Nintendo Download: Namco Museum, Hey! Pikmin, Miitopia, more

Posted on July 27, 2017 by John Scalzo

This week’s Nintendo Download is jam-packed full of new games, so let’s take a look…

First up, Bandai Namco will bring Namco Museum to the Switch this Friday. The compilation of arcade classics includes Pac-Man, Galaga, Splatterhouse, and Dig-Dug, as well as Pac-Man Vs. Switch owners will also get the chance to download Overcooked: Special Edition this week. Four cooks must band together to produce a series of tasty meals from the original game and both expansions.

And over on the 3DS, Nintendo themselves will launch a pair of new games… Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia. Hey! Pikmin is the first Pikmin game for the 3DS, as well as the first side-scrolling game in the series. And Miitopia is a colorful RPG featuring Miis based on your favorite people.

More information on all of these games (and the rest of this week’s releases) can be found after the break.

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Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus gets a new trailer and a Season Pass

Posted on July 27, 2017 by John Scalzo

Bethesda teased a bit of the “Strawberry Milkshake” sequence from Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus during this year’s E3 Expo, but now you can see the whole thing in the new trailer embedded above:

Mmm, the strawberry milkshake. A delicious summer treat so refreshing, it’s considered to be a “favorite American thing” to one particular Nazi Kommandant, who decided to pick one up at a local diner in Roswell, New Mexico. Unfortunately, BJ Blazkowicz just happens to be at that same diner, leading to a very tense encounter.

In another bit of Wolfenstein II news, Bethesda has unveiled the game’s Season Pass on Bethesda.net. Priced at $24.99, The Freedom Chronicles will add three playable characters to the game sometime after its launch:

  • Episode Zero – Episode Zero introduces you to Joseph Stallion, Jessica Valiant and Gerald Wilkins as they fight for freedom in the American Territories. Blast your way through Nazis using unique abilities and an arsenal of guns in this opening DLC mission.
  • The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe – As former professional quarterback Joseph Stallion, smash through Nazi hordes from the ruins of Chicago to the vastness of space!
  • The Diaries of Agent Silent Death – As ex-OSS agent and assassin Jessica Valiant, infiltrate Nazi bunkers in California and discover the secrets of Operation San Andreas!
  • The Amazing Deeds of Captain Wilkins – As the US Army’s renowned hero Captain Gerald Wilkins, embark on a mission to Nazi-controlled Alaska to dismantle Operation Black Sun!

As an added bonus, players who pre-order Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus will receive the “Episode Zero” mission for free.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 27.

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Xbox Store Today: Fable Fortune, Canadian Football 2017, Infinite Minigolf, more

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

Pour me a tall glass of maple syrup, today’s Xbox Games Store update has arrived…

First up we’ve got Fable Fortune, which is now available in Game Preview for the Xbox One. Fable Fortune is a collectible card game that takes place in the world of Albion, and and developer Flaming Fowl Studios has promised it’ll contain “fast-paced and thrilling tactical gameplay.”

Also available today for the Xbox One is Canadian Football 2017, one of the first video games to features teams and rules from the Canadian Football League.

Finally today, Zen Studios will bring Infinite Minigolf to the Xbox One with “accurate physics, dazzling graphics, and detailed environments.”

You can learn more about all of these games (and a few other new releases) after the break.

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Posted in News, Xbox One |

Sony’s Cory Barlog has plans for multiple sequels to next year’s God of War

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

Cory Barlog stepped away from the God of War franchise after the release of 2007’s God of War II, but Sony managed to lure the developer back to direct the upcoming Norse-themed reboot, God of War. And in a new interview published the UK’s Daily Star (conducted during this year’s E3 Expo), Barlog revealed that Kratos’s next adventure is actually the opening chapter to a much larger story.

According to the developer, he’s got an outline in his head for stories that could be told across multiple sequels:

Daily Star: The way you talk about Kratos now, it’s like the beginning of something. And clearly, the work that’s gone into this game, to create such a bold new chapter for the character, presumably this can’t be a one-shot deal for you and the game?

Barlog: For me, I am just trying to get this game done. But I will say that when I chose this story, I had chosen it because I already outlined and mapped out stories for multiple games. I have an arc in my head that goes well beyond this game and everything that we are doing in God of War, to me, is very much building towards that.

