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Playtonic will release Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair later this year

Posted on June 8, 2019 by John Scalzo

Playtonic Games has announced that their platforming duo of Yooka and Laylee will return in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

The second game in the franchise will mix things up a bit, swapping out the original game’s 3D platforming for a side-scrolling adventure that also includes a puzzle-filled overworld to explore. The developer had quite a lot to say about this change on their official website:

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a 2D Platforming Adventure Hybrid. Master Yooka and Laylee’s medley of moves and traverse through charming and challenging 2D levels packed to the brim with collectibles, vibrant environments, and a bumbling batch of baddies to battle. Then, pull up your adventuring boots and explore a sprawling 3D overworld that boasts a wealth of puzzles, game-changing secrets, special challenges and a cast of colourful characters to chat to. You’ll meet some familiar faces, and some new ones, as you help Queen Phoebee restore order to the Royal Stingdom.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair will be on display at next week’s E3 Expo, and Playtonic plans to announce more details about it then. In the meantime, the developer has uploaded an Announcement Trailer for the game (which we’ve embedded above) and confirmed that it’ll be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One later this year.

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Overwatch: The Official Cookbook will be released in October

Posted on June 8, 2019 by John Scalzo

Have you ever wondered what a gorilla with a genius-level intellect eats? We might finally get an answer in Overwatch: The Official Cookbook.

Written by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel (the same author behind World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook and Hearthstone: Innkeeper’s Tavern Cookbook), and published by Simon and Schuster’s Insight Editions imprint, the cookbook will honor Overwatch’s international background with “authentic recipes inspired by the game’s diverse heroes”:

Based on Blizzard Entertainment’s global phenomenon Overwatch, this official cookbook is packed with scores of authentic recipes inspired by the game’s diverse heroes hailing from all corners of the universe.

Building from the game’s compelling narrative and variety of characters, this cookbook features international food and drink recipes from each hero’s homeland. Each recipe includes straightforward step-by-step instructions, mouthwatering full-color photos, pairing suggestions, and more.

Overwatch: The Official Cookbook will include more than 100 recipes and it’ll be available to purchase this October.

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Destroy All Humans! remake will be released for PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2020

Posted on June 7, 2019 by John Scalzo

Lock up your cows… Destroy All Humans! is back. THQ Nordic has announced that players will once again get to lead the Furon invasion of 1950s America in this remake of the PS2/Xbox-era classic.

Developed by Black Forest Games, players will take control of gray-skinned alien Crypto-137 as he attempts to take over Earth one small town at a time. Using a unique of arsenal alien weaponry (including the Anal Probe Gun), Crypto can blast any soldiers that get in his way, but he’ll also be able to disguise himself as a nondescript to sneak into restricted areas, or use brand new psychokinesis abilities to send enemies flying.

THQ Nordic has said the game’s humorous dialogue will remain intact, but fans should expect to see an updated visual presentation and the restoration of the cut “Area 42” mission in the remake:

What are we keeping just the way it was and should be? The unique 50s alien invasion story and legendary dialogues full of quirky humor.

What are we carefully updating? Crypto is more agile than ever, his aerial combat skills improved, his psychic skills can now be used in glorious unison with his guns. And the new Psychokinesis… ever wondered what’d happen if a Jedi had a love child with the Goat Simulator? You’re welcome for that mental image.

Destroy All Humans! will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One sometime in 2020. The VERY WEIRD first trailer for the remake (which is, believe it or not, soundtracked by Rammstein) has been embedded above.

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Uncharted film adaptation will open in theaters on December 18, 2020

Posted on June 7, 2019 by John Scalzo

The pieces are finally coming together for Uncharted’s big screen debut. Tom Holland has officially signed on to play a younger version of Nathan Drake in the film adaptation and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it even has a release date… December 18, 2020.

It’s been a long, long road for the Uncharted movie to even make it to this point. A fan campaign tried to secure the role of Drake for Nathan Fillion all the way back in 2010, but it was Mark Wahlberg that eventually got the part (with Robert De Niro aboard as Victor “Sully” Sullivan). Both would later drop out, and Holland was put in place in 2017 (though Fillion would get to portray the character in a fan film released last year).

There’s still a lot we don’t know about Uncharted‘s cinematic aspirations, but we do know that Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) will direct the film for Sony Pictures, and the current draft of the script was written by Jonathan Rosenberg and Mark Walker.

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Darksiders Genesis is a top-down action RPG from Airship Syndicate

Posted on June 6, 2019 by John Scalzo

THQ Nordic teased an upcoming announcement for the fourth game in the Darksiders franchise last week… but they confirmed today that it’s not the Darksiders 4 that many fans were expecting.

Instead, the publisher has teamed up with Joe Madureira’s Airship Syndicate to create Darksiders Genesis, a top-down action RPG set within the Darksiders universe. Madureira co-created the Darksiders franchise for Vigil Games back in 2010, and this Diablo-inspired spinoff will finally give players the chance to play as the last Horseman, Strife:

In Darksiders Genesis, the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse, Strife, is called upon to save humankind from certain destruction at the hands of Lucifer. True to its roots, Darksiders Genesis will feature intense combat, exploration, puzzle-solving, epic boss battles, and serpent holes from heaven to hell. The game marks the first, full-scale Darksiders adventure played from the top-down perspective.

