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)
Most Recent: PC
Heed “Handsome Jack’s Tips for Surviving on the Moon!” in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Before letting journalists loose on Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel at this year’s E3 Expo, 2K Games forced them to watch “Handsome Jack’s Tips for Surviving on the Moon” to prepare for the experience. In the video, Handsome Jack describes what’s different about shooting and looting on the Moon… in his own deranged way, that is. If you’re too lazy to watch, here are Handsome Jack’s six tips:
#1 Stay in the air
#2 Don’t forget the power of the SLAM!
#3 Use your Skills
#4 New Loot!
#5 Lasers… Heh heh, they’re pretty cool
#6 Cryo Weapons are awesome
Don’t you want to watch it now? Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel will be available for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on October 14.
Mighty No. 9 animated adaptation in the works
I don’t how this will impact the planned live-action adaptation, but Comcept and Digital Frontier have announced they’ve begun work on an animated adaptation of Mighty No. 9.
The project is still in the early stages, but Digital Frontier wants to create an “action-packed comedy aimed at kids 6-11” that they hope will appeal to adults as well. If the teaser video above is any indication, I think they’ve got a shot at doing just that. Produced for this weekend’s Anime Expo in Los Angeles, the video is a neat little taste of things to come. However, according to an FAQ posted on the official Mighty No. 9 site, no one has officially signed on to the animated adaptation as of yet. Digital Frontier is still looking for writers, a director, and voice actors. Because of this, we don’t know when Mighty No. 9: The Animated Series will make its television debut.
But hopefully the announcer sticks around, he’s pretty awesome.
New Releases: One Piece Unlimited World Red, More
It’s another slim week for new releases as we continue to suffer through the dog days of Summer. Here’s what will be available this week:
- One Piece Unlimited World Red, a new game adaptation of the popular manga, will be published by Bandai Namco for the 3DS and PS3, and Wii U (as a Wii U eShop exclusive).
- Scooby Doo & Looney Tunes Cartoon Universe: Adventure will mash together the two cartoons on the 3DS.
- And Garfield’s Wild Ride brings everyone’s favorite cat to the PC in a Jetpack Joyride-type game.
Yup, that’s it.
Civilization: Beyond Earth will launch on October 24
2K Games has announced that Civilization: Beyond Earth will be available exclusively for the PC on October 24. I think this is the first time I’ve written about a game’s launch date when the game in question actually has launches in it.
Players who pre-order the game (from select retailers) will receive the Exoplanets Map Pack, which includes six additional maps, all based on existing exoplanets:
- Kepler 186f: This lush forest planet is one of the oldest known Earth-like planets.
- Rigil Khantoris Bb: Orbiting the closest star to our solar system, the historical records of this arid continental planet’s settlement are well-preserved.
- Tau Ceti d: This planet of seas and archipelagos features a booming biodiversity and a wealth of resources.
- Mu Arae f: Tidally locked in orbit around a weak star, the southern hemisphere of this planet is a blistering desert where the sun never sets, while the northern hemisphere is perpetually in frozen darkness.
- 82 Eridani e: An alien world of scarce water and wracked by tectonic forces.
- Eta Vulpeculae b: A mysterious new discovery with unknown terrain.
And if you want to learn even about Civilization: Beyond Earth, be sure to check out the “Inside Look” video above where Lead Designers Will Miller and David McDonough discuss “details about the story, leaders, and [other] key features.” You can also find a brand new gameplay walkthrough after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Civilization: Beyond Earth
Behold… Shovel Knight’s Butt Mode revealed (along with hundreds of other cheat codes)
Just like The Legend of Zelda‘s Second Quest, Yacht Club Games’ Shovel Knight includes a series of secret codes that activate special conditions when they’re entered as your name at the New Game screen. So far, the developers have revealed four official codes, including perhaps the greatest code to ever grace any game ever: Butt Mode.
If you use “X&BUTT” as your name, several common words in the dialogue (Shovel, Knight, Health, Magic, and others) will be replaced by the word “butt.” So, for example, Shovel Knight becomes “Butt Butt.” Well played, Yacht Club. Other officially released codes include “J&2JMP!” (Super Jump), “J&!JSMP” (Moon Jump), and “IM&SGC14” (Iron Man of Gaming Mode, a timed version of Mole Knight’s stage created for the Iron Man of Gaming event).
