Most Recent: PC

Codemasters has revealed Dirt Rally… and it’s on Steam Early Access right now

Posted on April 28, 2015 by John Scalzo

It’s been a long time since Codemasters last decided to play in the dirt. It’s been three years since the last game in the rally racing franchise, Dirt: Showdown, was released. Though many fans ignore the arcade-style spinoff and choose to remember the last game in the main series, four since Dirt 3, which was released in 2011.

So it was a bit of a shock when Codemasters announced the PC-exclusive release of Dirt Rally yesterday. And it was even more of a shock when the developer revealed that it’s available to buy now (for $34.99) through Steam’s Early Access program.

The developer is currently looking for feedback from fans to shape the future of the franchise, but Dirt Rally has launched with the following features already available:

  • 17 Cars in 6 New and Classic Classes – Including BMW M3 Evo, Audi Quattro S1, Lancia Delta HF Integrale, and Subaru Impreza.
  • Diverse Locales – 36 challenging stages set across Hafren, Wales; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Argolis, Greece.
  • Team Management – Hire up to four engineering staff to work on your car between stages.
  • Rally Async – Daily, weekly, and month-long challenges against fellow players from around the world without the need to be online at the same time.
  • Rally Seasons – Compete in a succession of events with the aim of gaining promotion to the next rung on the driving ladder.
  • Custom Rally Events – Take any car on any track and configure and compete in single or multi-stage events against the AI’s times.
  • Upgrades – Unlock the full potential of your car with meaningful improvements to its handling and performance.
  • Tuning – Tweak your car set-up based on car, track and weather conditions to best suit your racing style.
  • Physics-Based Assists – Dirt Rally allows players to experience cars in their purest form. It also offers a selection of real world assists similar to those seen in race and road vehicles as traction control and ABS.
  • Damage and Repairs – Wear and tear is faithfully recreated with a comprehensive 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 will bring “regular free updates” to Dirt Rally throughout the Early Access period, which is expected to last into 2016. It’s unknown when, or even if, Dirt Rally will make an appearance on consoles.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

Mighty No. 9 gets September 15 release after Comcept signs publishing deal with Deep Silver

Posted on April 28, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Some mighty news today for Comcept’s Mighty No. 9. Keiji Inafune originally planned a “Spring 2015” release date after his spiritual successor to the Mega Man franchise found great success on Kickstarter. But with the unofficial end of Spring looming, Inafune has confirmed what we all feared… Mighty No. 9 has been delayed.

But there’s good news too. Comcept has partnered with Deep Silver to publish the game worldwide with a digital download and a retail disc. Both versions of the game will be available on September 15 for the PS4, Wii U, and Xbox One. The PC version will also be released on that date for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 as a digital-only game. Sadly, the promised 3DS and PS Vita versions have been further delayed to a to be announced date.

In addition to having more time to complete the main game, Comcept will use this delay to produce some additional content for Mighty No. 9. A special bonus stage featuring a battle with Ray, Mighty No. 9’s rival, will be included. After besting Ray, players will unlock the robot, who has unique skills and all-new gameplay mechanics, as a playable character for the entire main game. New Japanese and French language tracks are also planned alongside eight subtitle tracks.

Even though Deep Silver will publish Mighty No. 9, Comcept will retain all rights to the characters and any future sequels.

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

The Strong announces finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015

Posted on April 28, 2015 by John Scalzo

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The Strong National Museum of Play and the International Center for the History of Electronic Games have announced the finalists for the inaugural class of the World Video Game Hall of Fame. More than a dozen classic games passed this first test on their way to video game immortality, which were selected from thousands of nominations that poured in from gamers all across the world. Nominations for the Class of 2015 were accepted from February 17 through March 31, but in case you missed out, the Hall of Fame is already accepting games for next year’s class.

This year’s inductees to the World Video Game Hall of Fame will be chosen from the finalist pool by an “international selection committee” made up of journalists, scholars, and other individuals. The inaugural class will be announced on June 4 at 10:30 AM (Eastern Time) during a ceremony at The Strong.

The finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015 include:

  • Angry Birds
  • Doom
  • FIFA International Soccer
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Minecraft
  • The Oregon Trail
  • Pac-Man
  • Pokemon Red/Blue
  • Pong
  • The Sims
  • Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Space Invaders
  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Tetris
  • World of Warcraft

“The 15 finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame span decades, gaming platforms, and geographies… but what they all have in common is their undeniable impact on popular culture and society in general,” said Jon-Paul Dyson, the Director of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games.

Inductees into the World Video Game Hall of Fame will be selected based on the following criteria: “Icon Status,” “Longevity,” “Geographical Reach,” and “Influence.” All 15 finalists certainly qualify, but I know I’ll be rooting for Tetris.

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

Batman: Arkham Knight Season Pass announced… sort of

Posted on April 28, 2015 by John Scalzo

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WB Games has announced that Batman: Arkham Knight buyers can also purchase a Season Pass, which will entitle them to “six months” of additional content after the game’s launch. However, that content is still very much a mystery. You might even says it’s… an enigma.

