Sunday, March 31, 2019

Games for Your Inner Historian

I love history. I have historical books, movies and texts on every shelf at home and a big fat history degree on my wall that’s mostly useful for… well, articles like this.

Being a history nerd also means that when a game takes inspiration from a particular historical epoch, it makes me all the more interested. I know that history isn’t for everyone, and not every game needs a solid historical basis, but I’ve always seen games as a way to explore thoughts and ideas in a way that no other medium can - and not everyone wants to sit through a three-hour lecture on the Russian revolution.

So let’s take a look at a handful of games and game series that have built an incredible experience on top of a solid historical underpinning. To be clear, these aren’t experiences that will give you a totally realistic depiction of a time period, but they do give you some of the flavour of the age; whether that’s culture, politics, warfare or any number of other elements. And yes, because I can’t resist I’ll also point you in the direction of further information to complement - or build upon - what you might get out of each game.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/31/games-for-your-inner-historian

Mortal Kombat 11: All Fatalities

See every fatality in Mortal Kombat 11.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/31/mortal-kombat-11-all-fatalities

How to Unlock the Hidden Hills in Yoshi's Crafted World

Learn more about this special area along with other secrets with this guide,

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/31/how-to-unlock-the-hidden-hills-in-yoshis-crafted-world

Hearthstone Card Reveal: This is the Legendary You’ll Get Ahead of the Next Expansion!

Hearthstone fans don’t have to long to wait until the next expansion – Rise of Shadows – drops, but we’ll actually be getting a little taste of what’s in store ahead of the April 9 (April 10 in ANZ) release date. Yes, much as players were given a copy of Marin the Fox ahead of the release of Kobolds & Catacombs, we’re getting a free legendary minion ahead of Rise of Shadows.

Who is this minion? IGN has the exclusive reveal:

And it's free! And it's free!

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/31/hearthstone-card-reveal-this-is-your-free-rise-of-shadows-legendary

Sega Announces Four New Games Based on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Sega has announced four new games based on the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The first of these is titled Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game, which will be released in Japan and Asia this summer for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, and worldwide in 2020. Sega describes this as “a fun-filled sports action game where you can create your own avatar and compete in Olympic Games events with people around the world.” Rather than featuring Sonic or other characters, it appears to have a more realistic – if simplistic – art style.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will then hit Nintendo Switch during winter 2019. From the footage and screenshots released, it appears to be similar to previous Mario & Sonic titles release by Sega at previous Olympics, with a collection of mini games themed around different sports, and will make use of the Joy-Con features. As with the Rio Olympics title, there will also be an Arcade Edition launching at a similar time, which will use physical inputs such as jumping.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/30/sega-announces-four-new-games-based-on-the-tokyo-2020-olympics

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Mini-Boss List and Guide

Don't miss a single mini-boss with this guide.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/31/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-mini-boss-list-and-guide

Saturday, March 30, 2019

How to Get All the Endings in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Learn about each of Sekiro's endings with this guide.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/30/how-to-get-all-the-endings-in-sekiro-shadows-die-twice

Genesis Mini Release Date, Price and Initial Games Lineup Revealed

Sega has announced that the Genesis Mini and Mega Drive Mini will be released September 19, 2019, containing 40 classic games including Sonic the Hedgehog, Ecco the Dolphin and Castlevania: Bloodlines. It will be priced at $79.99 USD/£69.99/€79.99/ $139.95 AUD.

The unit is approximately 55% of the size of the original Model 1 Genesis or Mega Drive, and comes with two replica three-button USB controllers, a USB to Micro-B power cable and an HDMI cable.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/30/sega-genesis-mini-release-date-price-and-initial-games-lineup-revealed

Friday, March 29, 2019

Insomniac Boss Believes Community Building Is Most Exciting Trend

Every parent that doubles as a gamer secretly wishes their own kids will one day pick up the controller and start going on their own epic adventures, and Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price is no exception. The experience has led Price to believe that expanding the overall community of game players, not console launches or any one technological advancement, is the industry’s most exciting trend.

On this month’s episode of IGN Unfiltered (see the full episode below), Price sat down with editor Ryan McCaffrey to talk about this experience, the tough lessons Insomniac learned from developing Marvel’s Spider-Man, and what Insomniac’s future holds.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/29/insomniac-boss-believes-player-community-expansion-is-most-exciting-trend-a-ign-unfiltered

Elder Scrolls Online’s Elsweyr Expansion Shakes Things Up

This isn’t the first time ESO has visited the beautifully sandy region of Elsweyr (pronounced Elsewhere) since some small zones in the base game let players dip their toes into the area such as Khenarthi's Roost. However, opening up the whole zone for exploration is new. And with this new zone also comes the introduction of dragons into the world of ESO.

The prequel quest should be going live soon and will serve as a direct prelude to the events in Elsweyr (out May 20 on PC and June 4 on consoles), immediately following the Wrathstone DLC’s brief narrative. The gist of it all is that some Imperials have invaded the northern region of Elsweyr with a necromancer at their helm and something that the player does may have accidentally awoken dragons under the presumed guise of aiding natives in battle. Naturally, things didn’t unfold as intended and now all hell’s broken loose.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/29/elder-scrolls-onlines-elsweyr-expansion-shakes-things-up

Tropico 6 Review

There aren't a lot of city builders that let you roleplay a specific type of leader, so I immediately took a liking to the freedom Tropico 6 gives you to do just that. There's nothing stopping you from trying to build a communist paradise where everyone lives in haciendas and banana pickers make as much money as tech executives, or a brutal military dictatorship that only cares about how efficiently human lives can be turned into profitable exports. Nothing, that is, besides an unwieldy economic simulation that can quickly go belly up without giving you easy access to information on how to fix it.

There's a lot going on across the inviting white sand beaches, bungalows, and lush jungle interiors of the latest version of Tropico, which look great except for the waterfalls, which seem lifted out of a 10-year-old game. Despite its relaxing environment, its politicking, trade, and mission systems kept me busier than any of its predecessors as I strived to stay in power and accomplish objectives that would advance me from the colonial era all the way up to the modern day – many of my own making in sandbox mode, as well as pre-made ones in its 15 story missions.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/29/tropico-6-review

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Sekiro: Beat the Toughest Bosses With Our Guides and Tips

Don't let Sekiro's tough bosses get you down - see how to beat these difficult encounters with our tips.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/sekiro-beat-the-toughest-bosses-with-our-guides-and-tips

Amy Hennig Explains Problem With Players Not Finishing Stories

Amy Hennig, best known for her work as creative director on the Uncharted series, may be one of the most prolific video game storytellers alive, but even she can’t make a huge portion of gamers finish her stories. Hennig sat down with editor Ryan McCaffrey on this month’s episode of IGN Unfiltered to discuss the issue plaguing narrative-focused games.

“The idea that our medium just makes peace with the fact that most people will never see the whole arc of the story we're telling, that's bizarre to me. The age when we could make games in the non-indie space that are six to eight hours long, don't have any second modes, don't have a live service, multiplayer, they're just about this finite interactive narrative experience that sticks the landing and is memorable, that's a harder and harder sell."