But the developers also created the “Gimme the Dirt” tier for their Kickstarter campaign, so there are a lot more cheat codes out there. More than 300 backers pledged enough to receive an “exclusive” code and the Internet, naturally, is trying to brute force their way into figuring out what all of them do. A Google Doc has been created to compile every working code and a few of my favorites include:
- “ENTSSYSQ” – New Game+
- “QMPGLCRA” – Enemies Are 8 Times Stronger
- “KYRNMAPC” – Sudden Death Boss Battles
- “FCCKJOIQ” – Pogo Bounce (AKA DuckTales Mode)
Go on, try a few out yourself. With hundreds of combinations, Shovel Knight will have enough staying power to last you all Summer.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, Wii U
Tagged Shovel Knight
The Walking Dead Season 2: In Harm’s Way Review: Villainous
Playing through the first season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead game, it became quickly apparent that danger was everywhere. I always had to be on my guard, watching my back, and stepping on eggshells. Normally menial tasks such as searching through an abandoned pharmacy or walking across a parking lot had become frightening life-or-death battles for survival. Knock a bottle off a counter or make a wrong turn, and you’ll almost certainly meet a ghastly end. If you wanted to survive, you had to avoid walkers at all costs, as these were truly terrifying enemies.
But while still a constant threat, the zombies in The Walking Dead weren’t much more than obstacles – dangerous obstacles, mind you – but a hindrance nonetheless. You knew what you had to do to survive the mindless ghouls. All that changed in The Walking Dead Season 2, where we were introduced to Carver, one of the most fascinating characters in the series. You hated him, but at the same time you understood his plight. He was trying to bring his group together no matter what. While at first we don’t think he’s all that bad, he dispels those thoughts, and quickly becomes one of the greatest villains in the Walking Dead universe. It’s because of this character that In Harm’s Way is not only the best episode of this second season, but perhaps the best episode of the entire series. (more…)
Lindsay Lohan actually sues Rockstar over supposed similarity to GTA5 character
Back in December, TMZ learned that Lindsay Lohan was threatening to sue Rockstar Games over her supposed likeness to one of Grand Theft Auto V‘s female characters. Today, Lohan made good on her threat and filed a lawsuit against the game developer in New York County Civil Court.
According to the Associated Press, Lohan is claiming that Rockstar created the character of Lacey Jonas using her image and voice, specifically citing “styles from her clothing line.” Jonas’ page on the GTA Wiki shows that she is an extremely minor character and beyond her career (actress) and relationship with the paparazzi (she doesn’t like them), she doesn’t appear to share any traits with Lohan.
Lohan also believes that a Chateau Marmont-like apartment building was included in the game because she once lived there. Now, I’m no law-talking guy, but I don’t think Lindsay Lohan can demand to exclude a building that kinda-sorta resembles one she used to live in from a video game.
Grand Theft Auto V was released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 last September and a PC, PS4, and Xbox One release is planned for this Fall. Lohan is likely looking for a big payday as the game generated more than $800 million in sales on its first day of availability on its way to becoming the best-selling game of 2013.
Doom 4 reveal will be “exclusive” to QuakeCon attendees
Remember when Bethesda announced that the first trailer for Doom 4 would be revealed at this year’s QuakeCon? Well, according to the Bethesda Blog, convention attendees will be getting an “exclusive” peak at the game’s debut trailer that the rest of us won’t ever be able to see. While I have my doubts that this trailer will never find its way online, Bethesda did say as much in their announcement:
“This an exclusive thing we are doing for attendees as part of our Annual QuakeCon Welcome presentation. We’ll have plenty more to show everyone at a later date, but we didn’t want another QuakeCon to go by without doing something special for the amazing QC community and id supporters that have been with us for more than 20 years.”
This year’s QuakeCon will be held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX from July 17 through July 20. Doom 4 (currently known only as “Doom“) is currently in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016)