Weekly Warp-Up: A Bad Week For The Legend of Zelda

Posted on March 29, 2015 by John Scalzo

No, that’s not a typo. Welcome to the Weekly Warp-Up, your weekly wrap-up of the biggest and the best articles posted at Warp Zoned this week…

It wasn’t a great week for The Legend of Zelda franchise. First, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata came out and said that the Wall Street Journal on a Legend of Zelda Netflix series was incorrect. However, Iwata only said that the original rumor was wrong, not that a Legend of Zelda Netflix series wasn’t happening at all. So we can all hold on to that slim bit of hope as we slowly realize that a Legend of Zelda Netflix series isn’t actually in the works. Also this week, the next Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda Wii U, was postponed by Producer Eiji Aonuma. He and his team want to make “the ultimate Zelda game” and they will not be constrained by your pesky previously-announced release date. It should be released in 2016, but we don’t know for sure.

On the other hand, it was a good week for NetherRealm Studios. The developer once again flooded the newswire with new Mortal Kombat X information and we reported on all of it. A line of MKK action figures, bobbleheads, and plushes is planned, a “Shaolin” trailer gsave us our first look at Zombie Liu Kang, it’s television spot riffs on 1993’s “Mortal Monday” commercial, and a new Kombat Kast introduced gunslinger Erron Black as a playable character.

Also this week, the Warp Zoned staff filed a preview of PAX East-favorite 20XX, interviewed 20XX developer Chris King of Batterystaple Games, and asked a bunch of developers which games they’d like to see enshrined in the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

More news from the week that was can be found after the break.

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Posted in News |

New Releases: MLB 15: The Show, Story of Seasons, Toukiden: Kiwami, More

Posted on March 29, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Batter up! Opening Day is just a week away and Sony wants to make PlayStation owners are ready with the release of MLB 15: The Show on the PS3, PS4, and Vita. The franchise is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and, with the demise of 2K’s Major League Baseball 2K series, its the only game in town when it comes to baseball simulations. The rest of this week’s lineup has a little bit of something for everyone.

XSEED will release Story of Seasons, which is technically the latest game in the farm-tastic Harvest Moon series, for the 3DS. XSEED recently acquired the publishing rights to the series from developer Marvelous, unfortunately, the rights to the Harvest Moon name remain with Natsume.

But speaking of distinctly Japanese franchises, Koei Tecmo will release Toukiden: Kiwami for the PS4 and Vita. The monster-hunting game is actually an expanded version of Toukiden: The Age of Demons, which was released last year solely for the Vita.

A pair of PC games will also be released this week as EA will launch the first Sims 4 expansion, The Sims 4: Get To Work. Get To Work lets you become a doctor, a detective, a scientist, or a shopkeeper in your quest for career fulfillment. Out There: Omega Edition, a space exploration sim, will also be released this week.

Finally, Square Enix has a pair of triple packs set for release. The Ultimate Action Triple Pack will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and it’ll include Just Cuase 2, Sleeping Dogs, and Tomb Raider. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Stealth Triple Pack will also be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360, but it’ll contain Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Hitman: Absolution, and Thief.

Play ball!

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Xbox 360 | Tagged , ,

Mortal Kombat X Kombat Kast #7 includes first look at Erron Black, Liu Kang, Shinnok

Posted on March 27, 2015 by John Scalzo

NetherRealm’s Community Team hosted another Kombat Kast livestream today, and once again it was packed with all sorts of new information related to Mortal Kombat X. This time…

The developers gave us our first look at Erron Black. The cowboy character has had a decent run in the Mortal Kombat X comic book, and now he has been officially confirmed as a playable character. Like Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name, who he is clearly modeled on, Erron Black is a gunslinger with a pair of revolvers and a surly attitude. Coincidentally, one of his variations is known as “Gunslinger,” which includes the Standoff Stance and multiple trick shots with his revolvers. Other variations include “Marksman” (Gains unique special attacks utilizing a Long Rifle) and “Outlaw” (Gains unique attacks utilizing a salvaged Tarkatan Arm Blade). Yes, it’s very possible that Erron Black stole Baraka’s arm and is using it as a sword. The Erron Black section of this Kombat Kast begins at 21 minutes in.

Fast forward to 35 minutes for an in-depth look at Liu Kang. Liu’s looking a little old here, but his variations help keep him young. “Dragon’s Fire” is most similar to the Liu Kang we know and love with Empowered Dragon Fireballs and a Flying Kick. “Flame Fist” switches out the Bicycle Kick for “bicycle punches” and gives Liu Kang the option of delivering heavier Shaolin Flame attacks. Finally, “Dualist” gives him the ability to switch between Light and Dark forms that heal or harm.

The third, and final, highlighted character of this Kombat Kast is Shinnok at 45 minutes in. Shinnok’s three variations include “Impostor” (he gains a Shang Tsung-like ability to steal an opponent’s Special Attack), “Bone Shaper” (gives him access to a variety of weapons made out of bone), and “Necromancer” (Shinnok gains control of a giant skinless arm).

Finally, the episode confirmed that players who can’t get the timing of a Fatality down will be able to earn Easy Fatalities so they can perform the finishers the franchise is famous for. Easy Fatalities can be unlocked at various points throughout the game, though players will be given three right from the start. Also, players who sign up for a WBPlay account will receive access to a free “Futuristic Raiden” skin. He looks like they yanked him out of Tron!

Mortal Kombat X will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on April 14. A PS3/Xbox 360 version is also in the works and will be released sometime this Summer.

