Most Recent: PS4

NBA 2K17 predicts a Cavs-Warriors rematch (and a Warriors win) in 2017 NBA Finals

Posted on April 17, 2017 by John Scalzo

The 2017 NBA Playoffs kicked off late last week, and 2K’s NBA 2K17 was there to provide a simulation of this year’s bracket.

If you’ll recall, last year, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers. They eventually lost the series in Game 7, and LeBron James was able to hoist his third NBA Championship.

But if NBA 2K17’s simulation comes to pass, this year’s NBA Finals will end in a rematch that once again goes the distance… and this time the Warriors will emerge victorious in Game 7.

So how do we get from here to there? According to the simulation, the Warriors will easily roll over their opponents in the first three rounds with wins over the Portland Trail Blazers (4-0), Los Angeles Clippers (4-1), and Houston Rockets (4-1). The Cavaliers will have a tougher time to reach the Finals, ultimately pushing past the Indiana Pacers in five games, the Toronto Raptors in six games, and the Washington Wizards in seven games. Cleveland’s more brutal schedule might be the reason behind their eventual defeat in the Finals.

In the real world, the Warriors and the Cavaliers are both doing their part to accurately reflect the action in NBA 2K17s crystal ball, as each team won their first playoff game this weekend. But we’ll have to wait until June 1st, and the start of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, to see if the game’s full simulation is on the mark.

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New Retail Releases: Dark Souls III Fire Fades Edition, The Silver Case, Deformers, More

Posted on April 16, 2017 by John Scalzo

It looks like the Easter Bunny is skipping over your favorite retail establishment… just a handful of new games will be available on store shelves this week.

Starting things off is Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition, a re-release of the trilogy-capping action RPG for the PS4 and Xbox One. Originally released last year, the Fire Fades Edition will add both downloadable expansions (Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City) to the package.

Another re-release will make its way to store shelves this week, as NIS America launches The Silver Case for the PS4. The Silver Case was the first game developed by Goichi “Suda51” Suda’s Grasshopper Manufacture, and it was originally released in Japan in 1999. The adventure game made its North American debut last year on Steam, but this PS4 re-release is the first time console players will get the chance to play it.

Elsewhere, GameStop’s GameTrust label will team up with Ready At Dawn to launch another exclusive game for the retailer this week. Deformers is a multiplayer brawler that’ll be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Finally this week, ATV Renegades is a new off-road racing game for the PS4 and Xbox One from Nighthawk Interactive.

That’s it for this week’s New Retail Releases report, but we’ll be back with an update or two on several high-profile new games that’ll be available to download soon through the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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EA unveils first Star Wars: Battlefront II trailer, the single-player campaign, and November 17 release date

Posted on April 15, 2017 by John Scalzo

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Electronic Arts unveiled Star Wars: Battlefront II during today’s festivities at the Star Wars Celebration, and the game’s first trailer gave us our first look at its Empire-centric single-player campaign.

Iden Versio is an Imperial special forces officer who was on the forest moon of Endor when the second Death Star was destroyed. As the commander of Inferno Squad, Versio escapes from custody and vows to avenge her Emperor. Players will follow Versio from Return of the Jedi to The Force Awakens as she battles the Rebels over a span of 30 years.

In addition to the single-player campaign, EA has major ambitions for Battlefront II’s multiplayer modes, which will include “intense dogfights in space” for the first time. The game’s “galactic-scale space combat” will be developed by Criterion, and they are adding “refined handling, weapons, and customization options” to every ship in the game.

Battlefront II will also include ground-based maps from all three eras of Star Wars including “Yavin 4’s jungle canopies, the spaceport town of Mos Eisley, and Starkiller Base.” And players will be able to play as iconic characters like Yoda and Darth Maul (or regular ground troopers) in these 40-player skirmishes.

Star Wars: Battlefront II will be jointly developed by DICE, Criterion, and Motive Studios, and will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 17. Fans who pre-order the Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition will be able to get the game three days earlier, and unlock upgraded versions of all four trooper classes, bonus weapons and modifications, and exclusive skins for Rey and Kylo Ren based on their costumes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

EA has also opened the doors to Star Wars: Battlefront II’s official website, which includes a glimpse at more concept art from the game.

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Scarecrow is frightening in the newest Injustice 2 trailer

Posted on April 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

In the various Batman comics and cartoons, The Scarecrow isn’t usually portrayed as an offensive powerhouse. Just look no further than the tasering he receives during the finale of Batman Begins. But NetherRealm Studios has different plans for the “Master of Fear,” which are on full display in the character’s “Introducing Scarecrow” trailer.

In Injustice 2, Scarecrow will become a hulking beast (in the eyes of his opponents) thanks to a dose from his Fear Toxin. And after his transformation, the character will deliver a stinging series of blows from his whip-like scythe. It’s going to take a lot more than a stun gun to drop this version of Dr. Jonathan Crane.

Injustice 2 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on May 16.

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Get a quick glimpse at a side-scrolling stage from Sonic Forces right here

Posted on April 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sonic the Hedgehog only got a few seconds to shine during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct presentation, but Sega delivered by showcasing a side-scrolling stage from Sonic Forces during that time.

If you’re more of a fan of “Classic Sonic,” don’t worry, the publisher used the remainder of their time to show off a little more gameplay from the retro-styled Sonic Mania.

