Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA Soccer, and Silent Hill are the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
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Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
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Most Recent: News
Bandai Namco announces anime-styled action RPG Code Vein
For a time, it felt like vampires completely took over the bookstore, the cineplex, and your television. But aside from a Castlevania here and a BloodRayne there, the bloodsucking fiends have kept their fangs away from video games.
Bandai Namco wants to change all that in 2018 with the release of Code Vein, an anime-styled action RPG that’s currently in development for “major home consoles” (I assume that’s a euphemism for “PS4 and Xbox One, but not Nintendo’s Switch”). In the post-apocalyptic world of Code Vein, players will attempt to recover their lost memories and stave off their vampiric curse:
In the not too distant future, a mysterious disaster has brought collapse to the world, as we know it. Towering skyscrapers, once symbols of prosperity, are now lifeless graves of humanity’s past pierced by the Thorns of Judgment. At the center of the destruction lies a hidden society of Revenants called Vein. This final stronghold is where the remaining few fight to survive, blessed with Gifts of power in exchange for their memories and a thirst for blood. Give into the bloodlust fully and risk becoming one of the Lost, fiendish ghouls devoid of any remaining humanity.
As you might expect, players will be able to feed on their enemies, but they’ll also be able to use this nourishment to unlock special abilities known as Gifts:
Revenants also have access to Blood Veils, devices capable of draining the blood of their enemies in order to enhance their own abilities. Exploiting these enhanced abilities known as Gifts, players can change their form to increase their strength, weaken enemies, and utilize new weapon abilities with overpowered attacks. Utilizing the vast array of weaponry along with each character’s Gift, players can adapt and strategize to a variety of battle conditions that suit their play styles.
A very stylish teaser trailer for Code Vein can be found after the break. (more…)
Nintendo smashed sales records in March 2017… but Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands was the top-selling game
Nintendo told us all about their record-setting sales month last week, but the NPD Group made it official today when they revealed their retail report on the video game industry for March 2017.
NPD analyst Sam Naji told GamesIndustry.biz: “March 2017 will go down in history books as the month Nintendo broke records.The Nintendo Switch had the biggest hardware launch for a Nintendo platform and the second biggest launch for any video game platform since 1995, the time NPD began tracking this category.”
However, even though The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild managed to sell more than 900,000 copies, it wasn’t able to secure the #1 spot. Instead, Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands was the best-selling game last month, likely due to Nintendo’s unwillingness to share their digital sales figures with the NPD Group. Other strong sellers on the Switch included 1-2 Switch (#13) and Super Bomberman R (#17).
Big debuts weren’t limited to Nintendo’s Switch, and it was a banner month for several new releases last month, as Mass Effect: Andromeda (#3), Horizon: Zero Dawn (#4), and Nier: Automata (#9) also smashed expectations. Combined with impressive Switch hardware sales, these games helped the industry record more than $1.36 billion in total sales for the month, a 24% year-on-year increase over March 2016.
The complete list of best-selling games from March 2017 can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged 1-2-Switch, Battlefield 1, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, FIFA 17, For Honor, Grand Theft Auto V, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMix, Lego Worlds, Madden NFL 17, Mass Effect: Andromeda, MLB The Show 17, NBA 2K17, Nier: Automata, NPD, Overwatch, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Super Bomberman R, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege
Nintendo Download: Wonder Boy The Dragon’s Trap, Rayman 3, Rayman Advance, more
Nintendo’s Switch continues to be a home for interesting retro-themed titles, as two more are now available to purchase through the Nintendo eShop.
Developed by Lizardcube, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is a remake of 1989’s Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap, and the side-scrolling platformer has been updated with a hand-drawn visual style and a re-orchestrated soundtrack for its Switch debut. Also available to download this week is Fatal Fury, a re-release of one of SNK’s earliest fighting games.
Nintendo’s other platforms will receive a handful of new downloadable titles this week, including Urban Trial Freestyle 2 for the 3DS. Developed by Teyon, the stunt racer asks players to “pull off insane stunts on top of skyscrapers, speed down busy highways, and take intense rides through the suburbs.” There’s even a few new games available for the Wii U this week, including Virtual Console re-releases of Rayman Advance and Rayman 3.
You can learn more about all of these games (and a few other new releases) after the break. (more…)
Bandai Namco files a trademark application for “Pac-Man Maker” in Europe
The maze from Pac-Man is likely seared into the memory of every gamer who has ever played the character’s eponymous arcade debut. But if Bandai Namco’s latest trademark application is any indication, Pac-Fans may soon get the chance to design their own mazes.
