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Boss Key Productions will bring BlueStreak to PAX East 2015

Posted on February 13, 2015 by John Scalzo

bosskey-logoThe PAX East 2015 schedule is live and in addition to all the tournaments and concerts, we’ve learned that Cliff Bleszinski will host a panel dedicated to his upcoming game, BlueStreak. Bleszinski will be joined by other developers from his new studio, Boss Key Productions, as they delve into what it takes to open a new studio in this day and age. Boss Key has previously described BlueStreak as a free-to-play arena shooter and Bleszinski and his team will disclose a few more details at PAX East:

Turning the Key: What It Takes To Create A New FPS Franchise
Saturday (3/7): 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Go behind-the-scenes with Cliff Bleszinski and the team at Boss Key Productions to discover what it takes to create a brand new studio and game from scratch. Why did Cliff move on from a huge franchise to start something new? What are Boss Key’s development philosophies? Is there an office beer of choice? All that and more, plus an opportunity to ask questions to the team and get exclusive swag! Trust us, you don’t want to miss it.

It’s currently unknown if BlueStreak will be playable on the show floor, but you never know when it comes to Cliff Bleszinski. As always, PAX East 2015 will be held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and this year’s expo will run from March 6 through March 8.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged ,

Dying Light parkours to the top of the best-sellers list for January 2015

Posted on February 12, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Question… if only one major new title made its way to stores in January, should we be surprised when that game takes the top spot in the monthly sales rankings from the NPD Group? We probably shouldn’t be, and yet, I was still mildly surprised that Techland’s Dying Light was the best-selling game during 2015’s first four-week frame. It was followed by the two biggest titles from 2014… Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare at #2 and Grand Theft Auto V at #3.

Minecraft, coming in at #4, continues to rise even without the holiday shopping season to bolster its sales rank.

Every other title in the top ten seemed to land in roughly the same position it held in December. NBA 2K15 held onto the #5 spot while Super Smash Bros. For Wii U / Super Smash Bros. For 3DS dropped two places to #6. Far Cry 4 was lucky number seven once more while the #8 spot was taken by Madden NFL 15 (which dropped five spots from #3). The final two spots were once again held by Destiny (#9) and FIFA 15 (#10).

While the best-selling software list was relatively stable (and saw a 5% year-over-year increase in sales), the PS4 reigned supreme on the console charts after a one-month hiatus. This turn of events was most likely due to Microsoft’s temporary suspension of the Xbox One’s $50 discount (it was reinstated on January 18).

If you’re looking for the full top ten from January 2015 in list form, you can find it after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

HyperDimension Neptunia­ ReBirth 3 will be available for PS Vita this Summer

Posted on February 12, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Idea Factory and Compile Heart continue to crank out their portable HyperDimension Neptunia­ remakes as the publisher and developer have confirmed that HyperDimension Neptunia­ ReBirth 3: V Generation will be released for the Vita this Summer. HyperDimension Neptunia­ ReBirth 3 is a portable remake of HyperDimension Neptunia Victory, a JPG that was originally released for the PS3 in 2013. According to Idea Factory, the remake includes “more story, more scenarios, and extra heapings of fourth-wall-breaking comedy!” A Japanese audio track will also be included for a more authentic experience.

So what are you getting yourself into with HyperDimension Neptunia­ ReBirth 3? Here’s what the publisher had to say about their third RPG parody of the video game industry:

It’s time to Nep-Nep like it’s 1989. Neptune’s been sucked into an alternate dimension of Gamindustri! In order for her to escape from this late ‘80s world, Neptune will have to collect enough shares to open up the path to her own dimension. Sounds easy enough – except a nefarious alliance called the Seven Sages wants to rid Gamindustri of all CPUs, including Neptune!

Forging cross-dimensional friendships, will Neptune be able to defeat the Seven Sages, save this alternate dimension and get back to her own, or will she be stuck in the 80s forever?

It’s pretty sparse at the moment, but you can head over to the game’s official website to have a gander at the first screenshots from HyperDimension Neptunia­ ReBirth 3: V Generation.

Posted in News, Vita | Tagged

Daily Scoop: February 12, 2015 – New Humble Weekly Bundle

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Nicole Kline

First up, a heads up: I won’t be posting a Scoop again tomorrow! This time, I’m heading up to New York City for IndieCade East. If you’re there, come find me and say hi!

There’s a brand new Humble Weekly Bundle just in time for Valentine’s Day! This one’s “For Lovers (of Games),” and has some pretty great stuff in it. Pay what you want for Long Live the Queen, Analogue: A Hate Story, and Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~. Beat the average to unlock World End Economica Episode 01, Hate Plus, and Roommates – Deluxe Edition. $8 or more will unlock Hatoful Boyfriend, while the full $35 will get you a Hatoful Boyfriend Lovers Pillowcase.

