Most Recent: PC

Next Up Hero is a community brawler from the creator of Scribblenauts

Posted on July 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

5th Cell opened its doors in 2003, and the development house quickly established a reputation for creating quality quirky titles such as Drawn To Life and Scribblenauts. Over the weekend, co-founder Joe Tringali revealed his new home at Digital Continue, and his first project, Next Up Hero.

Next Up Hero is a “community brawler” that asks players to team up to defeat bigger and bigger foes. The twist is that only one player enters the game world at a time, though they’ll be accompanied by the ghosts of all the players that died before them to form the ultimate army:

Choose from nine heroes with an assortment of weapons and abilities to suit your playstyle, from swords and rocket launchers to laser turrets, bongo drums, and boomerangs.

When you die, you’ll leave behind an Echo of your hero on the battlefield. The next in the line of heroes will be able to resurrect your Echo as an AI battle companion. Take turns continuing friends’ games, fighting and dying until you have an entire army of Echoes by your side, and enough strength to finally defeat those jerk monsters. Everyone dies. Heroes continue.

Next Up Hero will be released through Steam’s Early Access program later this year, with a full launch for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One scheduled for Early 2018. The game’s first trailer has been embedded above.

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

Fantasy Strike is a “deceptively simple” fighter that’s now seeking funding on Fig

Posted on July 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

David Sirlin was the Lead Developer on Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but he struck out on his own a few years ago, and his love of fighting games has now lead him towards Fantasy Strike, which is currently in development for the PC and PS4. Fantasy Strike is described as a “deceptively simple” fighting game, but it’s also said to contain the “precision and timing-based gameplay” that professional players crave.

Both sides will be able to explore the game further in the new trailer embedded above, as well as through the game’s crowdfunding campaign on Fig. Sirlin is looking to raise $500,000 to complete development of the game, and hopes to release it in Summer 2018.

However, backers who pledge $49 or more will receive an “Early Early Access” copy to begin playing the game a few days after the campaign ends in August. An “Early Access” tier is also available at pledges of $24 and above, and it’ll grant backers a Steam Early Access code for Fantasy Strike towards the end of 2017.

“Controlling your character is simpler than in just about any other fighting game,” Sirlin said. “We don’t have joystick motions… we don’t even have CROUCH. The difficulty all comes from deciding what to do and when to do it. We’re very interested in gameplay depth, we just want it to come from your decisions. That approach has allowed us to draw in a much wider audience at trade shows than would usually be interested in a fighting game.”

As of this writing, Sirlin has raised $47,677 towards Fantasy Strike’s development.

Posted in News, PC, PS4 |

Star Wars: Battlefront II’s Open Beta begins on October 6

Posted on July 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

Electronic Arts and DICE have announced plans to launch Star Wars: Battlefront II‘s Open Beta for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 6. Players will be able to participate in the Open Beta until October 9, but fans who pre-order the game will be able to try it out two days earlier (on October 4).

Community Manager Jared Petty posted a few more details about the Open Beta on the PlayStation Blog, and here’s what players should expect to find in the pre-release test:

Galactic Assault on Naboo

  • Join the Separatist droid army or the Republic Clones on the streets of Theed in massive 40 player multiplayer melees.
  • Choose from four distinct trooper classes:
    • Assault Troopers are classic flankers, pushing the line forward and advancing the front.
    • Heavy Troopers use their high-powered weapons and personal body shields to take ground and hold it.
    • Officers power up their teammates with buffs and deploy remote weapons to support their allies.
    • Specialists lay traps and snipe from a distance.
  • Control beloved Star Wars heroes, pilot prequel-era vehicles, and more.

The Open Beta will also include “an epic Starfighter Assault set during the original trilogy era” and players will be able to “[pilot] an assortment of Star Wars’ greatest ships in an objective-based, multi-stage battle.” Additional details about this half of the Open Beta will be revealed during this year’s Gamescom expo in Cologne, Germany.

Star Wars: Battlefront II will be released on November 14.

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

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Legacy will be released on August 25

Posted on July 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

Over the weekend, Bandai Namco announced that Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Legacy will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on August 25. The fighting game compilation will include remastered re-releases of the first three games in the series (Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 – Full Burst), as well as Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Road To Baruto.

Because of the size of the Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Legacy collection, Bandai Namco will sell the retail version for a premium price ($79.99). The digital version will be available at the slightly lower cost of $69.99.

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

The Escapists 2 will be released for PC, PS4, Xbox One on August 22

Posted on July 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

Team17 has announced that The Escapists 2 will be available for the PC, PS4, Xbox One on August 22. The top-down prison break simulator is also in development for the Switch, and will be released for Nintendo’s console at a later date.

The publisher has also confirmed that players who pre-order The Escapists 2 will get the chance to escape from another prison, “The Glorious Regime.” Other planned features for the game include:

Features

  • A dedicated tutorial for new players to learn the basics of prison life
  • 10 unique themed prisons to escape from including the frosty Fort Tundra, a train hurtling through the desert, and even a trip to the final frontier!
  • Play each prison solo or multiplayer with both local and online co-op and versus modes for up to four players
  • Drop-in, drop-out online multiplayer experience. Carefully plan and execute an intricate escape from your initial incarceration with your fellow inmates either online or locally, or simply hop into an existing game already in progress to help pull off the final touches of the escape!
  • A brand new combat system to make every prison brawl even more bruising
  • Create your con with over 300 customisations to create your perfect prisoner
  • New ways to escape
  • New items to craft… Build yourself a homemade Taser to knock out guards plus many more!

A brand new trailer for The Escapists 2 has been embedded above.

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

Here’s the video game deals for Amazon Prime Day 2017

Posted on July 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

Prime Day is back at Amazon, and the online storefront is gearing up to offer gamers a ton of Video Game Deals this year. Like in years past, you won’t find many BIG titles on sale, but there is a little something for everyone.

We’ve collected Amazon’s Prime Day 2017 Video Game Deals right here, though the retailer will surely be adding more throughout the day…

Overnight/Morning Deals (Eastern Time)

Afternoon/Evening Deals (Eastern Time)

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS4, Xbox One |

Summer Games Done Quick 2017 raises more than $1.7 million for Doctors Without Borders

Posted on July 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

Summer Games Done Quick, an annual speedrunning marathon that benefits Doctors Without Borders, closed the book on another successful event this weekend. According to the organizers (via Twitter), Summer Games Done Quick 2017 smashed all expectations and managed to raise a total of $1,760,400 for the charity. That figure easily beat last year’s total of $1,294,139, and the bar has definitely been raised for Awesome Games Done Quick 2018 in January.

We here at Warp Zoned want to give a hearty congratulations to all the runners who took part in Summer Games Done Quick 2017, and all the donors who helped make it such a success. And in case you missed out on some of the amazing runs, you can rewatch the entire marathon right now on YouTube.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Retro, Xbox 360, Xbox One |

Destiny 2’s Open Beta begins on July 21… here’s the first trailer

Posted on July 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

Destiny 2‘s Open Beta is just a few weeks away, and Bungie has revealed that participants will be able to try out the first mission from the Story Campaign, the “Inverted Spire” Co-Op Strike, and competitive multiplayer. You can get a glimpse at the action in the new trailer embedded above.

According to the developer, prospective Destiny 2 players who pre-order the game will receive Early Access to the upcoming Beta. PS4 pre-purchasers will be able to play their first match on July 18, and Xbox One owners will get to join in a day later on July 19. All players on both platforms will be able to enter the Open Beta on July 21.

Destiny 2 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on September 6. The game will also be available for the PC on October 24, with an Open Beta scheduled for sometime in August.

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