Like you see the second God of War game and it ends with Kratos going up to Olympus. Everybody said that it was the stupidest decision like why are you doing this, nobody wants a cliffhanger ending. But I was like, whatever, this is awesome. This is telling people more to come, this is great. And with this game, I think people know that we’re going to be here for a while. Me personally, I know I’ve got a couple more of these in me.

We don’t yet know what the future holds for Kratos, but we do know that God of War will be released exclusively for the PS4 in Early 2018.

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The Sims 4 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on November 17

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

Electronic Arts has announced that The Sims 4 will make its PS4 and Xbox One debut on November 17. According to the publisher, console players will get to experience the same “creativity, inclusivity and freedom of choice” as the PC version of The Sims 4:

As with The Sims 4 on PC, console players can experience and test life’s limits in a world where there are no rules. Fans will have the power to create unique Sims, customizing everything from their hair color and style to their fashion choices and life aspirations. With the room-based Build Mode, players can design and pick décor, effortlessly building their dream home. In the mood to explore? Sims can check out the various neighborhoods and dynamic venues the world offers.

The Sims 4 on console gives players the unique gameplay the PC base game has to offer, plus many of the additional content updates added to The Sims 4 post-launch. After the console game launches, fans can also look forward to periodic game updates and extra content releases.

Fans who opt for the Deluxe Party Edition will receive bonus in-game content (including a Flaming Tiki Bar, outrageous costumes, silly animal hats, hot tubs, and more) and they’ll be able to play The Sims 4 three days early (on November 14). But if you want to try before you buy, EA Access subscribers will be able to download a time-limited version of the full game on November 9.

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After four months Nintendo has sold 4.7 million Switch consoles

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo launched their Switch console a little over four months ago, and earlier today, the company revealed sales figures for the system’s second quarter of availability.

According to Nintendo, they sold 1.97 million Switch consoles between April 1 and June 30, bringing the worldwide install base for the console to 4.7 million. These new Switch owners are also buying a lot of games, and Nintendo reported sales of more than a million copies during the quarter for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (1.16 million), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (3.54 million), and Arms (1.18 million).

For comparison, Nintendo sold 13.56 miilion Wii U consoles over the life of the system. It’s very possible the Switch will surpass that total before the end of its first year.

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PS Store This Week: Sundered, Pyre, Super Cloudbuilt, more

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

The indie titles keep coming on the PlayStation Store, and this week’s update includes three titles of particular interest…

Sundered is a side-scrolling MetroidVania from Thunder Lotus Games, and it’ll be available for the PS4 this Friday. Incorporating some terrifying Lovecraftian themes, players will fight for survival (and their sanity) in this hand-drawn adventure.

Also available for the PS4 this week is Pyre, a team-based Action RPG from Supergiant Games. Players will compete in a series of mystical competitions to help win freedom for their exiles in the Campaign, but they can also fight it out with friends in the Versus Mode.

Finally, Coilworks’s Super Cloudbuilt will bring a futuristic platforming (with a dash of parkour) to the PS4 this week.

You can learn more about all of these titles (and a few other new releases) after the break.

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Graceful Explosion Machine will blast its way onto the PC and PS4 on August 8

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Scalzo

Vertex Pop’s Graceful Explosion Machine added a bit of color to launch of the Nintendo Switch this Spring, but it looks like the side-scrolling shooter will warp to several new destinations next month. According to a post on the developer’s official website, Graceful Explosion Machine will be released for the PC and PS4 on August 8.

In addition to launching Graceful Explosion Machine on a pair of new platforms, Vertex Pop has also been working to update the game on the Switch. Fans will definitely notice the faster loading times, but an expanded stats screen is also on the docket:

We started by redesigning the score screen to give a clearer breakdown of your score, weapon usage, and additional stats that better reflect your play style. It’s both fun and functional.

We also wanted to make it easier to capture and share those clutch GEM moments. Once you’re in the zone, we know it’s hard to stop the game even for a few seconds to grab a screenshot, so we had to come up with a really creative solution.

Or, more accurately, a really technical one: We designed an AI system to pinpoint the most exciting moment of your run, which we then automagically screenshot and display on the score screen. You can fullscreen it, add it to your Album, share it, etc.

This update for Graceful Explosion Machine is now available to download on the Nintendo Switch, and will be available for the PC and PS4 when the game launches on August 8.

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