Most Recent: PC

Phantom Dust’s PC/Xbox One re-release should launch sometime before E3 2017

Posted on January 30, 2017 by John Scalzo

But in 2015, Microsoft revealed that they’d quietly put development of Phantom Dust 2 on hiatus, effectively killing the project. A year later, the consolemaker also quietly announced that a high definition remake of the original Phantom Dust, which launched for the Xbox in 2004, would be released for the PC and Xbox One in 2017.

With the calendar flipping over to 2017 a few weeks ago, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer confirmed today that Phantom Dust HD is scheduled to be released sometime before this year’s E3 Expo in June:

Hopefully, we’ll hear more about Phantom Dust HD in the coming weeks.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One | Tagged

CoD: Infinite Warfare Sabotage Pack launches tomorrow… preview the new maps in this trailer

Posted on January 30, 2017 by John Scalzo

PS4 owners will be able to purchase the first downloadable expansion for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare beginning tomorrow. Like every other downloadable addition to the Call of Duty canon, the Sabotage DLC Pack will contain four new multiplayer maps and a new chapter for Zombies Mode.

Activision released a trailer for the next entry in Infinite Warfare’s Zombies Mode, “Rave in the Redwoods,” last week. So it seems fighting that today they’ve given fans their first look at the four new multiplayer maps available in the Sabotage DLC Pack.

Believe it or not… the Beastie Boys don’t make an appearance on the soundtrack.

Multiplayer Maps in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare’s Sabotage DLC Pack

  • Noir – A dark, grimy city map inspired by futuristic Brooklyn at night, Noir is a classic three-lane map set against a backdrop of a dystopian future, filled with cafes and parks surrounding a brutal downtown warzone.
  • Neon – A virtual training center designed for urban warfare, Neon is a unique, digitized battle arena where cars and other structures spawn out of thin air and enemies dissolve into hundreds of pixels when defeated. Middle lane sightlines will cater to long-range players while the outsides of the map allow for quick counter-attacks in close-quarter action.
  • Renaissance – Set in Northern Italy, Renaissance pits players against each other on the narrow streets of Venice surrounded by classic architecture and buildings that promote continuous action through the canals and neighborhoods of this iconic city.
  • Dominion – A re-imagining of the classic Afghan map from Modern Warfare 2, now set on Mars, Dominion retains all the memorable landmarks and gameplay of the original, anchored by the crashed ship in the center, with a few enhancements designed to take advantage of the new movement system.

The Sabotage DLC Pack is part of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare’s Season Pass, or it can be purchased separately for $15. The expansion will also be released for the PC and Xbox One sometime in late February or early March.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Samurai Sword VR slashes it’s way to Steam today

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Brittney Williams

There’s no denying it, VR is what’s hot right now! While some of us have chosen to stay away, instead watching the market to see where virtual reality will wind up and waiting for some of the peripherals to receive a price drop, early adopters have opted to jump head first into what is arguably the next step in gaming. But every new innovation comes with a price… for early VR adopters, that price is a limited access to quality games.

In comes Samurai Sword VR, the latest of a slow but steady trickle of VR games hitting the market. Based off of the trailer alone, Samurai Sword VR doesn’t feature the same high-end graphics you’d find in a AAA release. But its developer, Degica Games, has a pretty good track record with many of their releases receiving stellar reviews.

So what is Samurai Sword VR? Samurai Sword VR is a new virtual reality experience featuring seven stages with an authentic ancient Japanese aesthetic, epic boss battles, kunai and shuriken levels, multiple sword choices, and a soothing traditional Japanese soundtrack. Sadly, if you don’t already own an HTC Vive (one of the more expensive virtual reality headsets), and a PC capable of running the game, for the time being, you’re going to have to sit this one out. Though support for additional headsets could be added down the line.

Samurai Sword VR releases today, January 30, although it doesn’t officially drop for a few more hours. In the meantime, you can watch the Launch Trailer embedded above and check the game out for yourself.

Posted in News, PC |

New Retail Releases: Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World, Hitman Season One, Digimon World Next Order, More

Posted on January 29, 2017 by John Scalzo

Yarn Yoshi is is back, and as adorable as ever, in Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World for the 3DS. Nintendo will re-release the side-scrolling platformer for the 3DS this week, and players can expect to find the complete Wii U experience along with new levels starring Yoshi’s pal Poochy.

