Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
- Boss Fight Books Gets 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
- Silent Hill, Dragon Quest, Skyrim, and More Announced as Finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
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
Turtle Rock unveils Evolve’s third Monster, Wraith, and beta test details
If the Monster you’re unveiling is an invisible she-beast that can kill you without being seen, can it really be called an unveiling? That’s the question we’ll have to grapple with as Turtle Rock Studios has released a trailer showcasing Evolve‘s third monster design, Wraith. Writing on the game’s official website, Turtle Rock laid out the four attacks that make Wraith more of a deadly assassin than an out-and-out brawler:
- Warp Blast allows Wraith to travel almost instantly to a target and create an explosion wherever she lands, dealing damage to everything around her.
- Her Decoy ability spawns a dangerous clone of herself that attacks targets while distracting the Hunters. With the Decoy deployed, Wraith becomes invisible and the Decoy can be used strategically to escape from combat or allow the player to re-position themselves for surprise attacks.
- Abduction steals hunters away from their teammates. During an abduction attack, Wraith travels large distances, grabs the target, and returns to her original location all within the blink of an eye.
- Supernova creates a large arena for Wraith to fight in. Inside the Supernova, Wraith becomes a frenzied melee beast of pure energy as her scythe-like blades cut down just about anything in their path. If Wraith leaves the Supernova area, she returns to her normal state.
For an even more in-depth look at Wraith, Turtle Rock has released an extended Interactive Trailer featuring a full battle between four Hunters and a Wraith. You can find it after the break.
In other Evolve news, the developer has announced that Xbox One owners will be able to take part in an open beta test on January 15. PC players will be able to jump into the test on January 16 with PS4 players following a day later on the 17th. However, neither of these platforms will have an open test. On the PS4, participants will be limited to those that played Evolve’s “Big Alpha.” “Big Alpha” players will also get in on the beta on the PC and they’ll be joined by owners of Left 4 Dead or BioShock Infinite, who will also receive invites. More details about each platform’s beta test can be found at Evolve’s official website.
Evolve will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 10. (more…)
Shovel Knight will be available on PlayStation platforms “early next year”
In a new update to their Kickstarter backers, Yacht Club Games has revealed that Shovel Knight will be released for the PS3, PS4, and Vita in early 2015:
Maybe you haven’t heard the exciting news, but Shovel Knight is branching out on to other platforms for adventure. Early next year, Shovel Knight will make his debut on Playstation platforms: PS3, PS4, and PSVita! Along with this extremely exciting development in the legend of Shovel Knight, a guest character that you are all familiar with will be meeting our stalwart, blue knight: Kratos from the God of War series!
Yes, that’s right. Steel will strike against steel as Shovel Knight’s Shovel Blade challenges Kratos’ Blades of Chaos in a battle for the ages. The team is also hard at work on the Plague Knight campaign, which will be available to all owners of the game as a free downloadable update:
The pedal is to the proverbial metal on Plague Knight! We are working full time on update content (Plague Knight, Body Swap Mode, and Battle Mode!), and it’s shaping up to be amazing. The Plague Knight campaign will be the first content released, and it’s feeling like a whole new adventure already! A new relic system! New characters and bosses! Remixed content! On that subject, we’re going to share a little detail. Mona, who runs the potion minigame in the village, will have a vastly expanded role…
There’s no ETA on when the Plague Knight campaign will be released, but you can head over to Kickstarter for a peek at a few design sketches featuring Mona.
Xbox Store Today: Tetris Ultimate, Kalimba, Risk
Three new Xbox One games are now available to download from the Xbox Games Store:
- Tetris Ultimate – Calling any game the “Ultimate” version of Tetris is pretty tough, but the Xbox One edition does include four-player competitive play and six different gameplay modes.
- Kalimba – A new puzzle platformer from Press Play, the creators of Max: The Curse of Brotherhood.
- Risk – The classic board game of “global domination” has been recreated for the Xbox One. And remember, don’t call The Ukraine weak or feeble…
More information on all three of these games can be found below.
UPDATE: Risk was pulled from the Xbox Games Store shortly after release and will be re-added sometime in early 2015.
Xbox One Games
Tetris Ultimate ($9.99)
The world’s most-loved puzzle game arrives on next-gen consoles, and is better than ever in Tetris Ultimate. With six exciting modes, fun new features, and unique visuals, the evolution of this iconic game is the ultimate must-have on next-gen consoles. Experience the Best of Tetris In this fast-paced game of skills, you can take on the puzzle game solo, battle a friend, partner up with friends, or make battle teams. Up to four players can get in on the action.Kalimba ($9.99)
Kalimba is a mind-bending and playful puzzle-platformer. Choose between single-player and local two-player, where cooperation is key. The island of Kalimba has been cast into darkness. Jump, slide, and fly your way from the underworld to the heavens in order to restore light in the land.Risk ($14.99)
Modern combat meets Risk – the classic game of global domination. Risk steps into the near future with modern armies. Using the 2010 rules as standard, Risk offers an exciting strategic experience. Direct the war from your high-tech control room, fighting on the classic map layout on 3D; Deploy tanks, planes and infantry. All in the modern warfare twist on the classic game of global domination! Xbox Live league play allows you to compete with people from around the world.
