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
- BAFTA Games Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
- Boss Fight Books to Get a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
- GDC Awards: All the Winners from 1996 to Today
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- 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)
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Warpback: What We Played in April 2016
April showers keep us indoor playing games! At least, that’s the excuse I’m giving for all the time we spent gaming last month. We hit up some old games, but also played lots of games that aren’t out yet at the PAX East Expo. Read on to find out what the Warp Zoned crew was busy with this month of April! (more…)
Go on “New Adventures” in the latest Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer
WB Games wants in on the Star Wars Day shenanigans, so they released a brand spanking new trailer for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens this afternoon.
The latest trailer for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens gives us a glimpse at the “New Adventures” not seen in the blockbuster film… including Han and Chewie’s Rathtar hunt, Poe Dameron’s rescue of Admiral Ackbar, and the story behind C-3PO’s red arm. Altogether, the game will include six “New Adventures,” all with new dialogue from the cast of the film:
- Rathtar Hunting – Follows Han Solo and Chewbacca’s voyage to capture the ravenous Rathtars.
- Lor San Tekka’s Return – Uncovers secrets behind Lor San Tekka’s journey to the Jakku Village.
- Poe to the Rescue – Details Poe Dameron’s daring rescue mission to save Admiral Ackbar.
- Crimson Corsair – Explores how the notorious Outer Rim pirate, the Crimson Corsair, foiled the plans of the First Order.
- Trouble Over Taul – Follows the events leading up C-3PO’s acquisition of his new red arm.
- Ottegan Assault – Reveals a puzzle piece to how the Resistance and the First Order find Lor San Tekka on Jakku.
It would actually be quicker to list who’s not returning to The Force Awakens, as practically the entire cast will record new dialogue for the game. But where’s the fun in that? Especially when WB Games somehow got Harrison Ford to mutter “Wookiee Cookies” into a microphone. And even little BB-8 has some new things to say… pay close attention to the droid’s chirps during the Admiral Ackbar rescue in the new trailer.
The full voice cast scheduled to appear in Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens includes:
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo
- Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa
- Daisy Ridley as Rey
- John Boyega as Finn
- Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron
- Adam Driver as Kylo Ren
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
- Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux
- Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma
- Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata
- Max Von Sydow as Lor San Tekka
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released on June 28 for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Fallout 4: Far Harbor gets a new trailer and a May 19 release date
Bethesda announced this morning that Fallout 4‘s Far Harbor expansion will be available on May 19. The publisher likes to refer to the Far Harbor expansion as “the largest landmass for an add-on” they’ve ever produced, and they’ve packed it with places to go and things to fight including new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures, dungeons, and higher-level armor and weapons.
Bethesda is also looking to explore the spookier corners of the Fallout 4 universe with Far Harbor, and a new trailer definitely seems inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and John Carpenter:
In Far Harbor, a new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world. Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost?
Far Harbor will be available to download for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One as part of the Fallout 4 Season Pass or as a standalone expansion for $24.99.
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is now available on GOG.com for Star Wars Day
The intergalactic haberdashers at good old GOG.com have made this a Star Wars Day (AKA “May the Fourth Be With You”) to remember by re-releasing the Windows version of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire through their digital storefront.
Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1996, and later ported to the PC a few months later, Shadows of the Empire was Lucasfilm’s first attempt at a cross-media “sequel” to the original trilogy. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the game (and companion novel) stars roguish smuggler Dash Rendar, and follows his journey to help the Rebellion in Han Solo’s absence.
Like a lot of games from the late 90s, the third-person controls were a bit unforgiving, and you needed to be one with The Force to competently play Shadows of the Empire back in the day. But its depiction of the Battle of Hoth is legendary, and is the reason why game developers keep returning to the icy planet after all these years.
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire will be regularly priced at $5.99, but nostalgic fans who grab it from GOG.com in the next seven days can pick it up for just $4.79.
Handicapping the 2016 World Video Game Hall of Fame Finalists
We’re just a few days away from learning which games will be inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame this year. In 2015, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Pong, Doom, World of Warcraft, and Pac-Man were selected as the inaugural class by the institution’s induction committee. The Hall’s Class of 2016 will be announced on Thursday, May 5, and five or six games are once again expected to rise above the other finalists.
But which of the 15 finalists will be honored this year? Using the Hall’s induction criteria as a guide, I can think we can determine the odds of which games will make it in and which will have to wait until next year. (more…)
Daily Scoop: May 3, 2016 – Towerfall Ascension in newest Humble Bundle
We’re down to the wire now – just one more week until the release of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. I’m beyond excited!
There’s already a great new bundle over at Humble – the Eye Candy Bundle! And boy is it ever full of beautiful games. Pay what you want for Human Resource Machine, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge – Director’s Cut, and A Boy and His Blob. Beat the average to unlock three games that I am absolutely in love with – Mini Metro, Mushroom 11, and the incredible Towerfall Ascension. Finally, pay $10 or more to unlock Evoland 2. You also get a coupon for 10% off Humble Monthly.
Elsewhere on the Humble site, three new games were added to the Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle today. Beat the average to unlock Swords & Soldiers II (Wii U), Nano Assault EX (3DS), and Runbow (Wii U).
Over at Steam, the Midweek Madness is early access to Hurtworld, which you can get for $14.99. The Daily Deal is Risen 3 – Titan Lords, which is $4.99. Alternatively, you can get the Complete Edition for $7.49, or get the Risen Franchise Pack for $12.50.
Finally, Microsoft launched a big ID@Xbox Game Fest Sale on the Xbox Games Store today. The week-long sale will feature dozens of indie games on the Xbox One including Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Gone Home, Flame in the Flood, and more.
Hit the jump to check out today’s t-shirts! (more…)
Posted in Daily Scoop
Wii U owners can dig into Terraria beginning on June 28
After more than a year of waiting, Wii U owners will finally be able to get their hands on Terraria starting next month.
The Wii U Edition of Terraria will include all the same digging, building, exploration, and fighting that fans have come to expect from the game. But it’ll also include an option for touchscreen controls with the Wii U GamePad, along with four-player splitscreen multiplayer and online play for up to eight players. Other features found in Terraria’s Wii U Edition include:
- 14 different environments such as eerie dungeons, slippery ice wastes, wild jungles and more
- Hundreds of craftable weapons, armor and items
- More than 150 enemies ranging from zombies to armies of goblins
- Epic boss battles that test players’ combat skills
- Vast worlds of exploration that introduce new potions, magic, gear and more
According to publisher 505 Games and developer Re-Logic, Terraria will be available for the Wii U on June 28.
Relic unveils Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III with an epic announcement trailer
Relic Entertainment has announced they will make their glorious return to the Warhammer 40,000 universe with the upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III. So feast your eyes on the epic announcement trailer embedded above, and get yourself reacquainted with the Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks as they continue to wage endless war on each other.
According to the developer, Dawn of War III will “combine the epic scale of Dawn of War, with the customization and elite heroes of Dawn of War II.” Relic is also promising to deliver a “rich strategic experience” and “stunning visuals” as they bring the franchise into the modern age.
“This is the Dawn of War that fans have been waiting for,” said Executive Producer Stephen MacDonald. “Our biggest units ever? Check. Giant orbital lasers? Check. Base-building, epic heroes, huge battles, it’s all in there. Get ready for the biggest Dawn of War yet. For the Emperor!”
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III is currently in development exclusively for the PC, but Relic isn’t ready to announce a release date just yet.