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/amy-hennig-explains-industrys-problem-with-players-never-finishing-stories-a-ign-unfiltered

Check Out Early Gameplay from Legacy of Kain Developer's New Game

Join Jim from Apocalypse Studios as he takes you on a guided tour of some work-in-progress gameplay from Deadhaus Sonata, the upcoming free-to-play, six-player-cooperative action-RPG from the team led by Legacy of Kain and Eternal Darkness developer Denis Dyack.

As you can see in the video above, you play an undead character, feeding off the living, and Apocalpyse says they "want you to be a killing machine." You'll also see Deadhaus's unique approach to classic vampiric actions such as sucking blood and transforming into a bat.

“We are combining elements of many of my past games into Deadhaus Sonata,” Dyack told us when the game was announced. “Deadhaus Sonata is a cooperative multiplayer, free-to-play RPG where you are an unstoppable force of the dead. There are Lovecraftian overtones from Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, the gothic role-playing elements of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, where you are undead, and finally, some the action RPG elements of Too Human.”

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/deadhaus-sonata-early-gameplay-walkthrough

Yoshi's Crafted World Developers Speak on Unreal Engine, amiibo, and More!

Nintendo Executive Officer of the Entertainment Planning and Development Division Takashi Tezuka has been with the company since 1984. He has served as Director and Producer on 2D games in the Super Mario series, 2D games in The Legend of Zelda series, and he's produced the Yoshi series, Animal Crossing series, and Flipnote Studio for Nintendo DSi. Etsunobu Ebisu, meanwhile, is the Executive Vice President of Good-Feel Co., Ltd, the developer behind Yoshi's Crafted World. Both answered a handful of IGN's questions about the brand-new Yoshi-starring platformer, which releases tomorrow.

Our interview is presented below, but first, check out our review of Yoshi's Crafted World, which, as you can see, we quite enjoyed!

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/yoshis-crafted-world-developers-speak-on-unreal-engine-amiibo-and-more-a-ign-first

Update: Dreams Early Access Version Gets a Release Date

Update 03/28/2019: Dreams' Early Access release date has been announced to be April 16.

Want to know more? There's a lovely new trailer just for that:

Sony has announced that Media Molecule's Dreams will be released in an early access form in spring 2019, and will cost $29.99 / €29.99 (no UK or Australian price is available at time of writing).

The fabulously clever game/art/movie/music(/everything) tool will arrive as a 'Creator Early Access' version, containing a suite of creation tools and tutorials for using them. You'll be able to browse other people's creations (and remix them), a series of pre-made, customisable arcade games, and an 'Inspiration Gallery' of particularly impressive bits of work curated by Media Molecule.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/dreams-getting-early-access-version-this-spring

Race Week Comes to GTA Online

It's Race Week for GTA Online with Double GTA$ and RP on various races, as well as a handful of vehicle upgrades offered at heavy discounts.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/race-week-comes-to-gta-online

Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered Review

A lot has happened to the Assassin’s Creed series in the seven years since Assassin's Creed 3 first came out. It was quickly overshadowed in 2013 by the follow-up, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which remains one of my all-time favorites – but that’s in part because of how well AC4 built upon the naval combat concepts introduced by its Colonial predecessor. Since then, our expectations for the series have been changed yet again by the RPG-influenced Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey, which revamped combat control in a way that’s hard to go back from. So while I'm glad to say Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered does do a great job bringing the appearance of this 18th-century world and its characters of this 2012 game up to 2019 standards, there's a lot of creakiness to it that even the gameplay tweaks it makes can’t entirely smooth out.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/assassins-creed-3-remastered-review

Breath of the Wild Co-Developer Hiring for Another Zelda Project

Monolith Soft, the creator of the Xenoblade series and co-development studio on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is hiring for a new Zelda project.

On a Zelda-themed recruitment page (as spotted by Japanese Nintendo), Monolith says it's looking for technical artists, programmers, planners, designers, and a project manager.

No hint is given as to what the Zelda project would be, simply asking for staff who can help "create new surprises and emotions".

Monolith previously contributed to Zelda: Skyward Sword, helping with artistic and graphical elements. However, its work on Breath of the Wild centred on level design for the open world, particularly with regard to topography. Over 100 Monolith staff were part of the Breath of the Wild development process.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/28/breath-of-the-wild-co-developer-monolith-soft-hiring-for-another-zelda-project

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Fortnite Week 5 Challenges: Bouncy Ball Tips

The fifth week of Season 8 is here and we have tips on completing the bouncy ball challenge.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/fortnite-week-5-challenges-15-bounces-with-bouncy-ball-and-pirate-camp-map-and-locations-season-8

Sekiro: Sunken Valley Guide and Walkthrough

Find out how to navigate the icy sunken valley in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and don't miss a single secret with our guide.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/sekiro-sunken-valley-guide-and-walkthrough

Telling Lies Focuses on a Stolen NSA Hard Drive

Despite the critical acclaim that Her Story received when it launched in 2015, not a lot of games have aped its novel conceit — players explore a story by searching key words spoken during an interview. But developer Sam Barlow has continued evolving the format he created (though later learned had some real-world analogues) with Her Story in Telling Lies, which is set for release this year.

I spoke to Barlow ahead of the debut of Telling Lies’ reveal trailer, which you can watch below, about the complexity of a multi-protagonist story, how in some ways the game’s structure was a response to Barlow’s viewing of Breaking Bad, and just what exactly you’ll be investigating in Telling Lies.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/how-breaking-bad-influenced-her-story-follow-up-telling-lies

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Spin-Off Announced

Larian Studios and Danish developer Logic Artists have teamed up to create Divinity: Fallen Heroes, a standalone title set in the Divinity: Original Sin 2 universe.

Divinity: Fallen Heroes will feature two-player co-op as well a single-player mode, as you explore the farthest reaches of Rivellon aboard your very own flying battleship, The Lady Vengeance, which can harness the power of Source.

The heroes of Divinity: Original Sin 2 will all be along for the ride, including Fane, Ifan, Lohse, Sebille, the Red Emperor, and Beast, as well as Divinity 2 NPC Malady, who has been added to the throng of heroes as a playable character.

It sounds very much more strategic and involved than the previous titles in the series, boasting over 30 different unit types which you can equip with over 200 skills.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/divinity-original-sin-2-spin-off-announced

PS Plus Games for April 2019 Announced

Sony has revealed the April 2019 games coming to PlayStation Plus members, featuring The Surge and Conan Exiles.

Announced on the PlayStation Blog, The Surge is a sci-fi action RPG considered to be a spiritual successor to Lords of the Fallen. Conan Exiles is a survival action game set in the world of Conan the Barbarian. Both games will become available to download starting April 2.

In our review of The Surge, we called the game “Good” saying it "struggles to present a compelling campaign, but delivers a fun new take on a familiar genre."

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/ps-plus-games-for-april-2019-announced

Wolfenstein: Youngblood Release Date Revealed

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is being released for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on July 26.

Revealed at E3 2018, Wolfenstein: Youngblood lets players step into the shoes of one of BJ Blazkowicz's twin daughters in the alternate universe's 1980s Paris, and if you pick up the Deluxe Edition, you can invite a friend to play with you for free with the Buddy Pass.

"Deluxe Edition owners will be able to provide their exclusive Buddy Pass to one friend at a time, allowing them to download and play Wolfenstein: Young Blood for free, as long as they play with the owner of the Deluxe Edition."