According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the publisher recently filed a trademark application for a new game known as “Pac-Man Maker.”
As is always the case with trademark applications, there’s a possibility that this filing won’t lead to the announcement or release of a new game. And it’s very possible that Bandai Namco is just squatting on the name after the success of Super Mario Maker.
Either way, I’m sure we’ll learn more about what Bandai Namco has planned for their most-recognizable character soon.
Posted in News
New Hot Shots Golf will launch in North America as Everybody’s Golf on August 29
Brace yourself… New Hot Shots Golf is no more. But don’t worry, Sony still plans to release the goofy golf simulation this Summer.
You might be asking yourself, “How can this be?” Well… Sony is dropping the Hot Shots Golf name in North America and will release the next game in the series as the Everybody’s Golf. You might recognize the new name for the franchise as Sony has used the “Everybody’s Golf” name in Japan and Europe for the past 20 years. With that kind of history behind the name, it seems likely they’ve been preparing to tee up this change for for quite some time.
If you’re still bothered by the name change, developer Clap Hanz recently published a new post on the PlayStation Blog to assure fans that a lot of features from their favorite franchise will also be included in Everybody’s Golf:
Not only does Everybody’s Golf boast the same three-click shot mechanic our fans have come to love, but the series returns with new features such as more character customization, robust online modes, and other fun activities including fishing, buggy racing, and treasure hunting in the open world environment. How you enjoy the game is up to you.
Everybody’s Golf will be released for the PS4 on August 29, and in addition to a new trailer, Sony also revealed that players who pre-order the game through the PlayStation Store will receive a “Day 1” bonus pack that includes an Everybody’s Golf Original Avatar, a 20th Anniversary Course, a Rabbit Mascot Costume, two Unique Shirts, a Premium Kart, and a PS4 Dynamic Theme.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged New Hot Shots Golf
Brainiac invades in Injustice 2’s “Shattered Alliances Part 5” trailer
The heroes are trying to pick up the pieces of a broken world as Injustice 2 opens, and we’ve gotten a glimpse of their progress thanks to NetherRealm’s “Shattered Alliances” series of trailers. But Part 5 takes things a step further with the introduction of Brainiac.
Brainiac will likely serve as the final boss to Injustice 2, and his goal for Earth is nothing less than total destruction… starting with Superman. Can the Man of Steel be redeemed? And will he be able to fight alongside Batman to protect the Earth? We’ll all find out together when Injustice 2 launches in less than a month (on May 16) for the PS4 and Xbox One.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Injustice 2
New trailer confirms an April 25 launch date for The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Episode 4
Fresh off the release of Guardians of the Galaxy: Episode 1 – Tangled Up In Blue, Telltale Games is back with a new entry in their other ongoing episodic series.
Thanks to a new trailer that dropped this morning, we now know that The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Episode 4: Thicker Than Water will be available to download for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile devices on April 25. The episode continues to ramp up the pressure on Javier, who will “”decide the shape and nature of [his] chosen family”:
Upon discovering the true nature of the New Frontier’s leadership, relationships within the Garcia family have come to a head. As Javier, you will decide the shape and nature of your chosen family. All the while, a herd of walkers moves ever closer to Richmond, putting pressure on allies and enemies alike. With distrust running rampant, you’ll have to determine if blood is thicker than water…
The conclusion to The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, Episode 5: From the Gallows, is expected to be available sometime in May or June.
Xbox Store Today: Voodoo Vince Remastered, Guardians of the Galaxy, Flinthook, more
Microsoft is taking us back to the early days of the original Xbox with today’s Xbox Games Store update.
Vince, the “plucky Voodoo doll” that starred in 2003’s Voodoo Vince, is back at it in Voodoo Vince Remastered. The Louisiana-set platformer has received a high definition makeover for its Xbox One debut, and as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, fans will also receive access to the game on Windows 10 with a single purchase.
Xbox One owners with a nostalgic streak actually have a lot to choose from in today’s Xbox Games Store update. Telltale will spin some classic tunes in Guardians of the Galaxy: Episode 1 – Tangled Up In Blue… Tribute Games will launch a side-scrolling platformer starring an adorable space pirate in Flinthook… and Capcom will bring back six classic NES-era Disney games in The Disney Afternoon Collection.
You can learn more about all of these games (and the rest of this week’s new releases) after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, Xbox One
Tagged Flinthook, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Disney Afternoon Collection, Voodoo Vince