Over at Steam, the Weekend Deal is Far Cry 4, which is on sale for $40.19. And finally, Lichdom: Battlemage is the Daily Deal, and it’s on sale for $13.59.

There are some great t-shirts today! (more…)

Posted in Daily Scoop |

Nintendo Download: Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D , Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Breath of Fire, more

Posted on February 12, 2015 by John Scalzo

legendofzeldamajorasmask-limitededition3DS owners will be very pleased with this week’s Nintendo Download as the forgotten member of the Zelda family, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D, will be available to download through the 3DS eShop beginning tomorrow. Besides asking yourself if a Zelda game can truly be forgotten, Majora’s Mask is an interesting look back at how Nintendo treated one of their biggest franchises in the early 21st century. But even if you’re one of those people who didn’t think it worked the first time around (watch as I sheepishly raise my hand), every game should get a second chance like this.

Speaking of second chances, the rest of this week’s new 3DS games should also look familiar to gamers:

  • Capcom is bringing an enhanced version of Monster Hunter 4 to the 3DS eShop tomorrow as Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Never-before-available in America, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will give players the chance to “tackle hundreds of quests and take down ferocious monsters.”
  • Bandai Namco has slapped a fresh coat of paint on Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy as well as added Amiibo support to the aerial shooter. These additions have given it the new name Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy +.
  • Finally, Sega is resurrecting one of their Genesis-era shooters exclusively for the 3DS as 3D Fantasy Zone.

Even though most of this week’s focus is on the 3DS, the Wii U got in on the re-release game too as Konami has added the well-liked SNES RPG Breath of Fire to the Wii U eShop.

More details on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U | Tagged ,

Tekken 7’s opening movie features a volcano, an old man, and the devil

Posted on February 12, 2015 by John Scalzo

I like to think that whoever was in charge of designing a final boss for Tekken was a Seinfeld fan. I mean, the resemblance between antagonist Heihachi Mishima and Uncle Leo can’t be a coincidence, right? It makes as much sense as anything in a series that’s brimming with corporate intrigue, demonic possession, and hyper-intelligent bears.

More recently, Bandai Namco has released the opening cinematic from Tekken 7, and Uncle Leo’s doppelganger, Heihachi Mishima, is back for more. Battling his son, Kazuya Mishima, atop an erupting volcano, things don’t go well for Heihachi. If only Cousin Jeffrey were there to help him…

Tekken 7 will be available in Japanese arcades next week, and presumably a PS4 and Xbox One port will follow.

Posted in News | Tagged

New trailer showcases “Spring 2015” Vita games: Shovel Knight, Hotline Miami 2, more

Posted on February 12, 2015 by John Scalzo

I’m not sure Sony understands how seasons work, especially after viewing this highlight reel of “Spring 2015” releases on the Vita. The mercury has dropped to 40 below in some places, and I’m watching a trailer that includes a game that launched yesterday (the monkey rhythm game Jungle Rumble), one that was released last week (movie tie-in SpongeBob HeroPants), and another that’s been available since January (Grim Fandango Remastered). Now, I’m no big city meteorologist, but I think I can safely say that those are all “Winter” releases.

That said, the short trailer does give us a nice glimpse at some of the upcoming Vita games that will populate the PlayStation Store over the next three months. They include JRPG Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines, surreal shooter Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, top-down squad shooter Helldivers, beloved retro side-scroller Shovel Knight, action RPG Toukiden: Kiwami, side-scrolling skateboarder OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood, and the Zelda-like Titan Souls.

Further said, this trailer isn’t just for portable players. Many of these titles will be offered up on the PS3 and/or PS4 as part of Sony’s Cross-Buy promotion.

Posted in News, Vita | Tagged , , , , ,

Daily Scoop: February 11, 2015 – New games at Bundle Stars

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Nicole Kline

I have been so busy lately that I’ve barely been able to touch a video game. But I can assure you, friends: I still love them, and always will, even if I can’t have them anymore.

Well, that was depressing! Let’s talk about deals instead. Bundle Stars has the brand new Insert Coin Bundle, which features a local Philadelphia dev studio! Ghost Crab Games has Drive to Hell, which is joined by BiT Evolution, Just Get Through, Retro/Grade, DogFighter, PixelJunk Eden, Avoid – Sensory Overload, and Super Lemonade Factory. You get all those games for just $2.49!

There are some brand new Daily Deals as well. At the Humble Store, you can pick up Warlock: Master of the Arcane Complete Edition for $6.24, and at Steam, you can grab all five episodes of Kentucky Route Zero for $12.49.

Check out all the t-shirts I found today! (more…)

Posted in Daily Scoop |