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

The Legend of Zelda Wii U won’t be released in 2015

Posted on March 27, 2015 by John Scalzo

Delays are nothing new for The Legend of Zelda series. Nearly every game in the franchise has missed its originally announced release date. Today, The Legend of Zelda Wii U joins their ranks as Producer Eiji Aonuma confirmed the game won’t be ready for a late 2015 launch. Speaking in a video message to fans, Aonuma said that “new ideas” and “new possibilities” have encouraged the development team to take their time and produce “the ultimate Zelda” instead of attempting to hit an arbitrary deadline.

Aonuma’s full statement can be found right here:

Since I declared at the Game Awards in December that the game would launch in 2015, the directors and the many members of the development team have been working hard developing the game. In these last three months, as the team has experienced first-hand the freedom of exploration that hasn’t existed in any Zelda game to date, we have discovered several new possibilities for this game.

As we have worked to turn these possibilities into reality, new ideas have continued to spring forth, and it now feels like we have the potential to create something that exceeds my own expectations. As I have watched our development progress, I have come to think that rather than work with meeting a specific schedule as our main objective, and releasing a game that reflects only what we can create within that scheduled time, I feel strongly that our focus should be to bring all these ideas to life in a way that will make Zelda on Wii U the best game it can possibly be.

So I must apologize to all of you who were expecting the game by year’s end, but we are no longer making a 2015 release our number one priority. Instead, our priority is to make it the ultimate and most complete Zelda game. I hope to use the added time to make a Zelda on Wii U that will reward you for your patience. So thank you for your continued support.

A new release date wasn’t announced, but it’s assumed The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be released in 2016. However, Nintendo also announced (via Twitter) that the game won’t be shown at this year’s E3 Expo. So who knows when we’ll get another look at the next Legend of Zelda game.

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged ,

What Games Belong in the World Video Game Hall of Fame? We Asked A Few Developers…

Posted on March 27, 2015 by John Scalzo

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This Summer, the International Center for the History of Electronic Games and the Strong Museum of Play will announce the first class of inductees for the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Any game, past or present, arcade or console, casual or hardcore, is eligible to be enshrined within its soon-to-be hallowed halls, and the World Video Game Hall of Fame is currently accepting nominations on their website through March 31. Do you think your favorite game has what it takes to be considered Hallworthy? First, it has to meet the following criteria:

  • Icon Status: The game is widely recognized and remembered.
  • Longevity: The game is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over time.
  • Geographical Reach: The game meets the above criteria across international boundaries.
  • Influence: The game has exerted significant influence on the design and development of other games, on other forms of entertainment, or on popular culture and society in general. A game may be inducted on the basis of this criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.

Earlier this month, we asked a few developers at the PAX East expo which games they would nominate for the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Here’s what they told us…

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Posted in Features, Top Story | Tagged ,

MotoGP 15 will be available this Spring for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC

Posted on March 27, 2015 by John Scalzo

Italian developer Milestone has announced they’re currently hard at work on MotoGP 15 with a release date planned for the Spring. The motorcycle racer will be available on current-generation consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), previous-generation consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360), and the PC.

As expected, MotoGP 15 will include all the teams, riders, and bikes from the 2015 season as well as several real events from the 2014 season. All of these bikes and riders will be customizable through the brand-new GP Credits Shop, which can be unlocked as you compete in any race mode. GP Credits can be used to customize “20 bike models, 40 different liveries, sponsors, leathers, boots, gloves, and three different motorhomes (Basic, Mid-Range and Top-Range) so your avatar can live in a manner befitting to their level of stardom.” A full-featured Helmet Editor will also be included. Milestone also plans to add an enhanced Career Mode and a Beat the Time time trial mode to MotoGP 15.

For your first look at the game, be sure to check out the MotoGP Announcement Trailer embedded above.

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

Daily Scoop: March 27, 2015 – The weekend is almost here!

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Nicole Kline

Yay, it’s Friday! And that means it’s almost time to go home and unwind. I’ve got so much to do, but I’m hoping I get at least an hour to play some games with Anthony Amato. We finally started up Diablo III on the PlayStation 4, and we’re really enjoying it! So I hope we can park on the couch tonight and get back to it.

Onto deals! Humble Bundle is having a Bethesda Weekend Sale. Pick up The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for $9.99, Dishonored for $9.99, and The Evil Within for $29.99, among many others.

No Daily Deal at Steam today, but there are tons of specials! You can get Alien: Isolation for $12.49, Valkyria Chronicles for $6.79, and The Typing of the Dead: Overkill for $4.99.

Just a few shirts today…

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Posted in Daily Scoop |

Mortal Kombat X TV spot goes back to the past to ask “Who’s Next?”

Posted on March 27, 2015 by John Scalzo

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

With just a few weeks to go until Mortal Kombat X‘s April 14th launch, NetherRealm Studios has unveiled the game’s full-length television commercial. It’s mostly comprised of footage we’ve seen before, but it’s interesting to see NetherRealm ask “Who’s Next?” by traveling back to the past.

First, you’ll notice that the soundtrack blares to life courtesy of System of a Down’s 2001 hit, “Chop Suey.” But what you might not notice is that the Mortal Kombat X spot is also a modern riff on the very first commercial used to sell the series. The crowd, the urban setting, even some of the camerawork, can all be linked back to the infamous “Mortal Monday” commercial that was used to promote the console release of Mortal Kombat in 1993.

Mortal Kombat X will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on April 14. A mobile version for iOS and Android will also be released next month, and a version for PS3 and Xbox 360 owners will be available in the Summer.

Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged