Overwatch wins “Game of the Year” (and three other awards) at 2017 DICE Awards

Posted on February 24, 2017 by John Scalzo

Blizzard made their mark on last night’s DICE Awards presentation when Overwatch took home the trophy in four categories, including “Game of the Year.” The shooter was also honored as “Action Game of the Year,” as well as for “Outstanding Achievement in Game Design” and “Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay.”

It was also a good night for Naughty Dog, as the developer claimed four victories for their work on Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End including “Adventure Game of the Year,” “Outstanding Achievement in Story,” “Outstanding Technical Achievement,” and “Outstanding Achievement in Animation.”

The full list of winners at the 2017 DICE Awards (including Pokemon Go for “Mobile Game of the Year,” Pokemon Sun and Moon for “Handheld Game of the Year,” and three awards for Inside ) can be found after the break.

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Xbox Store Today: Forma.8, Riptide GP Renegade, World Heroes, more

Posted on February 24, 2017 by John Scalzo

A big batch of new Xbox One games were added to the Xbox Games Store today…

Xbox One owners now have the opportunity to download Forma.8, a “MetroidVania” that stars a small exploration probe known as Forma.8. This little guy is stranded on an alien planet, and it has to search through ancient alien civilizations for a powerful energy source that will save the world.

Also available to download this week for the Xbox One is Riptide GP: Renegade, a futuristic racing game that features “illicit hydrojet racing.”

And lastly this week, SNK is has begun to bring games from the NeoGeo back catalog to the Xbox One, and they’ve decided to start with World Heroes, one-on-one fighting game, and Neo Turf Masters, a classic golf game.

More details about all of these games (and more than a half dozen other new releases) can be found after the break.

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Posted in News, Xbox One |

More than 80 games will be on display in the Indie Megabooth at PAX East 2017

Posted on February 24, 2017 by John Scalzo

PAX East 2017 will open its doors in exactly 336 hours, and the Indie Megabooth has finally announced which games it’ll have on display at the Boston-based convention this year.

Dozens upon dozens of indie titles will get a chance to shine in a couple of weeks, including some of our favorites from years past. We selected Vertex Pop’s Graceful Explosion Machine, Hypersect’s Inversus, and Pocketwatch’s Tooth & Tail for our Best of PAX East 2016 roundup and all of them will be on display in the Indie Megabooth this year. Refactor, an alumnus of our Best of PAX East 2014 roundup (when it was known as Tetropolis) has also earned a spot in the PAX East 2017 edition of the Indie Megabooth.

The Indie Megabooth continues to grow and change, and this year, in addition to the Minibooth area and the Tabletop area, it’ll also have a “Visual Novel Reading Room” within its carpeted confines for PAX East attendees.

You can find the full list of games set to be included in the Indie Megabooth at PAX East 2017 after the break.

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BadLand Games will publish a retail edition of Axiom Verge this Summer; Switch re-release is also a possibility

Posted on February 23, 2017 by John Scalzo

Axiom Verge, Thomas Happ’s retro-tastic Metroid homage, will soon be available on retail store shelves nationwide.

BadLand Games has announced they’ll publish a special Multiverse Edition ($29.99) of Axiom Verge this Summer for the PS4, Vita, and Wii U, as well as a game-only Standard Edition ($19.99) for the PS4. The Multiverse Edition will include a copy of the game, as well as a Deluxe Booklet with developer’s commentary and art, a double-sided poster, and a Making-Of Documentary on DVD.

“Fans have been asking for a physical retail version of Axiom Verge since the game originally launched,” Happ said. “I’m extremely excited that the Multiverse Edition will be coming to retail soon. As a solo developer, it’s always been a dream of mine to see a game that I made end up on the store shelves!”

This is great news for game collectors, especially because Axiom Verge is a favorite here at Warp Zoned. The side-scroller earned a spot on our “Apocalypse List” and took home “Best Game Where an Alien’s Head Pops Like a Grape” at the 2015 Golden Pixel Awards.

