Indie darling ‘Gone Home’ hits UK consoles next week
It’s been an agonising wait, but Gone Home will soon be available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in the UK. The game’s console debut was originally slated for mid-January, however some last minute certification issues meant its European release was put on hold. (It was still released in the US, however.) Those problems appear to have been sorted now, as The Fullbright Company today confirmed it’ll be arriving on the continent, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Russia, on February 12th.
So why should you care? Well, Gone Home made quite a splash when it first arrived on PC, Mac and Linux in 2013. It received some glowing reviews from the press and a smattering of awards for its interactive storytelling. Set in 1985, you take on the role of Kaitlin as she explores a mansion in Portland, Oregon. To say any more would ruin the experience — so I’ll merely suggest that if you haven’t played it before and care about narrative, this is a game you should play through at least once.
Now, how long is it until Tacoma comes out again?
Source: Gone Home (Twitter)
‘Counter-Strike’ player tricks cheaters into getting banned
Cheating has plagued the various incarnations of Counter-Strike practically since its servers went online in 1999 and one resourceful Redditor has had enough. User AndroidL created a trio of fake hacks for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that promised everything from unlimited ammo and health to some exotic viewing angles that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Except instead of those exploits, the some 5,500 folks who downloaded them got a hell of a surprise: unwanted attention from Valve’s Anti Cheat system on Steam.
Even better is that AndroidL took a handful of screenshots of the hackers complaining about their accounts being marked as untrustworthy and later banned, or banned immediately after playing with the hacks installed. The schadenfreude is real here, folks. If you’d like to join in, the Reddit thread is rife with folks having a good chuckle at the lack of self-awareness of the hackers who complain about their accounts being targeted because they cheated, too.
The reality, though, is that thousands of banned accounts are basically a drop in the bucket. To that end, AndroidL has a message: “I’ll look into doing this sort of thing again.” Consider yourself warned, Counter-Strike ne’er-do-wells.
Nintendo explains its rewards program and that smartphone app
Nintendo’s first smartphone entry is gradually, actually, happening. During investor call earlier today, the company showcased what is actually going on, how it’ll make attempt to make most of your smartphone. You can also start registering for the game (and its corresponding “My Nintendo” online service) starting February 17th. This dovetails with the company’s new rewards scheme, which was also elaborated on further today. You’ll have to ensure you have your “My Nintendo” account ready for all the above when it launches globally in March, but until then, here’s what the gaming company had to say.
Rewards will be separated into two different tiers: Gold Points (received from buying Nintendo games, consoles and digital content), and Platinum points that you’ll get from logging into your “My Nintendo” account, playing games on your phone, and other non-transaction based things.
How you earn the points differs, as does how you use them. Platinum points can be exchanged for digital contents (wallpapers, game DLC), while gold points will change into discount vouchers — for buying more Nintendo stuff. Wait, no more Mario caps and frivolous Nintendo toys, a la Club Nintendo? Not quite: Nintendo’s investor briefing slides add that you will be able to swap Platinum points for “original goods”, mentioned separately to digital swag.
The “My Nintendo” service will launch in full in 16 countries when it starts mid-March, coinciding with the release of Miitomo, the company’s first smartphone title, what it’s calling an “entertainment app” — and not a game. I think Nintendo’s splitting hairs, because Miitomo still looks very similar to the 3DS’ Tomodachi Life title, with your own avatar living alongside other similarly-made Miis — presumably your real-life friends.
The app will come to both iOS and Android next month, and it’ll be the first of at least five smart device launches that Nintendo will make between now and March 2017. To make the most of its smartphone home, a feature called Mii Photo will allow you to blend together your Mii character with photos and captions, ensuring Nintendo’s first smartphone gambit is easily shared on social networks — outside of just the app itself. Until then, you can show your support for all things Nintendo on your phone with this (Japanese only) Mario Maker Wallpaper… Maker.
Source: Nintendo UK
Nintendo sold almost 10 million Amiibos in the last three months
While Nintendo didn’t have a lot of good news to share in its latest earnings report, it’s now elaborated on a new money-maker. Yep, those Amiibo: for-real figurines that can connect to compatible games — which are eminently collectible in the process. Nintendo says it sold a stunning 9.9 million figures in the last quarter, which is up from 6.4 million Amiibos from the quarter before. It’s also more than double the number of Splatoon copies sold: the Wii U’s best-selling game.
