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Move over Skylanders… Lego Dimensions enters the toys-to-life game on September 27

Who knew that Activision’s “toys-to-life” initiative with Skylanders would lead to multiple franchises and multiple toy lines that meld little figurines and video games? In the immortal (and paraphrased) words of Chief Brody… we’re going to need a bigger toy aisle.

That’s because WB Games and The Lego Group have announced Lego Dimensions, a game that brings specially-designed Lego sets into a game that mashes together different Lego universes such as DC Comics, The Lord of the Rings, The Lego Movie, The Wizard of Oz, Lego Ninjago, and Back to the Future. As expected, TT Games will develop the dimension-hopping game, which will be released on September 27 for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U. The Starter Pack will include three minifigs (Batman, Gandalf, and Wyldstyle), a Lego Toy Pad to bring the figures into the game, and 269 Legos for fans to customize their own Lego Gateway.

A variety of expansion packs will also be available this Fall that will add “new buildable characters, vehicles, tools and gadgets, as well as compelling game content with new mission-based levels and unique in-game abilities” to Lego Dimensions. The first wave of expansions (though more will be announced and even more are coming in 2016) include:

  • Back to the Future Level Pack with Lego Marty McFly
  • Lego Ninjago Team Pack with Kai and Cole
  • Lego Ninjago Fun Pack #1 with Jay
  • Lego Ninjago Fun Pack #2 with Nya
  • Lego Ninjago Fun Pack #3 with Zane
  • DC Comics Fun Pack #1 with Wonder Woman
  • DC Comics Fun Pack #2 with Cyborg
  • The Lord of the Rings Fun Pack #1 with Lego Gollum
  • The Lord of the Rings Fun Pack #2 with Lego Gimli
  • The Lord of the Rings Fun Pack #3 with Lego Legolas
  • The Lego Movie Fun Pack #1 with Emmet
  • The Lego Movie Fun Pack #2 with Bad Cop
  • The Lego Movie Fun Pack #3 with Benny
  • The Lego Movie Fun Pack #4 with Unikitty
  • The Wizard of Oz Fun Pack with Lego Wicked Witch of the West

“When kids play with Lego bricks, they build beyond the singular brands, intermixing all of their favorite characters and universes, and we have come up with a way for players to experience that in games,” said Jon Burton, the Founder and Creative Director of TT Games. “Now for the first time in a videogame, Lego fans can play in the virtual world and in the real world – combining everything without restrictions. Imagine putting Lego Gollum from The Lord of the Rings behind the wheel of the Lego DeLorean Time Machine in New Ninjago City – the creative play is endless.”

If Lego Dimensions has piqued your interest, be prepared to open your wallet real wide, the Starter Pack has been priced at $99.99.

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

Meet the protagonist of Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight in this new trailer

Who is the Fafnir Knight? After watching a new trailer dedicated to the titular protagonist of Atlus’s Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight, I have to admit I’m still not sure.

Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold is a remake of Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard, which was originally released for the DS in 2008. In addition to enhanced graphics and new dungeon layouts, this remake will include a special Story Mode “that explores the relationship between Princess Arianna and the Fafnir Knight”:

The next entry of the Etrian Odyssey Untold series is essentially two games in one — the first, a Nintendo 3DS update to Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard (released on Nintendo DS) with new dungeon layouts, new graphics, and system improvements from the recent Etrian Odyssey Untold.

The second is the Untold portion — a brand new story mode with a fixed party, voiced dialogue, and animated cutscenes that follows the bittersweet tale of the Fafnir Knight, Princess Arianna, Flavio— another hero of the Midgard Library— and the two adventurers, Bertrand and Chole. The five meet while exploring the Ginnugagap ruins, and then after the misfortune unfolds, they venture back and forth between the Yggdrasil Labyrinth and Ginnungagap, slowly working their way to discovering the origins of the Fafnir Knight.

Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight will be released exclusivelt fort he 3DS this Summer.

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The first trailer for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is four minutes of cyberpunk chaos

After three days, Square Enix’s “Can’t Kill Progress” livestream has ended with the announcement we all expected (even before Game Informer spilled the beans)… a sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution is in development at Eidos Montreal. I admit, I didn’t watch very much of the stream, but the nearly four-minute announcement trailer that Square Enix just revealed for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is its opposite in every way. I’m sure a lot of people would say the hype event was sleep-inducing, but this trailer is anything but. Adam Jensen is back and his “super-augmented” skills are on display the entire time.

But underneath all the cyberpunk-style chaos, Eidos Montreal also wants to push the Deus Ex story in new directions:

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided takes place in 2029, two years after the events of Human Revolution and the infamous “Aug Incident” in Panchaea that resulted in the death of millions at the hands of those who had installed augmentations. This event has created a huge divide between those who have augmentations, and those who do not. Amongst this emotional turmoil are various factions looking to manipulate the public by twisting public opinion of augmentation to further their own agenda and hide the truth of what really happened.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided also continues the story of Adam Jensen, a former biotech company security chief turned super-augmented, anti-terrorist agent playing by his own rules. Jensen has been empowered with all new augmentations, enabling him and the player a greater sense of self-control as they explore all new locations in-game. As social and political tensions reach a major turning point, Jensen and conspiracies surrounding the Illuminati continue toward an inevitable crossroads … and possibly, an epic showdown.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One. A release date will be announced “at a later date.”

