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
Scarygirl coming to PC, PSN, XBLA courtesy of Square Enix
Square Enix announced today that they’re bringing Nathan Jurevicius’ graphic novel, Scarygirl, to the PC, PSN, and XBLA. The game, developed by TikGames, is an action platformer, and will be available January 18 for the XBLA, January 24 for the PSN, and “early 2012” for the PC.
Scarygirl, which won the 2009 Aurealis Award for Best Illustrated Book/Graphic novel, features a tough girl who dresses like a pirate and has a tentacle for an arm. A strange man haunts her dreams, and Scarygirl sets out on a journey to find him. Blister the giant octopus and Bunniguru the mystical, kung-fu rabbit help her on her quest against dangerous monsters.
I don’t know about you, but this sounds like one of the most ridiculously adorable games I have ever heard of. Ever.
Want to see how adorable it can be? Check out the trailer after the break. (more…)
Skyrim, Portal 2, Bastion nab 5 nominations at 12th annual Game Developers Choice Awards
The Game Developers Conference has handed out nominations for their 12th annual Game Developers Choice Awards and, prepare to be shocked, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bastion, and Portal 2 each scored five nominations apiece.
Wait a minute, that’s not shocking at all! Those three games have been sweeping every Game of the Year contest of 2011.
Skyrim and Portal 2 will be joined by Batman: Arkham City, Dark Souls, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution in the coveted GDCA Game of the Year category. Bastion will battle it out against From Dust, Frozen Synapse, Outland, and Stacking for the honor of Best Downloadable Game.
Skyrim, Bastion, and Portal 2 will fight it out in many of the same categories throughout the rest of the awards show. Skyrim and Portal 2 were both nominated for Best Game Design while Portal 2 and Bastion will go head-to-head for Best Narrative and the Innovation award. Meanwhile, all three games were nominated for Best Audio.
Bastion developer Supergiant Games is also up for Best Debut.
The Game Developers Choice Awards will be given out on March 7. You can check out the complete list of nominees after the break. (more…)
Game Informer reveals new Firaxis-developed XCOM RTS
When 2K Games announced that the next X-COM game would be a first person shooter developed by 2K Marin, the “WTF?” uttered by the franchise’s fans could be heard around the world. But it looks like 2K was listening as the publisher has given Game Informer the first look at XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a real-time strategy game developed by Firaxis.
“It’s been a dream of ours to recreate X-COM with our unique creative vision. We’re huge fans of the original game and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-envision a game that is as beloved as X-COM,” said Steve Martin, president of Firaxis Games. “We were careful to keep XCOM: Enemy Unknown true to the elements that made X-COM such a revered game while delivering an entirely new story and gameplay experience for both die-hard X-COM fans and newcomers to the franchise.”
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will appear on the cover of the magazine’s February 2012 issue, and the anti-alien invasion RTS will be available for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 this Fall. As if the game’s strategic bent weren’t enough, Firaxis has also promised that Enemy Unknown will feature “destructible tactical environments, the interaction between the real-time strategic view and the turn-based combat, how the XCOM organization improves its capabilities as the war rages on, and much more.”
The XCOM first person shooter is still scheduled to ship sometime this year (or early in 2013).
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged XCOM: Enemy Unknown
The Batmobile lost its wheel… Gotham City Impostors goes away into February
The Joker got away and sprayed seltzer in the eyes of everyone that was getting ready to buy Gotham City Impostors next week as WB Games announced it has been delayed. The PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 game will now be released in February.
No reason was given for the delay, but an online beta for game is currently ongoing. Perhaps the testers found some problem that Oracle has to fix.
No word on if Robin laid an egg or not.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Gotham City Impostors
Let’s put on a show! Supergiant performs two songs from Bastion live!
Bastion has been racking up a ton of Game of the Year awards (including our own “This Game Rocks!” Award) for its excellent soundtrack, amazing voice work, and classic gameplay.
So, to celebrate, composer Darren Korb and vocalist Ashley Barrett got together over the holidays to put on an impromptu live performance of “Build That Wall (Zia’s Theme)” and “Setting Sail, Coming Home” at Supergiant’s super-headquarters.