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/wolfenstein-youngblood-release-date-revealed

Ted Price Talks Storytelling in AAA Games

While game developers like Amy Hennig publicly grapple with the evolution of industry business models and how they impact single-player experiences, Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price has his own feelings on the matter. In this month’s episode of IGN Unfiltered, editor Ryan McCaffrey sat down separately with Hennig and Price to discuss how the games industry is changing, and what Insomniac learned from making Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/ted-price-talks-storytelling-in-aaa-games-a-ign-unfiltered

New Borderlands Game Teased, More Coming Tomorrow

A teaser has been released for what appears to be the latest game in the Borderlands series.

The teaser, called Mask of Mayhem, doesn't explicitly call the game Borderlands 3, but does show a whole lot of imagery you'd expect from the series. Check it out below:

Publisher 2K says more will be revealed at the Gearbox PAX East panel tomorrow, March 28 - you can tune into the livestream at 11:00 Pacific / 14:00 Eastern / 18:00 GMT (that's March 29 at 5:00 AEDT).

It's been fairly clear for some time that a Borderlands announcement was coming, following public tech demos, leaks and teases.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/new-borderlands-game-teased-more-coming-tomorrow

Yoshi's Crafted World Review

True to form, Yoshi’s Crafted World is exactly what I expected it to be. It’s a very enjoyable and delightfully charming Yoshi platformer that doesn’t really strive to be much more, like Breath of the Wild did for Zelda, nor does it hone the series’ ideas to a razor-sharp edge like Odyssey did for Mario. It’s formulaic, and at times that can make it feel as thin as its realistic-looking cardboard sets, but that didn’t stop me from having a ton of fun running around them.

Yoshi’s Crafted World isn’t a tough platformer, so that fun wasn’t usually from a sense of overcoming a challenge. In fact, apart from the four levels that unlock at the end of its campaign, most of its 40+ stages pose little threat to complete at all. Enemies are mostly passive, Yoshi’s adorable new costumes offer a huge amount of damage protection, and his signature mid-air hover can be chained almost indefinitely, allowing for some extremely forgiving platforming.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/yoshis-crafted-world-review

Gwent Announced for Smartphones

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is coming to iPhones later this year, with an Android release to follow "at a later date."

“We’ve been preparing long and hard to adapt Gwent to smartphones,” said GWENT game director, Jason Slama. “Beautiful visuals aside, we’ve tailored much of our technology, including GOG Galaxy which powers Gwent’s multiplayer, to support mobile devices.

"I think our vision for bringing Gwent to smartphones combines the best we have to offer both in terms of graphics and gameplay. I can’t wait to share more details on the subject with you later this year.”

Gwent's single-player campaign launched as a standalone game last December, while the first card expansion, Crimson Curse, announced earlier this month, will be dropping tomorrow.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/27/gwent-announced-for-smartphones

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

April Xbox Games With Gold Includes The Technomancer and More

Microsoft has revealed the four games coming to Xbox Games with Gold in April 2019.

Xbox One users will be able to grab RPG The Technomancer, and open-world sci-fi Outcast: Second Contact, while Xbox 360 players get the original Xbox version of Star Wars Battlefront II and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2. Both 360 titles can be played on Xbox One thanks to backwards compatibility.

The Tehcnomancer will be available all month, from April 1 - 30, while Outcast: Second Contact will kick in on April 16 through to May 15.

As for the classic games, Battlefront II is available between April 1 and 15, and Advanced Warfighter 2 between April 16 and 30.

It’s a mixed bag this month. Our review of The Technomancer scored it a 4.9, citing a poor combat system, unconvincing characters, and bad progression, all of which spoils a complex story and enjoyable world.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/26/april-2019-xbox-games-with-gold-includes-the-technomancer-and-outcast-second-contact

2 Game Industry Legends Share Stories from Star Wars, Spider-Man, and More

In this special episode of our monthly interview series IGN Unfiltered, filmed at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas, game design legend Amy Hennig (Uncharted series, Legacy of Kain series) and Insomniac Games founder Ted Price (Marvel's Spider-Man, Ratchet and Clank series, Sunset Overdrive, Resistance series) separately join us to discuss their decorated careers. Hennig talks about her canceled Star Wars game with EA, codenamed 'Ragtag', experimenting with VR, and much more. Price, after having been a guest on Unfiltered last fall prior to Spider-Man's release, talks about what life has been like since their open-world superhero adventure took the world by storm and won a number of awards in the process.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/26/2-game-industry-legends-share-stories-from-star-wars-spider-man-and-more-a-ign-unfiltered-40

Deadhaus Sonata Gameplay Teaser Revealed

Apocalypse Studios and founder Denis Dyack – the developer behind games like Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Eternal Darkness – have released the first gameplay teaser trailer for their new project, Deadhaus Sonata (see it above).

Deadhaus Sonata is an upcoming free-to-play action-RPG that promises Twitch integration as well as cooperative play for up to six players. It was announced last Fall, though no release date has been set as of yet. “We are combining elements of many of my past games into Deadhaus Sonata,” Dyack told us when the game was announced. “Deadhaus Sonata is a cooperative multiplayer, free-to-play RPG where you are an unstoppable force of the dead. There are Lovecraftian overtones from Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, the gothic role-playing elements of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, where you are undead, and finally, some the action RPG elements of Too Human.”

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/26/deadhaus-sonata-gameplay-teaser-revealed

Trover Saves the Universe Might Be the Most Profane Game Ever

Trover Saves the Universe is insane. It basically feels like a playable episode of Rick and Morty. The animation style is the same, the humor is the same, and heck, you'll even hear Roiland use both Rick's voice (on certain enemies) and Morty's (Trover himself). I am left to genuinely wonder if the only reason it isn't a Rick and Morty game is because Roiland didn't want to share the profits with Adult Swim and/or he didn't want their corporate approval process slowing him down.

Anyway, all of that is to say that Trover Saves the Universe is hilarious. I don't laugh out loud at games nearly as often as I'd like, and without a doubt, Trover got more audible, involuntary laughter out of me than any game since Matt Stone and Trey Parker's last two South Park RPGs. My demo of Trover – the full game is out on May 31 for PS4 and PSVR – was with Tanya Watson, co-founder and studio director of Roiland's game development house, Squanch. Watson confirmed what I suspected while laughing my way through Trover's first proper mission: that Roiland ad-libbed all of the dialogue. The designers sketched out levels and gameplay based on a high-level outline, and then Roiland came in, played it, and hopped into the VO booth to record lines for literally every conceivable scenario. And he did it on the fly. Think of it as a Curb Your Enthusiasm kind of approach, which is both amazing and difficult to pull off. Roiland and Squanch seem to be well on their way to doing just that.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/26/trover-saves-the-universe-might-be-the-most-profane-game-ever

Control Hands-On Preview: It Feels Good to Break Things

Remedy Entertainment – makers of Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Quantum Break – has never made a bad game, and if my first hands-on with their latest, Control, is any indication, they’re not in jeopardy of breaking that streak. In the same way that Max Payne basically forced you to always keep moving, Control does the same – but adds in a bunch of superpowers, a bizarre and compelling setting, and gleefully rips the environment to shreds in the process. My first hands-on with it was everything I hoped for.

As Jesse Faden, the newly appointed head of the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control, you’re handed a unique Service Weapon that can transform and upgrade in different, player-controlled ways, and asked to keep the strange forces threatening our world at bay. My demo took place in the Central Research section of The Oldest House – the nickname for the Brutalist-architecture, space-bending building that the Bureau calls home. In it, a hostile force known as The Hiss has begun attacking, meaning you’ll see suspended, floating bodies, people frozen in time and space, and aggressive bad guys who seemingly teleport in – some of which have powers like yours.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/26/control-first-hands-on-preview-wrecking-government-shop

Monday, March 25, 2019

Elder Scrolls Morrowind Free Today to Celebrate 25 Years of Elder Scrolls

The Elder Scrolls officially turns 25 this week, and Bethesda is celebrating in a big way with tons of discounts, some giveaways, and even free games from The Elder Scrolls series.

The anniversary festivities span the entire franchise. For starters, you can get an entirely free PC copy of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind by logging into your Bethesda.net account and redeem code: TES25TH-MORROWIND. This offer is only available today, so if you’ve never experienced the adventure, check out the IGN Morrowind review, and then go grab it just because you can.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/elder-scrolls-morrowind-free-today-to-celebrate-25-years-of-elder-scrolls

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Announced for Release in 2021

Daedalic Entertainment has announced The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, a narrative-focused adventure game that will centre on J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous tricksy, dual-personality character.

Set to release in 2021, the game will explore events that occur between Gollum’s finding of the One Ring and the start of The Lord of the Rings story.

Unlike recent Middle-earth games that draw inspiration from Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy, Daedalic’s game will based purely on Tolkien’s books.

The project comes thanks to a new partnership between Daedalic and Middle-earth Enterprises; the company that owns the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Gollum will also be just the first game produced as part of the deal; further games are being planned.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-announced-for-release-in-2021

Where to Preorder Pokemon Shield and Pokemon Sword

If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.

It's official: the full 2019 Pokemon game for Nintendo Switch is called Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. The pair of games is slated for release in "late 2019" and will be set in a new region called Galar, which bears some resemblance to England. The starter Pokemon this time around are a grass chimp named Grookey, a fire rabbit named Scorbunny, and a water lizard called Sobble.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/pokemon-sword-and-shield-release-date-preorder-guide

Amy Hennig's Canceled Star Wars Game Was Meant to Evoke 'Ensemble' Feel of Films

Electronic Arts’ history with Star Wars games has been tumultuous to say the least. There may be no better example than the Star Wars game that was being developed by Visceral, the studio behind Dead Space, and famed video game writer Amy Hennig, known for her work on the Uncharted series. On this month’s episode of IGN Unfiltered, host Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Amy Hennig to discuss her vision for the unfinished Star Wars game, what she’s been doing on her “year off,” and more.

Continue reading…



source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/amy-hennigs-canceled-star-wars-game-was-meant-to-evoke-ensemble-feel-of-films-a-unfiltered

The Floor Is Lava Coming to Fortnite as a Limited Time Mode

The Floor Is Lava, a limited time mode based on the childhood game where you jump from couch to counter and accidentally break a lamp while trying to avoid the imaginary lava on the floor, is coming to Fortnite.

This information can be seen via the in-game news feed, which states: "Get to high ground or build above the lava that's overtaking the island.” The image notes that the LTM is “coming soon,” and it’s expected to drop with the upcoming v8.20 update, though no specific date has been announced.

2019032508584200-F489C99A244DF57DCBDC4BFD2DB926F1

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/the-floor-is-lava-coming-to-fortnite-as-a-limited-time-mode

Analogue Mega Sg Review

Clone console hardware has come a long way over the past 15 years. What used to be the domain of sketchy shopping mall kiosks offering off-brand NESes claiming to contain 1,000 games (990 of which were strangely named hacks of Super Mario Bros. and Contra, and none of which were legally licensed) has become a booming, legitimate business, thanks in part to the huge success off the NES Classic and Super NES Classic. Analogue Co.'s new Mega Sg—a high-end Sega Genesis clone—arrives amidst heavy competition, and it comes with a fairly steep price tag of $189.99 that anybody looking for a quick and simple hit of nostalgia may find off-putting. What Analogue promises in return, however, is something no other Genesis clone on the market can offer: Total fidelity to the original hardware, with zero barriers to a perfect plug-and-play gaming experience on high-definition and 4K televisions. While it turns out the Mega Sg doesn't quite achieve that lofty goal either, it comes remarkably close and offers the best Genesis experience on the market.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/analogue-mega-sg-review

Anthem's New Stronghold Caches Won't Contain Armour

Anthem players are upset following the news that Elysian Stronghold Caches will not contain new armor sets, but will instead feature new vinyls, animations, victory poses, and emotes.

As reported by VG247, some of this confusion occurred following a livestream comment and when some Anthem players tweeted Bioware lead producer Ben Irving and asked when they can expect to be able to earn and/or acquire new armor sets.

Irving originally replied, offering a bit of hope, saying that "Eysian chests should be up next week," which led many players to believe these caches would contain armor sets.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/anthems-new-stronghold-caches-wont-contain-armour

How to Get 2,150 Apex Legends Coins for 99p

If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.

With the number of players jumping into Apex Legends sky-rocketing, it's only natural demand for new skins and unlockables to increase. It's possible to earn new cosmetics simply by playing, but purchasing Apex Legends coins is a fast-track way to getting extras (although you're not guaranteed to get what you want).

Apex Legends coins are only used to unlock cosmetics, characters and weapons - they do not provide any actual advantage in the game, so it's not 'pay-to-play' via the currency,

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/buy-apex-legends-coins-cheap

SteamWorld Quest Is a Card Game RPG as Fiendish as It Is Lovely

There’s something inherently likeable about the SteamWorld series. Its hand-drawn sprites, or sheer commitment to cheeriness or unerring focus on a single, tight, mechanical design stretched to game length – one or all of these will tug a smile from players’ cold hearts eventually, no matter the game. The side-effect is that the whole SteamWorld brand has given developer Image & Form the enviable opportunity to consistently try new things, while still attracting a captive audience.

2013’s breakout Steamworld Dig, don’t forget, was the second game to bear the moniker, swapping the DSiWare original’s Tower Defence for procedurally generated platforming. Then we got Heist, which somehow wrestled the XCOM model into two dimensions, and added a weird fascination with collectible hats. Even Dig 2, the series’ first full sequel, made major changes, swapping those procedural maps for a meticulously designed experience, now prizing skilled play over the original’s material grinding.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/steamworld-quest-is-a-card-game-rpg-as-fiendish-as-it-is-lovely

a Second Apex Legend Character Will Hit During Season 1

A second character will arrive in Apex Legends before the end of Season 1, bringing the roster up to 10 Legends.

The news comes from Sony’s page for Apex Legends on the PlayStation website, which notes that “two new characters will launch over the course of the season”, complete with a full set of cosmetics each.

Developer Respawn had already noted in the Apex Legends roadmap that new characters would arrive each season, but there had been no indication as to how many we could expect. The PlayStation website makes clear, however, that one new Legend will arrive within the next 12 weeks.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/a-second-apex-legend-character-will-hit-during-season-1

Nintendo Allegedly Set to Release Two New Switch Models

Nintendo is allegedly planning to launch two new versions of the Switch console, potentially as early as this summer.

