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
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 whips its way into stores on February 25
Everyone expected Konami to officially push Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2‘s release into 2014 eventually and they’ve done just that at this year’s Gamescom expo. Dracula’s modern day epic will be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on February 25 in North America, February 27 in Europe, and February 28 in the UK.
Developer Mercury Steam has always claimed that Lords of Shadow 2 would be the finale for their take on the Castlevania mythos. And with the addition of open world gameplay, new weaponry, and a wider range of demons to slay, they plan to make their mark on a video game landscape that will now include the PS4 and Xbox One.
“[N]ow we come to the conclusion of the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow story,” said Producer Dave Cox. “As such, we have gone all-out to create a fitting climax to one of the most warmly-welcomed series resurrections to date. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is bigger, more epic and more challenging – and tells a tale that will live on in video game lore forever.”
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Gamescom 2013
The criminals have “Nowhere to Run” in the latest Batman: Arkham Origins trailer
Batman wasn’t always The Dark Knight. In the beginning he was, in Alfred’s words, “a young man with a trust fund and too much anger.” But Batman: Arkham Origins wants to tell the story of how the brash and reckless Caped Crusader became the World’s Greatest Detective. It wants to tell the story of Jim Gordon coming to terms with Gotham’s need for a nighttime protector. And it wants to tell a ripping yarn about Batman battling eight assassins on Christmas Eve. I think this new trailer, released to coincide with this year’s Gamescom event, makes the case that it does.
“I am the reason the criminals breath easier when the sun rises.”
Tell him, Batman! The trailer, titled “Nowhere to Run,” also introduces us to another assassin, Firefly, and the delves into the Batcave for the first time. Developed by WB Games Montreal, Batman: Arkham Origins will be released for the PC, PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360 on October 25.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Batman: Arkham Origins, Gamescom 2013
See the smarter Sims of The Sims 4 in first gameplay trailer
According to Electronics Arts, life just got better for citizens of The Sims. They’re getting smarter. And more emotional. And more relatable. They might even be able to “experience the excitement and delight of life’s moments.” You can see all of these new attributes in action in the brand new gameplay trailer for The Sims 4, which was released by EA today.
The Sims 4 brings all new ways to play with life. Built on the foundation of a brand new technology platform, the nuance and delight of being human come together to create more intelligent, more emotionally rich and more relatable Sims. These Sims have evolved into beings whose every action is informed and affected by interactions and emotional states. Because players are in control of life’s triumphs and failures, life’s moments make stories richer, Sims more relatable and their homes more personal. Pair these revolutionary new Sims with brand new creative tools that are powerful, agile and tactile, and the result is a provocative new gameplay experience that powers a new era for The Sims.
The Sims 4 will be released exclusively for the PC next year. If you decide to pre-order the game, you’ll receive the upgraded Limited Edition, which includes a special “Life of the Party” DLC pack.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Gamescom 2013, The Sims 4
Reef Entertainment obtains Terminator license
Reef Entertainment obtained the license to produce games based on the Rambo films in 2011 and plans to release Rambo: The Video Game later this year. So what’s next for the UK publisher? Why, another 80s action franchise, of course.
Today, Reef announced that they’ve obtained the license to produce PC and console games based on The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. A spokesman for the company said that developers at Reef are “studying all aspects and influences of the Terminator universe” and that the company wants to “create a game that does great justice to the motion pictures.”
The publisher plans to reveal more details about the first game to emerge from this agreement, which will be titled Terminators, at a later date.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Terminator: Resistance
WildStar introduces “play-to-pay” subscription model
If you haven’t yet heard of WildStar, I’d highly suggest visiting the game’s official website and just watching the “Flicks” introducing the two factions. It can sometimes be hard to get invested in the pre-release media and hype that developers try to throw at you, but I haven’t been this impressed by a trailer for an MMO since Illidan Stormrage informed me that I was not prepared.
It’s hard to quantify what is so good about the WildStar videos, but the best way to put it is simply that they’re overflowing with personality. Similar to Borderlands, this game has character rarely seen in modern titles, which have a propensity to take themselves entirely too seriously. Carbine Studios has opted for a more humorous approach, aided by good voice acting. I was pretty much done by the end of Kit’s explanation of the Exiles when she punched the camera man in a fit of emotion.