According to the announcement, the Season Pass will include “new Story Missions, additional supervillains invading Gotham City, legendary Batmobile Skins, advanced Challenge Maps, alternative Character Skins, and new drivable Race Tracks.” The exact mix of Skins, Tracks, and additional Story Missions wasn’t announced, but WB Games did say the Season Pass will be priced at $39.99. A digital-only Premium Edition, which includes Arkham Knight and its Season Pass, will also be available for $99.99. The Arkham games are always packed with content, but $39.99 seems kind of steep for a Season Pass with a big question mark on it.

Batman: Arkham Knight will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on June 23. And don’t forget to check out the game’s brand new trailer, “All Who Follow You,” which was released yesterday.

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

Avalanche and Square Enix unveil first Just Cause 3 gameplay trailer

Posted on April 28, 2015 by John Scalzo

Square Enix and Avalanche Studios have released the first gameplay trailer for Just Cause 3, going so far as to tell gamers it features “No cut scenes, no scripts, no staging.” Said to captured from “actual gameplay,” the cinematic presentation is thanks to “great camera angles.” I’m not sure I buy it, but the collection of explosions, gunplay, and aerial stunts are certainly impressive.

The trailer also serves as the debut of the Weaponised Vehicle Pack, which will be available as a free bonus to players who pre-order the game. The Weaponised Vehicle Pack includes three luxury vehicles all decked in the finest in heavy weaponry. Perfect for protagonist Rico Rodriguez to use in his quest to free the island of Medici from the evil General Di Ravello.

Just Cause 3 will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One this Fall.

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

Batman: Arkham Knight “All Who Follow You” Trailer… Play as Robin, Nightwing, Catwoman

Posted on April 27, 2015 by John Scalzo

As promised, Rocksteady Studios released a new trailer for Batman: Arkham Knight, which confirms gamers will be able to play as Robin, Nightwing, and Catwoman in the upcoming game. Taking a page from Grand Theft Auto V, Arkham Knight’s “Dual Play” mechanic will allow players to “switch seamlessly between The Dark Knight and his allies.”

After watching this trailer, I’m more convinced than ever that Batman is going to need all the help he can get. He may be “Vengeance” and “The Night,” but the Arkham Knight has a whole army…

Batman: Arkham Knight will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on June 23.

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

CoD: Black Ops 3 “World Reveal” trailer is here… 11/6 release, pre-order beta confirmed

Posted on April 26, 2015 by John Scalzo

Call of Duty: Black Ops III‘s “World Reveal” gameplay trailer is now available for all to watch and we certainly know more about the game now than we did a week ago. For starters, the rumors from Friday are true. Black Ops III will indeed launch on Friday, November 6 for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and those who pre-order the game will receive access to a multiplayer beta test. This doesn’t mean the game won’t be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360, but Activision only wants to talk about the current-generation version today.

So what does Treyarch have in store for this far-future sequel? First of all, Black Ops III will bring a four-player cooperative campaign to the franchise for the first time. Players will also be able to augment their soldiers with a variety of futuristic tech and do battle with a army of Terminators killer cyborgs. Let me turn it over to the Activision Games Blog for a second to fill us in on the rest:

Call of Duty: Black Ops III will thrust players into a dark, gritty future, where cybernetics and biotechnology have given rise to a new breed of soldier. Empowered by Direct Neural Interface (DNI) technology, players will assume the role of Black Ops soldiers that are interconnected, faster, and more lethal than ever in a new four-player co-op campaign and a completely redefined multiplayer experience.

With a new momentum-based, chained movement system that allows players to move fluidly through environments and maintain constant control of their weapon, Call of Duty: Black Ops III is packed with new multiplayer features. In addition to a new weapon customization system that lets players create unique weapon variants, Call of Duty: Black Ops III introduces the new Specialist system, which lets players choose and rank up nine elite Black Ops soldiers, each with their own unique look, personality, backstory, and devastating weapons and abilities.

Finally, Activision revealed that Treyarch’s signature Zombies Mode will be back with “its own unique story and XP progression system.” More details on Zombies Mode will be announced later this year and we’ll surely learn a lot more about Call of Duty: Black Ops III as we get closer to this year’s E3 Expo.

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

New Releases: State of Decay Year-One Edition, Omega Quintet, Broken Age, More

Posted on April 26, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Welcome to another week of new video game releases. The game publishers have supplied us a gaggle of eclectic titles to close out the month of April. Let’s look closer…

  • State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition brings Undead Labs’ zombie game to the Xbox One with enhanced graphics and both downloadable expansions.
  • Omega Quintet is a PS4 RPG that puts the fate of the world in the hands of a girl group who has learned to weaponize their singing.
  • A boxed edition of Broken Age completes the story of Double Fine’s point-and-click adventure game.
  • El Presidente reigns supreme on the PS4 in Tropico 5.
  • The Golf Club: Collector’s Edition packages a golf simulation that has been available as a downloadable game since last year for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
  • Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown is another turn-based strategy game set in the Shadowrun universe for the PC.
  • The Weaponographist is a top-down roguelike for the PC that drops an adventurer into an arena full of monsters and the weapons to defeat them.
  • Finally, Dungeons II is an evil overlord simulator for the PC where players must conquer the world as “The Dungeon Lord.”

That’s it for this week’s look at gaming’s new retail releases, but we’re sure to get several new downloadable titles on the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Games Store, the Nintendo eShop, and Steam later this week.

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