A report by The Wall Street Journal (which can be read in full on Reddit) claims that Nintendo has an “enhanced” variant of the Switch in development, bolstered with features “targeted at avid videogamers”. This will be joined by a cheaper option of the console for casual gamers, with the intent of it acting as a successor to the 3DS.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/25/nintendo-set-to-release-two-new-switch-models

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Rainbow Six Siege in 2019: What's Over The Burnt Horizon

Rainbow Six Siege had something of a rocky start, but Ubisoft's dedication to its multiplayer-only competitive shooter has seen it go from strength to strength. With the launch of Burnt Horizon, Siege embarks on its fourth year of constant improvements — beginning with the addition of Australia (finally).

Here's a look at the year ahead.

A Sunburnt Country

The year kicks off with two new operators and a new map. The map, Outback — or Servo, as the locals call it — is a tightly built two storey arena with an emphasis on destructibility. Hanley's Roadhouse — named for Timothy Hanley, the sole Australian Operator in the original Rainbow Six — demonstrates remarkable growth from the Siege dev team from its outset.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/24/rainbow-six-siege-in-2019-whats-over-the-burnt-horizon

Sekiro - Prosthetic Tool Locations Guide

Deck out your prosthetic arm in Sekiro with all sorts of awesome gadgets with our guide on where to find them all.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/sekiro-prosthetic-tool-locations-guide

Saturday, March 23, 2019

We Saw a Half Hour of Bloodlines 2

We got to sit down with Paradox interactive for a lengthy demo of their sequel to 2004's Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/we-saw-a-half-hour-of-bloodlines-2

Apex Legends: Octane's Tattoo Meaning and References

Is Octane's tattoo a reference to My Hero Academia? It's likely that there's another key reason this Legend says "Plus Ultra."

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/apex-legends-octanes-tattoo-meaning-and-references

Sekiro: Hirata Estate Guide and Walkthrough

Don't miss any secrets, items, prosthetic tools and more in the Hirata Estate in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/sekiro-hirata-estate-guide-and-walkthrough

Persona 5 The Royal Revealed

Atlus has officially revealed Persona 5 The Royal for PlayStation 4.

While little new information has been announced, the title that was teased as Persona 5 R now has another teaser trailer. The trailer features a girl with red hair in the rain in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, followed by the game’s official logo. The Japanese teaser can be viewed on the game’s official website.

P5R Logo

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/persona-5-the-royal-revealed

God of War Director Reveals Full Story Behind Famous E3 Demo

In a presentation given during GDC 2019, God of War director Cory Barlog revealed the full story behind the famous E3 2016 demo that debuted the new God of War to the world.

Barlog says the team always knew the game's big reveal would be at E3 2016, though he didn’t know if it would simply be a logo, a trailer or a full demo. Nine or 10 months before the show, he decided the demo would take place inside the game’s mountain, and pitched this idea to Sony and PR representatives

“About halfway through the pitch I realized ‘this is absolute crap.’ But I’m still giving the pitch,” said Barlog. "So in my mind, I’m starting to think of ways to eject. I start having a few ideas – potentially the beginning of the game, a few visual ideas that are coming up while I’m just running on autopilot on the pitch.”

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/god-of-war-director-reveals-full-story-behind-that-famous-e3-2016-demo-gdc-2019

How to Master Combat in Sekiro

Learning the way of the blade is no easy task in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, see how to become an expert in posture and deflecting powerful attacks.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/how-to-master-combat-in-sekiro

How to Get 2,150 Apex Legends Coins for 99p

Find out how to get 2,150 Apex Legends Coins for 99p, 4,350 for £17.99, 6700 for £34.99 and 11,500 for £64.99.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/23/buy-apex-legends-coins-for-cheap-how-to-get-2150-apex-legends-coins-for-99p

Friday, March 22, 2019

The 5 Best Skills to Get Early in Sekiro

You can unlock multiple skill trees in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and we show you the best ones to get first.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/22/the-5-best-skills-to-get-early-in-sekiro

Cyberpunk 2077 And One Other CD Project Red Game Will Release by 2021

The release window for CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 has narrowed slightly, with the studio confirming the release of two AAA games by 2021.

GamesRadar+ reports that the news comes via a forum post in which the developer states that both Cyberpunk 2077 and a new, unannounced title will debut within the next two years.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/22/cyberpunk-2077-and-one-other-cd-projekt-red-game-will-release-by-2021

Control Gets a Release Date

Alan Wake and Quantum Break developer Remedy Entertainment's next game, Control, now has an official release date.

Control's release date was first seen on Microsoft's Xbox store as it appeared to be published early, and now Remedy has confirmed to Eurogamer that Control will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on August 27, 2019.

Control will be the first Remedy multiplatform title since Max Payne 2 and puts players in the shoes of Jesse Faden, who was recently given the title of director of the Federal Bureau of Control.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/22/control-gets-a-release-date

Apex Legends Has Removed a Favourite Camping Spot From Bunker

Despite being absent from the patch notes, Respawn has stealthily rolled out map changes in the Bunker location that will stop players from camping.

Spotted by Twitter user PlayApexESP (via GamesRadar+), the Season 1 update appears to have removed the air con units from above the doors, which acted as handy perch for a one or two players to rain down shots from on high, or for Caustic mains to watch their noxious traps take effect on their victims below.

You can check out where the camping spots used to be in acuriousfeline's tweet below:

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/22/apex-legends-has-removed-a-favourite-camping-spot-from-bunker

Get NBA2K19 for Free When You Buy a Nintendo Switch

If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.

Last week's incredible Mario Day sale event has come to a close. If you missed it, there was a brief window of opportunity where you could pick up a Mario game for Nintendo Switch for just $40. The other part of the sale was the $329 Switch and Mario game bundle. The good news is that deal lives on in at Walmart and it's even better than it was before.

Looking for some games? Check out the latest Nintendo Switch game deals and save on some of the best

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/22/the-best-nintendo-switch-deals-and-bundles

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Hands-On With Google Stadia

The topic on everyone’s lips at GDC this week has undoubtedly been Google’s reveal of Stadia, the tech giant’s hardware-free game streaming platform. To get a sense of what we might expect from Stadia, I checked out the limited hands-on demos that Google had made available - though I was only able to experience a very small sample of their streaming tech since none of the public demos allowed us to use Stadia’s proprietary controller (though we did get to hold one yesterday).

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/hands-on-with-google-stadia

Reports Suggest Walmart Is Exploring a Game Streaming Service

The retail giant Walmart has reportedly been in talks with developers and publishers for a few months with a view allegedly to launch its own video game streaming platform.

Anonymous sources familiar with Walmart's plans have spoken to USG about the endeavour, saying the idea allegedly has been in the works since earlier this year, with Walmart supposedly continuing the conversation with various contacts at GDC.

The news follows in the footsteps of Google's game streaming platform, Stadia, unveiled at the company's GDC 2019 keynote.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/in-wake-of-google-stadia-reports-suggest-walmart-is-exploring-a-game-streaming-service

Google Stadia's Controller Is Surprising Because of How Normal It Is

During my time speaking to Google's Phil Harrison about the Google Stadia reveal, I got to actually see and hold the Stadia controller. And the biggest surprise about it was that, for a controller paired with a streaming platform aiming to spark a revolution, it feels so familiar.

