Written By Kom Limpulnam on Senin, 31 Maret 2014 | 15.07
Image credit: Reddit user chipay
PlanetSide 2 players recently noticed a lot of "pop-up" notifications while playing the game, which offered them to buy its premium membership.
The notifications appeared in the lower right corner of the screen. Players complained that they were getting them several times an hour, and that it was easy to accept them by mistake by pushing the wrong key.
In a post to PlanetSide 2's forums, the game's creative director Matthew Higby explained that players were getting far more of these notifications because of two special offers that ran simultaneously and a server issue that reset who should receive notifications. Higby made clear that players will not get nearly as many notifications normally, and that SOE disabled the system while it adjusts it "in order to reduce impact and prevent distraction from gameplay as much as possible."
However, Higby explained these notification will continue to appear (less often), and that increasing awareness of membership and marketplace offerings is better than other ways to support PlanetSide 2.
"As a free-to-play game, our servers are kept running by the support of a relatively small percentage of the player-base, and initiatives like this are critical to us being able to grow the percentage of players who are helping support the game," he said. "The alternatives are to either cut back on the development resources, or add more and more items for our existing supporters to purchase to make up the difference."
For more on PlanetSide 2, check out our previous coverage.
Former director of Driveclub Col Rodgers has explained why he left Evolution Studios after NeoGAF user Pete Dodd suggested it was because he "failed to deliver" the PlayStation 4 exclusive racing game.
"Everything he has said with regard to myself and Driveclub is incorrect," Rodgers said in his first post to NeoGAF. "It's also libellous."
Rodgers explained that he left Evolution Studios in February to be with his son, who's been diagnosed with a potentially life threatening condition. "I live 220 miles (4 hours drive) away from Evolution Studios, and was away from home 5.5 days a week," he said. "Given the circumstances, I could not continue to work there."
Rodgers said he informed Dodd that he needs to remove the statements and apologize for the damage they caused. He did.
As we reported when we first heard the news, Rodgers is now heading an indie startup called Big Red Switch Games.
Sony also recently said that Driveclub is making "spectacular progress" despite losing Rodgers and recent layoffs at Evolution Studios.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt developer CD Projekt Red said that developing for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC allows it to "go nuts in terms of visuals."
"I think we are in a good moment, we don't have to choose between better graphics or performance on either PC or consoles now," CD Projekt Red's global head of marketing Tomasz Jarzębowski told The Sydney Morning Herald. "We can just create the best looking game possible."
Jarzębowski also said that only the future will tell if The Witcher 3 is maxing out the console's technical capabilities, noting that games released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 continue to look better even after all these years. "We are always getting wiser and wiser, so I expect our next game will look even better," he said.
CD Projekt Red CEO Marcin Iwinski previously said that The Witcher 3 is "fairly close" to maxing out the power of the Xbox One and PS4.
The Witcher 3 was expected to launch this fall, but CD Projekt Red delayed it to February 2015 so the team could achieve a level of quality that will set it apart from other role-playing games. For more on The Witcher 3, be sure to read our recent in-depth preview of the game.
This week, Bethesda makes its MMORPG debut with the release of The Elder Scrolls Online.
The title is part of The Elder Scrolls franchise, set in Tamriel and featuring a new storyline that will relate indirectly to previous games.
The Elder Scrolls Online will launch simultaneously world-wide, with different access times available to players. It will officially launch at 10am Australian Eastern Standard time on Thursday, April 4.
The game will be released for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles in June, and only players on the same platform will be able to play together. Bethesda recently defended the game's $15/month subscription fee, saying that the game's "significant" expansion content justifies its cost.
To see more of the game, check out GameSpot's upcoming live-stream schedule, which will feature The Elder Scrolls online all this week.
For more details on what's out this week in Australia, check out the full list below.
Written By Kom Limpulnam on Minggu, 30 Maret 2014 | 15.07
[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey wrote on Reddit that Oculus VR employees have received death threats in the wake of the company's sale to Facebook.
"We expected a negative reaction from people in the short term, we did not expect to be getting so many death threats and harassing phone calls that extended to our families," Luckey said. "We know we will prove ourselves with actions and not words, but that kind of sh** is unwarranted, especially since it is impacting people who have nothing to do with Oculus."
The original story is below. We have updated this story's headline to reflect Luckey's comments, which were made today.
Following the surprise announcement Tuesday that Facebook had purchased Oculus VR for $2 billion, positive and negative comments flowed forth from social media. Oculus VR vice president Nate Mitchell said in a new interview with Game Informer that he expected to get some heat from its core fans over the deal, but said he was surprised by the outpouring of negativity from the community at large.
"We assumed that the reaction would be negative, especially from our core community," Mitchell said. "Beyond our core community, we expected it would be positive. I don't think we expected it to be so negative."
In the time that's passed, Mitchell said he's already starting to see the conversation on Twitter and Reddit "swinging back the opposite direction." He stressed that it's up to Oculus VR to educate people on why the deal makes sense and should be considered a good thing.
21-year-old Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey has been busy doing just that. Immediately following the announcement of the acquisition, he answered dozens of questions on Reddit about privacy concerns and what the deal means for the future of Oculus. For more on the Oculus VR/Facebook deal, check out editorials from GameSpot editors Tom McShea and Peter Brown.
Bohemia Interactive sold 1.7 million copies of DayZ's standalone version and has opened a new studio in Bratislava, Slovakia, creator Dean Hall has announced.
Hall revealed the news live on stage at EGX Rezzed 2014, where he also said that the game's original Arma 2 mod has now been downloaded more than 2 million times.
Bohemia Interactive Slovakia will employ the staff, facilities, and technologies of developer Cauldron, but Bohemia isn't calling it an acquisition. "In 2013, Bohemia Interactive opened a new studio in Bratislava, Slovakia - as part of the Czech company's portfolio of next-generation game development studios," Bohemia said in a statement to Eurogamer. "The new studio is composed by former recruits from the successful Slovak studio Cauldron, and has acquired selected Cauldron facilities and technologies."
Cauldron worked on several hunting games in the last few years, including Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2012. That makes sense because, last week, Hall said in a post to DayZ's development blog that Bohemia added an entire new team based in Bratislava to work on adding animals to DayZ, as well as improve collisions and zombie pathfinding.
Last month, Hall announced that he will leave Bohemia this year to open a new studio in New Zealand. For more on DayZ, check out our Early Access review of the game.
Spanish retailer XtraLife is now allowing customers to pre-order a PlayStation 4 version of The Last of Us "Complete Edition," which also comes with its Left Behind DLC and a one-strap backpack.
XtraLife has priced the game at €65, which is almost $90, and listed the release date as June 19.
The listing appeared only a few days after PlayStation Turkey VP Sercan Sulun said The Last of Us will soon be coming to the PlayStation 4 as both a physical and digital release. At this point, this rumor has not been officially confirmed by Sony. As we said when we first reported on the story, the up-res gambit worked for the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition update, but sometimes executives are just confused or wrong.
The listing on XtraLife seems pretty specific, but keep in mind that the cover art could be easily faked, and that XtraLife seems to offer other game-branded products, like this Battlefield 4 water bottle.
For more on The Last of Us, check out our previous coverage.
Creator of Doom and Chief Technology Officer at Oculus VR John Carmack didn't necessarily expect it to be Facebook, but said that Oculus had to partner with someone.
Carmack commented on a post to Anamanaguchi member Peter Berkman's blog, which criticized Facebook's acquisition of Oculus VR. Berkman said he's worried about Facebook collecting data, creating an "information monopoly," and the notion that today "companies exist and operate only to be acquired."
In his response, Carmack said that there is a case for being an independent company like Valve and trying to build a new virtual reality ecosystem like Steam from the ground up. "This is probably what most of the passionate fans wanted to see," he said. "The difference is that, for years, the industry thought Valve was nuts, and they had the field to themselves. Valve deserves all their success for having the vision and perseverance to see it through to the current state."
VR, Carmack argues, won't be like that. "The experience is too obviously powerful, and it makes converts on contact," he said. "The fairly rapid involvement of the Titans is inevitable, and the real questions were how deeply to partner, and with who."
He added that he didn't expect it to be this soon, that he didn't expect it to be Facebook, and that he could think of other, more obvious companies, but that he believes Facebook sees the "Big Picture."
"I wasn't personally involved in any of the negotiations," he said. "I spent an afternoon talking technology with Mark Zuckerberg, and the next week I find out that he bought Oculus."
In 2000, Carmack founded Armadillo Aerospace, a space tourism startup. On Twitter, Carmack also said that the Facebook deal probably means he'll give aerospace another shot, but not for several years. "I have divided my focus too much in the past," he said.
To catch up with the biggest news of the week, make sure you read everything you need to know about Facebook buying Oculus for $2 billion.