In other Axiom Verge news, PR Guru Dan Adelman said on Twitter that he’s currently talking to Nintendo about re-releasing the side-scroller on the Switch. However, any plans to port Axiom Verge to the Switch are currently on hold because he’s “waiting for my old co-workers to return my calls.”

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Matt Groening and David X. Cohen will help bring Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow to mobile devices

Posted on February 23, 2017 by John Scalzo

Good news, everyone! Futurama, Matt Groening’s cartoon chronicle of the year 3000, will rise from the sitcom graveyard a third time as Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow, an upcoming mobile game from TinyCo.

TinyCo is best known as the developer of Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, and in addition to working with Groening, they’ve recruited Executive Producer David X. Cohen and the show’s original animators at Rough Draft Studios to help produce the game.

“Futurama is back, bigger and better than ever! Or possibly smaller and equally good. But either way, it’s back!” said Cohen. “We’ve got completely new stories from the original writers, cast, and animators. This is the real Futurama deal.”

“I love this game because it feels just like Futurama,” added Groening. “Except now you get to jab the characters in the face.”

TinyCo will unveil more details about Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow soon, and the game is expected to launch later this year for iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire devices.

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Nintendo Download: Harvest Moon 64, Forma.8, more

Posted on February 23, 2017 by John Scalzo

Even though Nintendo plans to officially retire the Wii U in a week’s time, the consolemaker is still making classic titles available to download through its Virtual Console. This week, the farming simulation Harvest Moon 64, which was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, is now available to purchase.

Elsewhere on the Wii U eShop, players will be able to download Forma.8, a unique “MetroidVania” with a minimalist visual aesthetic. Players will take control of a small exploration probe known as Forma.8, and they must explore the surface of an alien planet to find a powerful energy source before its too late.

You can learn more about both of these games (and a few other new additions to the Nintendo eShop) after the break.

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Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U |

Daily Scoop: February 23, 2017 – Steam Controller and Link on sale

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Nicole Kline

I can’t stop catching new Pokemon in Pokemon Go! I can’t say it brought me back to the game, because I’ve been playing the game every day since August, but it’s definitely made me more excited to play it. And it’s super fun to see which of the Gen 1 Pokemon I can evolve now! I’m having a blast.

Anyway, let’s talk about all the great game sales happening today! There are some new ones over at the Humble Store. Grand Theft Auto V is $29.99, Shovel Knight is $10.04, and Europa Universalis IV is $9.99, among others.

The Weekend Deal at Steam is a hardware sale! Get the Steam Controller and Steam Link for $49.48, or get the Link fr $19.99 and the Controller for $34.99, if you just need one of them. You can also get the Controller bundled with a special case for $49.48. The Daily Deal is N++, which you can get for $7.49.

Just two shirts today! Hit the jump to see them both.

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Posted in Daily Scoop |

Dragon Quest Heroes II Explorer’s Edition will be available for PS4 and PC on April 25

Posted on February 23, 2017 by John Scalzo

Square Enix has announced they’ll bring Dragon Quest Heroes II to the PC (via Steam) on the same day, April 25, as its PS4 launch.

The publisher also revealed that early adopters on both platforms will be able to purchase the Explorer’s Edition, which will come packed with 15 in-game bonus weapons. And players who purchase the Explorer’s Edition of Dragon Quest Heroes II through the PlayStation Store will also receive an exclusive PS4 Theme, a “Dragon Quest I Hero Costume,” and a special “Healix the Hero Recipe” for Dragon Quest Builders.

Finally, Square Enix wants everyone to watch Dragon Quest Heroes II’s new Overview Trailer to see the “tons of characters, vast landscapes, fast action, customizable classes, and online multiplayer” the game will offer.

A closer look at the 15 bonus in-game weapons available as part of the Explorer’s Edition can be found after the break.

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