I didn't get to play anything with the Stadia controller but holding it felt immediately comfortable and recognizable. It had the rough shape and grip of a Nintendo Switch Pro controller with the symmetrical analog stick layout of a PS4 DualShock 4 controller. There's a nice heft to the controller, getting close to that indescribable dream controller weight midway between a hollow piece of plastic and a smooth rock.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/the-google-stadia-controller-is-surprising-because-of-how-normal-it-is

Battlefield 5: Firestorm - What You Need to Know About the Battle Royale Mode

We've played (and won!) Battlefield 5: Firestorm, the series' new Battle Royale mode, and it's a pleasant mix of elements of the series and the genre.

Want to know more? We've got a bunch of details, and some brand new gameplay, nestled in this very article:

Firestorm is a fairly straightforward set-up as Battle Royales go. 64 players (squad and solo variants are available) parachute onto a single landmass, and kill each other off as the titular, circular Firestorm closes in.

As per Battlefield tradition, the real difference here is size. Firestorm's map, Halvøy, is 10 times bigger than the previous largest Battlefield map. What's interesting here is how Firestorm uses that scale - the circle will only cover around two thirds of the map from the very beginning of the round, meaning you won't have to worry too much about escaping the incoming wall of fire, but every round should feel slightly different, placing you across different, distant parts of the map.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/battlefield-5-firestorm-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-battle-royale-mode

We’re Reacting to Google Stadia On the Latest Game Scoop Podcast

Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game podcast. This week we're discussing Google's new Stadia game streaming platform, The Division 2, and more. Tune into Game Scoop! Episode 522 here. That one link will get you to wherever you like to listen.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts

YouTube

Spotify

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/game-scoop-522-google-stadia-the-division-2

6 Awesome Games from Nintendos Spring Showcase

We had an opportunity to go hands-on with a BUNCH of games from Nintendo's Nindies Showcase at GDC 2019! Here's a quick rundown of our top picks:

Stranger Things 3: The Game

If watching the new season of Stranger Things just isn't enough of a nostalgia blast, Stranger Things 3: The Game should provide some extra throwback. With its retro pixel art style, and gameplay evocative of SNES action-adventure games like Goof Troop, the game adaptation of the Netflix hit is simple to get the hang of and definitely more fun with a co-op partner.

Puzzles and combat were definitely simple to breeze through in our demo, but the chance to experience the events of Season 3 — and dive a little deeper into them — is obviously an exciting one for fans of the show. - Jonathon Dornbush

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/6-awesome-games-from-nintendos-spring-showcase

Complete Guide to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice's Preorder Bonuses

If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.

The next game from the creators of Bloodborne and the Souls series is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and it's heading to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 22. That means today is your last chance to preorder it. And judging by our glowing Sekiro review, you'll probably want to play it. Sekiro puts you in the shoes of a one-armed warrior whose prosthetic limbs come equipped with deadly tools and weapons. When the young lord you've pledged to protect gets kidnapped, it's time to slice through enemies in a dark, fantastical version of late 1500s Sengoku Japan.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-release-date-collectors-edition

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Review

Within the first minutes of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, there’s no missing the fact that FromSoftware has built its Shinobi-focused adventure from the DNA of the Souls and Bloodborne series. But this new mutated strain is as much its own stealth-action experience, one that’s more focused, cohesive, and in some ways forgiving, despite retaining its predecessors' trademark difficulty. As I rolled credits after 50 hours of pressurized-blood-geyser executions, fantastical monster fights, split-second swordsmanship, and sprawling, secret-filled areas, I’m left with a deep appreciation for this amazing journey and the skills it demands to master it.

To any Souls veteran, Sekiro’s timing-based lock-on combat of strikes and slashes is familiar, as is the way you weave through the same excellently designed levels that snake, interconnect, and double back on themselves to reveal new shortcuts between little bastions of safety to resupply. Functionally equivalent to bonfires from Dark Souls, or Lanterns in Bloodborne, the Sculptor’s Idols are where you’ll rest, recover your healing draughts, reset slain enemies, access your character progression, and of course, teleport between them for a snappy fast travel.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-review

Metro Exodus' Epic Store Sales Are Already Over Double That of Last Light's on Steam

Sales of Deep Silver's Metro Exodus are already 2.5 times that of the previous Metro title, indicating that the store exclusivity has had little effect on its success.

After revealing the figures, Steve Allison, head of Epic Games Store, said, "it's really about the games, not the store you sell on," via GamesIndustry.biz.

"We're super stoked to see this result, and one thing we can say for certain is Epic Games Store is sure to make many hundreds of millions of dollars for our development partners this year."

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/metro-exodus-epic-store-sales-are-already-over-double-that-of-last-lights-on-steam

Xbox One S All-Digital Details Apparently Leaked

Images of the reportedly incoming Xbox One S All-Digital console have apparently been leaked, alongside a mooted launch date of May 7 2019.

Rumours about the disc-free console, apparently codenamed Maverick, began last year, with the Xbox One S All-Digital name appearing earlier this month.

Windows Central reports that it's received product images of the upcoming console, and has remade them as Photoshop mock-ups. The images apparently show a console that's almost visually identical to the Xbox One S, minus a disc drive and eject button on the front-left.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/xbox-one-s-all-digital-details-apparently-leaked

Fortnite Week 4 Challenges: Baller Locations

The fourth week of Season 8 is here and we have the locations of all the baller vehicles on the map.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/fortnite-week-4-challenges-baller-locations-and-search-for-buried-treasure-season-8

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Apex Legends: How to Get the Free Season 1 Rewards and Cosmetics

See which levels you'll unlock all free rewards during Apex Legends' first season.

source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/apex-legends-how-to-get-the-free-season-1-rewards-and-cosmetics

There 'Never Was' a Console for Google Stadia

Ahead of Google's official announcement of Google Stadia, rumors arose in the last months about what exactly the tech giant planned to do in the gaming space. But, as Google's Phil Harrison told me, those plans never included a proper physical console.

I spoke with Harrison at GDC 2019 following Google Stadia's official reveal keynote. He noted that particular interest in Google's game initiative came after last year's Project Stream collaboration with Assassin's Creed Odyssey. But despite whatever rumors may have popped up, Google did not intend to make a proper console like a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.

"The world abhors a vacuum and when we weren't telling the full story coming out of Project Steam, inevitability there was going to be speculation," he said. "There was never a console, there was never going to be a console, there never will be a console."

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/there-never-was-a-console-for-google-stadia-google-exec-explains

This Iconic 'Uncharted' Moment Was Almost Just Background Art

I may be in the minority, but I really love Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. It's not my favorite entry in the franchise, but honestly? It’s pretty close. Chloe and Nadine were an unexpectedly fun pairing, and their spin-off adventure delivered a truncated experience complete with all of the trademark beats you’d expect from Naughty Dog’s flagship series. Exotic vistas, ancient puzzles, elaborate train chases - they were all there. Which is why I was surprised to learn during a recent panel at GDC 2019 that one of Lost Legacy’s - and of the Uncharted series’ as a whole - most memorable and impactful moments was never meant to be.

Warning: Light Spoilers for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Below

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/this-iconic-uncharted-moment-was-almost-just-background-art

How AC: Odyssey Indicates Google Stadia's 3rd Party Plans

Google Stadia's announcement keynote at GDC included a few recognizable developers — Id Software with Doom Eternal and RIme developer Tequilia Works among them. But it's Google's partnership for Project Steam with Ubisoft and Assassin's Creed Odyssey that is the real indicator of what games Google plans to bring to its new streaming game platform.

Speaking with IGN at GDC 2019, Vice President and GM at Google Phil Harrison explained that viewers shouldn't "read too much into who we had on our stage."

"Don't read too much into who we had on our stage yesterday and who we didn't have on our stage," Harrison said. "

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/how-assassins-creed-odyssey-indicates-google-stadias-third-party-game-plans

An 8th Goku Is Coming to Dragon Ball FighterZ

Update: Bandai Namco has confirmed that the younger Goku from Dragon Ball GT will be added as part of the FighterZ Pass 2, which include six new characters in total. The announcement states that he "packs a big punch with special attacks like the Super Kamehameha attack, transforming him into Super Saiyan 3. Goku is also able to use his Super Spirit Bomb, Power Pole, and Reverse Kamehameha to flatten the competition."

Original story follows: 

Despite Dragon Ball FighterZ’s 30+ character roster currently sitting at roughly 10-20% Goku (depending on how you count it), an upcoming DLC will reportedly be adding another Goku as a playable fighter.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/dragon-ball-fighterz-is-reportedly-getting-kid-goku-from-gt-as-a-new-dlc-character

How Google Stadia Could Affect Next-Gen

BEYOND!

On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation podcast, Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Outerloop Games' Chandana Ekanayake to discuss the upcoming PS4/PSVR title Falcon Age.

Alongside that interview, Jonathon is joined by Brian Altano and Max Scoville to discuss No Man's Sky's new expansion, Days Gone's photo mode, the Google Stadia announcement and its implications for next gen, and more!

Timecodes:

Current VR Headsets Compared: Oculus Rift S vs HTC Vive vs Oculus Quest

If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.

Oculus just announced not one, but two new VR headsets coming this year: the PC-based Oculus Rift S and the standalone Oculus Quest. Here’s how these new headsets compare to their predecessors and competitors.

The Latest in PC-Based VR – Oculus Rift S

RiftS

The Oculus Rift S is, as its name suggests, a minor upgrade to the original Oculus Rift. Like the Rift, it connects to your gaming PC with a cable for high-end VR gaming, either standing, sitting, or with room-scale play. The new Rift S costs $399, has a sleeker and “more balanced” headset (despite being slightly heavier), and boasts built-in room tracking so you don’t need to place sensors around your play area. This is partially due to its updated Touch controllers as well, which are redesigned versions of the much-lauded Touch controllers on the original Rift.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/current-vr-headsets-compared-oculus-rift-s-vs-htc-vive-vs-oculus-quest

How an Indie Developer Is Making an Official Zelda Game

Cadence of Hyrule marks a fairly unprecedented step for Nintendo. While it’s fundamentally a mash-up of The Legend of Zelda and Crypt of the NecroDancer, the next Zelda game is still being made by a small, third-party indie developer, and is even being called a “Nindie” by Nintendo itself. As exciting as the announcement is, how the heck did that happen?

To find out, I spoke with Ryan Clark, founder of Crypt of the NecroDancer developer Brace Yourself Games, and Kirk Scott, Nintendo of America’s Manager of Publisher-Developer Relations and all-around Nindie guy. While Clark says they initially approached Nintendo to potentially use Zelda in some smaller way like DLC, the mutual interest in working together grew faster than they were expecting.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/how-an-indie-developer-is-making-an-official-zelda-game

Kill la Kill: IF Release Date Announced

Kill la Kill the Game: IF is launching on PC, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch this July.

Revealed on the game’s official website, the anime fighting title is coming to North America and Europe on July 26, just after its July 25 release in Japan.

On top of the 10 previously announced characters, two free DLC fighters have just been revealed and will become available this summer: Mako Mankanshoku, a second year student at Honnouji Academy, and Ultimate Double Naked DTR, the ultimate form of the Anti-Honnouji Academy Mechanized Weapon. An informational video presented in Japanese was also released, showing off a limited edition of the game, which includes an original art book, soundtrack and Mak-Roquette “squeezie."

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/kill-la-kill-if-release-date-announced

Microsoft Confirms Plans for Xbox Live on Nintendo Switch with Cuphead

Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Live will be headed to Nintendo Switch and that they are working with Cuphead developer StudioMDHR to implement Xbox Live features into the game in the coming months.

Cuphead for Nintendo Switch was announced during Nintendo's Nindies Showcase Spring 2019 alongside 17 other games, and it was revealed that the Xbox One-console exclusive from 2017 will be arriving on Nintendo's latest platform on April 18, 2019.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/microsoft-confirms-plans-for-xbox-live-on-nintendo-switch-with-cuphead

Destiny 2: Season of the Drifter Review

Season of the Drifter (AKA Jokers Wild) is a big improvement for Destiny 2’s Annual Pass. While it’s still not overly exciting, this bag of new stuff does some interesting things that hit a sweet spot. You’ll get some interesting story pieces supplemented by some new twists on wave-based defense modes and Gambit to earn fancy new armor sets and other gear, plus you’ll make an actual decision with actual consequences. Some of the grinding gets to be a slog, but it’s otherwise a strong entry in this year’s Annual Pass rollout.

Reckoning’s arcadey, wave-based challenge is one of my favorite activities this time around. Its long-term replayability will likely wane similarly to how activities like Blind Well and Escalation Protocol have, but it adds one important tool these types of modes have needed for some time now: Matchmaking. While it’s definitely more of a challenge hopping in with random players, I still was able to successfully complete tier 1 and tier 2 of this event with randoms filling out the fireteam. Tiers will require leveling up a lot and Bungie had an unfortunate new bug at launch that may have caused armor and weapons to drop below your current level. This made hitting the level requirement a frustrating experience, but once you’re in it’s a lot of fun to clear out the Taken and collect your fancy new Gambit Prime armor.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/destiny-2-season-of-the-drifter-review

Google Stadia Poll: Were You Convinced?

You can read our reactions to the Google Stadia announcement all over IGN. Some of us are hopeful. Some of us are skeptical. But we want to hear what you think! Is Stadia the future of gaming? Is it too soon? Can your internet handle it? Let's do this.

According to Google Vice President and General Manager (and Stadia representative) Phil Harrison, Stadia's speed requirement is (for 1080p, 60 fps) is 25 megabits per second, or Mbps. You can test your internet speed right now over at Speedtest.net. We want to know how many of you can actually enjoy Stadia...

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/poll-what-are-your-thoughts-on-google-stadia

Detroit, Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls Coming to PC

Quantic Dream and Epic Games have announced an exclusive partnership for the Epic Games Store to launch Quantic's previously PlayStation-exclusive games on PC.

Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and last year's Detroit: Become Human will all be available on PC later this year exclusively through the Epic Games Store.

Speaking to IGN via email when asked about whether these games would see any notable changes, Quantic Dream Co-CEO and Head of Publishing Guillaume de Fondaumiere confirmed there will be, but that Quantic Dream is not yet ready to discuss those changes. Additionally, more details about controller support vs. mouse and keyboard control schemes will be discussed at a later date as well.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/quantic-dream-epic-games-store-partner-to-release-detroit-heavy-rain-beyond-two-souls-on-pc

Phil Spencer Reportedly Says Stadia Announcement Had 'No Big Surprises'

In an alleged e-mail that went out to various Microsoft employees, Xbox head Phil Spencer reportedly said the Google Stadia announcement had “no big surprises,” and that Xbox in turn will “go big” at E3 2019.

Thurrott, a website known for reporting on and leaking Xbox news, claims it got hold of this e-mail. "We just wrapped up watching the Google announcement of Stadia as team here at GDC,” said Spencer. "Their announcement is validation of the path we embarked on two years ago."

"Today we saw a big tech competitor enter the gaming market, and frame the necessary ingredients for success as Content, Community and Cloud. There were no big surprises in their announcement although I was impressed by their leveraging of YouTube, the use of Google Assistant and the new WiFi controller."

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/phil-spencer-reportedly-says-stadia-announcement-had-no-big-surprises-says-xbox-will-go-big-at-e3

RAD Is a Roguelike for the Rest of Us

Double Fine has announced RAD, a new third-person action-adventure/roguelike that's set after not one but two apocalypses. It will release this summer on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with a beta beforehand.

RAD is directed by Lee Petty, who also headed up 2016's Headlander (see the review below). In RAD, an apocalypse struck in the 1980s, decimating civilization for centuries. And then, way in the future after humanity had recovered, a second one hit, and RAD takes place after that. As such, RAD's aesthetic is a mix of  '80s pop culture influences and futuristic alien tech chic. Gameplay-wise, you play a random, malleable gene'd teenager who roams the procedurally wasteland in defense of the un-radiated town you live in (which also serves as a hub). If you die, you resume as another teenager – that's where the roguelike element comes in.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/rad-first-look-preview-a-roguelike-for-the-rest-of-us

18 Games Highlighted in Nintendo Switch Showcase

Nintendo highlighted 18 indie games during its GDC 2019 Nindies Showcase, many with confirmed or vague imminent release dates — including a few games being released today.

Check out each of the games highlighted below for more info and a better look at the Switch's upcoming Nindies lineup.

Cuphead

Nintendo confirmed the formerly Xbox One-console exclusive Cuphead is coming to the Nintendo Switch. No mention was made of Cuphead's upcoming DLC, but Switch players can now get a taste of the beautifully animated bullet hell shooter. Cuphead comes to Switch on April 18.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/18-games-highlighted-in-the-march-20-nintendo-switch-nindies-showcase

Disney May Be Rebuilding Lucasfilm Games

Disney seems to possibly be ramping back up its game division of Lucasfilm Games, with multiple job postings listed on Disney's career site that detail working specifically for Lucasfilm Games, as reported by PCGamesN.

The roles include producers, art directors, and marketing coordinators to work out of San Francisco, including a branch for territories in Asia.

The job summaries include descriptions such as roles that support, "the visual development and production of multiple licensed titles." As well as job responsibilities that say, "Meet with game developers both in person and remotely to ensure product vision and quality benchmarks are met."

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/disney-may-be-reviving-lucasfilm-games

Legend of Zelda-Based Crypt of the Necrodancer Sequel Announced

Nintendo closed its Nindies Showcase at GDC 2019 with a surprise The Legend of Zelda partnership: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer feat. The Legend of Zelda.

Cadence of Hyrule is a full, new game based on both Nintendo's historic franchise and beloved roguelike dungeon exploration/rhythm game Crypt of the NecroDancer. Set for release this spring (in North America), Cadence of Hyrule includes Link and Zelda as playable characters in a quest populated by familiar Hyrule creatures, items, and, naturally for a rhythm-based game, sounds.

The decision to license Zelda out to an indie developer certainly falls in line with Nintendo's initiative to expand its franchises in new ways.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/cadence-of-hyrule-crypt-of-the-necrodancer-feat-the-legend-of-zelda-announced

Next Yakuza Game's Protagonist Confirmed

The next game in the Yakuza series, tentatively titled Shin Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan, will feature Ichiban Kasuga as its protagonist, and Sega has opened auditions for a female lead.

This news comes from the official Ryu ga Gotoku website (via Gematsu). Kasuga, who debuted in Yakzua Online, is a former member of the Tojo clan's Arakawa family who has been in prison for 17 years for a crime he didn’t commit. A new protagonist in the Yakuza series is notable (and entirely expected) as Kazuma Kiryu held that role for the majority of the franchise.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/next-yakuza-games-protagonist-confirmed-auditions-open-for-female-lead

Cuphead for Nintendo Switch Announced

Nintendo announced during its Nindies Showcase for GDC 2019 that former Xbox One-console exclusive Cuphead is coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Cuphead will be available for the Switch on April 18, and is currently available for pre-purchase. Nintendo specifically thanked Studio MDHR and Microsoft for allowing it to come to Nintendo's console. (Cuphead also previously came to PC.)

Cuphead's reveal opened the Nindies Showcase with an amusing old-fashioned tutorial regarding milk before highlighting the frantic gameplay of Studio MDHR's platform shooter.

Originally released in 2017, Cuphead earned an 8.8 from IGN. In our Cuphead review, we said " Rather than simply offering the player what they want, Cuphead makes them earn that right – the rewards, if you can hack the tests, are absolutely worth it."

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/cuphead-for-nintendo-switch-announced-release-date-confirmed

Yoshi's Crafted World: Check Out Some of the Unlockable Costumes

Yoshi's Crafted World – Nintendo's imminent new platformer for the Switch – seems like it knows how adorable it is. It leans into that cuteness with its large collection of unlockable costumes. The above montage video shows off a bunch of them, but there are many more in the full game! Which one is your favorite?

As a reminder, IGN First is our monthly, purely editorially driven initiative where we take a deeper dive into the games we're most excited about. We've got an interview with the developers behind Yoshi's Crafted World coming up soon, leading up to our review of the game and its release later this month. And if you enjoy the video above, feel free to also check out one of our previous new stage reveals from this month, which showcased 'The Shogun's Castle' stage, complete with a mini-boss fight at the end.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/yoshis-crafted-world-check-out-some-of-the-unlockable-costumes-a-ign-first

Oculus Rift S Announced, Priced, and Detailed

Facebook and Oculus have announced the Oculus Rift S, a follow-up to 2016's Oculus Rift. The Rift S will be available this Spring for $399 and include two new Oculus Touch controllers.

The Rift S will run everything the original Rift did. It includes built-in Insight tech, similar to the standalone Oculus Quest – which was also just confirmed for a Spring release at a $399 price point – which means the Rift S will not need room sensors. Just one wire runs from the headset to a USB port. When asked about where wireless fits into their plans, Oculus Studios boss Jason Rubin told IGN that no official first-party wireless adapter is currently in the works, and that if they had chosen to go wireless, it would've either driven the price up – Oculus calls $399 the "sweet spot" – or they would've had to sacrifice screen resolution. The Rift S indeed has a higher resolution than either the Rift or the Quest, noticeably reducing the "screen door effect." It weighs a tad more than the original Rift but is "better balanced," weight-wise, according to Oculus. The headband was designed in partnership with Lenovo. The Rift S also sports increased visual clarity, improved lenses, and a fifth camera. "Passthrough+" allows you to see the real world through the Rift S's camera without taking the headset off, allowing you to better virtually draw your play space during setup.

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source http://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/20/oculus-rift-s-announced-priced-and-detailed