Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon
- Meet the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025: Quake, GoldenEye 007, Defender, and Tamagotchi
- The BAFTA Games Awards Polled the Public and Shenmue is “The Most Influential Video Game of All Time”
- 2024 GOTY Scoreboard: Astro Bot, Balatro, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, More
- The Strong Museum of Play Acquires Prototypes and Development Documents from Volition’s 30-Year History
- Minecraft’s Volume Alpha Soundtrack Has Been Added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry
Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Research Library
- Inside the ‘Dragon Age’ Debacle That Gutted EA’s BioWare Studio – Bloomberg (2025)
- Fight Club, The Game David Fincher Didn’t Want You To Play – Time Extension (2025)
- It’s beginning to feel like gaming isn’t for everyone – Digital Trends (2025)
- 22 years later, modders are keeping SimCity 4 alive – The Verge (2025)
- The B-movies of Paul W.S. Anderson double as acts of devotion to his muse, Milla Jovovich – The AV Club (2025)
Warp Zoned Archives
All Articles: PS3
The Video Game Canon: 2018’s “Version 2.0” Update
The Video Game Canon is a statistical meta-ranking of dozens of “Best Video Games of All Time” lists that began in 2017 with Version 1.0, and the ranking has been updated several times since then. Which game is #1? There’s only one way to find out…
The Video Game Canon has been upgraded to “Version 2.0” thanks to the addition of four new lists that were published throughout the last year. Edge Magazine’s “100 Greatest Videogames” issue, Jeux Video’s “Top 100 Best Games of All Time,” Polygon’s massive “500 Best Games of All Time,” and Stuff UK’s “50 Greatest Games of All Time” have reshuffled the ranking in a big way.
Let’s take a look…
Visit VideoGameCanon.com for all future updates to this project and to explore the complete Top 1000.
Staff of Polygon name their “500 Best Games of All Time”
Polygon recently celebrated its fifth birthday with a weeklong countdown of their choices for the “500 Best Games of All Time.”
Along with a high-profile roster of special guests (including Jeremy Parish, Susan Arendt, Jon-Paul Dyson, and Benj Edwards), the site’s staff put together this massive ranking of games that includes titles from nearly every platform and stretching back to the very beginning of the medium. They even set some ground rules:
We asked everyone to vote based on innovation, polish and durability, rather than simply personal taste. We cut games released in 2017 to eliminate recency bias. And we left out sequels that we deemed too similar to the games that came before them.
Collecting all those votes together, we then combed through the data for anomalies and came up with the final order you see here.
Polygon’s final tally looks very similar to our own “Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time,” and this includes their selection of Tetris as the #1 game of all time.
Battlefield 1 blows away the competition with five nominations from Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2016
The Game Critics Awards has announced their annual Best of E3 nominations, and DICE’s Battlefield 1 has asserted its greatness with five nominations, including one for “Best of Show.” Battlefield 1’s other nominations include “Best Console Game,” “Best PC Game,” “Best Action Game,” and “Best Online Multiplayer.”
Five other games will compete with the historical shooter for top honors including Dishonored 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sea of Thieves, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Titanfall 2. With four nominations apiece, Dishonored 2 and Horizon: Zero Dawn will surely provide some stiff competition for Battlefield 1.
The Game Critics Awards will announce the winners for Best of E3 2016 next Tuesday, July 5. A complete list of this year nominees can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News
Tagged Batman: Arkham VR, Battlefield 1, Civilization VI, Dishonored 2, E3 2016, Final Fantasy XV, Forza Horizon 3, God of War 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Injustice 2, Inside, PC, PS3, PS4, Sea of Thieves, Skylanders Imaginators, Steep, Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, TitanFall 2, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Insert Quarter: Remembering the Wacky Games Released in a Console’s Twilight
Insert Quarter is our showcase for some of the best and most interesting writing about video games on the Internet.
Now that the PS4 and Xbox One have completed their first full year on the market, it’s clear that the PS3 and Xbox 360 are slowly sliding into their golden years. The two consoles have lived exceptionally long lives, but now it’s time to say goodbye. However, that also means it’s time to say hello to some of the weird and wacky games that always appear during a console’s last days.
In light of the pending release of Yakuza 5, The A.V. Club’s Anthony John Agnello took a look back at some of these titles and reminisced about such strange offerings as Mega Man & Bass for the Super NES, Under Defeat for the Dreamcast, and Persona 4 for the PS2. Because even though those shiny new consoles look like fun, the party you’re currently at can get very interesting at the end:
Fashionably late: The same rules for when to arrive and leave a party hold true for video game consoles as well. Never show up too early. Is it exciting to get there before everyone else, maybe wait in line for a midnight release, sharing some weird, high-end booze you brought? Sure, but you’ll just end up buzzed before everyone else and playing lame games like Knack. It’s far more important to leave late, though. You never want to leave before things get weird. Parties and game consoles don’t necessarily peak when the guests do.
The full article is available for your perusal at The A.V. Club.
Posted in Insert Quarter
Tagged PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Yakuza 5
Watch Dogs is coming to every platform ever this holiday season
Well, not quite every platform, but it will be one of Ubisoft’s most widely released titles to date. Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot was at the New York launch event for Sony’s new console, the PlayStation 4. There, he was singing the console’s praises, and revealed that Watch Dogs will be available during the system’s launch this holiday season.