Lords of the Fallen 2 is in development
Publisher CI Games and developer Deck 13 have revealed that development has begun on Lords of the Fallen 2. Lords of the Fallen, a medieval “hack and slash” reminiscent of Dark Souls, was released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One back in October to above average reviews.
Tomasz Gop, the Executive Producer of the title at CI Games, confirmed the news to Eurogamer this morning, saying, “We’re now working on vision and concepts for Lords 2.” No other information about the game was announced.
While Lords of the Fallen 2’s destination has yet to announced, it seems likely that it too is in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Lords of the Fallen 2
Metal Gear Solid 4, Tetris Ultimate, Super Mega Baseball, more added to PS Store
The PlayStation Store is about to get a little more ordered as Tetris Ultimate is now available to download on the PS4. There’s just something about a steady stream of falling Tetris pieces that makes me want everything organized, so here are the rest of this week’s addition to the store in handy list format:
- Guilty Gear Xrd Sign (PS3, PS4) – Arc System Works’ latest entry in the popular fighting franchise brings the Guilty Gear universe to the PS4 for the first time.
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) – Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece is finally available to download from the PlayStation Store.
- Super Mega Baseball (PS3 + PS4 Cross-Buy) – A Baseball Stars-like return to the diamond. Everybody remember Baseball Stars, right?
- Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee HD (Vita) – The second Oddworld game has been remastered and remade for the Vita.
- Loadout (PS4) – A free-to-play shooter that tasks you with building your character via the types of guns they carry.
You can read more about all of these games after the break. And, as always, a complete rundown of this week’s new game add-ons and temporary discounts is available at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3, PS4, Vita
Tagged Guilty Gear Xrd Sign, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Super Mega Baseball, Tetris Ultimate
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 will be released in first half of 2016
CI Games announced today they’re bringing their popular Sniper: Ghost Warrior series to new-generation consoles in the first half of 2016. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3‘s development team will include Steve Hart (who previously worked on Sniper Elite V2 at Rebellion), as well as former Marine Paul B. Robinson, who has worked as a consultant on game development projects for more than 20 years, according to CI Games.
While it’s still early in the development cycle, here’s what prospective players can expect from Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3:
Set in a modern day conflict based in Eastern Europe, players will be thrust into the role of a sniper caught between three warring factions, played out in a realistic and immersive environment. Dig deep into the Ghost Warrior DNA as you choose between taking out your targets up close or from a distance, while at the same time focusing on your survival through evasion and stealth. Non-linear, sandbox-style gameplay on large open-ended maps give players the flexibility to play and replay the missions in a number of different ways. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 will offer intriguing challenges for tactically-minded gamers, while still remaining accessible to first-person shooter fans.
The first piece of concept art from the game has also been posted for your perusal.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3
Insert Quarter: How Did 2014 Treat Indie Developers?
Insert Quarter is our showcase for some of the best and most interesting writing about video games on the Internet.
It is a precarious time to be an indie developer. Steam’s Greenlight and Early Access initiatives are producing just as many misses as hits and discoverability is still a problem on the Xbox Games Store, the PlayStation Store, and mobile storefronts. Matthew Handrahan examined the squeeze that indie developers are feeling from all sides as part of GamesIndustry.biz’s roundup of 2014’s major stories. The picture he paints is one of gloom and doom, but also one that can be overcome with the right level of talent and a genuinely groundbreaking idea:
So are indies heading towards a “mass extinction event”? Overcrowding is certainly a key aspect of the overall picture, but the act of making and releasing a game is only getting easier, and the allure of development as a career choice seems to grow with each passing month. It stands to reason that there will continue to be a huge number of games jostling for position on every single platform – more than even a growing market can sustain – but there’s only so much to be gained from griping about the few remaining gatekeepers. If the days when simply being on Steam or Kickstarter made a commercial difference are gone, and if existing discovery tools still lack the nuance to deal with all of that choice, then it just shifts the focus back to where it really belongs: talent, originality, and a product worth an investment of time and money.
The full article is available for your perusal at GamesIndustry.biz.
Rockstar will add Heists to Grand Theft Auto Online in early 2015
Grand Theft Auto Online players will feel the Heat next year as Rockstar has announced that they’re finally ready to release the “Heists” update for Grand Theft Auto V‘s multiplayer component. “Heists,” a cooperative mode that requires each player to complete multiple objectives to complete the job, will be available in early 2015:
GTA Online Heists are coming early in 2015 – check out the new trailer for the four-player co-op mode for Grand Theft Auto Online that allows players to plan, prepare and execute multi-tiered Heists across Los Santos and Blaine County. These will require tight communication and coordination, with players taking on specified roles at each point to accomplish multiple objectives on the way to each Heist’s epic finale. Featuring new gameplay, new vehicles, new weapons, new clothing and much more.
Rockstar has been talking about the “Heists” update for a long time and Lead Mission Designer Imran Sarwar sat down with IGN this morning to talk about why the mode has taken a little more time than originally expected.