Written By Kom Limpulnam on Jumat, 28 Maret 2014 | 15.07
Gamespot's Site MashupDrunken Cyberpunk Comeuppance - Deus Ex: The Fall Gameplay MontageWorld Tour Offers a Happy Return to Mario GolfRed Dead Redemption Gameplay - The Shaun Method HighlightsInfinite Crisis Open Beta ReviewFinal Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster ReviewMario Golf: World Tour - PreviewIn World of Speed, Winning Isn't EverythingGS News - CliffyB Attacks Notch over Oculus, Last Of Us Coming To PS4?Insurgency: Free Molotov Spring Update LiveDead Space free on Origin as the first title in EA's "On The House" promotionReport: GameStop offering extra in-store credit to fight off Wal-MartUncharted 4 director leaves Naughty Dog for RiotWal-Mart launches trade-in program -- They'll pay $390 for an Xbox One, $29 for GTA 5Why Decapre is Ultra Street Fighter 4's Next World WarriorSonic and Zelda come together like never before
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Fri, 28 Mar 2014 01:00:43 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/drunken-cyberpunk-comeuppance-deus-ex-the-fall-gam/2300-6418010/ If you like silenced guns, dialogue trees and being a futuristic jerk, you will like this smattering of gameplay from Deus Ex: The Fall. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 22:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/drunken-cyberpunk-comeuppance-deus-ex-the-fall-gam/2300-6418010/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-tour-offers-a-happy-return-to-mario-golf/1100-6418603/ <p style="">Mario Golf finds itself in a unique position among Nintendo's franchises. The rhythmic way you swing a club so expertly melds mechanical simplicity with strategic complexity that there's no way to improve on your basic interaction. At least, if there is a more interesting approach to digital golfing, I haven't found it. So how could Mario Golf hope to evolve if it's continually trotting out the same basic premise? Well, that's the beauty of this inventive series. Instead of leading to the malaise of repetition, each new entry returns me to a familiar and wonderful place. Mario Golf: World Tour picks up where we last left the Mushroom Kingdom crew, and I couldn't be happier.</p><p style="">Golfing is a perfect fit for a handheld. I spent hours playing <a href="/hot-shots-golf-world-invitational/" data-ref-id="false">Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational</a> on the Vita because it's easy to play a couple of holes during a free moment, yet the game has enough depth that I didn't feel ashamed when those moments turned to hours. Mario Golf: World Tour taps into a similar state of mind. Within seconds of picking up the 3DS, I was transported to the cheery greens, happily pressing once for power, and again for accuracy, and crossing my fingers that my aim was true. Once on the green, I would stare at the lines pointing out the slopes and hope against hope that I could make it to the hole in one glorious stroke. It's so peaceful that I wanted nothing more than to take in a round or two, even though my frequent mistakes could only make me cry in frustration.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6418033" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418033/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">World Tour splits its time between the reality of our world and the reality that Mario's friends inhabit. There are standard courses that have fairways, bunkers, roughs, and whatever else you would expect to find on a golf course. And then there are courses that have a cartoonish twist on those tried-and-true elements. A well-placed shot off the tee in a Peach-themed course will place your ball on a speed pad, which zips it further down the fairway. Rings of coins form perfect targets in the air, and if you collect enough, there are goodies in the shops to play around with. There are item boxes on the court that can really help in a pinch. Just use a bullet bill to fight against a strong wind, or a mushroom to get an extra burst.</p><p style="">What would a Mario sports game be without the characters we know and love? Mario, Luigi, and Peach join Boo, Walugi, and Bowser Jr., or you could be Diddy Kong if you'd rather play as someone who's not typically part of the Mario universe. If none of those characters strike your fancy, you can use your Mii avatar. In Castle Club mode, you upgrade your Mii as you work your way through the ranks. When you triumph over your competitors, you earn coins, and then you can splurge in the shop to upgrade your abilities. Such a mode could certainly suck up a lot of my time, and it seems like the course design is strong enough to keep me coming back for one more hole.</p><p style="">World Tour is exactly what you'd expect from a new Mario Golf game. And it shows that sometimes it's nice to have an unchanging, predictable franchise to rely on. Digital golfing is like a comfort food, so I'm glad that the core mechanics haven't been tampered with, and there are enough tweaks to the window dressing that I'm excited to explore the many courses and raid the golf shop. It's just a shame we have to wait until May for the final release. Now that I've gotten a taste of four-player, simultaneous golfing, I want to challenge all of my coworkers to a match. If only patience were a virtue that I had.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-tour-offers-a-happy-return-to-mario-golf/1100-6418603/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/red-dead-redemption-gameplay-the-shaun-method-high/2300-6418034/ Chris goes cowboy ankle sniping, while Danny pleads with him to shoot horses' faces off in Red Dead Redemption. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/red-dead-redemption-gameplay-the-shaun-method-high/2300-6418034/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infinite-crisis-open-beta-review/1100-6418509/ <p style=""> </p><p style=""><em>GameSpot's open beta reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available to the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote time and Internet bandwidth for the privilege of playing them before they are complete. The review below critiques a work in progress, and represents a snapshot of the game at the time of the review's publication.</em></p><p style="">Infinite Crisis is yet another game spawned to compete with the titans of the multiplayer online battle arena genre. In this particular thematic iteration, you take command of various iconic DC universe comic book heroes, including favorites from the Justice League, as well as some alternate-universe incarnations such as Nightmare Batman, Gaslight Joker, or Atomic Wonder Woman.</p><p style="">As Superman, you can swoop in like a speeding bullet to save a teammate and fight foes with your super strength. The Flash battles with quickness, gaining additional damage based on how fast he's going. The Joker brings his full bag of tricks to the battlefield, battling with an array of sinister toys befitting his not-all-there demeanor. The twist to Infinite Crisis' pool of champions comes from the overlapping alternate universes offering different takes on the same familiar characters. Gaslight Joker brings no tricks and few treats as his filth-themed kit covers an archetypal tank, winning battles by throwing around his extra weight. The vampiric Nightmare Batman forgoes the bruiser nature of standard Batman in exchange for the ability to lock down and assassinate a single target, or multiple targets if left unchecked.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2490048-acrevicfootage216.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2490048" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2490048-acrevicfootage216.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2490048"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2490048-acrevicfootage216.jpg"></a><figcaption>In Infinite Crisis, it's always easy being green.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Players may choose additional stolen powers for their champions to cover some of their weaknesses or solidify some of their strengths. The game's various environmental objects are often targets of these stolen powers, such as the ability to hoist an idle vehicle over your head and throw it into an enemy team. Each character has their own character-specific incarnation of a stolen power, such as Wonder Woman's super strength, allowing her to throw environmental objects farther, or Cyborg's teleport, allowing him to reach the destination more quickly than the default.</p><p style="">In its current open-beta state, the game has two maps available for matchmaking: Gotham Heights and Gotham Divided. Gotham Heights pits two teams of heroes against one another in a battle to drain the opponent's power core to death by controlling a set of capture points. Your team must hold more points than the enemy to begin the drain. Teams must decide how to divide up on the circular map to best execute their plan to dominate the enemy, with typical occurrences leading to repeated skirmishes for control of Wayne Tower which adorns the top-most point of the map, while one or two allies defend your bottom lane. Before play can stagnate with a 3-2 advantage to either side, a central capture point allows players to activate an orbital cannon, summoning powerful drones that must be stopped to prevent them from neutralizing an already-captured territory. Since points only drain for the team with the lead in held territories, no game is ever over until it is truly over, leading to potential nail-biting comebacks.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2436236-star_sapphire_portrait.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2436236" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2436236-star_sapphire_portrait.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2436236"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/536/5360430/2436236-star_sapphire_portrait.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><span>Gotham Divided features the MOBA genre standard gameplay of two bases connected by three lanes and a jungle of neutral creatures, with the set goal of destroying your enemy's base. Each lane is guarded by towers that must be destroyed as you progress further toward your coup-de-grace. Slaying the neutral monsters can enable your character to call down certain power-ups from which anyone on the team may benefit, such as a movement-speed enhancing shrine. Atypically of the genre, the map is oriented left-to-right rather than bottom-left corner to top-right corner.</span></p><p style="">The game has a well-executed method of balancing the "denying" gold farming methods of <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2 </a>with the staunch "no denying" stance in <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends </a>by introducing a mechanic called credits. If you score the last hit on a drone, you acquire credits automatically. However, if the drone simply dies nearby, it drops credits. Walking over the credits will pick them up, although the amount is less than if you had scored the killing blow on the drone. Credits dropped for enemies will appear grey on your screen, and walking over the grey credits will stomp them out, preventing your opponent from acquiring that money. The credit pick-up mechanic also makes it easier for players less skilled at last-hitting to still be able to acquire money, so long as they are able to walk to where a minion has died.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2324425-atomic_green_lantern_03.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2324425" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2324425-atomic_green_lantern_03.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2324425"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1197/11970954/2324425-atomic_green_lantern_03.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">A third map, Coast City Marina, is available for custom games and a practice queue which pits you against only AI opponents. The map features only two lanes and much more room in the urban jungle, and seems suited to smaller teams despite the practice queue giving your team 5 players. The map blends both territory capture and base siege gameplay with its three power relays which players may capture in order to boost their credit gain and map control. I did not get to experiment with this game in custom games, but it definitely has potential to be a fun mode especially for 3v3s.</p><p style="">Infinite Crisis still has room for improvement, specifically with its character AI pathing and user interface. Character movement is oddly constrained, with heroes moving as if controlled by an old eight-way joystick rather than a mouse and keyboard. The UI has its ups and downs--its ups being that the game recommends items for new players to purchase and skills for them to rank up. The biggest downside is that your health and mana (will) values aren't displayed by default. While you can click on your health bar to toggle from a ruler-style tick mark to actual numbers to simply a percent listing, it's easy to miss the option until you've gotten a good number of games under your belt. The in-game shop is a bit daunting to navigate as well, with icons and costs being arranged in a chaotic manner. If not for checkboxes highlighting items that give specific stats, it would be much harder to choose which League of Legends-cloned item you were trying to buy.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2390360-infinite+crisis+-+mecha+wonder+woman+screenshot+06.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2390360" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2390360-infinite+crisis+-+mecha+wonder+woman+screenshot+06.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2390360"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/536/5360430/2390360-infinite+crisis+-+mecha+wonder+woman+screenshot+06.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sorely missing from the game at present is a surrender function; although Gotham Heights matches are often no more than 20 minutes, Gotham Divided matches can drag on, leading to the frustration of playing in a lost match.</p><p style="">Overall, Infinite Crisis is shaping up to be a solid MOBA. It hasn't quite reached its potential, but it's only just begun its open beta and has plenty of time to improve before release. There are some flashes of brilliance in its design, but also keyboard-smashing frustrations that can only be hammered out by solid feedback moving forward in the beta phase.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><strong>What's There?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>An online battle arena featuring 27 heroes to choose from and three gameplay modes.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's to Come?</strong></td><td><em><strong>More champions and matchmaking for the Coast City Marina map are on the way. </strong></em></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What Does it Cost?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>Infinite Crisis is free to play, with the ability to purchase heroes and additional costumes for them.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>When Will it be Finished?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>Infinite Crisis does not yet have a set release date.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's the Verdict?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>The core gameplay is good, but a few frustrating elements and poor balance can disrupt your good time. However, with WB promoting the game alongside its other DC Universe games, you may be able to snag exclusive skins if you join early; keep your eyes peeled for that opportune moment.</strong></em></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:35:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infinite-crisis-open-beta-review/1100-6418509/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster-review/1900-6415711/ <p style="">Even considering my fond memories of Yuna's pilgrimage through the ecclesiastical world of Spira, I couldn't help but consider <a href="/final-fantasy-x/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X</a>'s age when firing up the aptly titled HD Remaster version. It often takes more than a fresh coat of graphical paint to drag an aged product into modern times, but luckily, this marvelous role-playing game doesn't feel stuck in the past. The visual updates--as well as the addition of content previously exclusive to the international edition of the PlayStation 2 original--are compelling reasons to revisit one of the most poignant entries in the long-running series. Yet the religiously charged plot and distinctive progression system are the feature attractions for this particular return.</p><p style="">Spira, even with its picturesque sandy shores and reverential places of worship, isn't a safe haven. The residents of Final Fantasy X's expansive world have lovingly adopted the teachings of the deity Yevon thanks to the pervasive threat of Sin, a destructive, whale-like entity that's been painted as a punishment for past transgressions. The indomitable force cannot be killed, so instead, the devout followers of Yevon known as summoners--along with a group of battle-tested guardians--journey across the world to grow strong enough to banish Sin for a 10-year period. This decade, known as "the Calm," is a blessing for the people of Spira, but the personal cost of the summoner's journey is a great one.