Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- 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
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- 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)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Most Recent: PS4
The Last of Us Part II will be released on February 21, 2020
After nearly three years worth of teases and trailers, Sony and Naughty Dog have finally confirmed a launch date for The Last of Us Part II. The post-apocalyptic sequel will be released exclusively for the PS4 on February 21, 2020.
As part of today’s State of Play presentation, the publisher and developer also unveiled a brand new trailer for The Last of Us Part II, which reveals more about the game’s story, and a very-alive-looking Joel (so much for the “He’s a Voice in Ellie’s Head!” theory).
Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann also shared a bit about what this announcement means for everyone at Naughty Dog on the PlayStation Blog:
We began working on this game over five years ago. It’s hard to describe the immense pressure of following up the first game. We know how much you love this world and its characters — especially Ellie and Joel. Believe me, we’re fans as well. We love them. Which is why we spent years crafting a game that we feel will do them justice, telling a nuanced story that deals with the core question: how far would you go to exact justice against the people that hurt the ones you love?
It’s a highly emotional story with complex themes that befit the world of The Last of Us. What we realized pretty early on is that we were putting together Naughty Dog’s most ambitious and longest game in our 35 year history. To tell this kind of story the game needed to be massive. Without spoiling too much, at the top of this post you can watch the brand-new trailer that we debuted earlier today on State of Play, which just scratches the surface of what the game has in store.
More information about The Last of Us Part II will be revealed later this week on September 26, which is “the day the cordyceps fungus reached critical mass” (better known as “Outbreak Day”) in the game.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged The Last of Us Part II
Square Enix evokes classic PSone design for Final Fantasy VII Remake’s box and unveils a new gameplay trailer
Square Enix gave fans a glimpse at the box art for Final Fantasy VII Remake earlier today, and it should bring back fond memories for those of us who were around when the original game was released back in 1997:
The package art, reminiscent of the North American cover of the original Final Fantasy VII, features protagonist Cloud Strife with his iconic buster sword, staring down the headquarters of the shadowy enemy he has agreed to help take down.
In addition to the artwork announcement, Square Enix also unveiled a brand new gameplay trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake that pits Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith against Abzu. You can find the video after the break:
Furthermore, a new gameplay video is now available, in which Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith go head to head with a ferocious beast, Abzu. The exhilarating fight [highlights] each characters’ unique battle style.
Final Fantasy VII Remake will be released for the PS4 on March 3, 2020. (more…)
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged Final Fantasy VII
New Retail Releases: FIFA 20, Code Vein, Contra Rogue Corps, More
The month of September is rolling to a close with a bevy of new retail releases, including FIFA 20, the latest launch for EA Sports’s soccer simulation series. FIFA 20 will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One, and a Legacy Edition of the game will be released for the Switch.
Monsters and mayhem are also on the docket for this week, as Bandai Namco will bring their vampire-centric action RPG, Code Vein, to the PS4 and Xbox One. It’ll be joined by Konami’s latest bizarro take on the Contra franchise, the twin-stick shooter Contra: Rogue Corps, for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Speaking of the Switch, several big titles will finally make their way to Nintendo’s console. Square Enix’s epic RPG Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition will be released for the Switch, as will Behavior Interactive’s multiplayer survival game Dead by Daylight and THQ Nordic’s apocalyptic action game Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition.
Elsewhere on store shelves this week, Focus Home Interactive will publish their futuristic action RPG, The Surge 2, for the PS4 and Xbox One. And Spike Chunsoft will also go the sci-fi route for their latest adventure game, AI: The Somnium Files, on the PS4 and Switch.
And finally, Natsume wants to get players invested in the fast farming of Harvest Moon: Mad Dash on the PS4 and Switch.
A complete list of this week’s new retail releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Madden NFL 20 goes back-to-back as the best-selling game of August 2019
The month of August was fairly light on new releases, so naturally, it looks like the game industry went through a lighter period on the business side of things as well.
According to The NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella (via Twitter), EA Sports’s Madden NFL 20 topped the list the best-selling titles for the month, repeating its victory from July (I guess you could say the developer went for two). The rest of the Top 20 was littered with repeat entries, but most surprisingly of all is that Minecraft earned the #2 spot, more than seven years after its retail debut.