Sonic Forces will be released this Fall, while Sonic Mania will be available exclusively as a digital download this Summer. Both games are in development for the Nintendo Switch, as well as the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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

Sega will release Yakuza Kiwami for the PS4 on August 29

Posted on April 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sega has announced that Yakuza Kiwami will be released for the PS4 on August 29.

Yakuza originally launched for the PS2 in 2005, and Sega is billing Yakuza Kiwami as an “Extreme” remake of their gangland tale. In addition to the expected graphical bump, the PS4 re-release will also include re-recorded Japanese audio, nearly 30 minutes of brand new cutscenes, and loads of other bonus features. In another bit of good news, Sega tagged the game with a wallet-friendly sticker price of $29.99, and players who purchase the game during its initial printing will receive a special Steelbook case.

Yakuza Kiwami Features

  • A Family Patriarch’s Ransom of New Content – “Kiwami” literally translates to “Extreme,” and the game was named that for good reason. Not just a simple graphical upgrade, Kiwami adds nearly 30 minutes of cutscenes alone, providing all-new insight into the game’s plot and creating common threads with series prequel Yakuza 0. There’s also added distractions (Pocket Circuit car racing, MesuKing: Battle Bug Beauties, new hostesses, and more), side quests, combat updates, re-recorded Japanese dialogue, and more to bring the original Yakuza game into the latest console generation.
  • A Place for Newcomers and Veterans – Yakuza Kiwami is the ultimate bridge in the series. Newcomers or those whose Yakuza experience started with Yakuza 0 will have familiar, exacting controls, top-notch Sega localization, and a solid starting point for entering the Yakuza franchise fresh. Veterans will experience a familiar Kamurocho and plot, but with new levels of story depth and graphical polish.
  • But It Was Me! Majima! – Completely new to Kiwami is the “Majima Everywhere” system, where the series’ deranged, one-eyed maniac will constantly surprise and challenge Kiryu to combat when he least expects it. We’re talking “popping out of a goofy costume” levels of surprise, so players must stay on their toes and be ready to defend themselves from Kiryu’s chief rival.
  • Extreme Revitalization – Kiwami is rebuilt from the ground up with all new HD assets, optimized for the PlayStation 4 and running in 1080p/60FPS. And following suit with Sega’s commitment to the Yakuza series, the game will release in both physical and digital formats in the west.

    • If you’re unfamiliar with Kazuma Kiryu’s story, Sega also launched the Yakuza Experience website today, and you can learn more about the franchise’s history with an interactive timeline and character map, as well as the first issue of a 10-part digital comic series.

    Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged

    “Single-Stick Shooter” Deathstate is coming to the PS4 on April 25

    Posted on April 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

    Last year, indie developer Workinman Games told us that their PC-exclusive “single-stick shooter,” Deathstate, would eventually make the jump to consoles. Now known as Bread Machine Games, the developer revealed this morning that it’ll be out for the PS4 on April 25.

    So how does a “single-stick shooter” work? I’ll let Bread Machine’s Keith McCullough explain:

    Creating a bullet hell/roguelike was tricky. The bullet hell genre is more about dodging and positioning than shooting and aiming, so we knew right away players would need strong directional dodges. We love Binding of Isaac and wanted to follow its model, but we quickly discovered that the extreme volume of bullets, constant dodging, cooldown management, and twin-stick aiming added up to an overwhelming combination.

    Our solution: lose the second stick!

    In Deathstate, you are always shooting (as long as something is close enough to be shot). This shifted the player’s attention squarely onto movement and avoidance, and allowed us to get crazy with projectiles. Really crazy. On our highest difficulty, Insanity Mode, the bosses absolutely unload.

    Featuring a retro-style aesthetic and a “Carpenter-esque” synth soundtrack, players will venture into an alternate plane of existence known as the “Deathstate” to discover the truth about what happened to their missing professor. But once you’re inside this weird realm of “Lovecraftian non-euclidean sunken temples [and] Hellraiser-esque labyrinthine black light hellscapes,” you’ll need to fight back against the pulsating denizens of hell by harvesting their organs to use as weapons. Eww…

    You can learn more about Deathstate by visiting McCullogh’s full write-up at the PlayStation Blog.

    Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged

    Yooka-Laylee, Cosmic Star Heroine, Kero Blaster, more added to PS Store

    Posted on April 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

    Retro-inspired games once again rule the roost in this week’s PlayStation Store update.

    In Yooka-Laylee, the king of the jungle isn’t a great ape or a ferocious bear, but rather, a chameleon named Yooka and a bat that goes by Laylee. Both characters will head out on an N64-style platforming adventure this week to find collectibles and stop the nefarious Capital B and Dr. Quack. Developed by Playtonic, Yooka-Laylee is now available to download for the PS4.

    Also available this week is the latest addition to Sony’s Play Collective promotion… Cosmic Star Heroine. The PS4 RPG was developed by Zeboyd Games, and it features a gameplay style inspired by 16-bit RPGs like Chrono Trigger. Players will guide Alyssa L’Salle, an intergalactic superspy, across the galaxy as she’s forced to turn against her superiors at at the Agency of Peace and Intelligence to uncover the evildoers behind a horrible conspiracy.

    Finally this week, the creator of Cave Story, Studio Pixel, is back with Kero Blaster, a new side-scrolling platformer for the PS4.

    You can learn more about all of these titles (and the rest of this week’s additions to the PlayStation Store) after the break. (more…)

    Posted in News, PS4, Vita | Tagged ,