Square Enix files Final Fantasy Explorers trademark application in US

finalfantasyexplorersSquare Enix has filed a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for Final Fantasy Explorers, a fact that makes me intensely excited. Siliconera has had a lot to report about the game, like the fact that it will have “about 20 jobs,” including previously mentioned “Black Mage, White Mage, Knight and Monk,” and then also “Dragoon, Paladin, Thief, Ninja, Red Mage, Time Mage, and Bard.”

The game is currently being developed for the 3DS, and I’m slightly freaking out about it. You will be able to maneuver your weapons, armor, accessories, and abilities, and “once you learn an ability, they can be used on other jobs, as well.” The abilities will each have costs associated with them, and will cost double if you use them while in a different job. Oh and also you can befriend monsters and then they can join your party! Aaaaagh you can have monsters in your party. Why is this game not in my 3DS right this second.

Siliconera also wrote, “It is said that the game’s main portion actually takes place after you clear the story, boasting a volume of about 100 to 200 hours worth of gameplay.” No word yet on when it’s coming out (or an official US announcement, for that matter), but there is word that I’m going to buy it, and that you may not see me for a while.

Posted in 3DS, News | Tagged

Daily Scoop: June 24, 2014 – Evening gaming

There’s been a lot going on these days, so when I can take the time to play games, I do. I’ve got meetings and events on top of work for the next few days, so tonight, I’m going to head home, put my feet up, and just play games all night. Will I eat ice cream for dinner? I can only say probably.

There’s a brand new bundle over at Indie Royale right now – the Debut 14 Bundle! Pay the current minimum for Monster Truck Destruction, Sushi Bar Express, Aquadelic GT, The Moon Silver, Steam and Metal, Virus Jigglin’ Fever, Football Director, and StarDrone.

Steam‘s Summer Sale is still going strong. Torchlight II is $4.99, Metro: Last Light Complete Edition is $6.79, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is $2.99. I played that last one all the way through this weekend, and it was amazing. I highly recommend it!

There are new deals at the Humble Store as well. You can get Just Cause 2 for $3.74, early access to Nosgoth for $4.99, and Life Goes On for $9.74. So many great options. Scoop some of these games up!

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for – t-shirts!

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Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |

Take that Ubisoft! Sunset Overdrive will include playable female characters

Insomniac’s Associate Community Manager, Brandon Winfrey, tells us a tale of magic and wonder in the latest “Sunset TV” developer diary for Sunset Overdrive . By “magic,” I mean he talks about the utterly amazing traps you can set up to kill enemies (the Pyro Geyser? Hell yes!). And by “wonder,” I mean you can play as a woman in Sunset Overdrive… or a person of another nationality, or a dude in a skirt, or whatever the heck you want to play as (limited only by the character creator and your imagination).

In the video, one of the female characters sports a hooded white robe. Surely this is a friendly poke at the backlash Ubisoft received during this year’s E3 Expo over the lack of female characters in Assassin’s Creed: Unity. Watch the video… it’s great.

Sunset Overdrive will be out on October 28 for the Xbox One.

Posted in News, Xbox One | Tagged

Rumor: Crytek has canceled multiple projects amid financial woes

crytek-header

Yesterday, rumors began swirling that Crytek was in the midst of some financial troubles and hadn’t paid many of their employees in over a month. Today, Kotaku has published a report suggesting that the situation is much worse than we all thought.

Citing anonymous tips from Crytek employees, Kotaku has learned that the developer has canceled multiple projects over the last few weeks, including a sequel to Ryse: Son of Rome and several original prototypes. In addition to canceled titles, employees describe a toxic working environment within Crytek’s many international studios:

Current and former Crytek employees describe a tense, unstable environment, plagued by poor communication and a number of high-level staff departures at the company’s biggest studios in Germany and Britain. In extensive conversations over the past few weeks, developers have described a company in turmoil, where staff openly talk about leaving or looking for new jobs. One employee estimates that some 100 people have left over the past three months.

This turmoil has spilled over into Crytek’s currently announced projects as well. The company has seemingly shifted from high-gloss shooters like Crysis 3 to free-to-play games like Warface, Arena of Fate, and Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age. And yet, Homefront: The Revolution was just announced, leading to more confusion and worry within Crytek.

Crytek continues to deny the financial problems and will not discuss the missed paychecks claimed by many of the employees. In fact, those employees were told not to discuss the problem with each other, for fear that it would eventually be leaked to the media.

It looks like that’s happened and now the future of one of the biggest independent developers in the world is up in the air.

Posted in News |

Metro Redux will be available on August 26

Deep Silver and 4A Games previously confirmed that Metro Redux, a next-generation makeover of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, would be released this Summer. Now we know that the compilation will be available on August 26.

In addition to the Metro Redux compilation, enhanced remakes of Metro 2033 and Last Light will be available to download separately for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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

Dig into Shovel Knight’s launch trailer right here

Shovel Knight will be released for the 3DS, PC, and Wii U on June 26. Hey… that’s this Thursday!

In honor of this momentous occasion, Yacht Club Games has released a brand spanking new launch trailer for the game. The trailer gives us a good look at the game’s NES-style platforming action as well as a pretty great background track.

Once again, Shovel Knight will be available on June 26. My digging implement is ready.

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, Wii U | Tagged

Daily Scoop: June 23, 2014 – Video games and comic books and TV, oh my!

Instead of spending a ton of money on tickets to go to Wizard World Philly this year, I made the decision to stay home and catch up on a lot of things. I read a ton of comics (Saga, Invincible, and The Walking Dead), played a lot of video games (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, and TowerFall: Ascension), and watched a ton of television (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, True Blood, and 24). Nothing’s wrong with that at all… except I don’t want to leave the house anymore and I just want to spend more hours catching up on everything. The wake of not being in school can be bad! I mean, for my levels of Vitamin D, I guess.

Anyway, let’s talk about game deals, shall we? Steam, of course, has a load of new games in their Summer Sale, like Rogue Legacy for $3.74, FTL: Advanced Edition for $3.99, and Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition for $4.99. There are some great sales happening at the Humble Store as well – pick up Secret Ponchos for $11.24 (Early Access), Gone Home for $4.99, and A Wizard’s Lizard for $9.89.

Now, let’s check out some t-shirts!

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Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |

Mario Kart 8 Mercedes GLA DLC officially coming to US this Summer

The Mario Kart 8/Mercedes GLA commercial is still as terrifying now as it was three weeks ago. But now, the terror is closer than ever. Nintendo has announced that the DLC will be available in the US this Summer:

Look at that picture! Mario’s nefarious, wild-eyed and angry expression is only a prelude to his murderous overtures. Like he’s going to pull off to the side of the road and pretend he has car trouble. Then, when someone stops, he’s going to stab them with a hook and shove them into the GLA’s roomy trunk. The 14.9 cubic foot trunk of the GLA has enough space for Bowser, Yoshi, and Princess Peach. With the seats folded down, the trunk expands to 29.5 cubic feet, enough room for Donkey Kong too… if he sees something he shouldn’t have.

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