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Xbox Store Today: Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin

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The first Xbox Games Store update of the week is complete with a single new title now available for Xbox One owners. But this lone game is Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, an Xbox One re-release of one of 2014’s most-acclaimed titles. Upgraded graphics, new story bits, rearranged enemy placement, and all three downloadable expansions are just some of the new features Xbox One owners will get to try out starting today.

Here’s more information on Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin straight from Bandai Namco:

Xbox One Games

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin ($59.99)
The definitive edition of Dark Souls II, including all the Dark Souls II content released to-date in one package and much more. Enemy placement has been overhauled, resulting in a completely different play dynamic than experienced before. The safe zones that some players remembered are no longer safe!

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Mortal Kombat X now available on iOS App Store; coming to Google Play soon

The mobile version of Mortal Kombat X was quietly added to the iOS App Store last night by NetherRealm Studios. So now you can perform Fatalities on the go if you’ve got an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. However, if you’re an Android user, you’ll have to wait to hear Shao Kahn say “Finish Him!” as the Android version is currently “coming soon.”

Mortal Kombat X on mobile devices will feel very familiar to players who’ve previously downloaded Inustice: Gods Among Us, Batman: Arkham Origins, and WWE Immortals. Each fight involves a 3-on-3 battle and each character is represented by a card that can be leveled up and buffed. Players will also be able to link the mobile version of Mortal Kombat X with the PC/console release to unlock special content like costumes in each version.

And don’t worry, mobile players will be able to take part in Mortal Kombat X’s Faction Wars when the PC/PS4/Xbox One edition launches on April 14. A Challenge Mode will also be available soon, but players can join daily events and battle opponents in an multiplayer mode right now.

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PS Store Today: Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, Bastion, Tower of Guns, more

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A handful of new releases were added to the PlayStation Store today including this week’s Spring Fever selection, Bastion. Originally released for the Xbox 360 and PC in 2011, Bastion is the first game from Supergiant Games, the creators of last year’s well-liked Transistor. If you like your isometric action RPGs with a side on in-game narration, Bastion is one to look out for. Other new releases this week include…

  • Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin (PS4, PS3) – A re-release of Dark Souls II that includes all three DLC expansions, new story bits, and enhanced graphics.
  • Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones (PS4/PS3/Vita Cross-Buy) – A puzzle platformer sequel from Curve Studios.
  • Tower of Guns (PS4/PS3 Cross-Buy) – A “bullet hell” first person shooter.

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

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

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided officially announced as “Can’t Kill Progress” sleepily continues

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Poor Square Enix. Their three-day “Can’t Kill Progress” event is turning out to be a bust. Viewers of the livestream have spent the majority of the last 24 hours watching an imprisoned man sleep and (occasionally) scream at his captors. If you’re still interested, by all means, keep watching. But the rest of us no longer need to as Game Informer has confirmed their next cover story will be Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, which is in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Oh, and a Russian gaming site also leaked the news a few hours ago. So even this big reveal turned out to be a bust. Whoops!

It may have been a clumsy announcement, but fans of 2011’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution should be thrilled to see the story continue in Eidos Montreal’s next game:

Set in 2029, two years after the events of Human Revolution, Adam Jensen returns and joins forces with an Interpol-funded task force aiming to hunt down and capture augmented terrorists in a world that now hates and fears transhumans. Jensen has a new suite of augmentations that allow him to cleverly navigate stealth, combat, and social interactions, but how Jensen chooses to solve every problem is entirely up to you.

At the end of Human Revolution, the Illuminati caused every transhuman to go into a fight-or-flight response and attack anyone near them. In the next issue of Game Informer, you can find out how this event caused humanity to hate and fear those with augmentations. We spent two days in Eidos Montreal’s studio, talking with the team and learning about how they build a realistic future. We go in depth on some of Jensen’s new augmentations that help improve the stealth and combat systems, such as the ability to remote hack electronic objects, fire off his nano blade from a distance, and surround himself with a nearly indestructible nanoshield. We also got some great examples on how the game will be as open ended as ever, allowing players to carve their own path through the world. You can only get these details in the latest issue of Game Informer.

A release date for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has yet to be announced.

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Bandai Namco parks motorcycle racer Ride until June 23

scrren-1ml-ridejpg-14aaf2Bandai Namco has announced Ride, a motorcycle racer from developer Milestone, won’t cross the finish line on May 19 as previously thought. Instead, the game will be released on June 23 for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360. No reason was given for the month-long delay.

Ride will launch as expected across Europe this Friday, April 10.

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