Trailblazers, Conan Exiles, Raging Justice, more added to Xbox Store

Posted on May 9, 2018 by John Scalzo

Welcome to the mid-week Xbox Games Store update. Here’s what Microsoft has added to their digital storefront today…

Supergonk mashed together elements from two of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises in Trailblazers, and the Xbox One game is a team-based futuristic racing game where players paint the track to create burst lanes. A slightly less fun future can be found in Subaeria, a puzzle-platformer for the Xbox One where players must pit hordes of murderous robots against each other.

If you’d rather give in to your berserker rage, Funcom’s Conan Exiles graduated from the Game Preview program today, and MakinGames’s Raging Justice tasks players with cleaning up the streets in classic beat ’em up style.

Finally today, WayForard is packaging together Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and both of its expansions into a new Ultimate Edition.

You can learn more about the rest of today’s additions to the Xbox Games Store after the break.

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Tacoma, Trailblazers, Laser League, more coming to PS Store this week

Posted on May 9, 2018 by John Scalzo

It looks like a big batch of new PS4 games will be added to the PlayStation Store this week…

Leading the way is Fullbright’s Tacoma, an adventure game that tasks players with discovering what happened to the six crewmembers aboard a doomed space station. However, sunnier options are also available.

Supergonk’s Trailblazers mixes the futuristic racing of F-Zero with Splatoon’s competitive painting. Roll7’s Laser League borrows the neon-heavy aesthetic of Tron for a team-based future sport. MakinGames rolled the clock back to the punk stylings of Streets of Rage to inform their side-scrolling beat ’em up, Raging Justice. And Idea Factory’s Megadimension Neptunia VIIR gives the latest entry in the popular RPG franchise a VR-infused makeover.

Also set to launch this week is the post-apocalyptic Death Road to Canada, the survival-adventure of Conan Exiles, and puzzle-platformer Subaeria. WayForward will also release Shantae: Half-Genie Hero – Ultimate Edition, a bundle that includes the original game and both expansions.

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the PlayStation Store after the break.

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Limited-time Avengers: Infinity War crossover event is now available in Fortnite

Posted on May 8, 2018 by John Scalzo

Avengers: Infinity War is the hottest ticket in movies right now, so it seems only natural that Marvel is teaming up with Epic Games to bring Thanos to Fortnite. Fortnite players will be able to take control of “The Mad Titan” in the limited-time “Fortnite X Avengers Mode,” which is available now on the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile devices:

Wield true power… the Infinity Gauntlet. Starting now, you can become Thanos in the Infinity Gauntlet Limited Time Mashup.

Drop in Solo as you hunt for and fight over the Infinity Gauntlet. The first to equip the Gauntlet will transform into the mighty Thanos and wield the Gauntlet’s power! You will need some serious firepower to take down Thanos. Only Rare, Epic and Legendary weapons appear in this Limited Time Mashup. Take down Thanos, equip the Gauntlet and claim Victory!

It’s unknown how long “Fortnite X Avengers Mode” will be available, but a short trailer teasing the crossover event has been embedded above.

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Launch Trailer for Trailblazers shows off its Splatoon-inspired futuristic racing style

Posted on May 8, 2018 by John Scalzo

The Launch Trailer for Supergonk’s Trailblazers has been embedded above, and as you can see, it mixes the futuristic racing of the F-Zero franchise with Splatoon’s team-based painting mechanic to create a type of game we’ve never really seen before. But how does it work? Glad you asked…

Experience vibrant visuals, mesmerizing track designs, and the scorching sensation of speed where players use the on-track game mechanic of painting the track to create boosting lanes for each team. Racing together in teams of up to three racers, gamers will cover key areas of the racing line as well as painting over opponents’ painted paths to gain the advantage. Racers who drive with flair and style will also amass skill points to blaze their way to victory!

Trailblazers will feature a variety of procedurally-generated tracks that take players through “mountain ranges, lush forests, and arid desert valleys.” And you’ll be able to tackle these locales by taking control of multiple characters and race cars, each with their own unique stats and skills. A Campaign Mode, featuring story elements and Single-Player Challenges, as well as local splitscreen multiplayer and online play, will be available in the game.

Trailblazers will be published by Rising Star Games, and it launched today on the PC and PS4. It’ll also be available to download for the Xbox One beginning tomorrow.

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Nintendo Switch Online service coming in September with NES Library, Cloud Saves, online play, more

Posted on May 8, 2018 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has announced the first official details for their Nintendo Switch Online service, which we now know will go live in September 2018. As expected, the service will be priced at $20 per month, though “$4 for One Month” and “$8 for Three Months” plans will also be available. A Family Membership (12 Months for $35) will include access to the Nintendo Switch Online service for up to eight Nintendo Account holders.