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452581-ffx-2_battle2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452581" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452581-ffx-2_battle2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452581"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1365/13658182/2452581-ffx-2_battle2.jpg"></a><figcaption>Looking good, indeed!</figcaption></figure><p style="">Like most Final Fantasy games, X's plot is complemented by a budding romance. The bond between protagonist Tidus and summoner Yuna grows strong over the course of this 80-hour experience, and for the most part, their relationship arc is heartwarming and romantic. However, the potency of the game's story lies in a dedication to its fiction. Spira feels both fantastical and genuine, and Final Fantasy X's ardor for its own religious trappings only grows as new layers of a seedy hierarchy are carefully unpeeled. The political and spiritual backbone of Spira allows for a level of believability not often found in the series, or even in games in general.</p><p style="">Fortunately, the story segments aren't overbearing. Yuna's pilgrimage is beautifully balanced between plot, combat, and exploration, eliminating any opportunity for tedium to set in. Just when you've heard enough of the teachings of Yevon, the game introduces a new side of Spira brimming with adventuring opportunities. These segments of your pilgrimage are often expansive enough to sharpen your swordplay, but not so long that you irritably seethe at every nagging random encounter. It's smart pacing, and it doesn't hurt that the turn-based combat system itself is such a joy. Each of the seven playable characters has a set of skills tailored to a certain type of enemy. Heavily armored fiends are best stuck by guardians with bone-crushing blades, while elemental creatures are most easily downed by the effective spells of a mage.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="medium"><p style="">Final Fantasy X doesn't feel stuck in the past. In fact, the strategic, turn-based combat remains just as engaging in 2014 as it was in 2001.</p></blockquote><p style="">Snappy character swapping mid-battle allows for simple party experimentation, but the game's colossal progression system is where most player agency lies. Individual characters don't earn predetermined attribute points after raising a level; instead, Final Fantasy X incorporates a sphere grid. This circular network is broken up into clusters of individual nodes, each representing a different statistical boost. Using levels earned through battle, characters can travel down a unique development pathway and unlock new abilities, or greater strength and magic, along the way. It's a fascinating divergence from more traditional systems, and for completionists like myself, it's easy to get lost in the colorful network of spheres. I spent hundreds of hours maximizing my group of guardians on the PS2, but I still couldn't stop myself from losing dozens more on this HD Remaster.</p><p style="">Even before digging into the narrative or understanding the monumental sphere grid, the striking update to the presentation is immediately apparent. It might be a remastering and not a full remake, but environments swell with color and detail. Facial animations-- at least for the main cast--have been completely redone, and while it can be jarring to see the flat features of a non-player character next to the expressive, lively mug of one of the heroes, the improved animations are still a welcome addition.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452570-ffx_battle_skills7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452570" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452570-ffx_battle_skills7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452570"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2452570-ffx_battle_skills7.jpg"></a><figcaption>Mog doesn't look too excited by Lulu's magical histrionics. </figcaption></figure><p style="">The soundtrack, too, has been given an overhaul, but even diehard fans of the game might not immediately notice the acoustic alterations. The classic score, ranging from the solemn "Hymn of the Fayth" to the uppity tunes of Mi'ihen Road, has been cleaned up, and the orchestral rearrangements breathe a bit of new life into the 60-track package. If hearing piano in the "Via Purifico" theme causes you to writhe in wistful agony, the work composer Nobuo Uematsu has put in might be difficult to stomach. Nevertheless, the actual quality of the music is crisper, and nothing too drastic has been done to alter the spirit of each individual track.</p><p style="">After that new, HD smell finally wears off, what's left is a pair of enduring RPGs with all the additional content once exclusive to the international release. Within Final Fantasy X is the inclusion of dark aeons, which are optional bosses that pose distinct combat challenges. Moreover, you can make use of the expert sphere grid, an advanced take on the complex leveling system that breaks away from the predetermined attribute path each character originally followed. Instead of having Lulu, the game's designated black mage, pursue an upgrade path littered with magic boosts, the expert option places each character in the very center of the grid from the start. This gives the player more freedom when determining which role an individual character will play in combat, but doesn't drastically change the difficulty of the moment-to-moment action.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452572-ffx_battle_summons9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452572" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452572-ffx_battle_summons9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452572"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2452572-ffx_battle_summons9.jpg"></a><figcaption>If ever the word "ragtag" applied to an adventuring party, this would be the time. </figcaption></figure><p style=""><a href="/final-fantasy-x-2/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X-2</a>, which is also included in this $39.99 bundle, sees greater benefits from the original game's international offerings. Additional dresspheres, which instantly alter a character's attributes and abilities, as well as a creature creator and battle tournaments round out this blithe sequel, but what nostalgic fans will likely spend the most time with is the Last Mission. Set three months after the events of X-2, this bonus ending pits Yuna, Paine, and Rikku against the Iutycyr Tower, a monster-riddled spire that houses a roguelike dungeon crawler. It can be a grind as you ascend floor after floor and engage in battle after battle, but the delightful new cutscenes that appear after completing a certain set of challenges makes the trip worth your time.</p><p style="">Nevertheless, Final Fantasy X-2 remains problematic. The mid-battle wardrobe changes are still difficult to rationalize, with the Sailor Moon-esque visual transformations feeling out of place in an otherwise sensible setting. The original story of Tidus, Yuna, and their battle against Sin isn't without its fair share of absurdity, but the inclusion of hot pants and J-Pop leads to uncomfortable tonal shifts. I hold Final Fantasy X in high regard due to its respect for its own fiction, and much of that reverence has been flecked for the sake of emotionally hollow whimsy in X-2. The active combat system is snappy and entertaining, but this flashy sequel is the weak part of this otherwise stellar bundle.</p><p style="">If you want to experience the collection on both PlayStation 3 and Vita, you'll have to buy the game twice. Unfortunately, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster isn't a member of the cross-buy club, but players can still make use of the cross-save system to maintain a single save file between the two platforms. Both versions, in terms of presentation and framerate, are essentially indistinguishable, but minor visual imperfections do appear every so often on the Vita. The uneven textures that remind you of the game's age are more jagged on the handheld edition, but that shouldn't stop you from taking the game on the go if that's your preferred method of play.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452585-ffx-2_dressphere12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452585" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452585-ffx-2_dressphere12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452585"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1365/13658182/2452585-ffx-2_dressphere12.jpg"></a><figcaption>Yuna loves a good pillow fight now and again.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is a meticulous refurbishment of one of Square Enix's strongest properties. A careful eye might catch glimpses of irregularity among individual pieces of the environment or passing residents of a town, but the overall package is an attractive renewal that respects its roots. The lengthy Final Fantasy X remains joyous due to a careful balance of its short combat sequences and expertly told story, while its over-the-top follow-up both entertains and exasperates through a frenetic battle system and convivial tone. Both games stand the test of time and are worth the admittedly significant time investment, even if you don't hold a deep-rooted, nostalgic association to the original releases.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster-review/1900-6415711/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/mario-golf-world-tour-preview/2300-6418033/ Join Tom McShea as he tours the front nine in Mario Golf: World Tour for the 3DS. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/mario-golf-world-tour-preview/2300-6418033/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-world-of-speed-winning-isn-t-everything/1100-6418597/ <p style="">When I get behind the wheel in a racing game, I have one goal: to win. Being the first to cross the finish line is the only goal, and whether I race clean or get dirty isn't relevant. What matters is that my competitors remain behind me.</p><p style="">How unusual, then, that I won a team race when playing World of Speed recently, even though I wasn't the first to cross the finish line. You see, developer Slightly Mad's upcoming online racing game doesn't think that winning always means coming in first. As I sped through the streets of San Francisco with an ally and two challengers, it became obvious that finishing the race in first place wasn't an option; the driver leading the pack was too far ahead of me. And so I relaxed my attitude and enjoyed the sights of my home city, unaware that I would somehow eke out a win, even though I was second to finish.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417127" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417127/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">How is such a thing possible? Luckily, Pete Morrish, Lead Producer at developer Slightly Mad, and Andy Tudor, Creative Director, had answers for me. "What we wanted to do was to make racing more than just about winning," Tudor told me. "In every other racing game under the sun, it's all about crossing the line in first position. In an online race, that means that the vast majority of players aren't coming away with that special 'win!' feeling. Add to that the fact that there's precious little incentive to carry on if you find yourself in a position where you can't win the race, and it's looking like the racing genre could do with a sprinkling of magic innovation dust."</p><p style="">I am not sure if World of Speed's system is magic, but it's certainly unusual. As you race, you earn points by accomplishing objectives like slipstreaming opponents for a certain amount of time, or trading paint with other racers. Says Tudor, "Objectives bring a layer of strategy to racing by giving players more to think about and to do. They encourage teams to actually work together in a way that's not been seen in racing before." When I took to the San Francisco streets a second time, I was more conscious of these secondary objectives--so of course I lost the race, much to my chagrin.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434428-wos_screenshot_wm+%2811%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434428" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434428-wos_screenshot_wm+%2811%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434428"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2434428-wos_screenshot_wm+%2811%29.jpg"></a><figcaption>Screenshots like this make me wish I could afford better than a used Ford Fiesta. </figcaption></figure><p style="">Nevertheless, I had fun, though it was clear that the vehicle handling needed some tweaking. My Camaro felt heavier than expected, and the developers on hand assured me they also felt that the model was still too weighty for their tastes. I was fine once I grew accustomed to the vehicle's feel--which didn't take that long--but I was missing the arcade fluidity of the racing game I've been most enamored with of late: Need for Speed: Rivals. To be fair, however, World of Speed is not aiming for a wholly arcade driving experience. "As with any other game type or genre, you want easy accessibility yet long-term depth," says Morrish. "So you want players to be able to jump in and have a blast even without prior racing experience yet at endgame and competition level you want a depth of skill that only true masters will achieve. So we're focused on the game being instantly fun when you pick it up and do cool slides around corners whilst also providing an underlying physics and handling system that allows for nuance and prowess to be shown long-term. We label this on the spectrum as action racing."</p><p style="">World of Speed is not just about one-off races, however, but about connecting with other players in a large open world. Racing games have dabbled with massively multiplayer elements for many years (the first I ever played was Motor City Online, all the way back in 2001), but Slightly Mad calls its game a straight-up MMOG. Morrish says that the term is applicable, in part because there will be massive numbers of racers playing the game online and queuing up for races. "Our social zone will be a hive of activity as new players jump in and out, players will be chatting to each other, the calendar events will be busy, and friends will be making clubs and fighting for glory in that world. So our vision is very firmly focused around the 'buzz' each time you log on to play."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434425-wos_screenshot_wm+%288%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434425" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434425-wos_screenshot_wm+%288%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434425"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2434425-wos_screenshot_wm+%288%29.jpg"></a><figcaption>This screenshot used by permission of Vladimir Putin. </figcaption></figure><p style="">Of course, what Morrish describes doesn't sound like an MMOG to me; it sounds like a traditional online game with a lobby. But Morrish calls out another element that he also believes makes World of Speed a massively multiplayer game. "The second [aspect] is maybe what people traditionally associate an MMO actually being--an RPG. So if you look at how we've approached race events in the game there are easy comparisons to, say, 'raids' in Warcraft. You have to work cooperatively as a team to win them, there are side quests to complete during them, each driver can take on a specific role, and you get experience and 'loot' for winning. These rewards can be money or buffs or points you can use to upgrade your cars and be more competitive in the next event. When you then include the Territory Wars aspect of a perpetual club-based struggle for world domination I think it's fair to say World Of Speed is pretty unique compared to the competition and has been built from the ground up to be more than just a racing game."</p><p style="">What's missing is what I believe to be the primary ingredient that makes a game an MMOG: a persistent world populated by large numbers of players at a single time. But this is all semantics, ultimately. Whatever we call it, World of Speed seems like it will be lovely to look at and fun to play. And those are two pretty good assets for a racing game to have.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:21:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-world-of-speed-winning-isn-t-everything/1100-6418597/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-cliffyb-attacks-notch-over-oculus-last-of-/2300-6418032/ CliffyB calls Notch a "pouty kid" for cancelling Minecraft on Oculus, Respawn punishes cheaters in Titanfall, and is The Last of Us coming to PS4? Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-cliffyb-attacks-notch-over-oculus-last-of-/2300-6418032/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/insurgency-free-molotov-spring-update-live/2300-6418029/ Aaron takes a look at the new Buhriz and Revolt maps while dodging Molotov cocktails. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/insurgency-free-molotov-spring-update-live/2300-6418029/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489728-deadspace.