It’s pretty awesome and my virtual lighter has definitely been raised for two talented musicians.
BioWare details Mass Effect 3 pre-order bonuses
Are you planning to pre-order Mass Effect 3? Of course you are, which is good, as BioWare is planning to offer a trio of cool pre-order bonuses for the game.
Regardless of which retailer you place your pre-order with, you’ll receive access to the M55 Argus Assault Rifle. You can check it out in the video above as it delivers “rapid-fire bursts to even the odds.” Pre-order purchasers who use EA’s Orign Store will be able to strap on an AT-12 Raider Shotgun, a gun with “superior firepower.”
Finally, GameStop shoppers will receive access to a complete set of N7 Warfare Gear. The N7 Defender Armor will allow your Commander Shepard to shrug off enemy fire with its “amplified shields” while the “high caliber fire” of the N7 Valkyrie Assault Rifle will prevent any further attacks. To see the N7 Warfare Gear in action, get out another trailer after the break.
Mass Effect 3 will be available in stores for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on March 6. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Mass Effect 3
Microsoft Flight goes free to fly this Spring
Microsoft is bringing back their Flight Simulator series in a big way this Spring when Microsoft Flight takes to the skies as a “Free-To-Play” title. And even though the game isn’t being positioned as a big blockbuster like Halo 4 or Gears of War 3, Microsoft Flight is still being stuffed full of interesting extras.
Players will be able to fly over Hawaii’s Big Island in a “highly rendered and accurate” cockpit view or the simpler external view as they “complete a variety of exciting missions, test their skills in flying challenges, or find hidden aerocaches on the island.”
“Many people dream of flying, but few have the chance to experience the fun of exploring the world from above. Microsoft Flight provides players the opportunity to explore that curiosity and interest,” said Joshua Howard, Executive Producer of Microsoft Flight. “Aviation can be incredibly technical, but we’ve taken great care to build an experience that makes taking to the skies thrilling and accessible for everyone.”
By using the free-play model, Microsoft Flight will taxi two planes into player’s hangars after the game is released: the Icon A5, the “jet ski for the skies” (which doesn’t enter production until late 2012), and the legendary Boeing Stearman, which is exclusive to Games For Windows Live users.
And speaking of GFWL, users of Microsoft’s online service will receive additional supplementary missions, access to Achievements, and an Online Pilot Profile for free. As with every “Free-To-Play” game, additional new aircraft, regions and customization options will be available for purchase to all players.
If all this sounds like a pretend pilot’s dream come true, sign up for a chance to enter the closed beta today!
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Microsoft Flight
Here’s the most pirated PC, Wii, Xbox 360 games of 2011
TorrentFreak has posted a list of the five most pirated games on the PC, Wii, and Xbox 360 (apparently, PS3 games aren’t pirated enough to be counted). Congratulations Crysis 2! You’re the most popular game that no one wanted to pay for (but still wanted to play) in 2011!
In addition to Crysis 2’s “victory” over the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 as the most pirated game of 2011, we also learned that Super Mario Galaxy 2, Gears of War 3, and Xenoblade Chronicles were popular with pirates. Arr matey! Nintendo should have announced a North American release date for Xenoblade a tad earlier.
Notably absent from the list is GOTY stalwarts Skyrim and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
But here’s the full list:
Top 5 Pirated PC Games
1. Crysis 2 (3,920,000 downloads)
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (3,650,000 downloads)
3. Battlefield 3 (3,510,000 downloads)
4. FIFA 12 (3,390,000 downloads)
5. Portal 2 (3,240,000 downloads)
Top 5 Pirated Wii Games
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (1,280,000 downloads)
2. Mario Sports Mix (1,090,000 downloads)
3. Xenoblade Chronicles (950,000 downloads)
4. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (870,000 downloads)
5. FIFA 12 (860,000 downloads)
Top 5 Pirated Xbox 360 Games
1. Gears of War 3 (890,000 downloads)
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (830,000 downloads)
3. Battlefield 3 (760,000 downloads)
4. Forza Motorsport 4 (720,000 downloads)
5. Kinect Sports: Season Two (690,000 downloads)