Xbox Store Today: We Are Doomed, Goat Simulator

Posted on April 17, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Are we doomed? I think we’re doomed.

But maybe all isn’t lost. Maybe we can start playing We Are Doomed, which is available to download for the Xbox One through the Xbox Games Store as of today, and make everything good again with the twin-stick shooter’s “pure arcade action” and “beautiful explosion of geometry, color, and light.”

If you’d prefer something that’s a little more earthbound, but possibly even more insane, Coffee Stain Studios and Double Eleven have added Goat Simulator to the Xbox Games Store for both the Xbox One and Xbox 360. “You no longer have to fantasize about being a goat,” say the developers, and all the goat-based destruction you could ever want is now available to download on your Xbox of choice (except for the original Xbox, obviously).

More information on both games can be found after the break.

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Rock Band 4 will support older Rock Band and Guitar Hero instruments

Posted on April 17, 2015 by John Scalzo

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When Harmonix announced Rock Band 4, they promised that it would be a “back to basics” experience that gamers with a closetful of plastic instruments would instantly recognize. Thankfully, the developer is making sure those instruments will work with their new rhythm game.

Speaking to Business Insider, Harmonix’s Daniel Sussman said that Rock Band 4 will support as many legacy instruments as possible: “We’re planning to support everything that we can: That includes all of the old Rock Band controllers, and all the old Guitar Hero controllers.”

Sussman further explained that Harmonix is doing this out of respect for the original investment players made in these instruments five years ago:

“Our position is really all about respect for our consumers and for the money that they have spent to get into the game space in the first place. They spend a fortune on games: on consoles, on hardware, and we’re sensitive to that. We play those games too. We buy all the same stuff. A world where you need to have three different guitars and two drum sets and all this stuff is…we don’t want to support that world.”

Guitar Hero Live will use a new six-button guitar controller that departs significantly in style from the instruments that came before. If possible, Sussman and his team plan to support it in Rock Band 4 too.

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Halo: Spartan Strike was quietly released today for Windows 8, iOS devices

Posted on April 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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After discovering a variety of major bugs in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Microsoft and 343 Industries pushed the release of Halo: Spartan Strike, a twin-stick spinoff, from December 2014 to “early 2015.” Today, the game was quietly released for the PC (via Steam), Windows 8 tablets and PCs, iOS devices (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad), and Windows Phone 8. Halo: Saprtan Assault, which was originally released in 2013, also makes its iOS debut today as part of the Halo: Spartan Bundle.

Developed by Vanguard Games, Xbox Wire says Spartan Strike takes place during Halo 2 and serves as a training ground for Spartan soldiers:

Halo: Spartan Strike tells a compelling new story in the Halo universe set during the events of Halo 2 on New Mombasa in 2552. As a Spartan supersoldier in a classified ONI simulation, delve into 30 challenging missions while leading UNSC troops through cities and jungles with an all new arsenal of weapons, abilities and vehicles.

Players who advance through Halo: Spartan Strike’s Achievements will be able to unlock an exclusive Emblem, Nameplate, and Avatar in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. So I guess it’s got that going for it.

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Battlefield Hardline pulls off a heist to become best-selling game of March 2015

Posted on April 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Hey, have you heard of this Bloodborne game? I hear its pretty popular and that Sony’s got a bonafide hit on their hands. It even sold more than a million copies. For all the acclaim Bloodborne has received and all the copies it surely has sold, the game was topped in last month’s NPD rankings by Battlefield Hardline. Developed by Visceral Games, Battlefield Hardline is a cops-and-robbers spin on the Battlefield series and it, not Bloodborne, managed to become the best-selling game of March 2015.

That said, nearly every game of note managed to crash the top ten last month including Mario Party 10 (#4), MLB 15: The Show (#6), Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (#9), and Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (#10). Nintendo’s Code Name: STEAM was the only other March release that seemed like it might have enough juice to reach the top ten, but it was pushed out by Grand Theft Auto V (#3), Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (#5), and other returning heavy hitters.