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489728" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489728-deadspace.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489728"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2489728-deadspace.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts today made Visceral Games' 2008 horror-action game <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space</a> free to download on Origin as part of its newly launched free game promotion called "<a href="https://www.origin.com/en-us/store/on-the-house-ANW.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">On The House</a>."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of the program, EA will offer up DLC and full games for free. It doesn't sound like EA is going to publish a schedule for when new games and content will be available, as the publisher said these deals can "appear and disappear at any time."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Once you've claimed your free game, it's yours to keep forever, EA said. Why is EA doing this? "We're gamers, too. We appreciate you making Origin your gaming home...and besides, who doesn't like free stuff?" the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most recent entry in the Dead Space series was 2013's<a href="/dead-space-3/" data-ref-id="false"> Dead Space 3</a>. After that game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-crysis-3-and-dead-space-3-did-not-meet-expectations/1100-6408060/" data-ref-id="1100-6408060">underperformed</a>, it was reported that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-series-not-killed/1100-6410351/" data-ref-id="1100-6410351">EA had killed off the series</a>, but this later turned out to not be the case. Visceral Games is now <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-and-disney-team-up-for-star-wars-games/1100-6407982/" data-ref-id="1100-6407982">working on an unannounced title in the Star Wars franchise</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6199373" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6199373/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-gamestop-offering-extra-in-store-credit-to-fight-off-wal-mart/1100-6418595/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417797" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417797/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">[UPDATE] A GameStop representative confirmed the "Never Walk a Trade" promotion in a statement to GameSpot today.</p><p style=""><em>"We did just launch a program called 'Never Walk a Trade.' The program includes many features, one of which includes empowering our store managers and associates to offer customers-- when they believe it is needed--the best value for their pre-owned video game and consumer electronic products. This program is focused on helping ensure we continue to provide the most valuable trade-in offers against all competitors and not lose an opportunity to meet our customer's needs based on trade-in value.</em></p><p style=""><em>The reason we introduced this program is because we want to continue to elevate customer awareness of the unique proposition of the GameStop buy-sell-trade model."</em></p><p style=""><strong>The original story is below.</strong></p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameStop CEO Paul Raines said today that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-unfazed-by-wal-mart-s-entrance-in-the-used-game-market/1100-6418591/" data-ref-id="1100-6418591">he's not worried about Wal-Mart's entrance into the used-game market</a>, but that might not be the whole story. A source told <a href="http://www.gamepolitics.com/2014/03/27/report-gamestop-fighting-walmarts-used-games-business-extra-store-credit#.UzRndfldXEo" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GamePolitics </a>today that GameStop stores that are geographically close to Wal-Marts are offering an extra 20 percent trade-in credit as a means to fight off the competition and steer consumers toward GameStop.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A memo obtained by GamePolitics says that the program is called "Never Walk a Trade" and a pilot operation will run March 26-31 at GameStop stores located near Wal-Marts. We've reached out to GameStop for comment on the report.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer. Though GameStop has shook off competitors like Best Buy and others before, Wal-Mart is no doubt a special circumstance that would call for an aggressive move like this. We'll continue to monitor the story as it develops.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-gamestop-offering-extra-in-store-credit-to-fight-off-wal-mart/1100-6418595/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-director-leaves-naughty-dog-for-riot/1100-6418600/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418031" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418031/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">UPDATE 13:51 PST</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony passed along the following statement regarding Richmond's departure: "SCEA can confirm Justin Richmond has left Naughty Dog to pursue other opportunities. The development timeline of Uncharted will not be impacted."</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>The original story appears below.</em></p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/uncharted-4/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 4</a> game director Justin Richmond has just announced that he is leaving his position at Naughty Dog to work for <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a> developer Riot.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/27/uncharted-4-game-director-justin-richmond-leaves-naughty-dog?abthid=5334801a7c5fddfe77000019" rel="nofollow">statement to IGN</a>, Richmond wrote, "I have, in fact, made the decision to leave Naughty Dog. I love the company and the people and know that they will continue to create awesome games going forward. On a happier note, after careful consideration and exploration I have joined Riot Games. There is some really innovative stuff going on here that I can't wait to be a part of."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PS4-exclusive Uncharted game was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-reveals-uncharted-for-ps4-and-new-last-of-us-dlc/1100-6416198/" data-ref-id="1100-6416198">announced last year at the PlayStation 4 launch event</a> in New York, but it's made headlines recently with the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-ps4-writer-leaves-naughty-dog/1100-6418113/">departure of lead writer Amy Hennig.</a> While original reports posited that Hennig was "forced out" of the company by The Last of Us creative directors Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, Naughty Dog clarified in a later statement that they "were NOT involved in what transpired."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We've reached out to Sony for further clarification on the departure and to comment on whether this will impact the development of any current projects at Naughty Dog.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinHaywald" rel="nofollow"> Twitter @JustinHaywald</a> </strong><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-director-leaves-naughty-dog-for-riot/1100-6418600/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wal-mart-launches-trade-in-program-they-ll-pay-390-for-an-xbox-one-29-for-gta-5/1100-6418598/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489662-walmartgames1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489662" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489662-walmartgames1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489662"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2489662-walmartgames1.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wal-Mart launched its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-unfazed-by-wal-mart-s-entrance-in-the-used-game-market/1100-6418591/" data-ref-id="1100-6418591">highly touted video game trade-in program</a> this week, going head-to-head with market leader GameStop. If you're stuck scratching your head about where to trade in your items, we've compiled a breakdown of trade-in values for popular games and systems at the competing retailers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">All values listed below represent in-store credit for items in working order. GameStop offers a cash option (less than in-store credit) while Wal-Mart offers in-store credit exclusively (but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wal-mart-taking-on-gamestop-will-soon-accept-video-game-trade-ins/1100-6418369/" data-ref-id="1100-6418369">you can spend that on food and clothes!</a>). For the purposes of this breakdown, we're only looking at in-store credit values.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also, Wal-Mart only accepts hardware trade-ins via its website (they ship you a packaging label), while GameStop only accepts hardware trades via its brick-and-mortar stores. Finally, these prices are up-to-date as of today, though they are subject to change over time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Something else to consider is that GameStop offers an additional 10% trade-in credit if you're a PowerUp Rewards member. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart has no plans to offer a loyalty card. In short, you should view this breakdown as a guide and not a definitive document.</p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Hardware:</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>GameStop</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Xbox One (with Kinect) - $390</li><li dir="ltr">PlayStation 4 - $357.50</li><li dir="ltr">3DS XL - $97.50</li><li dir="ltr">Wii U - $156</li><li dir="ltr">Xbox 360 (S Model, 3250GB) $110</li><li dir="ltr">[PS3 - No direct comparison available]</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>Wal-Mart</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Xbox One (with Kinect) - $390</li><li dir="ltr">PlayStation 4 - $375</li><li dir="ltr">3DS XL - $105</li><li dir="ltr">Wii U - $120</li><li dir="ltr">Xbox 360 (S Model, 320GB) - $110</li><li dir="ltr">[PS3 - No direct comparison available]</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Software:</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Wal-Mart's trade-in website <a href="http://walmart.cexchange.com/online/Gaming/index.rails" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">features a very handy tool that lets you plug in any game and determine its value</a>. Unfortunately, GameStop only publishes a "<a href="http://www.gamestop.com/trade-values/mobile" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Featured Trade Values</a>" list, which is far from exhaustive. As such, direct comparisons between retailers becomes problematic. We have listed direct comparisons where possible.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>GameStop</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Grand Theft Auto V (PS3) - $22.10</li><li dir="ltr">FIFA 14 (Xbox One) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Forza 5 (Xbox One) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Titanfall (Xbox One) - $35.10</li><li dir="ltr">Need for Speed: Rivals (Xbox One) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Infamous: Second Son (PS4) - $35.10</li><li dir="ltr">Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) - $13</li><li dir="ltr">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4) - $28.60</li><li dir="ltr">Dark Souls II (PS3) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U) - $28.60</li><li dir="ltr">Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) - $15.60</li><li dir="ltr">Bravely Default (3DS) - $22.10</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>Wal-Mart</strong></p><ul><li>Grand Theft Auto V (PS3) - $29.40</li><li>FIFA 14 (Xbox One) - $38.50</li><li>Forza 5 (Xbox One) $38.50</li><li>Need for Speed Rivals (Xbox One) - $38.50</li><li>Infamous: Second Son (PS4) - $41.58</li><li>Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) - $18.90</li><li>Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4) - $38.50</li><li>Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4) - $33.88</li><li>Dark Souls II (PS3) - $38.50</li><li>Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U) - $33.88</li><li>Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) - $18.48</li><li>Bravely Default (3DS) - $26.18</li></ul><p style=""><em>That's where the direct comparisons end. But here are some more Wal-Mart data points for recently released games anyway.</em></p><ul><li>Dead Rising 3 (Xbox One) - $29.40</li><li>Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (Xbox One) - $21</li><li>South Park: The Stick of Truth (Xbox 360) - $32.89</li><li>Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS4) - $16.54</li></ul><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wal-mart-launches-trade-in-program-they-ll-pay-390-for-an-xbox-one-29-for-gta-5/1100-6418598/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-decapre-is-ultra-street-fighter-4-s-next-world-warrior/1100-6418599/ <p style="">The fifth character will be female. She'll come from the <i>Street Fighter</i> comics. And Ultra Street Fighter IV will be her fighting game debut. These hints and others were all we had to go on as to the identity of Ultra Street Fighter IV's mysterious fifth character, who was first teased in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/ultra-street-fighter-iv-announcement-trailer-at-ev/2300-6411429/" data-ref-id="2300-6411429">the game's announcement trailer</a>. After several months of rampant speculation--including such contenders as Ibuki's friend and Ken's wife--Capcom finally put the rumors to rest at Final Round 17 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the reveal of Decapre, the next world warrior.</p><p style="">If <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/capcom-saves-the-least-exciting-ultra-street-fighter-iv-character-reveal-for-last/1100-6418349/" data-ref-id="1100-6418349">our coverage is any indication</a>, the response to this announcement was <i>mixed </i>at best. Since Decapre lacks the nostalgia Hugo, Poison, Elena, and Rolento enjoy, as well as the novelty of being a completely original character, the odds were already against her. Her status as just another one of M. Bison's assassins--dubbed The Dolls--felt underwhelming to some given the series' strong lineup of memorable characters and outrageous personalities. It also didn't help that she looks almost exactly like Cammy with a mask. Earlier this week, I spoke with developer Capcom about why Decapre made the cut, and what went into designing this brand-new fighter for the series.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489656-usfiv_decapre_all_0520b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489656" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489656-usfiv_decapre_all_0520b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489656"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/949/9490474/2489656-usfiv_decapre_all_0520b.jpg"></a></figure><blockquote><p style=""><i>A lot of attention was paid to the design of Decapre's scar. The fact that it crosses right between her eyebrows makes her look angry by default no matter what sort of expression she wears. Interestingly, donning her mask allows her to cover the scar and therefore makes her emotional state easier to read. It's quite rare to come across a design like this, where masking a large portion of the face actually makes it easier to read a character's emotions rather than more difficult. --Capcom's Art Team</i></p></blockquote><p style="">According to the game's assistant producer, Tomoyaki Ayano, Decapre's status as a Doll was one of the main reasons why she was chosen as the fifth character--to help fix a missing link in the game's roster. "The Street Fighter IV series is basically a compilation of popular characters from the franchise. However, it doesn't speak much about The Dolls, which fan favorites such as Juli and Juni also belong to. We selected the final character from The Dolls so we can further explore the Street Fighter IV universe. We believe that Decapre helps us to understand the aspect of her causal link with Cammy and Shadaloo."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489707-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489707" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489707-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489707"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/949/9490474/2489707-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517b.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"Rolento, Poison, Hugo, and Elena have all appeared in <a href="/street-fighter-x-tekken/" data-ref-id="false">Street Fighter X Tekken</a>, so we made sure to stay true to their original design," Ayano continued. "As for Decapre, she's never appeared in a game as a playable character. Although she is Cammy's clone in the setting, we wanted to create a distinctive character in terms of her fighting style. Therefore, a lot of elements unique to her character, such as new special moves and charges, have been implemented."