While the figures aren’t cheap, as the company itself notes, Amiibo are often cheaper than game software. Again, there’s interesting differences in which figures sell well in which territories: Splatoon characters make up the entire top three in Japan, while in the US, Link stays at the top and (technically?) Italian plumber Mario tops the charts in Europe. It seems that Nintendo are just getting started. Expect many more figures and Amiibo cards in 2016.
Source: NIntendo (Japanese)
Studio sues makers of ‘NBA 2K16’ for using player tattoos
Sports video games attempt to offer an experience that’s as lifelike as possible, which includes details like players’ tattoos. NBA 2K16 is a title that does just that, and the pursuit of accuracy may land it in legal trouble. Take-Two, the parent company of 2K Sports that makes the basketball game, was hit with a lawsuit this week from the designers that created some of the big-name players’ tattoos. Solid Oak Sketches, LLC claims that Take-Two should have to pay up for using the artwork in the game. Tattoo copyrights don’t exist, but Solid Oak argues that the “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works” of the artists should be protected by law.
The company wants Take-Two to stop using the artwork and is seeking up to $150,000 per infringement. The images in question include eight tattoos on the digital likenesses of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and Kenyon Martin. Solid Oak says it already tried to negotiate a licensing agreement with Take-Two for the sum of $1.14 million to no avail. That’s a hefty sum to be able to include the ink on LeBron’s arm for those free throw close-ups.
Source: Reuters
Twitch offers a close look at first-person film ‘Hardcore Henry’
Hardcore Henry is basically a mix of Jason Bourne, Captain America and Call of Duty. It’s an action epic about a man who wakes from near-death in a futuristic laboratory and with no memory of his past. Minutes after regaining consciousness, he embarks on a dangerous mission to save his kidnapped wife from a warlord who plans to create genetically engineered super soldiers. The entire movie is shot in a first-person perspective, directly from Henry’s point of view. This perspective twist certainly sounds interesting — and you can get a closer look at it on Wednesday, February 10th, live on Twitch.
Twitch will debut a new trailer for Hardcore Henry during a livestreamed event on February 10th, held from 6PM to 8PM PST on the channel of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive streamer summit1g. Hardcore Henry writer and director Ilya Naishuller will be on-hand to answer questions and discuss the film’s influences, which definitely include some classic shooters.
“The film itself pays homage to many first-person video games, many of which are referenced throughout Hardcore Henry,” a press release promises.
Three popular streamers — Ms_Vixen, Force, and Rachel “Seltzer” Quirico — will join Naishuller and summit1g during the Twitch event. Hardcore Henry makes its domestic debut at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March, and it hits theaters nationwide on April 8th.
Hardcore Henry made waves at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and was picked up by STX Entertainment for $10 million that year (check out the movie’s TIFF trailer below). STX has planned a robust marketing campaign for the film, one that clearly doesn’t stop with ad placements on television and in theaters, as Deadline reports.
Twitch has rapidly cemented itself as a valuable entertainment service, connecting audiences directly with their favorite content creators and online personalities. This won’t be the last mainstream vehicle to use Twitch for outreach and branding — it certainly isn’t the first, either.
Time-twisting shooter ‘Superhot’ arrives on February 25th
The innovative, time-based shooter Superhot has had a long, unusual road to completion — it started out as a clever idea at a game jam, got off the ground through a successful crowdfunding campaign and built up tremendous hype through pre-release copies and countless “let’s play” videos. At last, though, it’s nearly here. The team has revealed that Superhot will be available on Linux, Mac and Windows PCs on February 25th. You can pre-order it at $14 for the regular Steam version, and $25 if you’d also like the soundtrack and a PDF art book. Xbox One gamers can buy the game sometime in the next few weeks.
If you’ll recall, the buzz around Superhot comes from its turning the conventional first-person shooter formula on its head. Here, time only moves at normal speed when you move — the challenge isn’t so much dodging the hail of bullets as planning a route that won’t box you into a corner. You also have one very fragile life, no power-ups and limited ammo (basically, whatever is in the guns you find). When you combine those with highly stylized graphics and a fourth-wall-breaking story, you get an experience that promises to be a breath of fresh air in a frequently stale genre.
Source: Kickstarter
‘Knights and Bikes’ is a charming co-op game set in ’80s Britain
Every so often we’ll spot a game in the bowels of Kickstarter which, despite all of the problems associated with crowdfunding, grabs our attention and won’t let go. Knights and Bikes is one of those projects because, well, just look at the screenshots. Everything about it is just adorably British. Conceived by Rex Crowle and Moo Yu, two fellows from LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule, the pitch promises a co-op adventure about two friends on an island near Cornwall. Set in the late 1980s, they’re tasked with saving their quaint town from spooky spirits and financial ruin. Think The Goonies, with a sprinkling of Earthbound and Secret of Mana.
The art style looks top-notch and the island, filled with rickety old caravans, mobile libraries and sweet stores, does a good job of evoking the time and place. In the game you’ll be pedalling around on your trusty bike, helping villagers and battling through “dungeons” with an assortment of crazy weapons, such as frisbees, wellington boots and power gloves. Completing quests and collecting treasure will help you acquire new abilities, such as bike upgrades (the saddle of command! Spoke trinkets!) that will help you explore more of the island and its mysteries.
Crowle was the creative lead on Tearaway and a key artist for the LittleBigPlanet franchise. Yu, meanwhile, was a lead gameplay programmer for Sackboy’s adventures and the Insomniac title Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. Despite their combined experience, there’s no guarantee the game will materialize. That’s the way with all Kickstarters and, looking back on previous failures and delays, we wouldn’t blame you for being skeptical. Still, if you want to support the pair, you can back the project right now and help it towards its £100,000 goal.
Via: Kotaku
Source: Knights and Bikes (Kickstarter)
Cast your vote for March’s free PlayStation 4 indie game
With the Iowa caucuses behind us, it’s understandable if you want to make your voice heard again before this November. Well, PlayStation has your back because Vote to Play is making a return. Starting February 9th, you can once again vote for which of three indie game candidates will be a free PS Plus download for March. The program’s been on hiatus since August for whatever reason, but this month’s crop looks pretty solid.
First up we have Action Henk, a charming 2D platformer/racing game of sorts that looks like it’s set in Andy’s room from Toy Story and has you careening around Hot Wheels tracks and butt-sliding over building blocks. It’s a little reminiscent of Joe Danger, if you ask me.
Then there’s Assault Android Cactus which is a fast-paced twin-stick shooter at its core (think Geometry Wars or Everyday Shooter), with a cast of doe-eyed lady androids and support for four local co-op players. Or! in a strange twist of a publisher or developer not blocking the futuristic feature, Cactus supports Shareplay seeing as the game doesn’t have native online co-op.
Lastly, BroForce (pictured above) is an over-the-top ’80s action flick (think Rambo or any of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s repertoire from that era) packed into a pixelated 2D shooter of yore. Because we all know that Contra could’ve been a little better with some self-referential jabs and maybe a few less cheap deaths.
Unlike political elections, this isn’t so much of a “lesser of the evils” situation as it is actually, you know, picking the candidate that’s genuinely the best one for you.
Source: PlayStation Blog
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ is getting a LEGO video game
Frustrated that The Force Awakens won’t feature in any Star Wars: Battlefront DLC? No matter. While the graphics won’t be quite the same, LEGO and developer TT Games will soon have you covered with a button-mashing adventure inspired by Episode VII. The upcoming title was spotted on the Xbox Games Store and through a trailer leaked on YouTube, revealing yet another brawler-platformer that’s chock-full of gags and family-friendly fun. Whether it’s Poe Dameron using a windscreen wiper on his X-Wing, or Rey driving a speeder with a “BB on Board” sticker, there should be plenty to keep both children and adults chuckling.
According to the Xbox product page, the game will launch on June 28th and feature a ton of playable characters, including Rey, Finn, Poe, BB-8, Kylo Ren and Han Solo. There will also be some new gameplay mechanics, namely Multi-Builds, which allow players to open new paths by continually building and destroying their handiwork. The most passionate Star Wars fans will also be intrigued by the prospect of “exclusive playable content” that “bridges the story gap” between Episode VI and VII. A crucial piece of lore or a throwaway level? There’s only one way to find out.
AIVAnet 