We already knew the basics of Nintendo’s service, and the consolemaker reconfirmed that Switch owners will need to subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online service if they wish to play online. But also revealed that the service will include an option for Save Data Cloud Backup, giving Switch owners the chance to “retrieve their data if they lose, break, or purchase an additional Nintendo Switch system.”

But I think that most Switch owners will list the NES Library as the biggest perk of the Nintendo Switch Online service. The NES Library will initially launch with access to 20 games, and more will be added on a regular basis. For now, Nintendo has announced that subscribers will be able to play Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong, Dr. Mario, Ice Climber, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros., Soccer, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Tennis. Best of all, all games will include a Spectator Mode, as well as online competitive or co-op multiplayer (if the original game offered multiplayer options, of course). The other ten titles as part of the NES Library’s launch will be revealed at a later date.

If this sounds like a rebranded “Virtual Console,” you’re not far off. After making this announcement, Nintendo reached out to Kotaku to confirm that the “Virtual Console” branding won’t be used on the Switch. Instead, games from previous Nintendo consoles will be offered through Nintendo Switch Online, individually through the eShop (like Sega and Hamster are doing), or in packaged collections (like Capcom is doing with the Mega Man franchise):

“There are a variety of ways in which classic games from Nintendo and other publishers are made available on Nintendo Switch, such as through Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo eShop or as packaged collections,” the Nintendo spokesperson said. “Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online will provide a fun new way to experience classic NES games that will be different from the Virtual Console service, thanks to enhancements such as added online play, voice chat via the Nintendo Switch Online app and the various play modes of Nintendo Switch.”

It’s currently unknown if Nintendo will add other platforms to Nintendo Switch Online’s playable library of games, but hopefully they’ll have more to say about the service at this year’s E3 Expo.

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Treyarch will unveil Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Zombies Mode at E3 2018

Posted on May 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

While Activision has yet to confirm the existence of a Zombies Mode for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, it’s looking more and more likely that Treyarch will resurrect the popular cooperative multiplayer mode for the sequel.

That’s because, earlier today, the official Twitter account for the E3 Expo announced that the developer will discuss the history of the fan-favorite feature during an “E3 Coliseum” panel, as well as provide a glimpse at its future in Black Ops 4:

If you can’t wait for the E3 Expo to get a closer look at Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, don’t worry, Activision and Treyarch are planning a “Community Reveal Event” for the game on Thursday, May 17. And the newest entry in the franchise will launch earlier than ever, with an October 12 release date being readied for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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New Retail Releases: Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, Conan Exiles, Megadimension Neptunia VIIR, More

Posted on May 7, 2018 by John Scalzo

The month of May trudges on as a quintet of new games make their way to retail shelves this week…

Leading the short parade is Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, an isometric RPG from Obsidian Entertainment. Set to launch this week for the PC, Deadfire adds “vastly improved graphics” and “deeper game mechanics” to the franchise, as well as giving players the opportunity to customize and pilot a ship.

Swords and sorcery are also at the center of Conan Exiles, which will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One this week courtesy of Funcom. In this adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Age, players will fight for survival in a harsh world, while also building a home and waging war against enemies.

Speaking of weird worlds, Idea Factory will revisit their Neptunia franchise with the release of Megadimension Neptunia VIIR this week. VIIR is a VR-enhanced re-release of Megadimension Neptunia VII for the PS4 with a new engine and a renovated battle system.

Finally, WayForward will release Shantae: Half-Genie Hero – Ultimate Edition for the Switch, a bundle featuring the original side-scroller along with both of its expansions. And Red Hook will do the same on the PS4 for their roguelike RPG with the Darkest Dungeon: Ancestral Edition.

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at all the new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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Rumor: Nier: Automata will soon be released for the Xbox One

Posted on May 5, 2018 by John Scalzo

French publication Jeux Video is reporting that Square Enix’s Nier: Automata will soon make its way to the Xbox One.

According to Jeux Video, the initial rumor report came from a source that wished to remain anonymous. However, the site later said that additional sources also confirmed that Nier: Automata is “well under development” for the Xbox One. The game was originally released last year for the PC and PS4, after being developed by Platinum Games.

Square Enix chose not to comment on this new rumor, but a part of me is rather surprised that it’s even taken this long for the publisher to bring Nier: Automata to the Xbox One. Maybe we’ll get official confirmation about its new home at the 2018 E3 Expo.

And for those with long memories, you may recall that Microsoft has a bit of a history with Platinum, and they contracted the developer to create Scalebound as an exclusive for the PC and Xbox One in 2014. After going through a variety of development hiccups, the game was ultimately canceled in 2017, just weeks before the launch of Nier: Automata.

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