</p><p style="">"She's very trick-heavy, with lots of left and right mix-ups to keep up her offense," added senior online and community specialist Peter Rosas. When Rosas first laid eyes on Decapre, she was nothing more than an Excel spreadsheet filled with frame data--the numerical values that represent her attacks. That was last year, and since then he has been hard at work helping mold Decapre into a balanced fighter. "Decapre is not like Cammy at all; she's actually more like E. Honda in that she's a charge-based character who can still be played very offensively. She can excel without relying too heavily on charge-based attacks, but when she's able to get in close and use her charge attacks in conjunction with some pretty great normal attacks, things can get pretty nasty pretty fast."</p><p style="">Unlike some of the other world warriors, Decapre has a fighting style that isn't based on an existing martial art, so it was up to the development team to invent one. As Ayano described it, "Decapre attacks with the daggers equipped to her hands. Unfortunately, there's no real-life analogue for her fighting style, but we've referred to jamadhar, also known as katar, to design her weapon. Her fighting style is distinctive, as she utilizes a powerful claw combined with its hack-and-slash functionality. She's a charge-based character in nature, so some people might imagine that her fighting style might be defensive awaiting the opponent's moves. However, that is actually not the case."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489703-swan_decapre_arm-edit.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489703" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489703-swan_decapre_arm-edit.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489703"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/949/9490474/2489703-swan_decapre_arm-edit.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489661-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517a.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489661" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489661-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517a.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489661"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/949/9490474/2489661-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517a.jpg"></a></figure><blockquote><p style=""><i>This collection of facial expressions is meant to show the extremes of her emotional states as a way to sort of flesh out the character behind the scenes. However, you don't really see her get this emotional in the game, so these images are rare in that sense. --Capcom's Art Team</i></p></blockquote><p style="">In the months following Decapre's spreadsheet origins, Rosas has tested and consulted on three different versions of this fighter. His job is to help ensure she's not "too obnoxious" and is balanced against the rest of the roster. This means she has undergone a lot of changes. "Her second ultra, the DCM or defensive combat maneuver, used to have a three-frame startup, so you could land it off of basically any attack. It also had three different variations: hitting straight across, at a 45-degree angle, or a 90-degree angle. This was too much. You basically couldn't get away from her. You couldn't jump back, you couldn't back dash--she had an option for everything. It was too obnoxious."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489706-usfiv_decapre7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489706" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489706-usfiv_decapre7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489706"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/949/9490474/2489706-usfiv_decapre7.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It was important for the team to nail the DCM ultra since it is an enhanced version of her signature attack, the scramble, a short-range teleport. Ayano and Rosas agree that Decapre's scramble attacks are her most important asset, and the linchpin of her fighting style. "[Scramble] is a charge-based command attack, but with ultra-fast migration and three different paths: low, medium, and high," explained Ayano. "It is not just a migration, but also comes with a lot of [follow-up] moves, such as blake (sudden stop of migration) and cannon strike (assault from the air). By utilizing these scramble attacks, players are more likely to be ahead of the game."</p><p style="">"I'd say her scramble into ground pound is something you're going to see a lot," said Rosas. "When Decapre knocks her opponent down, she can choose which side she wants to attack from, sort of like what C. Viper does when she flame kicks over some guy's head. If the kick hits, she'll combo accordingly, and the same thing is true for Decapre. When she does a scramble into ground pound, she can hit either the front or back of her opponent, and they have to figure out which one it's going to be. All you see is her dash into the air and vanish, and then <i>wham</i>,<i> </i>she's on the ground. You're going to see that a lot in her mix-up game."</p><p style="">Of course, just like with the DCM, it's important that this attack not be too powerful. "There was actually one version of Decapre where her scramble just ended instantly; like <i>bam </i>she was right in front of you," Rosas added. "It was basically an infinite as she could just teleport nonstop all over the screen. And while it looked really cool, it was just way too obnoxious."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417740" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417740/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">As Capcom has stated, Decapre is around 80 percent complete. However, that last 20 percent is a tightrope of minute tweaks and attack rebalancing. "I want to see the public's reaction to her," said Rosas. "She's a far cry from her previous, overpowered versions and is definitely more in line with the rest of the cast. But at the same time, due to her pretty good moveset, I want to see what other people can do. I can only do what I can do, I can't account for what people like Desk--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7gA1URTySQ" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">that combo guru</a>--or others might come up with. I just really want to see how the public fights against her, how they use her. Do they focus on her charge attacks or on her normals? What will be the most efficient play style for her?"</p><p style="">Rosas is confident that Capcom, with the community's support, will find these answers ahead of <a href="/super-street-fighter-iv-arcade-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Ultra Street Fighter IV</a>'s June release date, just a few short weeks before their game is put to the ultimate test at this year's Evolution Championship Series.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:20:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-decapre-is-ultra-street-fighter-4-s-next-world-warrior/1100-6418599/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-and-zelda-come-together-like-never-before/1100-6418596/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489586-soniczelda.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489586" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489586-soniczelda.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489586"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2489586-soniczelda.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sega today launched new DLC for <a href="/sonic-lost-world/" data-ref-id="false">Sonic Lost World</a> called "The Legend of Zelda Zone" and it brings the iconic franchises together like never before. The expansion is available today as a free download on Wii U. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the expansion, Sonic embarks on Zelda-inspired quests while wearing Link's famous green tunic. Sonic can even fly on his own Loftwing from Wii Zelda game <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword/" data-ref-id="false">Skyward Sword</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Legend of Zelda Zone for Sonic Lost World also includes classic Zelda locations like Hyrule Field and Dodongo's Cavern. Zelda fans will discover even more secrets, Sega says.</p><p style="">For more on The Legend of Zelda Zone for Sonic Lost World, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-lost-world/images/" data-ref-id="false">more images here</a> the trailer below.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418015" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418015/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 12:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-and-zelda-come-together-like-never-before/1100-6418596/
Gamespot's Site MashupDrunken Cyberpunk Comeuppance - Deus Ex: The Fall Gameplay MontageWorld Tour Offers a Happy Return to Mario GolfRed Dead Redemption Gameplay - The Shaun Method HighlightsInfinite Crisis Open Beta ReviewFinal Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster ReviewMario Golf: World Tour - PreviewIn World of Speed, Winning Isn't EverythingGS News - CliffyB Attacks Notch over Oculus, Last Of Us Coming To PS4?Insurgency: Free Molotov Spring Update LiveDead Space free on Origin as the first title in EA's "On The House" promotionReport: GameStop offering extra in-store credit to fight off Wal-MartUncharted 4 director leaves Naughty Dog for RiotWal-Mart launches trade-in program -- They'll pay $390 for an Xbox One, $29 for GTA 5Why Decapre is Ultra Street Fighter 4's Next World WarriorSonic and Zelda come together like never before
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Fri, 28 Mar 2014 01:00:43 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/drunken-cyberpunk-comeuppance-deus-ex-the-fall-gam/2300-6418010/ If you like silenced guns, dialogue trees and being a futuristic jerk, you will like this smattering of gameplay from Deus Ex: The Fall. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 22:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/drunken-cyberpunk-comeuppance-deus-ex-the-fall-gam/2300-6418010/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-tour-offers-a-happy-return-to-mario-golf/1100-6418603/ <p style="">Mario Golf finds itself in a unique position among Nintendo's franchises. The rhythmic way you swing a club so expertly melds mechanical simplicity with strategic complexity that there's no way to improve on your basic interaction. At least, if there is a more interesting approach to digital golfing, I haven't found it. So how could Mario Golf hope to evolve if it's continually trotting out the same basic premise? Well, that's the beauty of this inventive series. Instead of leading to the malaise of repetition, each new entry returns me to a familiar and wonderful place. Mario Golf: World Tour picks up where we last left the Mushroom Kingdom crew, and I couldn't be happier.</p><p style="">Golfing is a perfect fit for a handheld. I spent hours playing <a href="/hot-shots-golf-world-invitational/" data-ref-id="false">Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational</a> on the Vita because it's easy to play a couple of holes during a free moment, yet the game has enough depth that I didn't feel ashamed when those moments turned to hours. Mario Golf: World Tour taps into a similar state of mind. Within seconds of picking up the 3DS, I was transported to the cheery greens, happily pressing once for power, and again for accuracy, and crossing my fingers that my aim was true. Once on the green, I would stare at the lines pointing out the slopes and hope against hope that I could make it to the hole in one glorious stroke. It's so peaceful that I wanted nothing more than to take in a round or two, even though my frequent mistakes could only make me cry in frustration.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6418033" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418033/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">World Tour splits its time between the reality of our world and the reality that Mario's friends inhabit. There are standard courses that have fairways, bunkers, roughs, and whatever else you would expect to find on a golf course. And then there are courses that have a cartoonish twist on those tried-and-true elements. A well-placed shot off the tee in a Peach-themed course will place your ball on a speed pad, which zips it further down the fairway. Rings of coins form perfect targets in the air, and if you collect enough, there are goodies in the shops to play around with. There are item boxes on the court that can really help in a pinch. Just use a bullet bill to fight against a strong wind, or a mushroom to get an extra burst.</p><p style="">What would a Mario sports game be without the characters we know and love? Mario, Luigi, and Peach join Boo, Walugi, and Bowser Jr., or you could be Diddy Kong if you'd rather play as someone who's not typically part of the Mario universe. If none of those characters strike your fancy, you can use your Mii avatar. In Castle Club mode, you upgrade your Mii as you work your way through the ranks. When you triumph over your competitors, you earn coins, and then you can splurge in the shop to upgrade your abilities. Such a mode could certainly suck up a lot of my time, and it seems like the course design is strong enough to keep me coming back for one more hole.</p><p style="">World Tour is exactly what you'd expect from a new Mario Golf game. And it shows that sometimes it's nice to have an unchanging, predictable franchise to rely on. Digital golfing is like a comfort food, so I'm glad that the core mechanics haven't been tampered with, and there are enough tweaks to the window dressing that I'm excited to explore the many courses and raid the golf shop. It's just a shame we have to wait until May for the final release. Now that I've gotten a taste of four-player, simultaneous golfing, I want to challenge all of my coworkers to a match. If only patience were a virtue that I had.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-tour-offers-a-happy-return-to-mario-golf/1100-6418603/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/red-dead-redemption-gameplay-the-shaun-method-high/2300-6418034/ Chris goes cowboy ankle sniping, while Danny pleads with him to shoot horses' faces off in Red Dead Redemption. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/red-dead-redemption-gameplay-the-shaun-method-high/2300-6418034/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infinite-crisis-open-beta-review/1100-6418509/ <p style=""> </p><p style=""><em>GameSpot's open beta reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available to the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote time and Internet bandwidth for the privilege of playing them before they are complete. The review below critiques a work in progress, and represents a snapshot of the game at the time of the review's publication.</em></p><p style="">Infinite Crisis is yet another game spawned to compete with the titans of the multiplayer online battle arena genre. In this particular thematic iteration, you take command of various iconic DC universe comic book heroes, including favorites from the Justice League, as well as some alternate-universe incarnations such as Nightmare Batman, Gaslight Joker, or Atomic Wonder Woman.</p><p style="">As Superman, you can swoop in like a speeding bullet to save a teammate and fight foes with your super strength. The Flash battles with quickness, gaining additional damage based on how fast he's going. The Joker brings his full bag of tricks to the battlefield, battling with an array of sinister toys befitting his not-all-there demeanor. The twist to Infinite Crisis' pool of champions comes from the overlapping alternate universes offering different takes on the same familiar characters. Gaslight Joker brings no tricks and few treats as his filth-themed kit covers an archetypal tank, winning battles by throwing around his extra weight. The vampiric Nightmare Batman forgoes the bruiser nature of standard Batman in exchange for the ability to lock down and assassinate a single target, or multiple targets if left unchecked.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2490048-acrevicfootage216.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2490048" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2490048-acrevicfootage216.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2490048"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2490048-acrevicfootage216.jpg"></a><figcaption>In Infinite Crisis, it's always easy being green.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Players may choose additional stolen powers for their champions to cover some of their weaknesses or solidify some of their strengths. The game's various environmental objects are often targets of these stolen powers, such as the ability to hoist an idle vehicle over your head and throw it into an enemy team. Each character has their own character-specific incarnation of a stolen power, such as Wonder Woman's super strength, allowing her to throw environmental objects farther, or Cyborg's teleport, allowing him to reach the destination more quickly than the default.