The NPD Group (via Game Informer) used this new release drought to explain why March 2015’s game sales were down 6% from the same month a year ago. NPD’s Liam Callahan was also quick to point out that March 2014 saw the release of two very well-received games in TitanFall and InFamous: Second Son. Callahan also confirmed that the PS4 outsold the Xbox One for another month.

March 2015’s top ten best-selling titles can be found after the break.

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Star Wars: Battlefront Stormtrooper teaser art points towards November 17 launch too

Posted on April 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

starwarsbattlefront-stormtrooperIf Electronic Arts hadn’t already leaked the November 17 release date of Star Wars: Battlefront with their source code snafu, this might have been quite the scoop. Still, it’s pretty interesting that the Stormtrooper featured in the publisher’s recent teaser image is absolutely covered in 11s and 17s.

The most obvious “11” is the lighting shadow on the Stormtrooper’s shoulder pad. But there’s another “11” at the very top of his helmet and quite a number of other paired slashes that could be 11s if you stare at them long enough.

As for 17s, I found three, and there might be more. The most obvious is the pair of 17s found on the helmet, which I’ve circled in red. But there’s also a very well hidden “17” scored into his shoulder pad right next to the “11.”

Is it possible I’m seeing things? Absolutely. But DICE Community Manager Vincent Vukovic told fans on Twitter to “dig deeper” as the image was specifically created for this reveal. If you’re going to go to all that trouble, why not hide some cool stuff in there? You can find the unaltered image after the break.

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Star Wars: Battlefront will launch on November 17 as new images tease tomorrow’s trailer

Posted on April 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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EA’s Star Wars: Battlefront reveal will begin tomorrow at 1:30 PM (Eastern Time), but a sneak preview of the game’s official website has confirmed its November 17 release date. It’s since been deleted, but earlier today the site’s source code included a hidden bit of text that read: “The latest news and updates for Star Wars Battlefront. Available November 17, 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.”

The site also includes a nice look at the Stormtrooper teaser image the publisher was slowly revealing through their Instagram account earlier this week.

Finally, a short teaser video for Star Wars: Battlefront was appended to the end of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer (pay attention to the leftmost box). It’s small and short, but it’s our first glimpse of the game in action.

If for some reason you have yet to watch the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer (you’re being held captive by a pasty dictator aboard his space station, for example), I’ve helpfully embedded it after the break.

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Madden NFL 16 will be released on August 25

Posted on April 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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We don’t know who will grace Madden NFL 16‘s cover yet, but we do when it’ll be released. EA Sports has announced, via the publisher’s “The Beat” blog, that the game will be released in its typical end-of-Summer spot on August 25. No platforms were confirmed, but a PS4/Xbox One launch is a surety and a PS3/Xbox 360 release seems likely.

EA also promised that more information on Madden NFL 16 will be unveiled in May.

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Daily Scoop: April 16, 2015 – Star Wars Day!

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Nicole Kline

The new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out today, and everyone is feeling the hype – even the non-believers. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’ll just have to see for yourself.

Let’s start off with the brand new Humble Weekly Bundle, shall we? This one’s called the Strategy 2 Bundle. Pay what you want for Frozen Synapse Prime, Shattered Planet, and Skulls of the Shogun. Beat the average for CastleStorm and Bloodsports.TV. Pay $12 or more to unlock Endless Space Emperor Edition. Not a bad haul!

The Weekend Deal at Steam is Far Cry 4. Get the game alone for $35.99, pick up the Gold Edition for $53.99, or get the Far Cry Franchise Pack for $47.22. Today’s Daily Deal is early access to Kenshi, which is just $11.99.

The Insulin Bundle is the latest over at Indie Royale. Beat the average to get Chronicles of a Dark Lord: Episode II, Goats on a Bridge, Crazy Cars – Hit the Road, On a Roll 3D, Coma: Mortuary, Hexcells Infinite, and one of my personal favorites: Coin Crypt, which was locally made right here in Philadelphia. Scoop ’em up!

And now, let’s check out today’s shirts!

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