The other big story to come out of the Top 20 was Nintendo’s continued dominance of the Summer. The consolemaker placed nine Switch games in the Top 20, including Platinum’s latest project, Astral Chain, at #10. Fire Emblem: Three Houses (#4), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (#5), Super Mario Maker 2 (#6), Mario Kart 8 (#7), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (#12), Super Mario Party (#16), Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (#17), and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (#18) were the other Nintendo titles to crack the list.
However, the overall industry felt a bit of a dip in August 2019, totaling $666 million in sales, an 18% drop versus August 2018.
You can find a full list of best-selling games from last month after the break. (more…)
Square Enix will release Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition on January 23, 2020
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition will be released for the PS4, Switch, and iOS and Android mobile devices on January 23, 2020.
Originally released for the GameCube back in 2004, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is a multiplayer action RPG for up to four players. The Remastered Edition will add online multiplayer to give far-flung friends a chance to play together, and the game also supports cross-play functionality on all platforms. Upgraded graphics and a series of audio updates (including new character voiceovers) will bring the game’s presentation into the 21st century, and new dungeons and bosses will add an additional challenge to the adventure.
Square Enix will bring a playable demo of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition to this week’s Tokyo Game Show, and a brand new trailer for the game has been embedded above.
Posted in Mobile, News, PS4, Switch
Tagged Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Square Enix will release Trials of Mana on April 24, 2020
Nintendo just blew away the Internet with possibly their biggest Nintendo Direct ever. Front and center during the presentation was Trials of Mana, an upcoming RPG from Square Enix. The publisher confirmed that Trials of Mana, which is a modern-day remake of Seiken Densetsu 3 (AKA Secret of Mana 2), will be released for the PC, PS4, and Switch on April 24, 2020.
Originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3 in 1995, and later making its debut in the West with the Collection of Mana on Nintendo Switch earlier this year, Trials of Mana is a full, high-definition remake of the third entry in the classic Mana series, seamlessly bringing the beloved story and characters to a new, modern era of fans with real-time combat, beautiful 3D graphics and updated gameplay. The game tells the story of six heroes as they battle against the forces of evil that threaten a world where Mana has been weakened. Players will craft their own experiences by selecting a party of three from these unique characters as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime to protect the very essence of Mana itself.
Naturally, a new trailer for Trials of Mana has made its way online, focusing on the game’s upgraded visuals, new combat system, character classes, and the brand new English voiceover. Square Enix produced an expanded version of this video for next week’s Tokyo Game Show, and it’s been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch
Tagged Trials of Mana
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is here… and so is a new Launch Trailer
Square Enix launched Final Fantasy VIII Remastered for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One today, and the publisher also produced a new Launch Trailer for the re-release, which has been embedded above.
While the RPG was a massive hit in 1999, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered marks the first time its been actively available in more than 20 years (save for a short PC print run in 2000). So it’s possible that fans won’t be as familiar Squall as they are with other Final Fantasy protagonists:
About Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered celebrates its 20th anniversary by bringing the cherished RPG to modern platforms, featuring newly rendered visuals that bring the game’s beloved characters to life like never before. Players step into the shoes of SeeD recruit Squall Leonhart and resistance fighter Rinoa Heartilly as they work together to save the world from the military nation of Galbadia.Final Fantasy VIII Remastered’s Enhancements
- Battle Assist: The ability to always have maxed out HP and ATB, and trigger Limit Breaks at any time.
- No Encounters: An enemy encounter option that allows players to enjoy the storyline uninterrupted. While enemy encounters are turned off, players can still enjoy the story event battles.
- 3x Speed Boost: Play through the game with three times the speed.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is available to download now and it’s been priced at $19.99 on all platforms.
Capcom will unveil Resident Evil: Project Resistance at Tokyo Game Show 2019
Capcom has announced that they plan to unveil Resident Evil: Project Resistance (which is probably just a working title) at this year’s Tokyo Game Show.
The official website for Project Resistance promises that the first teaser trailer for the game will be available to view online at 11:00 AM (Eastern Time) on September 9th. The site also said that fans attending this year’s Tokyo Game Show (which runs from September 12th through the 15th) will be able to watch a gameplay demonstration at Capcom’s booth, as well as pre-register for a chance to test out the demo for themselves at the show.
Resident Evil: Project Resistance is currently in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and we’ll learn more about it next week.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Resident Evil: Project Resistance