Most Recent: PC

Mass Effect 3: Retaliation multiplayer DLC available this week… and it’s free!

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Andrew Rainnie

Not content with the free extended ending they gifted players, BioWare is all set to release a free multiplayer expansion pack for Mass Effect 3 this week. Entitled Retaliation, the new content will not only include two Turian kits that players can unlock, but will also allow them to square off against the antagonistic Collectors.

Retaliation will also mark the beginning of the Challenge System, a new multiplayer rewards system that will award Challenge Points to players who complete “various multiplayer assignments and feats of strength.” These Challenge Points can then be exchanged for in-game titles and banners that you can display to the charred remains of your enemies your friends.

In addition to this the new content, the development team has upgraded existing maps with weather hazards such as lightning strikes and sandstorms to truly test the mettle of the Mass Effect 3 multiplayers out there.

Mass Effect 3: Retaliation will be available to download in North America on October 9th and in Europe the following day.

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New Releases: Dishonored, XCOM Enemy Unknown, Just Dance 4, More

Posted on October 7, 2012 by John Scalzo

This week’s new releases will sneak up on us like a ghostly assassin in a steampunk setting. If that analogy seems oddly specific to you, might I point you towards Dishonored (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), a stealth game that has more than a few gamers giddy with anticipation.

Speaking of stealth, this week also sees the release of 2K’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) reboot. Developed by Firaxis, sneaking up on some aliens and giving them the “Welcome to Earth” treatment should be a hoot.

Also available this week is the dancefloor shenanigans of Just Dance 4 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360) and a trio of Kinect adventures for the Xbox 360: Harry Potter For Kinect, Dragon Ball Z For Kinect, and Fable: The Journey. Maybe I’m just not seeing the big picture, but why would publishers release four of the biggest Kinect games of the Fall on the same day?

Finally, for those looking for a little handheld excitement, Atlus is bringing the action RPG Code of Princess to the 3DS.

Hit the jump for more of this week’s new releases. (more…)

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Retro City Rampage sets the world on fire on October 9 on PC, PS3, Vita

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Nicole Kline

In a strange turn of events, Retro City Rampage – which had been slated to be released for WiiWare and Xbox Live at separate times and never made it to either – will be coming out on October 9 on PC, PS3, and Vita. Not that I’m complaining – after playing it years ago at PAX, I was bummed to find out it was coming to every console but the one I had at the time. But now, barring any additional strange barriers, hopefully the game will really be coming out next week.

Retro City Rampage was created by Brian Provinciano and has been showcased dozens of times. Its quirky backgrounds and obvious homage to the original Grand Theft Auto, coupled with its genuinely retro feel, make it a funny, entertaining game.

The game will be available for PC via Steam and GOG.com, though you can also buy it DRM-free through retrocityrampage.com and get a Steam or GOG download code as a bonus. If you’re buying it for the PSN, you will get copies for the PS3 and the Vita, which is pretty amazing. No matter how you buy it, it will cost $14.99.

The game will also be coming to the Wii Shop and Xbox Live Arcade… at some point. But for now I’m going to gorge myself on RCR on both of my Sony devices as soon as Tuesday* hits.

* Unless it gets delayed again.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Vita | Tagged

Curt Schilling may be forced to sell “Bloody Sock” due to 38 Studios bankruptcy

Posted on October 4, 2012 by John Scalzo

Curt Schilling lost his shirt when 38 Studios declared bankruptcy in June. Now, he might lose his sock too.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Schilling may be forced to sell the “Bloody Sock” he wore during the 2004 World Series to pay back a loan he took out to bankroll his failed game studio. The sock is currently on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and is viewed by many as a symbol of Boston’s 2004 World Series win, their first in 86 years. A sports collectibles expert consulted by the Globe estimated the sock would sell for $25,000 at auction.

In addition to the famous sock, Schilling has put a cap worn by Lou Gehrig, his collection of World War II memorabilia, and his stake in the StepStone Capital Partners equity firm up as collateral.

In the months since the closure of 38 Studios, EA has expressed an interest in creating a Kingdoms of Amalur sequel without Schilling and the game’s developer has reformed as Impossible Studios.

