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
Microsoft Store leaks Halo 5 story details
This morning, a listing for Halo 5 was added to the Microsoft Store, giving us our first glimpse at the game’s story. A mysterious MacGuffin data chip is at the center of a story where the Master Chief is running for his life from a group that hates “sentient life.” Optimus Prime won’t like the sound of that.
The Microsoft Store listing was quickly deleted, but thankfully, Destructoid was able to save a copy:
Halo for Xbox One takes the now-legendary saga to new heights and is one of the most anticipated games for the new console. In possession of a mysterious data chip, Petty Officer John-117, aka Master Chief, confronts a new battery of challenges and tests in a Herculean effort to stay alive in a galaxy where sentient life is mercilessly hunted. Pre-order the next chapter in the wildly popular Halo series designed exclusively for Xbox One.
Halo 5, which is still officially known as “Halo for Xbox One,” will be released in 2014.
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Halo 5: Guardians
First trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate welcomes us to the big house
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate will be available for the 3DS and PS Vita on October 25, alongside its console big brother, Batman: Arkham Origins. Today, developer Armature Studio and publisher WB Games have given us our first look at the side-scrolling action title in a new trailer.
It seems that the famed jail is under “New Management” as Batman will have to battle Black Mask, The Penguin, The Joker, and Solomon Grundy in the bowels of Blackgate Prison. It’s a good thing that Catwoman is around to offer her assistance:
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate brings the Batman Arkham games to a handheld format for the first time to Sony and Nintendo handheld systems. Featuring stealth gameplay, free-flow combat, and Batman’s infamous gadgets, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate captures the genuine Arkham feel players have come to appreciate. With gripping 2.5D graphics, fully voiced narrative, and a captivating storyline, you’ll will explore deep inside the bowels of this remote island penitentiary that plays an important role in the Arkham universe.
I have to admit, the comic-style cutscenes look great.
Posted in 3DS, News, Vita
Tagged Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, PAX Prime 2013
Spawn confirmed for Soul Calibur II HD Online
Namco Bandai originally announced that Soul Calibur II HD Online would be coming to the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. During the announcement, they confirmed that Heihachi Mishima, a character formerly exclusive to the PS2 version of the game, would make the jump to the PSN and XBLA editions. Now, they’ve revealed that Spawn will escape the clutches of Satan and fight it out in Soul Calibur II’s HD re-release as well.
Todd McFarlane’s hellish creation was originally exclusive to the Xbox version of the game and his inclusion in the HD remake marks the first time that both Heihachi and Spawn have appeared in the same Soul Calibur II game. Sadly, I’m going to assume that the GameCube-exclusive character, Nintendo’s Link, won’t be appearing in Soul Calibur II HD Online.
Call it a hunch.
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Soul Calibur II HD Online
Sega @ PAX Prime 2013: Sonic Lost World, Total War Rome II, more
PAX Prime 2013 opens in a few hours and Sega has revealed the four games they’ve brought to the Washington State Convention Center. If you’re going to be wandering the show floor today, you’ll get a chance to play Sega’s entire Fall lineup including Sonic: Lost World, which will be released this October exclusively for the 3DS/Wii U; Total War: Rome II, which will be available next week; Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, which will also be available next week; Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F, which was added to store shelves and the PSN this week; and Heroki, a mobile game that will be released later this year. You’ll be able to find all of these games at Sega’s booth: #142/#242.
If you’re interested in the inner workings of Total War: Rome II, the development team at Creative Assembly is hosting a panel on Sunday, September 1 titled “History vs. Gameplay – Hey Creative Assembly, Where’s the Accuracy in My Pew Pew Shooter?” Sounds like a good time.
More details on all of Sega’s PAX Prime lineup is available after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Castle of Illusion, PAX Prime 2013, Sonic: Lost World, Total War: Rome II
Majesco launches Midnight City, an indie game publishing label
Majesco has always existed on the fringes of the video game industry. Normally a publisher of budget games, the company has dabbled in AAA development in the past (BloodRayne, for example), but mostly sticks with Zumba-branded exercise games these days. But while out there on the fringe, the Majesco brass has discovered that the kids love them indie games. So they started their own indie publishing label, Midnight City.
Midnight City will make its debut at this weekend’s PAX Prime, where the publisher will present ten very unique games to the public including a “lost” Game Boy game, a space age riff on Marble Madness, a “12-bit adventure,” a new game featuring Slenderman, and more. The label’s initial slate of games will be released for digital download services such as Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC downloadable sites.
You can read all about Midnight City’s lineup after the break and, if you’re attending PAX Prime, you can check them out this weekend in their booth. (more…)
Microsoft planning “second season” of Killer Instinct DLC characters in 2014
During last week’s Gamescom expo, Microsoft announced two additional bundles for their free-to-play reboot of Killer Instinct If fans want to obtain all eight characters, they’ll want to purchase the “Combo Breaker Pack” or the “Ultra Edition” (which also included an emulated version of the original Killer Instinct. But these eight characters (which include Jago, Chief Thunder, Sabrewulf, and Glacius) will only comprise “Season One” of Killer Instinct.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Microsoft’s Ken “GoldenEye‘s Klobb is Named After Me” Lobb revealed that eight additional characters will be released for the game in 2014 as part of “Season Two.” Both sets of characters will be able to battle it out together in Killer Instinct and Lobb hinted that a complete collection of Season Two characters would also be priced at $19.99.
Finally, Lobb revealed that Jago wouldn’t be the only free character in Killer Instinct. Currently, the plan is to switch the free character every three months. “[I]n that sense you can play for free over years and sample more than just Jago,” he Lobb.
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Gamescom 2013, Killer Instinct
D3 @ PAX Prime 2013: Earth Defense Force 2025, Adventure Time 2, Regular Show
D3 Publisher has announced they’re bringing three games to this year’s PAX Prime. Here’s what you can expect to find in playable form from the budget publisher in Booth #6616:
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! – In a completely new storyline and adventure featuring the voices of the show’s most popular characters. Fans will have to save the Candy Kingdom by exploring the mysteries surrounding a massive Secret Royal Dungeon deep below the Land of Ooo.
Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby In 8-Bit Land – Regular Show makes its first foray into the video game world when Mordecai and Rigby get transported into some of their favorite video games. The duo will have to use their best skills and unique abilities to traverse the various challenges to escape and return home in this “eggscellent” journey.
Earth Defense Force 2025 – This action shooting bonanza from D3Publisher arms players with more weapons than ever before! Players will have the experience of their lives as they form elite soldier classes to send on a global quest to protect the world from alien invasion.
EDF! EDF! EDF! PAX Prime begins tomorrow, August 30 and runs through Monday, September 2.
Nintendo Download: Pokemon Rumble U, Legend of Zelda, Rayman Legends (Tuesday)
It’s Thursday and Nintendo has announced their newest batch of downloadable titles. This week, four games will be added to Nintendo’s download services, three for the Wii U and one for the 3DS.
Today’s new Wii U offerings include Pokemon Rumble U, a multiplayer Pokemon brawler, and The Legend of Zelda, one of the greatest NES, nay video games, of all time. Rayman Legends, Ubisoft’s latest platformer starring the crazy-limbed hero, will be available on Tuesday.
Over on the 3DS, Mario’s evil half is back in Wario Land 3, a Game Boy Color classic that is now available through the 3DS eShop.
More information on all of these titles is available after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Pokemon Rumble U, Rayman Legends, The Legend of Zelda