“Ubisoft has a strong history of supporting new technologies with unique and creative offerings. The power and capability of the PS4 allows the Watch Dogs team to further push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in interactive entertainment.”
Bold words, but Ubisoft are not hedging their bets on Sony’s new box alone. With the company showing the same strategy that has lead it to become one of the most successful developers during the current generation, the futuristic open world third-person thriller will also be released on the console’s predecessor, the PS3, as well as the Xbox 360, PC, and the Wii U. There has been no word on if Watch Dogs is a timed exclusive for Sony’s next-generation system, but given the recent debacle surrounding the delay of Rayman Legends so it could also be released on the PS3 and Xbox 360, it would be reasonable to assume that Watch Dogs will hit all consoles simultaneously.
And while it has not been mentioned thus far, we can only assume this wide umbrella will also ensnare Microsoft’s Xbox 720, whenever it is announced.
Posted in News
Tagged PC, PlayStation Meeting 2013, PS3, PS4, Watch Dogs, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Bungie embraces their Destiny
Well, the wait is finally over. This afternoon, Halo creators Bungie unveiled the first details of their newest offering, Destiny, to the public.
The title, which is scheduled to hit the Xbox 360, PS3, and “future generation technology” (that’s the next Xbox and PlayStation systems to the layperson) sounds very ambitious. The story is as follows: In the distant future, humans have spread across the galaxy, exploring the far reaches of space. That is, until they attacked. The entire species is all but wiped out, and all that remains live in a guarded city on Earth. The invading aliens are unable to destroy this last bastion of hope, as the city (and its civilians) are protected by a large, floating orb called “The Traveler” that hovers above. This orb not only shelters the last remaining survivors, but also bestows upon them immense power. The humans use these newfound abilities to try to prevent their extinction.
While this may at first seem like your basic futuristic sci-fi game, Bungie assures us it is anything but. Destiny features an extremely deep online world; almost MMO-like. Destiny is an “always online” first-person shooter, akin to Borderlands. Players are given a choice between three classes: Titan (your heavy hitter), Warlock (magic-wielder), or Hunter (stealth-based). Once you choose your class, you then go through deep customization process, and then you are thrust into the game. You and your friends can progress cooperatively (like Borderlands), or you can choose to join in on a competitive match or two. Vehicles also make up a huge part of Destiny, as it appears you’ll not only be traversing Earth, but also visiting other planets as well.
Bungie is looking to create a world that is always on, always inhabited. Destiny’s main focuses is character interaction – and not just NPCs. Adventures with your friends (and complete strangers) while playing online is what Destiny is all about. According to Bungie’s Joseph Staten, “The most important stories we tell won’t be told by us They’ll be told by players. Personal legends built from shared adventures.”
No specific release date has been given, and Destiny may not even hit shelves this year. But one thing is certain: we can’t wait.
Diablo III is “up and running” on consoles; still no official announcement
Oh Blizzard, you’re such a tease!
Speaking to Polygon, Blizzard’s Rob Pardo has confirmed that the developer has a version of Diablo III “up and running” on console hardware. But, he reiterated, the company is still not ready to officially announce it.
“We’re still kind of exploring it,” said Pardo. “We’ve got builds up and running on it. We’re hoping to get it far enough along where we can make it an official project, but we’re not quite ready to release stuff about it, but it’s looking pretty cool.”
I realize Blizzard wants to ensure a console version of Diablo III can live up to its PC predecessor before they officially announce it or post screenshots or give it a release date, but come on, this is getting ridiculous.
PSN Today: Lego Batman 2, RE: Operation Raccoon City, Puddle, more
We’ve got Lego superheroes, water puzzles, and a whole mess of zombies in this week’s PlayStation Store update. Here’s a look at the PS3 Full Games and PSN titles available this week. The PS Vita and PS Mini games can be found after the break.
PS3 Full Games
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes ($49.99)
The Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin join other famous super heroes from the DC Universe including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to save Gotham City from destruction at the hands of the notorious villains Lex Luthor and the Joker. Collect 50 DC Comics characters, flex your new super abilities, and master new suits and gadgets. Players can also explore Gotham City and unlock a variety of cool vehicles.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City ($49.99)
Operation Raccoon City is a unique and brutal three way shooter set in the terrifying world of Resident Evil. Play as Umbrella Security Service, sent in to the city to cover up Umbrella crimes. Zombies and bio-organic weapons flood the city but a bigger threat to your mission exists: a government Spec Ops unit has been sent in to hunt you down and capture the evidence you’re fighting to destroy.
PSN Games
Malicious ($9.99)
Take control of the Spirit Vessel and battle waves of brutal fighters and colossal enemies to rid the world of the evil force of Malicious. Gain new weapons, build your powers and perform devastating combo attacks as the final showdown between good and evil draws near.
Worms 2: Armageddon Game of the Year ($27.49)
Worms 2: Armageddon, the turn-based-strategy blast-a-thon, returns in a new Game of the Year Edition. Packed with features set to satisfy both new and older generation Worms players alike, this online and offline destruction-fest is set to go global with its unique brand of easy to learn, but hard to master gameplay. Included is the feature-packed standard version of the game and all of the great additional content! (more…)
Posted in News
Tagged Lego Batman 2, PS3, PSP, Puddle, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Vita