Another re-release will also be available on store shelves this week as Square Enix will collect Hitman‘s “Complete First Season” in a retail package for the PS4 and Xbox One. In addition to all of Agent 47’s previously-released missions, Hitman: The Complete First Season will also include a trio of bonus missions and the Requiem Blood Money Pack, which includes “the signature Blood Money White Suit, White Rubber Duck, and Chrome ICA Pistol.”

Switching gears entirely, anime fans will find a pair of new games on stores including Digimon World: Next Order for the PS4 and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Road to Boruto for the PS4 and Xbox One.

Finally this week, 505 Games and Giant Squid will bring the oceanic exploration of Abzu to the PS4 and Xbox One. Originally released through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Games Store in August, this retail re-release will give the public a second chance to check it out.

That’s it for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at the latest digital releases on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged , ,

The Video Game Canon – Resident Evil

Posted on January 27, 2017 by John Scalzo

Dig deeper into the Video Game Canon with a look at how Resident Evil brought the then-moribund zombie genre back to life. Here’s a teaser…

If a Bizarro Universe doppelganger of Jerry Seinfeld was a hacky comedian who worked the nerd belt, I have a feeling he’d start off every set with, “What’s the deal with all the zombies?” And he wouldn’t be wrong. Zombies are everywhere. Just absolutely everywhere. But why? And why now? If you trace the epidemic all the way back to patient zero, it leads to a publisher named Capcom and their desire to create a scary game with zombies known as Resident Evil.

George A. Romero is rightly considered the godfather of the modern zombie movie. Starting with 1968’s Night of the Living Dead, his first film inspired a horde of filmmakers and lead to a pair of sequels in 1978 and 1985. But after the release of Day of the Dead and Dan O’Bannon’s Return of the Living Dead, the genre fell out of favor with the moviegoing public and was reanimated only when some low-budget film studio wanted to add something to the direct-to-video slush pile. Not even Romero himself, who helped visual effects master Tom Savini remake Night of the Living Dead in 1990, could bring it back to life.

Six years later, Capcom brought the zed menace back in a big way with Resident Evil. First released on Sony’s fledgling PlayStation console (and eventually re-released 12 times over the next 20 years), the game’s amateurish acting and stiff tank-like controls never obscured the terrifying zombie tale underneath. You might say that exploring Spencer Mansion and delving deeper into the story behind the T-Virus infected players in a way that few games ever had before.

Visit VideoGameCanon.com to continue reading this article and to explore the complete Top 1000.

Posted in DS, Features, PC, PS3, PS4, Retro, Top Story, Video Game Canon, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged

Obsidian announces Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire… and its already fully-funded on Fig

Posted on January 27, 2017 by John Scalzo

Obsidian Entertainment was well-known for working as a hired gun for publishers such as LucasArts, Sega, Ubisoft, and Bethesda during the 2000s. But after dealing with some financial struggles in 2012, the developer turned to Kickstarter to self-fund their next project, Pillars of Eternity. The crowdfunding campaign was a massive success and eventually launched to near-universal acclaim in 2015.

Yesterday, Obsidian announced that Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is officially in the works, and kicked off a new crowdfunding campaign on Fig. Obsidian is seeking $1.1 million to finish development, but if you’re worried that lightning won’t be able to strike twice, you can relax. More than 10,000 backers have banded together to pledge the full amount needed for Pillars of Eternity II’s development over the last 24 hours.

So with the hard part out of the way, let’s see where Obsidian wants to take the sequel:

Eothas has returned. The god of light and rebirth was thought dead, but he now inhabits the stone titan that sat buried under your keep, Caed Nua, for millennia. Ripping his way out of the ground, he destroyed your stronghold and left you at the brink of death. To save your soul, you must track down the wayward god and demand answers – answers which could throw mortals and the gods themselves into chaos.

Your hunt takes you to the Deadfire Archipelago. Located even farther east than the colonies of the Eastern Reach, Deadfire comprises hundreds of islands spanning thousands of miles – ranging from lush tropics to barren deserts. Many of these lands have never been charted, while others are inhabited by rich native cultures and a new wave of colonial settlers.