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Assassin’s Creed III Season Pass takes on Tyranny of King Washington

Posted on October 4, 2012 by John Scalzo

Assassin’s Creed III is jumping on the Season Pass bandwagon with an alternate-alternate history of the American Revolution told in three downloadable parts.

“The Tyranny of King Washington” posits what the fledgling nation of America would be like if George Washington decided that a more royal reputation was in order for the office of the President after being elected in 1789. In addition to the three episodes of “King Washington,” the Assassin’s Creed team at Ubisoft will release new multiplayer content including “new maps and characters.”

The Season Pass will be available for $29.99 (or 2400 Microsoft Points) on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Wii U owners will also receive access to “The Tyranny of King Washington,” but the packs will have to be purchased separately.

“History is our playground – and AC teams have always loved playing with historical facts and their consequences as a way to better understand a time period,” said Sebastien Puel, Executive Producer at Ubisoft. “While Assassin’s Creed III concentrates on history as it happens, we wanted to take some liberties with this DLC and tell you how things ‘could have happened.'”

No timetable was announced for the Assassin’s Creed III DLC, but Season Pass owners will be able to download the DLC one week before the general public.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360 | Tagged

John Romero’s about to make Kickstarter his bitch

Posted on October 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

I respect his contributions to gaming (he co-created Doom, after all), but John Romero will never be able to live down his infamous ad for Daikatana. Now, Romero is back, and along with his former id Software cohort Tom Hall and Wizardy developer Brenda Braithwaite, he’s going to take Kickstarter by storm. Suck it down! (Sorry).

Those three legends of game development lead Loot Drop, a studio that is hard at work on Old School Role-Playing Game, a… wait for it… old school role-playing game. Like many indie developers nowadays, Loot Drop has turned to Kickstarter to fund their new project.

The project is seeking $1 million, but the stretch goals are where the real action is. If the project reaches $1.9 million, Loot Drop will develop two old school RPGs. One will be lead by Hall, while the other will be shepherded by Braithwaite. Oh, and the two games will be linked as “the endings in one game affect the beginnings in another.”

Wow, did John Romero just make me his… huh… I think he did!

Posted in News, PC |

Justin Bieber is playable in NBA 2K13, god help us all

Posted on October 2, 2012 by John Scalzo

Having celebrities mix it up with NBA players is nothing new in the world of video games. Way back in 1993 Bill Clinton, the Beastie Boys, and George Clinton schooled Scottie Pippen nightly in NBA Jam. But I think 2K Sports might have gone too far with the Celebrity All-Stars team included in NBA 2K13… because they put Justin Bieber on the team. Observe:

Pauly D and Vinny from Jersey Shore, Mac Miller, Bow Wow, JB Smoove, Wale, Sean Kingston, Meek Mill, and Brian Baumgartner make up the rest of the Celebrity All-Stars team. If you so desire to see Bieber dunk on Team USA (to his hit song “Baby,” no less), you’re in luck, it’s already on YouTube.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Not all DLC included with Mass Effect Trilogy

Posted on October 1, 2012 by John Scalzo

Those of you hoping to obtain the complete Mass Effect trilogy (including DLC) by purchasing the Mass Effect Trilogy are going to be out of luck. An FAQ on BioWare’s website has confirmed that most of the DLC expansions from the three games will not be included in the compilation.

The PC edition of the Mass Effect Trilogy will include Mass Effect‘s DLC expansions, “Bring Down the Sky” and “Pinnacle Station,” on the disc. The Xbox 360 edition will not include these expansions but players will be able to purchase them from the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Both editions of the Trilogy will include Mass Effect 2‘s Cerberus Network, which grants access to “Zaeed: The Price of Revenge,” the “Firewalker Pack,” “Cerberus Assault Gear,” the “Arc Projector” weapon, and the “Normandy Crash Site” mission. The game’s many other DLC expansions, including “Arrival,” will not be included in the Mass Effect Trilogy.

Finally, Mass Effect 3‘s Online Pass for online multiplayer will be included in both the PC and Xbox 360 packages, but all other DLC will have to be purchased separately.

Any decisions on which DLC expansions will be included with the PS3 edition have yet to be made.

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