</p><p style="">In its current open-beta state, the game has two maps available for matchmaking: Gotham Heights and Gotham Divided. Gotham Heights pits two teams of heroes against one another in a battle to drain the opponent's power core to death by controlling a set of capture points. Your team must hold more points than the enemy to begin the drain. Teams must decide how to divide up on the circular map to best execute their plan to dominate the enemy, with typical occurrences leading to repeated skirmishes for control of Wayne Tower which adorns the top-most point of the map, while one or two allies defend your bottom lane. Before play can stagnate with a 3-2 advantage to either side, a central capture point allows players to activate an orbital cannon, summoning powerful drones that must be stopped to prevent them from neutralizing an already-captured territory. Since points only drain for the team with the lead in held territories, no game is ever over until it is truly over, leading to potential nail-biting comebacks.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2436236-star_sapphire_portrait.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2436236" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2436236-star_sapphire_portrait.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2436236"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/536/5360430/2436236-star_sapphire_portrait.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><span>Gotham Divided features the MOBA genre standard gameplay of two bases connected by three lanes and a jungle of neutral creatures, with the set goal of destroying your enemy's base. Each lane is guarded by towers that must be destroyed as you progress further toward your coup-de-grace. Slaying the neutral monsters can enable your character to call down certain power-ups from which anyone on the team may benefit, such as a movement-speed enhancing shrine. Atypically of the genre, the map is oriented left-to-right rather than bottom-left corner to top-right corner.</span></p><p style="">The game has a well-executed method of balancing the "denying" gold farming methods of <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2 </a>with the staunch "no denying" stance in <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends </a>by introducing a mechanic called credits. If you score the last hit on a drone, you acquire credits automatically. However, if the drone simply dies nearby, it drops credits. Walking over the credits will pick them up, although the amount is less than if you had scored the killing blow on the drone. Credits dropped for enemies will appear grey on your screen, and walking over the grey credits will stomp them out, preventing your opponent from acquiring that money. The credit pick-up mechanic also makes it easier for players less skilled at last-hitting to still be able to acquire money, so long as they are able to walk to where a minion has died.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2324425-atomic_green_lantern_03.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2324425" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2324425-atomic_green_lantern_03.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2324425"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1197/11970954/2324425-atomic_green_lantern_03.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">A third map, Coast City Marina, is available for custom games and a practice queue which pits you against only AI opponents. The map features only two lanes and much more room in the urban jungle, and seems suited to smaller teams despite the practice queue giving your team 5 players. The map blends both territory capture and base siege gameplay with its three power relays which players may capture in order to boost their credit gain and map control. I did not get to experiment with this game in custom games, but it definitely has potential to be a fun mode especially for 3v3s.</p><p style="">Infinite Crisis still has room for improvement, specifically with its character AI pathing and user interface. Character movement is oddly constrained, with heroes moving as if controlled by an old eight-way joystick rather than a mouse and keyboard. The UI has its ups and downs--its ups being that the game recommends items for new players to purchase and skills for them to rank up. The biggest downside is that your health and mana (will) values aren't displayed by default. While you can click on your health bar to toggle from a ruler-style tick mark to actual numbers to simply a percent listing, it's easy to miss the option until you've gotten a good number of games under your belt. The in-game shop is a bit daunting to navigate as well, with icons and costs being arranged in a chaotic manner. If not for checkboxes highlighting items that give specific stats, it would be much harder to choose which League of Legends-cloned item you were trying to buy.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2390360-infinite+crisis+-+mecha+wonder+woman+screenshot+06.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2390360" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2390360-infinite+crisis+-+mecha+wonder+woman+screenshot+06.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2390360"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/536/5360430/2390360-infinite+crisis+-+mecha+wonder+woman+screenshot+06.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sorely missing from the game at present is a surrender function; although Gotham Heights matches are often no more than 20 minutes, Gotham Divided matches can drag on, leading to the frustration of playing in a lost match.</p><p style="">Overall, Infinite Crisis is shaping up to be a solid MOBA. It hasn't quite reached its potential, but it's only just begun its open beta and has plenty of time to improve before release. There are some flashes of brilliance in its design, but also keyboard-smashing frustrations that can only be hammered out by solid feedback moving forward in the beta phase.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><strong>What's There?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>An online battle arena featuring 27 heroes to choose from and three gameplay modes.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's to Come?</strong></td><td><em><strong>More champions and matchmaking for the Coast City Marina map are on the way. </strong></em></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What Does it Cost?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>Infinite Crisis is free to play, with the ability to purchase heroes and additional costumes for them.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>When Will it be Finished?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>Infinite Crisis does not yet have a set release date.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's the Verdict?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>The core gameplay is good, but a few frustrating elements and poor balance can disrupt your good time. However, with WB promoting the game alongside its other DC Universe games, you may be able to snag exclusive skins if you join early; keep your eyes peeled for that opportune moment.</strong></em></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:35:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infinite-crisis-open-beta-review/1100-6418509/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster-review/1900-6415711/ <p style="">Even considering my fond memories of Yuna's pilgrimage through the ecclesiastical world of Spira, I couldn't help but consider <a href="/final-fantasy-x/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X</a>'s age when firing up the aptly titled HD Remaster version. It often takes more than a fresh coat of graphical paint to drag an aged product into modern times, but luckily, this marvelous role-playing game doesn't feel stuck in the past. The visual updates--as well as the addition of content previously exclusive to the international edition of the PlayStation 2 original--are compelling reasons to revisit one of the most poignant entries in the long-running series. Yet the religiously charged plot and distinctive progression system are the feature attractions for this particular return.</p><p style="">Spira, even with its picturesque sandy shores and reverential places of worship, isn't a safe haven. The residents of Final Fantasy X's expansive world have lovingly adopted the teachings of the deity Yevon thanks to the pervasive threat of Sin, a destructive, whale-like entity that's been painted as a punishment for past transgressions. The indomitable force cannot be killed, so instead, the devout followers of Yevon known as summoners--along with a group of battle-tested guardians--journey across the world to grow strong enough to banish Sin for a 10-year period. This decade, known as "the Calm," is a blessing for the people of Spira, but the personal cost of the summoner's journey is a great one.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452581-ffx-2_battle2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452581" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452581-ffx-2_battle2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452581"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1365/13658182/2452581-ffx-2_battle2.jpg"></a><figcaption>Looking good, indeed!</figcaption></figure><p style="">Like most Final Fantasy games, X's plot is complemented by a budding romance. The bond between protagonist Tidus and summoner Yuna grows strong over the course of this 80-hour experience, and for the most part, their relationship arc is heartwarming and romantic. However, the potency of the game's story lies in a dedication to its fiction. Spira feels both fantastical and genuine, and Final Fantasy X's ardor for its own religious trappings only grows as new layers of a seedy hierarchy are carefully unpeeled. The political and spiritual backbone of Spira allows for a level of believability not often found in the series, or even in games in general.</p><p style="">Fortunately, the story segments aren't overbearing. Yuna's pilgrimage is beautifully balanced between plot, combat, and exploration, eliminating any opportunity for tedium to set in. Just when you've heard enough of the teachings of Yevon, the game introduces a new side of Spira brimming with adventuring opportunities. These segments of your pilgrimage are often expansive enough to sharpen your swordplay, but not so long that you irritably seethe at every nagging random encounter. It's smart pacing, and it doesn't hurt that the turn-based combat system itself is such a joy. Each of the seven playable characters has a set of skills tailored to a certain type of enemy. Heavily armored fiends are best stuck by guardians with bone-crushing blades, while elemental creatures are most easily downed by the effective spells of a mage.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="medium"><p style="">Final Fantasy X doesn't feel stuck in the past. In fact, the strategic, turn-based combat remains just as engaging in 2014 as it was in 2001.</p></blockquote><p style="">Snappy character swapping mid-battle allows for simple party experimentation, but the game's colossal progression system is where most player agency lies. Individual characters don't earn predetermined attribute points after raising a level; instead, Final Fantasy X incorporates a sphere grid. This circular network is broken up into clusters of individual nodes, each representing a different statistical boost. Using levels earned through battle, characters can travel down a unique development pathway and unlock new abilities, or greater strength and magic, along the way. It's a fascinating divergence from more traditional systems, and for completionists like myself, it's easy to get lost in the colorful network of spheres. I spent hundreds of hours maximizing my group of guardians on the PS2, but I still couldn't stop myself from losing dozens more on this HD Remaster.</p><p style="">Even before digging into the narrative or understanding the monumental sphere grid, the striking update to the presentation is immediately apparent. It might be a remastering and not a full remake, but environments swell with color and detail. Facial animations-- at least for the main cast--have been completely redone, and while it can be jarring to see the flat features of a non-player character next to the expressive, lively mug of one of the heroes, the improved animations are still a welcome addition.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452570-ffx_battle_skills7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452570" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452570-ffx_battle_skills7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452570"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2452570-ffx_battle_skills7.jpg"></a><figcaption>Mog doesn't look too excited by Lulu's magical histrionics. </figcaption></figure><p style="">The soundtrack, too, has been given an overhaul, but even diehard fans of the game might not immediately notice the acoustic alterations. The classic score, ranging from the solemn "Hymn of the Fayth" to the uppity tunes of Mi'ihen Road, has been cleaned up, and the orchestral rearrangements breathe a bit of new life into the 60-track package. If hearing piano in the "Via Purifico" theme causes you to writhe in wistful agony, the work composer Nobuo Uematsu has put in might be difficult to stomach. Nevertheless, the actual quality of the music is crisper, and nothing too drastic has been done to alter the spirit of each individual track.</p><p style="">After that new, HD smell finally wears off, what's left is a pair of enduring RPGs with all the additional content once exclusive to the international release. Within Final Fantasy X is the inclusion of dark aeons, which are optional bosses that pose distinct combat challenges. Moreover, you can make use of the expert sphere grid, an advanced take on the complex leveling system that breaks away from the predetermined attribute path each character originally followed. Instead of having Lulu, the game's designated black mage, pursue an upgrade path littered with magic boosts, the expert option places each character in the very center of the grid from the start. This gives the player more freedom when determining which role an individual character will play in combat, but doesn't drastically change the difficulty of the moment-to-moment action.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452572-ffx_battle_summons9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452572" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452572-ffx_battle_summons9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452572"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2452572-ffx_battle_summons9.jpg"></a><figcaption>If ever the word "ragtag" applied to an adventuring party, this would be the time. </figcaption></figure><p style=""><a href="/final-fantasy-x-2/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X-2</a>, which is also included in this $39.99 bundle, sees greater benefits from the original game's international offerings. Additional dresspheres, which instantly alter a character's attributes and abilities, as well as a creature creator and battle tournaments round out this blithe sequel, but what nostalgic fans will likely spend the most time with is the Last Mission. Set three months after the events of X-2, this bonus ending pits Yuna, Paine, and Rikku against the Iutycyr Tower, a monster-riddled spire that houses a roguelike dungeon crawler. It can be a grind as you ascend floor after floor and engage in battle after battle, but the delightful new cutscenes that appear after completing a certain set of challenges makes the trip worth your time.</p><p style="">Nevertheless, Final Fantasy X-2 remains problematic. The mid-battle wardrobe changes are still difficult to rationalize, with the Sailor Moon-esque visual transformations feeling out of place in an otherwise sensible setting. The original story of Tidus, Yuna, and their battle against Sin isn't without its fair share of absurdity, but the inclusion of hot pants and J-Pop leads to uncomfortable tonal shifts. I hold Final Fantasy X in high regard due to its respect for its own fiction, and much of that reverence has been flecked for the sake of emotionally hollow whimsy in X-2. The active combat system is snappy and entertaining, but this flashy sequel is the weak part of this otherwise stellar bundle.</p><p style="">If you want to experience the collection on both PlayStation 3 and Vita, you'll have to buy the game twice. Unfortunately, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster isn't a member of the cross-buy club, but players can still make use of the cross-save system to maintain a single save file between the two platforms. Both versions, in terms of presentation and framerate, are essentially indistinguishable, but minor visual imperfections do appear every so often on the Vita. The uneven textures that remind you of the game's age are more jagged on the handheld edition, but that shouldn't stop you from taking the game on the go if that's your preferred method of play.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452585-ffx-2_dressphere12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452585" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2452585-ffx-2_dressphere12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2452585"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1365/13658182/2452585-ffx-2_dressphere12.jpg"></a><figcaption>Yuna loves a good pillow fight now and again.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is a meticulous refurbishment of one of Square Enix's strongest properties. A careful eye might catch glimpses of irregularity among individual pieces of the environment or passing residents of a town, but the overall package is an attractive renewal that respects its roots. The lengthy Final Fantasy X remains joyous due to a careful balance of its short combat sequences and expertly told story, while its over-the-top follow-up both entertains and exasperates through a frenetic battle system and convivial tone. Both games stand the test of time and are worth the admittedly significant time investment, even if you don't hold a deep-rooted, nostalgic association to the original releases.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 17:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster-review/1900-6415711/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/mario-golf-world-tour-preview/2300-6418033/ Join Tom McShea as he tours the front nine in Mario Golf: World Tour for the 3DS. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/mario-golf-world-tour-preview/2300-6418033/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-world-of-speed-winning-isn-t-everything/1100-6418597/ <p style="">When I get behind the wheel in a racing game, I have one goal: to win. Being the first to cross the finish line is the only goal, and whether I race clean or get dirty isn't relevant. What matters is that my competitors remain behind me.</p><p style="">How unusual, then, that I won a team race when playing World of Speed recently, even though I wasn't the first to cross the finish line. You see, developer Slightly Mad's upcoming online racing game doesn't think that winning always means coming in first. As I sped through the streets of San Francisco with an ally and two challengers, it became obvious that finishing the race in first place wasn't an option; the driver leading the pack was too far ahead of me. And so I relaxed my attitude and enjoyed the sights of my home city, unaware that I would somehow eke out a win, even though I was second to finish.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417127" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417127/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">How is such a thing possible? Luckily, Pete Morrish, Lead Producer at developer Slightly Mad, and Andy Tudor, Creative Director, had answers for me. "What we wanted to do was to make racing more than just about winning," Tudor told me. "In every other racing game under the sun, it's all about crossing the line in first position. In an online race, that means that the vast majority of players aren't coming away with that special 'win!' feeling. Add to that the fact that there's precious little incentive to carry on if you find yourself in a position where you can't win the race, and it's looking like the racing genre could do with a sprinkling of magic innovation dust."</p><p style="">I am not sure if World of Speed's system is magic, but it's certainly unusual. As you race, you earn points by accomplishing objectives like slipstreaming opponents for a certain amount of time, or trading paint with other racers. Says Tudor, "Objectives bring a layer of strategy to racing by giving players more to think about and to do. They encourage teams to actually work together in a way that's not been seen in racing before." When I took to the San Francisco streets a second time, I was more conscious of these secondary objectives--so of course I lost the race, much to my chagrin.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434428-wos_screenshot_wm+%2811%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434428" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434428-wos_screenshot_wm+%2811%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434428"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2434428-wos_screenshot_wm+%2811%29.jpg"></a><figcaption>Screenshots like this make me wish I could afford better than a used Ford Fiesta. </figcaption></figure><p style="">Nevertheless, I had fun, though it was clear that the vehicle handling needed some tweaking. My Camaro felt heavier than expected, and the developers on hand assured me they also felt that the model was still too weighty for their tastes. I was fine once I grew accustomed to the vehicle's feel--which didn't take that long--but I was missing the arcade fluidity of the racing game I've been most enamored with of late: Need for Speed: Rivals. To be fair, however, World of Speed is not aiming for a wholly arcade driving experience. "As with any other game type or genre, you want easy accessibility yet long-term depth," says Morrish. "So you want players to be able to jump in and have a blast even without prior racing experience yet at endgame and competition level you want a depth of skill that only true masters will achieve. So we're focused on the game being instantly fun when you pick it up and do cool slides around corners whilst also providing an underlying physics and handling system that allows for nuance and prowess to be shown long-term. We label this on the spectrum as action racing."</p><p style="">World of Speed is not just about one-off races, however, but about connecting with other players in a large open world. Racing games have dabbled with massively multiplayer elements for many years (the first I ever played was Motor City Online, all the way back in 2001), but Slightly Mad calls its game a straight-up MMOG. Morrish says that the term is applicable, in part because there will be massive numbers of racers playing the game online and queuing up for races. "Our social zone will be a hive of activity as new players jump in and out, players will be chatting to each other, the calendar events will be busy, and friends will be making clubs and fighting for glory in that world. So our vision is very firmly focused around the 'buzz' each time you log on to play."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434425-wos_screenshot_wm+%288%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434425" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2434425-wos_screenshot_wm+%288%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2434425"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1365/13658182/2434425-wos_screenshot_wm+%288%29.jpg"></a><figcaption>This screenshot used by permission of Vladimir Putin. </figcaption></figure><p style="">Of course, what Morrish describes doesn't sound like an MMOG to me; it sounds like a traditional online game with a lobby. But Morrish calls out another element that he also believes makes World of Speed a massively multiplayer game. "The second [aspect] is maybe what people traditionally associate an MMO actually being--an RPG. So if you look at how we've approached race events in the game there are easy comparisons to, say, 'raids' in Warcraft. You have to work cooperatively as a team to win them, there are side quests to complete during them, each driver can take on a specific role, and you get experience and 'loot' for winning. These rewards can be money or buffs or points you can use to upgrade your cars and be more competitive in the next event. When you then include the Territory Wars aspect of a perpetual club-based struggle for world domination I think it's fair to say World Of Speed is pretty unique compared to the competition and has been built from the ground up to be more than just a racing game."</p><p style="">What's missing is what I believe to be the primary ingredient that makes a game an MMOG: a persistent world populated by large numbers of players at a single time. But this is all semantics, ultimately. Whatever we call it, World of Speed seems like it will be lovely to look at and fun to play. And those are two pretty good assets for a racing game to have.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:21:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-world-of-speed-winning-isn-t-everything/1100-6418597/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-cliffyb-attacks-notch-over-oculus-last-of-/2300-6418032/ CliffyB calls Notch a "pouty kid" for cancelling Minecraft on Oculus, Respawn punishes cheaters in Titanfall, and is The Last of Us coming to PS4? Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-cliffyb-attacks-notch-over-oculus-last-of-/2300-6418032/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/insurgency-free-molotov-spring-update-live/2300-6418029/ Aaron takes a look at the new Buhriz and Revolt maps while dodging Molotov cocktails. Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/insurgency-free-molotov-spring-update-live/2300-6418029/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489728-deadspace.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489728" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489728-deadspace.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489728"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2489728-deadspace.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts today made Visceral Games' 2008 horror-action game <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space</a> free to download on Origin as part of its newly launched free game promotion called "<a href="https://www.origin.com/en-us/store/on-the-house-ANW.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">On The House</a>."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of the program, EA will offer up DLC and full games for free. It doesn't sound like EA is going to publish a schedule for when new games and content will be available, as the publisher said these deals can "appear and disappear at any time."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Once you've claimed your free game, it's yours to keep forever, EA said. Why is EA doing this? "We're gamers, too. We appreciate you making Origin your gaming home...and besides, who doesn't like free stuff?" the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most recent entry in the Dead Space series was 2013's<a href="/dead-space-3/" data-ref-id="false"> Dead Space 3</a>. After that game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-crysis-3-and-dead-space-3-did-not-meet-expectations/1100-6408060/" data-ref-id="1100-6408060">underperformed</a>, it was reported that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-series-not-killed/1100-6410351/" data-ref-id="1100-6410351">EA had killed off the series</a>, but this later turned out to not be the case. Visceral Games is now <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-and-disney-team-up-for-star-wars-games/1100-6407982/" data-ref-id="1100-6407982">working on an unannounced title in the Star Wars franchise</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6199373" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6199373/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-gamestop-offering-extra-in-store-credit-to-fight-off-wal-mart/1100-6418595/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417797" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417797/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">[UPDATE] A GameStop representative confirmed the "Never Walk a Trade" promotion in a statement to GameSpot today.</p><p style=""><em>"We did just launch a program called 'Never Walk a Trade.' The program includes many features, one of which includes empowering our store managers and associates to offer customers-- when they believe it is needed--the best value for their pre-owned video game and consumer electronic products. This program is focused on helping ensure we continue to provide the most valuable trade-in offers against all competitors and not lose an opportunity to meet our customer's needs based on trade-in value.</em></p><p style=""><em>The reason we introduced this program is because we want to continue to elevate customer awareness of the unique proposition of the GameStop buy-sell-trade model."</em></p><p style=""><strong>The original story is below.</strong></p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameStop CEO Paul Raines said today that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-unfazed-by-wal-mart-s-entrance-in-the-used-game-market/1100-6418591/" data-ref-id="1100-6418591">he's not worried about Wal-Mart's entrance into the used-game market</a>, but that might not be the whole story. A source told <a href="http://www.gamepolitics.com/2014/03/27/report-gamestop-fighting-walmarts-used-games-business-extra-store-credit#.UzRndfldXEo" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GamePolitics </a>today that GameStop stores that are geographically close to Wal-Marts are offering an extra 20 percent trade-in credit as a means to fight off the competition and steer consumers toward GameStop.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A memo obtained by GamePolitics says that the program is called "Never Walk a Trade" and a pilot operation will run March 26-31 at GameStop stores located near Wal-Marts. We've reached out to GameStop for comment on the report.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer. Though GameStop has shook off competitors like Best Buy and others before, Wal-Mart is no doubt a special circumstance that would call for an aggressive move like this. We'll continue to monitor the story as it develops.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-gamestop-offering-extra-in-store-credit-to-fight-off-wal-mart/1100-6418595/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-director-leaves-naughty-dog-for-riot/1100-6418600/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418031" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418031/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">UPDATE 13:51 PST</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony passed along the following statement regarding Richmond's departure: "SCEA can confirm Justin Richmond has left Naughty Dog to pursue other opportunities. The development timeline of Uncharted will not be impacted."</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>The original story appears below.</em></p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/uncharted-4/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 4</a> game director Justin Richmond has just announced that he is leaving his position at Naughty Dog to work for <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a> developer Riot.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/27/uncharted-4-game-director-justin-richmond-leaves-naughty-dog?abthid=5334801a7c5fddfe77000019" rel="nofollow">statement to IGN</a>, Richmond wrote, "I have, in fact, made the decision to leave Naughty Dog. I love the company and the people and know that they will continue to create awesome games going forward. On a happier note, after careful consideration and exploration I have joined Riot Games. There is some really innovative stuff going on here that I can't wait to be a part of."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PS4-exclusive Uncharted game was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-reveals-uncharted-for-ps4-and-new-last-of-us-dlc/1100-6416198/" data-ref-id="1100-6416198">announced last year at the PlayStation 4 launch event</a> in New York, but it's made headlines recently with the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-ps4-writer-leaves-naughty-dog/1100-6418113/">departure of lead writer Amy Hennig.</a> While original reports posited that Hennig was "forced out" of the company by The Last of Us creative directors Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, Naughty Dog clarified in a later statement that they "were NOT involved in what transpired."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We've reached out to Sony for further clarification on the departure and to comment on whether this will impact the development of any current projects at Naughty Dog.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinHaywald" rel="nofollow"> Twitter @JustinHaywald</a> </strong><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-director-leaves-naughty-dog-for-riot/1100-6418600/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wal-mart-launches-trade-in-program-they-ll-pay-390-for-an-xbox-one-29-for-gta-5/1100-6418598/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489662-walmartgames1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489662" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489662-walmartgames1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489662"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2489662-walmartgames1.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wal-Mart launched its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-unfazed-by-wal-mart-s-entrance-in-the-used-game-market/1100-6418591/" data-ref-id="1100-6418591">highly touted video game trade-in program</a> this week, going head-to-head with market leader GameStop. If you're stuck scratching your head about where to trade in your items, we've compiled a breakdown of trade-in values for popular games and systems at the competing retailers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">All values listed below represent in-store credit for items in working order. GameStop offers a cash option (less than in-store credit) while Wal-Mart offers in-store credit exclusively (but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wal-mart-taking-on-gamestop-will-soon-accept-video-game-trade-ins/1100-6418369/" data-ref-id="1100-6418369">you can spend that on food and clothes!</a>). For the purposes of this breakdown, we're only looking at in-store credit values.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also, Wal-Mart only accepts hardware trade-ins via its website (they ship you a packaging label), while GameStop only accepts hardware trades via its brick-and-mortar stores. Finally, these prices are up-to-date as of today, though they are subject to change over time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Something else to consider is that GameStop offers an additional 10% trade-in credit if you're a PowerUp Rewards member. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart has no plans to offer a loyalty card. In short, you should view this breakdown as a guide and not a definitive document.</p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Hardware:</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>GameStop</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Xbox One (with Kinect) - $390</li><li dir="ltr">PlayStation 4 - $357.50</li><li dir="ltr">3DS XL - $97.50</li><li dir="ltr">Wii U - $156</li><li dir="ltr">Xbox 360 (S Model, 3250GB) $110</li><li dir="ltr">[PS3 - No direct comparison available]</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>Wal-Mart</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Xbox One (with Kinect) - $390</li><li dir="ltr">PlayStation 4 - $375</li><li dir="ltr">3DS XL - $105</li><li dir="ltr">Wii U - $120</li><li dir="ltr">Xbox 360 (S Model, 320GB) - $110</li><li dir="ltr">[PS3 - No direct comparison available]</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Software:</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Wal-Mart's trade-in website <a href="http://walmart.cexchange.com/online/Gaming/index.rails" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">features a very handy tool that lets you plug in any game and determine its value</a>. Unfortunately, GameStop only publishes a "<a href="http://www.gamestop.com/trade-values/mobile" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Featured Trade Values</a>" list, which is far from exhaustive. As such, direct comparisons between retailers becomes problematic. We have listed direct comparisons where possible.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>GameStop</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Grand Theft Auto V (PS3) - $22.10</li><li dir="ltr">FIFA 14 (Xbox One) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Forza 5 (Xbox One) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Titanfall (Xbox One) - $35.10</li><li dir="ltr">Need for Speed: Rivals (Xbox One) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Infamous: Second Son (PS4) - $35.10</li><li dir="ltr">Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) - $13</li><li dir="ltr">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4) - $28.60</li><li dir="ltr">Dark Souls II (PS3) - $32.50</li><li dir="ltr">Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U) - $28.60</li><li dir="ltr">Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) - $15.60</li><li dir="ltr">Bravely Default (3DS) - $22.10</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>Wal-Mart</strong></p><ul><li>Grand Theft Auto V (PS3) - $29.40</li><li>FIFA 14 (Xbox One) - $38.50</li><li>Forza 5 (Xbox One) $38.50</li><li>Need for Speed Rivals (Xbox One) - $38.50</li><li>Infamous: Second Son (PS4) - $41.58</li><li>Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) - $18.90</li><li>Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4) - $38.50</li><li>Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4) - $33.88</li><li>Dark Souls II (PS3) - $38.50</li><li>Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U) - $33.88</li><li>Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) - $18.48</li><li>Bravely Default (3DS) - $26.18</li></ul><p style=""><em>That's where the direct comparisons end. But here are some more Wal-Mart data points for recently released games anyway.</em></p><ul><li>Dead Rising 3 (Xbox One) - $29.40</li><li>Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (Xbox One) - $21</li><li>South Park: The Stick of Truth (Xbox 360) - $32.89</li><li>Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS4) - $16.54</li></ul><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wal-mart-launches-trade-in-program-they-ll-pay-390-for-an-xbox-one-29-for-gta-5/1100-6418598/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-decapre-is-ultra-street-fighter-4-s-next-world-warrior/1100-6418599/ <p style="">The fifth character will be female. She'll come from the <i>Street Fighter</i> comics. And Ultra Street Fighter IV will be her fighting game debut. These hints and others were all we had to go on as to the identity of Ultra Street Fighter IV's mysterious fifth character, who was first teased in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/ultra-street-fighter-iv-announcement-trailer-at-ev/2300-6411429/" data-ref-id="2300-6411429">the game's announcement trailer</a>. After several months of rampant speculation--including such contenders as Ibuki's friend and Ken's wife--Capcom finally put the rumors to rest at Final Round 17 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the reveal of Decapre, the next world warrior.</p><p style="">If <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/capcom-saves-the-least-exciting-ultra-street-fighter-iv-character-reveal-for-last/1100-6418349/" data-ref-id="1100-6418349">our coverage is any indication</a>, the response to this announcement was <i>mixed </i>at best. Since Decapre lacks the nostalgia Hugo, Poison, Elena, and Rolento enjoy, as well as the novelty of being a completely original character, the odds were already against her. Her status as just another one of M. Bison's assassins--dubbed The Dolls--felt underwhelming to some given the series' strong lineup of memorable characters and outrageous personalities. It also didn't help that she looks almost exactly like Cammy with a mask. Earlier this week, I spoke with developer Capcom about why Decapre made the cut, and what went into designing this brand-new fighter for the series.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489656-usfiv_decapre_all_0520b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489656" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489656-usfiv_decapre_all_0520b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489656"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/949/9490474/2489656-usfiv_decapre_all_0520b.jpg"></a></figure><blockquote><p style=""><i>A lot of attention was paid to the design of Decapre's scar. The fact that it crosses right between her eyebrows makes her look angry by default no matter what sort of expression she wears. Interestingly, donning her mask allows her to cover the scar and therefore makes her emotional state easier to read. It's quite rare to come across a design like this, where masking a large portion of the face actually makes it easier to read a character's emotions rather than more difficult. --Capcom's Art Team</i></p></blockquote><p style="">According to the game's assistant producer, Tomoyaki Ayano, Decapre's status as a Doll was one of the main reasons why she was chosen as the fifth character--to help fix a missing link in the game's roster. "The Street Fighter IV series is basically a compilation of popular characters from the franchise. However, it doesn't speak much about The Dolls, which fan favorites such as Juli and Juni also belong to. We selected the final character from The Dolls so we can further explore the Street Fighter IV universe. We believe that Decapre helps us to understand the aspect of her causal link with Cammy and Shadaloo."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489707-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489707" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489707-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489707"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/949/9490474/2489707-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517b.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"Rolento, Poison, Hugo, and Elena have all appeared in <a href="/street-fighter-x-tekken/" data-ref-id="false">Street Fighter X Tekken</a>, so we made sure to stay true to their original design," Ayano continued. "As for Decapre, she's never appeared in a game as a playable character. Although she is Cammy's clone in the setting, we wanted to create a distinctive character in terms of her fighting style. Therefore, a lot of elements unique to her character, such as new special moves and charges, have been implemented."</p><p style="">"She's very trick-heavy, with lots of left and right mix-ups to keep up her offense," added senior online and community specialist Peter Rosas. When Rosas first laid eyes on Decapre, she was nothing more than an Excel spreadsheet filled with frame data--the numerical values that represent her attacks. That was last year, and since then he has been hard at work helping mold Decapre into a balanced fighter. "Decapre is not like Cammy at all; she's actually more like E. Honda in that she's a charge-based character who can still be played very offensively. She can excel without relying too heavily on charge-based attacks, but when she's able to get in close and use her charge attacks in conjunction with some pretty great normal attacks, things can get pretty nasty pretty fast."</p><p style="">Unlike some of the other world warriors, Decapre has a fighting style that isn't based on an existing martial art, so it was up to the development team to invent one. As Ayano described it, "Decapre attacks with the daggers equipped to her hands. Unfortunately, there's no real-life analogue for her fighting style, but we've referred to jamadhar, also known as katar, to design her weapon. Her fighting style is distinctive, as she utilizes a powerful claw combined with its hack-and-slash functionality. She's a charge-based character in nature, so some people might imagine that her fighting style might be defensive awaiting the opponent's moves. However, that is actually not the case."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489703-swan_decapre_arm-edit.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489703" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489703-swan_decapre_arm-edit.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489703"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/949/9490474/2489703-swan_decapre_arm-edit.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489661-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517a.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489661" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489661-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517a.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489661"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/949/9490474/2489661-usfiv_decapre_facialpattern_0517a.jpg"></a></figure><blockquote><p style=""><i>This collection of facial expressions is meant to show the extremes of her emotional states as a way to sort of flesh out the character behind the scenes. However, you don't really see her get this emotional in the game, so these images are rare in that sense. --Capcom's Art Team</i></p></blockquote><p style="">In the months following Decapre's spreadsheet origins, Rosas has tested and consulted on three different versions of this fighter. His job is to help ensure she's not "too obnoxious" and is balanced against the rest of the roster. This means she has undergone a lot of changes. "Her second ultra, the DCM or defensive combat maneuver, used to have a three-frame startup, so you could land it off of basically any attack. It also had three different variations: hitting straight across, at a 45-degree angle, or a 90-degree angle. This was too much. You basically couldn't get away from her. You couldn't jump back, you couldn't back dash--she had an option for everything. It was too obnoxious."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489706-usfiv_decapre7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489706" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2489706-usfiv_decapre7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489706"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/949/9490474/2489706-usfiv_decapre7.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It was important for the team to nail the DCM ultra since it is an enhanced version of her signature attack, the scramble, a short-range teleport. Ayano and Rosas agree that Decapre's scramble attacks are her most important asset, and the linchpin of her fighting style. "[Scramble] is a charge-based command attack, but with ultra-fast migration and three different paths: low, medium, and high," explained Ayano. "It is not just a migration, but also comes with a lot of [follow-up] moves, such as blake (sudden stop of migration) and cannon strike (assault from the air). By utilizing these scramble attacks, players are more likely to be ahead of the game."</p><p style="">"I'd say her scramble into ground pound is something you're going to see a lot," said Rosas. "When Decapre knocks her opponent down, she can choose which side she wants to attack from, sort of like what C. Viper does when she flame kicks over some guy's head. If the kick hits, she'll combo accordingly, and the same thing is true for Decapre. When she does a scramble into ground pound, she can hit either the front or back of her opponent, and they have to figure out which one it's going to be. All you see is her dash into the air and vanish, and then <i>wham</i>,<i> </i>she's on the ground. You're going to see that a lot in her mix-up game."</p><p style="">Of course, just like with the DCM, it's important that this attack not be too powerful. "There was actually one version of Decapre where her scramble just ended instantly; like <i>bam </i>she was right in front of you," Rosas added. "It was basically an infinite as she could just teleport nonstop all over the screen. And while it looked really cool, it was just way too obnoxious."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417740" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417740/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">As Capcom has stated, Decapre is around 80 percent complete. However, that last 20 percent is a tightrope of minute tweaks and attack rebalancing. "I want to see the public's reaction to her," said Rosas. "She's a far cry from her previous, overpowered versions and is definitely more in line with the rest of the cast. But at the same time, due to her pretty good moveset, I want to see what other people can do. I can only do what I can do, I can't account for what people like Desk--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7gA1URTySQ" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">that combo guru</a>--or others might come up with. I just really want to see how the public fights against her, how they use her. Do they focus on her charge attacks or on her normals? What will be the most efficient play style for her?"</p><p style="">Rosas is confident that Capcom, with the community's support, will find these answers ahead of <a href="/super-street-fighter-iv-arcade-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Ultra Street Fighter IV</a>'s June release date, just a few short weeks before their game is put to the ultimate test at this year's Evolution Championship Series.</p> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:20:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-decapre-is-ultra-street-fighter-4-s-next-world-warrior/1100-6418599/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-and-zelda-come-together-like-never-before/1100-6418596/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489586-soniczelda.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489586" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2489586-soniczelda.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2489586"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2489586-soniczelda.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sega today launched new DLC for <a href="/sonic-lost-world/" data-ref-id="false">Sonic Lost World</a> called "The Legend of Zelda Zone" and it brings the iconic franchises together like never before. The expansion is available today as a free download on Wii U. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the expansion, Sonic embarks on Zelda-inspired quests while wearing Link's famous green tunic. Sonic can even fly on his own Loftwing from Wii Zelda game <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword/" data-ref-id="false">Skyward Sword</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Legend of Zelda Zone for Sonic Lost World also includes classic Zelda locations like Hyrule Field and Dodongo's Cavern. Zelda fans will discover even more secrets, Sega says.</p><p style="">For more on The Legend of Zelda Zone for Sonic Lost World, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-lost-world/images/" data-ref-id="false">more images here</a> the trailer below.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418015" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418015/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 27 Mar 2014 12:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-and-zelda-come-together-like-never-before/1100-6418596/
Image credit: Reddit user chipay 