You can learn more about Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire with the Fig campaign page and the trailer embedded above. If all goes well, Obsidian plans to release the RPG exclusively for the PC in Early 2018.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

The Elder Scrolls Online Dro-M’Athra Crafting Style is available this weekend only

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Brittney Williams

Been looking for a reason to jump back in to the world of The Elder Scrolls Online, or just need a new outfit to spice things up? Well, we’ve got good news!

For a limited time only, Elder Scrolls Online players can visit the game’s Crown Store to purchase the Dro-M’Athra Crafting Motif. According to Bethesda…

“It is said that deep in the Dark Behind the World, there are grim forges and bent benches where Lost Cats arm and armor themselves. To save you a trek to this afterlife, the Crown Store merchants have bought the Dro-m’Athra Style Crafting Motif to a store near you.”

But remember, this is a limited time offer that ends Monday, January 30. The Dro-M’Athra Crafting Motif is priced at 6,000 Crowns which translates roughly to about $49.99… give or take seeing as a pack of 3,000 Crowns will run you $24.99.

Admittedly, one could argue that $49.99 is a steep price for a Crafting Motif, limited edition or not. However, for hardcore Elder Scrolls Online players looking to make their characters more unique and to ensure they always standout in the middle of a rescue mission in the depths of Cold Harbor or while perusing the merchants center in the deserts of Stros M’kai, the investment might be worth it. Besides, who wants to wear basic armor when they can clothe themselves with armor that glows?

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Dirt 4 will race onto the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on June 6

Posted on January 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

Codemasters connected with their sizable fanbase offer incremental updates to Dirt Rally through the Early Access platform back in 2015. But they’re taking a more direct route with the upcoming Dirt 4, and have announced plans to release it for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on June 6.

According to the developer, their plan for Dirt 4 is to “combine the levels of thrill and realism” from Dirt Rally with the “fearless excitement, accessibility, and adrenalin-fueled contests” from 2009’s Dirt 2 and 2011’s Dirt 3. Part of this plan includes an all-new track creation system known as Your Stage:

Dirt 4 sports an all-new system called Your Stage, an innovative rally route creation tool that allows you to produce a near infinite number of unique stages at the touch of a button. Choosing your location and setting the route parameters, Your Stage does the hard work to create a unique rally stage that you can race, share with your friends and then challenge them to beat your time. Your Stage allows experienced rally players to create longer, more technical routes, whilst newcomers can create simpler shorter routes as they hone their skills.

Codemasters also plans to pack Dirt 4 with a number of new and returning features that are sure to impress rally racing fans the world over:

Dirt 4 Features

  • Over 50 of the Most Breath-Taking Off-Road Cars Ever Built – Including Ford Fiesta R5, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI, Subaru WRX STI NR4, and Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2
  • 5 Incredible Rally Locations With Millions of Routes – Australia, Spain, Michigan, Sweden, and Wales
  • The Official Game of the FIA World RallyCross Championship – Race at Montalegre, Lohéac Bretagne, Hell, Holjes, and Lydden Hill in a multitude of different series
  • Landrush – Short-course dirt track racing in Pro Buggies, Pro-2 Trucks, Pro-4 Trucks, and Crosskart vehicles in California, Nevada, and Mexico
  • Joyride> –Dirt Academy – Taking place at the DirtFish Rally School in Washington, USA. Learn the skills, techniques, and practice to become the best!
  • Career Mode – create your driver, compete across the disciplines, gain sponsors, and build your team with clear goals and rewards
  • Competitive Gaming – Daily, Weekly, and Month-Long Challenges against fellow players from around the world
  • Next Generation of RaceNet – Live ladder, leagues, and tournaments. Cross-platform leaderboards and enhanced CREST telemetry system
  • Tuning – Tweak your set-up based on vehicle, track, and weather conditions to best suit your racing style
  • Damage and Repairs – Wear and tear is faithfully recreated with an improved and realistic damage model. Damage can be repaired by hiring engineers to work in the team’s Service Area between stages but with a finite amount of time available.

Codemasters has promised to release more details about Dirt 4 between now and its June 6th launch date. For now, a teaser trailer for the game has been embedded above.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged