

“We are excited to join Columbus Nova’s impressive roster of companies. They have a proven track record in similar and related industries and we are eager to move forward to see how we can push the boundaries of online gaming,” said John Smedley, the President of Daybreak Game Company. “We will continue to focus on delivering exceptional games to players around the world, as well as bringing our portfolio to new platforms, fully embracing the multiplatform world in which we all live.”

According a post on the SOE Community Forum, it will “business as usual” for SOE as they transition to their new life under Daybreak Game Company. So things shouldn’t change too much for current players in the near-term.

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

Come see the first 18 minutes of Bloodborne

Posted on February 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

IGN has published a video featuring the first 18 minutes of Bloodborne as part of their IGN First series. Marty Silva of IGN visited the PlayStation Blog to share his thoughts on the video:

We’re proud to kick off the month with the first 18 virtually uninterrupted minutes of Bloodborne. I could gush on and on about how great the opening is, but honestly, the footage speaks for itself. The capture is from a slightly older build and the game is still under development, so definitely be aware of that if you notice a rough edge or two.

Developed by From Software, Bloodborne is the spiritual successor to the Souls series and it will be released exclusively for the PS4 on March 24.

Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged

Liam Neeson seeks his revenge in this Clash of Clans Super Bowl commercial

Posted on February 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

Laim Neeson is quite taken with Clash of Clans. The actor, who has made a career out of threatening people with his Irish baritone, starred in a Super Bowl XLIX commercial for the mobile game last night.

A description of what transpires in the 60-second spot won’t do it justice. You need to see it for yourself. Oh, and pray for BigBuffetBoy85, he’s going to need all the help he can get.

Posted in Mobile, News |

Madden Super Bowl XLIX Simulation nails Patriots win, final score, Tom Brady MVP

Posted on February 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

Last year’s Super Bowl Simulation from EA Sports proved to be a bit of a misfire as the Seattle Seahawks handily defeated the Denver Broncos. This year’s prediction, created using Madden NFL 15, was much more on the mark.

The Patriots 28-24 win, Tom Brady’s 328-yard/four touchdown performance, and his MVP award almost exactly mirrored the Madden Simulation, which also included a 28-24 final score, a 335-yard/four touchdown performance from Brady, and an MVP award for the quarterback.

With this correct prediction, the annual Madden Simulation improves to 9-3 over the past 12 years.

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

The Order: 1886 serves up a new trailer before Super Bowl XLIX

Posted on February 1, 2015 by John Scalzo

Super Bowl XLIX kick offs very soon, and Sony’s The Order: 1886 will be part of the pre-game festivities. A new commercial for the PlayStation 4 game, which was developed by Ready At Dawn and Sony Santa Monica External, will air ahead of the coin toss. We don’t know exactly when, so if you’re curious, feel free to watch the commercial right here.

On the PlayStation Blog, Sony is quite pleased with the game’s cinematic presentation:

In development for over three years by Ready At Dawn Studios in conjunction with Santa Monica Studio External Development, The Order: 1886 harnesses the power of PS4 to bring you a visceral, cinematic storytelling experience the likes of which you have never seen before on a gaming console. Set deep within a unique vision of Victorian-Era London, you are put directly in the middle of a centuries-old war as Sir Galahad, a member of an elite order of Knights, against a powerful threat that will determine the course of history forever.

The Order: 1886 will be released on February 20.

Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged