Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Switch
HyperParasite is an 80s-set overhead shooter where you play as a body-snatching alien
If cinema has taught us anything, it’s that the body-snatching alien is always the bad guy. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about John Carpenter’s The Thing, Philip Kaufman’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Robert Rodriguez’s The Faculty, or dozens of other films, the slimy alien must be destroyed.
But what if we’re all wrong? What if this body snatcher is actually just fighting to survive? That’s the premise behind Troglobytes Games’s HyperParasite, an overhead shooter that drops an alien who can jump bodies into a punk-infused version of the 1980s.
In addition to giving the President an eye patch, HyperParasite will feature more than 60 playable characters, as well as a procedurally-generated world spread out over five Acts:
A rogue-lite twin-stick shooter/brawler that never plays the same twice. Collect and control 60 different characters as the body-snatching alien Parasite with a grudge against humanity. Fight to the top of the food chain: possess the President, push the Big Red Button and one-up the human race.
OK, so the Parasite doesn’t exactly sound like a good guy, but it is the star of HyperParasite, which is now available to download for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. And you can sneak a peek at its neon-infused visuals in the brand new Launch Trailer embedded above.
The Outer Worlds is coming to the Switch on June 5
The Switch debut of Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds was one of the first games whose development was disrupted by the pandemic currently gripping the globe. Publisher Private Division had recruited Virtuous to bring the game to Nintendo’s console, but back in February, they temporarily shut down operations to protect their employees from possible exposure.
That brings us to today, and Obsidian has announced (via their official website) that The Outer Worlds will be released for the Switch on June 5:
We wanted to share an exciting update that we plan on launching The Outer Worlds for the Nintendo Switch on June 5th, 2020. As we prepare for another arrival of new colonists, we have some very important information for those making this journey, specifically for you colonists who prefer your goods in physical form: The retail version The Outer Worlds comes on a physical cartridge, and it will be accompanied by a day one patch that could be up to 6 GB. This patch will optimize gameplay, provide additional hi-res textures, and include other fixes to provide the employees of Halcyon with the best gameplay experience. Please ensure you have planned accordingly and have available space necessary for the patch.
In the same announcement, it appears that players who opt to purchase the Retail Edition of The Outer Worlds will need to download an additional patch to optimize the game on the Switch.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged The Outer Worlds
Minecraft Dungeons will launch a little later than expected on May 26
Mojang has announced (via Twitter) that Minecraft Dungeons will miss its previously-announced April 2020 release date. But fans won’t have to wait too much longer to play it, as the developer later penciled the dungeon-crawler in for a May 26th launch on the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Minecraft Dungeons will be available in a game-only edition ($19.99), as well as a special Hero Edition ($29.99) that includes a few extra in-game goodies (a Hero Cape, two additional Player Skins, a and Chicken Pet). The Hero Edition will also come packed with the Hero Pass, which will give players access to two post-launch expansions when they’re ready.
Fight your way through an all-new action-adventure game, inspired by classic dungeon crawlers and set in the Minecraft universe! Brave the dungeons alone, or team up with friends! Up to four players can battle together through action-packed, treasure-stuffed, wildly varied levels – all in an epic quest to save the villagers and take down the evil Arch-Illager!
Minecraft Dungeons will also be available to download through Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription on both the PC and Xbox One at launch.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice wins “Video Game of the Year” at the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards
The cancellation of this year’s South By Southwest feels like a distant memory, but in the weeks since the announcement was made, a few people have started to wonder if the winning envelopes from the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards would also remain locked away forever. Thankfully, the festival’s organizers recently fired off a press release that revealed all the winners.
Drumroll, please…
From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice won “Video Game of the Year,” and the one-armed ninja also snuck away with a win for “Excellence in Visual Achievement.” Only ZA/UM’s Disco Elysium (the “Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award” and “Excellence in Narrative”) and Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding (“Excellence in Musical Score” and “Excellence in Technical Achievement”) were able to earn more than a single award from this year’s voters.
“Gaming is a key part of the creative ecosystem that brings us together, and now more than ever it provides us with a unique sense of escape and adventure in uncertain times,” said Hugh Forrest, the Chief Programming Officer for South By Southwest. “We were devastated that we weren’t able to celebrate our honorees in person with the cancellation of our event, but glad that we’re still able to share their achievements and creative works with our community.”
A complete list of winners from the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards can be found at Video Game Canon.
Copyright notice seemingly confirms Evil Dead’s Ash will be included in Mortal Kombat 11’s next Kombat Pack
Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up!
Even though Bruce Campbell told the Twitterverse that Ash from The Evil Dead wouldn’t be appearing in Mortal Kombat 11, it appears that NetherRealm Studios has other plans. IGN is reporting that a recent email newsletter from the developer included a copyright notice for Ash in the footer, alongside similar copyright information for The Terminator, The Joker, and Spawn:
You’ll notice that the notice specifically mentions the inclusion of “Ash from Army of Darkness,” so we can look forward to seeing the character in his S-Mart garb while gassing up a chainsaw. However, Campbell’s earlier denial could mean that we’re also looking at a soundalike, similar to how Arnold Schwarzenegger didn’t provide the vocal performance for the T-800.
NetherRealm Studios concluded Mortal Kombat 11’s first Kombat Pack earlier this month with the launch of Spawn, and while they’ve hinted at a desire to release more characters, Kombat Pack 2 remains unannounced as of today.
Mortal Kombat 11 is currently available for the PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. I have no doubt we’ll be hearing more about NetherRealm’s future plans for the game very soon.
Finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 have been announced
The finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 have been announced… and they’re on fire.
This year’s honorees include titles from every era of gaming, though the Star Power of Guitar Hero looms large over the competition. But that’s OK, because there’s a few other firestarters vying for a spot in this year’s class, including Midway’s NBA Jam, Mojang’s Minecraft, and Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Melee.
There’s also the groundbreaking GoldenEye 007, the unforgettable Nokia Snake, the edutaining Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, and the addicting Bejeweled. Rounding out this year’s crop of finalists is Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and a trio of classics from the early 80s (Centipede, Frogger, and King’s Quest).
This isn’t the first opportunity to join the World Video Game Hall of Fame for some of these games, and fans will have the chance to make their voice heard by submitting a Player’s Choice Ballot. The public can vote once per day now through April 2nd, and the three games that receive the most votes will join the 29 other ballots submitted by members of the Hall of Fame’s International Selection Advisory Committee.
The Strong Museum’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the entity that oversees the World Video Game Hall of Fame, will announce the inductees from the Class of 2020 at a date to be determined in a special ceremony. For now, you can learn more about this year’s finalists after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, Retro, Switch, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Bejeweled, Centipede, GoldenEye 007, Guitar Hero, King's Quest, Minecraft, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, World Video Game Hall of Fame
Untitled Goose Game wins “Game of the Year” at 2020 GDC Awards
The 2020 Game Developers Conference isn’t happening in San Francisco this year due to global health concerns, but the event’s organizers still put together a a pre-recorded version of the Game Developers Choice Awards, and House House’s Untitled Goose Game won “Game of the Year.”
In addition to The Goose running away with yet another “Game of the Year” award, the rest of the indie world had a pretty good night as well.
Hempuli’s Baba Is You collected statuettes for “Best Design” and the “Innovation Award,” ZA/UM’s Disco Elysium danced away with “Best Debut” and “Best Narrative,” and thatgamecompany’s Sky: Children of the Light claimed the “Audience Award.”
But the most-decorated game of the night was Remedy’s Control, which won in three categories. The mindbending action-adventure game was honored with awards for “Best Visual Art,” “Best Audio,” and “Best Technology.”
A full list of winners, nominees, and Honorable Mentions from this year’s Game Developers Choice Awards at Video Game Canon.
A Short Hike wins the “Seumas McNally Grand Prize” at 2020 IGF Awards
Even though there is no Game Developers Conference this year, the 2020 Independent Games Festival Awards went on as a pre-recorded show last night.
Adam Robinson-Yu’s A Short Hike beat the competition and went home with the “Seumas McNally Grand Prize,” and then he delivered a victory speech from his living room. The bite-sized adventure game also charmed IGF voters, who bestowed the “Audience Award” upon it.
Other winners from last night include Foam Sword’s Knights and Bikes (“Excellence In Visual Art”), Inkle’s Heaven’s Vault (“Excellence In Narrative”), Patrick Traynor’s Patrick’s Parabox (“Excellence In Design”), Die Gute Fabrik’s Mutazione (“Excellence In Audio”), Christoph Frey’s The Space Between (“Nuovo Award”), and Goblin Rage’s Bore Dome (“Best Student Game”).
A complete list of all winners, nominees, and Honorable Mentions from the 2020 Independent Games Festival Awards can be found after the break. (more…)