Of course, with the amount of MMOs going from subscription to free-to-play (or “pay-to-win”), one of the most important questions for any new MMO is what the business model will be. According to a recent announcement from Carbine Studios, WildStar will be a hybrid, with both a monthly subscription model and a “play-to-pay” option. The model is centered around an in-game item called C.R.E.D.D. (an acronym for “Certificate of Research, Exploration, Destruction, and Development”). C.R.E.D.D. can be purchased online with real money and sold for in-game money, which allows players wishing to play for free to grind out a pile of cash and purchase extra game time, effectively “playing to pay.” Meanwhile, players who want to save their in-game gold and can afford C.R.E.D.D. can simply pay a subscription fee. In fact, for extra in-game gold, players can buy C.R.E.D.D. and sell it to others and increase their own stash.
It’s a model that seeks to cater to both audiences who have disposable income but little time (such as people with jobs and/or families) and also players with little disposable income but lots of free time (such as high school or college students). Additionally, by offering C.R.E.D.D. to players who want extra in-game gold for legal purchase via Carbine Studios themselves, the developers hope to cut back on gold farming that is so prevalent in other MMOs. Whether this business model is going to work for WildStar or not, this is definitely a game to watch for in the future.
The closed beta is already underway, and if all goes well, WildStar will be released sometime in Spring 2014.
New Releases: Saints Row IV, Disney Infinity, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, More
This week’s new releases take us to infinity and beyond.
The “infinity” is taken care of by Disney’s massive companywide crossover, Disney Infinity, is ready for release on the 3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, and Xbox 360. The game’s “Starter Pack” will come complete with three figures (Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Incredible from The Incredibles, and Sulley from Monsters Inc.) with additional figures available for purchase separately.
That brings us to the “beyond,” which is ably covered by Volition’s Saints Row IV. The insane antics of the Third Street Saints have found a new home at Deep Silver, but the latest game is available for three familiar platforms: PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. And if you’ve got the scratch, why not spring for Saints Row IV’s luxurious (and ridiculous) “Million Dollar Pack.”
Also available this week is the latest adventure of Sam Fisher, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist (PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360); the 1960s-set adventures of an anti-alien task force, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (PC, PS3, Xbox 360); and the standalone release of Luigi’s latest starring effort, New Super Luigi U (Wii U).
More new releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Disney Infinity, New Super Luigi U, Saints Row IV, The Walking Dead, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, XCOM
Infinite Crisis adds Atomic Wonder Woman (and her chainsaw)
For those of you who don’t play many PC games, MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas) have turned into the weeds of the gaming industry. It seems like for every new MOBA that pops up, two more follow it the next day. In addition to League of Legends and DOTA 2, we’ve now got the upcoming Dawngate from EA, Core Masters from Rock Hippo, Strife from S2 Games, and… you get the point. One of the strongest contenders entering the MOBA ring is the DC Comics-inspired Infinite Crisis. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by Turbine (The Lord of the Rings Online), the game takes the MOBA formula and puts a DC coat of paint on it. Players battle in classic cities like Gotham and Metropolis, taking control of a cast of beloved superheroes and villains.
WB Games has announced that Atomic Wonder Woman is the latest addition to the game’s roster. You can see her in action in the trailer above.
Hailing from an alternate timeline during which World War III left the world in nuclear ruin, Atomic Wonder Woman seeks to restore the planet she failed to save. Atomic Wonder Woman is a melee assassin (with a chainsaw) who specializes in dealing high burst damage and moving quickly around a fight. Her passive allows her to use more powerful version of her basic attacks, resulting in a decent amount of area damage, and her ultimate allows her to pick a target and charge full force at them. This is not the first time Infinite Crisis has released alternate versions of well-known characters. Already playable in the beta are Gaslight Batman and Nightmare Batman, as well as Gaslight Joker. For those of you who have never heard of these strange, alternate identities, fear not, as Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Joker are all available in their original forms as well.
Infinite Crisis is in closed beta right now, but you can register for access at the game’s official website.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse materializes on September 3
Now that DuckTales Remastered is available to download, it’s time to turn our attention to 2013’s other Disney remake: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.
Sega has announced that Castle of Illusion will be released for the PlayStation Network on September 3. The game will be available to download from PC download services and the Xbox Live Arcade a day later, on September 4. All three versions will be priced at $14.99, but if you pre-order the game through the PSN, you’ll receive a free download of the original Genesis version of Castle of Illusion, an exclusive dynamic theme, and three avatars.
You can view a trio of new Castle of Illusion screenshots at the Sega Blog.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Castle of Illusion