Darksiders Genesis will be playable at next week’s E3 Expo and it’ll be available for the PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and Google Stadia later this year. In the meantime, a pretty fantastic new Announcement Teaser has been embedded above.

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Grandia HD Collection is coming to the Switch and PC “soon”

Posted on June 6, 2019 by John Scalzo

GungHo Online Entertainment America has announced that Switch owners will “soon” be able to purchase the Grandia HD Collection, a compilation of the first two entries the franchise.

While GungHo wasn’t ready to announce a release date just yet, they did say that a re-release of the first game, Grandia HD Remaster, will be available to download for the PC on the same day (a Grandia II HD Remaster is already available through Steam). As of now, it looks like PC players will have to purchase both games individually and won’t receive the HD Collection as a single package.

Both games in the Grandia HD Collection will receive a graphical makeover with high definition sprites, along with an enhanced user interface. But fans new and old will be able to experience the classic RPGs just as they were in the late 90s/early 2000s:

Grandia HD Collection Features

  • Real-Time, Turn-Based Action – Experience and employ a unique action bar system for real-time fighting with distinct characters
  • Magic-Based Combat – Gather Mana Eggs to learn and use magic-based skills, ranging from elemental attacks to character-enhancing magic for defense and offense statistical boosts
  • Illustrious Worlds to Explore – The vibrant worlds in Grandia HD Collection include nostalgic starter cities such as Parm (Grandia) and Carbo Village (Grandia II) to iconic fields and areas such as The End of the World (Grandia) and Valmar’s Moon (Grandia II)
  • Gather Skill Points and ATTACK! – Skill Points or Skill Coins can be used to earn incredibly intense moves that make for an extraordinary fighting experience
  • Eclectic Enemy Encounters – The worlds of Grandia and Grandia II bring forth a plethora of challenging and epic enemies in the wild, as well as main storyline bosses
  • Ear-Indulging, Melodious Compositions – Experience world exploration, momentous battles, and legendary in-game experiences in beautiful harmony with musical compositions from acclaimed Japanese composer Noriyuki Iwadare

GungHo Online Entertainment America is planning to bring the Grandia HD Collection to next week’s E3 Expo and we should learn more about the compilation then.

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Google Stadia will launch in November for $10 per month (but you’ll have to buy new games separately)

Posted on June 6, 2019 by John Scalzo

Google has been teasing their Google Stadia game streaming service for months now, and after a short tease back in March, the tech giant stepped back into the spotlight earlier today with an even more in-depth look at what it’ll offer.

The big news is that Google Stadia will launch in November, but the company also revealed a lot more information about how the service will work, including confirmation that players will need to individually purchase most of their games through the service.

The streaming service will be split into a Pro tier and a Base tier, and Pro players will pay $10 per month to stream games at 4K resolution, but they’ll also receive access to an “ever-expanding library of free games.” The Base tier will offer free access to Google Stadia, but it’s not scheduled to launch until 2020, streaming quality will be limited to 1080p, and players will need to purchase every game they wish to play individually.

That pricing plan is a tad surprising, but Google also said that players who want to be there from the beginning will need to purchase a special Founder’s Edition Bundle. Priced at $129.99, the bundle will include an exclusive Night Blue Stadia Controller, a Chromecast Ultra dongle, a copy of Destiny 2: The Collection, and a three-month subscription to the Pro tier.

That said, the streaming service will receive support from a large number of publishers and developers, and Stadia players will be able to stream games such as Borderlands 3, Darksiders Genesis, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, and many more at launch (or shortly after). The complete list of confirmed titles can be found after the break.

And in case you missed it, the Google Stadia Connect livestream where all these announcements happened has been embedded above. (more…)

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Ubisoft will unveil Watch Dogs Legion at E3 2019

Posted on June 5, 2019 by John Scalzo

Thanks to a new tweet on the official Watch Dogs Twitter account, we now know that Ubisoft will unveil the third game in the franchise at the E3 Expo next week. Featuring the tagline, “God Save the NPCs,” it’s a safe bet that Watch Dogs Legion will be taking the franchise to London.

This mini-announcement jibes with a recent report from Kotaku about Watch Dogs Legion. According to Jason Schreier, the game’s tagline is quite literal, as players will be able to take control of any character they find on the streets of London:

Watch Dogs Legion is set in London, as we confirmed a while ago, and here’s the really interesting gimmick: You can play as any NPC you recruit in the game. From the product description:

“Play as anyone, Every individual you meet in the open world, has a full set of animations, voice over, character traits and visuals that are generated and guided by gameplay systems.”

I’ve heard the same, and also that you’ll see different things at different points in the game depending which NPC you’re playing as.

We’ll learn more about Watch Dogs Legion during Ubisoft’s E3 2019 Press Conference on Monday, June 10.

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